Strawberry Protector

Chapter 6: Stranger Danger

Roughly several weeks ago Ichigo had his last sparring match against his childhood friend Tatsuki. And like the hollow had hoped, the boy was showing a massive improvement in their regular training sessions. He was even able to stand up to the bullies without Shiro interfering at all a handful of times, his hollow friend had suddenly decided that he would only step in if he truly believed the kid was at a disadvantage. Of course, the orange haired child fighting back against the bullies was highly frowned upon by his teachers but that didn't stop him.

Today their plans were going to be a little different than usual however. It was the weekend which meant they had plenty of time to do whatever they wanted to do. So the plan was to hang out and do something other than training, a bit of a reward for Ichigo's progress. But first the kid had to do some minor cleaning up around his room before they could go anywhere.

Even Shiro's usual makeshift bed had been put away for the time being but that didn't stop the hollow from curling up on the floor near the closet. He laid there and idly watched his charge dart about the room in an obvious hurry, Ichigo really wanted to spend some time with his monstrous friend that didn't involve training.

Moving over to the closet, the orange haired boy went to put something away. However when he took a step back from the closet, the kid ended up tripping on Shiro's tail. Reacting quickly to child falling towards him, he gently grabbed Ichigo's waist to stop his descent. Unfortunately, the way the kid was flailing his arms in attempt to stabilize his balance resulted in him elbowing his hollow friend right in his masked face.

Both let out a slightly startled sound of pain but despite this poses like hollow righted his charge before gripping his throbbing mask. "Ow..."

Performing a similar action, Ichigo grabbed his aching elbow as he turned to the white form crouched beside him. "Sorry Shiro... Are you okay?" The apology came quickly but the question came with great hesitation, he had never seen his guardian and friend in pain before. Even when they sparred, it seemed like nothing he did would caused the other pain. But now...

"I'll be fine. Ya didn't do any damage if that's what ya're worried about. A hollow's mask is just very sensitive, probably somethin' ta do with the fact that it's also a hollow's which point." He explained to the kid without hesitation since it was something that he was planning on going over eventually.

"How can..." The orange haired child started to question but immediately cut himself off when there was a sudden knock at his door. In an abrupt moment of panic, Ichigo dragged the spirit the short distance to the closet and shoved him up onto the shelf inside. "Hide!" He demanded of his friend in a low voice filled with panic then slid the door shut with a snap.

And not a second too soon as one of his two younger sisters walked into the room. "Ichi are you okay? I thought I heard a bang..." Inquired Yuzu as she stepped into the room then paused to stare at him in confusion. "What are you doing big brother?" She questioned upon spotting him standing in front of the closet, his hands on the sliding door.

"Nothing! I'm not doing anything! I uh... I just shut the door to hard... And I was making sure it was okay!" It was the first explanation that came to mind and the boy blurted it out without much thought. However it seemed like enough of an explanation for Yuzu and shortly after that she left.

"That was close." Came the voice of Shiro suddenly from a bit above Ichigo's head, causing the boy to jump slightly. This drew the hollow's focus to him with a curious tilt of the head, his head and shoulders halfway phased through the closet door. "What?"

"You can go through walls?" The orange haired child practically exclaimed as he stared wide-eyed at his monstrous friend.

"Of course I can, I am a spirit after all. Although it's somethin' I have ta focus on doin', not like it's automatic or anythin'." Came the nonchalant answer as he phased the rest away through the door and back onto the floor.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Came the slightly annoyed questioning tone from the boy as he lightly scowled at the other.

"Ya never asked."

This answer caused Ichigo to blink then take a moment to consider that, his frown deepening. "What else haven't you told me?"

The lizardlike hollow remained silent for just a moment as he examined his charge's expression before answering. "There are a number of thin's and that's because it hasn't really come up ta discuss. Some of it I haven't told ya because I'm waitin' for the right time. But for somethin's it's just a matter of ya askin' the right questions." Shiro spoke truthfully and he tried not to hide anything that he felt would be important for the boy to know.

Ichigo remained silent for a minute or so as he considered his white guardian's words before nodding in understanding. "So what else can you do?"

This inquiry, however, was one that the corrupted soul was not comfortable with discussing at the moment. So instead he directed his gaze away from the child and answer the question with one of his own. "Weren't we gonna go and 'hang out' taday? Can't exactly do that if we stand around here talkin' instead."

Thankfully the change of topic worked as the kid's expression lit up in remembrance. And after a quick check of his room and finding it was as clean as it was going to get, the pair were off to a nearby park that was typically less populated.

