Thank you chuchootrain, war90, COAIM, Lyhime, x3Sn0w, aki6, Yanaril, Twix10, Demonbloodfeeder, anthem2521, Emuri, and Nel (little extra thanks to you for your advice. I had forgotten about that!). I love you guys so much! Your reviews are wonderfully appreciated. It's fun to read everyone's suggestions, ideas, and questions. I can't really answer the latter, but they give me good insight and occasionally remind me to clarify things! PerennialLurker, my kickass beta, also gets her major and special thanks, especially with this chapter. She made some valid points, and she's the reason these chapters (and this story) aren't too nuts.
It's the eighth chapter already! I am totally hoping to have 100 reviews by the time I put up Chapter 11, but that might be pushing it.
Anyway, review and lemme know what you think!
Chapter 8
Training Day #1: It's a two-way street
Orihime was feeling troubled. Not worried, because that would imply something was wrong. She was simply troubled. The world was not as it had been, and she did not know why. It wasn't the thought of training with Ichigo (due to begin today, and how her cheeks glowed when she remembered), which could safely be classified as your common or garden type nerves.
No. It was Tatsuki.
The martial artist was her best friend, and Orihime felt confident enough in their friendship to say that she knew her quite well. Enough to know all her little habits, like when she was hiding something or when something was bothering her, and her personal matters, such as past regrets. Ichigo was one such example. Being his best friend, if only for a few fleeting years, was something Tatsuki had cherished, and that's why the rift that had grown between the two left a deep scar on her heart.
Whenever the two teenagers talked, Inoue could all but see an unnamed tension between them. Thick, heavy, and coated with idle banter and light, pleasant conversations that belied the unspoken problems and withheld truths that were itching to come out, but yet couldn't. The tension was more obvious at certain points than others, but Orihime could always feel it.
At least, until that day. When she arrived at school with Hitsugaya and Hinamori, she didn't initially sense anything different about Tatsuki and Ichigo. They met her at the front doors, and had been chatting before she came. It wasn't until they began walking down the halls that she first noticed it. The tension was still faintly there, but drained. Like a blister that had been popped, and the disgusting gunk had been cleaned out; still not perfect, and slightly painful, but at last the healing process could begin.
If she was starting to compare her friends' relationships to blisters, Orihime knew she must be really nervous. Her imagination didn't usually run in that direction.
Ugly metaphors aside, she had no doubt that something changed between the two of them. Their usual bantering seemed heartfelt and relaxed, and Orihime was sure that at one point, in the middle of her telling them in full detail the dream she had about a war between staplers and origami figurines, they shared a secretive, knowing smile that she could not decipher.
She had considered pulling Tatsuki aside at lunch and asking, but then she thought better of it. It was none of her business. That, and Ichigo had sampled yet another one of her concoctions, and his pleased response had sent her into a long, euphoric verbal gush. By the time she remembered what she wanted to do, it was too late.
Besides, she had something much more pressing to focus on, and when she met Shinji and Ichigo outside after school, she knew it was time to focus.
"Looks like we're all here." Shinji slung his bag over his shoulder, and motioned with his head for them to follow. "I hope you two are ready."
They both nodded, but Ichigo was the first to verbally answer, "What exactly are we doing today?"
Orihime waited in suspense for Shinji's answer as he led them away from the school grounds. She held her books to her chest tightly, and worried her bottom lip. A million questions and scenarios were running through her mind. What if they were going to start right away? Would she be ready and able to do this? Would Ichigo? What if they did succeed? What if her being able to stop him on the dome was a fluke, and he wouldn't listen this time? There were so many ways in which it could go wrong.
The Vizard finally craned his head around and said, "Fill you in when we get closer. First, I gotta ask ya something per Urahara's request."
Ichigo frowned. "What about?"
Orihime listened quietly as Shinji explained, "Well, he wants to know if any of your stuff's been gone through. Like, someone was shufflin' through your crap, lookin' for something. Or anything else unusual."
It was a strange question. Orihime and Ichigo met the other's gaze, both equally as confused and contemplative. Ichigo shoved the hand not holding his school bag into his pocket, his scowl deepening as he looked at Shinji. "Mine hasn't been."
Orihime's forehead creased as she thought over the past few days. Nothing seemed out of place, and with two shinigami living under her roof, Orihime highly doubted anyone would have been able to do so without notice. "No, I'm pretty sure mine hasn't been, either. I would think Hitsugaya-taichou or Hinamori-san would have known, otherwise." She nodded to herself, and asked Shinji, "Why does Urahara-san want to know?"
With the school already far behind them, they trekked through the streets, and Shinji lowered his voice. "Remember last week, when Tousen showed up and Yoruichi and I gave chase?"
Ichigo tucked his chin, and his eyes narrowed slightly. "Yeah, I remember. He got away."
"Unfortunately," Shinji muttered under his breath. "Right. Yeah, well, the reason Yoruichi was after 'im and all that jazz was because she and Urahara found him pilferin' through the Shouten. He was lookin' for something while the two of 'em were out. Tessai had gone down the street, and Ururu and Jinta were outside when they heard somethin' crash inside the shop." Shinji shrugged his jacket closer to him, and his face set into a frown. "They stumbled on him shufflin' through some of Urahara's papers. He cornered them with his zanpakutou, and hell knows what woulda happened if Urahara and Yoruichi didn't walk in."
