Bleach: Jigoku Files

by Bloody Simpson Chibi

The Shinigami of Soul Society are tasked with keeping the balance of souls in check. But what happens when outside forces work against this balance? Forces that are evil and violent by nature? Forces that push the Shinigami to question everything they've been taught? Forces that feed off horror and fear? Rated M. Alternate continuity from after the Lost Agent Arc

32. Love Hurts

Chapter 32: Love Hurts

(Wonderful. Just wonderful. Fanfiction finally fixed the email situation, only to get a new glitch with the fucking documents. Can't say I'm really fond of losing the work I spent an hour typing up because you can't change a simple fucking page! *sigh* Well, let's just hope that they fix this one real soon.

Anyway, I feel like I should mention that this will be a shorter chapter than most. Not because I don't have a lot to write in here, but because the following events will more or less happen over a single day. Sometimes, it just be like that you know? Honestly, I spent too much time on the other story because of that damn glitch taking away my drive to write. It seems to be gone now but considering that was the SECOND time we had to put up with it and both times lasted a few MONTHS, I really can't say I'm loving this site all that much. Ao3 is looking better and better all the time.

Step up your game, FF. Or you're going to lose us.

Sorry guys, I don't mean to be so negative. I've just been down for a while. You know how it is. There is one positive thing I can say here and that's if you're a Jamie fan, you're gonna be eating real good today!

There! I feel better already. So let's get on with the story before my depression comes back...

The following morning found all 13 Captains of the Seireitei in the meeting hall once again. Yoruichi was there as well, standing beside her former pupil. The air was tense, the silence that had fallen between words deafening. Genryusai's face betrayed a expression of quiet disappointment and rage. It was obvious to anyone who could stand to look at it for more than five seconds that the old man wanted to yell everyone's heads off. But for whatever reason, perhaps simply for the sake of professionalism, he retained his calm as he finally spoke.

"Yoruichi Shihoin," He began. "Let me see if I understand you correctly. According to your testimony as well as the reports from Captains Kuchiki and Hitsugaya, a group of low-level Hollows were somehow able to not only break through the Shakonmaku and intercept your entry into the Senkaimon, but one of them was able to place a seal over the entrance before he was dispatched."

"That's correct, Head Captain." Toshiro reluctantly confirmed. "Despite our best efforts, we haven't been able to break it down. If the Hollow's words were true, then we won't be able to enter the World of the Living until this evening."

"I see," Genryusai's eyes narrowed. "However, that is trifle compared to the more pressing issue. Namely, that fact that you and your fellow captains and lieutenants let a Shin'o Academy student run through the Senkaimon before it was sealed!"

"Not to mention a potential victim of our latest Surrassha to boot," Mayuri chimed in venomously. "Think of all the potential information, the precious data you let slip through your fingers. For shame, Captain Hitsugaya."

"I tried to stop her!" Toshiro defended. "She broke out of my grasp after that turtle Hollow appeared. She managed to slip through the Senkaimon right before it was sealed." He turned to the Head Captain and bowed his head. "I know that is no excuse for my failure in this mission but it is the truth, Head Captain."

Genryusai turned to Byakuya. "Can you vouch for Captain Hitsugaya's words, Captain Kuchiki?"

Byakuya nodded. "We let ourselves get distracted by the Hollows. That is all there is to it."

"But hey! At least all of the Hollows that stayed behind were taken care of so there's one silver lining at least, right?" Shunsui chipped in, hoping to defuse the situation and the personal disappointment of his fellow captains. His desperate attempt to ease the tension in the room died as Genryusai angrily slammed his Zanpakuto down.

"Have you gone mad, Captain Kyoraku?" Genryusai barked. "More than half of the Hollows that intercepted the mission were able to escape back to Hueco Mundo. Hollows which, may I remind you, have clearly demonstrated a loyalty to the one called Michael Myers!"

Poor Shunsui could do nothing but sweat

"Well, to be more specific, they were invading on the orders of another Hollow who plans to use Michael to some end." Yoruichi butted in. "At least, that's what the Hollow I fought told me."

"Lady Yoruichi!" Soifon thought with worry. "What are you doing? You can't just interrupt the Head Captain like that!"

Genryusai turned to Yoruichi, appearing to glare at her for a few moments. Finally, he spoke in a voice that was stern yet calm. "Were you able to get any more information out of the Hollow, Yoruichi Shihoin?"

Yoruichi shook her head sadly. "I really couldn't even begin to guess what a bunch of Hollows want with Michael Myers but considering the circumstances and that fact that he's a Fullbringer, it can't be anything good."

"Do you think they're trying to become his disciples, like the Fredheads?" Retsu asked.

"Somehow, I don't think that's the case." Toshiro said. "From what we've gathered so far on this Myers character, he seems to operate more like Jason did. A mute killing machine in the shape of a human. In fact, aside from his apparent inability to die, he's pretty much indistinguishable from any other human."

"Tsk," Was all that Kenpachi Zaraki added to the conversation.

"Regardless, of what their plans are, the fact is these Hollows know about Michael as well and seem to be wanting to meet up with him." Kensei butted in. "We can't let that happen! We need to send out a search party as soon as possible and destroy him!"

"But what about the girl?" Jushiro spoke up. "That poor child is still out there with that monster! Even worse, if what Captain's Kuchiki and Hitsugaya said are true, then she's trying to reach Michael as well!"

"So?" Kensei said. "If she gets herself killed, it's her own damn fault for trying to take matters into her own hands! This is exactly why you leave things like this to the professionals!"

"How could you be so heartless!?" Jushiro shouted.

"Easy, Jushiro." Shunsui said. "There's no need to get worked up. Don't forget, Ichigo, Rukia and the others in Karakura Town. I'm sure they'll be more than happy to take care of that little girl. She'll be just fine."

"I hope you're right," Jushiro said. Despite having never met this girl personally. Jushiro just couldn't help but fret for her as if she were a child in peril. That's just the kind of man he was.

"That does bring up another disturbing matter about this whole situation," Rose spoke up. "From what our fellow Captains have told us, it would seem this poor girl's memory was somehow affected by Myers."

"That is true," Byakuya confirmed. "She said that she could not remember exactly how she knew of Myers, only that he was the one who killed her."

"Are you sure it isn't just trauma from being killed so violently?" Soifon asked.

Sajin shook his head. "No, both the victims of Krueger and Voorhees were able to clearly recall the details of their demise despite their deaths being so violent." His gaze narrowed. "Whatever is the cause of this memory loss is related to Michael himself."

"The real question is whether or not that girl's the only one with screwed up memories." Shinji said as he turned to Mayuri. "Did your Squad manage to find any of Michael's other victims?"

"Only a handful compared to the turnout for Jason," Mayuri answered. "But plenty nonetheless. My men are interviewing them as we speak. I should have quite a bit more information for you by this evening." Normally, Mayuri would be speaking in a giddy tone at the prospect of his experiments being underway. However, the idea that said experiments might be hampered by memory loss lessened his excitement. "It will be quite troublesome if this memory loss extends to the rest of his victims. That much is for certain."

"I think I've heard enough," Genryusai said. "Firstly, I want last night's mission to be resumed come this evening! Captain Soifon and Komamura as will as their lieutenants will be joining Captain's Kuchiki and Hitsugaya as well as Yoruichi Shinhoin this time in case the Hollows return.

Yoruichi sighed silently to herself as she heard this. Soifon, on the other hand curtly nodded, happy to go on another mission with her beloved former mentor. Yoruichi noticed that shine in Soifon's eyes and a small smile formed on her own lips.

"As for you, Captain Kurotsuichi," Genryusai continued. "You are to contact Kisuke Urahara and tell him of what we intend to do. You will also tell him to keep an eye out for the runaway student."

Mayuri scoffed with a sharp turn of his head. The last thing he wanted to do was waste valuable research time on a idiot like Kisuke Urahara.

"For now, I want all of you to prepare for battle." Genryusai struck his cane again. "There is no telling what the Hollows are planning. In the worst, case scenario, we may have to prepare for a all-out war."

Memories of the battle with the Freddy-worshipping Arrancar flashed in the Captain's heads. Most of them grimaced as the recollection of that apocalyptic battle while others, like Kenpachi savored the memory.

"You are dismissed!" Genryusai shouted with another slam of his cane.

---

Ichigo watched the Sun rise through the clouds that morning. News had gotten out about the attack and classes were canceled for the day as a result. This gave leeway for several classmates or even just fellow students of the school to come and visit Tatsuki. Ichigo decided to give them space and had found himself wandering the Hospital grounds. Every so often, he would think about what his friends were doing and wondered if he should join them. From what he knew, Orihime and Sado were with Tatsuki and her visitors, Riruka and Yukio were still in the latter's room and Uryu and Rukia had joined Kisuke in getting their research in order. He was caught between wanting to join them and wanting to give them space. It was in being lost in these thoughts that he realized how dry his mouth was. As he turned to corner to one of the back entrances to the hospital, he noticed a vending machine.

He went up to the machine, he placed some Yen in the slot and picked out a strawberry soda. He waited for the thump at the bottom of the machine, took the soda out and turned to lean against the machine as he opened it. He took a quick sip and sighed as he recalled what he had told Rukia the night before.

"You're dead, Michael! Mark my words, I'll destroy you myself!"

"And I will," Ichigo whispered to himself. "Just as soon as I find you, you-"

Ichigo was suddenly distracted by the sound of a branch rustling. He turned to his right just as the branches of the tree the noise came from stopped, a few dying leaves falling from it. Ichigo raised an eyebrow as he stared at the tree, debating with himself as to whether or not it was just the wind. That's when he felt a spiritual pressure from the tree and tensed up.

"Spiritual pressure!" He thought. "Is it a Hollow?" He gave himself time to feel it a little better. "No, no if it was a Hollow, it'd be darker. This is definitely a human soul. Could it be a Plus? I better go get my Zan-

Suddenly, the branch snapped and a young woman with long black hair fell screaming from the tree, her arms clasped tightly around the broken branch. She landed with a thud, a single leg kicking in the air while the rest of her body lay sprawled on the ground, her face buried in the dirt. It was like something out of a gag comedy and Ichigo felt himself twitch from the ridiculousness of it all.

"Definitely not a Hollow," He thought, his eyes widening as he noticed her outfit. "Wait a minute! Red and white? Aren't those the colors of the Academy back in Soul Society?"

Groaning in pain, the girl got up from the ground and dusted herself off, wincing as she accidently rubbed the wounds under her clothes. "Gh! Well that was humiliating. I'm just glad that living people can't see me." She looked around, noticing Ichigo but ignoring him as she assumed he was just a normal human completely unaware of her existence. She didn't even notice that he was staring directly at her. "I'm feeling all sorts of strong spiritual pressure around here." She said. "He must be around here somewhere."

