I do not own bleach or any of its characters
"I finally am able to write. Some things have just happened in the past few months like having to work a little bit more hours, having to put my dog down a week before Christmas, and just family drama. All that just left me not being able to think of what to write, but here is the next chapter which will be a little bit longer than usual."
~KatPhine
Please read and review, Thank you.
Enjoy.
"Shiro"
"Zangestu"
*Ichigos' thoughts*
Chapter 13
We arrived in Japan on June fourth, having been here for nine days, not only giving a tour of Tokyo for Elaine and Steven and today was the plan for Yuzu to meet them both. It's not that I am worried how they will get along but the thought that Yuzu and Elaine with ask questions pertaining to me. We finally arrived at the park, which was spread wide with cherry blossom trees, waiting for Yuzu to show up I decided to sit against one of the trees and close my eyes. While Elaine and Steven were close by but wondering around enjoying the scene I got pulled from my rest and pulled into my inner world, which I thought I wouldn't be able to return since I don't have my powers back.
"Hello?"
"Zangestu? Shiro? Are you here?"
I look around my inner world and as crazy as it seems that it being side-wards used to creep me out. I now look at it now happy that I can finally be able to see this again and it bring tears to my eyes. the only thing that made it sad was that it was cloudy and on the verge of raining.
"Jeez King, I knew that you were soft but not this soft, we need to work on that. Now can you be so kindly and stay right where you are so I can kick your ass."
Knowing that he meant business I ran off and what surprised me was that I could flash step and again. Not only did I stop running away from him but he crashed right into me and I could see he wasn't expecting me to stop.
"Why can I use flash step, I thought you guys said that my powers wouldn't return this fast?"
"It's like what Zangetsu said, Idiot, you were blocking us from coming back. Your powers coming back but just not as fast."
Knowing not to take what he says to heart I look around some more.
"Where's Zangetsu anyway?" I said.
"Where he usually is, on that stupid flagpole, does nothing but stare at the clouds. By the way, when are you going to stop being a depressed stick in the mud because I really am getting royally pissed off to this unending rain." Shiro said.
While Shiro was walking towards me ready to start a fight I ran off to where Zangetsu's flagpole is. It didn't take long to get there but instead of announcing my arrival I stood there and watched Zangetsu and what Shiro told me was true, he was just staring up at the clouds, but when I really looked at him it seemed that he was worried.
"Old man... was it you who pulled me here?" I asked. Waiting patiently for him to answer, since he usually takes a minute to start talking, I looked up to the sky and wondered what has gotten him to worry.
"Yes, I did pull you here, it seems that your powers may come back fully at least by tomorrow... I will try to hide your rietsu so that no one will sense you." He told me while finally looking at me. He jumped off the pole and land right next to me and turned his look back up to the clouds.
"I am worried because I can feel that something isn't right here, not here in Tokyo, but in Kurakara. I just ask that you keep watch on what goes around you. becau.."
"The things that I want to protect, are not the things that you want to protect." I said, cutting him off from finishing his sentence.
I look at him and gave him a small smile to show that I understand what he's trying to get me to understand without saying them out loud.
"Don't forget Ichigo, that even though they had ignored you to keep you safe, they are still your friends. I you find yourself in trouble, you have your new ones and your old friends to rely on, and you have Shiro and I as well. Even though Shiro would never acknowledge that he cares about you." he told me sternly.
"It's time for you to go back to the real world, be safe Ichigo."
"I will old man." I told him.
Before I could even start to leave Shiro grabbed me from behind and held me in a choke hold but not hard enough to actually choke me. Trying to get out I started to kick him in the knees hoping that I could get him to let go, but it only made him start to laugh.
"Come on King, you should be able to get outta this easily, I can't wait till ya stop being such a pansy then we can really turn up the heat and battle eachother." Before he could say more Zangetsu grabbed him and I was able to finally return back to where I originally came from before, underneath a tree, resting and waiting for Yuzu to come and meet my new friends.
Opening my eyes I saw, like usual, Zangetsu had stopped the flow, of time while I was in my inner world. But, what I focused on was the feeling of my power slowly returning, I couldn't really do anything with them yet since I have no need to use them, having them return felt like there was a small blanket covering me giving me the comfort that I needed.
"Ichi-nii" I heard Yuzu yell.
Looking around I saw my sister running towards me and I got up and started walking towards her and embraced her in a hug 'which is rare for me to give' looking around for Elaine and Steven I saw that they were already waiting behind me to meet Yuzu.
