Chapter 2 baby! I just wanted to start off with a giant THANK YOU to everyone that reviewed

Guest, Caliwavesxx, The Silent Observer, and Humble Servent

Also, THANK YOU everyone that followed and Favorited, you all made my day :D

Anyways, this chapter I worked really hard on, so please I ask for feedback. There's not a whole bunch of action, but Ichigo finally meets Ashwina-san! Which was pretty fun to write. So, please enjoy and feel free, like always, to review!

I do not own Bleach or any of it's original pieces, only Ashwina and everything that accompanies her presence in this world.

Bounty

Chapter 2

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

The shout resounded through the walls, alerting the newest tenant that her neighbor was finally awake. Stifling a yawn, she sat up, her silver hair a disaster of tangles and deep bags hanging under eyes. She stretched her arms up, listening to the voices floating through the wall. That kid sure was loud in the morning.

"All this racket, if I woke up next to big muscled man keeping me warm that wouldn't be my reaction. And with such a sexy mustache to boot, kid must be brain dead..."

Reaching over, she grappled with the bottle of water as it stayed determinately out of her reach. "Come on you worthless shit, get...Over...HERE-" With the grace of a drunk newborn giraffe, she tumbled out of her bed and onto the floor, weakly raising the water bottle in shamed victory.

Slowly, she got off the floor, scratching the back of her head. Her eyes drooped as the lack of sleep crept back into her system, and she made her way for the door. She took a long gulp from her water, watching as Urahara crouched outside the neighboring door, a look of pure joy on his face. Quietly, she crouched down next to him, peeking through the crack in the door his nose was currently crammed in.

Ichigo was shouting again, trying to get Tessai out of his personal bubble. 'So loud...too early for so much noise.'

"Yo, creepo, what are you doin'?" She yawned again as Urahara's head slowly turned, a giant smile plastered onto his face. "Just watching the show, my dear Bounty Hunter-tan." She nodded once before standing back up. "Well, have fun with that."

Quickly, he shut the door, and leaped, grabbing her hand as silent as a ninja. "Wait," he whispered, pulling her back down to eye level with him. "I need your help." His face was serious, eyes pleading her to accept. Yawning again, she nodded, silently agreeing.

"What should I say when I go in? I want it to be something completely show stopping and creepy~!"

Deadpanning, she stared at him with lidded eyes. "What?"

"I said-"

SMACK

"Don't be so annoying early in the morning. I already have a migraine from all of the kiddo's shouting." Urahara sulked down to the floor, depression waves emanating from his body. "So cruel Bounty Hunter-tan, so very very cruel." Scoffing, she merely turned and walked away, intent on finally releasing the gallons of hell trying to burst from her bladder.

Once she turned the corner, Urahara was already crouching in front of the door again, his trusty fan tapping against his chin.

"Now...What would sound cool?"

Ichigo finally pushed the hulking giant from his body, only to wince in sweet 'I'm still alive' pain as hellfire seemed to run through the muscles on his shoulders. 'I'm not dead?'

"Uh-oh...you shouldn't move around Ichigo-san. You're injury hasn't fully healed."

Ichigo's head snapped towards the door, watching leeringly as Hat-n-Clogs strode in, his fan blocking the lower half of his face.

"If you keep moving around, you could die~" Urahara mentally cheered at the sheer amount of creepy and cool he just committed.

Ichigo's eyes widened, and he turned slowly to face the man.

"Hat-n-clogs! So...this must be your house."

Urahara waved his fan once, as if marking a score point in the air. "Correct~!"

"You...saved me?" Ichigo raised an eyebrow at the man, naturally wary of the small shoten owner.

"What's this? Your tone is unexpected...You make it sound as if I have done something wrong."

Ichigo scowled and turned away. He stayed silent for a few long moments, his mind replaying Rukia's back to him as she entered the spirit gate. She had left him, left him to die, so that she in turn could die. No...that wasn't right. Rukia had left him, knowing someone was bound to save him. She once again gave him a gift, and was stiffed in return. He had to return the favor, he had to use the gifts she gave him to in turn save her.

