Ichigo was totally stunned. So stunned that he forgot everything around him. The cameras, Makoto (who start to remember), the others… even the fact that Makoto was able to see him, too…
"Aghh… Keigo!" Makoto screamed, showing everyone that she was able to see him, too.
"She can see him." Rukia murmured shocked.
"KEIGO-KUN… " Orihime screamed and ran out.
He was back… floating two metres over his terrace. It was like he is using Shunpo or any similar Shinigami-power to do so. Relieved the Kurosakis and Tatsuki ran outside. Despite the warning of the Abarais…
"Wait… he isn't himself… " Rukia tried to warn them.
Ichigo did not care. He was relieved to see Keigo again. No matter what was going on right now. Fuck on Makoto he thought: Keigo is their friend and they wanted to keep sure that he is fine.
"KEIGO… " Ichigo screamed relieved when he arrived outside. "It's really you… gosh… I can't tell you how relieved I am. "
In all his euphoria, Ichigo did not mention that Keigo wasn't actually Keigo anymore…
In the Soul Society, Yuzu meanwhile told her father and her sister her plan…
"He spared me! Keigo is still who he is! " she explained. "Keigo saw me and he calmed down. But that other guy, he almost killed. You understand what I mean? "
"What? " Karin was honestly confused.
"The Hollow inside him is using his bad memories. Maybe I was just lucky because he had no bad memory about me but I managed to wake up some good ones… "
"Hey, I understand what you mean… " Isshin said. "If we are able to reach Keigo's good will inside… "
"…We help him to suppress the Hollow inside him so it can be exorcised out without harming him. " Yuzu concluded.
"Boah, wait…" Karin interfered. "So as long he is under control of the Hollow, he will go after everyone who hurt him. But that means… "
"ICHIGO! " all three screamed after realizing that their son and brother was in danger.
Ichigo meanwhile, ignored everything around him just to go to Keigo. That was the moment he realized that he should behave. He should not try to hug him or else. Keigo was probably still mad. Orihime and Tatsuki followed him, but were stopped by the Abarais…
"Stop, no… he isn't himself…" Rukia tried to warn them again.
Ichigo finally reached Keigo who lowered down to land on the terrace and face Ichigo, too. Ichigo fell on his knees immediately and start to apologize, while Makoto took her Smartphone to film the scene.
"OH, KEIGO…" Ichigo yelled. "I am so so sorry… I shouldn't had lied to you, I shouldn't had been so…"
Ichigo was not able to finish, as 'Keigo' suddenly grabbed him by his throat and lift him from the ground just like he did with Ikkaku before. Ichigo was totally shocked, as he did not expect neither this, nor that Keigo seemed so extremely strong suddenly. The other present people were shocked, too.
"I told you so…" Rukia yelled.
"Kei… go… why…" Ichigo was not able to breath anymore. Then he saw it: That glow in his eyes, the pale skin that turned more and more grey, and the pain and the anger in his face… that was not Keigo! That was a Hollow inside Keigo!
Despite the sun burning down from the cloudless sky, the air around them became as cold as in the darkest winter night. The air felt like it was made of jelly and an invisible force trying to tear off the clothes of everyone. Ichigo could feel something inside him, he never guessed he would feel when he looks into Keigo's eyes: Fear!
The present woman all screamed in fear. Only Renji and Rukia were able to act and tried to help Ichigo by pulling their swords and attacking Hollow-Keigo! But latter just lift his other hand…
Somehow, Rukia guessed it was the Hollow using Kidou or anything else, he sends a literal shockwave towards them. The Shinigami couple was lift off their feet and being thrown threw the windows. Both shattered the windows with their bodies and crashed into the equipment Makoto used to film Ichigo's confession. Glass-sharps were thrown through the air. Everyone had to dodge. One of the sharps hit Tatsuki's right arm and injured her slightly. Rukia's Zanpakutou scratched over the ground and land right in front of Keigo who lift it from the ground unimpressed and start to threat Ichigo with it.
