Thanks for all the reviews and favs on this one ^.^ I will try my best to finish the story soon ^.^
And I went over and changed out almost all my complains in this one XD Be happy XD
Warnings: Hm, Death, blood and that is it for now XD
Disclaimer: I own nothing, all characters belong to the great Tite Kubo ^.^
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Fallen Hero
Chapter two – Falling
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"This is terrible." Rukia stammers, looking over the bodies spread over the alley. It was one of the local street gangs. Five people in all, all of them dead and drained for blood. But one of the problems was to figure out what body part that belonged where. "Could it really be Ichigo's energy we felt here? Wouldn't it be most natural for him to meet us here then?"
"Maybe he is fighting the killer?" Ishida whispers, not wanting to voice what they had all been suspecting for a long time now. Ichigo's energy had been felt both times, but they hadn't found him there. And the last time he had thrown up blood… old blood. "We should get away from here before the police comes… there is nothing left for us to do."
"Hey, isn't that a human world security camera?" Renji suddenly asks. And point up at a camera that pointed towards the end of the alley.
"It is, you should be able to see at least a little of the assault on it!" Ishida cheers, now they could really redeem Ichigo! With video proof, none of them would have to think it might be Ichigo anymore! "Abarai-kun, can you sneak in and get the tape? You and Kuchiki-san is the only ones that can get in without starting the alarms."
"I'll get it." Renji says, sneaking in easy, soon back with the tape. "So, where can we watch this?"
"I have a video player." Chad whispers, startling them as he hadn't really said anything for a while.
"Let us get going then." Ishida whispers, all of them running off as the police cars could be heard in the distance. And after a quick escape they were back at Chad's place, all placed before the TV, all waiting nervous for what they would see, but nothing would never really have prepared them for it.
"I'll fast forward to the time we felt Kurosaki's energy." Ishida whispers, using the remote with shaking hands, stopping as he saw the time on the VCR. Ten seconds until it would start…3…2…1! All of them jolt, as blood sprayed over the entire alley, the gang falling to the ground all around the alley. Parts mixed up as the sharp attack had completely thorn them apart. "We can't see the killer… he is off screen."
Ishida were about to fast forward a little more, before his eyes widen, seeing the familiar form come into view on the screen, hands in pocket as he walked through the massacre, all the blood drawing against him, and he absorb all the blood trough his outstretched left hand, bringing it to his lips afterwards, licking the last traces of the blood up. Before he turns slowly towards the camera, a grin spreading over his face as he saw he was being taped, and he laughs, as he walks off from view.
"Ah… it can't…" Ishida stammers, falling backwards as the tape suddenly went black. No one saying anything as the almost laughing static from the tape grew. "Kurosaki…"
"This has to be a really evil trick someone is playing on us! There is no way Ichigo would do something like that?!" Rukia yells, getting up from the floor as he headed to the door. "I'm going to go and make sure once and for all, Ichigo is supposed to be in his bed and rest, if his sisters can tell us if he was there and hour ago, everything is ok!"
"We are coming too!" Orihime stammers, she hadn't wanted to believe this either, but she was one of them that had seen Ichigo's weird hollow transformation, and she had felt a little uneasy ever since. What if Ichigo really wasn't able to control himself anymore? All of them had seen how he would go berserk in battles when he was tired, it was really scary.
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"Ichigo moved back to his room?" Rukia asks confused, as she had found the hospital bed empty.
"Yeah, he felt a lot better, we were all so happy." Isshin laughs, as he helped Yuzu clean and arrange the bed again. "He is probably in his room. One of his friends suddenly came to visit."
"Who?" Ishida asks confused, did Ichigo have any other friends than them that they wouldn't know about coming over?
"A really scary looking guy." Isshin sighs, all of them thinking of the possibility of Zaraki sneaking over. Oh that would be scary. "Weird mask on his face, I thought he might have a jaw injury he wants to cover or something, probably a school punk or something."
Isshin were about to say more, but Yuzu tugged at his arm, and he finally discovers that everyone had gone. Even his little Rukia-chan didn't want to hear him talk?! What a cruel world!
"Ichigo!" Rukia yells in panic, as she pulled the door open to his bed room, the confused Ichigo looking at them from his place in the bed, while the curious Grimmjow were looking at the Christmas decorated Kon, last named too scared to even move.
"Yo, something up everyone?" Ichigo asks a little nervous. He had expected a mess when they found Grimmjow there, but why did it look like that wasn't the only problem?
"Oi, Ichigo, what is all the red stuff for? I saw a lot of it in town too." Grimmjow point out, as he got bored of Kon, and tossed him hard at the confused Ishida, who got a royal head but from a screaming stuffed animal. "And an old fat man dressed in it, is he some sort of demon?"
"What the hell is your problem? You see an old man in red and think he is a demon?" Ichigo asks, getting up from the bed to greet everyone. "Sorry for this guy, he is going to stay over for Christmas."
"Really?!" Orihime cheers, skipping over to the bored Grimmjow. "It will be so fun! I bet Ishida-kun will make a Christmas jacket for you too! Maybe we can fool Ichigo again this year?!"
"Tell him about that and die." Ichigo screech, Orihime snickering something into Grimmjow's ears, Ichigo turning beat red as Grimmjow's grin grew. Damned! He couldn't trust anyone!
"Ichigo, is it really ok?" Rukia whispers to Ichigo, as Orihime was occupying the new freeloader. "He is still an Arrancar, we don't know how long it will be before they find a new leader and try to rise again."
"But they can't make any more Arrancars can they? So the three last of them probably feels lonely." Ichigo whispers, looking sad down. "Nell too, even though I promised to take her with me."
