Thanks to those who pointed out my mistake in the last chapter, I'd gone a little autopilot writing some scenes, so I went back and fixed it!

Also, I forgot to say about Asuka in the previous chapter as well, she's going to be an important character in the sequel to Shadowed Heart, and I couldn't help but include her in this! She'll be popping up again at some point if my ideas stick.

Anyways, hope you like it!

Chapter 11: Of The Past

Snores echoed through the underground water ways in the Seireitei, and eventually it woke Ganju, who blinked several times as he struggled to remember just where he was. When he did, he glanced down, and let out a horrified yell.

"Hanataro!" he roared, leaping to his feet. The Squad 4 member didn't wake as he rolled over, snoring quietly. "The hell you think you're doing, sleeping on my knee?!" Ganju demanded, before looking down as he realised it was soaked. He let out another shriek. "My best pair of pants are all slippery with drool!" Ganju shrieked. "You bastard!"

"Easy there big guy, you don't want to wake them," he glanced around as Natsuki emerged.

"Yeah, he's exhausted," Ichigo stepped out as well, looking as if he hadn't been injured in the first place. "Don't give him a hard time over drool," he told the man.

"Ichigo...you're okay already?" Ganju asked, surprised.

"Yeah, thanks to Hanataro," Ichigo nodded.

"Your pain is gone too, right?" Natsuki asked as Ganju glanced down at the snoring boy.

"Oh, now that you mention it," Ganju realised that his injuries from his battle with Yumichika were gone too.

"Yeah, Hana decided to heal your wounds too, even when he was falling asleep himself," Natsuki smiled down at the boy. "Hirako helped a little before crashing as well," she glanced over to where the blond was snoring too, sitting against the wall as he slept.

"Huh, so I already owe the kid one without realising it," Ganju chuckled, and Ichigo nodded.

"He's definitely got a lot of skill," Natsuki smiled.

"Hey, Natsuki, why are you helping us?" Ichigo suddenly asked. "You seem really protective of him," he commented. Natsuki nodded, her smile turning sad.

"I made a promise to Kirara a long time ago, before Hana was born, that I'd keep him safe. Well...safer than Kirara seemed to live," Natsuki chuckled to herself.

"You know her well then?" Ganju asked as they took a seat.

"Yeah, just how do you know her and Shinji?" Ichigo asked her, curious. He'd never thought to ask before. Natsuki gave him an odd look. Did he really not know?

"Kirara's my best friend. At least, she was, until she disappeared a hundred years ago," she sighed. "She was the Lieutenant of Squad 2," Natsuki told them, and their eyes widened.

"Lieutenant?" Ichigo repeated, stunned. It was hard to think that the goofy girl who he'd met in school was as strong as Renji.

"Of Squad 2?" Ganju gawped. "You mean, the Onmitsukido?" he whispered as if they were about to burst from the shadows.

"The what?" Ichigo frowned. Natsuki stared at him.

"Do you know anything about this place?" she asked, and he scowled. "The Onmitsukido are the Secret Tactics Squad, merged together a long time ago, they're basically assassins," Ichigo's disbelief grew at the thought of Kirara being a member of them. "Kirara was the Corps Commander of the Patrol Corps. They specialise in information gathering, and catching those who escape house arrest," Ichigo couldn't speak at the image Natsuki painted of Kirara. It was too crazy to believe. She was lazy and childish and crazy enough to give him her powers. And yet back then, she'd been part of the Gotei 13, the very people they were fighting to save her from.

"What...what about Shinji?" Ichigo decided to move on, having had too much answered about Kirara for one sitting.

"He was the Captain of Squad 5," it took everything Ichigo had not to shriek.

"Now I know you're messing with me," he shook his head, glancing around at the blond, who was still snoring away, his head forwards as his arms remained folded in front of him. Natsuki couldn't help but giggle.

