Ichigo doesn't know what his friends are up to and all he wants is to help. They don't need him though, not anymore.

(Fullbringer Arc)

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It's a beautiful day outside but inside Ichigo could say it felt like the end of the world. The bright blue skies glaring at him, the birds singing around, and the wind gently caressing his skin. It's all so much to take in. He watches from afar Orihime, Chad and Ishida as they make their way to school, but he isn't going today.

They've all been acting weird around him. Not telling him anything when he asks them a question or even just saying hello is becoming quite frustrating.
—

Just the other day he had cornered Orihime hoping that out of anyone she would still be there for him.

"Hey, Orihime." He waves to her as she's making her walk into school. "Oh hey, Ichigo!" She smiles, her hair bright as always.

"So, you guys have been looking busy, what's going on?" He asks.

He saw Chad dodging into some side streets before entering some place in downtown Karakura town. He's been following Ishida who's been making weekly stops to Urahara and then Orihime he's been leaving to her own devices hoping she would have dropped by by now...

He clears his throat when she doesn't answer, she's noticeably drifting off. "Everything okay?"

"Oh yeah Ichigo! I've just been so busy with work and classes that's all! How's everything with you?" She cheerily asks.

He nods and doesn't answer for a minute, "I'm fine."

She's walking ahead of him now leaving him behind. "Sorry Ichigo!" She goes, "I'm kinda in a hurry, see you later!"

"Right," Ichigo sighs, "See ya, Hime." He says softly watching her fast walking down the hill, rushing to get to school.

—

Chad is sporting a bloody lip from his third session with the Fullbringers and he's exhausted, they've been sparring all day. He was hoping to come away from the meeting with more information but Tsukishima has been reluctant to talk of much, while Ginjo lets things slip from time to time, it wasn't enough. Coming from Ginjo's place he's walking back home when suddenly Ichigo appears in front of him.

"Oh, hey Ichigo." He greets and takes in his friends disheveled look. "You okay?"

This isn't the area Ichigo would normally be at and Chad didn't think he was followed.

Ichigo is starring at Chad's bloody lip when he asks, "Oh, uh, are you? What happened?"

"It's nothing, I'm just heading home now." He looks down the street, no Hollows at least.

"Where were you?" Ichigo asks following his gaze down the street.

"Just training, got ahead of my self a little. Let me walk you home." Chad says but Ichigo seems to unravel at that, looking down at his hands.

"No, uh, I'm not going home. I guess I'll be seeing you..." His friend looks up to him and then turns away and says, "Just be careful, you know I'm around if you guys need anything."

Chad watches Ichigo's back as he walks away in the opposite direction of his home and wonders where he could be off to at this time of night. Guilt creeps into his soul as he watches his friend walk away, but he's doing everything he can to protect him. If Ichigo caught wind of the Fullbringers he would try to get involved and that doesn't seem to be a good idea right now.

They were told to leave him be, let him move on. He sighs and continues home.

Instead of going to school he decides to go look for a spot he can be alone without anyone spotting him. He pulls his hood over his head and walks towards the edge of town wanting to get as far as he can from his friends and family.

He finds a spot that's located on the border of Karakura town behind a warehouse thats isolated with no cars and no one walking around. He leans against the building and closes his eyes. Everything is so quiet now, there's no Hollows or Spirits bothering him or asking for help.

He takes out the joint he has stashed in his back pocket and lights it and takes a puff.

All he needs to do is live his life, that's all, it was easy before so why is it so hard now? He takes another drag and looks up at the sky then leans against the building and looks alongside the building. He can almost pretend he's in his inner world, he closes his eyes reminiscing of the days he was inside his soul talking with Zangetsu and the Old man.

'King.' It's what the Hollow version of himself had called him. Look how far he's fallen. Weak and defeated.

Powerless.

He takes another drag and once he's finished and feels a little better he starts his way home.

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Notes: Back in the day uploading to this site was so much easier lol. Oh how times have changed :(

(Check this story out on AO3, I use the same username.)