Yo everybody! Back with another chapter in just four days! That goes to show just how psyched up I've been for this chapter. Finally the others begin to come into their powers. I really hope you all enjoy this as much as I've enjoyed thinking it up and writing it down.

Oh and a special mention to Ultimate Black Ace who caught a mistake I made with Rukia's spell. I used the wrong number. It should have been Thirty-one not Thirty-three.

"Are you going to follow me all the way home Ichigo Kurosaki?"

"Busted," Ichigo grumbled, moving out onto the stairs. "How long have you known?"

"Since you and Orihime poked your head into the classroom," Uryū Ishida replied as he adjusted his glasses.

Yesterday afternoon while out with Rukia on a routine patrol for spirits and hollows when they had gotten an alert on a hollow. But when they reached its location it was gone, apparently killed before it could harm anyone. Neither of them knew how it could have happened until nearly an hour later when the one who killed the hollow confronted them. It was Uryū Ishida who proclaimed himself to be a Quincy though what exactly a Quincy was he couldn't say nor could Rukia. As it turned out Uryū was a classmate and the top of the class even though the whole sewing thing was a bit underwhelming. "Wow. You're pretty sharp," Ichigo complimented.

But Uryū didn't appreciate it. "You allow your spiritual energy to radiate with reckless abandon," he replied, his voice dripping with distain. "A psychic monkey could have sensed you."

"What?"

The dark haired teen rolled his eyes. "You can't even sense the energy of those right under your nose. In fact you didn't even notice me until I revealed myself to you."

Ichigo shrugged his shoulders. "Sorry about that. I've always been bad with names and faces."

"No I'm not talking about that," Uryū scoffed. "I sensed your unusual spiritual pressure the first day of class and I know the exact day you became a Shinigami. And I even know Rukia Kuchiki's true identity."

The Substitute Shinigami staggered back in disbelief. How could he have known all that? They barely knew each other.

Suddenly white threads erupted out from around Uryū, brushing and waving against him. Ichigo knew what they were, they were spirit ribbons but how could he summon them up?

"The reiraku, the manifestation of spiritual energy," Uryū explain in a condescending tone. "A good Shinigami can see them right away and…"

One instant Uryū was several feet from him the next he was right in front of him, reaching out past his shoulder. He pulled his hand back revealing one of his crimson ribbons. "…A skilled one can reach out and touch them."

With that he turned and started to walk away leaving Ichigo dumbstruck. "I am a Quincy. I have the power to kill hollows," Uryū coldly said, glancing back at him. "Would you like to play a game Kurosaki? A duel to see who is superior, a Quincy or a Shinigami."

He absolutely hated that arrogance. People like that just needed to be taken down a peg or two. Whatever his grudge was against Shinigami was he didn't know and he didn't care but if he wanted a duel he was more than willing to entertain him. "That sounds fine to me," Ichigo replied. "I'll clean the floor with you Uryū."

Uryū smirked, adjusting his glasses again the small cross hanging from his arm jingling as he moved. "And I'll show you just how unnecessary the Shinigami are."

Keigo absently whistled to himself as he walked home. He never thought he would have been happy about a dull and completely normal Monday but after Friday and Saturday he was more than willing to be bored than exposed to that weirdness. Sure there had been times when he had been bored with how mundane things could be. But ghostly howls, freaky moving shadows, the agonized spirit of a murder victim, Ichigo leaping into a third floor window, Arisawa's Flaming Death Punch all of it was just too much!

At least today everything was normal well except for Ichigo stalking Uryū the Nerd King Ishida throughout the day. Though that wasn't really much of anything compared to what had happened before. Maybe Ishida had pissed off Ichigo during the weekend and he was looking for some payback. A nerd like Ishida wasn't normally the kind of guy to pick fights with guys like Ichigo. Hell the guy was a pencil compared to Ichigo.

But whatever it was the day was still going to end completely normal and things were going to continue being normal.

…It had to.

Mizuiro Kojima was many things but he wasn't a fool despite playing one from time to time. He had known for some time that something was off with Ichigo, something involving the new girl Rukia Kuchiki. However what that something was he could not say.

The signs were there if someone looked for them. First was Ichigo's attendance as of late. Ichigo rarely showed up late for class and never cut class but in the last couple of weeks he had regularly cut classes and showed up late a few times. Second was his relationship with Rukia Kuchiki. From her first day here Ichigo seemed to be familiar with her despite claiming to have never met her. And they were frequently together outside of class, prompting notions that they were together. Indeed he had initially thought that they had attended Mashiba together and had feelings for one another but Chad didn't know her all and vice versa. How could Ichigo have had two friends from the same school who didn't know each other? Simply put it was impossible for him to. So then where had they met before?