It was easy to fill in the rest from there. "So," Orihime winced at the thought of the two children with a sword pointed at their necks, "they went for him, and he escaped and Yoruichi-san went after him?"
"Exactly. Then he came across us, and you know the rest."
"Wait," Ichigo said, "isn't that guy blind?"
Shinji suddenly glanced to the side, and Orihime idly wondered if he was going to try to avoid answering when he hesitantly replied, "Well, yeah, that's the other strange part of it. According to Urahara, Ururu sensed two separate reiatsu, but when they walked in, only Tousen was there. It makes sense that someone with sight was with him, but they don't know who. It wasn't Ichimaru. Either way, Urahara wasn't happy at all, but a couple days later he said he was handlin' it. Wouldn't go into details."
"That can't be a good thing," Ichigo said from months of experience in dealing with Urahara.
"That's never a good thing," Shinji corrected, drawing on his years' worth of experience. "But it's his shop, so if he says it's okay, then that's his deal. We've got our own crap to worry about."
"Right, the training." Orihime noticed that they were out of the main part of town and into the warehouse section. With no one around, they were free to talk openly. "Are we going to be doing much?" she asked.
Shinji grinned that well-known smile that Orihime found sort of funny (but a different sort of funny than how she thought of Ichigo's scowl), and he shrugged a shoulder. "That kinda depends on yer definition of 'much': we ain't gonna be doin' anythin' really extreme. We're mainly just gonna see where you two stand in terms of power to get a basic idea. Lot of fightin' and runnin' around, that's about it."
"That doesn't sound too bad," Orihime said thoughtfully.
They approached the Vizards' warehouse, but before Shinji called to anyone inside to let them in, Ichigo asked, "What exactly do you intend to do?"
Shinji seemed surprise by his question, but the look quickly disappeared, replaced with a smirk. "Just like we did with ya last month. Fight ya and test out your abilities. Hachi wants to see Orihime-chan's powers in person, and then we wanted to spar with you two a bit, to see how well you fight together." He raised his index finger before he was pummeled with more questions. "You two need to learn to work together and be in sync if you're gonna call out this Hollow form and control it."
It was a compelling enough of a reason for Orihime, and secretly, she reveled in the thought of getting to work with Ichigo. Hadn't her wish been to fight alongside of him, instead of watching his back in battle? Now was her chance. If she could, she would have hugged Shinji tightly and thanked him profusely. "Can't wait!" It was a tame response, but necessary. And loads more appropriate.
Suddenly, the warehouse door opened with a loud, protesting moan. Shinji's face fell in slight surprise, his eyes blinking as the door finished opening. In the threshold stood a very annoyed Hiyori, bearing a twitching eye and a scowl. "The hell are ya three doing? We've been waitin' for you and I find you blabbing outside!"
Shinji threw his hands up in the air, nearly sending his school books flying. "They had questions!"
"And you couldn't answer them just as easily inside?" Hiyori reached out and yanked Shinji by the collar. As she dragged him inside, she shouted over her shoulder at the two teenagers, managing to drown out Shinji's cursing protests. "Don't just stand there you dolts! Get in!"
They both hurried after her, and Hiyori threw the switch that controlled the door. It slowly began to close behind their retreating backs. Orihime glanced behind her, and as the door finally shut with an almost ominous thud, her heart rate accelerated. Nerves. We're going to be fine, she mentally chided.
She gasped softly when she felt a warm hand lay on her shoulder. She flushed when Ichigo smiled softly at her, and the comfort contained within settled her jittery nerves.
Her Kurosaki-kun was with her. What did she have to worry about?
Well, lots of things, she reminded herself as they walked down the stairs to the Vizards' training arena, but nothing that would be happening on the first day.
Hiyori was still dragging Shinji when Kensei's voice echoed from below, snapping at her to let him go. She did, but the sudden change in momentum didn't let Shinji regain his balance, and he went tumbling down the stairs. He crashed unceremoniously at the bottom.
Orihime and Ichigo stepped down the stairs. Orihime muted a gasp at the sight of Shinji's tangled limbs and the homicidal look he was giving Hiyori. Ichigo, on the other hand, was trying his best not to laugh.
Love grabbed Shinji by the back of his shirt and hefted him up, disentangling him and setting him back on his feet. Nodding in thanks, Shinji fixed his disheveled bob of blond hair before glaring mildly at Kensei. "Time it a little better next time, will ya?"
Kensei merely rolled his eyes.
"Berry-tan! Orihime!" Mashiro greeted in her typical cheery manner. "It's been so long! And, uh…" She tip-toed quickly to Kensei, and whispered, "Why are they here again?"
His eye twitched, and his body shook in rage. "For the millionth time, Mashiro, they're here to train!"
"Give it up," Riza muttered under her breath. She stepped out from behind Kensei, and hastily approached the two teenagers. Her braid hanging over her shoulder, she bent forward slightly and her eyes moved back and forth between them. Then she straightened and addressed Orihime. "You sure you want to fight in that?" She gestured to her school uniform.
Orihime nervously straightened out her skirt, and nodded. "Yeah. I like fighting in this better, sometimes. The skirt's easier to move around in."
Riza smirked. "Heh. I like your style. All right, you two drop your bags somewhere, and you," she nodded to Ichigo, "get into your shinigami form." She turned on her heel, and as Orihime and Ichigo placed their stuff against a rock, she asked, "Hey, Shinji. Who we starting with first?"
