A/N: I apologize for the slow update. Here is Chapter 14. Review Responses:

Dragon Silhouette: I apologize if it's hard to determine the line breaks. But anyways, hopefully, this chapter will cure your pain.

Hiira: There is more! Keep reading!

550: Here is your update. :)

Musical Ninja: Yeah. I just thought that Kusaka would be the kind of guy that would take over a friend's duties if the friend is unable to.

Uzumaki Kitsunaka: I update whenever I finish a chapter. I don't really have a schedule. That's why you have to pay attention.

skylark dragonstar: You'll see…

Kiku-Goldenflower: I'm really glad you like it. If I wanted you to know something right away, I would have told you already. If I wanted you to guess or predict, I would leave clues. Again, that's the way you guys want it. And the Sogyouku is actually being used. I forgot to mention that.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. I wish I did though.

~14~14~14~14~

Chapter 14: New Addition to the Team

Something was blocking Ichigo's path. Or rather, someone.

That someone has red hair in a pineapple shaped ponytail.

"Abarai Renji..." Ichigo muttered with venom in his voice. He knew very well that Renji wasn't going to let him go that easily.

"Kurosaki Ichigo..." Renji said, equally angry.

And Ichigo was right.

But Renji had his reasons.

"I will never forgive you! It's all your fault! It's all because of you that the kid has to go through this!" Renji shouted.

Ichigo said nothing.

"Even if it takes my life, I will stop you!"

"You will try, Pineapple...you will try..."

Both Shinigami drew their blades.

"Calm down, Toushirou. Not everyone in Soul Society is out to get you. I just want to talk. You know, like friends. Just like we used to."

Toushirou lifted a snowy white eyebrow in confusion. "'Friends'?" He repeated. The word sounded so strange when he said it himself, yet so familiar.

"That's right."

It took a while, but Toushirou made up his mind.

"Go ahead. Speak your mind...friend..."

"It's my fault you're in here. If I hadn't wanted the same power as you so badly, this would never have happened."

Toushirou did not have a clue what Kusaka was talking about, but he said nothing and let the man continue.

"And none of the Captains wanted me to tell you this, but I will anyway. They knew you would recognize him the moment you heard his description..."

Toushirou tensed up, not knowing what was going to happen.

Ichigo woke up in a dark place. He heard the sound of rushing water and his eyes imediately opened. He sat up quickly but slowly lay back down, hissing at the pain all over his body.

"Ouch...G-Ganju? Did I win?"

"Hey. And yes. You won."

"Try not to move so much, Kurosaki-san. You're still injured."

Ichigo automatically complied, not complaining about the order. But his eyes shot open once again when he realized the order had come from a voice that he had never heard before.

"Who are you?"

The kid Shinigami meeped in surprise.

"Im sorry. I'm Yamada Hantarou. I'm a Shinigami from Division Four, the Division in charge of medical issues and supplies and cleaning and things like that! I'm the seventh seat."

"Hanatarou."

Hanatarou reminded Ichigo of a hyper and wimpy Toushirou, which has not, nor ever will, happen.

The carrot top smiled.

"Thanks, kid."

Hanatarou softly meeped again. Then he smiled back, saying, "You're welcome."

"So what's the diagnosis, 'Doc'?" Ichigo asked.

"You'll be fine. You should be careful for a few days though. And you would have had a huge shoulder wound if that mask hadn't been protecting you."

"Mask? What mask?" Ichigo asked.

Hanatarou pointed to a hollow mask, just like the one from Ichigo's training with Urahara.

'It protected me...'

"I'm helping you, because...Hitsugaya-san was a good mentor to me back when he was still a Shinigami here in the Soul Society. He helped me out, and to make us even, I'm attempting to do the same for him." Ichigo smiled at this. He had yet another ally. And that was saying something. "And Hitsugaya-san was not at the Sixth Division barracks when you arrived there, Kurosaki-san."

"Huh? He wasn't? So my fight with Renji was worth nothing?"

"No, it wasn't," Ganju cut in. "By fighting Renji, you met Hanatarou, who has been proven to be a formidable ally." Hanatarou blushed at the praise.

"Anyways, he was moved just five hours earlier. He was moved in secret, to the Shi-Shinro."

"Which is where?" Both Ganju and Ichigo asked.

"It's the tallest tower in the Soul Society. When we're ready to get out of here, I'll show you and I'll lead you there."

Ichigo smiled again. "Thanks, Hanatarou. You really are a lifesaver."

Hanatarou smiled again.

"Some Ryoka broke into Soul Society a few days ago. One of them had on a black shihakusho with a large butcher-knife like zanpaktou on his back. Sound familiar?"

Toushirou shook his head.

"Well then, the man also had...orange hair..."

Toushirou's eyes went wide.

"Ichigo..." he breathed out.

"Rumor has it that he's headed towards this tower right now."

Toushirou said nothing else.

~14~14~14~14~

A/N: Unless you want Chapter 15 to be slow on updating like this one, I NEED SOME MOTIVATION! (Sorry for yelling. T^T)