Later in the day, Dumbledore left the Hospital Wing to attend to something. This left Ichigo alone in the room with at least a hundred unanswered butterflies. I'm going to turn mad before this is all done, he thought before crashing down, again, on his pillows. But he got up again and listened to messages from friends and family first.
The ones from his family had a tearful Yuzu, with some threats thrown in from Karin if he didn't come home soon. Those were about two months ago, he noticed with a wince. His shinigami friends had mostly left curses and threats like Karin did, although their language was much rougher and definitely louder. Of course, there was the occasional exception, like the 12 Division captain requesting a blood sample from Shiro and him, like he asked every week, the creep. His living friends had sent butterflies too, probably with the help of Rukia, and with each message his heart sank lower and lower. By the last message, he felt like Guilt stabbed his stomach over and over again, something he unfortunately had experience with. He had made so many people worry over him, and made his sisters cry. Ichigo felt like trash.
King, let me out already! Your head is making me soaked!
Sorrry Shiro, didn't mean to make it rain in there.
Come on old man, we're busting out of this crazy's head!
With that, both of the residents of Ichigo's inner mind appeared next to him, and both were soaking wet. Ichigo started as some water splashed on him, scattering Hell Butterflies. He grabbed some towel on the table next to him and tossed his Hollow and his sword a couple each. Hell Butterflies began to all take off and filled the air again.
"See King, your head is a mess. I blame you if I get a damn cold." Shiro growled before shaking his head like a dog. "Why don't we have a submarine in there?"
Zangetsu nodded in agreement. "Ichigo, make us a submarine."
"Can I do that?"
Shiro scowled at Ichigo. "Are you stupid? Course you can, it's your own mind!"
Ichigo sighed. "I'll get you one later. But you're going to help me out with these Hell Butterflies. I already took care of the personal ones, it's just the business ones left."
Hollow and Zanpakto glanced around them. There were at least fifty of the insects left, perched on every square inch. It was looked, to be frank, hopeless. Shiro began to whine. "I want to fight someone! Let's go outside!"
"Shiro, if you haven't noticed already, we are literally an inch from rock bottom in reiatsu. I don't want to wait more than I have to in building it up again." growled the shinigami.
Shiro stiffened. Apparently he just noticed that they were indeed close to running on zero. With such little energy, a normal fight would be over before it began. He let loose a stream of curses that would have made grown men blush like school girls.
"Fine, I'll help with your crap." He sat on the floor and held out a finger. Next to him, Zangetsu did the same. Within seconds, a Hell Butterfly floated to them and began to relay their messages.
"To the Substitute Shinigami, we have yet to receive a report from you concerning the ratio of Hollows and Pluses, from…"
"To the Substitute Shinigami, we have yet to receive a report from you concerning the percentage of spiritually aware in…"
"To the Substitute Shinigami, we have yet to receive a report from you concerning…"
"To the Substitute Shinigami, we have yet to receive a report…"
"To the Substitute Shinigami…"
"To the Substitute…"
"To the…"
"To the Substitute Shinigami, we have located your body in London, England. It will be held by Urahara Kisuke, until further notice. This has been done with the approval of the Head Commander, Second Division Captain, Fourth Division Captain, Sixth…"
"Ichigo, Hats n' Clogs has your body." Shiro told him in a dead voice. After the last fifteen butterflies, he would have ceroed them all if he wasn't low on energy. God, how did they make everything sound so boring? Did they hand-pick people with monotone voices?
Ichigo grunted in reply, busy listening to a different butterfly with a glazed expression. Only Zangetsu was really paying attention at this point. Both teenagers had heavy eyes and blank faces as they waved butterflies away and moved onto the next one.
Suddenly, the three of them perked up. Another reiatsu was approaching the hospital wing, and none of them recognized it. Quickly, Shiro and Zangetsu vanished back into Ichigo's mind as Ichigo drew the curtains around his bed again. Whoever it was, he wasn't risking being seen. All the reiatsus in the school were high enough to see him in spirit form, and he doubted the Head Commander of the Gotei 13 would be pleased with him showing his face to the living in soul form.
The doors burst open and an old woman in emerald robes strode in. Her hair was in a tight silver bun and she reminded Ichigo of some teachers back at home, the do-your-work-or-fail-the-class type. But she should walk away, after all, there was nothing to indicate he was there-
King! The moths!
Ichigo looked at the curtains. Through the thin fabric he could notice the faint shadows of three Hell Butterflies, perched sideways and standing out remarkably with against the white. The old woman noticed the butterflies too, and walked briskly towards his bed. She stopped a few feet from the curtain and spoke in a stern voice.
"Mr. Kuro, the Headmaster wishes that you are briefed about your situation in my office. And you are to wear a pair of student robes. When you are done, meet me outside of the Hospital Wing."
Professor McGonagall placed a set of student robes on a small table next to the bed and was about to turn to walk away when she heard a voice from behind the curtain. "Um, do you have a second set?"
She raised her eyebrows, but pulled out an extra pair she had been carrying and set that down on the desk too. She walked away in confusion. Strange how the Headmaster had asked she bring two sets, not one, for the boy, and strange how he requested the second one as well. The professor shook her head and left the room.
Although she denied it at first, she was curious to see who this boy really was. She had learned he was Japanese, and probably unstable from the magic draining in the Ministry. McGonagall had also known the mysterious sword that had accompanied them had vanished into thin air, like an illusion. The boy was strange, no doubt, and definitely had more secrets than not.
