Chapter 5
What Can You See in Their Eyes?
(AKA most overused chapter name in an Ichigo gone Hollow fic EVER,therefore partial satire.)
The being that was and was not Ichigo lowered its horns, charging a Cero Gigante.
"What..." Toshiro flash stepped just in time to dodge the blast, which detonated in the air a good distance away.
Toshiro raised his sword. "Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens, Hyoonmaru!"
He slashed down and an Ice Dragon burst forth, slithering through the air towards Ichigo.
The being smashed it with his bare hand.
Toshiro held his sword in his right hand and pointed it straight outward.
"Bankai!"
His transformation complete, he launched a dozen ice dragons, larger than the first.
Ichigo fired a Cero and decimated the attack.
He then sonido'd behind Toshiro and hacked off his left wing, clipping the boy's left shoulder as he did so.
'Kurosaki... Please let this be beyond you control...and please find a way to restrain it before you force me to kill you...'
In his inner world Ichigo was in a daze; he wouldn't blink, wouldn't move and wouldn't speak.
This annoyed Ichigo's Hollow greatly.
"Dammit King, ya HAD ta go and lose control didn't ya? Now either the brat's gonna die and we become a definite target for Soul Society or we die and become a giant Ice Cube!" his hollow growled. "Not that you had much more of a personality than one anyway..."
"It is... unfortunate that he lost control of his powers again. However I have faith in Ichigo; he broke out of this once before and he has the ability to do it again." said Tensa.
"I hope yer right."
Karin looked up when the explosion went off. 'Fireworks? No...'
She saw what appeared to be a winged figure get launched down toward the field where she played soccer.
After politely excusing herself, she started running there.
Ichigo swung his sword at Toshiro, who blocked. The battle had come to the ground. It took Toshiro a minute to remember but this what the … what was it... that strange sport they played. This was that place. Where he had played that strange game with Ichigo's sister...
Ichigo roared out in defiance and lowered his spiritual pressure slightly, to Toshiro's level of feeling. Toshiro staggered and began to sweat; this was beyond anything he had ever felt!
Karin arrived to see Hitugaya fighting Ichigo. Confused, she stopped moving.
However, Ichigo noticed her and let out a horrible roar that chilled her to the bone.
Karin froze with fear as Ichigo began walking toward her, slowly.
Histugaya summoned pillars of ice the size of small buildings.
"Senin Hyoro." The pillars crashed closed around Ichigo... but then shattered in a brilliant crimson explosion.
"No way..." Hitsugaya was shocked... and took a Cero to the chest because of it.
The explosion launched him backwards into the goal on the other side of the field and his bankai vanished.
"D-damn..." He passed out.
Ichigo returned to his approach.
Upon reaching Karin he grabbed her by her neck and held her in the air.
She snapped back to reality and stared into the black holes in Ichigo's mask...
"It's no good Zangetsu, I can't take control. Looks like King isn't gonna be too happy if he snaps out of this..." then it hit him.
"King... You should wake up. You know that if you don't," Ichigo's hollow smirked. "Your sister, the one with the black hair... she's going to have her soul devoured... by you.Not me; your emotions are what fuels this form... combined with my instincts. You know what that means... you'll be nothing but a hollow."
Ichigo slowly rose from the kneeling position on the skyscraper. 'No... I won't let you... this isn't what I want...'
He began to glow blue. 'THIS IS MY BODY! I WON"T LET ANYONE OR ANYTHING CONTROL IT!'
"That's the king I know...Look at that Reiatsu flare! He's really into this. Guess I'd better chip in." The hollow glowed in his black and red aura, granting Ichigo the power he needed to break through.
To throw away his anger and hate.
To reclaim his crown from the feral beast that had stolen it.
To save his sister's life.
The black holes in the mask lit up blue again.
"Karin..." Ichigo set his sister down and backed away before turning away.
"I'd better leave. I'm going to go far away from here so this won't happen ever again. I don't know where I'll go; perhaps I'll go back to Hueco Mundo."
"King I swear to god if you-god dammit you bastard! It's pouring in here again!" Ichigo's hollow screamed at him in dismay as the inner world's "sky" fell out.