Everyone start to scream again... Keigo seemed to be more powerful than they first thought. He was so strong, that his Kidou even stopped the most experienced Shinigami.
"AGGHH... KEIGO, WHAT DO YOU DO?" Ichigo screamed scared when he realized that he was unable to move.
"ASANO-KUN..." Orihime added.
"Don't call me Asano-kun!" Keigo, or whoever he was, ranted angrily and hold the blade of the Katana on Ichigo's throat. "And if someone tries to attack me... I will kill everyone in here..."
A loud thunder echoed threw the air while 'Keigo' screamed. Ichigo's father Isshin, could hear it too. He was just in Karakura, where he found Kazui and Yupa hiding in the clinic. They told him that Ichigo would go to Keigo's penthouse today. After keeping sure that both were safe, he wanted to go to Ichigo. But even from far away, he could see that he was too late and that Ichigo and Hollow-Keigo were obviously already fighting…
Keigo meanwhile, was sure that he found the reason for all his pain and start to roar…
"That's not true!" Ichigo wailed offended. "Keigo, don't believe anything of that. Your sister is a crazy loony! And yeah, I hurt you but… aww… please we are your friends…"
"Yeah!" Orihime interfered and carefully stand up from the ground. "Asano-kun... you don't remember us, or anything what happened. I must admit that it was difficult over the last years. And Tatsuki shouldn't have slap you that evening..."
"HEY! I don't think we should talk about that now!" Tatsuki yelled abashed while using a tissue to hold the cut in her arm. "BUT I AM VERY SORRY FOR THAT…"
"ICHIGO! I TOLD YOU THAT HE IS A HOLLOW!" Rukia screamed while she tried to escape from Keigo's Kidou. But it was more powerful than her.
"KEIGO! PLEASE! Wake up!" Ichigo screamed. "What happened to you? Why are you acting like this?"
"I am... Not as small and weak as I was..." Keigo's eyes start to shine red. "I... AM... GOING... TO KILL YOU..."
A wave of spiritual energy shoot out of Keigo, while the Hollow inside of him took over again. The whole building start to tremble like in an earthquake. People start to flee out of the other apartments while dozens of windows shattered. Orihime, Tatsuki, Rukia and Renji were lift off their feet and smashed away in various directions. Ichigo was still not willing to fight against Keigo. But he instinctively grabbled his Substitute-Shinigami-badge and transformed into his Shinigami-form. Hollow Keigo dropped Ichigo's now empty body to focus on the Shinigami. Latter was able to push him away.
Isshin arrived only a second after he saw two 'dots' fly away from the building extremely fast. He knew immediately that that had to be Ichigo and Hollow-Keigo. He could feel it. But he also mentioned that there were several people in danger, right where they departed from. Isshin arrived on the terrace and was shocked about the severe damages. It looked like a bomb exploded. Tatsuki was laying on the terrace under the deckchairs. The Abarais were in the destroyed kitchen. Both unconscious! Orihime was coughing behind the couch. Only Makoto was unharmed and continued filming everything with her smartphone.
Isshin rushed inside to look after his daughter in law. Because she was smashed against the soft couch, she was relatively unharmed.
"Are you okay? " Isshin asked when he helped Orihime to stand up.
"I think so…" she respond. "…what was that? "
"The Hollow inside of Keigo uses his bad memories and attacks everyone who once hurt him. And he is not after Ichigo only. We think it wants Keigo's Baby, too! " Isshin respond.
"I am sure he will… HIS WHAT? " Orihime screamed shocked.
"His girlfriend Akira… she is pregnant. " Isshin continued shortly before another strong blast let the building shake. Isshin throw himself over his daughter-in-law to protect her from the debris that was raining from the ceiling, or at least that what was left from it.
The fight between Ichigo and Keigo became more and more dangerous. Ichigo knew that he had to find a way to lure him away from the city. If they continue here, their fight could destroy the entire city. Down there the people hid in stairways or under tables. Worse enough that everyone was able to see Keigo, every other Shinigami that was close enough to him was visible for everyone, too…
In fear Makoto continued filming everything with her smartphone while she was hiding behind the railing of the terrace. Commenting everything she saw.
