Memories of an Autumn Wind (Bleach AU)

[Skywalker_T-65]

Chapter 1
​

Fourteen Months. A little over a year. If you asked someone on the street 'how much could happen over a year?' they would probably tell you some silly answer. That a lot could happen, but surely, not enough to change your life? Unless you won the lottery or something. Heh. Those people didn't have any idea. Just how much could change for someone, after but a single year. Those people hadn't had to fight for their life. Hadn't all but died, so many times that they lost count. How could they possibly understand how much his life had changed? When they hadn't had the one thing that gave their life meaning...torn away by their own choice.

Zangetsu. The old bastard always was right, in the end. It hadn't really been a choice. It was give up his powers, or die and see everyone he cared about die. He didn't care about his own life, but he never could give up protecting everyone.

Until he did.

"Ichigo! It's almost time to head out!"

Yuzu's voice. Turning brown eyes to look at his door, still adorned with the number 'fifteen', Ichigo Kurosaki sighed deeply. He knew he was distant. That he didn't smile, or even scowl, anymore. He thought he hid his feelings well...but he never was good at that. Every time his friends ran out to deal with a Hollow, he flinched. He resisted the urge to stand up and run with them. Ichigo had to keep his feelings from showing, or he'd just worry them. He couldn't protect them, and had to be protected.

He wasn't adapting to lacking power well, at all, and his family saw that. Even his idiot of a father. It was that bastard's idea to take the family on a trip to a fair at the big mall at the center of town. A 'family bonding exercise, because my dear Masaki wouldn't want her son to be sad!'. End quote.

I should hit him again, but it wouldn't do any good. He doesn't even feel them anymore.

Sighing again, Ichigo pulled his lanky frame from his bed. Muscles gained through training remained, and let him at least make an honest living. Few people were as physically strong as he was. It was too bad that no amount of physical strength could protect his friends. He wasn't Chad, who could punch a Hollow's head off. Even if he could see one.

"Right, where did I leave my stuff…" Ichigo placed his hands on his thighs, patting down for his phone. He had absently checked it for something, anything, from Rukia or the others. When nothing was there… "Probably shouldn't have thrown that, should I?"

Grumbling now, the teenager got down on his knees and started rooting around underneath his bed. He ignored the feeling of dust and other things, hunting around until his hand came upon two objects. One very familiar, one rather less so. Huh.

"That's where it ended up, eh?" Ichigo pulled his hand out, staring at the carved wood first. His Substitute Badge. The Combat Pass. Whatever one wanted to call it. "I don't even know why I still have this…"

Weighing his options, he finally shrugged, and tossed it back over his head. The thing hadn't done anything since he lost his powers, anyway. It was just a hunk of wood now. Besides, his attention was drawn to the fabric that had come out with it. Fabric that he honestly didn't remember ever getting.

Where did you come from?

A slim red ribbon, faded and dust covered. His first thought was that it belonged to Yuzu. That was discarded in short order. His youngest sister prefered different ribbons. Karin wouldn't be caught dead with this. Was it Orihime's? Rangiku? Rukia?

...man, he forgot how many women had been in his room.

"I don't think it's from any of them, either." Ichigo scowled deeply, holding the old ribbon up to his eyes. Why did it feel familiar? "How in the world did this get in here?"

And why was he suddenly feeling like he was missing something? There was something, at the back of his mind...

'Oh you noticed...it really is my color...why'd you go and buy it…'

Ichigo groaned, and held the ribbon to his suddenly pounding head. "Ow! Goddamnit! Why is this so familiar?"

"Ichigo! Get down here right now, or Daddy is going to come break your door down!" His father's annoying voice wasn't helping, either.

"Shut up, old man! Do you want to wake half the neighborhood?!" Ichigo shouted down, the ribbon forgotten, even as his hand shoved it into his shirt pocket. "I'll be right down, as soon as I find my phone!"

"Did you lose your phone? You delinquent of a son! Why, Masaki would be so upset with you…"

That was the last straw. Ichigo forgot about his phone, and stormed to his door, already plotting how he was getting his father back for that one.

"I'll show you delinquent you little…"

Through it all, the old ribbon sat in his pocket, forgotten as quickly as he had found it.

---

---

"Why'd you drag me to this again?" Ichigo complained, looking over at his father.

Isshin Kurosaki grinned back, dressed in quite possibly the ugliest purple suit the man owned. "Because you've been down in the dumps lately, my son! And as your father, it is my fatherly duty to cheer you up!"

"Old man…"

"Also, your sisters are worried about you." Isshin allowed the levity to leave his voice, in a rare moment of seriousness. His dark eyes had hardened, as a hand lifted up to gesture at the younger Kurosaki siblings.

Yuzu and Karin were busy looking through the various stalls. Yuzu animatedly chatting to her sister, who was feigning disinterest, while sending the odd look back at her brother.

