Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Minutes to Midnight ❯ Immoral Melody ( Chapter 6 )

Title: Immoral Melody

Characters: Ichigo, Gin, Aizen, Urahara, Nel Tu, Ulquiorra

Rating: T
Warning: Language

Words: 2383

Description: Las Noches is invaded. Yet again.

 

 

Three weeks had passed since Ichigo had set foot in Las Noches. He had adjusted rather quickly, all things considered, learning how to navigate his way around the complicated structure. He rarely ran into the Espada, except for Nel and occasionally Stark, and spent a good portion of his time in the library or the training arena.

 

And then, there was Gin. He and the former captain had somehow become fast friends, and before he knew it, it was hard to find one of them without the other. Which seemed fine. The man was smarter than those in Soul Society had given him credit. And he was easier to talk to than a lot of the Shinigami Ichigo had known.

Today was no exception.

 

“Urahara tried, but it was useless,” Ichigo responded with a faint grimace, thinking of the multiple times he had made himself explode.

 

Walking next to him, Gin shook his head. “Ya've plenty of time now. No harm in tryin'.” He paused, tilting his head to the side. “Izuru-chan said I'm a great teacher.”

 

Ichigo hedged, contemplating. The topic, of course, was kidoh and Ichigo's lack of ability. Gin had offered to help him learn a few spells, but Ichigo was hesitant. It wasn't that he lacked the power to properly use them, more that they were often too strong for him to control. Not to mention the complicated wording and concentration involved often threw him for a loop, and then, something dangerous would spiral into destruction.

 

He was on the verge of conceding defeat. Grudgingly willing to admit that it might be in his best interest to learn, when the sound came echoing through the halls of Las Noches, diligently seeking him out.

 

“Itsygoooooo!”

 

He braced himself, knowing it was futile to resist.

 

Within seconds, he was being swamped by a green-haired Espada, childish eyes blinking up at him with excited innocence as Nel clung to his chest. Her fingers clutched onto the fabric of his clothing, and he automatically grabbed her under her arms to keep her from sliding back to the floor. It was a habit he had long learned to accept.

 

“Nel?”

 

She grinned toothily at him. “Aizen-thama's callin' yoooo! And Gin-chan!” she announced energetically before clambering up over his chest and perching on his shoulder like some sort of Hollow parrot.

 

Ichigo blinked, shifting to accommodate her weight as her right hand clutched onto his head for balance. He ignored Gin's snickers of amusement.

 

“Okay.” Ichigo slid his gaze to his friend, suspecting that if anyone knew why, it would be Aizen's closest confidante. “What for?”

 

The former captain shrugged. “Dunno.”

 

“Someone's broke in!” Nel proclaimed as though this sort of thing happened all the time.

 

Of course, it was entirely probable. Ichigo had just walked in, after all, even if he had been expected.

 

Gin lifted a brow. “Someone? Who?”

 

The little Arrancar shook her head, fingers tightening briefly in Ichigo's hair and causing him to wince. “I dunno. Ul-chan's gone ta meet 'im!”

 

Gin made a noncommittal sound in his throat before tipping his head. “Guess we better go then.” He turned his gaze up towards Nel. “Where?”

 

“Da throne room!”

 

Ichigo reached up, patting Nel on the head. “Guess that's that. You coming?”

She grinned, nearly slobbering on his hair. He sincerely hoped she wouldn't. That stuff was fucking hard as hell to wash out.

 

And on they went.

 

*****

 

“What's going on?” Ichigo asked as he stepped into the throne room, noticeably devoid of all the other Espada. Even Stark, the highest ranking.

 

Gin entered behind him as Nel bounced on his shoulder.

 

“I found Itsygo, Aizen-thama!” she announced, much to Gin's amusement, despite the fact that it was plainly obvious.

 

Aizen gave her a fatherly smile. “So I see,” he responded before switching his gaze to Ichigo. “It appears we have an unexpected visitor.”

 

An uncomfortable feeling settled in Ichigo's chest, having had the wonder before about something like this happening. “Are they after me?”

 

“Perhaps,” Aizen conceded. “We shall have to see what he wants.”

 

“He?” Gin repeated, his smile losing some of its wide edge.

 

His former captain merely returned with a enigmatic, small grin. Gin's question was never answered, the door behind them suddenly cracking open. All three, the two men and Nel, turned towards it.

 

They first caught sight of Ulquiorra, standing against the door and gesturing inwards with a pale hand. His emerald gaze flickered briefly towards Aizen as the visitor stepped inside before Ulquiorra left the throne room, closing the door carefully behind him.

 

Ichigo blinked in utter surprise. “Geta-boushi?” he exclaimed, managing to be both relieved and worried at the same time. “What are you doing here?”

