Hello all! Got a review the morning after I posted the last chapter which makes me super happy! So for this next chapter, I'm going to take a peek back at Karakura town. So in case you don't realize, I am trying to get the beginnings of all of my character pairings in before I start the major plot, because that's where a lot of the drama and such are going to come from. That's the only hint I'm giving this chapter lol. So before you really see any action, expect a lot of fluff and a bunch of pairings. Cause I need it that way. And another thanks to Chitsukee for yet another review. Thank you bunches! OK rant over onto the chapter.
Chapter 5...Karakura.
Ichigo leaned his head on his desk and sighed. Life was so boring around here lately. 13th had replaced Afro-san with a soul reaper that actually knew what they were doing and unfortunately for him, it wasn't Rukia. It wasn't that he liked her, it was that she at least knew how to make classes and home life interesting. And he didn't even have hollow runs to do anymore because of the new soul reaper. He glances around his classroom.
On the far right of the classroom was Tatsuki's desk. The girl was leaning her head on her hand and looking just as miserable as he was. She'd been like that since the decision to keep Orihime in Soul Society. Ichigo still couldn't get over the fact that his spiritual pressure had made all of his friends spiritually aware as well. As if sensing his gaze on her, Tatsuki glared at him. She blamed him for Orihime's absence. It didn't matter how many times he'd tried to explain that it wasn't his fault she'd cast her lot in with the enemy and turned them good. Ichigo moves his gaze.
Chad was sitting just a few seats away from him idly watching the teacher. But Ichigo knew that he wasn't really paying attention. Sure the whole gang still got good grades, but there was always going to be something different, something they all shared. None of them felt they could really be going on with their lives this way after all of the battle and bloodshed they'd seen. Especially Chad who, in Las Noches, had discovered that his ability was more like that of a hollow. And he didn't really feel comfortable using it much anymore. Ichigo couldn't even get Chad to practice with him in Urahara's training room. Chad's eyes slid over to meet his questioningly.
Ichigo's gaze moved over to Uryu's empty seat. It was highly unusual, they'd all been attending every class since the new Soul Reaper. That meant it had to be something with his dad or his Quincy training that kept Uryu from being there. Ichigo decided to drop by Uryu's house after school and see what was up.
Uryu dodged another arrow. He wished he hadn't asked his father to teach him more about being a Quincy. More attacks and things like that. But every time he felt like telling his dad that enough was enough, that feeling came back. Out of all of his friends, not that he would ever call them that to his dad, he didn't understand why he had to have the strongest feeling of when something bad was going to happen. But that feeling had started in his stomach when he woke up that morning and it drove him into this rigorous and honestly pointless training. His father wasn't teaching him a thing, just outright attacking him.
As he dodged attack after attack, his mind drifted off to the time after rescuing Rukia when he no longer had his powers. How empty he'd felt. And then, that one strange girl whose Captain had nearly sacrificed her to defeat him showed up, bringing his salvation. Some strange device that had given his powers back.
That bad feeling in his gut intensified when he thought of the people in Soul Society. He flinched, remembering Orihime was in Soul Society. More determined than ever to get stronger for when the time came, he set into the training with his father.
Ichigo knocked on the door to the Ishida residence. Uryu's father opened the door, and he sneered at Ichigo. "What is you need Soul Reaper?" he asked Ichigo. Ichigo stopped himself from getting angry. Of all the times he usually failed at that task, he knew that getting angry at Uryu's father wouldn't get Uryu outside to explain any faster.
"I"m here to see Uryu, I brought his missed assignments from school," Ichigo said. He was glad he'd had the foresight to retrieve them from the office. Uryu's father sighed, shutting the door. Moments later, a battered Uryu opened the door. "Here," Ichigo said, handing Uryu the stack of papers. "What kept you from school today?" he asked, even though it was obvious.
"A bad feeling. You might try to get Chad to train with you," Uryu said. In other words, you might want to train but I don't feel like you yelling at me about how you aren't weak. Ichigo nodded. He'd learned to trust his friends when they had bad feelings. They all had.
"Yea, I'll go talk to him about that. Catch up on your homework, wouldn't want to take your place as the smartest guy in school," Ichigo joked, stepping away. Uryu nodded and went back inside. Ichigo left walking all the way to Chad's to give himself time to think about how he was going to convince him to train again. He eventually decided to just lay it all out on the table about Uryu's bad feeling, and how they never knew who was getting attacked when that happened and that they needed to remember that Orihime was in Soul Society now and they needed to be able to protect her if something where to happen over there. So when Chad opened the door, that's exactly what Ichigo said.
