A/N: Yay! Thank you for the amazing reviews! I hope I posted this one in a decent amount of time. I'm excited, it's my turn. I broke 2,000 words in just story! I'm proud, that's a major achievement. I hope I did a decent job at Orihime's Point of View, I know it gets kind of (more than kind of)OOC at the end there, but I'm happy with it. I will have the next chapter up ASAP! Thanks again, and I hope you enjoy
Disclaimer:
C- why don't we just buy Bleach
Iheartligers- I don't want the angry mob to come after me if we ruin it, leave that to the rich people who can afford to live in hiding for the rest of their lives, I still want what little life I still have.
C- shut up! We don't own anything, please ignore the stupid rant above.
Princess and the Hollow Chapter Two
Orihime's POV
Author: iheartligers
"Orihime!" called the cat that sat at the top of the stairs leading up to my apartment. I was just arriving home after spending the night at Tatsuki's discussing our usual topic, Ichigo.
"Yourichi-san!" I exclaimed, bowing to former captain. "Orihime, I have a surprise for you that the Female Soul Reapers put together for you,"
"Oh," I exclaimed, they really shouldn't have. "Thank you! How generous of all of you, but you really shouldn't have, I can't accept it."
"Now Orihime," chuckled the talking cat, "we already have everything ready, and would be so disheartened if you didn't take it." I didn't want to disappoint all of my new found shinigami friends that were always so kind to us.
"Well what the surprise?" I asked, curiosity getting the best me, I just had to ask.
"Come inside, it's all in your apartment." The black cat then proceeded to sit patiently by my apartment door, signifying that I would see the 'surprise' and I would probably end up keeping it. I opened the unlocked door, and stepped inside to see suitcases stacked.
"You need to hurry up, the boat leaves in a little bit," Stated the cat women as she jumped on top of them, "you have everything that you could possibly need for your trip. We have everything new, Lieutenant Motsumoto picked out all of clothes, and Yachiru packed you snacks."
"Wow! Thank you, I'm going to have to get you guy's gifts to repay you!" it was amazing; I never would have been able to afford all of this without them. "I really can't accept it," I sputtered it was too much, I didn't need this, and even though it was really nice, I would feel guilty if I took it. Tatsuki would wander where I went, and certainly wouldn't approve of me going anywhere unprotected.
"No Orihime, you need a vacation, so you're going to take it, by orders from the Soul Society. Don't worry, your friends already know that you will be absent for… a while." I couldn't disobey; maybe I could get a refund for the ticket, and give them the money back later. "and, I will personally accompany you to the marina to make sure that you don't miss your boat." Spoke the cat, jumping down and heading out the door. So much for my plan, I grabbed the bags and ran out the door after the black cat.
"Wait Yourichi-san!"
That's how I got to Okinawa, and I'm glad that Yourichi followed me to make sure I didn't turn back around and just get a refund to pay everyone back. Yesterday was one of the best days of my life. Who knew the Kurosaki family would be on vacation the same time that the Soul Society sent me on mine? When I got to the beach, I didn't expect to see Kurosaki-kun of all people. I thought I would be meeting other soul reapers, but there was Ichigo, so I had to go say hello.
"Kurosaki-kun!" I called as I ran up to him, waving. He turned around, and immediately his face turned red, I really hope I didn't upset him, I don't want to ruin his vacation; maybe I should just turn around and not bother him. It was too late when I felt his gaze on me, and knew it was too late, I instantly blushed. Even Rukia would blush if the man she loved since she was eight was staring at her with his wonderfully chocolate colored eyes. Milk Chocolate colored eyes. Milk chocolate would go great on Gummy Bears, and that would all go AMAZINGLY on sweet potato ice cream. I need to find a grocery store! I realized that I was now face to face to the guy that started this rant.
"Orihime," he half said half breathed, making it sound almost like a wish, I didn't mean to scare him.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." I said. From there we just 'clicked' and we talked and walked around the beach. His dad was really nice, and I love his sisters. I was sad when they had to go.
"Ichigo!" I called as he turned to enter the beach house. I guess he just didn't hear me because he kept walking. I could ask tomorrow if he wanted to go out for ice cream my treat. So that's where I am, in front of the beach house his family is renting, deciding if I should just return to my hotel, I really shouldn't bother Kurosaki-kun, I turned right as the door opened, I guess some one saw me through the window.
"Ohayou Gozaimasu, Orihime-chan!" greeted Kurosaki-senpai.
"Oh! Good morning Kurosaki-san!" I said in return, trying to decide how to ask if Ichigo was awake yet.
"Sorry Mrs. Inoue, my ugly, idiot son isn't here, but I'm sure a pretty girl has better people to hang with than a little punk like my son. People as handsome as me!" said Ichigo's dad.
"Oh- oh no! I couldn't intrude on your vacation Mr. Kurosaki! I will just go sightseeing today! Do you know when your son might be back?" I asked, trying to locate Ichigo, I would feel bad if it turned out he wanted to eat some ice cream as well, and I didn't even get the chance to ask him.
"I'm not sure, sorry Orihime; he just left a note saying he was going on vacation with some other friends on the other side of the island." He said. So he was gone? I wander if any of our friends from the Soul Society , or school were vacationing here.
"Thank you!" I said to the elder Kurosaki, as I bowed in good bye.
