Yo, waddup! Ish ya boi, Zero-sensei and I may or may not be back at it again with the longer chapters!

Well this one is extra long!

Ayyyyyy! ( ิิ)

Happy Holidays, peeps!

In the alley beside Kon Kafé, a young man who worked there by the name of Jinta was investigating a noise that had been disturbing incoming customers that were concerned enough to notify him at the counter that afternoon. He was a bit afraid of lifting the lid, almost jumping out of his skin when he heard a particularly loud thump against the trash bin's metal wall closest to him. Braving himself, he readied his bat and slowly approached what he was hoping was an oversized raccoon with its head stuck in a box. Carefully lifting the lid with the end of his bat and keeping his body as far away as possible, he realized he couldn't see a thing no matter how hard he strained his neck. Inching closer and closer, he slowly rose up the side of the bin. His face turned pale when he saw a pretty beaten up mascular man who was crying his generously lashed eyes out. He was tied up like a hog with a cloth tightly over his mouth. He looked like a cowboy that had been mauled by another bear, if you caught his drift.

"What...the hell?" Jinta's brow coiled in disbelief and slight agitation. Who in the hell throws live bodies in dumpsters? The ginger boy looked closer and saw a note taped to the man's chest that read 'Please take care of our dear friend here.' Jinta scowled and slammed the trash bin mumbling obscenitues under his breath. A whiney, distressed amd unmanly squeal could be heard from the dumpster which could be taken as begging to not be left in the garbage. Jinta ignored the noise as he walked away in an annoyed manner.

"Keep it down, will ya? I'll be back for you later tonight. I have other responsibilities, y'know!"

The young man tied a peach colored apron around his waist as he walked away, swinging his bat too and fro before putting it back down at his side and leaning against the brick wall just by the sidewalk outside the alley. Making sure no one saw him, he put the bat over his shoulder and came back down the alleyway and opened the side door to the Kafê.

"I have work to do and at this rate, that old coot is gonna run me and Ururu ragged," the door closed quietly behind him.

At the bottom of the paper was a silly doodle of a man in a hat that covered his eyes and a fan over his mouth that displayed a cartoony, toothy smile showing over the side of it.

Ichigo held his breath for a second. His whole body tensed up as he had stopped moving completely. Wonderweiss looked up from his resting position on the floor, his brow furrowed as he read the red head's body language.

"What do you mean by that?"

The unsettling grit in the shaken male's voice drew Starrk and his men's attention. Grimmjow and Nnoitra had stopped their round of Street Fighter and exchanged looks before turning to their main objective. The tear tattoed male by the door simply continued to stare blankly as he was doing since Ichigo and he had come through the entrance of the apartment. The calmest man in the roon lifted himself from his seat and caught Ichigo by slight surprise as he plucked the unsuspecting strawberry's phone from his hand in a suave manner and promptly set the device to speaker mode. A deep, weathered voice rang through the room, In the background of the call, soft air could be heard against the microphone of Zangetsu's phone. "You need to move and fast if you know what's good for you, my dear Ichigo. I'm surprised none of those fine gentlemen I assigned to your safety took care of it despite being professionals."

Nnoitra and Grimmjow clicked their tongues simultaneously.

"I know you're listening, Starrk. I am holding you accountable for such a blunder. I'm sure you've noticed it by now as I had since the very beginning. After all, you are a man of little to no error. I expect much more out of you."

The addressed man said nothing as he stared at the phone with a serious and focused expression.

"What were you trying to accomplish staying in one spot for so long?"

Ichigo looked up at Starrk. The wavey haired man opened his mouth, but was silenced before a sound could be made as the voice continued speaking.

"Save your investigating for when my nephew is safe and away from harm. As of this moment, you all must leave. Your current position had been conpromised for some time now. Make sure to take the stairs on your exit, by the by. I'm sure you saw just today how close of an eye they have on Ichigo by now, right Ulquiorra? Does a feminine man with pink diamond tattoos on his face sound familiar?"

