Chapter Three: Grief for the Lost
When I came to I was at the Urahara Shop. I was all banged up and I was confused as to why we couldn't just have Orihime heal me, but I didn't voice this. I tried to get up but realized that I was being held down by one of Tessai's healing spells. So I decided to just call out for Mr. Hat-n-Clogs. "Hey Kisuke!" I called out and not even a minute later he appeared.
"Yes my lovely student." He replied happily. I just sighed and he seemed to have noticed I really wanted to ask him something serious. "You seem to have something bugging you. I'm going to be blunt with you. Tell me what seems to be on your mind." He said in a serious tone.
"I have a question. I don't know if you'll have the answer but I've been confused. Grimmjow... That espada. He bit my neck but... not in an attempt to hurt me... I guess to a certain degree... You know what I mean!" I yell and a light shade of pink covers my face. I can hear my hollow laughing in my head and frown. I thought I got rid of him.Sorry Kingy. You only suppressed me. Never got rid of me.~ He said and I frowned. "Either way, he did it twice. Once in our first fight, and then the one that just happened." I looked over at Kisuke whose eyes seemed to have widened in concerned. I looked confused as for this but the continued. "Ever since then the only thing I've been wanting to do is to kill him, but when I saw him... I couldn't bring myself to do it... I don't understand it. The constant urge to kill him and then the sudden change of heart... What's wrong with me..." I asked.
Kisuke just sighed and looked a bit upset. "I'm going to take it that when he did it the first time you didn't have a say in it. But anyway taken into consideration that even though it's rare, hollows do this, and taking into the fact you're part hollow yourself... Ichigo I think that hollow just marked you." Kisuke said in a serious voice.
I was confused and worried. What did he mean by mark? And so what if I'm part hollow? What does that even have to do with any of this? "What... What do you mean?" I asked and my inner hollow just sighs. You know you're really stupid. Can't you connect the dots? Ichigo think about it. He bit you leaving a mark. You now have these stupid urges to kill yet nurture the blue haired idiot.
"Ichigo in simple terms he put a marking on you to show that you belong to him. He can't fully claim you since you're not in hueco mundo but since you've got that mark on you, it simply signifies that no other hollow or soul is allowed to touch you in any intimate way or even attempt to kill you. If that happens well, depending on how well the arrancar's self control is, then, well that person has a good chance of being killed or at least badly injured." Kisuke explained and I just frowned. I didn't like that, not in the least.
"Is there a way to make it go away?" I asked. I didn't want to be bound it him and why? Why would he do that?
"There is but there would be no point. It would just land you into a deeper mess. And besides usually you would have had to marked at least 4 to 5 times before it took any effect the way you're getting only after the first and second. Ichigo... I'll be honest with you. I don't think that arrancar marked you simply because he had nothing better to do, I think that his soul clashed straight with yours." He told me and I frowned. Hat-n-clogs was right. From the moment I met him, while even thought there was the unnamed and unspoken feeling. I understand it now... And I hate it. Why, Why, Why? Just why did it have to be the enemy? Why did he have to mark me? Why- "Ichigo I think it might be best if you get home now though it might do you some good." Hat-n-Clogs said and I nodded.
I went back home and went to sleep. My body was aching but I didn't give thought to it. The only thing I could think of was that damned blue haired bastard. I can't help but laugh at myself as I thought about how stupid it all sounded to me. When I finally went to sleep, I was in peace. I could feel my body becoming more comfortable and less sore as if my body was healing and I was grateful for that. Somewhere along the way I was pulled into my inner world by Zangetsu and frowned. "What's wrong Zangetsu?" I ask. If he wants to train me then he could have done so a while back but I guess he's not here for that because the look on his face makes me want to cower. "You are here because I summoned you here. I want to ask you a question." He said and I looked at him confusedly. He seemed to have noticed and walked over to me. "I don't like it when it rains. It shows that you're upset or troubled by something. Ichigo it's been pouring like this for the past month. Tell me what's wrong with you?" He asked and I looked at him in shock. I didn't realize that my emotions really affected this place but it seems it does.
