Chapter 16: Bandages infused with fear! Ichigo Kurosaki the new transfer student.
The mesmerising light temporarily impaired Ichigo's vision, piercing its blinding force directly into the soul reaper's eyes.
Ichigo frantically rubbed his eyes in hopes of regaining his sight.
However, what lay beyond the dazzling light was much more mysterious for the Shinigami to comprehend.
"This is? Karakura high school?" Ichigo questioned as he recalled the hallways of his school through his memories.
Ichigo quickly noticed that he wasn't wearing his high school uniform.
Instead he was wearing his old middle school uniform and he was waiting outside of a classroom.
"So I'm a transfer student in this scenario am I?" Ichigo thought to himself as he heard footsteps rapidly approach the other side of the door.
"You can come in now." The enthusiastic and cheerful teacher said as she ushered Ichigo inside.
Recognising his old teacher made Ichigo smile.
"This may be an alternate reality, but she hasn't changed a bit." Ichigo thought to himself as he obediently followed her into the classroom.
"Okay this young man is going to be our new classmate! So give him a warm welcome." The teacher happily stated offering Ichigo the chance to speak.
"I'm Ichigo Kurosaki. Nice to meet you." Ichigo replied with a sincere smile.
Ichigo quickly noticed the uncomfortable atmosphere and the blood thirsty animosity directed towards him.
"So it's going to be like this again is it?" Ichigo thought to himself as he diverted his eyes away from the self-proclaimed tough guys who were already picking a fight with him.
"Okay Ichigo, find yourself a seat in the back." Misato Ochi said as she prepared to start class.
Ichigo shuffled his way to the back of the classroom, carefully manoeuvring past all the outstretched legs which attempted to make him lose his balance.
Suddenly, time itself froze before Ichigo; a sight befell him which took him by surprise.
There right next to his empty seat was a silent beauty who hid herself behind a book.
Her frail body quivered and shivered as her bandaged arm tried to balance her pen in her hand.
Ichigo was used to seeing her in the sunlight, the front of the classroom with a beautiful smile and a positive grin.
Although this sight was foreign to Ichigo, without a doubt it was her.
Orihime Inoue was sat next to him.
Her eyes which often shined with joy and optimism looked lifeless and drained.
Her hair whilst beautiful, lacked its usual brightness and colour.
Nevertheless, it was still cared for and stylish.
Orihime fidgeted in pain as she continuously struggled to grip the pen with her non dominant hand.
With an accidental heavy thud against her wounded arm, Orihime's pen escaped her grip and fell towards the floor.
"Here, you dropped this." Ichigo said using his lightning like reflexes to catch the pen before it could hit the ground.
"Than… Thank you." She replied timidly as she nervously took her pen back.
"I'm Ichigo Kurosaki. What's your name?" Ichigo politely inquired hoping to get this trial off to a good start.
"Inoue, Orihime Inoue…." Orihime quietly replied refusing to take Ichigo's hand.
"Nice to meet you Inoue. If you don't mind me asking, what happened to your arm?" Ichigo asked curious about the cast she wore.
"I fell down some stairs…" Orihime said immediately shutting out the soul reaper before he could say another word.
It killed Ichigo to see Orihime like this, it reminded him of Orihime's appearance after he failed to save her in time against the Arranchar Yami.
"Those bastards did this to her!" Ichigo thought to himself as he clenched his hidden fist under the table.
After reliving a tedious morning lesson at Karakura High School, Ichigo prepared to begin his plan to befriend Orihime.
"Hey bitch! Come on I'm hungry!" A raspy deep tone ordered making Orihime hurry out of the room with two lunch boxes.
Ichigo wanted to pursue her and find out why she ran towards her classmate with fear-stricken eyes.
Regardless, Ichigo didn't' want to approach her so recklessly or she might be even more afraid of him.
A painful reality but Ichigo withstood it and prioritised his plan to protect her.
A calm and soothing breeze gusted across the school's rooftop as Ichigo sat in his usual spot drinking some strawberry milk from the vending machine.
A swift shade of sunset orange whisked past Ichigo as it darted towards the vending machine.
Ichigo observed her and saw that Orihime was buying for more than just herself.
The frantic girl hurried away from the machines balancing the drinks on top of her cast.
However, due to Orihime's hurried pace and her uneven balance, the poor girl fell to the ground scattering the drinks she carried like a set of playing cards.
Ichigo darted to the damsel in distress.
"Are you okay?" Ichigo asked offering out his hand for her to take.
