This chapter seems so much shorter than the monster that was last chapter. So here we go, the continuation of the cliffhanger! The moment you've all been waiting for. Maybe. Oh dear lord I updated a week late! Forgive me! After that cliffhanger as well! But like I mentioned last chapter my writing time is being taken up by school, and unfortunately life comes first and school gives me writers block. Also a jumped back into the Fairy Tail fandom as I'm sure some of you noticed by the two stories I posted when I should've been writing this. Forgive me, it was the plot bunnies! So thanks to AbsoluteReader1995, Akira Namikaze, Phantom Claire, animegurl103, Scarlett Foxie, Dahlia'sdream, Kage Kurai, and AngryHitsu for reviewing.

Now onto the chapter!
After we do the disclaimer of course.

DISCLAIMER I DO NOT OWN BLEACH ONLY THIS PLOT AND SOME OF THE OC's

Renji was carrying Rangiku on his shoulder. He didn't fail to notice that her body temperature was steadily lowering. While his knowledge was limited to what he picked up from the fourth he knew for a fact that a cooling body had a tendency to not mean good things, unless the person was coming down from a fever. Either way Renji knew now that they needed to finish their mission and quick. He wasn't sure how much longer Rangiku could survive without medical attention. Not for the first time today Renji found himself wishing that he had learned some form of medical kido. Renji felt useless, and he was quickly finding that he didn't' appreciate the feeling.

He stopped in a wider part of the hallway. Tired from his short battle, and the stress of the recent month causing him to tire quickly, not to mention Rangiku wasn't the lightest person in the world. Renji prayed that the tenth division vice-captain would never hear of what he just thought. Adjusting the busty woman on his shoulders, he took a second to feel her throat for a pulse. Panicking when it took him a long time to find it. When he finally did find it, he found that it was light and fluttery showing just how bad Rangiku was.

Renji sighed as he hauled himself back into a standing position. Then he leaned back down in order to pick up the busty shinigami. Nearly tipping over, because he forgot that Zangetsu was on his back. Renji sighed when he saw his reflection glinting back at him. Reminding him on how much Ichigo had changed his life, and the many times that he saw the blade glint with the intent to kill.

The tattooed man readjusted himself, wishing that a teenager like Ichigo wouldn't have gotten involved with the world of shinigami. At least not while the substitute shinigami was alive anyway, Ichigo was only seventeen and had seen more blood than most people their entire lives, the teen had even been known to kill his opponent if it was the only option.

Renji was a realist, the odds of all seven of them coming out of this villain controlled palace with their target and not getting spotted or sensed was a pipe dream, it was even crazy to think that they'd be sneaky enough to hide when the whole place was on alert. Renji even doubted that they'd find Ichigo in a reasonable amount of time. People dying was a part of a shinigami's job, and based on previous encounters it wouldn't too farfetched that the team might come back with severe injuries and possible casualties. It was one thing knowing that it's a possibility it's another thing entirely when you're holding the limp and bleeding body of your comrade. Something Renji, sadly, was more familiar with than not.

Renji inhaled and then pressed on. He had stayed in one place for too long and that could be a fatal mistake while in enemy territory. Zangetsu glinted once again in the light almost like it got a spark of determination. Which was impossible because if a shinigami is without contact with their Zanpakuto the spirit residing in the blade tended to go into a hibernation-like state and not wake up until it felt the reiatsu of its wielder. Then again nothing about Ichigo had ever been normal.

Renji shrugged and continued foreword down the hallway a little more. He groaned when he saw that he came to yet another fork in the hallway.

"Who the hell designed this place?" Renji cried in exasperation.

On the other side of the palace Rukia looked up when she felt Renji's reiatsu reach her, it felt angry and slightly worried. Rukia was worried because this was a common feeling she got whenever they were in battle like situations. She glanced back to see Ikkaku's head lolling to the side. The bald man was in a bad way, that hadn't changed since the three shinigami stumbled across the third seat. The petite shinigami was also aware of the tenth's Vice-Captain's drop in spiritual pressure, she could only assume that Renji and Matsumoto were near each other because their reiatsu felt like it was the same distance away. But there could of course be a lot of factors affecting her sensing abilities.

She thumbed the badge hanging on her waist. She had a feeling that they were close to Ichigo, the badge was starting to radiate a little more strength, and while the badge basically was way for Soul Society to keep tabs on Ichigo, it was still keyed into the orange haired shinigami. It would only work as long as it was near Ichigo's reiatsu, so that way it couldn't be stolen and used for who knows what for who knows why.

