Warnings: this and that not much but more will happen next chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Bleach.
Dust fell down on top of an orange head teen whose body was currently twisted at different angles. The teen was unconscious from the fall but still breathing and miraculously not hurt from landing. His large sword lay embedded in the ground next to him giving off light pulses as if signaling for its owner to wake. The being in the blade could only watch his King until Ichigo either woke up on his own or someone, preferably an ally, found them.
"King it's time to wake up or do you enjoy that position yer laying in. yer gonna wake up sore ya know." Shiro said impatiently. If the being could be seen by others they would be seeing the white being with his arms cross and his foot tapping wearing a scowl.
A quiet groan echoes throughout the hole as Ichigo begins to stir to wakefulness. At first the teen is stun but Shiro could see the daze look fading as his King becomes more clear headed.
"Enjoy the nap sleeping beauty?" the sword teases.
"Too loud Shiro." Ichigo groans. "What happen to me this time?"
"Oh not much just you falling down a giant fucking hole; how did ya even miss that?"
"With practice." Ichigo sarcastically shoots back. "anyway we need to get out before everyone starts to panic again."
"True yer going to give them all gray hairs with how much someone trying to off ya."
For the past few weeks Ichigo has been plagued with a lot of accidents that for once he was glad that he could use his healing ability consciously unlike when he could only use it when he was unconscious. This latest one look to about did him in and he was only trying to find the fucking door to his classroom. It was not his fault that he got lost and lost his current bodyguard as well as lost his map of the castle.
"Like I could help that, I did try to leave but they keep telling me to stay here till Spring."
"Yer just lucky the Old Man was able to pull off some Quincey shit or you would be impersonating a pin cushion by now."
"Speaking of which where is he?" Ichigo knew that his Quincey spirit wasn't as talkative as Shiro but he usually puts in a word or two by now. The mental image of Shiro shrugging had the orangette making an impromptu visit to his inner world. "What do you mean you don't know."
"I haven't even looked for him and you're already jumping down my throat. Chill King." Getting some distance between them Shiro wave back at Ichigo. "In case you hadn't notice he is still here just sleeping. So relax and worry on how yer gonna get out of that hole." Then without giving Ichigo a chance to reply Shiro pushes the orangette out of his mind.
Ichigo once back out of his inner world sent a flurried of curses at his blade. Slowly untangling himself the orangette tries to figure out where he was. He could tell just from his surroundings that he is in some sort of underground tunnel but with the only light coming from the small hole he made he couldn't tell anything else. He wishes that he had a flashlight or could do one of those simple kidos that could give him some illumination.
'no point in wishing for what I don't have,' He thinks before another more positive thought has him trying something that could also blow him up and collapsing that roof over his head. Balling his fist, he focuses his spirit energy hoping that he could get a light, but instead of a ball of light he only manages to get his hand lighted like a glow stick.
'At least I didn't explode, but it still doesn't give much off in the way of seeing,' Ichigo kept looking from his hand to the tunnel. He could only see for about half a foot in front of him. 'Better than nothing.'
Giving himself another once over he made his way down the tunnel keeping his senses open in case whoever has been trying to kill him doesn't get another chance. It's not long before Ichigo finds another problem, he comes to a crossroads and even he knows that if he takes a wrong turn he could very well stay lost down here. Having no desire to become a permitted resident Ichigo takes apart his tunic unraveling it to the point of making a thin rope. Tying one end to a rock Ichigo goes to the right tunnel and makes his way down a steep incline. His hand light letting him see but also making him a bit dizzy that he had to stop the flow of power to it just so he could get rid of the headache it induces.
About an hour into his trek Ichigo becomes frustrated at his lack of light and improve surroundings. He about to back track when a sound catches his ear. It sounded light feet scuffling and it sounded like it was near him. keeping his own steps quiet Ichigo walks towards the sound keeping in mind that the owner could be the one who put him here in the first place. Hugging the wall, he dims his only light source and can just make out three figures in the darkness keeping close to the wall he makes a dash to a stone pillar he waits out the shadow figures.
"Have you found him yet?" shadow one asks
"No, he could be dead by now or completely lost that he will be dead." Short shadow said.
"I don't care I want proof that he is dead. We need his body to send a message to the King and Queen and the High King wants proof as well. We don't leave until the job is one hundred percent complete." One Shadow harshly whisper.
