Hello! Its halberd42, and i finally finished this chapter! Between looking for a collage to go to and going on with daily living, it took a while to get this updated, plus some ideas from Kurosakini helped to.

To be a little different this time, I decided to make a challenge for the people who have a account here. In this chapter, I made a reference to a movie. The one person who can find it and answer a question will get a shoutout next chapter and even have a say in something in the story's future. The question to answer is this: What is one of Sakurako's favorite things to eat? leave a review or a private message to answer.

On with review corner!

Kurosakini: the idea is put into consideration and may happen. Thanks again.

Koren Flashblade: There are other people who want Yoshina back; I had mainly wanted to see if people wanted him in the story or not.

Krenaya: Is the plot that obvious? I can try and complicate it, but it'll take some thinking. Even the characters aren't in character? Well...I tried basing their personalities from their character's page, but I guess it didn't work well; it may be till next chapter to maybe attempt it.

Rc1212: Thank you! glad to know my first crossover attempt is doing alright.

Ranma Uzumaki: Yes, its interesting.

BratCat: ^‿‿^ Glad you enjoy it so much. I have nothing against Ageha, read the comment for Koren Flashblade to understand; don't want to repeat myself.

Benikaze no shi: Great to know its in your favorable direction. The deal with the harem stories was just something that stuck to me for both my stories; it was something that I could see happen, and not go with normal single pairings. I may do that some time in the future, but its still a while before that happens.

On with the story!


'I can't believe I'm doing this.'

The thought was from Asaga, carrying a girl on his back as he used the map he got from the other orange haired idiot, who left to find out if the ski cap teen was alive. He honestly don't know what to make of him, not sure if he loves fighting or was just suicidal. Either way, that guy knew how to use a sword, and was able to figure out the weakness of those monsters he seen earlier. While the muscular teen was thankful, he hated being indebted to people.

But, now wasn't the time to worry about it. Asaga stopped to check the map, making sure he was heading the right direction.

"The road forks here into two narrow cannons…its exactly like the map."

"You are…Asaga, aren't you?" Sakurako asked, slightly surprising the muscular teen as he looked over his shoulder at the sick girl.

"…Yeah, I'm Asaga. How did you know? Did I tell you my name?"

She gave a creepy chuckle. "I just know! I know it alright!" The light blue haired girl told the orange haired teen, a creepy expression on her face that matched her chuckle. The orange haired teen now had one conclusion about this girl on his back.

'She's nuts.'

"It wasn't Ichigo's fault that the others were killed." The light blue haired teen said, bringing Asaga's attention to her words as he moved towards the gate. " All of you would've laughed off his warning anyway, you're all the same. Acting on your own without a clue, not believing the truth if it was told to you, and people die cause of it; I'm so sick of it…"

The muscular teen was silent. Looking at it logically, there wasn't any fault in what the girl said. While they traveled in a group, everyone was acting on their own. If they were warned about monsters being here before, they wouldn't believe a thing without proof; he had gone too far blaming their death on the other orange haired guy.

Once Asaga thought about it, he was likely going to save the ski cap guy cause he felt responsible. All that the muscular teen could do now, was believe that someone would come back alive.

Siren Tower

Things have taken a turn for the worst, in more ways than one. Ichigo knew he didn't have his powers, there's no way he should even hear, or see the Hollow in front of him that look liked a huge scorpion. Approximately the same size of a two-ton truck, its white body like armor made its claws and stinger appear more menacing; its green markings around the mass eyes and forehead showed the starting of the mask on its face.

The blow the former Substitute Shinigami took left his left arm and his side in pain. He honestly knew Sugita's bandage is now mostly useless, the sudden blow from before being in that area. Trying to go up against a Hollow, with no powers and injured, and having to worry weather the guy he was trying to save will die didn't get Ichigo's hopes very high at all.

"More humans," it spoke in a deep tone, the orange haired teen noting it was also intelligent enough to even speak as it observed its prey. "I haven't seen your kind here in a very long time."

