WARNING

This chapter includes: minor self-harm, implied character death, implied brutal deaths (being turned into mush), ALMOST panic attack, downplaying of severe injuries(?)

Please read the warnings and thank you!

Ichigo slowly blinks and stares at the completely decimated classroom. She glances over at her cowering classmates–and teacher–before leaning back to poke her head out of the opened door. Chizuru was still running rampant and trying to hit the Shinigami pretending to be a transfer student all the while screaming at the top of her lungs with Chad and Keigo chasing after her.

"She took it a lot better! Don't ya think?!" Tatsuki states brightly, still invisible and keeping close to Ichigo.

Ichigo nods with a small grimace meant to be a smile. "I'm glad Chizuru didn't tackle the Shi–didn't tackle Rukia out through the window like I thought she would."

The story had been a bit longer to tell than Ichigo anticipated. Well, she did have to explain all what the Shinigami has explained to her about Soul Society, and Hollows, and Shinigami. Of course, it didn't help that the Shinigami suddenly appeared in the classroom as a transfer student.

Chizuru was already seeing red and looking to hurt the Shinigami for putting Ichigo in such a position–even though it was life or death and there wasn't a lot of time to think of a better plan–and when Rukia had walked into the classroom for introductions, Ichigo couldn't even count to three before she threw her desk. And then her chair.

Tatsuki hums brightly, wrapping tighter around Ichigo's neck. The teenager doesn't even notice the tightening of her airways; she simply steps back before spinning on her heel to wander after her friends with Mizuiro and Orihime trailing behind.

"I thought this Shinigami would go back to Soul Society. Did you tell her to stay?" Mizuiro asks quietly, making Ichigo hum.

Did she?

Her head tilts back, thinking back on the night before. It was fuzzy, but Ichigo's almost positive she simply passed out after killing the Hollow. Even then, she doesn't really think the Shinigami would stay after. Well, Rukia probably did stay for a little bit.

Ichigo frowns when she remembers Yuzu's lack of a reaction... and lack of any injuries. She doesn't remember; did the Shinigami do something to make her, and Karin, forget? Tatsuki probably disappeared from sight to heal and Rukia was clearly terrified of her.

"No? I don't remember, anyway..." Ichigo sighs quietly, tugging at her sweater sleeves. "We'll ask. Chad should have caught Chizuru by now."

BANG! CRASH!

"YOU PIECE OF FUCKING–"

Ichigo winces at the loud scream. Ah. Poor Keigo.

"Sounds like Keigo managed to catch Chizuru-chan this time," Mizuiro points out brightly as he flips his phone closed.

"I hope he didn't hurt her..." Orihime speaks almost too softly to be heard. Ichigo twitches, thankful she has her balled up fists hidden in her sweater. She lightly nudges Mizuiro's foot with her own when she hears his sharp intake.

"Kei wouldn't hurt Chi! You know that, Orihime!" Tatsuki quickly defends the spastic teenager currently unable to defend himself since he wasn't there at the moment. Orihime whimpers in fear at the sudden exclamation, jumping away from Ichigo even though Tatsuki hadn't physically appeared.

"A-ah... th-that–that's right... I-I'll go on ahead!" Orihime stutters out quickly before she starts running away.

Ichigo sighs quietly. She repeatedly presses her nails into her palms in a short rhythm.

It's hard to constantly remember that Orihime genuinely doesn't realize her words and opinions can hurt. It's hard to remember that she had changed after, just like everyone else... even if she's the only one trying to hide the changes.

Dull eyes twitch when sharp pain spreads across calloused palms. Ichigo relaxes her hands with a quiet sigh before she presses them together through the sweater. She doesn't want to accidentally get blood on her skirt after all.

"You absolute fucking bitch!" Chizuru roared in all of her fury and concern and fear she had felt since Ichigo regaled her absolutely horrific night. She snarls at the somewhat shell shocked, and more than a little terrified, "transfer student" all the while trying with all of her might to throw Keigo–the fucking traitor–off of her back.

"How dare you put Ichihime in such a position?! You had her stab herself? With a fucking sword?! What the actual fuck!" Chizuru continues to scream, not paying attention nor really caring about the amount of dirt she is inadvertently shoveling into her own mouth by her struggling.

