(A/N: And now Ichigo will see the other difference of this alternate reality, "his" high school class. What will he find? Thanks to my BFF Xeonico for helping me with the production of this chapter. I don't think I could've written this so well without his help with the outline. By the way this chapter is incredibly long so if you don't have the time don't start reading you're going to want to sit down with a lot of time on your hands and soak in every bit of information. This is a very serious chapter.)
Disclaimer: Kubo is the owner of Bleach
Ichigo's pov
I woke up the next morning hardly remembering anything that happened yesterday and when the sight of my room was the usual sight it always was, I thought that maybe it was all just a dream and my dad would come pouncing on my stomach any moment with a rude awakening and Rukia would be yelling at me to get my ass up and go to school. Either that or Kon would probably bother me. Suddenly there was a knock at the door.
"Ichigo," I recognized the voice.
I whispered "Mom," So yesterday wasn't a dream after all, what should I call her, calling her okaa-san when were not related in this world would seem awkward and calling her by her first name or Kurosaki-sama would feel uncomfortable, but I really don't have any other choice.
"Yeah?" was all I called out.
"Would you Pancakes or Waffles for breakfast."
"Waffles are fine,"
"You want them crisp?"
"Sure,"
"Eggs on the side?" she wanted to know.
"Scrambled please," I responded.
"Mmkay they'll be ready in a little bit." I heard the footsteps leaving the door. "Phew," I relaxed no awkward interaction. Come to think of it where was Rukia normally she was in my closet, maybe she was already up? That was when I just realized, I really didn't have any clothes other than what I was wearing yesterday and I hardly fit in to my dad's size. I slid out of bed and noticed a large box off near the small corridor that led into the bedroom. There was a tag.
I didn't know whether or not you had any clothes and since I don't think you could fit into Ishin's size I went out and bought you some clothes while you, Rukia and Yuzu were out. Stay as long as you'd like here.
-Masaki
There was a heart next to her name. She may not be my Mom in this world, but she was still acting motherly. She was always so thoughtful.
"Thanks Mom," I said opening the boxes and changing into a school uniform. Everything seemed to be in order. I patted myself down to make sure I had everything and headed downstairs. I was right Rukia was already up and about.
"Morning Ichigo-san," she said her eyes still fixated on the television. Did she have to use the honorific, it kind of made me feel awkward. I sat down on the couch next to her.
"Where's Yuzu?" I asked.
"Oh yeah, I guess things are kind of different for your morning since your living without both parents." She said. True enough.
"Okay so what's the usual routine?" I asked.
"Well normally everyone wakes up on their own before this time so Ishin usually drives Karin and Yuzu to school after they've had breakfast and I go with them, but since I'm transferring to the High School, I'll be walking there with you." She said. "Mrs Kurosaki wanted to know if she should wake you when were all up, but I told her to let you sleep until the last possible minute." Honorifics and being nice, I could get used to a Rukia like this.
"Ichigo! Rukia! Breakfast is on the table." My "mom" called from the kitchen. Come to think of it this would be the first time I would actually see her. Since yesterday I only heard her voice. I walked into the kitchen as two large plates of waffles were placed on the table, one for me, one for Rukia. The only difference was that my plate had eggs. My mom was just as I remembered her she was still so beautiful, living six extra years hadn't changed her a bit. I smiled as I watched her wash what I could only guess were dad, hers and Yuzu's places. "You kids eat up your fill," she said, "you'll need your strength as high school students." I couldn't help, but notice that my Mom was a little shaken up at the words high school students. I checked my watch there was still a good 30 minutes before I normally left for school.
"Thanks for breakfast," I said to her after I was done, as I began to wash off my plate, "You need any help with the dishes."
"Oh it's okay Ichigo, I can handle them myself." I ignored her cheery demeanor.
"I noticed," I said as I inspected my plate "That you almost swallowed the word high school students is something wrong?" I tried to avoid using a title any I choice would be awkward for either party.
