Alrighty, here we go, Chapter 8! Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed, and reviewed. You guys are awesome!

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, Just Ashwina and everything that accompanies her presence.

Enjoy~


Bounty

Chapter 8


Genryusai Yamamoto hunched over his cane, on the balcony of his office. His eyes were closed, hands tucked neatly over the gnarled head of the wooden staff. The expanse of the Seretei lay spread out wide beneath him. The flow of reiatsu was constant, fluctuating everywhere as his shinigami tried to subdue the Ryoka. Focusing in on the Eleventh Division, he noted that Third Seat Ikkaku Madarame's own Reiatsu had drastically dropped, while an unknown signature was quickly heading South. Between the two, however, was an abundant amount of Pure Energy, which was lazily following the Ryoka.

The mental image of her, lollipop hanging from her mouth as she watched the chaos around her, immediately assaulted him. A low grumble vibrated in his throat as he pushed the image away. "She is nothing but trouble, remember that you old fool."

But...

Bright green eyes peeked up at him from beneath uneven silver bangs, staring over the expanse of a wooden desk that was almost as tall as her. Chunky baby cheeks split into a wide grin, exposing two missing teeth along her bottom jaw, when he finally acknowledged her presence. "Yama, looky!"

The shock of silver hair disappeared, followed quickly by the patter of fat, clumsy slaps of feet as she ran around the desk. She stumbled around the turn, catching herself with another bright smile. He laughed as she finally made it to him, turning his chair to face her as she held up those tiny little hands that fit inside one of his. It always amazed him how tiny she was.

"Looky, Yama. I made for you!" She held her hands over his, prompting him to open them invitingly. A slop of clay, spit, and crushed bananas spattered into his hands. "I made you for you!" Deadpanning, the young man inspected the mess slightly, seeing there was in fact two poppy seeds that were supposedly eyes, a patch of what he hoped wasn't dog fur for his own black hair, and a smile made out of melon seeds. "You like?"

She was doing it again, making that stupid face. She pushed her lips out more, jutting the bottom one out farther as her eyes seemed to shine even brighter. Stupid face.

But he couldn't deny it.

"Yes, Ashwina, I love it."

Then she'd smile, that bright toothless smile, and the mess all over his hands, dripping onto his armor, was always worth it.

Shaking his head, hard, the Captain Commander instead focused his thoughts onto the present. The girl out there now, that wasn't the sweet little Ashwina he knew. She is in the past, long gone buried beneath the hardships of life and regret. The past was just that, the past, and he'd best leave it there. "Ah, Zaraki is on the move again..."


Ichigo's P.O.V.

"Damn it, where did he go?" I ran down the road, getting more aggravated by the minute as Ganju still didn't appear. 'According to Ikkaku, that guy is the fifth strongest in their division.' Feather-man's 'face' appeared in my mind's eye...well I know he has feathers on his face. 'I have to go and help Ganju, but...'

"I can't find him anywhere! Ahh, this sucks!" These roads were confusing, all the same with no difference. How the hell am I supposed to find him when this place is just like a giant maze? There's no way I'm going to just stumble across him, and I can't see him. A light bulb suddenly went off. 'But...I could hear him!'

Sucking in a large breath, I raised my hand to my mouth. "GANJU WHERE ARE YOU? IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, LIGHT A FIREWORK OR SOMETHING...YOU..." I could feel eyes, lots of eyes, on me. "Idiot..." Looking to my left, a mob of shinigami stare right back, surprised. "Crap."

"GET HIM! IT'S THE ORANGE HAIRED SHINIGAMI!"

"KILL HIM!"

"KILL HIM IN THE NAME OF CAPTAIN ZARAKI!"

"I forgot they're looking for me."

High tailing it out of there, I continued down the endless twists and turns. More shinigami kept popping up in front of me, joining the mob chasing me 'in the name of Captain Zaraki'.

"GANJU WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!"


Ashwina's P.O.V

I walked along the road, savoring my last strawberry lollipop, trailing Ichigo's energy. "Damn kid must be running." Sighing, I shook my head as another small troop of shinigami ran by the head of my alley. "Why do they always run? Fuckin' idiot wants to get killed." I shrugged at that. "Yeah, actually, he probably does. These kids really have no sense of self-preservation."

