Chapter 26:

Veneno pressed his back into the wall while Ichigo paced the hallway. The meeting had been going on for a full hour. Ichigo thought it would be much shorter considering the fact that they were missing a couple of Captains. He wondered how much longer they would be.

Finally the doors opened and the Captains began filing out of the meeting room. Ichigo stopped pacing and stood where he was, trying to catch a glimpse of Akon. He wanted to ask him how the meeting went. So far, Akon was not among them. Ichigo hoped he wasn't in terrible trouble for his actions. He wouldn't be locked up for this, would he?

Veneno shared in his worry, but it was mostly focused on himself. He didn't want to be locked away or killed. He was worried for Akon as well, but not as much as himself. He held his legs tighter to his chest and tried to focus on his surroundings. He wanted to enjoy his freedom for a while longer. This may be his last time seeing the sun and smelling the fresh air blowing from between the pillars. Soon, maybe, he would only experience these things through prison bars. If he were allowed to live, that is.

Finally, Akon exited the meeting room and walked towards them. Ichigo met him with serious eyes. "Well?"

Akon didn't look happy, which worried Ichigo. What was Veneno's fate?

"He is allowed to live. For now."

Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief. At least he wouldn't be killed.

"They were debating whether or not to lock him up out of fear. They put it to a vote and most of the Captains agreed that he should be allowed to roam free. He's not going to be locked up."

More good news. Ichigo turned to Veneno with a smile. "You hear that? You're not going to be locked away after all. They want you to live."

Wanted or decided? There was a difference.

While Veneno was relieved that he wasn't going to be put to death, he wasn't happy.

"The only reason why they wanted to lock him up in the first place was because of the Hollow attacks within the Seireitei. They thought it was suspicious that this didn't start happening until he showed up. That was the only reason. They thought he was responsible." Akon spoke the truth. He hoped adding this would help reassure Veneno.

He did seem to be less upset by this news.

"That's all they've decided so far."

"So what's going to happen to me now?" Veneno asked quietly from the floor.

"So far, you can keep doing what you've been doing. You still have your room, you're able to work in the lab with me and the others. Nothing's really changed."

Veneno stood up from the wall. He didn't look at Akon. "You're right. Nothing's changed." Veneno looked as if he had just eaten something very spicy. "And some things have," he added.

They knew what he meant. The Soul Reaper's view on Arrancars hadn't changed. What had changed was their knowledge of him. Now they knew there was an Arrancar living among them. He couldn't hide anymore. Soon, everyone would know and their view of him would change.

Ichigo tried to remain positive for his sake. "Hey, Akon knows you're an Arrancar and he's still here defending you."

"Yeah, but he's known from the start," Veneno said bitterly.

"There you are!" came the cheerful voice of Shunsui. He placed his arm heavily around Veneno's shoulders, giving him a one-armed hug. "I had hoped you wouldn't run off somewhere. Did Akon give you the good news?"

Veneno didn't speak, caught off guard by the Captain. His body went stiff as the older, taller man hugged him, pressing Veneno's face into his shoulder. Once again, Ichigo watched as Veneno's demeanor changed. A moment ago, he was moody and bitter, sulking in the corner being angry at the world and what it had done to him and was still doing to him. Now he looked surprised and nervous, like a shy child in his first social situation. He didn't seem to know what to do.

"Careful with his neck, Shunsui," warned Ukitake. "Don't hurt him."

"Ah, he's fine. If this guy can tango with Squad 11, he can handle anything. Can't you?"

Veneno again didn't speak. He just stood there, letting the Captain hold him under his arm. He didn't look upset. Only stunned.

Shunsui released him and patted him hard on the back, making Veneno's body lurch forward with each pat. "We knew you weren't dangerous all along. Soi Fon was the one who was concerned mostly. Girl needs to learn how to lighten up. She's worse than my Lieutenant. Then again, Captain Komamura had his concerns, too. An Arrancar has never been here before. You're the first, I think. They were just being cautious. That's all. I'm sure you'd feel the same if we came bursting into your home all of a sudden and you didn't know what was going on. Am I right?"

Veneno's mouth moved up and down but no sound came out.

Ukitake looked Veneno over with a frown. "Are you alright? I hope the Captain didn't hurt you. He was just being friendly."

Veneno looked down.

"Friendly nothing." Akon pointed. "These two voted for you to continue living with us if that was your desire. They didn't want to see you locked up. I already thanked them for you. I just thought you should know."

Ukitake changed the subject. "Ah, well. Your Captain's getting chewed out still by the Head Captain. Mayuri's pleading his case, not just about this situation but about others as well. Be prepared. He's going to be in a foul mood."

"It's fine."

