A little shorter than I like them. Sorry.

I ran out of prewritten chapters, so now updates will take between 5-10 days.

Episode 06

Going through hell.

Ichigo had a feeling that there was a song related to those three simple words. Of all the music of the world, hell had to be one aspect that various musicians covered.

Going through hell was exactly what Ichigo went through and Urahara Kisuke was definitely one hundred percent Satan. If he wasn't then Ichigo wasn't Ichigo.

But Ichigo also knew familiar words that said something like, 'the road to hell is paved with good intentions.'

He didn't know who said it or what the hell they were going through to come up with it, but Ichigo would agree that the statement held true in his regard.

Zangetsu. A name for his Zanpakuto, one wonders how could a gloomy dark well-aged man be the owner of such a massive sword? Well, whatever it was, Ichigo wasn't going to argue. It felt good in his hand and he could feel the warmth of his sword's soul.

The difference was catastrophic and he was left dazed and exhausted after the perverted method Urahara had come up with.

Urahara smirked when Ichigo fell asleep leaning against his sword. The development had definitely been interesting, so Ichigo was turning into a Vizard. If Urahara had the Hougyoku he could settle it in Ichigo but as such, Urahara knew that the teen would have to do it the hard way.

He would be fine for now and who knew? Perhaps the Hollow would help him when he got into a rough patch. He had faith in Ichigo to be able to get it under control, the teen was filled with so much resolve that it pooled out of him.

With Ichigo's recovery being in record time, they had time for more than five full days of nonstop fighting before he was sent back home.

Ichigo's resolve was fueled but he became rather hot-headed when no one in their school remembered Byakuya. How was this possible? All the girls used to gossip about how pretty he was and even Tatsuki had a small crush.

He hated to admit it but he actually missed Keigo and Mizuiro's teasing, if only because Byakuya had been there. Now they were acting as though he never showed up and it bothered Ichigo more than he wished to let on.

Chad was watching him closely and he was stunned that Ishida wasn't in school. He rarely ever missed, the sensei was asking about as it as well and when she looked at Ichigo he said the first thing that popped up.

"Family matter."

"Where've I heard that before?" Mizuiro hummed from behind him.

"Well, it's not like Ishida-san is a delinquent, well, let's leave him to his family matter. Hopefully it gets settled, I have a dress that needs fixed."

Ichigo couldn't stop looking over at Byakuya's seat and when he saw someone sitting in it, he glared darkly. How dare someone steal his place.

The teen feeling someone watching him peeked up and he squeaked when he saw Ichigo's frightening look. He scooted his chair to the side and shivered.

Ichigo growled lowly and looked away. It wasn't his fault, but damn, Ichigo was really annoyed.

"Ichigo?" When lunch time came around, Chad and Inoue approached him.

"Yeh?" Ichigo asked dully.

"We remember," Inoue said leaning over the desk and looking at him. "We remember Kuchiki-san."

Ichigo's eyes widened and he looked from Chad to Inoue who nodded.

"We were approached by Yoruichi-san," Inoue explained.

"The cat?"

Chad shuddered. "Yeah, the cat."

Ichigo smirked at the look that crossed his large friend's face.

"It's not that bad," Inoue insisted. "He's kinda cute isn't he?"

"It's weird, but I guess it's no more weirder than a talking plushy."

"Ooh, I want one of those!" Inoue squealed as Chad looked the other way without comment. "You must be really worried about Kuchiki-san. You were glaring at poor Momohara-san!"

"That's who the moron was in Byakuya's seat?" Ichigo grumbled.

"You'll get him back, does Kuchiki-san have any family in Soul Society?" Inoue asked.

Ichigo's expression darkened as flashes of a short little midget with shit under nose formulated in his mind. "Yah, he's got a bitch of a sister that I'd like nothing more than to gut."

Inoue squeaked as Chad observed him closely. "She's that bad?"

The look in Ichigo's eyes was all they needed.

"Let's go get lunch, Kuchiki-san wouldn't want you starving yourself, he'd be very angry," Inoue insisted grabbing him by the forearm and pulling him up.

He was rather surprised by her lack of timid nature that she usually showed when she was around him. Tatsuki caught Inoue's hand on Ichigo's arm and her eyes narrowed and Honsho had to be held back by two of her friends.

He let Inoue lead him out and couldn't help but smile a little, it was nice to know that someone remembered Byakuya and he knew he was being childish about the whole thing but he couldn't get the Kuchiki Heir out of his head, no matter how hard he tried.

"Luckily, summer is coming up and we can get away with being absence for a long time," Inoue said filling Ichigo's arms with strange foods.

He stared down at it and looked up in horror at Chad who shrugged.

"You're going?" Ichigo asked darkly.

"Mhmm, Yoruichi-san is going to be training us in the next few days."

