AN: I live? I don't know, I'm here, and uh, I want to thank you all for all the reviews, and the time you've taken to read this dreadful story of mine. I honestly hate my own writing, I don't know why, I just do, so it's really nice (odd?) to see people reading this and yeah. Thanks for 99 reviews.

Listened to Bad by Infinite on repeat while writing this if anyone's interested.

Disclaimer: Guess what I don't own? Fairy Tail and Bleach!

Chapter 12

The train ride was uneventful, minus Natsu's constant motion sicknesses, but that couldn't really be helped. Ichigo had miserably lost the poker game to Shiro, and he now owed Shiro an entire day in control of his body (not a good idea, really not a good idea, but Ichigo was so sure he was gonna win that he didn't even think about what would happen if the hollow was holding out on him). Zangetsu had folded, and sat himself out for most of the rounds, happy to watch the other two compete, insults flying everywhere.

Ichigo stumbled off the train (that poker game was intense, okay), and came to a stop on the platform, and gazed about him. It really was weird to be in a world where there was some modern day technology, but in other places they were sorely lacking.

"What's keeping you?" Natsu cried, already over at the entrance with Gray and Happy. "Hurry up slow poke!"

"I'm not that slow," Ichigo grumbled, much to the amused giggles of Shiro, who was quite the happy camper at the minute.

"Not as slow as Erza," Lucy mumbled from next to him, "She's still trying to get her bag out of the train door. It's so big it can't through the door."

Ichigo turned back to the train he had just exited, and indeed, there was Erza struggling with her bag, pulling and pulling without much effect. The bag was bulging, and Ichigo was wondering how she even managed to get it into the train in the first place. It seemed impossible to push it through without removing something from the bag, but Erza seemed to think that the bag would fir through the door if she just gave it a big enough push. Ichigo doubted that logic.

"Need a hand?" he called out, and Erza turned to look at him, determination settting her features into a slight scowl.

"No, I'm fine." she replied. "It just needs a good pull and it will come through the door."

"Yeah, do you need help with the pulling?" Ichigo asked.

"I can pull just fine," she huffed.

Lucy sighed from her spot next to Ichigo. "Erza's too stubborn, she won't be accepting your help Ichigo. Just give up." Lucy started towards Natsu and Gray, already arguing at the front door, much to the chagrin of the people attempting to come in and out of the door.

Ichigo shrugged and followed. "Okay?"

Lucy tossed a smile at Ichigo over her shoulder. "Come on, we should stop those two," cue head nodding towards Natsu and Gray, "before they destroy the entire station. I don't want to have to pay for repairs. As it is, I'm running low on money at the minute, and was only just able to afford this months rent."

Ichigo filed away the information on Lucy's rent status for later use. There was no knowing when something as simple as that might come in handy. He trailed behind Lucy, pulling Natsu away from Gray just as Natsu started to prepare to throw a fire punch. He firmly pushed Natsu's hand back down to his side, and only released his arm when he was sure Natsu was going to charge at Gray.

"Please don't fight," Ichigo sighed, pulling the information sheet out of his pocket, ignoring Shiro's cries of 'fight!'. "I have some thieves to catch, and I don't know where to look first."

Natsu pouted at the thought of not being allowed to fight, but brightened up at the thought of catching some thieves. "I know where they are!" Natsu pointed to the left, and Ichigo followed his line of sight to see a wall. "They're in the mountains!"

"That's a wall," Ichigo muttered.

Erza laughed, having finally caught up with the rest of the group. "He means beyond the wall, silly."

"Yeah, why would you think otherwise?" Lucy joined in the gentle ribbing of Ichigo, moving away from Gray and standing next to Natsu. "How can the thieves be a wall? How can a wall steal gold?"

Ichigo gave a weak grin, and attempted to resist the temptation to slap his head in an attempt to stop Shiro's cackles. "My bad."

"But how long before we reach their hideout anyways," Gray complained, stopping to wipe his forehead and look around at the forest on either side of them, "It seems like we've been walking for days. Are you sure you know where you're going flamebrain?"

Natsu threw his head back and laughed confidentally, "Of course I know where we're going, we're nearly there after all! Just another corner or two and we should see the cave they were meant to be in. Why do you always doubt me ice block?"

"Huuuuhh?" Gray leered at Natsu, who took it as an opportunity to leer back. "Because you're stupid, that's why."

"Be quiet," Erza snapped, "I hear something."

The two boys fell silent for fear of Erza's wrath, and everyone took great pains not to make a sound. Ichigo tilted his head to the left, but could not hear a thing.

"Are y-" he started, but was cut off by the sound of a branch snapping. His head whipped around to stare at the bushes to their left. Without meaning to, one hand strayed towards Zangetsu, and out of the corner of his eye he could see the others preparing for a fight as well.

Without warning, something leapt out of the bushes and raced straight towards them. Lucy tripped over her feet and would have fallen if Natsu had not caught her. Ichigo let out a laugh. "It's a rabbit. You guys got scared over a rabbit."

"Well how were we to know that it was a rabbit!" Natsu took offense immediately. "It could have been a thief trying to catch us!"

Ichigo laughed, but suddenly stilled, and froze for a second, before quickly reaching for Zangetsu and drawing his sword. "DUCK!" He cried, suddenly swinging his sword around in a huge arc. Everyone obeyed without question, dropping to the ground as fast as they could.

A startled sound erupted from the unknown man who had been sneaking up behind Natsu and Lucy at the sudden sword held to his throat. "Please don't kill me!"

AN: Crappiest cliffhanger for crappy chapter, but it's an update non the less. I honestly have no inspiration left at the minute, so I have no idea how long it will be before the next chapter, but I promise there will be one one day...

Thanks for taking the time to read this! :)