"They can't hide it any better than you do, Ichigo," Isshin continued, reaching a hand up to rub at his brow. "Honestly, I'm worried myself. This isn't like you."

Ichigo turned his head, and avoided meeting his father's eyes. "..."

"And that's why I brought you out here. Because you need to get out of your room, and meet a nice gi-"

Just like that, the moment was broken, as Ichigo's fist planted itself into his father's gut. Isshin crumpled with a drawn out 'whhhhyyy', and his son scoffed. The man just couldn't be serious for more than five minutes, could he? Leaving his idiot of a parent to writhe in pain on the ground, the teenager planted his hands in his pockets, and went off on his own. He ignored the various people milling about the mall. It wasn't hard to duck and weave through the crowd. None of them knew him anyway.

No.

None of them would know him, would they? Even people at his school only knew him as 'the orange haired guy who rents himself out to sports teams'. None of them cared about him. His actual friends were probably watching for Hollows. And who even knew what the Shinigami were up to. It was just Ichigo and his family, with a bunch of complete strangers for company.

God, why'd the old man have to do this? I could be working or something. Not that Ichigo enjoyed his job, or his crazy boss, mind you. Or at least playing that game Tatsuki lent me. Instead of…

Trailing off in his mental grousing, the former Substitute looked up. And up some more. Somehow, in his annoyed wandering, he had found himself at the foot of the ferris wheel that dominated this part of Karakura. He had never ridden it himself. Didn't really see the appeal. Why, then, did he feel like he should have? His hand absently reached into his pocket, pulling the old ribbon free. He looked down at it, and then back up that ferris wheel. The teen bit his lip, and scowled. What was it...

"Heeeeyyyy, whatcha doin'? Got someone you're waiting for?"

Ichigo turned his head, blinking very slowly. A girl, maybe a little younger than him, had come up beside him. She was barely taller than Rukia had been, with slightly-longer purple hair unbound over her shoulders. She wore a bright grin underneath orange eyes, staring up at him. Without a care in the world.

There was something familiar about that look. About that girl.

'Ichigo! We should ride the ferris wheel!'

Doing his best to ignore the throbbing behind his eyes, Ichigo gave the girl a flat look. "I'm here with my family. Why are you here?"

The obvious implication behind his words didn't pass the girl, who laughed at his sour look. "Oh, no reason! I just saw you staring at the ferris wheel and thought I'd see why." Her slim face and full lips scrunched up a little, as the girl pointed up at the imposing ride. "I mean, I like high places. There's something so...relaxing about it, y'know? Like you can…"

"Forget all your worries." Ichigo finished her sentence, without even realizing what he was doing.

Why did I say that? That's so cliche it isn't even funny!

The girl didn't seem to care, just spinning in place a little as she nodded. Her purple hair bounced with each movement, and her skirt fluttered in a non-existent breeze. "Exactly! See, you get it too!" Her blinding grin never once faded, even when she fell back against the wall, and looked up with a small sigh. A happy sigh. "No one else really does. Everyone laughs at me when I eat lunch on the roof, or run around on the bridge. But I like being up high."

Somehow, Ichigo knew she would say that. There was something about this girl, tickling the back of his mind, like an itch he couldn't quite reach. She wasn't from Karakura High and she wasn't one of his friends. Not even part of Orihime's clique. Who was she?

'My name's...nice to meet you...Ichigo huh…'

A question that would have to wait, considering the girl gasped in what was probably exaggerated shock. She had bounced back off the wall, and pointed her finger at Ichigo's hand. The teenager followed her finger, noticing the ribbon fluttering in his grip. Underneath the lights strung over the open roof of the mall, it seemed to shimmer a bit despite its faded and aged condition. Huh.

"Where did you find that?!" The girl's bright orange eyes were wide, and her mouth was opened in a little 'o' of shock. "That's my ribbon! I lost that, god, almost two years ago! Where-how-"

Ichigo held up his hands, blinking at her overreaction. "Whoa whoa, slow down there. This is your ribbon?" He looked down at the red fabric, absently running a thumb over the coarse material. "How do you know it's yours, and not my sister's?"

A little harrumph came from the petite girl, as she crossed her arms over her chest. Her green school uniform shifted with the movement, while she spoke up with a condescending tone. "Because I got it here, silly. I'd recognize it anywhere! A good friend bought me that, when I forgot I tried it on. What was his name…"

Her eyes looked appraisingly, up and down Ichigo's body. A thoughtful expression crossed her pretty face.

"Come to think, you kinda remind me of him! Like, a lot!" Her smile had returned now, even when she reached her hands out to try and snatch the ribbon from Ichigo's hands. The former substitute pulled it back, causing the girl to pout a little. "Hey, no fair! Give it back!"

Ichigo snorted, "I don't even know your name, why would I give it back? I've had this thing for years!"

