Ohoho! So, who did you think it was? What do you think of the tangled web of secretiveness that surrounds our poor protagonist? And am I evil for leaving you with that cliffhanger? Oh yes! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: If I did own I think Bleach would have a slightly smaller fanbase.

OOO

My blood ran cold as I released my Zanpaktou with a big enough burst of reiatsu to alert the others. Then I leapt through the window and did as quick a scan as possible to ascertain that Mitsuki was indeed gone. Then I cursed and with barely retained patience waited for at least one of the others to arrive. While I did so I closed my eyes and tried to find Mitsuki's ribbon... To no avail. My eyebrows lowered in a frown. She must be far away for me to be unable to find her... Okay, Kidō then.

As I arrived to that conclusion, Kuchiki arrived. I quickly gestured around the room with Hyōrinmaru showing her the lack of occupants and ordered her to inform Yamamoto as soon as possible.

The next person to appear was Matsumoto. "Good," I snapped. "You're coming with me."

"Where, Taichou?"

It had been so long since I had seen my lieutenant with her more serious disposition... I had forgotten how she always managed to impress me with it. But if I ever brought it up it was purely to tell her that that was what she should always behave like and please stop embarrassing yourself at important meetings, woman.

"To wherever the trail leads us," I told her as sheathed Hyōrinmaru and rolled up my sleeves and rolled through my mental inventory of Kidō and selected Bakudō number forty-three. I was suddenly grateful that I had used this one before, as it allowed me to forgo spelling out the whole incantation and simply thrust my arms forward, one hand over the other as I gathered the energy in my palms. As I murmured the name under my breath, I let my hands fly apart and my reiatsu to fly across the whole room. This would hopefully make any traces of reiatsu recently used shine to me like they were under a fluorescent light. I held my breath for a moment, and then opened my eyes.

I exhaled silently in relief as a glowing trail was presented to me. It doubled back on itself, both arriving and departing from the bedroom door. After telling Kuchiki to get the gigai down from the ceiling, I flung the door open, stalking down the hallway and towards the front door.

They came in through the front door!

How could I have been so lapse... I was ashamed of myself. My only objective had been to protect Mitsuki, and I had failed. I had let my own feelings get in the way of what was most logical... I should have stayed in the room with her. No one would have been able to get to her if I had been there, watching every breath. But my brain had become so addled, I didn't even ask Hisamuko to stay and do my patrol with Matsumoto. I had done the opposite of what I should have been doing; I had watched the area and not the target. It had probably been so easy for them to slip past, they must have laughed at our pathetic attempts to provide safety.

There was only one thing I could do to even try to repair the damage my carelessness had done: I had to get her back before any harm came to her. And that meant acting with all due haste, despite the fact that I was quite aware that Yamamoto would later reprimand me for "gallivanting off" or some such, leaving Kuchiki to inform him of the situation and not really giving orders to the others, who would probably make some mess and maybe try to follow me but probably stay here.

But I couldn't find it in myself to be particularly concerned. The only real worry I had was that this did, in many ways, confirm my suspicions that we were wither set up, or that someone on the inside found out. An mere observer wouldn't have taken the chance, they would have added two and two and realised that once Miyako returned, at least three of the Shinigami would leave.

And thus, Michiyo's departure was crucial to this kidnapping attempt. I just had to work out how before it was too late.

OOO

I had woken up sometime before arriving at wherever I was being taken and sometime after being gagged and unceremoniously slung over my kidnapper's shoulder.

I had then spent some time wondering what I would be able to do in this situation. How could I manage to escape from my captor –who, incidentally, was doing what I believed was called 'flash-stepping', if the cold wind attacking my face pretty much constantly with short pauses at regular intervals was anything to go by– and even if I did, how would I manage to communicate to Tōshirō (or anyone else who might be able to help) where I was?

