Disclaimer: Bleach and LadyHawke and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by Tite Kubo and Paramount respectively.

The guard made his way through the dank dungeon at a leisurely pace. His destination located near the back along with his intended victim. He reached the cell ignoring the moans and groans of the other prisoners his focus solely on the young man that was supposed to be in the cell he now stood before. The guard looked through the bars where several sickly looking men sat huddled around. As he continued to search for the little cur, when his search turned up nothing the guard took out his keys and unlocked the cell door. He yanked up an old man, a stone's throw away from death, and spit in his face as he spoke.

"Where is he!"

The old man gave his tormenter a dry cackle and pointed at the small drain pipe in the center of their cell.

"Impossible…" Whispered the guard in disbelieve. He dropped the man to the ground, ignoring the thud and yelp of pain. He slowly walked over to the small hole and looked down into it.

"GYAAHH! How could he!"

He felt his hands finally pushing through the dirt, and he could feel open space beyond. Withdrawing his hands, he pushed more and more Earth away until a larger hole had formed. Grasping the edge of the newly formed hole, he pulled himself through. He was tiring from all this digging and if he did not get out soon he would be dead and adding to the stink of the place. He needed to get out of there fast. Using as much of his strength as he could muster he pulled himself again and found his head slipping through the hole.

"Oh thank you Lord." He whispered raggedly. Happiness and exhilaration were flooding through him like water. He could taste freedom now. That was until he felt his lower half become stuck within the opening.

"I guess this isn't that different from escaping mother's womb." He chuckled dryly. "Oh lord, what a memory that makes." He said to himself with a shiver.

Ichigo Kurosaki was in this mess because he was thief, and a damn good one too…that is until he was caught picking the wrong mans pocket. He had been out of supplies and needed money in order to buy a simple loaf of bread. That was when he noticed the finely dressed noble wondering the streets. He was halfway through getting the purse full of gold when the owner of said purse discovered the hand fondling it. It was made a thousand times worse when he discovered that the man who he was robbing was none other than Gin Ichimaru, Lord Aizen's Knight Captain and most trusted follower. Before he could even blink, he was sitting in the dungeons below the castle with several other degenerates of the streets.

The kingdom of Seireitei had been known for many things. The fact no one had ever escaped their feared dungeons was their greatest pride. After days of putting up with the starvation and beatings from one Grimmjow, the strange guard who had an obsession with him; it had been enough to be the deciding factor and he had to get out. He had discovered that the small drain pipe on the center of the cell was just the right size to crawl through of course this meant he had to crawl through some very unsavory things never to be mentioned in polite society, but it was either freedom or whatever strange fate Grimmjow had in store for him. He crawled through the darkness until he was now here. In the sewers, stuck in the mud, and smelled like the backside of a pig. At least he wasn't near that Grimmjow

"Lord, I swear to never pick another man's pocket if you'd just help me escape from here." Ichigo prayed out into the silence of the underground sewer. Ichigo gave one last half hearted tug at the wall before finding himself falling a short distance into the inky blackness of the water below. It seemed God would be with him this day. He came up for air and turned in the water looking for a way out. He saw one in the form of a light at the end of the tunnel. Talk about a cliché He swam for the opening.

"Thank you Lord. You won't regret this I swear I'll turn over a new leaf once I'm out of here maybe joint the priesthood…or not." He just hoped that Grimmjow hadn't made his rounds yet.

"There's disturbing news from the dungeon's my Lord. One of the prisoners has escaped." A pale man with a dark head of hair said apathetically. Lord Aizen, who was sat in his study sipping his morning tea, looked up from the papers atop his desk. He set the fine china down and glanced over to the man.

"No one ever escapes my dungeon, Ulquiorra; the people of this kingdom accept that as a historical fact."

"The responsibility is mine my Lord, it seems I've been too lenient with my men." Ulquiorra said with nary a twitch to his face.

"Yes it is, so quickly rectify this situation before word spreads… A single rebel spark can ignite the flames of rebellion."

"I shall call upon Gin sir, he will have this matter resolved quickly."Ulquiorra bowed before straightening and leaving the room. Aizen turned back to his tea. He picked up a sheaf of papers reading through the alchemical equations written upon them. Soon all would be complete, and eternity would be his.

