Be Careful What You Wish For [CLOSED]

[madamnoire]

Characters: Yuuko Ichihara and a nine-year-old Ichigo Kurosaki
Content: Upon losing your mother, who better to seek for help than Yuuko Ichihara?
Setting: The streets of Melior
Time: Fourteen years ago
Warnings: Crypticness and super adorable children


The sun beat down on the crowded streets of Melior. It was a bright spring day, exceptionally warm for April. Some were out on business, others simply to enjoy the sunshine. The day itself felt lazy, relaxed, unhurried.

This lethargy was disturbed by a young boy of about nine. He wandered through the crowds, pausing only to look up into the faces of the adults there. Always, he looked back down in disappointment. But he never stopped for long. His hair was a shock of bright orange, catching the sunlight, and his brown eyes held unshed tears.

His search, however, brought him into the shade of an alleyway, where he paused to wipe his eyes. The glare of the sunlight off the city streets was bright, and he took a moment to recover in the cool darkness. He quickly looked back at the street, afraid he'd missed what he'd been searching for in his moment of inattentiveness. He dearly hoped he hadn't, and the thought made his breath catch in his chest and tears well up again.

However, the boy wasn't the only one with plans to escape the sun.

Whether or not he heard the muted clomping of heels amidst the sound of the city was not important as a tall, darkly dressed form paused in the opening of the alleyway. There was something oddly magnetic, almost strange about the woman, who, face impassive -- but eyes burning a fiery scarlet -- bent down to address the significantly shorter child.

"Are you looking for someone?" She crooned, taking in the damp lashes and dejected expression.

This was the first time Ichigo met Yuuko Ichihara.

The boy's mouth fell open in awe as he took in the beautiful strange lady. It took him a moment to find his voice. "Mm-hm," he said, blinking a few times. "I'm looking for Momma. She's lost." In true child-logic, he knew exactly where he was: here. It was his mother who had lost her way, and he had to find her.

Something seemed off about this woman, though. Ichigo couldn't quite tell what it was. Why did she seem strange? She didn't look strange....

Maybe he'd ask her about it later. Right now, he wanted to find his mom. Who knows what could happen to her? She might be in trouble! He had to save her!

It was a mindset so very valiant for a boy of only nine.

"Hmm, lost, you say?" The enchantress held index finger and thumb to her chin, faking a thoughtful look. "Where did you see your Momma last?" Oh, what odd words to be uttering. Yuuko resisted a smile, for the child seemed very insistent upon the fact that his mother was lost, yet not himself. She was probably off searching for him on her own, worried like a mother should be after losing sight of her son in a vast city such as Melior.

Well, Yuuko would just have to help the little thing out, wouldn't she?

Ichigo thought back. When had she disappeared? He'd run over to look at something, thinking his mother was right behind him, but when he turned around, it was just a crowd of strangers. But he knew his momma was out there somewhere: he just had to find where. That was what kept him from frightened, blind panic. Ichigo had to keep himself together -- his mother was counting on him.

Then, he remembered. "The post office!" he declared, eyes wide with surprise. "We were in the post office!" He and his mother had gone to run several errands, and the last one had been to mail a package. That was it!

At that, the woman smiled. It wasn't particularly kind, but it wasn't meant to intimidate either. "Do you know where the post office is?" Clearly the boy had ideas, but did he really know where he wanted to go? God forbid he actually remembered where the post office was. There wasn't a high probability of his mother lingering around that particular area, that being said, but it was a start, surely.

"You're quite a ways from it, unfortunately."

"Oh, no!" Ichigo gasped. His mother -- if he was far from there, then where was she? What if he'd been going in the wrong direction? Panic welled up in his chest, and he felt about to cry again. His lip quivered, and his vision blurred. He still seemed to have no idea that he was in danger; instead, his thoughts revolved around his mother, worry that she was in trouble, fear that he would never, ever see her again....

That thought terrified him more than he could say.

A hand came down on Ichigo's orange head to ruffle his hair. "I wouldn't worry so much, little one," Yuuko assured him, lips curving into a grin of sorts. "Would you like me to help you find her?" She touched a delicate finger to his small nose. "I'm pretty good at finding people, myself."

