Dippytrippy122: This story is adorable. Ichigo practically raising Wendy is everything I've ever wanted in fanfic and you're delivering that very well:). I'm curious when we'll get the time skip to, I assume, the Orcacion arc. :o. Just don't wanna make you feel like you have to keep a slower pace. Your interactions are brilliant and I love it! This story deserves more attention. I would recommend maybe adding Wendy to the characters in the fanfic description though:) since Mira hasn't shown up. (Also if Ichigo and Wendy don't join until that arc I guess Mira will be her happy self. :) Would have been funny to see him paired with the punk version lol. Thank you for your kind words. I am glad to hear this and that you are enjoying the story. It would be funny to see more of the punked version of Mira, but honestly, I don't feel like writing that. Hope you understand.
Fruitspunchsamurai-987: It's nice to see Ichigo in action. And it's great to see him interact with spirits, as it still shows off the Bleach element what with Ichigo having the innate ability to see spirits. Also, have you seen the anime for the Thousand Year Blood War Arc? The animation looks great. I'm all for seeing Wendy be stronger than she was at the beginning of Canon. She has great potential. Thank you for your kind words and yes I have seen episodes 1 - 7 of the anime. I definitely did not cry while watching episode 1 (I cried a lot). Many people have waited for bleach to return for 10 years including myself. I'm just happy and fulfilled to see it returned with no censorship! Censorship in the anime always bugged me and others. It ruins the tension and stuff. Now that it's gone, I have been having a blast watching it.
I will say that the anime has missed things from the manga as expected, especially some comedic times and small bits but I understand that they did that because it'll probably ruin the mood or that it didn't have time to adapt. But even still I am enjoying it.
Also, episodes 6 and 7 were amazing, with the extended fight scenes, emotional rollercoaster, and the appearance/reveal of the first Gotei 13. They captured the atmosphere really well. It was amazing.
Yulian Guerrero: T-T that chapter is so beautiful. I hope you upload more of this. I know that the couple is Mirajane x Ichigo but you could not consider Mirajane and Erza x Ichigo. I think it's a very good greeting. Hi, I used google translate so the translation might be wrong, but first, thank you for your kind words. I see that you are aware that the couple is going to be Mira and Ichigo, but I'm assuming that you're asking if I should consider Mirajane and Erza with Ichigo. I have already stated that won't be happening. Sorry if it didn't meet your expectations.
JamesBlafking: That good chapter, very emotional, I loved it continues like this. Thank you.
Seeking the Miraculous Dream: It would be nice if you bring back the Spirit Ribbons. It sucks that we don't see that technique any more. It seems pretty useful for those with sensory abilities to pinpoint the target they are after when their normal senses only detect numerous energy signatures. Although, indeed, we don't get to see the technique anymore and I do think that the technique is pretty unique. I'll try to bring them back, but I'm not too sure if I will or will find the opportunity to do so.
Guest: The next chapter would be a time skip to the Oracion Seis incident Fairytail meets Ichigo, Wendy, and Carla. No need to expand their story any further. Mystogan's (Edo Jellal's) intro and Carla's intro and their 1st job are enough. Not yet
kamenriderzio218: When's the next chapter? Here it is. But with all seriousness, I was really hoping not to see one of these questions. I understand that you couldn't wait any longer. But the question does affect me as it puts pressure on me.
Roxyanddevon: Here is an idea, don't know if this would work maybe during the rice oración arc if you plan on Ichigo being affected when he's affected his hollow takes over and he goes for vastodore or full Hollow and has his hollow side take over. It is a good idea and I appreciate what you have thought up. But I'm sorry to say that I won't be implementing this idea into the story. I'm not saying that the idea is bad, I just have something else in mind. I hope you don't take offense to that and hopefully continue enjoying the story.
Chapter 14:
After saying their goodbyes to Rachel and Rosy. Ichigo and Rebecca slowly made their way back to the mansion. They didn't say anything to one another, they were walking in silence. Inside the living room, Rebecca was standing across from Ichigo, facing the other way. There were no exchanges as the atmosphere around them gradually turned empty. Ichigo understood that Rebecca needed some alone time. He couldn't blame her.
After a minute had passed by, Rebecca released a small but hefty sigh. Her actions caught Ichigo's awareness as he now looked in her direction. He saw her raise her hands and thought that she was wiping away tears. However, the motion was not what Ichigo had anticipated. When suddenly the silent mood was broken by the sound of loud slaps planted onto her face.
Ichigo was startled by what she did and how loud it was. Just as he was able to ask a question, Rebecca interrupted him by exclaiming how painful the smack was. Unexpectedly, laughter was heard within the room. The laugh was quiet at first but gradually became louder. Ichigo didn't know what to make of it. He was uncertain why she was expressing such emotion so abruptly. The person in question turned to face the boy as her laughter continued. Ichigo saw small droplets of tears present with two red hand prints, each on one side of her face. As she claimed, the slap looked very painful. But despite all of that, it hit Ichigo. He started to realize that her slap served as a wake-up call. Her face only showed nothing but happiness.
Her face did not show depressing eyes, there were no facades, nothing that Ichigo had known from the woman prior. All he could see now was happiness. He remarked on the similarity between her laughter now compared to when they first met. Yet, this time, it wasn't forced like before. A genuine smile was displayed. It looked like it had been forever since the last time she had ever shown such emotions. Her laughter slowly died down, but her smile remained.
"How can I be so dumb?" Rebecca asked herself while facing the floor, reminiscing.
After the death of her children, she was in a state where no one could cure her despair, not even her husband. She cried more times than she could count. More times did she not care about the things around her. And more times did she want everything to end. She felt empty and alone. And her guilt continued to build throughout the years.
Some time passes and because of her nature, she would always resort to lying to ensure not to worry others. She forced her way through many things, in hopes of not worrying others. Now that she looked back, even she couldn't believe how long it went on. Nonetheless, her behavior changed when she saw them, her daughters.
The light they still carried, the message they gave, and the concern that they felt. She recognized how big of a fool she was. Rosy and Rachel were always with her even after their death. They never left them. Rebecca always believed that she was to blame for their unfortunate end, even convincing herself that they'll never forgive them. Who could blame her for believing that? She was a parent. A mother who was unable to help them. They couldn't take care of them.
That was far from the truth, and that was proven through their actions. The two were always with them and they forgave them. She should have known. They were great kids, after all, they were always understanding and easy to show forgiveness.
"...Thank you…for everything you have done," she slowly bowed.
Ichigo widened his eyes. He understood where she was coming from but didn't want to take the credit. Her daughters were the ones who knew where her poodle was. If it wasn't for them, he wouldn't have found him. And in return, he only wanted to help Rosy and Rachel pass on their message. It was their message that truly helped her in the end. He didn't believe he was the person who should take appreciation.
"...Don't thank me…I'm only sending the message."
"That may be true, but without your help, Mr. Puffly would have never been found. And I would have never received their message." she rose from her position and looked into the boy's eyes. "Thank you,"
Laying upon her eyes once more, Ichigo could see a hint of despair that lingered. He knew it was hard to move on so quickly. But despite that, there was also a sense of peace within. Even though it was relatively small compared to the despair, it was still a huge change. Her eyes were starting to give off the sense of moving forward. To never stay behind and instead, move on. Never grow attached to despair but rather, carry on hope. The fire that was believed to be gone had slowly returned.
"...I'm glad I was able to help," he softly replied with a small but gentle smile. He knew that there wasn't much else he could say. Whereas seeing her carry on, gave warmth to Ichigo's heart.
After their exchange, they quickly moved past the conversation on a good note. There wasn't a need to dwell on the topic and there wasn't much else to say. Rebecca was happy that Ichigo acknowledged her thankfulness, but there was a part of her that wished she could do more for the boy. Suddenly, her mind came up with an idea, and without wasting any time, Rebecca called out to the butler. The man in consideration made his way to her. She whispered to him, mentioning Ichigo's reward and some other things.
