Author's notes: Buckle your seat-belts! This will be a rough ride... As everybody guessed correctly Orihime entered Ichi's world again...

Chapter 9

Orihime opened her eyes, and looked around herself. She recognized the place right away from her dreams, that strange 90 degrees turned world and started to wonder how she got there. Did she just fall asleep during the battle? That was highly unlikely, even for a daydreamer like her... Passed out more likely. But she was only barely hurt, wasn't she?

She had to wake up now! Find a way out of here!

As she looked around herself she realized, that something was different about the world around her. The clouds on the sky were a thick dark blanket now, covering all blue from sight. Thin yellow arrows of lightning illuminated the scene from time to time. Seemed like a storm was coming, but no sound of thunder reached her yet.

'Orihime...!'

She jumped up at the unexpected half familiar voice coming right from behind her. It was so much clearer than ever before!

'So, am I finally able to get to you?'

She turned slowly, trembling a little.

'… my Hime!'

She felt a cold hand grab her wrist, and found her gaze locked by the intensive stair of a pair of golden-black eyes... She squeaked, and jumped as far away from the creature before her as his grabbing hand allowed. Her eyes widened to there full extent as she took in the rest of his appearance.

A white shikansho... tall figure... pail white skin... familiar features... spiky hair – though not orange...

'What's the matter?' he said with a chuckle. 'You seem speechless for some reason...' his twinkling eyes and sneering mouth showed how much he enjoyed the situation. This expression was so out of place on those features...

'Who are you?' she asked with trembling voice.

'Oh come on! You know me! We've met before!'

And as she looked into those golden-black eyes, she knew it was true... Memories came back to her, uncalled for, triggered not only by those eyes boring into hers now, but by the feel of his whole presence. Sogyoku hill... where she felt it first. Hueco Mundo... the fight with Grimmjaw... that was when she saw it first. And above the dome of Las Notches... the transformation... Hollow!

The creature saw comprehension dawn on her face, and his blue tongue licked his lips at the sight of her trembling form.

'Ah... Hime! I've been waiting for you for so long!' He yanked her closer to himself again, and was whispering intimately in her ear. 'I've been in this world for ages, and the clouds were always there, but no Sun... until you came... I felt your growing presence in this world as you became more and more attuned with us... but I just couldn't reach you! Kingy is so protective of you... But when he despairs I become stronger... like right now.'

Orihime could hardly follow what the hollow was saying. She was scared and confused. Ichigo had never gone into details explaining to her about his meetings and fights with his other self. She never expected the hollow to take on a form so much like him... She had always thought about the hollow as a monster. Most commonly with horns and red fur...

'What do you want from me?' she asked, her voice shaky.

A dark chuckle answered her. 'Nothing too horrible, I promise! I wouldn't hurt my Hime! Now just relax!'

He slowly raised his other hand to her face. As he touched her Orihime suddenly felt her knees buckle. The creature that so resembled her husband caught her, and held her up.

'What's happening to me? It's like my strength is disappearing... like he's sucking it out of me...' Her vision became blurry.

Suddenly she felt the draining sensation leave her. When she finally had strength to look up, she saw that the hollow's hand was lifted off her face by someone else...

'That's quite enough!'

'Do you mind?' the hollow's voice was irritated. 'Get the hell out of here Tensa! I was enjoying that!'

Orihime saw a young man, a stranger to her, with piercing blue eyes and black hair that fell to his shoulders.

'Of course you were. But I can't let you do this... at least not like this!' he told the hollow with a solemn voice.

'Why? Want to join in?' it taunted him back. His eyes went back to Orihime. 'Ah...it was so good! And it was only a nibble!'

Hearing this, Orihime found her strength at last, and with one sudden move she freed herself from him completely and stumbled a few steps away. The hollow let her go away for now, following her only with his burning glare.

'We should make this easier for her...' The black haired man said.

'… where's the fun in that?'

The two man watched Orihime slowly back away from them. She stumbled, and fell down.

'Is this really her? Such a fragile thing... ' the man named Tensa commented. He stepped forward, and Orihime saw the sword sheathed on his side. She gasped. The man followed her gaze, and draw out the weapon to show it to her fully.

'Let me introduce myself! I'm Tensa Zangetsu.'

