Don't You Forget About Me
Ichigo's eyes slowly opened revealing the ceiling of his room. He shot up, remembering what had recently occurred: He'd escaped Las Noches with everyone and encountered Aizen, Ichimaru and Tousen. He thought harder, but he couldn't recall anything else and sought for Rukia to remind him. He opeend his closet, but it was empty. Nothing was there, not even the futon that Rukia had used to sleep on. He went downstairs, hoping that she'd be eating, but was only greeted by his little sisters.
"Where's Rukia?"
They stared at him blankly. Karin held a serving platter that covered her chest, while Ririn played with her food, using her fork as a torturing mechanism to the seemingly frowning pancakes. Ichigo immediately sensed an attack from his father and moved out of the way just in time to dodge a flying kick.
"Ichigoooo!!!OH! aah!!"
He'd miss and crashed through the window, right in front of a truck. They rushed outside to see their father on the sidewalk, rolling around before staying still.
"I think I broke my back." He flopped over til his butt stuck in the air. An annoyed Ririn kicked at it like a soccer ball and kept at it.
"Dad, how many times do we have to tell you to not rough house in the house with Ichigo."
They helped him back into the house as Ichigo grabbed his case and a piece of toast before jogging around the corner to meet up with Sado and Inoue. When he'd arrive, he asked if they knew where Rukia went.
"Who's Rukia?" Sado looked at him with one eye, the other mysteriously covered by his shaggy brown hair.
"Is she a new student at our school?" Inoue's iamgination ran wild as she thought up different personas of Rukia.
"Don't you remember?," he asked," she has shoulder length hair that's black, about this tall and likes to draw bunnies, although they're crappy?"
Out of instinct Ichigo ducked his head, awaiting a slap or punch from the said woman, but it never came.
"Doesn't ring a bell."
"No, sorry."
Inoue apologized, slightly worried that Ichigo had been playing too many video games or something.
"Are you guys being serious now? Remember when we had to go to Seiretei to save her from being executed?"
They began walking at a slower pace.
"Seiretei? Is that somewhere around here?"
"Hmm, I've never heard of Seiretei before."
Ichigo had a hard time believing this. Were they playing a game with him?
"Okay, I get it. You two are hiding something."
Inoue and Chad stopped, confused by what Ichigo meant.
"We don't have a clue about what you're saying. I don't think I've ever met a person name Rukia in my life... although that's a cute name. I should name my first daughter that! If I get married...and if I..."
She grew incredibly pink and covered her mouth as Ichigo stared at her blankly.
"What Inoue means is, we've never met a person name Rukia. Sorry, Ichigo. Let's go to class now."
Inoue followed them in, hidign behidn the two male figures as if trying to conceal her embarassment from the world.
The bell rang inititiating class and Ichigo ran to class, the two friends managing to keep up with him. He slid open the door revealing surprised classmates but none of which whom were Rukia.
"Kurosaki? Right on time as always! That's why you're my favorite pupil. Never missed a day of school ever!"
"What the hell is going on? It's hard to believe what has happened so far... but the teacher's claimed that I've never missed a day of school? What a bunch of bull.
Just then a thought hit him.
Uruhara.
"Excuse me, I'm not feeling well today. Please excuse me." Ichigo slammed the door shut and ran pass Inoue and Sado who had just caught up with him.
"Wait!"
He ran out of the school, Inoue and Chad following him.
"Ichigo where are you going?"
"We need to be in class! I'd never thought of you as the type to ditch."
He responded before increasing his speed.
"I need to speak to Urahara."
Inoue and Sado looked at each other with confusement.
"Who are all these people you're mentioning? I've never met them before."
Ichigo stopped abruptly causing Inoue to crash into him, but Sado crashed into a wall.
They don't remember Urahara?
"Ow..." she dusted off her skirt and fixed her clothing before standing up.
"Are you okay Inoue?"
