Chapter 28: Mr. Sandman, Bring Me a Dream...

(I forgot to mention this in the last chapter but as of writing the last few chapters, this story has officially beaten the Yellow Ape and the Black Bee as my longest story ever. And believe me, we're nowhere close to done. I'm pretty proud of myself, to be honest, and I hope you folks enjoy what I got in store down the road. Trust me, shit's gonna get dark.)

Riruka tossed and turned in her makeshift bed, her skin coated in sweat that drenched her sheets. She was alone in the dark room, not even the light of the moon being able to penetrate the shadows surrounding her. Every so often, she opened her eyes and looked around, surprised she could make out anything in the inky blackness. She could see the door to her room shut, possibly locked although she was in too much pain and fear to try for it. She could make out the bowl of water she had accidentally knocked down with her trashing about, soaking all the small towels they had brought with them. The one she had knocked from her head laid there as well, too full of water to properly keep her fever down.

She could see a lot in this silent dark room. But the one thing that stole her attention, the thing that kept her glued to her bed in fear and desperately trying to sleep its presence away was the creepy old man standing over her. His eyes were wild and teary as if he were on the verge of a mental breakdown and his facial hair was messy and stuck out in points. He trembled throughout his entire body as he clenched his fist hard enough to draw blood, all while screaming at Riruka with hysteria in his voice. It was as if she was an accused witch being condemned by a far more dangerous man of the cloth, chanting psalms of damnation over her in a frenzy as they prepared the fire that would cleanse her of her sins.

"You did it! You unleashed the Evil!"

"Leave me alone," Riruka begged as tears trickled down her face. "Please leave me alone!"

"You released the Evil! Now Death has come to your town! You set him free! The blood will be on your hands, child!"

"Stop it! Stop it!" Riruka sobbed. "Ginjo! Ginjo!"

"He can't help you! No one can! No one can stop the Evil. Not once he reaches his full power!" The old man suddenly leaped onto Riruka, earning a shrill screech from the frightened Fullbringer. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up, shaking her about as he continued to yell in her face. "You must destroy the Evil before that happens! You must or all will be lost!"

"Let go of me!" Riruka cried. She could feel his hot breath and the spittle from his frantic blabbering as he continued to shake her. "Let go!"

"You must destroy the Evil before it's too late!" The old man roared. "You must!"

"NOOOOOOO!"

Finally finding the strength to move, Riruka shot up and rammed her head against the old man's face, she expected to hear the creepy bastard cry out as he fell but while she did hear a surprised cry upon making contact with her head, it sounded far more feminine. She hurt herself with that maneuver so she needed a few seconds to rub her head before she could investigate further. As she nursed her throbbing head and aching nose, she realized through her closed eyes that there was light in the room as well as the sound of confused murmuring. Slowly, she opened her eyes, careful not to shock them with the new light by letting in a little at a time. As she did so, her blurry vision began to clear, allowing her to fully take in her new situation.

She was still in the same room as before but in addition to the light, the door was open. The biggest change of all, however, was the familiar faces all gathered around her. Sado, Uryu, and Rukia were all sitting by her bed, their eyes wide with shock and concern. None of them seemed to be making that pained groaning sound that Riruka still heard so she looked down and sitting in front of her legs, still rubbing her head with a whine, was Orihime.

"O-Orihime?" Riruka asked uneasily.

Only then did the orange-haired girl look up from her own pained stupor, her face brightening up as she locked eyes with the Fullbringer. "R-Riruka?" She suddenly pounced on the Fullbringer again, giggling in relief as he wrapped her arms around her. "Oh Thank Goodness! You're awake!"

"Let go of me!" Riruka demanded. However, as her face was smashed against Orihime's breast, all anyone else heard was a muffled grunt. Annoyed, Riruka grabbed Orhime's shoulders and pulled herself away. "I said stop it! What are you trying to do? Suffocate me!?"

"Suffocate?" Orhimie looked down and gasped in realization. She backtracked off of Riruka and laughed sheepishly as she rubbed the back of her head. "I'm sorry! I'm just so glad that you're safe."

"Safe...I'm...safe..." Riruka looked down at herself and lifted her blanket. She was dressed in a small shirt and shorts, leaving her abdomen exposed. It was covered in bandages which seemed fresh. Riruka let the blanket fall and raced her fingers through her hair which hung freely down her shoulders. She tried to get up but a spasm of pain from her wound stopped her in her tracks. At once, Rukia crawled toward her and with a gentle nudge on the shoulder, pushed her back down.

"You shouldn't get up just yet," She said. "Your wound's been healing up nicely but it's still critical. You should lie down and focus on recuperating."

Riruka lay down and looked around the room. "Where am I? This place feels... familiar."

"That's because, believe it or not, this isn't the first time you've recovered from battle in here." A voice spoke from the hallway. All eyes fell on the open doorway as two men walked in with snacks and water bottles. The one speaking was someone she didn't know very well but the other, she recognized immediately. "Don't worry about the bill, either." The first man continued. "Your good friends here have already promised to take care of it."

"Bill? Since when do you charge bills?" Ichigo asked angrily.

"I gotta make a living somehow and you guys hardly buy any candy from me anymore."