The involvement of a price was ignored, for the time being.

Ichigo blinked, wide eyes crossing slightly as he tried to focus on her finger. His mouth was still open, eyebrows drawn in worry. "You are?" He stared up at her, tears escaping from his eyes. "Then....p-please! Please help me find her!" he begged, with no shame at all. He needed to find his mother, and she could help him. His hands clenched into tight fists at his sides.

Not shifting from her position, yet removing her finger, the enchantress adjusted her chin to address him more evenly, eyes flashing. "Certainly. But first, what is your name?" A burning desire to call him a childish nickname rose from deep inside, but she didn't want to be cruel to the boy, did she? After all, that nickname could be saved for when he was older, when could fully appreciate it.

Yes, that was what she'd do.

He lifted a hand to his eyes, rubbing the tears away. "Ichigo," he told her. He swallowed hard, and then announced more clearly, "Ichigo Kurosaki." There was a definite note of pride in his voice as he told her his name. One who protects. Ever since he'd heard its meaning, he had felt a strong desire to protect: protect his mother, his sisters....and anyone else who needed someone to protect them. He wanted to protect more and more people.

He wasn't doing well right now, though. He had to find his mother first. Then he could protect her.

"My, that's a good, strong name," the woman purred, looking almost amused. "But it can also be rather cute, can't it?" Oh, there was no harm in poking for at a young child about his name, right? Of course not. It was perfectly harmless. The smile on her painted lips spread as she watched for Ichigo's face to either change or remain the same.

Of course he knew his name also meant "strawberry". The few classmates he'd had who knew the other language had spread this like wildfire among the rest of the class. "It isn't!" Ichigo declared, his small chest puffing out with pride. His tears had all but disappeared. "It's not cute at all!" His mouth pulled into a frown that was half scowl, half pout. "It means 'one who protects'!"

If Yuuko wasn't amused before, she surely was now.

"All right then, Ichigo, One Who Protects." His blatant display of pride was, to be quite honest, absolutely adorable, which made the name even more cute, if such a thing was possible. She continued to smile. "My name is Yuuko. Shall we go look for your mother now?"

The sun was high in the cloudless sky, indicating how much time they'd have until dark, if their search was to go on that long. But the witch had a feeling time wouldn't be an issue today.

Ichigo wiped his eyes one more time and set his jaw in a determined expression. He nodded. "Yeah!" He found himself wanting to reach for this lady's hand, but he checked himself. He wasn't gonna hold anyone's hand until he found his mom again. New courage filled him, and he strode out into the sunlight.

He took about three steps before pausing, turning to look at Yuuko. "Umm....which way was it, again?" He broke into a sheepish grin, his first smile in hours, and rubbed the back of his neck.

Apparently courage didn't exactly come with directions to your nearest post office.

Coming up next to the young boy, Yuuko motioned with a finger. "That would be this way~" she informed him chirpily, cupping her free hand against his upper back lightly to lead him. The walk couldn't be more than ten minutes, and fortunately she had some free time on her hands.

Well, "free" in way that was not so literal.

"Have you ever lost your mother before, Ichigo?"

"Right!" The smile was still in place. He felt confident now, and was going to find his mother for sure! The hand on his back was a comfort, too.

He thought for a moment. "Once," he finally said. "A long time ago. But I found her again really fast." It had been scary, but not nearly as bad as this.

Something still struck him as odd, though, and the feel of the hand on his back served only to increase this feeling. Could it be....?

"Um, Miss Yuuko?" he asked hesitantly. He usually hid the fact that he could see ghosts -- at least, as much as a nine-year-old boy who still couldn't tell the difference between ghosts and humans could. Sometimes, he did get caught talking with something no one else could see, which led to weird questions, but usually he could brush it all off.

"Mmm?" When she tilted her head down, tendrils of hair slipped into her lovely face, much like a veil. There was something curious in the boy's tone, and if she was going to be traveling with him for the next however many minutes, she would have to listen to his every word.

In any case, this Ichigo was simply too cute for words, so Yukon tried to be interested.

He swallowed. He still wasn't sure if he wanted to bring this up, because he tried to seem normal, he really did, and he really didn't want this woman to think he was weird. He was still getting the strange feeling, though, and he could think of only one thing it could be.

