Denial
Urahara never had come back, not that Ichigo would admit this fact bothered him. What should he care if he had this strange feeling that there was a growing chasm between them, a feeling that he tried to push to the back of his mind. Hiyori was usually a suitable distraction and she had been been particularly ruthless recently. Pulling himself out of at least twice as many piles of rubble counted as vicious for the sandal wearing brat. Hirako even jumped in a few times when she was getting to be too much, too violent for him. Ichigo had gotten his share of looks since his former teacher had left and he had a feeling they all wanted to ask, but weren't. Hiyori seemed pissed about it the way she'd been acting. Shinji seemed annoyed. The rest of them weren't as phased by just a glance to him but he never had been great at reading people. Maybe if he was he'd know what the hell to do concerning the shopkeeper.
Damn didn't he want to stop think about him? So much for that.
Scrubbing at his face he ignored the weight of eyes on his back. Hell he was almost accustomed to it now, given how the vizard studied him while he practiced. So many calculating eyes watching everything stopped bothering him after a little time. It was different from the time he'd spent training with Urahara, that had only taken days though. Maybe that was part of why he felt so impatient here. Unlike then he couldn't see the difference. The voice still kept whispering him, haunting him. Ichigo didn't feel like he'd gotten anything done.
"Ah fuck..." Hiyori mumbled from where she was sitting waiting for Ichigo to hurry the hell up so they could get back to it.
"Looks like somethin's going on." Love said without looking up from the manga he was currently thumbing through.
Ichigo glanced off not sure what they meant until he actually pulled his head from his thoughts about one infuriatingly absent blond man. The spike of spiritual energy he felt was like a hollow. Based on the feel of them, how strong they seemed, they had to be massive. His badge started to screech to remove any doubt and he grabbed the damn thing before he was racing off ignoring the shouts from the group behind him. Hiyori would be pissed but it was his duty to look after Karakura, he was the shinigami representative after all. Sure Rukia or Renji could do it but frankly the redhead needed a little break from his tutors, he still couldn't bring himself to give them the label of teacher like he had Urahara. Teachers involved respect and trust, he didn't have that for Shinji and the others even if he was grateful for the help. It was just different.
His senses moved ahead of him and when it occurred to him he wasn't the first on the scene his stomach dropped. Chad he wasn't worried about, he was a sturdy guy and he'd watched his own back for awhile. Orihime on the other hand made him push his shunpo as much as he could because she didn't have the will to fight in her. What he found made that unsettling feeling in his gut previous burn white hot. It didn't matter that he'd never seen hollows like this before, didn't matter they felt amazingly more strong than the ones before, because he was going to destroy them for what they had done. Watching that orange shield shatter like a fine layer of glass he gripped at Zangetsu's hilt tighter.
Hurry up there, she ain't gonna last long that one.
The voice surprised him but he knew it was right. Orihime wasn't meant for battle.
Zangetsu held the inhumanly large hand at bay, keeping it from crushing the girl behind him. Brown eyes glanced back to his friends before looking to the strange hollow again.
"Who the hell are you?" The bulky one was talking but he wasn't the one he was concerned about.
"Kurosaki-kun..." The words were pained somehow and it made Ichigo all the angrier, not at Orihime of course but mostly at himself.
"Sorry I'm late, Inoue." Somehow he still finds it strange that she apologizes, like it's her fault. "Don't apologize. Don't worry either. Everything will be fine once I take care of these two." He hears the rough edge to his voice, his anger at the situation isn't contained as well as he'd like it to be. But hell if he isn't pissed his friends are in danger, because he is quite pissed. "Ban kai!" The rush from Zangetsu washes over him and soothes some of the frayed nerves at the familiar thrum of power as it envelopes him. Still it has changed, he can feel the other one in it now so the calm it offers is short lived.
"Oi, this is the kid right?" The larger asks glancing back to his more petite companion.
"Yes he is our target. It's amazing you managed to flush him out with nothing but the noise you were causing."
"Alright! Means we don't need to waste time looking for him!" Grinning he brings down the massive fist to be stopped without much difficult by nothing but that skinny, little black sword. "Eh?"
Ichigo isn't even looking at the over-sized humanoid hollow. His entire body feels tense. He's dismissed Orihime so he isn't worried about her getting caught up in this now. The anger that's still burning low in his abdomen is threatening to spill over now and he thinks he's going to let it. Lately he's been frustrated and confused, he could use something just to beat senseless to vent. These two happen to be the lucky two.
Go on beat 'em to a bloody pulp King. Use me to do it, it'll feel good.
Clenching his jaw he meaningfully ignores the voice. If he listens to him then he can get a hold of him better. Fighting with him will only give him power so he will deny him that.
"You're the one who did that to Chad's arm, aren't you?" The odd look he gets isn't a confession or a denial but it was a pointless question to begin with. "Then I'm going to take your arm too." Gripping onto Tensa Zangetsu he moves forward fast enough that he knows the other can't see him. The blade goes through with less resistance than he expected for something so big. Really it felt a little too easy to him, but he doesn't care about details like that. Feet on the ground again his eyes realign on his opponent, waiting and ready. Lunging again, ignoring the shock and rage, cutting without thinking letting his own angry fuel his action with instinct. There is blood and none of it is his own.
