Chapter 39:

"Little Shiro!" Momo came running to her friend as quickly as she could, finding him by scent. "Little Shiro! It's bad! Shinji! He..!"

Hitsugaya ran to her seeing her so shaken and asked her what was going on.

She looked like she was about to cry. "Renji knows. He knows Shinji's a werewolf. He attacked him with silver and made him change partway then call for reinforcements to attack him. He ran off. I didn't go after him because I had to warn you. I think Renji suspects you, too. He mentioned you by name."

"Renji's out of his cell? Ikkaku must be, too. Where is Shinji now?"

Momo shook her head. "I don't know. He ran off. And Renji went away smiling. I don't know what he'll do next."

Hitsugaya moved closer. "Does he suspect you?"

She shook her head again. "Shinji grabbed the silver bracelet before it could touch me. I think he was protecting me. Only he got…"

"That's fine," said Hitsugaya. "We can still…"

He and Momo both looked to the side as someone stepped out into the open with a smirk.

"Well," said Kira. "Isn't this a familiar sight?" He drew his sword and pointed it at Hitsugaya. "I'm getting nostalgic. All we need now is for Momo to come at me and it will be just like old times."

"How dare you bring that up," barked Hitsugaya.

"What? You mean the night she tried to kill you and attacked me? All because of Aizen."

"Don't mention his name," Hitsugaya warned, stepping in front of Momo.

Kira was still smiling, though it was more loving than sadistic. "I have to say, though, that I at last understand why you did that, Momo." He lowered his sword slightly as he spoke. "I thought you flew off the handle, went to such extremes, but I get it. At last, I get it."

Momo didn't respond, standing where she was and watching him with a frown.

"I have someone I feel the same way about. Only, when I attack my friends, I don't feel guilty about it. Because I know I'm doing the right thing. I do it out of love."

"Your love's pretty twisted," said Hitsugaya.

"No, it isn't. Because I understand. I mean, everything I do, I do for him. Feeding him, protecting him. Pleasing him." Kira smiled affectionately, looking beyond them at something else. "I have such a sense of fulfillment now. I know at last what I am meant to do. That's why I don't feel guilty about it. Why I'm able to attack my friends and not feel a thing. It's because I'm doing things for the right reasons."

"What reasons are those?"

Kira looked directly at Hitsugaya and said, "You wouldn't understand because you don't feel it."

"Kira… You are a sensitive and caring man who would never attack his friends without feeling some remorse over it. You were torn apart that night you and Momo clashed blades. You can't tell me you're fine with this."

"But I am," said Kira. "If I don't feel a thing, what's the problem?"

"That usually means there is a problem. When you don't feel."

"All the feelings I have are for Byakuya. Not you." Kira frowned and pointed his sword at Hitsugaya. "Why would I feel anything but malice towards the ones who wish to do him harm?"

"We're not trying to harm him."

"Then why are you getting in the way? You need to let Byakuya do as he wants."

"He's the one doing people harm."

"How?" asked Kira. "He's given me clarity. He needs blood to live and in return the person he feeds upon is set free. How is this bad? Seems like a win-win to me."

"Because you all end up like this," said Hitsugaya, gesturing to Kira's body. "You're willing to shirk your duties to cater to his every whim. You're willing to attack friends because he asks you to. You've changed and not for the better. He runs you ragged; he forces you to spend time away from the people who needs you."

"It's not forced if we want to."

"But you shouldn't want to. You put your lives on hold for him and in the end, you're just food. He can replace you with anyone he wants. And that doesn't bother you?"

"Not really, no." Kira really didn't mind any of this, whether or not he knew it as truth. As long as he was useful to Byakuya, no matter how that role was filled, he was content.

Hitsugaya stood tall in front of Kira, showing no fear. "I can't have him keep feeding on people like this. He's creating an army of slaves who don't care about anything but him and his desires. You'd gladly throw yourselves off a building if he asked, with no reason for it."

"What's wrong with that?"

"When you're willing to throw your life away for his whims isn't a problem should tell you there's a problem," Hitsugaya told him firmly. "You should have wills of your own, for crying out loud."

"I choose to do these of my own free will," said Kira. "Why shouldn't you want the person you love to be happy?"

"When their happiness causes harm to another it's not a good thing. Sometimes you have to refuse them."

