Disclaimer- I don't own Bleach

Chapter 10

And So It Begins

Sayomi was perched on the edge of one of the walls that lined the roof of the warehouse, her legs hung over the edge and her ankles were crossed as she stared out over Karakura Town in the waning daylight. Her white hair was parted in the middle and pulled into two sections that were twisted and clipped together at the back of her head allowing most of her white locks to twist and whirl around her shoulders. She wore a pair of gray slacks with white pin stripes and a white tank top under a loose, black, knit sweater that she held closed over herself to block out the chill of the coming night. Her feet were bare and she swung them back and forth slowly as her head tilted up to the purple tinted evening sky.

"Come inside already, you've been there for almost a week straight," Kensei said as he walked through the creaking door that led to the roof and towards where Sayomi sat.

They hadn't spoken much in the days since Sayomi had returned to the warehouse and they had sat alone together, talking about the past and how things would never be the same. They both still cared about one another, but they both knew that for the time being being friends was more important than being anything more. They had been friends long before they had been anything else and it was their friendship the two wanted to preserve.

She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled lightly before turning back around. "I'm just distracted. Sorry, I don't mean to ignore everyone."

"What's distracting you?" Kensei asked, stepping up beside her.

"Nothing important, I'm just thinking too much is all," she replied, but the worry was noticeable in her voice along with a trace of what could have been fear.

Kensei frowned and looked down at Sayomi, she was definitely worried about something, but what would make her seem scared? Sayomi wasn't one who scared easily.

"Come on," he urged, stepping back from the wall she was sitting on.

"Just a little longer," she answered quietly, her dulcet voice barely carrying on the wind as she spoke. "Let me sit in this fleeting peace just a little longer."

Kensei nodded even though he knew she couldn't see it, but knew that she would sense his agreement. He stared at her back for a few moments, unsure if he should stay with her or just leave her be, he decided to leave her be.

She was so lost in thought, she had been ever since she had come back the week before. He figured it had something to do with the boy she had been with the day of the festival, the one that had the reiatsu of a Soul Reaper but who was in fact quite human. His reiatsu had vanished later that night, he didn't think the boy was dead and something told him that was what worried her. She couldn't tell if he was alive or dead and she was waiting for affirmation of one or the other.

That fact didn't bother him, he knew the boy was a friend to her, and her friends meant a lot to her even if she rarely showed it. There was also something that told him that the war they had been waiting to fight for a hundred years was now drawing near, that Sayomi knew that, and was only trying to bask in what was left of the tranquil days before the violence started.

Sayomi sighed after Kensei left the roof and looked around the city once again.

'The war has begun, I felt it earlier. There was a shift in spirit pressures, Aizen now stands in Hueco Muendo as king of the Hollow realm until he can stand upon a throne that no one has ever dared to try and take. He will attempt take it by force and this is meant to be the battleground, the city is innocent though,' she thought to herself as she turned her body and lifted her feet back over the wall so that they dangled a few inches above the roof.

She stepped down nimbly and didn't cast another look back at the city as she walked towards the door. "Whatever it takes, I will protect this city, and most importantly.. the people in it."

Everyone looked up as Sayomi walked back into the main area of the warehouse, her large knit sweater still clutched over her. She smiled wanly before walking to the table where Kensei sat at the table with Rose and Love playing a game of cards. A book sat on the table and she picked it up before walking to the couch, kicking Shinji who was sprawled over the entire thing.

He snorted awake and started to angrily protest against the abuse he had received until he saw Sayomi standing over him with a raised brow and her book held up, ready to smack him across the face. At least that's what he thought the book was ready for so he sulkily sat up so that she could curl herself up on the far side of the couch and read.

Sayomi looked up from the book she had been reading and cocked her head to the side, she blinked a few times before standing from the couch. She dropped the book in her hands on Shinji's head, he had been sprawled out on the floor by the couch since Sayomi had made him move so she could sit down.

Shinji yelled in surprise and pain when the book collided with his forehead and he swung his arms out as if trying to defend himself from unseen attackers.

"Sorry," Sayomi mumbled distractedly, staring out into the night beyond the large open door of the warehouse.

"What is it?" Kensei asked with a frown, she seemed completely lost in thought as she stared out of the door.

"They're back," she mumbled, a small frown forming on her face and worry creasing her brow. "But... Uryu.."

"Sayomi," Kensei shouted as Sayomi bolted from the spot she had been standing in.

