I do not own bleach and I give full credit to its creator. Okay readers, this takes place before Rukia gets taken to soul society. So enjoy.

Chapter one.

Karakura town was unusually quiet for a Saturday. There was no one on the grassy sport field. No children swinging on the swings, sliding on the slides, or climbing on the monkey bars. The streets seemed empty for the most part, with few cars and trucks swooshing by. What was the reason for this strange behavior?

Rain. Rain that produced two inches of water in the streets and made thick mud on the grassy lawns. The normal blue sunny sky was a gloomy cloudy gray. No sun shone, no birds seemed to be twittering around, and it was chilling to the bone. It was not a wonder why people did not want to go out.

But for two people running down the street, the icy rain could not be held as an excuse. They rain as if their lives depended on it. Who are these people? Why, it's Ichigo and Rukia of course.

"Hurry up Rukia!" Ichigo shouted his shinigami kimono soaked causing him to shiver.

"I'm hurrying!" she said looking at her cell phone, "It's by the Karakura soup kitchen!"

"I'm on it!" Ichigo said, sprinting away.

"Wait Ichigo! Dang it!" she growled, running as fast as she could. Far behind, Kon was in Ichigo's body running after them.

"Wait up for me!!!" cried Kon, clearly upset. He groaned and muttered, "Why did I come along?"

"Ahhh!" a girl screamed, being thrown into the ground. She dropped the object she held in her hand and moaned. Her wet dark hair looked limp, her dark grayish blue eyes seemed unfocused, and her thin tiny frail body was shivering.

"Hehehehe is that all you got," a huge hidieous creature growled evilly. Yes, it was a hollow, "Shinigami child?" She gritted her teeth and tried to stand.

"I'm not a child, I'm 50 years old! How many times must I tell you?!" she said, shakily. Her voice was small and soft.

"Perhaps by human standards, you are no longer a child," the hollow said amused, "but by shinigami standards you are quite a young child. MMM you will make a fine appetizer shinigami child." It launched as she made a desperate reach for the object she dropped earlier.

But as the hungry hollow lunged at her, something got in its way. Or someone.

" Arrrggggg!!!" the hollow cried, reeling back a blood shot out of its mask.

"Hurry up and disappear!!" Ichigo shouted at the hollow. The girls eyes widen and she began to crawl to what seemed like a dead body on the ground. She allowed herself to fall back into it and the bodies eyes fluttered open. Yes, it was a gigai. The object disappeared as she entered it.

"Noooo!!!" it shouted, swerving around dangerously. It turned dark and it slowly disappeared. Rukia watched this panting, finally have caught up with him. She noticed the girl disappear into the body and the body began to move. A shinigami?

"Ichigo!" Rukia shouted pointing at the girl. Ichigo turned around to see the girl cough.

"Hey girl, come here," Ichigo said swinging the sword onto his shoulder. The girl stood up looking unsure. Before Ichigo could say anything, the girl grabbed a bag that was leaning against the building as she took off down the alley way limping slightly.

"Hey, come back!!" Ichigo said shocked. He then chased her after putting his sword on his back.

"Ichigo, wait. Sheez-," Rukia said, groaning. She began to run again, disappearing into the alleyway.

Kon stopped in front of the soup kitchen, panting heavily. He looked around and looked up into the rainy sky, holding his knees.

"Dang it! Why am I always left behind!?" he shouted, making people stare out the window of the soup kitchen.

The girl began to slow down as she approached a small hole in the fence. Her chest was hurting and she rubbed it. She crawled through the hole and stood up in the long grass. She walked over towards an abandoned warehouse and slipped in.

Ichigo jumped the fence just seeing her disappear into the opening. He looked at the building slightly confused. What was she doing here? The building had holes in the roof and half of the build had collapsed. Windows were either missing glass or the glass was broken. The building had vines and other plants growing on the walls. The building was gray only making it look even gloomier. He walked towards it and went in through the empty door way. He looked around, his eyebrow raised. There was rubble all over the floor except for a corner that had dried grass with a ratty coat on top of it. The girl sat in the corner, eating something. Rukia walked in behind Ichigo and her mouth dropped slightly.

"What?" she asked, softly.

"Hey, girl." Ichigo said walking through the rubble. The girl looked at them frightened.

"We're not going to hurt you, you know," Ichigo said sitting down near the girl. She looked tense but made no move to run.

"Then put you sword down," the girl said, warily.

