Chapter: 9
What could he do? What was he supposed to do? Ichigo had to do something. He didn't know what to do with himself. He was even more upset than he was before. Now three lives hung in the balance. He was certain that if Linnette died that Victor and Cedric would soon follow.
He paced the hall trying to think of something to do to occupy his time. Every time he thought he had found something to do, he would become restless and move on to something else. He couldn't settle. He couldn't understand why he felt so uneasy. Were the events of the day really effecting him this much?
"Worried about the girl?"
Ichigo looked up, realizing he had wandered into Hitsugaya's room. The white-haired Captain was reading a book to pass the time though it didn't look like he had gotten very far in it. His broken leg was propped up on a pillow and his other leg was hidden under a blanket.
"It's written all over your face." Hitsugaya put the book on his lap to give Ichigo his undivided attention. "I heard she wasn't doing very well. Hanataro told me when he came in a little while ago."
"They might die, too," Ichigo told him. "Victor and Cedric. I think their lives are linked."
"So you're worried about all three of them."
"Yeah. I just didn't think it would effect me this much. I'm not sure what I'm feeling or why. It can't all be because of Linnette."
"If it makes you feel any better, I understand how you feel."
The part inside Ichigo that wanted to argue took control of his mouth and began to form words before he could think of something to say. "How would you know? If you're talking about what happened to Momo before, don't bother. I know about it. But she pulled through, didn't she? You don't have to tell me. I get it."
"I wasn't going to bring her up." Hitsugaya kept his eyes on Ichigo while he spoke. "I was talking about what happened today."
Ichigo decided to listen.
"When I faced Yaku, I thought I could handle him. I knew I could do it. I truly believed that." Hitsugaya sighed and his face looked pained. "But I underestimated him. I let my guard down. I thought I had the battle won but he proved to be stronger than I gave him credit for. I felt like such an idiot. He made me look like a joke. He made me look so weak. If only I had taken him more seriously, I wouldn't be sitting in this bed with a broken leg feeling sorry for myself. I've been beating myself up over that fight all afternoon."
Hitsugaya must have been taking the outcome of the fight pretty hard. The look on his face said it all. What made Ichigo realize just how much this battle effected him was the fact that Hitsugaya was actually willing to talk about it. Normally Hitsugaya didn't discuss his battles to Ichigo unless asked to. It was rarer still for him to bring his personal feelings into it and share them with Ichigo like this.
"I keep playing the battle over and over again in my mind, trying to see where I went wrong and what I could have done differently. Maybe if I used Bankai I would have won. But I didn't use it because I was afraid Yaku would use it against me. I held back. Maybe that was my biggest mistake. If I could, I would do it over again. But I can't. What's done is done." Hitsugaya gripped the blanket tightly in his fists. "Maybe if I had done things differently, those Soul Reapers wouldn't have been reduced to that."
Ichigo glanced at the Soul Reapers moaning on the floor, still refusing to use the beds.
"I feel like what happened to them is my fault. That I would have won if only I had done things differently. But I was afraid. I was worried that it might make things worse. I made some poor choices. Now I feel like I'm just as weak as I made Yaku out to be."
Was Ichigo upset not only on account of Linnette but because he felt it was his fault for not being able to protect her? That must have been part of it. Even more so, Ichigo felt like he himself had failed. That he was weak. He wasn't able to stop Yagi. He should have been able to. Yagi was stronger than he looked. He wasn't able to do it. He was weak. Maybe part of what he was feeling was self-pity. He was feeling sorry for himself.
That must have been it. It was a combination of feelings at all once that had him feeling this way. He was worried about Linnette. Worried about Victor and Cedric and he felt sorry for them having to go through this. He was worried for his friends after seeing what Yagi could do and was informed that he could and would do it again to those Ichigo cared about. He was afraid of what he would do and who would be next. He felt sorry for himself and was wallowing in self-pity, inept and weak when it came to battle. He had lost his fight so easily. He felt so pathetic. He was angry at himself. He was angry at the the Quincy who did this. He hated Yagi and all his Quincy friends who had come here looking for trouble.
