A/N: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters
"We'll see each other again, won't we?"
"Of course, bakayero."
Senna, I miss you.
They said that the memories of you would eventually fade away, but that's not possible. I could not and would never forget our time together, however brief it was.
xXx
Ichigo woke up with a start. He ran a hand through his spiky orange hair. What a weird dream. Something about a red ribbon, fluttering in the breeze…
"ICHIGO! RISE AND SHINE!"
An enormous foot appeared out of nowhere, and connected with Ichigo's face.
Spluttering and disorientated, Ichigo recovered sufficiently to counterattack, his elbow flying into something squishy. That something squishy was Kurosaki Isshin's face.
"OWW MY SON HAS NEW TRICKS UP HIS SLEEVES!"
"Shut up, retard."
Ichigo sidestepped his father's scything shoulder, and elbowed him again in the back of the head.
What's new?
For the time being, the Spiritual World was at peace. The recent incursion into Hueco Mundo had put a dent in the Arrancar's ranks, the Shinigami slaying seven of the Ten Espada. Aizen had no choice but to retreat and regroup, and this provided our heroes with some respite.
Lessons started as usual, and an uneventful day passed Ichigo by. Another forgettable day, just fading from memory immediately.
As Ichigo walked home, alone, he passed by a bridge that was somehow familiar. "Something important happened here, but I just can't recall what…"
As he leaned against the rail, the gentle wind caressed his hands. As the breeze rolled by, bright red and yellow flowers floated serenely past Ichigo. Maple leaves. Instinctively, Ichigo reached out grabbed at the passing flowers.
Senna…
Ichigo shook his head. It was this weird feeling again. It was always accompanied by flashing scenes that were foreign and unfamiliar to him. Something about a crazy girl tightrope walking on the cable of suspended lights…
Unknown to Ichigo, it had been exactly one year from the Memory Rosary incident.
If the world ended you'd disappear…
I don't want that to happen!
I'd rather die than let that happen!
A hundred scenes forced themselves into Ichigo's consciousness. Blanks, the Gentle Fist clan, Ganryu, Senna….
Realization hit Ichigo like a thunderbolt. He remembered everything. The quest to save Senna, and her giving up her life to save him.
Ichigo roared in frustration. So what if he knew? He'd rather forget these painful memories. What could he do? Re-construct her with memories? She was lost…gone…never coming back…
He suddenly felt the presence of another behind him. He turned around to see Abarai Renji, fifth division's vice-captain, standing next to a hell butterfly.
"What is it, Renji?"
"You are wanted by Yamamato soutaicho. Something to do with a girl we found half dead in the Senkaimon…"
Ichigo's heart stopped there. "You found a girl in the Senkaimon?"
Renji frowned at Ichigo's sudden interest. "I don't know the details, so just come with me, idiot."
Ichigo did not dare to keep his hopes up. But there was a chance, however slim it might be.
Its previous owner had been killed in the Senkaimon, when she was trapped in the severed world…
Ichigo nodded and followed Renji into the doors that led to soul society. Maybe, just maybe…
xXx
The girl rubbed her eyes. When she opened them, she was staring at a cold, white wall. Where the hell was she? The last thing she remembered, she had been with her squad, getting ready to enter the Valley Of Screams for a punitive expedition.
No, that's not right. There were other memories on the fringes of her consciousness that she couldn't quite grasp. Something about a Ferris wheel, a crazy white-haired man with a scar down his right cheek. There was also something about a black and orange blur, wielding a wickedly sharp-looking soot black sword.
"Kurosaki Ichigo…" she muttered unconsciously. Hmm? What was this? How did she know that name?
Then, a face came to mind. A teenager with bright and spiky orange hair, and a million dollar grin. Wait; cancel the million dollar grin part. All that face did was to frown and scowl.
She smiled for some reason. She remembered that face fondly.
"Ah…miss…you have awakened."
The girl got up into sitting position and looked around for the source of that voice. She spotted a motherly looking figure smiling compassionately at her.
"I am Unohana Retsu, fourth division's captain. May I know who you are?"
The girl sat up a bit straighter, and she said in a steady voice, "Minami Senna, seventh division vice captain."
Please R and R! I'll be writing the next chapter soon! And I'm currently having a writer's block on the PJ fanfic, so I apologize for not updating. But I'll think of something soon!