"Nani-," Ichigo said, surprised.

"Do it, Ichigo!" Rukia said, looking at him impatiently. Ichigo looked at Rukia, clearly annoyed.

"Never said I wasn't going to," he said, putting the sword away from him. He sighed, running his fingers through his wet hair.

"What's your name?" Ichigo asked leaning back. The girl stayed silent for awhile.

"I asked-," Ichigo began only to be cut off.

"Kumiko," she said softly.

"Kumiko," Rukia said, softly, "that's a pretty name."

"What's yours?" Kumiko asked, still tense.

"I'm Kurosaki Ichigo," Ichigo said, "This is Kuchiki Rukia."

"Domo," Kumiko said, taking another bit of her food.

"Are you a shinigami?" Rukia asked, immediately.

"Sort of," Kumiko said, continuing to eat.

"Sort of?" Ichigo asked, looking confused.

"Yes, I am a shinigami. I was taught how to be one twenty years ago," Kumiko began, sipping the liquid from the dish. Rukia and Ichigo exchanged looks and looked back at the girl.

"Twenty years ago? How old are you?" asked Ichigo, looking at the girl in disbelief.

"I'm 50 years old," Kumiko said, softly. She put the bowl down as Ichigo gapped.

"But you look so small!" Ichigo said, shocked.

"Actually in soul society, that is young compared to most of us," Rukia said, informative, "Besides not all shinigami look like adults."

Ichigo thought for a moment.

"Good point," Ichigo said, thoughtfully.

"Though I have heard of younger, you are still very young to be a shinigami." Rukia said, questioningly. "And I've never heard of you either."

"I have lived on earth all my life," Kumiko said, looking at them, "I was raised and taught by a man here. He disappeared though right after teaching me how to release my shikai. I could only hold it for a limited time though." Suddenly she coughed violently.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Rukia said leaning forward.

"After he left, I became sick and the amount of time using my shikai became shorter. I use to be able to hold it for a minute, but lately I haven't been able to use it at all," Kumiko admitted, looking down at the dish on her lap. She sniffled and Ichigo had a scared look on his face.

"Ahhh! Don't cry! Dang it, I hate it when little kids cry!" Ichigo said, rubbing the top of the girls head.

"Why?" Rukia said, raising an eyebrow.

"Because they look so pathetic and it makes me feel guilty." Ichigo said, sighing. He stood up picking up Kumiko with ease. She squeaked as Ichigo said, "Man you're light."

"What are you doing!!??" Kumiko said, frightened.

"Taking you with us," Ichigo said as Rukia stood up also.

"Nani! Why would you do that?!" Kumiko said as Ichigo kept a firm grip on a squirming Kumiko.

"Because you can't stay here. You'll die," Ichigo said, "now quit squirming!"

Kumiko stopped looked down. She fiddled with the collar of his kimono.

"Why do you care any way?" she muttered softly.

"Because due to the fact you are sick and alone, we can't just leave you here," Ichigo said firmly. Kumiko looked down with a sad look on her face. He probably thinks I'm a burden she thought.

"Besides, I would never forgive myself if you got eaten by a hollow," Ichigo said putting his sword back on his back. The girl smiled weakly. Maybe not. "Rukia…"

"Got it," she said putting a glove on. She poked the girl and the gigai fell to the floor.

"Nani!?" Kumiko said horrified. Ichigo shook his head. He was really beginning to hate it when she said that.

"I'll take care of the gigai and the dish," Rukia said, putting the glove in her rain jacket's pocket. "Anything else of yours here?"

Kumiko pointed at the jacket and Rukia said, "Go on ahead to Urahara's. He should know about this."

"Gotcha," Ichigo said, picking up the jacket and rapped Kumiko in it.

"Ready?" asked Ichigo. Kumiko looked around the old rundown warehouse probably for the last time and nodded.

"Alright, brace yourself," Ichigo said, holding her tight. He then sprinted into the icy cold rain, with Rukia shaking her head.

Urahara sat in his shop listening to the rain, sipping tea. He felt a familiar reiatsu coming towards his shop and sighed.

"Is something wrong," Tessai asked, walking in.

"No, it's just we are about to have an unexpected visitor soon," Urahara said, sipping his tea once again.

"Really?" Tessai muttered looking out the window, only to see it was blurred from the rain.

The door suddenly opened and Ichigo stood there holding a large bundle.