So the fact that it was starting to feel like something from Soul Society and not just a cheap wooden carving, Rukia took that as a plus. Though, she has to wonder was one small confirmation that they are in a place where Ichigo was being held, did it balance out if they lost several people and the trail went cold. She was a Shinigami first and a friend second. Rukia may have changed when she met Ichigo, and started to value friends and place them at a higher priority than she was, she still knew that the mission came first. Despite the feelings towards it. If it was deemed that the risk was too dangerous and they were ordered to leave then the seven shinigami would have to. They did want to save Ichigo of course but if that proved to be a small goal in the eyes of Soul Society's tops then the shinigami would have to obey.

Naturally that wouldn't stop Rukia from staying behind and paying her debt, well one of them. She didn't like to leave debts unpaid and she owed Ichigo plenty. They all did.

Rukia's eyes softened and she turned around to face foreword taking the hallway to the right. "We'll rest here, but only for a few minutes, afterword we need to keep moving. We don't know when the Neo-Gotei will send more people to attack us."

Yumichika took the majority of Ikkaku's weight and slid down the wall. Rukia watched out of the corner of her eye, Yumichika was caressing and touching Ikkaku tenderly. Most of Soul Society wondered about the two, but she didn't care. She knew that Ikkaku would be more than protective over Yumichika if the more feminine man were to get gravely injured.

Rukia chuckled to herself, earning her a look from Ashido. She wondered if there was anyone that would be like that if she got gravely injured. She then shook her head, this was no time for idle thoughts such as those. She could only look down the hallway, which seemed to emit a feeling of evil, she shivered as she thought of what could possibly be radiating that much evil.

She could only pray that they escape before whatever or whoever was down the hall came for them.

Meanwhile

A man with obviously died black hair stepped out of the shadows. He pulled at his uniform, scowl firmly in place. He headed off towards the fourth division barracks, careful not to draw attention to himself. He was skilled in suppressing his reiatsu. One slip of control on his part and he'd be found out in a second. Especially in the fourth who had superb sensing skills.

He growled. It was nightfall. He hadn't been a part of Soul Society for very long before he and his brother were forced out, so he never did learn the layout. But he couldn't ask or else his cover would be blown. He fingered the hilt of his zanpakuto. If he made it to the barrack, or more specifically the hospital before dawn he could set the plan in motion sooner and the quicker he got this done the sooner he could return and not blow the cover of this operation. Of course he to make sure it was done properly, but it wouldn't be a problem once it was done.

The hospital finally came into view, he smirked. Walking towards the front door he looked as if he owned the place. He was careful to sense for any powerful reiatsus before continuing. Sensing none above a third seat rank.

"Easy." He mumbled to himself. Stepping into the main lobby, he was spared only a few glances. Not even the actual fourth squad members paid him any mind. He nodded and pretended to sign in. Then acting like he had orders he headed towards the patient rooms. Releasing his zanpakuto as he went. He knocked on the first door, when he got no answer he saw why. The patient was deep asleep and apparently heavily medicated.

It made his job simpler. He lifted up a sleeve of the hospital gown and made a small scrape with his blade, blood bubbled up, but Tadashi quickly stopped the flow, but did not close the wound. Then finishing his ministrations, he went on to the next room.

After making small incisions on several of the patients in this one wing he went over to the intensive care side, looking for those who would be the easiest to kill and make it seem like an accident.

He chuckled humorlessly. Just because in the long run the Neo-Gotei was fairer, more honorable, and just, it didn't mean that their tactics to win would be. Killing of the wounded was a way to get rid of the weak, and if they were injured by hollows or other trivial things then they had no place in the Neo-Gotei.

The premiers and the King weren't just working towards a new thirteen protection squad, they were working towards a new world. One that would be cleansed from the taint of the shinigami. It would be better, but in order to make this world happen then sacrifices had to be made. Tadashi didn't mind having to get his hands dirty. Like everyone else in the Neo-Gotei he had his reasons for leaving, and he didn't mind exacting his revenge on those who cannot defend themselves. That's why he's one of the best interrogators in both Soul Society and the Neo-Gotei.

He quickly undid the wrappings on a bandaged stomach and plunged the blade into the bleeding gash. He dug his blade deeper than the cut had done. He had muffled the man's screams, and he traced the cut making no other markings. He then cause the wound to bleed at an impressive rate before sealing his zanpakuto and "preforming" the needed to tasks to help revive the person.