Once there they spent a number of hours doing miscellaneous things. Things such as exploring the area for anything interesting or playing on the swings, although it was more the hollow pushing Ichigo. Then they started to play pretend, although it was more Shiro following along with what the boy said. This eventually led to play fighting with the orange haired child wielding a stick like a sword while his monstrous friend played the part that he looked like.

Unknown to the the unusual friends, a man with spiky black hair was leaning against a railing nearby. He had already been there for a good length of time watching the the boy play with a frown on his face. "Why the long face Isshin? That certainly not like you."

The cheerful sounding voice drew Isshin's focus to the blonde green wearing hatted man that was approaching. "Kisuke..." The normally cheerful father greeted with a rather solum expression. "Thanks for coming on such short notice."

"Anything for an old friend. How can I help you on this fine day?" The blonde questioned with a friendly smile then he hummed in slight interest as a bit of movement drew his gaze to the pair in the park. The sight caused him to blink in surprise, whether he was actually surprised or not was anyone's guess. "Now isn't that an unusual sight? That's your boy isn't it?

"Yeah... That's Ichigo." Confirmed the concerned father as he focused back on his child. "So there is some kind of spirit hang out around him? I've heard him talking to what sounds like someone else in his room quite often. And something about it gives me a bad feeling." He had overheard a number of half conversations where his son was speaking to another. Some of the things he heard had sparked concern in Isshin, so he called upon the only person he could think of to help with the situation.

"A feeling you say? Are your spiritual abilities finally starting to return?" Questioned Kisuke as he pulled out his signature white fan and held it in front of his face, supposedly fanning himself.

"No, call it parent intuition." He then glanced back to the man standing beside him, his expression unchanged since the shopkeeper's arrival. "So what is it?"

The blonde knew what he was referring to as he looked away from Isshin and put his focus upon the white form that the other man was unable to see. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly but the rim of his hat hid the subtle change. "It appears to be a soul that the boy's playing with. However if you like I can observe them for a time to time judge the spirit's motives." It was a half truth but the spiritually blind father wouldn't know that.

The shopkeeper's words and calm tone of voice reassured Isshin as he visually relaxed, a smile finally starting to return to his face. "I see... I know you probably have more important things to worry about but if you could keep an eye out, I would appreciate that."

"Of course! Of course. I'll keep an eye on your son and if it is needed then I'll help that soul pass over." Satisfied with this answer, Isshin thanked the man then excused himself so that he could return to his clinic. This left the shopkeeper on his own to observe the pair as they continued to play fight. All the while he was carefully examining the spiritual energy, physical appearance, and overall general movements of the lizardlike hollow.

And not once did Shiro ever sense the blonde man's presence...

A few months past in the blink of an eye and not once did anything ever feel amiss to the corrupted soul. Nor did anything seem off that night as he sat perched in Ichigo's window while mindlessly staring at the sky. Even though he did have a bed given to him by his charge, he had no need to sleep. So often times he would let his mind wander while staring off into space and tonight was no different.

A slight whimpering sound drew the hollow from his thoughts and set his focus upon the sleeping form a little behind and to the right of him. It seemed that Ichigo was shifting with unease in his sleep, probably due to a bad dream. He had noted that the poor boy would have them periodically, however they seemed to becoming less and less over time. This led Shiro to believe that the dreams were in response to his mother's death but he didn't know for sure.

Without hesitation, Shiro left his spot on the windowsill and moved to sit beside Ichigo upon the bed. Once there he pulled the covers a little more securely over the child's form and began gently running his clawed hand through the boy's hair. This wasn't the first time he had done this and that time was mostly out of a desire to calm the kid somehow. He was quick to find that this method actually works rather well and already Ichigo was beginning to still beneath his touch.

"My... My... What a touching scene." Spoke a male voice that the lizardlike hollow didn't recognize from the general direction of the window. Immediately Shiro turned around, being careful not to disturb Ichigo, to glare at the speaker while letting out a low hollow growl.

Sitting there on the very same windowsill he had been less than a minute ago was a blonde haired man in a striped hat with a cane held in hand and resting a crossed his lap. "Now... Now... No need to get violent, I simply came here to speak with you Mr. hollow."

This caused Shiro to narrow his eyes upon the man as it became immediately obvious that this person could see him and knew what he was. He tried to sense the stranger's presence and found he could not. That disturbed him more than anything since it meant that this individual could be stronger than his appearance led on. "And what exactly do ya wanna talk about?" Inquired the hollow in the same low tone but in an obvious defensive manner.

"I want to know why one of Aizen's experiments has taken an interest in a spiritually aware boy." The blonde man stated bluntly in a more serious tone, his friendly voice from moments ago now gone.

