Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Bleach, nor do I own their characters. So please, keep that in mind. I don't want to name names here, but…

A/N: I'm pissed. Steaming. Fuming. My STUPID flash drive has decided to grow legs and run away. I was half-way done editing chapter 21 before I lost it…Now I must start from scratch from the files I had saved on my computer already. This chapter probably won't be as awesome as it was before…sad, so sad. I swear I had the junk drive downstairs by my class picture, and next thing I know everything's been moved to accommodate Christmas décor. Thus, the drive is lost. I blame my mother.

On a better note, I finally get a chapter in using Naruto's POV! So happy! I love Naruto! I just hope I portrayed him right…

xXx

( Konoha: Ichiraku's Ramen Shop )

Damn those shinigami.

Truth be told, Naruto rather liked Rukia, and even Renji. He got quite a kick watching Renji beat up on Ichigo for that brief second in the Land of Iron. Renji got to hit Ichigo in a way Sakura would never allow Naruto to. The blond sighed, slumping further on the wooden barstool he currently sat on. Yes, he liked Rukia, Renji, and Kon, he just didn't like Ichigo.

The teen had his own special reasons for disliking Ichigo so severely. First of all, the tall brute spent so much time captivating Sakura with his foreign phrases, stories, and all around aura. It was sickening. Before Ichigo, Naruto thought he was getting fairly close to Sakura's heart, and not just as a friend. He thought that perhaps he could help erase Sasuke's painful memories and replace him in Sakura's heart. Oh, but not anymore it seemed. Not with Ichigo here.

However, it wasn't his choice who Sakura liked and who she didn't. She had free reign of her emotions, and Naruto was a kind soul. He couldn't hurt or go against Sakura's wishes, no matter how painful they were for him. When she liked Sasuke, there was nothing he could do but playfully ask her to reconsider. Slowly he'd gotten closer, but apparently not in the way he wanted. He wanted to be her boyfriend, not brother.

Alas, all Sakura saw him as was her brother. He could tell. She felt sorry for him because she could never return those warm feelings he desired so. But with Ichigo it was different. That shinigami had the right amount of pizzazz to reel a woman in and keep her there. His looks were spot-on, his jokes perfectly time, and although (to Naruto) his personality was spotty at best, he had an impeccable way with people. There was no possibility that Sakura would ever like Ichigo as a brother. He was too much of a hero to be seen like that.

A hero… It wasn't too long ago that Naruto was being held on the shoulders of proud and happy villagers cheering his name. He saw Sakura's face then, and he'd felt a glimmer of hope that she'd finally seen him as a man… Oh how close he was! Just a few more weeks and Naruto was determined to show the real man he had the potential to be. Yet he had been so distracted by the sudden welcoming vibe of the villagers that his real goal had been lost. Sakura laid forgotten in the deepest part of his mind while he went about the reconstructed Konoha, greeting and smiling at people who had once hated him like there was no tomorrow.

Still, even with his growing popularity, one problem remained: the Kyuubi. It may have been a helpful power, but Naruto resented the creature like he did Ichigo. He was jealous of its power, but knew how dangerous using such power could be. Perhaps it was the Kyuubi that kept Sakura at a distance, for Naruto was sure there wasn't any dark beast deep inside Ichigo. That shinigami was too modest, too pure to be infected by a dark force.

Pure…? Infected…? Naruto rubbed at his eyes hastily, unsure where his thoughts were turning. He decided to blame the awkward change of pace in his mind on the Kyuubi. For years it tried to poison him with its sick thoughts. He had to admit, it was hard to ignore all the sense the Kyuubi sometimes made. For example, only a day ago the Kyuubi was urging Naruto to take action against Ichigo and kill him.

Naruto pulled himself out of his head, his glazed eyes taking in the worried faces of the Ichiraku owners, Teuchi and Ayame. Teuchi stood over a cooking pot, curiously glancing to Naruto from the corner of his eyes, while his daughter Ayame leaned on the makeshift counter intently zeroed in on Naruto.

"Something wrong, Naruto-san?" Ayame kindly asked, hands hesitantly being wiped off on a rag. Once finished, she hung the rag back on the unpainted wall. Luckily for Naruto, Ichiraku had been one of the first buildings rebuilt, not because he liked it so much, but because it was near the center of the destruction.

