I do not own Bleach.

Sakura sat up and panicked. She looked around and breathed deeply.

"Good to see that you are finally awake, Suzumi-san." Sakura looked towards the door to the room. A man with blonde hair and a striped hat stood in it. "It took a while longer than we thought, but it's good to see you pulled through."

Sakura sighed at the shopkeeper. "Well now that that is over." Sakura stretched her arms over her head. *jingle jingle* She looked up at her arm. Eight silver bracelets dangled on her arm. "Why do I know have eight or these? Last time I checked...I only had five."

"You got powerful when you awoke your shinigami powers." Sakura looked beside her at a black cat. "Luckily Kisuke had a Gigai we could put you in. So, really you have about twelve bracelets on."

Sakura stared at the cat. It seemed so familiar. But it couldn't be. "Yourichi-san?"

"Good guess girl. How did you know?" Yorichi smiled at the girl. She had good instincts.

"You have the same presence as when you watch me practise. Speaking of practising." She turned her eyes back to the shopkeeper. "When do I start practising with my zanpakutou. And where is my zanpakutou?"

'I'm here darling.' Sakura smiled as she heard the melodic voice of her zanpakutou. 'You just don't have enough reiryoku available to manifest me in a Gigai.' She nodded at Muso-ku's explanation.

"I'm sure your zanpakutou has explained why it is not here presently." Urahara drew the girl's attention back to him. "And we will begin that training tomorrow. For now, you should go home and rest. Also leave a note for your mother. You may be here for a while."

"Okay." Sakura stood up from the bed and began putting it away. She bowed to the shopkeeper once she was done. "Thank you for helping me, Urahara-san."

"My pleasure, Suzumi-san." Urahara tilted his hat down as the girl walked past him. "Be careful on your way home. Karin and Jinta have said that the Hollows around here have gotten a bit stronger lately."

"I will." Sakura slid on her shoes and grabbed her phone from the table. "See you tomorrow!" She slide the door open and closed it behind her. She looked at the setting sun as she walked back home.

She felt a chill run down her spine. She looked around, but saw no one. She pulled out her phone and dialled a number. Something didn't feel right.

"Hello?" A tired sounding woman answered the other line.

"Hey mom." Sakura smiled as she continued walking. Her eyes kept looking around her to try and find what was causing her worry.

"Sakura? What's wrong honey?" Naomi sounded worried as she spoke to her daughter.

"Nothing is wrong mom. I'm just going to be a bit late for dinner." Sakura stopped and steadied her voice.

"You and me both sweetie. I have a lot of work to catch up on." Naomi sighed with relief that nothing was wrong. Sakura didn't call often, but knew she could always call if she was in trouble.

"That's okay. I'll make dinner for the two of us. If you aren't home when I go to bed, I'll put it in the fridge for you to heat up." Sakura stood still. Her body not moving a muscle, especially not her neck. The cold steel sent a shiver through her skin. "I'll see you when you get back. I love you."

Naomi smiled at her daughter through the phone. "I love you too honey. See you tonight."

Sakura waited till her mother had hung up. She then flipped her phone closed and glared at the masked man in front of her. His mask covered his nose with a beak and circled around his eyes. His bright red hair and equally red eyes made him look like a demon.

"Drop it." Sakura dropped her phone and took a step back as he stepped towards her. He crushed her phone under his foot. He held his hand out to the woman in front of him. "Come."

"What if I don't want to? What if I scream and someone stops you?" Sakura was trying to undo a bracelet with her one hand. But it was much more difficult that way.

"Then I will hunt down your family and everyone you care for." The man took a step towards her. He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. "Say good bye to his world." He opened a Garganta in front of him and walked into it.

Sakura watched as the sun set through the closing gate. "Sayounara." She whispered as the gate closed and the darkness covered them.

They walked for what felt like an hour. Sakura was starting to get uncomfortable on his shoulder and was moving around. He eventually put her down and walked with her beside him. He kept a firm grip on her forearm as they walked.

"You don't have to be so rough. It's not like I can go anywhere." Sakura wondered how large this black world was. It seemed unending.

"I would hate for you to run off and get lost. That would make my job harder." The man picked up his pace. "Keep moving."

Sakura rolled her eyes as they began walking faster. She eventually saw a hole in front of them. It grew larger as they approached it. "What is that?"

"Our exit." The man threw Sakura over his shoulder again. He started running towards the exit. "Welcome to Hueco Mondo, Princess."

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