A/N: I know it's been soooooooooo long since i updated and I sincerely apologize to you all! I've been dead busy with uni work and had major writers block because of it so, please forgive me! I have updated now!
I know a lot of you have been saying how you saw that twist coming, but seriosuly, there's not many stories I've ever read where you can't kind of see where it's going eventually, but i did try my best.
Also, forgive any spelling errors, I got a laptop for christmas and I cant get our Microsoft Office shit on it, so i have no spell checker.
'No…NO!' Toushiro thought, his eyes wide in alarm. 'It can't be him, it must be an imposter or something!'
Yamamoto's words we're still fresh in the air and the others looked on in disbelief, shock or hard fury. Especially Renji. He looked absolutely livid.
"Oh no!" Ichigo cried in mock horror, bringing his hands to his cheeks as his eyes travelled over the group gathered below. "Another treacherous captain! And from squad five no less!"
He was mocking them! Ichigo had never EVER acted like this before and the tenth division captain would have said he was the last person to do something like this, could he not see it with his own eyes. The man who had saved both the World of the Living and the Soul Society from a man made of pure evil…was now evil himself?
He could see it, but Toushiro refused believe it.
"Who are you!" He yelled.
"Why you of all people, Toushiro, should know who I am."
"The Ichigo I know wouldn't do this!" He cried desperately.
"Well, the Ichigo you knew and loved is long gone."
A few eyes flickered between the pair, confused or worried looks marring their features.
"You know, now might be the right time to tell everyone." Toushiro's eyes widened, this couldn't be happening. "Toushiro and I, we are, sorry we were, in a relationship. A sexual relationship."
The silence was deafening after this little announcement. Toushiro blushed a deep crimson but carried on staring Ichigo down. "Why are you doing this?" He asked quietly.
"Because it's so easy. You'd think you would all learn from past experiences."
"What are you trying to get out of this Ichigo?" Kyoraku asked, taking a step closer to him.
"I'm not getting anything out of this. I'm doing it for the shits and giggles."
"Bastard!" Renji yelled, launching himself towards the strawberry, bringing his sword in for a swing.
"Too slow." Ichigo whispered from behind Renji and, before he could comprehend what was happening, he was down like a game bird.
That was probably the most shocking thing anyone had seen. Renji and Ichigo had became close and though they argued and sparred, neither had caused more than a slight scratch to the other. Now Ichigo had caused a deep wound down the length of his back.
Renji fell as if in slow motion, his eyes unfocused and his mouth slack, with blood trailing the air behind him. He was saved the sickening collision with the floor by Rukia, who caught him with tears in her eyes. She looked up at Ichigo as those tears rolled down her cheeks, it appeared she'd been here long enough to understand what was going on. She wasn't an overly emotional woman but she couldn't stand this. Normally when people looked up at Ichigo, they saw a savior, a caring and loyal person who would do anything for his friends. Now all she saw was darkness and malice.
And then it hit her.
"You're that thing! That hollow that haunts his thoughts!"
Ichigo laughed, shaking his head in what appeared to be pity. "Oh, you poor delusional idiot. You really think that my hollow is in control?"
"Yes, it could be the only explanation."
"Wake up, stupid girl!" He shouted, a ravanous grin splitting his face, "You know fine well that, if my hollow was in control, I would have that damned annoying mask, and strangely coloured eyes. You just refuse to believe what is clearly right in front of you." His tone was both condecending and amused.
Captain Unohana rushed to Rukia's side and instructed her to lay Renji down. She would heal the worst fo his wound before it was the death of him.
"Why bother healing him when I plan on killing you all anyway?" Ichigo asked her, "Save your energy so that you can be of some fun to destroy."
Unohana was about to respond, but a gravely and pain filled voice beat her to it. Renji had cracked his eyes open, his face scrunched up in pain.
"He isn't even talking like he normally does Rukia. It can't be him."
"What do I have to do to make you believe what I'm saying?" Ichigo called, showing he had heard him, sounding slightly annoyed. "You're all starting to get on my nerves."
Toushiro considered Renji's words. He was right. Something was most definately off. Obviously things weren't going right, but Ichigo wasn't like this, he wasn't acting like himself or even talking like himself. So it would make sense if he wasn't himself wouldn't it? Maybe he was being manipulated? Maybe somebody had convinced him to do this because he wouldn't just do it of his own accord or, in his own words, 'for the shits and giggles'. They must have had good godamned reasoning to get to someone like Ichigo.
It looked like Ukitake was thinking along the same lines. "Who are you working with?"
Ichigo laughed a manic laugh, "I'm working with nobody and, even if I was, why would I tell you?"
"You can't really be doing this Ichigo!" Rukia all but cried.
"Watch me!" He shouted back, launching himself towards the group below, "As testament to this, I know exactly who I'm going for first!"
His voice got louder as he approached and Toushiro just barely managed to avoid the black blade that stabbed in his direction. He leapt out of the way and dodged another attack with his blade, his own and Kurosaki's Zanpakuto crossed and Toushiro found his face centimeters away.
