The Moons Tears

Chapter 6

Ichigo fell to the floor with a hard jolt, his eyes snapping open, while the breath was stolen from his lungs. With a quiet groan Ichigo reached out blindly in the darkness searching for the nightstand that stood as sentinel beside his bed. Grasping the wood firmly beneath nimble fingers, he used it as a support to push himself up. Ichigo swayed where he stood whether from the blood rushing to his head or the memories that overcame him was uncertain. Blindly Ichigo fumbled about the room for a few moments until he reached one of the small oil lamps on his desk. With a gentle prod from his reaitsu the wick caught fire filling the room with a warm honey coloured glow.

Ichigo slumped into the wood frame that served as his desk chair, his hands coming up to hold his head, a slight pounding echoing throughout it. Glancing up from his hands Ichigo's eyes landed on the doorway a thin beam of light shining from underneath as if beckoning him forward. The quiet hum of encouragement and comfort in the back of his mind only assured him of his decision. Pushing himself up from the chair Ichigo paced to his closet and fetched a cloak of ebony from the back hardly to be seen in the darkness of the night. Swinging it around his shoulders and pulling the hood over his eyes he slipped from the room his feet like a soft breeze upon the paneled floors.

The cold wind of night blew through the air and Ichigo shivered for a moment sheltered under a stone overhang staring at the looming expanse of land in front of him. No hesitation lingered in his soul and with a last turn towards the academy he spotted a silhouette against one of the windows watching like a phantom of the night. His eyes connected with that of the figure in the window for a tense moment before the figure turned away leaving only the swaying curtains in his wake. Ichigo turned and fled the courtyard traveling far into the outer districts of Rungokai.

X

The door clamored shut behind Ichigo as he strode into the cozy tavern which appeared much like a dilapidated shack from the outside, but was warm with a homey manner about it on the inside. The few patrons of the bar stared at Ichigo for a few moments scrutinizing his every move with eyes full of suspicion. It was unusual to see an outsider grace these care-worn floors. Sōshitsu Tate was a unique alehouse in that it was not widely known, very few had graced the cherry wood tables and sat by the bright fireplace; a source of warmth on many a cool night.

Ichigo stumbled upon it during the war quite accidently when he was chasing after one of their own who had betrayed them to the enemy. The man was not overly strong but was fast like a hare and led Ichigo on a wild goose chase through Rungokai. It was pure luck (as usual) on Ichigo's part that the man fell asleep, a victim to the nursery rhyme of old. Once Ichigo dispatched the traitor he realised he was quite thoroughly lost.

He wandered for some time before stumbling upon what appeared to be a ruined building. With the coming storm clouds on the horizon he decided to seek shelter, entering he saw that the outside did not truly reflect the inside in the slightest. And now he was here again in a place where one was not jostled and mead not forced down your throat.

Pulling out one of the discoloured bar stools Ichigo gracefully slid into it, a pale hand reaching to tip back his hood, letting bright orange strands free once more. The barkeep a thin man with a beak like nose, a mop of curled brown hair, and a pleasant smile sidled up to Ichigo a curious light in his eyes as he carefully dried a small tankard in his hands. His coarse and deep voice echoed softly between the two as he asked, "What will ya be h'ving this ev'ning?"

Ichigo smiled softly, another reason he like the place was the lack of questions. Ichigo though old in mind still appeared to be the age of eighteen and often times when one couldn't see his eyes he was questioned thoroughly. It confused Ichigo slightly and Yourichi and Kisuke always laughed about it before telling him with appeasing smiles that he had a "vulnerable" look about him. Ichigo never understood what they meant by such words but choose to ignore the subject most of the time.