Memories of a Broken Soul

Chapter 14: Enough Courage to Trust You

Disclaimer: Ask me no questions and I will tell you no lies. So don't ask me if I own bleach... because I don't.

Hello there earthlings, I am back to torment- aham* entertain people with my fanfictions and not so frequent updates! Ha-ha-ha *evil laughter

Now for those of you that have bad memory –I am totally included in that batch of people, I had to reread my own story jajaja- previously on MoBS:

The youngest of the Shiba clan Wataru is still missing at the edge of the second district 5km west from the main town. Ichigo has gone looking for Haruka only to find an assassin and Haruka down with poison in her system. He apprehends the guy while getting hurt and hurries to the 4th division to treat Haruka all while Shiba Ryōtarō meets his demise at the hand of the enemy's underhanded methods. Shunsui and Jūshirō hear the news and search for their friend in hopes that he'll be able to pull through and follow him all the way the 4th. What will happen next?

#14#

By the time Shunsui and Jūshirō had stormed into the fourth division barracks Ichigo's fluctuating reiatsu had long since arrived. They sped up ever so slightly their stalk-like walk as they entered the dead silent medical bay and tried to track down their orange-haired friend all the way to the waiting room. Once they rounded the last corner the two stopped on their tracks as they found Ichigo sitting silently on a lonely chair in the darkest corner. He had his head bowed, his hunched figure looking foreign on their strong friend with the odd combination of a blood stained Shihakusho.

Shunsui quickly snapped out of his stupor and walked across the waiting room in three steps top before kneeling down before the silent orange head. He placed a shaking hand on the other's shoulder and was slightly shocked when Ichigo didn't show signs of responding.

"Hey..." the brunette whispered his tone thick and shaky as his eyes glazed over with unhidden worry "Ichigo?"

The only reaction the orange head gave was a slight twitch of his shoulders that didn't betray a thing. Jūshirō quickly came forward as well and joined Shunsui on the other side of his best friend as he placed a firmer hand on Ichigo's unoccupied shoulder.

"Ichigo... where's Haruka?"

This gave an even bigger reaction, and Jūshirō was almost ready to give up until the orange head hesitantly raised his head so that his blank brown eyes and pale features were in plain sight.

"Haruka?"

"Exactly Ichigo, where's Haruka? Why are you in the medical bay? I thought you would want to be back at the manor with her." Prodded on the white-haired boy. This had been the only thing that had actually given a reaction so he might as well use it.

"...Haruka is in operation..." he rasped out, the words gorgy and dazed as if Ichigo barely knew what he was talking about.

"Haruka-chan is?!" exclaimed the brunette, not at all sure what the hell was going on as he stood up and looked around to see if this wasn't some sort of sick nightmare.

"What happened, Ichigo? What's going on?" whispered the white-haired boy as if he were scared someone would ease drop. This was getting more and more confusing.

"We were..." mumbled the orange head, his voice distant as his mind was suddenly elsewhere. "We were... attacked...? Again."

"There's been a breach in the defense! Everyone get out now!"

"Tou-san went to look for Wataru." Ichigo numbly spoke up "He- Wataru disappeared from the camp."

"Ichigo, I'll go look for your sisters! You go and fend off the intruders!"