"Hey!" Ichigo called out.

"Hmm. It seems a lot of it is coming from inside the hospital." The girl continued as she turned around. "Of course, that could just be Shinigami waiting for people to die so they can perform Konso on them."

"Hey!"

The girl suddenly broke into a panic. "Ahh! What is they already sent someone after me and that's who I'm sensing!? Oh shit! This is bad! Bad! Bad! They're sure to notice me by now!"

"Hey! You in the red and white outfit! I'm talking to you!"

The girl froze, a giant cartoony drop of sweat appearing on her head. Slowly, she turned her head toward Ichigo, only now realizing his intense stare was focused on her. She gulped and looked back and forth in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, there was someone else he was talking to.

No such luck.

Reluctantly, the girl turned back to Ichigo and pointed at herself. "Are...Are you talking to me? Y-You can see me?"

"Well I don't see any other lunatics around here falling out of trees and talking to themselves." Ichigo replied.

The girl blushed deeply as she realized he had seen her fall as well. She started to shake and suddenly, with a cry of half fear and half embarrassment, she pulled out her sword and pointed it at Ichigo. "Stay back!"

"Whoa! Whoa!" Ichigo lifted up his hands. "Put that away! You'll hurt someone!"

"Shut up!" The girl shouted. "M-My name is Jamie Lloyd and I'm a Shinigami! State your name and intentions!" As she said this, she reached inside her robes for her canister of memory replacement pills. Only after she felt her leg beneath the fabric did she realize she had left it at the Academy. "Shit!" She thought.

"Jamie Lloyd?" Ichigo thought. "Wait, it can't be the same girl that Michael...could it?" Ichigo pondered this for a moment, decided he needed to get this girl to the others as fast as possible and figured the best way to accomplish that was to play ball. Slowly, he reached into his pocket.

"H-Hey!" Jamie pointed the sword further in his direction. "Hands where I can see them!"

"Relax, I'm just getting my badge." Ichigo said.

"Y-Your badge? What badge?"

Ichigo pulled out the badge that Jushiro had given him a long time ago. He waited for the girl to recognize the design on it before speaking. "My name is Ichigo Kurosaki and I'm a Substitute Shinigami."

"I-Ichigo!?" Jamie choked. "Y-You're Ichigo Kurosaki!?"

"That's right," Ichigo nodded. "I'm friends with most of the Gotei 13 so there's no reason-

"Thank God!" Jamie dropped her sword and rushed toward Ichigo. Before the ginger teen had a chance to realize what was going on, Jamie suddenly latched onto him, wrapping her arms and legs around his body in a bear hug. "I found you!" She cried into his chest. "I actually found you!"

"I...gah...Yes...I..." Ichigo tried to speak but as the raven-haired girl was crushing his midsection, this proved to be quite a difficult task. It was only when he began to waver and his arms with limp that Jamie realized what she was doing and jumped off of him. "I-I'm sorry! I don't know what came over me!"

"It...It's fine." Ichigo choked out as she reclaimed his breath. The death hug wasn't nearly as bad as Nel's mostly because of how skinny the girl was but it still felt like a vice.

"Ichigo Kurosaki, I've heard so much about you! I know you don't know me or anything but I need your help!" Jamie said. "I'm trying to find a man, or rather a monster, I suppose, that I think is responsible for killing me before. I-I know this must sound crazy but he's been haunting me and-

"This monster," Ichigo said as he drew out one more prolonged breath. "His name wouldn't by chance be Michael Myers, would it?"

Jamie's eyes widened and her lips trembled. "H-How did you know? H-Has Soul Society already sent you after him?"

Ichigo shook his head. "No but he's been killing innocent people around here lately and me and my friends have been looking for him." Ichigo dusted himself off and put the badge back in his pocket. "Listen, you said your name was Jamie Lloyd right?"

"T-That's right." Jamie grew nervous. "Why?"

"Before anything else, I need to ask you, just how much do you remember about Michael? About your human life?"

Jamie opened her mouth to speak, only to close it again as her eyes lowered to the ground. "I...I don't. I don't remember anything! Not my parent's faces. Not my sister's name! I don't remember anything except that Michael killed me. That, I remember so vividly. I..." She started to tear up as the memory of that awful night flooded her mind.

"Memory loss!" Ichigo thought. "Just like Riruka!"

"I-I'm sorry. I know how it sounds but believe me! I know Michael Myers killed me! I-

"I believe you," Ichigo said. "I believe every word you said. Your memory being lost proves it."

"I-It does?" Jamie said. "W-What are you talking about."

"Jamie, go pick up your sword and then come with me inside." Ichigo said with a serious expression on his face. "There's someone I think you should talk to."

---

Loomis gasped out of nowhere This caught the attention of Uryu and Kisuke as they looked up from the notes scattered on the former's desk. "Dr. Loomis, are you alright?"

"I...I feel something..." Loomis looked around desperately. "Something familiar but at that same time, I've never felt it before."

"Huh?" Uryu asked. "What are you talking about, old man?" He grabbed Loomis by the shoulders in an effort to still him. "Stay calm!"

"Dr. Loomis," Kisuke fixed his hat as he spoke. "This familiar feeling you have, would you say it's like a wind seeping through your whole body? To the point where you can't pinpoint exactly where you feel it?"

Loomis gave Kisuke a quizzical look but slowly, he nodded. "Y...Yes...It does."

"I see," Kisuke turned to Uryu. "It would seem that our ghost friend here as learned how to sense spiritual pressure."

"But whose?" Uryu asked. "Is it Ichigo's?"

Loomis looked down, his eyes wild and frightened. "No. It's next to him. It's...so familiar and yet, I can't put my finger on it."

"Kisuke! Uryu!" Rukia popped into the room, having gone out for a drink of water. "Ichigo's come back inside and there's another spiritual presence with him."

"Hmmm." Kisuke waved his fan. "Rukia, why don't you take our friend Loomis out to greet Ichigo and this new arrival. I think the results will be very interesting."

"What are you talking about?" Uryu said. "What if it's a Hollow that's attached itself to Ichigo somehow? What if-

Then he felt the alien spiritual pressure for himself. It was definitely a Shinigami, their Reiatsu small and weak compared to Ichigo's. "Who...Who is that?"

"I must see," Loomis suddenly got up and wobbled toward the door. "I must see who it is," He pushed past Rukia who uttered an undignified "Hey!" as he scampered down the hall.

"Dr. Loomis! Wait!" She rushed after him, catching up to him rather quickly. "Stay behind me! We still don't know who or what this presence is."

"I know it!" Loomis argued. "Whoever it is, I know it. I just can't remember."

Rukia stiffened a little. "I...Is it because of Michael?"

"M...Most likely," Loomis answered. "Perhaps another victim of that damned Fullbring of his!"

"But where would Ichigo-

Before she could finish speaking, the elevator at the end of the wall dinged. Both Rukia and Loomis watched as the twin red doors opened to reveal Ichigo and a black-haired girl clad in a Academy uniform.

"Alright, they should be in this hall somewhere." Ichigo said as he guided the girl out of the elevator.

"I-I can't believe it." The girl whispered. "I-I'm actually in the World of the Living! It's been so long!"

"Those clothes," Rukia whispered. "She's an Academy student! What's she doing here!?"

"Could it be..." Loomis uttered, his eyes transfixed on the girl. Rukia noticed his gaze and watched as he slowly approached the two newcomers. "It...can't be.."

"Dr. Loomis," Rukia spoke. "What's wrong? Do you know that girl?"

"Oh Rukia! Old man!" Ichigo spoke up with his hand raised. "Perfect timing! There's someone you need to meet." He gestured toward the girl to his side. "This is-

"Jamie!" Loomis suddenly shambled toward the girl, giving her quite a shock as he grasped her hand. "Jamie! I-It's you! It's actually you!"

"Eh!" Jamie cried as she tried to pull her hand free. "Let me go!"

"Dr. Loomis! What are you doing!?" Rukia marched up to the doctor, reaching out her hand to pull him back from the frightened girl. "Can't you see you're scaring the poor girl! Let go!"

Before she could grab his collar, however, Ichigo gently grabbed her wrist. She sharply turned to Ichigo and shouted. "What are you doing?"

"Just wait!" Ichigo answered. "Wait and see!"

The two watched as Jamie continued to struggle with Loomis.

"Please Jamie!" Loomis pleaded. "Surely, you must remember me after all this time! After all we went through!"

"I...I don't remember!" Jamie cried as she tried to pull the old man's hand off her wrist. "I don't know you so let go!"

"Try to remember!" Loomis begged. "Think back to your former life! To your childhood!"

"I don't remember my childhood!" Jamie shouted. "I don't remember anything!"

Loomis looked on in sadness and pity as the girl continued to struggle. "I see. So he's taken your memory as well as your life. That monster."

"W-What monster?" Jamie slowed her struggling. "Y-You mean Michael?"

Loomis's eyes shot up and he gripped Jamie's wrist tighter. "I knew it! I knew you remembered! Yes Jamie! That Michael! That very same Michael that took everything from you! That haunted your childhood! Try to remember!"

"I..I can't!" Jamie screamed. "All I remember is my sister and an..." Jamie slowed her movement again as her eyes flew open in realization. "...an old man who tried to protect me..." Jamie stopped struggling and looked down at the old man gripping her arm, tears falling from her eyes. "L...L...Loomis?"

Loomis teared up as well as he placed his other hand on hers. "You've become such a fine young woman, Jamie. Rachel would be proud."

"R-Rachel?" Jamie gasped quietly as that name created new images in her mind, images of a blonde teenage girl comforting her on rainy nights when she was a child. Her quivering lips curved into a smile as she slowly realized that these mental pictures weren't being created, they were always there, hidden under the misty veil of Michael's shadow that now seemed to be dissipating.

Her memories were returning. All because she had met a fellow victim of Michael.

"Loomis!" Jamie fell down and buried her face in his chest as she sobbed. He bent down as well and wrapped his arms around her. The sound of Jamie's muffled crying caused both Uryu and Kisuke to run down the hall.

"What's going on?" Uryu asked as his eyes fell on Jamie. "Who is that girl?"

"That uniform," Kisuke whispered. "She's an academy student!"

"She's more than that," Ichigo said "Guys, this is Jamie Lloyd. Michael's niece."

Rukia, Uryu and Kisuke gasped in shock. "Michael's...niece?" Rukia asked.

"Huh?" Kisuke squinted his eyes as the crying girl momentarily lifted up her face. At once, he recognized it from the articles he had saved. "Well I'll be damned. It really is her!"

"But what is she doing here now of all times?" Uryu asked as he approached her. "And why is she wearing an academy uniform?" Before he could pull her up by the shoulder to ask her, Ichigo suddenly got up and stopped him. "Ichigo, what are you-

"Not yet," Ichigo said. "They'll be plenty of time to question her later. But for right now," He turned toward Jamie and Loomis. "Let them have their moment."

