Chapter One

"Eh? Demo –"

"Inoue." Rukia said, "Please understand. If it's not for emergency case, we would never wish to involve you."

Inoue silenced. The red-haired shinigami threw a glance at Rukia, who merely remained stoic.

Kurosaki-kun.

A smile. A vow.

I'll protect you, Inoue.

"It's my turn to protect Kurosaki-kun." Inoue said slowly, twisting her hands uncomfortably. The eyes of the shinigamis lay upon her for a while, and suddenly a call sounded, followed by brutal, hurried slams on the door.

"Inoue!"

Inoue gasped slightly and stood up, rushing to the door. She wrenched the knob open hastily and puffed in bewilderment.

"Kurosaki-kun! Chad-kun!" She uneasily threw a glance back, and both shinigami were rooted to the spot, "Ano –"

Ichigo looked over her shoulder, "What's wrong?"

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Rukia and Renji wordlessly moved aside and sit against the wall. The window was not opened. The door was blocked. They could not get out.

Chad moved his lips, looking as though as he wanted to say something, but he finally closed his mouth and remained silent.

Only Ichigo was clueless.

"We are worried about you." Ichigo said, gesturing towards Chad, "We wanna make sure you're okay, you know, after Ishida is injured."

"I am fine." Inoue replied softly, and out of good manners she casually invited, "Wanna come in? Kurosaki-kun? Chad-kun?"

Chad opened his mouth to reject but Ichigo nodded, "Thanks, Inoue," and tried to move in.

Only Inoue was blocking the way.

She looked dumbfounded, totally surprised at the fact, and her words came out hurried and incoherent, "Uh, yeah, yeah, come. Come inside." She mumbled, but stay rooted firmly to the doorway.

She saw Chad looked mildly surprised and instantly Rukia's breath tickled her ear, "It's alright. Let him in. He can't see us anyway."

Inoue could hear the sadness.

Ichigo's eyes widened for a moment, as though as he caught something in the wind, and his gaze went hard. Inoue wordlessly moved away, letting in Ichigo and Chad, and swung the door shut.

"You did not meet anything strange, right?" Ichigo affirmed.

Inoue winced slightly. The scene of Ishida laying in a pool of shockingly scarlet red haunted her for a moment, and she shook her head quickly, "No, no, nothing at all!" she laughed and rubbed her head, "I am perfectly healthy, you know. Hey, I have some leftover bread, I will give them to you two –"

She scrambled into the kitchen. After entering the area, she turned around and slammed her head on the wall.

"Baka!" She scolded herself and winced at the pain, "Ouch."

Rukia gazed at Ichigo and turned her head away. She had a strangest feeling that Renji was looking at her, and snapped harshly in an inaudible voice.

"What?"

"Nothing." Renji replied, all too quickly, and hesitated, "Rukia."

Rukia ignored him. Renji let the moment pass and placed his own gaze on Ichigo.

"He haven't changed."

"I know." Rukia said with a harsh tone, "That guy… that guy."

She seemed to be unable to finish her sentence, and luckily Inoue chose this moment to skip into the room, handling two plastic bags of bread.

"Here!" She handed them one each, a bright smile on her face, "Remember to eat well, Kurosaki-kun."

Ichigo accepted her gift, his brows furrowed, "You sound like you're going anywhere."

"Ehhhh?" Inoue gasped, and hastily shook her hands in protest, "No, of course not, nothing like that! Ano –" Her face went pink, and she fidgeted embarrassedly, "—Have a – uh – nice day."

Ichigo stared for a moment, looking as though as to decide whether want to take her bait, while Inoue's heart thumped under his penetrating gaze, and finally he turned away, smiling slightly back over his shoulder.

"Goodbye, Inoue."

Inoue flushed. Chad followed out and closed the door behind him.

Silence.

"Well?" Rukia piped up unexpectedly.

Inoue looked up, startled, and her face became serious. The blush faded slightly, but her cheeks were still tinted with pale pink.

"Yes." She said softly, determined, "I accept. To protect ones I never would want to lose."

A nod. A flash. The windows were open and a fresh breeze played with Inoue's hair before escaping the room.

It's on.

"Hey, did you all hear?" Ron settled himself comfortably on the seat, "Hermione and I just finished patrolling the train – apparently there are few new transfer students!"

"Really?" Harry asked. His interest seemed to provoke something in Hermione, as she gave both Harry and Ron a filthy look and sat down, allowing silence to take over.

Harry was bewildered.

What's wrong? He mouthed silently to Ron, and the latter merely shrugged.

Don't ask me. He mouthed back.

For the time being, Harry was clueless, but a few moments later, Harry finally understood.

"Ah!" Inoue crashed into their compartment, "Gomen nasai…" she winced as she tried to stand up.

