Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Hollow Charm ❯ TOMARIMAS JIKAN ( Chapter 20 )

Tite Kubo owns Bleach. I respectfully borrowed the characters and some of the locations.

 

 

TOMARIMAS JIKAN

 

“Can't you let this go `til later,” Ichigo yelled at his Hollow. Moments ago he'd been hugging Orihime with a sense of relief that she was safe and gratitude that she returned his feelings. When he was happiest he'd been drawn back here, to this place where he had to fight to survive. He was used to the fight for survival but it became increasingly frustrating that whenever he saw Orihime he nearly always ended up struggling for supremacy. Did the universe hate him so much that he would never be allowed to experience some peace?

 

The Hollow stretched his lips wide in a parody of a friendly smile. “Oh, that hurts, Kingy. We both want the girl but you don't let me have any time with her. Scared that she'll realise that you're so flawed, eh?”

 

The last sentence was too near the truth and Ichigo swallowed hard. It wasn't that he saw it as a flaw. It was much more than that.

 

The existence of the Hollow proved that he was a carrier of corruption. It was a disease that affected his life and poisoned everything good. The longer he associated with the Hollow, the less likely he would be able to recover from its taint and he would remain with the cancer inside, growing stronger while it sullied him a little more every day of its existence. He had fought and attempted to kill it so many times but while it seemed to be defeated it would always resurface, stronger and more virulent than before and each time his hatred increased.

 

The marriage proposal had been a spur of the moment decision and now he faced his enemy he knew it was a mistake. He couldn't marry Orihime, or anyone, while he carried this…., this thing inside. A canker that spread and defiled anything it touched might reach past him and reach to encompass her in its foul influence. No matter how he tried to protect her, she would be exposed to the infection. He'd already changed her by inflicting those powers on her. Without them she would not be here, would never have gone to the Seireitei and accepted the charm. She would be living in the human world, unheeding of the dark side, the Hollows and danger. Her sweetness would not need to be soured by the bitterness and fear that was an automatic response to the presence of the Arrancar, or she might be dead from the attack which originally forced her powers to manifest.

 

Would he have been able to keep her from this and keep her alive?

 

Even as he cursed this effect, he wondered why he had a savage recognition that nothing he'd done would change the outcome. There were deeper workings here than his reception of the powers of a Shinigami and the desires of a ruthless, power hungry sadist. He tried to delve into the reason for this belief but hit a blank area in his mind that merely reflected his fears back at him, amplifying their strength. It had to be this way and that wasn't right. Something or someone seemed to be tugging at his fate lines strongly, for motives he didn't understand.

 

“Hit the mark with that comment, didn't I?” The Hollow said with sly satisfaction. “How would she react if she saw me, really saw me? I'm part of you. I exist and that flaws you.” Crooning the words, he moved closer to Ichigo and stared at him with those black eyes that seemed to hide more than they revealed.

 

Roughly Ichigo pushed him back and swore. “Why would she want to see you? How could she?”

 

“When you fight, one day you'll forget and she'll see me. She knows about me because you told her, but soon she will see me,” the Hollow assured him, reminding how he relied on the other's strength and ability when fighting. The vizard had taught him that much, but he still had not learned enough to sublimate the creature within him to his will.

 

He felt the determination of the Hollow spill over him as he tried to pretend that the increase of its power didn't scare him. A burning feeling in his pocket made him drew his attention to the charm. The charm had been no problem for such a short period. Now it seemed to grow stronger in power and that was a facet of the thing he wanted to disappear.

 

“Nel swallowed it,” he said quietly to himself as he recognised the sensation.

 

“But I influenced her to return it. Clever, eh? She thought it would help you, Kingy. I whispered in her mind that you needed it to win. But I need it,” the chilling snigger didn't help his equilibrium. The voice the Hollow was using was oddly familiar, but the tone and timbre of the voice unsettled him and made it difficult to identify. The voice sounded almost extremely familiar, but not quite. His voice in a different pitch, with an echo of another lying just below the surface. “And the pretty girl will see me if you ever have the guts to use our mask.”