Ichigo remembers back to the end of the war, Nell had clutched so happy to him, waiting for him to bring her home as he had promised. He had said that she could live in his room, and he would show her a lot of fun places! But he hadn't been allowed to take her away from that empty place.
"The commanders orders are both wise and true Ichigo, you can't just bring an enemy back with you." Renji tried to say, but he gives a confused 'gah!' as Ichigo gave him a hard punch, everyone in the room turning towards them. "What was that for?!"
"Just what the hell did Nell do to become an enemy?! She helped us didn't she? She in her current state is nothing but a lost child, alone in that dangerous world…" Ichigo whispers, his fists shaking. He had younger sisters, he knew they could take care of themselves, since their world was a relatively safe one, but the hollow world was dangerous, and to Ichigo, it felt like he had a third little sister, which was in a place where he couldn't protect her!
"After the war, Soul society labeled all hollows enemies." Rukia starts, Ichigo clutching his fist. "All sort of half hollows are also on the list, the Viozards that went back to hiding, and the remaining Arrancars! They are all enemies of the shinigami's!"
Orihime and Ishida had tried to stop Rukia in mid sentence, but it was too late as she has said it, Ichigo going completely silent. So that was why he hadn't seen Shinji and the others for a while? They had understood what would happened, and then gone into hiding. He had wondered about why they hadn't said anything to him afterwards, they had probably wanted to spare him for the consequences of being one of them.
"So… what did all of you come here for?" Ichigo whispers, his voice low, a deep hint of disappointment in it. "I bet you didn't come all the way here to kick Grimmjow out and then get surprised when he is here."
"We wanted to… know where you were about two hours ago." Chad asks, as it didn't seem like the others wanted to be there anymore. It seemed so real to them that Ichigo's was the killer after they saw the tape, but being with him here now made it all seem so stupid, they all felt ashamed.
"Two hours ago? I think I was trying to get some sleep." Ichigo whispers, thinking back. Yes, two hours earlier he had gotten raped by Grimmjow, no way he was telling them that. "Yeah, I tried to sleep, fell asleep a little one hour ago. Then woke up and felt good enough to get out of bed."
"Do you have any proof?" Ishida asks hopeful.
"Um, Yuzu came in with dinner for me, but just for a little." Ichigo says everyone's hope dropping. They didn't have proof at all! "But what is this all about? Just where the hell does you all think I was?"
Complete silence covers the room, none of them wanting to be the first to voice their suspicion.
"All of you are really acting weird." Ichigo suddenly sighs, getting up again, smiling in an effort to lift the pressure a little. "It can't be that bad can it? If it is Soul Society that is after me for hiding Grimmjow in my closet I take full responsibility."
"Here…" Rukia finally whispers, handing Ichigo the video tape. "We paused it at the right place, so just push play and watch the next five minutes."
"Ok, I'm going down to watch it, I'll send Yuzu up with some cookies for you all, she has gone overboard with the Christmas baking again, so we need help to get it away." He laughs. A little happy that he was finally going to figure out what was going on with everyone. "I'll be right back up."
All of them wait in silence, Yuzu coming with cookies for them, staying a little to explain what it was to the curious Grimmjow, before she left again, and grab the screaming Kon on the way out.
"It's been almost a half hour." Renji whispers, as he looked up at the clock. "Should we wait a little longer?"
"You guys are really naïve." Grimmjow snickers, as he was finished with the last cookie. "If that tape was some sort of proof of something, shouldn't you keep an eye on it? Who knows, it might disappear or something?"
The door opens, everyone turning their eyes over at the silent Ichigo, who walked slowly over to his bed again.
"So… what do you have to say to your defense? Kurosaki-kun?" Ishida asks, all of them waiting for an answer.
"Defense for what?" Ichigo suddenly asks.
"You watched the tape didn't you?!" Rukia yells.
"What tape?"
Silence covers the room again, as Ichigo looked up at them, his eyes shimmering between brown and yellow, a smug grin on his face that they had never seen before.
"The tape we sent down with you!" Rukia yells in frustration. They had all expected Ichigo to say against it! To say something that would reassure them all that it wasn't him! Like it the guy was to big, or that he would never use clothes like that… just something to get their hopes up! That was what they expected from Ichigo! "You saw the murder didn't you?! That is clear proof that someone is posing as you and killing people!"
"Posing? Why would anyone do that?" The amused hollow laughs, all of them going silent over the echo of the voice. "And lucky for me that this tape you talk about was really easy to get writhe of, which leaves the King's idiot friends with no proof at all."
No one says anything, Grimmjow looking over the situation curious. Ichigo's friends were wavering. It wouldn't be long before they fell completely for it. Keh! What was worth with having friends at all? They would turn on you or betray your expectations.
"But I am going to give the ultimate proof to all of you!" The hollow laughs, his eyes turning black, the yellow iris glowing in excitement. Finally! He was going to break of all bonds his king had! He was going to bring him down into eternal despair! And then be the only one to ever hold him! "I killed them all! It was so easy! It gives me thrill each time!"
"You bastard!" Rukia almost screams out, changing out of her body, grabbing her sword with shivering hands. She hadn't been able to see Kaien like this. If the same was going to happen to Ichigo… she just didn't want it! To see the person she cared so much for, that kind youth that risked his life to save her… she didn't want to see him turn into a monster!
The hollow gives a grin. Just let her cut, then he would change with his dear King, allowing Ichigo to see the ultimate betrayal! It was going too perfect!
But Rukia's sword is easily stopped, everyone looking both thankful and suspicious at the teal haired man, who had stopped the sword, Rukia about to defend herself.
"You bastard, you have something to do with this don't you?" Rukia growls, about to hit at him again, but then Grimmjow shocked all of them all. He turns away from Rukia, and he grabbed Ichigo hard by the neck, pushing him against the wall.
