Roughly two years ago

(Y/N): You sure you don't want tutoring? School staff has been pressuring you a lot lately.

Ichigo: Who cares? They'll complain about anything I do because of my hair color.

A younger (Y/N) and Ichigo were walking home from school. They were in their last year of Junior High School.

(Y/N): But they'll have a harder time finding something to complain about if the "troublemaker" is one of the smartest in class. Think about it? They'll think twice before opening their mouths.

Ichigo: ... I guess you have a point-

Ichigo stopped mid sentence as he heard a sound. (Y/N) heard it as well. It sounded like a group of people talking.

(Y/N): Multiple voices under a riverbed? Sounds like trouble.

Ichigo: That's how it always goes.

(Y/N) and Ichigo looked over the railing of the bridge and saw some thugs beating up a tall guy while he was tied up to a chair.

Ichigo: As predicted.

(Y/N): I've seen that guy around school a few times... Never actually talked to him before though.

Ichigo: I think his name was Chad...? Whatever the case, he needs help. I'll handle it.

Ichigo hopped over the railing and down to the riverbed. (Y/N) followed behind.

Ichigo: You're going to fight? That's not like you.

(Y/N): I'm not. I'm here to talk it out with them.

Ichigo: Are you dumb? They're thugs. They aren't going to listen to words unless they get roughed up a little.

(Y/N): Alright then, you rough them up and I'll negotiate.

Ichigo: Thugs are definitely not diplomats. If you're going to talk you're going have to be intimidating. And quite frankly, you aren't intimidating.

(Y/N): *faking taking offence* You don't think I can strike fear in somebody?

Ichigo: A cat is more menacing than you, now stand aside.

As the two got closer, they heard one of the thugs, presumably the leader, talking to the tall guy.

Leader: Sado of Mashiba, you're finished. How does it feel? Does the pain make you want to pee your pants?

Sado: People pee their pants from pain? I'm not feeling the urge. Sorry.

Seeing the student brush off his threat made the Leader of the thugs aggravated.



Leader: Fine! Then how about this!

The leader of the thugs walked up to Sado and grabbed the necklace around Sado's neck and took it off.

Leader: I know all about this... That it means a lot to you. It's a souvenir from Mexico that you value more than your own life. So if you lose it, you'll die right?

The Leader was ready to clip the necklace right in front of Sado.

Leader: Then die, you-



"JERK"

A kick from Ichigo sent the thug flying into the river. All of his goons watched in shock at how far their leader got sent from the attack.

Goons: YOKO-CHIN

Yoko: I-I told you... not to call me... Yoko-Chin... How many times do I have to-

Yoko was cut off by Ichigo stomping on his face and snatching Sado's necklace from him.

Ichigo: Thanks for being such a sport.

(Y/N): That was a good hit. Can I start negotiating now?

Ichigo: That's not how negotiating works!

(Y/N): Come on, you took out the leader! These other guys must be willing to talk if their strongest got taken out right away!

The goons then looked in shock at Ichigo's sudden appearance.

Goons: Ichigo Kurosaki of Mashiba Junior High!

The goons turned to (Y/N) but didn't notice him.

Goon 1: Who's the weakling that's tagging along.

Goon 2: I don't know.

The Goons then snapped back to reality as they saw Ichigo rummaging through Yoko's pockets.

Goons: H-Hold up. Don't go ignoring us! And stop rifling through Yoko-Chin's pockets!

Ichigo: Aha! Here it is!

Ichigo pulled out a phone from Yoko's pockets. He then threw it in (Y/N)'s direction and (Y/N) caught it.

Ichigo: I'll leave it to you, (Y/N).

(Y/N): I guess that stands for "I never was going to let you persuade them" isn't it?

Ichigo: Yep.

(Y/N): *sigh* Next time, we're doing things my way.

Ichigo: Fine by me. It's going to fail anyway and we'll end up doing things my way again.

(Y/N) then started to dial a number on the phone.

(Y/N): Hello? I need an ambulance.

The goons were confused.

Goon 1: An ambulance!

Goon 2: Taking care of Sado before you fight us? What a slap to the face!

(Y/N) simply continued.

(Y/N): The location is Nishi-Toriya district two, under the Onose River Bridge.

...

There'll be... Let's see... One, Two, Three, Four, Five. Five of them.

The goons were upset and rushed towards Ichigo and (Y/N).

(Y/N): *sigh* Mom always told me to refrain from violence. But if I do that, Ichigo and Sado will get hurt more... I hate needless violence. But fighting to protect someone else isn't needless violence.

