My favorite chapter so far :) *warning* This chapter is shonen ai; no like, no read.
"Hey," Shinji greeted Ichigo, "how're the kids?" The other Visords waved and continued doing whatever they were doing before Ichigo came.
Ichigo snarled and lunged for Shinji's throat. "Like you don't know!" he slammed Shinji's head into the wall. But before Ichigo could strangle Shinji, Hiyori threw her flip flop at Ichigo's face, where it landed with a sick crunch. She smirked, satisfied with the results.
"Waddya want, Baldy?" She used his old nickname, to Ichigo's annoyance. "I haven't seen you in years, and this--" She gestured wildly and an unconscious Shinji. "—is how you greet us?!"
Ichigo got up, stumbling, and said, "Please, help me." Blood tricked off the cut Hiyori made on his cheek. Hiyori looked him up and down.
"The last time we helped you, you up and left without even saying thanks. Now you show up, asking for more help, and God knows when you'll leave this time without even sayin' goodbye!" Her loud voice rang through the warehouse. She had an expression on her face none of the other Visords had seen her wearing before. Ichigo was ashamed.
He went to Hiyori and bowed formally. "Please forgive me. I was young and foolish, and I would like you to help me. Please. And this time, I won't be going anywhere." He looked at her hopefully. Hiyori rolled her eyes.
"Whatever. Now, I assume you came because of Tsukiko?" Ichigo nodded, then Hiyori answered his unspoken question.
"We Visords know everything." She flashed him a fanged grin. Suddenly, a huge soul pressure burst out of nowhere. The building shook. But Ichigo recognized it at once.
"Tsukiko!" He breathed. He quickly shunpoed over to his house, the Visords following.
**
Ichigo arrived to find Renji, Yachiru, Hisana, and Toshiro passed out, Toshiro covering Hisana protectively. Zaraki was in a battle pose, grinning. Byakuya was also in a battle pose, but his breathing was labored. They were surrounding the source of the problem: Tsukiko.
The soul pressure was incredible; it had knocked out the shinigamis and Hisana.
"Tsukiko!" yelled Ichigo, staggering at the sheer power of her soul pressure. She whirled around, teeth bared. She snarled; black eyes angry. A hollow mask was formed on half her face.
"No…" Ichigo said, eyes wide. "She's cursed, like me." Hiyori patted his shoulder comfortingly. "We'll handle this."
Hiyori snapped her fingers. "Surround her." the Visords did as they were bidden. "Only knock her out, k guys?"
Lisa jumped circles around Tsukiko. While she was distracted, Kensei smashed Tsukiko in the head, making her pass out instantly. Both Byakuya and Ichigo yelled "No!" when they realized what the Visords were doing.
The pressure in the room vanished as soon as Tsukiko had been knocked out. Zaraki looked disappointed. "Damn, I wanted a fight." He gently picked up Yachiru and left.
Toshiro woke up after a few minutes. He got embarrassed when he saw how he was positioned over Hisana. He glanced at Ichigo, waiting for the verdict. But Ichigo couldn't give a verdict. He was standing, unseeing. Ichigo was in a world where an old enemy was waiting to be questioned.
**
"Hey, it's my favorite Berry Boy! How's it goin'?" The white Ichigo waved from where he was sitting on one of the many sideways buildings that filled Ichigo's inner world. Ichigo rolled his eyes.
"I told you to stop calling me that. How's it been over here?" He glanced around. "Haven't done much with the place." He joked.
Suddenly, Hichigo was behind Ichigo, wrapping his arms around Ichigo's waist and resting his chin on Ichigo's shoulder. "You haven't been here to play in a long time." He whispered seductively in Ichigo's ear. Ichigo shivered as he recalled the "games" that were played.
"Yeah, I've missed you too…" Ichigo sighed. Hichigo, however, got mad. "We'll, if you missed me that much, you would have visited!" The arms around Ichigo's waist got tighter. Hichigo blew lightly across the back of Ichigo's neck and whispered, "You know you want to…" Ichigo groaned half in annoyance, and half in longing.
Ichigo loved the wild, craziness that Hichigo had. His mood swings were a turn on for Ichigo. Giving into temptation would be…No! Stick to the plan! With effort, Ichigo pulled away from his twisted other half.
"I have some questions for you." Hichigo put on a pouty face and sniffed, "What?"
"What's wrong with Tsukiko? I know it has something to do with you, the perfect likeness of me--"
"Therefore, the perfect one for you." Hichigo took a step towards Ichigo, perverted grin on his face. One Ichigo knew well. A rush of longing went through him, but he wasn't going to give in.
Hichigo sighed. "When Tsukiko was conceived, it wasn't you who was having all the fun, it was me." The grin grew wider. Ichigo's mouth hung open with disbelief.
"So technically, you only have one daughter, and the other daughter you thought you had is actually the farthest thing from human!" Hichigo laughed like a madman.
"And," He continued, still giggling between words, "With me sharing your enormous power, she'll be undefeatable!" He yelled the last word, laughing that awful, chilling laugh.
"No!" Ichigo yelled. "That's not—it can't be!" He tried to remember that night, but came up fuzzy. Shit! Rukia!
Hichigo stopped laughing. "Another thing…You didn't forget this, I hope? Something important Rukia said." Ichigo nodded for him to continue.
"The morning my baby--" he twisted the word. "—was conceived—Ah, you remember?"
And Ichigo did.
"What's wrong, Rukia?" Ichigo asked, propping himself up on one elbow. She shook her head numbly.
"I had a strange dream. A little girl, with dark hair…" She looked at Ichigo's concerned eyes and flinched.
"She had the same eyes as you. The hollows worshipped her. They called her 'Queen'. She had enormous power. No shinigami could defeat her, except…" Rukia frowned.
"Except who?" Ichigo asked.
"I don't recall. I keep trying to remember, but can't." She shrugged. "Oh well, it was a silly dream anyway."
Hichigo shook his head in mock sadness. "It's a shame. Did you know the dream was about Tsukiko? And I heard strange rumors from my hollow friends…Things about a girl with great power. They're all drawn to her. Started calling her 'Princess'… I would kill her off before she causes the apocalypse." He grinned like the devil and laughed, echoing throughout Ichigo's now crumbling world.