 

What could he do? From his prior experience he knew that he would only be released from this place when it was convenient for Zangetsu, or he'd learnt the necessary message. Now, he wasn't sure but he thought the only way he'd obtain his freedom this time was if he managed to overcome the Hollow, or was defeated in turn.

 

“So,” he said swallowing his rising fear. “What is it this time? You don't seem interested in fighting with swords. Do you want to fight with words? We insult each other until one of us cries? Fine. You have no fashion sense. Your tongue looks like a particularly ugly tentacle.”

 

“Ooooh, Kingy; as fun as that sounds I want to fight you with blades and slice you until I become the King. If you cry when I win, the salt of your tears will make my victory that much sweeter. He, he, he, he,” the high pitched cackle of laughter made Ichigo's shoulders tense. He really hated hearing that mockery of his voice cackle.

 

“Not claiming you're going to kill me? You wanted me dead and gone a few minutes ago,” Ichigo felt an increasing reluctance to fight.

 

“It will be much more fun to have you as my horse. Dead horses don't carry Kings and flogging a dead horse sounds sort of like an accepted degeneracy,” the Hollow smiled. “When I claim the girl, I'll hear both of you scream at the same time. That's what I want to hear. A double scream of despair and defeat from two throats that recognise the futility of continued fighting. She'll be sweet and innocent and in an instant she'll become what I make her.”

 

Ichigo swallowed again, almost gagging on the hatred he felt growing within him. Trying to pretend a bravado he didn't feel he said with defiance, “It's a fight you want. Let's get to it then.”

 

“The stakes are higher this time. Do you know what you're fighting for?” the voice sounded more like Zangetsu's than the Hollow's shrill tones. Ichigo didn't want to acknowledge that.

 

“Control; it's always about who will be the master,” Ichigo replied automatically. The fact that the Hollow had asked the question alerted him to the possibility that there might be an additional factor but he wanted to answer quickly. He wanted this over and done with now. Spending more time in this place with the degraded copy of himself made his blood cool. He wouldn't learn anything except how to hate and he already knew how to do that. Ever since his mother had died he'd hated the creature that had taken her from the family. Now he knew who had killed her, he had focused his hatred on Grand Fisher, but there were so many other people worthy of his hatred. The one time he'd tried to kill that Hollow he had failed and he wanted another chance to face him down and win.

 

Aizen, Tosen, Ichimaru, his Hollow, the Arrancar, the list of the people he hated seemed to increase with every day that passed. It was easy to hide the hatred from others; he often hid the difficult emotions or those over which he had the least influence.

 

When he spent time with Orihime he remembered that there was more than the hatred. Her presence made it possible for him to put aside the memory of all the people who had slighted him, fought him, ridiculed him and caused his family to become so fractured. She reminded him instead of the ones who had shown him compassion, friendship and courtesy. The more he realised it, the less stupid his idea to propose to her became. If he could have her always in his life, her humble influence would open his mind to the ideas that made life more pleasurable instead of the self loathing and distrust that accompanied hate.

 

“Fooling yourself that the girl will bring you redemption? That's why you want to marry her, isn't it? Hoping her purity will counteract your imperfection. Nice idea, but it won't work,” the dismissive words in part reflected some of Ichigo's hopes. Feeling the bile rise in the back of his throat as yet another chance was removed, his rage expanded.

 

“What did you do? Swallow a sodding dictionary?” he yelled at the Hollow, trying to deflect his attention from how correct he was with his observations.

 

“Nah. Got bored while waiting for you to do something and I listened to that Ishida guy,” the Hollow sniggered. “He's got you to rights, hasn't he? You don't fool him at all. He sees you for what you are. Got to admire a freak with that much pride in what he is. I like how he won't take any shit from you, but can make you look bad by pointing out the obvious.” The annoying sniggering continued as the creature leant on his zanpakuto.

