Hey! Sorry for taking so long to update! My laptop crashed again and I've lost everything on there and while I'm waiting for my laptop to be fixed I have to use my mom's, luckily enough I was able to save a few files - a story I was working on for my sister and "Rot, Braun und Siber." - because I was working on them on my Nexus instead of my laptop. Unluckily, I have to rewrite several chapters and stories, so it'll be a while before I'm able to update this story and my others, as I have to rewrite everything, but I hope to have another chapter out before Thanksgiving in the states!
Sorry again! But thank you all for your Favorites, Follows and Reviews!
See you all before the 27th! Hope you enjoy the chapter!
~Snow.
I don't own Bleach, only my crappy laptop and my wonderful Nexus.
Orihime took a deep breath before starting to read the next chapter, leaning back in the comfortable velvet covered chair she was sitting in.
"Dressed in his Shinigami attire, Ichigo looked around the white room in surprise and confusion, his attention drawn suddenly as his father and one of his sisters spoke from behind him.
"Ouch… What's going on… Ichigo…" Isshin asked, limping towards where Ichigo stood, blood dripping out of several wounds on his body while Yuzu moaned, blood dripping down her cheeks."
"Nightmare…" Ichigo muttered at seeing the confused looks of the others.
""It hurts… Brother…"
"If you became a Shinigami… Weren't you going to protect us…!?" Isshin yelled at his son while Yuzu screeched. "Owwww!"
Ichigo's attention was suddenly drawn to the presence a little ways behind him and the orange-haired Shinigami turned his head to see Rukia standing there, saluting him while saying in a deadpan.
"Sorry! It was too late!""
Ichigo's eye gave a slight twitch at the reminder of the dream-Rukia's expression and how his family had looked, covered in blood...
"Veins throbbed in Ichigo's cheeks and on his forehead as he yelled angrily. "What did you say!?" The rest of his sentence was drowned out by the loud shout of.
"Good morning! Ichigooo!" Isshin yelled as he jumped at his sleeping son, his socked feet about to land on Ichigo's head when…"
Almost everyone leaned forward slightly, wondering what Ichigo would do this time, while the orangette himself rolled his eyes and Yuzu giggled slightly.
""GYAAAAAAAAAA!" Isshin screamed in surprise as Ichigo rolled over while half-asleep and grabbed him by the face and pinned him down against the floor in one swift movement, the orangette's eye twitching madly as he spoke lowly in annoyance, a vein throbbing."
"You did that while half-asleep?" Soi-Fon asked in surprise, looking at Ichigo with a new interest.
"Years of having that happen to me and I've gained sort-of a sixth sense for when Goat-Face is about to jump at me while asleep." Ichigo shrugged.
""You bastard… You got a lot of guts to attack your son as he sleeps..!"
Behind his son's hand Isshin smiled weakly, coughing slightly as he spoke. "Guaa… Not bad, my son…! I… Have nothing left to teach you…!""
"Teach…" Soi-Fon murmured, her eyes narrowing slightly before widening as she looked at Isshin. "You were teaching him Hado?"
"Yep!" Isshin grinned. "He's damn good at it too, when he wants to be."
"Ichigo blinked in surprise as he fully woke up, and his brown eyes quickly looked over his father's body as he questioned. "You… What about your injuries?"
"Injures?" Isshin inquired, shifting slightly to peek an eye out from behind his son's hand, his voice muffled. "What are you talking about? When did I get hurt?"
"What?" Ichigo looked down at his father in confusion."
"Tessai healed them." Urahara explained, after seeing Ichigo's confused expression as the orangette remembered that Rukia had lost all her powers that night before having the chance to heal anyone. "And I modified their memories."
""Starter.""
Orihime read the chapter's title before continuing cheerfully.
"Outside of Kurosaki Clinic
Ichigo stared at the outside of the house/clinic in surprise, the hole in the side of the house, boards nailed over it in an attempt to cover the hole until it could be properly fixed, his family speaking cheerfully behind him.
"But it sure is a miracle! For a truck to crash into the house and for nobody to get injured! Though it's even more miraculous that nobody woke up!" Isshin said, his arms crossed and a hammer in his hands."
"That's because nobody was really sleeping in the first place." Ichigo muttered.
""Oh brother! Breakfast is ready!" Yuzu smiled brightly, a ladle in her hand while Karin scoffed at their father.
"Yeah right, thanks to that, the criminal got away… What's with this family…"
'What's going on…?' Ichigo wondered.
"Don't worry! He'll come back to apologize some day!" Isshin said while Karin shouted back.
"No he won't!""
"Ever the optimist, Isshin." Ukitake chuckled slightly.
""If you don't eat soon you'll be late." Yuzu called worriedly.
'Everyone's wounds have been healed… And they think the damage to the house was an accident… This is Shinigami style damage control…?' Ichigo wondered. 'Did that person… Go back to that Soul Society place…' His thoughts turned to Rukia for a second and he frowned.
KarakuraHigh School, 10:43
A yawn escaped the mouth of a teenaged, burnt-orange haired girl as sat in a chair and stared in boredom at a curtain fluttering in the wind, a manga lay forgotten in her hands."
"Orihime." Ichigo nodded at the girl, who looked at him in slight surprise.
"Huh? How'd you guess?" She asked curiously and Ichigo sweatdropped slightly.
"I've seen you read mangas before class, plus it just mentioned your hair color." Ichigo explained.
"Ohh…!"
""Hey, your mouth is open!" Someone spoke from above the girl, the newcomer's hands were on her hips and her tone was teasing. She started the orange-haired girl who lifted the manga to cover her mouth, her wide eyes looking up at the newcomer as the dark-haired teenager continued. "You're too young to be zoning out!""
"Tatsuki." Ichigo said in slight amusement.
""Tatsuki!"
"Ichigo sure is late!" Tatsuki spoke, leaning against the other girl's desk.
"Huh?"
"You were thinking about Ichigo, weren't you?" Tatsuki teased while the other girl shook her head.
"N… No, I wasn't!""
"I wasn't!" Orihime protested at seeing the slightly disbelieving looks from her human friends – minus Ichigo. "I was thinking about what I needed to buy for dinner!"