"… they reprogrammed his Soul after they killed him and now, he is some kind of… killer-mashine on a vengeance campaign… "
"NO… GET AWAY FROM THERE…"Tatsuki, who was still not able to move, screamed scared. Hoping that she was able to convince her that the only person Keigo did not attack should run away and safe herself, instead of worsening everything with her filming.
"TATSUKI-CHAN! " Orihime screamed from inside, while Tatsuki could feel that someone (Isshin) lift her up from the ground to carry her inside where it was safer. That was also the moment Tatsuki realized that her arms were now not only cut, but they were also broken. But due to the fear and the adrenaline she was not able to feel any pain anymore.
"Orihime, what is happening out there… AGHH… my arm… "
"Sshhhh… Tatsuki-chan, listen… we have a plan… " Orihime whispered to her when she appeared next to her. And so Orihime start to tell her the plan Yuzu had. They only needed Makoto's recordings… they were so lucky now that she filmed them secretly.
Makoto was focusing on the fight between the Shinigami and her dead friend, still not aware that it was not really Keigo. While she filmed everything, she tried to call her channel at the same time. She was so distracted, that she not even mentioned that Isshin used a Kidou on her to pull her away from the railing and back inside where Orihime tried to turn on the damaged camera. The injured Tatsuki was hidden behind the couch and unable to help.
"Quick! We need your recordings! " Orihime screamed upset while pressing buttons…
"Take that back. I will not give you anything. Keigo deserves justice! " Makoto yelled and grabbled the camera to prevent that Orihime destroys her evidence. That was what she thought. Still not knowing what was really going on.
"Keigo won't be anymore, not even as soul, if you don't help. " Orihime yelled back. She ripped the camera out of Makoto's hands again and shacked it, not knowing which button she must press to play the recording.
"Give me just one reason to trust you…! " Makoto screamed, expecting Orihime to do what every bully in such a situation would do: Have a blackout and find no answer! But Orihime was not a bully! After everything what happened, she wanted to safe Keigo, too.
"Keigo would! " Orihime said with tears running down her face. "No matter what happened between us… he would trust us right now. Not because we force him and not because he has no other choice. Because we are the only ones who know how to safe him from the Hollow inside him. "
"The what?" Makoto asked. Her memories were not fully back. "Hollow… Hollow… Hollow…?"
"I will explain you later. Just show me how this thing is working… " Orihime continued. Hoping that Yuzu's plan will be a success.
Ichigo meanwhile was busy to block 'Keigo's', or whoever he was, violent attacks. Using his own Zanpakutou to block every of his strong hits. He didn't want to fight Keigo. He couldn't do it. Right now, he was only defending and not attacking. Not after the past weeks and not even if they never happened. He never even dared to think about fighting against Keigo…
"Keigo, please… " Ichigo begged while he blocked another attack, that caused a shockwave that let many windows of a nearby office building burst. "Please stop this, before anyone gets hurt! "
Ichigo was able to see people running away down on the streets. And a big mass of people that looked up to watch the fight. But 'Keigo' didn't dare to stop. Instead, he tried to impale Ichigo with a flagpole and continued to roar with his Hollow-voice. "DIE! "
Ichigo was able to dodge the flagpole that flew like a spear and impaled another building. Ichigo still didn't want to fight him. He knew that Keigo would never run havoc and pulling so many innocent people into their conflict. This was something between him and Keigo only…
Several hundred meters away, Makoto reluctantly helped Orihime and Isshin, whom she was not able to see anymore because Keigo was too far away now, to connect the camera she used to film Ichigo's statement to a monitor. In the distance she was able to hear the noise from the two Katanas that smashed against each other ever and ever again.
"I hope for you that this is working!"
