(Ichigo's point of view)

Evening came quickly; my troubled thoughts making the time pass with ease. I had not come up with a solution to my predicament and decided to leave it be for now. I would ask the old man about it tomorrow, once my sisters were gone for school.

That man...

His eyes still haunted me. It was hard to get away from the mental image.

Yumi had the exact same eyes; that same shade of light blue, glowing like two embers in their eye sockets.

I shuddered immensely, noticing a shift in the wind. Was there a storm coming? It seemed suddenly so quietly...

"Kurosaki, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

A voice was angrily shouting at me, and it turned out to belong to Ishida. My eyes flickered to attention, focusing on a fuzzy figure a mere foot from my face. It ...

A ...Hollow!

I sucked in my breath, jumping back just as Ishida took aim and shot at it. At least, that appeared to be the case. It was all nearly impossible to see for me.

"What's wrong with you?" He turned to me, irritated. "You walked right into it, almost! Are you an idiot!?"

I narrowed my eyes at him, deeply stung. "I couldn't see it."

Had he forgotten so quickly? Or perhaps he didn't think I was as weak as everyone thought?

Too much credit... He gave me too much credit.

His expression quickly shifted, going from shock to guilt in a matter of moments.

Not waiting for his apology, I turned and headed home.

I decided to tune out his shouts of my name as well.

Dinner was over in an instant. I couldn't keep food down, something was making my entire body ache.

Yuzu expressed concern, but a smile and a quick chuckle passed it off as exam stress.

Since I was no longer a Shinigami, who could doubt me?

I flopped into bed, not bothering to remove my clothes from school.

Tired ...

I was so tired. Emotionally more so than physically.

A darkness was invading my vision, making my eyelids heavy ...as I slowly drifted to sleep...

Ocean...

I hear the waves of an ocean crashing.

My eyes jumped open, a sharp gasp escaping as the humid air rushed in. I could taste sea water.

A thick woods lay ahead of me, dark and looming. An island...

But how? Was I dreaming? It felt so real...the sand was warm and soft beneath my feet.

"I've arranged ...a party. A reunion of sorts."

No, that's impossible.

I would have noticed being dragged away...

With a hiss of trepidation, I moved forward into the wooded area.

A small beacon of light guided me, flickering. A Bon fire had been set...

I unconsciously sucked in my breath and held it as I arrived. I saw many shadowy figures, of various shapes and sizes.

"Wha..."

My voice cracked, as if losing its ability to function.

15, I see 15 shadows.

"You've arrived."

"Join our dance."

"You're here! You're here!"

My body remained frozen, staring slack jawed at the people before me. Some, I could tell were related. Others confused and alarmed me.

No...

They couldn't possibly be my family.

Their eyes.. Are all the same!

"I'm afraid." My lips moved effortlessly despite the trance.

Yumi's giggle could be heard from within the circle of dancers.

The dancing seemed to go on for hours, dawn quickly approaching. I could feel the dew forming at my feet, even.

What...

What sort of family was this?

They all moved together, never one over the other...

Bit by bit, it died down.

Even Yumi disappeared from the stragglers.

Only one figure remained, one I had not seen?

"Who?"

I couldn't properly form the question. My throat was dry.

You know. You know us.

My hands compulsively clamped over my ears. That voice...! It shifted between male and female, much like the figure's appearance.

They were lithe, yet manly. Delicate, yet with a strong glance.

And it held the same blue ember eyes...

"I don't. I don't know you. I want to go home."

A smile spread on their lips, a slow chuckle shattering my resolve further.

You will remember us...

A hand reached to my chest, digging in and pulling.

It...

It burns!

I can't react...

If only I still ...

(...was a Shinigami? What... A foolish thought.)

Darkness clouded my vision once again.

"Nhhyahh!"

Breathing hard, I sat up sharply. My lip was hurting and my chest ached...

Yet I was still in bed.

A nightmare ... I was relieved that was what it turned out to be.

I touched a finger to my lip, realizing I had bitten it in my sleep.

How odd. Why...was my blood black?

"Where's Dad?"

Yuzu looked at me from the kitchen with a smile.

"He said he had a meeting at the Hospital today, so it's just us today! Want some breakfast, brother?"

Karin wasn't here either. Though, from the lack of soccer shoes it was evident she was out playing today.

I sat down at the table, feeling the ache from last night suddenly settle in my bones again. It felt heavy... But after rejecting dinner last night I didn't want to hurt her feelings by skipping out on her cooking again.

She was always so worried for me...

"Here!"

I blinked, looking up to see a plate of rice porridge. Ah!

"I know you weren't feeling well yesterday, so I made you something good so your stomach won't get upset."

I couldn't help but smile. Yuzu really did take on such a motherly role...

Yes, this was family. Not that haunting circle... This is my family.

