Chapter 34:

Ichigo lifted his head off the table inhaling the scent of melon. A bowl of fruit was beside his head, swimming in its own juices. Rinds lay by his elbow. He squinted in the morning light. No, it was the lamps, flickering dimly overhead. The horizon was painted purple, indicating dawn's approach.

Ichigo sat up, arching his back as he stretched. His shoulder and neck were stiff. The Seireitei lay asleep, worn out from the evening's party. It seemed many Soul Reapers were too tired to make it back to their rooms and simply collapsed where they were. The members of Squad 11 were clustered together in a corner. Ikkaku lay among them, a bottle of sake still clasped in his hand. Yumichika was a little further away, sleeping on a bench, using his arm for a pillow. Someone had taped a sign to his back saying 'pretty boy' in bold letters. He must have been awake when they fixed it to his body since it wasn't written on his face.

In the pile of slumbering Squad members was Veneno. He was using a few of them as his pillow while a couple were using his legs for their own. Ichigo grinned, seeing him sprawled out among the others looking quite content as he slept.

"He looks pretty comfortable around Soul Reapers now." Ichigo started to leave the table. As he stood up, his foot came down on something soft.

"Ugh!"

"Ahh!" Ichigo jumped back, startled.

Renji, who had been laying on the ground behind Ichigo's seat, doubled over in pain. "You stepped on my stomach! Why'd you step on me?"

"What were you doing back there on the ground?"

"Sleeping. What were you doing?"

Ichigo didn't bother answering. Instead he changed the subject. "Where's Rukia?"

"She left some time ago."

"How long have I been sleeping?"

"How should I know?"

Cedric answered his question. "About two hours." Since he never slept and enjoyed watching people, he would know.

"Where's Linnette?"

"With Victor. We carried her inside a while ago so she could get some rest. We'll be taking her home soon."

Renji sat up. "Why don't you take her back now while she's sleeping?"

"Because I know she would want to say her good-byes. Besides, we had to drop off all the bags Rangiku left at our house. We don't want them and they're taking us space." Cedric started to walk away, no doubt to be with Linnette. Then he turned back and added, "We will leave soon, however."

"Got it." Ichigo knew that was Cedric's way of hinting that he shouldn't wander too far so that Linnette could give him a proper farewell.

Renji brushed himself off and went over to the pile of Soul Reapers. He kicked Ikkaku in the shin to wake him up. "Come on, get up. Back to your barracks and sleep it off." He clapped his hands and called to everyone else. "Come on! You guys, too. Let's go. My Captain will have a fit if you're still here. Move it. Let's go, let's go!"

Slowly the Soul Reapers started to move. They dragged themselves out of the courtyard and into the street, back to their Divisions to finish resting.

Ichigo pulled Veneno to his feet by his arms. He was still asleep. He fell into Ichigo's chest, asleep on his feet. Ichigo tapped his face, trying to wake him up. "Come on, get up. You can't stay here."

Veneno buried his face in Ichigo's chest, trying to ignore him.

"You don't want Byakuya after you. Come on. Use your legs."

Keeping his eyes shut, Veneno started walking, leaning against Ichigo all the way back to Squad 12's barracks. Ichigo didn't want to think that this could have been the last time he would ever have Veneno this close to him, but that thought surfaced as he helped him walk out of the yard.

Whatever the Head Captain decided, hopefully it would be in Veneno's best interest.

"Who put this sign on my back?! I want names!"

As afternoon approached, the Seireitei was still quiet. Most everyone was still resting from the party and the difficult battle. Ichigo had gotten a lot of rest while Veneno was recovering in the sickbay so he was fresh for the party. Now that it was over, he needed to rest from that. After he helped Veneno back to his room to sleep it off, he somehow ended up sleeping beside his bed for most of the morning. He must have been more tired than he thought. Veneno didn't mind the company. Since he was asleep anyway, he didn't even know Ichigo was there.

Or maybe he did.

Now that both were well rested, they decided to leave the room to see if there was anything interesting going on.

The clean up of the Seireitei had already begun. Victor and Cedric decided to help out with most of the heavy lifting. They were so fast, it made cleaning a breeze. Of course, they couldn't stay to finish all the work. They had to get Linnette home. At least some of the harder stuff was taken care of.

"It's looking better," Ichigo commented as they passed a construction area where a dozen Soul Reapers were hard at work rebuilding parts of a smashed building.

Veneno nodded his head. "Yeah. Things will be back to normal in no time."