Ichigo growled in annoyance and turned away from Kisuke. Upon seeing Riruka, his expression softened into one of relief. "Riruka, I'm glad to see you're ok."

Riruka was still trying to take in everything that was going so the most she could muster at that moment was, "I-Ichigo?"

...

All explanations and questions were held off until Riruka could fully awaken and recover from her ordeal. She was given water and snacks and after granting her permission, she allowed Orihime to finish healing the wound. She still felt weakened after the fact but at least the pain was gone. She removed the bandages and was given an extra blanket after complaining about the cold. After a good hour or so, Riruka was sitting upright and ready as she'd ever be to explain what happened.

But oh where to begin?

"I...I...really don't even know where to start," She said. "It's kinda complicated."

"Let's just start with the most important part," Ichigo suggested. "Who stabbed you?" He wanted to ask her who Michael was but figured they'd be talking about the same man anyway.

Riruka trembled slightly as the memory of that night crawled back to her. She wrapped the blanket tighter around her and Ichigo felt guilty upon seeing her like this.

"Riruka, I didn't.."

Before he could finish, Rukia scooted up to Riruka and placed a hand on her shoulder. "What Ichigo's trying to say is that we want to help you. But we can't unless you tell us who attacked you."

Riruka continued to shiver as she glanced toward Rukia. "To be perfectly honest, I don't think you guys can help me anyhow. This...This isn't something you should get involved in."

"But we're your friends!" Orihime suddenly cried. "Please! At least let us try!"

"Orihime," Riruka whispered. She looked back at Rukia who gave her a smile and a nod. Then she looked back at Ichigo, sporting that same determined expression she had seen countless times during his training with Xcution. "Poor Ichigo," She thought. "Even without trying, we've pulled you into Xcution's problems yet again." She sighed heavily. "The person who attacked me, he...He's a man named Michael Myers."

"Michael...Myers?" Ichigo asked.

"The Hot Dog guy?" Rukia asked quizzically as the image of a man in a hot dog costume wielding a bloody knife popped into her head.

"What the? That's Oscar-Mayer and that's a meat company!" Ichigo shouted.

"That's right, Rukia!" Orihime butted in. "Cleary, she's talking about the actor from those funny spy movies my brother used to watch." In her mind, the image of a dorky spy saying "I'm feeling Randy baby, yeah!" while waving a gun. Because this is Orihime we are talking about, the spy was riding a robotic dinosaur for no apparent reason.

"I highly doubt it's him either!" Uyru shouted.

Kisuke didn't say anything but if one happened to glance at his eyes at the time, they would have seen them darken. "Shit. I knew it." He thought

"Riruka, just who is this Michael Myers guy?" Sado asked, wanting to end the awkwardness.

Riruka gulped. "He...He's a serial killer."

The room went silent, all sense of silliness from Rukia and Orihime's incorrect guess lost. Even Kisuke's eyes widened under the rim of his hat.

"A serial killer?" Ichigo asked.

Riruka nodded. "From America. He's killed at least 111 people last I counted."

Ichigo's blood froze. "That many?"

"How horrifying!" Orihime whispered fretfully as she cuddled Rukia who hugged her back.

"Such a high body count," She thought. "Almost like Jason,"

Sado and Uryu remained silent.

"Something doesn't add up," Kisuke spoke. "If this Michael Myers fella is from America, what was he doing here in Karakura Town with you?" He pointed his fan at Riruka, causing her to whimper. She slid her left hand into her blankets and grabbed her right arm as her eyes fell to the floor.

"I-It's because...me and Yukio...brought him here."

"What!?" erupted from Ichigo, Rukia, and Uryu at the same time. Orihime whimpered at her friend's sudden outburst and Sado remained perfectly still although one could tell he was equally unnerved from the line of sweat running down the side of his head. Kisuke simply opened the fan and held it over his face.

"Why would you do something like that?" Rukia asked. "Why would you bring a serial killer from a whole other country to here? Don't tell me this was some sort of revenge against Ichigo!"

"It wasn't like that!" Riruka screamed. The extra exertion caused her to cough and, realizing what she had done in her panic, Rukia crawled up to the Fullbringer and patted her back. "Riruka, I'm sorry! I-

Riruka held out her hand to stop Rukia while still coughing. Once she was finally finished she took a few minutes more to catch her breath and continue. "We...We didn't bring Michael to Karakura Town to hurt Ichigo. I promise." She paused for a few breaths more. "Actually, we brought him here to kill him ourselves."

Orihime gasped and covered her mouth while everyone else's eyes widened.

"Kill him yourselves?" Ichigo asked. "Why?"

"Because..." Riruka shivered again. "Because we made a promise to Ginjo."

"Ginjo?"

"You see, Michael is involved with Xcution's past somehow. I was there as well. We...We all agreed that he was too dangerous to let live but at the time, our powers weren't strong enough. So Ginjo told us that when enough time had passed...when we understood our powers better, we'd go back and destroy him." Riruka bit her lip and she somehow curled up even smaller. "But now it's just me and Yukio..." Her eyes widened in terror. "Oh God, Yukio! Where is Yukio?"

"Yukio was involved too?" Ichigo thought. "Shit! Don't tell me he-

"I'm sure that your friend is alright," Uyru spoke up, breaking Ichigo's train of thought.

"H-How would you know?" Riruka challenged with teary eyes.