"Yeah I'm fine, now pelase explain."
Ichigo and Inoue sat on the swings as Sado leaned against the pillar. He explained to them about the things that have happened: hollows, soul society, captains, arrancar, espada, shinigami, bounto and vizards. He managed to sum it all up pretty quick though. They sat silently, trying to contemplate what Ichigo was cramming into their head.
"I'm sorry, I can't remember any of this." She bonked her head a few times and stuck her tongue out, imitating a childish cartoon.
"Me too."
"You guys were there, but-"
Rukia isn't here... something's strange is going on. Urahara should know...
He stood up and walked towards Urahara's shop, Sado and Inoue following him, coming to the agreement that it's too late to make classes so they might as well pass for the day. Besides, things were starting to get interesting.
Inoue suggested to Ichigo," You know, although I don't know what you're talking about. I don't think you're lying. There have been some strange things happening lately. But, in case you weren't serious, it'd turn out to be a great manga!" She smiled at him, unaware that he was serious.
They finally reached the shop and called out for Urahara.
"Urahara! Are you there?"
Instead, two children came out, greeting them as costumers.
"Welcome to Urahara's shop, it's our pleasure to be at your service. Is there anything in particular that you need?"
"Yeah, tell Urahara to come out." he replied bluntly, talking to them informally that it was uncomfortable to the red head.
They looked at each other.
"Watch your stinking mouth you old man!"
"Um, excuse us." The girl dragged him back to the porch and huddled, finally coming to a decision. They walked inside as Ichigo and his friends waited patiently. Finally, after a few minutes, Uruhara emerged from his shop greeting them with his usual hospitality.
"Uruhara, we need to talk."
"Eh?"
"No one seems to know where Rukia is, or who she is."
"Rukia? Rukia.....nope. I don't remember a Rukia."
"Don't you remember how you helped me enter Soul society and save her? Anything at all? Inoue and Sado here don't recall it."
Uruhara's expression became serious and motioned them to come inside.
"Let's discuss it over tea."
They closed the door.
"How do you know about Seiretei? By the look on your face, I could tell that you didn't just randomly make up a name for a place. You've been there before?
"Yes."
"So it is a real place!" Inoue spoke in relief.
"We should go there sometime, Ichigo." Sado tried to make matters less nerving as her attempts of trying to loosen the situation only seemed to cause a bit more tension.
"We have gone there before! I'm telling you, it's not a lie." He slammed his fist onto the table, causing everyone's cups to vibrate.
He explained to them over again.
"Listen, I don't know how a human obtained such valuable information, but you seem to be very convincing. But, how do I know that you're not lying? That's the question." He opened his fan, covering his smirk.
"You have a secret battlefield hid in your basement, I trained there for months." Ichigo said it without hesitation or ease, making it very convincing to Uruhara.
"Trained?"
"They call me a substitute shinigami."
"Ah, now things are becoming clear. Show me."
"What?"
"Show me where it is, and your power. Until then, I'll just mark it down for a manga idea... this plot and event truly is interesting though."
Ichigo clenched his fist and pointed at the patch of floor that his the staircase leading to the area. Uruhara opened his fan and motioned for Ichigo to open it. He did.
"My, my, so you weren't lying then?"
"That's what I've been saying this whole time!"
He stiffened up as Inoue poked his arm while wearing a childish look on her face.
"Calm down, what was your name again?"
"Ichigo. Ichigo Kurosaki."
They went downstairs, being led by Ichigo.
"Now, show me your stuff."
He sat on a flat rock and crossed his legs, adjusted his hat and watched Ichigo with eyes that disected his every movement.
Ichigo couldn't find his badge.
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"I don't know where that stupid badge is. I can't go into my spirit form without it."
"Bummer, oh well."
He shrugged it off, finding it amusing to tease this orange-haired substitute shinigami.
"Uruhara!"