""Tatsuki looked thoughtful for a moment before she leaned in closer to the girl. "Hey Orihime, what about him do you like? He's cold, his hair is a weird color, he's a brat, he's short tempered… Frankly, a big-breasted beauty like you could do much better…"
"He's funny!" The newly dubbed Orihime responded cheerfully, to her friend's confusion. "I just imagine that grimacing face of his and…" Orihime zoned off as she thought about several funny faces with Ichigo's grimace as the base. "Pfft! The best!" Orihime pressed her hands against her mouth to muffle her laughter.
"R… Really…" Tatsuki sweatdropped."
Everyone else did too.
""He might not come today." A teenaged boy with dark hair spoke from beside the desk, catching the two friend's attention. "Ichigo, that is."
"Kojima-kun." Orhime greeted while Tatsuki questioned him.
"What do you mean? Oh yeah, you always come to school with Ichigo."
"Yup. I went by this morning and there was a huge hole in the side of his house. His dad was saying a truck crashed into it during the night."
"A truck!?" Tatsuki's eyes widened. "Then is he injured!? Or… Dea-" A bag lightly hit the back of Tatsuki's head, forcing it down as a voice spoke from behind her.
"I'm not dead." Lifting his bag off of Tatsuki's head, his normal scowl plastered onto his face Ichigo continued. "Sorry to disappoint you, but nobody was injured."
"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime smiled in greeting. "G… Good morning!" She said nervously.
"Y…? Yeah, you look happy as always, Inoue."
"So you came?" Kojima asked, turning in his seat to look back at Ichigo. "You were helping out with the repairs."
"What's third period?" Ichigo asked as he scooted his chair back.
"Social Studies."
"Ochi-san, eh? Well, he won't bother me about it much." He moved to sit down when a familiar voice spoke from the desk beside him."
"Why wouldn't he bother you so much about it?" Rukia asked, looking at the orangette curiously.
"He lives just down our street." Ichigo shrugged, "He stopped by just that morning to check that everyone was okay before he headed to work, he knew I was helping with repairs, plus I've got the highest score in his class."
"You?" Ichigo's eye gave a slight twitch at the disbelief in Rukia's voice.
"Yes, me. Uryu's just behind him." Ichigo added, looking over at the Quincy who – inwardly grumpily – nodded in agreement.
"He is…"
""You're… Are you Kurosaki-kun?" Ichigo's head snapped to the side and Rukia smiled brightly at him. "Nice to meet you!"
"Oh, this is Kuchiki-san. She transferred in today. It's a weird time, but her family was in a situation where they had to move suddenly." Kojima explained while Ichigo stared at Rukia in shock, pointing at her.
"Y… You… Why!?"
"What's wrong?" Kojima asked curiously.
"Kurosaki-kun, I don't have the text books yet, let me… May I… Look at yours?" Rukia's tone was an old fashioned, rude way as she held out her palm to Ichigo, whose attention was caught by the black writing on it.
Say something and I kill you.
"Okay?""
"Violent midget." Ichigo muttered and ducked the pillow thrown at him by said midget.
"Ichigo looked at her in horror. 'Wha…!? What is she up to…!?'
"Where are we going?" Rukia asked as Ichigo lead her out to the yard, heading towards the back of the buildings. "Leading me to such an empty place, what dost thou intend of me?""
"Dost thou?" Yuzu giggled while the Vizards shook their heads, a few lips twitching upwards at remembering how out-of-date they had talked when they had first fled to the World of the Living too.
""Stop that weird way of talking!" Ichigo snapped while Rukia looked at him in confusion.
"Weird? How rude, is it not good for someone who learned in one day?" Rukia questioned as she came to a stop beside Ichigo, whose eye was twitching.
"Shut up! Just explain what's going on!"
"Explain?"
"Yeah! Isn't your job over!? Why are you in my class? Didn't you go back to that Soul Society place!?"
"You fool!" Rukia scoffed, crossing her arms. "Only Shinigami can return to the Soul Society. Right now, I am not able to return there."
"Huh?" Ichigo sweatdropped, "What do you…"
"Because… I lost my Shinigami powers!" Rukia glared at Ichigo, whose eyes widened and he stiffened in surprise before shaking an arm almost comically.
"B… But I'm no longer a Shinigami! Where did this Shinigami power go!?""
"Shinigami power…" Renji snickered in amusement, ignoring Ichigo's glare.
""'Inside' of you. It's not your 'body' but your 'soul' that has become a Shinigami." Ichigo looked at Rukia, his expression torn between horror and shock. "Anyway! Last night I had almost all my powers taken by you!" Rukia placed a hand on her chest as she continued. "I have but barely any abilities left… I'm even forced to be in this artificial body!""
Several sets of eyes turned to Urahara and he laughed nervously behind his fan at seeing the glares that he was being given.
"Ichigo tilted is head slightly in confusion. "Artificial?"
"It is we Shinigami's other body to be used in emergency situations. A weakened Shinigami enters it to wait for his powers to recover.""
Cue more nervous laughing from a certain bucket-hat wearing shop-owner.
""So this body is a… Human form?" Ichigo asked, pointing at Rukia.
"Yes. Weakened Shinigami are targets for Hollows, so we act like a human."
'So that's why the other guys in my class could see her…' "So? What does this weakened Shinigami want with me?"
"That's it!" Rukia said brightly, exclaiming loudly. "Until my powers return… You will take over my Shinigami duties!"
Ichigo slumped for a second in shock before… "AH?!"
"Of course, you're the one that has the Shinigami powers now. I will assist you, of course. Also, you have no right to refuse, since you were…" Rukia trailed off as Ichigo made an x out of his hands in front of his face, his scowl in place.
"I refuse!""
Ichigo raised a brow slightly at seeing the looks of shock aimed at him. "What?"
"You refused." Renji said, his tone full of shock. "You refused."
The orangette rolled his eyes and motioned for Orihime to continue. "I had my reasons."
"Rukia stared for a moment in shock before a vein throbbed in her cheek, "What?"
"I said I refuse!" Ichigo stated, turning away from the girl as he started to head back towards class, waving his hand. "I'm not fighting those monsters ever again!"
"W… Wait! You… Yesterday!" Rukia called after Ichigo, who stopped for a second and turned his head to look back at her.
