A/N: Chapter 1 has been edited a little since I didn't like how it was before. The changes are small so you can skim it quickly. Italics are memories.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.

A couple days later…

Akane walked in on Rukia and Ichigo on the roof. The dark haired girl was staring ate the juice box with such intensity that Akane feared that it would implode.

"You guys are awfully friendly," Mizuiro teased.

"Mizuiro, Akane," Ichigo greeted, signature scowl on his face. "Does it look like we're friends?"

Akane blinked, "You're not?"

"Well if you wanna deny it, that's okay," Mizuiro shrugged. "If you ask me you should really start caring about what other people will think if you say things like that?"

Ichigo poked a hole in his juice box, and scowled, "Huh? If I did I would have dyed my hair black a long time ago."

Mizuiro sighed, exasperated, "That's true."

"Oh this is it!" Rukia cut in, frowning at the straw in her hand. "But where does it…?"

"Hello, Kuchiki-san," Mizurio greeted.

"Oh, hello…" Rukia frowned, unable to remember his name.

"Oh, we haven't introduced ourselves, have we?"

"I'm Akane Mori, I'm in class 1-C," Akane introduced.

"I'm Muzuiro Kojima. I like –"

"Hitting on girls," Ichigo cut in bluntly.

Mizuiro's jaw dropped, "What?! No, it's not! That was mean."

Akane giggled at their antics.

"He may look innocent, but he's a total womanizer," Ichigo continued. "Be careful, you two."

Mizuiro shushed him, "You'll ruin my image!"

Ichigo shrugged.

"Besides, I'm only interested in older women," Mizuiro added.

Akane laughed.

"That's why I told her to be careful," the orange haired teen muttered to himself.

"Whoa, do my eyes deceive me?!" Keigo exclaimed from the entrance of the rooftop. "Do I see our new lovely transfer student, Kuchiki-san? Why are you here?"

"Ichigo hit her up and brought her up here," Mizuiro said pointing at his friend.

Ichigo blushed, "Wha–? No! It's not like that!"

Rukia went on oblivious to the rest of world, still trying to figure out where to poke a hole in the juice box.

Keigo cried tears of joy, "Good job, Ichigo!"

"Oh, if you ever need anything, just ask!" he announced.

Rukia smiled excitedly, "Really?"

She held out her juice box.

"Of course!" the brown haired teen stepped back and bumped into Chad. "Oh, hey, Chad."

He lifted his hand in a silent greeting.

"You're injured," Akane noted the bandage around this head.

"Yeah, what happened?" Ichigo asked in concern.

"A steel girder fell on me yesterday," Chad replied.

"What?!" Keigo exclaimed. "A steel girder?!"

Chad nodded, "A motorcycle hit me too, which is why my arm is injured. The rider was hurt pretty bad so I carried him to the hospital. I just got back."

Is he crazy? Akane thought.

"That's why you're late?" Ichigo asked. "I'm just wondering what exactly you're made of."

Chad didn't reply and put the bird cage down, piquing everyone's interest.

"Hey, what's with the bird?" Keigo asked.

"Hello, my name is Shibata Yuichi," the bird introduced himself. "What is your name?"

Everyone stared at the bird in shock.

"Whoa," Keigo admired. "This bird can seriously speak."

Ichigo and Rukia's eyes met. Akane looked away.

"Chad, where did you get this cockatiel?" Ichigo asked, still in shock.

"Yesterday," he paused. "I got it."

"Hey, wait a minute!" Keigo demanded. "You totally shortened the story! C'mon tell us the whole story!"

"I didn't shorten the story," Chad replied, pulling out some bird-feed.

Akane took a seat next to the silent dark skinned teen.

"Can I feed him too?" she asked.

Chad nodded and poured some seeds into her hand. They settled into a comfortable silence.

"Where did you go to middle school?" Chad asked after a moment.

"I was homeschooled," Akane replied drawing her hand back from Yuichi. "You know that small candy store in the Mitsumiya district? Urahara Shop?"

Chad nodded, "I didn't know they offered that."

"They don't. I live there; Urahara-san is my guardian."

The Mexican looked up in shock and then back down at the bird, "I'm sorry."

Akane looked at him, confused, "For what?"

"Your parents. They're not around."

She shrugged, feeling a little self-conscious, "It doesn't matter; I don't remember them."

An awkward silence fell between them.