Ichigo paused, spotting something ahead. Victor and Cedric were coming their way, Linnette in Cedric's arms. They stopped in front of them and lowered her to the ground.

"We're going now," she said simply.

"I see."

"I didn't want to leave without saying good-bye. You're the only one I haven't said good-bye to."

Ichigo nodded. "Thanks for your help in the battle. You did great."

Linnette shrugged. "I'm kinda starting to think Ikkaku's right. That I let other people do the fighting for me and I'm too weak to do anything but make them do it for me."

"No. You were a big help. You made sure no one got out of control. That was major."

"Yeah, but I didn't do any real fighting. You saw what happen when I tried. I can't even use a sword."

"You're not a Soul Reaper, though."

Linnette nodded her head. "Still."

Ichigo patted her head. "You're getting better everyday. You're stronger than people give you credit for."

Linnette hugged Ichigo good-bye. "Yeah," she said into his stomach. "But I want to get stronger."

"Yeah," Ichigo chuckled. "Who knows? The next time I see you, you could be a powerful warrior."

"At least then I can help you fight." Linnette pulled away, smiling brightly. The look on her face told Ichigo that she was already plotting for just that.

She then stepped to the side and hugged Veneno. He seemed a little surprised that she wasn't hesitant to give him a hug. He put his arm around her shoulders, hugging her back.

"I'll miss you, too, Veneno. You were great."

He didn't say anything but his cheeks were starting to turn a slight pink color.

She parted from him and went back to her guardians. Victor and Cedric nodded their good-byes to Ichigo and Veneno and followed her down the street.

"Bye, guys!" Linnette waved as she walked. "I'll miss you!"

"We'll see each other again!" Ichigo called back. "One way or another, we always do."

He watched them shrink in the distance and out of sight. He knew they would meet again soon enough.

"Ichigo."

He turned around. A Soul Reaper was gesturing for him to come over. "Yeah?"

"The Head Captain wants to see you and Veneno right away."

Ichigo suddenly grew nervous for Veneno. It sounded like the Head Captain had made his decision. What did this mean for the Arrancar? What was going to happen?

He and Veneno walked into the building the Soul Reaper escorted them to and then the man left. They stood and waited for a couple minutes. Then the Head Captain made his appearance with his Lieutenant. Ichigo stood very still and waited for them to finish their journey down the hall.

Yamamoto stood in front of them, peering at Veneno and then at Ichigo. "So you know?"

Ichigo swallowed. "Only what I was told. That you were deciding what was going to happen to Veneno from this point on."

"That is correct. We were discussing his living arrangements."

What a relief. Ichigo was feeling a lot less worried now. Maybe he was going to be given that room permanently. This was great news.

"So you're going to let him have that room in the barracks for good, right? Is that what it's about? Or are you assigning him to another Squad?"

Yamamoto shook his head. "He cannot stay here."

Ichigo's mouth fell open. "What?"

"He cannot stay here," he repeated. "We discussed this and decided that he cannot stay with us."

"What?! But that isn't fair! After everything he's done, you're just going to-"

"It's because of what he's done we're allowing him to live," Yamamoto cut him off. "We have seen that he is a different person than he was before and that he is an ally. We trust him and hope he now trusts us. If we were threatened by him or thought he was up to something or proved dangerous, we would have killed him by now. It is because of his actions that we are not going to harm him."

"But you just said that he can't stay here. What is that about?"

"The Seireitei is for Soul Reapers. He is an Arrancar."

"So that again?"

Yamamoto didn't raise his voice. "The Seireitei is for Soul Reapers," he said again. "Even normal civilians are not allowed here without special permission. Remember, we attacked you your first time here because you were trespassing. Due to the fact that Veneno is not a Soul Reaper, he cannot be allowed to stay among us in the Seireitei."

"So you're kicking him out? After all he's done for you guys? For everyone?"

"We are granting him freedom, Ichigo Kurosaki."

Ichigo paused for a second, wondering if he had heard him correctly. "Freedom?"

"Yes. That is what Mayuri and I were discussing. He wanted Veneno to be returned to him, claiming that he had rights to his fate because he was his experiment. Rather than do this and subject him to further testing, I opted for his freedom. I thought that would be preferable as opposed to further experimentation."

"So the choice is made for him? You decided that he would be kicked out of the Seireitei to save him from being tested on? I'm not sure that's better."

