So this is it everyone, finally feeling some motivation to do this rewrite I said would probably never happen. To all those who waited all these years, I apologize sincerely, I'm hoping this rewrite will be more enjoyable than my ameutur work from when i was in highschool. I'll be sticking close to the original version of it, but will be making a lot of changes to make it have more of an actual plot and consistency. Like the one prior, it is entirely AU after Ichigo loses his powers from mugetsu.
Standing in the morning sunshine, one would normally feel warm, and to everyone else, the day would seem to be so peaceful. Yet, Ichigo would have prefered it to be raining, so at least the sky could match the coldness he was feeling as he stood with his back to the short black haired Shinigami that had had his back for so long, the person who he took on a entire military force, just to save. "Tell everyone, I give them my best." Ichigo spoke as he held back the emotions his words we're bringing to himself.
"I will... Ichigo, you better... take care of yourself." Rukia spoke as she felt her dear friend's spiritual energy, always such a bright beacon, slowly fading, starting to become just one of the thousands of normal souls that surrounded them for miles and miles.
Ichigo turned to look at Rukia over his shoulder "Goodbye, Rukia... Thank you." He said quietly as he felt his friend disappearing in a similar way that she felt himself. Along with Rukia, Ichigo felt all spiritual awareness fading from himself, and Rukia's form slowly blurring, and then disappearing from the bottom up. He knew she was there, even he couldn't see her, or even sense her, it was if Rukia Kuchiki never existed.
"I feel cold..." He muttered as he felt a chill go up his body, along with a rocking motion that seemed to be pulling him to and fro. At the same time he felt all awareness quickly leaving himself.
With a start Ichigo sat up, nearly throwing off Yuzu in his panic. She seemed to be the source of the movement. She had been shaking him moments before, having half way crawled on top him to rock him with enough force to wake him. "Ichi-nii If you don't hurry your going to be late again you know!" Yuzu said franticly, all but flailing her arms around herself.
"Ah thanks Yuzu, sorry for almost making you late also." Ichigo reached out to lightly ruffle the girl's hair a bit before getting up himself. "Its... Its okay. Ichigo are you okay?" She asked quickly noticing her older brother's downcast look. He just gave her a bit of a sad smile as he moved past her to his closet to pick some things out to change into from his sleeping clothes. "I'm fine, it was just a dream, now you should get going, i have to change." He said as he made a shooing motion at Yuzu, who smiled once again after Ichigo started to look like he was feeling a bit better. "Have a good day at school Ichi-nii!" She shouted as she rushed down the stairs where Ichigo heard his other sister Karin scold Yuzu a bit for taking so long.
Ichigo rested his head against the corner of his closet door, trying to clear the depressing dream from his mind. It had been hard for him to get over his loss of spiritual senses at first, as it was like having his eyes torn out in a way. The loss of his previous friends that resided in the spiritual realm was even harder, as since the loss of his powers not a single message has been given to him, which he knew could be possible in some way.
The young man took a deep breath to calm himself, and went back to choosing his clothes. Normally he would not care much for what he would wear, he could care less what his school thought, he never cared before, if he did he would have dyed his hair a long time ago. There is a someone at his school he does wish to impress though. "Yeah this should be fine."
Ichigo headed downstairs at his leisure, even though school started in fifteen minutes (and was 2 miles away), he was not worried about it. He swept up his school bag, cellphone, and the toast Yuzu must have left for him ~Glad i have a thoughtful sister.~ He thought as he headed on his way, devouring the toast quickly. "Ookay... Last time was...Seven Thirty Seven, Can beat that." He said to himself with a grin as he got took off towards school.
Ichigo rushed onto the school grounds and slowed to a casual walk once again. His heart rate quickly slowed down after his run. He took a peek at his cellphone for the time "Seven twenty three." He said with a grin. Even without his spiritual powers, all of that sword swinging, Shunpo, and battling all did wonderful things for him physically, even if he was in spirit form for it, his body still was connected to it all.
Peeking his head into the classroom Ichigo looked towards his seat to see who he could spot. As usual Orihime, Uryu, and Chad we're all seated near the back talking, from the sounds of it Orihime had tried yet another new strange recipe. "So I made some fresh wasabi paste, and added it to a Meatbun for lunch today, what do you guys have?" Orihime asked in her usual bubbly voice, and then noticed Ichigo approaching their little group. "Hey Kurosaki-kun! How is y our morning?" asked the every optimistic princess of their group.
"Ah, morning Orihime-chan, Chad, Uryu-san. He would greet as he settled into his usual seat near the window, and half watched the classroom door.
