Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach

A/N: I apologize to all my readers for the long and horrible wait. Unfortunately, my computer has decided to go into early retirement and so until I get a new computer updates will be slow (even more than usual) for all of my stories. No, I haven't stopped writing or anything of the sort. In fact, I'm fill with a bunch of new ideas. Sadly, though, my computer doesn't give a shit.

Thanks for all the reviews! You guys rock!

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Rain. For fuck sake's, why did it have to be raining? Good things never happened when it rained in this world.

Shirosaki Hichigo frowned at his King's slip up. Had the idiot let him take over, he wouldn't be in this mess. But no, he had to let his fucking emotions distract him, his shitty desires and longing for the past nearly overwhelm him. Hence, the goddamn rain falling on this world.

The Hollow tsked, but did not bother to find shelter. The water got him anywhere, even inside the buildings that made up this world. It was better to endure it as it is; it went by faster that way and he became less annoyed.

Waves of pain, acting like a biting wind, accompanied the drops, whipping the white sleeves of his shihakshou, the back string from the white Zangetsu strapped on his back snapping with each pass. The King was injured and that made the rain worse, becoming a fierce downpour where the drops actually hurt.

God, couldn't he at least get a fucking umbrella every time this happened. First his mama died. It rained. Then those little brats died. Now that had been a fucking hurricane storm. Could the Hollow at least catch a break?

Hichigo sighed, a hoarse sound in his distorted vocals. He let his head fall back so the rain could hit his face. Betraying people you actually liked always sucked, even if it had been for a good cause. The King had to learn that and get over it. Whose fault was it that those stupid girls had been there? Who had been the idiot that turned his back for that exact moment?

Hell, he got them back, didn't he? Gave them power, much more than they would have ever gained in their lifetime, and a stronger body that wont fail them again. Though, therein lied the problem, Hichigo guessed, opening his eyes as the storm finally broke. The girls had been twins. Always, the humans made stories and theories regarding such a close kinship, two babies born at a single time, created through a single pregnancy period.

Who'd known that the same concept would be reversed in a rebirth? That to be reincarnate, the girls would have been revived in a single body?

Nora.

The name was spoken by the wind, passing through the towering buildings like a reverent prayer.

Nora.

"Well, King," Hichigo spoke out loud, his Hollow voice soft with bitter understanding. "You cant win them all, just the ones that counts. At least you got your fucking sisters back."

As though responding to his malice, the building he sat on crumbled beneath him. Too bad that the Horse was always faster than the King. Hichigo, safe on another building, watched it fall.

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He was hurt. That was all she could comprehend. Her powerful master had been wounded and severely so.

Nora kneeled by Ichigo's side, as close as she could be without interfering with Orihime's work. Both men were laid on separate cots on the floor, encased in an orange glowing shield that was the girl's ability, the space of the rejection.

"It's seems I'm even more in your debt, Orihime-san," she whispered out loud, watching as the sword cuts and broken limbs mended themselves under the careful glow.

Grimmjow was in worse condition. La Sexta had taken no regards to his well being at all in his anticipation of a good fight. He laid there with his eyes closed, his body coiled and tense with the pain that must have been going through him. Orihime gave him extra attention, mindful of how serious his wounds were and how dangerous they could become.

She had been taken from her home to heal. So heal she shall.

Aizen had left a while ago, followed by Tousen and Gin. With a few words to his Espada on their carelessness and a job well done, he went go see the Hollows the two had brought, possibly already started making new arrancar soldiers with the Hogyoku.

Nora had vaguely taken notice of his departure, her attention solely on her master. She felt whole again, her sense of being restored, and her stomach threatened to rumble with new hunger. But all of it threatened to shatter should Ichigo relapse and die from his wounds.

She greatly depended on her master; he gave her a purpose, had given her life. Without him… There was no further thought as the truth was revealed. Nora will simply break down, become a lesser arrancar and no more than a mechanic doll for others to toy with. Wouldn't Szayel enjoy that, she wondered idly.