"Just call it a hunch," Uyru said, fixing his glasses. "For now, you should focus on your own recovery before going off looking for him."

"Hate to say it but Uyru's right," Kisuke agreed. "Wouldn't do you any good to go looking for him as you are. You need rest."

Riruka glared at the humble shopkeeper but kept silent.

"Hold on," Ichigo spoke up. "Something doesn't add up. Why would Ginjo be involved with this Myers guy in the first place? What exactly is Xcution's past with him?"

Riruka stiffened and hesitated. When she finally responded, her voice was small, almost childlike. "I-I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Ichigo pressed. "You just said you were there! That you agreed to kill him because he was too dangerous. What is Michael's link with Xcution!?"

"I don't know!"

"What happened that night!?"

"I don't know!"

"Riruka!" Now it was Ichigo who crawled to her and grabbed her shoulders. "We're your friends! We want to help you but we can't unless we know what's going on. Why won't you tell us what happened that night?"

"Because I don't remember!" Riruka screamed. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she quietly began to sob. Ichigo felt a pang of guilt stab into him like a sword as he realized he had let himself get caught up in the frenzy of a potential Surrassha. "You don't...remember?"

Riruka continued to cry as she shook her head. "I've tried. I really have. But...there's some sort of mental block keeping me from remembering anything more than bits and pieces. It's the same with Yukio." She sniffled.

"Riruka, I'm sorry." Ichigo said as he pulled her into a hug. She stiffened and for the briefest of moments, Ichigo considered pulling back from the hug. Before he could do so, however, Riruka suddenly wrapped her arms around his torso and sank into the hug, pressing her head against his chest. Ichigo pulled her closer and heard shuffling on either side of him. Orihime and Rukia had gotten closer again with the former slightly patting Riruka's head to comfort her. Sado, Uryu, and Kisuke watched in silence.

After what might have been several minutes, Riruka spoke again through her sniffling. "T-There is one thing I do remember. The reason why Ginjo wanted to seek Michael out in the first place."

"Really?" Ichigo asked, making it a point to be more gentler on the subject. "What was the reason?"

Riruka looked up from Ichigo's chest. "Because...Because we believe Michael's a Fullbringer!"

Ichigo stiffened. "A Fullbringer? Are you sure?"

Riruka nodded. "After last night, after he escaped, I can't deny it. He's a Fullbringer and a dangerously powerful one. We have to stop him!" Riruka once again tried to stand up, propping herself on Ichigo's shoulders. She got to her feet, allowing the blankets to fall off of her, and tried to take a step toward the door, only to fall on Orihime who held her in place.

"Please!" She begged. "You're still really weak. You need to rest!"

"But Michael!" Riruka cried. "He's still loose in the town! People are in danger and it's all my fault!" She recalled her dream and her tears flowed once more. "I have to!"

Ichigo got in front of Riruka and grabbed her shoulders again. "Riruka, listen to me! We'll find this Michael guy and put a stop to him. I promise you! But right now, you need to rest!"

"But Ichigo-

"Riruka please!" Ichigo asked, looking right into her eyes. "Please lay back down and leave this to us."

Riruka glared at Ichigo, almost as if challenging him. But deep inside, she knew he was right. She didn't know Ichigo nearly as well as everyone else in this room but she did know him enough to realize he wouldn't back down. And if anyone did stand a chance against that monster, it would have to be the guy who cut down Ginjo right? Riruka cried again as those memories haunted her as well, further cementing what a mess she was right now both physically and mentally. With little other choice, she allowed Rukia and Orihime to set her back on the bed and drape the blankets around her. She laid back down and realized just how exhausted she was. "Ichigo,"

"Just rest," Ichigo requested. "You'll be safe here. We'll take it from here."

"Ichigo," Riruka whispered as she closed her eyes.

"I think we'd outta take this conversation to my office," Kisuka suggested quietly. The rest of the group agreed without saying a single word and followed Kisuke out of the room, leaving Riruka to another bout of sleep and with it, another nightmare of the old man.

"Myers...Myers...Myers...Ah! Here we go!" Kisuke pulled out one of the files from the pile sitting on the table in the middle of the room. "As promised, I went ahead and looked through all the files for people named Michael since your last visit. For the most part, none of them struck me as Surrassha material." He opened the file and laid it down on the table. "That is until I came across this peculiar fella."

All eyes fell on the contents of the open file. Among them was a picture of a young boy with blonde hair and an empty expression on his face. It was as if he was staring through Ichigo and his friends. The writing next to the photograph amounted to at least five pages long. Luckily for the group, Kisuke had already read through it and cleared his throat as he prepared to relay the information.

"His full name is Michael Audrey Myers." He began. "He was born on Oct 19, 1957, in Haddonfield, Illinois."

"Illinois?" Rukia asked. "I never heard of that place."

"It's another state from America," Ichigo explained.

"Just how many states does America have!?" Rukia shouted.

"I think the real question is why is America swarming with Surrassha in the first place?" Uryu fixed his glasses as he spoke.

"It's a miracle anyone there is still alive," Sado said with a single line of sweat on his face.