"Are you a ghost?" He wished he could find a nicer way to phrase it, and he hoped she wouldn't be insulted or anything like that if she was a ghost. And if she wasn't, well, he could apologize and laugh it off. That usually worked.

If Ichigo had looked close enough, he would've seen a flicker of surprise flash in those crimson eyes.

Yuuko removed her hand to place it upon the back of the boy's head lightly. "No, I'm not a ghost," she assured him, almost smiling now. "I'm very much alive and real." A pause, in which the enchantress briefly debated on all possibilities available. "Do you normally see ghosts, Ichigo?"

Ichigo dropped his eyes from hers, focusing instead on the ground beneath his feet. Oops. "N-no," he lied, still staring down at the cobbled street. "S-sorry. I didn't mean to sound weird." He looked back up at her and laughed nervously, a bright smile on his face so broad that his eyes were shut. He still couldn't tell who was alive and who was dead, and his guesses were almost always wrong. He should have known better than to bring it up.

The corner of the woman's lips finally curved into that smile. "It wasn't weird at all. I'm very curious, though -- why do I seem like a ghost to you?" Anticipating some anxiety on his part, Yuuko briefly touched his shoulder. "I promise I won't think you're weird if you tell me," she supplied, her smile warming very slightly.

Ichigo was conflicted. He didn't want anyone to know that he could see ghosts, and his common sense was telling him to stop talking or he would scare this nice lady away and he would have to find his mother on his own. But something else made him want to tell her, tell her everything. Something was telling him it was okay, that she wouldn't laugh, or worse, call him a freak. He swallowed. "I....I dunno," he said slowly, eyes down on the ground again. "It was...I thought you were...you sort of felt like one a little," he began.

"Mmm, and how does a ghost feel? Do you know how to describe it?" the enchantress pressed on, now immensely curious about this boy who could apparently sense or see spirits. Who knew she would happen upon young Ichigo Kurosaki today? Only fate could know such a thing. And if it was fate guiding their actions along, one could only accept it, and follow the path chosen for them.

That was hitsuzen, after all.

That was a difficult question. Ichigo gave it due consideration, and it was a minute or so before he spoke up again. "Like a person," he began, face screwed up in concentration, "but...um. I....I can't usually tell if a person is a ghost or not," he admitted, slightly shamefaced.

Yuuko made a conscious effort not to laugh at the poor child.

"I do hope you don't go around asking people if they're ghosts or not," the witch retorted, playing that mental image through her head in amusement. "But you're right. Even I sometimes have trouble determining if someone is a ghost, because they can often seem very believable as a human. It's not always so easy to tell. You could spend your entire life with a ghost if you didn't know any better."

It was a rather disconcerting possibility, but it was one that would never happen to her, fortunately.

He didn't! he wanted to protest, but was cut off by her next comment. He thought long and hard about that. So even she couldn't always tell. He pondered what would happen if he did befriend a ghost, and didn't find out until much later.

"I want to help them," he said finally. "The ones who are still here."

A light hum left her throat. "That's a very noble thing for you to want, Ichigo. Very noble, indeed, especially for someone so young." Yuuko's softened gaze drifted down to his face. "And how do you plan to do that?"

Ichigo didn't know for sure. All he knew was that they were here when they should be in heaven. "I... I don't know," the young boy said. "But I think I could, somehow."

The taller woman fell silent for a few moments, listening intently to the sounds of the bustling crowd, ears picking up a symphony of voices and noise. There was little wonder that so many people were out and about; the weather was beautiful, almost tropical. Yuuko returned her attention to her little companion.

"As long as you believe you can do something, if you wish it with all your heart, it will come true. In the meantime, you must look for a way to help guide them. Desiring to help them is, in a way, already a great aid." She paused here, giving into a smirk as she reached up to ruffle the boy's hair again.

"You're a good kid, Ichigo."

He laughed happily as she ruffled his hair. So it was okay, then. She could see ghosts, too, and didn't think he was weird. "If that's true, I want to be strong!" he declared. "So I can protect Momma! And Yuzu and Karin," he added. "And dad, too, and the ghosts, and that girl in my class who's always picked on, and..." he trailed off, thinking of all the people he wanted to protect. It was in his name, after all.

