After the embarrassing end to lunch, Ichigo had disappeared back into the storeroom and finished as quickly as possible. When he left, only Jinta and Ururu were around, arguing outside, as usual; Shinji and Hiyori had already left, Jinta informed him grumpily. Ichigo had heard Tessai muttering away from the kitchen as he passed, so he hadn't disturbed him. The geta-boushi was nowhere in sight, which suited Ichigo fine.
He didn't stop to wonder why the man had missed the chance to tease him, and returned home in a black mood he couldn't explain even to himself.
The next week passed quickly with assignments and projects all due at once. After deliberately concentrating on regular life for so long, it was second nature for Ichigo to put the Vizards and the residents of the Urahara Shoten out of his mind again. Ichigo doubted he would see the Vizards anytime soon, anyway – he couldn't see Hiyori making a social call and doubted any of them knew where he lived. He certainly wasn't going to the warehouse to visit them, either. The perverts!
The following Friday, Ichigo returned home to an empty house. Karin was at football practise and Yuzu was at a friend's. After such a busy week, Ichigo found he was too tired to even contemplate doing his weekend homework and dropped his bag by the desk before flopping down on the bed to stare at the ceiling. His eyes drooped once, twice, as he fought the pull of sleep.
He must have dropped off despite himself, because the next thing he saw was bright green hair, filling his vision.
"Ahhh!" Ichigo yelled, flailing his arms wildly as he scooted up the bed and further away from the woman perched over him.
"Berry-tan's up!" Mashiro announced cheerfully, bouncing a little on the bed and reminding Ichigo forcefully of Yachiru.
A snort from the darkest corner of the room drew Ichigo's attention. Kensei leaned against the wall, watching with the usual vaguely-annoyed expression.
"Obviously," Kensei drawled, and pushed off the wall quickly enough to startle Ichigo from his – rather uncomfortable – pose: as far away from Mashiro as possible, without surrendering the bed to her.
Mashiro pouted. "You don't look like you're happy to see us, you know," she said to Ichigo, "but that's ok! You will be! We've come to take you away with us, for a little while!"
"Why are you on my bed?" Ichigo blurted a little belatedly, clearly stuck on that point.
Kensei laughed outright at him.
"No more talking!" Mashiro declared. "Time to go!"
"Huh?" said Ichigo, intelligently, as the rest of the conversation finally registered. "Go where? Anyway, I can't, I've got homework, and school, and stuff…" he trailed off lamely at the identical unimpressed expressions on their faces.
He tried again, "my family will notice I'm gone and – eep!"
Kensei had apparently had enough talk too. He'd taken the few steps towards the other two, then reached out and thrown Ichigo over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Ichigo was so shocked he didn't protest for a moment, until his pride kicked in and he started to struggle.
"Oi, you bastard! Put me down!"
Mashiro giggled as they headed out of his room, down the stairs, and out the front door. She didn't stop as they passed Ichigo's father, just finished at the clinic and lurking about at the door doing who-knew-what.
"Oi!" Ichigo shouted as he passed by his old man upside-down. "Old man! Gimme a hand here would you?" he called, still struggling. He couldn't help but feel that it was a bit futile though; without his reiatsu, he was too weak to stand a chance, and he knew it.
Isshin smiled and waved. "My little boy's all grown up and being carried off by strange men! Oh, Masaki, if only you could see him now!" He dissolved into his usual tears and Ichigo stopped struggling for a moment in sheer horror.
"Go inside if you're going to do that! Go inside!" he bellowed, and Isshin obeyed, still sobbing, still beaming, still waving.
"Wow," Mashiro whispered in his ear as they walked, Kensei not having even broken stride for Isshin's antics. "Your Dad is kinda weird, isn't he? I mean, calling Kensei strange, that was pretty understandable, but" – she cut herself off with a squeal as she dodged a swipe from Kensei's free hand.
"Come here, you little…" Kensei swore.
"Do I know anyone sane?" Ichigo wondered to himself, as he uncomfortably bounced up and down on Kensei's shoulder, through the streets of his neighbourhood. Kensei was still trying to kill Mashiro, but he was hindered by Ichigo's dead weight over his shoulder. Ichigo stopped struggling and focused on keeping his lunch down.
Eventually the two idiots paused long enough to remember they were Vizard and could reach their destination much more quickly by Shunpo. By the time they reached the warehouse Ichigo was feeling decidedly queasy; travelling upside down at that speed really wasn't something he'd recommend. He was too busy concentrating on breathing through his nose, mouth firmly clamped shut, to notice Mashiro open the door ahead to let them in, or to see the welcoming committee – all the Vizard.
When Kensei finally flipped him right way up and sat him down on the floor, he was so green that Love stepped forward, looking concerned behind the usual sunglasses.
"What did you do to him, Kensei? I thought Hiyori and Shinji stayed behind so that the kid would feel comfortable, but instead I think he's worse off," Love sighed.
Shinji snickered as Kensei shrugged and grunted. "Well, Love," Shinji said, "it seems Kensei couldn't miss the opportunity – after all, how often does he get to be alone with our delectable strawberry?"
Kensei found a new target and leapt at Shinji, who dodged easily, laughing. He was caught in a pincer movement when Mashiro sided with Kensei for once, the two united in getting Shinji.
"What am I," Mashiro shrieked, "nonexistent? He wasn't alone with Berry-tan!"
