This War's Not Over Chapter 4

Fear Is A Useless Thing

Hey!

Am back with another chapter.

Hope you enjoy

Ichigo stared.

"You…"

The hollow didn't seem to want to listen to Ichigo's discovery as he brought him crashing against a wall that Ichigo didn't know even existed. Ichigo made a choking sound; he wasn't going to be able to hold his breath for much longer. He knew if he moved, the vines would consume him. Ichigo frowned. I'm not fighting back because I'm afraid of those vines? What was he doing? Ichigo's scowl deepened.

Coward.

He shakily lifted his hand with teeth gritted, and gripped his inner hollow's wrist. The hollow seemed to notice the change in Ichigo's demeanor because his angry glare seemed to go down a few notches. His unblinking yellow eyes still seemed to be watching the teen's every move.

Ichigo noticed the little space between them. He gathered up his strength and kicked his hollow in the gut, making him release his grip on the teen and sending the duplicate flying across the floor. Ichigo landed heavily on his hands and knees, his breathing becoming immediately feverish from the exertion and watched defiantly as his counterpart landed lightly on his feet.

But what surprised Ichigo was that the angry look had been immediately replaced by the hollow's trademark smirk.

"Now that's more like it."

Rukia swapped the wet towel on Ichigo's forehead once again. Apart from Ichigo being sick, she noticed something different then five minutes before. She blinked, before sitting bold upright from her slouching position as she realized his breathing had become labored and even raspier than before. She noticed his tight grip on the bed sheets and his body was trembling slightly. She stood up, the side of her ankle accidentally coming in contact with Ichigo's arm. It made her realize at what point Ichigo's skin was burning hot.

She was about to call for Urahara and Tessai when she saw Urahara's head pop out from behind the sliding doors.

"Urahara, come look," she said in a low urgent voice.

Urahara raised a brow before coming to Rukia's side. When he noticed right away, Rukia was immediately angry with herself for not realizing sooner.

"What do you think?" she asked quietly.

"As I predicted, his stability won't last much longer. It might even get worse from now on," Urahara murmured with a look of concern crossing over his face.

Rukia's fists tightened. "Isn't there anything we can do? Can't you ask Tessai to heal him?"

Rukia was immediately interrupted by Ichigo's choked cry. Rukia eyes widened before she stared desperately at Urahara. Ichigo began to thrash from side to side, his mouth parted into a silent scream. Urahara's eyes narrowed when Ichigo's eyes caught his attention. His scleras were slowly becoming black, the darkness spreading like ink over the white surface. Urahara stiffened. It's just as I thought.

The purple creepers appeared on the side of Ichigo's neck, growing until they reached his jaw line.

"Kuchiki-san, I need you to hold him down for me," Urahara ordered.

Rukia, who was frantically trying to calm Ichigo, did as Urahara said. Another spasm ran through Ichigo's body as he made another choking sound. Out of the corner of her eyes, she caught a glimpse of a chain that Urahara wrapped around Ichigo's neck. Every loop of the chain seemed to glow as Urahara drew a sign in the air. "Bakudo 64, Darkness Seal!"

Immediately the chains began to shine a brilliant light and Rukia, who was holding Ichigo down, noticed his movements gradually becoming weaker and his breathing slowing. The black ink slowly began to recede from Ichigo's eyes and the teen's tight grip on the bed sheets relaxed, his thrashing head going limp and his eyes gradually closing.

It was quiet for a moment in the room before Rukia took in a breath for the first time since Ichigo began to scream.

"What did you do?" Rukia asked, releasing her grip on Ichigo.

"It's a seal that I concocted to help Ichigo if his hollow ever went out of control," Urahara said, and then pulled his hat over his eyes, clearly embarrassed. "Of course, Ichigo went to the Vizards instead, which is better. This seal is only temporary."

Rukia raised a brow, her eyes glittering with alarm. "His hollow?"

But Rukia never received her answer because the duo was immediately assaulted by a blast of heavy reiatsu. Urahara stood up immediately while Rukia picked herself off the ground, seeming to become used to the reiatsu's weight. She stood up too, her hand flying to her zanpakuto. "An arrancar?"

"An espada-level arrancar it seems," Urahara confirmed.

Rukia followed Urahara out of the shop, where they both tensed, as an arrancar seemed to be waiting in the sky above of them.

Urahara's eyes narrowed. "I don't like this. If it's an attack, it's too obvious. Unless this one is a decoy."

Rukia turned to Urahara, frowning. "For what?"

