A/n: I'm back~! After my long break. I've finally managed to finish this. I'll be starting the next one soon, where a lot of humor will come into play. There's still humor in this one. Yoruichi makes her first appearance in this chapter. I strayed from the chapter and added a bit, and took away quite a bit. It still works. I also realized with the last chapter that I never got to really introduce Chad. ._.; I'll be adding him into a dream flashback in one of the next two chapters with the rooftop scene in the beginning of the chapter Yuichi the parakeet comes in. I like that scene, therefore, I'm using it. Now, the Soul Society Arc begins. Next Chapter is where Jidanbo, Gin, and Ganju come in.. Comedy in itself. Oh! And one more thing. To my reviewer who asked about Hichigo also being a girl, think about it, how odd do you think it would be for Ichigo to have two males voices in her head constantly? Don't you think she'd go a little insane?
Warnings: Yoruichi (Enough said), more nicknames for Ichigo, and Urahara being an idiot.
Other: italics - is the Flashback. The other writing is just the normal story.
Disclaimer: Still don't own Bleach... Damn you Kubo with you and your freaking plot twists! And you're strange limb cutting fettish! (Seriously, he seems to like characters getting their limbs cut off. -.-)
Ichigo sighed as she sat on her bed, window open. She had been instructed to do so by Urahara the week prior when her traning ended. She shut her eyes as she began to look back and think about what Urahara had told her.
---
Ichigo's eyes opened slowly. She noticed she was still down in Urahara's training room and sat up abruptly. Urahara was perched on a nearby rock with a small black cat sitting beside him. Ichigo soon began to wonder where exactly said cat came from.
"Ah! You're awake", Urahara said in a chipper tone, waving his fan around, "Good! I was beginning to wonder... You sure used up a lot of spirit energy in that attack... You nearly destroyed the ground, and you killed my hat!" Urahara pouted at the last bit, pointing to the nick in his hat. "But, you passed none the less."
Ichigo let out a sigh of relief and her eyes widened at the giant crevice created in the ground and began to sputter as Urahara confirmed it was she who did that. The cat then jumped down from its place on the rock beside Urahara.
"So this is her, hm", the cat said in a normal voice, the tone deep suggesting it was a male.
Ichigo jumped in surprise and scooted back a little in shock. She blinked multiple times before fixing the cat with a look that voiced her complete and utter confusion. "And I thought nothing else could shock me after everything I've seen", she said dryly to herself.
"You'd think you would be used to it by now, Ichigo-san", the cat commented rolling its eyes.
Ichigo gave a sigh of relief. "Finally, someone who doesn't give me or call me a ridiculous nickname", she said giving the cat a thankful look, "You are by far the only person at this moment I'm not hating for the nicknames... Well, err, cat I should say I guess..."
"Good to know, I suppose", the cat said in an uncertain tone, "Now, Ichigo, in one week you'll be heading off to the soul society... I've trained your two friends with their powers and they are ready... I do not know if the Quincy will join our quest or not... If not, it will be you three and I..."
"You're coming too", Ichigo asked with a raised eyebrow, "As a guide, I presume... But how will you be able to do much for us?... Err, then again, you probably aren't really a cat..."
The cat smiled lightly. "I suppose you are much smarter than they say", it commented lightly to which Ichigo glared at the feline, "No, I am not really a cat... It is my disguise if you will... And, you may call me Yoruichi..."
"Yoruichi, ne", Ichigo said with a light smile, "Nice to meet you, Yoruichi-san... Now, answer me this, are you really male, or is that for disguising purposes as well?"
Yoruichi stared at Ichigo with a surprised look before smiling at her fondly. "I suppose you would be able to easily see through this, since you yourself have disguised yourself as a boy most of your life", Yoruichi said with a chuckle, "I give you credit for picking up my true gender..."
Yoruichi soon was surrounded by a cloud of smoke. As the cloud cleared, it revealed a beautiful, tall black woman. Her violet hair was long, reaching her hips. Urahara's robe was thrown around her shoulders before the smoke cloud could clear. Yoruichi sent him a thankful look and pulled the robe around herself tightly. She then smiled fondly down at Ichigo.
"So this is our great, Ichigo Kurosaki", Yoruichi said with a smile.
"I wouldn't say great", Ichigo commented dryly, "There's nothing interesting about me... Besides the bit about being a soul reaper..."
