Warning: I am not an archaeologist or a tomb raider. Please excuse any inaccuracies (if there are any) in the story. Also please take into consideration that I am merely taking a creative license.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.

Twenty First Day of the Fourth Month, Thirteenth Year of Kunshu's Reign

The ancient character for the number, ten, on the back of a sleeveless white haori. The dark black sleeve. A long katana. The unusually blue tinted ice that hung on the black hakama. The tan colored waraji and the white tabi socks.

Shinigami…?

It felt like I was sinking deeper into a black ocean…

So tired. So sleepy...

"Megumi!" The voice that cried out my name… Filled with desperation and devastation.

Let me sleep...

A long turquoise scarf flew into the air and dark red blood splattered onto the ground as the darkness wrapped around me.

Someone then whispered in my ear mockingly… "It was never over. It was only the start."

And that is when my dream ended. I can't remember the details, so this is the best representation of my dream. It's unfortunately all in fuzzy pieces. I feel like there was more to it, but I just can't remember… Even so, it's been plaguing my mind for the whole day. In fact, I have been getting variations of that same dream for the past few days. It's driving me insane because it keeps getting more vivid since the end of the preliminary exploration for the tomb in Arashi Rikujou. I know that I shouldn't pay much attention to a dream, but why is it bothering me so much?

Speaking of dreams… While Toushirou, Ichigo, and Rukia's fevers only lasted for that one day, vivid dreams or intense nightmares are plaguing everyone at night. Even though Ulquiorra doesn't say anything, the dark circles under his eyes tell me enough. Same with everyone else. For now, I won't say anything about my own. Since we all have enough problems as it is...

Anyways, while Doku Mori was relatively hot and dry, Arashi Rikujou could be described as a wetland. Endless rain, stormy clouds, rumbling of the thunder, muddy grounds, and dark green plants.

The villagers had warned us beforehand that there were a lot of cliffs and rapids. Of course, we looked over a map that the villagers gave us and marked the areas that we should avoid. In particular, we reviewed the known traps around the area. Some water puddles shoot spears of water through the victim that step in it. There are others that force the thunder to pierce through people if activated.

I, for one, know that the lake that surrounds the known tomb's location is extremely dangerous. While it seems harmless at first, the carps inside of the body of water shoot fast bolts of lighting at their targets. And if someone attacks the carp in some way, it can absorb the opponent's attack and direct it towards the person attacking them in the same second. Quite unusual, I know… The villagers called them the guardians of Arashi Rikujou.

Speaking of other traps...

I heard from Orihime that some traps inside of the tomb created violent water waves inside of a room, while Rukia informed me of traps that materialized water tornadoes, destroying everything in its path. I, in particular, found a trap that created a cube of water to imprison me. Almost died from drowning inside of that cube too… That was seriously unpleasant.

And once again, after the preliminary exploration, the path to the tomb disappeared - never to be found again as if it was sealed away for eternity from the world… I'm starting to see a pattern that hopefully won't repeat itself for the next couple of tombs, but I have my doubts.

But more than that, I'm worried...

Toushirou won't talk to me in a normal manner. He stopped calling me Megumi. There's something almost completely different about him and yet...

It really does remind me of the past him…

Cold and distant. The biting tone in his voice… And the chilling gaze in his eyes.

I don't know what I did wrong, but I'm scared. Something happened during the trip and I can't remember at all. My memory… There are blanks.

...What have I done…?

Ukitake Juushirou. Thirteenth Captain. The look of pity in his eyes. (But why did he pity me?)

I thought it was a mere dream, but now I'm starting to believe that...just maybe… Just maybe none of it was a dream.

I miss Toushirou… No. I have to refer to him as Hitsugaya Toushirou now.

Hitsugaya Toushirou… What have I done to you?

No.

Ukitake Juushirou, what have you done to Hitsugaya Toushirou?

And what have you done to me…?

quod erat demonstrandum.

Megumi

Thank you to DavidC20OfficialWriter who favorited and story alerted my story!

If you liked what you read, have any questions, or need any clarifications… Then please review? I would be really happy to hear your thoughts and would be happy to answer any questions you might have. :)

Thanks!