(Y/N) dropped his school bag and ran up to help Ichigo.

Despite being outnumbered, (Y/N) and Ichigo handled the 5 goons pretty quickly. However, just then, Yoko got back up and rushed in the fight by himself. And well, let's just say Ichigo and (Y/N) handled him easily.



(If the GIF somehow gets taken down by Wattpad, just imagine the Yuji/Nanami beatdown on Mahito)

As the fight came to a close, both Ichigo and (Y/N) fell to the ground in exhaustion and breathing heavily.

Ichigo: What... happened to... not fighting...

(Y/N): I couldn't.... Let my... best friend get his... butt kicked...

Ichigo: Speak for yourself... I could've handled that.... by myself...

(Y/N): Give me some credit... I did good for someone... who hasn't practiced karate... in a few years...

Ichigo: That was definitely... not karate...

(Y/N) could only chuckle before both Ichigo and (Y/N) high fived each other.



(Mini Timeskip)

After freeing Sado from his binds, Ichigo and (Y/N) sat next to him.

Ichigo: What the heck was that Chad?

Sado: My name's Sado.

Ichigo: You got lucky this time cause we were here! You could've gotten killed! You're as strong as an ox! Why didn't you defend yourself?

...

Chad: I promised I'd never use my fists for my own sake. I promised my abuelo.

Ichigo: Abu... What?

(Y/N): It means grandfather in spanish... right?

Chad: Yes. His name was Oscar Joaquin De La Rosa.

Ichigo: How many Grandfathers are we talking?

(Y/N) elbowed Ichigo in the side for being insensitive. Ichigo and (Y/N) saw Chad holding the necklace around his neck.

(Y/N): That necklace, did you get it from your grandfather?

Chad: Huh? Yeah, it's important. More important than my life.

Ichigo: It looks like a coin from another country or something. Where's it from?

Chad: Mexico.

Ichigo then got up.

Ichigo: We should go. We're just wasting time sitting around talking.

(Y/N): Yeah let's get out of here. I don't want to deal with the ambulance once they get here.

Ichigo: You sure you can go home with those obvious wounds?

(Y/N): As long as my dad's not home I can convince my sister not to talk about my appearance. He'll never know I've been in a fight.

Ichigo: Yeah right. He's a detective, if anyone's gonna find out, it'd be him.

The three boys left the scene making small talk with a little banter here and there.

Roughly a year later

Mizuiro: Huh? Kurosaki and Chad from Mashiba Junior High?

Keigo: And their mysterious third member. They're all coming to this school! I'm serious!

Keigo had comical tears running down his face.

Mizuiro: Really? Why are you crying?

Keigo: What do you mean?!! Those three are hoodlum bullies from hell! There are rumors that they hang out with Yakuza, and smuggle drugs, and once they even went to the bookstore and looked at explicit magazines for like FIVE HOURS.

Mizuiro: But those are just rumors, right? You've never met them so you don't know what they're really like.

Keigo: What?!! This is Kurosaki and Chad we're talking about!! They're reputations speak for themselves! Kurosaki's got orange hair! And he's a good fighter! And he's been bleaching his hair since birth! And Chad's a seven foot giant who's a hundred times tougher than Kurosaki! I've heard people describe the third member as a phantom. He strikes when nobody's looking so nobody knows what he looks like! With them here, our school days are ruined.

Mizuiro had long since ignored Keigo's rambles.

Mizuiro: Oh, our class rankings have been posted. We're in Class 1-3

Keigo: You can see it from here? You've got good eyes.

Keigo and Mizuiro walked up to the wooden board that had a paper stapled to it that showed the list of students for each class.

Keigo scanned through the list and saw the names "Ichigo Kurosaki" and "Yasutora Sado". Keigo immediately reacted in fear.

Keigo: Kurosaki and Chad are both in our class!

Just then the board that Keigo was standing in front of got destroyed as Chad and Ichigo ironically busted through it, as they punched and kicked two delinquent students through said board.



Keigo: Wha- It's them!

Just then (Y/N) was running to catch up to them.

(Y/N): How do they always get themselves wrapped up in trouble... How am I going to bail them out now? The situation escalated way farther than I can handle.

Keigo was currently freaking out.

Keigo: Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-What the heck is this?! This is a joke right?! This is too messed up to be true!! Is it a dream?! A nightmare?!

Mizuiro was unfazed.

Mizuiro: Dude, calm down...

(Y/N) then turned towards the two.

