Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.

Ichigo's thoughts: Hi

Shiro: Hi

Zangetsu: /Hi/

Chapter 22 – MiX tHe BlAcK aNd WhItE

The group of Shinigami sent to the world of the living was crowded around a table in Urahara's home behind the Shoten. Silence prevailed throughout the room – the Shinigami were dumbfounded. Urahara had just explained what had happened to their best hope of defeating Aizen. Aforementioned shopkeeper waved his trademark fan about, carefully watching the Shinigami's reactions. So far, all of them bore the deer-in-headlights look, but it wouldn't be long before one of them broke the stillness.

There was a reaction. The child prodigy twitched. Urahara's fan waved about some more. The snowy-haired captain twitched again. The well-endowed female lieutenant edged away from the captain, apparently wanting to not get caught in whatever explosion would occur when the captain sna-

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, LEAVING SOMETHING OUT LIKE THAT?!?!?"

After Rangiku successfully pacified her captain (as she had to deal with his volatile temper daily when she neglected her paperwork), Toshiro groaned in exasperation and horror. "We've got a MIA Substitute Shinigami who's stuck sometime in the past – who just happens to be our best offense against Aizen – with a huge war approaching, and a captain-turned-shopkeeper who claims that he can retrieve said Shinigami just before or during the projected beginning of the war."

A few seconds passed, and the two members from the 11th squad summed up the situation in two true but vastly different comments.

"What an ugly situation."

"We're screwed."

"Is there anything we can do to speed this up?" Toshiro sighed, massaging his temples.

"Lure more hollows here and kill them. Having more spiritual particles in the atmosphere will increase the chances that we'll retrieve Kurosaki in one piece," Urahara informed them.

"'In one piece'?" Toshiro repeated dangerously.

"Ah, there's always a lot of risk in time travel…"

Before the young captain could lose his temper again, Rangiku cut in, "The Soul Society should know about this."

Toshiro winced, his anger gone. He wasn't looking forward to that conversation. "I'll go do it now. The sooner the Soul Society knows about this, the better," he reasoned. The captain stood, exited the Shoten, and dialed the number to Soul Society.

"Alright, Jyuushiro-san. You're free to go," Unohana smiled.

"Thank you, Retsu-san." Ukitake exited the 4th squad's barracks, walking leisurely back to the 13th squad. The coughing fits he'd been having were, thankfully, decreasing in number and intensity – though that was because of the medicine Unohana prescribed him to suppress the fits (though they'd be twice as worse for a time afterwards). It would be absolutely disastrous if he suddenly had an attack in the middle of a battle with a high-level Espada.

As Ukitake passed the 12th squad's barracks, a voice called out, "Captain Ukitake!" One of the 12th squad's members (Rin?) ran up to the sickly captain, panting slightly. "We have a problem! You're needed in the communications center immediately!" Ukitake trotted after Rin, a feeling of dread settling in his stomach. When Ukitake entered the communications center, another 12th squad member handed him a pair of headphones. "Captain Hitsugaya is on the line."

Ukitake accepted the headphones. "Captain Hitsugaya?"

"We've got a problem," Toshiro said, followed by a rush of static that Ukitake interpreted as a sigh. "We know what happened to Substitute Shinigami Kurosaki Ichigo."

Ukitake gripped his haori tightly. "And?"

"Urahara left one of his inventions, a time travel machine out – he said something about killing Aizen before this whole mess ever happened – but Ichigo Kurosaki is currently thirty years in the past, and Urahara may or may not be able to retrieve him before the Winter War begins."

"You're joking," Ukitake said weakly.

"Unfortunately, no. Orders?"

Ukitake could think of several words that aptly described the situation the Shinigami were now in, and none of them were very pretty.

"Captain Ukitake?"

Ukitake returned to the conversation and replied, "Make contact with Kurosaki's teacher or teachers for the past month. They may be willing to help us fight Aizen and they may have remained unexposed to Kyoka Suigetsu. Do you know where you can find these people?"

"Personally, I do not know where Kurosaki has been training, but I do know that the human Orihime Inoue and Rukia Kuchiki are privy to the location of Ichigo's training place."

"Very well. Extract the information from them, and allow me or Captain Kyoraku to contact them."

"Hai. I'll carry out your orders immediately. Has Captain-Commander Yamamoto been told of the situation?"

"He will need to be told now. We can't keep Kurosaki's extended absence from him."

There was a beep in the background and Toshiro said, "Forgive me, Captain Ukitake. There's a hollow that I must eradicate." A click informed Ukitake that the young captain had hung up.

Rukia Kuchiki and Orihime Inoue prepared to jump through Urahara's Senkaimon when a feminine voice called, "Wait!!" Rangiku shunpoed in front of the two before they had a chance to enter the gate. "The captain requests your presence immediately."

