Chapter 18
"Ummm, is this a bad time?" Before anyone could answer, there was a shrill happy cry. Ichigo brought his head out of his hands to look towards the direction of the cry. The shimmering and shifting lavender colored spat out excited sparks and reached out towards him. Giving a slight smile, Ichigo, held out his hand for the excitable child. Sora complied with his silent request and brought her forward to him. Taking her from Sora's sky blue arms that rippled like water, Ichigo held her up and bounced her playfully. Inciting her to giggle and laugh happily at the attention.
"Hello princess. I bet you have been trouble for everyone because your play toy was sick huh?" Ichigo asked her rhetorically. The only reply was a gaggle of baby words and laughter. Bringing Kameko back to earth he held her in his right arm and let her play and chew the fingers on his left hand. Which she happily obliged to doing. Yuko taking the new addition in stride, played with Kameko and continuing to cling to him. One of her hands never leaving his yukata.
The jade green reiatsu of Shin shifted nervously by the door, seeming to want to enter but was too scared to do so. Ichigo looked to the door way.
"Shin-san, you can come in and sit down with us." The reiatsu flinched at being addressed and flickered in fear, still not sure about entering.
"It's alright Shin. You can come sit by me." Ran encouraged and pat the wooden floorboards between Tadashi and herself. Tentatively, Shin inched his way into the room and nervously sat down beside Ran. Giving Shin a small gentle smile, Ichigo held Kameko to Shin.
"Do you want to hold her?" Green laced with moving ribbons of white reiatsu flickered hopefully and arms reached out and took Kameko from Ichigo's hands. Not even giving a cry at being separated from Ichigo, Kameko happily latched onto her brother. Both of their reiatsus fluttered joyfully. Shin pressing his face into his baby sister's hair and holding her close. Ichigo knew that he had practically stolen the child from her older brother and was more than happy to give her back. As long as both of them were happy.
"Thank you. For everything." Shin spoke timidly, his words slightly muffled from Kameko's hair. "And I'm sorry for acting the way I did before. I was jealous and angry." Ichigo shook his head.
"There is nothing for you to apologize for. I understood why. I had abruptly came into your life, lived here like one of you, took your time with Kameko, took your father's attention, the staffs attention. I'm sorry for not trying to talk to you sooner. I thought you needed and wanted space away from me. But we could talk now, if you would like too." Shins there speechless. His reiatsu colored with surprise and shock. Tadashi snorted in amusement.
"You broke him Ichigo. He doesn't know what to say." Aquamarine leaned closer to jade and lavender reiatsu. "And I wish you could see this. He's blushing. It's so adorable. Aren't you Shin?" At Tadashi's question, Shin sputtered at being personally asked if he was adorable.
"I am not adorable! I'm not! Right Ran?" Ran gave a light laugh. Amber reiatsu glowing with happiness.
"I think you are cute." Shin sputtered even harder and recoiled away from Ran, who only laughed harder at his reaction. kameko seemed to find it funny as she burst out laughing too. Shin blanched at his little sister.
"Not you too Kameko." Shin turned to Ichigo. "I'm not adorable or cute, right Ichigo?" The only Ichigo could do was shrug. It's not like he could see. He could only see a person's reiatsu, not their appearance.
"How would Ichigo-san know? He can't see." Tadashi reminded Shin.
"He just can't see at the moment. There is a chance that his eyesight will comeback. Let's just stay positive alright." Ran interrupted. Sora hummed in agreement and sat down beside his fiancé, entwining their hands together. Ran leaned into Sora and placed a hand over the silver reiastu of their child. All of them sat there in comfortable silence listening to the sounds of nature outside. Ichigo really wished that he could go outside. He wanted to bask in the sun. Before he came to this time, sun was a rarity. Now he can't get enough of it. Well it wouldn't hut to ask right? At that moment, a few stomachs protested at not being feed. Embarrassed laughs came from Shin, Ran and Tadashi. Ichigo guessed Yuko was hungry also.