Veneno lifted his head. "Why would you defend me?"

Ukitake looked back. "Why? Well... you just don't seem that bad to me."

"But I'm an Arrancar!"

"So?"

Veneno stopped. This man really didn't mind? It was ok for him to be an Arrancar? These two men didn't seem bothered by him at all. Not once did either of them show him any hatred or mistrust. They treated him just like anyone else.

"Oh, yes," Ukitake snapped his fingers, remembering something. "You still have to show me your skills. I'm interested to see what you can do."

"Yeah, I'd like to see that," added Shunsui.

Veneno stepped back. His eyes drifted from their faces to the ground then up and came to rest on their chests. He was unable to look them in the eye. "You want..?" He shook his head. "I shouldn't."

"Oh? Why not?"

He kept his eyes down. "If I show off my abilities, the others might see my power and deem me as a threat and get rid of me. Once they've seen what I can do... I shouldn't."

"Aw... Well, alright, then." Ukitake sounded disappointed. He wasn't putting on an act. It was genuine. "That's alright. I don't want to make you do anything you don't want to do."

"Yeah, if you think that's best then that's ok. Maybe some other time."

Veneno had to admit that he liked the attention and was happy that people were interested in him. It gave him a good feeling.

Seeing the Captains shift as if preparing to leave, Veneno suddenly blurted out, "What's your name?"

The two stopped. "Oh, we didn't introduce ourselves, did we? Completely forgot. Must be getting old."

Ichigo watched them without making any sound or movement. Veneno was feeling more comfortable. The fact that he wanted to know their names meant that he had some sort of connection with them. This was a good sign.

"I'm Captain Jushiro Ukitake."

"You can just call me Shunsui. I really don't mind. You can even call me Captain Hat if you want." Shunsui tilted his straw hat forward so it covered his eyes.

Veneno smiled at the joke. Again, he was very close to laughing.

Then Veneno remembered something. "You're Ukitake?" he asked, pointing to the man with white hair. "You're the one the women were making the banner for?"

Ukitake's face lit up. "Oh, yes! The women said that they had help from Akon and another man. That was you? Thank you. I wanted to tell you in person but you never came to my home."

"I got covered with paint and we had to wash up."

"Yes, the women told me," Ukitake laughed. "Thank you very much for the banner. I'm sick very often. I wish I wasn't. But people stop by to bring me gifts and brighten my spirits. I'm very grateful."

"If you're almost always sick, why are you still a Captain? Why do people continue to care about you?" Veneno spoke bluntly, but he was only speaking his mind. "Doesn't that make you of less worth? Why not toss you aside and find someone who isn't flawed? Don't people find you to be a pain being sick so often?"

"I've wondered about that myself from time to time," Ukitake said with a soft smile. "I worry, putting so many people out like that because of my illness. I've been sick all my life. But I'm happy to see that no matter what there are people who still care about me. They're considerate. And they stop by to cheer me up and bring me gifts. It's because they care about me."

Veneno frowned. "I don't understand."

"It's difficult to measure someone's worth. Just because I'm sick doesn't mean I'm any less of a person. I'm valuable to them. I suppose it's because... Maybe it's because..." Ukitake chuckled wearily. "This is harder than I thought. Even I'm not sure about the answer. I can't speak for everyone. I'm sure everyone has their reasons."

"It's because they care about you," said Shunsui. "It doesn't matter if you're healthy or not. You're a strong man and a kind man. People like you because of you. And because they care, they want you to get well and are willing to do things to make you happy. That's what love is all about."

"But why?" Veneno was still having trouble understanding. "Aren't Soul Reapers supposed to be all powerful? If one's sick then... Wouldn't they get rid of you in favor of a better one who isn't sick all the time?"

"Like I said, it's something that cannot be easily measured. I'm still a good Captain and I'm strong. I just have off days like anyone else. They want to keep me around because they like me. Much like Shunsui said. Everyone's life has value."

Veneno hung on his every word. Hearing that someone like Ukitake, a man who is frequently ill and out of commission, still had worth and people who cared about him made Veneno reflect on himself. Perhaps Ukitake being ill was really no different from him being an Arrancar. Maybe his life had some worth after all. Maybe others would find him valuable, too. While he still couldn't fully comprehend what this meant exactly, it made him feel a little better. Hearing this helped relieve some of his stress and worry.

"You're doing better today, huh, Jushiro?" asked Shunsui.

"Better than I was, yes." Ukitake started to turn his body. "We'd better be going. I have a lot of work to catch up on. I've been out a while. I'm sure you have work to do, too, so I'll be off."

"I'll be seeing you around," said Shunsui, following the other Captain. "We should hang out if you get a free moment sometime." He gave Veneno a quick pat on the head before leaving after Ukitake.

