Me: Not going to be really an omake after having gone two months without updating, especially after promising the next chapter before I started school again. Gomen!

Me: -bows multiple times-

Me: I may have updated last month since I got my sister's old laptop around New Year's and spent A LOT of time on it before finals. But right after I went to check the files after finals, I found that ALL of my chapters had been deleted. ALL OF THEM. Everything from this story to my own originals stories. That's no excuse for not updating sooner, but I was damn upset about it. Took me a while to figure out how to rewrite the chapter as best I could while making sure I didn't change from the plotline I'm planning and keeping my grades up for this semester. (Didn't do as well as I wanted last semester.) But if you don't see me updating soon, just send me a reminder or something to kick my ass into writing the next chapter. It really helps.

No promises, but I FINALLY got back interested in Bleach and not Prince of Tennis. New ideas are forming in my head and I can't wait to get them written. Anyways, some of the characters, especially Izumi and Arashi, may be a bit OCC. I apologized for that and should hopefully have that fixed in the next few chapters. However, this chapter might also be rushing things. Gomen.

So now enjoy the story and review on what you like, hate, or needs improvement on! (I would really like if you comment on the flaws on my writing so that way I can become a better writer. But others are fine too!)

Begin!

Thanks and stuff since I' too lazy to reply via PM...

Ominias: Thanks for reviewing again! Everyone could have ended up being buried in snow but what's the fun of that? x) Maybe a random squirrel did win the race and they're too embarrassed to say that. No one would be able to take them seriously again. Maybe. Anyways, thanks again!

ZuZu-Chan: Arigatou for reviewing! And congratulations for getting your internet back! Why wouldn't I use Shiha? You created a really interesting character that fits in well with Icefire. I should be thanking YOU for allowing me to use her. Hope this chapter is exciting enough, despite being late.

music fans: Muy gracias for the review! Sorry you had to late so long for this new chapter. I'm glad that you like it and I hope that you continue to read it. Also thanks for the favorite author!

Love is war-Mistress Kurohi-: Arigatou for the review! Yes, Ichigo's and Yumiko's first fight. I wonder how they'll make up (honestly, I have no idea yet…). Sorry I couldn't update once more for the holidays and only after two months. Hope you had a happy holiday!

Kira michi: Thanks again! Gomen for not updating soon. Keep up the good work to your own story too, it's great! (Despite the fact I seem to never review for stories that I like. Bad habit.)

Before you begin...

Note: Please excuse any kind of grammar, spelling, and/or other errors. Spell check is not always perfect and I may not catch everything in it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters except my version of the plot and characters. Any other characters that will appear that do not belong to Bleach or me belongs to their respectful owners.

-o-o- Chapter 14 -o-o-

Windy Storm

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

'Thoughts'

"Speaking"

Both sides were quiet, the wind blowing in the background. The tension in the air continued to rise, reaching an almost suffocating level. Glares and stares were thrown from the shinigamis side to the rogue ones. Only the ones that was the cause of all the trouble seemed undisturbed or disinterested in the showdown.

Izumi yawned, scratching the back of her head. "Jeez, you guys don't say much, do you? Just like another person I know…"

"You better not be referring to me," Arashi said for the first time, the ice in her tone obvious. The blond girl waved her hand back, not nerved at all. Her eyes remained trained on the group stationed in front of her.

"Well?" she asked, drawling out the word with an eyebrow raised as if mocking their lack of response. "Are you going to remain statues or what?"

"What the heck are you guys doing here?!" Ichigo demanded, taking charge. He mentally cursed his luck of leaving his temporarily modsoul when he needed it despite his dislike toward it. Kon was forced to remain back in Karakura Town for the fact that the perverted stuff animal would be peeping at all the girls every chance he got. And unless he really wanted his body to get hurt by him, he made that modsoul stay home.

Renji followed with, "What purpose do you have to attack this resort and the humans staying here?" Izumi gave the two a blank stare.

"I thought that I made it pretty clear the other day to your 'friend'. Or are all shinigamis turning dumber and dumber since Storm and I left?"

"It's Arashi," the navy-blue haired girl snapped. Her comment was unheard by the others.

Ikkaku grunted, hands itching to fight."You just going to keep shooting off your mouth or what? Where's your zanpakutō?"

"Hm? You really want to end up like the others," Izumi answered cockily back, arms poised on her hips. "It won't be my fault if you end up crying for your mama." The eleventh division pulsed a vein and took a stance.

"Who's crying to their mama, you blond brat!?" the baldly yelled, just on the verge of jumping out of his gigai and attacking. But before he could, Hitsugaya spoke.

"Hold it, Ikkaku," the tenth division taichou ordered. His teal eyes glanced between the fuming shinigami to the rogues. Izumi met his icy glare full on, bored. "What division are you two previously from?"

"If you think you're going to scare the answer out of me, taichou, better just give up your rank," she snorted rudely. "I don't have to listen to what you or anybody else unless I want to." Her eyes then turned towards the three non-shinigamis at the back. A grin spread across her face.