"Sounds like some of you need to eat. Especially Ran, Shin and Yuko." Tadashi's reiastu lurched with fake horror.
"And what about me Ichigo-san? Do I not get to eat?" Ichigo snorted and rolled his sightless eyes.
"Of course you do." Ichigo turned to Sora, who perked up at the look. "Sora could you please have the chefs cook some lunch for us? It's noon right? Is it also alright if we can eat in the gardens? I would like to sit in the sun." Sora shot right up from the floor.
"Yes, Ichigo-san. I'll get right on it. It should be done shortly. I will also have staff set up the gardens for you to eat in."
"You are eating with us too. Sora, you can't leave Ran by herself to handle four children. And you can't count on me to handle them if they get out of hand." Protests from Shin and Tadashi assaulted the room. Sora's laughter floated in the chaos.
"Of course Ichigo-san. I would be honored to dine with you and my betrothed. I will be back shortly." Sora turned to Ran. "Take care of Ichigo-san, my love."
"I will." Ran replied lovingly to him. Sora leaned down, kissed her and then was gone in a flash step. Only a short burst of air left in his wake. Ichigo sensed that Sora's flash step attracted some attention throughout the household, but quickly died down when he reached the kitchens.
Ichigo turned back to everyone else in the room. They all sat there expectantly.
"Why don't we head out into the gardens?" Ichigo turned to looked down at Yuko. "Yuko do you want to go outside? You can pick the spot where we can eat. Is that alright with you?" Yuko nodded her head against his side in a yes. Ichigo looked to the others. "Is that okay with all of you?" The was a chorus of yeses from the group. "Alright then. Let's go outside." Ichi made the move to get up, and Ran and Tadashi were upon him. Practically lifting Ichigo out of the futon. He could do it by himself. Tadashi stood beside him with a hand on his right elbow. Ran had scurried over to his wardrobe. The rustling of fabric alerted him that she was getting something for hi to wear. She came back over and draped a heavy weight over his shoulders. Recognizing the weight of a haori, Ichigo thanked Ran for her thoughtfulness. Tadashi demanded that he wear shoes, but Ichigo refuted by saying that he wanted to feel the grass underfoot.
"That's a marvelous idea Ichigo-san. Why don't we all go barefoot?" A light sound was made as Ran's reiatsu moved to take of her socks. Shin and Yuko following her example. We all waited for Tadashi to remove his. Tadashi heaved a sigh, and grudgingly pulled his own off.
"Happy now?" Ran gave a light laugh.
"Much. Now let's go into the gardens." Ran quickly replaced Tadashi's spot at Ichigo's right side and led the way out into the gardens. The moment ichigo felt the sun on his face, the muscles in his shoulders relaxed a fraction. Relieving the heavy tension always set in his shoulders. With some help from Ran and Yuko, Ichigo was off the outdoor walkway and onto the garden grass. Ichigo was wriggling his toes in the grass for a moment, relishing the feeling it gave. How soft it was as it tickled his calloused, scared feet.
"You look happier already." Ran spoke softly. Ichigo looked at her.
"I am. I never had time to simply enjoy the sun or the nature of this world." Ichigo replied. The reply making Ran fall silent for a moment. Her happy reiatsu dampened for a brief second. It then became brighter than before as her thoughts were collected.
"Here you can enjoy it as much as you want. This is your new home after all. You won't need to worry about anything when you are here. All of us are your new family and we will always take care of you." Ichigo gave her a relieved yet pained smile.
"Thank you Ran. You remind me so much of them. You truly are the purest person there is." Ichigo told her gently, looking straight at her, then turned to stare up into the treetops where the wind whistled softly through the branches. Making the leaves rustle and call out.