Suddenly, another thought came to mind, and he turned excitedly to the green-clad man. "Oh right...did you find Uryu?"

Ashwina scoffed for the fourth time as she closed yet another cupboard. Tick marks were forming all over her head, causing the two children in the kitchen to back away, wary of the wrath that was about to be brought down on the small shop.

"Why..." SLAM "Is..." SLAM "There..." SLAM "NO CANDY" SLAM "IN THIS FUCKING HOUSE?!" SLAM

She slammed the final cupboard door, shaking the very walls it hung on. Seething, she turned around and stomped back out of the kitchen. Swearing under her breath, she kicked the door frame on her way out. Only to crumple to the floor, holding her throbbing toes.

"Fucking fuckeroo, that hurt!"

"Do you think we should warn the boss, Jinta-kun?"

"Fucking wall!"

The boy stared at the disheveled girl, cursing at the wall while punching it with one hand cradling her foot.

"Fucking candy-less cupboards!"

Sweat gathered on both children's heads as she stood up, and started stomping down the hallway she had originally come from.

"Fucking Urahara!"

"No," Jinta shook his head, dreading the thought of being in the same hallway as that woman. "He'll be fine."

They heard a loud crash and a small yelp of pain.

"FUCK YOU TOO STAIRS!"

Uryu looked at Jinta again, her doe eyes shining with slight worry. He gulped, nodding once more to reassure her and himself.

"Yeah, he'll be fine."

"'...The only one that can save Rukia...is HIM'," Urahara finished quoting the quincy boy, staring down at Ichigo. The boy looked away, a sad and angry frown on his lips. Suddenly, he pounded his fists into the floor, rage overtaking his thoughts.

"RUKIA'S ALREADY IN SOUL SOCIETY! HOW CAN I FOLLOW HER THERE?!"

He slammed his fist again, the floor taking his beating without any protest.

"HOW THE HELL AM I GOING TO RESCUE HER?!"

Urahara waited silently, a thoughtful look on his face.

"THERE'S NO WAY!"

Ichigo's outburst was answered by silence, and both men left it that way. His words hung heavily in the air, revealing much more then anger. They proved to Urahara just how desperate and guilty the boy truly was. His urge to protect and do what was right so strong he was willing to battle an unknown enemy with a military force almost unmeasurable in power. Urahara had the answer to Ichigo's problem, and now he had the conviction one would require for such a daunting task.

"Do you really think...that there's no other way to get into Soul Society?"

Ichigo sat in shocked silence, his brain processing each word Urahara had spoken. Looking up at the man, hope slowly bloomed in his heart. There was a possibility he could save Rukia, and he was going to take it, no matter the cost.

"So...there is a way?" Ichigo stood up quickly, coming eye to eye with the blond haired man. "How?! Tell me!"

"Of course I'll tell you." Urahara raised his index finger, pointing straight up. "However, under one condition." Ichigo stared at his finger, waiting silently for this condition.

"Starting now, for ten days, you will learn how to fight properly with me."

Body and pride bruised by the Shoten's abuse, Ashwina's anger had finally reached full rage mode. Smoke billowed from her head as she scowled at the door her feet were closing in on. With one quick tug, she slammed the sliding door open, not even bothering to take note of the wide eyed teen now looking at her.

Striding into the room, she plastered a very sweet and very forced smile on her face. "Oh Urahara-san, just the man I was looking for!" Disarmed by the radiant smile, Urahara turned willingly to face the woman, a smile of his own hidden behind that retarded fan. "How can I help y-"

WHAM

Pulling her fist back, she glared down at the bruised and bloody face surrounded by blonde hair. Raising one leg, she stomped her foot down on his back, repeatedly. "YOU OWN A FUCKING CANDY STORE, YET THERE'S NOT A SINGLE PIECE TO BE FOUND?!"

