Ch. 12
Evil Golden Eyes

A strong lightning broke the darkness that engulfed Soul Society and made him squirm in his bed and hug his pillow tighter. A loud thunder followed the lightning breaking the silence of the night. That woke him up instantly. He looked around searching the room with his chocolate eyes, but he could barely see. If he remembered correctly he had a light switch near his bed so he threw himself in bed again and searched for the light switch with his fingers and found it in a few seconds. He pressed it but there was no light. Could Soul Society have electricity problems? He shrugged his shoulders. Normally he would have gone back to his comfortable bed, but he didn't. Something was wrong, though he didn't know what, but something bad was happening or going to happen.

Ichigo opened the door of the room and a strong pale of wind hit him. He left the room and stood up on the porch looking at the sky. It was a dark sky without any star; the wind was blowing wildly bending the trees bend down to the ground. Small lightning was lighting the sky minute by minute, making the sky look a bit purple, but mostly grey.

He wanted to go out of the house and tried to make a step forward but in vain. He was still trapped there, but he didn't have time to fool around. Ichigo knew something bad was going to happen. Why the hell did they seal him, in the first place? What was the meaning of that? He went inside and changed his clothes then grabbed his Zanpakutou and went outside.

"Ban kai!" he said and let his dark reiatsu flow the entire house.

He hit the barrier many times, in different spots, but it was useless. He couldn't destroy it alone, he knew that from the very start but he didn't want to use his powers, Shirosaki's.

"No, I won't use your powers, don't even think about it!" he shouted to make himself sure the hollow heard. "I'll make you disappear from my soul, be sure of that, you filthy hollow. I regret I gave you a name, but, well it's too late. Enjoy it while you can, but your time is running out!" he said and continued to hit the barrier.

Maybe if he hit it countless times it would break, that's what he hoped for. He had to break it that way, he couldn't afford to use the hollow's powers.

*Meanwhile in Mashiro*

A strong lightning was breaking the darkness he had endured. He raised his head tiredly and looked at the black sky. A strong wind started to blow there too. A sand storm started was going to be born and the next thing the albino thought was that he could not escape from it since he was still chained. He struggled desperately to free himself but he couldn't break the chains. His dried neck let out hoarse screams, he sounded like an imprisoned animal. His eyes were burning because of the lightning. He wasn't used to the light anymore, he had fallen that far.

"Ichigo" he thought. "What's happening Ichigo? What are you doing out there? Why is the storm in your head? Who did upset you…?" but he stopped suddenly. "It was me, right? I am at fault…Ichigo, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I caused ya trouble. I should have told ya how I truly feel. But…but I was scared that ya'll reject me. I'm sorry, Ichigo, though I know ya can't hear my voice anymore. I can't hear yers either. I'm sorry…" he thought.

A sand tornado was coming after him and all he could do was too stay there, watch it coming. Cold tears were leaving his inverted eyes. Only two and probably those were going to be his last tears…

*Meanwhile in Soul Society*

Rain started to fall in Soul Society and Ichigo was still trying to break the barrier. He could feel it loosen a bit in some spots, but it wasn't enough. Something was strange. His reiatsu was uncontrollable just like a storm, engulfing everything around him, storming at the barrier, but in vain. They really intended to seal him there. How many days have passed? He didn't know since he collapsed a few times and wondered in his inner world. What were those guys hiding from him? Or were they trying to deceive him? No, they could not be, right? Renji told him to stay put. But why…?

His reiatsu was growing more and more, becoming really dense, making Ichigo feel uneasy. He thought that it was the parasite's fault.

"You think you can use these cheap tricks on me? How stupid of you, Hichigo!" he said full of hatred and continued to hit the invisible barrier with thirst.

He really had no time for stupid games. The orangette knew it was better if he stayed inside as they said, but he couldn't let them eventually sacrifice their lives just to protect him. That was stupid.

*In Mashiro*

He was lying down, being covered by sand. The sand tornado sweep him and the wall, it shook him until he collapsed but he was lucky that he was still alive. His whole body was aching, but what ache more was his heart and his wrists and ankles. He knew without checking it that he still had the stake in his heart.

