I do not own Bleach or its characters. The only thing I own is my own imagination. And the OCs Linnette, Victor and Cedric. That's it.

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo. This is just a fanfic. ^^

Chapter 1:

It seemed like a relatively normal day. Partly cloudy, the sidewalk damp from morning rain and people walking around with their own schedules. Ichigo was one of them. School had let out and he was on his way home. He had planned on getting something to eat with his friends but they all had places to be, leaving him all alone. He didn't mind too much. It gave him plenty of time to think.

He got to the base of a steep hill and looked up. He hated this hill. But it was the shortest way home. He took in a deep breath and started hiking. When he got to the top, he was stopped by a man in an orange coat.

"Sorry, kid. Construction going on here. No one's allowed to pass."

Ichigo looked past the man and saw workers standing around talking and holding tools and coffee cups. He frowned. A lot of work getting done here, all right. A jackhammer started going, forcing the man in front of him to talk louder.

"Take that road, kid. It's a detour."

"Yeah, sure. Thanks." He turned and went up the other road. Another long hill. This one was packed with children. He dodged soccer balls and kids on bikes as he passed. It was a winding road, with twists left and right. It was a longer way home, and he couldn't take a shortcut through any yards on account of all the fences and brick walls.

He made another turn and kept his eyes down as he walked. This hill was steep. He took long strides to get up the hill faster. This was a workout. One step after another. Another step. Another.

Another step and he hit something. It felt like a body. The hit was so hard, it made him drop his bag on the ground. He took two steps back. "Oh, I'm sorry. My fault."

"No, no. No fault. Didn't feel a thing."

That voice. He looked up. His jaw dropped.

Standing in front of him was a slim, blond man wearing a white suit. His cold yet loving eyes following his every move. Seeing his face brought back memories. Terrible memories of Hollowfied human beings, being held against his will and blackmailed.

"Victor!" He took out his Soul Badge and attacked in Soul Reaper form.

The man jumped back. "Whoa! Wait a minute."

Ichigo swung his sword repeatedly, never giving him a chance.

"Stop it! What did I ever do to you?"

"Yeah, like you don't know!" Ichigo swung again. "You work for that singer girl who can control Hollows with her voice! You created a serum that can turn people into Hollows! You kidnapped me and forced me to serve her! Yeah, you never did anything to me or anyone else, huh? You even attack Rukia and my friends! Like hell, you didn't!"

"Wait, wait, stop!" Victor ducked Ichigo's sword again. "I don't want trouble. Let me explain!"

Ichigo didn't give him the chance. That is until Victor's hand shot out and grabbed the end of his blade and held it in place.

"That's better. Now…"

Ichigo punched him. Victor's head was frozen in the position the blow had put him in. Then he turned his head back.

"That was rude…"

He punched him again.

"Listen to me. I'm not the Victor you knew back then. Ok?"

"Ha! Tell me another one!"

"No, it's true. Yes, I am Victor, but I'm not that Victor." He released Ichigo's sword and stood back, rubbing his jaw. "That kind of hurt a bit. Anyway… Linnette lost her voice. We vanished when that happened. Her powers were gone. But some were restored so she created us again. New versions. You might call me Victor 2.0. I'm not that Victor. That was the old one that did those things. I'm not him. I've been recreated."

"Why?"

"She still needs us around to help her. She's all alone after all. No family. She recreated us-"

"So Cedric's back, too?"

He nodded. "Yup. New Cedric. As I was saying… Listen, Ichigo. I'm not the Victor you knew. I'm a different person. A changed man. I need you to understand."

Ichigo lowered his sword, but didn't put it away. "Start talking. Why did you come back? Why did she recreate you two?"

Victor looked relieved. "She was alone again, Ichigo. All alone. No family, no money. And no friends. She wished with all her heart for us to return. But there was a change in her heart. Now she wanted us to be different. She wanted us to come back, but to change as well. She wanted to know what it was like to have real friends. Friend who she didn't have to blackmail in order to keep around. But she needed someone to teach her how to do that. So when she wished for us to return to her, in her heart she also wished for us to teach her such things. She created us to teach her how to be a good person and make real friends without the need for cruelty. So we were reprogrammed, if you will, to do just that."

"So let me get this straight…" Ichigo scratched the back of his head. "She created new versions of you to raise her right? 'Cause before you were all about her being a brat and never letting her grow up. You wanted to give her everything she wanted, no matter what. Now you're done with that?"