"Well, unless Ichigo is still only at 11 seconds-"
"I'm not," Ichigo cut in, glaring at him.
"-which I damn well hope not, we're gonna start with Orihime-chan, since hers should take the least amount of time." Shinji cocked an eyebrow at the healer. "Ya up for it?"
Her face was set and determined, but somehow she still looked cheerful. "Yes! I'm ready whenever you are."
Ichigo pressed his badge against his thigh, and popped out in his shinigami form. He aimed a stern frown in the general direction of the Vizards. "Listen, don't-"
" 'Go hard on her?'" Riza finished, drawing out her zanpakutou. "Yes, we know. You're so predictable." She got into a battle stance, and nodded to Orihime. "Three abilities, right? Which one first?"
The schoolgirl placed a finger to her lips before deciding, "Santen Kesshun." On cue, the triangular shield formed in front of her. "It's a shield."
Riza twirled her sword. "Right." Without a further word of warning, she darted at Orihime, and swung Haguro Tonbo out in a wide arc at the shield. It was instantly repelled, and Riza skirted back. "Hm." Wasting no time, she went at her again, this time unleashing a barrage of swings on the Santen Kesshun.
The second she stopped, she flash-stepped behind Orihime, and swung down. Orihime barely managed to bring the shield around in time to repel the attack.
Riza smirked, and after a nod of approval, pulled on her mask. Orihime spaced her feet apart, with a concentrated frown etched into her expression. The Vizard was on her in an instant, trying one attack against the shield, and then a series of them. The Santen Kesshun held.
Leaping back, the former vice-captain's eyes slightly narrowed behind the mask. She outstretched her palm, and a Cero formed in the center. It hardly gave everyone else enough time to jump out of the way before it fired. It slammed straight into Orihime's shield. The younger woman gritted her teeth, but pushed back as hard as she could. It wasn't until the end that her shield broke. The Cero's force sent her flying back, tumbling once before Ichigo caught her.
"Yeesh, Riza," Shinji muttered as he brushed off dirt from his shirt. "Wanna warn us next time?"
Meanwhile, Ichigo set Orihime on her feet as he checked her for damage. Along her left thigh was a long scrape, with a near matching counterpart stretched out across her left cheek. Orihime clutched her arm, wincing as she moved it from side to side.
Hachi sighed. "Well, Inoue-san, I suppose this is a good time to display your healing abilities."
She nodded to him, and the Soten Kesshun was silently called out. It covered the entire left side of her body. A few moments passed, and then the scrapes began to disappear, along with the parts of her uniform that had been damaged. Not even 30 seconds later, she was completely healed and her clothes were intact.
Riza quietly walked up to her as she removed her mask. "Couldn't even tell anything happened," she commented as she took a closer look at Orihime's handiwork.
"You got an offensive ability, right?" Hiyori asked Orihime, frowning as per usual.
She nodded hesitantly. "Yes but, um, I'm not very good with using him."
Riza beckoned with her hand as she took several steps back. "Let it out on me, I'll be fine."
Orihime closed her eyes, and breathed deeply before calling out, "Tsubaki! Kanten Zesshun, I reject!"
The black-clothed fairy zipped at Riza, but she was easily able to dodge. He went right at a large rock, and sliced it in two. Orihime sighed as Tsubaki circled back and returned to the hairpin.
"Well, we know what needs work then," Shinji said with a shrug. "You could probably work on your shield even more if you wanted to, and especially that last ability." When she glanced at him questioningly, he sighed. "It may help."
"It'll be our project," Hachi told her encouragingly. "No worries."
"Right." Shinji crooked a finger at Ichigo. "You're up next. Who's got the timer?"
Rose drew a stopwatch from his pocket. "It's here."
Shinji pulled out his sword. "Pull it on, kid. Ya don't need to be in bankai."
It felt strange, Ichigo noted, fighting with his mask on and only being in shikai. It made sense, though, since he used his Hollow powers as a last resort. He lifted his hand over his face, and summoned his mask. Suddenly feeling nervous, he quickly glanced at Orihime, who was sitting off to the side with Hachi. She caught him staring at her, but only smiled sweetly in return.
Something in his stomach felt like it was fluttering, and he nearly smiled back. However, Shinji had other plans. Ichigo barely had time to grab Zangetsu and block his attack. He swung back, feeling rather irritated. It didn't help Shinji was wearing a shit-eating grin.
"No distractions, Ichigo!" he chided playfully as he drove Ichigo back towards the wall. "Even if it is a pretty girl." Even though Shinji donned a Hollow mask as well, Ichigo could see him wink.
He shunpoed away from Shinji, cursing under his breath for feeling so flustered. "I was making sure she wasn't uncomfortable with me pulling on my mask!"
"Uh-huh," Shinji replied, his tone disbelieving, "but I don't blame ya in the least." He darted after Ichigo, swinging at him repeatedly as the substitute shinigami kept dodging. "Hell, she's cute and got a smile to die fer. I probably woulda made a move if-"
Ichigo slammed Zangetsu against Shinji, and even with the older Vizard blocking the attack, the force sent him rolling into a large rock. The teenager glared in Shinji's direction through his partially breaking mask.
"-you weren't so damn overprotective of 'er. I hereby rest my case." Shinji was laughing as he pried himself off of the boulder. "My my, you are the jealous type."
"Shut the hell up!" Ichigo snapped, flash-stepping towards him and lashing out with his sword.
