chapter 5
A pale figure leaned near the window, arms crossed against his chest. From what Nel could see from the dim light, he was looking out, watching the moon.
A soft sob sounded in her throat, as she realized that this man could hurt her. She was blessed beyond all miracles that he did not notice her...yet.
She quickly put her hands over her mouth. And suddenly, the pale boy was gone.
"So yer awak' ?" a sly voice murmured behind her. And long arms encircled her body. Experienced from years without comfort or kindness, Helplessness, panic and fear pressed itself against her heart.
She began sobbing, so afraid that something might happen. From behind her the pale man frowned, why was the brat depressed about now?
"Quiet" she continued to cry.
"Nuthin' gonna come ter hurt ya." he hissed staring out from the window; he smirked showing a unseen manic grin. 'I'm the only one who you should be afraid of '
She didn't believe him, that's what everybody who ever tried to help her said and then what happened? The opposite.
"Quit cryin'!" the man stiffened under her then relaxed.
"Hey it's ok" a different rough gentle voice whispered."You're safe"
"He won't hurt you, I promise, I won't let him..." his eyes hardened, hugging the desperate girl close to his chest, humming a soft guttural purr from his throat.
"...Ever, never"
The soothing sound relaxed her. She curled up. A sigh slipped into existence and her eyes closed as her head hit the mysterious man's chest. The gentle swaying motion of being rocked lulled her to sleep. And she succumbed into unconsciousness in the strong cold arms of a demon.
Ichigo sighed. Damn it! He lost control again, Perhaps it was a good thing that he had reverted control before she had noticed the physical and personality changes to him.
He leaned back, tucking the child he held in his arms, her head pressed against his chest, he sighed shaking his head in a constant mix of worry and relief.
Ichigo's head rose up from where it had rested on his chest while he slept and turned toward the opening door. "Kuchiki-san..."
"Ichigo, how is she?" a petite young woman said. She was thin, graceful and ridiculously short, dressed in a white dress and a thin mid-thigh length black cotton over-coat. She gazed at the pair with calm-leveled dark violet-blue eyes.
Ichigo stared at her gazing eyes. Of all of the things he liked about her, his most favorite aspect was her eyes. He shifted slightly and looked down at the toddler before giving the woman before him the same cool-eyed look.
"She's well...I have no idea, Rukia." he shrugged.
"Hm. When she's ready, today I will do the usual on her, okay Ichigo?"
"Right, thanks Rukia" Ichigo said.
"That's what I'm here for..." she smiled and started toward the door. "Oh, and you owe me Chappy!" she hollered with a grin over her shoulder.
"Suuurrre I do, at the beginning of eternity!" Ichigo smirked after her
He sighed, staring at the tightly curled up human being in his chest. Lightly he brushed a hand over her body, the small shoulders further coiled and tensed. Ichigo frowned, as if even in sleep, this child could not escape the evil she had experienced in her short life.
Silently, he swiftly carried the infant to the bed and placed her down, albeit with slight stirrings from her. With almost empty eyes, he covered her body with a blanket and stood back.
He stared at her for a moment and walked almost gracefully to the door and left closing the door behind him...
Ichigo felt like a empty shell, as he walked away to finish the file. Likewise the people who passed him felt like ghosts. When some of them attempted to greet him, he just stared at them, too absorbed into his own thoughts and said nothing.
Mumbling a quick 'sorry' a hand grasped his, turning Ichigo forward, seeing who he had exactly bumped into; Captain of Squad 10, Toshiro Hitsugaya.
Clear turquoise/teal eyes narrowed themselves at the strawberry-named boy.
"Toshiro." He greeted.
The young white-haired Captain bristled, irritated at the indecency of a proper title. "That's
Hitsugaya-Taicho to you Kurosaki!"
"Mmm-hmm"
Toshiro sighed. "We've got him."
That caught Ichigo off guard. "What?"
"Are you that incompetent? I said we've got that kid's father in our custody." Toushiro said annoyed at the slowness he had to deal with.
"Where?" came the steeled word.
"Interrogation Room 4."
"Thanks..Hitsugaya" Ichigo said before walking away.
"Ichigo! Wait" Toushiro called, causing the other to stop moving and turn to him. "Bring the girl along."
"Why?" Ichigo said in a suppressed tone "After all he did, why should-?" he trailed off, shaking his head in an angered vigorous motion.
