Everything was an utter mess.
In under a fortnight, a hoarde of vampires would be bearing down upon them.
If that wasn't enough of a disaster, she hadn't even managed to communicate with her Beast yet, let alone reach a truce with it, they had a new, half-wit moron who couldn't control his inner Beast either.
Even if by some miracle she and The Idiot- she refused to say his name- were in a state fit for fighting by the full moon, they were severely outnumbered.
"We're screwed." She grumbled to herself, swinging her legs to kick at the kitchen counter angrily.
Someone cleared their throat behind her. "Maybe not quite yet, young one."
Rukia twisted around on her stool towards the voice. In the kitchen doorway stood two men who couldn't have been more different. One was huge- there was no other way to describe him, and tan, with a great mop of shaggy brown hair covering his head and one brown eye. To say he was muscular would be an understatement. He made Tessai look puny!
Next to him was a smaller, but not short, man. He was slender and very pale; a stark comparison to his companion. Hishair was the colour of the midnight sky itself with one side tucked behind a very long, pointed ear and his eyes were a stormy grey behind his spectacles. Clearly he was the one who had spoken.
"Oh! Excuse me, I was just muttering to myself." The taller one nodded.
"Forgive my interruption. We were told to come to the kitchen by Urahara. My name is Uryu Ishida, and this is Chad Yasutora." He gave a low bow, and gestured to the giant by his side, who nodded. Rukia noticed he had a large bow, with a sheath of intricate looking arrows on his back.
Rukia attempted a smile. "I think Kisuke might have mentioned you earlier."
Uryu nodded, "Yes, he and Yoruichi called for us and Orihime, our friend. She is with them at this very moment, but the casualty seemed to be in control enough that we weren't required to pacify him."
Rukia smiled and walked over to the kettle. "Would you like some tea while they finish up?"
"That is most kind. If you have green, I would be most appreciative. My kind cannot stomach the usual kind very well."
She cocked her head quizically and he continued.
"Ah, I am Elven, incase you didn't notice," He gestured to the point of his ear. "I am the son of Ryuken, leader of the Ishida Clan. We are what you might refer to as 'wood elves'. Chad is a human, but he posseses the ability to channel magic, similar to Urahara and Tessai."
"Oh!" Rukia blushed crimson as she poured the three cups of tea. "I didn't know-..."
Uryu cracked a rare smile. "I take it you've not been much educated on other races. Then again, you've had such little time for such trivial matters..." He trailed off.
The young woman passed around the cups of tea. Chad nodded in thanks. The cup seemed to be dwarfed in his huge hands as he sipped from it.
Uryu spoke up again. "Orihime should be finished with that Were soon. She is a superb healer, one of the very best to grace this Earth. She is of a rarer race, known as-"
"Fey!" An excited female voice interrupted. Rukia swiveled around again to be stunned into silence.
The woman standing there was beautiful. Long, auburn hair flowed gracefully down her shoulders, and her skin was a perfect, unblemished peach. She had huge, light grey eyes framed with thick lashes, and the body of a goddess. She was small, but not so much so as Rukia. A pair of delicate gossammer wings fluttered behind her, the same pale blue colour as the flowers that adorned her hair on either side.
"We're what people called Faeries! Oh but where are my manners, you must be Rukia! Kisuke and Yoruichi have told me so much about you!" Rukia didn't know what to say. She nodded mutely.
The woman laughed and it was like the sound of windchimes. Rukia noticed how Uryu looked at her; like a blind man seeing for the first time. And who could blame him? She was truly lovely.
"Well, the casualty is all fixed up! Kisuke managed to get him into the containment cell behind his office just fine." Orihime smiled at Rukia brightly and she was almost dazzled. "He's not in a very good state though, and Kisuke is worried he might have a Hollow." Rukia sipped her tea.
"A Hollow? What's that?"
Uryu adjusted his glasses. "A Hollow is a parasite of the soul. They cannot survive very well outside of a host, becoming somewhat like Ghouls. However, when they infect a host, they share the soul and can slowly eat away at it, until they take over." He shook his head. "The poor boy is probably better off dead."
Orihime seemed to dim at the thought. "I'm sure Kisuke can think of something to get rid of it Uryu..." She paused, turning to look at Rukia. "Thinking of Kisuke, he said he wanted to see you. He's in his Lab."
Rukia obediently put down her half-drunk cup of tea on the counter and left the kitchen with it's three strange inhabitants behind. When she reached the lab she strode straight inside. Kisuke was reading another book infront of the marble slab, where there was a small pot bubbling under a magical fire.
"You wanted to see me?" She asked softly.
