Less than a day had passed since the events on the Soukoyouko hill. She was awake now, safe within the fourth squad compound. Inoue couldn't take her eyes off of him. He was perched on the window sill back turned towards her. He was still on alert, watching, keeping his prize safe.
Finally after Inoue couldn't bare the silence she spoke. "Ichigo?"
He continued to observe the bustling courtyard. The fourth compound was full of injured shinigami and since there was no room inside the courtyard was the next suitable place to bring the wounded. "My name isn't Ichigo" his back still to the courtyard.
"Then... what should I call you?" Inoue asked.
"I already told you" he said stepping off the window. He was still in his bloodied black pants, but now he was wearing the whitejuban over his upper body, his muscles outlined by the crude material. He moved towards her , jumping up on the foot of her bed he barely disturbed the mattress. Inoue remained calm, she wasn't afraid of him. He stooped himself down to her eye level, crouching, he smiled wickedly. "Unless you already forgot"
Inoue may have banged her head pretty good, but the events that took place hours earlier kept replaying in her mind. "Ichi?" she cautiously asked.
"Ichi-sama" he was dead serious, the look on his face told her so.
"I can't call you that" she protested pulling her knees closer to her body.
"Why not? You feel unworthy?" he half-joked cracking a huge grin. Inoue was not used to this, his expressions were nothing like Ichigo's. The phantom barely frowned, or owned any of Ichigo's mannerisms. This Ichi character was quite odd, the way he presented himself in front of Inoue, he was a strange paradox indeed. He always had the same crouching stance, his head titled to either side. He wore a blank face most times, only changing when something puzzled him, but mostly Inoue noted the way he looked at her. It was the same way Ichigo had looked at her the last few days they were together, as though he were in love.
"No" she looked away fighting the urge to blush. "I wouldn't feel comfortable with that Ichi-kun" she offered an alternative. Ichi didn't object, he just smiled and sat crossed legged in his spot.
"What happened after I blacked out?" she enquired.
"Lots of things" he said tugging at the blanket. He looked like a child in that moment, Inoue supposed much of him was. This must have been his first time experiencing life long enough to learn.
"Please Ichi-kun, tell me what happened, why did you disobey Aizen?" she held tight to the blanket.
" Because of you why else" he replied casually, as though it weren't a huge topic.
"Did you kill Aizen?" she went on.
"Nope, that stupid dog of his got in the way" he said inching towards her.
"Gin?"
"Ya sure whatever. Orihime this is boring let's do something. You look well enough, perhaps they could use you to heal those Shinigami" he said raising his thumb to point at the window. Inoue then realized that a full scale battle had just taken place and that there were probably hundreds of injured people. She felt bad for getting the luxury of a private suite. She stood up immediately and walked to the window. She looked at the courtyard, full of bodies and fourth squad members. One extra hand would be of some help.
"Alright then Ichi-kun let's go" she said heading for the door. Ichi following after her. Inoue stopped in the doorway Ichi nearly bumping into her. "Wait, how did we get here?" she asked turning to look up at him.
"I carried you here" his simple response.
"And they let you in?" she questioned.
"Yea that captain lady gave me this room, said you would be just fine. Why are you asking so many questions, can't we go already" he said getting irritated, not so much with her, but he was anxious to see everything. Inoue examined him, he looked different than Ichigo, definetly, but Inoue noticed he had not changed drastically. He looked like a human, his complexion was fair, matching his reserved amber eyes. The hole on the side of his stomach and the tattoo on his back could be easily hidden, but it was the hollow mask on the back of his head that would alert every one of the change in Ichigo, not to mention the way the signature in his reiatsu was transformed. Inoue quickly closed his shirt, she wished she had his haori. Ichi looked at her confused.
"Okay let's go" she said hoping no one would confront them just yet. Inoue needed to know more about him.
Immediately after they entered the halls they could hear the moans of wounded shinigami. Gurneys had lined the hallways full of them. Some of the shinigami manned it up and sat there stoic, insisting any fourth squad members take care of other, while some of the less experienced shinigami cried their guts out, wailing loudly hoping not to die. Inoue looked at them with compassion and immediately got to work. She looked for the most dire situation and put her Soten Kisshin to good use. For now all she was concerned with was making sure that the shinigami was out of danger, once she was convinced he was okay she moved onto another.
Ichi stood not too far away from Inoue, curiously watching her use her powers.
"You come here and hold this" a woman said. Ichi just stood there, a frown on his face.
"I don't want to" he childishly retorted.