Slowly, without much purpose, they walked in the gardens. Yuko was only just hanging onto his yukata as she looked around for a place to eat and then in play later. Staff members had found them, as they themselves were heading to set up a place for them to sit and eat in the gardens. They were young and excitable. Quickly inserting themselves into the group as they searched for the perfect spot. Both of them were twins, their reiatsu almost the exact same shades of color. The color of polished bronze. The older one had a slightly darker shade of bronze than the younger one, but both were equally happy to be there.
Something caught Yuko's eye, and she pulled Ichigo deeper into the heart of the gardens. Almost as if she could sense it too. Ichigo could feel it's ancient power from where he was as they walked towards it. Power from a time so long ago that he almost could not comprehend it.
The group popped out of the trees into a large clearing. Most of them standing there in awe as they stared at the source of the ancient power.
Dark mahogany brown reiatsu thrummed in the shape of an ancient tree trunk, and shifted to a dark green to represent it's leaved branches, that was not the tallest tree Ichigo had ever seen, but the way it grew screamed that it was the oldest of them all. It's powerful roots reaching deep into the earth and branches that shaded those underneath it's branches. Offering shelter and protection. Both from the elements and creatures. Birds sang high up in the top most branches, calling back and forth between each other.
"This place is perfect. Good job Yuko." Ichigo told Yuko, patting her head in congratulations at her fine search. The rest of group murmured their agreements at the perfect place for a lunch. The twins excitedly jumped into action, running right up underneath the branched of the tree and began bustling to set up the blankets and pillows that they were holding.
Everyone else made their way there, patiently waiting for the twins to finish. When they completed placing the cushions and blankets, the twins promised to be back with a table for them to eat at. And with that they dashed back towards the house, excitedly talking, even as they ran.
All of them settled down. Ichigo receiving the most help. His back propped up against the ancient tree. His haori wrapped around his shoulders. A line of cushions placed underneath him. None of which he actually needed, but let Tadashi pamper him knowing that if he didn't, Tadashi would feed himself. Not like Ichigo would let that happen.
The twins appeared again, and this time they had four familiar reiatsus in tow. All four excitedly rushing ahead when they entered the clearing.
"IIIIIICCCHHHIIIIIIGGGOOO!" Akemi and Katsumi shrieked happily. Yuko perked up from beside him at the familiar faces. Shin's reiatsu flickered in confusion as his head looked from Ichigo to the approaching children.
The four children arrived at the blanket. Stopping just short of running on it. Ichigo gave a small welcoming smile at them.
"Hey." That one word Ichigo said allowed them to spring into action. All four of them launching at him. Ichigo held his arms out from them, as they slammed into him.
"Easy. Ichigo just recovered." Ran gently reprimanded the children, who immediately withdrew at the mention of possibly hating Ichigo just by touching him.
Ichigo waved away their concerns with a nonchalant dismissal wave of his hand.
"I'm fine. Everyone is just overreacting."
"Am not!" Tadashi protested. "I am charged to take care of you, but this is just more than a job for me now. I want you to be safe, and happy and healthy." Ichigo conceded to Tadashi's logic and his sheer stubbornness.
"Thank you for all that you have done. I am honored that you will continue to watch my back." Ichigo said with a dip of his head towards Tadashi, who became flustered at Ichigo's words. Ichigo, himself, released as slightly weary sigh and gazed at the reiatsus of the five children huddled around him.
"Why don't you all go play? I'll still be here when you come back to eat with us. i'm sure that's why Sora sent you with the twins." There was a group of yeses to confirm his suspicions. The twins made it to the blanket and set down the large, low sitting table, in the middle of the blanket where it was easily accessible to all on the blankets. Ran thanked the twins, who bowed to her, Tadashi, Shin and Ichigo, then sprinted back the way they came.
Ichigo turned his attention back to the children who gave their attention to him.