"...seriously? You don't, like, wear it do you?" The girl sent a disbelieving look at him, smirking in amusement. "Gotta say, it would clash horribly with your hair."

"Cut it out, wise guy." Ichigo stuffed the ribbon back in his pocket, and resisted the urge to reach out and flick the girl in the forehead. Something he would do with Rukia, he wouldn't do to some random girl. "No, I don't wear it. It had to be important, or I wouldn't have kept it."

They seemed to be at an impasse. Ichigo didn't want to give up the ribbon, and the girl didn't want to let it go. Both of them, though the former substitute didn't know it, felt like this situation was familiar. Reversed, but familiar. The tall boy holding the ribbon that the short girl wanted. To Ichigo, the girl was tickling something, just beneath the surface. To the girl, Ichigo was so much like the boy who had given her the ribbon in the first place. Someone who she just couldn't quite remember.

Nothing but a shock of orange hair and an annoyed scowl.

And for Ichigo, he kept hearing a voice, whispering in the back of his head.

'...you didn't have to do that...you're so uptight…'

Gritting his teeth against the pounding headache, Ichigo sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "Look, if the thing is that special, maybe I could give it back."

"Really?!" The girl stared up at him with hopeful eyes, practically vibrating in place.

"Yeah. But only if you tell me your name, because I don't want to just give something to a random girl."

And, unspoken, was the thought that this girl was familiar. Maybe her name would knock some webs loose, or something. It wouldn't be the first time.

The girl smirked, and waved a hand. "Pfft, that's easy. My name's Senna!"

'My name's Senna.'

"What did you just say?" Ichigo asked, deathly serious. That name. He didn't know it, did he? He had never known anyone named Senna. Yet...yet…

'Ichigo, you're such a meanie! Why'd you leave me and run off like that?'

'Oi! I was doing our job you know!'

The girl, 'Senna', blinked confusedly. "My name? Why're you being so mean all of a sudden?" Her eyes widened, and she pointed a finger at him. "What's your name, anyway? It's polite to introduce yourself first."

"Ichigo Kurosaki," the teen ground out, feeling another stab of pain. Another memory, of a girl smugly telling him that it was polite to give his own name first. A girl dressed as a Shinigami, who had just come out of nowhere.

Flashes of white ran through his mind. White and red. A girl on a pillar of leaves, twirling through the air. A man with white hair and a scar, dragging the girl away under his arm. The stabbing pain of a spear in his gut, and his heart breaking at failing to protect someone again.

'Ichigo!'

'Senna!'

'Ichigoooooo!'

Feeling his legs give out from underneath him, Ichigo fell to his knees. His hands, ribbon still clutched tight, fisted in his short hair. He grit his teeth, and fought back winces of pain as memories flashed faster and faster. The girl, her face always just out of sight, laughing at him. She fell back on his bed, kicking her legs at him childishly. She threw a fit, when he bought her stuff and refused to ride the ferris wheel.

She smiled softly, as they helped a little boy find his father. Her eyes sparkled at him, the barest hint of orange in his mind, when he carried the boy on his shoulders. They were having fun, despite ignoring an important mission. They were enjoying each other being there.

'I can't imagine a world without you, Ichigo. I don't want to live in a world without you!'

'Senna!'

A girl, who looked just like the one staring at him with concern in her orange eyes, sacrificing herself for him. Taking the duty of sacrificing her power to save the world, even if it killed her. Going a step further than even he had gone, with the Final Getsuga Tensho.

"Hey, Ichigo…"

'Hey, Ichigo?'

'Yeah?'

'We'll meet again, right?'

'What are you talking about? Of course we will. I promise.'

"...what's wrong? Are you hurt? Should I call an ambulance?" Senna's concerned voice rang out, as Ichigo turned haunted eyes up at her. She flinched back, confusion lining her features. "What's going on?"

Ichigo could only hand her the ribbon, his voice choking up a little when he spoke. "Here, Senna. I-I promised we'd meet again, you know. I think I've had this long enough."

Senna blinked, reaching her hand out to grasp the fabric. Her small hand brushed against his larger one, and she flinched back at the touch. She held the ribbon, staring at Ichigo. Who stared back, his eyes filled with a pain that he hadn't remembered feeling.

Because everything about this girl, had been forgotten. Her very existence had been erased. If he hadn't caught that ribbon...if she hadn't been standing right here…

"I bought you that, you idiot." Ichigo's voice recovered, just a little, as he looked at her. "Don't you remember?"

Right now, he didn't care if she remembered or not. If he remembered...if she knew that someone 'like him' bought the ribbon...then maybe she would too. Everything was still foggy for him. He didn't remember everything about her.

Yet…

He knew. He had promised that he would meet Senna again. He had been lying at the time, and now, it seemed to have come true. He knew one thing, and one thing only. He wasn't letting this chance slip by him again. He could no more do that, than ignore his mother standing in front of him.

