Title: Hunt
Series: Sequel to Void
Author: Spirixx

Genre: Drama/Romance/Action
Rating: M for men, madness and mind blowing massacre. Oh and mmmhmm good ;)
Pairing: Ichigo/Renji
Spoilers: Well it takes place after the war, after Void.
Summary: Renji is assigned a new mission that threatens his new relationship with Ichigo.
Word Count: Too lazy… about 1000 to 2000 chapter

Warnings: Lots of violence, some graphic sex, but more violence... I think there might be swearing somewhere but my idea of swearing is twisted.

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

Dedication: To the fact this story kept me up all night… I was tempted to just skip sleeping and type but that wouldn't work for my tender needs.

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CHAPTER IX

Waterwings

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"Chose me? For what?"

She made herself visible. She looked in foundation the same but with a lot of differences. Her hair was long and flowing. Masaru thought her hair may look like she is underwater even when she is not. It was odd to see her so close after her being gone for such a long time. Masaru had never actually met her but he had respected her in a great many ways. She wore a simple white dress that also moved in non existent waves. Masaru knew they looked like they were in the ocean but he didn't feel like he was at least.

"When I first met Ichigo, I thought he may have been someone I lost a long time ago. I was wrong though. He was himself and that both depressed me and relieved me. I thought that if I found this person he may come to love me but he is gone and I need to accept that. What I need to accept even more is that fact that he loved someone else more. I really hoped that he was Ichigo but he wasn't."

"Who was this guy? I don't remember there being a guy."

"He died before you were born. That's why I thought he may have been reborn as Ichigo… they looked so alike…"

Masaru stayed where he was even though the pain in her voice compelled him to do otherwise. His chest hurt and he was baffled as to why. Maybe he ate too many of those damn charms. Rukia glided closer without moving her legs at all. It was some what eerie but Masaru didn't see it as such. It was hypnotic.

"When I was dying I could here a voice. It was calling Ichigo's name but I was the one who heard it, not him. Something about that voice rand a bell within my soul I could not ignore. Then the blackness engulfed me. Sode no Shirayuki was there in the emense shadows. She said I had to make a choice. When a death god dies they can be reborn among the humans, the dead souls in the soul society or they can become something more. I could become the zanpakutou of someone else. Every zanpakutou is a fallen death god who chose to join with someone else to make them strong."

"So you chose me? I am not even a death god Rukia. I was a hollow for crying out loud."

"You are not anymore. That is why you can finally hear me. You made me see that my search was fruitless. I laid dormant in you for years, watching you love and being denied. I know our loves were of different natures but now I wonder if love truly does split into categories. Anyway my point is we are the same. We are one."

"And we should fight as one. But let me ask you this, who are we fighting?"

She smiled slightly and spun in a complete circle, slowly. This Rukia was different in so many ways Masaru thought maybe dieing pushed her over the loony edge. He didn't feel like saying anything though. He too was insane so the more the merrier. He was half dazed watching her that he only realized at the last second she had leaped to kick him in the head. He grabbed her ankle out of instinct and whirled around to throw her aside. His plan failed when she wrapped her free leg around his thigh and tangled them into a graceless heap of limbs.

"Idiot! Now look, we are stuck in this stupid pile."

"I'm the idiot!? It was you who went to lung and my face. What's the matter with you?"

"You were thinking how I wasn't like Rukia."

"You weren't…"

"And now?"

Masaru thought about it. Well the whole attack was defiantly like something Rukia would do. This was beginning to feel like less of a scam and more of the initial stages of something fun. Masaru was all about fun now. Living was great.

"Fine, you are just like Ichigo's old friend. Now what?"

"Defeat me and learn my name, what else boke?"

That was it. This stupid girl was going to learn a thing or to about the differences between Ichigo and himself whether she liked it or not. He for one was not going to stand for this silly charade. Masaru merely rolled over and pinned the petite girl between him and the ocean surface… floor. Damn his inside world.

"There I win…"

He noticed just how close they were. Her breath tickled his skin as it quickened its pace. He could hear each bat of her lashes even over his own pounding heart. Masaru Looked down into those watery pools and found himself lost. What was this?