 

In an attempt to get the experience over with, Ichigo asked, “So why am I here this time?” He tried to sound as if he didn't care, but the thread of tension was evident in his tone.

 

“Why are you ever here?” the dark rich tones of Zangetsu made him turn in the direction of the voice. “You are here to prove that you are worthy to wield me and share my power. If you wish to marry, you will need to be even stronger because while you try to protect your friends, trying to protect your love and your wife will make you vulnerable. I cannot permit the marriage if you prove too weak to fulfil that need.”

 

His big mouth had got him into more trouble. If only he had waited, but seeing Orihime glowing with power and her face shining with joy to see him had made it almost impossible to resist the impulse to propose.

 

It was all Rukia and Renji's fault. If they hadn't been carrying on like they had he wouldn't have given into the impulse. Kissing, looking happy, planning the wedding when they weren't fighting an enemy or each other. Couldn't those two keep their hands on the handle of their katana's rather than touching each other, or holding hands, or whatever it was they were doing. They had no self control, that was the problem and their example had affected him.

 

“Can't this wait? There's Arrancar out there waiting to fight me,” his protest was not as strong as he would like, but he wouldn't submit weakly to yet another contest where he had to prove himself.

 

“You don't choose the time,” Zangetsu sounded cool and the reflection of his glasses concealed his eyes, not that Ichigo ever had much success trying to read what the spirit was feeling. “The time chooses you and now you have the time to prove that you are worthy of my assistance.”

 

“Arh, come on old man Zangetsu. You know he's not. He keeps stuffing up and making mistakes like any kid loser. I don't know why you bother with him,” the Hollow said. He flicked a spiteful smile at Ichigo and then looked pleadingly at the man standing on the pole. “He's only using you.”

 

Zangetsu cocked his head slightly to one side and regarded the Hollow. “And you wouldn't I suppose? You are so much more honourable than the callow youth, are you?” The man smiled but Ichigo didn't see the joke and even the Hollow looked slightly confused.

 

There was a layer of meaning under the words, but Ichigo couldn't work out what the man was hinting at. It reminded him of Urahara and the times he had given oblique answers to questions. It appeared that both Zangetsu and Hat and Clogs thought it was important that he work out the answers himself, even if he did eventually arrive at the wrong conclusion.

 

For example the one time he had raised the problem of the Hollow with the shopkeeper, he'd quickly changed the subject to one of sushi preferences. After admitting that he liked both wasabe and mayonnaise on his sushi, the conversation never returned to his question. As he opened his mouth to ask the same question, the man then started a bizarre conversation about karaoke and the song `Stairway to Heaven'. Remembering that incident with his father while under the influence of the charm, Ichigo tried to think of a way of deflecting the man's attention and he found he was buying strange sweets for his sisters as well as styptic and some moisturiser to make him focus on something else. The moisturiser bore the slogan: `For the Shinigami on the go.' For some reason that appealed to him and he bought it without even considering the question of why a soul would need to moisturise its' skin.

 

He thought he had the styptic in his pocket which might be useful, the way things were happening. The white copy of himself seemed to be drawing closer and then he waggled his blade in Ichigo's face.

 

“Had enough time to try to put this off? I want to claim my rightful role, Kingy and make you my horse. Then you'll have to do what I tell you.” His black eyes glittered within his white face and the eagerness to take over made Ichigo fell a mite unsteady.

 

He knew why he was experiencing this reluctance. As he had the charm in his pocket, as all events had pointed to the increased power the Hollow had in this environment, he feared failure more than ever before. If the Hollow had control, the chance that he would be permitted to challenge him were slim to non-existent.

 

“Fear makes you weak,” Zangetsu's voice was a breath in his ear. “Your body thrums with fear and I can sense it. So will your enemy. Remember what Urahara taught you about fear.”