The stoic male simply nodded in acknowledgement as Ichigo grew pale.

"I've already spoken to your dean, Ichigo. I managed to work out putting your coursework on hold-"

Ichigo interrupted his uncle with a surprised 'what' before his shaggy uncle continued, "I want you to come to the other side of town. Your father and sisters will be safe where they are. Trust me."

A choked breath escaped the confused and frustrated red head's throat as he searched for words before giving up and going to his room.

" Trying to use my dear nephew as a bit of bait, Starrk? I will say this once and one time only."

Starrk stared intensely at the phone, his brow defined by thought.

"Be careful. They're closer than you think. And I won't hesitate to take limbs or even lives if something happens to Ichigo."

At those words, the goatteed man was thrown aback.

"Go see Urahara."

The phone made a mechanical bubbly tone, indicating the call had been disconnected. Setting the phone down, Starrk looked at his men and issued a command after taking a deep breath in an attempt to clear his nerves, "alright, boys, you heard the man. Get your things and shake a leg."

The wavy headed assassin found himself suddenly drained, watching the rest of his squad carry out their task in a blank faced manner as they understood this wasn't a time to goof off. The blond boy on the floor sat patiently waiting for Ichigo on the living room floor while watching the hired men walk in and out of rooms and dropping bags near the door of the apartment that led to the main hall of the apartment building. Wonderweiss' face brightened up as Ichigo emerged from his room carrying a duffle bag and pulling a large rolling suitcase. The older man looked over the organized line of bags and equipment.

"They're more professional than I thought," he sighed under his breath. Ichigo pet the 19 year old on the head as he set his things apart from the others before heading to his kitchen to clear the food, intending to take everything that wasn't open along with tubberware that he could use. A knock on the once destroyed door rang into the kitchen, making Ichigo tense up and stop his actions to move toward the open window of his breakfast bar to look at his door. He heard quick footsteps as Starrk and Ulquiorra rushed toward it before he could move to opening it himself. Ichigo had never seen them act in such a manner. He choked and sputtered when he noticed what the taller male who was on the side of the door opposite of the handle was holding in his hands. Before the red head could let out a coherent word, Starrk put a finger to his lips and smiled reassuringly to which Ichigo covered his own before sinking until only his eyes were visible from the other side of his breakfast bar. The eldest male positioned the firearm at his shorter companion, leaving enough space between them for the door to open. Taking his cue, Ulquiorra opened the door. Before him stood a beefy, tanned man who towered over his own figure with a mess of wavy locks falling over his eyes and obscuring them.

"Who are you?" A deep voice quietly hummed in a nonintruding manner from the giant.

"Chad!"

Ichigo leapt over his kitchen counter and breakfast bar and made his way toward his door. Smiling vibrantly at who seemed to be his friend. Starrk lowered his gun as Ulquiorra backed away.

"After so many years, you should remember by now that it's Sado, Ichigo."

The strawberry laughed, playfully punching the taller man on the chest which the other two males in the room were sure the tanned man didn't feel at all through his thick muscle. Wonderweiss stared blankly at the man he had never seen before, seeming to try to make heads qnd tails of the situation.

"I haven't seen you in over three years! It's a bit of a force of habit, too. And cut me some slack! Kanji's pretty complicated."

"That's quite the list of excuses, Ichigo," the giant lightly chortled, emitting a sound similar to a smooth and low musical note as he received another nonserious punch.

The laughter rang for a moment before dying down, the giant's face becoming serious.

"I recieved a call from your uncle an hour ago. He told me you were in trouble and needed help moving some things."

Ichigo scoffed, "I can't believe that old fart is getting you wrapped up in this."

Sado silently looked at his friend for a few seconds before gently nudging his friend out of the way and letting himself in, looking down at the blond boy who stared back. The large man opted to stand near the large window of the living room where Wonderweiss followed to observe him more, hoping to not get in anyone's way. The two men still on gaurd decided to take over the packing of the kitchen items, putting open foods in trashbags and dumping out tubberware in use. Ichigo just look at his friend, slightly lost at what to say.

