"WHAT THE HELL?!" Ichigo's voice resounded off the walls, his hands and body tensed at the scene before him. He was suddenly consumed by a state of apprehension. The air drained from his lungs, his heart beat exploding through his once peaceful ears, and his mind rattling through his thousands of thoughts. Was he imagining this, was this some stupid prank, or was what he saw really there? Ichigo, the teenager who had beaten all the gangs in the city, a high school student, and a well raised childl.. was now faced with a great struggle. For the second time in his life… he didn't know what to think of this situation. He felt the large and tensed lump in his throat itch to get its way out and cry for… well… help… or intruder… he wasn't quite sure. But, Ichigo wasn't some stupid kid, he had his image to keep up, and with that he tried to calm himself. After a moment, he concluded that this was not a prank, any of his friends who would pull this off was really sick, nor was he dreaming. If he was dreaming, heck there would be some giant school book running after him or something crazy like that. So, what was he going to do now? It was almost unmistakable that this was not… well… normal. What he saw… was none other than a dead girl in his bathroom.

Her form was small compared to himself, but of course every girl was. She was curled up onto the rug, her shining silver tresses cascading down her neck and falling onto the tiled floor. Her lips softly pulled apart into an 'O' shape and her limbs cozily snuggled into a rather comfortable position. It looked as though she had lied down to take a small nap, or even to just rest her eyes, but Ichigo saw more to this. It… just wasn't right somehow. This whole situation sent his stomach twirling into knots and his heart wrenching.

He stared at the figure closely… still having his mind grasp the situation. His body began to sweat a little at just the horrid thought of having some stranger being found dead in your bathroom. That was only stuff that happened on those crime shows… but there Ichigo was. Staring at someone who neither moved, blinked… but wait. His eyes squinted at the slight movement. Brown eyes cautiously filled with hope closed in on her rib cage. The area was inflating and deflating at a normal pace… she was breathing.

A small wave of relief filled his body, but then there was still the question of why she was here… maybe she was injured.

"Unnn…" Ichigo frowned at the figure as he felt as if he was obligated to see if she was in the midst of death or not. His feet reluctantly moved from the doorway into their spotless bathroom. His foot retracted itself a few inches, and then lightly tapped the shoulder of the figure. Her body swayed slightly from the push, but then resided back down to sleeping position.

Ichigo felt his palms become sweaty as the situation was converting from weird… to serious. His foot lightly pushed on her shoulder again, this time it was more of waking up someone you hated… not in the kind manner he hand before. The body was pushed back a little more this time, but still no response came from her lips.

"Hey!" Ichigo called, his voice sturdy but filled with an abundant amount of worry and confusion. An eerie silence was brought forth, as still, the girl was unresponsive. Ichigo's frown furrowed deeper into his forehead, he didn't like where this was going. It was getting strangely familiar to some sort of weird horror film.

The tall body of the teenage male bent down to his knees. The hard floor unwelcoming his stature. The breathing was very rapid, so rapid that it seemed as though she was hyperventilating. Ichigo bit his lower lip with a small amount of pressure… this was all… strange to say the least. He reached to see if the how the pulse was. His fingers with delicate and a practiced nature as they felt for the slightest of beats. His eyes widened at what he had uncovered. Her pulse… was extremely fast, so fast that the beats could not be counted. Ichigo felt another… but stronger and more vivid fear take over his body.

"OLD MAN!" he called for what he knew his father would recognize as himself. "GET OVER HERE QUICK!" Ichigo yelled across the house as he began to look over her body, now his hands slightly trembling with a real anxious feeling.

\/

Ichigo's scowl was getting deeper by the minute that he had to endure this. He hated seeing his old man… period… but he even more disliked the fact that he was having to spend so much time around him to care over… this girl. Luckily his father would usually calm down a bit when the situation would call for it.

It was pure luck that there family had their own clinic or else this girl just might have not made it… or so said the crazy old pervert.

"It was Stress Induced…" Ishinn stared with concentrated eyes down at the figure he was towing over. She was comfortably resting in one of their patient's beds, her heart rate had considerably dropped back to normal in the last half an hour or so. "It's funny, when we saw her only a few minutes earlier she seemed completely fine." He bent his forearm down to feel the forehead of the girl. His hand softly caressing the smooth and lathered skin. "She doesn't have a fever…" he spoke out in a mumble. This girl was becoming a mystery case. Ishinn narrowed his deep and ever aging eyes. "I'll have to contact a friend and dig some things up… watch her while I'm gone," Ishinn ordered while he gathered the few equipment pieces he owned. His hands flexing and releasing the aching stress of aging to another level of his life consuming him.