"Trust me."
The tall teen turned, staring at the Captain but changing direction. "See you later..."
Ichigo sighed, and gently poked the sleeping girl, before she'd even open her eyes, he separated himself from her, leaving at least 5 meters of space between them. The unknown-named child stirred and slowly opened her eyes,only to stare at a man in front of her; She quivered.
Not a man, a boy. He was poised, several feet away from her. His eyes on her, she trembled, but he purposely made each movement he'd make, in the line of her sight and slowly; that of which she was thankful.
Though, that did not make her trust him.
She was startlingly pulled from her musing and causing her spine to snap rigidly tense, when a soft voice spoke. It was him.
"I know you don't trust me, nor should you at the moment." he began but stopped at her confused look. 'She must've not been taught words very well, or none at all' he mused to himself.
He glanced at the clock, not much time.
Ichigo cautiously crept forward. "Come here, won't hurt" he spoke using chopped broken sentences, hoping she would understand. She did...or so it seemed.
The kid whimpered, shaking her head 'no'.Ichigo cursed silently, she must go with him!"C'mere" he said, grasping at the kid's body gently.
Automatically, she screamed. Screaming long and hard as if by his very touch, he burned her alive. He cringed. She began screaming and kicking at him in a desperate attempt for him to release her, ignoring the soft spoken words he cooed at her.
"Sh, SHHH, it's ok, I won't hurt you" he cooed repeatedly. After 5 minutes of failing to calm the charge, he slowly gathered his reiatsu.
Given a choice, he would just calm her down himself, but there was no time. He had to make her calm down by using his reiatsu to make her senses dull themselves hopefully making her feel safe.
Ichigo scooped her up to his body, bouncing her soothingly, he shook his head. Never before did he have to use his reiatsu to calm a child down, not in his 5,000 cases he took over, she was traumatized in an unhealthy rate.
'So…you think that your daughter is a nuisance?"
The disheveled man clamped his mouth tight, glaring at the men that stood across the sliver table with bulging eyes. The man in front of him frowned and the female girl crossed her arms.
Juushiro Ukitake and Soi Fon started at the sound of the door opening.
To their amazement the person that stood in the doorway was none other than Dai-Taicho Ichigo Kurosaki. He stood there in a relaxed position, the black blade resting lazily against one of his shoulders. But to their confusion they saw the little bright turquoise-haired child held firmly against his hip,
Ichigo quickly withdrew the reiatsu that surrounded the kid he pressed against his hip, allowing her to awaken.
"P-papa! Papa!" the tiny child cried out, stretching her arms out to her father. The man sneered in disgust, eyes glaring at her.
'KUROSAKI! What on earth are you doing, bringing her with you!" Soi Fon hissed loudly. ''You know that a child, especially a child in her situation should not be here!"
''I know, quit yelling but Toushiro told me to bring her.'' Ichigo said in a bored tone. Two sets of eyes widened in both confusion and disbelief as Ichigo slid his sword under his belt.
''Toushiro-chan ordered this!"Ukitake said in disbelief.
''Yeah…'' Ichigo quickly pressed his hand against the child's small torso, gently forcing her back into his chest."Paa...Pa!'' The interrogators looked at the child in amazement. After all he did... The little girl gasped at who was holding her. She flailed her legs violently in the air thrashing and screaming to be let go. Nnoitra grinned.
''Give her'' Soi Fon grasped the child bouncing her quickly; it didn't pacify her like she hoped it would. ''Kurosaki...''
''Hm.'' he grasped the child and spoke gentle words towards her only to get the same plea; ''Papa.''
She was surely brainwashed to believe her father loved her. Juushiro quietly took her rocking her in his arms. ''It'll be alright'' the little girl squirmed and cried pleading for the bound man across the table.
''I'wa Dade."Ichigo's frown deepened taking the child back into his grip. Ukitake stepped up nervously placing a hand on the younger man's shoulder. When his face was like that, it meant he was starting to get annoyed.
"Ichigo-kun maybe you should go and get yourself something to-" Ichigo despite how angry he was gently removed Ukitake's hand off of him.
"I'm fine Juushiro. Why don't you go and get yourself something?" he flashed him a wavering smile. "You need as much strength as you can get, I can fill in for you, if you want. Go." He insisted. Juushiro hesitated for a minute and nodded slowly.
