Ichigo was completely depressed the past few days. He couldn't get the thought of the hollow within him, and how it threatened to take over his body. If it did, then Ichigo knew what terrible things could occur to his family. His friends. 'Misaki's mine!' And what terrible things could happen to Misaki. Ichigo walked home quietly, and he desperately needed to control the demon within him, before something terrible happens. He considered taking Shinji's advice, but what good would it do? How can Ichigo trust him? Shinji's mask looked a lot like Ichigo's and that spiritual pressure…it was as dark as his as well. Ichigo grunted and opened the door to his house only to be beaten by his father. But Ichigo was too tired, dull and pissed off to even reply back. So he fell backwards and his back hit the wall.
"Wow, how did that happen?" His father was obviously shocked, and Karin and Yuzu looked with astonishment. "Are you okay, Ichigo?" Yuzu yelled and ran toward him. "What's wrong Ichigo? You look rather depressed." Isshin asked his son. "Oh, I know! It must be because you did poorly in the semester exams, right?" Isshin chuckled, "Don't worry Ichigo. Isshin 'the man' Kurosaki isn't someone who would get all upset about some stupid grades from school! Who cares about grades! Grades are stupid!" Yuzu sighed, and "Is that something a parent should say, dad?" She asked. "When you're in high school, you've to be energetic, and do things that are difficult to speak of! Like falling in love!" This perked up Ichigo's ears. 'Falling in love eh?' Ichigo frowned hard. 'Misaki…'
Ichigo got back up on his feet, and walked to his room ignoring his family's worried comments about him. He entered the room, and sat on the bed, ignoring Kone. 'Falling in love…yeah right…with all that's happening, I can't…even if I am in love with her she's got that…Shinji…' Ichigo thought to himself, as he recalled Shinji holding Misaki's waist the other day. Ichigo frowned, and then suddenly decided to calm down, so that the hollow inside wouldn't react to his anger. Suddenly, after Karin entered the room accusing Ichigo to be a Soul Reaper, Ichigo felt the strongest spiritual pressure he's felt in a long time. So strong, it made his knees vibrate. Karin felt it too, and she almost couldn't continue standing. Ichigo immediately knew it wasn't natural, and something strong was out there, and that this spiritual pressure belonged to that being. As soon as Ichigo was about to jump out of the window, Karin grabbed his shirt. "Where are you going, Ichigo?" She asked, her face worried. Ichigo looked at her face, and said, "Sorry." And jumped out in his spirit form.
Orihime and Chad too felt the spiritual pressure. It was too vast to be normal, and they were sure it belonged to a hollow. Or a Menos. Or even something stronger. The two of them ran toward its direction, to find several people collapsed on the ground, and Orihime's eyes widened as she recognized-"Tatsuki!" And there was a large man in front of her. He had tan skin, and a powerful build and a ridge-lined cranium, brown eyes and black hair. He had long, bushy sideburns and a thin ponytail. Aside from that, he was bald. He also had orange eye brows and red markings under his eyes. Orihime found him scary at the first glance. With him was another man, who was smaller and he had fairly short, messy black hair, pale white skin, a black upper lip, and green eyes with small slit-shaped pupils. Part of his bangs fell between his eyes and he had distinctively thick eyebrows. He had teal lines that descended from the lower part of his eyes. The two ran in front of Tatsuki and Chad activated his demon hand, and blocked his kick which was aimed at Tatsuki. "Huh? Who the hell are you?" The man asked the two. But they stood their ground, even if his spiritual pressure was intimidating.
"Orihime, do as we planned. Take Tatsuki and run." Chad told her. Orihime gulped and said, "Okay, but please be careful Chad." She said. "Ulquiorra! Is he-?" The man yelled, and the smaller man behind him interrupted him. "Yammy…if you had invested some time to train your observational and reasoning skills, it would be obvious to you that-"His gaze was cold. "-he is trash too." The bigger man looked happy, and said, "Okay then!" And attacked Chad. Orihime, who was on the move, looked back and saw that Chad's arm was almost cut off, and her eyes widened. "Chad!" She yelled. She ran up to Chad, and knelt by his side, when she heard the big man ask if she was trash as well. Just when the man Yammy was about to attack her, Orihime used Santen Kesshun. And when Tsubaki, failed to even scratch the target, Orihime was sure this was the end of the line for her. She closed her eyes and waited for impact. But it never came.
