Hello again!

Thanks to everyone who reviewed or added this story to your faves/alerts =).

Regarding the lemon, I think if I do end up writing one I'll just put it on a separate one-shot so that this story can stay rated T.

Shirokuma-dono: Glad you like the story so far :). I will be adding others to the harem in the upcoming chapters but Renji will not be part of it sorry hehe :)

I also wanted to let everyone know that although the story will ultimately have an IchiRuki ending, there is still a lot of "exploring" and adventures for Ichigo ahead so we won't be seeing a lot of heavy IchiRuki until later on.

Anyway, enjoy the chapter :).

Chapter 10

The rays of the morning sun were bright as Ichigo and Momo headed to pick up Nemu. Once Nemu was in the carriage with them she noticed Momo was acting rather different than before. She was calling Ichigo by his name and she was also bolder than usual. Momo sent Nemu a quick in-your-face look before continuing to adoringly rest her head on Ichigo's shoulder.

'So you want to play that game now do you?' Nemu thought as a mischievous smile formed on her face.

When they got to Yoruichi's mansion Ichigo stepped out of the carriage to get the exotic princess.

"Kurosaki-sama" A servant called as soon as he got down, "Shihoin-sama requested that you and your group accompany her for a cup of morning tea"

"Oh I see. Thanks" Ichigo said and turned around to get the other two princesses.

Once inside, Ichigo sat in between Momo and Nemu while Yoruichi sat on the other side next to Urahara. The servants poured the tea and left the room.

"It's nice to see you again, Kurosaki-san" Urahara said with a cheery tone. Ichigo simply stared at the blond man with a blank expression. He had a feeling something was going on and he didn't like it.

"Relax Ichigo" Yoruichi said with a smile.

"Shouldn't we be heading to the academy instead of having tea?" Ichigo said in a serious tone.

"I already informed the academy and let them know we won't be going today because of a previous engagement." She said.

"I wasn't aware we had a previous engagement" Ichigo said sardonically.

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow at his defensive tone, "We don't. But we have more important matters to get to today that shouldn't be put off. Wouldn't you agree?"

Everyone at the table became tense; they knew exactly what Yoruichi was talking about. Ichigo turned to look at Urahara. He was a stranger to him and didn't want to discuss this with the unusual man.

"Urahara may look weird but he is a rather intelligent man and can help us. Can you trust him Ichigo?" Yoruichi said looking intensely into his eyes.

"I guess so" Ichigo said after a short silence. He trusted Yoruichi and that was good enough for him.

After the initial awkwardness, everything was laid out on the table. Ichigo and Momo also told the rest about last night's incident.

After a long talk and several cups of tea later Urahara came up with a theory of what he thought was happening to Ichigo and an approach to deal with the problem.

"Although the reason behind this is unknown, it seems to me that you have developed a hollow inside Kurosaki-san. What I find strange is that you trained with Zangetsu, a man known to be extremely powerful and knowledgeable in these matters and yet he never mentioned anything."

"Are you accusing Zangetsu of something?" Ichigo said and stood up rapidly staring heatedly at Urahara, "He would never-"

"I'm not accusing him of doing anything. I'm simply saying that I find it strange how everything was fine and suddenly you get into a fight with Abarai and the problem appears." Urahara said calmly but firmly, "Now if you want me to continue you should take a seat"

Ichigo noticed then that Urahara was not your average man. Just by looking into his eyes he could tell he was very powerful as well. Knowing that he could use that to his benefit, Ichigo sat down in between the two princesses again and continued to hear Urahara's ideas.

"What type of training did you do with Zangetsu?" The blond asked.

"I don't know…the usual stuff I guess. Swordsmanship, combat, building up my strength, things like that." Ichigo answered with a scowl in place. He didn't like anyone questioning Zangetsu.

"You have an immense reiatsu and I know he knew that as well. You're not a shinigami, but did he ever train you the skills of one?" Urahara asked mysteriously.

"No" Ichigo said shortly but then became pensive as he remembered something…

**Flashback**

"Ichigo, looks like you're ready." Zangetsu said and stood in front of Ichigo. He extended an arm in front of him and then suddenly a sword started manifesting itself from thin air. Ichigo wasn't sure whether to be more surprised at the fact that Zangetsu had just magically made a sword appear or at the fact that said sword was almost as big as him. He became slightly intimidated but didn't step back.

"This will be the sword you'll be training with." The man clad in black said nonchalant.

"Is that what you use on your missions?" Ichigo inquired still in awe.

"Yes. This sword was manifested with the power of my reiatsu." Zangetsu said.

"Does that mean you are powerful enough to be a shinigami and yet you're not?" Ichigo continued his questioning but suddenly a strange awkwardness filled the air.

