17 Ch. 17 Mourning in Various Ways

Jotaro stands a couple feet behind the family. All that's needed is Ichigo. He's probably drowning in his self loathing currently. As much as Jotaro wants to kick his ass and tell him it's not his fault he knows Ichigo wouldn't listen.

He sits down. He can feel his usual energy getting lower. The heat also isn't helping.

After 10 minutes of crying the girls stop. But they don't move away from their dad.

5 minutes later they talk and get back to acting like they usually do. And Isshin goes to find the priest.

Now it's just the three of them again.

They sit in the comfortable silence and the not so comfortable heat. But Jotaro can appreciate the breeze that moves his hair.

As Yuzu and Karin were back to praying again all of a sudden a Hollow appeared…..and it was close.

Karins eyes opened suddenly and she stood up.

Yuzu looks up at Karin. "What's wrong?"

Karin keeps looking around in random directions. Jotaro stands up and closes his eyes. The Hollow is nearby and it's a strong one. But it's just a basic bitch compared to Yiskan.

"Karin? Jotaro?" Yuzu is crouching still.

"Here you are" The distorted voice of a Hollow echoes out. This causes Karin to freeze.

Yuzu stands up and moves towards her sister. "Come on. What's wrong?" She pleads.

She looks to Jotaro who was standing with his eyes closed.

She turns back towards where she feels a presence from and stands in front of Yuzu.

"You're going to come with me for a while. The more bait the better" The Hollow says as it approaches the girls. The concrete beneath its feet breaking and showing off its footprint to Yuzu.

It laughs in a weird way as it breaks a tree in it's approach.

"Yuzu! Run away!" Karin shouts to her sister.

The Hollow is about to hit Karin. She closes her eyes after seeing a limb fly towards her.

But then she feels something warm wrap her in a sort of hug. She opens one of her eyes slightly and sees a large arm holding the limb of a monster back. She looks above her and sees that Jotaro had stopped this thing with his bare hands. ""Jotaro?"" Both Yuzu and Karin ask.

Karin can see the monster perfectly, but it's better than Yuzu who can't see or hear it at all.

Jotaro is looking at this Hollow with his usual expression.

"Ohhh? I remember you, boy~. You were there too weren't you? Even better~" The Hollow took its outstretched limb back. "Hm. I wonder how you can block me. Granted I wasn't trying, but that's still a great feat for a human. I wonder what you taste like?" The Hollow licks his lips.

"Yuzu, Karin" They look at him. He moves in front of them. He brings his hands up and gets in what seems to be like a boxing stance. "Get ready"

"Going to fight back? I love it when they do that. The fear as they realize how hopeless it is only makes them taste better" The Hollow belows as it reminisces about its previous meals.

"Get ready. My family's secret special technique" Jotaro lowers his stance.

Yuzu doesn't know what's going on but she thinks that JoJo looks cool. Karin has hope wash over her instead of the dread that filled her previously.

"What is this…technique?" The Hollow asks

"It's the most effective way to deal with any opponent" Jotaro puts his right left foot forward.

"Use it then. It may even save your lives" The Hollow prepares to rank whatever blow this human uses. It plans to tank it and then strike as much fear into their hearts as possible.

"I don't need your permission you bastard"

Jotaro shifts his weight onto his back foot. He winds his right arm all the way back like he's prepared for the strongest haymaker punch of his life.

With all his weight on his back foot and his body turned"Super Secret Technique...!"

he fully turns around and grabs the twins and takes off. "Tactically and Swiftly Retreating"

Yuzu and Karin couldn't even react as they were picked up and were moving away at great speeds.

The Hollow doesn't even move. "I don't even know how to respond to that" It was genuinely shocked and surprised. He expected the brat that saw him when he killed that woman to put up a fight and spout some bullshit about training to kill him or something.

But then the Hollow pursues his prey. He is able to match Jotaro's pace. Normally he couldn't but with Jotaro holding 2 people and not in peak condition it's the best he can do. And even then that's still quite fast.

"Why are you so damn fast!" The Hollow begins to get pissed. This isn't how this was supposed to go.

After a few minutes of running Jotaro can see Ichigo and Rukia running towards them. He has the twins over his shoulder facing away from the front.

"Yuzu! Karin!" Ichigo shouts as he gets near Jotaro. Ichigo goes past them and slats is the Hollow.

Jotaro sets the twins down as they look at their brother wearing a weird outfit. "Look here" Says Jotaro.

The twins look over at Jotaro and sees his palms raised towards them.

"Bakudo No. 3: Inemuri" (Forced Slumber)

Jotaro's palms flash white for a quick second. Yuzu and Karin's pupil's dilate several times before they fall unconscious.

