Quetzal - ok so maybe this is done now, part 4 will be up tomorrow provided I don't choke to death on the fluff. ^-^
Sum - What does 'real' mean anyways?
Dream
x x x
I went to bed, I was thinking about You
I ain't the same since I'm living without You
All the memories are getting colder
All the things that I wanna do over
I went to bed I was thinking about You
I wanna talk and laugh like we used to
When I see You in my dreams at night
It's so real but it's in my mind
And now, I guess, this is as good as it gets
Don't Wake Me - Skillet
x x x
Ichigo could only stare in dumb shock when he opened his eyes and found himself in his inner world. Urahara had told him that without his power, he wouldn't be able to reach his this place, with or without Zangetsu there. How the hell was this possible? Were his powers coming back?
"Ichigo?" A puzzled voice asked behind him. Ichigo's heart nearly stopped, he spun around and spotted that familiar black cloak. He practically teleported to Zangetsu's side, all but tackling him in a hug. Zangetsu wrapped an arm around ichigo shoulders still looking a bit confused. Zangetsu looked down at Ichigo with a faint frown, Ichigo didn't see it though, to busy clinging to the spirit. A look of realization crossed the zanpakotou's face, he closed his eyes, silently cursing the fact that this had happened.
"This isn't real Ichigo." Zangetsu said tiredly looking down at him, Ichigo blinked in confusion.
"But...how...why not?" He asked confused not releasing his hold on the spirit. Zangetsu closed his eyes pained at the confusion and fear in Ichigo's own.
"It's just a dream ichigo." He answered Ichigo gave him blank look.
"No, its not." He argued Zangetsu sighed
"Yes, Ichigo, it is."
"NO!" Ichigo clung all the tighter, burring his face in the black cloak like a child hiding from monsters in the night, refusing to to admit the inevitable. Zangetsu sighed an ran a hand through Ichigo's hair.
"Anything is possible in a dream Ichigo, but that does not mean this is real." He tried to explain.
"Don't care." Was the slightly muffled response.
"Ichigo..." He trailed off with a sigh.
"Even if it is a dream.." Ichigo finally spoke haltingly pulling away enough to look up at zangetsu's face. "You're here now, does it really matter?"
"It will only hurt more when you wake up." Zangetsu tried to reason, Ichigo just gave him one of his rare smiles.
"And for now at least, it doesn't hurt at all." He answered, Zangetsu sighed softly and shook his head. Ichigo didn't understand, he wasn't back, nor was this version of him real. Odd really, to know that your not real. Under normal circumstances a dream wouldn't really be aware of being a dream, but the line between reality and dreams could bend with matters of the soul like this. He was more real then a normal dream, but that still didn't mean he was truly real. Ichigo was right about one thing though, for now the teen could escape the pain, even if just for a little while. Real or not, he couldn't deny Ichigo that.
x x x
Quetzal - if ichigo seems a bit 'young' in this know its intentional. He suicidal and suddenly zan is back. Denial is the name of the game and dreams aways make people act a bit...off.