Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or anyone or anything from Bleach. It's as simple as that. Everything else, however, is mine. :D

Chapter 3: Monster in the Shadows

…4:24 pm...

"Mom I'm home!"

WHAM!

I slam the door of the apartment closed behind me. What a day…I never want to go back to school.

I sigh heavily, dropping my bag by the door as I scan the room. My mother's work shoes are by the door, but she doesn't seem to be home. A piece of paper taped to the fridge door catches my eye. It's a note. I grab, read it, and then crumple it into a ball, chucking at the far wall as my temper gets the better of me. My mom has already been and gone, leaving me alone for the night to go out drinking with some of her new friends at work.

Groaning head into the main part of the room and throw myself, headfirst, onto the sofa. I jump up again, almost immediately, as the vile stench of alcohol fills my nose and mouth. Gagging slightly, I head to my room to change out of my school uniform and into normal clothes. If my mom is going out for the night then so will I. Maybe I can even find myself a new hat…

…9:18 pm…

Unsuccessful in locating a new hat and growing hungry again after my cheap, fast food dinner, I've now been wandering the streets of Karakura Town for 5 hours or so. However, I am no closer to learning my way around than I was this morning and I really just want to go home and go to bed.

Unfortunately I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon. I seem to be lost again…I stop on a street corner to take a look around. I'm in a quiet little suburban neighborhood. The soft light from streetlights and from the windows of the homes illuminates the driveways and well kept lawns of the neat little houses.

I've often wondered what it would be like to live in a house like these. I've wondered what it's like to have a real family, to have mother who's not a drunkard, to have a father, even what it would be like to brothers and sisters. Most of all I've wondered what it's like to have a real home. But, I gave up dreaming like that a long time ago. The fact is my situation isn't go to change. Dreams like these are just a waste of time and energy.

So, I take one last wishful look at all the cozy little homes and move on, heading for the brighter lights of downtown.

…

Somehow I've managed to get myself more lost. Tired and very frustrated I walk into a little neighborhood playground and settle myself on one of the swings, hoping that a neighborhood watch car will come along and point me in the right direction. After about five minutes I give up, impatient, and prepare to head out again. Before I am able to go two steps, however, I freeze.

My death sense twinges, a sharp sensation buzzing in the back of my skull, stopping me in my tracks. This isn't the normal sensation I get when I sense the presence of the dead. There is something much more sinister and threatening about it. I spin quickly, searching for what ever is causing this horrible buzz in by brain.

That's when I hear it. The hollow, empty roar echoes in my bones and sends chills shooting through my limbs. I freeze again, rooted to the spot as terror grips at my stomach. The howl I just heard is the same one I heard in my dream last night.

The feeling in my head comes again, sharper this time, and I am able to locate its source. I turn, dreading what I am about to see. At the top of the hill there is a dark silhouette. It is large and bulky and I am unable to distinguish its shape. I squint, my stomach clenching harder, my heart pounding in my chest. There's some kind of haze rising off of it…It's like the creature in my dream I realize, but this knowledge doesn't ease my anxiety and, as the creature rears back, letting out another bone-chilling howl, I realize it is something out of nightmares, not dreams.

The creature has six legs, making me initially think that it is some kind of insect. However, a long tail, whipping like a hunting cat's tail, makes me think it's shaped more like a lizard. As the creature advances down the hill on four of its six clawed feet, I am able to see a white mask on its head. The mask has vaguely human features, but they are too elongated and pointed. A mouth that is far too large for the creature's face is lined with huge teeth and its tongue lolls eagerly out to the side. Hungry eyes, like bright yellow flares, burn deep inside the mask's eye sockets. And there is gaping hole in the creature's chest, through which I can see the night sky.

It's a monster and it keeps coming, but I can't move. My brain is screaming 'Run you damn fool, run!', but my body won't listen. My blood has gone cold, my mouth dry, and it feels like my heart is about to burst out my chest. I've never felt terror like this before. It's suffocating. Damn it! That monster…I don't know what it is, but I know that it wants to kill me. I can see the murderous intent glowing in its hungry eyes. Move body! Move, damn it! Move!!

