I was being patched up by Naze in the 13 Parties' infirmary; Munakata next to me. I was being treated by Naze while Munakata was being treated by Koga. "That sure was a hassle wasn't it?" I said trying to make conversation.

"Don't move" Naze snapped.

"I'm sorry I almost killed you" Munakata replied. I smiled at him. He really was a nice guy deep down; I learned that when we fought. He was just awkward.

"By the way Munakata what is you abnormality?" I asked. I was legitimately confused as to what it was. I knew it had something to do with those weapons, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

"I am born with the natural knowledge and impulse to kill things. It's called Killing Impulse."

"Hold still!" Koga snapped at Munakata. We both snickered a little.

"But that doesn't make sense, when we fought you held back."

"Hold still already!" Naze snapped again. I flinched a little at the lashing.

Munakata was also taken back; but not by Naze yelling at me. "How did you know?" he asked.

"I've been in hundreds of fights, all of which the guy has tried to kill me. I know when a blade has killing intent and yours didn't. It was sad, and lonely."

"It's true. All my life I have pushed people away so I wouldn't kill them. I don't want to kill people. People die when they are killed." He responded. To be honest I wanted to slap him for that last part, but he wasn't wrong.

"So you haven't had a friend before?" I questioned. I knew what the answer would be, but at the same time I wanted to hear it from him.

"I have never had a friend in my life. That's why I wanted to join the Thirteen Party, so I could make friends" he relied. "Can we be friends Ichigo?"

"Munakata you almost killed me, I almost killed you. In my books we have been friends for years" I answered. It was really true too. Almost all of my friends have tried to kill or horribly hurt me. Now that I look back at it, my life as a Shinigami was messed up. Yet I wanted to go back to it, weird.

"HOLD STILL!" Naze and Koga shouted in unison, and Munakata and I winced at the pain of the bandages being tied harder. Munakata and I looked at each other. I started to laugh, and soon he did the same. The girls just rolled their eyes at us.

(O)

It was the end of the school day, and I needed a break. I was walking from the clock tower when Munakata ran up to me. "Ichigo wait up" he shouted. I stopped and waited for him to catch up.

"What is it Munakata?" I asked. When I thought about it there was nothing to talk about.

"I heard that friends hang out with each other after school" he continued. Then it hit me. I had not hung out with any of my friends from Karakura, at least not when I didn't need to. I just stayed home and did my substitute Shinigami work. I had not hung out with any of my friends. Why were they my friends in the first place? I am a terrible friend.

So now I wanted to make it up to Munakata. "Sure let's hang out." From what I had seen on television dramas friends would go arcades, eat at restaurants, and just sort of talk. I don't really like arcades so I thought we could go somewhere to eat.

We wondered around town looking for places to eat. Neither of us knew anywhere to eat, me being new to the area, him not getting outside much. We eventually found an old ramen shop that looked good enough. When we got inside the place looked old, was made of all wood, and was falling for apart. I liked places like this. I always liked places that were real, and had a lot of character of them.

Munakata and I sat down and ordered. I ordered the tempura soba, and Munakata had the kitsune soba. We sat there awkwardly for the next couple of seconds not really knowing what to say. I had never been good at talking to people, and neither had Munakata apparently.

"So Munakata" I started. "Tell me about yourself."

"Well I grew up in a village of demon slayers, I have a little sister, and I'm on the most wanted list. I like to kill people and clean weapons in my spare time, and you are literally my only friend."

There was so much to process I got a headache. I took a couple of deep breaths and got myself under control. But then something hit me. "Wait, did these demons have white masks and holes in their chest?"

"Yes, how did you know?" Munakata asked.

"I can't believe this; those are Hollows" I replied.

"What are those?" Munakata asked with a confused look on his face.

"Hollows are human souls that, because of some sort of hang up or resentment, turn into monsters that consume the souls of humans" I explained. I told him about my times slaying the Hollows and he looked like he was having fun.

"So you are also have a little sister?" I asked.

"Yes, she is in middle school. I haven't seen much of her though because of the Flask Plan."

"I know what you mean" I replied. "I have two younger sisters; they're twins." We talked about our little sisters for a little before I finally asked. "Munakata, what did you mean when you said you were on the most wanted list?"

"It was a favor that the chairman did for me" he answered. "It was a way to keep people away from me." Finally the food came, and we ate. All we did after that was talk and eat. After our meal we paid and just walked around. We got some ice pops and sat down at a park bench. I thought back to Orihime, and how I hadn't talked to her, or anyone since I got to Hakoniwa. I knew it wouldn't be much help, but what the hell Munakata was better than no one.

"Hey Munakata, what would you do if someone confessed to you?" I asked.

"Run away before I killed them" he replied. I knew it was pointless to ask. "Why, did someone confess to you?"

"Yeah actually" I said. "Before I left my hometown a girl who I had been through a lot with confessed to me. She said she had been in love me for a long time, and now I don't know what to do."

