AN: Well, maybe we'll find out who was wielding Tengoku No Hikari this time! I know, the chapter's short again, but the next one will hopefully be longer. Please read and review to let me know how it turned out.

Thanks to every one that's read this and a double thanks to those who reviewed.

hitsugayatoushirou1220: Thank you so much for the reviews! They really inspire me to keep on writing. I hope you're enjoying this fic, and I hope you will continue to read it until it's completed :)

Writing with my phase: thanks for giving the fic a chance instead of running for the hills when you saw the IchixOC thing. I was excited when I saw your review, and I love The Runaway and The Master!

Disclaimer: I wish I did, but I don't own any part of Bleach

Chapter 8: Memories of Rain

"Kohaku!" Kohaku moaned.

"Kohaku, wake up!" Kohaku's eyes fluttered open, but closed immediately as the light of the sun hit them.

"Why is it so bright?" he whined. He heard someone laugh, and squinted at the source of the sound.

"I guess you're not too bad off if you can still complain," Amaterasu said, smiling down at him.

"What happened?" As he said it, the image of Tsuyoshi's blade gliding into his shoulder made him grab at his wound, but he was surprised to feel that it was bound in bandages and mostly healed.

"How?" he asked, amazed.

"Thank Kuchiki-sama. She healed you with her kido," Amaterasu answered, looking over to where Rukia and Senna stood talking.

"What happened to Nakagawa?"

"To who?"

"The guy that stabbed me."

"Oh, he…um…left. He just disappeared once he stabbed you," she said hesitantly. Kohaku looked at her incredulously.

"He just left? Just like that?"

"Well, yeah," Amaterasu answered, looking down at the ground.

"What is that guy's problem?"

"I don't know. Wait, how did you know that guy's name?"

"He told me," Kohaku answered simply.

"When? I was here the whole time and the only thing he ever said was something about a warning and how I must die because of your actions."

"When he touched my forehead, we entered my inner world, and he told me his name and…" Before he finished his sentence, Tsuyoshi's words rang in his ears.

'If you fail to perform this task, Kuchiki Rukia and the one you call Amaterasu shall both die, you will never regain your memories, and your burdens which I have been suppressing shall be released with full force.'

"And…" Amaterasu prodded.

"And something about how he was banished to the Dangai."

"That's it?" she asked.

"Yeah."

As they were talking, Rukia came up to them, Senna standing a little ways off. She looked down at Kohaku with concern in her eyes, but a small smile made its way to her lips.

"You always go and do something stupid," she muttered, trying to sound annoyed.

"Hey! I was just trying to save Amaterasu!" he retorted.

"I didn't need you to put yourself in the way of the blade, Kohaku," Amaterasu said, crossing her arms and looking at him in reproach.

"But if I hadn't you would have been killed!"

"From what Amaterasu told me, I don't think the place he was aiming at would have killed her," Rukia stated, sitting down in front of him.

"Why do I feel like I'm being ganged up on," Kohaku muttered, looking to the side and folding his arms.

"You know, you look like a little kid when you pout," Rukia said, trying not to laugh.

"She's right, although it is kind of cute," Amaterasu said, laughing at the last comment. Kohaku blushed at the last part and turned his back on the two women, grumbling about how he was not cute.

"Kohaku, what exactly is your connection to that man?" Rukia asked, suddenly growing serious.

"What do you mean?"

"He said 'hello again' and then said that stabbing Amaterasu would be a reminder. How do you know him and what was he reminding you of?"

"I don't know him. I didn't even know his name until he told me. And I don't know what he would be reminding me of," Kohaku lied.

"He told you his name?"

"Yeah. It was Nakagawa Tsuyoshi."

"I don't recognize the name, but maybe we have some records of him in the Seireitei. Senna, when you go back, could you inform Ukitake-taicho about this name?"

"I guess, but since when do you give me orders Rukia?" Senna joked.

