I DON'T OWN BLEACH

The Fallen

Angels descending, bring from above,
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
~Fanny J. Crosby

Chapter 4; Something Wicked...

With the morning comes a subtle knock on Ichigo's door. Accustomed to many early mornings on the battlefields of war she is already dressed in her loin cloth and is lacing up her doe skin boots. "It's open." she calls behind her with a foot up on her bed and her fingers slipping the leather straps into a wrap around knot. When the door doesn't open she walks over and lifts open the wooden slat to let the tall angel inside. "Good morning."

"Please put this on and meet me outside when you are prepared to leave." Byakuya says with a faint nod, his eyes careful to avoid her body. "It's too much skin... too much tan skin!"

"Um, alright." she answers taking the brown paper package from his hands and turning around. She quickly unseals the thick tan parchment revealing a long thick black cape that hits the floor. The door quickly shuts behind her leaving her to give Starrk perched on her bed a crooked frown. "Is something wrong with the way I dress?"

Being Ichigo's long-time companion and very aware of her obliviousness to her own sexuality Starrk lets out a loud snort. "I think you look fine."

"Me too. So why the cape?" she scratches at her head for a moment and shakes her head. Not a single person has ever told her what to wear. Why does it matter? It pisses her off! "I'm going to throw it in his face..." Heading for the door she lifts the latch only to see Starrk reappear in the hallway at her feet. "What?"

"Perhaps it's best to humor him?"

"I don't want too." Ichigo scrunches up her face with a pout on her lips. "I like my clothes, they are very comfortable. Besides I'll burn up in this blanket thing!"

"You are my master, but I will not hesitate to bite you on the ass if you become stubborn." he growls letting the small mane on his body rise. "I do not believe this Arc means to provoke you. I sense his magic on it."

"Yeah, me too. The gold threads lining it have a strong ward. I would have trouble breaking this enchantment." she says running a hand over the soft hood. Last night in the snow forest Byakuya Kuchiki seemed concerned over her though, maybe Starrk is right and this Angel is different than all the others. However, doubt still stings at her back. She will see the truth in his heart. No one can hide who they really are from her. It's a disgusting ability, but demons can see sin and prey on it. She can glimpse the darkness in people's hearts. Clipping the golden leaf clasp around her neck she dons the cape, picks up a small pack, and darts out the door with Starrk on her heels.

Byakuya is on the outskirt of the city standing on a hill. The wide open valley around him is whistling with a cool wind lifting his shoulder length black hair up to whip around his ears. He has already left instructions with Renji to march the troops under his command back to Jerusalem. The trip will take about four days, but with some luck they will arrive in time for the coming battle destined to happen in Jerusalem.

Another fight... and it's in the city his wife once called her home. The feelings and memories of Hisana well up inside him for a moment. "I shouldn't have left you... I knew, I knew what would happen when I departed from the city. Filthy demons took her from me. I won't forgive it!" Sensing Ichigo's unusual pulse he turns to see her walking towards him with the black cape around her shoulders. This woman defies everything he ever learned about demons, yet she is clearly a demon. A Nephilim. But what is a Nephilim really?

The truth is... all he knows is what he has been told. That fact doesn't settle well with him. It's always better to learn directly from a source. Once they reach Jerusalem he plans to visit his family archive and see if any information is contained in the ten thousand year records. Secrets don't sit well with him. He is of a high-born house and that luxury should afford him the advantage of knowledge. And then there is the woman herself. What could he learn just by watching her?

Lifting his gaze to her eyes he can't help but feel his own curiosity about her grow. The status quo, doing what is expected is the way Byakuya learned to navigate his life. Stepping outside of those boundaries is a sin. You do your work and don't ask questions. Don't become curious and worst of all don't let the darkness creep into your heart and taint you. "I'm interested in her... despite myself."

"Well, I'm here." Ichigo says struggling with the odd weight of the cape around her shoulders. Stupid heavy thing. Eurgh! Pleasing people has never been something she was good at. "So how exactly is Starrk's size gonna help us travel?" Cocking her head she sees Commander Kuchiki fidget for a moment, his palms pressing to pad at the sides of his navy pants. "Is something... wrong?"

"Not at all. I am just..." he walks up to her and suddenly wraps an around her waist. "Not used to traveling like this with a woman."

"Like wha-" Her voice is ripped from her lips by the force of the wind as they dart up into the sky. "Whoa! Starrk hold on we are flying!" Her eyes bulge as the ground becomes smaller and smaller the trees like dots on a lake below her. "S-Starrk!"

