Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Dissonance ❯ Chapter 1

Dissonance

 

Ichigo Kurosaki did not let anyone know that he had nightmares, or that he often woke up in a sweat because of them. It would be a serious blow to his credibility if he was known to be scared by such things.

 

As he lay in bed, awake after another nightmare, he felt particularly foolish.

 

Nightmares couldn't hurt you the way a Hollow could, or even the blade of another Soul Reaper. No, he realized, there was nothing in his dreams that could hurt him.

 

But yet he was up, sweating profusely after a particularly intense dream involving his mother.

 

He put a hand to his head, trying to shake the mental image of his dead mother out of his mind. He did not like thinking about her too much, otherwise he would revert back to his weak, childhood self.

 

I am not weak anymore, he mused wearily. I'm powerful enough to protect everyone I care about…everyone that means something to me.

 

His throat felt dry, and his forehead felt hot to the touch. For all his power, he was still not immune to being feverish. He got out of bed, clad in only a white shirt and shorts, and left his room quietly, making sure not to wake the other residents of the house. He crept as silently as he could muster down the steps, especially hoping that his father wouldn't be up at this ungodly time, since he did not feel like beating his old man's ass tonight. He took special care to be quiet as he passed by his sisters' (and Rukia's) room.

 

His mission to get a glass of water from the kitchen went off without a hitch, and he triumphantly went back up the stairs, taking the occasional sip to cool his now itchy throat.

 

“Ichigo…”

 

He stopped in mid-stride, looking in the direction of the voice and finding himself looking at the door of his sisters' room. A decorated sign adorned the door, with pictures of poorly drawn rabbits and a message that said “No Boys allowed - that means you, Ichigo!”

 

Rukia had moved into his sisters' room after returning to him recently, in order to fight something that even she had no real information on, save for bits and pieces that were given to her by Captain Ukitake.

 

He took another sip of his water as he examined the picture, noting that Yuzu and Karin had been added to the picture, albeit in rabbit form as well. He could tell as one of them had an apron and the other wore a rather boyish hat.

 

“She really is terrible at drawing,” he noted quietly, shaking his head in disappointment. He was secretly thankful that she was still the same as always, even if it meant he was often subject to her awful diagrams and attempts at art.

 

Just as long as it meant that she was staying this time.

 

“Ichigo…please…”

 

He paused again, as the voice from the door sounded urgent and in need of help. He set aside the glass of water and opened the door as quietly as he could, hoping it was just a false alarm.

 

His heart raced as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, and found Rukia laying in her bed, mumbling in her sleep, her blanket in disarray. He noticed that her eyebrows were furrowed and her lips were set in a scowl reminiscent of his own. He breathed a sigh of relief, as she was only dreaming, much like he was a few minutes ago.

 

Look at those lips, Ichigo. They're so soft.

 

Ichigo blinked, wondering where that thought had just come from.

 

Kiss Rukia, Ichigo. Do it now. She wants you. Isn't she moaning your name right now?

 

A hand went to brush a few strands away from the sleeping girl's face, so that he could admire her in all her pure, untainted beauty.

 

She's beautiful, Ichigo. The most beautiful girl you've ever seen in your life. She's more beautiful than Tatsuki Arisawa or Orihime Inoue…even mother cannot compare.

 

He leaned close to her face, idly thankful that there was not a scar that would've otherwise diminished her unworldly features. He paused, and he wondered what he was doing so close to her face. He shook his head and tried to remember what he was doing…he went to get a drink, and heard a noise from the room and then…

 

“Ichigo…” she moaned, shifting her position on the bed.

 

She's begging you, Ichigo. Don't screw this up! Kiss her fast and hard. She needs you. She craves you.

 

He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers hesitantly, his body moving without him telling it to do so. He felt the softness of her lips against his and thought back to when he and Tatsuki had accidentally shared a kiss in middle school, after a bet that he had made foolishly. It was nothing compared to what he was doing now, nothing compared to what he was feeling as he put his arms around Rukia.

 

Her eyes opened in surprise, shocked to consciousness by the feeling of another close to her, closer than anyone had been with her before. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light emanating from the half-opened doorway she found herself staring into at Ichigo, who was using his hands to push her head closer to him, deepening the kiss between them.

 

“What-what are you-you doing?” she cried out between breaths, trying to push him away frantically.

 

She's so excited that you finally took some imitative, Ichigo. Now she's playing along with our little game. Don't you see, she's playing hard to get! Don't let her win. You've got to win!

 

Ichigo nodded, and let his left hand leave her head and trail down her body, feeling her breasts and other intimate parts through the colorful pajamas she was wearing.

 

“No-no! Stop Ichigo, not like this, don't!” she screamed, attempting to punch him in the face, only to have him catch her hand with inhuman speed, even for him.

 

Don't let her win, Ichigo. She's so weak. This is your chance. Use her. Take her. Make her strong. Make her a woman. Make her yours.

 

He let his left hand probe her body, as he used his right to hold back her fist, now focusing his attention on her neck as he bit into it, causing a shriek to come out of the girl.

