Chapter five

Hollow

Raika stepped through the doorway to the human realm Ichigo having turned her into a Shigami her body was still in his office. He also was dressed in Shigami robes he to was not visible to the inhabitants of this realm. He looked around them everything seemed calm, but he knew that the moment they had stepped through they had attracted any nearby Hollows. His eyes where on the look out for anything out of the ordinary. Raika looked at him with a gentile frown.

"Ichigo-sensi...how will we know a hollows around" she asked. Ichigo looked over his shoulder at her and gave her a look she had never seen he had suddenly become serious there was no hint of mischief in his face like normal.

"Hollows sense out beings with the highest spiritual energy...since I assume I'm it they will come to us" he said with a frown. Raika nodded slowly as she watched him. She had never seen the leader like this he was calm but alert. Suddenly she heard a deep howl so chilling she felt a shiver run down her spine.

"That is the howl of a hollow..." Ichigo said. She nodded slowly and pulled her dagger out of her sash she left the sheath tucked there only the blade part was in her hand. Ichigo looked at her then at her blade and frowned. If only she had a longer Zanpakto. Suddenly Ichigo was sent flying as a huge hallow went right through the wall near them. He stood up quickly. "Raika! You need to aim for its head take it out in one blow that way" he said the girl nodded and charged for the creature she jumped up and attempted to get her blade into its face mask. Suddenly she was thrown back and into a wall opposite them, as the hollow smirked its hand raise from where it had swatted at her. Ichigo winced slightly as he saw that he really didn't want to see Raika injured but she had to learn to fight.

"Get back up Raika and try again" he said to her. The hollow laughed shallowly.

"What do we have here two Shigami...My you will make a tasty lunch" it said. Ichigo glowered at it slightly. Raika stood back up and charged for the hollow again this time she dodged as it tried to swat at her at least she was learning. She aimed for its mask again this time the creature put a large clawed hand onto her and pushed her into the ground she let out a yell of pain. Ichigo Winced again he wanted her to do this herself but he knew that she was getting badly hurt now.

"COME ON RAIKA!" he yelled looking at her from where he stood she looked at him then took her dagger and dug it deep into the creatures hand. It let out a howl and removed its hand.

"Damn you...I'll eat you first" it growled to Raika. The girl stood up her whole body was in pain but she had to make Ichigo proud he had taken his time to train her she needed to show him even with her Zanpakto so small she could win in a fight. She tried another approach this time. She scrabbled up the creatures arm like a cat then onto the top of it head it swatted at her trying to get her off. She jumped off and stuck her blade into the forehead her body weight ripped right down the mask splitting it in two. The creature then slowly disappeared. Raika Collapsed to the ground and looked at Ichigo.

"how was that Ichigo-Sensi..." she said Ichigo smiled he would of never thought to use that tiny blade that way.

"That was really good Raika...you aren't hurt to badly?" he asked as she stood up.

"My whole body hurts..." she said lightly Ichigo nodded.

"Thats what happens when you get stepped on" he chuckled. She smiled up at him and winced slightly as she laughed. Ichigo frowned.

"Listen lets go back and get you healed up ok...then we will come back and try again this time try to avoid getting hit" he smiled. She nodded lightly.

"Alright...that wasn't so bad...what are hollows anyways..." she asked lightly as she stood there Ichigo frowned at her.

"Hollows are Spirits who have lost there Hearts they feed on other souls trying to regain there heart...that why we have to fight them our zanpakto's can cleanse a hollow so it can go to the afterlife." his brown eyes looked down at her he then smiled lightly.

"wow...I didn't know the Zanpakto's where that important..." she said with wide eyes. She then nearly fell as she continued to stand Ichigo caught her and frowned lightly.

"Enough talk...You might have fractured a rib in that fight I'm surprised you finished it after getting stepped on like that...you may have more of a fighting spirit then you give yourself credit for" he looked at her kindly. Raika looked up at him the more time she spent with him the more she felt like he was someone she should look up to like a father. She had never known her true father her mother had told her he had run off before she was even born. Her mother despite that still said she loved him, she was always told by her mom that she looked just like her father.

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Ichigo brought Raika into the healing room of Squad four. As he walked in a few people stopped to gawk at the man. Raika had passed out on the way there he hoped her first fight hadn't caused her to many injures outwardly she looked alright a few scrapes from the hollow batting her away. He was more worried about internal injures. A woman from the fourth squad lead him to a room where he could put Raika down. When he had put her there he turned to leave.

"Your not staying Kurosaki-san?" she asked. Ichigo looked at her with a frown and shook his head slowly.

"no...I'll come back later after shes been healed...but I'm afraid if I stay around here she might not get looked at" he said with a soft sigh. The woman blinked at him slightly and then frowned.

"Of course she will be..why would you say something like that Kurosaki-san?" she looked taken aback at his comment. Why wouldn't they heal this girl if he was around. He looked at the woman and smiled kindly at her.

"Your healer doesn't like me...I cant blame her but...well I have had to learn healing spells for myself because she refuses to treat me...unfortunately I think her hate for me might just extend to Raika since I am training her" he said lightly. The woman blinked at him, she couldn't see there healer as a vindictive woman that he was portraying her as. She was one of the nicest people she had ever met even if she was a bit of an airhead at time.

"I cant imagine that Kurosaki-san...Orahime would never refuse to treat someone" she said wide eyed. Ichigo sighed and shook his head.

"Believe me...for what she thinks I did...I'm surprised she's only just refusing me treatment..." he sighed lightly then turned to leave. The woman watched after him what in the world could Orahime think he did that would be that bad.