Jotaro catches them before they fall to the ground. He moves away from Ichigo and Rukia, Kon, and a random soul reaper appear.

"Jotaro! Your nose, it's bleeding" Rukia points out.

Jotaro moves Yuzu and Karin off the path below a tree. He sets them against the tree and uses the back of his hand to check his nose.

It wasn't too bad but it was weird for him to get it in this situation. "I'm fine" Jotaro rubs the blood off of his hand making the strong iron smell to go away into the wind.

But nobody pays attention to him. They are focused on the Hollow now as it has a staring contest with Ichigo.

A girl with short black hair walks from behind the Hollow that was currently standing on its back legs. The girl was wearing a white poncho and black shoes. She was very young.

Ichigo recognized the girl. Jotaro knew of the girl from the anime, but this was the first time he had actually seen her. He had only seen the ghastly figure years ago. He wasn't able to fully see the bodies of spirits back then.

"What's…..going on…." Ichigo is confused, this girl hadn't aged at all since he saw her last.

Then the Hollow laughs and it's voice goes through the girl as she smiles evily.

Ichigo glares at the Hollow. "You bastard…your the one who was on the bank that day, aren't you?" Anyone could hear the anger boiling inside of Ichigo as he finally accepts the events that actually happened.

"Why are you here?" Ichigo asks as he grips his blade tighter.

Rukia understands that this must be the Hollow that killed Ichigo's mom.

Ichigo explains how he tried to save the kid but ended up just getting his mom killed.

All of a sudden the Hollow creepily chuckles. "Six years ago? Interesting"

The girls hair splits down the middle revealing a weird hole atop her head. A red tendril rushes from the hole.

Then the face and clothes also split down the middle. Jotaro is glad that Yuzu and Karin didn't have to see this nightmarish sight.

Then as the thing sheds it's skin and clothes completely it reveals to be a humanoid lure connected to the top of the Hollows head.

It waves the lure around tauntingly.

"The Grand Fisher" (I'm aware that isn't it's actual name, 'Ground Fisher' is. But I like Grand Fisher and that's the end of that)

"That's it's code name" Rukia recognizes this thing finally. "It hides itself…and makes the appendage growing out of its head to take human form. Then any human that can see it.." Rukia pauses and rephrased what she was trying to say. "…In other words, any human with a soul of high spiritual pressure….becomes fodder to increase its power"

Rukia narrows her eyes at the Hollow as the others listen to her. Even the Hollow isn't moving or attacking. He's probably enjoying being talked about.

"This Hollow has evaded us Soul Reapers for over 50 long years"

Ichigo is shocked to hear how long they have tried and failed to kill this Hollow.

"And it's favorite meal is…Women" Rukia continues.

A heavy Spiritual Pressure falls on everyone as she said this. It nearly makes Rukia fall to her knees. Her soul isn't nearly recovered enough to stay standing with such a pressure pushing down on her. But thankfully it goes away as fast as it came.

Everyone looks to the source and looks at Jotaro who has a pissed look on his face. "Ichigo" he growls. "Kill this fucking bastard already"

Ichigo was looking at Jotaro but turns around and faces the Hollow. "You don't need to tell me. I was going to do that anyway" He gets in whatever fighting stance you would call it. It was just an amateur getting ready to fight with an oversized sword.

"Hehehe!" The Hollow cackles. "Ah, I see" He waves the lure around a bit. "You're those lucky kids that survived after seeing me. I may have tried eating you at first because of your Spiritual Pressure back then….But women are just so tasty. Heheheheheeee"

"You….Bastard…..!" Ichigo's muscles flex as he holds back from just wildly charging in. He knows he has to be smart in this fight.

Then the random Soul Reaper begins talking. "There ain't many Hollows that piss me off as much as this one"

Jotaro looks at the man. But decides to ignore him in favor of watching Ichigo slay Grand Fisher.

Ichigo dashes towards the Hollow and vertically slices downward. Hoping to either slice the Hollow directly or cut its lure.

But the Hollow is actually pretty quick and nimble for its size and is able to completely avoid the strike.

The speed of the dodge shocks Ichigo for only a moment.

"Don't be an idiot you fool!" Rukia shouts.

Ichigo jumps backwards to avoid the Hollows hand that seemingly extends to try and reach him. But the hand only slaps the ground with its palm and 3 fingers.

But as Ichigo was still in the air the Hollow uses its fur or hair that covers its body to restrain Ichigo. The hair extends and allows the Hollow to envelop Ichigo entirely.

Rukia and the Soul Reaper are worried but refrain from interfering due to the Hollow practically holding Ichigo hostage. But Jotaro knows Ichigo has a plan.

