Quetzal - Hello and here is chapter 9! I hope you like it!
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Chapter 9 - That was unexpected...
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The fox stared at her for several moments before smiling once more and nodding. "That is fundamentally correct my dear." She answered.
"Ok...but what does this mean for me?" Seras asked the fox sighed slightly looking thoughtful.
"A vampire is a kind of hollow just as you guessed, the curse Is that when the person dies they remain trapped in their bodies however the broken soul chain continues to corrode and will eventually disappear. Most probably wouldn't notice when a vampires soul go's from a plus to a hollow as they are already insane most however had a powerful soul when you were turned, thats why you were so reluctant to hunt, you were essentially still a human up until a few months ago when you master freed you, even then, you kept your mind and have since been evolving. Your quite lucky really, only a Vampire could probably survive becoming a Gillian with their mind intact.(1)" the cherisher cat grin somehow didn't seem the least bit out of place on the foxes face. Seras just blinked, she had of course learned over time what the different kinds of hollow were from Rukia's memories...but a Gillian? She couldn't possibly be that strong!
"So...I'm a hollow then...but that still doesn't explain you! Hollows don't have zanpoktou!" Seras argued looking frustrated, the fox yawed and gave her a lazy look.
"Yes, they can." she answered boardly. "Your not a normal hollow though, not anymore." She turned then and started walking away. "Come I'll show you what has changed." Seras frowned before following, several minutes later they came to a black abyss at the base of a cliff. Seras shot the fox a look wondering what this was. "This forest is essentially your mind the deepest part of your soul, this is why you can speak to me here. That is a bridge." She indicated the abyss seras gave her a dubious look at this.
"It doesn't look like a bridge." She responded drily the fox snickered.
"I know!" She agreed happily Seras sighed.
"As you were saying?" She said instead of trying to pound the annoying creatures head in.
"Ah yes, as I was saying this is a bridge. A bridge to another soul, your cousin Ichigo's soul to be specific." Seras stared at her confused once more.
"Ichigo's soul? How is that possible? Why?" She demanded the fox looked quizzically.
"When he was dieing from that backlash you tried to drain his power to save him, you made the mistake of touching his zanpoktou when you did so, he was panicking and used the Hellsing curse in your blood to bind you to Ichigo to drain off the power faster." The color, what there was of it, drained from Seras's face as panic over took her mind, memories from Alucard of being trapped by the seal pushed themselves to the front of her mind intensifying the worry into terror. The Fox zanpoktou looked startled by the reaction, and stepped closer to the shivering wide eyed vampire. "Seras? Seras its alright, he would never harm you, you know that!" The zanpoktou tried to reassure her. Seras shuddered trying to pull her self out of the memories that she knew weren't her's. After a few minutes her eyes refocused on the fox zanpoktou, she still looked mildly freaked out but at least she wasn't panicking now. "You know him Seras, why would he harm you or try to control you like the Hellsings would? Its not in his nature!" She said sharply Seras nodded a little shakily the fear still a sharp echo in her mind.
"I...know its just..." She shrugged the fox nodded its expression softening a bit.
"I do understand Seras I am a part of your soul, in a way I AM you, if anyone could ever truly understand you its me." The fox then turned to look at the black abyss once more. "Now why don't we go see how Ichigo's doing? All you have to do is jump it'll do the rest." She said before leaping off the edge Seras hesitated for a moment before following letting herself fall into the dark.
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Ichigo blinked a bit bemused as Seras picked herself up off the ground and took off after the laughing kitsune she had just appeared out of the shadows with, the fox had taken the change in gravity without missing a beat but Seras wasn't so lucky having done a roadrunner mid air before falling on her ass. The zanpoktou next to him seemed amused by their antics as well, an almost imperceptible smile on his face. "SERAS, STOP IT!" Yelled Ichigo, the vampire skidded to a halt nearby with a startled screech looking like something had just grabbed her instead of her willingly stopping. Ichigo blinked startled and felt burning heat on his shoulder he winced at the pain and grabbed his arm nearly collapsing as the burning grew worse. Abruptly the pain ceased and Seras fell over looking pissed, she jumped back to her feet and snarled at him her eyes blazing a mad red. Ichigo was taken aback what had just happened, how...then he remembered and shot a look at his Zanpoktou, he looked rather grave.
"It would appear that the modified seal still allows you control over her to some extent, but at a cost. I do believe your going to have to fight her if you wish to survive." He said shortly
"What why?" he demanded. "It was an accident and its not like I'd do it to her intentionally!" He said sourly the zanpoktou just sighed.
"Whether knowingly or not you have tried to control her Ichigo. A creature such as her will only follow someone stronger them themselves, unless you can prove to her that you are the stronger she will kill you, it doesn't matter right now that your her cousin, her instinct controls her right now." Ichigo opened his mouth to argue again only to catch a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye, he twisted drawing his sword from his back and only barely managed to keep Seras's claws from ripping his throat out. Zangetsu watched worriedly as Ichigo fought the enraged vampire.
"They'll be fine." Said the fox zanpoktou as it sat down next to him, watching the fight with interest. "They will both be stronger for it, though I do believe your wielder is going to need your name if he is to walk away from this battle." Zangetsu glanced back at the fight and saw that the fox was indeed correct, the boy was beginning all but chased around his own mind by the vampire, he frowned and disappeared.
