(Here's chapter 2. I hope you all like it. ^_^)

Disclaimer: I don't own bleach

Chapter 2: The Hollow

Yuki had waited all day for her brother to return. She was anxious about him because he had gone to a forbidden part of the forest. She was hoping he'd return safely.

She waited and waited, but he never came. She became more worried. What if he was dead? She was terrified to find out. Maybe he was going after some really good game though and would return the next day. Yes, that's what she would imply herself to believe. Iyo could never get caught or killed. She went to sleep with her hopeful thoughts.

In the morning she realized Iyo was still gone. Now she was freaking out. He must have gotten trapped there and needed help. She had to go help him! Immediately, she grabbed all her things and got ready for her journey into the forest. She raced out of her house, but was immediately intercepted by her suitors.

She tried to get past them, but they were all blocking the way to the forest. She was becoming frustrated. These idiots were such pests. Especially when she had important business to attend to. She struggled through the crowd, but they picked her up and carried her off to the local tavern.

It seemed that every eligible man was at the tavern. This meant they wanted her to do something for their enjoyment. She sighed as the men who were carrying her set her neatly on a table in the far corner of the place. She frowned as they all looked at her with hopeful faces. She was not going to do anything for their enjoyment. She wasn't like the local whore, (Yeah we can all guess who she is, with her ginormous boobs and long strawberry blonde hair!) who paraded about in barely anything.

"C'mon Yuki!" She could hear Keigo within the crowd.

She glared at him. "I am not singing for you guys!" She exclaimed.

The room immediately filled with sighing and begging. They really wanted her to sing for them.

"I cant! I have other business to attend to!" she whined to all her whiney suitors.

"Just one song, then we'll let you go!" Aizen called even though he was sitting at a table not far from hers. He was very amused at the moment.

Yuki knew the day was slipping away and her brother needed help, but she couldn't go unless she sang to these drunken idiots. Iyo would be okay if she sang only one song, right? She hoped so. She turned back to all the men and glared once more although she had been defeated.

"Fine!" she growled at the crowd, "One song!"

The crowd cheered. They loved her singing. This wasn't the first time that they'd dragged her into the tavern to sing. She would get caught and was forced many times to do this.

She sang a local folk tune that was short and merry, because that was the kind of music they liked in the tavern. Plus, she could get done with it earlier. She was so glad when finished. She tried to hop off the table to leave, but the men wouldn't move. She glared at them.

"Move! I need to go save my brother!" she growled, annoyed by their stupidity.

"Nope!" called a man, "Sing more!"

"I don't have time right now!" she yelled at the crowd, "I need to go save Iyo! He's in danger!"

"We wont let you leave," Aizen called from his table.

"Yeah Yuki," Keigo called in an uncertain tone. "There's been many strange noises coming from the forest lately. No one dares enter the forest in its current state."

"But my brother is in there! I have to go save him!" She whined.

"Iyo was a big nuisance anyway. If he dies he dies," called Ulquiorra, one of the more coldhearted men in the group.

"I am not just going to let him die!" She argued.

The men were still resisting her arguments. She was going to have to do something she really didn't want to. It was the only way though.

"If I agree to marry one of you, I get to go off and save my brother," she sighed willessly.

The men suddenly grew quiet. They were extremely tempted by her offer. Regardless, they all looked confused and concerned. Aizen stood up, looking annoyed.

"We cannot just allow you to go into the forest by yourself, even with an offer such as that. You may never come back!" He exclaimed.

"Please! Iyo needs rescuing!" She was on the brink of tears.

"How about I make a deal and you can take it or leave it!" Aizen said in a confident manner. All the other men began to look disappointed. They had an idea of what he was going to say. They of course were too afraid to oppose him though.

"If you agree to marry me I will make sure someone goes out to rescue your dear brother. Is that a deal or will you let him die?" Aizen asked, grinning maliciously.

Yuki began to cry, defeated. She had no other option, because these men were not going to let her leave. She had to do it for Iyo's sake.

"Fine! It's a deal!" she cried shrilly.

All the other suitors in the room sighed in disappointment. Yuki had finally chosen her fiancé. Their chance to win her over was completely eliminated.

"Good. We'll be wed tomorrow evening," Aizen announced sadistically.

She just fell on her hands and knees, crying. She did not want to marry Aizen. She could never love him. He was a cruel and manipulative man that only cared for his own goals. She only wished that marrying this man would be worth it. Iyo had better be returned alive.

Aizen sent out only one man to fetch Yuki's brother. He didn't expect the Iyo to be alive, but he did expect the man he sent to return by morning. This was a seemingly impossible task. It was hard to make the man go in the first place because he was frightened out of his mind!

