A/N: I'm SO sorry it took so long for me to update. I'm so, so sorry! And I would like to thank ALL my reviewers from the very bottom of my heart! All your words have touched me tenderly. I owe this all to you. A quick reminder, this is set immediately after the first movie, Memories of Nobody. I have to say that some spoilers are inevitable but I will try to keep them as vague as possible for those who've not seen it yet. Oh, and I am my own beta who often types these chapters during late evenings so I dearly apologize for any typos. Outside of that, I really hope you enjoy the chapter!

Rated T for insurance.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own most of these characters; they strictly belong to Kubo Tite-kun. Kishu Sorata is my O.C. but I borrowed his name from another anime. I'd like to see if it rings anyone's bells. I am not selling this product so I will not at any time make any profit for this story. The only time anyone will be paying is for the ink if that person decides to print this piece of work. I will also declare that I borrowed some favorable lines from other televised programs and literature.

Time Warp

Chapter Three

Ichigo sat confined to his room with his arms crossed and a heavy scowl on his face. "Damn that Ukitake," he muttered, slouching his shoulders. He understood where the lieutenant was coming from when he dismissed Ichigo from the hot springs but having him stuck here? "'It's for your own good, Kurosaki,'" Ichigo mimicked. Then he gave a low chuckle at his horrible imitation but it quickly turned back to a scowl. "Why are you here?"

The 3rd seat, Kishu Sorata, had settled himself in Ichigo's quarters and jumped when Ichigo addressed him so coldly. Finally finding his voice after sitting for many minutes in silence with the substitute, Sorata said, "Ukitake-fukutaichou put me in charge of your supervision. And I would much approve if you'd stop speaking so poorly of my lieutenant."

"Whatever." Ichigo grew restless in his seat as he shifted again and again. "I just don't understand why I'm stuck in here."

"Ukitake-fukutaichou already clarified that with you," Sorata said with a sour lip. "If it is your body they found we don't need you wandering the streets and being discovered."

"I got that part, idiot. I mean, who will recognize me? None of these low-lives would know, would they? Only captains would've been there, right?"

"That's the point," Sorata pointed out, sticking his index in the air. "We don't know who was there: captains, lieutenants, maybe it was the Head Captain himself! We have to keep a low profile." Sorata ran his hand through his brown hair. "And to have a captain's or a lieutenant's meeting so late…it must be about something very important."

Ichigo let out a heavy sigh before falling back with his arms outstretched on his futon. He thought about how much better his bed would feel right now. He then smirked when he thought of his father's 'lovely' wake up calls that consisted of a kick to the face or an elbow to the gut if Ichigo wasn't fast enough.

For a moment, Ichigo thought he could hear his father calling his name, extending the vowels as the older man tried to wake his son. Little did he know it was Sorata trying to get his attention until the smaller man began shaking the day dreamer's leg.

Ichigo paid no heed to the 3rd seat as his mind wandered. If he was going to find a way home he shouldn't be sitting here on his hands. The last thing he remembered was being on that bridge before waking up here in the Soul Society. There had to be hints out there on that battlefield where he woke up. Something they missed but he wasn't going to wait here until Ukitake found him a way home.

Kurosaki, I promise I'll get you home.

He'll work until he's dead as long as you get home in the end.

The two lieutenants' voices rang in Ichigo's ears until his head ached from it. He propped himself up on his elbows and though his gaze was on the talking 3rd seat his mind was elsewhere.

It seems you've taken a warp through time…

I was informed it has something to do with what was found at the battlefield yesterday…

I don't have a Kurosaki Ichigo on my squad…

It seems Ukitake had too much trust in you to believe you'd obey a simple order to behave…

It's my responsibility to supervise you and educate you on how things work around here…

So, any ideas on how you got here…

Kurosaki, I will heed Kyouraku's decision…

I-it was a Hollow…

I think it best you keep your presence here on the hush…

Thank you…

Shut your big, fat mouth…

Voices rang in Ichigo's head. He clenched his eyes tight as they grew louder. They were all voices of the recent days, familiar ones of Ukitake, Kyouraku and Sorata but that last one…the last one was louder and sharper than the rest. It clicked in his mind and it made him sit straight up.

