A Black Heart

Thanks for the great response to the last chapter guys and girls, I'm glad to know that the vast majority of you enjoyed it. Also my heartfelt thanks to those that left constructive criticism, improvement can only take place when an author knows the loves and hates of their creation. I hope you enjoy today's chapter.

PS. About my other stories, I will try to finish them one day. When that day may come I have no idea. I am probably going to start deleting some of them since their plotlines are starting to converge with one another and that means I may as well combine them where possible. (As an example, some ideas for 'One of a Kind' and the 'Sons of War' overlap and since I don't want to do two stories that are so similar to one another, I will probably scrap some elements from one and transfer the plot ideas to the other.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.

"Normal speech"

'Inner speech/thoughts'

"Kido/Zanpakuto Attacks/Quincy Techniques"

"Zanpakuto speech"

"Hollow speech"

XXX

Chapter 8:

When Rukia awoke the following morning, she groaned and clutched her head as it throbbed in agony, the bright sunlight dazzling her as it shone directly into her room. Pulling the covers over her head, she tried to bury herself back into her pillow in a vain attempt to avoid dealing with her hangover. Hearing a soft clink of metal, she poked her head out and found Tatsuki setting a steaming cup of tea down on the bedside table, the tomboy nursing her own cup already.

"I thought you could use something to help with your recovery," she said with a smirk, as she settled on the edge of the bed. "I'm not surprised you over indulged as badly as you did."

Blinking wearily at her roommate, Rukia reached for the cup and took a few hesitant sips, her taste buds smarting at the hint of lemon, while she tried to recall the events of last night. "I remember the first few…and dancing, but the rest of it just keeps coming back blank to me," she grumbled.

"I was out by midnight, so you guys came back sometime after that. I haven't even spoke to Ichigo yet, but that's cause he left early as usual," Tatsuki replied as she set her cup down on the floor. "Now then…I let you leave yesterday without any questions after you promised that you needed to save him. Now tell me what you did to Ichigo," she continued, her eyes acquiring a steely glare as she pinned the petite soul reaper with her gaze.

Groaning at her impending interrogation, Rukia briefly considered her options. With her body feeling like a lead weight and her mind whinging in protest at the thought of strenuous use, she put her odds at evading it at slim to none. "Fine, it began a few months ago," she began with a sigh, explaining just how she came to meet her interrogator's surrogate brother.

Their talk lasted for little over an hour, with Tatsuki cutting in now and then as she filled in her point of view where possible. By the end of it, Rukia was able to function somewhat better. Seeing Tatsuki deep in thought, she was glad that she had avoided the subject of his illicit activities, lest she endure an even more uncomfortable interrogation and possible retribution. "Your brother…he's not the kindest of people is he?" she asked, curious about how much his surrogate sister actually knew of her brother. Turning to face her, Tatsuki put on a rueful smile as she thought about her answer.

Flashback:

'I think the best example of his personality is something he did last year. It was Orihime's birthday and she absolutely adored this little café near the park, so we decided to make a picnic out of it. My parents helped me organise and pay for it, but otherwise it was just me, Orihime, some of our other friends and Ichigo. He's never liked her much though, despite her near idol-worship of him, so it wasn't long before he snuck off with one of Orihime's friends. I was…disappointed, but I did my best to keep Orihime distracted.'

'Of course being a public place, we didn't exactly have the ability to control who was around us, but it was mostly just other families also enjoying the sunny weather. There are of course those that would love to cause a little mischief…'

"Ahhh!" Michiru screamed, drawing everyone's attention as she hit the ground clutching her hands to her eyes. Moments later everyone else screamed and followed suit as they were pelted by several small objects. Looking up from her crouch, Tatsuki spied a group of guys howling with laugher, sunglasses hiding their eyes as they sped off in an open pickup truck, shooting others indiscriminately with their paintball guns.

When they finally rounded the corner, she stood up with a wince and took in the extent of the damage to the area. Everyone around her seemed to have some mark on them and the presents and food was ruined for the most part. Seeing Orihime was consoling Michiru she ambled over to join them.

"Thank God it missed your eye," she said with a sigh of relief, wiping away at the paint on her face with the corner of a damp cloth. Looking up as Tatsuki approached, her eyes widened in surprise and a gasp escaped her throat. "Tatsuki-chan you're bleeding."

"Huh?" the martial artist replied ever so eloquently, looking down at her stomach to see that the pellets had indeed ripped through her shirt and broken the skin underneath. "It's nothing," she said nonchalantly, trying to brush off the others concern as they crowded around her.