"Calm down, Honshō." Chad, ever the peace-loving gentle giant, stood a little ways away from the Shinigami who endangered their friend; to protect the bitch. Chizuru sneers before screaming her frustration when Keigo still won't get the fuck off of her back!

"Calm down?! CALM DOWN?! SHE ALMOST GOT ICHIHIME KILLED!" The hellfire is reignited inside the red-haired teenager as she finally manages to twist her body to be able to kick Keigo's leg. "GET OFF OF ME! YOU LITTLE BITCH!"

Honshō Chizuru, in all of her self-confidence–because it is not bullheadedness! Thank you very much–and femme glory, is completely at a loss of what to do and how she can help. This is way beyond her; she's pretty sure it's way beyond anyone here, including Ichigo.

After–after, Ichigo hadn't bothered to keep her sixth sense a secret from most people... anymore. She knew Tatsuki wasn't a spirit like most tried to believe, because she could see spirits and spirits weren't monsters like her.

Then, Ichigo tells them of Hollows; spirits that truly look like monsters, yet aren't nearly as terrifying as Tatsuki. And apparently the Shinigami who endangered Ichigo has never seen anything like Tatsuki to the point that she had the balls to try and kill her.

You can't kill Tatsuki; not because she can't be killed... but because she'll completely squish anyone and everyone even attempting to kill her into blood paste and mush. Before the first time–in a genuine attempt to try and help the poor girl pass over–Chizuru had to force herself to hang around Ichigo.

She didn't care about her own fears anymore after that night when Tatsuki turned her own parents and the Shinto priests into paste all across the walls and across Ichigo. How could she when she saw those awful videos of Ichigo completely and utterly traumatized as she sat in front of the shrine caked in red mush?

"Chizuru! Stop it!" Ichigo's voice echoes in the courtyard. She turns her head, momentarily stopping her futile struggles.

"Ichihime..." Chizuru trails off with wide eyes. Ichigo doesn't shout on her best days; it makes Chizuru wary. Ichigo is a lot more affected by last night than she mentioned.

"What. The. Fuck?!" The Shinigami bitch hisses, marching over to the haggard teenager.

Ichigo rolls her eyes and steps away before the Shinigami could get any closer. "Why didn't you go back to Soul Society?"

"What the fuck do you think?!" The Shinigami hisses before she twitches. "Wait! Don't try and distract me! Why the hell is that human trying to kill me?! How the hell does she know I'm a Shinigami?!"

"I told her... obviously. Well, Tats told 'em all an' I had to explain it better," Ichigo mutters with a shrug. She leans to the side to stare at the restrained lesbian and the terrified, and incredibly relieved, teenager sitting on top of her.

"There wasn't any choice, Chizuru. Can you at least wait for Rukia to explain her side?" Ichigo asks tiredly.

"If she harms Ichi, I'll kill her! So, listen! Listen!" Tatsuki exclaims, suddenly forming around Ichigo's shoulder.

The Shinigami jumps back with a hiss, only to trip over her own feet and fall on her ass. Serves the bitch right.

"It–it's still here! What–get it away!" Rukia screeches, backing away with a terrified snarl.

Chizuru growls loudly at the flicker of hurt passing Ichigo's expression. Her expression goes back to blank exhaustion and she stares down at the Shinigami.

"...Tats is a monster. I don't know why it happened, but she can't pass on. Deal with it or go back to Soul Society," Ichigo states tiredly, receding further into herself.

"Ichihime! That bitch put you in danger! You–"

Ichigo clearly doesn't have the energy to even glare at Chizuru, but she feels the irritation all the same. Chizuru swallows and averts her gaze with a scowl.

"...Tats, stay with Chizuru. Shinigami, come with me... please," Ichigo speaks monotonously.

Tatsuki whines, grating and high-pitched, but follows Ichigo's instruction and slinks off of her neck to pounce towards Chizuru and Keigo. Neither flinch at their anomalous friend leaping towards them, but the feeling of such... wrongness makes Chizuru wince when goosebumps immediately crawl up her arms.

"Rukia?" Ichigo questions softly, tilting her head back towards where she came from.

The Shinigami blinks before glancing over at Tatsuki's formless self. She visibly swallows and slowly stands up.

Ichigo attempts a smile before she turns around. Mizuiro gives her a worried glance, but steps out of the way.

