#novella thread | long post ts

[dethberri]

anonymous asked: Group of Gossiping Freshmen Girls: "Kurosaki-San also looks so grumpy but in a hawt kind of way. I'd totally yet him step on me if he wanted and I'd thank him." "Kinksame." "I wonder if he dyes his hair or is it natural?" "I volunteer as a tribute to find out. Just need to see him naked and we'll know for sure!" "Good luck, he works so he want to hang around in the locker room for you to spy on him!" "Wait, he works?" "Mhm, deliveries?" "Is he a pizza guy? If so I don't paying him in kisses!"

ooc:  in which ichigo ventures off to lecture these little kids.  feat. sado.

                 𝙸𝚃 𝚆𝙰𝚂𝙽’𝚃 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙵𝙸𝚁𝚂𝚃 𝚃𝙸𝙼𝙴 𝙷𝙴’𝙳 𝙾𝚅𝙴𝚁𝙷𝙴𝙰𝚁𝙳 𝚃𝙷𝙴𝙼 𝚃𝙰𝙻𝙺 𝙰𝙱𝙾𝚄𝚃 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚆𝙰𝚈 𝙷𝙴 𝙻𝙾𝙾𝙺𝙴𝙳 ,  or the way he dressed, or what he did outside of school, and he knew it wouldn’t be the last time, either.  every year was the same.  the gossip would start as soon as their eyes landed on his hair and traveled down, down, down … taking him in to establish, from that point onward, to either hate him or want to befriend him.

kurosaki ichigo had always been tall and lanky, and since the day rukia sent her zanpakutō hurtling into his chest, he’d become tall, lanky, and, well—incredibly fit.  he’d packed on lean but substantial muscle mass, shot up in height, and became what the general student population of karakura high considered ‘wildly attractive’.  and now that he was in his senior year of high school, his bullies had long gone, having graduated or dropped out, and his fights had become infrequent, which inadvertently helped to smooth out his once menacing reputation.  people approached him just to strike up conversation these days, and not because they had to, or because the teacher instructed them to partner up and interact.

for better or worse, kurosaki ichigo had changed a great deal in a very short period of time.

although his fellow fourth-year classmates would still find a bone to pick with him sometimes, there hadn’t been any major fights since the beginning of the school year.  third-year students had grown benign towards him, ignoring his overall presence much like he ignored them.  second-years, the surprisingly rowdy little shits, walked around with a chip on their shoulder, always craving the opportunity to prove themselves, regardless of how.  even so, they didn’t cause him much trouble—at least, not anymore.  not since that time sado had stepped in, coming up behind kurosaki like a portent of inevitable doom having just arrived in the flesh.  those little shits had scattered like roaches, so quick to scurry out of the umbra, they’d missed sado handing ichigo a small juice-box while asking, hey, man, what’s up.

the first-year students?  well, most first-year students tiptoed around him, having learned early on that fucking with kurosaki ichigo wasn’t at all a good idea.  like asking for a complimentary pass to get your ass kicked six ways to sunday.  however, these kids—these girls—were a different story.  their gossip wasn’t the same.  it wasn’t based on hatred or malice, or—or even jealousy.  whatever.  that wasn’t the point.  ichigo simply never understood the concept of physical or verbal bullying, nor the chatter; the rumor mill that had the potential to hurt and demean for pleasure and entertainment sickened him, but… but he could level with these girls.  he understood, in his own way, where they were coming from.  besides, it wasn’t like he never had a crush before.

                 too bad for those girls he still didn’t like them or their frickin’ gossip.

not only was it all around annoying, they chattered about him as if he was oblivious, as if he couldn’t possibly overhear them so long as they stayed out of his sight, therefore, out of his mind.              reality doesn’t work like that, kurosaki thought to himself, before slanting a sidelong glance down the corridor, noting how their boisterous voices died down to squashed whispers…  did they seriously think he couldn’t hear them?  he wasn’t deaf, y’know.

this brand of ignorance was mind-boggling, the way they continued as if he wasn’t standing down the hall with sado, able to catch every punctuated word ricocheting off the walls…  speaking of sado, his best friend appeared rather uncomfortable.  kurosaki lifted an eyebrow in question, no doubt jaded to any and all forms of gossip by now.  though he had to admit, it was loads easier listening to someone drone on about how much they hated him.  what some of these girls would say was—was downright bizarre.      disturbing.