"Yesterday I was only able to fight… Because my family was in danger. I ain't fighting monsters like that for total strangers! I'm not that nice of a person!" He called back to her before saying sarcastically. "Sorry if I disappoint you!""
"I see…" Urahara – who too had been surprised at hearing his student's refusal – mused aloud, "You only fought because your family was in danger."
"Rukia sighed, "I see… Then I have no choice!" She pulled onto one of her hands a red glove with a skull surrounded in blue flames on it.
"What are…" Ichigo eyes widened in shock as a moment later the a hand slammed under his chin, forcing his soul out of his body, making the body to fall forward and him to land on his backside, sitting up quickly he looked at his hands in shock. "What's this!? My soul has been removed! Hey body! Snap out of it!" He panicked before Rukia called him."
Ichigo's cheeks flushed and he glared at those who were snickering.
""Hey." Ichigo looked up at the weakened Shinigami, who motioned her hand for him to follow her. "Follow me."
Yumizawa Childen's Park.
"Hey…" Ichig began but was cut off by Rukia.
"Wait, it will be here soon."
"What's soon!? We've been here for twenty min-" Ichigo's rant was cut off by Rukia gain, who was staring ahead as she asked.
"Does a spirit appear near this park?"
Even though he was slightly confused by the question, Ichigo responded. "Ah… Yeah, one does."
"What kind?"
"A five-year old kid. He's small!" Ichigo got on one knee, holding his hand a little above his own forehead. "He usually plays here around twelve.""
"Friend of yours?" Renji asked curiously and Ichigo shook his head, inwardly sighing.
"No."
""Your friend?" Rukia asked as she leant back against the handrail.
"What the!? I've just seen him three, maybe four times. Never even spoke to him…" Rukia held out her cell phone to Ichigo – who was still crouching – and he looked at it in surprise. "What about that…!?"
A text appeared on the top screen as Ichigo stood up. "What's this?"
"An order from the Soul Society." Rukia answered, her arms crossing her chest again. "It means within fifteen minutes of a twelve to twenty meter vicinity of Yumizawa Childen's Park… A Hollow will appear. Most likely, that child will be attacked."
Sweat dripped down Ichigo's cheek as he stared at Rukia in shock, the girl turning her head she looked towards the park, while a child's voice screamed."
Several lips turned downwards in worry while Ichigo himself scowled slightly at the reminder of what had happened shortly afterwards.
"Turning to look Ichigo's eyes widened at seeing the boy he had mentioned running away from a spider-looking Hollow, crying as tried to keep away from the thing.
Grinding his teeth for a second before making his decision, Ichigo reached for the large blade on his back and moved to jump over the rail when Rukia shouted at him.
"Wait!" Ichigo paused for a brief moment to look back at her, "You're going to help him? Isn't he a stranger?" She questioned coldly.
"Wh… What are you talking about!?" Ichigo asked, his foot still on the handrail as he yelled back. "How could I not help someone that's right in front of me…?""
"And there's the Ichigo we know!" Uryu chuckled faintly, ducking his head and avoiding the pillow that Ichigo had thrown at him.
""Whether it's in front of you or far away. It doesn't change the fact he's being attacked!"
Ichigo froze as the realization of her words hit him.
"Oww!" The boy cried out from behind him as he tripped and Ichigo moved to jump the rail again when Rukia yelled harshly.
"Don't help him! Even if you save that kid here, nothing will matter if you don't become a Shinigami! Saving him because he's right in front of you!? Don't be naïve." She scoffed before continuing. "A Shinigami has to treat all spirits equally! You cannot just conveniently save those you can see, those you can reach! Don't save that kid with such half-heartedness!" She let go of her sides and her hands curled into fists. "If you want to save him now… Accept that you must save all spirits! To go anywhere for them… To even give your life to save them, make that kind of commitment.""
The other Shinigami in the room were nodding in agreement with Rukia's words and Ichigo huffed silently before saying loudly. "I never agreed to that kind of commitment, nor will I." Eyebrows were raised in his direction - which he ignored - as Orihime continued.
"'Give your life…' Ichigo stared at Rukia in surprise while flashbacks of the night before, when she had jumped between him and the Hollow, getting badly injured in the process, flashed in front of his eyes.
'Yeah… I am…'
The Hollow looked up from its would-be victim in surprise, seeing the new figure in front of it, Rukia's own eyes widening in surprise.
"Who are you…?" The Hollow asked as the figure drew its blade and Ichigo sliced one of the spider-like Hollow's legs off in one movement, forcing the spider backwards as it cried out in pain.
"Ichigo…" Rukia began, surprise coloring her tone. "You've… Accepted?""
"Knowing Kurosaki, no."
"I just said that dumbass!"
"Shut up Kurosaki."
"Make me, Ishida."
"Boys! Stop fighting!"
"Yes Yoruichi..."
""Shut the hell up!" Ichigo practically roared while slamming the end of the blade into the ground in front of him, the blade missing the kid's arm by mere inches. "I don't accept jack!" He yelled, one hand on the handle of the Zanpaku-To, the other with a finger pointing at Rukia. "I saved him because I wanted to save him! Is that wrong!?
Leaning over the rail Rukia stared at Ichigo in surprise. "Wha…!?""
"And here comes some sort of morale speech." Uryu muttered, pushing up his glasses while Ichigo glared at him - though there was no heat behind the glare.
"A vein throbbed angrily in Ichigo's forehead as he continued to yell. "Are you any different!? You sacrificed yourself to save me that time! At that time were you thinking about complicated stuff like 'This is my Shinigami duty'!? That's not what sacrificing yourself is! At the very least…" Ichigo drew the blade out of the ground as the Hollow launched itself at him and he whirled around, shoving the blade through its mask and skull. "I'm different!" With that he sliced the Hollow in half, his back turned to the shocked girl.
His voice lowered from a shout, but stayed loud enough for Rukia to hear him as he continued. "I haven't accepted any commitment… If things get bad I might run away… Since I'm not a good enough person to be able to sacrifice my life for total strangers… But…" Turning to face Rukia, Ichigo raised his voice to a shout again, the look on his face showed his determination. "Unfortunately, I'm also not trash that can… Live happily without paying back his debts!" His scowl was gone, but a determined frown had replaced it as he held out his hand to Rukia. "I'm going to help you! To do this Shinigami job thing! Even if I don't want to!"
