A place to call Home(DarkMaster)

A lone soul was waundering through the outskerts of a small town in Germany, he along with a large cat like creature were looking for someone that could help them. The young soul was wearing a pair of dark jeans, worn out sneakers, and his left arm was bandaged(He's not wearing a shirt.) "Excuse me sir but could you help me?" he asked a passing man only for him to walk through him. The boy shudder and tried to get a woman's attention, "Miss can you--" he asked as she walked away not hearing his question. The young man sighed in defeat, Ren shook her head; she had already explained most of this to the child but he still hasn't excepted the facts yet.

"I already told you no one can see or hear you, kid. You're dead." Ren said starting to get frustrated that the kid was still trying to get someone's attention. The boy looked at Ren with frustration, "And I told you already my name isn't "Kid" it's Keith.You think I don't know I'm dead? I can hardly remember how I died, the only thing I do remember is the pain in my arm!" he shouted lifting his wounded arm. He kicked a stone which had hit a car window causing the windsheild to break, Ren look at the kid like he had gone nuts. He just glared at her and took of running, "Keith wait! Keith!" she shouted running after him, "Leave me alone!" Keith shouted as he continued to run with tears escaping his eyes.

OOC: We're in Gigai ...

Spoiler:

IC:

They had taken the time to get away from the major city almost an hours drive, but Zamoreus was safe there. Once again a business trip, but this time they visited Zamoreus' Berlin office. So it had all the defensive capabilities as its New York counterpart. Even though Sumiko had already recovered from her illness, Tatsuya felt that a drive into he country side would do good for both of them. When they got out to the country, it vaguely reminded them of some of the Rukongai districts in Soul Society. Before long they found a quiet little town to walkabout in.

"I think the fresh air will do you some good." Tatsuya told Sumiko as they walked closely together along the side walk. "You know for a big guy, you sure do worry a lot." Sumiko playfully chided Tatsuya for looking after her. "I only worry for those that I care about." He smiled at her, relieved that she had gotten over the flu virus. "Well you can worry less. As you can see, I'm a hundred percent recovered." She playfully hip bumped him to emphasize her statement. "And a hundred percent pushy as well." Tatsuya quickly got behind her and lifted her up causing her to laugh and squeal. "Put me down." She laughed as she made a light effort to get away before Tatsuya put her down. Tatsuya continued to walk behind her with his large hands on her small shoulders. The size difference was a bit of an odd site for the townspeople they passed, but they were used to it. They comfortably walked through the streets of the small town. Before long they spotted the ghost of a young man running in tears and right behind it a hollow was chasing it. Tatsuya was about to swallow a gikongan before he recognized the hollow chasing the boy. "Sumiko, grab the boy." Tatsuya almost made it sound like an order when he told Sumiko, but he wasn't too thrilled seeing Ren chasing the boy, quite possibly for food. He let Sumiko catch the boy as he stepped between them and Ren. "Care to explain yourself, Ren?" His voice with an air of authority, completely forgetting that the hollow might not recognize him inside the gigai.

Ren skidded to a hault just as Keith passed a young woman and man. The name had called her by name how did he know her, "Do I know you? Keith you can't just take off like that, what if a hollow started chasing aster you?!" she hissed in annoyance. She still had to find a Shinigami to send him to the Soul Socioty, It had been almost two months since the Police had found Keith's body and the man that had "killed" the 18 year old. Keith had woken up to see Ren at his side with his arm still bleeding and the skin was flapping around. ren shuddered at the memory of what she had to do.

"I said leave me alone! Why can you just let me be by myself for a few minutes?" Keith asked not wanting to look at her. He was still upset that he was dead and couldn't see his family again, there was so much that he wanted to do in life now he never will.

Tatsuya's right eye twitched once in mild annoyance that Ren didn't recognize him, but quickly remembered that he was in a gigai. But that annoyance quickly returned when Ren turned her attention to the boy. Tatsuya couldn't help but take note of the irony that came from Ren's question towards the boy. Concerned about the boy being chased by a hollow, when she was, in fact...a hollow. Tatsuya could tell that the boy and Ren had a history together, and apparently a brief one at that, based on their interactions with each other. Tatsuya carefully started to look around, noticing that a few people were starting to take notice of Sumiko and himself. Their behavior to them seemed strange at best, but being outsiders they were easily noticed in the small town. In an effort to minimize the attention they were gathering, Tatsuya decided to take this debacle someplace else. An annoyed sigh could be heard coming from Tatsuya as he walked over to the boy. Without warning he grabbed the boy by his pants and lifted him off the ground. "Let's find someplace with a little more privacy." He looked over to Sumiko as he carried the struggling boy like tout bag. Though a little surprised at Tatsuya's actions, Sumiko played along as best she could to avoid bringing anymore attention to themselves. She knew that the people in the town couldn't see ghosts or for that matter, shinigami. But having two people talking to a couple of invisible spirits would look weird. Tatsuya had already started to walk in between the small town buildings looking for a place to talk privately. "Follow me, Ren." He called out without turning around, aware that he had yet to remind her who he was, and all while ignoring the struggling boy.

