Does not own Bleach or any of it's characters, nor do I own sea salt ice cream! But I do own Sakura, Tamaki, Ryukuro, and Kurotama. They're mine, so please don't use without my permission ^_^ Thank you and enjoy!
HOSPITAL AND PROMOTION?!
Minutes after Ikkaku and Yumichika had deposited her at the fourth division's medical ward, Sakura woke up with a start. Sitting up, she groaned and quickly laid back down again, her stomach throbbing.
"Ah, Tsukihime-san!" a boy said with a surprised expression on his face. "We didn't expect you to be awake already! Please, wait a moment and I'll get your taicho!" And before Sakura could even blink the boy was off like a shot.
'Oh no….I hate hospitals…' Sakura thought. She tried sitting up again, and found she felt a little better. 'Well, quick before he gets back…' she moved as quickly as she could toward the window. Pulling it open, she climbed out only to be met by Ikkaku.
"Eh?!" he exclaimed, pointing at her. "Didn't we just put you in-"
"Ssssh!" she whispered loudly and pulled him under the window just as the fourth division boy came into the room with Kenpachi and Yachiru in tow.
"Ara?!" she heard the boy exclaim. "She was right here a second ago!" he said, sounding confused.
"Hmmm…" went a girlish voice. With her stomach in knots, Sakura looked up to see Yachiru's smiling face above her.
"I found you!" she chirped.
'Aah!' Sakura thought and without hesitation started running, dragging along a confused Ikkaku. Quick as a flash, Yachiru followed them. "Where are you going?" she asked as she appeared ahead of them. Sakura flashed around her, but again Yachiru appeared in front of her. "Ken-chan has something to tell you!" 'Aah!' Sakura wailed in her head. 'Not even my first day and he's going to discharge me or appoint me to another division!' Little did she notice that Yachiru was leading her in a giant circle until she ran into what felt like a brick wall. Sakura slowly looked up into her taicho's face.
"K-k-kenpachi-taicho…." She stuttered, looking down at her feet. Kenpachi sighed.
"Why is it that everyone's first reaction is to run from me?" he asked Yachiru as she climbed onto his shoulder, unknowingly piercing Sakura with his words.
"I~~~ don't know!" Yachiru giggled. "Then again, Ken-chan, you did get her pretty hard back there, ne?" she said, unknowingly piercing Kenpachi with her words.
"I'm sorry!" Sakura professed while bowing deeply. "I know I messed up so please don't discharge me! I didn't mean anything by it and it's something I can't control and…" Sakura babbled on.
Kenpachi interrupted her with a loud "Shut up!" Sakura winced. Kenpachi sighed, wishing he was taking his afternoon nap instead.
"Look, until we can determine your strength, we're going to give you the fourth rank, seeing as how you beat everyone else and Yumichika doesn't want it." Sakura's eyes widened as she looked up, speechless. "Congrats. We're having our welcoming celebration here tonight seeing as how most of our men are here at the moment." He gave her a wry look, and turned away with a "See you later," and Yachiru waving "Bye-bye!"
Meanwhile Ikkaku's face grew hotter by the second. "Hey…" he finally said, getting her attention. Sakura turned toward him, still slightly stunned. 'Fourth rank? I thought he was going to ream me!'
"Um, could I have my hand back?" Ikkaku asked with a bright red face. Sakura blushed and jumped back a step. "Ah! Sorry!" she apologized. Ikkaku shook his head.
"It's alright. Come on, I'll show you to your quarters…and congrats, by the way," he said, still slightly red.
"Thanks." She said quietly, and fell into step slightly behind him.
They walked in silence a little ways before Ikkaku remembered something he wanted to ask.
"So…when you fight, you can't control yourself? Is it bloodlust like taicho?" Sakura shook her head. "It's a little more complicated than that." She thought about it a moment. "It's more like…well, you'll probably think this is weird, but it's like I have another person inside me, that takes my fights for me."
Ikkaku pondered this for a while, then asked, "So why did you join our division? Is it so you could gain better control, perhaps?" as they entered the barracks.
"Partially." She smiled at Ikkaku, making him blush again.
"Ah." He said as he stopped in front of her door. "Well, this is your room. Um, please don't hesitate to ask me or Yumichika for help, seeing as how usually the taicho and fukutaicho are out. We're just down the hall." He pointed at the two doors at the end of the hall.
"Okay!" Sakura smiled again. "Thank you Ikkaku-san!" She said as she stepped into her room.
"Don't mention it." He replied, scratching his cheek, and with a wave he left.
'Whew,' Sakura thought as she inspected her modest surroundings. 'This might be harder than I thought…'
Me: Wow, Ikkaku fell pretty fast.
Ikkaku: Shut it! I don't wanna hear it!
Kenpachi: At least he didn't make an ass of himself.
Me: Oh don't worry, it gets better. =D
Kenpachi & Ikkaku: *glares* what now?!
Me: It's - A - Secret! ;P
