Authors note: Well I am amazed at how many reviews this story has gotten and want to thank everyone who is reading it. I wish there was a way I could express my gratitude and apologize for not updating enough. My life is very hectic right now with everything that is going on and I am having a hard time just writing a paragraph it takes me to post on an RPG. I am trying to be more active but I cannot promise anything. Although I love writing fan fictions I really have no storyline planned out for this so what you are getting is slightly disjointed and I apologize for that as well.

Chapter Seven

The Shinigami

Ichigo continued to run quickly as he looked for any stray hollows in the outskirts of town. He really didn't want to think about all that was happening so suddenly. First grand Fisher who he was unable to kill then his brother mysteriously reappearing in his life it made him uneasy with himself and his surroundings, and to make matters worse he didn't have the heart to tell his family about the high-strung teen.

Kyo was something of a mystery to Ichigo it was as if he was surrounded by a mist that he wasn't allowed to peer into. He continued to run cursing himself for being so weak lately for letting things get to him. How was he suppose to protect the people around him if his mind was unsettled. Rukia ran behind him watching him as he frowned darkly. She had know Ichigo long enough to realize that he was lost in his own thoughts. She looked down at her cell phone as it suddenly beeped alerting her to a Hollow near by.

"Ichigo!" she said suddenly as he turned to look at her hearing the beep. She held up the phone so he could look at the screen more clearly. Ichigo grabbed her wrist lightly pulling it closer to his face to look at the map that showed where the hollow was. He recognized the area it was only a little ways from her the place was mostly forest with a house tucked away from the road when he was a child he use to walk by it on pick-nicks with his family. Ichigo let go of her and frowned yet another reminder of his childhood that he didn't need right now.

"Fine…let's not waist time" he said as he started to run again. Rukia watched him lightly amazed at how focused he was at that moment. In all her time with him she had never seen him so willing to do his job.

"Ichigo are you alright" she said as she caught up to him. He looked over at her frowning like always.

"What do you mean am I alright" he growled at her. Rukia sighed lightly trying to think of how to form her thoughts into words.

"Well…usually I have to fight you tooth and nail…even a few moments ago you were complaining about having to go and fight hollows, but now your suddenly eager to get do it?" she said. Ichigo frowned deeper as she spoke and then sighed.

"Yeah whatever…you're going to make me wither I like it or not so I might as well get it over with as fast as I can" he said. Rukia nodded lightly as they neared the place where the hollow was supposedly at.

---

Kyo dodge yet another of the creatures giant clawed hands as it tried to scoop him up it's white mask grinning like a banshee showing sharp elongated teeth. Yellow eyes followed him as he quickly jumped off the roof landing on his feet. He had to lure it away since it seemed to be after him because even if he did not always get along with Yuki and Shigure he did not wish to see this thing get it's hands on them.

"I have never met a human with so much fighting spirit" the thing said in a gravely voice a hissing laugh erupting from it's mouth. Kyo looked up at it as it once again lunged for him a large tail behind it slowly flicking back and forth like a cats who was amused with it's prey. Kyo rolled to avoid it but it grazed his shoulder with a sickle like nail cutting into it. Kyo let out a growl of pain but quickly got to his feet and started to run his head down. All he could think about was how much he didn't want it to hurt anyone not even his annoying cousin Yuki. His feet carried him swiftly but it was soon apparent that he wasn't quick enough as the thing chased after him quickly gaining before it swiped a clawed hand at him. He jumped up and landed on the things hand his eyes wide. Another hand came down towards him the gnarled fingers reaching towards him. He jumped down quickly in-between it's fingers as it let out a shriek of pain from it's own claws. Kyo looked up with his orange eyes and saw it's yellow ones suddenly harsh as it looked at him.

"You…" it growled and Kyo knew he had pissed it off. Suddenly it's hurt hand was around him rising him into the air in front of it's ugly masked face.

---

Shigure and Hatori heard the crash outside and both suddenly rose to there feet looking at each other with a confused look.

"What was that…"Hatori said in his normally calm voice Shigure shrugged as lost as he was.

"Let's check it out…" he said as he walked quickly towards the door Hatori following him swiftly as well. When the two looked out side however they saw nothing other then a gaping hole where Kyo's room would have been. A second later the other members of the household joined them having been woken from there sleep. A groggy Yuki glared at the destruction.

"What the hell did Kyo do this time" he said. Shigure looked at him and frowned the realized Kyo had been on the roof and now he was nowhere to be seen. Tohru the only girl there still clutching a teddy she had been sleeping with looked at the hole in the building with wide eyes.

"Was Kyo up there?" she asked worried. Shigure looked at her and shook his head putting on his most charming smile.

"No he hasn't come home yet" he lied to the brown haired girl. Tohru smiled brightly when he said that.

"Ohh good…I would hate to see something bad happen to him" she smiled. As they stood there Tohru saw something streak past them and instantly turned her head to see where it had been only to find nothing.

---

Ichigo ran past the house as Rukia informed him the hollow was on the move running as fast as he could. He just wanted to finish this job up quickly and then go back home. Soon they found the thing hunched over blood on the ground in front of it. Ichigo suddenly pulled his sword out seeing the blood.

"HEY CREEP! DIE!" he yelled bringing the huge Zanpakto down on the creatures hollow mask in one fell swoop he destroyed the mask. It was only then that he noticed the orange haired teen that had been grasped in it's huge spindly hands. The boy tumbled towards the ground from the height he had been suspended as the monster slowly dissolved into dust.

"Damn it!" Ichigo growled as he saw his brother falling towards the ground he quickly attempted to catch the teen so that he would not injure himself , but he wasn't close enough. Kyo fell to the ground quickly but at the last moment landed on his feet just like a cat his hands on the ground bracing his fall. Ichigo looked at him with a slightly impressed look only for Kyo to glare at him.

"What the fuck was that thing!" he growled at Ichigo his orange eyes flashing with anger. Ichigo glared at him as he yelled at him. This kid had no manners.

"What do you mean what the fuck…aren't you going to at least thank me before you bite my head of" he growled back. Kyo glared darkly at him who was he to ask for a thank you.

"Fuck you!" he yelled his fist clenched tightly. "why the hell should I thank you…I was doing fine by myself untill you showed up…I don't need an older brother!" Kyo wanted to punch Ichigo in the face as he stood there acting like this was nothing. "What just because we are related you suddenly think I need you to save me" Ichigo put his sword on his back still glaring sternly at Kyo. This kid was nothing but a punk who had no clue how to show anyone respect.

"What the hell is your problem…I have tried to be nice to you and all you ever do is bite my fucking head off" he growled "And don't think I saved you because of that…this is my job!" he glared at Kyo his anger at the boy higher then it had been yet.

"I don't think I want you as a little brother if your going to act like a spoiled brat" Ichigo said crossing his arms. "Just because you can't remember me doesn't change the fact that we are family" he said. Rukia stayed back from the two she knew this was not her business, but even though he was pissed off Rukia could tell Ichigo was relived he had gotten there in time to save Kyo.