Hey everybody! So so so SOOOOO sorry for the late update! I was extremely busy these past few weeks. First, the week after I posted the last chapter, I went on Bio Trip. It's the trip were sophmores at my school go camping on the coast for their biology class. It was extremely fun but at the end of that week I got sick! So I couldn't get on the computer without getting a freakin migraine of all migraines!

Second, I have finals this week so this past week my teachers gave me loads of review stuff. So ya. Again I am so sorry for late update! Please forgive me!

Disclaimer: Do not own Bleach. I do own, however, the first two volumes of Bleach, the character profiles book, and the art of Bleach book!

Chapter 4:

Invitation

The sound of rain hitting the ground was heard.

Eyes watched the scene in silence, tears unconsciously sliding down cold cheeks.

Do not cry…please…don't cry…

Silence as reality sank in.

Hitsugaya woke with a start, sitting up as he held his head with a small hand. 'What…what was that about?' he wondered.

He could vaguely recall the dream that had startled him awake; a figure watching in the distance, as if expecting something to happen. The small captain shook his head to rid the thoughts when he suddenly smelt something. 'I wonder what that smell is…'

Getting out of the futon in one of the spare bedrooms Kurosaki had provided, Hitsugaya went over to where his pack lay, getting out a spare shihakusho. Pulling the black garment on, the teal-eyed boy put up the futon.

Walking out of the room he silently walked down the hall towards the smell. Rounding a corner the smell hit him with full force. The boy blinked, as if not believing his eyes, or nose. The smell was most definitely coming from the kitchen. Walking into the room his eyes glanced to a small box with moving pictures on it. He knew from his previous visits that it was called a 'television'.

Hitsugaya noticed that the sound was low enough so he couldn't hear it from his room. A slim white brow rose at this. Turning around so that he faced the kitchen, he saw a familiar mob of orange moving around, no doubt making something.

Padded feet silently walking to where the substitute shinigami was, Hitsugaya asked in a monotone voice, "What are you doing Kurosaki?"

Not even jumping at the voice, he answered, "Making breakfast. I imagine you are hungry right?"

As if to confirm that fact, Hitsugaya's stomach let out a low, rumbling growl. Instead of answering his face bloomed into a very red color.

Chuckling, Ichigo said, "I'll take that as a yes."

Scowling, the white haired tendo turned around and was about to leave when Ichigo said, "Might as well sit down Toshiro. It's almost ready."

"It's Hitsugaya-taicho to you!" he barked.

"Ya ya. Whatever."

Sitting down, Hitsugaya finally took a look around the orange-head's flat, since he couldn't the night before. The strawberry certainly had style. The flat was decorated in a retro like style. The couches were white with orange pillows one the arm rests. The coffee table in the middle of the room was oval shaped and made of glass. The tv was sitting in an entertainment center made of wood no doubt. The floor was carpeted in a weird blue-white mix.

Turning in his seat so he could look around at the kitchen, his eyes wondered to where Ichigo was. He was wearing a simple white t-shirt with green, kaki pants. It was while he watching him cook that he noticed something. It was the way Ichigo was moving.

No doubt to onlookers it would look like he was ogling when in fact he wasn't. Narrowing his eyes, Hitsugaya watched. Ichigo was moving as if he was stiff. It was then that Hitsugaya noticed Ichigo's spirit energy. It wasn't leaking as it normally was. He was still pondering this when Ichigo began to turn around.

Head immediately turning to look out the window, Hitsugaya tried to force down the blush that was threatening to rise up to his face.

Raising a brow at the scene in front him, Ichigo walked over to the table and scraped the omelet onto the tenth division captain's plate. Looking down at hearing the noise, Hitsugaya found himself staring at something odd on his plate. It was yellow and oddly shaped. Looking up he found that Ichigo had something similar on his own plate.

Noticing his look of confusion, Ichigo held in his laughter and just focused on eating. After a few bites Hitsugaya finally asked, "What is this Kurosaki?"

Snickering, Ichigo answered, "It's called an omelet Toshiro. You look like you never had one before."

"Because I haven't." Hitsugaya said, looking at the thing called omelet.

Surprised, Ichigo asked, "You've never had one before?"

"No, I haven't. Now can we move on to a different topic now please." Hitsugaya said. Picking up his chopsticks Hitsugaya started eating. It wasn't as bad as he thought. It was actually pretty good.

Watching the white haired tendo eat, Ichigo decided to amuse the small taicho and changed the subject. "Urahara-san called. He wants us over at his shop as soon as possible. He wants you to explain why you're here since Ikkaku and Yumichika didn't say anything."

Hitsugaya looked at Ichigo. "Urahara called? When?"