Shinji dodged. He retaliated with an attack of his own, which Ichigo met with Zangetsu. Holding his sword against Ichigo's, Shinji leaned in. He glanced around as if to make sure the coast was clear before whispering conspiratorially, "Ya know, maybe you should just ask her out and get it over with."
Ichigo nearly dropped Zangetsu. "Wh-what? No-! She – she's my-"
"What is she to you?" Tatsuki's words rang in his head, and he found himself unable to answer. Hadn't he admitted he wasn't sure anymore? If Tatsuki was asking him that, and if Shinji was making hints about it, then would lying about it do any good?
A deep chuckle brought him out of his reverie. Shinji clapped him on the shoulder before leaping up and away from him, landing gracefully on top of a rock closer to where the others were. "Don't act so shocked! Deny it if ya want, but," he grinned widely, "we know you're gonna do it eventually."
Ichigo stared at him, dumbfounded, and it wasn't until Orihime innocently asked, "Do what?" that he snapped out of it. He had to cover it up before Shinji could open his mouth and landed him in a big mess.
He swung Zangetsu back, and decided to take the violent approach. "Getsuga Tenshou!"
Shinji hooted in laughter as he dodged the powerful Tenshou. But Ichigo wasted no time in going after him, and was determined to keep him quiet as he chased and fought him all around the room.
Before he knew it, his mask broke, and he stumbled to a halt. Rose clicked the timer, and nodded. "A little over 15 minutes. Pretty big improvement."
"'Pretty big?'" Hiyori rolled her eyes. "That's an understatement. At least he improved. I woulda kicked his ass if he didn't."
Ignoring her, only because he didn't feel like receiving an unnecessary smack from her sandal, Ichigo dusted off his shihakusho. "So, what's next?"
"Teamwork," Shinji answered, sheathing his sword. "This is what we're gonna be focusing on after today. You two should work on coordination before trying anything… big." He then asked his friends, "Who wants to work 'em?"
Love stepped forward. "I'll do it." He glanced over at the pair in training. "I won't use my mask, but shikai is in bounds. Got it?"
They both nodded.
"Good. Let's roll. And oh, Ichigo," Love frowned at him. "you get over-protective and try to take me on alone, I'll take you down without hesitation."
Okay, that was the second time he was called over-protective in less than a half hour. "I am not over-protective! I-"
He was suddenly pulled back, and the sound of Orihime chuckling nervously filled his ears. "It's okay, Kurosaki-kun. It's a compliment!"
"Compliment my ass!" Ichigo struggled as Orihime tugged on his shihakusho and kept pulling him back.
Shinji quietly stepped up next to Love. "Just go for 'em," he muttered. "Ya'll be waitin' forever, otherwise."
Love needed no further pushing. He shunpoed at the two, and raised his sword. "Crush, Tengumaru!"
Ichigo only had a moment to be surprised before the Santen Kesshun was up. The large, spiked weapon crashed against it. The substitute shinigami leapt back, taking Orihime with him. He smirked as he swung Zangetsu out. "Looks like we're starting. The hell is that, a cactus?"
"Tch." Love leapt up into the air. "You wish!"
Ichigo brought Zangetsu up, and blocked the attack. He strained beneath the weight, and tried to force Tengumaru to the side. Love swung back, and then struck Ichigo from the side. The younger Vizard dodged, and cursed as Love came in for another attack.
Orihime's shield was up in front of him again. Love turned to see where she was, and was surprised with a high flying kick from the side. He was sent rolling and tumbling for a few yards, cursing the whole way.
"Damn," Shinji murmured as Love recovered. "I didn't know Orihime-chan knew martial arts." His face was blank in surprise.
"She seems pretty adept at it, too." Riza crossed her arms, her expression unreadable as she watched the sparring continue. "I wonder who taught her."
Hiyori leaned against a rock, looking bored. "Why doesn't she use her attack? Kicks aren't gonna hurt Love much."
Hachi peacefully folded his hands together. "The Zanten Kesshun is designed to be a one-hit kill technique, from what I can see. I understand her hesitance to use it in a sparring match. Furthermore, her powers are based on her will, from what she told me. Orihime is just not an offensive fighter, although she's expressed the desire to improve on it. Ironically, until she does improve her use of the Zanten Kisshun, I was going to suggest to her to learn martial arts, or carry a weapon."
"Carry a weapon?" Kensei echoed. "I can't see her doing that, to be honest."
Their conversation was interrupted with a large crash. The Getsuga Tenshou that Ichigo released obliterated a boulder, and it forced Love to leap out of the way. Ichigo then nodded to Orihime, who then called out Tsubaki. Love had to dodge a second time, and Ichigo was able to get behind him and attack. The force of Zangetsu's swing sent Love crashing to the ground, followed by a cloud of dust emanating from where he landed.
"S-sorry Love!" Orihime cried out apologetically.
"Heh." He got to his feet, brushing off his clothes. "You two are a better team than I thought." He swung Tengumaru around in the air. "I'm not gonna hold back now." He charged at them, smiling in anticipation. "Here I come!"
Ichigo ran at him, meeting his assault head-on. As they exchanged blows, Hiyori raised her brow. "Looks like she did use it."
"As a distraction, more like," Riza amended. "Still, not a completely bad use. And you know, I thought we would be yelling at Ichigo by now. He's actually working with her."
Mashiro suddenly appeared behind Kensei. "Hiya! How're they doing? Is Berry-tan behaving?"
