Bleach (c): Tite Kubo
Story (c): Yours Truly
The noises were ringing in his ears. He knew that various people were viewing the cages in which he, Grimmjow, Ulquiorra, and Nelliel were confined in. He knew that his job was to provide entertainment for these peoples sick pleasures. But he didn't care that they wanted him to wake up, just so he could see the looks of disgust and awe they were giving him. There was no point in seeing how they looked at him when he already knew what they thought about him just from what they were saying.
How long have I been here? Four years? How many times have I tried to escape?
Hichigo smirked to himself, his eyes stilled closed. Enough times that now I have chains on my wrists and ankles staked to the floor. He felt the chains between his fingers. They were long enough that he could stand and sit, but just short enough to where he could not reach the bars on the cage.
"Honey, don't get so close to the cage, that thing is dangerous."
Thing, huh? Hichigo really didn't understand why people feared him the most. He still looked the most human out of the Rouge Espada that were confined in these cages. In fact, none of them had changed their appearance in the past four years. Hichigo figured he was feared the most because he was the most human.
"But he's just sleeping momma. And he looks really sad."
"He's just a monster. He doesn't have any emotions."
Not anymore I don't.
There was silence, and then the child's voice spoke, "Excuse me, sir?"
Hichigo cracked an eye open. The child, a little boy, had gotten even closer to his cage. his small hands were wrapped around the bars. The boy's mother had a look of panic on her face. She was calling to her son, telling him to come back, but the little boy continued to ignore him.
Hichigo sat up and glared at the boy, "What is it, kid?"
"Why do you look so sad? My momma said that creatures like you can't be sad, but you look sad."
"I'm not sad boy, I'm empty. I've experienced things that would be your worst nightmares. I've drained my emotions dry."
The boy looked scared, but he pressed on with his questions, "What happened?"
Hichigo raised a brow. No one had ever been interested enough to hear his story.
Hichigo laughed and slowly stood up, "You want to know what happened? My family was taken away from me and I was made into nothing more than a tool. My identity was stripped from me, and now I am just an empty shell."
The mother pulled her son away from the bars and covered his ears, "Beast! Stop feeding lies to my child. You are nothing more than a monster. How could you possibly know what it is like to have an identity?"
"Do you honestly think any of us asked to be in this situation?" Hichigo gestured to the other cages around him, "We once had families too. But if you see me as a monster, that's fine. People like you are the reason why I've become so monstrous, you bitchy, old hag."
"Old ha-" the woman stopped and composed herself. "Well, it seems to me that "family" of yours knew you were a monster from the beginning. I do not blame them for tossing you out."
Hichigo snarled and lunged at the bars, and the woman screamed. The chains on his wrists and ankles yanked him back to the floor with a thud. Not two seconds later an electric shock coursed through his body. He writhed, and gritted his teeth, refusing to audibly show how much pain he was in.
"Tsk, tsk. Even with those shackles you still try to get near the bars. You never learn, Shiro."
Mayuri rounded the corner, holding the remote in his hand that controlled each of the prisoners collars. His appearance had changed over the years. Instead of a toilet seat looking hat atop his head, he had an Egyptian style headdress, and his face was painted to match this style as well. Behind him stood Szayel––who decided to join Mayuri and help keep the Rogues "in line"––who looked no different than he did four years ago. In fact, none of the Espada here looked any different, save for Grimmjow who had cut his long blue hair. Hichigo couldn't say the same thing about the Espada who were still under Aizen's rule.
Mayuri turned to the woman and the boy. The two of them took a slight step back, frightened by his appearance too, "Do not be frightened my dears. He will not harm you. Or, he can't harm you, as long as I have this." He waved the remote in the air, "Though I have to wonder what you did to provoke him? He is usually a very apathetic creature."
Creature?
"Provoked him? I did nothing of the sort! My boy and I were just walking by his cage when he lunged at us."
You lying bitch.
Mayuri turned to look at Hichigo, "Oh? Care to explain, Shiro?"