Being the kind-hearted person he was known as, Naruto modestly scratched the back of his head, saying, "No, everything's fine. Good. Dandy." He paused to give a typical devilish grin. "Just thinking of how much I've missed ramen!"

Both Teuchi and Ayame laughed, but only one of them truly believed that. Teuchi focused more on his work, now convinced that everything was alright with Naruto. Ayame, on the other hand, was not so easily swayed. Her eyes didn't look away, despite her hearty chuckle.

"You are the Village Hero, I can imagine how busy you must be now." Ayame praised, closing her eyes in a delicate smile. "Ramen must take a back seat to all the action, huh?"

He shook his head in agreement. "You better believe it." His response was almost too quick, something he would be a utter fool not to notice. Silence ensued the small shack, in which both Naruto and Ayame had forced smiles plastered to their faces. Neither knew how to continue, but both understood that they needed to ease the tension and make the other stop worrying.

Luckily for the both of them, Teuchi was done with the ramen in no time. Prepared and displayed nicely in a bowl he slid it right in front of Naruto. The old man smiled honestly, and the other two in the shack released theirs with a sigh.

"First ramen made since this place got reconstructed. Go ahead, try it." Teuchi urged, pushing the decadent food closer to Naruto. "I wanna see if it tastes any different than before." His eyes gleamed with the eagerness of a Boy Scout first learning how to tie a knot. It was almost comical. Ayame giggled at her father and leaned on his side, wrapping her arm through his and looking to Naruto earnestly.

Naruto looked to the bowl hungrily, and although he wasn't completely happy or serene, he came close to it. It was lucky for him he had no idea Ichigo and Sakura went on a date just the other day, if he had he would have been crushed to a point that even ramen could not help. However, that was not the case, and his severe judgment on Ichigo was completely washed away with the thought of slurping his first bite.

Yet there was so much pressure. Both Ayame and Teuchi watched him closely pick up the chop sticks. Naruto felt his palms go sweaty, making it hard to grasp the sticks properly. He glanced from the bowl to the duo and back again. They were incredibly serious about this… Gulping, the teen shrugged off his anxiety. He knew what to do.

First bite was taken leisurely, the noodles being shoveled into his mouth. The shinobi slurped it down, one of the happiest smiles he could muster growing bigger and bigger by the noodle. His reaction was not fake, falsified. This was honest Naruto, taking a slow and delectable gulp of honest ramen; and he loved it. Indeed it had been so long since he lasted tasted the broth-y goodness that was Ichiraku's cooking! There were no words to describe the sensation in his mouth.

The paper drapery in the front of the shop was ruffled by a newcomer, causing Naruto –with a thick trail of noodles hanging out of his mouth- to swivel over and look. He was as pleased as day to see it was just Sakura, alone. The fact that he was unattractively slurping noodles at the time didn't seem to faze him.

Ayame and Teuchi, taking her entrance as a sign to give her and Naruto some space, went back to working with noodles, despite their obvious lack of customer. Nonetheless, Sakura owed the two. She did in fact need a private moment with Naruto.

As the roseate took a seat next to Naruto he gulped down the rest of his ramen, unsurprisingly. She smiled, happy to see that he hadn't changed since all that had happened to them. The smile fell when she reminded herself of her reason for being there, and what would have to happen next. Naruto noticed her smile fall, and instantaneously his happiness was drained as well.

"What's the matter, Sakura-chan?" Naruto inquired, turning to face her with his arm resting on the counter. Teuchi quietly slipped by and took the bowl away.

Sakura bit her lips, and from what he could see, was fighting back tears. She didn't say much, except "Tsunade wants to see us" and even that was hardly enough. All Naruto could imagine was that something had happened, and it involved a mission of some sort. But to send obviously distraught Sakura to fetch him? It had to have been serious, Tsunade trusted Sakura…

The two quietly left the shop, walking through Konoha until they came to the constructed replacement for the Hokage Tower they had been to only two days ago. Naruto followed Sakura into the building. Inside, Tsunade sat at a desk with Shizune and Kakashi flanking either side. Also in the room and lining the walls were Kiba, Akamaru, and Shino. Naruto was focused on all of the sullen faces in the room.