 

“Kurosaki-kun!” Urahara declared.

 

And then suddenly, Ichigo was swamped in a large, masculine hug, nearly crushed against Urahara's chest.

 

“I was worried about you,” a voice breathed near his ear.

 

Nel hurriedly scrambled away and leapt to Gin's shoulder, taking up a new perch. Her eyes watched Ichigo with interest as she wisely kept her silence. The boy absolutely froze in surprise, unsure what do to. The only people who really hugged him were his sisters, though Isshin tried rather unsuccessfully. And the last adult who had hugged him like this was his mother.

 

He had every intention of extracting himself from the unprecedented display of affection, until he caught a glimpse of Urahara's expression beneath the hat. There was no hint of teasing on the man's face. He was genuinely glad to see Ichigo, genuinely relieved that the boy was doing well.

 

After that, there was no way he could pull apart. Ichigo lifted his hands and returned the gesture, allowing it to show his own relief. If Urahara was in Hueco Mundo, then perhaps everyone was okay.

 

A minute later, Urahara pulled back, shadowed eyes searching Ichigo's face as though looking for something important. Ichigo racked his brain for something to say. But he was saved from doing so when Aizen cleared his throat rather noisily.

 

“Kisuke,” he said from above them, a touch of amusement in his voice. “What a surprise.”

 

The geta-boushi looked up at Aizen, his usual mischievous grin stealing onto his face. “Why, Sou-kun, is that your way of saying that you missed me?” he asked slyly.

 

Aizen's lips twitched. “Only you would take it as such.”

 

There was a chuckle as Urahara noticeably raked his gaze from the floor to the throne and repeating the motion twice more. “Compensating for something are we? How do you get up there?”

 

“I wondered the same damn thing,” Ichigo muttered under his breath, inwardly wondering why Urahara would call Aizen something as familiar as “Sou-kun.”

 

Beside him, Gin chuckled and shook his head, which a shadowed gaze did not fail to notice. Urahara's lips curled into a mischievous grin, an “oh-ho!” murmured under his breath.

 

“I see you have finally graced us with your presence,” Aizen redirected, voice taking on its own form of teasing, which proceeded to shock Ichigo even further.

 

Urahara's fan snapped out of the mysterious fourth dimension he normally kept it, and he spoke behind the waving paper. “It was getting a mite uncomfortable at the shop,” he explained. “So we took a vacation, and of course, I couldn't entirely stop worrying about Kurosaki-kun here.”

 

He took the opportunity to sling his free arm over Ichigo's shoulder, as though they were the best of buddies, grinning like a damn fool. His eyes slid briefly to Gin, thoroughly amused by the brief flash of jealously he saw in the younger man's expression.

 

Ichigo snorted. “A vacation?” he repeated doubtfully. “Is that all?”

 

“Of course not!” Urahara declared. “I also came bearing gifts!”

 

He was even more skeptical than before. “Gifts?”

 

The shop owner grinned, snapping his fan shut and digging into an inner pocket. He immediately produced a handful of envelopes, all of which he handed over to Ichigo with a flourish.

 

“What's this?” the boy asked, taking them and glancing over the fronts. They were all addressed to him from various people.

 

“Letters! From your family and friends,” Urahara helpfully informed him.

 

Ichigo thumbed through the envelopes. “I can see that,” he growled, mentally taking stock of who had written him. “Thanks,” he added absentmindedly.

 

One from his sisters. Something like a letter from his dad. One each from Yoruichi, Kon, and Hanatarou. And then, it looked like Orihime sent him one, but it was in Ishida's handwriting. Which meant the sew-happy bastard must have “translated” Orihime-babble into something Ichigo could understand.

 

Urahara grinned as though amused by Ichigo's annoyed response. “I brought news as well. From Soul Society.”

 

“Oh?” Aizen's interested tone filtered down from his throne. “Do share, Kisuke.”

 

He was ignored as the geta-boushi turned to look at Ichigo instead, lifting an appraising brow at his choice of clothing. “The change in attire suits you,” he remarked, arm still around the boy's shoulders.

 

Ichigo shifted awkwardly, one hand pulling unconsciously at a slim sleeve. “I guess. Why'd you come here? I thought you were leaving with Yoruichi-san and the others.”

 

“I was,” he replied brightly. “But then, I decided to come here. I missed you, and I knew Sousuke would need me if he wanted to win.”

 

Aizen barely refrained from rolling his eyes. “The news, Kisuke,” he reminded with a hint of exasperation. “What is Soul Society doing?”

 

The teasing glint all but disappeared as Urahara registered the request but kept his attention on Ichigo. “They're looking for you, Kurosaki-kun,” he explained, much to Ichigo's concern. “Don't be surprised if they show up in Hueco Mundo.”

