Ichigo's point of view:

She fell onto the bed. "Are there more of you?"

"Hell yeah there are!" I yelled as Renji and I jumped in through the window.

"Who do you think you are? You can't just walk into my room! Get out, get out, get out!" she jumped up and started throwing pillows at us.

Munchkin jumped in front of the chick. "Talia, these buffoons are with me. Don't worry about them. They're just annoying."

I scratched the back of my head. "Sorry miss. I wasn't thinking before I just jumped in."

She glared, but let it go.

I turned to see where pineapple head had gotten to, since he was way too quiet for comfort. He was sitting on the floor brooding. It's kinda his thing when he's in a pensive mood. It's best to just let him do his thing without interrupting, so I just turned away.

Short stuff and mission kid were in deep conversation. I decided to butt in. I turned to Toshiro. "So what's the plan man?"

He glared at me. He opened his mouth to probably scold me for my 'impolite street talk' but the girl, Talia, interrupted him first.

"Plan? Oh no. There will not be any planning until I am told exactly what is going on right now. Things are really not going good right now. When can I go home?" Her face was turning red. Damn, she was mad.

Toshiro pinched the bridge of his nose. "Talia. Just trust me. It's better for you and your family if you don't know anything. Just let us take care of things, and get this over with." He turned to me. "Could you have any worse timing strawberry?"

Really? I can't say 'man,' but he can call me a strawberry? "You really wanna go—"

"So how long should this take Captain?" Renji was finally done thinking in his little corner.

Toshiro shook his head. "Wish I knew Abarai. We just stand guard until we get commands to do otherwise."

Talia threw her hands in the air. "I'm done. Guard me all you want. I'm gonna sleep. And pray to God that this never happened."

Renji turned to her, as if he hadn't seen her before her latest outburst. "You're Talia? Hmm, I am sensing somewhat high spiritual pressure. Nowhere near to where Ichigo's though." He mused to himself.

She looked at Renji with a puzzling look on her face. "Spiritual pressure?"

Renji started answering with no hesitation. "It's the amount—"

"I need to go back to the Seritei. You two are in charge. Don't make me regret this." Toshiro interrupted. Then, before I could think of a smart answer, he jumped out the window and flash-stepped away. We all watched as he disappeared into the darkness.

Talia turned back from the window. "When can I learn that?"

Renji rolled his eyes and I laughed. "Hopefully you won't have to any time soon," I turned to my partner. "Yo! Pineapple! Where are our gigais? I wanna see 'em!"

He hesitated, but pulled out an orange and a red fluffy thing. He passed me the orange one. "Here,"

I held it up. "This is not happening. No. I refuse. I'll just stay on earth as a soul. I will not be—"

"A CAT!" Talia yelled, as she snatched my faux body out of my hands. Renji and I stared at her with mirrored expressions of 'freaked-out-edness' as she snuggled with it.

"What do I get? Can I be something? How about a tiger! I wanna be a tiger! Or a puppy, like Toshiro! CanIcanIcanIcanI?" She was jumping up and down with her hands clasped together as she begged us with puppy dog eyes.

Renji and I just kept looking at her. Finally, I gained composure. "Well, I guess I'll take the first shift of guard duty, and you baby sit Renji. 'KAY BYE! GOOD LUCK!" I yelled as I swiftly ran outside.

"WAIT NO! TAKE ME WITH YOU!" But it was too late, I was long gone.

The sound of her begging Renji and his groans and the slam of his head against a wall slowly became nonexistent noise as I ran far enough away.

Where was my midget? Not Hitsugaya. Rukia. My best friend. She was supposed to be here with me and Renji. She was thrown in by Byakuya because he saw this as a safe place to train her. Now where is she?

Then, as if answering my questions, I saw a small figure jumping on buildings towards my direction.

"Rukia!" I waved her over towards me. As she got closer though, I noticed she ran frantically. Once I could really see her, I could see that she had tattered robes, and was bleeding.

I automatically retrieved my sword, and got into a stance ready to fight.

"Rukia, what happened?" I grabbed her so she wouldn't fall.

"Ichigo!" She was panting. "I killed one. The other got away. I came to get you as fast as I could. Where's the girl?"

"Let's go. Come on." I bent down to carry her. She let me with no protest. She was definitely injured then. She never just let me hold her. I looked down to ask her who she fought, but she was already passed out.

I looked at the cuts she had all over her. I blanched, and held her tighter to my body.

I ran to the house as fast as I could.