Ichigo's Nightingale
IchigoXUnohana

A.N.: Two-Shot! I got the idea from this after reading Price of Power and I figured that it would be a good idea for a story. I originally planned to make this a one-shot but it just kept going on and on so I decided to make it a two-parter.
Disclaimer: I don't own bleach.
Warning:

After Aizen was sealed away….
Kisuke POV

Kisuke rushed over to the fallen Ichigo, knowing that his powers were now fading away like dust in the wind. Behind him lay Aizen, entombed within a seal of both Kisuke's prowess and his own hubris. Before him lay the substitute Soul Reaper writhing in pain unconscious. Orihime, Chad, Uryu, Rukia, Renji and the other captains were hurrying to the boy's side. Nearby many of the captains who weren't completely wrecked (*cough*Toshiro *cough) approached the boy concerned. Next to him Yoruichi appeared, recovered from her ordeal.

Rukia shook Ichigo and her face was full of panic. "Ichigo! Ichigo! What's wrong?" Turning to the others she shouted to them. "Somebody help! Ichigo's hurt!"

"No…" Uryu interjected. He could sense the dwindling sensation within Ichigo and knew from experience what was happening. "He's losing his powers… nothing we do now can help him…."

The others paled at what the Quincy said. After everything Ichigo had done, to lose everything….

Orihime was on the verge of tears. "Isn't…isn't there something we can do?"

Crouching down, Kisuke examined Ichigo, reaching into his pocket. "There is something I can do but…."

"But what?" Chad asked.

Kisuke's eyes narrowed. "I can help him but…the consequences Ichigo will have to bear… I'm not sure which is worse: Ichigo without his powers or…."

Turning to Yoruichi, he spoke in his serious tone. "Yoruichi. Bring me the seals…."

Yoruichi's eyes widened in shock. "What?! You're planning to do that to Ichigo? He doesn't deserve that!"

"It'll only be for a short while!" Kisuke insisted. "When it's over, I'll gladly let Ichigo beat me senseless if he wants!"

Hearing that was odd for Yoruichi. Kisuke never owned up to the possible consequences. So for him to be prepared for the brutal murder Ichigo would no doubt surely deliver once his ordeal was over was quite shocking. Gulping and hoping that Ichigo would forgive them, she left to go get the seals.

Rukia and the others looked confused. "What are you planning to do to Ichigo?"

Kisuke pulled out a small object, a small crystal that glowed gold. Orihime was shocked when she felt her own power in it. "What? What is that?"

Taking off his hat, Kisuke put the crystal on Ichigo's chest. He could see Ichigo's hair start to recede from its long locks and knew that he was running out of time. It was either now or never. "I've spent a while examining Orihime's power and I've created the means to replicate it to some degree. With this one crystal, I can revert Ichigo's body and spirit energy to his Getsuga form temporarily, saving his soul reaper powers. After a while, his spiritual power will recede and he'll turn back to normal and will have his full powers with no problems."

Uryu adjusted his glasses, figuring out the crux of what Kisuke was implying. "Kisuke, are you sure? I think Ichigo would rather live without his powers than to be sealed away! After everything he's been through you're just gonna treat him like Aizen?" He pointed to the large cross-shaped structure where Aizen lay entombed. "He deserves better than that!"

"Yes…" Kisuke slowly said, nodding. "He deserves better. But he shouldn't have to sacrifice everything after what he's been through. Like I told Yoruichi, he can beat me black and blue when it's over. Until then, let me save our savior."

Deciding that the debate was over, Kisuke pushed the crystal into Ichigo's soul chain. Ichigo's veins glowed gold as Kisuke muttered a small chant. "I reject…" he finished. Looking up to the injured others, he scowled. "What are you waiting for? Get back! NOW!"

Rukia and Orihime were wondering what he was going on about when Ichigo's hair turned black….

…and then the sheer force of his spirit energy hit them.

