Chapter 1: First Encounter.

I was running through the streets franticly. A lot of the soul reapers were. And they had only one thing on their minds: to catch a ryoka. I'm a soul reaper from squad 13, my Captain is Juushiro Ukitake. We had just heard that a group of ryoka had infiltrated the Sereitei. And it was our mission as soul reapers to catch them. I'm not a very skilled soul reaper to begin with, but I wanted to try to catch up with the higher-seat soul reapers. A girl named Rukia Kuchiki was on my squad. Everyone thought of her as a very skilled soul reaper. And she was also part of one of the noble families. But now she's been sentenced to death for giving up her soul reaper powers to a human. I've always admired her. I couldn't believe she would do something like that. These ryokas coming here are probably her fault…..

I decided to look near the senzaikyu, the place where Rukia was being held. If I could just find a ryoka I would be greatly honored by the Soul Society. A few hours had passed and I had found nothing. I was starting to lose confidence. I jumped on a roof and stopped for a minute to look around. Suddenly there was a large bang.

I looked in the direction it came from. It looked like it was near Squad 8's quarters. I cautiously made my way there.

I saw Captain Kyoraku there with his assistant captain Nanao. Along with what looked like: a wounded ryoka. I immediately flash stepped to them.
"Good evening Captain Kyoraku" I said in a formal manner.
"No need to be so formal Ryuumaki." he said in a flirty voice while touching my shoulders. Nanao then hit him on the head.
"There is no time for that Captain!" she said, looking really irritated.
Ignoring him, I looked at the wounded ryoka and asked:
"Do you need me to clean this up for you sir?"
"Hmm? Oh yes you may do as you like and then give him to the Relief Company to question him."
"Understood, sir" I said my a small nod.
He went off. I walked closer to the ryoka. I suddenly became so happy. I'd finally gotten a break! When I turn in this ryoka they'll surely put me in a higher seat. I approached him, I saw that he was lying on his stomach, and there was blood everywhere around him. I felt bad for him. Did he actually think he would stand a chance against a captain? What a fool.
I checked his pulse. He was still alive and breathing. I turned him over and looked at his face. Most of his brown hair was covering it. He was actually pretty handsome.

I moved him over, cleaned up the blood on the ground, and quickly started off to bring him to my barracks for first aid. I couldn't have him die.
When I got there I gently put him on the futon and looked at his wound. It was pretty deep but not too fatal. I'd have to treat it or he may lose too much blood.

In a matter of minutes I had it bandaged. He started to mumble something.
"Must...keep my...promise...to Ichigo..."
Ichigo? That sounded familiar from somewhere... Now I remember! My friend Korosu-san had told me that Ikkaku had fought a man named Ichigo Kurosaki. Apparently he lost and was badly wounded. And it was right after the ryoka came here. So this man and Ichigo must be friends...
I went up close to his face and said:
"Listen you! Where is this Ichigo that you speak of?!"
He opened his eyes for the first time.

"Who...are you?" he said in a low, weak voice.
Suddenly my vision became fuzzy. When did I get this dizzy? Before I could think of anything else, I fell over and blacked out….
*Chapter 1 END**