Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.
Warning: It's short, and the usual cursing.
Summary: Ichigo in a hospital and Rukia and Renji being bad liars. Soul Society being idiots, Yuzu hears a conversation, more training, and Aizen plots some more.
"Yo." Hichigo's talking
/Hello./Rei and Zangetsu's speech
Chapter 5- Much More Then a Scowl
Ichigo could tell he was drugged when he tasted the sour favor of medicine in his mouth, and the dull ache of pain was far away when he came to. He slowly opened his heavy eyes and had to quickly close them for the bright light of the room hurt them, but still he knew where he was.
He was in the fourth division in Soul Society, after having been kidnapped by two of his closest friends because old man Yamamoto ordered them to…well that and he had been in critical condition a while ago but he didn't care about that right now.
The more pressing matter of why he was kidnapped was more important than his near death experience (he had enough of those by now that they stopped being surprising).
What was Soul Society playing at?
"You've got me Aibou."
/Hichigo-kun hush! / Rei whispered to the hollow in Ichigo's mind.
"Make me."
/…/
"Pansy-." Hichigo was suddenly cut off.
/That's better, sorry about that Ichigo-sama. / Rei said going silent.
Ichigo momentarily wondered how Rei had got his hollow to shut up, but pushed the matter to the back of his mind as he felt the reiatsu of a captain approach his room.
"Kurosaki-kun, how do you feel?" Unohana asked checking his injuries, and other vital signs.
"Better…but why am I here?" Ichigo asked playing dumb. He didn't want them to know what he knew or suspected.
"And why am I injured?"
"Circumstances, I believe, but Kuchiki-chan and Abarai-fukutaichou should be able to answer your questions. For now try not to open your eyes, the medicines I've given you to dull the pain make your eyes sensitive to light. Besides that you need to rest."
Ichigo nodded, and felt her reiatsu leave before two familiar reiatsu burst into the room.
It was Rukia and Renji.
Though how he could tell was beyond him as he knew he sucked at reiatsu sensing.
"Ichigo…how do you feel?" Rukia asked nervously.
She probably thought he was going to curse them from hell and high heaven, which he probably would have done a couple days ago had he not know about old man Yamamoto orders. It wasn't their fault they got stuck into kidnapping him…crap.
"I've been better." He replied wondering how he could of changed from the person he used to be.
Maybe it had something to do with Rei?
"Why am I here?" Ichigo asked them looking at his bed sheets.
Renji gulped.
Ichigo could just feel them looking at each other trying to figure out what to tell him, and how much if any.
"Circumstances." Renji said lying.
"What circumstances?"
"You need training for the upcoming battle against Aizen." Rukia said sounding believable, had Ichigo not known some of the truth he would have believed her…
"I see." Ichigo said matching lie for lie, except Ichigo had the upper hand, while they knew nothing. "When did I get injured?"
"In that battle with that Hollow, you were more tired then you thought." Rukia said in a hurry.
Ichigo looked at Rukia who didn't meet his eyes.
"Alright." He went silent.
Rukia and Renji became anxious and couldn't sit still under Ichigo's calm gaze.
"Excuse me, I here to deliver medicine." A memorable seventh seat healer said.
"Hanataro?" Ichigo asked.
It had been a while since they seen him.
"Ichigo-san what are you doing here?" He asked barely noticing who was in the room.
"I'm recovering from a fight from a hollow. How about you?"
"The usual duties of maintenance, and healing." He ruffled his hair. "Any way's captain Unohana said you're supposed to take this." He handed Ichigo some pills.
"Okay." Ichigo took them, and started to feel sleepy.
"We'll leave now the strawberry needs he's sleep." Renji said seeing this as a chance to escape from the tense conversation. "Shut up pineapple." Ichigo replied trying to hold back a yawn.
"See you later Ichigo."
"Later, Rukia."
"I'll go too Ichigo-san, you need your rest." Hanataro bowed and left leaving Ichigo by himself: he didn't mind being left alone.
He still had training to do, and he knew he wasn't going to get any real training here.
~*~
Ichigo looked over the very memorable scene of his inner world and looked for his other halves.
/Ichigo-sama! /
Ichigo turned to meet the very people he was searching for.
"Hello." He said.
/Hi. /
"What training we doing today?" Ichigo asked turning to Rei but kept Hichigo in his line of sight. He didn't want to be caught off guard by his more dangerous half.
/Fighting with sealed Zangetsu. /Rei answered thinking.
"Right, get ready Hichigo." Ichigo said turning to face Hichigo.
Ichigo brought out Zangetsu from his back and correctly sealed.
/Who said anything about fighting Hichigo? / Rei asked smiling creepily.
Zangetsu the sword spirit brought his sword down on Ichigo.
"What?!" Ichigo yelled barely meeting the attack Zangetsu lunched at him.
/Get ready Ichigo. / Zangetsu greeted.
Ichigo gave him a sideways look communicating how he felt about Zangetsu's greeting, but nodded none the less.
Zangetsu slashed at Ichigo's right and let loose a stream of multidirectional attacks.
Ichigo parried and counterattacked.
Zangetsu merely stepped to the side, and used the cloth of Zangetsu to send a flying attack at Ichigo.
Ichigo parried and jumped into the air angling a flying attack at his opponent.
His blade met the cold hard steel of Zangetsu's and was sent in the opposite direction.
Zangetsu stormed after Ichigo cutting him on the upper arm.
Ichigo glared and gathered himself before charging at Zangetsu with a fury of strikes.
/Slow. / Zangetsu said off handily. It was a one word way to communicate that he wanted Ichigo to speed up his attacks.
Ichigo's glared increased in intensity.
"Fine." He said.
