Ch. 3: Forgotten Reunion

Author's Note: Hey, thanks for all of you who read or reviewed out story! Another note, one of our OCs will show up only a little bit, not a lot, and won't really be important though. It's not Kaito or Yukiko (our original 2 OCs), it's actually the first one Ryo made.

Tear them apart…

And watch from the side.

Tear them apart…

Without dirtying your hands.

Watch them laugh

And watch them die

Orihime yawned and stretched from her sitting position under the trees. The sun was shining, and the sky was clear, but for some reason, Orihime wasn't in such a good mood. She had a feeling that something was going to happen.

She shook her head, "No, now is not the time to get upset. Rukia's coming back from her mission…I am not going to greet a friend that I have no seen for 2 years with a frown…"

Before Hueco Mundo had been completely isolated from Soul Society and the Human World, a group of shinigami were sent to stay there, watching, until Seireitei was ready to completely cut connections from Hueco Mundo.

Rukia was chosen as one of them, accidentally perhaps. Before the mission, Rukia had received a letter from her captain asking her to volunteer. But when Rukia went to confirm it with Ukitake, he denied giving he such a letter. But, accident or not, Rukia decided that she might as well volunteered.

Simple as that.

Besides the "convincing Byakuya to agree part"

After all connections, including entrance and exits from Hueco Mundo were cut off, the shinigami there were ordered to stay there for another few months. They were left with only one more tool that would allow them to return to the Soul Society.

So the second they leave Hueco Mundo, it was officially broken from the other worlds.

Orihime sighed quietly and as she stood up, a cold aura surrounded her. Her eyes widened as she felt a chill go down her spine.

She turned around abruptly and a pair of ice blue eyes stared back at her.

"Orihime Inoue."

Orihime gasped and stepped back from the figure.

"W-What are you doing here? No, how did you get here without being detected?"

Without changing his stony expression, he whispered in a low voice, "It seem that you have forgotten…"

Orihime began to shiver, whether it was from fear or from the coldness emitting from that man, she didn't know.

Orihime turned and ran.

The man narrowed his eyes, "Run as much as you like. But in the end, it's you that will be running to us."

Make them suffer.

Then leave and let them laugh

Return after many years.

Give you first appearance

And watch them break down into darkness.

Ichigo was strolling down the walkway.

"Oh come one!" Ichigo moaned as he reached a dead end, "Why the hell do they have to make this into a labyrinth??"

Ichigo stared up into the sky and squinted at the bright light. "…Hmm…when was the last time it rained…"

Ichigo turned his attention back to the maze he had been running among for the last 10 minutes.

"This is going to take a while…"

"Ichigo?"

Ichigo turned around and blinked a couple of times, "Rukia? Is that you?"

A raven-haired girl smiled and stepped forward, "Hey Ichigo. It's been a while hasn't it?"

Oh my god…Ichigo gawked.

Renji had told him that today was the day Rukia was coming back…Ichigo felt like hitting himself for forgetting.

Rukia smiled, despite the fact that she was a bit disappointed that Ichigo didn't greet her at the gate when she returned. Even Renji and Byakuya were there to meet her.

Ichigo smiled as well, despite his irritated mood a few minutes back. How could he not smile? He hadn't seen her ever since she was sent on a mission into Hueco Mundo a couple of years before the connection between Soul Society and Hueco Mundo was severed.

Ichigo felt really awkward. Rukia, his closest friend, hadn't seen him in two years. He felt like he should've run over and get all excited and whatnot.

But he didn't.

Adding to the awkward moment.

Speaking of awkward, Rukia seemed different, Ichigo frowned, "Rukia? Uh, have you always been that tall?"

Rukia laughed and rolled her eyes sarcastically, "No, Ichigo, I think you just shrunk…"

Ichigo crossed his arms. Same old Rukia. "Haha, Rukia. So, um…you're back from the mission…after what? 2 years?"

Rukia shrugged as if not quite sure herself, "Yeah, I think that's about right." She smiled, "You look just the same."

Ichigo was about to make some smart remark at Rukia about the same, but…Ichigo tilted his head. Rukia did look quite different. For starters, she was definitely not less than 5 feet tall anymore. He dark hair was longer than her shoulders and seemed more flowing. Her face and eyes no longer had that childish look it use to have.

Rukia seemed…less…boyish?

"Uh…I…" Ichigo fumbled with the words in his mouth, "Nice to have you back."

Rukia sneered, "Oh come on, is that really how your gonna greet me after 2 years?"

Ichigo grinned stupidly at his own comment, "Heh, sorry about that."

"So, where you going? I didn't see you at the gate when I came back…"

Ichigo bit his lip, "I, um…needed to see Inoue…"

Oh great. Ichigo flinched. I forgot to go meet Rukia and I tell her that it was because I went to go see Inoue…that just sounds wrong…God, how clueless am I? Even if I forgot that Rukia was coming back, why didn't I sense the gate's spiritual energy?

"Ichigo? About Rukia…don't mess up…"

Ichigo groaned…too late…sorry Renji.

Rukia's smiled dropped a bit, but as usual, it wasn't a selfish intent, "Ichigo…is this about Orihime losing her powers? You realize that it's not your fault…"

Ichigo was quite surprised that Rukia look this so well. "Well, I know, I just wanted to tell her something real quick."

Rukia nodded slowly, "You do that. Um…I-I think I should go greet my captain…"

Ichigo squirmed uncomfortably. He felt bad…really bad.

Rukia began to walk away, but paused and turned around, "Oh and Ichigo?"

"Yeah?"

"Get into another depression and you know what I will do!!!" Rukia shouted cheerfully with a threatening tone.

"Whatever!"

Just like they did 2 years ago.

Except this time, it was Rukia that seemed hurt.

Guilt that devours the soul

Will lead them stepping into a endless tunnel

Every step full of regret

Every step full of confusion

Every step led by lies.

The man stood in the shadow of the towering buildings. His cold stare followed every movement as he inched his aura in his chosen direction.

Knowing that Inoue would avoid it.

Driving her like a sheep from the wolves.

Forcing her to encounter Kurosaki.

Blocking the spiritual force of the gate of Rukia's return.

He has been there for the last 2 years.

Watching every movement, controlling every action.

A messenger from his god.

Obeying every order.

In his hand he held the letter that Rukia had accidentally received 2 years ago.

He had been there, nothing escaping his eyes.

The foolish shinigami were running and fighting. No matter how much they ran or how much they fought, they would always end up falling into his hand.

They were pawns in a game that would eventually have no meaning.

Including Inoue.

No, she wasn't a pawn, she was the leader.

The leader that would drive the shinigami in destruction.

He crossed his arms and stepped out into the sunlight, reflecting off of his ice-cold eyes. The wind blew back his short, pitch-black hair that danced across the upper jawbone skull that was placed across his forehead.

"It's time…"

The Arrancar closed his eyes and the two, ice colored, waved stripes on his right cheek glowed.

He raised his arm and reached at the sky in front of him. He swiped his arm down and an explosion of spiritual energy ripped through the sky.

A loud shriek filled the air and the Arrancar melted back into the shadow.

The remains of the torn up letter drifted through the wind.

Release the horror.

That will expand the black hole.

Tear them apart.

Watch from a distance.

Tear them apart…

From the inside out.

Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed and pretty please review!!