"Your the one I'll NEVER forgive!" Ichigo shouts as he struggles against the Hollows hold on him.

Rukia starts a Bakudo incantation and raises both her hands. But Jotaro just puts a hand on top of hers. She stops her incantation as she looks to Jotaro. "What are you doing! I'm trying to help him!"

Jotaro shakes his head at her. "Ichigo can handle it on his own"

"Are you watching the same fight I am?!" Rukia can't believe Jotaro can say that. Ichigo is strong but so is this Hollow.

The Hollow looks at Rukia noticing her attempt at a Kido. "Don't disturb me!" It says as it sends a hair whip to hit her.

The attack is about to hit Rukia but Jotaro grabs the hair and wraps it around his right arm.

He feels the hair trying to break the bones in his right arm but he only feels it squeezing.

Jotaro turns his body around to face the opposite direction as the Hollow tries to pull his arm off. But Jotaro has other plans.

"Muda!!!" Jotaro pulls the Hollow into the air.

"Nani?!" The Hollow shouts in confusion as it's lifted through the air still holding Ichigo.

The Hollow gets thrown through trees and then crashes into the ground with Ichigo still restrained, but now atop the monster.

"What the hell are you?!" The Hollow shouts. No human should be capable of lifting it off the ground.

"That's a good questions…." The Soul Reaper mutters to himself.

"You should worry more about ME!" Ichigos spiritual pressure rises and breaks his arm free of the hair restraints. He skewers the Hollow with his Zanpakuto, but it wasn't in a fatal spot.

But as the Hollow screamed in anger and pain it released him. This allowed Ichigo to jump away and recompose himself.

"Just wait your turn!" Grand Fisher shouts as he gets up holding the stab wound. He lets go of Jotaro's arm as well.

"Thank you, Jotaro" Rukia says. She would have been seriously injured had she actually been hit by that attack.

Jotaro says nothing but looks down at his right arm and sees it bruising already. He uses Kaido to heal it and feels more blood fall from his nose. Now there's a pattern forming. He wipes it away to worry about later.

The Hollow's hair on his back starts moving weirdly. Suddenly tendrils of hair shoot out and go towards Yuzu and Karin. Jotaro gets in front of them and is about to use a Bakudo but gets light headed and it takes all his will to stay standing to protect the girls.

But suddenly the Soul Reaper appears and cuts the tendrils of hair, but there were too many.

Some stab into the ground or the tree behind them. A few were destroyed but even so, a few stab into the Soul Reaper. And 3 stab into Jotaro.

"Ggghhh!" Jotaro tries to muffle his groan.

He got stabbed in his right shoulder, left thigh, and his abdomen.

"No!" Rukia shouts. She wasn't fast enough and had only taken 1 or 2 steps while Jotaro and the Shinigami were fast enough to defend the girls. She cursed her own weakness in this situation.

"Jotaro!" Ichigo shouts and is about to run to him. Ichigo was worried about his sister but was glad to see that they were safe for now. He doesn't know why Jotaro didn't just use whatever spells he likes to cast.

"Gggaaaaahhhh!!!" The Shinigami screams as he had over 6 tendrils impaling him. But then he and Jotaro both see a green spirit of a woman blink and disappear in an instant. Jotaro and the Shinigami's eyes widen at that.

"Damn it!" Ichigo jumps towards them and slices the hair tendrils.

This causes the hair to go limp and fall out of their bodies.

The Shinigami uses his Zanpakuto to stop himself from falling forward. His blood leaks out of his wounds and puddles on the dirt beneath him. He groans as he forces himself not to fall.

Ichigo faces the Hollow but looks at the two injured people. "Hey….you…idiots…" Ochigo then prepares to defend those behind him but listens as the Shinigami begins talking.

"Shinigami keep fighting the Hollows, no matter what" The guy is breathing with difficulty. But after he says this he coughs out a large amount of blood. "Shinigami never forgive Hollows" He falls to his knees now. "Because of Hollows attacking indiscriminately…precious people are lost…and only emptiness is left"

This Shinigami then looks up at Ichigo with a serious face. "I won't forgive that" he says with whatever conviction he has left.

Then he smiled weakly, he shows off his pearly whites. "Protect them, Spikey Boy. You understand, don't you…."

Then he falls to the ground completely, succumbing to his various wounds that riddled his body.

Jotaro isn't doing any better honestly. He's holding his stomach with his right hand. His left is holding his left leg. Mostly to apply pressure to the wounds, but also to keep him standing. He's really feeling the effects of his sickness and wounds now. His mind is fuzzy but the pain is keeping him awake and aware of his surroundings.

