Honestly, I wouldn't mind waking up to this. Although, I can't say it wouldn't shock the hell out of me as well. Haha
Note: I do not own Bleach. Yada yada yada.
Chapter 29: Here Without You
Waking up to a whole lot of pain. Now why did this seem so familiar?
Ichigo strained to open his eyes, grimacing at the throbbing throughout his midsection. It took a moment to adjust to the low lighting, but he could soon make out the rocky ceiling through the gloom. This certainly didn't appear to be a prison cell…at least not one he had ever heard of. It looked like he was in some sort of cave. A hideout, maybe? If that were true, he had evaded capture somehow, but the how was beyond his reach.
In his musing, he could barely make out a voice coming from his right. The voice seemed to be humming something…no, it was singing. It was a woman singing something.
"Mou gaman bakka shiterannai yo, iitai koto wa iwanakucha…"
The words were definitely Japanese, though the tune was of more interest. Ichigo had heard this melody before. Rukia had been humming it only a few nights ago, back when they were at Urahara's. It was so simple, and yet, she had made it sound so beautiful.
"What…what is that song?" Ichigo asked hoarsely.
The song abruptly stopped. The stranger seemed to be shuffling around on the other side of the room before the sound of pouring water could be heard.
"Finally awake, I see" the woman said, soft footsteps slowly making their way to him. "I was beginning to wonder just how much Renji Abarai was able to take it out of you. He's no push over, you know."
The mention of that name angered Ichigo all over again. "That rat bastard-" As he tried to jerk upright, a searing pain shot across his chest and arms, freezing him in a half-seated position.
The mystery woman was suddenly crouched next to him, her hand holding him upright as she touched a glass to his lips. "Easy there, Ichigo. You're in no shape to be up and about right now. Here. Drink this."
Without protest, he took a long sip of the cool liquid, bringing his raw throat some relief. Gulping down what he could manage, it dawned on him that he had no idea who this person was. Was she the one who brought him here?
"Who are you?" he asked weakly, his eyes still tightly shut from the pain.
She chuckled as she slowly fed him more water. "You mean you don't recognize me, Ichigo?"
He managed to crack one eye and look up at his attendant. Both eyes shot open wide at the sight, his face becoming beat red. He choked on the water in his mouth, spraying it out in front of him. Though his wounds screamed at him, he paid them no mind as he hastily back-pedaled, pressing tight against the cave wall.
"W-where the hell are your c-clothes?" he croaked, still coughing from the water.
The woman blinked at him several times before looking down at herself, seemingly unaware of her lack of any garments to cover her dark skin. Then, she threw her head back and laughed, shaking her violet hair…among other things.
"That's right" she said, wiping a tear from her golden eye. "I forgot in the rush to get you back here. I'm just not used to wearing clothes anymore."
"What the…hell is t-that supposed to mean?" Ichigo asked, exasperated. "J-just who the h-hell are you?"
"You mean you really don't remember me, Ichigo?" she asked, mock hurt in her voice. "Then again, I can't say I can blame you for it." She put on a playful smile as she got down on all fours, slowly crawling over to him. This pressed her large breasts together, making them shift back and forth along with her arms.
"S-stay back! Don't come any closer!" His face looked like it could nearly combust as she inched her way towards him.
Then, before his eyes, she began to shrink, her irises beginning to encompass the rest of her eyes. Her violet hair began to shorten as well, retreating back to her head. All the while, her chestnut skin was being covered in black fur. Lastly, her ears rose to the top of her head, becoming pointed, and a tail emerged behind her. It wasn't long before she finally reached him, now able to easily sit in his lap.
"After all" she continued, her voice now deepened. "I've lost some fur and grown several feet since you last saw me."
"Yoruichi?" he yelled, completely taken aback. "You're a girl? A human?"
His wounds could take no more stress. The pain at last became too much, forcing him back to the ground. The cat simply shook her head as Ichigo tried to control his coughing.
"Honestly, I thought you would take it better than this. It was you that pointed out when we met that cats don't talk, correct?"
"D-doesn't…mean I thought…y-you were human" he managed to defend.
"True" she answered, spontaneously human once again.
"AH! Don't do that!" Ichigo exclaimed, jerking back against the wall. This incited yet another coughing fit.
"You should really calm down, Ichigo" she said as she pressed him firmly to the ground, bringing her assets a little too close to his face. "You've got your wounds opened up again. We're going to have to redress them."
"Would you put some damn clothes on first?" Ichigo asked frantically, his face as close to the floor as it would go.
Yoruichi smiled humorously as she made sure he'd stay put before she stood. "If you say so, Ichigo. Though considering your age, I'm surprised you'd pass up the chance to take a peek at me."
Ichigo sputtered, his cheeks still red from her proximity. "Who says I wanna look, anyway."
"Oh I see" she said as she turned her back to him. "You've got Rukia, so you don't need anyone else, right?" She chuckled lightly to herself. "Very valiant of you. I never figured you for a gentleman."
"Just drop it, okay?" Ichigo replied harshly, nowhere near comfortable having this conversation. She was right, though. He wouldn't dare leave Rukia for anyone else, not even the shapely woman sashaying her way across the room.
