Chapter 34:

Hitsugaya sniffed the air. It seemed the Stealth Force were congregating near his office today. He made sure not to display any wolf attributes with them so close by. Momo and Hisagi were in their own Divisions today doing work so no one would suspect. Hitsugaya wondered if they've noticed the smell in the air and hoped they were handling it properly.

He sensed a shift in the air and knew several members had left to venture elsewhere. He ignored it while hoping it wasn't about any of his friends.

Down the street, Soi Fon and her Lieutenant were confronting Ikkaku on the street about everything Shinji had brought up. Omaeda wasn't too concerned but his seriousness was displayed in how empty his hands were of snacks as his Captain addressed the man.

Ikkaku tried to ignore most of what she was accusing him of but as soon as Byakuya was brought into the conversation, he changed his tune.

"We're not saying you did anything," said Omaeda. "We're just saying it looks suspicious."

"Why have you been spending all this time away from your Division?" demanded Soi Fon. "Witnesses say you've been hanging around Byakuya's office a lot these days and you have no business there. Care to explain?"

"You know anything about the missing blood packs because we're kind of up the creek on this one," said Omaeda and Soi Fon didn't react to his remark, focused on Ikkaku.

"Well?" she pressed. Ikkaku was acting suspiciously. "If you don't share what you know, we'll just go to Kuchiki's and ask him."

At first, Ikkaku thought Soi Fon would make an excellent meal for Byakuya, but Omaeda was sure to follow and Byakuya didn't like feeding off two people at once. Soi Fon was also incredibly fast. She may have been just as fast as Byakuya, which made her formidable.

If she confronted him during the day, Byakuya would either be asleep or dozing. Byakuya was weaker in the daytime, which meant taking someone like her there now would be too risky. It also sounded like more people were discussing this matter which meant Soi Fon wasn't the only one to target. Based on everything she knew and what she suspected, the safest route was…

"It was me. I did it," said Ikkaku. "I stole a couple blood packs from the sickbay and squeezed them onto Kuchiki's papers to frame him as a joke. I didn't think it was a big deal so…"

Omaeda, stunned, let his mouth fall open.

Soi Fon didn't react beyond asking a few follow-up questions. "Why?"

"I got drunk," Ikkaku told her. "We had been talking smack about the guy and it just sort of led to this. What do you want? I was drunk. I wasn't thinking."

Soi Fon wasn't convinced. "And the time you've been spending around his office?"

"Just spying on the guy. Planning on the best time to prank him."

If Ikkaku had been drunk when he did this as he claimed, he wouldn't have gone through all that effort. This seemed premeditated to her.

"How'd you get the blood packs?"

"I found them," answered Ikkaku.

She didn't believe him. She could tell this was a false confession but she could also tell that he knew more than he was letting on. Soi Fon decided to put Ikkaku into a holding cell until they could figure out what to do.

"Going to interrogate him?" Omaeda asked her.

"Someone will. Just have to figure out who." She folded her arms, turning her back on the building Ikkaku was now in. "I don't buy it. He's lying."

"Think he's covering for someone?"

"Can't tell. Ikkaku doesn't seem like himself. That much I know. I also know he knows something and he's not talking."

"Well, if more go missing while he's locked up, we'll know he didn't do it," said Omaeda.

"Idiot, he didn't confess to taking the blood. Just some of it to do a prank. He won't say how he got the blood, but if he managed to get his hands on it, he must know how. He could reveal the flaw in our trap."

"What if he found them?"

"Found them? Please. He knows more than he's saying." Soi Fon started to walk away. "We'll give him a little while to think it over while we do more investigating ourselves. We'll solve this mystery one way or another."

Byakuya was worried. Ichigo hadn't woken up all day, which he had done before, but this time seemed different. He wasn't moving at all and he was very pale. He told himself Ichigo would wake up for a minute or two then go back to sleep as before. It would just take some time for him to recover because he was human. However, Ichigo would move a little when touched; this time he didn't. When Byakuya caressed his face, he didn't react at all. This was very concerning.

Night had fallen and Ichigo still wasn't moving. Byakuya worried he had either killed Ichigo or put him in a coma from blood loss. Since it was evening, Byakuya was more awake and aware of Ichigo's condition, making him worry.

Renji was still beside the bed keeping an eye on Ichigo's condition but his head was starting to bob. He had been up all night yesterday, watching Ichigo, and all day today and was starting to pull another all-nighter. Renji just couldn't stay awake for much longer, no matter his determination to obey Byakuya's order, and watching someone sleep wasn't exactly stimulating.

Seeing Renji's body dip to one side, Byakuya understood one's physical limitations and took pity on the drowsy Soul Reaper. "Renji, you are free to sleep. I will keep an eye on Ichigo."

Renji answered by falling over, snoring before he hit the ground.

Byakuya watched Ichigo for a few minutes and soon grew restless, wanting to use the night as it was intended to be used by a vampire. After all, this was when they were most active.

At that moment, Ichigo began to move.