"Oy!" Ichigo shouts and is about to turn around.

"Just finish this already Ichigo!" Jotaro shouts as he tastes and feels the blood that's trickling from his mouth. "Shit…" Jotaro spits what he can and sees it's all blood. No saliva that visible or mixed in. Just that pure deep red color.

"Fine, alright!" Ichigo says and then charges at the Hollow.

They have a few back and forward clashes. Ichigo puts up a good fight and so does the Hollow.

Rukia runs over to Jotaro and the Shinigami.

Ichigo asks if he died even though he's a Shinigami. And Rukia explains that they aren't immortal and that death is still inevitable for them.

She checks the downed Shinigami but is surprised to see that he is snoring. Ichigo shouts to just wake him up, but it's not that simple. He's lucky to be alive.

Kon shows up and Rukia tells him to take the girls and run away. Kon hesitates when he sees the state of Jotaro.

"Just go already…" Jotaro says in a slightly strained voice.

"Hurry!" Rukia shouts. This causes Kon to get a move on. He carries Yuzu and Karin away back towards the graves. It was either that or more woods and then a road. It was only to get them away from this place so it didn't matter.

"Jotaro, what happened?" Rukia notices that he's acting unusual compared to his usual self. He might be injured, but he seems more affected by his current injuries than he should be.

"I became a pin cushion" Jotaro leans back against the now vacant tree behind him. He slides down the tree and sits down.

Rukia moves towards him and kneels beside him. "Really, a smart add comment now?"

Just then her attention gets drawn to Grand Fisher. The Hollow laughs as it kicks Ichigo away, but Ichigo manages to cut its right arm off in the exchange. The Hollow screams a little in pain as Ichigo crashes into a tree.

She's about to get up and cast a Kido to help Ichigo when Jotaro grabs her right hand with his left hand.

"Stay" Jotaro softly says. His vision is starting to clear up.

"You may be injured but Ichigo is going to actually die!" Rukia says as she tries to get out of his hold.

It wasn't easy as his hand was covered in blood and she gets her hand free. But she looks at her hand and sees all the blood on it. She looks back to Jotaro who is watching Ichigo fight. "Jotaro…" she realizes just how grave his wounds are. He isn't in his Shinigami form and had his human body damaged.

"Ichigo won't want our help. He will want to do this alone" Jotaro closes his eyes for a few seconds feeling the fatigue wash over him. "For his mom…"

"Hey! Don't fall asleep! Stay awake!" Rukia goes back to his side and slightly taps his face.

Jotaro swats her hands away. "I'm not dead, or asleep for that matter…..just…." His breathing is labored and he can still taste new blood entering his mouth. "….just…..hurting"

"You idiot!" Rukia puts her left hand over his stomach and it glows green. "Why can't you heal yourself?" She asks in a calmer tone than before.

"Sick" Jotaro says, feeling the pain from his wounds throb. His stomach healing a little.

"Jotaro….your Reiatsu….it's…" Rukia has to give Jotaro Reiatsu from the surrounding and some of her own, even though she doesn't have all that much. But she can afford to give him some before harming herself, that's why Jotaro is t stopping her.

"I'm very aware Rukia. Something isn't right. I'll give a person a call to see what it is after this…" Jotaro thinks he may know what is happening.

"Who is it?" She tries to keep Jotaro talking, his white shirt is more red than white on his front.

"A…relative" Jotaro then coughs out a mouthful of blood. He feels his stomach wound closing and it isn't a pleasant feeling.

Rukia then moves to his shoulder wound.

"Why would they know? Is it a hereditary disease?" Rukia is worried now. She had sensed his mother's soul was weakened when she met her.

"Who knows….But I'll get answers" Jotaro decides to keep his mouth shut now. His mind gets more fuzzy the more he spoke. He was fighting the Fatigue that grew as Rukia healed him.

"That's….good" Rukia was finding it hard to continue the conversation and focus on healing him. But she's able to heal his shoulder and moves to his last wound on his left thigh.

"At least….it was in the middle of your thigh" Rukia was beginning to feel her Reiatsu drop to the border that's safe but continues. Her breathing becoming heavier and she starts to sweat a bit.

"Really? No joke? You must really be hurt then…." She looks up to see Jotaro looking in a daze at something with his green eyes. They used to be bright, but now the color seemed a bit dull. This causes her to worry in no small amount.

But she followed his gaze as she continued healing him.

She saw the lure of Grand Fisher take the appearance of a woman that looked young and very beatitiful. She had seen this woman before in pictures around the Kurosaki's home.

It was Masaki Kurosaki's appearance.