"What the hell was that about?" Shinji asked grumpily as he sat up, absently rubbing the red mark on his forehead.

"I don't know," Kensei answered as he stared after, contemplating whether or not he should follow her.

"What happened?" Sayomi asked, abruptly appearing beside Uryu who was just about to walk into his apartment.

"We did what we went to do, and rescued Rukia," Uryu replied shortly while he pushed his glasses up on his nose.

"I meant to your powers, something isn't right about them."

"It's none of your concern, now good night," Uryu said as he opened his door and made to step inside.

"Hey," Sayomi objected, stepping forward and stopping him from shutting the door. "What's wrong?"

"You lied."

"Excuse me?" Sayomi asked in surprise.

"You're a Soul Reaper."

"I am not," she replied as if the idea was repulsive to her.

"You were a captain of the Tenth Division, you were counted among the strongest captains and you were engaged to Byakuya Kuchiki, Rukia's brother. Isn't that all correct?" Uryu asked blandly.

"Well yes, but that was a very long time ago. I am no longer considered a Soul Reaper by Soul Society or by myself... Do they know I-"

"No, they don't know you're alive, at least not that they said. Yoruichi told us about it after Rukia asked her brother who you were and all he said was that you were dead and to never speak of it again," Uryu answered.

"Oh," was all Sayomi could respond with.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm tired and would like to get some sleep."

"Of course, I'm just glad you're back," Sayomi said as she stepped back from the door with a smile.

"Good night, Sayomi."

"Night."

She sighed and shivered in the chill of the night air, her knit sweater wasn't that warm and did little block out the chilly breeze that was weaving its way through the streets. Turning away from the door, she walked down the street and followed the paths to the alley that would lead her to Urahara's.

A voice greeted as she reached the opening in the fence that enclosed the Urahara Shop.

"I was wondering when you'd get here, come on in. There's tea ready for us," Urahara said, the blond was leaning against the door frame.

Silently, Sayomi followed Urahara into the shop and to the little room off in the back with the round table and comfortable pillows. She sat on a purple pillow and waited while he poured them both a cup of steaming green tea.

They remained silent for a few minutes each seeming to be thinking about the situation they found themselves in.

"So.. It's actually begun," Sayomi said while staring into her tea.

"It would seem that way. Soul Society is preparing to do battle in the winter, that is when the Hogyoku is expected to be fully awakened," Kisuke replied.

"Did he go with them?" Sayomi asked quietly, her fist tightening ever so slightly on the green mug in her hands.

Kisuke knew who she was referring to and looked up when he answered her with a, "Yes."

There were a few moments of silence as Sayomi thought over something before she looked up at Kisuke, a look of determination in her eyes. "In that case, I will deal with him on my own."

Kisuke looked a little surprised. "How do you-"

"Don't worry about how, I'll do that. You just worry about the orders Soul Society gave you," she cut in, a small knowing smile on her face.

"You're a scary one, you know that?" Kisuke said with a grin on his face as he looked over at Sayomi.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she replied innocently.

Kisuke chuckled, but a part of him wondered just what Sayomi was planning on doing. She was a very smart girl and that meant that things weren't always what they seemed with her. She wanted to confront a man from her past, she wanted revenge, but most of all she wanted to protect and possibly restore her pride and the pride of her friends that had fallen because of the things done to them.

"Where were you?"

Sayomi looked up at Kensei who was in the shadows of the warehouse, sitting on the ground with his back against a concrete wall. She figured he must have waited up for her, she smiled slightly at him finding his concern for her even after everything that happened to be very touching.

"Urahara's," she answered.

"Why?"

"It's begun."

Kensei looked up at her for a moment before sighing. "I thought so."

"By the way, I plan on going back to school tomorrow," Sayomi said.

"Why?"

Sayomi thought over it for a moment, staring off towards a distant corner of the warehouse. "I want to keep on eye on something."

"You mean someone."

Sayomi smirked. "Yes, I mean someone."

"What's with the kid, Sayomi?" Kensei asked.

"Nothing, Kensei, nothing at all," she replied as she walked passed him on her way to her room.

Her shoes tapped lightly against the tile of the school hallway as Sayomi tugged at the annoyingly short hem of the skirt she was forced to wear while attending classes.

"Can't they at least make the damn things a little longer," she grumbled to herself before cocking her head to the side and looking up when she heard what sounded like running.

"SAAAAYYYYOOOMMMMMIIIIII!"

