Chapter 11
A Whole New World, Part One
It's both burning hot and freezing cold when Ichigo's body becomes aware.
He feels exhausted, impossibly drained as if someone sucked his soul out with a bendy straw. It takes him hours to find both the strength and the motivation to get up. He only makes it to sitting before his thoughts lose focus and he forgets what he's doing.
Looking to his left, Ichigo sees Zangetsu laying a few yards away from him in his bankai state, the chain on the end tangled in knots. Something about the sight confuses him, but he can't figure out why. He's covered in a layer of sweat and grime that feels like it'll take years to completely wash off. Maybe it will.
The thick woods that surround him create a cacophony of buzzing and trills that make it even more difficult to think.
So he sits. He sits and sits and sits until the sun that he just now notices sets. The first worthwhile thought since regaining consciousness passes through his mind. Once it's dark, he won't be able to find his way out of wherever he is.
That's what finally breaks him out of his trance. He pushes himself to his feet and wanders over to where Zangetsu lies. He picks the weapon up to put it away, but he's wearing a tee-shirt and jeans. That's when his confusion from earlier clicks into place.
He's not wearing his shihakusho, so he's in his body. If he's in his body, then why does he have his zanpakuto? Did he glitch out? Maybe if he left his body, he could reset himself? He grabs his shinigami badge from his pocket and presses it against his chest.
Nothing happens. He panics and tries again and again, still, nothing happens. If, for whatever reason, his badge isn't working, then he'll have to find Urahara or Rukia. Rukia… And then he remembers.
Oh, he remembers.
Images of a broken Karakura town flood his mind, his comrades - his father - broken down and bloody. He remembers Aizen, hunting his friends down like rats in a maze. He remembers the ultimate Getsuga, he remembers Mugetsu… but that's as far as his memories go.
Ichigo reaches his free hand up to feel his hair. It's no longer long, and he doubts that it's black anymore. He knows that regardless of whatever happened while he was unconscious, the battle is over. The air around him is too still, his being too quiet. Which side was victorious, though, remains to be seen.
Ichigo has no idea where he is, but he hopes it's Karakura town. Since he can't leave his body, he's stuck walking until further notice. Surrounded by trees, he has no idea which direction will lead him back to town. Ichigo decides to follow the direction of the sunset in both a fruitless attempt to preserve as much light as possible and as well as to keep himself from going in circles.
Thankfully, the trees break and he finds a dirt road before the last light of the day vanishes completely. As he walks, the chill of the night air makes him wish he was wearing a jacket before he left to save Orihime. That's the last time he remembers being in his body.
The light from the moon is the only guide Ichigo has while he follows the path. That's how he knows that he's not even in Japan anymore. There's almost always some form of light pollution. But if he's not in Japan, then where is he, and more importantly, how can he get back to his family?
Ichigo's legs and feet are burning by the time he sees a warm glow in the distance. As he gets nearer, he sees that it's a torch, two torches. There's a tall wooden fence with an open archway as an entrance. There's no sign saying he shouldn't, so he continues to follow the path inside.
It isn't long before Ichigo happens upon a small and decrepit wooden hut. The stones on the roof look as though they'll cause it to collapse in on itself. The look of it is definitely Japanese, but it's severely outdated. Then it hits him.
He must be in the Rukongai. He has to be, there really isn't another way to explain where he is. That could also be why Zangetsu - cold, silent - is held in his right hand. It doesn't explain why he's still in his body, or why he can't sense anyone, but it's the most logical explanation. And it's all he has to work with at the moment.
Even though he desperately wants to rest, he decides to keep moving. The hut doesn't look very safe, ready to cave in at any moment. Ichigo hopes to find a town, maybe even an inn before he stops. He doesn't think the few hundred yen in his pocket will get him anywhere in the Soul Society, but he's hoping that his shinigami status will.
It'll have to, it's all he has.
More lights appear in the distance. A weight Ichigo didn't realize was there lifts off his chest. Before he knows it, he's surrounded by multiple huts that increase in quality and number the farther he goes. He hears a shout and his eyes land on the form of a far-off person, a man, based on his stature and voice.
Ichigo couldn't make out what he said, but he doesn't care in the slightest. After being alone for hours with no knowledge of his friends or family, he's physically ravenous for social interaction of any kind.
They advance towards each other. The man isn't wearing the familiar black kimono, but Ichigo knows that he could still be a shinigami. He's hoping he is. He's dressed in a dark maroon kimono covered in brown padding on the chest, arms, and thighs. Some form of samurai then, based on the katana on his hip. The man's face is serious. As his eyes land on Zangetsu, he grabs the hilt of his own blade.
He speaks, a command most likely, his voice firm. Ichigo knows, he knows that his man is speaking Japanese, but for the life of him, he has no idea what the man's saying. Ichigo wonders if, like everything else around him, they speak an outdated form of Japanese here as well.
The man is still eyeing Zangetsu, so he must see Ichigo as a threat. Ichigo doesn't know if his powers will work while he's still in his body, nor does he have the mental or physical capacity for a fight. He feels like he's about to kill over just thinking about putting forth the effort. Instead, he lifts both of his hands up as slowly as possible while bowing forward. "I'm sorry," Ichigo says, trying to keep his words simple. "I'm lost."
With his head down, Ichigo can't tell what the other man's thinking. There's a tsk and a sigh, and then he speaks. "Come."
That's something that Ichigo can do. He cautiously lifts his head to look, but the samurai has already turned around and is walking back in the direction he came. He is either very naive or he no longer sees Ichigo as a threat for him to expose his back like this.