Ichigo, who had witnessed their interaction, wasn't able to hear their conversation. Though he decided not to interrupt since it didn't seem appropriate. Moments later, the butler returned with a ginormous bag. Ichigo, who saw his return, was observing his lagging movement as he carried a large bag with him. He was startled by how oversized the bag was and how heavy it seemed. Did the bag contain the Jewels? Ichigo questioned himself. If so, it was shocking to see how much four million was. Not only that but how was he going to carry it?
The man walked over to Rebecca and gave her an item. Ichigo couldn't make out what it was, but it looked important. Rebecca walked over to Ichigo before handing him the item she had received.
"Here is your reward…four million jewels," Rebecca spoke as she presented a black object to Ichigo.
The boy stared blankly at the item she was holding, it looked like a wallet. It had an oval-shaped print near the edge of the outer side. Other than that though, it was just a plain-looking wallet. Although the small detail might've entailed something. He was more confused about why she was handing him a wallet and not the giant bag. He didn't mistake her words and he doubted that she made an error. But he questioned, did she mean that the wallet was worth four million jewels? He failed to see the significance of the object. He continued to stare at the item, underwhelm.
Rebecca noticed his confused gaze, which told her that he didn't know what she was holding. The item in question was not too rare, so he must have seen or heard of it somewhere. That's what she believed at least. However, that didn't seem to be the case. To him, it looked like a normal wallet.
"Do you not know what a Spatial Pool is?" she asked, grabbing his attention. Ichigo stood there attempting to recall anything related to the name, he found nothing. He gave his answer by shaking his head with confusion plastered onto his face. He has never heard of the name. What did she mean by spatial?
Now fully understanding the situation, Rebecca felt that it was appropriate to explain what the item was. "This is a Spatial Pool, it is a leather wallet where you can store jewels inside," she began slowly. "With spatial magic, you can withdraw and deposit money inside this wallet. So there won't be a need to carry millions of jewels around with you," she concluded.
Ichigo listened carefully to her explanation. Her statement reminded him of the similarities between this item and a credit card. An item whose purpose was to go around without bringing physical cash and instead pay digitally. He didn't expect this world to have a similar concept. At least now, he didn't have to worry about carrying the money. Though, this did lead to some questions. Why has he never heard of this from Roubaul? And why was it a wallet, not a card? The last question wasn't as important as the first.
"I can demonstrate if you would like," Rebecca continued. She hasn't told him how it works and thought that it was necessary to further explain the concept. Ichigo nodded his head in response.
Rebecca grabbed out her pink purse and placed her thumb on top of the oval-shaped print. Ichigo heard a subtle clicking noise from the print. Finding out that the oval print was like a fingerprint scanner, like a lock of some sort. The purse opened in response and a small turquoise-colored magic circle appeared over the purse. The spell contained a Numpad and an arrow next to it.
"This is where you enter the amount you wish to withdraw." she pointed to the Numpad.
She punched in the amount she wished to withdraw and entered. The circle swiftly started glowing slightly brighter, while it gradually spun in a clockwise direction. Ichigo watched closely yet spotted another magic circle appearing over Rebecca's other palm. A pile of Jewels soon started to pour out of the circle and sprinkled onto her palm. The structure of the spell faded away once the last Jewel dropped.
"Tada," she expressed, similar to how a magician would present a magic trick. Ichigo couldn't help but release a small smile for her behavior.
After witnessing her demonstration, Ichigo saw a bit of a difference compared to a credit card. It wasn't digital money, but a bigger pocket to carry cash, like a game inventory. He understood how simple but effective the item was. It was convenient to have.
"How do you put money inside and is there a limit?" Ichigo questioned,
"Yes, there is a limit. You can only store ten million jewels," Ichigo's eyes twitched, retorting as he heard her say "only". As if she wanted more space. "If you want to put in money, you would have to do the opposite,"
She brought up the magic circle once more. This time, she swiped it to the right using the arrow, and the color of the spell changed from turquoise to magenta. She then poured the Jewels on top of the spell. A number showed above the circle, counting the number of jewels that seeped into the spell. The magic soon disappears once more as she finishes. Ichigo noted how easy it is to use the item.
Her demonstration coming to a close, Rebecca handed Ichigo his Spatial Pool. Now that he knows everything, he should be able to use it without any trouble. "Why don't you give it a try?"
Ichigo eyed the wallet with hesitation but took it regardless. He felt unsure if he could use it. Since the wallet uses spatial magic, it meant that he had to use magic, but that was the problem. He doesn't know how to perform magic. He noted to himself how he had never touched the topic of magic. In the two years he had spent, Ichigo prioritizes his physical strength first because he needed to build back strength. Because of this, he never got to learn or use magic. The only thing he knew was that magic was different from Reiatsu and that it was this world's supernatural.
Ichigo's awareness soon came back to him as he detected Rebecca and the butler's stare, as they waited for him. Ichigo cast his thoughts aside while placing his finger on the print. If it didn't work, then there was nothing else he could do. While waiting, Ichigo noticed that the wallet couldn't be opened. Rebecca explained that it was a brand-new wallet and that they would have to wait for the fingerprint to register.
Once it finished, he opened the wallet. Ichigo suddenly felt a tingling sensation throughout his body as if something had activated within him. The result of that feeling was a blue magic circle emerging over the wallet. Ichigo's eyes widened as he stared at the circle. He couldn't help but wonder why it worked. He knew he didn't do it on purpose. Even though the sensation still lingered, he didn't know why it was there, to begin with. He had yet another question that he had no answer for.
Seeing that there wasn't any point in asking questions he didn't know the answer to, Ichigo brought out his other wallet and grabbed the jewels that resided. He did what Rebecca demonstrated, swiping the spell to the right, and the circle turned from blue to red. He placed the jewels on top and waited for it to do its thing. Yet, it didn't go as planned. Instead of the jewels seeping into the spell, it just lay there, as if the jewels were resting on a table. Ichigo, Rebecca, and even the butler bore confused expressions.
Rebecca asked if she could try depositing Ichigo's money into her purse. She thought that there might be an error. Ichigo passed the jewels to her. But her efforts were futile as the same thing happened to her. The confusion grew larger. Rebecca withdrew a hundred jewels from her wallet. "Try putting these into it,"
Ichigo did what he was told, and unbeknownst to them, it started working. He returned the jewels to her once the experiment finished. They stood there, as they didn't know what to make of it. Some time passes as they brainstormed the problem. The theory was that it wasn't the spell itself, that was the issue. But the money that was being transferred. For some reason, Ichigo's money wasn't able to be stored in the item. Rebecca suggested getting a new one. However, Ichigo didn't see the point.
If it was true that it was his money that couldn't be stored, then it was pointless to change into another. If two wallets weren't able to do it, what makes the third one work? Plus, it would be bothersome to change to a new one. Lastly, he's not going to spend four million jewels in one go, so might as well use it for as long as he can. After Ichigo voiced his opinion on the matter. They moved past the issue as he didn't want to dwell on the subject. Ichigo looked for an empty pocket before placing the spatial pool inside.
In an instant, his other hand was grabbed and raised, an unfamiliar object was placed on top of his palm.
"Huh?"
Ichigo mumbled, quickly realizing the sudden smooth but weighty item on his palm. He turned to his hand to see a pearl. It seemed fragile and expensive, as it glistened with bright colors. Question marks appeared over Ichigo's head while sweat started flowing down his head. He was baffled, questioning where it came from. He looked around him and saw the butler next to him. It was probably he who placed it there in that short amount of time. Ichigo looked at him in confusion but was met with silence. His eyes glued on the item for a couple more seconds before glancing at Rebecca hoping for her to explain.
"For you," she said simply. "It's a bonus in tha-"
Before Rebecca could finish her sentence, she saw the same pearl magically appear on the butler's hand.
"Eh?" Rebecca spoke completely off-guard. The man spotted the pearl in his hands, also confused by the sudden appearance.
"...Huh?" Ichigo replied while looking at the two.
They stood there for a couple of seconds. Ichigo was confused by this development while they were confused by his confusion.
"I-it's a present for you, for everything you have done," she resumed her explanation, hoping that helped their situation.
