New King Chapter- 9

Yeah... Review, like now.. Or i'll be all sad like forever. A warning for this chapter, insane moments. Also, should I change one of the genres to horror? Just wonderin.

I don't own Bleach.

He didn't even bother. Didn't bother to try to break down the kido. He knew it wouldn't work anyways. In one action, Kurotsuchi had gained total control over him. If he managed to escape, he would die anyways. If he killed Kurotsuchi, he would die from not getting the antidote. Normally, he would dream of escape, but now that it meant death, he had second thoughts.

He had been in that cell for what may of been a week, he wasn't sure anymore. Every moment he waited for Kurotsuchi to come, instead of one of the subordinates that usually brought him something to eat. By now he was sure the antidote was in the food. Every waking moment he dreaded the next time the cell door was to open. Especially if Kurotsuchi was going to be the one opening it.

He had been trying to get these thoughts to go away, but right now, he couldn't think of anything else. Giving up, He went into what was now his inner world. He spotted Zangetsu right away.

Zangetsu stood on one of the sideways buildings, giving an emotionless expression. Hichigo looked around, and noticed one simple thing. Ichigo was no where to be found. That aside, Hichigo walked towards Zangetsu.

Zangetsu gave an acknowledging glance and stated simply, "You're wondering where Ichigo is, aren't you."

Hichigo nodded.

"Ichigo barely can keep himself together in this inner world. Not to mention materialize anymore. He-"

Their attention was taken when what looked like an almost clear apparition started forming next to Zangetsu. It took a few seconds to materialize, but when it did, it was clearly Ichigo. Or was it?

This Ichigo had what looked to be white streaks going through his hair, and the former bright orange was reduced to a much duller color. At moments part of him seemed transparent, almost flickering in and out. But his eyes told the true tale. His former deep brown irises were now reduced to gray. His expression also told much, since he almost looked brain dead.

"Well now... That's different." Hichigo stated, a bit shocked. His mind flashed back to when his king had fought him mercilessly when his king had the strength to. This Ichigo reminded Hichigo of how close he'd come to his goal. "Damn Mayuri..." he muttered.

Zangetsu walked in front of Ichigo, but Ichigo's eyes flashed no recognition, just stayed their dull gray irresponsive state. But he shocked them all, when he spoke. "You dumbass." his voice said at a whisper. "You dumbass." he repeated.

Hichigo's jaw almost dropped. "What the hell are you talking about? Scratch that, how the hell are you even talking?" he asked in awe.

"You." Ichigo's weak voice continued. "You messed this world up. You almost killed Rukia. You got poisoned."

Hichigo cringed. He wondered quickly how the hell Ichigo could possibly know that.

Hichigo was about to say something, but Ichigo continued. "You are going to kill all of us, king."

'King?' Hichigo thought frantically. 'When did Ichigo start designating me as king?'

Hichigo's expression must have matched his thoughts since Ichigo then said, "Surprised? I wouldn't be. It's the truth; I can't control anything in this world anymore. Matter of fact is, I'm barely hanging onto existence."

After the initial shock was gone, Hichigo was ecstatic. His old king was now reduced to be a wandering inner world resident now. He had finally won. But he knew it wasn't the full truth. Truth was, even though Ichigo wasn't consciously fighting back, his mere presence meant that Hichigo couldn't reach his full potential. So in turn, he still hadn't won. Pushing this thought aside, he looked towards Zangetsu again, for some kind of confirmation. Zangetsu just nodded.

Hichigo was going to ask Ichigo something else, but his image started fading away completely from view, starting from his feet. Hichigo stood in true shock, not knowing what to think. Right when the fading reached Ichigo's torso, his eyes flashed the familiar deep brown just long enough for him to say, "Don't kill her." as he faded completely away.

"Is he-"

"He still exists. He just couldn't stay materialized any longer." Zangetsu told the shocked hollow.

They stood in silence for a second, not knowing what to say. But Hichigo broke the silence with by asking, "What should I do, Zangetsu."

Zangetsu gave him a curious look. "You're the master of this world. I couldn't tell you." he replied.

"Damn Mayuri." Hichigo muttered. "Will it rain, when I'm in pain?" he asked his zanpakutou. "When I'm screaming for my life to end, and I sincerely want it to?"

Even Zangetsu was thrown off. Had being alive changed Hichigo this drastically? "You don't know that-"

"I saw that madman's eyes. He looked like he, deeply and truly wanted me to die a painful death." Hichigo muttered almost incoherently. "All these goddamn weird feelings. Fear, guilt, what the hell Zangetsu." Hichigo stared Zangetsu straight in the eye, and Zangetsu noticed one simple thing.

Hichigo's eyes were a deep color of brown.

Rukia knew she was stupid. She knew she was being reckless, and completely insane, but she didn't care. She needed to see for herself if it was truly just Hichigo left. After going to Yamamoto and basically begging to see Ichigo, Hichigo, or whoever he was, Yamamoto had caved. Only on the one condition that she reported his wellbeing and mental status.