The monster has entered the playground and pauses barely 10 feet away, just on the other side of the slide. It seems to be considering the best way for it to attack me and eat me. The monster throws back its head, roaring again, drops down onto all six feet, and charges, crashing straight through the slide. My limbs are suddenly imbued with the power to move again and dive away, headfirst, into the unforgiving surface of old wood chipss, just barely avoiding the creature's attack.

I waste no time worrying about and fresh cuts or splinters as I scramble to my feet. I dash out of the park and down the street concentrating on one thing only: getting away. Behind my I can hear the creature roaring and thrashing about. Its angry howls only urge me to run faster as they chase me down the quiet, empty streets.

…

My lungs are on fire, my breath coming in short, labored gasps. My legs feel like jelly, my muscles screaming for me to stop with every step. There is a horrible stitch in my side, the pain so intense that I'm sure my side is about to split open. But I can't stop running, If I stop….I can't even begin to imagine what that monster will do to me if it catches me. I don't know why in hell it's chasing me but that doesn't really matter at this point. Survival is my primary concern. Only adrenaline and fear are keeping me going now.

I whip around another corner, nearly slipping and falling as my feet struggle for purchase on the concrete sidewalk. Idly my shocked and vacant brain wonders why no one

has come out to see what all the noise is about. Why no one has seen me and my hunter flying down the neighborhood streets. I would have thought that people would notice a 10 foot, giant monster chasing a terrified teenage girl around the city. Apparently not. I knew this town was weird.

The area that I'm in looks familiar. It's the business district that I got lost in this morning, I realize, as I race past rows of drab office buildings. Does that mean?...Yes! I am filled with hope as I spot the gap between the office buildings that is home to The Urahara Shop. For some strange reason I am certain that Urahara and his strange little shop can and will be able to help.

I race across the street, hurdle the gate, and dash to the porch of the shop. "Help! Someone please help!" I shout, pounding my fists against the wood of the door.

Several lights flicker on inside the building and I intensify my knocking as hope and desperation swell in my chest. "Urahara? Mr. Urahara? Someone please! Open up!" I can't help but feel slightly embarrassed by the squeaky pitch my voice has reached.

I reel back as the door suddenly slides open, revealing a very tired looking Urhara. He is unsuccessful in stifling an enormous yawn as he peers at me inquiringly and with thinly veiled annoyance.

"There this big thing- monster thing chasing me! It's got six legs….mask…hole in it's chest!" I stammer out, my sentences and words sliding together in my rush to say them. I fall silent, simply pleading with eyes as desperation closes my throat. He stares back at me blankly. "Please help me!" I manage to squeak out.

Urahara opens his mouth to speak, but is cut short as another howl echoes down the street. Urahara's expression changes just as swiftly, going from a disgruntled to all business. Urahara pulls me inside and down the aisle, slamming the door shut behind us.

"Quickly, follow me" he says, his tone sharp and serious as he disappears into a room in the back of the store.

"But-"

"Quickly!" he snaps. Timidly I follow, fear robbing me of my free will.

Urahara leads me to a storage room in the back of his shop. I stand immobile by the door as he rummages around among the boxes of his odd goods.

"Aha!" Apparently he has found what he is looking for. Turning around, he throws something at me. Fumbling slightly, I catch it. It's a sword. My panic momentarily forgotten, I unsheathe the sword a little, intrigued. I nearly drop the sword in shock and sudden horror as I see the blade.

"What the hell am I supposed to do with this thing?!" I yell, flustered, at Urahara.

"Why, use it of course." He's grinning like a madman.

"Use it?! How the hell am I supposed to use a rusty, old sword?!" It's true. The weapon is so rusty that I can't see even the slightest gleam of light on the steel blade.

"Well that's the real test then isn't it." Urahara replies, his tone becoming serious again. "Either you use that sword to fight the Hollow or…" he looks up, catching my eyes with his own, "You die."

