Hey! Hope everyone had a great new year, and that they enjoy this chapter of Bleach Drifter! I'll tell everyone reading this that it may be quite a while before Under the Circumstances updates, mainly cause I need to see what happens in the next arc in the Bleach manga, so i don't try and go too far from cannon.

On with the small review corner...T.T

Mas2009: I tried to make a decent chapter length this time, though I doubt its decent lenth, and it took longer to update cause of it, sorry.

Neo Rider Double Xtreme:If I do a story, I usually stick with it until I say otherwise.

Swordsman of Shadow: It's different, and to be honest, I'm not sure what kind of power to give Ichigo without trying to make it seem like his fullbring.

ToAruKagakuNoPersona: I know I'm not as good as gabriel blessing; the fanfic's written by gabriel blessing are vast greater then mine will ever be. I just hope to make fanfic's other people can enjoy.

hevenzhell: I'm surprised there is so little crossover stories with Psyren; it was a great manga.

On with the story!


Trying to find a single person in a vast wasteland was much more difficult than Ichigo imagined, searching for Sakurako Amamiya here was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Though, it wasn't exactly a full wasteland, abandoned building were in different locations in his hours of combing the area. He was curious where exactly he was at, knowing there wasn't abandoned buildings this size in any wasteland on the world map. If he had his powers, he could've had better chances in searching. Complaining now wasn't helping him find the girl; he knew that. But, being thrown into unknown territory, possibly facing strong enemies with different abilities made him a little uneasy.

A scream took his attention instantly to his right, knowing something bad was about to come to this location. The next instant, an adult came crawling out of one the broken buildings, begging to be saved. Before the former Substitute Shinigami could react, the adult was stabbed in the back, life being distinguished as the things that killed him made it self-known. It appeared to be a large centipede; the only differences were its human hands, multiple tongues, blade like pincers, and human like head with rectangular eyes.

Once it saw the orange haired teen, it charged at its next victim, Ichigo getting in a battle ready stance analyzing his opponent.

"Get down!"

Faster than both could comprehend, the large centipede was split down the middle, the one striking it down sheathing the katana in its scabbard. Ichigo saw that it was Amamiya, both her face and clothes coated in sand and her body was bruise and battered. Judging by her condition, Ichigo figured she could collapse of exhaustion if she didn't get rest now. Sakurako recognized whom she had just saved from that Tavoo.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded, going up to the orange haired teen and grabbed his collar to pull his face down to her level. "Do you have any idea what you have done? There's no going back now, why did you call Psyren?"

"You asked me…to save you!" Ichigo was able get out, being choked being dragged down to the girls level. At her look of confusion, he was able to get out of her strong grip despite her size.

"I knew you asked my to save you before you disappeared, I'm not going to ignore someone asking for help just because I don't know them very well." The realization on her face on their last encounter as he talked left her shaking, and as he finished his explanation she went and hugged him. The shocked boy could only stare with mouth agape, a light blush on his face.

"You stupid fool…"

"…That's no way to talk to someone, especially calling them a stupid fool to their face."

If she was going to retort, it didn't come cause her grip around the orange haired teen was suddenly loosened, and she fell down to the ground. He quickly checked on her, realizing she had a terrible fever when he check her temperature on her forehead. Growing up in a medical clinic, Ichigo was surprised she was able to fight that thing earlier; no normal human shouldn't have been able to move in this condition. If this fever was some kind of side effect due to some power she has, it showed that her resilience was impressive.

"Ichigo…" she called to the teen, getting his attention, her breathing labored as she talked. "This is a game…if you clear it… you can return home. Please…help me clear this game…"

Before asking what she meant, the light blue haired girl went unconscious. Ichigo sighed, more questions appearing without any answers. Taking Amamiya bridal style with katana in his right hand, he went to find a safer location, but realized the two corpses from before were gone. Making a mental note on it, he continued on finding a safer location.

Obviously, Amamiya knew what was going on, and was doing this 'game' for quite a while. His chances of understanding what was going on is with her, and he was going to make sure Amamiya lived so they can get out of this alive. If Ichigo had been someone else, he might have found everything he had seen here impossible to happen. But, his time as a Substitute Shinigami made him use to the unnatural things he had seen and fought.

