I opened my eyes. The first thing I thought was, 'Is anyone keeping a tally? 'Cause that's number three.' The second thing I thought was, 'Wow. I'm alive.'

At the second thought, I had mixed feelings about my predicament. Then I waited for whoever was probably next to me at the time, be it Ishida, Urahara, or everyone else, to say something.

There was nothing.

I moaned, rolling over. You know back when I said that that was the worst headache I had ever had? Well, it wasn't. This was.

I raised a hand to my head and my hand met gauze.

Oh, that Ishida (cue giddy laughter). I sighed, putting my hand back down. Maybe if I waited a little while longer, the headache would go away, the wound would heal, and Ishida would kiss me.

Okay, scratch that last.

I sat up slowly, supporting myself with my elbows. I looked around. It was the same room as before, with that certainly-not-my ceiling. I looked towards the door and immediately regretted it.

Mental note; don't turn your neck.

I nodded, turning at the waist to see the door without turning my neck. I was beginning to feel quite sorry for myself, not to mention thinking that maybe it was time for a vacation. Man, just being around these people was unhealthy!

I sat back down as a bout of dizziness came over me. I sighed. Wasn't it enough that I had a spider Hollow after me, my best friend deserted me, and my new friends erased my mom's mind? Apparently not.

Now I had a whopper headache and a sore body besides. Why me? I turned onto my side and pulled the blanket further up, until it met my chin. Maybe I should just quit while I'm ahead.

But then I'd never see them again…

I could live with that.

I tossed aside the blankets and got to my knees. At this moment, I was moderately sure that trying anything more ambitious than that could turn out particularly painful.

I crawled across the floor and opened the door very slightly to peer out. There was no one there.

Huh, I thought. That's weird.

I opened the door slightly more and stuck an arm out – just in case.

Then I headed out into the living room. Here, I took hold of the table and used it to very slowly push myself to my feet. I leaned against the wall as I teetered down the hall towards the front door and put a hand on the edge of the screen door for a moment to catch my balance again.

If only I weren't so damn dizzy.

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes for a moment to calm myself. Then I nodded and slid the door open.

"Oh!" I bumped into someone on the other side and felt a hand on my arm, steadying me before I fell flat on my face.

"I'm sorry," I said automatically, looking up expectantly. I dragged my gaze down. It was a kid.

He was about a head shorter than me, wearing a white Soul Reaper robe. He had a sword at his side and messy white hair that stuck up in places, not to mention the biggest, cutest green eyes I had ever seen.

"Should you be walking?" He asked in a very mature tone.

"No," I answered honestly. "Probably not. But I'm walking anyway," I headed past him, but he blocked my way.

"Your name wouldn't happen to be Jun, would it?" He asked mildly.

"Uh… do I know you?" I asked, supporting myself on the doorframe.

"13 Court Guard Squads, Captain Hitsugaya," the boy said, folding his arms. I blinked.

"So you're like… a head honcho?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowing.

"I'm the head of Squad 10," he clarified.

"Oh. I see." Another bout of dizziness made me sway slightly, my eyes crossing.

"I think you should lie down," the little Captain said.

"I don't need medical advice from a kid," I said frostily. He stiffened.

"I admit, I'm no Unohana. However, I am the Captain of Squad 10 and am therefore your senior officer. I expect to be treated as such," he said coolly.

"What's Squad 10? Arts and crafts committee?" I asked with a snort. The Captain was silent. I could tell I had really made him upset. He shut his eyes for a moment.

"We take care of any and all monsters and/or threatening animals. This includes in your human world. I'm sure I have enough time to take care of an annoying person as well." He put a hand casually on the hilt of his sword.

"Touchy, touchy," I said. "Didn't mean to get your sword in a knot. Sorry, I don't know much about the Soul Reaper's world."

"I had a feeling you didn't," the captain said. "Otherwise you would've known who I am. I'm known as Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya of Squad Ten."

"Right. Have a nice day, captain," I said, saluting. I headed past him.