He nodded. "Yes, that's correct. You're words sunk deep, Ichigo."

"Me? My words?"

"Yes. Whatever you told her struck a cord with her. Now she wants to change so that no one will ever leave her again. She doesn't want to go through that again. And she wants to be happy. Now our job is to bring her up to be a good person and make real friends. Now we can go against her wishes if its in her best interest. Now we only want what's best for her, not whatever she wants to make her happy. We're to be her parents in a sense."

Ichigo didn't fully believe him, but he liked what he said. It made sense. "So now you're going to… what, parent her and raise her properly like I've been saying since day one? Took you long enough. But how can I really believe that? You could be lying to me."

"I could, but I'm not. In any case, it doesn't matter. Though we've returned, her voice has not."

"What?"

"She still can't sing, Ichigo. She lost her voice that night. She'll never be able to control a Hollow again. So even if we were up to something, what could we do? Her power's gone, her voice is useless now. What would be the point or reason?"

He believed him. "I guess you have a point."

"Cedric and I are here for her. I am responsible for her happiness and Cedric protects her. We're both there for her and will take care of her and teach her. That's how it is. And if you don't believe me, you can see for yourself."

"Huh?"

"Yes. That's why I'm here. She's playing with the children on this block."

Ichigo looked around. This blocked was filled with young children. But he couldn't find Linnette anywhere. Or Cedric. But why would Victor lie about something like that? He must have been telling the truth.

Just then, a baseball hit him in the face. "Ow!"

"Sorry!"

He looked up and saw a little boy running towards him with a baseball glove. Ichigo handed him the ball back. The boy ran back to his friends and continued to toss the ball around. Another child ran past him, chasing after their friend on a bike. There was a small group of girls playing in a yard not too far away. They were running around, chasing each other. One ran into the street and the others followed. The same baseball from before rolled across the street, bouncing off the sidewalk and rolling down the hill. The boy chased after it. Another boy on a bike peddled up the hill with his friends close behind. Everyone was everywhere.

"Car!" A boy called and the children fled the street. Everyone stood on the sidewalk, watching it pass, holding their playthings in their arms. As they started to take their first steps back into the street, another car zoomed by, causing them to back up. The kids looked both ways before going back into the street to play. Once sure that it was safe, they resumed their games.

That was when Ichigo spotted her. She was one of the girls running across the street, chasing the boy on the bike. She had grown up a bit. She wasn't much taller than the last time he saw her and she had the same hair style as before. She was wearing a skirt and a blue top. She ran around the street barefoot, chasing the boy on his bike. She made several grabs for him, but didn't seem too concerned about catching him. She was just in it for the chase. So were the other kids.

Just then, Cedric, dressed in a T-shirt and blue jeans, came running into the street holding up Linnette's sandals. "Linnette! Put your shoes on! You'll get hurt."

She stopped running for a moment to call back to him. "Relax, Cedric. They kept falling off."

"You have to wear shoes when you go outside."

She ignored him and went back to her game. As she chased the bike, the boy cut a corner too close and accidentally ran over her foot. She cried out in pain and hopped up and down holding her foot.

Victor immediately abandoned his place in front of Ichigo to race to her side, his caring, protective instincts taking over. Cedric did the same. But they were beaten to it by the local kids. The boy on his bike jumped off and rushed to her side. The other kids crowded around. One girl took her hand and tried to lead her over to the sidewalk. Another girl asked if she should get her mother for help. A boy bent down in front of Linnette and carried her on his back over to the sidewalk. They sat her down and took a look at her injury. Cedric and Victor were having a tough time getting to her with the thick crowd of children.

One of the girls took a look at her foot. Her toes were muddy and red but there was no blood. "I think you just got pinched. It doesn't look too bad."

"I'm really, really sorry!" the boy with the bike apologized. "I didn't mean to. Are you ok? I'm so sorry."

"Should I get my mom? She can give you a Band-Aid."

"I think she's ok. It was just a pinch."

"Are you ok? Does it hurt?"

Linnette didn't shed a single tear. She seemed happy to have all these kids surrounding her and showing concern for her. She smiled at them. "I think I'm ok. It doesn't hurt that much anymore."

"I'm really sorry."

"It's ok."