Nora flinched as she noticed a hand reach out for her within that orange glow. Ichigo was awake and searched for her presence like a blind man. She had lowered her reiatsu so it wouldn't interfere with Orihime's healing, so it made it difficult for him to locate her.

Without thinking, Nora reached inside the shield, missing the way Orihime's eyes widened with shock and grabbed her master's hand with both of her own.

"I'm here, Ichigo-sama," she told her master gently.

The hand tightened in her grasp and Ichigo turned to her, his eyes opened and sad. "I'm sorry," he rasped, his throat still injured. "I wasn't going to kill you. I hadn't meant to."

Her eyes widened and softened. She pulled his hand to her cheek, feeling her eyes well up with tears. "You don't have to apologize to me, master," she said. "I will always forgive you. No matter what."

The answer didn't satisfy Ichigo. Instead, he gained a pensive expression, as though he had hoped she wouldn't, to instead rage and rave at him about it being the last straw. But for now, it was enough and he turned his attention towards Orihime.

"You are… Inoue, correct? The girl Aizen brought?"

Startled, obviously not expecting for him to address her, Orihime gave a flustered nod, a pink flush rising in her cheeks. "Y-yes. I am Orihime. Inoue Orihime."

Ichigo gave a wistful smile, finding her reaction cute and sad. "I'm sorry," he said, much to her surprise. "I scared you terribly back then. I was not myself, and yet please expect for more episodes similar to that. Thank you for healing my fraccion and thank you for healing me now."

The pink turned red as she blushed, stuttering in her answer. "It-it was nothing! I am glad to just be of use."

"Oi!" an annoyed growl came from the side. "Will you stop it with all the sappy shit? Yer making me sick!"

Ichigo scoffed. "I'm only expressing my gratitude, you son of a bitch. Maybe you can try learning what that means."

A warmth filled Nora as her master spoke. He had just said the very feelings she had felt before. It gave her hope that perhaps she wasn't as abnormal as she had originally thought. Especially if her master shared the same sentiments.

She released his hand long enough to come between them, causing enough distraction to keep the two Espada from getting into a fight. Nora surprised everyone, even herself, by reaching for Grimmjow's hand and holding it tight.

"Thank you for returning back, minna," she said, bowing over their clasped hands. "Ichigo-sama, Grimmjow-sama. Thank you for not dying."

The words felt so familiar, as if she had spoken them many times in the past, greeting her family as they returned from their long journeys and battles. Perhaps she had done it, though Nora did not possess the memories to prove it.

Ichigo was startled, as if he too recognized her phrases. His expression tightened as did his grip and he gave a sharp nod. "Hai," he grunted and closed his eyes, letting Orihime to finish the healing without any further provoking.

Grimmjow turned his face away and Nora expected him to punch her or wrench his hand way. As it was, he let her hold him, and the exhaustion and stress of his wounds finally lured him to sleep, though his grip was as strong as his master's.

Nora grinned at Orihime and watched as the orange light did its work.

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"Why were you in the woman's room?"

Nora turned and was faced with the impassive gaze of La Cuarta Espada. "Su-suminasen, Ulquiorra-sama? What do you mean?"

His luminous green eyes flickered with annoyance. "Do not make me repeat myself. You are not a ignorant fool. You heard my subtle threat in relations to the girl. Tell me why would you ignore such," he demanded.

She gathered herself and swallowed. It was not good to show fear in the face of the Espada, especially in front of the one who felt no emotion.

Staring straight at him, Nora answered, "To tell her thank you for saving my life. I wished to express my gratitude."

"Gratitude?" Ulquiorra looked at her distrusting. "You are a Hollow. You do not feel gratitude."

"Well, this one does," she replied fiercely, forgetting her place. Her hands gripped the rail of the cart. "Gomenasai, Ulquiorra-sama. You can believe me or you can not, but I swear to you I visited Orihime-san with the best intentions in mind. I did not hurt her. If you'll now excuse me, I have to deliver my master his meal."