Tsunade stood up and walked to the front of her desk, leaning against it. "I'm glad you could join us, Naruto." She stated glumly, jaw clenched. No, her obviously repressed anger was not because of Naruto's late entrance. There was a whole matter besides that one that he was yet to know, but would know soon.

Shizune stepped forward and placed a hand on Tsunade's shoulder encouragingly. It was known that sometimes Tsunade felt too emotional and attached to certain missions and people, and when that happened Shizune was always there for support. The medic nin glanced once over the group, before stating, "There's been a kidnapping."

Tsunade roughly rested one hand on the file on her desk, pushing it forward for all to see with her knuckles. "Three days ago, Hinata Hyuuga was sent to accompany former Genin Team 10 on a covert mission to a former Orochimaru hideout. We have reason to believe that Kabuto is taking refuge in several of the old bases, and sent them to scout out the surrounding area."

This is where Tsunade looked tense, her knuckles a pale white while she kept her hands in tight fists. She took a deep breath. "About six hours ago they were scheduled to report back to Konoha. So far, we have received nothing. A second group we sent out found a dead wolf summons at their last known location…"

Shizune took it over from there. "We think they were discovered and taken captive, and during the struggle they killed one of the summons."

Naruto quirked a brow. "There were more wolves?" He asked.

Sakura nodded her head. "Wolf prints in the woods suggest at least three others, and a person."

Naruto ground his teeth together, not liking the sound of things. Hinata, Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji were out at that base somewhere, likely dead. His friends…his comrades. Solemnly he smiled, "I bet they gave their captors a shitload of trouble."

All in the building seemed to nod at his comment. Yet they all seemed to be in disbelief about it, Naruto included. Those four were some of the strongest shinobi, that it almost seemed unlikely for them to be taken captive so…easily and without word.

Kakashi ended the eerie silence by clearing his throat. They all looked to him. 'That being said, there isn't much time to save them before they're killed, or relocated. We have to act fast." He crossed his arms.

"Yes, that we do." Tsunade agreed, quickly looking to Sakura. "Sakura, you and Ichigo encountered similar wolves outside Konoha before, is that right?" Tsunade got a hesitant nod. "Good. I want you to assemble a team, Ichigo included, to go to the location and rescue the team. Shino and Kiba are free and willing to aid," she sternly looked at Naruto, "and I expect you to go with them, Naruto."

The Hokage sighed, strolling back to her seat. "Normally I would never send a team so emotionally-invested in a mission, but I believe that in this case that is the best course of action to take. While you gather your team, Kakashi will give you the mission specs." Tsunade glanced longingly over to cabinet on the far side of the room,

"I need a drink…" she murmured.

xXx

( Konoha: Third Training Ground )

Rukia was happy to be surrounded by her friends, Ichigo and Kon both sitting on tree stumps next to her. The fact that the grounds had sentimental significance to their shinobi allies was unknown to them, and even if they had known it wouldn't have changed much. They still treated the place like it was just that, a place. Sitting on the stumps leisurely, she lightly punched Ichigo in the arm.

"So, how'd it go?" She asked, raising her eyebrows in reference to all the "fun" he must have had on his date with Sakura. Ichigo was easily appalled.

"What? NO! No, no…no… Don't raise your eyebrows like that, nothing happened." He told Rukia, including Kon with his warning. "It was just an innocent outing, first of all, and we just talked."

Kon snorted crudely, his little stuffed animal body looking (and probably feeling) out of place.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. Being friends with these two was starting to take its toll, he could already feel the creases on his forehead from all the times he had to knit his eyebrows together…precisely like he was doing now.

The senior shinigami sighed. "Fine, fine, we'll drop it." She told him, glancing to Kon before continuing, "I mean, I will drop it, for sure. There's no way to be sure about Kon, though." Rukia scratched her chin suspiciously yet in a playful way. Teasing could be fun when you did it right.

Ichigo chuckled. "You're right. He does seem a little questionable." He responded, taking yet another look at his surprisingly girly body. Who knew Sakura owned such a stuffed animal…

Kon crossed his arms in defiance and turned away from the duo, ignoring them completely. "Onee-san, Ichigo, you are cruel…" Fake tears seemed to loll down his furry cheeks.