The Next Day….
Squad 13 Grounds: Cottage
Ichigo POV

Ichigo opened his eye slowly, feeling dizzy. "What happened?" he said groggily. Breathing heavily, he tried to stand up and found that none of his limbs would move. Looking down, his eye widened in horror when he realized that had been bound by black wrappings and strapped to a chair. A black wrapping wound across his head, keeping one eye obscured. Even crazier, he still had his black Getsuga hair! "What in the world?!" He struggled and struggled to break free but he was bound tight. He could move his neck around but that was it. "Why am I tied up and why am I still in the Soul Society?"

"Ichigo, please forgive me…."

The chair he was in turned and he saw Kisuke on his hands and knees, bowing with his head in penitence. "Urahara, what's going on?"

Looking up, Urahara looked at Ichigo with sad eyes. "I…made a decision, one that I hope you'll forgive me for. While you were unconscious after the battle, I used a device that reverted you back to your Getsuga form in the hope that you won't lose your Soul Reaper powers. The device is still in effect and you'll slowly return to the way you were before you went into the Precipice world. But the main concern is you as you are now."

"What do you mean" Ichigo asked.

"Ichigo, remember the vast power you wielded? Right now your spiritual pressure is so immense, anyone who's not at the level of a captain would be vaporized just by being near you. In order to contain your massive spirit pressure, we had no choice but to bind you with those wrappings and put you into that chair. It's made of the only material in the Soul Society that can handle your immense power."

"Wait!" Ichigo began to panic as the implications of what he just said hit him. "You mean I'm stuck in this chair for good? How is that better than being powerless?!"

"Please, calm yourself, Ichigo. This is only temporary. Your spirit energy will revert back to normal, like I said. It's just a matter of time."

"Ok, for how long do I have to sit in this chair?"

Kisuke looked at the floor, wondering himself if this was the right choice. "I don't know. A few weeks? A few months? At the very least I can guarantee you that you will not spend more than one year like this…."

"A YEAR? HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO LIVE BEING TIED UP IN A CHAIR FOR A YEAR?!" Ichigo roared. The small cottage shook as Ichigo's power fluctuated, making Kisuke sweat.

"Ichigo please! Calm down!" He gestured to the small house they were in. "I've rigged this place to suit all your needs. There's a radio, a TV, and other stuff that I've set up. I've even set up a computer. It's all voice activated so you won't need to worry. And if you'll notice, that chair you're in is actually implanted with a cognitive recognition device. Just think it and it'll turn to whatever direction you want. And I've made sure that it's a comfy as possible."

Calming down, Ichigo tried it out and the chair slowly turned behind him. He could see the rest of the cottage and he had to admit, it was rather cozy. The large TV on the wall was a sight at least. Turning back to Kisuke, Ichigo had one concern. "Wait, Kisuke, how am I supposed to eat or go to the bathroom?"

Kisuke's expression turned to amusement. "Ichigo, right now you're pretty much a transcended being at the moment. Stuff like that is of no concern to you for right now. Look at it this way: when you do start to feel hunger, that means you're pretty much back to normal."

"Ok but…where's Orihime and the others? Can I see them at least?"

Kisuke's face went from amused to sad. "I'm sorry, Ichigo. But for the moment you can't see any of them. If Orihime or Rukia see you, your spiritual pressure will squash them flat. Anyone who's not at the level of the captains can't get close to you without harm. Heck, even at this distance, your spirit pressure feels like a hammer to me."

Ichigo's face descended to sadness. "Oh…"

Bowing again, Kisuke implored the boy. "Please, Ichigo, just be patient. This will not be permanent, I promise."

Day 1

Ichigo looked out the window and saw the blue sky, feeling like a caged bird. Still, he knew that he could endure this and that when this was over everything would be back to normal.

"Ok, I can do this…."

Day 3 9:45 PM

"I can't do this anymore…." Ichigo grumbled with his head slumped. "I'm so lonely…"

He thought he could take his confinement but the rampant boredom was killing him. He'd been watching TV but most of it was news reports reporting how part of Karakura Town had been demolished and nobody knew why. To Ichigo it was just depressing, like a reminder of the reason behind his confinement. When one of the cameras panned out and he saw his high school, he saw his friends at the gate and failed to fight back tears. "I'm so lonely… I miss everybody…."

Turning off the TV, Ichigo looked out the window and stared at the night sky. "Is this really it? After everything and all I fought for, is my reward a suffering isolation?"