"I that's…" she looked down sorrowful.
"What is it?"
"About four years before Karin and Yuzu were born, I…I had a miscarriage. If that child were alive now he or she would be your age Ichigo."
So that's what happened, I was a miscarriage, "Do you wish you had a High School Student in the house?" I wanted to know.
My mom sniffed, "With Rukia-chan here all the time it's a constant reminder of what could have been." She looked at me it was the first time she had looked at me directly in the face.
"What is it?"
"I, you look a little like…you look like…"
"What, what do I look like?" what was wrong with her?
"You look a little like Ishin. You look like what the child I might have bore would've looked like if I bore a son."
"I…that's…" I tried to explain in a way she would understand, but before I knew it her arms were around me. I blushed, it had been a long time since I felt my mother's arms around me like this.
"Ichigo I…I almost feel like calling you my own son." She was crying.
"If you'd like," I said embracing my mother, "I'll call you okaa-san during my stay?"
"That wouldn't be weird for you?" she asked.
"Not in the least," I smiled.
"Oi, Ichigo-san, we're going to be late." Rukia called from the front door.
I let my mom go, "Well that's my cue, see you after school Okaa-san."
"Take care Ichigo," she called after me.
When Rukia and I arrived at school I noticed that Chad wasn't in his seat. Weird Chad's always here before me.
"Morning Kurosaki," Uryu said taking his seat.
Uryu saying good morning to me, that's different. Then again he had no real reason to overly hate me.
"Hey Ishida," I said turning back around. Suddenly Keigo and Mizurio walked in. Keigo's head smelled of toilet water and Mizurio had marker drawn on his face, but he didn't seem to care.
Uryu sighed, "Arisawa-chan's at it again it seems."
Huh Tatsuki did this to them. I watched as I heard plodded footsteps walk over to the door. Tatsuki looked as punkish as she had Yesterday and seemed to be chewing on some gum. Chizuru then began to walk into class and I couldn't believe my eyes as Tatsuki stuck her foot out and deliberately tripped her. And then spat out her gum into the trash can several feet in front of her. I got up from my seat and put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it.
"What the hell are you doing?" I demanded to know.
"Take your hands off me," she scowled.
"Not until you apologize to Chizuru." I told her. Everyone gasped. Tatsuki threw a punch at me. I dodged and gripped my arm around the base of her shoulders so that her arms were trapped, but she could still breathe.
"Let me go," she demanded in a grunt, flailing and struggling.
"What the hell is your problem?" I exasperated. Tatsuki never acted this animalistic.
"Both of your behave yourselves, I don't think you'd want to earn yourself detention on your first day Kurosaki." Ichigo let Tatsuki go. Before Tatsuki whispered to him, "We'll finish this at lunch."
I took my seat as Sensei walked into the room taking the class roster. I was surprised when she went right through the 'I's without once calling Inoue and the same for the going through the 'S's without calling Chad's name either. (A/N: Chad's real full name is Yasutora Sado) Chad I had no idea about, but I'm sure Tatsuki knew about Inoue. I looked over to her, only to receive a death glare.
At the sound of the lunch bell I went to the roof like I always did for lunch and promptly got a foot connected into my face. It was Tatsuki.
"Ah what the hell is wrong with you?" I asked rubbing my face where she kicked.
"I told you we'd finish this at lunch." She said. She was now wearing fingerless gloves that she hadn't been wearing in class, but she had worn them yesterday when the hollows showed up.
"I really don't want to fight," I shouted.
"Chicken?" she baited.
I didn't bite, "What does this have to do with me being chicken or not if I really wanted to fight you I would've kicked your ass earlier, but that's not why I'm here." I told her sternly.
"Enough excuses," she shouted and came charging at me. I sidestepped and made sweeping kick sending Tatsuki rolling forward. She collapsed on her chest as her legs kicked up in the air from the sudden stop of momentum. "What the hell is your problem?" she shouted turning around and getting up.
