FireSamurai: (Trumpets play) WE HAVE MADE A GLORIOUS RETURN FELLOW READERS OF FANFICTION!

DASM: (smacks Fire on the back of the head with Kooriken) Baka….

FireSamurai: (nurses bump) Teme…..

DASM: Anyway, we are very grateful to all the readers and reviewers of this story. Thanks to you, we have almost 100 reviews and over 21,000 hits. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

FireSamurai: Now to answer questions.

Anonymous Reviewer Fifi: If we changed a female Byakuya's name to something else then they wouldn't know it was Byakuya in the first place.

Cyberweasel89: We are sorry to hear that you're template broke Itachi-chan, may you be able to fix it as soon as possible. If you need any addition information please PM either of us and we'll supply the details you need.

Hououza and Akatsuki Leader13: thank you for the praise from the both of you. Unfortunately, you will have to wait a while to see the bad assness that is Tatsuki's shikai, sorry... (insert anime sweatdrop) Do know that we have put a lot of thought into it and even changed it around so many times…..but yeah…..just wait and see……….

Vampireguy31: we'll see what happens in the polls my friend. Although Ark-san here thinks it's all troublesome...

Evilnaruto15: There's already that many evil narutos?! _ Anyways, thanks for the reviews. We have most of the powers figured out but if we need any help we will let you know.

All Other Readers and Reviewers: Thank you for your support and we will do our best to continue to please you.

DASM: Now on with our story.

Disclaimer: We do not own Bleach but if we did our clothes would be extra clean and stain free!

Chapter 10: Soul to Soul Chat

"How long has it been Kyouran?" The noblewoman asked. "50 years? 100?" Fuu could only smile sadly at the question.

"Last I counted, it was 142." Byakuya nodded at the answer, turning her head away slowly, as if looking for something but not finding it.

"It seems almost like yesterday…" She then turned her head back towards Fuu. "You know, he won't be safe for long," and to this, Fuujin nodded.

"We know about that, and we plan to deal with it when we have to. More importantly, it's obviously that you aren't here for the renegade shinigami, especially the boy. If you were, there wouldn't be this many of you." Fuujin said, sensing more then just the female captain in front of her. Byakuya only nodded at this as Byakuya explained, "With this many hollows around, we sent as many as we could." The captain then turned around, ready to leave.

"Can you tell me one thing Kyouran?" to this, the wind mistress just raised an eyebrow at what she wanted to know. Letting her continue, Byakuya asked, "Is he doing well here?" Fuujin chuckled at the question.

"You of all people should know what he would say if you asked him that," to which the Kuchiki could only smile at.

"He would say 'troublesome woman' and then start smoking…," both chuckling at what would most likely be said and done by the white-haired male. With that said, the female captain of the sixth squad captain shunpoed (Flash Stepped) away, her business done…for now anyways.

Three days passed between the battle between the Last Quincy and the Shinigami and everything went back to normal…well normal enough for people like Tatsuki and Ichigo among their friends as well. After the battle, it seemed as if all hollow activity stopped, which was odd.

Now, both Tatsuki and Ichigo were walking to school, Ichigo on the outside, protecting the girl from harm, just as he did all those years ago with his mother. While Tatsuki didn't seem to either notice or mind, she was currently acting, for a lack of a better word, motherly towards her orange-haired friend.

"Come on Tatsuki, for the last time, I'm fine," Ichigo said, agitated at the fact that Tatsuki was becoming overprotective of him. He bet that if someone saw the two of them walking right now, they'd call them boyfriend and girlfriend, before beaten to a bloody pulp by the two.

"We don't know what happened after you defeated that Menos Grande and we still aren't sure if your energy will skyrocket like that again," Tatsuki said and she was right. Both Rukia and Tatsuki were worried about Ichigo when his energy backfired on himself. The two came to an agreement that Ichigo didn't like at all; the two women would go on hollow runs and only if he were needed would he be called. Scowling at the action that Tatsuki was doing now, they quickly made their way to school.