He had failed to protect Senna before. And powerless or not, he would not do that again.

I-I want to remember her. I want her to remember me.

And was that really such a bad thing?

---

It's funny. If you look at my story history (on FFN, mind you), you'd think Ichigo/Rukia is my favorite Bleach pairing. And, to some extent, you wouldn't be wrong. It's my preferred popular one. But my actual favorite? The character I like the most and the pairing I ship the hardest? Ichigo/Senna. 110%, Ichigo/Senna. This story is me coming full-circle. My first story, since removed, was an Ichigo/Senna fic. The only thing stopping me from doing another one, in the decade since then, has been the knowledge that it was niche when the movie was new and almost unheard of now, some 14 years later.

Memories of Nobody is a flawed movie with a stupid villain and plot, even by Bleach filler standards. But, damnit, Ichigo and Senna are a joy to watch, at least for me. Even if the movie itself isn't anything special.

I kept myself from writing one, thinking that it wasn't worth it. That no one would read it. I still honestly expect that with this. Why am I doing this then?

Because SV hosts a Skies of Arcadia fic by me now. My absolute favorite franchise, and one that I never wrote anything for a similar reason. A feeling that no one would read it. I'm doing it now, entirely for myself. Not for the readers or views, but for myself.

You can say the same for this. I'm writing this for myself, because I love Senna's character and her interactions with Ichigo. Setting it after Aizen, when he has no powers, just let's me have more fun with the characters. I'm probably not going to include the Quincy stuff, but we'll see what actually does crop up.

Either way...you can expect this to continue. Because it's a very personal project for me.

(this can also be said to be the one time, memes about bullying me aside, that I've gone all out and done a ship fic instead of romance just being part of a story.

I'm mostly posting it here, instead of just on FFN where I have my Bleach fanbase because of Sheo helping to convince me to actually go through with writing it. >.>)

 

[Syphiralae]

So, uh...I prefer the Senna/Ichigo pairing myself, and I CAN NEVER FIND THEM!*deep breath*

Anyway, really good start you have on here! Rather interesting how Senna appears to be back, though with her memories gone-ish
Also, I would like it if I could possibly get some links to some more involving Senna

 

[Battleship_Fusou]

But my actual favorite? The character I like the most and the pairing I ship the hardest? Ichigo/Senna. 110%, Ichigo/Senna.

Click to shrink...

I give my full support to this ship! Ichigo/Senna is best Bleach pairing hands down. So I honestly can't wait to see where and how this goes!

 

[ZeroCastle]

Me gusta this ship hard

 

[SCDarkSoul]

To be honest, I have never actually watched the movie. I don't think I watched any of the Bleach movies now that I think about it.

My knowledge of Senna is mostly from that one chapter of Hogyoku ex Machina. It seemed cute and delightfully tragic though. I support it.

 

[YourGymBuddy25]

Yasss please. Time flies. Watched this movie with my first ex. Kind of a pinch in the heart reading this. Damn. Missing those simpler times.

 

[Zege]

I've never made a single post in the four years I've had this account. I am now posting just to tell you that I wholeheartedly approve of Ichigo/Senna and am delighted to see I'm not alone in this.

 

[Franz-026]

Author-san, I know you from your wonderful Kancolle monster of a story. I didn't know you do bleach!

Senna holds a special place in my heart for being the only Bleach character that made me cry. She's perfect for Ichigo, dammit! And no one could convince me otherwise!

 

[Skywalker_T-65]

If you want to be technical, I'm more well known for my Bleach stuff than my KC stuff. Insofar as I've been writing Bleach for much longer (as mentioned above, a decade or so) and have quite a lot (and quite a lot of popular) stuff on FFN. It's just most of it is outdated compared to my current writing ability, so I don't bother porting it here. Which results in SV (and SB before it pissed me off) being where KC is what I'm known for

 

[nitewind]

If you want to be technical, I'm more well known for my Bleach stuff than my KC stuff. Insofar as I've been writing Bleach for much longer (as mentioned above, a decade or so) and have quite a lot (and quite a lot of popular) stuff on FFN. It's just most of it is outdated compared to my current writing ability, so I don't bother porting it here. Which results in SV (and SB before it pissed me off) being where KC is what I'm known for

Click to shrink...

Obviously the solution is to write a Bleach/KC crossover story!

 

[Battleship_Fusou]

If you want to be technical, I'm more well known for my Bleach stuff than my KC stuff. Insofar as I've been writing Bleach for much longer (as mentioned above, a decade or so) and have quite a lot (and quite a lot of popular) stuff on FFN. It's just most of it is outdated compared to my current writing ability, so I don't bother porting it here. Which results in SV (and SB before it pissed me off) being where KC is what I'm known for

Click to shrink...

Didn't know you had a FFN profile, link?