"Ahem!" Kisuke glared at everyone, making sure they would stay silent during his explanation. When he was certain he got their attention, he resumed. "From what I've gathered during my research, Michael was pretty much a normal kid. No special powers. No violent behavior. Nothing that would indicate him as being anything other than a normal human being." Kisuke paused for a moment. as he glanced at the file before him. Using his cane, he moved the picture of a young Michael to the side, revealing a second picture, one of a police sketch. The sketch was not of a human face but a mask, every bit as cold and expressionless as the child's face before it. "Then on Halloween night in 1963, Michael killed his older sister.

Orihime gasped while everyone else stiffened. Ichigo, in particular, felt sick to his stomach. Both he and Orihime thought of their siblings at that moment.

"To this day, a concrete reason for why he did it has not been found. After the murder, he was sent to Smith's Grove Sanitarium for the next 15 years of his life, during which he was looked over by one Dr. Samuel Loomis." Kisuke moved a few of the papers, revealing one with another photograph attached to it by a paperclip. The picture depicted a balding old man with wild eyes. "Thanks to Mr. Loomis, we have a greater understanding of Michael's psychology, not that it bodes well in the long run."

"What are you saying?" Ichigo asked. "What's this Michael guy really like?"

"Well, for starters, it would seem that he gave up talking completely after being incarcerated," Kisuke explained. "He's never spoken a word since that night. And while Dr. Loomis tried his best to reach Michael, to get inside his head, maybe somehow turn him back to the path of atonement, it would seem he gave up halfway through those 15 years and spent the rest of them trying to ensure Michael would never walk the streets again."

"But...you said Michael was only in that sanitarium for 15 years," Rukia said. "Does, that mean..?"

"I'm afraid so," Kisuke said. "The night before Halloween in 1978, Michael escaped Smith's Grove and journeyed back to his hometown of Haddonfield. Since then, there have been reports of mass killings in that area almost every Halloween night, all attributed to Michael."

Ichigo didn't say anything. He couldn't think of anything to say regarding what he was now hearing.

"What's really got me concerned, however, is what the eyewitnesses who actually survive have to say." Kisuke continued. "According to them, Michael has been shot at point-blank range, stabbed multiple times, and even been blown up by dynamite. Yet, the most these attacks seem to do is incapacitate him for a while. Eventually, he just pops up again, good as new and claiming even more victims."

"In other words, he's likely to be a Surrassha of some kind." Rukia finished.

"Exactly," Kisuke confirmed. "Of course, I'd also like to take Riruka's theory that this resilience might be Fullbringer in origin under consideration. However, there's an even bigger mystery concerning the information we have on Michael that's got my attention. Something that just doesn't add up."

"What are you talking about?" Ichigo asked.

"Well, without getting into the specifics, which could take all day to go over, let me give you a brief timeline of Michaels's crimes. On the first night he escaped, in 1978, he murdered a total of 13 people before being stopped by Dr. Loomis. The good doctor accomplished this by filling up an entire room with gas and igniting it with both of them inside. Miraculously, both of them survived and while Dr. Loomis made a full recovery, Michael was rendered comatose for the next decade." Kisuke shuffled through more papers. "Then the night before Halloween of 1988, Michael awakened while being transported to a different facility, escaped back to Haddonfield, and murdered 15 more people. A mob blew him down a mineshaft but somehow he returned the following year where he killed about 20 more. Keep in mind, these are just the number of confirmed deaths Michael's responsible for. There's a good chance this guy might have taken even more life."

"That monster," Ichigo thought.

"Then in 1996, there were reports of several more deaths in Haddonfield, all linked to a mysterious cult known as the Cult of Thorn. There was a police investigation but by the time they had found the cult's hideout, all the members had been mysteriously slaughtered."

"Were those deaths blamed on Michael too?" Ichigo asked.

"Yep and not only that, apparently it was the this Cult of Thron that had been looking over Michael for the past few years. The details were spotty but apparently, he held some sort of significance in their beliefs, beliefs they paid for with their lives."

"You mean they really centered their beliefs on a serial killer of all things?" Rukia asked.

"You reap what you sow I guess," Ichigo added.

"Then there's the incident in 1998 where Michael resurfaced in a private boarding school known as Hillcrest Academy. Apparently, he was coming after his other sister, Laurie Strode." Kisuke sighed. "And this is where things get confusing."

"What do you mean? Sado asked.

"Well you see, this Laurie Strode seemed to be a sort of obsession of Michael's. Maybe it was because she was the only family he had left on account of their parents dying in a car accident during his incarceration. Or maybe he was hoping to relive the night of his first murder through her. Either way, Michael made it his mission to see Laurie dead that first night. Then, during the 10-year period that he was rendered comatose, Laurie was reported to have died in a car accident herself, leaving behind a young child."

"Now hold on!" Ichigo interrupted. "You just said Michael was looking for Laurie at Hillcrest just a few years ago!"

"Patience!" Kisuke softly demanded. "I'm getting to that," He cleared his throat and continued. "As you can imagine, that child, Jamie Lolyd, became the object of Michael's obsession for the next few years until he finally killed her in 1996, around the time of the Cult of Thorn's demise. She had gone missing six years prior and many believe she had been kidnapped and held prisoner by the cult for unknown reasons."

Orihime sniffled as she thought of all that poor girl must have gone through.

"It's quite a tragic situation indeed," Uryu said. "But what does this have to do with Hillcrest?"