Veneno's legs started to move, as if preparing to follow. Then he planted himself where he was and watched them walk away. Veneno couldn't hide the smile creeping onto his face. He could still feel Shunsui's hand on the top of his head, making him feel warm and secure. These men were completely unafraid of him, despite being an Arrancar. They treated him so well and showed him such kindness. He was actually disappointed to watch them go and wanted to follow. He liked these men.

These Soul Reapers.

Ichigo smirked at Veneno's smile. "You look pretty happy, Veneno."

The Arrancar forced himself to frown and turned away as if being caught stealing.

Akon stepped into Ichigo's field of vision. "There's a more pressing matter to..." He stopped, seeing his Captain coming their way. He looked angry and was muttering to himself as he passed them by. "Captain, sir!"

"What do you want now?" he turned around. "Haven't you gotten me into enough trouble for one afternoon? Or is it you want to end up an experiment?"

"Captain, we've barely touched on the true issue at hand. The Hollows that have been appearing within the Seireitei. We need to look into it."

"They don't interest me. Why bother?" Mayuri gave a wave of his hand as if brushing it away. He started to walk away.

"They think Veneno was summoning them somehow," Akon called to his back.

"So what? Let them think that. They could never wrap their heads around what we do anyway. They aren't the brightest bunch out there. Even explaining Veneno's revival confused them and I barely scratched the surface of what went on. I could never explain myself thoroughly. They would never understand. So quick to judge and never understanding. God forbid they use their brains, the barbarians. I know that Veneno hasn't been doing it. They're sorely mistaken if they think he is. I know that is not the case."

"Then don't you want to find out how they're getting here?"

"Don't care. It's not very interesting."

Akon had to get his Captain to listen somehow. This was important. "They never broke into the Seireitei. We checked the gates. No breaches, no activity or disturbances. It's as if these Hollows simply showed up out of nowhere. How could they materialize like that?"

"That would be impossible." Mayuri started to slow his steps. "Unless, of course, these Hollows possess some sort of ability allowing them to do so..."

"But every single one of them? There have been two so far and both had displayed the same ability and both have shown up out of nowhere without anyone noticing." Akon took in a breath. "Not only that, but no one has even been able to sense them. Don't you find it odd that within the entire Seireitei, not one Soul Reaper has been able to sense them. No one has noticed."

Mayuri stopped walking. "Hm. That is interesting..."

"Not one single Soul Reaper... no one could sense them. I know you said that Veneno had nothing to do with it and I believe that, too... However, these Hollows seem to possess Spiritual Pressure that is almost completely undetectable... just like Veneno. His Spiritual Pressure is so faint, so muddled that no one can tell the difference between him and a Soul Reaper. These Hollows aren't detectable at all. No one can sense them. Not one single Soul Reaper."

It may have been repetitive, but at least he managed to finally get his Captain's attention and that was what he was aiming for. Now Mayuri was interested.

"Hm..." he said to himself. "You may have a point. Why can't anyone sense them? Yes, I see... This calls for further investigation."

Akon's shoulders slumped in relief.

"The Arrancar may not be able to do this but..." Mayuri snapped his fingers. "Akon, follow me to the lab. We'll get to the bottom of this."

"Yes, sir." Mayuri wasn't doing this to clear Veneno's name. He was only in it for the answer. Akon wanted to help Veneno. "Ichigo, stay with him while I help the Captain."

Ichigo and Veneno looked at each other. "But-"

"I don't care what you do. You can come back to the lab, too, for all I care. Just don't leave him alone."

"Ok. Good luck finding things out."

"Thanks."

It wasn't long before everyone knew about the Arrancar living in the Seireitei among Soul Reapers. Though its identity was still unknown to most, the Soul Reapers became very nervous. They traveled with their Zanpakuto at all times and made sure their doors were closed while working. Squad members walked from building to building with a partner, making sure they were never alone should the Arrancar choose to attack.

There were those who knew Veneno was the Arrancar and chose to keep their distance. The people Veneno had once shared conversations and meals with now shunned him. Conversations halted as Veneno approached and the Soul Reapers stared at him as he walked by.

Veneno's happy world had grown quiet. He entered another hallway with Ichigo and the Soul Reapers passing through backed against the wall, clearing the area. Veneno walked through with his head down. The Soul Reapers whispered to each other as he passed. Their hushed warnings and gossip coupled with their harsh gaze weighed heavily on Veneno's shoulders. Each whispered word was like another stone thrown at his back as he passed by.

Ichigo was tempted to say something but restrained himself. It was best for Veneno to handle this himself. It wouldn't be right to interfere. Veneno would never learn if Ichigo did everything for him.

