Werewolf Rehabilitation Camp

by Insanity-Plus

Lycanthropy isn't a curse, but a disease. A disease Ichigo Kurosaki must live with inside the walls of his own hell. Everyday is torture, and every night is pain. Can Rukia Kuchiki save him, and set him free? IchiRuki! R&R! REVAMPED!

3. Part 2

Part 2!

-Edited-

---

Over the course of the next few weeks, Ichigo and Rukia became close. It wasn't a steady friendship, but they were content with what they had none the less. They'd sit and talk for hours on end, learning bits and pieces of each other and sharing experiences and thoughts on life. He learned she had wanted to become a psychologist before she was bitten, and was damn near close to it.

Rukia had been an eighteen-year-old college student when she was bitten. To Ichigo's amazement that had been two years ago, making her twenty now- a whole year older than him. The night she was bite she had been late for one of her semester tests. Most of her classes had been at nighttime, so she got lost easily on her walk to her school. Upon taking a short-cut through the woods she ran into a large beast that chased her down seven miles away from civilization. She survived by jumping into a lake and holding her breath until the beast lost her scent and went loping off in another direction. She escaped, but not unscathed.

Along her stomach were the scars. It had been the initial strike that hit and changed her life forever.

Ichigo told his story as well, and they relished in each others comforting company. For the first time in a year he had a friend, the closest thing to one at least, and he was happy.

Today they were sitting in silence, the setting sun beaming down upon them, staring out into the woods longingly as they waited for the guards to call them back in for the night. Rukia was still adjusting to the new life-style, and he could see in her eyes the unending sadness that crept up on her every time they weren't talking.

She misses her family. He thought. He had learned that after being bitten her sister and brother-in-law had protected her. They crafted a cellar down in the basement and locked her up each month with music blaring so no one got suspicious.

The night she was captured was hectic, from what she remembered. She explained that her brother-in-law was out on a business trip during the full moon, and it was up to her sick sister, Hisana, to lock her up and release her in the morning. Unfortunately, Hisana was too ill to lock her sister up and ended up passing out before Rukia was locked into the cellar.

The last thing she remembers is panicking at the sight of her sister laying on the floor unconscious while the change started. The next morning was full of policemen, men in white coats and hundreds of people staring on in awe as she was hauled into a truck and driven here.

Ichigo was sympathetic, and apologized for her tragedies. He had to hand it to her, for he was captured the morning after being bitten and didn't have to live in fear for two years of being taken away like she did. He wasn't given a chance, and in honesty that was for the best. But Rukia had a chance, and failed. Something that would haunt her forever.

Their attention shifted from the idle trees to a fight that was breaking out by the exercise equipment. "Is this really the only entertainment we get?" She asked, frustration on her face.

"Just about," Ichigo replied, watching as blood flew through the air as a hard punch landed. He squinted his eyes, trying to see who it was who was fighting. "Holy crap that's Chad!"

"Really?" Her eyes widened as she stood and looked on closer at the fight to see Chad's large figure fending off three guys at once. "Wow! He's actually fighting!" She nearly gasped.

"Those guys must be trying to prove themselves. He'd never start a fight. He's just protecting himself." He noted, watching in amazement as the bear-man swung a back fist and knocked back all three guys on their sides, along with another who was unfortunate enough to be in range.

"They didn't hype this place up on TV...it's a nightmare here and they made it seem like heaven." She said, tucking her knees under her chin as she sat back down. "But my brother knew this place was bad. Told me that I'll never come here no matter what because he knew this place wasn't as it seemed on TV. Didn't come close to how terrible this is."

He couldn't help but agree. "He was right to expect that." He said.

"What about your family?" She asked, catching him off guard. "What did they think of this place?"

"Uh..." He had to think about this. They didn't have much of an opinion really; not ones they expressed at least. "I guess none of us cared. It's one of those things where you don't think it'll happen to you, until it does."

Ichigo remembers when he and his family first learned of the outbreak. He had been twelve, and his sisters were only just learning to talk. The family was still reeling from his mother's tragic cancer-related death when they all gathered together and watched the multiple news reports that explained of hairy beasts running amok. It was shocking, but his father had felt they were all too young to express his opinions to on the matter, his sisters didn't fully understand until a few years later; by then the hype had died down; and he just thought it had been a hoax- a way of catching the eye of the viewer.

After the word had spread everyone got paranoid at first. It started with whispers about strange neighbors or too quiet a kid in class. It escalated to scared men and women and children all accusing others of being a werewolf. There were calls to the police almost every night about people who sneezed wrong being a werewolf. All of this fed his hoax theory.

Up until the night he was infected he thought it was a joke. His father never said anything about it, and only once had it been brought up by his sisters.

"Did you hear about that boy in class?" The voice of his sister Yuzu echoed. "He was taken away because he's a werewolf!"

"So what? I didn't know him." His other sister, Karin, had replied. And it was over with.

"I know what you mean..." Rukia said, watching the fight die away as the guards came in and broke it up. It took nearly every prod to take down Chad.

"Yup. My old man was a freak, but he kept some things to himself I guess." He said, wishing his friend luck in his first time in the Dungeon. He just never does anything, poor guy doesn't know what to expect. Should have told him more about it during one of our "talks".

Rukia just hummed her reply, silence taking reign yet again. They watched the crowd disperse and continue on with their activities, as if a brawl hadn't just occurred. It was so natural an occurrence that no one really talked about it afterwords unless something big happened.

Like Ichigo taking on the entire Espada by himself, but that too died away quickly. After a few days everyone forgot about it and it was done with.

Grimmjow and the gang glared at him a lot now, though.

"What do you miss most about the outside?" She asked suddenly, turning back to stared out into the woods.

Ichigo followed suit. "I miss my family."

"That's an obvious answer," She frowned at him. "What do you miss?"

He thought for a moment, thinking back to his life before this. "Well...I miss my friends, I guess. I hated it at the time, but I miss school. I'd take that place any day over this."

"That it?" She rose a brow at him.

He shrugged. "Karate was the only thing I did outside the house other than school, and I stopped that after I turned ten." He said.

"Did...did you have a girlfriend?"

He turned to her. "What?"

Rukia looked away and concentrated on a tree. "Did you have a girlfriend before being infected?"

Ichigo gave a quizzical look. "Why does that matter?" He asked.

She seemed to almost shrink away at the question, as if it scared her. "Just wondering...what your old life was like. I'd like to know..."

"Why do you want to know?"

She again looked away, seemingly embarrassed. "I've heard stories of people losing their grips on reality after some time in a place like this. I want to keep a hold on what the outside world is like so I don't lose it like those people..." She trailed off, a sad look in her eyes. It almost spoke to him on a different level than what it should have.

"You shouldn't think like that." He said, not meeting her look of mild surprise at his reprisal. "Trying to think of the outside world will only make you realize more and more how it's gone forever now. It'll bring you down more than you already are." He said, and he could tell that hit her hard, for her eyes drooped and her shoulders sagged. "I'm sorry, but it's the truth. I've been here long enough to know that fantasies like that just weigh heavy on your chest, and make living each day just that much harder." He spoke the truth. He had nearly gone mad those first few months, crying and wishing for his old life back. And the more he thought of it, the more he wanted it. Even now, he felt a sense of dread in his chest as he spoke of his former life to this girl.

She didn't respond, just sat there staring at her twiddling toes. He could tell he had hurt her feelings, and that hadn't been his intention. Frowning deeply, and looking off into the forest, he thought for a moment before speaking up again: "Her name was Orihime."

Rukia glanced up at him silently. "Whose was?"

"My girlfriend's. Her name was Orihime Inoue. She had been my girlfriend for half a year when I was infected." He said, thinking of the auburn haired, gray eyed girl who had paraded around on his arm throughout the last weeks of high school.

"Ah," Rukia said, looking thoughtful. "Do you miss her at all?"

How could he? He hadn't thought of her once since coming here. "Not really. It hadn't been that serious. Kissed maybe twice and held hands a lot. She wasn't even at that party..." He thought of the night he was infected. The celebration party his friend threw for graduation. Orihime had flown out to Tokyo to visit her father for the summer before starting her new intern job at some low-brow company in Tanzaku. He hadn't cared, and still didn't.

