Not only have I've frozen, but Ichigo as well. Grinning, the Hollow begin to taunt Ichigo.
"You're surprised. I did say I don't remember as far back as six years. So why is it that I could create your mother's body like this? You have to know the reason, right? That's what your face is saying. Hahaha!"
"You..."
"You didn't realize yet? When I attacked you, I only used this hand."
The Hollow hold up his left claw.
"With these claws, I looked into your memories! With this hand, I peek into an enemy's memory. I search for the one thing he can't cut more than anything. And then, with this hand, I create a thing similar to that!
Even the most cool-headed soul reaper have a person whom they could never cut. That is inevitable. By rotting out that, I've swept aside many soul reapers up till now. And for you, that person ought to be her."
"Isn't that right?" the fake talks.
I cover my mouth to keep myself from getting sick. It sounds just like her.
"Ichigo..." the fake smiles.
"Hehehe... What's wrong?! Just by having your name called, you already can't move!"
"You..."
"Hmm?"
"Don't you understand what you're doing now?"
Ichigo holds his sword straight up into the air, about to strike down.
"This isn't the kind of place to bring my mother's form into!"
Before he could move, the fake gets right in his face.
"Don't, Ichigo! Sheath the sword! Please... Don't cut your mother."
Something jets out from Grand Fisher's fur, and strikes right through the fake, as well as Ichigo's shoulder.
Ichigo!
"I've told you. Anger can dull the blade. It's over, boy! Out of all those I've encountered, you were the youngest, the most thoughtless, and the most weakest soul reaper of all!"
A blade finds it's way through Grand Fisher's shoulder as well.
"...Ichigo..."
"I finally...caught you...! "Anger can dull the blade", huh? ...That may be so... But, you know, Grand Fisher, you've made one mistake. To defeat a bastard like you, that dulled blade is enough!"
"..."
"It's over, Fisher! Out of all those I've encountered, you were the oldest, the filthiest, the lowest, and the most irritating Hollow of all!"
Ichigo gets his blade free by slicing it right out of Grand Fisher's body.
"AAAAHHHHH! My arm! My body!"
The Hollow's arm was on the ground, laying limp. He falls to the ground, wounded.
"Ichigo!"
Rukia steps out of the woods as it begins to rain. She woke up faster than I expected.
"You're late..." Ichigo sends a little smile her way. "I've already cleaned it all up..."
"Fool... You were the one who said not to interfere."
"...Right...I forgot..."
Wait...
I look back to see the Hollow was gone. Stepping out from behind my hiding place, I call out.
"Ichigo, behind you!"
Grand Fisher's sneak attack would have succeed if I haven't warn him. Ichigo successfully jumps out of the way, but what the Hollow did next shocked all of us. It processes to retract it's body into the fake.
"Hehe... Boy, you asked me when you first saw my form...if my "lure" was a "part" of me? In other words, you asked, "Are you the real body?" I'll answer that question... The answer is no! Both are my real body!"
He's using mom's body... Her voice too... Hear it being used like this...is making me sick.
"If one part is injured, then I jump to the other! And with me now in this body, there's no way you can cut me!"
"You...!"
"Ichigo, stop!" Rukia shouts. "This is reckless!"
"That's right! Stop it! A beast with developed vision is always controlled by that vision! Yes, even though you know who I am on the inside, you can't cut me while I'm in your mother's form! And!"
The Hollow leaps up high into the air, getting away.
"Even if you cut me, you can't follow me in that state!"
"Wait!"
I run up and grab a hold of my brother.
"Don't Ichigo! You're badly injured! You can't fight him anymore! This fight is...over."
"...Not yet...! He's still not dead! I can still fight!"
"Ichi-"
My brother suddenly falls limp in my arms.
"Ichigo!"
Rukia helps me lay him down. I take a hold of his hand, beyond scared.
"Ichigo...please... Wake up."
"Don't not worry."
I look up to see Rukia with a small smile on her face.
"A soul reaper's life force is their amount of spiritual energy. To not die from these wounds... This idiot's strength is quite something..."
I look back down at him with my mind a little bit lighter.
"..."
I'm glad he'll be okay.