"You shouldn't stare, and if you feel like you must, at least close your mouth" Aizen had leaned over and whispered in Ichigo's ear.
Ichigo shivered, he could feel the other man's breath as he spoke. He was so close. He flinched away. "Why must you get so close to me" he got out. At least he had managed to somehow keep his voice quiet and not snap at Aizen.
"You make it so easy, if you don't want me to do the things you tell me I shouldn't, then you shouldn't make it so easy." The man was smirking, and Ichigo felt like his heart was going to jump out of his chest. He didn't realize just how much he had missed that smirk. It meant that perhaps it was all a bad dream or perhaps cruel reality.
It had to be a dream, there was no way that people could just appear back from the dead. Ichigo could no longer feel the man's presences beside him. Aizen must have left him when he had zoned out, as the man was now in front of Kisuke.
"We may have a problem one" Kisuke was speaking quickly.
"Just bring him in, how bad can this one be. You obviously haven't meet the newest patient. Though he somehow knew your name. People have called him a problem."
Ichigo wasn't that far away, he had heard Aizen calling him a problem. He couldn't help the scowl that form on his lips again. Wasn't it a good thing that Aizen thought of him as a problem? Perhaps that wasn't why he was scowling. Aizen was pointing to him now. He knew he wouldn't get away that easily.
"Looks like someone has the hots for the doctor." That voice, it was familiar.
"N…no, I don't see Aizen that way." He was quick to defend himself. He was looking into the face of Renji, who seemed way too close for comfort. He tried to back up a little more into the chair, but he was already as far as he could get.
"Renji, just leave the poor boy alone. " Rukia had once again come to his rescue. Though Ichigo couldn't help but think that some form of punch or kick was going to come his way for being an 'idiot'.
"Thanks Rukia" Ichigo got out.
Rukia gave him an odd look. Her hands went to her hips as she looked him over. "How do you know my name?"
Ichigo sighed. So no one remembered anything, well this was just great. He had to make them remember. "I suppose you wouldn't believe me if I said I fought alongside both of you and that I think of both of you as my friends. "
Renji snorted. "We're in a mental asylum, if you think we all fought alongside each other and that we're friends. Then so be it. Right Rukia. "
Rukia sighed. "I don't even know why I involve myself with idiots. If my brother knew…"
Renji frowned. "Just stop about that adoptive brother of yours. He doesn't think as much of you as you think if he was the one who dumped you here. "
Rukia frowned at that comment. "You're just bitter because he won't give you the time of day."
Ichigo couldn't help but cough. "Byakuya left you here… and Renji what did you try to do?"
Rukia bit her lip. "You sure do know a lot about things you shouldn't, new guy."
It was Ichigo's turn to sigh. Right, they didn't know his name yet. "Ichigo… Ichigo Kurosaki. I mean it isn't fair that I know both of your names and you don't re…know mine."
Renji couldn't help but start to chuckle. "No wonder you have issues. You're named after a fruit. Not to mention that you have that hair…" Rukia had shut him up with a punch in the arm.
"It isn't nice to make fun of people Renji. How would you like it if you ended up in solitary, again? "
Renji was rubbing his arm where Rukia had hit him. Ichigo had at least relaxed a bit, these two were his friends and they were acting normal, more or less. Rukia pulled out a pad of paper and a pencil and began to draw. Some things just didn't change.
"Solitary is where _" Rukia had begun to explain using her drawings to illustrate her point.
Ichigo sighed and shook his head. "Your drawings are just as bad as ever. It is comforting to know some things don't change. Thanks Rukia… ow!" Rukia had hit him in the arm as well.
"I was at least trying to explain everything to you. You shouldn't insult people's drawings when they are trying to help you."
Renji was smirking now. "It is because he doesn't want you to explain it to him. His doctor explained it all to him most likely. He may be new but look how close he is already with Dr. Aizen. Haven't you noticed Rukia, we are the only ones brave enough to talk to the doctor's pet. "
Ichigo hit Renji where Rukia had hit him. "I am not Aizen's pet and I don't like Aizen like you are implying. In fact I hate him." He was at least doing a good job at keeping his voice down.
"There is nothing to be ashamed of, if you do like Dr. Aizen." A new voice had joined them.
"Yumichika! Not you too!" Ichigo wanted to disappear at that moment, he wanted to wake up.
The male tossed his hair to the side, a smile on his face. "Finally someone who has noticed me and my beauty! The new guy has already heard all about me." Yumichika wasn't looking at them really but more at his own reflection in the mirror. Yeah some things didn't change. Who else was going to join this little party?
Ichigo looked up, Kisuke and Aizen were gone. He groaned, he wondered if things could get any worse.