"Please Ichi-kun, help us" Inoue kindly asked, looking at him in the eyes. Ichi gave in quickly and went over to the fourth squad member and did as she told him to. The three of them continued this way for a few hours before the young woman finally introduced herself. Her name was Sakura oddly enough, both Inoue and Ichi looked at each other understanding the coincidence. Inoue instantly remembered the dream she share with Ichigo, while Ichi appeared to be distressed thinking about the promise of his other self.
Sakura noticed that Inoue was quickly becoming exhausted, so she told them to take a break and come back later if they felt up to it. Inoue would have protested but she thought it would be good for Ichi to get some air. Now to avoid bumping into someone. Inoue chose to take him out the back gates, so she quickly moved through the crowds trying her best to avoid the impulse to help the wounded. Finally they were out of the compound, the relief of fresh air fast on them.
"That was intense" Ichi inhaled.
"Yea" Inoue replied in deep thought. She was in a difficult situation. Sooner or later someone would see him and ask questions, sooner or later the 13 gotei would be aware of his existence. They would learn that Ichi was made by Aizen, or at least brought out by him for a purpose. What they would do then was impossible to tell. Imprison him most likely, or send him off to Mayuri for testing. Gods. She couldn't let that happen, something in her told her that she needed to be with him at all times. He might go berserk otherwise and that was an even more frightening thought.
The sooner came earlier than the later. Hanatorou rounded the edge of the building towing a wagon of supplies behind him. "Inoue!" he exclaimed happily. "I'm so glad you're okay" he said running over to them. "and you too Ichigo, you're alright" he smiled.
"Yea were both fine, just taking a breather" she said nervously looking at Ichi, her eyes telling him not to respond to Hanatorou about his name. Ichi may have been childlike, but he was smart enough to know what these subtle gestures meant.
"If you're not too tired, you should come to the inner sanctum, all the injured captains and vice captains are there. I'm sure Unohana could use your help" he suggested cheerfully for the first time taking notice to Ichi's appearance.
"Oh... yea for sure!" Inoue replied quickly hoping to distract Hanatorou. She also couldn't resist when it came to helping others. She would just have to find some way where Ichi wouldn't be involved. "I'll be right there" she bowed. Hanatorou did the same and continued on his way hauling the equipment along with him.
When Inoue assured that he was gone she turned to Ichi. "Ichi-kun you have to do something for me"
"You don't want me to come with you right" he sighed.
"Yes, but it will only be for awhile. I don't think I can go on much longer using my powers and you'll be safer this way" she explained.
"Safer? Yare yare, I don't need protecting Orihime. I say bring them on" he smiled.
"Please Ichi-kun. I don't know if you understand your situation, but I couldn't bear it if something happened to you" she begged.
Again Ichi caved, there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for his princess. "Fine" he looked away from her. "Where do I stay?"
"I don't know, I'll figure something out" she said turning back to go inside. She was in deep frustrating thought wondering just how she would hide Ichi. They walked through the halls, soon enough passing by the bedroom she occupied earlier. She stopped and turned back, walking inside she realized that it was empty. She wondered why no one had taken it, but decided this would be the best place to keep him while she went to the inner sanctum. It was actually a perfect place since it wasn't too far from her destination, that would put him at ease and she suspected that everyone would be too busy for the next day to come here and check up on her.
"Okay Ichi-kun, you can stay here and I promise I'll be right back" she smiled brightlu holding on to his shoulders. He only sighed in response and Inoue was gone.
The atmosphere in the inner sanctum was solemn. Twenty –six cots were always organized to be set up for the Gotei 13 captains and vice captains, but Inoue counted twelve of those cots occupied. Apparently the only ones well enough to be walking were Unohana, Shunsui, Hitsugaya, Mayuri and Byakuya. That only accounted for seventeen of the twenty six, excluding the insurrection of three captains, Inoue shuddered to know who the other six were and what happened to them. She looked around the room, trying her best not to take count of who was there, but she did see Shunsui beside Ukitake, a look of anxiety darkened his face. Byakuya was not in the room and Hitsugaya was talking with Unohana as she tended to Rangiku. Inoue was about to walk over to them, but was stopped when Kenpachi called out to her.
"Hey you! Get over here" his gruff voice demanded. Inoue quickly obeyed and walked over to his cot. "Yachiru" was all he said. Inoue looked to the bed beside him. Inoue's heart sank, a moment later she . had her healing barrier surrounding the vice-captains broken figure. The pink haired girl looked as though she was clinging to life and Inoue could feel it, she did her best to focus her powers.
