Hello! (: I know that most of you are probably mad that this took so so long, but I am truly sorry! I just got back into school and was swamped with homework and then my computer was ubducted by my sister...so i'm reaaaal ysoor and for that I made this chapter a little longer than usual! (: I hope you enjoy and I hope that this will go faster since homework has kinda died down a bit... HOPEFULLY! (;

Anyways...I hope you enjoy and please review! (:

*I do not own bleach or any of the characters*

TPOV

"WHAT!"

Kurosaki and Arabai both clambered up to me and yelled in my face.

Ichimaru and Kuchiki had left a few minutes after I had come out of the room with the King.

I took a step back and glared at them until they straightened and moved away from me.

They looked at each other, then at me. "What do you mean, 'I'll be leaving to go to the other side of the freaking country to take a little girl to the King'?" Kurosaki said, throwing his hands up in the air.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "I mean, I will be taking miss Hinamori to the King of Kage no Tochi so that she can marry him and save this empire. It is not that difficult of a concept, Kurosaki."

Kurosaki rubbed his head and groaned. Arabai spoke up, "Awe, but…. You're just a kid! You're gonna get killed!" He told me, concern in his voice. "Not to mention that there's probably a bunch of dudes trying to kill her and you're going all by yourself? Jesus, and knowing you, and how much you like to protect people, you're gonna start to like her! Baha! That'd be funny! I mean, shit, she's probably taller than you!" He suppressed a laugh.

I raised an eyebrow and Abarai and Kurosaki suddenly started shivering.

Abarai held up his hands to me, "I-I-I'm-m s-s-s-so-sor-r-ry. I t-take it b-back." He rubbed his arms and a puff of air came out of his lips.

I sighed. "Abarai, Kurosaki, you didn't let me finish."

I looked at them sternly, "I was told by the King that I am allowed to bring one or two of my sub-ordinates." I stated.

They both stared at me, their mouths hung open.

I raised an eyebrow, getting annoyed. "What?"

Kurosaki and Abarai smiled broadly, "So you chose us? Awe, Little Toshiro's gotten to be a Little Soft Toshiro!"

I growled at them but nodded. "Yes. I chose you two. We leave in two days. Be ready." With that I left them grinning at each other.

Sometimes, they were worse than the dog.

MPOV

I woke up to a loud clang coming from downstairs. I hopped out of bed, not worrying about my hair or the way I looked, and ran down the flight of stairs.

"Miss Hinamori, shouldn't you be in bed?"

I turned my head and saw Orihime standing at the top of the stairs, her hands on her hips, and her mouth set in a frown.

I smiled sheepishly at her, "I just…um…h-heard something in the kitchen, and thought I should see what was happening…." I told her, looking down.

I heard her sigh, then felt a hand on top of my head.

I looked up and saw Orihime smiling at me.

"It's alright, Miss Hinamori. Go on, I'll be upstairs if you need me." With that, she walked off, bouncing up the stairs. I sighed and turned around, then slammed into something cold and hard.

What the –

"I'm terribly sorry, Miss Hinamori."

My head snapped up and stared into beautiful teal eyes. My eyes widened and I felt the heat rush to my face.

I took a step back, getting away from Toshiro Hitsugaya.

"W-W-What a-are yo-u-u doing h-here?" I stammered, trying to hide the blush on my face with my hands.

"I am here to protect you." He said calmly.

I removed my hands from my face and saw that his eyes and lips were still set in a frown.

I looked at him, confused, "I t-though th-that… you were o-only taking me t-to the King?"

He looked behind me, then down the stairs, then back to me. "Come. You look tired."

I stared at him as he mentioned for me to go in front of him. He stared back with his cold gaze.

I ducked my head and shuffled down the stairs, Hitsugaya trailing not far behind me.

We walked into the kitchen and in there were not the chefs, but two boys – no, men. One with short, spiky orange hair, the other had long red hair that was pulled back into a high ponytail. They were both so tall that I felt like a little ant that was standing next to a foot.

Hearing us, they turned around.

The orange-haired boy had a turkey leg in his hand like a caveman and a bottle of sake in the other. He had brown eyes that looked as if someone had melted chocolate.

