The frown upon his brow furrowed more with each toss and turn this night. His subconscious haunting him as he slept.
He could hear her voice cry to him.

"Ichigo!!!"

"Stay back, Rukia! I'm doing this on my own." He barked back. His breath was ragged as he ran to the battle field.
"Baka! I don't need your protection. We're nakamas, are we not?" She argued while chasing after him "Let me help. We'll achieve our victory quicker this ...GASP!!"
Ichigo stopped and turned around when he heard her voice cut from her sentence.

Aizen stood before her, his back to Ichigo while facing the petite shinigami.
"You mean MY victory?"
Aizen turned slowly in place to face Ichigo, allowing him view of his nakama... and the zanpakuto that impaled her chest. Blood oozing out with each pulse. Her face exposed the shock she was undergoing and shame was etched in her eyes as she gazed at him.
She had failed before she even began to fight.
The ex-captain pulled out his sword with a twist. A smile began to creep up his face with the knowledge of the pain she was enduring as she screamed in silence.
Ichigo had lost his voice with the shock of the event.

But outside of his dream, in his room, he breathlessly mumbled "No...Rukia...I..."

The only one to hear him was a stuff toy lion. It shared his sadness, having lost this person, whome was important to both of them. Although this special toy was capable of speech, it chose to remain silent. It looked upon the sleeping boy with sympathy.

...

Morning came with a crash. It was his father's usual attempt to best his son by surprise attack.
"JESUS CHRIST! Don't you have anything BETTER to do then kill your only SON, OLD MAN?!" Bellowed the boy, his voice shaking the household.
"Apparently not" snorted the young dark haired girl as she sat down at the kitchen table. The young blond girl brought over her breakfast plate.
The father walked down to join his girls.
"It's for your own good, boy! You need to keep on your toes." The father shouts back.
The boy followed not long after.
Breakfast began quietly, as it has been for the past while, ever since he returned...alone.

Ichigo looked up from his toast and saw Karin glance back at him with a knowing sad look.
Since she knew about him being a shinigami, he told her what happened in his absence, about Huecto Mundo, about Rukia...since she hadn't returned with him.

His appetite lost, he put down what was left of his toast, took a swing of his juice and stood from the table.
"I'm going to school now... thanks for the food." he announced, and proceeded to fetch his school bag by the doorway.
"Aren't you going to finish your breakfast, Ichi-nii? You haven't even touched your eggs!" Called out Yuzu. She worried for her older brother's health.
Ichigo put on his shoes and walked out the door. His lack of reply only cause his family to grow more worried of him.

His walk to school was quiet, his ears could not hear the birds chirping in the sun. His nose could not smell the crisp autumn air. His eyes could not see the bright blue color of the sky. Life itself seemed so faded away.

His first destination at school was his home room. The cries of his friend Asano Keigo reaches his ears when he slides open the door. His friend's arms wide open to greet him while running in towards the door.
" ICH-IIIIIIIIII-GOOOOOOO---gwuaph!" His face collided with Ichigo school bag.
"Ouch! I think that broke my nose this time" his smiling voice said while checking for blood and damaged tissue. Finding no permanent damage, he looks back up to Ichigo.
"Ichigo! After school, why don't we hea..." Keigo was taken back by the look on his friend's face. His frown seemed faded and his eyes seem so void.
"Hey, what's wrong with you, man? You're just keep getting more out of it by the day."
Ichigo turn away and headed to his seat. A reply would not come out from him for the second time this morning.

Sensei Ochi walks in "Okay children! Take your seats! If your not in your seat by the time I check your name, you will be marked as absent. That means you, "A"sano-san."
"Th-th That's not FAIR!"
knock knock knock!
Sensei's attention, like that of most of the students, was now redirected to the newcomer at the door. She slides it open in time for a small hand thrusting towards her with a note. "Oh!" she exclaims while reading the note. When she finishes, she heads back to the front of the room.
"Class, I'd like for everyone to welcome back our new student. She's been away for the past few weeks to tend to a sick relative... please come in, take your seat. We're all glad to have you back."
All of a sudden, Ichigo heard a voice
"Thank you very much, Sensei" The student chirped.
'It couldn't be...' Thought Ichigo. He looked up to the open door and notice a color. Purple. It was the brightest and most beautiful purple he had ever seen. And it was staring right back at him.
His breath held by the disbelief of the appearance before him.
There she was, in fake flesh and blood, with the most sincere and happiest smile he had seen in years.