"I haven't seen a Hollow in a while, so don't expect to be as enthusiastic as you are." Ichigo told back, bringing the katana out with his right hand, steadily standing up and looking for Sugita while keeping an eye in the Hollow before him. It seemed a bit surprised, but it was hard to tell since the Hollow's mask didn't express much emotion.

"The fact that you know my kind has me curious; it can suggest that you have spiritual powers, but there's nothing emanating from you at all. So, it must means you must have survived a Hollow encounter somehow. Even after that event happened, you must be very lucky to have survive this long."

"That event? What do you mean?"

"…There is something off about you," the scorpion Hollow accused, steadily moving closer towards the orange haired teen, and revealing Sugita's seemingly unconscious body behind the Hollow. " Not knowing what happened? You aren't a survivor at all; the fact that humans stared suddenly appearing here is more than enough reason to know your hiding something from me."

"Does this mean your going to eat my soul now?"

"You'll wish I had once I'm done with you."

The stinger lashed out, Ichigo barely parrying it with the katana, the strength of the blow easily had him stumbling backwards a few feet. The sharp snapping sound of wind reached the teens ears, making him twisted away, and hiss in pain as one of the Hollow's claws grazed the former Substitute Shinigami's hurt side, making the pain worse when he hit the ground. Thinking quickly, the orange haired teen used the blade to loosen the ground some as the Hollow approached, and collected enough dust when it was near to blind it, and forced himself to move away behind a boulder as the scorpion howled in pain.

Looking at the wound, Ichigo found it was bleeding, and will most likely leaving a seeable trail once the scorpion Hollow cleared its eyes. That Hollow was like an improved tank, nearly impossible to beat up close or far away. Practically sensing the danger he moved, with his left hand over the wound in a somewhat comfortable position, away as the cover was melting away from the poison sprayed from the stinger of the Hollow.

"You're not getting away that easy, human. Once you get hit with my poison, it'll be all over for your mortal body." The scorpion stated, and then started sending small barrages of its poisoned liquid, finding some amusement watching its prey trying not to get hit in his hurt condition. The former Substitute Shinigami was tiring quickly, his wound only getting worse from the constant moving, knowing he was going to end up dyeing at the rate he was going.

"Enough with this game," the Hollow spoke out, a serious tone in its voice as it pointed its stinger at Sugita's body. "Surrender yourself now, or this human will pay the price instead."

Finding a little relief from not moving, Ichigo glared at the Hollow, and tossed the katana a few feet away from his location. Snorting, the Hollow turned its attention back to the orange haired teen, not noticing Sugita's body turn into ash, which set Ichigo's rage boiling over. As poison was fired at the former Substitute Shinigami, he barreled rolled out the way, adrenaline running through his system to ignore the pain as the weapon was grabbed while the teen charged towards the Hollow while dodging poison shots. The right claw of the scorpion Hollow was swinging its way at the orange haired teen, only to miss as its target skidded under the blow, and Ichigo slides long enough to get close to the Hollows mask as the katana went in its mask.

Surprised that a human was able to get the best of it, no more action was taken as it dissipated away. Ichigo was lying on the ground, breathing hard as the pain was coming back, wondering why this was happening. What was the purpose of this?

Around this time, a powerful gust of wind blew and whisked Sugita's ashes away. While it was going on, it also happened to clear out the sky, revealing a site the orange haired teen couldn't believe once he went up in a sitting position. What he saw in the distance was mount Fuji, craters around it as the wind subsided. The thought that he was in Japan seemed unreal, knowing Soul Society would never let things get this bad.

…He decided not to think about right now, putting it under the many questions he needed answered as soon as possible. Taking off his shirt, he again made makeshift bandages for his side. Once finished, Ichigo got back up and started to make his way towards the gate, hoping they had better luck than he was having now.

Area by the gate

Unfortunately for Asaga and Amamiya, they had their own problem to deal with. The humanoid figure in the steel mask had followed them, and was currently looking for their location inside a broken building. Armed with a metal pipe, the muscular teen realized his ribs ached when he breathed deeply.