Ichigo continued to swim through the flooded tunnels wondering when it would end. He caught a glimpse of something large heading his way and jumped up and out of the water in fear clutching a small ledge.

"Lord please don't let that be what I think it is. Please allow this ledge to be as sturdy as a rock. Of course if that is what I think it is and this ledge doesn't hold, there'll be no hard feelings, of course…but I will be very disappointed." Ichigo said shivering he took another look at what was coming towards him and let out a sigh of relief. It was just an ox's skull. After his panic receded Ichigo could swear he could hear harps playing at the end of the tunnel. The more he listen the clearer it became.

"I don't believe it." Ichigo said in awed disbelief, "I do believe it." He said as he jumped back into the water and swam to the end of the tunnel. "I'm coming Lord, you won't regret this Lord. I'm a wonderful person."

Ichigo looked up as he came to a shaft of light. He saw that the shaft was climbable and grabbed for the first stone he could reach and pulled himself up.

"I'm coming Lord." He said with a grunt as he pulled himself up from the depths of the tunnel.

It took a great effort, but he was slowly pulling himself upward. He reached the top of the shaft and found a grate blocking his way. As he grasped it and looked through it, he saw a beautifully sculpted ceiling that had been made into an arch with a stained glass window at the top in the shape of the sun. He was beneath the Seireitei Cathedral. Now he just had to wait for the precession to finish up and the cathedral to empty out and then he would be free.

While Ichigo was thinking on what to do, one of the guards of the church above him began walking across the grate and stepped on Ichigo's fingers. With a shout of pain, Ichigo drew his fingers back and lost his footing. He soon found himself in the water again as he fell from the shaft. As he struggled to gain his bearings Ichigo noticed something not too far from him. There was a grate in one of the walls that lead to the lake outside. There was also a hole twice his size in it.

'What luck.'

Ichigo swam through the hole and swam upward. He could feel his lungs burn for the need of fresh air. When his head surfaced and he opened his eyes, a broad smile crossed his face as he saw the outside walls of the castle. It looked like the Lord was with him after all.

"Thank you." He whispered to the blue skies above.

The bells chimed to signal a break out and the soldiers were dispatched, dozens of the armored men rode on horses and out the opened castle gates as the soldiers thundered down the main road, two other guards were sitting by the lake and watched as they feasted on their lunch. Both talking and pointing at the ones on horses about the situation at hand, wondering which of their comrades would bring in the sap who managed to get away. As they continued to laugh and eat, both of them were unaware of the hand that rose from the moat and took the dagger that the one on the right had laid out beside him. They also did not notice the coin purse being cut from the dagger owner's belt.

"I know I promised, Lord, But I know, you know what a weak-willed person I am." Ichigo said as he swam away.

As the bells continued to echo across the city and the countryside, a lone rider on a large black horse and hooded cloak watched the city, the hood on the rider's black cloak kept many from being able to see steely eyes shine with long lost hope, a hawk of beautiful golden colors perched on the riders left arm. The rider continued to listen to the bells toll.

"Come on Ichigo…keep going…it's not that far now…just about three hundred and fifty miles to go, that's all." Why did it have to be so close to winter? He was freezing, and his feet were killing him, he was sure he had developed frostbite a mile back but he couldn't stop now. He just had to think of warm thoughts.

"Hot cabbage stew just like mom used to make," There was howling in the distance, "wolf, wolf, please Lord, no wolf. Mmm hot lamb… Where the hell am I? Hot lamb with sauce." Ichigo stumbled on murmuring comforting words to himself.

Finally after days of aimless wandering Ichigo found himself in a small village, stealing clothes from clothes lines and a pair of shoes from two young children.

After taking what he needed Ichigo ran himself over to the nearest tavern. It was nice being free again and he planned to celebrate it with food and drink. He made his way to a rundown tavern a little farther up the path, the place was so bad that the only roofing over their patrons' heads were sticks and pieces of hay. There was livestock running lose, but that was ok as long as they had decent food. Everything was set on a wooden platform instead of being in the dirt, but all that didn't matter right now, he could care less he was a free man again.

"Good Sir! A drink of your most expensive!" Ichigo said as he stepped up to the bar.

"Don't take me for a fool boy…money first." The gruff old man said as he cleaned his hands with a cloth tied to his waist.

Ichigo showed the old man the coin purse strapped to his waist; he pulled out a copper coin and showed it to the old man. The man took the coin and gave Ichigo his drink.