Sorrow, anger, hatred, fear, worry. He felt them all at once. Those feelings were sitting inside of him, tearing him apart. Sometimes it felt like those emotions were all fighting each other, each one trying to be the emotion Ichigo would feel the most at that moment. Other times it felt like they were all happening at once which left him confused and sick to his stomach.
Now he thought he had it figured out. Now he knew why he was feeling so upset. It was a combination of everything that had happened.
"Thanks," Ichigo mumbled quickly to Hitsugaya. If it hadn't been for him, Ichigo might have not figured this out for who knew how long, if not at all. He felt a little better now that he had sorted out his feelings. Hitsugaya told him exactly what he needed to hear.
Nodding, Hitsugaya went back to his book and ignored him.
Ichigo didn't stay long. He had to keep moving. He had to do something.
"Seek me out." Again those words echoed in his mind, getting louder every time he heard them.
"Ichigo!" Rukia came running down the hall looking panicked. At first Ichigo thought something had happened to Linnette but that was not the case. "Follow me. Quick!"
Rukia led Ichigo down the hall and around a corner. She stopped and pointed to the men at the end of the hall. Victor and Cedric had gotten even worse. They were barely standing. In fact, Cedric could no longer hold himself up and slid down the wall and sat on the floor. Victor was fighting to remain standing, his hands pressed against the wall in front of him. He rested his head on the smooth surface. His back moved up and down, struggling for breath.
As Victor wobbled, Ichigo dashed forward to help support him. He put a hand on Victor's back, letting him know he was there. "Victor."
He turned his head to look at Ichigo. His eyes started to fade and blur. He looked sick.
Rukia stood beside Ichigo, looking up at Victor with concerned eyes. "Are you alright? What's wrong?"
Victor's body started to sway slightly. "I... don't feel right..." As he tried to turn away from the wall, he lost his balance and fell into Ichigo.
Ichigo tried to support Victor's dead weight with both arms. Victor, being a few inches taller than Ichigo, slumped over his shoulder. Ichigo bent his knees, slowly lowering Victor to the floor. He leaned him against the wall and tried to make sense of what happened. Victor was still conscious, but his eyes were closed and his chest moved up and down as if it were difficult for him to breathe. Breathing seemed to be a chore for him now.
"Victor." Ichigo touched his hand, trying to get his attention. "Victor?"
Victor opened his eyes weakly. "I don't feel... like myself..."
Ichigo looked at Rukia. "We have to get them help."
"How?" Rukia wasn't opposed to the idea, she was just concerned about the fact that there wasn't anyone who could help them. Victor and Cedric weren't human. In fact, they were the only two of their kind. No one else like them existed, therefore, no one knew how to help them.
They may have been beyond help.
"Just help me get them up." Ichigo slung Victor's arm over his shoulder and helped him walk to the nearest room. Victor's legs dragged more than they stepped as they walked down the hall, moving very slowly. Rukia supported Victor's other side and held the door open when they came to the room. Victor's body dropped onto the bed like a stone.
When Ichigo went back for Cedric, he noticed that the larger of the two was missing. He couldn't have gotten far in his condition. Ichigo took Rukia down the next hall where they found him, crawling on his hands and knees.
"Cedric, stop." Ichigo ran to him and bent down. "Cedric, stop. Stay still. Let us help you."
Cedric tried to keep going. "Linnette..." He was trying to crawl to her room. "Linnette... I have to see her..."
Rukia tried to stop him. "But the way she is now, she can't have anyone see her. Just stay put. Please."
Cedric stopped crawling but not because of what she said. His legs have given out. Cedric toppled over and stopped moving. His eyes were still open. His body had just given out on him.
"Cedric..." Ichigo saw the desperation on his face. Cedric wanted so much to be with Linnette. He hadn't seen her since they brought her in for treatment.
Together, they carried Cedric to the same room as Victor. Cedric was much heavier than the slender suited man. It was even harder to get Cedric into the room but somehow they managed.
Isane came in to assess their condition. She didn't know what to do for them. Just as Rukia had figured, they were the only ones of their kind and no one knew what to do for them. Needles broke when they were pressed against their skin and they held no blood in their bodies. Isane was at a loss for what to do.
"Just wait, I guess," she told them. "There's nothing we can do for them."