"HEY! You two!" someone called out, bringing the orange haired teen from his thoughts, looking to the building that was in better condition than most other buildings he has seen. In it were other people, making jesters them to get to their location.

Once in the building, the former Substitute Shinigami found six other guys. One was with short black hair, looking to be in his thirties. Another guy about his age with brown hair appeared more concerned. A muscular teen, still in a high school uniform, appeared to be sizing him up, and while he also had orange spiky hair, it was more pointed upwards. One teen had blond hair held in a ski hat chewing bubble gum. Another older guy had his blond hair in a small ponytail, and the final guy had short light brown hair with glasses.[1] Surprisingly, there was a pay phone in the building, looking brand new. Setting Sakurako down, he went to check if the phone still work.

"Its busted," the guy with glasses told Ichigo. "We all tried it ourselves."

"U-Uh…" the nicer appearing guy went to get his attention. "Right before you got here, did you guys happen to see someone strange? No, I mean…Nemesis Q himself?"

'Nemesis Q?' Ichigo thought in confusion, the look he gave appeared to give those guys their answer.

"I knew it! That scrawny little clown was behind all this!" the older guy confirmed.

"I saw him too!" the guy with gum second. "To think he was real…the leader of the Secret Society of Psyren."

"All of us obtained a calling card, took the examination over a public payphone, and then we're dragged to this place, finding ourselves in the middle of nowhere all of sudden." The guy with glasses held up the Psyren card, explaining their common way of entering this wasteland.

"I'm sure you also realized that this isn't Japan, seeing the outside for yourself."

"…Then where the hell do you think we are?" Ichigo asked.

"That's what we're trying to find out."

"What happened, exactly?" the guy with a ponytail wondered. " I was at home and heard a bell start ringing out of nowhere…and then I was standing in a wasteland in the next split second."

"Yeah…there was a bell, and then Nemesis Q…" the nicer sounding guy realized.

"When I picked up the phone, I was here." The guy chewing gum added in.

"Probably…" the older guy speculated. "The bell he used had some kind of tranquilizing effect! And then, when we were all passed out they carted us over here."

Ichigo choose to be quiet about how he came here, knowing he'll be singled out at how different he was brought here. The fact there was some society, and the thing he had seen before coming here was apparently named Nemesis Q was news to him. The main question he had right now was, why did that lady brought random people to this dangerous place?

The guy with the ponytail chuckled suddenly. "Well, whatever! All I can be sure of id that right now, I finally got a lead to discovering the truth behind Psyren's urban myth!"

"Obviously, this is the Psyren Secret Society's so called paradise!" the guy continued, gesturing to the outside wasteland they were currently at.

"I'm glad too," the guy in glasses, agreed, interrupting what the nicer guy's objection. " The fortune I spent online for my phone card wasn't wasted. I'm closing in on the mystery of all those missing person's case."

"As for me, I can't wait to see what happened to the people here and what Psyren has in store for us." The older adult told his thoughts on his situation.

"It was pretty sudden, but I don't have regret it either. This is starting to get fun." The guy chewing gum also seemed to beginning to enjoy their trip here, telling Ichigo they've haven't seen any monster when they've arrived.

' Why is this mystery driving them so much?' the orange haired teen thought, checking on Sakurako to make sure her condition wasn't getting worse. It was around that time the guy with the ponytail made an exclamation.

"Listen up! I'm the one who's going to solve the mystery of Psyren! Get in my way and your dead meat! If you don't want to get hurt, stand back and do as I say! I mean it!"

The former Substitute Shinigami narrowed his eyes, scowl forming as mostly everyone was getting riled up; it was scenario he knew wasn't favorable for their survival. Everyone needed to work together if they had a chance to get through this 'game', and that gorilla was going to get everyone killed.

*Bam!*

Everyone watch in surprise that the other orange haired teen punched the guy trying to take control of the group in the face, sending him skidding to the ground.

"Your in my way. Drop dead." The muscular teen said bluntly.

"Ack! I just remembered, that's Asaga of Chikuwa High! He's notorious at Chikuwa High, the school all delinquents go to in my hood. They call him 'Dragon Asaga', what's he doing here?" the guy in the ski hat looked nervously, not wanting to get in the way of that the infamous delinquent in his area.