felt himself being lifted onto the man's shoulder, "Hey put me down!" he shouted trying to get away from the man. Ren looked at the Shinigami with narrow eyes unsure if she could trust him. How is it that he knows my name? I've never met this human before. she thought as she followed the human. "Care to explain how you know my name? who are you?" Ren asked the two people once she entered the woods away from the other people.

"Hey Sasquatch, put me down!" The young boy struggled to get free. Tatsuya walked between the buildings and saw what looked like an abandoned home. "Hey Lurch, you deaf?" The young boy twisted and turned in the big man's grip to no avail. Tatsuya checked the door to the decrepit home, but it was locked. He looked around to see if he was being watched and once he felt the coast was clear he rammed his shoulder into the door, breaking it open. "What the hell, Gigantor? Do you usually enter into a building without permission?" The boy continued his verbal jabs at Tatsuya and spoke loudly trying to attract the attention of anyone who could here him. Which at the time was only them. Tatsuya did a quick scan of the area and determined no none was inside. Without warning tossed the young man in front of him and turned to shut the door. Sumiko only cringed when Tatsuya threw the young man at his feet. "You know, Ren. Most shinigami would attack without any hesitation if they saw you chasing this boy. Must be pretty lucky to have friends like us." He finally acknowledged Ren after walking in silence. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his gikongan, quickly swallowing it and being forced out of his gigai, revealing his true self. "Long time no see." He had a smirk on his face. Sumiko soon followed Tatsuya in revealing her true self. "Hello, Ren." Her voice carrying a bit of wariness in it as she looked over from the boy then to Ren.

"Forgive me. I did not recognize you, Tatsuya." Ren said nodding at the girl beside him. She looked at Keith with a disapproving glance. "Hey could you be more careful, bub?" Keith asked Tatsuya as he sat up rubbing his bum when he was on the gorund. Ren sighed and decided that the kid would be safe with a Soul Reaper, "I would of just run away if it was any other Soul Reaper. But I figured that we are close friends you could of let this one slide and what luck we have to see one right in front of us. A soul Reaper that is." Ren said dropping the hint.

"Don't worry about it. I'd have to seriously reconsider using that thing if I thought others could still recognize me by sight." Tatsuya pointed at the gigai behind him, with his thumb. "Hey!" The gikon inhabiting the gigai protested to being called a thing. "Not you. The body." Tatsuya defended his previous statement to the gikon before hearing the young boy speak. "Relax, Boy. A small fall isn't going to kill you." He looked down at the boy, less than amused. Tatsuya curiously looked at Ren with a cocked eyebrow as she spoke. "Tch. Guess we can't have the boy running loose with a hollow chasing him down all the time now, can we." Tatsuya looked from Ren to the boy and then to Sumiko. "Sumiko, his arm please. Might as well patch him up before he gets sent off." He lightly suggested to her. "Sure thing." She walked over to the boy and knelt down, reaching for the boy's bandaged arm. The boy jerked away instinctively, unsure of what she might do. "Relax. I'm only going to heal your arm." She said with an innocent and calm look in her eyes, gently grabbing his arm. "Where did you happen to find this boy?" Tatsuya turned his attention back to Ren. "Hey, I have a name." The boy spoke up in frustration. "I'm sure you do." Tatsuya stated bluntly without looking at him causing Sumiko to let out a slight chuckle. "Don't worry about him. He can get a little...forceful at times." Tatsuya turned to give Sumiko a quizzical look for her statement, but she just playfully stuck her tongue out at him. "Anyways...about the boy." Tatsuya sighed and turned back around waiting for Ren's answer.

Ren just stared at Tatsuya for a moment befor awnsering the question. "He was in a great deal of pain. Can I speack with you outside, Tatsuya?" Ren asked not looking directly at him. She didn't want to tell him what really happened infront of the boy or Sumiko. Ren was sure that she would get nearly killed or have her life hanging by a thread. She sighed and started for the door.

