Ichigo bites the inside of her cheek with a wince as her father tightens the bandages around her upper back and arms. She glances at an incredibly subdued and spaced out Orihime before focusing on an unconscious Tatsuki.
"You must've flown through the windshield with how deep these cuts are," Kurosaki Isshin comments, cleaning up the bloodied bandages and the surgical sutures.
Ichigo nods silently, gazing down at her lap. "Bastard got away when I came too and landed a few hits."
Isshin laughs loudly and lightly wraps an arm around Ichigo's neck. She winces at the slight pull to her stitches before growling under her breath.
"My beautiful daughter is so strong! He'll be sorry in the morning, wherever he is!" Isshin exclaims, ruffling his eldest daughter's hair. Ichigo growls louder and lifts her fist up, slamming it right into his father's nose. He stumbles back with a yelp, grabbing his nose.
"MASAKI, OUR LOVELY DAUGHTER IS BEING MEAN TO ME AGAIN! SHE HAS NO RESPECT FOR HER OTŌSAN!" Isshin cries out dramatically sprinting out of the clinic to sob at the gaudy poster of Kurosaki Masaki in the living room.
Ichigo sighs heavily before standing up. She walks over to Orihime and gently grabs her hand in hers.
"Orihime-san... Orihime-san," Ichigo calls out softly, startling Orihime out of her thoughts.
"Oh! Ichigo-hime... sorry, I keep spacing out. What's going on?" Orihime asks cheerfully, smiling up at her fellow orange haired female.
Ichigo squeezes Orihime's hand and sits beside her on the cot. "It's not good to bottle it up."
"What are you talking about? Nīchan is in a better place now! I'm not sad," Orihime denies brightly, still smiling.
"It's not your fault. Every spirit turns into a Hollow if they aren't given a soul burial soon enough," Rukia states quietly as she walks into the clinic with no expression. Ichigo turns and stares at the object in the black haired female's hand.
"Rukia..." Ichigo trails off, narrowing her gaze. Rukia gives her a look before focusing back on Orihime.
"...I didn't want him to leave... when he–when he died... I told him he couldn't leave me," Orihime speaks with her eyes downcast. She clenches her hands around her skirt, glaring down at her lap. She sniffs loudly and quickly brings up a hand to furiously wipe away her tears.
"He'd worry too much to leave you by yourself. Big siblings can't bear to leave their younger siblings without making sure they can live without them." Ichigo smiles softly and leans forward to gently kiss Orihime's forehead. "Even then, it's hard when you're forced to sit back and watch your younger sibling stumble through life without being able to receive your help."
"Ichigo-hime... why–why did he have to die? W-why him?" Orihime finally breaks after years of pushing it back, tears falling down her cheeks. Ichigo continues to smile softly, pulling the other orange haired female into her arms.
"Death is not a fair Mistress, She's not allowed to be. She is kind, but She must uphold a balance between Life and Herself, good and evil, light and dark," Ichigo says softly, running her fingers through Orihime's hair. Orihime sobs brokenly, pressing her face against Ichigo's neck.
She doesn't notice Rukia's eyes widening, or the stutter in her gasp. She doesn't notice her sudden lax grip around the object in her hand, or the flicker of disbelieving shock passing by her face.
Ichigo smiles as Orihime continues to weep, recalling the ancient lullaby She would always sing to make her sleep. She hums the soft tune and rests her head on Orihime's.
"Wolves asleep amidst the trees. Bats all a swaying in the breeze. But one soul lies anxious, wide awake. Fearing all manner of ghouls, hags and wraiths."
A high pitched whine leaves Ichigo's throat as she startles awake by a sharp pain in her shoulders and upper back. She hisses and buries her face into her pillow, forcing herself to relax her entire back.
"I'm almost done, Ichi-nē. I need to heal the worst of the injuries," Yuzu whispers softly, deftly and wordlessly stitching up the slashes with her magic.
"When'd I fall 'sleep?" Ichigo asks sluggishly, slowly turning her head with her eyes still closed. Yuzu's magic covers her like a softly swelling wave. It keeps a constant pressure on her entire back and her surroundings, almost like Ichigo was underwater.
"After Orihime-san fell asleep. Oyaji carried you to your room. What happened? This doesn't look like flying into a windshield." Yuzu gently runs her fingers along the stitched up injuries, skin slowly melting together into white lines of stitch scars.
"...evil spirit. Where's Rukia 'n' Tats' 'nd Hime?" Ichigo mumbles softly, falling back into a half conscious state. Yuzu smiles before taking her hands away from Ichigo's mostly healed back. Small pinpricks of blood well up from her fingertips.