"Ichihime..." Chizuru bites her cheek before she presses her palms against the ground.

"Get off of me, you fucking asshole," She sneers over her shoulder, making Keigo scramble off of her back.

"Chizuru-chan!" Hime suddenly slides out from the other entrance into the courtyard. "Chizuru-chan?! Oh my! You're covered in–"

Chizuru digs her fingers into the dirt when Hime violently recoils when Tatsuki seems to rise from her shoulder as if she was peeking her head up curiously. A heavy sigh leaves Keigo's mouth before he stands up.

"Orihime! You're back!" Tatsuki cheers brightly. Orihime blanches and turns her head with her arms wrapped around her own stomach.

"...Tatsuki-chan... can you... can you go invisible?" Orihime asks quietly. Tatsuki whines again before huffing.

Chizuru twitches when Tatsuki's black mass fades out of her sight and is instead replaced by such abominable ice around her neck and shoulders. She shivers before she sits up to shake out her hands.

"Hime! You shouldn't look so scared for me! Ichihime will get worried!" Chizuru whines loudly before grinning with her hands clasped in front of her. "Of course, I appreciate your fear! Hime being scared for my well-being is such a gift!"

Orihime's frown is noticed by everyone, but not mentioned. Her smile comes back, somewhat shaky, and she runs forward.

"Let's get to class! You need to apologize to Ochi-sensei!" Orihime states brightly.

Chizuru scowls at the mention. "Like hell I'd apologize to her! I didn't do anything wrong!"

"You're so funny, Chizuru-chan!" Orihime ignores the red-haired teenager's statement by grabbing her wrist and dragging her back into the school.

"Inoue~! You'll anger the beast even more, so stop dragging her!" Keigo exclaims in exaggerated dread, making Mizuiro smile blankly. They follow after the two girls, Chad walking silently behind them.

"I think calling Chizuru-chan a beast will make her angry, Asano-san!" Mizuiro sings teasingly.

"Eh?! Why are you calling me that?!"

"What are you talking about, Asano-san?"

"There you go again! Why are you being so cold to me, Mizuiro?!"

Why didn't the Shinigami return to Soul Society? Why is she able to be seen by others? Why is she pretending to be a transfer student? Why is she here?

Ichigo looks down at her palm, picking at the skin she had cut open with her nails.

She can't be here for Ichigo... can she? Or is she–is she here for Tatsuki? Is she going to kill Tatsuki? Is it bad? Did she tell Soul Society? Is Soul Society going to kill Tatsuki?

Ichigo presses her palms against her forehead with a heavy sigh. She shakes her head as she slowly stops walking, making Rukia slow to a stop behind her.

"I thought you would've gone back to Soul Society. Why're you here?" Ichigo asks quietly before she turns around with her hands hidden by her sleeves.

Rukia blinks before scowling. "When I gave you my powers, I intended to give you half, but you had taken almost all of them."

Ichigo blinks at the answer tinged with indignation. Lava seems to pour itself on Ichigo's face from how hot it feels. She digs her nails into the wounds they already had left, deeper than before.

"...I... I didn't... I..." Ichigo turns her head and crosses her arms "...take 'em back. I... I didn't mean to... I‒so take them back..."

"It's pointless. My powers are yours now. Besides, they'll come back on their own. I have to be in this stupid gigai though..." Rukia scoffs under her breath, making Ichigo hug herself even tighter.

Idiotidiotidiotidiotidiotidiotidiotidiotidiot!

"Sorry‒I... I'm sorry. I didn't... I really didn't..." Her voice fails her. Ichigo can't talk past the burning coals in her throat; she can't even breathe past them. She's always taking from others.

"It's fine, girl. There wasn't much of a choice... which brings us to why I'm here." Rukia points a finger up at the ginger with a solemn expression.

Ichigo instinctively leans back, successfully hiding her flinch at the sudden movement. She keeps her eyes pointed in between Rukia's eyebrows.

"Until my powers come back... you will become a Shinigami in my stead!" The Shinigami declares, making Ichigo blink. What?

"What?" Ichigo asks in her shock. Her? A Shinigami? What the‒

"You took most of my powers and until they come back, I'm useless, as well as free bait for any Hollow that appears here."