Groaning, Urahara raised his head to look up at her, a smile still on his face. "Have you checked the kitchen?"

Her foot met his head, forcing his ugly face back to the floor. "MORON, OF COURSE I CHECKED THE KITCHEN! WHERE ELSE WOULD I LOOK, THE FUCKING BATHROOM?!" Muffled words echoed up from the floor boards in response. Removing her foot, she leaned down close to his head. "Mind repeating that for the rest of the audience, old man?"

Fat crocodile tears mixed with blood streamed down Urahara's face as he removed it from the hole now engraved in the floor. "All the candy is in the tea room!" Smiling widely, the woman reached down and ruffled his hair kindly. "Thank you so much Urahara-san, you've been loads of help. Welp, see ya."

Turning around, she came face to face with a very beet red Ichigo Kurosaki. She raised an eyebrow as a trickle of blood slowly leaked down his face. "Hi?" His mouth opened and closed like a guppy. "Sup with that ugly face, brobeans?"

Finally, the kid snapped out of it, slapping his hand so fast against his eyes he stumbled back, tripping over his blanket and crashing to the floor. "WHY ARE YOU DRESSED LIKE THAT?!"

Her eyebrows disappeared beneath her bangs, slowly she looked down at her body. What was wrong with her underwear? She thought they were pretty banging, all lacy with the ice cream cones decorating them.

"What's wrong with my underwear, man?"

He sputtered again, removing his hand and turning his head so he couldn't see her. "N-nothing's wrong with them. A lady shouldn't be walking around in her underwear in front of men!"

Ahswina stared at the boy for a few moments before throwing back her head and laughing. A vein throbbed on Ichigo's forehead at the laugh, refusing to acknowledge how nice it sounded coming from someone almost naked. The girl doubled over, clutching her sides as her laughter continued.

"What a-are you, a complete virgin noob?! HAhahaa"

Turning red with anger, Ichigo glared at the girl. "So what if I am?!"

Ashwina's laughter stopped as she looked at the boy in surprise. Her green eyes widened almost comically large as she looked him up and down. When her eyes came back up to his face, she found he had averted his eyes again, a small trickle of blood leading from his nostril to his upper lip.

Then she laughed even harder.

Ichigo glared at the girl as she sat down across the table from him. She was now wearing an overly large t-shirt that came to her mid-thigh. A picture of a fat priest with a chicken on his leg was on it with the words 'I MAY BE FAT, BUT I HAVE A BIG COCK' in bold print over top. Apparently, that was her version of covering up, but when she leaned over or reached up, the shirt rose up showing her panties. Not that Ichigo had looked.

She flashed the spock hand sign from star trek, a pink lollipop hanging from her mouth. "I come in peace, mega virgin." He growled warningly at her as she chuckled quietly. "Oh chillax homecheeze, nothing wrong with keeping that v-card under wraps. Way too many diseases circling society, not to mention teenage pregnancy, nudes being sent viral, unrealistic porn ideals leading to horrible se-"

"DO NOT SAY THAT WORD!"

She smirked at him, her lips making a small pop as she pulled the lollipop out of her mouth. Her bright green eyes danced with mirth underneath the silver rat nest mess of tangles she called her hair. However, she relented and stopped the conversation.

He looked at her, noticing the multiple piercings covering the entire outer shell of her left ear and the bar with charms straight through her right. Her left shoulder, which was bare due to the large t-shirt hanging off the side, was covered in bold black ink, it extended all the way down to mid-forearm. He stared at, trying to figure out exactly what the design was. It reminded him a little too much of a certain red-haired shinigami.

"So, what's that?" He pointed at her arm, hoping to make the awkward silence go away until Urahara returned. She hummed in recognition, lifting her arm and setting it on the table for him to see. "It's a tribal tortoise shell. It symbolizes protection and defense." Ichigo nodded, noticing her right arm also had a tattoo. This one, however, was made up of thin, delicate lines. He pointed to her other arm, "And that one?"