"Ah, Kurosaki-san. What can I do for you?" Urahara said in his usual cheerful tone.

"Urahara-san, I need to ask a favor," Ichigo said, walking forward.

"Oh a favor?" asked Urahara, waving his fan in front of his face. Ichigo swooped down and showed him the sleeping girl.

"Oh my," Urahara said, taking the girl from Ichigo.

"She's sick-," Ichigo began as Urahara removed the coat off of the girl.

"Obviously," Tessai said, while Urahara had a small look of surprise.

"She's a shinigami?" Urahara asked observing the black kimono and the small kantana on the child.

"Yeah, she's fifty years old. But due to the fact that she's sick, she sort of short on reiatsu," Ichigo said as Urahara passed the child to Tessai.

"Take her to the back. Begin the healing process immediately," Urahara said, opening his fan once more and waving it.

"Yes, shop owner," Tessai said disappearing into the back of the shop. Urahara sighed and waved his fan.

"I am troubled, Kurosaki-san. Where did you find this child?" Urahara asked, frowning slightly.

"We found her in a warehouse not too far from Karakura soup kitchen. It was really run down," Ichigo said recalling the old building with distaste, "Why would she even stay in a place like that?"

"I would need you to tell me everything the child told you to be able to guess that. Even though I have a pretty good guess why." Urahara muttered.

Ichigo started from the beginning wearily. He finished the girl's tale around the time Rukia and kon came in.

"I see," Urahara said as Rukia sat down by Ichigo. Ichigo stood up and entered his body spitting out a green little pill. Rukia took out Kon stuffed animal body and Ichigo put the pill in. The stuffed animal jumped up angrily.

"Geez Ichigo! Warn me before you do that!" Kon said kicking Ichigo. But it did not hurt much due to the fact he was a stuffed animal.

"Well, it sounds like to me who ever the shinigami raised her did not want her found," Urahara explained, "so he must have hid her in a place most people wouldn't go. On top of that, he must have put up some sort of barrier up to hide her reiatsu."

"I've confirmed that. There is definitely some sort of barrier put up. I just couldn't tell what kind." Rukia stated, sighing and looking down.

"Shop owner!"

Tessai had rushed back in, looking slightly stricken.

"What is it?" Urahara asked turning his head to look at Tessai.

"There is something you must see."

Urahara stood up and beckoned Ichigo and Rukia to follow him. They did so, exchanging confused looks.

"Is there something wrong with the healing process?" Urahara asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, it went rather smoothly," Tessai said walking down the hall.

"You mean it's done already?" Urahara asked, "That was very … quick."

"You'll see why in a moment," Tessai said sliding the door open. Everyone filed in silently and gazed around to find the girl.

She was lying on a futon with her neck and collar bone exposed. On it was a pendant of a diamond blossom. It was on a chain of silver that resembled vines wrapped around each other.

"What-?" Ichigo said, confused.

Urahara said nothing. He waved his fan as Rukia went to take a closer look.

"Rukia, Ichigo. I must ask you to take care of this child when we can move her safely," Urahara said rather seriously.

"Urahara what-?" Rukia asked but was cut off.

"It is simply a healing pendant. It is rather common," Urahara said cheerfully but then became serious, "But I do not think Soul Society should know of her existence just yet."

"Nani-?" Rukia began, shocked.

"The reason I say this is because I have a feeling Soul society knows nothing about her. They might think she got her powers illegally," Urahara said, bending down and stroking the girl's hair. She stirred in her sleep but did not wake from her slumber.

"Do you know-?" Rukia asked but was cut of once again.

"Not yet. To be honestly, I don't think she didn't obtain them illegally. But we must be sure," Urahara said, watching her sleep.

"Kurosaki-san, is there any way she could stay with you?" Urahara asked, looking at Ichigo intently.

Ichigo sighed and said, "I'll think of something."

"Good. For the mean time she'll stay here," Urahara said, adjusting his hat. His cheerful voice was back. "Now it would be best for you to go home."

"Yeah, Dad is probably getting pummeled by Karin." Ichigo said, going through the door to leave. "See yah, Urahara-san!"

"Wait, Ichigo!" Rukia said, running after him.

Urahara watched them leave and then looked back at the girl seriously.

"Shall I begin to run the tests?" Tessai asked, cautiously.

"Yes, we should," Urahara said, distracted.

Well that the end of chapter one! Tell me what you think with reviews. I ask if you critic, please be nice. Review!