I've found that I write best when I write choppy stuff not in chronological order. Shrugs.
I still remember quite clearly how, one time at lunch last year, my best friend told me that if I kept up my poor treatment to my characters, she would have to take them into custody, and more importantly, away from me. This might have been what she meant. I don't know, I don't feel the emotions for my characters. I just write. Quite unfortunately she said.
Disclaimer: I don't any of this, just like how I apparently in the words of some of my friends, "don't have emotions or a soul."
Ichigo squeezed his eyes hard, trying to squeeze out the images, the blood, the fire, the anger and pain, the tears, all of it. He didn't think he was succeeding. Soft terrified sobbing hitched from a girl and a boy as they and three other children clung horror-stricken to Ichigo. Just five children. They were all that Ichigo was able to save.
In the distance, the fire still raged. Raged like the frightened mortals that lashed out at the wizards and witches who lived in solitude in the forest. Away, tucked away, and should have been, should have been safe. Safe until the girl from the non-magical settlement – what did Godric like to call them, Muggles – stumbled upon the site of the village, secluded and thriving. Happy. Magical.
Humans. He used to be a human. Did he use to act like this? Before the war? During the war? Even now?
Helga sniffed.
Sighing deeply, Ichigo sunk down to his knees and held the children close to him. Why wasn't he able to save more? The "one who protects." Why did he keep failing? His mother, Rukia, Sado, his sisters, his father, Orihime, Uryu, the whole damn town, the shinigami, the whole world and universe as it burned and crumbled, just him and his hollow and zanpakuto and the Hogyoku left to be whisked to a new universe and -
He stopped that train of thought before the scars also started hurting.
Merlin blinked, shaken and silently crying. His siblings were there, in the fire, surely dead now.
Now what? Ichigo would have to take care of five children, all that was left of the settlement that had been his home for years, loving him and giving him another chance, a chance he took and grabbed, now shredded with the crackling, mocking flames.
Salazar had a pet snake – and maybe several more secluded somewhere Ichigo wasn't aware of – and loving parents. Had. Past tense. Had.
Rowena cried with Salazar, no longer the composed girl her older sister dotted, composure would have to wait a few hours.
Godric brawled, always an emotional one, saying things that Ichigo probably should call him off for saying, but Ichigo couldn't bring himself to. Later when the flames died, then he would. But now…
Ichigo hugged them close, trying without speaking because he didn't trust his voice, saying, I know it's not okay, might not be okay for years, I know, I was there, but you're not alone. You hear me? Not alone. That's what's important. Not alone like I was. You have someone.
He was sure it was raining in his mind, but the hollow and Zangetsu didn't say anything. Didn't complain. Ichigo thanked them for that.
I should be working on NaNoWriMo, but the last few hundred words for today can wait a few hours.
Thank you tahaku and urs-v for the support! Guardian and Redone are still going to stick around.
I should stop telling myself that I'm not going to write in this universe until December. It simply isn't going to happen apparently.
~dorandsugar
[EDIT] Ah, stupid me, Ichigo exaggerating about the years bit. Otherwise this makes no sense if you go back to the first few chapters about Ichiog finding the founders. He just found the settlement and lived there for maybe three-four years. I don't know how old the wizards and witches are in this chapter. Ichigo just calls everyone children. meh, maybe I should get more sleep.
