DISCLAIMER: I don't own Bleach. Tite Kubo does.
CHAPTER TWO: EMBRACING THE SOUL
The arrancar still had her eyes fixed on the carrot top teen. It was as if a stray pup had been taken in by a Samaritan in a storm. However, in the little time she gazed at him, she sensed his reishi to be that of a Shinigami and instantly produced her zanpaktou, pointing it at him.
"Why did you save me, shinigami?!" she retorted.
The youth saw the emotions reflected in her gem-like eyes. Confusion, rage, sorrow and fear were omnipresent in them. His first taste was when Orihime was kidnapped. He knew the despair and that's why he knew his words could reach her.
"Because you were suffering. And as long as you continue to suffer, you won't manage to break free from your inner demon."
"And what exactly is my inner demon?" she asked still directing her blade at the teen. Ichigo's words roused the atmosphere to feel like that of a courtroom. Even Tessai, Ururu and Jinta peeked just to hear his reply.
"Absolute despair".
Those two words shook the mind of the deadly beauty like a snow globe. Her grip loosened somewhat, she began to sweat, she looked like she was on the brink of losing her sanity. She dropped to the floor on her knees as her eyes gave in to the waterworks. She cried miserably acknowledging the truth.
Just as she began falling deeper into the abyss of misery, an unexpected warmth clouded her body. When she turned to look, she saw the orange-haired transcendent wrap his arms around her, teary-eyed as he was already familiar with what she was experiencing at the moment. He held her in an embrace that clearly possessed warmth and comfort and it seemed to be taking effect as the blonde beauty simmered down bit by bit.
After finally cooling off, the arrancar beauty had given in to slumber from using her energy and unknowingly rested on Ichigo's left sholder. He remembered doing this with his sisters when they were younger though Yuzu still does it. He couldn't help but smile at this development but more importantly, the fact that she laid in his arms with no hint of resistance whatsoever.
"Oi, Pervy Hat, can you take care of her for the night?" Ichigo asked.
"Pervy Hat, huh?" daunted Urahara at the comment with a bead of sweat, "I can though I have to hide her from Yoruichi-san, otherwise, she'll claw me to death."
"Thanks. I'll be counting on you then. See you tomorrow."
"Very well. See you tomorrow Kurosaki-san."
With that, the two Shinigami departed ways, though Urahara looked towards the youth with predatory seriousness in his eyes, still wondering if the teen in his gaze was the same kid who recklessly fought Soul Society and won or a man who could very well be a transcendent who could change the hearts of man.
-The next day-
The whole day passed as usual. Keigo got clotheslined by Ichigo, Ochi-sensei's laidback tutorials, the same procedure and all the while, Ichigo had his mind fixed on one thing the entire time, Tia Haribel. Eventually, the orange haired boy caught the attention of his enthusiastic, adolescent friend as he skipped to his desk.
"Ichigo! What's with the worried look? You ate something bad? Or did you get dumped by a girl?" asked Keigo as if that last part was everyday life (well it was his actually) and with that, he received a perfect karate chop to the face, leaving his own version of the Grand Line across it.
"As if you moron. I'm just thinking is all."
"About what exactly?" asked Rukia, now magnetized to the situation.
"Nothing really. Just about stuff."
"Since when did you think about stuff?" retorted Uryu with Inoue and Sado behind him.
"The hell's that supposed to mean?!"
"Cause if you haven't noticed, you're more of 'act now, think later', kind of person" the Quincy said whilst adjusting his specks.
Ichigo turned red admitting it. He was a man of action and not much a thinker though thing went his way most of the time because of that. Meanwhile, Keigo arised from the pain grave and asked (though teasing) the most unwanted question any guy with secrets has:
"Maybe he's thinking about someone special in his life?"
*GUNSHOT!*
The teen was colored like his namesake. He lost his tongue briefly before he countered the crazy question with his usual yet convincing monologue.
"W-W-What!? Don't be an ass!"
Unlike any other day, this time the group were surpised by his reaction. They expected a loud, calm reply. Not a loud, ACTIVE one. Eventually, Rukia and Uryu noticed that he was nervous. (Way-ta-go Ichigo. That was so smooth a brick could slide on it…NOT!)
After class had ended, the group, still wandering about Ichigo's reaction decided to interrogate him tomorrow. Gosh, they like biting off more than they chew.
Ichigo, on the other hand, went on the route that led to Urahara's shop, like it was an ancient, primal instinct (or puberty as normal, boring people would call it).
"Ichigo, where are you going?" asked Rukia
"To see hat n' clogs. I need to confirm something" he answered
Rukia wondered what that boy was hiding. But she would find out later and make him tell her.