Sayomi shouted in surprise and jumped behind Ichigo, who had just walked past her with his bag slung carelessly over his shoulder.

"Hey, Keigo," he said, raising his arm so that the brown haired boy that had been running at Sayomi ran into it with a surprised yelped before falling to the ground in a heap.

Sayomi poked her head around Ichigo and blinked down at Keigo. "What are you doing down there, Keigo?" She asked innocently.

"Oh, good morning, Sayomi. Morning, Keigo," Mizuiro said as he walked by the fallen Keigo.

"Hey, Mizuiro," Sayomi greeted with a smile.

"I'm gonna kill him," Keigo mumbled from the ground as everyone ignored him and walked around him.

Walking into the classroom, Sayomi returned to her usual seat in the back of the room, dropping her bag by the chair she walked over to the group that was forming around an annoyed looking Uryu. Chad was leaning up against the wall and Orihime was talking animatedly as she stood next to Uryu's desk. Ichigo walked up to the group a moment later.

"Hey, Ichigo, how are you?" she asked. "And where'd you get that thing?" she asked as she pointed to the weird looking object that hung from his belt, there was a skull with an X over it on it.

"A captain gave it to me. Ukitake, I think," Ichigo explained before muttering about the thing being useless.

"Ukitake's still around, huh? That's nice to know, he was always such a nice man," Sayomi said thoughtfully.

"Morning, Orihime!" A girl with short reddish hair and glasses screeched giddily when she grabbed Orihime from behind.

"Knock it off, Chizuru," Tatsuki scolded blandly as she walked into the classroom and promptly kicked Chizuru away from Orihime. No one really seemed to think this was odd so with a quick glance over at the group because of the noise they were making they all turned back around and continued with the conversations they had been having.

"Hey, I heard you got home early from vacation, but you were never home when I stopped by," Tatsuki said to Ichigo before looking down at something that had caught her attention. "What's that, Ichigo?"

"What, this?" Ichigo asked lifting a small charm that had been sewed to his shirt by his dad that morning. "It's a charm."

"I know that. A joke from your dad, right?"

"Yeah, how did-"

"It's obvious, who else but that weirdo, would give you something like that," she replied. "But anyways I meant that thing." She pointed at the substitute badge on his belt.

"Huh? Oh... I bought it at a shop," Ichigo replied lamely, scratching at his head uncertainly. "So.. you can see this?"

Sayomi's eyes cornered over to them and she watched as Tatsuki looked at Ichigo as if he were crazy. She stepped over to somehow change the subject when the door to the classroom slammed opened with a loud bang and the teacher, Ms. Ochi, stepped into the room.

"Good morning," the dark haired, glasses wearing teacher sang while she adjusted her glasses on her nose.

"Ok, now is everyone here?" she asked as she went to stand behind the desk at the front of the room and glanced around the room. "Hey, Himura, you're back."

"Yeah, sorry about that, Ms Ochi, I-"

"Well that's nice, you were always such a good student. I thought maybe you had been corrupted by some of the hooligans," Ms Ochi interrupted.

"Uhhh, no," Sayomi answered with a slight chuckle.

"Good, so I have some good news for you. We have a new student today," she announced.

Instantly, Sayomi's eyes narrowed at the mention of a new student and she was suddenly very aware of her surroundings and the fact that she hadn't realized that the 'new student' was actually someone she knew.

"I'm gonna kill him," she hissed quietly.

"Uh, did you say something, Sayomi?" Mizuiro asked from the seat to her left.

"Hmm? Oh no," she answered with a sweet smile and shake of her head.

'He's so dead,' she thought to herself.

She squeaked loudly and put a hand over her chest when the strange badge that had been given to Ichigo started blaring something that sounded like 'hollow' over and over again.

"Are you alright, Sayomi?" Mizuiro asked as he gave her an odd but concerned look.

"Fine, just uh, I thought I saw a spider," she answered with a small chuckle as Ichigo stood up and ran from the room while saying he had to go to the bathroom.

Chad and Orihime stood as well and fled the room even as Sayomi tried to grab Orihime to tell them they should stay, the Hollow wasn't a large one and she knew Ichigo could handle it. If he got there first anyway. The 'new student' was no longer in the hall, something Ms. Ochi found confusing when she popped her head out of the door to invite him in so he could meet the rest of the class.

Ichigo, Chad and Orihime all returned to class after only a few minutes. Orihime looked rather embarrassed as she scuttled to her seat and sat back down quickly.