Uryu also looked toward the old man and the raven-haired girl and realized what Ichigo was getting at. Thus, he stepped back and watched with the rest of them as Jamie and Loomis cried into each other's arms.

---

"Here," Orihime chirped as she handed the paper-thin cup of water to Jamie. "This should help."

"T-Thank you," Jamie carefully took the cup, studied the water inside for a moment and took a sip. It was surprisingly cool for hospital water and she ended up finishing it on her second sip. "Thank you." She repeated as she handed the empty cup to Orihime who smiled sweetly as she took the cup back.

After she and Loomis both managed to calm down, Ichigo and the other brought the both of them to a room in the far back of the hallway, far away from any of the patients or staff. Before long, they were joined two more of Ichigo's friends, Sado and Orihime. There were no beds in this room but there were chairs, enough for all of them. They had arranged the chairs in a circle and began to take their seats. This prompted Jamie to stiffen up as she realized they were going to be asking her what she knew about Michael.

And now that she mostly had her memories back, she knew quite a bit.

Ichigo was just about to take his seat when he noticed the chair next to him empty. He looked to the doorway to see Kisuke standing in it, looking at his Denreishinki which was ringing. "Something wrong, Kisuke?" He asked.

"Huh?" Kisuke turned to him and then back to his Denreishinki. "It's Squad 12." He explained. "And from the persistence of their ringing, it sounds like it might be important. Sorry, but I gotta take this."

"But Kisuke,"

"Let me know how it goes!" Kisuke waved as he left the room, the Denreishinki already in his ear. "Well if it ain't my good friend Mayuri!"

Ichigo sighed as he heard Mayuri scream on the other end of the line at Kisuke for being so familiar with him and closed the door. "Okay, so I guess we're all accounted for." He took his seat and crossed his arms. "Alright Jamie, I know this might be hard but we need to to tell us everything you can about Michael Myers."

Jamie's heart pounded as she heard her uncle's name. Just the mere fact that that murderer, that thing, was related to her already chilled her soul. "I...I don't know if I can..."

"Don't be afraid, Jamie." Loomis said. "I've been around these people long enough to tell you they're good people." He clasped her hand. "They might be the only ones that can stop Michael's evil once and for all! To make sure that no one else has to go through what you went through. So trust in them!"

Jamie hesitated for a moment but nodded. "O...Okay. Although it's very confusing, having my memories back after all this time. "I...I'm not sure where to begin..."

"Just start from the beginning," Uryu said. "When Michael first entered your life."

Jamie stiffened at the mention of her uncle's name yet again. She gave herself a few seconds to loosen up and began. "W...Well...When I was a child, my mother, my birth mother mind you, got into a car accident. She didn't make it. I was really young then, too young to remember her voice very well. I...I did have a picture of her I kept with me after they moved me out but...but that part is still a little fuzzy." She scratched her head a little, trying to recall her mother's face, wanting to recall her mother's face. When she couldn't, she gave up and continued with her recollection. "After a few weeks in the orphanage, I was put into a foster family."

"The Carruthers right?" Ichigo asked.

Jamie nodded. "They were a really nice family. They treated me like one of their own. Even their daughter Rachel was kind. She took me in like a little sister. We got along really well. Honestly, even now, I just can't help but think of her as my true sister, you know?"

Ichigo and Orihime nodded as they could understand the feeling. Rukia did as well, thinking back to her brother back in Soul Society.

"When did you find out that your uncle was Michael Myers?" Uryu asked.

"Actually, in a weird way, I've always known," Jamie confessed. "See, even back then, the kids at school would tease me about my mother being dead, saying that my uncle was the Boogeyman. I never understood exactly why they would say that or how they found out but I had to put up with that every day."

"How awful," Orihime said.

"Children can be quite cruel," Loomis spoke.

"Then there were the nightmares." Jamie continued. "More often than I'd like to admit, I would have these terrible dreams of a man in a white expressionless mask coming after me. They were so intense that I would end up in the closet, curled up into a ball until Rachel or my foster parents got me."

"That's terrible," Sado spoke up. "A little child shouldn't have to go through that."

"Yeah it was really terrible but at least Rachel and them were always there to cheer me up, to reassure me that they were only dreams. And they were. They were only dreams," Jamie's hopeful expression soured as she looked down at the floor. "At least until one Halloween."

"What happened?" Ichigo asked.

"I...It started with me seeing him at the store were Rachel took me to get my costume." Jamie explained. "Somehow, I was the only one to notice he was even there at all. After a while, I thought maybe I'd imagine the whole thing and I tried to get on with my Halloween, you know." She sighed. "But then...then Dr. Loomis came to us with the sheriff and brought us to the sheriff's house. There were cops everywhere and the power was out. No one would tell us anything, only that we had to stay inside the house until it was safe."

Ichigo turned to Loomis to see if he had any side of the story to share and he seemed to anticipate this as he spoke at once. "The night before, Michael was being transferred back to Smith's Grove after spending a decade at Ridgemont in a comatose state. That was ten years after I nearly killed him, ten years after he had tried to kill Jamie's mother."

Jamie stiffened once again.

"Those fools thought they were dealing with just another crazie. Just another mortal man off his rocker and they paid for that mistake with their lives!" Loomis began to shake. "I-I tried to stop Michael from reaching Haddonfield because I knew he would go after Jamie but I failed. By the time I was able to warn the sheriff,...Michael had already slaughtered the entire police station, crippling our forces!"

No one gasped at Loomis's story for they had already heard about the massacre from the articles. That didn't make having to hear the details again any less disturbing.

"After a lynch mob formed and searched for Michael, we searched for Jamie and Rachel and brought them to the sheriff's house in the hopes that they would be safer." Loomis looked down with an expression of regret. "Oh how foolish we were."

"Was Michael able to find his way into the house?" Rukia asked.

Loomis nodded. "Somehow, he was able to slip into the house right as I left to find him. He killed several more people and nearly got to Rachel and Jamie."

"I still remember that time," Jamie took over. "I remember Rachel falling from the roof after Michael nearly stabbed her and me begging her not to be dead as she lay on the ground." Tears flowed from her eyes and she wiped them. "Loomis found me soon afterward, took me to the school to protect me but Michael followed us there." She sniffled. "Thankfully, Rachel followed us as well. She fended Michael off and the mob picked us up afterward, ready to take us out of Haddonfield. It seemed like the nightmare was finally over." Jamie stopped to wipe her eyes once more. "W-We were wrong of course, Michal ended up hitching a ride with us. Took out pretty much everyone except for me and Rachel and that's only because she sent him flying into a field with the truck." She gripped her head. "The last thing I remember clearly from that night was walking toward Michael as he laid there. I...I..."

"Once we got Jamie away, the police force from the other town as well as the survivors of the lynch mob gunned Michael down a mine shaft." Loomis continued. "They even tossed some dynamite down there after him for good measure."

"Dynamite!?" Ichigo shouted. "Isn't that a little overkill?"

"Considering it was Michael? Probably not." Loomis mentioned.

Ichigo sighed as he considered that Loomis had a point.

"Anyway, we brought Jamie back to her home, thinking the nightmare was over. I even let myself think for just the tiniest moment that Michael was really and truly gone." As Jamie before him, Loomis gained a hopeful smile that died out on his face as he recalled what happened next. Then...then we heard the scream."

"Jamie's?" Rukia asked.

Jamie shook her head as tears trickled freely down her cheeks. "My mother. My foster mother." She buried her face in her hands and started to cry. "And...And I was the one who hurt her!"

"What!?" Ichigo asked. "What do you mean?"

"I...I...sta..."

"She stabbed her." Loomis finished the sentence simply. "She donned a clown mask and stabbed her foster mother as she was running a bath for her."

Everyone gasped with Orihime covering her mouth. Jamie lowered her head in shame, her face buried in her hands as she cried. "Jamie...killed her foster mother?" Uryu asked.

Loomis shook his head. "Thankfully, she survived. But even now, I can still hear that scream. I...I can still see Jamie on the top of the stair case, wearing that damned mask and holding a bloody knife, her eyes the same dead shade as that demon Michael!"

Everyone was taken aback, most of all Ichigo. The articles that did discuss Jamie's life never made any mention of her attempting to kill her foster mother. As Ichigo looked up toward the crying girl, however, he couldn't help but feel pity in place of fear. "Jamie..." He asked. "Be honest. Do you remember doing it? Do you remember attacking your foster mother?"

Jamie shook her head. "I...I don't remember it when it happened." She whimpered. "I..I would only recall bits and pieces in my nightmares afterward. It was like I was in some sort of trance. I...I wasn't sure what was even happening at that moment until I find myself on those stairs and I was covered in bl..." She stopped speaking, the words stuck in her throat like thorns.

"Dr. Loomis," Rukia spoke up. "Is it possible Michael...someone possessed Jamie temporarily? Maybe broke a piece of his soul off and passed it to her?"

"I suppose that's one way to put it." Loomis said. "Or it could be that as Jamie was Michael's final remaining blood relative and she was so young back then that her soul had an adverse reaction to her Uncle's Fullbring."

"F-Fullbring?" Jamie sniffled. "What are you guys talking about?"

Loomis shook his head and grabbed Jamie's hand. "I know this is hard to relive the terror that Michael put you through and I promise to explain everything on our end after you finished but you must finish your tale Jamie." He said. "Things will be easier to explain that way."

Ichigo, who had his mouth open in order to explain Fullbringers to Jamie, decided that Loomis had a point and closed his mouth. Jamie looked into Loomis's eyes for a few more moments, nodded and dried her tears before continuing. "Everything got worse after that. I was taken to a foster home and I'd lost my ability to talk. I would have constant nightmares about that night but no matter how scared I was, I could never scream. Somehow, that made it all the worse." She paused and asked for another cup of water which Orihime was more than happy to oblige. After finishing the cup, Jamie continued. "Rachel would visit me constantly though. Loomis too. So I was never completely alone." A small smile appeared on Jamie's lips as she recalled Rachel's friend sneaking in her dog Max. It died almost as soon as it appeared, however, as she recalled the angry letter thrown through her window wrapped around stones. "But there were people in the town who knew about what happened. T-They were scared of me."

Loomis grunted as he recalled those times as well. "By then, Michael had Haddonfield in his fearful grip. Even with him gone, the fear of what he did still lingered and people projected that fear onto Jamie."

"How awful," Rukia whispered. While she could understand the human need for a scapegoat, that didn't justify the townspeople's actions toward Jamie, especially considering she was just a little girl. Ichigo felt the same way.

"But Michael wasn't gone, was he?" Uryu asked. "He came back."

