Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or the characters

Rated T up to chapter 8. Rated M starting chapter 9

Chapter 1

Ichigo

All that fighting in the Soul Society did quite the number on my body, I'm fricking exhausted.

After all that training Yoruichi gave me in order to achieve bankai and all those fights it's a miracle that I can even move at all. I have to admit the first day I got back I was still a little bit sore but my body adjusted pretty quickly enough. Three days have passed since we got back and I'm feeling more refreshed now and thanks to all that training I have more stamina when it comes to taking down Hollows that still occasionally appear in Karakura town.

I finish getting dress, so far dad hasn't jumped on me from out of no where's ville like he usually does but I'm still not out of the house so I can't call myself safe until then. I give a quick glance to my calendar, today is August sixteen on a Sunday. I can still enjoy fifteen days of summer vacation before school starts again so I can't complain. I honestly thought that we would have completely missed out on it but I guess we were lucky and we'll get a chance to relax a little before the new school term starts.

Orihime wanted to go to the new ice cream shop that opened in the Mashiba area next to Mashiba Middle School and Karakura Community Park to celebrate our so called victory and safe return back home. Chad said that he'd be there but Uryuu on the other hand didn't seem too sure about joining us but after a few minutes Orihime managed to get him to agree to come.

I take a quick look out the window, it's only nine in the morning and the sun is already shining in full force and I can already feel the heat, looks like it's going to be another hot day today. Orihime couldn't have picked a better day to celebrate with ice cream but it's still going to be a scorcher that's for sure. Maybe stopping by the river afterwards to cool off would be a good idea.

"Ichigo! I have a major problem in case you have forgotten!"

Oh great… For a short moment I had forgotten about him… He's becoming such a pain in the ass. Yuzu sure did do some damage to Kon during the time I was away but hey that's what he gets for wandering around the house instead of staying in my room like I told him to. If he keeps acting this way, it will be only a matter of time before my family catches on to him. It's a miracle that they haven't yet actually.

"I'll get you fixed up Kon, just be patient will you." I tell him, not really bothering to give him much attention as I finish getting ready.

Kon can be such a pain sometimes. Other than complaining about his damage, he's been nagging about how Rukia stayed in the Soul Society after everything had settled down instead of coming back to the world of the living which is only understandable since she still doesn't have her powers back.

Rukia admitted that it would take some time before her powers are completely restored to her and that staying in the Soul Society would do her more good than being in the world of the living which makes more sense staying there than coming here. With the current situation with Aizen, she needs to be at full strength and capable of defending herself when the time will come. To be honest I was kind of disappointed that she wasn't coming back with us but I always knew that in the end it might have went that way.

"Be patient! I've waited three days already and my stuffing keeps coming out!" He shouts as I try to contain the urge to squeeze him to get the mod soul out of him for some peace and quiet.

I let out a sigh as I grab Kon who had jumped into the air in hopes to hit me in the face with his short arms. Seriously like that would have worked, sometimes I really want to know how his brain is even constructed or if he even has one to begin with.

"Yeah, yeah." I reply. His problems aren't my major concerns at the moment, his problem is minor so he can wait a few more days, it won't kill him.

"Uryuu being a prick and won't fix me that's it!?" He shoots back and that's it, I've had it with him this morning as I throw him on the bed.

"Kon I haven't asked him yet." I stated as I picked up my wallet placing it in my back pocket and made my way to the door.

"I knew it!-"

"Uryuu lost his powers back in the Soul Society. Even though he hasn't said anything about it, I know it bothers him so just be patient will you." I barked back at him with more anger than I had intended to use.

Uryuu…

He came to the Soul Society to help me rescue Rukia. He didn't have to, after all he's a Quincy and Rukia is a Soul Reaper. Soul Reapers are his mortal enemies as he likes to say but he still lent me his powers anyway and what did that give him in return? He lost his powers only because I wasn't strong enough to protect everyone and in the end Uryuu got hurt…

Kon doesn't say anything else as I leave the room and close the door behind me. So far so good, doesn't sound like dad's around and I waste no time going to the bathroom to brush my teeth real quick and I quietly make my way downstairs. From the sounds I can tell that Yuzu is in the kitchen and Karin is watching TV like she always does on Sunday mornings.

