The Whole Hollow

Thank you all for waiting, and here's the next chapter of this fanfic. I hope you enjoy this and all future chapters that I publish. I have plans for the series…up to the winter war arc, so I could use some help with that part.

Anyways, let's continue.

Also: this chapter is influenced by Not Quite As Planned, a great bleach fanfic.

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach.

Ichigo clutched the stump of his arm as the Captain in front of him smirked and flicked the blood off of his blade.

"Poor little Hollow," said the silver haired man, "but I guess you should expect this if you had the audacity to invade the Seireitei."

"Bastard," growled Ichigo, but suddenly he felt a slight drain on his Reiryoku and saw the blood from his arm turn into a bubbling white substance, causing the pain to subside.

"What?" said the silver haired Captain in surprise as the substance poured from Ichigo's wound, quickly forming into a new arm that replaced the one the Captain had chopped off, "High-speed regeneration?"

"Well what do you know," smirked Ichigo before he shot at the Captain, forcing him to go on the defensive.

"My my you're fast," said the Captain, "but I can't be slowed down by you right now, Hado #31: Shakkahō!"

The Shinigami blasted Ichigo with a crimson orb shot from his hand that erupted in an explosion that sent the Adjuchas flying back. Looking up as the smoke cleared, the Hollow noticed that the Captain had made his escape in the confusion.

"Dang it," sighed Ichigo, "but I guess it's better. I didn't want to attract attention anyway."

Tugging the Reitatsu concealing cloak tighter over his body, Ichigo disappeared in a blur of speed as he sought out information on Rukia's location.

"Getting a bit hungry," he muttered, "hopefully I find her before it gets too bad…not sure why we're helping a Shinigami though, but I won't abandon my friends."

xXsceneXx

After a few hours of creeping through the Seireitei, Ichigo was getting a bit hungry and still had no idea where Rukia was being held.

"This is just great," he sighed, "I don't want to resort to eating souls here, but I do need to devour something if I don't want to revert. Wait, didn't Urahara say that the Spirit world is made of Reishi or something? If that's what souls are made of, maybe I can eat the normal food here?"

Deciding that the hunger he was feeling was worth taking a few risks, Ichigo pulled the cloak tight around himself and headed off into the streets of the Seireitei, keeping well to the shadows as to avoid being seen. As he crept along, the sun began to sink lower in the sky, allowing him to find shadows to hide in that much easier.

Soon, Ichigo was resting in an alley eating some scraps that he'd managed to swipe from the trash as they were thrown out. The food wasn't the best, but it would keep him from going on a rampage.

"I'm really missing Yuzu's cooking right about now," sighed Ichigo as he tossed away a wrapper from an old meat bun, "I really wish I had some decent food."

Suddenly, he caught an aroma that smelled tauntingly delectable to his hungry senses. Keeping to the shadows, he managed to find an empty room where a tray had been set down with a traditional Japanese meal of rice, tea, and some fish. Deciding a little bit wouldn't hurt and would help stave off the hunger, he reached for some of the fish, but unfortunately, luck wasn't quite on his side this time.

"Hado #1: Sho!"

Ichigo felt a blast of force strike his side and found himself flying through the outer wall of the room. As he got up, he saw the stern face of a man with long white hair staring down at him as he held his hand out. In addition, he wore a white Haori over a standard Shinigami's outfit.

"I would not have thought that a Hollow would be able to infiltrate my office undetected," said the man, "much less one as strong as you. Now, what are you doing here?"

"Look," said Ichigo, "I don't want any trouble."

"And why would I believe anything a Hollow has to say?" asked the man.

"If I wanted to cause trouble, wouldn't I be doing something a lot more destructive than swiping scraps and leftovers?" asked Ichigo.

"Then why are you here?" asked the Shinigami Taicho, "Why did you break into the Seireitei?"

"Did you hear about a Shinigami named Rukia?" asked Ichigo, "apparently she was arrested for ignoring the presence of a powerful Hollow."

"Indeed," said the Taicho, "but how would you know about that unless…you were the Hollow."

"Yeah," sighed Ichigo, "sorry about that. My friends and I convinced her that I meant no harm. My only interest was keeping my home safe and I only targeted other Hollows that meant us harm."

"I have a hard time believing that a Hollow could evolve to Gillian and Adjuchas without endangering the humans in the area," said the man as he raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not completely sure how it happened," said Ichigo, "but I kinda skipped past the Gillian stage and went straight to Adjuchas. I was told that my increasing power would be a danger to everyone, so I've been staying in Hueco Mundo until an acquaintance of mine can find a way to keep my powers from hurting those around me."

"Why do you care so much about her?" asked the man.

"Because her situation is kinda my fault," said Ichigo, "we convinced her to stay her hand and because of it, she's being punished. We're here to keep her from being unjustly punished."

The man sighed and picked up the teapot in his office and poured a new cup of tea, before offering said cup to the young Hollow.

"Rukia is a member of my Division," said the man as he picked up his own cup and sipped his drink, "she is one of my best officers and I have been contemplating the charges against her for quite some time. Did you come here alone, young Hollow?"

"No," said Ichigo, "I came with some friends from the human world. They're probably looking for a way in themselves, and you'll never be able to stop them."

"I see," said the man as he put down his cup, "I believe I understand now."

A black butterfly floated down onto the man's finger before fluttering away, phasing through the wall as it left.

"I've asked for an extra meal to be sent here," said the man, "I'd like to listen to your side of the story. Am I correct to assume that eating food here will compensate for the need to eat souls?"

"Considering everything here is Reishi, then yeah," said Ichigo, "thanks old man."

The man chuckled lightly, "A polite Hollow is something I thought I'd never meet. My name is Ukitake Jushiro, Taicho of the 13th Division."

"I'm Kurosaki Ichigo, protector of Karakura Town," said Ichigo.

xXsceneXx

Meanwhile, Ichigo's friends were following Yoruichi as the black cat led them out of the streets of the West Rukon District and into the wilderness of the Soul Society. They were following a lead that would hopefully help them find the person who Yoruichi claimed would be able to help them get into the Seireitei.

"Are you sure we're going the right way, Yoruichi-sensei?" asked Tatsuki.

"Yeah," said Orihime, "I don't think anyone would be living out here. How will we know where your friend lives?"

"Trust me," said Yoruichi, "if Kukaku's out here, then we'll know when we arrive."

"Guys," said Chad, "I think I see something."

The group looked across the grassy plane and all eyes, except those belonging to a certain feline member, bugged out in surprise at what they saw.

"That's…" said Tatsuki in shock.

"You can't be serious…" muttered Uryu.

"…" was Sado's response.

"Cool!" typical of Orihime.

"Well," said Yoruichi, "it looks like we're here."

Standing before them was what looked like a small, traditional Japanese house, but the parts that were causing the newcomers to stare in shock were the two massive stone arms holding a banner over the house and the obscenely large tower protruding behind it. On the banner was the name Kukaku Shiba, indicating that it was in this crazy building that Yoruichi's friend and their only hope to gain entrance to the Seireitei lived.

"…EHHHH?" was the collective response.