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.
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Ichigo picked up one of the aged pieces of washi paper, feeling the unique texture, unlike the one he was familiar with in modern society, beneath calloused fingers. Studying the options for a moment he pointed at one of the middle priced options and reached inside his cloak pocket to pull out the desired change. The steward, for that was the position he occupied along with his kind and fresh faced wife, nodded and bustled away with the clinking of glasses ringing after him.
Ichigo tensed slightly as a presence familiar to his senses slid onto the bar stool next to him. Turning slightly Ichigo's first impression was of strawberry blond hair and a chiseled face, eyes widening slightly Ichigo stared at Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi better known as Rose. The Shinigami captain was swirling a clear glass of rich red liquid and starring at it as if it held complex answers to the problem he sought.
As if feeling Ichigo's eyes on him Rose turned, his own eyes obviously catching Ichigo's own shocking hair, glowing like the embers of a fire in the dim lighting. Seeing Rose's face up close brought up the memory of his death. Piano strings tight around his neck, his face pale with the blue pallor of death and many gashes littering his torso, the dissonant notes ringing forebodingly in the background of the cool night as he passed defending one of the many districts, allowing the occupants to flee at the cost of his life. Ichigo let the memory go, flowing like a leaf in the rapid river of Ichigo's torrential mind.
"What is one so young as you doing on a night like this? Drinking away troubles that plague the mind?"
Rose's rich and honeyed voice flowed softly between the two and Ichigo nodded slightly ready to reply in kind when the barkeep bustled back with his drink and placed in front of him with sharp incline of his head. Ichigo lifted the glass and scented the strong Sake wincing slightly at the burn that accompanied it before tipping the misty glass and letting the scorching liquid trail down his throat. Setting his drink down once more he turned to face Rose and said, "Indeed for my mind wearies me with visions of abundant chaos. What about you with fingers of a musician?"
Rose chuckled softly at Ichigo's flowery words his eyebrow arched slightly in interest. The blond took a sip of his drink setting the glass down with a soft 'clink' and said, "I am a musician of a kind, the life of a Shinigami can be morose at times but I seek to fill it with the graceful harmonies of my Zanpaktou. And you? Where do you stand now?"
Ichigo smiled slightly, it was not widely known that he was a fan of Shakespeare's works and speaking in such tongues as they were conversing delighted him. It was rare for Ichigo and Rose to talk in such ways in the timeline in which he once dwelled. For then there was a border of age and familiarity wrought not of kinship. But for two strangers in a bar to speak in such mannerisms was merely a passing coincidence one might find.
"I study at the academy, which is many days full of melancholy when one must listen to the droning on of lessons already taught. What led you to this bar, for those who find it are rare among the many, and always there is a tale behind the eyes."
Rose sipped at his glass once more casting an amused glance in his direction before tilting his side as if to try and remember the event that led him through rusted doors that swung with a gently push.
"It was the music, one night a lady of great beauty with almond eyes, caramel hair, and a voice like the many seraphs of heaven, clambered onto one of the chairs littered throughout and with the night's pleasure sang of seasons. I was wandering the nearby district as my squad was searching for a hollow reported to be seen nearby. Such a heavenly litany could not be ignored, and my feet were pulled towards the sound until I came upon gray wood and light like honey spilling from within. And you with hair like the flames one might stroke in the fire?"