"She insulted my family," Hichigo growled, "and my name is Hichigo."
"What family? You don't have a family anymore. They're dead. They died in a fire, remember? And your identity along with it, Shiro."
"Shut up. Shut up!" Hichigo lunged at the bars once more, and that horrible shock ran through him again. He fell to the floor, breathing heavily.
He glared up at Mayuri, and then he looked around at the other faces in the vicinity. The civilians had looks of horror on their faces, he was used to that. The looks that bothered him the most were the looks that his companions were giving him. A look of pity, as if they had already given up.
Stop it. Stop looking at me like that.
"You know, I've been thinking that you haven't had your third injection since we left Las Noches," Mayuri said rubbing his chin. "Szayel, do you have the serum?"
"Yes sir, I do," he grinned , pulling out the vile from between one of his tentacle. "Shall I do the honors?"
Mayuri shrugged, "Oh, why not?"
"Stop it!" Nelliel cried.
Hichigo turned to look at Grimmjow, Ulquiorra, and Nelliel, who had looks of rage on their faces. It looked like they were still passionate after all.
"What are you all getting so excited about? Calm down."
Mayuri pressed their respective buttons on the remote and they collapsed against their cage floors.
"Hey!" Hichigo roared.
The backdoor to Hichigo's cage, which could only be opened from the outside, swung open and Szayel walked inside.
"Get away from me," Hichigo growled, still weak from the last shock.
"Resistance is futile, Shiro," Szayel grinned as he pinned him down, and readied the needle.
"Stop it. Stop!"
The needle pierced his skin and the black liquid flowed into him. It hurt, a lot more than last time too. Just how much was Szayel pumping into him? Hichigo thrashed around, his eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he was screaming as if he saw death. Finally, it was over, and he slumped to the floor, unconscious.
"Hichigo...Hichigo."
Hichigo rubbed his eyes, and Orihime standing before him came into view
"Orihime is that you?"
"Hichigo, Doesn't that look beautiful?" She pointed to a red and gold sunset.
"Yes, it does."
"I want to get a better view, come on."
"Hichigo laughed at her excitement. Alright, alright, I'm coming."
He tried to move, but he found he had shackles on his legs that were staked to the floor.
"Come on, Hichigo!" Orihime called after him.
Hichigo looked back to Orihime, and was horrified when the sunset was no longer a sunset, but a blazing inferno that seemed to be advancing on the unsuspecting Orihime.
"Orihime...stop."
She continued to run towards the flames.
"Stop, Orihime! Come back!" Hichigo screamed after her, fighting against he shackles, desperate to rescue her.
Orihime stopped just in front of the flames, her arms outstretched. "See, Hichigo? It's beautiful."
Hichigo's eyes widened in horror as he watched her close her eyes and fall backwards into the awaiting flame, disappearing.
"ORIHIME!"
Hichigo jolted awake, sweating profusely. It was nighttime now, and clouds were blotting out the stars. There was a rumble in the distance. A storm was brewing.
What a nightmare. What the hell was that all about? Did I just see Orihime commit suicide?
He shook his head in denial.
No, Orihime would never do something like that.
"Hichigo?"
Hichigo turned to look at Nelliel's cage, "Oh, did I wake you Nelliel? Sorry, I had a nightmare."
"Well yes, but that's not it. Hichigo, have you taken a look at yourself?"
"No, why?"
"I think Szayel used too much serum on you," Ulquiorra added. He too having been woken up by Hichigo's screaming.
"Huh? He did?"
"Well take a look at yourself. You look fucking terrifying," Grimmjow added.
Hichigo turned to look at himself in the mirror placed in his cage. Mayuri had mirrors installed in all of their cages. Why, Hichigo didn't know. He suspected it was to mock their beastly appearance.