"GANJU WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"Oh no, no no, that better not be-"

"IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, LIGHT A FIREWORK OR SOMETHING...YOU..."

"GET HIM! IT'S THE ORANGE HAIRED SHINIGAMI!"

"KILL HIM!"

"KILL HIM IN THE NAME OF CAPTAIN ZARAKI!"

Hanging my head back in utter desperation, I groaned to the sky, shaking my arms behind me. "Ichigo. I'm gonna chop you so hard in the throat." Quickly leaping up onto the rooftop, I followed the path of utter destruction after that idiot. Giant clouds of dust littered the roadways, like a pretty little breadcrumb trail of chaos. "Okay, I can work with this."

That kid's pretty fast, though. Giving up on running, I started quick jumps to try and close the distance. The clouds began getting closer and closer, and I could swear I heard that idiot's heroic yelp. Mid-jump, I found myself suddenly face-to-face with a very startled shinigami. He had feathers adorning his eyebrow and straight black hair. "B-bounty hunter?!"

"Sup." With that, I jumped away, turning back in surprise when a sudden explosion sounded from behind. Bright fireworks lit up the sky, right where Mr. Feather-head had been. 'Huuuh...I'm guessing that would be Ganju.'


Space Cadet's P.O.V

I sighed in relief as the giant shinigami suddenly turned and left. Luck was on our side, I was sure he was going to find our hiding spot. Smiling to Uryu, I quickly stood up and brushed my shirt off.

"Inoue-san!" I looked up in surprise as Uryu's eyes widened just a fraction. A large shadow fell over my body, extending over the rooftop. Slowly, I started to turn, only to find myself across the roof as a sword impaled the spot I had previously stood. Uryu's arm tightened once around my shoulder as the large shinigami began counting.

"One...Two...Three...Four...Five...Six..."

Turning away from him, I looked up to Uryu with a small smile. "Thank you, Ishida...I'm fine now."

"Yeah," Uryu didn't look at me, his eyes were focused on our opponent. "I can tell."

This Uryu was different. He's focused, neutral, and in-control. The minute the shinigami had appeared, the difference was instant. Uryu, who had been across the rooftop, had disappeared suddenly. His technique is not to be underestimated. 'Just like Yuroichi-san said, Ishida is a quincy. To him, shinigami are the enemies.'

"TEN!"

Uryu fell into position, whether it is defensive or offensive, I couldn't tell, but he's ready. The shinigami pointed at us, shaking his index-finger back in forth. "Alright, time allowed for repenting is up! Have you guys repented enough?"

'Repent? What does he mean?'

"He's coming," Uryu's voice was quiet, but commanding. "Hm," I nodded, falling into an offensive position beside him, preparing for the attack to come. 'I can do this!'

"From now on, you will be even more regretful!" With that, the shinigami came straight for me, his sword already coming down in a strong arc. Uryu and I leaped, going in opposite directions as his sword cut into the rooftop. Raising my left hand to my hair clip, I summoned Tsubaki. "Tsubaki! Kotenzanshun, I reject!"

A bright light exploded from her hair, revealing Tsubaki as he closed in on the shinigami. Poised for attack, Tsubaki gained speed just as the Shinigami turned to face them. In an instant, he raised his sword, cutting Tsubaki. Pain reverberated in me, whether is was Tsubaki's or my own, I have no idea. "TSUBAKI!" Running forward, I caught him as he landed, bloody and broken, in my outstretched hands. "You idiot," his voice was weak. "Why did you use this kind of weak attack?"

This wasn't Tsubaki, he should be hitting me, screaming in anger. "Tsubaki..."

"Even though it was my first time seeing that kind of technique, all I can say is that your attack does not contain killing intent!" The deep voice of my opponent came from right behind me, sending fear down my spine. "Even if that attack can kill hollows, it won't work against a shinigami like myself. Do you mistake this place for an amusement park?" Shocked, I turned to face the giant. 'An amusement park...?'

His face was shadowed, those large eyes staring intently down on me. "This is a war zone! Attacks without killing intent..." Suddenly, he was swinging. His sword raised high above my head in a hard downward strike. "Won't stop anything!"

