Author's note: Please read my spin-off story from this: Meeting and Memory.

It's about Akira and Kaito (how they met and stuff like that) it will for obvious reasons (Obvious if you were paying attention ;P) contain yaoi (BoyxBoy).


Chapter 9 - Distractions

"You're not trying" said Akemi sharply, hitting him over the back of her head with her sheathed sword.

Ichigo clutched the back of his head and cursed under his breath, earning him another whack. Sat on the floor meditating wasn't a good place to be when Akemi had revealed that she was in fact a strict (and slightly violent) teacher, he was supposed to be 'getting into contact' with his hollow, which clearly wasn't as easy as Akemi had described it. She'd told him that once he was within his 'inner world' that it should 'all start rolling' from there. The problem was, the only time he'd ever 'visited' his inner world was during battle when he was on the verge of death, he didn't fancy that.

"I am trying." he insisted, gritting his teeth "You're not letting me think."

"Think?" she looked confused "What is there to think about?"

"I'm trying to think how I'm supposed to get to this 'inner world' since you haven't bothered telling me"

She just stared at him, her mouth slightly agape, then she folded her arms "You know when you said you studied under Kisuke for a while? How long was 'a while' exactly?"

"About a week." he replied, and she seemed to wince, it had been just before he'd gone to rescue Rukia from the Soul Society, there hadn't really been much time "He trained me how to get my Shinigami powers back"

"Please don't call them powers" she snapped, before closing her eyes "And with Yoruichi-san?"

"Three days, she taught me how to use Bankai"

"Oh god help me..." she muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose "... three days? ... holy..." she looked up at him "Have you been trained anything in the proper order or fashion?" she asked, exasperatedly.

He shrugged and she dropped her face into her hand. After a moment she looked up.

"Right then, I'm going to have to improvise... Improper and rash training it is then."

Kaito, who had been lounging against a boulder a little way from them, raised his head, a look of mild interest on his face "You're not gonna do that are you?" he asked boredly.

Akemi didn't answer, instead, she pulled off her Haoris and cast them aside, along with her four swords and Fenikkusu.

"I never thought you'd go that far..." muttered Kaito, closing his eyes again and lying back.

Ichigo furrowed his brow, watching Akemi as she sat down opposite him, leaving less than an inch between them. "Neither did I..." she said, raising a glowing fingertip to his forehead. A warmth washed aver him from the tip of Akemi's finger on his forehead, to the tip of his toes and he had the strange sensation of being pulled from his body, although he was already in Shinigami form.

~Inner World~

Ichigo opened his eyes and looked round, he appeared to be on an island surrounded by crystal blue water. What looked like a sun burned brightly and furiously with a black-red flame, turning the sky red. Rain fell heavily from nowhere, there wasn't a cloud in sight. From what he could see, there were endless islands scattered through the crystal ocean, all of them bearing glistening white ruins that looked as if they may have been Greek temples. He was sheltered from the rain by some of the ruins.

"Ichigo,"

He turned, Akemi was sat right next to him, he couldn't help but think she looked different.

"Where is this?" was his first question

"My inner world," she answered calmly "Strictly speaking, I've broken one or two rules bringing you here, but we'll live."

"Wh-?"

"Why? Because it's easier to merge you with your Hollow here."

"Merge me with my Hollow?" he exclaimed, that was the last thing he'd imagined "But, I can barely control it!"

"Not it, him. And you can't control it because your spirit density is so high that your hollow has awoken and you're now fighting for control over a single human body, which has put almost extreme stress on the actual existence of said body." Ichigo gave her a confused look "It's pulling apart the very fabric that holds your atoms together, I'm surprised you're not dead already."

He gawked for a moment, lost for words.

"Anyway, on a more serious note." her face fell back to it's authoritative stern look "People who merge with their hollows... well, they change, sometimes it's good, other times... not so much, but once you have, there's no going back. Take Kaito and Akira for example. Kaito was a lazy bum before the change, still is now, but Akira used to be a real shy weakling before the change, now he's... well... hyperactive and a little bit crazy but the friendliest person I know."

Ichigo stayed silent for a moment, thinking "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot"

"What were you like before you merged with your Hollow?"

