Smoulder...

Ichigo and Rukia stared dumbfounded at the glowing amber pendant resting on the bedside table. Their jaws agape, each in turn shifted glances between Alastor and each other. His request was an unusual one to say the least.

"If what you have said about the nature of souls is correct, then Sakai Yuji must still reside within this Soul Society you speak of. If so, then for Shana's sake I beseech you to take us there so that we may find him."

"You...You want to go to Soul Society to find a friend?"

"To Shana, Sakai-kun was more than a mere companion. As much as it hurt me to see it, Shana relied on him as a confidante and in time of crisis, a crutch. He healed her in ways nobody else could. He was special in every sense of the word to Shana. Perhaps even more so than me"

Although the pendant showed no expression, Alastor's sullen tone proved irrefutable proof of the Flame of Heaven's concern for his young companion. Despite his bright and vibrant glow, his misery leaked from the precious stone like poison.

Rukia bowed her head in contemplation and returned to gaze at Alastor. Shana's grave confession earlier had burrowed deep through her consciousness to spread doubt. Unsure of whether to speak the words, she hesitantly murmured, "So...You want Shana to reunite with the boy she killed?"

There was a long pause, tension so thick it was tangible. A long sigh soon billowed out from the pendant.

"Precisely. Her guilt over such tragic circumstances has begun to consume her. She is still a child and such strain is certainly damaging. If Shana is to ever continue in her mission as a Flame Haze then she must attain a stable state of mind. In her current state she can barely function."

Rukia massaged the raw choke bruise left after Shana's most recent episode, understanding all too well the nature of the poor girl's condition.

"So you think meeting back up with Yuji will ease her conscience?"

"I can only hope. Of course it could also wound her further, but it is a risk I am willing to take."

Ichigo appeared sceptical, but Rukia stepped forward and bowed, "Very well. We shall take you to Soul Society, but we must make preparations first. It could take a few days."

The pendant glowed vibrantly, "I have all the time in the world Miss Kuchiki. But if we are to wait then I must make one last request."

"Let's hear it then." Ichigo groaned.

"Please...Watch over Shana. In her current position she could very well become a danger to herself and others. I can only lend her strength...I do not have the hands to hold her...That is why, I beg you...Protect her!"

After sharing a glance at one another, both Rukia and Ichigo nodded. "You have our word."


Deep within the Research and Development Department a large monitor flickered into life, lights flashing and alarms blaring. A man with golden eyes and painted skin studied the monitor intently, his skeletal fingers dancing on the keyboard with fervour. A permanently affixed grin resulting from a lack of lips allowed his ghostly white teeth to shine in the otherwise dank and gloomy darkness of the room. His wide staring eyes rolled mechanically across the screen, pupils dilating and expanding in maniacal delight.

As Soul Society's head research specialist, Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi was renowned for his genius. Nothing escaped his unblinking hawk-like gaze. Whether in the world of the Living or that of the dead, Mayuri's equipment recorded any and all activities within his domain. The ever-present supervision of a god.

And yet a look of surprise scrawled across his unsightly face.

Without warning, souls were disappearing. People were vanishing like candles blown out, leaving no trace of their existence. In the advent of death, a soul's power of existence usually remains, such that it is sent to the Soul Society. And yet hordes of citizens were simply vanishing off the face of the earth, soul and all.

"Hmm, this is quite an unusual find." The nefarious scientist's throat rattled in a rusted, creaking timbre. "It seems Karakura is always a town of wonders..."

His laughter echoed throughout the large empty laboratories cascading down upon the few workers nestled within their dark corners of the facility.

They knew from experience that whenever Captain Kurotsuchi laughed, something terrible was bound to happen...


The night had passed without any incidents like the previous day. Shana had been unconscious for several hours after her unexplained episode in the bath and awoke more exhausted than before. Ichigo was cooking for quite some time until the girl seemed replenished and by then he himself was exhausted. She had a restless sleep, constantly under the watchful eyes of the two shinigami, but at the very least she stayed asleep, even as the cold sweat and tears borne of the worst nightmares assaulted her fragile mind.

By morning, she was gently shaken awake by the young girl, Yuzu.

"Good morning." she said cheerfully, offering a beaming smile, though Shana could tell the girl was nervous. "I cooked a lot for breakfast since Ichigo told me how hungry you were. It's ready and waiting down-stairs."

Shana nodded but made no attempt to move. The girl studied her curiously and frowned, "Are you not hungry?"

Shana shook her head. "I'm hungry. But I don't want to go downstairs."

"Why?" Yuzu inquired.

