On a Mission

[SoulofDarkness]

(he he he, I will take certain privileges and say that this is 3 months after Ian left...)

Ian trudged after his brother, glaring at the back of his head. "Ma-kun... I haven't had a real meal in months..." he whined, "Can't we go to a real town?"

Kazuma didn't return the look, instead he kept walking through the dense forest. "You know the answer to that. We don't have time. You want to get stronger, don't you?"

"Well, yeah, but I could use a nice meal... And a bath. Do you know how long it's been since I had a bath?"

"Judging by the way you smell, a long time," Kazuma retorted, suppressing a grin.

"Hey!" Ian yelled, indignant, "I don't smell that bad!"

Kazuma finally gave in and howled with laughter, "Why do you think nothing has been bothering us? I swear, you're a natural bug repellent." Ian was about to reply to this when Kazuma continued talking, "Look, we're here now."

Ian glanced past Kazuma to see where "here" was. There was nothing. In front of them lay what looked like a barren cliff. "What exactly is here...?" Ian asked patiently.

"Not here here, at the top, baka!"

"Oh, okay..." Before Ian could protest, Kazuma turned to face him with a length of rope held in one hand. He swiftly looped it around Ian's right arm and secured it to his torso. "What are you doing?" Ian yelled, trying to pull away.

"While we're at it, we might as well make it more difficult, we'll get more out of it. I'm doing the same too." Kazuma too tied one of his arms snugly to his body. "Shall we start then?"

"Fine..." With that the two of them began the arduous climb up the seemingly endless cliff.

(What will be up there??? I wonder... and I was thinking you could post in here wherever Daelyn is, it doesnt have to be where Ian is, and maybe sometime later they can meet up... So it could be like views from both sides until they do meet up or something...)

[Kurorin]

Daeyln’s scream shattered the tranquility of silence around her. Two poison tipped arrows had gladly been shot toward her, hitting her in the right side and in the left leg. Though she was hurt, she pulled them out while gritting her teeth and started limping away from the shooters with her backpack slightly moving and with her two necklaces jingling loudly. She had died her hair black and had used purple contact lenses to disguise herself in order to find her brother, though apparently there was someone who was after them, figured out it.
“Help…!” Her voice was dry and raspy. She was suddenly kicked down face first, laughing came from behind her.
“Little girl… You and your brother know what you are… your kind should be extinct plus… You’re wanted everywhere… Dead or alive…” the man started to crush her, pushing his foot down on her as she could almost barley breath. She had been too weak to use her powers. She had wished she didn’t tell Ichigo to go and leave her.
(this is close to where Ian and Kazuma are so… yeah…
this is what she is wearing and stuff like that: )

[SoulofDarkness]

(Okay, Ian wont recognize her... On one condition... Ian "changed" himself and his brother too, so she can't recognize them either... which could be interesting because I guarantee Ian will still be attracted to Daelyn even though he doesn't know it is her)

Ian scrambled over the top of the cliff and doubled over, panting heavily. "Wow!" he gasped, "You wouldn't believe how much harder that is with only one hand! I thought I was gonna fall!"

"That's the point," his brother laughed through panting breaths.

Ian stood at the top of the cliff, overlooking the forest beneath them. They were so high up... Then something that didn't fit popped out at him. He saw a girl he didn't recognize running from something, she was in trouble... "Kazuma, look! We need to help her!"

"What are you talking about? We don't have time! Besides, you don't even know her."

"That doesn't matter! She's in trouble!" Ian shot his brother a glare, since when had his own brother been so cold? Then he turned back to the scene. He had to help. "Sorry, Ma-kun," he said, then tightened his arm and snapped the rope that had bound it to his side. Without a moment to spare he leapt into the depths below.

Kazuma sighed, but after hesitating a minute followed suit.

The tree barely made a sound as Ian landed lightly in it's thick bow. He saw the girl fall, saw the man step over her. He dropped down silently as he listened to the man speak.

His arms wrapped around the man and held him tightly, as one produced a small knife. With his blade to the man's throat, Ian spoke, his hollow distorting his voice. "What kind exactly should be extinct?" He asked in a dangerously quiet tone.