*WHAM! *

"Agro…" came from the steel masked thing as its head was now sticking out the concrete wall. Not wasting a moment later, Asaga quickly hit the pipe in the red lens on the mask. He continued to beat the weapon on the thing with all of his strength he could muster as steel masked thing tried to get through the hole. It slumped down after a while, and the orange haired teen stopped, and dodged as the steel masked thing used its arm to break through the wall also as an attack on the teen. Going on the offensive again, it swung a left hook at the muscular teen, but he ducked under the punch as it destroyed another wall. While its strength was great, the speed the attacks move were something Asaga can dodge.

Seeing no visible red sphere on the humanoid body, the muscular teen figured the white apron it had on was hiding it. Finding an opening in the next attack, he dodged the kick, and in the same motion grabbed on to the apron and pulled it off. With a quick glance, Asaga now sees the red sphere in the chest as the steel mask thing charges at him.

Now having a target, the muscular teen figured that once he gets his opponent off balance, the red sphere will be wide open to take a hit. Seeing a right hook this time, he leaned in to the left and parried, swinging the pipe at the red sphere with all his might. Unfortunately, the steel mask thing was apparently expecting it and stopped the attack cold with its left hand, using the swing of his right hook as a means to bring a roundhouse kick while Asaga was surprised. Being sent flying across the room, the orange haired teen slammed into the concrete wall, rubble flying everywhere with the bigger pieces holding down the muscular teen in his weakened state, not being able to move as the steel masked humanoid figure brought out its crossbow.

While the weapon was getting ready, Sakurako Amamiya got out of her hiding spot to get between the two, though still not in the best of shape, her erratic breathing a sign of her fatigue.

"Don't do this! You're going to die, run!" Asaga yelled at her trying to move to get the girl out of the way.

"I'll buy you some time," she said, taking off her glasses and putting them up. "You hurry up and run!"

"Rise…" the light blue haired teen said next, and the bolt fired out at her. It was blur to the muscular teen, but when it ended, he was surprised she caught the projectile with her bare hand, thought it seemed she was more tired them before.

"Please. I can't hold out much longer…stand up, hurry!"

Another bolt was fired, and Amamiya caught that one as well, but straight after that she held her forehead in pain, her nose bleeding now.

'I can't…hold out…'

Annoyed with no results, the steel mask humanoid figure dropped the crossbow, held three bolts between his left fingers, and positioned to throw them with his arm bulging with power.

"Forget about me! Run!" Asaga tried to get her to leave, but she stumbled in trying to stay up, forcing the muscular teen to push his limits and try to get up to save her as she was about to get hit.

'…Is this…the…end…'

*Slink*

"…Abraham?"

With Asaga finally out of the rubble and shielding Amamiya, after noticing nothing happening, he looked up to find Ichigo stabbing the katana in the steel mask humanoid's back going through the red orb in its chest. Not turning into ash right away, the steel mask humanoid quickly turned breaking the katana, and grabbed the orange haired teen in a chokehold.

"Ichigo!" Amamiya called in worry, seeing the former Substitute Shinigami being lift off the ground, the life being choked out of him.

"…Is that all you got?" the orange haired teen manage to ask, the steel masked humanoid's arm busting into ashes that was used to hold Ichigo. Catching a bit of his breath, he dodged a major punch in the ground that destroyed the area the two were standing on, leaving a sizeable hole to fall in. as the orange haired teen tried to get to safety, the steel masked humanoid gabbed on to him with its last usable arm, parts of its body turning to ash.

"As if I'd let you!" Ichigo yelled at his opponent, kicking its steel masked head as its other arm turn to ash, freeing him as it finally completely turned into ash. Before he fell to his death, Asaga grabbed on to the former Substitute Shinigami's arm, saving him as the muscular teen pulled him up to safety.

"That was a close call," Ichigo said, looking back to the other orange haired teen while catching his breath." I though you and Amamiya were goners for a minute there."

"Worry about yourself more, idiot. You're also in bad shape." Asaga pointed out, seeing the other orange haired teen's only shirt left was used as a makeshift bandage for his own side.