The third and most unusual sign was something Mizuiro found himself struggling to explain, strange instances that somehow seemed to be connected to Ichigo and Rukia. Well there were really two that he found himself unable to explain away. The first had been that accident that he and Chad were in a short while ago. It wasn't the accident but how the two of them ended up there. The last solid memory he had before the accident was having lunch with Ichigo and Rukia on the roof. How and why he ended up blocks away from school with Chad just before the accident didn't make sense. There was no reason for them to be there at that time yet it happened.

The second happened just last Friday when Ichigo leaped up to the third floor and started acting like… well like Keigo. He knew from the start that it wasn't Ichigo. Setting aside the sheer impossibility of jumping from the ground to a window on the third floor there was no way that Ichigo would ever act like that. Despite his fearlessness when it came to charging gangs by himself he was rather timid when it came to women. Then there was the shadowy blur that entered the room and left with Tatsuki and Rukia after 'Ichigo' fled. And finally there was the unusual fact now no one else seemed to remember that incident at all. Well expect perhaps those involved but he hadn't had a chance to ask them yet.

Suddenly Mizuiro stopped, glancing up from his phone staring up at the sky as an odd feeling sent a shudder down his spine. For better or worse somehow he knew that something was about to change.

Pulling the sweat covered towel from her face Tatsuki let out a deep, heavy breath. She had hoped that today's practice would have taken her mind off everything that had happened recently. It didn't. Everything was changing and she found herself struggling to deal with it all. Every time she thought she was getting a handle on things some new popped up and threw a wrench into the works.

After everything had settled down with the chaos of Friday she discovers Saturday night that Orihime had actually started to remember everything that terrible night. Not only that but she had seen Ichigo's spirit during that whole incident with Kon and worse, during Don Kanonji's show.

After the show she had asked about Ichigo, Rukia and her. She had explained some of it but there was still a lot of it she still wasn't sure about and just as much she wasn't comfortable talking about. But she did explain the basics of spirits, hollows and Shinigami to her, that Ichigo was tasked with protecting the people of Karakura. When it came to what she was however Tatsuki was tight lipped. They hadn't spoken since that night again that night and she hoped that Orihime didn't approach Ichigo and Rukia about this.

Then as if things couldn't get any crazier when she approached Ichigo this morning he revealed that he and Rukia ran into a guy that knew about them and had hollow-killing powers of his own. To make matters worse he apparently didn't like Shinigami. Unfortunately Ichigo like the idiot he was had completely forgotten said person's name. It wasn't until later with some help from Orihime that he learned their name, Uryū Ishida who happened to be ranked first in their class. Not only that he was in their freaking class! Seriously Ichigo didn't recognize a guy who had been in their room the entire year!

"Tatsuki, can I talk to you about something?" Orihime said, drawing her from her thoughts.

Orihime looked concerned though what she was worried about she couldn't say. "Sure what do you-"

Tatsuki froze, a sudden pressure flaring brightly nearby. Seconds later there was a bonechilling howl that was joined by the shattering of glass. Tatsuki knew that feeling from before. It was a hollow! She turned to Orihime, putting her hands on her shoulders. "Orihime I need you to get out of here right now," she said. "Head home and stay there. It's not safe here right now."

"But-"

Tatsuki let go of her friend, gently pushing, urging her to go. "Go! Get out of here!"

"What have you done?!" Ichigo roared in outrage, grabbing Uryū by the collar. "Cancel out that bait!"

"Cancel it out? It's now spreading on the wind," the teen coldly replied. "No one can stop it now."

Ichigo was at a loss for words. How…how could he put the entire city in danger just for the sake of some stupid grudge?! Peoples' lives were at risk! "If you wanted to prove your superior why are you dragging the entire town into this?!"

"As I said I'm going to show you show just how unnecessary Shinigami are," Uryū arrogantly proclaimed. "I will not allow the hollows to harm a single soul."

Distant roars echoed through the air, the hollows were coming. Ichigo looked up, watching them beginning to emerge from cracks in the sky. Some were already falling or flying down to the ground as more appeared. "If you're worry about the people I suggest you let go of me," the Quincy continued. "At the moment neither of us can stop them."

