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Broken Hearts.

Chapter 2: The Shinigami and The Arrancar.

To his surprise he entered behind Yuzu to see a familiar bright crimson shade of hair, belonging to an equally familiar girl.

She sat at the table, a bowl in front of her, filled with Ramen – not to his surprise. The girl was obsessed, and he still couldn't understand how a spirit ate human food. She'd tried to explain it, but for some reason the idea that Ramen transcended death and was the food of the gods didn't sound right.

When she turned to face him, he could now clearly see more of the bone fragments he assumed were decorations of some sort. When he was younger the fox-like fragments sent a chill down his spine, but now he expected them. He wasn't sure Miyuki would be herself without them.

Though, when she smiled it got kind of awkward, such a sweet and innocent smile next to the sinister grin portrayed on the mask was rather creepy.

He couldn't help but notice that her presence, while not sinister, held an underlying feel to it that reminded him of the hollow that had attacked them last night. It might have simply been the mask fragments, but he shook this all aside.

His family had known Miyuki since before he was even thought of, she was simply a spirit who was attached to them. He and Karin were the only ones who could see her though, and it was apparent with how Yuzu seemed to look right over the redhead, and his dad didn't even seem to realize she was there.

"Yuki-chan," Yuzu began, smiling, her ladle still in hand. "I'm glad you're back, Onee-chan."

Karin snorted slightly, as she lifted her head from where she'd rested it on the palm of her hand. "She's on the other side, Yuzu, with the other Ramen bowl."

Ichigo's lips twitched at this, realizing his younger sister was talking to the wrong bowl of Ramen – there was always more than one made (usually by Miyuki herself) seeing as the girl was a black hole when it came to Ramen.

"Oops," Yuzu said, laughing lightly as she turned to her other side.

Miyuki giggled behind one of her hands at the young girl, who reminded her so much of Masaki and Misao it wasn't funny. Karin, as ironic as it was reminded her a little of Sasuke, she even looked something alike. Made her wonder if Masaki's family, or maybe Isshin's, had some Uchiha descent.

It had been around three thousand years since then, and the blood would have been water downed to the point the bloodline was lost (not that it would have mattered, when humans lost the ability to utilize chakra, bloodlines kind of became obsolete and faded into legend as well).

Karin was the only one to hold any resemblance to Sasuke, so she'd come to accept it simply as a coincidence. Considering Masaki's family had originally come from another part of Japan it was unlikely they had any relation to Sasuke, as distant as it would be. She didn't know enough about Isshin's family, to say for sure or not. She doubted it, though.

One thing she did wonder, and had since she'd first met Ichigo when he was barely three years old; officially anyways, she'd been there once or twice when he'd been a baby, but it wasn't like he'd remember that. She hadn't stayed long either, she usually didn't stay in one place for more than a few months.

She digressed though, she had wondered if Ichigo was perhaps the reincarnation of Yahiko.

She had never truly met Yahiko, but she remembered the path which Nagato had used Yahiko's body for, and what she'd learned about him from Nagato and Konan. She had always seen a resemblance between Ichigo and Yahiko, though maybe not in personality if what she remembered from Nagato and Konan were correct.

"It's fine, Yuzu," she said, though she knew Yuzu couldn't hear her. Karin took the time to relay her words to her younger twin, who grinned happily before sitting down to her own breakfast.

"What did you say, Yuzu-chan, is my third daughter here!?" Isshin exclaimed, looking Miyuki's general direction, but Miyuki was the only one to notice he seemed to zero in on her location better than usual.

She wasn't sure if the others knew, well she was pretty positive they didn't, but at one point in time Isshin had been able to see her as clear as Ichigo or Karin. Being a former Shinigami it was no surprise.

Over the last few months she'd noticed he seemed to be able to see her a bit easier again, at least an outline – similar to how she knew Yuzu could see spirits, though with much more clarity.

Ichigo sat in the free seat next to Miyuki (or Yuki as was a nickname used often), rolling his eyes at his father dramatics. He could just tell it was going to be a long day.

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"I heard what happened last night," Miyuki said, breaking the silence as she walked with Ichigo towards the high school. "Be honest with me, Ichigo, that wasn't the work of a truck, was it?"