"Linnette getting better will help them. I know it." Ichigo truly believed it. "I think they're like this because she's not well. She might be dying in there and as a result, so are they."
Isane shook her head. "Then there is truly nothing I can do. I'm sorry."
Ichigo turned to the men on the beds. Victor and Cedric could no longer move their bodies. They were too weak to do anything other than lay there. What could he do? How could he help them?
Ichigo took a seat and watched them, hoping their condition would improve. Rukia stayed with him until she was called away. She encouraged Ichigo to eat, leaving him a small plate and a glass of water. It was a few minutes before Ichigo reached for the bread on the plate. He didn't eat it right away. Only held it. For the entire day, he hadn't had much of an appetite. Now his stomach was craving food and his shaking hands told him that he needed to keep up his strength before he could worry about theirs. He ate slowly, watching the men for signs of change.
Nothing happened. They were still and quiet.
The plate was empty and so was Ichigo's mind for ideas. He couldn't think of anything he could do for them.
"Seek me out." There was that voice again, playing back Yagi's words. It was so loud now Ichigo could swear Yagi was standing right beside him.
"Um..."
Ichigo looked at the open door. Hanataro was standing in the doorway looking as nervous as ever. Ichigo stood up and went out into the hall to speak with him.
"Linnette is stable. If you wanted to see her for a minute, you can. But just a minute."
This was some good news. Then Ichigo's heart sank, thinking of the two in bed who, more than anyone, wanted to see her. Only they couldn't. Victor and Cedric could not move. They didn't have the strength.
"Is she improving?" Ichigo asked.
Hanataro shook his head. "She's the same. She hasn't woken up or anything. Since there are no changes, I thought now would be a good time to see her. Just for a minute. That's all."
"Got it. Thanks." Ichigo looked back into the room.
How?
"Ichigo."
He looked up and saw Renji leaning against the wall, watching him.
"Go in and see her if you're so worried," Renji told him.
Ichigo looked back into the room. "They want to see her more. I'll see her after they do."
"Look at them, Ichigo. They can't."
Renji was right. Even so, Ichigo couldn't bring himself to look at Linnette if Victor and Cedric couldn't. It wouldn't be right for him to see her and for them not to. Ichigo refused the offer. If Victor and Cedric couldn't see her, then he wouldn't see her.
Ichigo went back into the room and stood between the two beds, watching them. Their eyes were closed. Ichigo knew they didn't sleep so he wasn't sure what this was. Maybe they just didn't have the strength to keep their eyes open anymore.
After a few minutes, Ichigo's heart leapt in his chest, hearing a voice.
"Ichigo."
It was Victor's. Victor was talking to him. Ichigo moved closer to the bed and bent down to hear him. Victor's voice was weak and melted into the dim, quiet room.
"Take me to her... Take us to Linnette... Please."
Victor's soft voice pleaded to him, making Ichigo's heart ache.
"I have to see her. Please, Ichigo. Take us to her. Please." Victor's voice paused then started up again, saying something so simple yet so meaningful that Ichigo simply couldn't refuse. "I want to be with her."
Ichigo nodded slowly in understanding. "Ok." Ichigo stood and pulled Victor into a sitting position. Victor didn't have the strength to lift himself off the bed. Though determined, his body simply couldn't do what his heart desired most of all. Ichigo turned his back to him and pulled his arms around his shoulders. He held his hands carefully to his chest as he lifted Victor off the bed and onto his back. Ichigo took a step forward away from the bed. Victor's legs dangled uselessly. He couldn't walk. Ichigo hunched forward to balance Victor on his back while he put his hands under Victor's legs to support him.
Renji watched him struggle from the door. He looked like he wanted to help but at the same time couldn't bring himself to do so unless asked. Perhaps there was something inside Renji that told him that this was something Ichigo had to do alone. Though Ichigo gave him no hints that this was the case.
"Renji, get Cedric."
"Huh?"
"Help me. Just get Cedric and bring him to Linnette's room." Ichigo wasn't making two trips. They would see her together at the same time. Always the two of them, together.
"This is ridiculous, Ichigo. They can't even-"
"Just do it!"