 

Nodding Ichigo grasped his zanpakuto by the handle and prepared to battle. Taking deep breaths, he tried to calm his emotions so that he at least presented a calm façade. Too much rested on the outcome of this battle and allowing fear to dictate or influence his actions would decide how it would end. He would lose if he didn't retain his focus and put all the other thoughts aside. He couldn't lose; he wouldn't lose to his Hollow. He'd win, fight the Arrancar and return home with his friends and Orihime. Let the Shinigami defeat Aizen and the others. He'd only been drawn into this fight because of Orihime's abduction and the subtle influence of his enemy within. The Gotei 13 had shown their true colours when the old man had withdrawn his troops from the human world after the abduction and his callous disregard for her safety had only distanced Ichigo further. Hearing how Rukia and Renji had disregarded direct orders and left the Seireitei to journey to Hueco Mundo only served to strengthen his disenchantment.

 

He didn't feel that way about the Vizard. This was not their fight and they had shown a complete lack of interest in the outcome. Why would people who were treated as outlaws want to help the society that had exiled them? Wouldn't they side with the enemy if they held the belief that the enemy of their enemy was their friend? Or would they remain aloof and just watch the outcome, joining in at the last minute on the winning side. From history he knew a few countries had done that during wars and it seemed sort of sneaky and underhanded, but maybe there were reasons. Earlier betrayal led to a response of ambivalence and hesitation, no matter how many overtures of friendship had been made.

 

Zangetsu was speaking and Ichigo ceased his idle speculation. Why he let his mind wander he didn't know. It could be a reaction to all the strange events and experiences.

 

“This time I have evenly divided my powers between you. As you fight, the one who shows the most amount of skill will be granted more of my strength which will be taken incrementally from your opponent. It's important to strike hard and early because that is how fights normally proceed.”

 

Hearing this caused Ichigo to swallow hard. The first blow could decide the fight and left little room for error or hesitation. “But I've still got the charm,” he argued, realising that this gave him a disadvantage from the beginning.

 

“That was your choice to bring it with you. You could have handed it over to Rukia as she suggested, or left it with Captain Ukitake or your father,” Zangetsu said heavily.

 

“It wasn't my choice.” Now here was an example of how this was unfair from the beginning. Undue influence had made him bring the charm and now he had to fight while the Hollow could draw on its power to defeat him. Wouldn't the old guy see that?

 

“The imbalance may be redressed, but I cannot intercede,” Zangetsu said. His voice didn't indicate if he felt any compassion or concern, but then it never did.

 

The Hollow was grinning wildly, almost as if the situation was exactly what he wanted. He brushed his hand through his hair and laughed at Ichigo.

 

“Well, Kingy. If we think about all the fights we've had, we know who will win this time. You always hold back and only find your anger half way through, but by that time it'll be too late.”

 

The creature was right. In most of his fights he had restrained himself and only called on his abilities when it seemed that all was lost.

 

“Prepare yourselves,” Zangetsu ordered, leaving no time for contemplation. Ichigo drew his blade, feeling his hands tremble slightly as he straightened it. They would start evenly matched.

 

“Fight,” the word dropped from Zanegetu's lips and Ichigo flung himself at the Hollow, trying to slice through him with his first blow. This time he wouldn't hold back, he would try to kill the creature within a few minutes and then, according to what he understood, he would rejoin his friends.

 

The Hollow appeared to expect his attack and blocked it. No advantage to either of them from that. The return attack was deflected by Ichigo and for minutes they seemed only to clash their blades uselessly against each other with no advantage to either side.

 

Wanting to expedite the fight, Ichigo considered going bankai early. It might speed things up, but the result would weaken him. Would it also weaken the Hollow to the same extent? If he went bankai the Hollow might not follow, but continue as it was which would give Ichigo the lead.

 

“I don't bankai early,” he reminded himself. “Why change my tactics?”

 

It was stupid reasoning and he knew it. He had already changed his tactics for this encounter because the stakes were higher than normal and the consequences in holding back would determine who was the victor.

 

The Hollow's blade flashed against the artificial light of the sun, momentarily dazzling Ichigo who instinctively stabbed forward. He was amazed to the shock of his blade coming into contact with something and heard the Hollow hiss through his teeth as Ichigo pulled his weapon from the wound with a sucking sound. Black blood spurted onto the ground, staining the fabric and the faint coppery smell of blood lingered on the air.

