Chapter: 14
The samples Rukia brought back would take a long time to process. Mayuri stayed hunched over in his lab going over every single detail. Victor remained by his side the entire time. Partly to offer insight and partly to keep him from getting distracted. When Victor mentioned that Kisuke was the one who had found a cure for the first serum Victor had created, Mayuri became bitter and refused to associate anything relating to this situation with him. Victor sensed he had hit a sore spot and didn't bring it up again. However, Mayuri did seem more focused. It seemed he had a bit of a rivalry with Kisuke, so he was determined to come up with a cure all on his own and somehow best Kisuke. Victor chose not to understand. He wanted no part of this. It seemed likely that it would only lead to trouble.
Rukia remained close to the lab, waiting for results. Linnette stayed near the lab as well. Victor wanted her close but not in the lab itself, finding it dangerous. It was hard to stay put and wait for so long. They wanted answers. They needed results.
Rukia glanced up seeing Renji sprinting towards her. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"
"We might have a problem," said Renji. "Remember how I had to explain things to Mayuri so we could get a cure for Ichigo? Well... Um..." Renji looked away. "It would seem that some information got leaked."
"What do you mean 'leaked'? What's going on?"
Renji frowned. "Uh..."
"What, Renji?"
"Some Soul Reapers know that Ichigo Hollowfied and word is starting to spread. Byakuya knows."
"My brother?"
Renji nodded. "He heard it from someone and doesn't know if it's just a rumor or not but he's taking it seriously. He's going to the Head Captain."
Rukia loved and respected Byakuya immensely, but his strong sense of justice was sometimes troubling. He knew the law well. There were some things he couldn't ignore. Ichigo becoming a Hollow was one of them.
"If he tells the Head Captain, they could give the order to kill Ichigo."
Linnette overheard everything. "We have to do something. Can't we just asked your brother not to tell anyone?"
"It doesn't work like that," said Renji. "He's bound by the law, too. Knowing him, he'll-"
"We can go to the Head Captain and explain the situation," Rukia said to reassure Linnette. "I had hoped we could do this quietly. Cure Ichigo before word got out so there would be no problem."
It seemed that wouldn't happen now. Now things were more complicated.
Linnette didn't understand the laws of the Soul Society, but she could sense that something was terribly wrong.
Byakuya had already told the Head Captain and he was just about to summon Rukia and Renji when they both showed up at his office. They were the ones who knew the situation and had seen Ichigo. Without their information, all they had was speculation. They explained the situation and gave all the information they had.
Neither of them had high hopes when they went in but now their fears were realized. The meeting with the Head Captain went about as well as they predicted. Thankfully, there was a ray of light at the end of the dark tunnel.
"What happened?" Linnette asked when she joined them. "What did he say?"
Renji gave her the news bluntly. "The Head Captain says that since the other people we discovered as Hollows had little hope, he's ordering Ichigo's execution."
Linnette started shrieking with panic. "No! No! We can't let them! Please, do something and stop them! Ichigo can't-"
"That's only if his transformation is irreversible," Rukia said quickly to calm her down. "Since Mayuri his working on a cure, the Head Captain said that we can hold off until it is completed. In the event that there is no cure, then and only then will they consider killing Ichigo."
Linnette was calmer but she was still worried. Her hands were shaking and she had tears in her eyes.
"It's going to be ok," Rukia told her. "Victor and Mayuri are both working on a cure. We'll have Ichigo fixed up in no time."
Linnette wasn't convinced. She was still very worried.
"The Head Captain is thinking about calling a meeting if things haven't changed in a few hours," said Renji. "He considers Ichigo a threat, which he is. But he's mostly concerned about everyone. He's also worried that if Ichigo cannot change back, then the humane thing to do would be to-"
"Renji!" Rukia snapped.
Renji flinched. "I... I didn't mean for it to sound... I do care about him, Rukia. I'm not being heartless here. I'm just saying what the Head Captain said."
Rukia shot him another look, telling him to stop talking. She didn't want to upset Linnette further. Most of all, she wanted to believe that everything would be alright and that Ichigo would live.
"Come on," Rukia said gently. "Let's get you something to eat. Everything always seems worse on an empty stomach."
Linnette knew it was just a distraction but she followed Rukia anyway.
For the next few hours, they waited for results. When enough time had passed, Rukia went back to the lab to check on Mayuri's progress. Sadly, a cure had not been found. He wasn't even close. He was extracting data and running tests, but was nowhere near a possible cure. After this was established, the Head Captain decided to send out a small group of Soul Reapers to assess Ichigo's condition. He knew Rukia and Renji would try to defend their friend so he had a neutral party go with Renji who would remain impartial. Renji was going because he knew Ichigo's location.
They were running out of time. If the Soul Reapers saw Ichigo in his Hollowfied state, they would report back to the Head Captain and label him as a threat. If that happened...
"Stay here," Rukia told Linnette and followed them. She had to go, too.
Linnette was left in the care of Rukia's Captain. Victor was still working with Mayuri and couldn't leave the lab. Cedric was battling Ichigo so Linnette was on her own.
Ukitake kept Linnette company in his office and tried to distract her with games and sweets. His office was very tidy and clean. The floors were well polished and shined in the sunlight streaming from the open windows. Even his desk was well organized. Everything in his office gave off a comfortable vibe. Everyone who entered was put at ease. Nothing in this office was stressful.
Unfortunately, Linnette wasn't put at ease. She was still very worried and the games they played didn't offer much distraction.
"Oh, how about that? I win. Let's go again and see if luck will remain with me." Ukitake looked across the table at the girl looking at the floor. "What's the matter? Not your game? Don't worry, you'll do well. Practice..."
He knew Linnette wasn't upset about the game. Even speaking to her wasn't helping so he stopped. Asking her to focus on the game wasn't going to change anything. Though he knew he was supposed to keep her busy, Ukitake instead changed the subject to what was truly bothering her in hopes of bringing her reassurance.
"He'll be fine. Don't worry."
Linnette looked up for the first time in ten minutes. Finally someone was talking about what was bothering her rather than ignore it and pretend nothing was happening.
"The Head Captain is holding off on taking action. He only sent that group out to see Ichigo's condition. That's all. No one's going to hurt him."
"But he was talking about killing Ichigo if a cure can't be found."
"That's only as a last resort," said Ukitake. "And honestly, if Ichigo can no longer come back and if he is no longer himself, then it might be for the best. There's no point in keeping him around if he is no longer Ichigo. That's all the Head Captain is thinking. Nothing against Ichigo. Just trying to protect everyone and put Ichigo out of his misery. But... That's only if he can't be fixed. It just makes sense if he's no longer... There's no point if he can't..."
Ukitake knew he was only making it worse. He was trying to explain the situation but it seemed that he was only making things seem more grim.
"It's only if he can't be cured. But don't worry. Everything will be ok. They found a cure for everything else. They can find one for this. We just have to wait. Then Ichigo will be cured and everything will be alright."