A bright flash of blue tore through the air, connecting with a loud thunk. The shinigami's arm suddenly flew away, blood flowing profusely from his sword hand. "Ah?" His wide eyes stared, surprised, at the sudden wound.

"You want an attack full of 'killing intent'?" Uryu's voice was strangely calm, devoid of almost all emotion. Except for hate, hatred for all shinigami. He stood tall, smoke billowing past him. His bow hung loose, but ready, in his right hand. "Then come get me. My bow is full of it, your favorite killing intent."

"Oh, this is new." The Shinigami had gotten over his shock. He stared Uryu down, his face full of indifference at the new threat. "Are you a quincy?"

"That's right."

I couldn't help but stare, my eyes fixated on Uryu's bow. It's a different bow from the one he had used before, and he's wearing a glove now, too. In order to fully utilize this new bow, Uryu had trained by himself.

"Hn, now this is interesting! One uses weird techniques, and the other is a quincy...they're both airborne weapon users." The Shinigami's voice started to rise in excitement as he stood to his full height. "Plus, it's two people together, that want to defeat me! Such an encounter, it's like destiny's playing a joke." I watched in confusion, weary as the the shinigami's spiritual pressure began to rise slightly. "I'll show you it, then. The real strength of my zanpakutou!" He suddenly flipped his sword, pointing the blade straight up as he laid his palm flat on the point. "Open your wings and fly high: Tsunzakigarasu!"

Suddenly, he flattened his hand, pressing it straight down to the hilt. The blade itself dispersed into many small flying, double-edged blades. "How's that?! Regret all you want now, I am Ziroubou of the Seventh Division!" I could feel my eyes widening, disbelief at what I was seeing. The small blades flew around Ziroubou, slicing through the air easily. "Countless knives dancing in the air, all of those who have seen it never live after! So, how's that? It's too fast for the eyes to see, right? Fighting with me, an expert at airborne weapons, you guys will regret forever!"

The air suddenly lit up blue as every single flying blade shattered. The blue streaks of Uryu's arrows littered the sky, destroying each one precisely and with ease. Ziroubou's already wide eyes stretched even farther, his confident smirk still frozen in place. "Such an interesting thing. This is different from the living world." Uryu's face was still impassive as ever, he didn't seem the least bit worried. '...but I, on the other hand, I'm so useless and scared.'

"It seems like the 'strongest expert in the soul society' is just an idiot who talks nonstop." I jumped as the man suddenly turned, shoving the hilt of his zanpakuto back into its sheath. "How's that possible! That was just luck, don't get too arrogant..." He began to draw his sword once again, the tiny knives already formed inside the sheath. However, Uryu's arrow just pierced through them again, destroying every last one before they even left the sheath along with a portion of Ziroubou's left hand. "I'm very sorry, but it seems the 'strongest' title will be given to someone else."

The quincy took a few steps forward, his bow raised perfectly parallel with his body. He looks so intense right now, ready to draw blood. It seems Uryu was much more prepared then I, his heart steeled with the will for a fight, to draw the blood of his enemy. "When it comes to airborne weapons, it seems like I'm better than you."

The pain seemed to finally register with the shinigami as he fell to his knee, left hand clutched in the other as blood poured freely from the wound. "Damn brat! My left hand!" Stoically, Uryu continued approaching, his eyes hard as he stared down on our opponent. "Are you regretting now? As a user of a range weapon, you're the unlucky one to me."

"You're asking if I'm regretting?! You little brat!" Suddenly, I was once again faced with the man overshadowing me as he turned. "As I've told you before, the one who will regret this..." He reached for me, his undamaged hand at least 5x the size of my head. "Is you!" Uryu appeared, standing between my attacker and me, his bow raised and drawn. I froze, again, still shaking in fright as Uryu once again saved me.

"Did you decide to attack Inoue-san instead because you could not defeat me? Or were you planning on using Inoue-san as your hostage?" My eyes dropped to the ground, I guess the only thing I am good for would be as a hostage. 'Useless...'