To her and the butler's surprise, Ichigo denied the offer. He didn't think it was an appropriate gift for him to have it. This explains why he returned it back to them as he believed that he didn't deserve such a gift, especially if it was something so expensive. His honesty earned him a surprised look from the two.
"But are you sure? It's a gift, I'm more than willing to give it to you," Rebecca said trying to convey the idea. She wanted to give him her gratitude and this was the only way she could think of. The gift itself didn't cost her anything, so there wasn't a need to hold back.
"It's fine, four million jewels is more than enough," Ichigo stated, trying to brush off the subject. He felt that the money was all he needed. He didn't apply for the job just to ask for more.
"W-what about this sapphire necklace? Or this diamond ring?" Rebbeca continued as she brought the named accessories out of the bag from before. Attempting to convince him.
"N-no thanks," Ichigo started to sweat while replying. He expected her to understand if only that was true. His attention was brought to the named accessories, it was the most expensive-looking accessory he has ever seen. He knew it wasn't something to give easily. To see her willingly hand these to him was terrifying, proving that their viewpoint on money was vastly different.
Quickly declining her offer once more, Rebecca presented another offer. The pressure built up quickly as she persisted. He kept declining Rebecca's offers but she kept offering new things.
Two minutes have passed, yet the conversation wasn't getting anywhere. But eventually, after yet another offer declined. Rebecca becomes quiet with her head down. From Ichigo's perspective, it seemed like Rebecca had given up. Yet, he didn't know what to do. He couldn't ignore the fact that Rebecca was staying suspiciously quiet. Did he upset her? If so he didn't mean it. He knew Rebecca's intentions and appreciated the sentiment, but he was already grateful for the money.
"Your clothing" Rebecca spoke darkly.
"Huh?" he voiced, caught off guard by the sudden change of topic and the tone she spoke in.
"I don't think you would want to go home looking like that," she spoke with the same tone. Pointing out all the cuts the clothes had sustained.
Ichigo realized her implication as his mind went back to the past. He recalled the events after the defeat of Lars and Jax and soon followed the guards to "patch up". Though, there wasn't much to patch in the first place. He did have a few scratches here and there which were covered up with bandages. But other than that though, there was nothing else that could be considered an emergency. Repairing his clothing didn't seem like an option, or they just forgot.
"...She does have a point," Ichigo thought as he inspected his clothes. If Wendy or the others were to see the condition of his outfit, Then, there will be questions relating to it, most likely out of concern for his well-being, especially Wendy. He even promised her that he wouldn't be reckless. Which makes Rebecca's statement more impactful.
"I can get you new clothing," She said, while a dark aura soon arose all around the woman. She brought out a smile that spelled out menacing. It rivaled Captain Unohana.
"N-no, I'm fine," Ichigo replied while slightly facing his head somewhere else. His forehead started to sweat profusely as the pressure he sensed continued. Even if what she says is true, she didn't need to go so far for him. It's not like he was incapable of buying new clothes.
"I insist," she slowly conveyed, grabbing onto Ichigo's shoulder tightly while looking into his eyes. Her eyes resembled a void. A dark, blank and empty space filled her pupils. The power her eyes held was sucking Ichigo in, preventing him from escaping.
"O-ok," Ichigo responded. He gave up. If she was willing to buy him clothing that badly. Then he won't stop her.
Once hearing Ichigo's answer, Rebecca's face glowed instantly eliminating all of the dark aurae that resonated within her. "Finally!", she thought to herself with a genuine smile. Ichigo sighed, relieved that the conversation had finally come to an end, especially the terrifying aura that he felt earlier. He never expected her to fight back.
Some people like the butler may think that the boy hated the interaction. But deep down, Ichigo knew he didn't hate this kind of conversation. He sadly reminisces about a time when he had a similar exchange. Once he realized that his mind went back to the past. Ichigo quickly removed those negative thoughts as he looked back at Rebecca. He shouldn't let these emotions hit him so suddenly.
Rebecca brought her hands up and clapped twice, calling out two names, Lana and Kelly. Two maids appeared from another room and made their way to where they were. One maid had brown short hair while the other one had long green hair. They seemed to be in their mid-twenties.
"How can we help you, Rebecca-sama?"
The two asked politely, before looking at her. Their eyes were sprinkled with shock. Ichigo took notice yet didn't know why, they seemed to be startled by the woman's smile. Showing a sense of shock, like they haven't seen her smile in a very long time. One seems to even have small droplets of tears in her eyes. Ichigo was the only one who saw the small detail. It must have been his imagination.
"Is there something wrong?" Rebecca asked, breaking their stare, wondering what the subtly shocked expression was.
"It is nothing,"
"I see, well I have called you here to make him some new clothes, could you do that for me?"
"Of course, Rebecca-sama," they bowed once more.
"...Huh," Ichigo was alerted in bewilderment. He assumed that Rebecca was planning on buying him clothing, not making new ones. He was opposed to the idea. He didn't want her to go to the trouble of making something for him. "Wait I didn't say anything abou-"
Suddenly, the two maids Rebecca called out appeared right behind Ichigo. Interrupting his sentence as he shivered in fear, fully realizing where the maids were. How were they so fast? Before he could do anything, they grabbed hold of Ichigo's arms and dragged him into another room in a quick motion.
Now inside the new room, Ichigo's eyes wandered around his new surroundings. The room had many different kinds of equipment and fabrics that filled the space. It looked like a workshop specifically for making clothes. There were sewing machines, machine needles, different types of fabric, a few mannequins, and a changing room. He was amazed by how spacious the room seemed despite all of the things listed occupying the area.
"What kind of clothing do you wish for us to make?" Kelly asked with a relaxed but blank face. Her question made Ichigo return to his senses.
Ichigo didn't ponder too much on the question. He didn't really care what kind of clothing they'll make. Just something that didn't stand out or is eye-catching. "Something casual," Ichigo replied, hoping they understood his implication.
"As you wish," she answered before walking away, collecting materials. While Kelly went off and gathered equipment, the other maid, Lana, spoke.
"Please remove your clothing," she said abruptly.
"...eh?" he muttered in realization as his face slowly turned red. He was caught off-guard. Not knowing why nor expecting her to say that. It might be a huge leap in logic but it seemed like she was asking him to remove all of his clothes, based on her words. He felt embarrassed and didn't know how to answer.
"We need to take measurements, it would be appreciated if you only wear your undergarment." She reasoned calmly.
"T-that so," Ichigo was at ease after her explanation. At least now he understands that there was a reason why he needed to take off his clothes. Thankfully he wasn't stuck with a pervert. But regardless, even if he felt a bit relieved, there was still uneasiness. His boxers could only cover so much. What made things worse was that two maids were going to see him barely clothed.
"Can I use the change roo-"
"No," she replied immediately with a small smile. Completely reading Ichigo like a book. It looked like she was teasing him in a way.
An awkward silence filled the room as they stood there without communicating anything. Ichigo's attempt to escape failed. He planned to run to the changing room to at least reduce the embarrassment he would have to face, but his request was declined. Why do they even have a changing room if he can't use it? Ichigo was speechless with blank eyes, he had no options. He felt powerless and mortified. He was going to have to undress in front of them. Their stares were something he knew he couldn't ignore.
"Oh, please do not mind us," she said with an emotionless face. She waved her hand to prove a point while intentionally focusing her stare on the boy's body. Her actions were the exact opposite of what she claimed. It didn't ease the mood in the slightest. Everything became worse when Kelly returned with all of the necessary items.
"R-right," He didn't have a choice. He was helpless and at their mercy. He had no choice, the boy slowly removed most of his clothing off his body, and only the boxers remained. His toned body became more visible the more the clothes were reduced.
After removing all of the necessary clothing, he glanced nervously at them trying to play it off as if nothing happened. Unexpectedly for Ichigo, their stares were only brief as they grabbed measuring tapes and a clipboard. At that moment, as he saw them prioritize their work, Ichigo felt attacked. It took him so long to muster up the courage only for them to not make any comment. He felt defeated.
Although his uneasiness was still present, there was a relief. He felt a bit more at ease knowing that they won't be staring for eternity. Ichigo nervously looked around to see if there was any place to leave his damaged clothes, he didn't want to hold on to them for the duration. Kelly notices Ichigo looking around and understands his intention.
