Chapter 3 - Invasion - An Important Kidnapping

Like ripping a piece of black fabric, the entire sky opened up before Miku. Quivering slightly before the restrictive bands of reality could no longer hold against the force of Suzume's will, and ripped into a huge gap in the sky. On the other side, a blue sky shown through.

It was beautiful. She had not been able to see the world of the living much, but was always entranced by amusement when she did come as she pondered what it was that she would do if she was a weak human that knew nothing about the other realms and worlds that existed past the simple buildings and families they had with them.

It was sad.

Miku stepped forward as Suzume did, as if to accept that fact that she was the most vital member of this mission. And it was an important one. It was one that Suzume had not even given many details on. And those were the more important ones. Anything that was kept secret was important here.

“I have briefed you many times on what it is that I am requiring. Failure is not an option. And I do not expect it. Is that understood?”

Suzume spoke with a velvet tone that rang over Miku's body like clear fabric. It was clean and pure in the same way that red tomatoes were when they were not organic – fake. But all the more delicious looking and more attractive regardless. It was that kind of personality that gave him full control over Miku whenever he pleased.

Standing tall against the blue sky, Miku wore more or less plain clothes that were of the dress code for the Espada organization. With loose fitting and rather baggy white pants that looked like a skirt when her legs were held together, her top was completed by a slightly different top, only because one of the sleeves was removed, showing her right arm. A thick sash wrapped across her torso, going under her right arm, and over her left shoulder that held her zanpakutou so that it's handle poked out beside her head. It was an easy draw situation. Her zanpakutou was purple, and had a large sheath that held it.

“Yes sir, Suzume-san!”

“Hai.”

“Hai, Suzume-san.”

The other voices came from the other Espada around her. There were two others. Both of which were strong. Esido, and Niiki. Esido spoke in a tone that meant clearly that he wanted to go. But as Miku knew him, he was not very excited about the mission already for it was based on sneaking tactic and did not include fighting shinigami.

Miku however could not understand what Niiki would be thinking for the life of her. She always had a cool tone on her face. But it was fake. More fake than anything made possible. The soothing smile ironically belonged to one of the most terrifying Espada in the group. Even though she was not the highest level Espada, all feared her. She was fierce despite her level.

Miku had never fought her, or even seen her do much more than mostly unimpressive sword handling, but she believed all that was said about Niiki. That she was a force to be reckoned with.

Miku watched as Suzume moved again, the man able to seemingly do anything. Acting as both hollow and shinigami, he walked through the garganta that he had created, and stuck his hand into the thin air on the other side.

Light sprung from the thin air at the same moment. It was unnatural. Miku was astonished, although her facial expressions were mostly hidden under the mask that only showed a single eye. It went on to cover the rest of her face, as well as slivers that were not attached to the main mask that covered her ears, not allowing her ace to be seen for the most part. A dark purple eye shown through the mask hole that showed her eye.

Spoiler:

Suzume ripped his hands from the air that acted like a flat solid surface. The light broke through with some seeming difficulty. Not wasting a moment his hands moved quickly together to form a seal that only advanced members of the shinigami's kido corps knew how to form. He was a mystery, and yet he was able to do it all.

The light stopped quivering for a second before it burst into view, quickly taking form in the shape of a door. It slid open, and made a cool noise as it did so.



“And so it begins...” Suzume said.

Miku's mind wandered. What was he referring to? What did he mean? What was going to begin.

However the questions would never be answered, and they did not need to. She was but a loyal servant to her master, and would act accordingly. It was this attitude that she had that always managed to make Niiki lose her perfect balance of stunning calmness.

Running into the senkaimon, such a primitive technology that did not cut out the entire need to travel through an inner dimension first in order to get to the final location as the garganta did. With the garganta you stepped from where ever you were, into where you wanted to be. And with the senkaimon, you stepped into an inner world and had to avoid the cleaner in order to make it to your destination.

But she did not complain. She did not even mention a word. She just ran forward, taking in all that was around her. This was her first time being inside of the senkaimon. The walls around her rose like giant purple walla of glop that was about ready to fall and flood the entire elongated hallway.

Spoiler:

It was no wonder the world had a “cleaner” or else it would not be able to remain intact. She recited all the facts she was told about the senkaimon. It had its own separate time. And the walls that she was noticing were bound by a restrictive current – the purple slime on the walls – which would become dirtier faster as more and more spiritual energy was submitted into the world. This was why they had to be quick. With all three of them carrying a huge spiritual pressure as high level Espada at captain level, they were only inviting the cleaner to come, which was unable to be stood up too. It also moved faster than they would be able to run, and thus was inevitable death if it showed up before they could find an exit.

“This is going to take forever. Do all shinigami use this method of traveling!? I mean I could have created such a dimension splitting technique!”

Miku knew that he was only boasting and that he knew as well as she did that he was hardly able to produce a unique ability of his own, and would never be able to go so far as to create a high level way of transport.

Concentrating her reiatsu on the ebb and flow that it took, she started to extend it over the other two, suppressing their own energies so as not to be recognized in the Soul Society. Although the three of them were strong, they were no match for the combined mass of the Gotei 15 captains that inhabited the realm.

She felt he change start to occur just as a light glinted in her left peripheral vision. Looking up, she saw that there was an entrance that looked like an opening into Soul Society.

“Upper left corner. Go now. All in unison.”

Miku jumped after she gave the command, both of the others jumping behind her, Niiki acting as though she was not jumping because she was told to, but because she was able to and wanted to. She would not allow any leadership or superiority to Miku.

Miku didn't care.

Launching herself into the darkened sky, the color of the sky rapidly changing as they were launched into the reality of the situation.

It was late at night. Around midnight. It was a perfect time.

Free falling, Miku started to concentrate her energy to the bottom of her feet, and suddenly stopped, as if she fell on something hard regardless of the fact that there was nothing under her.

Both of the others fell in the same fashion, Esido not catching the memo until about four seconds later, putting him at about six feet below the others. He was often aloof in his actions like this. He was not a companion as much as he was a solo fighter.

“Both of you, stay near me, or you will not be protected by my soul barrier. Also, make this quick. Locate the girl, and get her as fast as possible. I will try and keep up while using my soul barrier. Go.”

Miku spoke in a low voice, knowing that whispering, even at this height in the air, created those “ssss” sounds that rung farther than that of a low spoken voice.

Esido nodded his head slightly, and burst into a speedy flight with the sonido. Miku followed, heading towards the main barracks where the captains stayed.

As she neared the barracks, she started to notice the overwhelming power of the area. Energy was flaring all around, even though the captains were sleeping. When united, they would be a force to be reckoned with. That was why she was here.

“There.” Esido spoke as he flared to a stop, the heavy noise of a sonido coming to a close. He pointed to the 11th squad barracks. It was a large building that extended from the main connecting ring building like all other divisions did, like a hallways until a separate building sprung up that was the actual division barracks.

Miku smiled, although no one would know.

This was so easy thus far.

“Hai, Esido-san!” She spoke with a congratulating voice. All of the Espada again blared into a flurry of sonidos until they reached the division in double time.

All three ended their last sonido with their feet touching the ground straight in front of the guards – two shinigami that were stationed outside of a huge gate that protected the many buildings inside the division barracks. They were hardly able to speak before Miku heard another sonido, and watched as both the shinigami fell, not even able to gather their zanpakutou before they thudded against the cold stone they were all on. There was no blood, and Esido had not even drawn his blade. His hand remained high in the air before he dropped it from the back of the neck knock out hit.

Miku walked up and bent down, grabbing the keys that were attached to the shinigami's belt. It was such an easy victory. Hardly complimentary to the fact that these were shinigami of the Soul Society's most powerful fighting division. It made Miku less worried about the possibility of being found out.

Tossing them to Esido, he opened the door, Niiki standing behind them all, still in the street until the gate was opened. She came in with a feline like grace, stepping over the knocked out shinigami. A look of absolute disgust brimmed her lips just before she looked on into the barracks.

Miku moved into the court yard that lay before a large manor that looked like it was of royal origins.

She was here.

Yuki.

That was all she knew about this. She was to gather the young girl by the name of Yuki.

Esido stepped back, and so did Niiki, seeming to not care at all about how the mission turned out, but rather how many blades they would be able to stop from ever even coming out of their sheath.

Miku pushed the key into the front door of the manor, and it opened. It was like stealing candy from a baby.

The doors of the small but royal building opened straight to the image of a sleeping girl.

This was Yuki.

She was alone in the room, the first thing that someone could grab. If Suzume wanted this girl, then she must be important, so then why would the shinigami have put her in such an easily accessible place? Were they all stupid?

Miku pushed forward into a sonido, landing just beside the bed and grabbed Yuki's arm, the girls eyes opened immediately, and Miku recognized the face that one makes just before screaming. She could not allow it. Slamming her hand down on Yuki's mouth her scream was heavily muffled, but it still occurred.

Blaring past the doors again, Miku carried the girl into the court yard, nodding to the others as a way to say lets go.

All three of the Espada blasted into sonido as Yuki screamed again, this scream less muffled by Miku's hand and by the impossibly quick travel of the sonido that washed out her voice in a blur of wind. But, once again. It still happened.

All three Espada landed on top of the wall that wrapped around the division barracks.

Without Yuki's screams, the mission would have gone smoothly. But Suzume had promised them their safety in return for the girl. But Miku looked up. The hole in the sky that led back to the senkaimon world had closed, and none of the Espada here knew how to create a garganta – especially with enough power to cycle them from Soul Society all the way to Hueco Mundo safely.

Miku heard foot steps.

But this was only a minor distraction in comparison to the sound of a sharp blade cutting through the wind close to her.

It was aimed for her.

Shuunske's haori flung about in the tempest of wind that surrounded him. It was a cold and raining night that had torn all the light of the moon away with the thick dark clouds that covered the night sky. Shuunske's hair clung to his head, heavy from the frantic rain – rain so intense that it was hard to hear others speaking over the sound of the water bombing the roads and roof tops.



Walking in a quick straight line, Shuunske groped the badge of the 14th division, and a small folder of papers. He knew that it was no doubt being soaked under the torrential rains that let loose on him from above. But he had already memorized all the info that he had seen – he had been on to something. The 14th division was something more than a myth. So then why was everyone playing dumb?

After Daikube had run test after test on the badge, he had proclaimed that it had been made in the Soul Society, and contained reiatsu of a normal shinigami on it. However, the 14th division, according to the data, had never existed as a division stationed in the Soul Society. But Shuunske knew that there was something that he was missing. A loop in the whole thing. Something that was trying not to be seen. But who was trying to hide this unknown troop of shinigami, and for what purpose. It was stupid to think that that many high level shinigami had slipped through the senkai, and not been detected. Furthermore, it would have had to be known by someone in the current times otherwise the former captain of the 11th division would not have known how to find them. What was more, there had to be some kind of beckoning and deal between the 14th division members and the former 11th division captain, seeing as he knew exactly where to look for the shinigami. Soul Society had never once sensed their presence. Not even Muriasachi had known of a small movable platoon of shinigami – and such elite shinigami that were of or above the captain class, using kido that was not even mentioned in normal kido classes – kido that only kido corps knew. And then some.

