Response to reviews!
Miszxbrii: I know! *cries*
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I know, this is different for me. It's only gonna get worse, I promise you. I know y'all are gonna hate me sooooo much for this! *cries* But…I shall do this! I hope you all take delight in my suffering here! So here's Chapter 2!
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Chapter 2: A name and a heart...
Ichigo's POV
3 weeks earlier…
Darkness…it's all around me…where the hell am I? So…you're finally up, King? I heard a voice in my head, mocking me.
"What the hell do you want?" I asked him, already getting annoyed. God, this hollow pisses me off…
What do I want? He asked and chuckled. I want a lot of things… but sadly, I won't get them now, especially with you in this really tight spot… I didn't understand what he meant. Tight spot? I tried to sit up, but my entire body was sore. It felt like I got ground into the dirt. You really don't remember? How sad… he laughed at me again.
"Remember what?" I snapped.
Getting pounded into shit by that Espada…hmm…Nnoitora, I believe…he told me. I closed my eyes, at least, I think I did 'cause it was so damn dark, and tried to remember. I remembered beating Grimmjow, rescuing Orihime…then we ran into this Espada with a huge ass hat…then what? He pounded you into shit… my hollow said simply. Damn, I could actually imagine him shrugging!
"Yeah, well, we still need to get outta here somehow…" I mumbled.
No shit, King… I growled slightly.
"I don't need your damn input 24/7." I sighed. As I tried standing up, something tugged at my arms. I heard a clank of metal and as I tried to pull on it, I ended up falling back down on my ass. "God damnit…" I snapped. I looked down at my wrists. I could just barely make the outline of some chains. "Shackles?"
Trapped like a rat…he whispered in my mind. If I didn't know better, I thought I hear a slight hint of worry in his tone. This really is a shitty situation you're in here…
"Don't you mean 'we'" I asked.
Not really. You were the one that got us into this shit hole… I sighed. He did have a point.
"Anyways, as long as the others are safe, I don't care." I heard him sigh, but he didn't continue the argument. Well, not exactly.
Typical King…he sighed. I just rolled my eyes. There was a loud creaking noise as a door opened up and light flooded the room, blinding me.
"Put those on his wrists." I heard someone say. Although I couldn't see, I could defiantly hear. I recognized that voice, that goddamn voice…
Grimmjow… I thought, trying not to snarl his name under my breath.
Oh great… my hollow added. That's all you need now…
Shut the hell up…I told him. There was silence for a moment.
As his majesty commands… he said with that almost worried tone. I could feel them remove the shackles from my wrists, but quickly replaced them with two metal bands. They didn't feel heavy, but they felt cold, almost like the metal itself was full of malice.
"Get up and come with me." Grimmjow said. I just sat there.
"Fuck no." I said, plain and simple. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what I'm doing here." Grimmjow glared at me, his expression dark.
"Get…up…NOW." He repeated, slower this time.
"Fuck…you." I repeated as well. He was suddenly right in front of me, lifting me up by my neck and slammed me into the wall.
"Listen good and hard, boy. You are in position to make demands, here me? You'll fucking listen to me or you…and the one within you…will suffer greatly." I spat in his face.
"I don't give a shit." I told him. I remembered what he said and asked him. "And what do you mean by 'the one within me'?" He snarled and slammed my arm into the wall.
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Normal POV
"Gyah!" Ichigo cried out in pain as his arm slammed painfully into the wall, almost breaking.
"You're gonna give a shit if ya don't wanna be in pain all night long." Grimmjow snarled and yanked Ichigo forward. Ichigo yanked his wrist out of Grimmjow's grip.
King, now's not exactly the best time to be rebellious…his hollow warned.
"Fuck you, Grimmjow! I ain't going anywhere!" he snapped, ignoring his hollows warning. Grimmjow's eyes flared and he grabbed Ichigo's wrist again. Even threw the metal, it felt like his wrist was going to shatter under his grip. Ichigo hissed in pain as he was forcefully dragged out of the room. When he was led out, he found himself in a long, dimly lit gray hallway. Grimmjow punched his face and sent Ichigo flying to the ground.
"You will listen!" he snarled violently. Ichigo rubbed his cheek and shot Grimmjow a nasty glare, but remained silent. Grimmjow grabbed his wrist and pulled him back up roughly.
"You should be a little gentler with our…guest, Grimmjow." Both men turned around to see Ulquiorra walking towards them. Ichigo glared at the 4th Espada.
He's the one who kidnapped Orihime…he thought angrily.
King, listen to me! Don't go picking fights you can't win! His hollow warned him again.
