Hey, guys. Sorry this is so shit, but it's really, really, really, really, really late in my part of the world and I've started a trend of updating/finishing my stories by their birthdays. This is my OCD. It doesn't matter how sick and tired I am (I'm a severe combination of both right now).

Anyway, don't worry about it. I'll probably come back and edit it tomorrow morning so it's not a huge pile of crap. But, alas, tradition.

I should never have started that stupid tradition.

Number Six/Rukia

As far as I am aware, this all comes back with a dream.

Of course, it all really began a few months ago when when I reunited with Number Four. But I didn't even know it was him. Back then, I couldn't even remember who the Loric were.

Then last night, everything was explained to me, and I began to piece everything together; the terrorist bomb that killed my family; the way I felt as if I was living in a dream up until this point, as if nothing was quite right, as if this was some kind of fake life; those dreams that I used to wake up from, screaming and crying, that now I know are not just dreams, but memories.

When I woke up this morning with Ichigo beside me, I didn't remember the dream I'd just had, the final dream that proved to me that I am Loric. As far as I was aware back then, I'd just found out that my boyfriend was an alien and that his planet was destroyed and he had special powers called Legacies. Sure, this all sounded oddly familiar, almost as if it was one of my dreams. But I didn't say anything. I wasn't sure how to tell Ichigo and Toshiro that it was as if I already knew about Lorien and Mogadore. So I kept silent. I acted normal. I pretended to be a human.

And it was on the way back home after Ichigo and I had gone our separate ways that it finally all dawned on me. Acting human...

That's what I've been doing all this time. Because now it all seems so obvious.

I'm not human.

I am Loric.

But why? Why is it that it's taken me this long to remember who I really am? Why is it that up until this point I've believed myself to be a human and I had completely forgotten about Lorien? And even now, my memories are still fuzzy as if something is obscuring them.

I'm walking back home right now, and it's taken me the best part of two minutes to figure this all out.

I need to ask Shira-

My phone goes off, making me jump. I guess one quality I've acquired once more now that I know I am Loric is the paranoia. Seriously, this is going to be a problem.

'Hello?' I answer.

'You're remembering, aren't you?' I'm surprised to hear it's Momo's voice, but I'm pretty sure the caller ID said it was Toshiro. Then I remember that she is probably at the hospital with Toshiro.

'What do you mean...?' I ask her, finding it so very strange that she's managed to bring this up. How does she know?

'You're beginning to remember who you really are,' Momo continues. This part isn't a question. 'I'm not surprised, given all the contact you've had with Number Four. Does Ichigo know that you're not human yet.'

Instead of demanding how she knows all this, I say, 'No. I haven't told him yet. I'm not even sure about it myself.'

'Talk to Shirayuki,' Momo says. 'Open the Chest together. It will all make sense after that.'

'How do you know about... me?' I finally get out.

Momo sighs. 'I'm sorry. I'm a Hollow.'

I freeze, taking this knowledge in. The Hollows. The enemies of the Loric. My enemies.

'I'm on your side,' Momo says quickly. 'What exactly do you remember about the Hollows?'

'They... they killed my people...'

'We're not all like that, okay? You have to remember, I'm not like that.'

I can feel the betrayal like it's burning my chest. All this time, Momo and Toshiro have been my best friends, for as long as I can properly remember before the memories get hazy and I can't quite concentrate. All this time, I thought Momo was someone I could trust, someone whom I could always rely on to be by my side...

'Ask Shirayuki,' Momo continues, her voice sounding as if she's pleading now. 'I've been protecting you, Rukia. My parents died trying to get me to the location of Number Six when the last of the Loric arrived on Earth. They knew Toshiro's grandmother. She agreed to look after me until I was old enough to get my own place, funded by my inheritance. I've always told you that I got the money from distant relatives who were unable to look after me, the ones I said I went on holiday with to New York. They don't exist. My only family were my parents. Their last wish was that I was to grow up alongside you and protect you no matter what.'

I bite my lip. What she just said is bringing back more memories... I was young, so very young, and there was another small girl with black hair, screaming. Shirayuki and I were hiding and there were Hollows nearby. Shirayuki had realised that the Hollows were not just after us, but the other little girl and her parents. The parents told her something, and the girl ran to us. The three of us hid together. The Hollows found the girl's parents and they were-

I shake my head, clearing the memories and sending them scattering into the corners of my mind like dust being blown off an object and into the shadows. 'And what about Toshiro?' I say in a choking voice.