"So he hasn't told you yet, then", Yoruichi said with a smile and a shake of her head.
"Who hasn't told me what", Ichigo asked in confusion.
Yoruichi looked over her shoulder at her friend with an exasperated look. "Why haven't you told her", she asked, "She should know."
"Now isn't the right time", Urahara said with a shake of his head, "Besides, I'm sure she'll get it explained to her by you anyways..."
Yoruichi gave a light smile. "True enough", she said with a smile before turning back to Ichigo, who was giving her a curious look, "Tell me, Ichigo, among your numerous nicknames, which are common?..."
"That depends on who you ask", Ichigo said dryly, "The common one now seems to be Hime or Kisaki... Zangetsu seems to like calling me Kisaki for some reason... What reason that is, I have no idea..." With that, she shot a glare at Urahara, who grinned sheepishly in response.
"Ah, he already knows", Yoruichi said with a smile, "Well, your zanpaku-to is referring to you by the title that will come to you later on..."
Ichigo blinked repeatedly in confusion. "A... queen", she asked softly, "Me?... Of what?"
"That I won't spoil for now", Yoruichi said with a grin, "You can figure out that one as you go along..."
Ichigo frowned in annoyance. "Why does everyone speak in freaking cryptic clues", she asked in annoyance, to which the other two laughed in amusement.
----
So, that leads us to where we are now. Ichigo sat on her bed, suddenly having second thoughts. She began to get a bad feeling and before she knew it, something flew through the window and splattered over her closet. She wondered in disgust what it could be before the substance on her closet doors began to form a message. It read: 'Gather in front of Urahara Shoten immediately'. Urahara's name was scrawled in the bottom left hand portion of the message.
"The hell, Urahara", Ichigo ground out in annoyance, "This looks like it was written by a murder victim with his own blood. The better fricking go away..." She then noticed the P.S. at the bottom.
'To those who saw this and thought it was some written-in-murder-victim's-blood horror cliché: you have no sense of humor, big time.'
"Shut the hell up", Ichigo half yelled as she threw a pillow at the message in annoyance.
Ichigo soon dressed herself in normal clothes and slung a messenger bag over her shoulder. She mumbled her goodbyes to her family under her breath while Karin and Yuzu slept soundly above in their room. Ichigo stepped outside her house and gave a sigh. She then snapped to attention as she heard a very familiar shout of her name and side stepped out of the way, her father landing beside her face first into the ground.
"Dad, what are you doing", she asked with a sigh as she leaned down towards her crazy father who was mumbling someone about Ichigo making him proud.
"Before you left, I wanted to give you this", Isshin said, holding up a small talisman thing to his daughter, "It's a talisman your mother gave me a long time ago! It's for luck."
"Dad, I can't take this", Ichigo said shaking her head, pushing the talisman back to her dad.
Isshin took a hold of her hand and placed the talisman inside of her outstretched palm before closing her fingers around it. "Go ahead", he said with a light smile, "I'm not telling you to keep it. It's just for the trip. After you come home, I want it back. Just make sure you bring it back! Or I'll shave off my beard!!"
Ichigo rolled her eyes at her father's childish antics as usual, before smiling ever so slightly and nodding. "All right", she said softly, "I'll take it." Isshin nodded with a grin before Ichigo bid him farewell and took off.
As Ichigo ran through the streets, she ran into Orihime along the way. "Orihime", Ichigo asked curiously.
"Ah, Ichigo", Orihime said brightly, glad to see her friend on the way, "You got the summons as well I suppose... I was told I had no sense of humor." Her expression became downcast and gloomy.
"Don't worry, you aren't the only one", Ichigo said with a sigh, "Urahara has to create the weirdest ways of summoning people..." Orihime giggled lightly at this comment.
"So, you're sure about coming along", Ichigo asked, looking over at her friend in slight concern, "I don't want you to feel like you have to come."
Orihime slowed and Ichigo did as well. Orihime placed a hand on Ichigo's cheek and smiled kindly. "Ichigo-kun", she said softly and gently, "We're coming along with you, because we want to... We want to save Rukia just as much as you do... Don't think we're coming because we have to... We'll never leave you alone, Ichigo... What are friends for, right?"