As much as he tried not to pay attention, his peripherals betrayed him. He could see movement out of the corner of his eye, forcing him to look. She was obviously trying to milk it for all it was worth, strolling as slowly as she could to the opposite end of the cave. Her hips swayed to and fro, displaying her tight buttocks perfectly, not to mention the way her legs parted with every step, giving him a peek at her…
Blood streamed out of his nose, serving to give him away. Yoruichi laughed at his expense as she reached a small chest against the wall, pulling out a set of black tights. Ichigo grimaced, turning to face the rock at his side. He had to look in the opposite direction, else he catch a glimpse of her slipping on her skin-tight outfit. There was no way he was giving her that satisfaction.
"I think it's safe to say you can look now, Ichigo" Yoruichi called.
Reluctantly, he turned his head back, relieved to see her fully clothed. Over the black tights he had seen, she now wore an orange over shirt with white spaulders as well as light-weight shoes and shin guards of the same color. She had tied her long, violet hair up in a ponytail, completing the look. This was definitely a woman of action.
"More comfortable now?" she asked playfully, inciting a scowl from Ichigo.
"Never mind" he growled.
"No need to be embarrassed" she added with a Cheshire grin. "I doubt even Rukia could blame you for it."
"I said drop it already!" he retorted, wincing from the strain it put on his already-irritated wounds.
"Take it easy" Yoruichi said seriously as she walked back over to him, fresh bandages in hand. "You really can't take a joke, can you? Just hold still, otherwise I'll have to knock you out again."
She kneeled down next to him and carefully lifted him upright. Then, she began slowly removing the reddened wrappings from around his chest and shoulders. As much as it stung, Ichigo held as still as possible, not willing to find out what the werecat could do if she felt so inclined to use force. Though she seemed carefree, something in her last statement came across as not to be trifled with.
"Who…who are you really?" he asked, sucking his teeth from the pain.
She seemed to consider the question a moment before answering. "I was once Captain of Squad 2 and leader of the Stealth Force. Now, I'm a fugitive, like Kisuke."
"Stealth Force?" he asked.
"One of the 3 governing bodies of Soul Society" she answered. "How much has Kisuke told you, anyway?"
Ichigo had to think on it. "He was Captain of Squad 12 and started the Research Department or whatever. He hid the Hogyoku in me to keep it from that Aizen guy, the guy that tried to use it before. He never told me you were fugitives, though."
Yoruichi smirked and shook her head as she finished removing the last of the old bandages. "He wouldn't want you to know about his personal stake in this, I'd bet."
"What do you mean?" Ichigo inquired, wincing as she placed fresh wraps around him.
"Over a century ago, Aizen was using a version of the Hogyoku to experiment in giving Soul Reapers the powers of hollows. One such experiment involved several Captains and Lieutenants along with the Lieutenant of the Kido Corps. Kisuke tried to rescue them along with Tessai, then the Captain of the Kido Corps. He used a forbidden type of Space-Time Kido to transport them away. No evidence existed of Aizen's experiments, so there was no justification for the Kido's use. Therefore, Kisuke and Tessai were brought to trial. I rescued them, and we all escaped to the living world. We've been marked as traitors ever since."
He was fully bandaged by the time Yoruichi finished the explanation, leaving him to peacefully mull this new information over. "So Aizen pretty much set you all up to fall, that way no one could stand up to him."
"Yes, that's right" she confirmed, surprised at his deduction. "He's been operating in secret all these years trying to find Kisuke's Hogyoku. I'd imagine his is more complete, making it more useful. If Aizen still has his version, I can't imagine what would happen if he were to use both at once or even combine them."
'As if things weren't bad enough' Ichigo thought, grinding his teeth in aggravation. Now this guy could possibly have two of those Hogyokus to do with as he pleased.
"Alright" he said aloud, settling on his plan of action. "I've gotta get going."
As soon as Ichigo leaned forward, Yoruichi pressed him back down quick as a flash. "You're not going anywhere right now, Ichigo."
"I have to at least tell someone about this" he reasoned. "We have to stop Aizen somehow."
"We will, I assure you," she responded, "but thanks to your actions so far, we can't just make a run for it."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ichigo asked irritatedly.
"Think about it, Ichigo. What was our plan?" she asked rhetorically. "We were supposed to enter the Soul Society undetected and give this intel to Captain Ukitake so he could inform the rest of the Seretei."
"Yeah, and?"
Yoruichi's head dropped in frustration. He may have been intelligent, but his common sense needed a tune up. "Because of the explosion you caused in the Dangai, the three of us were ejected separately. You arrived here first, and from what I've gathered, five days earlier than planned. I arrived a day after you. We need Rukia with us if we happen to be discovered. This would clear any suspicion as to whether or not you injured or killed her for some ungodly reason. As far as we know, she hasn't come through, and it could be another few days before she does."
"Ah dammit!" Ichigo vented. "I almost forgot about her! Shit! She's off on her own out there!"
He tried to get up again, but Yoruichi's palm pressed firmly to his chest put a stop to it. "She can take care of herself, Ichigo. Rukia is on par with most Lieutenants."