'He's human, I promise,' Momo says. 'I've told him everything. He's here with me now.'

'Say hello for me,' says Toshiro's voice in the background. He sounds broken hearted, as if something's going wrong. Momo repeats this for me.

'How's his grandmother?' I dare to ask.

'Not good,' Momo whispers. 'She's... she's asleep, but the doctors say that there's nothing they can-' She breaks off with a little sob.

Of course. She's as much Momo's grandmother as she is Toshiro's, as the old woman raised her as well as her snowy-haired grandson. Even I've come to look at her as a significant family figure over the years. The amount of times I went round there to play with Toshiro and Momo when I was a little kid...

'Talk to Shirayuki,' Momo finishes, her voice shaking a little. 'Tell her it's time for her to tell you everything, and that I said so. You need to open the Chest, Rukia.'

I come running into my home, slamming the door a little harder than I intended. Shirayuki, who is in the lounge, reading a magazine, jumps and stares at me in confusion.

'Are you okay, Rukia?' she asks as she takes in the look on my face. Her long, light lilac hair is sprawled on on the sofa next to her, despite it being tied up in a ponytail. I remember always envying it when I was little. She's the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, and I'm pretty sure now that she's not even my cousin.

'Are you my Cêpan?' I blurt out.

She stares at me in disbelief, shock written clearly over her face. 'Ru-Rukia...?'

'I know, okay?' I say, not meaning to have my voice raised like this, but I am panicking slightly. All this memories about Lorien still seem as if they are only dreams, and I need to find out why I've spent most of my life thinking I was a human. 'Momo... she kind of confirmed it for me... but I was already working it out.'

Shirayuki rises from the couch, her face looking apologetic and very worried. 'Rukia... I...'

'Please, Shirayuki. We need to open the Chest. It's highly important.'

Shirayuki nods, still looking dazed. Despite this, she still manages to sweep gracefully out of the room and up the stairs, obviously to look for the Chest. I stand in the middle of the lounge, not moving an inch. I'm still trying to process all of this. I really am Loric. I am...

I am Number Six.

It dawns on me. I remember my Loric number. I am Six, currently third in line to die. But that can't be right. I've been with Ichigo for months now. The Charm has to have broken the moment I came into contact with him that first time.

Shirayuki returns with the Chest. It is relatively small, easy to carry, simply as a small brown box. That's it? Then I remember when it was handed to Shirayuki and I ten years ago. This is so confusing... some memories make sense, some haven't come back at all, some are completely hazy... most just don't make sense at all.

'We open it together,' Shirayuki tells me as she bends down, placing it on the carpet. She holds one side of the lock with her hand and looks at me expectantly. I lean down beside her and put my hand on the lock too. It clicks open and that's when-

When I-

When it all comes back-

My eyes widen in shock-

And then it's all black-

'Come on, sweetheart. Don't cry.'

I blink, looking up at my guardian. The visions of my family consumed in fire from the bombs still keep me up at night, even though I've been trying to play with the other children on this one year journey. But none of them have stories like mine. I watched my sister burn before my eyes, and I've heard Shirayuki talking to the other grown ups aboit how much that can affect a child like me. Even so, I try to stick with the other children. I stop the blonde girl from bullying the orange-haired girl. She's my friend, but none of us have names anymore. I'm Six. The bully is Three. The orange-haired girl is Seven. The kid who always sits in the corner (also with orange-hair) looking like he's talking to himself is Four. But we played together on Lorien, even if he doesn't remember it. He's too upset, like everyone else.

Shirayuki bends down, pulling me up into her arms. 'We've got about another two months till we'll arrive on Earth, and there's something I want to do so you'll be safe. Okay?'

'O... okay. Will my big brother be coming to?' Because my sister's husband is the only family member of mine who has lived. But he spends most of his time with that red head.

'He is Number Nine's Cêpan, love,' Shirayuki says gently. 'We'll have to say goodbye to him for a bit. But we'll see him again one day, okay?'

'Okay...'

'What's your name?' I ask the Hollow girl as Shirayuki pulls the two of us along. The girl keeps asking about her parents, but Shirayuki promises that it will all be okay. She tells me that a lot too. We rush down the street, knowing that the Hollow army is not far behind us. I'm so scared, so terrified of how much they'll hurt me and Shirayuki and this new little girl who might become my friend.

'Momo Hinamori,' the girl says, wiping the tears from her eyes. 'And you're Six, aren't you?'

'Yeah...'