"Do you see him? That's the Arrancar that's been spying on us."

"That's what you've heard? Spying on us for what?"

"It's just a rumor. I don't know if it's true or not."

"Do you think he's dangerous? I mean, I know he's an Arrancar and everything, but I think it's strange he hasn't attacked us yet. What's he waiting for?"

"Maybe he's not going to attack."

"Then what's he doing here, do you think?"

"Who knows? What I want to know is why the Captains haven't done anything about him yet. They know he's here. What are they waiting for?"

"Maybe they don't think he's a problem. If they thought he was dangerous, they would have taken care of him already."

"I wonder why Ichigo's with him?"

"Maybe he's keeping an eye on him. To make sure he doesn't do anything."

"You think so?"

Veneno shut his eyes tight, trying to block out the voices. They didn't trust him. They were afraid of him. Part of Veneno wanted to lash out and give them something to be afraid of. Another part told him to ignore it. He was afraid of them, after all. He could understand how they must have felt. Their distrust was really no different from his. Knowing that gave him little comfort.

Veneno turned out of the hall, down the stairs and out the door. Ichigo followed him outside. He wasn't going anywhere. He just wanted to get away from those voices and stares.

"Did you want to go back to your room?" Ichigo asked.

"No."

They stood watching the clouds for a short while before going back inside. The halls were clear now. However, Veneno's expression hadn't changed from before. He still looked as if he were in pain.

"Was there anything you wanted to do?"

"No."

Ichigo didn't know what to say to him. Part of him wanted to punch him and tell him to not let this bother him but he knew that wasn't the right way to deal with the situation. Veneno needed a different touch. Somewhere between gentle and firm. He responded well to certain things. Right now, it seemed Veneno just wanted to wander around and keep to himself. Ichigo didn't try to stop him.

As they passed by several rooms, one door opened and a Soul Reaper bumped into Veneno, knocking the stack of papers to the ground. "Oh, I'm sorry."

"It's fine." Without thinking about it, Veneno bent down and started to pick up the papers. It came so naturally to him. Had he been trained to do this or was it already in him? Veneno didn't know. Nevertheless, he carried on with his act of kindness.

Ichigo bent down to help them gather the papers.

"Thanks, you didn't have to," said the Soul Reaper with blond hair. "It was my fault."

"It's fine. I don't mind." Veneno tapped the papers against the ground to aline them and handed the neat stack to the Soul Reaper. "Here."

Ichigo did the same. "Here, Izuru."

Kira took the papers from Ichigo first. "Thanks a lot." He added them to his pile and turned to collect the rest. His hand stopped at Veneno's pile. "You're... you're that Arrancar, aren't you?"

Veneno looked into Kira's blue eyes before dropping his gaze to the side. "Yeah."

Kira didn't take the papers from him. He kept staring at Veneno.

Veneno's eyes drifted up, looked at Kira then quickly looked back down.

"It's just..." Kira began. "I mean... Why would you help me?"

"You dropped the papers, so I picked them up for you. It's not a big deal. Ichigo did the same," Veneno mumbled.

"Yeah, but... What I mean is..." Kira searched for the words. "Why do you care?"

"I don't. It's just papers," Veneno mumbled again.

"I know. It's just the way everyone's been acting, I guess I expected you to be... different." Kira forced a laugh. "Never mind. It came out wrong. I just never expected you to go out of your way to help a Soul Reaper."

Veneno didn't answer.

"Not many people in my Squad would do that. Most of them would laugh at me for dropping them and some would even kick the papers out of their way."

Veneno looked at him out of the corner of his eye. "Don't they like you?"

"I guess they do. That's just how they are. They're big on pranks. They're nice people and all, it's just... Eh, I make it easy for them anyway. My Captain used to encourage them. They hazed me my first week in the Squad. It's how they welcomed me. Nothing too terrible. The Captain's pranks were much worse."

"Why'd they do that?"

"I guess it's their way of saying they like me. I never bothered to ask. Pranks don't happen that much anymore. Not since the Captain... left..." It was Kira's turn to look down. Pushing the memory aside, he looked up again. "They respect me and they are pretty nice. That's just how they are. They like a good prank. At least they know when to stop. Well, unless it's Hanataro's birthday. Then they don't. Some times I think they compete with Squad 11. It's not over until something explodes." Kira blinked. "Am I talking too much? Sorry about that."

"It's fine." Veneno tapped Kira's pile with his stack of papers. "Do you want them or what?"

"Oh, yeah. Thanks." Kira accepted the papers and set them on top of his pile. "So are you two heading anywhere?"

"Just walking around," Ichigo answered.

