genessia | Returning to the City [Action/Video]

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Returning to the City [Action/Video]

[Action]

Ichigo remembered...what? He'd been about to fight Aizen- No, that had been earlier? Memories filtered back in, as if he'd just forgotten about them until now, even though they'd only been moments ago. A pod, a bay, a city outside time and reality, and Inoue and Ishida and several people that he'd never met before. Genessia?

He blinked his eyes open, and smelled salt air, and sat up and he was back in the same stupid place that he'd woken up in before, despite the fact that he remembered staying in the temporary apartments while he looked for somewhere for himself and a job to pay for it.

"What the hell...?" He sat up, continued muttering curses under his breath, and made his way toward the city. ...again. Was this supposed to happen? And just how much time had passed?

[Video]

[The camera flicks on, and anyone who knows Ichigo might recognize that his expression is almost...sheepish.]

Uh, hey. I'm not entirely sure what's going on, but it looks like I vanished for a couple months? I don't remember anything from back home, but the date here's changed.

Is everyone still okay? Inoue? ...Ishida?

[He's not gonna sound too concerned over that jerk.]

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[She was just starting to boil some water to make a nice udon for dinner (don't ask what she's putting into it) when she feels that reiatsu surge through the air again. Orihime stiffens to attention. He came back...?]

[No no no, she shakes her head, and releases a shaky exhale. It probably isn't the same Ichigo. He won't remember. She needs to calm down and get a grip on her emotions. Everything that she feels needs to be tamped down so he isn't immediately greeted with a joyful sobbing mess.]

[Okay.]

[She turns off the stove and removes her apron, struggling to keep her excitement from brimming over. If it's a new Ichigo, he'll be angry and confused, so seeing her be cheerful and calm will be good for him. It is her duty to be a rock of dependability!]

[But then there's a ping on her communicator. Did he figure it out already? ...Oh, it's the same one. The same one.]

[For some reason, that makes her so happy. There's still a sting at the sound of Ishida's name. Ichigo never knew about that. No one did. She'll keep it that way for Ishida's sake. Holding the communicator firmly she takes a deep breath, then sends a video reply.]

It's just me now. Ishida-kun went home.

[He has no idea how happy she is to see his sheepish face right now.]

Anou...is everything okay? Are you healthy?

[It's a relief to see Inoue's face pop up again, and a line of tension eases in his shoulders. That tension comes right on back when he hears that Ishida is gone, though. At least he's pretty sure that the guy isn't going to get himself into too much trouble ~~like an army of Quincies showing up and pretending to be evil and join them~~, it's just that it would have been good to have another ~~friend~~ known ally here.

Ichigo huffs softly at the question.]

Last thing I remember was hanging out in my apartment. Then everything flickered, and I was back in the Bay, and the calendar said that I was missing a few months.

Yeah, that happened to me before too. My memories of it are really hazy.

[She sighs, but recaptures her bright cheer quickly. He came back, and there's a selfish part of her that's really glad that he did.]

Are you going to get your old job and apartment back?

--Oh! And I think you're just in time to vote for the new city guardians too!

[Well at least it wasn't an experience unique to him. That's a relief at least.

Still, he glances aside at the first comment.]

I hadn't had a chance to move out of the common housing yet. And, uh, I hadn't exactly gotten a job. I guess that I should make sure to do that this time around, huh?

[A blink, and he tilts his head in question.]

City guardians?

Jobs are pretty useful if you like to eat, ha ha!

[She lays her fingertips together thoughtfully.]

Usually when people disappear and come back, they lose their housing and businesses. But since you didn't have either, you get to reset the time to stay in the free apartments while still having all the knowledge and experience from before. That's so smart!

[It's not like he did it on purpose, but try and stop her from praising him anyway. At the mention of the guardians, she beams, nodding energetically.]

Yes! There aren't that many people running this time. Only three of the cities have more than one person running for office. Genessia City had two people, but Haller-san recruited his competition to be a deputy, so...no contest there!

[There's an odd pink blush in her cheeks that doesn't really match the relatively informational nature of her response. She wants to tell him that she was the one who wanted to run but stepped into the deputy role...but she can't think of a way to do it that isn't embarrassing. Maybe later.]

Anyway, you probably need to buy your essentials all over again, ne? Do you need me for anything?