Kensei's eye twitched. "The hell you been, Mashiro?"
Shinji ignored the former captain and vice-captain pair as he glanced at Riza. "Yeah, well, he also knows Love wouldn't really do anythin' to hurt 'er, so-"
"Son of a bitch!" Ichigo cursed as Tengumaru smacked into Orihime and him. He was sent on a collision course with the ground. Trying to shake off the shock from the impact, Ichigo scrambled to his feet. "Damn it! Inoue, where-"
A shadow came from above, and he froze as Love raised Tengumaru, and shouted, "Hifuki no Kozuichi!"
Mashiro covered her eyes. "That's gonna hurt!"
Rose called out to Love, warning him to stop, but it was too late. Love released the attack, and Ichigo braced himself.
Meanwhile, Orihime had cushioned her fall with her shield, but the impact still jarred against her skull, making her teeth rattle. She heard shouting, though it sounded as though it were coming from strangely far away. Her gut clenched...
Something's wrong. Danger. Look behind you!
The voiceless words tugged at her, and time seemed to stand still. Confusion reigned, and then a voice, which she had never heard before and yet sounded like a familiar friend broke through her thoughts. "Queen! Shield, now!"
Instinct made her call out the Santen Kesshun, and her fairies somehow knew exactly where to go. Everything then sped by in a blur as the sharp sound of impact and the strong scent of fire lingered in the air.
What - what just happened?
Orihime turned around. Ichigo was kneeling of the floor, Zangetu poised above him. Her shield was hovering over him, a repellant to the flames that lingered from the tip of Tengumaru.
Love pulled back. His gaze met hers questioningly, but she had no answers for him.
"Inoue-san." Hachi strolled over to her, and for some reason, he looked concerned. His eyes were slightly wide, and he was hesitant as he reached out to her. "Are you all right? You're deathly pale."
I am? Her fingertips barely skimmed her face. She didn't feel like she was about to faint. She just felt lost. "I…"
Ichigo was by them in a flash. He knelt down to her, the lines in his face creasing in worry. "Inoue?"
The room's occupants gathered around Orihime. She shook her head. She didn't understand what happened, but maybe her powers would. "Lily, Baigon, Hinagiku."
The shield dissipated as the three fairies flew over to her. She stared up at them as they met her gaze, looking mildly guilty. "Orihime-san," Lily murmured.
Their master clutched her hands together. "Um, guys, what just happened?"
The trio exchanged a secretive look before glancing back at her. "What do you mean?"
She was going to sound like she had really lost her mind. "Whose voice was it that I heard?"
Orihime's other hairpin glowed, and the other half of the Shun Shun Rikka emerged. Tsubaki looked exceptionally cross as he shook his fist at Orihime. "Now you're finally seeing what's been happening!"
"What's been happening?" Ichigo demanded.
Tsubaki pulled down on the right side of his scarf. "Ask your Hollow."
Orihime leaned forward apprehensively. "Is that a tattoo?"
"No," Shun-ou said as she pulled up her sleeve. "It's a brand. We all have them."
It was there, more clearly shown on Shun-ou's arm. A Hollow's mask.
Mashiro's mouth dropped. "That looks like Berry-tan's mask!"
Orihime's hands drifted over her mouth, covering part of her shocked expression. "N-no way. How did this…?"
"The dome?" Shinji proposed. He sighed when Tsubaki nodded in confirmation. "Figured."
"What does this mean?" Hachi quietly asked the fairies.
Shun-ou clasped her tiny hands. "It could mean a lot of things. Orihime-san, you said you heard a voice?"
She nodded. "Yes, but I don't know who." She had a feeling, but one she wasn't confident enough to express just yet.
Tsubaki sighed, and pulled his scarf back up. "That Hollow has more answers than we do. We'll try and get more out of him soon."
Ichigo furrowed his brow. "What? How?"
But the Rikka didn't answer. They simply went back into their hairpins. Orihime touched the pins. "It's not like them to be so secretive," she said quietly.
"This is starting to piss me off," Ichigo grumbled.
"I think that makes ten of us," Shinji said, his tone exasperated. "Now that we've had our daily dose of weird, it's time we stopped." He pointed a skinny finger at Ichigo. "Listen to that black fairy and talk to your Hollow. I mean it, and do it soon." His usual laidback attitude was gone, and with good reason. "And in the meantime, both of you get some rest."
Ichigo nodded. "Yeah, I plan to. Come on, Inoue," he looked down at his friend, "let's head back."
Orihime smiled at the Vizards and, with some force, cheerily said, "Thank you! See you tomorrow at school, Shinji-kun!"
Ichigo waved to them as he walked towards his body. "Yeah, thanks. See ya later, guys."
Orihime hurried towards him as he stepped into his body, then stopped suddenly and turned back. "And sorry about all of… that! U-um, if you still want, we can set up the next date tomorrow?"
Shinji smiled comfortingly. "Of course! Wouldn't stop now for the world!" he answered in lieu of the others' silence.
"Shall we begin next time, Orihime-san?" Hachi called out after her.
"O-oh, definitely!" she agreed as she picked up her school bag. "Thanks again! I- oh!" She nearly fell over to the side with the added weight of her bag, but she managed to stay upright. She waved enthusiastically before haphazardly climbing up the stairs, her bag swinging around and threatening to throw her off balance.
Ichigo nodded to them again before taking the steps two at a time, hurrying after Orihime.
When they were out of sight, Shinji rubbed a hand over his face. "Fuckin' hell."