"Good morning! Ichigo!"

I lift my arm as I quickly turn around giving my dad a clothesline knocking him to the ground. Sometimes I honestly wonder who the kid is and who's the adult around here is.

I waste no time putting on my shoes and leave the house before he gets back up or I'll have to deal with more of his idiotic antics.

Yeah it's definitely going to be a hot one today again. Apparently since we were gone in the Soul Society the weather has been pretty hot in Karakura town and the heat doesn't seem to want to let up either. I took the weather report yesterday and if they are accurate it's supposed to be hot and dry all week too. If it continues like this, we might be looking at a water shortage soon. The Karasu River is very low for this time of the year, we need some rain soon.

I wonder what Rukia is doing right now; she said that she would stay in the Soul Society for her powers to recover but is there like some sort of ritual or something? I seriously don't even know why I thought she was coming back with us but I was rather disappointed that she stayed behind. With the current problem with Aizen, I know that I'll see Rukia again very soon, maybe sooner than I think depending on how fast she recovers that is.

I manage to arrive at the new ice cream shop but not without looking like I did a major workout. It's so fricking hot, I'm sure the temperature rose on my way over here. Orihime and Chad are already there sitting at one of the tables at the far end and the only table that is in the shade too. Orihime couldn't have picked a better spot with this heat we're having today but at least there's a nice breeze to help cool things down a bit. I quickly join them under the shade and glance around, he isn't here yet. Uryuu is never late for anything, guess he just really didn't want to come I guess.

"You guys waited long?" I ask as I sit down next to Chad.

"Nope. I got here a few minutes ago and Chad just arrived. Uryuu should also be here soon, he left home at the same time I did but he lives a little farther away than I do." Orihime explained in her usual cheery self. So he is coming after all, that's good…

"Come to think of it I don't even know where Uryuu even lives." I suddenly blurt out scratching my head. I've known the guy for only a few months which is not very long comparing to Orihime and Chad.

When I stop to really think about it, I barely know anything about Uryuu. All I know is that he's a Quincy, goes to same school as me and is in my class. That's about it…

"Uryuu lives in the northern part of the Kitakawase district." Chad adds in his usual tone that makes most people who don't know him very well think that he's uninterested in the subject but in fact he is; that's Chad for you.

Kitakawase district is a wealthy area, people who earn a low income can't afford to live there; somehow it doesn't surprise me that Uryuu is from a wealthy home. The way he acts and talks, everything he does is proper like it was integrated in him from a young age.

I've never seen Uryuu wear his school uniform in complete disarray. His shirt is always completely buttoned up and tucked in, and his tie properly done. He's technically the perfect student, almost like it's expected of him or something. I wonder what his parents do for a living; it has to be some high paying job that's for sure…

Orihime lives alone since her brother died and from what I've heard she is supported by an aunt living somewhere and Chad also lives by himself but I'm not too sure how he's supported. My mom died six years ago so our gang pretty much have in a sense a dysfunctional home. Uryuu on the other hand doesn't fit us at all but hey at least one of us has to be normal. Well normal in a sense.

If it hadn't been for Orihime alerting me about Uryuu having lost his Quincy powers back there, I wouldn't even know about it right now, none of us would. Uryuu hasn't said anything to me or Chad about it, he only said it to Orihime back when we were in the Soul Society. He asked her not to tell anyone and that she shouldn't worry about it but out of concern she told us anyway in secret and asked us to keep quiet about it. She felt like it was something that Chad and I should be aware of and quite frankly I appreciate it big time.

At first I thought that since it was fresh and that we were still in the Soul Society, it could have been the reason why he didn't want to tell us. Maybe he didn't want all the other Soul Reapers to find out that he had lost his powers. Uryuu after all is a prideful individual but after we got back, he didn't even say anything at all. Actually he avoids all sorts of social activity since we've returned; Orihime is actually the one who forces him to tag along.

"Uryuu!" Orihime's voice takes me out of my thoughts.

She waves as she calls out to him. I look over my shoulder, silently watching him make his way to our table, taking a seat next to Orihime.