She seemed to slink back into herself now, as if that wasn't the answer she had really been looking for. He didn't know what she was expecting. Did she think he'd proclaim his ever-lasting love to Orihime Inoue? Begin a long, drawn out speech about how much he missed her and her overly large breasts?

"What about you?" He inquired, halting the oncoming silence.

"What?"

Not so quick when you're the one on the spot huh? "Don't act stupid," He grinned at her. "Did. You. Have. A. Boyfriend?"

She flustered and curled up slightly. "Well... no. Guys found me too intimidating because of my size and strength. Freaked them out I guess."

Ichigo watched as her eyes grew sad yet again, and felt something stir within. "Sorry I suppose," He whispered, unsure of what to really say to that.

"Don't," She scowled and glared at a tree. "Idiots, the lot of 'em."

He snorted. "Yeah, apparently so." He said.

A loud siren rang off, signaling the end of recess. The crowd all parted from whatever they were doing and began to pile back into the facility, Ichigo and Rukia following suit as the guards came out with their electric batons and armor.

–

Blood was pulsing inside his veins rapidly. He could feel the cool sensation running through his arms as his heart rushed the blood through him. His head throbbed, each pound stronger than the last. He tried to calm his nerves with a breath, but it did nothing to ease the tension that was building in his shoulders. The noises of the world around him were drowned out by the rush of his breath. He felt his hands shake as stared down at the plate of food in front of him.

He picked up the raw steak and revolted the slim that dripped onto his hand and slithered down his arm to his elbow. Well, he tried to be revolted, but his mind was too preoccupied with staying calm and not losing his cool in the middle of the lunchroom.

This was a sign that the transformation was coming soon. It started with a sense of restlessness, and then hunger. His stomach growled, and he knew that the Change would be coming any day now. The raw hunk of meat was something he dreaded eating, for eating and enjoying it meant he was proving the guards right. They thought he was an animal. And every day he wondered how right they may be.

It smelled pungent, with an underlying scent of mold. But it smelled juicy. It filled his nostrils and he found his head swimming with the smell. The scent reached the wolf, and it howled for the food. It didn't care about any of that, it just wanted meat.

Before he could stop himself he shoved the raw meat into his mouth and began to gnaw on the sweet red flesh. The taste made his mouth drip with saliva, and his eyes roll to the back of his head. He could hear the drumming of his heart in his ears, and it made him anxious. The world was blurring over and he felt himself being lost into the frenzy of feasting. But he hung on, and fought off the wolf as it tried to drive him to the brink madness. It scratched at the fragile cage of his psyche, and howled for control. But he wouldn't let it have what it wanted, because this was his body, and his life. Not the wolf's.

Suddenly he dropped the meat and coughed out the mashed up globs in his mouth. He was winning the fight, for now. The Change was about a week away, and this would continue to happen until the night of the full moon. He'd slowly lose himself to the wolf, and he feared that one day he'd never return.

"Hey, are you alright?" Ichigo snapped his head up to find Rukia sitting down across from him at the table. She held a worried expression, and was staring at him intently.

"Yeah...I'm fine." He watched her move and took notice to the normality of her face. How could she not be feeling what he was feeling? She must be going through the same thing as he, and yet she sat there looking as normal as the day before, while he was dripping with sweat and his breath was labored. He hadn't even realized how odd he must have looked while fighting off the beast.

"You sure? You look a little pale." She said, feeling his forehead.

He jerked back in alarm. It was reflex. When he saw her hand coming he reacted as if someone was about to attack him. She flinched and reeled her hand back down to her tray in shock. She stared at him with wide eyes and he felt the wolf growl again inside of him, as if yearning for her touch. It paraded around in his mind with sensations of lust, and that's when he couldn't take it anymore.

"I...have to go to the bathroom..." He mumbled, jumping from his seat and running towards the doors on the opposite side of the room. She called out after him, but he ignored her as he ran up to one of the guards and asked permission to use the restroom. The man who smelled of sweat and cigarettes gave him the go and he went near sprinting down the hall.

Once inside the unisex restroom he splashed water in his face. The water was thick with rust-bits from the faucet. The bathroom hadn't been cleaned in years, and it showed in the murky walls and rusty pipes that ran along the ceiling. It smelled of feces and urine and disgusting sex. The lights flickered, and he found it to be irritating every time the light blinked in his eyes and then went off. He rubbed the water onto his face and relished in the cool sensation it brought over his hot skin. He took a drink of the water and, despite its stale taste, sighed in content as it numbed over his scratchy throat.

Ichigo looked up into the dirty mirror and stared into his tired eyes. His face was pale, he noticed, with dark bags under his eyes and dirt smeared across the left side of his chin. He must have gotten it from recess a previous day. He didn't look at himself too often in the mirror, he tried to avoid it as much as possible. Mostly because he was disgusted with himself and what he had become. Every time he looked into the mirror he didn't see himself. He saw the dirty face, the dead eyes, the raw skin, the body he gained from fighting for survival. Before this he had been a moderately sized kid, but now after all the fights and days he spent exercising he was stronger. Muscle now lined his arms, legs, and torso. His chest was broader, and his shoulders were more stern. He even looked to have grown a few inches since the last he saw himself in the mirror.

This was not him. The real him was more scrawny, skinny without as much muscle, with his bright orange hair that he could never win a fight with when trying to style. His eyes were a chocolate brown, and shined with the light of a teenager ready to take on the world. He hadn't known what he wanted to do, but was ready for the challenge of finding his place in the world. This wasn't him. This man who spent his days fighting with other men, staving off women who wanted nothing but sex. This wasn't him...it was the product of an abomination.

He wet his hand and began to clean the stain.

As he submerged his face in the sink and scrubbed his skin with the water from the faucet he heard the bathroom door fly open and crash against the wall. His eyes shot up to the door, his chin dripping with water as he wiped clear his eyes to see who it was who entered the restroom.

His heart sank. Grimmjow stood in the archway of the door, a grin spread across his face.

"Well, if it isn't Ichigo." The former-biker said, closing the door deliberately slow behind him.

"How do you know my name?"

Grimmjow snickered at the young man, crossing his arms over his chest. "It isn't hard when you know the right moves."

Ichigo cursed his luck and wiped the moisture from his face. "Get out of my way Grimmjow, or else I'll beat you to the ground again." He said and watched the grin fall from the man's face. It was replaced by a hard scowl.

"You got lucky last time, this time I'm going to murder you."

"Whatever, I got to get back to my food before your stench ruins my appetite." Ichigo said toughly, even though the thought of eating made him feel even more sick. But he wouldn't let this man know that.

He pushed past Grimmjow and went to open the door, but a hand slammed against it and held it shut. Ichigo turned and glared at the taller man, loathing the taunting grin that adorned his greasy face. "You weren't listening boy. I'm going to murder you, right here, right now." He said, the grin returning.

Ichigo snorted a laugh. "Keeping dreaming." He said, shoving the man away from the door to open it and leave.

Grimmjow stumbled back a bit, growling and lunging forward to snatch Ichigo by the scruff of his shirt. He yanked him back into the bathroom, throwing him to the ground and slamming the door shut yet again.

"You have a listenin' problem kid?" The blue haired man snarled, standing over the fallen Ichigo as he tried to stumble his way back to his feet. Grimmjow brought up his foot and sent it into the boy's side, smirking as he yelped in pain and bent to the side holding his back. The older man reared back for another kick.

"Fucking bastard!" Ichigo yelled, spinning and catching Grimmjow's leg as it came for his head with both of his hands. He wrapped his arms around the tenant and pulled himself back, using his weight to drag Grimmjow down to the ground with him.

Grimmjow lashed out, throwing a fist at Ichigo as the boy tried to gain the upper hand. Ichigo blocked the punch with his arm and smacked the hand away as he stood over Grimmjow and cocked back his fists and started to pummel him into the murky, tiled floor.

"Ugh!" Grimmjow coughed blood as Ichigo assaulted his skull, each fist slamming down harder and harder as his eyes turned gold and his mind fizzled in anger. This man had hurt Rukia, his Rukia. He would pay, dearly.