"Still 'curious?'" Rose asked.
"I never was just curious." Shinji propped his zanpakutou against a rock, before leaning against it himself. "Call it a code word for 'worried.' And now I have even more reason to be."
Riza regarded Shinji thoughtfully. "You think this could be trouble?"
"I don't know what to think of it, that's the problem." Shinji scratched his head. "When this all started, I was just curious. I didn't think this was anything bad, and Orihime-chan and Ichigo were gonna be fine."
Kensei raised a brow. "But?"
Shinji met his stare, looking at him like he was a loon. "Haven't you guys wondered what this might mean for us? Or what it'll do to them?" He threw his arms out in a wild gesture. "I mean, for the love of the gods, Orihime-chan's now hearin' voices!"
Love seemed slightly taken aback from what he said. "You mean, you think this could happen to any of us?"
"And hearing voices isn't usually a good thing, either," Rose added.
"We don't have our own Orihime-chan, but there's no reason to believe that kind of beast isn't inside us, too." Shinji lifted his index finger. "I want us to continue with the laidback attitude, as to not worry 'em, but I think it's time we took it more seriously in secret." He glanced towards the stairs. "I didn't want to end it so soon, but she's exhausted, and we need to rethink tactics."
Hiyori leaned her head back, and thumped it against a rock. "Great. That means we need to pay Urahara a visit, doesn't it?"
Shinji only sighed, and nodded.
"Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime finally broke the silence that lingered between them since they started their journey home.
Ichigo made a small sound, indicating he was listening.
"Um," Orihime struggled to find the right words, worried about how Ichigo might react to what she wanted to talk about. "y-your Hollow. What's he like?"
She blinked as he nearly stumbled. For a moment, she mused that usually it was she who was tripping and being caught off guard. With her seemingly endless patience, she waited while Ichigo fought to restore his cool exterior. He scratched his head, messing up his already wild hair, and for a minute, he didn't answer.
Then, he said, "It's just like any other Hollow, but smarter. It's an asshole. Lives by instinct and its own selfish wants."
Orihime nodded. "I see. What's he look like?"
If he was stunned by her continued line of questioning, he hid it. "Mirror image of me, except inverted colors. White shihakusho with black underneath, white hair, white skin, black and yellow eyes, blue tongue…"
A giggle escaped her, and she smacked her hand over her mouth to stifle the rest from coming. "S-sorry! I just – I wasn't expecting that."
Ichigo frowned slightly, replacing his usual scowl. "Why?"
"Well, I just didn't think that Hollows had different colored tongues." She tapped her finger against her mouth. "Then again, maybe that isn't so surprising."
Ichigo shook his head, and scratched it again, that time more nervously. "Er, I didn't mean that, exactly. I – I meant more why did you want to know stuff about the Hollow?"
"Oh." Orihime clutched her hands together as they held her school bag, and gazed skyward. "Well, I was just thinking that, since he's a part of this, I should know more about him. Maybe it would help in some way. He-" She pursed her lips together. "I mean, well, what does he call you? You're both 'Ichigo,' unless he doesn't see it like that? I – I'm sorry, it's a weird question." Why did I just ask that? Am I just over thinking this? I just want to understand his frame of mind better, but still…
"King." Ichigo lifted his bag onto his shoulder. "Don't ask, it's a stupid metaphor."
If she had been in a better frame of mind, Orihime could have sworn air-sucking aliens sapped the breath from her body. King? The voice in my head called me 'Queen.' She forced herself to keep walking, to keep acting curious. That voice, was it…?
"Um, Kurosaki-kun, doesn't your Hollow have a name?" she asked, fiercely fighting the panic that tried to seep into her voice, and desperate to get her mind off of the possibility just presented. The Hollow's name was something she had wondered about, and it was the first thing she thought of to distract herself.
"What?" Ichigo looked at her as if she had just sprouted wings and declared herself a fairy. "No. It's just my Hollow, a part of my powers."
Orihime frowned slightly, and she felt a little sorry for the Hollow, though she wasn't quite willing to divulge that to Ichigo. "But what about Zangetsu?" she pressed.
He fell silent again, and Orihime briefly wondered if she had gone too far. "Oh, um, I'm sor-"
"You're right." Ichigo crossed his arms. "As much as I may not like it, you're right."
Unsure if he was upset or not, Orihime cautiously nodded. "Well, how about we give him one?"
"Eh?"
She laughed, and flung out her arms as she skipped past the warehouses. She temporarily forgot about her earlier realization. "Give him a name! Maybe he'll be more willing to help if you give him one!"
"How'll that do any good? That'll just feed his ego," he said, jogging after her.
"Well," Orihime slowed down, giving Ichigo a chance to catch up. "maybe that's only a part of it. It's also about respect." She spun and faced Ichigo, beaming. "Give him something to call his own."
She was met with silence. It was then she began to understand the relationship Ichigo had with his Hollow, or perhaps the lack thereof. It wasn't a willing partnership. He was in a situation forced on him. He despised but needed his Hollow. So, it was reasonable that Ichigo wasn't fond of acknowledging his Hollow in such a way, and why he was so hesitant to go along with this.
Maybe she was encroaching on territory that she shouldn't, but she felt it was best if Ichigo tried to come to some agreement with his Hollow. If anything, for his sake.
"I can't think of anything," Ichigo admitted after long moments of silence.