"Come to think of it, from the beginning, you've been picking on Inoue-san. Such a lowly action that is, picking on a girl. How can you do it so thoughtlessly? If you think it makes you look good, then you're dead wrong." The shinigami hadn't moved an inch, his wide eyes were full of fright as he stared down the glowing arrow directly in his face. "Enough said, it's time to end this. I can't spare any more time for you to regret your bad decision," Uryu's cold voice sent shivers down my spine as he released two arrows into the shinigami. He flew back, chest and stomach both pierced by the glowing blue energy, before landing heavily on the rooftop.

I watched, my gut twisting in guilt and apprehension, as Uryu released his bow. He stared down at the glove adorning his arm, his face thoughtful. "Thank you, Ishida-kun..." He jumped a bit at my gratitude, his eyes widening a fraction before he adjusted his glasses in embarrassment. "It was nothing, no need to thank me-"

"I think you did great!" I smiled brightly as he stared, his eyebrows raised in question. 'Even if I couldn't do anything, you were great Ishida-kun. You need to know how great you really were, and how much I really do appreciate your help'. I couldn't say those words, though. Instead, I continued to smile, taking his pink tinted cheeks as embarrassment.


Ashwina's P.O.V

Finally, I caught up to Ichigo. He was surrounded by a lot of shinigami and apparently had taken another as a hostage. 'Huh, that kid looks familiar...' I cocked my head to the side, getting ready to call out to Ichigo. However, just as I arrived on scene, landing atop one of the many rooftops...

BOOM!

"HOLY SHIT!"

I went airborne, the sudden blast decimating the wall and knocking out quite a few of the pesky shinigami. My back slammed into the ground, an alley over. Staring up at the sky, I just tried to breathe while commotion galore suddenly overtook the neighboring road. "What in the actual fuck was that?" The air filled with the terrified manly screams before the wall blasted apart. A bright light enveloped the area, shooting high into the sky. Debris of all sizes fell around me, some landing oh so gently on my already abused body.

"Ah, fuck me," groaning, I ran a hand down my face, cursing the gods once again. Two feet appeared beside me, leading up two very long legs. "Oh, it's you Bounty Hunter." I craned my neck a bit, peeking through my fingers, barely making out Chad's hair-covered face. "Hey, there kiddo. Mind giving me a hand." My arm barely lifted before I was suddenly yoked up and hanging in the air by the back of my shirt. I twisted back and forth a bit, completely eye level with the soft-spoken giant. "Thanks?" He just grunted before tossing me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Then he blasted another goddamn hole in the wall.

"So," I swayed precariously, thumping against his back. "Seen dandelion-head about?" He just grunted. Well, that was fucking helpful. "Yeah, we just missed him." Sighing, I perched my head atop my hand, and watched the roadways as we walked through hole in the wall after hole in the wall. "You know, this might not be the best approach to being stealthy. Maybe we should try hopping over the walls, less chance of people finding us and stabbing you to death." Once again, I was dignified with a grunt and a blast in the wall. "Or fuck it, we could just keep blasting holes in the wall. You're the leading man here, totally your call."

"You talk a lot."

"You don't."

"Yeah," he suddenly stopped, putting me down on my feet before crouching down with his back to me. I just stared at him, head cocked to the side with a small smirk tugging at my lips. This kid is funny. "You know I can walk on my own, right?"

"Faster if I carry you." Okay, check that, he's an angel. "Okay, yeah sure. I won't complain to a free-ride." With that, I clambered on, and we continued on our way of destruction. He started jogging when we saw another cloud of dust suddenly mushroom from a few roads away. "I bet on all of my candy that's fucking Ichigo."

"Hn," he sped up, punching through the walls. However, once we arrived, all that was left were unconscious and groaning shinigami. "Fuck, we missed him." There was another commotion ahead, and yells erupting from behind us. I peeked back, noticing a large horde of Shinigami closing in on our position. "Keep moving, we'll catch up to him eventually." He didn't even dignify me with a response this time, just punched the wall and took off. Yep, I definitely like this one. I laughed at the stunned shinigami as they arrived on scene, some blatantly staring at us in shock.

"Can I keep you when this is all over?"

"Hn."

"That's totally a yes."


