Save Me From the Dark

Too Normal

Welcome back my readers! I've been promising this rewrite for awhile and it's finally here! I'm posting it later than I wanted to, but that's because I literally rewrote this first chapter five times because it didn't feel right. But I got it all sorted out, and I'm quite happy with how this first part turned out. I hope you all will enjoy this more updated, better formatted, and (hopefully) less plot hole-filled version of Save Me from the Dark!
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"Oi! Who the hell do ya think you are beatin' up one of my boys like that?" A robust and thug-like man screeched. "Hey, I'm talkin' to you!"

The person in question was a young teen with unruly orange hair. "I wouldn't be messing with you idiots if you hadn't knocked over that memorial over there!" The teen said, pointing to a toppled vase of flowers next to the lamp post.

Ichigo Kurosaki: Age 17

The thugs faces blanched with fear as the bright-haired teen slammed his foot down on their downed gang member. "We're sorry! We won't do it again!" They said collectively as they scrambled to get away.

Occupation: High School Student

The teen snorted as the thugs ran off, carrying their injured friend with them. After they were out of sight he turned and headed towards the school.

He cannot see ghosts.

Ichigo stared out the window watching his friends run out the school gates. It had been fifteen months since the defeat of Aizen, and despite the relative peace hollows were still a problem. The times Ichigo saw his friends over the summer they always seemed like they hadn't had a decent night's sleep in weeks.

Ichigo sighed and tried to focus on the lesson. The loss of his powers was a hard loss, but it was at the very least good for his grades. Despite this his desire to help his friends was ever present. Whenever he saw Orihime or Chad with injuries Ichigo couldn't help but think about how he could've prevented it if he still had his powers.

An hour later the bell rang signaling that it was lunch time. Ichigo arrived at the rooftop and sat down next to the railing. Moments after he sat down Keigo and Mizuiro joined him, followed shortly by Uryu, Orihime, Tatsuki, and Chad.

"Oh! Ichigo, how are you? I didn't get a chance to ask you because you were running kind of late today," Orihime asked as she sat down next to him.

Ichigo smiled, "I'm fine, I just got caught up with some punks knocking over a memorial again."

"It's nice that you still keep an eye out for them even if you can't see their spirits," Orihime mused as she bit into a piece of toast slathered with red bean paste.

"Some habits don't die I guess."

Lunch carried on peacefully until the bell rang. From there the last half of the school day continued without further disruption from hollows. The final bell rang, ending the first day of school of Ichigo's senior year. Ichigo gathered his stuff and got ready to leave.

"Hey Ichigo, I was planning to check out the new arcade that just opened up with Mr.Asano. Do you want to come with us?" Mizuiro asked as he and Keigo came to stand by Ichigo.

"WAHHHHHH, WHY SO FORMAL!" Keigo screeched.

Ignoring Keigo's outburst, Ichigo responded, "Thanks guys, but I promised Yuzu I'd stop by the store to pick some things up for dinner."

"Alright, well see you tomorrow Ichigo," Mizuiro said as he dragged a crying Keigo behind him out the door.

Ichigo grabbed his bag and left the room.

"Ichigo!" Orihime called from behind him as he walked down the hallway.

"Huh?" Ichigo turned to face the girl walking towards him.

"Could I come with you to the store? I need to grab a few things before I head to work since it's not really safe for me afterwards."

"Sure thing, let's get going then," Ichigo said with a soft smile.

Ichigo and Orihime made their way to the store in companionable silence as a gentle breeze played with Orihime's long hair. The hot late summer day was beginning cool off as the sun gradually went down. It was truly a good day for a walk. However, the peace was interrupted as Orihime suddenly stopped.

"What is it, Orihime?" Ichigo asked.

Orihime looked around frantically. She could feel a hollow nearby, but she couldn't see it. It was strong, that much she could tell by its heavy spiritual pressure.

"Is there a hollow?" Ichigo questioned further when she didn't answer.

Orihime nodded, "It's a strong one. I can't seem to pinpoint its location."

"We should get out of here while we can."

"Yeah..."

Ichigo and Orihime picked up their pace. Not quite running they turned the corner to the street the store was on. Just as they made it around the corner an invisible force threw them back. Ichigo groaned in pain as he stood up. He offered his hand to Orihime as she reoriented herself. After getting back on her feet Orihime quickly began looking around for what had attacked them. As she glanced around she saw ripples in the air next to a lamppost.

"Ichigo, please run!" Orihime whisper-yelled to the orange-haired boy behind her.

"I'm not leaving you here to deal with the hollow by yourself!" Ichigo hissed back.

"Please go! Call Chad or Uryu, I'll hold it off while I can."

Ichigo was about to argue again, but he caught the determined look in Orihime's eyes. Ichigo nodded and sprinted off back the way they came. Orihime turned her attention back to the hollow as its invisibility shifted away. It was chameleon like in form, and its mask had three vicious horns. Its spiritual pressure was too great to be a simple hollow or even a menos, meaning this creature before her was likely an adjuchas.

Ichigo fumbled with his phone as he leaned against a wall not too far from where Orihime was. His breathing was labored not from exertion, but from worry. Orihime may be strong, but she's no fighter, and based on how anxious she was to get him away from the fight the hollow was nothing to scoff at. He opened his phone and called Chad, which rolled over to voicemail seconds later.

"Shit! Come on Chad, pick up dammit!"

Voicemail again.

"Damn!"

Ichigo called Uryu. It rolled over to voicemail.

"God dammit!"

An explosion sounded from around the corner followed by a scream.

"Orihime!"

Ichigo shoved his phone in his pocket. He pushed off the wall and ran back towards where he'd last seen Orihime. Even without his powers he could feel the hollow's dark presence. He followed its trail of destruction to an abandoned construction site.

When Ichigo pushed opened the gate he saw Orihime laying on the ground, held down by an invisible force.

'I need to help her! But what can I do? I don't have my powers anymore. I'd just make things worse.'

Ichigo was frozen in fear. Orihime screamed again as more weight seemed to press down on her, and she passed out.

'I have to protect her!'

'Allow me to help you out, King!'