She raised her eyebrows, she obviously hadn't been thinking that he'd ask this. For a moment, she just stared out over the crystal waters. Ichigo couldn't help but think that she had a distant look about her. Abruptly, she blinked and inhaled deeply "I was too young to remember" she said simply "I'd always had a high spiritual density since birth, it was never a good thing, always..." she drifted off, falling into whatever it was she was remembering. Her hands clenched into fists and she was shaking slightly. Carefully Ichigo placed a hand on her shoulder, when she suddenly started talking "It's not to late to turn back you know, the merging may have already started, but at this stage it can still be undone." there was a hint of anger to her voice.

"I'd be as good as dead if I don't do this" he pointed out

"Better than this sorry existence, it ruins your life. You lose friends, family, everything. You know I said you change? It's not a simple case of Shinigami-to-Shurehemimai. You, in essence, change, I can't guarantee you'll even be you any more."

Ichigo wanted to ask her what it was that she'd remembered that gave her this sudden change in attitude, but he also understood that anything that caused an abrupt change in behaviour shouldn't be poked at and forced out of a person if they didn't want to talk.

"A person can change as many times as they like, it doesn't change who they are."

She looked blank and glanced at him.

He sighed. "What I'm trying to say is. Whatever you were like before you merged with your Hollow, it doesn't change who you are. and if your friends don't stay your friends after you change, then you can hardly call them friends. And as for loosing family, I know how much it hurts, but, in a way, I guess, your sensei and team-mates become your family. Am I making sense?" he asked, she stared, but before she could respond, everything went black.

Next thing he knew, he was in his own side-ways world, facing his usually wildly grinning Hollow.

~SPOV~

Akemi didn't even have time to stand before a ridiculously strong spiritual pressure knocked her flying. Kaito only just managed to dive behind her before she collided head-long with a boulder. He took refuge behind a larger boulder further away from Ichigo. Still cradling her in his arms, Kaito looked Akemi over for injuries. She was fine, though unsurprisingly she was unconscious. If he was having trouble keeping himself upright at this distance, and being within arms reach hand knocked Akemi Urahara, of all people, out cold, there was no way of getting near him. Instead, he lay Akemi down and started making rapid hand-signs. Countless chains shot up from the ground around Ichigo and bound him so tightly that he could only roar in frustration, next a multiple-layered barrier leapt up round him, sealing his spiritual pressure inside that single space.

The sudden absence of spiritual pressure caused Akemi to wake. Shit. Was her first thought. Had it just been the suddenness of it? Or was he actually that strong? It wasn't possible was it? Pushing herself off the ground, she look to where Ichigo was sealed inside the barrier. He was already more hollow than he was human, this shouldn't take long then. Looking at the black-red sheathed sword that lay propped against the rock Kaito had put her behind, she stood, reluctantly picking it up as she walked closer to the barrier, and stood next to Kaito. She could feel Kaito watching her out the corner of his eye as she held the red-black sword horizontally, and slowly unsheathed it.

The blade was an uncharacteristic dull silver, and appeared to be completely blunt, yet the blade still glowed eerily.

Sighing, Akemi made her way towards the barrier, passing through it as if it were nothing but thin air. Instantly the half-hollow Ichigo rounded on her, and roared, infuriated, before launching himself at her. Fenikkusu quivered with anticipation as she raised the sword to meet his claw, taking on a sturdy stance. As blade met claw, someone screamed, but Akemi didn't pay attention, because Ichigo had swung his other claw while her sword was occupied, she ahd no choice but to meet it with her right foot, singing her left to kick him in the head. She heard the distinct 'snap's of neck and ankle breaking, but then the secondary 'creak... crack's of bones healing instantly.

~SPOV~

Kaito looked round boredly as several Shinigami appeared behind him, two captains, four vice-captains and that Kuchiki kid, who looked quite distressed.

"Can I help you?" he asked out of pure annoyance more than anything.

The male captain with black hair drew his zanpakuto, pointing it at Kaito's throat "You will release Kurosaki this instant." he said plainly, but dangerously.

"Will I?"said Kaito, who would of found it no more than mildly amusing if this man tried to fight him.

The captain raised his eyebrow "You will release him."

"I could, but the captain would be none too pleased if he went on a rampage through the town." he replied defiantly. Clearly aggravated, the Shinigami Captain brought his sword back, about to strike, but Kaito was too fast for him. Their swords clashed. "Don't even try it Gotei." he said, the look of boredom on his face didn't waver.

"Take down the barrier." the Shinigami Captain instructed, I'll take care of this one."