"I still kicked more ass then you did, and I bet I still have enough energy to beat you."

"What do you plan to do, bleed on me?"

"Bite me." Ichigo scowled, but gave a small grin in the end. "Thanks for the help, and for protecting Amamiya while I was gone."

"I'm just paying you back for earlier." Asaga told the other orange haired teen, thinking about what had transpired. Seeing monsters is one thing, but to even see a girl catching arrows with just her bare hands only leaves questions with no answers. Amamiya was obviously hiding something, so he planned on getting some answers.

"Hey," he said to the girl, getting her attention. "What where those monsters?"

"Tavoo: the forbidden species. I don't know who named that, but that is what they're called. Some are humanoid, some are insect-like, there are all kinds of them roaming around this world. I don't know where they come from or what they want, everything I know about them came second handed, and all those people are dead." Sakurako explained.

"There were other people brought here before us?"

"Yes, this game has been going of for quite some time. Its never-ending, and we happen to be the players now."

"What else can you tell me?"

"Nothing right now. We're still not safe, not right now."

Before Asaga could press for more answers, Ichigo got his attention by placing a hand on his shoulder, and told him, " Lets worry about it later, we wouldn't want to be getting on her bad side."

It only took a second for the muscular teen to think about it to agree with the other orange haired teen; seeing her creepy side wasn't something he was fond of. The three looked around the area to search for the gate, and after five minutes they fond it after going up a flight of stairs. The image they were shown before was exactly like what was before them.

"Everyone," Sakurako address to the other teens, putting her glasses back on while also taking out her Psyren phone card. "Take out your phone cards."

As the boys were doing so, the phone started glowing. The light blue haired teen pushed the card into the card slot, and pick the phone up, her erratic breathing returning. The screen on the pay phone showed cards points going from thirty-two to thirty-one.

"Don't push yourself too hard." Ichigo told Amamiya, concern in his face when she looked back at him, and gave a small smile.

"I'm ok. We can go home now."

'Ichigo Kurosaki…' she though as light began to surround her. 'he's impulsive, but understanding.'

"Don't be afraid, just follow me." She said before being completely being enveloped by light and disappearing. Being calm, the former Substitute Shinigami grabbed the phone, and also placed his phone card into the pay phone, the card points showing on screen went from fifty to forty-nine. After a weird sensation pass through him, he appeared in a much more organized room, Sakurako leaning against the wall.

"We're back in our world." She told the orange haired teen, and he confirmed it looking outside, seeing other people going on without so much a care around nighttime. Now that he looked around the room again, it looked exactly like the broken down building they were in before.

"We're back…in the present."

That sentence got Ichigo attention. "…What?"

"We've returned… from the future."

"…So, that's what is going on." Ichigo murmured, looking back outside to the people going about their business.

"Yes. Or I'm out of my mind…" Amamiya told, getting her cell phone out and dialing a number. "Now, I need to call for help…be quiet for a minute."

About that time, Asaga appeared back from the future, appearing around the corner, looking around his location.

"Where are…isn't this the same building we were just in? why does it look so new now?" the muscular teen changed his question, wondering what's happening. Before the former Substitute Shinigami could tell him anything, Sakurako's falling unconscious with a bad nosebleed caught his attention as soon as she hit the ground.

"Amamiya!" Ichigo yelled, moving to her and trying to stop her nosebleed, only it wasn't stopping; she needed real medical help right now.

"Sakurako!" A female voice sound, the cell phone that was on the floor still made its call. "Did you make it back? Are you back from Psyren? Are you alright? Talk to me!"

"…You're a friend of Amamiya's?" the former Substitute Shinigami decided to answer, picking up the cell since Amamiya was currently indisposed.

"Who is this? Where's Sakurako?" the surprised female voice demanded.

"Ichigo Kurosaki, we got through Psyren together. Amamiya needs help, her nose won't stop bleeding."

"She must have overused her PSI! I warned her about the strain on her mind!"

