A/N: Okay, thank you all for those marvelous reviews! Also, thanks xSTALKERx for those ideas for the future storyline. I think I'll use some, but not all. Anyway, from now on, I'm going to try and make the chapters longer, so wish me luck! Also, I found a fan fiction that is really good. I don't know if any of you have found it already, but it's called Torn by jazzpha, so go out and find it! It's a Ichi/Ruki, and like, Ichigo goes with Aizen when they're on Sokyoku Hill, and all that stuff, and it's really cool! So [after you read this one] go check it out, kay?
__________________________________________________________________________________
The corridors of the research belonging to the Twelfth Division were dark, only lit by small lights that dotted the floor at long intervals. The doors were lined with the same type of fluorescent lighting, clearing marking the nearest entrance. Ichigo followed quietly as Captain Kurotsuchi led him to his new quarters. What had the deranged captain arranged for him? Chills went down Ichigo's spine as he attempted to imagine the room, and immediately ceased all thought of the subject. As they passed the different rooms, he could hear strange sounds coming from each. Not even wanting to guess, Ichigo quickened his pace slightly. That is, until he realized that Kurotsuchi had stopped.
"Here we are," the Captain announced as he presented the doorway. It was no different than any of the others they had passed except for the number. Each room had a number, and ironically enough, the number of the room Ichigo would belong to was 00-0015. Easy enough to remember, right?
Opening the door to his new chambers, Ichigo cringed. Large, unknown machines lined the walls, and they made strange beeping sounds, as though it was giving the pulse rate of someone having a heart attack. A cabinet holding only-Mayori-knows-what was placed just inside the door to the left. A lone window was flat and wide, covering only a small portion at the top of the wall opposite the door, allowing a stray ray of sunlight to cover the floor below. The only normal thing in the room was the bed, although it could barely be called normal. It was rickety, and seemed as though it would fall apart if the smallest children's book were to be gently placed atop it. Sturdy.
"As I assume you have already assumed, this is where you shall be staying," Kurotsuchi stated, looking at Ichigo as insanely as ever. "I hope you make yourself at home, for you will rarely be allowed to leave this room. I will conduct most of the tests here, as indicated by the numerous equipment I have already stored, although there will be sometimes where we will have to go elsewhere." The captain stepped forward and flipped a switch that Ichigo had failed to notice before. A single light bulb flickered on, casting a dim light across the room. It didn't help to lighten the mood. "We will bring you food and drink three times a day, and if you wish, we may also provide books and other such things." Kurotsuchi examined the room once more, his eyed filled with a child like wonder, then faced Ichigo. "I, unfortunately, have other things to tend to. If all goes well, I will hoping to get started tomorrow. Until then, Ichigo." With that, the scientist stepped out of the room, pushed Ichigo in, and slammed the door.
"Crazy..." Ichigo muttered as the door closed rather loudly, echoing off the bare walls of the room. This was where he was supposed to stay? Scanning his memory, Ichigo failed to find a mission where he had been under worse conditions. He hated to admit it, but this was going to be hell. Him, at the mercy of Mayori Kurotsuchi? Hell. Pure hell.
Walking to the other side of the room, Ichigo sat on the rickety bed, which, to his surprise, did not break. Leaning back, Ichigo placed his head against the wall and closed his eyes.
I wonder how Karin and Yuzu are doing back home... he thought, trying to imagine his little sisters living happily with Orihime. What about the Vizards? There were probably wondering the same about Ichigo and their current situation with Soul Society. Isshin? Dead, for all Ichigo knew. What about the rest of class? They just learned of the death of one of their classmates, and now the other one has gone missing. Would Orihime tell them, or would she do as she said and not tell anyone? Had the Vizards even told her what was happening? Did Karin and Yuzu say anything? Already, a tight knot was forming in his stomach.
What have I done? His mind was clearer now, and as Ichigo looked back, he could see all he had left behind. He saw his mistakes, all of them. He saw his options now, when he thought there were none at the time. And he saw he could have done.
"No," he said aloud, jumping at how loud his voice seemed once it broke through the silence of the room. "I can't think like that..." Readjusting himself, Ichigo laid across the bed as he waited for the crazy captain to return...
__________________________________________________________________________________
It was taking all of Tatsuki's strength not to run out of the door.