Rukia smiled. "Yeah… Thanks.""
"That's the chapter!" Orihime chirped cheerfully before continuing to read.
""Raa is Raa from Ramen." Orihime sung as she waited in the darkness of the night for the light to turn green so she could cross the street. "Shi is Shinigawa Sushi's Shi" Turning her head to look for cars, she started to cross the street, a smile on her face. "Now' lets sing…" Her attention was drawn by a car suddenly speeding its way towards her and her eyes widened."
The orange-haired girl was suddenly given several looks of concern and glancing up from the book Orihime smiled reassuringly. "I'm completely fine!" She waved off the concerned looks.
""Headhittin'.""
"Is it me, or are these titles just... Odd?"
"It isn't just you, Uryu."
""I know sister… Everything is hidden in this box, right? In this jade box, passed down from our mother…"
"Give me the box! Now!"
"No! We mustn't open the box! Francois! No…!""
Several eyebrows furrowed as the Shinigami looked at the book in confusion and Ichigo moaned, slumping in his seat, causing a few amused/confused looks his way.
""Hey! What are you doing!?" Ichigo yelled, a bat resting against his neck as he slammed his hand on the desk next to Rukia's, causing the girl to shriek and nearly drop the manga she was holding.
Holding one arm up in a defensive move, the other holding the manga book above her, Rukia panted as she tried to catch her breath, glaring weakly at Ichigo. "Y-Y-Y-You fool! Don't surprise me!" She yelled, "I'm… Studying modern speech!""
"Kuchiki-san, you're off by a few centuries..." Ishida informed her and the purple-eyed Shinigami gave him a grumpy look.
"Ichigo sweatdropped as he looked at the smaller Shinigami. "Huh? Studying modern speech? With that book…" He muttered before continuing louder. "You're making me train while you relax and read a horror manga!? Where did you get that from, anyway?" He wondered for a second.
"Hm. You done with the training?"
"Hitting a hundred pepper-filled balls, right? Yeah, I'm done!" Ichigo exclaimed. "Breaking open a hundred pepper-filled balls, what kind of training is that?" He asked while placing a hand on the ball pitcher machine that Rukia had gotten.
"You fool! The pepper-filled balls were only the bad ones!"
"Bad balls?" Ichigo asked in surprise.
"Yes!"
The stared at each other for a second before Rukia asked, sweatdropping. "You didn't… Just hit all of them?"
"Yeah! Perfectly!" Ichigo said a bit proudly."
"That's my son!" Isshin launched himself at Ichigo again - surprise almost everyone, except Yuzu and Karin (who ducked) - and the orangette ducked, reached a hand up as his father flew above him and grabbed the collar of the man's shirt before throwing him into the wall - creating a human-shaped dent - and Ichigo rolled his eyes - oblivious to the shocked stares he was receiving - and motioned for Orihime to continue as he settled back onto the couch, Yuzu and Karin tucked into his sides again.
""You fool!" Rukia yelled, "How many times did I tell you to only hit the balls that had a picture of a head on them! What do you think this training is for!?"
"I don't know what it's for!" Ichigo yelled back, picking up two of the balls that were in the bucket he had been holding, one having a head drawn on it, the other having an almost exact picture on it, though instead of the word 'Head' written on it, the word 'Hand' was written on it. "Plus, how the hell can I make out which of your pictures are heads and which aren't!?""
"The difference was obvious!" Rukia scoffed while Ichigo frowned and glared at the midget.
"They looked exactly the same! Stupid midg- OW!" He yelped when a pillow hit his face from Rukia.
""Do is Drunk Dragon's Do." Orihime sang as she made her way down the street, "Re is Ereki Comic's Re. Mii is always Ereki's Comic's Mii… Fa is… Alf alpha's…" Orihime's attention was drawn away from the street as she noticed a bright head-full of orange hair nearby. "Huh?" Raising a hand to shade her eyes, she exclaimed brightly. "It's Kurosaki-kun!""
Ichigo's cheeks flushed as snickers and a couple of chuckled echoed around the room.
"It seems like your hair attracts normal people too." Urahara teased him from behind his fan.
"Shut it, Geta-Boshi."
""Listen! A Hollow's weakness is its head!" Rukia exclaimed loudly as she held out one of the baseballs that had a head on it. "If you slice the head, you can defeat it in one blow! The training is so that you can accurately hit the head in any situation!"
"Why do I have to do that? I've been beating them fine this far." Ichigo asked, sitting at one of the park's picnic tables, his legs crossed as he looked up at Rukia, who was sitting on the table itself.
"You fool! Have you once defeated a Hollow in one hit!? Sneaking up to a Hollow and defeating it in one hit is the basics of defeating them! It's a miracle that you have remained unscathed so far, from the way you've been fighting!"
"Uh… Attacking from behind?" Ichigo questioned, his eyebrows furrowing. "How can I fight so dirty like that!""
"You attacked people earlier without caring about that..." Uryu pointed out and Ichigo rolled his eyes.
"That was different!"
"How?"
"... Just was."
""You fool!" Rukia scoffed, frowning as she tried again to get Ichigo to understand what she was trying to get him to. "Save that stuff for fights against humans! Your opponents are Hollows! The same rules do not apply!" Her tone turned serious. "If you keep talking naively like that, you'll end up dead!"
Ichigo's eyes widened slightly and he glanced away, frowning. "But that's…" Before he could continue a shout from right behind him made him scream and fall backwards in shock and Rukia nearly fell off the table in surprise."
Both Ichigo and Rukia flushed while chuckles echoed around the room again and Orihime smiled proudly.
""Hello Kurosaki-Kun!" Orihime yelled cheerfully, grinning in amusement while Ichigo stared at her with wide eyes, trying to calm down quickly.
"I-Inoue, eh!? W-W-W-What are you doing here!?"
Giggling, Orihime held up her bag of groceries and explained. "Just doing a little dinner shopping. I bought onions and butter and bananas and gelatin!" She told him as he stood up, sweatdropping.
'Wha… What is she planning to make…?' He wondered before Orihime asked curiously."
