Artemis: HIYA! No more summaries, go back and read the story if you forgot!

Disclaimer: (Aletta: Hm, bold this time) Yep. Not Aletta's.

Aletta: Oh, we're back at Karakura town, w/ Ava's POV

Hollows are getting easier and easier to beat. Life overall here was beginning to get more and more boring as I defeat hollows in minutes, to end up back at school to hear about Kurosaki for the rest of the day. I don't mind it, but just once could she talk about politics or something?

I've taken to talking to Kurosaki and his friends during school hours to save myself the agony. Honestly, the only friends of his I really enjoy being with aside from Kurosaki are Ishida and Sado/Chad, who turned out to be one of the ryoka with Kurosaki. Real quiet guy, with a handsome muscular build, like some kind of bodybuilder model. He was also a bit of a pacifist, and several times I've seen him playing hero and barely missing cars to save animals about to be run over and taking hits from bullies without even trying to fight back.

"Miura-san? Someone's looking for you." Kurosaki said, nodding his head toward a Soul Reaper I recognized as one of the members of the 12th Division, waving his hands wildly in my direction, gesturing for me to come over there when he caught my eye. I walked over to him, who was no doubt hoping to ask me about Kelchblute.

"Yes?"

"Miura Ava, you are being requested to return to Soul Society immediately for research purposes." He said, handing over a paper, telling me to go straight to the Research Institute at Soul Society. I shrugged, it looked official enough for me, and followed the Soul Reaper.

Perfect time for a Hollow to appear, and a pretty strong one by the feel of it. Both the 12th Division member and I pulled our Zanpakutos out, and the Hollow split itself into a perfect copy of itself. One copy quickly ran away from the other.

"What irony. I'll take the one on the left." I said, and the 12th Division member nodded, running after the Hollow. As soon as the Soul Reaper was gone, the Hollow disappeared, and a man appeared. He had blonde hair underneath a green and white striped hat, and he was twirling a cane at his side.

"Yes, it was somewhat ironic. Have to remember that for next time." He said, sweeping his hat off his head. "Urahara Kisuke, my dear lady. You are?"

"Miura Ava." I replied, raising an eyebrow at this guy's theatrics. The theatrics didn't stop, he swept upright with my hand in his, pressing his lips against it. I yanked my hand back, wiping it on the back of my kimono.

"Forgive me, I don't believe we've properly met. You must come to my shop for some refreshments and introductions." He said, and grabbed my hand once more and pulling with him.

"Wait, you own the candy shop. I need to report to 12th Division for something. And you can touch me." I said, my brain slowly working to figure out what's going on as he dragged me off somewhere. Like how he managed to appear just after the Hollow disappeared and seemed to have orchestrated it.

"It's not much of a candy shop, you're going to be missing that and yes. I'll explain all this to you at my shop."

When we got to his shop, a giant man and two children greeted me, a boy with red hair and a girl with dark hair. The man was very polite, and bowed and quickly got to work. The girl silently followed, later to come back with a tray of food and drinks. The boy just glared, like, I can't even think of a logical comparison. Like he hated me, thought why I don't know. I put it aside as the kid just being a grumpy worker.

"Miura-san, please take a seat." He said, sitting down on a square cushion next to a low table. I sat down on the cushion nearest to me, across from Urahara.

"What did you bring me here for? And that Hollow, did you know it was coming?"

"Would you like to try some Tomoe Ame?" Urahara asked, holding out a red-wrappered sweet. I took the candy and put it in my pocket, my Soul Candy'll like it, I'm sure. I sat, leaning back a bit as I waited for the man to answer my questions.

"Well?"

"Right. I brought you here to learn a bit about you. You seem to have cause quite a commotion down in Soul Society, and an old comrade of mine wanted me to keep you a secret from Soul Society until you're ready. I sent Ririn to distract him so I could bring you here."

"Ririn? Who is that?" I asked, and a young girl with bright blonde hair and a pink dress with a black collar walked in, and stood in front of me with her hands on her hips.

"This is the girl you wanted? I fought a 5th Seat Soul Reaper for her?!" The girl shrieked, eyeing me much like the redhaired boy, but less of an angry glare than an appraising look.

"This is Ririn, she is a Modified Soul I made that has the ability to create illusions. Ririn, this is Miura-san." The girl sighed, and sat down on a cushion down behind Urahara.

"Okay. Who is your 'old comrade'?" I said, using my fingers to make air quotes.

"Oh, you know him. I believe he is a Captain-Commander now." My jaw dropped. This candy shop man knows Yamamoto-sama! I blinked, shutting my mouth quickly and worked to form another question.

"Why does the Captain-Commander want me to be a secret?"

"He seems to think very highly of you. He wants me to help with your Zanpakuto training and keep you a secret until you're ready."

"Ready for what?"

"Beats me! Man, am I hungry. I could go for some sashimi right now. What sounds better, mackerel or octopus? I personally-"

"How about the Zanpakuto training?" I interrupted

"There's not much I can do for you." He said, "If you have any questions for me, you know where to find me. Have a nice evening." And the big man suddenly appeared, waiting to lead me out.

"How is it that I became a Soul Reaper?" I asked, and the big man left again, and Urahara rubbed his chin.

"Soul Reapers are simply souls with spiritual pressure and without any feelings of remorse of anger toward the living or their past life. My guess is that you simply didn't have any anger or feelings tying you to your past life."

"No. I mean..." I paused. What would Soul Society do if they knew I was an ex-Quincy?

"Miura-san. Whatever you say here is between you and me. I can assure you that Soul Society will have no business with what you divulge here, if you would rather it stay that way." Urahara said, and I noticed Ririn nodding behind him.

"Kelchblute, my Zanpakuto, has been hinting to me that I was a Quincy when I died." I explained. He hummed, acting like that was new information to him, but something tells me that he knew that the entire time.

"How did you die?"

"I drowned. An arrancar pushed me off the bridge, but when I died, I thought I jumped off." He hummed again, this time sounding genuinely interested.

"Most Quincys died by Hollows, or Soul Reapers, meaning their spiritual pressure and their soul, in the case of Hollows, enters into the victor. Dying by natural causes, and no doubt being given a Soul Burial before the Arrancar could take your soul, is the reason for your being a Soul Reaper today."

"Makes sense. So, do I still have my Quincy powers?" I asked, but I realized he wouldn't know anything after I said it.

"It would make sense for you to have retained your powers, but then again, not everything makes sense."

"Okay. So, what now?"

"You pay for all the candy you stole here a couple days ago!" The red-haired kid burst in yelling. I groaned and reached into my pocket for my roll of money, getting smaller and smaller.

"This gigai is going to run me dry. So much for clothes shopping here." I said as I pulled out some bills. Urahara stopped me, holding my arm back.

"No need. It's on the house. But if you require a different Soul Candy, I have a few Chappy in stock. I hear they're still popular."

"Nah, I think I can put up with mine. But I'll keep your offer in mind. I better get going." I said, and headed for the door, and the sun beginning to touch the tops of the buildings, preparing for its setting. I turned back to Urahara, "Hey, what happened to the Soul Reaper that came to take me to the 12th?"

"Oh, nothing too horrible." Urahara said with a sly smile, his eyes shadowed with his hat, "Have a nice evening, Miura-san!"

Aletta: I'm sorry, I had too much fun learning about Japan. Tomoe Ame is jelly candies. Sashimi is thinly sliced fish. Um, if there are other terms you don't understand, let me know, via reviewing. SPEAKING OF REVIEWING! You people need to do that more often. And a big thanks to Wintervines, who has been reviewing since chapter 2 or 3, and I'm very grateful for the criticism and compliments.