I'm not really sure where I'm going with this story, this chapter is sort of something I wrote when I didn't have anything to do. I hope everyone likes it :D

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach

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Partner up with the Soul Soceity.

Ichigo had a headache, and he was pretty sure he knew where it came from.

Murmuring a few choice words, he returned to his apartment, and flopped on the couch. Glancing over at Zangetsu in the corner, he let out a long sigh. Ever since he became a Shinigami, there were times he regreted it and times where he thanked the gods for it.

This was not one of those times.

Leaning his head back, it rest on the top of the couch. He heard Kon hop out of the doorway to the bedroom and settle on the end of the couch.

"You look tanked."

Ichigo nodded.

"What did they say?"

"I have to set up a meeting, between the Vaizards and the Shinigami."

"Well...damn."

"Yeah."

Ichigo lay his hands over his face.

"I can't believe Hirako is that desperate, the Vaizards can't stand the Soul Society." Ichigo replied, "It just so happeneds that I get to be the go between."

"Great."

"Yeah, great."

Glancing over at the clock, it was 1am. He left Kon on the couch, and walked into the bedroom. There was a decent sized bed, with a couple large pillows and a dark green quilt on the top. Flopping on it, he let out a sigh and closed his eyes. He would sleep for three or four hours before reporting to the Soul Society.

He closed his eyes.

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Aizen sat in the chair, looking calmly at the man on his right hand side. Gin was not sporting his normal smile.

"Is something bothering you, Gin?"

The ex-captain shook his head, "Nothing, just a feeling."

"Feeling?" Tousen murmured from the window that he was staring out of.

Smiling, Aizen leaned back in the chair, "We are close to our goals, gentlemen. The sheild between the mortal world and Hueco Mundo is cracking."

"Why don't we send some Hollow through to test the strength of the sheild?" Tousen replied, "No need to risk the strong soliders."

"That's agreeable." Aizen nodded, "Send thirty. We have more then enough of the lower ranks to spare it." he smiled, "Let's sit back and enjoy ourselves."

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Tatsuki stood in the grocery store, looking over the teas. As she was reaching for one, a long arm stretched around her, plucked a box of green tea with gensing, and handed it to her. Turning around, she smiled slightly,

"Detective Muruguma." she said.

"This tea is my favorite." he said, "It calms the nerves."

"Thanks." she said, "What are you doing here?"

"Picking up more coffee." he said, raising a bag of roasted coffee beans, "I grind them myself. They taste better."

"Really."

"Say-" he looked around, "-would you like a ride home?"

Tatsuki stared at him, and smiled, "Sure."

Waiting in line, she pulled a few bills out of her purse to pay for the groceries. Next to her, she noticed that Muruguma had gone stiff. She frowned, noticing there was a strange feeling on the edge of her own senses.

"Detective?" she looked at him, "Is something wrong?"

Hansei's senses scanned the area. He could sense the Hollows. There had to be ten...no, twenty of them...

"Detective Muruguma?" Tatsuki stared at him, "Are you alright?"

There was a crash, and they heard the screaming from down the street. She gasped, looking towards the window.

"What's that-"

"GET DOWN!" he roared, dragging her to the ground as the windows of the grocery store shattered around them.

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Ichigo sat up with a start. Running to the open window, he stared out at the cold night sky.

Hollows.

"Shit!" he cursed, running towards the door.

The sheild was already beginning to break down. It looked like he would be going another night without sleep. Flinging himself out of bed, he gripped the rough hilt of the Zangetsu and through himself out of the window. Barreling into the first Hollow he saw, he sliced it down the middle.

Swiping the sword once through the air, he took off down the street.

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She coughed, moving slightly and found it difficult.

"Quiet." Hansei whispered, clamping his hand over her mouth.

In the darkness of night behind him, she watched a large, greyish monster slink down the mainstreet. Her eyes grew wide as it disappeared.

"What the hell is that?" she whispered.

"Hollow." he said, "They're everywhere."

"What the hell is a Hollow?

Muruguma ignored her question. He rolled off of her, brushing the shattered glass from his arms, "We need to get out of here."

"How?"

Hansei frowned, and then pulled back his jacket. There was a strange knife strapped to his upper thigh. Unstrapping it, he flipped it once in his hand. Tatsuki watched it glow, and in a burst of light it grew into a regular size katana.

"Woah."

"Come on and stick close." he said.

She could sense them, hear them, and see the Hollows. Hansei weighed his options, and found the best way to get out of the situation was to forget the secrets. Now Tatsuki knew he was some sort of strange man with a magic sword and could fire energy balls from his hands. So what?

He would have hell to pay from Hiyori later.

There was a scream towards the left. Turning, he spied a Hollow disappearing down the next street. Tatsuki already had torn herself from his side and was racing to help the woman.

"Arisawa!" he called, "Wait, damn it!"

Hansei watched as she flung herself towards the Hollow, planting her foot in the middle of it's forehead. Falling over, she landed next to it, cracking her knuckles. She grabbed the end of her long skirt and ripped a slit in one side, then smirked at him, and rushed towards the first Hollow. It suddenly dawned on him...

She could hear them, touch them, and see them.

Tatsuki Arisawa had spirit powers.

She flipped upwards, planting her foot into the forehead of the nearest Hollow. It screamed and fell backwards. Stumbling backwards as she landed, she raised her hands to be ready to defend herself. It rose again, raising a large arm to attack her. Tatsuki let out a shriek as a huge ball of energy sailed past her and blasted the monster into a cloud of smoke.

Turning around, Hansei smirked at her, blowing the slight puff of smoke that rose from the tip of his finger. She folded her arms, leaning slightly on one leg,

"No fair." she pouted.