"Let me know what you want me to do when you're ready."

"You can start by helping me carry this crap to our ride," Grimmjow drawled as he walked passed the kitchen and into the living room along with the ever casual Nnoitra. They were both empty handed for whatever reason. Sado approached the luggages, facing the two men as he came closer to them. Still looking at them, he lifted all four of the men's duffle bags, two on each shoulder and picked up Ichigo's and carrying it by hand. Nnoitra made an impressed noise as he grabbed Ichigo's dark red fabric suitcase by it's long handle so he could roll it with ease. Grimmjow looked the tan giant up and down before continuing to open the door.

"Well let's get a move on, tough guy," the blue headed tough guy himself said.

"Why not take this container of food, Grimmjow?" Ichigo said, catching the man before any of them got out the door. Grimmjow sneered and walked toward the kitchen entranceway where Ichigo rushed back out carrying a large clear tote of all that he was bringing with him. The blue eyed man took the tote from him, giving a slightly evil smirk, "All your husbands are working real hard, Ichi. Think this one could get a kiss for all hus effort?"

"Hell no," Ichigo scowled though his cheeks were tinted a bit pink. "Go do your damn job, dumbass."

Grimmjow laughed as he turned toward the door once more. Starrk, lost in thought, politely passing by Ichigo. Ulquiorra almost unnoticed passed as well, carrying a trash bag in each hand. Ichigo held the door open for all the working men as they cluttered out, leaving him and Starrk empty handed while Wonder had stood and followed Grimm, Nnoi, Ulqui, and Sado curiously.

"Would you mind giving me the keys and heading down, Mr. Kurosaki?" Starrk gestured, his hand out awaiting the keys Ichigo held in his own.

"Uh, yeah..."

The ginger man placed the keys into the brunet's palm.

"Go on ahead. I'll be down shortly," the older male gave a calming smile.

Ichigo nodded, though not completely understanding the request. Closing the door behind him, the slightly distressed man caught up to the rest of the group around halfway down to the third floor of the building, Nnoitra and Grimmjow arguing about whether or not yoga was a legitimate form of exercise by which Sado was pushing that it was. After explaining a bit about why it can be counted as such, the walking tooth pick and ice candy found themselves influenced to try doing it for themselves if it kept Sado rock solid as he was. Not following the conversation at all, Wonderweiss tilted his head in curiosity which made Ichigo laugh.

"I would say all the muscle went to their heads which prevents them from understanding how allowing muscle fiber to stretch and breathe contributes to overall performance," Ulquiorra droned from behind the conversing men. Ichigo and Sado chuckled as Nnoitra and Grimmjow scowled.

"Yeah, Sado's been this huge since high school. In fact, he is even bigger than he was then even," the red head's sentence trailed off as he began reminiscing on days past in his mind.

"Oh? How much bigger?"Nnoitra chided deviously.

Ichigo sputtered and began to wish that Wonder and Grimmjow weren't between him and that bean pole son of a bitch so he could snap his lean neck in half. Or better yet, push him down the steps. So far as he could tell, they were near the end of the third floor's flight which made him debate pushing him over the railing instead.

"Oh, please," a boyish voice rang through the stairway. "Do tell us about your endeavors back in time, Kurosaki. I'm sure they were more pleasant than the memory you obtained that night a few months ago."

Everyone on the steps froze. Everyone except Wonderweiss who immediately looked upward. Ichigo followed his gaze and saw the same feminine face he had seen earlier that day, lurking in the shadows and now leaning over the fourth floor rails.

"I know my beauty is striking, Kurosaki," the short, dark haired boy twirled some of his hair between his fingers in a faux coy manner. Ichigo scowled. "Don't look at me in such a way, Kurosaki! I might faint under your burning gaze."