"Uryu!" Ichigo shouted. While he understood Uryu was just trying to move things along, that didn't justify him putting it so bluntly. However, Loomis seemed to understand for he continued on without a moment's hesitation.

"It's true. Michael did come back for Jamie that Halloween night and killed just about everyone he came across." He turned to Jamie again." Including Rachel and her friends."

Jamie uttered a sob as she finding Rachel's body in the attic that horrible night.

"And as much as I would rather not remind myself of such indignities, I must confess that I wasn't exactly of right mind at that time. The constant fear of Michael's return had driven me mad as well. All I cared about was destroying that monster once and for all." Loomis gaze turned quietly regretful.

"What...What did you do?" Rukia asked.

"I...I used Jamie as bait to lure Michael into a trap of my own design." Loomis confessed. "I had brought her to his own home, waiting until he was close enough and sent a heavy net down upon him. Then I beat him into unconsciousness with a large piece of wood. The strain was so great that I suffered a heart attack in the process." It seemed as if Loomis was returning to his crazed state as his eyes went wild and he began to chuckle to himself. Orihime, Uryu and Sado all stiffened, unprepared for such a switch of tension on the room

"You crazy bastard!" Ichigo got up and picked Loomis up by his collar. "What would have happened if he had killed her!?"

"Ichigo!" Rukia shouted.

"Please stop!" Jamie added. "It was the only way!"

"And it worked!" Loomis said in a almost mocking tone. "They arrested Michael and were preparing to send him to a maximum security prison for the rest of his life!" He crackled. "It would have been the end if not...if not..." Loomis's manic cackling ceased as he smile died. His eyes darkened once again from those of a crazed old man to that of a broken solider fighting a war all by himself.

"If not for the Cult of Thorn, right?" Ichigo finished. "If not for that bastard Wynn!"

"That...That's right." Loomis nodded. "Wynn was there at the time although I did not know it. He was waiting for the perfect opportunity to take Michael and Jamie and he seized his chance at the prison they were keeping him. I...I was in the hospital at the time, completely unaware of what was happening." Loomis closed his eyes with a whine as tears fell through his eyelids. "If only I had known...If only I had been there..."

"It wouldn't have made a difference." Jamie butted in. "The Man in...Wynn was too strong. He shot out the entire station by himself and then freed Michael. Not only that but he didn't come alone. T-There wouldn't have been anything anyone could do."

"S-So it's true?" Orihime asked. "They...They kidnapped you?"

Jamie stared at Orihime for a few moments, not wanting to relive her experiences as a prisoner of the Cult of Thorn. But in her hear, she knew that doing so was the only way to press forward, to hopefully find a way to destroy Michael for good. She uttered a heavy sigh and nodded. "It's true. Wynn kidnapped both me and my Uncle that night and for the last six years of my normal life, I was kept prisoner. The things they did to me there, what I saw them do to people...I...I don't even want...I can't..." Tears flowed her eyes as she realized she wasn't strong enough to relive her trauma after all. "Dammit!" She thought. "Why? I've grown stronger since the day I died. I've trained so hard to get even better than I was. And yet, and yet I can't even speak about...damn...damnit! I can't even think about it! Why am I so weak!? Why-

Jamie felt a pair of arms wrap around he, followed by the sensation of warm breast pressing against her shoulder. She snapped back to reality and realized that Orihime had gotten out of her seat to hug her. "It's okay," The orange haired girl whispered in her ear. "You don't have to relive those horrible years. We can skip ahead to the end." She picked her head up and met Jamie's stunned gaze. "Then you can start finding better memories to keep."

Jamie quietly gasped as she realized just how much like Carrie Orihime looked as she smiled back at her. With a sniffle, she wiped her tears and nodded. "O-Okay I will. Thank you."

Orihime closed her eyes with a smile and returned to her seat. Jamie took a few more moments to recompose herself and continued. "The-The point was that the Cult kept me and Michael prisoner for six years. Then, about nine months before the night I died, they artificially impregnated me."

"Impregnated you?" Ichigo shouted.

"Artificially?" Rukia asked. "Is that even possible?"

"It is," Uryu said as he fixed is glassed. "With certain concoctions, it's perfectly possible for a human woman to be made pregnant without help from a man."

"Unbelievable!" Rukia replied. "But why would the Cult of Thorn want you to have a baby?"

"The Ultimate Sacrifice," Loomis butted in. "That baby was to be Michael's final victim so that the curse could be completed and transferred into a new host." Loomis shook his fist. "At least, that's what those maniacs believed would happen."

"But we know better," Rukia said. "There's no such thing as a Curse of Thorn, just the Heart of Darkness. Which means..

"They would have killed that baby for nothing." Ichigo tensed up. Just the mere thought of what the Cult of Thorn was trying to accomplish filled him with rage.

"H-Heart of Darkness?" Jamie asked. "I don't understand."

"You will soon," Loomis promised. "Finish your story and I will explain everything."

Jamie nodded, wanting to understand this "Heart of Darkness" and what it had to do with Michael as fast as possible. "There's isn't much to say after that though. I spent the last nine months of my life in a special room, in a hospital bed. Somehow, they had enticed actual doctors and nurse's into the cult and they looked after me and the baby." She rubbed her stomach. "I still remember what it felt like having a new life grow in me. Even though I didn't chose him, I...I ended up falling in love all the same. Mother's instinct I suppose."

Ichigo nodded, thinking back to his own mother.

"Near the end, I decided I wanted to escape the cult with him. Luckily for me, one of the nurses had a change of heart about being a member and agreed to help me and the baby escape. I had to wait until they delivered him and marked him but soon afterward, she snuck him back to me and I was able to hold him in my arms for the first time." Jamie produced tears yet again. Only these were tears of happiness as she remembered the way her baby cooed. She couldn't believe that she had forgotten all about him and her dread returned as she recalled the reason why. "But then, he showed up."

"Michael." Ichigo stated.

"Yes. He killed the nurse and then went after me. To this day, I don't know if he had been sent after me by the cult or if he was just doing it himself but either way, he chased out of the compound and beyond. It was a dark, stormy night and I did everything I could to keep my baby from Michael. I even called for help on the radio but no one was around to actually do anything. I...I realized that I was going to die that night. And once I did, the cult could do whatever they wanted with my baby." Jamie's voice betrayed a tone of regret as she spoke.

"W-What did you do?" Orihime asked.

"F-First I hid my baby at a bus station I came across. Somewhere that wouldn't be easy to find for that monster. I had to do it quickly because Michael was still following me but I left as soon as I had convinced myself he was safe. At least, as much as I could convince myself at the time. Then it was a matter of leading that monster away from my baby. Before long, I found myself in an old barn. It was barren, save for some farming equipment." Jamie sniffled again. "I tried to hide but that bastard already snuck inside before I could even try. He caught me and...and..."

"Stop." Ichigo said. "You don't need to go into detail. I think we can assume that's when he killed you, right?"

Jamie nodded with a sadden gasp. "T-That's where the memories that weren't affected began. The first thing I remember was being surrounded by these monsters...Hollows...laughing and talking about how they were going to devour me. I...I was so terrified. But then they showed up. The Shinigami. They slayed those monsters as I watched and sent me to Soul Society and...well I guess you can figure out the rest." Jamie sighed and fixed herself in her seat. "Anyway, that's my story."

"I'm sorry for everything that happened to you," Uryu spoke. "I can only imagine how that must have felt, spending your childhood in fear of your own flesh and blood.

"I'm still having a little bit of trouble accepting that he's really my Uncle." Jamie said. "I mean, I guess I always had a clue in the visions."

"Visions?" Sado asked.

"W-Well you see, ever since I became a Shinigami, I've always suffered visions of Michael. Sometimes they're dreams. Sometimes they're attempts at Jinzen. But every time I close my eyes, it's like I'm right back in that barn, just waiting to be killed by him all over again. Then the D.A.C.U posted notices with Michael's face and name and I lost it. I had to find out the truth, even if it meant getting in trouble with the school. So I ran away to come here, to confront my demons and to find out why that man had been haunting me all this time."

"While I can't condone leaving the school on such grounds, I understand where you're coming from," Rukia said. "At least now, you can say you have your answers."

"Not all of them," Jamie said. "I have my memories back, painful as they are, and I'm glad for that. But that doesn't explain why I lost my memories in the first place. I mean, I suppose I could try to chalk it down to trauma but I've heard fellow students talk about their deaths as if they were only minor inconveniences. Hell, in Kido class I sit next to a guy who goes by Flapjack because he was flattened by an 18 Wheeler. He came up with that name himself!"

Ichigo sweatdropped. "Well, there's a guy to takes things in stride."

"There's more to my memory loss than just trauma and I'll bet it has to do with those strange words you people mentioned." She turned to Loomis with an almost accusatory glare. "Right?"

Loomis said nothing at first, just silently meeting Jamie's gaze with a saddened expression on his face. The ghost of the old man lowered his head. "You are correct."

"I've told you everything I can so now it's your turn." Jamie said. "Tell me about Michael. Tell me about the Heart of Darkness!"

The room went silent. Everyone felt a chill of dread creep through their bodies, knowing what was coming next. None of them wanted to be here for the fallout as they still remembered Riruka's breakdown upon realizing she had forgotten her friend Dawn. They knew it had to pass, Jamie had to know but it would not be an painless task.

After what seemed like a day's worth of silence, Loomis began to speak.

He first explained what a Fullbringer was and how they came to be, using the opportunity to make Jamie privy to the two unusual spiritual pressures in the hospital. Once she was able to grasp the concept, he explained that Michael was a Fullbringer himself that had been using his abilities subconsciously for all these years. Finally, he explained what he had learned in Dr. Wynn's office on that fateful night and how he experienced the true evil of the Heart of Darkness for himself. As Jamie listened intently, she felt her own sense of dread grow as she slowly came to understand the true gravity of the situation.

"So you see, The Heart of Darkness is the reason why Michael cannot die like a mortal man." Loomis spoke. "It's also the reason why you lost your memories."

"W-Wait!" Jamie held her hands up. "None of this makes any sense! You're saying that Michael can control time itself?"

"To an extant, yes." Loomis confirmed.

"And...And that the reason I lost my memories is because he used that ability to rewrite the timeline to bring my mother back to life to kill her?"

"That...That is the case."

Jamie began to tremble. "That...That's bullshit!" Jamie stood up from her chair, scraping the legs across the floor as she did so. "Y-You can't possibly expect me to believe in such nonsense!"

"Jamie, Please calm down." Rukia shouted but was ignored.

"I know it's hard to accept but it is the truth." Loomis replied. "Michael rewrote history to bring your mother back in a new life so he could have another chance to end it himself."

"That doesn't make any sense!" Jamie screeched. "If Mom was given a brand new life where the car accident didn't even happen, wouldn't I have gone with her? Wouldn't I have stopped existing?"

