At Mangetsu academy, the school campus consists of grades 7-12. The buildings were merged, so students of different grades had shared classrooms, though the middle and high school students had separate uniforms. It was there that best friends Saya, in her second year of high school, Okarina in her first, and Sayuri, still in her final year of middle school, spent the majority of their days.

It was around lunch time when Saya and Okarina had their shared math course, Algebra II. Saya thought it sucked, and Okarina wasn't exactly a math fan, so even though they were together, the time in class seemed to drag on.

Sayuri was in her math course as well, only she was in Geometry. The teacher was reviewing Trigonometric Ratios. Pulling out her drawing tablet she starts doodling, as usual. The teacher's voice slowly faded into the background as she daydreamed about what to draw. Her friend Hana was watching over her shoulder, more interested in the doodle than the lesson. Sayuri looked back and smiled at her.

"Maybe a kitten for today…" she muttered, and then started the drawing.

Back at Algebra II, it was ten minutes into class when Okarina felt an odd sensation in the pit of her stomach. She tensed up, her heart racing. Saya wasn't as intoned with the class, so she missed out, but as the class went on, she realized something was up. Thanks to Okarina, who was obviously giving off panic signals, not a good sign. Her heart began to pound hard in her chest. Both girls turned to look at eachother, sensing the fear the other was sending.

The class lesson loomed over ominously, and at about twenty minutes into class, the screech of a chair could be heard from the back of the room. A student from the back of the class randomly stood up. Saya and Okarina looked back to see Takeda out of his seat.

Students laughter could be heard for a moment as they reprimanded Takeda for his actions.

"Idiot."
"Moron"
"Sit back down, loser."
"What the heck's your problem?"

Takeda still stood still, his gaze barely shifting towards the faces of those that were laughing.

The teacher asked him what was wrong, but the student said nothing. Then the teacher tried a different approach by asking him to sit back down. Again; no answers…
Saya's heart was racing by this time. What had gotten into Takeda? Okarina was frozen to the spot; her hands shaking cold. She balled her hands into fists, tugging slightly at the fabric of her skirt. Saya bit her bottom lip in an attempt to calm down.

Gloomy silence spread throughout the classroom until Takeda finally made his move. He reached into his pocket and brought out a gun.

The teacher went pale as he realized Takeda's intentions. He made a dive for the phone that contacts the office. Takeda raised his firearm and fired a shot at the teacher as he was picking up the phone. The teacher fell, dead, the phone crashing hard onto the ground beside him.

"Hello?" the far away voice of the secretary could be heard from the other end of the phone.

Saya felt a sinking feeling in her racing heart; she wasn't going to make it out of this…

It took a moment for the other students to asses the situation before their screams bubbled up out of their throats, and they jumped out of their seats in a desperate attempt to escape.

Takeda suddenly started aiming at those that ran. He flew off a few limbs before finishing them off. Okarina watched in horror; she screamed in a light, quiet way, but enough to attract Takeda's attention. He turned to Okarina and raised his weapon yet again. Saya felt like she had already died. This wasn't good.

Takeda fired a shot at Okarina. He was aiming for her head, but was slightly off in shooting right through her throat. It didn't matter to him, she was dead either way. Saya let out a scream, turning to grab Okarina, as if she could save her. Takeda took aim and shot Saya in the back of the head. Both were dead before they hit the bloody floor. They lay cold.

The geometry teacher was sure he heard gun shots, so he went outside the classroom to investigate. There was another gunshot, and a thud. Sayuri suddenly snapped back from her daydreaming. What was happening? A shady upperclassman slunk into the classroom. She recognized him. "He's that guy in Okarina's grade, the one Saya always said to avoid." she thought quickly, her heart rate rising.

Her hands shook, as he started firing at students. Sayuri felt her face go pale. The student aimed a shot at the girl next to her, Hana. "Not Hana!" she thought. Then, she recklessly tried to push her out of the way. The gun fired at them. Sayuri's shoulders acted as a shield as the bullet landed in between them and striking her heart; instantly killing.

Hana was knocked off of balance as her fallen friend landed across her. She made an ear-piercing scream as she saw Sayuri's blood drip onto herself, but Takeda quickly silenced her as well.

Okarina was the first to plunge into a world of darkness. She felt suffocated and she struggled to finally surface from the realm and breathe. She was back in school, but something was different. Teachers and staff were filling the room, followed by people in uniforms. "Ambulance?" She wondered. She could hear the moans of her fellow classmates as each child was assessed by these strangers. Her gaze followed one who stopped at her feet. Her body was still on the floor, beside Saya. She tried desperately to get the attention of the man kneeling at her feet, examining Saya, but he shook his head sorrowfully and stood up, running to the next group of students. Okarina ran, following the man, screaming for him to listen to her.

Saya came up from behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder; at least she seemed to notice her.