"If I pull it out…will my heart disappear too?" he thought and tried to touch his bare chest but he was chained. His whole body was. It seemed that no matter where he went the chains would not leave him alone. "It's you, Ichigo, right? Ya are the one who's doin' this ta me…"he thought. "Ya hate me that much!" he said and tears left his eyes. "Maybe if I told ya the truth…maybe now it would be different. But I couldn't do that, ya know? I don't get scarred usually, but that's because it is my nature to slaughter. But when it comes to things like love 'n' such…I…I get scared. I'm not used to it. It ain't in my nature, yet I love ya, though I don't know why…"he thought. "There's no escape from here. Ya chained me. Ya are the King of this fucked up world, even though I have my own world…it seems that ya can control it too. I'm all yers, Ichi, and I can't friggin' do anythin'…" he thought but suddenly stopped.

His bleeding heart was aching more and more, he could hear the chain links eating theirselfs and a dangerous power came from inside him. It broke the chains, it pulled him out of the sand and it made everything around him to shake. A strong lightning lighted the black sky, behind him, contouring his silhouette. His pure dark reiatsu was flowing out of him, his clothes were torn, his nails were long and black, his hair was a little longer, but not too much, his wrists were still shackled but the chain was broken. But what was truly terrifying were his eyes. The gold irises were shining in the darkness, but they were evil, cruel and insane.

He grinned devilishly looking at his world. It was sunk in darkness again…

*In Soul Society*

Ichigo was getting tired. The barrier was lightly damaged, no matter how much force he put in his attacks. Outside the wind was blowing madly, threatening to pull up by the root the trees. Ichigo thought that the barrier stopped the wind's power. What if they locked him up just to protect him from the storm? Bullshit. That storm wasn't a natural one, there's no such thing in Soul Society.

"What's wrong, partner?" a hoarse voice in his right ear and Ichigo turned to look, but there was no one. "Scared, King?" the voice taunted the teen then laughed hysterically.

"You…bastard. I thought I told you not to show before me ever again!" Ichigo said looking around him. What if the parasite escaped his mind?

"Well, I ain't there, idiot! I'm in yer head, ya know? So there shouldn't be a problem, right?" he continued.

"You son of a…" Ichigo started to say but Hichigo interrupted him.

"My, my. King, those are filthy words…ya shouldn't use them. Ya may get dirty, too. And we don't want it, now do we?" he continued to taunt the orangette

"Why the hell are you here?" Ichigo said firmly.

"Ta lend ya a hand, ain't it obvious? Ya can't escape without me, ya know very well." He said chuckling.

"And why would you help me? Aren't you my enemy? Just get lost already. I'm tired of your sick games!" Ichigo said.

"Don't be stupid, Ichigo. I got bored in here. Let's seek for some fun. Things that are forbidden are always funny. Don't ya think that way too? Isn't this the reason why ya want to get outta here? Admit it. Ya seek battle. Ya love it!" The hollow shouted the last sentence licking his lips with lust. He really wanted to crush some skulls that night.

"No! That's you, not me! Stop confusing you with me! We are two different persons!" the teen shouted.

"Tch. Idiot, ya still can't see the truth, huh? Well, fine. I guess ya'll see it when it's too late. Anyway, let's get the fuck outta here. I'm bored." He said but this time his voice was a bit disappointed, though Ichigo didn't realize at that moment.

Ichigo gave up since he was already tired and he knew that he couldn't do it alone.

"But I won't let ya use my mask. Noo. And I should tell ya that my powers are hard ta control. So be careful. Ready?" the albino said.

"Ready" Ichigo said and grabbed his bankai tighter.

A powerful reiatsu engulfed the whole house. Ichigo could feel the barrier breaking under the pressure.

"Now!" the hollow shouted and Ichigo hit the barrier with his Bankai.

It broke in invisible pieces, making an uncomfortable sharp sound. Ichigo couldn't see it, but he knew, and he could feel the strange wind. Indeed, that wind wasn't natural. He looked at his palm tired.

He did it…with the enemy's help…