Well Golly Gee! I didn't expect to have so many reviews so soon. As for Massishiro Ishikawa's suggestion . . . I was already thinking along those lines somewhere. I'm going to keep with the introduction for just a little longer, then get into the heave stuff, which is still on poll for fluff or horror, though I've had more inspiration for the Fatal Frame thing again. Original pairings still resides, and the optional ones can still be voted on. Further more, I've decided to try and implement more Shuu/Ken for later chapters. Um, and about the late update – I've had two floods and a whole bunch of heavy, large assignments in school recently, so sorry to keep you waiting. This is more of a filler chapter, anyways. Alright then, enjoy!

Disclaimer: If I owned Bleach, don't you think I would have done something like this in the volumes and/or anime?

Spreading the Wings

Kurosaki Isshin had a policy to never refuse anyone help who needed it. It had been his policy as a taichou, and was the same as a 'living' doctor running a clinic. It was this same policy that had gotten him one of his most valuable allies; Ishida Ryuuken. He had saved and cared for the quincy during the war, and Ryuuken was in his debt. Of course, he wasn't snobby about it, but he was able to pull the other man's strings. It was actually this policy of his that saved many people.

The doorbell rang. "My lovely daughters! Do not stress yourselves with answering the door! I will get it!!" he exclaimed with gusto. When he opened the door, however, his excitement drained away. Shinji grinned up at him.

"Ohayogozaimasu, Kurosaki-dono!"

-

Karin and Hiyori were on the couch, arguing over what TV show to watch. Meanwhile Masshiro had turned on the old 1950's cartoons; the ones with the tokusatsu in them. Lisa and Yuzu had seemed to get on well together, as they were both cooking with startling energy. Love and Shinji were talking with Isshin.

"So, let me get this straight. Ichigo and his friends went into Hueco Mundo to go and save Inoue-san?" Both of the other vaizard nodded.

"And then his inner hollow somehow escaped after he tried to take on an Espada?" They nodded again.

"Now, with Kaien alive and Ichigo unconscious, you want to bring them all here to my clinic, and stay here for an undetermined amount of time?" They agreed once more. Isshin sighed.

"Well, I suppose I can't refuse my own son. I don't want you guys to lose faith in me either! I guess you can all stay here for awhile. But if I get any patients, you have to move into the living room or Ichigo's room. I can't leave the clinic closed or unattended for a long period of time."

The pair beamed. "Arigatougozaimasu!" Shinji exploded. Love bowed low. Isshin rolled his eyes.

"I would be nothing without my troops! You needn't thank meeeeee!!" he cheered with emotion.

-

It took half-an-hour to move everybody – both awake and knocked out – to the Kurosaki clinic. Ichigo was moved to his room, and the Hollow went with him. Isshin was a little nervous about that, but Lisa assured him the Hollow would so his son no harm. Everyone else, except for Rukia (who had her own room) and Kaien (who was put on the couch so that the doctor could keep a better eye on him), went into the clinic bed room of the clinic portion of the house and chose their bed. Kensei and Shuuhei shoved two of them together and took 'one' while everyone else took others. Neliel, Mashiro, and Lisa all went to stay with Orihime. Sado took Hachigen and Dondochakka. And finally, Ishida took Hideki and Pesche.

Grimmjow flopped down next to Renji. The pineapple blinked, resisting the urge to scoot away. "Nandaiyo? (What do you want?) " he snapped nervously.

Grimmjow grinned wide, exposing fangs. "Nothin.'"

Gin suffered a similar fate. Ulquiorra had decided to sleep by him. However, he was neither intimidated nor unnerved by the melancholic arrancar. He was disturbed, however, when Isshin burst into the room, a shit-eating grin on his face.

"Yosh, everyone! I've decided that tomorrow, all of you are going to go and request Urahara to make a gigai for yourselves. That way, you'll be able to pay the expenses living here and so that you can be able to take care of yourselves when you leave!"

He received ten identical blank stares. A cricket chirped outside. Then, Renji cheered. "Yes! Now I won't be a freeloader and you can't guilt me into anything!" Now Abarai was being stared at. Gee . . . Gee . . . Gee (it's the sound of staring, which I learned from One Piece)

Renji blushed and sat back down.

-

The next morning, the group – plus those that went to other places to crash – all migrated to Urahara's. They were immediately met by the eccentric manager, and a confused Yoruichi. Jinta and Ururu were equally confused. Of course, everyone was surprised when it was Grimmjow who asked for gigai to be made. Kisuke ignored him.

"My, Hirako-san, your hair is looking short today!" he chirped. "And Love! How did you do that?"

Yoruichi smiled, "Kuna-chan, did you straighten yours? I like it, it looks nice." Mashiro giggled at the complement. Hirako sighed and Love rolled his eyes.

The blond ex-taichou addressed Urahara, "I see you haven't changed at all, Kisuke-san." The blond genius just giggled. Hiyori shot towards the man with a flying kick.

"Where the hell's my 'Hello'?!" she cried. The vaizards sweat dropped.

Urahara stood up hastily, "Ah, don't worry, Hirori-san, I havn't forgotten about you!" The girl rolled her eyes.

"Tch . . . fucker."