❝i could guard the locker rooms while you change,❞ offered sado, his deep baritone practically muffling the hall for a second, before the noise returned at full blast.

after squashing the near animalistic urge to cuff sado upside the head—he wasn’t even sure if he was tall enough to do that—ichigo regarded him with narrowed eyes, the tips of his ears flushed with color.   ❝uh, thanks, but there’s no need.  they’re just talking shit, sado.  people do it all the time.❞  sado appeared as if he wanted to say more but didn’t, and that irritated ichigo.  like always.  ❝what?❞

❝i was joking.❞

kurosaki slumped against the wall, all the fight draining out of him as blood rushed to his face…  of course, he was joking!  why wouldn’t sado be joking?!  they were just kids — babies compared to them!

❝sorry.  i didn’t think you’d take me so seriously.❞

sado watched him carefully after that.  watched him with that same penetrating gaze that rendered a person transparent.  sado read his best friend like a book, and this was something he knew he could bring up without the concern of genuinely upsetting ichigo.

once the senior recovered his composure and leaned up against the wall again, sado asked,  ❝why?❞

one word.   one word was already more than what they required to communicate a plethora of sentiments, as boundaries between them did not exist.  they were brothers: brothers till the last fight; brothers till the last breath.

ichigo shifted, arms crossing as he switched his foot propped against the wall.  his gaze peered past the windows and beyond.  ❝i don’t remember ever being like… that when i was fourteen.❞  soft brown eyes glimpsed down the hall, then returned to stare out the window.

                   ❝…i wonder if my sisters hang out with reckless girls like them.❞

sado was silent.  although he had no siblings, he understood ichigo’s perspective, as they both carried the weight of that fierce protective instinct for as long as they could remember.  ❝your sisters are smart.❞

ichigo shot him a scowl, his eyes sharp and filled with unspoken indignation, regret, and pride, all mixing into one.  sado thought his eyes looked like sun-chipped amber.

❝hell yeah, of course they are!❞  he huffed, turning his nose up.  ❝yuzu and karin are smart, way smarter than i was at their age.  and with a brother like me – tch, if they ever had questions, i know i’d guide them the right way.❞  ichigo’s proud expression quickly wilted.  ❝that’s only if my old man hasn’t already scared the shit out of them with the ‘birds and the bees’ talk.❞

sado simply stared at him.  stared long enough for ichigo to look up in question, and the longer he said nothing, the more concerned ichigo became.  the answer dawned on him like an icy bucket of water.  ❝sado… tell me you know what i’m talking about.❞  when sado shook his head, ichigo had to grab the wall to keep from falling flat on his face.  ❝s-shit… sado, you serious?  you’ve never had the talk?❞

❝if you’re asking if i understand how intimacy works, i do…❞

kurosaki took a moment to cradle his face in sheer relief.

❝anyway.❞  straightening up, ichigo cleared his throat.  ❝those girls are naïve and up to no good.  they should worry more about their mid-terms next week, not about me.❞

sado peered down the hall, and, much to his surprise, saw the group of girls had closed the distance and now stood gathered hardly a few feet away.  if ichigo noticed, he didn’t show it.  he paid them no mind, going even as far as turning his back to them.

❝ichigo.❞

ichigo craned his neck backward, scowling all the while because they both knew this was stupid.

they both learned long ago, from assholes who enjoyed getting in their faces, the pricks who found inordinate gratification in pushing every single one of their buttons, that avoidance couldn’t—wouldn’t solve anything.

