So I've decided to pick this story up again. You know who encouraged me to do it? MY MOM OF ALL PEOPLE!? I don't know if she hates fanfiction but I know she doesn't like it. When she found my page 100 years ago she was like "wtf are you writing, but I liked butterfly." So finally, now that I've finished Bleach and rewatched Spirited Away I'm going to try this fic again!

Notes: I'll be replacing the original third and fourth chapter. I hope you guys like it! Thanks for being patient.

"So Ichigo."

"Yeah?"

"You're a thing?"

"A Soul Reaper."

"Right, and what exactly does that mean? Also you can stop holding my hand, I'll follow you without question at this point."

It was lunch break now and Ichigo, as well as his pretty black haired friend, couldn't take their eyes off of me during class. It made it very hard for me to pay attention. As soon as the teacher dismissed us Ichigo came over, took my wrist, and dragged me off. I guess he's going to explain everything to me but he doesn't need to be so grouchy about it.

"Hey there buddy, watch what you do with Chihiro!"

We both stopped and turned around. It was Usaka. She looked seriously angry as she stormed over to take my free hand.

"I don't care how cute you are, kidnapping is not cool! You must be a delinquent!? I should have trusted my better judgement."

"It's okay Usaka," I interjected, "Ichigo and I just have some things to talk over."

"And you're on a first name basis already!? You just met him today, what could you possibly have to talk over unless… Oh I get it you little dirtwater fox," her expression shifted immediately to something of a cheeky grin, "I'll give you time with your oh so special boyfriend."

I freed myself from Ichigo and pulled Usaka off to the side, and scream whispered at her, "First of all it's nothing like that!"

"You don't need to hide it from me, we're besties!"

"No, Usaka. Ichigo…" I looked back to him, how much am I allowed to say, "Ichigo can see spirits too."

"Oh shut up no way," she was dumbstruck, looking back at Ichigo then back to me, "So you're not dating him?"

"No, we just have to talk about some spirit sensitive stuff because… uhhh… neither of us know anyone else who can do it," I said probably half lying.

"So he's a nice guy who can see ghosts and handsome to boot?"

"I don't know about that, he's kind of grumpy."

"Oh my god he's a tsundere."

"Hey," Ichigo called, making his way over to our girl circle of two, "We don't have a lot of time. I'd like to also eat on this lunch break."

"Right," I turned to Usaka, "I'll meet you for lunch back in the classroom. I just want to understand a little more about the spirit world if I can and I think Ichigo has some answers."

"Do your thing girl, I'll be waiting for you," she smiled, turning back to head to the classroom.

I returned to Ichigo's side, "I'm not sure what I'm allowed to say, but I told her you can see spirits too. She just thinks we're ghost hunting. Is that okay?"

Ichigo groaned, "no that's not okay… but I guess it's better than the alternative."

Something about how he phrased that rubbed me the wrong way, but I decided to ignore it. He's right. Better be seen as ghost hunters than "the alternative." We made our way outside, behind the school. There, up in a tree, the pretty black haired girl was sitting. She was waiting for us.

"Ichigo," her smile was gone, "this is her?"

He nodded and stepped back, I bowed slightly, "I'm Chihiro."

She didn't say anything for a moment, she only stared at me. I let her, although it was a little uncomfortable. I decided to look at her too. Why were she and Ichigo both so angry? Is she a black robe- Soul Reaper too? She nodded to herself, as if she understood something.

"I'm Rukia Kuchiki," she said extending her hand, "which squad do you belong to?"

I stared at her confused then, so she pulled her hand away and said, "as I thought. So, who are you really?"

"Who am I really? I don't understand? I'm Chihiro?"

Rukia seemed to get even angrier, "you were handling a Zanpakuto and even released a Bankai. Only a Soul Reaper would know how to do that. You must belong to a squad."

"Do you think she's untrained," Ichigo asked.

"That's impossible," Rukia replied dryly, not even looking at her orange haired school mate, "If you can't tell me who you are then I'll have no other choice than to bring you to the Soul Society and have you charged for-"

"I don't understand anything you're saying," I said suddenly, "What's the Soul Society? I didn't… Bankai? My friend just came and helped me. Ichigo was the one to kill the hollow, I didn't do anything!"

Rukia's face didn't change but Ichigo looked worried, "Hey Rukia… Maybe you shouldn't-"

"No, Ichigo. We have to know what she is or she can't be allowed to roam free. What if she's lying?"

Ichigo looked at me and for the first time since I've met him he didn't look so irritated, "I don't think she is."

We all stood in silence for a while. I started to get hungry. I tried not to think about it. I just stood there with them. I came here to understand what I saw this morning but so far I'm more confused than I've ever been. Why do they think I'm a Soul Reaper like them?

"Alright, we'll make this unofficial," Rukia finally said, "Meet us at the school gate when class lets out. Let no one know where you're going, give your friend some kind of excuse. Our roles as Soul Reapers must remain a secret. Do you understand?"

"Y-Yes," I managed.

"Very well, we're done here," she said starting to leave.

"Hey Rukia, we're not going to go see Hat and Clogs are we?" He sounded exhausted for some reason.

