Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or Fairy Tail.
Speech: "Hi"
Thoughts: 'Hi'
Abilities: "Getsuga Tenshou!"
Zanpakuto or Inner Voice:'HI'
Yo! I'm back. I said I wasn't gonna be gone for long lol. I had to do some things which I thought were gonna be for about a week but nope!, I'm happy to see that you guys are enjoying the story :) Let's go!
It was 7:35pm and Ichigo was just about done getting ready for his date. Though he couldn't lie he actually felt somewhat nervous, this was the first date of his two lives. The clothes prepared by Misty surprised him to say the least, he was expecting a suit and tie but he guessed Misty had other plans. The girl gave him a black blazer that he wore unbuttoned over a black button up shirt that tucked into some black trousers with a brown leather belt. He also had black Lace oxford shoes to match. When he received the bag of clothes from the woman she also said she left him a first purchase gift for him since he paid a large amount on his first buy. Walking over to the bag he sees a card picking it up and reads it.
Hello New Customer!
We are pleased to know that you chose our store for your clothing purchases. In good spirit, We've decided to give you this gift! We hope you like it! And please come again.
XOXO Crocus Formal Attire.
Digging into the bag once more Ichigo pulls out a golden Figaro chain necklace. "I can see why they are the best clothing store in Fiore." He says putting the chain on. Walking to the bed he then grabs the bouquet of tulips and heads out the door. Walking down the stairs, the clerk at the front desk see's Ichigo.
"Oh! What is the occasion, Sir?" The clerk spoke in a french-accent. Ichigo stops to respond to the man.
"Oh uh, I have a date tonight! It's my first one." He conveys to the man.
"Ah, young love is so beautiful, it reminds me of my younger days. I was quite the bachelor but my wife stopped that." He chuckles cheerfully. "Come here my dear boy." he urged Ichigo. Confused, the orange-haired boy walks over and to his surprise the man unbuttons the three top buttons on the shirt exposing the boy's collar and a small portion of his upper chest then fixes his chain. "There! Now you look more dashing and now…" The man then looks under his desk and pulls out a bottle of cologne.
"Why do you have a bottle of cologne under your desk?" Ichigo looks at him perplexed.
"Because this is my inn and I do what I want." The man takes Ichigo's wrist and sprays it. "Now rub your wrist together and then rub the base of your neck." He instructs. Still confused, the young man does what the clerk says and catches the smell of the cologne.
"Wow this smells great." Ichigo complimented the man's cologne.
"I'm glad you like it. I'm sure your lady friend will too!" He says, patting Ichigo on his shoulders. "I adore seeing love blossom. I will help out no matter who it is! Now go! You have a lady waiting for you!" He tells him pushing Ichigo away. Ichigo turns and walks out of the inn.
Heading down the streets towards the restaurant The ex-substitute soul reaper looks at the bouquet of flowers and chuckles "Heh, You know, the flowers are actually pretty now that I'm looking at them." he states as he continues down the street not noticing two figures behind a wall watching him.
"He's finally left the inn! It's showtime, Carla." Wendy says looking down at her feline friend,
"Yes, it's finally time." Carla says looking at Ichigo intently
Nearing the restaurant Ichigo was noticing that he was getting a lot of female attention as he passed down the roads. Some of the women would look towards him with a blush and turn away when he'd look back at them. He'd hear whispers as he'd pass by.
"He's so dreamy"
"Chill man, my girlfriends out here" A random man yelled
"Is he a model?"
"The things I would do to him!"
That last comment made Ichigo blush as he continued with a bit more speed in his walk. Arriving at the restaurant the man stood at the door and noticed that Ultear wasn't around "Guess I got here early." He observes and waits for Ultear. Around the corner of a building far away Wendy and Carla watched the boy stand in front of the restaurant.