"Please, hand me your clothing," she sounded, grabbing Ichigo's attention. "We will hold onto it for you,"
"Thanks,"
(Hey, sorry for interrupting, but I just want to tell you that I'm not going to pick any specific clothing for him to wear because my imagination sucks. I'm not knowledgeable in fashion like Tite Kubo. So you're going to have to picture what he's going to wear in the end product, just imagine something that is considered casual. Sorry for the inconvenience.)
After continuous measurements and planning. They had finally left the boy alone and worked on the product. Ichigo was silently sitting on a chair with a blanket over him as he watched them work. He asked if he could wear his clothing beforehand, but for some reason, they didn't let him. He signed to himself in defeat. Who would have ever thought that he would have to strip in front of two maids? He felt like a nude model for an art school, he contemplated. Now that Ichigo had this experience. He knew one thing for sure. He's never asking anyone to make his clothing ever again.
An hour passed, and both Lana and Kelly announced that they had finished creating the product. Ichigo was honestly impressed, he didn't expect them to finish so quickly. He thought that the process would take much longer to make, though it seemed not. He quickly got up and held the new clothes before heading to the changing room.
Inside the changing room, he took a good look at the clothes. He never predicted it to be of such quality. No wonder Rebecca had specifically asked these two to create his clothes. He wouldn't be surprised that they were the best out of everyone in making garments. Sliding the clothing onto his body, he was bewildered by how comfortable the clothes were. Nothing seemed to be out of place, tight, or even baggy. It was a perfect fit.
He looked at the mirror and saw his reflection. What he was wearing didn't look like it came from an expensive workshop despite it being produced by a rich family. He was thankful that they could make something that looked and felt normal. He walked out of the changing room.
"You look good," Kelly complimented "The colors suit you well,"
"Thanks"
"Are there any places that feel unpleasant?" she questioned.
"No, it's good,"
"That's good to hear" She replied before presenting a small bag. "Your old clothing is inside this bag."
Receiving the bag, he peeked inside and saw his old clothing. He remembers there being cuts on them but it was gone. They must have cleaned and sewed it back together for him. He questioned why they even needed to make him new clothes when they could've just fixed his old clothing. At least now Wendy and the others won't have to worry about anything.
"Thanks," he replied softly.
As Ichigo and Kelly continued their talk, Lana waited patiently for them to finish. She wanted to speak, not about clothing but about a different topic. Kelly, deep down, had the same intentions, but she couldn't find the opportunity. Ichigo looked in Lana's direction, noticing her absence on the matter. He could tell there was something she wished to say.
"Something wrong?" he questioned. His question was a queue for her to say what was on her mind.
"Thank you," Lana said slowly but softly while bowing.
Her words caught Ichigo by surprise. Even though he had a feeling that she wanted to say something. He wasn't expecting her to thank him. Kelly, who was next to her, also bowed, showing her appreciation. What did he do for them to thank him?
"Why are you thanking me?"
"For changing Rebecca-sama," Lana explained. Ichigo, now fully understanding where the topic was heading, chose to remain silent.
"We don't know what you did...but if you haven't come, she would have still been the same,"
"If it wasn't for you, Rebecca-sama would still act the same as before," Kelly elaborated "She would have kept acting like she was fine, always smiling as if nothing had happened."
"...they're aware of it,"
"Ever since the passing of Rosy and Rachel ojou-sama, Rebecca, and Roger-sama were never the same (Roger is Rebecca's husband). They would always plaster a fake mask, force themself to eat, and even lie about their feelings… We were worried for her health," Kelly added.
They conversed about a time before moving here. Both Rosy and Rachel at the time were the light for the parents and citizens of a town called Winterfell. The daughters were the ones who made the town brilliant and cheerful. Everyone loved them as if they were a part of their family. Unfortunately, that all changed when the light they once had run out. Everyone in the town blamed the parents for what had happened. They were ruthless people who didn't care what "excuses" the parents had. It was a terrible sight. The constant struggles Rebecca and Roger had to face. The sorrow they felt, the endless blame inflicted on them, and the hate that came from the citizens back then.
The parents were never mentally strong when facing negative confrontations. Especially when the whole town was against them while having to deal with the deaths of their daughters. It was hard. Because of that exploitation, the citizens would always find ways to harm them. Spreading bad rumors, throwing rocks at the mansion, and much more. It was too hard to bear. They couldn't believe how they were able to manage throughout that dark time. Everyone in the household could only spectate the horror that happened as they were too scared to get involved. They blamed themselves for not being able to help.
After 2 long years, they finally made up the decision to move to Harvard Field. It was the only place they knew about since it was always the place to go on holiday. Maroone Garden is the sole reason for moving there. It was always Rosy and Rachel's favorite place to visit. At first, they didn't think that moving there was a good idea. Some people are aware of who Rebecca and Roger were. If they moved there, they were most likely aware of the rumors. Bad things will surely happen. Even so, they didn't have a choice. The environment they currently lived in was too much for them to handle. The toll they faced was unbearable.
Once they moved and lived in this town for 2 years. Thankfully, nothing had happened. It was peaceful, there were no confrontations, no outright cruelty, but nothing had changed. Rebecca and Roger were still depressed and isolated. Everyone in the household tried everything in hopes of helping them, nothing worked.
"But, that all changed…because today, she showed us a smile, a real smile. All these years she… she…she finally brought out a smile," Lana managed to mutter as her tears slowly flowed down her eyes. After what felt like forever, the smile that they thought was lost finally returned.
"We…we don't know how you were able to change her, but because of your help…they might finally be able to see the light again," Kelly said after. "And for that… we thank you,"
Ichigo, who listened to their story, had no words. He never thought that their past was so deep and tragic. It was terrible to hear about such a history. It was already hard enough to lose someone that meant a lot to you. But now, to hear that they were despised by the citizens and the constant abuse they had to face. It was understandable that they would feel depressed. The sense of hate and blame kept hammering into the two. No one should ever feel that way, especially if it wasn't their fault. It sadly explained why Rebecca's eyes still held a bit of despair.
"...It's the least I can do…" Ichigo said slowly, hating the fact that there wasn't more he could do for them, it was the sad truth. But even if there was nothing he could do. There is always someone else who could make a difference.
"I know that I might be asking a lot, but now that she's starting to move on. You need to support her…can you do it?"
The two raised their heads to look at Ichigo. In their eyes, it was his way of asking them for their help. A sign of redemption, to redeem themselves for their past mistakes. They looked at Ichigo with misty eyes. Thankful for the opportunity that was given to them.
"Yes," they said with determination.
"...alright," he smiled, now knowing that Rebecca was in good hands. Their resolve carried deep in their eyes. He didn't have to worry. "Let's go back, we don't want to keep her waiting."
When the exchange came to an end, they made their way back to Rebecca in the living room. Rebecca, who was waiting patiently finally saw Ichigo in his new outfit. "You look great!" she exclaimed, acting like a mother complimenting her son.
"Thanks," he answered "And thanks for the clothes"
Rebecca got off her seat and approached the boy as she continued to scan him, slowly her happy exterior became more unhappy. Unfortunately, the woman didn't have anything else to add, she knew it was time for Ichigo to go. His job here was done and there was nothing else she needed him for.
Ichigo slowly made his way to the door, as he carried the bag of clothes with him. Unexpectedly, Ichigo was stopped by Rebecca's voice. He looked back at her, wondering.
Despite knowing she shouldn't keep Ichigo occupied. Rebecca just couldn't ignore the sense of gratitude that still lingered, and the obligation she felt to repay him. Getting new clothing wasn't enough. "Is there anything else I could do to repay you?" she accidentally and quietly blurted out loud.
"...Don't be sad," Ichigo spoke slowly but suddenly, which brought Rebecca's thoughts back to reality while grabbing everyone else's attention. "...I want you to be happy, that's all I ask," he expressed sincerely.
Their disbelief remained as they stared at Ichigo, they couldn't believe what he was saying. He could ask for anything. For more money, beautiful accessories, or anything else. And out of all the things, he could have asked. He instead requested her to be happy. Rebecca didn't know why, but her composure was slowly cracking.