"Let's just focus on your training for now." Ichigo simply nodded and choose to keep all the bubbling questions in his head to himself.

**End of flashback**

Urahara stared at Ichigo but chose not to question him further. He was a complex man and pressing the Zangetsu matter further would only push him away more.

"So what does my previous training have to do with anything?" Ichigo asked straight to the point.

"Simple!" Urahara said back in his cheery tone raising a ringer, "Whether you can tame the beast inside of you will depend on your willingness to overcome it and on your inner strength. Would you like me to show you some cool new tricks before your showdown?"

Rukia was on her way to her last class with Renji in tow. The absence of Yoruichi, Nemu and Momo was making her worried.

"You ok?" Renji asked.

"Yeah I'm fine" She said somewhat dismissively and continued walking but when they got close to her class she stopped abruptly.

"Renji" She said and turned to look at him, "do you think they're fine?"

Renji looked at her with a worried expression before answering, "To tell you the truth I really don't know. Something weird was definitely going on with that Ichigo guy during our fight."

"Renji" Rukia said with a hardened expression on her face, "I don't like disobeying nii-sama but we need to go find out. Whatever's happening to Kurosaki is partly our fault."

Renji knew this would bring nothing but trouble but he agreed. He could tell Rukia had been worried all day and would do anything to help her.

...

Rukia and Renji told the carriage driver to go to a restaurant in the Seireitei, but when they got there they went in through the front door and left conspicuously through the back. After a few minutes of trying to figure out where the group could be and how to find them they couldn't come up with any ideas.

"We could just wait and talk to them when they show up at your academy again." Renji finally said.

"No!" She said quickly, "I have a really bad feeling about this." She looked away from him with a worried expression on her face as she thought of the fight. She then started thinking of the few minutes her and Ichigo spent alone and the warmth of his steady reiatsu.

"I got it!" She said out of nowhere and then closed her eyes. She wasn't sure if it would work but she was willing to give it a try. She concentrated as hard as she could on that feeling.

"Found it" She said with a determined expression and shunpoed away.

"The things I get myself into for you..." Renji thought and followed behind.

At Yoruichi's mansion Ichigo was breathing hard and sweat was glistening on his skin. He had been training with Urahara all day. He was tired but couldn't be any happier.

"How is he going to have enough energy to fight the hollow inside of him?" Momo asked worriedly.

The three princesses had stayed by Ichigo's side all day except for Nemu who had left not too long ago saying she had something to do.

"He'll be fine. Ichigo is a very powerful man." Yoruichi said with a smile. "How about we go and get something to eat for everyone?" Momo gave Yoruichi a wide smile and followed her inside.

Ichigo noticed the princesses going back inside the mansion. "Oi, Urahara-san!" He yelled to the man who was getting ready to attack again, "I want to get this over with. Can you go inside with Yoruichi-san and Momo…I want to face him alone"

Urahara stared at Ichigo from under his hat with a serious expression on his face.

"Understood" He said and turned around.

...

'Almost there' Rukia thought when she felt Ichigo's reiatsu closer. The closer she got though, the more she noticed it fluctuating erratically. She became nervous and shunpoed faster than before leaving Renji behind.

She panicked when she took sight of what was happening in the deserted area behind Yoruichi's mansion. There were fallen trees everywhere, massive damage to the ground, and the air was uncomfortably thick with Ichigo's reiatsu as well as with the hollow's toxic one.

"Wh-wh-what the hell?" She said in disbelief with wide violet eyes. Ichigo was fighting off a hollow. But what surprised her more was not the hollow itself or the amount of blood and damage in the area but the appearance of said hollow. With the exception of the hollow's powdery complexion, it was an exact copy of the orange head. He also appeared to have a katana identical to Ichigo's.

"Kurosaki!" She yelled. Both Ichigo and his hollow stopped sparing and turned to the voice calling for him.

"What-do-we-have-here?" Hichigo said slowly eyeing the petite girl.

Clank!

Ichigo's sword collided against the hollow's, "Weren't you telling me a few minutes ago to focus on the fight? Let's go!" He said defiantly trying to get the hollow's attention again.

Hichigo raised an eyebrow. "Stop messin' with me. You still ain't taking this seriously enough for my liking." Hichigo eyed Rukia and then Ichigo, "I gotta say I'm liking the fear in your eyes though" He said with a smirk.

"Get away from here Kuchiki!" Ichigo yelled and launched himself at Hichigo once again.

Rukia was frozen on the spot as the duo resumed their fight. The hollow Ichigo was fighting was definitely dangerous but the way Ichigo was fighting was different than his fight with Renji; it was clear his technique had improved.

Hichigo was surprised. It appeared Ichigo was no longer playing around and there was intent to finish this off behind every swing of his blade. Maybe it had to do with the girl standing by? Whatever the case it was then that he got a wicked idea.