"Thank you, Yuzu."

She smiled and reached to hug me, wrapping her arms near the crook of my arms.

Suddenly she squeaked, flinching back. She made no other evident sign of discomfort, but the flinch was obvious enough.

It looked as though she hugged a jagged boulder.

Being outside in broad daylight was refreshing after last night's dream. I breathed in deeply, relieved. A dream...

I wondered silently what it was all supposed to mean. I knew for certain that there was a kernel of fear there of the unknown...but the rest...

Something was definitely wrong with that family. It didn't matter how much I denied it.

"Kurosaki-kun!"

Ah, shit.

I turned and saw Orihime heading towards me. She looked concerned, which meant nothing good was to come of this conversation ...

"I'm glad to see you out and about Kurosaki-kun. To be honest ...we were getting worried about you."

Eh?

"I know it's been rough on you lately... And we haven't helped at all, have we? We thought that by not mentioning it, we could spare you pain. But it seems that's only made it worse."

She's right. Not knowing just makes it all the more evident ...

"So I decided not to hide anything from you anymore, Kurosaki-kun! I don't want to make you feel weak... Not after all the times you and the others supported me when I was feeling useless."

She really...

Had I really been doubting my friends so much? They too were part of my family ...

"I'm sorry... I've been so distant lately, haven't I...? I won't hide anything from you either. The truth is, I..."

My throat suddenly closed. I felt my breath hitch as something slid into my back.

It hurts!

Was I ...being attacked!?

Orihime was looking at me in horror as a spray of black blood gushed from behind me.

Black...

My eyes felt heavy, seeing appendages starting to form around me.

"... Hollow... I ...see...a hollow."

Then my vision finally faded.

(General POV. Third Person.)

It was uncertain what the reason was for the woman's horrified expression.

Was it the black blood spewing forth from her companion?

Was it the fact that a hollow slipped past her senses so plainly and attacked?

Perhaps even it was because said companion looked like death itself, proudly declaring that the hollow could be seen.

"No. Not like this."

She had trained so hard to protect him, and at this vital moment...

How could she have failed!?

The hollow roared, pushing the man away like a rag doll. He hit the concrete hard, with seemingly enough force to break the ground below.

Rage burned in her belly, summoning forth her warrior fairy, Tsubaki.

"I REJECT!"

It shot out like a dart, slamming through the creature's arms and the jutting appendages it had used to run Ichigo through.

"I will protect him...this time!"

Her grey eyes flared with strength, remembering all that time ago...

Stand back, Inoue. I'll end this quickly.

... I'll win, for sure.

"That's my line now... Kurosaki-kun."

The hollow turned to her with an enraged roar. It was obviously an adjuchas class, with its strength and ability to conceal its pressure.

It shot out its remaining appendage at her, aiming to strike her throat.

"I reject."

The orange shield burst forth in front of her, blocking the blow and exploding violently. It shrieked in pain, pulling back.

"Inoue-san!"

That voice!

"Inoue!"

It was Chad and Ishida!

"You're here!" Orihime beamed proudly, seeing their looks of shock at the hollow's state.

"Ishida-kun, please make sure Kurosaki-kun is alright."

The man gave her a puzzled look, but obliged. He silently wondered what all the black substance was on the ground... No hollow bled that way.

"Sado-kun."

"Mmh."

They both stepped forward, one with Tsubaki and the other man with his fist.

The hollow sneered in rage, rushing forward with its only arm. Chad moved forward, launching an explosion of energy at its legs. Tsubaki darted forth, aiming to slice through its mask.

It didn't land.

The hollow started to regenerate in a flash, its tendril appendages reforming and darting out to attack.

One ran Chad through the arm and the other smashed Tsubaki away.

"Sado-kun!"

It was coming forward!

She called forth her shield again to buy time, but it ignored the explosion this time.

Where was Ishida? Was...

The oncoming arm stopped an inch from her face, trembling. It seemed to be trying to move with all its might, yet...

Someone was holding onto it.

"Kuros..."

He was standing there, gripping the arm of the hollow tightly. He seemed to flinch his hand only an inch and it flew backwards as Ichigo stepped forward.

Not a word was said.

Even as the hollow charged forward again, he said nothing.

This unnatural strength, the silence...

This...can't be him.

He gripped tightly onto the hollow, ripping off its two tendrils as he leaped forward to pin it down at the neck with his knees.

In a flash, he was pounding his fists into the hollow mask, breaking it slowly as it screamed in pain.

And finally it was over. The creature disappeared slowly, leaving only the blood stained man behind.

His stance seemed to focus and he looked to Orihime finally.

"W...wh..." Words couldn't form at her lips. It was...too much to comprehend.

Why...were those eyes so hauntingly blue? Those weren't the eyes of Kurosaki Ichigo!