"You planned all this didn't you?" Grimmjow hiss towards the confused hollow. "I wouldn't usually give a damn about it, but I doubt even my voice would reach Ichigo if your plan had gone trough."
"Ha ha! You are destroying it all! Lowly Arrancar!" He laughs hysterical, Grimmjow looking silently at the crazy hollow, while the others pulled back in fear. Could this really be the Ichigo they knew? Could he really have become a killer?
"Then let me destroy it." Grimmjow growls, tightening his hold. "I can give Ichigo an alibi after all, since he were with me both times the killer killed! You might claim to be the killer, but no matter what, Ichigo couldn't have been two places at the same time."
The hollow gives on last growl of frustration, before Grimmjow let go of him, and he falls hard to the floor, coughing hard as he tried to figure out what was happening. He had been in the living room… and he had put on the tape… and seen…
"Gah!" Ichigo screams, clutching hard to his head as his mind once more flashed over the scenes from the tape.
"Ichigo." Everyone whispers worried, looking at him as he seemed to be back to normal again. Grimmjow feeling uninterested again, he had something else to do, he really didn't care much for that world's look on murder, he murdered as he wished so. He just hadn't like the idea of Ichigo getting killed.
"Yo, I am going to get some stuff." Grimmjow answers, opening the window. "And on those tape stuff, there is time to right? Match up the time you dolt."
Ichigo goes silent, thinking back to the time on the tape, the others looking confused at him, as he suddenly seemed to get over it all, getting back to his feet as Grimmjow left.
"Grimmjow is right… I was spending time with him during those five minutes, Yuzu had made dinner for him, if she doesn't believe he was there it was because I pushed him into hiding thinking it was Rukia or Renji." Ichigo sighs, happy to have a clear mind again.
"Why the hell didn't you tell us the first time then?!" Renji yells, everything back to normal as the two shinigami's stood face to face yelling at each other.
"Because I didn't think you were all suspecting me for murder!" Ichigo counters, before he turned to Rukia. "Oh, I left the tape in the VCR, could one of you pick it up before Yuzu or Karin watched it, or worse… dad?"
"You didn't destroy it?" Orihime asks confused.
"Why would I do that?" Ichigo asks, everyone looking relieved at him. "That was a black and white camera, right? The grey tone for the hair was wrong, that guy must have been white haired or something, and I have never seen that jacket before in my life! And the pants I had that looked like those I threw away because they were too thorn!"
"We knew it Kurosaki! You would never kill anyone!" Ishida cheers, Ichigo giving a sudden scream, as all of them lunged at him at once, the group hug taking him to the floor, but he laughed content over the attention, as all the others did, but none of them noticed as Ichigo's laughter stopped, as he looked at the underside of his bed. Forcing on laughter as Orihime had started tickling him hard.
Damn! He really had to get writhe of those clothes…
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Ichigo gives a tired sigh, happy that he was at least done with school before Christmas, as he read a book Chad had borrowed him. Heh, it had been three says since Grimmjow left, and he was actually missing the bastard. Hadn't he been supposed to stay there with him?! At least his body had been stable, he heard the hollow complains a lot more, but it seemed something kept him from taking full control again. Thank God, it seemed the others had almost gotten a heart attack over what had happened. Who knows what had happened if Grimmjow hadn't stopped him.
"Yah really like that guy don't yah king?" The hollow asks, appearing beside Ichigo, who did his best to overlook him. "Yah even gave yer body to him."
"It was a good deal, I protect others and he protects me, then others won't be sad when I get hurt." Ichigo explains, turning the page. "And you give a damn about others anyway. You tried to get me killed."
"Just your human body, I want it to perish, to me, it is a prison." He point out, brushing Ichigo's face gently. "Why don't yah look at me like yah do on him?"
"Because you aren't real." Ichigo says, looking straight at the hollow, who looks shocked for a moment, before he gives a laugh, fading slowly. "And as long as I won't make you real, you aren't."
"Maybe king, but as long as a trace of me exists, it means yah don't want me gone, after all… yah don't feel so good when I leave yah?" The hollow laughs, Ichigo tossing the book away. Damned, that guy had just ruined his concentration! Why did he have to pick on him just when he was able to relax a little?!
"Yo! Coming in!"
Ichigo jumps confused to the side, as someone jumped in trough his window, Grimmjow looking quite pleased over himself as he held a bag over his shoulders.
"Hm, I guess the right thing to say is 'ho ho ho'?" He laughs, before he sits down beside the confused Ichigo.
"Just where the hell have you been?" Ichigo asks, Grimmjow giving a grin. "What?"
"You missed me didn't you?" He laughs, Ichigo blushing as Grimmjow leaned closer to him, nibbling gently at his ears. "I bet your body has been aching for me…"
"Shut up!" Ichigo yells, hitting Grimmjow hard down, grabbing the bag as it was moving towards him. "What the hell?"
"I… It… Itsygo!" The bag screams, Ichigo giving a scream as a small form came out of it, attaching itself to him. "Itsygo! Nell missed Itsygo so much!!!"
"Nell!" Ichigo cheers, hugging the crying girl hard, Grimmjow feeling more than pleased with himself. He had seen Ichigo's look when he had talked about missing her, and he hoped this would get his mind of what Rukia had said, that Hollows were the enemy, no matter if half or whole. "How did you get her here?"
"I lured her with me, I used a time to get permission from Ullqiorra, and then I got help from that weird sandal hat guy to make a fake body for her." Grimmjow answers, and lift the confused Nell up from Ichigo. "She is an Arrancar, so she won't try to hurt people, so I bet she is safer to have around than me."