She turned back and gave him a smirk, "Who else would we see?"

He groaned, bent over. I didn't know what to do. Could I leave now? I was seriously getting hungry. My stomach was doing that thing where you know it's going to start making sounds sooner rather than later. I had to make my escape.

Ichigo stood straight up again, "Alright! So after school we're going to go see this weird guy. He knows a lot about Soul Reapers and the Soul Society and maybe he can figure out what's going on with you."

"I still don't understand."

"Neither do we, that's why we're going."

"Okay…"

"Hey," I looked up when he called out to me, his usual grumpy expression returning, "I believe you."

If you really took a moment to look at him Ichigo was handsome, even when he was scowling. I really appreciate him right now. I was feeling kind of lost and alone. The feeling was reminding me of when I was ten and couldn't find my parents. The rocks turned into a river and I wound up hiding and crying behind a restaurant. Then Haku found me. Haku, where did you go? Why do you keep disappearing?

"Thanks, Ichigo."

I returned to the classroom alone. There was still plenty of time to eat my lunch if I hurried. Usaka was sitting with our lunch boxes, she had already started eating. I took the seat in front of her.

"So, how was everything," she asked, "I hope you don't mind, I've already started eating."

I opened my lunch box and took out a rice ball, everything's been working in circles lately, "I'm not sure. I think there are different kinds of people who can see spirits, maybe they're not even people?"

"Was he mean to you? He does look kind of scary sometimes?"

"No, you were right," I smiled taking a bite, the rice ball was filled with Salmon, "He's secretly really nice."

She smiled too, "I'm glad."

After school Usaka told me she was going to an alien hunters club and invited me to come along. I told her I was busy, that my mom would kill me if I didn't clean my room. She laughed, accepting my excuse before parting ways. I walked to my shoe locker and placed my slippers inside. My regular shoes were still muddy from this morning. I'd have to clean them later. I pat off some of the dirt before slipping them on. I didn't see any soot sprites this time.

"Hey Rukia," I said approaching her and Ichigo at the gate.

She didn't say anything. Ichigo gave me a quick "yo." And then we were off. We walked along some side streets I've never even seen, and I've lived here for five years now. I saw a big fat cat walking along a high wall. Was that Muta? I wondered if the Baron lived around here before he died. Maybe that was his house? As we continued walking stranger and stranger shops began lining the streets. I wondered what was even sold in shops like those.

One more back alley and we came across the strangest shop of all. Well, looking at it it didn't look very strange. It was a japanese style two story house with sliding doors and a van parked beside it. There was a white sign with black Kanji on it above the doors: "Urahara Shop."

"This way," Rukia said, she was never this stoic in school.

Ichigo followed her without a word so I followed too. If all of your friends jump off a cliff will you jump too? I don't think so, I don't even know if we're all friends? Still I'm finding myself jumping into whatever crazy mixed up world this strange feeling shop has to offer. I took one step onto the staircase that lead to the door and felt an immense tremor. My whole body shook, screaming at me to get away from this place. Did Ichigo feel it? Does Rukia feel it? The pressure eased up when we entered the store.

It was filled with candy.

"Rukia! Long time no see," I jumped at the new voice, I never even heard anyone coming.

A man with blond hair, a green stripe hat, and wooden clogs walked out of the back. He wore a short robe as a shirt but it was barely closed. His eyes were covered by his hat and hair, but his smile was as big and wild as Rukia's in class. I wonder if it's fake?

"And I see you brought company! So this must be a big job. Now I'd like to help you today but it's inconvenient."

"Excuse me?" Rukia didn't seem offended, she just wanted clarification.

"Well you see I have another client in today. That's really all I can say."

There was a crash in the room he came from and he ran back to it. Rukia followed him and Ichigo went with her. I didn't know what to do so I just stood there. Should I have followed? Well, someone will get me if that's the case. I wonder what we're doing here. This is just a candy store isn't it? Then again, what was that feeling I got when I entered?

I observed all the candy names. I had never heard of any of them. Then I saw small red ones in a jar. I feel like I've seen these before? Where was it again? I looked around for anyone to help me. Well I can pay him when he get's back. My dad has been a horrible influence on me. I opened the lid and reached into the jar retrieving the small red sphere. Then a hand touched my shoulder.

"Chihiro."

I turned around, "Haku!"

But there was no one there.

"Don't eat that," it was his voice, but I couldn't see him.

"Haku, where are you?"

He stopped talking to me after that. It was as if I could physically feel him leaving the room. I whispered his name again. That brought him to me this morning but it didn't bring him now. I put the candy down. Neither Rukia nor Ichigo had come back for me yet. I feel like I'm ten again. I want to just sit down on the floor, hug my knees to my chest, and sigh all day. I should have gone straight home after school, maybe then I wouldn't feel this way.

"Hey, who are you?" It was a little red haired boy, "humans shouldn't be here."

"Humans," I stared at him, "Then what are you?"

He snickered at me, grabbing a broom from behind one of the candy counters, and running back into the halls. I didn't know if I could wait any longer so I decided to follow the boy like a white rabbit into the hallway of the candy shop.