Cloud 9

Chapter 3

-Through The Target Of My Heart-

By: 7777Melis7777

"ICHIGOOOOOOOOOO!!!" screamed Kon, racing down the empty halls, backpack over head. He had watched secretly through the zipper in Rukia's backpack, knew these halls up and down and knew what class to find Ichigo in.

SLAM

The door shook, the sound echoing in the silent class room. The students raised their heads, gawking at the door, the teacher doing the same, the sound of her chalk hitting the floor following soon after.

"I...uh...think it's for you Ichigo..." said the teacher, her and room turning their attention to him.

"You're gonna send me out there after THAT?" he asked, more sarcastic then shocked.

"Of course, I'm busy teaching the rest of the class." replied the teacher, writing random words on the chalk bored.

Ichigo pouted some, sighing, then exited the class room. He opened the door carefully, peeking out it first before actually exiting the room.

There was nothing there, just the empty halls. He sighed some, glancing around more, was actually starting to get worried because Rukia wasn't in class yet. True, class had only started a few minutes ago, but still. Rukia wasn't one to be late.

"Anyone here?" he asked, his voice bouncing back at him.

"Pssst, Ichigo, down here!" sounded a muffled voice from below.

He blinked, lowering his gave to the brown book bag on the floor.

"Wha...what the?" he asked, leaning down some to poke it.

"ICHIGO!" screamed Kon, latching onto his face.

"KON, WHAT THE HELL!" he roared, trying to pry the stuffed animal that was blocking his oxogen.

Finally, Ichgio was able to get his hands on Kon's tail and with a quick tug, Kon was dislodged.

"Gah, FINALLY!" shouted Ichigo, rapidly gasping for air.

"Ichigo, is everything ok?" sounded a voice from behind the door.

"YES, FINE! I JUST HAVE TO GO TO THE OFFICE, THAT'S ALL!" he shouted, swinging the door open just enough to squeeze in.

"I, uh see...next time try not to break the sound barrier..." said the teacher, rubbing her ears.

"A ha ha ha, sorry!" he managed sweat dropping as he closed the door, turning his full attention to Kon.

"Alright Kon! Spit it out! What's going on? And where's Rukia?!" Asked Ichigo, already feel a tinge of worry growing in the pit of his stomach.

"Thats just it Ichigo!" stated Kon, leaping from his friend's grasp to the floor.

"Its just terriable! Terriable I say!" he continued, lenaing against a wall dramatically.

"Damn it, will you just tell me already!?" shouted Ichigo, giving the tiny toy a swift kick to the rear, sending him spwalding down the hallway.

"Ohh...ow..."

"Kon!" yelled Ichigo, urgent now.

"Rukia!" shouted the lion.

"She went off on her own to fight a Hollow I think!" he stated, recovered.

"What!?" Ichigo asked, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"Why would she do that?!" he asked, shaking his head in frusttraction.

"Well..." began Kon, his hands behind his back, his right foot wiggling slowly from side to side.

"Say it now or die." growled Ichigo, his face black except for his eyes that shined like sharpened daggers.

"Alright alright!" waved Kon, fearing for his life and sexy body.

"Rukia was pretty upset about your injury. She didn't want you to fight because she was afraid it would re-open..." started Kon, pacing some.

"What...?" Ichigo asked, puzzled. A cut to the side and that was it? Ichigo didn't buy it. He'd had his ass beat pretty bad, this last incident was a cake walk.

"It's cause she's worried about you!" shouted Kon, looking suddenly frustrated.

Ichigo blinked, watching the small lion.

"Jeez, you are soo dense, it's no wonder you're freakin single!" he contiuned, pointing at the orange hand student.

"Sh-she's not worried about me! She shouldn't be! She knows I can take care of myself!" reassured Ichigo, mostly to himself.

"Well, it's too late now! She went to fight the Hollow alone to protect you!" finished Kon, Ichigo's eyes widdening in shock.

"You have to help her Ichigo! She can't fight a Hollow on her own!" added Kon, pointing out the obvious.

Ichigo knew he was right. True, Rukia was one hell of a fighter, however, fair fighting was something Hollows were not known for. Not to mention the fact that she looked like she hadn't slept in a week or so. All in all, she was in no position to take on a Hollow, and thinking back, if it's lackies were able to beat Ichigo into unconsciousness, what the hell was thier "boss" capable of?