"What is this?" Saya asked, pointing to her body still on the blood-spilled floor.

"We're… dead…" Okarina uttered, reality striking her full force. She looked around.

"We had better get out of here, I don't like this. I get the feeling something bad's going to happen." Okarina concluded.

"Me too." Saya agreed.

They exited the Algebra II classroom and wandered down the hall towards another classroom surrounded officials in uniform. Only one, frantic soul was present at the time.

"Sayuri!" Saya called as she entered the classroom and hugged Sayuri furiously.

Sayuri hugged back, bracing herself in the bear hug, then looked at Okarina. Was this a dream?

"So… what's up? I'm confused. That Takeda guy just came in and then…all this…" her voice drifted as she looked around.

"Well, we're dead," Saya said bluntly with a shrug.

"Yeah," Okarina admitted.

"Oh… Lovely," Sayuri commented.

"We had better get moving from this school, all of our souls in one concentrated area doesn't sound too good," Okarina explained in an intelligent tone. "My dad said bad things happen to those who pass on in large groups."

Sayuri and Saya nodded, remembering similar stories told to them as children.

"Kay," Sayuri replied.

The three of them left the school behind and went downtown due to lack of place to go. School was always the place to be, now… Not so much.

As they walked, little did they know, the strong concentration of lost souls had attracted a hungry hollow, that was now following them. The girls had no clue about hollows, so they didn't suspect a thing when a hollow suddenly appeared and chased them down the crowded streets.

The monster reminded them of a bald King Kong with a hockey mask full of teeth. The thing raced toward the trio. All three girls screamed in horror, turning and running as fast as they could from the monster. They ran through the most crowded part of town, hoping to delay the creature.

Sayuri wondered why the living couldn't see or hear this creature. They desperately tried to escape the beast, but it was too fast for them.

That's when Okarina noticed the chain attached to her heart when it jangled in her stride. They were latched onto Saya and Sayuri as well…

We're holes…

The thought subconsciously came to all three of their minds.

Holes…

The monster chased the girls to a downtown back alley; they were trapped. Saya felt the creature closing in on them. The beast surged forward, raising its claws and batting Okarina violently. The force flung her into the air, and just about when it seemed like it would swallow her whole, a blurred figure with red hair and black robes snatched Okarina into his arms.

Suddenly, a small black-haired woman and an orange-haired guy sprung from behind the hollow and attacked the monster. Their swords sliced into it and tore at its body. Enraged with pain, the beast thrashed right, straight for Sayuri. She braced herself for the hit, but it never came. Sayuri felt arms around her and heard a soft grunt as she was instantly lifted from harm. She opened her eyes to reveal a boy with spiky white hair and turquoise eyes.

Okarina was taken aback by the man that had rescued her, His spiky red hair was pulled into a ponytail and there were tattoos inscribed into his temples, but the man seemed extremely affable, even if he was a complete stranger to her. Saya had stayed where she was as she watched the two finished off the thing. She collapsed onto her knees, awestruck that they had been saved.

Sayuri felt herself blush. Something about this boy's pure white hair, aqua-colored eyes, or frustrated expression gave him a god-like appearance. He glared down at the girl and noticed the blush on her cheeks. The boy chose to ignore it for now. He lighted onto a building roof and yelled at the two fighting the hollow.

"Ichigo, Rukia, now!" he commanded.

Rukia delivered the final blow as Ichigo carefully carried off Saya. The team regrouped while the three girls exchanged confused looks. Well, at least Okarina and Sayuri were. Saya was too busy gawking at Ichigo to notice her friends' expressions. Rukia noticed Saya and gave her a weird look, but the seventeen-year-old was only looking at Ichigo, blinking as if unsure he was real.

"Are you gonna explain what's going on or what?" Okarina said, cutting through the silence. She looked around at the people that had saved her and her friends, her small hands rested on her hips as she tapped her foot impatiently.

The red-haired man was surprised at what the girl next to him had just said. She struck him as a girl that reminded himself of…him…when he was younger. He smiled at the floor; she would be a handful.

"He~llo! I asked you guys a question!" she yelled, "I demand an answer…NOW!" She stomped her foot and pointed to the ground, accentuating her point. The white-haired boy's hand twitched. He was about ready to slap Okarina, and Sayuri could easily tell. His anger was palpable.

"I was getting to that…" Ichigo replied, already pissed.

"There isn't that much explaining to do," Rukia admitted, "You're holes, we're soul reapers, that was a hollow, and we're here to exterminate the hollows and help you move onto the Soul Society. See, not much at all."

The explanation was accompanied by a presentation of Kindergarten level drawings.

Sayuri snickered, "Great, that answered all my questions…"

Only Ichigo and the boy detected the sarcasm.

"Regardless," the Ichigo intercepted, "it's Konso time."