The other boy, the man with red hair, that frankly, sort of looked like a pineapple with a growth, had tattoos across his forehead and tattoos that looked like his eyebrows. He had a whole pie clutched to his chest and a fork in his mouth.

They both stared at Hitsugaya, who was radiating 'annoyed'.

The two boys dropped what they were eating and grinned at Hitsugaya.

"Well, of it ain't Miss Momo Hinamori! What a pleasure!" Carrot Top announced, grinning at me.

I shied back, tilting my head down.

"Awe, now don't be shy. We don't bite….well I don't. Can't say for Renji over here!" Carrot Top howled at his own joke.

The Infected Pineapple, or who Carrot Top had called Renji, glared at him, then smiled at me.

"Never mind him, he was beaten as a kid." He punched Carrot Top in the arm.

He looked up at Hitsugaya and grinned, "What'd I tell – "

Renji went quiet as soon as Hitsugaya stepped forward.

My eyes widened. He was so….small compared to them, yet, they were afraid of them.

He whispered something into Renji's ear, then glared at Carrot Top.

They both stood up straight and Carrot Top smiled at me sweetly.

"Hey, sorry bout that!" He said, rubbing the back of his head. He held out a hand to me, "The names Kurosaki Ichigo, but you can just call me Ichigo. Even though the asshole over there won't." He finished and winked at me.

Hitsugaya glared at him and punched him in the gut. Ichigo went over, laughing.

Renji laughed at Ichigo, then turned to me. "Abarai Renji. Renji's just fine though." He smiled, I shook his hand and smiled cautiously back.

He held my hand for a few more seconds –

"Alright, alright. Time to get upstairs. We have to leave tomorrow." Hitsugaya grabbed my arm and steered me towards the stairs.

I had to lightly jog to keep up with him.

I heard another clang, laughter, but then something else. It sounded almost like….

"Get down!" Hitsugaya screamed and pushed me to the floor, covering his body with mine.

I yelped and covered my ears as something exploded behind us.

Hitsugaya and I lifted our heads and looked behind us, seeing armed men marching towards us.

Fear raced through my veins.

"Hold onto me!" Histugaya yelled, his features never changing from the frown.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and held on, pressing my face into the curve of his neck.

I felt him stand up, then run down the stairs.

"Kurosaki! Abarai!" He yelled, holding onto me tightly.

"Yeah!" They both replied.

I lifted my head and saw them running behind us, a sword hanging from Renji's waist; and Ichigo's strapped to his back.

Hitsugaya flipped his head towards the massive hole, "Go, now! I need to get her to safety."

They nodded and disapeared in a blink of an eye.

I whimpered and clung to Hitsugaya.

"Shhh, it's going to be okay, just hold on tight." He soothed, alothough his voice was still hard.

I felt him running. Running where? I have no idea. Although I think that it would be somehwere safe.

I heard another bone-shattering explosion and then shrieks. I opened my eyes and looked past Hitsugaya's shoulder. There were bodies strewn all over the floor, blood pooled around them. Some had their limb burned right off, other had no heads, and their necks gushed blood so dark it almost looked black.

I looked closer, trying not to vomit, and recognized one of the dead.

He had long, spiky black hair, a pointy nose, and toned muscles. A tattoo flowed down his arm and stopped on the back of his hand.

I felt tears jump to my eyes and my stomach heaved.

"Stop! Stop, stop!" I screamed at Hitsugaya. He looked at me, shock in his eyes, but stopped running, staring at me.

"What - "

I wriggeld out of his grasp and stumbled towards the bodies.

I heard Hitsugaya turn and start to race after me.

"Hinamori!"

I kept on running.

"Hinamori!"

He grabbed my arm and pulled me away.

"No! Let go!" I shrieked, hoping to make him deaf.

He stepped back, but didn't let go of my arm.

I whiped my head to him, tears falling out of my eyes. Hie eyes widened and he let go of my arm, keeping his hand in the air.

I let out a sob and ran.

Gettin closer, I realized that his eyes were closed, his mouth parted slightly. His chest didn't move.

No...no...no!

I screamed at the top of my lungs.

"Kaien!"

Well, ther we go! (:

Sorry again for the long wait, hopefully things will go a bit faster!

Please review! :3