Vanity: It seems as if we've been having one difficulty after another. We were sick last time we updated (still are, but we are doing better), and now the internet has been down for a week. We also didn't feel like going to the library to update…. So, here is a very late chapter. Hope you enjoy. Forgive the very short A/N. We are so tired.

Greed: Yes, so just read it already!

…

Chapter 6… Undisclosed

Shinji and Kensei got done sparing not long after Ichigo finished eating.

Shinji put his sword on his shoulder and walked over to the small group around the newcomer. "So, what did you think?" he asked with a large smile.

Apparently he was hoping for the teen to be impressed. "Reminded me of my fight with Grimmjow. I learned how to keep my mask on for as long as I needed in that fight."

The blond man blinks and his smile drops slightly. They had this kid fight in the Winter War? What the hell were they thinking? Soul Society sure was desperate lately.

"What?" the kid asks, seeming to know something was wrong by Shinji's slight change in expression. "Why are you looking at me like that? Did I say something weird?" he growls. Shinji didn't answer the teen right away and that seemed to annoy him further.

"No, I'm just surprised they had a kid like you fight in the War," Shinji answered. "You're all of seventeen years old, right? So you were fifteen when all of that went down. What the hell was Old Man Yamamoto thinking?"

"Listen, blondie, I was the one that fought in the war of my own accord. If I hadn't fought with Soul Society, then they would all be dead right now and Aizen would be on the King's throne. It was my own decision!" Ichigo yelled. "I wasn't wrong in that choice! They are wrong in theirs now!"

Kensei decided to speak up now. "Are you saying you're the one that decided the outcome of the war?" he asked, seemed to be very skeptical.

The orange headed boy blinked. "I defeated Aizen, yes. But he wasn't killed. Something about the Hougyoku made him un-killable. Urahara helped seal him."

The Vizards stood around the newcomer in awe. This kid had stopped the war? What the hell? They knew a few details about what went on elsewhere while they were fighting others, but this, this was mind blowing. "You're kidding us, right?" one of them finally asked.

Ichigo glared at the black man that had spoken in confusion. "Why would I lie about something like that? I'd have to be sick to think that's funny. Yes, I stopped Aizen, though it was still a close call. What's so hard to believe about that?"

"Did you use your hollow?" Hiyori asked almost timidly.

Ichigo flashed her a menacing look and she almost flinched. "No. I used the final form of Zangetsu. But, where is he anyway? I refrained from asking before, but I want him back."

"Zangetsu? Your sword? Oh, well, it's upstairs. When you're done talking with that lazy ass Urahara, you can get it. We just didn't give it to you before because we thought it would be a pain for you to carry around that huge ass sword." Kensei looked over at the shortest one in the group after speaking. The little brat was acting strange around this kid. "Hey, Hiyori, why don't you get the connection ready for Strawberry here to talk to Getaboshi?"

"Yeah, whatever," she grumbled. The fiery little blonde didn't even put up a fight about it! Unbelievable. He'd have to ask what was wrong later.

…

Ichigo followed the white haired man up the stairs a minute later. Hiyori had set up the connection to Urahara's Shoten not too long ago. The dumb shopkeeper's face was not exactly a welcoming sight to the teen right now.

"Kurosaki-kun! I am so glad you are safe!"

Before Kisuke could even get a word of his next sentence out, the furious boy in front of him interrupted. "No thanks to you, asshole! Just what the hell happened to that message you said you would send? Huh? These idiots almost killed me because they thought I was a shinigami! You didn't even warn me to be careful if something went wrong. No! You just threw me into the fire! What the hell is your problem, you motherfucking bastard! I could wring your neck right now if you were here." Ichigo took deep breaths at the end of his tirade. The Vizards stared in shock, but the hat wearing shopkeeper just smiled behind his ever present fan.

"Kurosaki-kun. Language. I know you've had it rough, but you aren't dead. Be happy for that." He suddenly turned serious. "And about that message. It seems that Soul Society was expecting me to help you. Mayuri had safety nets set up if I sent out any information or requests. It seems they might know that you are somewhere in or around Okayama. You'll need to move quickly to escape their notice." Urahara moved his attention to the Vizards in the room. Hachi, Kensei, Hiyori, and Shinji were the ones present. "I'm sorry to involve you once more in things like this. But Ichigo means a lot to many people. We have to find some way for the Gotei 13 to accept your hollow natures. You cannot just continue running like this. You know it and I know it."