Ichigo noticed amusement flash through Hichigo's eyes. His expression hardened thinking he was mocking their fight but suddenly Hichigo disappeared from his sight.

"Let's make this a little more interesting!" The hollow yelled happily and stood dangerously close to Rukia.

"Crap!" Ichigo yelled but it was already too late. Hichigo grabbed Rukia roughly with one arm, "Take a step closer and I'll blow her to pieces" He said looking at Ichigo, "and that goes for you too shinigami" He said without sparing a glance at a fuming Renji.

Small sweat droplets ran down the side of Ichigo's face. He had to come up with a way to get her away from him.

"Mmhhh you smell even better than the rest" Hichigo said looking at Rukia with hungry golden eyes.

Rukia scrunched up her face in disgust. She hated hollows. It was a hollow that had taken Kaien not too long ago.

'I might not be an official shinigami anymore but that doesn't mean they took away my power or will to fight' She lifted a small hand towards the hollow and looked at him with cold eyes. He raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Shakkaho!" She yelled but the red blast was deflected by the hollow's katana as if it was a mere inconvenience.

"As if that would do anything to me…you're too full of yourself shinigami" Hichigo said unimpressed.

Slap!

Rukia's hand made contact with his cheek. She then kicked him hard below his pants. He grunted in pain and dropped her on the ground. Rukia tried to run away but stumbled because of the restrictive kimono she was wearing.

"Not so fast!" Hichigo said and grabbed a fistful of her silky hair. Rukia yelled in pain but the sadistic hollow couldn't care less. He grabbed her by the waist like a ragdoll and shunpoed back to Ichigo.

"This is getting boring. Let's wrap this up so I can go enjoy my catch." He said with a cocky attitude and clashed his katana against Ichigo's once again. He was pleased with his move of picking up the small girl, he knew Ichigo wouldn't try anything with her so close.

"You idiot! Don't worry about me and do what you have to!" Rukia yelled angrily when she noticed Ichigo's worried expression.

"Feisty…I like that." Hichigo said to Rukia and continued swinging at Ichigo.

Ichigo was impressed by Rukia's courage. It reminded him of Zangetsu's advice to let go of the fear within him. That was it. He'd had just about enough of his hollow. He had come too far to let it all crumble down. How could he not control something that was part of him?

Ichigo got on the offensive once again and the hollow smirked. He loved a good fight.

Rukia noticed and decided to do what she could to help.

"Hado number 1: Sho!" Rukia said pointing an index finger at Hichigo. A blue light emitted from her finger and he was pushed back far enough for her to untangle herself from him. Ichigo quickly scooped her up and blocked a blow from a now aggravated Hichigo.

"Thanks for that, now I can finish this off once and for all" Ichigo said and looked down at Rukia with a small smile.

Unwilling to go through the risk of Hichigo grabbing her again, Ichigo held Rukia tight as he focused his reiatsu on the next blow.

It was getting hard for Rukia to withstand his immense reiatsu but being held by him awakened a different feeling within her. A warm sensation overtook her at the feel of him holding on to her so protectively. She was never one to play the part of a damsel in distress but with Ichigo there it didn't feel so bad. She could feel his defined muscles under the thin fabric separating their bodies and a small blush crept up her face.

"Getsuga Tenshooou!" Ichigo yelled with resolution and an unwavering belief of his capabilities. A black surge of power rushed towards Hichigo.

"Getsuga Tensho!" Hichigo yelled back as a black wave of his own clashed against Ichigo's.

Ichigo quickly shunpoed to the hollow's side, and without thinking twice pierced him with Zangetsu.

Hichigo smirked and started fading away but his golden eyes full of defiance never left Ichigo's. Without having to say a thing, Ichigo knew he couldn't slack off again.

'Showy bastard…' Renji thought unable to fight off the smile that made its way to his face. Whoever this kid was he definitely had guts.

Meanwhile...

Hitsugaya was sitting at his desk looking over a pile of documents when his door opened. He looked up in annoyance but when he realized who it was he stammered,

"Nemu-san..." He said hesitantly since he hadn't seen her since that night.

"Good afternoon, Shiro-kun." She said in a sultry tone as she walked toward him slowly swinging her hips from side to side. When she got to his desk she stood in front of it but then leaned on it so that he had full view of her supple bosom. He gulped and tried as hard as he could to keep his eyes on hers.

"To what do I owe this visit?" He said emotionless.

"Just came to say hi and catch up." She said with a sheepish smile, Momo didn't know who she was messing with.

Hi again!

Hope you guys liked the update. I struggled with this one because I'm not that great at fighting scenes hehe. Your feedback, ideas or any other comments on how to improve them are greatly appreciated n_n.