Response to reviews!

Cherry Duck: No, it's ok! *gives you a jar of cookies* Here ya go! Glad you're enjoying this story!

WhiteW12-0: No clue...and yes, you'll just have to see what I cook up!

Avgirl10: Well, it depends on your perspective, neh? Technically, Shiro is a part of Ichigo, not actually Ichigo himself. He has his own mind, personality, and soul. So, he may look the same, but he's an entirely different person as well. He's just forced to live within Ichigo's mind. Besides, this is fanfiction here, I shall do as I see fit! XD

SinfulNekoRose: Doesn't affect me, since I AM a fangirl! *evil laughter*

Tiana Misoro: Please let him go! I promise he'll suffer! *spoiler~!*

herRhi-chan: You scared them away! XD Kidding~!

Miszxbrii: I know you hate him, but yes, endure! XD

BonneNuit: Like I said, I make Satan look like a teddy bear. XD

HannahGee13: He meant not telling them anything. XD

Chelsea Lynn: Well, you know me! XD Always have a mean idea up my sleeves!

Sasu-Sama' Sarukiji-Sempai: Glad ya enjoy it so far! And yes, as always, things will get bad!

Aya-ItaLover: It's far from over...just the lemon. Wow, you're devoted too!

Narlth: Oh yes, most defiantly…

Thepaintedring: Yup, that's right we did! XD Well, thanks for your review! And, by now, Shiro is NOT Ichigo! He is a part of him, not actually him. He has his own soul and mind, thank you! Ok…done ranting…XD

Wolfdragonful: Glad you like it! And here. *gives you tissues*

Strawberry-Ringo: Yes…it does…

XanaSpako: Thanks a ton~! *hugs back*

Ok, the last chapter was short, and this one may end up being short too. I need help on coming up with some more tortures! When you review, drop off an idea or two, ok? I mean, I have some ideas myself, but I wanna see what y'all can come up with too! If I decide on using one of your tortures, I'll give ya credit at the beginning of the chapters! Ok, here's chapter 14!

Chapter 14: Burning the soul…

Dion's POV

Present…

I watched as Shiro slept next to Ichigo, his head buried in his dull orange hair. I could remember when his hair had been bright, although most of the time it was stained crimson. He still hasn't woken and it was beginning to worry everyone, especially Shiro. I swear, he blames himself for everything that's happened to Ichigo, when…in fact, it's my fault he's like this. If I hadn't…I just shook my head. No, that's past. It's done and I can never take back. All I can do is atone.

Atone for what I did to them…atone for not doing anything to stop this…even if it meant my life…it's all I can do now. I watched as Shiro curled up closer to Ichigo, the blankets around their legs coming up some, revealing the brutal scars and burns on Ichigo's legs. Why didn't I do something then?

"Those are some nasty burns he received." The shop owner's voice snapped me out of my thoughts as he walked in, carrying a tray with two cups of tea on it. He handed me one and I sipped on it. It felt warm and tasted bitter, but I didn't care. "And you should be resting. You still haven't recovered yet."

"I'm fine, believe me. Compared to them, I'm the in the best damn shape ever." I replied and he chuckled. "As for the burns…"

"You gonna ever get to the point? We need to know what's happened to them, why Shiro is like this…and why Ichigo won't wake up or why Orihime can't heal him."

"You cannot fix what has long since broken." I told him. He gave me a look, but I can't exactly tell you what kind of look it was. "His soul…it's endured a lot…but it can't anymore. And besides, we have been telling you what's happened to them."

"You know what I mean."

"And you know what happened. I know you do, since you invented the damned Hogyoku." He looked away from me and I looked back at them and sighed. My eyes traced down Ichigo's skinny, mutilated legs and I stared at the burns, and repeated the same question I've been asking myself ever since busting them out.

What have I done?

Shiro's POV

11 days ago…

Me and Ichigo were being dragged by Ulquiorra, past many different rooms and staring eyes. Dion was behind me, a frightened look on his face. Why's he so damned scared? I wondered. After he looked around, he quickly ran up next to me.

"He isn't going to harm you. You're…too important." He whispered to me. I glared at him, but I felt confused. What did he mean by that anyways? Ulquiorra stopped abruptly causing me to stop and Dion to run into me. "Sorry…" he mumbled. When I looked up, I saw, yet again, a large, empty room. But this one felt more…menacing, like the very air was demonic. It made my pale skin crawl. I was suddenly pulled in by Ulquiorra and I fell on the floor by the force, almost on top of Ichigo.

"Ichigo…you ok?" I whispered into his ear. He nodded, flinching as he tried lifting his limp arm.

"Damn…I can't move it well…" he grumbled. I was suddenly seized by the collar of my shihakusho and lifted into the air, emotionless green eyes boring into my soul.

"What is your name, hollow?" he asked me. I just spit in his face, right underneath his left eye. I'll never forget doing that for two reasons. One; it felt good to do it. Two;…it's my fault for what happened next. He just threw me against a wall, my head smacking into the white stone. My vision was swimming when I felt something clamp my upper right and left arms. I looked to see a shackle on my arms, with thick chains connecting it to the wall. Dion was standing there, but I couldn't see his face really well.

"Forgive me for this…" he murmured.

"Why should I?" I snapped back quietly. "You work for him…what does it matter to you what happens to us?" He looked away and stood back up.

"He is secured, Master Ulquiorra." He said. I watched as Ichigo was then seized by both arrancars and placed on a large, silver table. His arms and legs were strapped down by thick, leather straps, immobilizing his weakened body.