"B-But Jamie!" Loomis spoke. "Your soul had already gone to the other side and the Heart of Darkness at its current power can only affect the World of the Living. When it activated, you were already safe from its effects."

"So what are you trying to say?" Jamie cursed. "That my life in the World of the Living just got erased? Just like that?"

"That...I'm afraid that is the case, Jamie." Loomis looked down in sorrow as he tented his fingers.

"...Show me."

"W-What?"

"Show me proof that this all happened. You mentioned articles right? Articles from both of the timelines? Well I want to see them! Now!"

"Jamie, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not? Everyone else got to look at the articles talking about my life!" Jamie tapped her chest hard enough to make a slapping sound as she gestured to herself. "So why can't I?"

"Hey calm down already!" Ichigo got up from his chair. Rukia follow suit.

"Ichigo! Don't escalate the situation!" But once again, her words went unheeded.

"I know you're upset and considering everything, you have every right to be, but the last thing you need is to lose your head over this!"

Jamie glared at Ichigo and offered a dry laugh. "I...I know you did not just say that to me! Lose your head?" Another dry chuckle. "I didn't take you for the morbid comedy type."

"Please!" Orihime begged. "Let's not fight! We need to work together!" Sado didn't say anything but did hold his hands up with Orihime, clearly trying to help her cause.

"You know what I meant," Ichigo argued. "We're trying to help you!"

"Then get me those articles!" Jamie screamed. "Let me see it for myself!"

"If you wish," Uryu's voice suddenly broke into the conversation. All eyes turned to the doorway where the young Quincy stood. In the time that everyone else had broke into an argument, he had gone back to his father's office to retrieve the folder with all the articles inside. He tossed the folder to Jamie who scrambled a bit to catch it but succeeded.

"Uryu," Ichigo spoke. "Wait! Are you sure this is-

"She's right." Uryu interrupted as he stepped back inside. "It's her life so she deserves to see the truth for herself." He sat back into his seat. "Even if it hurts."

Ichigo and the others fell silent as they watched Jamie dig feverishly through the folder. The papers scattered across the floor as she tore it open, her eyes frantically scanning the headlines. The first few she recognized as being about her and the two nights of terror Michael inflicted on her.

HADDONFIELD BOOGEYMAN RETURNS FOR ORPHANED NIECE

MICHAEL MYERS: DEAD OR ALIVE?

ENTIRE POLICE FORCE SLAIN BY LEGENDARY MANIC

NOTORIOUS KILLER VANISHES FROM PRISON, LEAVES SEVERAL DEAD IN HIS WAKE

Jamie grimaced as she pushed the memories of that night out of her head and continued to searched through the articles. As the dates climbed into the 90's she was shocked to see her mother's name reappear in the text as well as the headlines Even more confusing and disheartening, however, was the mentions of Michael.

LEGENDARY SERIAL KILLER RETURNS AFTER 20 YEARS!

LOCAL COLLAGE PROFESSOR IS ACTUALLY SISTER TO DERANGED MANIAC, THOUGHT TO BE DEAD FOR 20 YEARS

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH JOHN TATE, ONLY CHILD OF MICHAEL MYERS SURVIVOR LAURIE STRODE

"N...No..." Jamie teared up as she read through these articles. "Michael was in Haddonfield before that...how can they just...only child..." A new set of tears formed in her eyes and trickled down her face as she continued shifting through the papers. They met at her chin and fell as droplets onto the paper, turning the white spaces between the words and pictures a dark grey. "No...it...it can't be real..."

Seeing how she was on the verge of a breakdown. Everyone got up from their seats and sat closer to Jamie on the floor. Loomis crawled on his hands and knees toward Jamie as she continue to madly shuffle through the pictures. "Jamie..."

"Why..." Jamie's voice cracked. "Why did they stop mentioning Haddonfield? They're acting like Michael didn't attack back in 1998, why!? Why are they just pretending that attack never happened? That those people weren't all killed? Why?"

"Because to them, they never were," Loomis said. "The killings in '98 and '99, they simply didn't happen in the new timeline Jamie. And neither did the Cult of Thorn." He placed a shaky hand on Jamie's shoulder. "Michael erased it all Jamie. All to bring your mother back."

"B..But how?" Jamie cried. "If souls go to Soul Society and this power only affect the World of the Living, how could he bring her back?"

"Her soul must have still been here all this time," Loomis said. "That's the only explanation I could think of."

Jamie's lips quivered. "And Rachel? W-What about her? Wh-What if she didn't make it to Soul Society before then, huh?" She sniffled.

Loomis could only stare at Jamie, his eyes sorrowful and his mouth agape with horror. He screwed up his face, clearly not trying to break down as well for her sake and looked down. Jamie's eyes widened and her mouth fell agape as well as a horrible implication came to her. She mouthed "no" and shook her head as she realized that, had he answered, this would have been Loomis's preposed answer. As if looking for some sort of rebuttal, she looked up desperately at the people surrounding her but found no answers. Only quiet and mournful looks of pity.

"No...No...Rachel...Rachel!" Jamie began to sob uncontrollably, her mournful howls echoing through the halls. Orihime, already on the verge of tears herself, scooted behind Jamie and opened her arms to hug her but Jamie, feeling Orihime moving closer, turned around and buried her face into the orange-haired girl's chest, her hands wrapping around her waist. Unable to hold her own tears back any longer, Orihime wept as she wrapped her arms around Jamie, her left hand cupping the back of her head.

No one else said a word. No one needed to. Out in the hallways, the mournful cries of both girls echoed like phantoms.

---

"Okay, so I got some good news for once. The Soul Society is sending backup." Kisuke announced

Kisuke had returned to the group about 30 minutes after Jamie read the articles. By then, the raven-haired girl, while still weeping bitterly, was able to explain what Uryu had done for her, insisting it was her fault for fear he might get reprimanded. Of course, Kisuke had no such intention and even thanked Uryu for letting Jamie confirm the truth for herself. He did ask for help in sorting the papers back in order which Ichigo, Uryu and Sado helped him do. Once everything was back in the folder, he made his announcement with as cheery a demeanor as possible.

Unfortunately, his efforts were wasted on the group, least of all Jamie. Upon realizing this, he awkwardly cleared his throat and continued.

"That was Mayuri I just got off the phone with." He explained. "As we speak, they're preparing to send a team of four captains and lieutenants to Karakura Town to help search for Michael. Our dear friend Mayuri's already gotten quite a lot of Michael's former victims at his barracks and said he'd send me the findings later." He fixed his hat. "It looks like things are finally looking up for us."

"When will they be here?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes, by all rights they should have been here by now?' Rukia added. "Why wait?"

"Well, as it turns out, they were going to come sooner, last night as a matter of fact. But there was an unforeseen occurrence, one that might bode bad news for us."

"What do you mean, Mr. Urahara?" Loomis asked.

"It would appear a band of Hollows somehow managed to break through the Shakomaku and intercept the Shinigami right as they were going to enter the Senkaimon. They even had a few Menos with them."

Jamie gulped as she recalled the look the Menos gave her and the others that night, cold and lifeless, like she were nothing but an insect in the way.

"Is everyone alright?" Ichigo asked. "Did anybody get hurt?"

"Calm yourself, Ichigo." Kisuke warned. "There's no need to get excited. The Hollows that failed to escape before reinforcements arrived were taken care of. However, shortly before being dispatched, one of them used its power to create an undestroyable barrier over the Senkaimon, keeping the captains from completing their mission. From what I've been told, it had a time limit of about 24 hours so they won't be able to send help until that time has passed."

"You've got to be kidding!" Ichigo grunted in frustration. "If only they had been able to come sooner, then maybe Tatsuki and the others would have..."

"And this was a low-level Hollow?" Rukia asked. "Not even an Adjuchas?"

"Just a Hollow with the world's strongest barrier as its power." Kisuke said.

"That's quite troublesome," Uryu agreed. "But if the barrier is just going to disappear anyway and Soul Society is going on with their mission then I fail to see how this affects us as bad news aside from timing."

"Well, that has to do more with the reason why the Hollows intercepted the mission in the first place." Kisuke replied. "Apparently, one of them let slip that their leader was interested in Michael Myers."

Everyone gasped aside from Jamie whose frown just grew larger.

"T-The Hollows know about Michael?" Rukia asked fretfully. "How?"

"What do they want with him?" Uryu asked as well. "Is it the Heart of Darkness?"

"I don't know," Kisuke said. "But whatever the reason, it can't be good. That makes it all the more urgent that we kill Michael as soon as possible."

"Evil seeks evil." Loomis whispered loud enough for the others to hear. "It happened in Smiths Grove and its happening again. Evil seeks evil."

"Calm down, old man." Sado said. "The captains are really strong. The lieutenants as well. Everything will be ok." He gave a thumbs up to back up his comforting claim. Although no one would say it out loud, everyone aside from Loomis and Orihime thought the gesture was super lame.

"There's something else I feel I should mention," Kisuke continued. "Apparently, in the midst of all the chaos, a young girl managed to slip through the Senkaimon before it was sealed." His eyes fell toward Jamie. "One wearing the Academy uniform."

Jamie stiffened as all eyes fell on her. She realized this fact rather quickly as well, her facing flushing with shame.

"You didn't tell us that!" Rukia shouted.

"I..It didn't seem important." Jamie knew as soon as the words left her mouth that it was the wrong thing to say.

"Not important!" Rukia screeched. "Soul Society was invaded by Hollows and you think that's not important!?"

"I-I'm sorry!" Jamie fell to the ground, bowing toward Rukia. "I-I was just scared. They tried to stop me and I..."

"It's all right," Kisuke said. "After Mayuri and I finished with all the D.A.C.U business, Yoruichi spoke with me."

"Y-Yoruichi?" Jamie asked. "Y-You mean the ebony girl that hangs with the Captains right?"

Kisuke nodded. "She explained everything. How you tried to stand your own against the Hollows and how you wanted to go with them to find the answers to your past."

Jamie sniffled. "I...I'm in a lot of trouble, aren't I?"

"Well, I think its safe to say that a punishment would be unavoidable at this point." Kisuke confessed. "But, more than anything, they're just worried about you, a scared and inexperienced student in the World of the Living all by herself." Kisuke smiled. "You wanna know what Yoruichi said when I told her that we had found you?"

Jamie gasped. She supposed she should have figured that Kisuke would tell them she was here. Not it made her feel any better. "W-What?"

Kisuke chuckled. "She said; I'm so glad to hear that. You better not be doing anything suspect with her Kisuke!" He chuckled again and to her own surprise, Jamie joined him.

"Y-You mean it?" Jamie asked through her laugh. "I-I can't believe it! To think that a captain-level Shinigami would be worried about my well-being."