 

Rukia used her free hand to reach underneath the pillow, searching for the soul candy that would allow her transform into her soul reaper form. Ichigo's eyes darted towards the pillow, and he knocked it away, taking the pill before she could grab it. He looked at it for a split second before throwing it back and into a dark corner of the room, far from her reach.

 

She still has other ways of disabling you. She's strong in demon arts, but she cannot perform them without using words. Silence her, Ichigo. You know what to do.

 

Before she could resort to blasting him off with a fire spell her mouth was muffled by the hand that was holding her head earlier, so that now he was pushing her head against the mattress, his other hand still fondling her and his teeth biting into her delicate neck. She let out an involuntary shiver at his ministrations, her body reacting shamefully to his touch.

 

She felt powerless to stop him, and this feeling was worse than when she was about to be executed in Soul Society. She struggled against him still, but his real human body was stronger than her gigai. How could Ichigo be doing this to her? Was this the way he was showing her what he meant to her?

 

“Brother…?” a soft voice said hesitantly, followed by a rougher voice yelling, “GET OFF HER!”

 

Karin latched on to Ichigo's back, pulling him into a headlock as Yuzu was screaming frantically, trying to calm her crazed brother down.

 

They are interfering. Do not let them interfere! DEAL WITH THEM NOW ICHIGO!

 

Ichigo winced at the voice in his head. He lazily swung a Yuzu, knocking her down to the ground with a loud thud, while attempting to remove the other sister off his back, so that he could continue what he was doing with Rukia.

 

“STOP THIS ICHIGO!” Karin shrieked into his ear, but her voice was not louder than the voice in his head, so he grabbed her after much struggling, looking at her as she pitifully tried to attack him. He threw her against the floor, with a sickening crack as she landed.

 

Rukia took advantage of the brief pause in his assault and tackled him into the ground, using all the strength her small fake body could muster. He landed a few feet away from Yuzu and Karin, thankfully, and crashed into a dresser, causing it to break in two.

 

Before he could pick himself up again she dived to the corner of the room where he had thrown the pill, swallowing it and feeling that familiar tingle as she left her gigai and became powerful and in control again. She motioned for her body, now inhabited by the soul within the candy, to go for help. Her body nodded numbly and ran off without a word.

 

She gripped Sode no Shirayuki tightly, her mind racing as she looked around the tiny room, noting quickly that Karin and Yuzu had been knocked out, all the while wondering where he had managed to go in such a short time. Her question was answered as she felt herself being grabbed from behind, an unfamiliar voice cackling in her ear.

 

“You are quite feisty, young soul reaper,” the voice whispered, “no wonder Ichigo always wants to play his little soul reaper games with you all the time!”

 

She struggled against her captor's grip, knowing for a fact that the person behind her was not Ichigo…not her Ichigo.

 

“You should've seen the look on your face, pretty one…you almost thought that it was him, didn't you?”

 

She did a reverse headbutt on her captor, kicking off him with both legs as he momentarily staggered back. She turned around, and found herself face to face with…

 

“Ichigo…?” she let out a whisper, unbelieving of what her eyes were showing her.

 

The Ichigo standing before was her licking his now bloodied lips, a perverse smile on his normally scowling face. “I don't believe I've formally introduced myself. I am Ichigo Kurosaki, pleased to meet you.”

 

The tone of his voice was malicious and held no warmth or pleasantness to her ears. This, she realized, was definitely not her Ichigo.

 

“What are you?” she asked angrily, shifting to a battle stance. “You are not the Ichigo Kurosaki I know.”

 

The sickening smile never left his face as he shrugged his shoulders playfully. “How can you even tell? I look like him, don't I?”

 

“Your spirit energy is different, but I could tell from the moment you spoke a word,” she replied evenly, reminding herself that it was this creature and not Ichigo that had been touching - raping - her earlier.

 

He leapt for her, laughing manically as she flash stepped away from him and out the window, trying to find higher ground on one of the roofs while evading her opponent. She had to assess the situation carefully and think over all her options. This was not Ichigo but something with his body, so she had no idea what it was capable of-

 

“Damn it!” she suddenly realized, as she leapt back into the house and as fast as she could to Ichigo's room.

 

She kicked open the door and found herself staring face to face with the creature, now dressed in robes much like her own. In one hand he was holding the body of Ichigo, who she immediately knew was now being possessed by Kon.

 

That creature knew instinctively what to do, she realized grimly, holding her soul slayer tightly.

 

“Rukia!” cried Ichigo-Kon, who was struggling against the Ichigo-creature's grasp. “What the hell is up with Ichigo? Don't you sense that odd spirit-”

 

Kon was silenced as he was thrown out of the window and into the streets, unable to fight against the momentum generated by the creature.

 

“How could you let something so puny inhabit Ichigo?” he chuckled, reaching behind himself for Zangetsu.

 

She narrowed her eyes at the creature, finally noticing that a white mask was forming, covering half of his maniacal face.

 

Her eyes widened in terror at her realization. “A Hollow…? How is this possible?”

