HEY! EVERYBODY WATCHING ME! GUESS WHAT? Yep, i bet you guessed it~ I'M BACK! AND BETTER THAN EVER! I think you can thank my WONDERFUL sister and friends for getting me back into bleach. I AM CONTINUING THIS! :D. I would also like to thank everyone for their reviews, but this one review REALLY made me smile! And here it is!

Kuraikaji: 0-o omg Whoa this makes the 330 bleach episodes look like garbage

Thank you for sparking my muse to get this chappie up! i'm also working on Chappie 3! YAY!

Without further adieu~ THE STORY~

Ichigo woke up and stretched. She then stood up and pulled her hood back up to cover her face. She had two things to do: one, find an apothecary to temporarily dye her hair; two, find some new kimonos to wear. Ichigo walked out and looked around for the tell-tale signs of an apothecary, even asking a few people. Ichigo got directions from an elderly man and thanked him, then left. When she got to the apothecary, she was surprised to see a cat sitting there.

"May I help you?" A blonde man came out from around the corner and fanned himself. He had a green and white-striped hat.

"Yes, do you have any hair dyes?"

"Why yes, we do! But we are only left with silver, I am sorry to say."

"That's good. I'll take one." Ichigo handed over the money and took the bottle and left. She then got to a kimono stall and gazed at the kimonos. She picked out three short kimonos, each with a different print and color. She paid the woman and went to find the nearest springs. She found one and took off her cloak and wet her hair before pouring the dye into it and making sure it was coated. She then discarded her old clothes and stepped into the water, cleaning herself. Ichigo got back out and quickly put on one of her new kimonos. She definitely did not want to be caught, so she burned the old kimono of hers and left. She replaced her cloak, still covering her face, and went to get something to fill her stomach. She picked out an apple and paid for it, chewing as she walked and browsed the stalls. She saw Shiro walk into a beaten-down house and she followed, intent on talking to him again.

"Shiro-Nii!" Yuzu latched back on to Shiro.

"Jeez! I was only out for five minutes..."

"But I missed you..."

"Well, I'm back, right?"

"Trying to find that 'Ichigo' girl again?" Karin smirked.

"Who asked ya, Karin?" Shiro yelled and Kaien sauntered into the room.

"Someone followed you... they're coming up the stairs now..." Kaien frowned and the other two girls panicked.

"Shit... Go hide! It doesn't matter if they take me, but go hide!" Shiro ordered and all three of them nodded and hid themselves. Shiro got ready to fight as a hooded figure came up the steps.

"Shiro?" Ichigo called and Shiro lowered his guard.

"Ichigo?"

"Ha! I knew this was your hiding spot!" Ichigo called out.

"Dammit! For a second there, I thought ya were one of Aizen's men..." Shiro grumbled.

"Aizen's men? They aren't allowed past their borders!"

"Yeah, and since when did that matter? They come and go as they please, taking people away to be concubines or wives..." Shiro said, a hint of disgust in his tone.

"That's horrible!"

"How didn't you know about this?"

"Well, I'm from... another town." Ichigo quickly thought up.

"Uhuh..." Shiro said and he whistled a bit and there was a bit of a rustling noise. "Karin, Yuzu, Kaien, it's safe, you can come out." The three mentioned came out of their hiding place and stood next to him. "Ichigo, this is my family. Yuzu, Karin, and Kaien." Ichigo smiled and the three kids looked at her.

"So this is your crush?" Karin asked and Ichigo blushed, but her cloak hid it.

"I don't have a crush on her!" Shiro yelled.

"Sure you don't..." Karin rolled her eyes and Ichigo focused on Kaien.

"What happened to his eyes?"

"He lost his ability to see. There was a raid three weeks ago, and he got splashed in the face with a type of acid. By the time I got to him, he had already lost his vision." Shiro explained.

"That's horrible!" Ichigo gasped.

"Hey, miss? Why do you wear a hood?"

"To keep out the sun." Ichigo lied.

"Can you take it off? We are inside..." Yuzu asked and Ichigo sighed then lowered her hood. Shiro looked at her. Her hair was a deep silver, and her face seemed as soft as porcelain. Shiro felt that even a slight tap could shatter her fragile complexion. "Wow! You are really pretty!"

"I have to agree..." Karin said.

"What does she look like?" Kaien asked and Karin whispered into his ear. "Oh! That does sound beautiful!"

"Ya are very pretty..." Shiro finally spoke up and then glanced out the window. The sun was starting to set. "well, where do ya live?"

"Anywhere I can find shelter..." Ichigo told the truth.

"Well, you can stay with us!" Yuzu chimed and Karin nodded.

"Yes... I am positive that Shiro here will just ADORE your company." Karin smirked.

"How many times do I have to tell ya! I don't have a crush on her!"

"Your body language says otherwise..." Kaien stated and Ichigo blushed, but hid it behind her sleeve.

"I would be glad to stay here." Ichigo stated before anyone else could argue anymore.

"GREAT! I'll go make you a place to sleep!" Yuzu ran off.

"MAKE IT NEXT TO WHERE SHIRO SLEEPS!" Karin yelled.

"WILL DO!" Yuzu called back.

"God... these triplets will be the end of me..."

"Where are your parents?"

"Our mom died in childbirth with those three, and our dad was killed in a raid three years ago..." Shiro said and Kaien hung his head low.

"I am so sorry..." Ichigo said.

"What about you?"

"Both of my parent's are still alive... I'm a runaway... my dad wants me to get married to someone I don't even love..." Ichigo stated.

"Yeah, that's pretty common nowadays..." Shiro agreed. "Marriage should be based on love, not status..."

