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Like I said, stuck on this fic...ugh someone shoot me... *is shot by billions of people* NOT LITERALLY! Oh well...so shall we?
Chapter 11
Ichigo walked towards where the two kids were leading him. Geeze...I can't believe little kids can be so bossy. He thought.
"This is where we live!" Ami clapped and opened the door. Ichigo watched as they both shook their heads wildly to dry them. "We're home!" Ichigo looked up as the same woman from the other day walked up.
"Oh my, you two are completly soaked." She laughed as she knelt down to remove their jackets. she then took notice of Ichigo and smiled. "Is this another friend?"
"Yes Auntie!" Miko walked over and grabbed Ichigo's hand. He tugged him a little bit and smiled. "This is Big Brother Ichigo!"
Me too? What the hell...
"He helped save us from a big monster!" ami said happily. Ichigo sighed and placed his face in his hands.
Good thing she doesn't believe them...
"Well I'm glad. You two go warm up now, ok?" As he watched them run off, the woman smiled. "My name is Kiya. Thank you for protecting them."
"Uhh...what do you mean?" Ichigo asked.
"Heh, you may think I don't believe them...but I do. My sister told me they were special." She smiled. "I love them like they were my own, you know."
"Wait...you mean..."
"I'm their aunt. My sister and her husband passed away just a year ago. I've been watching them ever since." Kiya explained. "I let them do as they please, they're very mature for their ages." She laughed.
"...I can understand their feelings..." Ichigo murmered. But Kiya had caught what he had said.
"i'm sorry to hear that. But please...whatever it is you did to protect them, just remember to protect yourselves as well. They love you both." She asked and bowed. "Would you like to stay for dinner Ichigo?"
"No, I really can't. I have to check on Shiro." He said. "But thank you."
"My door's open to both of you anytime ok? You tell Shirosaki that too ok?" She smiled.
"I...uhh yeah I will." Ichigo said. As he turned to leave, he felt the woman grab his shoulder.
"I want you to promise me that you'll watch out for each other as well. Younever know when we may lose something...someone important to you." She kept her green eyes stern as Ichigo nodded. As he left he couldn't help but sigh.
Well that was...interesting...
Shiro looked up at the ceiling from where he laid on the bed. I...it happened again... he thought. He held his hand out in front of him, staring. What...what is that power? It isn't...like Ichigo's... He closed his eyes as he replayed what had happened at the cemetary...
"C...c'mon Miko...Ami..." Shiro whispered as he saw the two huddled kids. They slowly made their way to him, clinging onto his hoodie.
"M...Mister Shiro..." Ami murmered against him as he lifted her up slowly. Miko stayed next to him as they managed to sneak away from the Hollow. "Can you see it?"
"Y...yes..." Shiro nodded as he moved them behind a bench. "St...stay here..."
"You're gonna help Ichigo, right?" Miko asked. Shiro wasn't sure what to do?
What help...am I? "I...I w-w-will try..."
"You can do it, Big Brother!" Shiro's eyes widened and he turned to stare at the two kids.
"B...bi-ig Br...oth-er?"
"Yeah! You're like our big brother! You always play with us. You watch out for us...you're our big brother!" Ami clapped happily.
"Ami..."
"So...go help Ichigo!" Miko smiled. Shiro felt his lips turn up into hiw own smile and nodded.
"O...ok..."
Big Brother...huh... He heard the door to the apartment open and he turned to see Ichigo standing there and taking off his shoes. "Ichigo..."
"Oh, you're up?" Ichigo said as he headed to the kitchen. Shiro slowly stood up and walke dinto the kitchen. "Hey uhh...thanks for earlier, yeah?"
"S-sure..." Shiro murmered. "Y...you're...w-w-wel...come..." He felt his face heat up slightly and looked away when Ichigo turned to look at him.
"A little embarresed are we?" Ichigo chuckled. Shiro walked up and punched his shoulder lightly, but he was smiling too.
"M..m...maybe." He admitted. "I...I had b-b-been...thinking..."
"God save us all." Ichigo smirked as Shiro seemed to pout.