As he figured it wasn't long before more nurses showed up, and Tadashi acted the part of a stunned fourth squad member. "He won't stop bleeding! I have no idea why!"

The nurses seemed to disbelieve him and attempted to cauterize the wounds. Which naturally weren't working. It was a minute more and the bleeding mysteriously kept increasing and soon enough the guy had passed away.

Leaving with the rest of the crowd, Tadashi turned down the hallway and went to finish his mission, if all of them were as pathetic as the one he just killed this would be an easy mission. He laughed to himself, and evil glint in his eyes. Oh how he loved his job.

Ichigo woke up. Why he was unsure but he just did. More than slightly annoyed due to the fact that he was actually resting for a change. Not in a half-unconscious state where he had passed out because of the pain. He found it interesting that you only rested when you chose to rest for yourself.

Regardless he was up and looking for the reason why he was suddenly returned to awareness. He couldn't sense anything unusual and he could see nothing that was directly threatening him. So he was at a loss as to why he woke up. It was odd considering most of the time when he was asleep he didn't wake up for anything or anyone.

But the mire his brain left the fog of sleep the more he got the feeling that he just needed to be awake.

Was something happening in the physical world that was important? Or was it he'd miss something here if he hadn't woken up. Both were plausible, as far as he knew, but he didn't know which one was the correct one.

His amber eyes flitted out to the snow covered world. As expected, the snowstorm was still raging on outside it was just as fierce if not more fierce than it had been when he went to sleep. But there was no evidence of new snowfall. It was becoming more and more apparent to Ichigo that this world was in fact a stationary world. He had read about them in fiction but to be witnessing one in real life, it was well, different.

This would always in chaos. But to what end? Will this world become dynamic, and move past all of this chaos into peace? Or will it remain in this state of unrest?

Ichigo quirked a small smile. The same could be asked about his life. Was all of this chaos in his life for nothing in the end? All of the battling and nearly dying, was that his life was ever supposed to be? Or was everything he did for something bigger that he couldn't see? The teen honestly did not know, nor could he bring himself to care.

He could only wonder if his friends were still looking for him. He realized that he hadn't thought about them that much, and he found that he missed them more that he would like to admit. He would like to think that they were searching for him but he also didn't want to wake up and find that they had been injured, or worse.

On the other side of that however was that he found that he didn't want to be alone any longer. It was strange because before this he didn't mind being alone, he generally preferred it actually. Ichigo sighed. It wouldn't surprise him if Soul Society had called off the search for him in preparation for the oncoming war. Hell he wouldn't be surprised if he had already been written off as someone that was just going to be a history lesson and eventually just another legend. A bed time story that mothers would tell to sleepy children.

Someone to learn from.

Someone to eventually forget.

Ichigo sighed once again and turned his gaze towards the unchanging chaos that was his temporary home.

Just what exactly was happening in the outside world?

Toshiro was unwilling taking in everything that he saw, heard, or smelled, and was committing it to memory. Not the best thing to do, but again it really wasn't his choice. Maybe, just maybe, this would help him realize what he saw.

Then again he wasn't entirely sure that this wasn't an illusion.

The white haired captain took a step forward, hesitant and afraid that he'd break any form of illusion over the room. He wanted it to be fake because this wasn't possible, but at the same time he wanted it to be real so that his team wouldn't have to go through any more pain.

Toshiro hardly realize the pungent scent that filled the room and had assaulted his nose when he first opened the doors. It had smelled of infection and death. His tea eyes were glued to the form in front of him. He thought that it could've been someone else, but he knew in his heart that it was the person they had been searching for in the past month.

Ichigo was laying rigid on the table, it was more of a metal slab, and Toshiro could tell that he had been like that for quite some time. The muscles were tense; not unlike when rigor mortis set in. The once lean frame was now skinny to the point where the faintest traces of ribs could be seen. The muscles which had been hard and prominent with training were now soft with lack of use, and in some areas nearly gone. The face which had been handsome with its clear cut features was now hallow and sunken. The cheekbones which had been attractively prominent, where fully prominent. The hair which had been vibrant was lighter but that was due to the color being drained from it. Toshiro tried to ignore the dried blood, dirt, and other mystery fluids matting up the tresses.

If that wasn't bad enough Toshiro took in stock of the injures, giving a pretty clear picture of what had gone on in the time that Ichigo had been taken captive. There were several new scars and scabs adorning most of the teen's body. From the scabbed wounds Toshiro could tell that several of the cuts had been infected before they started to heal. The teen's face was flushed and sweat was sticking to his skin.

