Strawberries are Best Eaten Frozen

"Oi, Ichigo! Time to get up."

Said boy cracked open an eye, only to get a face full of Kon. A split second later, he was bolt upright and Kon was crushed flat against the wall, courtesy of the teen's backslap. "Too close!"

Ichigo clammered out of bed and pulled a shirt over his muscular abdomen. "Jeez Kon, I'd have thought you would have learned not to wake me like that by now." Paying no heed to the stuffed lion sliding down the wall, he headed off to the bathroom.

Only once the door was safely shut and locked did Ichigo drop his tough-guy act. Leaning heavily on the counter, he breathed heavily. His whole body was covered in a thin sheen of cold sweat. It had happened again, that dream...

It sometimes began differently, but the end was always the same. A feeling of helplessness, of inferiority would drown out whatever images he conjured, leaving only darkness. It was a feeling of emptiness, as if a giant void were swallowing his whole being. The last thing he would hear before waking was a childish laugh.

Ichigo pounded his fist at the wall. "Dammit!" During the day he was okay, the voice could be drowned out. But then the dreams had started. There was no way to resist when he slept. Even now the shinigami could hear the whispers if he concentrated hard enough, the whispers of his inner Hollow.

It was undeniable that he would be dead without it. The Hollow had saved him from Renji's viscious assault, Kenpachi's last strike, and had given him strength in his fight with the Bounto leader Kariya. But during the fight with Byakuya...the thing had come out completely. Ichigo shivered at the memory. At the time his body had been pushed up to its utmost limit by the battle. The sword was coming down to kill him yet he could not move! Then 'it' usurped his control. In a beserk rage it pushed back Byakuya, all the while laughing with absolute glee.

Ichigo looked up into the mirror and started. For a moment he though he saw a pasty white version of his face with yellow eyes. Closing his eyes, he shook his head to clear it. "Get a hold of yourself Ichigo."

His nerve returned, Ichigo cleaned himself up and left to go meet up with Orihime in town.

"Ururu, you forgot to sweep the aisles!"

"Sorry Jinta-kun," the young girl murmured softly.

"Don't 'sorry Jinta-kun' me!" the red-haired boy growled. He pounced upon the girl and started giving her a noogie with both hands, grinning wider at her whimpering.

"Oi, oi, stop that already."

Both children froze and looked up. Standing in front of the shop was a figure in a black kimono. Jinta's eyes widened as he recognized the white haori. "You are..."

A few minutes later all three were sitting on the floor of Urahara's shop with Tesei towering over them. "The manager will be here in a minute. In the meantime, would you like some tea Taicho?"

"No...I'm fine, thank you." the stranger responded respectfully.

"I wouldn't mind some snacks" Jinta piped up.

Tensei's head snapped to stare at him, glasses glinting. His already giant figure seemed to grow larger with every word. "You who didn't even finish the cleaning?"

The boy sweatdropped. "Ah, w-well. Nevermind then."

"My oh my, how wonderful. We have a guest. What brings you to my humble adobe Taicho?"

All eyes turned to stare at the manager who had appeared in the doorway. Standing in a suggestive pose with a fan obscuring his face, it seemed like hearts should be floating around him.

The captain snorted, not caring much for theatrics. "You know very well why I'm here Urahara Kisuke. Soul Society needs any and all information you have about the Hougyoku."

Urahara tilted his head forward slightly, a more serious expression on his face. "Of course, I'll tell you all you need to know."

I know the first two chapters are short and seemingly have no purpose, but this fanfic actually has a story. Sorry >.<;