'PSI? Strain on her mind?...Is she talking about-'

"BLLURGGHHH!" A throw up sound broke his musing, wonder if the woman on the phone was ok. "Unh, I drank too much."

"Listen…right now, Sakurako needs… special medical care. If you take her to a hospital, it'll just cause trouble; they won't know how to help her. Ichigo, right? Take care of Sakurako till I get there, got that? I'm on my way!"

"Hey," Asaga told Ichigo, getting his attention motioning to turn on the speaker. Once it was on, he continued. "I recognize that park down there. We're in the outskirts of Toyoguchi, this is close to where I live."

'We're in the town over from Shirataki?'

"I can get to Toyoguchi in five minutes, wait there for me!"

After the call, the guys managed to find some tissues to block the light blue haired girls bleeding nose. One they were in the park, Amamiya laying down on the bench, Ichigo told Asaga that the place they were at before was the future of their world.

"The future…huh? Can you believe it? If she's actually right… that means Japan, our future, is going to be destroyed."

If the former Substitute Shinigami was honest with himself, he didn't want to believe it. That future practically taunted at him, telling him that he made the wrong decision in giving up his Shinigami powers. Everyone he knew and loved was going to die, and not only was Soul Society unable to stop it, he was powerless to stop it as well.

*CRASH!*

Surprised, the two orange haired teens looked behind them to find a crashed motorcycle, and from the smoke the biker stood out, wearing an entirely black suit and helmet with a black tinted visor.

"I'm here…for Sakurako Amamiya." The voice from the phone said…only to go by the light post the next moment later, removing her helmet with her face out of site. "Just a sec…"

Ichigo sweatdropped at the site of the woman barfing, honestly confused how she didn't crash earlier while driving drunk.

'Is it safe to leave Amamiya with her drunk like this?' The former Substitute Shinigami thought plainly, having doubts about her reliability. Reputing on the helmet on, the woman went to where the light blue haired girl was laying down.

"Are you alright, Sakurako?" the biker asked.

"You really shouldn't drink and drive, Matsuri sensei." Sakurako told the older woman, a small smile on her face.

"Thank goodness, I hadn't heard from you in so long…I was worried!" Matsuri said, relieved that the light blue haired teen was able to make it back after going five days missing.[1] Picking her up bridal style, she began to leave.

"Where exactly is this 'special help' your taking Amamiya to?" Ichigo asked, curious about what's suppose to happen now.

"Don't worry, as soon as I got her back on her feet, I'll send her home. The headlines will probably read 'Runaway Returns Home Safely', or something like that." Matsuri addressed the orange haired teens, before heading farther; the woman had a little more to say and turned to them.

"Good job guys, you made it back. Your now Nemesis Q's chosen ones; the Psyren Drifters. Rest up, there's no telling when Nemesis Q next call will come to send you back to the Psyren World."

"Wait, you mean Nemesis Q is going to call again, and send us back to that world?" Asaga asked in disbelief, the thought of going through with it again not appealing to him.

"That's right," Matsuri confirmed. "Until the points on your card reach zero. Here's a word of warning; don't blab about Psyren to anyone else that you're a Psyren Drifter. Not the government, the media or you friends and families. Nemesis Q won't tolerate it, terrible things will happen to you."

"Sorry, I got to run," the woman said, looking back to Ichigo. "Thanks for taking care of Sakurako."

"It's not a problem, just be sure she gets home safely." Ichigo addressed, moving out of the way as she passed him.

"Don't underestimate me just cause*hic*I'm drunk," Suddenly, the wrecked motorcycle floated up in the air, surprising the guys as it quickly move to Matsuri upright, landing safely on the ground as she got on it, with Amamiya riding in the back, and turned it on. "No one will get by me till Sakurako gets her treatment."

'Was that…telekinesis?'

"Oh, and another thing," the woman addressed the guys before taking off. "You'll probably have an intense fever and nosebleed tonight, but don't worry, just sleep it off. They're just symptom of your infection by the Psyren Atmosphere."