"Nell is going to live with Itsygo now! Ullqiorra-sama said it was ok!" She cheers, laying happy down in Ichigo's embrace. "Itsygo is going to become Nell's father now!"
"Um, I can go with being a big brother." Ichigo stammers, Nell pouting, Ichigo wasn't following her game! But then she gives a big grin. "What?"
"Then Itsygo can be mommy, and Grimmjow-sama can be daddy." She snickers evilly. Ichigo doing all in his might to remember for himself that she was a kid at the moment, if not for that, he would have clobbered her! "Mommy!"
"Stop calling me that! It is grossing me out!" Ichigo yells embarrassed, Grimmjow grinning a little too much for his liking. "You are planning to go along with this aren't you?!"
"Why not? It is a good game, we can do parent stuff." Grimmjow snickers, Nell looking curious at them, as Grimmjow brushed Ichigo's hair gently. Maybe they were dating? Then they could be a family! "I guess we just adopted."
"I am going to kill you one day." Ichigo growls, as he had a curious Nell munching on his arm, and Grimmjow nibbling grinning at his ear. Enjoying the faint shiver that went through Ichigo's body, he was always so honest to his touches. "One more touch from you and I am screaming rape."
"Heh, I'll be nice." Grimmjow laughs, pulling away as the door opens, the curious Karin looking over the suddenly crowded room. "Yo, Ichigo's little sister."
"Ah! The scary guy is back!" Karin yells, Yuzu coming running to see herself. Waving eagerly to the confused Grimmjow. Was it just him? Or did Ichigo's sister not fear him? "Ah! Ichi-nii! What is that thing on your arm?!"
"Thing?" Ichigo asks confused, before he pulls his hand from Nell, setting her up on his lap. "Nell, this is my sisters, Yuzu and Karin, be nice to them."
"Hello Itsygo's sisters, please take good care of me." Nell says, bowing as Ichigo pushed her head down.
"Who are you? Grimmjow's little sister?" Yuzu asks curious, patting her gently on the head.
"No! Nell is Itsygo and Grimmjow-sama's love child!" She cheers. Giving a cry as Ichigo dropped her to the floor, and Grimmjow laughing hysterical as Ichigo were beat red. "Itsygo is going to be mommy! And Grimmjow-sama is going to be daddy!"
"Oh, you are playing house?" Yuzu laughs, sitting down before the nodding Nell. "Then I am your auntie! You want to come to my room and play with my stuffed animals? It is really fun!"
"Um!" Nell cheers, taking a happy hold of Yusu's hand as they walked happy out, Karin covering her ears as Ichigo let out the pent up panic, giving a scream into his pillow.
"What a big happy family." Grimmjow laughs, patting the hyperventilating Ichigo on the head. He had to teach Nell to not say stuff like that! If it had been the others… someone might get hurt.
"Is it really safe to let Yuzu go with her?" Karin suddenly asks, Ichigo looking confused at her. "I mean, she is the same as that guy isn't she? A half hollow thing?"
"Yeah, but Nell is ok…" Ichigo starts.
"But she is a hollow isn't she?! You can't trust hollows! They might look human… but they are still monsters aren't they?!" Karin yells, going silent as she saw the look in her brother's eyes. Why did he look so hurt? Why did her usual so strong brother suddenly look so sad? "Ichi-nii?"
A sudden gust covers the room, Ichigo's head dropping weakly, as half of him once more left.
"Oi! Stop!" Grimmjow yells, grabbing after Ichigo's hand, but too late, as a new wind gust came, Ichigo disappearing. "Damn! Take care of Nell."
Grimmjow jumps out the window, following the weak trace of Ichigo's energy. Damn! He started to understand why Ichigo kept disappearing! Ichigo loved all his friends too much, so if they kept looking at hollows like the Viozards and Arrancars like monsters. Ichigo would fall into despair and fade!
A gust fly past him, and Grimmjow grabs the invincible energy hard, not letting go as the form slowly came back, Ichigo looking confused around, he was out in the street? The last he could remember was Karin yelling at him.
"Monsters huh?" He whispers as he started remembering, Grimmjow not letting go of his hand as it fell limp. "I look at hollows like that too, but I still can't think of the Arrancars or the Viozards like that, it might be wrong of me, but…"
"I don't think it is wrong of you." Grimmjow whispers, Ichigo looking confused at the hard hold his hand was in, trying to shake Grimmjow off, but Grimmjow didn't budge. "I agree, hollows are monsters, killing, killing and killing, it isn't a good life at all. The fear of being killed by others before you turn into a Gillian, and the fear of turning back to that creature when you become an Adjuncas, you kill more, kill, kill and kill, and you eat the bodies of your own kind, just so you won't return to be nothing! It is the life of a monster Ichigo! The constant hope of becoming a Vasto Lord! I hoped! I fought! I killed! I was alone! But I reached my goal! And thanks to Aizen I became something that didn't have to kill to be alive. But… what really makes me a monster Ichigo… is that I keep killing to feel alive!"
Grimmjow pushes the confused Ichigo hard into the wall of the alley, keeping him hard in place, Ichigo for the first time in a long time feeling fear.
"But what I like about you is the difference Ichigo." Grimmjow suddenly whispers, resting his head against the shivering Ichigo's neck. "You aren't a monster, neither is Nell, not even Ullqiorra. The difference is that you all live without having to fight, you Ichigo, live trough your friends, which is why you keep fading! If you think you are nothing for them, you fade to nothing! So I am going to tell you this now! Kurosaki Ichigo! To me, you are no monster! You are the most human of all hollows, but if you keep telling yourself something else, that monster inside you will win, and your worst fears will come true. And you will become a monster even worse than me…"
"You aren't making this better you know…?" Ichigo whispers, wrapping his arms shivering around Grimmjow. "You fight to feel alive… because no one notices you any other way, and you feel alive when people notice you… If I notice you… will you feel alive then?"