"You know," Love said conversationally, "they haven't been this lively since you were last here, Ichigo." Rose nodded agreement, and they turned to see Ichigo's response.
However, Ichigo hadn't waited around idly, and was already on the move.
"Where'd he go?" asked Love, confusedly.
"Oh, I do hope he's alright," Hachi murmured. "He was looking a little green".
"There's nothing wrong with green!" Mashiro wailed from the other side of the room as Shinji cowered from behind the couch, hands over his head.
Hiyori, unusually quiet up to that point, had finally had enough. "Oi! Ichigo's escaping while you two are beating on Shinji! Beat on him later! We need to get Ichigo back first!"
Finally united, the Vizard all settled into a moment of unusual quiet.
"Wait, where's Lisa?" asked Shinji suddenly, sticking his head cautiously around the couch.
The other Vizard looked around and realised that Lisa had indeed vanished, as silently as ever.
"Well, that's alright then," Rose sighed, "Ichigo will be fine if he's with Lisa."
"If she doesn't molest him!" Hiyori screamed, temper restored.
Shinji snickered. "You're just sore that you're missing out!"
He yelped when Hiyori's sandal connected with the side of head, expertly thrown, and collapsed back down behind the couch.
Lisa silently followed Ichigo along the corridor, and down into the basement training room.
Although the others hadn't noticed, Ichigo had left almost as soon as he'd arrived, his nausea soon fading into the annoyance that was once his standard mood. He soon passed that and reached the mood most common since the Winter War: apathy.
He ignored Lisa, walking through the huge empty space, gazing at the rock formations as though he'd never seen them before. Lisa supposed in a way he hadn't; he'd always been too busy to appreciate his surroundings while here, had only noticed what he'd needed to know and kept fighting.
Now he could wonder how the room (and the others like it) had been built, question how long it had taken, imagine the power required to make the rooms permanent. What other secrets were hidden in Karakura Town? Knowing Urahara as he did, Ichigo was certain the man had plenty more secrets up both his sleeves.
Lisa made a thoughtful noise from beside him.
Ichigo broke out of his thoughts to stare at her curiously, hand dropping from the cliff he'd briefly reached out to touch, testing its solidity.
"You know," Lisa said slowly, "you were always so angry, and determined, before. Now, I've heard you're mostly bored and nostalgic."
Ichigo's gaze dropped, and he grunted in a way that could mean a hundred things or none at all.
"But," Lisa continued, and Ichigo's gaze rose to meet hers again, "then and now, you only really light up when you think about him."
Ichigo started, looking honestly baffled. "Light up?" he asked slowly. "Him? Who…"
Lisa sighed exasperatedly as the other Vizard, lead by Hiyori, surged down the stairs towards them. Impeccable timing, as usual, Lisa thought grumpily.
"Oi, dickhead!" Hiyori screamed.
Ichigo gulped audibly, and looked for an escape.
"That's another change," Lisa said.
"Yeah, not now, Lisa," Ichigo said distractedly as Hiyori rapidly approached.
Lisa ignored him and continued. "Once, you wouldn't have let her talk to you like that without yelling back, and when they threw a punch, or a sandal, you'd throw one right back."
Ichigo turned tortured eyes to her, no longer aware of Hiyori's approach, or that of the others, following more sedately behind her.
"I've got no reiatsu," he whispered hoarsely. "You know that."
"The Kurosaki Ichigo I knew wouldn't let that stop him," Lisa said firmly and Ichigo froze. She could see the moment he realised she was right, emotions displaying clearly on his face. Lisa had the satisfaction of being the only one close enough to see strength return to Ichigo's expression, fire to his brown gaze, which finally steadied and held her own eyes for a long moment.
"You're right," he said, "thanks, Lisa". She nodded, and just like that, he was off, rushing at Hiyori, closing the distance himself. Hiyori skidded to a stop, clearly not expecting this reaction, and it was Shinji who whooped from behind her. In a moment, he was past Hiyori and launching at Ichigo, not holding back.
Hiyori watched in horror as they met with a thud, a dust cloud kicking up around them.
"What is that idiot doing?" She asked the others, as they stopped beside her, Hachi dropping to the ground and the rest remaining on their feet, "he could hurt Ichigo! He's got no power!"
The dust had cleared, and they could clearly see Shinji and Ichigo fighting all out – hand to hand.
Kensei shook his head. "Shinji can't hurt Ichigo without a sword – he's strong, but not naturally a hand-to-hand fighter. Ichigo's probably better than him, to be honest."
"But, but…" Hiyori spluttered, eyes narrowed as the two fought on, their usual banter flowing as if never interrupted.
"If he took out his sword, or used Shunpo, Ichigo wouldn't stand a chance. And he was always pretty useless against Kido," Love said thoughtfully, as Rose nodded.
"Now," Kensei continued, "if he were to fight me, or even Mashiro-"
"Even Mashiro," Mashiro muttered, and kicked him.
"Ow! As I was saying," Kensei said, rubbing his shin, "then we'd have to hold back. After all, we've trained specifically in hand to hand for over a hundred years each – even a strong human wouldn't be a match for either of us."
As the others continued debating Ichigo's fighting ability, Lisa watched from the sidelines, as silent as Hachi, and smiled.
Maybe Ichigo had no Zanpakuto, no hollow mask, no reiatsu – but his body still remembered how to fight, and all he'd needed was a little push from Lisa to restore his fighting spirit. He hadn't given up, no matter how he'd tried to convince himself that he had.