Response to reviews~!

Ok ok~! Guess I'll update this again. It appears my angst wasn't very satisfactory, and I'll agree. It took me forever to think of what to do...ugh! Oh well. Here's the next chappie!

Chapter 9: Custody

"Sh...Shi...can...he...e?" Shiro groaned and closed his eyes tigher as pain shot through his head.

Ngh...go away...

"Please...up Shiro!" Shiro groaned and slowly opened his eyes, squinting as a soft yellow light met them. "Oh thank goodness you're awake..."

"Ori...Orihime?" He asked quietly, his voice raspy. She nodded and the sheild faded, allowing him to get up. He sat up slowly, noting he was back in his normal clothes and the fact he had a massive headache. "Where...am I?"

"At my house. I felt your spiritual pressure spike, along with Ichigo's, but his suddenly vanished. I grew worried and ran out to find you both...but I just found you." She explained and shifted nervously. "What happened Shiro?" Shiro closed his eyes, and buried them in his hands.

Shit no...this is my fault... He thought. He then looked up at her and explained what had happened, though with very few details. "That's all I know...this is my fault."

"How can it be your fault? You didn't know that was going to happen Shiro!" She sighed and rubbed his shoulder calmingly. He took a deep breath and shook his head. "Ok, then we just need to work on getting Ichigo back! no problem right?"

"No, big problem. That gate was opened unofficially, and Soul Society's been watching this place like a damned hawk. No doubt me releasing my spiritual pressure in our...argument has them running here as we speak." Shiro said. He didn't want to admit it to Orihime, but he knew that if Soul Society discovered him, he'd be killed on sight, no questions asked. As much as he found the girl's personality to be annoying, she was one of Ichigo's friends.

"Then...what can we do?" Before Shiro could tell her exactly what he will do, not her, he felt many different spiritual pressures just two miles away. He instantly released his soul form and stood up, sighing in defeat.

"Doesn't matter now; they're here..."

Rukia and Renji glanced around at all the Soul Reapers Byakuya had brought along with them. "I still don't like this...I mean, Ichigo didn't do it!"

"Yet his spiritual pressure vanished at the same time the gateway did, so according to everyone else, he did." Renji grumbled. "What was the idiot doing? !" Before Rukia could respond, a sudden rise in spiritual pressure forced the two to turn around, only to see a pale copy of Ichigo standing a few feet away. They both stiffined as they felt the stranger's spiritual pressure and both pulle dout their zanpkauto's.

"Who are you? !" Rukia snapped angrily. Shiro said nothing, just stared at them.

"What did you do to Ichigo? !" Renji shouted, causing the albino copy to flinch. "Answer us, monster!"

"...I'm not a monster..." Both stared at him as more Soul Reapers surrounded him. "And if you want to help Ichigo, you must help me first!" Everyone froze for a few seconds before anoyther presence made itself known in the sky. They all looked up to see Ichigo, who was clad in the same skull armor as before, but something was off. Tensa Zangetsu now had a sickly green fire flicking around the blade, the armor now a dark red color, almost maroon, and his eyes stared ahead, yet not seeing any of them. "No...please no..."

"Ichigo?" Rukia whispered his name quietly and took two steps forward. Ichigo's head suddenly snapped her way and he raised his sword. The fire flickered faster until it covered the blade completly and he slashed the air, sending the fire after her at an alarming speed. Before she was hit, however, the Hollow quickly stood in front of her, holding out his own Zangetsu and holding the inferno back. "Y-your..."

"Get back! I can't hold it for long!" He hissed as he felt the fire singe and burn his skin. He watched Rukia crawl away and closed his eyes. "Ban...kai..." He felt a surge of power inside him and managed to throw the fire back, but Ichigo sidestepped it. The Hollow was there in a flash, causing both versions of Tensa Zangetsu to collide. "Ichigo! What the fuck do ya think you're doing? ! Those are your friends down there! Can't you recognize them? !"

"So...the 'demon' has more control over himself than I thought..." 'Ichigo' smirked, yet his eyes still remained dead. "I'm glad to actually speak with you...Hichigo Shirosaki, correct?"

"Who are you? ! What the hell have you done to Ichigo? !" Shiro spat angrily. 'Ichigo' shoved harshly against his white Tensa Zangetsu and Shiro took a few steps back. "Answer me dammit!"

"Hmph. You are nothing. I am glad I made a smarter decision." Shiro blocked another wave of fire and snarled angrily. He summoned his mask and growled angrily, attempting to force 'Ichigo' up higher. "So you can summon a mask? Are you a human now, Hollow? How cute."

"Tell me who the fuck you are!"

"Shuren is my name. I am sure the other two down there know very well who I am." He motioned with his head. "As for Ichigo Kurosaki...he's 'tied up' at the moment." Shiro growled and rushed at him, clashing their blades again.

'Ichigo, can you hear me? !' He called out with his mind. 'Snap out of it! You'll hurt the others! You need to get control back!' He wathced as Shuren's face twitched a bit in pain and one arm, seeming to act on it's own, grab at the hand holding his sword.

"You damned nuisance!" Shuren snapped angrily. He struck shiro as his guard lowered, sending him spinning back to the ground below. Shiro watched as Shuren struggled to walk back into the portal he came from. He reached his hand out and couldn't help the tears begining to form in his eyes.

"Ichigo...please don't..." He whispered as the other Soul Reapers surrounded him again. He didn't resist as they lifted him off the ground and placed cuffs on his arms. He felt his spiritual pressure drain suddenly, and no one seemed to notice his shihakusho vanish and be replaced by his street clothes.

"We have some questions for you, Hollow." Byakuya said as he stepped forward. Shiro didn't look up, keeping his eyes and tears on the ground. "Take him back to the camp. We'll interrogate him there." Rukia watched from a distance away, Renji checking her over.

"You ok?"

"It...it defended me..." She whispered. "Why?"

"Who the hell knows? Look, I think we need to stop by Orihime's. Perhaps she has an idea..." Rukia nodded.

"Kisuke's too. If this was a major problem, I have no doubt Kisuke would have reported it." Rukia watched as they escorted the broken Hollow away. I wonder what's going on here?

Chapter 9 end

Not too thrilled about this one either...but oh well. The next will be better and longer, promise~! I think this is coming to it's close soon too. Maybe four chappies...I dunno. Review please~! And no flames...ok?