ok! here's chapter 9! thanks so much for all the reviews on the last chapter! :D

i cant say when ch 10 will be up... i only have like two paragraphs written... but i'll work on it ... considering how much free-time i have! :D

enjoy!


A Phantom in Soul Society

Chapter 9

The Runaway and the Wolf

"Hollow!" I cried, but it was drowned out by the demon's howl.

Slowly, I took a fighting stance, my fists glowing with ecto-energy. I had to fight this thing, because if I didn't, it could get into the village and kill people… I couldn't allow that.

"AAAAHHHH!!!" I took off at the hollow, my fist colliding with its mask.

Sparks of ecto-energy ran across its face, and down its body, giving the scales an eerie glow. I jumped back, landing softly on the wet ground.

The hollow howled in anger, and I realized, my attack had done nothing. There wasn't even a scorch-mark on its porcelain mask.

Its yellow eyes glowed brighter, and in a split second, its claw slashed out at me.

Next thing I knew, my back slammed into a tree. I could taste blood and ectoplasm in my mouth as I slid to the ground, fighting to stay conscious.

As I sat there, my vision fading in and out, the hollow slowly slithered closer, preparing for the kill.

~*~*~*~*~

Captain Hitsugaya made his way back to the tenth squad office. Inside, he found Matsumoto, doing paperwork for once.

"Matsumoto, have you seen Phantom? We should've started training almost an hour ago!"

The tenth squad lieutenant looked up, "No, Captain, I haven't. Maybe he's still in his room?"

"Maybe, you go check on him."

And Matsumoto did. She walked slowly down the hall, taking her time. After a few minutes, she reached Phantom's room.

It was strange, she couldn't sense his reiatsu at all.

"Phantom? Are you here?" she knocked on the door. It swung open. "Phantom?"

Matsumoto slipped in, "Hello?" she headed over to the bed, where she saw his shihakusho and a note.

'What's this…?'

She picked up the small piece of folded paper. Unfolding it, her eyes automatically picked up the letters, her mind putting them into words…

The paper fell from her shaking hands. Matsumoto took off to the tenth squad office.

"Captain!!!"

"To whoever finds this note,

I am leaving. I'm going back home, to Amity Park. I have to. I'm sorry I couldn't complete my shinigami training, really, but I can't take another minute of it. I hope you all understand. Thank you all so much.

-Danny Phantom"

When I finally came back to my senses, the hollow was practically in front of me. There was no way for me to escape. I had to fight, or die.

Leaning on the tree, I stood. Suddenly I felt a strange pulse, and there was a flash of green and blue light. I looked down, and saw that my zanpaktou hilt was glowing.

The light had temporarily blinded the hollow, and it howled in shock, covering its eyes with its claws.

Hesitantly, I reached for the hilt. I pulled it out, and held it in front of me. The glow got brighter, and then it shot forward, forming the shape of a glowing blade.

The light flashed again, and when the glow subsided, I saw that I had a real sword now.

I blinked in shock, "I-it finally formed?"

"Yes…" said an echoing female voice.

I looked around, finally realizing that everything had become black and white. Time had stopped.

"W-Who said that?" I called shakily.

"It is I, your zanpaktou's spirit, **********" said the voice.

Suddenly, the air beside me began to shimmer, and a snow-white wolf appeared.

"W-What? I couldn't understand that last part…" I stuttered, amazed that my zanpaktou had finally taken form.

"I see," she sighed, her green and red eyes glowing mysteriously. She was completely white, save for a single black streak that ran from her nose to the tip of her tail. She also had a slight accent that I couldn't recognize. "I should have known my name would not reach you yet."

Then it hit me, I was talking to a wolf, and it was talking back! "Wait wait wait. How are you talking??? You shouldn't be talking?!" I was used to some animals talking, but usually they were green, and ghosts… and they were usually trying to kill me.

The wolf shook her head, "Human males are always reluctant to believe that they are not the only species who speak. But that is not important now. Phantom, you cannot return to your former life. You must remain here, in the Soul Society."

"Why? This place isn't my home. Amity Park is, with Sam and Tucker!" I don't know why, but a big part of me wanted to stay here. Only my human half wanted to go back to Amity, but I hadn't been in that form for so long, that it was starting to fade… I had almost no desire to become human again.

"You are needed here more than in your hometown. Your old friends can take care of the town themselves… Now, you must defeat this hollow. Slice through its mask, and it will disintegrate. Then return to the Sereitei…" the wolf-spirit faded away, and time continued, the color returning.

~*~*~*~*~

Matsumoto rushed into the office. "Captain! Captain! Phantom is gone!!!"

Hitsugaya stood up from his desk, "What do you mean 'gone'? Are you sure he's not just wandering around the Sereitei?" It wasn't good news for anyone if Phantom had disappeared.

"No, he ran away. I couldn't sense his reiatsu anywhere, and he left a note saying that he was going back to his home." She said, twisting a few strands of her red hair in between her fingers.

Hitsugaya clenched his fists, "Well then, we'll have to go bring him back!," he said, his voice laced with frustration and annoyance.

Just then, a Hell Butterfly flew in through the open window. It landed on Matsumoto's finger.

She relayed the message to her young captain, "There's a huge hollow near the first district of Western Rugonkai. We have to go destroy it."

Hitsugaya crossed his arms. "Well, at least we have an excuse to be out there now…"

Hitsugaya and Matsumoto flash stepped over the village that was Western Rugonkai's first district.

"There!" called Matsumoto, having spotted the hollow. "I sense Phantom down there too!"


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