Ichigo gave one last hit to the man's temple and stood to his full height, panting. Each breath that came out was followed by a husky growl. "That was for Rukia, and for thinking you could take me on, you shithead." He said.

Grimmjow squinted through his bruising eyes and looked up at Ichigo. His face was now bloody, his cheeks and lip cut and the skin around his eyes puffing red with blood. He coughed again, a thin dribble of crimson dripping down his chin. "Ya know..." He said, his voice a rasp. "You've got some shitty eyes..."

Ichigo's eyes widened as he said this, and felt the skin around the orbs. They were glowing golden yet again, burning slightly as they shone under the light of the bathroom. He clenched his teeth, letting loose one long, powerful roar of rage as he leaned down in one swift movement and pulled Grimmjow up to throw him hard into one of the stalls.

Grimmjow crashed through the stall door and smacked the back of his head against the yellow-crusted toilet. He cried out in pain and fell back, unconscious.

Ichigo watched as the man lay limp against the toilet, his breath shallow and his face bloody. He ground his teeth together and yelled out a curse as he gripped his face in his hand.

He had done it again- lost control. He had let his anger go and was now staring down the consequences. The wolf in him was howling in victory, but he was weeping in disgust at his own actions.

Turning and catching himself in the mirror, he saw his eyes still glowing and growled. He reared back and obliterated the glass before running out of the bathroom, leaving Grimmjow unconscious in that stall.

–

The room was deep underground. Half the size of a high school football stadium. Stone made up the room; stone walls, floors and ceiling. It was a lot like the lunchroom, but ten times bigger and more spacious. Metal cages were lined in rows of seven, spaced apart so that the Changed could not harm one another. The cages were made of titanium, broad and sturdy. Bars made up the cages, the base bolted into the floor. Hundreds of them littered the room in neat rows. Above the cages, on the far wall, was glass. The light of the room reflected off of it and into the eyes of Ichigo. He stared up into the glass window, unable to see through it from this side. It was a one-way window, only see-through from the other side. And though there were many locked up inside this room he felt as if the eyes of the watchers were on him and him alone. Their eyes burned into his skin, and he wanted to claw away their gaze before he lost his mind.

It was almost time. The full moon would soon be up in the sky and every single person in this room would transform. Ichigo used to feel fear at this fact, but now he just numbly accepted it and awaited the Change silently. He couldn't do much other than lay naked against the cold bars of his cage.

He glanced back at the door, blocked by three other rows of men and women locked up, and spotted the guards watching them all with their guns lowered over their chests. They were crowd-control. They made sure none escaped, if any could even break free of their cages. Ichigo had never seen anyone get out of their cages before, but he had seen some dead from bullet wounds despite this fact.

He snarled at the men, the sound low and more of a rumble of his voice. He was tired, oh so tired. But the sounds of the others yelling and the anticipation kept him awake. Any moment now he'd be a monster. He'd become the wolf for the night and not return until morning.

He looked up to the top of his cage with haunted eyes. This metal prison was at least ten feet tall, wide enough to hold three men at once. It was in here that he'd be different. It was in here that he'd become the beast that he truly was.

Ichigo looked at the faces that surrounded him. All anticipating the Change, all naked and all just as vile as the last. Women were pressed against the cages to show off their bodies, men salivated over the women, their excitement wafting through the air to make Ichigo's nose scrunch up in disgust. He didn't look at any of their degrading actions. They were all horrible, vile people who deserved being here. Their decrepit natures made them who they were both on the inside and outside.

I don't belong here. He thought again and again, willing the statement to be true. But, deep down, he knew it wasn't true. He was just as horrible as them. He was a ravenous beast whose only product was destruction and death. Who was he to really judge them all? When he himself was just like them. He craved the flesh of those women parading around like seductive devils. He wanted to bash against the bars of his prison and howl at the guards by the door, to insult them and their families. He wanted to proclaim his lust for blood to the heavens, to bask in the strength the wolf gave him. He was stronger than the normal man, sharper, faster, and willing to fight with anyone who defied him.

Ichigo wanted to be the beast, because the beast did not care for petty matters such as families and friends. The beast only wanted to kill and feast. It wanted to run free through the wind, to hunt its prey and devour its flesh once it had claimed victory. Ichigo wanted to be free, of both this prison and of his own mind.

A hushed silence befell the room. The whistles of men and moaning of women quieted and all stood at attention as an eerie sensation filled the air. Ichigo held his breath, his heart pacing. This was it. It was time.

In a matter of seconds the air was full of screams. Everyone fell down against their cages and writhed and shook. Ichigo's ears filled with the sounds of torment, everyone around him yelling in pain. He himself slammed against the bars, his aching body bombarded by the intensity of bones, muscle, and sinew breaking, ripping, and reforming. His throat went sore as he flung himself around the cage, as if he could break through the bars and run away from this agony. The sharp edge of pain racked his body back and forth, his whole body on fire.

He held his head in his hands, crying out as the sound f his bones breaking filled his ears. He tried to imagine the sound being his mother cooking eggs in the kitchen, tried to replace his screams for those of his sisters watching a scary movie. But the image wasn't strong enough to bring him peace. The scary movie was of his life, and he was the one screaming at this truly awful scene.

He raised his head high and howled out, blood dripping from his lips as his teeth moved to make place for the fangs that protruded out his gums. He felt his natural teeth sink back up into his head, the new monster teeth growing in their place.

Ichigo turned his head, staring on in terror as the people around him sprouted claws and fangs and lashed out against their cages. But they could not break free, none could. They were trapped in their own hells, forced to withstand this pain in a confined area. He didn't know what was worse; Changing, or Changing in this cramp cage.

His vision sharpened and he felt his hands ache as the black nails grew over his fingers. Smells of all kinds assaulted his nose, making his head swim. He tried to sort through the scents. He could smell the blood, the sweat, the saliva of others as they shared in his torment. He could smell the metal of his bars, the stone of the walls. The scent of the guards circled him and made him angry. He lashed out in their direction, growling with bared fangs. He locked his hands around the bars and yelled out at them and their smug grins. They were like the other ones who forced him into that room where they made him undergo this pain last month. They, too, enjoyed the pain of the infected. They saw him as an abomination, a damned one. But he wasn't. They were the damned ones! And he'd prove it by-

Ichigo forced himself away from the bars as a new wave of pain smacked him right in the gut. His chest was broadening, his arms and legs growing in length and girth. He couldn't let the wolf's thoughts reign. He must not succumb to the monster's urges!

As he thrashed and writhed and screamed, he caught a new scent. It was familiar, comforting. He traced the scent, following it with his nose to a cage a few rows down from him. There, curled in a tight ball, was Rukia.

Ichigo pressed his body against the cage, yelling out to her. He couldn't form her name, his vocal chords shifting. He roared, his voice having the edge of the wolf, but it was drowned out by the surrounding roars. Many were laying on the ground of their cages, morphing in their own paces. He could feel hair sprouting along his torso, and his face ached as his cheeks throbbed. He roared again, this time more desperate and pleading for her to look at him. He wanted, needed to see her face. In all of this chaos he needed her to be his solace. Without her, he'd go insane. Without her, he was nothing.

Please look at me! He wanted to cry out, tears running down his face. The pain was consuming him alive. It wouldn't be long before he was like the rest on the ground.

With one final howl, he fell to his knees and smashed his head against the cage, defeated.

A howl returned, and Ichigo snapped his head up to catch the molten gaze of Rukia. She was pressed against her own cage, staring directly at him with glowing gold eyes. Her mouth was open wide, sucking in breath after breath, her fangs hanging over her swollen lips. She reached a clawed hand out to him, and he mirrored her action.

He wanted to run and hold onto her, to ease both of their pain and drift into sleep with her. He wanted to stand and stumble his way towards her, to wrap his arms around her to revel in her comfort. But there were these bars in his way, and with the logic of the wolf he bashed against them with his large frame in an attempt to break free.

He felt the snout beginning to grow from his face, and could no longer hold himself up against the cage. He fell down onto his stomach, screaming still, and lay there as his jaw and forehead extended forward.