Ichigo almost popped a vein. Clearly, he wasn't in the mood for messing around. Ever since he woke up, an aura of awkwardness and emptiness had been lingering around him.
"Fine, fine."
He offered him one he had lying around.
"Thanks."
Ichigo used it, but it had no effect. It got to the point where he was smacking his face with it. Uruhara looked at him skeptically.
"I don't see any power."
"Just give me a moment!"
"I'll pass, call me down if anything happens."
Inoue and Sado tried to separate him from the thing before he broke his face, but eventually fell on his soulless body as he finally managed to change.
"I-I-I'll go get Uruhara." Inoue ran up the stairs, screaming his name.
Sado sat on the dirt and stared it in awe.
"Um, Ichigo. What happened?"
"It's exactly as I've explained."
Urahara walked down, a little annoyed, but surprised when he felt Ichigo's reiatsu.
"So you weren't kidding."
Ichigo grabbed the hilt of his sword, the feeling of having it grasped in his hands empowered him and filled him with confidence.
"I'd like to check Soul society."
Urahara immediately rejected it.
"Why not?!"
"You're a mere substitute, your job is here."
"I need to see Rukia, nothing's making sense."
"And if you found her, you're confident that it would make sense?"
"Exactly."
"I see...By the way, please call me Kisuke."
Kisuke rubbed his chin for a moment, contemplating his options.
Completely dump the kid and leave him alone, or help him...Oh, I've never had the heart to turn anyone down.
"Kisuke!" A woman's voice could be heard, but a black blurr sped by them, finally revealing a naked woman.
"Yoruichi!" Kisuke's eyes widened at the sight and his hands immediately turned into pincers, rather than an offering for a hug. She kicked his face with such force that sent him tumbling.
"You idiot!"
She appeared right before him again in a flash.
"What the hell do you think you're doing? Helping out a Ryoka? You're still in a mess after what had happened a hundred years ago, you know that. If they ever find out, you know what'll be the consequences."
"Yoruichi..." Kisuke began, but was interrupted by Ichigo.
"Yoruichi! You remember me, right?" Ichigo immediately blushed and turned his back on her, daring not to peek although the temptation was there, or somewhere else.
"I don't know what you're talking about, ryoka."
Kisuke finally managed to settle her down and then explained to her. She seemed to be a little tougher to convince than the store keeper.
"How do we know that his intentions are pure. Soul Society has gone through a lot, especially since we're still searching for Yamamoto."
Gramps?"
"Wait, what about gramps? What happened?" Ichigo stared her in the eyes to avoid embarassment, although his curiousity got the best of him, and she covered herself before slapping him.
"Watch your mouth! I have no intentions of allowing you into our affairs, go home."
"I...need to search Soul Society. I need to know where Rukia went."
"Rukia? Kuchiki?" She crossed a leg over another and wrapped her left arm around her chest.
"You remember Rukia?"
"That's a weird way to put it, but I suppose so. I know her though. She's of nobility right? I heard that she was to be wed soon. What business do you have with her?"
"I...What? Rukia's getting married? What's happening..." His mouth became dry as he spoke those words. Inoue rushed over and comforted him, not knowing whether or not it wa safe to touch his spirit.
"Well, there you go. Now go home, you've got your answer."
Yoruichi swiftly spun around. It almost appeared as if she hadn't even moved at all, but she had turned around in a slight blurr and ran out, turning into a cat as she ran up the stairs.
"You'll have to excuse her, she's normally not like this."
"I need you to open a senkei gate, Kisuke."
Ichigo's voice seemed unnervingly calm.
"I dunno...captain-commander wouldn't approve of it, as Yoruichi said." He scratched his head.
"Gramps? He's a sensible guy, I can explain to them. They'll understand."
He spoke with great confidence, almost sure that the large debt that they owed him could never have been forgotten.
"Gramps? You mean the subordinate? Yamamoto is currently wanted for conducting hollow research. No, I mean captain-commander Aizen."