 

“Lucky. It was a lucky stroke,” the Hollow said as it examined the wound that had pierced the flesh between his ribs. He prodded it with the tip of a finger and then hitched his shoulders in an uncaring fashion. “Just a flesh wound.”

 

A flare of extra strength pulsed thorough Ichigo. He had the advantage, for now, but the way his opponent was contemplating him, there would be payback soon and the creature would redouble its efforts. It had never seemed to experience pain the way he did, firing out those maniacal laughs as though it enjoyed and welcomed the pain that resulted in a protracted battle, or any form of conflict. `The thing is sick', he reasoned, ignoring his own reactions to fighting.

 

“If you say so,” Ichigo replied, wondering why he was even talking. He seemed to have got into the habit of chatting with his opponents. It reminded him slightly of the insult fights in the game `Monkey Island' but the dialogue he had was never that clever. At least no one said “I am rubber. You are glue,” but that was a small comfort. If the insults counted as much as the fighting he knew he would have lost many times over, especially to Rukia's brother who could deliver a put down while slicing and dicing.

 

“Are you daydreaming over there, or are you going to fight me?”

 

“Fight you.” Ichigo resisted the impulse to sigh heavily as he answered. Another day, another fight.

 

“Wanna make this more interesting Kingy?” The question was unexpected and as it was a fight to determine who survived, Ichigo was uncertain how to make it more interesting, but he did feel a slight edge of boredom. Was it possible to feel bored when he was fighting for his existence against a ruthless opponent who was a bleached copy of himself?

 

“If you win, I'll give you my strength when you fight, without trying to take over until the Arrancar are defeated,” the Hollow offered. “I'll make sure old man Zangetsu doesn't hold back either.”

 

That would increase his strength considerably. Without thinking about it he said, “Okay.”

 

“And if I win, you'll do the same for me,” the Hollow continued with a triumphant grin on his face.

 

The sting in the tail should not have come as a surprise, but they did shock him. Did that mean if the Hollow won, his life would consist of living within his mind, screaming for attention, only observing events at second hand? The boredom vanished as it was borne on him the importance of this battle.

 

“I won't lose,” Ichigo tightened his grip on the zanpakuto he was holding.

 

“That's what you think,” mocked the Hollow showing his normal grin. “You've only managed to hit me once and that was a fluke.”

 

The blade flashed in Ichigo's hand and the Hollow was a second too late in blocking the assault. Black blood blossomed on the white fabric, again staining the building on which they were standing. Ichigo blinked unbelievingly as the Hollow's smile didn't falter. He again felt an infusion of strength and the edge of his blade glittered with, it seemed, increased sharpness under the taint of the blood.

 

“Two hits don't make a win,” was the scoffing taunt.

 

“One would be enough, if I cut off your head,” he reminded his foe. He had a sudden vision of Zangetsu slicing neatly through the neck and the head falling to the ground, bouncing slightly and an astonished look on his tormentors face as he realised he'd lost. Would that be the end of it? Could he do that? He thought about the possibility of peace in his mind once more without the unwelcome clamour of the thing always taunting him or trying to take over.

 

There was a sudden lightness and he felt the balance creep back slightly. The burning pulse that had been emanating from his pocket had eased.

 

“Darn. Your sweetie just took the charm away. Someone must have told her. I hate bloody level playing fields. They make it harder to cheat,” howled his pasty replica.

 

“Huh?” What was the creature gabbling about? Orihime! Orihime must have worked out the charm was working against him and had removed it. That worked against the Hollow's advantage and maybe gave him an edge.

 

He glanced toward Zangetsu, to see if his expression revealed anything. The moment of distraction was enough for the Hollow, who struck and landed a glancing blow in the middle of Ichigo's forehead, causing a cut that leached blood into his eyes and ran down his face. Instinctively he reached for the styptic, but the Hollow noticed and using his blade like a spear, kept pushing it at Ichigo, trying to slide it into his flesh.