Rukia's face was becoming blurry, her body twisting and turning as she Changed. He could no longer see her. She was gone in the haze of monsters batting against cages. He tried to bring her back, tried to reach out and bring her face back into his sight. But she was gone, and soon he would be as well.

With a final howl, he fell back and closed his eyes, letting the darkness take him...

–

"Wake up."

Ichigo was jerked from his dreamless sleep by the loud pounding of boots. He felt something hit him in the side, making his sore muscles tighten in surprise. He groaned roughly, groggy and disoriented, and lifted his head from the cold, hard floor. His head throbbed, and he seethed in a sharp breath as he blinked past the pain. He cracked open his eyes, squinting through the blinding light, and glanced a group of men trudging by where he lay. He scanned the area, finding himself curled in a naked ball on the metal floor of his cage. He looked down at the light weight on his side to find a new set of clothes, clean and fresh from wherever they came from. He didn't contemplate it, because he was exposed and wanted to cover his decency as quick as possible.

He slipped on the shirt, wincing as almost every movement stabbed him in the side, then the pants, his body maneuvering as he dressed while still on the ground. Once dressed, he leaned himself up against the bars of his cage and closed his eyes to breath. His body ached, his joints and limbs almost aflame with soreness. He groaned, lolling his head around to look at the other subjects as they woke and dressed. Few were still asleep, some still waiting for their clothing to arrive, while others sat like him against their cages, looking just as sick as he felt. He watched as a woman threw her head over and vomited onto the floor, her naked chest heaving as she slumped down in fatigue.

Everyone was in bad shape. Ichigo wasn't surprised. The day after the Change, no one would be free of the aftereffects. He turned his head away from the sight of the woman who was puking and fought away his own wave of bile.

He sat in silence, not a word being spoken amongst the aching and sore subjects. The only sound being the stomping of boots and groans. He glanced the guards who were marching through the isles with giant stacks of white clothing, their arms full of the fresh smelling clothes. The smell was so foreign to Ichigo now. It was almost like a reminder of a distant memory long forgotten. It made him nauseous, and he couldn't find a way to fight the bile this time.

He leaned back away from where he had released what little he had in his stomach and propped himself back up against the bars, letting the cold metal remedy the flames that danced across his skin.

He sighed, and tried to remember what had happened last night. It was fuzzy, but it would come back to him in a few moments once he cleared his mind of its grogginess.

He sat there for what felt like an hour, before it all slowly started to come back to him. He closed his eyes and bit his lip as he remembered the pain, the screaming and writhing as he transformed into that hideous creature of the moon. He remembered reaching out to Rukia, and her out to him. He remembered the intense emotions he felt, and for a moment wondered where they came from.

Turning his head, he scanned the area for her cage, spotting her laying dressed on her side with her back to him. She had her arms wrapped around herself, shivering slightly, most likely feeling the aftereffects like everyone else.

Rukia... He felt bad seeing her in so much pain. But he could do nothing, because he too was aching, and was locked up. If he could just go over there...

The guards eventually lined up by the exit. One spoke into his collar, into a tiny microphone stitched into his jacket, and a loud buzzing sound filled the air followed by the clicking of locks. Ichigo watched as his cage swung open remotely, along with every other cage in the room.

"Let's move it!"

Ichigo groaned, pushing himself unsteadily onto his feet. He leaned against the frame of his cage, trying to gain his bearings and breath, and stalked on after the other subjects that lined up to be guided to their cells.

Routine. They'd be put into a single-file line, flanked by a multitude of guards, and led back to their cells. Some would be holding their usual electric batons, some would be equipped with guns and shields- riot control- while others would be left with their bare hands. Some subjects would try and use this time to start a fight, but they'd easily be taken down. The guards were ready for a war.

Walking along with the crowd, Ichigo looked back at the cage he left and frowned. That cage would someday be the death of him...he knew it.

–

This wasn't right. Something, indistinguishable, wasn't on the right track. Ichigo could feel it in the back of his head as he soared through the forest, naked as the day he was born. How did he get here? Why was he here? This wasn't like his usual dreams where he relived some tragic memory. This was liberating- free. The wind swished by his face, ruffling his hair, and the soft, cool grass caressed his feet as he ran. This was pure freedom, a total reprieve from the harsh world outside of his mind.

The trees soared past, his agile body twisting and turning and zigzagging around them. The scent of summer surrounded him, engulfed him in its warm embrace and ran its nimble fingers over his cheeks. He smiled and closed his eyes for a second, relishing in this glorious feeling. For once, after so long, he felt so alive. Life and energy coursed through his veins, running like a snake through his pumping blood. It was so warm and comforting, he wanted to curl up in a ball somewhere under the sun and bask in this feeling. But he couldn't tear away from running. He didn't know where he was going, or for what reason, he just knew that he needed to keep running or else this feeling might go away.

He switched from two legs to four, and sped up almost three times the pace he was moving at before. The hair on his head spread down his cheeks and down his neck, covering his whole body. It bristled in the wind, and he suppressed a pleasant shiver. He felt the dirt press down under his weight, and gave a wolfish grin at the power he exuberated.

The scent of a deer caught his attention, and he made a eighty-degree turn in its direction. He felt starved, as if he hadn't eaten in days, and the scent of the deer made his mouth salivate. He gave a long winded howl of excitement and charged through the trees, a blur in the background of the forest. He swiftly cut through the brush, the doe coming closer. He could smell it lazily stepping over leaves, eating the grass underfoot; blissfully unaware of his presence drawing nearer.

He found it, just as he predicted, munching on some grass. He circled around it, slowing to keep silent and not alert it. He slipped by the trees, brushing up against them to mark where he had been. He didn't know why he did it, he just did. It felt natural.

He deftly moved closer, following it as it stepped further up a leafy trail. A buffet for the deer, he figured. Well good, let it have its meal. It'll be its last.

He allowed a sound to ring out through the silence, stepping more forcefully against the ground. The deer snapped its head up, its large ears high in the air as it listened for the noise Ichigo had just made, checking to see if it was real or just imagination. Silence ensued, and he grinned as the deer leaned back down to continue eating. He licked his chops and let loose a low growl, this time scaring the doe. It jumped up and looked all around it, scanning the area for the danger that was Ichigo.

He stepped closer, making more noise. This time the deer didn't wait to see if it was real or not, and took off in the opposite direction. Ichigo bounded after it, sprinting on all fours through the forest. The wind that swished by him was coated in the deer's scent, leading him to it. He followed along the trail and caught the deer hopping over a bush. He loped alongside it, waiting for the right moment to attack. The deer was fast, hopping with all the strength of its nimble legs, but he was twice as fast. He was surprised by how easily he caught up to the animal, how easily he kept pace with it even though he knew they must be moving at least ten miles an hour. It was insane, yet he didn't care.

Ichigo lunged, tackling the deer and slamming it down under him with ease. It struggled against him, but he was too strong for it. He latched his jaws onto its neck and he took a chunk of flesh right out of it. It gurgled then relaxed, its weight falling dead against the ground. He feasted on its flesh, slurping the blood that stained his cheeks and chewing large chunks of the deer's body. It was delicious, deliriously so. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as he relished in the smooth way the deer's flesh slid down his throat. He nearly moaned at how good it tasted.

Ichigo pulled back and howled into the summer air, reveling in his kill. A glorious feeling of triumph washed over him, engulfing him completely. He leaned his head back down to finish his meal when he caught his reflection in the blood that pooled around the dead carcass of the shredded animal. His eyes widened in shock and horror as he stared at himself. Or, rather, not him, but a beast. The beast.

Ichigo stared at the reflection of the werewolf that lurked inside of him. It growled, its shark-teeth glistening with blood. It stared back at him, satisfied with the kill. He choked on his shock, and watched as day turned to night, forest turned to city, trees turned into people watching him in muted horror, and the dead deer turned into the once human Ichigo Kurosaki. The poor boy gurgled on his own blood, his shoulder ripped open, and his skin paler than the bright, full moon overhead. The werewolf stared up into the moon, its beauty overwhelming him, but not freeing him of this dreadful feeling rising into his chest. He stared into his own human eyes, the soulless orbs that were robbed of their lively amber color and replaced by a dull, colorless glow.

