Sakura was perched amongst the cushions of the window seat and her narrowed eyes gazed thoughtfully out the window while listening attentively to her friends explanations. They knew little more than what they had already revealed, they simply stressed how much the Soul Reapers were to blame for Sakura's separation from her most trusted ally and Zanpaktou.

"You must have risked so much to get her back to me..." she whispered dropping her gaze to her fiddling fingers. "I owe you all a debt of gratitude; I'm very grateful, thank you." Her eyes met her friend's with a melancholy glaze and her lips twitch upwards. Her gratitude was sincere, even Kurohime struggled to accept their help was very much needed, and she appreciated the risks they had taken to reunite them both.

Yuuko, who had not left Sakura's side since her awakening, wrapped her arms around Sakura's waist in a comforting gesture that elder girl accepted immediately. "We did it all for you and Kurohime-sama!"

"Yuuko is right," Mira finally spoke. "You've no need to thank us. We did what we believe to be right."

Ichirou smiled brightly at Sakura's praise, "After all, the Soul Reapers have no claim to you."

"I guess you're right." Sakura glanced down into Yuuko's mop of hair. "I just can't believe they would do something like this to me, of all people."

Yuuko pulled away from Sakura's arms. "Some people just have no respect for royalty." She commented angrily looking towards Sasuke for approval.

Sasuke was leisurely sitting on the very same bed his daughter had previously been sleeping on, allowing her followers to enjoy their reunion with their leader without interruption. As Sakura glanced towards him with eye beckoning for more answers he felt compelled to answer.

"You're the rightful heir to their throne, Sakura; and they rid of you before you could claim your seat to rule over them. Their fear and jealously became their motive for the treason they committed against you."

This forced Sakura cautiously to her feet and Kurohime's anger grew more and more towards the Soul Reapers. "Grandfather would have never agreed to it. He would never have allowed harm to come my way!" Her memory filled with kind thoughts of the Soul King; a man who had always wanted what was best for his only granddaughter. But doubt circled dangerously throughout her mind, tainting every memory with suspicion.

Sasuke stood, and made his way to his daughter to take her shoulders in his grasp. "It was his idea to begin with."

Sakura gasped and her eyes pooled with the same rage Kurohime was experiencing. "They can't be allowed to get away with this." She growled through clenched teeth.

"I never planned on it." Sasuke replied calmly. "You must return to the Soul Society, Sakura."

"Why?" She questioned curiously.

"To punish them of course; to reclaim your rightful seat to the throne and rule over the realm as you were born too." He answered as if it were as obvious as day. His hands dropped from her shoulders.

"He's right," Kurohime's voice echoed within the boundaries of Sakura's mind. "They hurt you and I will not let them get away. I'll show them no mercy, I'll create rivers from their blood, hang their heads on pikes to shrivel up and stand as warning to never cross you again. That throne belongs to you just as much as my own belongs to me. They are the reason to our separation, your pain and loneliness in this world of inferior beings. Allow them no mercy and I shall serve you rewardingly, Master."

Sakura's mind swam in thoughts that challenged Kurohime's unswerving loyalty and the stories of which her father and friends spoke to her. Kurohime's bloodthirsty attitude hardly shocked Sakura, in an odd way; it comforted her to know she was in such capable hands. Yet her anger was apparent, even to herself. She wanted the Soul Reapers to pay for what they did to her, for banishing her to this world for over one hundred years.

Did she not deserve compensation?

Her eyes met her fathers, full of determination and decision. "I'll do as you ask of me."

With a smirk of approval he turned to face her friends. "What of the rest of you?"

The five very different personalities left no room for debate and Yuuko answered without doubt. "We will follow Sakura-sama wherever she leads us."

Sakura turned to face the window once more, her train of thought turning towards the betrayal of her friends and family from a past life.

"Serve me well, Kurohime. For now, my faith lies within you and all you promise me."

Her blues eyes closed; allowing a single tear to leave as all she saw was the twisted smile of her friend.