❝you want to become a family practitioner, right?  a doctor.❞

his best friend blinked at him, then dipped his chin, expecting for sado to continue… then, slowly, but surely, kurosaki’s mouth stretched into a wide, knowing grin.

❝heh… thanks, sado.❞  bounding off the wall, the senior stuffed one hand in his pocket and regarded his friend with an infinitely pleased smile.  ❝you just found a solution to my months-long problem.  let’s get kakigōri after school, yeah?  my treat.❞

sado turned to walk down the hallway, one end of his mouth curving up as high-pitched squealing exploded behind him.  ichigo’s greeting followed another wave of delighted cries, and just as he stepped out of the exit, the hall fell into absolute silence as ichigo’s statement echoed loud enough for even sado to pick up:

❝having intimate relations while underage is a dangerous and serious offense in…❞

[eritvita]

My name is Celeste. I prefer she/they pronouns, and I’m 30.

because this is a sideblog, and because my main account is my personal, i will be selective in following. i’m a bit selective with whom i write, for my own peace of mind and creative connections. but just because i’m not following you, doesn’t mean i won’t write with you!

my discord is available to mutuals!

my character's spotify playlist is here.

WRITING

open starters are here.

my writing wishlist is here.

memes are here.

i am oc friendly. i am canon friendly. i am multifandom friendly. i do write with duplicates of the same character. i will write with self inserts!

this blog is multi-ship, multi-verse, and does not exercise exclusivity.

i do love to improvise, and i do love realistic drama, but i’d prefer out-of-character permission before anything gets way out of hand. i do control how my character acts and what he thinks and says, and wish for no forced motions or putting words in mouths.

if you reply to an in-character ask, i will make another text post: it’s easier on me. i don’t believe in reblog karma, nor will i get offended if you reblog a meme without sending one. i do reserve the right to not answer an ask if the inspiration doesn’t come.

the same goes for threads. if i get the feeling that we’re both going back and forth waiting for the other to contribute, or if it feels like i’m the only one pulling the weight, or if inspiration has flown the coop, i’ll probably drop it. we could always start something new; or, if you feel like a thread has been ignored without reason, tell me!

i have a very whimsical, formatted way of writing: i write in novella and multiple para. my preferred style is present-tense, third person. sometimes i’m dialogue-heavy. sometimes i use icons, and sometimes i don’t. sometimes a line of dialogue might seem confusing or mushed together for a lyrical word scramble, or my character tends to repeat things already mentioned/translated to him in a reply previous: this is purposeful, and part of a character quirk. i’m more than willing to translate ic babble out-of-character if it’s needed.

i am willing to rp on discord, but since my preferred style is via tumblr, this will only be with mutuals.

SHIPPING

this character flirts. he comments openly of physical, mental, and spiritual beauty, but that never means that I, the writer, am forcing a romantic/etc. relationship. i encourage any and all ic reactions that happen in result.

with shipping, i would like chemistry first and foremost. my character is romantic, but not enough to tie the knot immediately, at least without involved plotting. there will be smut on this blog, but everything is put under a ‘read more’ and will be tagged appropriately. i will not write smut or explicit themes with anyone under 20, & i will block minors.

i have no problem shipping with duplicate characters, or canon characters, so long as the relationship is solid. talk to me ooc! i’m sure we could figure something out.

this character’s past & current relationships are listed here.

GENERAL

i have a timeline on my verses page for the three Dragon Age games made by Bioware, in which the main verse of this character is borne. i have played all three games, and i am very diligent over yt playthroughs and thought-provoking meta. the timeline on my verses page does give yearly points over where my character has been, but they are not fixed points. a thread, or an ask, can completely commence whenever, wherever, all depending on the people involved.

this is a lore and irl magick-based blog, which will include blood and drugs and great, mystic topics, with questionable symbolism, nudity, and sexual situations. i will always tag anything not safe for work, but please tell me if i miss a trigger.

tagging as ’___ for ts’.

most icons are mine, some are by Desii; the icons with the photo-shopped ears are by Gale.

side image credit: -x-

text divider credit: -x-

[mxladymorgan]

❤ Here is a quick rp policy guide I snitched from another blog. I have included explanations about my bolded options.