Linnette looked at the table. Every other time someone had been turned into a Hollow using a serum, they've been cured. Ichigo was in the same position as the people from the past, which meant he could be cured as well. She tried to think positively but it was difficult. She couldn't help but worry.
"It's not just that," she said. "I was also upset about something else... About me."
"Oh?" Ukitake started to set up a new game. "What about?"
"Just..." Linnette gripped her skirt tightly. "What's been happening. Even though Icigo's a Hollow, my voice won't work on him. So everyone... Rukia and Renji and... They said I couldn't help in this situation. Doesn't that mean... My voice is my only weapon, so if I can't use it... I'm useless."
Ukitake stopped setting up the new game. He could see the sadness in her eyes and hear it in her voice.
"What can I do?" Linnette whimpered. "Ichigo's in trouble and I can't do anything to help him. They left me behind here because I can't do anything out there. I can't help with a cure, I can't tame his Hollow... What can I do? If I can't use my voice, I'm useless. I can't do anything to help."
"You're not useless," Ukitake assured her. "You're not. You-"
"I'm not a Soul Reaper!" she cried. "I can't use a sword or use that magic stuff you guys can use that's really cool. And I'm not like Victor and Cedric. I'm just a human. I can get hurt. I'm not very strong, I get tired, I can bleed. I'm not like other people here. I'm just a human. If it weren't for my voice... But when I can't use it, what do I have? It's my only weapon. It's all I've got."
"That's not all you have."
"But I need help because I can't do anything else. Victor and Cedric are strong and fast and I'm not. I relay on them to make up for what I lack. I know I have them with me. But I'm talking about me. What do I have other than my voice? Without it, without them... I am useless."
Ukitake couldn't stand to see someone in pain. He wanted to help her. He knew she was very upset and needed someone to help her through it. "But you're not useless. You are strong."
"No, I'm not," she said. "I can't fight and I can't lift cars or anything like the people around me."
"Strength isn't just about how much you can lift or how hard you can punch. You can have great inner strength as well. You can be strong inside."
Linnette still looked like she was about to cry.
"Take a look at me," said Ukitake. "I'm in pretty bad shape when you think about it. I'm out sick most of the time. I'm at home confined to a bed. I'm pretty weak. But a lot of people still care about me and want to help me, even though there's a lot I can't do. Even when I'm feeling better, I can't fight for too long. I get weak, I cough up blood. And yet someone like me became a Captain. I can fight but honestly, I don't think I'm that strong. Not with my illness. Yet here I am. I'd like to think it's because I have something to offer. Something other than how strong I am in a fight."
"You are very nice," she told him.
"Yes, but how does that make me strong?" he asked her.
Linnette didn't have an answer.
"There are different kinds of strength. There are still things I can do to help people. And there are things you can do as well." Ukitake gave her a smile. "I wouldn't worry about it. I can tell you're a strong young girl. Now all you have to do is discover it for yourself."
A strength other than physical? Linnette knew inner strength existed but she wasn't certain what kind she had within her. She knew Ukitake was strong despite being sick. He was still a Captain and he was a useful man. There were things he could do despite his shortcomings.
He was confident she was capable of many things. Even when she had confidence in herself, she kept hearing Ikkaku's words when he said if it weren't for her voice she would be useless. A part of her believed that. Seeing the state Ichigo was in and her voice being unable to reach him, she was convinced Ikkaku was correct. Hearing Ukitake tell her different left her wondering.
Maybe she wasn't completely useless. She wanted to discover a way she could help Ichigo. She wanted to help her friend. Her first real friend.
"Up ahead!" Renji hollered to the two Soul Reapers behind him. He could hear the roars and see the destruction from his position. He knew Ichigo was still on a rampage. Rukia had told him Ichigo had Hollowfied again. Renji didn't want to think of what could come of Ichigo being a Hollow for this long. What it could do to him.
There was a glimmer of hope. He had managed to change back once before. That meant he could do it again. It meant he wasn't lost. There was hope all this could be reversed. Ichigo was still in there. He could be saved.
There came a sound like a bat striking the side of a brick wall. Cedric came flying through the air and landed in Renji's chest. Renji was flattened by Cedric's larger frame and lay sprawled under his full weight.
Cedric got up quickly and rushed back into battle without a word to Renji. He acted as if he wasn't even aware he had crushed him.
As the group approached, they saw Ichigo's Hollowfied form rampaging and attacking Cedric. "Duck!" Renji yelled as a cero was unleashed and blasted the air behind them. The wind from the blast was as powerful as a hurricane. By the time they looked up, Ichigo was on top of them. He roared and sent his arm crashing down. Cedric appeared and used his own body to block the attack and protect the Soul Reapers. Ichigo used his other arm to slap Cedric from the side and sent him tumbling away. Then he turned back to the trio. They were on their feet and running from his next attack.
"That's Kurosaki?" asked one of the Soul Reapers. "What the hell? Just look at him."
Renji looked at the two men beside him and read their expressions. He knew they were thinking Ichigo was a lost cause. He was afraid they would head back to the Head Captain and tell him to order Ichigo's elimination. Renji couldn't blame them for being frightened. Ichigo was truly frightening, especially to those who had never seen him like this before.
"He's managed to change back before," Renji told them, hoping it would make them more rational. Maybe if they thought Ichigo could change himself back that they wouldn't have to go for the extreme conclusion. They might consider other options. They might become more hopeful as well and think Ichigo could return to normal.
"But look at him." The Soul Reaper pointed at Ichigo's monstrous form. "He's... I mean look at that!"
"He changed back before!" said Renji sharply. "He can do it again!"
"I wouldn't hold my breath..."
Ichigo's roar shook the earth and he fired another cero at Cedric. He dodged but just barely. After fighting Ichigo for the past several hours, he was starting to wear down. Even Linnette's creations had their limits.
"Ichigo!" Veneno charged at his friend with his sword and sliced a part of his leg, bringing him to one knee. He wasn't trying to hurt Ichigo, only cripple him so he would be in no shape to continue fighting.
His leg healed itself and Ichigo took a wide swing at him. Veneno was also tired from the fight and couldn't dodge this one. Veneno was slammed from the side into the ground. Ichigo roared in his ear as if taunting him to get back up. Cedric slammed his shoulder into Ichigo's ribs and threw him off the fallen Arrancar.
Veneno was hurt but he could walk away from this. He was strong.
Rukia arrived and saw what was happening. Ichigo was still itching for a fight and Veneno and Cedric were worn down after all this time. They needed someone to take over.
Ichigo raised his fist and started to bring it down over Veneno and Cedric.
"Ichigo!" Rukia screamed to get his attention.
His fist stopped.
Rukia came closer to make herself the target. She had to defend her friends. They needed time to recover.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Renji shouted. "I was assigned, not you. Get the hell out of here!"