The doors slid open and two figures stepped out. They could have been twins, but for the fact that one was all white with black and gold eyes. The other had bright orange hair that could rival the Weasley's, and brown eyes that seemed to frown on their own. Both wore the black robes of a Hogwarts fifth year student.
The professor looked curiously at the white one. She had known there was only one they brought back, saying the other had vanished into thin air. So how had he been in the Hospital Wing? It wasn't possible to Apparate, and entering the grounds on foot would have sounded the alarms. So how, she wondered, had he entered Hogwarts?
"My name is Ichiro Kuro, and this is Shiro Kuro, my twin," stated the orange haired teenager. His accent was obvious, but didn't block his speech too much. The other one, his twin, simply nodded towards her.
She stood there for a moment before realizing that they were waiting for a reply. "I am Professor McGonagall, Mr. Kuro, Mr. Kuro. Please follow me to my office."
The old woman, or Professor McGonagall, turned around with a swoosh of her robes as walked down a stone hallway. Ichigo and Shiro both followed her down, having a silent mental conversation as they went.
What the hell, Shiro Kuro? What kind of crappy name is that?
Jii-san already knows your name is Shiro, and if we're gonna be twins we have to share the same last name!
But Ichigo, you two are technically twin souls, not just two humans born together.
I know that, but I'm not gonna tell her THAT, don't wanna reveal too much about us and the whole Shinigami thing.
Whatever, but Kuro? KURO?! Do I look like a Kuro to you? No! I'm Hichigo Shirosaki, damn it, not some Shiro Kuro! Hell, that thing rhymes too!
Too late to change it now, Shiro Kuro.
Damn you old man, I'm going in to pummel your ass!
Wait! Not in front of people! Remember, you can't go disappearing like you usually do back at home! These people don't know anything! They think you're my actual twin, not some crazy Hollow who lives in my brain!
Who the hell you calling crazy, bastard?
Ichigo, Shiro, is it just me, or did the paintings just move?
Huh? Are you going crazy too?
Both twins ended their conversation and snapped their eyes to the walls. They had passed a dozen painting already, but being so caught up in their talk they didn't realize an important fact that the painting next to them was having a chat with its neighbor.
Both of them yelled simultaneously, "WHAT THE HELL?!"
Professor McGonagall stopped in her tracks. Her lips were drawn in a thin line and her face was set rather hard. "Mr. Kuros, I would highly appreciate it if you two did not yell in the halls, especially during class time."
"But-the paintings- wha-" Ichigo stuttered.
"What the hell? They're talking for God's sake!" interrupted Shiro, pointing a white finger at the paintings, whose residents now stopped talking and looked at the two curiously.
"Such an odd pair of students," muttered a fat man to his fellow painting.
"A pity one didn't develop a cure for a Discoloring Charm yet, I mean, look at the white one!"
At this Shiro bristled. "What was that, you lump of paint?!" He made a move as if to punch the painting, only to be held back by Ichigo.
The professor sighed. She had had this experience with Muggle-born students, although none of them reacted so violently towards the moving pictures.
"Wizards have developed a potion that, when a picture is dunked in it, allows the picture to speak and move. All pictures are like this in the Wizarding world." She explained as calmly as she could to the struggling twins. Then, she resumed their trip to her office.
The rest of the way was filled with more exclamations from the two Kuros. They argued if the moving stairs had personalities or not (when Ichiro claimed they didn't, he just so happened to fall into a fake step and trip, whiles his twin Shiro cackled madly) and seemed downright scared when Flitch's cat began to follow them, muttering something like 'Yoruichi.' But the oddest part was when they saw Peeves. He had swooped down, cackling and dragging chalk on the walls, but stopped dead in his track before the two twins. His eyes grew wide with shock, and he had scrambled back, yelling "Not yet, not yet!" before zooming out of their sights. After that meeting, the two badgered the elderly teacher on the subjects of ghosts, throwing out question after question.
"Only wizards can stay in that state?"
"Yes, Mr. Kuro, there are no records of a Muggle ghost."
"How long can they last?"
"It's not officially known, though some of ours have been around for thousands of years."
"Have you seen one with a chain on their chests?"
"Only the Bloody Baron has chains as far as I know."
"Ever been able to touch one physically?"
"It is not possible, our hands pass right through them."
She was grateful when they reached her office. Waving her hands and cutting off any other incoming questions, she entered the blessed room and the twins followed after. Conjuring up two chairs in front of her desk, McGonagall said, "Sit," an order the two followed like dogs. She sat down herself, momentarily savoring the peace and quiet, before forming a way to approach a delicate subject regarding the twins. McGonagall straightened in her chair and faced the identical faces. Her mouth opened to speak when she was rudely interrupted by a loud shout.
"SHUT UP!"
"Oh for the love-" she muttered darkly before striding quickly to the door to find out who was yelling. She shoved open the door and Professor McGonagall's eyes snapped to a red faced boy with a lightning scar standing in the hallway.
"What on earth are you shouting about, Potter?"
Okay, since Ichigo and other shinigami have extra reiatsu, they are different from normal ghosts. Thus, the wizards can come in physical contact with them. And wizards have slightly higher reiatsu than normal people, so they have enough to see them but not enough to become one. Hopes that clears up misunderstandings:)
I don't own bleach, hp, thanks for reading!