"I already do…" Grimmjow whispers. "So if you give up again and fade, I will search out all your friends and fight, making them fight to make me feel alive in your place."
"You are a real bastard." Ichigo complains, but he keeps his grip around Grimmjow. "But you are a really kind bastard."
"Keh, live in your fantasy about that one." Grimmjow laughs, both of them smiling as they seemed to have worked out the worst problems. But then both of them freeze, feeling the same energy as they had that first night. "Let's get going!"
"Yeah." Ichigo says, quickly using his badge, taking up Kon to put him in his own body, the confused Kon looking around. "Kon! Get home and take care of Yuzu, Karin and Nell, try to figure out a excuse for disappearing into air, like a teleport or something!"
"Ah! Ichigo!" Kon whale, but the shinigami and the Arrancar were already gone. "Don't leave me…"
In the meantime Ichigo and Grimmjow were already at the base of the source, both ready to fight as they saw the creature in the middle of the street, the blood from all the bodies around them getting absorbed.
"Yo, turn and fight us." Grimmjow laughs. He hadn't had a good fight for weeks! This should be a really strong enemy! Since it had the same fighting energy as Ichigo!
"Yah came back quick King." The man before them laughs, Ichigo freezing to over the revelation, as the empty hollow eyes turned towards him. The mocking grin spreading over the lips of the man that looked completely like him. "Yah usually don't manage to come back before I get yah some energy!"
Ichigo tries to hit the hollow away with Zangetsu as he came towards him, but too late, as the hollow faded into him again, his soul becoming whole again. The remains of the human blood embedded into the hollow's soul making Ichigo sick, as he fell to his knees, puking once more.
"What the hell just happened?" Grimmjow growls, before he rubs Ichigo on the back as he sat down on his knees behind him. Hoping that it eased a little of his suffering, as more and more blood covered the ground before them. "Each time someone got killed, you felt something didn't you? Your body would turn weaker?"
"Yeah, and after the time of the murder… I would feel ok again." Ichigo coughs, trying to dry his face, but more blood came. "All this… really is my fault!"
"No, it is a bi effect, not your fault at all Kurosaki-san!" Someone cheers, Ichigo and Grimmjow looking confused up at the shop owner, who hid his face behind his fan.
"Urahara-san… you knew this?" Ichigo stammers, about to kick the bastards ass, when he coughed up more, Grimmjow starting to wonder if he really had much more blood.
"I had a suspicion. It seems your other part is as bad at hiding his energy as you." Urahara says, waving his fan as he waited for Ichigo to compose himself. "He can't take complete control of your body anymore, but with blood he can make his own for a little while, so he flees from your body for some moments, but if he doesn't get blood, he won't be able to return."
"Then why the hell does he do it?! All this just to be out for a few minutes?!" Ichigo yells furious as he got up, Grimmjow grabbing him as he fell down again, more blood splattering over the both of them, but Grimmjow really didn't care.
"Because if he does it long enough, all the collected blood will make him a body of his own." Urahara explains. "And when he makes a body of his own, your human body will fade, and you will stand left as two souls instead, one hollow and one shinigami."
"I knew that damned bastard was up to no good…" Ichigo growls. "Is there a way to stop him at all?!"
"One way!" Urahara cheers, both Ichigo and Grimmjow looking at him hopeful for the answer. "But this all comes down to if the Arrancars will help you."
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"Ichigo disappeared and came back?" Rukia asks, looking at the sobbing Kon, who were rolling around on Ichigo's bed. "Just what do you mean?"
"Ichi-nii just faded! He stared at me, and then he disappeared!" Karin yells, pointing at the confused Kon, before she yells out. "That guy can't be Ichi-nii! He is acting too weird!"
"I'm not weird! Nee-san!" Kon sobs, lunging for Rukia, who hit him hard down. "Wah! Ichigo! That bastard left me alone and left with that scary hollow guy!"
"Ichigo went with Grimmjow?" Rukia asks confused, Kon nodding.
"So this guy isn't Ichi-nii?!" Karin yells, pointing at the hiccupping Kon.
"No, the body is Ichigo's but the one inside is the same thing that lived in the stuffed lion." Rukia explains, pointing to the Christmas decorated Kon in a corner. "They shift when Ichigo need to get out and fight."
"Ah! Karakura King!" Karin yells, recognizing the teddy bear, before she looks slowly over at her brother. "And you are in my big brother's body right now?"
Kon nods desperately, he wanted to hide! Rukia were yelling at him, he hadn't been able to get a good excuse… and everything was wrong?!
"I'm going to hide under the bed now!" Kon yells, as Yuzu came into the room, his natural fear for his nemesis taking control, Rukia catching the stuff from under the bed as they came her way.
"Oi! Stop it Kon! You are making a racket!" She yells, giving a growl as a jacket hit her hard in the face, but she stops the next yelling spree, looking at the blood covered jacket, before she pulls out the old pants too, red from blood.
"Ah! That is the pants I told big brother to toss away because they were too old!" Yuzu yells, looking terrified at all the blood. "Did big brother get hurt?!"
"I have to find Ichigo…" Rukia stammers and she clutch hard to the jacket as she ran towards the place she could feel his energy. He had lied to them! He said he didn't know about a jacket like that! And that he had tossed the pants away! Why would he lie about it if he was innocent?! "Ichigo!?"
Rukia stops, looking from the tired Ichigo, to Grimmjow who were standing beside him, the alley around them covered with bodies, and the both of them covered in blood.