Is it just me but he looks rather pale today, well yeah Uryuu always had a light skin tone but he looks paler than usual and if I didn't know any better I'd say that he hasn't been sleeping much either. Is losing his Quincy powers bothering him that much or is it actually effecting his physic? I don't know much about Quincy stuff and I know if I point it out at him, he won't tell me anything anyway so it wouldn't be of any use for asking. He'd probably just brush it off. Perhaps Mr. Hat and Clogs might know something about it; I'll have to remember to stop by his shop later.

"Sorry it took so long." He answered in apology. He seems in a good mood, well if he isn't I can't tell. His paleness and tired face are the only things that are keeping my attention.

XXX

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Our day of celebration wasn't much of a day as it turned out. The sun was shining brightly, I couldn't complain but by eleven the wind had died down and it became just too unbearably hot. After we finished eating our ice cream we tried to go cool off by the river but it didn't turn out too good. Orihime and Uryuu couldn't handle the heat very well and the sun's rays were doing more damage than good to their skin. Chad didn't seem to mind, makes sense if it's true about what he claims to be from Mexico. He should be used to this kind of heat compared to all of us.

By noon Uryuu received a call from his father that he should go home, apparently the heat would just get worst and everyone should remain indoors to prevent heat strokes and I must say his dad was right. It actually reached almost forty degrees Celsius with no wind to help cool things down by the end of the afternoon. I offered Orihime and Chad to stay over since dad had an air conditioner installed in the house a year ago but both turned down the offer and preferred to go to their own homes.

I don't want to imagine those who don't have an air conditioner in their homes right now… I'm sure Uryuu's home must have a cooling system. I wonder what's going on in his head, I seriously thought that he trusted us more than that but I guess not. A few times I did on purpose to be with him alone, away from the others' hear reach. I thought that maybe he wanted to talk one on one but the subject never came up. I wanted to bring it up a few times but if I'm the one who mentions it first, he'll know right away that it was Orihime who had said something. He seems closer to her than to Chad and I so if I break his trust towards Orihime and if there is ever something serious that happens, he might not trust Orihime to confide the problem to her and that's not good for anyone, especially with everything that is going on at the moment.

I've never been good at noticing small details. I'll admit it's one of my biggest flaw and frankly I'm not even sure if I'm simply just over worrying about Uryuu, maybe he's always been like that and I just never really noticed it until now. Maybe he's training to get his powers back and there are certain conditions that he must meet? I don't know much about Quincies and how they work. They must have some sort of similarities to Soul Reapers right? I mean I was able to regain my Soul Reaper powers with Mr. Hat and Clogs' training. Quincies must have something similar but in Uryuu's case he's alone so maybe that's the problem. I had the guidance throughout my training but Uryuu doesn't have that luxury being the last of his kind.

The last of his kind… Is he really the last? What about his parents, aren't they Quincies? Damn I just don't know anything at all to even try to figure out a solution to help Uryuu out. I keep thinking back at the river when his dad called him. His tone was neutral, I honestly thought it was some random person at first and was kind of surprised when he said that it was his dad. Well to be more precise in his exact words 'his father'. He didn't call him dad or anything while he was talking to him; actually I think he was more in a hurry to hang up the phone than talk to his dad.

His dad definitely had concerns for his son; he called Uryuu to tell him to get out of the heat for his own safety. Clearly he cares for Uryuu's well-being otherwise he wouldn't even have bothered calling in the first place. A parent who looks out for their kid should have a closer relationship with them but from what I saw it doesn't seem that way. I wonder why, maybe Uryuu isn't that normal like I first thought. Maybe he lives in a dysfunctional home just like us and that I'm more the normal one within the group. I hope not.

I look out the window the sun is starting to set. That's my queue to head off to Urahara's shop; the heat should drop quickly enough so it should be fine to go out now. Dad has been busy in the clinic today so I shouldn't have any problems getting out of the house. He probably won't even notice that I'll be gone until I get back. Kisuke always seems to know everything; he should have some idea on how to help Uryuu. Knowing him, he probably already knows about his loss of powers.