'...Zangetsu...' she said slowly, as though tasting the name. 'Then... that must mean...'

'Yes. This is his inner world.'

'His... as Ichigo's?'

'Yes, he's Majesty the King!' sneered the hollow with a mock bow.

Tensa was watching the clouds on the vertical sky getting darker by the minute.

'Rain is coming...' He and the hollow looked at each other.

'Despair...' Tensa said.

'Despair.' The hollow agreed.

Tensa now turned towards Orihime who stood up again, and was slowly edging away.

'Can you tell me, why is it that he despairs in the middle of a battle? When he should put all his strength into fighting?'

Orihime quit her attempts at distancing herself from them. She momentary forgot to be afraid, because that question really struck a nerve. 'That's right... I'm a burden again to Ichigo... he's concerned for me, when he should focus on the fight at hand... because I'm weak...' Tears stung in the corners of her eyes, but she kept them back for now.

'… because of me.'

'Can't hear you!'

'It's because of me.' She repeated with more force.

'I see...' Those blue eyes held her gaze for a second, and she felt the power that was behind them. Tensa continued. 'You know, I'm just a spirit of a zanpakuto, I really don't know anything about love and emotions... and it's really not my business. But if something weakens him... than it is my business...'

Orihime hung her head, and a single tear escaped her at hearing that she weakened Ichigo. The hollow laughed.

'Congrats, Tensa! It turns out you hurt her more than anything I did!'

Tensa ignored him, and had a contemplating look on his face, as though wandering about what to say next.

'Let me ask you something...Why are you here?'

Orihime looked up at him confused.

'Eh?... I don't even know how I got here... It's not like I want to be here... I didn't even know where "here" was until just now...'

'This inner world of his is where he pulls his strength from. I thought that was why you were here. To give him your strength.'

Orihime just opened and closed her mouth like a fish on shore.

'Me... give him...'

What Tensa Zangetsu said didn't even have time to sink in, when she suddenly felt an odd sensation, and fell back to the building's side which served as a floor. This sensation was similar to the one she felt earlier, when the hollow touched her, but this time, he was still standing a grate distance away. Tensa didn't move also. Instead the two men were looking up at the sky again, watching something that was hidden from her eyes. Then she heard the hollow laugh.

'What do you know? The saint Ichigo!... He got the hang of it real fast! I knew how it would be in the end!'

'He doesn't know what he's doing yet...' Tensa replied. 'But he will figure out soon... And this time you won't be able to hide...'

'And do you think I should shake in fear? I want him to find out! I'm tired of this hide and seek anyway...' His malicious grin flashed on Orihime, who just managed to struggle to stand up once again. 'Sorry, Hime! I really enjoyed playing with you, but it seems we're out of time... So no more fooling around!'

Next moment the hollow moved, and was right there again, holding her tight. She struggled, but this time she couldn't brake free. She looked at the other man pleadingly, but he just watched.

'You love him, right?' the owner of those merciless golden-black eyes told her.

She cringed at hearing such a thing uttered in such a cold and sneering voice.

'And you want to love him for ever and ever... You needn't answer... You being in this world shows how much you want to be close to him... What if I can give you all that? Forever close to him... safe here in his inner world...'

Orihime was afraid. She tried desperately to think, but her mind seamed numb, and the hollows words slowly sank into her like he wrote then there in indelible ink.

'Right now he's inside a fierce battle... Don't you want to help? Hime! I can't read minds, but some of your thoughts I have seen... This is all you've ever wanted... to be able to help him...'

Then there was that sensation again, like she was drained...

'Just think about it... giving your potential over to be guided by his superior powers! There would be nothing he couldn't do! No limits! Like a god! You would never have to fear for him again!'

She felt her energy being sucked away by the hollow, but this time she didn't fight it... it was a strangely familiar feeling... giving in... submitting... acceptance. A man and a woman... and he really did resemble her Ichigo... All the fear vanished. She felt the creature pulling her unresisting body closer and closer.

But it only lasted a minute. Suddenly she felt fear again. She didn't know, but it was her primary fear activated... to preserve herself above all. She struggled in vain with the hollows hold on her, who only smiled broadly.

