Here is the next chapter - sorry it took a while, but it's longer than all previous chapters (to make up for it). I read it a couple of times and I made a lot of changes, so I'm not surprised if I go back again for more. Let me know what you think! Rated Mature for language and some sexual content - I finally got to some juicy bits, I promise more detail in the next chapter.
A Shinigami Emerged...
Ichigo wavered slightly. It seemed that for a moment he was still suspended in the metal construct, his body contorted and bloodied. That moment seemed to last forever for the onlookers - his friends. Ichigo collapsed, and Kon caught him before he touched the ground.
Handing him to Rukia, Kon eyed her determinatively. "Take him, and keep him away from here!"
"I can't just…" she stammered.
"GO! NOW!" Kon shoved Rukia toward an alley "We have to handle this."
Bakuhatsu, even though it was weakened by their onslaught, still had quite an insurmountable flow of spirit energy. With Ichigo out of its grasp, the heroes were at least on improved footing; equal seemed more than a stone's throw away.
Kon hurried to Ishida. It did not even seem he were conscious until he reached up with his bloodied fingers to pull another arrow back. Sheer will power and determination were the only things keeping him going, but from what the mod soul could see, that was not going to last for much longer. As he drew closer to Uryuu, the gaunt figure spoke.
"Get out of here. There's nothing you can do. I'll finish this." His words were strained and deliberate, his total concentration on absorbing the spirit energy from Bakuhatsu. Dark shadows from his hair covered his eyes in an impenetrable black, but his voice was more than enough to deter Kon's approach. His quick pace almost halted.
Conflicting spiritual pressure seemed to be disrupting the hollow as well, and the pressure emanating from the power struggle weighed very heavily on the surroundings. The air around them screamed.
"And get yourself killed? What will that solve? I'm not going to let you die."
"Leave, or we'll both be dead for nothing! Just make sure…that Ichigo survives…"
"He's fine; I left him in Rukia's care." Kon argued.
Uryuu was so focused on counteracting the spiritual energy that he did not notice that Ichigo was gone. A quick confirmation of his spirit energy indicated he was weak, but still alive. "Heh. He's left me to do all the dirty work." he smirked.
Kon could see Uryuu's spiritual pressure deteriorating rapidly. He had to do something – and quick…but what?
Where's Uryuu? Ichigo whispered, barely audible. "I need to…"
"Quiet! You're too injured to speak. Stow it for later." came the agitated female voice.
"I need to tell…him…" as he fell back into unconsciousness.
It was a snowball's chance in hell it would work, but he had an idea. Kon didn't like the idea at all that much; with the surmounting power built in the hollow, he could very well be killed alongside Uryuu. It was the best chance they had though, and they would only be able to get through this together.
"I'm going to regret this…" Kon pouted.
As a mod soul, Kon knew that he possessed heightened stamina, speed, and agility, even some minor regenerative ability. The only way this power could be used was to inhabit a body, the result pushing the soul out of possessed body if one originally resided inside. What if Kon held onto the body that he inhabited, but forced some of his power into Uryuu? That way, Uryuu would retain his consciousness as well as receive some of his innate mod soul capabilities. It was worth a try.
Bakuhatsu thrashed at Uryuu's barrier, erected by Rukia and fortified by himself. "I will crush your little soul and your power will become mine!"
If there were any moment for Kon to spring into motion, now was the time to do it. From what he could see, the hollow sliced at the barrier this last time and the tiniest sliver split from the shield. This caused the whole barrier to destabilize, shattering into thousand of tiny glittering shards which landed at his feet.
Kon bounded up to Ishida's captive position, and he cupped Uryuu's head in his hands. His eyes "Here goes…everything…" Kon breathed.
Kon set Ichigo's lips upon Uryuu's. As they pressed, he slowly slid into Uryuu the mod soul pill carefully wrapped in his tongue. The reaction was quick, and shot through him like electricity. Kon braced himself, knowing that the innate Quincy ability to absorb spiritual power at this proximity could be catastrophic: He feared that this forced transfer may cause harm to not only Uryuu and his own essence, but to Ichigo's body as well.
Uryuu was too weak to protest the entrance of the mod soul. An indescribable feeling came upon him along with a rush of warmth and excitement. The searing pain that he had been keeping intentionally blocked from his mind now was replaced by a euphoric sensation, rejuvenating and restoring. He rolled the pill over his tongue, sensing the power conducted through his body. It had a sweet taste, though he wasn't sure if the flavor derived from the mod soul...or of Ichigo. Then the pill was extracted - Uryuu's eyes flickered open and he gazed upon Ichigo's face. Somehow, he thought, he looked…different. He did not register that it was Kon in a shell of Ichigo's body, he seen Ichigo himself, right before his eyes.