"It's more like what it doesn't have to do with Hillcrest," Kisuke said. "You see, the reports from Hillcrest and the sightings of Michael afterwards, explain that Laurie had faked her death in order to hide from Michael and assumed a new identity. She also had another child with her, a young man named John."

"So...Jamie had a brother?" Orihime asked.

Kisuke shook his head. "Nope, as far as those reports are concerned, even after being outed as Laurie Strode, that woman only had one child and that was John. There is not a single mention of Jamie or the sightings in Haddonfield. In fact, they make it clear that his appearance in Hillcrest was the first time anyone had seen Michael in 20 years."

"The first sighting!?" Ichigo asked. "But what about all the deaths in Haddonfield? Did they just not report them?"

Kisuke shook his head again. "Nope, as far as the articles go, those deaths never happened and there was never a person named Jamie Lloyd. To put it in the simplest terms I can, it's as if we're looking at reports from two completely separate histories."

Everyone quietly gasped as the weight of what Kisuke said sunk in. "Separate realities?" Rukia asked. "That's impossible."

"Are you sure there isn't just some error with the reports concerning Hillcrest?" Uryu asked.

"It's possible," Kisuke admitted. "Although it's hard to imagine every single article written about the event would make the exact same error."

"What about afterward?" Ichigo asked. "How many sightings of Michael were there after Hillcrest?"

"Not many, three years after his appearance there, a couple of bodies turned up in the sanitarium where Laurie was held after accidentally killing someone she thought was Michael. She was among the dead and the only eyewitness, a fellow inmate mind you, claimed it was Michael. A year after that, Michael returned to Haddonfield and slaughtered another group of youths who were filming a web show of sorts in his old house. In the ensuing struggle, the place burned down and Michael, believed to be dead was sent to the morgue. His body vanished from there soon afterward and he hasn't been seen since." Kisuke closed the file and picked it up. "And just like with Hillcrest, not a single one of these articles mentions the other deaths in Haddonfield."

"How awful," Rukia thought. "All those people dead...and some of them aren't even remembered?"

"What can we do?" Ichigo asked. "I mean if this bastard is really in Karakura Town, it won't be long before more innocent people die! We have to find him now!"

"Easy, Ichigo!" Kisuke said. "We won't be doing anyone any good if we exhaust ourselves looking for him without a lead." He walked over to his computer. "Riruka mentioned he could be a Fullbringer and it's tempting to believe his invulnerability might be because of that but it's best to play it safe until we know for sure that's the extent of his powers." He placed the file near the computer, reopened it, and slid it under some sort of lamp-like extension coming out of the right of the computer. He typed in a few commands and the extension turned on, scanning the contents of the file and recreating them onto the computer. "In the meantime, I'm going to pass on what I've learned so far over to Captain Kurotsuichi. No doubt he'll want to hear about this."

"But Kisuke," Ichigo said. "What are we supposed to do about this?"

"For now, I suggest simply going about your business while keeping your eyes peeled for anything suspicious. And don't hesitate to come here if you feel as if you're in danger. I'll stay here and keep Soul Society updated on the situation as well as look over Riruka. Hopefully, once she's fully recovered, she can tell us more about Michael's past with Xcution."

Ichigo sighed, not liking the situation he found himself in. If there was one thing he hated more than anything else in the world, it was feeling helpless when those close to him were in need. Ironically enough, it was this same feeling that led him to Xcution and meet Riruka and while he couldn't say he was completely over what Ginjo and Tsukishima did to him, he harbored no ill will against Riruka. "If this guy, this Michael Myers, is really a Surrassha with Fullbringer abilities, then Karakura Town is in a lot of trouble." As he thought this, he felt a hand lightly grab his shoulder. He turned to see Rukia wearing that same soft smile she always seemed to wear in his moments of doubt.

That smile that always seemed to chase it away.

"We'll figure this out, Ichigo. Don't worry." She said.

Ichigo smiled, already feeling reassured. "Right." He and Rukia walked out of the room together, fighting the urge to hold hands as their mutual friends watched on. That didn't stop them from noticing the electricity between the Shinigami.

"Is it just me or do Ichigo and Rukia seem...closer than before?" Sado asked.

"I hope for everyone's sake it's just you," Uryu grunted as he imagined all of the potential drama those two dating could release if word got out. "In any case, it's none of my concern. I have some business to take care of at the hospital. I'll see you around." He walked out of the room and Sado followed, leaving Orihime and Kisuke alone.

"Heh. Guess they're still keeping it under wraps." The former Captain smirked. That smirk vanished once he noticed Orihime's longing expression. "Hey, are you alright?"

"Huh?" Orihime practically jumped. "Oh! I'm fine! Nothing to worry about! I was just thinking about what to make for dinner tonight!"

"Oh. I see." Was all that Kisuke replied with. Of course, he wasn't fooled for a second. He knew that Orihime had caught on to Ichigo and Rukia's secret all by herself and as much as he wanted to tell himself it was simply women's intuition, the same excuse Yoruichi claimed, he knew it was by a completely different set of means.

Namely, Orihime's aching heart.

He said nothing as he watched her leave the room but knew she would spend the next few hours in saddened seclusion, refusing to let any of her friends in on her internal agony for the sake of their convenience. Feeling sorry for the poor girl, Kisuke shook his head with a sigh and went to work on the report he would send to Soul Society.