Bold all that apply to you and your blog. Italics if you’re on the fence about something. Strike any that never apply. Either reblog or repost. Feel free to add anything I may have missed in the appropriate category, or recategorize something that is in the wrong place!

My blog is _______

Open to all* Semi-selective Selective Moderately Selective Highly selective Exclusive Semi-Exclusive Only going to RP with mutuals Mostly going to RP with mutuals Indie Affiliated with a group Spoiler free Spoilers tagged Spoilers mostly tagged

My blog is free for everyone to follow, read and send asks. Do keep in mind that if we are not mutuals and you send me an IC ask, I will gladly get to it but will not wish to develop it any further. 

I am exclusives with a couple of accounts.

I will RP with ______

Any fandom Most fandoms Only fandoms I know Only people in my fandom OCs OCs with no fandom ties Only one version of any particular character People who have rp the same muse as me People who do not have a rules page Multimuse blogs People in RP groups Indie RPers

I prefer to rp with characters from OP or from other fandoms I know - I’m afraid I don’t know that many, so as long as your character has a setting we can both use, such as a modern verse, interacting is possible. Feel free to send in ideas for fitting AUs.

If you do not have a rules page or if your visual choices make pages and posts alike hard to read, I will not follow you. I will follow and engage with multimuse blogs up to 3-4 characters, otherwise I won’t follow.

When RPing, I like to use _______

Novella Multi-paragraph Paragraph Shorter forms of text *Action* Icons Gifs Gif icons Formatted text Whatever my partner is using My own style regardless of my partner’s reply

I absolutely detest one-liners and as such won’t follow people who love them, as we would not match. Short answers are absolutely fine for asks and memes but for threads and plots, I’m afraid I am not fond of them - that being said, it’s not that big a no-no if one paragraph contains enough information for me to use. 

I like to illustrate my posts with an icon at the bottom but I might not use one at all with some partners/replies. I don’t mind if you use icons or not.

The only formatting I do to my text is using bold and italics when adequate. You are free to change it to small text for your blog but please do not cut my posts for me without prior discussion - it’s rude. On this topic, I don’t mind if you format your posts or not provided you use capitals as adequate AND provided your formatting is not too heavy - I am sorry but some people format their text to the point it’s impossible to read. I would very much like to keep my retinas intact. 

I will ship with _______

No one Anyone Chemistry Plotted ships Select ships   OCs Others of my own muse Crossovers with characters from different fandoms Only one version of a particular character One person in my main verse Multiship, all ships independent of each other & main ship Polyamorous ships - V’s, OT3s [and upward], or a combination thereof. One main/canon ship within my main verse

I can’t explain this topic very well but the idea is that, for us to ship our characters, they must have a dynamic that can be used as a base and we should either plot it or be in tune. Sometimes people just go *squeal* over a pairing at the same time! I would not object to plotting a ship from a time the characters are not that fond of each other, but that would require the same feeling of companionship between the two of us as writers as other ships do. 

When I ship with someone, it applies only to their interpretation of that character and not with another. I see no sense in doing it differently! In fact, if we get to that stage, I would rather be exclusives with you and rp only with your portrayal of the character in question in the sense of developing this dynamic over different situations, verses, etc.

My blog WILL contain ______ in it’s content

Fluff Angst Gore Violence Smut  Blood  Torture Shipping Death Dark humour Cheating Assault 

Any and each might happen at some point. Naturally, heavier topics should be plotted. This being said, most of my posts are either fluffy/friendly, sad or adventurous. Again, it’s all a matter of agreement between both writers. I do not object to smutty things but only with selected partners.

I will follow ______ back

Everyone Only some people Most people Only people in my fandom Every RP blog Only people I actively wish to RP with People who do not post a lot of OOC People whose posts I am comfortable with on my dashboard

In general, I will follow people whose writing I appreciate, whether or not I expect a follow back. Naturally, this means I would like to write with you! 