A mischievous smile tugged at her lips as she put that arm on the table, extending it for him to see. "Aa, this one is a bit more special," she said, exposing her forearm's belly so he could see the entire design.

It was a scroll, with a burnt edges and a golden rod at each end. In the very center was writing in a gracefully done kanji. Ichigo squinted, leaning in to read the kanji. Every time he tried to focus on it, it seemed to wave as if her skin was rippling like water. 'Kuro...saki...Ichi...go?'

He looked up at her, his eyes wide. She was still smirking at him, her arm still in the same spot. Without thinking, he gripped her wrist tightly in his hand and tugged her forward violently. Her chest hit the table, and she winced as the wind was knocked out of her. "Liked it *cough* that much, eh?"

"Why the hell is my name tattooed on your arm?!"

Ichigo felt his blood rushing to his head, his mind replaying the other day with Rukia. She had been adamant that a silver haired girl had been stalking them. He glared at the girl, her silver hair suddenly seemed to click everything together in his head. "You," he growled, releasing her arm and tossing it away as if it had burned him. "Me...," she said, waving her lollipop to continue,

"You were the one following Rukia and I the other day."

She nodded once, sticking her lollipop back into her mouth. "Yep, that was me alright. It was pretty boring actually," she took the lollipop back out, waving it in front of his face. "Dude, you are one of the most oblivious idiots I have ever had to follow. You need to work on that, I could have been a big pervert with a strap on, waiting to corner you in an alley." He glared at the lollipop, and reached to smack it away only for her to retract it and stick it in her mouth. "Nuh-uh, the candy's mine kiddo, go buy your own."

Scoffing, he looked away from her only to glare at the wall. Thinking back to that day, he felt like a complete idiot for not noticing the girl. Rukia had tried to warn him, but he didn't even list-

'Wait a minute.'

A horrible thought suddenly intruded on his brain, halting all other actions in it's assault on his mind. 'What if she was following us, so that the shinigami could capture Rukia?! Is she one of them?' He narrowed his eyes dangerously at the girl playing eenie-meenie-minie-moe between three pieces of candy.

"You told them where Rukia was, didn't you, Shinigami-san?"

The girl stopped her game, her hand stopping over top of chocolate and peanut butter candy. She looked up at him, her eyes almost laughing at him. Slowly, she unwrapped the candy before popping it into her mouth. Chewing twice, she swallowed before lifting her arms into a giant 'X' across her body.

"BBBBBBBBNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGHHHHHHH, wrongo kidderino!"

He glared at her again, but a calm feeling of relief overcame his body. He looked at her some more, trying think of who she could possibly be. A small light bulb lit above his head, and he smirked inwardly. Closing his eyes, he focused his energy, feeling the ribbons surround his body. Opening his eyes, he smirked openly at her as he reached forward, grasping her ribbon beneath his fingers. However, that smirk dropped as he looked at the ribbon in his hand. It was transparent, but it seemed to shimmer and wave as if he were looking into a stream.

"W-what are you?

"Me?," she asks, pointing at herself lazily. "I'm just your run of the mill bounty hunter," she smirked, leaning back and looking him in the eyes. "And I'm here for your soul, Ichigo Kurosaki."

His eyes widened, hand still gripping her ribbon as he tried to process this new information. Why did she want his soul? What did she mean by bounty hunter? Was he a bounty? How?

"Oh, and the name's Ashwina."

Urahara entered the tea room, prepared to give Ashwina a long lecture on beating up the man so graciously offering her free room and board. However, he stopped short upon seeing the scene that awaited him.

The girl had Ichigo pinned face down as she wrapped his arms in golden chains. He was struggling viciously, almost bucking the girl off more than once, but she just tightened her thighs as if riding a horse and smacked him in the back of the head. "Stop all that struggling, dude. Do you know how hard it is to wrap these things perfectly? No, you wouldn't, so give me a break here; I gotta get you booked and processed."