"What's so hard to believe?" Ichigo asked. "Yoruichi's strong and kind of a trickster but she's also real kind. She even helped me obtain my Bankai when I really needed it." Ichigo placed a hand on Jamie's shoulder. "Most of the other captains are the same. They're strong but kind. They're our allies."

"Ichigo," Jamie grabbed Ichigo's hand. "What was I thinking?" She thought. "Even if the captains are on a whole other level than me, they're still on the same team. We're all the good guys!" Jamie shuddered when she recalled that Mayuri Kurotsuichi was also among the captains. "Well, most of us anyway." She turned to Kisuke and said. "Okay, be honest with me, am I going to have to go back once they come?"

Kisuke opened and closed his fan. "That's hard to say. Yoruichi's actually the only one who knows you're here and I'd imagine she'd keep it to herself. However, we won't be able to hide you from the others once they arrive and I'm certain they'll want to take you back to the academy where it's safe."

"Oh," Jamie lowered her gaze to the floor. "I see."

"The real question," Kisuke continued as he pointed his fan toward Jamie. "Is what you intend to do."

J-Jamie sat upright in surprise at Kisuke pointing at her. "M-Me?"

"Officially, I'm not a member of the Gotei 13 anymore." Kisuke said. "Therefore, I have no obligation to just hand you over on a silver platter to the captains when they arrive." Kisuke turned to Ichigo and his friends. "The same applies for these guys and talking from past experience, I don't think Ichigo would be willing to let you go without a fight if you really didn't want to."

"That's right," Ichigo agreed as he turned to Jamie. "Michael Myers took your life away. Not just by killing you but by taking everything else away first. You have more right then anyone to help bring him down for good." He stepped closer. "Of course, if you want to go back, we won't stop you either. But the choice has to be yours. So what do you say?"

"Ichigo, I..." Jamie was at a loss for words. It all had happened so fast. She came to this world looking for answers and found far more than she could have ever imagined for better and for worse. The image of Michael in her dreams returned to her head and she shuddered. "I...I'm so scared..." She confessed as her body trembled. "I'm so scared to face Michael again..."

"Jamie..." Loomis said sadly. He was about to stress that she didn't need to join the fight when she suddenly clenched her fist.

"And I'm sick of it!" She shouted. "I'm sick of not being able to dream without screaming in the middle of the night!" I'm sick of shuddering whenever I'm near the dark. I'm sick of hearing voices when I'm alone and I'm sick of Michael's face tormenting me in my own mind!" She gripped her head as she said this. "I'm scared. Beyond scared. But if I don't help somehow. If I don't confront this monster, I...I'll never be able to find peace!"

"So what will you do?" Kisuke asked even as he could very well see the answer and Jamie turned sharply to him, her eyes ablaze with determination.

"I'll confront the captains myself and make them understand that I have to do this!" She declared. "I can't go back until Michael is gone for good!"

Kisuke smiled, unable to take his eyes off of her glare. It was just like Ichigo's when he set his eyes on something. "Well, that's your answer."

"And we'll back you up." Ichigo promised. Sado nodded and Orihime hugged Jamie. The whole room seemed to be in an joyful uproar, a complete turn-around from the sullen pocket of silence it was just under an hour ago.

"By the way," Uryu asked. "When will the Shinigami get here?"

"Later this evening," Kisuke answered. "I already told them to meet us at this hospital."

"I see," Uryu said. "Should we do anything to prepare for their arrival?"

"Let's just get all our findings of ol Michael in order." Kisuke said as he turned to leave the room. "And be prepared for anything."

Uryu watched as Kisuke walked done the hall, feeling disgruntled. "Even that may not be enough this time." He whispered.

---

Soon after Kisuke's announcement, Jamie was led to a room near the end of another hall by Uryu. It was mostly empty save for a single bed and a window to the right of it. As Jamie looked out of it, see could see the same tree she had fallen from earlier as well as a bunch of living people walking to and from the hospital.

"You get some rest." Uryu said. "The Shinigami will be here later."

"T-Thank you," Jamie said softly.

Uryu nodded and walked away, leaving Jamie alone with her thoughts. She looked back out the window and lost herself in people-watching. She witnessed an old man and his wife walk in, a family of four walk out, a orderly helping himself to the vending machine before heading back inside for work. It brought a quiet joy to her to watch these still-living humans just enjoying their lives.

"I used to be like them." She thought. "I used to have a pulse. Used to be seen by normal people. I used to be human." Jamie looked down at her Asauchi. She unsheathed it and studied the blade closely. It didn't take her long to meet her reflection's eyes in the steel. They were weary, saddened, and lonely. "But now I'm not. Now I'm a Shinigami meant to protect these people's souls when they die so that maybe they can become Shinigami too." She sheathed her sword again. "I wonder if Dr. Loomis could become a Shinigami when he goes to Soul Society? Or-

She tried to stop herself from saying that name. She succeeded with her mouth but her thoughts couldn't be silenced so easily.

Rachel

Jamie tried not to think about her adoptive sister comforting her on those rainy nights when she missed her mother dearly and failed. Then she tried not to remember when she had discovered her bloodied corpse stuffed in the attic of the Myers house like some forgotten antique and failed again. Then she tried not to think about the fact that Michael's Heart of Darkness has caused her to forget Rachael's name or that it might have displaced or even erased Rachel's soul from the world and still she failed. She tried to comfort herself by thinking how it was only that, a possibility, and that Rachel could very well be in Soul Society somewhere but could wasn't good enough and Jamie felt herself tearing up again.

"He took everything from me. Rachael...my baby...everything..." Her head hung over her sword as her tears fell on the sheath, one drop then two, then three. Curling up into a ball, Jamie began to weep once again, clutching her sword as if it were a comfort toy. She sat just under the window sill, the hilt of her sword overlooking the people below. In her crying, Jamie had lost track of time. She could have been crying for an hour or only for a few minutes. All she knew for sure was that she stopped when she heard the door open and looked up to see Orihime come in with a tray of food.

'Hello!" The orange-haired girl greeted. "Sorry to barge in like this but I thought me might be a little hungry from coming such a long way so I brought you..." Her voice trailed off as she realized Jamie had been crying, her bright eyes clouding with concern. "Are you ok?"

"I.." Jamie frantically wiped her face again, sniffling as she tried to regain her composure. "I...I'm fine. Just a little overwhelmed is all."

"Overwhelmed?" Orihime set the tray down on the side of the doorway and approached Jamie. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"N..No.." Jamie waved her hand. "You and you're friends have already done so much for me. I don't want to bother you with my problems anymore than I already have, especially when you don't even know me that well."

"Nonsense," Orihime refuted. "Me and my friends help because we want to so its not a burden! Besides, the way I see it, just the fact that we're working together makes you a friend of mine and I can't ignore my friends when they're sad or in trouble." The sparkle in her eyes returned as she spoke. "I know you want to be strong right now, but you need to feel your emotions and let them run their course first. Otherwise, things might get harder down the road." She sat on the bed and patted the space next to her. "So come on! I've been told I'm a great listener."

Jamie giggled through another sniffle. "You're like an overenthusiastic school counselor, you know that?"

"Huh?" Orihime tilted her head on confusion, prompting Jamie to giggle even more as she could practically see a giant question mark pop up over the orange-haired girl's head.

"Ok, ok." Jamie relented feeling more at ease just from having another person in the room with her. She got up from the floor and sat in the bed next to Orihime.

"So why were you crying?" Orihime asked softly. "Does it have something to do with Michael?"

"No...well yes...but..." Jamie trailed off as she thought back to her adoptive sister. "I was...I was thinking about Rachel..."

"Your sister right?" Orihime asked.

"Well, not really. We weren't actually sisters of course but, she treated me like we were. She would always be there when I was scared, of the dark, always comforted me after I'd come home from being bullied. She was everything to me." Jamie smiled as she recalled those happy memories, only for it to fade as she recalled why she hadn't thought about them for so long. "And yet...And yet I just forgot everything about her! Everything except her face!" She began to cry again. "H-How can I call myself her sister when I forgot her so easily?"

Orihime wasted no time placing an arm around Jamie. "It's not your fault! It's Michael's, remember? He's the one that took away your memories." She placed her hand on top of Jamie's head. "But now you have them back." Gently, she placed her other hand under Jamie's chin and moved her head so that they were facing each other. "Besides, you just said that you had forgotten everything but her face right?"

Slowly, Jamie nodded. "A-And her voice."

Orihime smiled. "You see? You didn't lose all of your memories! Your bond with your sister was so strong not even the Heart of Darkness could destroy it completely! You didn't forget her so please don't act like you failed her because I'm sure she wouldn't want that. Right?"

Jamie wiped her face again. "N-No. I guess not."

To her surprise, however, Orihime's face saddened again. "There's something else, isn't there?"

Jamie's eyes widened as she was taken aback by what Orihime said. At once, she realized what Orihime meant but figured there was nothing she could say to offer comfort in that department so she lied. "T-There's nothing else. Really."

"Jamie," Orihime came closer. "I know what it's like to lose people and I know what it's like to be caught in the grip of misery. I can tell from your eyes there's more on your mind than just forgetting Rachel and I think I know what it is."

Jamie opened her mouth to gasp but nothing came out. Nothing except even more tears. Deciding there was no point in fighting it, she relented. "What if...What if she wasn't in Soul Society when the timeline changed?" She asked in a quiet, defeated voice. "What if that monster erased her?"

"There's no knowing that!" Orihime answered without hesitation. "I know its a scary possibility but you have to have faith that she's somewhere out there waiting for you!"

"But what if she isn't!?" Jamie snapped. "What if that bastard really did undo her soul's existence? Or what if he gave her another life as another one of his victims? Would she even remember me then? Would anyone I knew back then know me if they saw me?" Without warning, Jamie threw herself at Orihime, sobbing into her chest. Her sword fell from her body and clacked onto the floor. Orihime held her close and buried her chin in her arm, tears flowing from her own eyes. "My entire life is gone!" Jamie cried, her words muffled but still understandable. "He didn't just kill me! He erased everything about me from this world! It's like I never even existed!"

"But you do exist." Orihime said softly. "And you still have people who care about you. Me, Dr. Loomis, even Yoruichi." Orihime shuffled to face Jamie again. "And I bet you have plenty of friends back at the Academy right?"

Jamie thought back to Yumi, always chipper if a bit impatient and Carrie, the star student that visited her in her bedside when she fainted. Slowly, she nodded. "I..I do." Fear proceeded to snatch away that tiny bit of hope Jamie had. "B-But what if Michael takes that away too? What if the Heart of Darkness-

"That's not gonna happen!" Orihime declared. "Ichigo's saved the world once and he'll do it again. He won't let something like this happen again. And neither will we." She gripped Jamie's shoulders. "I promise we won't let Michael take anyone else away!"

