Miyako was back in her room, and as she knelt down to ignite a lantern and remove her robe, she hadn't realized how exhausted she really was until she glanced at her pillow. Her bed looked very welcoming.
I'm glad Captain Hitsugaya stopped us, she thought. I wouldn't have had enough energy to get through tomorrow.
The force of Captain Kuchiki's spirit power had begun to take its toll, because she felt incredibly drained. They were only standing feet away from him, and when she thought back on it, she started to wonder how the Captain even remembered who she was.
He noticed that I was from 11th squad, she thought. But how? I'm a 4th seat. It's easy to remember Ikkaku, since he's usually the one in charge. Yumichika is hard to forget, unfortunately. But me? I've done little to nothing of importance…
Her thoughts wandered to the mysterious murders in the woods, and grew afraid of the fact that there was possibly a Death God traitor. She tried to convince herself that it wasn't the case, but Aizen's treachery had made all of Soul Society wary of the true intent of Death Gods.
Her eyelids grew heavy as she lay on her back, trying to understand how the Bount could've made an alliance with a Death God…or why the Death God wanted vengeance…prayed that there wasn't a Death God helping them…
Where are you going?
There is nothing for me here.
That isn't true. You have your friends. Your squad. You have me.
You? You would follow the Captains on all fours.
It is our duty!
Duty? If that is our duty, then I will gladly throw it all away. I will not follow a system that claims to be righteous, yet is full of hypocrisy.
You can't leave! Where would you go?
I will find my place somewhere else. I will find the strength to bring the hammer of justice down upon Seireitei.
Do you even know what you speak of? You would turn your back on your family?
Make no mistake, Miyako. I have no family left.
Brother…
Miyako shot up, jarred out of an uneasy sleep, sucking in a sharp breath. Beads of sweat had collected on her forehead and chest, and she looked towards the door.
That spirit force…
She swung the blankets off of her as she rose from her bed, quickly put her shinigami robe back on, and fastened her sandals. She grabbed her soul slayer and tied it to her waist as she slid out of the barracks and headed north, towards the woods.
Her sandals made soft clapping sounds against the grey concrete and she tried to quicken her pace. She skidded to a halt when she felt another sharp twinge in the air.
In the 6th squad barracks, Renji suddenly awoke.
Captain Kuchiki?
Miyako ran as fast as she could towards the outskirts of northern Rukongai. Something's wrong…something's wrong…something's wrong, she kept saying to herself. There's no mistaking that spirit force. Why hasn't anyone else noticed it? I should've gotten Ikkaku. I should've sent a Hell Butterfly. No, there's no time. I know he's out here…
When Miyako neared Kusajishi and entered the woods, she felt a larger pulse of spirit force and she nearly gasped and stepped backwards.
That's…Captain Kuchiki! Why is he out here?
She glanced around and felt another twinge, the familiar spirit force that had been bothering her for weeks, and the same one that woke her.
There's two spirit forces out here?
She started to run through the woods again, swiftly passing through trees and gripped her soul slayer tightly. She stopped in a small clearing and looked around. Captain Kuchiki's spirit force was getting stronger, so she was at least heading in the right direction. Another pulse of energy surged through the woods and Miyako was nearly brought to her knees.
A third spirit force? What is this? Could that be…Ichigo Kurosaki?
She ran towards the direction of the pulse, but almost as quickly as she regained her senses, she felt another sharp pulse, this time coming from right above her.
Hardly having any time to react, Miyako pulled out her soul slayer and flipped around, facing the sky, in mid-run. Her blade met another which slammed her down into the ground, her back sliding and kicking up dust. She pushed back as hard as she could, and the renegade Death God's soul slayer was slowly forced back, away from her face. She had blocked it just in time.
The blades scraped together and Miyako mustered a bit of spirit force to surge her blade forward. The Death God jumped back and Miyako swiftly got up. They faced each other, soul slayers ready.
The traitor Death God was a male with hair the same color as Miyako's, but was a bit overgrown and shaggy. He had long sideburns and it wasn't trimmed in the back. He shared the same jawline as she did, and the same eye color. He was not wearing his traditional shinigami robe, however. Instead, his top had cutoff sleeves and a hood. He stared at her with a blank look, and she grimaced back.
"So, it was you all along," Miyako said angrily.
The Death God narrowed his eyes and gave her a cruel grin.
"Hello, sister."