At that Ichigo shrugged. "A few minutes before you woke up."

Nodding, Hitsugaya went back to eating when he suddenly thought of something. "Kurosaki."

Ichigo looked up with his mouth open and his chopsticks near his mouth. "Huh?"

Scowling, Hitsugaya said, "Close your mouth Kurosaki. It's unsightly even for you."

Rolling his eyes, Ichigo lowered his hand. "So what do you want to ask?" he asked.

Hitsugaya was silent for a moment, thinking, when he spoke. "Why did you say that?"

Drawing his brows together in confusion, Ichigo asked, "Say what?"

"Why did you say 'Death changes people. Even when we don't want it to?" the small captain asked, looking at Ichigo straight in the eye.

Ichigo was silent for a moment, as if thinking on what to say. Finally he said, "I'll explain it when we get to Urahara's shop. And before you say anything, it's because Rukia will no doubt ask the same question."

And that was it. Hitsugaya was silent for a moment before he started eating again. 'He seemed as if he didn't want to share why he said that…I should ask him again but he didn't ask me questions about…' he thought. Letting out an inward sigh, he thought, 'Guess I'll just have to wait and see.'

xxx-IchiHitsu-xxx

"Are you positive it was a vizard, Kurosaki-san?"

Ichigo felt his left eye twich, and running his hand through his orange hair in agitation, he snapped out, "Yes I'm sure. I think I would know what a vizard's reiatsu is like."

After they had breakfast that morning, Ichigo and Hitsugaya went over to Urahara's shop to meet up with the others and explain to Urahara what was going on. Once Hitsugaya explained why they were there, it was Ichigo's turn to tell what had happened the night the five shinigami arrived. As Ichigo was telling the story, he noticed a certain look on the shopkeeper's face and knew that once he was done telling his story, the blond haired man would ask the question. And he did.

Urahara snapped his fan shut and let out a sigh. "I was just asking Kurosaki-san. I know you can distinguish reiatsus. You don't have to be so angry about it."

At that Ichigo scowled. "Well it sounded like you were implying something. So forgive me if I don't humor you."

The shinigami were watching this banter with wide eyes, except for a pair of teal ones, who showed nothing. They all knew Ichigo's reiatsu sensing abilities were on par with Kenpachi's, the eleventh division bloodthirsty captain, but from what they were hearing from this conversation, Ichigo apparently had mastered that.

"So does that mean you can sense reiatsu now Ichigo?" Rukia interrupted.

Ichigo and Urahara stopped their talking [arguing ;)] and looked at Rukia. Ichigo let out a sign and scratching his head, he answered, "Yeah."

Exchanging looks with the other shinigami, she asked, "When?"

Briefly looking at her, then looking down, Ichigo said, "A few years ago. I guess you could say half a year after I stopped coming to the Soul Society."

It was silent for a moment, then "Why did you stop coming to visit us Ichigo? You said it was because you had to focus on your school work but I know that's not the reason." Rukia said.

Ichigo closed his eyes and exhaled through his nose. 'Do I tell them?'

"Why not King? They might find out anyway. Just give it to them straight."

'But what if Toshiro was in on it? I mean what if –'

"This isn't it like you. You never worry about these kind of things. And you KNOW the little captain wasn't in on it. None of the captains were."

Ichigo knew his hollow was right. Opening his eyes he said, "You're right. There is another reason why I stopped visiting. But just so you know, I had no choice."

Matsumoto was the one who answered this time. "What do you mean Ichigo?" she asked confusion laced in her voice.

"I mean I was forced to stay away Matsumoto-chan. None you know this, but the sotaicho asked me to stay away."

At that comment Rukia, Matsumoto, Ikkaku, and Yumichika looked at Hitsugaya. Noticing that they were staring at him, he snapped, "What?"

"He didn't know. None of the taichos knew, Matsumoto-chan. And judging from Toshiro's expression, they still don't know."

Looking at the orange head, Hitsugaya asked, "What did he say Kurosaki?"

Staring at him in straight in the eye, Ichigo said, "He said if I couldn't control my power then I would be hunted just like my 'kind' as he so kindly put it."

Blinking in confusion, Hitsugaya asked, "What do you mean by 'control'?"

Letting out another sigh Ichigo explained. "During the invasion to rescue Orihime, I lost control of my hollow. It was only for a brief moment but it was enough. During that time I attacked Uryu. No one else was there except for those two and Ulquiorra."

He paused, looking at all of the shinigami in turn. Chad, Ishida, and Orihime were silent. Ishida, unbeknownst to the others, was clutching his stomach.