"Well, well, seems like we got some rule breakers in this group. Never thought I'll see the day where shinigamis decide to do this," Izumi whistled, confusing everyone. Arashi rolled her eyes at the change of attitude in her companion. Everything on her face remained impassionate, a hint of impatience thrown in as well.

Matsumoto gave Izumi a suspicious look. "What are you talking about?" Izumi's mouth opened to answer but was beaten by Arashi. The girl's mouth was set in a firm line, arms crossed. Shivers went up her spine as amber eyes bore right into hers.

"I believe that is none of your business," she snarled, shocking the fukutaichou with the harsh tone. She took a step back, almost as if she had been slapped across the face. Arashi's head snapped towards Izumi, forcing a small squeak to come out of her mouth. Anger burned in her eyes. "Enough of your stupid barbs, we already wasted enough time."

Izumi pouted. "Ah, always when it's getting good," she sighed before grinning. "But I guess that means I get to see how strong this batch of shinigamis is!" The blue haired girl continued scowling for a second longer before turning away.

Alarms flew off in everyone's heads. Soul candy dispensers were whipped out and shinigamis jumping out of gigais. Ichigo gritted his teeth as Rukia forced the shinigami representative out of his body, annoyed as if slumped onto the snowy ground. Gigais, who also dragged Ichigo's 'dead' body, fled into the forest to get themselves out of the soon-to-be battlefield. Orihime, Chad, and Uryu braced themselves as well.

Izumi smirked, eyeing each of the shinigamis. "Hm… You guys actually don't look like the annoying small fry like all the others. We finally getting on your last nerves, officers?"

Ichigo snapped at all the taunting the girl had given him, his friends, and the Soul Society. "What the hell is your problem?! Do you actually enjoy trying to kill others?!" A dark look crossed both of the girls' faces.

"Tch. I see that Soul Society has not lost their simple mindlessness," Arashi growled, no longer leaning against the rock. "And it seems that you, boy, may, no, IS the worst of them all." Ichigo glared.

"What are you talking about?"

Izumi snorted, all signs of her playful and sarcastic nature gone. "There's no point trying to explain it to any of you. Like others before you, everything we say will flow out of their ears and is ignored." she clenched her fists against her sides. "All shinigamis now follow this pathetic nature. And you'll a perfect example."

Yumichika stuck his head up and turned away, disgusted. "What position are you filth in to talk about the Soul Society? You're nothing but the lowest of the low."

The winds howled, blasting snow into everyone's faces. Hands flew up as they tried to protect their faces from the sheer cold. Shadows raced across their feet, the sun hidden beneath rolling clouds. Trees swayed violently in all directions, limbs on the verge of breaking.

A sudden crash of ice startled everyone. Squinting through the fog of snow, the Karakura Gang saw a large, newly form hole in the lake. Large cracks splintered across the ice, spreading further and further as the unfrozen water slammed against it. The shadow of a sinking body could be seen in the depths of the water.

Chad eyes caught movement at the edges of his vision. Not wasting a moment, he pushed off against the ground and tackled the person next to him, which happened to be Orihime. The girl shrieked in surprise and shock as the two tumbled to the side, unsure of what happened. Their friends shouted out in concern for the gentle giant's tackled when something slammed where Orihime was just standing.

"B…Bitch," Ikkaku coughed, wiping the blood off the corner of his lips. He laid on his side painfully as he tried to regain his composure. A snarl sprung from his mouth when he saw a looming figure over him, a foot pressed harshly into his side.

"Care to repeat that again, baldy?" Izumi growled, applying a bit more pressure to her foot. Her blond hair brushed against her neck as the wind continued to roar, but she took no notice. The only thing she was focused on was the man that was beneath her.

Before Ikkaku could snap anything back or counterattack, Renji and Ichigo both lunged at the girl. Easily seeing their movements from the side, the blond rogue shunpoed skywards, dodging their attacks effortlessly. However, what the girl didn't take in account for was the petite girl waiting for her.

Rukia stared right into the girl's widening green eyes. Gripping her zanpakutō with one hand, the division thirteen shinigami brought her sword down in a graceful yet deadly manner as the girl was heading towards her. Caught by surprise, Izumi barely had time to dodge to the side seconds before the white blade could slice her head clean off. A curse fired off her lips as she skidded to a halt some feet away.

Meanwhile, Arashi was facing off against the remaining members of the Karakura Gang. Revealing to the group that she had a black sheath with silver moon markings on her back, the midnight blue-haired girl revealed her previously hidden zanpakutō. A spotless silver blade with a hilt of countless shades of blue and crescent shaped guard, hints of her zanpakutō power rang out clearly.

Doing nothing more than narrowing her eyes even more, the rogue countered one attack after another before shunpoing away and repeating the process again. Arashi avoided the blades of Hitsugaya, Matsumoto, and trying to outmaneuver the arrows Uryū fired. She was soon pitted against a furious Yumichika once Orihime and Chad were able to drag the eleventh division shinigami out of the freezing water. The more time went on, the more she was barge on with attacks.