At the moment if I tried anything, which probably wouldn't work anyway, I would just be endangering myself and angering them. I should wait until a more opportune moment presented itself. Perhaps when they stopped flash-stepping. Or, I could wait for Tōshirō to find me... Because he couldn't be that mad at me, right? He'd already be looking for me, right?

Yeah, but he was meant to protect you and look at how well he did that.

...What a bitter, petty and horrible person you are, Arima Mitsuki.

I sighed onto the... neck (shoulder? Back?) of my captor as I told myself off for being nasty; Tōshirō had done his best and he was probably doing his best right now. It was my fault that I went and picked the worst time possible to confess about my confusion and recent kiss with another guy. In fact, this was all one big mess.

Shouldn't I be more worried? I am being kidnapped here... I thought lethargically as I realised that all I'd done was debate -with myself- and not done a single bit of panicking or screaming. I might have been pretty proud of myself if I hadn't suspected that I was on some sort of drug. When I envisioned myself crossed-eyed, laughing hysterically and peeing all over my captor, I wondered if they would let me go. And then I laughed.

Something was definitely wrong.

Oh. I groaned as I lurched to a stop, swinging into the air before coming back with a low thump. My stomach complained and I quite suddenly realised all the aches and pains assaulting me: my right elbow felt like someone had taken a sledgehammer to it; I had a pounding headache that made every moment an exercise in patience; my mouth and chin were itching something fierce; my stomach had the dull ache that I associated with overeating and Christmas; and my neck and shoulder joints felt so stiff I wished I had puked all over whoever was carrying me without a concern for my well-being, because that was usually a good way to make someone put you down. And everyone found that gross. Even I would have found that gross, and it would have been me getting rid of my breakfast.

You'd be puking all over your own face Eva, I told myself after some seconds. I had forgotten momentarily about the gagged situation while lost in my fantasy. But that just added to my list of grievances.

So yeah, over all, I felt pretty shit.

Kidnapped, in pain, all this crap... Why didn't I notice this before? Drugs wearing off? I wondered as I stared at the dark ground with lines of pretty lights with bleary eyes. Was I crying? Had I forgotten my glasses? You have a habit of leaving them off when pretty boys are around, you know... Hmm, interesting... Lights are lampposts... No... that's a big building... Skyscraper? Ooh it's the cigar! Aww it's all lit up! Wait, something wrong... Oh, oh yeah! I'm in the air. Ha ha ha, I'm flying! Flyyyyiiinnng baby!

With extreme effort, I raised my arms and did a vague flapping motion. I even jiggled my legs up and down a little. My voice was a little hoarse, but who cared? "Oh, I believe I can fly! I believe I can touch the sky! Think about it every night and day, spread my wings and fly away!" I then burst into laughter, which ended with some shuddering and very painful coughing.

I heard low grumbling murmurs that corresponded with the breaths and vibrations of whoever had me over their shoulder. I couldn't catch any audible response, and was just thinking about turning my head to try and see who had me, when the gag was pulled up to cover my whole face. How annoying. What if they gave up and left me somewhere? I wouldn't be able to tell my rescuers in detail and at length about their ugly faces.

At least they were letting me breathe. How very kind and considerate... If only all people were so charming, the world would be a better place.

"This itches. And it doesn't do a very good job of shutting me up." I informed them calmly. "Which makes it possible for me to list all the people that are going to hunt you down for touching me."

I felt a harsh, barking laughter run through my... God, what as the word? Mule? What was the name of that poor animal charged with lugging about all the stuff... Argh! Stupid drugs! Anyway, point being, the guy laughed. And I didn't appreciate this.

"Overconfidence gets people killed," I told him. You shouldn't take a Captain lightly almost left my mouth before I realised that they might not know who he was, and that I might be ruining an advantage. So I kept my mouth shut, thankful in some perpetually cheery part of my brain that I had at least some sense about me.

"Talking too much makes me want to drop you, little girl." His voice sounded like a grizzly bear crossed with dragging a wet body over some gravel. It made me want to put my own hand over my neck, as if the watery edge might make the inside of my throat bleed in imitation.

