Chapter 7:

Ichigo lifted up the flagstone and looked around. The street was deserted. He climbed out and reached down to help Nathan and Hanataro up. "The coast is clear. Come on." He pulled the two out of the dark tunnel and into the light. Nathan squinted in the sudden brightness and blinked a few times for his eyes to adjust. Ichigo took a few steps to see where they were. They were very close to one of the main buildings. "I think I know where we are. I think this is where all the captains and lieutenants work. Let's go."

Nathan looked at the bundle on his back. "Ichigo, I'm starting to get worried about this one. He's been sleeping far too long. No one's ever been out for this length. I think there's something wrong with him."

Ichigo walked over and looked at the boy on his back. Hanataro was sleeping peacefully on Nathan, enjoying his piggyback ride through the streets. He was still drooling all over Nathan's shoulder.

"I didn't even take that much from him, so…" Nathan was saying. "I hope he's not in some sort of coma, or…"

"Nah." Ichigo gave him a pat on the shoulder. "He needs the rest. He works hard all the time. This might be just what he needs. Maybe it will get rid of the bags under his eyes."

Nathan wasn't convinced, but he trusted Ichigo. He nodded and started to follow Ichigo towards the large building. "So why are we going so close? I thought we were keeping out of sight."

"We are." He peered around the corner. Empty. "But I need to ask a friend for a favor."

"Favor?"

"Yeah." Ichigo led the way. "I was thinking… If Rosalia's already inside, maybe she had gotten herself captured or something and taken to a cell."

Nathan's face started to turn white.

"No, I'm sure she's not dead or hurt or anything… It's just that if that's the case, then she'll be easier to find. All I have to do is find my friend and ask him if anyone's been captured recently."

"And you're friend's a Soul Reaper, too, right?"

"Yeah, but he's used to the reckless stuff I do, so he should be cool with you."

Nathan groaned. "That's comforting to know…"

Ichigo trudged up the white stairs toward the building's entrance. "This way. Hurry up."

Nathan struggled with the boy on his back. "I would, but he gets heavy after a while."

"Here, let me…" As he turned around, he bumped into the very person he had been looking for. "Hey, what's up, Renji? I've been looking for you."

Renji narrowed his eyes at him. "You stupid idiot! Watch where you're going!"

"Geez, sorry. But could you help me out?"

"Oh, so first you run into me, now you're asking me for favors?" Renji put up his fists. "Why don't you make me?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "This is hardly the time-" Renji cut him off with a punch to the face. His temper boiled over. "Fine, if that's how you want it!" Ichigo threw a punch and hit Renji in the jaw.

Suddenly, Renji's eyes filled with tears and he clasped a hand to his jaw. "Ow! What'dja hit me for? I didn't do anything!"

Ichigo had no idea what was going on. "Huh?"

Nathan climbed up the stairs and stood beside Ichigo. "This is your friend?"

"Uh… I'm not sure…" Ichigo stared at him. "I've never seen him act like this before." In all the time Ichigo had known Renji, he had never ever broken into tears before after one punch.

Renji sniffled and shot Ichigo a dirty look. "I was just playing with you! You didn't have to punch me! Ow! That really hurt!"

Ichigo couldn't bare to look at him, but Nathan couldn't take his eyes off of him. "Wait a minute… Sashiro?"

Renji looked up. "Huh? What'd you call me?"

Nathan's eyes were getting bigger. "You're acting just like my friend."

"Am not!"

"That's it, right there! That's Sashiro, no doubt about it!" He turned to Ichigo. "Sashiro acts like such a tough guy, but the moment he's hurt or in real danger, he turns into such a baby."

"Who are you calling a baby?" Renji towered over Nathan, tears long gone.

Nathan pointed over his shoulder. "Bee."

"Where?" Renji jumped and hid behind him.

Nathan laughed in his throat and shook his head. "He always did fall for that one. He hates bees."

"Not funny!"

Then it dawned on Ichigo. "Wait, wasn't Sashiro supposed to be with Rosalia?"

Nathan gasped. "Yes, you're right! They must be here somewhere!" He turned to Renji. "Please, have you seen my mistress? Or- or did you at least get a look at the boy who bit you? Do you remember?"

Renji looked more confused than ever. "Huh? I don't have any idea what you're talking about. I didn't see anything. I was taking a nap."

Nathan nodded. "Than it was him after all. Sashiro never did like to bite people when they were looking. He usually waited until they were asleep to do it. Don't ask me why."

"And if he was with Rosalia, then that means that she must be close by," Ichigo realized.