"Go on go play." Ichigo magically brought out yuko's ball that he had snatched from the room under everyones nose. The children gasped in surprise and shock, before gleefully snatching the ball from his fingers. All five of them proceeding to dash away from him to play with the toy. Ichigo watched them play and kick the ball around for a moment before turning to look at Shin. Whose reiatsu was looking at the other children in longing."Shin why don't you go and join them? I'm sure they will let you play with them. In fact I'm positive they will welcome it."
Ichigo could almost see the confused expression on the boy's face from his reiatsu that swirled in it's own confusion. He gave a nod of his head towards Ran.
"Ran can take Kameko from you, while you go play with the others. Go on and have some fun." ichigo urged the boy, who reluctantly stood up and handed Kameko over to Ran. The other children had stopped when Shin had stood upend waited for him to approach them. Hikaru was the first one to passionately allow him into the group, stating that they were hoping that Shin would eventually joined them and let the old people talk.
Tadashi protested loudly to that comment, saying that he was still very young for how he looked. Ran chuckled as the children ignored him and continued playing. All of them laughing loudly, including Shin as he chased after the ball.
"It's good to see him smiling and laughing so much again." The statement making all three of them jump, as Akihiko appeared out of nowhere. Ran held a hand to her chest as her reiatsu fizzled with fear for a short moment before going back to the way it was before.
"Akihiko-san, please don't scare me like that." Tadashi snorted at her comment.
"Imagine if Sora found out. He would be making Akihiko-san eat leeks for a whole week." Akihiko's fiery reiatsu shuddered at the mention of leeks. Ichigo stored that little tidbit of information to use at a later date if need be. That Akihiko hated leeks. "Either that or tomatoes." Tadashi continued and Akihiko shuddered again. So he hated leeks and tomatoes. Good to know.
"I'm sorry for scaring you Ran. I did not mean too." Akihiko apologized. Ran dismissed his fears with a light laugh.
"Do not fear. Sora will not know of it. Now why don't you sit down and join us Akihiko-san." Ran said and patted the blanket beside her. Akihiko took up that offer and placed himself down onto the blanket with a sigh. Akihiko leaned back onto his hands as he looked up into the branches of the old tree. Ichigo followed his gaze, as he could practically see the whole tree. It's dark green reiatsu leaves shifting an moving in the warm wind.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Akihiko asked, not looking away from the branches, but somehow knowing that Ichigo was looking too.
"Yeah, it is." Ichigo agreed. No one there questioned how Ichigo knew that, but just accepted the answer for what it was. And Ichigo was grateful for that. All five of them sat there contently enjoying the nice day. Soon Akihiko couldn't take it anymore. Akihiko plopped down fully onto the blanket.
"Ichigo, you do want to be apart of this family right?" The somber tone in Akihiko's voice dampening the relaxed mood. ichigo blinked in surprise at the sudden question, then returned to looking back at the branches of the tree above him. He thought for a moment, and could feel the gazes of all three adults directed at him.
"I'm not entirely sure. I mean the prospect of being adopted by you now is not so bad. in the beginning, I was completely against the idea. I didn't want to burden you with my problems and I still don't. but staying with all of you these past two months made me miss those family connections I had. I know I will always miss my family, but I need to move on and staying here with me will help with that." Ichigo could almost touch the relief in Akihiko's reiatsu and the contentment that came along with it.
"Thank you. Thank you Ichigo, for giving us a chance. You won't regret it I promise." Akihiko stated sitting up. Ichigo hummed for a moment, a thought popping into his head.
"I don't know. I'm kind of regretting it already." Akihiko shot up in horror.
"Why?"
"Because of the party you will be throwing. Tadashi told me that any party involving Shibas end up as a disaster." Ichigo enlightened. Tadashi groaned at being thrown under the bus and fell onto his back.
"Tadashi…" Akihiko thinned from his spot on the blankets. Ran gave a little giggle at the present situation.
"You did it now Ichigo-san. I am never letting you do anything by yourself again because of this!" Tadashi promised and Ichigo blanched in horror. All three laughed at his expression and the mood in the air shifted to a happier one.