"Orihime-san and Tatsuki-chan are still resting in the clinic. Karin-chan is forcing Rukia-san to rest too after she found out that she declined Oyaji's offer to check her for any injuries," Yuzu answers as she wipes away the blood from her fingertips with the damp washcloth she brought with her. The light blonde girl pulls down Ichigo's shirt before getting off of the bed.
Ichigo huffs at the answer before she slowly stretches her back. The smaller cuts sting from the stretch and the scars ache, but Ichigo ignores it to slowly sit up.
"It's early." Ichigo sighs and slowly turns around, moving her legs over her bed. "'re you hungry?"
"You're still hurt! You can go sit with the others, but I'll cook breakfast!" Yuzu doesn't take any answer other than yes with her tone of voice.
Ichigo raises an eyebrow before sighing with a small smile. "Don't push yourself, Yuzu. You and Karin still have school."
Ichigo grunts as she gets out of bed, stretching her back once more. She pats her hand on top of her little sister's head, making her squeak in surprise. Ichigo smiles before she starts walking towards her bedroom door.
She hears the familiar muffled sounds of Karin scolding someone, making her smile even more. Ichigo walks in to see Orihime and Tatsuki watching with rapt attention as Rukia takes the brunt of Karin's worried ire.
"–doesn't matter if your injuries were minor! It's still an injury and can get infected! You have to always get checked over for injuries," Karin exclaims loudly, deftly tightening the bandages around Rukia's arm.
"Karin, you've scolded Rukia enough. I think she's learned her lesson," Ichigo speaks up with a slight smile. Karin looks up, glaring at her big sister with a scowl.
"What are you doing? Ichi-nē you have to rest!"
"Yuzu told me I could walk here. She's hea–checked over the worst of my injuries. I wanted to rest here since Yuzu won't let me cook breakfast," Ichigo says with a smile. Karin huffs and crosses her arms, turning away her flushed face. Ichigo smiles and glances around relaxing slightly when she sees everyone accounted for.
"How are you feeling, Tatsuki? Orihime-san?" Ichigo asks worriedly, sitting down on the cot Rukia sat on.
"I'm fine, Ichigo-hime! Everything feels ten times better than last night! What about you? Those stitches looked painful," Orihime answers, back to her usual bright and cheery attitude. Ichigo internally sighs, her smile growing soft. Nothing can hinder the other orange haired female, even after a good cry.
"Just some aches and soreness. Tatsuki?"
"...fine. I..." Tatsuki trails off, staring into Ichigo's eyes with no acceptance for any excuses. "What was that last night? What happened?"
"A car had swerved and–"
"Rukia, let me explain," Ichigo softly interrupts. Rukia turns and stares up at her with a narrowed gaze.
"It's against the rules. They could be killed if they find out. It's not safe for them to know," Rukia immediately denies. Ichigo raises an eyebrow before huffing.
"And Yuzu and Karin not knowing about that night is safe too? Even though they could see and sense you just as clearly as I could? I don't know how you altered their memories, but you're not doing it to my friends. They are associated with me, and like it or not, they'll get dragged in at some point," Ichigo retorts, making the black haired female open her mouth in surprise.
"Wannabe gangsters try and fight them all the time, just for being associated with me. The other side would try to deal with them if I have to tell them anything about that. They are my friends and I refuse to let anything, or anyone, harm them even if that means telling them information they shouldn't know about." Ichigo focuses back on her friends with a determined gleam in her eyes.
Rukia sighs slightly, staring at the orange haired female. Her shoulders sag before she slowly nods her head.
"They'll need to pretend they don't know anything if this is ever investigated," Rukia relents, giving Ichigo a small look. "And, they can only know what is pertinent to the incident that just happened."
"Understandable. Thank you, Rukia." Ichigo smiles genuinely at the disguised spirit. Rukia stares at her with wide eyes before quickly snapping her head to the side, trying to hide her flushed cheeks.
"Why are you thanking me for breaking a law? I don't even know why I'm allowing this in the first place!" Rukia exclaims while crossing her arms. Ichigo smiles wider and shakes her head before focusing on her friends.
"This isn't dealing with any gangs. What's this other side? What are you talking about?" Tatsuki asks, making Ichigo sigh. Tatsuki wouldn't be freaked out... but the fear that she could still made a home in her mind.
