After The Battle Of Hueco Mundo

It had been a while since Ichigo Kurosaki had smiled.

Ever since Hueco Mundo…

"Rukia stay back … you too Renji!" Ichigo roared as Rukia and Renji bounded to his aid before he had even started.

"Idiot! We want to help you" Rukia yelled back.

Renji was pulled away from his charge to Ichigo's side as Ulqiorra attacked him. Now it was only Rukia pursuing to help Ichigo.

"Rukia, I have to do this on my own!"

"Don't be stupid ichi-" her sentence ended with a gasp and a scream of pain. The scream stopped everyone in their tracks.

Ichigo turned in Rukia's direction as did everyone else. Aizen was standing in front of her blocking everybody's view. His right arm flung to his right and crimson blood was sprayed everywhere with his sword.

He stepped to his left and disappeared from sight along with all the living arrancar. Rukia was slowly falling. Blood spilling from her body like an endless supply. "Rukia!" Ichigo and Renji yelled in unison.

A silent atmosphere was among the shinigami. A soldier had fallen…

And now he's going to tell his family and his friends. There wasn't keeping secrets from Tatsuki, Keigo, Mizuiro, Isshin (dad), Yuzu and Karin (sisters) any more. It was going to be out in the open - about his horrendous fight in Hueco Mundo. But the worse thing was there was no Rukia to yell at him, put him in shape nor cheer him up.

He was exactly like he was before he met Rukia.

****

He had arrived at school. The morning had been awkward, telling his family why he'd been away for 3 months. Of course his dad already knew – which surprised him.

The class went silent as Ichigo entered the classroom. They stared at him wondering why he hadn't been at school.

Chad, Uryuu and Orihime were already there. They had had the same response when entering the room.

****

At lunch the whole 'gang' (Tatsuki, Ichigo, Chad, Uryuu, Orihime, Keigo and Mizuiro) sat on the roof eating.

"So Ichigo. Where have you been these past 3 months?" asked Mizuiro, breaking the silence.

"I think all of us want to know that answer." Added Tatsuki, she turned to Orihime and said "Also where have you Chad and Uryuu been?"

Chad, Ichigo, Uryuu and Orihime all exchanged glances.

"We…" started Ichigo. "You have to promise not to tell anyone at all." Everyone nodded. "We were fighting in a place called Hueco Mundo. That is a place were bad souls go after they've turned into something called a hollow, or to be changed into a hollow."

Their friends were listening intensely.

"Me, Chad and Uryuu went to Hueco Mundo to save Orihime. Rukia Kuchiki and her friend Renji Abarai joined us."

"Wow. Wait a minute there." Interrupted Keigo "Orihime got taken by some bad dudes called hollows. You Chad and Uryuu went to save her and then Rukia and some friend call Renji came to aid you. What are you guys?"

"Well I'm a Quincy." Uryuu explained. "And Chad is an armoured arm."

"And me, Rukia and Renji are soul reapers." Said Ichigo.

"And I have a power called 'Shun Shun Rikka'." chirped Orihime.

"Any way, carrying on. After many fights we managed to get Orihime." Ichigo shifted about where he was sitting and stood up. "Then it came to the final battle. Soul reapers vs. arrancar. I went to kill Aizen – the man who started all this – and Renji and Rukia were following me. Renji got into a fight with the 4th Espada. So it was only Rukia that was trying to help. I told her to stay back but she was persistent…" he trailed off. His hand was now in a tight fist and he looked pained. "Then Aizen he… he killed her…"

Everyone gasped. A look of shock and mourning came to their faces.

"Then of course Aizen and his living Arrancar went off somewhere." Said Ichigo in an angry tone.

"Kuchiki dead…" Uttered Tatsuki quietly.

Yeah she's dead, thought Ichigo. The scene played over and over in his head.

****

Later that day Orihime was sitting in her house.

Mulling over the conversation they had at lunch. Ichigo really loved her didn't he, she thought to herself. She spooned idely at her red bean paste and cucumber pizza soup. She couldn't help feeling jealous as she loved Ichigo very much.

****

After his long day of explanations, Ichigo arrived home and retired to his room immediately. He drug himself up the stairs in a slow and tired pace. Reaching his room, he dropped his bag by the door and went to sit at his desk. He hadn't been in his room for a long while and it surprised him how free of dust his furniture was. Yuzu must have cleaned each week in here, he though to himself while staring at table before him. His hand slid along the wood slowly, tracing every inch. His fingers fell upon the handle to the top drawer. He opened it, being mindlessly curious about the things he had left.
Peeking from behind a small book were some pictures. He pulled it out. A nostalgic feeling came over him, remembering the day he took them.

They were of him Rukia and Renji – it had been before Hueco Mundo, and Ichigo had been showing Renji and Rukia how to use a photo booth – he smiled to himself at the last picture. It was of Renji and himself sitting while Rukia thought it had finished shooting so had gotten up to leave and he had been pulling her back in.

He missed those days of showing her how to use things. Especially the drink carton – that was his favourite!

****

To Be Continued