Tegan and Kon stood together as they watched a large creature race through the city. Kon had been living with Tegan for only a few days now but the two were quickly becoming close friends. Once Kon had started talking, he couldn't stop. He told Tegan everything – about shinigami and mod souls. Tegan had been horrified but had hidden her newfound disgust for shinigami and gotten straight to the point. What would Kon do now that he was free?

It was finally determined that Kon would stay with Tegan. She would allow him sanctuary and in turn, Kon would teach Tegan everything that he knew. He agreed.

Tegan found that while Kon could be slightly perverted that it was no worse than some humans that she knew and he more than made up for it with his courage and love for life. He had begun to teach her about reiatsu and how to defend herself from hollows and now she was seeing her very first.

"So that's a hollow, huh?" Tegan asked warily, eyeing the creature with distaste.

Kon, in a monkey stuffed animal now and hanging around Tegan's neck, nodded fervently.

"They eat souls, sis. That's why we mods were created - to help fight them."

Tegan's jaw tightened. "Well, we'll just have to take care of it, won't we?"

As she headed towards the hollow, the ever-present whispers increased in earnest, and something began to build up around her.

~purIFY. Kill. hELp. DESTROY~

Tegan did not stop to think when she reached the hollow – it had grabbed a young girl's soul and Tegan was afraid that she might not get there in time – grabbing for that energy that began to build, she focused it into her hand and aimed, only instinct guiding her. Her ring and pinky finger folded into her palm as purple energy crackled from her first two fingers then shot towards the hollow – piercing through its mask.

The hollow disintegrated as Kon yelled excitedly "You got it!" and Tegan's arm fell limply to her side as her breathing grew heavy. Her legs began to shake and with a disbelieving laugh, Tegan realized that she could hardly stand at all now.

Whatever she had done, it had drained her of all her energy.

Kon blinked wearily up at her. "You alright, sis?" He peered up at her. "You don't look so good."

"'M tired." She murmured softly as she stumbled to one of the abandoned buildings and sat down in front of it. Tegan leaned back as her eyes began to flutter. Why was everything spinning?

"Sis?" Huh. Kon sounded worried.

Tegan tried to tell him that she was okay but as she opened her mouth, black began to creep into her sight.

She was really tired.

"Sis!"

Why was Kon yelling? She was alright.

"Tegan!"

She was… alright.

Her world went black.

When Pyro and Match arrived home that evening, they weren't expecting to see a figure sitting quietly at the kitchen table. Their father was never home before them – he was always running late shifts at the hospital or away on some business meeting. Why was he home?

Ryuuken smiled coldly at the dumbfounded expressions that his children greeted him with.

"Are you not happy to see me, children?"

Match stuttered in surprise. "Uh- Um- Well-"

"Not really." Pyro interjected calmly, gazing at his father with thinly veiled annoyance. The three were very rarely seeing eye to eye and while Match still had moments where she attempted to gain their father's approval, Pyro had long moved past such things.

"Why are you here?" he asked, for once going straight to the point.

"I live here, Christopher." Ryuuken stated, gazing at his son in disapproval as Match fidgeted nervously.

Pyro's eyes narrowed in distaste at the name but he said nothing, knowing that if he opened his mouth, a fight would break out before long.

Match had no such qualms. "Why are you home early, Father?" she questioned, uneasily shuffling from foot to foot.

Ryuuken seemed to assess them for a moment before he spoke and, when he did, his voice was not only cold but laced with disapproval.

"Because Antonia, I believe it's time we had a discussion about those friends of yours."

If one were watching Kyvain at that moment, they would never be able to tell that he was nervous. He looked calm, cool, and collected. The three things that people expected of him – when he wasn't acting like a small child. Kyvain didn't like others to see him otherwise – he wanted them to be able to depend on him.

He didn't feel very dependable now. He felt on edge and worried.

Kyvain's eyes flickered around nervously as he made his way to the front door of the small shop that served as his home. He could feel his master's reiatsu clearly – he was waiting for him.

As soon as he opened the door, twin blurs rushed to greet him.

"Nii-san!" They greeted eagerly and he smiled down at them in sincerity.

"Uruu. Jinta. Leave Kyvain be."

Kyvain's smile turned towards Tessai. "It's ok. They're alright."

"Always popular with the kids, huh Kyvain."

Kyvain's smile dropped and his eyes darted to the form of his master, sitting at a small round table that stood in the far back. Seeing Kyvain's expression, Jinta and Uruu stepped back to allow him forward. Tessai, seeming to know that Kyvain wished for a private moment, began to usher the two children outside.

Thankful for this, Kyvain made his way towards Urahara.

Kisuke gazed at his apprentice from underneath his hat as Kyvain sat stood quietly in the doorway.

"I have another assignment for you." Urahara declared, picking up a kettle from the table. He began to pour himself tea. "It has come to my attention that a product of ours has gone missing. It is possible that Miss Kuchiki accidently walked out with it on one of her visits here. Now, I need you to be as discreet as pos-" Kyvain interjected immediately.

"No."

Pausing with the cup to his mouth, Urahara gazed questioningly at Kyvain. "No?" he asked, sounding almost surprised.

Kyvain, who had been staring at the floor, looked up to meet Urahara's eyes. "No." He confirmed. "I won't do it anymore. The missions. The spying. I'm done."

"Kyvain-"

"I will not be used against my friends!" Kyvain shouted, his clenched fists waving wildly in the air to emphasize his point.

Urahara stared incredulously at the young man before him. They had known each other a long time and it had been years since Kyvain had showed such defiance.

"I'm sorry." Kyvain said, turning on his heel. "I'm done."

He started through the shop, refusing to turn back and allow his emotions change his mind. As he headed through the door, he offered only one thing-

"I'm sorry, father."

And Urahara could only watch as his son walked away.

That night, Tegan and Kon stumbled home together, exhausted from the day's events. Kon's grip around Tegan's neck was tighter than usual but the girl said nothing – comforted by the close contact. They made their way into their room and fell onto the bed – Tegan didn't even bother removing her shoes. Within seconds, the duo was asleep.

Match and Pyro had snuck out of the house. The two had gone to an abandoned clearing by the river and were now practicing their aim on makeshift targets. Match held a bright bow while Pyro wielded twin pistols whose barrels glowed with his blue spiritual energy. Together, they did all they could to release the anger and hurt that had gathered in their hearts.

Their father held no understanding for his two free-spirited children and they had no intention of following in his footsteps. It was a never ending cycle that they had become accustomed to and even though it hurt, the siblings had no intention of letting such things step between them and the life that they had chosen.

Such things were their decisions to make.