In what seemed like hours, the Karakura Gang managed to surround the evidently wounded rogues. Both sides had various cuts and bruises but Izumi and Arashi bore the worst of them. The two girls panted slightly from having dodged and countered hundreds of attacks. Their clothes were slightly ragged and torn from blades slashing right though them. A small trail of blood flowed down from a wound above Izumi's right eye, forcing the eye temporary shut. Arashi had a similar one instead on her left arm.

Ichigo smirked at the two cornered girls. "Not so tough now, are ya?" He was answered with two cold scowls. Hitsugaya shot Ichigo a look to be quiet before turning towards the two rogues.

"Tell me now," he began, teal eyes focused on the two. "What is the purpose of you two attacking this resort and the humans that come here? Why have you been attacking other shinigamis?"

"You'd like that, won't you kid?" Izumi retorted, pissing the taichou slightly off with the rude title. She brushed some loss strands of hair behind her ear. "I'm not going to say anything to you or any other shinigamis."

Renji interrupted before the girl could consider saying anything else. "You won't have a say in the matter. The two of you will be bought back to the Soul Society where you will talk about what you have done and pay for your crimes."

"The only 'crimes' we paid is trying to protect ourselves," Arashi snapped back, her grip tightening on her zanpakutō. "We wouldn't have done anything if it wasn't for you guys ruining everything!" Blanks stares passed through the group. What was she talking about?

"Huh? What did they do?" Orihime asked, wanting an answer. Izumi turned her eyes towards her, but rather than the hostile and angry look, she had on before there was softness in them now.

"You're human, yes?" Izumi questioned, startling the girl. Orihime nodded slowly, wondering why the girl had answered her with something like that. She then looked toward Chad, who was besides the orange-haired girl. "And I'm guessing you are too."

Ikkaku glared at the girl, seeing that she was trying to distract them. "Just what the hell are you trying to pull?!" Izumi shot him a dirty look but it was Arashi who answered him.

"Giving them a warning before we do this," she shot back, alarming him the others as she then shouted, "NOW!"

The wind began howling at a new tremendous speed, forcing the unexpected people to skid backwards. A loud cracking sound erupted from the lake before a giant wave of water surged upwards. It climbing to a height of possibly a hundred feet, it mercilessly rushed towards the shinigamis seconds as it crashed down on them. Two blurs of blond and blue could be seen vanishing as the enormous volume of ice water slammed down.

Shouts and screams could be heard as the roaring waves of the lake flowed through the trees, drowning everything in its path. Everything that laid before the water was tumbled and tossed aside. Trees were bared down and boulders thrown like pebbles. Birds took to the skies to save themselves while small forest animals were forced to face the wrath of the water on the ground. Mt. Fuji was the only thing that prevented the water from heading further towards the resort.

Two sets of eyes watched from a cliff high above the ground. They watched intently where the land besides the lake was before became buried in water. Their eyes never wavered as they saw the small figures of shinigamis, humans, and Quincy vanish beneath the water and disappear from site. The two just continued to stand there. Only when the water began to calm and slither slowly back to the lake did one of them speak.

"Looks like it's over for them."

"Mitsuki! Kiyo! Where the damn hell are you?!" Kaida shouted as she entered one of the lounges. It was unusually empty except for Yumiko, Shiha, Kira, Tatsuki, Keigo, and Mizuiro being scattered across the room. Shiha and Tatsuki were playing some video game on the big plasma screen TV, arguing and yelling when the one was winning. Keigo was being all drama queenly again with Mizuiro poorly paying attention as he messed with his cell phone. Her sister was sitting on one of the various couches, ankle propped up on a pillow as she listened to music. Yumiko was the only one not sitting or doing anything non-productive at the moment, looking over some papers that laid on the table before her.

Ignoring everyone accept to a nod to her sister, Kaida walked up towards the older Kurosaki twin. Hearing the approaching footsteps, Yumiko quickly gathered up some of the scattered papers into a pile and placing them into a yellow folder. Pretending not to see the other's raised eyebrow, Yumiko smiled at Kaida.

"Something up?" she asked, having caught Kaida's look earlier when she entered. Kaida looked at her in silence, debating whether or not to ask her about the papers she put away. Deciding to ask about that later, the girl nodded her head tiredly.

"Hai. I need to find the baka twins and pound the shit out of them," the older sister growled, rubbing her throbbing forehead. This time Yumiko raised an eyebrow at her in question.

"Why?" Kaida sent her a look that said 'You have to ask?'. She rephrased her questioned. "What did they do this time?"

Kaida closed her eyes, a vein on the verge of popping. "You know how you're not supposed to feed the animals in a zoo?" Yumiko blinked, confused at where this was going. The older Yumi sister sighed heavily before dropping down onto the chair nearest to her. "The twins---"

"Stole some of the food from the zoo kitchen, added large amounts of sugar and candy into them, and fed the wrong meals to the wrong animals," Kira suddenly interrupted, surprising the two older sisters. They watched the younger girl continue to lay there on the couch, head turned away with the headphones still blasting into her ears.

