A.N: DON'T HURT ME! I'm ssooo sorry it took me this long to post a new chapter.. but writers block and other idea's really are a deterrent.
Anyway I went back and re-read the other two chapters of Lost and Found and honestly don't like what I had churned out. This is my first real fic. And I expected it to be bad... but I mean I wouldn't touch it with a 5 and ½ foot pole. But I"m just going to try and improve it from here on, I'm to lazy to fix the other chapters.. heh... I actually have a plot in here somewhere...
and WOW 18 reviews? Thank you all so much! I honestly didn't think I'd get that kind of response. Well after who knows how long.
CHAPTER 3!
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The trek to Seireitei had taken no time at all. By the time the suns early morning rays graced the group with her warmth the group of 5 had arrived at the first district of the Rukon.
An outsider would later say that the group had an air of relaxed authority and companionship.
Ichigo would beg to differ.
The entire time a foreboding feeling had coiled its icy fingers into his gut making the youth jumpy and tense.
'I really don't like this.'
For once his boisterous and blood-lustful hollow was solemn sending only a mental nod.
The muscles in his stomach tensed and his senses were suddenly put on highest alert as the Seireitei itself came into view.
The captains and one lieutenant noticed this changed and slowed to a stop around the obviously agitated teen.
"What's wrong Kurosaki-san?" The gentle voice of Ukitake questioned.
His eyes and attention snapped over to the senior captain his scowl deeper then normal.
"I won't go into the Seireitei." Ichigo stated firmly.
Looks of barely concealed surprise flashed across all faces.
"Why?" Renji interrupted.
"Do you need a reason." Ichigo bit out, his temper flaring in accordance to his growing discomfort.
Something hadn't boded right for the carrot-top since the beginning. Why would the governing power of Soul Society send two captains for a simple rukongai resident? If they had wanted him to join the Gotei 13 they would've sent a seated officer or a scout... But captains? What in the hell is going on here?
"Yes we need a reason Ichigo." Rukia added, confusion written clear as day at Ichigo's sudden attitude change.
"Well ya' aren't getting' one. I'm not part of the Gotei, I don't answer to you..." He almost spat, his amber eyes lightening to a golden hue.
He returned his attention to the looming sight of the Court of Pure souls eyes narrowed slightly in agitation at his own confusion. Years of living in the 78th district taught him to go with his gut instinct and now it was screaming at him to go back to the 'safety' of his shack... or maybe that was his inner self... oh well.
"Something doesn't feel right..." he whispered.
If they hadn't been listening for it all present were positive they would have missed it.
Glancing at each other in concern and confusion they didn't notice how Ichigo suddenly stiffened.
It came with out warning.
A pressure so violent and evil crushed those unfortunate enough to be within its reach.
Those not strong enough to put up a barrier of their own power around themselves succumbed to the force and fell into the welcoming arms of unconsciousness.
Those that could withstand the malevolent pressure however stood in shock and awe.
They hadn't felt something this powerful since the war.
Standing in the air was a grotesque arrancar. Looking more like a deformed zombie then a hollow, dead yellow eyes watched in boredom as the captains and lieutenants beneath it snapped to attention.
Four swords were simultaneously released from their binding's with the sound of metal sliding against wood.
Four pairs of eyes hardened and monstrous energy flared creating a veritable light show of pure unrefined power.
In an instant they were airborne, the ground quickly becoming a thing of the past.
No questions were asked as blade met the hardened and discolored skin of the arrancar.
"Ssssooooo hosssstilee ssshhinigamii." It hissed, a manic smile distorting its rotten-looking flesh, as it parried yet another blow from the fiery haired captain of the third division.
They attacked in rotations. One captain would get beaten back and another would take his place. Rukia stood at the sidelines shooting the odd kido.
A passive Ichigo watched hard amber eyes easily following the blurs in the sky. Bright colors from the roar of kido gave the sky a mosaic-like appearance.
'If they attack an arrancar so heedlessly... what would they do to me?' Ichigo questioned.
'Most likely lock ya up.' His hollow whispered.
It was then that Ichigo noticed. His hollow was strangely subdued. The presence that was usually there and in some weird way comforting was absent.
Ichigo watched the battle for a little while longer once he was sure that the Captains and one lieutenant would come out injury free disappeared from the scene in a whisper of shunpo.
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It was over before it began. The arrancar had only been as strong as the 9th espada. Powerful yes, but in the face of three captains and a lieutenant it stood no chance. Its screeches could be heard for miles around as it was systematically dismembered and destroyed.