"Ah, there you are," Ms. Ochi said when the classroom door slid open again and someone stuck their head inside and looked around curiously.

Sayomi glared at the all too familiar blond as he grinned at the class and sauntered his way into the classroom behind Ms. Ochi. She had to resist a very strong urge to jump up and smack im as he stood in the front of the classroom talking about his hobbies, waving his arms around like he was trying to keep from drowning on the air. Her nails were digging into the desk leaving little scratch marks on the wooden surface.

"There's an open seat in the back by Ichigo and in front of Sayomi," Ms Ochi said pointing the seat that was in front of Sayomi.

Trying her best not to glare viciously at Shinji as he walked to the seat, a moronic grin on his face, Sayomi looked to her left and out the window.

"Ichigo, huh? Looks like we're neighbors. Lets be friends," Shinji said to Ichigo who was in the seat to his left.

"Sit down, you fool, you're in the way," Sayomi said coldly earning her a few surprised looks from Ichigo and Chad, who sat to her right.

"Eh, yeah hi," Ichigo replied before nearly jumping out of his skin when the badge at his side once again started screaming at him.

Within seconds he was up and out the door, Ms Ochi yelling after him.

"Don't take it personal, that's just Ichigo," Chad said to Shinji as the blond sat down.

"He's just as I thought actually," Shinji replied as he cast a quick glance back at Sayomi and smirked.

Her nose flared slightly in her anger and her eyes narrowed. "What?" she snapped at him.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Shinji," he said conversationally as he stuck a hand out to her.

"Sayomi," she practically hissed as she tightly gripped his hand.

When classes ended for the day Sayomi stood up abruptly from her seat and grabbed her bag which accidentally happened to hit Shinji in the back as he leaned over to pick up his own bag. He went sprawling on to the floor with a loud shout, Sayomi turned to him and feigned shock.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Shinji, I didn't mean to hit you. Are you alright?" She asked trying to sound genuinely concerned.

"Fine, I'm fine," he replied as he pushed himself up from the ground, a hand covering his bleeding nose that had collided with the floor.

"Good, I wouldn't want to kill you on your first day," she said with a chuckle.

"No, of course not," he agreed as he stood up and brushed himself off.

"Well, sorry about that. See you later," she chirped with a wave as she turned to leave the classroom.

Sayomi drummed her fingers across the brown brick wall behind her as she stood in the shadow of two apartment buildings.

"What's with this school thing? Exams on the first day, that's cruel," she heard someone muttering.

Waiting for the person to walk past her, she stepped from between the buildings and raised her foot and sent it right into the person's behind, sending them flying a few feet before landing with their butt in the air and their face in the dirt.

"Ow! That hurt!"

Sayomi watched with a blank expression, her hands folded over her chest and a single eyebrow raised as the person she kicked turned around to face her.

"What was that for?" Shinji asked as he rubbed at his jaw.

Sayomi didn't say anything just stared at him, her fingers drumming against her upper arm.

Shinji gulped. "Now, Sayomi, he's one of us-"

"Yes. However, he isn't like us. His circumstances are different."

"Maybe," Shinji replied with a shrug.

"Not maybe, Shinji. Why wasn't I informed you were planning on recruiting him, since when did you do things without even talking to me first?"

"Will you recruit him?"

Sayomi glared at him but didn't answer.

"I didn't think so. He's one of us, he will join us," Shinji said as he looked Sayomi in the eye.

"If you force him into making this decision," Sayomi said before she turned around and began to walk away. "I'll kill you."

Shinji scowled at her back as she walked away from him before sighing and scratching at his head and looking up into the sky.

Sayomi's eyes widened and she snapped the book in her hands shut to stand quickly from the couch, she tilted her head to the side as if listening to something and closed her eyes.

"Sayomi?" Mashiro questioned curiously from where she was laying on the floor only inches from the television.

Kensei looked up sharpening a combat knife at the table and his brows drew together as he watched Sayomi's face pull into a frown. Standing up he walked around the couch to stand behind her and place a hand gently on her shoulder. "Everything alright?"

She didn't answer him right away, only pursed her lips more tightly together. After a few seconds of drawn out silence during which everyone watched Sayomi, waiting for her to let them know what it was that she had sensed. She was the most sensitive among them, she had been one of the most sensitive people even in the Soul Society.

"There's two, but... They're not fully developed," she said.

"What do you mean?" Kensei asked.

Sayomi reopened her eyes and glanced back at him, her frown still lingering on her face. "Arrancar."

