The Strawberry Ninja
Naruto and all related characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto. Bleach and all related characters belong to Tite Kubo
Chapter 4: She's Not my Girlfriend!
Over the course of the next few weeks Ichigo kept true to his word and visited Anko often. He'd usually come by and talk for a few minutes, telling her about the mission he did that day or a few stories from his days in Karakura. Soon Anko was released from the hospital and the doctors said she could return to active duty in a couple of weeks. Ichigo walked her back to her apartment and made sure she was comfortable.
"You know most people wouldn't do all this for me." Anko said. Ichigo froze and asked,
"Why's that?" Anko sighed and said,
"Well I already told that Orochimaru used to be my Sensei." Ichigo nodded as she continued,
"Before he went rogue he gave me a curse mark and tried to get me to leave with him. I didn't. But when it was found out he went traitor, I was pretty much treated like the plague. After all I was pretty close to him." She cringed at saying that. Ichigo looked at her sympathetically and said,
"I know what that's like. A lot of people treated me like that back in Karakura, but that's a story for later." Ichigo then made sure she was alright before he left. He walked down the streets headed to his apartment, but soon heard a noise that made him shudder.
"HEY ICHIGO!" He sighed, it was Naruto. Naruto walked up to him with Hinata along side him.
"So what's going on? Your date with Anko over already?" Ichigo scowled at the blond headed ninja and said,
"It wasn't a date. I was just making sure she got home alright, she did just get out of the hospital." Naruto smirked and replied,
"Well okay. But what about all those times you visited her? All that alone time?" Ichigo, still scowling at the knucklehead ninja, said,
"She's just a friend. That's all." Naruto was still not convinced and said,
"Well me and Hinata were just friends before we started dating." Ichigo was about to yell at the stubborn ninja, but a thought came to his head instead,
"Wait. Didn't you tell me that Hinata was in love with you since you were 12?" Naruto just stammered like an idiot while Hinata blushed.
"Now for the last time. Anko and I are not dating. We. Are. Not. A COUPLE!" Ichigo didn't mean to sound that harsh but he was at his wits end with the idiotic conversation . Ichigo continued on his way home. He entered his apartment and was met with a highly curious Yuzu, who wanted to know everything about his "Date". Ichigo just plopped down in a chair and said,
"It wasn't a date. Anko and I are just friends." Yuzu frowned a little at this and said,
"Well just because you're only friends not doesn't mean you can't be more in the future!" Ichigo sighed and said,
"Look Yuzu, I just don't want a girlfriend right now. Maybe someday but not right now." and with that he got up and went to his room, leaving a confused Yuzu. Karin soon entered the room, carrying a few books she needed for the Academy.
"Karin, you know know that girl Ichigo's been going to see?" Karin nodded as Yuzu continued,
"Well he says that she isn't his girlfriend and that he doesn't want one." Karin sighed and asked her sister,
"Do you remember how much it hurt when Mom and Dad died?" Yuzu nodded slowly at the painful memory.
"Well that's how much Ichigo is hurting. It's because of Rukia. He thinks that he could have saved her. He doesn't want a girlfriend because he thinks it would dishonoring Rukia's memory." Karin said as she took her books to her room. Ichigo sat on his bed looking at a picture of himself and a rather short girl with black hair and violet eyes.
"Rukia. I'm so sorry." He said quietly as he continued to look at the picture. He looked over at his clock and realized that he was supposed to meet his team at the Hokage Tower for their next mission in a few minutes. He strapped his sword to his back and left, passing Karin who said,
"It won't kill you to be happy Ichigo. It's been 2 years, Rukia would want you to move on." Ichigo froze at his sister's words, but slowly started walking again and left. He reached the tower with a few minutes to spare and entered Tsunade's office. Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi were already there as Tsunade opened a file and said,
"We have reports of a rogue ninja a few miles away, and I want you to investigate. The target's name is Grimmjow Jeagerjaques." Ichigo's eyes widened at the mention of the name.
"So what does he look like?" Naruto asked. Tsunade held up a picture of the target. He had blue hair and something that looked like a jawbone attached to the right side of his face. Ichigo's surprise look turned to one of hatred as he glared at the photo. Team 7 soon departed, heading for the location of the last sighting of Grimmjow.
'I'm gonna me you pay Grimmjow. I promise you'll pay.' Ichigo thought as he jumped through the treetops with his team.
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