AuthorNote: This and the next chapter were going to be one, but it was getting too long lmao. So I apologize for the shortness of this chapter. The next one should be up soon though.

Beta'd by 3D Waffle (Thank you!)

Lies Open Prison Doors

Chapter 6: White Fight

…

…

As soon as Inoue saw him, or rather his face, her first reaction was to lift a hand to her mouth. Ichigo couldn't hear the gasp, but he saw it. He finally broke their gaze when he saw tears welling up in her wide eyes.

Ichigo slowly pulled out the seat in front of him and sat down. He then reached for the wired phone attached to the glass on his right. He put the device to his ear just as Inoue reached for hers. He saw the way her delicate hand trembled and his gut twisted.

He felt absolutely horrible.

"Inoue…" He breathed a gentle sigh and offered her a smile when he heard the choked sob. "How are you?"

"Ichigo," Inoue quickly reached up with her other hand to brush away the tears and attempted to calm herself. "How can you ask me something like that when you have so many bruises?" She demanded, but her soft voice couldn't truly express the anger she felt at that moment. "What happened?"

Ichigo pursed his lips and shook his head. "If anything, I deserved it. Don't worry about me, okay?" When it looked like she was about to argue he quickly changed the subject. "How is Nel doing?"

Inoue's eyes flicked to every little injury she could see on him; to the swollen eye, the split lip, the bruised cheeks, the scabbed cut on his throat, and that's when her gaze zeroed in on bite marks.

This time Ichigo heard the gasp.

"Ichigo! Did someone rape you?" She didn't even give him time to defend himself, "Oh my god! Rukia warned me about what happens in prisons, but I didn't believe her! Oh god, Ichigo, please tell me you're going to be okay. You better make sure you clean those wounds and get something for your lip. I wish I could go in there and take care of you. You're always getting yourself hurt and—"

She was starting to ramble, but Ichigo just smiled and let her. She always got like this when he would come home injured. Maybe it's because she worked as a nurse in one of the busiest hospitals in Karakura, but Ichigo also knew that Inoue's pure heart always made her worry for others before herself.

"Are you listening to me, Ichigo? You have to take better care! What if you get a concussion or—"

"You're beautiful." Okay, so maybe he was still affected by the drug because he didn't realize that the words came out loud until Inoue's lips snap shut. She blinked in surprise. Ichigo chuckled when she tried to cover her blushing face with her free hand while clutching the phone to her ear.

They hadn't seen—let alone spoken to one another during his month-long trial, so Ichigo sat back in the chair and soaked in her appearance. Her long, light brown hair was pinned to the side with her favorite hair clips, showing off her smooth, round face. Her pink lips were lush, and her long lashes shimmered with unshed tears. She was wearing a silver dress that Ichigo had never seen before. It was stunning, and it fit her perfectly. The dress accentuated all her attributes and curved around her body as if it had been made specifically for her.

Ichigo popped out of his peaceful observations when he realized Inoue was glaring at him—Well… Inoue could never really glare properly. It always looked more like a pout, so Ichigo rarely took her seriously.

"I've missed you…" He admitted with a tiny, crooked smile. Inoue blinked in surprise, and her cheeks started to turn bright red, making her glare falter.

"I…" Inoue tightened her grip on the phone but then released a long breath and let herself relax. "I miss you too… And Nel is doing fine. She made some new friends at school… They have a playdate tomorrow at the park."

"They haven't tried to take her away right? Byakuya said he'd make sure we still had custody even—"

"She's fine Ichigo." Inoue interrupted his own ramble this time with a tiny smile. "Don't worry; I'm not going to let anything happen to her…"

"That's great," Ichigo replied, his grin returning. "And what about you? Are you okay?" His lips dropped back into a frown when Inoue suddenly averted her gaze. "What's wrong…?" He pressed.

She took in a deep breath through her nose and released it in a long sigh before finally looking back up.

"I'm pregnant."

