Chapter 4

Hey guys I am so sorry for the long update time. There really isn't a reason, or excuse, I just got so caught up in life. Please forgive me OK? This chapter is full of excitement so I hope it makes up for being so late. Id like to thank Shunakoo25, for helping me to get a "personal" link to Kenpachi in this chapter. ;) Thanks hun! If anyone has a review or idea, or question feel free to ask and I will gladly answer you.

"D-Dead? Taru what do you mean?" Ichigo asked almost fearfully. I giggled and smiled largely at him, thoughts of all the ways I could kill him running through my head. "I'm not Taru, my dear Little One. I'm sorry. I am something so much stronger than her. The poor thing can barely keep consciousness right now!" I laughed fully, my stomach muscles contracting. Oh it was such a good feeling! I had been locked up for so long, simply being immobilized and forced to watch this horribly weak thing run around in the body that was supposed to be mine. "After all these years! Finally I am in full control!" I slid my eyes over Ichigos form. "I plan on wreaking havoc and hurting her as quickly and as effectively as I can."

He lifted his hands in a strange, almost helpless, gesture. It was pointless, I am going to kill him anyways. "Give Taru her body back, Hollow. It's not yours and you have no right to it." his eyes flared in anger.

"Oh sweet Ichigo, you wont hurt me."

"What makes you think that scum?" he scowled.

"Because this is as you said, not my body" I lifted two fingers in the air and made a quote gesture with them, "And I know you are still hoping that she can take it back, so you wont hurt me in fear of hurting her." I could feel my mask forming in my hair, spreading out in what I knew looked like large feline ears. The rest of my mask would curl around my human ears to touch my cheeks in small, sharp points. The effect looking like stripes, stark white against my pale pink skin.

He hesitated as my words sank in, I could almost see his small human mind placing the pieces together, he frowned and glared at me, yet it held nowhere near as much anger as it had a few moments ago. I could only figure he was more angry at himself instead of me.

"That doesn't mean I wont stop you" He said, his voice slightly weaker. I could almost see the face of Taru in his minds eye, bright blue eyes with pale ivory skin and dark blonde hair, slipping. He was afraid he was losing her.

I smiled and threw my hand out, feeling the pull in the air as I dragged his body to myself. I gripped my small fingers around his large neck in a firm yet gentle grip. I didn't want him to die yet. I brought his face closer to mine and sneered at him, "How? You cannot fight me properly if you aren't willing to kill me. If that is the case then I would simply kill you, and there's no fun in that is there? I want you to die, sure but I'd like to do that slowly and in a much more…." I ran the tip of my nose along his jawline, inhaling his scent and watching the blood pump through his thick veins. I licked my lips, his blood would be the sweetest, once beaten and crushed under my tender care. "Intimate situation. I need a MAN who will fight me with blood thirst and the will to kill me. You are not that man Little One." his body shivered in my grasp, I could feel my heart speed up in excitement. I couldn't help the almost crazed grin spreading across my face as I dragged my fingernail down his cheek, welting the skin and making a thick pink line.

"You want someone to fight you with the will to kill? Then drop the field and let me fight you." Came a rough, alluring voice. I straightened up and turned my head to find the source. I caught sight of the man and was not disappointed by what I saw. He was a very large man, almost 7 feet tall, with long hair styled up into spikes, he had expressive eyes that glowed with the potential fight, had an eye patch over his right eye, his skin was marred by various wounds inflicted from battles, and he was tanned a deep russet. I tilted my head slightly to the side in interest. "Who are you? And do you truly think that you can take me on?" I loosened my grip and quickly sent Ichigo to the other side of my force field.

He grinned a very wide smile that was somehow endearing, "I am Kenpachi Zaraki, Squad 11 Captain, and yes I do think I can. Either way I really just want to fight you." I ran my eyes up and down his body, assessing his power and determined that he just might be a fun person to start my carnage with. I weakened the field in front of him and watched as he stepped into the "ring" so to say. He took his time walking towards me, slowly pulling his sword from its sheath, the grating sound of metal on metal was an ear piercing noise I loved. "Then get ready Angel, cuz I ain't holding back" I took a deep breath and lifted my hand. I formed a fist and placed it thumb down on my chest right above my cleavage. I felt the hilt of my sword slowly form in my fist, I opened my eyes, wanting to see my opponents face. He was simply watching, curious as to what I was doing, granted my sheath was…..well me, and I'm sure that was considered strange. I smiled and gripped the hilt, slowly dragging the broadsword out of my chest. I took a second to admire my beautiful blade, almost 4 feet long, it was a thick double edged broadsword with a delicate hilt and thin handle with roses burned into the worn leather. The words "na prostatéfsei kai na agapáme" Etched into the hilt. I scoffed disregarding the words He thought He could stop me with. He didn't understand that I don't care to follow His mantra. The large man, Kenpachi, was looking at my blade in confusion, I lifted it to my face and flashed the words at him. "To protect and cherish" I sneered. "Its my Zanpaktous last ditch effort to sway me.

