You're favorite author is back and has in tow another chapter of fun and adventure :D Once again I want to thank my one and only faithful reviewer! Every time I get a review it motivates me to post up new chapters and it makes me suuuuper duuuuper happy that I know at least one person likes this story ;) I know you're dying to see where Ichigo is being taken so let me distract you no further ;)
Don't. Own. Bleach. But you wished I did, didn't you?;)
Chapter 5- Orange Meets White; Can This Be the Key?!
I was shocked.
"You guys know who I am?! ...Well, we are family." I smiled for the first time being in this jacked up hole in the ground knowing that at least my little sisters knew who I was.
"Family? We're not related, silly! My name's Tweedle-Dee!" Yuzu smiled down at me with that innocent look she always has.
"We were sent here by the White Queen to retrieve you from the Mad Hatter, and apparently save you from the clutches of the Cheshire Cat." Karin finishes Yuzu's explanation and adds, "I'm Tweedle-Dum." Her voice had enough venom in it to kill a puppy.
"As positive as ever, I see." I roll my eyes as my sisters really never did change.
"With a name like Tweedle-DUM there's not much to be positive about." She retorted with a droneless tone. I couldn't help but laugh at her doom-n-gloom attitude it was just so her. I just hope that along with them I wouldn't be seeing my father anytime soon. At this point he would send me over the edge that i was already dangerously teetering off of. I let myself fall back into the tea pot but I landed on my feet this time. I went back to the note I noticed before and righted it once more in preparation to try and read it again. But, alas, this cursed place wouldn't give me a break. At that moment I assumed we arrived at the White Queen's castle as I tumbled over at the unknown stop. I lifted myself out again to see what I was in for. Here goes nothing. I looked up to see shimmering, flawless white walls that were surrounded by delicate white leafless trees. The gate we were waiting in front of was full of intricate circular patterns that swirled in an endless graceful flow. As I stared in amazement at the whiteness of it all I didn't notice that there was a man silently approaching the gate to let us in. I was done being surprised when I saw Byakuya emerge from the shadows and open the gate before he started to walk briskly forward again motioning for us to follow him. I couldn't help but snicker at the all mighty Byakuya Kuchiki who had been reduced to a lowly servant. It was all a guy could hope for. He led us away from the castle to a garden on the western side by a tower. Byakuya abruptly turned to face us. He glared down at me. I snapped. That's it!
"What the hell are you glaring at Byakuya! You're just a no good servant! What gives you the right!?" I snarled at him not even caring that I was super tiny and in a pink tea pot held by an innocent looking girl. Wait now that I think about it... Crap! He ignored me, of course.
"I do not believe it is in the queen's best interest for her to meet with the Kurosaki brat although she insists that he is the one to save us." Byakuya stated this like he had no intention of letting us inside or anywhere near the queen. Luckily my sisters are quite clever.
"I completely agree with you White Knight, but what should we do? The queen will know we are here by now and will come looking for him." Yuzu said this conspiratorially and Karin nodded signaling she agreed. White Knight? So much for good for nothing servant. Just as I was about to start yelling again Byakuya briskly started walking off in a seemingly random direction and as soon as his back was turned Yuzu winked at me letting me know everything was all gonna be ok. They quickly followed after him to wherever he was thinking of going to take me. If I was bigger I would have been proud of her reassurance but all I could do was fall exasperatedly back into the tea pot and await what was going to happen next. We were going along silently until I heard a whack and a thud following soon after. I quickly hoisted myself up to see what was going on and I was met with the sight of Karin dragging Byakuya's unconscious body into what looked like some sort of closet.
"That's the way to do it!" I cheered as Byakuya was unceremoniously dropped on the floor. Karin shut the door and locked it for good measure.
"Sheesh for being a knight he sure didn't see that one coming." Karin observed while dusting her hands together.
"Come on lets get Ichi-Nii to the queen. She's probably worried sick by now!" Yuzu chirped running off in the opposite direction with Karin quickly catching up to her. We made it inside the castle while I was dozing away in the tea pot. Some more complicated twists and turns later we finally made it to the queen's chamber. Unlike in Rangiku's castle this White Queen seemed a little less formal I assumed as Yuzu and Karin bust through the doors without warning.
"The White Queen! We brought him! We have him!" Yuzu panted as she tried to catch her breath. The White Queen turned from her post at looking out the window.
"Oh thank goodness I was starting to think something had gone horribly wrong!" Squealed a very familiar voice. It was Orihime and she was wearing a similar dress as Rangiku except hers was all white instead of red.
"Orihime! What the heck do you need me for?! Where am I?! And when will I get out of this tea pot and return to normal size!" I looked at her thoroughly exhausted and just wanting answers. I admit I was taking advantage of her good nature but by now I just wanted to get out of here and go home.
"Oh, uh, yes Kurosaki-Kun!" She bowed after she stuttered out this short phrase. "You are in Wonderland and I've summoned you here because you are the one who will save us!" She smiled shyly then quickly added, "And i can get you to normal size in a jiffy!" Her smile grew as she took the tea pot I was in from Yuzu and carried me away into a room to the left of the chamber we were in.