"You can call me a witch again in one of your shows if this is not working." Orihime said and looked on the screen. "Okay… we need that part with Ichigo talking about Keigo…"
Both fighters meanwhile, continued with their fight. People on the streets were shocked to see the two 'samurai-warriors' floating high over the city and using superpowers to fight each other. Somehow Ichigo was able to lure him away from the higher buildings and closer to the bay. But still not far enough away from the city. But suddenly 'Keigo' was able to hit Ichigo's Zanpakutou so hard that it was torn out of his hands…
Ichigo looked down to see his Zanpakutou falling, and crashing through a skylight and smashing the dining table of a family. Luckily, the family already left the apartment. Once again 'Keigo' grabbled Ichigo by his throat and hold him tight in his grip.
"You don't understand anything!" the Hollow hissed and start to grin evil. "You are the one who created me in the first place..."
"Why? Why do you think so?" Ichigo was now more confused than shocked.
Keigo lift him closer to his face. "Look into my eyes! Look deeply into my eyes and see everything I had to see... from the first day I arrived in this soul... till today..."
Suddenly, Ichigo felt like he is flying. He felt like he was falling into Keigo's eye... Darkness surrounds him. Everything disappeared while he fell into the eye and felt like weightless...
He was somewhere outside, running across a street and towards the hardly injured Keigo, who was just attacked by the Bitto. He saw himself, saving Keigo and bringing him to Urahara, where he was treated by Hanataro...
"Your little friend... walking alone threw the city, seeking for a friend... and almost getting killed. It's a surprise that you even tried to safe him." the Hollow's voice said. It sound condescending. "You never saw him as a friend. He did… He accepted this one-sided friendship just to feel safe…"
"But, I couldn't leave Keigo there to..." Ichigo began, but the Hollow squeezed his throat again.
"SHUT UP! When you used some of your spiritual powers to save his life... did you know that your Inner Hollow also joined them..."
"WHAT? BUT..." Ichigo screamed, but the Hollow continued squeezing his throat. Ichigo's Inner-Hollow was a part of him, but if it was true and his Inner Hollow really joined their attempt to safe Keigo. That means that Keigo's soul was Hollowficated long before he knew. Ichigo was not able to imagine.
"THIS IS HOW I WAS BORN!" the Hollow howled. "I was so small. Hidden in this soul, unable to ever break out or to take over. You never understood. Your little friend was not able to see you that night because his Soul was almost sucked out... He had enough own spiritual powers and was able to see you without this incident long before. He lost his memory on that night for a long time. And me, too. But I was just born that night..."
Ichigo seemed to leave the eye, just to fall inside again. It was the moment he realized that his own Inner Hollow, created a descendant inside of Keigo's soul.
"...All these years, I was trapped in this body. All these years, I was never free, and I never had the chance to get free or to get stronger..." the Hollow wailed. "...Your friends' soul always repressed me. Forced to endure everything he had to endure. By you, that bitch he lived with, his so-called parents, that bully you brought with you… He was strong in his will, and I wanted to become strong too... But I was never able to take over his soul or to even get out of here. Even when I became bigger... All these years I had to see how this guy made a fool of himself, how he humiliated himself just to catch your attention... And he even didn't realize that I was inside him all these years..."
A tear ran down Ichigo's face. He felt like he got slapped. So, it was his fault that Keigo had an Inner Hollow.
"But then... I was finally able to break out! That day when he was in that hotel-room and was crying so hardly. That day, he realized that you left him behind again. That he lost everything. For a brief moment, I was able to get control about him, he had to... he had to die! The overdose of pills... That was my only way to escape... and be free..."
"You... you are responsible for his first suicide-attempt!" Ichigo realized horrified.
"Finally, I thought that I am able to take over the control. But his will was stronger than his sorrow. So, I wasn't even able to take over the control when he was going to die. But after that... something was different. Suddenly I could feel... that I got stronger. I learned how to feed myself on his frustration and his madness. I was still not able to take over his soul or even interfere ever again. But... when he died... my time was come."
Ichigo saw everything Keigo saw during the Hollow told it... How he tried to flee and ran in front of the delivery-van, Keigo was not able to see... but his Inner-Hollow did...
