Hidden Hollow

Chapter 14

"Well played," Rukia said, turning to Ichigo. He felt horrible but that just made him angry.

"I'm sorry okay!? This place gives me the creeps. I'll go after her. Will you two be okay?" Both of them nodded before Ichigo took off after Rangiku. She was moving quickly across the city to the rendezvous point, occasionally wiping at her face. Ichigo hated it when girls cried. He never knew what he was supposed to do. He put on an extra burst of speed closing the distance between them enough that he was able to make a grab at her.

"Stop," he called and she did, just enough to throw an elbow at his face. Ichigo was grateful for the years of training he had. His reflexes kicked in enough to keep him from taking her elbow in the eye or across his nose. Instead it connected with the side of his head, just below his cheek bone and next to his ear. Ringing accompanied the bursting lights in his vision and he lost his grip on Rangiku. He barely had enough presence of mind to form a reishi platform to land on as he pressed his hand to his ringing ear. Eventually the pain subsided enough that his vision returned although everything he heard through his right ear sounded dull and tunneled.

Quickly he looked around but he couldn't see where Rangiku had gone. He made a frustrated noise as he straightened turning in a full circle to confirm that there was no visible trace of her. He sighed before closing his eyes. He would just have to do it the hard way. Well, the hard way for him. He calmed his thoughts seeking her spiritual pressure so he could locate her. It took him longer than he would have liked but he was finally able to find it. Good, he thought. She apparently hadn't had the presence of mind to hide it. He shot forward quickly like a missile homing in on its target.

Ichigo found himself landing in a park. Rangiku was standing surprisingly close to a group of policemen. Ichigo was grateful that they were invisible but it was still possible for one of them to bump into her. Ichigo approached more cautiously this time, not wanting to take another hit. Rangiku stood with her arms folded against her body her eyes staring at a spot in the grass. Ichigo peered curiously at it and was shocked when he noticed it was blood. That explained why there were policeman and the area was taped off.

Ichigo glanced over and saw that there were also men in the canal, perhaps searching for a body. As Ichigo listened to what the officers were saying he was able to confirm that they did suspect a murder had been done here. He turned again to Rangiku.

"Why did you come here?" She raised her head slowly turning a tear stained face toward him.

"The night my captain disappeared I found a formation of ice there," she pointed down towards the canal by the bridge. "This blood was also here, I searched and searched, but I couldn't find anything." Ichigo nodded. Now he understood. This was the end of the trail she had found and she was desperately hoping to find more. The cry of a hollow pierced the air and Ichigo felt his senses going on the alert. His eyes darted around as he turned his head trying to locate the creature.

It was eerie to note that the humans around them hadn't reacted at all to the sound. As he continued scanning he noticed that Rangiku had drawn her zanpaku-to and was looking around with murder in her eyes. He felt sorry for the hollow because if she found it first she would definitely kill it. Ichigo felt the burst of spiritual pressure before he felt the cold as it shot towards them. He leaped knocking Rangiku down and out of the way. Together they rolled down the slight slope of the hill before coming to a stop. Above them ice had formed in a line towards where they had been. The policemen were panicking now and backing away, as well as drawing guns, clearly not sure what was happening. Rangiku had pushed herself back to her feet and Ichigo was in the process of doing so when he felt another burst of spiritual pressure.

"Watch out!" Rangiku called and Ichigo threw himself to the side again. This time when he looked up he saw that some of the canal water had been frozen. Several of the detective's legs were trapped in the ice and they called out for help. Ichigo drew his zanpaku-to and leaped into the air landing hard on the ice and driving Zangetsu's tip in as deep as it would go. Then he channeled his spiritual pressure through the blade. Spears of black energy shot out from the contact breaking up the ice and freeing the men. They immediately headed for the bank and pulled themselves free as Ichigo jumped into the air.

"Growl Haineko!" Rangiku cried rushing forward. From his raised vantage point Ichigo could now see the hollow also. Rangiku swung her sword hilt towards the hollow which again unleashed its howling cry. An aura of cold blue reiatsu surrounded it freezing the ash-like blades of Haineko's attack. Ichigo raised Zangetsu.

"Getsuga Tensho!" He brought down his sword in a great sweep launching an arc of black reiatsu at the hollow. It sliced into the creature's arm and severed one of the tentacles behind it. Then the hollow released its reiatsu. The ground was coated in a thick layer of frost. Ichigo glanced over his shoulder to see that the officers had all fled. He raised his own spiritual pressure so that the cold wouldn't slow him down.

Rangiku had charged forward again swinging her hilt towards the hollow. Once more Haineko's ash tried to penetrate but it couldn't get anywhere near the creature's body. In frustration she solidified the blade once more and leapt at the monster. Ichigo saw the tentacles closing towards her and pushed himself forward. He got there just in time, slicing through the tentacle and pulling Rangiku back.

"Let go of me!" she yelled at him.

"You can't keep charging in like that. Getting yourself killed won't help Toshiro out at all. Calm down!" Ichigo saw the anger in her eyes before she closed them and took a deep breath. Then she took several more each a little deeper and calmer than the last. When she again opened her eyes Ichigo was pleased to see that she was a lot calmer. Then her eyes widened as he felt a burst of pain.