Ch.4- The Pained One Awakens
A quiet groan escaped quivering lips as a bright light passed over a prone body on a hospital bed. Toned arms and well-toned legs were bound to the bed using strong cloth restraints and light kido reinforcement.
"Oi King, ya been asleep long enough... get up. It's time for us to move." The pale hollow's voice is a quiet echo in Ichigo's mind.
The cocky hollow slowly walked over to Ichigo's sleeping form. He knelt down and ghosted his lips over Ichigo's. "Come on King... Our destined are here. Wake up... Wake up and let him hear you."The hollow's words bounced around in Ichigo's mind as pain began to burn throughout Ichigo's body.
Ichigo's mouth opened and his eyes were wide with panic. Arms and legs move to defensively curl in only to be stopped by restraints.
Byakuya feels as though he's going to go deaf from the volume of Ichigo's screaming. Ichigo's cries are loud and clear to his ears. The terrified wails of someone tortured and beaten resound in the older male's mind as Kisuke Urahara continues to run a deep scan on Ichigo to assess how much damage was done.
"Is something wrong, Kuchiki taicho?" Izuru asked as he noted the distressed look that crossed Byakuya's face.
"Can't we do something to ease his pain? His screams are deafening." Byakuya replied trying to sound as removed and unconcerned as possible.
Izuru looked at Byakuya confused. "Kuchiki taicho, Kurosaki's screams are inaudible."
Kisuke looked up from where he'd been working and stared at Byakuya for a moment before ending the scan. "Come with me."
He said moving to enter the room Ichigo was being observed in.
In the room Ichigo was thrashing about as best he could in his restraints while his eyes were open but unseeing and his mouth was open in apparently silent screams. Byakuya begged to differ that last point. His screams were anything but silent.
"Good boy, King... He heard you..."The hollow congratulated Ichigo as he slowly laid his body beside the teen's. He calmly placed the palm of his left hand to Ichigo's forehead then placed his right palm on his own.
The cityscape around them slowly faded away and the two strangers found themselves in a different world. Where a cold hard building had once been below them there was now soft grass. When there had been a noiseless void their was now the sound of a stream, birds chirping and a gentle breeze.
"Wake up King..." The hollow's voice whispered again as calm knowing fingers began to trace Ichigo's face. "As your horse I can only take you so far... We have reached our destination.' The feather light touches are replaced with kisses and slow signs of affection.
These actions begin to awaken Ichigo, slowly brown eyes open to look upon the face of the ever attentive hollow. Ichigo blinks a few times before stiffening.
"Shiro?!" Ichigo is shocked and in disbelief. "How? I have no-"
"But you do..." Shiro's voice was confident and calm. It was just what Ichigo needed. "Can't you feel it? Can't you feel us?"
Ichigo paused as he felt the familiar and yet alien rush of something through his veins. He knew that something was reiatsu but he felt if he said it aloud then it would all be a dream and disappear before him.
"Come King he's waiting for us..." Shiro said slowly standing up turning to wait for Ichigo to get on his feet.
The teen stood and felt stiff as if he had not walked in years.
"What is this place, Shiro?"
"He's unaware of your bond..." Shiro spoke quietly. "That's fine. At least part of him is here to greet you... Isn't that right, Senbonzakura?" Hichigo asked as they came across a samurai that smells lightly of sakura petals and had his entire body incased in armor.
"Senbonzakura? As in Byakuya's senbonzakura?" Ichigo asked confused.
"Hai, it is good to see you've made it this far. Your wounds are healing nicely here. Byakuya is watching over your body in the living world. Don't you feel it's time for you to rejoin it?"Senbonzakura asked as he felt his master's distress at Ichigo's body's reactions to touch, light and sound.
"Something happened to me didn't it?" Ichigo asked feeling this odd fear about leaving.
"King, you can come back here any time but right now you have to go back. He's waiting on you. They're all waiting on you."Shiro encouraged pushing Ichigo towards Senbonzakura.
Ichigo took a hesitant step backwards.
"Wake up already!" Shiro shouted then pushed the teen directly into the samurai's arms.
Ichigo turned to respond when he felt himself wrapped in protective arms.
Senbonzakura's hold felt off, instead of being stiff and cool. The arms around him were warm and soft. Fingers gently wiped sweat from his brow as more words began to reach him.
"Ichigo it's us. Wake up..." That voice sounded very close to Urahara's.
"Kurosaki calm down. You're safe here." A firm voice spoke as the light scent of sakura petals filled Ichigo's senses as his
arms came free.
Ichigo turned and buried himself further in that scent enjoying it and the feel of this presence.
"He's calming down... Thank Kami..." Urahara's voice sounded relieved.
"You're safe... Kuro-" That sounded like Byakuya was miles away, "... " There was a moment of hesitation before that near silent whisper cut through all the fear Ichigo had felt. "Ichigo... Ichigo open your eyes."
And then the spell was broken. The fear that had gripped Ichigo's heart melted away and slowly brown eyes blinked open and came to focus. They focused in on a pair of slate grey eyes as slim yet firm hands rubbed comforting circles into the teen's heaving back.
Ch.4- The Pained One Awakens end
Hope you guys liked this chapter :D