"YOU... Forced Keigo... to... Run in front of the delivery-van?" Ichigo said.
"His soul thought, he could safe himself by a Soul-Burial and get rid of me. But I am like Keigo: I am very stubborn, and it is not easy to get rid of me..."
Once again, Ichigo felt that he was falling... till he saw again what Keigo saw... right after his arrival in the Soul Society...
"Please, where am I?" Keigo screamed on every Soul he met. "What is that for a place? I need to go back to Tokyo, please!"
"Shut up! You are dead, accept it..." another soul moaned on him.
"DEAD! NO! I can't be dead... Please. This can't be the Soul Society! Please... I need to go home..." Keigo jelled and ran through the Rukongai. "I need to go back... I need to go back to the world of the living... MY BABY!"
Ichigo was not only able to see and hear everything. He was also able to feel the fear and his urge to go back to his child… A CHILD! Keigo is going to be a father?! He orphaned a child?!
"Stop crying! Only the Shinigami can go there..." another soul moaned.
"NO, NO... NOOOOOO!" Keigo screamed and continued running through the Rukongai. He remembered everything, just like Yuzu did. But in contrast to her he ends up in a slum far away from the Sereitei. And now he desperately looked for a way back. Of course, he wanted to go back to his child.
Keigo finally found one of the missing-posters. One of the many missing-posters they distributed in the Rukongai to find Keigo. Keigo screamed when he saw himself on the poster.
"MISSED! Keigo Asano. Brown Hairs, slim body, strident voice, when seen please contact the Shinigami. Generous reward." Keigo read loudly. He caught the attention of several other souls.
"HEY! That's him... That's the guy the Shinigami are looking for... Maybe he is dangerous... There is a reward for him..." he heard various voices saying. When he realized that they start to hunt him, he tried to flee.
"NO! Leave me alone! Not the Shinigami... no!" Keigo screamed. But the other Souls were able to catch him and tied him up...
"I could not tolerate that these souls take me to the Shinigami. They would had found me and killed me instantly, but he was weak on that moment, finally I was able to break out and show these boneheads who is the boss..."
The Hollow shoot out of Keigo's body and slained everyone. Keigo saw everything and was in full consciousness, that was the moment he realized that he has to fight back. "NO! LEAVE THAT PEOPLE ALONE! WHAT THE... AGHHHH..."
"Somehow you little friend was able to lock me up again, but on this way the Konzo was completed and this time it was so strong... that he lost his memory and was useless after... I was going to surrender. Dammed to be trapped inside this soul for eternity..."
Ichigo saw how Keigo left the scene. And all the death people he left in the Rukongai. It was the moment, Keigo was strong enough to stop his Inner-Hollow that day. And now he walked over the blood-covered ground and strayed threw the forest...
"The forest became our new home. Here I would wait in vain for the death. And for the moment to finally leave this dammed soul, but then this Zanpakutou appeared out of nowhere and tried to take me my home-soul away..."
Ichigo was shocked. He saw everything threw Keigo's eyes again. How he sat in the forest and ate grass and how he holds his head...
"We fighted in his inner. I had the full memory of his life, but this Zanpaktuou tried to safe Keigo absolutely. And then this Shinigami appeared, and I knew that I lost..."
Ichigo suddenly saw Kaneda Ochi again. Recognizing him and offering help. Keigo escaped again. Only to get caught later and brought to the Seireitei…
"I knew that they would kill me immediately when they find me inside of him. But then I realized that no one was able to feel me if I hide inside this soul. It was the perfect hideout. But then they found me and…"
"What do you want, Hollow?" Yupa's voice sound up from far away.
Ichigo suddenly stopped falling and was over Minato again. Keigo's Kidou was still active and hold everyone captive. Only the little human-boy Yupa, Kazui's best friend, and Kazui were somehow able to escape the ban and Yupa had grabbed a knife from the kitchen to defend himself.