Kisuke looked up from the huge book. "Ah yes, Rukia! You must have met Orihime, Chad and Uryu then! Fine folk they are indeed, and good friends of ours." He shut the book gently and placed it down.
"That's not what I wanted to talk about though. I've no doubt Orihime told you about Ichigo's Hollow."
"Yes... It sounds terrible."
"It is. I believe it's what caused him to lose control. Hollows don't usually afflict magical creatures, they tend to go for the weaker prey- humans. I am fairly sure that Ichigo was infected with his Hollow before he became a Were."
He paused to stir the bubbling pot's contents and add a few pinches of powder from a glass dish. The liquid inside stopped bubbling and became a serene blue colour.
"Can you do anything to get rid of it?" Rukia wasn't the carrot-tops greatest fan, but having something eat your soul had to suck big-time. Even that jerkwad didn't deserve that.
"The hollow can only leave of it's own accord. If we manage to get Ichigo to bond with his Beast, I believe they can take over and force the Hollow out. Of course, they could just dominate it if it chooses to stay. Some Hollows will reach an agreement with their host, due to them being able to survive so poorly outside of a human body."
"I see. And how do we get them to overcome the Hollow?
"Simple, my dear," Kisuke replied as he poured the blue liquid into a bottle.
"We kill him."
~~~~~~~~~~(LINE BREAK)~~~~~~~~~~
Byakuya paced up and down in his office. THe council had demanded that Renji be Turned, and now he had a newborn to babysit. Burning red eyes looked up at him in wonder. Since he had been Turned a week before, Renji had taken to the Vampiric life easily. This was the first time however, that he had been allowed out of Byakuya's spare room into the public.
"I'm so thirsty..." He whispered. His pupils were dialated with confusion, his hands curled into fists.
"You will be sated soon." Byakuya responded calmly. "Do not be afraid. It will become less confusing when you get used to your heightened senses."
"I can see so much." Renji murmured to himself, looking around the room. "I can hear the breathing of people on the street outside... How do you cope with such noise all the time?"
"Time will make it easier. You will learn to hear only what you need to."
Renji seemed pacified. He shut his eyes and leaned back in the chair.
"We will hunt this evening. Remember what I have been teaching you. We do not kill as it arouses suspicion and it is unnessecary. Take only a little from the human- there are plenty. Remember to glamour them afterwards, so they remember nothing. We, in my Coven, are civillised Vampires. We exist quietly."
The new vampire nodded. "Yes Sir."
"Once you have been fed, we will return to my mansion. There, your combat training will begin for the upcoming fight. My sister will be avenged."
Renji clenched his jaw together.
"Yes Sir."
~~~~~~~(LINE BREAK)~~~~~~~
Ichigo groaned as he awoke again. His head was sore, though his body wasn't on fire as it had been earlier. Looking around, he surved his surroundings- he was in a dark room, with concrete walls and a concrete floor. One wall consisted of huge metal bars, easily as thick as his arm. Doing a quick self-assement, he noticed the silver burn welts had vanished along with every other cut and scrape he had recieved, no matter how deep. He had to admit, that level of healing was somewhat impressive.
Stretching, he got to his feet and began to walk around his cage. It was fairly large, with enough room to comfortably move about. He could see a door on one side consisting of the same steel bars that made up the front of his prison.
"So, how're we gon' break outta this shit hole?"
"Shut it, you. We're not going to do shit. We're gunna sit tight, and hopefully that weirdo in the wooden sandals will get you the fuck outta my head." Ichigo answered flatly out loud to the awful, slippery snide voice that invaded his head.
"Advisable." Came the deep whisper of the second voice that plagued him. This voice, however, had no malice to it- it never had, unlike the other one.
"Pathetic! You are a pathetic piece of shit, King! And soon, so soon, I will rise and I will take your place on top! And then I'll show all these other useless assholes what it's like to be trapped in a cage!"
The other voice seemed to sigh. Even if he was fifteen shades of crazy with all these voices in his head, Ichigo had to agree- He wasn't impressed with the third inhabitant of his head either. The first one, however, wasn't so terrible. Infact, he felt almost... Kind. Ichigo groaned, rubbing his forehead and looked up.
Behind the front bars stood Kisuke and the midget from earlier- Rukia, was it? She looked pissy. He was beginning to wonder if that was just her default expression- a resting bitch face.
"Uh, yo?" He muttered. "Enjoying the peep-show, bucket hat?"
Kisuke chuckled lightly. "But of course. We've run some tests while Orihime was healing you. It appears you have a Hollow- a soul parasite."
"So that's what the bastard is. Figures. How'd I get it?"