"He was," she nodded. "Neither really look it, but they are really strong. Kirara, Hirako, and a bunch of others vanished. Everyone thought they were dead," Natsuki's smile faded as she looked at Shinji again, wondering just what had happened so long ago.

"Hiyori..." Ichigo muttered, remembering the angry shortie who had tried to kill him when she'd discovered Kirara had given him his powers.

"I guess they stuck together, whatever happened," Natsuki commented softly, looking down at her hands.

"Are you idiots going to continue gossiping?" they looked around quickly at Shinji as his head lifted, and he yawned widely. "Hamasaki, I don't really see why it's necessary to bring up the past," he said shortly.

"What? They asked, and you're too busy being a grouch," Natsuki shrugged unapologetically.

"I really see why you two are so close," Shinji muttered, making Natsuki's smile grow.

"Hey Shinji, why did you come back here?" Ichigo asked as Shinji got to his feet and stretched. "You and Kirara do nothing but fight, so why are you risking your life to save her?" his innocent question made Shinji stiffen. Natsuki covered her mouth, turning away as her shoulders shook with laughter.

"They've fought as long as I can remember, it drove everyone nuts. Couldn't even be in the same room without a fight breaking out," she told the two sitting cheerfully.

"Hamasaki, shut your mouth," Shinji warned. "I'll be back. Stay here," he ordered as he started to walk off.

"Say what you want Hirako, but I'm not stupid. And Mashiro isn't blind! She saw just what happened at the Captain-Commander's birthday!" Natsuki sang, and Shinji stumbled, turning around as his face turned red.

"What?!" he hissed, looking comically horrified.

"What happened?" Ichigo frowned, not understanding.

"Nothing," Shinji seethed, though his burning features told them otherwise. "Just leave me out of your damn gossiping," he turned again and strode off, but could hear Natsuki's delighted laughter for some time.

Watching the prisoner while only partly paying attention, Rangiku questioned why she'd been put in charge of watching her.

After Hinamori had been placed in detention for not only attacking Captain Ichimaru and Izuru, but the prisoner slated for execution, Hitsugaya had instructed Rangiku to accompany the Squad 4 member who had been sent to patch up the woman injured by Momo. Rangiku didn't really understand why they would heal her, when she was to be executed soon enough, but Hitsugaya had just ordered her to go.

Rangiku sighed. Since the prisoner had been brought in, all hell had broken loose. Not only had Renji, Ikkaku and Yumichika been defeated, but also the rest of Squad 11, and various other unseated Shinigami. And Yumichika had mentioned that he hadn't seen Natsuki since. She shook her head, and looked up at the two on the ground.

Broken ribs, a head injury, a burn to her arm and several cuts lined the prisoner's body, but she didn't make a sound as the meek Shinigami healed her. Instead, she watched her, expressionless, but there was something in her blue eyes that made Rangiku unable to find herself wary of her. She'd heard that when Momo had attacked her, she'd not harmed her in any way, even after disarming her. She'd knocked her out in a painless method taught in Hakuda. Rangiku frowned. Just who was this woman?

"I need to heal your ribs now," the medic told the woman, who stiffened. Rangiku watched her, not sensing any hostility in her. "Please, I need you to-" she stopped as the prisoner slowly – and not just because of her broken ribs – undid the buttons on her shirt, revealing a large curved scar down her body. Neither Rangiku, nor the medic, could stop themselves from staring. The sad look in the prisoner's eyes was gone and replaced with a defiant look. Clearing her throat and snapping back to attention, the Squad 4 Shinigami continued healing her, eventually having her turn around to reveal two more scars – one clearly the work of a Hollow, while the other seemed much more like a sword wound.

"I'm done," the medic announced after two hours of Rangiku standing around doing nothing.

"Let's go," Rangiku nodded to her as the medic returned her things to her relief bag.

"Excuse me," they both stopped in surprise at the woman speaking, and glanced around as she buttoned up her shirt. "Seinosuke Yamada. Do you know him?" her question took them both aback.

"Um..." the medic glanced to Rangiku, unsure if she should answer.