"I'm not after the reward," Asaga addressed everyone, looking calm as he explained his reasoning for being here. " I was searching for someone, and I wound up here. I'm looking for Tatsuo, a younger guy I went to school with who got a Psyren phone card and disappeared. Can anyone tell me anything?"

"You frigging punk!" the guy with a bloody nose started to get up, bring a switchblade out as he looked at the one who attacked him. "I'll kill you!"

"Try it. I'll take you out."

"Enough," Ichigo demanded, getting in between the two about to fight." Its not a good time to fight now."

"Move, or I'll stab you too!"

"This is my fight, stay out of it!" Asaga told Ichigo, ready to fight off two opponents if needed.

"…Then I'll take you both on. As soon as we get out of this place, I'll fight you both to your hearts content."

*RING! RING!*

The payphones ringing brought everyone's attention to it, surprised it's still functioning. The former Substitute Shinigami quickly went to pick up the phone, ignoring protests as the phone was now in his hands. The next moment, everyone in the room appeared to be shown some weird vision, energy moving all around them.

"Those seeking Psyren shall taste power and despair!" a voice talked into everyone's heads, Ichigo realizing it was the girl from the survey. No one was excluded from the message as it continued. "Those who reach Psyren shall be granted the world! There is only one exit in this game…"

The inside of a broken building was shown to the players, a telephone booth by a window that showed the wasteland they were at.

"Those seeking Psyren…those searching for the exit from this world…find the gate!"

Then everything was back to normal, as far as this wasteland was concerned anyway. As everyone started to catch his or her bearings, wondering what the message was about, a loud siren noise made itself known. The former Substitute Shinigami found the echoing sound as an official' way to start this game, going back to check on the still unconscious girl, the sound fading from everyone's hearing. Ichigo found that Sakurako's condition wasn't really improving, but it wasn't getting worse either. Cleaning the sweat off her face, he figured she still needed more rest before she could gain conscious.

The orange haired teen now realized the others were no longer in the room, moving towards the direction where the siren sound as he found them from the window closest to him. Knowing their chances for surviving a monster attack was non-existent, he quickly moved to the opening in the building to stop them.

"Wait!" Ichigo called to the group, getting them to stop and look towards him. "You shouldn't be just wondering to places without getting an idea of your surroundings, who knows what might be out there!"

"We already have an idea where this 'gate' is," the guy in glasses answered, adjusting them as he pointed towards their destination. "Following the siren, like the name on the phone cards, should lead to the location needed to complete this game."

"We don't have time to debate about our surroundings," Asaga interrupted the Karakura High student's objection, looking ahead in their destination. "Are you coming or not?"

Ichigo went to say something, but stopped, realizing he was in a loosing argument. If he kept insisting not to go, they would want a good reason why to not travel. Telling them about possible monster attacks is great reason, but they will think he's crazy, without actual proof anyway. Something made the proof disappear, so warning them will do nothing but make them leave quicker. He could try to beat all the guys into submission, and wait on Sakurako to wake up and explain the danger; though there was a chance he could get overpowered. Almost every guy appeared strong, and if they worked together against him, with the switchblade into the equation, they could possibly kill him, and Sakurako would end up alone again. The former Substitute Shinigami knew if she didn't get better before heading to the gate, she'd also be eventually killed.

"…Go on without me," Ichigo finally said, going back towards the starting point. "Don't blame me if you all get yourselves killed."

No one really seem to care as they kept going on, most of the guys found it less competition for the 500 million yen reward. It wasn't long before the group of guys was out of sight, going where they believe the gate that will lead them back. The orange haired teen sighed, regretting on his decision and hoping they actually found the right way while not seeing any strong monsters.

A groan made itself known, Ichigo looking towards Amamiya to find her trying to stand, but falling down to her knees and started coughing.

"Where are the others?" she asked, breathing deeply as Ichigo went to support her and place her in a sitting position.

"They left a little bit ago. After the phone rang, they went looking for the gate."

The light blue haired girl quickly grabbed Ichigo's shirt by the collar, being choked as he was again dragged down to her level.

"Where? Which way did they go?"