This is him:

(but both his eyes are a greenish brown color, not red)

And this is Kazuma:

[Kurorin]

The man grinned.
“I see your one of them….well hollows are evil creatures… this girl, Isabelle, she’s one too…. She and her brother are wanted dead or alive…” he said taking his foot off of the girl. Daelyn looked at the man who had the older man in his grip.
“Please….” A small voice came from her mouth. She slowly got up and turned to face the two.
“I….I…” she gripped the necklace that had an “I” attached to it.
“I made a promise… and to keep that, I have to stay alive…” she said with a raspy voice.
“My name is not Isabelle… that’s my fake name…. the letter “I” is the name of my lover but I don’t remember what he looks like or what his name was… oh and by the way, I’m your worst nightmare….” she immediately made a force field knife and stabbed the man, who wanted to kill her, in the heart. The man fell to the ground as she held her side with her hand and dropped to her knees. She huffed and gritted her teeth before taking her backpack and taking out water and drinking it.
“So… you’re a hollow?” her voice was now clearer and it sounded more peaceful.
“I bet my brother would love you…. As a friend I mean…” she smiled brightly.

[SoulofDarkness]

Ian smiled sadly, "So there's even more of us than I thought, huh?"

Just then Kazuma dropped from the tree above them. "It's already over? Jeez, I didn't even need to come then, you should've told me you could handle it, I-"

"Shut up!" Ian hissed at his brother. For some reason, he had the feeling that he should tell no one their real names, because then people would start after them too...

Kazuma rubbed his neck sheepishly, "Sorry..."

Ian turned back to the girl, "You can call me..." He stopped. He hadn't thought of a name yet. After a moment he said, "Ryou. And this is my brother, Suguru."

"Hey!" Kazuma said, "Don't I get to pick my name?"

"Is there something wrong with the one I picked, "Ma, er, Suguru?"

"Not really... But I'm supposed to be the leader."

"Not with stuff like this! You suck when it comes to talking to people!" Then Ian remembered the girl. He turned to her with a sheepish grin. "Er... Sorry..."

[Kurorin]

Daelyn smiled.
“There are two more of us around here in this area but at least seven more a few miles away... It's nice to know another hollow that's not my brothers... do you want to go to my house? It's not far from here...anyway... I have to go before I die of poising and blood loss...” she said before struggling to get up and falling on her butt. She laughed a little before getting up and forming crutches from her force field.

[SoulofDarkness]

Ian watched her support herself, and felt a stab of pain as the wound in his heart reopened. She was so similar... Ever since he had gone with his brother, he had regretted leaving Daelyn, and now he felt it more than ever.

He blinked his eyes a few times to stop himself from crying, that would do nothing for him now. Then he forced a smile, "We'll go with you to make sure you get back safely, but we really can't stay... My brother and I were heading up that cliff a little ways off until we saw you get attacked."

Kazuma grumbled, "Yeah, and we were almost there until you decided to try to play hero..."

Ian gave a sheepish grin, "I wasn't trying to play hero. I just thought she could use some help..."

Kazuma wasn't buying it, "Ever since we left, you've been obsessed with playing hero. I bet its just a way for you to get your mind off that bimbo, Dae-" He was cut short when Ian tackled him to the ground.

"Shut up!" Ian's face was fierce, his voice like a knife, "Don't talk about her like that!" His hair fell over his face, hiding his eyes. His voice became dangerously quiet, "I swear, if you ever say anything bad about her, I wont forgive you..."

At first Kazuma's eyes were startled, then sad. He wiped his expression away and snorted, "I was just joking..." He scrambled out from beneath Ian, whose grip had become lifeless. "Besides, we'll probably never see her again..." he said quietly.

Ian glared up at him, his jaw set, "No, we'll see her again. I'll find her. As soon as I know I can control my hollow so that I never hurt her again, I will find her."

[Kurorin]

Daelyn smiled agitatedly. Wait was he going to say her name? But it was impossible! She just met them!
“Well, I'm glad you can help me... Kat-kun and Ichi-kun will be happy to meet you... just don't make fun of Ichi.... he doesn't like outsiders like you... even if you saved me or if you're a hollow...” she said taking out her colored contact lenses to reveal her hazel brown eyes.
“Stupid contacts...irritating my eyes...” she murmured to herself.
“Anyway... you say you want to control that hollow of yours?” her eyes became black as night.
“My brother was considered an expert on them until he was wanted by many people.” her soft voice became more disoriented. She started to limp toward the house, smiling agitatedly.

[SoulofDarkness]

Ian's eyes widened as he stared at the girl before him. Her eyes were... But that was impossible! He closed his eyes and shook his head to rid his mind of these thoughts. Everything he saw reminded him of Daelyn, and this was just another thing his mind twisted to cause him more pain. He was sure of it.

He followed behind her, "My brother is a bit of an expert too. He has another demon inside him, as well as the hollow, so he has full control over his hollow. We've been traveling around for months looking for the right place to train, and we finally found it..."

Kazuma rolled his eyes, irritated. "Yeah, and we'd be there by now if you didn't have to be such a nice guy..." he muttered disdainfully.