Ichigo looked at the crimson haired girl from the corner of his eyes, hands stuck deep in the pockets of his school uniform. He was unsure how to answer her, thankfully there wasn't many people on the streets so him seemingly talking to himself wouldn't make anyone question his sanity.

"No," he muttered, frowning deeply as he stared at the ground. "I don't know why Yuzu and Karin don't remember... but it wasn't a truck. That girl, she called it a...Hollow."

He noticed Miyuki stiffened at the name, and wondered what she knew about Hollows. He had no doubt she knew something by the look on her face and how she'd reacted. As old as Miyuki was, once one got past how young she looked, he had no doubt she'd came across them before.

"But everyone is alright?" she questioned, her voice low.

Ichigo was relieved when the vibrant girl's head shot up to look at him, her smile fox-like and as cheerfully innocent as it usually was.

"I'm glad this girl, a Soul Reaper I take it, was there," she said. "I'm sorry I wasn't around..."

"It's alright, Yuki," he said, lips quirking up sightly in a smile. "You couldn't have known. How do you know about Soul Reapers and Hollows anyway?"

Miyuki sighed.

"I... I never did explain my mask fragment to you or the twins did I?" she said, her question rhetorical. "I'll explain it today, after school. At least to you. Lets just say, for now, that I've had my encounters with both Hollows and Soul Reapers."

The two continued to walk with some silence after that, until they reached the school. Ichigo sighed slightly upon seeing it, running a hand through his orange hair before turning to look at Miyuki to find she was already gone.

Snorting, he returned to entering the school grounds, not worried about where the spirit had gone. After all, disappearing acts were something Miyuki had always been good at. For as long as Ichigo had known her, the girl had always been good at disappearing and popping up at random times.

She'd been great when it came to playing hide and seek with Yuzu and Karin when they were younger. She wasn't there all the time, but after his mother's death she did come around more often. He could tell there was some guilt she felt about not being there to help his mother or him that day.

He was so deep in thought he never noticed the girl, with a shade of red-orange hair similar to his own, but darker, that he bumped into. The girl was sent sprawling to the ground, a familiar dark haired girl sending a glare at him before going to help the girl on the ground.

Orihime and Tatsuki, he realized when he came out of this thoughts.

"Ichigo, watch where you're going!" Tatsuki exclaimed, fist clinched and looking as if she was seconds from punching him.

"Oh, Tatsuki, Orihime... I didn't see you there," Ichigo said, kind of surprised he hadn't noticed the two. "You're alright, aren't you?"

Orihime's eyes widened marginally at the concern Ichigo showed, her face turning red as she gazed into the bright brown eyes of her crush. She quickly jumped to her feet, smiling and backing away.

"Uh, I'm..uh fine! I've gotta go, I have volleyball... see you latter Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime exclaimed as she turned and ran, stumbling slightly.

Ichigo straightened up, returning his hands to his pockets, and wondered why the bright haired girl always acted so strange around him.

"What's up with her?" he muttered and Tatsuki chuckled lightly, rubbing the back of her head.

"I wonder," the black haired girl said, slight sarcasm in her voice.

Seconds later, Tatsuki turned to look at the tall boy. "Ichigo, why exactly are you so late today? It's nearly lunch time."

Ichigo sighed, nodding. "I know, I'll tell you about it later. See ya."

Tatsuki watched her long time friend walked away, slightly concerned. He was acting more distracted than usual. She was used to him being kind of distant and could be moody, but he usually wasn't so distracted.

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Miyuki bit her lip, glaring at thin air as she sat on the school roof Indian style.

She could almost feel the change in the wind, the calm before the storm some would say. Beyond that she felt...guilty. It wasn't an emotion she felt often. She could count the instances on one hand. Most prominent being when Masaki died.

She'd returned from Hueco Mundo only to find Ichigo pacing the river where Masaki had died. She'd only been gone about two months, but by then it was far to late for her to do anything.

She'd thought of going after whoever or whatever had attacked and killed Masaki but she had no way of knowing who, or what Hollow was responsible. She could still remember the last time she'd seen Masaki alive, the last time she'd seen one of Ichigo's bright, happy grins.