"I'll get you and her something too, Soi Fon you wanna go?"
"Uhhh…sure okay." Soi Fon gave Ichigo a strange look before following Juushiro out the door.
"Right.." Ichigo said leaning over the table he held the child, her back against his stomach. He hit the metal table, startling the man while the girl cried out in distress. "Shhh…it's fine" he murmured to her before giving his undivided attention to the man in front of him. The black chain on his sword's hilt chinked gently.
"What's her name?" Ichigo asked, tapping his foot.
"You have no damn-!"
"Her name." Ichigo said sharply,cutting off the offensive retort.
"Neliel" the man derided nastily, spitting the name out as if it was a disease. " 'Beautiful' name, that brat's bitch said. Hell if anythin' it's damned grotesque!" he ranted scornfully, wrapping the word 'Beautiful' in a hated twisted sound.
"Well ain't that an eye-opener, you managed to say a big word; Congratulations." Ichigo crooned in slight mockery. The dark-haired man growled deeply,
"You hate her that much? What a shame." Ichigo said in a bored tone, eying the man with disdainful contempt.
"She's a friggin' disgrace. She's useless 'cept for a good slave! She's not anything that you would consider "Humane-rights" matera'l, Hell she ain't worth that!" Nnoitra sneered deeply in the back of his throat, tipping the chair further, as he laughed nastily. Ichigo stood still, hearing the man's nauseous laugher, he felt the little girl- no, Neliel's trembling escalate.
His face turned into stone, without a word he motioned at the minor ranking interrogators to stay and turned back to the door.
"Wher' ya goin' bitch? yeah tak' that the dumb 'hore with ya, useless wrench!" he called back tauntingly.
'Restrain yourself, you have a kid here.' he reminded himself. He glanced at the snickering man behind him in revulsion before closing to door and standing in the brightly-lit corridor. 'Don't worry; you won't laugh for very long.'
He quietly set the small girl on a chair and knelt in front of her. Neliel stared at him with large frightened eyes that were slowly filling with tears. Ichigo gave her what was hopefully a reassuring smile.
"Eh?' the small girl said.
"Neliel cover your ears, whatever you hear, do not go." Ichigo ground out gently, placing his hands over his ears. She copied him.
"Close your eyes...don't peek" Ichigo reminded her. She nodded her face slack and blank.
He stood and walked towards the door, closing it behind him.
"Where the hell is she? I have a right to take her!" Nnoitra hissed out kicking the metal table leg in fury. That smug little pansy just there! Just cool as a cucumber...
"You don't have anything to say to her, do you understand? If you want to talk to somebody, or ask somebody a question, you ask me" Ichigo said coldly.
When Ichigo returned the rest of the interrogators left the room quickly, gaping at him in shock. They hadn't been expecting loathing on legs to storm into the room, seething. The orange-haired grabbed Nnoitra by the collar, and mercilessly slammed him against the hard wall. The taller man collided with the hard surface with an "oomph," and there was a loud thud noise.
He dragged the man who was still tied to the chair back to the table, leaning over him with eyes full of coldness. He was frightening.
"In fact you won't get her back. There's enough evidence to have you locked up. Let's see.. Drug dealings, Abuse, Shop-lifting, ugh according to the records it seems you even starved your daughter, you are disgusting." Ichigo said blandly.
Nnoitra's eyes bulged, and spat at the man in front of him. "Go to Hell!"
" …" Ichigo smiled as he wiped the spit from his cheek. He leaned in closer towering before the bound man who was by all heights taller than him.
"What was that?" He whispered softly.
"I said I 'ope yer go to Hell burnin' you motherf ***er-!" Nnoitra howled back. He went silent when the black blade rested lightly on his throat. Sweat slid from his unwashed face as he stared at Ichigo who was silently chuckling. Ichigo gave the man of bone-chilling laugh, staring at him with golden brown eyes. He swung the sword back a few meters before bringing it down.
"NOOOO!" Noitra screamed out trying to kick free, the blade went from his neck to inches from his face.
"Anything else and my hand might slip the blade to your throat; Mr. Jiruga." Ichigo smiled grimly at the disgusting excuse of a human, watching him try not to hyperventilate. He walked from the shocked prisoner to the door, tapping the frame with his knuckles.