Suddenly, Renji found it impossible to refuse and was going over to the second bed. He didn't even grumble about how Ichigo had left him with the heavier of the two.
Ichigo took Victor into the hall, walking carefully, one step at a time. He could feel Victor slipping slightly, unable to hold on, so Ichigo had to walk hunched over just to keep Victor on his back.
They stopped in front of Linnette's room. Ichigo stood there trying to figure out how to open the door without dropping Victor. Before he could think of a solution, a hand came out and turned the knob. It was Rukia. She made eye contact with Ichigo and nodded her head, knowing what was happening and what it meant. She opened the door and stepped aside.
The room was dim, the curtains closed over the single window on the far wall. The room was filled with beeping machines and monitors. A table was on the left side of the room, trays of medical supplies resting on top. On the right side of the room was a single bed. The frozen stone was back in Ichigo's gut when she saw her. Linnette was hooked up to several machines and a clear mask was over her face, breathing for her. She was pale and didn't move at all. Her eyes were closed and her long dark hair was spread across the pillow under her head. She looked so frail. Seeing her like this made Ichigo realize just how grim her situation really was. At any moment, she could die.
Feeling Victor slip slightly, Ichigo entered the room and stood in front of the bed. Victor didn't have the strength to lift his head but his eyes were open, looking straight at the bed. "Linnette..."
Ichigo looked at the door. Renji struggled inside with Cedric over his shoulder, half carrying half dragging him inside. "Damn he's heavy," Renji complained as he entered the room. Ichigo stepped aside to let Cedric be at Linnette's right side and Victor on her left.
There were no other beds in the room and no chairs. Something told Ichigo that they wouldn't be able to stay in a chair anyway. Ichigo stepped forward and bent down. He carefully took Victor off his back and lowered him to the floor. "Thank you," he whispered as Ichigo stepped back. Renji did the same with Cedric. Ichigo pulled Renji aside and they stood by the wall, observing.
This was their time. Their moment together.
Using all his strength, Victor turned his head to look at the girl in the bed at his right. He could just see her from where he lay on the floor. "Linnette... Sweetie..."
She didn't respond. The mask over her face fogged every time she took a breath, letting him know she was still alive.
"Linnette..." He had to speak to her. Even if she couldn't respond, maybe she could hear his voice. Maybe it would reach her and call her back to him. "Linnette... We're right here. We're with you."
Always with her.
"I'm sorry we couldn't protect you from this. It's my fault you're like this now."
"No, Victor," said Cedric from the other side of the bed. "The fault is mine. I should have taken her away from there. She said she wanted to go into battle and I let her. I should have disobeyed and taken her somewhere far from the fighting. I couldn't keep her safe."
"It's not your fault." Victor looked to Linnette. "It wouldn't have mattered. Linnette wanted to do this. She wanted to help. She did it for her friends. Even if we told her not to, she would have done it anyway. Remember what she said? She said she wanted to help Ichigo."
Ichigo's heart skipped a beat. She did it for him?
"Linnette..." Victor was talking directly to her again. "Sweetie, I know why you wanted to go into battle. It wasn't just to protect your friends. It was to prove yourself. You were upset that people criticized you for using others to fight for you. That you hide behind us in battle and don't do anything yourself. But those people are wrong. We do it to protect you, not because you told us to. You were worried that you were getting in the way. You wanted to help. You wanted to be useful."
Linnette was only human. She wasn't a Soul Reaper. She couldn't use a sword or use Kido. She didn't have monstrous strength, she couldn't fly. She lacked so much. Aside from her Hollow-controlling voice, she had nothing to set her apart from an average human being. Her body was weak and frail. She couldn't fight, but she wanted to try anyway. She wanted to help others. She had finally found friends and she wanted to make sure nothing happened to them. She was determined to keep them. She didn't want them to think she was helpless and toss her aside because she wasn't of use. She had seen it with her own eyes that people seemed to value Victor and Cedric over her because of the things they could do that she could not. She didn't want to be discarded.
More than that, she wanted to keep them safe. It wasn't enough for her to ask Victor and Cedric to protect her friends for her. She wanted to do it herself. She also wanted to fight alongside them, as equals.
