Last chapter(Finally!!) Due to school I probably can't write much anymore but I guess I can still try some oneshots xD.
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"Thank God I was right." Ichigo thought.
"What the hell is he doing here?!"
Ishida felt his grip on the metal stairway railing tighten as his 'friend' walked up to him, frozen with shock and something he couldn't place, at the end of the dimly lit corridor.
It all boiled down to this moment. Walking slowly and purposefully towards the Quincy, Ichigo wasn't even thinking of what he was going to say and do. At that point, he was ready to beat the Quincy within an inch of Soul Society if it would get him back. For his sake as well as everyone else's.
"Kurosaki." Ishida said as Ichigo stopped roughly an elbow's width away. They looked at each other briefly before a fist was swung upwards.
Feeling his fist make contact with the Quincy's sharp jawbone felt strangely satisfying as he watched Ishida stumble backwards, falling to the ground and at the same time, knocking up a cloud of dust.
He hadn't seen that coming. Or maybe he had but the shock had somehow numbed his reactions. Before he knew it, he was sprawled on the ground, hands cupped around the bruise forming on the side of his jaw. Fair enough, he thought.
Regaining his composure, he straightened again, brushing and his clothes and liberating yet another cloud of dust into the air. There were a million options open for him at that moment. He could have chosen to talk it out, run, or even throw a punch himself, but he chose the simplest one and went, "If that's all then I'll be leaving," in the cold voice he had honed to perfection over the years of solitude and hatred. However, with Ichigo blocking the already narrow corridor, this was next to impossible.
After a moment of frustrating silence, he spoke again. "You don't give up, do you? I'm going home now so would you mind moving?" His voice was cold with an undertone of annoyance.
Ichigo had taken more than he could stand.
Feeling an iron grip clamp down on his wrist, he slapped the hand away as quickly as possible, keeping his expression stony and unreadable.
"What the hell do you want, Ishida?" the soul-reaper had finally said.
"Excuse me? I think that should be my line" he retorted still looking for a chance to push past.
"Weren't you the one who asked me to believe in my friend? In my comrades?"
Ishida felt as though he wanted to scream. Hadn't they already gone through this?
Hadn't he gotten the message through very clearly?
"I said it before, things are diff-"
"What's different?! What else has changed between all of us other than that damned deal with your father?!" Ichigo shouted, his voice echoing off the walls. Each echo to Ishida was like a knife piercing through him with each rebound.
After yet another long silence, Ishida couldn't take it anymore. In a quiet voice, he said: "Can I ask you something? Why are you going so far for me? You have other, better, friends, so why do still insist in chasing after me?"
Ichigo, who has been silent up to this point, felt that he had to voice out his opinion. "Aren't you our friend?"
For once, Ishida didn't know what to say, because somehow, no matter how he tried to deny it, to throw it away, it was the truth.
Silence ensued for the umpteenth time that day, but then, Ichigo surprised the both of them by taking a step back.
"I won't force you anymore, but I have one last thing to say to you. After this you can do as you very well damned please."
Taking a look that the Quincy's face, lit up only marginally by the smudged fluorescent lamps overhead, he took his look of confusion as the cue to go on.
"Everyone is believing in you right now you know. Inoue, Chad, heck, even Rukia and Renji." He said, thinking back to the conversation in his room. "…and despite how corny this is gonna sound, I believe in you." He said. The sincerity in his voice almost felt like a slap on the face for Ishida.
Having said what he needed to, he turned and walked off; leaving the Quincy in his stunned silence.
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He didn't know how or when, but he had somehow made it back home.
Sitting on his bed, he was trying to clear the storm raging in his mind. It wasn't as if what Ichigo has said was especially articulate or convincing. But the reason it was having such a large impact was because, he felt that of all the things he has heard in the passing years after his grandfather was killed, those were one of the truest and one of the most earnest ones. Things that he once thought were definite, were once again thrown into doubt.
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Thinking back to his training session, it was obvious that Ryuuken would only give instructions and not guidance, meaning that Ishida was expected to pave his own way to power.
Paving his own way to power…
Suddenly, it was all so clear. Understanding, and the determination it brought, flooding his mind and body, he set off on his final task to set every things right again…
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As Ryuuken entered the clearing, he saw a familiar piece of folded paper on the smooth surface of the rock in place of his son, and for the first time in years, a small smile of satisfaction spread across his sharp features. Picking up the final note from his son, he tucked it into his breast pocket before turning to leave.
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He was going to be late, but his legs continued to move forward of their own accord as he tore down the street. His spirit was high and the weight in his heart had been lifted. He understood, that Ryuuken had been threatening his friends to let him understand that merely attaining the power to protect his friends wasn't enough to do so, he understood that in order to save them he had to fight and believe in them with his heart, mind, body and soul. After the arrow has struck and the dust had cleared, he could see the images of his friends, hands open wide, trusting and resolute. The dream finally had an ending.
XXX
He hadn't showed up. He was late, but Ichigo believed that he would show up.
"Kurosaki-san, it almost time. Perhaps the three of you would like to get ready?" Urahara said, shrewd eyes peering out from under his striped hat.
"Give him a few more minutes." Ichigo said, his voice betraying a hint of anxiety.
"Kurosaki-kun!!" Orihime shouted, pointing over to the figure that had appear at the gate.
"You sure took your time, huh?" Ichigo said, smirking.
Face flushed from the exercise he had done, Ishida smiled softly.
"Let's go."
"Yeah."
Although they were marching into war, Ishida never felt more confident. Black robes and white cloth billowing in their wake, the Quincy and the Shinigami walked towards a new beginning…
Owari
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Still a beginner so tell me what ya think XD