"...I don't understand some things that are happening in my life right now. I mean is it natural for someone like me to be mated with a hollow? And what's worst is the white version of me is laughing his ass off every time I get confused..." I admit and Zangetsu only nods. I can see my white haired counterpart in the distance coming over at a quick rate and I look a bit startled. He didn't seem to have a lust for blood at the moment but I still kept my guard up. He's a bit unnerving...
"King. You come to your inner world and you don't even come over to me to say hi. I'm hurt." He said with that shit-eating smirk of his and and giggled a bit.
I just sighed at his act and shook my head. "You know you can be a real pain in the ass sometimes right?" I asking hoping he'd get to the point.
"Yeah Mr. I-got-my-ass-kicked-by-my-cyan-haired-mate.~" He teased and I felt a vein pop on my head as I got up and went after the asshole. Zangetsu just watched as we fought and didn't say a thing. You'd think he'd try and stop us but I guess not. We went at each other with full force. When we were done we were both exhausted and satisfied with how much we beat the other up. "Nice job Kingy. You've gotten stronger. You can actually land a blow on me and make it hurt~" He said, as if he was happy that I could actually damn near kill him.
"It's almost as if you want me to kill you." I say completely bewildered as to why he seemed happy about it. He just laughed and I only sighed. I sat up with a yawn and decide to go back to my body. When I got there I fell out of my bed and landed on my head. I groaned in pain as my head hit the floor. "Worst possible way to wake." I groaned and then frowned. Kon seemed to be having a ball and I only sighed. Then I realize that the pain didn't come from my injuries from the day before. I quickly unwrapped my bandages to find all my wounds had been healed. I was confused but a knock at my window knocked me out of my trans and I opened the window. It was Rukia, and Renji. They said that they wanted me to follow them, and I did without hesitation. When we got there, I realized that we were at Orihime's place and I got a bit nervous. Where was she anyway? "Why are we here and wheres Orihime?" I ask and Toshiro looked at me with a frown plastered across his face.
"That's why you're here Ichigo." He said and then then big weird looking TV thing went on. Jushiro appeared on screen and Toshiro seemed a bit angered by this. "Captain Ukitake I thought I was to be connect to the Head Captain." Toshiro said and frowned. "Yes you were, but I had you transferred to me." Jushiro said and Toshiro sighed. He ran a hand through his hair and waited for Jushiro to start talking. "The reason is, is because I was the last person who saw Orihime Inoue before she left through the Senkaimon. The two who I sent with her came back saying that there was an Arrancar who came to get her. I believe that she was either taken or... possibly killed..." Jushiro said and Rukia gasped.
"Captain Ukitake! I believe this, you must be joking!" she yelled and then Head Captain Yamamoto came out from behind.
"I know, I don't wish to believe it either. I'm only simply stating the worst case scenario." Jushiro said and I frowned.
"There's no way that could have happened! I was badly injured in yesterday's battle to the point where nobody could heal me. But when I woke up this morning all my wounds were healed! And I could still feel traces of Orihime's Spiritual Pressure!" I yelled and I could see Head Captain Yamamoto's eyes open the slightest in concern.
"If that's the case then that mean's Orihime Inoue is a traitor to the soul society." He said and I frowned. I was going to retort but Renji knew me too well and stopped me before I said something that would put me in a bad position.
"Then Head Captain Yamamoto. I ask permission not only as senior officer from the advanced troops from Captain Hitsugaya's team but also as the lieutenant of squad 6 to go and retrieve the traitor Orihime Inoue from hueco mundo." Renji said with a smirk but Head Captain Yamamoto said no. This seemed to have surprised Renji but I could see it coming. The old man always had to abide by the rules, but I can't blame him. I know that he wouldn't help me get Orihime back so I sighed.