"Oh, I see." Kira stood up. "I've got some work to do but I might be free a little later if you guys wanted to hang out or something. My normal drinking buddies are gone and I wouldn't mind some new company."

"I'm not going drinking," said Ichigo, trying to turn him down politely. He wasn't old enough to drink yet.

Veneno seemed curious but didn't want to go anywhere without Ichigo by his side as his one best friend. He turned down the offer as well.

"Oh, well. That's alright. We should still hang out some time."

Veneno pointed to himself. "Me, too?"

"Sure, why not? You seem nice enough. I don't know why everyone's avoiding you."

Someone else who didn't mind being around him. Kira may have shown fear at first but after speaking with Veneno for a few moments, he realized there was nothing to be afraid of. It took some of the weight off Veneno's shoulders.

"I'll see you two later." Kira hurried off.

Ichigo and Veneno continued on their way. They passed by more people who cleared the hallway and ducked into different rooms as Veneno walked by. This time, Ichigo noticed that Veneno didn't seem as bothered by it as he was before.

Veneno's eyes wandered over to one of the women in the hall. Catching his gaze, she quickly hid herself behind a larger Soul Reaper. Veneno looked forward again. He had only looked in her direction because he thought she was pretty. He sighed. It was harder to get a woman's attention now that they knew he was an Arrancar. It was so much easier before.

"There he is!"

Veneno's body lurched forward as someone grabbed him from behind. It was a one-armed hug.

"Long time, no see!" laughed Shunsui. He lifted Veneno off the ground under his arm and set him back down. He pulled his arm away and patted him on the shoulder. "You look like you've got nothing better to do so why don't you join me for drinks?"

"I, uh..."

"Don't worry, I'll be the one drinking. Ichigo's invited, too. What do you say? Want to join me, my friend?"

Shunsui's voice carried down the hall and into the nearby rooms. Curious Soul Reapers poked their heads to to investigate while the ones in the hall gawked and murmured excitedly to one another. Their whispered words were like the hissing of snakes to Veneno's ears. He moved closer to the Captain without realizing it.

Ichigo knew Shunsui could be loud when he wanted to be but he didn't remember him being this loud. He made sure to speak loud enough for everyone to hear. Plus, he was showing Veneno more affection than he did before. Maybe he was already drunk.

"Come on, buddy. Let's go. It's a beautiful day outside. Nothing better than drinking with a good friend watching the clouds change shape under the sakura trees. The blossoms are just perfect today." Shunsui put his arm around Veneno's shoulders and led him outside with Ichigo close behind. The Soul Reapers watched them leave with opened mouths.

They joined Shunsui at one of his favorite drinking spots, under a pink sakura tree with a blanket already laid out with two large bottles and different sized cups. Shunsui made himself comfortable and invited Ichigo and Veneno to join him on the blanket.

They sat and watched Shunsui pour himself a drink.

"Sorry I had to be so loud before," he said in a much quieter tone. "I wanted to make sure everyone heard."

"Heard?"

"Yeah." Shunsui gestured to the building with his cup. "I saw how everyone's been staring at you and whispering. It's just because they don't know you. Rumors spread, people get their own ideas. People think we can't get along with each other..." He took a sip. "I figured if I showed them how we had already become friends they'd ease off on you a little bit."

"I get it," said Ichigo. "So if people saw him hanging out and having fun with a Soul Reaper and saw them having fun together, then they would realize there was nothing to be afraid of. Like the new kid at school. Everyone's too shy to talk to them because they're new and therefore different but once someone breaks the ice everyone will follow."

"That's right."

"Smart."

"Not really." Shunsui poured himself another drink. "I remember what things were like when I had classes. Of course, I wasn't exactly the shy type as Jushiro will tell you. I see it all the time, even now. Someone's got to break the ice. Now that people see an Arrancar getting along with a Soul Reaper, they know it's possible and shouldn't have anything to be afraid of anymore. They're just using that as their excuse. They don't really know why they're afraid of him so they're just using the Arrancar thing as their cover. They're nervous and don't even know why."

"Then why didn't they react that way when they saw Ichigo walking with me?"

"I guess it's because they figure you were always together anyway. Or maybe they thought Ichigo was just keeping an eye on you and that was it. I told everyone out loud that we were buddies. And that wasn't a lie." Shunsui peered over the rim of his cup. "You and I are friends, aren't we?"

Veneno looked down, biting his lip to keep from smiling.

"Besides, I'm a Captain. I guess they'll trust my judgment over anyone else's. I'm strong and supposed to tell what's a threat and what isn't. If they see me hanging out with you willingly they'll realize they have nothing to worry about and might even want to join in."

Shunsui had a very good plan. It made a lot of sense. Sometimes Ichigo forgot just how wise this seemingly lazy drunkard could be.