"Actually, I was planning on making-" Orihime began but Ichigo shook his head quickly.
"Tell us later Orihime, during a break."
"Okay!"
""What are you doing here, Kurosaki-kun?"
"Oh? Me?" Glancing away he struggled to make up a reasonable story. "I am… Um…" 'What should I say? Telling her I'm training would be embarrassing.' Luckily for him, Orihime's attention was drawn away when she saw Rukia.
Leaning around Ichigo, Orihime's eyes widened slightly. "Kuchiki-san?"
"Hm." Purple eyes blinked and Rukia frowned slightly, asking rather bluntly. "Who the hell are you?""
"I was surprised when Kuchiki-san said that so... Bluntly." Orihime mused aloud while several people sweatdropped.
"Ichigo's eyes widened slightly and he leaned back, hissing lowly to Rukia between clenched teeth. "Idiot! That's Inoue! She's in our class!"
"Class!?" Rukia exclaimed under her breath before smiling brightly, politely and she grabbed the edges of her dark dress and curtsied politely, her tone sweet as she spoke. "Oh Inoue-san. Honored to make your acquaintance!"
'I see… In front of my classmates, she intends to play that character.' Ichigo sweatdropped.
"Eh… Yes…" Orihime grabbed the edge4s of her skirt and curtsied back – albeit, a bit hesitantly. "Honored to make your…?"
'You're going along with it!' Ichigo inwardly sighed."
"Orihime smiled a bit weakly and Ichigo's gaze turned from the two of them to the bandages on the orange-haired girl's arm, slightly hidden underneath her shirt.
"What's wrong…" Ichigo asked, pointing at the bandages. "With your arm? You fall down?"
"Huh?" Orihime's head jerked up a bit and she pointed at her own arm and at the bandages. "Oh this? No! I was hit!" She said rather cheerfully.
"Hi… Hit!?" Ichigo's eyes widened as he looked at the girl in concern. "By a car!?"
"Yeah." Orihime laughed a bit nervously. "Last night I went out shopping to get something to drink and bam! I've been getting hit a lot, lately."
Crossing his arms Ichigo frowned, "You shouldn't be laughing!" He scolded, "That's a serious accident! You should be angrier!"
Scratching at her templeOrihime frowned faintly, "Well, it's not like they hit me on purpose…""
"You should still see a doctor or something, Inoue-san." Ishida frowned, pushing up his glasses and Ichigo nodded in agreement.
"Even if they didn't mean to hit you, you should've been angry that they did and they should've at least stopped to see if you were okay!" Ichigo added and several Shinigami nodded in agreement.
""You get hurt often, Inoue-san?" Rukia asked curiously.
Ichigo's eye gave a slight twitch. "More than often! It's almost every day!"
"I zone out a lot… So…" Orihime rubbed the back of her head sheepishly while Ichigo turned to scold her again, sweatdropping.
"Then you shouldn't act like it's unavoidable like that!""
"But it is." Orihime laughed and Ichigo sighed.
""Hmm…" 'Oh. So she's just an airhead…' Purple eyes widened slightly as the dark-haired Shinigami noticed the large, dark bruise on Orihime's leg, a second later the purple orbs narrowed.
"That mark on your leg? Can I see it?" Rukia asked, drawing Orihime's and Ichigo's attention onto the bruise.
"Oh? This? Sure. Go ahead." Orihime answered and Rukia kneeled to get a better look at the mark while Orihime explained. "I got this last night, too, so I think it must have been when I was hit by the car…"
Rukia's eyes narrowed further and Orihime bent down slightly, concerned. "Kuchiki-san? … What's with the scary face?""
Byakuya frowned faintly and raised a brow as he looked over at his sister, wondering what she was thinking.
"Snapping her head up Rukia smiled sheepishly, apologetically and stammered. "Huh? On no. I was just thinking it looks painful." She half-lied.
"Wow! You're right!" Orihime exclaimed in surprise, pointing at the bandages on her arm. "My leg hurts much more than my arm!"
"Aah!?" Ichigo exclaimed, sweatdropping. "Have you gone numb from the pain!? Go to a doctor. Doctor!"
"Huh? Um…m…"
"Why does that make you blush?" Ichigo blinked in surprise while Rukia stood up, a hand resting against her chin as she thought deeply."
'Oblivious.' The thought echoed around the room as they looked at Ichigo - who still looked confused - while his sisters were shaking their heads knowingly.
"Glancing at her watch, Orihime's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh! It's this late!" Turning quickly, she rushed towards the steps that would lead her up to the road.
"In a rush?" Ichigo asked, watching the girl hurrying.
"Yeah! Laugh Hour is almost on!" Orihime called back and Ichigo raised a hand to his mouth, cupping it slightly as he yelled up at the orange-haired teenager.
"You want me to walk you home!?""
"How sweet of you Ichigo!" Yoruichi teased, smirking at seeing the slight flush to her student's cheeks.
"Orihime paused in surprise, turning on the steps to call back to Ichigo, shaking her hand slightly. "Wha… What!? N… No, I'm fine!"
"Okay! See ya tomorrow!"
"Huh? Umm…" Orihime blushed lightly, "Yeah! Tomorrow!" With that she hurried off down the road, slowing down a block away, sighing. "Darn… He surprised me, so I refused… Stupid me… But he didn't have to give up so easily…" She pouted."
"Well you said no..." Ichigo murmured, crossing his arms at seeing the slightly disappointed looks of several people.
"Back at the park Ichigo crossed his arms again, a concerned frown on his face as he watched his classmate hurry away. "Haa… Looking at her wears me out, because you start worrying."
"That Inoue girl…" Rukia spoke quietly, her face turned away from Ichigo as he looked over at her, a curious hum escaping his lips. "Are you close?"
Frowning thoughtfully Ichigo answered. "Not really… Well, I guess so. She's best friends with someone who's lived in my neighborhood since eighth grade.""
"Tatsuki." Ichigo said for clarification.
""Any family?"
Ichigo stayed silent for a long moment before answering. "One… She had an older brother that was a lot older than her."
"Had?" Rukia asked.