"It's my fault she's out there, wherever she is!" Ichigo protested.
"Yes, that's true" Yoruichi replied. "It was your reckless action that separated us in the first place, but in the end, it may have been for the best. I'm not sure if we could've beaten the Kototsu to the door."
He wanted to protest further, but it was obvious she wasn't giving in. He reluctantly relented, sitting back against the rock face. "Do you think she'll be alright?"
"I'm not sure" Yoruichi answered, brow furrowed in thought. "Since you came out practically unharmed other than a few scrapes and bruises, I don't think there will be anything wrong with her. She may have even avoided the blast altogether, meaning she would most-likely enter the Seretei where we originally planned on the correct date."
Ichigo cursed himself internally. He had royally fucked up their plans and gotten Rukia lost in time, as ridiculous as it sounded. Now, he had the whole Seretei looking for him. How could it possibly get any worse from here?
Shaking himself loose of his own self-loathing, Ichigo met Yoruichi's eyes. "So what's next?"
"Glad you asked" she said, her playful grin returning. "I'm going to train you, myself."
"What?"
"That's right" she confirmed. "Since you beat Renji so soundly, you're probably the Seretei's Public Enemy Number One from here on out. You're too powerful for most of the Shinigami running around out there searching for you, so the remaining Lieutenants and maybe even the Captains will be out on patrol."
"Great" Ichigo remarked with a groan. "Just one more thing I have to thank that pineapple-headed son of a bitch for."
"Be that as it may, you now have to be prepared for even stronger opponents" she continued. "Most of the Captains will most certainly slice you in two before considering asking questions, so you need to be strong enough to stand up to them."
"How am I supposed to do that?"
"I'll explain that tomorrow when we get started" she finished, rising to her feet. "Get some rest, Ichigo."
"We don't have time for that!" Ichigo exclaimed, causing a twinge of pain from his cuts.
"By tomorrow, we will have about three days if I'm right about how Rukia's faired" she said as she spun on her heel. "With your stamina and aptitude, I'm sure that will be plenty. Now rest up. Your wounds need to be as close to healed as possible."
Ichigo growled in response, lying back roughly on the ground.
"Trust me, Ichigo" she added as she walked to the opposite corner of the small chamber. "I need you at your best if this plan will work. Besides, I'm nowhere near as lenient as Kisuke when it comes to training."
Ichigo's eyes went wide at her words. Could she really be serious? The images of Urahara's training were still fresh in his mind. The man's care-free nature hid how brutal he could be if he set his mind to it. Considering Yoruichi seemed more laid-back than Urahara…he shuddered at the thought.
Strolling back to the chest, Yoruichi reached down beside it to lift a small rug on the floor in the corner, revealing a trap door. Something about it seemed familiar to him, though he couldn't put his finger on what.
As she grabbed the handle and wrenched the hatch open, she shifted her gaze back to Ichigo, still flat on his back on the rocky floor. "Care for a bath before you call it a night? There's room for two, you know?" she asked with a suggestively-raised eyebrow.
"Knock it off, would you!" he yelled, turning on his side to face away from her. Better that she not see the crimson accenting his features at the moment.
"Suit yourself" she answered with a chuckle. "I hear hot baths are good for speeding up the healing process, but it's up to you."
'Will she ever quit?' Ichigo asked himself as she jumped down into the hole, shutting the door behind her with a thud.
After a few moments of silence, he turned on his back, relieving the ache along his left side. With nothing left to think about, his mind went to its default subject: Rukia. She hadn't been away from him this long before. It had only been a couple of days for him, but still. No matter where she was, he was always right there with her ever since the night they'd first met. It killed him to think about it. He had left her alone in god knows where…or when.
The pain from his wounds couldn't compare to the pain of being there without her. He was worried for her safety when it was he who had put her in danger in the first place. Yoruichi had been right. It was his fault. Now he had to suffer the consequences of it.
All he wanted was to have her lying next to him, to be able to reach out in the dark and touch her, but he couldn't. Only the cold stone would be there to greet him. It never occurred to him just how much he needed her until she was gone. He knew all along that it would be unbearable to be without her for long, but the word seemed insufficient now that he was experiencing it firsthand. And it was all his doing, his fault.
'Stop it' he thought, cutting himself short in his own self-pity. 'Rukia would kick your ass if she knew you acted like this. What the hell is the matter with you?'
In reality, there was nothing he could do about how things played out, so what was the point in crying over it? He couldn't get down on himself now. She needed him to be strong, especially now. He had to be here for her when she arrived. He had to be ready to fight for her when the time came, and sulking wasn't the way to do it.
'I'm gonna get stronger, Rukia. Just you wait.'
He had to. There was no way he was going to lose her, not even if Aizen himself stood in the way.
'No matter what happens, I'm not gonna fail you. I'm gonna keep my promise.'
Thanks for reading. Reviews, as always, are welcome.
Anyone wanna make a guess as to the lyrics our good friend Yoruichi was just singing? I'll give you a hint, it is most definitely related to Bleach.
Next time: A never-before seen Zanpakto.