"What is your problem? Why are you abusing your fellow classmates?" I asked her scowling.
"Because I can. I told you yesterday you try being a goody two shoes after not having any friends for six years." She growled.
I'd had enough time beating around the bush, time to get to the root of the matter, "What about Inoue why don't you include her as a friend?" I asked her. Tatsuki reacted as though I had just stepped on an emotional landmine.
"Don't you EVER mention her name, like you know ANYTHING about her!" She shrieked at the top of her lungs. She put almost everything she had into the punch she just threw at me. I grabbed her wrist and her attack stopped inches from me as steam came off her fist. She was panting. Tatsuki almost sounded as if she wanted to cry.
"I knew you still knew her," I sighed in relaxation.
Tatsuki seemed to calm down for the most part, she wrenched her wrist from my grip and dusted herself off. She looked at the ground in sorrow, "In your world how do you know her?" she asked.
"Through you," I answered, "She's a very important person to both of us, when I went to rescue Rukia she came with me." Tatsuki said nothing, but I could hear her gulp to hold back tears. "Where is she?" I asked calmly.
Tatsuki sounded like she wanted to crawl into a corner as she said "Karakura General Hospital, mental care ward."
I was in utter shock, What? Wait hold on what? Inoue's where?
I had to see her now. I grabbed my badge, slammed it into my chest and took off into Shinigami form towards the hospital. When I got to the hospital grounds Tatsuki had managed to catch up with me and carrying my body.
"If you want to see her that badly," she spoke in a friendly tone, "I visit her afterschool every day."
I looked at her, and then Shunpoed to the rooftop and entered through the stairs at the top. I ran down the stairs following the signs to the mental care ward. What the hell is she doing in a place like that? I screamed in my head. When I got to the care ward Tatsuki was just entering I got in right before the door closed and some papers went flying as I entered. Since people believed Tatsuki to be the last one to enter she had to pick them up and then looked at me. She was scowling, but then eased her gaze,
"If you want to see her that badly follow me and don't make any sudden movements." She whispered. I followed closely behind Tatsuki as she approached the front desk.
"Oh Arisawa-chan you're awfully early," the nurse smiled.
"Er yeah, I had an errand to run for the teacher here so while I was here I thought I might drop by," she smiled.
"Orihime-chan will probably be happy to see you here early," follow me. We followed close behind the nurse and she fumbled for the key to the door. Inoue was dressed in a Hospital nightgown and was staring at the wall. She was sitting in a chair her right arm resting on the right arm rest and her left arm in her lap. There was a bench on the other side of the room for visitors. The nurse opened the door. I slipped in front of Tatsuki using Shunpo and Tatsuki walked in. The nurse shut the door.
"Hi Orihime-chan," Tatsuki said in a high pitch as though talking to a little kid. Inoue looked in our direction, her eyes were completely devoid of life as though she was an empty shell.
What, what had happened to her, why, why was she like this, what what could've happened?
"How are you feeling today Orihime-chan?" Tatsuki asked standing near her. Inoue promptly ignored her and stood up, "Eh?"
Orihime staggered forward her left foot dragging and her right foot not locking properly during her steps. I looked at her lifeless eyes, Is she, she's looking right at me, she's walking towards me, but I, I know she can't even see me, even if she could see me she doesn't know me. Orihime made her way over to me and promptly ran a hand down my chest. Her touch was so cold and lifeless. Even though she couldn't see me, even though she didn't know me, somehow someway, she still knew I was standing here. She stroked a hand across my cheek. There was no mistaking it, she knew I was standing here, somehow. I started to cry. You don't know me here, you can't see me, and yet you know that I'm standing here. Tears were almost freefalling from my face. How, what had caused her to become like this, what could've done this to her. Tatsuki put her hands on Orihime's upper arms.