Ichigo blocked Yammy's hand with his Zanpakuto. Yammy was annoyed, and "Who the hell are you?" He yelled. "Sorry I'm late Orihime…" Ichigo apologized and glanced at the bodies around. "Everything will be fine! After I beat these two up!" Ichigo yelled, and said, "Bankai."
Misaki felt like she was going to die. Minato felt giddy as well, but he could stand unlike his sister. He turned to glance at her, she was on the ground, struggling to stand up. He held on the sofa and moved toward her. "M-Misaki…" He said, and held her hand. She was close to fainting, and Minato wondered to what this massive spiritual pressure belonged to. He took a deep breath, and stood up, and carried his sister in his arms. She was blue, and she struggled to breathe. 'W-What is happening?' She thought to herself, and darkness enveloped her. Minato knew why this was so effective to her. 'The spiritual pressure which belongs to Magi are highly reactive when they're in the developing stage. No wonder Misaki is-'Minato thought to himself and ran upstairs and laid Misaki in her bed. He stood in the center of the room, preparing to use a barrier when he felt another presence.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Hiyori Sarugaki yelled at a bored Shinji. "To visit someone." He replied casually. "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere near the Arrancar." He said, and walked out before Kensei continued. "You're getting quite attached to that Mage girl Shinji…she's human after all." Shinji grimaced, "Hiyori hates humans. I don't. Besides, Misaki is my first love." Shinji said, with a deadpan look. Hiyori went up to beat the man, before Love stopped her. "Man, you say that to every girl that you think is cute." He said. Shinji looked down and smiled. "Well, Misaki isn't your everyday girl Love, she's-"Shinji smirked at his friend and got ready to flash step. "-different."
"What the hell are you doing here Shinji?" Minato asked. "Hey, now that's not how you treat a friend." Shinji said. Minato grunted and said, "Aeternus Contego." And the room was enveloped in a golden sphere. "Whoa…" Shinji said, faking amusement. "Is this the same shield that Misaki uses on accident?" Minato turned to glare at Shinji. "What? Kisuke told me!" Minato nodded. "The same." He said. Minato glanced at his sister, who face looked calmer now. He touched Misaki's cheek and muttered, "Somnus temporalis." Shinji coked his eyebrow. "You put her to sleep?" Minato nodded, and "Questions. I don't want her to overhear anything." Shinji sat on Misaki's bed and stroked her hair. He smiled at the sleeping girl, "What questions?" Minato glared at the blonde and "Get your hands off of her!" Shinji chuckled. "She's my first love, what do you expect?" Minato's jaw dropped. "She's your what?" Shinji sighed, and "What questions?" He asked, his voice serious. "You should know what I wanted to ask. Anyway, what the hell is going on?" Minato said. "Arrancars." Shinji spat. He sighed, and "Looks like I've to tell you everything now." And Minato braced himself for what he was about to hear.
Misaki was worried. Shinji never came to school anymore, and Ichigo, Orihime and Chad weren't there either. She saw Uryu, but she was afraid to approach him. It was five days later that Orihime came, and Misaki's eyes widened at the sight. Orihime was covered in bandages. "O-Orihime?" Misaki said, tears welling up in her eyes. Misaki knew deep down, that the choking feeling those few days ago is what was responsible. Misaki was sick and tired of being kept in the dark. She wanted to see Ichigo. She missed him. She wanted to make sure he was safe. She saw Ichigo in class, and he was sitting all alone. He looked depressed and Misaki bit her lip as she saw him in a few bandages as well. "Ichigo?" she said. The class was almost empty, and Ichigo looked up to see Misaki when-
She embraced him. Ichigo's eyes widened and his heart was rummaging in his chest. "You're alright!" Misaki cried on his chest, and Ichigo swallowed his saliva. His hand twitched and he saw her face. She was crying, but why? "M-Misaki?" She hugged him even tighter, and Ichigo placed his hand on her head. He stroked her hair, and pushed her away slightly. "Don't cry Misaki, I'm fine." Misaki slapped him. 'What the-?' "Don't lie to me! I don't care if you don't tell me anything, but just don't lie!" She cried. Ichigo sighed, and looked down. "I'm sorry Misaki." He said. "I know something weird is going on. Few days ago, that-that choking feeling. Like the gravity increased or something, I know you know what I'm talking about. And I see you…in my dreams Ichigo…wearing black, and killing those dreadful creatures…" Ichigo's eyes widened. 'She remembers? But Urahara-'"I don't understand anything!" She said, Ichigo sighed. "I'm sorry Misaki." She looked down and wiped her tears away.
