Minawa: I suppose this chapter is a little longer...or is it? Anyway, I don't own Bleach, just my own characters and the storyline.

Shizuya: Not claiming ownership is a waste of time, right? I mean, they know you don't own it... *crosses arms*

Minawa: *smirks* Then you'll handle the lawyers, right, great!

Shizuya: ...bye. *hurries away*

"So wrong!" I yelled out as I banged the door closed. "Jesus Christ, give me strength!" I expressed as I fell down on the sofa. But then again, who am I to ask God for strength?

I got up and got soda from the fridge. I glanced at Shiro.

"Two hollows in school and worse; they're dating! Argh! Hollows don't date. It's wrong." I said and sat down in the sofa again, watching Shiro's back. I sighed.

"Who am I talking to anyway?" I muttered and took a sip from the soda.

Flashback; 5 years earlier.

My body was cold and my muscles were tenser than usual because of the cold air. You could almost smell it; the beginning of fall and the last dying summer days.

A group of teenage boys stopped a bit further away at the crossing and talked for a moment. A few minutes later they went separate ways and one of them came down my alley. A bad thing to happen since he could get in my way.

Just as I had thought my target slowly emerged from the shadows; starting to lurk behind the boy. It was already too late before I realized what kind of hollow it was and by the time I ran out of my hiding place the boy had already been smashed into the wall. My timing was far off and the hollow was already feeding on the boy's soul. I pushed forward and killed the beast with one attack at the head and slowly it evaporated as its cry echoed throughout the alleyway. Small drops of rain fell and slowly a heavy pour down grew as I let a sigh escape me. I turned and walked up in front of boy as he sat on the ground, back against the wall.

"That was a hollow, they eat human souls." I said and hunched. "Usually you die but there are rare hollows that eat the soul but leave the body alive." I said and looked into his cold blue eyes. Dead yet still alive.

"You become empty, like you." I said and put my blade against his throat.

There was no point of him to live now when he didn't have a soul. Living like an empty doll will only bring pain.

Then a thought hit me. His soul will never find peace. His life will be for nothing like this. I pulled back my blade and found myself caught in his stare even though I knew he couldn't see anything. Not blind but still not seeing anything. I got up and looked down at him, halting my thoughts, working through consequences, results and choices. My brain worked out a solution that I didn't quite like but then again; what other choices did I have for the moment? In the end I sighed and cursed life's sense of irony. I glanced at the boy.

"Get up." I said and waited for a reaction. Moments passed without any activity on his part but slowly he started moving, standing up.

Deep blue eyes. Dirty blond hair which had been drenched by the rain. He was my age; no more than 12. A feeling of sympathy went through me but left as quickly. I had no use of it anymore.

"Follow me." I said and saw, to my surprise, the boy come along with me as I intended to leave the alley and find another hollow to kill.

End of flashback

More than two weeks had passed and I still hadn't gotten a chance to attack that Kurosaki. Either his soul was running around with the jumper inside the body or he was surrounded by his friends. They even talked casually with me from time to time. It pissed me off since the whole point was for him to fear me.

I walked over to him after class had finished. He glanced up at me like he always did, relaxed somewhat too friendly.

"What's up?" he asked. I felt my brown twitch but instead of going berserk I grinned casually.

"I have had enough of this, it's time we finish this once and for all." I said. Kurosaki looked at me slightly surprised.

"What do you mean?" he said and I swear I was on the brink of smashing something in frustration. I think it was visible in my body language because several of our classmates started to take their distance. I leaned in close, so that only he heard me.

"I challenge you after school. Only one of us will walk away alive." I whispered into his ear before I walked right passed him and out of the classroom. I pulled out my cell phone and pressed the speed dial.

Shiro and I met up for lunch out and by making him act out the part it probably looked like we had a pleasant meal together. Actually, we did.

I knew for a fact that Ichigo Kurosaki was a strong opponent and even though I have no intention of loosing he still had his friends. I didn't want to take the risk of not coming home tonight…

I stared at Shiro for a while as he ate his meal. He didn't seem like an empty shell but that didn't change the fact that he was. A thought returned to me like it always did. I hated the idea of leaving Shiro alone in this world, simply because I know it'd be the end of him. Without orders he wouldn't be able to eat or sleep, to work or making friends. He'd literally die.

I sipped on my coke before shaking my head to myself. I just would had to win, that was all there was to it…

I saw Kurosaki come walking down the street together with Kuchiki Rukia and his girlfriend Amu. He looked relatively calm but that only edged me on. I walked out in plain sight and watched them stop a few feet away.

"So you were really serious about this?" he said. I shrugged.

"Of course. I guess you brought the party, huh?" I said but he only stared back at me.

"Whatever" I said and grinned, "I don't really care how you want to do things, let's just get it over with." I handed my bag to Shiro. I pointed my thumb at him casually.

"Wanna go double? I'm sure any of your buddies would just love to save your ass." I said. Ichigo shook his head.

"No, this is my problem and I won't have my friends involved." He said with a determination that in secret really made me lost at words.

I stayed quiet for a few seconds, letting his resolve hang in the air. I smiled mockingly.

"It won't matter, I'll…" I started to say as a shadow fell to the ground in the corner of my eye. I turned, shocked, and found Shiro besides me on his knees; bent over in pain.

Everything besides us faded into dark colors and it felt as if the whole world went into a kind of slow motion. My skin itched all over and my heart beated so loudly I wanted to rip it out in annoyance.

Within a second I was on my knee, gripping his shoulders as he slowly sank down further. I could sense the others come closer.

"Stay away!" I yelled at them, halting their pace with shocked expressions.

I turned to Shiro and cursed my hand for not stop shaking. I cursed the fact that I couldn't keep myself levelheaded, the fact that I couldn't stay indifferent like I usually did.

I looked at his pained face. Calm, compared to any other person in pain, but I knew. I knew the enormous amount of pain by the sight of his eyes twitching and his frowned brows. A face he had never shown before.

I tried to lift him up and place him on my back, to my success. I knew I had to do something and the hospital was no option…

I realized that the eyes of the others were on me but I refused to acknowledge them and turned the other direction to leave but hesitated as a man landed only a few feet away. I backed a few steps, still aware of the others behind me.

The man flipped open a fan in front of his face, revealing a… moustache?

Amu burst into laughter and almost bent over double. The rest of us didn't really know what to do as the man turned over his fan. His aura suddenly grew darker and frightful but Amu continued to laugh uncontrollable.

"A-m-u-chan…!" he said as she dried her tears.

"Sorry, Uru-chan… we couldn't help it." She said smiling as she hid behind Ichigo.

In the middle of all the commotion I heard Shiro breath heavy into my ear, still in pain. I didn't have time for idiots…

The man with the fan looked over to me and grinned a (not very friendly) smile in my direction and somehow got almost behind me before I had the time to react. His hand reached for Shiro as I turned and backed away.

"Don't touch him!" I yelled at him. He sighed as his creepy smile disappeared. He looked up, revealing one eye.

"If you keep that attitude up you will be the reason of his death, ya know." He said, leaving me a state of shock. The reason for his…for Shiro…?

"I'm kinda into medicin and spirits so I'll be able to treat him!" the man continued as the smile reappeared. I thought for a moment.

"Usually I don't like going to this guy…" Ichigo said, coming up to my side, "but for once, you should trust him." He said, placing his hand on my shoulder. I shook it off.

"What do I do?" I asked the fan-man, staring at his feet. He turned and started walking down the street.

"First of all you can try to keep up with me." He said and left with a rather slow Shunpo. I followed him, without looking behind me.

Minawa: Please tell me what you think and I hope you've enyoyed it so far.