At first, when he had heard what "ichigo" meant, he'd thought he wanted to protect his mom. But then when his sisters were born, he realized he wanted to protect them, too. The people he wanted to help only increased as time went on. It was a lot for a boy of nine to handle, but he was going to get strong! That's why he was learning to fight, after all....

So very admirable for a boy his age.

When Yuuko chuckled, it rumbled warmly in her throat. "You want to protect so many people, Ichigo? My, and you're already making plans," she remarked, not once bringing up her gaze to avoid walking into any passersby. They made sure to get out of her way. "But it is something that you want very much, right? To be strong enough to protect the ones you love?”

Ichigo nodded, the bright smile back on his face. "Mmhm!" he said, with no hesitation whatsoever. It did not strike his nine-year-old mind as odd at all that she should know he was working towards his goal. He'd work as hard as he had to, and would keep getting up every time Tatsuki knocked him down, so that he'd be strong enough to protect his family.

He couldn't think of anything he wanted more.

Without saying a word, the woman merely smiled, touching the place between his shoulderblades as they neared the postal office. What Ichigo wasn't aware of, however, was that Yuuko was fully aware that his mother would be nowhere near the post office. She had merely led the boy here to jog his memory, lest he remember anything else prior to "losing his mother". Masaki was nearby, but they wouldn't find her at their destination.

Finally, she spoke. "What do your mother look like, Ichigo? She must be very pretty to have a cute kid like you, hmm~?" Yuuko bapped him lightly on the nose with one long finger.

S-she wasn't there?! Ichigo's face fell as he didn't see his mother anywhere. He bit his lip, wondering if he'd have to start all over again. At Yuuko's question, he blinked again when she tapped his nose. "She's beautiful," Ichigo corrected Yuuko. "Momma is.....Momma is warm, and...she always smiles. Always," he said solemnly. "Her hair is brown and wavy, and this long." He held his hands out in front of him, spread wide to indicate very long hair.

The boy's description made it somewhat easier to visualize his mother, but it seemed to Yuuko that he was more excited about it than her. It was obvious, even to a stranger, than Ichigo loved his mother very much. He idolized her. Cherished her. Idly, the enchantress wondered if, even at such a young age, he'd be willing to lay down his life for her already. It wouldn't be surprising if his mother felt the same.

"That is very long," she admired, returning her hand to his upper back.

Ichigo nodded. "Mm-hm." The hand on his back was a comfort, especially now that he didn't see his mother. "Where could she be?" he asked. If she wasn't here, then where did she go? He bit his lip in worry again. "Do you know, Miss Yuuko?" he asked, looking up at the enchantress.

She tilted her head down toward him, ebony strands brushing at her cheekbones. "I think I just might~" the woman chimed, holding up one slim index finger. "Would you like me to show you?"

Ichigo's face lit up. She knew! He knew it! He could find his mother now. "Yes!" he said eagerly, face open and trusting. "Please!" he added, belatedly remembering his manners. Hope rose up inside him again, and happiness. He was very lucky, it seemed, to find this lady.

Even though luck had absolutely nothing to do with their meeting.

"Very well," Yuuko purred, redirecting them back onto the main road. "How about I take you to her instead?" The offer was rather difficult to shoot down, what with her already leading the ginger-haired child along the way. She had a feeling, however, that he wouldn't say 'no'. Desperation was a hard thing to deny.

"Okay!" Ichigo smiled happily. It didn't occur to him just yet to wonder why she couldn't have just led Ichigo to his mother instead of going to the post office first. "Thank you very much, Miss Yuuko!" he said happily, reaching out to take her hand -- then pulling back. He was going to be strong, he reminded himself! It wouldn't do for him to find her while clinging to someone else's hand. He was going to find her while walking on his own two feet. He squared his shoulders, pride and posture making him a few inches taller. Hold on, he was on his way. Just a little longer now....

A little further down the road, Yuuko drifted her hand to the back of the boy's head, orange tendrils creeping over her pale fingers. "Ichigo, may I ask you a question?" She opted to leave how important it was out of the inquiry.