"...I can see spirits. I've always been able to," Ichigo starts calmly, idly messing with the hem of her shirt. "...I knew there were these beings that protected and helped spirits here cross over, but I didn't know their name. Rukia is one of these. She's called a Shinigami."
"But, what happened last night? What attacked us? Why did you and Orihime collapse? Why are you both injured? What hurt me?" Tatsuki asks with wide eyes. Ichigo smiles and reaches over to grab her best friend's hand. Her fear relaxes when Tatsuki doesn't flinch back.
"There are evil spirits. They're called Hollows. Inoue Sora... he turned into one and attacked Orihime. Rukia can't fight right now, so I'm helping her. Orihime-san brought him back to his original mind and I helped Sora-san pass over," Ichigo explains further.
Tatsuki glances between the three females before sighing heavily. "Ichigo, why didn't you tell me? This is probably the least weirdest thing I've ever heard from you. Does Chad know? Kojima? Asano?"
"Mizuiro knows, but he figured it out after we first met. Keigo... suspects I have something to do with spirits, but doesn't know that I can see them. Chad doesn't know, but if he's ever affected, I'll tell him. I was planning to tell you all if anything had happened, like last night. But... well..." I didn't want to lose the only friends I've ever had...
"You're Ichigo-hime, Ichigo-hime! Something like this wouldn't drive us away," Orihime states brightly while clapping her hands. "You're our friend! Nothing you tell us will ever make us reject you."
"There is a lot I can tell you that will make you reject me..." Ichigo smiles indulgently and sighs. She shakes her head and leans back.
"I didn't leave when you came back from your weird boarding school. I'm not leaving just because you're able to see people that we can't," Tatsuki speaks with an eye roll. Ichigo smiles just a bit brighter at the statement.
"...boarding school?" Rukia asks, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"A boarding school is where students live at the school for most of the year. They go back home during breaks. We go to a public school, where we go to school then leave for home every day. I was going through my first year as a boarding student at that school before I left," Ichigo explains patiently.
"Left? Funny way to say wrongfully expelled," Karin sneers with a huff. Ichigo lightly nudges her with her foot and a small look.
"It's in the past. No use crying over spilled milk, Karin."
Karin huffs again, glaring at her big sister. "They ruined your chances at ever being what you really wanted to be! You can't properly learn any of that stuff anymore!"
"Nothing self-studying and experiments can't fix," Ichigo sighs, already exasperated with this age-old argument.
"Experiments that you promised you would do less of, remember?" Karin retorts in a sharp tone. Ichigo freezes at the reminder, intently avoiding her sister's gaze.
"Remember, Nēsan?"
"...yes... yes, of course I remember!" The orange haired teenager immediately answers with a scowl, fingers twitching to reach up and pull at her hair.
"I don't think Ichi-nē remembers, Karin-chan," Yuzu points out as she walks into the clinic, holding two trays of food.
"I do! I... momentarily pushed it aside for more important matters," Ichigo quickly excuses her forgetfulness, searching for the right words. Karin and Yuzu give each other a look, making Orihime hide her giggling behind her hands.
Ichigo flushes bright red at Tatsuki snort and her sisters' laughter. "I really did it for important matters!"
The silent humming of her magic crackles and swells, scorches and calms, tests and waits. It goes silent before restarting the cycle again. Ichigo doesn't even feel the breaths enter and leave her lungs. The world is static around her as she meditates and thinks.
Her eyes open when she feels a gentle iciness land warmly on her nose as a greeting. Snow fell around her in soft waves, melting into nothing when it touches the rotting wood below.
None of it touched her kimono or her hakama pants. Her cloak fell around her like curtains of mist, seemingly falling infinitely through the decrepit temple window below her.
"Will I always end up here when I meditate?" Ichigo asks, voice echoing across the decrepit skyscrapers. She looks up with a gentle smile on her face, sharp teeth gleaming in the sunset light.
A man dressed in a slightly ragged, but still pristine white montsuki kimono with a grey haori worn over it stood at the top of the temple. His long brown hair was left untamed, blowing in the breeze and past the visor covering his eyes.
"It would seem so. You've unlocked your Shinigami powers after all," The man–the zanpakutō states, voice holding the calm before a torrential storm. The immense pressure of ozone before a detrimental lightning strike. The calm ocean before a typhoon.
Ichigo takes a deep breath, a soft smile gracing her features. "What's your name?"
"You are not ready to learn my name." A flurry of snow suddenly blocks their sight. "But it will come to you yet."
The sudden wind dies down, revealing an empty space. Ichigo continues to smile as she closes her eyes.