It was quiet for a while before Munakata said anything. "How do you exactly feel for this girl?"

"The thing is I don't know. I mean we've been through a lot together, and then she throws this at me. I just don't know."

"Well, from what Naze told me love is nothing but a chemical reaction in the brain" Munakata replied. "But I would like to think that when you love someone, you not only get that happy feeling like no other, but they also make you feel happy when you're sad."

I started to think back to all of my times with Orihime, and when I think about she did all that stuff for me. Every time I was down she would try so hard to cheer me up, and that alone made me happy. She was always the first one I would try to protect, and she gave me a feeling of fullness. Did I like Orihime that way?

"I wouldn't try to think so hard about it. The one thing abnormals have the most trouble with is human emotion" Munakata commented.

"Yeah, you're right. What I need to do is focus on my skill, and help the Flask Plan" I replied. We ate our popsicles and let the night go on.

(O)

The next day I was in a boxing ring. The ring itself was under the clock tower like all the Flask Plan facilities. I was across from Takachio-san who was just wearing his boxing shorts and fingerless boxing gloves. I was wearing a sleeveless shirt, boxing shorts, and the fingerless gloves as well. Behind me were Munakata and Naze.

"So, what are we doing?" I asked.

"I'm testing your hand to hand combat ability" Naze replied.

"Didn't you already do that?" I asked irritated.

"Yes, but this is without a sword" she answered.

"I'm going to be fighting with nothing but a sword, why do I need to fight without one!?" I yelled.

"Data" she answered. I hate one word answers.

"Alright whatever, let's do this!" I yelled dashing for Takachio. I threw the first punch for his face, but he moved away. 'Auto-reflexes' I thought to myself. I backed away and thought about a strategy. I did my famous after image circle round technique. Surrounding Takachio was after images of me. I could tell he didn't know which one was me. I dashed in for a punch, but he still dodged me.

"WHAT THE HELL!" I yelled.

"It doesn't matter if it's an after image or clones, I will always dodge" he boasted. Takachio then nailed me in the stomach. I was sent flying back, but I stayed on my feet.

"Ichigo!" Munakata cried out in concern.

"I'm fine" I replied. With Getsuga Instinct my body had the same durability I had when I was a Shinigami, but his punch did do a number. He was strong, that was for sure. I knew I needed to be faster than his reflexes. Then an idea hit me. I stood on the ball of my feet, readying myself. I dashed forward with shunpo ready to punch, but just as he was about to dodge I shunpoed behind him. It took him a second to confirm the action so I shunpoed to his side and hit him across the face.

"Take that!" I taunted. I jumped back to keep distance. When I looked at his face though he was smiling.

"I can't believe someone actually hit me" he said. "Now this is exciting!" He dashed towards and threw a punch to my stomach. I was thrown back but he punched me again. Takachio threw a volley of punches to my stomach. I was in some intense pain from the onslaught. But then he stopped. Takachio's fist was still in my stomach but I didn't feel anything. I looked down and saw that his punch was stopped by my stomach. He had torn through my shirt, but my stomach had the veins were visible. I felt like my reiatsu was flowing through my veins.

I took my chance and punched him in the face. He was pushed back so I punched him again. I punched him again and again, but he had regained his footing and was punching me back. We were going back and forth. We had both stopped our assault, both of us were panting heavily. I fell down, and so did he.

"That was a good match Kurosaki" Takachio complimented.

"Yeah, same to you" I replied. Naze and Munakata came running towards me, first aid kit in hand.

"Well Ichigo seems you have a new power" Naze commented. "But it's nothing I've seen a Shinigami use."

"It's also something I've never seen the Hollows use" Munakata replied.

"Weird, those are the only powers I have" I answered. It really was weird. I had only Shinigami and Hollow powers that Getsuga Instinct can channel. "Well either way, Munakata how about you and I head to that noodle shop?"

"Sure, that would be great" Munakata replied with a smile.

"Hey can I come?" Takachio asked.

"Really you want to come?" I asked.

"You're the first person in my life that has touched me" he replied. "I figure we could hang out, it would be fun."

"Sure, more the merrier right?" I replied.

"Naze-san, why don't you and Koga come with us?" Takachio asked Naze as she was wrapping me up.

"I don't need to spend time with you, and neither does Koga-chan" she answered. But then she got a weird look on her face. "But because you are begging me I'm sure I can convince Koga-chan to go. Plus I need to eat."

'My god she's a tsundere' I thought to myself.

(O)

Munakata and I waited in front of the clock tower, waiting for everyone. The first to arrive was Takachio, then Naze and Koga; Koga wrapped around Naze's arm. We all got together and headed out to the noodle shop.

(A/N): Well that's another chapter. I'll remind everyone that the contest for the picture of Ichigo in a Hakoniwa academy uniform is still underway. I will let the winner have one thing happen in the story, as long as it is within my storyline. Now everyone review, or I'll stop writing. And I mean it to, review or I'll stop writing for a month.