Disclaimer: Bleach, its characters and its settings aren't mine

"Where the hell are we going to?"

"Seireitei put in a new facility," replied Hanataro. "Storage for gigai, parking for the captains, that sort of thing. Right now there's no one in it."

"Of course not, it's the middle of the night!"

"We released a minor hollow," said Renji, "to draw off the guard. We put Byakuya's car back and take the secret tunnel to the Rukongai. No one will ever know we were here."

Hana had some sort of remote, he triggered it and opened some sort of store-front garage down the block. A minute later we were out of Byukuya's car, the three of them had dropped off their gigai and we were out of the building. Hanataro locked the door behind us.

"Why'd you even bother with the gigai?"

"Harder to trace us," Renji snapped. "come on, get a move on."

"Ichigo," said Hanataro, "I may need a hand, I'm not that quick on my shunpo yet."

"Yeah, no trouble," I said absently.

"Seal that damn sword," muttered Ikkaku. "This falls apart the moment someone recognizes that thing."

I forced Zangetsu into his sealed form.

Hanataro's shunpo weren't that bad, a few minutes later we were at a bit of a clearing in the forest, a few kilometers from town. Yumichika was there, on his knees with his Zampakuto stuck into the ground, concentrating furiously.

He was holding some kind of gate open, this wasn't an official portal to the soul society.

"About - bloody - time," snarled Yumichika. I can't - hold - this - any - bloody longer-"

There was no time to think. Ikkaku grabbed him, Renji and I grabbed Hanataro and we flash stepped into the gate.

It was far to the other side and the passageway was collapsing quickly. Any slower - and I mean any slower then our flash steps and we wouldn't have made it before the gate collapsed. Yumichika and Ikkaku were barely clear when it shut behind them.

We'd made it to the soul society.

The gate would have collapsed quicker if not for another old friend.

Ganju, seated with his hands up, muttering his kido. He grinned at me but he didn't say anything.

We'd landed in another forest clearing, this one a world away, though there was still moonlight. Nothing else, not a lantern, nothing. Wouldn't do to have anyone know we were here.

Hanataro was already moving to tend to Yumichika. I would never have thought a guy from Forth would willingly have anything to do with guys from eleventh. A lot had changed since I was escorted off the premises.

"He's exhausted," Hanataro said, "but he'll be fine."

"We should go," muttered Ganju.

I was beginning to think this was Hanataro's evil twin or something, he helped Yumichika to his feet and Yumichika didn't even protest. Our pretty friend was in bad shape.

"First, everyone gather round," said Ikkaku. "It's time for the entertainment portion of our program." He pulled scissors from his sleeve.

"We made it," said Renji. He squeezed my shoulder. Hana grinned and punched me lightly in the arm. Ikkaku just grinned that Ikkaku grin.

"Okay," said Renji. "Let's get that hair off."

"I second that," said Ganju. "Let's get rid of that damn dandelion head."

They all thought this would work. I couldn't imagine the risks they were taking to give me this second chance. No, it was more than that. They were going to make it work. They were going to make this work for me.

My friends.

For the first time in three years I felt like a human being.

"Let's do this."

My head was cold. They'd gone through with their promise and shaved me as bald as Ikkaku. Ikkaku had looked approvingly and said "Sleek."

Great, just what I've always wanted to be. Sleek.

Ganju was grinning at my newly bald head. He pointed at the ground, burned my fallen hair with a kido.

Leave no evidence behind.

"How many people are in on this?"

"This is the smallest crew we thought could pull it off," said Hanataro. He'd been watching crime films again.

"You don't need to know if anyone else is involved, Ichigo," said Renji. "If this goes south-"

If this goes south I can't give up names I don't know. That's fair.

"Time to go," said Ganju.

I don't willingly ride pigs but I did better that either Ikkaku or Renji. Wish I'd had a camera. Yamichika was actually very good at it, though I don't think he'd be happy if anyone found out. Even exhausted he was better than anyone but Ganju. Ganju didn't say another word, but it was good to see his grin.

Less than an hour later we were at the academy.

The others disappeared, only Renji stayed to take me inside.

I vaguely recognized the guy at the desk, though it pains me to say I couldn't remember his name. One of Renji's friends, from sixth squad.

"This is the friend I was telling you about."

He nodded.

Renji muttered "we'll be in touch Ichigo. Don't try to contact us until we tell you it's safe." Then he was gone.

This guy was - had been part of 6th squad, now he was running the night desk at the academy? Exactly the desk we needed? Just how long had they been setting up this crazy plan of theirs? It wasn't long before I'd been issued a uniform and paperwork saying I had advance standing. I was a first year student in a seven year program, but my paperwork said I'd already earned my Zampakuto.

All I had to do was fill in a name at the top.

I chose Sado Kon.

Renji's friend told me where my room was, told me to go wander around the gardens until the sun came up.

I was on my own.

Bald.

I spent the rest of the night thinking about what had happened to Kon and my body. It was an accident, just an ugly accident that could have happened to anyone. Renji and the others had plotted and prepared, but I knew they hadn't hurt Kon. I took some comfort in that. It had been an accident. It was still good to know the guys had been ready to catch me before I fell.

Still, it'd be very interesting to know how they'd timed the whole thing.