"My name is Mizuhane now. To release me, call 'Saezuru' and I will unlock. Remember Masaru, we are one, you and I."

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Renji was going over reports at his desk. The vizards hadn't moved in the past two days since he went to the human world. They just stayed in their hidden and he didn't like it. What were they planning and better yet what were they to be consider such a threat?

Pushing the unpleasant images from his mind he thought instead of Ichigo. What had happened to him? Captain Unohana had said that dieing was traumatic for most and that Ichigo may have fought the process too hard. She explained that in time his hair would go back to orange and he would stop passing out, but his memories may never return completely. It was an unfortunate reality for Renji. How was he supposed to carry out a relationship with someone who didn't even know him?

:You're an idiot. Get to know him and let him know you. Not all friends end up dating, geez. Just act like normal and get to know each other all over again. It could be fun, even for someone as thick as you.:

"I'm not thick. I'm DEFINNED!"

"Define what sir?"

Kira had just walked in with the latest of reports. They were a high priority envelope and sealed. Renji knew they were visual but wondered why all the security.

"Oh nothing I was just talking to myself. Let us who the enemy is."

Renji tore open the paper packet without any visual skill. The photos fell from the shredded bits of package to the floor. Renji bent over the surface of his desk to see the drifting pictures and one caught his eye. Snatching before it hit the floor Renji looked upon a too familiar face.

"Taichou! Is that-"

"Yes, that's Gin Ichimaru… and he is with the vizard."

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"So why are we in this museum? As much as I like art shouldn't I be like looking for lost journals or meeting old friends?"

Captain Ukitake just smiled and continued to steer the young man around all the paintings. He had decided the previous day to reintroduce this boy into the soul society from a different angle than that his friends would take. He wanted to educate him, oddly enough about the finer history of the Soul Society.

Thos young man grew up on the outside looking in. Now Ukitake wanted to give him this opportunity. He knew this Ichigo was different from the man he reminded him of but Ukitake couldn't help it. He was a teacher and Ichigo was reminiscent of his last student.

"I thought you could do with some general history to start. Do you see anything of interest? There are even some of you in here… somewhere."

Ichigo wandered aimlessly through wing after wing before he stopped in front of a massive mural. Ukitake took note they were in the Bankai wing. He amused himself by looking at his own likeness but noticed how quiet it was. Ichigo was staring at the mural. It had two ancient captains fighting with their bankai. You couldn't see their faces from the white light that distorted them. A phoenix and a dragon tore at each other above the faceless warriors.

"What is it? Do you see anything of interesting in the picture?"

"Yes… masked soldiers. These are vizard."

Ukitake was taken aback. How did this boy know that word and how could he remember it? Unohana had said that he wouldn't recall anything to do with the soul society.

"Ichigo-san, what is a vizard?"

He knew what they were but wanted to hear the from the memory suspended man next to him. Out of all the important things to remember why did he even bother with this?

"A vizard is a warrior with the abilities of both sides. Arrancar and vizard are the most dominant of the dead soldiers. They are different sides of the coin of power.

"That is a very exact analysis… How do you know this?"

He was a little unnerved by this assessment. Ichigo Kurosaki, who are you?

"I don't know… I just remember it from before… I guess I am finally getting to know my old self. Do you think I knew the vizard?"

"Maybe… I want you to keep it to yourself though. There is an investigation going on and trust me, you do not want to get involved."

"Yes sir!"

Ukitake almost snorted. Ichigo never said such things, ever. He was contemplating telling him this when the emergency captains' meeting alarm went off. There must be some new information on the case. He summoned a attendant to bring Ichigo back to the manor and was on his way, the two vizard captains duelling within his mind.

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END IX

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Wow I know two updates in one day. I thought about spacing them out but I don't feel like it. I probably won't be able to update like this again for a week, maybe even more. I have interviews to go to and a future to re-decide. Please review your heart out. Who knows, if motivated enough I may be able to sneak in some time to write chapter ten. :D