"Thank you, sir." Ichigo said as he took the ale. "I propose a toast!" Ichigo then said while turning towards the other people of the tavern

"Let's hear your toast." A man in a cloak, seeking warmth from it no doubt, spoke up.

"We drink to a very special man. A man who's seen the dungeons of Seireitei, and has lived to tell the tale." Ichigo said as he took a sip of his fine ale.

"Then you drink to me, Little boy, for I've seen those dungeons." The man replied without looking up from his own drink.

"A blacksmith, perhaps? A carpenter, a stone cutter even. But as a prisoner from inside the dungeons of Seireitei?" Ichigo asked with a chuckle.

"I didn't say I was a prisoner." The man said as he removed some of his cloak to revel the knight captain's helm on the table then the hood came off. Ichigo's eyes widened as several others began to remove their cloaks as well, revealing themselves to be the King's men. "If you had stuck to the woods, you may have made it Ichigo." Captain Gin said, his silver light mail gleaming in the afternoon sun.

"You're absolutely right." Ichigo said as he began to discreetly move back, "So let's follow your sage advice and… make a run for it!" Ichigo turned to run towards the nearest exit, only to come to a stop when a soldier got in the way.

Another soldier made to grab Ichigo by shoulder, but he quickly threw what was left of his ale in the man's face. Using the small opening he ran and rolled across one of the table's while kicking one soldier in the face. As he stood to his feet he was forced to duck again as several others tried to tackle him. Using the confusion, Ichigo crawled through the maze of pale whitish-green cloth and armored legs and to the ground.

Gin looked on with an amused smile as his men, threw chairs and tables around. Shoving patrons away from the tavern, one of the men grabbed and pulled at a hooded man sitting in a chair which turned out to be the young man they were after. Ichigo punched the man in the face and made a dash for the open fields a guard stopped him. He ran back towards the tavern and climbed up the wooden roof. The guards following below with swords drawn and stabbing upward. Ichigo had no where left to go. Gin began to clap and pointed at Ichigo to hope down. He obeyed and landed on the rickety old planks. The guards nearest him grabbed hold of him.

Ichigo struggled against their hold on him, trying to break free. The soldier that had the strongest grip was having trouble keeping Ichigo from wiggling away from him. Putting as much muscle as he could, he jerked free from the soldier and drew his blade. Gin stood up and twisted the young man around, unprepared for the meeting steel would have with flesh. A deathly silence fell over everyone.

The perpetual smile on Gin's face vanished.

"I am so sorry." Ichigo said as he watched the captain wipe the wound just under his eye with a gloved finger and examine the blood there.

"Kill him." The man said as his smile returned with a vengeance.

The soldiers pushed Ichigo against one of the posts that held the roof and held him in place while another soldier brought his blade to Ichigo's neck. Ichigo started to pant as he felt the edge make contact with his flesh.

"Oh Lord please forgive me!" Ichigo shouted he closed his eyes as the blade pulled away for the strike.

The soldier screamed in pain and dropped his weapon as he clutched his left arm near the shoulder. Ichigo looked and saw a small arrow jutting through armor. Gin ducked behind one of the wooden post and the other soldiers looked to see where the arrow had come from, Ichigo was dumb struck. There near the opening that lead to the stables stood a dark haired woman dressed in black. A black leather chest plate with gold trimming protected her torso and black leather gauntlets covered her hands. A shoulder pauldron protected her right shoulder. A black cape hung gracefully from her shoulders with an amber lining the inner portion of the cape half of which covered her left side. In her gloved hands was a double shot crossbow that still had one shot left.

There was a shot fired from her left, the bolt missing her and hitting the post next to her. Without so much as a second look, the mystery woman shot off her own crossbow, the bolt hitting the soldier dead center dropping him like a rock.

"You," She pointed the crossbow at Ichigo, "Out" Ichigo didn't hesitate for a second, and the soldiers didn't seem inclined to keep him there. He walked past the short woman. She turned just as he was parallel with her and handed off her crossbow to him while simultaneously drawing her sword. Ichigo took the bow and ran off.

"One of my men had told me you returned… I almost had him executed for lying to me, because I thought you wouldn't be stupid enough to come back," Gin said as he walked closer to the woman. Her sword steady as she pointed it at him

She quickly raised the blade to block the sword of one of the soldiers and stopped when both saw each other.