Dark.

She had no idea how long she had been running down this dark corridor, clad in only a paper-thin dress. The only sounds within the confines of this narrow hell were the slaps of her bare feet against the floor and the shaken rasping of her own draining breath. Her skin was drenched in sweat and yet the smell of blood overpowered any other stench that might be hanging in the air.

Cold.

The sweat on her skin caused her to shiver which in turn caused her body to slow down against her will. The last thing she wanted was to slow down. She didn't want to stop. She didn't want to let what was chasing after her in the darkness catch up to her. But despite her attempts to fight through it, she found her footsteps growing heavier and heavier with each step. Her legs felt like cinder blocks and at last, she couldn't take it anymore. She slowed to a stop and fell to her knees and hands. She figured if she wasn't moving anymore she might as well catch her breath and panted like a dog caught in the summer heat. Fighting through her immense fatigue, she looked ahead of herself and whined as she saw nothing but more of the endless corridor.

If there was even such a thing as an exit, she was nowhere close to it.

Scared.

What she felt next could best be described as if the wind blew through her. Not a normal wind, no, but something ominous and evil, with every intent to harm her. Fear gripped her like a mouse in the claws of a vicious bird of prey and against her body's very instinct, she forced herself to look behind her, to look directly into the relentless shadows that loomed behind her. Into the inky blackness of the Abyss.

She vaguely recalled being told once that if one stares into the Abyss long enough, eventually the Abyss will stare back.

I'm scared.

The pale white face staring at her from the pit of that eternal darkness seemed to confirm this.

She whimpered and backed away on her hands and feet, desperate to scream, desperate to call for help. But all that would come from her mouth was a small gurgle. The corridor echoes with the sound of thunderous footsteps as the pale face neared her, the gleam of his knife visible in the darkness.

"N-No..."

She was standing over her now.

"Please...Uncle!"

He waited for a few moments, as if relishing the intense terror he was putting this poor girl through, and brought the knife down.

"no...no...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

And with that ear-pricing scream, Jamie Lolyd once again found herself in the world of the awakened. The sun was shining through the single window she shared with her roommate who happened to be standing by her, covering her ears and curling up into a ball. "Geez, Jamie-Kun! Are you trying to burst my eardrums!?"

"Huh? Wuh?" Jamie shot up from her bed and looked around, a part of her still not entirely convinced she was awake.

"Hello! I'm talking to you!" The curly-haired girl pouted and fumed as Jamie continued to ignore her. Unable to take it any longer, she grabbed her pillow and chucked it at Jamie's head with enough force to knock her to the ground. Jamie grumbled to herself as she got to her feet and pulled the hair from her eyes. "Ow!" She turned to her still-fuming roommate. "What was that for, Yumi?"

"Don't play the victim here!" Yumi shouted. "You're the one trying to bust my eardrums with your banshee screams from Hell!" She pointed at her. "Do you have any idea how scary it is to wake up to something like that!? And after I was having such a nice dream too."

Jamie's anger subsided as she recalled the remnants of her dream. The endless corridor. The pale white face of death coming for her. The sheer terror that gripped her as she was forced to relive her death again and again, night after night. When this recurring nightmare would leave her be, she did not know. "I-I'm sorry, Yumi." She said sadly. "I didn't mean to scare you. I just had that awful dream again and I guess I couldn't help screaming.

Now it was Yumi's expression that softened up, turning from a scowl to a beaming, teary smile. "All Jamie-Kun!" She suddenly leaped at her friend, knocking her to the floor and nuzzling her cheek. "I'm so sorry too! I keep forgetting about that bad dream of yours! I'm so sorry you have to go through that! If I couldn't I would take it on myself so you could sleep peacefully for once! Wahhh!"

"I-It's ok, Yumi." Jamie weakly assured her friend with a tap on the head. "But right now, we're running late for class. We should hurry!"

Yumi suddenly stopped her nuzzling, gasped, and jumped back to her feet. "Oh my gosh! You're right! Let's roll, Jamie-Kun!" The two girls frantically gathered their uniforms, washed up in the school bathrooms, and rushed through the halls toward their first class of the day. As they ran, Jamie began to perform a daily routine of her inside her head, one she had yet to tell anyone about as frankly, she felt embarrassed enough to even be doing it in the first place.

She began to mentally monologue.

"My name is Jamie Loyld. And yes, I'm talking to no one at all inside my head. I figure it's better to keep my mind preoccupied if I'm not focused on something else. And besides, as redundant as it might seem if I keep reminding myself of my situation, I hope that will be enough to keep what remains of my memories intact."

She paused for a moment as Yumi, leading her by the hand, turned into another hallway.

"You see, I arrived here in the Soul Society about 15 to 14 years ago, give or take. I wanna say it was the 90's when I died but I wouldn't be able to tell you much about that. That's because every year since I arrived here, I've been losing more and more of my memories about my life in the World of the Living. Not too much, mind you, just bits and pieces that when piled together, seem important. I remember I was an orphan who only had a picture of her mother to remember her by. I can't remember her face or voice, only that she had blonde hair. I remember I lived with a teenage girl who treated me like her sister. I remember her face and voice but can't recall her name. I remember an old man who seems creepy to me now but still, I feel some connection to him, as if he tried to help me once. And then I remember...