"Ichigo...do...d-d-o I have...a big brother?"
Ichigo almost dropped the canned fruit he had in his hand at the quiet question. "I...I don't know." He admitted. In truth, he knew full well that Shiro had no family whatsoever.
"Ok..." He looked to see how upset Shiro seemed and sighed.
"But apparently Miko and Ami see you as their big brother...so don't worry. Think of it as having a little sister and brother." At this, Shiro's lavander eyes lit up and he smiled.
"Y-yeah!" He laughed. He grew quiet again for a few minutes before getting serious. "I...I wantr to know what...my...my power is." Ichigo's eyes widened a bit at hos steady his voice had sounded.
Yeah...me too... he thought. "Well...we can ask Kisuke but...I doubt even he knows."
"Would...R-Rukia or...Or-Orihime know?" Ichigo shook his head and Shiro looked at his hands. "Oh..."
"Why so desperate to know though?" He asked. He was a bit curious as to why Shiro was suddenly so eager to know.
"I...I w-w-want to...t-to help you...I promised...Miko and Ami..." He replied. "Besides...m-maybe they'l...h-h-help m-me remem...ber..."
"Remember? Oh, your past you mean..." Ichigo shivered slightly at the idea. What if he does remember? What would happen then? Would he...change? The idea of Shiro changing back into the hateful monster had Ichigo's gut churning with fear and sadness. I don't want him to change back to that again... "I thought you were scared of remembering still..."
"...I am...B-but I d-d-don't want to...b-b-be a burden..." His pale fists tightened and shook. "I...I can't be..." Ichigo grabbed his shaking fists and held them in his hands, feeling the coo, refreshing feeling spread through him. Shiro too seemed to visably relax.
"Relax ok? You're not a burden." He whispered. "Besides, if you, I'd be complaining about it. Do you hear me complaning?" Shiro gave him a funny look and he sighed. "Ok, maybe I did once or twice, but not now. Besides, you've helped me out quite a bit lately. I'm thankful for that."
"Ichigo...I-"
"So justy don't push yourself ok? We'll go speak to Kisuke after we eat ok?" Shiro sighed and nodded.
"Ok then...thank you Ichigo..." Shiro smiled. Ichigo turned away as he felt his face get warm.
Seeing him smile...why does it make me happy to see it? He wondered.
As they sat at the small table, Ichigo was slightly glad Orihime and Rukia joined them as they had left the apartment. Shiro wasn't there, instead Kisuke had taken him into the back to run some quick tests. Although Shiro had seemed nervous, he had walked in with a determined look in his eyes. "I think you're rubbing off on him a bit Ichigo." Rukia chuckled.
"What do you mean by that?" He asked her.
"He had this stubborn look in his eyes, something you have quite often." She laughed as Ichigo glared at her.
"You're right Rukia; it's right there." Orihime pointed at his face.
"H-hey this isn't funny!" He huffed as the two girls laughed. "Well I think your weird food is affecting him too." He countered. That was lame Ichigo...nice...
"There's something weird abut my food?" She asked and both Rukia and Ichigo faced palmed.
Talk about living in deep, deep denial... they both thought. All heads turned when they saw Shiro and Kisuke enter the room. Shiro almost instantly sat next to Ichigo, scooting away from Kisuke.
"I...I do-don't like...him..." Shiro murmered.
"He isn't evil Shiro...he's just...weird."
"I am not weird!" Kisuke admonsihed. "Ah well. After what he has told me and checking a few things, I've come up with a few rather...interesting conclusions." All eyes turned to the shopkeeper as he cleared his throat. "The reason Shirosaki is acting the way he is is...well I've only heard of this happening. His soul's been torn."
"Torn? torn how?" Rukia asked, sparing a glance at Shiro, who was fidgeting nervously.
"I can't say, since he can't remember. Only he really knows what happened, but that won't be known until he remembers." Kisuke explained. "His soul is heavily damaged, explaining his current state. His loss of memory, both mental and physical."
"Physical?" Orihime asked.