Ichigo roared in defiance, lifting up to buck her off only to get pushed back down, face in the floor. "Oy, you're not taking me anywhere idiot! I have to save Rukia!" The girl just glanced down at him, her face completely void. "No, you have to shut up and help a hard working girl earn money for food." She pulled the chain again, wrapping it twice around his torso before laying the end against the chain link protruding from her wrist. There was a small flash as the metal bonded, linking the two together.

"There," she sighed, standing up and stepping off of the teenager's back. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" Ichigo just glared at her, scowling fiercely as he continued to struggle against the chains. She watched him for a few moments before shaking her head. "Honestly kid, these chains aren't some weak shinigami kido. They're pure metal, forged by the great Deva blacksmith and sealed in the water from the sea Vishnu floats around, so stop being an idiot and just...come...quietly!" She tugged at the chain, only to be pulled back as Ichigo dropped dead weight to the ground.

"I refuse!"

Ashwina glared down at the boy, her bangs falling messily into the face. "Sorry, but you don't get a choice, dandelion head." Ichigo glared more fiercely at her, a determined scowl tugging his lips down. "Says who?" The girl sighed, before sitting on the table and glaring at the wall.

"Yare yare, what have we here? The beginning of a beautiful relationship?~"

The two jumped, only to turn their glares on him. Ichigo's face flushed as Ashwina merely pushed her lips into a pout. "AS IF!" The two glared at one another, a silent challenge creating an electrical charge between the two. Suddenly, a smirk spread across the girl's lips, and she leaned forward, invading the Ichigo's already limited space.

"Jinx, you owe me a soda."

With that she leaned back as Ichigo deadpanned.

"And I only drink strawberry flavor," she winked, and her smirk grew as a deep flush rose from his neck to his hairline.

"Idiot, as if I'd buy you a soda."

"You so would and you know it, kidderino."

"STOP CALLING ME A KID, WE'RE THE SAME AGE IDIOT!"

Ashwina stopped, before pointedly looking at Urahara, a look of victory flashing in her eyes. "HA! Told you I was seventeen, you old pervert!"

Urahara sighed, realizing all of his well organized plans were currently flushing down the cosmic toilet of karma all because of one immature girl. In his mind, she was the one sitting on the handle, laughing as everything swirled down and away.

'What do I do now?'

After many long and excruciating minutes, Urahara had finally convinced the girl to release Ichigo enough that he could sit up and move uninhibited. Which of course led to the over zealous idiot to try and attack the girl. Which ended with him having yet another floor and wall to repair once this was all over.

He stared at the two from beneath his hat brim; Ichigo was pouting and glaring at the wall, while Ashwina dug through a giant bowl filled to the brim with candy. Which of course had been provided by Tessai, whom for the life of him, absolutely adored the green-eyed heathen. He lowered his fan, catching both of their attention, before smiling brightly at the two.

"I have come up with a solution!"

Ashwina scoffed, returning to sorting through the candy, but Ichigo's attention was fully on the man. He let his eyes slide over to Ashwina again. She finally stopped rummaging long enough to stare up at him, a lazy expression on her face. "Take a picture, it'll last longer, pervert."

"So cruel, Bounty Hunter-tan. I want to see your beautiful face every day~"

She scoffed, rolling her eyes before she pulled another lollipop from the bowl and popped it into her mouth. "As if, you just want to see my tits and ass because you're a disgusting lolicon that was barred from all of the porn sites." Ichigo choked, a look of pure horror on his face as he stared wide eyed at the man. Flushing, Urahara covered his face with his fan and looked the opposite way.

"Your words sting this old man's heart, such cruel cruel words to the man providing a free room and candy."