Rukia and Orihime looked concerned by the normally carefree lieutenant's grave tone, and they followed her immediately after apologizing to Urahara about wasting the Senkaimon he'd created. He'd waved it off, and the two followed Rangiku to the park where the two Arrancar, Ulquiorra and Yammy, had first showed up. The park was deserted, as the general public still did not know what had caused the numerous losses of life at the park, and coupled with the ominous reiatsu still lingering, the place was avoided like the plague.

"What is it?" Orihime asked Toshiro worriedly. "Did something happen?"

"I'm under orders to contact Kurosaki's teachers – we need all the allies we can get for the Winter War. Will you take us to them?" Toshiro requested.

Rukia replied, "There's… a barrier, around their home. They don't want to be found."

Toshiro persisted. "At the very least, they deserve to know what happened to their student. We can provide information about the enemy that they don't have as well. At least think about it."

Orihime looked reluctant. "Alright."

Toshiro didn't looked particularly pleased, but he ordered, "Stay in the world of the living for the time being. I'm sure Urahara will need your help to retrieve Kurosaki. Why were you heading to the Soul Society, anyway?"

"Orihime-san and I were going to use the training grounds there," Rukia said.

"If you need to train, use Urahara's basement. I'm sure he has room to spare, even with Lieutenant Abarai and Sado-san training. Perhaps they can help with your combat skills. I'm sure they wouldn't mind. But think about our request. Remember, we're preparing for a war. Don't let your personal feelings get in the way."

Orihime looked uncomfortable. "Alright, Captain Hitsugaya."

"Let's go back to the Shoten, Orihime," Rukia coaxed gently, aware of the inner turmoil her friend was going through. Rukia guided Orihime by the shoulder out of the clearing.

After the two were out of earshot, Rangiku addressed her captain, "I'm really not happy that you had to make Orihime upset, but I'm more surprised that you didn't grill the two of them more for the location of Ichigo's training grounds. It's not really your style."

The white-haired captain's expression darkened. "This is war, Matsumoto. We can't afford to tiptoe around the humans and tailor-fit our plans so that their feelings won't get hurt. I just hope they'll forgive me later…"

Rangiku's eyes widened as she caught the hidden meaning in her captain's words. "You're planning on following them, aren't you?"

Toshiro nodded. "I'll watch Inoue-san, you watch Kuchiki-san. If Kuchiki-san goes, contact me with your Soul Pager."

Rangiku looked disturbed. "Are you even sure they'll go?"

"At least Inoue-san probably will. She's very sensitive; she'll go to Kurosaki's teachers," Toshiro said confidently.

Rangiku blanched. "But captain! That's-"

"Matsumoto!" Rangiku fell silent. "We can't let Aizen win. Don't shirk from your task – view it from an order from a superior and just do it!" Toshiro shunpoed out of the clearing, leaving his stunned lieutenant behind.

Rangiku looked distressed. Captain… Don't do something you'll regret, like stooping to Aizen's level…

Aizen, Toshiro thought furiously as he tracked Orihime's reiatsu, you'll pay for what you've done… especially for hurting Momo.

Urahara was willing to let Orihime and Rukia use a part of his training room. Chad and Renji moved to another part of the training grounds to let the girls train, and they offered to spar with the girls when they felt ready. Rukia began to teach Orihime how to defend herself, but Orihime's mind was elsewhere. As far as Orihime knew, the Vizards didn't know what had happened to Ichigo. It really wasn't fair to keep them out of the loop, and Orihime knew that they had to be quite worried – no matter what their rough mannerisms were, they had agreed to train Ichigo, so they had to care for him on some level.

"Orihime! You can't space out like that during a battle! The enemy will take advantage of your distraction!" Rukia called, Sode no Shirayuki resting lightly in her hands.

"I'm sorry, Rukia-san. I just can't concentrate right now… Can we continue tomorrow?" Orihime asked.

Rukia looked disinclined to let Orihime go, but she didn't object anyway. "Fine. I'll join Renji and Chad for a three-way free-for-all."

Orihime smiled and bowed. "Thank you, Rukia-san." Orihime rushed out of the Shoten, unaware of the two figures tracking her movements.

"Aizen-sama?"

"Yes, Szayel?"

"I have a report about the movements of the enemy in Karakura Town."

"Very good. And?"

"The whereabouts of Substitute Shinigami Ichigo Kurosaki are still unknown, and our agents have been unable to hear anything of importance from his friends. Also, 6th squad lieutenant Renji Abarai and human Sado Yasutora, or "Chad", are training in the Urahara Shoten. 13th squad member Rukia Kuchiki and human Orihime Inoue are still in the world of the living, since their plans to travel to the Soul Society have been delayed. Currently, the human Orihime Inoue is headed towards the Vizard's hideout. She is alone."