"B-But how?" Jamie sniffled. "How can you be so sure you'll defeat him for good this time?"

Orihime's face darkened. "Because last night, we lost a few of our friends to him."

Jamie gasped.

"There was only one survivor and she's in this very hospital as we speak. She was greatly hurt and even though she's gonna be okay, I know she blames herself for what happened." Orihime sniffled as a single tear escaped her own eye.

"Orihime."

"That's why!" Orihime wiped her tear away. "I'm not going to let Michael put anyone else through that pain and neither will my friends!" Orihime felt more tears forming in her eyes and wiped them away aggressively. "Michael's a horrible monster. A being of complete malice and hatred. But if he's the darkness, then we have to be the light that breaks though!"

Jamie gasped softly, just for a moment, she saw Carrie in Orihime's place, her words echoing in her heart all over again.

We all have our demons to face, and that can be terrifying but once your renew your resolve and face them, you'll find there was a light hidden within all that darkness.

"We will defeat Michael and make sure he never hurts another soul again!" Orihime declared. "You have my word!"

As Orihime said this, another face appeared in Jamie's mind, a faint outline just behind her mental image of Carrie.

It was Rachel's face.

Jamie lost control of her tears but she let them come for they were tears of joy and hope, too things she hadn't had for the longest time. She buried herself into Orihime again knocking her down onto the bed. Sensing that Jamie had finally understood what she was saying, Orihime simply hummed and rubbed her back. After what seemed like the both of them to be hours, Jamie lifted her head, her tears dried and her eyes weary yet hopeful.

"Thank you, Orihime." Jamie whispered.

"You're welcome, Jamie." She replied. "I'm just glad I was able to help."

"You know," Jamie sniffled. "The way you talked to me just now, it reminded me of Rachel." A thought occurred to Jamie and without really meaning to, she let it out. "You...You have a sibling, don't you?"

"My brother," Orihime answered softly. "I was very close to him too. He took care of me when I was growing up actually." A sad glassiness overcame Orihime's eyes

"Was?" Jamie asked with a tone of guilt in her voice. "Oh Orihime. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to reopen old wounds."

Before she could say anymore, Orihime shook her head. "No, it's ok. I like talking about my brother. Even if it's a little sad because he's no longer with me, I know he's never completely gone as long as I remember him."

"Remember," Jamie whispered as she realized that same way of thinking also applied to Rachael, the memories of whom she had back now.

"Hey! That's not a bad idea!" Orihime suddenly declared.

"Wh-What?"

"Let's talk about our siblings!" Orihime suggested. "I'll tell you all about my brother and then you can tell me more about Rachel! Sound good?"

Jamie was taken aback momentarily by Orihime's offer but as it sunk in that she had found a true friend in the World of the Living, she smiled and nodded. "I'd...I'd like that."

The two girls would talk well into the evening.

---

Once again, a group of Shinigami stood before the great Senkaimon, still sealed with Grunter's power. The seal was faded however, it's once blinding shimmer reduced to a dull neon light. It wouldn't be long now before it broke on its own and the Shinigami could go through to the World of the Living. Everyone that was present last night had returned, including Yoruichi. She stood before her former bodyguard who in turned stood before her lieutenant who was shaking like a leaf.

"I-It's not fair!" He whined. "Why do I always have to get dragged into the front lines every time there's a Surrassha around?" His teeth chattered as he sweated bullets. "I'm from the Omeada clan! I shouldn't have to deal with these kinds of situations!"

"Quit your cowering, Marechiyo!" Soifon barked. "You are a Shinigami and that means it's your job to bring balance to the world which includes dealing with these Surrassha!" She turned to him sharply. "Besides, you've survived the last two Surrassha we had to deal with, right? A third one shouldn't be too difficult for you." There was a certain haughtiness to her voice which made Marechiyo angry.

"Hey, you're only talking like that because you defeated the first one with a weird perverted power-up! Don't thin-

Soifon slammed her foot into Marechiyo's face. "Don't call me perverted!"

Yoruichi couldn't help but chuckle as Marechiyo fell on his back and Soifon descended back to her former position, landing on her feet "You know," Yoruichi said as she stopped her chuckling. "We might have convinced the Head Captain to let you take that cute apprentice of yours with us?"

"You mean Ming?" Soifon asked before shaking her head. "She's coming along nicely but she's still too wet behind the ears for a mission like this. Besides, someone needs to watch over the rest of Squad 2 while I'm gone and I figured it might as well be the most competent Shinigami under my command."

"H-Hey!" Marechiyo whined as he jumped back to his feet, Soifon's shoeprint still on his face. "The hell that's supposed to mean!?"

Soifon could only sigh as Yoruichi chuckled.

Amongst themselves, the other Captains spoke in preparation.

"If I may speak freely, Captain Komamura," Tetsuzaemon spoke. "Do you really think this much manpower is necessary for a single enemy?"

"Do not forget that this single enemy is a Surrassha," Sajin answered. "There's no telling what kind of powers he might have up his sleeve. Besides, with those Hollows having gone out of their way to stall us like this, there's no guarantee he'll be alone." He turned to his lieutenant. "We might be walking into a full-on war so stay vigilant!"

"Right Captain!" Tetsuzaemon shouted.

"Oh I hope that poor kid is okay!" Rangiku said. "She seemed so scared last night and now she's all alone."

"Don't fret Rangiku," Toshiro said. "Remember that she was heading for Karakura Town and Ichigo and the others are there as well. I wouldn't be surprised if they already found her and granted her asylum somewhere."

"You think so?" Rangiku cheered up. "Oh Captain! You always know just what to say!"

Toshiro didn't reply to his lieutenant but his thoughts continued. "I just hope that girl is ready to face the consequences of her actions once this is over. She'll be lucky if she doesn't get expelled for this."

"Captain Kuchiki, do you think Rukia's alright?" Renji said. "I mean, I know she is because Ichigo's there but still,"

"Whether or not Kurosaki is present is irrelevant," Byakuya replied in his usual stoic voice. "Rukia is a lieutenant now and is more than capable of taking care of herself."

"I-I know that, Captain," Renji said. "I just...can't help but worry you know?"

Byakuya nodded, the only indication that he would give that he was just as worried about Rukia being in the World of the Living with that monster. He never approved the fact that she continued to sign up for missions in the World of the Living even after becoming lieutenant but had never said anything, even when he suspected it had something to do with Ichigo. Regardless, one thing was certain to Byakuya.

If any harm came to Rukia, physical or otherwise he would be sure to see the perpetrator laying at his feet in a puddle of their own blood.

At last, the moment that they were all waiting for arrived. The seal barring them from the Senkaimon shattered into a cloud of little dying orbs of light which flickered once and vanished completely. The Senkaimon was ready for use once again.

"Let's go!" Yoruichi shouted as the doors flew open and the Jigokucho flew on in.

"Right!" The other captains and lieutenants shouted as they followed Yoruichi and the Jigokucho through the portal. They all ran at their top speeds with even Marechiyo able to keep up with everyone due to his training among the Stealth Force. Once the group was deep enough in the pathway, Yoruichi took out her Denreishinki and contacted Kisuke.

"Kisuke...Kisuke...do you read me?"

...

"Yep, I read you loud and clear." Kisuke confirmed as he looked up at the several screens he had set up in the empty meeting room. "Not only that but thanks to the live feed provided by Squad 12, I can see you as well." He waved at the screen showing Yoruichi as she ran. "Hello!" He greeted in a sing-songy voice." I see you're bringing Soifon along for the trip."

"Head Captain's orders," Yoruichi said. "Besides, from how you guys have been describing Michael, it sounded like we needed as much help as we could get."

"That's true." Kisuke agreed as he turned to the group behind him. Ichigo, his friends, Jamie and Loomis all stood and watched the screens as well. In the corner, sitting in a wheelchair as he was still too injured to move on his legs was Yukio with Riruka standing behind him.

"My word! So these are the Captain-level Shinigami." Loomis awed. "They seem so...otherwordly." His eyes were on Sajin as he said this.

"Wow," Ichigo said. "So Squad 12 is really providing this footage?" He asked. "Why are they showing it to you?"

"Part of the D.A.C.U agreement," Kisuke explained. "Mayuri might be an egotist but when the chips are down, he's the kind of guy you want on your team."

Suddenly, a loud hissing filled the air as a speaker on the control panel for the screens came to life. "Egotist!? You're one to talk Mr. Let-Me-Butt-In-To-Your-New-Research-Operation!" Mayuri's voice taunted from it.

"Whoa! Captain Mayuri!?" Rukia called out.

"Heh. I should have known you wouldn't have gifted me this supplies out of the goodness of your heart." Kisuke chuckled. "I suppose this means you can see us from these screens as well, huh Mayuri?"

Everyone gasped as Kisuke opened his fan.

...

Back in the Department of Research and Development, Mayuri chuckled. "As a matter of fact, I can! I can see all 10 of you inside that room!"

"Hello!" Kisuke replied coyly, waving his hand.

Mayuri growled as he noticed Jamie and Loomis among the group. "And while we're on the subject, Kisuke Urahara, do you mind explaining to me why you failed to report having the missing academy student with you upon our earlier conversation?"

Jamie stiffened.

"Oh I mentioned her, just not to you." Kisuke replied. "See, Jamie here explained her situation and after some consideration, it's been agreed upon that she'll help in eliminating Michael Myers for good."

Mayuri scoffed. "A mere academy student going against a Surrassha? You might as well throw a coughing baby at a ticking hydrogen bomb!"

Jamie felt herself shrink a little.

"Hey hey, it's nothing a little training from me and Ichigo won't fix." Kisuke said as he turned to Ichigo. "Right?"

"Right." Ichigo nodded before smiling at Jamie.

Kisuke turned back to the screens. "Jamie might not be all that powerful but my experience with Ichigo and his friends has taught me that under the right circumstances, just about anyone can become powerful. Jamie's decided to face her past head on by helping us defeat Michael and Ichigo's already made it clear he's got her back. So if you were hoping to take her back to the academy once you got here, I'm afraid it won't be that simple of a task." He smiled. "You got that, Yoruichi and company."

Back in the Precipice World, Yoruichi smiled. "Read you loud and clear, Kisuke."

"L-Lady Yoruichi!" Soifon shouted. "You can't be serious!"

"I can understand this girl wanting to face the monster that took her life away," Toshiro said. "But the fact is, she ran away from the academy and defied direct orders from her superiors!"

"Not to mention she's a mere academy student." Byakuya added. "Even with training, there's simply no way she'd be able to obtain the power needed to be useful to the mission in the short time we have."

Jamie hung her head. She figured she would receive a verbal lashing from the captains soon enough. She just didn't expect it to happen before they actually arrived.

