Tairei9: Yo, people I do not own bleach never will, and I give full credit to the creators. Just like always. Read and -

Renji: Hey wait a minute, wait a minute. I have something to discuss with you.

Tairei9: about what?

Renji: about that last chapter. Why the heck did you do that!?

Tairei9: humor.

Renji: It wasn't funny. You made it look like we were going to die! And the kiss! That was not cool.

Tairei9: Really, you all seemed to enjoy it. Especially you.

Renji: I did not!! You have no right to say that!!

Tairei9: I'm the author of this fanfiction and what I say goes.

Renji: ZABIMARU!!

Tairei9: Crap. Read and review!

Chapter seventeen.

Ichigo walked into the house at nine something at night. But he didn't care. He had a lot of things on his mind. He walked past the living room and was about to go to the bathroom when he heard a voice.

"I saved you a plate."

He spun around and looked into the living room. There sat Yuzu, her face clearly upset.

"Oh…um…thanks." Ichigo said looking at her.

"Ni-san what have you been doing? You haven't been getting into trouble are you?" Yuzu burst out tearfully. Ichigo looked at her surprised and sat down next to her.

"Is that what has been bugging you?" Ichigo said. He rubbed her head gentle and said, "I'm fine. I just had to go help a friend with something." She looked up at his sincere face and smiled weakly. He hugged her gentle and released her.

"Okay, the food is in the fridge," Yuzu said standing up and making her leave.

Ichigo watched her for a moment and looked down, thinking.

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"Ichi-ni-san?"

Ichigo looked over at her. They were lying on the ground in the park, staring at the starry sky. None of the lamps were lit, for they went out at a certain time.

"What?" He said as she sat up. He sat up as well as she looked solemn.

"What's wrong?"

"You're lucky." Her voice was soft and gentle. But there were traces of sadness in it as well.

"What?"

"You have a family," Kumiko continued.

"So do you! You have Urahara-san-," Ichigo said, smiling in a very strange way. Like he didn't understand.

"Their not my really family," Kumiko whispered looking up at the stars. Ichigo pondered this for a moment.

"The only thing I have from my real family is this." Kumiko took out a small gold box and opened it to see a small dancer spinning to the softly lullaby. It was a pretty soft tune.

"It was my okaasan's. She loved it so. It's like I always have a piece of her," she whispered softly.

"How do you know?" Ichigo asked but she just shook her head. Ichigo didn't press any further, knowing it might be touchy or she might not have one.

"Well, a family doesn't always be related to you to be family. So you truthfully do. You have Urahara-san, Yoruichi-san, Rukia, Inoue, Chad, Ishida, and-."

"You… and your family," she said, looking at him hopefully.

"Yeah," Ichigo said smiling, "You have us." He then fiddled with something in his pocket and took out a small chain with a small locket on it.

"It was my mom's," Ichigo admitted, "I've always kept it with me, but I never knew what to do with it. But know I do." He placed it in the bow and closed it, stopping the music. She looked at him for a moment and flung her arms around his neck. He was shocked but then gently patted her back.

"Catch me if you can!" Kumiko suddenly took off laughing.

"Hey, wait, wait!! Damn," He said, getting up chasing after the little child. He spent the rest of the night chasing her.

------

Ichigo flash stepped towards Orihime's apartment at full speed. There was something strange going on there. He felt a strange reiatsu coming from her way. He came close to her house and his jaw dropped. A huge gate glowing the color red was right outside Orihime's apartment. It reminded him of something. It reminded him of the gates of hell except the scull pattern being different. There were people standing by it.

"Kurosaki!!" Ishida yelled.

"AAHHHH!"

They all looked in the direction of the gate and saw something being dragged in the air towards it.

"Inoue!!" Ichigo shouted jumping up at it.

"Kurosaki-kun!!" She disappeared into the gate and it shut. It disappeared just as Ichigo was able to reach it. He fell feet first to the ground and looked where the gate once was. Silence.

Suddenly something laughed. They looked up and saw a girl with long waist length hair and darkish eyes. She was sitting on top of the apartment building, swinging her legs. She stared down at them.

"Let the second game begin!!" She said, laughing.

"Where's Inoue-san!!" shouted Ishida.

"Where is Kumiko!!" shouted Ichigo.

"You will have to wait and see." She said. She then disappeared, much to their dislike.

"What was that all about, Ichigo?" Ishida asked, surprised, "What about Kumiko?"