His answer came when he heard footsteps on the wooden steps from outside. Hearing the door open, he turned around in his chair and his eye widened in surprise. "Miss Unohana? What are you doing here?"

The graceful captain smiled sweetly at the boy as she entered. In her arms was a large book. "Hello, Ichigo. I came to see if you could use some company."

Ichigo smiled warmly as the woman pulled up a chair. "Thank you, Captain. I have been feeling a little lonely."

Unohana looked at the boy and she could see the sadness in Ichigo's eyes. "Yes, that's why I'm here. This…" she gestured to the black wrappings keeping Ichigo pinned, "This is wrong. You saved all of us. You were ready to give up your Soul Reaper powers in order to stop Aizen. Forgive me for being poetic, Ichigo, but you stared into the abyss and didn't flinch or hesitate. You're a hero. And yet…" once again she looked at Ichigo's bindings and her distaste for them became all the more apparent. "I understand Kisuke Urahara's motives but this is excessive. You don't deserve to be cooped up here, bound like some prisoner."

After a moment, Unohana's demeanor lightened and she once again smiled at the black-haired boy. "So, I decided to keep you company."

Ichigo was touched by the woman's compassion and grateful for the fact that she was strong enough to resist his massive spiritual pressure. "Thank you. I…can't say that enough." He looked at the book in her hand. "So what's with the book?"

Smiling warmly, Unohana held it up. Ichigo saw the image of a large tree on the cover. "Tree of the Moon. It's a classic in the Seireitei and it's one of my favorites. I figured you'd never read any of our literature, so I figured what better way to pass the time than to read it to you."

Ichigo's curiosity was piqued. "Really? What's it about?"

Giggling, Unohana pulled her chair up close to Ichigo and flipped open the book. "You'll just have to find out…."

Several Hours Later….

"Wow…" Ichigo said with a stream of tears going down his eye. Unohana had stopped partway into the book but the story was getting good. "That was so beautiful…."

Closing the book, Unohana smiled. "Yes, and we're not even halfway done. But it's getting late and both of us need our sleep." Grabbing a pillow from a cabinet behind her, Unohana put it behind Ichigo's head and patted his cheek. "I'll be back tomorrow so we can continue."

Walking away, she turned back and smiled one last time at the boy. "By the way, you look good with black hair…."

As the door closed, Ichigo closed his eye and slowly drifted off to sleep, his cheek feeling tingly from her warm touch….

Day 14:

Ichigo sat in his chair as Unohana read to him, glued to every word. Unohana had spent the past few weeks reading to the boy, reading him her favorite books in order to keep his spirits up. Ichigo was starting to look forward for her visits each night. The boy was waiting patiently for night to come so that he could see her again, especially since he didn't have many visitors. Captain Ukitake checked in each day to see how Ichigo was doing but due to his sickly nature he couldn't stand in Ichigo's presence very long, much as it pained Ichigo to see him struggle after a half hour. Ichigo wasn't even sure if his powers had receded at all, his long black hair barely changing in the past two weeks.

Still, Ichigo quite enjoyed the visits by Unohana. He never knew how alluring and beautiful the woman's voice was until she read to him. Every night he'd listen to the captain, unable to keep his eyes off of her.

This night, Ichigo listened as she read to him her favorite love story, his mind unable to keep itself from imagining Unohana as the princess and he the hero. As she finished for the night she looked up and smiled sweetly at the boy when she saw the smile on his face. "Did you like it, Ichigo?"

The black-haired boy nodded. "Yes. I never knew that romance books could be so good." Suddenly, Ichigo looked away, as if he was embarrassed by something. "Um…Captain? Can I ask you something?"

Putting away the book, Unohana looked at the boy curiously. "What is it, Ichigo?"

"Um… can…can you grab my hand for a few seconds?" Ichigo thought he might die of embarrassment from asking his question. "It's just…I've been cooped up in this chair and I…I kinda miss being able to reach out and touch someone…."