What the actual‒

"You cannot refuse!"

"No fucking way!" Ichigo shouts loudly, causing the Shinigami to jump.

Ichigo steps forward with a snarl and points her own finger at Rukia. "You have no fucking right to order me around! I am not risking other people's lives 'cause you can't work for the moment! Fuck off!"

Ichigo turns around with a growl and stalks away. She breathes in deeply, tugging harshly at her loose strands.

"'risk peoples lives?' What are you talking about? You'll be saving them! You have to! If there is no Shinigami watching over the human population of your town, dozens could die!" Rukia rushes after the orange haired teenager.

"And Tatsuki?! The monster you're so terrified of?! I can–I can barely get her to–" Ichigo shakes her head before she whirls around. Her eyes, normally dull, had lightened into a glowing gold, piercing anyone with its unusually life-like gaze.

"I am not, and I repeat, not, risking the lives of innocent people. Tatsuki–Tatsuki has only just started to listen to me when–when I-I tell her not to attack normal people who fight me... I... I can't..." Ichigo glares down at the ground before shivering. She grabs her own arms in a desperate attempt at protecting herself before she crouches.

"I can't save others when–when Tatsuki will just kill them all... I can't... I can't!" Ichigo swallows back the hot coals in her throat. She clenches her eyes shut and wheezes deeply in an attempt to calm herself.

Ichigo owes the Shinigami; for saving her, and her sisters' lives–for saving Tatsuki. She owes her, but she can't help her.

She can't help until she can help Tatsuki pass on. She can't protect anything until she can protect Tatsuki from herself. She can't do anything. She can't do anything!

"...that–Tatsuki... you said she can't pass on... that it–she... is a monster," Rukia eventually speaks up quietly. Ichigo runs both of her hands over her scalp, yanking a bit too harshly when she comes across the loose strands.

"She... I don't know what..." Ichigo licks her cracked lips and stands up, "I'm trying to find a way to help her. I... I don't want her to be this monster... I can't... I can't control her, but she–she listens–I–"

"I just want my best friend to find peace..." Ichigo turns around, hugging herself. She breathes in shakily and stares up at the sickeningly bright sky.

"...she might kill you... if I get hurt because–because of this... Tats might kill you..." Ichigo whispers, her nails piercing through her sweater and into her biceps.

"If you refuse this choice, you will end up getting hurt. Last night, you took most of my powers and now you're like a beacon. Hollows smell that and they will come after you," Rukia retorts, going with another approach.

Ichigo huffs quietly. If this didn't involve Tatsuki possibly killing every person Ichigo saves from Hollows, she would find the Shinigami's stubbornness incredibly amusing.

Ichigo stays silent before she looks over her shoulder. "My‒my sisters... they'd be in danger again... won't‒if I don't do this, they might get attacked again."

"Yes."

Ichigo barks out a laugh, feeling anger wash over her as a sweltering blanket. She shakes her head and fully faces the Shinigami once more.

"My sisters have to know‒same with my friends. I can... I can try to have Tats stay with 'em while we do this, Rukia. She might‒if she follows us... I-I'll try my best to make her stay out of any fighting," Ichigo speaks quietly before she holds up one finger.

"I'm not becoming a Shinigami, asshole. I'm not saying yes to something I don't have a fuckin' clue about, okay? I'll help you until you get your powers back, okay Shinigami?"

Rukia frowns slightly, staring up at the ginger with slight incredulity and reluctance. She sighs quietly and crosses her arms with a nod.

"Fine. As long as you follow my directions."

Ichigo scowls at the order before inclining her head. "I'm not the best person at following orders... but I'll... try."

Rukia raises an eyebrow, going unnoticed since Ichigo turns around again. Ichigo starts to trudge her way back into the school with the Shinigami following behind. The questions about the monster are left unsaid.

Tatsuki is a good friend. Tatsuki thinks she is a great friend! For everyone, but especially for Ichi!

Ichi is an amazing friend‒a better one than anyone, maybe even Orihime! Ichi takes care of Tatsuki even though Tatsuki scares her. Well, Tatsuki used to scare her. Tatsuki thinks she's used to her new forms now.

Humans are weird, and that included Tatsuki when she had been human before her change. They're funny too; always being scared of Tatsuki even though Tatsuki is still Tatsuki.