Ichigo started to turn then stopped. He started and stopped like a wind up toy running down. He growled and started to raise his fist again. Then his arm stopped and he let out a pained roar. Abruptly, it stopped. Ichigo's mask began to crack and split. His body was starting to shatter like a glass statue struck with a rock. It started at his shoulder, then his rib, and his legs. His tail went stiff and started to break off. His body started to fall apart. It looked like he was molting.
Everyone watched as the monster started to shatter and break. Then they heard grunting. It was Ichigo's voice. His Hollow form broke away from the body hidden under the impenetrable shell revealing Ichigo. He kicked and punched his way out like a chick emerging from its shell. He staggered away from his molted body and slumped to the ground breathing hard.
It had taken nearly everything he had but he finally managed to break free.
Rukia hurried over to check on him. Ichigo was hunched over drawing deep breaths but he was alive. "Ichigo, are you alright? Say something."
Ichigo lifted his head. His breathing slowed to a normal pace but before he could say anything, his body tipped to one side and he fell over. Rukia cradled his head in her lap and called his name.
"I can hear you," he said weakly. "I'm in pain but not deaf."
Rukia didn't know whether to hit him or leave him alone. She knew it was him. That attitude could only belong to the Ichigo she knew.
"Is he ok?" Renji came over to check on them. When Rukia nodded her head, Renji let out a sign of relief. He knew Ichigo wasn't cured. He knew this was fleeting. Ichigo would change again, but he was thankful he changed back in front of the other Soul Reapers. Maybe now they would see that there was hope and that Ichigo wasn't permanently a Hollow. There was hope.
The two Soul Reapers came closer to investigate. Seeing Ichigo back in Soul Reaper form made them rethink their report. It was a miracle Ichigo managed to discard his Hollow form. They didn't think it was possible. Seeing it with their own eyes had changed things. They were going to report back to the Head Captain that Ichigo could be saved. He wasn't a complete Hollow. He could still change back, which meant a cure was very likely.
"Oh... Now this is a shame..."
Again they heard his voice. That same smug voice as before.
Yagi was standing nearby looking at Ichigo with a mixed expression of annoyance and amusement.
Rukia held Ichigo tightly, shielding him from Yagi. The Quincy saw this and smirked.
"Just think, Ichigo... How easy it would be not to put yourself through this," he said. "Why don't you just give up? Let the transformation happen and stop resisting. You can't stop it anyway. The more you fight it, the more painful it will be. Using all your strength to combat it is weakening you. And the weaker you get, the easier it will be to Hollowfy. So stop resisting and let it happen. What are you trying to prove? You're fighting back so you won't hurt your friends. But the irony is that by doing so you are weakening yourself making it easier for the Hollow serum to take effect. No matter what, you're going to end up attacking them. So you see it is pointless. You're only putting yourself through agony and weakening yourself. It's foolish. Then again, I never did think you were that bright to begin with."
"Stop running your mouth," said Renji. "Do you know how annoying you sound?"
"Not nearly as annoying as Ichigo's defiance." Yagi clicked his tongue. "So stubborn."
The Soul Reapers had never seen Yagi before but they knew he was a Quincy. After hearing what he had to say, they knew Yagi was an enemy. They drew their swords and got ready.
"Hang on," Yagi said holding up his hand. "I don't think you're up to speed on what's going on. I alone hold the cure to save Ichigo. If you kill me, your hopes of saving him go out the window."
"We're already working on a cure," said one of the men. "We don't need you."
Actually, they did. Until a cure was found and proven to work, they needed Yagi alive as a backup. Only when a cure was discovered could they attack him freely.
Renji held out his arm to stop the men from attacking. "Don't be rash. Until we know the cure works, we can't hurt him as the only other person who is capable. Even if he won't give it to us willingly, having him around gives us that possibility. Cut him down and we lose all hope."
Which was exactly what Yagi wanted. He saw to it that he would be safe. The Soul Reapers wouldn't kill him so long as he had something to offer. He was a trump-card.
Cedric began to stand. He had enough power in him to make a quick dash behind Yagi and grab him. He could restrain him so he couldn't get away.
"And how is Linnette doing?" asked Yagi.
Cedric stopped in his tracks. He couldn't make a move. Not if her life would be in danger.
"Remember I can strike without her having to be nearby. I don't have to touch her. I don't have to lift a finger. I don't have to do anything." Yagi smiled wickedly at Cedric. "Restrain me if you wish but the second you do... Well, we know what happened the last time. Same thing goes for them."
Rukia grew worried. She had seen what Yagi had done to Linnette. It nearly killed her. Yagi could do the same thing to them and being so far from medical aid, it was unlikely they would survive. He might even be able to hit multiple targets at once. They were all in danger if he didn't even have to touch them. She didn't know how that power worked so there was little they could do to counter it.
Ichigo knew what Yagi was referring to. He had to pass a message off to Rukia and let her know the truth.
Yagi chuckled. "So what will you do? You can't harm me, and you hold a ticking time bomb in your lap. Do you honestly think you stand a chance? Save yourselves the trouble and give up already. I hardly think it's worth all this trouble."
Rukia tried to think of something. She examined their options. They couldn't restrain Yagi, even with kido. He could use the same technique he used on Linnette on her again. Perhaps even on all of them. The only one who was safe from that attack was Cedric because he had no blood. Cedric wouldn't be willing to do anything if it meant risking Linnette, even if he was safe she was not. Ichigo was in no condition for a fight and he wouldn't last long before another Hollowfication occurred. Rukia thought about using her ice to stop Yagi but it was the same issue as kido or physically restraining him. Yagi would still be able to use that attack. The only option was to kill him but they couldn't do that until they had a cure in their hands. They had more options and more hope of a cure with Yagi alive. Killing him would limit them and there was no turning back. Even if Yagi wouldn't give it up, at least they had the possibility.
Rukia saw a shadow over her shoulder and turned to see Veneno standing behind her staring at Yagi. Veneno was in rough shape after going several rounds with Ichigo but he was still able to stand.
His eyes were focused on Yagi. He seemed to have gained strength when he saw the Quincy. He examined Yagi, looking him over as if he were giving an appraisal.
Yagi caught Veneno staring at him and turned his attention towards the Arrancar. "What? You look like you have something to say."
Veneno didn't answer him. He continued to study him and listened to the sound of his voice.
His hand started to shake. At first Rukia thought it was because Veneno had grown weak. Then she realized it was from anger.
"Don't be shy," said Yagi. "Speak your mind. What do you want to ask?" Yagi knew Veneno had a question. Tired of waiting, he encouraged Veneno to speak.
Veneno looked away for a moment when he heard Ichigo let out a dull moan. Then he looked back at Yagi, glaring.
"Are you the one?" he asked. "Did you do this to Ichigo?"
He spoke calmly but there was hatred in his voice.
Yagi answered casually. "If you are asking if I gave Ichigo a drug to force him into Hollow form, then yes. But I think Ichigo brought it on himself." Yagi smiled.
"So you're the one who experimented on him?"