The white haired captain had to wonder how the younger male had survived this long without any form of medical care. Spams wracked the body, and Toshiro swore he heard a groan of pain escaped the slightly parted lips. But again that was something impossible, Toshiro wasn't an expert in the medical field like the fourth, but he was a genius and he knew the signs of a coma when he saw one.

The fact that Ichigo hadn't reacted at all to his presence was the first sign the second was the fact that even though he was asleep there was very few signs of any brain activity. The white haired captain knew that at the moment the body lying in front of him was nothing more than a husk that used to hold the spirit of Kurosaki.

Continuing his silent evaluation Toshiro felt his cold façade crumbling, there was a stinging behind his eyes as he looked at every little mark. There were plenty of bruises that he hadn't noticed before in the terrible light. They marked once creamy pale skin and turned it into a story of pain. Toshiro knew that the bruises were telling about broken bones.

Unohana would have her hand full healing the teen, which than again it wasn't that unusual for the teen to be mortally injured, but it would be the first time that he might have to go through so much pain to be able to heal properly. It would be a long few weeks if Unohana brought him out of his coma to heal him.

Toshiro didn't know if he could handle the pain that was sure to be in Ichigo's eyes, he couldn't even stand looking at the wounds on the body.

A shrill sound broke through his thoughts. The alarm had been sounded. The young captain fumbled around for the small device that Urahara had given him before thy left. Not remembering where he stuffed it. He prayed that he still had it and wouldn't have to lug Ichigo around with him. The teen might've lost most of his weight but it was still taller than the captain, so it would just be awkward.

Finally his hand clutched the cool plastic. He didn't remember what the eccentric ninth squad captain had said about working it, but he remembered that whatever he and the team were touching would come with them. Maybe it was because he wanted to be sure that it worked or because he felt like he needed to do something Toshiro wrapped himself around the taller teen, in a very awkward feeling hug, mainly because of the positions of the two shinigami. Toshiro could only pray that no one was touching one of the foes, because that could prove to be deadly.

The white haired captain wasted no more time in his silent debate and pressed down on the button.

There was a blinding white light and Toshiro felt himself being pulled away from Ichigo but he pulled himself closer to the teen, in what would've been a suffocating hug, unwilling to let the younger shinigami go now that he had him back.

Toshiro kept the small doubts out of his head for now, knowing full and well that his personal life wasn't something that was taking priority. He needed to get his team back and announce that they had managed to successfully complete their mission and share any new information that they had gathered.

Well he hoped that his team managed to recover something, but he wasn't sure what had happened to the others after they emerged through the portal.

He hit the ground with outstanding force. Drawing a pained grunt from him, looking around he saw that they reemerged in the garden of the hospital. Fourth squad members were already rushing towards them. Toshiro wondered if there had been some form of emergency as the hospital staff looked weary and a little more than stressed.

For the first time in what was almost six hours Toshiro saw his team. If he hadn't been a captain who was known for his level head he would've gasped. Almost everyone had an injury of some sort. The least severe were a few bruises and scrapes, those injuries were Renji, Rukia, and Ashido. Yumichika was in the middle ground with a large purple bruise forming around his neck and the stiffness in which he moved stated that he had probably pulled and torn a few things. The worst were Matsumoto and Ikkaku. Both of them were unconscious, their breath light and uneven. They were pale and Toshiro could see that they were both suffering blood loss.

His vice-captain was the worse off, she had been without medical attention for who knows how long and was in a terrible condition.

Thankfully the medical team that had been sent out to them were good at prioritizing. They rushed Ikkaku and Matsumoto away on stretchers to begin to get them worked on. Then they came back and got Ichigo. That jarred Toshiro into action, this time instead of sitting on the ground dumbly he followed after the staff, more than a little protective of the younger shinigami.

Toshiro was stopped before he could follow the medical staff into the ICU area which was only to be entered by medical staff and captains with written permission from the Unohana herself.

"Captain Hitsugaya please follow me, so that we can give you and your team a quick check up." An orderly had stepped in front of him.

It was one of the seated officers actually but he couldn't recall which one it was. But he looked just as tired as the rest of them, and there was a little confusion shinning in his eyes, but at what was a mystery.

Toshiro followed behind the boy, motioning for the rest of his team to follow him. They were all placed in the same room. Which was odd considering that there normal plenty of rooms available for use.

Renji seemed to share that thought. "What happened?"