"So remind me again Carla of why you decided earlier to spy on Ichigo-nii?" She questions the cat. Wendy did feel bad for spying on her brother but Carla was very pushy on the idea of spying yesterday night. 'This is really out of Carla's character' Wendy thought, Carla wouldn't normally behave like this spying on people, much less on Ichigo. 'What's gotten into her?'
"I told you Wendy it's because I'm just curious on how this will play out." Carla answers quickly. Carla looks at Ichigo with a worried expression, 'I can't let Wendy know the real reason why we're spying.' The cat thought. Carla hasn't revealed to Wendy about her special power and that is she can have visions of the future, a precognition if you would like to call it that and yesterday night she had one of Ichigo. It was right after her and Wendy left Ichigo to talk to Ultear about their date.
-Flashback-
Arriving at the inn Carla and Wendy entered in different moods, Wendy was very excited because her brother was asked out and she was very happy for him. Carla, however, felt entirely different while she was happy for Ichigo she couldn't shake the weird feeling she had about Ultear, the woman gave her no reason to not trust her but Carla's gut was telling her otherwise. The way she suddenly had an interest in Ichigo confused her. Carla was so lost that in her own mind she didn't even hear Wendy calling her. "Don't you think it's great that Ichigo-nii has a date tomorrow, Carla?." Wendy asks but gets no response from the cat. "Carla?" Wendy repeated. "Hey Carla!" Wendy says a little louder. This grabs Carla's attention.
"Huh? Yes Wendy?" The cat asked looking up at the girl.
"I asked if you are happy for Ichigo, you know since he now has a date?"
"Ah yes, I guess so." Carla responds somewhat not interested.
"Hey, are you okay?" Wendy questions looking at the cat concerned. Carla nods to the girl.
"I'm okay, child. I just have some things on my mind at the moment." The white cat says as she jumps on the bed. "Wendy, I think you should go take a bath and get ready to go to sleep. I'll go in after you." She said to the girl.
"Yeah that sounds like a good idea.'' Wendy walks to her things and grabs her pajamas then heads into the bathroom to handle her nightly routine.
Carla sat on the bed and looked at the ceiling. She seriously can't shake this unnerving feeling. Suddenly Carla's head begins to ache as the cat begins to feel a heavy pressure on her mind, "A vision? right now?" Carla says holding her temples then sees something that confuses her. She is in what seems to be a forest while it's raining heavily. She turns and notices two figures in the rain having a standoff, focusing a little more she then recognizes one of the figures "I-ichigo?" She questions aloud as her eyes widened in shock but what confuses her even more is that the person he is looking at is none other than Ultear Milkovich except she looks vastly different.
"Are they fighting? I don't understand, what is this?" Carla's mind begins to flood with questions but as quickly as the vision came, it stops. Leaving her absolutely stunned. Is Ichigo going to be in trouble? Where were they? This is making no sense. "What was that? Is there more than meets the eye with that woman?" Carla questions thinking about the vision. She wishes the visions would be more detailed but they come and go as they please.
Minutes past and Wendy walks out of the bathroom feeling refreshed in her pajamas and ready for bed. "I love baths." She says relaxed. "Your turn Carla." She talks to her friend which gets the cat out of her thoughts. With a nod Carla walks and gets her things out of the bag she and Wendy share then goes to take her own bath.
Stepping out of the bathroom Carla is still thinking about that vision, that Ultear woman is really bothering her but she has an idea on how to get a little information on her. "Hey Wendy?" she says getting the blue-haired child's attention.
"Yeah Carla?" Wendy responds looking at her.
"Tomorrow we should spy on Ichigo." She says getting to the point. This makes Wendy raise an eyebrow.
"Why would we do that? That's not really a nice thing to do." Wendy says giving her opinion on the idea. Carla then puts on a fake smile.
"I know but I'm just very curious about this. I would just like to see how Ichigo's date would go." She says getting on the bed next to Wendy. "Also.." She starts "I want to help him on this date. I would like to make this date go as smoothly as possible for him." She lies to Wendy. She felt bad for lying to the child but it's a means to an end. There must be something about Ultear that they don't know and she will find it out. Ichigo is a dear friend to her and poor Wendy would be devastated if something happened to her brother.