Shuunske bit his lip harder, his mind flying from place to place. He had scattered myths and bits of information that had to do with all the records that may be linked in any way to another division – happenings that got done without any record from the Soul Society shinigami. And it could not have been the short lived mod soul reign. The “Project Protection,” or the project to create mod souls had been wiped due to inhuman things being done to innocent... souls.

So it had to be another force that was working behind the scenes. Shuunske reviewed some of these issues in his head. They all had to due with royal cases. Royalty that was in trouble with illegalities and such. Problems that were not registered as dealt with, but problems that were seen ended by this unknown force.

Also, another very important man had been reported to have been brought into Central 46, a shinigami, and put to death. That had happened thousands upon thousands of years ago. No one knew what he had done, or who he was. All other data had been erased, and all that remained was rumors... it was all so confusing.

But Shuunske knew that there was just something that was missing... there was just no way to understand without the link that he was missing.

Grabbing hold of the handle of his zanpakutou, Shuunske made a sharp right into the street that lead to his division.

He had not seen Hiiro since he had left for Rukongai, dealing with a series of mysterious hollow attacks that had not allowed him to remain in Soul Society. He had been called away just after he left Muriasachi's division house about a week ago.

Shuunske stepped in a puddle, the water splashing around him, snapping him out of the dream. His body was tired – not from the work with the hollows, but from the emotional stress that he was still dealing with. He had made an almost full recovery since the week had progressed. His body was able to support his normal activities, and he felt his reiatsu burning like it always had once more.

Lightening cracked, and Shuunske looked up, pausing for a moment. It was beautiful. It was like an art that snapped in wonderful light for a second, and then dispersed, leaving you wanting more. Yuki and Shuunske had always tried to pain lightening back in the living world, and always failed to make it look real. It was only lately that he had been able to smile at his old renditions of lightening that he had painted in his own room.

Yuki...

That was where he was going. He was frightfully near now. Ever since she had gotten here Shuunske had not been able to be around her much. It was torture. But numerous kido experts were working in order to break the bonds that held her back from memory, all from the kido corps, and they did not want him around to disturb her in her process.

But while he had been gone, he had received news that upon his arrival, he would be able to see her, and was suggested to.

The thought gave Shuunske a warm smile on his face as her kind and innocent face flashed in his mind. She had not changed at all. She had managed to keep her exact same looks through all the changes she had mentally gone through. That was the fate of the rare shinigami that had the memory ability to retain thoughts and feelings from past lives and experiences.

Shuunske started moving again, this time more quickly, the info about the 14th division completely leaving his mind, and it all being replaced with a calm happiness that to him meant that things would finally become calm, and he would finally be able to be happy. And be able to love his Yuki-chan again. Like old time. As soon as she remembered him from the lives past. It had been two lives now. Once killed as a shinigami, and once killed as a human.

Shuunske shot the memories out of his head quick.

Shuunske stopped, no more than three feet from the back gate into the small court yard that held the small building in which Yuki would no doubt be sleeping.

If it was true, and she had remembered... then she would remember all of his failures to save her as well. If it was true, and she remembered all the lives she had endured... she would remember all the pain that she had endured. How could he face her after that? After he had not been able to save her and restore happiness and peace to her.

Shuunske's hand dropped from his zanpakutou and the rain smacked him, as if to tell him to keep moving. Shuunske nodded, closing his eyes for a moment.

“I... I had no power at that time... but now I am powerful... there is no way that I will lose you again... Yuki-chan...” Shuunske spoke to himself, in a voice that was so quiet he could hardly hear himself.

Lifting his hand in order to open the smaller gate that led into the back of the manor Shuunske's eyes opened wide as an alarm blared through out the Soul Society. Just as it did so, he heard a feint scream that sounded like Yuki. Frozen in time for no less than a second, Shuunske felt a sudden release of three powerful reiatsus that felt foreign. Not waiting to unlock the doors, Shuunske bent into panic mode, slamming his hand into the doors and screaming “SHO!”

Just as he commanded, the low level spell burst through and blew the doors open. Jumping through the doors, Shuunske blasted through the cracks with a flash step ,and as soon as he landed blasted into yet another one skidding around a corner sliding slightly from lack of traction.

Running through the manor aided by the fastest quick step among the captains, Shuunske made it into the main room where Yuki had been sleeping within 20 second. Was that short enough though!?

She was GONE!

Shuunske drew his sword and flew into the wind with another flash step, carrying him through the opened doors, and into the court yards. There he saw it all. Two guards that had fallen quickly without fatal injury and without even being able to draw their zanpakutou.

However, his attention quickly shifted to the three on the wall just outside of the division.

Anger boiling at the cruelness of this situation, Shuunske bent his legs and pushed himself into the fastest flash step he had ever pushed himself into, sword blazing at the female that held Yuki. He was too quick for even her to react. His attack harnessed all of his physical power in one thrust.

Just before he made contact, another blade shot itself in front of his own, it was a thick sword that looked much heavier than his own. Shuunske's fierce attack sent the man that had blocked his attack flying backwards, skidding on the wall. Shuunske landed on the wall beside the masked female holding his love.

“Bakudo no 63 – SAJO SABAKU!”

Shuunske spoke as he moved, not wanting to risk another attack now that his opponent knew he was there and could use Yuki as a shield. Flashing into another quick step, a bright yellow rope ignited from his hands that sprung forth at high speed and grabbed hold of the woman holding Yuki, and in an instant squeezing down on her tightly, causing her to drop Yuki.

As soon as the yellow light faded from his hands, Shuunske back stepped and caught Yuki as she fell off the wall and into the air towards the hard and wet ground, allowing her to land on the ground. The intensity of the situation had gotten to her and her eyes closed, being pushed into unconsciousness.

This was cruel. And not needed.

Why would anyone need to take her away? What had she done to anyone? And why would she pose interest to anyone like these people? What could she have possibly done?

Tears fell down Shuunske's face, hardly noticeable in the unforgiving rain. Just when he was able to enjoy peace with her, this had to happen and ruin it. Holding his sword out pointed straight at the three opponents, one bound and kneeling, not seeming to mind that she had been bound by the bakudo spell, and hardly resisting its binding powers.

The other two were much different from that woman.



One was a man, a tall man that had a similar build to Kasumi – muscular and handsome. Only the expression on his face was nothing like what Kasumi would ever emit. His face suggested that he was excited to see all the anger that he was causing Shuunske, and that it meant that he was going to be able to fight. It was his sword who had blocked Shuunske's before. It was a thick sword that he handled with enough speed and accuracy to block a full fledged attack from Shuunske.



The woman next to him had not even drawn her weapon yet. She was the most different out of any of them. Stunningly beautiful in a dark way that made Shuunske quiver. Evil to the bone. Dark reiatsu poured from her more intensely than any of the others. It stunk of lies and deceit – and smelled like a hollow's. All of their reiatsu smelled and felt like a hollow's reiatsu.



All dressed in white clothes that differed from the shinigami attire, and yet all carrying a weapon that looked like a sword. Could they possibly be... no... what was that...?

Shuunske looked more closely to see that that mask on the woman he had attacked first was not a worn mask, but melded to her face – part of her, and both of the other had the same flaw. Mask fragments that had been attached to them, like they were part of them.

Shuunske's blade started to shake. Who were these people, and how did they get into Soul Society.

“W-who... are you...?”

There was no answer in words, only in action from the male who shot forward with a move similar to the flash step. It was fast. Very fast. But Shuunske could keep up, bending his legs and spinning in order to block the attack made on him from behind. The swords clashed against each other with intense force, causing sparks to fly into the air.

This was tricky. The attack had taken his eyes off of the other two – as it was probably meant to do.

Shuunske raised his hand and shouted “SHO!” Causing the pushing spell to blast at the man Shuunske was fighting, but before it hit him, the man was gone, another usage of the fast move, like quick step, only different.

It allowed Shuunske to turn around, but just as he did he was met by another attack that pushed him back, almost tripping over Yuki. It was a basic attack that was thrown by the male again. This was no good. He had to be able to counter all three enemies attacks is that was what was needed.

Just then Shuunske felt a dark burst of reiatsu that disappeared as soon as it had started. Looking past the man, he saw the raven beauty, still standing on the wall, and not moving – still without having drawn her blade, but not the other opponent.

Shuunske's eyes bulged. Where had she gone? Her energy was completely gone.

“It is time to go...”

The voice came from behind Shuunske, and the man he was blade locked with jumped back, and up onto the wall, opposite to the pale skinned unmoving woman.

Shuunske remained in the middle of the courtyard, surrounded by the enemies.

Who were they!?

What were they!?

They felt more like hollows than shinigami, and yet they were not hollows.

Shuunske turned to face the woman that had Yuki. She no longer was restricted by the bakudo he had placed on her. That bakudo was a very strong bakudo that was not easy to break, even for another captain. What was more, she had caused herself to completely disappear for a second. What had happened there?

Shuunske reviewed it all in a quick second. All three had gotten here without being felt or detected. And she had been able to break a high level bakudo, cast by a master of kido. Her power must be based on suppressing reiatsu, and diminishing it. As for the other two, he had no read on what their abilities were, if they even had any other than their incredible dark energy.

“You're NOT leaving here with Yuki-chan! What has she done!? Why are you taking her!?”

Shuunske sounded like a child once more – a child pleading for his or her mother after being separated.

He was alone.

Completely alone.

But that would not last. He had Yuki. And there was no way that he was going to lose her.

The male started to laugh, a cool and confident egotistical laugh. “Don't tell me this is a captain of the Soul Society... he is nothing more than a weak kid! Are you kidding!?”

“Idiot, this is Shuunske-san, one of the most legendary captains of the soul society. I would suggest you be careful against his blade, Esido-dono!” The woman holding Miku spoke. It seemed that she was in charge of the other two, despite the indifference in strength. It was an obvious indifference. That woman had the weakest spiritual pressure among them all. However Shuunske could not trust what he felt in these instances, seeing as the woman's power could further manipulate his perceptions of other's power ratings.

On the other hand, she seemed to know his name, and about him. How? What information broker had given her that information. And how had she gotten here? The only way to make it into Soul Society was a Senkaimon – agate created by a shinigami, and only a shinigami.

Shuunske raised his blade, and pointed it at the woman that held Yuki.

Why were they unable to leave? Were they planning on staying and fighting him? If so they must know that others would eventually come to aid him, and they would be easily overwhelmed by numbers and power.