"I did," Rangiku found herself answering, remembering the moody Lieutenant of Squad 4. She wondered why the woman was asking about him so suddenly, and how she knew him in the first place.

"Did?" the woman repeated, her expression still deceptively blank. If she hadn't asked about him in the first place, Rangiku would have thought she wasn't interested in the slightest.

"He was killed, in a mission some time ago," a flicker of emotion passed the woman's face at Rangiku's soft words.

"Right," she nodded, not moving from where she sat. Rangiku then nodded to the girl beside her, and led her out. As the door closed, she tried to pretend she didn't hear the sob escape the woman, whose face pressed into her knees as the tears continued to come.

Ichigo, Ganju and Natsuki looked dubiously at the small ball in Hanataro's hand.

"So...what is that?" Ichigo asked.

"This is a special nutritional tonic pill given to 4th Squad members, to make fatigued members work like workhorses even longer," Hanataro explained. Despite his heavy sleep, he still looked and sounded exhausted. Not that Natsuki was surprised. He'd worked through the night healing Ichigo's extensive injuries, and then pushed himself to heal Ganju's.

"Really?"

"There's a skull drawn on it, dude," Ganju looked concerned. "You sure they didn't lie to you?" he asked.

"That sounds like the opposite of helping you," Natsuki nodded.

"Take one pill and what do you know..." before they could stop him, he'd put it in his mouth and swallowed it. He then paused for a moment, and the three stared at him. "Now I'm good to go!" Hanataro then pushed himself to his feet, not looking any less tired. "Now then, shall we go?" he asked.

"Wait, wait, wait one moment!" the three yelled at him.

"What is it?" Hanataro asked, blinking at them.

"Don't 'what is it' me!" Ichigo yelled.

"Did that medicine work?!" Ganju demanded. "It didn't, did it?!" he yelled.

"What are you talking about?" Hanataro asked, smiling, though his eyes were still half closed. "Doesn't my face say 'bursting with energy'?" he asked.

"Oh my god they lied to him," Natsuki put a hand to her face.

"We don't have any more time to wait around. We need to go, before they get even more security around the place," they looked over at Shinji, who was returning his Zanpakuto to his side. "By now they'll know what we're doing here, and I'd rather they didn't know I'm here until we're gone," he told them.

"That's why you've been avoiding fighting," Natsuki accused softly.

"We don't all take pleasure in fighting, Hamasaki. Ichigo has been more than capable to take out those in our path," Shinji told her. Natsuki bristled at his words, but chose not to argue on it.

"I can see now why you and Kirara always fight. Jerk," she muttered, taking him by surprise.

"Let's go already," Ichigo rolled his eyes.

Pushing up one of the floor tiles, the group peered out.

"Okay, no-one's around," Ganju nodded. They emerged, returning the tile to its place on the ground as they looked around.

"It feels weird that there ain't no security, even though I fought here yesterday," Ichigo commented, frowning.

"The enemy probably doesn't think we'd be sneaking around the same place again after one night," Ganju shrugged.

"There's more at play here," Shinji shook his head. "Let's hope your friends are doing a little better than us," he glanced to Ichigo.

"Yeah, the white-cape dude with glasses, and the walnut-haired cutie and them," Ganju nodded.

"Cutie..." Ichigo frowned as he repeated the word. "People don't say that nowadays," he rolled his eyes with a snort.

"I think 'nowadays' is a bit old now, too," Hanataro supplied. Ichigo scowled, and started grinding his knuckles against the sides of the boy's head. Hanataro wailed in pain, apologising loudly.

"Both Ishida and Inoue are a hundred times sharper than me," Ichigo said as he stopped abusing the boy. Natsuki watched, concerned, as Shinji looked bored.

"Which means...you're a hundred times dumber than them?" Ganju concluded.

"It would mean that," Hanataro nodded as Ichigo's scowl grew. A moment later, Hanataro was wailing in pain again.