 

[beowolf]

I only know Senna and her movie from Bleach S Abridged. I've actively refused to watch the original Memories of Nobody because I was worried that a movie that dumb without the excuse of being used to make jokes about itself would ruin my impression of an absolutely amazing character.

 

[SCDarkSoul]

Didn't know you had a FFN profile, link?

Click to shrink...

SkywalkerT-65 | FanFiction Straight up the same name.

I started following Twist of Fate on FFN before ever coming to SB/SV. I know I tried to read New Hope, but don't remember if I ever actually did. Bleach/PMMM is just completely taken up by As N Approaches Infinity for me. Read the Kancolle stuff more recently on SB/SV. Never actually read any of the Bleach ones.

 

[Skywalker_T-65]

Really, I use the same username everywhere because the Sky is lazy

(it's also worth noting that my FFN profile is pretttttttyyyyy heavily out of date now. Once I got really into Destiny and Indy and such (or KC in general) I kinda stopped updating there, and moved almost entirely to here. As a result, a lot of the stories on there are very much not up to standard. The exception to the rule are fics that are posted here and there. The aforementioned KC stuff, though it's not the most recent chapters. The reboot-of-the-reboot (White Sun and Black Rain). And the reboot of Salvation.

Most of the Bleach stuff and the Gundam fic are both, strictly speaking, below my current level. >.>)

(though the Madoka stuff, the one-shots and Twist of Fate, at least stand on their own.

Also:

I only know Senna and her movie from Bleach S Abridged. I've actively refused to watch the original Memories of Nobody because I was worried that a movie that dumb without the excuse of being used to make jokes about itself would ruin my impression of an absolutely amazing character.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, the movie itself is very flawed. I still like it, but I basically grew up with it. Nostalgia and all.

Even then, I like it for Ichigo and Senna's interactions, not the plot or the villains.)

 

[Blaflaix]

The only thing stopping me from doing another one, in the decade since then, has been the knowledge that it was niche when the movie was new and almost unheard of now, some 14 years later.

Click to shrink...

The internet is made for niches.
Even if only 1 in a million people agree, then the internet is the place where they can agree together.
And I'm pretty sure Ichigo/Senna is more than 1 in a million.

 

[linkjames24]

I too prefer Senna/Ichigo. Ichigo/Rukia comes second, and Orihime/Ichigo which is the canon pairing can go dive into a dumpster. Fuck that ending.

 

[Blaflaix]

They were having fun, despite ignoring an important mission. They were enjoying each other being there.

Click to shrink...

And this is exactly what most "romances" in stories are missing.
They have a limited amount of time or words, and they have a plot to get through, so they use shortcuts like "love at first sight" or "tsundere" to show romance without spending any time actually developing it.
It amuses me to imagine an epic story where the hero overcomes all obstacles to be with his true love... then they break up 6 weeks later because they both think the other is boring.

Memories of Nobody on the other hand spends time developing the relationship that they probably should've used developing the antagonists and plot.

 

[Skywalker_T-65]

Yup.

I may never have written a strictly romance focused story before. But I've written enough romantic side plots, and am good enough at character work, that I hope it works out.

And, of course, this is a character focused story more than just a ship fic

 

[PAGDTenno]

Interesting. I'll have to keep an eye on this.

 

[Dark as Silver]

So am I going to have to find a video of Memories of nobody or should I be able to get by with my hazy bleach knowledge?
I probably did watch it at some point however its been years if I did.

 

[Skywalker_T-65]

I'd say it isn't needed. It helps to understand Senna's character and the interactions she had with Ichigo in the movie are great, IMO. That said, the plot and such isn't...isn't great. And I'll cover a good deal of it in flashbacks anyway. So, your mileage may vary.

(there's also the fact that foggy memories of it puts you in the character's shoes )


Anyhoo, working on chapter 2. It's been awhile since I've just had fun writing, like this.

 

[Dark as Silver]

Anyhoo, working on chapter 2. It's been awhile since I've just had fun writing, like this.

Click to shrink...

Good to hear, little sad its not normally the case.

 

[kitsune9]

I liked the movie more then a lot of them and I did like their interaction.

 

[Skywalker_T-65]

Chapter 2​

"...what's wrong? Are you hurt? Should I call an ambulance?"

There were many things that Senna Yagiri had expected, when she walked up to the orange-haired boy. Him to be a creep was probably fairly high up on the list. Or a delinquent. What? She hadn't exactly had good experiences with boys! Admittedly, mostly her own fault, but still!

He's nothing like that, though.

What she had not expected was for him to be polite, if a bit cold. He answered her questions. And he understood. Not many people actually accepted her fondness of heights for what it was. Even her friends liked ribbing her over it, when she inevitably came to the ferris wheel or ate lunch on the roof. They liked laughing at 'Senna up high'. She hadn't ever, ever, met anyone who actually understood it.

Until now.

And now he's acting like he saw a ghost or something. What.