"The siren…after the call there was a warning siren…they went that way." Ichigo got out, mild thoughts on Amamiya always seeming to choke him.

"The siren? They went towards it…" she muttered the last part, releasing her grip that allowed the former Substitute Shinigami to breath correctly, looking towards the ground in despair as she yelled out in frustration.

"…So it wasn't the right way to go."

"No… they need more than just the image, they won't find the gate that way! Before they reach it…" Sakurako had another fit of coughs, not finishing her sentence as the orange haired teen told her to take it easy.

"The pay phone," she pointed towards it after catching her breath. "Push the memo button."

Ichigo went over and pushed it, and was surprised that the screen showed a map of the area. The S icon was likely the starting point, and the farthest mark away from it was the gate that was shown before. The group that headed towards the siren had headed north, so it was likely they are going to end up towards the circular field.

"The mark in the field is the siren tower," Sakurako told Ichigo, getting his attention as she explained. "That siren…wasn't a clue… to help us find the gate! The dark part of the map is the danger zone; it's off limits. Once set foot in it, you're dead; no questions asked!"

"…I see." Ichigo confirmed, finding a piece and paper in his pocket. After a bit of searching, an old pencil that was still sharp was found, and he copied the map to the best of his drawing skills. One finished, he took the katana, and carefully picked Sakurako up piggyback.

"If we stay on the white parts of the map, we'll be safe…and be able to reach the gate… without being discovered." The light blue haired managed to say as they began to move.

"We're actually going to the siren tower." Ichigo said bluntly, heading north where the others went.

"What?"

"There's still a change that they're alive, we might actually catch up in time."

"Of course we won't!"

"We will," The orange haired teen said with conviction, determination showing on his face. " We're both going to turn this game around, and I'll be sure to give whoever made this place a piece of my mind!"

Sakurako looked surprised, seeing someone willing to help out with little to no information on where they are. She expected him to ask what was going on by now, but he hasn't ask her anything about it at all. On the way, they were able to find a cave after a few minutes in travel. In order to catch up with the group, and be sure Amamiya gets needed rest, Ichigo decided to leave the light blue haired girl there.

Just setting her down, Ichigo started to head out, a tug on his shirt stopping him as he looked back at Sakurako in confusion.

"Why?"

"Why what?" he asked back.

"Aren't you curious…about where we are, and what's actually going on? Aren't you going…to ask me anything at all?" she explained the question, wanting to know why he seemed to believe her right away while everyone else thought she was crazy till they die seeing it.

"…Will you tell me even if I asked now?" the orange haired teen asked back, continuing with his explanation before Sakurako could answer. "If you didn't tell me until now, you have your reasons. I wouldn't know how to start, and think of any way of asking that wouldn't be traipsing all over your feelings, and stain them with dirt. Until you decide you want to tell me, until you decide it's time for me to know, I'll wait. Until that time comes, you don't have to say a thing."

With that, Ichigo left a stunned girl in a cave to find the guys, before something bad happened to them.

Siren Tower

It was a slaughter.

That was the scene Asaga had witnessed as he slid away from it. Once they got sight of the tower that made the siren, this humanoid figure with a steel mask with one red lens wielding a crossbow started killing everyone one by one. Even his best didn't stop it, and it was very strong as well as he experience being thrown into a rock cliff. Even other monsters were called as it started picking everyone off like flies.

The pain in his body was intense, Asaga could barely move as it was. Another monster appeared in Asaga's path, finding him self in a hopeless situation. The monster drew in closer and closer, looming in on its prey as all Asaga could do was watch as his death come closer.

'Tatsuo…'

"Move!" Ichigo called out from above, katana being swung down upon the monster that was taken by surprise. While the katana wasn't Zangetsu, it was somewhat manageable as it stuck the red ball on the monsters head, the force sending the blade in. the thing thrashed in pain, sending the former Substitute Shinigami skidding back a few feet tumbling. To everyone's surprise, the monster burst into white ashes, scattering in the breeze as it passed.

'So it wasn't a coincidence that orb was on that last centipede monster, and the corpses turn to ash when they die.' The former Substitute Shinigami realized, brushing off the dirt as he stood back up.

"You ok?" Ichigo asked, helping up the other orange haired teen up and would've supported him hadn't he shrug off the help.