"Gah..." Ichigo's hollow managed to open a window on a building and retreat inside. "There. Now King, ya can't get mopey or else it'll flood in here again. Me an' Zangetsu don't like it when that happens. Well, Zangetsu likes to chase the fish but I don't like it."
"So stop worrying about it. If your family disowns you, you have the Soul Society. If they hunt you down, we can knock some sense into them. I doubt even old man Yamamoto could touch you in this form! If they do that, you can go to Hueco Mundo; that Nel arrancar and her
Fraccion are there and they'll welcome you back with open arms, and if Nel somehow 'grows up' again I wouldn't mind that. Who knows? Maybe you'll get lucky, King. Oh wait, you got neutered when you became this form." His hollow snickered at the joke.
"If they leave you for some reason, at least you have us. I know it seems kinda dumb for me to be educating ya on this bullshit, but Zangetsu won't come out because of the rain. Now face yer fears ya pansy!"
Ichigo stopped his movements and turned around slowly before sitting down on the ground.
"I"m going to sit here. I'm not going to move from this very spot. If you want to run... then run. If not...I can try and explain everything. I can't make promises it will make you feel better, and I can't promise you closure if you decide to deny that I exist... but I can talk. Normally."
Ichigo closed his eyes and entered a semiconscious state.
Karin slowly approached and reached out, running her fingers slowly along the left horn on his mask. Then she put her hand on his shoulder; he was ice cold.
She pulled back and circled him, as if staring into every particle of his being trying to find anything that was her brother.
The only thing she recognized was his hair; its color was a dead giveaway.
Ichigo felt her sister's presence as she moved.
"...Why did you attack Toshiro?"
Ichigo remained silent for a moment before answering.
"I... wasn't quite mysellf."
"Tell me something I don't know!"
"Let me elaborate..." Ichigo explained the other beings in his mind and what had happened while he was in Hueco Mundo.
He slowly rose and walked over to Toshiro.
"Good... he's still breathing. Regardless, he's going to tell the rest of the captains about this. Then... I really will have to leave.
"I-Ichigo?"
Both siblings turned to see Orihime looking at the scene.
"Orihime..." Ichigo knew there was something he was supposed to be feeing acompanying the queasiness in his stomach.
"King, you can't feel heartache in this form. You have no heart, remember? The hole in your chest? That's what's missing. You're an oblivious idiot who's had less of an emotional range than I have until now... when you noticed that you can't feel certain things anymore. Face it ,"
his hollow frowned.
"You're in love."
'What? Th-that can't be true! I don't...'
"You don't what? Have some sort of feelings for her? She's more than your friend... or at least you subconsciously want her to be. I LIVE in your subconscious. I know these things. You and I... we aren't like normal hollows. Your heart exists in your mind... but you can't feel anything
of the sort physically because of that hole. Ever notice I don't have one? That's because I'm part of you. We share a set of emotions, you and I, King. I have the capacity to feel what you feel. You felt jealousy when she spoke so friendly with Ulquiorra... It wasn't very visible and
you didn't recognize it, but it was there, King. Why did you go to Hueco Mundo? Aizen had nothing to do with it. You went to save Orihime. Why did you fight Aizen? Because you wanted to defend your home, yes. But more specifically you wanted to protect her. And since you're
oblivious, as stated earlier in my speech, you haven't noticed she's got a thing for you too. When we died temporarily on Los Noches, she broke down; I heard it all, King. She said your name over and over. Should Ulquiorra had decided to kill her, she might have obliged... just to
try and see you again. Now I'm not saying go over to her and beg for her hand in marriage just yet," his hollow cringed at the thought; love wasn't one of his favorite emotions.
That didn't mean he didn't want Ichigo to do... things... with her, several that he was sure she would do given her nature and obsession with Ichigo, but that was the instinct half; he couldn't care less about dating or their happiness or... marriage... but hey, he was the 'anti-ichigo' after all.
"I'd say toy with her a bit. Put back on that emo act for a little bit, get her worried, and when she begs you not to leave, tell her you'll stay... for her. She'll be all over you,King. If you play your cards right until Hat n' Clogs gets our physical body fixed up, maybe you won't die a virgin!" His hollow laughed at this.
'H-hey! Shut up! If I'm a virgin that makes you one too!'