"Zangetsu hurry up, I want to fight King."
/Patience Hichigo. / Zangetsu to him.
Zangetsu attacks sped up forcing Ichigo to a very near Bankai speed without actually using a Bankai.
Ichigo was forced to hasten his attacks, although he still ended up many cuts and injuries along his arms and legs.
/Faster./Zangetsu demanded pushing Ichigo to the limit.
"Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo slashed at Zangetsu.
Ichigo watched as not a Getsuga came from his sword but a rain made entirely of reiatsu. The reiatsu rain sped towards his adversary.
Zangetsu used shunpo to dodge the fierce on-slot of attacks.
/You have finally learned to use it on your own. Remember this well…Kuroishoshi. / Zangetsu said talking about Ichigo's new move.
Zangetsu glanced to Rei.
/That's enough! /Rei yelled sharing an odd look with Zangetsu before Hichigo finally got what he wanted.
/Go ahead Hichigo-kun, but remember training only. You do any more than that and I'll make sure you regret it. / Rei growled harshly. (1)
/Ptf. Like I care. /
Ichigo raised an eyebrow but readied himself for the powerful attacks of his hollow.
Losing to Hichigo was not an option.
~*~
"Report Kuchiki Rukia, and fukutaichou Abarai." The stern voice of the Sou-Taichou called to Ichigo's nakama.
"Kurosaki Ichigo asked questions regarding his stay here and fukutaichou told him he was severely injured fighting the recent hollow, and he was to stay here for training." Rukia said taking over knowing how bad Renji was at explaining the current situation.
The sou-taichou nodded.
"Excellent work, continue to monitor Kurosaki Ichigo and when he's released from fourth division you are to guard him around Soul Society."
Both bowed and left the squad one office.
~*~
(Yuzu POV)
I watched dad talk to the Urahara Shoten and wondered what they were talking about.
I had just finished with my weekly shopping, and I planned to get some sweets from the shop and then go home, but I saw someone who looked like dad while waiting for Jinta to come out from where ever he was.
I did want to find out if it really was dad, but I knew better then to be noisy.
I calmly waited and Jinta appeared.
"You here for carrot top?" Jinta asked upon seeing me.
I looked at him.
Did he mean Ichi-nii? But he's with his friends, why should he be here? Maybe he's talking about someone else…
"You mean Ichi-nii?" I asked trying to confirm who Jinta was talking about.
"Of course 'Strawberry', s-so why are you here?" He stuttered slightly.
I looked at him.
Did he have a cold? Or maybe he was sick?
"I'm here for the usual five dollars of candy." I said happily.
This place always did have some great candy…even if I never heard of half of the brands.
Jinta quickly took my bag and started filling it with my order.
Maybe he'd mistaken Ichi-nii with someone else. I concluded finally.
"There done." Jinta told me handing me back my bag full of candy, I smiled at him and handed over the money.
"Thank you-." I started.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE PORTAL TO SOUL SOCIETY IS CLOSED?!" A voice said sounding exactly like my dad.
I jumped and looked towards the sliding door where I was positive it came from.
Soul Society? Portal? What was going on? And what did dad have to do with this?
I was very confused.
"What's with all the noise?" Jinta said glaring at the door.
I raised an eyebrow ever so slightly and pretended to be obvious.
The less people thought I knew the more I'd find out.
Jinta started tiptoeing to the door where all the noise was coming from and opened it enough so that I could finally hear what the people were saying, but only a little bit.
"I mean that for some reason Soul Society has closed all portals to Rokaigon-(2)"
"I understand, but I what to know why. Ichigo could be dying or worst and I'm stuck here not able to do anything."
I mentally gasp. So Ichigo wasn't with his friends.
"Now, now I didn't say anything about giving up… Give me one week and I'll have a way into Soul Society."
"Alright."
"Jinta-kun." A voice whispered and I and Jinta jumped.
I turned around quickly and came face to face with none other than Ururu-chan.
I think now's my chance to escape.
"Bye Jinta-kun," I said waving as I exited the shop looking carefree, but I was far from it.
I had too many question in my mind to be carefree.
Like why dad was in that shop and why he kept talking about Ichigo like he was wounded are something…But how would he get wounded? Sure Ichi-nii always got into fights because of his hair, but those wounds didn't make dad that worried or angry.
Just what happened to make dad that scared?
What was Soul Society? And where ever this place was why would you need a portal?
It was all too confusing.
Though this did explain some things, like why Ichi-nii was suddenly acting so weird.
Maybe it's because Ichi-nii is in this Soul Society place, left an impostor in his place that would explain the 'fake' Ichigo's fear of me… yeah, that's it!
Though I knew this idea was crazy, it did make sense especially considering I can see spirits. And those were supposed to be figments of human imagination.
Mmmm...Maybe this whole situation had to do with them...after all Ichi-nii could see the best out of all us...
I begin humming as I entered our house and got straight to work with my usual chores. Doing housework always did help me think better, and it was calming to me.
I started on my household chores.
"Come back soon Ichi-nii." I whispered.
For some reason I had a bad feeling something terrible was going to happen…
(End Yuzu's POV)
~*~
"Are preparations complete?" Aizen asked Ulquiorra in a slippery tone.
"Of course Aizen-sama." The espada replied.
"Good. Carry on."
"Yes, Aizen-sama."
The fourth arrancar silently left the king of Los Noches alone wondering of what his master had in store for Soul Society…
~*~
1) Rei very violent against people who want to hurt Ichigo.
2) Can't remember how to spell, e-mail me if anyone remembers how...
A/N: HERE'S THE NEXT CHAPTER FOR ALL THE GOOD LITTLE REVIEWERS! ENJOY!
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