Welcome back everybody to another chapter of Ballad of the Strawberry! So, we saw a lot last chapter. Ichigo losing his powers and a mysterious figure rescuing him, you'll find out who it was this chapter and soon the divergence will be upon us. All your comments for last chapter will be answered this chapter so no comment answers. Please review or PM me any spelling or plot issues with the story or any criticisms you have. Not much else to say aside from i don't own Bleach, duh. Now onto our feature presentation!

Ichigo sat across from Urahara as they sipped tea.

"Why did you save me?" Urahara didn't respond right away and instead chose to observe the orange-haired teen from under his bucket hat.

Ichigo pondered what he had been told in the, slightly uncomfortable, silence. Uryu had been worried about him. He wouldn't dwell on it. He needed to keep his mind on the goal, eventually ask the humble shopkeeper if he could get the Shinigami powers back and go save Rukia.

Urahara assessed the kid in front of him. He could tell Ichigo wanted something, based on his personality he'd say it was Rukia. Tense shoulders, distracted look in his eyes. He still wasn't over what had happened and needed closure. Urahara had already planned on helping him, even if he didn't know the kid's father. Damn Isshin was going to get pissed at him when he found out how the shopkeeper was planning on getting him his powers back. Even more so if the kid went Hollow.

The shopkeeper sighed. If the kid went Hollow he'd be forced to put the kid out of his misery. It was a mercy, much better than being killed by one of the Quincy. There was no going back then.

"Because he asked me to Kurosaki-san."

It was raining, drenching everything in the storm. Ichigo was right, it always rains on the worst days. Uryu pushed up his glasses as he stood, about to be on his way.

"Please heal him." Urahara waited as the kid appeared to have more to say. "I thank you for healing me but I realize that the one that can beat them is not me." Uryu clenched his fist as he fought his pride. "Please heal Ichigo, the only one that can save Rukia...is him."

Ichigo didn't know how to take the information. All he knew was he had a mission now. Save Rukia.

"I don't know how to get there though." It was kinda late to be asking how his mood plummeted as he realized the only way to go to the Soul Society was to die, would he be willing to do that and get Konso'd?

"There is a way." Ichigo turned so fast he might have gotten whiplash.

"You need to tell me so I can go!" Urahara held up his hand.

"Before I do that you will train with me, for 10 days we'll train and I'll bring your powers back."

"But we don't have time to train-" Ichigo was instantly on the floor and he was reminded of how easily he had almost died. He didn't even remember being struck. Realization dawned and Ichigo's face twisted into a resigned scowl.

"It seems you understand. I was worried I'd have to knock some sense into you. Now we will train for 10 days. I'll get you a gate to the Soul Society, a new zanpakuto and even some backup. All free of charge." Ichigo was suspicious but he let it go in favor of not looking a gift horse in the mouth.

Ichigo was on his way home after school. Urahara had him take some kind of pill to help finish healing him. The things were miracle workers, every time he took one it would feel like his wounds were closing then and there. It was insane. More so the fact that nobody seemed to remember Rukia, some kid was in her place when he got to school. A member of the karate club. Momohura something or other. Even worse, Uryu wasn't there. He would have remembered Rukia.

Ichigo closed his eyes and sighed. Bag slung over his shoulder he let his head dip. He would get her back.

"Rukia will be executed in Soul Society." The memory of his failure. Gritting his teeth he clenched his fists going white-knuckled. Never again. He would not fail her again.

"Kurosaki-kun?" Ichigo snapped his head up to find Orihime had joined him.

"What's up Orihime?" Something was bothering her, the pensive gleam in her eyes told volumes.

"What happened to Rukia-san?" Ichigo was taken aback. Orihime could remember Rukia? He told the story from beginning to end. He couldn't hold back anymore, these were his friends and they deserved to know. He resolved to let the rest of his friends know when he got back from saving Rukia.

"I see, so she's gone back home then." He neglected to say that she was going to get executed but Orihime was too pure a soul to know. What he didn't know was that Orihime was already caught up by Urahara. Her resolve only strengthened when she saw the look in his eyes. The determination. "If she's gone back home, wouldn't that mean that that is where her friends and family are too? What are you going to do after you save her and they come to get their friend back? Wouldn't that make you no better than the people you want to fight now?"

Ichigo pondered the point. She was right, who was he to take her back to Karakura when he saved her? She belongs there, she never had a life here till she saved him and was forced to stay in that Gigai. His features broke for a moment before hardening again. Then there was the off chance that he failed. Urahara said that this training might kill him. He shook his head. He wouldn't think of that, only if he succeeded.

"Don't worry though, I know what you would say." She giggled and for a moment was lost in the thought. Ichigo let his lips twitch upward for a moment as he took in her smile. He knew she had a crush on him and he couldn't help but appreciate her looks. It wasn't her curves that he appreciated though, it was her smile. The gleam in her eyes when she was on one of her many tangents. The way she got about her cooking. Those were what got him. It was the same with Rukia. He couldn't help feeling better when she was dragging him around town. Even if it was by his ear it felt good to have the excuse to hang out with her. Shaking his head of those thoughts he glanced at the sky.

"Please save her Kurosaki-kun. Bring her back to her friends." Weird. Somehow, as Orihime walked away, it felt as if the rain had stopped. If only for a moment he could appreciate the feeling and the warmth that formed when it happened.

Tatsuki was at the head of a semi-circle formed by the majority of Ichigo's friends. Orihime had just shown up and relayed what she had learned and seen.

"So we have all made our decision?" The unanimous nodding of the group was all the answer the nearby black cat had needed.

"Then it is time we begin your training." A deep baritone left the mouth of the cat. Yoruichi would have her hands full. She sent Tatsuki over and hoped Kisuke knew what he was planning and for once didn't hold back any necessary information. It had almost cost them last time.

Ichigo arrived outside the Urahara Shoten sometime later. He was greeted by a young girl with a polka dot sundress and a short, redheaded boy wearing khaki shorts and a baseball themed T-shirt.

"How are your wounds Kurosaki-san." Ichigo just ripped open his shirt to show Urahara the scars.

"You shouldn't be so open with your body berry brain. That's gonna draw you some unwanted attention." Ichigo blushed and immediately tried his best to close his shirt.

Tatsuki smirked and punched him playfully.

"Come on Strawberry, we got a long day of training ahead of us don't we?" Ichigo was so very confused. Oh, that's right he had given her Shinigami powers to save her life after the Hollow attack. Does she still have them? It would be amazing if she did but he wasn't going to allow false hope. At the very least they would both gain new powers and hopefully, beat the Shinigami that stole Rukia from them. He just hoped this world he had dragged her into wouldn't be the end of her.

Next chapter I present the Divergence!