The only surprise so far is that the smaller of the pair is simply watching. In fact the only thing he notices him doing is watching. It's a relief to him though that he's not going after Inoue while he's busy.
Had your fun, now use me!
Again he ignores the voice despite the rising level of annoyance in it. Though he thought he heard a faint trace of humor just now.
"Still standing huh? Guess you're about as sturdy as you look."
"You look like you're having some difficulty, do you want to switch?" It's the pale one talking, well sounds more like teasing.
"Shut up!" The volume qualifies as a roar, but the guy is pretty big so it fits.
"Do you really need to use your zanpakutou against someone like him?" The pale one again, sounds smug this time. Zanpakutou? What's he talking about they're hollows...aren't they?
Blind as ever aren't ya King? Take a look at that sword of his. Looks like one doesn't it?
It does, he hates that to be true. Brown eyes wide he's completely lost. What would a hollow be doing with a zanpakutou? Can you take them from dead shinigami? That's the only way it could work right?
"I told you to shut up!"
Tch, dumbass. Look closer, didn't Kisuke teach you anything?
The name makes him tense but he complies all the same to look. Urahara taught him to break things down, observe. He has to be a hollow based on the hole in his chest. The mask is strange though, broken, not covering the whole of his face like he's used to seeing. They feel strange too, hollow but not and wickedly strong too.
Strange all you gotta say about them? Ain't they a little familiar King?
Frowning Ichigo admits it doesn't feel as foreign as it should. Their spiritual signature is familiar. When it clicks Ichigo feels like he's left his stomach behind in Soul Society.
Looks like ya figured it out. Took you long enough. Now use me!
The snarled demand makes him want to recoil and he shakes his head in denial. Ichigo refuses to use that thing in him, he's the one in control.
Such a pain in the ass, denying everything because it suits you. Stupid pain in the ass if ya aren't going to listen to me then I'll make you!
It's only when he's getting kicked that he realizes he's let his mind drift too much. The pain certainly is enough to knock some sense into him. The force of the blow fits the size of the one striking him, forcing him back and to regain his footing.
"Kurosaki-kun!"
"Stay back!" Only it's too late and he watches in horror as innocent Orihime is knocked aside like some insect. His entire body is tense, frozen. It's only then when he tries to move that he realizes that he actually can't.
Told you I'd make you King. Don't do as your told you get punished. So now you get to watch.
Beatings aren't new to him. First it was his hair that got him the unwanted attention. Then it was becoming a shinigami that made him familiar with this, sharper pain. He knows what it's like to be stuck with fists, what it's like to be cut with a blade and he knows what it's like to black out from blood loss. So this, while painful, isn't the worst beating he's ever had. No this isn't too different from Hiyori kicking him around only for the real intent in it maybe. It's the panic in him that is screaming for him to move desperately that makes this so agonizing. He needs to move, to save his friends. To save himself.
Nah-uh King, time out for you.
"Ha! You stopped moving? Well who cares, die! Die!"
Ichigo would scream if he could. His entire body would be shaking if he could budge. Instead he just lies there, watching as he raises one of those over-sized fists again entirely consumed in his fear. Fear for his friends, his family and himself because he is completely defenseless.
"It's over you little shit! I'm going to crush you into nothing but a bloody smear!"
So he waits for it, taking an agonizing breath, only it doesn't come. The too large fist doesn't touch him and something else drifts over him, something familiar and comforting. When Ichigo manages to raise his head to see a large black clad back and green something in his tightens painfully. That can't be who he thinks it is.
"So sorry about being late, Kurosaki-san." Kisuke says in an overly sing-song tone holding Benihime before him, vermilion shield before him not shattering like the orange shield of his wounded classmate under the blow. It only recedes when the man wishes it to.
"Just keep popping up..."
The teen can't care less that the giant is talking again. Urahara is here and they'll be fine because he always does these things. Comes in at the last minute and sweeps in like some retardedly dressed prince to save the frigging day. Much as he hates the cliche of it all he can't help but feel an amazing swell of relief push his fear back.
"Since you like to get in the way, I'll just crush you first!" Swinging again the giant is shocked to feel himself thrown when the man didn't even so much as budge. He's quick to recover though and more enraged than before swings at them, fist simply hitting the ground, much to his ire.
"I'll treat Inoue, give me the medicine." Yoruichi says simply, ignoring the large angry hollow.
"She's all yours." Kisuke offers the pouch without pause and goes himself to treat Ichigo as he knows he is bidden to. He trusts her to handle things and goes to the redhead laying in the grass.
