The chapters might be short for a while because I have a crazy kitty that loves to sit on my keyboard, but I'll try to get done at least 1,000 words. Anyway, here is the next chapter!


27

Recap: Ichigo narrowed his already scowling eyes at the man and said, "I don't know who you are, but get off that bed."

Tenebris made a confused expression. "Um...I'm pretty sure he just said his name, Ichi..." She then looked down at the food. "Is the chips bad or something?"

Shiro chuckled, "No, I think you just hit him in the head a little too hard." Tenebris scoffed.

"He was asking for that one. Besides, he was hit way worse and didn't lose brain cells."

"Maybe we're just now seeing the effects of all the damage his head took for the past couple of years," said Uryu with a smug smirk.

"Good point," replied Tenebris cheerfully.

"Will you both shut up!?" shouted Ichigo.

Tenebris looked Ichigo in the eyes and said, "Worry less about us and more about the enemy."

"Pardon me, but could you repeat what you said," requested the arrancar. But instead of getting an answer, Shiro introduced him to his clawed foot.

"No!" the hollow zanpakuto shouted rudely as Ebern was kicked out the open window. Tenebris had to act fast or else Shiro would have sent the arrancar through the window and broken it. She didn't want Ichigo to have to pay for something like that again when he just did it yesterday after their father did his morning greeting.

"Ichigo, what is with all the noise up there?" Yuzu's voice called out from downstairs, but everyone ignored her, much to Tenebris' annoyance.

'Since when did everybody become so rude?' she thought. "You better answer the girl, Ichi…" she said with a hint of a growl sounding throughout the air. Ichigo looked at her with a nervous expression.

"I will," he said. "Hey Shiro, you want him?" he asked while pointing out the window.

Shiro shrugged his shoulders. "Sure, why not? I've been itching for a fight for a while. That thing with the plant didn't count." He then hopped onto the ledge and jumped out to follow after his prey.

Tenebris turned to Ichigo again. "You going to explain what happened to our sisters now? They probably think you're making a mess up here."

Ichigo scratched the back of his head and sighed, "Yeah, yeah…I'll go tell them that it was nothing they had to worry about." He left the room, bypassing the two newbie shinigami who were holding onto each other in fear of seeing a powerful hollow just pop out of nowhere.

Tenebris rolled her eyes. "You two can calm down now. Shiro will have him dead soon." Just as the words left her mouth, a huge explosion roared loudly as its light lit up the whole sky. Good thing that was all caused by spiritual power, or else that would have been all over the news.

Everyone turned their head to look out the window, but Shiro was blocking the view. They can see in his eyes he was disappointed.

"How did it go?" asked Tenebris.

"He was pathetic," Shiro replied with a snarl. "He was going on and on about how he was going to steal King's Bankai after he was done with me. Ha! He thought he could win?"

"Steal, Ichi's Bankai? Do you mind retelling everything that happened?"

Shiro shrugged his shoulder again. "Sure."

After Shiro jumped out the window, he found Ebern kneeling on the ground while holding his face in pain. 'If that hurt him, then this is going to be too easy.'

"Oi!" Shiro called down to the arrancar, who looked up with a glare. "We going to fight or what?"

"I'm not here to fight you, hollow. I'm after Ichigo Kurosaki."

"Yeah, well, you'll have to get passed me first if you want to get to him."

Ebern smirked, "Alright then, once I'm through with you, I'll be able to take away his bankai."

Shiro raised an eyebrow at this statement. Did this arrancar not know that he was King's zanpakuto? Shiro decided it wasn't worth thinking about. He summoned his sword and the two began the dance of steel and sparks… or at least that was what was supposed to happen!

Instead of pulling out a zanpakuto, like a normal arrancar, Ebern pulled out a quincy cross. Shiro stared, watching as a giant bow with spikes jutting out of it appeared before the arrancar, who then began firing arrowed at him.

Shiro just sat there as the arrow hit him, but broke upon contact. The arrancar looked at him in shock, but Shiro was just done now. He lifted his zanpakuto, charging his attack. "Getsuga Tensho!"

The energy beam shot toward Ebern, who didn't have time to move. The attack hit its mark, causing a huge explosion. As the light died down, Shiro saw nothing left of the arrancar, so he decided to return to King's house.

"..." Tenebris, Ichigo, who returned in time to hear the beginning of the story, Uryu, and Chad stared blankly at the hollow before them.

"You're right, that was pathetic," said Ichigo and Tenebris at the same time.

"What I don't get is why did he have a quincy cross?" asked Uryu. "He's an Arrancar."

"Wait…What year is it?" Tenebris asked.

Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "Why does that matter?"

Uryu's eyes widened in realization. "The King…" he muttered, but only Ichigo, Tenerbis, Shiro, and Chad heard him, the other two shinigami were staying far from them.

Tenebris nodded her head to confirm her thoughts, making Shiro and Ichigo realize what they were talking about. They remembered what old man Zanetsu would tell them about the king of the quincies. It would be around now that he would be back. Chad was the only one confused.

"Who is…" Chad began to say, but then a Soul Pager started ringing. They looked over to Yuki, who was blushing and slowly pulling out the cell phone.

"Sorry, I have to take this," said Yuki as he pushed the answer button. "Hello?" There was a short pause, no one but Yuki hearing what was being said on the other end of the call. However, whatever was being said wasn't good. Yuki's face paled and his eyes widened in horror. "I-I see…we'll be right there…" He hung up and dropped his hand.

Tenebris tilted her head and asked, "What's wrong?"

"The vice-captain of squid 1, Chojiro, was murdered within the head-captains office by an unknown enemy," replied Yuki. Tenebris remembered who that was, but everyone else seemed like they didn't. She could see their confused expressions, trying to remember who this Chojiro was.

{He was one of the guys you knocked out when we went to rescue Rukia. You know, the white-heard one?} Tenebris said and even sent a mental picture to her soul sibling. Ichigo's face showed that he recognized the person, but still didn't really know the guy, which was understandable, since none of them really spoke to him, let alone see him.

"We have to go back," said Yuki, waving his hand to his friend to show she needed to go too.

"Alright, you guys be careful," said Tenebris as the two shinigami jumped out of their gigai and opened a gate back to the Soul Society.

Once the two were gone, Tenebris turned to the others. "How much you're willing to bet that it was quincies that attacked and killed that guy?" she said.

Uyru shook his head. "No contest. I know it was them."

Ichigo looked thoughtful for a second before he said, "Old man, is he back now?"

Tenebris had to listen in through their mind-link to hear the reply. "Yes, it's been nine years since he stole your mother's power. So the time fits."

"Alright," said Tenebris. "Looks like we're doomed."

TBC


I tried to get more of this chapter done, but it just wasn't happening. Ryuu, my 13-week-old kitten, wouldn't let me. He sees my keyboard as a toy… :(

Shiro: That sucks.

Ichi: It won't be forever. At least you got something out, right?

Enj/Dark: Yeah, but it wasn't easy. Anyway, please review! ;)