Ichigo cursed and dodged under Seras claws once more having given up trying to reason with her, he hated to admit it but his zanpoktou was right the only way they were leaving alive was if he could beat Seras. "What are you doing?" His zanpoktou asked sharply in his mind, he paused before twisting once more into motion to dodge another of Seras's attacks. "Why do you run Ichigo? You still have not called me." Ichigo slowed down listening Seras hissed and backed off for a moment wary, something was different now. "Face forward, Ichigo. You should be able to hear it now. That which blocks your ears is worthless fear. Your enemy is one, you are one. What is there to fear?" He said flatly Ichigo found himself agreeing. "Cast off your fear!" Ichigo brought his sword up as if in a trance. "Look Forward!"Seras frowned the mad glint leaving her eyes a bit a she tensed. Well aware something big was going on."Go Forward!" She leapt back, the fox looking on a smile on its face as a strange looking blade appeared in Seras's hands at her unconscious call. "Never stand still!" In the real world tessi was forced to create a barrier around Seras and Ichigo's sleeping forms as both of their reiatsu's spiked wildly. "Retreat and you will age! Hesitate and you will die...SHOUT! MY NAME IS...!"
"ZANGETSU!" Yelled Ichigo spinning a massive blast of reiatsu surrounding him and hiding him from sight for a moment. Seras dug her own blade into the side of the building to keep herself from being blown away by the explosion a startled look on her face. When the dust and power finally settled it revealed Ichigo looking unchanged except for the blade in his hands. A massive cleaver like sword glinted dangerously. Seras only had a moment to take in the appearance of the blade before he charged, her eyes widened, but she never even got the chance to move as he hit, the blade slicing deeply into her side blasted her away and demolishing a building as she went.
Seras groaned and kicked a slab of concrete off herself only to freeze as something cold touched her throat, she glanced up to meet Ichigo's eyes, he glared down at her the threat obvious. After a moment of staring at each other the mad glint left Seras's eyes and she blinked looking at him intently before smirking. "Not bad." She said blandly he blinked and looked at her confused, she just rolled her eyes. "Are you going to help me up master or just stare at me all day?"
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Walter sighed as the other man, Urahara, headed to one of the back rooms of the little shop to check on Seras and Ichigo. Things had gotten interesting an hour before as both of their powers had threatened to rip the room they were in apart. They had since gone back to normal, or as close to normal as things got around here. If you had told him yesterday that he would be having tea with what was apparently an angel and keeping and eyes on another angel and a young vampire, he would have recommended said person be sent to the psych ward. But here he was, sitting next to a very unassuming young girl as she waited for her 'apprentice' to wake up.
The girl, Rukia, shot him a look out of the corner of her eye, she seemed a bit nervous of him really. "Now Walter-San." Said the shop keeper brightly as he reappeared from the back room. "I believe you should tell us how that seal works hai?" He asked with false cheer, the harsh glint in his eyes promised pain if a sufficient answer was not provided. Walter stared him down for a moment unwilling to let someone easily 40 years his junior intimidate him(2), Urahara's smirk just widened.
"Yes well, thats not really something I can tell you as I don't know how it works, I can of course tell you what it does from what I have observed though." The shopkeeper nodded looking happy.
"Very good Walter-San!" He chirped Walter resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the mans antics.
"From what I have seen of the seals on Seras's sire Alucard, the seal works in increments binding the powers of the vampire its placed on unless the levels are released by the sealer. Alucards seal has 4 levels and can be used to cause him pain as punishment, it also forces him to protect Sir Integra and do as she says no matter the consequences to himself. Of course, that is only what I'v seen of what It dose, Integra would know more." He finished.
"What a terrible creation." Muttered Rukia looking appalled, Walter frowned slightly at that a bit puzzled.
"Quite the question is, is the seal on Seras the same thing?" Asked Urahara Walter shook his head.
"I do not believe so, it looks very different from the original on her master, I'm not certain how it was able to changed like that."
"Oh I think I know." Said Urahara with a smirk. "The seal appeared when she touch Ichigo's zanpoktou."
"His what?" Asked Walter confused.
"The sword the boy has is alive, all Shinigami have them. They are a part of their souls, but have a will of their own. I believe it attempted to help and bound them together without considering the consequences." Urahara explained deciding not to mention the odd looking zanpoktou now resting beside Seras as well. Best to not confuse the man more then necessary, he though amused.
"Indeed? Strange." He muttered, the Shinigami exchanged looks at this an unspoken thought passing between them. Mortals.. Urahara refrained from snickering at the poor man.
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Quetzal- hello! So did you like it? I love reviews you know! Ever if its just a 'good job'
1 - I just wanted to explain this before someone yells at me. If vampires are a kind of hollow then Alucard is a Vasto Lord. Seras being his fledgling is far more powerful to begin with then a normal hollow, thats why the few hundred souls she's absorbed are enough to make her a (low level) Gillian. One other thing I say a few hundred souls because she's eaten maybe 60-70 hollows since coming to karakura each hollow generally has anywhere from a few dozen to a few hundred souls in them as well, It adds up.
2 - Poor Walter don't have a clue ^-^