"Mmm" Ichigo grunted in response. He crossed his toned arms while leaning his body against the white and pure wall.

"And don't do notty things to such a pure girl Ichigo!" his father shook his head as his voice was as annoying as ever. Ichigo scowled at that and a red blush arose on his cheeks without his noticing. The teenager growled under his breath and stomped his foot on the ground.

"I would never do that! You old pervert!" The strawberry retorted. Man… was his father annoying.

"Well, you did walk in on her while she was in the bathroom…" Ishinn was interrupted.

"THE DOOR WASN'T LOCKED!" Ichigo defended his image. He wouldn't be known for the guy who couldn't refrain himself and lunged into an occupied bathroom. 'AND WHY THE HELL DOES HE HAVE SUCH A DIRTY MIND!' Ichigo found himself yelling in his own mind.

"You are turning into a man Ichigo! It is nothing to be ashamed of!" His father took a heroic stance as his voice echoed through the dark room. Ichigo clenched his fists together in annoyance.

"Would you just get out of here!" He was preparing to fling to man out of the room and lock the door behind him.

"Ok, ok, ok…" his father tried to reason. He picked up his black bag filled with medical supplies and began to exit the poor lit room into their hallway. "I'll be back soon," he said before lightly closing the door behind him. Ichigo crossed his arms and stared at the curtains covering the window. Barely any light seeped through the cracks of the blue curtains, and that which did barely lit the room.

"Stupid old man…" he grumbled. The room fell silent as Ichigo made no noise except for his large and heavy breaths. He sighed an exhausted breath, his hand reaching up and rubbing the back of his neck trying to relief the stress of the day.

What was he going to do know? Ichigo complained as he thought he could just walk out and watch TV or something, but he felt guilt in his heart weigh down on him at just the insincere thought. He wanted to take a load off, throw his feet up, and have a nice relaxing evening… but it looked as though this girl had ruined that for him.

"So… you're the one who brought Yuzu back, eh?" he whispered to himself. Don't get him wrong, he was thankful for her deed, it's just… he really hated watching over sleeping people. It was boring as heck, but he was not the type to complain. His feet started the small journey over to the stool by the white sheeted bedside. The Strawberries strides were long and casual as usual, he paid no mind to if he was making too much of a racket.

He plopped down on the stool, to find it was rather comfortable with its comfy cushion. He rolled the wheels closer the patient's bedside… the teenager just wanted to get a look at her. Was that weird? No, he just wanted to see who had exactly saved his beloved sister.

Deep brown eyes scanned over her body, studying her form as if he was going to take a test on it in school. Her hair was a light silver, something he had never seen on such a young female before. He had guessed she had died it or something like that. The hair was neatly placed in orderly strands and tucked under her head to make sure that not one of the follicles could escape. A clip was placed on the left ear, a dark blue one pinned on top and another rectangular orange clip pinned under that. Ichigo was amazed how much the tint of orange resembled his hair. The pale complexion only added to the pure state he knew she was in.

'What was her name again…' Ichigo thought as he tried to recall what his father had called her.

"Something with a T…." he whispered out loud. But… he just could not remember. Ichigo placed his head on his hand, resting his eyes. The teen closed the eyelids gently, feeling the darkness in his mind take over,… he was so tired. He could probably just fall asleep right now.

OH WAIT! Ya, now he could remember, how could he forget… he rarely heard this name so you would think it would be easy to recall. He breathed out a small sigh before opening his squinted eyes and staring at her face… his bottomless eyes searching for life. Some sort of twitch or… something that would show what this person was like. How they lived… and what was going through their mind.

"Tatsumi…." He whispered. It sounded as if he was calling her name from another realm, as if beckoning to her. But, all Ichigo had wanted to do was confirm that that truly was her name, and by speaking it not only did he realize that was her given designation… but he had also awakened the sleeping beauty.

Blue sparkling eyes slowly lifted themselves from their dark state. The light blue tint resembling that of pure ice that you would see in winter, or the sky when it was at its peak, or even the soft blue flowers he passed everyday at school. The eyes… were filled with mystery, question, and even a hint of fear… but that was all diminished when those encasing blue eyes locked with cold and harsh brown ones.

"Yes?" Her soft and calming voice answered Ichigo's beckoning.

/\

"'Ayama…." Her voice carries weight as the whisper travels to her companions ears. The voice that she once knew as her own was slowly turning into a sorrowful and gloomy girl, one that wanted pity from others. But… Tatsumi didn't appreciate feeling the need for someone to come up to her and tell her it was going to be okay, that she wasn't going to be alone, that she wouldn't …cry. She had been strong enough to withstand all these years alone, what was the sudden urge to have someone care for her and empathize her life.