"I mean it. I'm really, really…"

"It's ok! Really. You don't have to say it anymore."

The boy looked back at the bike in the street. "I know. I'll let you ride my bike. I'll give you a turn."

Linnette smiled wider. "Ok! Thanks." She stood up. All the kids stood up with her, still worried about her.

"Linnette," Cedric said. "Do you really think…"

"I can. I'm ok."

"Don't push yourself."

"I'm ok, Cedric. Don't worry so much." She stood the bike up and got on. She started peddling and soon, the other kids joined in, chasing after her and laughing. She circled in the street, having a great time.

Ichigo watched her, completely lost. He knew that Linnette wasn't genuinely evil or anything. She just wasn't taught anything and told that no matter what she did, it was ok because it made her happy. But seeing her like this was strange. She was the same child as before, acting carefree and innocent, but she seemed less dark. Were they really different people? Was this a whole new and improved family picture he was seeing?

No, it couldn't have been that easy. They must have been up to something. She was so desperate for friends and accompaniment that she even went so far to kidnap Ichigo. She threatened his family and his friends. She could control his Hollow and all the Hollows around them. Was it really that easy for her to change so quickly?

He stood there watching them play until Victor called for his little girl. "We're going to get dinner soon. Please come along, Linnette."

"Ok!" She hopped off the bike and ran over to him. Cedric came up behind her and lifted her up. He sat her on his shoulders, holding onto her hips. Victor stood in front of them, holding her shoes. Grabbing her ankles, he slipped them on one at a time.

"You really should wear your shoes, sweetie. You'll hurt yourself again."

"But they're sandals. They'll fall off."

"I can buy you others that won't. You can wear the ones that have a back to them. Those won't fall off." He checked her foot. The redness had faded. "You seem fine now. Does it hurt?"

"Nope. Not at all. Told you it was just a pinch."

Victor smiled and turned, leading the way. "Come. You must be hungry. Where would you like to go?"

"Eat out?"

"Did you want us to cook for you instead?"

"I don't mind. We can."

They started to leave when Ichigo suddenly called out to them. "Hey, wait!" He didn't know what had caused him to shout, but he did.

They turned. Linnette, having spotted Ichigo for the first time since that night she had lost her powers, waved to him happily. "Hi, Ichigo! Long time, no see! How have you been?"

Ignoring her, he looked to her two servants. "You two… How do I know that all of what you said is true? You could be puling my leg."

Victor didn't look too surprised to hear him say this. "You still on about that? I told you, we are different now. We are what she needs, not so much what she wants."

"But you are, aren't you? You're here because she wants you and because she needs you. Isn't that right?"

Cedric and Victor looked at each other. "Very true."

"Then how do I know that I can trust you? How do I know that this won't happen again?"

He was referring to, of course, Linnette's song and her ability to control Hollows. The destruction that happened last time could very well happen again. And now they had returned to the place where it all started.

"I told you before. She no longer carries that power."

"But you two are here."

"Yes," Victor admitted. "But that's because she wished it."

"How do I know that she won't do that with her voice, either? Wish it back."

Once again, they exchanged looks. This time Cedric spoke. "I don't think it works that way."

"Besides, we're not hurting anyone."

"Then why did you come here?"

Victor smiled. "To visit, of course. She liked this town very much. We were passing through and came across these children so she decided to stay and play for a while."

"Oh, really?" Ichigo found that hard to believe.

"No, it's true."

"How can I trust you?"

Victor took a step towards him. "Then see for yourself. Come join us tomorrow in the park. We'll prove to you that we are not the same Victor and Cedric you once knew. We have improved, all three of us. And if you don't like what you see, then you were right and can go from there. Ok? Will that work for you?"

Ichigo gave it some thought. It did seem very reasonable. He would watch them for a day and see how things went. If she displayed some of her old antics, then he would know that it was a lie and that they couldn't be trusted. And if they were…

"Alright. I will."

"Great!" Victor clapped his hands together. "Then we'll meet in the park around noon. Good with you?"

Ichigo nodded.

"Great." Victor turned. "Say good-bye, sweetie."

Linnette waved at the other children and to Ichigo. "Bye, everyone! See you!"

They waved back cheerfully, but Ichigo just watched them go down the steep hill, Linnette safely on Cedric's shoulders.

Damn… Is it too much to ask for a normal day around here?