Chapter 6: Hospital Adventure

Leaving the first floor of the hospital, the boys entered an elevator and began pressing all of the buttons. They decided that would be the most effective way to get the thing to move. When the doors opened to the next floor, Ichigo ran out first only for the doors to close on Shiro. Both thought the same thing at the same moment as the doors closed. Uh-oh.

Deciding not to panic, Ichigo began exploring the floor he was on. He found that the rooms were full of old and sick people. No rooms were full of babies or pregnant moms, or even his mom. Wondering around, Ichigo found an empty room and entered the room. Inside wasn't as empty as he thought. He found a man and woman on a bed naked, and in his mind that meant they were making a baby. Making a face of disgust, he quickly vacated the room and ran down the halls to another elevator and waited for it to open up for him.

As Ichigo was exploring the second floor, Shiro had finally calmed himself down in order to figure out what he was going to do. I'll find Mama. he decided with a nod to himself. She'll know what to do. When the doors opened to the third floor, Shiro found the walls decorated with balloons and pictures of clowns. He hated clowns! Stepping out, Shiro peered around the corner of the ward and found the halls slightly empty, except for a little girl in a wheelchair. Hoping to pass her by without being noticed, Shiro stepped around the chair only for his arm to be touched by the lightest of touches. Turning his head, he looked at the girl who was smiling up at him.

"Sorry, I thought you were my brother." she said still grinning up at him.

Shiro pushed his sunglasses up his nose. "Do I look like him?" he asked.

The girl looked him over before giggling. "Nu-uh." she answered. "You've got white hair like an old man."

Shiro growled in annoyance. Like he hadn't heard that one before. The four year old boy went turn away from her when she grabbed his arms once again. "What's your name?" she asked curiously.

Without thinking, he answered. "Shiro Kurosaki."

"I'm Inoue Orihime." she said cheerfully.

Looking her over, Shiro noticed the cast on her leg. Even though she was hurt, she was smiling. He also noticed that her orange/red hair on her head matched the gown she was wearing making it look like it had been done on purpose."Why are you happy?" he asked. "You're hurt."

"Because..." she began as she poked her forefingers together. "Because I got to meet you today."

A pink flush crossed Shiro's features. Turning away from her quickly out of embarrassment, Shiro yelled over his shoulder as he took off. "Well I've gotta find my Mama!" As he ran down the hall, Shiro could still feel the heat on his face from the girl's words. Going passed a nurses station, Shiro found another set of elevators. As the doors closed he decided that girls were weird and these funny feeling were the result of being around their weirdness.

Indigo turned around as the doors to the elevator opened up to a busy room. His eyes widening as he saw nurses and doctors rushing around. Deciding there was no way his Mama would be on this floor, he quickly pressed a button; unfortunately that was when a bed with a patient was pushed onto the elevator. A nurse was helping a man breathe as the doctor was talking to another nurse who pressed a needle into the man's arm.

Ichigo hoped nobody would notice him as they were busy with the man. He got his wish too as the group quickly exited the elevator with the man on another floor, which Ichigo decided to explore. This floor was bit quieter than the others he'd been on. Walking quietly through the halls he pressed a door open and saw seats in this room. Walking inside he saw a big window looking down upon a group of people. Looking down upon the scene, Ichigo found himself transfixed upon what the doctors were doing.

A man was on a table with his belly cut open. Doctors had their hands inside of the opened cavity as they spoke to the others in the room. The man had been shot, from what Ichigo could overhear from the comm system in the room he was in. They, the doctors below, knew where the bullet was, but were having problems getting to it because of a bleeder. Suddenly Ichigo felt another's presence. Turning he saw the ghostly figure of the man below. The doctors began yelling.

"Ah, it seems my time has finally passed." the man stated. "You seemed transfixed by my operation."

"My Daddy is a doctor too." he replied to the man.

The man's eyes widened before he chuckled. "I see." he said softly. "Was he one of them who were trying to save me?"

Ichigo shook his head. "No. My Mama is here having a baby, but my brother Shiro and I got lost." he explained. "Now I can't find Shiro!" he wailed at the spirit, tears forming in his eyes.

"Hmm..." the spirit said as he looked around. "Then I'll help you before I pass on." he said with a slight smile causing Ichigo to stop crying.

"Really?" he asked the spirit who have a nod. "Thank-you." The Two turned towards the door, as they left the operation room observation room, he asked the spirit. "How did you get shot?"

"It's irrelevant." the spirit answered as they turned towards the stairwell to leave the floor.

At that moment Shiro was currently being chased by a large nurse who had deemed him to be an escaped patient from the children's floor. Sliding across the floor on his feet, Shiro quickly made for a fast escape and opened a door into a stairwell. Upon doing so he found three orderly's smoking cigarettes in the stairwell. The three men looked at the pale skinned albino boy with shock as he ran between their legs as they tried to grab him up. At first Shiro had thought this was annoying, being chased that is; however, now he saw it a game. The longer he could keep away from the adults, the better he was at being avoided.

Running down the steps, which was a feat for a four year old, Shiro came to landing where he saw Ichigo and an old man. "Ichi!" he yelled as he came to a stop.

Ichigo looked up the stairs to see the nurse and orderly's panting. "Stop!" one yelled. "Kid!"

Ichigo grinned at his brother. "Having fun?" he asked Shiro who grinned back at him as he pulled off his sunglasses revealing that his black/gold eyes were sparkling with mischief.

"Yes!" he yelled as he answered Ichigo excitedly. "Who's he?" he asked pointing at the old man.

"He's a spirit." Ichigo answered. "I think."

Shoot heard the group coming their way. Grabbing Ichigo's hand, the two boys ran from the pursuers down the stairs and onto another floor. As they opened the door, they bumped into a man's leg. The man grabbed both boys by the arms. "Who are you two?" he asked in a demanding voice before his eyes widened as he caught sight of Shiro's eyes. "What the-"

"Ichigo! Shiro!" came the all too familiar voice of their father.

The man grasping them looked up. "I should have known these rambunctious children belonged to you, Kurosaki." he said as he released Ichigo's arm to push his glasses up his nose.

"Ryuken!" Isshin yelled out with cheer.

"Let go of my brother!" Ichigo yelled at the white haired man before kicking his leg.

Isshin felt sweat drop down his neck as Ryuken suddenly looked ready to murder his son. Laughing nervously, he grabbed Ichigo up. "You know how boys can be." he said before holding his hand out to Shiro."

"This boy," Ryuken said, "he's not normal." He released Shiro who ran over to Isshin, grasping his father's hand as he did so.

"I know." Isshin answered. "But we love him, even with his differences."

Ryuken stayed silent as he watched Isshin leave him behind. Yet it might be those differences that create the monster he will inevitably become. he thought as Isshin and the two boy's vanished into a room. Are you ready for the day you may have to destroy him? He began walking away. I wonder if you'll be able to do it? That is a day I'll be waiting for, because if you fail... He raised his arm, the charm with the quincy cross hanging from it could be seen. I'll be ready to finish it. Looking towards the open stairwell door, Ryuken saw three dumbfounded employees. "Get back to work." He ordered them. The chorus of yes sir was like music to his ears.

M-Angel: Yay! I got this posted on a work day! I'm so proud of myself! ^_^