"You got here a little late Rukia, the guy left." Ichigo whispers, smiling to her as he tried to support himself up on his sword. "He was too quick for us."
"You are lying!" Rukia yells, Ichigo looking confused at her, as she tossed the jacket down before him. Ichigo going silent, he had forgotten to get writhe of it anyway. He was really stupid. "You said this jacket was something you didn't have! It was you who was on the tape!"
"Rukia I…." Ichigo starts, before he goes silent, as she pulled out her sword.
"I am placing you under arrest! For suspicion of misusing your shinigami powers! You will be placed under home arrest until the case is taken up in soul society!" Rukia yells, holding her sword with shivering hands. She didn't want this, she hated it! She couldn't even look Ichigo in the eyes! Either she would see hate or that same crazy look as the last time! "Please come with me without putting up resistance! Ichigo!"
"Like hell he will." Grimmjow complains, pulling his sword out, about to get writhe of the nuisance, but he gives a grunt, as Ichigo hit him hard in the stomach with the hilt of his sword. "Ichigo? You… bastard, what the hell… are you doing?"
"Go back home." Ichigo whispers, Grimmjow looking shocked at him.
"What the hell do you mean Ichigo! I'm not going anywhere!" Grimmjow yells furious. Was he tossing him away just like that? Was this a try to make himself less suspicious with sending the enemy away?
"I'll be ok, there is no true proof that I did it… talk to Ullqiorra about what Urahara-san said, ask him if he will help, then come back, ok?" Ichigo whispers, giving a smile to Grimmjow, a weak and terrified smile. "Please?"
"Try to not die before I come back." Grimmjow growls, opening the gate home, closing his eyes as he did his best to not look back. "Yo, Ichigo, remember what that bastard said! It isn't your fault!"
Grimmjow disappears, Ichigo turning his attention back to Rukia, before he walks over to her, Rukia tensing, as Ichigo patted her on the head.
"I'm under house arrest, right? Let's go home." He laughs, smiling to the almost crying Rukia. "It is ok, I won't fight back at all, here, take Zangetsu."
He hand her his sword, Rukia taking it with shaking hands. She just couldn't understand it! Was it like that Arrancar with Kaien's face? Or was this really the same Ichigo all of them cared so for?! Why would he come freely then?! Wasn't that like admitting you were the killer?!
"Hey, don't tell Yuzu and Karin, I'll just say that I am so sick that I can't go out, ok?" Ichigo whispers, Rukia nodding sad, following after him as they walked, keeping her eyes on the ground. "Come on, don't worry about it Rukia, all the proof points against me, I understand why you suspect me."
"Ichigo… Um!... Just wait… we will get soul society to look into the case… and they will find the real culprit!" She yells, trying to cheer up herself and Ichigo.
"Heh, I wonder if they can catch someone who doesn't exist yet…?" Ichigo whispers, Rukia wanting to ask about it, but decided not to. She just wanted to get this all over with! She had faith in soul society, they would help Ichigo! No matter what!
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"So, why is everyone celebrating Christmas with us?" Karin asks, looking at the gang that were all arranging for a Christmas vacation in their living room. "And why isn't Ichi-nii here?"
"He is feeling sick so he is in his room still." Rukia answers, actually, Ichigo was really sick now… he was keeping bed with a real fever, could it be because they had put a shield around the house? No one could get out, so he couldn't sneak out at all. And no one could sneak in. "I bet he will come down for Christmas dinner!"
"Nell-chan is feeling really sick too." Yuzu stammers, looking at the young girl, who were staggering back to Ichigo's room with a cookie. Ichigo was sick… she was going to bring one of the good cookies for him! Then he would get better right away! "Nell-chan! Do you want me to help you?!"
"Nell is ok! Don't need help from bad people." Nell sobs, hiccupping as she crawled tired up the stairs. They had put up a shield in Ichigo's room, she felt really bad, but she wouldn't leave Ichigo alone! One of the evil shinigami's was sitting with him all the time! She couldn't leave Ichigo! "Keep away from Itsygo… evil shinigami…"
"Nell-chan." Orihime whispers, before she gets up, taking one of the bowls with cookies, before she runs up the stairs after Nell, holding her hand out for her. "You can trust me, right? Let us help Kurosaki-kun together?"
"Wha! Hime-chan!" Nell cries, attacking herself to Orihime's arm, Orihime lifting her up, carrying her back into the room, feeling the girl get weaker right away, losing the cookie to the floor as she didn't have enough power to hold it.
"Abarai-kun, do you really have to have the shield up?" Orihime whispers, looking from the panting Ichigo, to the almost passed out Nell. "I can set up my shield, it is stronger, and it won't hurt Nell-chan at all!"
"We are under orders from the commander himself, we are going to have this shield up to allow no outside influence on Kurosaki Ichigo… but they promised us an answer tomorrow, all the captains have worked through the town for the last week, they will find the guy who did it, and we will all laugh of this later." Renji laughs, as Orihime laid the tired Nell down own Ichigo's chest, giving both of them a cookie each. "I bet the guy who did all this is a real bastard, wouldn't surprise me if it is the Arrancars or something, probably have a grudge towards Ichigo."
"That isn't true…" Nell whispers, Orihime and Renji looking confused at her. "Grimmjow-sama and Ullqiorra-sama both says that if it wasn't for Itsygo, we would all be either dead or Aizen-sama's slaves, we are happy to be free, so we all like Itsygo."
"You are such a good girl, Nell-chan." Orihime whispers, giving a warm smile to her, as she brushed her hair gently. "If you say so I believe you, Grimmjow-san and Kurosaki-kun has become buddies, and other from being really strong, I never think Ullqiorra was really evil."
