Sequel to Retrograde. ;D Enjoy.
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Demarcation
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Ichigo slowly brought himself back into conscious after his breakdown. His back felt warm, something he hadn't felt in months. He relaxed into the heat, peaceful for the first time in years. However, it didn't last. His awareness snapped back into place when he felt someone stroking his hair. The hybrid pushed himself away from Renji, putting half the building roof between them.
"Ichigo," Renji asked quietly, as to not scare the hybrid more than he already was. "You okay?"
The memories from earlier flooded into the hybrid's mind. His breakdown, and Renji being there to calm him down. Then he remembered that he was invited back to Soul Society.
"Y-yeah. Sorry," Ichigo said while standing up. "You weren't lying, were you?"
"Lying...?"
"About Soul Society. I'm really wanted back?"
Renji stood up and walked over the hybrid, and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Yeah."
Ichigo took a step forward and rested his head on Renji, his consciousness slipping from his grip again. "That's good to know."
"Ichigo..."
- - - - -
The next few minutes didn't fully register into Ichigo's memories. He looked round at Seireitei, with an uneasiness spreading through his being. Ichigo still felt very detached from everything, and the amount of movement going on in his 'bubble' was starting to annoy him.
Renji led his friend to the sou-taicho, ignoring the weird looks they received on the way there. When they arrived at the sou-taicho's office, Renji bowed respectfully, while Ichigo just faced Yamamoto with his usual scowl.
"Kurosaki Ichigo," the old shinigami stated, turning to the young adult. "You have been accepted for what you are on the basis that you have assisted us during our war against Aizen. In order to assure the populous that you will not turn on us, you will be put under the command of Abarai Renji-taicho. You will not question your position, unless you want to be labeled as a threat and maintained in the Cell of Repentance. Your rank will be equivalent to that of an unseated officer. Are we in agreement?"
"That sounds more like a threat than an offer old man."
"You are not a shinigami, why should you think that you would get the same treatment as one?"
Ichigo's reiatsu spiked tenfold, an almost silent growl emitting from his throat. "I can easily overpower anyone in this damned place. Yet you're labeling me as a piece of shit?! I will not let you treat me in such a way!"
"Silence, Kurosaki. You are not helping your image in my eyes."
"Like I give a fuck about what you see in me!" Ichigo yelled while storming out of the building, his reiatsu blazing, alerting everyone to his presence.
Renji bowed even deeper before running after Ichigo. Fortunately, the hybrid's spiked energy was easier to track than when he was calm. "Ichigo!"
"What is it Renji?" The blind hybrid turned to the 5th devision captain.
"Calm down, please. You could get executed at the rate you're going at!"
"Like I care. Get me out of this damned place Renji."
"What?"
"Take me back to the human world. I'd rather be cut off from everything than be here, treated like I'm not worth the dirt under their feet. I may not give a shit about this place, but I will not live somewhere that still doesn't accept me."
"Ichi-"
"Now, Renji."
"Just give it a chance!"
"Why should I?!"
"You need help!"
"Help? I don't need help, Renji."
"Like Hell you don't!"
Ichigo held out his right index and middle finger. Energy quickly gathered to the point, and fired. "Bala." Once it was fired, Ichigo flash stepped from where he was. He didn't have a plan, but all he knew was that what he was almost forced to agree to was bull shit.
"Fuck," Renji mumbled, when the dust cleared. The bala had hit less than a centimeter from his foot, and he knew that the orange haired hybrid had missed on purpose.
"Abarai-taicho, are you okay?!" A nearby shinigami asked, running up to him. "Why is that monster here? I heard that Kurosaki was banished."
"I was able to overturn it. Now get out of my way."
"But, Abarai-taicho! He tried to kill you!"
"If Ichigo wanted to kill me, I'd be in at least a hundred pieces. He missed on purpose," Renji stated, before shooting a cold glare at the shinigami. "And he isn't a monster." With that, he flash stepped away from the slowly gathering crowd. 'Ichigo...'
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Ichigo jumped over the wall separating Seireitei from Rokongai, not slowing for a second. If a passer by could feel his energy, that person could tell to give the boy some space.
The hybrid flashed through the districts, stopping in a shack on the farthest reach of the 80th district. He had gone to the opposite side of Soul Society that he jumped the wall from (he jumped out heading north, but then turned and went to the 80th district of South Rokongai). There, he sat in silence, in the darkest corner of the small building. He needed time to think.
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"Ichigo!" Renji shouted, looking, scanning for the berry head he held closely to his heart. "Where are ya, you damned berry?!"
The red haired shinigami was practically tearing the seventy second district of North Rokongai. He searched every house, but to no avail. After about half an hour of thrashing through the poor village, the leader finally decided enough was enough.
"E-excuse me, shinigami-dono," he whispered, shaking like a leaf in strong winds. "May I ask who yer looking for? You're destroying our home."
Renji turned to the man, he looked terrified, but also one he wouldn't trust if Ichigo's hollow had Zangetsu at his throat (again). He could tell that this man was only faking politeness, so that he wouldn't attack him.
"I'm lookin' for a blind shinigami that might have gone through here a few days ago. Young lookin', like if he was about eighteen years old, bright orange hair. Ya seen him?" Renji glared at the man, expecting a pleasing answer.
"S-sorry. N-no one that matches that description has been through here that we're aware of, s-sir."
"Tch." Renji spat, and left the village. 'Where are you, Ichigo?'
Right when he was about to leave, a small voice stopped him. "I-I know where you can find him. Me-messenger, said someone matched that description in South 80..."