"Already?" Love asked seriously.

"Isn't it too soon?" Rose asked.

Sayomi shook her head. "They're not complete. I suppose that despite how I feel about Shinji's tactics, if he hadn't gone out to meet with Ichigo they might not have shown up. They were drawn by the spirit energy leaking out of Ichigo, turns out I'm not the only one who finds Shinji completely annoying."

"I still don't-" Love trailed off when the spiritual energies Sayomi had sensed finally slammed down on them all.

"They're this strong and you're saying they're not fully developed?" Lisa inquired, a grim frown forming on her lips.

"It looks like we may have underestimated the strength of what we're up against," Love replied seriously.

Sayomi was in her seat staring blankly out the window, her thoughts were turned towards the strength of the Arrancar that had appeared the night before. They were still not completely developed, but they were much stronger than expected. She wasn't sure what they had expected, they had been waiting so long that she couldn't even remember. She was so lost in thought that she didn't hear Shinji come into the classroom and harass Orihime or Ichigo drag him outside to quite possibly beat the crap out of him. When Shinji came back into the room followed by Ichigo, Sayomi raised her head and watched as a disgruntled Ichigo walked to his seat beside Shinji while Shinji took his seat in front of her.

By the end of the day, Sayomi was livid. Shinji had decided to hang out with Ichigo and his friends, which included her, as much as possible, and his happy go lucky attitude was really beginning to grate on her nerves.

"Finally," she mumbled when the bell signaling class was out for the day rang. She snatched her bag and took off.

"Hey, Sayomi!"

She turned around at the sound of her name, ready to swing her bag right into Shinji's face, but it wasn't Shinji who was running after her.

"Ichigo?"

"Uh, hey... Listen I was wondering..."

"About what?" she asked as he broke off to scratch at his head.

"Do you know Shinji?" He asked quickly.

"The guy in front of me?"

"Yeah, the blond guy."

"Uh, why?"

"Well, he...You know what, never mind," Ichigo said as he turned abruptly and walk off.

"She what?" Sayomi inquired crossly, her hands were shaking and Kensei was holding her back with one hand securely grasping her right wrist so that not only could she not move, drawing her zanpakuto would be difficult too.

"You're overreacting, Sayomi, cool it," Kensei said.

"Overreacting, Kensei?" Sayomi snapped, the thin hold she had on her anger breaking. "She tried to attack Orihime and Chad. She could have killed them, you get that, right?"

"But she didn't," Kensei reminded her calmly, he was used to handling her when she was riled up and staying calm was usually the best route to take.

"I don't care, I'm gonna beat the crap out of the little brat," Sayomi shouted. "She needs to learn her place!"

Kensei grabbed both of her wrists and tugged her so that her back collided with his chest. "Enough," he ordered.

Sayomi growled once before letting herself relax in Kensei's grasp. "Fine," she seethed as Kensei led her away from Shinji who was standing next to an indignant Hiyori.

"You're lucky Kensei can calm her down," Lisa said as she looked down on Hiyori from the second floor. "You'd be cat food otherwise."

Hiyori snorted and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'd make her dog food before she could touch me."

"Uh huh," Shinji and Lisa replied together.

"Need a hand?" Sayomi offered, smiling wanly at Kensei when he looked over his shoulder at her.

He shrugged and turned back to slicing up a steak.

Since it wasn't a no she stepped towards the counter where a few bell peppers, onions, potatoes and carrots sat. She rinsed them all in the sink before beginning to slice the bell peppers into strips. She had just finished with the bell peppers and was pushing them off of the cutting board and into a bowl when she stopped abruptly and gasped, her eyes widening and her face going pale as she struggled to take a breath.

"Sayomi," Kensei asked worriedly as he grabbed her shoulder.

The cutting board slipped out of her hand, scattering the few remaining strips of bell pepper over the counter top.

"Sayomi?" Kensei asked again, turning her towards him and tilting her head up so she would look at him. "What-"

"It's not..." She cut in, blinking up at him blankly. " It's impossible," she murmured.

"Sayomi, what is it?" Kensei snapped, shaking her shoulder. He didn't mean to be rough and he loosened his grip, but the look on her face and in her eyes was worrying him. Something was wrong and he wanted to know what.

"Wait," she whispered quietly.

The entire warehouse went silent, the only sound was a dripping noise from a leak in the roof. Pit... pat... pit... pat...

"This spirit pressure," Rose said, his own eyes widening seconds before there was a tremor in the earth that shook dust from the ceiling.