Fourth Division 3rd P.O.V.

BOOM!

"Kuku, are you sure you have nothing to say, huh?" Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Captain of the Twelfth Division, and Nemu Kurotsuchi, Vice-Captain of the Twelfth Division; stood calmly within the now steaming large hole in the wall, staring calmly down at the recovering patient. "Madarame-kun?" Ikkaku Madarame kept his head turned, not even dignifying the man with a response. Suddenly, the quick patter of footsteps approaching interrupted their 'conversation'.

"Please, no fighting, Captain! It isn't permitted in the Fourth Division-"

BOOM!

"BE QUIET!" The nurse cowered, just barely dodging the shot that had decimated yet another wall. Terrified, the woman ran down the hall, leaving them alone once again. "Mayuri-sama..."

"You, too, Nemu. Do you want me to cut you up again?!"

Demure and neutral, as always, the black-haired woman lowered her eyes respectfully. "No, I'm sorry." Ikkaku watched the exchange from the corner of his eyes, gut twisting uncomfortably for the woman. He decided then it would be best if he at least said something, instead of endangering more innocent people.

"It's not that I don't want to talk." Mayuri's attention instantly snapped back to the bed-ridden man. "I really don't know anything. Not the Ryoka's goal, not the destination. Nothing."

"What, then? You didn't get any information, you simply lost the fight and came back?"

"Correct. By the way, I don't even remember what the enemies look or sound like, so I really have no information for you whatsoever." The bald man kept his eyes locked above, registering the deranged captain's fluctuating reiatsu as he talked. He would be lying if he said the man didn't make him uncomfortable. The man doesn't kill honorably, he is a psychological force to be reckoned with. He goes against everything Ikkaku had instilled within himself and his fighting techniques.

"Too bad, then. You will now receive punishment for your failure!" Fed up, Mayur raised his hand, intent on showing this lowly scum his place. However, before he could even begin to enact his punishment, a strong hand gripped his wrist tightly.

"I'm surprised." Enraged, Mayuri glared up at his fellow captain, sneering at the man. "Since when did you have the authority over the member of another division, Kurotsuchi?"

"Zaraki..." The name was barely short of a growl, and filled to the brim with venom. Snatching his hand away, Mayuri turned his back on the two. "Since your Captain is here, I will take my leave. Let's go, Nemu."

Zaraki stared down his fallen man, waiting until the receding footsteps were far enough away. "Captain," Ikkaku greeted his superior, only to be interrupted by the appearance of the pink haired child perched on his shoulder. "YAAHOO!" Surprised, Ikkaku's eyes widened as the familiar tick-mark began forming on his forehead at the sight of her. "Ah...the Vice-Captain is here, too..."

"Are you okay? I was soo worried, Baldie!"

"I TOLD YOU ALREADY! STOP CALLING ME THAT!"

Before the ridiculous banter could continue, Zaraki intervened with his own questioning. "I heard you were defeated." Ikkaku's eyes never left his Captain's. "I'm very sorry. I know that failure is unacceptable, but I came back anyways..."

"Is he strong?"

"Very." Zaraki's excited reiatsu began to swirl lightly. "He has orange hair and a sword as long as him. He is heading for the Shishinrou of the Senzikyuu." The Captain's mouth fell into a hard line, eyes thoughtful. "So, he wants to rescue that criminal," Zaraki stated, his interest piqued even more. "Yeah, I warned him of you. If he remembers what I said, then it will be a great battle. He was strong, and he will probably get stronger. Maybe by the time you meet, he will be extremely strong."

"Is that so?" A blood-lust filled smile pulled at the Captain's lips, revealing sharp canines. "And what of the Bounty Hunter?" Confused by his question, Ikkaku looked up to Captain in surprise, eyes widening at the predatory look on his face. "I didn't see her fight, she came by after I had been defeated. I asked why she was here. All she said was 'Because you guys need a wake up call'. I don't know what she intends to do or how powerful she may be." Zaraki made a 'tsk'-ing noise, seemingly bored. "Fine then, the orange-head kid, what's his name?"


Ichigo's P.O.V.

"My name is Hanatarou Yamada."