It was dark, small remnants of the sun's light still traced the bottom of clouds in the sky. The Academy was done for the day, and Kishi had gone off to her new dorm that the school had provided for her and Tatsuki. Tatsuki, though, was somewhere else.
Stupid Masaya... she thought as she looked at the boy before her. This was the first chance she had to really study him. His black hair was short, falling no farther than the tip of his ears. He was tall, too, with broad shoulders. Though his back was turned to her, she could remember bright blue eyes that pierced hers with the great determination that had forced her to come with him in the first place. It was too embarrassing for her to admit that he had actually managed to get her to come with him.
Where are we going anyway? Tatsuki thought as she surveyed the area. Everything seemed so upper-class, even a little snooty. Just what kind of place did Masaya have in mind when he begged her to dinner?
As though he could sense Tatsuki's growing apprehension, Masaya slowed, turned, as if making sure Tatsuki was still behind him, smiled, and said, "We're here." He raised his arm, attempting to show off the large manor they were stopped before.
It was large, that was for sure, as Tatsuki looked up and down the street. The building took up at least seventy percent of the block. At least. It had tall white walls, close to eight feet, encompassing the perimeter. Large red doors with intricate golden swirls were the only entrance in sight, leading to what Tatsuki assumed was a gorgeous garden. She stepped back a ways to try see over the wall, but all she could make out were rooftops, the same color and design as the door.
"What is this place?" Tatsuki asked, jumping a little, still attempting to see over the wall.
"My home, which you are welcome to at any time," Masaya replied with a subtly confident grin.
"You live here?" she asked, awed. She couldn't help it, the place was huge.
"Yeah, not just me, but my father and grandparents, too. There's also some extended family, and some of Dad's co-workers are always over, as well. We also have live-in servants." Masaya crossed his arms, self-impressed of his home. He paused, like he was admiring some great work of his, then sighed, uncrossing his arms. His head turned to Tatsuki as he walked forward.
"Shall we?" Extending a hand forward, he grasped a large golden knocker in the shape of a lion's head, and knocked three times, slowly. The doors creaked open, then revealed the garden that Tatsuki had imagined, except grander.
The grass was the greenest green she had ever seen, and it was low, the surrounding air smelling as though it had been cut recently. Hedges, as tacky as it was, were clipped into the shapes of some of the most vicious animals in existence, instead of the stereotypical elephant. No, these were lions, tigers, dragons, cougars, anything that was large and lethal. But the detail...the detail on these were incredible. Whoever worked on them had magnificent skill. Tatsuki marveled as she could clearly make out each of the lion's teeth. It's mouth was open, and its head faced the sky. As a breeze swept by, shaking the leaves, it looked and sounded as though the lion was giving an immense roar.
"Who did these?" Tatsuki asked, still studying the green animals.
"It's just something my father and I do in our spare time. Occasionally others help out, but its usually just the two of us."
"Well, they're incredible. I'm really liking the lion here."
"Really? I'd have to say my favorite is the elephant."
As Masaya pointed farther back the garden, Tatsuki chuckled. Even the most amazing of gardens still had a hedge-elephant. Although, this one was pretty well done. It stood on its back legs, the front two kicking in the air. Its mouth was open and its trunk reached into the sky. Just like the others, the remarkable detail on it was nothing to laugh at.
The two walked forward, and Tatsuki saw that the garden was lined with bushes of ruby-red roses. The colors of the garden were truly something to behold. The sidewalk she stepped on was made of a diamond-like substance. Even the sky seemed bluer while hovering over the green masterpieces.
"I can't believe you live here," Tatsuki stated, still beholding the area.
"Eh, just wait till you see the inside." The classmate walked forward, up a red and gold step, in front of a set of doors similar to that of the gate, only more elegant.
Masaya was right.
The inside of the house was beautiful. Large squares of marble, white and black, were placed in an alternating arrangement. There were two wide doorways to either side, and straight forward was a red and gold spiral staircase, which disappeared into the nine-foot high ceiling. An in-table sat to the side of the doorway, and a mat was opposite it; Tatsuki assumed it was a place to leave their shoes, which Masaya proved when he slipped off his shoes, arranging them neatly on the mat. She did the same, then continued to look around. The walls were, of course, red, and at the top and bottom borders were more swirls of gold. There were even a few occasional pieces of art hanging. The entry hall was lit by a chandelier, and as Tatsuki watched longer, the candles were real, not like the fake ones she remembered seeing back when... back when I was alive, she thought, though it was hard for her to. Ignoring the thought, she examined the chandelier longer. There were four layers, the largest on top, and the others getting smaller and smaller. Small slender crystals hung in it, the prisms casting small rainbows across the room.