The werewolf reeled back, and, without control, raised its head high into the sky and howled.

–

As violently as he was awaken, Ichigo did not jump from his bed and start screaming. Even though he felt the compulsion to do so strong, he couldn't find the energy to bring himself out of his bed. So he lay there, his face flustered and his eyes blood-shot, and stared up at the bed above him. His breath was labored, and he tried to calm his racing heart. He closed his eyes and sucked in a breath, relaxing into the bed he lay in. The memory of his dream came to him, and he felt his blood rushing through his veins in panic. Sweat glistened his skin. He opened his eyes and tried to suppress the nightmarish images with a whimper.

"Ichigo?"

He turned his head and spotted Rukia sitting on the bottom bunk of the other bed. He frowned softly and forced himself up slowly, groaning as blood rushed from his head to the rest of his body. "Rukia...? Ugh, what happened?" He croaked.

Rukia leaned forward, letting her legs dangle over the edge of the bed she sat on. "As soon as we got back to the cell after the Change you passed out. Been asleep all day. The guards didn't even try to wake you up for breakfast and recess." She said. "You good?" She asked.

No, I'm insane. "Yeah, I'm fine." He said, running a hand through his hair tiredly. "Geez, all day huh?" He said. "Longest I've ever slept in my life." He joked lightly.

"You were out like a light." She said, crossing her arms. "I was starting to think you may have died."

If only...

"Well, sorry for disappointing, but I'm alive." He grinned lightly at her. She just chuckled softly and leaned back onto the bed, laying her head down on the pillow. "What are you doing over there anyway? You usually sleep here in this bunk."

"You fell asleep on my bunk, asshole." She said, narrowing her eyes. "Plus I figured since Chad's in the Dungeon for another day I'd sleep on this bunk tonight. Actually talk face-to-face rather than through the beds."

He grunted in response. "Whatever," He said, rubbing his eyes and yawning. "I'm still tired...I think I'm just gonna sleep a little longer..." He said, standing and hopping onto the top bunk of the bed where he usually slept.

Her brow furrowed. "Hey, no! Don't leave me here alone! I'm wide awake and you've been sleeping all day! I haven't had anyone to talk to!"

"Just lay down and relax." He said, not looking at her as he settled into the bed.

"Moron! Wake up!" She threw her pillow at him, hitting square the back of his head.

He growled, not liking this treatment. "Hey! Don't be angry with me because I'm tired! Now leave me alone you crazy midget!" They were arguing again. This was becoming too quickly a trend which he wasn't so fond of; mostly because she'd win most of the time. And this felt like something he couldn't win.

But dammit if he wouldn't try.

"Stop calling me a midget you damn strawberry!" She barked.

He glared back at her and threw back the pillow, hitting her right in the face. "I will when you grow another foot and look normal, instead of like a prepubescent child!" He shot back.

"You dick!" Rukia stood and hopped from her bunk and jumped onto his to dig her knee down hard into his abdomen, distributing all of her weight into the attack for maximum pain.

"Shit!" He yelped, the air being knocked right out of him. He growled angrily and gripped her arms in an attempt to toss her off of him, but she held strong and struggled against his grip with strength he couldn't imagine her having in a million years. She was almost on par with him, and he found himself going all out in this war.

They wrestled on the bunk, trying to make the other relent with strong grips and choppy grappling. They locked arms and struggled, pressing their foreheads together as they snarled.

Time seemed to freeze. Their eyes locked, and something stirred from inside Ichigo's stomach. It felt as if something was awakened and moved up to the driver's seat of his body, controlling his actions against his will.

Their grips loosened and their cold stares eased into that of shallow eye-lids and parted lips. Slowly they leaned in and before he knew it they were kissing passionately; their lips meshing together heatedly. They moved where he was on top, running his hands over her body as their tongues fought for dominance. She moaned under his touch, driving him slightly mad as she began to grind against his body, the smell of arousal strong in the air from both sides.

Running her hands through his bright orange hair, she pressed her body against him, their groins rubbing especially together. Both moaned and ravished each other near violently. Something was telling them this was right, that this was predated from a time long ago by some all powerful force beyond their control. This was right, and be damn if it didn't feel so good.

Ichigo ran his hands up her shirt and cupped her supple breasts, relishing in the sweet sounds she made as he massaged and caressed. He latched his mouth onto her neck and left raw marks along her alabaster skin with wet kisses. Rukia threw her head back, revealing more skin, and began to claw at his shirt, growling in frustration.

Throwing his shirt over his head and onto the floor, she began to claw at the muscles that lined his torso; muscles honed during his long years at karate. She moaned as he bite down and left his mark. He didn't understand why this marking meant so much to him, but as soon as he did it he felt that everything was perfect and that he held no more worries.

Nothing else mattered in the world expect for Rukia Kuchiki.

Clothing was removed and tossed to the floor. Before they knew it he was inside of her thrusting. The ecstasy was mind-numbing beyond all belief. Her arms wrapped around his head and she moaned right into his ear as he held her close and pumped himself back and forth inside of her, driving him into an insanity that he may never return from.

Rukia growled and clawed her fingers along his shoulder blades, leaving long, red marks in her wake. He felt blood ooze from the small wounds, but didn't care. The world became more vivid and he felt everything intensify by a hundred-fold. The wolf was out, and made him want more and more of her as they both tangled themselves with moans and predatory growls.

This wasn't like the other times the wolf came out. Usually it came out and wrecked havoc among those around it, but this time it told him to love, to caress, to claim this woman as his own. And he did, and will.

She bite him on the shoulder, and it felt so good he couldn't help but groan in pleasure. She sucked and left a large red mark, similar to the one he had left, and licked at it affectionately as he quickened his pace.

Ichigo glanced and caught her eye. Her once beautiful violet orbs were now glowing a fierce gold that stared back with a dazed look, just like his own. Her eyes were hazed with sex, and it just attracted him even more to her.

They locked in a kiss and felt the world melt away in an single instant. They held onto each other tight, their lips meshing together passionately, as their climax reached and mixed together. Ichigo felt Rukia's body convulse longer than his own as she rode out her orgasm, and couldn't help but grin as she limped in his arms and panted.

"I...I-I...I..." She was mumbling something incoherent, unable to lift her head.

He hushed her and pulled her down onto the pillow with him. He didn't have much strength either, and could feel sleep creeping upon them. He pulled the covers over them and felt her snuggle to his side as the darkness fell over their world.

–

The next morning Ichigo awoke to the smell of roses and orchids and sex. He peered through bleary eyes and found a head full of raven hair blocking his vision. It wasn't until after a moment of brain-racking did he remember who was laying next to him and what they had done the night before.

He smiled and pulled her closer, inhaling her scent. She smelt of sweat and sex, but underneath it was an aroma of roses and orchids. It was her scent, the underlying smell that lingered there forever on her skin and in her hair. He committed it to memory and sighed contently, relishing in the moment.

She stirred within his arms and groaned, waking up. He watched her lift her head and scan the surrounding area, trying to deduce what had happened just as he had just moments ago. She turned and looked at him, shocked for a second before it dawned on her that they had made love the night prior. She turned completely and snuggled into his chest, sighing.

"Some night...huh?" She whispered.

"Yeah..." He nodded. What does one say after a night of sex? He had been a virgin before this, and hadn't really thought of what he'd do the morning after. It had never occurred to him that he'd ever really make a connection like this once he entered this place, and yet here he was cuddling with this woman who had turned just about everything he thought upside down.

They were quiet for a moment, mulling over the situation with their own perspectives, before she shifted in her position and looked up at him. "What...where does this leave us?"

"Huh?"

Rukia held a pensive look, studying his face. She must be trying to gauge his reaction to it all, he figured. Trying to figure out how lightly she had to tread on this conversation. "Well...what exactly was last night?" She asked, her stare never wavering from his face.

He considered this question and couldn't quite find an answer himself. What was last night? Frankly he wasn't sure how it had come to it, but he knew he loved it, and by no means regretted a second of it. "I...don't know. We...had sex?" It was a weak answer- more of a question. But he didn't know how to respond without blubbering like an idiot, trying in his convoluted way to explain the situation.