Nathan grabbed onto Renji's sleeve with one hand, Hanataro slumping onto his other shoulder. "Please tell me," Nathan's eyes were huge and full of worry. "Please… Has anyone else been acting out of character around here?"

Renji still looked very confused. "Uh… Like how? What do you mean?"

"Has anyone been attracted to roses and cute stuffed animals? And pink! Has anyone been obsessing over the color pink lately? People who don't normally act like that?"

The redhead looked around nervously. "Uh… Um… Well, a couple of people, actually. Captain Hitsugaya was acting that way a couple days ago… Yumichika was acting like that earlier, but that doesn't mean much… And a couple other Soul Reapers I don't know the names of. They kept demanding pink roses for some reason."

Nathan gasped happily and turned to Ichigo. "She's here! And she's still alive! She's gotten Spirit Energy and is doing ok! I can tell!" He was both weak with relief and energized by the great news. He pulled on Ichigo's arm. "We have to go and find her!"

"I know that." Ichigo pushed his arm aside. "But where would we look first? We have no idea where she is or anything. But at least we know she's safe so you can calm down."

Nathan looked back at Renji. "Has she been incarcerated?"

"Who?"

"My mistress? Has she been captured?"

Renji pulled away from him. "How the hell should I know? So far no one's been informed of any new prisoners. Everything's been relatively calm until you showed up." He looked over at Ichigo. "Would someone please tell me what's going on? Who is this freak? And why is he carrying that little twerp from Squad 4 on his back? What's going on? I want answers so someone better start talking."

"I'll explain once we get inside. Come on." Ichigo led them to the door. "Let's move. If Renji's still acting like this then that kid can't be too far away and neither can your mistress."

Nathan hurried, but Renji was a little slow on the uptake. "Is it too much to ask to be kept in the loop? What's going on around here? How many times do I have to ask this?"

Ichigo grabbed his arm and pulled him inside. "Move your ass!"

Once inside, Ichigo blindly led them down the hall, searching for the non-Soul Reapers.

"Do you have any idea where you're going?"

"Shut up!" Ichigo called over his shoulder. "We're looking for them!"

"But why would they be here?"

"It's as good as any other place, isn't it?"

Just then, Hanataro started to wake up. He slowly opened his eyes and looked around, taking everything in slowly. Not realizing that he was moving, Hanataro took his arms off Nathan's back to stretch them over his head. Nathan felt Hanataro's movement and slowed to a stop. "Wait, Ichigo!"

He screeched to a halt and turned around. "Now what?"

"Good morning," Hanataro said through a huge yawn. "Boy, I slept great." He looked around. "What's going on?"

"We're kind of in the middle of something. Now that you're awake, maybe you can help us out."

Hanataro tried to move his legs but found that he couldn't. He looked down and realized why. He was still on Nathan's back, only now did he become aware of his surroundings. Nathan set him down, keeping a hold on him as he started to wobble, still not steady. He rubbed at his eyes and looked around. His eyes seemed less droopy than usual. Maybe that nap really did the trick for him. Nathan cracked his back, glad to be rid of that load.

"Um… Well, this hallway will take you down to the 9th Division." He pointed to the right of where they stood now. "If you like, I can lead you so you won't get lost."

"That'd be great, thanks."

Hanataro walked unsurely in front to lead the way. "Um, it's this…" He stopped and backed away slowly.

"What's wrong?" Ichigo asked. He followed his gaze to the person waiting for them at the end of the hall. "Who's that?"

The figure walked towards them slowly, arm resting on his sword. His face was covered with tattoos and scars.

"Hisagi?"

He looked up at his name. "What are you doing here?"

"We're looking for someone. Have you seen a girl with a braid walking around here? Or a boy, uh… Well, I'm not sure what he looks like, but…"

Hisagi's eyes were darker than he remembered. He seemed… angry. When Ichigo looked at his face, he was reminded of his Hollow. Why was that?

"Are you ok? You look different."

Hisagi cocked his head to the side. "I feel different… I feel… better. More free." He held his hand up to his face and studied it as if for the first time. "I feel stronger, too. More powerful. I feel great." He looked through his fingers to the newcomer standing beside Ichigo and Hanataro. "Who the hell is he?"

Ichigo stepped in front of him protectively. "He's with us. We're trying to help him find someone. That's what we need help with. Have you seen-"

"I don't care," Hisagi cut him off.

"Huh?"

"I don't care what you need. I don't want him here. Get rid of him."

"No way!" Ichigo wasn't about to do that. "What's wrong with you? You're not acting like yourself. Since when have you ever been so hatful and dark?"

"Shut up!" Hisagi bellowed.