"Yeah," Chad said, confused as well.

Renji and Ichigo explained the early events to them. Ishida and Chad listened and were silent even after they finished with their cheeks slightly red.

"Well… say something," Renji said.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Ishida laughed, bending over. Renji, Ichigo, and Chad sweat dropped.

"I can't believe you all were forced to do that! Poor Kuchiki-san. Inoue-san!! HAHAHAHAHA!!"

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"Arg, I can't get the door open!!" Ichigo said, trying to open Orihime's apartment door. It was the day after her kidnapping and they were trying to get into the apartment to search for clues.

"Then I'll," Chad said, lifting up a fist.

"Are you thinking about breaking down the door?" Ichigo said twitching.

"Then there is not helping it…" Ishida said, pulling out his box and removing a ridiculously shiny sewing needle gracefully. He bent it and began to pick the lock.

"Hey, isn't that bad?" Chad said, leaning forward.

"There is no helping it," Ishida repeated.

"It's better than breaking the door down," Ichigo said. The lock finally clicked open and they walked in.

"How's everything?" Ichigo said, looking over his shoulder. He suddenly held a look of surprise. Renji stood in front of the refrigerator, drinking milk right out of the carton and clewing on some pink taffy.

"Why are you eating that?" Ichigo asked.

"I haven't eaten since last evening, so I'm hungry," he mumbled softly. Suddenly there was a ring from a phone.

"Whose cell is that?" Ishida asked.

"Mine," Renji said, putting the taffy down and pulling his phone out of the kimono. He flipped it open and put it to his ear.

"Hello?" Renji said. Then there was a familiar laugh on the end.

"My, my. So it is you." The girl's voice said, cheerfully.

"This is suffocating," Renji said as they pressed close to them to listen to the call.

"My, you should not drink out of the milk carton. Didn't somebody ever teach you manners, Abarai-sa- so well you shouldn't do it. Just like you shouldn't be in somebody else's house. Should I call the police?"

Ichigo snatched the phone as they gasped.

"She's watching us!!" Renji said looking out on of the windows.

"There's nobody there," Ishida said.

"You want to see Ori- Onee-chan, right?" the voice said.

"I don't want to just see her. I want you to give her back."

"Then come to the park within in three minutes or Onee-chan will die." The phone clicked and he received a dial tone.

"Hey wait-!" Ichigo said then shut the phone.

"Come on lets go!" Ichigo said, all of them running in the direction of the park. Renji and Ichigo kept trying to beat each other in a race, arguing who was better. This was a strange sight to other people because it looked like a boy arguing to air.

"Stop it Kurosaki!! We're almost there!!" Ishida yelled. They ran into the park and looked around.

Nobody was there.

"What-?" Ichigo began then the phone booth's telephone rang. They rushed forward and Ichigo answered it.

"Hello!?" Ichigo shouted.

"You've passed the first level of the second game!!" the voice giggled.

"What? Give us Inoue!!"

"Oh no. You see it's not a game until you win all three levels! The next spot you must go to is the E-mart in the same amount of time."

"What, but that's far!!"

"Then Onee-chan will die. Later!!" The phone clicked and gave a dial tone.

"To the E-mart!!"

They ran to the E-mart and found the phone ringing.

"Hello?"

"You lost the second round."

"What! We got here on time!!"

"Someone else picked up the phone first! Now Onee-chan will die!!" The dial tone then turn on.

"Hey!! Hey!! HEY!!!" He shouted and then slammed the phone down. He was just about to say something when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Kidding Onee-chan's fine but you must go to the last destination to ensure her safety. The last destination has the same rule. Get there in three minutes. The destination is…"

-------

Urahara heard a small rumble in the distance and looked into the distance. He saw Ichigo, Ishida, Chad and Renji running towards his shop.

"What is going on, Kurosaki-kun?" Urahara said.

"Do you have a phone?"

"Yes in the back." Phone rings in the back round.

"Sorry my bad!!" Everyone rushed by the shop members and Ichigo once again picked up the phone.

"Congratulations! You passed the finally level!! Now the next thing you must do is going to Onee-chan's place tonight at 8:00. She might just come home!" it was another child's voice.

"Why tonight? And what happened to the other girl?!"

"Oh don't worry about her and you mustn't be hasty. Be there tonight or else."

Tairei9: Tune in to find out what happens next. Review and tell me what you think.

Renji: There she is!! Get her!!

Tairei9: Double crap.