Hello. Sorry for such a short chapter and such a long wait. I'll try to update at least once a month, but can't promise anything faster due to my unreliable brain. I wanna thank you all for over 50 reviews after only six chapters. You guys always make my day when you review. I feel bad when I can't update as fast. Speaking of which, I'll be "correcting" all my mistakes in the previous chapters so if you get notified about "updates", don't get excited. I'm just correcting all my grammar errors. lol

If this seems rushed to you, it is. I stopped writing at 3:40 am. BLEHHHHHHH. So pressured. XD

RANDOM NOTE: I haven't been very...uh, specific with how much time has passed. So here's a briefing. Ichigo woke up in Hueco Mundo about three days after he 'died'. He stood (more or less) in the exact same spot for roughly one year and seven months. As to why he did that, it was due to his adjusting to his 'vasto lord' body and unstable power. And besides, it took Nel quite some to avoid the murders of Arrancar, then to figure out that there was only one left, then to train and get enough power to be able to approach the mass of unstable energy coming from Ichigo. During the time where they both wandered around Hueco Mundo Nel taught him about the world since his memory with speech wasn't too good. (if you look back, Ichigo only says simple sentences when you first meet him) The amount of time they spent together was one year and three months before finally traveling to the World of the Living.

Love you all. -Ichi


Lost Heart


This is my heart, it is yours to have.

It will endure the strongest of storms and the sadness of departure.

And maybe, if you're lucky, you'll see me again.


Ichigo picked up his fallen cloak and examined the new rip, seemingly oblivious to how his every move was being closely observed. He turned back to his partner who looked quite unaffected by recent turn of events.

"Sorry Nel, you gave this to me and I broke it…I meant to take better care of it…" he was so sincere in his apology that the Primeria looked sympathetic.

"Please don't apologize, king. You'll just have to hold the clasp until I can fix it."

"Oh. Right…" He folded the cloth neatly in his arms and bent down to pick up a twig from the ground. "This looks funny," the Cero Espada said to Nel as he held the small piece of wood up to the sunlight. Ichigo entertained himself for a moment, swinging the thin branch around experimentally when someone interrupted his fun.

"Ichigo Kurosaki…"

The Vasto Lord tilted his head to one side, looking blankly at the speaker.

"Interesting…" he replied, lowering the twig to his side, "perhaps what I'm looking for has been in the Soul Society all this time…"

This person, their cold manner, and that proud look concealing a mess of emotions…yes, he knew this person…and yet he didn't.

Another Soul Reaper (not a captain) came into his line of vision, moving closer towards the one who had just spoken his name.

There it was again! That feeling like he knew this person, yet there was no recollection or memory. And when she spoke, it was like someone was sending ice cold water down his spine.

"How—how can you still be alive?" said the raven haired Soul Reaper, her voice timid yet loud enough to be heard, "It's impossible…"

Ichigo blinked, his head becoming even more muddled.

"Impossible—what do you mean by that? Are you trying to reject my very existence, Soul Reaper?"

His voice was hard, almost angry. For some reason, the thought people denying him the right to live gave him great offence.

Everyone was shifting uncomfortably. Ichigo's spiritual pressure was growing more and more unstable. It was impossible for anyone to get any closer. Even Nel looked unsettled.

The twig that the Vasto Lord was holding was dropped and stomped upon. Dry earth beneath his sandals cracked and was turned to dust as aftershocks pulsed through the ground. All around, hands grasped swords, preparing for what most knew would be a suicidal fight. Ichigo drew a deep breath, his head honing in on random targets.

"Fear," he growled in a low, almost animalistic manner, "I can smell it in the air. The stench of it drives us to do what we do. It ties us to instinct and emotion. It was the fear of power that drove all but one away from my empty existence. But as I look back now, perhaps it was my own fear that shunned those, not my power."

He paused, turning back to the raven haired Soul Reaper.

"But that is of the past now, small Soul Reaper, and it is the present that I am." Ichigo's tone lost its anger, only a sense of dead purpose remained.

"I have lost something, something that makes me who I am…and perhaps you can give me the answers I need. So tell me this. It appears that you knew me before I left this world. Why is that?"

There was absolute silence following that simple statement. He and seen a few mutterings between the Soul Reapers while he'd been speaking, but now it seemed everyone, be Soul Reaper or Quincy, was currently dumbstruck.

What it something he said that was shocking for a hollow to do? Or perhaps he used too many words they couldn't understand? Nel had taught him a few big words like 'masochist' and 'nonsensical' in the long time he spent with her in Hueco Mundo. For whatever reasons, the Cero Espada didn't care too much and just waited patiently, his yellow eyes searching his enemy's eyes as they widened.

"Y—you…are you saying that you can't remember? That the 'thing' you've lost is your memory?"


"They ain't gonna come, not yet at least," said Gin, his smile slightly disappointed at the view before him. "That won't be fun."

"Why so glum?" Harribel asked, arching an eyebrow, "This was never meant for your entertainment. All you've wanted to do is have fun, ever since that Soul Reaper woman died. Now you're just hiding from your problems, not solving them."

Gin ignored his partner.

"I don't think they know yet, why he's got so much power. It's kind of troubling, how we were the only ones who figured it out." His voice had become scornful towards his former comrades. "It's so obvious…"

"The things that are obvious are the things we tend to overlook," stated Harribel wisely, her arms were folded in a sincere manner, quite the opposite to the carefree conduct Gin always displayed.

"There might be—complications if the kid suddenly remembers what happened…"

"That would be bad. Especially since he's not even able to tap into over half of his Spiritual Pressure—if his memory returns all at once and it get's released, not even the Jigoku Osama could stop him."

Gin laughed at this.

"Now that would be fun to watch!"

"You'd die before anything interesting happened."

"Yeah, well…besides that…"


Rukia could not, would not believe it. All that time, telling herself to forget the bond they made, try to forget that he was dead, and that it was all her fault. And yet, here he was, standing no more than five yards away, looking directly her eyes, his gaze burning into her own until she had to look away.

Familiar teachings popped into her head.

Hide your emotions.

Don't get attached to humans.

Do your duty or die trying.

No matter what form it takes, kill the hollow.

Don't cry.

A single tear slid down the cold cheek of Rukia Kuchiki. It hurt, that unhealed wound in her heart—first Kaien and now Ichigo. She was cursed, she knew it. Always unable to save those she cared about. Those she was closest to.

Ichigo and Rukia had been more than friends, but they were not lovers either. Their bond was a hard thing to describe. From the moment the sword of fate had fallen, their lives had changed. They'd endured so many hardships. He saved her from her execution, she saved him from himself. Their friendship was so strong…was that why it hurt so much? She'd failed to protect him, and now he'd forgotten her. There was…are no words to describe how much her heart was bleeding.

She had once forgotten him; everyone had that horrible time where her very existence had been erased. The whole world had faded to black. But he remembered her. He found her. Made her remember…

Now their roles were reversed. Now it was Ichigo who had forgotten her. And Rukia would not allow that. No matter if the Soul Society still wanted to kill him, right now, it was her fight—as long as he remembered her. Perhaps he would hate her for what she'd failed to do, that she failed to protect him. But she didn't care. As long as he knew, Rukia would be…somewhat at peace.

"Ichigo!" She found herself shouting, ignoring the sad look her brother was giving her. This was important. He had to know, he had to remember.

"Please! Don't you remember me? Think Ichigo! It's me! Rukia!"

The horn that was connected to his mask started trembling, like Ichigo was having trouble focusing on her. His yellow eyes, so different from his once amber eyes, were clouded as they narrowed and then suddenly widened.

"Rukia…"