"That's hard to remember." Ganju and I both stared down the kid, equally unimpressed by our 'captive'.

"Really? But...But...everyone always says my name is so easy to remember..." The little guy is very friendly, too.

"Aren't you our enemy? Why are you introducing yourself?," Ganju questioned, face still blank with an eyebrow raised. He didn't even seem interested in his own question. Hanataro perked up, though, eyes bright like a baby deer. "That's true..."

"WHY DID YOU TAKE HIM WITH US?!" I pointed accusingly at the small shinigami in the corner, glaring accusingly at Ganju.

"I COULDN'T HELP IT! IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!"

"Any how," I turned away from the small guy, focusing instead on Ganju and where we should go from here. "We know Rukia is in the 'White Tower', but which road should we take to get there?" Ganju pulled out a crudely drawn map, his own ugly mug as signature in the corner. 'Almost reminds me of Rukia's crappy drawing...' I could feel the sweat drop working its way down my head, already expecting a kick just for the thought. "I really don't want to run into any Captains, but too bad, we don't know their locations..."

"You didn't even draw roads on this map..."

"R-Rukia?"

We both glared over at our interrupter, the map still held between us. "Be quiet, we're strategizing. Don't interrupt." I waved him off, turning back to stare at the map. "Yeah, you can leave now. You're of no use to us," Ganju snarked as well, frowning dismissively at the little guy.

"When you said Rukia, did you mean Kuchiki Rukia?" My eyes widened as I turned to stare him down, hopeful that he would at least be of some help. "So I was right. The 'white tower' is Senzakyuu...I know of a shortcut to that tower," Hanataro stared up from beneath his bangs, those wide eyes of his sparking just barely with his own hope.

Ganju and I shared a look, contemplating this guy's worth or if we could even trust him. We both ended up just shrugging, though. I faced Hanataro again, my face growing serious as I nodded to him once. "Show us the way."

And then he led us to a sewer. A very wet, dank, and smelly sewer. 'I can hear Ashwina laughing at me, already.'

"I never would have guessed the shortcut was through the sewer!" Ganju's voice echoed, growing fainter with each repetition. "Yes. The underground sewer covers the entire city. You can go practically anywhere in the city through the sewers."

"Do they know about the entrance to the sewers?" Ganju pointed up at the ceiling tile we had simply slid over to enter. "Yes, they do, but I don't think they will come down here. The only people who know how to navigate through the complex sewer system are the paramedic specialists of the Fourth Division."

"Ahh, so this place doubles as a supply/medic route. Thus, only your group needs to know it well." Ganju threw a slightly impressed glance at the dark walls. "Ha..Ha..that's not it." Hanataro rubbed his head sheepishly, his face amusingly dejected. "Cleaning the sewer just happens to be part of the job of the Fourth Division, since we're all so weak..."

"O-oh, I think I actually pity you guys," Ganju and I both nodded, sweatdrops running the length of our heads as Hanataro seemed oblivious to our presence. We continued on in silence, following behind Hanataro. I stared curiously at the back of his head, watching as his shoulders seemed to rise subconsciously, as if to block my stare. 'Why is this guy helping us?' I stopped walking, my eyes focused on our guide.

"Hanataro," he instantly froze, facing forward with his shoulders still slumped. "Why are you so willing to help us? We are your enemies. Why are you taking us to the 'White Tower' without any questions?"

"Oi, Ichigo," I just shrugged off Ganju's worried words, focusing intently on our guide.

"Actually, I've learned a lot from Rukia-san about you, Kurosaki Ichigo." My eyebrow raised at that, not remembering ever telling him my full name. Slowly, he turned to face us, those baby deer eyes once again sparking with a tiny glimmer of hope. "And I sincerely hope that you will save Rukia-san."


Ashwina's P.O.V.

"So..." I swung my legs lightly, head resting on top of my hands which were resting on top of Chad's. "You and Ichigo seem like pretty good friends. Known one another long?" We were traveling along a pretty deserted area, which was nice. He seemed to be struggling in the last few scraps, punching away while carrying my lazy ass. Poor kid needed a break. I was keeping an eye on the chain, which wasn't very helpful since Ichigo apparently had moved a pretty distance away.