Ichigo stared at Orihime for a moment in silence before a rare genuine smile graced her lips for a brief moment. "Thank you, Orihime", she said softly using her female voice, signifying the trust she held in Orihime. Both nodded at each other before heading off once more. Soon enough, they arrived at the Urahara shoten, but they weren't the first ones.
A young man, tall and strongly built with dark skin sat on the wooden bench outside the shop. He wore a simple white sleeveless shirt, long dark brown pants, and shoes. His scraggly dark brown hair hung limply around his head and some in his eyes, effectively giving him the tough guy look. His brown eyes stared ahead before flickering over towards the two approaching figures. He stood up slowly and faced them.
Ichigo looked up at the giant with a slight nod. "Chad", she greeted him softly, voice returned to its male tone. She was rewarded with one of the giant male's hands being placed on her head gently in an affectionate gesture. She smiled lightly in response, having long since grown used to this greeting from her good friend.
"Strawberry", the giant, Chad as he was commonly called among his friends, said softly in return.
"Are you sure about coming along", Ichigo asked, curiosity gracing her face for a moment, "It's only going to get tougher from here... I don't want you to go if you don't want to..."
"Ichigo", Chad said quietly, cutting her off, "We're going... We aren't going to let you go alone to save Rukia... We're coming whether you like it or not... What are friends for?" He gave a slight smile, to which Ichigo replied with a smile of her own. "Even though in our small group I'm outnumbered gender wise", he commented lightly.
Orihime giggled softly and Ichigo cracked a light grin. "Just make sure not to say anything about that to anyone", Ichigo said, half playful and half serious.
"Wouldn't dream of telling anyone", Chad responded softly.
"I still wonder what would happen if people found out you were actually a woman", Orihime said in amusement, smiling ever so slightly.
"They'd probably freak out, and all hell would break loose", Ichigo said with a snort, "Anyways... How'd you get here so early Chad?" She looked over at her giant friend curiously.
"I couldn't sleep", Chad replied quietly, "I was taking a walk and I got the summons over there." He pointed over to the sidewalk area not too far from the three where the message was. Ichigo sighed at Urahara's crazy antics and commented how the neighbors were going to love seeing it.
Ichigo then remembered something and she brought her head up. "Where's Uryu", she asked curiously, "Heard something about him coming too..."
"Oh, I bet he'll be here soon", Orihime said brightly with a smile.
"He's not coming", Chad said with a sigh.
"Chad", Orihime said with a pout.
"It's alright Orihime", Ichigo commented softly with a light smile to her, "Maybe it would be better if he didn't come... Besides, why would he anyways? He hates Soul Reapers... So I doubt he's going to come..."
"Doubt who's going to come", a voice said to the side of the group. All three of them turned to face the newcomer. He had slightly paled skin and dark blue hair that had a black tint to it. His dark blue eyes were framed by his glasses. His clothes were all white, and strangely designed, leading the group to believe he made them himself.
Ichigo snorted lightly as the Quincy made his appearance. She still swore he had to be gay... or at the very least bi. No guy she had ever met was so girly as to make clothes like Uryu did. Seriously, was he asking for ridicule? "Ah, so you finally decide to show up, Uryu", she commented lightly in a bored tone, "Didn't think you would..."
"I said I was going to train because I couldn't accept to losing to those soul reapers", Uryu said the slightest trace of annoyance to his voice at the reference of his fight with the two shinigami that had taken Rukia back to the Soul Society. He was still irked he had lost so easily to that maniac redhead, Renji, was that his name? He didn't know, nor care as long as he got a chance to pay back the idiot for making him look like a fool.
"Now I'm ready for a rematch", Uryu said in that same bored drone of his, "And I'll go where I have to for it." Uryu then was distracted by Orihime's appreciation, which he denied very quickly saying that he wasn't going to save Rukia. He then turned back to Ichigo. "But wait till we get there", he said with an almost arrogant look, "You'll see how much stronger I've really become."
Ichigo regarded him for a moment blinking a few times. "Uryu, I hope you realize you look like a complete and utter idiot", she couldn't help but point out, pointing at his clothes, "Seriously, I can not believe you walked all the way here in that stupid outfit..."
"I do not look stupid", Uryu barked back in annoyance glaring at Ichigo.
"Hey", the familiar voice of Kisuke Urahara said from off to the side. Everyone turned to face him, regarding him carefully. "The gang's all here", he commented with a grin, waving his signature fan about, "Excellent! Well then... inside I'll explain how to get to the Soul Society. Please listen carefully. Otherwise... you won't make it there alive..." He sent them a dark smile.