While school was normal at most, both Tatsuki and Ichigo noticed some small differences between their friends.

Once the timid and kind Orihime, Tatsuki noticed a small amount of confidence in her friend, however, she noticed that she was still skittish whenever Ichigo was around. The same could be said about Chad. Ichigo noticed that the bronze giant seemed to be more at peace, as if he came to a conclusion after a long time of fighting against something within himself. However, what both of them noticed the most was that the chain smoker was missing in action, and it seemed that a few of his friends were missing as well. Whenever either Ichigo or Tatsuki asked about Ark, his friends quickly came up with another topic. It was starting to get frustrating.

Another topic that was starting to get on his nerves was Rukia. Ever since the duel with Ishida, she started to become distant and colder than usual. It didn't bother Tatsuki as much since the work they did was the same, but for Ichigo it evaded him as to why she would suddenly do a mood swing such as that.

"Tatsuki, why do you think Rukia's changed so much after those events?" Ichigo asked as Tatsuki stopped for a while in thought.

"Who knows, could be several things on her mind that we don't know about. If she wants to talk about it, she most likely will…" she said as they both finally got to the school grounds. Heading through the school day, both Tatsuki and Ichigo were glad when lunch came, an intermission from the boring prison known as school.

Rukia was sitting in a tree, just watching the scenery, or that's what anyone else would see her doing. However, Rukia was reflecting on the past and mulling over the fact that it probably wouldn't be long until someone found out that she was missing as well as giving her power to a mortal. She was so into her thoughts that she didn't hear Orihime or Tatsuki and a bunch of other girls ask her to join them for lunch until Tatsuki yelled up to her. "Come on Rukia, you need to interact with your friends…"

Rukia just shrugged and climbed down before joining the girls, grateful that Tatsuki was trying to include her. Although, the problem was that soon she would be gone from this world, and she assumed that all memories of her would be erased from the students that didn't have any spiritual powers. Sighing quietly to herself, she listened in on the conversations going around. Laughing at the fact that Orihime's breasts took in the calories, a likely idea, Rukia just continued with her lunch until one of the girls asked her something that really made her stop and think.

"Hey Rukia, can I ask you something? Do you have a crush on Ichigo?" At this, Rukia spat out her juice in bewilderment as Tatsuki subtly listened in as well. This was going to be interesting. When Rukia didn't answer, Mao just continued. "I'll take that as a maybe. But what exactly is your relationship with Ichigo?"

"He's just a friend, a friend," Rukia quickly said, blushing in embarrassment at the question.

"Mao, that's not a question you can just ask like that!" Michiru spoke up, but Mao quickly replied that she wanted to ask it herself but didn't have the courage to do so. After that, the girls split up into their own small conversations.

"I'll think about it…" Rukia said to Orihime's suggestion, not really wanting to harm the girl's…unique tastes. Then again, knowing that she wouldn't be there for long, that's what she always said and Orihime brought that up to her attention. "I guess I do…" was all she said, not wanting them to know the truth of her existence.

While this was happening with the girls, the guys were also having lunch by themselves on the roof. Ichigo invited Ishida to join them but the Quincy first refused.

"No thanks," was his quick reply to which Keigo yelled out at how rude Ishida was being. Ichigo was a bit annoyed at how stubborn he was being over something as trivial as eating lunch with him and voiced his thoughts.

"Oh come on, It's no big deal. Besides, Keigo's buying," and at this Keigo shouted in surprise that he was going to buy for someone he didn't even want to join them.

"Well…if you insist," he then rose from his seat and adjusted his glasses before they all headed up towards the roof with their respective lunches. Ichigo was eating a bento, Ishida had a small submarine sandwich, while the others were just eating small snacks. The only problem was that the atmosphere wasn't exactly pleasant, hell it was barely even present at all.