"They wouldn't needlessly pick a fight with an enemy they can't beat," Ichigo explained when he let the boy go. Hanataro sniffed, rubbing his head. "They're fine. I'm sure of it," he said confidently.

"What about the other one? That...Chad guy," Ganju asked.

"He's even less of a worry," Ichigo said as he started walking.

"How do you know that?" Ganju asked him curiously.

"I can sense him," he said, taking them by surprise. "I can sense his Reiatsu. I have, ever since we fell out of the sky," Shinji watched him carefully. Seems like some of his lessons with Kirara and Kisuke had actually taken root. "Besides, I can't even imagine the idea of Chad losing," Ichigo told them.

"This guy must be pretty strong," Natsuki commented.

"Yeah, he is," Ichigo nodded, allowing himself the slightest of smiles when he thought of his best friend. Natsuki caught it, and found herself smiling sadly.

The group began running, heading up the massive flight of stairs that would lead them to the Shrine of Penitence. Natsuki glanced to Ichigo, wondering if this insane mission would actually work. The boy was impossibly strong. He'd defeated Renji, he'd even taken Ikkaku out. And he was just a kid.

Natsuki thought of his small smile on his usually scowling face, and was reminded again of the past, when she would have spoken about Kirara like that. Her best friend, uncatchable, always having a laugh. She was confident, even when they were children, and her protective streak had only grown. She'd beaten up the bullies who had picked on Natsuki, even if she'd gotten herself hurt in the process. In a twisted way, it was because she'd given Ichigo her powers, and been arrested, that she had been able to see Kirara again.

"Look, it's the little kid again!" Natsuki froze, and looked up at the much taller boy who had spoken, smirking down at her. She hadn't even registered him approach. "Hey kid, I thought we told you not to come here again. This here is our place!" he sneered at her.

"I-I just-"

"How about we go for another swim with the koi, huh?" another boy jeered, and the little girl stiffened. She hated koi, had done since they first time they'd pushed her into the large pond.

"No, I'll leave, please, just-" the tallest boy grabbed her wrist painfully hard before she could run away.

"Don't be shy, come on," he smirked, pulling her along as Natsuki struggled in his grip. Her heart pounded against her chest as tears filled her amber eyes. They came into view of the koi pond, and Natsuki let out an uncontrollable sob. "Don't cry, you'll be fine," the boy taunted, continuing to pull her towards it. However, another figure suddenly rushed at them, and a leg slammed into his face. The boy shrieked as they heard the crunch of bone breaking, and Natsuki's wrist was released, burning in pain, as the boy collapsed.

"Anyone else want to mess with my friend?" the even shorter girl, who wore shorts and an orange and blue tunic, challenged. Her black hair was long, falling into her face, and her blue eyes blazed in a furious challenge.

"Get her!" the boy on the ground yelled, a hand to his bloody nose. Natsuki darted behind Kirara, who didn't look remotely threatened by the other three boys, all of whom were far bigger than her.

"We should run," Natsuki gulped.

"No way," Kirara shook her head. "You don't run from bullies. You shouldn't run from a fight either. There's no honour in it," Natsuki stared at the girl, who cracked her knuckles, and ran at the boys. They let out startled shrieks at her speed, and her fist connected with one boy's stomach. A full scale brawl broke out as Natsuki watched, scared, but as she saw one boy catch Kirara's arm and punch her hard, something snapped in her.

"Leave her alone!" Natsuki's scream was accompanied by her fist connecting with his face, and he cried out as he crashed to the ground. Despite the pain in her knuckles, Natsuki felt excited at the blow, and grinned to Kirara, who grinned back as blood ran from her split lip. The remaining two boys rushed at them again, and the two ran to meet them.

The five continued running up the stairs for what felt like hours, and it continued to stretch on.

"Dammit! This is one friggin' long ass staircase!" Ganju gasped as his lungs burned. "How many steps are there, dammit?" he yelled.

"Quit yappin'!" Ichigo snapped at him.

