Chapter 3: Publicity

Lunch period again on Monday morning. I had finished my lunch early and had decided to kick back and listen to my iPod. I had a very nice mix of American and Japanese songs on my playlist and I often deviated between them depending on my mood. Today felt like a soft and sweet kind of day, so I listened to a very calming tune that almost put me to sleep it was so relaxing. I needed it.

"MWA-HA-HA-HA!" a voice yelled beside me. I yelped in shock and fell out of my seat when I looked to the left to see Keigo with his arms crossed, a maniacal grin and his arms crossed, not but four inches away from my ear! I shut off the music and leaped back to my feet in a rather comical fury.

"What in the blazes of hell was that for?!" I barked at him, "If you want my attention, approach me from the front!"

"Come on, don't you get where this is from?" he raised his eyebrow at me.

"Uh...no. Should I?" I deadpanned. Keigo gasped in absolute horror.

"You really have never heard of Spirit Hunter before?! Have you been living in a cave all this time?!" he interrogated me.

"I've been in America for the past six months", I explained.

"That explains it. Spirit Hunter is all about a man named Don Kanoji, who hunts down demons and ghosts. That was his signature laugh! It's the most popular show in Japan!" I looked around to see how several other students were doing the same thing every now and then.

"You don't say", I sweat dropped.

"I know", Ichigo appeared beside me, making me flinch, "They've been at it all day. It's so annoying. And I already told you Keigo, I'm not going."

"How could you not want to go?! It's going to be broadcasting live from Kadakura! You live here! You would have to be dead to miss it."

"I guess that makes me a zombie then", Ichigo groaned.

"That makes me a ghost", I said.

"Get lost", Ichigo and I both said at once, "Jinx! Double Jinx! Triple Jinx!"

"But I already went through the trouble of asking Rukia to go!" Keigo said motioning to a smiling Rukia, "Come on! MWA-HA-HA-HA!"

Rukia blushed and said in an adorable way, "No, I'd be too embarrassed to do it!"

"She's doing a good job at blending in", I muttered to Ichigo.

"Quite the little actress", he said back to me.

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Before I could even protest, I found myself with my friends at the ruins of an abandoned hospital. A massive crowd gathered to see a man with dreadlocks, shades, and an outrageous was Don Kanoji.

"And how is everyone tonight?! You better hold on to your seats babies, 'cause it's time to hear the spirits cry!" he called out as the entire crowd cheered. And we moved in front of the building.

"Why won't that idiot shut up?" I said talking about Keigo who was still doing the laugh.

"He knows it drives me nuts but he does it anyway", Ichigo deadpanned.

"But you guys came anyway", Orihime offered sweetly.

"My dad and sisters go crazy for Spirit Hunter. I couldn't let them go alone", Ichigo looked to his family.

"I'm just here to see what all the commotion's about", I admitted, "I'm not entirely convinced that this man is seeing spirits. For all I know he might just be some guy trying to get some publicity." But Orihime didn't hear me because she ran off to see one of her friends.

"Ichigo! Ash!" a voice called out, and we turned to see Rukia with a freaky look on her face, "MWA-HA-HA-HA!"

"You too?!" Ichogo exclaimed.

"The pandemic is spreading!" I jumped backwards, "Begone Satan! TEMPT ME NOT!"

"Why the serious look? Rukia said with that grin, "As long as you're here you might as well have fun!"

"Having fun is one thing", I cautiously approached, "but this is out of the ordinary even for you!"

"Just use tonight to enjoy yourself. There will be hard battles on the road ahead. By the way, what is this festival all about?"

"You mean you just showed up here without even knowing?!" Ichigo and I both face faulted.

"Look, wouldn't you soul reapers have actually picked up a ghost here?" I asked seriously.

"Not exactly. Jibaku spirits are often tied to places like this. Jibaku spirits are ghosts that dwell within the earth, so it's very rare that soul reapers are able to pinpoint their location. There's only one reason a Jibaku would reveal itself: when it notices that humans are invading its territory."

As if on queue, a loud roar/scream echoed throughout the area, sending chills down my spine.

"That's the cry of a jibaku! So there is one here!" Rukia exclaimed.

"Wait a sec", Ichigo stopped her, "How do you know that sound's not a hollow?"

"There are certain paths along which hollows come into being. One path is when a jibaku spirit with its fierce attachment to the world is left alone and becomes a hollow, much like this one here." As she spoke, a ghastly figure slowly emerged from the front of the building, "He's a whole on the verge of becoming a hollow: a demi-hollow." The figure was ghostly pale and wore chains, a hole was slowly forming on his chest and he screamed in agony. He sounded much more human than hollow now, "But his heart is chained to this hospital, and soon it will be severed."