"SOUTH 80th?!"
The young girl cringed and shrunk back into the alley. "Ye-yes," she waited for her beating for giving someone as high up as this man bad news. To her surprise, a kind hand rested on her head.
"Thanks, that saved me a lot of problems," the red haired shinigami said, putting in her hand a piece of candy.
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"King..."
"What is it?"
"It's raining. Why is itraining?!"
"Dunno."
"How can ya no' know?! Yer the one makin' i' rain!"
"Your point is?"
"I know wha' yer feelin'! When ya woke up in tha' shinigami's lap was the first damned time the clouds thinned ou'! Ge' yer ass back over there!"
"Why the hell should I?!"
"So tha' I don' ge' wet!"
"That's not a good reason Ogihci!"
"I don' give a fuck! Make i' stop rainin', or I'll bother ya until ya-!"
Both stopped dead, Ichigo looking over his shoulder, Ogihci looking past him.
"Heh, he foun' ya."
"Damn it..."
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Renji stepped into the eightieth South Rokongai district, and flinched at the energy he felt. Yeah, it was feint as if it was just his imagination, but it was swirling violently with feelings of betrayal, hatred, sadness, and, surprisingly exhaustion and defeat. After getting his bearing back, Renji stepped back into Ichigo's 'bubble,' and continued on.
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The orange haired hybrid's scowl deepened, irritation flowing through his being. Even though he wanted to go and wring Renji's neck, he stayed where he was. A vague case of deja vu coming over him, from the last time Renji had found him.
"Fuck, Renji," Ichigo whispered to himself, fully aware that no one heard him.
When Renji finally made it to the door frame, he was met with the image of an Ichigo leaning against the far wall corner, neck exposed. Perverted thoughts entered the red head's mind before he cut them out.
"Ichigo..."
"Renji."
"Why'd ya have ta go and hide on the opposite side of Rokongai?!" Renji yelled at the hybrid. "I spent a week looking through each north district, until some brat told me that someone had seen you here and was spreading the word!"
"It was hard to find me right? Of course it was, that's why it took you so long to find me," Ichigo said, standing up. "Why did I do it? I wanted space at the time, and staying in Sereitei with a bunch of shinigami wasn't 'space.'"
"Ichigo," Renji grounded out slowly, clearly telling the hybrid he was pissed.
"I wanted time to think, Renji. I couldn't get it there."
"Wha?"
"I'll go with the geeser's idea..."
"Ya will?!" The relief in Renji's voice stung the hybrid's mind.
"Yeah. For the time being."
Renji had to control himself from rushing to the hybrid and hugging him. He never noticed how drawn he was to Ichigo. How needy he had become since he first found the hybrid a little more than a week ago.
The pair left the shack at a normal walk. Why rush things, when Renji was given enough time to search for the hybrid, and more?
"Ichigo," Renji muttered nervously.
"What?"
"Sou-taicho is pretty pissed a' what ya did."
"So?"
"You've been put under watch for a month."
"WHAT?!"
"Fortunately, I'm the one watchin' ya. So, I don' care wha' ya do, so long as ya don't attack anyone or anything like that."
Ichigo groaned, but stayed with Renji the whole time.
"Why?"
"Huh?"
"Why," Ichigo started. "Why are you trying so hard to help me?"
"I... don' know myself. I just don't like seein' ya shot down so many times after all the shit you did for us. It isn't right."
Ichigo stopped and 'stared' at the red haired shinigami. "There's more to it than that. I can feel it, Renji."
"Well," Renji was starting to blush, grateful for once of the blind hybrid being, well, blind. "I don' know. Yer my last good, close friend. I don' want to lose you too."
Ichigo sighed. "Whatever." He walked on ahead, mentally rolling his eyes at what the shinigami behind him was clearly not interpreting correctly. 'Maybe he just don't want to admit it...'
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"Kurosaki Ichigo, you agree to the terms I lied before you?"
"Yeah."
"You swear you alegence to Soul Society."
"Mostly."
"Mostly?"
"Yeah."
"Why is that?"
"I've never fully agreed with you. You know that, old man."
"Elaborate."
"Why?"
"It has been demanded of you."
"That's stupid. What are ya? Afraid I'll come and take your position? Don't hold yer breath old man. If I wanted to do that, I would've already. You aren't as high and mighty in my eyes."
A long, uncomfortable silence held the air. Many of the captains were staring at Ichigo nervously, especially the new replacements that didn't know him too well personally.
"Very well, then. Kurosaki Ichigo is now assigned to squad five, unseated from now on."
Ichigo didn't even wait for a dismissal. He immediately turned and headed for the door.
"You will wait until instructed to leave, Kurosaki."
The orange haired hybrid turned to the sou-taicho. "Like hell I'd do something like that. I'm not under your command, old man." With that, he left the room in a tidal wave of emotions coming from the occupants.
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When Renji found his new underling, Ichigo was leaning on a support beam near his office. His bubble had shrunk from 500 meters to 5. Ichigo couldn't deal with the overload of movement his mind was receiving, so he reduced his space.
However, to Renji's surprise, the reiastu was reasonably calm, compared to the other times he had felt it. "Ichigo?"
". . ."
He looked down at the hybrid, finally sensing that he was asleep. The slow raise and fall of his chest told him that he was at peace for the first time in years. A caring grin broke across Renji's face. "Welcome home, Ichi."
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Well, there is the second part of Confined series. And it's a happy ending. What is wrong with me?! xD
I'm not sure I like how this turned out. Some parts seem choppy, others OOC. D:
R&R!