He shrugged as if it didn't matter to him, still not raising his sword, he reached up and opened the front of his shirts. "Ill be nice and even give you the first shot Angel. As a gift to the fact that you and Ichi are friends." He smiled as if it truly was a gift, not a seriously dumb idea. I let it go, if he wanted to die so quickly, who was I to stop him, I lowered my body, feeling my muscles coil in anticipation. I sprang at him, raising my blade for a harsh jab, straight to his stomach, the tip of my blade was so close that I could almost feel the heat rolling off his body.

Tarus pov.

I watched in horror as the hollow me gazed at all the faces watching us. Cruel excitement filled her so fully, I could feel it swirling in my stomach. Her focus was on Ichigo, threatening the only person I cared about in my life. He was the only one who accepted me at face value and knew that I wasn't nuts for seeing the things I did. He always supported me even when he doubted the validity of what I was telling him. My Little One was being threatened by this monster and I couldn't do anything to stop her. Tears welled up in my eyes and I tried blinking them away, so I could see and hopefully find away out of this situation. "Mister, is there anyway to get out, or to stop her?"

"There are two ways young one, that I know of. Either someone kills her, and us effectively, or you figure out a way to break through the barrier she has put up and retake control of your body." I took a deep breath and asked the only possible question, "How do I weaken the barrier?"

"Come over here and Ill try to help you." I walked over to my spirit and sat in front of him, our knees almost touching and waited for his instruction,"Close your eyes. Good, now try to reach out with your mind and find the poison that is tainting your inner world. It is where she is most weak, and where you might be able to stop her." Confused, I tried doing as he asked, and only succeeded in looking constipated. "Breathe and try again, slower Taru." I swallowed and thought of the only thing Icould think of, I imagined tentacles reaching out from my brain and taking in every sensation they could from the air.

All around me was dead, stale air, until one of my probes found my spirit. Instantly I knew much more about him than I noticed with my naked eye. His skin was rough and bumpy, his limbs thick and strong with promise of power, his demeanor was simply concerned and loving. Along with that I could tell things like he smelled like a long burning campfire, reminding me of a series of childhood camping trips with my parents before they died, his temperature was a toasty 104.7 degrees and seemed steady, and I could somehow tell that he was not of Japanese origin…. He was Greek…..

I shook my head trying to push all this new information out of the way, I had time to dwell on that later, as long as I was able to stop the hollow. I reached out further, coming into contact with nothing…. Nothing but more staircases, more rooms, and more stale air. I huffed and opened my eyes. I looked at my friend in desperation, "I cant find her!" my heart ached as an image of Ichigo dead by "my" hands flashed through my mind. "I can't lose him! Please you have to help me! I must stop her! Please Mimikku, I nee-" my voice cut off as his eyes widened, I clapped my hands over my mouth in surprise. His face seemed broken as if something I said had surprised yet almost hurt him, like he was waiting for a present that only I had, to be given to hi- "Oh my God, that's your name! Mimikku!" He nodded and smiled largely at me. "But how?" "Your fear of yourself outweighed your fear for Ichigo and unplugged your ears. If I knew it would be that easy, I would have done something earlier!" He laughed for a moment and then sobered. "we will celebrate later Child, for now you must try again. Reach out further, faster as well. They have begun to fight, and if know Ichigo, which I do, He will try to stop you from getting hurt. It could kill him."

I nodded and threw my probes out as fast and far as I could, and painfully came into contact with a wall in the very farthest back right hand corner of my inner world. "I've found it!" I cried out! I could feel his approving smile as he answered. "Good, now feel around it, try to find a hole, even the smallest one, and push with all of your might!" I felt around the large barrier, getting more and more nervous as I couldn't find any blemish, let alone a hole. I kept at it in fear that I might be too late to save all those innocent people watching my hollow and the Zaraki fellow fight. Then by some miracle, at the bottom of her barrier I found a weaker spot, not a hole, which would have been ideal but, I had a chance.

I sharpened my probe and shoved it against the spot over and over again, feeling exhaustion and fatigue plague me. Almost as if it was a defense she put up, I thought of my Little Ichigo fearful of hurting me, and of my spirit doing everything he could to help me protect the ones I love. Pushing down my body's reactions I stabbed harder and harder until finally!…. I felt the spot give and allow enough room for one probe through. I could feel her body and had to chose the most effective way to stop her as I worked the hole bigger, I decided to take back control of my dominant hand, the one wielding Mimikku, and wrapped my probe around it, stopping the next attack she had for the poor man fighting her.

Hollows POV

He didn't so much as flinch, while I charged him. I could feel the give of his skin, right before my blade pierced through the lower left of his abdomen. The tough muscle was no match for the power of my steel. I slid my eyes up to his face, following the smatterings of blood reaching up to his chin. His eyes were wide in surprise, yet glowing with excitement. He smiled a ferocious grin as he grabbed a hold of Mimikku, I couldn't breathe as he pulled the blade out himself. His arm came up and slammed down, giving me an extremely deep gash on the right side of my stomach.

