Part two of A Different World.

The dialog between Ichigo and Eien and a confused Shinji ran away from me. Welp.

Disclaimer: Yeah, no.

Shinji is tired and no one wants to talk. Well that is okay; he didn't want to talk either. The world is so empty now, every sigh ached, and each day swam by in an unimportant daze. Urahara finished his latest project. Shinji didn't know what it was. He can't bring himself to care. Isshin rarely smiles. Why should he, he's lost his world, then his family, then his reality. His everything. Gone, ashes in a harsh winter wind.

"So this new product." Yeah, what about it. "It might not work perfectly," wonderful vote of confidence there does it even work in the first place, "But it should get the job done." What job?

"One of us can go back in time and stop this mess the best they can." Woah, what. "You asked." Yeah, but… "The kido should all work out." Still… "What." One word, paradoxes. "Are you seriously worrying about paradoxes when the chance to kill certain bastards and save everyone is there? Besides, who says I have to build time machines just because everything was fucked up."

Well if you put it that way.

"Isshin?"

He shook his head. "As much as a wonderful prospect that is, I don't think I would be able to handle it. The kids would notice immediately."

Man's got a point.

"Shinji, will you speak up? I can barely hear you."

NOoooo.

"Well, since Isshin wouldn't do it, and Yoruichi, Tessai, and I need to maintain the machine…"

Huh. Yeah, I'll do it.

"You agreed rather easily."

Happens when all you really want to do nowadays is to turn a bastard into a bloody pulp hundreds of time over and over again, even if the dude is dead.

"Okay then."

Shinji doesn't quite remember what happens from there.

Just that, when Urahara said it might not work perfectly, he didn't think the ex-captain meant missing by many years and landing somewhere that was certainly not Japan. It's been a day since he arrived here, and he didn't know where here was. Just that they didn't speak Japanese. He didn't even think he was on Asian continent. Nope, pretty sure he wasn't.

WELP.

He sat on top of the building, frowning down into the different streets on each side. On his right, there was a regular civilian street. But on his left…The place was saturated in reiatsu, but it wasn't normal reiatsu. Last time he checked, pictures weren't able to move. And that there weren't creatures like the ones he saw moving about. Shinji laid back down, to look at the stormy clouds above. Looked like it was going to rain soon. Maybe he could find a café alcove to wait out the storm sometime soon.

The wind blew harshly, and a single droplet of rain splattered onto his cheek. Now would be a great time.

The odd street to his left had more places he could lean against and wait for the rain to pass. He didn't want to go inside any of the shops, he wouldn't know how to communicate, but there was one place that had umbrellas over tables. The fact that the shop sold ice cream was just a plus.

Flickering down, Shinji walked over as the rain came down harder. Within record time his cap as soaked through. Water ran down his hair into his shirt that he was well aware stuck out with the other people wandering the street. Seriously, cloaks? Whatever.

Sitting at the cold metal bench, Shinji watched the rain puddle and shoppers rush from shop to shop.

No one bothered him. The rain didn't seem to be letting up.

He hated how exposed he felt, hyperaware of every single person. He twitched at the loud voice of a child and the thumps of heavy suitcases on rough brick. The hiss of rain, the clamor and ringing bells, the moving posters, the rush of people, the –

Shinji didn't know when he fell asleep, exhausted.

Ichigo stood in the pouring rain, gazing at the blond man slumped asleep before him. Ichigo had instantly seen him, he stuck out like a sour thumb, asleep and with those clothing. Said clothing was soaked and London's cold rain wasn't going help. The man was going to get sick.

Shifting in his cloak, Ichigo reached out to shake the man awake. He didn't expect the man to instantly flinch awake and crash out of the bench just as Ichigo touched his arm.

Umm…

The two stared at each other.

The man licked his lips, and picked himself up, now utterly soaked.

"Ichigo?"

They both looked over at the approaching hollow carrying an umbrella. Eien scowled at the bristling man that Ichigo woken up.

"No way, dude, what the heck. Ichigo, was there a memo we missed?"

"Eien? What?"

Eien waved a hand at the still unidentified man. "First Toshiro and now him. Hey, can you even understand us?"

"Eien, what are you talking about?"

"Dude, speak Japanese. Try it."

Japanese. Ichigo groaned. No way, just no way.

"Ichigo?"

No way. "Yeah?" Ichigo asked in Japanese as Eien told him to.

"But you – "

"Can we get out of the rain, NOW? Ichigo, you know I hate the rain. We've finished our business here, how about skedaddling? 'Kay?"

"Eien shut up, uh, it's been ages –"

"Literally."

"Eien shut up. Ages since I've seen certain people. Something to do with living in Great Britain. Uh, you wouldn't be from Karakura right?"

"Great Britain?" the other man muttered. "Ichigo, yeah, don't you remember me? And what are you doing in Great Britain? Isn't it on the other side of the world from Karakura Town? What's Isshin thinking, having you wandering here – wait. Ichigo. Shouldn't you be…younger? By a lot?"

"Can we catch up later? I'm serious; if we don't get out of the rain soon I'm going to bloody lock you out of Hogwarts for over a day!"

Ichigo winced. "Eien don't."

"Screw this, you two are so slow! Hirako Shinji, Ichigo Kurosaki. Ichigo Kurosaki, Hirako Shinji. Done. Now let's get out of the rain damn it!"

Shinji…What happened to him? Ichigo blinked and frowned. "Um, want to come with us?"

"He is not coming with us!"

"Eien, for the love of god, SHUT UP."

Shinji nodded.

"Good, now hang on tight, this might feel very weird."

Will this be continued? Probably. At some point of time. Shrug.

See you later,

~dorandsugar