"Are all of the Shinigami in Karakura accounted for?"

"All except one, 10th squad captain Toshiro Hitsugaya. One Senkaimon was opened in the Urahara Shoten, so it is very likely that he returned to the Soul Society."

It was an ideal opportunity. Inoue was unguarded and could be snatched away before the Shinigami could realize what was happening. "Send for Ulquiorra, Luppi, Wonderweis, Yammy, and Grimmjow. I have a mission for them."

Two tears in the sky appeared over Karakura Town. Within one, four figures of various statures emerged; within the other, a single silhouette more menacing than the other four appeared.

The hair on the back of Orihime's neck rose and she shivered as the air temperature seemed to drop ten degrees. Arrancar, something in the back of her mind whispered. Orihime broke into a full-out run. She knew that she'd be safe with the Vizards, even if they wouldn't particularly enjoy the impromptu vis-

Flash. A black-haired, green-eyed figure shunpoed in front of her. Orihime gasped and stumbled back a couple of steps, since she immediately recognized Ulquiorra, one of the Arrancar at the park… What did he want with her? Or did he just want to kill her?

Before the Arrancar could begin to speak, another blur attacked him. As sparks flew from the clashing metal and hierro, Orihime recognized the childlike form of Toshiro Hitsugaya.

Toshiro's eyes widened as he felt the two Garganta open. One was near the Shoten, and the other was within ten meters of Orihime's location.

An Arrancar appeared in front of the well-endowed human girl, and Toshiro canceled the kido that completely hid his reiatsu before bringing Hyourinmaru crashing down on the Arrancar's hierro-enforced arm. While Toshiro was annoyed that Hyourinmaru was unable to puncture the hierro, at least the Arrancar had been completely caught off guard by the attack.

Orihime slightly panicked as Shinigami and Arrancar began to exchange blows. She knew that Toshiro had a seal on, so he couldn't use most of his power. Already his shikai was barely holding Ulquiorra at bay. She would have tried to help, had she actually been able to follow the movements of the two.

Orihime sent out a wave of reiatsu and activated the Santen Kesshun, hoping that Toshiro wouldn't get injured or killed protecting her.

Hachi's head snapped up as he felt Orihime's wave of reiatsu and the battling Shinigami and Arrancar reiatsu. Apparently the other Vizards felt it too, since they looked up from various books and musical instruments with varying degrees of displeasure and worry on their faces.

"Shinigami business. Leave them alone," Hiyori dismissed.

"But what about Orihime-san? She's in the middle of that!" Rosé objected. Shinji and Love looked approving of Rosé's concern.

"Do you honestly want to get involved with the Shinigami again?" Hiyori spat. "At least Ichigo was only a substitute and a Vizard, and the sole Shinigami present was badly injured, but-"

"Hiyori!" Shinji bellowed. "Orihime-chan may be a human, but she has powers like Hachi's. Doesn't that mean that she's at least partially one of us? Doesn't that mean she deserves to be saved?"

"Please, Hiyori," Hachi interjected quietly.

Hiyori looked furious. "Fine. But Hachi stays here; I refuse to let the location of our hideout to be divulged!"

"I'll go; I've already confronted the enemy once, so they know of my involvement," Shinji decided. "I'll also need someone to get Orihime-chan while I distract the Arrancar…"

"I'll come with you," Rosé volunteered.

"And just leave the Shinigami to his fate. Don't bring him here," Hiyori stressed.

Shinji and Rosé shunpoed out of the hideout, pushing themselves as fast as they could. Orihime's protector was rapidly weakening, and both knew that Orihime would not last more than five seconds against an Arrancar of that caliber.

Toshiro panted, blood spurting from numerous shallow wounds. The Arrancar in front of him wasn't even slightly winded and still looked as immaculate as he had been when the horribly one-sided battle had commenced. Toshiro, unfortunately, still hadn't received permission to remove his limiters, and he knew he would die if he couldn't release them – the Arrancar hadn't even needed to release his zanpakuto to combat Toshiro's bankai.

Suddenly, red filled Toshiro's vision and his chest exploded in pain. Toshiro's gaze traveled slowly downward. Why was there a hand sticking out of his sternum?

As Toshiro's world faded from view, two blurry figures assaulted the Arrancar.

I LIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! School's been a mess; I apologize for the late update.

I know a lot of you were expecting more of Ichigo's antics, but I need to put these interludes of canon-period material in sometimes to tie up all the loose ends in the story.

I apologize if Orihime seems a bit out of character, but she's not a ditz at all when she's worried about her friends. Her eccentric personality will come back full-force a bit later.

-HM