"Oh, I get it, well if that's the case then I'll help too. I want Ichigo-nii to have a great night." Wendy informs her. "Though I still don't think spying is a great idea but I'll help you out Carla!"
"Good then, it's a plan." Carla says to the girl as Ichigo opens the door and walks in.
-Flashback End-
Ichigo stood at the door looking at the sky waiting for his date to arrive. Though oddly enough he had this weird feeling he was being watched. He chalked to the female attention he's been receiving. "My my Ichigo, you look very handsome and I love your outfit." A familiar voice spoke, getting the young man's attention. Looking at the direction of the voice, Ichigo is blessed with the sight of Ultear. The woman had on a Dark violet one shoulder bodycon dress that hugged her body showing off her hourglass figure with black strappy tie up heels with a dark red mini purse that matched her eyes. Her hair was put up in a messy bun that made her look even more beautiful. "Thank you for waiting for me." She says with a smile looking at him. Ichigo was actually at a loss for words, but he composed himself.
"Of course. You look beautiful, Ultear." He says complimenting her. "Oh, these are for you." He says handing her the bouquet of flowers. Which actually surprises her.
"Oh! Thank you, and they're lovely." She says taking the compliment, as well as the flowers. 'Wow he is actually taking this seriously, I almost feel bad, almost. He has no clue that this is just a way for me to get more information on him for Master Hades, But then how would he know?' She thought to herself reminiscing about the conversation from yesterday.
-Flashback-
Watching the three Cait Shelter Guild members leave the room Ultear pulls out a large Lacrima orb and channels it with magic in order to contact her guild leader, Master Hades. After a couple seconds a man with a long white beard and eyepatch appears.
"Master Hades, I think I've found something interesting." She says with a sinister smirk.
"Yes? what is it, Ultear?" Hades questions wondering what the girl called him for. He is a very busy man.
"I found a very peculiar wizard from the Cait shelter guild who possesses a very powerful lost magic, Shadow-God Slayer Magic." She informs her master. This somewhat gets the man's interest but not fully enough so what if he possesses a lost magic what can that do for him.
"Is that Ultear? These are trivial things." The man says feeling as if his time was being wasted.
"Yes, in normal circumstances they would be the case but.." Ultear then informs him of Ichigo from the file. "And there's also one more thing that confuses me. He defeated the S-class wizard with no magic, that's a pretty impressive feat and it makes me question if this boy has powers other than magic because he hasn't been documented using anything other than Shadow-Magic." She adds. "Defeating a wizard of that caliber had to require something." she theorizes.
"Hmm.." Hades hummed while stroking his beard. "Okay I'll entertain this theory as it is beginning to intrigue me." the old man states. "Ultear, keep an eye on him. I want him under your surveillance until further notice. I will begin to look into this 'Ichigo Kurosaki' for now." he states "In the time being, do what you must, seduce him if need be. Who knows, he could become a great asset to our cause." He tells the woman.
"Yes sir." She says as she turns off the lacrima and smirks maliciously. "Time to make my move." She then gets up and heads towards the doors.
-Flashback End-
"Well then Ichigo, shall we?" Ultear coaxed.
"Ah yeah let's go." He says raising his arm as Ultear wraps her arm around his and they head inside. The two spies across the street could only watch as the couple walked into the restaurant.
"Wow, did you see Ultear? she looked gorgeous." Wendy said in awe at the older woman's appearance.
"Yes, I have to admit she looked really beautiful." Carla agrees, but that doesn't change anything Carla was still suspicious of the woman. "Wendy, if we got close would you be able to hear them?" Carla asked.
"No, there would be too many voices to try and hear through." Wendy notified to Carla
"Then all we can do is wait for them to leave."