Ichigo felt the phone slip from his fingers. Inoue winced and pulled her head away from the phone when Ichigo's clattered loudly against the shelf.

"Hey! Don't break the phone!" He heard Maki huff somewhere behind him, but Ichigo ignored him. He just sat back in his chair and stared at Inoue with wide eyes. His hands had fallen limp in his lap and… and…

He felt numb.

He wanted to feel happy, he really did.

But how could he?

How could he possibly be happy when his beautiful fiancé was pregnant and he was stuck in here? Unless he got that transfer paper back from Bazz-B and into Byakuya's hands, then he'd be trapped here for years. He would miss everything!

Ichigo's thoughts took a dark turn when he remembered that Grand Fisher was here. Granted, he hasn't actually seen the man… Yet… Still, Ichigo had been searching for him, seeking vengeance for his mother's death for a very long time. Her killer was somewhere inside these walls, and Ichigo finally, finally, had his chance. He spent most of his life traveling across the world looking for him, but of course, the man had been right under his nose this whole time.

Ichigo blinked and snapped out of it when he heard light tapping. He looked up to see Inoue smiling sadly at him, and she had one hand pressed to the glass so she could get his attention. Once their eyes locked, she pointed to his phone. Ichigo gulped down the nervous lump that had formed in his throat and slowly reached for the fallen device. By the time he brought it back up to his ear, his heart was racing, but he managed to feel a little bubble of happiness form in his stomach.

He already thought of himself as a father for Nelliel, and he treated her as such. However, she always refused to call him dad or daddy… She was his daughter in every right, but there would still be that small disconnection.

Now that Inoue was pregnant though, he needed to be there for her. He needed to be there when his child was born so he could form that connection—that bond.

"Don't worry Inoue." Ichigo's voice rasped. His throat felt dry and scratchy all of a sudden. "I've talked to Byakuya, and I have my transfer papers signed by the warden. I will move to a less... intense prison," Ichigo struggled to come up with the right words to use that wouldn't make her worry. He licked his lips nervously as he glanced down to inspect her stomach. Now that he knew she was pregnant, he could barely make out the small lump forming. "So I'll be out before the—"

"Ichigo." Inoue interrupted. "I…" She looked down at the shelf and tapped her fingers nervously as she built up the courage to keep speaking. Ichigo waited patiently for her to continue. "Look…" She tried to start again, "Before you get too excited," She gulped, her eyes still locked on her fingers, "I don't know if you're the father…"

Ichigo heard the words she said. He knew what each word meant. They were all simple words. He could even tell them in five different languages—He knew exactly what she was saying.

But he had to ask, "What?" She didn't respond. "Inoue..." Still nothing. "Dammit, look at me." Ichigo demanded without raising his voice at her.

Inoue couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye, and that alone hurt more than her confession did.

"I have to wait two more weeks before the doctor can tell me exactly when the baby was conceived… I wasn't going to tell you about it until I knew for sure you were the father, but…" Ichigo slowly let his head fall forward until his forehead pressed against the glass. He closed his eyes and just listened. "Byakuya and Rukia explained your situation to me—they said that if you got into a fight that you would be adding years to your sentence. YEARS, Ichigo! Moreover seeing you in this state..." A sob bubbled from her throat.

Ichigo stayed silent for a long moment. He kept a tight grip on the phone and dug the edge of the hard plastic into his temple in frustration.

"What's his name?" Ichigo found himself asking. Inoue finally looked up, eyes wide with disbelief.

Ichigo knew that she was surprised by his calm demeanor. She had expected him to yell and curse and chase her away. However, he really couldn't get mad at her for cheating after what he'd just done with Zangetsu… Guilt wrenched at his insides, and he was tempted to tell her about it—to get it off his chest, but he decided against it. She would end up blaming it on the drugs. Hell, Ichigo wanted to blame them too, but he knew better.

Inoue chewed on her lip nervously before finally answering, "His name is Uryu Ishida."

