Chapter 10: "Where's Our Strawberry?"

"Oh no." Ichigo said as he turned around to see the cleaner coming at him fast. He ran in the other direction as fast as his current flash step could take him. Even with the combined souls of Toshiro, Aizen and now Kyoraku, neither of them were that fast to start off with. Ichigo was trying to get away from the cleaner, but unfortunately for him, the cleaner got him. He screamed out as he was taken away and into some kind of darkness.

Soul Society

Right now, everyone was scrambling to figure out just what exactly was going on here. The explosion that rocked the department of research and development was causing a large fire to spread and the barrier around the entire department had stopped for now. Right now the barrier had taken a good portion of the area as everyone had tried to regroup among themselves. It was rough, but eventually the fires were put out and the casualty list came in to Unohana.

"We've lost all of the department of research and development team," she started to the head captain. "And we lost around 80 people that were near the barrier when it appeared."

"Hmm." The old man sighed out at the loss. "Is there any news on what caused this Unohana?" He asked as they, the captains, were overlooking the barrier.

"No." She answered in a sombre tone.

"I believe I might know who did this," Mayuri spoke up, getting everyone's attention. "But I don't know how he did it."

"Who exactly did this then Kurotsuchi?" Komamura asked the scientist.

Mayuri sneered at the very thought of a former subordinate of his getting the better of him as he began to explain to his fellow captains.

While this was going on, we find our six bombshells looking around for a certain strawberry of their's. During the fire and dealing with the barrier, they all felt Ichigo's presence just disappear from the meeting room. It was very strange for them and they had been searching around for him ever since the barrier stopped.

What happened to him, and where exactly did he go?

Unknown area

Ichigo was floating around in complete darkness. He had no idea where he was or what was going on, but all he did know was that his girls were going to be pissed if he just up and abandoned them now all of a sudden.

"Man." Ichigo said to himself. "And just when I would've gotten laid in the near future." He jokingly said to himself as he looked around with tired eyes only to see more of the same darkness. That was when the faces of his girls started to go through his mind. "Rukia, Orihime, Nel, Halibel, Rangiku, Tatsuki, Yoruichi."

They would all be heartbroken that he wouldn't be able to be with him. Right when he finally had his powers back.

His eyes were getting heavier as he was prepared to fall into the darkness that was unconsciousness. He was about to give in to this darkness, until a figure shrouded in light appeared above him and grabbed his coat. With a mighty pull, Ichigo felt himself being lifted from the darkness and into a dimly lit area. He struggled to open his eyes at first, but once he did, he was greeted by the pleasant sight of to the sun behind leaves of a tree branch. He rose up with effort and looked around briefly, trying to take in his surroundings. He saw that he was in some sort of ruin, with overgrowth all around him. The room he was in was large with a massive hole in the ceiling and trees all around.

Ichigo stood up, rather sluggishly, and checked himself over.

"Guys?" He started to himself, hoping that his spirits were still with him.

"We're still here Ichigo." Kyoka spoke up as both Hyorinmaru and both Katen Kyokotsu nodded in response. Ichigo sighed in relief.

"So where the hell are we?" He asked them.

"If memory serves me correctly." The woman of Katen Kyokotsu started as she materialized in front of the teen. "This looks like one of the old buildings from over a century ago."

"A century ago?" Ichigo asked her as the others also came out of his body.

"Yes." Katen(The woman version will be referred as this and the kid version as Kyokotsu) started. "This is where Kyoraku started his training alongside Ukitake."

"Impressive." Hyorinmaru spoke up as he looked around.

"Why- actually better question- how did we get here?" Ichigo asked them as he felt a little like his old self again.

"No idea." Kyoka started. "But, we should get back to the Seireitei, and fast."

"Of that, we agree." Katen said as Kyokotsu nodded.

Ichigo nodded and the four spirits faded away, returning to his soul. He didn't know what happened or who that was that saved him, but all he did know, was that he could see his girls again.

I know, too short and long overdue, but I'm gonna try and finish this and my other stories up this year so next year I can have some newer things to write.

PEACE!