Chapter 31: Unwanted Visitors

When Kirara reached the warehouse, her headache was still mercilessly pounding as she fought the nausea and dark anger that rose and fell like a tide within her. She just needed to get inside and she would be okay. She couldn't fall apart inside, of course, but at least she would be around those who comforted her just from their presence alone.

Pressing her hand against the barrier, Kirara sent that unspoken message to Hachi to let her in. It took a moment longer than usual, and in that moment Kirara couldn't stop the panic that rushed through her. But then the door opened and she practically threw herself inside as it shut faster than usual.

"Shit…" Kirara hissed quietly. As she'd expected, just feeling the Reiatsu of the other Vizards instantly comforted her and allowed her body to relax just a little, but she also felt their own distress. Even inside the barrier, they were not immune to the effects of the Hollow Bait that had been activated around the town.

"You made it back," the usually soft, melodic voice belonging to Rose was strained, as even breathing was difficult at that time. He kept a small distance between him and Kirara, just in case.

"Barely," Kirara said quietly, her voice just as strained as his. "I've got bad news, and worse news," she warned him. His delicate brow furrowed. "The bad news is that this is going to last at least 24 hours, so better rest up," Rose uttered a rare curse at her grim warning.

"And the worse news?" she glanced over at Shinji, who had arrived at the bottom of the half-broken steps up to the higher floor. He looked as bad as Rose.

"There's a Quincy in Ichigo's class," both reacted visibly to the title, going even paler as horror crossed their faces. "One with a grudge to rival ours, it seems. The idiot…" Kirara trailed off for a moment, closing her eyes to fight the darkness in her chest as it started to creep out again. "The idiot challenged Ichigo, and is using something called Hollow Bait to do so," she warned them once she opened her eyes again.

"How on earth do you know all of this?" Rose asked, baffled as it couldn't quite sink in for him.

"Kisuke found me on my way back. He was trying to warn me, but it was a little late," Kirara rolled her eyes, and regretted it instantly. "And now that I've shared that delightful news, I'm going to go lie down. See you in 24 hours," she gave a light wave as she walked past the pair to go upstairs.

"Yamada," she'd only just reached her door when Shinji caught up with her. Turning around, she let him reach out and touch her face, studying her intently.

"If you keep staring, you're going to make me blush, Hirako," she teased with a soft smile when he didn't speak. Shinji arched an eyebrow.

"You blush no matter what I do," he retorted, leaning in to kiss the tip of her nose. Shinji then gave a victorious smile as he saw the pink start to fill her pale features. "You're okay?" Shinji asked her after a moment.

"As okay as I can be with a crushing headache and a Hollow cackling in my head," Kirara replied, and put her hand over one of his as it remained on her face. "What about you?" she asked quietly.

"The same," Shinji replied. "Get some sleep," he told her, starting to pull away. When Kirara held onto his hand, he stopped, tilting his head a little as Kirara bit her lip.

"Stay with me?" her hopeful words were a whisper, and despite his prior teasing, Shinji felt his own blush at the shy request. Kirara was too cute to him when she turned bashful, and it was still a lot to get used to.

"Yeah," he agreed with a nod, watching as Kirara opened her door and led him inside. The room was messy, with clothes tossed over the chair at the desk in the corner while books were scattered around the place.

Kirara pulled her hair free from the ribbon that kept it up, letting her hair fall around her. It was neater than it had been a century ago, but it was still long and unruly, causing her to sweep it backwards as she climbed into bed.

"Thanks…" Kirara murmured as Shinji pulled her into his arms, both fighting their own internal battles against their Inner Hollows awakened by the bait that filled the air around Karakura Town.

"I can't believe you kept it," Shinji spoke, having stolen the ribbon from where Kirara had set it down. He held it between his fingers, seeing how worn it was, yet well looked after. She peeked up at it, before moving in closer so her head rested just under his chin. The close proximity made it hard for Shinji to think clearly, especially when his head was pounding so painfully.