My eyes flash open. They were brief and rather flashy, but I'm pretty sure they're all back. I can access them, even easier than if they had been here all along.

I get it now.

And now that it's all back, now that I am well and truly Loric again, I have to keep myself from screaming as the three scars that should have come a long time ago finally burn their way into my ankle, signifying the deaths of One, Two and Three.

'I had to do it, Rukia,' Shirayuki whispers. 'Of all the Garde children sent to Earth, only you and two others were meant to be capable of doing it. But Ten never made it, so only you and One had the essence inside your Chests to be able to disguise yourselves as humans. Only I thought I should go further with you, to keep you safe. I locked your memories of Lorien away in the Chest, knowing that on the day you would finally open it, your memories would truly return permanently.'

'But even if One did use this technique, he or she died anyway,' I point out.

'I know,' Shirayuki continues. 'When that happened, I considered letting you become properly Loric again. I thought-'

Ding dong.

'Oh no,' Shirayuki says, her eyes open wide in worry. I can hardly blame her. The fact that the doorbell rung only moments after we opened the Chest and the overdue scars arrived can only mean that this is hardly a coincidence.

Shirayuki walks out cautiously, and I consider looking through the Chest to see if I can find a weapon that might help defend us. But my guardian is walking back now with Momo and Toshiro behind her, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

'Grandma died,' Toshiro mutters, and I get up to pull him and Momo into a hug, I can feel the tears in both their eyes running onto me and I hope that Grandma Hitsugaya went peacefully.

After a few moments of silence, Toshiro takes a deep breath and pulls away. 'I've j-just phoned Ichigo to t-t-tell him that I know the truth about Momo. I also s-said I know Six, but I hung up b-b-because there was no way I could actually r-reveal your identity on the phone. You never know who could be listening. An-nyway, I told him I'd help him find Nine in America.'

'Toshiro, you shouldn't-'

'I'm a part of this already, Rukia. Look at the three of us,' he says, motioning at Momo and I. 'One from Earth, one from Mogadore, one from Lorien. We're a team, and we know that Ichigo is with us too.'

'Wait,' Shirayuki says, appearing shocked. 'What's all this got to do with your boyfriend?'

'Oh yeah. He's Number Four,' I answer, recalling that I never did explain that to Shirayuki. 'I must have forgotten to mention that. He and Zangetsu-'

'Zangetsu? He's still alive?' Shirayuki says, her face brightening up. 'He's Ichigo's Cêpan?'

'Um, yes,' I answer, wondering about Shirayuki's reaction. 'Do you remember him, then?'

'We were... friends on Lorien,' Shirayuki says after hesitating, but I get the feeling that 'friends' isn't quite the word she was looking for. 'And he kept the same name, all this time... they must have had a lead that one of the Loric was here in Karakura, which is why they came here.'

'But if they figured it out... couldn't the Hollows find us?' I ask.

'That's what I need to tell you,' Momo says, her face serious. 'They're coming to Karakura. I can't guarantee that they'll know it's you, but they're aware that Four and Six are here.'

'Maybe I can help, then?' suggests a new voice.

I've seen all manner of weird and horrible things in my life, but none quite as strange as the image of Grimmjow Jaggerjaques standing in the doorway, not looking out of place in the slightest.

'What the hell are you doing in my house?' I growl.

He shrugs. 'Same as Hinamori. To warn you about the Hollows.'

He then tells us how he and his friends were threatened, and how he lied even though his mates were really uncomfortable with this, and now they've probably gone to inform the Hollows that Grimmjow wasn't telling the truth.

The Hollows want to find Number Four.

Ichigo.

'We have to stop them,' I say quickly.

'Agreed,' Toshiro says.

Shirayuki runs her slender fingers through her pale hair. 'We need to think this through. This boy-' She looks disdainfully at Grimmjow- 'could be lying right now, in which case-'

'He's not,' I interrupt. 'Unfortunately, I know Grimmjow. And now, he wants everyone here including himself to live, he's going to do exactly what I'm going to tell him to do.' I turn to Momo. 'Have you heard any leads on any of the other Garde?'

She nods. 'There's a distress signal coming from Santa Teresa in Spain right now. It's Seven. We need to make that a number one priority.'

'Right,' I say briskly, deciding to take charge in the matter. 'You and Toshiro need to go to Spain and help Seven-'

'I'm going to New York with Ichigo and Zangetsu to help Nine,' Toshiro argues, looking like he's really sorry.

'I think you, me and Shirayuki should go,' Momo says, and Shirayuki nods in agreement.

