Chapter Eight

A Message and Nick's Second Test

Training Simulation Room, Ten Minutes Later...

Nick and Jasmine had been talking to Ichigo Kurosaki for the last ten minutes since Jasmine finished her second Test of Initiation. They had found out that Ichigo just happened to be a distant relative to Tabitha, her grandmother's cousin, to be exact. He turned to Nick again after ten minutes. "Oh, Nick, this Hell Butterfly has a message for you from your mother. When you reply, tell her I said hello."

The butterfly flew over to Nick and rested on his shoulder next to his ear. It relayed its message. "Katie's Spiritual Pressure is growing exponentially. Before you come to the conclusion that its actually your unborn child's, it isn't," It said in Tabitha's voice. "It's her own. That means that I don't know how long we have until more Hollows come after her and the baby. Please, try to be quick with the training and come back home. Say hello to Jasmine for me. Bye."

The butterfly tried to leave when Nick stopped it. "Wait, I have a reply," He lowered his voice to a whisper. "I promise I'll be back as soon as I can. Dad and Jasmine say hello, not to mention your cousin, Ichigo Kurosaki. He's here right now watching us perform our Tests of Initiation. Jasmine has one left and I still have to perform the my second test. I hope to see you very soon. Bye." He said, the Hell Butterfly responding by flying away and disappearing into thin air.

Captain Raymond Barrett turned back to Nick. "Nick, would you like to take your second test now?"

"Sure, why not? Let's get this over with."

"TSR set to Hollow level one. Good luck, son."

"Thank you, dad." Nick said, his voice annoyed while he resisted the urge to punch Elias through a wall again.

Nick walked into the inner room and his father began the TSR. At once, a Gillian-Class Hollow appeared and Nick took his Zanpaku-to out, ready to release it. He rushed forward and slashed at the Hollow, cutting its arm clean off. The Hollow let out an ear-splitting scream. It then tried to use a Cero attack. But Nick was two steps ahead of it. Bringing the unreleased Zanpaku-to down on the Hollows' head, splitting the mask and killing it. The intercom came on. "Nice job without needing to release your Zanpaku-to," Ichigo's voice said over the speaker. "Now, let's see what you do with a Adjuchas-Class Hollow."

Nick heard the siren start ringing, signaling the start of the second fight. Nick's Adjuchas-Class Hollow looked different from Jasmine's, but Nick knew he could take it on easily. The Hollow started charging up a Cero attack when Nick suddenly appeared behind the Hollow with the unreleased Zanpaku-to in hand. "You know, you are just too slow for me," Nick said and dashed around, cutting off both of the Hollows' arms and then slicing the mask. "Too easy. Come on, give me an actual challenge." He called.

Ichigo smiled at Nick from the outer room. "He's just as cocky as I always was. Put the level up to ten," Elias looked at the Spirit King in shock. "He said he wanted a challenge, and his speed could easily match mine from before my Bankai enhanced it. If anyone in the academy can do that, that's another story, but let's see what Nick does against a Vasto Lorde-Class Hollow."

Nick's father nodded hesitantly and turned the simulator on for the third battle. He looked at the new Hollow and smiled. "Okay, if the first opponent was a Gillian and the second was an Adjuchas, then this guy has to be a Vasto Lorde. Wow, you're a big guy. However, you are still no match for me," Nick held out both of his hands, but still had his Zanpaku-to in one hand. "Blaze, Kyubi!" He released his Zanpaku-to and then continued. "Hadou Thirty-Three: Sokatsui!" He released a blast of blue energy at the large Hollow, which reacted by making an unearthly scream and released a Cero attack.

Nick saw the blast coming and dodged it, appearing behind the Vasto Lorde. The powerful Hollow, still not aware of Nick's presence behind it, looked around in front of it. Nick smiled and readied Kyubi for an attack. "Kyubi, Unleash!" Nick shouted, making the Hollow turn around and receive the full blast of flames shatter its mask, killing it. "Like I said, too easy."

Raymond just looked at the teenager, seeing his Reiatsu rise exponentially from after the defeat of the Vasto Lorde. "He's too powerful not to defeat a Vasto Lorde, but the way he did it was unheard of. No Soul Reaper in training can move that fast, and attack with that much ferocity. I don't even think he needs to take the third test, seeing the agility he has and can use. His Zanpaku-to worries me, though."

"How so, Captain Barrett?" Ichigo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Kyubi, the Nine-Tailed Fox. That Zanpaku-to was supposedly destroyed for good years ago, but here Nick is, wielding it. I don't understand it."

"Raymond, are you that naive? Nick's Kyubi is a different Zanpaku-to from that one, but the one you are talking about is the same as his. It has changed since the last time it appeared. Now, let's get him out of there."

"Yes, King."

"Don't just call me King," Ichigo's eye twitched. "I already have enough of that name in my head."

That's right, King. You will always have me!

Shut UP! Give Zangetsu control of his body back and stay out of this.

"Ichigo, are you alright?" Elias asked, looking at the King of the Soul Society.

"Huh?" Ichigo's head picked up. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Just an idiotic comment from a person who I consider to still be an unwelcome guest."

"Well, at least he doesn't try taking control of your body, anymore."

"Yeah, I guess," He looked as Nick came out of the Inner room. "Good job, Nick. You have the same speed as I did, but you'll only get faster. Now, I must leave you all. It should be around lunch time, and Rukia hates it when I'm late for lunch. See you all soon." Ichigo said and left the TSR.

"Well, I guess we should all get going, right? We all need to eat sooner or later." Raymond said, earning nods from Nick, Jasmine and their father.

Following the Captain out of the TSR, they all left to get something to eat.

A/N: Chapter eight and Ichigo's Hollow shows up. I wanted to still include him, since he'll have a bigger part later on, along with Rukia's Hollow (If you haven't read Inner Hollow as of yet, get to it now so you can tell what I'm talking about). Next chapter will be up momentarily.

Next Time: A Strange Hollow attacks the Soul Society after the groups' lunch, and Raymond decides that an actual Hollow will be Nick and Jasmine's third test. During the fight, Nick gets injured. Back in the World of the Living, Tabitha gets Nick's message and Katie asks her to send another asking if Nick is alright, due to a feeling. What happens? How does Nick get injured? Will I actually post two chapters up in one day? Okay, I have no idea about that last one, but the others will be found out in the next chapter of Bleach: Fire of Kyubi.