Chad nodded at Ichigo, walking outside and shutting his door, "Yea," he said. Of course, Ichigo hadn't expected a speech or anything, but 'yea' didn't exactly tell Ichigo whether or not Chad was coming to Urahara's with him. But Ichigo followed Chad, and they did wind up heading in that direction.
Urahara and Yoroichi had been laughing about something when they heard a knock on the door. Tessai led in Ichigo and Chad. The two looked quizically at the shopkeeper and the woman beside him. "Yoroichi was just telling me the most hilarious thing about your old friend Grimmjow and her old friend Soi Fon," Urahara explained. When Ichigo's eyes narrowed at the 'old friend Grimmjow' part. Urahara continued. "They have this sort of on going battle with each other. Yoroichi was in Soul Society yesterday, and Lieutenant Sasakibe had to go break up one of their fights. It just entertains me because I can just imagine how much effort Grimmjow must be putting into this in order to anger her that much that she'd release her zanpakuto." Urahara finishes. A smile flitted across Ichigo's features.
"Was she winning?" Ichigo asks. Yoroichi howls with laughter. Ichigo turns to her and glares. "What's so funny about me asking you that?" he asks.
"You'd like that wouldn't you?" she asks still laughing. "Because then Grimmjow wouldn't attack you next time you go over there to visit Orihime like he did last time. Then you'd only have to worry about Kenpachi," she said, finally calming down. Ichigo rolled his eyes, and walked behind their table, flipping it over and knocking over their cups in the process. He opens the trap door and drops down, Chad following wordlessly. Urahara sets his table back up away from the trap door and him and Yoroichi look at each other seriously for the first time that night.
"You have that feeling too don't you?" Urahara asks Yoroichi, who nods solemnly. The two stand, and make their way to Urahara's lab room, where they use the three moniters there to try to see if they could find anything wrong in the worlds. All was shockingly calm. And normal. And that just made them twice as uneasy.
Orihime went into her office the next morning, an hour or so late. She'd slept through her alarm and was frantically running. She dashed in stopping before Ulquiorra and bowing. "I'm so sorry I'm late Ulquiorra-san!" she exclaims, launching into a story about how her alarm didn't wake her and how she'd been having this great dream about being a giant and stomping through the streets of Tokyo and people calling her Godzilla and how she agreed not to destroy anything else so long as they fed her giant loafs of bread smothered in red bean paste and gave her tomato juice with sugar and chocolate to drink. Ulquiorra paused in his paperwork while she ranted, just watching her as she seemed so excited about her dream. It had been a while since she'd been herself. He should shut her alarm off more often. He voiced that very opinion and her face went scarlet. "You...you shut it off?" she asks shocked. Not knowing what to say for once after thanking him, she walked to her desk. "Uwahhh!" she exclaims, staring at the stack of paperwork she had on her desk. "I really wanted to oversee training today too," she said pouting. Dutifully, she sat down working on the stack.
It was about an hour or so later that Ulquiorra grew tired of hearing her reading over the papers aloud quietly to herself. Normally it didn't bother him, but he hadn't had much rest that night. He'd tossed and turned, and when he had fell asleep he'd dreamt of that battle with Ichigo when Orihime healed him. He'd awoken that morning feeling jumpy. "Go oversee training, I will finish your work, it will just be awaiting your signatures." he said simply. He'd rather do her work than deal with other sounds in the room at this point. Or other people for that matter, not that he usually minded her presence.
Orihime leapt from her chair face shining with happiness. She carried her stack over to Ulquiorra's desk and set them on the corner before leaning over to hug him. "Thank you Ulquiorra-san!" she said excitedly, before kissing him on the cheek and dashing from the room. Ulquiorra sat shocked before tucking that away in his brain for later. He had double the load to do for his peace.
Orihime ran all the way to their outdoor training area before realizing what she'd done. She gasped, but none of her squad looked at her. They were used to this behavior from her. She was immediately embarrassed about what she'd done, but had to put that out of her head. Grimmjow was looking at her with a questioning look, wondering what she was doing there. She just waved, sitting down in the stands and quietly watching her lower squad members go through the basic formations that Grimmjow had been subjected to learning so he could teach them. Orihime smiled at her hybrids and even called out to several telling them what wonderful jobs they were doing.
Yay I got a whole chapter done in a day. I love having time to myself to write! Hopefully this happens more often for you guys. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. And thanks again to Chitsukee! Now I'm off to go write on another story that someone reviewed on. I feel like my stories are being loved again! Yay!