The pale face returned and she shivered.

"Huh?" Yumi stopped as she felt her friend stiffen. "Jamie-Kun, are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine." Jamie lied. "I...I just got a chill is all!"

Yumi didn't seem to buy Jamie's excuse but shrugged and continued to lead her through the hallway, allowing Jamie to finish her horrible thought.

"The memory that remains the most vivid to me, however, is the memory of the night I died. I don't recall every single detail but I know that I had been stripped of everything that had ever mattered to me by truly evil people. My sister and the old man, what little light I had left in the world, it was long gone even before that night came. I died alone and cold in a dark barn, the smell of my own blood in my nostrils. The only other person who was with me on that night was the man with the pale face, the man I keep calling Uncle in my nightmares. I wonder if I'm really related to him somehow. As with the old man, I feel a connection as well but not a pleasant one. In fact, it's one I would do anything to sever."

"Out of the way! Out of the way!" Yumi shouted. "Can't you see, we're gonna be late for class!?"

The sound of her friend's voice snapped Jamie back to reality and despite the intense fear she felt causing her heart to race, she smiled.

"Of course, it hasn't been all bad. While the afterlife wasn't quite what I expected, once I got used to how things worked around here, I was able to make my way around quickly. Who knew being hungry in this world would be a good thing? Of course, it took me a few tries before I was finally accepted into Shin'O Academy but here I am, and now that I'm here, I intend to do my very best to move on from that horrible night."

Jamie paused her monologue to look at her friend who as she thought was nearing the classroom.

"Of course, it helps that I've managed to make a few friends here in my first year, including this girl, Yumi Fodo. She's a little on the demanding side and insists on calling me "Jamie-Kun" for some reason, but she's the only one who's bothered to put up with my night terrors for this long, to show sympathy for my plight. We've only known each other for a few months but it's a friendship I wouldn't trade for this world or the last."

The two girls barged into class which, given by the students all holding their Asauchi in front of them, it was clear they were...

"Late!" The elderly woman. standing in front of the class shouted. In her hands she held a wooden sword which, without any warning beforehand, she slammed onto both Jamie and Yumi's head, creating blood-red hematomas. "How many times have I stressed the importance of punctuality!?"

"We're sorry, Ms. Lillac." The two girls whimpered as they bowed their heads. "It won't happen again!"

"See that it doesn't!" Ms. Lillac screeched. "Now take out your swords and join the formation!"

"Yes, Ma'am!" Jamie and Yumi rushed to their usual spots among their classmates, unsheathed their Asauchi, and copied the formations of the other students.

"Ow! I really wish Ms. Lillac would tone it down on the physical violence. I think I'll get a concussion if I take one more hit from that sword." As Jamie went through her motions along with the class, she couldn't help but stare at the featureless sword in her hands. "The Asauchi. The sword that will one day become my Zanpakuto, my weapon as a full-fledged Shinigami. Apparently, it's supposed to be hard to fully develop it even after you've graduated from here. But lately, there's been a slew of students who've managed to awaken theirs early. Namely, the students from Beautiful Dream and the Sweetheart of the Academy herself, Carrie White, all of whom are American." She stopped to study her sword closely, smiled, and continued swinging it up and down. "That settles it! One way or another, I'll unlock my Zanpakuto before graduation! Just wait and see!"

This renewed vigor kept Jamie going for the rest of the class.

Now that D.A.C.U had officially been instated, things were twice as busy in the Department of Research and Development. There wasn't a single room that didn't have Shinigami typing away at the computers. Ever since the debacle with Pamela Voorhees, security had tightened and all of Mayuri's prototypes had been sealed away in a different location which only he and Nemu knew. Donning a new headdress that vaguely resembled the horns of an antelope, the Squad 12 Captain walked into the room with his hands behind his back and his lieutenant to his right. "Akon, what's the status report?" He asked.

"Everything's working in order so far," The horned Shinigami said, the fingers of his remaining arm and robotic prosthetic working in tandem on the keyboard. "We've finished archiving all the data on the past victims of Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees as well as the Rukongai residents we've interviewed so far."

"And what of the Shin'o Academy?" Mayuri asked.

"So far, both Lieutenant Hisagi and Lieutenant's Masumoto reports have been scarce. There's been no sign of Hellbound behavior as of yet."

Suddenly, the room was filled with a strange beeping noise. It was coming from Rin's computer.

"Captain, we've just received a report from the D.A.C.U World of the Living branch!"

Mayuri sighed, "Great, first no new Surrassha or Hellbound activity, and now I have to entertain that dreaded Urahara. Alright, let me see it!"

Rin sent the report to the master computer in the back of the room, its giant screen taking up almost all of the wall. One by one the information in the report was revealed on the screen and simultaneously copied by every computer in the room. As Mayuri looked through the information, the ends of his lips slowly curved into a crooked grin. "My, my, now this is far more interesting. Ku, ku, ku!"

"Should I alert the Head Captain to prepare for a meeting?" Nemu asked.

"Of course not, you dolt!" Mayuri scolded. "Now that D.A.C.U is instated, no one has any time for a Captain's meeting, least of all me! Grab the Soul Searchers and relay the information to the other Captains through them."