Yumiko's mother-hen nature kicked in as she saw, and heard, how loud Kira's music was from the few feet away she was. "Isn't that a little too loud for you?" Whether the girl ignoring her or didn't hear her Yumiko didn't know.

Kira's older sister waved a hand lazily at her, indicating that Yumiko should stop trying to get her to listen. "Forget it. No matter what you do she will not stop doing that." Remembering what she had come back for and what her sister just told her, a large scowl spread across her face. "Stupid twins apparently ran out of the zoo before the animals went berserk and scared the shit out of everyone there. Took the zookeepers two whole days to get the animals to calm down."

Dot. Dot. Dot.

"And they weren't caught before?" Yumiko asked, confused. Kaida snorted.

"Apparently they blamed it on a group of school children visiting the zoo that day. Only now I find out the damn fucking truth!" the girl ranted, hands pressed to the table. Yumiko sweat dropped as several veins began popping up on the girl's head.

"If you're looking for the two of them, check the cottage," Shiha called out, grinning as she whacked Tatsuki's character off of the platform. Pressing more buttons to form a combo, she added, "I heard them talking about finishing something."

Kaida mumbled under her breath. Yumiko raised an eyebrow at the colorful language the older sister was saying. And she was surprised that it out did her brother and herself. Nodding a goodbye to the older Kurosaki twin, Kaida stomped out of the lounge towards the cottage, door banging loudly behind her. Keigo jumped and crashed onto the floor from the sound and started crying again when she did it.

Yumiko sighed, rubbing her forehead. She had already been back a week and already she was handling more than she should. And with the added stress of the fight between her twin, she had a headache as large as the sun. Well, maybe smaller.

Suddenly Yumiko felt multiple resitus flares coming from the other side of the mountain. Jumping up too quickly, her chair crashed into the ground with a loud thud. Five pairs of eyes swerved to meet hers. Yumiko cursed inwardly. Not good.

"Something wrong, Yumiko?" Mizuiro asked, startled by her sudden reaction. Keigo then went into a rant about how he could fix all her problems if he could touch her you-know-what before lunging for them. He was met with two game controllers, a pillow, and a punch to the face. The drama boy now laid crying and whimpering in fetal position on the ground.

Yumiko shook her head. "Nope. Everything's fine!" Kira raised an eyebrow.

"Says the person who jumps out of her chair for no reason," the girl commented sarcastically. More eyebrows rose at her sudden attitude. She was either really tired or still pissed off that Ichigo indirectly sprained her ankle. They took the ankle reason.

Yumiko waved her arms around, trying to show that everything was ok. "I'm fine! Just saw a… bug! Yeah! Hate bugs…ah…" The girl began sweating as everyone stared at her with crazed looks. 'Ok…not best excuse…'

Suddenly the cottage was slammed with a large gust of wind, startling everyone. The walls creaked and moaned as the beating continued. The older Kurosaki twin cursed under her breath as everyone else around her began freaking out to some extent. Shiha was twitching that her character died in the few seconds she was distracted. Her companion was looking outside the windows, towards the direction she saw Orihime leave this morning with the others. Mizuiro glanced around at everything, sweat dropping when Keigo was punched once again in the face in an attempt to 'comfort' the 'shaken and scared' Yumiko. Kira ignored everything and turned the volume of her iPod up higher.

Seeing everyone was distracted for now, Yumiko began frantically searching her bag for her modsoul dispenser. But as the wind continued to howl the more Yumiko got worried. It wasn't in her bag like it was supposed to always be. And seeing that everyone was outside right now, they could use her help. However, she was helpless in her human body.

'Damn it! Where is it?!' Yumiko thought, biting her lip. The wind had momentary died down but then whipped up again minutes later, faster than before. An announcement had come on saying everyone was to remain in the nearest building until the storm died down before the lights began flickering again. Other students were beginning to run in and the window of time Yumiko had was dismissing quickly.

Something went off in Yumiko's head; an event from this morning. She remembered that before the group had gone off onto their hike around the lake that Mitsuki was messing around with her bag. She must've grabbed the dispenser, thinking it was candy.

Alarms were going off in her head now, realizing the danger the girl was in if she ate just one piece of candy. And with everyone else out battling the two suspected rogues on the mountain, she was the only one currently at the resort that could stop Mitsuki before she ate it.

Pushing all the other pieces of paper back into her bag, Yumiko jumped over the table and quickly maneuvered through the frightened students. However, just when she reached the door, it flung over and whacked the girl smacked dab in the middle of her head. Stumbling backwards, Yumiko fell flat on her butt, rubbing her forehead as the person who caused it looked down in surprised.