The jibaku yelled at all of us about not letting anyone come in. Then Don Konoji took the stage by parachuting in from a helicopter. The ghost began to insult him as the spirit hunter leaned in to inspect the ghost with interest.

"So that joker is hunting spirits. He really can see them", I said surprised.

"Just as long as nobody messes with the hole in his chest, he'll have another six months before he becomes a hollow", Rukia assured us.

Suddenly Konoji struck the ghost in the chest with his staff, opening the hole, "Now let's send you over to the other side, baby!" The crowd cheered as the action began right off the bat.

"He's speeding up the hollofication process!" I yelled, "That idiot! I assumed spirit form and leaped out there. Kisuke (who just so happened to be there) popped Ichigo out of his body and we both went for them.

"Konoji you fool!" I said as I tackled the ghost.

"Hey!" Ichigo yelled at the same time as he tackled Konoji.

Our forms flickered for a moment, as we wavered between realms. The audience could actually see our forms for a split second, but not in full detail.

"What's wrong with you kids?!" Konoji yelled at us.

"I guess you can see us too?" Ichigo asked.

"Of course I can! I'm the century's premier spiritualist! Oh wait! I get it! You're both dead, but you're fans! Aren't you?" Konoji guessed.

"Don't make me kill you!" Ichigo grabbed him by the collar. The ghost screamed as it got up.

"No! Are we too late?!" Ichigo forgot about Konoji.

"I've got him!" I barked as I dove for the jibaku and I pinned it to the ground. Then the last thing I ever expected happened: he exploded in my face! The force of the blast sent me flying into the building and my form was silhouetted in the wall (scythe included). The crowd gasped then cheered in surprise as our forms flickered again.

"Just for the record", I unsteadily removed myself from the wall, "we're here to escort that soul back to the afterlife."

"A little too late now", Ichigo scratched the back of his head, "Looks like he went there on his own."

"Oh yeah! Mission accomplished, baby!" Konoji cheered and the crowd went wild.

All of a sudden I heard a high pitched sound almost to high for me to hear. I can't exactly describe what happened, but I detected an unusual form nearby and my instincts were telling me to look up.

"Ichigo! above us!" I warned and we all looked to the newly formed hollow. It's mask was huge compared to its body and it looked something like an over sized frog.

"A hollow. I hope you're ready!" Ichigo drew his sword.

"I was born ready!" I whipped out my scythe and that sound beeped again twice.

"I feel it! I feel something that reeks of the stench of a super dangerous spirit! Now I understand! You're that other spirit's evil lord and you've come here seeking vengeance!"

"Incoming!" I barked as I blocked the hollow's bite with my scythe, "Ichigo, get Konoji out of here while I hold off the hollow!" A fast swipe launched me to the side and the hollow dove after me as our forms flickered again.

"Alright! You asked for it!" I said as I leaped halfway up the building and grappled to the wall. Of course I completely forgot that frogs, even hollow frogs (whatever you would call it) could climb walls and it caught up with me in and slammed me through the wall and back into the hospital. It was fast. Faster than me!

I felt him again...bellow the ground! I dodged out of the way a split second before the Hollow burst into the hall from the lower floor! I don't know how to explain it, but ...I just picked up on his location without seeing or hearing him, like a 3-D sonar display. An anti-jumpscare! I loved it! It dove straight back towards me and got its head stuck in the wall. I took my chance to make a run for it and to protect Konoji. But I stopped before I could round the corner and I listened as Ichigo told Konoji that he had to run.

"Well I...I have to stay", Konoji explained solemnly, "because...because after all I'm the hero." Ichigo and I both deadpanned, "Listen little man, do you have any idea of the ratings that my show pulls in for the network?"

"What the hell do I care?" Ichigo's eyebrow twitched.

"I'll tell you why you should!" Konoji exclaimed, "I've got twenty-five percent! One in every four households is watching my show!"

I knew it, I silently face faulted, This guy really is just after the publicity!

"And many of those viewers are...children!" I snapped out of it and listened with new interest, "Those children watch my adventures and there hearts are inspired! They see me stand up to evil spirits and learn what true courage is! So don't you get it?! With all of those kids out there watching my show, running isn't an option! Understand?!"

Ichigo raised an eyebrow, "Don Konoji, you're right."