"Run away, kids!" Isshin yelled from the terrace. Shocked to see his grandson and his friend standing on the roof right below Ichigo and Keigo. Ichigo was horrified, too. His son was wearing his Shihakushou and that means he probably used his Shinigami powers to come here. And he brought Yupa with him.
"Aww, that's so sweet... the little human-boy tries to safe his friends... that... that is... aghhh..." Keigo got horrible headache again. Seeing Yupa standing there, with the knife in his hand, an old memory came back. "Awww... that is..."
Keigo's real voice came out of his mouth for a brief moment. His hand unclenched and Ichigo dropped down, crashing through the already broken skylight and right on the leftovers of the already smashed dining table... Seeing Yupa, trying to use a knife to protect his friends, remembered Keigo the day Aizen attacked. It was when Keigo stole the Zanpakutou of the unconscious Zennosuke Kuromadani and did the same as Yupa.
"Aww... I did the... Aww... Afro-san... AGGHHH... GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"
Keigo seemed to be himself again. But only for a moment. Ichigo lift up from the ground and took his Zanpakutou again. Suddenly he saw something… a magazine! It was a gossip magazine! But there was a picture of a happy smiling Keigo… Ichigo took the magazine, trying to show Keigo who he really was. Later meanwhile, was struggling with his memories. All the bad things seemed to be still there… but there were also good moments…
"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Keigo screamed, this time with his own voice. Ichigo jumped threw the skylight again, trying to show Keigo the picture of him.
"Look! There were good times…" Ichigo began but while jumping, his Zanpakuto swung dangerously close to Keigo. Keigo stopped the blade with two fingers.
"You really attack your friend... You are ready to kill him again?" the Hollow smiled gloatingly... "HAHAHAHA... You won't dare!"
Ichigo was indeed like paralyzed. He couldn't do it. He was not able to fight Keigo. Not after everything what happened. Even if it was not Keigo anymore... but the real Keigo was still somewhere inside him.
"You lied to me! LEAVE THEM ALONE, NO... AGGHHHH..." Keigo screamed and hit a hole into the wall of another building with his fist before the Hollow voice was back. "I AM YOU! I WANT THE CHILD!"
Ichigo was thrown back through the skylight. Keigo's condition seemed to change every few seconds…
"What's happening with him?" Tatsuki asked shocked. Due to her injuries, she was not able to help and still laying behind the couch where she was safe. Orihime, Isshin and Makoto ran outside to show Keigo the recordings.
"He is fighting his Inner-Hollow!" Isshin said. "Yuzu was right."
Ichigo jumped out threw the skylight again, right when his son arrived with Yupa on his back.
"Daddy…"
"BOYS, GET AWAY FROM HERE…" Ichigo screamed afraid right before 'Keigo' crashed on his terrace again. Right in front of the others. Ichigo jumped away to see what was happening.
Keigo had no idea what was going on nor what happened. But he suddenly saw Ichigo talking about him: Positively! Keigo's mind suddenly filled with possitve memories again. But his Inner-Hollow tried to focus on the bad ones… Keigo's head felt like it was going to blow up like a balloon. He saw Ichigo, saying things he never thought he will hear from him ever…
With a loud roar (Keigo's own roar, not the Hollow one) Keigo fell on his knees.
"KILL ME!"
"WHAT?"
"ICHIGO... KILL ME! OR HE WILL TAKE MY CHILD!"
Ichigo was unable to do something. He didn't want to accept Keigo's wish. He was not able to kill him! Not again!
"KILL ME... AGGHHH!" once again, the Hollow broke out again. But Keigo didn't surrender...
Now it was Keigo, who felt like he is falling threw a big dark emptiness. It was like he was not himself anymore. Suddenly he saw himself standing right in front of him. His Hollow was no longer inside in... suddenly, he faced him.
"So... You remember?" his Hollow-self asked mad.
"Yes!" Keigo said. "Finally, I remember everything. You tried to use me as your tool. You tried to persuade me. You let me believe that you and I are the same person."
"So many years, I was hidden in your soul, without that you ever mentioned me. I am you!" the Hollow ranted. "Accept it!"