It was after that, five strange people entered the classroom. "R-Renji? Ikkaku? Yumichika? R-Rangiku?" Ichigo then bent toward the shortest of the group and said, "Toshiro?" "It's Captain Hitsugaya to you." The kid said, and Misaki looked at them weird. The woman, which chestnut hair and giant breasts eyed Misaki and winked. Misaki blushed and gulped. After they spoke a little, Misaki felt a shift in the window next to her. She turned to see-"Rukia!" Misaki yelped. "Long time no see Ichigo!" She smiled. She turned to Misaki and, "You too Misaki." Misaki smiled back. She then did the most bizarre thing. She kicked Ichigo on his face. The man with the red hair and tattoo's held Ichigo and Rukia beat him. Misaki stood up, and tried to walk toward them, when the big busted woman held her. "Shh, he'll be fine." She breathed in her ear and Misaki shivered. Misaki's eyes widened when she saw another Ichigo come out of Ichigo's body, and left with Rukia outside the window. "A-Another Ichigo?" He was similar to the Ichigo in her dreams. Rangiku eyed the girl and, 'So, this one can see spirits eh?' She thought.
After Ichigo was made to apologize to Orihime, his gaze shifted to Misaki who sat alone, in her bench, looking outside the window. He sighed and Rukia signaled him to go talk to her. The other five observed in silence. "Misaki?" Ichigo said, and he gasped when he noticed her crying. "Oh? Ichigo I-"Misaki's eyes widened when Ichigo wiped her tears away. "Misaki, I'm sorry for how I spoke to you earlier." Misaki shook her head, and smiled. "I promise you I-""Promise me you'll never get hurt. Promise me you'll always be there." Ichigo was shocked, but he pressed his palm to her face and nodded. He stared at her face and smiled, when Misaki placed her hand on his which was on her face.
Rangiku squealed and hugged the girl, and said, "My name's Rangiku Matsumoto! What's yours?" Misaki's face was stuffed in between the girl's breasts and she could barely breathe. Ichigo backed away in retaliation. "Hey Rangiku, I think she can't breathe." Came a voice. Rangiku released the girl and shook her a little. "Misaki Otonashi." She murmured. Toshiro eyed her carefully, as he knew she wasn't ordinary. "Are you Ichigo's girlfriend?" Rangiku asked, and Misaki blushed, Ichigo threw a fit. "W-What? No!" She said and Ichigo blushed and, 'I wish she was.' He thought. Rangiku laughed, and "I saw him holding your cheek and you holding his hand, so don't deny it!" Misaki recalled the scene, and blushed darkly. Misaki looked up at Ichigo, and he looked at her. The two blushed darkly, and looked away smiling.
Minato walked to Urahara's and saw Shinji there. "Why is it that you're always there whenever I-?"Shinji laughed. "We were discussing about Misaki." Minato growled. "Keep your hands off my sister." Minato said. "I haven't touched her-"Shinji eyed Minato and smirked. "-yet." Minato held his collar and was ready to strangle him. "You tell me, Minato! Would you mind if I touched her or Ichigo touched her? Both of us love her." Shinji said, smirking. "Both of you are idiots." Minato said, and Kisuke laughed. "Isn't it about time you told her what she really is?" Kisuke asked him. "Why?" "She almost remembers boy." Minato nodded. "It's time then." The room was quiet for some time. "Say Shinji, do you really love Misaki?" Kisuke asked, once Minato left the shop. Shinji didn't say anything for a long time, and he chuckled. "I knew she loved Ichigo the moment I saw her eyes, so it doesn't matter if I love her or not Kisuke." He said, and walked away.