It was such a relief to see the boy stretch on the bed with a groan and sit up rubbing his neck and shoulders. Ichigo yawned widely and ruffled his hair, blinking sleepily from where he sat. He began to look around the room, once again confused as to where he was.

"I fell asleep?" Ichigo was starting to wonder if earlier had been a dream and it was still the same day he had come here with Rukia. He couldn't fathom one person sleeping for so long off and on unless they were sick with a fever. If he was truly exhausted, he would have slept straight for this length of time.

Byakuya wanted more from him but had to resist. He just fed off Ichigo twice in twenty-four hours and knew his blood hadn't been fully replenished from the first time. If he fed from him a third time, he would kill him.

Ichigo turned his way, rubbing his eyes. "How long have I been sleeping?"

"A few hours," answered Byakuya, expecting Ichigo's breath to catch in this throat like before but it didn't this time. "I'll be heading out."

"Ok," Ichigo responded.

Byakuya looked at him in mild surprise. He expected Ichigo to offer to go with him or ask for an order. Then again, it was also common for his servants to stay and wait for an order, so this wasn't too odd.

"You're free to return to your world but if you're going to remain here, try to stay out of sight."

He expected an obedient 'yes' but not a question.

"Ok, why?" asked Ichigo.

Byakuya turned to him, unused to this. "I don't want Rukia to find you."

Ichigo looked his way. "Ok." His eyes were red.

Byakuya came closer to take a better look, feeling himself grow alarmed.

Ichigo stared up at him with brown eyes. "W- what?"

Byakuya slowly moved away. "Nothing. Trick of the light, I think."

When Hitsugaya sniffed the air this time, he caught the scent of several members of the Stealth Force. It seemed that after Ikkaku's 'confession' and detainment, all of Byakuya's spies were on high alert. This was what Hitsugaya was afraid of. Now they knew people suspected.

Hitsugaya had to be careful when he went into the forest this time, fearing he would be tracked. Thankfully he wasn't followed and was able to transform in peace.

Hisagi and Momo were there along with Shinji who all expressed their concern about the increased activity of Byakuya's forces.

"We have one less to worry about, though," defended Shinji. "Ikkaku is strong."

"But at what cost?" asked Momo. "Now they're on high alert which is bad for us. It'll be harder now, won't it?"

"It would have been better if he had managed to isolate all of them at once," said Hisagi. "A blow to his forces like that… But that would be even worse because he'd know for sure. But I agree with Momo. It will be harder now."

"I admit that doing it one at a time is tedious, but there's no way we could get most of them locked up at once," said Shinji. "I tried to get Renji, but I guess Soi Fon hasn't spoken with him yet."

"Why would she if Ikkaku confessed?"

"Professionalism. His name came up so she has to look into it, doesn't she?"

Yumichika stepped over to the group with a frown. "Ikkaku? Really? Why was he the first one you pointed fingers at?"

Hisagi sighed and spoke thinking Yumichika couldn't understand them in wolf form. "Don't get your feathers in a bunch. Shinji tried to get Renji first. Why they chose Ikkaku is beyond me."

"Why name-drop him when you already mentioned Renji?" asked Yumcihika. "Focus on one at a time, honestly."

The group looked up at him in surprise.

"How'd he know we mentioned Renji first?"

"I'm standing right here," said Yumichika. "I heard you."

Hitsugaya stood up and faced Yumichika with wide eyes. "You can understand us?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"It's just… Everyone else only hears barking when we're in wolf form. You're the only one who…" Hitsugaya paused and chuckled. "Of course. You're part bird now. You can probably understand most animals."

"Makes more sense for him to understand birds but wolves? Can animals understand all animal languages or just their own kind?" asked Shinji. "I'm curious."

"This is good, though," said Hisagi. "Yumichika can understand us in our wolf form. We can talk to him without anyone else knowing what we're saying."

"A secret code," said Momo in excitement.

Yumichika smirked at the notion. "I like the sound of that."

If they ever needed to communicate without anyone knowing what was discussed, they would appear to Yumichika in wolf form and converse then. Yumichika seemed excited by the idea and was more than willing to go along with it. It made Hitsugaya feel a lot better, too.

"Calm down, Ichigo! Calm down!"

"Augh!" Ichigo writhed on the bed in agony. He hadn't eaten in so long but was repulse by even the smell of food. He complained of thirst but no matter what they brought him, his thirst couldn't be quenched. He spat it out the second it hit his tongue. "So thirsty..! I need to drink something!"

"Here." Kira brought Ichigo some water but before he could put it to his lips, Ichigo slapped it out of his hand.

"Thirsty!" Ichigo wailed.

Renji was starting to lose his temper, at a loss for what to do. Had it not been for Byakuya's order to take care of Ichigo and keep him safe, he would have either ignored Ichigo's cries or thrown him out the door.

"We've tried tea, juice, milk and water. You don't like any of it. What more can we do?"

Ichigo rolled from side to side on the bed, moaning. The more he moved, the thirstier he became, but he had to move, trying to escape the pain. Before, he was just parched, but now it was anguish. He needed something to sooth his throat. Something to fill his belly.