"Yeah. He died three years ago." Rukia's eyes widened slightly as Ichigo continued, a faint frown on his lips. "I was the one who opened the door, so I remember it well. It was as I was about to leave for school. The clinic wasn't open, yet I heard the bell ring. A girl was there with her brother on her back. It was a car accident. Blood was everywhere. There was nothing we could do with our equipment. He died before the ambulance to take him to a big hospital arrived."
"That's it… Well… Only recently I found out that the brown-haired girl was her." Looking over at Rukia, Ichigo asked curiously. "But why are you asking this, you seem interested in her.""
'What are you thinking, Rukia?' Ukitake looked at the girl in curiosity, his lips curving upwards slightly at knowing that she was truly a member of the Thirteenth Division.
""Not really, I'm not interested." Rukia responded, surprising Ichigo.
"What the hell is that!?" He asked, leaning forward slightly with a scowl.
Ignoring him, Rukia turned her back to him and announced. "Now! Let's go home, too!"
"Damn… Always acting so superior…" Ichigo complained under his breath before blinking as her words registered. "Oh yeah, where do you always leave to?" He asked curiously and Rukia turned to smirk at him.
"Heh, what? You're interesting in my personal life?"
An angry vein throbbed in Ichigo's temple as he shouted at the dark-haired Shinigami's back. "I… I'm not interested in that!"
"Then don't ask."
Ichigo shook in silent rage, curling his fists angrily. 'Da… Damn it!'"
"She got you there!"
"Shut up Shinji!"
""I'm going." Rukia announced, turning and walking away.
Later at the Kurosaki Household.
"Brother!" Yuzu called before opening Ichigo's bedroom door, sticking her head in while asking curiously. "Have you seen my dress?""
"Yeah, the midget has it." Ichigo mumbled, uncrossing his arms and wrapping them around his sister's shoulders again, glancing at his father in disinterest as the man started to stir, moaning.
""Hey! Don't open the door without knocking!" Ichigo scolded his sister lightly as he walked up the steps to the second floor, Yuzu turning to look at him.
"Oh. You were downstairs." Yuzu noticed that Ichigo's hair was lying flatter than normal before she noticed it was damp and that a towel was swung over his shoulder. "Oh! You took a bath! I wanted to go in, too!" Yuzu complained.
"Are you stupid?" Stopping in front of his bedroom door, Ichigo peered down at his little sister. "You're in the fifth grade now, learn to go by yourself already.""
"But we used to take baths together all the time Ichi-nii!" Yuzu pouted at Ichigo, who sighed.
"Still, you're old enough to take one by yourself, or just with Karin."
"Meanie..."
""Brother… You've become colder since going to high school!" Yuzu pouted as Ichigo walked into his bedroom.
"No I have not! And I don't know about your dress." Ichigo answered."
"You have." Karin agreed with her sister, smirking faintly at seeing the slightly annoyed look Ichigo gave her.
""What!? I'm also missing a pair of pajamas!" Yuzu glared at her older brother, who looked at her in surprise, warily.
"I don't know about that, either!" He answered honestly. "Why do you think I know the answers to everything?""
"Yep!" Yuzu beamed up at him, teasingly. "You're our older brother! You're supposed to know everything!"
Ichigo sweatdropped, "Isn't that supposed to be parents?"
Karin snorted, "You think Goat-Face knows anything?"
"You have a point..."
"Rukia lay in a dark space, her arms crossed behind her head as she laid atop of piles of blankets, dressed in a pair of plaid pajamas, her lips curling downwards into a thoughtful found when her cell phone started to beep. Pulling it out of the inner pocket of the pajamas, she held the phone up to her eyes.
'An order… This place is…' Her eyes widened as she continued to read the order and she sat up.
Sitting at his desk Ichigo looked towards his bedroom door in confusion, hearing beeping. "What's this? At this hour… Is Yuzu or Karin playing video games or something? Geez…" A second later the beeps stopped. "Oh. It stopped.""
'Don't tell me she's...' Renji lifted a hand to cover his mouth, stifling a laugh as Orihime continued.
""ICHIGO!" Rukia shouted while slamming Ichigo's closet door open, causing the young man to scream in surprise and leap up from the desk, pointing at Rukia in shock and anger as he yelled."
Ichigo moaned at hearing the laughter that started to echo around the room from practically everyone and he once again removed his arms from around his sisters to cover his face.
""Y-Y-Y-Y-You! Since when have you been in there!? Hey, those are Yuzu's pajam…" He was cut off by a rushing Rukia.
"Forget about that! It's an order!"
""Order…!? Meaning a Hollow will appear!? Where!?" Ichigo demanded while Rukia climbed out of his closet.
"The time and place are both… Now…" She quickly pulled on the red glove with blue flames surround a skull and darted forward, slamming the hand into Ichigo's face, forcing his soul out of his body, his body falling to the side while a clawed hand shot out of a whole just above his bed and pillow."
"That had hurt." Ichigo mused, rubbing his chin where Rukia had hit him and she rolled her eyes.
"Wimp."
""Wha…" Ichigo's eyes widened along with Rukia's and he fell towards the floor.
"Go for the head!" Rukia called to him as she landed on her feet.
"I know!" Ichigo grabbed the large Zanpaku-To out of the sheath on his back and quickly sliced at the mask, slicing a line just next to the 'nose'.
'Not deep enough!' Rukia 'tsked', while the Hollow cried out in pain, surprising Ichigo – who had thought he had cut it deep enough – who had just landed on his feet and onto the floor, and the Hollow retreated back into the small Garganta it had created.
"He got away…" Rukia frowned before darting towards Ichigo's bedroom door. "We're going after him!""
Ichigo grimaced, gaze flickering to the orangette reading in concern while Rukia paled and her lips curved downwards into a sad smile and she looked away.
""Wait!" Ichigo called after her, causing Rukia to freeze. "What's going on…?" Brown eyes were wide with surprise as sweat dripped down his cheek. "That was… Inoue's big brother…!""
Orihime's eyes widened. "Sora..." She breathed, tears starting to gather in the corner of her eyes and Rukia refused to meet her gaze while Ichigo cleared his throat and offered.
"If you want, I can read from here, Orihime."
The girl shook her head, swallowing the lump that was starting to form in her throat. "I'll be fine, Kurosaki-kun." She said before continuing, her tone softer than before.
