Pain. Excructiating pain. "Don't die, don't die, don't die!"

CRACK. Ichigo's eyes flew open as he screamed, feeling his back crunch. The pain went away for a split second before he suddenly felt weightless, but reality wouldn't give him a break. He slammed into the ground, more pain accompanying and his eyes closing in response. After a groan or two, he finally reopened his eyes and looked up.

"Ichigo?"

Green hair, that familiar scar, a crimson line. Then those hazel eyes, staring straight back into his own. "N-Nel?" Ichigo gasped out weakly.

"Ichigo!" He was off the ground again, the same pain as before returning.

"Nel... the pain... let... go!" For the third time that day he landed on his back, the thud of his landing becoming annoyingly familiar.

Nelliel giggled, her eyes bright as she watched Ichigo stretch out his back. "Sorry Ichigo, it's just been so long since I've seen you."

"It's alright, just calm down with the hugs." Ichigo sighed, the pain leaving him. Then it hit him. She called me Ichigo. Ichigo looked over at Nelliel, confirming his suspicion. Nelliel was in her adult form. But I swear she had that lisp when she first called me. "Hey Nel, why aren't you in kid form?"

"Oh, when I saw you I got so excited I accidentally changed forms!"

Ichigo shot her a puzzled expression, "but aren't you normally in your other form?"

"Not anymore, after you helped me gain my powers back, my natural form switched to this one!" Nelliel was grinning brightly at Ichigo, who couldn't help but lose himself in those eyes.

"A-alright... hey wait a second, Nel you shouldn't be here, this is the Soul Society!"

"Don't worry Ichigo, I made sure to be extra super sneaky, there's no way anyone noticed me."

A shrill noise entered the air, Ichigo taking a second to realize what it was. "Are you sure you didn't get noticed?" He couldn't help but let the sarcasm drip from this voice, however Nelliel didn't seem to be affected.

"One hundred percent!"

Ichigo couldn't help but stare wide eyed in disbelief, wondering if the former Espada didn't notice the alarm or was just extremely good at lying. "Nel we've got to get you out of here, this place is going to be crawling with soul reapers any second."

He didn't bother asking if Nelliel had an escape plan, knowing how even in her adult form she still had the heart of a child. Grabbing her hand, he began leading her out of the garden, but stopped just as suddenly, his mind coming up with what could possibly be the worst plan he had come up with, besides invading the Soul Society. "Wait here for a second, I'll be right back."

Ichigo went back into his destroyed office, opening up the spare closet inside and quickly grabbed a spare soul reaper uniform. Going back outside, he linked his hand with Nelliel's again, leading them into the forest behind the fifth division's barracks.

Once he considered them to be deep enough, he halted Nelliel, thrusting the spare uniform into her hands. "Go change, I'll turn around."

After a few moments of rustling Nelliel signalled she was finished. "Do you think we can get one of those 'cotton candies' while we're here?"

Ichigo's eyebrow twitched. "Nel, you do remember what happened just ten minutes ago, right?"

"Nope~" Ichigo's irritation growing as she drew out the end of the word.

"Let's just say a lot of mean men are after us and we need to get out of here."

Nel formed a small o with her mouth, before nodding her assent.

Ichigo led the way through the forest, the crunching of the leaves and branches seemingly roaring as they stepped through. Just as they were about to exit the forest, something shined light into his eyes. Blinking rapidly, he moved back and looked over to where he thought it was coming from. His eyes widened, realizing just how close they were to losing both their lives. "Nel, your mask!"

Nelliel frowned, attempting to look up at her mask and crossing her eyes in the process. Cute! Ichigo shook his head, signature scowl returning as he banished the thought, turning his head to hide the reddening of his cheeks.

"I got it!" Nelliel shouted. Ichigo watched her, perplexed as she crept closer and closer to him.

"Nel, w-what are you doing?"

Nelliel let out what seemed to be a fierce battle cry, rushing straight into Ichigo. Before he had a chance to comprehend what had happened, Nelliel had already gotten underneath his uniform, hugging him from behind tightly with her head still hidden inside.

Ichigo froze, heart beating rapidly, feeling the warmth press into his back. "Don't worry Ichigo, now no one will notice!"

Had Ichigo been under normal circumstances, he most likely would've shoved Nelliel away, stuttering in his usual prudish way before attempting to come up with a solution that didn't involve them pressed up so close. But these weren't normal circumstances. Ichigo only nodded, his mind unable to supply him with reasons why this plan shouldn't work.

They began the slow trek through the maze known as the Seireitei, making their way to the senkaimon. Ichigo steadily grew nervous as time went on, seeing the lingering gazes the other soul reapers were giving the newly appointed captain.

Alas, poor Ichigo did not have fate on his side that day. A dog ran up to them, finding their legs tasty and began to lick. Ichigo, having lived with two sisters, was immune to such treatment, not that his sisters had regularly licked him, but Nelliel had never had the chance to build up a resistance. Soon, furious giggles were heard, as the dog was forced to lick Nelliel's legs from behind, as Ichigo was forcing them forward. He could only come up with one solution, growing desperate as he noticed the stares others were giving him. Quickly, he leaned over, acting as though he was having a coughing fit. At the same time, he hoisted Nelliel's legs, bringing her into a piggyback, her legs out of range of the dog.

Somewhere along the way, the dog had grown bored, leaving them once again to their solitude. Which lead to yet another problem for Ichigo. With nothing else to distract them, he couldn't help but focus in on the feeling of Nelliel breathing down his neck, an involuntary shiver racking his spine. What Ichigo didn't know, was that Nelliel had fallen asleep, finding it too comfortable in her makeshift piggyback.

Eventually, Ichigo spotted the senkaimon rising in the distance, and began to hurry his pace. He angled his head back a bit, softly whispering so as not to attract anymore unnecessary attention. "Nel, we're here, get ready."

Nelliel softly awoke, signalling to Ichigo that she was ready. The soul reapers standing guard at the senkaimon raised questioning eyebrows, especially upon seeing the slight hump on Ichigo's back.

"Captain Kurosaki, need to head through to the World of the Living?"

Ichigo nodded, making sure to stay behind the guards as they opened the gate, trying his best to conceal Nelliel. Once it fully opened, Ichigo decided to not waste anymore time, speeding his way straight in and out the other side.

As soon as Ichigo's feet hit the ground, Nelliel brought herself out of Ichigo's uniform, stretching herself out. "That was a lot of fun Ichigo! We should do that again sometime," Nelliel giving Ichigo a lopsided grin.

He shook his head, still unable to believe the chaos that they had just made it through. "Listen Nel, it's extremely dangerous to be here," as Ichigo spoke he summoned a hell butterfly, "here, follow this, it'll lead you to a safe place for now, you can trust the people there."

"Y-you're not coming with me Ichigo?" His heart caught in his throat, seeing the teary eyed face of Nelliel seemingly staring into his soul.

"Don't worry Nel, I'll always be here for you, no matter what."

Nelliel wiped her eyes, adopting her lopsided grin once more. She nodded, before giving Ichigo a surprise hug, leaving him red faced. Giving a mock salute, Nelliel giggled as the hell butterfly flew off, skipping as she followed it.

Ichigo sighed, knowing he would have to avoid some difficult questions directed his way upon returning to 'Mr. Hat-n-Clogs', but after seeing that smile of hers, he considered it worth it. Turning around, he prepared himself for the real hell awaiting him back in the Soul Society. Paperwork.