Lost Without You Chapter 3: Lost 3, a bleach fanfic

Lost Without You

A/N: Well here we are at chapter three.

A spot of editing: 9/7/15

Warning: Everything you know about the Bount is about to change.

Disclaimer: The recognizable characters from Bleach are not mine. However the Bounts are mine while the concept is not. (You know minus everything I changed) Thus be on the look out for Ocs.

An hour had passed and Ichigo was getting worried. Not only was Ishida out there practically defenseless with a gaping wound, Orihime was obviously not having much luck healing it. His own wounds had already been treated after making sure Chad had been cared for. He had been extremely happy to find out that even though Chad's wounds were bad they had looked worse than they were. Right now the giant was sleeping off some of the pain killers Urahara had given him, or in other words had to threaten him to take. Ichigo had refused his own until Ishida returned.

"You shouldn't worry too much." Ururu smiled at him from around a doorway. She had been trying to cheer him up as it seemed Jinta wouldn't pick on her if he was around.

Ichigo nodded to her barely hearing what she was saying. He was already contemplating just going and getting that damned Quincy himself so at least he knew he was safe. Orihime would certainly be exhausted by now and would probably need help getting home. He couldn't help but worry about them.

"Now now Ichigo." Urahara stopped him from getting up by placing a gentle hand on his shoulder shooting pain through his arm. He had purposely placed his hand on one of the bigger cuts there. "I'm sure Tessai can handle everything, oh look there he is now." Urahara smiled he knew that the Quincy would not have been healed by the girl's powers and it was only a matter of time before they returned to the shop. He had already gotten the whole story out of them while he had to tend to their injuries everything else he had pieced together himself. He wasn't looking forward to the reveal as he watched Orihime and Tessai enter.

"I'm sorry Ichigo." Orihime was nearly in tears as she entered the treatment room looking just a stone's throw from exhaustion. Behind her Tessai entered carrying an unconscious Ishida on his back, he moved to lay him down on an empty futon. There were reddened bandages clearly visible through Ishida's torn shirt. But Orihime looked determined when she approached the shinigami. "Would you please come over here with Chad so I can heal you both up? I have just enough energy to speed up the healing process." Orihime was so firm in her request Ichigo couldn't find it in himself not to obey. But she noticed the way his eyes lingered on Ishida as he moved. It hurt her to see this but she didn't say anything. She just hoped one day Ichigo would be that concerned about her.

"We'll discuss this later." Urahara exchanged a look with Tessai and they both left the room feeling the gentle healing power of Orihime working it's wonders behind them. They had much to discuss without the little ones around.

"I wish we could discuss it now." Ichigo sighed looking past Orihime and the blue light of her healing towards Ishida. Even as he felt his wounds healing he was curious about the other male's. It was too obvious that Orihime had not been able to heal him completely and that made no sense. Her powers had always worked before why wouldn't they now? He shook his head he didn't want to think about it. Not right now. "Did Tessai give you any clues as to what we're up against?" Ichigo sighed he had seriously been looking forward to taking it easy.

"No." Orihime sniffled just a little she was almost done with the healing and was starting to feel sleepy. "All he did was keep an eye out and bandage up Ishida when my power didn't work." She sniffled again wiped her eyes in case of tears as it was she was struggling to stay awake. "I don't know why it didn't work I mean it's always worked before." She frowned as her healing magic ended and her little spirits returned to her exhausted just as she was having healed both boys and saved Ishida's life already.

Ichigo sighed internally he hated seeing anyone cry but he wasn't good at comforting people, he was better at making their reason for crying disappear. "I'm sure whatever it is that's keeping your power from working is not your fault. I'm sure Urahara will have answers for us whenever we heal up a little bit more." He tried to smile reassuringly at her and found her falling into his arms unconscious much like the rest of his team. Setting her down on the empty futon next to Chad he made sure she was comfortable before leaving the room in search of Urahara. He needed answers now.

What he found in place of Urahara was Jinta and Ururu protecting the room he and Tessai were discussing in. He also found that getting around those kids was nearly impossible. Thus he ended up back in the treatment room watching over his team. He wasn't sure when he had been lulled to sleep but when he awoke later it was to screaming.

"What the hell is going on?" Ichigo growled opening his eyes instinctively grabbing for his zanpaktuo only to realize he was in his body and not soul reaper form anymore. He looked around taking in the darkness and then he saw it. Ishida was sitting up screaming and clutching his body like it burned him, a blue light was hovering around his skin but it was gone just as quickly as it had appeared. In it's pale light he had seen Urahara by the Quincy's side. Suddenly the screaming stopped and Ishida flopped back on the futon groaning and cursing under his breath.