"I'm here Ichigo." Starrk says popping out of her cape to perch on her head. "I'm safe from the purity of his feathers by this cape."

"Please do not squirm so much." Byakuya says tightening his fingers around her waist and pulling her slightly closer. "I-I do not want to let you go." he whispers near her ear, his forehead furrowing at the sweet scent coming from her hair. Tulips, and sun. This woman smells like she slept in a field of soft red flowers in the spring. How boldly unusual. Shaking his head, he decides personal space is very, very needed between himself and this woman. "I'm going to speed up. You might need to close your eyes or you will become ill."

"Hell no!" she says lifting up a hand and letting the cool atmospheric winds glide through her fingers. "This is amazing."

"Remember to stay under the shadow of the cape or my wings might harm you."

"Ok!"

Despite wanting to get away from her, the smile on her lips does the strangest thing in his chest and Byakuya catches himself smiling back at her. Just for a moment their eyes meet. They could have met on the battlefield as enemies, fought and died by each others hands. If fate had willed that future, but while he looks at her high above the soiled and tainted earth he is thankful for the first time to fate for granting him this unusual moment.

"Everything is so blurry and gray." she says with an excited voice, tilting her head over his shoulder to look behind him. "At this distance you can't see good or evil. Just hope."

"Hope?" Quickly looking away from her beaming expression he finds it easier to focus on something in the distance. It occurs to Byakuya that she is filled with a positive life force and he might enjoy her company if he wasn't her keeper. "I see only a worn battleground."

"I have faith in the Angels. I think they will make the right choice and end this war."

Byakuya almost drops her. "A woman used as a weapon that speaks of faith in Angels. Of all the preposterous things! Has she no clue that she herself is being controlled by the very people she has faith in? Is she really that naive?"

"One day... Angels will defeat the Demons and then will have no reason to interfere with humanity. Peace is inevitable. So I'm going to help make it a reality."

Her words are laughable to Byakuya Kuchiki, but he can't speak a word to counter her. To be the one who could ruin her faith... he can not bring himself to crush that hope inside her. "Hope... from such a light woman? It's impossible." he ponders darkly while tightening his hand at her waist.

A few hours later the signs of black smoke and stench of fire begin to fill the sky with a dull haze. Looking down towards the ground, Ichigo sees two distinct armies about to converge in battle. In the center of the battle zone a lone caravan of humans travel unknowingly towards the crisis. "Commander! Those people! They have no way to avoid the Demon army closing in on them!"

"It's not our concern."

"They will be run down! Please?" Puffing up her cheeks, she sticks out her lower lip and to top it off gives him the big eyes that always work on Starrk.

"Our mission is in Jerusalem." Kuchiki replies turning his face away from the adorable pout on her face. "I-I mean it. We aren't helping those humans."

"Please?! It'll only take five minutes."

"You are asking for the imposs-" Palms pressing to his cheeks force him to look in her eyes. Those big amber eyes of hers just manipulate the resistance right out of him. "Alright." Exhaling a sigh he descends towards the ground ignoring her happy wiggling. "When did I become this easy?"

Dropping to the grassy knoll she darts over to the humans and try to explain a battle is about to begin and they will be caught in the middle. "Take what you can carry and just run!"

Annoyed at himself Byakuya hovers in the air watching the Nephilim pleading with the convoy of humans down below. The heat from her body being next to his still lingers on his side. Stunned by the intense warmth he can't recall the last time he has noticed a woman to this extent. "It's almost like the Seraph who have been in the direct presence of god. But that's impossible a demon like Ichigo wouldn't be capable of withstanding the overwhelming power of that Light."

"You have to leave this wagon and run towards the river! I will hold them off!" Pulling off the cape around her shoulders she neatly folds it and drops the soft square of material into Starrk's waiting jaws. "You... go hide." she says pointing a finger at her small furry companion. "I don't need to worry about you getting hurt while you are tiny."

"Good hunting." Starrk calls out darting up the hillside and towards a small patch of trees. Leaving her alone on the battlefield doesn't sit right with him. It's against his vary nature to allow his master to fight without him to watch her back. "Be careful."

The black sword on her back glints as she pulls in out to brandish it in front of her. This thing she clings too... the cold blade in her hand isn't for killing.

"This is my gift to you. According to legend Tensa Zangetsu; is capable of cutting the spaces between heaven and the moon. It is the only blade fit for you, my dearest Nephilim."