'That sounds right. Rukia-'

'What about Ichigo?' I say angrily, worried that everyone is forgetting him. 'He and Zangetsu need to be warned-'

'I told you, I can handle that,' Toshiro says.

'No, you need to gather your stuff together and get ready for this,' Momo says. I know she's saying this because Toshiro needs mourning time because of his grandmother's death. 'I think-'

'I should go,' Grimmjow interrupts.

I shake my head, exasperated. 'Do you even understand what's going on?'

'Yeah, everyone except me and Toshiro are freakin' aliens! It really is true,' he replies. 'I still had doubts, still thought this was all some joke, but I can see how serious you all are. And someone needs to tell the Carrot-Top. Got it.'

For some reason, Toshiro agrees with this. 'Right, so I need to go and get ready for New York, and Grimmjow needs to warn Ichigo and Zangetsu. This sounds like a plan.'

'No, it doesn't!' I protest. 'Toshiro-'

He shakes his head at me. 'It's fine, Rukia. You and Momo need to go with Shirayuki to the airport. Hopefully I'll see you guys again.'

'Don't say it like that,' Momo chides, her eyes glittering with tears. Toshiro smiles sadly and stands on his tip toes, planting a small kiss on Momo's cheek. Both blush, too sad to make a big deal out of it and too surprised to even register it.

'Bye, everyone... Momo,' Toshiro whispers, and then he is out the door.

'Toshiro,' Momo murmurs, her face way too upset.

Grimmjow kills the mood by wolf-whistling, and I punch him in the arm.

'Fine,' I say. 'Fine. If you're going to warn Ichigo, then you protect him, you understand. You help him and Zangetsu escape. Promise me.'

'I'm just a human? What do you expect me to do?'

'Toshiro's just a human, and look at everything he's doing for us,' Momo says, her voice growing stronger. 'You don't have to be a part of this,' she adds, her voice a little gentler. 'This doesn't have to be your battle. But it could save the lives of all of us.'

Grimmjow is not looking at her, however. He's watching me closely, trying to work out what I want. And even though I know it's not fair on Grimmjow, I have one main thing on my mind.

'Please help Ichigo,' I say.

He stands still for a few seconds, then nods. 'Alright. Fine. For you. It's not like I care about what happens to the Carrot-Top, understand?' he continues with his usual grin.

I smile too. 'Go on. Help him.'

'Good luck finding the other aliens.'

And in an instant, even faster than Toshiro, Grimmjow, too, is out the house.

'I guess that leaves the three of us,' Shirayuki says. 'We need to get onto a plain heading for Santa Teresa as soon as possible.

'What about my Legacies? And the Charm? Why have neither have them worked? Or have they? Is the Charm broken?' I have too many questions.

'Slow down,' Shirayuki says with a laugh. 'One, your Legacies may be a bit delayed because of all that time you spent physically and mentally as a human. I'm sorry, but it seemed like the best plan. I know it may not have worked for One, but I have to keep hoping that they won't take too long to develop. And two, the Charm is not broken as far as I am aware. As being both physically and mentally human, any contact with Number Four has not broken the Charm.'

We've shut up the house now. I've packed all my stuff, including (don't laugh) the Bat-Chappy the Rabbit that Ichigo got me for Halloween. I take it for stupid, sentimental reasons, I know, but I want it with me, nevertheless.

I can hear Shirayuki and Momo talking downstairs and at one point I think I hear the doorbell ring. By the time I get downstairs, whoever it was has already left, but they've left a note under the door. I bring it back up to my room to read it.

Hey, Rukia. It's Ichigo.

I'm sorry I had to write this message and stuff it under your front door. I tried calling you but you didn't answer, and once Zangetsu found out that I had attempted to get into contact with you and Toshiro, he confiscated the phone. I would email you but he took my laptop as well.

I'm not angry about that. I know he's doing it to protect me, because he knows how desperately I want to contact you guys, and that will threaten my safety or something. I know the risks, but I have to do this. I need to explain to you why I'm leaving. Well... I'm pretty sure you already know, and I'd imagine that writing down the specifics is not a very good idea when it comes to a letter, in case they find it. I'm sorry. I really am. I wish I could say that I might be able to come back some day, but I'm sure you realise how dangerous that would be. Always on the move... that's me.

I guess I've just got to hope that we'll win this war, then hopefully we'll see each other again.

Kon may need a home once I'm gone. I know he took a liking to you, and I'd feel a lot happier if he had a good home.