"Elaine, Steven, this is my little sister Yuzu. Yuzu, this is Elaine and Steven." I gestured to the respected people.
"It's so great to finally meet you two, I have heard so much about you guys." Yuzu said.
While she went up to them and shook their hands I walked up to her and embraced her in a hug.
"I still can't believe how much you've grown... Do they know that your here?" I asked.
"They know I'm here in Tokyo and no they didn't follow me. They have done that once and it didn't go well for them after I found them out."
Sighing in relief I replied "That's good, but how did you find out they were following you, I mean they could have been spiritually following you."
"Well they gave me a device to see ghost and those hollow things." She replied back.
That's something I never expected of them to give her. I am kind of glad that she has that, so that she would see if she would be in trouble and be able to run from it, but it hurt a little that they never considered making that in the two years that I was still there. But there was nothing I really could do plus My powers were back and I didn't have to be as sad as I was.
I could see that Yuzu was hesitant to tell me this tidbit of information.
"It's alright Yuzu, I'm not really that upset, I have some news to share." I told her.
"That's good, I didn't want you upset about it. What are you going to tell me?" She asked with a relieved sigh.
"I found out a few days ago, meaning before I came here, that my powers are returning. I can talk to Zangestu again."
I can see that she was holding in her tears. "That's great Ichigo, I bet you feel a little bit more whole now that they are back. But, what are you going to do now?" she asked me. her tears finally won out and she let them go and she ran up to me and hugged me. "I mean are you going to continue staying in Arizona or are you going to come home. I will still understand if you stay where you are now."
"Yeah, at first I was confused, but now I am happy a little bit. I really have no plans to move back because I still feel like I shouldn't show myself right now and confront everyone." I told her.
I could see she was a little upset with my decision. We looked at eachother a little bit more, but I completely forgot that Elaine and Steven were here and I turned to see them and Steven was looking somewhere else to show that he was embarrassed that he witnessed our emotional conversation and Elaine was being her normal self but was smirking at me. To get the attention of us I decided to grab Yuzus' hand and walk through the park with her. Knowing that the other two got the message they started talking with Yuzu and to my embarrassment they even asked questions about me when I was little. I only had to tune them out to not here what was being said, I didn't want to be embarrassed, I just couldn't stop them.
We walked around for a few hours looking at the scenery, sharing more stories, and just basically continued to walk. As we were coming around a tree I sensed something coming our way and knew someone had followed Yuzu.
"Yuzu, some one followed you here I can feel them heading our way." I told her.
"Oh no, what are you going to do? Maybe you should hide." Yuzu replied.
I looked at all three of them "This goes to all of you, if they actually show up and see me, I will pretend that I can't see them. Okay, I am not ready to be bombarded by them, whoever they are."
"We understand Ichigo, now lets just continue what we were doing and not look like we know that they followed Yuzu." Elaine said.
It looked like Yuzu wanted to tell me something but instead of stopping and letting her we just turned and continued to walk. I knew they were right behind us and I know that they saw us, but what surprised me, was who I heard yell and that they weren't alone.
"YO, YUZU, YOUR NUTCASE OF A FATHER SENT ME TO SPY ON YOU AGAIN."
"Must you be so irritating. Just be glad we don't have our gigai on, we would have had everyone watching us."
While continuing to walk with Yuzu I could tell she was upset with herself for not telling me about one of them.
"Oh no, did it really have to be him to show up. Toshiro I can stand, but him I can't." I groaned quietly.
"I'm sorry Ichigo, I was going to tell you but they came here so quick I couldn't warn you. Are we still going through with the plan?" She replied just as softly.
"I could pull it off with Toshiro, but with Grimmjow, you're just asking me to fail."
Before I even could say anything else, I heard them stop in their tracks and knew that they finally noticed who she was with.
"Well, look who it is, it's the strawberry. Finally decided to come out of your cave you've been hiding in."Grimmjow said aloud.
Maybe if I tried hard enough I could ignore him and show them that I still can't see them. I signaled to Elaine and Steven to keep walking and to show them that they weren't with him and Yuzu. I didn't want them involved with whats bound to happen. I saw Yuzu stop and turn around and deciding I should at least try and pretend not to see them I stopped with her.
"Yuzu? Why'd you stop walking, I thought we were going to go find a place to eat." I said as I was turning to her. Seeing that I was going to try and pretend Yuzu went along with it. "It's nothing Ichigo, I thought I heard my name being called, lets find a place to eat." She said.