"Hmm…" It wasn't easy. What did one name a Hollow? Orihime wasn't sure how the Arrancar under Aizen got their names. Was it just something they thought of, or was it from some distant memory?
If all else failed, look to appearance. Kurosaki-kun said his Hollow was just like him, but white.
She was onto something, she could feel it on the tip of her tongue. Hinamori called Hitsugaya "Shiro-chan" once. It was an old nickname, the captain explained later, dating from their childhood. No doubt because of his white hair. Shiro, white. White hair, just like Hitsugaya-taichou. White skin, white shihakusho… I just, I can't get it. I want to help Kurosaki-
Wait…
"Shirosaki."
"Huh?"
Orihime clapped her hands together. "Yes! How about Shirosaki? Your name is Kurosaki. Kuro and shiro. So,Shirosaki."
Ichigo stared at her, transfixed. "Sh-Shirosaki?"
Her smile fell. "You don't like it?"
"I do, I think. I just – I just never gave it that much attention before, so it's weird. I guess I'm still trying to comprehend the point." He shoved his hands into his pockets and glanced away.
The process of getting him to come to terms with his Hollow was going to be a long one, she could tell. "I know you don't like Shirosaki-kun, but he's a part of you. While I understand why you don't like him, and you don't have to use my name for him, I respect him because he's a part of you." She flushed. A nagging voice told her that what she was going to say was embarrassing, but she pressed on regardless.
"I want to help and support you, and the only way I can is to accept every part of you. Even if it's an aspect you hate of yourself, even if you loathe it, I – I can't, and I won't. I don't like what he's done to you, what you've gone through, but he's integral to you, to everything, so I accept him, too."
She wanted to wince and smack herself. Did that even make sense? I just, I can't say that I accept him because he's a part of Kurosaki-kun, and I love all parts of him. This really wouldn't be a good time to say something like that, and-
Orihime didn't know just when or how it happened. One moment, Ichigo was still staring at her, stupefied, and the next he was holding her. Her heart rate sped up, and she swore it was beating hard and fast enough for him to feel. "Kurosaki-kun?" she squeaked.
"I…" Physically, he was still, but Orihime could sense something inside him shaking. The way she felt his chin against her shoulder move up and down as his mouth opened and shut repeatedly, and the way his fingers clutched and pulled her sweater, reaching for something that wasn't there.
Her arms wrapped loosely around his lower back. "It's okay," she whispered. It was an attempt at comfort, and a guess at what was bothering him. She knew he wasn't adept at putting emotions into words. She smiled when she felt him relax, and took the moment of peace to enjoy his warmth. It's okay, Kurosaki-kun. You say a lot without words. She wanted to tell him that, but didn't. She hoped her gesture conveyed it without her having to say anything, either.
A peculiar sensation tingled in her scalp. Her hair moved erratically, even though there was hardly a breeze. Ichigo's arm shifted, and Orihime suddenly realized that his fingers were moving. Is – is he playing with my hair?
Her body stilled, and she continued to say nothing, not wanting to alert him. How odd. But, then, Kurosaki-kun has been acting differently lately. A lot of things had changed about the boy in her arms. Those few weeks she spent with him doing homework had provided her with numberless small revelations about him. His mannerisms, his work habits, his thoughts about his family, and so much more.
In those few weeks, she had learned more about him than she had in months. There were no grand epiphanies, but she walked out of it with a much clearer overall understanding of him. And somehow, though she didn't think it was possible, she had fallen a little more in love with him.
His behavior as of late confused her. How often he touched her, and the way he treated her. Hitsugaya's words still echoed in the back of her mind, along with Rukia's cryptic message from the night the two of them talked. What was she to make of it? I wish I knew what was going on.
"Hollow! Hollow! Hollow!"
The pair leapt back from each other as Ichigo's Hollow pager sounded off. As he fumbled to take it out, Orihime's gaze swept the skies. To the north, she saw a Garganta, and what poured out of it froze her once rapidly beating heart. "Kurosaki-kun," she said, her voice strangled.
He glanced up. He looked at where she was looking, and muttered, "Oh shit."
Rukia was already out of her gigai by the time she flew out of Ichigo's bedroom window. The gikongai that was controlling her body was inside the house and watching over the family, as per Rukia's instructions.
The tiny shinigami bounded towards the nearest tall building. She leapt, and bounced off of it, and used the momentum to propel her up into the air. Sode no Shirayuki was drawn from its sheath, ready to strike. Rukia ran towards the Hollows, undeterred by the sheer number of them.
She sensed Renji coming from the Shouten, and Hitsugaya and Hinamori from Orihime's house, not far behind her. Ishida and Chad were going towards each other, and Ichigo and Orihime were already together and also heading for the few dozen garden-variety Hollows that were paying them a visit.
Gin and Tousen were standing inside the Garganta, but before any of the shinigami or humans in town could reach them, the rip shut.
"Damn it!" Renji cursed as he jumped up towards Rukia.
"We had no chance of getting them," Hitsugaya murmured as he ran alongside Momo. "Still, what is this, a test?"
Six of the fighters converged mid-air as the Hollow swarm approached. Weapons drawn, everyone tensed, and then hurled themselves towards the thick of the stampede.
Arrows were fired and Hollows were punched and sliced as the team tried to work through the mass. They were bitten, clawed, and smacked, and each one of them sustained injuries, most relatively minor.
"Getsuga Tenshou!"