"NO! NO, YOU... ARE NOT A PART OF ME!" Keigo screamed and hit with is fist into his Hollow-twin's face... "AND I WILL NEVER ACCEPT YOU!"
The Hollow roared in pain.
Outside of Keigo's soul, Ichigo had to see how Keigo rolled himself over the ground like a maniac and shacked like he had an epileptic-attack. The others meanwhile, were horrified...
"THE SCREEN! FOCUS ON THE SCREEN!" Orihime yelled. Realizing that it was working.
Keigo meanwhile saw the other creature again. The creature that appeared in his dreams earlier. The one with the much friendlier voice.
"You can do it! I know you can! You and him maybe look like the same... But you are not the same!" the spirit said and lift his hand like he was offering Keigo a handshake.
"So, who do you believe more?" Hollow-Keigo bawled. "Do you believe yourself, or on this Runaway-guy?"
Keigo squinted to the 'Runaway-guy' and then looked on his Hollow-Me again.
"I... chose the right way. I decide to... not to run away anymore. I won't hide. Especially not behind you and of course... not FROM YOU!"
Keigo chose for the right: His Zanpakutou! So, he took the spirits hand, and start to feel this incredible energy immediately...
Keigo's body start to glow. Ichigo turned away scared when he saw the bright light. The earth starts to quake. Keigo's body looked like it was torn into two in the middle.
The others watched in Horror Keigo literally being torn into two. Makoto was so scared that she dropped the camera and ran away. Keigo was right when he once said that this is too hot for her. The others meanwhile saw that the Hollow was finally being pushed out of him. The strong blow of spiritual energy knocked everyone down again. But Keigo was still awake and saw the Hollow now standing right next to him. It wanted to leave. It needed a body… and Keigo's baby would be perfect. Keigo knew that and followed him, while the others were out of action.
He had no clue how he was able to follow him. Or why… or where that new Katana in his hand came from… is that his? Everything happened so fast. It was like a dream… and just after a second or two, Keigo finally reached his Hollow-doppelganger.
"If you kill me, you will kill yourself, too!" it said.
"That's worth it!" Keigo said angrily. "I know it. You let me think that everyone conspired against me, long enough."
Keigo attacked, but his Hollow blocked and attacked self. But Keigo was able to dodge.
"And now? Are you really going to kill me and you, too?"
"Yes, if it is really necessary to protect my child!" Keigo said determined and looked into his Hollow's eyes. "Maybe we look like the same and maybe we might be equally strong... but you are not a part of me... You just told it by yourself! You are not more than a parasite!"
The Hollow-Keigo was so shocked, that he lost composure for a second. Keigo used this moment to give him the rest. And so, he first cut off his Hollow's hands, before he cut him in the middle...
The others screamed loudly when they saw that Keigo finally cut his Inner-Hollow into pieces...
Keigo didn't regret it, when he saw his Hollow-doppelganger vanishing into nothing. That's it. It's over…
"KEIGO, NOOOO…" he heard Ichigo screaming from the distance. But Keigo didn't care.
Keigo was falling like a stone. He didn't resist. He closed his eyes that filled with tears again and mentally prepared for his end. The end. The end without anything. He may win against the monster inside him and saved his child's life. But now everyone knew about him or her. Now he could only hope that Akira does not go to his sister or his parents or to Ichigo. He did not want his child to go through the same shit as he did.
His life passed in his minds… it was over… the only thing that let him hope was that Akira probably takes the child and takes him away. No matter where, just out of Tokyo and as far as possible away from the Shinigami and his relatives.
But suddenly, Keigo could feel that someone literally 'cached' him and stopped his fall abruptly. The last thing Keigo mentioned before he became unconscious, was a loud cry that sound kind of 'relieved' and something orange…
"You again… " Keigo murmured before fading away.
Please Review and keep well.
I want to thank all my loyal readers for following my story. And I want to apologize for the long delay of this chapter. My job only allows writing once a week and my old computer broke down after 12 years of usage. Losing nearly all my old data. This story is going to end with the next chapter.