Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Seeds of Destruction ❯ The 3 Way Crossing ( Chapter 5 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

By: BDP

5. Whispers in the dark - The 3-way crossing

“Hah— haah-aahh—”

“Again, Ichigo! Motto!”

Swords clashed once more in a frenetic rhythm as the training took on a more aggressive character and the frequency of exploding rocks in the enormous underground training place increased with one every 3 seconds.

Urahara was sitting with Ururu, Jinta and Yoruichi near the ladder having a little picnic as they looked at the spectacle that happened in the distance.

“Kisuke-san, your tea, sir,” Ururu whispered, holding up a cup of warm green liquid up to him.

The shop owner took the cup in his hands with a grateful smile and then resumed his observation of Ichigo's fight with Rukia.

“He's still using too much spirit power in comparison to what he used to need,” Yoruichi spoke, sitting with her legs crossed on a higher pile of rocks. She shook her head at Ururu's offer of cookies with her tea and sighed. “At this rate, he won't last long and we're running out of time.”

“But you have to admit that he's been going for 5 days straight,” Jinta said with an amazed look in his eyes. “He sure is strong.”

Urahara took a sip of his tea and silently continued to watch the fight.

“GETSUGA—”

“Kisuke,” Yoruichi softly said, sliding off from her rock. “He needs a break.”

“TENSHOU!”

Rukia didn't even move from her position as Ichigo send her his most lethal attack, watching how the white crescent passed right next to her. “You need a break, Ichigo.”

“Hell… no!” He breathed back, leaning down on his Zangetsu. He wiped away a few sweat drops from his right temple with the back of his hand and lifted his blade again. “Ikimashou, Rukia!”

Urahara stood and began walking to them. Over the past 5 days Ichigo had grown a little stronger, but he was far from the objective they had all set for him to achieve. He even lost his ability to use his Bankai now that his body couldn't handle the excess of effort that required…

No matter how much he knew the orange haired youth would not want to hear nor admit it, the truth was that he seemed to grow weaker with every day that they spent here training. It was like the Hollow was keeping him from accessing the power Urahara knew Ichigo still had in him. He just wondered how they'd be able to access them without having to confront the boy's alter ego.

And like Yoruichi had said, time was becoming a pressing issue.

Orihime was already showing even though there hasn't even been a week that has passed since she was forcefully impregnated. Her spirit force was still too weak for her to endure a spiritual cleansing of her body and he wondered if they would be able to save her if they tried to extract the unborn child from her womb now.

To his request, he had kept the others from informing Ichigo from the growing problem, having decided that the additional weight of that news would slow him down in his training. Yet, now that he had noticed the stagnation in the boy's growth, he would willingly risk that in the hope that it would boost him further into training harder.

“You imbecile! I said “You need a break”! It was not a suggestion, but an order.”

“Tch,” Ichigo disdainfully whispered, still holding his blade pointed at Rukia. “Who the hell are you to give me orders?”

A vein popped out of Rukia's forehead and she placed her hands on her hips. “Look, I can either make you go take a break or you can go on your own!”

“Like I said,” Ichigo smirked, “Who are you to give me orders?”

“That's it!” Rukia unsheathed her sword again and pointed it at him. “I'm gonna make you take that goddamned break!”

A renewed smirk appeared on Ichigo's lips and he took in a battle stance. “Bring it.”

“Now, now kids!”

Out of the blue, Urahara was suddenly standing in between them, clapping his hands. “Time for a break! Anyone wants some tea? Ururu just made some and I must say—”

“No thanks, Urahara-san,” Ichigo said taking in his battle position again. “I don't need a break.”

Urahara turned his head towards him with a questioning look. “Sure you do, Kurosaki-san.”

Rukia lowered her blade and sheathed it. “You really do, Ichigo.”

“Don't make me make you!” Urahara happily said, waving with his cane.

“Tch… maybe it wouldn't hurt to give you a breather, Rukia,” Ichigo then said, lowering his Zangetsu with a small chuckle.

“I'll ask Renji to come tomorrow, if that's alright with you, Ichigo,” Rukia said, smirking. “That way I can watch him beat the crap out of you.”

“At least he'll be a challenge!” Ichigo retorted with a defiant smirk.

Rukia smiled at his unwavering determination and nodded before walking away in the direction of the ladder.

“Urahara-san,” Ichigo began, but got cut off by the blonde man himself.

“Kurosaki-san,” Urahara said giving him a reprimanding look from underneath his bucket hat. “Even though things aren't going as fast as you wished they'd go, knowing when to take a break is also part of the training. The body needs rest after a great effort, the soul is no different.”