The guard slowly lowered her sword as she looked at the black knight. Both of them began to smile as they recognized each other.

"Captain Suì-Fēng." The guard said with respect.

"Harribel" Suì-Fēng said and slowly lowered her blade half way.

"Captain?" Gin asked the soldier as he pushed her into Suì-Fēng's sword with a chuckle.

A look of stunned shock swept over Suì-Fēng's face as she watched her friend's face register the pain and shock at what had just happened. Suì-Fēng kept a hold of Harribel and lowered her to the ground. Harribel took in one final gasp before laying still. Suì-Fēng's steely eyes hardened as she brought her gaze up to Gin. In one swift motion Suì-Fēng stood up and delivered a powerful roundhouse kick to the man's torso. The blow had him falling back into several of his men

The knights rushed Suì-Fēng with swords drawn. She ran to a stone hut and grabbed a few rusted horse shoes and chucked them at the soldier closest to her. Another man received a booted foot to the groin. One of the soldiers came running at the dark knight sword drawn, he brought it down at her exposed back but she ducked under and around him before elbowing him in the neck before he could right himself up. In the background several guards were doing their best to lift the winded Knight Captain from the floor. It was made difficult since he had all his senses knocked out of him. Suì-Fēng delivered a solid punch to a man's jaw and kicked him away from her into the building behind them. The soldiers who had been trying to help their captain up gave up and drew their swords. One came at her, she picked up a discarded sword and hit him in the back, with the flat side of the blade, when his swing missed her and caused him to lose balance. Gin, who was still disoriented, stood shakily to his feet. He wasn't even able to draw his blade when Suì-Fēng was upon him again this time with a fist to his face. The blow knocked him into an open flame.

Gin howled in pain as he landed butt first into the open fire. In pain and not knowing what to do, Gin began to scream and scramble along the ground as the tunic under his mail caught fire and began to burn his back. While the other knights were trying to dose the blaze, Suì-Fēng turned to retrieved her sword; she offered a small prayer of forgiveness as she pulled out the weapon from her departed friend. She saw her crossbow on the ground, a silent curse was sent at the boy, she picked it up and made her way to the large black stallion that was waiting for her behind a small hut… After mounting her horse, Suì-Fēng rode off into the direction she knew the young boy would have most likely taken.

"SUÌ-FĒNG!" Gin shouted as the knights finally extinguished the fire that had ruined his tunic.

Suì-Fēng rode her steed fast and hard, she recognized the form of the thief she had just rescued. She pushed her horse faster, causing her to close the gap between her and the young man. Ichigo heard the thundering hoof beat of a horse getting louder, and his eyes grew wide when he saw the black knight practically on top of him. He tried to run faster, but she was still gaining ground. Suì-Fēng leaned over to the side with her arm outstretched. In one fluid movement, Suì-Fēng grasped the back of Ichigo's clothes, lifted him upward, and threw him across the front of her saddle.

"How in the nine hell's did you do that!" Ichigo screamed not believing the strength the petite woman had.

Suì-Fēng ignored him as she rode to the town's main gate. As she approached the gate, a soldier that had been posted at there saw her approaching. Acting swiftly, he began to push close a sturdy looking gate. Suì-Fēng didn't stop. Ichigo gapped and covered his face sure he would be dead the next instant. There was a tug, weightlessness, and then a jostling. Ichigo uncovered his eyes and was amazed. They had jumped the gate and were riding off to their freedom. Suì-Fēng had also knocked out the guard who had closed the gate with a foot to his face.

Two soldiers on horses rode up to the closed gate. One reached down to open it. Before he could even touch it a large golden hawk swooped down and attacked him. The horses were startled and reared back knocking their riders to the ground. The hawk, seeing that it had provided adequate cover then flew off into the distance.

Well there you go…chapter one to a new story(not really since it's going to follow Ladyhawke very closely)…sigh and here I thought my muse would stop tormenting me like this. I was halfway through chp. 20 of Bleached Fantasy, when she decided she wanted to put Bleach characters in the Ladyhawke universe…she's also been assaulting me with something original as well…well as original as I can get with bleach characters, it wouldn't have anything to do with movies or games. Anyways all the chapters to this one are almost complete. I'm just going through them and fixing them up.

I hope you enjoy.

-K