Ichigo felt his brows furrow into a scowl.

'Ishida!?'

But… That was the warden's last name.

Were they related?

How did she meet him?

Is this all pure coincidence?

'There can only be so many coincidences until it starts gettin' suspicious…' Zangetsu's words echoed in his head.

Before he could interrogate her, Ichigo felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Maki standing over him.

"Time's up."

Ichigo huffed through his nose but didn't argue. When he turned back to face Inoue, he was shocked to see that she had already hung up her phone. She gave him another sad smile and then pressed her hand to the glass once more. He saw her lips form the word 'Goodbye' and then she was gone.

What…

What just happened?

Ichigo became lost in his thoughts as he replayed the last twenty minutes in his head over and over and over again. He was so distracted that Maki practically dragged him back to his cell.

...

Ichigo was both physically and emotionally drained at this point. He was running on fumes, and he was fucking starving. His stomach made a little noise at the very thought, but Ichigo didn't snap out of his stupor until he smelled something delicious right under his nose. He blinked and looked down to find an open bag of beef jerky.

Sweet Jesus!

His stomach growled loudly as if to say 'THANK YOU' when he snatched the bag and immediately dug in, exhaustion forgotten for the moment.

"Welcome back to planet earth."

Ichigo looked up to find Keigo grinning at him. Now that his hunger was being sated, he felt good enough to smile back, and he gratefully took the bottle of water that was held out to him.

"Thanks." Ichigo almost moaned as he shoveled another handful of dried meat down his gullet. Keigo looked away with an embarrassed flush as he scratched the back of his neck.

"No prob…" He smiled beneath his bangs but then the expression was gone. "But you should be thanking White I guess. Commissary stuff gets pretty expensive, 'especially jerky, but I figured you'd rather have that then chips or candy."

Ichigo nodded his head as he ripped another piece off with his teeth before washing it down with the water. He nearly choked and had to bump a fist against his chest to get it to go down.

"Where's he at anyway?" Ichigo shoved aside the small prick of disappointment when he finally looked around only to realize that Zangetsu wasn't in the cell. He and Keigo were the only ones there.

Why should he be disappointed about Zangetsu? It's not like they cared about each other. Now that the guy got what he wanted from him, he'd probably finally leave him alone… which was fine by Ichigo.

Keigo shrugged and then gestured towards the hallway, "Who knows? That wacko comes and goes as he pleases. He could probably just walk out the front door, and no one would bother stopping him." Keigo let a sneer cross his lips, but then he brushed it off. When he looked back to see Ichigo's amused smirk, Keigo looked away with another blush.

Ichigo noticed that Keigo was having a lot of trouble looking him in the eye without getting flustered. If he had to guess, Ichigo would assume that Keigo heard him and Zangetsu while they were having sex, but neither of them was brave enough to bring it up.

Before an uncomfortable silence could settle, Keigo tried to fill it, "I heard about what happened at the auction." He winced at the bland look he received, but he continued to press the topic anyway. He seemed curious about something, so Ichigo didn't rebuke him. "Did you really take down Yammy?"

Ichigo raised a brow at the slight awe in Keigo's voice.

"You mean the giant beef head with the rat-tail? Yeah. He was slow and predictable." Ichigo settled down onto his bunk as he spoke, but he kept his feet planted on the floor.

"That's…" Keigo slowly sunk down to sit right beside Ichigo, a look of astonishment plastered on his face, "Amazing." Ichigo shrugged and looked down at his lap as he lightly sipped his water. "You seem like such a nice guy—how'd you end up in here?" Keigo's curiosity and Ichigo's complacency made him feel brave enough to ask such a question, but he instantly recoiled at the sharp glare. "Sorry! Never mind! Shouldn't have asked."

Ichigo regretted his reaction and immediately sobered into a more neutral expression.