Ichigo never grinned anymore, he barely even smiled.

Then there was the fresher guilt, guilt from last night. The fact she'd once again left for Hueco Mundo and returned to realize her gut had been right. She shouldn't have left the day before, and she was only lucky the Soul Reaper had appeared when she had or Ichigo and his family would have been killed, and probably eaten by the Hollow which attacked.

If she'd not left... she shook her head.

What if's never solved anything, at least she could say she had listened to her gut in some way by returning to the living world sooner than she usually would. She hadn't even hunted, not that she need to eat souls often. When she did she always ate other Hollows. This way she could at least say she'd not eaten a soul while the living world.

Ears twitching, which looked and felt a little weird, since she had part of her mask fragments connecting there, Miyuki looked over to a deserted area to see Ichigo and a girl coming from the school.

The girl was rather short, shorter even than her own miserable five and half feet tall build. Though being so short didn't stop Miyuki from having an impressive bust size, but it wasn't like she really cared. She'd never been on to focus on her looks, her ninja career had come first when she was alive.

The mystery girl had a considerable amount of Reiatsu (though it seemed depleted along with her Reiryoku), so Miyuki was positive she wasn't human.

She had shoulder length black hair, which laid in a unique way, one single bang of hair stubbornly laying along the bridge of her nose area. Her skin was pale, paler than her own, and she could tell from the distance she was at that she had light colored eyes. Blue or violet, it was hard to say.

Standing up, she made her way closer to the pair, so she would be able to listen in more closely. The whole time she made sure to keep a tight hold on her reiatsu.

It was rather ironic, in life she had little control over her chakra, but in death she had enough control to hide her spiritual pressure, energy and chakra from just about anyone, if she put her mind to it. But then again, she'd had over three thousand years to work on her skills.

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This had to be a nightmare.

There was no way the girl from the night before was in front of him, acting as if she was some sweet, and innocent school girl.

Yet the proof was in front him, and added to that everyone could see her. He was under the impression she was a spirit of sorts. As in dead, as in a majority o the living couldn't see her.

Ichigo twitched as she continued with the goody-goody act. He seen it before, but very few could pull it off. Miyuki could and she'd succeeded in teaching Yuzu a trick or two. Like the puppy-dog eyes, for example. That was beside the point, though.

Miyuki could pull off the sweet and innocent act, how exactly she could with the sinister looking mask fragment was beyond him, but she somehow pulled it off. Kuchiki Rukia could not, in his opinion, pull it off.

"First of all," he began. Knock it off! That goody-two-shoes act ain't foolin' anybody!"

Rukia laced her hands behind her back, shooting him a look before she spoke. "It's pretty good, if I do say so myself. Especially considering I just learned it last night."

Ichigo scoffed.

"Yeah, right," he muttered, shaking his head. "Now, tell me why you're still here. Don't you have a place to return to? Soul Society or whatever?"

Rukia sighed, looking away from her new, orange haired acquaintance. She wished she could return home, but it didn't seem possible, not for a while at least.

"I can't," she admitted. "Only spirits, and Soul Reapers can enter Soul Society. I've lost nearly all my powers last night, too you, Ichigo."

Ichigo's eyes widened momentarily.

"What?"

She nodded gravely.

"Just as I said, you took nearly all of my power. This is just a Gigai I am forced to wear until they return, so I can go home."

"Gi..gai?" he asked dumbly.

"Yes. It's a faux body we Soul Reapers use when on important missions in the living world, or just need to regain our strength like myself. It allows for humans to see us as if we were living humans as well."

"So that's why everyone could see you," Ichigo realized, speaking under his breath.

"Exactly," said Rukia, having heard his muttered words. "But the most important thing about this is is the fact I can no longer do my duty as a Soul Reaper."

"What? Why not!?" Ichigo demanded, startled.

She sent him an annoyed look.

"Can't you guess, Ichigo? I'm barely able to do a basic Kido, much less stop any Hollows that may attack." Rukia shook her head, continuing, "No, so until I get my powers back, you, Ichigo, must take my place and preform my duties as a Substitute Soul Reaper!"