"Yes. And he wasn't the only one. Many others have died as a result but I like to think it was all worth it to get to this point." Yagi smirked. "If it weren't for those I sacrificed, I would have never been able to get this far. There are still some things I'm not completely satisfied with but I like how Ichigo turned out. I'm quite proud of this little experiment."
Veneno lowered his head. "So you experimented on him and many others. I see."
Rukia knew the calm in Veneno's voice was the calm before the storm.
At once, Veneno lifted his head, a murderous look on his vicious face. "You're dead!" he screamed and dashed forward.
In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Yagi, sword cocked over his head. He brought it straight down but Yagi wasn't there.
"You seem upset," Yagi said from behind.
Veneno spun around, swinging his sword. Yagi flashed away and appeared a little further from where Veneno stood, smirking.
Missing had only irritated Veneno further. His green eyes sparkled with the same thirst for blood as his blade. He could never forgive Yagi for what he had done. This went beyond striking a nerve. This was important to Veneno. It was personal. It was justice.
He roared and dashed at Yagi again. This time he came close. The cuff of Yagi's sleeve was cut and flapped in the breeze his sword created.
"Veneno, stop!" Rukia screamed. At this rate, Veneno would inflict a fatal wound. They still needed Yagi. "Cedric, stop him!"
Veneno wasn't going to give up. He was on a warpath and wasn't going to stop until Yagi was dead.
Veneno raised his sword again, letting out a cry of unrestrained fury and swung downward.
Cedric grabbed his arms from behind and held the sword in place.
"Let me go!" Veneno fought against Cedric's grip but couldn't get free. "Let me go! I'll kill him! I'll kill him!"
"We need him alive," Cedric said firmly. "He's the only one who knows how to cure Ichigo. If he dies, Ichigo might be beyond saving."
That was enough to make Veneno hesitate. Only for a moment. The next second, he was fighting again. "I don't believe that!" he screamed. "Like he'll give it to you anyway!"
"We have to take that chance. We know he might not give it to us even if we beg."
Veneno kicked his legs, still trying to reach Yagi. "I don't trust him! I don't believe him! He's probably just saying that so we won't attack him! He's just trying to con us to protect himself! He's a manipulator!"
Having only just met Yagi a moment ago, already Veneno knew his character. He analyzed Yagi well and knew what type of man he was. He was an manipulator. He was a conman. They couldn't trust a word out of his lying mouth, even if he did sprinkle the truth here and there.
Unafraid, Yagi put a hand on Veneno's sword and cast it aside. "I should have known an Arrancar wouldn't play fair. Here I am without a sword and you use this against me."
"And you're a coward! Hiding behind your threats and people you've tormented and transformed. Who are you to talk?"
Yagi chuckled as if he had told an amusing joke. "You truly are something." Yagi started to walk away.
"Get back here!" Veneno hollered. "I'm not finished with you!"
"A dog with all bark and no bite. How pathetic. I, on the other hand, have both. This will be an easy fight to win."
He stopped to look down at Ichigo who had his eyes closed, suffering through terrible pain. He gave Ichigo's foot a small kick as he walked by.
"He'll change again, you know. I wouldn't want to be so close to him when that happens."
Rukia glared at him.
"...Rukia..." Ichigo whispered. "Rukia... I have to tell you something."
"Don't talk right now. You need to save your strength."
"It's important." Ichigo couldn't speak loud enough for the others to hear so he hoped Rukia would be able to pass on the message. "It's Yagi's Blood Spear attack... The one that hurt Linnette..."
Rukia leaned closer to hear him. "Yeah?"
"He can't use it more than once a day. If he uses it on someone, he has to wait twenty-four hours before he can use it again."
Rukia listened carefully. She understood. Knowing this, Rukia thought she could predict what Yagi would do. Because no one knew this other than Ichigo, Yagi was going to threaten them with this power, making them think he would use it an unlimited amount of times. Now that she knew the truth, once Yagi used the technique, he wouldn't be able to do it again for a full day. That was when they could restrain him without fear.
However, Yagi was aware of this drawback and would unlikely use it on just anyone at any time. He would plan and wait. He might not use it at all, knowing that he wouldn't be able to use it again. By not using it, he would still have it and be able to use it as a threat to keep them at bay. Once he used that power, he would be vulnerable.
Rukia thought by tricking him, they might be able to make him use that power. He was like a gun with one bullet. He would only use it when he had to and he would be careful of when he did. Tricking him might not be easy. They also weren't aware of the range of his attack. He could use it on Linnette again, even if she wasn't in his sight. This was a problem. It would also make knowing when he used it harder to tell. He could pretend to use it then when they thought he was vulnerable and attacked, he would use it for real.
Even with this new information, things were still complicated.
Yagi turned and faced the group. "This is taking longer than I expected. Eventually I'll grow bored." He looked at Ichigo who was looking back at him. "Just turn already and get this over with. It's inevitable."
Ichigo struggled to sit up. When he put his hand on the ground to support himself, it felt as if he were leaning on a bed of nails. The pain started in his palms and shot up his arms to his chest. His skin felt like glass. Everything hurt and everything seemed to cause him damage.
"Just turn, Ichigo," coaxed Yagi. "Be a good little Hollow and-"
Something wet hit Yagi's shoe. Ichigo spat on him. It was all he could do until his strength returned.
Yagi frowned. "Isn't that a bit childish."
"Screw you."
Since Ichigo wasn't in his Hollow form, Yagi didn't consider him a threat which was why he stood so close. Once Ichigo lost control, he would retreat as he had done before.
"I'm rather tempted to give you another injection just to speed this up. But who knows what that could do to you? I'm not sure if I should take that risk. But if this takes any longer, I may have no choice."
"Leave Ichigo alone!" Veneno yelled from Cedric's grasp. He turned and spoke directly to Cedric. "Let me go. I want to be with Ichigo."
As long as Veneno didn't go after Yagi, Cedric granted his wish and released him.
Veneno went straight to Ichigo and bent down to be at his side.
It had been so long since Ichigo had seen him, he had almost forgotten that voice. He thought he had heard Veneno screaming before but had convinced himself it was his imagination. There was no way Veneno could have been here. Yet here he was, right by his side.
"Hey..." Ichigo greeted him with a smile. "Veneno... It's been so long."
Veneno nodded, smiling back. How he had wanted to hear his voice.
"Wish it was under better circumstances," Ichigo said. "This is kind of a poor reunion, isn't it?"
Veneno shook his head. "I came to help you. In any case, I'm glad to see you."
Ichigo turned his head and started heaving again. He felt sick to his stomach but nothing was coming out but saliva. Ichigo took this as a good sign. He was even able to sit up which he wasn't able to do before. Maybe his body was flushing out the drug. Maybe he was healing himself. Yagi's drug was experimental. Maybe it wasn't perfected as much as he thought.
"Get Ichigo out of here," said Renji. "Get some distance between you and Yagi." Renji had a bad feeling Yagi didn't come all this way just to gloat. Since he had threatened Ichigo with another dose, Renji was afraid he would attempt to go through with it. His instincts told him to get Ichigo as far from Yagi as possible.