He was expecting Unohana to chuckle or feel embarrassed herself but instead she simply smiled a knowing smile at the boy. "Of course, Ichigo, I understand perfectly." Getting up, Unohana walked over to the bound Ichigo and crouched down until they were at eye-level. Unohana reached forward and gently grabbed Ichigo's hands, who had to fight back a sigh of pleasure as her warm hands came into contact with his. "Heheh, you're quite warm, Ichigo," Unohana said smiling. Ichigo squeezed her hands gently, wishing that this moment could last much longer.

But soon it ended like all good things did. Letting go of Ichigo's hands, Unohana leaned forward and gently kissed Ichigo's forehead. "Your spiritual pressure is improving. I wouldn't have been able to hold your hands for very long if I had done that at the beginning. Its proof you're turning back to normal!" she said merrily. Standing back up she turned to the door and walked away. "Good night, Ichigo. I'll see you tomorrow."

Ichigo watched her leave and smiled, already missing her warm presence. "I'll be waiting…."

Day 30: 9:30

Ichigo patiently waited, looking up at the moon. Hearing the footsteps, Ichigo's chair turned around, the boy smiling warmly as Unohana walked in, holding several bags in her hand. "Hi, Miss Unohana."

"Please, Ichigo, call me Retsu." She sat down and reached into one of her bags. "I'm afraid I've run out of books to read to you, so I figured this would be a good opportunity to show you another of my talents…" To Ichigo's surprise she pulled out a small harp. As she strummed a few chords she looked at Ichigo with a sweet smile. "It's been so long since I've had somebody to play for. I used to play for Isane all the time when she had nightmares but now that she's stopped coming by my room now I've nobody to play for."

"That's fine, Retsu," Ichigo said. "I'd love to hear you play."

Playing a few chords to warm up the harp, Retsu began to play Ichigo a soothing nocturne, playing the instrument with her years of experience. Ichigo sat in his confinement feeling all of his negative emotions melt away as he listened to the beautiful music. After several minutes, Ichigo couldn't notice how happy Retsu seemed as she played. Her face radiated joy, as if she'd been wanting to play for somebody for so long. The sight made him smile. She looked so…so….

The moon made its steady climb through the sky as Retsu played her harp, her fingers deftly plucking the strings to make a melody that Ichigo would always remember. She smiled as she saw Ichigo's relaxed, smiling face. Looking at the clock, Retsu saw how late it was. "Well, Ichigo, it looks like our time is up."

Ichigo's face turned sad, wanting her to not stop making such beautiful music. "Oh… well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow night then."

Patting his cheek, Retsu changed his pillow before grabbing her heart one last time. "Not quite, Ichigo. I've one last song to play. Close your eyes." As Ichigo obeyed, Retsu began to play a beautiful lullaby. She watched with a sweet smile as Ichigo was slowly lulled to sleep by her graceful music, not stopping for several minutes even after she was sure that Ichigo had fallen asleep. Putting away the harp, Retsu sat there for a moment and watched Ichigo sleep. Leaning forward, she ran a hand through his hair and noticed that it was starting to turn orange. "Sleep well, Ichigo. I'll be back tomorrow." Grabbing his hand, Retsu gently squeezed it, smiling at the confined boy as he slept on with a happy face….

Day 55

Ichigo sat in his chair and listened to Unohana play for him. A thick blanket rested on his lap. Fall was coming to the Soul Society and it was starting to get cold. Luckily Retsu was there to give him the blanket, keeping him company every night. Ichigo's hair was starting to shrink now, almost back to its normal orange color, with the exception of the top of his head. His spiritual pressure was starting to go back down much more than before. Now, even people like Renji and Ikkaku could say hello for a few minutes and not get crushed by him.

The beauty of Retsu's music was interrupted when one of strings on her harp broke. "Oh!" She frowned when she saw the broken string, knowing she didn't bring a spare one with her. "Hmmm…This won't do. And here I wanted to finish my minuet for you."

Ichigo merely smiled at the woman seated at his feet. Wanting to prove to Ichigo that his powers were in fact returning to normal, Retsu sat at his feet whenever she came here, a sign of his lowering spiritual pressure. "It's ok, Retsu. The song was still beautiful."

"I know, but the night's still young and I've nothing to play for you, Ichigo," Retsu said sadly.

"Well…why don't we just talk?" Ichigo suggested. "I…I was wondering if I can know more about you."