She blinked when he appeared in front of her, using sonido to stand in front of her and bar her way. Her throat became dry and she swallowed thickly as she noticed the rare anger in his eyes.

"You will not dismiss me so easily, fraccion. I may not be your master but I am still your superior. You will not turn your back on me." His words were quiet, precise and even, without none of the anger his eyes showed. With that single emotion, they shone like green fire, boring down on her like fierce light.

Nora could not simply lower her gaze as was proper and expected of her. "Gomenasai. I meant no disrespect. However, my master is expecting me and I require haste." This time, she gave a bow and pushed the cart around where Ulquiorra stood.

It was strange. She did not fear him as she should, but Ulquiorra simply lacked the trait that made her cower beneath Ichigo's gaze. As she passed him by, Ulquiorra watched her every step, with a new fascination that she had dared to disrespect him so. He did not get in her way again, so Nora went by as fast as she could without actually running.

"You have become like him."

"Eh?" She blinked as she turned to face him once again.

La Cuarta quietly began to walk away, no longer bothering himself with her. His last words to her were sharp and even, as if he were annoyed for being made to say them, especially to an insignificant arrancar like her.

"You are just like your lord Espada."

Nora couldn't help but watch him leave, standing alone in the hallway with the cart forgotten by her side. She was like her master? That was a bad thing? A cold fear settled in to her bones. When another fraccion dared to speak out against an Espada that was not their master, that Espada could either reprimand the fraccion themselves or go and tell the master.

Ulquiorra has always been the one to reprimand those out of line, but he did it with cold, callous words that hurt deeper than any blow he might have given. His eyes saw all, and the knowledge made the words bite deeper and strike into one's pride. It was why the other fraccion worked so hard to avoid La Cuarta entirely, or be extra polite and extra submissive in his presence, often at the cost of their own pride.

Nora had spoken against him, so rudely as she refused his demands and faint accusations. She may have given him answers, but they were unsatisfactory, with the way she told him.

She could only turn and wheel the cart away, far way from the direction the Fourth had gone. If she was punish, so be it.

After all, no one was more scary to her than her master.

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Ichigo blinked. Large gray eyes blinked back, though they were terrified and shining with tears.

During his endless pacing, thinking about his battle with Toshiro and Ran, he had heard some shuffling within his fraccion's room. She had gone to get dinner for the two of them, so he knew that it wasn't her.

Of course, he assumed the worse. Ichigo was not as dense to not notice the hostility that surrounded them, both him as an Espada and Nora as his fraccion. There were arrancars who were insanely loyal to Aizen who saw his favor towards the two as a great crime. Such was the jealousy that drove them.

So he went to check it out, opening the door carefully and stepping inside. If it was a cruel prank, he would not be caught unawares. However, he still found himself gaping stupidly at the little arrancar trapped within the covers of the bed, a child bakemono

She gave a terrified squeal and ducked underneath the material, forgetting her struggles as she hid from him.

Ichigo sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck as the muscles there tensed. Well, it wasn't something bad, but the reminder of Szayel's creations was strong in his mind.

That one was forever sending him stuff, in spite and enjoyment of messing with his brother Espada. This little arrancar could be one of his creations, like his fraccion, though when Szayel started making them cute was a surprise. La Octava surrounded himself with freaks. This, he had to admit, was a better invention than his usual lot.

She peeked at him from under the heavy covers, giving him a glimpse of a cartoonish, simple skull mask that covered the top of her head. She was so tiny, taking up only a small portion of the bed where she was trapped. A red line of coloring, sort of resembling a blush, went across her face underneath her eyes and she wore a dull green robe.

Really. This arrancar was so odd, especially if it was of Szayel's making. It really did make him wonder.

"A-ano?"

Ichigo blinked as the arrancar peeked out again, further this time so only her small body was hidden in the covers. "What?" he asked.

