Chapter 5: Acceptance And Explanation

As everyone stood there shocked at what Ichigo had told them, Ichigo's phone went off. He took it out of his pocket and saw that it was from Nova. Kyoka had vanished when he answered it.

"I'm gonna assume that she's awake right now and that's why you're calling me Nova." Ichigo answered. This immediately caught their attention when Ichigo said 'she's awake'. Seeing their very concerned faces, Ichigo put his phone on speaker so everyone could hear.

"Yeah, but she's kinda freaking out over some very high spirit energies that appeared not too long ago." Nova started from the other end of the line. "Just what exactly was going on out there Ichigo?"

"Not really sure, but I'm heading back and-" Ichigo stopped himself and looked to the girls. He smiled and continued. "Actually, we're on our way over right now." The girls were a little confused by what he said and watched as he ended the call.

"So Ichigo." Rangiku started in an almost smug-ish tone. "Who exactly is 'she' that you were talking about?"

Ichigo could tell that that really caught everyone by total surprise. He could see how upset they all seemed and explained without it sounding too weird.

"Well, to put it simply, me and Nova were on are way back to my place when a Senkaimon opened up and this girl fell through it." Ichigo explained rather plainly. "Didn't really know what to do, so I took her back to my place, laid her on my bed, placed a healing kido on her then left her with Nova. Told him to call me when she wakes up."

"So that was the disturbance we felt beforehand." Rukia said as she remembered her and Rangiku checking that out only to find nothing.

"Yeah that was her." Ichigo continued as he started to walk, but before he even took two steps, he turned to the girls with a devious grin and said. "Oh yeah, she was also naked too by the way."

Every single one of them had a look of either shock, clear jealousy that Ichigo touched a naked girl before he touched any of them, or complete rage. Ichigo chuckled and walked on followed by the girls. They walked in silence until they were finally at his house. Ichigo opened the door for them and they all proceeded on and hurried up to Ichigo's room. Ichigo decided to just let this whole thing play out, so he didn't bother to rush up and calm the storm. He slowly made his way up and could feel the tension and uneasiness when he approached his room. He walked in to see the girls crowding around his bed and the girl as she covered herself up and huddled into the corner. She looked terrified at the multiple people she didn't know crowding around her, and Ichigo could tell in her violet eyes that she was simply scared and confused. Deciding that now was the best time to intervene, Ichigo went over to Nova who was on top of the desk.

"When did she wake up Nova?" Ichigo asked, getting everyone's attention.

The small plushy thought about for a few seconds then answered. "About ten minutes ago, give or take."

"The exact time the fakes attacked us." Rukia started first. "And they did seem to be looking for someone."

"Then that must mean they were looking for someone who was running away." Ichigo started as he scratched the back of his head. He looked at the girl and sighed. "So what's your name anyway, and why exactly are those fakes looking for you?"

The girl swallowed the lump in her throat and answered to the best of her abilities. "My name is Nozomi Kujo, and I think they're trying to drag me back to him."

"Who exactly is he?" Yoruichi asked her, crossing her arms.

Nozomi was silent for a few seconds before the looks of frustration and almost rage on the girls faces started to scare her. She looked away out of fear and closed her eyes to drown out her oncoming panic until something happened. And that something was Ichigo.

"Okay that's enough of the whole intimidation thing ladies." He started getting their attention as he started to shove them all out of his room. "If you're all gonna act like that, then cool off outside." With those last words, and all seven girls looking either dumbstruck at his boldness of shoving them aside or what looked like jealousy for him wanting to talk to her alone, Ichigo closed the door and placed a restrictive barrier around his whole room. "Sorry about that." He started after he finished and walked over to Nozomi. "Didn't think they'd be that jealous right outta the gate. So, who exactly is this guy that wants you so badly?"

Nozomi looked at the teen in front of her and noticed an alluring aura about him. He wasn't forceful like the girls had been a second ago, but he wasn't going to pamper her with beating around the bush. His straightforwardness had her drawn to him and wanting to answer his question almost without a seconds thought.

"His name is Kageroza Inaba." Nozomi started as she looked down to the bed. "He's probably sending more of his reigai to capture me as we speak. He needs me to complete his plan of destroying the soul society." She looked up and blushed heavily when she saw that Ichigo was now sitting nest to her on the bed. The close proximity made her look away from him once more.

"So this Kageroza guy is gonna keep sending more of these reigai things till he gets you huh?" Ichigo started as he rubbed his chin. "Well, if that's the case then I guess you'll have to stay here for the time being."

Nozomi looked back at the teen with an absolutely shocked expression. Her blush grew after she heard his words and she couldn't even comprehend what else he was talking about at that point.

"So I guess that settles that." Ichigo finished as he stood back up and snapped his fingers. The barrier around his room dissipated and he went for the door. Before he opened it, he turned back to Nova who was still sitting on the desk, and said. "I'm gonna go and tell the others about our guest and just what exactly is going on. You keep her company until I get back. I have some old jersey's in my closet." He started while looking to Nozomi. "You're welcome to wear one if you like."

Nozomi continued to blush but nodded her head nonetheless.

Ichigo left the room and went over to the stairs where he could hear a very interesting conversation about himself.

"I don't trust her at all." He heard Tatsuki's voice first. She sounded very upset about this whole thing.

"Why exactly?" Rangiku started as if she was about to start teasing the teenager. "Is it because she seems suspicious, or you don't like the fact that she's in his bed all alone with him and she's naked?"

Tatsuki blushed and looked away.

"Not only that, but she's up there with my boyfriend in a strong kido barrier." Yoruichi added on, putting emphasis on the 'my' part. She was staring daggers at the strawberry blonde lieutenant for pointing out the obvious.

"True, but lets face it Yoruichi," Rukia started with a smirk. "He only got with you because you love to flaunt around in the nude more than any woman should."

"At least I have something to flaunt flat chest." Yoruichi retorted, earning a glare from Rukia. Orihime and Nel chuckled at Rukia's expense.

"Okay, lets all get one thing out in the open right now." Tia started in an authoritarian tone that caught everyone's attention. "We all might as well say it now. We're all attracted to Ichigo. Plain and simple."

Everyone else didn't respond to her words at first, wanting to digest what she had just said. She was right though. Every single one of them harbored feeling for the strong, orange haired teen in some sort of way. Whether it being his long time friend, someone who's always loved him, had started to care for him for her own reasons, trained him and watched him become a hero, watched and admired his sacrifice, thought he was just the sexiest man alive, or just loved the way he cared for people in general. One thing was for certain, they all cared about him in their own ways and would do anything to be with him. That only left one thing left to really say for the group, and it was Yoruichi was the one to ask it.

"Since that's true, then who exactly does he care most for to be with?" She asked in a monotoned voice.

That was when Ichigo decided to make his presence known by whistling from one of the steps he was sitting on out of view from them. They all turned and saw that it looked as if he was sitting there the entire time, listening in on them. When they saw the way he was smirking at them all, a mass of blushes formed on their faces. He stood up and walked down to them.

"Well I kinda figured all of you felt that way towards me." He stopped in front of them and crossed his arms, never lighting up on his grin even for a second. "And just to let ya'll know, I feel the same way towards all of you."

The statement that he made had all of them stare at him in surprise as he smiled warmly to all of them.

"I would be very unhappy if I couldn't just have all of you actually."

That's It For This Chapter. Finally Back To Your Regularly Scheduled Program Of Updates.

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