At their confused looks, Matsuri just gave them a thumps up and said, "It's your powers coming online*hic*."

With that, the biker drove off with the light blue haired teen before either guy could ask about their 'infection'. It wasn't long before it was quiet again, both guys alone in the park.

"…Do you think it's ok to leave Amamiya with a drunk driver?" the former Substitute Shinigami asked Asaga, still a little uneasy about the biker's drunk driving.

The muscular teen shrugs. "She called that biker chick, and they seem to trust each other, so there's no reason to worry about it. Plus, Sakurako seems to be doing well, surviving that Psyren world for who knows how long."

"You didn't seem to know her when we were in Psyren, did you reconize her from somewhere?"

"It been about four and a half years, but we were in the same fifth grade class for half a year. I've got a ton of questions; so when Sakurako gets back, let's meet up again. My full name is Hiryu Asaga, and I already heard your name enough to know it, Ichigo Kurosaki."

Hiryu began to leave, saying one last thing the other orange haired teen was able to hear. "Sakurako has a totally different vibe now, but she's just as cute as ever."

Watching the muscular teen leave for a moment, Ichigo decided to head home, wondering why he felt agitated by the comment the other orange haired teen made. So much into musing with himself, he never did notice Nemeses Q watching him, disappearing once the former Substitute Shinigami was out of its site.

Kurosaki Clinic/Thursday

As the former Substitute Shinigami headed into the door of his home, he idly wondered how his old man would handle him, since its been a while when he was late coming home.

"I'm home."

*POW! *

Crashing into the floor, the orange haired teen cursed under his breath while grabbing his pained chest, not helping his already hurt side.

"Do you have any idea how late you are?" Isshin Kurosaki, a tall muscular man with spiky black hair and brown eyes with thin facial hair around his mouth and on his cheeks stood above his son. As a doctor, the man had on a white lab coat over his casual red shirt and blue trousers. "It has been almost five days, in case you haven't notice. And when you do get back home, you miss dinner and its after midnight! Do you know how much your sisters were worried about you?" [2]

"Sorry," Ichigo muttered, knowing how much his father worries over Karin and Yuzu. While his old man was more serious this time cause of them, he had every right to be wondering what was going on. But, having to keep a secret, the orange haired teen couldn't explain it to him. "Things are a bit complicated right now."

"Is this complication too much for parental understanding? I've already told you, no matter what reason to he who disrupts this household's iron harmony, only a punishment of blood can be rendered."

When that sentence finished, Ichigo felt something run down his face, and when he wiped some of it off, he found blood on his hand.

"Ichigo! Are you alright?" the teen heard his father ask with worry, but around that time a major headache hit, his vision getting blurry. It wasn't long before he fell into blissful darkness.

Morning/ Friday

The sun's light hit Ichigo's face, startling him awake. Rubbing his eyes, he found himself in his bed, a little bit after two in the afternoon once looking at the clock in his room. The memories from last night hit him, and he moved the blanket off, seeing real bandages on him. Turns out what that woman said were true, fever and all.

Getting up, the orange haired teen changed into his 'Nice Vibe' shirt, a pair of light blue jeans and white socks. Once downstairs, he saw no one was home, figuring his old man was out to get groceries for dinner while his sisters were at school. Getting a glass of orange juice to drink, he double-checked to make sure he was alone. Once he was sure, the former Substitute Shinigami went and wrote a note, saying he'll be back later today by his empty glass. He still had a lot on his mind, and waiting for his family to get home to lie about where he's been wasn't something he was ready to do yet.

As he headed out the door with running shoes, he never noticed the now cracked glass finally shatter into many pieces.

Outskirts of Toyoguchi/a few hours later

When Ichigo thought about the few things he heard and seen last night, aimlessly walking around, about 'PSI', the straining on the mind when overused, and the telekinesis shown. He figured both Amamiya's and the bicker chick's powers were pretty much psychic abilities. For a long time, people have wondered if telekinesis was real. If anything, there are a few secret work facilities they study and believe it to be real today. If there were people with such abilities, it was very rare and hard to find such people.