 

“You changed your technique, so I thought I'd make you work a bit harder,” was the explanation offered.

 

The hit had robbed him of some of the additional strength of Zangetsu. Instead of being on the offensive, he was blocking, using the flat of his zanpakuto to repel the one beating at him, trying to break through his defences. Reeling back from the prolonged attack Ichigo vainly looked for any advantage.

 

Feeling a river of fire form on his side he looked down to see he had been sliced when he'd repelled the blade and it had cut deeply into his side. The borrowed strength ebbed further and he was now returned to his normal ability.

 

The Hollow stood still for a moment, throwing his head back as he cackled loudly. “It's sweet, this power that old man Zangetsu's giving me. I think you let it go to your head King and you made the mistakes you always do.”

 

Bending his knees, Ichigo attempted a sudden leap, whirling his zanpakuto by the silk bindings but the Hollow caught it easily in his hand and stabbed Ichigo through the shoulder. “You see, hate, good throbbing hate makes me fight better, but it always clouds your vision. All you can see is red, but I see your blood.”

 

“Can't you shut up when we fight?” the words were not obscured by Ichigo gritting his teeth against the pain and the surge of anger and fear. Three cuts so rapidly and he was losing.

 

“Why? I like the sound of my voice. I get to hear it echoing in here all the time.”

 

That answer reaffirmed Ichigo's belief that his Hollow was not just violent and cruel, but seriously deluded. He had to beat it, but it was already winning. As he fought and used every device he could think of, the knowledge of his inevitable defeat kept growing within him. He'd never accepted that he could lose since the time he had lain face down in the rain, stripped of his powers and dying. Even then he'd had trouble accepting he hadn't won, but now was different.

 

Again the Hollow stopped and looked over his shoulder as his tongue swept over his lips. It was difficult to ignore the temptation to turn around and see what had caught the Hollow's interest and it could be just a ploy to make his defeat that much easier. Ichigo attacked, his chest heaving, blood streaming from his injuries and he hoped that a single blow could restore some of the energy he'd lost. He managed to cut the Hollow and a little strength ebbed back, but not enough, not nearly enough to enable him to seek and find the opening to land the killing blow.

 

Hearing a familiar voice he almost turned but then everything slowed, slowed to three quarters, then half then a quarter speed. He could see the blow coming and knew it would land square on his chest, and there was enough force behind it to make it a mortal wound.

 

“Stop,” said Orihime's voice. “No, that's the wrong word. OZEKI. Oh, why is it so difficult? TOMARIMAS JIKAN!” The words were spoken with a mixture of exasperation and authority.

 

The Hollow stood there, immobile and Ichigo gaped at the girl now standing between them. What was she doing there? How had she entered his mind and why couldn't he move?

 

 

Author's Note:

 

The title of this chapter and the command Orihime says is meant to be: Cease Time. I used a Japanese/English Dictionary as my knowledge of Japanese is, um, weak. If I've made a mistake, please let me know. You can laugh at me all you like, go on. Take a seat next to my muse and have a good chortle. See if I care. Here, have a box of tissues to wipe the tears of merriment from your face. Knock yourself out.

 

For some reason Ichigo and his Hollow were reluctant to fight and made me work hard on coaxing both of them into finally taking action. Add to this it's been Summer in Australia, the season I hate (and throw in a few assorted crises. Ah, you're not interested. Can't say I am either.

 

I laugh every time I play the Monkey Island games which feature the insult fights. They're fun games and have a great sense of humour to them. In the fight, if you give the wrong response to the insult during the fight, you lose. The games are all pretty old now and probably aren't compatible with Vista, but then again, neither am I. (What are you compatible with? A prickly pear? An echidna?) A prickly pear is like a cactus and an echidna is a spiny anteater.

 

The end of this story is approaching, well I think it is. I hope to finish it soon but past experience has proven me wrong over and over again. Why should this time be any different?

 

Please review.

 

MS