Yuki impatiently waited until morning to come. She was very depressed because of the deal she had made, and she would feel worse if the man returned without her big brother.

She waited and waited but neither man came home. Her marriage ceremony would start soon she was beginning to regret ever agreeing to Aizen's wishes. She should have just waited until all the men had fallen asleep and then just left.

Currently, no one was blocking her from the forest. They were all busy setting up the wedding. If she was going to leave, now was her chance. Immediately she grabbed her things and raced into the forest. Thankfully she was unnoticed.

She wandered the forest until she reached a fork in the road. There was the way safe travelers went and then there was the way no one went through because it was known to be cursed land. There was an eerie vibe emitting from that area, but she had to enter regardless.

She wandered into the night. Iyo must have been extremely desperate to enter this far into the forest. Everything was dark and hard to see through the thick trees. The moon was incredibly bright, but it was still too shadowy to see. She wondered if she'd ever get through.

Finally, after mindless wandering, Yuki saw a clearing. In that large but sinister looking clearing was a castle with high turrets and gargoyles along the edges of the roofing. That meant someone lived deep in these parts. That also meant that her brother could have wandered there and was being taken care of right now! She was beginning to feel hopeful again.

She ran up to the front gate that was tightly shut closed. She shook it trying to gain attention from the owners of the dreary and morbid looking castle. She hoped her brother was all right. She hadn't noticed it, but she had begun to cry now. She was in desperate need to know he was okay.

At last someone did hear her shaking of the barred front gate. She watched as the door slowly creeped open. She looked up expecting someone to come out, but when the door completely opened there was no one there. It was rather confusing. How did the door open on its own?

"Um, excuse me," a timid female voice called from just under her on the other side of the gate. "Are you in need of shelter?"

Yuki looked down to see who was talking to her. Immediately she freaked. While screaming very loudly, she fell back on the ground. Standing at the gate was a stuffed animal dog with big boobs, orange hair and was wearing an apron. She was very cute as a stuffed animal, but not as a living one.

"Please don't distress miss," she cooed in a soothing way. "I only wish to help."

"Wh…what the hell are you?!" Yuki gawked freaking out.

"I'm this castle's cook. I heard you shaking the gate and saw you were crying. Are you lost?" The little thing asked her.

"So…there's more like you?" she wondered, still startled by the fact she was talking to a plushy.

"Yes. We live with the master. He's cursed," the dog plush sighed.

Yuki had full composure now. She was calm enough to stand up again. Obviously this thing wouldn't harm her.

"Have you seen any men around here lately?" she asked in desperation. She had to know if this was where her brother was.

"Yes, but the master took them as prisoners. He doesn't like company much. Although I plan to let you in anyway to let you rest for a while," plushy chick announced, hopping up and unlocking the gate.

Immediately, Yuki ran in. she didn't even care that she knocked over the stuffed chick as she ran into the castle. Iyo had to be in there somewhere. It would have been too much of a coincidence that two guys were prisoners and that her brother and the other guy were missing.

She ran all around giving herself her own tour of the castle. All she wanted was to rescue him.

"Iyo!" She called, "Iyo, where are you?!"

"Miss!" Exclaimed the plushy cook. "Please don't call for them! The master will be extremely furious if he knows you're here!"

"I just want my brother and that other man and then I'll leave!" Yuki whined to her. She called his name again, "Iyo!"

"Wait! I'll help you get him, but you must shush!" she announced.

"You will?" She gawked.

"Yes, but remember. Quiet!"

"Thank you, um…miss?" Yuki whispered, curious.

"I am Orihime," the plushy dog announced cutely. "Now, follow me and I'll show you to your brother."

She nodded and followed Orihime into the dark dungeons of the castle, which was located in a tall tower far from other places. So far there had been no other stuffed animals in the way. At least until they reached the door to their destination. There was a little stuffed bear with normal peasants clothes and blonde hair, lying on the floor. He seemed to be just lounging there. He was asleep.

Orihime approached him and shook him awake. He seemed to be the one watching the dungeon at the time.

"Urahara. Urahara wake up!" She called, pouting.

The bear instantly awoke with a start. He looked alert now. He looked all around and then at Yuki.

"Is that another prisoner?" he asked, sighing.

"No, she came to retrieve the other two. Do you still have the keys to their cells?" Orihime asked cautiously.

"Well yes, but…wont the master get mad?" Urahara wondered hesitantly.

"Yes, but you and I both know he's a hopeless cause. These people don't need to be dragged down as well," Orihime pouted.

"I guess that's true," he mumbled. "Fine, but make haste. I have a bad feeling about this."