"What happened here…" a low voice spoke, causing everyone to freeze as the cold tone washed over them. Looking over her shoulder, Tatsuki found Ichigo surveying the scene, his expression blank so as to not give away his thoughts. When his gaze swept over her, he momentarily stumbled and zeroed in on her injury.

"Just some idiots being themselves Ichigo, nothing more," she tried to say, only for her voice to be drowned out by everyone else's account of the event. While she knew that her parents would be glad that she was at least not grievously injured and insist on filing a report with the police, she worried about what Ichigo would do.

"I got their registration number!" someone shouted in the distance, causing Ichigo to zero in on them. Barely giving anyone else a second look, he headed off in the lucky soul's direction.

'I don't know how he found out who owned that car, or how he even found them later on, but the next day when we were walking past the park on our way to the mall, we found that same pickup truck crashed into one of the trees and what I can only assume were the guys that did it, hanging from their ankles from several other branches.'

'What made me cringe though, was that they had been stripped down completely, before someone clearly went over each of them with a paintball gun, hitting their most vulnerable points enough to make them bleed. I know one or two went blind and that some of them lost the use of their genitalia for a few months. When I told Ichigo about it, he stared at me with the same impassive look he gave me the previous day.'

"They made you bleed Tatsuki…I repaid them in kind."

"That sounds a little extreme," Rukia muttered, causing Tatsuki to chuckle.

"Maybe one day I'll tell you about what happened to turn him into what he is today," she replied, stretching the kinks out of her back. "Then you can tell me whether it was extreme or not."

Frowning, Rukia was about to reveal that she had been told said story, when she stiffened as she felt Ichigo's reiatsu spike above what she had felt from him before.

XXX

One hour earlier

Karakura Cemetery was normally devoid of life this early on a Saturday morning, just the way Ichigo preferred it when it came to the anniversary of his family's deaths. Walking up the steps to the level with his parents and sisters, no one would spare him a second look if they had seen him, clad in a pair of black pants, sneakers, a purple shirt and black jacket, carrying a mixed bouquet of flowers. Stopping next to their gravestone, he gently set the bouquet down. While he was still kneeling down, he reached into his inside jacket pocket and pulled out a stick of incense and placed it on a stand, before lighting it. Inhaling the smoky fumes, he stood and reached into his jacket again, pulling out the brand of cigarettes his father was fond of. Ripping the plastic packaging off of it, he pulled one out and set the pack down next to the flowers. Lighting it, he took one slow pull from it, before blowing out the pale grey smoke.

"You said in your journal that dad only looked cool when he was smoking a cigarette mom, I wonder what you would say about me?" he said out loud, his hand in his pants pocket as he flicked off a bit of ash. "It's been another year without you guys…and so far I'm still alive. The school rankings are coming out soon, I expect to crack the top five this year and I broke my record for the 400m sprint earlier this year. It's starting to get dull now since no one else my age is breaking it."

Hearing a flutter of wings, he glanced to the side and watched as a flock of birds flew out of the forest near him. Narrowing his eyes slightly as he looked for any hint of movement among the dark tree trunks, he shook his head and took another drag, cursing at his paranoia for acting up here.

"I've added another 104 notches to my belt, that's a fact that I know none of you would be pleased about," he muttered as he went over the faces of his kills of the past year. Truthfully he remembered each and every life he ended, but he didn't feel like telling anyone that little fact. Well other than the people in front of him now. "It's actually less than last year considering that I've had something else to occupy my time this year." Hearing a faint rustle of leaves, he stopped and looked towards the treeline again. Seeing a hint of white cloth, he killed the cigarette in his hand, crushing it underfoot as he felt under the back of his shirt for the blade he kept concealed.

Stepping into the forested area, he glanced around cautiously, his eyes scanning for any hint of movement. Spotting a hint of white flash amongst the dark greens and browns, he darted after it, his mind going over his last few moments and concluding that he hadn't said anything incriminating. Nonetheless, he didn't like being spied on.

Catching a glimpse of what seemed like a white poncho to his right, he turned abruptly in his pursuit, his shoes tearing up the ground as he skidded across it. Seeing his target disappear through a clump of bushes, he used a rock nearby for leverage and vaulted over it, landing with a soft thump. Looking around, he found himself in a large clearing, his target waiting for him. As he took in their appearance though, his mind ground to a halt as he stared at them.

"I'm surprised that you managed to detect my presence so early…you must have some power within you," a little girl of about eight years old said as she smirked at him, her bowl cut hair and white poncho fluttering in the breeze. "Tell me, when did you first notice me?"