Shut up! He snapped back to his hollow. He could tell his hollow wanted to say more, but he mentally shut him out. Ulquiorra walked up and handed something to Grimmjow. Ichigo couldn't see what it was, but from the nasty grin spreading on Grimmjow's face, he knew it couldn't be good. Aww, shit… Grimmjow grabbed his arm and hooked something to the metal bands on his wrists. "What the fuck are you doing?" he asked, trying to struggle.
"Try mouthing off again, boy." He dared. Ichigo didn't like his tone and just stared at him. Grimmjow snickered. "Figures. I do something remotely odd, and he won't do anything now." He gave a mocking stare at Ichigo. "Guess you really are chicken shit."
"Why you fucking bastard!" Ichigo lost it then and lunged at Grimmjow. Grimmjow quickly glanced at Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra pulled out what looked like a small controller and pushed a button. Ichigo felt a sudden shock from the metal bands and it traveled all the way up his spine. He cried out in pain as electricity seemed to travel his entire body, even his mind.
Gah! Fuck, King! His hollow cried out in pain as well. Wh-what the hell are you thinking?
I…what? He tried to communicate with the hollow, but he couldn't think straight, he hurt so much. After a moment, the electricity faded away, leaving him twitching slightly on the floor.
"Are you done now? Come." Ulquiorra said and turned around and began to walk away. Grimmjow lifted Ichigo to his feet roughly, but with the sudden shock treatment, Ichigo didn't argue and followed him slowly.
King…you ok? His hollow asked, the concern so evident this time that Ichigo knew he didn't fake it.
Why…do you care? He asked. He didn't get an answer, but he felt a sudden wave of concern. Is he honestly worried about me? He wondered. Grimmjow stopped suddenly, causing Ichigo to bump into him.
"Watch where you're walking, damnit." Grimmjow hissed. Ichigo looked up as a huge door opened and revealed a huge room. Inside, many arrancar, mostly the Espada, were standing and sitting around.
"Well well, I see that Nnoitora was staying true to his claims." Ichigo looked up slowly at the voice that spoke. Sitting on a tall throne was Sosuke Aizen.
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Ichigo's POV
I knew this man. Not like we had been friends, but I knew who he was. Sosuke Aizen…the one who had Rukia taken to be executed, the one who built the Arrancar Army, the one who had Ulquiorra kidnap Orihime. This man…was my true enemy… "Welcome to Las Noches, Ichigo Kurosaki." He spoke with a monotone voice that was really pissing me off.
"Sosuke Aizen…" I growled under my breath.
King…don't start it…my hollow warned me again. This time I listened, the concern in his tone getting desperate, but also creepy. Since when did he actually give a damn about me anyways?
"What do you want with me?" I asked calmly.
"I have a lot that I want from you, boy. However, something tells me you won't answer me." He said to me.
"Oh really? Depends on the question." I said. I could feel my hollow getting a little nervous, but I ignored it.
"You…don't consider yourself a Vizard, do you?" he asked.
"Pft. What's it to you what I consider myself?" I asked back, not really answering his question. He gave me an emotionless stare, but I could tell he didn't like my tone.
"It isn't a concern of mine. But it means that you do have an inner hollow. Which, I must say, is slightly interesting." He said. "I want to know about it, that is, if you don't mind sharing information." To hell with that!
"Fuck you…" I whispered.
King! My hollow yelled, but I ignored him.
"I don't give a shit! But whatever your fucking questions are, whether they're about me, my hollow, or my friends, you can kiss my ass, cause I ain't telling you anything!" I yelled at him. Aizen stared at me blankly. He turned to Ulquiorra and nodded briefly.
"Do it." Suddenly, I felt electricity traveling up my body again, this time a little stronger. God, it fucking hurt! It felt like my body was burning.
"AAHHHH!" I cried out, unable to hold back my screams. It felt like someone was slowly burning my body from the inside. My mind was in just as much pain. I could hear a soft crying in my mind, but it was hard to process what was being said.
Ki…tell…s…op… is all I could hear. I'm sure it was my hollow. By the time they were done, I was shaking on the floor, my body twitching slightly.
"I will warn you. We want answers, Ichigo Kurosaki, and we will do anything to get them, even if it means crushing your body and soul. Even if it means slowly tearing you apart." Aizen said. I managed to lift my head and glared at him. But I didn't have the strength to snap at him. "We also won't except…disrespectful behavior, understood?" I didn't answer, but I don't think he expected me to after all that hell. He waved his hand and I was lifted by both Espada to my feet. My legs felt like shit and I couldn't move them well.
Man, this is shit…I thought, my head still a little fuzzy. They practically dragged me down the hallway and back to the small cell I was in earlier. They threw me back in and I landed painfully on my left wrist, almost shattering it. "D-damn!" I cursed.