The voice was young and fun, relieved in a way. It only took a second for Ichigo to realize it was a girl's. He didn't know whose it was or why she said it but it made Ichigo jump to his feet and throw Zangetsu over his shoulder. When he flew out the door he could hear Sorata groaning behind him.

"Not again!"

***Nightfall***

Ukitake dragged his feet across the wooden passageway as sleep pulled away at his clear thinking. "That took longer than expected," he squeezed out before covering an escaping yawn. "I hope Kurosaki isn't too aggravated with me."

He was rather surprised he could get away from Kyouraku's watching gaze after the meeting but after promising a good night's rest he was able to part from his friend. The thought of his friend reminded him of a little something and he reached into his sagging sleeve to pull out the small pouch of candy. He carefully pulled back the tied string and plucked a piece from the bunch. As he popped it into his mouth a wan smile spread across his pale face.

"Mmm…that hits the spot." He lightly licked his lips and looked down at the sweets in his hands. "I wonder if Kurosaki would appreciate some before going to bed."

He paused by his room which was inviting him to come lay on his bed but he passed up the offer and continued down the wooden trail. He finally reached Ichigo's room and knocked softly on the wooden paneling with his free hand. "Kurosaki, may I come in?"

No reply.

Ukitake pondered there for a moment. A light was emitting through the paper door and Ichigo didn't seem the type to sleep with a candle lit irresponsibly. He knocked again, a little louder this time. "Kurosaki?"

Again, no reply.

With slight hesitation, Ukitake slid open the door and walked into the empty room. The candle was near completely melted with the wax dripping all the way down the table and onto the polished floor.

"Looks like I can't keep my promise, Kyouraku-kun."

Ukitake sighed heavily and walked over to the low table. He crouched down with his knees bent to blow out the candle but when he inhaled to blow his breath hitched, causing a cough. After that cough came another cough after another and Ukitake collapsed to his knees on the floor. He had to throw through his hands down onto the table to prevent an oncoming concussion, causing the candy to scatter across the wood and bounce off the floor.

After a few moments he caught his breath and looked at his doused hand, wet with a small coat of blood. He cleared his throat a couple times before he reached his hand into the opening of his shihakushou to clean himself using the inner layer in front of his breast. He then pushed himself up onto his feet after blowing out the candle and rushing out the door. There was only one place he could think of that Ichigo would go running off to at this hour.

It was too dangerous for him to be out without proper supervision.

***Full Moon***

Before he knew it, Ichigo landed in the middle of the battleground where he'd woken up not two days ago. He walked over to the patch of grass that seemed familiar enough to be his first bed since he'd been here. Ichigo wandered around the sunken in patch of grass looking for any clues that might lead him home. If only he knew what he was looking for…

"Kurosaki-kun! Please, I must inform you—"

Ichigo, now lost all his concentration, turned around to glare at the intruding shinigami that was surprisingly quick enough to keep up with him. "Will you shut up? You have any idea how annoying you can be?"

"I must insist, Kurosaki-kun, that we…"

Ichigo had now completely ignored the 3rd seat and started circling around the patch of beaten grass. He could tell the other man was still talking but the words were long from his ears.

"What's that?" Ichigo asked himself just above a whisper. He knelt down with an elbow on his knee as his other hand reached down and slid two fingers across dripping grass. He brought the digits up close to get a better look in the dark as he smeared the liquid between the two fingers and his thumb. "Is this…I was bleeding?"

Ichigo tried to think back to why he was bleeding but he was coming up with a blank. Blank. Blank? Blanks? For some reason that word seemed to pop out over the rest and when Ichigo shook his head to clear his mind he found himself staring at his blood-tipped fingers.

"That's right," he said in a realization. "I was bleeding at that shrine…where Ukitake and I were arguing…over the…the-oh, what was it?-the Shinenju. I think it was the Shinenju but why were we arguing? Why was I bleeding?" All the unanswered questions made him furious and he growled under his breath. "Was it Ukitake? No…Renji? No. Rukia? No. I think I was protecting something. The Shinenju, maybe? Why was I protecting her? Wait, her?" For some reason when the word Shinenju crossed his mind he connected it with a girl. "Urahara said it was a jewel, didn't he?"