He had to be able to attack them all and defend against them all until back up arrive. And he had to figure out a way to retrieve Yuki.

Looking up into the sky, a small frown appeared on Shuunske's face. However the frown was followed by a grin.

“Hnnn... Kawari Ken Kantsuu – Kirisami!” As soon as Shuunske spoke, he traced the edge of his blade with his fingers. The sword fell into the ground as he did so, leaving him without a blade. Dropping his handle that began to change and morph into a curved hilt, Shuunske waited another moment.

“You are not getting away from here with Yuki-chan...”

With that, Shuunske looked up and flung his body into an intense flash step that carried him next to the black haired woman, swinging the hilt of his blade, the rain that fell around him swirled into the shape of a blade, and bent blade that was thick and heavy looking before the water colored itself and became metal to form a fully functional sword that beat down at the beauty.



“RETURN YUKI-CHAN TO ME!”

“Both of you have to stay near me, or you will not be protected by my soul barrier. Also, make this quick. Locate the girl, and get her out fast as possible. I will try and keep up while using my soul barrier. Go.”


Niiki hated Miku’s sense of superiority. She enjoyed picturing how hideous she was under that silly looking mask of hers. This thought seemed to calm the rage that began to boil every time Miku would give her another order.


Niiki didn’t like Miku from day one but now she really had reason to be bitter. Shortly before the mission at hand a sudden change of rank between her and Miku had been assigned. Niiki, once at number 6 in the ranking of the Espada, was demoted to Miku’s previous place as number 7. Meaning, of course, that Miku was then promoted to number 6. This action did not only greatly offend Niiki but it shattered the brilliant image that she held of herself in the eyes of the man who made the decision, the ruler over Hueco Mundo and the Espada, Suzume.


Admittedly, the thought of “forcibly” retrieving her placement as number 6 occurred to Niiki. However she knew about Miku’s ability and knew that the only way to defeat her was for Niiki to go into release. That was the last thing she wanted to do.


Niiki’s intimidation did not come from Miku’s power, skill or physical appearance at all but from the interest she seemed to attract from Suzume. She couldn’t figure out why someone as powerful as he would have such an interest in such a weakling like Miku. Then again she couldn’t figure out anything about Suzume. Niiki has always been skilled at analyzing people and reading their actions and motives. This makes her a brilliant manipulator. But he was the only person Niiki couldn’t read. All she could sense in his presence was the sharp chill of his raw power as it radiated the room with an undefined vibration of intensity.


The mission given to Niiki and her team was to capture a young girl by the name of Yuki and bring her back to the Hueco Mundo. She was apparently a very important necessity to Suzume because of the risk they were taking by going into the center Soul Society, home of the powerful Gotei 13, to retrieve the girl. Judging by the vagueness of the description of the mission Niiki knew there was something more to the plan than what Suzume was telling her. She just didn’t know what.


After Miku cloaked the three Espada’s intense reiatsu the team entered Soul Society. She followed the group to the captain’s barracks. The moment Niiki’s feet touched the ground far outside the captain’s barracks, she could feel the guards’ pacing feet vibrate through the stone streets and their low voices resonate through the thick air. With the exception of sight Niiki had incredibly acute senses and, much like a spider, she could feel her prey from far away through the vibrations that travel through the air and the ground. She knew she had sensed the guards long before the others but decided to let Esido do the dirty work for her.


The cool moistness of the air and the unusual darkness of the night told Nikki that the midnight sky was replaced with a sheet of dark clouds heavy with rain. Niiki felt the first tiny droplets of the rain storm gently sting her porcelain skin.



She glanced at the guards’ limp bodies with disgust and disappointment.
“How pathetic,” She murmured. Although her voice was soft, smooth and controlled she seemed to spit her words with an unparalleled biting tone.


Esido opened the door and Niiki stepped over the unconscious bodies and through into the 11th squad barracks. Niiki watched as Miku continued toward a building that looked as if was fit for royalty. She stayed in the courtyard allowing Miku to proceed with the mission. She calculated the most probable outcome of the situation. She knew that Miku would probably make the mistake of waking the girl up and allowing her to have the time to scream rather than making the sensible decision to knock her unconscious or use some kind of medication. This would disturb the other citizens of soul society in close range which mostly consisted of captains. This would cause the mission to be more problematic and dangerous. And, because it was Miku was leading the team and it was her fault for being careless and causing all this it would reflect badly on her to Suzume. This would possibly increase the chances of Niiki gaining her place back as Espada 6 without going into her release to fight Miku.


Esido remained outside the house as well. He looked Niiki up and down, mesmerized by her elegant curves and long, spidery legs as she stood a few feet away from him like an ivory statue. But she didn’t return his gaze. He sighed loudly hoping to catch her attention then closed his eyes, raised his arms up and folded his hands behind his head. This pose displayed his rippling muscles nicely and he knew it. He smirked. He was sure Niiki was checking him out until he opened one eye to glance at her expectantly. Instead she was looking in a completely different direction.


She was well aware of what he was trying to do. But she decided to play ignorant to see how far he would go. He was becoming more and more desperate because Niiki had been toying with him for quite some time.
He became slightly aggravated that his plan wasn’t working then decided she probably just didn’t see him. He shifted and cleared his throat to try to catch her attention. She moved nothing but her light blue eyes in his direction. He grinned and flexed trying to create the most attractive pose he could conjure in the moment that he had caught her attention.


Suddenly she sensed a change in the energy of the area. She looked up to see that the passage in the sky that lead back to Senkaimon was closing. Niiki was surprised. Why would it close so soon?



Esido, apparently completely oblivious to what Niiki was noticing, began to approach her probably about to use some ridiculous, cocky pick-up line when Niiki eyes darted to the house as they heard a muffled scream. Niiki smirked. Moments later Miku blasted through the doors of the house with the girl still conscious and screaming. Just as predicted.


A loud alarm broke through the now pounding rain. As its loud siren sounded throughout the entire soul society Niiki sensed an intense flare of energy erupt from all directions.


Miku nodded to Niiki and Esido to follow and they blasted into Sonido. As they landed on the walls around the barracks Niiki could sense a very intense reiatsu closer than expected. Where was it coming from?


Suddenly he came into view. A young boy with an incredible amount of reiatsu and impressive speed heading straight for a direct attack on Miku. Niiki was disappointed when Esido blocked the attack but, then again, that would mean one less person on their side to fight while they waited for the portal to open. Niiki watched the fight observing the boy’s skills and ability. He was enraged. Deeply distressed and desperate to get the pathetic little girl back. More so than just an acquaintance or friend would be. No, he had a strong connection to this girl. Their energy was completely different but at the same time oddly similar. He came off as fearless and infuriated but he was scared and confused. He was powerful but he knew he was at the disadvantage.


“Kawari Ken Kantsuu – Kirisami!”


Niiki watched as his sword morphed into water leaving him weaponless. She was interested. She’d never seen such an ability.


“You are not getting away from here with Yuki-chan...”


With unpredicted speed he suddenly landed directly beside Niiki. She was taken off guard by the speed of his quickstep and the power from his newly formed large sword as it swung down fast from the momentum of the attack.


“RETURN YUKI-CHAN TO ME!”


She blurred into Sonido before the blade reached her. It was close. Too close. So this was his release? Niiki mocked. She thought it was odd for him to use such a heavy sword when his raw strength wasn’t his strong point. The large sword crashed down with incredible force creating a large crevasse in the wall and a thick crack that traced down to the ground. She knew she had time before he could move that huge sword to attack again. Even before the sword had fully impacted the wall Niiki appeared directly behind Shuunske. So close that he could feel her breath on his neck.


“How do expect to protect your precious Yuki when you are so weak?”

The huge sword swung down with incredible speed, much larger and heavier than himself. Its metal spun out of the rain itself. Shuunske closed his eyes and pushed hard on the handle of the sword in the last moment to push it through. He was not normally one that used such a large weapon, but his speed was enough to...

No...

She was gone. The attack slammed against the top of the wall, cause a huge amount of dust to fly up into the air as the entirety of the rock based formation cracked and crumbled, causing a large crack to make its way to the ground. In chain reaction, a segment of rock fell from the attack site.

Within the confusion of it all, a threatening whisper burnt its way through the cracking noise, the voice of the woman behind, with her malevolent voice, soft and calm, saying:

“How do you expect to protect your precious Yuki when you are so weak?”

Everything went silent. What had she just said. He was many things, but he was not weak.

Shuunske gripped his handle almost hard enough to break the material it was made of. As if in response, the giant blade that he had used a second ago exploded into a a torrent of water, bursting into a waterfall that ripped over the broken wall.

“I...”

The water that remained in close proximity to the blade whipped back to the handle, and formed what looked like a short blade in an instant, creating a sharp and beautiful blue blade that seemed to have a glow about it.

“... am...”

Shooting a foot out behind him, Shuunske prepared for a fast counter attack. The small weapon he now held allowed his speed to rocket to higher levels. There would be no doubt that the woman would not be able to deflect or dodge his next attack.

“... not...”

Whipping around, Shuunske attacked with a sideways slash, kicking a small blast of reiatsu into his foot in order to move even faster than his already impossible speed. His knife whipped around so fast that a jet stream of evaporated water followed its path.

“... WEAK!”

The knife swung at such a great speed that the woman was unable to move into quick step. She looked shocked, as if she was unable to understand how he was able to move at the speed that he moved. Although there was something off about the attack. The woman had already started to move in order to dodge it seemed.

As she jumped back in attempt to avoid the small knife, her hair flung forward, jet black and beautiful. The knife barely missed her throat, but moved through the silk like red hot metal through warmed butter, cutting of a small chunk of her hair off. It was not good enough. He had to fulfill his attack on the dark woman. Without their seemingly strongest gun, they would be weaker against his attack. In the same moment that his sword cut the hair, his other hand grabbed the raven lock.

“Hado number 33 – Sokatsui!”

With the hair in one hand, and the sword in another, Shuunske put both of hands together, the woman still off guard from the massive speed that he had shown just before. As soon as his hands came together, a huge blue blast ripped its way towards the female at lightening speed.

Shuunske heard the thudding sound that meant another was traveling with their modified flash step, and just as he had suspected, the man he had fought a second earlier zoomed in front of the beam, his sword pointed like a gun at Shuunske.

“CERO!”

As soon as he spoke, his sword turned red, as though it was on fire and blasted a red laser, colliding with the kido spell. Both were about at the same power level, and the explosion was huge. Blue and red energy scattered in all directions. Shuunske covered his head with his arms, being pushed back by the immense explosion, Shuunske slid backwards, kicking up dust ahead of himself, until his feet hit the crack that he made in the wall, allowing him to hold himself still.

When the blast cleared, Shuunske looked at the man in awe.

“... A cero...?”

