A/N: OK, no lie; when I woke up and checked my email and there was a bunch of unread messages I got scared. Idk I thought it was something else; certainly didn't expect them to be a mess of reviews that's for sure. But they were all wonderful to read! X3 With all that said, here is the next chapter. Hope you'll like it.

Chapter IX: Your Voice

Shadows crawled closer, distorted creatures all connected to one another reached out with claws, tearing away the light. The silence was drowned by cruel laughs of mockery and the lone being's form was hunched over, using whatever was left of his power to keep the flickering light from being consumed. It burned so badly. This fire was burning away at his insides urging him to change, desperate claws scratched with such vengence it left him dizzy even though they touched not a single part of his body. From among all the darkness, despite all the laughs and the cries and the longing of the countless voices hidden by the void, there was one such part of the black sea of monsters that stood quietly; watching him as he struggled to fight off the pain. This monster that resembled a humanoid figure merely watched with red eyes that betrayed nothing. There was nothing to it but its eyes, no grin of victory or amusement, not a fang was exposed in a snarl, no claws reached out to him in a desperate attempt to take control; there was nothing to this creature but its knowing gaze.

They were as red as the blood that flowed through his veins, there was an outline to its form that distinguished his image; its hair and the clothes all covered in black.

"Who are you?" He asked in a pained whisper, but even as he stood there in exhaustion he was given no answer. The creature of silence suddenly began to creep ever closer, yet his limbs did not look as though they were walking, it was as if the darkness washing over the ground was gliding him over towards him until he stood directly in front of him, unfazed by the numerous hands clutching at the light.

With ease, the creature lifted his own hand, the length of its claws surpassing even his own that held onto his last bit of sanity, and it pressed lightly into the circle of light. It moved its thin fingers until only its index pointed directly at his chest that heaved with each inhaled breath. The sound of terror became quiet as he focused all of his attention to this one monster that merely pointed and stood as though the simple gesture was all he needed.

But it wasn't. There was more to it. The scarlet eyes narrowed slightly and its claw moved until it sank into his chest as easily as a well sharpened blade.

There was pain; the burning intensified, yet he made not a sound, no scream nor grunt of discomfort. It tore through his body, building up at the chest and coursing through him like the streams of a rushing waterfall. He was drowning.

"I am Muramasa."

The being shielded by the dying light looked at it in horror. His eyes widened in shock . There was no way that this horrible being that was as cold and grotesque as the others could be him! He was not a monster with horns protruding from his head, his eyes were not red with the clouded vision of despair and hate.

The one that claimed to be Muramasa closed its eyes and slowly faded away from him, returning back to the black mass filled with bared fangs and sickening glares, leaving him at a loss for words.

His hand clutched at the light bringing forth more energy in an attempt to return to sanity. The roars of the beasts were becoming too loud once more and the confusion within him began to twist and morph into hate and anger. It was building up with every passing moment; his head hurting as he fought to contain his mentality.

"It's pointless, you know." The voice spoke; the voice of the impersonating beast.

"There is nothing here, only hate, anger, and sorrow."

He ignored his words and focused on the light, keeping it glowing with life. There was darkness all around which only proved the beast right, but even so there was still something that was very important and it required his full attention. His mind was hazy, his eyes grew heavy, but this something was critical; it had to be kept close. He tried hard to find out who it was, but only blotches of color came to mind; so familiar. The color of the sunset. The scent of flowers seemed like the correct description. There was also a smile; a loving, caring smile that it seemed to tear through his soul and take away the heavy burden of pain.

"Who is it?" The beast spoke.

His mouth opened to speak, but his voice was nowhere, words refused to come to him. The name escaped him, yet he felt that it was so familiar. He who this was, he knew who this girl was; there was no other that could rise at her level in anything. She may have lacked power, but it only proved to show that she desired no pain, even to those who deserve it. His eyes softened, he calmly closed his mouth, the hand holding on to the light never lost its grip; he stood straight and peered over at the writhing mass of monsters with recovered determination.

"Tell me, who it is you see?" The words of the distorted voice bordering between humane and an unatural deep tone.

He chose not to speak and instead closed his eyes to picture the innocent girl smiling up at him while clutching at the little plush toy in complete happiness. A sigh escaped his lips, there was even a twitch at his cheek in a faint desire to smile. Peace washed over him and he felt the barrier of the light become just a little larger. There was a swell of emotion building up in his chest overcoming the pain and sorrow with the calmness of longing happiness.

The beast was calling at him, but there was another voice calling out to him as well. He couldn't hear it well, but he was certain it drowned out all the others. This voice seemed urgent, it was best for him to open his eyes, it could be the monsters taking over. He could lose everything. But this image of the girl with her laughter echoing through his head lulled him; set his own mind in complete ease that he actually forgot the sound of the other hateful voices, he momentarily forgot all that had hurt him; his mind was only filled with her. Sleep, it was time to sleep.