Crouching down the man smiles and offers something from his hand to the teen's mouth. "Take that, it will help. Just relax Kurosaki-kun, we'll take care of this. I promise." Gray eyes look down at the boy making sure he can swallow before glancing back at the display his friend is making of dealing with the mammoth. Yoruichi is a little out of practice, he can see it in her movement but it's still a good show. He might need to tease her a bit for not being careful enough though, hierro isn't a laughing matter when using your bare hands.
"Is Inoue-"
"She'll be fine. Yoruichi will take care of her." Urahara says and in an odd gesture smooths a hand over the boy's hair. "Trust us."
Sadly he really doesn't need to ask, Ichigo already trusts them. The fact that he swallowed what given to him without question should attest to that. Brown eyes note that as the man watches Yoruichi he smiles faintly. Against his will his eyes slip down to his throat and he sees no remnant of a bite there. Somehow he is relieved and disappointed at the same time. This is the first time he's seen the shopkeeper since that afternoon.
Bastard healed it I bet. Just have to do it again
Before he can even think on that statement he notices Urahara rising to his feet, eyes narrowed and teeth bared in a sharp looking smirk. Then he's gone, faster than his eyes can follow. There's a rush of sound and dust after that. Ichigo doesn't know what has happened but when it clears enough he can see Urahara standing there, Benihime pointed out and hand on that ugly hat of his. Seems he isn't the only one confused though. That hollow looks lost too.
"How did you dodge my cero?"
"As you can imagine and attack like that would be quite dangerous, so I simply used a similar attack to negate it." The smug tone of voice is reassuring to him.
He's treating them like bugs King, shows ya a bit 'bout him doesn't it? He's strong. A lot stronger than he wants anyone to see.
Ichigo has to admit this is odd to see from Urahara. The man active and involved is new to him. It's more his style to merely pull strings, not to step in.
"Say what?"
Kisuke grins faintly. "If you don't believe me, I'll just show you. Cry, Benihime." Arm moving up in a smooth, quick arc and blade moving just as cleanly through the air sending out a wave of red that looks like freshly spilled blood. It moves quickly toward the shocked and now distressed hollow.
Even the shopkeeper is surprised when the mere observer before steps in to deflect his attack. Then surprise comes again when he strikes his companion and informs them of just who the pair are, and how outmatched he is in this fight. He has intervened to call a retreat before there is a more significant loss on their part. Tearing away an opening in the air itself the pale one turns away.
Ichigo wonders why Yoruichi spoke up, thinking she's half crazy to have some that if one of them can through off an attack from Urahara.
Don't be that quick to think it's lost King. Getting more weak aren't you or do you not want lover boy to get a smack down?
Of course he is silent to that. He wouldn't want to see Urahara hurt but he has no idea what the hell his hollow is talking about with the "lover boy" crap.
"Our mission is complete. I must report to Aizen-sama to inform him the false shinigami he had his eyes on is nothing but trash."
Somehow when the void closes behind them Ichigo feels more ashamed than relieved. Sagging against the grass his teeth grind and hands clench, eyes shut tightly. This wasn't how he wanted things to go. He can't help feeling bitter at his hollow for stopping him like that. He could have won if he could have moved.
You're such a dumbass. When are you going to stop being in denial? It's getting old and I'm sick of carrying your weight. So is the old man. What are you going to do when Urahara can't be bothered to save you anymore?
Ichigo finds his eyes opening at that, fear spiking. What if Urahara wasn't around, he couldn't save him all the time. He'd be dead.
"Kurosaki-kun?" Urahara asks, slowly kneeling down again, Benihime no longer in his hand.
"Yeah?" His throat feels dry and tight.
"Stop thinking like you are, it's doing you no good."
"How?" Eyes wide he looks up at the man, surprised to see a strange soft, sad look to him.
"Because I know. Let's take you back." The blond doesn't wait for consent before lifting the redhead up with ease, rising to his feet and looking toward Yoruichi who is stubbornly bearing the weight of Sado and Orihime with her injury. It's her punishment so he says noting and merely nods for her to lead the way.
Ichigo feels like an idiot being carried like some girl. Yet somehow he can let this happen. If it were Renji though he'd deck him. Goat face wouldn't even get the privilege. Urahara he trusts not to say anything about it. Sagging some he just lets his eyes close and leaves it to the elder who is more capable. How can he manage to feel relieved when he's so weak? How can someone he hardly knows be reassuring?
Brown eyes don't open again even when a strange, soft humming in a familiar tune hits him. Ichigo doesn't know the name of it, or the words that go with the notes but there is something about it.
The stuff Urahara gave him is making him tired because before he knows it he's drifted off, only waking up when he is tucked into a bed. The teen doesn't even come around enough to hear the words spoken to him, they were nothing but soothing noise the encourage his eyes to close again. Given that he feels safe Ichigo knows where he is, he has to be at the shop. He wants to ask about Chad and Orihime but he can't seem to make a sound.
"It's alright." Urahara says in a low, tone, Repeats it again and again waiting for the teen's breathing to even out. When it does he stays a moment longer hoping he's not lying because he knows that all is not well. Things are barely beginning and it is going to be messy.