Her classmate swung around her body, hips twirling with the motion, long locks of silver strands flowing freely and a smile plastered on those familiar pink glossed lips. Tatsumi blushed a little as she stared into her eyes with the glowing of a bright gold. "Hmm?" she hummed in response. Her Hands frilling around her black skirt. Something Tatusmi was not accustomed to seeing on her friend… especially at school. It made the teenager stand out more than usual, and that was to say a lot. "OH, just look at this stupid thing!" Ayama suddenly outburst as her hands guided around the flimsy skirt material. The short ruffles waved through her hands with ease, caressing Ayama's skin with a soft pleasure. But, the teenager was anything from happy.

"What's wrong with it?" Tatsumi was concerned.

"It's way to dang short!" She continued to try and tug the skirt down. But, when she did the bottom it would show her belly button, and then when she would tug it back up she was afraid she would catch someone staring underneath.

"But… I think it looks nice on you!" Tatsumi complimented Ayama with a nice and sweet reassuring tone.

"EH! Whatever, maybe I'll get all those guys to start staring at me more often with this!" She concluded, a bright smile on her lips. She really did make Tatsumi ponder if being outgoing and crazy like that… was a fun thing. "Oh ya, what were you going to say?" Ayama asked as she bent over and leaned on the bark of the tree. The tree was tall and old, Tatsumi had remembered it being there when she was just a toddler… but that wasn't anything she needed to be thinking about right now.

"Un… ya…" Tatsumi tucked her hands behind her back entwining her fingers in the delicate soft skin. The blue orbs tried to avoid the gaze of her friend… a sudden wave of nervousness was called about. Tatsumi felt the breath on her lips grow cold as her heart began to pound in her head. Maybe… she shouldn't ask. Ya… she didn't have to ask… it wasn't like it was something extremely important or anything. "Uh… Never mind…" Tatsumi tried to give of a chuckle but it came out throaty and sounded more like a croak than a laugh. "I forgot…" Tatsumi spoke.

"Aw, come on… you can tell me," Ayama saw through the poor conceived charade. Man… she really needed to teach Tatsumi to lie better… cause dang did she suck at it.

"Ummm…" Tatsumi hummed in through her itching throat. The small child bit her lower lip, but she guessed that maybe there was no harm in asking. Ayama was a good person and Tatsumi would understand if she didn't feel the same way.

Tatsumi immediately blushed at her thoughts… it felt like she was confessing love for someone! She shook her head a tad to relieve herself of those embarrassing thoughts.

"Well… come one spill it!" Ayama ushered once more.

"Oh…" Tatsumi closed her eyes… "Umm… are we friends?" The child asked the older and more matured female. Tatsumi felt a wave of something hit her, relief that she had gotten over the fear of asking… but afraid of the answer. …She was being so silly, she didn't have to ask that question… that isn't something you ask right out of the blue… actually it was something you rarely should ask for it could make things awkward. Tatsumi clenched her teeth a little as she prepared for a burning sensation in her heart when the answer… she thought… would absolutely be 'no'.

"NO!" Ayama screeched out. Tatsumi felt the tremendous pain in her heart grow wider and more filling. This… she couldn't take.

"Oh…" Tatsumi murmured. Her hands fell free to her sides as she couldn't believe this person was being so harsh. Tatsumi would never say 'no' like that to anyone… even if they weren't her friends she knew better than to make their feelings be crushed just as her were now.

"Were best friends!" Ayama corrected. Tatsumi felt her bright eyes look up with question. Then, it settled in what she had said… the thought… of having a friend was tremendous… but having a best friend was unheard of. The girl with golden eyes giggled as her grin was wide and filled with a joyful feeling.

Tatsumi couldn't help but smile back… even though it had not settled in what 'Best Friends' would do for each other. Just how tremendous the strength of that title was.

It means you protect one another through pain and suffering.

"REALLY?!" Tatsumi exclaimed. Her heart lifting from its once dragging state.

"Hell YA!" Ayama replied.

It means you care for them when they are sick.

Tatusmi couldn't help but notice that she was trembling, thought not in a frightened manner. She was just so excited… and Tatsumi suddenly felt the erge to throw herself into her companions arms and yell 'Thank you' a million times.

It means you stand by their side through thick and thin

Tatsumi felt a rough hand on her head. The hand of her friends ruffling through her hair and messing up the once perfect strands. Her eyes were open to stare into Tatsumi's… and Tatsumi's into hers. This… this had to be the best day of her life… it just had to be.