Senna couldn't keep the concern out of her voice, either, when Ichigo turned haunted eyes on her. Ichigo. Why was that name familiar?

The boy just handed her the ribbon, his voice choking up a little when he spoke. "Here, Senna. I--I promised we'd meet again, you know. I think I've had this long enough."

Don't get her wrong, here. She wanted that ribbon. Senna had lost it, years ago, and almost forgotten about it. She'd never gotten another one, either. It was special to her. A very dear friend had given it to her, though she couldn't remember his name. She didn't remember much about him. Just that he was nicer than he looked, and he had spiky hair, and that he was taller than her and…

…

Well. That he was quite a bit like Ichigo, actually. Waaaaaiiiitttt. Ichigo wasn't that guy, was he?

Senna blinked, and slowly reached her hand out to grasp the fabric. Her small hand brushed against his larger one, and she flinched back at the touch. She held the ribbon, staring at Ichigo. Who stared back, his eyes filled with a pain that had her heart clenching. Why?

"I bought you that, you idiot." Ichigo's voice recovered, just a little, as he looked at her. "Don't you remember?"

Remember. Senna stared hard at Ichigo. At the strange look of hope in his brown eyes. At the lanky boy at her feet. His spiky orange hair. His slim figure. The way his hands wrapped around her own. Why? Why was everything about him the same as her old friend? He couldn't be the same person. What were the odds of that happening?

And yet…

'You didn't have to do that, you know.'

'Shut it, I hate stuff like that.'

Senna fought back a little shudder, deep in her bones. What in the world had that been? She...she didn't know him, right? She'd never met Ichigo in her life! At least...she didn't think she ever had.

"...uhhh." Senna's response was quite eloquent, all things considered. She looked at Ichigo, and frowned. Her teeth worked on her pouty lip, and all the while, she tried to remember. "Are you sure it was me? I mean, maybe you bought it for your sisters?"

Ichigo snorted, though the haunted look remained. He climbed to his feet, and looked down on Senna. "How'd you know I have sisters, then?"

Senna blinked, and brought a finger up. She opened her mouth, had a witty reply ready...and slowly closed it. Her finger fell down, and she looked at her hand.

How do I know that, anyway?

She still couldn't really remember much. Yet, she somehow knew that Ichigo had two sisters. One like her, and one like him. Huh.

Spooky!

"I don't know," Senna finally answered. When she looked back up at Ichigo, her challenging grin was back in place. Her orange eyes sparkling with promised mischief. "Alright, if you did buy that ribbon, I want you to prove it to me!"

Ichigo stared, "You know I don't have the receipt or anything, right?"

"Not like that!" Senna waved her hand dismissively, and spun away from Ichigo. She giggled lightly, when she looked around at the fair. People continued to pass them by, barely paying any mind to the pair of teenagers. Most of the men and women were dressed in yukatas, and many of them were busy on clear dates.

The only one really looking at them was the person running the ferris wheel, who kept sending knowing glances at Senna. Prompting a little bit of a pout, and a crossing of her arms. Hmph! So what, she was a regular, sue her!

Turning back to Ichigo, Senna couldn't keep up the pout. Even his confused glance seemed strangely familiar.

"I mean, if you really bought it for me, you can tell me how it happened. Like," Senna flung her arms out, wildly gesturing around her. "Show me where it was, and stuff like that! Jog my memory!"

"I just remembered myself," Ichigo grumbled. He didn't protest much, though. He just pointed a thumb up at the shops surrounding the pair. "I bought it at one of those places. You were...were…"

As the orange-haired boy grimaced in pain, Senna stared at him and tried to think about it. What would she have been doing...here…

'This is so nice…'

'Ta-da! Yeah!'

"Hey, Ichigo." Senna looked over at the grumbling boy, frowning a bit. She wasn't going insane, right? "If I told you I fell off a string of lights and turned into a bunch of leaves, would you call me crazy?"

"..." Ichigo sighed, and shook his head. The barest tinge of a smile tugged at his lips. "I've seen crazier, honestly."

"Yeah, that's what I-" Trailing off, Senna looked at Ichigo and gaped openly. "Wait, what?"

"I've seen worse." All she got was a shrug, and Ichigo planting his hands in his pockets. The teenager looked up at the ferris wheel, lost in thought. He worked his lip, looking down at Senna, before looking up at the wheel.

Senna watched him impatiently, tapping her foot a bit. "You going to explain or what? I mean, you can't just leave a girl hanging like that!"

"Senna."

Cutting herself off a raising complaint, Senna blinked. "Come again?"

"Want to ride the ferris wheel?" Ichigo turned to look fully at her, an extremely serious look on his face. One that was too serious for the subject matter.

