October 26, 2004
Bleach: Episode 3
This episode begins back in Ichigo's room, where he questions Rukia about the Hollow's orgins. He knows it was Orihime's brother, but he demands to know why and how. Rukia gives a brief explination about how Hollows were once all humans and that they are nothing more than monsters once they become a Hollow. Ichigo tells Rukia he can't kill Orihime's brother to which she replies that if he DOESN'T slay him, Orihime's brother will never have a chance to be saved. At first, Rukia believes that the Hollow (knowns as Acidwire to us manga readers) is after Ichigo, but then she remembers Orihime's leg and starts to put things together. She tells Ichigo that it isn't him that's in danger, but Orihime
instead!
Over at Orihime's place, she and Tatsuki are chatting away and enjoying the evening. On the shelf sits her pink bear, Enraku. Enraku's face suddenly rips and he falls to the floor. Orihime goes to pick him up, noticing the tear. As she's asking how it could have happened, a loud banging can be heard in the distance.
Meanwhile, Ichigo carries Rukia on his back as they hurry to Orihime's place. She tells Ichigo more about how Hollows come to be and how they devour their families first. She reminds him or Orihime's legs.
Back at Orihme's house, she and Tatsuki are frightened, not understanding where the noise is coming from. Orihime feels something in her hand, and she realizes that her stuffed bear, Enraku is bleeding. A giant hand comes out of h is face and peirces her heart. Her body falls to the floor and Tatsuki yells at for her. Tatsuki is then knocked back, her arm torn open by some unseen force. She looks around and his tossed about some more, but can't fight back. Tatsuki can't see the Hollow looming infront of her and she is pinned to the ground, injured and confused.
In the corner, Orihime watches, also frightened and confused. She can see the Hollow perfectly. She can also see her body, laying several feet away. A chain attached to her chest and connects her to the body on the floor. She tugs at the chain, noticing it hurts her.
The Hollow starts to strangle Tatsuki. Orihime attacks the Hollow, throwing her body into his arm and freeing Tatsuki. Orihime tries to help Tatsuki, but she can't see either Orihime or the Hollow. She passes out as the Hollow explains this to Orihime, using her name. Orihime asks the Hollow how he knows her and he asks how she could forget his voice. Orihime tells him to stay away and this enrages him. He goes to strike, but Ichigo appears and cuts his hand, scaring him away.
Ichigo is startled when Orihime speaks his name. She's not suppose to be able to see him, but then he sees her body laying on the floor and remembers what Rukia told him. Shinigami can be seen only by other spirits, which means Orihime is dead. The Hollow comes back to confirm Ichigo's fears.
Ichigo attacks the Hollow in anger, but the Hollow goes around him and grabs Orihime's "Chain of Fate", pulling her off the ground. Ichigo strikes again, but can't pierce the snake scales and is thrown out the window. The Hollow holds Orihime in his hands, and tells Ichigo to stand down or else. Ichigo gets hit by the tail and eats concrete on the street. The Hollow disappears inside with Orihime and Rukia runs to Ichigo's side.
Inside, the Hollow asks his captive if she's really forgotten him. He lets her down and Orihime stares at his mask, perplexed. Suddenly, she says "Brother"... Outside, Rukia is still trying to get Ichigo up. He's not hurt too badly and Rukia reminds him that the Hollow is no longer Orihime's brother. He lacks a human heart and Ichigo must exterminate him.
Back in the apartment, Orihime asks if the Hollow is really her brother. She says her brother would never do such horrible things. He tells her that he was lonely, that he watched year after year as she slowly began to pray for him less. He watched her spend more and more time with her friends, and felt she no longer remembered him at all. He became so lonley and sad that he couldn't bear it. He then grabs Orihime and tells her if she even loves him but a little, he shouldn't betray him any longer. He tells her to do as he says, then goes to eat Ichigo. Orihime begs him to leave Ichigo alone and the Hollow grabs her, telling her to shut up. He says it's all her fault anyway and she will do as he says from now on or else he'll kill her first.
Ichigo has snuck back in and stabs the Hollows snake tail over and over again. The Hollow throws Orihime away from him, then lunges after her, but Ichigo intercepts him and cuts off his arm. He then asks the Hollow why big bothers are born first? Ichigo doesn't wait for an answer, and tells the Hollow that it's so they can protect the little brothers and sisters that come after. He also says that a true big brother would never say "I'm going to kill you" to a younger sibling.