"Rukia turned to look at Ichigo before lowering her head slightly, her expression serious as was her tone when she spoke. "I told you sneaking up from behind and killing it in one hit was the basics against a Hollow, right… That's to protect against being damaged… But, there's also one more important reason. To kill them in one hit… And avoid seeing the Hollow's identity!" Rukia's head turned to look at Ichigo. "Because all Hollows… Are the souls of formerly normal humans!""
"What?" Uryu's jaw dropped and Chad's eyes widened while Rukia nodded and several of the Shinigami looked grim.
"At Orihime's Apartment.
Orihime listened curiously as Tatsuki talked, leaning against the table while nearby on a dresser, the teddy bear that was sitting on it was silently sliced at the same spot that Ichigo had cut the Hollow."
"That's that chapter." Orihime said softly before reading the title of the next.
""Why do you eat it?""
"Ichigo's room in the Kurosaki House.
"Wha…" Ichigo started, taking the few steps to face Rukia, a hand grabbing the front of her shirt and forcing her up onto her tip-toes as he held her up, anger and horror in his expression and tone as he yelled. "What do you mean!? Normal humans!? You never told me this! Aren't they monsters!? Aren't they things that must be defeated!?"
"Yes!" Rukia yelled back, un-intimidated as Ichigo let her go. "They are monsters! They must be defeated!"
"Now? So then… What I've been killing are…"
"We have no time for a discussion!" Rukia cut him off, as she looked at Ichigo, her own expression torn between horror and seriousness. "That girl… Will die…""
Several people looked at Orihime in concern while the girl herself frowned, eyebrows furrowing as she tried to recall what had happened that night, but everything had been a blur.
"Orihime's Apartment.
"Are you stupid!?" The dark-haired teenager yelled at the orange-haired one."
"Tatsuki." Ichigo chuckled faintly.
""How rude. I'm not stupid…" Orihime pouted at Tatsuki while the spiky-haired girl crossed her arms and said seriously.
"Yes you are! To waste a chance like that."
"Y… You think so…?" Orihime asked while Tatsuki nodded.
"Yep! At times like that, you gotta just go for it."
"Go…?" Orihime questioned in confusion as she picked up her drink and sipped on it.
"Yes! When he says 'Should I walk you home?' of course you say 'Sure.' Then you use the pain in your leg as an excuse to lean on him." A faint blush crossed Tatsuki's cheeks as she continued. "Then when he's walked you to a place where nobody is around… Pull him into a dark place and…" Her expression turned into one of a demon's as she shouted. "Take him down!""
"Tatsuki and I used to go to the same dojo years ago, and she's always has had this weird obsession with taking people down in fights." Ichigo said aloud.
"Orihime spat out her drink in surprise, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "T-T-T-Tatsuki-chan!" Tatsuki grinned and winked at her friend, making a motion with her hands as if she were grabbing her breasts.
"Don't worry! For you, just grab your breast and he'll be the aggressive one. Then it's all his fault!" Tatsuki looked away thoughtfully, placing a hand against her chin while Orihime looked at her in confusion. "But… For him to be so friendly with the transfer student who just arrived… I didn't know Ichigo was that good…""
"My son! The womanizer!" Isshin called cheerfully from where he had been tossed previously and he yelped when a pillow made contact with the back of his head.
"Shut up old man!"
"Leaning against the table, Orihime just smiled. "Oh, but they were just at a park together."
Looking at Orihime seriously Tatsuki placed one arm on the table and leaned towards the other teenager. "Have you ever been to a park with only Ichigo? I've been to the arcade with him a few times…" She muttered the last part to herself while Orihime looked at Tatsuki in surprise.
"Me… With Kurosaki-kun… Alone at a park…" Orihime murmured before drifting off into a daydream."
'Oh god...' Ichigo grimaced while Uryu shook his head slightly, knowing how Orihime's daydreams were.
"Orihime's Daydream.
Daydream-Ichigo smiled while calling out. "Hey Inoue!"
Daydream-Orihime called back, "Kurosaki-kun!"
Pointing over to the park, daydream-Ichigo called cheerfully, "All right Inoue! Let's race to that seesaw!"
"Wow, a foot race to the seesaw, that's great Kurosaki-kun!" Daydream-Orihime said cheerfully. "Okay!"
"Ready… Go!" Daydream-Ichigo called, and the two started frolicaling towards the seesaw before they became serious and a Olympic racer started racing between them, the three of them ran and the Olympic racer's eyes widened as Orihime crossed the line first, throwing up her hands in triumph while reporters started taking pictures and a man wearing a trench coat appeared, holding up a gun to shoot the girl.
Back at Orihime's Apartment."
Orihime flushed while several Shinigami wondered what the hell had just happened.
"Grabbing her heart Orihime's eyes widened as she snapped out of the daydream, calling out. "Oh no! Run away! Run away, me! No, champ!"
"What?" Tatsuki's head snapped around to look at Orihime, sweatdropping as she muttered to herself. "What's going on!? Wasn't she fantasizing about a date at the park?""
"That's what we thought." Lisa murmured in amusement.
"A loud sound caught the two girl's attention and they moved to get up, both heads turning towards where the sound came from. "Wha…!?" Orihime gasped while Tatsuki frowned worriedly.
"What was that…" Tatsuki sweatdropped at seeing a stuffed bear fall from Orihime's dresser. "Sound?"
Getting up Orihime hurried over to the bear, kneeling down to pick it up. "Oh! Enraku fell down! Are you okay, Enraku!?"
Tatsuki sighed in relief, standing up as she spoke and started walking over to Orihime. "Oh, just a stuffed animal… That scared me… Huh? What's an Enraku?" Stopping to look over Orihime's shoulder Tatsuki sweatdropped slightly as tears gathered in Orihime's eyes when she noticed the tear."
"Enraku?" Rukia asked curiously and Orihime nodded, smiling sadly.
"Sora got him for me when I was younger."
""Aww! Horrible! Why is he ripped!?" Orihime sniffed while Tatsuki winced.
"Yikes… Wow, maybe the fabric just wore out." Tatsuki supplied while Orihime whimpered.
