Nighma: I've realized there are a few instances of me calling Hollow Ichigo "he"...Darnit, I'm not supposed to be calling him that, yet...
...Oops...did it again...
Ah, well. I need to mention something important about this fic: this is the last chapter. There are...four possible continuations, this being...somewhat of a prologue, actually, thus the reason why it's short. I don't know about anyone else reading this, but I like serious yaoi (check my profile) and shounen-ai very much. This is obvious not either, but the continuations have light shounen-ai between Ichigo and his Hollow. I swear. And not romantically, either. Hollow Ichigo is just very understandably possessive and nicer than he is in canon because of this fic. I thik you can understand why...
*Ahem* So. Be it that this is the end...of the fic...I thank everyone who reviewed, viewed (grr) and alerted! *Bows* Please wait (no, really) for more of the Echo Series!
Chapter 4.
Chapter IV: Hollow Be My Name [A King and His Horse Remix]
Ichigo sighed as he sat at his desk back in his dorm, his school books before him, but his mind elsewhere, yet again. He had drawn doodles in his textbook…and with a pen, too. But he was too preoccupied to care much about that, either. It also didn't help that he still had his finals to take care of!
He was conflicted about…everything, really. He had his mind on his Hollow, some of his studies and was even second-guessing what he would do after graduating. A part of him wasn't even sure he wanted to continue doing Shinigami duties anymore…though he wasn't so very sure how he would go about that. He even wondered about what happened to the Vizards…
He shook his head as he gave up putting solutions and answers together, dropping his pen and pushing himself back from his desk. He could really use their help, the Vizards. Maybe they could help him…but not even he was sure how they could have helped. The more he thought about it, his "problem" was more of the personal sort. He had neglected his Hollow and so it wasn't letting him use its powers. Moreover, he was concerned for its well-being. There was definitely something more than just neglect bothering it, too. And feeling responsible for everything, he truly wanted to set things right.
His mind made up, he then ripped out a sheet of paper from his textbook and set it on the desk. First thing's first, he had to give his Hollow a name. He couldn't just keep calling it "Hollow"; that was outrageously rude. It was like addressing someone by their gender or species when annoyed with or insulting them.
Picking up his pen, he pondered hard about a suitable name. Now, it couldn't be too obvious…like Hichigo; "H" for "Hollow" and adding it to his name. That was…silly. Also he wanted it to be something more unique than that. He decided to put the name on the top of his list anyway.
…Was there anything even remotely unique about his name spelled backwards? Ichigo stared incredulously at the name Ogihci. It sounded like some sort of pain reliever…in another language. And it wasn't as if the Hollow was a literal opposite of himself. He crossed out that name.
Tapping the pen to his chin, he decided to focus on something as a foundation. Zangetsu was a bit like his Hollow, they were both a part of his soul. Zangetsu's name meant something…"Cutting Moon"…not to mention, now that he thought about it, the only name his Hollow ever called himself was also "Zangetsu". So…Writing furiously, Ichigo put a few names together with Zangetsu's in mind before picking up the paper after about three minutes and smiling at what he came up with. It was perfect.
Smiling to himself, feeling good about the whole idea, he placed the paper back down and crossed out all of the names except one. All he hoped now was that his Hollow liked it, too. "Hey, Hollow," he called out in his mind, only afterward grimacing slightly at the way that sounded. He really hoped it liked the name…
There was no response. Frowning, he leaned back in his chair, deciding to give it some more time. And slowly but surely, he felt a familiar presence come to the very back of his mind. He couldn't help but smile to himself. At least it acknowledged him this time.
"…I was thinking…wondering, actually, if you wanted your own name."
There was a short silence after he spoke before he heard the faint voice in his mind scoff. "Nah. Never thought 'bout it."
"Would you be open to wanting one?"
Another scoff, but not an immediate response. "…Whaddaya have in mind?"
The short-lived excitement Ichigo had nearly faltered. It seemed interested, though, so he continued. "Shirogetsu," he responded, smiling slightly to himself at the way the name sounded.