"The way I see it, if he is set free, he will be spared from the experiments. The only way he would be allowed to stay here in the Seireitei is if he agrees to be Mayuri's experiment. He will become property. I thought he would prefer not to be demeaned. If he is set free, yes, he can no longer stay in the Seireitei, but he will be able to do what he wants and go where he pleases. He will have freedom."

"So he can go anywhere but he can't stay here? Is that it?"

Yamamoto nodded. "That is correct. It's up to him."

Ichigo shook his head. "You call it freedom, but it doesn't sound that way to me. He's made a home here in the Seireitei. He has friends here. You're basically throwing him out into the street. I don't get why he can't just stay here with everyone he cares about and the people who care about him. The Soul Reapers only thing is stupid. Just let him stay here. He's been doing it so far. Why not-"

"It's ok."

Ichigo turned around. "Veneno?"

The conversation didn't seem to upset Veneno at all. Almost as if he knew this would happen. He didn't look angry or sad. Almost indifferent.

"It's ok, Ichigo." He put his hand on Ichigo's shoulder to keep him from another outburst. "I'm fine with that."

"Veneno, are you sure?"

"I get to choose. You heard him. I can choose freedom or being an experiment trapped in a test tube for the rest of my life. At least he's giving me a choice." Veneno gave Ichigo a bittersweet smile. "I think I'd rather be free."

Ichigo faced Veneno. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

He nodded. "I can stay here as an experiment or I can leave as a free man. I think I'll go with that."

"You sure?"

"It has a better ring to it, don't you think?"

Ichigo thought Veneno would be more upset than this. He was so willing to accept this fate. He wasn't yelling or giving threats or raising his voice or demanding. Ichigo was throwing more of a fit than Veneno and it didn't concern him half as much as it did the Arrancar.

"Ok." Ichigo backed off. "It's up to you. You do what you want. Whatever you feel is right."

Veneno nodded. "Thanks. I will." Veneno took his hand off Ichigo's shoulder. "I don't need you to protect me anymore. I can handle myself and make my own call."

That's right. Ichigo didn't have to watch over him anymore. He could take care of himself. Whatever he decided.

Veneno bowed to the Head Captain. "Thanks for letting me choose freedom. And thanks for granting me that."

"It is the least we owe you after everything that's happened."

Veneno straightened up. "How long do I have before I have to leave?"

"Just enough time to pack. You have to leave by the end of the day."

"That's fine. Thanks." Veneno turned around and started walking away. "Want to help me pack, Ichigo?"

Why wasn't he more upset than this?

"Uh... Sure."

They went back to Veneno's room and took everything off the shelves and into a leather bag. The books, the candy and just about everything else Ichigo had given to him. He left behind the Soul Reaper uniforms. He wouldn't be needing those anymore.

Everything was arranged. After he was finished packing, Veneno was to report to the 12th Division for his final good-byes. According to the Lieutenant of Squad one, Mayuri could open a path into a place where Veneno may feel the most comfortable: Hueco Mundo. There he could live among his own kind. Veneno already said he liked deserts so it only seemed fitting for him to be sent there to live out the remainder of his life.

The whole Division stopped working to see him off. Ichigo had never heard the lab so quiet. Every member stood along the walls, watching him pass down the hall with the bag on his back. They all stood at attention, motionless. This must have been their way of saluting him, Ichigo thought. Even Rin no longer looked terrified of him as he watched him pass slowly on his way, his big eyes filled with sadness. He was going to miss Veneno, too.

He made it to the final room. Akon stood in front of the door, waiting for him. "Everything's all set," he said. Akon held out his hand. "Take care of yourself."

"Likewise." Veneno took Akon's hand and clasped it tightly.

Akon pulled him close and gave him a hug. He didn't say anything, but Ichigo knew there was so much he wanted to but couldn't express in words. Ichigo knew for starters, Akon would miss having Veneno around. There was so much more to be said, though.

He could have told him that he was not an experiment. That he was going to miss him. That they had become friends. That he did very well. There was so much to be said but Akon never said it.

It didn't matter. Veneno felt everything in the hug Akon gave him.

Veneno opened the door to the back room of the underground lab. There were tables and beakers and chemicals everywhere, but that was not surprising. The only thing that stood out was the contraption against the back wall of the room. At first glance, it looked like a large poster mounted on the wall between two devices. It wasn't a poster. It was a Garganta. Mayuri must have set it up for Veneno to use to travel to Hueco Mundo. The eternal desert night stared back at them, the withered trees poking out of the sand waved as if tempting them forward.

Veneno stared back at his new home. He didn't advance. Maybe he was having second thoughts.