(Y/N): Sorry you guys got caught in the middle of this. I'm (Y/N). Nice to meet you.

(Y/N) held out his hand for a handshake which Mizuiro gladly shook.

Mizuiro: I'm Mizuiro Kojima. I'm in Class 1-3.

(Y/N): Really? I haven't gotten to see what class I'm in.

Mizuiro: I recalled seeing your name on the Class 1-3 listings before it was destroyed, so we're in the same class.

(Y/N): Here's to hoping we become friends.

Mizuiro: Same. I'll go introduce myself to the others.

(Y/N): Good luck.

Just then one of the thugs approached Keigo and (Y/N).

Thug: Who're you guys? You friends of Kurosaki's?

Keigo panicked immediately.

Keigo: No way! I've never seen him before in my life!

(Y/N): I don't know this guy. I do know Ichigo though.

The thug looked over to Mizuiro who was talking to Ichigo.

The thug turned around as he looked towards Keigo.

Thug: It seems like your friend got pretty close to Kurosaki. And you...

(Y/N): Me?

Thug: Yes, you! If you're buddy buddy with Kurosaki that must mean you're the 3rd member of their little group, ain't that right?

(Y/N): I don't know what you mean?

Thug: Don't play dumb with me!

The thug started to swing at (Y/N) but all (Y/N) did was dodge, refusing to put his hands on the thug.

(Y/N): I'm sure we can talk this out...

From across the field, Ichigo looked at the guy (Y/N) was technically protecting.

Ichigo: Who's he?

Mizuiro: That's Keigo Asano. His grades aren't that good but he's really smart. He's actually much nicer than I am.

Ichigo looked at Keigo after hearing that description. It reminded him of both him and (Y/N). The irony that (Y/N) was protecting him right now. Even if (Y/N) didn't retaliate physically.

Ichigo: Wow.

Mizuiro: Huh?

Ichigo: It's pretty unusual for a guy to praise his friend like that.

Ichigo started to walk forward.

Ichigo: Kojima, are you good at making up excuses?

Mizuiro: Pathologically so.

Ichigo started to stretch as Chad stood next to him.

Ichigo: Great. I'm gonna need a real good one in about five minutes so I won't get suspended from saving Asano's skin. I'm sure (Y/N) can help you out with an excuse if you need it.

...

...

...

Ichigo was never scared to hop into action. He wasn't scared to get his hands dirty if it meant helping others. He was always like that.

...

...

...

(Y/N) was always the more reasonable one out of the both of us. He always chose to speak first before acting. That was something I didn't have patience for.

...

...

...

I think be balanced each other in a way. Ichigo forced me to act when it mattered.

...

...

...

When I'm not sure of something, (Y/N) was there to make sure I understood it.

...

...

...

We always helped each other in our time of need. I mean that's what friends are for.

...

...

...

(The Present)

One Month after Aizen's defeat.

Ichigo's eyes burst open as he came face to face with all of his friends.

Ichigo: Where am I? Am I home?

(Y/N): Yep.

Rukia: You were out for about a month.

Orihime was shrinking in embarrassment at her outburst.

Orihime: Everybody's so calm. I'm embarrassed. I'm the only one who shouted.

Meanwhile Ichigo was still thinking about how much time he had spent asleep.

Ichigo: A month? My powers...

Rukia: I understand you're about to lose your Shinigami powers.

Ichigo: You know?

Rukia: Yes, I heard from Urahara.

Ichigo: I see... Can I go outside...

Everybody headed outside as per Ichigo's request.

(Y/N) decided to allow Ichigo and Rukia to talk. This would be the last time they see each other. He didn't want to ruin that moment.

Rukia: This is goodbye, Ichigo

Ichigo: Looks that way

Rukia: Hey, don't make such a sad face. Even if you can't see me, I'll still be able to see you.

Ichigo: What the hell? That doesn't make me happy at all. And I'm not making a sad face, either!

Ichigo: Give everybody my regards.

Rukia: I will.

Ichigo: Bye, Rukia. Thank you.



Despite still being able to see Rukia, (Y/N) felt Ichigo's spiritual energy. There wasn't anything there. He lost it.

Ichigo seemed content. But (Y/N) knew Ichigo. It wouldn't be long before Ichigo starts finding a way to regain his powers. And (Y/N) will be there to help him.

After all, they always helped each other in each other's time of need. That's what friends are for.

.

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We back! Got 3 chapters after this one that act sort of like setups for the Fullbring Arc.