"Can we just drag him back with us? He would be more useful alive then dead and it would cause more pain to the Princes seeing someone looking like their dear dead brother dying again." Another sneered with a happy sound that could pass for a laugh.
"True but the brat has proven to be more of a problem that just simply kidnapping him wouldn't be worth it." One Shadow said breaking the laughter of the other up. "Fine, if he is unconscious then we'll take him hostage but I want his body regardless. Am I understood?"
"Yes Sir!" two voices ring out in the blackness.
"Good now move and meet me back at the side tunnel near the tomb." With that the three shadows depart and leaves Ichigo alone and wondering what he should do.
oOooOo
Ichigo curse everything he has been in this damn tunnel for what felt like hours and he was still lost. No matter how many twist and turns he backtrack he couldn't find the way out. he did try to follow the shadow people from earlier but they had evaded him soon after and he hasn't seen then since.
"I wonder if the others have realized that I'm missing," he mused. Clearly seeing the royals worried faces which only made him sorry that he put them in that position.
"Really? We're underground lost with people trying to kill us, not that they will have much luck, and that's what has you most worried," Shiro sarcastically mock. "You really need yer head examine."
"Shut up," Ichigo mutter though he was glad for the distraction. "Have you found the old man yet?"
"Huh…oh yeah I did and he is resting. I guess having to use yer Quincey powers while in your body has a lot of recoil on him."
"And your now just telling me…I am actually surprise about that since there hasn't been much of one when I try using my any of my powers."
"it's simple, your use to using my powers and they come easy the other not so much. the old man took the brunt of the recoil. You might be feeling that later." The blade seems to be lost in thought and Ichigo left him to it.
Ichigo hadn't corrected Shiro Zangetsu on one thing though and that was he was a tad worried about those people that wanted him dead or wanted to use him against Kaien and Shiro. like he would let that happen in the first place but the thought that others saw him as someone important was another reason he didn't want to stick around in the darken tunnel.
Crrreaaakkk
The sound had Ichigo pausing when he heard nothing he moved again only to hear the sound. Taking the chance of being seen he lit up his hand again and looked down. What he saw had him wishing that he hadn't. the floor underneath him was not the stone floor that he started on but old rotten wood that if he steps in the wrong direction he would fall into the abyss below. He tried to back up but stop when he felt the floor behind him start to give way.
"Shit," he whispers. "When can I catch a break?"
Taking a moment to breath he started to think up plans to get himself out of this predicament. He thought of using Zangetsu but none of the walls nor the ceiling would hold his weight then he thought of using his blade as an anchor but then he couldn't find where the stone floor had ended and when the wood floor started. He was able to try launching Zangetsu like a grappling hook when the floor beneath him gave way and he plummeted down digging his blade into the nearest surface his was able to stop his decent. Now he was in a whole new situation and without being able to get a clear view of things Ichigo was left dangling, he was lucky that he hadn't hurt himself in the fall.
"Well, now what?"
"Ya could try pulling yerself up dumbass since yer using me like a pull up bar."
Grumbling at Shiro Ichigo pulls himself up but he slackens his arms when he sees that he had fallen a good distance from the ledge of the hole. He would have to use both blades to climb up or try to find grip holes so he could climb but again he couldn't see where said grip holes were to start and summoning his smaller sword while still having Shiro out would zap him of the energy that he most likely need. So the orangette decided to stay put until he could find another way out that didn't cause him to become vulnerable.
"Good to see that you can use yer head."
"Not helping."
"Just saying King yer not known for using that lump on yer shoulders."
"You want to know what a thousand volts feel like?" mentally seeing the confused look on Shiro Ichigo sent a lightening blot near the other, not to hit but to make a point.
"I think that I have been rubbing off of ya King."
"Whatever," Ichigo looked back up to the ceiling then looked down. He had the debris hit the bottom and wonder how deep the pit is. He wished that he had one of those glow sticks so he could throw one down to see if it would be better to jump down instead of going up.
He thought of using one of the hollow technique's he can use but the thought of chance of sending the entire place crashing on top of his head wasn't a pleasant thought, but he did think that he could use a low power one just to light it up. So using one hand Ichigo sent a low powered bala down into the darkness and the aftershock he got back had him rethinking about his choice. The bala sent ripples of aftershocks the shook the walls and rained dirt down on the orangette.
'I guess that was too much power,' Ichigo thought to himself.
"Ya think, you just let everyone down here know where yer at. It's like putting a fucken neon sign over ya in bright pink letters 'here come kill me' nice going King." Shiro mock sarcastically.