"Oh! Yumiko-san! I'm so sorry!" the teacher exclaimed, surprised of what just happened. Shaking her head to clear off the small throbbing, Yumiko got back up and tried to get out the door. Startled, the teacher grabbed Yumiko's arm before the girl ran out into the blistering cold wind. "Stop! You can't go out there!"

"But---" Yumiko protested, trying to pry her arm free. Her brother needed her help, having sensed the wavering reiatsu emitting from the other side of the mountain. And she needed to find Mitsuki before it was too late. However, the teacher was not giving up at all.

Locking the door shut behind him, the teacher dragged Yumiko away from the door and back into the large mass of already gathered students. "I'm sorry, Yumiko, but no one is allowed outside until this storm clears up."

"But I have to!" she protested, trying again to reason with him. He sent her a stern look.

"I'm sorry but you'll have to wait here."

The area on the other side of the lake was completely flattened and soaked with water. Any water lingering on the mushy snow was slowly turning to ice thanks to the coldness the wind was blowing in. Trees laid bare and naked to the cloudy skies. There wasn't a sign of life for miles.

Three tall mounds of snow laid about a hundred feet from the lake. One of them began shaking, snow falling to the sides. The nearest one next to them did the same. After a few more seconds of violent shaking, a figure burst through.

"Gah!" Renji gasped, taking in some fresh air. His shinigami uniform was soaking wet and his hair was dripping water at the tips. His zanpakutō laid a few inches away, also slicked with water.

Orihime broke through next, Yumichika right behind. Shaking off the water and trying to warm themselves up, as well as some of Yumichika's infamous beauty ranting, the two surveyed the rest of their surroundings along with Renji. The later was already standing and trying to sense where everyone else was. However, for some reason he couldn't pick them out. It was as if a haze was over the over entire mountain, blocking him from detecting his friends.

"Is everyone ok?" Orihime asked, picking herself up. She got a nod from Renji and a grumble from Yumichika. She looked around for the others again."Where's everyone else?"

Renji shrugged. "Don't know. Looks like we all got separated when that wave crashed down." That wasn't the answer the human girl was looking for.

"Are they ok? What if they're hurt?" the girl projected worriedly. Yumichika crossed his arms.

"Well, wherever they are I'm sure they're fine. Don't put so little faith in them," he commented dryly, making the girl feel ashamed of saying such things. Sending a dirty look at the eleventh division shinigami, Renji put a hand on Orihime's shoulder.

"Come one. Let's go find them," he suggested, trying to distract the girl. Nodding, Orihime followed after him and Yumichika as they begun their walk into the deeper parts of the forest. She wouldn't think of the bad things that could've happened; just positive thoughts and pray that they're find them soon.

Chad grunted as he lifted a large fallen tree off his fallen friend. Giving him her thanks, Matsumoto pulled herself up, stumbling a bit from the pain in her leg. Rukia approached her, chanting an incantation slightly to ease the pain and heal the forming bruise.

Matsumoto smiled at her when she finished. "Thanks, Rukia." The girl nodded, relieved that her injury wasn't as bad as she had first thought. Looking around, Rukia tried to figure out how far they were away from the lake.

After the water had crashed onto them, she, Matsumoto, Chad, and Ikkaku had managed to end up going in the same direction. Before being forced underwater again, the bunny loving girl had spotted Renji, Orihime, and Yumichika in one direction, Uryū in another, and finally Hitsugaya and Ichigo a third. She had a feeling that everyone was with someone, save for the Quincy, but just didn't know where.

Ikkaku walked up to the three, hand on his sword. "What now? We find the others or go kick those bitches butt?" Matsumoto frowned.

"I wouldn't find going after the ones that ruined my hair," the woman began. "But something they said doesn't make sense at all."

"Like what?" Rukia asked, confused. Matsumoto's face hardened.

"Arashi said that it was 'our fault' that they were attacking shinigamis. But the first group of shinigamis didn't come until two weeks ago and the Hollows had been coming for about a week before then." She explained. A light bulb went off in Rukia's head.

"Are you saying that someone is purposefully trying to set them up?'" she exclaimed. Matsumoto nodded solemnly.

"Either that or they're hiding something."

Ikkaku snorted. "You sure you aren't just being paranoid? Who the hell would set someone else up and not been caught this whole time? That didn't mean that those two had to attack all those shinigamis for nothing." Matsumoto sighed.

"It's just one mystery after another."

Rukia shook her head. "We'll worry about that later. We need to find the others and go after Izumi and Arashi before they cause any more trouble or flee. And then we to make sure that no one at the resort know anything about this." The two other shinigamis agreed.

Chad was silent through this all thing, thinking something over. He couldn't help but feel like they had forgotten something; something important. And it was nagging at him. Three sets of eyes focused on him as the gentle giant continued to stand there, silent.

Ikkaku broke the silence first. "Yo, what's up with you?"

"Everything alright, Chad?" Rukia added. The person asked shook his head.

"There's just something I can't seem to remember," he answered vaguely, still trying to figure out what his mind wouldn't let go. The other three looked at each other.

