Chapter 7

"Captain!" Rangiku said in a cheery voice as she gave Toshiro a big hug.

"Rangiku? What the hell are you doing here?" Toshiro asked surprised while trying to push her away.

"Well, I decided to come down and see how the mission was going. And how OTHER things are going." She said as she gave him a nudge. "You see the Soul Society can see your every action. Well, they could see your every action until I intervened. Now, let's just say that they definitely can't anymore."

"Don't play coy with me Rangiku; you've come here about Momo haven't you?"

Rangiku's face went from happy to sad in an instant. "Yes." She said quietly.

"Then Rangiku," said Toshiro, "you no longer need to refer to me as captain. I'm resigning from the 13 Court Guard Squads."

"Captain, I also came here to tell you that I have done the same. And I found a few others who have as well." Just then Ichigo and Izuru walked through the door in the school uniform.

"Hey, Toshiro, how's it goin'?" Asked Ichigo with a smile.

"You guys are here too? But why?"

"Because captain," started Izuru, "Momo was also my friend and comrade. She had a kind heart and a gentle soul and did not deserve to die by the hands of the people she trusted. I would be honored if you would allow me to fight beside you in this battle to avenge her."

"You can count us in on this too." Said Tsukune stepping forward. "We owe that girl our lives as well."

"Oh, and that's not all either." Stated Rangiku. "I also brought along a third seat, a lieutenant, and two captains; all who resigned along with me."

"Pardon, but you forgot to include me in that." Said a very annoyed voice.

"Yumichika?" Said Toshiro surprised.

"Yes, and the reason I have come here is solely because my squad did too, which includes my captain. It turns out he got a job as head of the karate club here at the school. So Ikakku, Yachiru, and I are here fighting alongside you as well. Don't get the wrong idea the captain doesn't care about avenging your friend, he just wants to be on the weaker team so he could fight the stronger opponents."

"Wait so who's the other captain you brought with you?" Ichigo asked.

"Good morning class, I am going to be your new homeroom teacher. Jushiro Ukitake. Let's all have a wonderful year and do our best."

"Whoa, Captain Ukitake is here too!" Shouted Ichigo.

"Yes, hello Ichigo." Said Ukitake with a smile.

"Does that mean that Shunsui is here as well?" asked Toshiro.

"No," stated Ukitake, "he is going to be our spy in the soul society so that we know what they're planning. Now then, shall we begin class?" Just then they heard two voices coming down the hall.

"Ouch! Hey, Yachiru, stop pulling my arm! I'm going as fast as I can!"

"But Yuyu, if we don't hurry we'll be late!"

Ichigo started thinking to himself. Yuyu? Wait she couldn't mean-! Then Yachiru walked through the door with a worn out Yuzu holding her hand.

"Sorry we're late, but Yuyu is kind of a slowpoke."

"It's quite alright, just take your seats."

"Yuzu what the hell are you doing here!" Ichigo screamed and stood up while the whole classroom stared at him.

"Oh, hi Ichigo!" said Yuzu with a smile on her face. "Dad said that I should follow you to your new school so that you wouldn't starve for dinner every night. Besides it's just switching to a different school, right? So what's the big deal?" Just then all the Soul Reapers eyes widened with a look of dread.

"Uhm, Ichigo, Toshiro, may I see you in the hallway for a moment?" Said Ukitake with a grim look. So Ichigo and Toshiro stepped out into the hall with Ukitake.

"What's up Ukitake? Why'd you call us out here?" asked Ichigo.

"What? Are you telling me you really didn't feel the spike in your sisters spiritual pressure just now?" Asked Toshiro surprised. Just then Ichigo's eyes widened and he got the same look of dread as the soul reapers in the classrooms did. "I guess you were too busy arguing."

"What, no. This can't be." Ichigo said in disbelief.

"I'm sorry Ichigo," said Ukitake, "but your sister is giving off the spiritual pressure… of a hollow."

"This is insane! Why would this be happening?" yelled Ichigo.

"When Yuzu came back from Hell, she was a part of it. Kushanada would not have kept letting her live freely here in the world of the living without a reason. Kushanada, as you know, is the protector of Hell. That means he invested the powers of Hell deep inside her to only be awakened when Hell was in danger of being destroyed. The fact that these powers are being sensed by us only confirms that there is a battle coming up that will make all the worlds we know be in danger of being destroyed. Now, when you used this power you returned to normal because of your spiritual pressure being so strong. But that's not the case for her. Once she uses that power and Hell decides it has no more use for her, that power will take over, she will become a hollow, and we will have to kill her."

Ichigo looked at Toshiro with a horrified face and dropped down to his knees. "Damn it. Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it! Damn it all! I couldn't save her then, and I can't save her now! I failed as a big brother! Ahhhhhhhh!" Everyone could hear the pain in his voice. It was like hearing someone get stabbed with a blade straight through the heart.

"Ichigo," said Ukitake, "go to your dorm, get some rest, and come back tomorrow when you're thinking straight. I'll contact Urahara and tell him of your situation. Hopefully he'll come up with something."

"Thanks." Said Ichigo. Then he walked away back to his dorm.

Meanwhile at the bus stop in front of the woods.

"Thanks Mr. Bus Driver."

"No problem. You look a little old to be going to school here don't ya? What's your business for coming here?"

"Let's just say it's," the person smiled, "confidential."