"Linnette, you are strong. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise," Cedric told her. "I've seen you work hard to get stronger. You said you would do it for your friends."
She wanted to become strong for them. Ichigo remembered her telling him during their last parting that the next time they met, she would be stronger. Strong enough to stand beside him in battle and not be in the way.
"I know you don't want people to think you're weak. I know you don't want to be discarded again," Victor told her. "But even if you lose all your friends, even if they no longer like you, you will always have us. We will always be there for you. We will always be with you. And we will always love you."
"No matter who you are, we will love you. No matter what you become, we will love you. Strong or weak, we will love you." Cedric continued what he knew Victor wanted to say. "Even if no one else wants you, we always will. We will always love you. No matter what."
Their love was the most unconditional Ichigo had ever seen.
"You don't have to prove yourself." Victor tried to lift his hand to hers but he couldn't manage. No matter how much he wanted to, no matter how determined, his body was too weak to comply with his wishes. No matter how strong they may be.
Ichigo watched him struggle to lift his hand and failing to do so. All he wanted to do was hold her hand. At this point, it was all he could do for her. Yet he couldn't even do that. He couldn't walk to her room, he couldn't see her, he couldn't lift his hand to clasp hers.
Unable to stand watching him struggle for another second, Ichigo stepped forward and took Victor's hand and stretched his arm until his fingers touched Linnette's. He walked to the other side of the bed and did the same thing for Cedric.
They held her hands, flanking her on either side just as they always have done. All three connected. And together.
"We love you, Linnette." Cedric turned his head to look at the hand interlocked with his. "Even if no one else does, we always will."
Victor looked as if he were crying, but his body wasn't capable of producing tears. All he could do was scrunch his face in painful sorrow and hold her hand. "We love you, Linnette. We love you so much."
Ichigo clenched his fists. It was as if their pain and sorrow was being transmitted to him as well. He understood them. He considered them to be friends. Whenever he saw Victor and Cedric, they were always strong. It was as if nothing could touch them. They were invincible protectors, yet gentle caring lovers. Their kindness and protective nature was devoted to Linnette. They would do anything for her. They cared only for her. However, over time Ichigo noticed that they had started to show kindness to others. They offered protection to anyone Linnette cared for. They showed the ability to care for others, even like other people. But Linnette always came first. Once Cedric had mentioned that they couldn't care about anyone other than Linnette and no one else mattered to them. That was no longer true. They, too, had become Ichigo's friends. They liked him and not just because Linnette liked him.
Now here they were, laying on the floor, unable to protect anyone. Here they were, weak and of no use to anyone. For the first time in their lives, they needed help from someone else to do the simplest things. The ones who were always helping Ichigo now needed his assistance just to hold the hand of the one they loved most of all. For them to be reduced to this was painful. It was painful to see them so weak and helpless. It was painful seeing them struggle just to see her. It was painful knowing how much they suffered from knowing that for once they were unable to protect Linnette. It was painful to know that they all knew she might die. It was painful to know that they would most likely die, too. Even if they didn't, they would be dead inside if she was no longer with them. Linnette was the center of their world. Their whole world.
Ichigo understood that pain. He knew.
"That's it." He couldn't take it anymore. Ichigo turned away and walked out of the room, leaving Renji alone with the trio. He stormed past Rukia who was still in the hall. She was about to chase after him but thought he needed to be alone for the time being and let him go.
He couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't watch this anymore. He couldn't hear it anymore. He couldn't stand by and do nothing anymore.
"Seek me out." Yagi's voice came again, so loud his words sounded like they were being spoken directly into his ear. "Seek me out." The voice wouldn't stop. It was getting louder, pounding the inside of his skull, refusing to be ignored for one more second. "Seek me out."
Ichigo wasn't going to ignore it anymore. If that was what Yagi wanted, then he would give it to him.
"I know that look."
Ichigo stopped walking and turned his head. Shinji was standing behind him. His head was wrapped in bandages and so were his arms and hands. There were smaller bandages across his nose and cheeks as well. Though none of these seemed to bother him as he stood there watching Ichigo. He didn't look to be in pain at all. Shinji looked as if he knew what Ichigo was planning and didn't approve.