Rukia was thinking the same thing. She didn't know what Yagi was planning but she didn't want to wait around and find out. She pulled Ichigo to his feet. He was barely able to stand.
"Do you really think that's such a good idea?" asked Yagi. "Ticking time bomb, remember?"
She ignored him and helped support Ichigo on her shoulder.
"Where will you go?" Yagi asked as they started walking away. "To the Seireitei? By all means, go there. I can't wait to see what happens."
When no one paid him any mind, Yagi grew annoyed. He seemed to love the attention and now that he wasn't receiving any, he proceeded to get it. Any way that he could.
"Walking away with your tail between your legs, Ichigo?" he taunted. "Who knew you were so weak?"
Ichigo turned around.
"Ignore him, Ichigo." Rukia knew what Yagi was doing and refused to let Ichigo get suckered into his temptation.
"Pathetic you are," Yagi called after him.
Ichigo wanted to take a swing at him but he also knew what Yagi was trying to do. He was trying to get him worked up enough to start fighting back. When he did, it would be easier for the Hollow to surface. If Ichigo wasted all his energy in a fight, he wouldn't be able to hold back the transformation.
"Fine," said Yagi. "If you won't do it, I'll do it for you." He drew a blade from his belt which had a blue glow to it. Ichigo recognized it as the same Quincy weapon Uryu had. The only one that actually looked like a sword but doubled as an arrow.
Yagi took aim at Ichigo's back.
His weapon was blocked by Veneno's sword. "Attacking someone with their back turned. I knew you were a coward but this?"
"Perhaps a little injury will spark things," said Yagi. "I'm tired of waiting."
Veneno wouldn't let him get by. He wouldn't let Yagi reach Ichigo.
"You're already winded from your fight against him. Do you really think you have a chance against me? I'm not only powerful but well-rested. I can take you easily."
"I'm not going to let you hurt Ichi-"
Rukia let out a gasp coupled with a small shriek. Worried, Ichigo forced himself to stand so he could turn around and look.
Veneno had been slashed multiple times as if hit by a whirlwind of shrapnel. Veneno's sword slipped from his hands and fell. A moment later, he toppled over.
"Veneno!" Ichigo screamed.
He had just been reunited with him and now this? He couldn't have been dead. What had Yagi done?
"Was that not enough?" asked Yagi, an evil look in his eyes. "Will it take more? How many of your friends must I cut down before you seek revenge? What will it take to make you change?" He held up the weapon. "A direct attack. Will that work? Should I just keep cutting your body until something happens?"
"Get Ichigo out of here now!" Renji shouted.
They all knew Yagi was trying to trigger Ichigo's Hollowfication. They couldn't let that happen.
Rukia tightened her grip on Ichigo and took off. When Yagi aimed at her, the two Soul Reapers blocked his path.
"Not so fast!"
"There's no way we're going to let you-"
Two more bodies hit the ground.
Rukia wouldn't look back. Renji covered her and they ran with Ichigo getting him to a safe place. Cedric remained behind to take care of the fallen and try to stall Yagi for as long as he could. Doing that without touching him was going to be the real issue.
"Wait!" Ichigo tried to wriggle free. "What about them? We can't just leave them."
"We're not," said Renji. "Cedric's with them. He can handle it."
"Yagi's after you, Ichigo," pointed out Rukia. "We have to get you away from him."
It wasn't in him to leave someone behind, even if he was in bad shape. Ichigo wanted to go back to help the fallen. Especially Veneno. This wasn't the reunion either of them had imagined and Ichigo hated that they had to part so quickly. He knew Veneno wasn't dead. He couldn't have been cut down so easily. He had to go back for him. He couldn't abandon him.
"Stop struggling, you idiot," said Renji. "We're trying to help you."
"Help them!" Ichigo shouted. "I'm fine."
"Don't give me that. You can't even walk."
"Sure I can!"
"Don't!" Rukia said sharply. "You need to save all your strength to suppress your transformation. Don't waste it."
"What does it matter?" Ichigo asked angrily. "I know suppressing it is taking a toll on my body. I know fighting it is weakening me and I know this will eventually kill me. So what the hell is the point is saving my strength if it's just going to kill me faster?"
"So you're giving up?"
"Of course not! I'm just saying I'll use whatever strength I have to kick Yagi's ass! Then we won't have to worry about him doing anything else. He won't use that serum again, he won't hurt anyone else. It will be over."
"He's the only one who knows how to cure you," said Renji. "We need him alive until we can come up with our own cure. Then we won't need him anymore and we can finish him."
"He could be lying to save his own ass!" snapped Ichigo. "He could just be saying he has a cure when he doesn't. He's just trying to protect himself."
Which was exactly what Veneno had theorized. Yagi could have been lying about a cure. He was crafty enough to tell the truth and sprinkle lies making it harder to tell where the lie ended and the truth began. He was very cunning. Yagi couldn't be trusted.
"It's the only hope we have," said Renji. "Even if he's lying, we're not going to take that chance. Not until you're out of the woods." Renji looked back. "We have company."
Ichigo couldn't see who it was but he knew it had to be Yagi.
"Rukia, take Ichigo away from here while I hold him off."
"Take me where exactly?" asked Ichigo. "Where can we go?"
"Like I know! Figure it out!" Renji unsheathed his sword. "All I know is that Yagi is after you for some reason. I doubt he came all this way to gloat. There must be a reason for him being here. He leaves when you become a Hollow so as long as you're yourself, he's going to get closer to you. I don't know what he's planning on doing, but he might inject you again or do something worse. Just stay away from him."
Until he could Hollowfy again. That was the bitter irony of it. Ichigo would be safe from Yagi if he was a Hollow but that meant becoming a monster that would kill and be hunted by everyone else. Ichigo wouldn't change even if it meant being safe from Yagi. He wouldn't put his friends in danger.
Changing into a Hollow was what Yagi wanted.
"Get the hell out of here," said Renji, stopping to face the threat. "I'll hold him off."
"Wait, Renji," Ichigo called. "Yagi's Blood Spear attack... The one that hurt Linnette... He can only use it once a day. After he uses it, he can't use it again for twenty-four hours."
Renji heard every word and understood. "Thanks for the heads up. Now get going."
Rukia took Ichigo far away.
Renji could see the Quincy coming closer and summoned Zabimaru. Ichigo's words echoed in his mind and he started to think. If what Ichigo said was true, then if he could somehow force Yagi to use that power, he would be vulnerable. Once used, he wouldn't be able to use it again for a long time. This meant he would no longer be able to use it as a threat, making him easy to capture. He couldn't threaten anyone with that power so even Cedric could grab Yagi without fear of what could happen to Linnette or someone else.
However, Renji started to have doubts. Yagi didn't always tell the whole truth and even if he did, he sprinkled little lies throughout making it hard to tell fact from whatever he fabricated. For all he knew, Yagi could have told Ichigo that he could only use it once to get their guard down. Once he used it they would charge in thinking they were safe and he would unleash it a second time.