"I'm just healing him up." Urahara shook his head at the way Ichigo gaped at him but stood up as if to leave. "I'll explain in a minute. Ishida are you feeling better now?" He asked ignoring the hateful looks being directed at him he waited patiently for the answer. He knew it would take a moment after all that screaming and pain, but it had been the only way Ishida's body would accept.

"Admittedly yes." Ishida's voice was cracked and low when it finally made itself known a full minute later. "Thank you." He didn't look up nor open his eyes he was grateful for what Urahara had done but he was more curious with what. That had not been a human nor a shinigami way of healing. He couldn't help but inspect his body mentally finding that the long gash that had almost taken out the majority of his lower organs had been completely healed. If it hadn't been for Orihime's work before he would be dead already. He would be sure to thank her later.

"We want answers now." Ichigo growled from where he had fallen asleep by the window. He didn't need to look away to know that Orihime and Chad were also giving Urahara a cold look. They had waited long enough.

"Very well." Urahara looked down at Ishida who flinched just a little as he leaned down towards him whispering so only he would hear. "Should I tell them or will you?" He knew that he would know exactly what he was talking about but the boy seemed closed off to the idea. "Then I will. But it would be better from you." With that said he straightened up and double checked all wounds, with the help of Tessai. After a happy report that everyone was now in working order he ushered them into the next room. He strained a smile while having them settle comfortably around the low table there having Tessai serve tea. With the news they were about to receive they would need it for their nerves if not for something to stare awkwardly into.

"To start things off the enemy you encountered was none other than the Bount." Urahara stared at the Quincy knowing he was the only one with any idea what he had just revealed to them. But he didn't react in any way most likely ruminating on the news that would be accompanying this.

"And what pray tell is a Bount?" Ichigo nearly growled not noticing the flinch from Ishida beside him or the annoyed look Urahara gave him for interrupting.

"Would you like to explain this Ishida or should I?" Urahara offered the boy one more chance to come clean on his own. With relief he saw him nod. He was glad it would be easier for Ishida in the long run.

"The Bount were once humans," Ishida began slowly taking a sip of his tea to steel his nerves. He wasn't ready to do this, he had hoped he would never have to. "They are an off shoot of the Quincy line. Instead of destroying hollows and saving souls they eat them adding to their own power. The shinigami have left them well enough alone because there are so few." Ishida swallowed dryly at the look Ichigo was giving him like he had kept secrets and he hadn't even gotten to the secret he was actually keeping. Chad and Orihime were giving him apprehensive looks like they understood why he hadn't wanted to speak about this himself. "As we are distantly related to the Bount the Quincy is their natural enemy." Ishida sighed lowly into his tea not wanting to acknowledge what he had to say next. With another sip of tea he decided it was now or never. "Which won't help us any as I no longer have any powers as a Quincy." He waited with stilled breath for their reaction.

The table was deathly still after this announcement while Orihime looked on in disbelief she was completely surprised. How could Ishida who had been so powerful now suddenly be without power? Chad was in a similar state next to her deep in thought he looked like he might have a clue though. When she looked at Urahara and Tessai she knew they had obviously known. Sparing one last look at Ishida she dared to look at Ichigo who looked less furious than she thought he would. Then she realized he was hurt. They were all hurt honestly, why hadn't he told them? When had it happened? When Ishida didn't continue and no one else spoke up. She decided she wanted to know. "When did this happen? How did you lose them?" She tried to sound less hurt than she felt but with the sad look in his eyes she knew she had failed.

"Before we left Soul Society..." Ishida faltered just a moment before continuing on ignoring the hurt looks he was receiving, he had expected more anger. "That glove I wore..When I took off I was able to use all of my power but at the price of losing it." He finished not wanting to tell them the horrendous acts that had led him to this action. Or share the picture of his Grandfather's mangled soul he always carried with him to remind him why he still hated soul reapers that weren't like Ichiogo or Rukia. Or the other captains that he found slightly tolerable. He may not hate all of them but he would never forgive them for what they had done. He frowned looking to Urahara he really didn't want to discuss this right now, if ever as there was much more to his condition than he had anticipated. Some of which Urahara had explained to him before healing him up.