Ichigo pushed him back. "This isn't over Uryū," he spat before running off.

"A bit of friendly advice Kurosaki," Uryū called out. "Hollows will always go after those with higher than normal spiritual pressure!"

Dread filled Ichigo as his mind instantly when to those who could see ghosts, Karin and Tatsuki. Twice before his sisters had been attacked by hollows and would have been killed had he not been there. But school was out and they were likely on their way home if not there already. If they were home or close to it they'd be safe, if not… He didn't want to think about that. Tatsuki on the other hand had proven that she could defend herself at least a bit. However there was no doubt that she had the higher spiritual pressure so more of them would likely go after her. Plus she was still at school with other people. Worse what if Tatsuki transformed again like she did in Orihime's apartment? Everyone still at Karakura High was in danger! But at the same time so were his sisters.

That's when the terrible realization hit him. He couldn't be in two places at once; he had to make a choice. But how could he? How could he chose between his sisters and his classmates?

Mizuiro dove into an alley, ducking behind a dumpster as he started dialing his phone. He wasn't dialing police or anything like that. They couldn't help with what was stalking him. As if on cue the giant shadowy form slithered into the entrance of the alleyway. While he couldn't exactly see what this thing was he could out the basic shape of it. It was large and its body was serpentine in shape with several small limbs emerging just before its head. And it was stalking him. He pushed the call button, praying that Ichigo's phone was on.

But there was no dialing, no ringing only loud static. The shadowy creature let out a snarling hiss, sliding deeper into the alley. Panic filled him as he looked down at his phone, praying for something, anything. Static covered the phone's screen and none of the buttons worked.

Suddenly the dumpster he was hiding behind rose up from the ground, blurred tendrils coiled around. Mizuiro took off, running for the other end of the alley. The creature crushed the dumpster like a tin can before tossing it further down the alley, blocking his path. He turned back, watching the creature slowly slither towards him. Though he couldn't see its eyes, if it had any he knew it was staring at him, leering at him

This was it. He was going to die. This… this thing was going to rip him apart and there was nothing he could do.

Mizuiro started to laugh. It was just so absurd. He was going to be killed by a semi-visible monster, a thing of fantasy and make-believe! They didn't exist! Yet he was torn apart by one! But somehow things were make more sense than they had in a while. It was like the natural laws of the world, the universe, reality or whatever had been slowly crumbling and only now had he truly realized it. "Reality is a lie," he uttered as the monster towered over him.

Suddenly a blinding light erupted from his phone's screen. The monster staggered back just as unsure about what was happening as he was. Instinct told him to drop the phone but the idea never crossed his mind. In fact he couldn't take his eyes off his phone and the light, until it happened.

Pain lanced through his eyes. His eyes… his eyes were burning! They were on fire! Mizuiro's legs gave out and he fell to the ground, his free hand clutching his shut eyes. Tears started to well up in his eyes. He wanted to keep his eyes shut but it was like there was this growing pressure in his eyes. It felt like if he didn't open them soon they'd exploded in their sockets. He opened his eyes and gasped at what he saw.

The entire world had changed… no his view of the world had changed. Everything appeared to be formed of interwoven strands of… of well energy for a lack of a better word. The pavement and walls were made of thick, grey, unmoving strands while the threads of his skin—no his body were smaller, brighter and seemed to sway a bit. His phone's strands were glowing white and vibrating, the ends of which were interwoven his hand's. He looked up at the monster and saw it, truly saw it. His initial impressions of the creature's form have been right. It was a giant serpent with a rigid, angular head resting on a small limbless torso from which half a dozen tendrils emerged. The threads of its body were flowed wildly around what he could describe as void, a spinning pit at its center.

Roaring the monster reared up, its tendrils moving back to strike. But Mizuiro was already acting, pressing buttons on his phone. He didn't know why he was pressing or even how he knew to do that in this sequence but it felt right. The monster's tentacles shot out but just before they could reach him his thumb hit 'Call'. There was a flash of light and the tentacles struck... passing straight through his body without harming him in the slightest. The worm-like beast howled, slashing its tendrils wildly at him in fury. But not a single blow touched him instead they passed through him, tearing up the pavement around him. While he couldn't see himself normally Mizuiro could see pale blue threads intertwining with the threads of his body and together they seemed to flicker, shining bright one moment and fading to near nothingness the next. Whatever it meant it was clear that the monster couldn't touch him.