The Captain filled his cup and then one of the cups to his side. "Have a drink," he offered.

"No, thanks," Ichigo declined.

Veneno looked from Ichigo to the cup, unsure. He seemed reluctant to do anything Ichigo didn't.

"Come on, you're of age, aren't you, Veneno?"

"Uh..."

"Just a taste won't kill you." Shunsui held out the cup.

Veneno took the small cup in his hands, supporting it with his fingertips. He smelled the drink. It smelled strange. But he was used to strange smells so he didn't think much of it. He watched Shunsui drink his quickly and then pour himself another. It seemed unlikely that it was poisoned if Shunsui was drinking from the same bottle. It should have been safe enough. Veneno lifted the cup to his lips and drank. After his first swallow, Veneno threw the cup away, gagging.

Shunsui started laughing. "Not to your liking?"

"It burns like hell!" Veneno looked around for something to cool his throat and tongue. There was nothing but the bottle of firewater. "How can you drink that stuff? It hurts!"

"I guess it's an acquired taste," Shunsui laughed.

Ichigo started laughing as well.

"Don't laugh!" Veneno barked.

"It's funny."

"Oh, yeah? See how funny it is." Veneno poured Ichigo a drink and held the cup to his lips. "You drink it!"

"No!" Ichigo turned away, but he was still laughing.

"Drink it!" Veneno pressed the cup closer to Ichigo's face. "Drink it!"

Ichigo turned his head, pursing his lips together. Veneno climbed into his lap causing Ichigo to bend backward and pushed Veneno's arm away.

"Drink it and see how funny it is!"

"No, get away!" Ichigo laughed.

"What the hell's so funny?" Now Veneno was laughing, too. The drink sloshed all over Ichigo's leg and arm which only made Veneno laugh even harder. He quickly gave up trying to force the drink down Ichigo's throat, sitting back down on the blanket to laugh instead.

Now Shunsui was laughing, gesturing to the two boys with his empty cup. "You two sure are lively company. It's good to share a laugh with your friends. That's something I can toast to."

Veneno's laughter subsided and he sat watching the Captain pour himself another drink. Hearing the word 'friends' stirred up something inside Veneno he could not place. Was he relieved to hear that or was he angry? Confused by this, Veneno tried to make himself angry at the Soul Reaper Captain. How dare he make him feel this way. Yet, Veneno could not bring himself to do so. Why couldn't he get mad at him? Was he happy to hear him say that? Such a strange blend of emotions.

Maybe the Captain was just saying it to be nice. He probably didn't mean any of it. Yet when Veneno looked upon the Captain sitting across from him under the tree he could detect no deceit. His words were true. That only made Veneno feel even stranger.

Shunsui looked over Veneno's head and smiled. He nodded to whatever he was looking at and spoke to Veneno without looking at him. "Seems you have some admirers."

"Huh?" Veneno turned around. In the building behind them, numerous Soul Reapers had gathered to watch them from the windows. Some made no attempt to hide themselves when caught spying. Others ducked down or quickly turned away feigning innocence. The ones who didn't continued to watch from afar.

"Hello there!" Shunsui waved with his free hand. "Come join us if you wish! No need to be shy." He looked at the two boys. "Go on, wave. Wave to them."

Ichigo gave a small wave and put his hand down. Veneno held his arm up over his head and mirrored Shunsui's wave. The Soul Reapers in the window, including the ones who were still watching, flinched at his wave and quickly turned away. In a single moment, the windows were cleared of all prying eyes and hateful glares. Veneno lowered his hand and looked at the blanket.

"Oh, well. I guess they weren't interested." Shunsui reached for the bottle to pour himself another cup.

"It's my fault," Veneno said bitterly. "It's because of me they won't come. They ran away when I waved. They won't come down because I'm here which means you'll be shunned, too, because you're with me. They hate me. It's clear they don't want me around."

"Nonsense," Shunsui set the cup down. "What business is it of theirs what kind of company I keep? I'm with you by choice."

Veneno's gaze lifted at those words.

"I don't care what those people think and you shouldn't either. Not everyone has to like you, you know. You're pretty well off if you have a few people who care about you. As long as you have one, then you're doing good. They can't hate you if you haven't done anything away. And so what? I don't mind having you around. You're good company and I like you just fine. Would I have invited you if I didn't? You're more than welcome to join me any time you like. We don't have to drink if you don't want to. There's plenty else to do. I don't mind. I like having you around. It's just enjoyable to know you, and I'd like to know more."