Entering the establishment, Ichigo was immediately struck by the opulent ambiance of Piatti Dal Cielo. The decor was immaculate, exuding an aura of prestige and sophistication. 'Ultear sure knows how to pick them,' he thought, impressed by her choice for the date. A waitress approached them gracefully and bowed.
"Hello, welcome to Piatti Dal Cielo. My name is Misty. It's a pleasure to see you again, Mr. Ichigo," Misty greeted warmly, recognizing him from their earlier encounter at Corcus Formal Attire.
Ichigo blinked in surprise. 'She works here too?'
Ultear raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "You two know each other?" she inquired, glancing between Ichigo and Misty.
"Yeah, Misty helped me pick out my outfit earlier," Ichigo explained, nodding toward Misty with a smile. "She works at the boutique and apparently here as well."
"Yup, I'm a busy girl," Misty added with a chuckle. "Now, can I get the name for the reservation?"
"Milkovich," Ultear said to the woman.
Misty quickly located their reservation and led them through the restaurant's elegant interior to their table. "Right this way, please," she said politely, gesturing for them to follow. "Your menus will be with you shortly."
As they settled in, Ichigo pulled out Ultear's chair courteously, earning a grateful smile from her. Once seated across from her, Ichigo observed Ultear, who rested her chin on her palm, studying him intently.
"So, Ultear, how did you discover this place?" Ichigo began, aiming to engage her in conversation.
"I heard about it from some well-connected acquaintances at a political function," Ultear replied smoothly. "You tend to pick up interesting tips when you're involved in council work."
'Of course, she's got connections everywhere,' Ichigo mused. "I can imagine," he nodded, intrigued by her insight. "Speaking of which, how's life in the Magic Council? It must come with its own set of challenges."
Ultear's expression turned guarded for a moment. "It has its moments," she admitted vaguely. "But it serves its purpose for now."
Ichigo sensed a hint of reluctance in her tone. 'She's not telling me everything. I wonder what she's holding back.' "Thinking of leaving anytime soon?" he probed gently, curious about her future plans.
Ultear hesitated briefly, her gaze thoughtful. "Perhaps, when the time is right," she answered evasively. 'I can't let him know too much.'
Their conversation paused as Misty returned with the menus. After taking their orders—Ultear choosing the balsamic and rosemary-marinated florentine steak and Ichigo opting for the braised chicken all'arrabbiata—Misty departed to attend to other guests, leaving them momentarily alone.
Ultear took the opportunity to steer the conversation. "Tell me about yourself, Ichigo," she requested, her tone casual yet probing. "I know about your magical prowess, but I'm interested in the person behind the mage. Do you have any family?"
Ichigo nodded, a flicker of melancholy crossing his eyes. "I have two siblings, Wendy and Grimmjow," he began, his voice tinged with both fondness and sadness. "I haven't seen my father in years. And my mother…" His voice trailed off, the pain of loss evident in his expression.
Ultear's gaze softened with genuine empathy. 'Why do I feel like I can relate to him?' "I'm sorry to hear that," she offered sincerely, surprising even herself with her warmth. "I never knew my father either, so I somewhat can't understand that part however, losing a mother is a different kind of pain."
Ichigo appreciated her understanding, feeling a sense of relief in sharing his feelings with someone who seemed genuinely interested. "Yeah, it's tough," he admitted quietly. "But life moves on, right?"
Their conversation shifted to lighter topics as Misty returned with their meals, expertly served and accompanied by a bottle of red wine. They enjoyed their dinner in companionable silence, occasionally sharing small talk and savoring the exquisite cuisine.
After settling the bill and leaving a generous tip for Misty, Ichigo and Ultear exited the restaurant with satisfied smiles. Ultear linked her arm through Ichigo's, clutching her flowers in her other hand. They decided to take a leisurely stroll through the town, enjoying the cool evening air.
Meanwhile, Carla watched from a discreet distance, Wendy beside her, observing the couple as they walked away. "Looks like it went well," Wendy whispered excitedly, glancing at Ultear affectionately.