She just hoped there'd be something positive to report on when she came back.

Dealing with Mayuri was a whole another issue. But it was mostly resolved when Yamamoto told Mayuri that she was to be aloud to go, and that the scientist couldn't interfere. That didn't mean that there wasn't some protest… But Yamamoto had made his mind. And there was absolutely nothing Mayuri could do against that.

Now, as she was being led through the creepiest room she had ever seen by none other than Mayuri himself, he turned to her and in almost a whisper "Stay here. I will determine whether it's safe. When I start talking, come to where you hear my voice" Truth is that he wanted to see Hichigo's reaction, seeing that the hollow probably knew what predicament it was in now. To make this even more mentally confusing for the hollow, he had it so Rukia would walk up right after the initial shock.

The hollow was leaning against the back wall of cell, eyes looking up. The cell made it so reiatsu couldn't be sensed by the inhabitant, so that was probably why Hichigo didn't notice. Mayuri clapped his hands to get's Hichigo's attention, and he was startled, but not as startled as when he saw Mayuri as the one at the door. Chuckling, the scientist joked, "Experiment time!" fear flashed through Hichigo's eyes, flickering brown.

This didn't go unnoticed by the scientist, and he quickly remembered this incident even more vividly to record later. By this time, Rukia had heard Mayuri's voice and had walked up behind Mayuri, only to then walk up to the cell and stare directly inside, to whom, she didn't know.

Hichigo now was in a state of confused surprise. 'Asshole, he probably planned it like this.'He quickly thought, trying to contain himself. Regaining his composure, and getting his eyes to stop flickering so they remained his normal yellow, he turned to the scientist, "What do you want from me now? Finally come to play your stupid games and make me as brainless as all the other pathetic creatures around here?" he spat.

Mayuri sighed. "No.. Unfortunately not yet. Someone insisted on seeing you first." He then motioned Rukia to walk forward, which she did, but Hichigo could just smell her fear.

"I-Ichigo." She murmured. She saw his eyes, she saw everything. It scared her. She could barely believe it. He was still the monster.

This time he didn't know what to say. He swore he could almost feel Ichigo try to call out to him, it made him angry, it made him- Get an idea.

"Rukia…" he responded in the most pathetic voice he could muster.

Her eyes went wide. She couldn't understand anymore, she just couldn't. 'Is it really Ichigo?' her mind raced. She wasn't sure.

"Rukia. Listen to me. I'm sorry for what happened, if I could have stopped it, I would of." Hichigo told her. He hoped he was convincing enough, because if he was, this girl that he wanted so desperately to kill could be the key to his eventual escape.

A single tear ran down her cheek as she grabbed the bars with two hands. "Ichigo.. I don't…"

Hichigo almost grinned, but he kept his fake depressed expression. "It's my fault. Not yours. Please just try to forget about me, go on with your life." He was almost on the verge of laughter. 'Who could be so gullible?'

Mayuri wasn't buying it. He quickly noted down the manipulative abilities this hollow had and went back to watching the whole thing unfold. He was sure he wasn't going to intervene, but… If Rukia started believing this hollow in his words it could be disastrous for keeping this special test subject. "Rukia." Mayuri spoke. "Your time is up." There wasn't an actual time limit, but he decided it would be best to get Rukia away as fast as possible.

Rukia looked towards Mayuri and nodded, pulling away from the cell and walking away. She gave one last desperate look towards Hichigo before following Mayuri out, but Mayuri noticed one thing before himself turning away.

Hichigo was smirking.

After returning, Rukia reported to Yamamoto. She pleaded Ichigo's case, but Yamamoto wouldn't hear a bit of it. He knew she was being fooled, as Mayuri had informed him.

But Rukia persisted. Everyday, she went down to Hichigo, talking to him as if he was a long lost friend. He treated her like he thought Ichigo might to gain her trust. All that mattered now is that he had her trust and that she would believe in him. Most importantly, pity him.

Especially, after Hichigo had his first real run in with Mayuri.

It was another depressing day of waiting for Rukia, thinking, or dreading the arrival of Mayuri for Hichigo. He hadn't left the cell since his arrival here a week earlier, but one constant question nagged at his mind. 'Why hasn't Mayuri tested on me yet?'

Not that he was looking forward to that. That same thing is what were the very makings of his own personal nightmare that plagued him constantly. Along with the poison that now went through his veins. Maybe he could tell Rukia about that too. She seemed to.. Calm him. Somehow.

His thoughts were put aside as he heard footsteps. It was too early for Rukia to come. Hichigo's heart skipped a beat when the demented Mayuri cackle uttered one simple dreaded thing. "It's time!"

Hichigo backed away. He wasn't going to go without a fight. Mayuri or not, he still wasn't going to appear weak. He was going to fight back. As Mayuri opened the door to the cell Hichigo clenched his fists.