"That isn't love, then."

"You can refuse someone out of love because it's for their own good. If Byakuya continues down this path, there will be no going back. He'll become an enemy and multiple people will come after him."

"Which is why we must eliminate as many as possible." Kira pointed his sword at him again. "Starting with you werewolves. You're trying to prevent him from doing as he wants and drawing attention to him. You're the threat."

Kira launched himself at Hitsugaya at the same time Momo stepped in front with her own sword drawn. Hitsugaya immediately protested.

"It's ok," she told him. "I got this, Little Shiro. Get out of here."

Kira laughed cruelly at her. "Now this is like old times."

"Momo, stop," said Hitsugaya. "You don't have to. I can handle him."

"You need to get out of here. There are others to think of."

She was right. He wasn't the only werewolf who needed to be warned. He had to find Hisagi before he was targeted, too.

Nodding, Hitsugaya took off, worried about her being in this familiar situation.

"Protecting him, huh?" Kira pushed against her sword. "Are you a werewolf, too?"

"Do I look like one?" she asked.

"Then why protect him? Aren't you worried he'll come after you?"

"He's my friend," she told him.

"Huh. Same friend you were willing to kill because of a letter of lies?"

Momo flinched and Kira forced her back. She swung at him again but he easily blocked.

"Face it," he taunted. "You're too frail. Too emotional. There's not a brain in your head. You're so gullible."

Momo's hands trembled.

"You know how I feel because you've been there yourself, only I've felt it stronger. You should understand better than anyone. We shouldn't be fighting each other. We need to go after that mutt who threatens a good man's way of life."

"Shut up!" Momo pushed him back but he returned with a stronger attack, pushing her backwards. "You're under someone's spell. You're not like this."

"But you were and not under anyone's spell."

"I… I wasn't…"

"If I'm the bad guy for being under someone's spell, what's that say about you? You're worse! You don't deserve pity. You're pathetic. So blind you can't see what's right in front of you. Willing to kill your friend because someone said so. You were under no one's spell. You're just you. Wow. You're a real piece of work, Momo. You don't deserve to open your mouth."

"Hado 31, Shakkaho!" Momo aimed at Kira's feet and he immediately jumped back away from her. He looked up to see the resolve on her face.

She had been dealing with these feelings for a long time and had plenty of self-doubt. She beat herself up over the past and heard everything he said come from her own mouth about herself. For a time, she hated herself.

But when she looked around, her friends were still there despite the past. They didn't hate her. They supported her and Hitsugaya held no hard feelings against her. He was still willing to protect her.

Even Kira. And that Kira would never say such things.

"You think by saying these things I'll be easier to fight," she said to him with newfound strength. "That goes to show that you think I'm a threat. You don't think you can beat me without cheap tricks."

"I'll prove to you I can," said Kira and lifted his sword. "Raise your head, Wabisuke!"

Momo did not release her Zanpakuto's power, determined to finish this another way. She focused on evading, knowing what would happen if that sword cut her.

The sun just set behind the walls of the Seireitei and Hitsugaya could feel himself becoming more anxious. He hoped Momo would be alright battling Kira on her own. He hoped finding Hisagi wouldn't be too difficult.

As he neared the Division, something broke through the window of a building and fell to the ground in front of Hitsugaya. He stopped short, soon realizing it was Hisagi who had been thrown through the glass. Above, Kensei placed his foot on the windowsill to look down at his work. Moments later, he jumped from his perch and landed beside Hisagi.

Hisagi struggled up and as soon as he did, got a knee to the chin.

"Stop it!" Hitsugaya ordered. "What's the meaning of this?"

"Don't pretend you don't know," said Kensei. "You're a werewolf and so is Hisagi. You've been plotting against Byakuya for some time now. And we're going to put a stop to it."

"Captain, Byakuya's using you. He doesn't-" A kick to the ribs cut Hisagi off.

"Enough," said Hitsugaya, stepping between them. "We're actually trying to help Byakuya. After all, we could have ratted him out and didn't. What's that tell you? We also could have had him caged and didn't. We never fought him."

"Not directly because you're too much of a coward to tackle him head-on. You went after his blood supply to weaken him and ratted us out to Soi Fon and who knows who else?"