"Don't feel bad," Akane said quickly. "I don't remember much before eighth or ninth grade. I think Urahara-san said I was in an accident, but I don't remember it."

The silence stretched on.

"Besides," she continues. "It's okay if my memories don't come back. I have a new life with new people who care for me. I'm not lonely because I have Jinta, Ururu, and Tessi-san to keep me company."

Chad nodded slowly, "That's a good way to think about it. You have us too."

The Mexican teen glanced toward Keigo, Mizuiro, Ichigo, and Rukia. Akane followed his gaze, and smiled.

"Yeah," she breathed. "I do."

Ichigo silently cursed in his head. How did things get so bad in just one night?

"Chad's being stalked by a hollow," saying it aloud didn't help. "Dammit, if we wait till he gets attacked, it'll be too late!"

Ichigo clenched his fists and started to think harder. What could he do? From Rukia's explanation, a hollow hiding in the space between the Soul Society and the World of the Living wouldn't pop up on the radar. How were they going to find it before it found Chad?

We gotta find a way somehow… he thought.

"That's it!" he exclaimed turning to Rukia. "That cockatiel Chad was carrying! We can follow the ghost in the bird to Chad!"

"That's impossible!" Rukia replied immediately.

Ichigo only became a shinigami a few nights ago. There was no way he'd be able to find the cockatiel's reiraku now. The fool.

"Here goes…"

Ichigo closed his eyes and focused his mind. A thin layer of reiatsu surrounded his body.

Impossible, Rukia thought. Even I can't sense such a weak spirit.

The blue particles started gathering as Ichigo increased his reiatsu. They became more and more condensed until they finally became free flowing ribbon. All of them were white except—

"Found it!" Ichigo exclaimed grabbing one of the white ribbons. "This way!"

Ichigo took off in the direction the ribbon had pointed to.

Rukia stared in the same spot in shock; I know there were no other shinigami stationed in Karakura. Even if there were, the red reiraku shouldn't be so faded. So, what was that?

"Hey, Rukia!" Ichigo called. "You coming?"

Rukia jolted from her thoughts, "Y-yeah!"

She would have to think about the other red ribbon later; right now she had to focus on saving Chad. She tucked the memory of the faded reiraku in her head and followed after Ichigo.

Akane hummed softly to herself, swinging the grocery bag in her hand gently. What should she make for dinner today? She had the ingredients for curry or fried rice. Maybe she should try something new? Rapidly approaching footsteps pulled her out of her thoughts. Before she knew it, someone had run right into her. Akane felt a flare of annoyance and glared at the perpetrator.

"Sorry," Ichigo said.

Her glare disappeared as soon as she realized it was Ichigo. He was sweating and out of breath, a panicked look on his face.

"It's fine," she said, rubbing her shoulder. "Where are you off to?"

He didn't seem to hear her question, already starting to head off, "I'm really sorry! I'll make it up to you!"

Akane stared at his retreating back.

"What was that all about?" she asked herself.

He looked kinda scared. Maybe I should follow him?

Akane weighed her choices. Suddenly, she felt a pressure pushing down on her. The air felt thicker and a horrible screeching noise filled the air. Her head throbbed painfully. Hands covering her ears, Akane looked around. Ichigo was still running, his silhouette becoming smaller and smaller with every passing second. Without thinking, Akane took off after him. As she followed him, Akane couldn't help but notice that the closer she got to Ichigo, the heavier the pressure got. It wasn't hindering her movements or bothersome; it was just a presence. The orange-haired teen rounded the corner sharply, and Akane picked up her pace. She let out a small squeak and quickly threw herself back around the corner, hand over her mouth.

What... What the hell was that?!

Taking a deep breath, Akane shakily stuck her head back out. A (very) large frog-like monster lay beneath Ichigo's foot. It was an off green colour with brown accents and a large hole in its chest. Another stab of pain made Akane wince and sit back.

"Damn you, how long are you gonna stand on me?! Who are you anyway?!"

It's warped, slithery voice filled the air, sending a chill through Akane's body.

"I'm Ichigo Kurosaki, age 15," Ichigo declared. "I'm a substitute shinigami."

Shinigami...

Akane winced again at the insistent throbbing pain in her head. Why did that word sound so familiar? She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the pain.

"I want to become a shinigami!"

"Huh? Why would you wanna do that?"

