"Dammit ! What the hell is going on here..." said Ichigo as he stared down at the sink filled with the breakfast he had just thrown up. 'My head hurts like hell...and my body...it feels like every organ is on fire.'
Ichigo groaned as he held onto the sides of the cubical walls for support. He had just gotten to school when he had a sinking feeling in his gut and suddenly felt nauseous. He had been feeling awful for the past four days and he didn't know why but something...something just wasn't right...
"Hey Ichigo, you alright in there?"
" I'm...fine Chad just feeling a little sick. I'll see you at class in a few minutes," forced out Ichigo as he tried to sound normal.
"Maybe you should see the nurse..."
"...Alright I guess I'll head there right now then, i think I'll feel better if I lie down ." Ichigo struggled to stand up but somehow miraculously made it to the bathroom door. He stumbled on his way out but Chad still being there caught him and he steadied Ichigo with one arm allowing his weight to rest against his own.
"Ichigo...you don't look alright, I'll help you to the nurses office."
Ichigo was panting now from exhaustion and wasn't able to protest so he just let it be unable to do anything else.
Chad was very concerned about Ichigo. He had first noticed that Ichigo was looking a little pale and worried when he had arrived at school and he was left flabbergasted when Ichigo took off suddenly into the school gates without him. He had followed behind at a steady pace when he heard the sounds coughing and groans coming from the boys bathroom and it had sounded like his best friend.
'Must be a cold,' he thought as he headed out from the nurses room and to the classroom.
As he entered he saw that everyone was heading to there seats and he did the same.
"Alright class settle down now, we are going to be having a new student joining us todayyyy!" Said their homeroom teacher with excitement. "Now if you would be so kind as to introduce yourself young man."
"Hi everyone. My name is Shingeki Ryouga. Pleased to meet you all."
He gave his most charming smile and then bowed. Most of the the girls in the classroom fell for him immediately. He was rather good looking after all.
Shoulder length curly blonde hair, dark green irises and light brown sun kissed skin that suited him perfectly.
The teacher had appointed him a seat close to the back. And he commenced to it with a graceful stroll and upright posture that bought upon awed and admiring looks and some jealous ones from the boys in the class.
"Alright, today we'll begin by-hey where is Mr Kurosaki?"
"Ichigo's resting in the nurses office ma'am he isn't feeling too well," responded Chad.
Orihime looked at Chad with a concerned expression while Uryuu seemingly was still paying attention to the new student.
"Oh alright then, it's not everyday he's actually sick. Be sure to take notes for your friend Sado," and then she proceeded to continue the lesson on the board.
'Did he just hear correctly? He was sure that he had. But...it could just be coincidence...right?'
Shingeki felt himself almost almost choke on his on saliva at the name while his eyes widened a fraction. Kurosaki...Ichigo? It couldn't be that Ichigo. No way...
"Ma'am may I please be excused to go to the bathroom?"
Shingeki Ryouga made his way out of the classroom in anticipation. Where would you find the nurses office...oh it looks to be right there! And he felt his legs walking a bit faster toward the doorway. The room was seemingly empty the curtains swayed gently in the breeze and the suns rays shone through with a golden light filling the room.
Taking a few steps into the deserted room Shingeki walked passed the first few beds and got to the one next to the window and then...his breathing stopped at the sight that lay before him.
The obnoxiously orange locks spread across the pillowcase were the first thing that caught his attention. The next was the lithe figure that lay curled up under the blankets and next was...
It's him. It's really...he's grown...a lot. Its the same Ichigo. But how?
Just then he stirred a little and his eyes fluttered open to reveal wide warm brown orbs.
"Um hi Ichigo," said Shingeki quickly when he realized he was was just caught staring and smiled nervously.
"Hi there-eh who are you and how did you know my name?" Asked Ichigo curiously.
"I'm ah...Shingeki Ryouga..."he said expectantly.
"I've never seen you around here before and you still didn't answer my question."
"...I'm a new student here...I knew your name because...they said you were in the nurses office because you weren't feeling well."
"Oh well...why are you here?"
"I was looking for the bathroom and got lost..."
"Oh well since I'm feeling better I'll show you where it is and we can head back to class together," Said Ichigo as he got up slowly and started strolling out of the room.
He doesn't remember me...why? I haven't changed that much have I?
He followed close behind never taking his eyes of the boy in front of him just smiling and nodding as he only half listened as Ichigo talked about where everything was. He took the chance instead to take in Ichigo's appearance appreciating how well formed he was when they finally arrived at the classroom together. Ichigo let him walk in first and followed after.
"Well looky who decided to finally show up! Iii-chiii-gooooooo!"and then Keigo launched himself at Ichigo who successfully dodged with no effort allowing keigo to run straight into a desk.
"What's up everyone."
"How are you feeling Ichigo?" asked a smiling Orihime.
"I'm alright now." Ichigo said as he walked toward his desk.
"That's good to hear, oh I see you've met the new student, Shingeki Ryouga was it...would you like to join us?" Waved Orihime rather eagerly.
"No...that's quite alright. Thanks for the offer though," he ground out and walked away after a last glance at Ichigo who seemed to be oblivious as he headed for his desk to grab his lunch.