"It's not what you think," insisted Hitsugaya, though he knew there wasn't a point in arguing.

Kensei didn't reach for his weapon, preferring to use his fists and got into position. "Your blood would be unsuitable for Byakuya, but I'll let him decide what to do after we're through."

"Don't do this," Hisagi begged. "I know you don't mean it."

"The hell I don't!" Kensei came at him with full force to prove his point. Hitsugaya did not back down and Hisagi didn't try to run. However, Kensei's punch never landed.

Only when Shinji managed to change back into Soul Reaper form did he dare leave the bathroom. He peered around carefully before stepping outside. Even vigilant, something startled him in the hall. Nanao stood with Akon beside Ichigo who kept his distance from Shinji.

Shinji didn't say anything, unsure of what Ichigo was planning.

"He knows, doesn't he?" asked Ichigo.

Shinji knew exactly to what Ichigo was inferring and nodded.

Ichigo extended his hand to Shinji. "I don't want him running around anymore than you do. So let's stop this."

Shinji nodded and took Ichigo's hand.

Kensei's punch never landed because he was struck from behind by kido and forced to the side. Nanao stood behind him with her hand straight out, responsible for the sneak attack. Shinji stood with her and came running to check on his friends as soon as Kensei was out of the way.

"Are you guys alright?"

Hitsugaya looked at Nanao and back at Shinji. "Are you?" He knew Nanao was with Ichigo and wondered what this meant if Shinji was with her, too.

"It's fine. Ichigo still wants to help us."

"Where is he?"

"Nearby is all I know," answered Shinji. "We're starting to get a lot of attention so Akon decided to utilize Rangiku's power once again."

Since so many people were still looking for the creature they saw flee from before, the streets were covered in Soul Reapers with weapons drawn. Maintaining the secret was the least of their problems, knowing that they could get caught in the crossfire of the ensuing battle or become Byakuya's newest victims. Since the Stealth Force had yet to respond, Byakuya was looking to replace them with just about anyone he could use as a shield. Since Byakuya had yet to be found out, if Hitsugaya's group saw them fighting, they'd come to Byakuya's defense, whether or not they were his slaves, especially if any of them were in wolf form.

Yumichika's voice had stopped them before, but had since stopped singing. Those who weren't injured continued the search and, after word had spread, several other Soul Reapers from different Squads did as well.

It was easy to convince Rangiku to do what a succubus did best and, since he was already under Ichigo's power, Akon was immune to Rangiku's.

As the sun's light diminished, Rangiku's body went through its nightly metamorphosis. Her bat wings spread and her long skinny tail danced behind her as she stood tall on a roof. She let them all gaze upon her, unashamed.

The female Soul Reapers caught sight of her and gasped in fright. The male Soul Reapers gasped in delight. Her succubus form was beautiful to them, not terrifying. They didn't want to search for the monster anymore in favor of staring at her.

A couple of women took initiative and tried to attack her only to be held back by the men. They insisted she was too lovely to harm and that anything that beautiful could not be dangerous. There was an argument, but, given that there were more men than women, the fight was pretty one-sided. There was nothing the women could do with so many men holding them back and praising Rangiku's beauty.

"That should keep them busy for a while," said Akon, walking away to do his next job.

Hitsugaya was upset at the fact that Rangiku had to get dragged into this. He wanted to keep her out of it just in case anything happened. After all, her powers wouldn't work on Byakuya. She would be easy prey if she tried.

"At least she's keeping the people from coming this way and into a battle of monsters," Shinji reasoned.

Hitsugaya still didn't approve.

They turned to face Kensei who was getting to his feet. Nanao stood further away, ready if anything happened. He didn't attack, looking behind him at something then calmly moving aside.

Behind him emerged Byakuya along with Renji and Ikkaku. Byakuya stood beside Kensei, looking at Hitsugaya and his group.

"So," he said slowly, "this is your merry band of werewolves. I have to say, I should be more surprised but I'm not. After all, I am a vampire. There was something odd about Yumichika, too. Now I know why."

"There's no need to attack us," said Hitsugaya. "We never attacked you."

"Not directly."

"Yes, yes, the whole blood thing. We heard and it's not what you think. Targeting the blood bank hurts us all. We couldn't let you keep going after it. And you already have servants to do your bidding and being your food. There's no need to accumulate more."