Renji and Hanataro both hid behind Nathan, cowering in fear. Ichigo wasn't shaken. Just confused.

"Hisagi, I want-"

"I want, I want…" he mocked. "What about what I want? Ever care about that? I'm higher up than you! I've been doing his longer! I am a real Soul Reaper! You're just a lowly substitute. So you had better watch your step and know when to BACK OFF!"

His shout shook ceiling over their heads. Hisagi had never acted like this before.

Still, Ichigo wasn't about to be intimidated. "I'm not afraid of you."

"You should be, little carrot-top."

Ichigo always hated that nickname.

Hisagi pointed to Nathan. "You and that sycophantic dogsbody had best get out of here now before I start tearing you apart!"

Nathan's jaw dropped, staring at Hisagi like he had just seen a ghost. "Wh… what did you call me?"

"A sycophantic dogsbody," Hisagi repeated.

Nathan's jaw trembled up and down, trying to form words. He backed away and hid behind Ichigo. He swallowed hard and uttered the name, "Rodger…"

Ichigo took a quick glance at Nathan and then back to Hisagi. "Who?"

Nathan grabbed Ichigo's shoulder and started to pull him back. "Ichigo, th- that's the name of one of the butlers back at the mansion where I worked. He always called me that while growing up with the other help. That's Rodger!"

"What?" Ichigo put a hand on his sword's handle. "But I thought only you three drank that potion! How could he be here if he didn't… And that's not him, that's Hisagi. So then…" Ichigo couldn't wrap his head around it. "What the hell's going on around here?"

"Ichigo, remember, I left with my mistress and Sashiro. That's when the explosion occurred. I have no idea what happened between that time and when we were caught up in it. For all I know…"

Ichigo started to piece it together. "I see… So that guy Rodger must have drank some, too… Maybe he's the one who caused the mansion to blow up."

"It's possible…" Nathan kept his eyes on the man sharing Rodger's personality and demeanor. "But that would also mean that he, too, shares the same fate as us! Ichigo! Hisagi must have gotten himself bitten by Rodger and is now just like him!"

"Just personality-wise, right?"

"No. More than that. He's gotten his personality, traits, behavior, thoughts… maybe even some memories! Ichigo, he's dangerous! Rodger used to be Rosalia's father's assistant and butler! They were partners. But towards the end when he died, I feared for Rodger's mental state. I was sure that he had gone mad due to stress. He's always had a temper and stride to be the best, but… After a while, he made no sense at all. He fought with everyone. Everything was a competition with him. I was sure he had gone mad. There's no reasoning with him. He wants power and to fight with anyone who gets in his way."

"And if a Soul Reaper with a sword has that kind of personality in him…"

"Then we're in for some real trouble," Nathan finished Ichigo's thoughts. "He's going to attack with the intent to kill! Ichigo, we have to get out of here while we still can!"

Hanataro clung to Nathan's jacket fearfully. "So that person isn't the real Hisagi?"

"Not him mentally, anyway…" Nathan pulled harder. "Ichigo, let's get out of here!"

"You're not going anywhere!" Hisagi started to take out his sword. "You broke the rules, Ichigo. Outsiders aren't allowed here. This means death!"

"Actually," Hanataro squeaked. "The punishment for bring outsiders here without permission is-"

"Do… not… QUESTION ME!" Hisagi pulled out his weapon and lunged.

Hanataro shrieked and ducked behind Ichigo. Renji cowered behind the group, too scared to move. Nathan took action and pulled the two out of harm's way, abandoning Ichigo's side.

Ichigo raised his own sword and their two weapons clashed, sending off sparks.

The trio hid around a corner and watched. Hanataro and Nathan both told him to get out of there, but Ichigo was never one to back down from a challenge.

He pushed hard against Hisagi's blade. Hisagi's dark eyes were fixed squarely on Ichigo's, filled with hatred and malice. He wanted to kill him. With a mighty battle cry, Hisagi forced Ichigo back, putting one foot ahead of the other.

"Ichigo, run away!" Nathan was screaming at him.

"Please do it, Ichigo!" Hanataro added.

He tightened his hold on his sword and dug his heels into the ground. "No way in hell am I going to do that!"

"But that's not the real Hisagi you're fighting! That's his body but not his mind! Rodger is not one to take lightly. He won't hesitate to kill you! Run!"

"No!" Ichigo pushed Hisagi back. He held his sword in both hands. "I'm not running away! I won't back down!"

Renji pushed the two aside to get his word in. "Just forget your stupid pride for one second and run, you stupid idiot!" Ichigo shot him a glare. "… Sir…" he whimpered. He still had Sashiro's personality in him.