OOC posts are a fine thing, for behind every blog there is not a machine programmed to answer things all day long, but bloggers of flesh and bone. I can never have anything against status updates on your life - in rp-related things, in things that make you happy and want to share, things that are saddening you and you could use a friendly shoulder for. However, I won’t follow people who, in 10 posts, have 8 or 9 as OOC - the way I see it, that makes it a personal blog instead of rp and I like to keep these contents separated in my respective blogs. 

To RP with me, you should _______

Follow back Answer an open Message me OOC Message me IC Make a starter Answer my starter Send in a meme Like a starter call 

Feel free to send me an ask. You can send me an IM too but I’d be thankful if you sent me an ask about it first, for permission. It’s ok if you don’t, though. A meme can be a fine way for us to get acquainted but please keep in mind I am not a fan of continuing a meme without discussion. Please don’t write me a starter out of the blue - send me a message first. Bottom-line to deal with me is: most things can be solved with a chat.

Other:

I practice reblog karma with memes I expect reblog karma with memes I expect my rules/about to be read I always read the rules/about before following/interacting If you follow me, I would like suicide and assault tagged I expect all smut to be beneath a read-more I expect smut to be tagged I am a multiverse blog I am multi-muse I use/my blog has NPC characters/OCs I do not wish for my OOC posts to be reblogged I do not wish for my threads to be reblogged by those not involved I expect post length to be matched I expect icons/gifs to be used in a reply if I have used them I don’t expect post length to be matched, but I will try to match your own. I am patient when waiting for replies and expect the same courtesy. I will tag squicks/etc upon request

If I reblogged a meme you want to reblog as well without sending me a prompt, you’re free to! Really, not all memes work for the characters or with our mood and I understand that. I just won’t like it if you reblog every time without sending me something every now and then. Similarly, if I reblog a meme from you without sending you anything, be rest assured I will send you a prompt (and no reblog) the next time or send you an IC ask! Feel free to tell me if this arrangement bothers you.

I expect smut to be tagged but I expect everything as well. I will not follow blogs that don’t tag their posts in some way. It’s fine if you forget every now and then!

I will write as much as I want. If it’s in the published answer, it’s because I found it important, even if not to advance with the story, to express Morgan’s thoughts, memories, opes, body language, etc. Do not expect short answers as the rule and you will not be disappointed. Expect the gospel according to Sparrow and be glad if it’s shorter! A reminder: I tag long posts as #long post for ts - you can always add it to your blacklist.

[dethberri]

     THE COOL METAL OF HIS BRACELET DISTRACTED HIM  ,  called to him.  engendered warmth first around his legs, lapping now at his knees and sailing up the length of his body like a tangible, inescapable thrill...  it tugged at him.  like a finger picking a taut thread, it plucked the cords of his throat, pulling from him a sharp but inaudible gasp.

pressed to dive head-first and breathe in the energy encircling him, he examined the discrepancies in both sensation and sound, his newly heightened perception of reality—before hesitation leapt into every nerve, locking up his limbs and quickening his breaths.  it was just as before.  that same profound fear which had carried his battered limbs across a stretch of concrete, sights pinned on the masked creature towering in the distance, the cries of his sister fading into wheezing gasps…

caught to the instinct, to the sharp boundary of the moment, the singular chance one only ever dreamed of receiving, understanding had uncoiled at once, accompanied by an eruption of light which had swept his mind, his mother’s voice in his ears — jarring, but not unwelcome — like dawn finally breaking over the horizon.     in the dead of night, he’d stood alone, its howls echoing in spades until resolve raised his upper lip in a snarl, baring the monster his teeth and belligerence.

string drawn back and elbows braced, he’d FIRED          and nearly blew off his arm.

the scene wrapped around his heart and lungs like a shock-band, adrenaline ripping through him until he fell to his knees, the deafening shriek of the monster still resonating clearly…  for a long moment, kurosaki trembled under the sheer intensity, then closed his eyes and scoffed as what energy gathered in his hands dissipating the instant his focus fell apart.