Ichigo stepped behind him. "Are you sure you're ok with this?"

Veneno smirked at him, turning his body away from the gateway to look at Ichigo. "You heard him. The choice is between being free and being an experiment. At least I have a choice for once in my life in what I want to do."

"You always have a choice."

"I didn't when I was captured and experimented on. I didn't have a say in when they brought me back. When I lost my memory, when I..." Veneno sighed. "I know what you mean, Ichigo. I do have a choice in what I want to do with my life. I chose to let go of my hatred and become friends with Soul Reapers. I chose not to attack them a second time. And now I have this choice to make. And I'd rather be free than locked up in a lab forever."

This was an impossible choice for Veneno. If he chose to stay with Soul Reapers and live in the Seireitei, he would have to be an experiment. He would not be treated like a person, but something to be studied. The only time he would get to see the friends he met would be through a glass tube with wires sticking out of him. If he was free, he would not be able to be with his friends and had to live on his own, completely alone and far away from the people he knew. How could he chose? Be free and alone, or to be surrounded by people as an experiment and someone's property?

"I want this, Ichigo. I'd rather be free. You know how much I hated being experimented on. You know how I feel about that. Why would I chose it?"

"Yeah. Good point."

Veneno grinned at him. "And hey, now I can do whatever I want. I can go wherever I please. I only have to listen to me and do what I say."

"Yeah. That's true."

Ichigo didn't want to say it, but being on his own and being his own boss with complete freedom was very much like the first time Ichigo met Veneno a few months ago. He had freedom and could do whatever he wanted but he was still alone. He hated being alone. He wanted friends. Now Veneno was choosing to be alone and free. To Ichigo, it was the same problem he faced the first time.

History wasn't repeating itself exactly, but it was looking very similar.

As if reading his thoughts, Veneno playfully shoved Ichigo's arm and smiled. "Don't worry about me. I can handle myself. If anyone picks on me there, I can show them who's boss. And besides, like this I'll be with my own kind. I can always make new friends there. You know how I've always said that I'm better off being with my own kind. That Hollows and Soul Reapers cannot be friends. That's why I changed them in the first place. So I could be with my own kind."

"Yeah, I know."

Ichigo listened to his words, but he was focused on Veneno's smile the whole time. It looked painful.

Still smiling, Veneno turned away, looking at the opening into Hueco Mundo. "I want to be free, Ichigo. I'd rather have this. I've always wanted to be free. I don't want to be trapped in a test tube for the rest of my life."

"Yeah, I know."

"And come on, it's best all around for this. If I wasn't going to be labeled an experiment, I would be living the life I was as a mock Squad member. If I stayed here, I'd have to work for the rest of my life. Who wants that? Having to get up every morning bright and early, never being allowed to sleep in, and then having to do backbreaking labor all day long. Doing whatever your boss tells you to. Someone yelling at you all the time. Always being told what to do and when and how. I'd rather do my own thing and not have to listen to anyone."

"Uh-huh."

"And the work here is hard and constant. I would be forced to be in a lab anyway. Talk about awkward. For me, at least. You know what I mean?"

"Yeah."

"And let's face facts, everyone here is a freak. I think they were mutated from all the chemicals and whatnot. Freaky. Who wants to be around those things? The work will be hard like I said. You'll be around those freaks all the time doing hard work from sunup to sundown. The Captain is scary as hell. Everyone thinks so."

"Yup."

"And when I'm not here, I'm in the dojo getting beaten up by all those huge monsters they call Soul Reapers. Who wants to have a stick slammed in your face every afternoon? Have a bunch of huge guys trying to hurt you? You have to stay strong and get stronger to to take them on. They're a rough bunch. They don't take crap from anyone. Who wants to be around people like that?"

"Uh-huh."

"Akon acting like my personal alarm clock gets old fast. I see the guy everyday. Talk about suffocating. You get sick of seeing the same faces all the time. After a while all the Soul Reapers tend to look alike, you know? What can I expect from someone who's not my kind? They're all weird. Everyone of them is different. Just a bunch of fools who throw themselves into danger to protect people who may not last much longer. They're here today and may be gone tomorrow. Always training. Or helping each other out. Eating together and laughing like a bunch of hyenas. Some of them pull pranks on each other. Some of them are too damn nice, giving people candy and junk. Getting sick and having people worry about you. Making you feel like you have to be there for them and make them feel better."

Ichigo didn't answer him this time. He just listened.