Carla nodded thoughtfully. 'Is it possible my vision was wrong?' "For now," she murmured, her eyes focused on the pair ahead. "Let's keep following them. I want to know everything they discuss."
Wendy nodded in agreement, her curiosity piqued about the unfolding dynamics between Ichigo and Ultear.
The night air in Corcus was cool and serene as Ichigo and Ultear strolled through the quiet streets. Soft yellow street lamps cast gentle pools of light, and the distant sound of the river provided a soothing backdrop to their footsteps.
Ichigo glanced sideways at Ultear, who walked with a reserved posture, her gaze fixed ahead as if lost in thought. Despite his initial skepticism about this "date," Ichigo found himself surprisingly at ease in her company. The break from his usual battles and responsibilities was a welcome relief, and he couldn't help but wonder about Ultear's true intentions.
Ultear, on the other hand, struggled internally. This outing was supposed to be a mission—a chance to interrogate Ichigo discreetly. Yet, as they walked together in the quiet of the night, she found herself oddly drawn to the peaceful atmosphere and the unexpected companionship. She reminded herself sternly that sentimentality had no place in her mission.
Their silent reverie was interrupted abruptly by the appearance of a young girl with black hair darting ahead of them, chasing a ball. When the girl stumbled and fell, crying out from a scraped knee, Ichigo's immediate concern was palpable. He moved instinctively towards her, his expression softening with empathy.
"Hey, you okay?" Ichigo knelt beside the girl, his voice gentle and reassuring. "Let me see your knee." He said as he inspected the injury. "Where are your parents?"
The child then pointed behind Ichigo and he turns to see the girl's mother rush-over, her face etched with concern. "Oh sweetheart, I told you not to run," she said softly, examining the scrape. "It's not too bad. There, is that better?" she asked, kissing the child's knee. The little girl nodded, wiping her tears away as she began to calm down. "Thank you, young man. Now let's go get you bandaged up little one." The mother spoke sweetly as she carried the child away.
Ichigo smiled, a bittersweet expression crossing his face. The scene reminded him of his own mother and her tender care. Ultear, observing the interaction, felt a pang in her chest, a reminder of the mother she had lost and the complicated feelings she harbored.
"Let's sit by the bridge," Ultear said abruptly, her voice tight as she pulled Ichigo along.
"Yeah, that sounds good," Ichigo replied, noting the change in her demeanor. He followed her to a bench near the bridge, where they sat in silence, gazing at the softly flowing river. Wendy and Carla, hidden nearby, watched with intense curiosity.
After a long pause, Ultear spoke, her eyes fixed on the water. "Ichigo, can I ask you something?"
"Of course," he replied, his tone warm and attentive.
"If you could go back in time and save your mother, would you?" Her voice was steady, but there was an undercurrent of emotion that Ichigo couldn't ignore.
Ichigo looked taken aback by the question, his brow furrowing in thought. "Ultear, I…" he began, but was interrupted by a sudden commotion.
"Get back, you filthy mutt!" a woman's voice shouted, followed by the barking of a dog.
Ichigo's instincts kicked in immediately. "Stay here," he instructed Ultear, concern etching his features as he rose from the bench to investigate.
"Get back you filthy mutt!" Carla's voiced ranged in the alley grabbing the attention of others around her. The dog had began to pick a fight with the feline evident with the mutt growling while biting down on her dress.
"Stay here" Ichigo spoke, those words reached Wendy ears.
Her eyes widen with worry. "Carla i think Ichigo-nii is heading this way" she whispered to her friend.
Carla, realizing their cover was compromised, let out a resigned sigh, quickly making the decision to retreat with Wendy, knowing they couldn't risk exposure any longer.
Hitting the dog away with cause a cry to escape the dog's mouth, she then grabs Wendy, conjured up her wings and flew away which made the dog yelp in response.