She frowned and pulled back. She propped herself up on her elbows and looked on out the cell to the still dark world outside. The guards hadn't turned on the lights and announced breakfast yet. "Obviously, but...what was last night to you?" She asked hesitantly, not looking at him.

His brows rose in mild surprise. "What are you talking about? Last night-"

"Please," She cut him off and turned towards him with a hard scowl on her face, her brows knitted in thought. "Just answer me! What was last night to you?"

Ichigo stared at her in shock. The worry-lines in her forehead were apparent, and he could tell she was a bit frantic. This was a new world to her, and something as complicated as this could be the end of her already. What was he to say or do? Something as heavy as this could devastate the fragile existence both had formed inside the walls of this camp, so what would be the right answer?

The truth didn't sound so bad.

"Last night was something I've been waiting for for as long as I can remember." He whispered, averting his eyes in embarrassment. It was sappy- weak. He couldn't afford to be-

Rukia smiled lightly at his answer and leaned in to kiss him. "Same here..." She whispered, hovering over his lips, her hot breath brushing his face softly.

Ichigo sucked in a tight breath and felt his heart race faster as she leaned back in and they kissed yet again. She pushed him back down flat on his back as she climbed up on top of him and ran her hands gently down his chest and stomach. He placed a hand on her hip and another at her lower back, holding her close as their tongues played with one another.

It was bliss. He had never known something so great in his life. The smooth feel of her skin underneath his finger-tips, the taste of her mouth against his own and her tongue rubbing against his was all intoxicating. She gave out a shaky breath as the kiss deepened and he became more aroused. She smirked at him and trailed her kisses down from his mouth to his chin and throat. She kissed at his neck, sucking and leaving a small red mark as his hands explored her body, sending shivers along her soft skin.

He felt her heat press against him, and gave a low groan of want. She responded by pressing against him again. He was so close to her opening, so tantalizingly close...

"Breakfast!" The loud ringing of a siren echoed down the halls outside the cell, startling both Ichigo and Rukia.

"Crap..." He muttered, disappointed. "Of all the times!" He growled, sitting up.

"Ichigo! They're coming!" Rukia warned, jumping off the bunk onto the floor.

"Shit!" He followed suit and began to dress as quickly as possible. If they were caught having sex they'd be punished severely. It was against the rules to have sex, for the possibility of breeding even more werewolves scared the scientists. He wasn't sure why, but he figured other cases must not have ended well.

He had seen a couple get caught once. They apparently been having relations for a few months and were caught in the middle of the act one early morning. He doesn't know what had happened to them, he just knows that neither were seen ever again.

As the cell door hissed open and the guards came by with their prods at bay, Ichigo and Rukia stood fully dressed and waited their inspection. The guard came by and looked in at them, squinting through the darkness to spot the orange haired man standing next to his raven haired partner.

Ichigo held his breath as the guard scanned the room. He lingered for an extra second and stared directly at them both, something mulling over in his mind. He stepped back and motioned for another guard to come over.

"Hey! Get over here!" The guard called. Ichigo felt his heart race as two other men in black armor came by and scanned the room. "You smell that?" The first one whispered, shocking him. He sniffed at the air and found the scent of sex wafting around the cell like a cloud.

Oh shit! His mind roared as he glanced at the panicked Rukia, who too noticed the smell and looked at him with fear. He had to think fast, or else they'd be taken away and never be seen again. It was now or never.

In one swift motion he grabbed her hand and barreled through the three men standing around the door, sending them tumbling back over the ledge and most likely to their death. He dragged the raven haired girl behind him as he sprinted down the way towards the stairs. If they could reach the main gates they could escape into the woods and be gone from this evil place.

The guards were on them in seconds, chasing after them with their cattle-prods alight with electricity, their screams following after the duo. Ichigo watched as a squad of the black-clad men ran up the stairs and blocked their way with large glass riot-shields.

They couldn't make it through them. They were trapped- backed up into a corner where they'd be captured and tortured. He looked back at the following group and found them creeping up slowly with their weapons out facing them. They knew it was done, and were being cautious.

"I'm so sor-" He was saying when Rukia yanked on his arm and pulled him over the ledge and down to the ground. The shock being absorbed by their powerfully enhanced legs. No normal human could have survived this fall without breaking a limb or two, but they not only survived but were not harmed in anyway.

He felt his legs shake slightly for a second before Rukia took lead and pulled him along to the main gates of the cell-block. If they could get through there and through the corridor they'd be home free. With that thought in mind they pushed harder and sprinted for the doors.

The guards caught their bearings and moved to block their way, but were not fast enough as Ichigo and Rukia burst through the doors and went charging down the corridor with the guards trailing behind them.

Almost there! They rounded a corner and saw the light of the morning beaming through the windows that lined the hallway. The wolf inside was coming out as the adrenaline pumped through their veins and fueled their purpose. They'd be free. Free to love and live.

As the main gates came into sight, their hearts leaping in joy as the prospect of escaping came to fruition, a tirade of black figures materialized out of no where and blocked their path to freedom, guns pointing straight at the pair as they slid to a halt. They turned and found another wave of the gun-bearing men blocking them in.

They were cornered. There was no way out of this. If they tried to climb the fence that lined the path they'd be caught before they made it eve halfway, and barreling through the platoons would be suicide. There was no way out. They had failed.

I'm not going down without a fight!

The men rounded on them, their guns pointed high, and Ichigo struck out. He threw Rukia down onto the ground and threw a punch to the closest man, breaking his visor and throwing him backwards into a group of others, disarming them. The others swarmed him, but he flailed about with hard fists and kicks in an attempt to give himself and Rukia some room.

"Run!" Ichigo wailed, kicking away another guard who was aiming down at him with his gun. They had a few moments before the guard realized they couldn't bring them down alive and would start firing. If he couldn't make it, then she would. He could die knowing that the girl next to him would survive.

"Ichigo!" He looked and found the guards had already restrained her. They were pulling back into the mod of men and leading her back away from him.

"NO!" He roared, his eyes blazing with anger and his canines sharpening to pin-pricks. He began to fly into a frenzy, sending back man after man with his attacks, but in the end he couldn't do it. There was just too many, and they all subdued him after a harsh beating. They restrained his arms and pulled back into the facility, his head lolling as he wavered between consciousness and unconsciousness.

With the last bit of energy he had left, he raised his head up high and howled out into the sky in anguish.

"Rukia!"

–

Ichigo found himself locked up. Waking up with a splitting headache and sore body, he realized that where he was locked up was a special kind of prison, more barred than the Dungeon. This place was meant for test subjects who were on deck for inspection.

He screamed and pounded the walls for days, crying Rukia's name until his throat went hoarse. The room felt more desolate than anything he had ever ever experienced. There wasn't any bucket for him to do his business, and they didn't feed him each day like they did in the Dungeon. He felt starvation start to creep up on him after what felt like months, but was actually only two weeks.

Curled up in a ball, shivering at the cold, he heard a clicking noise coming from the other side of the door. He jumped to his feet, foregoing his modesty, and charged for the door as it opened. But the guards were quick to knock him back with the buttes of their guns and pin him against the wall. He struggled, but to no avail. His hunger made him weak.

"You mother fuckers!" He snarled, flailing about in rage. He needed to see Rukia, needed to make sure she was fine.

"Calm down Kurosaki-san. Everything will be fine if you just cooperate with us for a few moments." Another man came walking into the room, his white coat billowing around his knees gently as he entered the room.

It was the same man who had questioned him after he transformed in the Dungeon. "Urahara Kisuke..." He growled under his breath.

Urahara Kisuke was the lead scientist in the development of the cure for Werewolfism, but also the creator of the disease. From what Ichigo knew of the man, he overlooked every experiment and conducted more than half himself. It was this man who killed so many, for if it wasn't for his experiments there'd never have been this epidemic.

"Yes, I am Urahara." The man said, staring down at the orange haired man under the brim of his bucket hat. "And I'd like to ask a few questions of you yet again, Kurosaki Ichigo." He nodded at the guards who held down Ichigo and they let go. He shrugged them off and clenched his fists in anger.

"Why would I want to talk to you? You're the damn reason I'm here in the first place!" He spat.