If it was true, then that would make capturing Yagi easy once he used that power. However, knowing he could only use it once would make things difficult. He would be very careful about when he used it. Renji doubted he would be easy to trick in that case. He would hold onto that power for as long as he could. He may never use it just to ensure he could still use it as a threat. It would be next to impossible to get him to use Blood Spear again.
Yagi stood before Renji looking past his red head to the horizon. "I take it you're going to stall me. I assume you won't let me pass even if I asked nicely, would you?"
Renji answered by flourishing his flexible blade.
"I thought not." Yagi didn't draw a weapon. This worried Renji. Was he that cocky or was there something else going on? "Do you really think you can take me on? Not even that Arrancar stood a chance against me."
"He was tired from battling Ichigo all day. I'm all rested up and ready to go."
"We shall see."
Renji tried to think of an attack. He could try to bind him with kido but his talent in that department was lacking. He might mess it up. Using his sword to bind him could work. Renji still had no idea how Yagi had defeated those Soul Reapers and Veneno. Renji didn't see the technique. He didn't want to waste time trying to figure it out. He just had to stall Yagi while the others got away. That was the plan. Whatever happened, happened.
Knocking Yagi unconscious seemed like a good way to go that wouldn't result in any harm. He would be unable to use that Blood Spear power, he wouldn't be able to attack and he wouldn't be able to go after Ichigo. Renji decided to try his luck. If it happened, it happened. This way he wouldn't cause Yagi serious injury that could kill him. No matter what, they had to keep Yagi alive. Just until a cure was discovered. Then all bets were off.
"Hyah!" Renji sent Zabimaru forward. It was an obvious attack what was easily predicted. Yagi avoided it with ease. He stepped aside and let the blade pass by his head. The breeze from the attack ruffled his hair. With a slight tug, Renji sent it back, looping around Yagi's back to corner him. Yagi flashed away and appeared on the other side of the blade unscathed.
He knew Renji wasn't trying to hurt him. He was stalling. That was Renji's role in this fight. To stall Yagi until Rukia and Ichigo managed to get enough distance between them.
"Just how long do you think you can keep this up?" asked Yagi. "You don't think I'll be able to move past you and continue on? This is a wide open area. It wouldn't be hard."
"Then I'll just chase you down."
Yagi smiled. "Not without legs." He summoned his bow and fired at Renji's feet.
Renji jumped away and attacked from above. "Bankai!"
"Typical Soul Reaper." Yagi sounded bored, like a child stopping a game halfway through.
Renji let out a roar and sent his sword's new form forward. It roared and hissed, slamming into the ground where Yagi stood. When the dust cleared Yagi was gone. Renji looked around and found Yagi standing directly below him. He fired a folly of arrows straight up and Renji used his sword to block the attack. He decided to attack from above and threw Zabimaru at Yagi, forcing him to run. He swung his sword left and right. Sometimes Yagi would get close and other times he jumped further away. So long as he was distracted, Renji didn't care.
Now Yagi was standing still and no longer bothered to dodge. Renji grew suspicious and landed, nervously checked Yagi's hands for weapons. He held a small vile in his right hand.
"Like I've been saying, you Soul Reapers are so primitive. So foolish. A Quincy could do better. You don't even know how to be aware of your surrounding in a fight." He tipped the bottle over and it splashed on something sticking out of the ground.
Renji remembered seeing this before. Uryu had done it. Gasping, Renji looked around. There were other blades like the one in front of Yagi sticking out of the ground. Renji was right in the middle of them. "This is..."
"Sprenger."
Renji was supposed to distract Yagi but he was the one who fell into a trap.
The building they found had been abandoned for years. Moss was growing on the walls and vines crept in and out of windows, making it look like an indoor garden. Some parts of the building were missing. One wall had fallen exposing the fourth and third story floors. The ceiling had also collapsed in areas. Rukia wasn't looking for luxury when she chose this place. She was just looking for somewhere to hide. This was the only building around for miles and it was uninhabited. It was as good a place as any.
She set Ichigo on the ground of the fourth floor away from the exposed wall. When she lowered him to the ground, she took notice of how her shoulder felt now that Ichigo was no longer on it. It felt like she had removed a heating pad. Ichigo was running a terrible fever. His whole body was burning up. She wiped his forehead with her sleeve and wrung it out. He was sweating so much, Rukia worried he would dehydrate. She didn't have any water on her so there was little she could do.
Ichigo opened his eyes and looked at her. "We have to go back... We have to help..."
"We're staying here," she said firmly.
"We can't just leave them."
"We already told you that Cedric is there taking care of them. You have nothing to worry about. Just stay put."
Ichigo didn't accept that. He couldn't abandon people. He couldn't run away when someone was in danger, even if it was someone he didn't know. It wasn't in him.
Though he was determined, his body betrayed him. His legs wouldn't move and his arms were too heavy to lift. He felt so weak. The fever alone made him feel sick. He knew he was in a bad way but he still wanted to fight.
There were two major problems preventing him from doing this. The first one was obvious: he was in no condition to fight with this drug coursing through his veins. The second reason he couldn't fight had to do with his lack of weaponry. Ichigo did not have his sword with him. He had surrendered it to Yagi when he met with him in that underground hiding place of his. He hadn't seen it since then. He felt incomplete without it. Most of all, he felt helpless. He didn't know how to use Kido, so the only other option was hand-to-hand combat. However, in his state, his punches would be too weak to do any damage at all.
Rukia kept a close eye on him, looking away every now and then to see if someone was outside. She didn't stick her head out the openings in the building because she didn't want to draw attention to their location. If Yagi saw her head peeking out, he would know where they were hiding.
Rukia sensed someone was nearby and drew her sword. "Stay here," she told Ichigo. If someone was out there, she had to make sure they didn't find Ichigo. She had to make herself a target to lure them away.
Standing outside the building was Yagi and he was alone. He wasn't even injured. Rukia was worried about Renji but she had to focus on Yagi for now and worry about her friend later.
"It would be so simple if you just gave me Ichigo. Then no one would get hurt."
Rukia pointed her sword at Yagi. "You say that, but we both know that's a lie. People will get hurt no matter what. You plan on using Ichigo to attack us. If we don't do as you say, you'll attack us. Either way we're going to get hurt."
Yagi smirked. "Clever girl, you are." He drew something that looked a lot like a sword from his belt. "But I would have hoped you would be clever enough to know that by giving in to my demands, you wouldn't suffer as much. Now you leave me little choice."
Rukia sprang into the air. She had to keep Yagi alive but she also had to keep him from reaching Ichigo. She didn't know what he was planning to do with him, but whatever it was, it wasn't good. Maybe she could tire him out or freeze him in place. She had to try something.
"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!" Rukia planned to freeze him where he stood. "Some no mai, Tsukishiro!"