Having a best friend means you're willing to do anything for them… even give up your own life for theirs

/\

Ishinn clasped the warm mug with delicate hands. The grip only scratching the hard plastic texture of the cups frame. Smoke drizzled out of the cup at the freshly heated up brew. The scent cascading down his nose as the hint of mint was ever so present. His deep brown pented eyes stared at the man before him, watching as the long time friend sipped the green tea with a crooked smile. Ishinn peered down at his own given cup of tea and placed it down to the side of the round coffee table. The 'clang' being one of the only sounds in the taciturn room.

"So… I suppose you know why I am here," Ishinn began. The man with concealed eyes lifted his struck gaze at Ishinn, their eyes locking for a few seconds. Tension was growing ever more present in the small and cheap room. Urahara sighed heavily while also placing his cup to the side, but not before showing his disappointment.

"Well, I had hoped you had come for a visit to see your old friend… but as always I know that can't be true," the shop keeper sighed longing the day that someone might visit his quaint little shop and not want anything from him but his lovable self.

"Sorry…" Ishinn responded uncaringly, not seeming to care about the feelings of Urahara.

"Yes, yes, yes…" Urahara tried to wave of the apology. He brought out his fan, and as usual he waved it in front of his delicate facial features, covering his amused smile. "But, at least you are here… even if it wasn't for my wonderful company." He spoke. "It's a shame you don't visit more often," the shop keeper complained, "It gets rather lonely here without Yorichi around…" he sighed for the millionth time.

"Yes, I have just been so busy lately…" The man tried to excuse himself from being a 'heartless person who never visits, or calls, or writes, or even waves as he walks past his shop' as Urahara had put it many times.

"Ya… like your clinic gets more customers than my store…" Urahara mumbled.

"I HEARD THAT!" Ishinn pounded his fist on the table. It was no wonder why he chose to not visit often. This man would somehow always get on his nerves. "Our clinic is a very respectable establishment!" He retorted.

"Ok, ok, ok…" The shop keeper put up his hands trying to calm the guest. "Now… tell me what you want to know…" The shop keeper began to get a serious expression. Eyes narrowed, and a small scowl on his face.

"Tatsumi Yamasaki… tell me who she is," Ishinn asked, or sort of ordered the information from Urahara.

"Oh my… seems as though she has been in some sort of trouble," The shop keeper concluded by the way his old friends was behaving.

"She had a Stress Induced mini Como… she woke up out of it soon… but I am sure it will happen again if I don't find the route cause." He explained. She was indeed his patient, and he had to do whatever was necessary to see her health return.

"I see…" The other occupant of the table whispered. "Well, you might want to get comfortable…" Urahara narrowed his eyes. "Cause this might take a while…"

/\

The blue eyes were staring up into that of a stranger. A complete and utter stranger that was peering down at her with confusion, and yet… Tatsumi felt no anxiety. The chestnut eyes were comforting in a weird way, made her feel as if she was in a forest in the winter. Snow drizzling down her back, a slight breeze filled with the smell of chimney smoke and acorns. She could almost feel herself being transported to that wonderful place, just by gazing into these eyes.

"Are you an angel?" Tatsumi pondered, as the brown eyes encased her in the ever descending mystery of who this man was. The girl frowned a little as the man shook his head in confusion.

"E-eh… no?" he questioned.

"Are you an alien?" Tatsumi asked another question, this once just as ridiculous as the first.

"N-no?" The man stood back a little, to relive the space between their forms.

"Are… you an… astronaut?" Tatsumi asked yet another outrageous question. The man furrowed his eyes brows into a scowl.

"No." He answered more sternly this time. His hands moved to his pockets as he tried to relax while the conversation ensued.

"Come on man!" Tatsumi whined, her voice bouncing between annoying and childish. "THEN WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU? SOME KIND OF FREAK!" Tatsumi burst out of nowhere. Her own scowl deepening.

"N-NO!" The teenager yelled back. "I AM A FREAKIN HUMAN BEING!" He wailed, what was this girl's issue?

"…oh…ok…" Tatsumi nodded her head in agreement. "You should have just said so!" She seethed out.

"What the heck is your problem?" The man muttered under his breath.

"Well… I guess I have a slight itchy throat, my hands are sweaty, my lips are chapped, and I feel kind of…" Tatsumi was interrupted in her journey to tell all her problems to the man.

"T-that's not what I meant!" the man retorted.

"Oh… well then… I guess I have been feeling drained for the past few days, I felt sadder than usual, and I have had this weird urge to slap people's face…" She was again interrupted.