But even if he was currently impervious to harm there was no guarantee that he would stay that way and this monster didn't look like the kind to give up quickly. He'd need away to hurt them. Once again his thumb acted on its own, instinctively pressing buttons on his phone as he rose up.

He watched as black strands appeared above his hand, spinning and weaving together into a growing, spinning sphere. In a second that seemed much longer the soccer ball sized was complete, hovering just above palm. It was then that he realized that blue threads that had turned his body intangible had disappeared from his threads. The monster could hurt him again. But it didn't matter, not with this orb. He couldn't even begin to guess at what it was or what it was made of but he knew it was destructive. Just what he needed right now.

Mizuiro pulled his hand back, the sphere staying with his hand. The monster lunged forward, its maw opening wide while its tendrils flailed wildly around it. He was never much of a pitcher but the beast was giving him a perfect target and he threw the energy ball with everything he had. The sphere struck its lower jaw, tearing through it like a stone through paper leaving a second perfectly round hole through its body, its head hanging by a pair of threads.

The beast flew backwards from the impact, the strands of its being rapidly unraveling and disintegrating before his eyes. Briefly his eyes caught sight of a smaller human form within the crumbling monster but it too faded. But not all of the strands disappeared. Some rose up gathering around something looked like a moth or a butterfly that flew off into the sky.

But he had little time to celebrate, a sudden rush of fatigue consuming him. Mizuiro fell to his knees, the threads disappearing from his sight the normal world returning to him. Beads of sweat trailed down his face as he panted for breath. His mind was racing, trying to process everything that had just happened but his body was worn out, on the verge of collapsing altogether. The way he had seen the world was unlike he had ever experienced before and a part of him wanted to continue seeing that bright, that vibrantly, that alive.

His body gave out and he fell to the ground, consciousness fading. The last thing Mizuiro heard before he passed out was the sound of wooden sandals clapping on pavement.

Tatsuki cursed as she ran across the school grounds. She had been wrong. There wasn't one hollow there was two. Both were chasing after her, no doubt eager to devour her soul. But at least she was keeping them from attacking anyone else.

"Run, run little girl," a large humanoid mantis-like hollow taunted.

"Yes run…" the other, a bloated three horned bull wheezed. "Run and scream…"

'Not gonna scream for you creeps,' Tatsuki thought, a plan already forming in her mind. She couldn't out run them for much longer. Eventually she was going to get tired and then they'd get her. That energy thing she had discovered on Friday was about her only option. But she could only use it two, maybe three times before it would wear her out too much to defend herself. But if she could surprise them it'd give her an opening to slay one of them, she hoped.

Tatsuki rounded the corner of a school building, pressing her body against the other side of the corner. She raised her fist against her chest, summoning up that energy again. Somehow it felt wrong, like doing a kata incorrectly and knowing it but not knowing how to do it correctly. But it was all she had.

The hollows rounded the corner unaware that she was there, giving her an opening. Striking with everything she had Tatsuki drove her first into the left leg of the mantis hollow. It howled in pain and surprise, staggering down to one knee. But the punch hadn't caused much damage beyond some burns. "Little girl has claws," the hollow snarled, already getting back up.

Tatsuki swore as the mantis swung its blade like scythe claw at her, barely managing to roll out of the way. The hollow continued its attacks, clawing and slashing at her. But somehow Tatsuki just managed to stay out of its reach, dodging, rolling and weaving as she got back up to her feet. The mantis hollow let out a shrill laughter as she scrambled from it. But that didn't matter right now because the real attack she had against them didn't cause enough for the energy she was using up. Her only option now was to run, keeping those monsters away from everyone else and hope that she can find Ichigo soon.

"TATSUKI!" a voice shouted out, a voice she knew very well.

She turned her head in dread, already knowing who it was but needing to see it for herself. It was Orihime standing by the front gates. She hadn't left! She had stayed! "Orihime get out of here! Run!" Tatsuki screamed.

Both hollows turned to Orihime, leering at her in their hunger. "Pretty girl… Tasty girl…" the bull rasped.

With that hollow took off, racing for Orihime. Tatsuki continued to scream at her friend but Orihime was frozen in fear at sight of the charging hollow. Not even hesitating for instant she took off after the hollow. She was fast but she wasn't a track star like Ryō. Horror and panic filled her heart as she the terrible realization dawned on her. 'I'm not going to make it! Orihime's going to be trampled!'