"I don't, but I just asked if you would. I didn't order you to do it."

"Fine, you win. I'll head there now." With that, Senna shunpoed out of the clearing.

"Are you sure you don't know this Nakagawa from anywhere? He did know your name," Rukia said.

"He knew your actual name?" Amaterasu asked.

"Yeah," Kohaku answered.

"What is it?"

"Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Does that mean you want to be called…Ichigo…now?" Amaterasu asked, hesitating when she got to the name.

"No. I still want to be called Kohaku. You gave me that name when I first got here, so I want to keep it. Plus, strawberry is not a very manly name…" Amaterasu laughed, her eyes lighting up with joy at the fact that he wanted to keep the name she gave him.

"We had better get out of here, just in case Nakagawa comes back," Rukia said, looking away from the pair in front of her. Kohaku noticed an odd look in her eyes, and wondered what it could be.

Rukia and Amaterasu both stood and looked down at Kohaku, who was making no move to stand. As he moved to get up, his vision went black and he fell forward.

The rain poured down on the path, and the thick clouds turned the whole world grey. Ichigo looked around, and noticed that he was holding hands with a beautiful woman with hair the same color as his. 'Where am I?'

Ichigo looked to his left and saw a windswept river. Next to the river, he saw a girl with short, straight, black hair and a white dress. She had nothing to protect her from the rain except a small cloak, but still just stood there, looking out across the swift currents.

"Hmm? What's that girl doing?" As he watched, the girl leaned forward, falling towards the river.

'I have to save her!' Ichigo began running towards the girl as fast as he could.

"Ichigo!" the woman called from behind him as he splashed through the wet grass.

"I'll be right back!" he yelled.

"Where are you going!" she called, but Ichigo just concentrated on the girl falling in the river.

"No! Ichigo! Stop!" the woman called, running after him through the rain.

When Ichigo was within a few feet of the girl, she began to fall off the bank of the river. Ichigo dove forward, grabbing at the cloak that was billowing behind her. The cloth disappeared in his hand, and he fell forward towards the river. 'Where did she go?' Ichigo closed his eyes, ready to hit the water, but when he felt himself hit the ground and something soft land on top of him, he opened his eyes.

Ichigo looked up at the body on top of him. He felt his heart and mind go numb, then felt pain radiate in his heart, tearing at his mind and sanity. Warm blood was spilling out over Ichigo and the ground around him and the woman with orange hair. 'No.' He pulled himself out from under the body, tears beginning to stream down his face. 'No.' Ichigo shook the woman, sobs escaping his throat as he looked down.

"I warned you. I have released one of your burdens. Do not cross me again," a voice said, and Ichigo recognized it as Tsuyoshi's. Ichigo continued to shake the woman, tears mingling with the rain that was pouring down his face. He knew this woman, and he knew he would never get her back.

'Mom.'

"Kohaku!" He opened his eyes, looking up to see two violet orbs gazing back at him in concern.

"Are you alright?" Rukia asked. Kohaku just looked away trying to hide the pain that he was sure was in his eyes. It was my fault. I'm the reason she's dead. Despite his attempt to hide it, Rukia saw the look in his eyes, and recognized it. She had seen it a few times before, and it always had to do with one person.

"You remember her, don't you," Rukia said, helping him sit up.

"Yeah."

"Remember who?" Amaterasu asked.

"The center of my world; the person that took care of me for so many years; the person that died because of me." Amaterasu looked at him in concern after hearing the pain in his voice, and she noticed that Rukia was looking at him in sympathy like she already knew what he was talking about.

"Who was it?" Amaterasu asked gently.

"My mother."

AN: I know, I didn't explain who had the mysterious zanpakuto. It will all be answered in the next chapter, so keep on reading. Some of you might be able to figure out who was wielding it, but I just wanted to you guys wondering for a little while longer (sorry!). As always, please review to let me know how it was, where I could improve, or if you have any suggestions. Arigatou!