"You're fine. Didn't mean to get mad… Just not in the mood to talk about it." Ichigo explained with a small sigh and Keigo seemed to relax.

"No prob. Not many people like talking about that, just figured since we were friends n' all…" He was starting to mumble as he rubbed the back of his neck. Ichigo snuffed the small urge to smile at the brunette. He'd been doing that a bit too much for his liking today. He shouldn't be happy; He should be pissed off that he was still in this fucking place.

Plus, it was getting hard to make any kind of expression without his bruised face hurting.

Ichigo opened his palm to stare at the rough, scratched skin that was also still healing and sighed. He had some critical decisions to make right now, and he was very grateful to have a full stomach so he could think clearly.

"You are my friend, Keigo, but it's… it's a family thing. I'll tell you about it some other time..." Ichigo offered Keigo a thumbs up, and that seemed to be enough for the timid man. "You mind if I ask you a couple of questions though?"

Keigo's lips pulled into a small frown. The way Ichigo asked made it seem like he was not going to enjoy the upcoming topic, but he nodded nonetheless.

"Yeah sure."

"Does Bazz-B have any weaknesses? Anything he might care about?" Ichigo watched with a small huff as Keigo cowered. He knew that bringing up Bazz-B would be bad, but he needed answers. "He has my transfer papers, and I need to figure out a way to get them back before tomorrow." He explained, which seemed to bring Kiego back from that deep hole of fear.

"Oh… uh…." The brunette wrapped his arms around himself as he looked up to stare at the bunk above them. "Not really…? Since his dad is the warden, he gets to do whatever he wants. But I guess you can say he cares about his power." Ichigo moved his hand in a slow circle, encouraging the man to clarify. "He likes knowing that he has control over everyone. He makes it a point to own the most pets…" Keigo's lip rose in disgust and scorn as he continued, "He'll even show us—I mean them" He corrected himself when he remembered that he was no longer one of Bazz-B's bitches, "He'll even show them off and pass them around to the other Quincy. Like he's bragging. He's such a—" Keigo cut himself off when he realized how angry he was getting and blinked over at Ichigo with a sheepish smile. "Eh… sorry I can't think of anything useful. But if you need my help, I've totally got your back!" He slapped a hand to Ichigo's shoulder but then instantly removed it when he noticed the wince of pain. "Shit! Sorry!"

Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"Quit apologizing. It's fine. M'just a little sore." He placed the empty water bottle down on the floor. "If you think of anything else let me know, but I'm gonna ask around." With a small grunt, Ichigo went to stand up, but it took a lot more effort than he thought it would. He almost fell back down onto the bunk, but Keigo lifted a hand to push him to his feet.

"You want me to come with you?" Keigo offered. Ichigo knew he was just trying to be helpful, but he shook his head.

"Nah. I don't want to drag you into this any more than you already are. Don't let Bazz-B fuck with you anymore though." He rose a hand as Keigo opened his mouth to argue back. "I'm serious. That bastard has no control over you, okay?" Ichigo stared the other man down until he finally conceded with a small smile on his lips.

"Alright… Thanks, Ichigo."

Said orangette gave him another thumbs up before turning and making his way out into the hall. His feet felt heavy, and each step reminded him of how worn out he felt, but he shook it off. The day wasn't over yet.

Before he could go walking around interrogating people, Ichigo figured he should probably stop by a restroom. He needed to rinse off the shame still crusted over his back and stomach. He could feel it peeling at his skin with every little movement. He was somewhat hesitant about going into the showers after that whole auction thing; He knew it would be risky, but he headed straight for B Wing.

He wanted to test out the reactions of the Shinigami. If Shunsui truly respected him now, then there was a chance that Ichigo could use their showers without having to get into any more fights. Even with Ikkaku trying to watch out for him, Ichigo still wanted to avoid any situation that could get him caught with points.