"So why are you all in here? Humor me." Ichigo got out with no emotion in his voice. He was trying to make small talk with this group. Unfortunately for Ichigo, he had asked the wrong question. When in a mental asylum, one did not simply ask a group of strangers what they were in there for.
Yumichika was quick to reply to his question though. "They say I have something called Narcissistic Personality Disorder" he said speaking almost proudly. He had jumped at the opportunity to talk about himself.
Rukia and Renji on the other hand were looking at him like he was crazy. Rukia hit him again. "You can't just go around asking everyone what they are here for. That isn't something you do. Look new guy…"
"Ichigo."
"Look here Ichigo, you can't just do that. There are rules that you need to follow here, or you may find yourself getting into some real trouble. Not just solitary either. I will tell you that the people of Karakura Town have labeled everyone in this place as insane in some form or another."
"So when is it safe to ask people…?" Ichigo started.
Rukia shook her head. "Never, are you an idiot!"
Ichigo was sort of shocked that no one else had come over to the little group. Then again he knew little to nothing about mental asylums. He sighed and plunged his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants, at least he had pockets.
"So what are these rules and so help me if you use more of those terrible drawings..." He dodged another punch from Rukia.
Renji looked at him. "Well rule number one Rukia has already stated. There are few people here that won't get mad at you if you ask that question. Some people may even try to tell you how innocent they are. Rule number two don't get involve with those people. Trouble is not good here. Don't fall into the wrong group, Ichigo."
"Group, you mean that you have squads here?"
Renji once again snorted. "Call em whatever you wanna, but don't fall into the wrong one or well your life will become hell. "
"So what squads do I have to be wary of?"
"How about we start small like with certain individuals to avoid. "
"Okay, Renji go ahead."
"First you see that guy in the corner, avoid him. He can be dangerous, but seriously he is the most depressing person here. His name is Ulquiorra Cifer. Second you see that girl over there."
Renji was pointing to a girl who was watching Aizen as he came back into the room. She looked harmless enough, Ichigo couldn't recall her name. Though he had a feeling that she was a part of the Soul Society.
"Her name is Momo Hinamori, try not to make her upset. Which may be hard for ya since well you have that crush on Dr. Aizen." Renji was trying to provoke him that was it. He couldn't take his bait, but it was so hard.
"I don't have a crush on him, get that through your head okay.
Renji continued, but he didn't look like he was buying what Ichigo was telling him. "The next person is over there."
"Kenpachi? Oh no problem, I'll have no problem staying away from him. The dude is mental, and I can see why he landed in here."
Renji shook his head and pointed out another individual. "Stay away from him and lastly from him as well." Renji had pointed out Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Shunsui Kyroaku.
Ichigo nodded. "You don't have to tell me twice to stay away from the first person, but why the second person. He seems okay enough." Ichigo was trying so hard not to go into detail with his knowledge of the man who was being deemed as dangerous. Well Ichigo didn't know the man that well, perhaps there was something wrong with him, though he seemed okay enough.
"Kyroaku well he is a pervert and in here for um two different things. " Renji's voice was low.
"Surely you aren't spreading rumors, now are ya?" Renji jumped as Gin appeared beside him, that sick twisted grin still on his face. "So I see ya have found ya a little group. Though what do we have here? Rukia, I see you managed to get your hands on that pad and pencil again. Yumichika that mirror has to go." Gin was taking up the items as he called them out.
Rangiku had come up to the group. "Gin, don't be too hard on them."
"Oh I won't be, Ran."
Ichigo frowned, he seemed like the sanest one here. "Actually Ichigo, why don't ya come with me?" Gin didn't really give him a choice as he yanked him up. Ichigo flinched away, Gin was just too creepy. He had handed the items to Rangiku. "Ran, why don't you put those items away."
"Of course, Gin." She went off and Gin was leading Ichigo in the opposite direction.
"So kid tell me, do ya want to know why everyone is here for? I can tell ya what you want ta know."
Ichigo had flinched away enough from Gin, but he did not try to stop following the man. He hated to see what he would do if he didn't follow him like he was supposed to be doing.
"What will it cost me?"
"Why do ya think it would cost ya anything?"
"A hunch. Nothing is ever free after all."
"Ya caught me. I want to know more about this Soul Society and what I was like in it."
Ichigo sighed. Of course, the reality he so wanted to go back to. "Fine, but I'm not going to hold anything back."
"I didn't expect anything less. Now come ta my office and I'll give ya the run down on this place."
Ichigo took in a breath and slowly let it out. It was going to be a long time before he was going to get out of this place, the least he could do was to learn what he could about this place. He followed the silver haired fox into his lair. This was it.