Shuunske whispered under his breath. Is that what he had heard? No. He had to be going crazy. There was no way a man like him could use an attack so unique to a hollow. He was not a hollow. However, that was a cero. It felt the exact the same. How then was he able to shoot it? Who were these people?

Shuunske studied them all.

There was no way to fight opponents that you didn't even know what they were. And he had fired a cero from his sword. Maybe that was his swords ability, like a zanpakutou in shikai form. However nothing changed about his reiatsu or blade as it did when a shinigami went into shikai.

These people were different.

Different from him, different from any of the other shinigami, different than the 14th division. Difference did not mean more powerful, however, their power was unknown.

“Hmmm... a cero... from someone like you? I thought that attack was unique to hollows only? How can you use that attack with such ease? Who are you people? What are you people? What do you want with Yuki...”

That's right. They were after Yuki.

“... WHY ARE YOU AFTER YUKI!?!?!?”

Shuunske held out his hands.

“Bakudo number 9 – Geki!”

Immediately a red light beamed over the male and female, a ray of red light that restricted their movement for the most part. It was a weak spell, but he did not need anything more. Pushing forward into a flash step, Shuunske's blade burst into water as it did when it changed, and the water swirled around the handle in order to form a pair of blades, like a single blade, but split so that it was two parallel blade running along each other. The sword had just fully formed before Shuunske pushed his arm down into attack.

The next moment, Shuunske's blade slammed against the man.

It had connected.

Wait...

The red light that had stunned them long enough for the attack had gone, and was replaced with a yellow light. Shuunske looked closer. His sword was pushing against the seeming solid yellow light, as if he was not allowed to get through.

“Heh... So he finally decided to come and get us I see...” The male spoke, in a sarcastic and taken for granted tone as if who ever he was talking about had been slacking.

Shuunske's eyes got larger. The light had broken his perfect attack.

No... no... no... not now...

Picking his blade back up, Shuunske slammed it back at them, only to realize that the yellow light was absolute – his sword sunk into it, unable to push past an inch of it.

Shuunske did not give in, and pulled it out again. “No! W-where... WHERE ARE YOU GOING!? BRING YUKI-CHAN BACK!!!”

Pulling the blade out again, and flash stepping over to where Yuki was, being held by the masked woman.

“Yuki-chan!” Shuunske cried out, like he was in pain.

“No! No!! Please... please... PLEASE DON'T TAKE HER AWAY! PLEASE!! Please... Ill do anything. Please...”

Tears tugged their way to the surface, and Shuunske's face grew wet with warm tears, as apposed to cold rain.

“... No... no no... no... NO!! NO NO NO NO NO!!” Shuunske pulled out his sword, an almost glaze over his eyes, a glaze of crazed anger and sadness mixed to create a powerful emotion.

“KIRISAMI! BRING HER BACK!” The sword responded, water crawling over surface and made it larger and thicker, looking more heavy. It didn't matter to him now. The lifting was easy.

“PLEASE!!!”

Swinging his sword against the yellow light, slamming it into the barrier over and over, Shuunske screamed inaudible words, his consciousness taking him over in rage and morbidity.

“YOU CAN'T HAVE HER!! SHE IS... SHE IS MINE!!”

Shuunske could not see anything from the amount of tears that he was now shedding.

“Hado number 54 – Haien!” Shuunske jumped back, and shot a smaller purple beam at the yellow. Upon contact a huge explosion corrupted his vision with dust and breaking rubble. “Not... not enough... NOT ENOUGH!”

Shuunske held out his sword, and watched as the woman carrying Yuki started to move – upwards. Away from himself.

“No!! Come back!! NOW!! Please! TELL ME WHY!? TELL ME WHERE!! PLEASE!!! Haien, haien, haien haien!!”

he four purple beams all shot out like a machine gun, all aimed at Miku and her yellow barrier. The explosions made it hard to see her for a second, until they cleared. They had only made it further up.

Shuunske raised his arm in attempts to fire another, stronger level spell, but stopped... his teary eyes swelling as he saw Yuki stir. Her innocent eyes opened, taking in the situation with a great deal of shock.

“Sh-Shuunske... SHUUNSKE-SAMA!”

Hearing her voice was too hard... why did she have to see this? Why did she have to be taken again? WHY WAS SHE GONE?!

“Y-Yuki... No... Yuki... YUKI-CHAN! CLOSE YOUR EYES!! Please... AAAAGGGHHHHH!!!”

Shuunske's spiritual pressure grew to levels that were so intense that the wall he was on began to crack until small sections began to fall.

“I WILL GET YOU YUKI-CHAN!!”

Shuunske fell to his knees, watching helplessly as his love was dragged away.

Yuki began to scream “SHUUNSKE-SAN! Please don't let them take me!! Shuunske-san!! Please!! I... I REMEMBER SHUUNSKE-SAN!! PLEASE!!! Please... NOT AGAIN!!” She began to kick and scream in the Espada woman's arms.



A huge hole in the sky appeared, and swallowed them up slowly.

Shuunske's kneeling position on the top of the wall shrunk into a small ball of shame, tears pouring out.

“No... no no no no... no... no... Yuki-chan... It'll... It'll be fine... Y-Yuki... please... DON'T SAY THAT NOW!! NO!! Please... please don't remember... again...”

Taking the handle of his sword, the shikai fell away, restoring the blade of his normal katana, which Shuunske used to batter against his head repeatedly.

“Please... Yuki-chan... I just... I just got you...”

Another energy shot into place, shooting into the court yard. Shuunske didn't notice until he spoke, cuddled into himself, shaking and talking to himself in ballistic historical patterns.

“Shuunske-sama! Shuunske-sama, are you okay Shuunske-sama!?”

Shuunske looked up – it was the captain of the 3rd division, and his vice captain. His sword was drawn, as well as his vice captain as if he was expecting to be attacked.

“You... you...” Shuunske didn't finish, but as he raised his head, the captain gasped in Shuunske's direction.

“Sh-Shuunske-sama! Are you...”

As he looked up, Shuunske clawed his face until blood dripped down his face, tears falling into the claws that ripped lines into his perfect face. His eyes were changed, not normal. Not tame – hostile - disturbed.



Shuunske slowly began to stand, dropping his sword as he did so.

“You... you...” A slow laugh came out... a laugh that did not sound happy in the slightest. His sanity swirled before his face.

“YOU FUCKING IDIOTS!”

Exploding into a flash step that had so much power packed into it that the wall where he use to be exploded into a large pile of rocks, Shuunske landed in front of the captain, the power crushing the ground that his feet landed on, sending a shock wave that was able to hit the vice captain hard enough to push him to the ground, his sword flying out of his hands.

Shuunske's right hand shot forward at lightening speed towards the captains neck, grabbing it and throwing himself and captain forward into the wall, Shuunske slamming the man into the wall so hard that large rocks and debris fell on both of them – the entire wall erupted into a powerful explosion of reiatsu.

“How can... HOW CAN YOU CALL YOURSELF A CAPTAIN!! … You... were... too late...”

Shuunske backed away, trembling, more blood staining his white captain's haori. More and more tears fell, harder and harder until he was unable to see a single thing but red.

“I HATE YOU ALL! YOU ARE ALL USELESS!! …. Why!? Why... why did it have to be... Yuki-chan... why... she is did nothing... She was finally... she finally remembered... I cant... I cant... I... I am weak...”

Shuunske fell to his knees, the shaking becoming to such a point that he could not control his own body, and he fell over, his face falling onto the wet ground, straight into a wet and cold puddle.



“... Please... please give her... back...”

The night seemed to begin like all other nights before. The air was cool and damp,with the threat of rain hanging in the atmosphere. The bright pale moon bit through the darkened clouds that were wrapped around it tightly like a black veil.

It was a crisp night, easy to breath in but bewitching. As if the air manipulated you, urging you to sleep and keep all views of the night from your mind.
It was usually the sort of night Hiiro obeyed by slipping into her bed and closing her eyes and ears to the ivory light and sounds of crickets in the bushes.


Tonight however, there were no sounds, as though the world was holding its breath, unsure of what was about to come. But positive something would change.


Hiiro sat in her room, leaning over a small oak desk with a small stack of ivory papers by her side.A candle flickered beside her, giving the room a comfortable glow of amber light.

Once she turned her back to Muriasachi and shortened her hair to a length that rivaled but a few boys in the division. Hiiro had thrown herself into work. Trying to bury any lingering thoughts of what she had been, or the mistakes she could have made. She trained tirelessly during the day, and the nights were devoted to paper work, research, and knowledge that will help her advance in her ranks so she could stand beside her captain as Kasumi once stood.

Though only a week had passed from that day when Hiiro awoke from that place of sorrow she put herself in.
She had not yet seen her Captain.

What would she say to him? How could she apologize for the things she said? How could she tell him she would never leave his side, not now or ever.

She would think of a way, some way to face her Captain, but tonight couldn’t have been that night. Trying to ignore the thoughts in her mind she turned back to the task at hand. Her research this evening was not various Hollow forms and types, history reports on past captains. Hiiro struggled tonight with Calligraphy.


Her worst enemy.


After three hours of writing her reports she heaved a sigh and sat up, tucking the long inked brush behind her ear and rubbing a small kink out of her neck.

One had hoped that she would get these reports in by tomorrow. However they had to be written in perfect form. Which meant it would take at least three times longer than if she just scribbled the information down in her normal hand writing.

Closing her eyes she removed the brush from her ear and held it over the paper. Hovering a few inches from the parchment.

“Ok…ok only a few more pages.”
She murmured to herself, trying to will the brush to move on its own, writing perfectly. It was a battle of wits and procrastination.

Wind kicked up suddenly, whistling through her half open window. The clouds grumbled, teasing with its sounds, explaining how it was just on the verge of a drizzle. Looking out the window she sighed, feeling the strongest urge to walk around in the night, sit upon the rooftops and watch the clouds roll across the sky, covering and uncovering the moon.

Her eyes flicked back to the paper that mocked her from the table at her lap. The ink stone to the right of the paper, glistened in the light of her room. It called to her to finish her work, so she could bundle into her warm covers and sleep, yet outside the first raindrops started to fall upon the shingled rooftops.


Singing the sweet tune of nature as soft thunder rolled in the distance.


No, she had to work.

Touching brush to paper she started the first line of complex characters. Each movement having to be precise, the brush held a certain way in her hand without moving to slipping. If any of these mistakes were made, they would surely be noticeable to a highly trained eye.
( Shuunkse-sama or any other of the captains, for they have all been trained in Calligraphy.)

Yet as her brush moved across the paper a small feeling rose from her insides, as a familiar Reitasu filled the air, so soft she could had imagined it.
It was Shuunske’s Reitasu, strong and emotional. Like the scent of water lilies on a warm summer day.