"Damn it..." growled Ichigo, clenching his fist, closing his eyes.

"Why..." he said softly, Kon looking up at her.

"Why does she always have to play the hero!?" he yelled, Kon, cowering some.

"And why do YOU always have to stand around and talk to yourself!? MOVE!" shouted Kon, pushing at Ichigo's shin.

Ichigo blinked, reaching down then to pick up the stuffed toy, Kon struggling some.

"Alright then." he began, extending his index finger and thumb.

"Time to move Kon!" he shouted, his fingers in the stuffed toy's mouth, searching until he found the soul candy, popping it in his own and bursting from his body.

"Gah! You idiot! A warning would be great!" Yelled Kon in Ichigo's body.

"No time Kon! Take care of my body!" shouted Ichigo, zooming down the hall and though a window, now in his Soul Reaper form.

Kon sighed, shaking his fist yelling.

"You jerk! I hope that Hollow tears you a new one!" he shouted, turning now and blinking, the entire class looking at him,

"Who are you talking to Ichigo...?" asked the teacher, Kon blinking.

"My...self?" he managed, everyone falling over anime style.

Ichigo wasted no time, leaping from roof to roof, scanning the area below, his eyes shifting from person to person, from street to street.

...nothing... he thought, leaping off, heading west towards the park.

He scanned the area quickly, looking here and there, not sensing Rukia or the Hollow. He clenched his jaw narrowing his eyes, leaping off again, heading back towards town.

He searched and searched until he was out of breath, until he was sure he had explored the entire area.

...nothing... his mind growled.

...not a damned thing...!

He was frustrated now, not by the fact that he wasn't able to find her, but because he couldn't even hone in on her spiritual pressure.

...where the hell is she...!? ...Why can't I sense her...!? his mind roared, looking around once more, anxious.

It didn't help nor did it matter. It wasn't like Ichigo couldn't sense a Hollow or a Shinigami, but rather that they didn't want to be sensed by him. All he could figure was that the two were both suppressing their spiritual energy in order to stay undetected, making it unbelievably difficult, not to mention very frustrating for Ichigo to handle.

He stopped, looking around again, clenching his fist tight. This was it. This was the end. Rukia would more or less die fighting a Hollow in order to protect him, while he ran about the city, unable to locate her because of his puny powers. Rukia would die and it would be his fault.

...stop it...! his mind roared.

...gotta focus... he thought, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes.

What he knew; Rukia was suppressing her spiritual pressure because she didn't want Ichigo to find her. What he wanted to know; where she was. Sadly, what he needed to know was how to locate her.

...it's the same as always... he thought, noting that he just had to focus hard enough and he would indeed sense her.

...so if I were to focus harder...picture her... he thought, closing his eyes, breathing deeply.

He drifted then, the presence of everyone surrounding him, all white, their ribbons flowing with the wind. He passed them quickly, their ribbons fading into the background.

...Rukia.. He thought, her name echoing in his ears, her image clear in his mind's eye, her blue eyes, violet hair, grey skirt...

And then he sensed something, not too far. It was something strong, something familiar. He drifted closer, closing in now, everything else becoming a blur, merging with the background.

His fist clenched about the red ribbon, it encircling his arm as he opened his eyes, determined.

"I've found you...Rukia." he said with a smile, a blur once more in the distance.

Ahh, I know, I know! Chapter 3 was SO short! It was going to be longer, but it ended up ending like this! Anyhoo, chapter 4 will be up soon, so I hope you all come back to read it! Did ya like this chappy?! Kon is fun to be XD I'm trying hard to keep everyone in character, am I doing good?! Anyhoo, it seems a lot of people enjoy this story, so I'll be sure to finish it, mainly because chapter 4 is the last chapter! Yup, so it'll be up soon! That said, if you enjoyed this story, please read my new Bleach fiction "Breath Into Me". I'm sure anyone who liked this story will like that other fiction as well! Also, if you're 18 and older, why not check out my two Bleach lemons!? XD One about Ichigo x Rukia the other Matsumoto x Toshiro! And if that doesn't do anything for ya, check out my Shaman King fanfictions! Anyhoo, this has been long enough and I need to work on chappy 4! So, please enjoy this chapter and the next and ...

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN BLEACH OR ITS CHARACTERS OR THE SONGS I USE, THEY ALL BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTABLE OWNERS! I'm just a crazed fan with a lot of time on her hands! XD

-Melis