Shinji stepped forward and sighed. "It's been so long since we actually settled down. It would be wonderful not to be pursued. However, dealing with Soul Society like this? It'll be more than a little difficult. The old man won't just change his mind about this."

"I know it won't be easy, but we'll have to try." The dirty blond looked at Ichigo. "Your father and sisters have moved from the clinic. I won't say were they are right now. That information could get into the wrong hands. But, they are safe. Soul Society wouldn't be so low at to go after your family." He saw Ichigo's tension fade a bit. "Also, I'm leaving Karakura town. It won't be long before they come to me because I have helped you. I'm actually surprised that they haven't tried to arrest me yet. Anyway, I'll try to get information to you about Soul Society's movements. Yoruichi should be able to find out some interesting things."

Before anyone could say anything else, the connection sizzled then cut out. Hiyori sighed and Hachi shook his head.

"This is turning into a war," Shinji whispered to no one in particular.

…

Hiyori watched at Ichigo walked from the room, led by Kensei to get his zanpakuto.

"Shinji, I have to tell you something about that kid."

The blond man looked at this smaller companion. It was strange that she was so serious and hadn't called him baldy or some such thing. "What's the deal?"

"Hachi, you need to listen too. Earlier his hollow was out." Both men looked at her skeptically. "I know, I know! He's got that bracelet thing! But his eyes! They were black and yellow when he was watching your fight, Shinji! And he spoke! It was just like one of our hollow voices! Ichigo knew it was happening, too! But he didn't do anything. Ichigo said it hurt when he took over. So the bracelet was doing something, just not enough to really bother the hollow. And when Mashiro came down! It was horrible. The look he gave her! I don't even think Ichigo was aware that his hollow had taken over in that split second." The ex-lieutenant shuddered.

Hachi pondered the information she gave while Shinji just shook his head. "Hiyori, the kid's been through a lot. He just needs to figure things out again."

Hiyori shook her head. No. that wasn't it. Ichigo didn't need to figure things out. He needed to crush his hollow. Then things wouldn't be so fucked up.

She shuddered at the thought of what would happen if that bracelet came off.

…

Shiro watched. He watched because that was all he could do right now.

Soon, though. Soon he would get that cuff off. And then everyone would have wished they had killed his red headed host earlier in the game.

…

Ichigo grabbed Zangetsu's hilt. A spark of life jolted up his arm in welcome. Everything was right, even for just a moment in this messed up world.

"C'mon, Ichigo. You need to rest some more. We'll probably be moving soon and you'll need your strength." Kensei led the kid to his makeshift hospital room.

…

Soi Fon moved through the town. This was supposedly the last place Ichigo had been headed. Information courtesy of Urahara Kisuke.

Several teams of Black Ops were moving about and around the city. If there were any abnormalities about here, they would find them.

Not far from the second squad captain, two shadows moved into an alley so as not to be seen.

"Renji," a nervous voice whined. "How are we supposed to find Ichigo before they do? There are so many of them and only two of us!"

"Shut up, Rukia. We have Kisuke, remember? He told us that the Vizards hide outs are usually on the outskirts of town and are warehouses or large abandoned buildings. All we need to do is look for one that seems to have no life surrounding it. Apparently one of their men can use a barrier about like Orihime can."

"I know that already! But, they could follow us and find them because of our stupidity!" the petite girl whispered harshly.

"Not if we're careful."

…

"Hey, King?"

Ichigo sighed. "What do you want?" he whispered into his pillow. His eyes moved to the comforting sight of his zanpakuto.

"Are ya sure ya can trust these people? They didn't take off the hollow cuff. They don't trust ya!" Shiro dragged Ichigo into his subconscious, inner world. "They're afraid of ya, King. Can't ya see that? Otherwise you would be completely free."

Ichigo was pinned to the ground with Shiro above him, face slightly to the side of his own, lips near his ear. A wet tongue, tinted blue, snaked out to taste its counterpart's skin. "Get off of me, you perverted bastard!" the host shoved at his captor.

"Now, now, King! I'm only stating the truth. I'm tha only one ya can trust. Ya should know this after the soul reapers left ya to rot!" Shiro just got closer, if that was possible, to the one under him. "No one is on yer side, except me. Deal with that fact, King. Ya can't trust the Vizards, they'll use you. Ya can't trust Soul Society, they discarded you. I want to survive, ya want to survive. We 'ave a common goal, I-chi-go."