"Dammit Kenpachi! Don t kill her!" Ichigos voice rang out, a tremor of fear shaking his voice. My partner seemed miffed by that, taking his hand off his hilt and turning to address Ichi. I hissed in pain as he jarred the sword still inside my body. "She actually got me Ichigo, ya don't expect me to hold back now? Not against someone who did what even you couldn't do?" I growled low in my throat, the unexpected pain pissing me off, I couldn't keep focus on my field and hoped that no one noticed how it was weakening. "I'm still here asshole" I jumped back, trying to keep the blade from injuring my side further, effectively disarming him. He turned back, "Yea I know, and ya got my blade Angel. Wanna give it back?" he held out his hand, and I looked at him incredulously, did he really think I would just hand it over? "No? Well then I'll come get it." He sprang at me, moving much faster than I had thought possible.

The pain flared throughout my chest as he flash stepped around me and yanked it out. I cried out and backed away from him. 'Dammit, I underestimated him. I've got to get serious or I could be in for a world of pain.' "Not backing out of such a huge promise, are ya Angel?" He smirked, fanning my anger. I snarled as I lunged at him, landing a really shallow wound on his scarred cheek. I twisted as he threw his blade out carelessly, trying to stab me in the chest. I could feel the small cut on my shoulder as he ripped through my shirt. I shot toward him as fast as I could, only to be blocked by a mighty downward strike from him. I planted my foot in the middle of his chest and kicked as hard as I could, forcing him back a few feet. Once I could swing I attacked, dealing a nice, deep gash down his right arm. 'Yes! Now he wont be able to hold his sword' "Dont let up just cuz of one small victory Angel" He growled, sending shivers down my spine. I watched him switch the sword to his left hand and lunged toward me. His reckless jab made contact leaving half of his blade piercing through my right shoulder. I gritted my teeth as my grip weakened from the pain. This man would not defeat me, I wouldn't let him. He meant nothing to Taru and would do no harm if he was the only one hurt during my brief control. "Kenpachi stop!" Ichigo appeared by his side and tried yanking the large man back, he simply shrugged him off and came at me again. I parried his blow and slashed at his chest, making three deep slits in the smooth skin. He again attacked and sliced a surprisingly deep gash under my left cheekbone, warm blood dripped quickly down my chin. "Kenpachi just capture her and hold her down." He sighed and ignored Ichigo as we came to blows once more, only landing small cuts along each others body. "Kenpachi, She'll be much stronger once the human girl has control, and can force this one to give up her power." I heard Urahara say and growled lowly. "That weak little nothing will never take my power!" I moved to attack again, but when I went to raise my arm….. I couldn't lift it. I stared at the offending appendage, barely having enough time to glance up as Kenpachi landed yet another slash on my face, this one matching the large scar he had.

I gripped my arm in anger "Dammit you stupid moron! Give it back! This is my body!" I watched in horror as my fingers loosened their grip and dropped my blade. "NO!" I heard Kenpachi sigh again before he gripped my arms and held them behind my back in an iron hold. "Let me go! Dammit Taru! You useless brat, I need more time! Fuck!" I could hear Urahara and Ichigo approaching me and I thrashed, trying to get away from Kenpachi or to at least hurt the two in front of me. A low angry growl, rumbled from my throat, an audible warning. I could feel the muscular body behind me, breathing heavily as he struggled to keep me in line. "Shes trying to break through Urahara. Can we help?" He looked at me thoughtfully. "We need to drain her powers." Ichigo nodded and did something unexpected, he reached past me to grab something from Kenpachi, my breath left my lungs in a whoosh of air as the spiritual pressure behind me exploded. I could feel his excitement, his blood lust, his anger at being stopped. I could feel how badly he wanted to fight me to the death, the only thing stopping him was the promise of a better fight. Ichigo pulled his arm back gripping Kenpachis eye patch. I could see that it was some sort of spiritual pressure eating monster and shied away from it. "No! I need this body! Its mine!" I pushed myself closer to Kenpachi, not wanting the thing anywhere near me.

"Too bad" I heard Kenpachi's low rumbling reply as he placed his large right hand on my forehead, forcing my head back to his chest where I couldn't move. I screamed out my anger as Ichigo strapped the eye patch around my throat, not being able to put it where it supposed to go due to Kenpachi's hand. Immediately I could feel the drain it had on me, I amped up my struggling as much as I could to remove the offending object. 'I have to use them! If I don't….. I'll be locked away again!' 'Oh no you don't' I could hear Taru refusing my thoughts. 'I must!' I tried moving them, only to find out that she had already taken control of them as well, in fact I could barely feel anything from my neck down. 'Its my body bitch, and I want it back. NOW!'the last thing I saw was Ichigo staring intently at me, waiting for me to disappear again, and then black.