"I'm sorry Head Captain but I cannot obey those orders Orihime is my friend and if she's in trouble then I must go to help her. Please do not take this as me being disrespectful." Rukia said and I could on sigh as I know he would again said no to Rukia's request.
"I figured that this would happen so I'm glad I took precautions." He said and a senkaimon opened showing Byakuya and Kenpachi. I knew that the soul society was not going to help so I just sighed. "Alright then, I won't ask you to help me get Orihime, but you could at least tell me how to get into Hueco Mundo." I said and ran a hand through my unruly orange hair. Again he said no and at this point I was very frustrated. "I can understand why you don't want your men to enter Hueco Mundo and to go home, but even if so at least let me go to Hueco mundo to save her! Orihime is not a traitor, I know she would never do that!" I yell out and clutch my head in pain as I could feel a headache coming on.
I could see Head Captain Yamamoto shake his head declining my request before he started talking. "Ichigo Kurosaki. I can not allow you to go and get yourself recklessly killed. I forbid you from entering Hueco Mundo. Stand by in the world of the living and wait for further instructions." He said and I could only ball my hand into a fist. I could see the looks Rukia and Renji were giving me and I sighed. I left not waiting to see the others leave.
The next two days went by slowly. I couldn't sleep and I didn't want to stay home all day either. I didn't want to see Zangetsu or my white haired counterpart either. I knew if I continued like this I would drive myself mad and decided to go to school the next day. I got scolded by my homeroom teacher and told to go sit down. I wasn't in the mood to be a cocky bastard so I just stayed to myself. Just as lunch was starting, and I was heading to the roof, Tatsuki came up to me and started questioning me. I didn't realized that she was able to see me when I was in my soul reaper form but I didn't question it. I just stayed quiet and when it became too much I just told her to leave me alone. She punched me dead in the face and I hit my head the window, making it shatter in a process. I groaned in pain as Keigo ran in and held Tatsuki back. I walked away and and told them to stay away from me. I didn't want to hurt them so when I got home I went in my room to see if Rukia had come back. I didn't know if she would but if she was back or not I was going to Hueco Mundo. I had written a note for Rukia using the same methods she used when she left.
Taking Kon's Gikongan pill, I swallowed and hoped he wouldn't get me in trouble. "Kon. Keep out of trouble and make sure you don't get my body in jail." I told him and he looked confused.
"Why are you being so pathetic? And where are you going anyway?" he asked flailing his arms around and I just said nothing.
I walked over to the Urahara shop and was surprised when I saw him waiting. "Hey, welcome back Ichigo. I've been waiting for you to show up." Kisuke said and I sighed. He opened up the shop and I followed him into the shop. We stood in the meeting room for a second before he started speaking again. "Ichigo... I just want to let you know that this will more than likely be more dangerous for you than anyone else because of that mate mark on you. If you come across that hollow I want you to run. Do not engage in any kind of battle with him. If you do... there is the very likely case that you will no longer be a soul reaper but rather be turned into an arrancar. Ichigo be careful." Kisuke told me before jumping down to the basement. I stood there for a few seconds as I gave thought to what he said. If I become an Arrancar then I would have failed everyone. I... I don't want that to happened... I thought and walked further into the basement. When I got down there, I saw Chad, and Uryu sitting there and waiting for me. I wanted to go alone but I know that Orihime is their friend too and didn't say what I wanted. When I went to greet them I was pulled back by Kisuke and sighed. When we finished talking for a few minutes I we saw that Kisuke was up on a giant post. He explained to us that what we were going to use to get into Hueco Mundo was called a Garganta. We would be using the Garganta to enter Hueco Mundo to save Orihime. When he opened it he explained that we would have to make our own footing by using our spirit energy. It sucks because I have no talent in controlling Spirit energy. It wasn't all bad, but... I sometimes wish I wasn't always the hero.