Nifty Little Third-Person Flashback.

Ichigo shunpoed as quickly as he could. Normally he would avoid using it, but he assumed that this could be filed under a risk to the security of Soul Society.

It wasn't that he was afraid of fighting the eleventh division, per se. However he was scared for the poor, innocent buildings that would be in the way. Seriously, no sarcasm.

He quickly skidded to a stop, turning and running into an alleyway as a gang of thugs ran by, yelling.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. Even if he couldn't sense their reitsu, he was sure that he could avoid all of them just by listening. Well, maybe not Ikkaku or Yumichika, but the lower level ones and Kenpachi make enough of a din.

He frowned. 'Actually, I…can…sense Ikkaku and Yumichika-san's reitsu…what-'

He stopped that thought short, and rolled his eyes again. 'It's probably one of those "best learned under pressure" things that seem so common when it comes to me…'

Scowling more then usual, he closed his eyes. 'Ikkaku and Yumichika are together…Kenpachi is on the other side of Seireitei, but I could tell that before…Rukia is near here-maybe I'm near the thirteenth division? (Because of course he got lost, though it was through no fault of his own) I guess Ukitake-san would hide me, at least for a little while…' Ichigo reached a hand out, feeling for the ribbon that he knew belonged to the Captain. "Here I go" He muttered, and jumped to the roof of one of the buildings that formed the alley. Sighing as he thought about the Living World and how he could run on the "air" there, nice and out of sight, he tightened his hand around the spirit ribbon and started to run.

Little did he know, he was running past the Twelfth Division. As he jumped between two buildings, he could feel a rumbling. A sort of…shaking that he could feel in his bones. For a second he thought that Kenpachi had somehow found him, before realizing that he couldn't feel the blood-thirsty reitsu…

He looked around, then blinked and almost feel off the roof as he could feel shinigami shunpoing past him.

"CODE RED! CODE RED! CODE RED! CODE RED! CODE-"

He blinked again as the loud voice blasted around him. "What is code red?" He wondered as he started to turn around. Then he felt the fire…

Ichigo felt himself awaken. He opened his eyes.

He could slightly feel bandages all over his body, and recognized the feeling of anesthetic.

He blinked.

His memories started to trickle back as he looked around the room. He recognized the room from the forth division he always stayed in. The room is…the high security section of the Forth Division, where only Kenpachi escaped from…by breaking a wall. Ichigo looked up at the ceiling and snorted. It was the room they always put him in. He rolled his eyes. 'One day I am going to escape from here, just to show them. Hmmm…'

His scheming had to end (for the moment, that is) when Urahara entered the room, in all his sandal-hat glory.

The first thing he noticed was that he looked different. He scowled. "Urahara-san, what happened? Why am I here? Why are YOU here?"

Urahara sighed and sat in the chair next to his bed. "Kurosaki-san, I am here to bring you back to the human world when you have recovered enough. You were trapped in an explosion from the Twelfth Division, and, well…"

"And?" Ichigo prompted, and his eyes widened. He didn't notice before, but his voice-

His hand rose to his throat, and he swallowed. Did the explosion effect his throat? It felt smooth…

"Your Soul was effected badly."

Ichigo turned his head quickly, wincing at the crick that formed almost instantly. Any time Urahara sounds that grave, it cannot be good.

"What-"

Urahara rushed to reassure him. "It is most likely not permanent, and both me and Mayuri are working towards a cure, but…"

He looked uncomfortable, and Ichigo was amazed. He had never seen Urahara uncomfortable. If he was in his right mind, he would be complaining, but certain events (and a lot of painkillers) were making him think differently.

"Until then, what?"

"Until then you will have to live with your bodily changes, Kurosaki-chan."

Ichigo looks down.

"URAHARA! WHY AM I A GIRL!"

At the end of the story, Ichigo scowls and crosses his arms. He notices Ishida's glance toward "her" *ahem* chest and scowls harder. "I am now STUCK as a girl, I am surrounded by perverts, I am scarred for life because of Yoruichi, I am unusually hormonal, and I am barely controlling myself from punching Ishida's face in."

"Huh?"

Ichigo's face brightens. "On the plus side, I won't have the same random bullies after me, I can kick their asses without getting into as much trouble, I can give more people my puppy dog eyes, and I can get away with way more stuff!" He says cheerfully.

Ishida snorts. "I was not looking at you inappropriately." (Yes you were) "And what are you talking about, puppy-dog eyes?"

Ichigo freezes, then lowers his head. Turning towards Ishida, Orihime, and Chaddo completely, he looks at them.

Big, brown eyes sparkle.

He blinks.

They melt.

Rukia sniffles and glomps Ichigo. "You're so kawaii! Ahhh!" she cries.

To his/her credit, Ichigo only steps back slightly. "Rukia…I can't breath…my wounds…"

Rukia quickly jumps back, and Ichigo leans over. Gasping for breath, she stands back up.

"When I was caught in the blast I was injured. It's not too bad, but too much pressure will open them, which is another reason I'm stuck in this gigai.

Orihime's eyebrows scrunch up. "What are the other reasons?"

Kiego groans, and everyone looks at him.

"Idiot." Ichigo mutters at the boy, then quickly says "Changes to the soul effect the body also. So my new "form" would transfer over."

*now go to the next chapter, so you can forget the awkwardness of this one!*