"What are you doing Orihime-chan there's nothing there?" Tatsuki probably thought she was helping Inoue since only she could see me, but I knew from the way she touched me just now that she knew that I was standing here and she wasn't afraid of me either. Inoue's legs began flailing as she fought back against Tatsuki's grip.
This is so sad, the tears were falling non-stop now.
"Orihime-chan, calm down, it's okay it's me it's Tatsuki, please calm down." Tatsuki's pleading helped Inoue become relaxed again. "I know why don't we go visit Sora, that always seems to make you feel better."
Sora, her brother? Was he alive? Did he…did he do this to her?
"Stay put Orihime-chan," Tatsuki asked politely. She went over to the corner and unfolded a wheelchair.
She needs a wheelchair? What the hell? This is too much. What the hell? Tatsuki wheeled the chair over to her.
"Come on we'll go visit your brother Orihime-chan." Inoue looked at the wheelchair and the smile on Tatsuki's face and sat down. Tatsuki opened the door and wheeled Inoue out, I followed. "Let's get you signed out, kay?" I watched as Tatsuki signed a sheet of sorts and then grasped hold of the wheelchair again. We got in the elevator and went outside. I followed them to wherever it was they were going. And then I would ask Tatsuki what happened to her. As we walked I knew that we weren't traveling in the direction of the house where Inoue and Sora used to live. In fact we seemed to be heading closer to Karakura Cemetary. In fact we were. I followed Tatsuki as she wheeled Inoue over to Sora's gravestone.
So he was still dead then what the happened to her?
"We're here with Sora Orihime-chan," Tatsuki said. Inoue promptly got on her hands and knees and began looking around for something. Tatsuki turned towards me, "Every time we come here she always gets on her hands and knees and picks some flowers and stones and then places them near Sora's grave. It's like a ritual for her."
"What happened to her?" I asked. (A/N: I know Tatsuki met Orihime after she lost Sora in canon, but just pay attention)
"Well I met Orihime-chan a long time ago. When we first met she was the only thing keeping me from giving into the punk I am now. Her innocence, I guess you could say helped a lot with that. She found me one day as I was coming home from Martial Arts training. I had gotten stuck in the rain and my parents had been late in picking me up. I soon became lost and was soon dragging myself along the ground, tired and hungry. Then I saw her."
Flashback
Tatsuki's povI saw a small girl, just about my age standing in the rain with an umbrella. She had long orange hair with a yellow umbrella and matching raincoat and teal boots. I crawled over to her.
"Oh my," she gasped when she saw me, "What are, what's why are you crawling along the ground like that."
"I'm hungry," I groaned sniffing, "and lost."
"I'm lost too," the girl said, "My brother told me to wait by the store for him for a few minutes, but I haven't seen him in a while. And I wandered off and now I can't find him. So I've been waiting here for him to find me." She extended her hand, "I'm Orihime"
"I'm Tatsuki," I said with a gravelly voice. Orihime pulled her hood up and handed me her umbrella.
"Here, I wouldn't want you to get anymore wet than you already are." As we sat on the ground together we began talking to each other I don't know how long it was before Sora and my parents finally found us and since then Orihime and I were close.
End Flashback Ichigo's pov
"About a few years later, Sora had an accident while driving. He was transferred over to the Kurosaki clinic. And he died there. Orihime-chan was with him with the police when it happened. When she saw Sora she became grief stricken and when she learned that she died she became very withdrawn. She was never the same again she and she withdrew into this Catatonic state she's in now. Ever since I knew about her transfer I visit her every day, hoping that one day she'll come back out of her shell." Tatsuki was practically smiling with hope by the end of her story. Inoue finally came back to the grave and lightly sprinkled the grave with her findings. It was in such disarray, Inoue always took such pride in the order of things. This was all too much to bear. "Well I'm going to take Orihime-chan back to the hospital," Tatsuki announced.
"You go, I'll catch up," I said.
"Kay, let's go Orihime-chan."