But she hadn’t felt his energy like that since the snowy plains on the human world. Though it could have just been a whisper of the past rising to give her heart pain and try to force tears from her eyes as they still often did.

Regardless, it was the excuse she was looking for to set her brush down, snatch her Zanbaktou blade up with her left hand and hurry curtly out the door, glancing back one last time at the unfinished work like it stank, before sliding the rice paper doors closed firmly.

It wasn’t odd for Shuunske to go on walks at night.
This was something they both were guilty of. But as Hiiro tied her blade to her sash and pinpointed the location of where she thought she felt his energy. It was just the faintest licks of his spiritual pressure, the kind most would look over as training, or if they were simply startled. But Shuunske’s Reitasu was near where Yuki was being kept. A location known to her even though she had never been there herself.

The first warning flag went up in her head at this knowledge worked it's way through her brain, and Hiiro took up a brisk pace towards the barracks, at least two miles away. The rain grew heavier as she walked down the maze like streets.

Moon cloaked in clouds cast dark shadows on the earth below her feet, and there was a stillness in the air,. Even during the rain bugs chirped from under rocks or shaded areas, yet all was silent hiding away in its burrows.

Suddenly in the distance the sound of metal upon metal rang through the night like a shrill bell in the distance. Shuunske’s Reitasu blossomed, its potency tripling and making the hard, slick ground quiver.

“Wh-what?!”
Fear gripped her heart as she looked up into the sky, seeing through the rain as water pooled in the air, these balls of water forming and swimming through the dark sky, whose clouds began to churn, forming a whirlpool of angry gray vapors above them.

Lightening cracked in the sky, flashing blinding white light before rumbling back into the darkness like the warning growl of an angry bear.

Shuunske had gone into Bankai. This horrible feeling in her stomach was no longer just a hunch, this wasn’t a joke.

Something was wrong, very, very wrong.

Adrenaline ran through her arms and legs like liquid fire as she charged down the streets as fast as her legs and the slick ground would allow. Alarms now rang loudly in her ears. Others were now realizing the danger Shuunske had found. Causing various Shinigami to stagger out of their rooms, squinting in the rain, holding their hands up to shield their eyes to locate the source of the danger. They looked so dazed and disoriented, some still getting dressed as they pushed past each other.

Hiiro slipped quickly past the other Shinigami, too weak to even place a seat in the divisions. Her running had been slowed to a near stop and she tried to move through the crowd as they poured from the rooms onto the streets.

Frustration boiled in her chest and finally she wrapped Rieastu around her body like a thin veil and shouted. “Sho!”

The burst of energy made the people closest to her surge forward as though shoved violently into the next person in front of them. Hiiro didn’t stop to help some up, she stepped over and pushed past them.
“Move! Are you blind?!”
She shouted before finally jumping onto the slick hazardous rooftops to avoid the horrid crowds as they gathered not sure what to do.

Hiiro no longer thought of her own safety, of any repercussions that would happen for being so calloused with the lower seats, she ran forward without care for her own well being. She promised herself, she promised him. Shuunske needed her help. The opponents could be noticed now. Tiny figures against the black angry sky. Heavy, cold raindrops obscured most of her vision but it seemed that one of the opponents held something in its arms. A sack? A bag?

Her realization almost took her to a complete stop, feeling the groan of the clay shingles as she skidded to a near halt. Her mouth fell open, covered by her hand as the horror overtook her.

The object was a girl,
a delicate young girl in the arms of a masked woman with three associates.

Shuunske was distraught, screaming at the elegant black haired woman. Though Hiiro was unable to hear his words, His Bankai whipping around him like angry snakes, making the air crackle with his raw emotions that ran wild like torrents of water during a flood.

Yuki,
the girl was Yuki,
Shuunske’s Yuki. The girl he loved more than anything in the world. She took another step, hesitating for a moment, unsure now, what if he wanted to fight for her alone?



did you want to fight alone to protect Kasumi?



Suddenly Hiiro was running again, running so fast the rain stung her skin, hating herself for stopping in the first place. Because now more than before he needed her help.
Not for his life, his safety, but for hers.
He needed somebody, any help at all, and it was apparent they were clearly powerful by Shuunske’s Bankai.

Within a mile now, the ground rumbled under her feet, and the rain made the uneven shingles treacherous and slick, making movement difficult.

To add to her troubles, Shuunske’s Reitasu was unbottled, spilling over the ground and mixing with the trio’s powerful spiritual energy. Making the air thin and gravity intensified.

But their Reitasu was dark, potent like Hollows. Yet they were so clearly Humanoid, looking more like Shinigami then Hollows. Clad in strange white uniforms. The mysterious trio held a deadly air about them.

Then as quickly as the motion had been made, a red light blossomed from one of the figures, slamming into her captain and sending him skidding across the sky.


What was going on?



"That was a Cero!"


Hiiro had witnessed a Cero quite a few times in her life; it was always something she wished she could never see again. The horrible crimson blast of energy fired from a Hollows mouth, shattering buildings and killing good men.

Hiiro may have been a ways away, but she could see the opponents Shuunske fought were not Hollows, yet it was a power that belonged only to a Hollow, a dark creator that was not human, was not Shinigami.
But empty souls left to decay in the world of the living chained to their own desires. Or poor spirits devoured by other Hollows. Tearing a hole open in there chest and forcing it to cry as they do.


They were monsters, rouge spiritual predators; they were not Humanoid, Never Humanoid. What on earth were they facing?



What were they?



Water swirled around her snowy haired captain like curls of a fire. Pulsating with the raw energy that coursed through his petite body, the clouds above him swirled creating massive torrents of rain, ripping winds that made his Haori whip and crack around him.

Hiiro could hear his cries now, just above the sound of the rain smashing against the clay rooftops and roaring winds, his voice laden with rage and terror.


“... WHY ARE YOU AFTER YUKI!?!?!?”


His voice was still distant, muffled by the rain and thunder. She was still a quarter of a mile from Shuunske, from the battle and danger, her arms swinging at her sides trying to push herself faster as she ran across the treacherous rooftops.
She could not hear the reply of the dark figures. But within moments, a massive yellow light flash glowed like a beacon.
The light that looked so warm and safe in the dark rain that surrounded the quaking world about them.

What was this? As she ran ahead she saw Shuunske was bouncing around the edge.
Attacking the light, trying to break through but it was no use. The light was solid, impenetrable.
Was this some sort of Kido spell?

Her foot crashed down against a loose shingle and it gave way suddenly crumbling under her foot, a cry of surprise escaped her lips as she slipped, body and ground covered in the slick water.
She tumbled off the roof, falling the street. Twisting her body quickly as a cat would she caught herself in the midair, landing squarely on her feet with a loud slap of wet shoes upon soaking ground.

Her heart pounded loudly in her chest, vision of Shuunske was now obstructed by the wall that she had previously been standing on top of.

Digging her heels into the muddy surface Hiiro started off once more, raceing through the streets, and slipping past various Shinigami of the 3rd division as she charged through them without stopping.

“Please be alright Shuunske-sama.”
She prayed under her breath as she turned another corner, blood on fire as it moved through her veins, spurring her faster.

Pounding her feet through the cold puddles she pressed a small amount of Reitasu at the bottoms of her feet. She had not yet regained perfect control of her spiritual pressure.
Making the motions of Shunpo difficult, the act of Shunpo was now muscle memory that triggered the rock in her gut to form. It was still a wall she needed to get past.

Yet Hiiro now did not use Shunpo, she pulsed the energy from the soles of her feet, enhancing the leap she took fire herself into the wet sky and easily landing once more upon the slick clay rooftops.

Once her feet touched the ground, she had to drop to the ground, falling to her belly as a large beam of purple light shot past her hissing through the space she had just moments before been standing in.

Shuunske was frenzied, firing Kido spells at the yellow light without reserve making The violet beams bouncing off in all directions, making her approach to him all that more difficult.

As Hiiro stood again her attention was directed up as a massive hole ripped in their atmosphere, sucking the light in with the three mysterious figures floating up lazily.
Hiiro could see Yuki screaming and thrashing in the masked woman’s arms,
but her struggles were futile, trapped in an iron grip that held her fast.
Hiiro’s heart skipped a beat and she felt cold again as she continued careful now of rouge Kido spells or any more faulty shingles.

This strange tear in the dimension was transportation for Hollows.
The device of travel so the monsters could slip through the thin barrier between worlds, to their own realm far away, how was this possible?
Hollow people?
Hiiro felt like all the air left her body, and her head was swimming at the knowledge.

Her mind was snapped out of the confusion with the resounding sound of Shuunske’s screams once more. Raw rage filled his voice in a way that scared her.

Hiiro was so close now, hating her inability to jump into Shunpo, or she would have been there to help him when he needed it, instead of arriving just as Yuki’s screams were silenced by the yellow light being gobbled up and the tear in the sky to repair itself.
She was the third on the scene.
Her body ached for air that she could not give it fast enough.
Her face, skin, Shihauksho, and hair were all soaked to the bone.

As she landed upon the rooftop she came to a battlefield.
The 3rd division Captian lay on his back unmoving with the vice captain at his side. Shuunske was crumpled to the ground about ten feet away. His white hair turning red as blood ran down his face and anguished screams escaped his soft lips.



“Oh my god.”







“Shunske-sama….SHUUNSKE-SAMA!”



The scene broke her heart, tears bloomed in her eyes and she ran across the clay shingles.
The vice had crumpled to the floor, cradling his Captains head.
Shuunske had fallen onto his side now, unmoving like an animal that no longer wanted to live. His back to them so his bloodied face was once more obscured from her vision.

Hiiro ran up quickly stopping only for a moment to make sure that the 3rd division Captain was not dead.
His lip was bleeding and a nasty welt was growing on his cheek, yet other than those wounds he seemed to simply be knocked out.
“Bring your Captain to the 4th division, somewhere out of the rain.” Hiiro offered urgently, knowing that if the Captain remained in the rain in his state he could only get worse. though she knew their difference in rank, the Vice captain looked unsure of what to do, stunned and scared for his Captain, as well as for hers.

The Vice looked relatively unscathed. Looking up to her he recognizing Hiiro in an instant. Opening his mouth to say something but closed it, choosing to heed her words and lifted his Captain onto his back.
Nodding to her once in a small worrisome sign of good luck before he was gone.
Jumping into Shunpo and disappearing from her sight.

Once they were gone the collective visage melted away to show a woman very scared.
Running up to him she didn’t shy away from the boy, though it was possible the last person who tried to console him was just taken away to find the 4th division for medical attention.

Shuunske was emotionally beaten.
His body shook with a mixture of the rain, the anger, the fear,
and unthinkable sadness that coursed through his body.

He was lost, so lost at that moment.
Hiiro didn’t stop her tears, as they merged with the rain and fell down her cheeks. She never wanted to see him like this.
A hundred different ways she thought up their meeting again. And a thousand different ways he would react, or the things he would say.


