Rukia was surprised as she rounded the corner with Renji in tow, to see a very stressed Ukitake. His position was one of concern and the look flittering across his eyes showed a want to take action. Instead, he put his hands up gesturing in a calm voice to the girl in front of him.

"Takari. Please. Let's sort this out with the medical unit and see what they think. It can be handled. We've seen it before." A small tired smile hesitated on his lips for her response. Rukia realized that she had seen the girl before but not often. She was a trainee who had somehow gotten her zampakuto earlier than by gradating the academy. It left a sour taste in her mouth because the girl had been removed from the academy shortly after to train privately.

"I don't think that will help." She ground out almost looking down. Her eyes balanced just at his chest level and it was like she fought to make herself look up at him. When she did, Rukia caught a better look at her face. She was worn; ground down, with dark rims under her eyes nearly dark enough to look like bruises. Her eyes were half-lidded with exhaustion and her skin was a sickly pale pallor. Her robes hung to loose for her body, draping in places around her waist and chest like she'd been losing weight rapidly. The incandescent blue of her hair was dull and wispy, tangled in places, around her shoulders.

"You don't know until you try. Please. Let us help you, before we have to do something we don't want to do." Her head snapped up at this and her eyes narrowed.

"Like what captain?" she snapped back. It caught him off guard. He set his shoulders watching her. The sudden change in her demeanor was not normal for her.

"You know very well the consequences should something happen." A slow smirk played across her lips. It was bitter. It was cruel. It was dark.

"Go ahead then. Make me." He narrowed his own eyes at this invitation.

"I do not want to hurt you Takari." He put his hands down as the energy between the two intensified. Spiritual energy started pouring off the girl. Rukia glanced up at Renji as her hand rested on the butt of her zampakuto.

"Then leave me alone." She whispered so suddenly it was as if a switch had flicked. The energy immediately stopped. Her eyes seemed to un-focus, refocus, and widen. In the course of a few seconds she took a step back from Ukitake shaking her head.

"Let me help you." He replied taking a step towards her again reaching out his hand.

"It won't help. I'll be fine. Just stop asking." She quickly moved out of his reach and ran her shaking hands through her hair almost as if to grip the sides of her head.

"I can…"

"No!" She snapped. "I'm leaving…I have to go." She jutted past him knocking her shoulders into him as she rounded the corner. She nearly ran into Rukia but didn't pause. She slipped beside the shorter girl and continued at a fast pace. Her breathing was uneven as she passed Renji. It wasn't long before she was out of sight.

"Captain?" Rukia questioned. Ukitake took a quick moment to collect his facial features and wiped the worry clearly hidden from the surface. He smiled widely at the shorter female waving a hand as if nothing had really happened.

"Don't worry about that. She's been very stressed lately with her training. Just tired. What can I help you with?"

"What's her name again?" Renji asked not buying the change of topic so easily. Rukia blew out a breath rubbing the back of her neck.

"Takari Shujo." He answered flatly. "As I said, don't worry about it." Renji met his eyes for a long hard moment before sighing.

"Alright. Whatever you say." He looked down at Rukia. "Got some business for you sir."

(later)

Takari sat on the edge of a wall built near the complex she lived in taking deep heavy breathes. She had to get away from everyone that mattered to her. She needed to attempt getting into the human world without being noticed. It was of dire importance that Ukitake and the others leave her alone. She thought, maybe, just maybe if she could get to Urahara then there was a chance she would survive this. There was a chance that he would be capable of helping her keep her sanity. But now…now she was growing increasingly more unstable. She knew that there were time lapses in her memory throughout the day. She knew that there were in fact, days missing, from her actual memory as well. It had started with just an hour or two, a few at most, but lately it had taken to days. Currently she was trying to piece together the last twenty-four hours. Her last memory had been of going to bed. She'd slipped herself into clothes, washed her face, and lain down. The next memory she had had was standing in front of Ukitake this evening at his home arguing with him. She remembered the feeling. It was something she'd felt so much of recently.

Hatred. Loathing. Resentment. Bloodlust. Above all the bloodlust scared her most. Takari was angry, all the time, and her body was exhausted. She was trying to fight it. She wanted to fight it. But she was losing. She would lose completely and her zampakuto would win. Since the day she'd received him, he'd been tearing her down. She was petrified to admit it to anyone. She was petrified to admit how much he scared her…how quickly he could take over her consciousness.

It's only a matter of time until I kill someone.

He whispered inside her mind. She gripped the sides of her skull gritting her teeth.

"Shut up." She felt her jaw quiver.

Their blood will be on your hands. I want to see their blood. I want to see it run over our fingers and drip off our blade.

"SHUT UP!" she shouted closing her eyes.

It's almost time for me to take control. Just a little while longer Takari and you won't be able to stop yourself. You know you want it too.

The words bounced around the inside of her skull like water trickling from a stream into a coursing river. She was going to lose it. She was out of lifelines. If he kept talking she'd crack. She jumped off the wall and started running. She knew she had to get to Urahara as quickly as possible, there wasn't time to ask for permission to leave anymore.

It won't work brat. You're going to give me control.

"The hell I will." She seethed out biting her lip. Every time he spoke it was like fire brandishing it's whip against her skull, it burned to try and block him out.

Then we'll just have to speed things up. I can't let you escape.

There was a sudden explosion from somewhere in front of Takari. She was thrown backwards as the outer wall towards the courtyard exploded showering grainy rock across the yard. There were shouts and yelling from the city as Takari struggled to get up. Her ears had trouble taking in the noise going on around her now. Soul reapers were running towards her. Something else was closer. The figure towered over her as he approached. A firm grip extended over her arm yanking her to her feet swiftly. She felt like cotton was stuffed in her head.

"Damn. I damaged you in the process. Stupid girl. Why couldn't you have just cooperated and stayed put." She didn't recognize the voice of the man who picked her up. She registered in pain as he did that she had been injured in the explosion. Her side was winded and blood seeped from her ribs over the man's arms.

"STOP!" she heard a voice shout.

"Sorry." The man chuckled holding her. "I just can't do that." A seam ripped in the air behind them and wind poured through behind them. He stepped backwards through it taking her with him. The seam closed.

Everything went black.