 

“I believe Gin and Ichigo-kun are already working on that,” Aizen inserted before addressing Ichigo. “And as long as you are in the walls of Las Noches, they will not be able to sense you.”

 

“Well, it's not like I wanted to leave or anything,” the teenager responded with a faint shrug, half his interest on the letters in his hands.

 

Nel giggled at that as Gin smiled.

 

“Ah, Ichigo-kun likes us,” he chirped.

 

A hearty blush stained Ichigo's cheeks. Something the geta-boushi did not fail to notice since he was already standing so close to his student.

 

Urahara smirked, finally deigning to turn his attention back to Aizen. “They've not taken Kurosaki-kun's disappearance well. His friends are quite worried.”

 

“Friends?” Ichigo sniffed. He had told everyone who mattered what he was doing.

 

“Abarai-fukutaichou and Kuchiki-san are quite worried,” Urahara corrected. “They have no idea what's been happening.”

 

Ichigo frowned. If Rukia and Renji knew nothing then he couldn't claim that they had betrayed him. Was it possible that only a few knew of Yamamoto's plans? It made sense that the old geezer would want to keep it to himself.

 

“And the soutaichou?” Aizen pressed. “How is he reacting?”

 

The fan snapped back open. “As if he knows nothing at all,” Urahara said in a somewhat flippant tone that failed to hide his disgust. “But he suspects that Ukitake and Shunsui are coming to a realization. He may face a mutiny in the future. In fact, he fears it. Especially since the both of them remain so fond of both you and Kurosaki-kun,” he added with a pointed glance from Aizen to his student.

 

Aizen frowned, gesturing faintly with his fingers. “And the others?”

 

“Unsure,” the shop owner replied with a shrug. “They do not know if Kurosaki-kun's absence is due to some new enemy. Perhaps the Vizard. Or even you.”

 

“Well, he is here.” Aizen smirked. “But of his own choice. Correct, Ichigo-kun?”

 

Ichigo snorted, folding his arms over his chest after safely tucking away his letters to be read later. “They probably think you murdered me or something. What about the shop, Urahara-san?”

 

The smile that took over the geta-boushi's face was nothing less than mischievous. “It's not there. We took it with us.”

 

Ichigo blinked. “What? You just left an empty lot behind?”

 

“Of course!” Urahara beamed, waving his fan in front of his face. “As if I would leave my precious shouten for Soul Society to pillage.”

 

Ichigo sighed, feeling a headache coming on. “I should have known.”

 

“Is that it then?” Aizen asked, drawing the attention back to the important parts of the conversation.

 

The fan snapped shut and then promptly vanished into some invisible pocket. “You know how it works. Nothing truly major has happened, so they are still slow to react.”

 

“I see.”

 

A moment of silence swept through the throne room as those within fell quiet, absorbing Urahara's sudden appearance and revelatory words. Gin looked between his former captain and the geta-boushi, sudden understanding dawning.

 

“Well, we still need ta practice, don't we, Ichigo-kun?” he suddenly announced.

 

Ichigo blinked. “What?”

 

But Gin already had him around the arm and was pulling him towards the exit, Nel giving an excited yell at getting to spend time around her two favorites.

 

“What about Urahara-san?” Ichigo protested loudly.

 

“Oh, I think I'm going to stay here,” the geta-boushi chimed, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Catch up and all that with Sou-kun. Have fun, Kurosaki-kun. We'll meet up later.”

 

Gin's grin widened as he refused to let go of Ichigo. “Exactly,” he chirped. “No need ta break our momentum.”

 

Ichigo groaned at the thought.

 

“Yer getting' better,” Gin assured him.

 

“Not fast enough for my pride,” Ichigo retorted, his face and tone dangerously nearing a sulk.

 

The door slammed shut behind them as the last of Urahara's comments filtered to their ears. “Ne, Sou-kun. Have a thing for attractive followers do you?”

 

Ichigo craned his neck to look behind them at the closed door, confusion warring in his expression. “What was that about?”

 

“Didn't ya know?” Gin asked, finally deigning to release his captive.

 

The younger Vizard stumbled a bit and turned around, regaining his balance only to have it questioned as Nel leapt back to her perch. “Know what?”

 

“Aizen-taichou and Urahara-taichou used to be special friends.”

 

The angry lines of confusion furrowed Ichigo's forehead. “What the hell does that mean?”

 

“Does it matter?” Gin chimed merrily and dismissively. “More importantly, we should get started on kidoh.”

 

Nel cheered. “I can help!” she declared.

 

Ichigo groaned again.

 

*****