AN: Thank you very much for the reviews/favs and alerts. ^^
I'm very sorry that I didn't update sooner, but I lost my interest in writing and bleach fanfiction for a while.
x-x-x-x-x The lost Protector- chapter 2 x-x-x-x-x
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The banquette wasn't a pompous event. After a small speech from the king everyone settled down. The king and the kaitan sat at the high table and could watch everything from there - on the other hand they also could be watched perfectly. Ichigo felt the sole attention of the guests upon him and not only the guests. He hated it how the whole staff, advisors, ministers, servants and other members of the court were watching him.
"Yasuhiko, you're a bad example for the whole court. You contaminated their thoughts."
He whispered, well knowing that the man at his side would hear him. The king chuckled faintly and took a sip of his sake.
"That's not my fault, my young friend. Here in the palace everyone is trained on reading the worlds' reiatsu and…"
"Have I ever told you that I really hate this connection?"
Ichigo interrupted and picked at his food. The soul king smiled gently at him though a little concern sneaked into his gently eyes.
"It's obvious for the trained watcher and only as long as the worlds are healing and unstable. You are faring amazingly in consideration of the worlds' state. Be patient, Ichigo and don't try to heal too fast or the worlds will tire you out."
Ichigo sighed, not happy at all about his connection to the worlds.
"You do not want to disappoint the chefs tonight, do you? They will be worried if you do not eat properly."
The orange haired youth gave his savior a significant look even so he started eating instead of picking at it with his chopsticks. The dishes were wonderful and delicious. Ichigo knew that most of them were prepared especially for him - extra nutritious for replenishing his strained energy.
Curious and worried glances followed every movement. It didn't matter that the young kaitan tried to block everything out except his closest surroundings he still lost his appetite because of the constant observation. Giving up his closed-up mind he looked around himself. Not obvious enough to be noticeable.
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A lot of nobles, shinigami and other representatives were assembled. Colorful garments changed to the monotone black and white of the shinigami. The banquette had been held every year in honor of the victims and heroes since the war ended and yet it was the first time the kaitan was present.
Ukitake couldn't help looking at the former substitute shinigami. His vibrant orange hair had grown a bit over the past years. It caught the light and gave him a radiance of pure energy. Between his bangs the silver tiara, the insigne of his rank, was visible. The blue and white diamond glinted in the many lights of the ceremonial hall. Kurosaki Ichigo's formal attire was only in color different to the king's one. His posture was graceful and yet relaxed while interacting with the king of soul society. Obviously they were on equal footing and respected each other though even the king like most of the other members of the court kept shooting concerned glances towards the youth.
Ukitake tore his eyes away from the kaitan and let his eyes wander over his colleagues. Most of them went into shock. Thanking kami-sama, every deity he could think of or whoever felt responsible for giving Zaraki-taichou enough insight not to attack his favorite sparring partner as soon as he entered the room. Although with this maniac grin which spread over his whole face in mind the white haired captain wasn't sure that the captain of the eleventh division wouldn't try. Usually the banquette wasn't loud but at least a comfortable and festive matter. This night however was very quiet. The present shinigami were mentally absent, focusing on the poor boy next to the king.
The later the night became the more guests were able to divert their attention from the fact that the lost hero sat next to the king. Servants cleared up the tables quickly and signalized the beginning of the more informal part of the feast. Sensing the opportunity for a few words with the former substitute shinigami, Yamamoto headed off in direction of the high table.
Before he reached the table, Ichigo had already arisen. He looked a little pale and the smile he directed at the king was strained.
The advisor's words came back to Ukitake's mind as he had warned the representatives of the shinigami not to stress a still recovering kaitan.
Ichigo indicated with a small formal bow his retreat and left the room accompanied by the advisor Yamada. They had lost their chance to speak with the former substitute shinigami. He locked eyes with his friend Shunsui. But maybe…
As the huge door closed behind him, Ichigo sighed tiredly. Gatherings like that had still a deep impact on his reiatsu. As kaitan he could feel every reiatsu signature, every soul, every zanpaktou and through this unfortunately also every emotions and sometimes thoughts. Usually Ichigo was able to block thoughts and emotions that weren't his own but as long the souls of the worlds were still recovering his barriers were a bit weak and the worlds drained him for healing energy.
"Ichigo-sama, are you well? Your appetite tonight left to desire." Yamada asked cautiously.
"I will be."
Ichigo allowed the advisor to lead him back to his rooms. Here he could relax because the pressure from all the souls and energies were blocked and couldn't drain him.
"I will send a servant with tea and snacks, kaitan-sama. Please don't heal anymore tonight."
"How long till it stop?"
Yamada stopped his movement and smiled gently.
"Because of your nature you are connected to four worlds. The earth, Hueco Mundo, soul society and the king's realm and only in your garden and rooms you are not feeling the drain on your soul and reiatsu that is needed for the healing. Please be patient, kaitan-sama. You are doing very well but the worlds suffered a lot through the war."
Ichigo sighed. Three years had passed and he was still not able to heal completely.
"A broken soul is healing a broken world…" He whispered and walked towards his garden.
"Good night Yami. Send the poor soul into my garden when I'm not in the library. Hungry or not I can't stop you ordering some food."
Yamada chuckled but bowed low before leaving.
Ichigo stared into the night of his garden. The silence lay down on his mind like a warm blanket soothing his drained reiatsu and donating comfort.
With another sigh the former substitute walked down the path towards his garden lounge. The spirits had sensed his mood and were nowhere in sight. But Ichigo knew they were waiting in the shadows, ready to help.
Ready to serve.
Ready to protect him.
Here he wasn't the pure protector anymore. Here he was the protected. It was an unfamiliar concept for the young man but…
"So you figured out how to fool the king's order?"
Ichigo watched the two waiting men who were standing next to his garden lounge.
"Then tell me, why are two of the most powerful taichous seeing the need that they should be at my service tonight and therefor allowed to enter my garden?"
Shunsui and Jushiro bowed and put the tea and snacks down onto the table. Ichigo sighed again and sat down. With a small nod he allowed them to sit too.
"First of all we want to offer our gratitude not only for not throwing us out but also for your efforts in the war and after. And we want to apologize that we abandoned you three years ago. Most of us really believed that you deserved your life." Ukitake answered and offered the tea.
Ichigo looked into their honest eyes. He didn't know if the rest of the shinigami regretted their decision but these men in front of him did. Leaning back into his seat with his cup of tea he closed his intense amber eyes briefly, unknowingly removing pressure from the older shinigamis.
"I won't forget and I won't probably forgive all of them. But I believe you."
"And we understand completely why you declined the taichou post. Who would want more work than necessary?" Shunsui joked and snatched a sandwich from the plate.
"As kaitan you're able to cross the worlds all the time, why didn't you use your power and kicked your friends in their butts? A few of us definitively deserved it."
Ichigo grimaced at this.
"As soon as I step out of my rooms there are four rather giant and very broken souls of the worlds that are draining my energy for healing. Here I can control the healing. But as long as the worlds and I are not better fixed I cannot leave the palace for more than a few hours. I have still too much to learn before I can control all of my powers."
"Well, Ichigo, then I would say when you can't visit us than we have to come to you. Who else will annoy you and keep up the rumor mill?"
-x-x-x End x-x-x-x