Both reapers smiled and chuckled, looking at one another amusingly. "Anyways," Rukia mumbled, hugging her knees to her chest, "since we can't talk about your 'outing', and we can't mock Kon, there's only one thing left to talk about…business." There was a sort of serious gleam to her eyes that changed the whole atmosphere of the training ground. "How does your body feel, Ichigo? This is the third day you've been in it since Kon's training."

Ichigo shrugged nonchalantly. "Heavier…I think. And it's not gained weight or anything, I just feel loaded down with something. Probably the Chakra, right?" Rukia nodded in response. "Right," he continued, "did I mention that sometimes I will be signing a Jutsu, and it's completely out of the blue. I lit Kana's stove for dinner with fire…how?" He turned to Kon for answers.

The toy looked over his shoulder and curtly said, "Weak fireball Jutsu."

The teen pretended like he knew what Kon was talking about and nodded. "Ahh…"

With the lack of conversation, Rukia occupied her interest by looking over the training grounds. If it hadn't been for their silence, she would have never noticed the figure approaching from the distance, or more specifically, the girl approaching. It was easy to tell who it was considering Rukia spent two nights at her house, hovering around her parents like a ghost.

However, something about Sakura was off. The kunoichi usually had a pleasant and content sway to her walk. Instead she seemed like a statue on rollers, sliding down the hill of the training grounds at an alarming pace. Rukia felt her forehead crease with confusion, and it was that single look that enabled Ichigo to glance in the direction. Soon enough Kon was also looking that way. Needless to say they were all surprised to see Sakura in such a mood.

At first Rukia saw it as anger. The rosette's eyes were ablaze, and her fists seemed clamped together painfully. Then again, the glossy lines on her cheeks looked faintly like dried tears. Is she sad and angry? Rukia wondered. Knowing Sakura, that was a possibility. Nervously, Rukia glanced away. Angry Sakura, no matter how much she liked the girl, was a force to be reckoned with. Rukia distinctly remembered how Sakura knocked over her armoire just to squash Kon, who had been searching her room for "unmentionables". Luckily for Kon, Sakura missed. Barely.

Sakura approached the group. "Ichigo, get ready to leave." She called as she got closer, her voice frighteningly solid. The teen barely had enough time to register her emotions or what she had said before she barked on, "well hurry now! We don't have all day!"

Sakura must have seen that her harsh orders weren't working, or at least that's what Rukia thought. For the distressed kunoichi walked right up to Kon and stuck her hand down his stuffed throat. "This is how you do it?" She questioned, eventually removing her hand with the small bead in grasp. Rukia felt aghast. Sakura was so forward.

About to shove the pill down Ichigo's throat, Sakura was stopped by Rukia who calmly took the bead away. "Let me take care of this," the shinigami spoke, using her free hand to pull out a glove from a mysteriously hidden pocket. The glove was black, probably leather, and had a goth-looking skull on the front. Rukia looked to Sakura, "Observe," she said amusingly, before jumping up and slamming her gloved palm right down on Ichigo's forehead.

As the hand came down his body crumpled to the floor, the familiar soul form of his standing behind it. Ichigo was not amused. "It just gets better and better!" He muttered sarcastically, shooting daggers at Rukia with his eyes alone.

Quite suddenly Sakura took his hand. "Good, now we go." As she began to drag his protesting form away from the group, she looked to the ever flabbergasted Rukia. "Continue your training with Ebisu. Kakashi-sensei can tell you where we're going, but there's no time now."

Rukia looked at the bead in her hand unhappily. "Why does Ichigo get to go?" She called back as the two rounded the corner of a tree. They were already out of sight, leaving Rukia with Kon. One glance over at Ichigo's body and she envisioned all the more trouble Kon could cause in Ichigo's body, and how she would still be here to babysit.

The reaper's shoulders fell. "Seriously…why does Ichigo get to go?"

xXx

( Konoha Gates )

It felt more like an ambush than it did a rescue. That comparison resurfaced constantly not only in Ichigo's mind, but in Naruto's as well. For all their differences, they felt the same about the mission: too many people. Both boys stood by the gate, arms crossed, taking the needed time from glaring at each other to learning the details of the mission.