"That's the look of a man on a mission," Shinji continued. "Just what are you planning on doing, Ichigo?"
Maybe it was Ichigo's overwhelming emotions that took over because before he could stop himself, he was talking, speaking his mind. "I can't take it anymore. I have to do something."
"Captain Unohana is doing all she can for her. There's nothing you can do. Just hang on a little while longer and-"
"That Quincy I fought did this to her. He said he could cure her."
"Yeah, but we don't know where they are." Shinji studied Ichigo's face. "You know where they are."
It wasn't a question.
Ichigo didn't answer him.
"You know, don't you? Did he tell you?"
"He gave me an idea. He just told me to walk one o'clock from where we fought and keep going in a certain direction until I came to some rocks. All he gave me were vague directions."
"How long have you been sitting on this information? If you know where they are, then-"
"He told me to come alone," Ichigo said quickly.
Shinji sighed. "I see." When Ichigo didn't respond, he went on. "And you're just going to go there alone. All by yourself? You really think that's a good idea? Ichigo, this whole thing screams 'trap' to me. Surely you know this. You're not an idiot."
"I'm not going to let her die!" Ichigo shouted. "I'm not going to let any of them die!"
He didn't want Linnette and the others to suffer for one more minute. Not if there was a way out. Not if there was something he could do about it. Yagi told him that he could cure her if Ichigo went to see him. Saving Linnette would also save Victor and Cedric. Even if it was a risk, Ichigo had to take it.
He knew in his gut that it could be a trap and it likely was. Even so, he had to do something. Perhaps knowing that it was a trap would help him. If the enemy thought he was going to be oblivious of the possibility, then Ichigo would have the advantage.
"Besides," Ichigo continued, "Yagi left me alive back there. He said to meet him somewhere else. He could have killed me then but he didn't. That means he doesn't want me dead. At immediately, at least. I mean, if he wanted to kill me, he could have done it then. It doesn't make sense for him to come here, make threats, then run off telling me to follow him just so he can kill me in a different location."
Shinji agreed with him. "You may be right about that." Shinji looked down, thoughtfully. "But we still have to take this seriously."
"I am taking it seriously."
"Oh? Then what's your plan? What if it is a trap? What will you do then?"
"I'll figure something out."
"That isn't a plan. Ichigo, listen to me. You can't just go there by yourself and expect everything to go your way. The enemy is dangerous. We didn't take them seriously and look what happened. They made us look like a joke."
"He told me to go alone. If I don't, someone else might get hurt." Ichigo had to do this. "Even if it's a trap, I have to do something. I can't just let Linnette and the others die."
Shinji sighed. "I'm not a heartless person, Ichigo. Don't think I don't care about what happens to her. I gave you my reasons for keeping my distance. Of course I don't want her to die, either."
"It's not just her," Ichigo admitted. "If Yagi could do that to Linnette, then he can do it again and he said he would. What if he does it to Rukia? Or to Renji? Or you? He even threatened my sisters and my friends at school. I have to do something to end this. I can't let him hurt anyone else."
Shinji frowned, thinking. "That's the thing that bothers me. Yagi told you that he could do that attack at any time. He told you he could do it again. He proved to you that he could attack someone from the inside without touching them. But that's what's bothering me. If he can do that, if he has that kind of power, why does he need underlings? Why did he come here in the first place with a team if he could attack anyone he wished from a distance? It doesn't make any sense."
"He said he needed to speak with me."
"So he came all the way here? I suppose he did so to prove to you that he was a force to be reckoned with. He had to show you that he meant business and give you a reason to take him seriously. He wanted to scare you. But..." Shinji's eyes fell to the floor and stared as he thought aloud. "What if it was just that? What if he did that to scare you into listening to him?"
"You're saying him putting Linnette in intensive care was just for show? She's dying in there!"
"That's not what I'm saying. I know he's dangerous. I just told you that." Shinji lifted his gaze to look at Ichigo. "I'm saying that maybe that technique of his was a one-time deal. Just showing you it once to make you think that he could do it again, just as he said he could. But if he could do that, then why not use it to take us all out? Clearly they want us dead. The Quincy I fought told us so. Why use it once and then run off? It doesn't make sense to me. I think there's more here than we're seeing. More than he's telling you, that's for sure. I don't think you can trust him."