"Yeah," he looked back and forth at the end of the road, obviously unsure of which way to go. Sighing, I turned his head to the right. "Ichigo's a friend I'd follow anywhere. He doesn't do unnecessary things." I just snorted, deciding against telling him about what drunk Ichigo is capable of. My broken kitchen sink being the brunt of his 'unnecessary' actions that night. "Yeah, he's a good kid, I guess. Stubborn as hell and a barfingly loyal friend, but a good kid."

"Hn," his grunts were becoming a second language by now, it was almost adorable. We continued on in silence for a little while longer. There was some commotion a little ways over, but thankfully, not in a close proximity to us. We watched, for a moment, as another medical team went bustling by. I almost laughed, though. The small bushes were far from good cover for Chad's hulking mass.

Suddenly, Chad stopped walking, seeming to take a break. "I have a question for you, Bounty Hunter." Apparently, this was a very serious question.

"Shoot."

"Why are you after Ichigo?" Turning his head, he settled his one brown eye on me. Frowning, I just held up my right arm and pulled up the sleeve, revealing the scroll tattoo. Chad studied it closely, silently looking to me for permission before running one finger over the shimmering and moving kanji. Once he had stopped analyzing it, I started my explanation. "Because he's my bounty." I sighed again, resting my head back on his as he began walking again.

"You see, a long time ago, when I was very stupid and angry; I messed up a lot, made a terrible decision, and ended being taken in by my master. He decided my talents, since they couldn't be used for their actual purpose, were more...useful in capturing individuals who proved to be too much for his allies. Ichigo, after receiving Kuchiki Rukia's powers, was placed on the list. Bing bang boom, here I am. Why I'm here, specifically, however is a little more complex." Chad just nodded, grunting a little with the motion.

"Why are you here?" See, this is why I like this kid. He's blunt, no beating around the bush.

"Well, other then the fact that I seem to have become caught up in Ichigo's fucking heroic charisma; I feel like this place has gone to hell, to put it simply. It really used to be great, a unified force of great power that used it for the good of the world. Do you know why Shinigami exist, Chad?" He just shrugged, grunting once. "They were created to keep the world in balance."

"A long time ago, the ones in charge of the reincarnation cycle and spirits were overwhelmed and unable to complete their job. The world fell into spiritual chaos. There were too many spirits to ferry across to the underworld, the human population had drastically increased. More people, of course, equals more dead folks. One man created this world out of the precipice already in existence. Then he discovered that some spirits held a certain power within their bodies. That power is Reiatsu, which is what the Shinigami, you and your friends are powered by."

"And now, these Shinigami are nothing but puppets, commanded by the strings of power-hungry and fearful old men. They're not doing their job, Chad. Haven't you ever wondered why Karakura is such a spirit and hollow fest pool?"

"Yuroichi said it's because Karakura has a high influx of Reiatsu." He said it with such innocent conviction. Obviously, the thought that she would lie to him had never entered his mind. I just snorted, cursing both Urahara and Yuroichi. 'Let's open those pretty eyes'.

"Well, hate to break the bubble, but she lied. There are many towns like Karakura all over the globe, but what makes your town so special? Why are the shinigami just letting things spill over, when its clearly containable?" Chad didn't answer. "Because they don't care, or more precisely, they weren't ordered to care. That's why I'm here, Chad."

"What do you plan to do?"

I didn't respond right away because, honestly, I'm not sure what I could even begin to do. I chewed on that thought for a few moments, my gut wrenching about. There's no possible way any one here would listen to me, I'd just look like a raving lunatic. And a brat. 'But...if Ichigo succeeds...'.

"I guess I'll just have to fan the flame you guys burn."


And that's a wrap! So, as I've been going through the Soul Society Arc; I've realized that, for some reason, the shinigami just always think that Ichigo and Co. are just really lucky all the time. As if there's just no possibility these guys can actually fight and get shit done. I find it hilarious.

Anyways, as always, Review, Favorites, and Follows are just rays of wonderful sunshine, so feel free to go ahead and do any of those. Or don't, I don't care. (Cough Cough totallynotreversepsychology Cough Cough)

Until next time,

GhostDoor Out, Baby!