Veneno's face had changed again. He looked shocked at first. Then his lips started to curl and his eyes sparkled with light. As soon as his upper teeth started to show, he quickly turned his head away and shut his eyes tight to hide the sparkle. "S- Stupid Soul Reaper! As if... as if saying that stuff matters to me! It doesn't make me happy in the least so don't bother."

But it did matter. As hard as Veneno tried to conceal it, he couldn't help the smile spreading across his face. He tried to force his lips down into a frown but they just wouldn't cooperate. Even as he said those words, trying to sound bitter and annoyed, it was clear in his tone that he was truly happy to hear it.

Shunsui hid his smile behind his raised cup. As he lowered it, he paused, frowning.

Ichigo felt it, too. A tremor went out, shaking them and the bottle on the blanket. "What was that?"

"Earthquake?" Veneno thought.

The ground shook again coupled this time with a loud crash. The trio turned, looking at the dust cloud rising into the air several streets over. Chunks of building fell to the ground, stirring up more dust.

Shunsui threw down his cup and jumped to his feet. He started running toward the destruction, holding his sheathed sword in in left hand. Ichigo and Veneno ran after him. "I have to hurry. That was Jushiro's office."

Ichigo and Veneno looked at each other worriedly.

By the time they arrived, Ukitake was already engaged in battle with a large Hollow. He quickly jumped from one broken piece of building to the next as he muttered to his sword. "All Waves, Rise now and Become my Shield, Lightning, Strike now and Become my Blade! Sogyo no Kotowari!" He begain to strike the Hollow with each sword, jumping from one place to another to hit it from different locations.

Ichigo wondered why he wasn't attacking directly at the Hollow's mask or chest, but soon discovered the answer why. No matter how many times he hit it, the Hollow was never hurt. It wasn't taking any damage, even from a direct hit. "Just like the other one..."

"Hang here for a bit," Shunsui told them. "I have an idea. I want to make sure I don't hit you two by accident." He quickly jumped off and disappeared.

Ukitake struck the Hollow again and again but nothing he did injured the Hollow. Now that the Hollow was on the offensive, he had to quickly jump onto a roof to avoid its swinging claws. The Hollow was misshapen but from the right angle, it looked a bit like a large sloth. Ukitake crouched on the roof to catch his breath.

"Need some help, Jushiro?" Shunsui landed beside him.

"It would be appreciated." Ukitake looked back at the Hollow attacking the wall. "No matter what I do, it doesn't get hurt."

Shunsui looked at the Hollow and nodded. "Maybe our attacks aren't strong enough separately. Let's attack together at the same spot."

"Alright."

Ichigo and Veneno watched the Captains attack the Hollow from behind. The Hollow barely noticed them. They tried a different attack next but that didn't work either. Ukitake fired off a round of kido but that had no effect either. Nothing they did was working. Ichigo forced himself to stay put. Maybe this was part of their plan? No, it couldn't have been. They were just trying anything at this point. No matter what they did, it just wouldn't take damage.

"Nothing's working!" Ukitake called from the Hollow's shoulder.

Shunsui's blade rose from the Hollow's shadow and went through its leg. There was no blood. The blade sank back into the shadow and the Hollow's leg wasn't even injured. "What the hell's this thing made out of?"

Annoyed at the Soul Reapers' attacks, the Hollow attacked. It swung at Shunsui first, then went after Ukitake. They both managed to avoid injury. They attacked using kido again but that only annoyed the Hollow further. This time when it swung its arm, it made a direct hit. Ukitake was slammed into the side of the building. His swords flew out of his hands and caught on a pipe sticking out from the hole where his office used to be. Ukitake fell to the ground with a thud.

"Jushiro!" Shunsui started making as much noise as possible, trying to distract the Hollow. He fired off a round of kido attacks to lure it away but the Hollow wasn't interested. It knew easy prey when it saw it. "Over here! Over here! Leave him alone! Hey, Jushiro, get out of there!"

Ukitake started to get to his feet only to stumble and fall. The Hollow raised its claws and swung straight down. Ukitake threw his arms over his head and waited for the attack to come.

From the corner of his eye, Ichigo saw Veneno dash forward toward the Hollow's claws. He stood in front of Ukitake and threw his sword over his head, blocking the attack. The Hollow's claws caught on his blade, never reaching Ukitake.

The Captain looked up, surprised and relieved to see Veneno standing before him. Veneno's knees bent, trying to support the weight of the Hollow's strike. His arms shook as he held back the Hollow's claws. Still, he managed to look down at Ukitake and speak to him. "You ok?"

"Yes, thank you."

Veneno's arms started to give as the Hollow pressed against his sword. He struggled to hold the Hollow back. Then, Veneno gave Ukitake a small smile. "If it's ok with you... I think I'd like to show you what I can do now."

Ukitake smiled back. "Go for it."