Urahara seemed to take this into consideration before turning and yet again nodding at the men. They gave one last withering glance at Ichigo before leaving and closing off the room, leaving Ichigo and Urahara alone within the damp walls of this new prison.

"I understand what you mean, my boy." The man said, pulling off his hat to reveal a head of wiry blond hair. The man seemed to be worn down, for the stubble on his chin was beginning to gray and his features were locked into a state of tension. His shoulders were taught, and his legs were shaky. He wasn't scared to be alone with the orange haired werewolf, but was tired beyond all relief. "I'd just like you to answer some things for me, and I will pull some strings for you, sound fair?" He offered.

Ichigo narrowed his eyes. "What are these 'strings' exactly?" He inquired.

Urahara chuckled. "You're a very intimidating guy, Kurosaki-san. You know that?" He said and stared on with old green eyes. "If you cooperate correctly I may be able to reunite you with your Kuchiki-san. From what I hear, she misses you dearly, and from the look on your face you miss her just as much."

Ichigo barred his teeth, gripping the man's collar and holding him up against the wall. "Where is she? Bring me to her! Now!" He ordered, growling.

The door clicked, and Urahara placed his hand on it quickly. "It's alright boys! Everything's fine!" He called out to the guards before returning his gaze to the angry nineteen-year-old. "You may want to calm yourself before-"

"Shut up!" Ichigo barked. "Where is Rukia?"

Urahara's eyes narrowed and his expression took on a more darker tone. "I don't like being man-handled, Kurosaki-san." He grabbed onto Ichigo's wrist and yanked at it painfully, forcing the boy to double-over in pain and let go of the scientist's collar. "Now, please just answer my questions and I will try my very best to reunite the two of you."

Ichigo yelped in pain as the man's grip tightened. How was he so strong? No normal man could bring this much pain to a werewolf, especially not one who looked so worn out and tired. Could he be...?

"You're...one of us?" Ichigo ground out through the pain erupting through his arm.

Urahara was silent for a moment before letting go of his arm. Ichigo slid back and cradled his arm like a baby who was crying. "Yes," He answered finally. "I'm the original werewolf."

Ichigo's eyes widened as he gasped. "You...you're the original?"

Urahara nodded solemnly. "Yes. It was my experiment that caused all of this, so it only makes sense that I too was infected doesn't it? I was the closest to the explosion." He said, his eyes drifting off as the memory played over again and again in his mind.

Ichigo stared on in awe at the man before him. He was the first one to ever be infected, alongside being the one to have caused all of this. He had never known this. No one had. "Then why?" He asked, standing and clenching his fists as anger bubbled to the surface. "Why did you let this happen? These camps are nothing but hell on earth! And yet you let the other werewolves endure this place even though you know what it's like to be one of us?"

The man stared on as Ichigo's nostrils flared and his teeth clenched painfully together. "I'm sorry." was all he said.

"Sorry?" Ichigo wailed. "You're sorry for allowing this place to exist? Do you have any idea what this place does to us? What has happened to us? Do you know how many men and women I've seen die because of this hell-hole?" The tension that had been building up for nearly two years was coming out in full gear now. He was releasing every bit of rage that lay dormant within him onto this man- this monster.

"I know," The scientist whispered. "I've seen many die. In and out of this place." He said, not meeting Ichigo's eyes. "I've personally killed so many in the hopes of ending it all. But nothing ever works, and yet here I am still trying to save at least who's left. Even though who's left may not be around for much longer..."

Ichigo watched as a tear fell down the blond haired man's cheek. The anger subsided and he felt slightly sedated from it all. This man was clearly haunted by his actions, and was just trying to atone for his sins. "If you're so sorry, then why let it continue?" He asked.

Urahara looked up. "Huh?"

"Why let all of this go on?" Ichigo said. "Why not let us go? Why not let us try to live our lives as normal humans? We can do it! This thing only happens once a month! Every other day we're perfectly normal!" He implored. "Please...let us go!"

Urahara sighed and rubbed his eyes. "It's not that simple, Kurosaki-san. The people are too scared of us, and will stop at nothing to eradicate us. It'll be a world-wide war within itself, against itself." He said.

Ichigo felt his shoulders drop. He was right. The nations wouldn't be able to cope with the fact that once a month their people changed into blood-thirsty beasts. It'd cause panic with the normal people and would soon escalate into unneeded blood-shed.

"What do you want?" Ichigo said, staring down at his fists.

Urahara placed his hat back onto his head and nodded. "The relationship between you and Kuchiki Rukia, what is it exactly?"

Ichigo blinked and stared at him in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"What do you feel for Rukia-san?"

Ichigo answered without hesitation. "I love her." He said. The time spent inside this place had given him the time to think it over, and he came to this conclusion without a fight. What he felt for her was beyond anything he had ever felt before. He would die for her, and would kill for her. He would give himself completely to her if given the chance.

He couldn't live without her.

Urahara seemed to think this over before speaking again. "I see. And you're sure of this? From what I've seen she's only been here for the duration of a month."

"Don't get testy with me," Ichigo warned, glaring. "I love her, no doubt. And I'll do anything to see her again."

The hat-wearing man stared into the heated eyes of the other man opposite him. He saw the fierce determination in his eyes, and felt something familiar click within him.

I know how you feel, Kurosaki Ichigo.

"Understood." Urahara said, turning and knocking on the door. "That'll be all then, Kurosaki-san. I will see you again sometime. Until then, I wish you luck." The door opened and in came the guards to escort the scientist out of the room.

"Wait!" Ichigo called after him. "What about our agreement? Can I see Rukia?"

Urahara smiled back at him over his shoulder. "Don't worry my boy, in due time you shall see your beloved Rukia." With that the door was shut and Ichigo was left alone with his thoughts.

–

It was a whole week and a half before anyone came by his room again. He could feel that the Change was coming, for his senses were getting sharper and sharper by the day, and he felt restless every second of every day. Of course, that could be because he was so worried about Rukia.

The door creaked open and in came men in white garb with a restraining jacket held up for him to see. They threw a robe for him to wear and instructed him to put it on. He wrapped the gray piece of clothing around his torso and was restrained in the jacket before he knew it.

Ichigo was lead down an unfamiliar corridor towards a destination he didn't know of. This was a completely new part of the facility he had never been to, and felt a sense of fear rise within him at this. This new place could mean a hundred different things. This could be where the more cruel experiments went down. This could be where they bring werewolves to be executed. Thoughts raced across his mind in rapid succession, fueling the anxiety that rose up into his throat.

He found himself in front of a white door. The men in white garb unlocked the jacket and freed him before unlocking the large barred lock and throwing him inside the brightly lit room and re-locking the door behind him.

"Ichigo!" He turned and found Rukia standing at the other end of the room wearing a similar robe as he. Her hair had grown longer over the time he last saw her, now swaying about her shoulders, and she had dirt marks all over her cheeks and forehead. She was in the same shape as he, for the time spent in the Dungeon had dirtied them and left them not groomed. His hair was longer as well, now reaching below his ears, and dirt stains marked his body.

"Rukia!" They ran and embraced, holding onto each other tightly. They pulled back and kissed, transmitting how much they had missed each other through their lips. "Are you OK? What did they do to you?" He questioned, running his hands over her face to make sure she was real and not just another dream.

"They locked me up...told me if I answered some questions they'd let me see you!" She said, mimicking his actions. Both were in hysterics, and kissed again to calm their shot-nerves.

"Rukia, I'm so sorry..." He whispered, running his hands through her hair. "This is all my fault. If I hadn't tried to make a break for it we may have-" She cut him off with a finger to his lips and shushed him, placing her forehead against his and staring into his eyes lovingly.

"It's not your fault, Ichigo. You did exactly what I was about to do, just that you beat me to the punch." She said, smiling lightly.

Ichigo returned the smile and felt his heart burst with relief at knowing she was alright. He was about to pull her into another kiss when the sound of speaker-phone buzzing to life echoed through the room.

"Can you hear us? Testing." A voice came over the line, followed by a short wave of static.

"Who is that?" Ichigo called out, anger lining his voice. "What do you want from us?"