"Would you just shut up!" the orange spiked haired guy complained. A sigh emanated from his lips as he scratched the back of his neck. "You're supposed to be resting anyway…" The man complained. He grabbed the stool form the patient's bedside and rolled it over next to the door and sat down miserably on the cushion.

"RESTING! OF COUSRE!" Tatsumi yelped. "How could I forget?!" Her body swung backwards and hit the pillow with great strength. A breath escaped her lips as she closed her eyes. "Ok… on it! Resting is what I do best!" The female reassured the still, unknown man.

Her eyes softened as she began to try and fall asleep. Her breaths were slow as the room was filled with a peaceful silence. A sudden wave of no questions or movement turned the moment into a sleepable one, 'ok… resting. I can do this! It's easy. It's just the quiet room with the two occupants inside it, I can fall asleep in that. Nothing here... except a quiet atmosphere… Nothing… but the two… the two… occupants inside it. One… on the bed… and the other… near the bed. One trying to sleep… and the other staring at her!' Tatsumi felt her eyes bulge wide as her face spun around at the speed of light.

The teenager had his arms crossed with scowl on his face… as his eyes simply stared at Tatsumi. Tatsumi's vein throbbed in her head. "Oi…" she mumbled. Her voice defining her usual cheery nature, as it was dark and murderous.

"Hmm?" The man hummed in response. His eyes not averting their locked gaze.

"WHY THE HELL ARE YOU STARING AT ME WHILE I SLEEP? THAT IS PRETTY FREAKY!" Tatsumi blared out. Her hands flying in the air as her words came out without thought.

"Because I am supposed to watch over, you dumbass!" Ichigo retorted.

"WELL, IT'S FREKAING ME OUT! AND I CAN'T FALL ASLEEP WITH ALL THIS PRESSURE!" Tatsumi clenched her fists tightly as an airy breath escaped her lips.

"It's not my fault you are so weird that you would actually try to fall asleep in front of a stranger, you didn't even ask who the heck I was?!"

"WELL FINE THEN! Can you, for the love of humanity, tell me your stupid name!" Tatsumi cooed angrily out. The man thrusted himself from the chair and took a step forward.

"THE NAME IS IC..." The man was interrupted.

"SLAM!" the sound of the door crashing open, the backside implanting itself into the teenagers face sending him into the wall. Bones braking, moans of pain emanating, and a figure dashing in.

Tatsumi closed her eyes as the bright light flooded the once cozily dark atmosphere. She saw the figure run in, stifling and seeming to… cry.

"TATSUMI!" the father of Yuzu Kurosaki bursting in. His arms failing around as tears spewed through his closed eyes, snot drooled from his nose, and his mouth into a frown. His body flung itself forward and grasped onto the sleeve of Tatsumi, tugging on it as he fell to the ground.

"YUZU'S DAD!?" Tatsumi exclaimed happily back. She had forgotten his name by now, so Yuzu's Dad would have to work.

"I AM SORRY I HAD TO LEAVE YOU WITH MY SON, WHILE I WENT OUT!" the older man wailed. "DID HE DO ANYTHING TO YOU?"

"THAT FUCKING HURT OLD MAN!" Rang the loud and thundering voice of the male from behind the door. The teenager kicked the door that had crushed his face with his foot, hoping it would fly off the hinges and kill his dumb father. Ichigo stampeded over to the bedside where the father sat, his tears disappearing at the sight of his son.

"COME ON ICHIGO! BEOCME A MAN, AND FACE UP TO IT!" Ishinn complained as he thought his son was being a wimp.

"You bastard! WHAT'S YOU'RE ISSUE, THROWING A DOOR INTO YOUR OWN SON'S FACE!?" Ichigo grabbed the older man by the collar and squeezed tightly around it, hoping that his father would die right there and then.

"Ichigo, man up! I HAVE HAD THAT DONE TO ME MANY TIMES, AND NOT ONCE HAVE I COMPLAINED LIKE YOU! YOU ARE SUCH A WIMP! BECOME A MAN ICHIGO!" His father complained. Both of the men were staring fiercely at the other. Eyes scowling with frustration and anger, fiery rage filling the air. Both, had terrible points, both were lunatics, and Tatsumi had thought that both were too loud.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" The man… know as Ichigo, yelled back. The two began their bickering, and that had soon turned into fighting, and that turned into trying to kill one another.

"Oh… ya!" Tatsumi felt a thought pop in her head. She looked up at the roof, her eyes locked onto the ceiling with concentration. "Where am I?" Tatsumi finally spat out.