I gulp. A bead of sweat slowly traces its way down my temple. "But…what?" My voice is shaky, matching the tremors racing through my body. "What is that thing and how…how am I supposed to fight it?" In the middle of all of this my mind has become clear. Or perhaps I've just gone insane. But I can't help but think if I knew how I can fight that monster…I could beat it.

But my hopes are dashed as Urahara seizes me again and pushes me back the way we came. Before I know it, I am standing on the porch outside the shop again. I turn to face Urahara. "I am afraid you'll have to figure out how to use that sword on your own." His expression is faintly apologetic. He than snaps the door shut, leaving me to my fate.

I stiffen as another roar breaks the silence behind me. It's much, much closer now. Slowly, almost mechanically, I turn. The monster is sniffing around the gate to the yard, currently unaware of my presence. Now what? There has to be a way out of this. Obviously I'm not going to get back into the Urahra Shop…maybe I can sneak around the monster? Yea right!

My mind is racing as the creature looks up, finally noticing that I am there. It throws back its head and roars in triumph, and then rushes forward, assured of its kill. I scream and throw myself to the side, landing headfirst in the dirt as I narrowly avoid being crushed in the monster's charge. The monster is stopped several inches before it collides with the storefront and recoils, screaming in agony as it is repelled my some kind of force field surrounding The Urahrara Shop. I waste no more time watching the creature writhing, however. Leaping to my feet and still clutching Urahara's "gift", I vault over the wreckage of the gate and sprint to the only place that I know the way to: Karakura 1st High School.

...the Kurosaki Clinic…

"Please?"

"No."

"Come on Ichigo, please?"

"For the last time Kon, no you cannot come to school with me!"

Ichigo's eye twitched as he tried to keep from punching in the face of the annoying stuffed animal in front of him. Oblivious to the danger, Kon turned his biggest, most pathetic pleading eyes on Ichigo and begged one more time, "Please Ichigo? I'm bored sitting around here all day! I promise I'll be good if you'll take me to school with you!"

Ichigo opened his mouth to respond, but was cut short by the sound of his closet door slamming open. A disgruntled and sleepy Rukia positioned herself in the open doorway and fixed Ichigo and Kon with a heated glare, "Do you two mind?! I'm trying to get some sleep in here!"

Kon cowered behind Ichigo's knee, mumbling something about being sorry. Scowling, Ichigo turned to Rukia to retort with a heated statement of his own, when he was interrupted again. Rukia pulled the beeping spirit pager from the pocket of her pajamas, flipped it open, and inspected the message inside. Ichigo sighed and stood, grabbing Kon around his plushy neck to keep the Mod Soul from escaping.

"An order?"

"Yea," Rukia replied, looking up. "It's moving fast towards the high school. I think it's the Hollow that got away yesterday."

Ichigo was mildly surprised. "And I was worried that it was going to give ups more trouble than this. Well, let's go take care of it."

Rukia nodded firmly in agreement as Ichigo stuck his hand down Kon's throat, the teddy bear squirming valiantly in his grasp.

…

The high school is just up ahead. I push myself just a little harder as the sight of my goal reenergizes my exhausted muscles. Reaching the gate, I scramble up and over, landing hard on the other side. Frantically, I look around the schoolyard searching for a place to hide. I can hear the monster's angry howls as it comes tearing down the street after me.

There! I spy an old storage shed at the back of the yard pressed up against the fence and half hidden behind the main school building. I sprint forward, my desperation reaching its peak as the monster crashes into the gate.

Reaching the shed, I tear the door open and throw myself inside, yanking the door shut behind me. Wading through years of stockpiled junk, I make my way to the very back corner of the shed and sit, pulling myself into the tightest ball that I can. I am surprised to find that I still have a death grip on the sword that Urhara gave me. For some reason I do feel better having it, even if it is just a worthless piece of junk that I don't know how to use.