A look that had Senna looking past him, at the fair. Of all the things people were doing, from games to eating, he suggested the one thing she wanted to do. Sure, she'd already told him she liked high places- and he knew that already! -but...why? Why was that question making her heart ache? Senna raised a hand up to her chest, clenching it in the thin fabric of her school uniform. Never before had it felt more ill-fitting than now. Never before had she felt such a mix of pain and hope.

Some part of her really, really, really, wanted to ride the ferris wheel. Not on her own, not with her friends. With Ichigo.

Her expression must have shown on her face, because he stared again. "Well? You up for it, or not?"

"I mean-" Senna thrust her hands in front of her, rapidly shaking her head. "I like the ferris wheel, and you're nice and kinda cool and you understand me but I-"

"Senna?" Ichigo asked, gently. More gently than his other questions.

Sucking in a shaky breath, forcing her nerves to calm down, Senna tried to plaster some remnant of her smile on her face. It didn't work. "I...I feel like we've been here before, okay?" Her voice was tiny and melancholic and entirely unlike her. "Why? Why do I feel that way?"

Ichigo actually reached out, and grabbed her hand. Senna felt her face heat up at the contact. No boy ever really wanted to hold her hand…

"Look, Senna. I'm not exactly made out of money, but I-" it was Ichigo's turn to trail off awkwardly, scratching his head with his free hand. He plowed on anyway. "I didn't take you last time we met, and I think I regret that now. Do you want to, or not?"

Did she? Did she?

Senna knew the answer, even before she clenched Ichigo's hand and shakily nodded her head. "Yeah, I'd like that."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-​

Sitting beside Ichigo, inside the cramped cabin of the ferris wheel, Senna shifted in her seat a little. Her hands were firmly in her lap, and her face was flaming red. For all her cheerful bravado, she'd never been alone with a boy like this. Not this close, without anyone else. It was embarrassing and weird! Especially with Ichigo! Either she just met him not even an hour ago, or she had known him and completely forgotten him. Both options were making this more awkward than it should be!

And why do I feel like I always wanted to do this? I-I-

Senna couldn't explain the feeling. Yet, for all her flusteredness, she was happy. Part of her seemed like it had clicked into place.

"Damnit, this is wrong…" Beside her, Ichigo grumbled a little, studiously keeping a distance between them. A bit more than necessary. "Yo, Senna. Do you actually remember this?"

"I…" Senna thought about it, shrugged, and completely ignored the distance Ichigo had been making. She sidled over to him, fought the flush in her cheeks, and leaned on his shoulder. With a happy little sigh, Senna looked up at him with her orange eyes. "This is nice…"

"Hey, wait a minute! Why are you getting comfortable?!" Ichigo squawked, his own face turning a brighter shade of red than the ribbon sitting in his lap.

Senna shrugged, "No reason."

"Like hell there's no reason!"

For all Ichigo's protests, he didn't actually try to push her off. Senna knew he could if he wanted to. Ichigo was a lot stronger than he looked. After all, he kept hauling around that massive sword and that had to be hell on his back. And his arms!

…..

'Hey, let the girl go.'

'Who the hell are you?'

Senna pushed up closer to Ichigo, squeezing her eyes shut. His protestations fell on deaf ears. She was shivering, the memories bombarding her now. The feeling of a massive hand clenched on her neck, squeezing down as she tried to fight back. Her terror at being so helpless. She couldn't fight back, she couldn't run, she couldn't even breathe.

"Senna!" Ichigo's voice rang in her ears, as he finally placed his hands on her shoulders. He pulled her away, staring down into her face. "What's gotten into you?"

"I-Ichigo?" Senna stared up at him, her lip quivering. "Who was that man? Why did you have a sword?"

The teenager flinched, but he didn't turn away. Ichigo just sighed, and looked down. "You remember that?"

"I remember something," Senna squeaked. Her voice was tiny and scared. "That wasn't a dream, was it? That really happened?"

Ichigo stared at her, before sighing and nodding. "I don't remember everything myself, but yeah, that happened. Everything is still a bit fuzzy, other than when you…"

"What did I do?" Some part of Senna didn't want to know the answer. She felt that, if she heard what he said, she'd never be able to take it back. Something would forever change.

As Ichigo turned away, and looked at the stars outside the cabin, the rest of her was desperate to know. To get back something that she had lost. No matter how she had known Ichigo before, no matter what their relationship had been, she knew that something was missing. He was familiar. In a way that no one else was. Not even her parents. Why? What was it about him that was so familiar?

I need to know!

With starlight shining in the dim cabin, gently swaying with the wind, Ichigo let his shoulders fall down. His face was silhouetted in the dim light. Sharp cheeks merged into a deep scowl. Eyes sunken back in his face. His entire being screamed 'conflicted'.

"You died."

Those two words, spoken with no warning and no preamble, had Senna flinching back. "I...what?"

Ichigo looked into her eyes, pain visible in his gaze. Long, deep, pain. "You died to save me. Damnit, Senna, why don't you remember?"