No! She wasn't going to let her friend be hurt much less killed by this monster. Tatsuki roared in determination, driving her legs faster. Her muscles screamed, her lungs burned and yet a part of her never felt so alive. She sped up as the world seemed to slow down.

At that moment Tatsuki knew she was going to save Orihime. She caught up with hollow and then passed it, reaching her friend first. Wrapping an arm around Orihime Tatsuki jumped, pulling them both out of the hollow's path at the last possible instant. They rolled across the grass as the hollow skidded to a stop on the street.

"You alright Orihime?" Tatsuki asked, her eyes on the hollow.

"Your eyes," Orihime uttered. "They're yellow."

"What?" she replied, staggering back from her friend. At that moment she realized that some changes had befallen her. She couldn't see her own eyes but she could feel that her canines had elongated and her fingernails had grown into sharp claws. As she stared at her hands the bull hollow turned around, scraping a hoof across the pavement drawing her attention.

Tatsuki rose back up to her feet, staring down the hollow. She could feel power coursing through her veins. Now she could take them, now she could slay them. "Stay back Orihime. I'm not going to let them hurt you or anyone else."

The bull took off, eager to gore her on its horn but she took off too. Both raced with reckless abandon towards the other. As they neared Tatsuki cocked her fist back and ducked under its long horn, thrusting her fist into its mask. Her last punch had barely hurt the other hollow but this one stopped the hollow, flipping it backwards. But the hollow didn't stay down for long, rolling and stumbling back onto its hoofed feet. "Annoying girl… Die!" it roared, thrusting its horns forward.

Tatsuki grabbed onto two of them, bending her neck to the side to avoid the third. They struggled and fought. The hollow was strong but now she was just as strong. Both pushed harder and harder seeking to overpower the other. Her muscles strained, their feet tearing grooves in the ground. But neither could overpower the other.

The hollow let out a wet wheezing snarl, hitting her with its spit. Tatsuki suppressed the urge to brush it off. Instead her knee rocketed into its masked face. That was all she needed. With the hollow knocked off balance Tatsuki slammed its head down into the ground. She followed up by bringing her arm down. But it wasn't in a fist. Her hand was open, energy radiating from fingertips leaving four trails in the air. They sliced through the hollow's head and into its body. The bull collapsed, its body rapidly disintegrating.

Tatsuki raised her clawed hand up to her face. That was how that energy worked. She needed these claws to properly use it. Claws… That was strange and a bit unsettling to see them. Ever since that night she had thought frequently about her transformation into the Wolf and she had feared it. She hadn't wanted to become anything remotely close to that beast. But…but she could get use to this. She never felt so strong, so fast, so invigorated before. Hell right now she felt like she could arm wrestle both Ichigo and Sado and beat them both.

"Tatsuki," Orihime called out, a look of concern in her eyes.

She was probably just as worried about her losing control like that night too. "Don't worry Orihime," Tatsuki said, giving her a smile. "I'm still-"

A long claw slashed through her back, filling her world with agony. Tatsuki started to turn around but the mantis hollow was faster slicing through her again. Blood gashed out of her chest and her knees buckled. The world seemed to slow to a crawl, Orihime's voice distantly ringing in her ears as the hollow raised its claws. She had screwed up and now they were both going to die…

"Hurry up Karin!" Yuzu called out. "I need to get home so I can start making dinner!"

"Yeah we need to get going," Karin whispered to herself, turning away from the sky. She had seen the black cracks opening up, monsters emerging from them before closing again. Something bad was happening and they needed to get home, now. Goatface may be the biggest goofball in the world but she had seen him fight. He could deal with these monsters.

She started walking faster when something slammed into the street maybe a dozen feet away, throwing up dust and broken concrete. The force of the impact knocked Yuzu off her feet and would have done the same to her had she been closer. Karin rushed to her sister's side, offering her a hand up. "Are you alright Yuzu?"

Her twin nodded as she helped her up. "Yeah, are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"RWAAAAAAAAR!"

Karin froze watching a giant shape emerge from the dust and smoke. It was big and kind of like a gorilla with short stubby legs and big long arms. On its head was a strange looking mask with large puffed up cheeks, a big double chin and what looked like a mane coming out from behind its face. At the center of its chest was a reason-defying round hole. It was a monster, just like the one that nearly killed them in the cemetery. "Run," she quietly uttered, unable to take her eyes off the monster.

But Yuzu couldn't see it. She didn't understand the danger. "What?"

