Clean Uniforms

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Chapter Two

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"Is your life so worthless that you would throw it away for another like this?"

Ichigo eyes snapped open at the echoing question, waking up to the sound of a thousand clapping hand. It's raining. Towering sky scrapers filled his vision. A familiar blue sky stretched from one end of the horizon to the other. It all resembled his inner world except... everything is right side up. In his inner world, the building is laid on their side. The sky is on his right and the ground in on his left. He never had to fear gravity, for his feet would never touch the ground. Now he lay on the bottom of the sky scrapers, water rising all around him. The rain is filling up his soul.

Zangetsu was kneeling next to him, holding an umbrella over his head while standing under the harsh pounding of rain. Concern is written all over his face, his brows knitted together in frustration. "Ichigo." He called. His voice resonated deep in his head. "Zangetsu. What..."

"I dont know." Zangetsu frowned. His hair and clothes are soaked with rainwater. He bear an amusing resemblance to a wet cat.

"Oi, Ichigo." His hollow self was leaning against a wall, holding the big zanpaktou over his head as an umbrella. "You better fix this shit up." He drawled. Ichigo hand tighten over his sword, ready to defend if Hichigo decided to strike. His hollow looked harmless enough, though his usual shit eating grin is replaced with an irritated scowl. Looks like HIchigo hates water.

Ichigo sat up and rubbed his back. Zangetsu leaned down to his ear. "What is bothering you? It feels like an ocean is being poured out on us." Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Why is it that when you pull me in, it's only to complain about the weather. Geez old man."

Zangetsu frowned at his master. "Look up Ichigo." He tipped the boy's head backward. Indeed, the sky did looked like an ocean suspended on clouds, ready to spill it's enormous load to his world. The pooling water around his waist is a testament for that. If something were to affect him greatly, he was sure that the ocean would crash down against the skyscrapers, stripping it to bare metal and broken pieces of glass.

"It would be horrible if it were to happen." Zangetsu murmured, disturbed by his master's thought. "Forget that. It would fucking suck!" His hollow screamed through the torrents of water. Ichigo sat dumbfounded for a moment before exploding into laughter. It sounded strangled, like a pained dog, howling for it's master. It caught Hichigo off guard. He's usually the only crazy one. The hollow continue to watch Ichigo, careful to keep a good distance between him and the boy.

"I gave myself to Aizen." He said to no one in particular. Hichigo narrowed his eyes, finally understanding the cause of the endless rain. Ichigo avoided his hollow's eyes and opted to look at Zangetsu. The old man seemed weary, the bags underneath his eyes seemed deeper since lat time., and his frown is just as unmoving as he first saw them. "I'm sorry Zangetsu." he said quietly. Zangetsu sighed at the boy's thought. "Enough Ichigo, I am you and you are me. It is only natural what hurts you affect me too." Zangetsu nodded his head towards his hollow. "And him."

Ichigo glanced at the hollow. "What?" Hichigo asked in open hostility, fidgeting under the scrutiny. "Nothing." He mumbled, pushing the umbrella away from his face. "Dont. You'll get wet." Zangetsu said. "Obvious much." The orange haired teen snorted. "Besides," He pushed on his knees to stand up "Its not fair that I'm the only one whose dry."

"Whatever." Hichigo strode over and grabbed the umbrella from Zangetsu's hand, flopping down on the water, looking very much like a cross five year old. "The building's is on the right angle. Now do something about this weather." He mumbled, crossing his hands over his chest.

"Impudent child." Zangetsu shook his head tiredly. "Fucking geezer." The hollow spat back. Ichigo smiled at the scene, happy that there's at least one aspect of his life which would never change.

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