"Oh...um...alright..."
"Don't let him bother you Orihime! I don't buy his nice guy facade," said a confident Keigo as he puffed out his chest. Meanwhile Uryu's eyes never left Ryouga's form observing the being until he was no longer in sight.
"Guys...I think we should be wary around that Ryouga guy, there's something about him that has me feeling uneasy," whispered Uryuu.
"So you felt it too...his spiritual energy feels weird," stated Chad.
"Yeah I though we could get to know him that's why I invited him along...but he refused. He is very good looking though...haha.. he reminds me of one of the devilishly handsome villains I saw on tv when I was younger," Orihime laughed nervously.
"So What are you guys talking about? Did I miss much?" Asked Ichigo as he took a bite out of his sandwich.
"How did you meet Ryouga ?" Asked Chad.
"Oh he was in the nurses office when I woke up, said he got lost so I showed him around a bit."
"Look at you Ichigo being all accommodating, I thought he would have run off the moment he saw your scowling face," laughed Keigo
"Too true," agreed Mizuiro with a smile.
"Hey! I'm not that unlikable am I !?" Said Ichigo incredulously.
"Not with that ugly scowl you're not."
"Uryu!" shouted Ichigo, "well whatever, it's not like I care what people think of me."
And they all started laughing and enjoying the little circle of friendship that they had. All too soon the hollow alert came again and with a transaction of nods and understanding looks Chad, Uryu and Orihime left without a word.
Ichigo sighed tiredly while Keigo and Mizuiro shared a look.
"You okay Ichigo?" Asked Mizuiro.
"Sure...why wouldn't I be."
The three never noticed that their entire conversation had been payed attention to by their new student.
The school day ended at last and Shingeki Ryouga could honestly say he had never wanted it to end so fast. He immediately went to a secluded corner behind the school and within a second he disappeared and reappeared inside the large throne room of Las Noches.
He summoned a device that looked much like a large screen but it was hologram like. "Bring up all information on Kurosaki Ichigo." And with that single command he was shown everything from beginning to now about the ex-substitute soul reapers life.
"Oh Ichigo...you truly have forgotten. What the hell happened to you...," he needed confirmation though, so he sought out the individual who would be able to give him that information.
"You want me to tell you about that carrot head? Why?" Asked a suspicious Grimmjow.
"That is my concern however I do want to know if he showed any signs of anything unnatural in his method of fighting."
"Everything about that soul reaper is unnatural," Said Grimmjow with a straight face but on the inside he recalled the memories rather fondly.
"I mean unusual unlike the hollow or soul reaper powers that Ichigo has been exhibiting," ground out Shingeki impatiently.
"Nope."
He sighed in frustration and then disappeared.
Ichigo was in a deep sleep dreaming about all sorts of things. He had been dreaming of people he didn't recognize recently. They were all laughing and they seemed extremely familiar like they had known each other for years.
But tonight he had one particular dream.
A twelve year old Ichigo walked through the streets of KaraKura Town without a worry in the world. Suddenly he was jumped by an unknown figure and he landed on his butt.
"Owwww, whyyy Shin! You scared me you-" "Happy Birthday Ichigo!"
he said as he shoved a neatly wrapped box into his face. Ichigo blushed a little and grinned, "thanks Shin."
"Your Welcome! Now you can open it when we get there okay?"
"Fine but promise me we are not going to land in water again."
"Don't worry" and then he snapped his fingers which activated portal of sorts and on the otherside was a blurred image of what looked like a jungle," we aren't going to be swimming." They smiled at each other at some private joke, then they ran and jumped through the portal together...not once looking back.
Ichigo suddenly sprang up from his bed. It was morning now and dark clouds filled the sky. 'That boy...looked rather familiar. I wonder where I've seen him before...but it can't be... they're just dreams aren't they?'
Just as he removed his shirt to take a shower he stopped short. 'What the hell. What the actual hell!' thought Ichigo as he stared into the mirror at his bare chest. He lifted his fingers and ran them gently across the black inky markings that had appeared on his right side across his heart and then he was in pain again except it was the worst he had ever felt so far. He collapsed on the floor and struggled to breathe as visions suddenly started blinding him giving him the full experience of the physical feelings of that experience.
He clawed at his chest until he left red piercing marks on his skin that bled and suddenly it all subsided. He lay there for a while, breathless and vulnerable in that moment and then everything went black.
The next time he awoke it was in his inner world. And before him was not Zangetsu or his hollow but rather himself who stood opposite him on a skyscraper.
"Ichigo, I cant keep you hidden any longer."
"Huh." Ichigo just stared at himself dumbly.
"You are starting to recover your memories, I can't keep them locked away anymore...not when you've gone and so carelessly damaged the seal in your last battle."
"Who. The hell. Are you. There are only suppose to be two people in here! That's my Zanpakuto and my hollow. So who are you?" Ichigo was tense now he didn't know what was going on at all.
"I'm your seal."
"My what?"
"I am responsible for suppressing your memories and powers."
"What memories and powers?"
"From your past. From the time of your mothers death until the day you forfeited it all."
"What? Ok who put you here?" Asked Ichigo now very very apprehensive.
"You did."