Sighing and seeing that his choices cut back to only going up before those shadows from earlier find the orangette began to slowly make his way up. After several close calls he sent back his larger blade into his soul only to call out the smaller and started to use him as an anchor. It was when he was near the top when his foot slip and his hand let go of Old Man Zangetsu's hilt that Ichigo wished that he could escape his body. However, before he fell any further a white clawed hand snatches his and yanked him the rest of the way out of the hole and a foot from the ledge. He landed with a thump causing a cloud of dust to bellow out. whirling around to the one who help him Ichigo could only stare at the guardian the being who had save him again.
"You again, thanks."
The white being was in front of Ichigo before the teen knew it and started to nuzzle him and searching him, for what Ichigo didn't know until he felt something wet touch his arm. Surprise he jerks his arm back or he tries the guardian has an iron grip not enough to be painful but Ichigo would have a hard time freeing his limb. But when he takes a closer look he could see that the being was healing a cut that the orangette didn't even know that he had.
"So you were looking to see if I had any injuries so you could heal them. Well, um, thanks but I do have my own healing factor and the cut isn't that bad." He only got a purr from the other before he was flip around and with what was left of his shirt was rip off of him. he was about to show the other what he thought of the new angle when the others tongue was back onto his skin.
"I guess I had more scrapes than I thought." He mutters. "Find but you're just wasting your time they would have healed up in no time." He only receives another purr.
"You don't talk much," Ichigo stated the guardian tilted his head which reminded Ichigo of a dog. "But you can understand what I say it seems; do you even have a name besides guardian?"
Ichigo's question was met with silence and the orangette had to look back into sad golden eyes. realization dawn on him.
"you don't have one do ya?" only getting a negative head shake in response. "Well if you want one I can give ya one but I warn you I have been told I suck a giving names."
"No kidding."
ignoring Shiro Ichigo watch his new acquaintance, the being in front of him watched him back as if judging him then before Ichigo could react he found himself in a bear hug.
"Aww you have a pet now."
"Can't breathe," Ichigo wheeze before he fell back after being let go. "Well let's see I think we should keep it simple but nothing to do with the color white I know too many people with that type of name. hmm how about Tain?" he waited for an answer but it looked like the other didn't like the name. "Ok how about Nightshade? Or Severn?" the last two had more of a reaction but to which Ichigo couldn't figure out. "Ok, um, which one did you like? the first one?" a negative shake. "Severn? You like Severn as your name?" a positive nod. "Ok great, well, Severn do you know the way out?" another nod. "Okay lead the way." Tucking his blade back into his belt Ichigo followed the now named Severn back out of the collapsing tunnel and back into the one of the corridors he was in before and to keep him from getting lost Severn had taken his tail and wrap it around one of Ichigo's wrist. Ichigo though he couldn't see the satisfied look on Severn's face could practically feel his body vibrating and the low purr coming he was emitting had the orangette thinking that the other was very happy currently. But before he could think any further his wrist was yanked making him stumble before finding his footing and trailing after the other.
"Hey slow down!" his only response was a happy hum and the snickers of his hollow.
oOooOooOooOo
"WERE IS HE!" the angry shout belonging to one the Princes echoed down through many halls, rooms, and even made it to the outside. The poor servant that had deliver the news that a certain orangette was missing and had yet to be found after an explosion in one of the old corridors. The White Prince had been livid when it happens and with the help of Kaien and Grimmjow plus a few others had kept the Prince from going down there and searching from the lost teen.
"He could be anywhere in those tunnels and that's if he is still even in the country by now." Aizen answer but that only infuriated the Prince more.
"Ha haha haha, no worries my Prince I am sure Ichigo is find he doesn't seem to be the one to let others kidnap him nor is he one to stay still for long. So for now just be patient and let the us take the lead. We can't have both Princes go missing if this is a trap and Ichigo is the bait." Kisuke quickly added.
"And there's the guardian many have seen him near Ichigo during the other attempts on his life." Kaien said.
Shiro was still mad with both of his parents gone on some matter involving the Kingdom leaving them here to run things the Prince didn't won't to tell them that something had happen to Ichigo. The white Prince wouldn't admit it but he like having the other around since Ichigo was one of the few who could keep us with him in spars and other things besides Grimmjow and Kaien.
"Sir!" Shinji call as he ran into the room. "We found traces of Ichigo in one of the unstable tunnels and Grimmjow with Neliel and Kensei are currently tracking him but is seems that those tunnels have been seeing a lot of traffic lately."