But please, 'little girl'?

I snorted. "So, drop me," I retorted. I didn't know why I thought this false bravado would help me, but it made me feel better. Safer, like I'd just pulled on another layer to protect myself against cold weather.

He laughed again, shifting me to a more comfortable position – for him. My hips had been resting over his shoulder, with my legs hanging down to his left and my top half pretty parallel to his back. I scowled underneath the cloth as his shoulder dug into my stomach, and my spine began to ache as it had to bend forward rather than lie straight. And the blood was still rushing to my head. I had never been able to stand that, ever since I was small I had always refrained from being upside down: I had never learnt how to do a handstand, had never sat upside-down on the sofa like my brother, had never leant too far backwards on the monkey bars like my sister.

My head swam as movement started up again, and I grimaced as the movement made pain ripple through me like waves in the sea. I wondered if I was going to pass out, and if I would even realise. I was fed up with this kidnapping lark. I'd had a bad enough day – most of my family was still missing, I would never see too many people to count again nor my home country, my mother wasn't in the same world let alone country, and I had possibly ruined my only solace. Who happened to be the only person with a chance of rescuing me. Nice one, Eva, really... You amaze me with your stupidity.

I sighed and then stiffened as it occurred to me that all my other family members had been killed. Had they been kidnapped first? I couldn't remember... And where were these people taking me? How far away was this place? Were we leaving the country? No... We had been at the centre when I had woken... Maybe they were going in circles? Or trying to shake off pursuers? But they must be going somewhere eventually... They must have a place in Barcelona. Were they that committed to their cause -that was, getting rid of us- that they were willing to go to these lengths?

What had we done in the first place? As far as I knew, I hadn't taken out anyone they knew. So why all the ill will to me personally? Why couldn't they just leave us alone now? And just who were these people that were so loco they kept a grudge for over three hundred years? Did they all work for one man? Shinigami and Hollows? Just how powerful was this guy, and why hadn't the Gotei Thirteen gotten rid of this threat?

And what did they want with me?

I had too many questions running around inside my skull, and there wouldn't have been enough space even without the headache. I bit my lip and frowned underneath my impromptu mask. I had wanted to find out who it was that had been baying for my blood, but now I just wanted them all to disappear. I wanted to never have to think about this again.

I wanted to go home and see my family and go to school and mess around with my friends and be young and irresponsible. I wanted my life back.

OOO

Seeing as I had had the misfortune of being in slightly too much pain to fall asleep but not enough to pass out, I had been blissfully aware of every moment. Including the one where the wind stopped attacking my bare arms and feet and my slight swaying increased and I felt gravity start to pull at my legs. We were going down, and it seemed so consistent that it had to be stairs. I hoped it wasn't a basement... I'd never liked basements; horrible musty places with spiders where no one would hear you scream. But I probably wouldn't mind being able to sit down; we had been running about for an age and my body felt bruised and battered, as well as slightly frozen.

I knew I had been right to forgo changing into my pyjamas and to simply collapse onto my bed, jeans and all. But I had only been wearing a short-sleeved t-shirt.

Suddenly my body was moving through the air and my back connected with a hard surface, my limbs and head following with horrific thuds and cracks. I let out a moan as I slumped to the side, realising that I had been thrown into the corner of a room.

"The drug should wear off soon, little girl... Soon I will be smelling your fear and hearing your screams."

What a freak...

I thought, and I would have shuddered if I'd had the energy. Instead I felt a trickle of gratification that I been right about the altered state of mind I found myself in. They had probably not wanted me to make a fuss, I might have slowed them down.

But now... I was at their mercy.

As I heard his heavy solitary footsteps receding, I vaguely remembered him talking to someone, but I hadn't had any indication of their presence since (with now being no exception)... Maybe he had been talking on a phone... But I hadn't felt his arm move... then again, these people must have the monetary means to follow us around the various countries I suspected we had had stints at. He probably had one of those Bluetooth thingies attached to his ear.