-

It had taken a few hours for Urahara to create at least two gigai, and needless to say, he was tired. Of course, he would continue, but only because he had nothing better to do and he still had a few emotional ties to the vaizard group. When he was asked by the hollow called Ulquiorra to make a gigai for Ichigo's hollow, he was confused. Wasn't the hollow supposed to be inside of him? Oh well, it would occupy his mind for awhile, so he was all set. The first two he had made was Kensei and Hisagi's bodies. They were now wandering around town, doing whatever. Shinji's was almost done, and Lisa's was the runner up. It would take him some time to figure out how to make a hollow gigai, as they have different energies, and he would want to modify them so that food can turn into hollow energy, not shinigami. That was the way gigai usually worked; they turned food into spiritual energy, no physical waste produced! All in all, he would have to do some tests before he could make a hollow one.

-

Ichigo's hollow, or Shirosaki as the two arrancar were calling him, scowled. He felt constricted and stiff in the gigai. It was like wearing a full body wetsuit, even on hair! He didn't even know hair could feel squeezed. Other than that, it was certainly a different experience having everyone react to him, not just the spiritually aware. There were some slight modifications to his body, such as white sclera, rather than black, and having his skin darkened just a shade. Sure, albinos were pale, but none of them were that pale. So his complexion was turned down a bit. However, Shirosaki had to admit it was awkward with Grimmjow, Neliel, and Ulquiorra having no mask or hole. Plus, Orihime had taken them shopping, so they were all dressed differently. Ulquiorra was wearing a long-sleeve button-up that matched his eyes, and some nice black slacks. Grimmjow had a black leather jacket similar to his arrancar one, but he wore a wife-beater underneath and had on a pair of baggy jeans. Nell was wearing a long-sleeve white shirt with a purple vest over it, as well as a flowing blue skirt folding around her legs.

All the vaizard had a gigai now – even Kaien – and many of them were waiting downstairs for the Shiba man to awaken. However, the hollow was waiting patiently by Ichigo's side, waiting for him to wake up. A soft groan seemed to deem that in the near future. His bronze eyes fluttered open. At first, he blinked hazily, but then came to full awarness as he took in his surroundings.

"Wha . . . How did I get here?" he questioned the walls.

"Well, I brought you here," the hollow said, without any trace of his accent. His voice in the gigai didn't echo, but it was easy to tell just who he was. Ichigo stiffened. He turned slowly.

"How in the Hell did you get out!?" he asked loudly. Before the hollow could think up any answer, Ichigo was up, out of bed, looking for his badge. The hollow stood to try and calm him down.

"Ichigo, please try to let me explain. I'm not going to hurt you . . ." Ichigo ignored him as he ripped open his drawers. "Please, Ichigo, calm down."

The orange-head continued his search for his badge. The hollow frowned, and tried to coax him back into his bed. I didn't work. "Ichigo, please . . ."

It was this last plea that calmed Ichigo down. He flopped down on his bed, flinging an arm over his eyes. "I'm too tired to fight you. Go away."

The hollow looked hurt for a second, and then stood, heading for the door. "Wait," Shirosaki stopped, "why are you out here?"

The pale twin didn't know how to respond. "I'm not sure."

"Well then, do you want anything from me?" Ichigo asked.

"I want a name, if that's alright." Here Ichigo groaned again. He sighed.

"Well, I guess you need one, if you aren't going to go about killing me anymore. Can't be Zangetsu, because that would be the old man. Hmm . . . you can be Kichigo (raspberry), because they are similar to strawberries, but strawberries are better." He looked over at the hollow with a small, tired smirk, only to be surprised at the elation on Kichigo's face. He soon found himself wrapped up in the albino's arms.

"Arigatougozaimasu, Ichigo! Thank you so much!" Ichigo was stunned; he didn't know that a name was such a big deal to his hollow. What was stranger was that he was getting a hug without any malicious intent, but rather an embrace of adoration and gratitude. (Plus Kichigo took the 'I'm better than you comment without any retaliation)

"Okay, you're welcome, now put me down so I can go back to sleep." Kichigo obliged, and Ichigo found himself falling back asleep again.

-

The hollow strode down the steps with unbridled joy on his face. When he saw Orihime, he rushed up and glomped her. "Inoue, you were right! He gave me a name! I'm Kichigo now!" Orihime stuttered in a surprised manner, and Ulquiorra, Neliel, and Grimmjow looked over with nearly equal looks on their faces. The only difference was the amount of emotion they displayed. To a hollow, receiving a name is a huge deal. After all, they had one at some point, and then you suddenly don't have one anymore. To finally have a title again . . . it's a wonderful feeling.

Suddenly, excited murmurs were moving through the room. Kaien was waking up. Rukia and Lisa were right up front, with Isshin and his daughters right behind them.


A/N: Okay, I feel bad about the long wait for the update, but I've been busy, and I couldn't get around to it. I hope you'll forgive me. Anyways, this was mostly a filler and fluff chapter, but the cliffie I stuck in there was hard for me to do. I hate cliffies, but I just did it anyways. I know that Kichigo is a little OOC, but that'll happen around Ichigo a lot. Because, of course, he loves him. Oh, yes, and I love all of your reviews and suggestions. Please though, I want to know which direction you want this story to head. Constructive criticism is appreciated, but flamers get to have Gin sent after them! Hope you enjoyed, and, if nothing else goes wrong, I have and update soon!