Looking down at the table so that he could avoid their stares, he continued. "I only came to thanks to Ulquiorra. You see," he said, catching their questioning stares, "I as about to deliver a very powerful Cero when he came up and cut of one of the horns from my mask. That caused the Cero to lose concentration and blow up in my face. It broke half of my mask off but it was enough for me to come to. After I realized what I had done, I refused to fight Ulquiorra, since to me at the time didn't seem fair. After he died, we went to where Rukia and the others were.

"The tenth Espada, Yammy, was tough. Tough enough for me to lose consciousness again and have my hollow gain control." He paused, letting everyone digest this. After a minute of silence, Ichigo continued. "I was able to gain control again after a few minutes apparently. But since I was in my inner world, it seemed like hours. I defeated my hollow and hoped that no one would know what really happened. But I guess that was wishful thinking."

Ichigo stopped, for as he told the story of what happened three years ago, the anger and betrayal that he felt then was rising to the surface. Trying to push it down, he carried on. "After the war was over I came back to visit you guys in Soul Society. Two years later, the sotaicho summoned me to the first division to talk, so to speak. He told me he knew about me being a vizard and that I had lost control of my hollow. He said that I was a threat to Soul Society.

"Instead of having me executed on the spot like he should have, he said that I would be allowed to live considering I killed Aizen and helped in the extermination of the remaining arrancars. But I was to never step foot in Soul Society again or else I would be executed on the spot."

Ichigo fell silent, waiting for them to say something. Finally, after a few minutes of silence, Hitsugaya spoke. "Kurosaki…I had no idea. Deciding something like involves all of the captains."

Ichigo looked up and stared at him in shock, though it didn't show on his face. "It's fine Toshiro."

"That explains the way you behaved last night." Rukia said softly.

Ichigo nodded. "I'm sorry for acting that way but when you guys came here I thought it was to escort me to Soul Society to be tried or something. But now that you know the truth I guess things won't be as, tense. Though when Toshiro said that you guys were staying to protect me or whatever, I was shocked."

It was quiet for a moment before Urahara spoke up. "Hey, hey. Let's now get all downy now! We know why Kurosaki-san stopped visiting and why the young taicho and all of you are here! So cheer up!" he said happily, waving his open fan at them.

Before Ichigo could say anything his cell phone began to ring. Getting his phone out of his pocket Ichigo stood up and, giving everyone an apologetic look, walked out of the store to outside. Gently closing the door, Ichigo opened his phone.

"Moshi moshi. " ('Hello' on the telephone)

"Ichi-nii?"

Ichigo blinked. That was Yuzu, his younger sister. She never called unless it was an emergency or to tell him something.

"Yuzu? What is it? What's wrong?" he asked, worry immediately making itself known.

"Nothing! I was just calling to see if you were doing anything tomorrow night." she said.

Ichigo thought about tomorrow. Tomorrow was a Sunday… "No, I'm not doing anything. Why?"

"Well, dad got another invitation to those charity event things for the hospitals and stuff, but he's out of town and it's the kind where if you can't go you have to have a fellow board member come for you."

Ichigo sighed. After his first year in college, Ichigo joined the hospital committee board with his father. And they would usually host charity functions to get donations for the clinics in town and the hospital. And in some cases, there were some were you had to go.

"Sigh. Okay. I'll go."

"Thanks Ichi-nii!"

"No problem Yuzu. I probably would have got to go anyway."

"Oh, and you can bring guests!"

Ichigo rose a brow at that. "Guests? You mean more than one?"

"Mm-hmm. Apparently they want more donations or something."

Ichigo was about to say he would go alone when he suddenly thought of the room full of shinigami with nothing to do.

"I'll go and take some friends with me. Thanks for letting me know Yuzu."

"No problem Ichi-nii. Have fun!"

With a chuckle Ichigo closed his cell phone shut and walked back to the store. Opening the door and stepping through it, he closed it and walked back to the room where the others were. Sitting down Ichigo let out a chuckle and took a sip of the tea in front of him.

Raising a brow, Rukia asked, "What are laughing for Ichigo?"

Smiling, Ichigo asked, "How would you guys like to go to a rich, fancy party with me?"

Wow. This chapter is extremely short in my opinion. But anyways. If you have questions or whatever just review and I'll answer them as best as I can!

Ichigo: I seem really depressed-like in this chapter.

Me: *jumps* Where did you come from?!

Ichigo: *shrugs* I don't know.

Me: Okay... *eyes Ichigo wearily* Anyway hope you enjoy! Oh, and as I mentioned earlier I have finals this week so I have no idea when I'll update again! So for those who have already finished their finals congrats and think of this as a present for you! And for those who haven't had their finals yet (like me) good luck and think of this chapter as a...good luck gift or something.

Review please!