The hollow shut up. "Touche, King."
'Even so, I"m not sure I'm emotionally ready for a relationship. And besides we look... yeah.' Ichigo knew his new visage was a mirror breaker for sure.
"It's your goody two shoes personality she likes ya dumbass! She's just perfect for taking advantage of! I'd bet-!"
'Don't talk like that about Orihime or I'll come in there and kick your ass.'
"See? You're getting protective of her! Just do what I said. Stick to the plan and you'll have yourself a girlfriend! Now channel that grief I know you feel about beating that brat of a captain to a pulp! Lights, camera, action, King!"
Ichigo had just had a bitchslap to the face; his HOLLOW had just given him a pep talk on ROMANCE. He had to admit though, he made sense... and woke Ichigo up.
'How did you figure all this out?'
"You have internet; I downloaded some Eroge Dating sims off the internet. What? I have to have something to do when you aren't fighting!"
'I won't ask anymore questions from now on. Well, to you.'
Ichigo averted his eyes from Orihime and back to Toshiro.
"So I did this?" Ichigo asked nobody in particular.
"Y-yes." Said Karin.
Ichigo noticed bruising beginning to form on Karin's neck.
"Did...did I do that too?"
Karin looked away.
Ichigo saw the look in Orihime's eyes. His mind flashed back to memories that weren't his; when his Emotions overpowered his instincts and will and almost killed Ulquiorra. The look in her eyes was sheer terror.
"...Orihime. I have no excuses for what I've done here today. I was unable to control my emotions properly and people got hurt. I almost killed Toshiro. He's breathing, but barely. Orihime, if you would?"
Ichigo stepped away from Toshiro, putting a good amount of distance between Orihime's patient and himself.
She went over to Toshiro and summoned her powers to "reject" the wounds that Toshiro had received.
He slowly came to and noticed Orihime.
"Inoue... Orihime?"
She nodded and finished the healing.
He stood up then panicked.
"Where's Kurosaki?"
"Right here."
Toshiro raised his sword again.
"If you're going to kill me, do it elswhere Hitsugaya. We don't need anyone else getting hurt today." Ichigo drew his sword... and threw it into the ground in front of him.
'He never uses my last name...' thought Hitsugaya.
His facial expression was stern. "You speak as if you wish to perish, Kurosaki. This isn't like you. Then again, neither was attacking me or your sister. Very well. Perhaps someday you'll be reincarnated."
Ichigo looked over to his sister and Orihime. "I understand that this is going to bring you pain...that the decision I've made may seem selfish... but I've grown too powerful. If I lose control like that again... I might not just hurt a couple of people. I could kill hundreds of thousands. Everyone here in Karakura."
"Chad... Uryuu... My family..." He looked to Orihime. "You. I"m doing what's best for everyone-!"
"How do you know what's best for everyone?" Orihime interrupted, starting to cry. "You can't die! You already died once! There won't be... whatever saved you last time to save you now! And I'm not...I'm not..." Orihime couldn't hold the tears back any longer.
"...I'm not strong enough to save you..." Orihime collapsed.
'There you bastard, I made her cry!'
"Good. Now you show concern. Try and reason with her."
Ichigo walked over to the girl and knelt down on one knee, resting his elbow on the raised one.
"Orihime... It'll be fine... You'll still see me every day at school..."
"No...no I won't...that's Kon..."
"But it's still my body...my face..."
"I don't... I don't want to lose someone else I care about! Not the same way, not again!"
Ichigo flinched. He remembered how her brother had killed himself as a hollow with Ichigo's own sword.
"It isn't the same, Hitsugaya's going to-"
"It IS the same Ichigo!"
"There's still Chad, Uryuu and everyone else though. I'm just one person... well whatever I am now."
"It's different! You're Ichigo! If you die, who'll save us if someone else bad comes along?"
Ichigo couldn't take it anymore. He was not only lying he was making a girl cry. Last time he ever listened to his hollow. He'd have better luck going to his dad for advice on women.
"I can't do this anymore!" He looked over to Toshiro.
"Toshiro, run me through the gut with your sword!" Orihime looked up at him with a look of sheer horror on her face.