"I'm not dead! I'm right here!" Senna ignored that. She really, really tried to. Her hand came to rest on her heart. Hell, she grabbed Ichigo's hand and put it on her chest, right over her rapidly beating heart. "See? I'm breathing, and I'm alive!"

"That's not what I meant," Ichigo may have been so red he practically glowed, yet, he didn't take back his words.

And Senna couldn't make him, because she remembered. She tried to deny it. She tried to ignore his words and go back to how things were. She knew that she would regret remembering this, deep down.

She couldn't take it back.

She couldn't get the images from her head. The glowing light surrounding her, and Ichigo. Ichigo. Floating across from her, battered and bloody, with that massive sword on his back. Wearing a black uniform that fit him better than anything else. A uniform that rested on her own body, as she crossed her hands over her chest.

'If the world were destroyed, there would be no Ichigo.'

'Senna, you can't do this! You'll die!'

'I can't live in a world where you died instead of me, Ichigo!'

Senna could feel the pain, of her body tearing apart. She could feel the misery of dying. What would any teenage girl do, when faced with that feeling? When the person she had done it for, was sitting right beside her?

Senna threw herself into Ichigo, desperately wrapping her arms around his broad chest. She didn't notice that they fell into the floor. She didn't notice that his arms, hesitantly, wrapped around her. She didn't even notice how she was crying into his chest.

I d-d-d-died. I died to save Ichigo. I couldn't live without him. I can't live in a world without him, so why did I forget him? Why? Why?

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-​

For once in his very long life, Isshin Kurosaki found himself completely stumped. Shocked into silence. Unable to come up with some witty response or exaggerated joke. Not even able to poke or prod his son to get some sort of reaction.

In short, he was shocked silent.

Well. That's not something I expected to see, today.

He couldn't even, mentally, come up with some plea to his departed wife. Because, right now, he was too busy staring at his son. More appropriately, at his son inside the ferris wheel. With a cute, purple haired, girl in his arms. Sobbing into his chest.

"Ichigo…?" Isshin didn't even try the goofy act, too confused and befuddled to bother. "Is there something you want to tell your father…?"

Ichigo, his own eyes suspiciously red, looked over the top of the girl's head. Isshin flinched back slightly, at the lost expression on his son. "Hey, Dad? Do you think that Senna can come back with us?"

Senna?

"Uh...I don't see why not," Isshin blinked, staring hard at his son. Ichigo never brought girls over, if they weren't Rukia. And honestly, he was an idiot if he thought his father never noticed that.

Anyway.

Shinigami living in Ichigo's closet aside, Isshin's son never bothered bringing a girl over. Certainly, Isshin would have remembered if he had. And he didn't remember any girl named Senna. So. Who was this girl and why did Ichigo hold onto her so tightly?

"Thanks, old man." Ichigo wasn't giving any answers, as he leaned down to whisper something in the girl's ear. She tightened her grip on him, as Ichigo picked her up and walked out of the ferris wheel. "I'm going to go ahead and take her home, then. Can you let Karin and Yuzu know?"

Isshin nodded dumbly, still too shocked to do much else. "Yeah. Ichigo...do you want to tell me anything? At all?"

Ichigo shrugged, "Not right now. I need to talk to Senna."

Without another word, the former Shinigami walked off, leaving his very confused father behind. Isshin watched him go. He reached into his pocket, and pulled out a special phone that very rarely saw use.

This situation called for it.

"Hey, Kisuke." Isshin held the phone to his cheek, grumbling a little at the too-cheerful voice that answered. "It's about Ichigo. Uh huh. Yeah. You aren't going to believe this."

If anyone had any idea what was going on, it was Urahara...

---

Still not horribly long, mind you. Though this is my typical length if it isn't Destiny.

That said, I'm not always going to bounce between perspectives like this. I just wanted the first two chapters to be reflections of each other, to be honest. Also to give me a chance to dive into Senna's mindset, this time around. Hopefully that worked. I've got a good handle on Ichigo, Senna less so. Mostly because of how long it's been since I actually wrote her.

Also, while not every chapter will be full of flashbacks (though the next one, and some others, will include full flashbacks) there will continue to be these bits of 'memory flashes'. I don't want both of them to remember everything in one fell swoop. I chose to let them remember as much as they have out of a desire to not tread ground other fics have covered. But they won't know everything right away.

At any rate...they'll remember in stages. Also get together in stages. This won't be any 'love at first sight' fic, even if they are obviously getting together eventually.

 

[Dark as Silver]

"Uh...I don't see why not," Isshin blinked, staring hard at his son. Ichigo never brought girls over, if they weren't Rukia. And honestly, he was an idiot if he thought his father never noticed that.

Click to shrink...

I choose to believe that Isshin thinks theres a love triangle between Ichigo, Chad and Glasses(I'm probably going to facepalm hard enough to break my nose when someone tells me his actual name.)