But she was not prepared for this.


“Shuunske-sama…”
She whispered her voice shaking with sorrow and empathy. Maybe if she was a little faster, or if she left sooner, if only she were stronger, Hiiro could have done something to help him.

Falling to her knees beside him, she was at a loss for words. This situation seemed the same, when she first learned of Yuki. Shuunske had been standing at her grave, tears falling down his face. The pain of loss never went away. It ate at him since he was a child.

She didn’t understand that pain until now.
How it makes you sick makes you want to die, to hurt yourself in hopes that any other pain will distract you from the ache no medicine could ever hope to cure.
The pain in your chest that makes you feel like your heart was about to split open and spill your blood all over the ground.
The pain that made it hard to breath, and kept you up at night, tossing and turning knowing that if you finally slipped into sleep your mind would only be plagued by images of them.



Shuunske had to live with that pain for so long.



And now it has happened to him again, the horrible loss of the woman he loved.
One time she felt similar loss made Hiiro want to die herself.
How could he cope with this gut wrenching feeling three times?



How could he still get up every morning?



Hiiro felt her body suck in a shaking breath, realizing she was crying much more than before.
It was a pain she hoped to never feel as potent as he now felt.
However it was at least a feeling they both shared.
Wanting so badly to help ease this pain he must be feeling.
The raw motherly emotion to protect him pushed her forward.

Taking Shuunske into her arms and holding him tightly, the smell of his blood mixed with the wet rain as it trailed down his face in crimson streaks but she held him tightly. Lifting her face to the rain and praying for those monsters to return her.
What could they want with Yuki?
Why did they have to do this?


”I’m here Shuunske, I’m here for you. I’m so sorry I was gone for so long But I’m here now.”


“We will get her back.” Hiiro whispered softly against his hair, looking down to him now, resting her cheek against the top of his head.
“I promise you. We will get her back.” The emotion surged through her so strongly.
They would get Yuki back, they had to.

“Shuunske-sama I am so sorry.” She held him closely and closed her eyes. Nobody else would get hurt tonight.
If Shuunske needed to take out this emotion on somebody let it be her, not another Captain, or anybody else.
Let him scream and attack her and get these vile emotions from his body,
let him take it out on her if it will ease the pain in his soul.
She wanted to protect him from everything, even himself.


Just like he had done for her.


“We’ll get her back.”
She whispered against his hair.
“I’m here for you, and I’m so sorry. We will get her back….Shuunske-sama I promise.”


He felt so cold against her heated body, trembling in her arms. Her body rocked back at forth whispering again and again.



“I’m here for you, whatever you need. Just let it out.”



“We will get her back….”




“I promise.”

The world stopped breathing and Shuunske followed its cruel example. Everything moved in slow motion, a blur of emotion that took the form of white light. Everyone moved with a small blur. Everyone's laughing would make noise after they had already closed their mouths and turned away. Nothing made sense at all. The white light blinded Shuunske, looking onto a scene that had played in his mind over and over again.



Flame coursed over everything, ripping the ceiling to the ground. Screams gushed from every direction. Shuunske would turn to where he heard them only to see that no one was there. He could not see anything, and yet he was there again. Tears fell from his cheeks, completely numb.

He did not want to see it all again. He had seen it many times before – every time he closed his eyes at night, exact images poisoned his dreams. Why did he have to see it again. Shuunske was just so little when it had happened. Licks of flame kicked at him, biting at his flesh as if to try and point in the direction that he did not want to look again. He knew what he would see.

But he looked.

He always did. Hoping that he would see something different.

And he more than regretted it every time. He loathed it, hated it, despised it – that he chose, once again, to look.

A girl – a small girl – crushed under a burning board. Her eyes wide with surprise. Shuunske's hand twitched, not able to hear Hiiro speaking to the other men. Not even aware that they were there. His dream state pulled him back into its realm. The girl's scream was muted until her eyes closed. Shuunske had tried to help, but the tall looming shadow that stood over the girl he had known very well – and feared.

Why?

The burning board flung its flame onto the girls clothing and in turn onto her skin, causing it to bubble with the heat of the white and red fire. Shuunske's eyes closed. Where was he? Why was he here again? Everything spun in complete confusion. Nothing made sense.

The girl screamed for him, but he could not understand until after her mouth closed. Another board fell, crushing the board that was already breaking the girl, slowly. Shuunske watched in a slower reality as the girls back cracked in an unnatural way, her eyes as wide as he had ever seen them, glazed over. Her mouth flung open, but unable to obey the command to scream. Her hair exploded into flame, her eyes no longer holding her soul, her pupil in them. They were nothing but a shell – she was nothing but a shell.

Shuunske could not move. The girl fell to the floor as yet another segment of the ceiling fell on her, covering her head and entire body aside from her one outstretched hand. She had expected him to hold it – to pull her out of the flame – to save her. But all he could do was watch. Watch as her hand flailed around in complete agony and pain for an hour long second. And then...

And then it too fell silently to the ground, the clothing that covered the arm catching fire like the rest of her. Her skin turned black until blood spilled out, quickly bubbling on the ground and evaporating.



Shuunske saw it all again.

The light in the room began to fade. The burning walls started to lose the flame and become hard calloused rock walls that held no emotion to them. Cold, lonely walls. Shuunske felt rain again. He felt the agonizing ripping that took place in his heart. He felt nauseous. The pain that the wound would inflict on his face was gone – he felt nothing. His body was numb. Shuunske tried to move his hand, but could not. He was unable to command his own body.

It was shaking.

Who was this person that clung to him? Who was this person?

Hiiro. It was Hiiro.

Shuunske's face bent into a malicious scowl, but pain shocked him, like it had many times before – too many times before. The white light began to grab at him again, its clawed hands scratching and tearing at him as it tried to pull him into its realm again, where it could fully manipulate him – where he was as useless as he had been all those times before.

Shuunske heaved a huge breath in just as the light pushed at him, shoving him once again into the light. The rain still slammed against him, stinging him like bees that had been angered. The light pried open his eyes, and held down his hands – once again wanting him to look at something. He did not want to, but no matter where he looked, he always saw it. Always looked in the wrong direction, always looked in the direction the light wanted him to look.

He saw her again.

Yuki.

She was alone. Walking alone, wearing the clothes of a different world, and humming to herself in a sad melody. She walked along the path parallel to the rail road tracks that she had taken every night.



Shuunske wanted to run up to her. To hug her. To feel her arms wrap around him once more. To feel the soft skin of her cheek rub against his like it always had. But he knew what he was going to see. He knew that he was not going to be allowed that pleasure. He knew that the light would not let him run free – that he had to watch this.

No sooner had he thought about it before it happened.

The huge eight legged creature ascended from the sky on the unsuspecting girl. She saw it. Shuunske could not hear anything except a single scream. She screamed his name again before the creature lunged at her, the huge gaping hole that tore through its chest looked as if it was rotting it thoroughly. Its pale green skin gave it the appearance of already being dead. The creature moved like a spider – moving faster than the small black haired girl could react.

Shuunske tried to close his eyes, but found that he only opened them, breath pushing from his stinging lungs. He felt the slicing down his face, he felt his shaking hands, he felt the small woman against him, touching him. He did not understand. Why was she here? Why?

Why had she not been here before? Why had she not helped him? Where had she been?

Why was she here now?

He did not need her now.

He had needed her before.

Her words flowed into nothingness in his ears. Sounds blurred and merged into one being – one white light. Shuunske's body writhed at the sight of it, the cold rain and stone walls blasting into his vision once more. Where was he? And why was he there?

The girl that clung to him only restricted him, only held him in one place. She...

She was trying to do that. Trying to hold onto him so that he would be unable to run from the white light that constantly grabbed at him; that constantly cut at his heart, taking off a layer of its defense with every foul swipe; the white light that stunk of death, and shoved a painful world onto Shuunske that he did not want. A world where no matter where he looked, he would see the very thing that he most wanted to avoid.

And this woman wanted him to see it. Why else was she holding him there?

Shuunske's breathes became shallow and fast. He could not control it, his entire body flung into spastic and unnerving shaking that rung over him, rendering his commands useless. It was her doing. She was making him feel like this, the red haired woman.

Shuunske's arm moved, his hand twitched, his fingers crawled on thin air. Tears fell from his eyes, quickly falling to the ground. Blood stained his fingers and began to block his vision. The cut that bled, bled into his eye, covering the normally blue and beautiful feature of the young boy in a crimson wash that was so like that of Yuki's scream.

Anger moved through him, seeming only to hurt more; to rip at the muscles in his body, and urge him to move. Without thinking twice about it, Shuunske flung his arm to the side with extreme force throwing the girl away from him, causing her to slide into the wall.

“Y-you...”

Shuunske stood, slowly, his legs and body shaking – standing in a hunched over position that did not allow him to look human. His hands clapped to his head, bloodying his hair and polluting its silvery white with the same blackened crimson that dripped from his face onto the rock ground and mixed into the pathways of the dark rock floor. His other hand fell back to his face, shaking as its fingers slithered like snakes into the deep cuts that scarred his once beautiful face – leaving him now looking like a deranged wild animal giving its all to survive. His lips quivered as if he wanted to speak, but no words came out. Nothing came out.

Shuunske pointed up to the sky. He saw the white light and stumbled, his body looming over the cold and wet ground like the mast of a ship at sea just after the ship had been hit by the last shot it could take, falling to his knees.

He was once again useless. Fear crept onto him and cut at his flesh with awful pain.

“N-NOOOOO!”

Shuunske tried to stand again but could not, tripping on the uneven ground and falling flat on his face. Blood mixed with tears and both fell into the ground. The world began to blur again. The white light grabbed at him. But he would not be pulled in again. He could not be pulled in again.

Shuunske quickly stumbled to his feet, his mouth quivering in complete fear before he shouted, his arm shakily raising to point at the woman that lay below the wall.

“A-are you happy n-now... Hiiro-dono... I g-get it... what you are doing...”

His entire body shook so intensely that he almost fell again, but his right leg moved on its own natural accord and caught him, causing his knees to knock and his entire body to loom closer to the ground without falling.



Raising his head to actually look at the woman, his hand pushed back his hair to reveal his face, bruised and bloody, completely covered in beads and strings of blood. Blood fell from the deep cuts that haunted his once beautiful face, and covered his eyes, forcing the blue in them to become black, and the white to become red. Shuunske's mouth trembled, his hand still groping the side of his head, his bangs bloody and wet. His entire neck was covered in the blood, and it still crept under his wet clothing which stuck to him. His previously white haori fell off one shoulder, caught on the inside of his elbow. His black shihauksho's natural V neck had fallen completely open, letting slip his bloody chest from the black fabric – still young and untouched.