"Muscle memory." Ichigo explained. "It explains why he couldn't walk when I first found him...or speak. He still struggles with that too."
"S-sorry..." Shiro murmered. Ichigo placed a reassuring hand on top of Shiro's, making his skin gain a slight tinit of pink.
"It's fine Shiro, this isn't your fault." Or is it? He added silently to himself. We don't know enough...
"However, the good news is that his soul is healing, if at a slow rate."Kisuke smiled cheerfully. He then turned to Ichigo, waving his fan in his face. "All thanks to your spiritual pressure Ichigo."
"Wait, me?"
"Surprisingly, you both share a similar spiritual pressure makeup." Kisuke explained.
Not too surprising really...Ichigo thought. I mean, he was born in my soul...
"Because of your inability to control your spiritual pressure-" At this, both the girls giggled slightly, receiving a scowl from Ichigo and a confused look from Shiro, "-it is slowly mending the tear in his soul."
"Any idea when it'll be fully repaired?" Rukia said after giggling.
"Not a clue~!" Kisuke grinned. All of them sighed. "However, his powers may help us in that sense."
"Huh?" Shiro looked at the shopkeeper, still wary of him.
"Your powers are interesting. You solidify your spiritual pressure into your hand, creating a weapon and striking out with it." Kisuke explained. "Afterwords, you seem to absorb the residual spiritual pressure that the Hollow leaves behind when you kill it, allowing it to add onto your own power and also patch up your soul."
"So he's absorbing their spiritual pressure when he strikes them?" Ichigo asked, feeling Shiro shake slightly he gripped his hand tighter.
"No, only when he defeats him. He has to be close to the fading Hollow for it to work, and by what I can tell, it doesn't affect the departing soul either." Kisuke said. "Also, his ability to heal is a bit odd. He takes everything about the wound, the memory of the pain and the actual wound, and absorbs it into himself. That's how he ends up with those injuries."
Even a kindergartner could tell us that! Ichigo thought and huffed.
"However, this could add to the damage already done on his soul. I'm unsure of that since I have yet to see it happen." The blonde shopkeeper sighed.
"Ok...but that still doesn't explain why he seems to...I dunno shut down when a Hollow's nearby." Ichigo grumbled.
"Perhaps it is simply his similar spiritual pressure reacting with that of the Hollow's or maybe it's trying to absorb more of it in to patch his soul up. I'm unclear on that."
"From what Ichigo says, it only happens when he sees the Hollow." Orihime spoke up, hoping that the small detail would help.
"I can't say I really know until I see it all." Kisuke sighed.
"...Then..t-t-teach me..." All eyes turned to the albino. "I...I want to...l-learn how I...c-c-can use my...powers..."
"Shiro you don't have t-" Ichigo was abruptly cut off by a fierce glare from Shiro. He's never been like this before...not since...
"Y-yes I do! I...I c-can't just...s-s-s-s-sit here and...w-watch you and...every-one g-g-et hurt...because I...c-can't act!" Shiro snapped. "I...I wanna help you Ichigo..." Ichigo looked into his Hollw's eyes and saw determination, but also a pleading look.
"...Are you sure?" He asked. Shiro nodded swiftly. "Kisuke...is there a way we can?"
"Perhaps there is. But let's give it a shot later. I think this is enough for today." All heads nodded and Shiro sighed, as if he had run out of steam. As they all stood to walk out, Ichigo couldn't help but look at Shiro. His eyes seemed downcast, finding the floor interesting.
"Heh, I think you spooked everyone back their with that little outburst." He laughed.
"Is...is it...th-the right thing?" Shiro asked quietly.
"That you want to help? Yeah...I think it is." Ichigo nodded. Shiro turned and hugged Ichigo. Ichigo sighed and hugged back and buried his face in Shiro's hair. He noticed how he smelled like a fresh winter morning and almost pulled away out how relaxing it felt.
"Thank you Ichigo...f-for everything..." Ichigo just stood dumbly, only one word coming from him.
"Uhh...yeah."
Chapter 11 end
So now ya know some more eh? Hope it satisfies y'all somewhat~! So...review pwease~!