"Of course I did," Kirara didn't look up as she spoke. "How could I not?" she mumbled, and Shinji moved to set it down on the small table beside the bed before turning back to her. He moved carefully, tilting her head up as he did so he could kiss her softly. Kirara pulled away after a moment, and he didn't miss her blush before she hid her face against his chest again. "If I throw up, I don't want it to seem like it was in response to that," she mumbled, and felt his laugh rumble through him as his arms went around her to pull her in close.

"I appreciate that," he murmured, instead pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Kirara was quiet, and for a moment he thought that she'd fallen asleep.

"Getting rid of it felt like giving up. And I didn't want to give up," she finally said. Shinji's arms tightened around her at those words.

"Get some sleep, Princess," he muttered, hiding his own face in her hair as a grin won out against the pain of his headache and the dark feeling inside.

By the time Kirara woke, her headache was finally starting to fade, and the darkness within was finally quiet once again. Her mind was slow to catch up as she yawned widely, heavy from such a long sleep and from the battle she'd endured even while asleep.

A quiet snore in her ear made Kirara smile, well aware of the arms that had kept her close even as Shinji rolled onto his back in his sleep, dragging Kirara half on top to use him as a pillow. Even in his sleep, he held tight to her, making it a struggle to move as she shifted beside him to get more comfortable.

Listening to his snores, she lay there completely awake and thinking about the previous day.

"It would appear that Ichigo Kurosaki's class has more than a few…interesting characters. Not least of all a young Quincy," Kisuke's words echoed in her mind as she thought about her chat with the exile.

'A damn Quincy. I can't believe some of them survived. And to be in Ichigo's class. He must have been aware the whole time,' Kirara was still shocked by the revelation, trying to let it sink in. She had no idea how he'd even survived. She'd heard about the massacre that had wiped out what should have been their entire people, yet here was one still active and wielding weapons that apparently had a dangerous effect on Vizards.

Uryu Ishida. No wonder she'd been so cautious of him. As a Vizard, they were natural enemies. 'Something just doesn't feel right. Too much is going on around Ichigo. It's bizarre how much trouble one kid can-' Kirara gave an annoyed grunt when a long finger suddenly squashed her nose.

"You're thinking so loud, it woke me up," Shinji yawned widely, his voice deadpan as Kirara swatted his hand away.

"You were snoring hard enough I figured nothing would wake you," she replied. Shinji instantly shifted to roll onto his side, and Kirara moved with him to sink back into the pillows.

"Brat," he said, instantly nuzzling into her hair that was splayed out around her. Kirara smiled sweetly at him.

"Yet you seem content to keep me prisoner in my own bed," she retorted as he kept his arms around her.

"You're a cute brat," Shinji yawned. He then moved his head so he could look at her, his brown eyes sharp despite the sleepy voice. "How are you feeling?" he asked her.

"Better," Kirara answered honestly, no longer hearing her Inner Hollow whispering in the back of her mind. "You?" she asked, studying his own features for any sign of trouble.

"I'm fine. Keep staring at me, and you're going to make me blush," Shinji warned her in a flat voice, watching as she grinned.

"You're an idiot," she told him seriously, and saw the flicker of amusement in his gaze. "I'm starving. Let's get something to eat," Kirara said, but as she started to pull out of his grasp, Shinji pulled her back against him.

"Or we could stay here all day," he murmured, kissing her as she went to speak. The soft, sleepy kiss sent a thrill through Kirara, who let him roll her over so he was propped up over her. The kiss grew more and more intense as his hands went into her hair and her own trailed down his chest. Kirara's head swam as in the heat of the moment, she forgot what she'd said and instead let him dominate her senses.

A loud rumble echoed through the room, slowing their actions before they pulled apart as Kirara stared up at Shinji. He looked unapologetic for his growling stomach as he grinned, as breathless as she was. "Food sounds like a great idea," he said, and Kirara started to laugh.

It seemed that the others had devoured the contents of their little makeshift kitchen during their own struggles with their Hollows, leaving Kirara and Shinji to venture into town to get food.

"Ditching class and now walking around like you did nothing wrong. You really are a delinquent," Shinji told Kirara as they walked.

"And proud of it," Kirara replied loftily. She'd traded her uniform for a pair of black shorts and a white cami under her favourite pink flannel shirt. "I have to ditch every now and again, or I'll end up setting fire to the uniform," she said, once again barefoot as they walked down the street. Shinji snorted, before sobering.

