Chapter 3

Ichigo lay on his mattress that night, thinking of the girl he'd seen. He knew he recognized her from somewhere, but he couldn't recall the place. He was so frustrated that he'd already stuffed Kon in a drawer to shut him up.

A timid knock on the bedroom door made him look in that direction, only to find Tatsuki, once again, standing before him.

"Tasuki," Ichigo said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

As he sat up, she walked into the room further and sat on his rolling desk chair.

"I just heard from Rukia about that girl," Tatsuki replied. "Do you know anything about her?"

Ichigo put one hand behind his head and closed his eyes with a frown.

"No. It's so damn frustrating because I know that I know her, but I can't recall where!"

Ichigo looked over to Tatsuki, and was suddenly surprised to see Orihime's head poking into his door, anxiously.

"Orihime?"

"What?" she nearly screamed, jumping slightly.

"Will you just come in?" Tatsuki said, slightly annoyed.

Ichigo looked at the two girls and waited for one of them to explain.

"Ichigo," Orihime said, nervously. "I..."

"She wants to tell you something," Tatsuki said after Orihime was silent for a moment. She looked at Orihime and motioned her head towards Ichigo. "Tell him."

"Ichigo..." she said, pausing for another moment. "I-"

"She wants to say that she loves you!" Tatsuki blurted out, cutting off Orihime and blushing harshly.

Ichigo was taken aback by the confession and took a moment to reply.

"I knew that already," he said, with a slight smile.

"I told you!" Tatsuki nearly shouted.

Orihime blushed heavily and looked down at the ground. She didn't know what to say, so she thought for a few minutes, before coming to a decision. She turned towards Ichigo with a determined look on her face.

"Ichigo-" she began, but suddenly, a sharp rise in spirit pressure cut her off and Ichigo's combat pass began to make odd sounds.

Ichigo grabbed Kon, using the combat pass to get the soul candy out, and eating it. As he left, he looked back at Orihime, a quizzical look in his eyes.

"Go ahead," she said with a smile. "I understand."

"Thanks," Ichigo said with a smile to return. "I'll see you later."

With that, he flash stepped out of the room.

=======================Bleach===========================================================================

He howled wickedly as he cleaved the hollow's mask in two, watching it disintegrate as it was exorcised. Once that was complete, he put his zanpakuto on his back, the linen instantly wrapping around the blade.

"Good job Ichigo," Rukia said as she appeared behind him.

"Hey Rukia. What's up?"

"Just coming to see if you needed any help."

Ichigo looked into her eyes and could see the question burning within her. He knew what it pertained to but he didn't have an answer ready.

"Did-"

"Orihime already told me."

Rukia's face looked shocked as Ichigo walked away.

"What did she say?"

"She told me all about her feelings. That's all."

Rukia followed Ichigo looking down at her feet.

"What did you say?"

"I got this call right about then," Ichigo answered honestly.

"Ah."

"Yeah, I-"

Suddenly, a hollow burst from the bushes in front of Ichigo, catching him so off-guard, neither Rukia nor he could defend. He prepared himself for impact when, suddenly, a blade appeared between the hollow and Ichigo, slicing the hollow's mask apart.

Ichigo looked toward the blade's owner, only to be struck with thousands of memories instantly. His head swirled as he began to collapse to the ground. The girl before him, who had beautiful amber eyes and purple hair, was instantly worried and reached out to him.

The last sensation Ichigo remembered was hitting his head on the ground.

====================================Bleach=====================================================================

"Ichigo!" a voice screamed to him from the fog. As the fog lifted a beautiful girl with purple hair and amber eyes was being carried like a sack of potatoes under a man in strange armor's arm.

"I could never allow you to die instead of me!"

The words echoed as her face became clearer and clearer.

"I feel warm... Ichigo?.. Will we ever meet again?"

Tears rolled down Ichigo's cheeks as her weight faded from his back. His arms slumped once that weight was completely gone. He instantly fell to his knees.

"I know she'll be gone soon, but right now, I can still hear her voice."