"And I was wrong", I stepped around the corner surprising them both, "All this time I thought that you were some guy who wanted the spotlight. I was wrong about you Konoji." Slowly I put my hands across my chest with a smile, but I didn't do the laugh, "I'm right behind you, pal."

"Excellent! Now let's get out there and crush that monster!" he said going for the exit.

"Hold it!" I said as me and Ichigo both stopped him, "If we fight we do it in here."

"What if the audience gets mixed up in this?" Ichigo told him, "That thing goes after people with high spiritual energy first, like the three of us! There's no doubt it will come after us, but we need to fight it in here so no one in the audience will get hurt!"

"Kid I am amazed. For you to have thought things through like that in the heat of battle", he tipped his hat as a roar sounded. And the hollow burst through the floor. Ichigo tried to swing, but got his sword caught in the wall.

"It's too cramped!" he said as the hollow spat a ball of slime that covered his hands, "AAAAAHHH! What the hell is this?!" The hollow struck and Ichigo got his sword caught in its shoulder as it leaped through the wall and carried him up to the roof.

"That's it!" I exclaimed, "We have to fight it on the rooftop! We'll have plenty of open space and the audience can catch a glimpse of the action!"

"An excellent idea, Grimm Reaper!" he said.

"I'm not the Grimm Reaper! Now hold on to me!" I said as I ran with his wrist, stabbed my scythe into the upper wall outside and the scythe automatically opened up, swinging us up to the rooftop! Our forms flickered slightly and the crowd below cheered at the sight of their hero somehow swinging with a ghost.

Ichigo had been plastered to the railing and the hollow was about to get him!

"Kid! Throw me!" he said as I gave him a shove forward and he commando rolled in front of Ichigo, keeping the hollow's mouth open with his staff!

"Alright Konoji!" I cheered.

"Ash! You idiot! Konoji, you can't handle it! Get the hell out of here!" Ichigo barked.

"NO!" Konoji replied, "I know my own strength! And I know the difference between my enemy's powers and my own! I must say, you've both made quite the impression on me today, putting the safety of others first! That's great! We're all three of a kind! Let's say we be friends!"

Ichigo lightly face faulted, "Oh, that's alright, really." Suddenly, electricity sparked from Konoji's fist and he roared in determination.

"Konoji Ultimate Attack: Cannonball!" an orb of blue energy the size of a golf ball drifted from his palm slowly over to Ichigo and suddenly blew up his slime prison! His staff shattered and he was tossed aside by the hollow.

"Konoji!" Ichigo and I yelled.

"Even if this body is obliterated, so long as I can act as a shield to the children of tomorrow, I shall carry no regrets for the life I have lived. Good luck!" he said as he hit the ground and Ichigo slammed the hollow into the railing.

"Sorry pal, but this is the end!" Ichigo yelled as he raised his sword to charge. But the hollow wasn't finished yet. He blasted another slime bomb at Ichigo's feet, rendering him motionless and distracted as the Hollow mad it's leap!

Time moved in slow motion for a moment. I wouldn't be able to react in time! My scythe whirred with new life and my heart pounded loud enough for me to hear it. Then all of a sudden, everything went into a blur for over four seconds, and by the time I snapped out of it, My scythe was hanging over my back and I was kneeling on my left knee.

"What the hell?!" I gasped as I looked around to see that giant gashes covered the rooftop wherever you looked. Ichigo had been freed of his prison and Don Konoji was unharmed. But the hollow had lost it's legs and arms and was trying to roll away. I tried to go after it, but I was now officially drained of all energy.

"Now, where were we?" Ichigo growled at the hollow before I put my hand up to stop him.

"Ichigo, step on it's back", I said and Ichigo complied, holding the monster in place.

"What's the big deal? I was about to kill it", he said.

"It's not our place to kill it", I said before turning to Konoji, "It's his."

"Me?" he asked.

"Yeah! Like you said, you are the hero. And I've finally found a way to ensure that the audience all sees that", I said as I picked up my scythe and Ichigo and I dragged the hollow over to the railing to where the people would be able to see it. I picked up a metal bar and put on my hood, handing the former to Konoji.

"All you have to do now is break its mask along that crack, and we'll take care of the rest. Ichigo, use your wraps to cover your face! You don't want the world to see!" he suddenly jumped and pulled some wrappings out to cover his face and hair, only letting his eyes show.

"No! Please!" the hollow pleaded.

"Here we go!" I said as I touched Ichigo's hand and the hollow as I partially entered my physical form, and we all took that same state, "Now Konoji!" I said with a distorted voice.