Sorata had finally lost all patience and rose his voice in clear aggravation, "Kurosaki," he started, dropping the –kun in his anger, "I must imply that we—"

"Will you shut up," Ichigo was about to ask but when he turned to yell at the other shinigami, a monstrous roar overlapped that of his own voice. Ichigo's eyes grew wide and he turned back southward. "A Hollow?"

"There's no way," Sorata said breathlessly as he stared off into the distance. "A Hollow shouldn't be this close. I-I-I-I erm it doesn't um…" The shinigami ran his hand down his face. "Where are the other shinigami? They wouldn't let a Hollow get this close to the Seireitei…no matter what squadron. There shouldn't be…"

"Oh, stop blabbering," Ichigo said as he stood, grabbing Zangetsu on his way up and leapt towards the source of the sound.

"Wait, Kurosaki-kun!" Sorata grabbed at the Zanpakuto on his hip and leapt up after him.

When the 3rd seat met up with the substitute, they both stood afloat above a patch of trees and looked down through the fuzz of leaves to catch some shinigami in the midst drenched in blood. Among them, though, there was no Hollow.

"I don't understand," Sorata gasped. "How could an entire squadron fall to one Hollow? There's no way...I mean, I can't even feel its presence."

"Me neither," Ichigo stated back as his eyes frantically scanned through the woods. "If I'm not mistaken, those look like…" he trailed off as he hopped off his platform in the sky and landed softly on the ground.

"Those are blade wounds," Sorata clarified as he landed next to Ichigo. "Could the Hollow have been smart enough to wield a sword?"

"That or there's a traitor amongst us," Ichigo said viciously, thinking back to what happened on Rukia's execution day. "Perhaps the Hollow showed up and he ran?"

"How dare you assume a traitor! No one would ever betray the Gotei 13!"

Before Ichigo could give a cocky remark another roar shot through the air and caught their attentions.

Then, there was a noise, a familiar noise that reminded Ichigo of nothing more than a gunshot. "But those don't exist in this world," he muttered.

"What?"

The word seemed extended as though he was speaking slowly. Ichigo wasn't paying much attention to the 3rd seat but more towards the object coming straight towards him. Everything seemed to slow down and though it was coming slowly, Ichigo felt he was moving in water. And just as the object was about to strike his pupil, something swiped down and smacked the object to the ground. It took Ichigo only a moment to follow time normally again and look at the bloodied hand of Ukitake Jyuushirou.

"Ukitake?"

"Ukitake-fukutaichou!" Sorata bowed his head in respect. "I'm so sorry! I tried to stop him but he wouldn't listen to me."

Ukitake simply waved Sorata off and was glaring directly at Ichigo. "I thought I told you to stay to your room?" Ichigo opened his mouth to answer but Ukitake cut him off. "And if you were, by chance, going back to where we found you, you are way out of my squad jurisdiction. So might I ask why you've gone this far?" Again, Ichigo opened his mouth but Ukitake cut him off. "Saying you were looking for clues to go back home, we are in battle with a high-level Hollow and it is too dangerous to go off alone." Ichigo opened his mouth and motioned towards Sorata but Ukitake cut him off once again. "He may be a 3rd seat but I gave you my word and he was merely for your supervision, not your protection." A last time Ichigo opened his mouth but Ukitake cut him off. "If I hadn't been here then that pod would have stricken you and if you were unfortunate enough to have lived then in hours the enemy would have manipulated you to do anything with or against your will."

Ichigo stood irritably with one eye twitching waiting for the next scolding but the lieutenant was quiet as he shook his bloody hand.

"Ukitake-fukutaichou, let me wrap that," Sorata insisted as he pushed past Ichigo.

"'Tis nothing but a mere scratch," Ukitake flatly stated as he turned away. "We have bigger things we must attend to."

"What kind of Hollow is it?" Ichigo asked, thankful that he wasn't interrupted.

"A new discovery," Ukitake said as he grabbed the hilt of his sword. "A dear friend believes it can divide itself and, if need, rejoin again. Don't be fooled: theory has it, that no matter how many times it divides itself, the duplicates are just as strong as the original."