The black arc of energy severed a few of the Hollows in half. Ichigo came from behind, Orihime on his back. His feet stepped onto an invisible platform of spirit energy he used to keep himself up, and Orihime jumped off and landed next to him.
"Took ya long enough!" Renji shouted in mock anger.
Ichigo jammed Zangetsu into the mask of one of the Hollows. "Where the hell did these come from?"
"Tousen and Ichimaru were in the Garganta that they were released from," Rukia answered as she sliced through a smaller Hollow.
"What?" Ichigo exclaimed as he dodged an attack.
"We couldn't have reached them in time," Hitsugaya added, his tone calm as Hyourinmaru cut through an opponent.
Ishida fired an arrow, which tore through the two enemies facing him. Then suddenly, the Hollows scattered. "They're dispersing!" the Quincy noted in alarm.
Hinamori frowned in determination. "Everyone, pick a direction and go after them!"
They paired up, and each pair went off after the various subgroups that were fleeing. Ichigo chased after the Hollows that were headed in the direction of his house, Orihime right behind him.
"Damn it," he swore as he tried to catch up with the nearest one, "we gotta hurry before they attack any of the people in town!"
Keigo watched the surprise Hollow assault take place above the town. He didn't say a word as Mizuiro hurried over next to him, his mouth slightly agape as they watched their friends throw themselves at the throng.
"G-geez," Asano trembled as his hands gripped the fence surrounding the park he was in, "I've never seen so many in my life."
Mizuiro's eyes squinted as he continued to play spectator. "I don't know what's going on, but we should get inside."
"Guys!" Tatsuki ran towards them, donned in her karate uniform.
"Arisawa-san," Mizuiro murmured as she caught up to them, panting. "what are you doing here?"
She wiped the sweat off her brow. "I saw you up here. We really need to get out of here."
"Um, yeah." Keigo pointed a shaky finger towards the battle. "Considering that they're coming this way!"
Tatsuki swore under her breath, and grabbed his arm. "Run!"
She sprinted towards the exit, yanking Keigo along. Mizuiro hurried after her, and none of them looked back as they exited the park. She led them around them, trying to decide the best place to hide without putting anyone in danger.
They were stumbling down an abandoned alley when Keigo pulled himself free of Tatsuki's grip. "W-wait! I need to catch… my breath." He was wheezing as he leaned against the side of a building.
"Geez," Tatsuki rolled her eyes, "you need to get into better shape!"
Mizuiro peered around, shifting nervously. "Are you sure we're in any actual danger? Don't Hollows go for spirits?"
She nodded. "Typically, but Ichigo told me that, once you develop reiatsu, they may go after you as well."
"Great," Keigo muttered as he straightened. "We're not safe, then. Maybe we could-"
Their only warning was the fierce bellow of the approaching Hollow. With one swipe of its giant hand, the Hollow sent the three students flying down the alley.
"Shit!" Tatsuki screamed as she saw the Hollow lunge at her. It looked like a giant ape, straight from some twisted horror movie about animals gone wrong. She rolled to the side, barely dodging the attack as she tried to get up on her feet. The Hollow turned around, and raised its large paw.
She leapt, not caring that she landed straight into a pile of garbage. She lifted her head, and tried to look for Keigo and Mizuiro. "Oi, guys! Where are- ack!"
The Hollow scooped her out from the mound of trash. It flung her up, and she was airborne for a few fleeting moments. She flailed, feeling like a toy doll as she helplessly traveled a few yards before crashing to the ground. She bit back a scream as her spine jolted in pain.
This thing is fast, and I don't know where Mizuiro and Keigo are! And where the hell are Ichigo and the others? What if they-
Her eyes widened. The Hollow was above her, and before she could even move, it smacked her and sent her right at the wall. Her right shoulder took the brunt of the force when it met the wall. She slid to the floor, and saw from the corner of her eye the Hollow raise its paw. Tatsuki winced, and braced herself for the worst.
A garbage can was sent flying at the monster. It hit it square in the face. The Hollow seethed as it turned to attack the perpetrator.
Tatsuki rolled onto her stomach, and pushed herself up. Blood dripped from her chin. Behind her, she heard the distinct sound of yelling.
The Hollow was swiping at Mizuiro and Keigo. The two boys were trying to step around its attacks. The Hollow then surged forward, and its mouth opened wide.
Tatsuki's eyes grew huge. "Get out of the way!"
Mizuiro managed to jump back, but Keigo's arm was caught within its teeth. He screamed as he tried to yank his arm out. The Hollow clutched him, and tried to force him into its mouth.
Tatsuki hollered. Ignoring the pain, she got onto her feet, and leapt into the air. Her heel connected with the side of its face, surprising the Hollow and thereby making it drop Keigo in the process.
Mizuiro grabbed Keigo and dragged him away. Keigo clutched his arm, whimpering as he tried to stop the bleeding. "Fuck, this hurts."
The Hollow tried to smash Tatsuki under its hand, but she rolled away. She quickly stood in front of the boys, the only barrier between them and the angry Hollow. "I'm not gonna let you hurt them," she seethed.
The creature bellowed, and charged at her. She crossed her arms in front of her, and braced herself for the impact.
The last thing she heard was Mizuiro screaming, "Arisawa-san!" before the Hollow struck.
A/N: Poor Tatsuki... and yes, I am a cheater and used Shirosaki for the name. But it is fitting and I like it so shush.
And gee, I wonder whose voice it is Orihime heard. *innocent smile*