Hisagi held his sword in one hand, panting heavily. But he wasn't tired. He took in a deep breath and grit his teeth, giving Ichigo an insane snarl. Then he darted forward again, trying to cut his arm off. Ichigo brought his sword up again and blocked it. There was a loud clang as their blades met and Ichigo was forced back again. Hisagi kept charging in, never giving Ichigo the time to swing back. Ichigo tried to stop his feet from sliding but couldn't. Hisagi was too strong. He tried to push him back, but couldn't get a solid hold on him with his feet sliding back like this. All he could do was block.

Taking one hand off his sword, Hisagi reached up and grabbed a fistful of Ichigo's hair and pulled him down. "I'll kill you, you swine!" He was bringing Ichigo's head down closer to his blade.

Ichigo pulled his head back, trying to stay clear of the blade. Hisagi had a really good grip on him. "Let go of me!"

"Fine." Hisagi threw Ichigo into the wall and tried to decapitate him. Ichigo ducked clear of the blade just in time, sword scraping across the wall where his head had been. Hisagi snarled like a wild animal and chased after Ichigo, sword extended before him. Ichigo barely had enough time to block the attack. Their blades clashed yet again. Hisagi kept swinging. Ichigo kept blocking.

Hanataro tugged on Nathan's sleeve. "I don't get it. I've seen Ichigo fight before. He's usually stronger than this. Why isn't he attacking him back?"

Nathan studied Ichigo's moves and realized the same thing. Ichigo could have taken Hisagi's head at any time now, but didn't. He was too busy defending himself. But he could have swing his sword anyway during the attacks. After all, Hisagi had to take his blade away in order to swing it again. "I'm not sure…"

"Because he doesn't want to kill him," Renji realized. "He knows that he isn't really fighting Hisagi, but just a temporary person taking him over."

"Then why doesn't he run?"

"A number of reasons. Ego, pride… He's also trying to protect us." Renji ducked as a piece of wall came flying at his head from the fight going on a few feet away. "But he might also be trying to stall for time. You know, wearing him down."

"So you think that he's fighting him in order to weaken him?"

"No. The personality. He might be fighting him just until he goes back to normal."

Nathan looked back at the fight. "That would make sense. But it also depends on how much was taken. Hisagi could be like this for another hour or two… We don't know how long ago he was bitten. This could go on a while."

Ichigo swing his sword to keep Hisagi at a distance. "Snap out of it, you moron!" he yelled. "Don't you get it? This isn't you! This isn't who you are!"

"Like I care!" Hisagi leapt back into the fight, blade at the ready. "Just shut up and die!"

Ichigo turned to meet him, but Hisagi changed course and darted right instead. He used the wall as a springboard and jumped over Ichigo's head. He held his sword out ready to take off Ichigo's head. He threw his own sword over his head to block. It worked, but the force of it all was too much and he toppled over backwards onto the floor, Hisagi sitting on his chest, pressing the sword into his face.

"Ichigo!" Nathan and Hanataro screamed in unison.

Hisagi's sword was being pressed into his neck. If it weren't for Ichigo's sword resting between them, he would have been dead by now. He still might, though. From this position, Hisagi had the advantage. He was the one on top and Ichigo was flat on his back under him. Hisagi put his weight into the push as he pressed the sword closer.

Ichigo grunted with effort, tying to get the two off: sword and madman. But the harder he pushed, the harder Hisagi pushed back. "His…agi…" Ichigo choked out.

His enemy brought his face closer to sneer at him. "Why don't you just die, you fool? When will you see that I'm better than you in every way? I can crush you right now if I want."

"Hisagi, would you listen to yourself! You're not making any sense!"

He pushed harder on Ichigo's weapon. "I'll kill you, Ichigo… I'll cut your head off and carry it around with me everywhere I go as a prize. Or shall I give it to Rukia as a gift? Imagine the look on her face as your head rolls into her lap. Wouldn't that be lovely?" Suddenly, the dark started to fade from Hisagi's eyes. The hatred and malice was replaced with fear and confusion. "Wha… what am I saying? This isn't me…"

Ichigo looked into Hisagi's grey eyes and saw the kind, strong person he once knew. Hisagi was in there somewhere trying to get out. He was fighting for control. He knew this wasn't him. Not the real him. "Hisagi..? Are you yourself again yet?"

Hisagi looked back at him fearfully. "I… I'm not sure… I don't know. Something's wrong with me. I'm not myself."

"Listen to me. You need to fight this. I don't want to hurt you."

Hisagi's eyes started to darken again. "Don't tell me what to do!" He pressed his sword against Ichigo's again. "I'm gonna kill you!"