"...I know that it's hard, and I know that it's hard to move forward. But don't give up." he started softly. "You're allowed to scream…you're allowed to cry, and you're allowed to grieve. But don't let it control you…because…even if you don't think so. You're a person who deserves to be happy."
Tears welled up in Rebecca's eyes with a single tear rolling down her cheek. Her vision was misty and she felt her throat closing up.
"Treasure the people that passed away. Walk for those around you and those who watch over you. Walk for your and others' sake."
"Rosy and Rachel want you to be happy, and so do I,"
Tears rushed down Rebecca's eyes as she listened to every word. She wasn't able to reply to his speech but took every word to heart. Ichigo, who finished, knew his words were reaching her. He could tell that she was going to be fine. He was happy to see her start to press on. It was all they asked for.
The woman quickly wiped away her tears before talking for the final time. "I-I know that it's rude, but I have never got your name," Rebecca slowly said.
Ichigo paused and looked back. He realized he had never really got to introduce himself. Ichigo smiled back at them.
"Kurosaki…Kurosaki Ichigo,"
"Take care of yourself…Ichigo,"
"You too,"
(1 hour later)
His train ride back was the same as before. The steady speed of the train, the comfortable seats that he was on, and the cooling breeze coming from the window. The volume of the passengers talking was a bit noisier than his previous ride but other than that. Everything felt normal and relaxing. Ichigo was currently fixated on the rolling hills and mountains outside the window. The lush trees pass by and cover the landscape with a flourish of warm colors.
Ichigo unconsciously smiled to himself. "...I should take Wendy and Carla out sometimes,"
The very thought brightened his mood. He could imagine their faces, not so much with Carla. But more with Wendy. They would probably be thrilled to experience a train ride. Plus, they would get to see the different landscapes and wildlife that they wouldn't often get the chance to see.
As the ride continued, Ichigo noticed the speed at which the train was moving. The train was no longer going as fast as it usually did. Ichigo looked out the window. Up ahead, he spotted a train station, with a town close by. The sudden decline in speed wasn't surprising as the train was reaching one of its many destinations. However, what caught his attention was that there weren't many pedestrians waiting for either train, which did surprise him. It was still 2 in the afternoon, it's not like the train station was closed. He didn't see any trains that went by. So there should've been some people waiting.
Once the train stopped, everyone inside patiently waited for the passengers to head off. Some time passed and Ichigo and some others noticed how long it was taking. It had already been 10 minutes but they still sat there, waiting. They knew that for some, this was their destination. Yet, it seemed like the stop took longer than it should have. Was there a delay? Everyone was confused. If the conductor and the workers were on break, there should have been an announcement informing them.
"Did something happen?" Most of the passengers asked the same question Ichigo had out loud. Before any of their questions were answered, a gentle ringing sound came from the speakers. Grabbing everyone's awareness.
"Attention all passengers, it seems that we have run into a problem regarding the tracks. It has been damaged, and we are unable to continue. We kindly ask you to exit the train and wait for further notice." After the announcement was made the radio turned off.
"I wonder how it was damaged?" an individual voiced out. While others asked how long it'll take to fix it. Everyone who had heard the question also thought similarly as they made their way out. Ichigo like everyone else was bothered by the news. It was a hard topic to avoid. He wanted to go home because he didn't want to make Wendy worry more than she already has.
Stepping out of the train, Ichigo's eyes laid on a sign that read "Orilon train station". He didn't know where to go but quickly followed the other passengers inside the train station. They were greeted by a hoard of people expressing unhappy faces at the front desk. When will the tracks be fixed? Will it take a long time? How many hours will we have to wait? Ichigo picked up some of their questions as he walked by. He noted that most weren't angry, just unhappy by this event since there was so little they could do. However, there was one talk that caught his attention.
"I heard that the train tracks were filled with claw markings from one of the workers. Not only that, but the markings were as big as a grizzly bear," a middle-aged woman whispered to another as she bore a worried face.
"What, that's terrible," another commented while covering her mouth with her hand. Astonished by the lady's claim.
Ichigo stopped on his track as he continued to listen to their conversation. He knew that she was gossiping, yet he was reminded of a rumor that was told to him back home. There's a possibility that these two were correlated. It didn't sound far-fetched that a person with a demonic hand was the one responsible. He knew he should be cautious. However, he didn't take it too seriously. It was only a rumor after all.
Walking outside the train station and heading to the town. The noise that was heard was noticeably louder than both his village and Harvard Field. Ichigo could see from where he stood the town known as Orilon. It was a grey town with many houses and buildings scattered around. Many streets led to many diverse kinds of buildings and restaurants. The town had similar aesthetics to Harvard Fields. The only difference was that it wasn't as colorful as Harvard Fields. He caught a view of many people enjoying the summer breeze that flowed through the town. The town lay peaceful and serene.
Upon entering the town, Ichigo wanders through the town, wondering what he should do. He didn't know where he was going and there was no telling when the tracks would be fixed. He had free time but didn't know how to spend it. He contemplated himself.
Should he go to an inn and rest up? He knew that he didn't get that much sleep prior as he woke up in the middle of the night. The tiredness was slowly getting to him.
Or should he get souvenirs for Wendy and Carla? He felt that it was appropriate to get them something.
As the boy continued pondering on what to do, his stomach started to rumble. Ichigo paused in his tracks before placing his hand on his stomach. Ichigo was a bit startled. He never realize he was hungry. It made sense though, after some thinking.
Now knowing what to do, Ichigo continued his walk while scanning his surroundings. There weren't many restaurants. But the ones he came across looked expensive and fancy. Ichigo wasn't interested in any fancy food. He just wanted something normal, something that he was comfortable with. Plus, the stares he would receive would make it uncomfortable and awkward for him, if he were to enter one of the restaurants alone.
He kept strolling, unable to find a place that interested him. That changed when his nose caught a whiff of a pleasant smell. A soft, gentle scent with a hint of sweetness. He followed it and soon enough, found himself in front of a bakery. Ichigo immediately saw the resemblance this bakery had compared to any bakery back in his world. The only difference was that there were more than just baked goods, as there were also fruits and vegetables. It was like a combination of a grocery store and a bakery fused.
"This looks good," Ichigo said as he quickly strolled over to the establishment.
Making his way to the front entrance. Ichigo's eyes happened to spot a figure inside the bakery wearing a black cloak with drooping bunny ears. The cloak covered everything excluding the person's feet. The person seemed shorter than Ichigo by a few centimeters and was holding onto their right arm. He wasn't able to see any other customers inside the building.
He looked back at the individual who was talking to a male baker near the counter. He was probably the only person working at the moment. Ichigo couldn't see much else but was able to hear their conversation as he entered. The doorbell rang when the door was opened, however, no one noticed it.
"I'm sorry but you don't have enough," the person said. It sounded like he had repeated himself before.
"Please, I-I can pay next time," the cloaked person hesitantly said.
Ichigo was able to pick up on the person's distressed voice and identify that it was a girl. He walked near the side of the building before looking back at them. He spotted the baker's name tag. It read Edward.
His eyes later laid on the counter, spotting 2 wrapped biscuits with a price tag that read 4800 with some jewels next to it. Ichigo was dumbfounded as he stared at the price tag. The biscuits looked to be a bit small for what it was worth. It shouldn't cost so much. He even remembered spotting some similar price tags he glanced at in Harvard field. He wasn't paying attention at the time, since he was occupied with finding Mr. Puffly. Now that he remembers it, he couldn't disregard it. The food was a lot more expensive than back home.
In his village, a biscuit wouldn't be that expensive, usually costing around 1500 jewels. Which meant that two biscuits would cost 3000. He remarked, asking if it was only his village that was different or if they were just generous. Honestly, there wasn't much he could say since every town is different. There wasn't anything suspicious about that.
He resumed his gaze at the girl's efforts. He noticed that she wasn't giving up. He suspected that the girl knew these biscuits were supposedly a "good deal" for a decent meal. Otherwise, she would have gone elsewhere. Therefore meant that there weren't any other places that sold at this price. It only made sense, since he had only spotted expensive-looking restaurants before coming here.