The seated officer looked hesitant in answering, but finally spoke. "We've lost a lot of patients due to excessive blood loss, and there's no sigh as to how it's happening. But since its happening to only single patient rooms I was ordered to place you all in the same room."

Toshiro thought that it was an odd order, but he figured that it came from someone higher up than the young boy. He dismissed the boy with a nod of his head.

"That's weird." Renji mumbled after a few minutes of silence.

Rukia nodded. "I don't know how they can't know."

"Maybe it isn't natural?" Ashido questioned.

"What do you mean by that?" Rukia raised her eyes wearily.

"I mean maybe it's someone tampering with the patients." Ashido shrugged. "Some wannabe big shot traitor. Soul Society is unstable at the moment."

The others nodded it seemed likely. There were always power struggles, and some people were smart enough to see when they might have an opportunity.

Another hour passed before the five shinigami were greeted by the sound of the door opening. Urahara poked his head between the crack.

"You're back." Urahara acknowledged happily.

The group nodded.

"How did the mission go? You all look tired." Urahara leaned against the wall. "And in need of a shower."

The comment didn't get the reaction that he wanted, but he let it slide, not wanted to waste any more time avoiding the heart of the matter.

"So how did the mission go?"

"We got Kurosaki back." Toshiro answered reverting into his cool and collected captain mindset.

The other four looked vaguely surprised. They had been occupied with their own critically injured comrades and everything had been in a rush since they got back, but soon as the information was absorbed relieved smiles busted out on their faces and some even slid down in their chairs as if the relief had left them drained.

"But what about the other two?" Urahara arched an eyebrow as he counted only five in the room.

"They got injured badly in their fights with the premiers. They seemed to know where we were." Renji answered for the group.

Rukia and Toshiro looked up in surprise. "I was fine."

"As was I. I encountered no one until I found where they were holding Ichigo." Toshiro said.

Urahara looked mildly interested in the news, but the reason was unfathomable to the exhausted shinigami.

The hatted man sighed. "You'll be checked on in a little while. Captain Unohana and Vice-Captain Kotetsu are busy at the moment and if the others are gravely injured will be for a while. So since you all are only exhausted I'm sure you'll be released to go home in an hour."

The others shrugged.

"Then you can come in tomorrow and learn about the conditions of your comrades."

With that note Urahara spun on his heel and walked out of the door. He wanted to know what had happened but he would be patient enough to wait until the more important things were taken care of. Things were stressful now with all of the random blood loss deaths and the looming war. Not to mention the fact that Ichigo was back. That was bound to cause more chaos than what Soul Society needed at the moment.

Unbeknown to the shinigami, the man responsible for all of the deaths was leaning against the trunk of a tree watching as they tied to understand how the deaths happened. A bitter laugh left his throat. The king wasn't going to be happy about losing their bargaining chip, nor was he going to be pleased that all of the shinigami had made it back and had a better chance of survival.

No those who failed the king were going to be in a mess of trouble. Something Tadashi was all too happy to see. He had been sent here to eliminate as many people as he could in the hospital, to cause more of distraction than actual damage but with the twenty plus deaths he caused, it was more than a distraction.

Of course his success was fueled by his hatred to the shinigami loyalists. He snapped his fingers and a doorway lit up in front of him. He'd have to report this to the king. Since they were superior that meant that the premiers that had fought hadn't taken their jobs seriously.

He walked through the doorway.

The main show hadn't even started yet.

Tadashi laughed as a large plume of lava welled next to him. One age was about to end, and another about to be born.

Yeah, the ending of this chapter sucked, but I needed to find a place to stop so I can pick up next chapter. So… YAY! Ichi's back! Took them long enough! So how many of you are happy about that? Oh and yeah, the reunion wasn't exactly tear-jerking. It is my firm belief that Toshiro is still a captain among everything else, so naturally finishing the mission is before emotions. I don't know that's just how I see things.

So two things.

I'm going to try my hardest to actually not do cliffhangers.

I have 10 slots still open for Vice-Premiers!

Name:

Zanpakuto power/name:

Personality:

Backstory:

Description:

Preferred cell:

Other:

Just PM me the character or leave me a review, also if you want to ask me about a premier or cell let me know!

So any who… preview?

Like Urahara had said within the hour the five shinigami were released to go home and rest with permission to return in the morning. The five gratefully stood up, and once they reached the gates of the hospital went their individual ways. Each worried about what tomorrow would bring and looking forward to resting.

There you all are, and keep it real while I go and finish the next chapter! Later! ~IF