"Perfect, you can hear our voices." The sound of multiple voices echoed in the background of the speaker as the main voice spoke. There was a quick humming sound before he spoke again. "We're here to conduct a very crucial experiment that may, or may not contribute to our research valiantly."

"What are you talking about?" Rukia said, stepping a bit closer to Ichigo. "What experiment?"

"We've deduced that as each moon passes you fall deeper and deeper down into your baser instincts. As such we also believe that the two of you have fallen to the point of finding a mate based on instincts rather than logic. With this theory we're going to watch and record what happens when the two of you changed together."

"What?" They both gasped in unison. "You can't do that! We'll tear each other apart!" He wailed, staring directly into the camera aimed at them with a red light blinking rapidly next to the lens. He couldn't see them, but they could certainly see him.

"Rather you kill each other or remain perfectly alive is up to you. Our last subjects hadn't reached the stage we believe you two to be at yet, so we have high hopes that the two of you shall fuel our research brilliantly. We will see if you two are actually in love, for if you are the beasts won't harm one another. Wolves do not attack their mates."

"Please don't do this!" Rukia pleaded, tears brimming at the corners of her eyes. "We're not animals! We're human beings!"

"Incorrect," The voice said. "You two are werewolves. Not humans."

"Let us out!" Ichigo began to pound on the door, trying his hardest to rip it open and escape. But it didn't even rattle, for the locks were too strong for his hunger-deprived body. "Please! Don't do this!"

"We are at Full Moon."

–

Urahara Kisuke stared on at the brilliant, glowing moon above in the sky. It was full tonight, and was as beautiful as ever. He had always found the orb to be so glorious, and had as a child dreamed of walking on it. Even now, as he stares on and feels the transformation creep up on him, he marvels at the sheer power the moon radiates.

He should have been locked up an hour ago. In every camp there was an office designed specifically for him with a special cage set up inside of a room built behind a bookcase. Every moon he'd have his assistant Tessai lock him inside and let him out the morning after. An hour ago he should have been locked up. An hour ago someone should have been there to turn the key. But Urahara gave Tessai the night off, assured the assistant that he'd have someone else he trusted do it. But instead here he stood, outside in the open air staring up at the beautiful moon in wonder.

The pain was becoming unbearable. He faltered in his stance, but kept strong and held his balance. He had grown accustomed to this pain, and could for now endure it. But he didn't have long before he lost himself to the agony.

He fished around in his pockets and lit a cigarette, inhaling the nicotine then exhaling it in a bloom of smoke. He watched the smoke rise into the air then dissipate, ceasing to exist on its own, and starting its new existence as part of the wind.

He winced, nearly dropping the flaming stick between his fingers. He breathed in, steadying his laboring breath before taking another, long drag. The length of the cigarette shortened greatly, and he almost coughed at the flood of the nicotine in his lungs. But he held his composure, and blew it all back out through his nose.

It was amazing he had lived so long, he thought. He had been smoking for almost fifty years now, and knew that his lungs would be blacker than night if it wasn't for his affliction. He supposed that was something to be grateful for. Though, it was hard to truly be grateful.

Pulling out a small device from his coat-pocket, he thought back to his family who he had left behind when this whole thing happened. His beautiful wife, Yoruichi, and two wonderful children Jinta and Ururu who were the pride of his life. He would give anything to be with them again. But how could he when his name was one of disgrace and shame? The Kisuke title was not something to be proud of, not anymore...

What would they think of him now? What would they even be like after these seven long years? Would they ever love him as he is now? After what he's done to the world? Could he ever be forgiven...if not by them, by anyone?

He'd like to see them again, even just once. He'd love to see one of his daughter's drawings which he used to think were masterpieces for someone so young. He'd love to see his son play baseball and watch him become the all-star his father knew he would become. He would love to kiss his wife and have one of her home-cooked meals again, followed by a nightly session of passionate love-making. But all of this was wishful thinking. What he was now is not what he use to be. They'd never accept him for what he was or what he had done. He was forever doomed to be alone.

But, He thought as he traced his throbbing fingers over the lining of the button on the device. He watched as claws started to sprout from his finger-tips through crusts of blood. They don't have to be doomed like me.

Urahara was an inventor- a maker of gadgets and creator of all things science. Before his time as a biologist he had dabbled in chemistry. He had studied all forms of science, but as a child he had found chemical reactions and the effects they produced over a subject of matter to be so incredibly fascinating that it was what he pursued into adulthood. And, for some time, he was the lead developer of bombs and weapons for his country. He had worked on a new form of explosion, one that was caused by a device that was, perpetually, untraceable. There was no indication that it was there, no radio signature that could be spotted by scanners. It would be triggered manually and, with what given time you had, would detonate in a concentrated flurry of fire and shrapnel. Destroying the intended target.

They had deemed the finished product unsuitable. It was too experimental and the success rate had only been sixty-six percent. They only wanted a hundred percent, and anything less was deemed unworthy by the military. It was after this mark against his record did he switch to the biology division- his second major.

He figured that was his mistake. He should have stuck with what he loved, stayed in the chemistry field. But, no, he switched over to the study of living organisms and how they evolved.

Evolution.

That was his motive. All of this insanity started when he had the inane idea that maybe, just maybe, he himself could be that shove against humanity towards the next step. He had wanted to help create the perfect human, the perfect person. Stronger, faster, smarter. A better league of people without prejudice because everyone would be the same on the inside. They would all sleep the same, eat the same, fight the same, have sex the same. It was an ideal dream, but one he shouldn't have pursued.

Urahara wanted to be the man who pushed the human race along, but ended up being the one to set them back a peg. What he created was not an evolutionary step forward...but a mutation.

The thing he held in his hand was the very device that had made him transfer off his path. The detonator of his new-age bomb. With it, he would set everyone and himself free.

No one would see the other devices attached to each and every lock holding down the Changing people inside. By pressing this button, he would condemn even more men and women to their deaths. But what was a few more deaths atop the already mile high list of names he had personally condemned? By doing this he would be saving hundreds, and that was enough for him.

This is the lesser of two evils. He reasoned. It was a faulty logic, but it was all he had.

He pressed the button and heard the loud explosions go off with his ever-enhancing hearing. He turned and listened as yells echoed through the corridors of his mind, reminding him of all the others he had made scream. He wasn't a bad man, not at all. Just a good man, with a good purpose, with twisted methods and a bad outcome.

This was his redemption.

I wonder...will I survive this? was the last thought that raced through the mind of Dr. Urahara Kisuke before he fell into oblivion with a sharp-toothed smile.

Probably not. He was fine with that.

–

The guards watched in horror as the cages that held the Changing men and women suddenly exploded and let loose the ravenous beasts within. The monsters all emerged from their cages and roared in fury as they lashed out and began their campaign of killing.

Guard after guard fell as they all weren't fast enough to escape the large wolves chasing after them. The monsters tore them limb from limb, devouring their flesh with greedy mouths and insatiable hunger.

The walls were painted with gore.

None would make it out alive.

–

Ichigo felt the entire room shake violently as the door gave a red glow and blew off its hinges. He had to shield his eyes from the light, for his vision was becoming more vivid and the light would have blinded him had he not raised his arm.

He looked up and found the door crumbled on the ground; billowing smoke rising into the air. The sounds of the scientists over the speakerphone were frantic and in shock. They didn't know what was happening, as neither did he. But something was telling him this was fine. This was good. He felt at peace seeing the door open like this.

Ichigo turned towards Rukia, who was on her hands and knees, shivering in pain, staring on at the door just as he. Their eyes met, and a thousand emotions transmitted between the two in that moment.

Everything would be fine. There was nothing to worry about. Ichigo crawled over to raven haired woman and took her smaller hand in his own, squeezing tightly as she gripped his hand in return. He watched as claws began to spurt out from both of their hands, crawling from their knuckles out their fingertips, but this didn't matter. He knew that they wouldn't hurt each other. Not in a million years.

"I love you Rukia." He said with a smile, despite the pain tearing his mind to shreds.

"I love you too, Ichigo." She said and returned the smile.

The world dissipated into a peaceful darkness in which they shared together.

They were finally free to live their lives.