"I'm sure you'll remember it later," Matsumoto suggested, trying to get him to focus on the present. "We need to finish this up quickly or things might get out of hand at the resort." She smiled weakly. "I'm not sure how long everyone can deal with Mitsuki-chan running around with---" that was the trigger to what Chad was trying so hard to figure out.

"Riki," he interrupted, startling her and the others. They stared at him as if he grew another head for blurting out something so irrelevant. A second passed before the same realization came into their own heads.

"Shit!" Ikkaku cursed. That was an understatement.

There was a boy somewhere in the part of the forest just flooded by Arashi and with no way to contact for help. And no one knew whether he was alive or not.

Ichigo was not in a good mood. No, he was not. In fact, he was a hundred if he rated his anger on a scale from one to ten. After getting his butt kicked and 'washed' by the two he was now with the white haired taichou of division ten. Add that to the fact he was soaking wet, no way to figure out where his friends are, and two rogues on the run it was amazing he hasn't killed anything yet.

Hitsugaya's patience with Ichigo was wearing thin as well. "Calm your temper, Kurosaki. Your reiatsu is flowing out wildly," the boy twitched.

"Calm down? To hell with that!" Ichigo snapped. "We don't know where the hell everyone is and there's two crazy chicks running around! How the heck do you expect me to calm down?!"

"Enough!" the boy ordered, Ichigo's temper finally on the verge of his patience. He came to a halt in one of the tree branches, the orange head doing the same a few branches ahead. His teal eyes sent a cold look toward shim. "I understand your concern but there's nothing you can do about that now. All we can do now is find Izumi and Arashi before they cause any more harm or danger." That did not go over well with the shinigami representative.

"So that's it? Just abandon everyone else and finish this mission?" Ichigo retorted. Hitsugaya's eyes narrowed while the temperature dropped a few degrees.

"Do not twist my words around, Kurosaki. And keep your temper under control. You could get us killed with it."

Ichigo's eyes flared. "Why you---" he never finished, having heard a sudden crack behind him. Turning around, he quickly scanned for whoever made the sound. He couldn't see anything nor sense anybody. Just empty branches and snow.

More footsteps echoed across the ground, snapping the twigs that littered the forest floor. Each footstep sounded closer than the last. Gripping his zanpakutō, Ichigo went into a battle stance, ready to jump once he got a clear few of the person or thing. Hitsugaya was the same, eyes calculating.

The footsteps stopped, the person just to the edges of the shinigamis' vision. Both of them could see two legs, indicating the person was human or resemble the shape of one. Seeing this as enough, Ichigo took off from the branches, surprising the white haired taichou.

"Kurosaki!"

Ichigo didn't listen, too focused on this person. Pulling an arm back, he swung his shikai form zanpakutō at them, hoping to catch them by surprise. However, he was the one caught by surprise when all he felt Zangestu cut was air before crashing into the snow with tremendous force. Smoke and snow flew in all directions. Narrowing his eyes, Ichigo pulled it back and was about to swing again when an all too familiar voice spoke out.

"I thought that you would have been wiser to know who I was, Ichigo."

Widening his eyes, Ichigo halted and instead squinted through the haze of smoke. He caught sight of a tall, dark figure standing some feet away. As it cleared, Ichigo could distinctly make out that short hair and glasses they were wearing.

"Uryū!"

The said Quincy pushed his glasses up as he stared at his startled shinigami friend, if he could call him that. He had managed to jump out of the way before Ichigo tried to cut him in two. He noted Hitsugaya's angry expression at Ichigo but didn't say anything about it.

"I was wondering whose voices I heard belong to. Though by the way you're loud voice could be heard from anywhere, I won't be surprised that the others should be on their way now," Uryū said calmly.

Twitch.

"You trying so say something, wise guy?!" Ichigo growled, feeling like he was just insulted. Uryū looked at him with a smirk.

"Merely stating a fact."

PULSE VEIN.

Hitsugaya closed his eyes. "Quit it you two. We don't have time to banter over stupid things." He opened his eyes and twitched when the two seemed to have not heard what he just said at all. "Idiots…"

A loud explosion suddenly erupted near the base of the mountain, sending tremors throughout the ground. Trying not to lose balance, the two shinigamis and Quincy listened as two more explosions suddenly occurred in the same area as the first. The wind had begun to pick up again and the dark clouds filling the sky thundered. Without a spoken command, the three took off.

It didn't take them long to reach the base of the mountain. Numerous holes, trees snapped in two, and large puddles of water greeted the three as they landed. But they were soon sent in various directions when a boulder almost landed on top of them. And the welcoming committee decided to send them another 'warm' welcome with a gust of cold wind.

Uryū landed calmly on his two feet, glancing at what he was facing against. However, he already had a brief idea of who they were. And how right he was when he felt a certain blonde's voice snap out at him.