To his surprise, and relief, he didn't see anyone inside. The showers were actually empty. Letting out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, Ichigo felt his shoulders sag. He quickly stripped out of his clothes, scoffing slightly when he had to rip the fabric from his skin. While pointedly ignoring the cracks in the tiled wall where Yammy's fists had been earlier today, Ichigo started the water. He didn't even wait for it to warm up, he just quickly cleansed himself of the thin layer of sweat and cum that covered his body then let his hair soak before turning off the water. That's all he needed. The cold water felt pretty good on his throbbing face... but he didn't let the feeling soothe him.

He wanted to get the fuck out before—

"Well if it ain't the new King on the block."

Son of a...

Ichigo slowly turned, water dripping from his bangs and into his scowling eyes. His anger instantly evaporated though when he recognized the cropped blonde hair and perfect teeth shining back at him. He glanced down to see a fresh pair of clothes held towards him.

"Oh… Thanks." Ichigo reached for the outfit with a grateful nod and tried not to blush when he realized Shinji was fully dressed. He felt exposed, but the other inmate didn't make any weird comments nor did his gaze drop below eye level.

"No problem." He offered Ichigo a friendly smile and then shoved his hands into his pockets with a shrug. He turned to give Ichigo a little privacy as the orangette started to redress. Ichigo shook his head, letting the water fly from his hair. His orange mane stuck out in chaotic tufts once he finally stopped. Ichigo scratched at his head before turning to face Shinji. He felt himself relax in the man's calm presence—he definitely wasn't as intense as the other inmates anyway. Plus, he seemed to be the only one that understood the concept of personal space.

"So…" Ichigo drawled and walked around the man so he could turn and talk face to face. "Were you here by coincidence or did you have something you wanted to tell me?" He'd rather just to cut to the chase.

Shinji's grin grew a little wider, and he tilted his head. "You could say a bit a' both. I was in one of the stalls when I heard the shower start, and I peeked in to see who it was. I usually woulda just left you alone, but then I remembered I wanted to ask ya something."

Ichigo raised a hand to rub at his temple lightly and then sighed through his nose.

"What?" He didn't have time for this...

Shinji rose a brow at the angry tone but decided not to comment. He knew that Ichigo was having a pretty shitty day—so it was best not to take it personally.

"I heard that you and White are…" Shinji trailed off with a small smirk. When Ichigo just stared at him expectantly, he mimed jerking off to get his point across. Ichigo immediately got the gist and wanted to scoff and roll his eyes, but his traitorous cheeks burned in embarrassment. "Of course it's none of my business—but I'm curious about one thing."

Ichigo debated on turning around and marching out of the showers, but he kept his bare feet glued to the tiles. He motioned for Shinji to continue so he could get this over with. The guy probably just wanted to hear something intimate about White or—

"Does he know that you're Reaper?"

Ichigo felt his blood freeze, and his heart stuttered in his chest. Wide, chestnut eyes studied Shinji, but the man was looking at him curiously.

"I don't know what you're talking about..." Ichigo tried to deny, but the delay in his reply must have given him away.

"Ah… Well… My mistake then." Shinji lightly shrugged his shoulders. "Guess that's good—would've been pretty awkward if you were." He said with a twinkle in his eye. Shinji was willing to play along.

"Why would it be awkward?" Ichigo asked, still trying to play off the blatant lie.

"Eh. Since you're not the guy, then I wouldn't worry about it. Some friendly advice though—don't ever mention Reaper around him." Shinji patted him on the shoulder before moving to take his leave, but Ichigo held up a hand to stop him.

He really wanted to know why his old contact name was such a taboo subject around White, but he also didn't wish for Shinji to dig into the topic. Why did everyone around here seem to know so much about him? He supposed Grimmjow could've leaked the information, but if that were the case then wouldn't White already know? Being so out of the loop was starting to grate on Ichigo's nerves.

"Thanks for the heads up… but since you're here, you mind if I ask you some questions?"

"Depends." Shinji hummed but motioned for Ichigo to ask away.

"How much do you know about Bazz-B?"