"I've been better, can't believe you saved me." Asaga said, looking back to the other teen. "Speaking of which, what happened to the sick girl?"

"She's back in a cave that direction," Ichigo pointed back southeast, motioning the slightly taller teen to follow him as he sheathed the katana on his back. "I had to in order to catch up with you."

"Hold it," Asaga demanded, grabbing Ichigo's shoulder and turned him back to look at him, knowing something was being kept from him. " How were you able to tell where that monster's weakness was?"

"…I'll tell you once we get to the cave, where it's at least somewhat safe."

Cave/fifteen minutes later

*BAM!*

Ichigo was punched, not fighting back as he expected to be hit. Hitting the ground, he looked back up to see a pissed Asaga with the map he drew in his hands.

"Where the hell did you get this map? You knew? The girl, the map, and those monsters…why didn't you tell us?"

"I didn't know either till she woke up! That's why I'm here now! You wouldn't have believe me, and still have left either way thinking I'm crazy!"

"Dam you! It's your entire fault they're all dead! You killed them!" Asaga accused out loud.

"…you can blame me if you want, even if I said not to." Ichigo muttered, hair covering his eyes as he stood. Walking a bit towards the exit, the former Substitute Shinigami stopped in front of it; a tense silence setting in.

"Are all the others really dead?" Ichigo asked, finally breaking the silence.

"…No. When I ran away, one guy was still breathing. It was that dude with the ski hat. He took an arrow in the back, and I caught of glimpse of him writhing around. He's probably dead now." The taller teen told the other orange haired teen.

"…Go take Amamiya to the gate then, I'm going after him."

"Are you kidding me? You going back alone?"

"There's a chance he's alive, people getting hit in the back with an arrow can still live as long as it doesn't hit any vital organs. If we split up, the game can get cleared faster, and Amamiya needs a doctor anyway."

"You going to get killed!"

"In your condition, you might if you follow me. Besides, I still need to find who's responsible for this game and kick their ass." Ichigo took off after saying that, ignoring the calls Asaga gave as he rushed out. A he headed back north, being discreet and quick as possible, the wind started picking up, get harder and harder to see as he moved. The former Substitute Shinigami finally came upon the battlefield, finding a body half way in the ground, the nicer guy with a crossbow bolt through his head, and the guy with the ponytail missing his head.

'they didn't even stand a chance…' the orange haired teen though, anger swirling within. It was put aside though, Ichigo finding the ski cap guy withering in pain.

"Hey! It me, can you hear me?" he exclaimed, going over and helping the wounded teen sit up as he breathed heavily.

"It hurts… help me…"

"Don't talk too much, I'm going to help you now." Ichigo ordered, looking at the wound. It looked deep, but it was high enough not to hit anything serious or hit the spinal cord. Taking his uniform jacket off, he started ripping long strips out for makeshift bandages. Once finished, the orange haired teen took the bolt out in one swift motion, hearing the wound guy cry out in pain, and place some makeshift bandages, bundled up, on the wound to stop the bleeding. Keeping pressure on the wound, he was able to bandage it up, but it wouldn't last very long.

Ichigo slowly helped the guy up, and they carefully started walking away from the area, heading in the direction where the gate is.

"A high school kid me shouldn't…have mess with that phone card…" the guy in the ski hat coughed, finding it painful to walk. "I don't want to die… in the middle of no where."

"Your not. It may be painful to walk, but your not going to bleed to death right away." Ichigo said, keeping an eye on his bandage.

"Can I…ask you a favor? I'm Sugita Nozomi…if I die… can you give this card to my mom? I used it once, but maybe… it'll help her make her ends meet a little…"

"I'll be sure you yourself give the card to her, stop talking like your-"

A howl sounded in the area, a sound Ichigo knew very well, and had him tense in fear in seconds.

*POW!*

the two were knock away by a sudden force, both teens tumbling away from getting struck by behind. The former Substitute Shinigami quickly gained his footing, kneeing down from the blow as he saw the creature he feared it would be.

"… A Hollow!"

(Author notes)

[1] Yeah, it was a bit annoying trying to explain their appearance, and since mostly everyone had no name, it seemed generic just calling them 'that guy' throughout the chapter.