"...masa!"

There it was again. The feminine voice with a slight edge of alarm.

'Who is it?' He wondered.

'Your name...'

"...sa!"

Something told him he should listen, if she was alarmed then it must be something important. She could be in trouble.

"I'm sorry...It's too much." He whispered. The grip over the light loosened, he fell to his knees, his body, mind, and soul completely drained of energy. There was nothing left for him to do but fall into the arms of slumber. His eyes creeped open slightly to glance at the crawling darkness crowding all around him.

"Ori...hime..."

"Muramasa-san! Please, you have to wake up!" Orihime shook at his arm violently, trying to wake him from sleep. Her eyes were streaming with tears as fear gripped her. Upon awakening she found he was beside her again, but there was something terribly wrong. His breathing was far too shallow compared to last time she saw him asleep. It only took one call to wake him as well, but this time there was no response at all. She found him with blood falling from his closed eyes in two parallel lines and it terrified her. She had tried to use her hairpins, but they could no longer find anything wrong with his body. There was nothing to heal, the festering wound in his soul had become too much.

There was still no response from the zanpakutou and now she was starting to panic, the sting of tears beginning to form at the corner of her eyes. She dashed from her spot by his side to grab the cell phone sitting at the table. Flipping it open she quickly dialed the number of the only person she could turn to that would probably know what to do.

"Hello?"

"Urahara-san, please I need your help! It's Muramasa-san, he-"

"Whoa, slow down Orihime, I can barely make out what your saying. Calm down." She did as she was told, but the panic could not be calmed so easily. Slowly she let out a shaky breath and spoke only when she was certain her voice would not break.

"H-he won't wake up...I keep shouting out his name, but he won't respond. His eyes sre bleeding, my Shun Shun Rikka won't work..." She sniffed as she fought to contain her fear.

"Muramasa?" She could hear an audible sigh escape the shopkeeper along with the sound of movement. "I'll be there soon, keep your shield around him. It may seem like it's not working, but it may just help him."

"Ok..." The phone was cast aside as she went over to resume her healing, hoping that she wouldn't lose him.

'How odd...' He thought. His body was exhausted, there was a strong urge to rest and be conscious of nothing, but there was something biting terribly at his mind keeping him awake. He was propped in a sitting position against a white wall, the shadows of the darkness now closer than it had been last he remembered. The outline of the shield was dwindling, flickering as it fought to move forward and push away the monstrous shadows reaching to him with strained arms and frustrated snarls. Beyond such beings he could see endless sand with trees as dry and dead as any desert his eyes have ever seen. There were footprints of various sizes; did they belong to the beasts? His vision blurred, but sleep, the rest he's so longed for just would not come.

There was something telling him to stand and walk away from the sand and it's followers of claws and fangs. He had to move away, he would be swallowed, he would be devoured by the emptiness and become one of the walking grains devoid of satisfaction and huanted by the horrors and regrets that he has faced. The light flickered and fell back an inch, the darkness followed.

"You can't fight it. Let go of the light, it is far too small to hold onto. It flicker out before you are given a chance to correct the wrong."

"You are saying there is a way, then." He stated with a quiet, tired voice. He could barely even hear.

"The last bit of energy you hold will backfire. It will cost you your sanity and will inevitably take her along with it."

The beast's words held no lie. That small circle of light keeping him alive was becoming corrupted, it would soon become a part of the darkness and it will soon be his footsteps that will create the imprints of his hopeless sorrow and anger. He figured it was that way, these were just others that have fell victim to the power of being hollow. Their chains have carved out their hearts and were left with nothing but the sadness of loss. A terrible loneliness that caused them to seek out their loved ones and hope to fill the void that can never be what they once were.

Their loved ones...

Who was it he loved, again?

"He seems to be in a coma-like state. It seems that the hollow in him has finally caught up to him. At this rate, he could turn into an arrancar." He looked over at Orihime who was crying silent tears. She really did not want to lose him, he was with her almost constantly, always offering a comforting hand even though he was unaware of it. There was no more loneliness in her home, there was finally someone who would greet her whenever school was over. The bitter feeling of saying goodbyes to friends at the end of the day was no longer present; she felt whole again. He never asked for much. He never wanted to trouble her, he did not want her to worry over him when he was clearly not well.

She was silent as she stared at his calm looking face smeared with the color of red.

"Isn't there something that can be done?" She asked, her voice never raised but it might as well have been, Urahara could only stare with serious eyes at the zanpakutou left inside the gigai. He closed he eyes, knowing full well what was happening.