The trapped teen was silent. Was he really letting the words of his hollow reach him? But it was true. Halfway, at least. And, he knew nothing about the Vizards' ways. Finally, Ichigo got fed up with the proximity of his hollow, pushed him off. Shiro was sent flying about twenty feet. "I won't trust you! Even if you are trying to survive, you still wish to control my body. And I still have my family! They will be there, even if nobody else is. What do you know of trust? You can't even give it."

"Yer wrong there, dear king." Shiro laughed for a moment before stopping abruptly. "I trust you. I trust ya to stay the weak, pathetic being that ya are. Hell, I even trust ya to always be by my side, stifling me from the outer world. King, I am yer horse. Of course I trust ya." With every word, the white clad teen got closer to the black. He rested a pale hand on his twin's shoulder, leaned over, and whispered once again in the orange headed boy's ear. "I am the only one that ya know exactly what I want. If that isn't trust, then what is?"

Ichigo shuddered. "Do you really have to get so close to tell me that? You could have said it just fine from ten feet or twenty feet away."

"Ah, but that wouldn't 'ave had as much of an effect on ya, now would it? It's all about presentation, king." The hollow chuckled lowly. Ichigo could almost feel the vibration the noise caused.

Before Ichigo could get a word out to his inner instinct, he was jerked back into the corporeal world. Hachi was in the room gently shaking the younger male's shoulder. "Ichigo-kun! We have shinigami around the area. We need to leave quickly before they discover this place. Do you think you are fit to move now? We cannot wait even one more day."

The boy groaned. One more day would have been just enough time to completely heal. "Can you heal me anymore than I am now? If I move too much, I'll open my wound."

The large man shook his head. "I'm sorry, but my healing abilities can only heal the most minimum amount of wounds, and my healing kido are not up to par with such a wound. I am not a medical specialist, Ichigo-kun."

Ichigo scowled, something Hachi noticed was always his go to expression. "Fine, but I can't really fight like this. I will if I have to, but only to protect myself."

Hachi nodded. He hadn't expected the child to do more than that. "I'll do my best to keep you from fighting, also." This caused the boy to huff. "Don't be upset about being protected. You are my patient after all. I cannot allow you to get hurt any more than you already are."

"Whatever. Now, can I have so proper clothes before we leave?"

"Ah, yes." The round man walked over to a storage bin in the corner of the room. It had doubled as a table to hold various things that might have been needed. Medicine, syringes, and so on. He opened the draw on the front and rummaged around. "I have Love and Mashiro grab you some clothes while they were out. They should be about the right size. Just be glad that Love was with that hyper girl. She would have had you in a jumpsuit, no doubt about it." Hachi chuckled at the thought. Ichigo glowered at the thought of the green haired munchkin. The pink headed man didn't notice, though. He also didn't notice the hint of gold in the kid's eyes as he turned around and sat the clothes on Ichigo's improvised hospital bed. "I'll leave you to change then." He left the room.

"King~!"

Ichigo ignored the singsong, liquid voice.

"Ya don't like that girl very much. Why do ya hate her more than the blonde bastard and the white haired, muscle man?"

He decided to answer. "She doesn't have as much empathy as the other two. She honestly wouldn't care if I dropped dead right here. Stupid, brattish looking bimbo." He muttered the last, but it still make Shiro laugh in delight.

It wasn't the same reason he disliked the girl, but it was a start. He didn't speak again while Ichigo was dressing.

The teen went from loose fitting sweats to pants that hung off of his protruding hips, and a shirt that hung limply on his skeletal frame. The boy sighed. His body was nothing but a skinny, gaunt pole. His muscles were still there, but there was no real density to them. Two weeks with little to no food had really taken its toll.

He walked out of the dreary room he had been in. Lisa was once again waiting outside for him. This time she led him to the Vizards what looked like a living room, only much larger because it opened into a warehouse. The seven other Vizards were already in the room, Lisa making eight and Ichigo now making nine.

"Everyone have everything they need?" Nods accompanied Shinji's question. "Good. We're moving. Now."

…

Greed: Internet down for a week equals boredom. It also equals no chapter for you. Sucks, don't it?

Vanity: Stop antagonizing our lovely readers. They had to suffer threw two whole weeks of no update from us. Can you not show at least a semblance of sympathy?

Greed: Um… nah. I could really care less.

Vanity: She's lying. She goes mushy when she reads lovely reviews. So leave some, please!