"As to the Bount," Urahara cleared his throat he would come back the issue of Ishida later right now they needed the information only he knew about their new enemy. "Ishida is correct in that the Quincy and Bount are related, however he is incorrect in his assumption that he would be of no use. Your Quincy powers have been reduced to near uselessness but they are not gone. From what Ichigo tells me you told him where to strike." The blonde paused a moment waiting for the nod Ishida was slowly doing, connecting things in his mind in a way that might have scared others. With this information Urahara had given him Ishida might find a way to regain his full power. "That blue light you saw is the connection of the Bount to their doll." With the confused looks the whole table was giving him he sighed internally deciding to back peddle. They didn't even seem to be aware of what Ishida had seen. Though thinking back on that there probably hadn't been much time to explain or even talk if the dire straights they had found them in were anything to go by.

"Alright so..." Ichigo started but was cut off with a glare from the blonde and conceded the table to him grudgingly he still had several questions.

"Let me explain what a Bount is. A Bount is a human who eats souls as well as hollows. Unlike their distant relatives the Quincy their power is stored in a vessel known as a doll. The dolls are much like zanpaktuos in that each doll has it's own mind and soul. Like the souls in the zanpaktuo they are connected to the Bount." Urahara paused making sure that they were following, he spared a look at Tessai as he took a sip of tea. The concept of the Bount had been a confusing one for the shinigami back then and even now their understanding of them was somewhat lacking. There really weren't that many to worry about anymore as it was maybe a handful per country. And unlike the hollow they generally didn't over feed.

"So that attack 'vica' was like bankai?" Ichigo asked thoughtfully, he was still upset at Ishida but he would deal with him later. He had had his suspicions before all of this but he had hoped that Ishida would have told them, him, on his own before something like this happened. As it was he was more concerned with the issue at hand, then secondly Ishida and his slower healing as well as the loss of his powers.

"Yes." Urahara smiled slightly glad that he wouldn't have to explain that part. It was hard enough explaining the soul connections without having to explain everything else on top of that. "The doll and the Bount have an attack like the bankai that allows the doll and Bount to connect fully, each attack is different and named in a combination of their names." He couldn't resist an eye roll at the look Ichigo was giving him wondering how this was relevant. He continued as if he didn't notice. "That light Ishida saw is the connection between Bount and doll. A Bount puts most of their soul into their doll connecting them, that is their one weakness. If you do not hit that spot the doll will not be injured." Urahara could see the understanding dawning on Chad and Ichigo's faces. Each of them had landed many blows to no avail and until now probably been most curious about this matter. Since none of their attacks had even fazed the cat thing, that was until Ishida had told them where to hit. "The Bount itself will be protected by the doll and has an uncanny ability to avoid injury often leaving their dolls to fight for them. But you can not destroy a Bount without destroying the doll."

"How exactly are we supposed to defeat them?" Ichigo asked not sparing a glance at Ishida as he continued. "Is there another way to find their weakness?" He was already starting to hate this new found enemy with a passion the more he heard.

"There is," Urahara looked at Orihime with a frown. "But only Ishida can pinpoint it accurately Orihime might be able to find it with her spirits but considering the make up of the dolls body it might not be much help." He didn't like this much better than Ichigo did. He had been hoping he was wrong when he had felt the distinctive spirit pressure of the Bount. These kids weren't ready for the monsters that had not only defeated several shinigami in his day but eaten their souls. They were not picky eaters.

"Make up of their bodies?" Ichigo questioned considerably growing more hopeless the more he heard. If what they said was anything to go by there would be no way to not involve Ishida in the up coming fights. Fights he was sure he himself wouldn't like being involved in either.

"Each doll is made up of small spheres that meld together forming the body. Meaning that the weak spot will never be in the same spot twice. And if they figure out you know where it is they can move it." Urahara continued slowly. "Any more questions?" He half smiled seeing the understanding in the eyes looking back at him, this was at least a start.

"Why are they even here?" Ishida asked slowly still feeling the hurt from the others beside him but he saw Chad and Orihime perk up a little bit at his question curious themselves. Knowing the enemy was their best strategy right now.

"When you left for Soul Society that left Japan without a Quincy. What do predators do when there is no natural enemy? And what do you think they will do once they realize there is only one left?" Tessai asked knowing his point had gotten across. "The best question is how do you plan to defeat them with a powerless Quincy? A powerless Quincy they will no doubt be hunting down."

A/N: Well that's all for now. Please review! With the following if you don't mind as I would like constructive feedback!