"What did I tell you?" Masaya said.
"It's amazing," Tatsuki answered. "I still can't believe you live here." She took a few steps into the room.
"Are you ready for dinner?" he asked, pointing to the doorway on the left. As if his point was a signal, the aroma of freshly prepared food drifted Tatsuki's way. What was that? Turkey, maybe? And mashed potatoes? It must be a Western dinner, Tatsuki thought, remembering some of the meals she had seen on TV and fancy Western restaurants. Do they even have Western food in the Soul Society? Whatever the answer, it didn't matter, for her mouth watered at the thought. Nodding her head, Tatsuki began to walk towards the dining room.
It was just as extravagantly designed as the rest of the house. The table, the silverware, everything was just as red and gold as before. Laying up and down the table was the food Tatsuki had smelt in the hallway, just as skillfully prepared as she had imagined.
A small group, two men, walked into the room from another side as Tatsuki and Masaya entered. The first man was tall and strong, with a dark mass of hair upon his head. His face was wise and cautious, with a demeanor of the highest status. However, the same could not be said for the man behind him. Dressed in a captain's haori, the man had strange white and black makeup covering his face, with strange headgear atop his head, which look it had been windblown. He seemed to say what he thought, and what he thought had no limits, this much could be told just by the mere appearance of the man.
"Father," Masaya greeted, bowing to the first man. Tatsuki followed his lead and bowed.
"Good evening," the father greeted politely, returning the bow slightly. "Might I ask who your friend is?" he asked, nodding in Tatsuki's direction.
"This is Tatsuki. She's in the Academy with me."
"Nice to meet you, sir," she greeted.
"Please, the pleasure is mine," Masaya's father said. "I, too, have a guest to introduce." He looked to the man behind him and said, "This is my captain, Captain Kurotsuchi of the Twelfth Squad."
Kurotsuchi raised one hand. "Hi."
"It's an honor to meet you, Captain," Tatsuki said.
"Please, please," the captain began, "manners are merely a formality. No need to waste your time on such things."
Tatsuki looked to Masaya with a skeptical look. Is this guy really a captain? she thought, thinking of the demeanor of Ichigo and Hitsugaya. This one was so different in the first five seconds already.
"Well," Masaya's father said, cutting the brief silence, "it seems the food is prepared. Shall we eat?"
A quick word of agreement, and the party was seated at the dinner table.
The meal began quickly, and little conversation was given. Masaya, on her right, would make little comments about the food or of classes, but not much else was said. However, several times could Tatsuki catch snatches of the conversation Masaya's father and Captain Kurotsuchi were having.
"...there...problems?"
"No, but...thought...he would...especially including his...the equation...Kurosaki."
Kurosaki... Tatsuki hesitated for an instant. They had to be talking of Ichigo, didn't they? If not, then who else? Catching herself quickly, she continued as if she hadn't heard anything, though attempted to hear the full story.
"And he hasn't been showing any resistance at all?"
"No, not at all. Really, with all your questions. Can't you invite your Captain over just for the heck of it, instead of turning it to a meeting with delicious food?"
"I apologize, Captain. It's simply that I have never known Captain Kurosaki to go down without a fight. But I suppose none of imagined he would have escaped to Hueco Mundo with the Arrancar, either."
"Tatsuki?" Masaya said.
"Hm, what?"
"Did you hear me?" Masaya was watching her with a concerned look on his face.
"Oh, no, I'm sorry. What were you saying?" Why did you interrupt that?
"I asked if you wished to come again tomorrow evening. Would you be interested?"
"Um...sure. I'd love to," she accepted with a smile. Maybe being close with Masaya can't be a completely bad thing.
From the other side, Tatsuki could hear Captain Kurotsuchi say, "And that's that. I trust you can do this correctly?"
"Yes, sir, you may count on me."
"Hm, yes. I appreciate that."
I missed it? Tatsuki thought. There had to be more than that, right?