"And when they feel better, it makes you feel better. Seeing them smile makes you happy. Even when they screw up, people support them anyway and you can't stay mad at them forever. Like if some of them trips in a dance line and drags everyone down with them. Stupid crap like that. A bunch of annoying people who walk into your life and scare the hell out of you and then it's... When they're not there, you want to see them again, even if it's scary. Like getting closer to a lion. You want to get closer somehow and you can't explain it."

Veneno paused as if expecting Ichigo to say something. The room was silent.

"Yup. If I stayed here, I would have to put up with all that. All the hard work. The weird people pressed up close to you, shoulder to shoulder. So close you can hardly breathe. Making you worry if they get hurt or aren't there and you don't know why. Or where they are. The noise. It's such a headache. Soul Reapers are never quiet. There's always something."

Ichigo's eyes went to the floor. Something sparkled in the light by Veneno's shoe. A drop of water. Another one landed beside it. Ichigo looked back up and saw Veneno turning to look at him. In the pale light coming from Hueco Mundo, Ichigo saw Veneno crying for the second time.

"I don't want to go," he said softly.

Even now, Veneno was trying to convince himself that he didn't care. Leaving behind all the friends he made and the life he created for himself was so painful for him. He was trying to focus on the negatives to make leaving easier. But he couldn't do it. Even the hard times would be missed. The hard work, the bruises, the yelling, the danger... he would miss every second of it.

This is what it meant to be alive. Moments filled with sadness and joy, anger and fear. This was all a part of living. And a part of that was letting the things you love go. Saying good-bye to friends you will never see again. Moving to a new place and being on your own.

The important thing was to hold onto those memories. Maybe those friends weren't there at the moment, but there was comfort in knowing that they remained in the heart. They became a part of the soul.

At least Veneno can say he had good times. At least he'll still have friends, even if they weren't beside him at the moment. There were fleeting moments in life, so that was why they needed to be grasped when they were within reach and not have them pass by. Even if it was a bad experience, at least it was an experience that was had. It was something to look back on an reminisce. They made for good stories, too. Even if they were bad, sharing them with others made them good. Maybe as a cautionary tale, maybe for fun or entertainment. It didn't matter.

If Veneno ever found himself lonely, he could look back on the good times he had and feel close to those people again. He could always cheer himself up and not feel so lonely.

Ichigo tried to cheer Veneno up with a loophole. "You know... they just said you couldn't live here. They never said you couldn't come and visit."

Veneno wiped his tears away with the back of his hand. "Yeah. That's true." He sniffled. "Then I guess I'll be back sooner than you think." Veneno forced himself to laugh, but it was clear that he was still in pain.

Still, it seemed to bring him a little bit of comfort.

Veneno stood up straight and gave Ichigo a small wave. "I'll be seeing you. Bye."

Maybe it was too painful for him to even shake Ichigo's hand the way he did Akon. No sooner had he said it, he turned around and started marching toward Hueco Mundo.

Halfway to the gate, Veneno stopped in his tracks. He spun around and came running back and threw his arms around Ichigo. He squeezed him tightly in a massive hug. Ichigo could hardly breathe. One arm was free and held in the air while the other one was being compressed to his side.

Veneno's hug was tight. The tightest embrace Ichigo had ever been held in.

Veneno didn't want to leave him. He held onto Ichigo like a child clinging to his favorite toy about to be ripped away from his grasp.

Seconds passed by. Ichigo wondered if he should say something. He had never been held this long by another man before. It was starting to feel awkward. And painful. Veneno was starting to dig his nails into Ichigo's spine.

"Thank you for everything, Ichigo."

Ichigo looked down at the top of Veneno's head.

For everything.

Not just for giving him a second chance, not for coming back for him, not for ever once giving up on him, and not for saving him. For everything.

Veneno was allowed to live. If not for Ichigo, he may have never been given that chance. He had formed bonds with people he had never thought possible. He found a way to be happy.

Using his free arm, Ichigo returned the hug. He held Veneno to his chest, pulling his right arm around Veneno's shoulders. Since he couldn't get his left arm free, he could only place the palm of his hand on the small of Veneno's back. This was the best Ichigo could give him.

Veneno held Ichigo tighter, making this moment last for as long as possible. He may never see him again. This was where they parted ways. And Veneno just wasn't ready to let go yet.

Finally, he had to. Veneno loosened his hold and slipped out of the hug. They looked at each other, standing face to face. Veneno's eyes were still misty, but he was wearing a smile.