Grimmjow grit his teeth in agitation. If only he could throw the tote he was carrying at the annoying little prick's dumbass face. If only he didn't like pocky so much. If only he didn't like food so much!

"Keep moving," Ulquiorra's voice hardly echoed in the stairway. "I don't want to handle more trash."

Most of the gang chuckled at the stoic man's nonchalant jab at the other short male.

"I will have you know that the only garbage here is the lot of you," The effeminate boy said grudgingly. "You uncultured swine probably have no idea who I am, do you?"

"Luppi Antenor," Ulquiorra responded unfeelingly. "Rumored to be one of the strongest in Aizen's ranks."

"Oh, I'm impressed. The filth has actually done his research. Wonderful! Then you should know what exactly an Espada like me can do."

"Espada?!" Nnoitra's eye widened and he turned around to look at the red head."Ichigo-!"

Luppi threw his body weight over the railing, and fixed his sites directly on his target, rolling a dagger out of his sleeve and readying it to strike. Before Ichigo could even move a muscle, a blur of blonde and white shot passed his peripheral before he found himself looking at Wonderweiss moving at almost jet speed, aiming straight toward the toward the short assassin.

"Won-"

Wonderweiss' force knocked Luppi's smaller body back up the staircase and even half a flight upward, forcing them further up then Luppi started and landing them on some steps, the shorter on the bottom. Before Ichigo could question anything more, Starrk burst through the exit door which Luppi had been standing in front of.

"Ichigi, go! Squad, I'll meet up with you later!"

Without more said, Ulquiorra lifted Ichigo over his shoulder after handing Nnoitra the garbage he was carrying. The group hustled down the stairs quickly, even jumping stairs at a time all the while hearing grunt and partial screams from up above.

"What about Wonderweiss?!" Ichigo squirmed and struggled against Ulquiorra's hold. Was he a professional body handler? Was he a kidnapper in his past life or something? Maybe he was secretly Bowser and Ichigo was Princess Peach even though his hair color indicated he was more of a Daisy.

"Calm down, Kurosaki," the surprisingly strong man reassured without much feeling. "Starrk isn't our captain for no reason."

Sado burst through the exit doors on at the ground level of the stairs. Ulquiorra pulled out some keys and pressed the lock button so the vehicle would honk and let Sado kniw where he was going. The tear tattoed man also pressed the trunk button, making the back of a silver SUV open up. The men got to work loading the car, Nnoitra making a note to dispose of the garbage he held onto in the dumpster ten feet away before climbing into the passenger seat and lowering the level so his head wouldn't touch the roof of the car anymore. Ulquiorra Put Ichigo in the back before climbing in himself while Grimmjow took the driver's seat. Sado stood outside the vehicle, looking in at his friend. Ichigo leaned Ulquiorra's lap and lowered the window.

"Will you be alright, Chad?"

Sado laughee softly and nodded, "How many times do I need to tell you, Ichigo? It's Sado."

"Sorry to ruin this loving moment and all," Grimmjow chuckled. "But we need to get the fuck outta here."

Ulquiorra looked Sado in the e before saysaying dryly, "Don't go home for a while. Do you have a place to stay for a while?"

"I think I know a guy," the muscle man responded calmly. "Please take care of Ichigo."

The tanned giant bowed to the pale guardian.

"Will do," Grimmjow affirmed with a shit eating grin spread across his face. "You got nothing to worry about!"

Sado lifted his head and patted the top of the car and stepping back as it started and began to pull off. Ichigo turned around in his seat, looking back at Sado and his building in a lostlorn way, his friend waving at him until he couldn't see him anymore. Ichigo turned back around and began to swim in his confusion. What in the hell was happening anymore? A voice belonging to a certain pirated eyed man rang through his thoughts bringing him back out of his darkness:

"So are we just gonna ignore the fact that the lil blond freak went super sayan or what?"

Oh, boy. My fingers hurt.