Keigo was looking through the black cloud that was enveloping the group and killing off any thoughts of conversation. What am I doing here... he thought to himself as he kept munching on his small bread that he bought from a vending machine and while he was in deep thought, he didn't see nor hear the bronze giant that was Sado walk up behind him.

"Hey Keigo," the giant said, scaring the shorter person halfway to death. Once he knew that Keigo calmed down some, he then asked if he was all right since he seemed a little on edge. When he denied the claim, Chad looked skeptical at the young man before looking to the side and seeing Ishida there before sitting down.

"Hey Ichigo, why did you invite me? If it's because you feel responsible because of my injuries, you're wrong and wasting your time. I don't need anyone's pity and I certainly don't want your friendship."

"Just eat your lunch and shut up. I just felt like it, that's all. It certainly had nothing to do with sympathy or because I like you. You should consider yourself lucky to be eating with us instead of alone." Ichigo retorted as the Quincy looked towards him with a mocking look.

"Oh, so I'm supposed to be grateful here? You have a lot of nerve…did it ever occur to you that I prefer eating alone?"

"I prefer eating alone as well so why don't you just look the other way?" Ichigo asked as he glared at the Quincy. He was starting to wonder why he asked him in the first place.

Those two are like twins… Mizuro thought to himself as he watched the two teens continue to argue, ignorant of everything that was going around those two.

Fuujin sighed as she stood on top of the apartment complex that she and the others stayed in, their leader resting below. Since the hollow attack, she has been worried for Ark, especially after what (in her mind) the slimy bastard of a Quincy did and the effects it had on him. On top of that, they had to help clean up his mess to boot. She sighed once more. And then her meeting Byakuya on the roof……..

"Still thinking?" a voice said from behind her, startling her out of her. Jumping slightly, she turned to see Ryu leaning against the doorway.

"Do you really have to do that?" Fuu sighed, getting her heart beat back down to normal. Ryu's answer was merely a shrug.

"So how is he?" She asked after a moment.

"He is doing better." He answered. "Maybe not 100% but better."

"At least he is getting better faster this time around……" She said, which Ryu only nodded grimly. A few moments went by in silence, both shinigami in their thoughts.

"You think she would come for him Ryu?" Fuu said. Once again Ryu merely shrugged.

"Hard to say. Her orders were only to help clear out the hollows. I would assume so she has nothing to do with Ark." Ryu said. "You know how she can be about the rules." To this, Fuu merely chuckled.

"Yeah," Fuujin smiled slightly, "She always was a –" But she stopped in mid sentence as she saw a tuff of white hair leave the building.

"What is he doing?" Ryu said.

"I don't know but get the others. We are going after him."

Not knowing of the dangers that were awaiting the two young shinigami, both Tatsuki and Ichigo talked about their normal yet crazy life. As soon as they left the gate that separated the school from the confines of the real world, a large amount of reiatsu descended upon them, making them both stagger under the pressure. Looking around, it didn't take long for the two to find who was producing.

"Who...are you?" Ichigo asked, as the man with the fox-like grin calmly headed toward them. Bending down so that he could be face to face with Ichigo he said, "names are unimportant for people about to die...,"

The sunset reflected its beautiful colors on the river, Ark admiring the beauty. Sighing to himself, he took a cigarette out, lit it and sighed once more.

"Alright," He said. "We are alone. You can come out now shinigami."

FireSamurai: And So ends another Chapter.

DASM: The plot thickens once more! What is the connection between Byakuya and Ark's group? Who is the shinigami that is out to kill Ichigo and Tatsuki? And, Who are the Shinigami that Ark sensed? Find out Next chapter!

FireSamurai: And now for our current results for Ark's Love interest.

Fuujin: 2

Nina: 2

Comay: 1

Harem: 1 (this surprised us both)

Anyone else: 0

DASM: Interesting results so far…..

FireSamurai: Indeed! Remember! Polls are still open till we say so! So keep voting for who shall be Ark's love interest!

DASM: Till next time, Ja Ne.