"We have our own powers, they developed around the time of the massive outbreak of monsters," Chad told him.

"Yeah really and it's not like we're going to leave you to fight alone!" Inoue insisted. "I'm sure Ishida-san will be joining too, he's probably training really hard right now."

"How do you know about Ishida?" Ichigo asked handing Chad the strange bread Inoue gave him.

Chad sweat dropped and then hid it behind his back when the ginger-haired girl wasn't looking.

"We saw you," Inoue chirped. "You and that massive thing!"

"Oh." Ichigo should have known. He almost wished that Urahara and Yoruichi hadn't involved Chad and Inoue, he didn't have the strength to watch everyone while going into Soul Society. Ishida could take care of himself, but he wasn't so sure about Inoue.

But he appreciated it and nodded. "Thanks."

"Always, Ichigo," Chad said gripping the gold medallion around his neck. "I promised you once and I keep that promise."

"I like Kuchiki-san, he makes you smile," Inoue said smiling.

Ichigo's cheeks burned. Leave it to them to say something embarrassing.

(o)

"What are you doing here?" Byakuya asked, his back was facing the bars and he was sitting on the only chair provided for him. He'd been there for how long, he wasn't sure. But this was the first time Toushiro had come to visit him.

Toushiro scowled. "What do you think, I'm doing? I've attempted to get a hold of Central but they're being unusually difficult and so I've went to the next best person, your Captain. I've had to bar the Tenth Division from Kuchiki Rukia."

"I thank you for that." She was the last person he wanted to see right now. His disdain for her was growing with every day.

"She's as much a pain for me as you. Something fishy is going on and it has nothing do with your situation," he confessed shifting and pressing his back against the bars and crossing his arms. "Something foul is in the air."

"Is it?" Byakuya asked slightly intrigued.

"I can't detect what it is, yet. It's unusual for Central to wait so long on a noble's punishment. It doesn't bode well."

"I'm not surprise, I committed a crime and I knew what I was doing."

Toushiro glanced over his shoulder. "Is he worth it? Is he strong?"

Byakuya couldn't help but let the growing smile spread across his face and right into his eyes. They sparkled in way that they never had. Toushiro felt the air shift and when he saw Byakuya he almost gasped. "He's worth it, Toushiro-kun and yes, he is strong."

"He really took that Menos?"

"He has Captain level reiatsu. It's wild and massive like Zaraki."

Toushiro eyebrows shot up at the description. "I see. I'll see what I can do, Byakuya-san."

"It doesn't matter."

"It does, to me."

There was a click from the door and Toushiro gazed over and smirked. "Bout time you two old men got here."

Byakuya's eyes widened when he saw his Captain leaning heavily on another Captain, both of them were just as old as each other, but looked younger, especially his Captain.

"Captain Kyoraku, Captain Ukitake," Byakuya stood and bowed.

"Yi, it seems you've got yourself in a pickle, Byakuya-chan," Kyoraku commented with his arm around Ukitake. "Jyuushiro-chan here couldn't wait to see you."

"Captain Ukitake, are you sure you're well enough to be walking around like that?" Byakuya asked stepping in front of the bars.

"I'm fine enough for this," Ukitake insisted with a soft serene smile. "I can't let one of mine remained locked up."

Toushiro had left the room and came back with a couple chairs. Ukitake plopped down in one with a little less grace than he normally would and tossed his pure white hair over his shoulder. The kind beautiful face of his captain, always surprised Byakuya. How could a man this frail and beautiful be so strong? Byakuya never would have believed it if he hadn't seen it.

Kyoraku smirked. "Thank you Shiro-chan."

Toushiro glared. "It's Captain Hitsugaya, old man!"

"Ah, you're no fun but you're so cute!" he said reaching up and ruffling his white hair. "So wild and white just like Jyuushiro-chan." He beamed when Toushiro growled and moved away, his left eye ticking a little.

"Shunsui." Ukitake nudged his friend. "Don't antagonize little Shiro-chan."

Kyoraku chuckled when Toushiro huffed and moved over near the wall and crossed his arms. "This better be good."

"First, we need the story," Ukitake said looking up at Byakuya. "The whole story, from the very beginning, and please, Byakuya-kun don't leave anything out."

Byakuya couldn't deny Ukitake's request, even if he wanted too. The man had come all the way over here on his own having pushed himself off his sick bed.

So, he did an anti-noble thing and sat right down on the floor in front of the bars. Ukitake chuckled softly and Kyoraku arched an eyebrow.

"You've been humanized, Byakuya-chan."

Byakuya ignored the pink wearing fruit and looked straight at his captain as he pulled his white robe over his knees and in a low soft voice, he told his story, from start to finished all the way down to the Grand Fisher and the last of the Quincy line.

"Incredible," Ukitake breathed the moment Byakuya went silent.