He soon led the three downstairs to the training area where Ichigo had become a Soul Reaper again a week prior. Ichigo stared around idly as Orihime gushed about how she loved the underground area, to which Tessai came seemingly out of no where and thanked her.
Urahara soon grabbed their attention and he snapped his fingers, causing four pillars to appear and form a gate like thing. He then went through the basics of the gate and how to get through it, also warning them of the dangers of it. He had to jab Ichigo with his cane a few times to shut her up, which did work. He then after his explanation expelled her spirit from her body. The other three crowded around her body curiously.
"Wow, that's so cool", Orihime gushed in an overly chipper tone poking Ichigo's now limp body.
"And the soul comes out so easily", Uryu commented.
"Oi, let go of my body", Ichigo said in light annoyance, thinking it was quite creepy for her body to be handled like a doll.
"Yeah", she heard an annoying, high pitched voice agree, and instantly looked at her shoulder where Kon, in all his lion plushy glory, stood, "I'll be taking care of that body for a while! So don't touch it!"
While the three others gawked at Kon, Ichigo simply took the lion plushy and held him in front of herself by his head to which the mod soul protested vehemently. "Kon, shut the fuck up", she said tossing him to the ground before stepping on him.
"OI", Kon yelled in annoyance as he struggled beneath Ichigo's foot, "GET OFF ME! Do you hear me?! I'll get you back, Ichigo! I swear I will! You know what I could do to you while you're away?! Huh, Ichigo-hi-"
"Finish that sentence, I fucking dare you", Ichigo growled darkly, a sadistic smile set on her lips as she picked up Kon and held his head tightly in her hand.
"Now, now, Kurosaki-hime", Urahara said with a grin before ducking out over the way of a sandal thrown at his head by a pissed off Ichigo, "No need to get upset~!"
"Would you quit it with the fucking nicknames", Ichigo ground out in annoyance, keeping up her male tone despite her foul mood, which normally led to letting it slip.
"What", Urahara said waving around his fan, "I think they're quite charming... and fitting." This time, the other sandal hit its mark and successfully hit Urahara in the head to which the shopkeeper whined.
"You just love to piss Ichigo-san off, don't you", Yoruichi said as she walked up behind them in her cat form, deep voice into play once more. She flicked her tail side to side as Ichigo gave a light wave in her direction to which the cat nodded slightly at the teen.
Ichigo then turned to Orihime, Chad, and Uryu with a curious look. "Okay, tell me, was I the only one that freaking out when the cat started talking", she asked the three in slight amusement.
"No", Orihime said with a giggle, "Chad and I were really surprised too... You should have seen Uryu when he heard Mr. Yoruichi speak. He totally freaked. It was really funny!" She smiled brightly and laughed a bit more in mirth while Uryu sputtered that he had in fact not done that, though both Orihime and Chad, as well as Yoruichi, confirmed it.
Ichigo rubbed the back of her head with a sigh before turning to Urahara. "So, shall we begin", she asked.
Urahara smiled lightly as the four got ready. "Are you all ready", he asked.
Yoruichi turned to the four with a serious look. "Remember, if you lose, you'll never be able to return to this world", she said seriously, "Are you sure you want to risk it all?"
"Just get on with this", Ichigo said in light annoyance but with fierce determination, "We've already got our minds made up... We're going to save Rukia... And we will win..." She nodded down at the feline with a serious look.
Yoruichi smiled lightly in response. "Alright then", she said turning away from them. 'I can tell from listening to her right now', she thought to herself, 'She'll make a wonderful Queen someday...'
Urahara began to prepare to open the gate. "Get ready to run in once its open", he said as he and Tessai poured in Kido and opened the gate.
Before the gate opened, Ichigo called over her shoulder to Kon, telling him to look after her family. She then ran inside the portal with her small group and thus began their journey through the Soul Society.
And there it is... Not too terribly great, but it'll get better later. This was a boring chapter. Next one I'll enjoy, 'cause it will include Ichigo smarting off to a lot of people. Well, as always, read and review. And also, a thought occured to me when I was planning one of my later scenes. Vizards have inner hollows, of course. So, does that mean Arrancar have inner shinigami? ._. I'm curious to know what you all think... Tell me your ideas to my theory.