"Meeehhhhhh…" Shinji's perfectly straight nose scrunched in distaste and then he clicked his tongue. "Next question."

"Aw, Come on! I need my transfer papers back without having to bend over for the bastard." Ichigo was so close to begging at this point. Shinji blinked and pursed his lips. For a split second it looked like he would just walk away, but then he lightly sighed through his nose.

"Fine. I know some people that might be able to help." Shinji motioned for Ichigo to follow, but the orangette hesitated, wondering if this was going to turn into another invitation to join his gang-The Vizards, if he remembered right... Ichigo decided not to dwell on the thought and moved to fall in step behind the blonde. They silently made their way back to the cellblock. Instead of returning to his or Ichigo's cell, Shinji led them to one of the rooms near the back. Cell # 82.

The blonde knocked politely on the vertical bars of the door and waited.

"Come on in, Straight." Came a worn, gravely voice. Ichigo waited until Shinji went inside and then stepped forward, though he didn't want to overstep his welcome so he remained in the doorway.

Inside were three inmates, one of which just so happened to be the Auctioneer, Shunsui. He was lounging in the bottom bunk on the righthand side and didn't look to have a care in the world. The other two inmates he wasn't as familiar with. The one standing to welcome Shinji was a gentleman who looked to be in his late seventies—maybe even his eighties. All the hair that must have been on his head at one point had traveled south to form an impressively long, white beard and eyebrows to match. The loose skin around his cheeks and brow drooped around his eyes, making it hard to tell whom he was really looking at. The other inmate had long light-grey hair that fell past his hips, and his skin was just as pale and lifeless. Despite that, the man had a smooth, handsome face with a friendly smile which he aimed straight at Ichigo.

"Oh? Well isn't this a surprise." The smiling man said, making all eyes shift to where he was looking. Even Shunsui peeked his eyes open, but then immediately closed them when he realized it was just Ichigo. "Don't be shy—Come on in." The light haired inmate motioned for him to join them, but Ichigo only took a single step forward.

Shinji chuckled at his hesitancy and wrapped a firm arm around his shoulders, pulling him forward until he was standing before the three older men.

"This is Ukitake, also known as Pestilence." He pointed to the smiling man. "And before you ask—yes, Pestilence as in one of the four horsemen. It's a whole story. Don't ask…" Ichigo rose a brow curiously, but then shrugged it off as Shinji continued, "And this old geezer here is Yamamoto, leader of the Shinigami." He jutted a thumb towards the eldest inmate with a teasing smirk.

Yamamoto seemed a little miffed at being called 'old geezer,' but he didn't say anything against it. He just reached up and lightly stroked his beard as he raised one brow to more clearly inspect Ichigo from head to toe. He let his face settle once he was finished and hummed to himself.

Ichigo wasn't sure what to say really, but introducing himself was probably a good start.

"My name is Ichigo—and I would like it if that's the only thing you called me." Ichigo narrowed his eyes towards Shunsui when he saw the man smirk. Thankfully, he took the hint and refrained from saying anything, but the amused grin never faded.

"So what brings you here, Ichigo?" The pale man was still smiling softly. He was very open and welcoming—which threw Ichigo off. The only other person who had been this warm to him since he got here was Yumichika. Well… Shinji was trying to be nice too, but Ichigo couldn't shake the feeling that the man had ulterior motives.

"Well…" Ichigo started as he shuffled his feet. "Bazz-B stole something important from me, and I'm trying to find a way to get it back before lockdown." A small flash of interest sparked in the three men and they exchanged glances, but before they could say anything, Ichigo wanted to add one more thing, "I'm not looking for handouts or favors—just any information you have on Bazz-B would be great."

"Have you tried asking him nicely?"

The look he gave Shunsui forced a deep chuckle to rumble from his chest.

"I'm serious…"

"So am I."

Ichigo blinked slowly and left his eyelids half closed as he stared the man down. His gaze shifted to Ukitake when he heard him snicker.