Ichigo stepped up to the screens with his arms crossed. "That's funny. I seem to recall a time when you said it's impossible to achieve Bankai in a few days or even for a Substitute Shinigami like me to learn it in the first place." He smirked. "I think we both remembered how that went."

Byakuya only replied with a narrowing of his eyes. "Kurosaki," He said in a annoyed tone.

"That's right!" Orihime spoke up. "Jamie's been hurt a lot by Michael. Lost a lot of people close to her because of him. She deserves a chance to get justice for them and for herself!" Orihime turned to Jamie with a smile.

"Orihime," Jamie whispered.

"Such insolence," Soifon growled.

"Maybe so, but I agree."

All eyes in the Perepice World fell on Captain Komamura who met them head on with his own unwavering gaze.

"Captain Komamura?" Toshiro said.

"As Shinigami, it is our duty to help lost souls find peace, is it not?" He asked. "That is why we hunt Hollows and why we are hunting the Surrassha as well. But must our duties stop there? This girl had her human life stolen by this abnormal evil and has come all this way to confront it so that she could find closure and move on to her new life as a Shinigami. I don't know about you but as a Shinigami myself, I see no reason to stand in the way of that."

"Captain," Tetsuzaemon uttered, touched by his captain's convictions as always.

Soifon clicked with disapproval but as she looked ahead, she saw Yoruichi's eyes gleaming with agreement and sighed as she knew the decision had been made. "Good luck explaining this to the Head Captain."

Toshiro and Byakuya nodded.

"Well I'm just glad you're alright!" Rangiku chirped. "Don't worry!" She lifted up her arm and rolled back her sleeve. "If one of the boys or Captain Soifon give you trouble, you just tell me and I'll take care of it!"

"You're making it sound like we're a bunch of schoolyard bullies." Toshiro muttered.

That response elicited a laugh from the likes of Rangiku, Yoruichi, Orihime and Jamie. Riruka also giggled to herself.

"How heartwarming," Mayuri croaked sarcastically as his eyes fell to the old man next to Kisuke. "By the way, Kisuke Urahara, that Plus standing next to you. I can't help but find his appearance quite familiar."

"That's isn't a coincidence." Kisuke replied. "There's no reason in hiding it at this point so I'll just come out and say it. This man is in fact the soul of Michael's former psychiatrist, Dr. Samuel Loomis."

Loomis looked wide-eyed at Kisuke and turned to the controls, squinting as if he was trying to find the screen with Mayuri's face. Had such a screen existed, he would have bore witnessed to the discomforting sight of the Squad 12 Captain sneering with delight.

"Is that so? How very interesting!"

Before he could say more, there was a slight trembling of the footage displayed on the screen. Inside the passageway, the captains and lieutenants stopped in their tracks and looked around for the source of the tremor.

"What's going on?" Soifon asked. "What's causing this shaking?"

"I don't know but whatever it is, it's affecting the entirety of the pathway. This isn't good!"

"Mayuri!" Yoruichi called out. "What's going on?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out," Mayuri answered with an annoyed tone as he checked through all the cameras in the Dangai. Inside the same room, several of his subordinates were doing the same, the room alive with the sounds of fingers tapping buttons and screens changing feeds. Long before any of the screens would find the cause of the tremors, however, Renji would spot it up ahead.

"Oh shit! Guys," He said as he pointed toward the rapidly approaching orb of light in front of the Shinigami. "Look up ahead!"

Before long, the full body of the speeding entity came into full view of not only the Shinigami in the Dangai but Squad 12 and Kisuke's group in the hospital, all of who were horrified to see it.

"Good God!" Loomis shouted. "What is that thing?"

"It...It's the Kototsu!" Jamie screamed. "The Cleaner! It's meant to keep souls from lingering in the Dangai for too long!"

"But what's it doing here of all times!?" Uryu shouted.

Back at Squad 12, Mayuri gritted his teeth in anger and turned to his subordinates. "What is the meaning of this!?" He shouted. "Didn't I have you idiots check to ensure the Kototsu was far away from this pathway?"

"It's supposed to be!" Hiyosu said fretfully. "It's not supposed to be here for another three days!"

"Then what is it doing here now!?" Mayuri screamed.

"Shit!" Yoruichi hissed before turning to the rest of the group. "Everyone fall back now!"

Without a moment's hesitation, the Shinigami turned back and fled. Ichigo and the others were left to watch in horror as their backup ran through the Dangai, the Kototsu right on their heels.

"Dammit!" Marechiyo cried. "This isn't fair! Why does this kind of thing always happen to me!?"

"Shut up and move your fat ass, Marechiyo!" Soifon screamed right as a particular violent tremor threw her off her feet. She fell to the floor and scrambled to pick herself up as the shadow of the Kototsu overcame her. "Shit!"

"Soifon!" Yoruichi flash-stepped to her former bodyguard's side, scooped her up, and caught up with the rest of the group right as the Kototsu ran through where they just were.

"Lady Yoruichi," Soifon said as her former mentor continued to run with her. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me." Yoruichi said. "We still need to make it out of here alive!" Another awful tremor nearly knocked Yoruichi off her feet but she stood her ground "What's going on with that damn thing?" Yoruichi turned to see how much distance she had created between her and the Kototsu and gasped as she noticed something horrific. "Oh shit! Guys! Look!"

All eyes turned to the Kototsu which, while chasing them down, also seemed to be leaning toward the wall. That was far from the horrifying part. The horrifying part was the sheer intensity in which it was scarping against the wall, pieces of itself and the purple sludge making up the wall flying over it's body and vanishing into the darkness behind.

"It...It's destroying itself?" Toshiro asked.

"And taking this whole place with it, it seems!" Tetsuzaemon added. "We need to get out of here ASAP!"

Back at the Department of Research and Development, Squad 12 scrambled to make sense of the escalating situation. "This doesn't make any sense!" Rin cried. "Why is the Kototsu destroying itself like that!?"

"Who cares!?" Akon shouted as he pulled off his robotic hand and plugged the stump into his computer. "We need to get these guys out as fast as possible!"

The room was filled with a sudden blaring static sound and all eyes fell to Mayuri's computer which had gone dead. One by one, the other screens went offline as well and the panic in the room only grew as a result.

"This is bad!" Akon screamed. "We're losing both visual and audio! Everything's going dark!" He gasped as his own screen went dark. "What the fuck's going on!?"

"Dammit!" Mayuri screeched as he pounded the control panel with both his hands. "Damnit all!"

"Brother!" Rukia cried. "Renji!"

"Kisuke, can't you do anything?" Ichigo shouted.

"Not from here I can't." Kisuke answered as he desperately flipped through the control panel. "This is completely unprecedented. Nothing like this has ever happened before!"

Loomis begin to whine. "No...no..." Jamie stiffened up as she remembered that exact tone of his voice from the night she stabbed her stepmother. Loomis was falling into complete despair and as much as she didn't want to, she felt that she knew why.

Suddenly, the screens in the hospital started to go off, one by one. The last screen displayed the captains running for their lives, the Kototsu's shadow above them And then, static followed by a black screen, reflecting the horrified faces of the group back to themselves.

"Byakuya!" Rukia screamed.

"Yoruichi!" Kisuke screamed as well as he attempted to reactivate the camera's in vain before giving up and pounding on the panel. "Dammit!"

"W-What happened?" Orihime whimpered. "Yoruichi and the others...did they make it out alright?"

Kisuke shook his head. "I don't know."

"Kisuke, what the hell just happened?" Yukio asked.

"I don't know!" Kisuke shouted in a voice unlike his own, shocking everyone in the room. He seemed to realize this as he quickly recomposed himself. "I...I don't know. This is unlike anything I've ever seen. It was like the Kototsu just...went haywire."

"The Heart of Darkness." Loomis whispered.

"What?" Yukio asked as he turned to the old man.

"The Heart of Darkness!" Loomis screamed out loud. "Don't you see! This was Michael's doing! He knew stronger reinforcements were on their way! Somehow he knew and now he's kept them from interfering with his work."

"Would you stop and listen to yourself, old man?" Ichigo said as he grabbed Loomis by the shoulders. "There's no way Michael could have know about the Kototsu, let alone control it!"

"Are you so blind!?" Loomis screamed right back as he forced Ichigo's hands away. "Michael didn't control the Kototsu to destroy itself. He willed it too! He willed it that no outside forces come to interfere and the Heart of Darkness carried it out! Don't you realize we have just witnessed the Heart of Darkness at work!?" The a look of absolute terror overcame his face. "Dear God...it's gotten strong enough to affect things outside this world. The Heart of Darkness is growing stronger!"

Ichigo froze as did his friends. The room went dead silent, save for Loomis crying mumbling. They all turned to each other, looks of complete despair in their eyes. Riruka and Orihime began to cry, the former hugging a stunned Yukio tightly. Rukia hung her head low, her mind racing with a million thoughts about the well-being of her brother and her childhood friend. Kisuke covered his face with his hat with a slight hiss through his teeth. Ichigo, Sado and Uryu all stared off, trying to wrap their heads around it all. And between all of them, Jamie had fallen to her knees, her eyes lightless, her face a straight line of mental defeat.

"This is what the Heart of Darkness is capable of at its current level." Ichigo thought. "Then what's going to happen on Halloween?"

A crying Loomis continued his depraved rant as the girls continued to sob.

---

Michael stood on the rooftop of an old building the opposite side of the condemned area where he had killed his latest victims. Today's hunt had been slow, just an elderly couple who couldn't get away fast enough and that was it. The only enjoyment they provided was the husband using himself as a shield and begging Michael not to kill his wife as he bled to death. Of course, his begging went unheeded and he slit her throat soon afterword.

As he stood there, watching the Sun set, he couldn't help but feel relieved somehow. About what, he didn't know. He just felt as if something had gone his way again thanks to that hidden voice of his. It was as if it had taken care of an unforseen problem he would have otherwise had to deal with. He just couldn't figure out what.

He felt the presence before he heard it speak his name. He could even hear the footsteps as it appeared behind him.

"Michael. It's been far too long my boy."

Slowly, Michael turned to face the newcomer, a strange creature in a bird-like mask. It reminded Michael of some of the creatures he had seen around this town. They had all kept their distance. This was the only one to get this close. And stranger still, their was an air of familiarity about it.

"Oh Michael." The creature spoke. "I'm so glad to finally see you for myself." He bowed to Michael. "My name is Samhain and I am the key to your destiny."

(Well it turns out that glitch isn't too troublesome. Just makes me wait a little before going back to the page. Just to be safe, I'm going to be saving my words with Copy every couple of minutes until it stops. Anyway, the next chapter will be much, much longer, I promise. And you'll get more Jamie to boot. So until then, this is Bloody Simpson Chibi. Good night. (Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction theme intensifies)