The scenery began to change around Ichigo. The black curtain of darkness seemed to fade, leaving Ichigo in a surrounding which was incredibly familiar. The tall skyscrapers, the vertical travelling clouds… A feeling of nostalgia instantly washed over him, and his flaming brown eyes softened.

His inner world.

Ichigo's eyes travelled past his inner hollow, and his gaze immediately met his sword, Zangetsu's gaze. Ichigo sighed inwardly in relief. It was the old man again. Ichigo couldn't say he had had a great time with Tensa Zangetsu's cold ice-blue stare. Ichigo blinked. That's right. It had been ages since Ichigo had seen both Zangetsu and his inner hollow, Ichigo realized.

Ichigo let out a laugh, and he saw his hollow grin at him mockingly.

"About time."

Ichigo didn't say anything for a while as he took everything in. It had been so long since he'd been here. He even felt guilty. He'd been fighting alongside his sword for a month now, and hadn't even considered dropping down to say hi.

"I thought I'd never see you guys again," Ichigo said, trying to hide his emotions, failing terribly.

"Indeed," his zanpakuto's low voice responded.

His hollow seemed surprised at Ichigo's display of sentiments. Ichigo mentally slapped himself from appearing so weak again in front of his alter ego. But to his disbelief he felt that he had actually missed them both.

Ichigo frowned at his hollow as his counterpart said nothing and stared hatefully back. They stared until both of them looked away, their gazes filled with contempt while Zangetsu watched his two charges with hidden amusement from his pole.

Ichigo himself was surprised by his hollow's behavior. It seemed odd, having a conversation with his duplicate without them trying to kill each other. But Ichigo's experience with his hollow led him to not trust his counterpart. Yet.

"So, you were trying to kill me some moments ago. What was that all about?"

It was Zangetsu who answered. "We were trying to rid you of your fear."

Ichigo frowned, clearly confused.

"That same fear is what pinned you down to the floor."

"And made you stop fighting," his inner hollow said, disdain showing briefly on his face.

Ichigo took this in, and he understood. The fear meant the vines.

"Fear is a useless thing," Ichigo agreed.

"Doing all of Zangetsu's biddings," his hollow spat, before looking back at Zangetsu. "Just be glad I'm here! I keep him sharp and on his toes."

Ichigo's gaze travelled to were he had seen the vines on his hollow's neck. His double immediately knew what he was thinking.

"I'm good with you shouldering all the pain. No, I can't feel it."

Ichigo let out a grunt. It instantly reminded him of what Aizen had done to him. He let a welcomed breeze ruffle his orange hair.

His alter ego stiffened, then cursed. "Damn that Urahara."

Ichigo's eyes narrowed in misgiving, but felt confused at the same time. Ichigo had a sneaking suspicion that his hollow could be doing something behind his back. Then it suddenly hit Ichigo.

"You bastard!" Ichigo said, his eyes blazing in fury.

His hollow turned his attention away from the outside world, staring evilly back. Zangetsu's eyes trailed on the both of them as they stared murderously at each other, the sense of peace vanishing in a single moment. Both looked about ready to lunge at each other.

"You don't seem to get it do you?" his inner hollow said, sardonic smirk on.

Ichigo stiffened. Get what? Both his zanpakuto and his hollow heads suddenly snapped up at the same time, making Ichigo even more puzzled. "What?"

"There's no way we're getting kidnapped. Screw this, I'm taking over your body."

Rukia's sword met with the arrancar's, sparks flying as both their zanpakutos made contact. She was confused because Urahara was just standing there, a pondering look on his face.

"Don't just stand there! Come and help me!" she yelled at the shopkeeper. "We can't let them get to Ichigo!"

She froze. Ichigo. She turned to look at Urahara with a look of realization on both their faces.

"Ichigo!"

Urahara took a swing at the decoy arrancar, taking over the fight. "You go back into the shop and protect Ichigo. The other arrancar might already be in there!"

Rukia dashed into the shop before the arrancar could come after her, her heart pounding. How could they have been so stupid? They had come for Ichigo. But why? She barged into Ichigo's room, not bothering to keep the noise down. She noticed that the arrancar's reiatsu gradually faded and she heard the clatter of Urahara's clogs against the floor as he rushed in after her. Had the decoy arrancar fled?

But when she arrived at Ichigo's bedside, a heart-sinking feeling along with a rush of anguish swept over her.

"He's gone," she whispered.

It's done!

I hope I didn't make the people too out of character. (is worried) ^^"

Please tell me what you think!