There is another roar and an almighty crash. The monster has gotten through the gate. Scrunching myself further into the corner, I wait for it to find me. It has fallen deathly quiet. The silence lies heavily on my ears. I'm certain that the monster will hear my heart pounding in my chest or my labored breathing. I sit, terrified, as anxiety gnaws away at my insides. It's horrible to admit but, there is nothing I can do now except sit and hope the monster doesn't fine me.

Suddenly there is an explosion all around me. The shed is ripped apart and debris flies everywhere. A sudden lifting feeling rises in my chest and I get the sensation that I am being ripped out of my skin. Then there is nothing as I tumble through the remains of the shed, everything rolling into a continuous blur of earth and sky.

When the world finally stops spinning I find that I've landed about 20 feet from the original location of the shed, thankfully completely missing what remains of the broken building. But, something's wrong. The light has changed, causing the difference between light and dark to stand out much more than normal. The monster is easier to see, its white mask a stark contrast to its black body. Everything else, however, has melted into heavy shades of gray and has become blurry and indistinct.

Squinting, I try to get a better look at the rest of the yard. Gradually things come into focus. There's something odd lying at the monster's feet. What is it? I squint harder, willing the lump of darkness into focus. It looks like a…body?

"Wh-What? No…No!" My voice cracks as I realize that person lying at the monster's feet has blonde hair. Me. It has to be me!

But how can I be there and be here?! I look down to inspect myself more closely, a million conflicting emotions threatening to boil over inside me. I freeze, suddenly cold, when I see a chain protruding from a hole in my chest. Slowly I raise my eyes, following the chain as it winds its way across the ground. My worst fears are confirmed as I see the chain disappear beneath the body lying among the wreckage.

Seized with a sudden fear of this connection, I grab the chain, intending to pull it out of my chest. I yank, hard, but stop as it suddenly becomes much harder for me to breathe. It feels like I'm going to suffocate…Damn. What the hell…Now what do I do? I'm connected to that body over there but I have to get away! I have to!

A low, gravely chuckle pulls me out of my panicked thoughts. "You really are clueless aren't you?" the voice mocks, and I realize that it is the monster whom is speaking.

"That chain coming out of your chest is the only thing keeping your soul attached to your body," it continues, filling me with dread. "If you pull that change out of your chest, you're a goner." Slowly, the monster is advancing on me, its tongue whipping eagerly about. I should move. I should try to run away again. But I can't. Petrified I sit, unable to prevent the death that is now looming above me.

"Not that it matters if you pull your Chain of Fate out or not. I'm going to eat you and you're going to die anyways!" The creature lunges forward, its mouth wide open and ready to bite me in half.

I close my eyes, clutch the sword that I am still somehow holding tighter, and scream. WHAM! However, there are no sudden sharp pains from my torso and I don't seem to have met my demise. Cracking one eye open I am met with quite possibly the strangest sight I will ever see. A person dressed in a black mean's kimono is standing over me. They are holding the monster at bay with the largest sword I have ever seen (it has to be at least as tall as he is!).

My savior makes a massive heave with his sword and pushes the creature back. It howls in pain as the sword slices through its shoulder, pushing it back even farther. This movement has enabled me to get a better look at my rescuer. My eyes widen in surprise as I get a glimpse of the shocking orange hair that crowns the person's head.

"I-Ichigo?!"

The guy glances back at me and my suspicions are confirmed. It is that bastard Ichigo!

Author's Note:

Well that's the third chapter. I can't say it's my best, but I wanted to get something up. It's gonna get better though. It's just getting to the meat at the beginning of the story :)

On to business…I am going on a trip for the next couple of weeks and will not have access to a computer. Therefore, there will no posts until late July. Also I would still like to hear what people think about this story being an IchiOC I leave on Friday and I will make my decision then. So, if you care at all, you better tell me before Friday.

I'd also like to give a shout out to dnite'07, who is my second reviewer. Thank you dnite'07! To everyone else, please review! If you liked the story then please tell me. I like to hear compliments and reader support gives me the motivation to continue this story. And if you didn't like this story then please review and tell me why you didn't like it.

Thanks for reading!

imagination junkie