"What's-it-Land?! I've never heard of that before! And what am I supposed to save you guys from anyway?!" I watched as she sat the tea pot down on what seemed to be a kitchen counter and started to gather ingredients to make something.
"It's Wonderland not What's-it-Land and you're here to save us from the Red Queen, of course!" She stated this matter of factly as she continued gathering up ingredients.
"Rangiku? What's she doing that's so terrible? Spending too much money?" I asked genuinely curious. Rangiku was obnoxious but relatively harmless. Orihime stopped gathering ingredients and started to concoct whatever she was going to make.
"The Red Queen has higher faults than just spending too much money. She has gone off her rocker so to speak. She has tormented the land with her selfish ways and cruel and rash behavior. She has a nasty habit of executing people for the simplest of things. Just the other day she offed a poor Red Knight's head because he sneezed during her morning procession to the throne." She said this like it was the most normal thing in the world.
"Rangiku's killing people?! Geez, that's harsh! I never thought she'd fall so far off the deep end. But how am I supposed to stop her?" I had no idea where Orihime had got the idea that I was the only one who could do anything about it. I mean Byakuya's here, couldn't he handle it?
"You are the strongest and bravest knight with the purest heart. You are the only one who can defeat the Jabberwocky. Here." She finished making some sort of drink and held it out to me. I scrambled out of my tea pot and took it.
"Pure heart, huh? And what's this Jabberwhaty? Why is it so dangerous? And what does it have to do with Rangiku?" I sniffed the drink once, as I knew Orihimes cooking abilities lacked edibility, before I gulped it down. I shot up in an instant and towered over Orihime as I was still standing on the counter. I hopped down from the counter and noticed her blushing furiously. She tried to answer my questions although it seemed like she was having trouble breathing.
"Um i-i-i-its a Jabberwocky and it is very d-d-d-dangerous because it's the most e-e-e-evilist beast in all of Wonderland. O-o-o-only the purest of hearts can look it in the eyes without turning to d-d-d-dust. It's u-u-u-under the Red Queen's control and is her m-m-m-main protector." She choked out this explanation, stumbling and stuttering on every other word.
"Are you ok, Orihime? You don't look so good." I leaned in to inspect her but that seemed to make it worse. She backed away putting her hands up and shaking her head back and forth at an alarming rate.
"I'm perfectly fine Kurosaki-Kun! Nothing to worry about here!" She didn't stutter this time but it seemed to take a lot of her energy to get out each word and she wouldn't look at me.
"Whatever you say... So when can I slay this beast thing and go back home?" I asked getting to the question I really wanted to know the answer to.
"Oh, you will fight the Jabberwocky on the soulless day which is two days from today." Orihime was getting more and more nervous so I decided to ask about it.
"Hey, Orihime what's up with you? Why are you so nervous?" I stared directly at her making sure she wasn't going to try to pull a fast one on me and lie again.
"You're not properly dressed, Kurosaki-Kun." She practically gasped as she points to my torso, which I find out to be completely lacking a shirt.
"Come this way and I will see to it that you are rightly clothed in no time." She scurries off into another door leading into the hallway as I follow behind. Why does everything here have to be so confusing? Its like a freaking maze! And all this whiteness is bringing back this familiar feeling again? Speaking of familiar...
"Holy crap! I almost forgot!" Orihime jumped at my outburst but I had no time to explain. I started to run back the way we came. I needed to finally read it! That dang note in the teapot. For some strange reason I have a feeling it has something to with how I got pulled down here. I burst through the corridors finally reaching the kitchenesque room where we left the teapot. I grabbed the note out of it and in my haste I almost dropped the teapot on the floor. The writing again seemed vaguely familiar like I'd seen it before but even before I saw it on that 'Drink Me' bottle and the signs in the woods. Thinking back that far I remembered that plush rabbit I landed on when I fell down this hole. Rabbits always remind me of Rukia... That's it!
"I know where I've seen this writing before! It's Rukia's!" I shouted and fist pumped the note into the air. Finally making the damn connection already I lowered my hand down to read it.
"Kurosaki-Kun! What is the matter? What did you run back here for? Is something wrong?" Orihime burst through the door and bombarded me with questions that could only be answered after I finished reading the note. I looked up at Orihime, wide-eyed.
"This can't be! That would mean that she's-" It can't be. She can't be here! Why would she be here? And why do I miss her so much all of a sudden? What the he'll is going on?! Does this mean she knows who I am? That she's here?
"She's what Kurosaki-Kun? Who's she?" Orihime asked looking a little worried at my deer-in-the-headlights expression.
"She's here..." I couldn't dare say her name. Why was this so hard all of a sudden? Why am I getting so excited?
"Sorry I'm late. My watch must have been running slow." That voice could be none other than...
Finished! Bet you can guess who Ichigo's freaking out about ;) buuuuuut if you can't then you'll just have to wait till the next chapter! In the meantime review, review, review!:D My chapters are getting longer and longer and I pinky promise IchiRuki coming to you live in the next chapter ;P Thanks again reviewer you made me oh so very happy See ya in the next chapter!