Ichigo though didn't reply, his mind instead flashing back to the day by the river when he was nine. He had never seen her face, but the clothing and the hairstyle; they were too similar to be purely coincidental. "Y-You're the girl…from before," he whispered, while she cocked her head to the side.

"Oh? So you've seen me before eh? It's not like me to miss a meal like you. I wonder what happened to distract me?" the little girl asked herself. Feeling herself being lifted into the air, she cocked her head to the side as she stared back at Ichigo, his face contorted in fury. "Physical…I like that."

"SHUT UP! June 17th, seven years ago, a woman and her son were walking through a torrential downpour and you were standing at the river they were passing!" he spat at her, his grip tightening on her as he replayed the scene in his head. "You were about to fall into the river and the little boy tried to save you, only for you to disappear before his eyes! Now who the hell are you?!"

"Let me guess…you're the hero who tried to save the girl? How naïve of you," the girl mocked him. "Well, why don't I show you exactly what you tried to save 'hero'."

Feeling her strike him in his gut, Ichigo sputtered as he was launched backwards, skipping across the ground several times from the force. Struggling to sit up, he stared transfixed as the skin around the girl's head began to peel away, revealing a blood red tendril. Tracing it back to its source, his eyes widened in surprise as he found a gargantuan hamster-like hollow with a white tribal mask grinning back at him.

"Amazing how blind anger makes you isn't it…'hero'? I almost regret revealing myself to you this early, I really wonder what you would have done to my lure," the hollow cackled, dangling the form of the little girl before his mask. "You know I've never met someone who reacted so aggressively to her." Ignoring the hollow's taunts, Ichigo forced the pill; he kept in his pocket, down his throat, barely feeling the sensation of his soul being ejected from his body.

"You're giving me some action again? Geez if I didn't…know…any better," the mod soul began, its words dying in its throat as it found itself staring back at a gargantuan hollow. "Right running away now!" it shouted, turning on its heel and sprinting off into the distance.

"Oh so you're a soul reaper, this keeps getting better and better," the hollow said with a grotesque grin. "Why so quiet soul reaper, by now I would've been threatened with purification several dozen times already."

"Maybe it's because I don't want to purify you," Ichigo whispered, reaching behind him and drawing his zanpakuto from its sheath. "Maybe what I want is to torture you endlessly for the rest of your miserable existence. To be honest, I don't know what I want to do with you at the moment." Flipping his wakizashi into a reverse grip, he charged forward, his blade screaming through the air. To his annoyance, the hollow simply leaned to the side, dodging his strike completely. Roaring in outrage, he lashed out repeatedly at it, feeling his anger continue to rise to the surface as the hollow continued to evade him.

"Who the hell do you think you're dealing with boy?" the hollow taunted him as it evaded yet another blow by leaping back. "They call me Grand Fisher and I've evaded the Soul Society for over 54 years! Do you have any idea how many soul reapers have fallen to me over that period?! And yet here you think to end me with such pitiful strikes."

"I told you to shut up!" Ichigo roared, slashing at him once again. Seeing a few strands of fur waft to the ground, some of his frustration dissipated and a smirk found its way to his face.

"That's a sharp blade soul reaper, but believe me, you're going to need it," it cackled, its fur writhing around, before it launched itself at him in the shape of several brown spears. Dodging out of the way of them, he was surprised when they ripped the ground apart with ease. Feeling his instincts screaming at him to duck, he rolled to the side, just as another barrage of spears impacted the ground where he had been standing. "Stop getting so distracted soul reaper," Fisher whispered behind him, causing Ichigo's eyes to widen in surprise as he felt the hollow's rancid breath on the back of his neck.

Grunting in pain, he spun on the spot, slashing out behind him, his strike catching nothing but air. Panting slightly from the pain in his back, he grit his teeth as Fisher stared back at him with that same infuriating grin.

"What's the matter boy, can't keep up with me," it laughed. "I'll admit you're lasting longer than I thought you would, what with how little power you have. Hell stronger soul reapers than you have…" it tried to say; only to fall silent as it felt a pulse of reiatsu from his prey.

Internally Ichigo was fighting off the urge to release every single ounce of power that he had bottled within his body, but the warning from Rukia that it would only lead to him growing exhausted even quicker held him back. Nevertheless, he was no longer willing to hold back. Fisher was clearly stronger than the hollow's he had fought before and his bloodlust would not settle for him being dominated like this. Loosening the clamp he held on his power, he felt it wash over him, lightening his limbs and filling him with a sense of empowerment he had not felt since he first gained this power.