"You won't get very far," he said suddenly, turning to face me. I glanced back at him as I put a hand on the fence to steady myself.

"Not in that condition," he added.

"I know. I'm going to a hospital," I said.

"I think you should stay here for the time being. There are people who may wish to do harm to you humans, and this is the safest place right now."

"Well, I don't exactly feel well after that run-in with a Hollow, so if you don't mind, I really should get going," I said, shrugging.

"Hollow, huh?" Hitsugaya asked. "Are you a Soul Reaper, then?"

"Oh, no. I only just learned about the Soul Reapers yesterday. I'm a human, far as I know. You have a nice day." With that and a little wink that I couldn't resist, I continued slowly making my way along the fence.

"Out of curiosity, where are you going?" The captain asked.

"Home," I said.

"I thought you were going to a hospital," the captain accused.

"Home first. I was supposed to be home by three," I explained.

"I'm afraid you can't," the captain said. I stopped and turned back towards him.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Lately… it has come to our attention…" the captain trailed off hesitantly. I put my hands on my hips.

"What?" I demanded. "If you weren't going to tell me, you shouldn't bring it up."

"I'm afraid our newest opponent has been busy," Hitsugaya said laboriously. "It seems a rogue Soul Reaper by the name of Hiro Hokkaido has begun kidnapping souls from around the town. No one knows why, as of yet…"

"Is that where everyone's gone?" I asked.

"My lieutenant as well. I was just planning on finding her to ask for a status report. Is Urahara here?"

"I don't know. I just woke up," I said.

"Woke up?" The captain asked curiously.

"I was sort-of knocked unconscious during the fight with the Hollow. I told him to let me go, and he did, but he was holding me twenty feet off the ground, so… yeah." I raised a hand and rubbed the back of my head.

"I see. Come inside," the captain ordered, holding the door open. I hesitated.

"Well, if a Soul Reaper is loose in the city, shouldn't I go home and check on my mom before I come back here?" I asked.

"No. It is better if you stay here. Besides, as far as we know, this shinigami is only after souls. You and your mother are perfectly safe."

"Well, then, I should help them fight," I said, leaning away from him.

"Do I have to knock you out and carry you inside?" The captain asked firmly.

"Ha!" I found myself exclaiming. "I don't think you could if you tried…" I stopped myself just in time, but nevertheless felt the temperature drop at least a few degrees. Hitsugaya gave me a level stare and I headed back into the shop, metaphorical tail between my legs.

I headed back into the room I had just abandoned and sat back in the bed, putting a hand to my head. I carefully slid my hand under the layers of bandage and began unrolling it.

"Should you be doing that?" The 'child prodigy' interrupted, having appeared at the door. Let me tell you, I jumped at least three feet in the air.

"Isn't that none of your business?" I asked mildly.

"Perhaps." Hitsugaya said, leaning against the doorframe. "Believe me, I would be fine with just leaving you at whatever you're doing."

"Good. Could I borrow a pair of scissors?" I asked, just to see out of curiosity if he'd do it or not.

"I am not the captain of the Arts and Crafts committee," Hitsugaya repeated with forced infinite patience.

"I see. Your sword would do fine," I said agreeably. That did it. He didn't even dignify that with a response; he just turned and disappeared, slamming the sliding door behind him. I sighed, leaning over my ankle for no reason in particular.

"Could you scratch my back for me?" I asked aloud, forcing a clone out of what Spiritual Energy I had left. I felt her hands on my back and sighed with relief as she reached that one spot people could never reach, just between my shoulder blades.

"A rogue Soul Reaper?" I asked myself aloud. "I wonder, can you talk?" I asked, turning towards my clone. She didn't answer. "Oh, right. Of course," I said, nodding. "No vocal chords."

The clone disappeared and I sighed, sitting back.

Then I stood up and tiptoed back to the door, walking out into the living room, where the captain sat at the table.

"Make yourself useful, will you?" I grumbled. He looked up at me with distaste.

"I will not make you tea," he said levelly.