"Don't call me that... Kaien. I'm just Ichigo." She lifts the long katana up into the air for the first time shocked at it's weight. Much heavier than any she has practiced with the strangeness of the metal and the odd broken chain dangling from the end of the handle strikes her as unusual. "It's a black blade? How weird." Ichigo says excitedly brandishing the sword enjoying the feel of it in her palm.

"Even in the faintest of shadows you will thrive. Not one soul will ever see you coming. You.. my most beloved must remain hidden until it's time to unfurl your wings to the world."

"I don't have wings, Kaien-san."

Tensa Zangetsu isn't intended to kill anyone at all. It's meant to protect others. That thought is the only thing that keeps Ichigo going now. Stepping forward she marches solitary to face the demons creeping up the hillside sensing a shadow reaching over her left shoulder. It's always there. Lingering just under her skin. Suffocating. That hungry shadow is something she should have learned to embrace by now, but it's proving difficult. It's slowly eating her away, devouring the parts of her that are soft and sweet, the wretched demon raging in her blood wants to consume everything in it's path.

The crunching of feet against fallen leaves draws Ichigo's eyes to the group of demons scampering up the hill. Half a dozen low ranked demons called Pawns crest the hill and zero in on the small wagon with a single woman standing in front. "These humans are under my protection!" she reaffirms her conviction with the blade blade in her hand creating a shadow over the demons faces.

"Who the hell are you?" The first of many demons to appear yells raising a gladius to meet the long black daito.

"I'm..." Taking a deep breath she swipes her sword along the demons blade down to his hand and cuts into his fingers. "I'm the Nephilim!"

The Angels arrive on the scene pouring past Ichigo and fighting with the main group of Pawns. Ichigo begins to fight along side them by darting past the first until towards the back of the group in search of a leader, but before her sword can connect with the next Pawn a gentle hand taps her on the shoulder startling her almost out of her leather boots. "W-What?" she yelps swinging her blade as she pivots to see who is there. Fingers wrap fearlessly around her sword in an attempt to pull it from her grasp. "Tch, I'm not stupid." Rotating her wrist she manages to free Zangetsu from the stranger and meet his piercing golden eyes at the same time. "W-Who are you?"

"Szayelaporro Granz. Word of you has reached the Demon Lord." The tall, thin demon with chin length pink hair eyes shine golden for a split second making Ichigo take a step backwards. "I've been sent to measure your abilities."

"Measure?" Ichigo places her blade between her and Szayel while she ponders what he is saying. The demons are interested in her? That sounds... like a lie. "Tch, yeah right. I just stumbled over this battlefield."

"You have no idea do you?" Granz releases his demonic energy in a purple wave blasting into her chest. "You don't know the ripple in Hell your existence is causing." Through dull golden eyes he watches his power collide with her body fascinated by the instantaneous reaction it causes.

Long tendrils of orange hair lift from the ends. Ichigo's body trembles in pain, and the normally dormant marks on her face waken. "You have the stigma! Wonderful!" he yells lifting his arms up in the air like he is praising his good fortune. The black mist he was told about appears next, creeping out from her back like a spiders web threatening to ensnare his soul. "You are better than I was told!" Darkness and shadow seep out from every corner it hides in to aid this woman. Szayel watches almost delighting the way it fills the air around him. Unable to contain his curiosity he reaches out and slips his hand through the black fog. "Ahhhh."

"Eh?" Ichigo shocked curls her upper lip as the demons eyes slip closed and his whole body shudders. "What the-"

"Amazing!" Granz's chest begins to heave in excitement, the tingling crawling up his spine reaches his skull. The horns he keeps sealed push through the skin at his temples and grow into two points a few inches high. "I can't suppress it... I want..." he moans leaning forward and sniffing at the vibrant orange hair. "I want you so much!"

"Whoa... gross." Ichigo in disgust grimaces at the sticky drool pouring from that demons mouth, down his chin to drench his white uniform. "You are nasty!"

"Now, now...let us not say things we cannot later retract my dear," Szayel hangs his head, his shoulders arching high. His tongue lolls from his gaping mouth, one of his golden eyes gleaming through renegade strands of pink hair. "For all you know..." Szayel hisses, suddenly disappearing.

Ichigo's eyes widen and she twists on her heel, whipping her sword about her and feeling the wind rushing across her cheek. They clash blades with a violent explosion, a mess of sparks spurting outwards, Ichigo straining to push the demon back.

"You may come to want me too," Szayel licks his lips, his face mere inches away from the girl.