"Going to try to fight me?" he stepped closer. "I would think not." he said, as a little dart stuck into Hichigo's shoulder.

Immediately Hichigo's head starting spinning and he didn't have an inkling of balance. After finally crashing to the cold hard floor, his world went black.

Hichigo awoke with a start to a most depressing scene. He was restrained on what looked like to be a hospital bed. But he knew it wasn't a hospital. Mayuri's special experiment room he knew he was in. He tested them to see if he could get loose, but there was no such luck. He was very stuck.

Mayuri spun around noticing Hichigo finally awakening. "Ah! Finally! You're awake! I was afraid I might have overdosed you for this test. I need you alive and conscious for this." he then walked over and grabbed a syringe. "This should take just a second." he said as he put the syringe in Hichigo's arm.

'Fire. Fire. FIRE!'Hichigo thought a he veins instantly felt like they were in flames. His breath was taken from him as it spread all the way through his body, making every single limb feel like it was in never ending burning pain. As he was writhing in pain, Mayuri only observed.

"Hm..." Mayuri contemplated while writing down some notes.

"Please..." Hichigo breathily murmured, "Make... It.." He took a deep breath, as though his lungs were constricted. But they weren't. "Stop..." The fire kept spreading. He couldn't stop it even if he hadn't been constrained.

Mayuri simply chuckled. "It worked a little more effectively than I thought it would." He then pulled out another syringe, and waited till the affects of the first had died out a bit.

Hichigo couldn't hear Zangetsu; he definitely couldn't hear Ichigo either. He was alone, burning, with a madman. It was his nightmare all over again, except this time it was real.

-/-/-/
He was alone in a room, a plain one at that. The walls were a dull gray. Hichigo looked around frantically, as if he was expecting something. But he'd had this nightmare too many times to not know. But he never did. A loud cackling could be heard from outside, and the blood.. The blood started dripping down the walls. Materializing in the middle of the room was Mayuri, cackling.

Mayuri continued cackling as the blood turned to flames.

'It can't be possible; it must all be a dream...'

"It's not a dream anymore!" the scientist cackled, as the flames overcame.
-/-/-/

Hichigo awoke.

"Has the burning stopped?" Mayuri asked newly awoken Hichigo.

Hichigo who was confused and disoriented still could feel the burning in his veins. But it wasn't as horrible as it was in the beginning. "Somewhat... Gone..." he answered without thinking. It was still very painful, but, not as much when the fire had first overtaken his body.

Mayuri smiled. "Good." as he put another syringe into Hichigo's arm.

This one felt like ice.

Hichigo awoke in his cell once again. He had no idea of the time, and if for not stating at these walls for hours on end he wouldn't even know where he was. Dragging himself up to a sitting position, he leaned against the wall, trying to ignore the pain.

All the times he ha fallen unconscious, Mayuri had just used some kind of miracle drug to awaken him once again. Every one of those syringes, after losing count at 8, were painful. Most of the affects had gone away except for the burning. No, that feeling had stayed.

His throat burned and he had a feeling to cough, but when he coughed, he had coughed blood. 'Lucky bastards.' he though when Zangetsu and Ichigo came to mind. 'Lucky them. They could just tune all of it out.' The coughing then continued, he couldn't stop it.

His thoughts were again interrupted by approaching footsteps. But this time, it wasn't Mayuri. It was Rukia.

Rukia saw the blood. She saw it all around. 'What had Mayuri done to him?' she wondered frantically. "Ichi-Ichigo! Are.. Are you okay?" she asked him.

He tried to respond, but all that came out was a strained murmur. Rukia was pissed. More than pissed. She couldn't believe, Mayuri... She turned and there he was, the scientist with a satisfied grin on his face.

"What did you do to him." she said, her voice in a threatening tone. She could barely keep herself from strangling the scientist.

"Tested on him of course." he answered simply. "You think he'd be in my lab if that wasn't my intention from the beginning? It's just unfortunate that I haven't had the time to do it till now!"

"You sadistic freak." she stated. "You think doing that," she pointed towards Hichigo and his less than healthy state, "Is testing?"

"Testing is testing. No matter the end result."

In the blink of an eye Rukia shunpo'ed towards the captain and drew her blade, which he deflected with his own easily. "You think you can fight me unseated shinigami? Unless you want to die, I would suggest you sheath your blade." he taunted.

She knew she was outmatched as well as anyone else. Sheathing her blade she stared up at Mayuri, silently wishing his death. He stepped back and simply said, "I won't inform Yamamoto about this little incident if you leave. Don't let this happen again."

She did her best to nod. But before she left, she had one last thing to do. Shunpo'ing over to Hichigo's cell, she whispered a simple sentence, simple enough to mean the world to the hollow coughing up blood. "I'm getting you out of here."

In between coughing, he grinned.

End of Chapter 9