Taking in a deep breath, Veneno secured the bag to his back and started to back away from his friend. He took one step backwards, then another. Ichigo was getting further away. When it became too painful to watch, Veneno turned around and walked the rest of the way, facing forward.

Hueco Mundo was staring him in the face. Such a vast land under an empty dark sky. This endless stretch of sand was his new home.

Maybe somewhere in this desert was a new friend. Maybe it wasn't as empty as it looked. He had plenty of room to start his search. There was no limit to what he could do here. It was his choice.

His choice.

Choices that could make his life better or worse. Choices that would give him a new life if he wanted. So many times in his life, he never had a say. Now he found himself making his own choices. Ichigo was the one who helped him see that. He had a choice to repeat history or to try a different approach. Even Mayuri, though never giving him a choice to start with, ended up giving him one anyway. He allowed Veneno to live again so he could have a choice. Maybe that wasn't Mayuri's intention, but it happened.

And with that thought, Veneno chose to turn around.

Ichigo was still standing there, watching him. Without a single word, Ichigo assured him that he would be fine. Veneno could handle himself. There was nothing to worry about.

Veneno nodded slowly. Then he turned around and entered Hueco Mundo.

As soon as Veneno entered the new world, the gateway closed behind him and was gone.

A blank stone wall stared back at Ichigo. There was no trace of Veneno or Hueco Mundo in sight. Nothing was left behind but a memory.

That wasn't entirely true. Whenever someone entered the heart, they never really leave it. Friends are a part of the soul. And now Veneno was a part of Ichigo's. The same way Ichigo was a part of his.

Veneno wasn't just a memory. He was still here. He remained.

Ichigo turned away from the wall and opened the door. As he stepped out of the lab, he noticed Akon standing just outside. He must have been listening to everything that went on inside the lab.

"So he's gone?" Akon asked.

"Yeah."

"Alright." Akon started shuffling through papers on a table against the wall. "He left just in time. The Captain's having a fit over this whole situation. First he's pissed off that all the Hollows were killed before he had a chance to study them. Now Veneno's gone. Now he's going to make us all miserable."

"That's how it is, huh?"

"I have great respect for the Captain. He's a brilliant man... but we can't always keep up with his mood swings or his whims. If he's not happy, no one is happy. Even I'll admit he's insane, but he's still brilliant."

"Was Veneno only an experiment to him?"

"The Captain doesn't form emotional attachments to anyone. Or anything. That's just how he is." Akon stopped moving papers and kept his hands still. "But I agree. Maybe Veneno left too soon. We were still doing research on him. The way he developed... He got his powers back slowly over time. We're still not sure if that was just because he was rediscovering them, or if it's just how it was or what. He wanted to run more tests. I think so, too. Just to make sure."

"You don't think he can handle himself on his own?"

"It's not that. We just wanted to learn more about him."

"What about learning from him?"

Akon didn't say a word. He stacked the papers into a pile, then looked Ichigo in the eyes. "I'll miss him, too. I never actually expected to become friends with..." Akon's gaze drifted down to the floor.

"I bet no one thought it would happen."

Akon turned back to the papers. "I've spent enough time with Veneno to know he'll be alright. He gets stronger everyday. He's trained with the best and he had natural talent." Akon paused. "I'm not worried of the other thing either."

"Hm?"

"Him being on his own. I don't think loneliness is an issue for him anymore." Akon smiled. "It's like you said. He can always visit."

Ichigo smiled, too. He knew Veneno wasn't going to go crazy. He wasn't going to revert. He had friends now. He had fond memories. There was always a way for them to meet again.

"You'd better get back," said Akon. "You have people who miss you, too, you know."

He had his own family to get back to. They must have been wondering where he was and when he was coming back.

"See you later."

"Bye, Ichigo. Don't be a stranger."

As Ichigo left, Akon let out a deep sigh. No more babysitting. No more log book. Everything was returning to normal. As normal as it could be, at least.

Still, Akon had his questions. He still wanted to know more about Veneno. Were his other powers going to return? Was he going to develop new ones? Or was that it?

There was another question that was bothering him, too.

"I wonder how that goop ended up in those Hollow tanks in the first place?" Akon shrugged his shoulders and returned to work. "I guess we'll never know."

Well, that's one question left unanswered. Maybe we'll find out in the next and final chapter. Yes, there is one chapter left. And then it's over.

What other questions have gone unanswered that you would like to know?

It may be uncovered in the last chapter. ;)

Please review! ^-^