He was winning. Ichigo's sword started to fall back, the back of his blade rubbing against his throat. His air became thin. With Hisagi sitting on his chest forcing what little air he had left in his lungs out and this sword coming closer to his throat, he was either going to die from suffocation or decapitation. Either way it wasn't a good way to go. He wasn't going to die here. Killing Hisagi wasn't an option, but it was the only way to get him off of him. He couldn't take his hand off his sword and he couldn't get out from under him. What other choice did he have?

From out of nowhere, Nathan jumped on top of Hisagi's back and started to wrestle with him. He was trying to pull Hisagi off of him. Hisagi reached back to grab him but couldn't reach. Nathan had him in a headlock.

"Get off me!"

Nathan grabbed Hisagi's wrist, twisted his arm back and bit him. Hisagi cried out in pain and tried to break free. But soon he became too weak to do that. Nathan was sucking away his strength. Hisagi dropped his sword and slumped over, drained of his energy.

Ichigo pushed his sword aside as Hisagi fell upon his chest. Ichigo rolled him off his body and sat up, out of breath. "Don't tell me we have more problems…"

Hisagi moaned into the floor.

"Wait, he's not out, is he?"

Nathan sat back on the floor, shaking his head. "No. I only took enough to weaken him. He's still conscious. But he'll be too weak to move for a while."

"Great, someone else to carry around."

Nathan frowned at him. "That's what you're concerned about? Not the raving lunatic who can do this to everyone else in the Soul Society?"

"One problem at a time…"

Renji and Hanataro came out of hiding and walked over to the group. "Now can someone fill me in on what's going on?" Renji was saying.

Ichigo held up his finger to quiet him. "Ok, fine. But I'm only going to explain this once so pay attention. I get tired of explaining things after a while…" He took a deep breath and spoke in record speed. "This is Nathan and he's looking for his mistress named Rosalia and another servant named Sashiro. They died a long time again be due to an accident, they're stuck between the two worlds and are unable to cross over. They need to feed off of others' Spirit Energy in order to survive otherwise they fade away and disappear and that's the end of them. They're completely harmless. However, it looks like there's another one out there who's less harmless than these guys that we also have to worry about. But right now, all we need to worry about finding his mistress and that servant and get the hell out of here. Also, they need to find a cure for whatever's holding them back."

Ichigo inhaled deeply, refilling his empty lungs. That was the most he had ever had to say in one breath.

Renji nodded. "M-hmm… M-hmm… I see. So… these guys are like Bouts and take Spirit Energy?"

"Not really, but…"

"Look, it's the only way I'm ever going to remember it so let's just leave it at that."

Ichigo took Hisagi on his back, moving his sword to the side and galloped down the hall before anyone came along to discover all the destruction their fight had caused. While the others followed after him, Ichigo turned to the blond man running beside him.

"So let me get this straight… In addition to finding your mistress and the other servant, we now have a raving lunatic to worry about, too. Is that it?"

Nathan shrugged. "It would seem so."

"So this Rodger guy used to work for the family back when he was alive, but the stress was too much for him and went nuts. Not only that, but he also drank some of that potion, turning him into one of you guys and has all the same powers and weaknesses you guys have. And he may also be the cause of the explosion that took you guys out. Did I miss anything?"

Nathan gave him a grave look. "Yes. Since he has the same powers as the rest of us, whomever he bites will get the same personality as him. So if he were to bite someone with tremendous power or grudge against anyone in the Soul Society, they'll react much like Hisagi did, if not worse."

Ichigo felt as if he had just received an electric shock. "So no matter who they are… they'll become extremely violent and attack anyone who pisses them off?"

"Precisely. But, as if that weren't enough to dwell on, there's also this: different personality, same power. Ichigo, they'll be themselves, only with a more violent and unstable personality in them. They won't be able to help themselves. His personality will cause them to attack and kill anyone who crosses them."

Ichigo was starting to see the real picture now. It was finally soaking in. "So if someone like Kenpachi, who's already mentally unstable, were to get Rodger's personality in him, then…" He turned white at the mental image.

"Or like Captain Soi Fon," Hanataro added. "Remember, she has the power to kill someone in two strikes and she's super fast."

"So if she were to suddenly become really, really pissed off and murderous with a side order of crazy…"

Renji didn't need to say anymore. This was bad. With someone like Rodger running around, there were going to be a lot of maimed Soul Reapers laying around. Plus, what if Rosalia got caught up in all of it? And Rodger could bite more than one person at a time and make multiple versions of himself in other people.

I should have just stayed in bed…


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