Byakuya knew that his eyes had dimmed and brightened on several occasions through his story and he also knew that his emotions had reflected on his face before he could control them.

Kyoraku was right, he was becoming humanized, he wasn't able to remain stoic like he used too.

"That's some kid," Kyoraku commented.

"His family are really honorable people," Byakuya insisted. "I've never seen an older sibling so devoted to their little sisters like Ichigo."

"That's nice, I'm very happy, Byakuya-kun that you were able to make friends, it looks good on you."

What did that mean? Byakuya wondered. He didn't ask, it wasn't like you could 'wear' friends but then again Ukitake had a strange way with words. He was always on the lookout for a new friend and had been rather put-out when Byakuya had joined the force friendless and alone.

It was Ukitake who nudged Kaien-dono toward him and it was Kaien-dono who helped break a lot of the ice that surrounded Byakuya's heart.

But the ice was completely shattered when he came across Ichigo. It didn't remain any longer. It was warmth that lingered, the type of warmth that Sakura Blossoms thrived in.

Just like his Zanpakuto.

"It looks like we'll have some fancy maneuvering to do. We'll try and get a hold of Central and if that doesn't work…" Ukitake stood and swayed. Kyoraku grabbed him around the waist quickly.

"Careful, Jyuushiro-chan."

"I'm fine," Ukitake breathed softly. "If Central doesn't listen, then I have no choice but to go drastic measures."

Toushiro groaned. "Drastic measures. I'm not going to like this, am I?"

"Don't do anything that will get you guys in trouble. I'm not worth that."

Ukitake looked at Byakuya sharply when Toushiro growled under his breath. "Never, say that Byakuya-kun. You are not only my subordinate but you are my friend. I never leave my friends."

Byakuya bowed his head. "Thank you, Captain Ukitake."

(o)

"Yay! Ichigo, you made it!" Ever since, Ichigo had been meddling with perverted shopkeeper and exiled shinigami, the hat-and-clog wearing man loved to rush up behind him and wrap his arms around his waist and hug him as close as possible.

The first few times, Ichigo elbowed the man off him, but then realized that it never worked and it only made Urahara grope him in worse places and so all he could do was scowl a little as Inoue, Chad, and Ishida watched them with amusement.

Yoruichi snickered. "You've got a big fan now, Ichigo."

"So it seems," Ichigo said as Urahara placed his chin on the teen's shoulder and beamed.

"Of course, of course! He's so cuddly and cute when he holds that big ol' sword. I could just eat him to pieces, but then Kuchiki-san might try and castrate me so, I can't go there."

Ichigo's cheeks burned a little as Inoue giggled and Ishida smirked as he cocked his head to the side. "So, how are we getting to this Soul Society?"

"Ahhh, now that's one question that I will be happy to answer!" Urahara gave Ichigo an extra squeeze before letting go and standing next to a gigantic stone made square.

Tessai had come out and grunted to them all before shuffling over to the side. "You see here…"

The explanation was long and annoying, Urahara could really be winded when he wanted to be, but Ichigo wouldn't deny that the man wasn't a genius. He was incredible and Ichigo wondered sometimes if Soul Society regretted exiling him.

From the few conversations they had, it seems that Urahara was the reason for a lot of inventions. The Gigai for example was the biggest and then the Gikogan and this so-called Hougyoku that possessed so much power that it scared the living daylights out of even Urahara.

The run through was a pain in the ass and it was thanks to Inoue that they were able to arrive safely in the deserted streets of Rukongai, everyone was ass first on the ground except for him as he shifted from his funny position and ignoring Inoue's coos of artistic landings.

"This is Rukongai, huh?" Ichigo said taking a cursory look around. "From what Byakuya said, I had expected the place to be crowded with people."

"They're probably hiding. The ones in this area don't rely on their reiatsu," Yoruichi explained.

"Byakuya told me that Rukongai were the poorest but freest in terms of laws."

After Ichigo's fight with the Gate Keeper Jidanbou, the massive cry-baby shinigami allowed them entrance through the gate however they were stopped in their tracks by a lone figure standing in the distance.

Ichigo's eyes narrowed as Yoruichi hissed to move away.

"I know you!" Ichigo scowled ignoring the cat and stalking forward and literally looking 'down' when he came across the so-called 'Captain' of Soul Society.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, is it?"

"Yah, you're the ones who took Byakuya!"

"Hitsugaya Toushiro, Tenth Squad Captain," Toushiro drawled ignoring the accusation for now. "Come with me, Kurosaki Ichigo. The rest of you, find another way in. If more of you come, there will be consequences."

Yoruichi hissed. "Ichigo! It could be a trap!"

Toushiro looked down at the cat, who reared up on its back legs. "Kuchiki Byakuya is my friend, Shihoin Yoruichi. Kuchiki Rukia's appearance was unexpected and just as unwanted. Kurosaki-san."