"No," Sayomi murmured, her head turning towards the door and a look of worry appearing in her eyes.

"Sayomi," Kensei shouted as she vanished from his side. He made to follow after her, but Shinji was already in front of him, blocking his path. "Move, Shinji."

"Let her go, Kensei," Shinji advised sternly.

"That spirit pressure is stronger than the Arrancar last night, a lot stronger, Shinji. She could be killed!"

"She won't be. Sayomi's not stupid, and besides, she wouldn't risk getting herself killed before killin' him, and you know it," Shinji replied with a glum sigh.

Sayomi used shunpo to soar over the roof tops and through the trees as she flew towards the spot where the tremor that had shaken even the warehouse had originated from. In the distance, she could see small wisps of smoke rising into the air.

'This spirit pressure, it's so intense,' she thought, the closer she got the more she could feel the weight of the new spiritual pressure pressing viciously against her own.

'There are two of them,' Fuyukaze told her urgently.

'I know, but what are they? They feel like Arrancar, but they're much too strong,' she replied.

'We shall see in a moment,' Fuyukaze answered, his voice unusually solemn.

Sayomi came to an abrupt stop, balancing herself on a branch near the top of a tall tree.

'I can't get much closer in this form, not without drawing more attention than necessary.'

'But if they attack,' Fuyukaze pointed out worriedly.

'If they attack.. well... we'll figure that out then,' Sayomi replied as she leapt into the bushes below the tree. A few short seconds later a blur of white shot out of the bushes and in the direction of the blast. 'I don't want to fight them though, not unless it's necessary. I just want to get their attention. Let them know I'm here.'

Sayomi sprinted to the clearing in time to see Chad fall to the ground, his arm was mangled beyond repair and there was blood spray everywhere. She saw Orihime, who had been carrying a limp Tatsuki away from the area that was littered in lifeless bodies set her friend down, and run back to Chad. She shouted something Sayomi didn't catch and strange fairy like creatures shot forward and surrounded Chad's arm. She watched in mild shock as the damaged tissue began to slowly repair itself.

"What about this one, Ulquiorra, is she trash too?" The large Arrancar that was towering above Orihime and Chad called to another, smaller Arrancar that was standing on the edge of a crater that she assumed was a result of their impact with the earth when they had come into the living realm from Hueco Muendo.

"Yes, Yammy, garbage," the smaller man answered. He had black hair, pale skin, and bright green eyes that were a few shades lighter than the cyan lines that ran down his face from his eyes to his chin. The remaining portion of his mask covered the left part of his head, it resembled a warrior's helmet with a single horn extending out behind him.

Both were dressed in clothing that reminded her of Shinigami robes, only the colors had been inverted. Instead of black they wore mostly white. The larger one laughed a harsh, grating laugh and shoved a finger towards Orihime who whispered something quietly, that to Sayomi sounded like 'Santen Kesshun'. A triangular golden shield appeared before her and Yammy's finger collided with the defense with a loud bang, the shield shattered when he withdrew his hand and Orihime shakily got to her feet.

"Interesting, isn't it?" Sayomi asked as she sauntered her way over to sit beside the smaller Arrancar, Ulquiorra.

She saw his green eyes glance down at her with disinterest, apparently talking cats were no big deal to him. "Aizen-sama has no use for pets. Whatever you are, if you wish to live, leave," he said emotionlessly.

"Sorry, not going anywhere. I want to see how this ends," Sayomi replied with a light tone. "Besides, I have a message for Aizen."

"I doubt Aizen-sama would be interested in a message from garbage like you."

Sayomi laughed dryly. "We'll see won't we. Tell him Sayomi says hello, I'm sure he'll be glad to hear it."

When she received no response, Sayomi stood back up, her tail raised proudly. "By the way, Aizen-sama would want the girl alive. As you can see, her powers are more than just spells and kido."

Ulquiorra huffed arrogantly in response.

"Fine, do what you want with her, it's not my head after all," Sayomi replied as she turned away and began walking again. All she could think as she walked away was, 'Hurry, Ichigo.'

~A/N~

Sorry about the wait, I thought I had already uploaded this chapter. Apparently I did not. March needs to hurry up and be done. It's the busiest month for me work wise, it's been crazy and I feel like I've lost all sense of reality. I have no time to be human and social outside of work and school. Makes me all work and no play, which makes me a dull girl. :)

Anywho, feed the review monster please!