"Get this piece of shit outta here." He ordered. The guards nodded and roughly hauled out Nnoitra. Ichigo sighed, throwing himself wearily at the unoccupied seat.
"Uhh..Ichi…Ichigo?"
Ichigo didn't even bother to turn around to see who was."Hm Hanataro?"
The young man fidgeted nervously. "Um..Kuchiki-san and my Captain want you to c-come into Medical Station Four. They t-tried to bring the child with them, but she wouldn't budge s-so they carried her there."
"You're here to lead me?" Ichigo scoffed softly. "They do know I've been there countless time, I know the way like it's the back of my hand."
Hanataro eyed the black blade in Ichigo's hand nervously. "Kuro-Kurosaki-Daitaicho…"
"Hanataro, how many times? I asked you to call me Ichigo! You said it not six minutes ago y'know." Ichigo scolded lightly, he looked at Hanataro frowning at both the medic and the continued nervous stare at his sword. "Oh.. .Zangetsu? I got pissed at that low dog, so I had a little fun with him."
Ichigo said this so casually, people would think that he was talking about the new electronic models instead of breaking a 36 year old man. Ichigo frowned as he stood up.
"Did you say that they took the kid with them..." he asked slowly, his eyes narrowed at the timid nod. And he scrammed down the hallway cursing.
"Those Idiots!"
"Rukia, what in the hell are you thinking!"
Rukia's head whipped around to face the annoyed soul reaper in front of her, as the child on the table continued to scream.
"What does it look like I'm doing?'
"Dumbass!" Ichigo frowned swiping the girl from the table. "Even you know you can't examine someone in this state so soon."
"So you just want me to completely disregard her health?" Rukia asked with an air of impatience.
"At least you could've waited until I'd gotten out of that room, instead of barging into that sector, and taking my charge while I was occupied with interrogating the culprit" Ichigo said with a frown. "Taking a charge from his or her caretaker without permission is a wrong action in protocol."
"Rukia...look, look at the state she is in." Ichigo gestured.
Her small body was emaciated and painfully thin, multi-colored bruises dotted her body, a mixture of healing, still yellow toned, while other were fresh just a few days old. A few thin lines marred her body the bulk across her stomach and back, the angry red festering welts stood out in contrast of her unhealthy looking skin.
Her tiny ribs were sticking out from under the delicate sallow dirt encrusted skin. Her turquoise hair was lank and stringy around her thin face, her dull brown eyes seemed at times to be full of hollow fear.
The worse thing, than her overall physical appearance was her emotions. Every thing about her was hollow, even sadness. The look in her eyes was someone broken and defeated.
"I...I..." Rukia stumbled over her words, suddenly feeling scalding shame. "Sorry Ichigo.."
Ichigo nodded at her,giving her a brief smile. "Where's Unohana?"
"Right behind you are you today?"
Ichigo jumped slightly,turning to face the smiling captain. "Oh..uh Unohana-taicho, didn't know you were here."
"Of course I was, I told Rukia-san to wait until you'd come, but it seemed...she was too impatient, was she?" The woman turned to stare at Rukia, giving her an unintentional imitating look.
"Y-yes Unohana-tai-taicho." Rukia stuttered, Ichigo shivered. Man that woman could be scary even when she wasn't doing it on purpose.
"R-right... I'll be goin' now, that ok Unohana?" He asked. Unohana nodded, handing him serveral bottles.
"Have her take this, its a sedative to the nerves."
"Oh... did you just give her this?Because ever since she arrived she hasn't stopped screamin'' " Ichigo asked as he shifted Neliel, who was no longer screaming, up over his shoulder; taking the sedatives with his other hand. Unohana nodded.
"You have you work cut out for you Ichigo-san. She's a hard case." She said.
"Yeah I know...well might as well bring her back as long as she's like this. Goodbye Unohana, Rukia." Ichigo said,leaving the room.
Up in the 2nd floor, in one of the rooms reserved for cases subjects, Ichigo sat messily on the bed,looking at the tiny crib-like bed beside him. Neliel was now sleeping soundly,courtesy of Unohana's sedative.
Ichigo sighed,grabbing his bag, he pulled out forms and a pen. Placing the paper in his lap he proceeded to write. Now that Neliel was asleep he might as well work on the case file.
I'M SOOO SORRY GOMEN NASAI! -bows down- BUT PLEASE REVIEW