"Explain." Kaien tone had gone serious and Shiro knew he should stay well away in the background.
"Besides Ichigo's foot prints as well as whoever is with him there were several sets of unknowns one could be female or a small male and they have come close to Ichigo's foot prints on several occasions."
The room was silent the thought of the assassins in the castle had several guards tense. Aizen and Kisuke were grim and had started to make their way towards the door.
"Where are you two going?" Shiro asks.
"Were else but the tunnels there are only a few places were a person can come out. we will be taking two routes hopefully we meet up with him before our enemies do." Kisuke had his hand on the door ready to push it open when his hand met open air.
"Huh, what's with all of you standing here in full armor," a voice said from the doorway.
The room was again silent but was broken when Shiro marched up to the owner of the voice and with much ado smack the orange head.
"Idiot we have been worried about ya and in case ya have forgotten this was an attempt on yer life so of course people would be up in arms."
"Sorry," Ichigo mutter rubbing the sore spot on his head. "Like I could help it but as you can see I am here without a scratch."
"I'll be the judge of that." Jason, Ichigo's personal healer, said. He not so gently pushes Ichigo into a chair and was giving him a through once over.
"Did you meet up with Grimm and the others?" Kaien asks getting the muttering teen attention.
"Uh no I got out with Severn's help."
"Severn?"
"Oh yeah I name the guardian and he was really happy with the name." Ichigo said nonchalantly. When he didn't hear anything he looked up. "What?"
"What he says, you name the guardian a being who until now never came near anybody and now your buddy buddy with him and all you have to say is what." Shiro says taking a seat next to Ichigo.
"well excuse me for caring."
"We're not saying that ya don't it's just amazing to us that you have done something that no one else has. Your just full of surprises." Kaien soothe shooting his brother a glare.
"By the way Ichigo," Kisuke interrupted. "Where is your new friend?"
Sending the blond a scowl, Ichigo open his mouth when again the doors to the room burst open by a growling Grimmjow followed by both Nell and Kensei. With a white being who slink into the room to behind Ichigo.
"He went off as soon as we came to an opening and I guest he went looking for them." Ichigo answer honestly.
"That that…he just pop out of nowhere and…
"What Grimmjow is trying to say is thank you for helping us out of that maze." Nell finish for the blue hair panther who growled back.
Severn just look amused at the other before giving both Shiro and Kaien a curious look. He was just about to leave before staring both Princes in the eyes and nuzzled Ichigo's neck before darting out of the room.
"Hey were did Aizen go?" Ichigo asks breaking the silence.
"Right here," the brunette said as he saunters into the room with two servants laden with trays of food. "Your highness while we couldn't get those who caused Ichigo's fall we were able to get a clue who it might be." He handed a scrap of clothing that Ichigo couldn't see to Kaien whose brows furrow.
"I see I'll tell dad when he gets back but I want you to investigate and bring them to us when you're done."
"Understood."
Ichigo missed most of what was said being distracted by Kisuke, Shiro, and Shinji. But he didn't miss the look toss his way from the duo. But before he could ask his attention was stolen again by Grimmjow who wanted another spar later then before an argument broke out he was hauled away by Jason saying he needed rest since he still had a full day tomorrow for the winter ball preparation.
"No worries Ichi we'll be there later to talk to ya." Shiro sang out after the orangette. He laughs when the orangette flip him off as he went out the door.
Later that night Ichigo woke to two bodies next to him as well as one curled on the floor next the bed. Wiggling out of Shiro's and Kaien's grasp he took a blanket that was at the foot of the bed and cover Severn with his efforts were rewarded with another loud purr. He was about to go find another blanket when a pair of arms grab him by the waist and pulled him back into the brother's embrace. Sighing out loud Ichigo gave up and wiggling back into the warm spot he left and went back to sleep deciding to yell at the brothers in the morning.
Unseen and unknown his room was watch by a pair of eyes from one of his windows. The eyes full of malice and hatred that Ichigo unconsciously shivered before snuggling into Kaien's chest. Severn however, saw the eyes and growl at them until they disappeared the being did not go to sleep for the rest of the night, not that he needed much sleep anyway. He was called a guardian for a reason and he had made it his job to guard the orange hair teen who brought out old forgotten memories he had no memory of but he would never leave Ichigo alone till he was sure the other was safe.
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Chapter End.
Thanks for reading.