Kisuke shrugged, adjusting his hat. "Could have been while your mother was pregnant she was attacked by one and it passed onto you. It could also be if you were nearby when someone who was infected died- they cannot survive long outside of a human body, and will latch onto the nearest living thing."
Rukia noticed Ichigo's face darken and close over.
The wizard also appeared to have noticed, as he changed the subject. "In any case, you have one. It will continue to torment you and take gradual control of your body unless you can dominate it, and soon. After that, we will work on your control of your inner Beast."
Ichigo nodded mutely.
"How will I dominate it?"
"I will put you in a state between life and death. As your body fights to survive, you must overcome the Hollow's desire to overcome you. If you cannot, it will take control. If neither of you can take control, you will die." Kisuke stated matter-of-factly. Ichigo nodded again.
"Had a feeling it would be something like that. Why's she here, anyway?"
Rukia bristled. "I'm here to see that you don't die, stupid. Apparently the presence of another human will help frighten the Hollow." 'And I will be there to accept the Hollow if you die' Rukia thought.
After some discussion, Rukia had volunteered to be there to absorb the Hollow if Ichigo failed in his task. It seemed fitting, given that she would most likely be executed in the next week and a half anyhow. It meant that it couldn't infect anyone else, and give those remaining a better chance to fight.
"How sweet," The Hollow crooned mockingly, "Ichigo has a little girlfriend to keep him company while I crush his useless mind."
"Zip it, you goddamn freak."
"Oh-ho! Fighting talk, is it? You won't be saying that when I make you watch as I tear her pretty little body apart!"
Ichigo felt his stomach lurch at the thought. Why, he had no idea.
"You bastard!" He snarled inside his head. "I'll defeat you. You dare touch her- or anyone here!"
He could feel the third presence's agreement. As insane as it sounded, Ichigo honestly felt that it meant him no harm. If anything, it seemed just as eager to get rid of the Hollow as he was... But for what cause? Was it just eager to see the end of competition for Ichigo's sanity?
"Hat-n-Clogs... Aside from the Hollow, what else is it inside my head? You said something about a Beast?" Ichigo asked quietly.
"Ah yes. You, Ichigo, are a Were incase you didn't know." Ichigo nodded; he had been aware. "The third presence in your head is most likely your Beast- the emodiment of the part of your soul that transforms your body."
"Ah, that would explain it."
"Once your Hollow is defeated, we can work on you building a bond. However, it appears you are already somewhat aquainted if it will willingly appears to you."
Rukia felt a twinge of jealousy. It wasn't fair; she hadn't heard a peep from her Beast, and yet this idiot with a goddamn soul-parasite had managed to?
As if sensing her thoughts, Kisuke turned to Rukia. "It makes sense; a common enemy in the form of the Hollow would make it more willing to work with him to defeat it. It will indeed, help you, Ichigo. I cannot say it will make bonding any easier though."
"He is correct. You must yet earn my respect, Ichigo. I have only revealed myself out of need for the situation- I will still take control if you cannot prove yourself to be a worthy master. And I, in turn, will clearly have to earn your trust. But first we must be rid of the... cretin."
Ichigo was almost amused by the distate in the deep, rumbling tone of what he now knew was his Beast.
"Don't worry about it, Old Man. We'll get him." He mutted to himself.
"So," Kisuke produced a fan from his pocket and began wafting it infront of his face. "Do you consent? It is your only other option."
Ichigo's mouth pressed into a hard line. He looked at the girl besides Kisuke, who had remained fairly quiet throughout the whole exchange. She seemed pained. And then she was on the floor, her clothes ripped to shreds with her lilly white skin stained bright crimson and her wide violet eyes gazing glassily into his own wide, terrified ones and-
"Yes." He barked, blinking rapidly. He looked up again. There she stood, pristine and perfect, though even more concerned than before. He could feel her pain in the air and almost felt sorry for teasing her the previous time they had met. There was something about her... Something in the way his Beast even seemed to hum inside his head. It was the strangest feeling, like warmth flooding from his head to the tips of his fingers and toes, despite the coldness of the concrete floor he stood on.
"By the way, I'm Ichigo." He stated, looking at her. She cracked the tinest of smiles. It appeated she understood his sentiment.
"Rukia." She replied, and her black hair swished with the motion of her slight bow.
He would defeat this.. thing. And for some reason as of yet unknown to him, he would do it; for her.
~~~~~~(END OF CHAPTER)~~~~~~~
Soooo, I have a feeling this is going to be more towards 15+ chapters than 10! I'm sort of excited, really. What do you think is going to happen when Ichigo begins his fight? Will Rukia EVER find out about her Beast? What animals do you think they will be?
Let me know! Thanks for your support!