And beastly he had become. Hichigo's ghost white hair was a bit longer, touching the base of his neck, On the left side of his face was a bony mask that stopped just above his upper lip, with three pointed black stripes above his eye and two stripes on his cheek bone. His hands and feet were now clawed and he had black tufts on his wrist and ankles, and spikes on his shoulders. Behind him was a long, reptilian tail that had four black spikes on the end. What he found most shocking though was the gaping hole in the middle of his chest that had four, two on each side, black stripes coming from the hole and ending at his shoulder.
He looked stronger. He felt stronger.
"Hichigo?" Nelliel said, concerned.
Hichigo turned to look at his companions, a warp grin on his face, "I feel strong. I feel very strong. It feels great!"
The three of them just stared, eyes wide.
"Why are you all looking at me like that?"
"You look like a fucking psychopath with that grin on your face," Grimmjow replied.
Hichigo narrowed his eyes, "Like you have any room to talk, Grimmjow" He grasped the collar around his neck, "Fuck, this thing itches."
At that moment the collar cracked in two and fell to the floor with a thud. The four of them looked at it four a moment until Hichigo began to laugh gleefully. It was a horrifying laugh. Even Ulquiorra got chills from it. Hichigo then broke the shackles on his wrist and ankles, and then forced open the bars on his cage and climbed out.
"Man, I never realized how cramped it was in there," he said, giving a stretch before he began walking in the direction of the small house Mayuri and Szayel were in.
"Wait a minute, where the hell do you think you're going!" Grimmjow called after him.
"Don't get your tail in a twist, I'll come back for you guys. I'm just going to get revenge is all."
There was a harsh pounding on Mayuri's door. He cursed, wondering who on earth could be bothering him while he was working on one of his experiments, "Szayel, answer the door."
"Right away sir."
Szayel left and Mayuri continued to do his work. Minutes passed and Szayel still hadn't returned, "Well, who was at the door? Szayel?" He gave a groan, "Honestly, making me do all the work. Can't he see I'm busy?"
He arrived at his front door to find Hichigo holding Szayel in the air by his throat. Szayel thrashed, gasping for breath while Hichigo squeezed harder, grinning manically. Mayuri watched with an expressionless look on his face. Finally Szayel went limp and Hichigo threw him to the floor.
"Hmm," Mayuri said, looking at the now dead Espada, "it seems he gave you at least eight dosages worth of serum yesterday. This is troublesome."
"I just killed one of your subordinates, and all you care about is how much serum he gave me?"
"Subordinates? You all are nothing more than my experiments, tools. When you've served your purpose, you've served it. He merely served his purpose. As for you well, I still expect great things. I shall inform Aizen of your condition."
He began to walk away, but Hichigo, suddenly appeared in front of him, shocking him.
"Out of my way," Mayuri spat, getting out the black remote. He dropped it when he saw the collar was no longer around Hichigo's neck. Hichigo grinned and grasped Mayuri around his throat.
"Wait, we can talk about this! Let's make a negotiation, shall we?"
"I'm not going to make any negotiations with the likes of you," Hichigo replied, tightening his grip.
"I could bring back your family," Mayuri wheezed.
The grip loosened slightly, "What?"
"That's what you want, isn't it? Of course, there would have to be a price. I'll bring them back for you, and you can all be a happy family again, but I'll get to experiment on them. How does that sound?"
Hichigo snarled, and tightened his grip. A red orb began to form in his other hand and he grinned gleefully at the look of horror Mayuri had.
"Die."
The cero was released and engulfed the house in red light. Hichigo dropped Mayuri, now a bloody mess, onto the floor and walked up to a display case he had noticed earlier. Inside it were the weapons he, Nelliel, and Ulquiorra had. He shattered the glass and took out Zangetsu.
"Hello, old friend."
"So he's got himself a cero now, huh? I thought that didn't develop until the 5th injection?" Grimmjow said as he Nelliel, and Ulquiorra watched the dust settle after the cero blast.
"I guess Szayel gave him more than planned," Nelliel said.
"Look, he's coming back," Ulquiorra added, pointing to Hichigo's silhouette against the smoke.