Edited (stupid computer I wasn't finished) 2018-07-06 07:29 (UTC)

Yeah, I guess they are. Just gotta figure out what I wanna do here, then. S’not like I can get the different clubs to pay me again or anything...

[Look, he had a pretty sweet setup before. Though maybe he should stick with something that might actually help people while he’s here, assuming that he might get yoinked away again at any moment.

The politics of the different cities just sorta have him...staring blankly. Okay. So there are people doing...things. Cool. As long as none of ‘em are too dumb, he’s not too worried.]

I don’t think so? I’m just sticking with the basics for now, and the stuff at the free housing is good enough for now. Uh. You’ve still got the bakery, right? How’s it going?

I do! We're opening a new branch in Attleton pretty soon. There's going to be something special planned for the grand opening, but it's a secret for now.

[A secret she'd easily spill to him, just because he's Ichigo, but she's trying to at least make it fun. She rests her fingertips together in front of her, head tilted downward in quiet thought.]

You know...I never asked you what it is you wanted to be after high school. Do you have a dream career? Because you could probably make that happen here.

[Wow, it sounds like she's doing really well here. He's not sure why he's surprised. Maybe it's just the memory of what consists of a standard lunch for her at school.]

A secret, huh? [Well then...] Guess I'll have to come and see what it is when you unveil it. [Nah, he's not gonna make her tell it now.

The question makes him tilt his head in thought. They get those questionnaires in school about this sort of thing, after all, but it hasn't crossed his mind too much.]

I...dunno. I guess I always sorta figured that I'd take over the clinic from my old man some day or something. I haven't really thought about it much. There's always a call for doctors, and it's not like Goat-Face doesn't use us as unpaid labor back home already or anything...

Look forward to it! You might even decide you want to sign up.

[She beams happily. There's no telling what he'll think of it, but at least, he can enjoy it from the stands if he doesn't want to participate. She sure wouldn't blame him!]

[Her expression softens as she listens. She likes these rare opportunities where she can get to know him a little better. Now that she isn't relying so much on Tatsuki for all her information, it makes her feel closer. It's nice.]

You'd be good at it.

[She looks down at her knees for a moment, then off to the side. He was the first face she saw at the clinic, when she brought her brother in all by herself, desperate and broken-hearted. Seeing Ichigo try to be nice to her...the kindness in his face sharply contrasting with those perpetually furrowed brows...it brought a little happiness to her on the darkest day of her life. That was the beginning of her little crush.]

You've got a good bedside manner. And you know when to be stern to make stubborn patients behave! It also pays really well, so you could live comfortably while you're here.

[So it's something to be signed up for, huh? He's a little wary about what kind of participatory event Inoue might have come up with, but the people around here are probably at least a little used to her. Hopefully she's got a partner-in-crime to at least reign in the more outlandish ideas.]

I'll hafta see what it is first.

[Still, he's almost teasing with that.

Ichigo's a little too caught up in his own thoughts about his potential future back in their own world, not to mention potential employment here, to notice her softer look. As per usual for him, really.]

Eh, maybe? And I dunno about good bedside manner, I tend to yell at people first. Though at least I'm not as crazy as Goat-Face can be.

[Even if his dad is capable of calming down and acting almost professionally sometimes. Sometimes. Usually if his kids aren't in eye- or earshot. Still, he does like working in the clinic. It's nice to make a difference. And after everything that's been happening lately to him, working to heal rather than fight could be a nice change.]

I think it's great!

[Because of course she does. He yells because he cares, just like a certain other explosive sixteen-year-old she recently met.]

Anyway, you're sure to feel more comfortable with your job once you've had some experience and time to adjust. You might wind up being a better healer than me, since you'll have real medical knowledge that I don't!

[He huffs, and there's that little tiny smile for a moment, his eyes gentling at her.]

I doubt it. I can bandage people up and stuff, but I don't have the same sort of skills that you do.

...do you want to learn more medical knowledge? Even just first aid basics, or whatever you might want to focus on?

[She nods once, oddly serious.]

I do. There might be times when I can't use my powers for some reason.

[And that did happen once, where she didn't think her powers were an option, and someone was badly hurt. She doesn't want it to happen again.]

I want to be more reliable.

[His eyes soften further, especially at the sight of the resolve in her face, and he nods.]

You got it. I'll see if I can find a few texts too - I know you're ahead of me in class rankings, so it shouldn't be too challenging for you.