The Hollow tells him to shut up, that Orihime belongs to him. He was the one who took care of her when their parents abandoned them. It was he who raised her on his own, even when he was a child himself. He then pleads to Orihime to come with him, that if she does, he'll let the others live. Rukia tells Orihime that it's a trap and the Hollow begins to reflect on some of his lingering memories. This seems to drive him mad, and her bashes his head into the wall, then screams that Orihime belongs to him.
The Hollow attacks Ichigo, but Ichigo blocks him with the Zanpakto (his sword). Ichigo tells the Hollow that Orihime belongs to Orihime and no one else. The Hollow goes outside and Ichigo follows, but is hurt when the Hollow spits acid out of his mouth and onto Ichigo's hand. Ichigo drops his sword and is helpless. The Hollow comes back around to take out Ichigo, but Orihime stops him with her body.
The Hollow has bitten Orihime's shoulder, but he doesn't kill her. She stands there, hugging him to her and they sink to the ground. Orihime apologizes to him, saying it was her fault. She begged him not to leave her the day he died and that's why he couldn't move on. She says she's always felt he was watching over her, and tells him she knows it was he who pulled her out of the way of the car the day before. She tells him that she felt that if she couldn't take care of herself, he would never rest peacefully, so she tried to show him she would be okay without him. She didn't realize it would make him so sad and lonely. She thought being happy would show him he didn't need to worry about her, but she only made him sad instead.
The Hollow starts to tell her "No, that's not it" but his mask begins to fade in and out and he begins to scream. Ichigo thinks he's going to attack again, but Rukia tells him that the Hollow is fighting with himself. She says he probably didn't become a Hollow on his own, that he was made into one. She says that stronger Hollows used him to come after Ichigo, but she's not sure why.
Suddenly, the mask breaks free and Orihime's brother stares down at everyone.
Orihime starts to cry, but passes out. Both Ichigo and her brother cry out and run to her, but Rukia tells them to calm down. The chain of fate is still attached so she can save her. Rukia beings to heal Orihime and the Hollow notices her hair pins. Ichigo asks what he's looking at, then goes on to tell him that Orihime wears them everyday, because they were a present from her older brother. Orihime's brother looks on, then turns away to pick up Ichigo's sword. He says if he stays, he'll only become a monster again and hurt people. He puts the sword to his neck, but Ichigo tries to stop him. Rukia tells him to let it be, that he won't die, he'll just go to the Soul Society. Though Shinigami exterminate Hollows, they do so by freeing them of their sins so they can pass on to the Society. Orihime's brother smiles and raises the sword, but Orihime comes to and asks him to wait. She says that on the day he gave her the hairpins, they had a fight and they didn't speak to each other as he left for work. They never had a final goodbye, so she wanted to take the chance to say it now. Orihime sits up and her brother looks down at her tearfully as she says "See you later, brother". He smiles at her and tells her, "Yeah, I'll see you later," then disappears as he runs the Zanpakto through himself. Orihime sobs on Rukia's shoulder.
The next day at school, Orihime is telling everyone that a gang of Yakuzua (mobsters) broke into her apartment and blew a hole in the wall with a gun. Everyone laughs at her and tells her she daydreams too much, but Tatsuki remembers the same thing. Ichigo and Rukia listen from afar and Ichigo gives Rukia a dumbounded look, then asks her "So, this is what you did last night?" Rukia says "Yup," and we see a flashback from the previous night. Ichigo turns to wrap things up, but Orihime tries to stop him, saying she's got a ton of questions. Rukia shoves this lighter looking duck thing in Orihime's face and it explodes. Orihime passes out while Ichigo screams in fear. She tells him not to worry and drags Tatsuki next to Orihime. She tells him that what she used is a memory modifier, and replaced tonights memories with something else. Ichigo asks with what, but Rukia doesn't know. The memories are totally random and they'd find out in the morning.
Back at school, Ichigo asks if that's what she used on his family when the Hollow put a hole in the side of their house. She replies "Yup." Ichigo is quiet for a long long time, and then he holds his hand out to Rukia. He tells her that he'd be happy to help her out with her "job" for a while, even though he doesn't know if he'd call himself prepared and he's not such a great person that he'd throw his life away for complete strangers. Rukia smiles and accepts his offer.
Posted by Zoso at October 26, 2004 07:44 PM