Most of the populace figured it was just a magic trick, but from the things the former Substitute Shinigami have seen before, he knew it was a real now. Commotion brought the orange haired teens from his musing, looking down a street, he found Hiryu going up against a few guys, and one guy now just managed to hit the muscular teens back, and from yesterday Ichigo figured Hiryu was gritting his teeth in pain as he made his way to help the muscular teen.

When the main guy in the group brought out a retractable baton, ready to use it against his opponent, he was suddenly brought down by another orange haired teen, slamming his face into the ground from behind.

"Miwa!" the guys called in surprised.

"Looks like you can use some backup, Hiryu." Ichigo said aloud, looking for his next opponent.

"Ichigo!" Asaga looked a bit surprised, but accepted the help anyway. It wasn't long for both orange haired teens to knock out the two guys attacking the muscular teen before, and when the main guy got up, his help to go against 'Dragon' were out, two opponents before him not looking pleased.

The guy nervously chuckled, not as confident as he was before. "S-sorry?"

*SLAM! *

One problem diverted, the two orange haired teens made they way back to the park last night, after calling a few ambulances for the beat up guys.

"It almost hard to believe last night was actually real," Hiryu talked, looking back up the building the three were at. "Do you actually think that future will happen to Japan?"

"I don't want to believe it, but we have to find out the truth when Amamiya gets back." Ichigo said, looking back to the muscular teen. "By the way, last night…"

"Oh…" Asaga immediately understood. "Like a million bucks, thanks. Nosebleed and all…"

With that understanding out the way, it got a bit quiet between the two. Seeing something was on the muscular teens mind, the former Substitute Shinigami decided to see what was up.

"Something on your mind?"

"…Its just I can't believe Sakurako changed so much. During elementary school, she was always smiling, cheerful, bright, and really popular. She was also like a mediator between me and Ageha…"

" You mean Ageha Yoshina?" Ichigo asked, slightly surprising the muscular teen.

"Yeah, you know him?"

"Only because he didn't like how my job got in his way of getting money. He's doing job requests for 10,000 yen each job, while my job is similar to his, our pay depends on what the job is."

"Sounds like something he'd do." Hiryu confirmed, and then went with a weird topic about the midnight blue haired teen. "How tall is he?"

"…What?"

"How tall is Ageha now?" the muscular teen repeated the question.

"Why do you want to know?"

"When we were younger, he always teased me on how short I use to be. Since I haven't seen him for a while, I don't know if he's as tall or taller then me. I ask again, is he taller then me?"

"…If you must know, he's way shorter then you, by about eight inches."

Comprehending the differences, Hiryu started happily chuckling. "Great! Now I can get back at him. I'll see you later." The muscular teen waved goodbye in a happier mood, the former Substitute Shinigami watching him leave with a plain look on his face.

Kurosaki Clinic/Monday

"GOOOD MORRRNIIING ICHIGOOO!"

Hearing his father's normal wake up call, Ichigo brought up a left hook up and gave Isshin a punch in the gut. Following his old man's momentum with his fist, the orange haired teen sent him crashing out the window, straight down into the street below.

Having to explain his disappearance and his condition when coming home, he told his family that he was rescuing a girl, that was mistaken as her running away from home by some gang, and a knife that grazed his side lead to him getting sick since his makeshift bandages were only temporary and the wound just got infected when making his way home. While the story on the news and what his father seen when he got home helped backed up his story, they were still a bit skeptical.

His father knew he wasn't dumb enough to try and go searching for Hollows, so his old man wanted him to update on where he was, and let them know if he's going to be gone for more than a day; just to be sure he's all right. Agreeing, all he could hope for was that he wouldn't be called into the Psyren world at the wrong time.

Finishing putting on his spare uniform, he got his stuff for school, a quick bite to eat, and said goodbye to his sisters while heading to school.

"IIIIIICHIIIIIIGOOO!"

*BAM! *

"Sup." Ichigo greeted Keigo Asano; just holding his hand straight across while his friend ran into it. The hyperactive teen also had on the Karakura high school uniform, standing up opening his brown eyes… and dusting off his shaved head.