"Right…" Ichigo was caught off guard. This kid looked to be the age of his sisters and yet, he had the voice of an adult. A really nice voice if Ichigo were being honest and he did say that he was Byakuya's 'friend.'

Was he really? Byakuya never told him of a friend, but then again, at the time Byakuya didn't consider anyone a friend, he was so closed up tight.

Ichigo blamed a lot of that closure on the death of his mentor and the treatment in which that bitch gave him. He was a noble but he was also a man and he had feelings. He may not be human in the eyes of the shinigami, but to Ichigo he was.

He ate, he slept, he cried, and he smiled. He also experienced pain and pleasure of all kinds.

That was definitely human.

Toushiro flinched and he looked down the road of the white city and narrowed his eyes. "We have to go and now! Another Captain's coming, one I do not trust in the least." He grabbed Ichigo by the forearm and he shot a look to the others. "Ichimaru Gin is coming Yoruichi-san, you better get the others out of here."

Yoruichi didn't have time to argue with the child prodigy and instead he whirled around and booked it back to the front of the gate where the others were standing with Jidanbou.

Dubiously, Ichigo trusted Toushiro, he didn't seem to be the kind of person to use the term 'friend' lightly and so he let the small Captain lead him around some buildings.

"God! Can your reiatsu be any more strong?" Toushiro growled under his breath. "At this rate, we'll drawl everyone out!"

"I can't help it."

Toushiro sneered but said nothing. "You are aware I don't like the fact that I'm helping you, but the thing is I have no choice. Byakuya-kun is innocent."

"I know he is," Ichigo said softly as he recalled Urahara's words. "Byakuya is only caught in the middle because of a mistake."

Toushiro looked at Ichigo sharply. "Mistake?"

"I no longer have Byakuya's powers. My master stripped me of them and I gained my own."

Toushiro's eyes widened. It took a great sense of strength for a human to gain their own power. "Just who is your master, Kurosaki-san?"

"Urahara Kisuke."

Toushiro stopped dead in his tracks and he stared at Ichigo without really seeing him. "Urahara…" he breathed in recognition.

"Yah, a perverted shopkeeper but brilliant nonetheless."

"Urahara Kisuke… trained you?"

"Uh huh, yeah, what about it?"

Toushiro looked away briefly. "Byakuya-kun was right, not that I expect him to be wrong. He's the Kuchiki Heir, he rarely runs on feelings alone. But you changed him, Kurosaki Ichigo and I thank you for that. If you have been trained by Urahara Kisuke then it stands to reason why you are standing here right now and why your reiatsu is so monumental. But I can't help but wonder why someone like Urahara would go through so much for one person? I never pegged him for the type."

"That's where the mistake comes in," Ichigo informed.

"Mistake. This is a mistake that I'm not going to like is it?"

"Not one single bit."

Toushiro nodded firmly. "If Yoruichi-san is your initial guide then whatever it is, has to be truth. She would not resurface otherwise."

Ichigo paused and he looked at Toushiro. "She?"

Toushiro blinked and looked up. "Yah, Shihoin Yoruichi, the famous Flash Goddess. You didn't know that was a woman in cat form?"

Ichigo's cheeks flushed and Toushiro chuckled darkly. "Figures, I only know of her because of Captain Ukitake and Kyoraku, two others in on this. Neither want to see Byakuya-kun condemned."

"Ukitake," Ichigo repeated. "I know that name… that's Byakuya's captain isn't it?"

"Right in one. Let's go, we're heading to the Thirteenth Division. Ukitake has asked everyone but his two subordinates to clear out. They'll be fine and it's safest route for now. We can't let anyone know that a Captain is involved with conspiracy. We'll all be executed."

"Sounds harsh."

Toushiro smiled grimly as they began to pick up pace. "You have no idea," he whispered, his fingers were fiddling unconsciously with his Zanpakuto.

"Wait a minute! If Yoruichi is a girl then why does he - er she sound like a guy?"

Toushiro shrugged. "Who knows? I always heard rumors that she was weird. Now come on, before your reiatsu locates everyone around to our presence!"

"Geez, you're grouchy!"

"Of course I am, I didn't get near enough sleep last night," Toushiro growled.

"How many hours of sleep do you require?"

"At least fifteen."

Ichigo blinked. "Shinigami's are so weird," he murmured with a shake of his head. He only thought it was Urahara's group and Byakuya being a little odd. But now he had confirmation that they were all completely and utterly insane.

Toushiro growled. "I heard that orange!"

"Snowy-chan."

Toushiro's eyes twitched. "It's Captain Hitsugaya."

Ichigo patted Toushiro's wild white hair. "Not while you look like my eleven year old sister, Snowy-chan." He smirked when he was given a venomous glare by startling teal eyes. This could be fun yet.