Turning into the alley Ichigo sees nothing but a whining dog. 'Thats odd I swore I heard Wendy and Carla.'
Returning to Ultear after ensuring there was no immediate threat, Ichigo resumed his seat beside her. "Sorry about that interruption," he apologized, noticing Ultear's contemplative expression.
"What was all that about?" Ultear asked, her guarded tone hinting at her curiosity about the disturbance.
"Not sure," Ichigo admitted, his senses still on high alert as he scanned their surroundings cautiously.
Meanwhile, Wendy and Carla flew swiftly back to their inn, the worry evident on Carla's face as she pondered their next move. Wendy glanced back at Carla, concern etched on her features as they made their silent journey through the night sky.
"Sorry about that," he said, sitting back down. "There was just a dog causing some trouble."
"It's fine," Ultear replied, her eyes still distant. "About my question…"
Ichigo took a deep breath, turning to face her fully. "I miss my mother every day," he began, his voice steady but filled with emotion. "Losing her was the hardest thing I've ever been through. But… I don't think I'd change the past."
Ultear looked at him, confusion and curiosity in her eyes. "Why not?"
"Because everything that happened made me who I am today," he explained, gazing up at the stars. "Her death taught me how to be strong, how to protect those I care about. It shaped my life in ways I can't even fully understand. Changing the past might undo all of that."
Ultear's expression hardened, her fists clenching in her lap. "I don't agree," she said, her voice low and intense. "If I could change my past, I would. Without hesitation."
Ichigo turned to her, his gaze softening with empathy. "I'm sorry you feel that way. I can't imagine what you've been through, but running from your past won't make the pain go away."
"You don't know anything about my pain," Ultear snapped, looking away. "You barely know me."
"You're right," Ichigo admitted, his tone gentle. "I don't know everything about you. But I want to. I've enjoyed spending time with you tonight. You're fun to be around, and I'd like to get to know you better."
Ultear scoffed, but there was a flicker of something softer in her eyes. "I didn't ask for your sympathy."
"I'm not offering sympathy," Ichigo said, a sincere smile on his face. "I just want to be here for you, if you'll let me."
A soft breeze rustled the air around them, causing the tulips Ultear held to scatter into the river below. Ichigo caught one tulip delicately in his hand, offering it to her.
"I get it, Ultear," he murmured softly, his tone gentle yet unwavering. "You don't have to explain everything to me. But if you'll let me, I'd like to be a part of your life."
Ultear felt her resolve waver, torn between her duty and the unexpected sincerity in Ichigo's words. She hesitated, the emotions of the night overwhelming her usual composure. As their faces inched closer, Ultear's heart pounded in her chest.
But then, as if to assert control over her turbulent heart, Ultear withdrew abruptly. "No," she whispered hoarsely, her hand covering Ichigo's mouth as she pulled away. "I'm sorry, but I can't."
Confusion flickered across Ichigo's face as Ultear stood and stepped back, her eyes avoiding his. "Ultear…"
"Ichigo, let's not pursue this," she said firmly, her voice tinged with regret as she turned away. "Goodbye."
With that, Ultear walked away swiftly, leaving Ichigo sitting alone on the bench, watching her disappear into the night.
"Ultear…" he whispered softly into the darkness, a mixture of concern and understanding etched on his face as he watched her vanish from sight
-Hours earlier that day-
Grimmjow and Cana were walking through the town they first met at. The duo left the cave shortly after the blizzard stopped in the morning and were able to make they're way back from the mountains. Both parties were silent. Currently the two were walking to the train station with plans to go back home. Cana occasionally looked at Grimmjow while they were walking 'He hasn't said a word. Since we arrived back here.' She says looking at him, back at the cave Grimmjow was the one to wake up first and with her shortly after. She had a good laugh though because while Grimmjow held that liquor last night, he woke up with a major hangover, it seems drinking all that whiskey caught up to him somehow. Now he was dead quiet. What's up with him? Shortly the two arrived at the train station. Cana had to go the opposite way as him. Her guild Fairy tail was in Magnolia town which was west of this place and His guild was east. So she was correct after they both head out, they most likely will never see each other again.