"There most likely isn't Orihime. That gigai was specifically made to render him powerless. You remember the events that had occurred when he was left under the power of the hollows, if I free him from the gigai whatever power he has left could possibly morph into that arrancar and at our current level and place that will not be good."

"What?" She could only stare at the man in front of her with disbelief.

"The hollows inside cannot be erased, Kouga is gone. A shinigami's life is a zanpakutou's life. Despite my knowlege of it, there is nothing that can be done. The gigai will prevent him from turning into one of the arrancar; it is equivalent to a person stuck in a coma."

He looked away from her to look over him. "Seems like he tried to stay awake, but-"

"No! Muramasa-san is strong! He's fought it for so long! He can't give up, I know he won't!" She could not bring herself to accept that her dear friend would give up on his fight. He was strong, he had to be after suffering the pain of being completely alone. He had a purpose; he wanted to reunite with his master, but his master was nowhere. The power-mad illusion of what used to be his only friend proved it.

What was his purpose now?

A smile broke through his crumbled state.

Who could forget that face that held nothing but happiness for everything? That beautiful smile that would appear at every little thing from a simple flower to the feeling of being among friends. She was so easy to read; when she was sad she would try to hide it just as she had when she witnessed her first honest love fall for another. He was confused at the time, but there was no denying that pained look that was easily seen through her eyes. Then there was another wave of pain.

Oh yes, now he remembered. That look of shock and confusion that crossed her face when he spoke what he yearned for. Ah, but he meant it with his whole being. There was no one else that made him feel as though he belonged, that there could be no other to take his place. It was always warm, no matter where they were. There was no temperature here, but just thinking of her brilliant personality and her voice asking him questions about everything was enough to make him feel warmth over the cold atmosphere.

His eyes looked over at the shadow looming just above him; the light had become just a thin outline of his form. The monsters were upon him.

"There is nothing left to hold onto." He was right.

His resolve was collapsing under his words. That desperate feeling to keep searching was beginning to numb. He would soon become nothing, his mind will be lost under their pressure. His pain will just become a part of their own.

Perhaps this was where he belonged after all.

"Please Urahara-san, you have to let him out!" Orihime urged leaning over Muramasa with her tears falling on his clothing. his words came back to her as she recalled the recent events to find what could have caused this. His troubled expressions she had seen lingered; the time when he said he had met someone interesting. She recalled his words that said she would not return them creating more tears. He was talking about her. He would always seem focused on her even when it seemed like he was thinking of something else. The pain of possibly losing him was increased, the sobs she tried to keep in were becoming difficult to contain as everything he was hiding and everything he had said was finally sinking in; baring the true meaning he had been trying to convey, yet at the same time hide.

She wanted nothing more than to have him by her side again and to hold her in his comforting embrace. She wanted to love him just as he said he loved her.

Kisuke's eyes were hidden under the shadows of his hair and hat in silent resignation. He could hear the voice of his own sword speaking to him, questioning him. It was true that had he remained in Soul Society, Benihime would have fallen under Muramasa's spell, but just as the others have done he would be able to bring her back. How would it feel to have your own zanpakutou betray you? The question he would never be able to answer since no one can answer a question when they have not experienced it for themself. But there was one that he was sure none of the shinigamis would be able to answer, not even their zanpakutou could answer and it was one that was directed toward the swords.

How does it feel to have a shinigami toss you away like another useless weapon?

"He said he wanted to be my zanpakutou..." He heard Orihime whisper.

She brought a hand to her eyes and wiped away the falling tears slowly.

"Kurosaki-kun was able to become one with Kuchiki-san's zanpakutou. It can be the same for him, right?" She asked with heavy hope. Urahara honestly wouldn't know. He has never given a human the powers of a shinigami; it was against the rules, punishable by death. Ichigo may have gotten away with it by becoming a substitute and working under Yamamoto's orders, but Orihime was not as sharp with a blade and she already had her Shun Shun Rikka which could be the closest she holds as a weapon and was, in a way, a zanpakutou.

A heavy sigh escaped him as he he reached inside his sleeve to pull out a small green pill.

"You do realize that if this doesn't work, I will have to kill him." He stated calmly. "At this point he is far too weak to keep the hollows from consuming him, he will probably have some of his powers intact, but if he doesn't act fast he will die."

"I will ask you again: are you sure?"

There was no hesitation. She nodded confidently; this was his final chance to become what he was meant to be.

He opened his mouth and dropped the pill in, Orihime massaged his throat to make him swallow.

"Now is the time for us to get vengence upon them." The voice laughed, his usual indifferent facade twisted into a menacing grin, sharp canine teeth exposed so much like a beast that they were.