"Bye Orihime!" he called from the door as I took off down the road back to beach. I know I shouldn't be feeling this way, he wasn't mine, I had no right to even feel rejected by his sudden disappearance. No matter what I felt yesterday, he wasn't mine, and I wasn't entitled to know where he was, let alone show up at his home, and bother his family. No matter what, I was just a burden to Ichigo, his family, everyone. I shouldn't have come on this trip. I took advantage of the kindness of others. I'm not only a burden, but a terrible person, who was weak. I found myself by the pier where I first saw Ichigo.
If I really loved him, I wouldn't be a bother like this, I'm sure he doesn't appreciate anyone being clingy. I couldn't be a burden.
Yet, I still felt sad; I stumbled along the beach until I found myself at the base of a hill, looking up at a castle. I talked about that same castle with Ichigo; I told him what I thought it would be like to live there. How amazing it would be to actually be a princess, and have dragons come and kidnap me, but they would turn out to be nice, and we would become best friends. We would dance, and sing and have feasts. The food would be amazing. And all as I was going on, he just smiled at me, holding my hand. I thought… I thought… I thought I might have had a chance then, but I guess not. We were just friends. Even if we weren't, I would always be there to try and protect him, to heal him. As long as he needed me, I would be there. I headed up to the castle. I should do some sightseeing, as I told his dad that I would do.
The castle had an amazing view of the ocean, I could see well out into the horizon, up and down the coast, and into the depths of the clear blue waters. It was beautiful. Maybe if Ichigo were here, it would help him relax to see a sunset up here. We could have had a picnic with peanut butter and pickle sandwiches. If I had the nerve, I could have confessed to him up here. It could have been perfect.
I shouldn't be thinking these thoughts.
I chided myself, yet I couldn't help wondering where he was, even if they were selfish thoughts.
"Orihime!" called a very familiar voice. I turned around to see a little bird that I knew so well.
"Lirin!" I called back, waving. If she was here, Ichigo must be close. I could practically smell him!
"Do you not sense that!" she yelled, stomping up to me, and scrambling up to my shoulder. She started tugging at my hair really hard.
"Oww! No! Lirin! Please stop! That hurts!" I pleaded with the tiny mod-soul, waving my hands around in an attempt to ward off the attacks from the stuffed animal.
"Well, come on!" she practically growled, jumping off of me, and leading me through a what was once a hallway, back when the castle was still in its full glory. I turned a corner, and was greeted by yet another mod-soul.
"Hello Noba!" I greeted as I bent down to pick up the less temperamental of the two stuffed animals that I have come across today. "What are you guys doing here?" I asked, there must be something serious going on if they left Urahara's shop. "Is Kurodo here too? What about Ko-,"
I was interrupted by a stuffed lion running up to me yelling, "My Hime! The goddess of all the goodies!" he immediately ran up and started to climb up my leg. I was glad to have some friends here with me, (vacations are no fun by yourself) all of these stuffed animals, with the exception of Kon, have saved my life at least once. Any company was company.
"Wait for me!" yelled Kurodo, as he hopped around the corner carrying a mod-soul size suitcase in each hand.
"Kurodo-san!" I greeted, dropping all of the other mod-souls to pick up the one that had just joined us.
"Orihime-san! You've grown so much since the last I saw you!" said the bunny mod-soul. I set him down and looked at all of the animals, standing in a row, not exactly sure what to do.
"I'm so glad you guys are here!" I said, not being able to handle the silence.
"You'll be even happier when we take you to your beloved!" exclaimed Kurodo.
"YOU IDIOT!" screeched Lirin as she ran up, and kicked the bunny upside the face.
"Oi, my apologies Lirin." Said Kurodo, glad to get off so easy.
"Noba, we need to leave now!" commanded the duckling.
"Yes, Lirin," was all that the soft spoken turtle said before opening the portal, following the commands. I peered inside, hoping to catch a glimpse of where I might be going, but all I could see was a black haze.
"Come ON!" screamed the tiniest, as she shoved me into the portal. Before I could try to reclaim by precarious balance, I was sucked in. I barely felt like I was falling, more like floating, and before I knew it, I was lying down, on the floor of a mysterious room. I sat up, trying to figure where I ended up at.
"Lirin!" I called, I hoped no one had gotten hurt in the fall. I was sitting in what looked like a traditional bed room, rays of sunlight shining through the rice paper doors, making tiny, grainy shadows on the matted floors.
I got up and blushed looking at my feet, "how rude of me, I forgot to take my shoes off!" I exclaimed to myself while slipping off my shoes, I headed towards a door, looking for a place to set my flip flops down. The first door led to a hallway, that wouldn't do. The second door led to a garden. I set my shoes down right outside the door, and slipped them back on.
The garden was huge, with pathways leading to a tiny hut in the back.
"WOW! Someone important must live here to have a sauna!" I exclaimed.
"My Hime!" there was Kon, at least I knew where one of the mod-souls were. "It was so terrible! The hollow tried to eat me!" all the while he was trying to climb up my dress, but I'm not sure how well that worked because I was wearing another sundress.
"Kon! Get off of her! She needs to get dressed for dinner!" yelled Lirin, successfully pulling the lion off of my leg.
"You're not the boss of me!" argued Kon. "Wait! Orihime! I can help you get dressed!" yelled the little mod-soul. He took off running, and tried to jump on top of me, before I could even react, a claw came out of nowhere and grabbed him.
"Get off of her you damn pervert!" yelled the hollow, this was an arrancar, since it could talk but…
"Orihime?" it asked, almost in a whisper. The last thing I remember is a the vasto lordes holding Kon in one claw, and a blooming rose in the other before I passed out.