"Quincy-boy? Ah, come on!" Izumi snapped, crossing her arms. She was crouched on top of tall tree, glaring at the boy. Though, she was sprouting some new injuries that he believed wasn't there before. Arashi was nowhere to be seen.

"What? Not happy to see us?" Ichigo retorted, a smirk twitching at his lips. It vanished when Izumi sent him a green cold glare complied with a gust. The girl was not amused.

Before the blond girl could say anything, a loud explosion was heard somewhere to the right of them. Almost ten smaller ones followed suit. Surprise and confusion spread across everyone's faces as Izumi's eyes narrowed and the wind reached hurricane speed.

Not bothering to send them a goodbye wave, Izumi leaped off her branch and towards the explosion. A shout echoed in her sudden departure before three more sets of footsteps followed. The girl groaned in annoyance as she picked up speed, trying to pull ahead of the others. They weren't going to let her go away that easily.

Ichigo, Hitsugaya, and Uryū followed Izumi towards another field, this one more devastated than the last. Holes the size of craters was practically everywhere and trees tossed aside as if they were twigs. Large quantities of snow were replaced with puddles of soggy water. And the damage kept building thanks to two blurs constantly clashing in the sky above.

Izumi took one glance at the two blurs in the sky and mumbled something under her breath. Without hesitation, the girl shot up towards the fight. Holding her right arm out to the side, wind gathered around it until it began forming the shape of a sword. A long, silver sword appeared out of the wind, a dark green hilt with silver vines circling two overlapping hearts as the guard. Gripping the sword, she swung the sword from left to right, creating a slice of wind right towards the right.

The speed was outstanding, barely seen by the naked eye. Within seconds it soared through the air were the two blurs were fighting. Just when it seemed it was about to crash into the two, the two blurs separated as the wind harmlessly passed them. Her attack had missed.

The after effect of the attack was another. Backlash from Izumi's swing forced almost the exact same amount of wind back towards the ground. The two shinigamis and Quincy were forced to cover their heads as the wind bit their face. Their feet dug into the ground as they tried to save themselves from flying into the few remaining trees left around them.

"What the hell?! Are you trying to kill me?!" Arashi snapped, panting from where she stood in the air. Her blue hair was matted and stuck to her skin. Her clothes were almost in rags and blood seemed to be coming from various wounds on her body. An arm gripped her shoulder, trying to stop the bleeding.

Izumi rolled her eyes. "Okkkk… Jeez, next time you need your butt saved, save it yourself!" she yelled back, landing next to her companion. Amber eyes glared at her but didn't respond.

Hitsugaya eyed the two rogues, determining whether or not they were threats for now. Deciding that they weren't in any condition to run in the minute, he turned to see who the other blur was. All he saw was a figure covered in a black cloak clutching a silver katana. It had a crimson red hilt with a guard eerily similar to a yin-yang symbol but completely of glass.

The unknown figure glanced at the two rogues across from them before at the three below. They tensed when they saw that they had become the undivided attention of this other mysterious figure. It was silent,

Then the figure vanished.

Surprised, everyone, including the rogues, looked around, trying to figure out where they had gone. Their first sign was when the person reappeared right in front of Izumi and Arashi, startling the two. And without even a warning, both of them were sent flying backwards.

But it didn't stop there. Vanishing again, the figure then reappeared in the middle of where Ichigo, Hitsugaya, and Uryū were standing. Using the element of surprise to their advantage, they twirled their katana into a circle, forcing them to either duck or jump out of the way. Once finished, the figure disappeared again.

Landing on his butt, Ichigo looked up before seeing the approaching blade coming right at his face. Doing the only thing he could think of at the moment, he held up Zangestu one second before he would have a blade right between his eyes. He squinted as the sparks flew between his blade and theirs.

Pushing back, he parried another blow from them before trying a counterattack to the right. They vanished instantly and Ichigo pivoted around, blocking the second attack aimed towards his head. Gritting his teeth, the shinigami representative decided he had enough of their vanishing act. Forcing them back, he sent out his all-time used attack.

"Getsuga Tenshō!"

BOOM!

Smoke covered the field, blocking out all sight. No one could be seen. There were the distinct sounds of something crashing to the ground but no one knew what. A sharp but gentle breeze blew across the field, carrying the smoke away. And what was left them speechless.

What was supposed to be where the figure remained was a pile of sticks.

Everyone stared with wide eyes at the pile of sticks. How the heck were they supposed to think? A pile of sticks! They were fighting a pile of sticks! Ichigo didn't know whether to be pissed or be pissed. Yup, he's pissed.

"What the hell?!" the boy exploded. His eyebrow twitched violently as he continued to stare at the pile of sticks. "What the hell is this?!"

"Ichigo!" a voice suddenly called out to him. Turning around, Ichigo saw Renji, Rukia, and the rest of his friends running out of the forest. A part of his anger melted, happy to see his everyone safe again.

"Guys!"

Arashi snorted as everyone reunited with each other. "Oh this is disgusting. I'm gonna be sick." Izumi poked Arashi's arm.