Tatsuya stared at Ren waiting for an answer. When she did answer he noticed that she didn't look at him. "Sure." He answered simply, turning to Sumiko as he did. "I'll be right back." He told her while she tended to the boy. She looked up in concern and then over to Ren, still not trusting her and gave a hesitant nod to Tatsuya. Tatsuya walked over to the door and opened it, letting Ren leave first before shutting the door behind them. He knew that she didn't want the others to hear so he walked a little away from the house. "So what happened?"

When they were a distance away Ren turned to Tatsuya with sad eyes. "I was in a small villige in another part of Germany. There was a man holding him hostige..." she paused as she remembered what had happened to the boy in the house. Tears slowly started to form in her eyes, "He suffered for several days. He was starved, whip lashed. The man even seemed to be enjoying his pain, even when Keith was strapped down to that table. After that; he started to cut into Keiths arm making the skin flap ove to expose the muscles and vains." she said shuddering as the tears began to fall.

"I was hiding in the basement where they were, I think Keith could kind of see me. He-he asked me to make the pain to go away. The only thing that came to mind was to. Was to." Ren couldn't even finish the sentince, it hurt her to much she even hated herself for comitting such an act.

Tatsuya listened carefully to Ren as she explained where and how she found the boy. When she got to the end of her explanation, Tatsuya was having trouble containing his anger. "Damn it, Ren." He tried to sound calm and controlled. "That was really fucking stupid." He stated even though tears were falling from her eyes. "You are the same as every other hollow. Attacking innocent souls." He balled his hand into a fist, trying not to strike her. "What you should have done, was kill the bastard that had the boy. NOT KILL THE BOY!!" Tatsuya's anger got the better of him, causing him to yell out at Ren.

Tatsuya was right, why din't she kill the man that was tormenting him? The more she thought about it the more upset she got. Her legs cave under her as her eyes continued to shine with fresh tears. "What have I done?" she asked herself. Memories of her past came back, It's your fault, you did this. a voice said from her past. Back then she always said that it was the white monster's, this time it was her fault and she was the white monster.

Something inside of Ren snapped, she was still crying however her eyes were begining to turn red. "It's all my fault. I really am a heartless hollow." she muttered.

"You better be glad that you found me and not some other shinigami." Tatsuya told Ren in frustration. "I'm gonna let you say goodbye to that boy, but after that, I'd better not see you again." He looked at her with complete seriousness and implied his future actions. Without waiting for her acknowledgement, he started to walk back to the house.

Ren looked down, her eyes started to return to normal. She followed Tatsuya slowly thinking of what to say to the kid. She realized that there was nothing to say now, she failed to stay as a human she was a full Hollow now. Ren stopped just outside the door and looked at Keith from outside. Thunder rumbled as rain started to fall she kept her head down, "Good bye Keith, I'm sorry." she whispered before turning to the forrest. She walked quiet a way she was deep in the forest, the rain was pounding into her skin. "Good bye Tatsuya. I truely never ment to hurt anyone, make sure he will be safe; keep him out of trouble. Take care of Sumiko." she said with fresh tears falling along with the rain. She open a Garganta to Hueco Mundo she turned her head towards the cabin, "If anyone were to kill me, I hope it will be you Tatsuya." she whispered before leaping into the black portal.

Tatsuya leaned against the wall to the right of the door looking at Sumiko as she finished healing the boy. When Ren said her good bye to the boy, he kept his gaze on Sumiko and boy. He was furious with Ren. He should have cut her down on the spot, but he wasn't one to go back on his word. Next time, he would do as he said. "Hey, where is she going?" The boy asked when Ren left. "She's going home. Same as you." Tatsuya answered the boy, who looked up confused. "Shouldn't I be going with her then?" The boy asked, looking back and forth between Tatsuya and Sumiko. "No, your home is much nicer and safer." Tatsuya answered once again this time unsheathing his sword. "Hey. Wait a minute." The boy pleaded thinking Tatsuya was going to kill him. Tatsuya quickly closed the distance between them and placed the hilt of his zanpakuto against the boy's head. The boy disappeared into thin air. Once the boy was gone, Tatsuya explained what had happened to Sumiko. Needless to say, she was disappointed, but not surprised with Ren. After a bit more talking Tatsuya and Sumiko got back into their gigai and decided to head back to the complex.