"Yo," Hichigo grinned, arriving back to their cages. His sword was strapped to his back and Ulquiorra's and Nelliel's weapons were in his hands. He set them down momentarily to open their cages, and rid them of their shackles and collars.
"Man those were a pain," Grimmjow said, rubbing his neck.
"We'd better get out of here and find a place to hide," Nelliel said, picking up her lance, "That explosion was bound to draw attention."
"We? I don't know about you three but I plan on making people's lives a living hell. You can join me if you want, or you can go hide. But I'm not waiting for you to make a decision," Hichigo began to walk away.
"Hichigo, wa-"
"Let him go, Nelliel," Ulquiorra said, "We couldn't stop him even if he tried. Besides, I highly doubt he's actually going to make people's lives 'a living hell'.
Nelliel bit her lip. She wasn't so sure.
Ichigo rolled over the bloodied, dead body with his foot. His lips curled in disgust at the disfigured sight. At the tentacled human he nearly gagged.
He and Urahara had recieved a call to check this sight out since a lower police guard saw the Hogyouku emblem in the debris. Needless to say, they were shocked and disgusted by what they saw.
"Is this-"
"Mayuri? Yeah, it's him alright. I guess Aizen gave him the right to put on a freak show of sorts. Looks like that back fired."
"I don't understand how they kept this hidden this whole time. Surely someone would have reported the cruel treatment?"
"You underestimate the cruelty of humans, Ichigo. Why would anyone want to report something that entertains them so easily?"
"But I don't understand how he could move around so freely without getting caught..."
Urahara shrugged, "Cover by night? The answer eludes me myself. In the mean time we've got more important matters on our hands." He looked back at the cages, now empty of their confinements.
"I'll say. Four of Aizen's experimental humans roaming about? They're bound to draw attention."
"And be dangerous. It looks like only one of them did all of this. Imagine all four."
Ichigo shuddered.
"That could be your first mission. You have been with us for four years, after all."
"What could be my first mission?"
"Finding these experiments, and detaining them. This is just a hunch, but I suspect they were in these cages because they went rogue. If we could get them to join our side-"
"It'll be easier to defeat Aizen. But Urahara, I still need to look for Hichigo."
"Did you ever consider that your brother could have been one of the ones in those cages?"
Ichigo's eyes widened, "What? No, that's impossible. Hichigo is brash, and little violent, but he would never kill someone."
"Are you sure? He's been locked up in a cage and been experimented on for four years. That would make anyone lose all reason."
"No, he wouldn't do that. He...he just wouldn't."
Three days later there were reports of houses in shambles after being blown up, and the residents inside slaughtered. The only clue about who, or what did it were the animal like footprints at the scene. Ichigo placed his head in his hands.
Hichigo, please don't let that be you. Please.
The car rolled to a stop infront of Uryu's father's house and Orihime jumped out, a smile on her face. She was back in Karakura.
"Orihime, wait!" Uryu called after her, getting out of the car as well.
"Oh, let her be, Uryu. It's been years since you two have been here. I'm surprised you're not excited as well," a girl with black hair in a pixie cut responded.
This was Tatsuki Arisawa. Orihime and Uryu had met her in Tokyo and they became fast friends. She decided to join them on their trip back to Karakura.
"I am happy to be back, but we need to stick together. Besides, I don't even know if Ichigo is going to meet us. Also, I'm afraid that Orihime will be disappointed if Ichigo shows up, and Hichigo isn't with him."
Three days before they arrived, Uryu sent Ichigo a message, saying he and Orihime would be back in Karakura. He never got a response back.
"I don't know much about what's going on, but I don't think Orihime will be disappointed if Ichigo hasn't found Hichigo yet. As long as he is still looking, she'll understand."
"Tatsuki! Uryu! Hurry, or we're going to be late."
The two of them ran after her, "But we don't even know if he's going to be there," Uryu called after her.
"He will be. I know he will."
