A/N: I've been a part of this site for a long time now, but never thought about uploading a story until this idea popped into my head. Since summer is coming up I'll probably be in it for the long haul, so read on!
Pairings: I won't be pushing anything further then it is in the canon, but that doesn't mean nothing will happen! (no slash)
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, just the things I make them do.
Chapter 1: Travel With Caution
"What? Travel back in time? That's impossible! Why, only a genius could figure out how to do that! How could Urahara-sama even suggest such a thing?" Ichigo and Rukia stared at Urahara's performance, wearing identical expressions of distaste. "Why, even if-"
"Will you shut up and tell us what this thing is, 'cause we don't have time to hear another one of your rants." The three were back under Urahara Shoten and in front of them was a rickety-looking wooden structure that seemed oddly like the makeshift portal to Soul Society from so long ago.
"You wound me, Kurosaki-san. I spend all day and night making the calculations for this, and you don't even bother to thank me?"
"Urahara!" Rukia was starting to get annoyed, and motioned for the shopkeeper to explain after knocking Ichigo to the floor. Despite the usual commotion, the place was eerily quiet with the absence of Tessai, Jinta, and Ururu.
"Very well, Kuchiki-san. For the last few days I've been thinking on how we could salvage the little we have left from the war, when I realized that the answer doesn't lie in the future, but in the past. Crossing through time, in theory, is as simple as crossing to Soul Society or Hueco Mundo. However, the many complications involved in the carrying out of the task would leave any mind slightly less than my genius baffled!" Urahara paused to flash a smile and give his infamous fan a wave. "In simple terms, I've set you up at the best time you could be, plus you'll meld with your past self and that means no complications with two of the same people in the same time. So all you have to do is step through that portal, and then bam! You're there."
"What's the catch?" Ichigo asked from the ground, one eyebrow raised skeptically.
"Well...it's never been tried before, so even though I have no doubt in my incredible genius, there might be complications that no one could ever know existed."
"Like what?" Rukia asked, growing increasingly impatient. Ichigo looked dumbfounded at how they were being used as guinea pigs for one of Urahara's experiments yet again.
The shopkeeper simply flipped his fan and grinned, "I don't know!"
Ichigo got up from the ground, brushed himself off, and punched Urahara in the face, "What do you mean you don't know! What if we get killed? Then the world is more screwed then ever! You said it yourself, only I have the power to stop Aizen. What good will it do to kill me? And why the hell is Rukia coming too?" Rukia looked appalled at the last statement, and knocked Ichigo to the ground again.
"You idiot! Do you really expect to travel to the past by yourself? Without someone to keep your stupid self in check who knows what'll happen. Besides, if you expect me to just wait for you to save the world, you've gone insane. Plus, I'll be in the perfect position to help you regain your shinigami power, if you need it. Now let's go. No matter how risky, this is our best option." She walked past both men and stood by the poorly made wooden structure. Ichigo grumbled something and went to follow her.
"A few last things, Kurosaki-san, Kuchiki-san. Feel free to mess with the time period, but don't do it too early or your foreknowledge could become useless. Also, you need to find each other as soon as possible, so that Kurosaki-san can begin his training again. And don't worry about paradoxes! I have that all figured out." Urahara quickly grinned, but then became more serious. "Realize that you'll see people that you remember as long dead, so please try to control your reactions. As for the matter of Aizen, Ichimaru, and Tousen, you must not let them know what you are planning. This is of utmost importance." The two nodded, then faced the portal.
"Anything else?" Ichigo asked Urahara as he prepared to step through.
"Not about the portal. I have no idea what you'll encounter in there. Just try not to touch anything strange, and go as quickly as possible. Also, Kurosaki-san, Kuchiki-san, you may learn things about your pasts that you couldn't see before." He gave a mysterious smile, and then pushed them through before they could ask any more questions saying, "Bye! Have fun!"
A/N: A pretty short chapter, but it's the prologue so...please leave a review!