Ichigo glanced back at Edward. He could tell that Edward was conflicted. He felt bad for denying her. But there was also a part of him that said otherwise. He thought to himself. What if it was an act? You can't always be forgiving. Plus, when was the next time? For all he knows, she could be lying and using it to her advantage. Ichigo understood his reasoning but still thought that helping her was the better choice. He slowly walked towards them, in hopes of helping the girl.
"But still-" he continued their talk but stopped when his eyes landed on Ichigo. "I'm sorry sir, but if possible could you please wait patiently." The man looked at him for a brief second before returning to their discussion. It appeared though that he assumed Ichigo wanted to pay for his food. Ichigo didn't reply. However, he noticed the girl's head slowly facing toward the floor. It appeared like she felt terrible for holding up a line.
"...How much do you need?"
"Huh?" they both turned and muttered at the sudden words. They saw an orange-haired boy stare blankly at them while holding out his new wallet.
"How much do you need?" He repeated once more to the girl. The person stood there, not entirely entertained by the idea of letting a stranger help. Though, she hesitates in answering his question. She didn't know if she should rely on a stranger. But, it was her only choice.
"...6-600 jewels" she spoke honestly and quietly, her head facing the floor once more.
Thankfully, Ichigo was able to hear her answer. It was evident that she felt ashamed for asking someone for help. He didn't blame her. If he was in her position. He wouldn't want others to get involved in his matter. He quickly withdrew 600 from his Spatial Pool before handing the money to the man.
"...Thank you," she looked up at Ichigo.
Ichigo glanced at her and their eyes met with one another. She nervously looked at him before looking elsewhere. In that brief moment, Ichigo saw beautiful sapphire eyes that complimented her long white hair.
"She's… pretty cute," Ichigo unintentionally thought as he saw her look away, somewhat reminding him of Wendy's behavior.
Shortly after, the boy recalled what he said in his head, he didn't know what to make of it. It felt out of nowhere and was a bit embarrassed but attempted not to dwell upon the topic. True, he did think she was cute, but he didn't think much else. He tried defending himself, saying that it was a compliment, nothing more. It's a good thing he didn't blurt it out loud. He didn't want to be seen as a pervert.
"...Don't mention it," Ichigo replied.
Edward went to the back of the store to grab a bag, according to him, they ran out of plastic bags. The two stood there quietly, as they waited for the man to return.
Having nothing else to do, he looked around the building but shortly, his vision landed back on the girl. He didn't realize this until now but commented on how young the person looked. She seemed to be around his age, maybe a year older. He soon lowered his gaze, his eyes landed on a black sleeveless dress she wore underneath her cloak, it looked nice on her.
Eventually, he landed on her right arm. At first, there wasn't a purpose, he was just curious why she was holding her arm for almost the entire time. He barely saw the details of her right arm because of the cloak. Yet, his eyes caught a glimpse of something different on the lower half of her arm. It was distinguishable compared to her left hand and that was alarming. All he was able to make out was dark dried-up skin covered with freakishly disproportionate purple orbs, resembling glowing eyeballs.
"What is that?" he questions himself.
The girl caught where Ichigo was looking and quickly backed away in realization. She used her left hand and covered her arm. Ichigo, who witnessed her panicking, couldn't help but wonder if she was ok. The person was still holding tightly onto her right arm while showing anxiousness in her eyes. He attempted to ask if she was alright but failed. Her face was covered with stress and fear. Anyone who could see her expression could tell she was too scared to talk. Whatever it was, he wasn't getting any answers from her.
"...sorry," Ichigo expressed quietly. He felt remorseful for having her express such an emotion.
Not desiring to make things worse, he stayed quiet, wanting the tense mood would change. Thankfully, she slowly relaxed her grip though she didn't say anything. Unbeknownst to Ichigo, the girl was astonished by how calm he was.
Minutes have passed, yet they continue to stand there. They didn't have much to say as they didn't want to interrupt the mood. Honestly, it was awkward. Ichigo's eyes wandered once more and caught a glimpse of two small heads peeking out of the side of a window next to them. They had white hair just like the person next to him. They appeared to be kids between the ages of 8 to 10. One of them was a short girl with bangs while the other was a tanned skin boy. He assumed they were siblings.
The two kids seemed to be opposites. Where one was more confident than the other, proving how hard far one was peeking than the other. The only common thing they had was their eyes. It showed the same fear as the one next to him, yet it held a bit of curiosity.
As he tried to read their character and personality, the tanned boy quickly hid away, breaking Ichigo's gaze. The little one, however, kept looking at Ichigo. He didn't know why but she wasn't as scared as her "brother". The girl next to Ichigo noticed him staring out the window and followed suit. What Ichigo didn't know was that it was someone she knew.
"Lisanna?!" the girl whispered in shock. If she was here, then her little brother, Elfman, was nearby.
Ichigo heard her mutter, though couldn't make out what she said. Yet, based on her reaction she probably didn't notice they were following her. The little girl quickly hid, realizing that she had been spotted by her older sister.
"...Your siblings?" Ichigo asked while looking back at her. He noted that there was some resemblance they had. She answered with a small nod, confirming his hunch. Knowing this newfound information, Ichigo realized that the two biscuits she bought weren't for herself but for them. It explained her desperation near the beginning.
Edward soon came back with the bag of biscuits. He seemed tired, explaining to them that he couldn't find where the bags were located. Thus justifying why it took him so long. He handed the bag to the girl while apologizing.
Once she had received the bag, she quickly said her thanks to both of them before hurrying away, not wanting to bother them any longer. She didn't get far however when a light tap was felt on her left shoulder. The girl slowly looked back at Ichigo, wondering why he had stopped her.
"Could you wait a sec?" he asked, not wanting to lose her.
She took a bit of time thinking. She suspected Ichigo wanted to question her abnormal arm. She didn't want to deal with that. Hopefully, it wasn't the case. After concluding, she decided to stay. If he were to ask her about her arm. She would have to make a run for it.
Once Ichigo got confirmation, he faced Edward. "When do these expire?" He pointed at most of the baked goods.
It may have been a silly question but in this world, specifically, in his village. There weren't many people that wrote the expiration date on their product, which to him made no sense. Only after telling Roubaul about the topic did it change. Because of the lack of outside experience, he doesn't know if others follow that same logic.
Edward and the girl were puzzled because of Ichigo's lack of understanding. It was clear that the answer was written on the racks where the food resided. Edward, not wanting to act rude, reluctantly answered his question. "All of these should expire in a month,"
Ichigo, after hearing his response, was stunned. Usually, biscuits or any baked goods last for a couple of weeks. At least it would in his world. He didn't know mostly because he, Wendy, and Carla would always eat their biscuits before they would even come close to the expiration. At least now he knew what he was going to do next. He pivoted and faced the girl.
"Do you guys have a backpack?"
She displayed a confused exterior once more after hearing his question. Why ask when he could see that she wasn't carrying one, it wasn't like he was blind. She was close to voicing out her answer but stopped. Her mind clicked, and a certain someone popped into her mind. She looked out the window to see if her siblings were still present, specifically her younger brother. Elfman always carries a backpack with him everywhere they go. Coincidentally, Elfman peaked his head for her to see. She saw the backpack strapped onto his back. She replied to Ichigo's question explaining that her little brother had one on him.
"Alright," he responded before bringing his attention to Edward. "I'll buy these," he spoke as he pointed to some baked goods near the racks.
Ichigo thought that it was best to not order the same food multiple times. As it would make the person bored and tired of the same thing. He pointed at cookies, pies, muffins, even some fruits, and much more.
The two gazed at him, shocked to see how he wasn't concerned by the amount he was pointing at. Did he have enough to buy all of these? It seemed unrealistic that a kid could pay for it all. Was he trying to show off? Because of how Ichigo was currently acting. It was understandable that the girl was irritated. For him to have the nerve to buy all this in front of her even though he knew about her situation. It was an unacceptable action.