Sora soon arrived, with a line of chefs following behind him, and Chiyo walking beside him.
The chefs greeted Akihiko and went about setting up the meal on the table. Ichigo engaged in conversation with quite a few of them, who were all too happy to converse with him. Many of them talked about their day and how excited they were to try this or that new dish. Ichigo inquired if they were going to stay with them, but one chef told him that there was the other staff that need to be feed too, so they couldn't stay. Ichigo nodded in understanding and thanked the chefs for the wonderfully smelling meal laid out before all of them.
The chefs then quickly departed, and Ran called the children back to eat. Shin, out of breath, collapsed onto the blanket next to his father. the rest of the children made themselves comfortable around Ichigo. All of them leaning on him or laying across his legs as they panted for breath.
"What are you five doing?" Sora demanded as he sat beside Ran. The children giggled like they knew an inside joke. Probably did.
"We are just protecting Ichigo-san." Ichigo blinked in surprise at Hikaru's answer.
"Hikaru, there is no need for you and the others to protect me. It should be the other way around." Hikaru scoffed and applied more weight across Ichigo's shins, efficiently pinning him down.
"You get into to much trouble Ichigo-san. We are here to make sure you stay out of it by making it so that you can do absolutely nothing." Ichigo groaned and dropped his head back against the rough bark of the ancient tree. He really couldn't do anything. Not with the children around, they would make sure of that. Then there was also Tadashi, Akihiko and Ran to deal with. All of them combined would be a nightmare.
"All of you will be the death of me."
A shout out to:
Ice Salmons: Yeah he truly is a goof ball. We did't plan to have him just pop in like that. It just happened, but it works. And he will continue to be a goof ball.
Loli-Hype Ichi: The most we can say about that is maybe. Ichigo might fight Juha. It hasn't been decided yet. Thank you for the compliment. We are thankful that we added just the right amount of humor for that situation. We hope you enjoy this chapter as well.
Reverentwolf: Thank you for the compliment on the last chapter. The chapters will get longer when we go back to the one chapter a week schedule. So don't worry. There will be a sliver of romance, but it won't be Ichigo. Mostly Ran and Sora for now. And that's probably it. This is purely just a story for it's plot and not romance. Thank you for believing that we could add romance though. Ichigo will influence Unohana, but that will be later in the story. And thank you for enjoying our story.
Ziggysmallz: That will be coming up shortly. And that is something that we look forward to typing a lot.
netherhunter75: Yes, Ichigo does have a family now. Hip hip hooray! And Shiro will come out fine(hopefully). And thank you for the encouragement. We really appreciate it.
amazinglion29: WELCOME BACK! We all really missed you. We hope everything is okay and that you are doing well. It's fine if you had not read in a while. We are just glad that you are back. So again we would like to welcome you back. Yeah, pure stubborn Shiba will, always making sure that one of their own is okay. No, no, no. Ichigo is not going to loose part of his soul. You don't have to worry about that. So don't cry. They are too dumb to realize that they could slowly release his reiatsu. both are just too stubborn. Yup, Yamamoto will both help and hinder Ichigo later on in the story. Oh yeah, we can't wait to type out the party and the clan meeting. It will be so fun to have Ichigo interact with these characters. The Shiba parties will always be epic and disastrous. It's Shiba tradition! Mentions of Ryodoji will bring down the party mood a bit, but he won't actually be there. Thank you for the beautiful compliment to us. You broke our account manager when they read this. They were prancing around and giggling like an idiot for almost half an hour. Had to glue them to a chair so we could discuss the next chapter. Thank you so much. We are happy to hear that from you. We put so much of our pride into making it go for you guys. The readers. We love hearing that all of you are enjoying our work. So thank you.
Thank you to everyone that reviewed and our silent readers out there. See all of you soon. The next chapter will hopefully be up in about three hours. Again hopefully. Might be a little later.
- The Crew