His eyes moved from right to left as he saw the white light – invisible to anyone else. The small boy lingered on his words for a second, as if he was under the same malediction that he had seen before causing his words not to come out until after he wanted them too.

“I... I know what you are doing... Hiiro-dono... Why... why were you not here? Why did you not come earlier... Hiiro-dono!?” His voice raised. Thoughts pushed reason far from reach, and grappled onto the accusation that pounded on his head, causing a single eye to twitch with uncontrollable speed.

“I know why!” Shuunske launched himself forward at the girl, pushed by the white light. It spoke to him. It fed him the words that he blurted from his mouth. “I know why you were not here!”

As he spoke he jumped at her, his shaky body half falling onto her, he unclenched his fist, formerly so tight that when he opened his hand, four cuts began to bleed where his fingers had dug into his palms. The white light grabbed his hand, and Shuunske did not fight it any longer. His hand thrust forward at the girl's throat, grabbing it with a huge strength.

“I understand now! I hope this makes us even Hiiro-chan! I hope you are happy! I could not have saved him if I had tried. I COULD NOT HAVE SAVED HIM!” Shuunske's hand fell from her throat, and his body quickly adjusted so that his legs better supported his weight. Once again his hand attacked of its own free will, grabbing her neck, and squeezing hard, like a striking snake.

“You wanted me to see what it felt like to need someone that did not come. Didn't you...?” Shuunske squeezed the girls throat so that she could not speak. She could not plead, only squirm, and gasp for air.

“I know what his face looked like just before he died, Hiiro-dono! I have seen it before... I hope we are even now... I hope you are content with what you have done... a life for a life!? Hiiro-dono... stupid Hiiro-dono... stupid... stupid...”

As Shuunske spoke the words, his body fell numb again. The white light was no longer his friend. It grabbed his arm, and pulled it away from the girl's throat. A bloody print of his hand was left on her neck from the blood that covered his hands.

“I... I... I am... I am sorry... Hiiro-chan...” Shuunske's lips quivered in instantaneous fear as he grabbed hold of reality only to lose it again. “I... I...” The white light crowded him and he was unable to speak again. He felt his mouth moving but he could not hear anything from that world... his world.

Instead he heard her scream.

Yuki's scream.

Shuunske closed his eyes. He knew what he was going to see. But his vision did not return to black. No. Instead, what he did to prevent seeing the images only pushed them closer. He saw it again.

He saw the giant monster push its spear like hand into the girl, hacking her back pack from her back as it impaled her. Blood ran and hit the grass below her. Her eyes looked the same as they had before while being consumed in the fire. Her mouth opened, but Shuunske could only hear screaming. Loud. Screaming.

And then he heard his name. Above all of the other screaming.

It had been her that had screamed his name – unaware of it herself – unaware who's name she was calling and letting her instincts control her. It was the same screaming of his name that he had heard before. Shuunske fell to the ground, covering his eyes, but to no avail. The vision controlled his mind. His eyes remained open, only able to see his fingers. But sure enough, he was unable to block himself from seeing the images – his fingers turning into the long spider like legs of the beast that impaled the girl.

She was alone. Innocent. Walking home.

And Shuunske had not been able to save her... again.

Tears filled his eyes, just as they filled her's, the black haired girl's body squirming as it was lifted off the ground, the large stake through her torso until she went limp minutes later, hanging on the skewer like arm of the huge pale spider-like creature. As it turned it looked at Shuunske – but Shuunske never met its gaze.

Lightening cracked, and Shuunske rose with a scream, his hand hitting the water around him. He did not know where he was. The cold stones fell back into his vision, and rain shot at him, aiming to kill.

“Stop! Please! Let me go!”

Shuunske fought the light that still grabbed at him. He still heard the screaming of his name so vividly. Shuunske's hands grabbed his head, pulling at his reddened hair. His consciousness spat at him, and he suddenly heard the rain hitting the ground around him. He was scared. Like a child. He did not know where he was. Shuunske raised his head, full of fear. The light that grabbed at him stopped for a brief moment, and then ran, dispersed, screaming at him as it went.

Shuunske knew it would be back. It always came back.

Sucking in shaky breath after shaky breath, Shuunske rose, his hands loosening their grip on his head and, quiveringly, made their way to his face, touching the cuts that constantly spit blood, abd rubbing his blood covered eyes.

Shuunske saw the stone wall; only it was no longer a wall, but a pile of rubble. Below the pile lay Hiiro.

Shuunske's eyes rose and fell with an intensified shock. What had he said to her?

He could hardly remember.

Moving before he even gave the command, Shuunske's shaking body leaped at the girl that lay propped up by rocks and stones, tripping on one of them and falling to her feet. As Shuunske fell, his foot got caught in his shihauksho, pulling it further down, and ripping the haori completely off one arm, so that it hung from his right elbow. His entire bloody chest thrust itself upon the red haired girl, his hand flying for her throat in innocent, uncontrolled, manipulated anger.

But it faded.

The white light no longer pushed him.

Shuunske's hand fell loose, trailing down her body until he hugged her, tightly. Finally he just cried. Blood fell from him and onto her, both of their clothes soaked and clinging to their skin.

“I... I am so sorry... Hiiro-chan!”

Shuunske's tears and gasps for air did not allow him to speak.

The white light was finally gone.

What can one do to help a person’s world from crashing to the ground? Words fall deaf to their ears and they are blind with their sadness.


All she could do was hold him, and cry for him.


But Hiiro knew for this moment,
the Shuunske she knew very well was lost to her. His eyes were glassy and pink from crying and screaming and blood that fell against his face, seeing a whole other world before his eyes,
and becoming blinded to everything else.

He didn’t look to his devoted Shinigami that held him so tightly.
But it wouldn’t matter, at this moment he could have looked into her eyes and not seen her. He was lost to something, something that was holding him tighter than Hiiro ever could. Cradling his head against her shoulder she placed her face against the soaked top of his head. Had they cast some sort of Kido that made him see hallucinations?

“Shuunske-sama, I’m here.”
She whispered against his head, wiping some of the snowy hair from his angelic face, marred by cuts that were self inflicted.

His whole body stiffened in her arm.
Rigid as though he didn’t want to be held,
reaching up to the sky as though something would take his hand and lift him from this nightmare, his eyes searching, looking at something no one else could see. But Hiiro knew it was only a dream, an illusion and that this was real. Life was real, it hurt but it was worth keeping.
She would protect Shuunske, even if she had to put herself in direct danger to do so.

But what danger she was in, was unknown to her until a fierce scowl stretched over the frail boys lips.
The night air suddenly becoming filled with howls of agony like a wounded beast. His fingers clawing at his own face, piercing his soft skin and leaving crimson trails of blood that mixed with water as they rained down his face.


“Shuunke-sama! SHUUNSKE-SAN!”

Hiiro cried grabbing his hands and pulling them off his own face.
She held his wrists tightly as he writhed like a little child having a fit.
He was trying to free himself from her grasp that dwindled as she struggled against more and more frenzied strength. His Reitasu choked the breath from her veins and made the water tremble on the ground that the two sat upon. Thunder cracked suddenly rolling through the clouds,and he glared at her.

Shuunskes eyes burned with a venomous rage that frightened her, and turned her body cold. His expression was one of pain, and sorrow, and rage all mixed into the look that froze the blood in her veins.

Suddenly the rain that battered her bare skin seemed warm in comparison to his steady resentful gaze.
Hot tears streaked down her face but she never let go of him, holding tightly as he struggled even harder, clawing at her wet clothes, and scratching at her wrists so they were raw and bleeding.


“No, i will not let you hurt yourself anymore.”

Hiiro spoke calmly against the howling wind and rain.
Refusing to let go of his arms, even now that her skin was burning with each tiny scratch his fingernails made against her skin.

The anger evaporated from his face like a ghost leaving its body,
leaving only a sobbing bloody boy with a look of pure innocent sorrow upon his face, strangled sobs escaped his lips, and his fingers fell limp in hers. She finally released him taking him tightly in her arms once more. But he was gone to her again, his eyes glassy and distant, his arms reaching towards the sky once more as though a tiny child was reaching up for the warm embrace of their mother.


“I am here Shuunske-sama.”
She cried, though she needed to hear herself say the words knowing now that he could not hear her.


She did not realize the moment he was no longer in her arms
or when the ground left her feet.



She could only feel the hard stone wall crack against her back,snapping it straight,
before her fragile form slipped down to the cold wet ground she had become so accustomed to. Her vision blurred for a moment as her head slammed against the rough stone, ears ranging loudly, making all other sounds multiplied and roaring in her head like a swarm of angry bees.

Her bangs stuck to her forehead,
obscuring the vision of her left eye with a cloud of red,
making Shuunske look aflame as he staggered up on his very unsteady legs.

The words were filled with such dark venom,
it made the air leave her lungs as he tried to stand.
Staggering up on two unsteady legs, his arms swaying limply out in front of him, pearl hair marred and matted by blood that flowed over his face dying it red.




“Y-you”




Hiiro pressed herself against the stone wall,
feet slipping on the ground as they struggled to gain grip on the slick surface. Her eyes were wide with fear,
her hands groped the side of the wall as she tried to push herself up in a standing position.



“Sh-shuunske-sama please…y-you are hur-“




“NOOOOOO!!!”

He interrupted her as his shuffled steps caught on the shingles and he fell to the ground defeated. Succumb to gravity as she had on her journey to reach him in time. She let out a small quivering cry as he still tried to life himself off the ground.
He looked so defeated,
so tiny in his blood stained Haori. Blood dripped off his face and onto the ground,
pooling with rain as they ran off the rooftops they perched on.

Yet all breath, all movement ceased from the woman,
her eyes widened and her legs gave out.
Letting her body slump back down against the wall as such spiteful words slipped from his lips, filled with sorrow and pain.
The urge to drag her down to the level he was on had begun.


“A-are you happy n-now... Hiiro-dono... I g-get it... what you are doing...”


Slowly he rose from his crumpled pile,
lifting his head to look her square in her soft brown eyes.
Eyes that were torn between confusion and sadness as she gripped at the freezing stonewall with her fingertips.
What she was doing was trying to help her Captain, who helped her through the hardest times of her life. She was trying to move in the freezing rain though she now felt blood fall down her neck, from a wound in her scalp. The hot blood slid down her neck,
before mixing with the icy rain that still battered her body.


She could have been in bed, as unaware of the situation like the other half of the Gotei 13.
She could have ignored the small feeling in her chest that he needed help.

She could have, but she didn’t.


As Shuunske tried once more to lift himself off the wet slick ground and gain a footing, she winced as the Haori ripped from his arm, making her poor Captain look even more bedraggled then he had before. He was slipping so quickly down the slope of insanity and yet she could hardly lift herself off the wall. Her joints froze in the cold rain as her body slowly started succumbing to the chill.