it really was no use.    days spent practicing and he still had no real understanding of how to even shape the bow ... but he longed for the feel of it in his hands.   wanted, desperately, to wrap his fingers around its phantom grip and welcome the comforting press of security at the back of his mind, somehow familiar as breath and blood.                kurosaki tore off his sweatband and threw it with a frustrated scream.  he hadn’t thought about trying to feel for the presence of his mother in years—and yet, in the stretch of two days, he’d tried more than a dozen times.

his back hit the gravel before he knew it.  staring up at the cloudless sky with a moroseness that was quite unlike him, ichigo threw his arm over his face, scowling.  ❝damn it!❞

@strcngered  —  starter for ishida uryū.

[dethberri]

KID

A plotted starter for @dethberri

        School life is not easy for someone like him. Timid, shy and very scrawny, he’s always the target of one bully or another. He deals with it daily, being taken to the back of the school and tormented by one person or another, until they all got bored. Then he gathers his belongings and tries to make it home in one piece.

        Today is no different. Kosuke has his back pressed up against a wall with a much bigger guy standing over him. They have on hand pressed against the wall next to Kosuke’s head to keep him from escaping. He’s used to being hurt physically – but, recently, ever since he entered college, rough hands began traveling lower and lower. The guy towering over him slides a hand underneath his shirt– and that’s when Kosuke truly freaks out. He begins to struggle more, frustrating the other student. The guy shoves Kosuke to the ground and drives the toe of his boot into his side, causing Kosuke to lose the breath he had stored in his lungs.

        His mouth opens and a silent scream escapes as he curls into himself in hopes of protecting his more – delicate regions. Save me, save me, save me. Please, someone, save me.

               KUROSAKI ENDED THE CALL AS SOON AS HE CAUGHT IT ,  the guttural growl following a sharp intake of breath almost lost amid keigo's indignant squawking for ichigo to haul ass already, that he’d been waiting long enough to get wrinkles and if they should order something for dinner before the rush arrived.  ichigo wasn't hungry, and if those noises weren't simply borne from the exhaustion feathering the edges of his mind, then he figured he may as well skip dinner.

                       taking out the trash usually killed his appetite, anyway.

much to ichigo's disgust, it was exactly what he hoped it wasn't.  ❝OI—❞  his bark startled both figures—ichigo didn't recognize either of them, but he took note of the pale skin and shaven head of the heavier set man—as egghead turned with slow deliberation, as though measuring the chance for an escape, kurosaki dropped his book-bag to the floor, effectively sealing their fates.           ❝i don't think he's into you, man.❞   the kid looked genuinely terrified, too, his features pale as he gaped at them both from where egghead had him tucked up against the wall.  the sight only sent ichigo's anger through the frickin' ceiling, his upper lip pulling up to counterbalance the weight of a temper he’d often tasted in the early years of his teenage youth.

realizing that a few targeted insults about orange hair had failed to ward off this punk, egghead turned up his fists, looking sweaty and stupid and the perfect mini workout his human body needed.  kurosaki cracked his knuckles with a belligerent grin.  ❝i'm gonna kick your ass.❞

❝what the hell did i just say, you prick?  that didn't sound like an apology!❞  ichigo throttled the idiot in his arms before pointing a finger at the kid, who still hadn't budged.  ❝apologize, asshole!❞   it took a few seconds to recover, but egghead answered with a sneer first, making a show of trying to conjure an adequate apology before he sent his most vicious right hook flying towards unsuspecting orange hair.

kurosaki caught the fist with such mechanical accuracy that egghead whimpered, the sound stretching into frightened keening as that burnished gold gaze slid away from the kid and back to him—like egghead's cunning attempt just now, this entire encounter—was simply child's play for this guy.