"You've found yourself a real weird class, huh?" he asked quietly. Kirara nodded her agreement.

"A Shinigami and a Quincy in class together. The old farts would have a heart attack," she mused aloud. "Not to mention that Kuchiki girl still hanging around. That's bound to attract some attention from the higher ups," she considered, looking up at Shinji.

"Especially if she's really a Kuchiki," he added. Kirara shivered.

"Let's just get food and go home," she said, not liking the unspoken risk they were both aware of.

"Great idea, Princess. Maybe continue where we left off," he suggested quietly, stopping Kirara to spin her around and kiss her again. Kirara let out a quiet breath and pushed up, still getting used to doing so. Then she grinned and pulled away too soon, leaving Shinji to groan.

"If that's what you want, then don't call me that," she slapped his chest lightly as she stressed her words.

"Then don't act like a Princess," Shinji retorted, a grin returning as Kirara looked exasperated at his retort.

"He has a point," a deep voice made Kirara go still as Shinji arched an eyebrow. He had no idea who was talking, but Kirara very clearly did. "You do act like a Princess, Kirara," Shinji looked around for the source of the very amused voice, only seeing a black cat lazing on a nearby wall. Its golden eyes were locked onto them, and the tail lazily swished. "Now this is an interesting development," he jumped when the cat suddenly spoke.

"Wh-what?" Shinji stared at the cat as Kirara put her hands to her face. She then groaned loudly in irritation, unable to believe who they had been found by.

"What are you doing here?" Kirara turned to glare at the black cat, and Shinji swore he saw the creature smirk.

"So hostile, Princess," the cat sounded almost offended, and Shinji felt the sense of familiarity from it. Very few used the nickname that Kirara detested, and even fewer acted in such a way. In fact, there was only one person that Shinji could think of.

"Wait…" he breathed.

"Oh? Caught on already, did you Hirako?" the lazy amusement, even when spoken in a deep male voice, told Shinji exactly who the cat was. "And you, Kirara, skipping school? Truly a delinquent," Yoruichi shook her head.

"I see you've already been chatting with Kisuke," Kirara rolled her eyes, folding her arms.

"Of course," Yoruichi confirmed. "As much as I would delight in taking the time to catch up with you both about what I've missed…" Kirara blushed violently at the knowing smirk on the cat's face. "I think you should both be laying low too," Yoruichi's warning made them both frown in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" Kirara asked. Yoruichi huffed.

"I know you're both as suspicious as you were the day you left the Soul Society, so I'm going to chalk your obliviousness to either one another…"

"Yoruichi…" Kirara's low growl made her chuckle.

"Or to that little incident with the Hollow Bait," Yoruichi finished with a chuckle. Kirara glared at her, her blush only growing. "Focus for a moment," she said, more softly this time. Kirara tilted her head, before Shinji stiffened.

"Shit," his curse made Kirara look up at him quickly. Then she felt them, and echoed his sentiment.

"Yesterday's debacle seems to have brought in some extra eyes. Dangerous eyes to the rest of us," Yoruichi spoke carefully as Kirara focused on the two Reiatsu somewhere in the distance. They were mostly cloaked, but it felt more out of habit than stealth, and that only made Kirara more nervous.

"One of them…why do I know that Reiatsu?" she asked aloud. Yoruichi gave a chuckle.

"You met him a few times when we visited their estate. That Captain is here with his Lieutenant to retrieve his sister, I believe," her words made Kirara curse again.

"A Captain and Lieutenant?" Shinji repeated, instantly reaching to grab Kirara's arm.

"Byakuya Kuchiki is a Captain now?" Kirara couldn't help but laugh. "And that Kuchiki girl is his sister? That'll make things very interesting when they realise that she gave her powers to a human," she ran a hand down her face as she spoke.

"Let's go," Shinji's voice was low, his earlier playful nature gone.

"Be careful," Yoruichi warned quietly, watching as he pulled Kirara away.

"It's good to see you again, Yoruichi," Kirara waved after the cat, and grinned. "And I'm always careful," she said, only to flinch when Shinji's fist landed on her head.

"I disagree completely," he told her, and she pouted. Yoruichi chuckled as she shook her head.