Ultimately, even if she felt that way, there was a part of her that told her otherwise. She knew that she shouldn't trust someone so easily, especially if it were a stranger. Yet, there was something inside her that told her Ichigo was a good person. She wanted to believe in her intuition, that he had good intentions. Why else would he ask her to wait and if they had a bag? Her attention was brought back as heard Edward telling Ichigo the price.
"T-that would be 114,100 Jewels," he said after adding up everything before putting the items into three oversized plastic bags.
Edward was still skeptical if Ichigo could even pay. While he did know that Ichigo never at one point stopped him in fear of it costing too much. It was still hard to accept the fact that Ichigo could pay for all of it. On the other end. The girl was baffled by the number that was said, how could any kid pay to afford that? The surprised face broke, realizing that Ichigo was finishing up.
Paying for the food, Ichigo grabbed the bags and signaled the girl to meet him outside. She still couldn't comprehend what he was planning but complied. The door behind them closed as they made their way to where her siblings were.
Both Elfman and Lisanna looked at each other, noticing the two older kids closing in. By this point, everyone excluding Ichigo was confused by his intentions as fear slowly crept up. "Elf nii-chan, do you know what's going on?" Lisanna voiced out with a hint of worry.
"I-I don't know," Elfman responded.
As they continued to mutter amongst each other. Ichigo couldn't ignore the feeling he was getting. Was it he who was scarring them, or if it was something else? He didn't think that he was intimidating to warrant them being afraid. It wasn't like he was going to hurt them.
Ichigo focused his gaze on Elfman as he was now in front of him. He still seemed nervous. Ichigo noted that the backpack he carried was a bit bigger than he anticipated. He knew that it wasn't enough to carry everything, but still, it was enough. The backpack could probably hold up to two of the bags. Leaving the last one for them to hold.
"...Here," he said as he brought two bags to the boy while placing the last bag onto the floor. "Can you put these in your bag?" he asked him, not wanting to sound demanding.
Everyone around him shot a flabbergasted face at Ichigo. They just stare at the bag then at him then at the bag again. Because of his phrasing, it sounded like he was just giving the food to them as if it was normal. Not only that, they didn't see nor sensed any alternative motive, no lies, just an offer. The boy in question couldn't move his lips, leaving him completely speechless. Did he buy all of this for them? Did he really mean it? He felt unsure if he should take it all.
"F-for us?" Elfman managed to ask,
"Yeah," he explained, not fazed by his question. "I don't know which ones taste good, but hopefully this will last you guys the month."
Everyone around him was stunned as their jaws dropped in disbelief. It was so sudden that no one could form any words. It hit even harder the fact that an outsider was doing this for them. They even thought that Ichigo was the most generous person they have ever met. What was most shocking was that Ichigo wasn't taking any for himself. He spent that much just for them.
"A-are you sure?" The boy continued, asking everyone's questions. They saw how much Ichigo paid. It was hard to believe he would be willing to give it all away. It was truly a kind act that is considered very rare. His gift was the biggest thing anyone has ever given them. It sounded too good to be true.
"I'm sure," he stated while bringing out a small smile. "I hope you accept it,"
They stared at his smile, it looked welcoming and genuine. There were no lies, no alternative motives, just honest expressions. Tears started to emerge on Elfman's face but he held them in. It was hard to deny such an offer. None of them wanted to be selfish, yet, they knew they needed the food. They didn't know how or if they could even repay him.
"W-won't you get hungry mister?" Lisanna was the next to ask, which caught Ichigo's attention.
He knew she wanted all of the tasty food presented in front of her. But regardless of what she felt, to her, it didn't feel right to just accept everything. He should at least get some for himself. Ichigo understood her concern but quickly denied her nervousness.
"I'm not hungry," he replies with the same tone. "You don't need to worry,"
The two resisted a bit longer, before turning their gaze to her older sister. Since she was the oldest, it would make sense to ask her for her opinion. Ichigo also looked in her direction, hoping for her to understand and take it.
The person under consideration thought carefully. For one, they were in a situation where acquiring food is getting difficult. So if she would accept the gift, it would help them a lot. But if she was to deny him. She instinctively knew that for one reason or another, Ichigo would argue against the idea. Even though she wanted to deny his offer, she knew that there was no point in opposing. She slowly nodded her head toward the siblings.
Their stares continued as if taking in what they saw. Their gaze slowly glowed brighter while small droplets of tears slowly appeared from Lisanna and Elfman's faces. They couldn't help but feel joy at the thought of having delicious food as they let out tears. They were finally going to have a full meal. Ichigo's heart felt warmth seeing their reaction, it was so genuine and content. He was glad he could help them.
The boy looked towards Ichigo and slowly raised his hand, grabbing the bags he was holding. Elfman realize how heavier the bags were despite how light they looked. He carefully but slowly placed the two bags inside his backpack, wiping away his tears in the process. He only barely managed to stuff the two bags but was incapable of stuffing the third.
He then gradually hoisted his backpack onto his back, attempting to carry it. At first, it was a bit hard as the weight of the bag started to tip him over, but he managed to stay balanced. Though he was able to hold onto the bag. The possibility of him carrying the third bag while having to maintain his balance seemed unlikely. Everyone quickly noticed Elfman struggling to carry everything.
"Need help?" Ichigo was the first to ask,
"N-no," Elfman was startled by Ichigo's willingness to help, but declined. Ichigo had already done so much for them. He didn't want to burden him.
As he reached for the last bag, his balance shifted to a wobble, before the weight of the backpack dragged him backward. Before anyone could react, Ichigo lunged forwards and grabbed his wrist to prevent him from falling, and soon pulled him back up.
"Don't push yourself." he calmly stated while reaching his hand to the remaining bag. "I'll hold onto this for you,"
"Y-you don't need to do that, I can do it," The older sister countered. Ichigo, on the other hand, didn't think it was a good idea.
Ichigo didn't doubt her capabilities. His mind just couldn't keep away from her arm and the "condition" it was in. He knows he shouldn't pry but it was something he couldn't ignore. If she was to hold the bag, it would be hard to protect herself from getting her arm exposed. The frightened expression she showed earlier already proved the fact that she didn't want others to see. It is probably better not to risk that exposure again.
"It's fine, I have nothing else to do,"
Because Ichigo decided to help, they had no other choice but to lead him to where they were staying. They appreciated Ichigo's help as they walked for a couple of minutes. But the eldest sister still had a question regarding Ichigo's actions.
"Why did you buy this for us?"
She admitted that it was very generous of him and that they were grateful. But as far as she knows, Ichigo had no obligation to do such a thing. He could have given her the 600 jewels and minded his own business.
"Just wanted to help," he replied honestly. He didn't need a reason to help them.
"...Thank you,"
"Don't mention it,"
Immediately after finishing his sentence, Ichigo's stomach suddenly growled. Ichigo stopped on his track while slightly twitching his eyes as sweat slowly emerged on his head. He couldn't believe it but remarked on the bad timing that was just created. He was so blinded by helping others that he had forgotten about his needs. He hopes the noise was not loud enough for them to hear.
Now realizing the problem he might have created, Ichigo nervously glanced back at the three, only for them to look back in return. They clearly heard whose stomach it belonged to. Ichigo could see them bewildered by the event, as they weren't expecting his stomach to make any noise. Ichigo said that he wasn't hungry, so it was hard to believe that his stomach would randomly start growling. Why did he lie about his situation? They all thought.
"Y-you said you weren't hungry," Lisanna said out of concern and shame. The sight of him trying to hide it for their benefit made her feel guilty.
"Maybe just a bit," he admitted, feeling bad for making them worry because of his dumb mistake.
Once they knew the situation Ichigo was in, the younger brother started panickily bringing out one of the bags from his backpack and presenting it to him. It looked like he was returning it to him. Even if Ichigo understood his intention, he couldn't see why he was giving so much back. It was overkill, to say the least. Nonetheless, he brought out a small smile at the boy's generosity and effort. He was a kind-hearted kid.