The ground beneath Yagi started to glow and the temperature dropped. A pillar of ice shot straight up under his feet. Rukia thought she had captured him in the attack but he appeared just behind the ice pillar, unharmed. He managed to step away just in time. Rukia tried the attack a second time, but once again she missed her target. Yagi was too quick.
Now Yagi was on the offensive. He jumped to her level and swung his weapon. Rukia dodged it and struck back. Their blades clanged together violently.
"How can you hope to attack me when your heart isn't in it?" he asked her. He knew they were trying to refrain from inflicting mortal wounds, which naturally made it harder for them to fight him. "How someone as small as you became a Lieutenant is beyond me."
Yagi shoved Rukia back into the wall.
"And I mean that in both senses of the word. Your frame and your stunning lack of power."
Rukia kicked off from the wall and came at him in a frontal attack. Yagi easily stepped aside and kicked her in the spine as she passed him.
Ichigo could hear their fight from inside the broken walls. From the gaps in the poor structure, he could see glimpses of Rukia fighting. She wasn't able to hurt Yagi but he was landing hits on her. Ichigo knew she was holding back for his sake, but Ichigo didn't want that.
"She's going to get herself killed..." Ichigo didn't want anyone to die for him. He didn't approve of them holding back to keep Yagi alive for the sole purpose of curing him. Ichigo knew Yagi would never give it up even if they tortured him. It was a lost cause. All they were doing was limited themselves. If they didn't, then Yagi would be easier to defeat.
Then again, maybe not. Ichigo had trouble with Yagi himself. He got to be the Quincy leader for a reason. He must have been the strongest among them. Certainly the most cunning.
Knowing this, Ichigo knew that they didn't stand a chance holding back against Yagi. Even at full power, they needed help. His help. Ichigo couldn't let them fight this battle alone. He couldn't let them fight without him. He still had a score to settle with Yagi. He wasn't going to give up and certainly not before he drew blood from Yagi's lying body.
Through sheer will, Ichigo moved his arms. He managed to lift himself up and get his legs under him. Using the wall for support, Ichigo stood. His legs almost came out from under him, but he managed to stay standing. Walking was going to be the next challenge. He tried to take a step but he fell to one knee and sat bent on the mossy floor. He pulled himself back up and instead of stepping, he slid his foot across the floor. So far, so good.
The room started to spin. Ichigo clutched the wall and rested his forehead against the stone. The cold stone felt good on his burning flesh. He removed his head and started to move forward. Inch by inch, he slid further down the broken hallway. He looked back to see his progress. He had only moved about ten feet from where he was before, but he was proud of his accomplishment. It was something, considering how he shouldn't have been able to move at all. He kept going.
As he reached the steps leading to the next level, the room started to spin again. He stopped, trying to get his eyes to focus. It looked as if someone were dimming the lights on him, fading in and out. He could hear his body hit the steps but he couldn't feel it. His body had gone numb. Ichigo tried to will himself out of this state. It started to work. The lights came back on and he could feel the steps under his hands. He crawled up the stairs on his hands and knees. He was mindful of the holes in the floor and broken pieces of stairs. Taking the steps on his hands and knees was not only easier but safer. He didn't want to risk falling through one of those holes. It was slow going, but he was doing it.
Rukia cried out as Yagi kicked her in the stomach. She faced him with a battle cry and swung her sword again. She missed but flipped around in the air to avoid being hit again by her enemy. Yagi used his weapon to block her attack and sent her backwards.
"Tusgi no mai, Hakuren!"
Yagi avoided the blast aimed at his body and swung at Rukia's chest. She jumped back to avoid it.
Then something caught her eye. Spiky orange hair. She turned away from Yagi, hoping she was mistaken.
"Rukia!" Ichigo yelled, standing on the fifth floor where there was nothing to offer him cover. The walls of the fifth floor were missing and so was the ceiling. There was nothing there but a floor and even that looked ready to give way.
"What the hell are you doing?!" she yelled down to him. "Get the hell back inside!"
He was in no condition to fight anyone. Even a rabbit would pose a challenge to him. Ichigo could barely stand on his own two feet. He kept wobbling and swaying, holding onto the broken remains of the wall for support. He kept his head bowed, looking like he was ready to vomit again.
"Pay attention to me, girl," said Yagi. "Pay him no mind. I'll get to him in a moment."
Rukia faced him and fired a shard of ice at his head from the tip of her blade in anger. He easily dodged, showing no signs of fear. Yagi dashed forward and kicked Rukia in the stomach with his knee. She flew backwards with Yagi already pursuing her.
Ichigo saw this and moved closer to help. "Rukia." His vision wavered. He stood weakly, trying to maintain balance. He started to stagger, moving dangerously close to the edge of the building without realizing it. He managed to catch himself before going any closer and looked back at the fight. Lifting his head made him feel dizzy again and he fell to his knees.
Rukia used Kido to combat Yagi. She tried to bind him but her Kido would not reach. He was moving too much. Before she knew it, he was in her face and slashed at her with his sword-like weapon.
From below, Ichigo saw the attack happen and Rukia's sleeve open like a parting curtain, revealing her bare arm. Thinking she was sliced open, Ichigo jumped to his feet, desperate to help. "Ruki..."
Standing too fast had made his head spin. He wobbled, his vision fading again. He was so dizzy. He stepped, trying to maintain balance, and stepped over the edge of the building. His foot touched air and he plummeted straight down.
The moment Rukia caught sight of Ichigo falling straight down, Rukia froze. "Ichigo!" She should have never left him alone so close to stairs. She should have known he would try to climb them and get to higher ground. She should have known simply telling him to stay put would be pointless. Of course he would do it anyway. There was no stopping him. Leaving him in such a condition in a high place was foolish. She thought he wasn't able to move so she figured it would be alright. She should have taken into consideration the strength of his determination. He would push himself until it happened. "That idiot..!"
Yagi saw Ichigo fall and smiled. Rukia abandoned their fight and hurried to catch him. Yagi slammed into her from the side and sent her into the building so hard it started to crack on impact behind her. Rukia yelped in pain.
Ichigo hit the ground hard. Yagi saw the whole thing. He came over and observed Ichigo's condition. He was alive but unable to move.
Their eyes met.
Yagi smiled. "It appears you can't move."
Ichigo couldn't respond. He could only breathe, laying flat on his back in the dirt.
"I don't think it's from the fall. It's because you're still suppressing the transformation. Correct?" Yagi looked him over, amused. "It would be so much easier if you just let it happen. You wouldn't have to go through this pain. It's only a matter of time before your strength runs out. Then you'll have no choice. You're just killing yourself faster. You're wasting all your strength. Just look around, Ichigo. You in this state, fighting back... Your friends are trying to protect you because you're too weak to do it yourself. Are you really protecting them by holding back?"
Icigo hated to admit it, but Yagi was right. As a Hollow, he was a dangerous threat to them. Suppressing it and being himself, he was putting them out because he was in a weakened state and had to be protected. No matter what his friends would be in danger.