"Run!" Karin screamed, pulling her sister and running from the monster.

But as they ran Karin heard and felt heavy footsteps striking the ground behind them. She didn't need to look back to know that monster chasing after them. But her sister on the other hand… "Karin! What's going on?! Why are we running?!" she exclaimed.

"A monster," Karin replied. "Keep running."

Up a head a pair of boys—twins stepped on to the street turning towards them. Just like Yuzu they couldn't see the danger that was approaching. "Run! Get out of here!" she yelled at them, hoping to scare them off.

But they didn't turn and run or even show any surprise. Instead they took a step forward as the monster howled. "Well this is a rarity," the first brother wearing a red cap said. "When was the last time that a meal came running to us?"

"I can't remember," the other with a white bandana on his head replied. "But it is a bit noisy."

"Yes and it's getting noisier."

"Then we better make this quick."

Karin didn't know what they were talking about and she didn't want to know. If they weren't going to run then so be it. The monster was coming and they couldn't stay. As if it couldn't get any stranger both boy unclipped water bottles clipped to their belts and unscrewed the caps, pouring the water on the pavement.

"Zeige Dich Guhl!"

"Zeige Dich Günther!"

As one the two threw the caps into the water. Karin and Yuzu stopped in their tracks, watching as the water defied gravity, rising up into a pair of watery eyestalks. Tendrils of water shot out, racing forward. Both sisters screamed, ducking down to their hands and knees in a desperate attempt to avoid them.

But the water never hit them, soaring over their heads and striking the monster behind them. Karin glanced back and saw the monster impaled on the two tendrils while Yuzu was curled up in a whimpering ball. It roared and flailed against the water but while it did sway a bit with its movements the water didn't let go. Then something started to flow into the water, a glowing red liquid. Was it the monster's blood? Whatever it was the sight of it drove the monster to struggle harder, roaring as it took several steps forward.

"A meal shouldn't talk," the bandana wearing boy said.

Suddenly a third water tendril shot out spearing the monster in eye. But then another speared it follow by another and another. Half a dozen tendrils were impaling it and draining more of the glowing substance. The monster's struggles grew slower and weaker, it was slowly dying. Then the last of the liquid left its body and its body slumped down. The water withdrew with its bounty and the monster collapsed, crumbling way as it hit the ground.

Karin turned back to the boys and their water creatures, watching them consume the red substance from the water. "What are you?" she uttered.

The boy with the red cap stopped drinking and looked down at her. "You wouldn't believe us if we told you."

"Are you like Shinigami?"

The moment she said 'Shinigami' the other brother stopped, both of them staring at her. "Shinigami? And just what do you know about Shinigami?"

"I know they fight monsters," Karin replied.

Both chuckled at her words. "Yes they fight monsters, just like us."

Suddenly two more monsters crashed down, one on the house besides them and the other on a parked car nearby. Both of them roared at the group, scaring her while the boys remained completely unphased.

"It looks like today is going to be a busy day after all."

Originally I was going to do Uryu's first confrontation with Ichigo and Rukia but as I started writing it I felt that it was just too much on Ichigo when I wanted this chapter and the next to focus on other characters. Plus if I did that scene I would have had to do some lesser scenes with Ichigo discovering what he could about Uryu. So I decided to skip past it rather than waste half this chapter on things that aren't all that relevant and could be mentioned by others.

Keigo and Mizuiro were without a doubt the most fun write in this chapter. There was just something enjoyable about writing them as more skeptical individuals despite seeing or knowing bits of what's really going on. Mizuiro's dull grey world of what he firmly believes is real shattering the face of the truth colorful world was to date the most enjoyable part of this story I've written. In fact that was the first part of this chapter I wrote.

I will say though that the biggest surprise of this was the scene with Karin, Yuzu, Ban and Ho was more recent change to things. I don't know why but I've grown fond of Ban and Ho. Originally I was only going to have them in that first scene with Ichigo and then their doll appearing to kill the hollow before playing a serious supporting role in the Bount Arc but I just started writing them in more. I don't know why but it just felt right doing it like this. As to why I had them save Karin and Yuzu well that's a bit more complicated. While I'm not going have get involved in any of the fighting and action I do have a number of ideas about having them play a bit of a role in later so that's why I've been leaving these vague enough threads that when I finally have the concrete idea of what I'm going to do with them it won't be restricted by things.

Anyway as always love it, hate it, review it.