“Shuunske-sama I don’t understand what you mean.”
Hiiro pleaded, eye brows raised slightly as Shuunske glared fiercely something to the right. Her eyes flicked to the location to see that it was simply a span of rainy maroon shingles like the rest of the rooftops.
His body quaked,
making his voice shiver as it touched her ears.

“I... I know what you are doing... Hiiro-dono... Why... why were you not here? Why did you not come earlier... Hiiro-dono!?”

Tears jerked from her eyes and fell down her cheeks as guilt gripped at her stomach.
The blame she had put on herself just moments before was now being voice by Shuunske so emotionally. She cried searching for any words that could console him but found none even for herself.

“I’m Sorry! I tried Shuunske-sama! I tried but I couldn’t reach you.”
In her voice she pleaded begging for understanding,
but knowing she was receiving none as Shuunske took another menacing step towards her.

“I’m so sorry. I couldn’t get here in time” She urged.
Shuunske hated her in this moment.
The term Dono she only ever heard from Muriasachi when he was belittling her (which was all the time). She had tried her very hardest to reach Shuunske in time.

Yet Shuunske staggered and shook his head knocking off her words as though they didn’t even get to his ears. The lost emotion she had seen before turned into violent raw rage.
All aimed at her.


“I know why!”
He howled before launching forward and smacking her head against the wall once more, forcing her to look with wide eyes into his icy blue ones that were crazed with anger.


“I know why you were not here!”


“be-cause…i…-c-couldn-“

His fingers wrapped around her throat so suddenly her sentence was silenced with a small gasp of air.
Hiiro’s eyes widened, mouth hung open as she struggled to breath. Her hands flew to his own, trying to pry the hand from her throat and to give her back to precious air she needed.
Small choked sounds escaped her open lips as Shuunske spoke again. Each word filled with so much emotion and rage that he shook her like a rag doll in his iron grasp.


“I understand now! I hope this makes us even Hiiro-chan! I hope you are happy! I could not have saved him if I had tried. I COULD NOT HAVE SAVED HIM!”


“N-n-o.” Hiiro choked tears blossomed from her closed eyes,
and the remorse that she had spent the past week learning to ignore and shove down or lock away came flooding through her body.
Crippling her strength, her heart seemed to shrink into itself and her lungs burned with pain and lack of air.



“No! No that isn’t true Shuunske-sama please! Please I wouldn’t I would never!”



His hand unclenched,
releasing her neck and giving her a moment to gasp in the life giving air,
she sucked in each breath gratefully, between violent coughs she looked up to him with begging eyes,
as she tried to quell the rage that boiled within him.


“Please *cough* Sh-shuunske-s-ama I-I would*cough* I would never!”

Her words were sucked away once more by his iron grip,
smashing her head against the wall and the air taken from her lips.
Hiiro’s words were silenced by force and a horrible cry of despair escaped her lips as her body racked with sobs she could not get past her own lips. The sorrow she tried to ignore mixed with the guilt of not being there in time formed a potent sticky substance that would have robbed her of air even if Shuunske’s hand wasn’t latched upon her throat feeling her heartbeat in his palm.

“I know what his face looked like just before he died, Hiiro-dono! I have seen it before... I hope we are even now... I hope you are content with what you have done... a life for a life!?
Hiiro-dono... stupid Hiiro-dono... stupid... stupid...”


“That wasn’t it at all! I never…I never once blamed you for his death…
I’m so sorry Shuunske-sama.”


Hiiro looked into her Captains eyes with sorrow and pain,
blood slipped from her open lips now covering her tongue with the sharp metallic taste. She was stupid, so stupid so incredibly stupid for everything.





She was such an idiot,
thinking she could shoulder the entire pain.
That Muriasachi-sama could make the pain go away.
That she never stopped to think how the guilt over Kasumi’s death must have been eating away at him. That he worried if Hiiro hated him for that day, blamed him for his death
because he couldn’t protect them as he promised.

Finally the cork over the situation had been broken,
a thousand ways she imagined this conversation with Shuunske. This was never one of them.



“I’m so sorry Shuunske-sama. So…so sorry. For everything. I was stupid so stupid.”



Remorse washed over his face
as the rage melted away once more,
replacing the anger and he drew his hand away from her neck as through her blood had seared his flesh. Hiiro fell to her side, sucking in air and water from the rain. Her cheek pressed against the clay shingles and her fingers gripped at the ground.
Her sobs subsided but tears still flowed as freely as the rain.

His apologies filled the air,
remorse thick with every word as they spilled from his bloodied lips.
The guilt still ate away at her stomach from his lingering words;
things she believed in herself voiced so openly and emotionally, cut at her though he was not able to control his words.
She was here for him now,
and she would have all the time in the world
to regret her actions made before.



“I-it is alright.”


Hiiro replied softly,
her heart pounding in her chest as she drew her body up,
feeling heavy and water logged. Her arms shook and lightning crashed over them, flashing the dark ground with white light before racing off with the roll of thunder. Lifting her body up into a sitting position,
Hiiro finally felt her heart slow, the need for air was lessening.

It felt as though her whole body throbbed with her heart beat,
placing a cold hand over her chest she tried to calm herself. Shuunske still needed her right now.
She couldn’t do this, Get wrapped up in the sorrow again.


Not now, not never again.


Hiiro’s ears popped suddenly as Shuunske cried out, screaming,
his hands clawing at his scalp like a tortured animal he thrashed back and forth in the icy rain. His eyes squeezed closed so tightly.
Fear gripped her, and made her limbs move on their own.
Gripping the smooth walls she pulled herself into a standing position.

“Shuunske-sama!”
She cried taking a step forward,
her back separating itself from the wall.
An outline of her shoulders could be seen in the blood that still trickled down her neck.
Her head was bleeding from the first blow when she first met the stone wall. Her throat was aching horribly and bleeding from the tiny half moon cuts from Shuunske’s nails taking an unsteady step forward the world swayed under her feet, making the steps seem treacherous.


But she had to protect him, Shuunske needed her right now. Because she wasn’t fast enough before.


Thrashing and screaming Shuunske had to stagger to remain standing.
One minute his body would become limp before his arms would become rigid and grab fist full’s of his hair, or gripping at his face, drawing new lines of blood, or simply deepening the wounds already inflicted upon his delicate face.

Hiiro reached for him,
wanting to draw him into her embrace,
to shake him out of this hallucination he was having.
Something and fast!
He looked like he was in so much pain….

Coughing Hiiro spit blood,
the strain on her throat from the cough felt raw and painful.
Trying to ignore the pain she continued to make her way toward him. Determined to get to him and calm him down once more.

With a steady hand Hiiro reached forward,
her hands finally caught her Captain’s shoulder,
gripping the Haori as tightly as her numb, shaking fingers would allow.
“Shuunske-sama please wake up! SHUUNSKE-SAN!”

Lighting crashed in the sky as Shuunske’s elbow connected with her chin. Twirling on the slick surface with a speed that turned him into a blur as his knee jabbed into her stomach and set her flying back towards the wall with breathtaking force.


She had to think quickly or the situation could turn deadly for her.
In split seconds Hiiro wrapped her body in warm Reitasu.
Feeling the soft tingly sensation stretch across her arms and legs, wrapping over her head like a warm cloak, and cushioning her blow as she smashed against The stone wall with great force.


Two walls,
Shuunske had destroyed two walls using people.
Hiiro didn’t enjoy the feeling of being a Human wrecking ball.
In fact…it hurt.



A lot.




Defenses aside,
her back straightened with the impact as she hit the rock wall with a sickening crack.
Her eyes and mouth opened wide in a silent scream.
Gravel dug into her body as she slipped along the crumbling wall reaching the ground and crumpling into it awkwardly. How she stayed awake was beyond her. Hiiro felt the ground tremble under her fingertips as the wall fell away behind her. Crumbling at her back or rolling down the sloped side of the rooftop in large chunks, onto the muddy ground below.

Her head fell against the shattered rock wall.
The wind had been knocked out of her,
leaving her once more struggling for breath.
She was right back where she had been before, against a wall. It was a miracle nothing worse happened to her, save the large bruises and cuts she had now upon her arms and legs.

Her Shihauksho was ripped at the shoulder,
exposing the white undergarment below. Her face was dirty,
though the dirt slowly washed away as the rain continued to pour down on them in the never ending torrents the likes of which she had never seen.

His footsteps forced her eyes open,
her lids felt heavy and refused to open all the way. Half lidded she saw Shuunske stagger towards her. Sobbing and tripping over his Shihauksho. Gasping for breath Hiiro woke more and pressed her blooded palms against the ground, Scooting upwards to a better sitting position as Shuunske fell at her feet.

His lips were closed,
so no sounds escaped as he crawled over her legs,
reaching forward his hands rested upon her throat again. His palms already stained with her blood, the marks upon her skin already darkening, the pain in her throat tightened preparing to be cut off viciously once more.


But she didn’t fight him.


If Shuunske needed this to feel better she wouldn’t fight him.
Looking down she watched as the lingering effects of anger turned to total and utter loss. The hands fell away from her throat and he collapsed to her chest defeated and sobbing. His arms wrapped around her waist hugging her tightly. While Shuunske words were to strangled and muffled by sobs and chokes to understand, his intentions were clear to her, and Hiiro smiled softly feeling warm in her heart.

Lifting her arms that felt like they were made of stone,
she wrapped them lovingly around Shuunske.
Shielding his face from the cold rain and dabbing the blood from his face with her thumb.
Her Captain was back in her arms.


“It’s ok Shuunske-sama, I’m here. I’m sorry for taking so long…But I’m here now.” She cooed, feeling the rain finally start to subside.

“And I’m not going to leave your side again.”


Stroking the soaked hair on her Captains head,
soft calming words escaped her lips and she held him tightly.
Feeling emotion overwhelm her again, she bent down.
Resting her forehead against the top of his head and letting soft cries escape her lips. Her fingers tightened on the frail boys Haori, pulling him close. No words could help the situation so it remained silent. Shuunske was back and safe in her arms and she would never let him go again.

Lifting her head she looked up at the sky,
the place where Yuki had been taken by the strange new enemies in white. The rain softened to a light drizzle and she could hear the urgent cries from the 4th division as they approached the scene.

What was going to be in store for them?
Her tired eyes traveled back to Shuunske who continued to cry into her lap, her fingers running over his hair and back. Encouraging him to cry, to let out the emotion he had bottled up for so long.

She vowed, then and there,
looking at her Captain as he lay defeated and broken on her lap.
The ones responsible for this pain would pay.
Taking Yuki from Shuunske and giving him this heart break once more was unforgivable,
and they would find Justice.



Looking back up at the sky she challenged the people in white.



”I do not know who you are, where you are from or why you want Yuki. But we are coming for you. We will take her back. And you cannot stop us.”