The 3rd seat swallowed hard and drew out his blade.

"No matter what," Ukitake warned, "do NOT let those pods penetrate you. If those get lodged anywhere inside you then you will be its puppet." The lieutenant then drew out his own blade.

"So, are you saying these men killed themselves?"

With his back still to him, Ukitake responded, "Yes, Kurosaki," after a long pause. "It's a strong possibility."

Another gunshot echoed through the woods and the three shinigami dispersed. Sorata went right, Ukitake went left, and Ichigo used shunpo to dart forward past the pod. Though he kept his eyes wide open, Ichigo couldn't see the Hollow anywhere, and he could barely feel its presence. Gunshot after gunshot fired and Ichigo flash-stepped from side to side to dodge them. He started taking notice that he had to start dodging sooner and sooner, proving he was getting closer. Finally, he could see where the pods were shooting from: a tree he was heading straight towards.

"It's disguised as a tree?" he asked out loud as he raised Zangetsu over his head. "Whatever, a Hollow's a Hollow!"

Just as his sword was about to make contact, two Zanpakuto blades crossed right in his path and swung him around behind the tree.

"Kurosaki, wait!"

Rubbing at the back of his sore neck with one hand, his other arm was propped up on his elbow in the grass. "What's going on, Ukitake? Why aren't we killing it?"

"It seems theory was wrong," Ukitake said gravely as he sheathed his sword. "Come have a look at this."

With a groan, Ichigo pushed himself up and walked over to the tree; close to stay out of range of the pods' aim. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me. This is what caused that horrible slaughter today and the other day?"

"This would explain why you couldn't sense the Hollow, KIshu." As Ukitake reached forward, his used his left hand to hold back the sleeve as he plucked a Hollow the size of a locust off the tree. The thing was practically a tiny mask with six tinier legs that would shoot out the pods through its mouth. "This Hollow is less than 1/10th of the Hollow we fought a couple days ago and that wasn't the original. These forests are probably filled with these little things and there's still the original we need to look for."

Ichigo looked up at the lieutenant curiously. It looked like the other man might be clenching his teeth but it was hard to tell. Was there something Ichigo wasn't catching? How grave could this situation get from those little things? Or was he worried about the original?

"Excuse me, Kishu? With what were you to wrap my hand with?"

The boy seemed confused only a moment before sparking in remembrance. "Oh yes!" The 3rd seat reached into his sleeve and pulled out a small roll of gauze. "I carry it with me all the time just in case. Shall I wrap your hand for you?"

"Oh, it's not for me." He reached his arm over to hand Sorata the Hollow that was squeaking in protest. "I need you to wrap him up good and tight for me."

Sorata seemed hesitant. "What for, Ukitake-fukutaichou?"

"I need to take him into Squad 12 for investigation. I think it best for him to be alive in case he was to divide again." The lieutenant sighed heavily as Sorata reluctantly grabbed the writhing Hollow and wrapped it up in the speed of light. The lieutenant then looked over to Ichigo and gave a wan smile. "We'll have to look for hints some other time, Kurosaki. I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry? I'm the one who messed up."

That's what Ichigo wanted to ask, he could hear his voice echoing it in his mind but there was something that caught his eyes and he wasn't sure why. There was something in the lieutenant's smile-perhaps the light from the rising sun affected it-but the man's teeth had the lightest shade of red to them.

At Ichigo's angle, Ukitake was at a slight rise above him and the sun shone behind him perfectly that made him glow. Usually, Ichigo had such high respect for this man and always saw him as a strong-willed, independent gentleman and the way he glowed should have made him seem a hero along with his discovery of the Hollow but…Ichigo's never seen the man so weak before in his entire life.

To be continued…

A/N: I really liked how I ended this chapter—the last paragraph, I mean. I really hope you all can visualize it as I do. It's a rather gorgeous idea in my mind. I'm very proud. XD Btw, side note, I try to believe with Ichigo being a doctor's son he'll naturally catch small hints of bad health; nothing more, nothing less about it. Outside of that, if there are any questions, comments, or concerns, don't be afraid to click that little button. And flames are excepted since it gets pretty cold in this room at night.

Ta-ma ai-ma-sho!