"I don't trust him either."
"And yet you're going there alone."
"I told you why I was," Ichigo said. "On the off chance that he can fix Linnette and prevent him from using that power on anyone else."
"We don't know if that was just an idle threat. Maybe he just told you that to make you think that he could."
"I'm not going to take that chance."
"Fine," Shinji told him. "I get that. What I'm worried about is that this Yagi guy could be appealing to your protective and kindhearted nature. He could be taking advantage of that part of you to manipulate you into doing exactly what he wants. He's luring you to him by using Linnette's condition and his threats as bait. I'm just telling you that we don't know much about this guy or his powers. We need more information before we do anything rash. And you want to charge in without a plan. It's reckless."
"I gave you my reasons, alright? I can't just sit here while they get worse and worse. And what if Yagi was telling the truth and he goes after Rukia or someone else? He gave me a way out. He told me to come to him. He didn't drag me away. He didn't kill me. There's more to this and I know that. I get it. What I'm saying is that-"
"That you want to protect your friends and you don't think that he'll kill you if you go there." Shinji nodded. "You might be right about that. Like I said, it doesn't make sense. However, a lot of what this guy's doing doesn't. There are too many questions and too many uncertainties."
Ichigo was wasting time. He had to go. Too many lives hung in the balance. All it took was him going to Yagi. It could all end with him. That was the only reason Ichigo was willing to comply with Yagi's wishes. Ichigo hated being used like this. He would think of a plan on the way. For now his main concern was getting there before it was too late.
"I can't stop you, Ichigo."
He looked into Shinji's eyes. He had a disapproving look on his face but his eyes told Ichigo that inside he knew that there was nothing he could do and expected this from him.
"I gave you my reasons and told you my concerns. Even if I told you to stay, I know you won't listen. And I've known you long enough to know that once your mind is set on something, you're going to see it through. If someone's life is in danger, it doesn't matter who it is, you're going to do everything you can to help them. And I like that about you." Shinji lowered his head slightly. "So if that's what you want to do, I can't stop you."
Ichigo nodded his head. "Yeah. Thanks, Shinji."
"I won't tell anyone where you're going. I know you don't want anyone following you, which they would if they knew where you were going." Shinji started to turn away, then paused. "Just... be careful, Ichigo."
Ichigo nodded and turned down the hall. He wasted enough time debating with himself. He wasted time talking with Shinji, though he did bring up a lot of good points. Ichigo had to hurry before Yagi struck again. Even if he didn't make a move, Ichigo had to make sure Yagi cured Linnette. Once she got better, Victor and Cedric would regain their strength.
Stepping out into the sunlight of late afternoon, Ichigo realized just how much time was lost. Soon it would be sunset. After that, it would be dark, making it difficult to see the path. Yagi's directions were poor to say the least so Ichigo couldn't afford any setbacks. He had to get moving.
He kept his head down and tried not to call any attention to himself. He moved quickly to the gate. It was excellent timing because more Soul Reapers were coming in at the same time Ichigo wanted to leave. With so many people coming and going, the giant at the gate couldn't be bothered with the details and opened the gate as quickly as he could. Ichigo slipped out just as the crowd was coming in. No one seemed to notice him. He moved quickly, making sure he kept out of sight as much as possible. As soon as the gate closed, the gatekeeper looked away, surveying the area. He didn't notice Ichigo at all.
The sky had turned a deep blue and his shadow was getting longer on the ground. Even the air was beginning to cool slightly. He had to get moving. Ichigo looked behind him at the tall white walls and then at the road before him leading into the nearest village. He remembered where he was when he fought Yagi. He remembered facing this direction. He turned slightly to his right. This was where he needed to head first.
This was for them. He had to keep them safe. He had to stop Yagi. Even if that meant going in alone and accepting all the risks. He had to take a chance.
Taking a deep breath, Ichigo took his first steps onto the path and headed one o'clock exactly from where he stood, more determined than he was afraid.
What will happen next? Who thinks this will end in Ichigo's favor?
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