"Aren't you supposed to be out there fighting with your friends?" I asked, waving towards the outside. He dropped his head for a moment.

"I think they can handle it," he said matter-of-factly. "Abarai and Matsumoto are both lieutenants, and Kurosaki is… probably about as good."

I noted his hesitation in admitting Kurosaki's talent.

"I see." I checked the refrigerator and pulled out a milk carton. I sat cross-legged across from him and drank straight from the carton.

"Isn't that Urahara's milk?" Hitsugaya asked.

"It is, isn't it," I said, putting the milk down. "I guess it's mine now. Oh, well."

"You seem to be nicely settled in," Hitsugaya commented.

"Not really," I said. "Out of curiosity, how old are you?"

"None of your business," Hitsugaya said levelly. "When Urahara told me he had left 'Jun' back at the shop, I was thinking someone more… well, more."

"I'm only fifteen. They'll grow in," I said defensively, crossing my arms over my chest. He blushed slightly.

"I wasn't talking about your… I thought you would know more about what was going on, for one, and at least have a reason for why you're here," he explained. I blinked. Oh.

"Well, I don't like to brag," I began, though I so totally did, "but I'm kind of awesome."

"Kind of?" The captain asked, eyebrows raised.

"Okay, I admit," I sighed as though in defeat, bowing my head. "I'm actually completely awesome," I finished.

"I see," Hitsugaya said flatly. "So I suppose that means you've been training under Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi to control your Spiritual Energy?"

"Sort of," I said. "It's more like I had just decided to save myself and run from the crazies when I bumped into you."

"I see," the captain said doubtfully. "What do you do?"

"I make multiple minions," I said smugly. "Go ahead, you can worship me. I promise, I won't let it go to my head."

"Multiple… minions?" The captain repeated slowly. I nodded.

"Think about it – suddenly, there's two times as awesomeness as there is with just one of me. How cool is that? I can go up to, like, five. Although, if I try to move them all at once, it gets a little taxing," I said thoughtfully.

"I see. How exactly does that work?" Hitsugaya asked.

"Do I detect – gasp and swoon – politeness?" I exclaimed dramatically, falling backward in exaggerated shock and putting a hand to my chest. Needless to say, he was undeterred. An evil smile tugged on the corners of my mouth, and my impish personality broke through once again.

"Okay, but only if you ask real nice, okay?" I purred, leaning across the table towards him. He leaned back in a frail attempt to keep distance between us.

Of course, he wouldn't want to catch my sanity, now would he?

"I think you should…" he began.

"—be locked up?" I finished, propping my head up with one elbow and giving a long-suffering sigh. "I meant just say please. Gosh, you have such a dirty mind."

Ignoring the dirty mind comment, Hitsugaya cleared his throat.

"Would you mind perhaps showing me your ability? Please?" He asked politely. I grinned, beginning a slow clap.

"Was that too hard?" I asked, shaking my head as I got to my feet. I closed my eyes for a moment, just to ward off the dizzy feeling I was already getting.

"Multiply," I muttered. There was a familiar zinging sound, and I opened my eyes again.

"And there you have it," I said, nodding at the bubble-like me-shaped figure. The figure looked back at me almost accusingly and I shrugged.

"I see." Captain Hitsugaya stood up, eyes locked on the clone. "What does it do?"

"Lots of things," I said dismissively. I began to sit back down when a sudden wave of dizziness overcame me, and I felt myself sway on the spot. Captain Hitsugaya glanced at me, realizing my distress, and began to move towards me.

I felt myself slowly falling sideways, towards the clone. I was about to apologize automatically for bumping into it when I felt a weird silky feeling, and I slid right through the figure. I was pulled upright.

"What…" I began, looking down at my hands.

The clone I had made was no longer independent. As I stared down in horror at my body, it became apparent that the silky feeling was the strange reflective surface of my clone as it covered my body and adhered to my shape.

I was completely encased in my own clone, and now I was pulling the strings from inside.

"Aw, hell."