Ichigo sighed and sat himself down on a nearby pile of rocks.

“Don't let your worries for Inoue-san have the better of you. Training heartlessly with only revenge as sole purpose is not going to give you the desired effect,” the former captain wisely spoke. “Inoue-san is counting on you to return to her safe and sound. Take it as your responsibility to not deceive her with that.”

Ichigo closed his eyes and nodded. He had been fighting with his heart filled with hatred and had only set his goals on gaining powers as fast and as much as possible. Urahara was right and he had to think of Orihime who would be waiting for him to return to her in one piece.

“Ururu, Jinta!” Urahara then merrily called, orienting himself to the exit where both kids were still sitting with Yoruichi. “Could you go prepare a nice warm bath for Kurosaki-san?”

“Arigatou,” Ichigo whispered, standing upon his feet.

Urahara waved his fan in front of his face. “Please… don't mention it! You smell like you need one!”

With an annoyed look Ichigo turned around to walk on. “Gee… thanks.”

____________________________________________

Absolute darkness surrounded her while her body floated somewhere in the immense nothingness. How long had it been since she'd been here? Hours? Days? It was so hard to keep a track on time when everything around you was engulfed in an impenetrable darkness.

Then, like a drop that falls on the surface of water, her feet landed and a glowing green field appeared around her.

She was lying in the high, wavy grass now and the sky above her was of the clearest blue, with no clouds in sight.

She sat up and looked around, finding the same scenery for as far as her eyes could see.

“You finally came to visit me, Orihime.”

Orihime turned in the direction of the voice and gasped in shock.

“Don't be afraid, please. It's only me…”

Orihime shook her head and squinted her eyes in disbelieve. “Onii-chan?”

The young, brown haired man smiled and nodded. “Orihime-chan, I've been waiting for you for so long.”

Orihime still couldn't believe what she was seeing and began to stand. “You've been waiting?”

He nodded, still smiling.

She bit her lower lip and placed her right arm against her chest as in defence. This couldn't be her brother Sora. Her brother died in a car accident a long time ago. It had to be some kind of a trick.

“If you're truly my brother,” she whispered, “then tell me what I told him the last time I saw him.”

The young man chuckled and shook his head in amusement. “You created me, Orihime. I'm a part of you.”

“Answer the question, please,” Orihime whispered, taking a step back.

He smiled and placed his hands on his hips. “Alright,” he sighed, “you didn't tell me anything before I left that morning.”

Orihime balled her fists, realising he was right, but still not trusting him. “Why didn't I?”

“Why?” He echoed.

Now we'll see…

“Because you thought that those hairpins I gave you and that you're now wearing were too childish.”

Orihime had no other choice but to admit that he was right and took a shaky breath as he approached her.

“Don't be afraid. I'm the brother you still have alive in your heart. I have no reason to harm you.”

“B-But how?” She breathed, not understanding how she could even see him now.

“This is your interior world, Orihime,” he said, placing a hand on her cheek. “I exist here as the representation of your Shun Shun Rikka; the power of your soul.”

“This is how my inner world looks like?” she whispered, looking around in growing awe. “But, what am I doing here? How did I even get here?”

“Questions.”

She turned to him. “Eh?”

He took a step closer and placed his arms on her shoulders, turning her around to show her a suddenly very different scenery. “You're here because of the questions that have been tormenting your soul.”

The land she was looking at now was dying and looked more and more as a desert the further she looked.

“When you let yourself be taken over by a strong feeling of despair, this is what happens here,” Sora explained. “Though usually you always keep a glint of hope existing within yourself,” he now pointed at the speckles of green here and there, “it seems like, this time even that is starting to disappear.”

One of the green spots vanished before her very eyes.

“The events of the passing days have deeply troubled your inner balance.”

Orihime instinctively placed her hands on her lower belly and closed her eyes. “Something is growing within me with rapid speed and I'm too afraid of what it'll become.”

“Ichigo's child or the Hollow's.” Sora pointed to his left to something up in the sky and she saw a bright, glittering cloud of white smoke up there.

“Nande?”

“It's the being that is growing within you, Orihime. It has indeed been developing itself with amazing speed and will be part of this world very soon.”

“Very soon?” She asked with growing worry, “how soon is `Very soon'?”

“A month, if not within 3weeks already.”

“N-Nani?” Orihime found it hard to breathe as she was suddenly taken over by immense fear. “T-that's not possible…”

“Orihime,” Sora whispered gently. “There is a way for you to find the strength and the answers you need.”

“What am I supposed to do?” She shakily whispered.

“Come with me,” he spoke, reaching out to her. “It's time you find out what answers your inner self has to offer.”