Ichigo paced back and forth at the training grounds under the warehouse. The other Detective Specialist were watching in amusement.
"What's up with carrot top?" Hiyori asked.
"Apparently he got a text from his old friend a few days ago, telling him that he and a lady friend of theirs would be back in Karakura. I guess that day is today," Rose replied.
"Well then why does he look so anxious? I would be excited to see my friends," Mashiro said.
"I don't think he isn't excited. I think it's because he's debating on going to see them, or continue working on the mission he was assigned," Kensei chimed in.
"It is a rather crazy mission," Lisa replied, "plus he's still looking for his brother. No doubt he's stressed."
"He does need a break from all of it though," Urahara said, rubbing his chin.
"Ichigo, go."
Ichigo turned to look at Urahara, "Huh? Go where?"
"You know what I'm talking about, now go."
"But I still-"
"GO!" Everyone shouted at him.
"Erm, right. I'll go."
Ichigo ran out of the training grounds, out of the warehouse, and to the spot he was meeting Orihime and Uryu. It had seem like forever since he had seen them. He grinned at the thought and ran faster.
Hichigo was lying on the floor of his old house. He had returned here after leaving behind the others. He was surprised this place was still standing, but it was. He raised a clawed hand and laughed, "I really am a monster, aren't I?"
He felt his eyes began to water and he placed his hand over them.
Have I really killed people? Innocent people who did nothing? They didn't know. How could they know that I was treated so harshly for years...
He began to get angry.
But I was innocent. Ichigo was innocent. Mom. Dad. Yuzu. Karin. We were all innocent. And no one gave a fuck.
And then he began to laugh.
The world is a cruel place, and the only one you should care about is yourself. Everyone else can go to hell.
Suddenly the door to the house burst open and Grimmjow lunged inside, grabbing Hichigo around the throat, "You fucking idiot! We turn our backs for one day and you kill two familes? What is wrong with you?"
"Enough, Grimmjow. You're causing a commotion," Ulquiorra said as he and Nelliel filed inside the house, closing the door behind him.
Grimmjow released Hichigo, who rubbed his throat, "That hurt, you bastard."
Nelliel knelt down beside Hichigo, "Hichigo, why did you-"
"Kill those people? Because I wanted to. Ah, you should have seen the looks on their faces. Sheer terror. I did leave one of them alive though..."
"But they were innocent..."
"Innocent? There's no such this as innocence. Not anymore. Besides, the only reason I killed those families was because I remembered how harsh a treatment they gave me back when we were stuck in cages. It was just a little retaliation is all."
"I think you're retaliation went too far," Grimmjow muttered.
"More importantly, how did you guys find out where I was anyway?"
"Lucky guess. We just figured you'd want to go back home." Ulquiorra replied.
"Hmm. And you? Where did you guys stay?"
"We had to stay underground, in the sewers and such. It was really because of Nelliel. It's hard to hide something as big as a horse."
Nelliel kicked Grimmjow in the stomach, with her hoof.
"Ouch! Fuck Nelliel, that's going to briuse."
"Yes, I know."
"And let me guess. You overheard of the destruction I caused and came to check up on me. Right?"
"More like keep you in line. I know you've got a lot of pint up rage, but you need to reman calm, otherwise you'll lose all reason." Nelliel said.
"Tch. Like any of you know what I've been through..."
All three of them attacked him at once. Nelliel kicked him in the chest, Grimmjow clawed his face and Ulquiorra slashed his stomach. Hichigo gritted his teeth and glared at them, "What the hell are you guys doing?"
"How dare you Hichigo. How dare you say something like that. We all went through the same things you did. Of course we know how you feel. That's why we want to help you. So you can either let us, or we can force you," Nelliel crossed her arms. Hichigo had never seen her so angry before.
He rubbed the back of his neck, "Alright, I get it. I won't cause anymore destruction...for now at least."
Orihime stared at the orange haired man before her. He had gotten a lot handsomer, and more muscular too. The training he received had done him well.
"Ichigo..."