Ichigo looked up at her, brow creasing slightly in confusion. There was something in her tone that made him feel serious. “Okay,” he replied, wondering what she wanted to know. He wasn’t about to hide anything; he had nothing to hide, really. And he felt like he could tell this woman anything.

There was a moment where she paused to admire the sounds of the city. And then she spoke. "How much does your mother mean to you?" Yuuko decided to make it simpler for him, as a precaution. "Is she very important to you?"

She already knew the answer, but it was best to let the boy speak, anyway.

Ichigo stared at her for a moment, surprised at her words. "She's very important," he informed her firmly. "She -- she's...." He didn't have the words to explain that his mother was the center of his world. He couldn't even imagine a world without her. The idea was completely inconceivable to him. But it would never happen, right? So there was no need to worry about it. He would protect his mother from anything. So.... "She means....she means everything," he settled for.

"And you would protect her, no matter the price?" the witch continued, leading the young boy along the road. She made no move to dodge oncoming passersby, as they seemed to avoid them instead, almost on instinct.

Ichigo nodded solemnly. He would protect his mother with everything he had. He couldn't think of any greater price than his own life, which he would give to protect his mother. The idea of another's life being the price to keep his mother safe didn't even occur to him.

But it would for years to come.

The woman redirected her gaze toward the path they were travelling on, scarlet eyes catching a glimpse of a woman up ahead through the interwoven crowd. Her discovery of their target was kept quiet as she addressed Ichigo even longer.

"Mmm, even if the price was too much for you to pay? Even if you had to risk losing something very important?"

"Price?" Ichigo looked up at her questioningly, wondering what she could possibly mean by that. He looked down at the street again, thinking hard. Orange eyebrows furrowed, making a small frown-line between his eyes. "There's nothing more important than Momma," he said slowly. "But I'm going to work hard and get strong. W-why would there be a price?" He looked back up at Yuuko, confusion in his eyes. His drive to get strong was not a wish, it was a goal.

And whoever said this was a wish?

Yuuko straightened to her full height, just as the crowd parted slightly to reveal Ichigo's mother, her lovely face stricken with fright and worry. "You will find out in time," she spoke rather cryptically, removing her gentle touch from the boy's back.

"Now, go to her," she prompted, returning her eyes to Ichigo's.

All thoughts of prices and cryptic words flew out of Ichigo's mind as soon as he caught sight of his mother. "Momma!" he cried, forgetting about the sorceress in an instant. He tore over to his mother with a smile that outshone the bright spring sun despite the tears that clouded the corners of his eyes.

"Ichigo!" A moment ago, the woman had been suppressing tears, but now, all worry and fear disappeared from Masaki's face the moment she saw her child. She knelt down to wrap him in her arms, smiling with a relieved, joyous smile. "Ichigo, don’t run off like that!" she admonished, burying one hand in Ichigo's hair and wrapping the other around his back.

"I found you!" he cried, face buried in her shoulder now. His shoulders shook -- he didn't know if he was crying out of fear or happiness. "I finally found you, Momma! I was looking for you everywhere!"

His mother held him tight. "Yes, yes you found me." She smiled warmly. "I'm so glad. You're a good boy, Ichigo."

The child beamed through his tears, happiness almost overwhelming him.

"But next time, stay where you are!" She pulled away, holding out an admonishing finger. Her face, however, was far from angry -- she still smiled, unable to hide her joy at finding her son once more. "If you lose sight of me out in the city, stay where you are. I'll come back for you."

"You promise?" Ichigo sniffled, wiping his nose with his sleeve.

"I promise," Masaki told him, her smile radiating warmth. Ichigo all but leapt into her arms again, and she was only too happy to oblige. As she held him, she looked up to the enchantress who had brought Ichigo here. "Thank you," she said, deep gratitude in her eyes.

Yuuko, who'd witnessed the spectacle before her own eyes, shook her head slowly, raven hair swaying with the movement. "Do not thank me." Breaking her stance for a moment, she turned to the side. "You should be thanking your son and his solid determination. It was he who did most of the work."

Now the woman faced her back to Masaki.

"... and be careful of the future. May you never know what it holds for you," she finished darkly, meaning vague and abtruse. Without another word, Yuuko Ichihara disappeared from that street in Melior, fading into the restless crowd.