Urahara let them by, following close behind though. He was unsure if this was the best thing to do, but he already said he'd do it so there was no choice in the matter any more.

Yuki eagerly paced all the cells, searching for her brother or the man that attempted to rescue him. She was lucky. They were both in the same cell, chained to the walls. Joyously she raced up to the bars crying a little.

"Iyo! I found you!" she exclaimed happily.

Orihime and Urahara winced as she said that. She was very loud.

Iyo looked up weakly and then was shocked at who he saw. It was his sister. She had come to his rescue.

"Yuki? Why did you come?! It's dangerous! Get out!" He yelled, scared.

"No!" she said, motioning Urahara to open the cell. "I'm going to let you guys out."

The cell opened and she raced to his side. She stole the keys from Urahara and began to try them to see which ones would work. Finally she got it and undid his chains. After he was free she freed the other guy.

Iyo couldn't find himself to argue with his determined sister anymore. She had successfully reached to castle unscathed. Hopefully they would make it out soon.

Suddenly a horrible kind of howling noise emitted from deep within the castle. It was bloodcurdling and sounded like whoever made it was pissed.

Everyone looked extremely worried. They all knew who it was.

"Quickly!" Orihime exclaimed, "Run!"

With that command everyone ran like hell down the many flights of elegant stairs. They were about fifty feet from the door to go outside when the howling came again only louder this time. Actually there were words coming from him this time in a voice that was just as spine chilling as the howl.

"How dare you enter my castle?! Get out!" Screamed the master as he sprinted down the steps.

Yuki didn't get to look at him though because Iyo grabbed her sleeve and pulled her the rest of the way outside. They had almost made it to the gate when suddenly a monstrous being jumped out in front of them, blocking their path. He was incredibly tall, towering over them all. He was defiantly not human though. He had long orange hair; his skin was pure white with black markings in some spots where his torn clothing subsided. He also had protruding form his backside a wicked tail that whipped about as he stood before them. In the center of his chest there was a hole as black as pitch. It was very disturbing to look at. His face could not be seen. Instead there was a white mask with red stripe type things down the side, under one of the eyes and on the chin. His eyes, through the mask, were a pure but horrifying shade of yellow surrounded by a veil of black.

Yuki screamed. She had never seen such a creature in her life. He was truly terrifying. She couldn't believe that a creature such as this existed. What was he?

"How dare you let them out and how dare you let another trespass in MY castle!" The horrid creature screamed at Orihime and Urahara. He grabbed them both in his clawed hands.

"Master, we are sorry, but the girl only wished to save her brother," Orihime explained truthfully.

"I don't give a damn what she came here for! You still let her in!" the beastly creature yelled.

"We are sorry!" Urahara butted in.

"Once again," the monster shrieked. "I don't care!"

Quickly, the master of the castle took the little stuffed beings and ripped them apart so they were immobilized. Thankfully they weren't dead, just a little torn up.

Yuki and Iyo and the other guy were still frozen in their tracks at the horrid beast before them.

"Now to deal with you!" he growled inching towards them. He looked like was going to kill them.

Yuki knew that she only came for her brother. It didn't really matter if she returned right? She had a stupid fiancé now who she didn't want to marry in the first place. She could evade marriage this way at least.

"Stop!" She yelled at him. "Please let them go! I will stay here of my own free will and will do whatever you wish. PLEASE!" she begged with all her might, crying.

The master stopped in his tracks. He was shocked that there was such a selfless girl. He glared at her through is mask.

"You mean that…girl!?" He snarled.

"Yes! Just let them go!" She bawled.

Immediately the master of the castle shut the gates and locked them. Then, he grabbed Iyo, and the other man and threw them over the gate, leaving himself with Yuki. The two men were too frightened to stay near the castle. They ran off quickly.

Yuki had wandered over to the unmoving Orihime and Urahara. She looked at their torn and tattered bodies and cried.

The master came up to her unpleasantly. He seemed always annoyed.

She viciously turned to him bawling.

"How could you do that to them?!" they were only trying to help me!" she yelled.

"Peh," he snorted arrogantly. "I don't give a rats ass for them or anyone else!"

She glared at him, knowing right away that she wasn't ever going to like him. He was absolutely cruel. He was actually worse than Aizen. She hated him!

"What are you?!" She yelled furiously.

The master's eyes narrowed before he answered, "I am a Hollow. There is nothing else you need to know." He growled, and then hit her upon the head making her black out.

( Oh no! She's stuck living with a Hollow now! LOL. I'm sorry that I used the name 'The Other Guy' I was just being lazy and didn't want to make up a name or use someone from Bleach, so I apologize for that…even though it is a little funny. I hope you liked this chapter! I'll update as soon as I can!)