Tatsuki is a good fighter and a good protector. She takes care of her people and makes sure they're happy. She watches over them and makes sure no one tries to hurt them. She doesn't like it when people hurt hers. Especially Ichi and Ichi's baby sisters.

Ichi doesn't have anyone to protect her. Not anymore. Mama Masaki had been killed and that killed Dr. Isshin and made him not be Papa Isshin anymore. No one cared about Ichi and how she was shattering.

She only stayed alive, because her baby sisters needed her. It still makes Tatsuki upset that the stupid adults didn't care about Ichi. They still don't care about her, but Ichi has more friends now than just Tatsuki, so she can be taken care of and protected.

Tatsuki will protect Ichi from anything and everyone; thankfully, most people in Karakura know that. If they don't, then Tatsuki will just kill them. Well, she'll try to. Ichi doesn't like her killing people, but it's the only thing that makes them stop hurting her. Tatsuki doesn't understand why Ichi doesn't want her to kill.

If Tatsuki doesn't kill them, then they'll probably just attack again. And Tatsuki refuses to let that happen. Ichi has to stay safe.

Tatsuki wants to kill the sword lady. She tried killing her and then stabbed Ichi with a sword. It changed Ichi‒just like Tatsuki, which is so cool–and turned her into a sword lady, and the sword lady had saved her and Ichi's baby sisters, but the sword lady still tried to kill her. She still stabbed Ichi with a sword through her chest.

"...Tats, you there?" Ichigo's whisper snaps Tatsuki out of her rest. She brings herself out visibly and hangs over Ichi's shoulders with a rumble.

Ichi tries to smile at her before focusing on walking up the stairs towards the school roof. "I'm... the sword lady, Rukia... I'm gonna be helping her. While‒while I'm helping her... I want you to stay with one of our friends or with my sisters... okay?"

Tatsuki growls quietly before moving to rest herself on Ichi's head. Ichi winces at the growl before she takes a deep breath.

"They might be in danger while I... help... Rukia. I don't want them hurt... and I don't want you to kill anyone," Ichi continues quietly.

Tatsuki grumbles again before she sinks into Ichi's hair and messy bun. It's the comfiest spot, and it makes Ichi look even more of a badass than usual! Her black form becomes streaks throughout the orange hair, making it look almost exactly like molten lava.

Ichi huffs out a slight laugh as she stops before the roof entrance. She holds up a hand and runs it through her hair, petting Tatsuki and making her purr.

"I need an answer Tats... Rukia will watch out for me... and if you feel like you need to come with us... you can, but you have to follow our rules. Okay?" Ichi negotiates. Tatsuki purrs louder and sinks deeper into the tangled orange mess that is Ichi's hair.

"...fine. Now, open! You hafta eat!" Tatsuki eventually speaks up, making Ichi sigh. Tatsuki grumbles, but doesn't say anything about Ichi and her severe aversion to food.

Ichi rolls back her shoulders with a deep breath and opens the door to the school roof. Tatsuki peeks out a bit to make sure everyone was accounted for.

Orihime. Chi. Kei. Chad. Mizu... and the sword lady. Hmph.

Tatsuki guesses she'll have to get used to seeing the sword lady, because she's a good friend and good friends can't kill Ichi's friends... Hmph!

"Hey," Ichigo calls out, stumbling towards the group of misfits that she calls her friends.

"Ichihime! I thought you ran out of class to avoid eating, again!" Chizuru shouts brightly, making Tatsuki screech out a laugh. Ichigo barely even winces at the ear-splitting screech right next to her ear. She does give the Shinigami a small look at the mention of her surprise escape from class; damn asshole pulled her out because of a Hollow. In the middle of class!

"Har. Har. Very funny, Chizuru." Ichigo rolls her eyes, sitting down across from the group. "I was gonna eat last night... told Yuzu I would. An' well..."

Which is true. Yuzu was already making her plate, and Tatsuki wouldn't have allowed her to go another second without eating the moment it was all made. If Rukia hadn't appeared–if the Hollow hadn't appeared, she would have forced herself to eat.

"So, what's gonna happen?" Chizuru changes the subject while giving Rukia a scathing glare. Ichigo sighs quietly; looks like it'll take a bit longer for the red-haired teenager to warm up to the Shinigami.

