The Hollow Queen

The Inverted Man and His Demands

 Ichigo is suddenly spurred awake by his soul reaper badge howling and shrieking at the presence of a hollow. As soon as his goes off, Rukia's soul pager does as well, in an instant the noirette woman is out of her gigai and out of the closet with Ichigo forcing his soul from his body to join her. With Kon in charge of Ichigo's body, the two soul reapers exit the house and dart across the rooftops towards the center of Karakura town. Getting to the center of town, Renji meets up with the pair above the city hall. "Why are there so many of us in Karakura town? I thought I was the only one assigned here." A new voice came from a parked car. The three turn over to see who had said this being greeted with the sight of an afro haired soul reaper.

"Kurumadani?" Rukia questions seeing the unmistakable afro. "Why are you here?"

"I should be asking you the same thing. Captain Ukitake said that I was the one that was assigned to the city." Zennosuke Kurumadani responds as he approaches the three soul reapers. "Whose carrot top here?"

"He's the substitute shinigami Kurosaki Ichigo." Renji responds, though Ichigo himself isn't paying attention to the two of them. "It's a long story but he's a human/soul reaper that lives in Karakura."

"Looks like a wimp."

"You wanna say that again Afro?!" Ichigo hears the remark before yelling at Kurumadani.

"Don't antagonize him. He defeated both Captain Kenpachi and Captain Kuchiki when he went to rescue Rukia." Renji scolds, though the sentence strikes fear into Kurumadani, causing him to stair at Ichigo in terror.

"H-he d-d-d-defeated K-kenp-pachi?!" He stammers now sweating profusely.

"Is that some sort of big deal or something?"

"Kenpachi is the title of the strongest soul reaper. It's only given to someone if they kill another Kenpachi. Captain Zaraki isn't dead so you're not a Kenpachi but you still defeated him, even if it was a fight to a stalemate he passed out first according to Captain Unohana." Renji explains causing Ichigo to smirk evilly at Kurumadani.

"Did you already take care of the hollow?" Rukia questions.

"No, we got here roughly the same time but I did detect one and it was big."

The loan wail of a hollow in the city draws their attention from one another and to the surrounding streets. The darkness of night obscures anything visible that isn't under the street lamps that flicker with the waves of corrupted spiritual pressure. On top of one of the homes in the center of the city a large amphibian-like hollow screeches in the night air, but it was much smaller than what they felt. Nevertheless, Renji flash steps behind the hollow and splits it's mask and body in half vertically, purifying the corrupted soul. "That was bothersome. We got paged for that weak ass hollow. That wasn't even first year academy level." Renji complains. The other three soul reapers flash step towards Renji to discuss what was going on.

"You sure that's the only one? I felt something that was close to Captain Hitsugaiya in power." Rukia asks seeing Renji clean his blade from the hollow's blood before sheathing the katana.

"I know what you mean, I know I sensed something far more powerful than that chump change." Ichigo responds, "What the hell were we sensing?"

"I believe that would be me, Kurosaki Ichigo." The voice of a man calls out from above. Instantly the four soul reapers turn towards the voice seeing a man floating upside down in front of the full moon. A long curved katana over his shoulders silhouetted by the bright moonlight. "I heard that you and Miss Kuchiki might have a little problem I can help with." He continues as he begins walking on the air towards them. His body is rotating mid air so that he is now oriented normally and a few paces away from Ichigo. "You left class today before we could meet, my name is Hirako Shinji."