"Funny Kurosaki-san, I don't remember us being close friends, or letting you call me by given name." quiped the ever aggrivating quincy of their group. Ichigo would just roll his eyes a bit "I am not even going to respond to that one..." He grumbled under his breath, ignoring the predictable comeback that he just did.
To none of their surprise, and Orihime's distress, they saw Ichigo's eyes light up like christmas as another girl entered the classroom. A girl around Rukia's height with short white hair and bright blue eyes. "Hey Yume-chan!" Ichigo greeted the girl as she came in.
She was a recent edition to the classroom, and seemed to slip into people's good graces rather easily, it helped she was small and rather cute like a puppy, putting her in a position almost like the class mascot. Yume would trot over to Ichigo and beam at him "Morning Ichigo-kun! Sleep well?" She would ask as she sat in the seat in front of him. She would give a few stretches as she got settled for class.
"Slept.. fine I guess, was nearly late though." He would say as he rested his chin on his palm. He would give a sharp inhale as the small girl turned around and flicked his ear!
"Please do not lie Ichigo, your ears turn red." She said with a calm smile. "Well, hope you sleep well next time." She said as she didn't accept his stuttering excuses. If he looked behind him at the others he might see Orihime giving a very conflicted look at the scene... if she was a more aggressive girl she might feel jealous... Uryu's look was the most critical as he examined the girl as if she was some sort of threat.
Their chatter slowed down and stopped as the teacher entered the room and began class, yet another boring highschool day, no more exciting hollow chases for Ichigo. It had been over six months since he had lost his powers, and nothing... no whispers from Zangetsu, it had been hard for him to get over, yet since Yume started at their school... he had been feeling better, albeit slowly.
"Hey Ichigo, wanna meet me on the roof after school?" Yume had asked around lunch time in the rush to get food before others. And as the sun started to bathe the school in a warm crimson, Ichigo would head out onto the roof.
He figured he must have gotten there first, so he would lean on the fence around the edge of the roof and enjoy the pleasant fall breeze passing through the town. "Hard to believe it has been most of a year..." He would mumble to himself.
"A year since... what?" He would hear the soothing, bell like voice behind him of Yume, making him stumble to turn around. "S-sorry i didn't mean to startle you... figured you sensed me or something..." She would wave her hands while feeling rather guilty.
"Ah just...It doesn't really matter...You're fine, been startled by worse than a pretty face." He said with a light smile that turned into more of a blush. "Ya'know, ever since I got to know you, you've been a good friend, it is... refreshing. I-i'm guessing you have something to say s-since you asked me up here?" He would ask as he fully turned around, standing up straight as his nerves started jolting. Was... this the fabled roomtop confession?...
"Huh? I just wanted to kinda hang out and ask you some things... is... there something special about this roof?" She would ask with an innocent head tilt.
The tension broke like a string as Ichigo would falter a little bit "Ah.. n-no... nevermind..."I-it is just that usually when a girl asks... a guy to meet them on the roof.. or behind the school... It is a um...Ah nevermind.." he said with a dry laugh, feeling quite embarrassed.
Yume would take a moment to connect the dots before turning bright red wobbiling a bit on her feet "Ah! N-no it wasn't t-that i'm sorry! It isn't that I don't l-like you or anything, b-but i haven't even met your family o-or anything and we s-still haven't even gone on a date or anything and I need to stop talkiiing..." She would pout a bit, puffing up her cheeks as she said a lot more than she mean't.
Ichigo would also be pretty out of words as he absorbed all of that..."T-then... maybe did you wanna... come to my house f-for dinner? Meet t-the family? As.. a d-date?" he would ask and rubbed his hair. He had fought extradimentional monsters that could level cities with abilities that made nuclear weapons look like child's toys, yet he was having trouble asking the girl he liked on a simple date...
"Ah...Yes! T-that sounds fun! M-maybe tonight?" She would ask curiously, she hoped she wasn't being presumtuous, but it was a chance to learn more about Ichigo!
"I guess if you have nothing else going on, I don't see why not...do you want to go home to change first? Or should we go straight there?" He would ask as that blush faded off his ears.
"Can just.. text me the address and i'll meet you there? I'll just go change real quick." She said with a shy smile on her face as she gave a way behind her "C-cya then Ichigo!" She said bouncing off, radiating sunshine.
Ichigo would watch her go a little bit, before catching what he was doing and breaking his stare... he was a guy like any other... "G-geez...Well... guess i'll make sure dad won't have a heart attack..." The young defender would grumble as he headed for home.
Both of them were unaware of the red haired pineapple spying on them a few buildings over. With his reishi goggles on Renji would frown some "Seriously... this is worrying...Ichigo.. what are you getting mixed up in now?" He would grumble to himself as he left the area just as stealthily.