Looking up, Retsu looked at Ichigo with a curious eye. "Really?"

"Of course. You've been so kind to me, and yet I know hardly anything about you. I want to know you better since you're my friend."

Retsu looked away, a little bit worried. She knew all about Ichigo from listening to Rukia Kuchiki so she knew that it was only fair that she told him about herself but… 'Would he really want to know who I use to be?' Blue eyes met brown as Retsu stared at Ichigo. "Are you sure, Ichigo? You might not like what you hear…."

"I do. I want to know you, Retsu. I want to know more about the woman who's…." He had to stop himself from saying something REALLY embarrassing that second. "You've been so kind to me. I just…I feel ashamed when I think about how little I know you."

Silence filled the cottage for a moment before Retsu stood up and grabbed a chair. "Ok, Ichigo. I'll start at the beginning. You know me as Retsu Unohana but that hasn't always been my name. When the Court Guard Squads was established, my name was Yachiru Unohana." She sat back in her chair and closed her eyes, remembering the old days of the Squad's first years.

"Yachiru…that name…" Suddenly an image of Kenpachi's pink-haired daughter popped into his head.

"Yes, Kenpachi Zaraki named his daughter after me. We had an encounter years ago, back when I was still the captain of Squad 11 and he looked up to me since that day. He gave Yachiru my name out of respect." Her hands went to her braid and she started to untie it, her hands shaking with dread.

Ichigo stared at her confused. "Wait, you weren't always the captain of Squad 4?"

"No. I was the captain of Squad 11. I was the first Kenpachi." Undoing her braid, Unohana showed Ichigo her scar. "Zaraki and I wounded each other in our confrontation. It left quite the impression on both of us."

Sitting in his chair, Ichigo continued to look at the woman curious. His cheeks were pink as he continued to look at Retsu. With her hair untied she looked even more beautiful. "Why'd you guys fight in the first place?"

Retsu, or Yachiru if you'd like, was silent for a minute before deciding to tell Ichigo the truth; he'd earned that right. "Back then, I was one of the Soul Society's most ruthless villains before Yamamoto brought me into the Squads. The number of men I've killed is as many as the stars in the sky. During one mission, while I was looking for somebody to put up a fight, Zaraki appeared and we fought. I defeated him and gave him the scar on his face. He left me this, the only wound I've ever carried." She closed her eyes and sighed. "So now you know the truth, Ichigo. I was just as brutal and bloodthirsty as Zaraki." She wished she hadn't told him that, that their friendship could go on unobstructed. But now that Ichigo knew her past he would surely look at her with fear, thinking her a caged beast just waiting to be let out.

"But you're not that anymore."

Opening her eyes, Retsu stared at the boy incredulously. "What?"

"You said that's who you were. But who you were isn't who you are now. You're a healer first, warrior second. Everyone looks up and respects you. And a ruthless villain wouldn't take the time to come here every night to sure I'm ok." Ichigo continued to smile at her as he finished saying what his heart was telling him. "You're still my friend, no matter who you used to be."

A choked feeling bubbled up inside Retsu. For so many years she'd told herself that if anyone she was close to knew of her blood-soaked past, they'd run for the hills. But now, here was a boy, not even a grown man yet, who had accepted her past and still maintained his kindness towards her.

Before anything else could happen, there was a knock at the door. Getting up, Retsu saw that it was Hanataro. "Seventh seat Yamada, what brings you here?" Retsu addressed.

"Apologies, Captain Unohana. Head-Captain Yamamoto has called for a meeting of the captains to discuss the vacancies of the empty captain positions."

Nodding, Retsu turned to Ichigo. "Ichigo, I must be off. I'll see you tomorrow evening."

Ichigo nodded, smiling. "I'll be waiting."

Walking outside, Retsu closed the door and walked along the wooden pathway with Hanataro. The small boy looked up at his captain, baffled by what he was seeing. "Captain Unohana…are you crying?"

"Hanataro…."

"Yes?"

"If you ask me that again, I will personally see that you are transferred to Squad 11," Retsu said, not even bothering to use her evil-nice voice.

Hanataro got the hint and shut his mouth….

To Be Continued….