 

“Anything's possible when you put your mind to it!” it said laughing, plunging right at her with soul slayer in hand. “Let's play!”

 

She blocked with her own zanpakuto, using his momentum to push him back. She ran on the side of the wall, hoping to surprise him as she kicked off and went straight for his mask, zanpakuto held high and ready to strike.

 

He disappeared in a flash, her zanpakuto hitting air as she landed. Hollow Ichigo's laughter could be heard. “You expect to beat me? But baby, I'm Ichigo! I'm out of your league!”

 

He appeared behind her, knocking her to the ceiling with a heavy kick, easily blocking when she managed to bounce off and tried to slash at his still forming mask. “Not yet! I'm not done taking over this body just yet, Miss Kuchiki!”

 

“What have you done with Ichigo!” she demanded, trying her best to keep up with the Hollow. “Answer me!”

 

Even with the mask forming she could see him smile as he pointed to his head. “He's here now, where I used to live…deep inside of his weak, sorry excuse for a mind. But now I'm here, and I'm ready to do all the things he wasn't willing to do!”

 

She slashed at him, only to clash swords instead, the sharp sound of metal hitting metal echoing in the small room. He was not fazed by the attack, waving a finger at her disapprovingly instead. She jumped back, muttering an incantation causing a red glow to appear in her hands. He nimbly dodged out of the way of the fireball, which took out a large hole in the room instead.

 

“Damn it!” she whispered, jumping up in the air to try and aim for the mask again. He parried again, forcibly knocking her off balance as he punched her, sending her against a wall and knocking over pictures and shelves in the process.

 

He looked bored, frowning in the way that seemed like a smile at the same time. “Are we done here? I've got places to go, people to kill! I think I'll go to Orihime's apartment after we're done. She is very attractive, very attractive indeed! I most desire to hear that girl scream…I bet it'll sound like music. The look on her face as I kill her with this body will be priceless, wouldn't you agree?”

 

This was too much like what happened with Kaien, she realized belatedly. His soul had bonded with the Hollow, so there was no possible way she could've saved him. Was it the same case with Ichigo? This couldn't be happening, not again, not with another person she desperately cared for.

 

Her feelings in the end would not matter: it was kill or be killed. She pulled herself up, shaking the books and assort junk off her as she stood to face the Hollow that had taken over her friend's body.

 

“I will not allow you to sully Ichigo's name nor his pride,” she stated, determination in her voice. “I will kill you.”

 

Another smile on the Hollow's face emerged. “That's more like it. I've seen how you've looked at this boy when you didn't think he was looking. Do you really expect to kill me?”

 

She concentrated her spirit energy, hoping for one last strike, even though she could sense that she was no match for the creature's own spirit energy. She had to protect his family (that had become her family) and his friends (who had risked their own lives to save hers, once upon a time) from this demonic imposter.

 

She came at him, glowing with blue and white spirit force surrounding her body and her Sode no Shirayuki, in essence trying to mimic her brother's bankai, where he would channel all his energy into one final attack.

 

He also ran, zanpakuto held high, roaring with delight. “You can't possibly hope that will work!”

 

She flash stepped at the last second, catching him off guard as she plunged her sword through his heart, his body suddenly growing limp as the blade exited out his backside.

 

Both combatants stayed in this position for what seemed like forever, the only sound in the room their uneven breathing and the drip-drip sounds of blood leaving a body.

 

“Hey, Rukia...” Ichigo whispered, dropping his zanpakuto and letting it clatter to his floor. “What happened…?”

 

Her breathing stopped and her throat tightened, as she looked up to see the face of Ichigo, perfectly normal save for the pained expression on his face.

 

“Ichigo…?”

 

He groaned slightly, never quite getting used to the feeling of being impaled on a zanpakuto. “I'm thirsty.”

 

Her eyes watered. “I…do you want something to drink?”

 

He half-scowled, half-smiled at her. “Don't be stupid, Rukia. Not now.”

 

“Sorry Ichigo…” she said, looking at him sadly.

 

He rested his head on her shoulder, mumbling that she didn't need to say sorry.

 

“I remember having a nightmare and then passing by your room…and then the voice in my head took over. The voice was so loud. I couldn't control my body anymore. I would never do that to you or my sisters…” he whispered, his blood starting to drip down on to her robes.

 

“I know,” she said simply, “I knew it couldn't have been you.”

 

He smiled despite the pain. “Thank you…for giving me the power to protect people. Thank you…for stopping me.”

 

“You're…welcome.”

 

He put an arm around her, fighting back the pain for a few moments longer. “This is just like how we first met. You stuck your zanpakuto into me, giving a puny human like me the chance to save my sisters. Remember that?”

 

She nodded weakly, her eyes becoming blurry with tears. “How could I forget?”

 

He patted her on the head gently. “Thanks, Rukia. Look over my family, please.”

 

He smiled weakly, before his eyes went dim and his body went limp on her sword.

 

“Ichigo…? Please…not you too…”

 

The only sound that could be heard was that of a woman, although accustomed to seeing death on a regular basis, weeping for the man that lay dead in her arms.

 

End