Nell nods with a smile, before she cuddles closer to Ichigo again, soon falling asleep once more, Orihime laughing gently, as she saw the drool coming from Nell, poor Ichigo, he would be lucky if he hadn't drowned before he woke up.
"Would one of you get me a cloth or something?" Ichigo asks, feeling the drool spread over his face.
"Here" Renji sighs, handing him the towel again. "For such a small girl there is a surprising amount of drool."
"I know." Ichigo sighs, cleaning his face, before he laid the towel under her, Nell moving tired around, hitting Ichigo hard in the nose with the mask. "Damn it Nell! Watch your hard head!"
"I am sorry Itsygo!" She whimpers, rubbing her own head. "Nell is going to make it alright again with a kiss!"
"No! Gah! Stop it Nell!" Ichigo screams, his eyes widening in terror as Nell decided to puke instead, the grinning Nell getting tossed over to Renji as Ichigo charged for the bathroom.
"Hah, Nell got Itsygo up." She says, quite proud of herself.
"Nell-chan! That wasn't nice at all!" Orihime whimpers, running over to the bathroom door, knocking worried. "Are you ok? Kurosaki-kun?"
"Tell Nell to come here! I am going to drown her in the toilet!" Ichigo groans, puking over the toilet. He was so tired of puking! The only plus was that this time it wasn't blood. "Heh, you have been quiet for a while now…"
"Why would I make fuzz when yah and yer Arrancar buddies are working on giving me what I want?" The hollow point out, appearing behind the tired Ichigo, brushing his pale cheek gently. "I would have preferred it to happen faster, I am going to be really nice, and prove yer innocence the second it is all done. I want to watch their shamed faces as they see that yah are innocent, and I will laugh at them."
"Do that and I will kick your face in." Ichigo threatens, brushing his teeth as he was done cleaning his face. "We all want all this to be over, and Grimmjow said he would come tomorrow."
"Ah, the King of Kings." The white one chuckles. "I wonder about that guy, he is as evil and violent as me, but it seems yah tame him better, might be because yah are good at taming wild kittens, little Ichigo."
"Oh shut up already!" Ichigo complains, tossing water back at him, but it went right trough him. "I'm getting tired of you! I can't wait until this is over!"
"Oi! Ichigo! I'm coming in!" Renji yells from outside, he had been in charge of looking after Ichigo, and here he was yelling at someone in the toilet? Had someone gotten in?
"Eh? Why?" Ichigo asks confused, drying his face with a towel as Renji flew through the door, looking shocked at the room, which was empty except from Ichigo himself. "I hope you are paying for the door…"
"I swear I heard someone else in here…" Renji stammers, looking up at the mirror before Ichigo, as the reflection moved by itself, looking amused down at him, before it looked like it laughed. No sound coming trough.
"Oi, Renji, you ok?" Ichigo asks confused, Renji snapping out of it as Ichigo moved, and the reflection was back to normal. "You need some rest or something? I bet Rukia can keep the barrier up a little."
"No, I'm ok." Renji stammers, not wanting to say out loud that there was no chance in hell he was putting him alone with Rukia. Rukia seemed to have cut herself of from being near Ichigo for the moment. So he had decided to take care of being a guard, and he would leave her the job of saying sorry to Ichigo when he was cleaned of all charges. "How about we get down a little? I bet the little one will feel better too."
"Ok, I don't know how long I will be able to but." Ichigo sigh. It was a little ironic, that he was being completely drained by a shield that was meant for hollows. "Nell! Inoue! We are going down to the others!"
"Yay! Out of evil room!" Nell cheers, as Inoue carried her out of the barrier base, Nell starting to feel better already. "Are we going to have the big Christmas dinner thing soon?! Nell wants that now!"
"Not yet Nell, soon." Ichigo laughs, patting her on the head as they walked down the stairs. "Yuzu, dad! How is the dinner doing?!"
"Ah! It is going great my son!" Isshin yells, deciding to charge for an attack in front of all his son's friends, to show off his superior might! "You are going down Ichigo!"
Ichigo move backwards a bit, his father flying past them.
"Yuzu, do you need help while that old geezer tries to get himself up from the blankets?" Ichigo asks, Yuzu giggling over their struggling father.
"No, I'll be done with the dinner soon big brother." She laughs, even thought her brother was sick, he smiled a lot, but the others all seemed so sad, and everyone watched her brother all the time, like they were afraid he would do something wrong.
Christmas eve went by fast, Ichigo doing his best to keep everyone smiling, as he knew far too well that they probably wouldn't get any good news the day after. He knew that damned commander a little too well, he had been after him since the war, since he felt suspicious of any friend of the Viozards, and also there was the report that Byakuya had given after their battle, a human that had become a shinigami, and then had turned into a hollow… It seemed that most of the higher powers in soul society wanted him destroyed.
But he wouldn't go easy, since he still had one more chance, as long as the Arrancars wanted to support him.
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"But Commander! You can't mean…!" Rukia starts, all of them looking at the screen in disbelief. "The prisoner… Kurosaki Ichigo has shown no hostile intent! And there is still no ultimate proof that he is the killer! Please continue the search!"
"Silence! Kuchiki Rukia!" The commander yells, everyone in the room jumping over the harsh tone from the old man. "You have the proof! He was taped doing the deed. He was discovered at the place of slaughter! And he came with you freely! He himself had with that shown that he was the killer! Has he said anything about not being the killer since you brought him into house arrest!? Has there been any new murders after you captured him?!"
"No, but…" Rukia tries, but the defense she had wanted to give never came, she didn't have one. Ichigo hadn't claimed innocence at all after they had taken him in. He had just said… that the killer didn't exist yet. Did that mean that he hadn't found a scapegoat yet? Or was it something he knew that they didn't?