I pictured some big hulking caveman wearing a loincloth combined with shoes and a modern communicator in his ear. I would have laughed if I hadn't suddenly choked on the feeling that my life was probably going to end in the next few hours... If not minutes.

I felt the tears dampen my blindfold as I thought about all the places I would never go to again, the things I would never get to do again, and the people that I would never be able to hold or talk to again. Somewhere in the back of my mind, a little voice was saying that I was behaving more normally, so the drug must have started to lose affect already...

And that was when I came to the conclusion that my drug-induced apathy was the only thing that was keeping my captor from harming me. I grabbed onto the thought and became determined to pretend that I was still affected; I was small, he would probably think that he had given me relatively more than he thought. He might fall for it. I would keep my blindfold on, I wouldn't move, I wouldn't try to escape, I would feign cheerful indifference... For now. It might give me enough time, it might give Tōshirō enough time...

I almost wondered if people had stayed behind to take care of him and the others, but then I pushed the thought away before all of my hope was leached out of me. There was only so much I could do, and most of the work would be his. Was his. I had to trust that he would get through anything and that he would find me and take me back and protect me.

I had to keep myself from falling apart. I had to do this. There was too much that I still wanted to do or see or have. I wasn't willing to let my life go just yet.

Determination made me square my shoulders slightly and clench my fists. I had been in bad situations before, and I got through them. I always pulled through.

Always.

...Tōshirō, come and save me already.

OOO

If I had been one of those sensitive guys who had long hair and liked flowers, I probably would have been in tears. Instead I was ready to howl with frustration as the trail looped back in on itself again.

Following them into Barcelona proper had been easy. In fact, I would have hazarded a guess that they were going into the city centre anyway, if the statistics of their Hollow apparitions were anything to go by. But they seemed to know this city well; too well. I would follow the trail around one block only to find myself ten minutes later where I started, but this time I could see three or four glowing lines leading away from me. At least one was my own, and one was the one I had already followed, but the others I either hadn't been able to see before or they were new.

I kept my faith that they were new and that I was just behind them, but as time went on the lines became hopelessly tangled.

If I kept on doing this, I might never find where they went, but it might be my only chance. I could flash-step upwards and look down on my messy map of lines, but what if we had passed the location several times? I doubted that they would be so lax.

I arrived at another crossroads. This time there were eight different possible paths. I frowned. I no longer had a choice.

Let us hope... My mind started but never finished as I tensed my legs, moving upwards a dozen times in quick succession, rapidly gaining the necessary height. I prepared myself, and looked down.

There!

I spotted it almost straight away; the strength of the light made it the most stand-out trail. I followed it away to a rather swanky-looking but petite apartment complex. It had a flat roof and the light went right into the trapdoor in the far corner.

Mentally crowing with victory, I shared a glance with Matsumoto. She nodded, loosening her Zanpakutou from its sheath and signalling to Hisamuko, who had caught up with us some two minutes ago. He rushed over and planted himself behind me on the left. Between some slightly aggravated breathing, he informed me that Rukia had still been caught up with Yamamoto and that Renji was prowling around the residence just in case. I nodded; I had expected as much.

"We don't know how many there are, at least one big enough to carry Mitsuki all this way and without slowing. Be prepared."

"I'm ready, sir." Hisamuko told me as he drew his weapon. Matsumoto didn't need to say anything.

"Let's go," I said.

It was time to end this.

OOO

Now this was a hard chapter to write! ;) And aren't I lovely? Poor Eva/Mitsuki is going through some tough times here! I hope you enjoyed!

And what do you think of my Kidō? It doesn't sound too bad and/or unrealistic, right?

P.S: The other day on the news about Japan's disaster, I saw that a town called Miyako was affected (a name I nearly decided on for Michiyo). Thus me remembering it now while writing my fic. My condolences to all and any affected by this tragedy ):