Harry saw a beautiful young lady slowly stood up. Her orange hair and stormy grey eyes stood out, sparkling and so pretty that Harry stared. Seconds later, he snapped out of his trance and his gaze travelled to Ron.

No wonder. Ron was ogling at the beauty. He must have done it just then.

"Sumimasen. Ano. Eto." The beauty rambled for a while, apparently loss of words to say, and then she straightened her back, "My name is Orihime Inoue." She pronounced clearly, "Can I sit here with my friends?"

"Take the seat." Harry offered politely. Behind Inoue, another pretty, small girl with sparkling amethyst eyes stood in, her face of utmost wary. A red-haired guy trotted in along in their wake, and to cap it all, a small white-haired, frosty looking boy followed in, looking extremely harassed.

"Taichou," The red haired guy muttered, "Please, calm down…"

"Shut up." The captain said quietly. Harry felt a sudden chill as a terrible cold seeped in, pure and desolate, so ever icy. The frostiness seemed to get into the ones who're in the compartment, and Inoue looked troubled.

"Hitsugaya-taichou!" Rukia hissed in alarm. Her eyes were widening in sadness and fear, "Please calm down."

"How – can – I –" Hitsugaya gritted, "I must train, harder, for – for -"

"I know." Rukia said softly, "To protect ones you must protect. I know the feeling."

A vulnerable figure seized both Rukia and Inoue's thoughts, and they both hardened in determination. Renji was glancing at Rukia, and her once limp body conquered his mind, and his eyes hardened.

Hitsugaya was still breathing heavily. He closed his eyes for a few moments, and murmured softly.

"For being such a nonsence… sorry."

Everyone looked mildly surprised.

"I will finish this soon." He continued to vow slowly, "I will go back to her soon."

He crossed his arms, and moved no more, resting peacefully as he nodded down the floor with every slight rock from the train.

Inoue smiled slightly at Rukia, earning a smile from her too as they all sat down. The other three wizards stared at them in complete confusion, unable to decipher any of the sentences that were spoken in Japanese.

"Are you all… Japanese?" Hermione asked, verifying their origins.

"Hai!" Inoue responded cheerfully. Rukia was painfully immersed in her past memories to socialize in class. But, she smiled slightly as she recalled, it was… fun.

"Why are you all transferring to Hogwarts?" Hermione questioned with a curious look.

"Ah." Inoue smiled, and recited her well-practiced reason, "Because our family moved to London, so we are submitted to transfer to Hogwarts," she then lowered her voice worriedly, "Is it… weird?"

"A bit, only because we did not see any of these cases before." Ron responded eagerly before anyone could speak up.

"Hahaha." Inoue laughed, "Is that so?"

She's good at this, Renji and Rukia thought at the same time.

"Yeah." Ron plunged on, "Do you know you get sorted into houses?"

"Houses?" Rukia added into the conversation, trying to forge friendships. They'll be needing it. Renji's corner lips twitched slightly.

"Yeah." Harry said, "Four houses, to be exact."

"Details, details!" Inoue chirped happily.

Out of habit, Hermione responded to the demand quicker than anyone else, and out of the peaceful scene where Toushiro slept, Renji getting uncomfortable, and everyone else laughing, the Karakura Middle High School was in turmoil.

"Ichigo! Inoue has disappeared!"

Ichigo's eyes widened, "What?"

"This –" Chad thrust a letter into his hands, "Read it."

Ichigo's eyes scanned through the letter briefly. He then looked up with a fierce determination.

"Where would she go?"

"I don't know."

"No family – Even Tatsuki doesn't seem to know –"

"Or maybe… Urahara-san?" Chad suggested.

Ichigo froze. He paused for a moment, and with an air of energy drained out suddenly, he dropped himself into a chair.

"What am I so worked up for?" he murmured, "I have no powers now, I cannot even protect my friends…"

"Ichigo."

"Sorry, Chad, let me think about this."

Isn't this the life I wanted? Peaceful and no ties with shinigami.

Being powerless… Everything had came to the complete start.

Like… before meeting Rukia.

Rukia.

Even at that time, I had such a great power gap with the Seireitei, yet I went to protect Rukia.

Ichigo rumpled his hair and annoyance, and suddenly smiled.

What are you thinking? Kurosaki Ichigo.

Just do it, no matter how, no matter why.

You promised to protect your friends.

He grasped the letter, and sprinted out of the school, running to Urahara's shop.

Wait for me, Inoue.

And somehow, Ichigo recalled the remnants of the ghastly whisper.

"… he can't see us anyway."

Rukia.

Kurosaki-kun,

Don't be worried. I will be away for a few months or even longer. I am ok. Really!

Inoue Orihime

The letter stayed innocently in Ichigo's ball of fist, waiting to reveal to the addressed about a whole new chapter in his entire life.

To be continued...

Please please please please review! There're still no specific pairing here. I am trying to decide then. Maybe there'll be no pairing at all. Haha.