"What's wrong? Cat got ya tongue?" Ichigo whispered.
Toushiro took in his grinning mouth and blood specked face. It was when he looked into his eyes that he saw it.
"Bakudo #61: Rikujōkōrō."
Obviously Ichigo hadn't noticed the arrival of Byakuya Kuchiki and was caught by surprise as six rods of light brought him to his knees and bound him in place.
"Bakudo #63: Sajo Sabaku."
Ichigo's arms were surrounded by thick chains and bound to his body. Toushiro stepped back and turned on the Head Captain Commander.
"It's not him. I know it."
"What evidence do you have of this Captain Hitsugaya?" The old man asked, descending upon the two. He looked warily at the traitor before his calculating gaze turned to Toushiro.
"His eyes. They're vacant, there's no soul there."
Within seconds Ryūjin Jakka ha been unveiled and was being used to tip Ichigo's head up, so that Yamamoto could look into his eyes for himself. He studied him carefully as the strawberry struggled at his bonds that Byakuya was trying with every fibre in his body to keep active .
"It appears that he is correct."
Nobody spoke, but many heads turned different directions as people reached out mentally to feel any forgein signature of spititual pressure.
The silence was broken by a distinct clapping noise that could be heard, coming from the desolate tree's at the other end of the hill.
All eyes fell on her a she stepped from her hidden vantage point. She continued to bring her hands together in a loud, slow, sarcastic clap as she smirked and walked forwards so that she could be seen properly. She hadn't inteded to stay hidden forever and she always loved a memorable and, if possible, dramatic enterance.
"Well done. I dont know whether I should think you caught on quick, or for the fact that you're a boy genius, that you were too slow." Her words were directed at Toushiro. "I expected the better part of your little group to be dead before it was figued out."
If everyone was shocked at Ichigo, it was nothing compared to what they were feeling now.
Her tinkling laugh rang out over the hill, "You should see the looks on your faces. Hilarious."
"C-Captain Katenashi?"
"The one and only," she winked. However, in this situation, it was far from charming.
"It was you who did this to Ichigo?" Toushiro asked, his face the picture of raw fury.
She nodded, looking unphazed by the drop in temperature of the air and the look he was giving her.
"How did you do this?"
"Why, my Zanpakuto of course!"
"That isn't possible. You're zanpakuto is purely physical and you're long range attacks are you're spiritual pressure. You explained this to me yourself." Ukitake reasoned.
"My dear collegue, it's very easy to lie. You really do make the same mistakes twice. You'd think you'd do full checks on all zanpakto abilities after Aizen managed to lie so easily and convincingly."
"So what are you're real powers?" Kyoraku asked, voicing everyones thoughts.
"Mind control. Obviously," she said, gesturing to the still struggling Ichigo. "I could show you if you like? My Seigyo Ai just loves to play."
"I think we have enough evidence," he responded.
"When did this start?" Her gaze moved back to Toushiro when he spoke, "When did you start to control him?"
Her face turned thoughtful as she tapped her finger on her chin, "Oh, I think it was the fight we had at my division. You know that little light show before he beat me? Yeah, that was the beginning. It was actually very difficult to get control, he's very stubborn."
"What do you mean?" Rukia asked. She was still by Renji's side, hanging onto every word that was spoken.
"You really want to know? It's pretty long winded." When nobody spoke, she sighed. "Well, he's pretty strong minded, so at first, it had no affect on him at all, but the seed had been planted, so it was only a matter of time. After a while, I could get him to do things once he had fallen asleep when his concious thought was gone, hence all of the night time happenings of late, but eventually i started to be able to influence his actions. I essentially turned him into a dick." She smiled at this. "I made him be horrible to everyone, so that this wouldn't seem so far fetched when he 'turned traitor', but apparently i didn't do enough," she frowned, "but hey, I got full control eventually. And do you know what it was that finally did it? It was all thanks to that little fight you had with him Toushiro. It weakened his mind enought that I got a good grip." Her eyes glistened in amusement at Toushiro's shock and guilt ridden expression.
When a bubble of laughter escaped her lips, Toushiro growled and tightened his grip on his sword.
"But, enough talk." She whipped out her sword.
With barely any time to react, Byakuya just say managed to stop her blade from cutting him.
"You're mediocre attacks aren't enough to cut me," he said coldly.
"That's a shame, it's a good thing I'm not planning to be the one to do it," she mirked, leaping away as Byakuya had to defend against another blade. His eyes were wide for a second as he realised what she had done, before a particularly strong attack sent him crashing halfway along the hill. Akane had only meant to distract him, so that Ichigo could break the kido.
"Get them Ichigo!"
"With pleasure."
A/N: Seigyo Ai is basically an internet translation of Controlling Eye. Just thought i'd save you the trouble of finding out should you have wanted too :P
MisaxMisa: We knew you wouldn't do something like that Ichi!
Renji: I don't care if it was him or not, the bastard cut me.
Ichigo: Don't take it personally renji, it's only a story.
Renji: Only a story? Tell you what, when you're practically killed off you tell me how you feel.
Ichigo: ...I don't think i'd really care.