            ❝hey.❞  ichigo had dragged his bag with him, one hand already rummaging inside the main compartment for his first aid kit.  soft eyes, soft voice, and an even softer smile beginning to ease the tight line of his mouth.  barring the deep furrow of his brows, this man was nothing like the walking scourge from scant few minutes ago.   ❝are you alright?❞

[dethberri]

HEADBAND-GUY

@dethberri

❛ …You look lost.  ❜ A rather obvious statement as he looked at the boy with orange hair. A sore thumb — eye-catching to say the least. Was this young man looking for trouble or was it the exact opposite ? Well, Minato has seen some weird hair color in his time — his wife’s for example, but he wouldn’t call hers weird. It was beautiful to him, however, to others — that wasn’t going to even be mentioned. Acknowledging his monotonous mistake he waved his hands this way and that with a nervous grin.  ❛ Sorry, sorry ! I don’t mean to sound rude. You just look new around here is all that I meant… ❜ he was also new to the father life. There was  A L O T  to get used to now.

               𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙾𝙽𝙻𝚈 𝙻𝙾𝙶𝙸𝙲𝙰𝙻 𝙴𝚇𝙿𝙻𝙰𝙽𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽 𝚆𝙰𝚂 𝙷𝙸𝚂 𝙵𝙰𝙲𝙴.   that must have been why the stranger apologized.  karin always said that if he didn’t get rid of his permanent scowl or learn to school his features into a more neutral looking expression—what had she called it again?  ‘resting bitch face’?—then he may as well kiss his future success goodbye.  no kid would ever want to visit such a scary-looking doctor, even if there were nurses with plenty of lollipops to give.  except, kurosaki ichigo still believed in what he’d told his little sister:  it’s all about how you present yourself, and, of course, that was also barring the litany of curses that followed soon after, bursting from under his breath when karin just laughed at him.

❝no—no, you weren’t rude!❞  the young shinigami shook his head, flustered and annoyed at himself despite knowing his fierce expressions weren’t always intentional, just a side effect from the constant bullshit-situations life threw at him.  for example, the one he was in now.  ❝i am lost.  i've been lost for hours and nothing about this place resembles my hometown...❞  kurosaki sent a surveying sweep around the area, spotted a stream in the distance, which was new and a good sign, but aside from this man and that stream, the scenery was about the same.  stepping up to the sky hadn’t been of any help, either.  that eerie gray fog encompassing the distance gave him the creeps.

how many hours had he spent walking through this forest?  not to mention, how the hell had he ended up here?  ichigo remembered little beyond warming up for his weekly spar with grimmjow in urahara’s basement.  there was the red light of a cero blooming in his periphery, a move ichigo knew the dickhead pulled when he felt cornered and needed a quick distraction, then — nothing.  ...damn it.  stupid cero.  stupid grimmjow.  stupid creepy forest he couldn’t escape.  the only bright side was headband-man and his bright blond hair...

hoping he wouldn’t end up betraying the genuine unease having festered in his chest, kurosaki cupped the back of his neck, appearing a bit sheepish, then bowed in both greeting and in apology.   he wasn’t a punk kid anymore, that’s for sure.   ❝sorry.  i’m honestly relieved to finally see another human being.  i — ❞            ichigo’s heart stumbled in his chest as he stared down at the black fabric of his hakama shifting in the cool breeze.

                                 oh.  that’s right.  he wasn’t in his body.

instinct commanded his hands to the grips of his swords first, once a precaution now turned habit after the wars, the measuring of reiatsu a close second            ichigo leapt back on the instant, sending dirt and gravel flying up in his haste to widen the distance between them.  bewilderment and curiosity claimed his expression for a few precious seconds before he blurted the question,  ❝who are you?❞   probably wasn’t the most polite way to ask for someone’s name, but kurosaki could hardly think past what he perceived.

this forest—this world… it felt odd.  disconnected from all that ichigo knew, but not completely alien, either.  headband-man?  even weirder.  he widened his stance, wondering just what the hell he chanced upon this time, because whoever this guy was...  he was immensely powerful.