Orihime suddenly felt a fierce wave of wind wash through her, and before she had time to even blink, she felt herself thorn out of the hollow's arms, and flying through the air. She came to a rest at a nice distance from him, inside an other set of arms. Her wrists were stringing where they were yanked out of the hollows grasp.

'Sorry to butt in...' Ichigo's voice was cold like steal. 'Am I interrupting something?'

Orihime felt the warmth of his skin, and saw the wild orange of his fiery hair. She gripped his clothes tightly.

'Ichigo...' She breathed out his name. She was still trembling, and it didn't help the situation that for once Ichigo's brown eyes were just as fierce as his hollow's black ones were before. He was very-very angry... only Orihime didn't know if that anger was directed towards the creature opposite them or towards herself...

The hollow also looked angry for a moment, but when he saw Ichigo's deathly glare he laughed.

'What's the matter? You're not jealous are you? It's not like I haven't held her before... You know I was there with you in every kiss, in every touch...'

Now it was Ichigo's turn to tremble, but it was with anger. Orihime winced, as he was holding her so tight it almost hurt.

'… after all it's only in this world that we exist as separate beings...'

'You...did you think I wouldn't find her here?'

'Well... it does amaze me...'

Ichigo tried to compose himself before turning to his wife. 'Orihime... are you all right?'

'Yes...'

He embraced her, more gently this time, and as he did so Orihime felt the first drop of rain on her face.

'I'm going to take you back right away, just wait a second until I settle things with that bastard...' He said relishing her, and lifting his sword. More and more raindrops came falling down, until it started to rain in earnest.

'Now, now, Kingy... Do you really want to fight with her here?'

'I just want to make something perfectly clear!' Ichigo shouted over the sounds of the storm. 'If anything ever happens to Orihime... if you'll so much as touch her again... there will be nowhere for you to hide! I'll come and find you, even if I have to carve this whole place up completely!'

The hollow narrowed his eyes.

'You don't understand do you? It's all you're fault you know... The Queen is in no danger in the King's realm as long as he remains strong! But you despaired... I got stronger...The fact that you weren't able to call me out proves this...'

Ichigo was thinking hard.

'So you're saying, that even if she comes here, you can't reach her, as long as I'm in control?'

'Hmmm... That's more or less true, I guess...'

'More or less...?' Ichigo's voice shook with repressed anger. He wanted answers, and was in no mood to play riddles.

'Well, you see, she could want me to get to her...' a huge grin spread across the hollow's face. 'Isn't that right my Hime? I know I'm simply irresistible!'

'You son of a... ' anger took Ichigo over for a moment, and black spiritual pressure was surging from his sword, as he took up an attacking stance. The hollow did the same opposite him, still grinning. But before both could launch themselves forward, a triangular santen kesshun shield erupted between them. Both turned there heads towards Orihime, wearing identical indignant looks that said quite clearly: 'Don't interfere!'

Orihime was frightened, but her resolve never shook. The shield remained in place... Watching two Ichigo's fight would be more than she could bare...

Tensa Zangetsu came over to her. Ichido's hand twitched seeing there closeness, but he remained in place, facing the hollow. Tensa's blue eyes bored deeply into Orihime's. She didn't know what he was searching for, and what did he find, but after a few moments he turned.

'She's right... Let's postpone this fight for now...' he raised his hand, and the zanpakuto the hollow was holding vanished in a wave of smoke. Orihime sighed, and let her shield disappear.

'Ichigo!' Tensa called out to him seriously. 'Take her back now... But remember this! That woman has the power to both making you strong and making you weak. Just make sure it's the former... I already told you before... I'm your power. I'm not interested in what you want to protect. My only concern is you!'

'And I certainly won't serve a weakling!' the hollow added.

Ichigo looked like he was ready to explode, but Orihime now came over, and held his hand, and this brought him back to his senses. He took her up into his arms, and prepared to leave, when the hollow spoke again.

'Before you go, my Hime! One more thing... I'll be patient... I know you'll come to me someday... when the time will come, that you'll have no other choice...'

Author's Notes: So, finally: Ichi, Hichi (though I'm only calling him that off-story) and Orihime all together! With Tensa as the chaperon, lol!

How did you like it? Was everything clear? I sometimes feel that some of my thoughts actually remain in my head, and never reach the paper/keyboard... Please review!