(Four Months Later)

Venus

Blinking I rub the sleep out my eyes and stretch, not wanting to leave the comfort of my bed. Curling back up I bring up my knees and tuck my hands under my head as I prepare to drift back to my dream. CRASH! Great, now what. I think irritated as I swing my legs out of bed and head for the door in the floor that is the exit for the attic. Sleepily I walk to the first floor and try to find the source of the noise when a flash of light catches my eye.

From out back scuffing sounds and grunts create a familiar background track as they continue try and help Ava wake up her Zanpakto. She has been practicing almost every day and her swordsmanship skills have improved and she can easily communicate with it, she has yet to release it though. Nyok, my Zanpakto, was easy to release and responds quite well. With a sigh I return to my room to get dressed and see what today requires of me.

Ava

He swings quickly and I can only put my sword in front of me to block it. His blade hits mine with such force that he ends up tossing me to the side, inches from the cliff edge. Panting I push myself to my feet and slice the air with my blade. Catching my breath I glance down at my weapon and trace the beautiful black, purple, and grey swirls with my eyes before charging back into the fight with Ichigo. Why can't I release you? Why have you been silent for so long? I ask my Zanpakto in hopes that she would respond but like usual she doesn't.

Jumping I stand in the air and stop his blade mid swing trying to throw him back but fail to do so as a result of the immense size difference. Putting all my strength into my arms I push against him as hard as I can but I end up jumping backwards and sliding to a stop on the grass. With my arms weak my sword seems heavier than usual and I let my arms lower until the tip is in the ground.

Sighing, Ichigo places his Zanpakto on his shoulder, "That's enough for now,"

"One more time," I say between breaths and I force my weary body to straighten.

"Don't be stupid," he starts to walk away and I open my mouth but Venus calls from inside that breakfast is ready. Giving up I lower my head and walk to the house. Jumping to the second floor I enter my room through the window and go into my body before heading to the kitchen.

It's been close to five months since that first night and every day Venus and I have been practicing vigorously. Within the first month she was able to fully release her Zanpakto, and she almost completely mastered it. But me? Only my skill as a fighter has improved without the help of my Zanpakto. Somehow I can talk to her, can use some powers like the usual visions that come on at random times or knowing stuff I shouldn't. Nyaka is constantly teasing me by letting me see only glimpses of things, and lately her new thing to do is let me see into others minds.

Setting myself in my usual spot on the far end opposite of the captain, across from my sister, and next to Ichigo. A large breakfast of scrambled eggs with cheese, pancakes, waffles, syrup, sausage and bacon covers the table as food is passed around and plates are filled. The usual bickering and light conversation cuts out the silence, but unlike the usual meal I am silent and, unintentionally, zone out and mindlessly pick at my food.

No one knows about my abilities, it's for the best.

"Are you sure? Maybe you should talk to someone."

Snapping a no I resume eating and try to redirect my thoughts when they jump to a certain person and as quick as it came I move back to my sword.

"Seriously stop it!"

Stop what?

"Stop thinking about him. You do it constantly!"

I do not!

"Do to!"

I swallow the food in my mouth I clench my fork tightly as I continue to argue with the young girl that is my Zanpakto.

"Hey little bird, what's wrong with you?" Ichigo asks genuinely as he turns to face me.

My eyes fly open, the argument forgotten, as I hear what Ichigo says. My name, Ava, means little bird. In what language, we don't know, but I think it's Indian.

"What are you so upset about? He called you by your name."

"Shut up," I think out loud under my breath and turn to look at Ichigo with a sincere small smile on my face, "Ya I'm fine." Without waiting to see if he believed me I got up and walked into the kitchen, everyone's eyes on my back until the door blocked me from their view. Dropping my plate in my sink I pull a soul candy out of my pocket that Rukia had given me and I swallow it. Out of my body I order it to my room and tell it to stay there, but I also tell it to make some noise so no one will suspect me of being gone.

Out back of the house I shut down my mind and start to run. As fast as I can I leave the cliff side that the house sits on and go into the woods that stretch far off.

"What are you doing?" her little girl voice rings in my head as an honest question.

I reply to her aloud with only the trees and the birds to hear me, "Don't know,"

"I can't believe you are running away, you never seemed like the type to do that."

"I'm not running away I just, want to be alone."

"Ok, but don't you normally go to the beach or the cliff for that?"

"Well ya but, something is off in the woods." She doesn't reply and I just continue to run and gradually slow to a jog. I dodge around trees and start to test my reflexes by giving myself only a second to react. Practicing like this for a few minutes I return to just a jog when a huge tremor shakes the ground, throwing me against a tree.

With the air knocked out of my lungs I fall onto my stomach and try to get oxygen through my body when more tremors hit. Pushing myself up onto my arms and looks around. My eyes widen as I try to make sense of what is going on.

What the! The trees on every side of me for about ten feet are shaking violently but outside of that perimeter everything is still. Nyaka, what is happening?

I shout mentally at my Zanpakto but she doesn't respond. Gritting my teeth I get up and try my best to stand, but as I plant my feet and am able to stay up the ground shakes even harder and tree is knocked down from the roots. Falling straight at me I jump away and roll to a stop only inches from where the tremors aren't happening. Standing quickly I stumble to safety just as a gust of air throws my backwards.

"You need to get out of here," her voice filled with worry as I picture her cowering in the gazebo with wide eyes.

So now you say something, I think to her as I draw my sword, well how about explaining while I get out?

"I can't…..someone blocking…it's…run…squad 12…ask they explain." She disappears completely and I am left alone to fight an invisible enemy. Gripping the hilt with one hand I run parallel to the wind. The high speeds slowly pushing me back to the fallen tree when I pass a spot where the wind doesn't push me. Sliding, I turn into it and start to cut through, my sword dragging behind me.

Reaching the end I push out with all my might and trip slightly when I run into still air, just as I get a glimpse of someone's soul. Running as far as my exhausted legs would take me I finally collapse at the base of a thick tree.

"Nyaka, what was that?"

"I-I don't know. You just saw a soul which means someone was behind the attack."

"But how did I see a soul?"

"I don't know, that's not one of my abilities so it must be one of yours. So what did the soul look like?"

"Um, actually there were two, and I didn't get a good look at either of them." I sigh and set my sword down next to me; pulling up my legs I wrap my arms around them. "But they were odd; one was rough and hard while the other was light and very flighty."

"Flighty?" she looks confused but I don't explain any further, I just get up and go back to the house.

"No word of this to anyone, got it?"

"But-"

"No one, Nyaka!" she exhales loudly and agrees reluctantly. "By the way, what were you trying to say earlier?"

"I...don't remember, sorry."

It's ok; I still remember the little bits n pieces. And I will get answers, for both of us. Something is happening, and it is more then hollows.