Disclainer: I do not own Bleach.

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry that I've been away for so long. I've finally finished my time at university so now I have time to spend on my hobbies. I'm back for good! Thank you to everyone that reviewed and to all those that have asked for my return. I hope I don't disappoint.

Reveal

It had been four months since Ukitake had moved Ichigo up a year in the soul reaper academy but it was obvious to all of his teachers that he should have been moved up more. Form what they had seen of his school work and practical fighting he was more than ready to graduate. He was polite, knew his history, fought well, was conscious of others in a battle simulation and he also had broad knowledge of kido. He was the perfect candidate for a seated position. Though there were a few teachers that disagreed due to his lack of battle experience in the human world. Yukimura seemed to be doing as well as Ichigo also. The teachers could scarcely believe that two prodigies could be born in the same generation.

Normally a student would wait until there last year at the academy before being sent on a mission to the world of the living to help souls move on but Ichigo had earned the trust of many teachers and had been allowed the opportunity.

Ichigo stood next to a very nervous Yukimura, who fiddled with his sword. Ichigo sighed. "I can't believe they're letting me participate! This never happens."

"Can't you just calm down for once. You're always bouncing around." Ichigo complained.

"That's just because you're too calm! Oh god, I wonder how they're going to choose teams. If I get put with the higher years they'll bully me for sure."

Ichigo rolled his eyes and looked around at everyone. "I'm sure you'll be fine."

An instructor came around and handed out little cards to each of the students. Ichigo looked down at his, seeing a number 3 on it. Yukimura looked over his shoulder and made a happy squeaking noise. "We're in the same team!" He exclaimed.

A girl with dark hair walked over to them casually. "You guys 3?" She asked with a yawn. Her eyes were a murky silver and she seemed to be quite bored.

"Yeah. I'm Ichirou this is Yukimura." Ichigo introduced them.

"I know." The girl said. "You're famous. The two little prodigies. I guess being in your group might be interesting." She shrugged. "I'm J by the way. Single letter, no fuss."

She was defiantly a strange one.

"The senkaimon will be opening shortly. Get ready. Today's outing will go towards your final grade." The instructor called.

The instructor took out his zampakuto and thrust it into the air, turning it like a key. Traditional paper doors appeared in front of him, light flooding from the other side. Ichigo hadn't seen this in a while. He took a deep breath; going back to the world of the living was going to be difficult.

They travelled through the portal as a large group and exited the other side somewhere in Japan. Ichigo surveyed his surrounding, his stomach plummeting. What were the chances that he'd be taken to Karakura town. The city that he had grown up in and protected for many years before losing his powers and being abandoned by his friends.

"Gather round class." The instructor yawned, he obviously was bored of taking student to the human world, who knows how many times he had being doing it that day. " The aim of today's expedition is to perform a successful Konso."

The class listened eagerly. Each group wanting to prove themselves. Ichigo crossed his arms and waited for the class to be dismissed. He's performed a few of the rituals before so he wasn't exactly nervous.

"If you come across a hollow, kill it. That is, if you have the ability to. Don't go doing anything stupid. Paperwork is a nightmare." The instructor warned. "Dismissed."

The groups dispersed quickly in all directions. Ichigo's group took the left side of the park.

"You okay, Ichirou? You look a little spooked." Yukimura asked, concerned.

"I'm fine. How are you?"

"So nervous, man! If this goes badly I could end up as a squad nobody!"

Ichigo shook his head at his friends antics. He was worrying for nothing, Yukimura was a genious in his own rights. Any squad would be stupid not to appoint him a responsible position. He just had a little growing up to do and then he'd be invaluable.

"Oh, look. A soul." J said in a monotone voice. She pointed at a small boy who was crouched down on the ground crying.

Ichigo looked over only for a young woman with long black hair walk over to the young spirit with a jar holding a single flower. Ichigo's eyes widened with a mixture of shock and pain. His younger sister, Karin.

"Wow, can you feel her spiritual pressure. It's huge for a human." Yukimura exclaimed. "Do you think she can see us?"

"Yeah, and I can hear you too." Karin said as she stood.

She looked so much different from the last time Ichigo had seen her, she looked so grown up. Ichigo noticed a small gold band on her ring finger. She was engaged?

"This is amazing! Hi, I'm Yukimura. Its nice to meet you!"

Karin looked his over and shrugged back. "Yeah, whatever." Her eyes skimmed over J and stopped on Ichigo. Her eyes narrowed and Ichigo smiled at her, giving her a clueless look. She shook her head and looked over to the boy spirit. "You here to take him to soul society or something?" She asked.

"You know about that?" J asked.

Karin shrugged. "yeah, I guess." She looked Ichigo straight in the eyes. "What's your name?" She asked him.

"Shiba Ichirou." Ichigo answered her, Hating that he had to lie to his sister.

"You look like my brother. Except for the hair and that goofy smile. If you come across someone that looks like you with orange hair and a frown, you smack him round the face for me. " Karin commented.

Ichigo felt his eye twitch slightly. Who was she calling goofy?

"Your brothers dead?" J asked.

"Woah, insensitive, J!" Yukimura scolded.

"Yeah, didn't even find out till a few months ago. That dumbass could have at least came home before flying off to soul society." She said as she patted the little boy on the head. "These guys are gonna take care of you. Be good."

The little boy sniffed and hugged Karin. She started to walk away, waving nonchalantly over her head.

"She was strange." Yukimura commented. "Hey, kid! I'm Yukimura, what's your name?"