Ian shot him a glare that told him to shut up, and Kazuma obeyed. He might hate this girl, and most other people, but he loved his brother.

[Kurorin]

Daelyn stopped.
“Well, my brother found out how to stop the lust virus in its tracks!” she smiled but then it became a frown after. She started to limped again.
“How do you deal with someone who is jealous of you because they thought you were a “replacement” for them and all you want to be is friends?” she said. She looked up and saw a medium sized house.
“Well, we’re here… do you want to stay a while and have lunch with us? I know he’ll--” Daelyn looked toward Ryou. He had stared at her eyes when she had taken the contact lenses out. She shrugged and opened the door to the house.
“Ichigo!? I’m home!” she called. Sooner or later, a dark figure came looming over her. He had a strawberry in his mouth and orange hair and looked half asleep.
“Ugh…wha- Daelyn I told you no outsiders…” Ichigo muttered.
“I’m bleeding…they saved me… well one of them did… and they’re hollows too!” she growled at him. Ichigo just sighed.
“Fine but you can’t keep them…” he said letting them in.

[SoulofDarkness]

Ian smiled sadly after her, "I've already cured that virus that ravaged me..." He stopped, and his eyes clouded as he remembered Daelyn. She promised she would stay alive, but... How was she handling her own hollow?

He was dragged from his memories by Kazuma. "Are we going or what?"

"Oh, yeah..." Ian ran after the girl to see her standing in the doorway of a house. "I think we really should be going now..." Then he saw the other figure in the doorway. "You...!"

(so does Ichigo look like Ichigo? I left it so it could be either way, but if it IS Ichigo then Ian will find out that she's Daelyn... he might still not tell her he's Ian though... *snickers*)

[Kurorin]

Daelyn smiled and went inside to bandage her wounds and inject herself with antibiotics.
"Are Ichigo Kurosaki. Is there a problem with that?" he said finishing Ian's sentence. He knew who they were but didn't say a word. He took them by the arm and tugged them in.
"So Daelyn says you both are hollows?" he asked walking to the kitchen and taking out four boxes of instant ramen. He gestured for them to sit at the table in the kitchen. He chuckled to himself. Ian has changed.
"Our brother knows about the virus... I'm just warning you... He's not too happy about that..." he said. Soon Daelyn came out in her pink short shorts with the word "sexy" on the back, her hair was pulled back and she was wearing a black tank-top.
"Ryou... You smell like ass... If you want, you can take a shower..." she giggled.

[SoulofDarkness]

Ian stood frozen as Ichigo pulled him in. Oh shit! his mind screamed, It really was her! If I don't leave, she might realize it's me, and I might not be able to bring myself to leave again...

Kazuma shot Ian a confused look, "It's them? What's-"

"Shut it!" Ian hissed. He slid into the seat and nodded his thanks to Ichigo, but his eyes were on Daelyn as soon as she walked into the room. He cringed mentally and dropped his gaze.

Ian blushed when he heard her comment. "Heh heh... I know... I really should be going though, I'm sure my brother and I can find a lake to wash in..." Now more than ever he wanted to leave so that he wouldn't lose his resolve.

[Kurorin]

Daelyn smiled.
“C'mon! It's the least I can do for you after you saved me.” she looked at him and then sat down next to him. Ichigo put the ramen into bowls and put them in front the three of them. Daelyn looked at Ian.
“Are you okay? Your face is all red!” she put her hand on his forehead with a worried look on her face.
“Smooth...” Ichigo said chuckling.
“You seem like you know each other.. did you guys meet at a hollow convention?” she giggled taking a bite of her ramen.
“It's a little complicated but... I think Ian should tell you.” he grinned.
“His name couldn't be...” she said. The name sounded so familiar. She shrugged it off. She would remember him if she saw him right? I suppressed your memories for you so you didn't have to worry about him. It was becoming a hassle when you kept screaming him name in the middle of the night. You were also becoming more violent. Your dreams were becoming nightmares so I suppressed them for the time being. If you want I can bring them back...? her hollow chuckled a bit.

[SoulofDarkness]

Ian winced again. "I shouldn't be here... I really shouldn't be here..." he muttered. "We need to go." Then he rose from the chair and shot a look to his brother.

"But we just got here, Nii-san, and you had just been saying how much you wanted to eat and take a shower..."

"Kazuma!" Ian breathed, "You know what the problem is here, I shouldn't have to spell it out for you!" He was already running out of time. His hollow had seen Daelyn, and now was making itself known inside his head. It's been three months, Ian, the voice said snidely, three months is much too long...