Title: Encounters
Author: Spirixx
Genre: Drama/Romance/Action
Rating: T for teeny-bopper
Pairing: Ichigo/Renji ...ish

Spoilers: None AUish
Summary: They say the events surrounding a first meeting foretell the relationship around two people.
Warnings: Lots of violence, character deaths.

Disclaimer: As much as I wish I do not own Bleach.
Distribution: Too lazy to post this anywhere else.

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III

Howling Inferno

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"This isn't a pleasant place to raise a son and two daughters, and the smoking wife of his… Maybe he should learn what happens to the average citizen who rejects the system."

Renji watched Ichigo's blood turn cold. He could feel the frost the boy's body was admitting. His temper simmered own and Renji inched over the edge of the roof top. The men weren't done their conversation.

"Ya I heard the boss talk'n bout doing some'in tonight. Said he was gather'n up over there for a 'moonlight bon-fire'… whatever that means."

"We should hurry! I don't wanna miss that crazy bastard teach this town and that stupid doctor who's boss!"

They scuttled out of the alley towards the nice part of town. Renji rested his hand on the dazed Ichigo's shoulder. The boy jolted and looked at him with horror laced eyes.

"Renji… you don't think they are going to do something do you?"

Renji hated what he knew was coming next but he wouldn't let Ichigo suffer the same fate he did once long ago. He grabbed the smaller hand and dragged Ichigo in a staggered run.

"We have to hurry! We have to beat them to your house!"

Ichigo seemed to understand the need for urgency and it wasn't long before he was taking the lead. Renji followed the frantic boy over roof after roof. He was always jealous of the carrot-tops agility but now wasn't the time. Finally reaching a relatively short roof with a garage and a shed they zigzagged to the ground. Ichigo landed gracefully, Renji noticed how his baggy tattered clothes fluttered dramatically around the boy but only looked for a moment. The people who owned this house owned a rather savage Chin dog that was currently attached to his lower leg.

"Go on! I'll catch up. Remember ta look after yourself!!"

Ichigo didn't hesitate. He was gone before Renji could even look in his direction. Renji shook his leg but could not free himself from the overly popular breed dog. He was about the panic, he couldn't kick the dog but he also couldn't let Ichigo face them and alone. In on brave motion he tore the leg off his last pair of hole less, rip less pants. Some things were more important than fashion. The dog shook its stupid ribboned head, killing the pant leg while Renji hopped the fence.

He was only two suburban blocks away when an ominous scent filled his nose familiarly. The dense pillar of smoke finally caught his eye. Damn!

He ran liked there was no tomorrow, knowing that if that smoke was coming from where he thought it was then maybe it would be better if there wasn't a tomorrow. He cut between two houses to find Ichigo caught in a wire fence. Not stopping for word her ripped the claimed fabric and they ran the extra twenty feet together. The smell of burning wood and paint pressed against their faces.

Eruption from the tight space the two homes Renji looked on in shock. Ichigo's house was encased in thick evil flames that licked the neighbouring buildings. Ichigo darted next to him but he tackled the kid to the ground. The house's second floor was completely gone; it had been burning for a long time. There were firemen already on their way, sirens sounding in the distance.

"Ichi! Stop fight'n me!! It's over, don't throw yer life away!!!"

"No- NOOO!!!! YUZU!!! KARIN!!!!"

Ichigo didn't cease in his struggles to be free. He called out his sister's names but to no avail. The only reply was the snap, crackle and pop of the dancing tongues of flame eating his house, and his family. Renji heard the sobs emanating from under him. Ichigo stopped rebelling against his hold. Renji shifted his position to hold him as he broke down on the road side. Kurosaki clinic was no more.

"Renji… is this real? Is this happening?"

Renji didn't know what to say. He just sat looking at the orange building gripping Ichigo hard against his chest. It wasn't a painful gripped; he knew from experience that Ichigo would find comfort in its solidity. Renji could flee tears streaking his ashen cheeks, leaving clean wet trails as his past surfaced to haunt him. Renji was plagued and now Ichigo was subjected to the very same horror.

"I don't want to live in the real world Ren. It hurts… they left me here, alone. I have no family… no family… no family."

He repeated that over and over, finally going into shock. The ghostly look in his eyes scared Renji as he felt them look through him.

"Yer not alone. I'm here and I ain't leaving. We're family k? We are FAMILY ICHIGO!"

Renji didn't mean to yell the last bit but it had a better effect if heard. The yell broke Ichigo's trance. He started sobbing again but with less vigour. Ichigo snuggled his head into the red-heads shirt and quieted down. The fire trucks were taking too long, the house was almost level.

"What do I do now?"

He thought about the question carefully but was interrupted by a hellish cry that was almost a howl. He turned his gaze away from the orange hair he had been looking into to locate the horrendous bay. The two boys witnessed an apparition like no other. A monstrous black beast rose from the blaze and wreckage and licked it's white mask with an overly long tongue. The hole in it's chest was rounded and Renji looked through it to see the starry twilight sky on the other side.

"So you CAN see me, little humans. That means you two will be extra juicy."

"Juicy?"

Renji asked this without meaning too. Living alone for so long he forgot what was said in his head and what was said out loud. The monster practically trembled in unrestrained glee.

"You can hear me too? This is turning out to be a most delicious night. I never knew that when I was sent here I would get such a tasty meal, first those three females and then that man who attacked me. He couldn't hear me but he had so much life. He threw a folding chair at me and then I ate him too."

"You ate my father?"

Renji held the shaking Ichigo tighter. This monster was responsible without a doubt and he feared what Ichigo might try to do.

"Yes and he was finger licking good too. But I am far from full. Time to die, little humans."

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END

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This is why I love writing AU stuff, the freedom to change things to fit. I hope I didn't make any cry with this one like I did with Final Strike. Well I guess if you cry I wrote this well, but I didn't mean too.