"Kida." The little boy sniffed and viewed Yukimura with huge scared eyes.

Ichigo rolled his eyes and walked over to the Kida. He bent down and smiled at the child in a calming manner. "Hey, we're here to help you. I'm going to send you somewhere where you can be at peace."

"Will other people to there?"

"Yeah, lots of people and loads of kids like you." Ichigo assured him.

"Will they be able to see me?" Kida blinked away tears.

"Sure they will! You'll be making friends in no time." Ichigo smiled.

Kida nodded having made up his mind. "Okay. I'll go. It's lonely being here." He shivered. "And there're monsters."

"There won't be any monsters where you're going. Promise." Yukimura spoke up with a happy smile.

The boy nodded and closed his eyes. Ichigo unsheathed his sword and touched the hilt to the child head. A glow settled around the small boy as he disappeared into nothing with a sigh.

Ichigo stood and smiled.

"Huh, easy mark for me." J commented as they made their way back to the meet point.

Yukimura walked beside Ichigo."It was really strange the way that girl was looking at you. You must have really reminded her of her brother."

Ichigo shrugged. "I must just have one of those faces." J was well ahead of them now, walking in a daze.

"This is Karaura Town, you know! The one that Kurosaki Ichigo lived in. That girl probably knew him."

"Yeah, maybe. How many people with high spiritual powers can be in one place?"

"Kurosaki-kun? Is that you?" a sweet voice asked. A woman with short orange hair stood opposite the two soul reapers. A shopping bag in one hand whilst the other held the hand of a small boy with wide green eyes.

Ichigo's voice failed him. "What where?" Yukimura spun around and looked around in awe. "I don't see him…"

Orihime frowned and narrowed her eyes at Ichigo. " something's different….Do you dye your hair now?"

Yukimura tilted his head to the side in confusion. "Who? Ichirou?" He stared at Ichigo with suspicion. "It doesn't look dyed to me. Wait…you think Ichirou is Ichi…go..hahahahhaha" Yukimura laughed. "No way."

"I'm sorry for my friend, Miss. My name is Shiba Ichirou." Ichigo explained.

"No it isnt." Orihime insisted. "It's Ichigo."

Ichigo smiled. "No, really. It isn't."

"Don't lie to me. I know the Shiba's. I travelled to the soul society with you, or are you forgetting?"

"Kaa-san? Who's there? Is it a weeper again?" The Little boy asked.

"It's an old friend and he's been naughty and lying to, Kaa-san."

The little boy nodded and stuck his tongue out in their general direction. It was obvious that he could see them. "Meany."

"He isn't lying. No way could he be the great, Kurosaki Ichigo. That's impossible. Sure, they're attacks are basically the same, he knows way too much about the great war and he's sometimes says names in his sleep that he shouldn't….know…." Yukimura stared at Ichigo as if he was seeing him for the first time.

"You knew loads about Urahara when all the book had been tampered with." Yukimura accused. " as if you were speaking for experience. Sure you claimed that he was a family friend but I've researched your name and nothing came up on the data base."

"That's because he's Kurosaki-kun." Orihime stated.

Ichigo blanched. "No I'm not. I'm Shiba Ichirou." In the distance Ichigo noticed J walking back over towards them at a leisurely pace. If she heard this conversation who knew what she would do with the information. He was getting desperate and Orihime wouldn't drop this, he knew from experience.

"Liar, Kurosaki-kun!"

"Would you keep it quiet!" Ichigo hushed her. "Fine, okay. I admit it. I'm Ichigo, Okay."

"Ha ha! I knew it."

Yukimura started to stuttered over his words as he fumbled around and almost fell to the ground.

"It's a secret. I don't want anyone to know who I am."

"Why? I'm sure Rukia is really worri-"

"No, Orihime. I don't want anyone knowing where I am. This is important to me."

Orihime frowned but nodded. "Fine. I won't tell anyone. I hope you know what you're doing though."

"I do."

Yukimura pointed at Ichigo. "I've been sharing a room with the great hero, Kurosaki Ichigo.. This is…this is…" He babbled.

Ichigo put a hand on Yukimura's shoulder. The shorted boy almost fainting. "Yuki, calm down will you. This is a secret. You can't tell anyone. I'm asking you as a friend. Can I trust you?"

Yukimura stood up straight. "Of course you can Ichi…what do I call you now?"

"I'm still Ichirou."

Yukimura grinned. "Don't worry! I'll keep your secret, You can count on me!"

"You better come to visit me soon, Shiba-kun!" Orihime winked.

"I will. Thanks."

"What's the hold up? I wanna be the first group back." J complained.

"We're coming." Ichigo called back to her. He waved to Orihime as he walked off with Yukimura.

A small smile spread across Orihime's face. She was glad that her old crush was happy and that he had found friends that he could trust. She just hoped that he could eventually learn to trust his old ones. They surely missed him and he must know that….right?

Ichigo and Yukimura made their way back to the meeting point with their teammate, who didn't really say much aside from telling them to hurry up.

Ichigo could see Yukimura out of the corner of his eye wanting to ask more about his life as the great hero Kurosaki Ichigo, but he knew that those questions would not come till they were safely inside their dorm rooms.

It felt strangle comforting to Ichigo to be able to share this information with. Being able to trust someone was a luxury and he supposed that Yukimura did deserve that trust. He was surprised that the other male wasn't angry at him for lying to him for all these months. He may well be. He'd have to find out once they were back.

This incident was just a reminder. He may be able to hide his presence as Kurosaki Ichigo…but for how much longer?

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