Hearing the two come closer I can hear what they are talking about as Yuzu and I continue to walk.
"Will you shut up. One, he can't hear or see you, Two don't start a fight. The best we can do is watch Yuzu like her father asked and I will report this back to the head captain when we're done." Toshiro said. what he said scared me, I didn't want anyone from soul society finding me.
"No, I will not, he practically ran off like a coward because he couldn't handle not having his powers and everyone else was fighting hollows or whatever. people like that piss me off." Grimmjow yelled.
I could hear that he was getting closer and that Toshiro had tried to stop him. I was doing my bets of trying not to show how much he said was angering me.
Before Toshiro could say anything Grimmjow continued. "Why don't we give him one of those device thingies that creepy-ass hat guy made for Yuzu, so that berry head over there can see me and I can beat the living shit out of him." he walked right behind me and I could feel him getting closer to whisper in my ear but he didn't whisper.
"Do you hear that Ichigo, if you ever get to see me again, I'm gonna beat your butt for being such a coward. Running away from your problems doesn't solve anything, getting angry does."
"Just think of all the people who worried about you and blamed them for things that you were to chicken to show them that they were wrong." He continued.
What he was saying hurt, thinking that maybe I had been hard on them when I left so suddenly, running away like a coward from what he calls it, sounded like what was best for me at the time to just get away. But deep down those words hurt because they screamed the truth even if I don't want to emit it. I couldn't take anymore from him because he knew just where to cut with a dull blade, so I turned around and gave him my hardest punch, a punch I haven't done in so long.
Looking like an idiot because people would think I am talking to no one, I grabbed Grimmjow by the collar of his jacket and yelled "Will you just shut up. You didn't know what it felt like, everything turned to shit after the war, running away was my only option that I could think of to get rid of the pain. You have no right to accuse me of being a coward."
I let him go and he just sat on the ground because I figured he was still surprised that I could actually see him and that I had reacted to his taunting. I looked up from Grimmjow and Watched as Toshiro tried to compose himself. He, like Grimmjow, believed that I couldn't see or hear them. He got his composure back and walked straight up to Yuzu and I.
"How long?" He asked.
Yuzu cut in before I could have say "What do you mean?"
"I mean how long have you been in contact with your brother?" pointing to Yuzu. " And how long have you been able to see spirits and being back in Japan?" Pointing to me. Before we could even respond Grimmjow cut in "That's what I want Ichigo, for you to get angry, show them what they did hurt you."
"Grimmjow, not now, I want answers and I want them now." Toshiro scolded Grimmjow.
Yuzu confessed first "I have been in contact with him a month after he left."
They turned to me waiting for me to give them my answer "I've been here for a little more then a week." I was reluctant to even release that information and I didn't want to give them the other but I knew that they would not leave me alone until I did. "today was the first day I could actually see spirits." I confessed.
The scariest thing that happened was that Yuzu had gotten angry. There was one thing you should never do and that was to never get Yuzu angry. I have only seen her angry once and that was when goat-face had gone too far one day when he kicked me out the window of my room and I had to have a cast put on my right arm and 57 stitches on my left arm from the glass cutting my skin. I have never seen her so angry then that day and now I was witnessing it for a second time. Getting ready to hear what she has to say I turned to look at the other two and saw that they were equally as scared as I was.
"Not only did my dad go against my word, but you indulged him on actually following me, I thought last time you learned your lessons. Maybe I need to teach you guys another lesson" She softly but confidently said to the two.
And all that went through all three of our heads was.
*Oh shit*
I know, there is a lot of talking in this one, I couldn't think of anything else to put in it. It seems that I gave Ichigos powers back too fast
but I felt like I shouldn't really wait for chapters upon chapters, waiting for them to come back.
I originally thought about having Aizen and Grimmjow being part of the story but I went with Toshiro amd Grimmjow (no they are not a couple).
I am thinking at one point or further along the way everyone with get to see Ichigo, you know when he's ready to confront them but for now I will keep it as is.
Like in the beginning something is indeed happening in Kurakara, but we won't figure that out til he goes to see his mothers grave.
A/N: I don't know when I will be able to write the next chapter. Because this chapter actually took me three days just to write down. Don't think I don't read your guys reviews, I do, it's actually part of the reason why I am still writing this story because I started writing this due to boredom of my sociology class. So please don't think that I ignore the reviews. Til Next time.
~KatPhine