Orihime blinked a few times and placed her slightly trembling hand in his.

Immediately the scenery changed around them again and it was night. They were now standing on a 3-way crossing.

“These,” Sora explained, “are the 3 paths you can choose from to find the answers to your inner torment.

Higashi no Komichi. The East stands for beginnings.” He turned to the road on her right. “On this path you'll return to your origins, Orihime. You'll lose your powers and in that way erase everything that came out of them from the moment you used them for the first time.” He then looked at the road stretching itself behind him. “Kita no Komichi. The North stands for constancy. You'll return to Ichigo here, but nothing will have changed. You'll still be pregnant and you'll retain your powers. No change will occur in your powers and you'll remain at the level you are now.”

Orihime nodded in determination and he turned to the last path that was on her left. “Nishi no Komichi,” Sora continued, “The West, stands for change and alteration.”

She frowned slightly. “Aren't those the same thing?”

“Iye,” he shook his head. “Notice how all previous paths brought known existent or non-existent change to your physical status or powers. You've known how life without your powers felt like. You know how you were when you weren't pregnant. And of course your current state is something you're aware of as well. The Western Path,” he looked at the road, “Doesn't offer any comfort of such knowledge.” His eyes focused on her again. “The change stands for a difference in your spiritual power and the alteration stands for a difference in your physical and emotional status. In other words, your powers could grow stronger or weaken and you may experience endless happiness and pleasure or more torment and pain.”

“In short,” Orihime whispered, “it's the path of my destiny.”

Sora nodded. “A destiny that is still in the making, Orihime.”

She took a shaky breath and turned to the Eastern Path again. “Path of my past… A path I've already walked.”

Sora came to stand next to her. “A past you could reject and rebuild if you choose to take it.”

She then turned to the Northern Path. “Path of my present… A path filled with trials, pain and torment, but…” She smiled softly, “A path… that has Ichigo in it…”

Sora nodded with a small smile. “Your beacon of strength.”

Orihime nodded in turn. “I risk changing this future, no matter how painful it is at times, if I chose to go back and change everything our friends and us have been through. And that is something I just—” She oriented herself to the Western Path with a determined look on her face, “—can't do.”

“Have you chosen your path?” Sora asked looking down the Western Path that seemed to go on for miles and miles on end.

“I won't let despair destroy this world's fields of green.”

Sora smiled and silently nodded. “Trust in me and in the power of your soul, Orihime.”

Orihime nodded solemnly and took a step forward. “My destiny lies in my own hands.” She then turned to him a last time. “I'll try and come to visit more often, onii-san! Thank you for everything!”

The brown haired man nodded and waved at her. “I'll be looking forward to your next visit, nee-chan! Be strong.”

“Yes,” she said, turning around again. She took a deep breath before breaking down in a run. “Bye, Sora-nii!”

He watched her running for a while before he turned his eyes up to the sky and noticed how the transparent, glittering cloud of smoke slowly began to grow in mass and to turn into an ominous black colour.

“Gambatte ne, Orihime…”

He closed his eyes and began to walk away, disappearing into nothing as he went.

____________________________________________

With a stretched out sigh Ichigo lowered himself in the extremely hot water of the tub, wincing now and then when it caused his superficial wounds to slightly sting.

He closed his eyes and let his mind drift away on a gentle stream of incoherent thoughts. Rukia was suddenly standing there wearing a ridiculous cake-costume with her arms and legs sticking out like some sort of funny protrusions. He suddenly craved for cake, having heard his stomach growl with hunger and he chased after her, but somehow she seemed to be able of evading all of his Getsuga Tenshous with ease, making him only hungrier and crankier. Renji appeared out of nowhere and chased after her with him but once Ichigo cast a look at him he couldn't help but look at his friend with an amused grin. He asked his red haired companion why on earth his body was that of a baboon and received a vicious left paw in his right eye and a whole lot of non-comprehensible monkey screeches and high pitched shrieks. Ichigo simply walked away from the infuriated Renji-faced baboon that bounced up and down in a fit.

He was all of a sudden aware of someone calling his name in the distance. He searched for the source of the voice -for God knows what reason- in the middle of a forest made out of trees that had unevenly serrated blades as trunks. He searched and searched for the proprietor of that voice that sounded so familiar to him, for what seemed hours until he finally arrived at an opening in the woods where he found a large, black, with tribal signs ornamented box standing there with a dark haired woman sitting on it.

Her back was to him, and she was humming a soft tune and apparently did not notice that he was there.

Ichigo called to her softly, wondering if it had been she who had been calling him. She didn't seem to hear him and hummed on.