I just stood there looking at Sora's gravestone looking at the memorial Inoue had placed for him. Damn it if I had been there when she was grieving she wouldn't have wound up like this. Damn it, why, this all wrong. I always thought it was weird that Inoue wasn't mentioned until Tatsuki spoke about her at lunch, but I didn't know it meant this. Tears returned to my face, Why Inoue, why did you become like this, was I really that much of a help to you when you were grieving. What's so different? Damn it! I can't bear to see her like this, so lifeless, so empty. Damn it!
The wind blew across my face. Tatsuki and Inoue were long gone. I decided to take the time to look around at the other gravestones, walking by each one and looking at the memorials people had prepared for them. Then off to my left one gravestone in particular stuck out from the rest. It was covered in dust and had nothing around it but weeds. I decided that the spirit of the person wouldn't be able to rest with his or her grave like this I removed the weeds and blew the dust away from the grave. I then looked at the name on the headstone. Seeing the name I stood up and backed away in shock nearly tripping over the gravestone behind me, panting in fear. The name I just saw, my mind had to be playing tricks on me. I got on my hands and knees and crawled over to look at the name again. It hadn't changed it still read as follows:
R.I.P
Yasutora Sado
Grief struck me hard, What the hell, my eyes quivered, Is this some sort of sick joke. Inoue was bad enough, but Chad to? What the hell? What the hell? What the hell? WHAT THE HELL? My mind chanted over and over again. I punched the ground, tears coming down at freefall again. "Damn it!" I punched the ground several times over shouting those two words each time. Eventually I just ground my hands up into fists and cried. I heard footsteps approaching.
"Oh there you are," I recognized Tatsuki's voice, but didn't budge. "Huh, do you know that person?" Something in my mind snapped and I grabbed Tatsuki by the lapels of her jacket,
"I've had enough of this, what do you know, what do you know about Chad?" I shouted.
"Ichigo you're scaring me." She said shocked and scared.
"Answer me," I demanded.
She yelped, "Okay just put me down." It took my brain a few seconds to regulate what I had just done.
I put her down "Sorry, I lost it." I said looking off to my right with my right hand rubbing the back of my head.
"I'll say," Tatsuki said dusting herself off. She looked at the gravestone. "Oh Yasutora Sado. Yeah I heard about what happened to him, tragic story. There was this incident at the river a couple years back, some punks tied him up and threw him in. They're in jail now for murder, he drowned in the river."
I looked down the feeling in my eyes invisible.
"Ichigo?" For some reason just hearing another sound caused something in my mind to snap. I put my hand over my face and laughed like I had lost all sanity.
I began to talk, completely hysterical, "This is great." I chuckled, "This is just great. Why?" I laughed, "Why?" I was now bent over my palms face up, my fingers twitching, and an insane grin plastered across my face. "Is my existence so important to everyone around me that this is what would happen if I wasn't around? What the hell?" I regained sanity momentarily and just shouted out at the top of my lungs. "WHAT THE HELL?" I broke down onto my knees crying and laughing hysterically. Surely anyone, but Tatsuki and the others would think I had just gone insane. Eventually when I calmed down I just stayed hunched over in front of Chad's grave and spoke. "You know, back in my reality, Chad and me, we were inseparable. We were like a two man army. I saw Chad that day at the river getting the crud beat out of him. Chad wouldn't fight back so I rushed in and kicked all their asses. We then made a promise that we would fight for each other." I stood up and looked at Sora's grave, "As for Orihime I remember the time when her brother died. I remember how she was so shaken up over it."
Flashback
Ichigo's pov"Sora! Sora!" Inoue was crying
I walked over to her, "Hey don't worry, my daddy's the greatest doctor ever. He'll fix your brother up." Inoue stopped crying momentarily "I'm Ichigo Kurosaki," I smiled giving her my hand.
"Orihime Inoue" she shook it. There was a short pause when Inoue suddenly scrunched into a ball "Kurosaki-kun,"
"Yeah?" I asked accepting the calling of my surname and the honorific
"What if…what if Sora-kun doesn't make it?" she asked worried.