"I'll get stronger then, Ossan-oji." Ichigo refocuses her mind back to her meditation, enjoying the warm snowy weather of her warped inner world.
"Ichigo... we need to talk." The orange haired teenager looks up at the statement, eyes looking over her glasses. Rukia sat on the floor, back leaning against Ichigo's bedframe and her textbook in her lap.
"What is it? Is something wrong with your powers?" Ichigo slides off her glasses and turns around in her chair, a worried scowl etching itself on her face.
Rukia stays quiet, avoiding Ichigo's gaze. She takes a deep breath and closes her textbook.
"You know about Hahanoshi-sama. You know her lullaby," Rukia questions softly, voice not reaching louder than a whisper. Ichigo smiles softly and stares at the black haired female.
"Death had sung the lullaby to me. She is my family's foster mother," and a good friend.
Rukia still avoids Ichigo's gaze, her breathing stuttering from the confirmation. "You... are you Blessed by Hahanoshi-sama? Are you... why–is that why...?"
"The Kurosaki name is Blessed by Death. She is the one to Bless us with Sight and Bless us with a greater, completely untouched avenue of magic. Unfortunately, it has caused the Wizarding Society to name us as a Dark Clan." Ichigo stares off into space at the ashy taste of bitterness on her tongue at the reminder. "I still don't know much about the–about Soul Society or Shinigami. Okāsan, Oyaji, and Death didn't want me to learn until I was older."
"Are you... you–you are a Sacred!" Rukia's realization falls out of her mouth before she could stop it. Ichigo snaps her gaze back towards the Shinigami, watching her cover her mouth.
Ichigo slides out of her chair to sit on the ground with piercing eyes. Rukia stops breathing at the amount of untold knowledge the Witch had in her gaze.
"Adop...adopt...ister..." Ichigo leans closer, staring at the presence around Rukia. She takes a deep breath, a pleasant smile growing on her face.
"You... The Sacred of Souls had adopted you by blood. Sacred Childe, how have I not realized?" The orange haired teenager whispers aloud, focusing back on Rukia's eyes. She blinks rapidly and feels her ears burn.
"Yes... I am one of the Sacreds of Life. Forgive me for not realizing, Rukia. Okāsan is the only other Sacred I have Seen. And I was much too young to understand how to perceive Others," Ichigo states with an embarrassed smile. Rukia huffs out a laugh, her shoulders relaxing.
"I... Nīsama made sure I learned. He taught me directly. The... the Central 46... Soul Society in general does not know I was blood adopted, nor do they know about his Sacred Blessing. He couldn't afford a minor slip up. Hahanoshi-sama had given the order to the Kuchiki Clan to keep themselves hidden. I will not be that slip up," Rukia explains how she knew before any questions were asked. Ichigo frowns slightly at the wrongness of that statement before she reaches out to grab Rukia's hand.
"Aniue sounds like he has a stick right up his ass." Rukia barks out a bout of incredulous laughter, quickly slapping her hand over her mouth.
"Ichigo!" She scolds with a hiss.
Ichigo gives her a small look. "Is Aniue bossy?"
"Well, yes. He's a Captain."
"Does he want everything to be perfectly in line with the rules?"
"Well–"
"Does he uphold the laws and justice over anyone's personal feelings? Including his own?"
"...yes?"
"Even if someone jokes with him, will he just glare at them?"
"...yes..."
"Aniue has a stick up his ass." Ichigo smiles as Rukia stifles her laugh. She laughs for them both, leaning back.
"I'm glad that I've met you," Rukia says with eyes full of warring emotions. Ichigo sighs, eyes sliding to See the presence grow darker around the Shinigami. She stays silent, letting Rukia talk.
"They don't like Shinigami staying in the Living World for too long. At first I thought it was due to the slight risk that Humans can discover us... but I think it's because they wish to stay in their ways, their traditions," The black haired female continues, amethyst eyes darkening as she rests her chin on her knees. "The Living World... it's always changing, always moving. It's... overwhelming. I never thought a society could constantly change every day, yet still have its same routines. Everything and everyone goes so fast here. Does it ever get overwhelming for you?"
Ichigo leans her head back, staring up at her ceiling. "Sometimes. But, I can't say I ever wished it could slow down for any amount of time. It's what makes Humans so... Human. As Humans, time is short. The average person only lives up until their mid-eighties here. Some countries, even less.
"They constantly learn, constantly fight, constantly wonder, constantly inspire. It's their instinct to create chaos and organize it to bring about new ages and eras of extraordinary wonder, yet will destroy it all when they're finally bored and drained the wonder dry. Their instinct to learn everything they can in less than a century is what makes them so... fascinating."
