"You remember only what you want to remember. You know only what your heart allows you to know." ― Amy Tan, Saving Fish from Drowning

Chapter 10: Unknown Memories

A month has passed ever since the incident with Grimmjow. No orders were given out by Aizen and no troubles caused by the Espadas. All in all it was pretty boring in Las Noches.

Kagome sighed as she strolled down the long halls of the building, there was always the calm before the storm so she wouldn't be surprised at the sudden turn of events that would come. Even though there wasn't anything out of the ordinary in Las Noches, she has been having very strange occurrences.

Lately, she's had strange dreams and visions. Most of them involved a white haired boy with triangular shaped ears on his head. Sometimes she would see him arguing with her and others he would be comforting her, holding her tightly in his arms.

Could these just be hallucinations or were they something more? She didn't know but what she did know was that they began to get worse after Ulquiorra and Yami went to the human world, after seeing that girl.

Her thoughts were interrupted when a sudden jolt of pain went through her head, did she forget to mention the headaches she got whenever the visions came. They could be quite painful sometimes. She expected to see the white haired boy once again but instead she saw someone else. This time it was a very young boy no taller than two feet with brown auburn hair held in a pony tail. But what mostly held her attention was what seemed to be a tail and the small paw like feet. What was he? A hollow? Human? Or possibly a shinigami? Somehow she knew that all those were wrong but she couldn't see what else he could be.

But as soon as the vision came it left. Like any other time, she believed that with the images gone the pain would also fade away, but for some reason it became worse. She began to breathe at a rapid pace, clutching her head from the pain that was becoming unbearable. Not being able to support herself, she leaned onto the wall trying not to fall under the intense pain. Why was this happening to her? Why now? Who exactly are these people?

Kagome knew she would not be able to resist any longer, the pain was just too much. Just when she felt like giving up she felt someone grab a hold of her shoulder, making the pain fade away immediately.

"Kagome-chan?"

She instantly recognized that voice. "Gin…what are you doing here?" Was it just her or did she sound tired?

"Kagome, what's wrong?" His voice was laced with worry, eyes slightly open to exam her state. He turned her so that she could face him, but as soon as he did that, he felt her falling onto him.

"Kagome!" He called out in worry, holding onto her before she fell.

"Gin…Is it possible for a shinigami to remember their life before death?" She felt herself becoming weaker by the minute.

Gin furrowed his brows, not knowing how to answer her question.

Taking his confusion as a queue to continue, she spoke up once again. "Recently I've been having these visions…images of people I've never met before but…but somehow they seem so familiar. They always come and go but recently they been getting worse. Every single time they come, there's always a searing pain shooting through my head. It's almost like someone is trying to crush it and I don't think I'll be able to handle it anymore."

There was a long moment of silence, but it was suddenly broken by Gin. "You should get some rest. We'll discuss this when you are feeling better."

Kagome wanted to protest, but she knew she didn't have the strength to argue with him right now. So she allowed herself to be carried off into her room.

In her delirious state she could feel Gin laying her down on her bed, tucking her like she was a child. Not being able to stay awake much longer, she fell into a deep sleep, but if stayed up longer she would have felt his hand caressing her cheek lovingly and his lips falling onto her forehead, wishing her a goodnight.

Kagome awoke with a start. Once again her past invaded her dreams, but this time it was of one she knew of. It was of a young boy who she had saved from starvation in the Rukongai, a time when she was still a wanderer. She could clearly remember the small amount of time she spent with him, caring for him. But when the time came for her leave, the boy begged her to stay or least allow him to go with her, but she knew that a child should not walk the same path she was walking. So she denied his request and left him in the care of a kind family she had met. After that she never heard of him, his face fading away in time. But she could still remember his last words to her.

"One day, when I become stronger, I'll look for you and I'll be the one to protect you!"

She knew it was silly coming from a child, but she smiled at him none the less and left.

Even now it brought a smile to her lips, sometimes she regrets her choice of leaving but that was all in the past, never to see that boy again.

She was suddenly brought out of her thoughts by the loud knock on her door. Erasing all emotion from her features, she answered, "Enter."

Kagome furrowed her brows, not knowing why the stoic Espada was there. "Ulquiorra…what do you want?"

"Lord Aizen wishes to see you. " With only those words he left, leaving a very confused shinigami behind.

Kagome stared blankly at the wall, contemplating what Aizen would want with her now. She sighed but did as told, preparing herself for the surprise meeting.

It didn't take her long to reach the place where Aizen always resided. She expected Tousen or at least Gin to be there, but to her surprise, it was only Aizen and her.

"You called for me Captain Aizen?" She bowed down deeply.

Aizen merely sat on his throne and watched Kagome with calculating eyes. "So far you have held your end of the bargain, Kagome. Now I wish to hold mine."

Kagome furrowed her brows in confusion, not knowing what Aizen was planning. "And how will you do that?"

All she could was a chuckle coming from Aizen. "With the Hogyoku."

"The Hogyoku…?" What exactly would the stupid marble do when it comes to giving her power.

"Yes, I will give you exactly what Ichigo Kurosaki is so desperate to throw away. A hollow."

Kagome's eyes widened at hearing that. Did he just offer, or more ordered, her into becoming what so many people reject, a Vizard?

"Is there a problem, Kagome?" His chillingly sinister voice broke her out of her thoughts. He was challenging her into saying no, daring her to oppose him.

She wanted to scream 'yes', there was a big problem with that, but she just couldn't. "Of course not, Captain Aizen. I am grateful for what you are offering so freely."

A smirk settled onto Aizen face, pleased with her answer. "Ah, good…then let us begin."

Kagome bit her lip, afraid of what she will become. But there was no turning back now, she will become a monster that everyone hates in order to keep Aizen's trust.

"Of course, Captain Aizen."