This time the viewpoints change from Toshiro's to Ichigo's. Tell me what you think!

Chapter 25

He opened the door to the apartment. He picked her up, carrying her into the living room. The big sofa was covered with books and CD's. He swept them on the floor before laying her down. She began to stir around as she slowly woke up. She sat up, shaking. She looked like she'd been through hell. Dark circles wrapped around her eyes. Toshiro sat down beside her, with gauze and rubbing alcohol in hand.

"Here. I'll dress some of these wounds for you." he said. His voice was calm and gentle. "This may sting a little."

He poured some of the rubbing alcohol on a cloth, then gently rubbed it on Kirie's arm, with the cut still on it. She hissed as the cold cloth touched her wound. He then wrapped the gauze around her arm. He then dressed the wounds on her legs. Since there were too many burn marks on her arms for the gauze, he just rubbed some of the alcohol on them. It stung, but she'd just have to deal with it.

"There." he said, standing up. "The wounds will heal in time."

He looked at her, watched her as she shook. "Where are your other clothes?"

"I don't really have any."

"What?"

"I came here with only clothes that my old roommate left behind, and those ripped and were old so I threw them out. All I have is my uniform." she explained.

Toshiro sighed, and took off his Captain's jacket. He wrapped it around her. She took a deep, shaky breath, pulling his coat more tightly around her. She got up, and examined herself in the mirror.

"Jesus." she said, "I'm a wreck. And I'm only going to get worse."

"You're amazing," he said softly.

"What?"

"You've managed to stay alive this long. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

She sat back down next to Toshiro, and yawned. She was still exhausted from the torture she'd taken over at least an hour ago.

Toshiro stood up, and walked over to the kitchen. There was a pot on the stove, and I suddenly realized the savory smell in the air.

"I've prepared some ramen for you. Figured you'd be hungry." He came back in the room, handing a bowl of ramen for her, and one for himself. They then began to eat in silence, before Kirie decided to speak.

"This is all very nice of you." she stated. "I should really start explaining myself before things go any further."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm sure you've read the papers on my desk, and you're probably wondering what's going on." she slurped up a noodle. "You see, I didn't become a Soul Reaper just to help souls, or protect anyone from Hollows. Or because you inspired me by saving my life that one time. It's because of those visions."

"Go on." Toshiro said, slurping up some noodles.

"It all started when I went with my friend Miku in District sixty-three to the market. I at first thought it was just a simple daydream, until there were more that followed each one. They then stopped, and I thought if there was someway I could get to the World of the Living maybe they'd keep going and I could find out more about them." She took a pause, to let the information sink into Toshiro's mind, then kept going.

"Now my plan has come to bite me in the ass, and has you putting your life on the line just to save me."

"Nonsense." Toshiro said, "I'm risking my life because I want to. Otherwise I could just've let you get killed. I will do whatever it takes to keep you alive." he explained.

They both finished the ramen, and Toshrio stood up to take both of their bowls. As he grabbed her bowl, he bent down. Giving her a light, gentle kiss on the cheek. Kirie's cheeks flushed a rosy red. She pulled his jacket tighter around her, as she walked over to the window above her desk. She began looking out at the stars, making up her own constellations.

"So, where should we start looking for her Zanpakuto?" Ichigo asked.

"I don't know, somewhere around here. Her things can't be that far from the church." Yoruichi suggested.

"What District did she say she was from?" he asked.

"Sixty-three. Why do you ask?"

"Well, maybe someone there will have some in sight on Kirie. The more we know the easier it might be to find her stuff."

Yoruichi shrugged. "Can't hurt to try." They both then headed for Rukon District.

Once they were there, they walked through the abandoned Marketplace. Closed for the day. They strolled through the village's dirt paths, when they saw three kids, sitting around and talking in the dusk air. The smallest little girl, with red air looked up at them. Then quickly hiding behind the boy with dark hair.

"Hey, do you kids. Do you know a girl by the name of Kirie? She's about this tall." He began showing her height with his hands. "Blue eyes, used to live here?"

"Yeah, we know her. Used to be one of our good friends." said the boy.

"Used to be?" Yoruichi asked.

"Yeah. When she went away to the Shin'o Academy, she promised she'd visit. Then we didn't hear from here for four years. After she graduated. She was with a kid with white hair too." He explained.

"So, do you guys mind telling us everything you know about her?"

"Why? Did she do something wrong?" The boy asked.

"No. But she might be in trouble if we don't get the information we need." Yoruichi said.

"I can tell you some things about her." interjected the older of the two girls. She then began telling Ichigo and Yoruichi everything she knows. She told them about the vision's Kirie told her about, and about her personality. It wasn't anything new they hadn't heard. "If you want to know more, I'm pretty sure the two adults she lived with would know more. There names are Vera and Derek."

"Could you take there?" Yoruichi requested.

"Sure." she agreed.

They followed the girl to Kirie's old house. Hoping to find the people she used to live with. Hoping they'd have some intel on Kirie that could possibly help in any way. They got to the house. The door was opened slightly. Yoruichi slowly opened up the door, calling out their names. The house was eerily silent as they stepped through. An odd smell lingered as well. Yoruichi turned, and let out a short, sudden breath of air. Ichigo jerked around and saw what she saw. Two bodies lie on the ground in the kitchen, cold, in a pool of blood. A note was set on the man's chest. Yoruichi picked it up and began reading it.

"Looks like whoever this was killed them and left their bodies here for Kirie to see. unfortunately for then they didn't count on us showing up here." she said.

"What kind of sick bastard would do this?" Ichigo asked.

"One of Blake's men. The person here said if she wants her things back she'll have to meet him at the forest over by the northern gates into the Seireitei."

"But, we're at the western gates. That's at least a ten-day walk." Ichigo inferred.

"Then we better hurry." she insisted.

They then sprinted off to the northern gates, occasionally flashstepping to get there quicker.