Chapter 8 The Fading Sky

I woke up feeling dazed and startled. I had actually fallen asleep. I didn't even know that was possible in this world. I sat up slightly leaning on my elbows and looked to the hollow still lying next to me. He seemed to be fast asleep.

His eyes were closed and his breathing was deep. I would say he looked peaceful lying there. But to tell the truth, he looked dead. Probably because his skin was far to white and the fact that he looked like the walking dead anyway. I wasn't sure if he was actually asleep either. I didn't no hollows did sleep.

But then I remembered he did have some humanity in him. So I guess its possible. Heck anything can be possible. I off all people should know that by now.

I looked to the sky still leaning on my elbows and it looked even darker then before. It felt closer for some reason. And looked like it was about to split open.

"It will rain soon..."

I looked back to him, his eyes were still closed but his breathing wasn't as deep. I lay back down still feeling tired, and still watching the sky.

"Why the heck am I so tired!" I felt lifeless. Like I had no energy at all. Maybe because I hadn't eaten. But you don't eat when your in spirit form.

If you feel hungry when in spirit form, it means your turning into a hollow.

"We're loosing all our spirit energy..." He said his eyes finally opening. The gold in them looked less intense, and a little glazed over. The blacks in them were still bottomless and I couldn't help but stare.

"All of it? How's that possible?"

"If I were human, I might say something like, 'nothing lasts forever' but I'm not so work it out for yourself" He said in a rather amused but annoyed sort of tone.

I tried to think about what happens when you loose all spiritual energy completely but I stopped thinking about it because my stomach did a flip and formed into knots.

A drop of rain hit my cheek then. It was a refreshing sort of cold, but it had me feeling worried. Is it normal to rain in this place? I really don't think so.

A second drop hit me. Then another. Then the rain fell steadily. Then heavy.

My robes were drenched after a couple of minuets but I didn't even bother to sit back up. I just let the rain engulf me. The hollow closed his eyes again as if he were sun bathing. I closed mine to and felt each drop hit my body. My face was soaked but the drops tickled me as they slid down my nose.

My hair was sticking to my face and going over my eyes more then usual but I let it be. I couldn't even be bothered to rearranging it or just to push it out the way. The sound of the rain was so peaceful but also felt sorrowful. I turned on my side to get more comfortable. I didn't really care that I was facing the hollow which could be watching me. I also didn't care that he might attack me. I had no energy at all. No hope of moving.

It didn't matter if I never woke up. Never stood again. Nothing mattered.

It seemed like forever till I heard another sound apart from the rain. "You need to get up..."

It was Zangetsu's voice. It didn't make me jump. I was quite use to him just turning up. But I didn't even open my eyes.

"Ichigo...Get Up."

His voice sounded intense but I just couldn't move. I didn't even want to.

"Ichigo!"

Just leave me. I'm to tired.

"Ichigo-ooo" This voice was shaky and almost like a hiss. It was his voice. Why was he telling me to get up. He was falling asleep just as I was.

"KUROSAKI-KUN!"

I opened my eyes and shot up. It was her again. That voice. My eye sight was bleary and I had to blink a couple of times to clear my vision.

I was sitting on a different sky scaper. I knew it was different because it was smaller and had less floor space along the top. Zengetsu was standing near me looking down at me, and the hollow was sitting next to me staring at me shaking his head.

"Finally huh" He laughed.

"Why have we moved?" I asked groggily still unaware about everything around me.

"A safer place..." Zangetsu's voice echoed around us, and I blinked wondering why it would be safer here. And safer from what.

"What do you..."

I finally understood then, as I looked out over at the other skyscrapers something was very different about them. A lot of them had crumbling edges. Some were almost gone. A lot of them were shorter, and none of them were gleaming like before. It was like a bomb had exploded while I had been asleep. And then I noticed something strange. As I breathed in and out bubbles left my mouth and nose.

"WHAT THE HELL!"

I waved my arms about franticly trying to understand why the hell I was underwater, and why the hell hadn't I noticed it before. I was drowning.

"Ichigo you can breath dumb ass" He grinned but gave me a 'I hate you look' .

"What!" I breathed in and out expecting to feel the very unwelcome water rush into my lungs but it was just the same as breathing in air. I wanted to ask a hell of a lot of questions but I decided I really didn't want to know and shook my head so much that it started to hurt.

I tried standing up. My leg was stiff and gave way from underneath me. I was about to topple over when the Hollow grabbed my collar from the scruff of the neck and yanked me onto my feet.

His face was inches from mine and his cold breath made me want to gag.

"Get off!"

I pushed him off and he stood there laughing at me.

I was still looking at the hollow, well glaring at him, but directed my question at Zangetsu. "Why are we underwater? Was it because of the rain?"

Zangetsu knew I was asking him and answered. "It rained because you lost hope ichigo. The sky scrapers standing and gleaming tall use to resemble your confidence. Now there a measly city falling and fading away..."

His eyes were sad looking from behind his shades. I didn't understand. The city has crumbled because of me? Because of something I've done?

"How do I fix this?"