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and with no rambling on with the chapter.

Chapter 10 - A Doctor's Decision

"Who the hell are you?" I freeze at the, oh so familiar, voice from behind me. Knowing this is another of my visions, I turn to confirm that the voice belongs to who I think it does. Sure enough the expected, short, bright blue hair comes into view, with a hole in the stomach of the body it's attached to. I back away from the peering arrancar before me, stating silent as I always do in these visions. One arm reaches out to grab me, stopping mere centimetres away at the sound of the, now easily recognisable, voice of Ulquiorra.

"Leave her be, Grimmjow." The order is met with various, colourful versions of the question 'Why?'

"She seems to be a ghost of some sort from this world, she doesn't speak or do much of anything but watch, she can't do any harm." The stoic espada spoke in the same calm voice that was used for everything, this serving to infuriate the cat-like espada more.

"So what? Why can't we just kill her? She could be a spy or something-" I slip into the tree line, taking my chance to escape, not bothering to listen to the rest of Grimmjow's comments nor the replies from Ulquiorra. A particularly loud shout reaches my ears, the exact words indiscernible. It seems that Grimmjow noticed my vanishing act, maybe he thinks it's the same thing I did the first time he saw me, strange to think that was only last night.

My thoughts crowding, I don't notice where I'm going until I end up walking through one of the trees. The strange feeling it brings, puts my eyes back onto my surroundings, which for a second are the inside of a tree. I make a mental note to try and keep from walking through things again before moving on, losing myself in thoughts once more.

Again I'm suddenly snapped out of my thoughts, but this time from a figure staring at me from a few metres away. After all my attempts to keep myself hidden from this man, I find myself standing before Aizen Sousuke.

"So this is the strange presence I've been sensing. Would you be a ghost from this world? Or something else?" I retreated slowly, feeling my legs pass through the undergrowth, noticing that, as he followed me, Aizen's legs did not, as if he were a mortal, then again it was the same with Ichigo, Hichigo and Nel. Using this information I step into a great oak tree, wide enough for me to fit in with extra space between me and the outside world. I hear footsteps around the tree, the ex-shinigami taichou's voice speaking, the wood of the oak muffling the words, making them impossible to decipher but the tone of his voice makes it clear he wants me to get out of the tree.

I feel the tree stirring, hear extra water moving up through the xylem tubes as photosynthesis starts in the leaves, started by the sun peeking over the horizon as dawn arrives. I stand listening to the sound of the tree in the dawn, before darkness takes over and I vanish from my hiding place, a questioning tone coming from Aizen as I disappear.

Saeko wakes with sunlight peeking from the small gap between horizon and deep purple clouds.

"Another storm coming," she mutters to herself, rising from her warm position buried in Aeshma's fur, her movement waking the demon from his light slumber. The others had just woken, surprisingly Nel was included in this number, although not really doing anything to help pack up.

A quick breakfast of various fruits and nuts was all they had, while Saeko told them what had happened in her vision, before moving on once more, the daily routine consisting mainly of walking continuing once more, Saeko reluctantly taking her place in the giant wolf's back again, Nel deciding to hang onto Ichigo instead, for which the demon was secretly grateful.

At midday, when the sun would have been directly overhead had it not been for the clouds, another demon decided to take a chance on attacking the group, not noticing the larger and much more powerful demon that was a couple of hundred metres in front.

The demon launched itself at Ichigo, from the dense undergrowth at the side of the track the group followed, seeing him as the most vulnerable because of Nel who hung on his arm. A quick dodge ruined the demon's attack, it skidding to a stop a few metres past its target, pausing to measure up its prey. The orange haired shinigami shifts to a fighting stance, reaching for Zangetsu, his albino counterpart mirroring his movements. Allen and Lavi activate their Innocence, ready to attack should the demon try again.