They watched dispassionately as the beast dissolved in a cloud of black mist. After the brief rush of adrenaline receded from their nervous systems Rukia's head snapped around in a slight panic.
"Where's Ichigo?"
Those two words brought everything into focus.
Renji cursed under his breath and moved to attempt to follow his once-thought-dead brother-in-arms only to have a restraining hand placed on his shoulder.
His head whipped around to see the saddened visage of Ukitake.
"We have to get him!" Renji almost snarled. He wasn't going to Ichigo live in the slums of the Rukongai. Nobody deserved that, especially not Ichigo.
"We know he's alive Renji. We'll set up a team to find him at a later date." The old captain of the 13th division consoled.
Sighing in defeat he begrudgingly obliged and sending a knowing look towards his long time friend followed the stoically quiet captain of the 10th into the Seireitei.
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Falling to his hands and knees at a river bed in the 41st district, Ichigo greedily gulped in air as sweat poured off his shaking form.
Never had he gone so far so fast, but the desire to put as much distance between himself and the captains of the Gotei 13 had been overwhelming.
"I call that... a record... if I do say so myself." Ichigo said in-between pants.
'HAH! Sure it is King.' His hollow cackled back.
A slight smile danced on the edges of his mouth as he felt the presence of his constant companion reenter his mind.
He had used a total of 10 flash steps, covering at least four districts with each leap and bound in a matter of seconds. And now he was paying for it. Pain from strained and torn tendons expanded like wild fire up his legs.
With a strained grunt he fell to his side and removed the comforting weight of Zangetsu before rolling on to his back in one movement against the bank of the lazily flowing river next to him creating an entrancing lullaby. As he fought the throws of sleep a voice wafted from his conscious.
'Sleep king. I'll make sure to get yer lazy ass up at dawn.'
With the equivalent of a mental nod Ichigo finally gave into the, oh so, very welcoming embrace of sleep.
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Standing on a sideways skyscraper with a thoughtful frown marring his usually manic grin marked face the hollow residing inside Ichigo gently extended his presence outward, toward the damaged tendons Ichigo had destroyed in his attempt to put distance between him and the Gotei 13.
Once satisfied with the feeling of said tendons healing, abeilt slowly, he sighed heavily.
"What are we going to do when he remembers old man?" The hollow seemingly asked the quiet breeze.
"You know as well as I do that he has changed. He won't react in the same manner his old self would." The rumbling baritone of Zangetsu replied as he steadily materialized next to the morose inner hollow. No that wouldn't be the right term anymore. This hollow was too intelligent to be just a mere hollow. The hollow residing in Ichigo soul had irrevocably become an arrancar with power levels that would put some vasto lord to shame. But that tends to happen when your other half is a pure blood shinigami.
Yet it was because of that change that Shirosaki Ogichi had decided to train his king instead of just taking the crown.
"Well it's not like we'll have a choice." Shiro began. "If he does revert to that pathetic state of fearing me I'll just have to beat it out of him." He finished darkly his usual blood-lustful grin retaking his features once more
Zangetsu only gave the hollow a side long glance before staring at the full moon its light creating a warm silvery luminescence to everything within its reach. Once of the many changes that had occurred three years ago.
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In one stray rukon resident's opinion dawn came far too soon snatching him from the blanket of sleep.
With a groan he was on his feet eying his surroundings with distaste as memories as to why he was forced to sleep next to a stream in the middle of... the 41st? District.
Closing his eyes and systematically reigning in his overwhelming spiritual energies a simple plan formed in his mind.
Return back to the 78th and deal with things as they come.
'I knew you were blunt but jeez King really?' His hollow so sarcastically inserted.
"Ah shut up." Ichigo retorted half heartedly.
With one glance at his legs Ichigo realized that Shiro must have healed the torn ligaments. Apparently the hollow was just as uneasy as himself when it involved the Gotei.
Sighing in defeat he bent down and reattached his partner before launching into another shunpo.
If he was lucky he'd make 78th by night fall.
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And chapter 3. I know it's crap but the plot is there... somewhere... I'll find it..
I'LL SALVAGE THIS FIC YET!... uhh yeah...
Anyhoozel thank you all for the amazing reviews!
Again I'm ssooo sorry that you had to wait close to 5 months for a new chapter.
If you a liked it please review! As it is i'm writing an outline for this so that it won't go as long with out being updated.
Much love
~Animelover