He decided to approach her, but suddenly found himself unable to do so as his feet were stuck in the gooey substance that had at first been grass. Ichigo called to her again while at the same time he tried to free himself from the green puddle that kept him from taking another step.

This time she heard him and she slowly began to turn her face around, halting when she faced fully to her side.

He could only see the underside of her face from behind the black curtain of her hair that fell in such a manner that her eyes went hidden. Her rosy lips curled into a malevolent smirk and Ichigo halted in his movements.

When next she spoke, her voice sounded like a mixture of many voices mashed together that sent shivers up his spine.

“We've been waiting.”

All air left his lungs when she fully turned around and her cold black eyes with yellow irises met his.

This couldn't be…

“Ori… hime…?”

She stood and cocked her head to the side as she contemplated him with a nearly loving gaze. “Now the fun part can begin! I hope you're ready,” she giggled and then burst into a maniacal laughter. “Because I'm coming for you, Ichigo!”

He suddenly fell through the gooey substance his feet were stuck in and he found himself surrounded in the deepest darkness and deprived from oxygen for what seemed an eternity before a pair of gentle, yet strong arms lifted him up and exposed him to air. He recalled smelling a faint flowery perfume that he had always associated with—

Orihime…

Ichigo broke through the surface of his bathwater with a loud gasp, blinking his eyes open and seeing nothing but blurry dots of dancing colours for a while before he realised where he was.

He fell asleep?

“Ichigo!”

Ichigo turned towards the door and saw Jinta standing there, breathing heavily as if he had just run a mile at top speed. “Ichigo!”

Setting the memory of his disturbing dream to the side, he rubbed the excess water from his eyes and asked the boy what was wrong for him to be in such a state.

“Kisuke-san sent me! It's Inoue-san! There's something wrong with her!”

Not even 5 seconds later Ichigo had clad himself in a fresh yukata and was running down the corridor towards Orihime's room.

A loud explosion was then heard that made the entire house tremble on its foundations.

When Ichigo and Jinta arrived at Orihime's room, they were both surprised to see the level of devastation that had left the room in a barely recognisable state. Tessai had been knocked unconscious in a corner of the chamber.

“What the hell—” Ichigo began, but felt like his insides were about to be turned inside out and he fell on his knees as his limbs suddenly felt like lead.

He knew what it was, he had felt it before.

Urahara stood with his back to him and was staring at something above him. One of his hands was placed on his back with its palm open in his direction. “I can't allow you to interfere, Kurosaki-san,” he whispered. “Stay back.”

A restraining spell.

Ichigo lifted his eyes up to the ceiling of the room and could've sworn that he was hallucinating.

A rip had created itself in the ceiling and inside, Hollow Ichigo was holding a seemingly lifeless Orihime in his arms. Her face, that was tilted back, was pale and her right arm dangled underneath her. Her long light brown hair was beginning to change into a darker colour from the base down and the hairpins she always wore in it fell off her head and onto the floor of the room.

“ORIHIME!” Ichigo cried, unable to move.

“Pathetic!” Hollow Ichigo sneered, “she should've left you a long time ago!”

“GIVE HER BACK! ORIHIME!”

“She can't hear you, you know,” the Hollow said with a smirk as he looked at her lovingly. “She's already under my influence and soon, we'll make but one she and I. And then,” he shifted his amber eyes on Ichigo. “We'll wipe you out of existence!”

“YOU ASSHOLE! LET HER GO RIGHT NOW!”

The Hollow only laughed his cackling laugh and disappeared behind the rip as it closed itself, leaving no trace of him or Orihime.

Ichigo could feel the spell wear out on him and he crawled onto his feet, running into the room even though he knew it was too late.

“ORIHIMEEEEEEEE!”

She was gone.

____________________________________________

Japanese Vocabulary List

-Ganbate ne: Do your best

-Higashi no Komichi: Path of the West

-Ikimashou: Let's go

-Iye: No

-Kita no Komichi: Path of the North

-Motto: More

-Nande: What

-Nani: What

-Nishi no Komichi: Path of the West

-Onii-chan: Big brother (Sora-nii= brother Sora)

-Yukata: A light version of a Kimono. Used as a bathrobe here.

Yes, I see the foolishness of my previous words now and I shouldn't have asked for reviews, it made me sound greedy and that's not the image I want you peeps to have of me out there! Honto ni gomen minna-san! It wasn't fair towards those of you who DO read and review each time! Domo Arigato to all of you!

Please look out for next week's chapter!

Next Week: 6. Innocence Lost - Scarlet Tears

To be continued…

-BDP-