"Please," he begged, at a loss as well. "Please!"

Renji didn't know what else to do. "Kira, get him some sake. See if that calms him down."

Kira raised his brow at Renji. "Is he old enough for sake?"

"Who cares? If he keeps carrying on like this, everyone in the building will hear him and break down the door." He was going to put a gag in his mouth, but Renji's interpretation of his master's orders believed that would do him harm. After all, if Ichigo couldn't tell them what was wrong, they couldn't help him and Byakuya wanted them to help him.

"Rangiku keeps some in her office. I'll go get it."

"All the way there? Isn't there anything closer?"

Ichigo's vision was blurring. He had been hazy for the past couple of hours. He didn't have the strength to stand but could roll on the bed, though that was slowly sapping away at his strength. He felt like he was dying.

Why were they torturing him like this? Why weren't they helping him? He needed help. He needed…

He needed…

As the two argued, Ichigo used the last of his strength to launch himself off the bed and at Kira, biting down on his right forearm midflight.

He tasted blood and knew at last what he needed.

"Ow! Ichigo!"

"Get off him!"

Ichigo sucked on Kira's arm while Renji attempted to pull him off. Pried loose, Ichigo was flung onto the bed as Renji checked on Kira sitting on the floor. Ichigo ran his tongue over his teeth, savoring the flavor of blood in his mouth. The haze began to clear and he felt strength return to his body.

"Are you ok?" Renji asked Kira in the meantime.

Kira looked at his arm and nodded. "Yeah, I think so."

"Why'd you do that?" asked Renji to Ichigo.

Ichigo sat up and looked at him with a frown. "I don't know," he said like a stubborn child. "Just felt like it, I guess."

"Just felt like it?"

Ichigo swung his legs over the side of the bed. "Can I go now? I want to leave."

"What about your thirst and pain?"

Ichigo rubbed his arm, looking at the ground. "It went away," he said simply.

The two weren't sure if they should allow Ichigo to leave. Byakuya didn't want Rukia to see him but she was in a meeting right now so this was the best time to let him go home. They also had to verify his condition before they did anything, though that wasn't top priority.

"I need to use the bathroom," Ichigo told them and they then allowed him to leave. With an escort.

Renji walked with Ichigo to the bathroom and stood guard in the hall just in case. While Ichigo took his time, Renji heard his name and turned around. Soi Fon was there with Omaeda and the two immediately started bombarding him with questions.

Inside the bathroom, Ichigo washed his hands and tried to look at himself in the mirror. He wanted to check his eyes to see if they were irritated. "Huh?" He couldn't see himself. "I thought this was a mirror…"

Ichigo turned around at the stalls behind him and back to the framed glass showing a reflection of them in front of him. He put his hand to the smooth surface but his hand was never reflected. He moved from side to side to test if it was a picture instead of a mirror but the image changed based on where he stood, just as a mirror would. This had to be a mirror.

"Then why..?" Why couldn't he see himself in it?

Telling himself it was a trick of some kind, Ichigo dried his hands and started to leave.

He started to feel lightheaded again and braced himself against the wall. His mouth felt dry. He wanted another drink. The water from the sink tasted awful and did nothing to alleviate the discomfort.

He knew what he needed, though it didn't make sense.

"Why do I..?" Ichigo rubbed his head hazily, feeling himself slip into a fog. It was hard to think about anything other than what he craved.

Before he knew it, he had left the bathroom. Renji was no longer in the hall, not that he noticed as he walked down the hall in a daze.

He opened the door to go outside. As he left the shade of the building, the sunlight hit his skin like a hot iron and he cried out in pain. He covered his head with his arms and retreated into an alley in a panic. The sunlight was blinding and burned him.

What was happening?

He stayed huddled in the shadows between buildings, trying to figure out what to do. He didn't want to be here. He was uncomfortable and hungry and tired and confused.

"Uh, hey, Ichigo."

He looked up and saw Shinji watching him from the street.

Shinji treaded carefully, knowing Ichigo had been bitten and most likely answered to Byakuya as all the others. However, Ichigo didn't seem the same as everyone else. For one thing, he looked more scared than elated.

"Are you ok?"

Ichigo reached for Shinji. He stepped closer, thinking this was a trap the entire time. He didn't smell anyone worrisome nearby and knew Ichigo was all alone. When he was close enough, Ichigo grabbed Shinji's wrist and tried to pull him down towards his open mouth.

Ichigo's eyes were bright red and he had fangs.

"Whoa!" Shinji pulled away from Ichigo in alarm.

Ichigo fell forward and hit the ground with a hiss. He quickly pulled himself up and crawled backwards, deeper into the alley. He looked like an injured puppy in the way he looked up at Shinji.

Shinji could only stare while his mouth voiced his concern for his friend. "Ichigo..?"

Ichigo turned and fled around the back of the building, frightened and confused by his own actions. He didn't know what was happening, but Shinji did.