"Thank you" Kenpachi told Inoue, the tone in his voice was unlike him. Gentle and concerned. It was apparent that Yachiru meant a great deal to him.
After an hour of the same process Unohana made her way to Inoue's side. The captain gave her a pill to take, Inoue immediately understanding it was for herself. She nodded her head and swallowed the pill instantly feeling the revitalizing effects; she wished healing was as easy.
"Where should I put him?" the man's voice was familiar. It only took a second for it to register just whose voice that belonged to. Grimmjow.
Inoue turned around to face the espada. He was holding an unconscious Izuru, Byakuya standing not too far behind with Renji on his back. Inoue put two and two together and guessed that Byakuya was escorting the traitor of Heuco Mundo keeping a steady eye one him. She watched Unohana motion for them to bring Renji and Izuru to the vacant cots.
Just then the phantom Ichi burst through the inner sanctum doors and appeared a safe distance from Grimmjow, sword drawn. "What the hell are you doing here?" he shouted. The Espada ignored Ichi and went about placing Izuru on the cot. Inoue got to her feet and ran over to Ichi standing in front of him.
"Please Ichi-go this is no place to be fighting, you'll disturb everyone" Inoue trembled, his reiatsu hot on her face.
"Then let's take this outside" Ichi's voice dropping a few registers.
"There's no need to feel threatened. His weapon has been confiscated, he's on our side. Although I have my suspicions, Unohana insisted that he be able to help" Byakuya assured everyone who was listening.
After a very long and tense moment Ichi lowered Zangetsu, his eyes still fixed on Grimmjow. Inoue quickly pushed him outside the doors and exhaled. "Ichi-kun" was all she could say. She couldn't even scold him.
"I thought you were in danger" was his defence. Inoue didn't say anything then, she understood then that although Ichigo and Ichi were two separate personalities, they both loved her.
"We should go" Inoue said grabbing his arm, but before they could leave Byakuya confronted them, Grimmjow standing just inside the door but out of sight.
"Don't go too far, once everything settles down the Gotei 13 will commence our reports on the recent battle, including the mystery surrounding your transformation" Byakuya ordered turning away. It made sense that someone as intelligent as Byakuya would know that Ichigo was not himself, then again it wouldn't take a genius to discern that truth. Inoue wanted to ask the eleventh captain what would happen to Ichi, but he was gone before she could speak. She figured Ichi was safe until the meeting, but hoped for the best when it came time.
The two of them left the compound hastily, Inoue aiming to put some distance between the two hot heads. They were in the streets of the Seireitei when Inoue turned a quiet corner and started to cry. She was tremendously exhausted, emotionally, mentally, physically, every way possible. The past few months had been brutal starting from when she was taken to Heuco Mundo all the way up till now. She hadn't rested all this time and it was starting to take a toll. Ichi was aware of this he quickly moved towards her and held her, she almost collapsed then but he was there to carry her.
He found a storage house and quickly found a decent place to rest. He sat down with Inoue resting on his lap. She was still weeping, her eyes red. She felt so lost, unable to think of her next move. She was tired of thinking, she was tired of trying her best. She was tired of being someone who she wasn't and for reason Inoue felt comforted to have him with her, even if he wasn't Ichigo.
"Stop being so worried Orihime. You women worry way too much" his form of comfort. He stroked her back.
"How do you know that" she quietly asked wiping her tears away.
"Cause I'm a god." He was almost serious about his statement.
"Ichi-kun, stop playing, honestly! How do you know all these things?" she speculated that he would continue to baffle her.
"Ichigo knows these things, so I know" Ichi explained tracing circles on her back.
"You mean you know everything that Ichigo knows" Inoue said.
"That's what I just said"
There was a long pause while Inoue pondered this. "You even feel what he feels?" she asked edging her way to a confession.
"Not exactly, I know what he feels, but that doesn't mean I feel it. I think that's where were different." It meant that Ichi had a soul. A soul that was deeply connected to Ichigo's soul. It also meant that his feelings for Inoue were of his own volition.
"And your feelings for me?" Inoue said looking at her hands. She had unknowingly cornered Ichi. He blushed.
"I love you" he declared kissing her cheek. Inoue turned red with him. "Even if I was my own person, separate from this body I would still have fallen for you Orihime" he clarified. He held her close. The two of them shared a silent peace. They soon fell asleep, Ichi's arms still sheltering Inoue; her head resting against his chest listening for the steady rhythm, listening for Ichigo.