"It takes years of practice." he shrugged, "What the hell do you think you're doing? You can't just...run up to a Hollow and kick it!"

"Why not?"

Muruguma opened his mouth to say something, and shut it. Sighing loudly, he gripped her upper arm.

"Come on. We gotta find Kurosaki."

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Orihime stood on the balcony of her bedroom, staring at the landscape.

Another scream echoed through her head.

"Stop it!" she shrieked, laying her hands on the side of her head.

They would not stop, no matter how hard she tried to shut them out. She heard the cries of those dying, of those who needed help, and of the newly born Hollows that would emerge in the wasteland that surrounded Hueco Mundo.

"Rather expressive today, are we not?"

She turned to see Gin standing on the neighboring balcony, about 10 feet away. He caulked his head at her, and then turned back to gazing at the horizon. Orihime frowned, looking away.

"The nightmares have not subsided, have they?" he replied, "Aizen-san would be rather...put-out if you keep lying to him like this."

"It's none of Aizen's damn buisness." she murmured, "I don't care if that gets me killed or not."

"There's a difference between not knowing your place and being in a bad mood, Inoue-dono."

He hit the nail right on the head, she though. Folding her arms, she shivered even though the wind that blew outside was warm.

"Last year-"

"I don't want to talk about last year." she said, "I don't want to even think about what happened back then."

"It wasn't your fault." he said, "And the Arancar that took you-"

"Do you ever miss Rangiku, Ichimaru-sama?" she asked.

Gin suddenly looked grim, staring into space. For some reason, he found staring into the tundra of Huenco Mundo as interesting as she did.

"Every day."

"That's what I've felt ever since I came here." she said, "Except, at least you have two other people to relate to. I wasn't even a shinigami."

"Inoue-"

"I've been all alone here for the past five years." she whispered, "There's nothing that anyone can say that will make up for that. At least I have my dreams to keep me company, even if they are bad ones."

She turned towards her room, and shut the door. Standing in the middle of her room, she could still remember what happened last year. It was something in her mind that she would never forget.

Let me go!

Please I beg you...

...why...didn't you save me...Ichigo...

She laid her hands on her face, running her hands through her hair. Not being able to stand being there any longer, she pulled a shawl around her shoulders and left her room. Running down the hallway, she felt like she was going to faint. The white halls, the bad dreams...they were suffecating her.

Turning the corner, she slammed into someone.

"Fuck, damn it! Watch where the hell you're-"

Grimmjaw stared down at her. He had been on his way back from the training hall. Grabbing the shoulders of the person that had just nearly bowled him over, he stared down into Orihime's face. She was looking at him as if he was about to eat her.

"What?" he raised an eyebrow, "What's wrong with you?"

Her face was dead pale, and part of her hair had come undone from the bun on her head. She looked as if she was scared out of her wits.

"What?" he demanded, "What's wrong? What the hell is-"

A tear trailed down her cheek, and she tore out of his grip.

"What-"

"Don't touch me!" she shrieked, "I've had it with this place! With you, and everyone...every-"

He rushed foreward as she fell into his arms.

"Hey!" Grimmjaw shook her, "Hey, wake up!"

"What in god's name is going on out here?" Rupee roared as he opened the door to his quarters, which happened to be not to far away, "What happened to-"

"Call the med team."

"Grimmjaw, what did you-"

"Call the fucking med team!"

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Aizen sat in the war room, staring at the leaders of his armies, Gin Ichimaru, and Kaname Tousen. Looking at the large map that consisted of the Seireitei and Rukongai in front of him, he was thinking to himself.

"Sir, if I may make a suggestion?"

Tszuria was the only female Espada on the team. She was skilled, intellegent, and deadly. Her massive blade leaned against the chair, there were red blood stains still on the edge.

"You may." Aizen replied.

"If we begin attacking where they least expect it, sir, then we will take them by surprise."

"Meaning?"

"Begin the assult at Rukongai." she said, "Attack from the south, where the main river resides. The gaurds are few and the Soul Society will have a harder time retailiating because we have on advantage over them."

"You mean they give a damn about the civilians and we do not?" Ulquiorra voiced.

"Exactly."

Aizen thought a moment, and then glanced around the room.

"I want a quarter of the forces moved to that location." he said, "Gin? I believe that you will be more then capable of leading this little expedition, hm?"

"Of course."

"Then it is settled." he said, "Assemble units 1-240 with you. Do not stop until you have breached the walls of the Seireitei. I know that you can overpower any of the captains, Gin, but avoid a battle with Commander Yamato."

"Yes sir." he stopped, "And what if I encounter Kurosaki?"

Aizen smirked a moment, "You need not worry about him. He's not important."

"Of course sir."

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Ichigo sliced threw the band of Hollows. He had to get home, he just had too. His family was standing unprotected and out in the open. Just as they were all those years ago when he first became a Shinigami.

He had to get there on time. There was no other option.

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Karin sat up with a start, staring at the wall, trying to catch her breath.

What kind of a dream was that?

"Karin?" Yuzu yawned, "What's wrong?"

"Noth-"

Karin jumped, hearing the cry of the Hollow out of the opened window. She was not sure if Yuzu heard it, but she had heard it loud and clear.

"Karin?"

The tall girl slid out of the covers, walking towards the window. Watching out the window, her eyes slowly grew wide as she watched the large, grey monster walking down the streets towards their house. It was comming for her, sensing her spirit powers from miles away.

"Get up, Yuzu." she said, "Hurry! We have to get out of here, now!"

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The next chapter will be up as soon as I can get it finished and edited. Send a review and tell me what you think!

Arigato

Lilith