Chaos, constantly burning, constantly changing. Never dying and never listening. The basis of creation. The basis of It.
"Witches and Wizards are different. They live longer, until their hundred-fifties. But, they still have that curiosity to them. The conscious will to brace the unknown just for the sake of wanting, the sake of learning, the sake of exploring. They destroy the barriers between mortal and magic, trying to tame it even if it's never meant to be tamed.
"Sane enough to stay behind the line, yet mad enough to take the leap when given the chance to just See what's on the other side. They're prideful and arrogant, and really only the ancient Witches and Wizards can ever truly back up that pride, that arrogance, but it makes them so endearing. That instinct to always stay in control of chaos."
Wonder, always watching, always curious. Never stopping and never controlling. The basis of thought. The basis of Him.
"Death has told me stories of her creations, of her children. Prideful, stubborn, jaded, protectors, warriors. Their instinct to protect the Abandoned, the Balance, and to even protect the Living through fighting and routine. Never straying far from traditions, but always willing to lay down their lives for their purpose of creation.
"Living for thousands of years, Her children see everything and yet, they see nothing at all. Unfortunately content to continue the cycle of traditions, of corruption. But, they always stay true to themselves. Never in denial of what they are, what they once were. Only ever in denial about what they can be. Their jadedness isn't even a fault on their part. That One is who's at fault. And when That One is finally gone... I am excited to see what will become of you Shinigami. Of what you will finally be able to be."
Battle, eternally hungry, eternally singing. Never quitting and never defeated. The basis of emotion. The basis of Her.
Ichigo smiles, full of a singing hunger for the unknown, the beautiful insanity of chaos, and the fascinating yearning for battle. She laughs quietly and turns her head to stare at Rukia.
Rukia stares back at the Sacred that has wormed her way into her life's routine, eyes wide and breath stalling.
The setting sun casts glowing orange rays over Ichigo's own messy waves of sunset hair. Freckled skin shining coldly underneath the light, putting all focus on gleaming sharp teeth. Warm brown eyes with cold golden hues piercing through Rukia's very soul. The coldly welcoming presence of Hahanoshi-sama Herself coalescing with Ichigo's searingly icy presence of a stubborn, fate shattering, ethereal, bloodthirsty protector.
"Sacred Childe, as long as you accept my friendship, nothing will harm you without severe consequences. Death does not show mercy to those who harm my people, and I fight to protect my people. I will kill to protect my people. Whatever you're afraid of, it will not bother you here," Ichigo states as she pulls Rukia's limp hand closer to herself.
Rukia continues to stay frozen, staring at this wondrous, otherworldly female. She watches, almost detached from herself, as Ichigo presses her sharp thumbnail against Rukia's wrist. She doesn't pull back her hand, even if she probably should.
Byakuya gently cradles Rukia's wrist with his calloused hands. He watches for any sign of fear that Rukia, without a doubt, is internally feeling. The tall grass around the sways in the gentle breeze. Wood chimes only seem like a distant echo now.
Rukia thinks she should have pulled back her hand when Byakuya presses his meticulously maintained thumbnail against her wrist. She flinches when it pierces the skin.
Neither flinch when the nail pierces through the skin. Shocks of electricity travels up Rukia's arm and into her entire body as her muscles spasm from the sudden surge of the presence in the room. Pushing, pulling, singing, screaming, laughing, crying. A typhoon of catastrophe and miracle.
Rukia feels the earth below her feet fall away and swallow her whole. The sudden presence suffocates her own as it surges around the empty field behind the Kuchiki Manor. Humming, speaking, roaring, ripping, shoving. A deep pit of unshakable walls and endless integrity.
Sacred Childe, you will See.
Sacred Childe, you will Learn.
Sacred Childe, do you accept my Blessing?
Hey! Hope you all like the new chapter!
Sorry for the long wait for the update! I had gotten incredibly busy with work, and then I got BACK into One Piece after a 3 year break, had an existential crisis because I was 500 episodes behind, then I got hyperfixated on it.
I hope this chapter is as good as I think it is! Due to how long it had been since I started writing this chapter, I originally forgot where I wanted to go with it. So, this will be a fillerish chapter kinda thing? I guess. I don't know. You decide.
Oh! and That One... is not the person you all are probably thinking.
I hope you all are enjoying the story so far! And hopefully next chapter will be out sooner than this one... Bye!
WhovianWhoudini