Chapter 37 The rising sun

Hollow's point of view

The sun wasn't bright today. It seemed to match the mood in the air. Everything felt small and insignificant. Even the sun and sky was duller. The sun wasn't completely up yet and maybe that was the reason why everything felt so bland, but to me and Chiyo it was like a sign.

We raced through the air, my face stung with cold. I could see dew on the grass and trees below us. Tiny droplets hung to leaves making them glisten whenever the small amount of light caught there surfaces. It was like the world below us was full of jewels.

I didn't know how early it was. It didn't really matter much. Chiyo had been acting strangely since I had woken up. It was as if she sensed something I didn't. But I could feel the uneasiness in the air, so much so that I hadn't felt hungry, and my stomach felt like it was churning into knots with discomfort. Something felt off but I couldn't put my finger on it.

The clouds were drifting off lazily, the sky clearing, but yet it still felt dull to me. I had a thought that maybe everything would now seem dull after staying in such a beautiful hidden place.

I could see the edge of the town just in the distance. We were covering ground fast. Our speed was graceful and I enjoyed the cold wind that whipped me. It made me feel much more alert.

Chiyo was silent as she stared ahead. I couldn't read her features but whenever she caught my eye she gave me a slight smile. Maybe I should ask her what exactly is it she senses. What's worrying her so much?

She didn't have to worry. I would protect her. Id kill anyone who tried to harm her. I'd kill my best friend if he tried to hurt her. Not that I have a best friend, but if I did, I would kill him without a second thought.

The bracelet felt alive on my skin as if a constant presence lingered there. I wanted to touch it again and feel the material that had once been her robes but decided not to. I didn't want to look too soft, besides the town was almost below us.

I could hear the rustle and bustle off early morning duties from the town's people. Cars screeched as people made their way to work, bikes jingled as kids tried their best not to run over anyone. The smell of cooking food, coffee and fresh air was all mixed together. The rattle of a train in the distance made everything feel even busier.

The humans below us have no idea of the world they live in. They don't know about the hollow's that try and attack them. They don't know about the Shinigami who try and save them. They carry on as normal trying their best just to live. Maybe that's one thing I like about humans. There weak creatures but yet never stop trying to survive.

We went lower to get a look of the buildings and pick out the little shop we were looking for. The houses and streets looked so compact from up here that they reminded me of an ants nest. Everything looked on top of each other, but yet there was a sense of security from that.

I caught sight of the Urahara's store just ahead and nodded to Chiyo as she spotted it too. It looked different today even though its appearance couldn't have changed, it just felt different looking down on it now. Maybe it was the nerves that churned my stomach.

Chiyo dropped faster than I did and I marveled at her speed. It was like watching a hawk diving to earth. She landing firmly on the dirt driveway and looked up waiting for me. I landed next to her a slight wobble in my step. Okay so I wasn't as good at landing as she was.

Chiyo ruffled her shoulder length hair that had become windswept. And I stared watching each black strand try and escape into the wind again.

"Everything will be okay?" She asked while looking at her sword strapped to her waist. I watched her posture and knew instantly that she was uncomfortable. In fact the only time she was ever truly comfortable was at the cabin. That should always be her place I thought. There's no better person to live there.

"Are you coming in" Urahara stood at the door way a smirk playing on his lips. He had stubble on his chin and no hat today that covered his eyes in shadow. He looked younger that way.

I nodded at him and he turned back into the building.

Chiyo sighed, her shoulders moving with the force, then her body seemed to finally relax and she touched my wrist intimately then turned towards the door.

Her touch made the knots in my stomach disappear.

We walked into the narrow corridor its warm natural coloured walls felt cozy but I missed the dark paneling that came from the cabin.

We walked into the same sitting room with the one round table and leaning matts. Urahara was already sitting his elbows propped up on the table smiling up at us.

"Sit, sit" he spoke happily.

We did as we were told and both sat opposite him. The black robes felt warm on my skin and that gave me a form off comfort as I watched him waiting for what was next.

"So, how are you both?"

I couldn't believe it. He was making chit chat. I didn't know what to say.

"Were okay" Chiyo spoke softly her eyes never leaving his.

"Good, good" He said smiling broadly.

"Have you had any more attacks?" He was looking at me this time and my heart seemed to stop from what he had said.

"What do you mean?" I knew what he meant, what I should of asked was how did he know.

"Don't worry I haven't been following you, it's just that I would of thought you would have had attacks since you're not with Ichigo anymore. I would think that the hollow part in your body would sense the weaker human side and try and take over. Am I correct?"

He spoke so fluently and surely that he must have known the answer anyway.

"Yesss" My voice hissed but this time I wasn't ashamed of letting it. I didn't like the fact that he knew more then he let on.

"How have you managed to stay stable may I ask?" This time he seemed annoyed that he didn't know the answer and I decided not to tell him, just to let him know that he didn't know everything.

"I've been giving him my blood now and again. It sustains him for a while but doesn't stop the hunger all together" Chiyo answered for me and I glared at the wall not liking how she could tell him everything. It was if I was a science experiment. I didn't like it. I was still here, can't they talk someplace else.

"Ah, I never thought that would work, but I guess it can, it's not permanent though, sooner or later, you will be taken over. You're Human side will be devoured and all that's left will be an empty killing shell."

I gulped and stared at the man who had just told me my fate. My throat went dry and my arms started to shake. I stopped them by clenching my fists.

"What can we do!" Chiyo surprised me by sounding determined and strong. It was the opposite from what I felt.

"I don't think there is much we can do it stop it" Urahara sounded sad, as if he knew me. As if he knew that I wasn't just some beast craving souls.

"It doesn't matter, I accept my fate, and as long as I am stopped before I hurt anyone it doesn't matter"

Chiyo gasped besides me and started shaking her head.

"No you don't!" She looked at me angrily. "No you're not giving up, not at all, we've got this far, you're in control almost all the time, there's got to be a way to save you"

I couldn't look at her anymore. Her sad eyes hurt me deeper then hearing that I was to be killed. Put down. My short life was meaningless compared to souls in this world that constantly needed protection.

I stared at the plain walls again trying not to think like Chiyo. I was too much trouble to try and find a solution. I wasn't worth it. She knew it deep down. So would Urahara. He would talk sense into her. He would explain that there wasn't anything to be done. He'd tell her what an honor it was to stop me. He'd tell her how brave she would be by killing me and saving the millions of souls that I probably would destroy as soon as my human side was gone.

Urahara's next words stopped my thoughts all together. They slammed into me like waves crashing over rocks.

"However there might be, one way to save you"