"Aw, I think it's sweet!" Arashi glared at her.

"Don't start."

"No," a new voice no one heard before interrupted, causing everyone to jump. "I agree with her. This is kind of sick."

Eyes severed around, trying to pinpoint the source of the voice. Rukia spotted them first. It was a girl leaning against one of the trees across the field from the group. She had maroon layered red hair and hazel brown eyes. The same cloak that the figure was wearing covered her, her katana resting next to her.

Ikkaku growled at the girl. "Who the hell are you?" Said girl glanced at him for a brief moment before turning away. Ignored guy pulsed a vein. "Hey! I'm talking to you, brat!"

The girl sighed. "How many times have I heard someone call me brat?" another sigh. "WAY too many, I tell you." She turned towards Hitsugaya. "Hey there, shorty."

Cue glances between girl and Hitsugaya.

"Taichou, you know this girl?" the tenth division fukutaichou asked, bewildered. Her taichou shook his head, eyes narrowing on the girl.

"No, not exactly," he answered vaguely. Looks passed between everyone. "But she talked to me once."

"Correct-o!" the girl cheered, scaring everyone. She grinned at Hitsugaya. "I thought you'd be the one to figure it out."

"So you're the one blaming everything on Izumi and Arashi," Rukia accused. Many blank looks spread again. Only the ones that were with Rukia when they separated understood what she was talking about. The girl shrugged.

"Maybe… Maybe not. Where's your proof?"

"Your denial says everything."

"Do you know that for sure?"

"Nani?"

Izumi nodded slowly. "She's right. This is the first time I'm seeing her for the first time. And she isn't the one that sent the Hollows after us 'cause he was boy."

"Someone sent Hollows after you?!" Matsumoto exclaimed. Arashi nodded her confirmation.

"Why do you think we been spending more than a few days at this stupid resort?" the girl snapped, eyes trained on the girl leaning against the tree. "Every time we tried leaving we get attacked by a large swarm of Hollows. And unless we stayed, the more they came."

"Then why didn't you say that to the shinigamis you almost killed?" Renji scowled. The two girls looked at each other in surprise.

"I thought we just forced them to flee," Izumi said. Arashi responded with, "So did I."

"Hold on a minute," Ichigo interrupted, taking a step forward. "Are you telling us you did nothing more than just scare them off?" Izumi sent him a look.

"What was I speaking? Idiot?"

Twitch.

The girl sighed, bringing all attention back to her. However, she wasn't looking at them. She was looking upwards towards a cliff high above anyone else. A grin was spreading on her face as she continued to face the empty looking ledge.

"You want to tell them or should I?" the girl called in English. A chuckle echoed back down towards her.

"What? And ruin all the fun?"

"You already did!"

"…Oops."

Sigh.

"Idiot."

"Who the heck are you talking to?!" Ichigo demanded. The girl turned back towards him and grinned.

"I'm surprised. After all, my partner already knows quite a bit about you."

"Yeah. Don't you remember me?" the voice from the ledge called down, revealing themselves from out of thin air. All eyes widened once again at the identify of this person. Izumi and Arashi's eyes narrowed at them, knuckles turning white from their grip on their zanpakutōs.

"YOU!!!"

Orihime covered her mouth in shock. "No way…"

Yumichika's eyes looked on in disgust. "Something seemed really ugly about you."

"I don't believe it…" Rukia gasped.

Ikkaku snorted. "And to think you were even worth the worry."

"You're a son of a bitch," Renji growled.

"Bastard," Ichigo spat. The person looked offended at all the things being fired at him.

"I'm hurt! You don't have to say such things about me!"

The girl shook her head in defeat. "This is what you get for tricking them, you know." He chuckled, not at all really offended. In fact, it looked like he was enjoying it.

"Yeah, but," Riki answered, hands behind his brown hair. "It makes it all the more fun in the end. Right?"

Everyone: WHAT THE HECK!?

Me: ???

Ichigo: ANOTHER CLIFFHANGER?! Can you not just get on with the arc and finish it?

Mitsuki: -nods head-

Mitsuki: Yeah! I want to do the Valentine's Arc!

Everyone: -pales-

Everyone: THAT'S WORST!!!

Yachiru: Why? I get to make an---

Matsumoto: -hands her a bag of candy-

Yachiru: CANDY! Yay! Arigatou, Boobies!

Yachiru: -eats candy-

Kaida: -sweat drops-

Kaida: That's one way to not get her to spoil the next arc.

Everyone: Hm…

Me: Anyways… next chapter is unknown for release. I have a rough idea how the plots going to end up. Hopefully it will be finished soon.

Renji: Let's hope so…

Me: So, with that note, good day/night! And happy belated Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year!

Everyone: Ja ne!

Mitsuki: GIVE ME SOME CANDY!

Mitsuki: -lunges at Yachiru-

Yachiru: MY CANDY!!!

Everyone: -sweat drops and watches the fight-

*~Kira~*