Oh, and if you see Toshiro at any point within the next few hours, can you talk him out of it? He's pretty intent on coming with me and Zangetsu, and he'll be in so much danger if he does do that.

Bye, Rukia.

I love you.

I smile sadly. Oh, that orange-haired idiot. I can't help but love him. He's really aware of nothing right now. He must have missed Grimmjow on the way here, and I manage to smirk as I think of him arriving back to find Grimmjow in his house. Man, he is gonna get one hell of a surprise.

I hope he'll be okay.

As for Kon... I'm going. There's no way I can take the cat with me. I feel terrible, but I'm sure Kon will be okay. He was once a stray, so I'm sure he'll adapt to it again.

I smile and look out my bedroom window, wondering if I'll be able to see my idiotic boyfriend/long lost member of the same species walking down the road away from here. Maybe I can warn him myself. Maybe-

Instead, I find myself staring at a figure in the middle of the road, heavily clad in black armour. With one glance up at me through the visor of his helmet, he aims a weird purple tube-like gun straight up at my window and it shoots directly through the window, smashing through the glass and hitting me squarely in the chest.

I hear Shirayuki and Momo screaming my name from downstairs, and hurried footsteps up the steps.

That's when I black out.

My memories of the next part are fuzzy like all the recollections of life on Lorien and the war that killed my people. I don't think I black out completely, because I'm still sort-of conscious when Momo picks me up with a surprising amount of strength, considering I'm only the tiniest bit smaller than her and she flees the house. I remember screaming abuse at the Hollows as they carry Shirayuki away, alongside my Chest, which they also have. But I can do nothing. Whatever drug they've put inside me is some sort of sleeping drug because I finally do black out properly, that final image of Shirayuki descending into flames just like the rest of them (I think that memory is a hallucination. Please, please let it be a hallucination).

'You awake?' Momo asks.

I rub my head, feeling the headache coming along already. 'Where... where's Shirayuki...?'

Momo bites her lip. 'I'm sorry, Rukia. I tried to save her, but... they've taken her. I don't think she's dead!' she adds hurriedly. 'But they've got your Chest as well. I'm so sorry.'

The consequences haven't reached me yet. The drug still hasn't worn off. I don't know why I need to grieve. Shirayuki's okay... right? What did Momo say? Why can I not understand?

I think we're in Toshiro's house. It's deserted now that his grandmother's dead and he's gone off with Ichigo and Zangetsu... I'm lying on Toshiro's bed with Momo beside me in a chair, obviously having been waiting for me to gain consciousness.

'Ichigo Kurosaki's Cêpan is dead,' Momo says sadly. 'Toshiro phoned a few minutes ago. He got there a little too late, but Ichigo's okay.'

And now it dawns on me, as the drug finally wears off. Zangetsu's dead. Shirayuki's... I feel tears forming but I force them down. I'm known for being emotionally strong, and I will not bow to this weakness.

'We'll rescue Shirayuki,' I say. 'We'll find Seven so they can help us and then we'll rescue Shirayuki and find the rest of the Garde.'

'It's me, Ichigo,' I say, knowing that revealing my identity on the phone is not a good idea, but I don't give a damn anymore. 'I am Number Six.'

I hang up after that, knowing that Toshiro will explain the rest to Ichigo. They'll head to New York to find Nine. Momo and I will head to Santa Teresa to find Seven. We're in the airport right now, ready to board the plain pretty soon. Momo is now looking around to make sure she doesn't spot any unwanted visitors. She'll be the best at spotting Hollows, considering she is one.

It's time to find the others.

This is the plan, and even though out Cêpans aren't here, we will stick to it.

We have the whole world to search for the Garde.

We had better get started.

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End.

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The flashbacks are brief because I'll go into more detail in a spin-off I'm doing for this story, which will probably be called Dying Light. Look out for that. It will make the next in the series make a lot more sense.

Also, the battle scenes and flashbacks are short because I fell asleep four times while writing this chapter. Insomnia really... sucks.

But for now, I think I'll just take a nice long break. Maybe venture out of my bedroom and discover what this 'outdoor world' concept is that my family keeps persisting me to indulge myself in. I was like, 'LOL, WUT?' Apparently, it involves sunlight. Oh God- IT BURNS!

Real life? What the hell is that? Does anyone on this website know? XD

Also, could I ask that no one posts spoilers for The Revenge Of Seven, as I haven't had the pleasure of reading it yet. Underlined because it is important. Yep.

Anyway, look out for the spin-off and the sequel.

BYE! ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