"No way…" Her eyes widened in surprise slightly as she noticed something dark on her hand, coming from underneath the bear's head. "What's this…? Looks like… Blood…" Eyes widened as a hard shot out of the bear, slicing through Orihime's body, causing her to fall backwards and onto the floor.
"H…Hey!" Tatsuki shouted in surprise, her own eyes widened and the dark-haired teenager looked at her friend in fear. "What's wrong Orihime?! What is..."
"Her soul was separated from her body..." Kira said softly, drawing the attention from people - surprising a few, who had forgotten he was there.
"Some rooftops in Karakura.
Ichigo turned his head slightly to look back at Rukia – who was riding piggyback on his back – as he jumped from roof top to roof top. "Hollows… Attack their families?!"
"Yes!" Rukia shouted back.
"Why is that!? Don't Hollows eat souls when they're hungry?! Aren't they indiscriminate?!"
Rukia glanced to look Ichigo dead in the eyes as she spoke seriously. "The Hollows that indiscriminately attack humans and other spirits are… The ones that have already eaten their families.""
"What?" Uryu leaned forward, horror written on his face while Chad's own eyes widened and Yuzu gasped in horror while Ichigo grimaced, his hands curling in to fists as he kept his face buried in his hands, his own eyes wide slightly at the thought came to him for the first time.
What if he tried to eat his own sister's souls? Shaking his head quickly, he turned his attention back to the book, fighting down his worry.
"Ichigo's eyes widened as he looked at Rukia. "Wha…?"
"And one more thing… Hollows don't eat souls because they are hungry. They eat souls to ease their pain and suffering. A Hollow is a 'Fallen Soul'. Souls that weren't brought to the Soul Society by a Shinigami. Souls that escaped. Souls that weren't protected from Hollows. The Soul degenerates, loses its heart and becomes a Hollow. And… A soul that becomes a Hollow, to fill it's empty heart… Seeks out those it loved most in it's past life. You often hear stories about a husband dying and then the wife dying a few years afterwards, right?" Rukia asked before continuing. "That's because the husband became a Hollow and ate the wife's soul."
Rukia fell silent for a moment before speaking again. "Today, when we saw Inoue, she had a large mark on her leg, right? That was a Hollow bite mark." Ichigo's eyes widened and he turned his head to look at Rukia briefly again while she continued. "That's why I asked you. 'Does she have family?' and you said 'she had one much older brother.' If you are right that this much older brother is her only family… Then there's no doubt, Inoue will be the one who is attacked!""
Ukitake was impressed with his squad member, his lips curving upwards into a smile at seeing how easily the information had come to Rukia, though the smile turned sad as he realized that she was a tad too late... But how was Orihime still here? He wondered.
"Orihime's Apartment.
Tatskui fell to the floor, her back hitting the wall and her eyes were wide as she looked at the spots of blood on the floor, shock running through her body. "Wha…" She reached a hand up to touch her sliced shoulder. "What is this? Why is blood… What is…Going…" She was cut off as something suddenly slammed her to the floor and blood spurted from the wound again. "Ugh…"
A large, snake-like Hollow held itself over Tatsuki's body while Orihime trembled against a wall to its side, trying to make herself look smaller, her hands pressed against her mouth to keep from screaming or crying out in terror."
"I'm surprised you didn't." Rukia said aloud, impressed at the control Orihime had shown from the beginning, "Most people scream." She added.
"'W… What…!? What is going on…? What is this big ghost thing? My body…' Orihime's gaze turned towards where her body laid across the room, the only thing connecting her with it was the chain out of both their chests. 'Is over there… What has happened to me? Did I die…?My head is spinning…' Grasping the chain that was coming out of her chest, Orihime's gaze turned towards it. 'What's this chain? It really… Hurts…I…' Orihime started to pull on the chain. 'Want to break it…'"
"Don't!" A few people jumped at hearing Ichigo's loud exclamation.
"I didn't, Kurosaki-kun." Orihime smiled faintly before continuing, her voice starting to shake slightly.
"The snake-like Hollow raised its hand and clamed it around Tatsuki's neck, the gasps and cries of pain distracting Orihime from her thoughts and drawing her attention back to her friend. "Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime gasped, sweat dripping down her cheek. 'Yeah… Why am I just sitting here' Getting up Orihime rushed towards the Hollow. 'I have to help her!' "Yaaa!" She threw herself at the Hollow's arm, surprising it and forcing its arm off of Tatsuki's neck.
Landing on her side, Orihime quickly bounced back up and hurried to Tatsuki, kneeling next to her friend. "Are you alright, Tatsuki-chan! Now run away!" She shouted while the dark-haired teenager panted heavily, trying to catch her breath and unhearing of Orihime's cries. "Tatsuki-chan? What's wrong? You can't hear me?""
"Useless, unless Tatsuki-san can hear or see souls, she's unable to see you." Shinji said.
""It's useless… Orihime…" Orihime froze at hearing the Hollow's voice, the deep tone echoing as it spoke. "She can neither hear… Nor see us…"
"Why…" Orihime turned to face the Hollow, horrified. "Do you know my name…?"
The Hollow stayed silent for a moment. "You even forgot my voice…?" Raising a hand the Hollow moved to slash Orihime with its claws. "How sad, Orihime!" It shouted while its hand rushed down and Orihime's eyes widened before she shut them quickly, waiting for the pain to come. When it didn't, she slowly opened her eyes to see a figure standing there, wearing a shihakusho, a large katana in its hands, blocking the hand."
"Ichigo."
""Kurosaki… Kun…?" Orihime asked in disbelief.
"You interfere?" The Hollow asked, pulling back its bleeding hand.
Ichigo grinned weakly from behind the Zanpaku-to. "Sorry but… That's my job…" Raising the sword, Ichigo glared at the Hollow, saying determinedly. "If you want to kill Inoue… You better kill me first…"
"And that's the chapter." Orihime finished, holding up the book, her smile returning to full volume. "Who's going to read next?"
Chad silently held out his hand and the brunt-orangette happily - and slightly shakily - passed him the book and Chad opened it, finding the page before starting to read.
And that's the chapter! Hope you all liked it!
Please Read, Follow and Favorite! Review too if you have time please!
See you all in a few weeks or less!
~Snow.