"You know nothing," said Byakuya. "I see no reason to limit myself. Why hold back when I'm capable of so much?"

"Just because someone's capable doesn't mean they should do it. If we didn't hold back in the World of the Living, we'd end up killing a lot of innocent people. Sometimes, you have to restrain yourself."

"I see no reason to," said Byakuya. "And who's killing? So far, I have not killed a single person I've fed upon. However, if you were to limit my supply, there's a good chance I would because I wouldn't have enough to drink. So really, you're the ones doing more harm than good. And is what I'm doing really so bad? They don't seem to mind."

"You know why that is, don't you?" asked Shinji.

Byakuya brushed his hair aside in answer.

"Byakuya, be reasonable," said Hitsugaya. "We don't want to fight. We could have ratted you out at any time and didn't. Why do it to us?"

"Because you won't let me do what I want. Therefore, you're a threat."

"That's such a bratty kid thing to say," said Shinji. "Because someone won't let you have what you want, they're an enemy, even if it's for your own good."

"Indeed," said Byakuya. "Well, I'm pretty sure this proves my point."

As he said this, Byakuya snatched something out of the air and crushed it between his fingers. A green liquid oozed out of the crushed glass and onto the ground. Byakuya looked in the direction it was fired and returned what was left with a flick of his wrist.

Akon yelped from his hiding space and fell, wiping the glass and ooze from his face.

Hitsugaya saw what had happened and knew. Akon was trying to fire the cure into Byakuya while he was distracted but Byakuya sensed him and destroyed it before it could enter his skin.

"Nice try," said Byakuya. "But I could sense you a mile away." He looked to his right. "Renji, make sure he doesn't have more of those on him. And make sure he doesn't get the chance to use them."

Nodding, Renji jumped from where he was to go after Akon who was still hunched over, rubbing his face. Renji grabbed him by his lab coat and threw him off the roof. Once on the ground, Renji stood on Akon's lab coat to make sure he couldn't escape and grabbed him by the arm, getting ready to twist. He was going to break his arms to render them useless and do more to Akon after he couldn't fight back.

"Wait," came Ichigo's voice. He appeared on a different roof, looking down at the assembled group with the night sky on his back.

"Aw," cooed Byakuya cruelly. "Come to save your servant? How sweet."

"More than what you'd do for them," he retorted.

"I can always make more."

"But some are too valuable to replace, right, Byakuya?"

Byakuya dropped the smile. "So… he's valuable to you, is he? Good."

"Not anymore," said Ichigo. "I got what I needed from him."

"Then why save him?"

"I'm not as heartless as you," Ichigo told him.

Byakuya didn't take offense to this remark. Instead, he chuckled and said, "This is how you show gratitude, Ichigo? I made you experience true happiness. The joys of serving. And now that I've made you a vampire like myself, you seek to harm me?"

"Not harm you," corrected Ichigo. "Cure you. Akon had been working on one for some time and finally got it finished. We can't have two vampires running around."

"Then, if it's so bad, why not use that cure on yourself?" Byakuya asked him.

"Because," answered Ichigo, "I will be the one vampire left standing."

Byakuya frowned while the rest of his face remained unchanged.

Shinji looked at Ichigo in surprise and said, "Ichigo, but you-"

"I said there couldn't be two of us. Once I cure Byakuya, I'll be the only vampire left. We'll never have to fight over territory because there will be only one. And I will be that one."

"I thought you wanted to go home," said Shinji. "You resented Byakuya for making you into this."

"Yes," said Ichigo slowly. "And I'm making him regret it."

"If you're a vampire, you can never go home," Hitsugaya told him. "What about your family?"

Ichigo looked down, pained. "I know…" He gripped the tiles of the roof so tightly they began to crack. "Yuzu and Karin… My friends… I can't go back without putting them in danger."

"Exactly," Hitsugaya said, hopeful.

Ichigo still looked pained, mulling this over. "If I go back, it's only a matter of time before I start looking at them as food. My sisters will be the easiest. But… I'm the only one to turn. Maybe it's because I'm human. So if I bite them, there's a chance…"

"Exactly," said Hitsugaya again. "You'd be taking a huge risk. And no matter what, they'll never be the same."