Grinning, he charged forward at his mother's murderer, evading the barrage sent at him with ease. Holding his free hand out in front of him, the kido was already charging before he'd even spoken the chant. "Hado no.4 Byakurai!" he intoned, firing a pale beam of lightning at his target.

Showing no surprise at the use of kido, Fisher launched one of his fur-spears at the blast, cancelling out the attack as the two collided in a thunderous explosion, covering the area in a cloud of black smoke. "So much from such a low level spell, you're definitely interesting boy," it called out, searching through the smoke for his prey.

"You haven't seen anything yet," Ichigo whispered from above him, surprising the hollow, who managed to avoid the blow aimed at his mask just barely, instead causing it to strike him near his shoulder blade. Howling in agony, it reached around with a blood-red bird-like claw, screeching again as Ichigo lopped it off with his blade. It had the desired effect though as the substitute soul reaper was forced off of his back.

Staring at the now useless stump, Fisher growled and levelled a glare at the smug looking substitute. "You're beginning to annoy me brat," it hissed, covering the bleeding stump with a layer of fur and moulding it into the shape of its limb.

"Oh I'll do much more than that before the end hollow…that's a promise," Ichigo muttered, charging in at the same time as his opponent.

XXX

As they continued to sprint, Rukia had to curse her diminutive stature as she was left behind to catch up once again; Tatsuki's longer stride allowing her to pull ahead. When she had told her that she sensed him fighting a hollow, she insisted on charging off after him, despite Rukia's protests that they would end up getting in the way otherwise.

Now as they sprinted past a row of tombstones, she wondered what Ichigo was even doing here in the first place, he certainly didn't seem like someone to honour the dead. Seeing her skid to a stop in front of a particular marker, Rukia caught up to her, the two of them panting heavily. Seeing the names on the graves, Rukia's eyes almost popped out of her head. 'It's his family's grave,' she thought, reading their names and noticing that they had all died in the same year.

"He can't be far," Tatsuki suddenly said as she knelt down and examined the stick of incense he'd lit. Looking up she scanned the area, while Rukia felt out with her senses for his presence. Seeing a cloud of dust rising not too far from them, they both sprint off toward it. Bursting through the hedges that barred their way, the two girls found themselves in the middle of the two combatants.

Glancing at the hollow, Rukia cursed as she recognised him as Grand Fisher, a hollow that the Gotei 13 warned low-level soul reapers to not even attempt to kill. "Ichigo!" Tatsuki screamed, causing Rukia to curse once again as she announced their arrival. Taking in Ichigo's haggard appearance, she could see him bleeding from several cuts to his arms and legs. None of these though seemed to warrant his attention though, as his eyes widened in fear at seeing them here.

"Tatsuki? What are you doing here?! RUN!" he shouted at them, his eyes snapping back to Fisher in fear. Seeing the smirk form on his mask, Ichigo reacted on instinct, his mind playing through what he'd do if the situation was reversed. Skidding to a halt in front of them, he grunted as he felt Fisher's claw's sink into his torso. Ignoring Tatsuki's shocked scream, he lashed out with his blade, forcing Fisher to retract them lest he lose his other hand too. Collapsing to his knees, he spat out a mouthful of blood, his chest heaving as he glared at the hollow in front of him. Steeling himself, he forced himself to his feet, stumbling slightly as he tried to rise up off one knee. "Get out of here Tatsuki…you're in the way…" he murmured in a low tone, his vision starting to swim a little from the blood loss. He wouldn't let it stall him though, not when so much was riding on him killing his opponent.

Feeling someone tug at her sleeve, Tatsuki looked to her side and found Rukia trying to pull her away. "He's right," she whispered. "He only got injured because we interfered."

Tearing her gaze back to the sound of his battle cry, Tatsuki winced as the battle was joined once more, Ichigo's new injuries clearly slowing him down. "Isn't there something you can do?" she growled through gritted teeth, her eyes pinning the soul reaper in place.

"Even if I could, I would only get in the way too. We need to trust that he can handle himself…or you could pray for a miracle." Tugging on her arm again, Rukia was relieved when the teen allowed herself to be dragged away.

Feeling Rukia and Tatsuki retreat a safe distance, Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief, despite his body's protests. "You didn't take advantage of them again, even though I was distracted, I can't tell if that makes you arrogant or stupid. Either way it's a dangerous attitude for you to have."

"Oh I've gotten exactly what I need now to finish this boy," Fisher said with a large grin. "Haven't you asked yourself why I've been able to evade Soul Society for 54 years, despite all the soul reapers they've sent after me?" it asked, bringing its lure forward. "When I stab someone with my claws…I gain an insight into their past, finding that one person they cannot harm. Now then let's see who you couldn't bear to harm shall we?" it cackled, its lure writhing and twitching as it transformed.