"Ignore him. He likes to press people's buttons… Obviously, we know Bazz-B wouldn't steal something unless he intended to keep it." Ukitake's smile grew when Ichigo's tense shoulders relaxed little by little. "And don't be scared to ask for favors. If anything, we owe you for knocking Blue off his pedestal."

Ichigo shrugged one shoulder while scratching at the back of his still damp head. He wanted to blow it off and say that he didn't deserve any praise—that punching Grimmjow had been more a favor to himself than anything, BUT… if it could get him the help, he needed…

"Well. All I want are my papers back. Help me get those and we're square." Ichigo glanced between each person in the cell, sizing up their reaction. Ukitake's smile shrunk but remained. Shunsui sat up in his bunk and turned to face Ichigo, giving him his undivided attention. Shinji smirked a little and crossed his arms over his chest. Ichigo couldn't decipher what Yamamoto was thinking, but at least he didn't seem offended.

The cell was unnervingly quiet for a good minute before Yamamoto finally stepped forward. He peered closer at Ichigo and seemed to be scrutinizing him. When burning chestnut eyes scowled, recognition lit in his squinty gaze.

"Your last name wouldn't happen to be Shiba, would it?"

Ichigo blinked in surprise, though he wasn't entirely shocked. Before he could open his mouth to answer, Shinji spoke up.

"Naw, His last name's Kurosaki… however, he does look a lot like 'im, don't he?" He stepped forward to stand beside Yamamoto as they continued to inspect the newbie in question.

Ichigo huffed through his nose and tried to ignore the stares. Then he narrowed his eyes at Shinji; for a guy who knew an awful lot about his ties to being Reaper, he had shit information on Ichigo and his family.

"My cousin is Kaien Shiba if that's whom you're referring to… I know that he was here for about a year."

"You're a Shiba? You are just full of surprises, my friend! Why didn't you say so sooner?" Shunsui's laugh was playful this time as he stood to his feet.

Moreover, just like that, the atmosphere suddenly lifted. Ichigo felt like he'd just been… accepted? The mood was much more welcoming, like old friends at a reunion instead of a circle of criminals in prison. That's the only way he could really describe it.

"Didn't think it mattered…" Ichigo mumbled honestly, and he had to fight off the small urge to blush when Shunsui unexpectedly swept Ichigo into a giant bear hug. He leaned back and lifted up until Ichigo's feet were hovering above the ground. "Guh!" Ichigo felt the air push from his lungs when Shunsui squeezed.

"Sorry." The man released him and watched with a grin as Ichigo stumbled and then gripped the taller male's forearms to correct himself. "But hell! Consider those papers as good as found."

"Really?" Ichigo had no idea what to say. This was more than he'd been hoping for. He really didn't expect to get any actual help. "What do I have to do?"

"Hm…" Shunsui lightly scratched at the scruff along his chin. He tilted his head side to side as he thought. "Actually… You should just head back to your cell for now." When Ichigo's frowning lips opened to argue, Shunsui quickly added, "You still have 4 points on your record, don't you?"

Ichigo snapped his mouth shut, and his shoulders sagged.

"Yeah…"

"One more point and those papers won't save you." Shunsui didn't have to say it. Ichigo knew that his situation was precarious and being anywhere near Bazz-B would be a terrible idea. He fought back the urge to sigh and crossed his arms defensively when the others gathered around him.

Ukitake placed a warm, gentle hand on Ichigo's elbow to get his attention. Once their eyes met, he said, "Don't take this the wrong way, Ichigo, but you don't belong here." When the orangette's scowl returned, Ukitake laughed. "You're just too nice. You're going to get yourself—"

Ichigo blinked when the man suddenly slouched forward, and his whole body shook as he coughed. Shunsui was by his side in an instant, but Shinji and Yamamoto just stood there and watched with somber expressions as Ukitake continued to hack and gasp for air.