"Masochist," both Ichigo and Ashwina muttered, staring apathetically at him. A chill washed over his spine at the identical looks. He coughed once, thankful once again for his oh so trustworthy fan. 'Creepy children.'

"Anywho~ back to my solution," he smiled at the two as he fanned his face. "You," he pointed the fan at Ichigo. "Will train the ten days with me, and then go to soul society and save Miss Kuchiki." Ichigo nodded, his face determined once again. "And you..." he pointed it at Ashwina, his sentence trailing off at the peek of soft tissue from the low hanging collar of her t-shirt. "Will accompany young Kurosaki."

"NO! No way am I taking this lunatic with m-"

"Yeah, sure. Sounds like fun." She popped the lollipop back into her mouth before grinning at the shocked orange head. "Soul Society always hates when I stop in, might as well make it even more memorable for them this time." Ichigo stared at her, a confused look on his face as he thought about her words. "So, then you aren't taking my soul or whatever?"

"Nah, I'll let you slide for now, but as soon as we save this chick," she took her lollipop from her mouth, then shoved it forcefully into his. "You're all mine baby."

Ichigo choked, sputtering incoherently around the lollipop as another trickle of blood left his nostril. Urahara sweat dropped at the poor boy, the malicious teasing was only going to get worse. However, there was no other way for them to go about this now that the chain was in place. No matter how lazy and irresponsible this girl seemed to be, she couldn't break her contract. Not after the colossal mistakes she had made in the past.

Urahara stared at the two, watching as she teased him, and he sputtered back stupidly. 'No, she will not make those mistakes again.' Lifting his fan, he quickly stood up, making his way to the doorway concealed in the floor. Using his cane as a crowbar, he pulled the door up and smiled widely at the two once more.

"Well, then let us begin your training Kurosaki-san!~"

Ichigo had been down in the hole for almost thirty hours now, still trying to climb the fucking wall for some reason. I sighed, stretching my arms above my head as I sunbathed next to the edge. "You're such a moron, how do expect to get out of there without use of your arms dummy?" I peeked over the edge only to meet brown eyes glaring back. "It's all in the phalanges my friend. That's why we're on top of the food chain, man." I wiggled my fingers to exagerate my point, making the chain still linking us clang and jingle.

"Shut up already, you're so annoying!"

I laughed, waving my hand at him lazily. "As if, I'm the most awesome person you'll ever meet. You're tiny brain just hasn't comprehended that monumental fact yet." I heard him growl in irritation before he jumped up, trying to scale the wall for the hundredth time. The chain jingled again, and I stared at it, mildly irritated by all noise it made.

This was so boring, and the moron obviously couldn't understand what was going on. I still don't understand where he got the idea that his chain would stop corroding if he got out of the black chasm of death. Seriously, all he had to do was not turn into a big heartless monster with a thirst for soul juice. Simple shit. However, Ichigo Kurosaki already made it clear that his footsteps lead down the annoying complicated path, filled with twists, turns, and cliffs.

A sandalled foot appeared next to my head, so I rolled my head to look up at the bucket hat man. He smiled brightly at me, holding an ice cream cone out in one hand. Smirking, I grabbed it before tossing it over the edge, listening as it splattered all over the now cursing idiot in a well's head. "Now get me one that isn't laced with an Urahara experiment, pervo."

"How ungrateful! I worked hard on that energy analysis serum! Do you know how much time and effort it took to make that into a strawberry flavored liquid?"

"For you...10 minutes. Now, stop being a whiny baby and get me real ice cream."

I laughed as he sauntered away, a depressed cloud following in his wake. Rolling over again, I watched as the two children of the shop approached the hole. The red-haired brat looked over at me, an almost terrified look in his eyes. The girl stood behind him, doe-eyed and shy.

"Sup little dudes?"