To Ichigo's surprise though, Fisher suddenly doubled over, clutching at his mask as if his head throbbed in agony. When he suddenly uttered a high pitched shriek, Ichigo winced in pain as his ears were assaulted by the shrill tone. Not wasting the golden opportunity given to him, Ichigo charged forward, unaware that his blade was screaming too.

Within his mind, Fisher was writhing in agony as his consciousness was assaulted repeatedly by what felt like a barbed lance. The closest thing he could compare it too would be when a Menos-class hollow lost its mind to the countless souls it consumed.

"YOU WILL NOT HARM MY KING VERMIN!" a feminine voice screeched at him, as he felt it continue to shred away at his mind. "TRASH LIKE YOU THAT DARES TO CHALLENGE THEIR BETTERS…YOU SHOULD ROT IN HELL FOR ETERNITY YOU SCUM!"

Feeling something snap within him, Fisher fell silent as he felt the phantom pain leave him, only to be replaced with the very real pain of a blade sinking into his skull. Looking up, he caught a glimpse of Ichigo crouched down on his skull, his blade stabbed just above his mask. Noticing his opponent staring at him, Ichigo tugged the blade out slightly, before leaping off him and dragging the blade straight through his mask. Feeling its entire body grow heavy, Fisher collapsed onto his stomach, the glow of his unseeing eyes slowly dying out. His last thought though, was what would his master think of this and whether he'd truly survive, even with his lure still intact.

Seeing the hollow lie dead still, Ichigo groaned and began to fall backwards, his adrenaline-high finally leaving him. Before he could hit the ground though, he felt his body collide with someone, his deadweight forcing them both to the ground. Looking up through weary eyes, he could just make out a mop of spiky black hair and Tatsuki's faint voice telling him to stay awake.

"I did it Tatsuki…" he whispered, ignoring her pleas for him to conserve his strength. "I killed my mother's murderer…" he continued, before promptly passing out.

"Ichigo?! ICHIGO!" Tatsuki screamed at him, shaking his body in an attempt to wake him up. "Rukia please help him!" she begged the soul reaper, tears pouring from her eyes as she clutched his head to her chest.

Rukia though, stood conflicted over what to do. She was convinced that she'd have to kill or incapacitate the boy once she recovered her powers and here he was, on the verge of death with nothing leading back to her. Lifting her hand up to cast a spell to restrain the girl so that she could escape more easily, she hesitated as a little voice spoke up in her head.

"What right do you have to judge him? You who have stained your hands with the blood of a loved one, you who lived in a world where the strong rule over the weak…what makes you so much better than him?

'I do not harm the innocent or take lives needlessly. And I've never used my powers for anything but helping people,' she replied, barely registering that she was having a conversation with someone inside of her head.

"Don't kid yourself into thinking everyone is as innocent as they seem, for you know that this is not the case. And if you've never done anything to harm anyone, then why do so many souls fear the soul reapers marginally less than they fear hollows? You know the stories just as well as I do of soul reaper cruelty towards souls in the higher districts, yet what have you done to stop it? What has your precious Captain done? What good has your precious power done? Face it, you and him are like opposite sides of the same coin. You deny the truth and turn a blind eye to their suffering, while he embraces it and becomes stronger because of it."

Feeling her hand twitch as her ideals were challenged, she knelt down reluctantly next to him, going over what little she knew of him. In truth he wasn't harming anyone other than those that wished harm upon others, something she wished she was capable of now that she had the power to do something about it. Sighing, she held a glowing green palm over his more serious injuries, watching as they slowly began to heal.

"That's a good girl Princess…we'll talk again soon."

XXX

Within a concealed room deep under the Fifth Division barracks, Sosuke Aizen grinned as he watched the battle between Ichigo and Grand Fisher again.

"He's quite a scary kid," Gin said as he joined the Fifth Division Captain in watching the outcome. "But I can't help but feel that wasn't what ya had planned for 'im."

"He's an experiment that continues to impress me Gin. He has continually reached higher and higher goals that I have set out for him, even if he hasn't realised that they're my goals for him. Tell Kaname to retrieve Fisher's corpse, I want him to serve as an example of the price of failure."

XXX

Wow, a much longer chapter than usual, but I couldn't find a good spot to end it without feeling like you just slammed into a brick wall.

Anyway, thanks for reading today's chapter guys and girls and I hope to see you all next time.