"The more you talk, the less steps you'll climb," Natsuki told him as she continued to run, nowhere near as out of breath as the pair.

"And you'll bite your tongue," Shinji added, easily making his way up with long strides. Ganju shot him a dirty look.

"Make way, please!" Hanataro barely missed Shinji as he sprinted ahead, making the blond cry out in alarm at the sudden burst of energy from the boy. Natsuki, Ichigo and Ganju shrieked as well as the medicine seemed to finally take effect.

After what felt like forever, they finally reached the top of the stairs, and Ichigo and Ganju gasped for breath.

"Alright, we're here," Ganju gasped.

"No-one's around. They're thin on security here, too," Ichigo commented as they looked around, seeing and sensing nobody.

"Something's going on," Shinji shook his head. "There's no way the Captain-Commander would leave this place unguarded, not after so many have been injured in battle," he cast another look around. "Something else is at play here," he murmured again. Natsuki frowned, wondering just what he meant.

"We'll head straight to the inner area," Ichigo decided. He started running, and Ganju, Hanataro and Natsuki followed.

"No, wait!" Shinji shouted, but it was too late. An intense pressure suddenly slammed into them, freezing them all in place.

Kirara, who had finally dozed off, lifted her head sharply with a gasp as she was wrenched from her sleep by something. Her eyes wide, even with the Sekkiseki that built the tower, she could feel the tremendous power that had suddenly exploded outside. She leapt up to the window, peering out wordlessly as the vicious Reiatsu spilled out.

The five staggered, struggling to breathe under the heavy pressure of the Reiatsu that had hit them like a freight train.

"What is this...insanely huge Reiatsu?" Ganju managed to ask.

"No...no...not him!" Natsuki cried out as she recognised the signature, clear as day. It was violent and destructive, a feeling of total chaos that did nothing but instil fear. "We need to go, now!" she cried out to the others.

"Who...the hell is this?" Shinji demanded, struggling to stay standing upright. Hanataro was doubled over, barely able to remain standing, and Ganju wasn't far off.

"We need to go, before he finds us!" Natsuki's voice rose in pitch. "Dammit, of all the people to be here," she whispered as they began running, hindered by the pressure.

They ran along, barely able to lift their feet as they ran for some kind of cover, something away from the monstrous Reiatsu. Eventually Hanataro crashed to the ground with a cry.

"Hana!" Natsuki turned as she heard him fall.

"Oi, what are you doing?" Ganju ran back to him.

"I'm sorry...my body won't gather the strength to..."

"Dammit, you're one high maintenance son of a bitch!" Hanataro let out a shriek as Ganju lifted him over his shoulders.

"You okay?" Ichigo yelled back.

"Shut up! Just run fast!" Ganju yelled, and they started running again.

"You the one?" they heard a voice, and Ichigo stopped, whirling around. They heard a soft jingle, and looked around, up at the figure sitting on the wall.

"What's wrong? How long are you gonna look over there?" Ichigo went to turn around, before flinching, as if he'd been stabbed through the chest. The bells jingled again, as a man seemed to materialise behind Ichigo, who was frozen.

"Dammit," Shinji hissed, drawing his sword as Natsuki put her hands to her mouth.

"You're Ichigo Kurosaki, right?" the man asked, ignoring them. He was massive, with black hair spiked up with bells at the end. He wore an eyepatch, and had a long scar down his face.

"How do you know my name?" Ichigo asked. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded.

"What? Ikkaku didn't tell ya?" the man frowned. "Natsuki didn't warn ya either?" he asked, still not looking at the 4th Seat as Ichigo froze, remembering his words with Ikkaku after their battle. Ichigo finally managed to turn to the man, who smirked with his excitement for a battle.

"11th Squad Captain, Kenpachi Zaraki," he introduced himself. "I came to fight you to the death," Kenpachi announced.

Hope you liked it! Getting close to the first rescue attempt!

Let me know what you think!

Please review!