Aizen. Just hearing that name makes my blood boil.
Kisuke paused, preparing to enlighten Ichigo.
"He's the reason why I'm in this mess, in the real world. Same goes for my assistant shop-keeper. You see, we used to be captains."
Ichigo couldn't recall Uruhara ever saying that he'd been a captain before, but now that he looked back the man was clearly capable.
"Oh?"
"What the hell did he do? I need some answers...I'll beat them out of him if I have to."
Kisuke began laughing, slightly amused by Ichigo's enthusiasm.
Inoue and Sado watched silently. She walked over to Ichigo, attempting to touch him, to make sure that he wasn't a ghost. Sure enough, contact was made and she stood by him comfortingly. Sado stood on his other side, offering support.
"We believe Ichigo, please help us. I don't know what we can do, but we-I believe that Ichigo can do it."
Her hair clip began to glow, catching Uruhara's attention.
"You've got some unique powers as well?"
Inoue appeared shocked when he posed the question at her.
"Me?"
"Yes."
"Oh no, no no no no no no..." She waved her hands in front of her and laughed nervously.
Ichigo spoke, informing Inoue about how she had obtained some powers, as well as Sado for merely being close to him.
"Ichigo...when you said close..."
"Inoue, your powers aren't that great for attacking, but you can reject things. Other than that, they're a bit weak."
She hung her head.
"Oh...so not that close."
"Huh?"
"Oh, nothing."
"Sado, your right arm can turn into this thing that has a shield on it, and your elft arm turns into this white thing that is made for attacking."
"My,my, looks like we have a trio of supernatural ryokas!"
"What are you getting at Kisuke?"
"Not much, it's just exciting. I've decided to help you."
"What's the catch?"
"Catch? I want you to train a while, your powers would be of no match for them at their current states, especially your firends, Ichigo. I've conducted research once and know how your abilities work. Inoue, yours work similarly to kidou and Sado's abilites work similarly to that of a laser sort of. You'll see what I mean when you use them."
"I've been meaning to try Karakura-riser's improved costume anyways, so I'll need someone's body... oh look, Ichigo."
He grinned menacingly as Ichigo was weirded out, now conscious whenever he loaned his body to Kon.
They asked simlataneously," How do I use them?"
"Figure it out, they are your abilities after all." He popped open his fan and waved them away in a gesture to carry on.
Inoue began talking to her hair pins, asking them for help, and they appeared in their forms, although small, still useful. She kneeled down and listened to each one of them intently, bonding with her new friends. Sado began punching at the air, waiting for something to happen. Ichigo sat next to Kisuke, who then proposed a plan.
"I have a plan, Ichigo. It involves you and your friends going under cover."
"I'm listening."
"You three have the capabilites to join the protection squads whom are always on the look out for recruits. Although neither of you are full shinigami, you do have spiritual power which is all you need. I'll teach you what I can here, then it's off the academy. From there, you'll have to graduate and then earn your place in the 13 protection squads. I'm confident in your abilities, and it is possible to graduate in but one year. That's where I come in. You three will train here for a few months, and I'll teach you all the spells and the fighting styles that you'll need to pass the classes."
"Thanks Uruhara, but why are you doing all this?"
"I personally cannot enter Soul Society anymore, and I have this raw feeling that's telling me that you three, especially you, are up to something big, and so it's my duty to help you prepare. It feels like we've met before, probably in another life and in that life, I helped you as well. Weird feeling, isn't it?"
Just then, Inoue remembered something.
"I wish I could live five different lives so that I can do all the things I've always wanted to do...and fall in love five different times with the same person..."
A tear escaped her eye, though she wasn't sad at all. She strengthened her resolve- to become stronger by using this new power and stay by Ichigo's side, always.
Ichigo sarcastically replied," Yeah, different life."
None of this is making sense, all I know that this is fake. Aizen has never been and will never be head of soul society.