"Yes," said Ichigo. "But… Maybe they'll like being vampires."

"Huh?" Hitsugaya breathed, hearing Ichigo's soft voice so clearly and the realization that came with it. Ichigo was seriously considering this.

Ichigo lifted his head. "It'll be an adjustment, sure, but they'll learn to like it. I can share something with them. We'll be together. Though… Yuzu does all her shopping during the day. She has school, too. She was so excited to start going to the upper school. Her new uniform… Karin loves soccer. She can play that during the night, but all her friends play during the day. I'd play with her. It'd be great. But her friends… She likes hanging out with them. Yuzu's more excited about school than Karin, but…"

It sounded like Ichigo was contemplating the pros and cons of biting his sister, showing everyone that he wasn't too far gone yet. However, the fact that he had to debate this with himself was concerning. He was progressing quickly into the vampire mindset.

"Ichigo, it's your sisters," Shinji called up to him. "Is this really such a dilemma? No matter what, you'd be taking something from them. Whether it's life in the sun or their freedom, this effects their lives. They'll never be the same. Do you really want to do that to them?"

"They'd be giving up their lives to devote themselves to you completely," said Hisagi. "If you bite them and they don't turn."

"And if they do, their lives will never be the same. A life of enteral darkness and having to hide. Giving up their friends and hobbies. Do you really want to do that to them? Your little sisters?"

Ichigo looked hurt when he looked down at them, as if shocked he was considering such a thing.

"Ichigo," said Shinji. "We're all going to be cured. We'll cure you and Byakuya. You can go back to your old lives. You can be cured. All of us."

Ichigo's face no longer looked pained. He looked away from Shinji as he spoke. "I don't want to."

"What?"

"I don't want to be cured," Ichigo said louder, looking at him again. "Byakuya made me this way, so I'll get him back by curing him. But I'm staying this way. I like being a vampire. I don't want to change back."

"But what about your family? You just said-"

"I don't have to bite my sisters. I have all of Karakura Town to feed off of. So many unsuspecting humans who don't stand a chance. And my friends. It wouldn't be so bad to have their devotion, altered, of course. They'll listen to anything I say. No lip. No arguments. I wonder what a Quincy would taste like..?"

The vampire side of him was taking over. At the premise of being cured, the vampire in him that did not want to go was doing its part to convince Ichigo that this was the right way to be. That he did not and should not want to be cured.

"I don't have to be a Soul Reaper to have power. I'm stronger and faster than I've ever been and I'm in my human body. Why give this up? I can fly and make people do my bidding just by looking at them. And blood tastes pretty good, actually. Why go back? I want to stay a vampire."

No wonder Byakuya also resisted the cure.

Byakuya…

Ichigo looked back down at him and remembered.

"That's right. I am a vampire. And soon the only vampire."

That was the signal for Akon to do his part. He reached into his pocket with his free arm and threw an orb towards Byakuya. A mist leaked from the opening and filled the air like a smoke bomb. One smelling strongly of garlic.

Akon had managed to weaponize the garlic as previously discussed and it worked like a charm. Byakuya hissed and jumped to the roof to avoid the mist where Ichigo was waiting to pushed him back into it. The mist irritated his skin and made him wail in pain. Renji dropped Akon to rescue his master.

Nanao wasn't going to allow this and fired kido at Renji to slow him down. Kensei attacked her from the side, allowing Renji to continue forward. Byakuya sprang up out of the cloud before Renji could reach him to attack Ichigo in retaliation. Ichigo avoided him easily and took off laughing. Byakuya followed him angrily. Several tried to follow from the ground but there was a problem.

Everyone able to stand was squaring off against a foe of the opposing team. No one could advance until someone was pushed aside.

"We got this, Hitsugaya," said Shinji. "Go after them."

Hisagi nodded in agreement. "Hurry up."

"Thanks, guys." Hitsugaya ran after Ichigo and Byakuya.

When Byakuya's forces tried to stop him, Shinji, Hisagi and Nanao forced them back. As soon as there was an opening, Nanao went after the vampires as well.

Renji, Ikkaku and Kensei glared at the werewolves blocking their way.

"What do you think?" asked Shinji to Hisagi. "Three against two?"

"Good odds, if you ask me," said Hisagi, smirking.