"Evil spirit from the depths of hell, release your hold and depart from the world of the living!" Konoji spun the bar around above his head before he stabbed it down into the fractured mask, destroying it clearly in front of the eyes of the world.

"Now!" said with my arms out, "You must complete the cleansing!" I said as we dragged the dying hollow away.

"Why the hell did you say that to the world?!" Ichgo asked.

"I'm playing along!" I whispered to him, "I'm trying to give this guy the hero's welcome that he deserves!"

We put the hollow down, assuming our spirit forms and Knoji cheered, "That was great! Magnificent! Just magnificent!"

"Don't get too excited", Ichigo said solemnly as the Hollow reverted back to it's human spirit form for a moment.

"Huh?! What the?!" Konoji said as the Hollow began to fully dissolve into the next life in the Soul Society, "He's the one who...but what..."

"He was a hollow", Ichigo said coldly, "With the chain linked to his soul broken, that hole in his chest opened, and he became a monster devoid of conscious. A hollow."

Konoji gasped silently, "That hole! So then...No!" he fell to his knees with tears falling from his cheeks, "So if that's the case, what is it that I've been doing all this time?! Oh, no. I feel...so ashamed of myself!" he sat there sobbing at what he'd done for a few moments.

But I heard the cheering of the crowd below and I helped him up, "It's over now. So what if one more hollow appears somewhere? That's why we're here, the soul reapers! We'll always be around to wipe them out! And you my friend," I pointed to his heart, "are an honorary soul reaper in my book."

"Come on hero", Ichigo told him, "Everybody's waiting. And you better answer them. It's part of a hero's duty after all!"

"You too Ichigo", I said, "We have to make our appearance." I drew my scythe and motioned for Ichigo to touch it with his sword.

"I can't believe I'm actually doing this", he muttered.

"Come on man! It'll be fun!" I said as I touched the handle to Ichigo's blade behind Konoji's back. Our forms flickered to a translucent ghost like state, visible to all.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Konoji called, "Today we have the opportunity to welcome the Reapers! I could not have done this without them, or without you!" I waved my scythe in a greeting to the cheering crowd, "Oh yeah! Mission Accomplished! MWA-HA-HA-HA!" I crossed my arms and did the laugh too, finally catching the fever myself. Ichigo reluctantly followed suit, but didn't dare laugh.

"Quick! Raise your sword!" I whispered to Ichigo and we both raised them high, "Don Konoji! You have proven yourself worthy as the Spirit Hunter! It brings us and all of the afterlife great joy to give you our blessing! No matter where you go, we will be there in spirit to aid you in your deeds! Let us be off, Thantos! And remember..."

"May the spirits always be with you!" Konoji said with me as Ichigo and I faded back into full spirit form. The crowd roared in approval as Konoji left the stage.

"Kids", he walked out of the sight of the crowd and addressed us, "that was a magnificent battle! I stand in awe of your courage and I am amazed by your power! I hope that you both will lend me that power in the future."

"Sure", Ichigo shook his hand, "Once in a while."

"Any time!" I said shaking his hand too.

"Not on a school night you don't!" a voice stated and I shivered as I turned around to see my mother in full spirit form.

"Lady Miharu!" Ichigo stated in alarm.

"Mom! What are you doing here?!" I shivered.

"You put on quite the show, Ash. I never would have expected you to learn the flash step so quickly."

"But how did you know we'd be here?" Ichigo asked.

Mom crossed her arms and laughed her normal laugh, "Did you honestly think that I would miss out on spirit hunter? It is a favorite to many in the Soul Society after all!"

"What do you know?" I said in surprise.

Go figure.

(End of Chapter 3)

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MWA-HA-HA-HA-HA! Beowulf returns!

That's right fellow soul reapers, quincies, vizors and bounts! Grimlocked is officially off of hold! I know I haven't been very busy on this one because of my success in my RWBY fanfic: Wings of Remnant. Check it out if you haven't already.

Finally after this pause, I've developed the final details of Ash's zanpacto, and Ash's special involvement in the Serati raid. It's gonna be a little different.

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SPOILER ALERT!

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I've finally reached the point where Ichigo's father is revealed to be a soul reaper, technically making Ichigo a half soul just like Ash. Don't worry though, I've already worked it out.

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END SPOILER ALERT!

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You guys also don't have to wait too long because I've already worked pretty hard on the next chapter already. So buckle up for Uryu's arrival!

And as always, I will see you in the next post.

BEOWULF SIGNING OUT!