"Don't get the wrong idea Inoue, there's just a certain Inner Hollow who needs to be punished for giving me advice on girls!"
Toshiro smirked. "I knew that wasn't quite like you Kurosaki."
Toshiro's sword impaled Ichigo's gut. Blood leaked from the teeth of his mask and Toshiro witdrew his sword.
While the wound quickly healed, Ichigo's hollow felt the pain.
"GAH! DAMMIT KING! I HATE YOU! THAT FUCKING HURT!"
'That makes it mutual.'
Ichigo turned back to Orihime and helped her up.
"Ichigo..." Orihime began... then delivered a slap that reverberated through his mask and made his ears ring.
"Don't...Don't scare me like that ever again!" She burried her face in his chest and started crying.
"Look... I'm not... normal... right now. I can't really explain it. But if Urahara does what he says I'll be back in no time." Ichigo hesitated before having control of his right arm stolen.
"God do I have to literally hold your hand? What's the word you humans use...'wingman', right? Yeah, I'm going to keep you from dropping the ball here. Don't panic, act natural."
Ichigo wasn't too sure wheter to trust him, but if he tried to wrench control back things could get...complicated.
His voice was still his, so he assuemd his hollow was setting him up for another failure.
Or not.
"His" hands moved to her shoulders and held her back a bit.
"Talk."
"Look, we both know I'm not exactly... gifted in the department of deep, emotional speeches, but I do know one thing; every time I said it was going to be alright, it turned out alright, didn't it? And you should stop crying; it's my job to be the dark, brooding one and yours to be the one who's always there to keep me from turning into a wallowing mess of self pity and angst. Besides, you are strong; you just haven't realized your full potential yet."
She sniffled and looked up at him.
"So keep smiling." Ichigo felt his shoulders relax a bit, "For me, okay?"
Ichigo felt incredibly awkward; he wasn't used to expressing these kinds of emotions at all. His words seemed to suffice however;
"A-alright," Orihime said, "For you..."
Ichigo felt his body return to his control and he slowly removed his hands from Orihime's shoulders.
"Thanks."
Awkward silence, then a cough from Toshiro.
"Your sister still needs her wounds treated, Ichigo."
"..Right. Well, I'd best get going. I smell a hollow, and it seems pretty strong..."
"Smell?" Asked Toshiro.
"Ah, it comes with the form. Better senses." Ichigo started to go into a sonido, but was stopped by Orihime.
"Um... wh-where do you go? When you aren't fighting Hollows I mean?"
"Well I usually roam. I really don't stay anywhere too long." Ichigo responded, reverting to his normal, ignorant self.
"A-ah. Well, I have an extra room. I"m not sure what you eat... but Rangiku says I'm a good cook!" Orihime managed.
Ichigo's face turned blue under his mask. If his skin could get any paler, it would have. He knew about Orihime's cooking; it was...well it couldn't taste any worse than hollow, could it?
"King... think this through...a warm place to sleep is nice, but think about our digestive system! And for that matter, our stomach!" his hollow reasoned.
'Shut up. This is payback for making me eat hollows. By the way, how do I swallow food if I have a hole in my chest?'
"I dunno king. We are a spirit being though."
"Well, if you insist..."
His hollow groaned and Tensa Zangetsu facepalmed.
Orihime's face lit up. "Great! It'll be like a sleepover! I'll have to go grocery shopping! Let's see..." She began listing some very strange ingridents, which worried Ichigo a bit.
"Well, I have to go deal with that hollow now. See you later, Orihime!" He vanished in a Sonido.
END CHAPTER 5
Alright, alright I'll admit it, it's REALLY FUCKING HARD to give Ichigo any emotions besides grumpy, cocky, pissed and depressed. So he probably sounded REALLY Out Of Character in this chapter, but as Hollow Ichigo stated, he's been an oblivious, ignorant fool for the entirety of the series, and we know he's at least capable of love, albeit on a family level; he cared about his mother very much.
Next time:
Orihime's cooking!
Filler-made-decent!
KON! LOTS OF KON!
And so begins the Regai Arc, albeit modified to fit the story.
Then? Well, one thing at a time.
Let's just say Ichigo's in for a nasty surprise and that Kon is going to live up to his FULL potential in the future and learn how to really BRING the pain!