As soon as the light is forever gone, I promise you won't remember anything. You will not know who it was that caused you grief, that person will forever be lost. Everyone around you has meant to cause you harm in every way!" The beast laughed as the being veiled in light slowly lost sight of the beasts and the desert.

And then there was a new voice. One that was so familiar to him; he knew this one.

"You have to stab me at the heart" The unknown voice, stopped for but a moment to take a breath; it sounded like she was crying. "you have to give me whatever energy you have left. Please, Muramasa-san. " She was begging, why? He was fine, just a little tired.

Sleep was his first thought, if he just slept a little he would be fine, but since she was asking... but why would she asked to be stabbed? He didn't want to hurt her, that was the last thing he would ever do. It would kill her.

He really did not wish to hurt her, but he was never one to deny her whatever it was she wanted; he has been selfish too long. His mind was confused, but he trusted her, she never meant any harm from the very beginning. She meant to help him. Right?

There was a shove and Muramasa was pulled away from the darkness, his eyes were unfocused as he leaned forward in a sitting position. A massive pain assualted his head, he brought a hand to cradle it. His clothing was back and he was an invisible being again. There was a dull ringing in his head as he tried to make sense of the situation, but it was a while before the distorted voices calmed down and became smooth.

Orihime threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and moving her face to hide into his shoulder. He was startled, but before he could say a word a searing pain flared over his whole body. His muscles burned and felt as though there a white hot flame threatening to engulf his mind with the intensity of the pain. He flinched and gasped, trying to calm it but every movement was unbearable.

"Orihime, he has to do it now!" Another voice shouted.

"Muramasa-san please, you have to bring out your sword. You have to stab it straight into my heart." She said calmly despite the tremble in her voice. It was lovely, he noted. The pain was numbing his head, he couldn't make sense of right or wrong, what was then and what was now. He could have sworn it was just a couple of hours ago that he was just awake and watching over her as she slept. He couldn't remember. Everything was fuzzy.

Without even realizing it, his sword was in his grasp. How long had it been since he last felt its weight?

"H-Hime...sama..." It hurt to talk. He wanted to know why he had to stab her? She pushed lightly against his shoulders to create some space. She looked at his eyes that were glazed over with agony and she smiled, hoping and very confident that this would work. Her hand covered his cold ones that clutched tightly against the hilt of his blade, bring it up at positioning the tip of the sword right above her chest, right where her heart was beating loud and hard.

His eyes flashed a dangerous red.

Without another second to spare she pulled his hand toward her, the sword piercing through her flesh with ease. A light hue of purple aura came from his very being and traveled through his sword. His eyes softened as he felt the pain dull, but he was beginning to feel more alert until realization sunk in, deeply.

His eyes snapped wide open to stare back at her grey ones. She was smiling. What had made her smile? He looked around frantically and found his blade in his hand in a motion of a kill. Horror overcame him, his instinct screaming at him to pull it out as quickly as possible before anymore damage could be dealt, but her hand held him still. He reeled his head up to look at her, he could feel that familiar sensation of returning. Disappearing as his powers were sheathed back under control, his body became tansparent, but that didn't matter. He wanted to know why she had made him do such a thing; she saw his fear stricken look and only smiled with a stray tear falling from her puffy eyes.

"I'm sorry..." She whispered, but her voice was as clear as the ocean to his ears. "I'm sorry I couldn't see." She sniffled as she leaned just a little closer to him. "I'm sorry I didn't see what was really hurting you." She allowed him no chance to respond, she had covered his mouth with her own pressing up further against him even though he was fading quite fast.

Muramasa did not know what to do, there was that same soft emotion that sprouted from the very core of his being that intensified and he was left immobilized by the sudden sensation. Her eyes were closed as she remained where she was with her lips pressed up against his own, it was pleasurable. The warmth of the kiss spreading throughout their bodies; his other hand held onto her shoulder to keep them both balanced. Then there was a sudden urge to go just a little further, a sudden instinct within him that begged to be fulfilled. His grip on the her shoulder became a little tighter and he pushed up to try and deepen it, moving his lips to part her own in invitation. Surprisingly enough, it was Orihime that proceeded on that same impulse, moving her small indecisive tongue experimentally inside. Warmth was the first thing to come into her mind, then the taste. At the contact of his own tongue, she jerked back and pulled away from the kiss. There was a furious blush across her face and he couldn't help but smile at how adorable she looked now. He moved his head to nuzzle the underside of her jaw before finally disappearing into his sword.

-X-X-X-

A/N: I apologize if it seemed rushed, but meh. Please tell me how you think of it. The last part of this chapter was a pain because I am simply hopeless with fluff, seriously not used to writing it, so I got a little help from Old_Hound7 which would be my dear sister. Therefore if you liked it give a little credit to her. If there are any mistakes please be sure to tell me so that I can fix it later on. ^w^