"Good to see that she's still an idiot," she murmured.

Things really seemed to go from bad to worse for the Vizards, as no sooner had they recovered from the Hollow Bait that had driven their Inner Hollows crazy enough to try to take control again, now they had a Captain and Lieutenant skulking around town.

Even if Shinji hadn't told them all to stay at the warehouse behind Hachi's barrier, all of them would have done so. The thought of being near a Captain and Lieutenant now had soured any decent mood amongst the group.

Having slept for a full day, Kirara couldn't rest even if she'd wanted to. So she sat on the roof of the warehouse, cross-legged with her eyes closed as she took deliberate deep breaths and released them. It didn't fully relax her as it usually did, but it at least kept her mind focused on what she was doing, rather than what could be going on in town.

"If you do that meditation shit out here, you're going to catch a cold," the voice pulled Kirara out of her focus, and she opened her eyes in surprise. She turned, not having expected to see Kensei approach and stand beside her.

"It's a warm night, I think I'll be fine," she replied as she looked away from the silver-haired Vizard to look out at their surroundings. Their home was the largest of the warehouses around the district - and also the most derelict, giving them a perfect hiding place that they had only cleared enough to make it liveable. They were on the run, after all. They couldn't afford to be choosy.

"Suit yourself," Kensei rolled his eyes at her dismissive reply.

"What brings you up here, Kensei?" Kirara asked, not getting up, but not resuming her meditation.

"Same thing as you, I'd say," Kensei was gruff in his words, but there was no anger or anything. Just a tiredness that all of them carried, especially today. "Don't like sneaking around under the noses of the Gotei 13," he muttered.

"Once upon a time, that was my job," Kirara mused, unable to stop the bitter chuckle. Kensei watched her from the corner of his eye, all too aware of her past with the Onmitsukido.

"You feel it too, don't you? That something is off with this town," Kensei accused her, seeing the look on her face. Kirara didn't even blink, staring ahead at the town around them.

"I could tell that just from being in a class with this kid. There's something more at play," she said, confirming Kensei's suspicions. "I just don't know if we're paranoid, or if Sosuke is up to something. If it's the latter, I can't figure out what," Kirara admitted quietly. Kensei just grunted. "Knowing that Kisuke is involved has me suspicious too. I never know what that guy is planning, but whatever it is, he's moving three moves ahead of everyone else," Kirara added.

"Like I said. Something is off with this place," Kensei said briefly, knowing that she was right. He'd never known Kisuke Urahara as well as Kirara had, but as they were both former Captains, he knew him well enough to know that what she'd said was right.

He just hoped that Aizen wasn't five moves ahead.

"They're going to kill him if they find out what happened," Kirara spoke up again after a moment.

"Probably," Kensei agreed. His eyes then narrowed. "Don't even think about it," he warned, looking down at the woman still sitting cross-legged on the ground. She smiled faintly.

"Think about what?" Kirara's voice was more teasing even as she kept her gaze ahead. Kensei's scowl grew at her feigned ignorance. He knew she was smarter than she let on.

"You know what. We're not involved, so don't go trying to protect the kid," Kensei warned her as he turned and walked away. "We've survived this long by keeping our heads down, and I hate it as much as you do, but it's just how it is," with that, he started to walk away.

"Careful, Kensei," her soft words made him slow. "Or I'll start to think that you worry about me," Kirara grinned, and Kensei cursed as she once again started to tease him.

"You're nothing more than a brat, Yamada," he told her in irritation. Kirara just laughed.

"So I've heard," she said. Kensei rolled his eyes.

"Don't stay out here all night. It's getting cold," he warned.

"What is it with you lot acting like my mother?" Kirara finally angled her head to look around at him. Kensei snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Because we know how much of a disaster you are without constant supervision," with that, he vanished inside. Kirara chuckled, looking ahead once more. The lights of the town shone brightly against the night sky, making it seem far more peaceful than it truly was.

"He's right about that," she had to agree, getting to her feet and dusting herself off. She took another look at the deceptive appearance of the town, before returning inside to try and ignore the looming threat.

Hope you liked it!

I'm away until Monday, so will resume updates around then!