"Kurosaki Ichigo harbors a terrible darkness inside! And it is taking control!" The commander yells. "I have meet Kurosaki-kun myself a few times. He is a strong youth with a strong sense of justice! The darkness inside him is growing! And he came freely to be locked away! He knows he is a danger! He does not want to hurt anyone! As his friends! It is your duty to end his suffering before he hurts someone he cared about!"
All of them go silent, as the screen turns black. None of them could say against that! Ichigo was a idiot that didn't want to hurt anyone… and if they left him as he was… it was either to keep him locked away for the rest of his life, or to… end it.
"Um, excuse me."
All of them give a scream, as the screen turned on again, a curious Mayuri looking at them all, all of them looking terrified back.
"Ah, It seems I caught you at the right time." He snickers, coming really close to the screen. "I have an invention that might be able to help you all."
"Help us how?" Ishida asks, not liking to be talking to that bastard again.
"In saving your friend Kurosaki Ichigo." He laughs, holding up a small ball. "If you put this on one of your swords, it is a possible chance of forcing out whatever dark presence is residing inside your friend, and it will be captured inside here, not able to attack anyone again."
"Can you send it right away?!" Rukia cheers, getting up to catch Orihime as she jumped towards her while cheering, hugging Rukia hard.
"I am sending it over with the captains and Lieutenants that wants to say their goodbyes to Kurosaki Ichigo in case it will be the end." He answers, all of them turning as the gate from soul society opened. "Please give me a full report of it when you are done, and I want the used ball, to study a creature that can live inside a shinigami."
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Ichigo gives a deep sigh, moving silently away from the door to the base they had put up to keep in contact with soul society. It might sound like a really good plan for them, but he really didn't like the thought of loosing half of himself like that. He hated the guy over everything, but it was true, if he was gone, he himself was almost unable to breath, even exist.
"Itsygo, are we going somewhere?!" Nell asks, as Ichigo lifts her up from the bed.
"Yeah, you are going home, and get Grimmjow to come here a little faster." Ichigo laughs, Nell nodding tired, as Ichigo walked over to the snoring Renji, who sat in the corner of the room. "Oi! Renji! Wake up!"
"Um? Is something happening?" Renji asks confused, looking up at Ichigo, who had changed body, the silent Kon sitting on the bed, while Ichigo had Zangetsu on his back, as he had easily gotten it back from the living room.
"I want you to open up the shield for us." Ichigo answers, smiling like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"You know that I can't, and what the hell would you do if I let you?" Renji asks, reaching for his own badge, but too late, as Ichigo grab his arm hard, brushing his own hand over his face. Renji looking terrified into the whole Hollow mask. "I…Ichigo?"
"Too bad Renji, it was either open the shield for me, or get a little burned when I blow it easily away myself!" Ichigo yells, Renji giving a growl, as he was easily hit into the wall, passing out as he got a blow to the head, and the shield fade. "There, let us go now Nell."
"Nell is with Itsygo all the way!" Nell cheers, but the door slams open, both of them turning towards it.
"Ichi-nii! Are you ok?! What was that… sound…?" Karin yells, going silent as she looked at the hollow mask on her brother's face. "Ichi… nii?"
"Sorry Karin, I didn't want you or Yuzu to see me like this." Ichigo whispers, removing his mask as he understood how much it disturbed her. "I might be a shinigami, but… I am also one of the few ones that have also been turned to hollow… I'll tell you all about it when all this is over, ok? Just don't let Yuzu cry until I come back…"
"Don't… don't come back!" She suddenly yells, Ichigo looking shocked at her. "If you are a hollow you aren't Ichi-nii anymore! Give my brother back to me! You can't be Ichi-nii! Disappear you monster!"
Ichigo closes his eyes hard, holding back a lump in his throat, before he looks away from the still yelling Karin, and jumps out, holding unto the crying Nell. How could she say all those mean things to Ichigo!? Ichigo was such a nice person! Humans were stupid! Shinigami's were stupid! Ichigo stops running, as he was before the place he wanted, setting the confused Nell down before a black cat.
"Can you bring her to Urahara? Send her back home." Ichigo whispers, Yorouchi nodding, as she pulled the confused girl with her. "Don't worry Nell, get to the castle, and talk to Grimmjow or Ullqiorra, then they will arrange the rest, ok?"
"But Itsygo! Itsygo come too!" She cries, Ichigo shaking his head. "Come too!"
A portal opens around the confused Nell, Ichigo looking thankful over at Urahara, who gave a nod to him, before closing the portal, without words returning to his shop. Even Ichigo understood why, anyone getting involved with him now would be in problems, and he didn't even want to get that asshole Urahara into that deep shit.
Ichigo gives a deep sigh, leaning against a street light as he looked up, the snow falling for the first time that year. Just what should he do? He had to keep alive until he knew if the Arrancars wanted to help him or not. So, who could he except to come after him? Probably Zaraki and Ikkaku, Yumichika would follow just to be close to Ikkaku, Yachiru the same for Zaraki. Maybe even Byakuya would come to have a chance to kill him? Would probably be the last chance he had for a rematch. And maybe Toshiro would come too? He was the sort of guy who would do it for old friends.
"Heh, why am I not feeling sad when I wonder about who is going to kill me?" Ichigo whispers, just for himself, looking at the scar over his chest, it was red and irritated. It had been for a few weeks now. "I… just hope it won't be Rukia…or Chad, or Inoue… not even Ishida…"
Ichigo takes a deep breath, before he holds his sword forth, feeling the energies approaching from all around.
"BANKAI!"
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End of chapter 2
Heh, I love to end on cliff hangers XD I have a feeling that no other in the world write bad plots like me XDI get too dramatic, lies in the family XD
Well, please review ^.^