Shana didn't answer, merely sitting there staring at her until the awkwardness became too much and Yuzu got up and left. After a brief respite Yuzu returned, knocking on the door to the bedroom even though it was already open. This time Ichigo was standing beside her.

"Hey, you should eat something. Besides, Yuzu's cooking is amazing! Much better than mine!"

Shana nodded but still didn't move.

"Come on! It will get cold if you don't come and get it."

"Bring it to me." Shana said coldly.

"What? No, you can just come downstairs and-"

"Bring it to me!" It seemed she was in the mood for a tantrum again.

Ichigo moved to argue the issue further but Yuzu clutched his sleeve and led him away. After another short moment of quietude she returned a third time with a tray in her hands. She set it down by the door and bowed before walking away.

Shana waited to make sure no-one else was coming before crawling over and devouring the offerings they had prepared for her. She could hear the chatter of the family down-stairs, even picking up on her name a few times in their conversations.

"Alastor...Who are these people?"

"For now, they are allies. I have spoken with the two shinigami and they have vowed to offer their assistance in finding Sakai Yuji. I think you should be more hospitable towards them in return for their efforts."

"But they're shinigami!" Shana snapped. "They were the ones who took him away in the first place! Why would they help us?"

Alastor sighed. "These two are unaffiliated with the one who took Sakai Yuji. Having spoken with them I feel we should trust them. They are our only hope of reaching this Soul Society and furthermore, even if we found our own way there, without someone to guide us we would simply be lost."

"Trusting the enemy? Isn't this too risky?"

"They are not the enemy, Shana. The shinigami serve as vital a part in maintaining the balance of the worlds as we do. Our agents rarely meet due to our differing circumstances, thus causing their suspicion, but they are in no means a threat. As long as we treat them with respect they shall not think of us as a danger to their organisation."

"So...Shinigami are like Flame Haze?"

Alastor recalled Rukia's not so eloquently drawn pictures from the day before. "In some respects we are similar, but of course they are far different from us as well."

Shana scowled, "Well are they similar or not?"

"It's difficult to explain." Alastor grumbled. "But it is best to trust them for now."

Shana rolled her eyes before finishing the last of the breakfast Yuzu had brought up. "Very well. I'll play along for now. They will come in handy later won't they Alastor?"

"Hmm..."


"School?" Shana asked quietly.

"Yeah," Ichigo replied awkwardly, scratching his head, "you see we've agreed with Alastor to help you out, but we need a few days to prepare. So in the meantime we think it'd be best if you accompany us to school."

"You promise to help me?" her gaze intensified.

"I already said that. Of course we will! If your friend is in Soul Society then it's our job to find him for you!"

Shana glanced down at her feet for a moment before shooting her head back up, startling the young shinigami, "How many days?"

"What?"

"How many days?" she stressed.

"Uh...A week at the most."

Shana made an irritated face, but even as she crossed her arms and turned away, she reluctantly agreed.

"Fine. I'll go to school."

"I have a spare uniform you can use." Rukia explained, holding up the steel grey skirt and blazer. Shana and Rukia were almost the same size, Rukia being just slightly taller, though their age difference was strangely apparent. Nonetheless the uniform would be the perfect size for their reluctant charge.

Shana studied the uniform with an almost resentful gaze but took it regardless, bowing in thanks. As much as she despised shinigami, these two appeared to be at least a little bit tolerable. Shana resigned herself to comply with their request and went to get ready for school.

As expected the uniform was a near perfect fit. Shana studied her reflection in the bathroom mirror as she tied the bow beneath her collar. The vibrant blood red was a stark contrast to the drab grey of the rest of the outfit. Shana preferred her old uniform for Masaki high, but since Alastor and Ichigo stressed this would only be temporary she decided to put up with it.

Upon leaving the bathroom she found Rukia standing outside with an expectant glance. She cried out in delight upon seeing her and lunged at her. Shana prepared to fight back but held back at the last second when Rukia wrapped her arms around her in a hug.

This was going to take getting used to, Shana thought with a frown.

"Aw, you're so cute!"

Shana whimpered like a frightened pup but it only made Rukia's strangely affectionate behaviour worse. In vain she reached out to Ichigo who shrugged his shoulders and sighed.

"She gets this way around cute things."

Shana scoffed and tried to push away her assailant, but Rukia's grip was unusually strong, sparing no energy to keep her locked in her embrace. When it seemed she wouldn't have mercy on the startled Flame Haze Ichigo finally intervened and dragged her by the back of her shirt away from the panting and sputtering young girl.

"Are you alright?" Alastor asked, noting Shana's pounding heart and laboured breaths.

The Flame-haired Burning-eyed hunter observed the odd couple and frowned.

"Shinigami are certainly strange beings..."