The boy puffed up his cheeks, seeming to lose that look of fear. He stepped forward, glaring down at me with his arms crossed. "Who are you?! Why are you here disturbing the butt-munch's training?" He pointed his grubby little finger into my face, so I lifted up, attempting to bite it. He leaped back in surprise, scowling as I laughed and sat up bringing us eye to eye. "Dang little dude, you sure are living on the short side." His glare intensified, before he hauled back and attempted to kick me. His foot stopped short as I raised my hand, catching his shoe and using his momentum to flip him onto his back. "And on the violent side, you need to chill little dude."

Red faced, the boy leapt up again, ignoring the small girl's "Maybe you shouldn't, Jinta-kun" and pointing his finger in my face again. "Who are you?!," he snarled, poking my nose in the process. I sighed, leaning forward just a bit, causing him to step back. "You really wanna know?" He nodded, and I frowned, my face and attitude growing serious. "I am..."

He leaned forward, his eyes wary but determined.

"The Batman."

His face completely fell as I started laughing. Pouting once again, he turned away from me with a growing tick mark on the back of his head. "This old lady's lost her marbles, come on Uryu. Let's leave before her craziness rubs off on us." I laughed even harder as he stomped away, going around to the other side of the hole. Then I stopped, a scowl pulling at my lips. "I'm not fucking old," I grumbled angrily. Silently, I vowed to get revenge on the little brat.

"Hey, you hungry?!"

I heard Ichigo yell back in response, about how souls couldn't get hungry.

"Well that's good, cause if your hungry, that means you're becoming a hollow!"

I looked up as Urahara appeared by my side, another ice cream cone held out to me. Without a second thought, I grabbed it and bit into it viciously.

"I'm famished!"

I smirked at the little red-haired gremlin as he stared wide-eyed back, gulping once before booking it the hell out the desert.

The sun was finally setting over Karakura town, and the moon was just barely shining in the sky. All the houses shined, their lights a beautiful beacon from the outskirts of the town. A gentle breeze rustled close to the ground, stirring up the leaves in its wake. The crickets chirped loudly in the tall grass, bringing the night to life.

Suddenly, a bright light flashed and blue smoke mushroomed out, silencing the crickets. A small foot, clad in a little worn down shoe popped out of the smoke, succeeded by a gnarled cane held by a petite wrinkled old hand. The hand was covered in a bright shawl adorned by many bells and charms. Finally, the smoke cleared revealing a tiny old woman, with white hair thickly braided and wrapped once around her neck, as if it were a scarf.

She coughed, waving her hand to clear the remainder of the smoke. "What a dreadful way to travel." She hobbled forward, her eyes closed as she smiled at the quiet night. "Ah! What a pretty little town, it's definitely grown over the years." She let out a whistle, lifting her unused arm up.

After a few moments, a vein appeared over her head. "I know you heard me you useless little shit!" Another second passed before a large crow, bigger than the woman's head, landed gracefully on her shoulder. It glared at the woman with bright yellow eyes, offended. "Oh shut up, you should've come right away. It's rude to make a lady wait." The crow rolled it's eyes, before completely turning it's head away, almost as if pouting. "Don't act like that, I'm not going to apologize."

The crow continued to ignore her, squawking once as if it never heard her. "Ok fine, I'm sorry you couldn't be here on time because you're a lazy little shit." Its eyes flashed as it ruffled its feathers, crowing loudly back at the woman. She merely laughed before shoving a piece of bread into it's mouth. "Oh, shut up, you know I don't mean it." The bird glared at her once more before eating the bread.

"Now then, why don't you go on and lead me to our little princess." The crow squawked once, saluting the old woman before raising its wings and setting off at a slow pace.

Old eyes opened, revealing a bright glowing silver hue.

"Ready or not, little Ashwina, here I come."

Ah shit, I cliffied you baby! So, the chain, will be fully explained in the upcoming chapter and the gang will be heading to Soul Society. However~~~~ mystery woman galore will...not :P but she will be properly introduced in Chapter 3.

Thank you for reading, please review, favorite, or follow; whatever floats your boat, man.

GhostDoor out, baby!