She visibly swallowed, looking so nervous that he felt uncomfortable. "Are you… Itsygo-sama?"

Now he stared. "It-sy-go?" he repeated slowly, making sure he had heard her right.

"H-hai," she answered quickly, her high voice trembling. "N-Nora-chan told me about Itsygo-sama. Da Cero Ezpaduh."

El Cero realized that the lisp the girl had made a horrible mispronunciation of his name, changing Ichigo into Itsygo. he stared at her hard, making her head duck down right underneath the covers, hiding from the severity of his scowl.

"And you are?" he asked, refusing to say anything about himself until he determined who or what she was.

"Nel is Nel Tu of the arrancar," she replied happily, though she gulped and lowered her head again.

To be honest, Ichigo felt terrible at seeing her fear. Kids, he wasn't good with them. Nora and Starrk's fraccion, Lilinette, both didn't count because in a sense, they weren't children at all, but shaped like they were because of their reiatsu levels. In fact, he hadn't had a true experience with children since… since…

He swallowed painfully as the memories assaulted of him, of that night when everything went wrong.

"Ichigo-sama? I have arrived with your meal," Nora called out from the doorway of the room, thankfully drawing his attention away from that dark direction.

El Cero turned to face his fraccion. "It's about time," he said. "What took you?"

She bowed to him. "Gomenasai. I was stopped on my way by Ulquiorra-sama. Previously, I had ventured into his charge's room to express my thanks, without his permission." She straightened and gasped. "Why are you in my room, Ichigo-sama?"

Ichigo started, forgetting what he had been doing. He cleared his throat and pointed behind him. "I heard something in here and checked it out. Is there something you were going to tell me?"

"Ah!" Nora went into the room to stand between Nel and her master, to offer some protection of his wrath. "I can explain, Ichigo-sama. Nel was lost and Gin-sama asked me to check out a reiatsu he had been feeling earlier. I… did not know what to do with her and so I… ended up bringing her here." She glanced at him fearfully. "I hope… it is not a problem. I wanted to get Aizen-sama's permission to return her to the plains of Huenco Mundo, but I was going to after you return and…"

Ichigo covered her mouth to stop her rambling. "Okay, I get it. Enough," he told her sternly and then his stomach rumbled loudly. "Let me eat something and then I'll think of something to do." He looked at the arrancar. "I'm surprised though. You don't usually get into so much mischief when I leave."

She blushed and ducked her head. "Go-gomenasai, Ichigo-sama."

He suddenly grinned and left her standing there. "Come, let's eat. You're friend and join us."

Nora stared dumbfounded. She shared a look with Nel, before picking up the arrancar and following her master outside into the main room.

Her master was acting strange- again. And this time, she didn't really want to know how he was going to act.

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"Are you sure about this? Are you absolutely sure that it was him?" demanded the Shinigami woman, getting straight in the face of the taller male.

Toshiro glared at her rudeness. "Yes, Kuchiki. I'm sure that it was him. He went so far as to tell us his name and rank. He also gave no clear remorse of his actions, making your theory of him being forced to work for Aizen inconclusive, if not proven wrong," the young captain told her bluntly.

The small, dark haired woman sauntered back, in shock and horror. "No, no it cant be," she whispered. "No… no I… cant believe that. I just cant!"

"Rukia!" Another woman glared at her, before her expression soften with sympathy. "You can not continue in this manner. You'll only destroy yourself."

"It is decided then," another individual, an old man accompanied by a white haired fuktaichou, stood away from the doorway as he left the Fourth Division quarters. "Kurosaki Ichigo is no longer one to be avoided. As you meet him in combat, see him as your enemy. As with all traitors…"

He glanced at all who were gathered, few of those who felt the pain of his betrayal.

"He must be captured and return to the Seireitei, to face his punishment. No longer will he receive any mercy."

A/N: So sorry for the wait guys. Next time, Mi Corazon, Mi Vida