Here we go, Estantia here with the first chapter of a multi-chaptered fic rather than a one shot (for once) with the Bleach guys. Standard disclaimer: don't own Bleach, would I REALLY be posting on if I was?

Note about the story. I do tend to alternate between the english (Captain, Yes) and Japanese (Taicho, hai) a bit, if there IS a pattern behind it, then the japanese is normally slips out when the character would naturally use it, or with the 'hai', when people *cough* Matsumoto *cough* are being flippant.

Hope you enjoy!

It's strange really. No matter what I see things still manage to surprise me from time to time. Generally they're things on a normal scale though, I'm used to seeing monsters, spirits and elementary school kids obliterating everything, so most stuff doesn't phase me, even the sheer lengths of pervertedness a stuffed animal can go to.

There had been hints in the last few days of someone else sorting out Hollows, or rather, Hollows appearing, then disappearing before we could get to them. It wasn't that fast, but that idiot they put in charge of regular duties said he hadn't done them, apparently we were both assuming the other had been taking care of it, stupid huh? That's why it took us so long to work out there was a third party in there.

We didn't know if it was friend or foe though, so we needed to check it out somehow. All we could do really was keep our eyes and ears open to get to a hollow sighting as soon as we could, pity they never showed up when we did.

Okay, so we maybe we didn't try that hard to find them. They appeared mostly when we were busy, so it was helpful, I mean the few times I got alerts in schools I didn't immediately need to rush up and get out, so I actually got some school time in for a change.

We just told everyone to keep an eye out, and it worked... sort of... well we had a glimpse of her at any rate.

Orihime had been completely out of it after school one day, she barely even noticed a hollow emerging in a park a block over. When she DID notice she ran over there as fast as she could, just in time to see a gold and brown blur sweep one arm upwards, slicing the hollow through the middle before jumping away to the side and vanishing. All Orihime could report was the fact it had been humanoid at least and reminded her of the overcoats the Captains wore, except that this one was plain gold.

I don't like people who disappear without a trace. They generally mean trouble.

-Renji. Why do I have to write this down for you anyway Urahara-san? And what's with the overly dramatic end?

-You'll see ^_^

-Why do I get nervous whenever you say something like that...?

Karin absently juggled the football from one foot to the other as she walked, watching it spin through the air with practised ease until something blotted the light for an instant. With a flick the football was back in her arms and she was looking at the sky. Nothing? Weird...

"Oh for hell's sake you can't do that now!"

The younger Kurosaki looked towards the tree-ringed park curiously and paused as the woman's voice spoke again, though quieter this time.

"Look, can't you just leave it? I haven't even met any of them yet."

Now Karin was curious and crept to where she could peek round the outermost tree. Then she plain stared. A woman in a long gold coat seemed to be glaring at a dinosaur in an outsized clown bubble with a propeller underneath.

How on earth does that thing stay in the air?

"Your own fault for being slow," its voice sounded gravelly, the woman didn't seem phased by the thing though.

"This world needs time, these guys are suspicious so it's not like I can just walk in," she pointed out, "and I can't afford to be seen or act crazily, so what about an agreement?"

Karin wondered what the strange woman was talking about, but it seemed the dinosaur was almost as confused before she spoke again. "Skip the first stage, but don't fight it so the Shift lasts longer? It would be nice if I could have some rudimentary abilities..."

"You're pushing it..."

The woman sighed slightly, long brown hair shifting as she looked back up at the dinosaur. "Fine, just do it."

The dinosaur cackled as his hover-thing rose and he pulled out a wand, taking careful aim before letting off a blast of crackling energy, forming a large globe with a shape inside. The woman attempted to brace herself but it still sent her sprawling as it formed a dome around her, looking like a soap bubble that the woman was caught inside.

Karin started forward as the dome's colours started to swirl dizzyingly, forcing her to sit down again when the woman's body started to reflect those patterns, as if she had turned to marbled water inside her outlines.

Then the outlines themselves started to shrink, pulling in on themselves to settle into a smaller form. At this point the girl stood and walked forward, covering her eyes so that she wouldn't get dizzy again.

When she was a few paces from where the dome began she stopped, uncovering her eyes slightly to check that the swirling had finished before she moved again. However whatever the dome had been it was gone, and the woman with it.

Karin blinked at the space for a few seconds and then straightened. Maybe she should mention this to the Karakura rangers? Or Ichigo? But then they would fuss and insist on looking for the person, or in Ichigo's sake call her a liar and she hated that. Mind you, they'd all think she was crazy if she described who the woman had been talking to,

I mean a dinosaur in a flying clown eggcup? Like hell....

She still wondered what the woman had meant by second stage though, and what exactly had happened to her, had they really been turned into something else?

Karin smirked, Now THIS is a job for a true Karakura Red!