"Hey, Cana." Grimmjow spoke up, getting the woman's attention.
"Y-yeah?" she stuttered not expecting him to say something, he's been so quiet she assumed he wasn't going to speak to her. "What is it?" She asked as a train that was going in the direction Grimmjow needed to go began to come into view with it loudly blasting its horn. The vehicle then came to a full stop as a few people began to disperse and exit it.
"Don't be afraid. Face your fears. That's the first step to becoming strong" He says looking back at her. The boy turns his head and then gets on the train, after a few moments the train departs, leaving Cana all by herself. The woman then looks at her feet.
"I told you I'm not afraid." She spoke are those really last words he says to her?! A few minutes goes by and another train comes, one that Cana had to get onto.
-Magnolia town 2 hours before Ichigo's date.-
Arriving at her stop, Cana stretches, finally being able to move after sitting in that train for so long. The girl then heads to her guild located further down, Fairy Tail. Making her way through the town, she thought about what happened to her on the quest she took. It was her most bizarre to say the least and her most…enjoyable one too. She blushed thinking about the night her and Grimmjow shared.
She can't believe she did that, granted she did want to, still it was an unexpected turn of events. Grimmjow was a character she probably won't forget, she can say that. Though the things he said to her that night stuck to her a tad bit more than anything.
'You're afraid your father is going to reject you.'
Those words stuck to her mind like glue and she couldn't stop thinking about it. That is not the truth. She just wants to prove she's strong. Strong enough to get her dad's attention and she needs to be S-class to do so.
That's what it is, nothing more, nothing less, but Grimmjow made a good point: what if she does become S-class would her father still notice her? Maybe telling him anyway would be the best choice right? It's not like she couldn't tell Gildarts when she wanted to! She can tell him whenever she sees him again. She isn't afraid, forget what Grimmjow thought! She could tell him anytime!
"You know what? Screw being an S-class. I'll tell him the next time I see him. Suck it Grimmjow!" Cana declares. Moments afterwards Cana then arrives at her Guild building. Opening the doors the girl walks with and gets greeted by her guild members.
"Hey! Nice to see you back, Cana! Are you planning on drinking with us later?" a man with a pipe and cartoonishly long pompadour hairstyle said looking at the girl.
"Sure thing Wakaba! I just need to talk to the master about my quest." She responds to him.
"Make sure not to forget, Okay?" Another man with blue hair said, raising her beer cup.
"I won't, Macao. Promise" She said as she kept walking towards Makarov's office. Walking upstairs to get to the office, Cana sees someone standing looking down at the guild from above. "Laxus." Cana says with a bit of disdain. "When did you get back?"
"A little ago, not long before you did actually. Though I'm not gonna be here for long. I just took another quest that me and my group are gonna take." He announces. "Did you finish your little escort mission? Guess that's all someone of your strength could do." He smirks. Cana kept walking as she didn't really care to talk to him. This made Laxus click his teeth but then he grins.
"I see a cut on your pants. You got hurt on your quest right? Not surprising, an S-class failure like you probably couldn't even do a single quest without getting hurt." He says trying to pick a fight which I worked.
"You're so full of yourself. You know that? You think just because you're the master's grandson, you can do and say whatever you want, but that doesn't mean anything." Cana snapped. "You think you're entitled to this guild and you don't even help it. When the Phantom Lord guild attacked you were a no show." she told him. "No one wants you here!."
"Even if you're right. There is one thing that is the absolute truth and that's that I'm S-class and you're not. You're so pathetic! Being chosen 4 times and still not becoming S-class. What a joke!." He says as he begins. Cana clenched her fist.
"You know Laxus one of these days. You'll get what is coming to you.."