"Because!"

Akane received an unimpressed look from him. She looked down at her lap.

"Because I'm not strong like you," she murmured wringing her fingers. "I'll get hurt again."

Kenpachi watched her for a moment, "Idiot, that's what I'm here for."

She got to her feet, fists clenched, "But what if you're not here?!"

Everything suddenly fell silent. Akane sighed, tension draining out of her body.

"I just..." she began. "I want to be useful. I know I'm quick, but I have no skill. I'm lucky I've gotten this far without dying or losing a limb or something. I want to be able to keep myself safe. I want to feel safe when I'm alone."

There was still no response from Kenpachi.

"Tch, do whatever you want," he looked away. "I'm not gonna stop you."

Akane's bright smile was ignored.

"You know," she drawled stepping closer to the large man. "You could always come to the Academy with me."

His head swiveled around in horror.

"No," he growled. "There's no way I'm goin' to some pansy ass academy."

"Awww, won't you be lonely when I leave?" Akane pouted, slightly put out.

"As if," Kenpachi snorted. "Maybe I'll finally get some peace and quiet without your useless yammering."

Akane was abruptly jolted from her thoughts when she heard the fighting grow fainter. Ichigo and the thing (hollow, a voice in her head provided) started moving east, toward Tsubakidai Park. She got to her feet, legs shaking from the dream (?) she had just experienced. She came out from behind the corner, and walked toward the direction of the fighting.

"Akane!"

Her head shot in the direction of her name. Chad and Rukia looked at her in shock. Yuichi sat in his cage with a sad look on his face.

"Akane," Rukia said. "What are you doing here?"

"I-I bumped into Ichigo earlier, and I followed him here," Akane swallowed.

"Wait, Akane, can you see it?" Chad asked, stepping forward.

Akane bit her lip and nodded. Rukia shot her a sharp look.

What is up with the people in this town, the dark-haired girl thought, feeling a headache approaching.

Rukia sighed, "I'll explain everything after Ichigo takes care of the hollow."

Akane watched in awe as Ichigo sliced through the hollow's mask in one clean swipe, but... the sky began to darken and the hollow didn't disappear. It continued to shriek as a green light shot from its mask. A large gate appeared, twin skeletons on each door. Akane felt her heart beat faster, and Ichigo took a step back.

"Don't worry," Rukia said. "They're the gates of the Underworld, but they're only opening for him."

The gold chains of the door broke as the gate swung open.

"The zanpaktou can only wash away the sins a soul has committed as a hollow," Rukia explained.

Chains shot out from the gate, attaching themselves to the hollow.

"Those who commit terrible crimes while alive, go to the Underworld," she continued watching the hollow vindictively.

It screamed louder, desperately trying to hold onto what little life it had left. Akane watched with morbid curiosity as it was impaled and pulled into the gate. The shattering of the doors left a tense silence in its wake.

Ichigo spoke first, "So that's the Underworld."

"Let's go," Rukia said turning around.

The orange-haired shinigami sheathed his zanpaktou and followed the petite girl. Akane trailed after them.

The sun was setting by the time Akane went home.

"Akane-chan, you're back!" Urahara exclaimed. "How was your trip to the grocery store? You're home awfully late, did something happen?"

She breezed by him in a daze, still replaying the day's events in her head.

"Akane?"

Her head shot up.

"Oh! I'm sorry," she apologized. "I was daydreaming."

The shopkeeper hummed, "Dinner is in the fridge if you're hungry."

Akane looked down at her feet, head faintly throbbing, "Sorry, Urahara-san; I think I'm going to go to bed early. My head hurts a lot."

"We have some cold medicine somewhere if you feel sick," he said.

"I'm okay; I'm just going to sleep early."

"Goodnight, Akane-chan!"

The red-haired girl nodded and headed to her bedroom. Urahara held the ridiculous smile on his face for a couple more seconds before sighing. Tessai slid open the door and sat next the the blond shopkeeper.

"She's remembering, isn't she?" he stated.

Urahara sighed again, "It was never supposed to be a permanent solution."

"Still, I thought it would last a little longer," Tessai replied.

"Me too, but with all the events happening and the people Akane surrounds herself with, I'm not surprised that she's starting to remember. I guess it was inevitable."

Tessai hummed thoughtfully.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Notify me if you spot any errors. Reviews and constructive criticism are appreciated!