"You're looking great, Orihime," Ichigo smiled. "You don't look to shabby yourself, Uryu."
Uryu merely replied by adjusting the glasses on his face. Ichigo rolled his eyes at his friend's typical response.
"Are you two going to be here for a while? Ichigo asked.
"As long as we can. I've got a job at my father's hospital, and Orihime is going to be working at a bakery. We're here until they kick us out."
"I see. That's good."
Suddenly a force ran into him and he staggered a little before patting Orihime on the head, who was crying into his shirt.
"I'm so happy you're ok," Orihime sniffled, "I've been worried about you this whole time."
"Worried? Why? There's no need to worry about me."
"Idiot. It's because she cares about you. Uryu over here had been pretty worried about ya too, but it would have been a little weird if he sobbed into your shirt now wouldn't it?"
Ichigo turned to look at the black haired girl, who was laughing at Uryu's expression.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Oh! This is Tatsuki Arisawa. Uryu and I met her in Tokyo," Orihime replied.
"Ah, I see." Ichigo extended a hand, "Ichigo Kurosaki. Nice to meet you."
"Likewise," Tatsuki replied, gripping his hand tightly.
Ichigo rubbed his hand after she released it, "You've got some grip."
I'm not sure if I like this girl so far
"I do karate."
This boy gives off a weird vibe. Orihime is friends with someone like him?
Uryu, sensing the tension in the air, changed the subject, "You've completed your training then?"
"What? Oh yeah."
"Do you have a lead on Hichigo?" Orihime asked.
Tatsuki was still confused about the whole Hichigo thing. Uryu and Orihime had given her the bare minimum about him in Tokyo. She'd have to ask them about it later.
Ichigo frowned at the name Hichigo and Orihime took notice, "Ichigo?"
"We haven't found a lead. And I've been assigned an important mission."
"I see, so finding Hichigo is on the back burner for now?"
"Yes, but I will still look for him. I promise, I will find him."
Orihime smiled at him, but Ichigo could tell it was forced. He didn't blame her either.
"Is it a dangerous mission?" Uryu asked."
"Yeah. Two families have been slaughtered and their houses destroyed. No one knows who the attacker is though. My mission is to figure out who it is, and detain him."
He wasn't about to tell them that they suspected the attacker to be one of Aizen's experiments and the possibility that it might be Hichigo, even though Ichigo had no clue what Hichigo looked like now.
"But that's dangerous!" Orihime cried.
"I know, but I've been trained to do stuff like this."
"As long as he does nothing stupid he'll be fine."
Ichigo was about to snap back at Uryu until his pager went off, "Damn. I've got to go. I'l be seeing you guys again though, yeah?"
Orihime and Uryu nodded and Ichigo smiled, and walked away.
"He's matured," Uryu said.
"Yeah, he has," Orihime replied.
"I'm sorry to cut your reunion short, but there was a survivor at one of the attacks. He got a good look at the attacker and gave us a detailed account of what he looked liked," Urahara said as Ichigo entered the training grounds.
"So do you have a sketch?"
"...Yes." Urahara replied, picking up a paper on a table
"Why did you pause?"
There was silence, and Ichigo didn't like it. He took notice of the paper at Urahara's side.
"Show me the sketch."
Urahara didn't move.
"Show me!"
Urahara gave a sigh and complied, handing the sketch over. Ichigo stared at it for a moment before ripping it in half and walking away. He threw the ripped paper behind him and it fluttered to the ground. As it landed the rough sketch of Hichigo's masked face came into view.
Author's note:
Yo, long time, no?
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Hichigo and Ichigo missed each other by just a day! Ah, I'm such a horrible person XD.
I appologize if this is riddled with mistakes. I wrote this on my iPad and I don't like pages near as much as microsoft word. But, I think this looks OK.
Next time: Orihime and Hichigo finally meet! (I know a lot of y'all have been waiting for this.)
Reviews make me smile :).
Take care and God bless,
Rose