[He's so nice. She's tried hard to push her old feelings away, for his sake, for Rukia, even for Ishida. But that old warmth returns, and it feels too nice to try to get rid of it. It's just nice to see him smile like that.]

Oh, you noticed that...

[She holds her hands tightly in her lap and nods again, relaxing.]

Thank you, Kurosaki-kun. I think I can read them when it's slow in the bakery. This will be really useful!

Hard not to notice with Keigo sobbing like an idiot over it all. But yeah, I saw where you were. You're good.

[Even if she acts like the ditziest ditz to ever enter Karakura High, she's definitely not. He's not sure why she acts like that all the time, but she wouldn't be Inoue if she wasn't. And, of course, his obliviousness to her feelings toward him continues, because it takes a projectile the size of a small city to get a clue through his skull on the best of days.]

Eh, it's no big problem. You probably woulda thought of it yourself sooner or later. Just...

[Horrible thought.]

...don't get medical texts and cookbooks mixed up?

[Mostly because she thinks it's funny. Remembering Keigo gets a grin out of her, and the last comment?]

Ha ha! Seems like that would be hard to do!

[Do medical texts have recipes in them? Maybe if there's a chemistry section for pharmaceuticals, she supposes!]

I better get back to work. I have some training to do, too. Just let me know if you need me there, I can find a way to get out of it.

[So responsible.]

[A dark-skinned, dark-haired woman appears on the screen.]

You remember being here before?

[That's strange. Things would be so much easier if she remembered. Maybe.]

Ah, the name's Martha Jones. Maybe you met me last time. I don't remember it.

[He nods firmly to the woman, unconcerned at her unfamiliarity.]

Yeah. I was here for...a couple weeks? Somethin' like that, at least.

I'm Kurosaki Ichigo. [A beat, and he remembers how they prefer names here.] Uh, Ichigo Kurosaki. I guess. And nah, I don't remember you.

[Martha nods, frowning slightly.]

I apologize for barging in. I was apparently here several months ago, but I remember nothing of it. I'm researching why that might be.

Eh, it seems like there’s enough new people arriving here that you’ve gotta get used to talking to random people.

[Hopefully he’ll be able to actually remember anyone on anything resembling a regular basis.]

That's a fair point, it is. [But now, having asked her question, she has little more to say. Still she would hate to chat and run.]

I suppose it's to me to welcome you back.

Heh. Thanks. I'd say you too, but I don't think that the same rules really apply.

[He can't help it. He lifts a questioning eyebrow at the screen.]

You got a place to stay yet, or a job? Sounds like you've got folks who knew you before, but that doesn't necessarily mean much.

I do, yeah. [He's friendly, so she smiles back, equally so]

If you've met any of the Doctors, or Jack, or Rose, or River Song...that lot's practically family. Rose has hired me on a Torchwood, but I'm meaning to finish my medical boards so I can practice medicine here.

I haven't met any doctors here yet. [He doesn't get it, sadly.] And I dunno who any of those others are, either. Maybe I'll meet 'em eventually.

What branch of medicine do you work in?

I'm sure you will. Our lot tends to turn up everywhere eventually. [She smiles at that, because it's true if not in the usual way.]

As for me, well, I do it whatever needs to be done, I guess is how you'd put it.

Makes sense. My dad runs a small clinic back home, so my sisters and I grew up pretty much acting as his nurses, since he was too cheap to actually hire anyone.

I've done a lot of emergency medicine. I like it, that feeling of running into a crisis and walking out in calm. There's something really satisfying about setting things right, yeah?

[ooohhh what fun, knowing both orihime and ichigo are here. amazing, yes.]

You came back..? Uh. Welcome back? Is that okay to say..?

Is everything okay? Do you have somewhere to stay, still?

[It's that little kid! He remembers her! ...sorta. No clue what her name is, though.]

It's...good to be back, I guess? It's not bad, at least.

And they're letting me stay at the starting housing again, at least for now. I'm gonna actually look for a job sooner rather than later, this time.

How are you? Still doing okay?

That's good. I'm glad you're doing okay.

And I'm fine. I think I'm starting to settle, finally..? And my friends from home are here now too. I've been pretty lucky.

It helps to know someone here. One of the people from my home left while I was gone, but the other one's still here - do you know Inoue? Orihime, I mean. She's got a bakery... [Realization time.] I'm not sure what it's called, though.

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