Elfman, on the other hand, believed his actions were reasonable. Though he was young, during their travels. The trio has seen different kinds of people and environments. From kind to ruthless, weird, loud, etc. One of them that Elfman thought Ichigo could share similarities with, is those who are seen to have an endless appetite. He thought that Ichigo might be one of those people who eats a boat ton of food and still feels hungry. To him, it explained his condition, as Ichigo could've just been holding in his hunger for their sake. Why else would he have not bought himself any food?
"..No thanks," Ichigo denied his generosity as he waved off his hand. Elfman dilated his eyelids in a response to his claims. Why did he not accept?
"But, you're hungry," the older sister pointed out, worried. She didn't see the point in declining when there was so much food to go around.
"It's kinda a lot for me, I can't eat it all," Ichigo replied pointing out how much food the bag contained.
He assumed that Elfman was giving the entire bag to him, in which case it wasn't the problem, since he could always bring it back home. But where was he going to store it? The last time he checked, his refrigerator was pretty full. Plus, it was for them, he didn't want to take it from them.
"B-but," Lisanna voiced out with a glum tone as she cast her head downward. They weren't asking for a lot of food, to begin with. So they didn't mind sharing the majority of the food with Ichigo.
Seeing the girl's upset expression, Ichigo's heart sank. The sight reminded him of Wendy whenever she would feel down, it was a lot more impactful than he thought. Feeling guilty for making her sad. Ichigo decided to stop her from feeling glum by accepting one of the foods from the bag. That way, he can stop his hunger, while not taking too much for himself.
"You mind if I take one?" He slowly pointed his finger at the bag.
They immediately shook their heads up and down, encouraging him to take whatever he likes without hesitation. Ichigo slowly placed his hand in the biggest bag while feeling the warmth inside. He saw a delicious-looking steam bun and decided to take it out. It looked more than enough to satisfy his appetite, he thought to himself. He couldn't help but gradually took a bite while flashing a small smile at the three of them.
"Thanks,"
Once Ichigo solved the problem he created, they resumed their stroll. Their way to the apartment was for the most part quiet or at least to Ichigo. The others, however, felt a bit awkward as the walk continued. They weren't too sure what to talk about. And because Ichigo is helping them, they didn't want others to see that they were using him for their benefit. Lisanna and Elfman would attempt to make a conversation, but it often didn't last long. The older sibling wasn't in most of the conversation, she was more distracted by the things around her.
"Something wrong?" Ichigo turned his head back while questioning the person. Ichigo could see that she was looking at her surroundings more often and walked at a slower pace than the rest.
The person in question took notice and proceeded to reply until her foot landed on an uneven concrete plate. Disrupting her balance and quickly fell to the floor. The sound of the fall was heard which caught her sibling's attention.
Ichigo winced as his eyes caught the event that had just transpired. He certainly wasn't expecting her to trip so suddenly. The girl brought herself up. Trying to help her up, Ichigo's consciousness went back to her giving her a hand. He couldn't ignore the fact that the fall seemed painful.
"You ok?"
She placed her right hand on the side of her forehead before replying "I'm fine," brushing off the event. Her eyes squinted at the sudden impact.
While feeling worried, the emotion he felt was instantly thrown away once the appearance of her right arm was visible. His eyes shot wide open, unable to formulate any words. There, in front of him, was a monstrous hand. What he saw wasn't his imagination. And unfortunately, her condition was much worse than he would have ever imagined. It was a horrible sight and that's putting it lightly. The details he saw earlier were still there, yet there was more to it.
Not only was her hand and forearm dark with purple eyes all around. There were also veins sprouting out of the purple orbs as they pulsed. The size of her hand was also abnormally big and her fingers were sharp. His mind instinctively replayed what one of his guildmates told him.
"I've heard that this person has a curse on their right arm, resembling a monster of some kind,"
Was she the rumored person? What he was seeing did fit the bill concerning the rumors. Not only that, the size of her hand and the sharp fingers could interlude the whole train tracks situation. Although everything seemed to connect, there were still holes. How could this person be possessed by a demon, when all of her actions didn't resemble anything like one? He wasn't convinced that this person would hurt anyone even if he felt startled by the horrible appearance of her arm. Ichigo was more concerned about her well-being than anything else.
Both Lisanna and Elfman quickly realized his older sister's mistake and covered it with the cloak. She too caught on to what was happening soon after. Their faces quickly shifted to a fearful and worried state.
Before anyone could do anything. They were interrupted by Ichigo's voice. "We need to get you to a doctor," The boy exclaimed at a hurried pace, not showing fear and more concern.
The siblings didn't move but had blank faces filled with shock. Stillness filled the air as everyone around him didn't utter a single word. Ichigo, realizing the change in mood, glanced at each of them. Unable to understand why there wasn't any uneasiness or stress that was happening. Why weren't they doing anything? Ichigo's mind spoke. He could tell one thing for sure, it was not what they were expecting him to say. He didn't understand the reason for that.
Before Ichigo could voice out his unsettled tension. Multiple cries were heard off in the distance, it was quiet but detectable. Ichigo shot his head in the direction of where the voices originated, he didn't know why, but the sudden change in the atmosphere alerted his instincts. Something was clearly wrong. The three bore confusion, not noticing the situation.
A moment of stillness, and almost eerie silence. An overwhelming blast of sound erupted and light engulfed the area Ichigo was staring at. The force threw the siblings to the ground, and they saw the light, heat, and deafness. They staggered to weakened knees, ringing ears impeding their balance. Lisanna and Elfman instinctively covered their ears and screamed in unison while the older sister rushed to protect them from the gust of wind.
Ichigo covered his face with his arm but managed to see bits of furniture land on the floor, withering away by the flames. While huge chunks of the structures and buildings were missing altogether. He was paralyzed, as he heard shouting and a sickening boom in front of him, and saw scattered bodies laying there, lifeless. Ichigo could only stand there, unable to comprehend who caused the eruption.
His gaze was directed at a small figure slowly walking past the flames. It came out of the flames to reveal its hideous face, large red eyes, and sinister horns on its head. Added with its ferocious fangs, withered wings, and dark purple claws that were smeared with blood. Ichigo barely saw human elements in the monster. Though it was heavenly overshadowed by its monstrous appearance. The only detail that wasn't freakish was a black but misty rope that was wrapped around its wrist that extended further than Ichigo could see. Was it a puppet?
Both Elfman and Lisanna unfortunately glanced at the creature. Fear instantly consumed them as they somewhat understood the situation. They held onto their sister for dear life. The older sister was in the same boat but unlike them, she positioned herself in hopes of protecting her siblings. Her fear was visible but still bore a protective exterior.
The creature gradually moved closer to where Ichigo was, not paying mind to its surroundings with the full intention of slaughtering more. The two were on guard expecting the foe to launch an attack. Regardless, their assumption diminished when its movement suddenly halted when its eyes made contact with Ichigo's. The thing jerked its head numerous times while hissing, slowly formulating words. It pulled up its arm and pointed at Ichigo with its sharp nail. its screeching and distorted voice were directed at Ichigo.
"SHINIGAMI"
Ichigo widened his eyes and his composure cracked, showing an incredulous expression. No one should understand Ichigo's situation or his existence. Ever since he came to this world, the word had never once been uttered to him. What made things worse was that he never told anyone about the subject.
Shinigamis don't exist in this world. From the countless pieces of information he gathered, there was never once a mention of it. But the monster showed no hesitation in its words. Which deliberately told him that it knew Ichigo's existence. For some reason or another, this thing was aware of shinigami.
The matter had now clearly gotten worse. Ichigo didn't know what the thing was while the beast knew about him. He furrowed his eyebrows as he clenched his hands. A serious exterior slowly made its way soon after.
Whatever this thing was, it knew more than anyone else.
"Who the hell are you"
Hi, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry that it took me so long to post another chapter. Midterms have been a pain and homework has been stacking up. I didn't realize that more than a month had passed and it doesn't help that I procrastinate most of the time. So thank you for waiting patiently for the new chapter. I hope you enjoyed it.
Also, I was surprised that I received so many nice comments for chapter 13. Thank you for your nice feedback. My plan moving forward is to post 1 chapter once a month (that's the plan anyway, 99% sure I'm gonna fail without even trying). Hopefully, I'm able to start in December.
As always I hope you have a good day.