Ichigo! I screamed in my head. He looked at me with worried chocolate eyes. I had no idea what they were going to do…until I smelled the burning metal.

Normal POV

Ichigo could smell the metal and strained against the leather straps. Wh…what is he thinking? He thought. Ulquiorra turned and stared at Ichigo, his face unreadable. He then walked over and knelt down, gently placing the metal against Shiro's cheek, almost touching his pale skin.

"Will you tell me now?" he asked slowly. Shiro inched away from it as much as he could, shaking his head.

"I don't have a name!" he snapped. "How can I tell you something that I don't know or even have?"

"If you didn't have a name, you wouldn't be screaming that you didn't have one." Ulquiorra said, placing the metal against his cheek. Shiro could feel it burning his skin and clenched his teeth, doing his best not to scream.

Gyah! He screamed in his mind instead, causing Ichigo to flinch.

Shiro, don't tell him! He called with his mind. Shiro flinched as the metal was pulled away, some white skin going with it. He did his best to hold the tears that were prickling his eyes.

"Ngh…" he moaned. Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow as he slumped his head forward, smoke coming from his burnt cheek.

"Now that you know how painful it is…" He walked over to where Ichigo was bound and lifted the teen's neck up, holding the searing metal next to his tanned cheek. "…will you tell me?"

"Fuck you! I ain't telling you shit!" Shiro snapped, receiving a rather entertained look from both Ichigo and Dion. Ulquiorra just nodded.

"As you wish." He said and pressed the metal hard against Ichigo's cheek. He bit back a cry that wanted to spring forward from his lips and instead squeezed his eyes shut and bit his lip.

Ichigo! Shiro screamed to him with his mind.

No matter what…don't say a damn thing! Ichigo replied. Ulquiorra pulled the metal away, flesh sticking to the poker. He then walked down towards the teens legs, holding the metal above him.

"Now?" he asked again, and Shiro shook his head. He then pressed the metal against the clothing on his legs, burning a small hole in it and touching the flesh, burning it away.

"Ngh!" Ichigo screamed through his clenched teeth, biting his lip even harder, drawing blood.

Ichigo! Shiro could feel his worry get stronger every second. Shiro stood up and tried to attack Ulquiorra when he pressed the metal against Ichigo's arm, burning it. But the chain on his arm jerked and pulled him back down. Dion watched as Ulquiorra continued his slow, painful torture and Shiro tugging violently at his chains.

He won't be able to handle much…he's too weak…he thought. Please…will one of you give in… He could feel an odd feeling clench his stomach tightly, almost painfully. What…what feeling is this? He wondered. It took him a minute to process what he was feeling, but by watching Ichigo hold back his screams and strain against his binds, smoke rising from his skin and Shiro desperately trying to get to his tormentor, he realized that it was pity. Why…why do I pity them?

Ichigo's POV

Everything…it was all pain. Hot, burning, melting pain. My legs…my arms… even my chest and a spot or two on my face…was burnt. And every single time, before he would press the searing metal against my skin, Ulquiorra would ask Shiro for his name. I could tell he wanted to scream it, just to stop my suffering, and I know he was suffering too; hell, he could feel my pain. But I continued to call out to him with my mind, telling him not to tell…not to say his name. I have no idea why they forced him from my soul, why they want his name, or why they even care. But I knew that, no matter what, we couldn't tell them. He held the poker above my eyes this time, and I knew precisely what he was going to do next; he was going to burn my eyes. No…not those!

"Will you tell me now?" he asked. I could see Shiro straining himself to not say anything. I shivered at how close the hot poker was to my left eye. Shiro shook his head.

"I…don't…have…one!" he screamed, a small squeak in his tone.

Shiro…I could tell he was suffering, just as much as I was.

"Very well." He was just about to press it into my eye when Dion spoke up.

"Master Ulquiorra! If that is a life threatening injury, than I must insist that you do not do it. Lord Aizen strictly said to not kill them, and if I can't treat it, he could die from that injury." He said quickly. If looks could kill, I think Ulquiorra's look would have frozen Dion in his place; it was that icy and cold.

"You are correct, Novia. They have had enough for now." He said. I sighed softly and Shiro slumped where he stood. Dion took his shackles off and then he walked over and undid the leather straps on my arms and legs. Shiro got up and started walking towards me, but Ulquiorra kicked him in the chest, sending him flying back into the wall. He cried out when his arm collided with the stone, and by the way he was cradling his hand, I think his wrist was broken in the impact. "However…if you do not answer my question soon, I will continue these…burnings, and add more every day." He warned and walked out of the room. "Escort them back, Novia."

"Y-yes Master Ulquiorra." He said and quickly helped Shiro to his feet. He examined his wrist and sighed. "It's only sprained." Shiro glared at him and ran towards me. I tried to get up, but the burns on my arms and legs made it impossible for me to even twitch. He lifted me into his arms, wincing at the pain in his wrist.

"My Ichigo…" he sounded so upset…I wanted to tell him I was fine, but I wasn't. I knew I wasn't…everything hurt. All I could do was look him and the eyes and whisper his name.

"Sh…Shiro…" I whispered it so quietly…so that no one but him could hear.

"Come, let's get back and treat his burns." Dion said, and the two of them walked me out of the room. The last thing I see before passing out is his soft, golden eyes…filled with worry and fear…fear that didn't belong.

Chapter 14 end

Well, I'm glad this was a little longer~! XD Oh! Push the button, and then you get a huge cookie the size of the moon! Any flavor too!