You see, because Keigo lost a Christmas party game, Mizurio made him go through with the penalty, which was getting a Mohican hairstyle. The next day after he got it, his teacher found out and forced him to shave it off, leaving him bald like he was still today. [3] The only upside for Keigo was that his sister was treating him a little better, since she liked guys with shaved heads. Ichigo was still a bit bothered by the change of hairstyle, but he was mostly used to it now.

"Ichigo! You've been gone for days, why do you always do that to me just after we see each other for so long? Aren't I your friend?" Keigo overreacted again; going through the routine they go through.

"You practically asked for it. You think after running into my arm for so long, you would've learned to stop. It's not going to change by your persistence." The orange haired teen told the hyperactive teen, going on his usual route to school.

"Ichigo Kurosaki, can you hear me?" a voice in the former Substitute Shinigami's head spoke to him, distracting him from what Keigo was saying next. And the voice wasn't Zangetsu or his Inner Hollow.

"What the hell?" Ichigo muttered.

"Can you hear me? It's me, Sakurako. Listen carefully, I'm not here, but I'm close to where you're walking. I'll be heading your way, over and out." Amamiya said in the orange haired teen's head, and he now confirmed that she telepathically talked to him.

"HELLLLOOOO?" Keigo almost yelled, waving his arm in from of the former Substitute Shinigami, who stopped walking and paying attention to the hyperactive teen. Blinking, Ichigo just shook his head as if he had something on his mind and realized he wasn't paying attention.

"Sorry, what?"

"You just spaced out and weren't listening to what I was saying. Is there something wrong?"

"Well…"

"ICHIGO!"

The two guys looked to find a girl with light blue hair and grey eyes with glasses on power walking towards them. She was wearing a light pink shirt, that was over a purple long sleeved shirt, with a rabbit's head on it with the words 'little' going over it. She also had a striped scarf on around her neck, also wearing long striped stockings on her feet. Finishing the look was a black skirt and black leather moccasins.

"So this is where you are, I was looking all over for you." She talked in a happy like voice and smile, but Ichigo knew she was faking it the moment he saw her smile. Rukia had done this act when he first started out as a Shinigami to get by people he knew in school. While annoying to watch, it was effective.

"Wait, wait, wait! Keigo over reacted, anime tears going out of eyes as he looked to the orange haired teen with Amamiya a little out of earshot. "You mean to tell me you just skipped school for so long was because you were picking up chicks? Why didn't you invite me? You never showed interest when I offered, and you don't invite me when you actually do; what the hell?"

"I wasn't." Ichigo scowled to the hyperactive teen, not amused. " While I was working, I happened to meet her at Shira High School cause I found her lost wallet."

"That's right, " the light blue haired teen got into the conversation, looking happily to the orange haired teen. "Not only that, he saved me from a gang that had captured me, and to thank him, we set plans for a date today!"

'Oh shit!' Ichigo thought, trying to deny what was said, but it was too late.

"WWWHHHAAAATTT!" Keigo screamed, disbelief on his face from the girl's words. Before the orange haired teen could speak, he went running off to school yelling, "Traitor!"

"…Did you have to do that?" the former Substitute Shinigami ask the light blue haired teen, who now had her normal look on her face.

"It seemed liked the best way to get you alone. It's time you know what's going on; come with me."

Ichigo sighed as he followed Amamiya, knowing his friends are going to get the wrong idea when Keigo tells them what he had witnessed.

(Author Notes)

[1] I decided to have a time difference when they get back, since originally Sakurako was in Psyren longer till Ageha went himself. So it'll be about twenty hours in the Psyren world will be about five days in the present.

[2]…I couldn't get Isshin's humor to work when Ichigo returned home. All my attempts at it were something I couldn't stand, so I'm sorry if he appeared too much out of character this chapter. TT‿‿TT

[3] Watch the end of Bleach episode 343, there's actually a Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book about the changes Keigo's hairstyle went through.