Honestly, Ichigo wasn't so sure why he needed to be there. He may have had experience with the wolves, but then again, so did Sakura. Furthermore, it would probably be safer if he stayed. Going on the same mission with Naruto was risky, Ichigo still felt like he hadn't gotten his payback for their little fight in Land of Iron. Even now he remembered Naruto's harsh words and felt the urge to knee him in the groin. Oh, how that thought brought a smile to his face. Ichigo was only trying to be nice in the Land of Iron, but that intent was long gone. It's human nature to want to get back when someone beats up on you, or so Ichigo thought.

Still, the two agreed in their own little silent communication: there were too many people. Sakura, Shino, Kiba, Akamaru (yes, a giant dog does count), Naruto, and Ichigo made six people. For such a quick mission, it almost seemed safer to go with less people. That meant less people to worry about during a fight, and less people to slow you down.

Yet another similarity between Naruto and Ichigo was their desperate need to be alone, and solve their issues by themselves. Just like how Naruto refused to accept Sakura's help when it came to training, or the Kyuubi; Ichigo would refuse her help when it came to his Hollowfication and abnormal Visored status. Then again, he never planned to tell or show anyone that side of himself. Not only when it give Naruto reason to brag and mock, it could possibly scare Sakura away.

Then again, with her snarky and bossy attitude, scaring her away almost sounded nice. Standing by that gate right next to Naruto was utter hell. If it had been Ichigo's choice, he would have stayed as far away as he could, however Sakura was the leader of the mission. Despite his mutual dislike of Naruto, he had to stand by the blond. Apparently there was a specified order in the line: Kiba first to use his keen senses to track; Shino next to ward off any sudden attacks in the front; Sakura in the middle for easy medical access; Naruto next to provide the same protection Shino did; and finally there was Ichigo in the rear to cover their tracks. Easy, right…? Not when your two finalists are constantly quarrelling.

On the other side of the gate stood Tsunade, Kakashi, Rukia and Kon, all to wave goodbye. Ichigo was grinning wildly at Rukia, who was obviously jealous of Sakura's "elite team". Anyone who had ears understood that Rukia wanted to go with them, but knew her current place. As a shinigami, she and Ichigo were considered equal. But as a shinobi, Ichigo was winning. Kon was shockingly good at learning jutsu, and many of his little tricks were being picked up in Ichigo's muscle memories.

There was also another reason Ichigo was better suited for the mission. He actually cared about the people they were saving, and was going not for the sake of going, but for the sake of Sakura's friends.

Tsunade approached the group, or more specifically, Sakura. She looked deeply into Sakura's green eyes, determination evident. "Catch the bastard and save your friends. Those are some damn fine shinobi he has locked up." She said sternly, patting Sakura on the side of the shoulder. Even during all the years of their apprenticeship, Tsunade remained as cold and distant as ever. Even so, she cared about her village and the people inside. Saving Hinata, Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji was not an option.

Ichigo watched as an unheard conversation went between on between teacher and student, only to be heard in their heads. Sakura seemed to be nodding at everything Tsunade whispered, and although it was hard to tell, he swore he could see Tsunade's eyes glisten, even just a little. It was probably hard for the Hokage to send Sakura out on such an important mission and not go herself. Nonetheless, Tsunade trusted Sakura.

Eventually, though, Tsunade and the others who weren't a part of the mission had to go off and do their own things, leaving Sakura the center of attention. She collected herself, but not without a little encouragement on Naruto's part. That was fine, cool even. Despite Naruto's smug look sent to Ichigo, the shinigami was content in knowing that while Sakura was near Naruto she was mostly looking at him. Ichigo just returned the favor by smiling at her before turning to face the vast foliage before them.

"All right, let's get a move on." Sakura told them, taking her place in the middle. Before they knew it they were off and away, Konoha shrinking to the size of a dot in the distance prior to disappearing altogether. Ichigo watched it go, disappear into nothing. Almost as if he had never been there in the first place.

xXx

A/N: Kidnapping! Fun, right? We're finally at the action!

Plus, this arc really explains who my OC, Kyomu, is. You can kind of see his uncertainty and quirkiness in the later chapters. This is going to be some really fun shit.

Consider this chapter your Christmas Gift from me! If I get a lot of nice reviews I might consider uploading the next one (which I have done early) earlier, as in a few days. *wink* GO 101 REVIEWS! WOOT!

Catch ya later, alligator.

In a while, crocodile

~ Dahlia