Ichigo blinked several times, the words sinking in. he would have done something, shouted that he wasn't the type to save the world, that'd he'd only done what he'd done last night to save his family. Alas he didn't have the time, instead he was startled by the sudden burst of laughter, bordering on cackles and giggles as a crimson, and white figure fell from what appeared to be thin air.

Both he and Rukia turned when the laughing body slammed into the ground, making a slight dent in the ground, but seemed unhurt as the long haired girl rolled around on the ground, still laughing insanely.

Ichigo twitched, and Rukia blinked at the odd sight.

'What..what is going on here?' Rukia couldn't help but think.

"Yuki, will you knock it off! It's not funny!" he yelled, swinging his leg out to kick the laughing girl.

Not to his surprise, the girl was able to agilely evade his kick, it was one of the reasons he had no problems with hitting a girl. He knew Miyuki could handle it, if she allowed herself to be hit that was.

Standing up, the girl wiped away the tears which had fallen as she laughed.

"I..ahhhaha...I'm sorry," Miyuki said, her laughter becoming under control slowly. "It's just so funny... you as a Soul Reaper...hahaha!"

Ichigo twitched, a vein throbbing on his temple.

Rukia looked between the two, blinking at their antics, especially when the orange hair boy grabbed the girl with red pigtails, that were extremely long, and held her against his chest.

One arm around her stomach, the other wrapped around her chest, closer to her neck as if he were trying to subdue or give her a painful noogy – she'd seen human children and teenagers giving what they called 'noogies' to their friends or siblings. She'd also seen bullies do it.

Rukia hated to admit it, but she was kind of behind on human behavior in the twenty-first century. For all she knew this could be some sort of mating ritual, but she highly doubted it.

"Shut up, it's not funny! Who says I couldn't be a Soul Reaper!" Ichigo narrowed his eyes further when Miyuki ignored the position he had her in, and continued to laugh even more.

"It's just an image I never thought I'd see, Kurosaki Ichigo, a Soul Reaper..."

"I'd be a great Soul Reaper, I did just fine last night, Yuki!" Ichigo exclaimed, moving his right arm to mess up the shorter girls hair.

Miyuki struggled more seriously, wanting to avoid too much harm to her hair, which wasn't that easy to make obey her in the first place.

It wasn't exactly easy to care for at times, being so long, but she couldn't image cutting it so besides for trims every now and then it had always stayed long. Like her mothers. She wasn't a girly-girl, but she did have one pet peeve, and that was someone messing with her hair, like Ichigo was doing currently.

Once she broke from his grip, panting and out of breath from all the laughing, Miyuki huffed, and tried to fix the damage done. It wasn't as bad as it could be, but she'd have to take her pigtails out and redo them in the near future.

"That was a low blow, It'll take me five minutes just to brush it out and put it back up," she muttered, pouting slightly.

"Tch, shouldn't have laughed, nothin' funny about it," Ichigo said, and was thankful no one was around.

It would have probably have looked weird if anyone had seen him. Wrestling with air, basically.

Miyuki composed herself, and smiled at the boy.

Maybe it wouldn't be funny to someone else, but she'd known the boy for years. The image of him being like any other haughty, arrogant, stick-up-their-ass, Soul Reaper; who apparently knew better than anyone about if all Hollows were the same; lost souls, mindless beast, and didn't even think to make a distinction.

Maybe she was a little bitter, there had been quite a few Shinigami to come across her in the past and attempt to 'purify her evil'.

She rolled her eyes, did she look evil? She didn't think so. She was a Hollow, true, but that didn't mean she had no thoughts or feelings. Though, nowadays most Hollows were evil, mindless beast who lived only to eat souls.

Still, even with Ichigo's protectiveness, and strong character, based on the Soul Reapers she'd encountered it was simply ironic and funny to her. But the more she thought about, she had no doubt Ichigo would make a great Soul Reaper. Even if it was only until the short girl got her powers back.

"Sorry, I just compared you're personality to the Shinigami I'd encountered in the past. The idea of you being one was kind of funny to me, I guess it's more of an inside joke."