Yagi pointed his weapon at Ichigo's throat. "A bit of pain might do the trick. If I injure you, you might Hollowfy. I'm willing to try to trigger a transformation. Now don't move..." Yagi chuckled at his own joke. "Not that you could."
Move? He couldn't even speak. Ichigo was completely helpless.
He kept his eye on the weapon Yagi was raising. Just as he was about to use it, something tackled Yagi from the side and rolled away from Ichigo's vision.
Yagi felt two arms around his waist and a body pressed against his. Someone had tackled him, but who? Yagi hit the ground and felt someone turn him over and straddle him.
Crying out in anger, Veneno punched Yagi across the face. He held Yagi down with one hand and punched him with the other. The weight of his body on Yagi's made it impossible for him to roll over or get up. Veneno punched him again, hard. Yagi blocked his next strike with his arm. Veneno hit Yagi's arm so hard, it caused his hand to go backwards and into his jaw. Yagi blocked again with both hands and held Veneno's fist still.
Their eyes met. Veneno breathed blood-lust through his teeth. His eyes were filled with hatred. He intended to kill Yagi. He wanted to cause him as much harm as possible. He wouldn't let Yagi go without inflicting some kind of injury.
Yagi turned his wrist towards Veneno. At close range, he fired a single arrow. Veneno dodged by turning his body to the side. This is what Yagi wanted. With Veneno leaning to one side, it was easy for Yagi to push him off and get up.
"You're upset over nothing," Yagi told him. "I am not going to inject Ichigo again. Just poke the bear a little. If I get him agitated enough or inflict injury, it could cause him to Hollowfy. Which is what I want."
"It changes nothing," said Veneno. "Injecting him again or not doesn't matter to me. The damage is done."
Ichigo was already subjected to experimentation. That's what Veneno had issue with. Yagi had experimented on Ichigo. That was unforgivable. Veneno would never want such a fate for his dearest friend. Yagi was his enemy for that reason alone. No one put his friends through the hell he had to endure. No one.
Ichigo screamed and the air began to change around them. Spirit Energy surrounded Ichigo like electricity and exploded.
Veneno turned away from his enemy to look at his friend. "Ichigo!"
Ichigo's body had changed into his Hollow form and was already trying to get to his feet to finish what he started.
"Well," said Yagi smugly, "I guess I didn't have to do much to trigger it at all. Looks like he couldn't hold on a second longer."
Standing so close to Ichigo in this state put Yagi in danger as well. Ichigo's beastly form could not differentiate between friend and foe. Everyone was an enemy and everyone was a target. If Yagi stayed, he would become a target of Ichigo's unprovoked wrath.
"Ta." Yagi flashed away and kept going. Now that Ichigo had changed, there was nothing more Yagi needed to do. Ichigo would do everything for him while he remained somewhere safe.
Veneno backed up, sensing just how destructive Ichigo was. Rukia appeared beside him and asked if he was alright. "I'm fine," Veneno told her.
When Rukia examined him, she knew he was putting on a front. Veneno wasn't putting pressure on his left leg and his right was wobbling under his weight. Both his legs were damaged. She knew Veneno had been cut but those injuries were already on the mend. Being an Arrancar gave Veneno amazing healing ability but not all wounds were the same. Injury to the bone and inner organs took longer to heal. Flesh wounds would heal in minutes but his bones would take longer. He was in no condition to fight.
"What about the others?" Rukia asked him. "Did you see Renji?"
Veneno shook his head. "I didn't notice him." Though Veneno had to pass by where Yagi and Renji were fighting, he hadn't gone straight through that area. He took a different path to get here.
"And the others?"
Veneno didn't answer. Instead, he looked away to the path he had taken.
Being on his back made it harder for Ichigo to get to his feet but he managed to to roll onto his shoulder and pushed himself up from there. He was sluggish but still dangerous.
"We have to get out of here," said Rukia.
"I'm not leaving him-"
"You're too hurt to fight him," Rukia told Veneno. "Besides, there's nothing we can do until a cure is found. All we can do is distract him and keep him away from people. Other than that, there is nothing we can do."
He knew she was right, but he still didn't want to leave his friend. Neither of them did, but someone had to take charge and pull the other away. That responsibility fell to Rukia. She helped drag Veneno away from Ichigo before he caught sight of them and attacked.
Further away she found Cedric carrying Renji in his arms. He was still alive and conscious. He was badly injured but he would live. Rukia was about to ask about the other two Soul Reapers when she heard moaning. They appeared stumbling behind Cedric like a couple of zombies. Their eyes were glowing yellow like those of a Hollow.
"Is this why you didn't answer when I asked you?" Rukia scolded Veneno.
He didn't look ashamed but he did apologize. "They were hurt and there was no way they would heal in time and we couldn't transport them back in their condition. So I might have turned them into Hollow Reapers to give them a speedy healing ability. Sue me."
Veneno still possessed the power to infect those he touched with a bizarre virus that would cause them to Hollowfy at a slow pace. They weren't true Hollows and most lacked any intellect so they were more like zombies with Hollow powers when they were first infected. Over time, the infection would advance and the infected would become more Hollow-like and very strong. Veneno could chose when and who to infect and he could just as easily remove the infection. He had promised not to use it again unless the situation called for it and he had to cure the people he infected. So far, Veneno had kept to those terms.
He had once infected nearly all of the Seireitei so Rukia knew how dangerous it could be. It also seemed that the Hollow Reapers could then infect other people they touched, spreading the virus to many others. However, once Veneno was revived, his infection seemed to have changed. It mutated so that only Veneno could infect people rather than him and everyone he infected. No one was sure why this was, but it made his infection less frightening. Rukia even wanted to ask Veneno if this was by choice and that he could control if the victims were contagious or not, or just a mutation as a result of his revival. No one could explain why this was. Mayuri had wanted to run some additional tests to see why this had occurred but upon Veneno being grated freedom, Mayuri was forbidden to do any further tests or experiments on Veneno. The Arrancar's freedom to go where he pleased without confrontation included freedom from Mayuri and his experiments.
Veneno removed the infection from the two Soul Reapers and they returned to normal, woozy but unharmed. Their injuries were healed and they were able to make the journey back to the Seireitei on their own. There was still argument over leaving Ichigo alone, but the Soul Reapers gave them the bottom line.
"Our orders were to observe Kurosaki's condition and report back. That was it. We were not given permission to engage or do anything else. We have to follow orders. We were not told to do anything else and therefore shouldn't. Besides, we have to report back as soon as possible or there will be consequences. We already have a Lieutenant down and no means to restrain Kurosaki. There is nothing more we can do here."
"We must go back."
Rukia looked at Renji and at Veneno barely standing. Neither of them could continue. They needed rest and medical attention. She tried to convince Veneno to leave with them and after a while, Veneno agreed. He hitched a ride on Cedric's back and they raced back to the Seireitei, Ichigo's roars at their backs.
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