"I highly doubt that!" The girl barks, swinging her leg upwards in a majestic arch and cracking the man in his jaw, a glob of blood trailing through the air as Szayel doubles over backwards. Taking her chance, Ichigo darts backwards, dancing on the tips of her toes.

Szayel retreats, swaying on the spot. His neck is still bent over backwards, blood running down the side of his face from his mouth. Catching her breath, her eyes narrow at the revolting demon.

Lifting his free hand high above his face, Szayel observes the crimson droplets raining down from his fingers. "My blood?" he says in almost disbelief. With a sickly creaking sound, the demon cranes his neck upwards and proceeds to lick the blood from amongst his fingers. Ichigo grimaces. Szayel straightens up to his full height before hunching over, his sword rattling loosely in his hand. Instantly, he appears in front of the girl again, a madness contorting his face.

They lock swords, Ichigo shoving him away from her before bounding towards him, flipping over in mid air and swiping to the side, Szayel batting her blade out of the way as the girl falls towards his arms.

"Yes! Come to me! Your scent, your very being! I want it all! I want to encompass you, to drink you! I want to -!" Szayel chokes on his last word. Ichigo's sword is thrust into the demon's shoulder, the girl twisting over and landing neatly on the ground, hauling her blade from the enemy, blood splattering across the floor.

"I'm not into you." Ichigo scowls, orange locks of hair falling over her face. A cruel grin creeps across Szayel's face as she lunges for him. Her sword pierces the air and Szayel moves, backing up out of the blade's reach.

Gasping, Ichigo watches as the man reaches out and grabs her arm, sinking his sharp teeth into her flesh. She screams a terrible cry that rebounds about them before gritting her teeth, flashing the villain a wild grin. "You are a sick bastard!" She roars, pulling her sword upwards from her side. Unable to move in time, Szayel attempts to remove his head. Ichigo shrieks as she tears her blade through his chest and straight up out of his shoulder. "I'm so piss-" she stops where she stands trying to fight off a wave of dizziness.

"This is what happens when you send an Incubus after a woman." An eerie calm voice says sending a weird chill up the bloody woman's arms. "I warned them."

Turning on one foot Ichigo shoves her sword into the ground to lean upon the handle. "W-What now?"

"Oh, I'm not that important yet." The tall dark-haired male says flicking an amused eye to the broken body on the ground. "Did he misbehave, Ichigo?"

"He fucking bit me!" she growls kicking at the half dead demon body.

"Szayel... I specifically said... to test her.. not to EAT her!"

"Eh... hahaha!" The disheveled pink haired mass chuckles limply. "I couldn't help it, Ginjo-sama."

"I'd get that wound looked at if I were you." Ginjo adds, lifting his subordinate off the ground and dragging him behind him by a foot. "It might get infected."

"What this bite is noth-" Pain, heat and the taste of her own blood in her mouth widens her eyes. "W-when did..."

"Hmm, you are a weak one. I'm not interested anymore." Ginjo dismisses her, yanking his massive blade from the woman's back and raising it to finish her off. But a massive black cape covers her body from out of nowhere. Looking up in shock a man appears with his sword outstretched tucking himself between the cloaked woman and Ginjo. "Get out of the way. I'm going to kill that thing before it breeds."

A bright light instantly blinds the two demons and wings unfurl before him setting Ginjo's skin ablaze. "Arc's..." he manages to mutter before vanishing with Szayel in hand. "What a pain those wings are..."

Sensing the demons retreat Byakuya dismisses his wings and turns to the lump under the cape. Gently taking the fabric between two finger he slides the cape away and is stunned at the bloody mess of a woman. "Ichigo..." Leaning close he takes in the injuries and then focuses on the bite mark on her arm. "That doesn't look good."

"She's been bitten by an incubus." LilStarrk says sniffing the wound and fighting the urge to howl out a loud cry. "It's poisonous to Angel's. We need to treat her right away or she will fall into a coma."

"I will fly us directly to Jerusalem." Byakuya offers carefully lifting her limp body up into his arms. "Climb on and let us depart, Starrk."

"No.. with that wound in her side and the poison of the bite..." The wolf whimpers out a mournful cry. "My Master will die before then."

"Ichigo's death is unacceptable." Byakuya replies holding her next to his chest protectively. "What would you have me do?"

Hey all! So here is an update on Fallen. I hope everyone will review and embrace this fic. I really love it and I guess this is a test to see if there is still interest in it. If you want more please review for me. HUGS Fuzzi