"Rukia can't... access her powers right now, so 'm gonna be helping her," Ichigo states, not beating around the bush. Rukia snaps her eyes towards her with a glare of her own, making Ichigo shrug with a weird look.

"What? You agreed I could tell 'em." Ichigo narrows her eyes and Rukia simply groans with a hand to her forehead.

"I thought you would withhold some information! I'll already get in trouble if Soul Society finds out I allowed you to even tell them about last night! Dammit..." Rukia sighs heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Ichigo blinks at the new–and really fucking important–information before scowling. She opens her mouth to speak, but Orihime beats her to it.

"Oh no! Did Kurosaki-san get you in trouble?! Do you need any help?" Orihime asks worriedly, making Ichigo flinch.

She didn't get the Shinigami in trouble... did she? She's already taken her powers... is she in trouble because of that too? Will Rukia be punished for Ichigo's deal breaker?

"Hime! You know Ichihime's a trouble magnet! And the bitch deserves it for stabbing Ichihime with a sword through her chest!" Chizuru is the first to defend Ichigo, snapping the ginger out of her spiraling thoughts.

"Ichigo will help the Shinigami if she is in trouble," Chad speaks up before holding out his opened bento towards Ichigo. She blinks before she stares at the food. Oh yeah.

Ichigo tries to smile up at the gentle giant before taking one of his onigiri. She brings it up to her face, almost gagging at the smell. She forces herself to take a bite and doesn't even bother to swallow.

"...it wouldn't be her fault. I was the one to start all this trouble for myself by going through with giving Ichigo some of my powers," Rukia says with a defeated shrug. "If all goes well, my powers will come back and I can go back to Soul Society without them knowing about it."

"Wait–what–you–you'll get in trouble for giving me your powers? But–you–why did–" Ichigo cuts herself off by biting one of her knuckles.

"Ma‒Mama...? Mama... wake up... 'm‒I'm sorry‒wake up‒Mama. Mama!"

Has she ruined another life? Has she killed someone else?

No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no‒this‒this can't be Tatsuki. This can't be Tatsuki! This can't be Tatsuki! Tatsuki!

She can't have someone die because of her. She can't, she can't, she can't, she can't, can't, can't, can't, can't, can't‒

"We would have been killed, including your sisters, if I hadn't given you my powers. It is my duty as a Shinigami of the Gotei 13 to protect living and dead souls. Don't beat yourself up over it," Rukia continues with a shrug. Ichigo flinches back as if she had been burned.

Tatsuki makes a whine, peeking up to make sure her best friend was okay. "Ichi?!"

Rukia is in trouble because of her. Rukia is in trouble because Ichigo couldn't do anything. It‒it's her fault. It's her fucking fault‒

"I... I have... I..." Ichigo scrambles up to her feet, almost falling over herself when she spins around. "Excuse me!"

"I-Ichigo?!"

"Ichihime! Oh, you fucking spirit bi‒"

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no‒

Ichigo chokes on a sob, almost ramming herself against the roof door in her frantic flee. She bites her hand to the point of blood in an attempt to keep her sobs at bay.

No crying. No crying. You can't cry. You can't cry. You can't cry. You can't cry. Don't‒don't cry. Don't cry! Ichigo, you can't‒you can't‒

Ichigo doesn't even scream when she trips over her own feet and vaults over the stairs. She barely hears Tatsuki's screech as she falls down the stairs. Her arms raise to immediately cover her head right before her head slams against the rail guard.

SNAP!

"ICHI!" Ice crawls across her skin and surrounds her like a blanket of death. There's a loud screech of metal and sparks of light past Ichigo's clenched eyes before her stomach suddenly drops like she was falling in the air. Her legs dangle for only a moment before the death blanket surrounds them and lifts them up.

"Ichi‒is Ichi okay?! Watch where you go!" Tatsuki cries in an ear-splitting scream. Ichigo snaps her eyes open and glances around with an almost panicked frenzy.

Tatsuki had taken the form of some kind of bat, hanging upside-down with her tendril-like wings carrying Ichigo like a swaddled baby. There were no eyes to look into, but Tatsuki's teeth almost completely covered the entire circumference of her head. Ichigo pants for breath as she curls her hands closer to her chest, only to cry out when agony pierces through her left wrist like a hot iron poker.