"Oh yeah and who would do that? You? The drunk? Please hahaha-." He begins to laugh again but Cana then slaps Laxus across the face. "You Bitch! You pay for-."
"Enough!" an old short man yelled getting the two's attention. "Laxus you took your quest, go!" He says pointing to the guild doors.
"Tch, whatever." He's says leaving to head out the guild. 'Enjoy this right now old man because when I return. This guild is mine.'
The old man then sighs and looks at the card magic user. "Cana I know Laxus can be a lot to deal with but please don't feed into him and certainly don't slap him." He says to the girl.
"I'm sorry Master Makarov." Cana said she aplogizied for arguing back and causing a scene but not for slapping him. He deserved that. The old man then smiles
"It's okay. Please come on in and tell me about the quest." He says walking into his office with Cana following behind.
After reporting the quest to Makarov, the girl sat at the bar and looked at the cup full of beer in her hands. She had told him about how it went and that she had to share it with another wizard from a different guild and that how he had saved her when she got injured. Though she left out everything about the cave. Thinking about that made a light blush appear on her face.
"Hey Cana! Glad to see you okay." A feminine voice spoke. Cana looks up to see a girl with white hair in a pink dress. "How'd your quest go? Anything exciting happened" She asked
"Hey Mira. good to see you too, and my quest went by fine, nothing too extravagant." Cana says drinking her beer with a blush still on her face looking away from Mira. That girl in front her is the last person she wants to tell about Grimmjow. It'll be all over the guild in minutes. "Where's is everyone by the way?" Cana asked the woman
"Everyone is on there own personal quest at the moment." She answers. "Though Natsu and his team went on vacation."
"Vacation?" She repeated.
"Yeah apparently they won some tickets to The Akane Resort, they left a couple hours ago actually." Mirajane informed.
"That sounds like fun, wish I could've went." Cana says finishing her beer.
-Present time to Ichigo after his date.-
Ichigo walked back into the inn, his mind still on Ultear. They had been so close to kissing, but she had stopped and left so abruptly. The whole situation left him confused.
The clerk saw him enter and greeted him with a curious smile. "Bonjour, sir! How did your date go?"
Ichigo scratched the back of his head, feeling awkward. "It was… alright, I guess."
The clerk's smile faded slightly. "Oh no, did it not go well?"
"Well, it started fine, but then some stuff happened, and she took off right before we were about to kiss," Ichigo explained, his frustration evident. The clerk chuckled, surprising Ichigo.
"Ah, is that all? You need to pick your head up. This means that not all hope is lost."
Ichigo frowned. "How do you figure that?"
"One of the biggest mysteries in a man's life is a woman's emotions. You say you were about to kiss and she stopped it. While that might sound a bit sad, it also sounds like someone who isn't quite ready to deal with their emotions. Trust me, you will see that woman again."
Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "And you're so sure because…?"
"As I told you before, I was quite the player in my day. I've dealt with various personalities in my life. Believe me when I tell you, you and that woman's story isn't over. I know this because it reminds me of my wife," the clerk explained, a nostalgic smile crossing his face. Hearing this, Ichigo let a small smile show own his face.
"Thanks, uh…" Ichigo started, realizing he didn't know the man's name.
"Oh, how careless of me! I never truly introduced myself. My name is Raphael," the clerk said, introducing himself. "May I have your name?"
"It's Ichigo Kurosaki. Thanks, Raphael," Ichigo said, feeling a bit more at ease as he headed to his room and waved goodbye.
"No need for thanks. It's been a pleasure, Mr. Kurosaki," Raphael replied warmly.
Upon entering his room, Ichigo saw Wendy and Carla sleeping on the bed. 'So they were here? Then who did I-… actually, it doesn't matter,' he concluded, walking over to change into something more comfortable. As he lay down to sleep, his last thoughts were of Ultear.
Well that's it everyone. This, I believe, is the longest chapter I've made but I still think it's pretty short though lol. I hope you guys liked it. Until next time!
Bye-bye!