This time there was no response for a very long moment, but the presence remained. Ichigo figured the Hollow was thinking the name over, maybe testing it. Nonetheless, he felt anxious…Seconds later, the presence stirred. It was a new feeling, he tensed upon feeling it. Then the presence became stronger, almost as if at the very front of his mind. It was slow to rise, but then he heard loud, warbled laughs bouncing off the walls in his mind.
"HA! Shirogetsu!" the Hollow trilled. Ichigo twitched, unable to tell if it was angry, mocking him or truly elated— until it continued laughing maniacally, so loud and so happily that he blinked in surprise.
I have got to see this…he thought, entering his inner world.
He opened his eyes to find himself standing before an interesting scene. The Hollow was laughing so hard it had doubled over, holding its stomach and its eyes were closed. Ichigo glanced to Zangetsu, who was watching just as closely with a small smile forming at the corners of his mouth. He looked back to the Hollow just to see it throw its head back as it continued into a familiar cackle— and that's when he started getting a little concerned.
But before he could say or do anything, it spoke at last. "Shirogetsu!" it repeated, loudly and a large grin on its pastel face. "White Moon! White Moon!" it belted out into cackling again, and then stood upright, stopping abruptly. "Nice name. I like it. Kinda…elegant-shit n' rolls off th' tongue nicely, eh?" it asked. Every word was spoken with a wide grin, its ebony-gold eyes dancing in what Ichigo could only discern as delight.
"Yeah."
"Heh. Guess ya can call me a lunatic now, King."
"You've always been one," Ichigo scoffed. But he was smiling inside. The whole thing went smoother than he ever could have expected. "Just cut it out with the whole 'King' thing…"
"Aw, but why? Don'cha understand th' importance? After all, I have t' call ya 'King'." it scuffed at the building absentmindedly.
"I just said—"
"Tch, not like that. I have to. Say it's…personal, since yer so damn slow at figurin' it out," it huffed, practically scolding him. It then grinned again, slanting its eyes. "An' I like callin' ya 'King'."
Those words caught him off-guard. Slanting his own eyes, Ichigo took a moment to let them sink in. There had to be some sort of hidden message in them…but he missed it completely. "…Zangetsu doesn't call me anything except my name. I'd appreciate it if you do, too, like you did in the old days."
The Hollow simply shrugged. "Whatever ya say…King," it sneered in defiance.
Rolling his eyes, Ichigo let out a soft sigh. It felt good to be talking like this to it…no…him. He should place Shirogetsu on the same, even level he placed Zangetsu. They were all equals, of a strange sort, after all. No more calling him "Hollow" or "it". He was about to say something else just when Shirogetsu began disappearing into Zangetsu again.
"For the jerk ya can be, sometimes…eh…ya seem t' know when t'stop bein' one, aibou," he said, his signature grin still pasted on his face, before he disappeared completely.
Staring after the empty space he had occupied, Ichigo blinked. He then hummed, nodding in agreement and glancing down. Much better than he had expected. It even madehim feel guiltier he hadn't thought of this before. He then glanced at Zangetsu again, smiling briefly in silent thanks, before looking back at the sky. It was a perfect blue, once again.
"Ya hear that, old man? I'm a "getsu", now, too!"
Zangetsu simply smiled, closing his eyes as the King receded from his lonely, happy kingdom.
Nighma: Betch'a didn't think it would end like this...but like I said, this is a prologue.
As a spoiler to what's to come, let's just say Ichigo and Shiro made up just in time. Foul things are going to be a'happenin'.
How I came up with Shirogetsu's name: exactly how Ichigo did here, thoughts included. In the beginning, I called him "Hichigo", too. Then I went to "Shiro"; never liked "Shirosaki" or..."Ogihci" *shudders*. I've tried to look it up everywhere, but I can't find the proper name for "white moon", so I just put "Shiro" (white) with "getsu" (one of many ways to say "moon). I tried...
Thank you all very much, again! Bye for now~!