A loud barking cough of laughter came from the larger demon further on as he took in the scene behind him, the smaller demon freezing at the sight of him. The smaller one was more cat-like than wolfen, like a leopard except bigger than normal and a blood red colour with golden rosettes and icy blue eyes. This leopard-like demon crouched down before the approaching wolf, trying to make itself less threatening so it may be allowed to leave this place alive.

Ichigo and Hichigo lower their arms, seeing that the demon won't cause any more trouble with the wolf demon there, Allen and Lavi deactivating their Innocence.

The wolf looked down on the leopard-like demon, feeling its fear, its silent wishing for its life to be spared.

Answer me these questions and you may leave unscathed. The smaller demon nodded quickly, happy to have a chance at life, given from so strong a demon. Have the Unknowns moved, A confused nod was given, the leopard holding back its own questions in favour of keeping its life. Where to?

Further north, a quieter, feminine voice echoed through the seven surrounding minds, by the foot of the mountains where the trees grow densely and few villages are near. The demon rose from her crouch, waiting for the other's permission to leave, silent once more.

Go, young one and steer clear of the other two travelling groups nearby, they may not have demons like myself with them but they are perfectly capable of killing one such as yourself. The demon fled, leaving only dust and a breeze in her wake. Aeshma turned back to the road, leading the group on again.

"That's it I'm leaving," the voice of doctor Setsuna More echoed down the halls of the hospital, followed by the sound of his footsteps as he charged through them, a collection of nurses hugging the walls were left behind him.

"What's are you talking about, you can't just leave whenever you want," The voice of Ryôsuke Sasaki, much quieter than the doctor's thundering speech, followed behind, footsteps also quieter than the charging echoes.

"I haven't heard anything from her for weeks and now I know about her past-" his high-speed babble was cut short by the normally silent shadow following him.

"It's been a week and a half and you have no idea as to the reasons behind that demon's interest in her, calm down and think rationally." Theyoung man gripped the older's shoulder, jerking him to a stop, causing him to whirl around, fury in his eyes, only directed at Ryôsuke because he happened to be in front of him.

"I know, but that lack of knowledge about the demon's intentions makes it even harder to stay rational, he could have benign reasons but given the nature of demons, it's more likely to be for some malicious reason, I can't just leave her in case it wants her for something terrible." The doctor sped off again, giving the man from the room of records no time to stop him, leaving him to follow. Having already perceived the turn of events, as they passed the room of records, Ryôsuke grabbed a bag of supplies and a pair of letters explaining the, soon to be, absence of himself and the doctor.

A pair of horses vanished from a nearby stable with the departure of the two men, leaving a confused and angry owner behind with no known thief to vent his anger on.

With haste they travelled north, to find the child that had disappeared a week and a half ago.

Saeko watched the golden leaves falling from trees, their spiraling descents and fluttering landings on the browner others that had already fallen. A sparkle of water shines through the trees, the descending sun reflecting its light. The same light gives the black fur beneath her the appearance of browns, reds and oranges, like a living, writhing flame, the sight reminding her of the time before her amnesia and blindness. She looked back to the others walking behind her and the wolf, Lavi chatting aimlessly as normal to no one in particular, Hichigo glaring at Allen who talked to Ichigo and Nel adding the odd comment of her own and laughing at the glare of Hichigo having no affect on the shorter albino. Saeko gave a small chuckle at the irate hollow before turning back to the trail they followed, a barely discernible path, defined only by the faint tracks of deer that used it on occasion.

A fine trickle of smoke rose from a place a few miles off, marking the location of the nearest village. Looking closely enough the girl could see several other, fainter smoke trails giving away the locations of other villages and small towns. The thought of towns took Saeko's mind back to the hospital that she'd lived in for five years and the doctor that had always been there for her where most would dismiss her as crazy and leave to conquer her craziness alone. She gave a quick prayer to see him in good health before banishing him from her thoughts, there was no need for reminiscing. Never could she have imagined that he would be following her now.

And so endith another chapter and my lovely readers shall review please =)

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Kouseki