"Listen good, Kurosaki! Those metal bands on your arms suppress your spiritual pressure, so escaping from here isn't gonna happen." Grimmjow called from the door. "Also, as you've already guessed, it gives you a nice little electric shock when you…misbehave. It's connected to your nerve system, so the higher the electricity, the more it's gonna hurt ya!" Ulquiorra stepped into view then, his face just as emotionless as Aizen's.
"As Lord Aizen said, we will use any means necessary. However, Grimmjow here has been…'put in charge' of you. If I were you, I'd answer carefully and truthfully." They slammed the door shut and I was lost in the darkness again.
King, I need to speak with you…I heard my hollow whisper. By the tone in his voice, it was urgent.
"Fine then…" I sighed. I closed my eyes slowly as I leaned against the wall and I went to my inner world.
XxxxxX
Shiro's POV
King was so fucking stupid. I kept telling him he was in no position to argue or mouth off, but no! He never fucking listens! I watched as he materialized in front of me. "What do you want?" he asked. I walked up and slapped him angrily. "Ow! What the fuck?" he yelled at me.
"Are you fucking deaf? I told you to stop mouthing off!" I snapped at him. His eyes remained defiant.
"So fucking what? Since when have you actually cared about what happens to me?" I stared at him. I honestly had no clue when I started caring, but I did. It was odd.
"No idea, but when your soul's at stake, I have a tendency to care." I replied instead. His eyes never softened, even as I softened my tone.
"You only care about yourself! The only reason you care if I die is because you'll end up dying too!" he snapped angrily. It wasn't too far from the truth. But to be honest, I didn't understand what was going on. Ever since we had gotten to Hueco Mundo, I was beginning to feel things I haven't before, like being in the world of hollows was affecting me, but in a different way.
"That's…not entirely true." I said quietly. His face relaxed slightly. "Ever since we got here, I've…had these really odd moments where I actually feel emotions, rather than imitate them." I explained.
"So that's why you actually sounded concerned…" he whispered and I nodded.
"I have no idea what's going on, and I'm…I'm…" I tried to say the word, but nothing would come.
"Nervous?" Ichigo asked and I nodded.
"That…and scared…" I added. He looked at me and laughed.
"Why in hell are you scared? You're a hollow! You don't get scared!" I stared at him. Why was he acting this way? The best thing I could think of was that he was scared too; he was just trying to hide it. Fat chance of that, seeing as I live in his soul and I know how he feels.
"King…please, just listen…" I whispered. He gave me a funny look, but remained silent. "Don't be reckless. Just be careful." I told him. This wasn't like me at all! Why the hell was I acting this way? He looked at me, his eyes burning with determination.
"Look, I'll be fine. I'm not answering his questions, plain and simple!" he said it with such confidence…I couldn't help but stare at him.
"King…"
"Will you quit calling me that?" he sighed. I shrugged, and then came up with an idea.
"Give me a decent name, and maybe I'll stop." I smiled. He rolled his eyes.
"Ugh…fine then…" he put on a thoughtful look.
"Make it one I can put up with." I said, continuing to bother him. The look of frustration on his face was priceless!
"Ok! Damn, just let me think!" he said and crossed his arms. "How about…Shiro?" I looked at him funny.
"Shiro? Seriously?" I asked. I mean, I knew what it meant, 'Shiro' meant white, but still, talk about cheap and cliché!
"Take it or leave it." He said. I sighed, but I guess it was ok.
"Fine then, Shiro it is." Maybe it was because I had admitted to myself that it was my name, or maybe it was because I needed one and King…I mean, Ichigo…needed to give me one. But whatever the reason, something inside me seemed to fill up. You know how hollows are empty inside? Well, I felt like something inside me filled up. Ichigo noticed my odd look and walked up to me.
"Hey, you ok?" he asked me. I just shook my head.
"No idea, but something weird just happened." I told him. He sighed and I just rolled my eyes. "Ki…I mean, Ichigo, you need some sleep." I told him. When he looked back at me, his eyes were droopy. "Get some while it's safe here." I sat down and he leaned against me gently.
"Fine…" he mumbled. Slowly, he fell asleep and I sighed gently. I knew then and there what was 'filling' me, making me whole. I was missing a name, and now that I had one, I had gained a heart as well. And the reason I felt so worried about Ichigo, so concerned, was because I had feelings for him. I looked at his sleeping face and felt warm and secure, but protective as well. I loved my King…
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Chapter 2 end
I know, a little odd and some fluff in this one! But, things are going to get worse, I promise! As much as I hate that…*sniffle* 1st reviews get cookies and chocolate milk! XD I tried to make sure that there weren't any mistakes! XD I know i'm rushing things slightly, but just go with the flow, ok? Also, this story will be switching POV, as well as past, which is this chapter. and present, which is the 1st chappie! It'll add to the suspense some! XD