Heroes

Chapter Forty-Seven

Tessai frowned. "That's the unique part. He's fighting himself."

It was Babs' turn to freak. "What? How can you fight yourself?"

Tessai motioned to the gorge. "We've cut his Soul Chain, meaning he can no longer go into his physical body and wil have to live in a gigai from now on. Without this Chain, he will die. And right now, the Chain is eating itself. Ichigo could die soon if he does not defeat himself within the next two hours." He paused. "Well, to be more correct, he'll turn into a Hollow. Once he transforms completely, if he does, we'll have to kill him."

Tara grabbed Tessai's sleeve. "Why do you have to do it that way? Why couldn't he be stabbed like we were? Why could he die?"

Tessai sighed. "Because you can only be transformed that way once. And when Captain Kuchiki severed his chains, this was the only way to restore him to his full power again. Also, I feel this child is special. I think this is the way to go with him; he can reach his full potential this way." He guided us to the edge of the sink and told us to sit. "Observe, for this could be the last time you see your beloved friend."

We peered in, Tara looking like she was about to cry. I pulled her in to a hug as we looked down the hole.

"He'll be fine," I consoled, "just don't freak out when you see what he looks like when he comes out. It'll crush him."

She sniffed, nodding. I turned my head back to the dark hole. Down there I could see Ichigo writhing in pain, struggling to move. It was a sad sight, and a bit terrifying. I wanted so badly to go down there and help him out, but I knew I'd die in the process. So I was forced to watch him suffer.

After a half-hour or so, I saw the white, paste-like material begin to form on his face.

"Kisuke," I said emotionlessly, "it's beginning."

The man simply nodded.

We watched for the next hour as he writhed and tangled and contorted, each movement making the paste expand, eventually to the point of swallowing his face completely in a mask.

"He's transforming!" Tessai said, and called out: "Ban-Kin-Tai-Ho!"

Ichigo became wrapped as the plaster spread to his chest and creating the infamous Hollow hole. His entire body was covered in the wrapping of Tessai's spell unti lchigo's face suddenly burst from it, looking straight up at us, but he didn't seem to actually see us.

Tessai finished his spell and a gigantic block appeared over the chasm. With a grunt the man sent it flying down to barricade the boy that was transforming, transforming quickly.

"Woah!" Jinta screamed from behind us. "The heck--?"

A burst of smoke exploded from the pit, knocking us back a few feet. I felt the rocks and dirty grind against me as I slid, and covered my face with an "X" made by my arms. Once I stopped I climbed to my feet and stared ahead.

There was a figure, assumably Ichigo. He was wearing a shihakusho with a zanpaku-to and everything. There was a white cloth thrown around his shoulder with arrow-like objects through it. His face was completely covered in the white mask, and you couldn't tell exactly what he was.

Jinta took out his mallet, brandishing it. "Hey! Just what are you?!" He tensed as the figure too out his zanpaku-to that was covered in cloth. But what he did next surprised everyone.

He took the handle of the blade and shoved it in his face, smashing the plaster mask. The remains of it he harshly pried off, leaving the perfectly fine human face of our beloved Strawbery. A small portion of his Hollow mask remained on the side of his head, but he disregarded it.

"Good job, Ichigo!" Kisuke said, clapping the best he could with fan in hand. "I'm happy you survived!"

Ichigo jabbed Kisuke with the hilt of his zanpaku-to, causting the man to wither in pain. "You freaking idiot, making me do that. Never again. Can't believe you put me through all that hell."

Tara ran up and tackled Ichigo, raining kisses--coupled with tears--all over his face. "Jesus..." she panted, hugging him tightly, "you're okay, you're okay, you're okay!"

He put a comforting hand to her head. "Of course I am, stupid. I'll always come back to meet you," he whispered to his girlfriend.

Kisuke crouched beside the happy couple. "Um," he said, shielding his face with his green-and-white-striped fan, "I don't mean to interrupt this cute moment, but you do have more work to do, Mr. Kurosaki."

Ichigo sent a flying middle finger to the shop owner's face. "We'll do it tomorrow, okay? Right now I need some rest...." He flipped over the pair and picked Tara up into his arms. "If you need us, wait 'till you see us. Don't come looking." He carried her away before anyone could let out a sentence to protest, obvioulsy on purpose.

She squealed but didn't protest, allowing herself to be carried. I sent her an excited thumbs-up when she looked at me slightly worriedly. She seemed to sweatdrop a bit before turning back to her boyfriend as the two exited the subterranean training grounds.

Kisuke made a move to stop them, but I made him halt. "They're lovesick; just let them be for a while."

The shopkeeper shrugged. "That makes his training tomorrow twice as hard; we have to be in the Seireitei in a certain amount of time if Ichigo plans on rescuing Rukia."

I nodded. "It's gonna work out, Kisuke, don't worry about that. For now we can just focus on Babs and I, I guess."

He didn't look hopeful, but was really left with no option. "Alright, let's start."

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Okay...there's some good and bad news.

The good news is, new chapter! Sorry it's a bit late, but ya know...busy. (Translation: woke up at noon.)

Bad news...I'll make a list:

a) I now have no pre-written material. Therefore I'll have to write the chapter each week during the week.

b) Considering I have no time as of late, there might be a new pattern of OC-rambling, chapter, each week. I apologize but it's either that or a chapter every other week. That's the way the cheese rolls. Sorry.

So, that's the way it's gonna work. There's nothing really I can do about it...and this will continue until...mid-May-ish. Again, I apologize, but that's life. I'm sure none of you will go into a stroke over this anyway :)

If you do I love you and my spirit will be with you in the ER <3

-Maycee-chan~