Miyuki couldn't held the flush that overcame her cheeks and was happy her mask fragment hid one from view.

Speaking of her mask, Miyuki snuck a glance at the black haired Soul Reaper, and sure enough the girl had recovered enough to take a better look at her.

'Any moment now.' she thought and began to count. 'I. 2. 3. 4...'

"A Hollow," Rukia said, her voice shocked and coated in a little venom. "Ichigo, get away from her..."

Rukia had fallen into a defensive stance, and looked ready to attack at any moment. Ichigo's eyes widened, and he looked from Rukia to Miyuki, the latter of the two looked resigned. As if she knew this was coming.

"Wait...Rukia, don't this is just Miyuki..." Ichigo began.

"No, Ichigo this is a Hollow. I can feel her spiritual pressure. It's well hiden, but it's definitely that of a Hollow, and that mask...it's broken but it's definitely a Hollow mask."

"Can't we discuss this like adults," Miyuki said more than asked, and Rukia shot forward.

Miyuki danced around Rukia, avoiding every hit with ease, and Rukia cursed the slow body she was forced to use.

"A hollow..." Ichigo muttered, and he stared at the redhead as it all began to make sense. "That would explain...but if she's a hollow than why..."

Ichigo shook his head and moved to get between the two girls, just as he did Rukia had unleashed one of her spell things, which Miyuki avoided, narrowly, pulling him with her so he wouldn't be hit.

"Ichigo!" Rukia yelled, surprised by his interference.

"Watch where you send those things, shorty!" Miyuki exclaimed, sneering at the Soul Reaper, who seemed angered by the nickname.

"Whoa, everyone just shut up!" Ichigo yelled. "Rukia, I've known Miyuki since I was a kid, and so did my mother and grandmother. She's been in the family for decades...of course we all just thought she was a spirit."

"Masaki, your mother, knew what I was. As did your grandmother, Misao. I told you I would explain everything after school," Miyuki said, and sighed. "I guess I don't have a choice now that I've blown my own cover."

Looking at Rukia, Miyuki stepped forward, holding out one of her glove covered hands.

"Hello, my name is Uzumaki Miyuki. I'm an Arrancar."

Rukia looked surprised by how polite the redhead was, and confused by what she'd called herself.

"An..Arrancar?" she questioned.

She hadn't heard of that before, as far as she knew there wasn't another evolution passed Vasto Lorde.

"Hmm, when a Vasto Lorde decides to, they can rip off their own mask and reach the final evolution, which is Arrancar. It's where we gain some more of our human appearance, mind and humanity back, and gain a Zanpakutō as well."

"You have a...Zanpakutō?" Rukia asked, gasping in shock.

"Of course," Miyuki said, smiling brightly, and motioning to her side.

There was a black sheath, which had black ribbon wrapping around it. A long katana-like blade was inside, the hilt wrapped with the same black ribbon, with some of the same ribbon connection to the bottom and dangling down. It made Rukia wonder what the blade itself looked like.

"Most Arrancar Zanpakutō's are different from a Shinigami's. They are only the place were one would seal their powers until a time to release it. There are a select few, myself included, who do have Zanpakutō spirits, of sorts. I have no idea why the majority of Arrancar don't have Zanpakutō spirits, and why I and a few others do. We have our theories, but there is no way to know if it's accurate or not."

Rukia wanted to ask about the others she mentioned, and their theories but knew from the look on her face, and the way she'd worded her sentence she wouldn't explain further. Slowly she began to ease up a bit, though from her narrowed eyes she clearly did not trust the redhead.

"I see, and you've been attached to Ichigo's family for a while then, Hollow?" Rukia asked. "Were you a part of it when you were alive? Why don't you let a Shinigami send you to Soul Society? You must still eat souls, you're still a Hollow after all."

Miyuki rolled her eyes at the girl, but answered since she knew from the way Ichigo was looking at her, he wanted the answers as well.

"I have, I knew his mother's mother, and Masaki was a very good friend. I suppose I became attached to the Kurosaki family, and Hueco Mundo is rather boring, being only sand and all. I wasn't apart of the Kurosaki family while alive, I'm far older than I look. As for why I don't let myself be killed, that's simple, would you let yourself be killed? I do have to eat, as you said I am still a Hollow, but I live off of Hollows. I don't need to devour souls of the living or recently departed."