As they walk, the dirt path turns into a road and the huts turn into a village. At its center is a large home, a mansion compared to the wooden buildings surrounding it. The blood-red of the roof shingles is vibrant even in the dead of night. As they get closer, Ichigo sees more samurai guarding the entrance to the home's gardens.
The man guiding him speaks to the others in hushed tones. They step aside to let him and Ichigo pass. The manor has a private garden complete with a koi pond and stream. Inside the home, Ichigo's guided through many hallways before he's brought to a large gathering room. There are a few more samurai sitting off to the side.
Ichigo's eyes are drawn to the figure sitting at the head of the room. Despite the early hour of the morning, he's dressed in fine red silks, and the top half of his long brown hair is gently pulled back by a golden pin, not a strand out of place. His eyes are closed, but they open when the two of them enter, revealing sharp green eyes. They remind him of Ulquiorra. He can't help but shudder at the memory of their fight.
He's none-to-gently coerced into sitting before the figure. Ichigo's never been one for formalities, but he has no idea where he's at. All he knows is that the man before him is some form of a Lord, and he doesn't feel like getting his head cut off today, thank you very much.
The lord's face is just as stoic as one would imagine. He speaks first, but Ichigo's only able to make out bits and pieces. "Who… land…?"
He's asking for a name. There's only one person Ichigo knows whose name would carry any sort of weight if he were in the soul society. "Kuchiki Byakuya…"
If the name means anything to the Lord, he doesn't show it. "Your name?"
"Kurosaki Ichigo?"
The lord nods. His gaze falls on Zangetsu. "... Katana?"
"It's for protection," Ichigo answers, hoping that carrying a weapon isn't against some form of law here.
Apparently, the Lord can't understand Ichigo very well either. His mouth downturns a minuscule amount. One of the samurai, a retainer most likely, says something about being a foreigner. He's pretty sure there's an insult in there somewhere.
"Yes," Ichigo says. It's the best backstory he has at the moment. It explains his strange clothes, why he can't speak this Japanese well, and why he has no idea where he is.
"Good?" The Lord asks, nodding towards his blade.
Ichigo nods. "Very good."
He thinks for a moment, rubbing his chin. "Work?"
Work? For the lord? Ichigo doesn't know anything about this man. He could be a tyrant for all Ichigo knew, another Central 46 in the making. Plus he still has no idea what's going on. The lord doesn't seem to recognize Byakuya's name, so it's unlikely he's in the Soul Society… but if he's not there, then where else could he be?
"No, thank you." Ichigo bows, head to the floor. He's not above begging right now. "I need sleep and food."
"Yes, rest… my guest."
Thank you…?"
"Kawahara Akihiko."
"Thank you, Kawahara-sama." Byakuya would caulk at hearing him using such formalities if the Kuchiki head was capable of such a facial expression.
The lord waves his hand, a universal dismissal to everyone in the room. The same man that led him here leads him back out of the room. He catches the arm of a passing servant. They exchange words before Ichigo is passed off to her instead. She shows him to a small but tasteful room.
She says something to him and then bows, leaving the room, but Ichigo barely notices. Physically and emotionally drained, Ichigo's eyes are stuck on the futon laying in the center of the room. The servant returns, a change of clothes in her arm. Once she leaves Ichigo wastes no time donning the white robes. With care, he places Zangetsu on the floor next to him and crawls under the blanket. He had hoped that by now Zangetsu, or hell, even his hollow, would have spoken up by now, but both are silent.
Ichigo can't help but feel that he's utterly alone in this foreign and strange place.
The next few days pass by in slow motion. Barely able to communicate and with no knowledge of where he is, he spends most of his time in the gardens. Occasional servants attend to him, bringing him food and fresh clothes. His hands are restless and he cannot truly relax, even though it's the first time in years that he doesn't have an enemy breaking down his front door. He can't stop thinking about his friends and family and he hates this inactivity, but even someone as oblivious as him knows that leaving this safe haven when he has nothing to his name is foolish.
He's been at the manor for almost a week when the gardens' peace is disturbed for the first time. A few samurai are practicing with wooden katanas. Ichigo remembers them as some of Kawahara's retainers. They're running simple drills. It makes Ichigo realize that he's never been taught the basics of sword fighting, he's just run purely on instinct to get this far. And now that he has time to think, he also realizes that he's a child soldier, thrown into a war that was never his to begin with; used when convenient and abandoned when convenient. If Soul Society had truly cared for him, then perhaps they would've taken the time to train him when it wasn't a life-or-death battle.
One of the retainers notices him and stops what he's doing. He says something to the others and then makes his way over to Ichigo. Ichigo's back straightens and his eyes harden. The retainer must notice, for his own posture relaxes and he smiles slightly.
"Kurosaki, yes?"
Ichigo answers, "Yes... and your name?"
"Ah, Tanaka Kyosuke. You want to join us?" Tanaka asks, gesturing towards Zangetsu, who is propped up against his shoulder. Thankfully, as more time passes, he understands more and more of the historic Japanese being spoken around him.
Ichigo's nodding before he has finished processing the question. He grabs his zanpakuto's hilt and stands up. Tanaka's smile widdens. "Good to have you, Kurosaki. "Good to have you, Kurosaki."
"Just Ichigo is fine."
Tanaka pats him on the back as they reach the others. "Then Kyosuke is fine as well."
The other retainers are surprisingly friendly as they welcome him to their practice group. Ichigo takes the same stance as they do. Kyosuke is not shy about wacking his right foot farther out. It's for better balance, he tells him. They practice simple forward swings.
Perhaps... Here, with nothing else to do… Ichigo can focus on himself for a change.