Veneno's smile widened ever so slightly, then quickly vanished as he tightened his grip on his sword. With a loud battle cry, Veneno threw the Hollow back with one hard push of his sword. He slid his right foot across the ground, changing his stance, then ran. He jumped at the Hollow's shadow and drew a line straight up the Hollow's stomach. It screeched as blood spattered the ground. It was injured.

In a flash, Veneno was gone and a new injury was inflicted on the Hollow's shoulder. Veneno reappeared for an instant then vanished again only to appear as blood began to spray from a new wound on the Hollow's back. He was just as fast as Ichigo had remembered him. Ichigo started to wonder if Veneno had trouble controlling his speed. He was landing blows but none of them were fatal. Could he not see where he was going when moving that fast? Or maybe he was just toying with it. He may have been showing off.

Enraged, the Hollow started swinging its arms, trying to slap him down like a buzzing fly. Veneno appeared again, taunting the Hollow. It roared and started to chase after him. Veneno hopped from one building to another, every now and then stopping to stab the Hollow's arms.

"I get it now," Ichigo realized. "He's luring it away."

Its arms were so long and heavy, every time it moved another piece of wall fell right where Ukitake was positioned. There were other Soul Reapers in that building as well. He was trying to protect them.

Now that it was further away, Veneno went on the attack again. He drove his sword into the Hollow's gut and sliced diagonally. The Hollow shrieked and swung its arms. Veneno jumped away and aimed for its neck. It was a direct blow but it wasn't enough to kill it. Veneno aimed for the hole just below its neck and slashed. Another direct hit but not enough to kill it. One more hit should do it. He pulled back to strike again.

Knowing where he was aiming, the Hollow made sure to stop him before he could carry out the attack. The Hollow's clawed arm caught Veneno in the back and slammed him into a building. It then dragged him down and drove its claws into his right arm, making sure he couldn't use that sword again.

The sound Veneno made as the claws pierced his flesh made Ichigo cringe. Veneno tried to pull away but the Hollow stomped on his arm again and again. Ichigo could hear his bones creaking and snapping. Veneno screamed in agony.

The Hollow paused only for a moment as the two Captains open-fired on the Hollow from the side. Their attacks were pointless. They wouldn't be able to help Veneno at this rate.

"Leave him be!" Ukitake stabbed the Hollow's mask with both swords, but the Hollow didn't feel any pain. Even if they couldn't cause any damage, the least they could do was distract the Hollow long enough for Veneno to get away.

Now angry, the Hollow turned its attention to the Captains attacking its mask. The Hollow gripped Veneno's arm tightly in its claws and swung him around like a rag doll, aiming for the Soul Reapers. On its final swing, the Hollow released him and Veneno flew in a straight line into the building at the end of the road and slumped down motionless.

Enraged by the violent assault, Ichigo unleashed his bankai and flew straight at the Hollow, screaming. His sword went through the Hollow's back and out through its chest along with Ichigo. Ichigo came out in front of the Hollow and saw where his attack had exited: the hole in the Hollow's chest. To make sure it was dead, Ichigo slashed the Hollow's mask and watched it shatter along with the rest of the Hollow's body, leaving no trace.

"Veneno!" Ichigo ran back to check on his friend. He found him in the same place he had landed. He wasn't moving. "Veneno! Are you ok? Veneno!"

"Easy, Ichigo," Shunsui stopped Ichigo from shaking the Arrancar. "You shouldn't move him after an injury like that. The guy's hurt real bad."

Ukitake agreed, looking over the body. "His arm should not look like this."

Ichigo looked at Veneno's right arm and gulped. His arm looked like a fluid-filled glove, sprawled out at different angles. A few small bones were poking out from his flesh near his elbow, halfway down his arm and between his fingers. His arm was completely shattered.

"He's still breathing... We have to get him help immediately." Ukitake looked around for a way to move him safely. He knew the Soul Reapers wouldn't bother to come all this way just to save an Arrancar, even on Captain's orders. No one wanted to help him. They were on their own. "We don't have any stretchers... We'll have to do our best with what we have on hand." Ukitake removed his Captain's jacket and laid it beside Veneno's body. "Shunsui, help me move him onto here."

"We'll have to make do with this." Shunsui carefully helped Ukitake move Veneno onto the jacket. "Ichigo, you take care of his sword. And while we're moving him, make sure his arm stays as steady as possible. We don't want to make anything worse." Shunsui wrapped his hands around the corners of the jacket while Ukitake grabbed the sleeves. "Ready?"

"Ready. And... lift." The Captains lifted Veneno off the ground using the jacket as a makeshift stretcher. They moved quickly with Ichigo running alongside them as they raced to the sickbay.

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