"Then I'll be here to support you. I hate seeing girls cry, even though I've only seen my sisters do that, okay?"
"Th-thanks Kurosaki-kun,"
End Flashback Ichigo's pov
I smiled at the slightly sweet memory. I looked over in the direction where my mother's grave would be.
"And you know in my reality, my mother's not even alive."
"What happened to Maskai?" Tatsuki asked.
"She was killed, by a hollow," I said and began to tell Tatsuki about the incident with Grand Fisher.
"Does Rukia know anything about this?" Tatsuki asked knowing that the Rukia over this world and I were close.
"Count yourself lucky," I said, "You're the first person in this world I've said this much to."
"You said you knew Orihime-chan through me." Tatsuki said.
"So I did." I stated.
"What history do we have together?" she asked.
"Where I come from, you're my best friend, my best friend since I was a little kid." I said recalling the first day I met Tatsuki. Suddenly we felt a sharp rise in spiritual pressure. It was a hollow a powerful one. Tatsuki got defensive, I grabbed Zangetsu.
"Come on out, we know you're here!" Tatsuki shouted.
"So the girl can sense me to, I get to devour a Shinigami and a woman with spiritual pressure. How delicious."
"That voice…" I recognized that hollow's voice from anywhere. It had been months since I had seen it, but to here it again brought back a lot of painful memories.
"What is it?" Tatsuki asked.
"Remember that hollow I mentioned earlier? Grand Fisher? He's here."
"So I see you know of me Shinigami," his voice called back out.
"Yeah I know you, but you don't know me, but that doesn't really matter." Finally I could have my revenge. Even though it's the wrong Grand Fisher, I'll be doing this world a favor and I can blow off steam. "Stand back Tatsuki, this guy's mine!" I announced with a confident smirk.
"You seem to be very confident in your powers Shinigami."
Payback time, I thought to myself and shouted, "Bankai!" I added my hollow mask on top of that. My reiatsu was so overwhelming Grand Fisher's camouflage was completely disabled and he seem to be in pain under the weight of my reiatsu.
"Too strong," he grunted, "have to retreat," he was trapped in my reiatsu. This was going to be over soon.
"Well would you look at that," I smirked, "I remember when you actually used to be stronger than me, but I guess that just goes to show, how much stronger I've gotten since then." I rushed towards Grand Fisher and kicked him up into the air. I followed after him. He was still revolving in place when I made to annihilate him. "Farewell," I raised my sword above my head and shouted, "Getsuga Tensho!" A bright flash of black light engulfed everything in front of me and when it dissipated Grand Fisher was gone, completely. I lowered back to the ground to Tatsuki. She and I walked to leave the cemetery and she showed me that she had been carried my body here for me. I got back into it.
"Ichigo-san, Arisawa-san," I recognized Rukia's voice as she came rushing forward. "Are you two all right?" she asked.
"Yeah we're fine," I said.
"Just getting to understand each other a little more," Tatsuki smiled.
"Well good you two can tell me all about it," she handed us each a green slip of paper, "While I walk your butts back to detention." She said.
"Man again?" Tatsuki grumbled.
"Detention," I shouted looking at the slip, "I've never got detention got detention in my life."
"Well there's a first time for everything it seems." Tatsuki sneered.
"Aww man," I sighed.
(A/N: Quite a freaky eh? I bet you didn't think that all the subtle hints of Chad and Orihime meant this did ya? I know Ichigo spent a lot of time with Tatsuki in this chapter even though this is an IchiRuki fic and I sort of made it seem like Ichigo cared a lot about Orihime, but he'd act that way around his friends no matter who it was if he saw them like that. That's just how Ichigo is. Let me know what you think of this chapter in particular. I know it was really angsty and tragic, but these are the changes that come into effect when you remove Ichigo from the picture entirely. What will I do next time? You'll just have to wait and see.)