-At the Urahara Shop-
Urahara welcomed the god-like boy into his shop with his usual smile, receiving a mock scowl from his visitor but he threw the expression shortly afterwards.
"Urahara, how is she doing now?" asked the worried teen
"She' fine. In fact, she in the basement training." He replied
Ichigo made his way to the wasteland (literally!) of a basement to see a beautiful swordswoman lay waste to ginormous boulders like they were mere ants. Eish.
When the smoke cleared, she sensed a dense reiatsu from the door and looked to see if the shopkeeper was ogling at her again, fortunately, it was the orange-haired teen who saved her. She sonidoed in front of him. He stood still gazing at her. No conversation, no physical communication. Just silent acknowledgement. However, they had a crowd watching. Urahara, Tessai, Jinta and Ururu were watching the two in their moment.
"Ah, young love." Urahara finally said waving his fan, "So mysterious yet adorable"
"What about this case boss?" Tessai asked
The Shopkeepers eyes became serious under the shade of his hat. He sat up and replied to his 110 year long colleague:
"Just mysterious. And potentially dangerous."
-Meanwhile in Hueco Mundo, Aizen's Domain-
In the dark, silent corners of the castle, the sound of several Shinigami could be heard leaving the domain of the former comrade, now thinking it's time to move on and forget him once and for all. However, little did they know that hiding within the shadows were certain souls that denied death. They hid in every corner till they were sure they were secure.
"Damn it! Damn it all to hell!" shouted a horned, female arrancar before wincing at the pain from her wounds.
She was opening every drawer in the room they were in, looking for any form of medicare whatsoever. She savagely opened one and was relieved to find painkillers and didn't spare a second upon using them.
"Hey! Don't hog the medicine to yourself you bitch!" roared a cocoa skinned amazon.
"Please don't shout. You'll just bring in the Shinigami again and they will surely finish us in our current condition." Finally speaking the slender figure of the trio.
"SHUT UP SUN-SUN!" the other duo roared in unison.
"I'm only speaking the truth. So please stop with your nasty monologue. Especially you Mila-Rose"
"Huh?!" grunted the now identified amazon.
"It's about time you told her Sun-sun. The gorilla was screeching too much anyway-"
"You're no different Apache. No, I retract that comment. You're worse than Yami and Nnoitra combined."
That remark sealed the deal. Apache's face was painted red from the rage building up inside her. Fortunately, before she squealed her insults, she noticed a trail of blood leading towards the wall in the corner of the room and one thought processed in her brawn of a brain:
'HALIBEL-SAMA!'
"Halibel-sama was here! Look at the trail of blood on the goddamn floor!" she finally spoke.
"W-what the?! Wait. How do you know that this is her trail of blood?" asked Mila-Rose
"That's because it's the only secret escape route Halibel knows in the entire domain." Replied Sung-sun, covering her mouth.
"Oh yeah. That's right."
"Now that we know it's Halibel-sama, we should probably go now so-"
The snake arrancar was cut short when the sound of several Shinigami started marching towards their room.
"Are you sure it's the grotesque noise is coming from this side?!" one asked
"Yes sir!" another replied
The three stood there dumbfounded then Mila-Rose and Sun-sun looked at Apache. Their faces were blank but Apache knew what their eyes were saying:
'THIS IS WHOLLY, UNDOUBTEDLY YOUR FAULT!' is what would be their point of reason.
With that, Sun-sun pushed a secret button on the wall and a passage opened on the former. The arrancar trio slipped away into its shadows thus escaping their death narrowly. Upon entering outside the domain, they shared a brief, silent moment before engaging in their humorous argument.
"Next time, shuddup!" darted Mila-Rose at Apache.
"Were you bitching at me bitch?!" she replied
"Knock it off you two. Let's not waste any time bickering. We need to find Halibel-sama immediately." Said the snake arrancar behind her veil.
The two bickerers immediately ceased their fight (lame!) and without wasting any more time, opened a garganta based on their leader's spiritual imprint. They all took a deep breathe in, not sure where their leader and friend had gone and entered the gateway abandoning all caution, all for the sake of seeking the Shark Queen, Tia Halibel.
"GREETINGS Y'ALL. UNLIKE MOST FANFIC WRITERS, I DECIDED TO UPLOAD 2 OF MY STORY'S CHAPTERS AT ONCE. ALSO, I MAY TYPE THE NEXT CHAPTER WITHOUT READING REVIEWS SO PLEASE FORGIVE ME ON THAT ONE. SO PLEASE COMMENT, RECOMMEND, CRITISICE AND ENJOY MY TALE."
SUPREMACY118, See you in the next chapter!