Spiritual changes in Lone Sparrow manifested as well; the light blue color normally exhibited now visibly shown as prismatic white. A spiritual flare rose through Ishida; like a tidal wave of power rushing out of him all at once. His eyes shot at Ichigo again, and this time they glistened with the same white prism, a pattern of color splayed onto his glasses. His hair whipped in the spiritual ebb and flow around him.
Kon had a feeling that he should back off…now. Transferring some power was only half of it, now he had to monitor what exactly happened to Ishida. Internally, Kon had never experimented himself - or have heard of experiments like this - with the Quincy. All he knew is that they exhibited spiritual power much differently than Soul Reapers, and that much is evident. With the extent of power the Quincy now held, he felt the tides turn in their favor.
A blurring slice through the heavens severed Uryuu's restraint to the hollow. It resembled only a beam of light, but Kon knew better. It was like a spiritual blade, much like the Quincy arrow, that sheared through the hollow's body and exploded into the ground. After the dust cleared, the Quincy stood alone, looking very different than the sight held moments ago. Instead of his traditional blue cross attire, his accents took a red hue. Like the paths of blood that ran to his finger tips seconds before, blood-like embroidery accented the cuffs and along the collar of his long white coat. Over his right shoulder blazed a shining wing-like arc, a fiery quiver only few have seen, let alone manifested at this day and age. Crimson gloves covered his hands that were once bloodied the same color. Adjusting his glasses slightly, he turned to face the hollow.
Kon gasped. This was Ishida. He could tell. What the hell happened?
Bakuhatsu reared and growled deeply. It seemed that the beast had time to recover now that Uryuu and severed the connection. One whisper remained on Kon's lips. What would happen now?
The next few seconds were a blur, the Quincy dodging this way and that, rolling past blasts of spiritual energy. First he was there - but no, now he was…gone? Rematerialized here, there, then behind the hollow…he fired a singular shot.
Kon gasped. What was he thinking? The hollow absorbed spiritual energy, wouldn't firing an arrow effectively make Bakuhatsu stronger?!
The resounding crash that followed contradicted his thoughts. Black fluid spilled forth from the neck of the hollow and it reached up in surprise. It seemed that Kon wasn't the only one who wondered how.
Uryuu didn't falter. The ethereal flame encircling his body flared as he stood directly in front of the hollow now (when did that happen?), his power seemingly increasing with every step. "Do you know why you suffer, Jouten?" His mouth dripped with sarcasm at the name. "Because you are weak. Your existence is a waste." He produced a fist and tightened his grasp. "Now I know your weakness, and how to exploit it."
Like death incarnate, Uryuu's spiritual energy flickered malevolently; long blood colored ribbons trailing down his arms, the dark threatening glare in his eye. "Your abilities are similar to mine…you just…take it." With that Uryuu reached out his hand toward the collapsed pile of the hollows' snake like tail. Immediately the pile shuddered and dematerialized into particles, infusing to the wing at his shoulder.
Kon thought he understood now. Ishida and Bakuhatsu existed as two separate entities; when they came together, they acted like two magnets with polar attraction did and repelled each others' power. However, when one magnet is more intense than the other, the strongest absorbs all energy. Not like a Soul Reaper, he reflected. Their source of power lies in their own potential - the Quincy can draw strength from any surrounding particles consisting of spirit energy. "If he can absorb the hollows power and use it against him, he is essentially destroying itself with itself!" Kon concluded.
As if he heard him, Uryuu leered. There was a howl as he fired off a few more shots in the monster's direction - at least one of those bolts pierced. Even though it was injured it still moved quickly, making for a difficult battle. Bakuhatsu twisted and writhed, meanwhile shooting several bolts towards Uryuu. By jumping, dodging, and phasing to multiple locations, it seemed that the Quincy overcame the beast.
Bakuhatsu began to move sluggishly, his essence dissipating exponentially. With no fuel source and an abundance of energy dispelled, it seemed that the hollow was nearing its end. It attempted to rip a dimensional portal to escape and mend its life-force, while spitting curses at the human entity that caused so much havoc.
"I will return, and I will kill you!" the hollow roared.
Kon watched in amazement as Ishida materialized in between the hollows eyes and hovered for a split second. "You won't get the chance." Uryuu hissed, and unleashed a bolt at the pinnacle of his spiritual charge. Like that, the hollows mask exploded into dust, the remains of its face dropping to the ground with a thud. There was a sound of air escaping from the corpse as Ishida drew in the rest of the hollows form. "Good riddance." He concluded as the hollow's remains collected in the arc at his shoulder. "One less abomination in this world."
So what did you think? This chapter was hard to write - nothing came out the way I wanted it to. the title 'A shinigami emerged' was refering to the death god feel Uryuu displayed, but it may imply more...
I also wanted to note that I am currently working on a Resident Evil bit with KevinxDavid to get rid of the mental block I experienced for this chapter. I knew what I wanted to say, I just couldn't type it! Anyway, if you like my work, check that one out too.