Orihime quickly retracted her good arm and reverted her attention to the drinks she dropped.
"I'm fine, don't worry." Orihime tried to gather up the scattered cans and cartoons alas she was unsuccessful.
"Here." Ichigo said picking up a can that rolled away.
"Thank you…" Orihime said almost as quietly as a mouse.
All of a sudden, a thunderous crash echoed on top of the roof, revealing that same gruff teen after he kicked the door open.
"Oi woman! How long does it take for you to get me and the boys our drinks?!" The threatening teen asked causing Orihime to tremble.
"I'm sorry Keith it's just difficult with my arm like this."
"Don't talk back to me Orihime! Just do what I told you to do." The brute said as he gestured to the ground.
Orihime obeyed his outburst with difficulty.
"And another thing! What the hell is this slop? Why is my lunch so small today?" He asked tipping the contents of the lunchbox onto the ground.
"I'm sorry Keith, but my father spent all of the money on alcohol, so this is all I could make today."
"I don't need your excuses! Just do as your told!" Keith boldly declared clenching his fist as he prepared to bring it down on her.
Suddenly, Keith felt a tough texture compared to the frail kind he was used to striking.
"That's enough! I won't sit there and watch you hit Inoue!" Ichigo said pushing himself between the thug and the injured girl.
"Who the hell are you punk? Are you picking a fight?!" Keith asked making Orihime get up.
"Of course not Keith! He's just joking right?" Orihime asked the soul reaper as he continued to stand between her and the thug.
"Who's this guy Orihime? You dirty whore!" Keith roared but again he was blocked.
"I told you already, I won't let you hit her." Ichigo said refusing to let Orihime be harmed.
"You think your tough? Huh tough guy? Back off, that is mine!" Keith said further infuriating Ichigo when he refer to Orihime as an object.
"I'm not going anywhere dumbass! So if you want to hit somebody so badly, then come on! Hit me until you're satisfied!" Ichigo said refusing to budge away from the frightened girl behind him.
"You heard him boys! Hold him still! I'm going to beat the smug look off this prick!" Keith stated as he clenched his fists.
Ichigo showed no signs of wavering or fear, he just stood there as still as a statue.
"Okay tough guy! You asked for it! Time to cry!" Keith roared as the first punch struck Ichigo in the cheek.
Crimson decorated Ichigo's lip, his piercing glare still staring daggers at the bully.
"Let's see how long you can stand for tough guy!" Keith declared as he once again struck the immovable guard in front of Orihime.
Orihime watched in fear and confusion as her boyfriend continuously struck the transfer student.
Keith's fists were painted with Ichigo's blood as they repeatedly hammered their way into his face.
Regardless, Ichigo didn't fight back, he just withstood the brutal beatdown.
He didn't want to frighten Orihime who had grown up in this world with frightening male figures.
"You must really be a glutton for punishment! Or are you just too scared to fight back? You're weak!" Keith mocked but regardless Ichigo stood his ground.
The substitute soul reaper was battered and bruised but still, he refused to fall.
"Damn it! What is this guy made of?! It feels like I'm punching a tree or something!" Keith said feeling the reverberating pain coursing through his bloodied knuckles.
After another futile 5 minutes, Keith lost his bloodthirst and began to power down.
"You can pummel me into I'm dripping with blood! I won't let you lay a hand on her, now back off!" Ichigo warned with a blood-stained glare.
"Screw this! Just throw her back when you're done with her. Be thankful that I'm loaning her to you!" Keith said as he made his way back towards the stairway.
"You utter scum bag!" Ichigo thought to himself afterwards.
Ichigo took a deep breath and motioned towards the frightened woman who was still on her knees.
Orihime trembled on the ground, not daring to look up at the man who towered above her.
Ichigo reached towards her shoulder.
"Are you okay?" Ichigo asked.
"Don't touch me!" Orihime screamed as she clawed at Ichigo's hand.
Ichigo retracted his now bloody hand.
"I'm sorry! This is all my fault!" Orihime cried out as she proceeded to blame herself once again.
Ichigo gently took her hands and gazed directly into her eyes.
"No you're wrong. None of this is your fault." Ichigo told her sincerely with kind eyes.
Orihime felt an overwhelming sensation flood inside of her, all of her held back emotions suddenly came crashing forward like a powerful tidal wave colliding with an in vain dam.
The distraught woman fell against Ichigo's solid, muscular back and held onto the fabric of his shirt with intense might.
Orihime broke down, shedding a river of tears towards this kind stranger who protected her until he was bloodied by her bully's fists.