"You okay..?" Ichigo stepped forward to get a better look but paused when he noticed the blood seeping between Ukitake's fingers. Well, that's not good…

The nickname 'Pestilence' was starting to make sense though.

Shunsui herded the suddenly frail man to sit down on one of the bunks. He whispered under his breath as he handed him some wads of toilet paper to wipe away the splatters of blood. Ichigo couldn't hear what was being said, but it seemed soothing. Ukitake's breathing eventually calmed, and the coughing stopped. His eyes closed when gentle fingers brushed a long bang from his face.

The peaceful moment shattered when someone came running into the cell. Yes, running—and no guard bothered to snap at him?

"There you are!" It was Tattoo. Ichigo still didn't know his real name, but he'd probably have to ask at a different time. The man looked frazzled; His cheeks red from exertion, and he was panting like he'd been running around the whole prison. Ichigo assumed he was speaking to one of the other men until he realized those wide, dark eyes were aimed straight at him.

"Tattoo? What's wrong?" Shinji stepped forward first, finally breaking the stare.

Before he could answer, a whole herd of inmates rushed down the hall. Their shouts could be heard from anywhere in the cell-block, and they chanted the same words over and over again.

"White fight! White fight! White fight!"

Ichigo was at a loss. He peered around Tattoo's shoulder to see that all the inmates were pouring out of their cells to join the group that was chanting. They formed a massive wave of bodies as they all moved in one direction. Only a handful of guards could be spotted, and most of them were actually joining the mob. None of them looked panicked, like they should be, about the unruly behavior nor did they have any intention of stopping it. After a minute they all eventually disappeared through the doorway at the end of the hall. Once the last echoed chant died off, Ichigo turned back to see the others were getting up and ready to follow. Even Ukitake was on his feet, with Shunsui's help, and Tattoo was whispering urgently to Shinji.

"Okay… What the hell is going on…?"

Tattoo instantly turned away from Shinji to address Ichigo, "Didn't you hear them? There's a White fight in the yard."

Ichigo felt his nose scrunch in confusion, and then he scoffed under his breath.

"I assume they're talking about my cellmate, White?" When Tattoo nodded, he continued with a shrug, "If he wants to fight someone then fine. I've got other shit to worry about." As curious as he was to witness Zangetsu in action, and see what his style of fighting might be, Ichigo didn't have the time or energy to really care.

"That's the fifth challenger this year… Who is it this time?" Yamamoto spoke up, making Ichigo jump a little. He hadn't noticed the old man sneak up on him. Also, did he always have a cane…? Ichigo eyed the curved wooden stick that Yamamoto was leaning on, but decided not to comment on it.

"It's Blue—He's out of his mind." Tattoo's eyes snapped back to Ichigo, who was now a little more alert at the mention of his ex. "Since you are the King now, you're the only one who can stop it."

Ichigo felt his insides clench with anxiety. His first instinct was always to help people he knew… but then he scoffed and crossed his arms with a small, indifferent shrug. "Naw. Let them beat each other up. Maybe they'll finally punch the last bit of brain cells left up there." He knocked his still raw knuckles across his own forehead for emphasis, but his hand slowly dropped at the severe expressions he saw reflected in each of their faces.

"Ichigo—Just so you know… White fights are to the death." Shinji's lips tugged into a deep frown when realization slowly dawned on Ichigo's face. "It's a one on one fight with your choice of weapons. The last guy who fought White brought some metal pipe he took from the laundry room. Most people—" Shinji's explanation died off when he realized Ichigo was no longer in the cell. Well, shit he barely even blinked and the guy was nowhere to be seen.

"You think he can stop the fight..?" Tattoo asked under his breath as he helped Shunsui walk Ukitake out of the cell.

"There's a first for everything I suppose…" Shunsui hummed in response. He dipped his shoulders to readjust Ukitake's arm as the poor man started another coughing fit.

…

..

...

TBC