The rest of the meal passed by with an even thicker silence, with a small corner of Tatsuki's disappointment. After, Masaya insisted a tour around his house, which Tatsuki accepted, though she couldn't really say no. The rest of the grounds were just as elegant as the beginning, and the overall theme was consistent. A rose garden and small pond were in the back of the grounds, and the steady trickling of the water gave a peaceful vibe resonating in the entire area. A bench of jade sat under a willow tree on a small island in the middle of the pond, where Masaya led her. The moon was high in the sky, and the reflection on the water was almost as clear as the sky itself. One look into the dark liquid, and Tatsuki felt she would fall into the night sky.
"So what do you think?" he asked as they rested on the bench.
"I think you're extremely rich and spoiled," Tatsuki responded jokingly.
He laughed. "Do I really come off like that?"
"Kind of, yeah."
Masaya looked at Tatsuki, directly into her eyes, and the joking atmosphere was replaced with something more serious and gentle. "You know," he began, "the moonlight really makes you glow." He reached a hand to her face, the index finger gently landing on her right cheek. The small touch was warm, with a small spark, freezing Tatsuki. "It really makes you look...beautiful..." He placed his entire hand on her cheek gently. The sparks multiplied as Masaya began to pull her in slightly, and Tatsuki realizes why is was shocking, in a way that made her draw back. The one that should be in such a beautiful spot like this with her, touching her cheek like that and speaking to her in that way shouldn't Masaya. The spark was a warning.
"Is something wrong?" he asked, confused on her sudden withdrawal.
"I'm sorry," she said, "but this just doens't feel right."
"Hm?" He blinked in surprise. "Am I moving too fast?"
A small flash of frustration flared, but Tatsuki contained it. Thinking of what advantages Masaya could have for her, even though she knew it wrong, was worth a little lying. "Um, yeah, sorry."
"Well, in that case, I'm sorry," he apologized. "But maybe tomorrow night...?"
"Still a little too soon." A million years would be too soon, she thought a bit bluntly.
"Oh... I think it's getting a little late. Maybe I should get you back home?"
"I think that's a good idea," Tatsuki agreed, smiling.
The two left the water-side bench and passed through the house and out the front garden. After Masaya had left her at the gates of the Academy's dorms, he left with reluctance in his eyes. Tatsuki went in before he was even out of sight.
Walking in to the room that was assigned to her and Kishi, Tatsuki slid in without awaking her roommate. In the bed that had already been prepared for her, Tatsuki thought of all that had happened recently. She was living just the other day, and suddenly she had been thrown into this world that Ichigo had once been a large part of. So many seemed to know of him, but in turn many knew of his current situation, and as she thought about it, Tatsuki realized that anyone finding out her relationship to the ex-Captain was even more dangerous than before. Locking away the unwanted thoughts of discovery, Tatsuki instead dreamed of the day that she and Ichigo could be with the other again. After what seemed like only ten minutes of a perfect escape, it was morning.
A/N: Oh geez, I can't believe it took me so long to get this chapter. It's been what, like months? I am so sorry if any of you were dying at the computer, checking every day for an update that never came, and I'm sorry if the last half of this chapter seems a little out of line. There was a time period of about five months where I didn't even think about this chapter. And here's an apology in advance because I have a feeling it'll be a long time till I get the next chapter up. I am working on a fiction that I hope to get published as soon as I finish a few things on it, that, and school starting up again, and I have to deal with marching band and piano lessons and Rainbow stuff [[Rainbow's this amazing group I'm in, and I recommend it to any girl between 11 and 20. (.) Unless you're like in the middle of Delaware. There isn't any Rainbow in Delaware.]] That, and surprise surprise! I'm going to be starting high school this year! And taking some AP classes! Well, Pre-AP, anyway. That's all you can take in freshmen year. But wish me luck, cuz I'm going to need it if I'm not going to die in the next few months!
On another random note: The movie The Orphan is really good. I just saw it with some of my friends, and I laughed and jumped and went "OOOH, WHAT?!?!?" at least five times. For each of those things. It was great, so check it out!!!
Thanks for waiting for so long, and I wouldn't have continued this if I hadn't thought of the many people that are really into this story. You guys are amazing!
-PixieTitan-Uchiha [[I almost forgot my screen name, I haven't been on for so long. Ah!]] =]