"I completely agree..." Ichigo said and Kaien stepped in.

"How old are you?" Kaien asked, his gaze still not focusing.

"Sixteen, why?"

"You're a year younger than Shiro." Kaien said. Shiro crossed his arms.

"What does age have to do with anything?" Shiro commented.

"Because... men aren't supposed to be with women older than them... that's why women are given up for suitors at age sixteen, and men at age seventeen, both of you are of legal age." Kaien explained. "Thus making it perfectly acceptable for you two to be a couple."

"Kaien!" Shiro yelled and Ichigo blushed a bit but started laughing. Shiro looked at her like she was insane, but eventually started laughing with her. Karin and Yuzu came back in the room.

"Alright! Ichigo's bed is all ready for her!" Yuzu chimed.

"Good, let's all get some sleep." Shiro said.

"Alright..." The triplets stated in unison and went off to their beds. "Good-night, Shiro, Ichigo."

"Good-night, Karin, Yuzu, Kaien..." Shiro called out and the three went to sleep. Ichigo found where her bed was and laid on the soft blankets. Shiro laid down next to her, but on his own set of blankets. "G'night, Ichigo..."

"Good-night, Shiro." Ichigo said as they all fell into a blissful sleep. Unaware to them, two men rode into town and stayed at the inn, they would begin their search for the princess later.

"Karin... Karin, Wake up." Yuzu called and Karin opened an eye. "Yay you're awake!"

"What's the matter?"

"I thought you might want to see."

"See? See what?" Karin sat up and looked at where Yuzu was pointing. Both Ichigo and Shiro were on their sides, Shiro holding Ichigo close, and Ichigo leaning back into the embrace. Karin chuckled softly. "I knew he had a crush on her..."

"Yes you did! You were completely correct!" Yuzu chimed and they heard the two teens shift in their sleep.

"Oh... Shiro is never going to live this down..." Karin smirked evilly. Kaien walked into the room rubbing his eyes. "Why are you rubbing your eyes if you can't see?"

"Force of habit..." Kaien replied. Shiro stretched out and sat up, Ichigo still sleeping. "Good morning."

"Yeah... not a big morning fan..." Shiro replied, yawning. "I wish it could just stay night..."

"But then no-one would ever wake up, and I can't make fun of you for holding Ichigo in your sleep..." Karin said, sarcasm lining her voice at the first part.

"Wait... what?" Shiro asked and Karin stated laughing.

"You had your arms around her as you two were sleeping! It was really cute and maybe now you can get married and have kids!" Yuzu chimed and Shiro sweat-dropped.

"Yuzu... that isn't always how things work..." Shiro tried to explain.

"Well, do you like her?" Kaien asked.

"Possibly..." Shiro rolled his eyes in an inconspicuous manner.

"You do like her!" Yuzu squealed. "Now just find out if she likes you back!"

"Yeah, yeah... getting advice from a ten-year-old about a relationship is SO the best thing to do..." Shiro smirked.

"Hey! I may be ten, but I'm not stupid!" Yuzu pouted and Shiro got up and patted her head.

"I know your not... I was just teasing." Shiro looked back at Ichigo. "she's really cute when she sleeps."

"You really do like her..." Karin said then noticed how Ichigo was waking up. "Go talk to her!" Karin pushed Shiro towards Ichigo and he fell down in front of her.

"You know... you're supposed to get up in the mornings, not lie down..." Ichigo smirked.

"Hey! I was pushed..." Shiro hurriedly sat up.

"I know you were." Ichigo stood up and tried to help Shiro up to his feet, but instead, Shiro pulled her down to sit on his lap. She was blushing so hard and she was so shocked.

"Sorry, just thought ya might wanna see the world from my perspective." Shiro smirked, and Ichigo covered her face in a vain attempt to hide her blush. "Now, why are ya hiding?"

"It's not good for a lady to show emotion." Ichigo remembered from her etiquette classes. "And it's sort of a habit..."

"Well, maybe you should break that habit..." Shiro replied moving her hand away from her face. Karin started laughing. "What's so funny?"

"Well, the fact that you have a huge crush on her, you are using such cheesy lines, and that the high-and-mighty Shiro is head-over-heels in L. O. V. E." Karin smirked.

"Hey!"

"Even I can tell that you love her, and I'm blind..." Kaien said and Shiro started fuming.

"Stop teasing me! Jeez! It's like you are all against me!" Shiro crossed his arm and pouted. Ichigo started giggling and stood up, she helped Shiro to his feet. Shiro looked at her then started laughing with her. "Anyway... I have to head into town... we need more supplies... want to come?" Shiro asked.

"Alright." Ichigo walked with Shiro outside and wandered around the market, Shiro picking out things, and Ichigo paying for them (Because no-one would do business with Shiro). They were both laughing, but Ichigo suddenly stopped and Shiro looked back.

"What's wrong?" Shiro asked.

"They've found me..." Ichigo barely said above a whisper, dropping the basket and running. Shiro quickly picked up the basket and ran after her.

"HEY! WAIT UP!" Shiro yelled and they both found themselves in the forest surrounding the town. "What was that about?"

"They found me and if they see me with you they were going to kill you..." Ichigo started to cry.

"H-hey! Calm down! Who would kill me? Why?"

"They don't care! Just by being with me you are in trouble... Just stay away from me! I... I don't want you getting hurt..." Ichigo pushed Shiro away and ran. Shiro blinked, not fully done processing what she said.

"Shit..." Shiro cursed then ran after her. "ICHIGO!"

And there you have it! leaving a bit of a cliffie there, aren't i? }) Ah well~ POLL ON PROFILE! PLEASE CHOOSE! for you might be the one who decides a major event in this story.