Ichigo, the man, and the boy suddenly drew their zanpaku-tos and the bottoms of the handles started glowing. The white-haired boy just looked at the blonde girl that he had rescued. The glare of Hyorinmaru shone in her eyes, then they became glassy with tears; Toshiro felt responsible for the tears, and felt like dieing right there. He didn't want to upset her.

"What's a Konso?" Okarina asked, feeling threatened, taking a step back, her hands coming up as if to block a punch.

"Just a quick performance that helps holes like you move on," Ichigo explained.

"I think I'll pass," Saya said, walking away from the scene.

"You don't have a choice, lady," Ichigo said, pulling Saya back by her wrist and jamming the handle end of Zangetsu into her forehead, nearly jabbing her eye.

"Ouch! That hurt you jerk!" she said as the ritual left an imprint.

Slowly, she started to disappear.

"Saya!" Okarina cried out. "What's happening to her!" She reached out towards her.

Okarina hesitated, stepping back.

"This is your only choice if you don't want to be food for the hollows." Renji said, stepping towards her.

Okarina gulped. "B-but Saya…"

Ichigo turned to speak to Okarina.

"Don't worry, you'll see her on the other side," he promised, and then nodded at the red-haired man, "Renji…"

Okarina nodded,"…O-Okay."

Renji swiftly pressed Zabimaru to Okarina's temple.

"You forgot to mention they'll have no memory of each other, or anything that happened today. The only thing they will remember is their name." Renji corrected while Okarina disappeared.

"Show patience, Renji. You're forgetting it's Ichigo you're talking to," the boy reminded Renji.

"Watch it, Toshiro," Ichigo warned.

"That's Captain Hitsugaya to you," he corrected Ichigo.

Ichigo just growled.

Now Sayuri truly felt alone. Her eyes opened wide as she looked between the strangers and the spots her friends had occupied only moments before. Tears brimmed on her lashes, ready to cry her eyes out, but Toshiro blatantly didn't want that. He wanted to have some fun, and being the teaser he was…

Toshiro intimately wrapped an arm around Sayuri and pulled her into a strong half-hug.

"I'm sorry, but we must depart now."

Toshiro activated the Konso and prepared to perform it on Sayuri, whom had her hands tightly on Toshiro's arm. She looked so scared and confused to Ichigo, Renji, and Rukia. The whole situation started sinking away in Sayuri's mind.

Not satisfied with his minor flirting, Toshiro took it up one more notch before the Konso. He dipped his head forward and gently breathed into the girl's ear.
"Goodbye," Toshiro whispered, then printed the Konso sign onto her head.

Sayuri's ear felt the warmth of his breath, even as he spoke. It started in her hands as they slowly lost their grip and sifted into oblivion. She was disappearing like the other two. Now only did the true feel sink in. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she watched her arms follow her hands into nothingness. Sayuri sighed in distress, the fallen tears slid to her chin. Her lip trembled.

"W-what's going on?" she cried, tears falling from the bright pools of her eyes.

Toshiro lifted a tear off her face with a finger, "Don't cry, you'll be fine."

Sayuri felt somewhat assured by his words as she completely disappeared, though she realized suddenly she would never remember him, she could never thank any of them for saving her friends and herself. Sayuri stopped crying and bravely surged into the nothingness and passed on.

Once the girl was gone, Ichigo gave Toshiro a piece of his mind.

"YOU'RE SUCH A FLIRT!" Ichigo roared.

"Oh shut up, at least I can do it better than you," Toshiro replied.

"SAY WHAT?!" Ichigo shouted, charging at Toshiro.

Renji caught Ichigo before he could reach Toshiro.

"Calm down, Ichigo! It's not worth it!" he demanded.

Ichigo wouldn't listen.

"You'll never see that girl again, yet you would tease her like that?!" Ichigo asked, enraged.

"Well, if you could retain information, you'd remember that she'll have no memory of that once she reaches the Soul Society," Toshiro reminded.

Ichigo was dumbstruck at that, and then the anger returned.

"I still can't believe you, Toshiro," Ichigo concluded.

"It's Captain Hitsugaya," he corrected for the umpteenth time.

Being the first to have the Konso, Saya arrived at the Soul Society first, followed by Okarina, and finally Sayuri. They were the same age as they were in the world of the living, and were soon adopted into new families.

Saya had been assigned to a family of four, including herself. She had a father that was a policeman, a mother that was a housewife, and an older brother named Hajime.

Okarina had been sent to a family of six, including herself. She had a father who was the head of a workshop, and a mother who owned several small farms. She also had three older sisters named Kiku, Kimi, and Kin.

Sayuri became the 9th member of her adoptive family. She had a father who was in the market and a handyman, and a mother who was a nurse. She had six older sisters named Shigeko, Shika, Shinju, Shiori, Shizuka, and Shizuko.

As promised, all three girls forgot everything of their previous lives in the world of the living. However, the feeling of losing something important ran constantly through their heads, urging them to search for the reason behind it.