That single name caused the hollow's hair to bristle up like a porcupine while his eyes widened before narrowing once again. "I have nothin' ta do with that Shinigami anymore... He discarded me shortly after he created me... Left me ta wander about with no real purpose... So I tried ta find my own purpose and that led me ta him." Here Shiro nodded his head toward Ichigo's sleeping form without removing his gaze from the stranger. "Ta that man I was nothin' but a number... But ta Ichigo... He needs me. He named me. And if ya dare try ta do anythin' ta him ya damn pedophile then I'll use every ounce of strength that I have ta try and stop ya." It was an empty threat and Shiro knew it, he mostly said it to simply insult the man.

A stunned expression appeared upon the hatted man's face as he placed a hand to his chest, although the hollow believed his actions were nothing but a ruse. "Me? A pedophile? Goodness no... I'm just a concerned shopkeeper that's worried for the well-being of the son of a friend."

Scoffing slightly in response to what was said, the hollow continued to eye the man through a narrowed gaze; the tip of his tail flicking quite a bit due to his uneasy state. "I call 'em like I see 'em. A grown man slippin' inta a child's bedroom through a window at the dead of night. Seems like a pedophile activity if I ever saw one." He couldn't help but feel a slight bit of pride at the potential thought that he might've thrown the man off a bit. But then Shiro sobered up and spoke in a slightly more serious manner. "I don't plan ta harm Ichigo if that's what ya're truly concerned about. I'm tryin' ta help him gain the strength ta help himself."

"Why?" The shopkeeper was more than willing to latch onto the change of subject as the pair continued to speak in hushed tones. "What could a hollow possibly gain by helping a human?"

These inquiries caused the corrupt soul to pause and glanced away from the man slightly, although he kept the stranger in his peripheral vision. "Initially... I was curious. I watched Ichigo's mother gave her life ta save him and it confused me. Still confuses me... I thought that if I got ta know Ichigo that then maybe I'd understand why she did what she did."

"And have you?"

Here he looked back to the blonde man and gave a slight nod of his head as he answered. "I think I'm beginnin' ta."

Nodding in return, the shopkeeper then voiced another concern that came to mind. "You're being quite open with me, and while I'm not opposed to it, I can't help but wonder why that is."

"I'm not stupid." Came the blunt answer from the lizardlike hollow, to which he received a questioning look but he continued before the man could comment. "I can't sense yer spiritual energy at all, that means either ya're really powerful or ya're really skilled. And neither of those bold well for me. I'm already assumin' that the reason I'm still alive is due ta yer own curiosity ta my actions. That being said, it's wiser for me just ta be truthful on the matter in hopes that ya'll leave us alone afterwards."

"No, you are certainly not stupid. In fact I'd say you're rather wise." Then the stranger gave Shiro a friendly smile and nodded his head a bit as he spoke. "I'll leave you in peace for the time being but I may come knocking again should the situation ever change. Good night Mr. hollow." And with that the strange shopkeeper swung his legs out the window and dropped out of sight.

Letting out a heavy sigh of relief, Shiro allowed the tension in his body to fade away. He could've checked to make sure the man was truly gone but he was more than sure that there would be no sign that the blonde was even there to begin with. And while it unnerved him slightly that such a potential enemy was watching, at the same time he had nothing to hide. He planned no ill will toward the kid and has since developed a rather protective nature in regards to his charge. No, he was no threat to Ichigo. However, he would make himself a threat to anyone who would dare try to harm the boy.

Immediately he realized what that train of thought meant for his future and this brought a frown to hidden lips. Originally he had simply been focused on helping the kid to get stronger but now he had a desire to gain strength for himself so he could truly be Ichigo's protector. He had a lot of work ahead of him but somehow he would find a way. For Ichigo's sake, he would figure something out.

And that's it for this chapter. I'm actually surprised at how well my inspiration has kept me writing on this story. It's literally been a week since I picked the story back up and I've already been able to get up chapters 3, 4, 5 and now 6. That's five chapters this past week alone and sure... The beginning part of chapter 3 had already been written out prior to my pause... And what I have in chapter 6 is something I had already planned for before my hiatus... But a lot of it was more spur of the moment inspiration.

Anyway, as you can see Kisuke has finally made his appearance and has confronted Shiro. What did the shopkeeper get out of their exchange? Perhaps we'll eventually find out.

On a different note.. .Despite Shiro looking lizardlike, I see his movements being more feline like. I don't know why but I do. I try to get this across in my writing although I'm not sure how well I'm doing. XD

Well that's all for now, until next time. R&R.