"Ichigo-chan?!" Mizuiro's voice echoes throughout the stairwell with his frantic footsteps following. "Ichigo‒Oh my‒Tatsuki-chan! Put Ichigo-chan down!"

Ichigo whines softly before cutting it off when Tatsuki slides down towards the floor and gently lays her down. She bends her head forward while keeping a tight grip over her broken wrist. Ichigo flinches back, curling into herself when she feels a burning hand gently touching her arm.

"It‒it's me. Ichigo-chan, it's me, Mizuiro. Let me see," Mizuiro speaks softly and warmly despite the fear and worry clearly making his voice slightly tremble. Ichigo shakes her head, pulling her broken wrist closer to herself.

She's okay. She's okay. She's okay. She's okay. It's just a bruise. Just a bruise. Just a bruise. Just a bruise.

Mizuiro sighs softly before it sounds like he moves to sit in front of Ichigo. "Ichigo-chan, tell me... do you have any kind of secret superpower besides your sixth sense?"

Ichigo keeps herself curled tightly into a ball, but makes a negative noise through her quiet wheezes. Mizuiro hums before he cracks his knuckles.

"Could you sense the Hollow that Kuchiki was tracking?"

Another no. Not that time. She hadn't even realized she couldn't sense anything other than a bone-chilling blizzard.

"Okay. So, did you have any other choice? Tatsuki-chan was really hurt, right?"

"V-very very hurt. Could only protect Ichi's sisters, Mizu," Tatsuki speaks up with a deep purr against Ichigo's back, still curled around her in her bat-like form.

"Okay. So, you didn't have a choice. Tatsuki-chan was injured, and so was Kuchiki. Kuchiki knew that too. Probably better than you at the time," Mizuiro continues gently. He's scarily good at that damn voice of his.

Ichigo releases a malformed giggle at the thought and finally lifts her head to try and get better air. She feels her cheeks stinging from her tears and it felt like a noose was pulled tightly around her throat. She could still breathe... fortunately.

"It isn't your fault. You did what you had to do with what you had available to you. This was probably the best outcome, because no one died. No one died. You saved Kuchiki. You saved your baby sisters‒you saved Tatsuki-chan."

Ichigo sobs silently at the reminder before frantically shaking her head. Mizuiro gently shushes her, shuffling closer to give the ginger comfort without touching her.

"You saved Tatsuki-chan. You protected Tatsuki-chan and everyone else. You did good. Nothing is your fault and no one is in trouble. Didn't you hear Kuchiki? As long as Soul Society doesn't find out, she won't be in trouble. It's okay‒everything is okay, Ichigo-chan... so, can you let me see your wrist?"

Ichigo shakes her head with a soft whine. "Bruise‒jus'‒jus' a bruise. Don't‒don't worry."

"Please, Ichigo-chan," Mizuiro pleads softly. Ichigo tries to rapidly blink away her tears to stare at Mizuiro with a stubborn scowl. The black haired teenager huffs out a quiet laugh while shaking his head.

"Alright... but will you at least wrap it? I have some bandages back in my bag," He negotiates, making Ichigo scowl even more. She sniffs loudly before using her shoulder to furiously wipe away her tears.

The two teenagers stand-off with each other for only a few seconds before Ichigo nods her head once.

"Thank you, Ichigo-chan." Mizuiro smiles brightly and stands up. "Tatsuki-chan. Make sure Ichigo-chan doesn't move too much. I'll be right back."

Ichigo watches Mizuiro's back before she slowly turns her gaze down towards her broken‒her bruised wrist. She takes a deep breath and holds it for ten seconds, slowly releasing it.

Silly Mizuiro. She didn't deserve her friends.

Hey! Hope you all like the new chapter! I am so sorry for not updating. I almost had it finished last week, but when I got home from work, I crashed hard after eating a chicken nugget 30-piece from Chick-fil-A. I've been really busy and had just come off of a four day illness. Thankfully, I'm pretty sure it was just a cold or something, but it still sucked balls.

Anyways, I have good news! I've figured out everyone's powers! Or at least, for the most part. I won't reveal it now (hehehe), but I wanted to tell you all, so you can expect something.

I hope you all are enjoying the story so far! Bye.

WhovianWhoudini