AUTHOR'S NOTE: Set 3 years after Ichigo had lost his Shinigami powers. He has not run into any supernatural activity ever since, and he has now been attending college and playing music with a few friends.

Ichigo slowly ran his fingers over the edge of a bright blue Gibson SG, its spotless shine catching his reflection as if he were looking into the surface of a cool, sparkling ocean. Though he had never had much of an interest in actually playing these types of guitars, it was the beautiful paintwork that had caught his attention, like so many others inside of the store.

He had not really planned on spending his Friday evening looking around inside of a high-class music shop.

In fact, he would much rather have run straight to the garage after class where he could play his own guitar. Being able to feel the heavy vibrations of electric notes singing through his fingers, the booming bass and the tenacious drum beats pounding inside of his heart, drawing out an amazing feeling that he never knew existed before. A feeling that feverishly traveled up through his throat and made him want to shout out words, words that could reach out and connect with everyone on the entire planet.

As soon as he found himself standing there daydreaming, a firm hand had reached around and grabbed onto his shoulder, causing him to jump.

"Dream on, man!" called Kazuki with a playful grin on his face, apparently assuming that Ichigo's heart was set on buying the Gibson he had still been staring at for the past few seconds.

"Um…I wasn't really interested in getting it."

"I didn't think so. That thing is vintage! We got a ways to go before we end up having our own private mansion full of Gibsons."

Kazuki Kimura. A cool, easy-going college student with a handsome figure and an incredibly kind personality. Music had become one of his biggest passions when he had turned about 15 years old, shortly after the passing of his mother. This was one of the things that lead to him having such a tight connection with Ichigo when they had first met. They just had a very strange and unexplainable way of understanding one another. Something that would in the end, lead to Kazuki becoming Ichigo's lead guitarist.

And now here they were. Venturing through endless rows of instruments that neither of them could ever begin to afford. After Kazuki had so cleverly remarked to Ichigo about the Gibson SG.

"Hey guys, check it out!" came a voice from across the room, belonging to the one and only female in their group, Yoko Tanaka. She was sitting atop one of the amplifiers and strumming on a banjo like some sort of classic hill billy.

This was nothing out of the ordinary for Yoko. She was the band's ball of energy, a goofy little weirdo who usually came with a different color of hair every day and was practically in love with all sorts of sweets. She was an extremely creative person with a surprisingly good knack for origami, sketching, and playing the bass.

As a look of embarrassed resentment fell upon Ichigo's face, Kazuki chuckled and grabbed up a tambourine from one of the nearby racks, striking it in time with Yoko's ridiculous banjo playing.

And sure enough to follow, came the beat of a drum set being struck by their all too much of a clown-ish drummer, Takuma Koizumi. Ichigo himself was not even sure how such a trouble-making airhead had come to take any kind of liking into playing serious music. But it was apparent that Takuma always had fun drumming with the band and he was decent, just as long as he stayed focused.

Watching them all together like this, Ichigo couldn't help but facepalm and hope to God that no one in the store associated him with them.

"Ichigo! Come on! Join us!" shouted Kazuki.

Ichigo casually turned around and walked out of the exit.

And with that, the three hastily dropped their instruments and ran out after him.

It was a chilly November outside and small snowflakes were beginning to drift down from the sky. But even this cold weather had never once stopped them from having band practice like today. It was something that each of them individually anticipated at the end of every week. Something that brought forth so much excitement even though there was no way of really knowing where it would lead.

And I'm the front man...

That alone, Ichigo would never have been able to imagine before now even if he tried.

Sure, his father had bought him a guitar but that was years ago and most of the time he would forget the thing was even there. He was too busy with school and getting lost inside of the world of being a Shinigami for so long. The hardest part of all about losing his powers, was losing the special ability to be able to protect everyone.

Maybe the reason that playing music came so natural to him, was because it was another way of doing just that; protecting and inspiring the hearts of other people.

Only this time, my guitar is like my zanpakuto.

Smiling to himself over that cliché, Ichigo hurried ahead of the group to lead them into his garage.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: End of the first chapter. If this story gets enough hits so far, and enough people interested in what happens next, I will continue to post more chapters. I realize it is a bit of a different approach for a Bleach/DW Crossover and I was curious of what the fans of both shows might think, as well as anybody appreciative of music .

Including a very brief profile description for Kazuki, Yoko, and Takuma since they are my original characters.

KAZUKI KIMURA [Lead Guitarist]
Age: 21
Sign: Capricorn
Hair: Short/Black
Eye Color: Dark Grey
Height: 5'8"

YOKO TANAKA [Bassist]
Age: 18
Sign: Aries
Hair: Short/Black with Hot Pink Stripes (she tends to dye it often)
Eye Color: Light Pink
Height: 5'2"

TAKUMA KOIZUMI [Drummer]
Age: 20
Sign: Saggitarius
Hair: Shoulder Length/Blonde
Eye Color: Sky Blue
Height: 5'9"