Hidden Hollow

Chapter 17

"Getsuga Tensho!" An arc of black energy shot towards the hollow which jumped onto one of the nearby buildings to get out of the way. It lashed one of his tentacles towards him and a spiraling flow of water gushed from it. Ichigo easily dodged out of the way, watching as the water froze when it contacted the ground. Just like Hyourinmaru. If there had been any doubt there was none now. Toshiro had definitely fought the hollow and lost, allowing it to now possess his spiritual pressure, but where was the captain? Was he dead? Ichigo used his speed to close chopping off two more tentacles before the creature retreated.

Soi Fon took a moment to nod to him before she followed after it. Why had it come after him? It hadn't sought out any of the others. Had he just happened to be near it? Or was it hunting him? Ichigo went home meeting up with Kon a few blocks before his house. Once inside he could see that there was a bit of a panic going on in the clinic. He peered in to see if there was any way he could help.

"He's stabilizing again, I think we're in the clear," his father was saying. Ichigo noted the relief on the faces of his family members.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, everything's fine now," Isshin said. "His vitals dropped again a few minutes ago but he's stabilizing. I'll just keep an eye on him to make sure everything is okay. Can't be too careful right?" Ichigo could tell that his dad was rambling but he didn't say anything. Just nodded his head and ducked out. He hoped this wasn't a precursor to the boy's death. He knew that both Karin and his dad had worked hard to save him. It would be bad if he died now.

Ichigo sequestered himself in his room and began working on homework. He kept Kon's pill in his pocket just in case. He joined his family briefly for dinner before returning to his room to finish. After a quiet evening he settled in to bed. Dreams filled his mind, normal enough at first but then they shifted. He was fighting the hollow again though its number of tentacles had multiplied insanely. Thousands of them whipped through the air lashing out at him and trying to skewer him to place their reiatsu draining pods. He felt so tired, so utterly weary, his arms like lead as he continued to attack.

Then he felt Toshiro's presence, the cold coming from somewhere in front of him. His eyes located the captain of squad ten entangled in the forest of tentacles. Blood ran from a multitude of wounds and his skin was deathly pale.

Will you kill him little soul reaper? Will you cut his throat with your own hands? The voice seemed to emanate from all around him and he couldn't place it, but he knew it was the hollow taunting him.

"No!" he screamed in defiance slashing with renewed vigor to try and reach the captain.

Kill me and he dies, let me live and you prolong his death. How will you save him? Mocking laughter filled the edges of his awareness as he struggled forward the forest of writhing brown always regenerating faster than he could cut it down.

"Toshiro!" A hand twitched, eyelids fluttered.

"Kurosaki," came the whispered reply. "Help..." Toshiro's breathing became too ragged for words after that. Ichigo struggled forward again reaching out for the captain. In his bedroom his eyes shot open, his arms and legs were tangled in the coil of his blankets. He was gasping for breath one arm reaching upward as if to grab someone free. A dream, he realized; but something didn't feel right. Ichigo worked on freeing himself from his blankets trying to probe with his senses to determine what was going on.

In the silence of night he could faintly hear noise from downstairs. Either something was going on in the clinic or they had uninvited guests. He glanced out the window and saw the gathering storm clouds in the distance. That was when he also connected that he could feel Toshiro's spiritual pressure. What was going on? He picked up Kon's pill and popped it in his mouth, then watched as Kon's head swiveled around looking for danger.

"Oh we're in your room."

"Yeah, I need to go check on somethings so get in bed."

"Where's Rukia?" Ichigo's glower deepened.

"I don't know and it doesn't matter, because you're going to be staying right here." Kon shrank back.

"R-right, of course I am." He scooted up into the bed and Ichigo waited a moment longer to make sure his point had gotten across before running through the door. He jumped down the hallway hurrying to the clinic. The lights were on and he could hear his dad speaking authoritatively. He slipped in through the wall so he wouldn't be in their way but would at least be able to see what was going on.