Ichigo stared at Miyuki for what seemed like forever, contemplating everything he'd learned. Could he trust her? She did admit to being a Hollow, or Arrancar, but his mother had trusted her, as had his grandmother – who he'd never met, since she'd died before he was even born.

The idea of her not being around made his chest hurt, though, and he realized what she was didn't matter. He'd known her for years, if she was going to harm him or his family she'd have done it already. It wasn't like they could stop her.

No, he trusted her more than he trusted anyone, other than his few friends.

"Thanks for telling me, Yuki," Ichigo finally said. "It's doesn't matter to me what you are, I trust you."

Miyuki smiled up at him brightly, and he returned a small smile, though it lasted only for a few moments.

Rukia sighed, knowing that if Ichigo trusted the redhead there wasn't anything she could do. Not to mention the hollow had been honest, as far as she could tell, with her answers.

There was also a lack of evil intent in her presence, which every hollow she'd felt had. It was dark, and hollow-like, don't get her wrong, but it lacked the certain evil taint that Hollows had.

"Fine, but I don't trust you yet," Rukia said. "I'll be watching you, Hollow."

Miyuki gave her a dry look, not at all impressed.

"My name is Miyuki, Soul Reaper, use it."

Rukia nodded slightly, eyes rather cold, not so different from Miyuki's own blue eyes.

"Mine is Rukia, Kuchiki Rukia."

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For what seemed like forever, the two girls just stared at each other frostily. Ichigo was beginning to fill as if it were snowing the tension was beginning to get so thick.

"Ichigo, about your calling. I don't have my powers, you do so it's only logical you must take care of them for me. Only until I get my powers back," Rukia finally said, breaking eye contact with the redhead.

"No, no, no, no...I'm not the kind of person to risk my life for a complete stranger," Ichigo said, turning away and stuffing his hands into his pocket. "My monster fighting days are over."

Miyuki smirked.

"I thought you'd make a great Soul Reaper, or isn't that what you said to me earlier?" she said, her tone teasing.

His eye twitched.

"That won't work, Yuki," he said. "I'm not falling for that reverse psychology crap you pull.."

"It's not reverse psychology," Miyuki scoffed. "It's simply me being truthful. As much as I hate to admit it, Shorty has a point."

"Can't you do it?"

"I could," Miyuki said, voice low. "But where is the fun in that, not to mention you are the one who took all her powers. So it's your fault that you're in this situation."

"The Hallo..Miyuki is right," Rukia said, slightly surprised she would ever agree with a Hollow. "You have to do this, Ichigo..."

"No," he said, and began to walk away. "Not a chance."

Rukia sighed, pulling out a red glove with a flaming skull on it.

"You leave me no choice, then," she muttered and took off.

Just as Ichigo turned around to as what she was talking about, her hand slammed into his forehead and his spirit was ejected from his body.

Miyuki blinked, snorted and then smirked.

"That looked fun," she muttered, and chuckled as she watched as Ichigo, now dressed as a Shinigami, with a very large sword attached to his back, freaked out.

Several seconds latter there was an alarm from Rukia phone.

"What's that?" Ichigo asked, finally calming down enough to think rationally.

"A Hollow is nearby."

"Yeah, Miyuki's right there," Ichigo said, pointing to the redhead.

Miyuki was just a bit surprised Ichigo was accepting her so easily.

Rukia stopped suddenly, looking over to the redhead and wondering just how her phone hadn't alerted her to the girls presence earlier. For now she had no time to wonder.

"No, it's not her, it's another one," Rukia said, and grabbed Ichigo by the sleeve. "Let's go, you have work to do."

Miyuki watched as they left, wondering if she should tag along. Looking down at Ichigo's body, she rolled her eyes, picked it up, and placed it against a tree.

He looked like he was asleep, which was what she was aiming for, and he was at such an angle chances were no one would see him.

Nodding to herself, Miyuki turned back in the direction Rukia and Ichigo had gone, before disappearing in a flash.