"Yes, Master Mayuri." Nemu flash-stepped toward the room where the remaining Soul Searchers had been kept while Mayuri continued to enjoy the new wave of information he was taking in. "My, my! This is most exciting! I can't wait to see what secrets you're hiding behind that mask, Michael Myers."

"M-More tea, Captain?" Ming asked.

"Ming! How rude can you be!?" Soifon shouted as she gestured to her former mentor. "When Lady Yoruichi or any member of the Shihouin household is present, you always offer them tea first!"

Ming panicked, nearly dropping the teapot in the process, she scrambled helplessly to keep the pot from crashing to the floor until Soifon intervened, grabbing the handle with a single movement and a slightly annoyed sigh. "Like so." She presented the teapot to Yoruichi. "More tea, Lady Yoruichi?"

Yoruichi giggled as she held up her cup. "Why yes. Thank you Soifon." The two women beamed as Soifon poured the cup. Afterward, Soifon gently handed the teapot to Ming while asking, "Do you understand?"

"Y-Yes, Captain!" Ming shakily held up the teapot. "W-Would you like more t-tea now, C-Captain?"

"Yes, I would. Thank you, Ming." Soifon held her cup to allow Ming to pour it in, her demeanor softening.

Yoruichi couldn't help but smile at this interaction between Captain and subordinate. "When Kisuke told me my Little Bee had gotten a little bee of her own, I was sure he was pulling my leg. But seeing Soifon interact with anyone other than me like this, it's clear just how much she's grown since the battle with Krueger. It's like I'm looking at ourselves from the past." Her warm smile suddenly turned into a mischievous smirk. "And now that I have confirmation that the rumors are true, I know what needs to be done." She took a sip from her cup, placed it down with a sigh of contentment, and asked, "So who wants to hear embarrassing stories of Soifon's tutelage under me?"

"Huh?" Ming asked with a flustered look of dismay. She was so taken aback that she dropped her own cup of tea onto her knees. Her cries of surprise and pain as she hopped around the room were ignored as Soifon spat out her tea and gave the laughing Yoruichi a similar look of shock. "L-Lady Yoruichi!"

Before the chaos could evolve any further, a Soul Searcher flew into the room and landed on Soifon's shoulder. Both she and Yoruichi listened closely to the message and both felt chilled to the core when the message finished.

"Another Surrassha...in Karakura Town?" Soifon asked.

"This could get troublesome," Yoruichi said. "I'll have to head back to help Kisuke."

Soifon sighed. Yoruichi had promised to stay the week at least but she supposed duty called and there was no doubt she and the other Captains would be busy once Mayuri made his move. She could only hope things didn't escalate as badly as they did the last time.

Around this time, as Ming finally wiped the scalding tea from her knees and lay next to the door, Marechiyo walked in, a tray of half-eaten cookies in his hands. "Hey! What'd I miss?"

Unbeknownst to the masters of stealth, Mayuri had sent Soul Searchers to all the barracks, many of them reaching their intended Captains around the same time.

"Huh? Another Surrassha?" Kenpachi smiled deviously as he took another practice swing with Nozarashi. "Perfect! I've been dying to try out my new toy!"

"You've got to be kidding me," Kensei muttered as the robotic dragonfly relayed its message. Behind him, Shuhei stiffened as he did not like the look on his Captain's face. "I hope that wasn't about Carrie." He thought to himself.

Hmm.." Shunsui listened carefully as did Jushiro as the Soul Searcher landed on the table in front of them. Behind her Captain, Nanao listened carefully as well, feeling more and more unnerved as the message reached its conclusion. When it was over, the trio watched as the Soul Searcher flew out of the window. Once it was out of sight, Shunsui fixed his hat and sighed. "Dang, and it was such a peaceful day today too."

"Captain!" Nanao scolded. "Shouldn't you show just a little more concern for the fact that a potential Surrassha is on the loose in Karakura Town?"

"Easy Nanao, easy," Shunsui waved. "Stressing about every little thing is only going to accomplish marring that lovely face of yours with wrinkles."

Nanao responded by closing the book she happened to have open and bashing it over her Captain's head hard enough to knock off his hat.

"I wonder if the Head Captain will arrange a meeting to discuss this situation," Jushiro said, ignoring his friend's cry of pain.

"I doubt it," Shunsui said as he rubbed his head. He picked up his hat and fixed it back into place. "At least not until we have more information about who we're dealing with here. After all, from the sound of the report, it doesn't seem like Urahara is so certain that this Michael Myers fellow is even a Surrassha in the first place."

"Even still, the idea that a bloodthirsty human is running around Karakura Town where our friends live is quite troubling," Jushiro said. "Especially considering the possibility that he might be a Fullbringer."

"I'll say," Shunsui could tell from Jushiro's face that he was thinking about something else entirely, more than likely the situation with Xcution and Ginjo as well as lying to Ichigo about the true purpose of the Combat Pass. "He blames himself," He thought. "For everything." Shunsui sighed and helped himself to another sip of tea.

Nanao, having calmed down from the rage-fueled assault on her Captain, stared out of the window the Soul Searcher had vanished through and contemplated the future.

"What!? Another Surrassha? Rangiku gasped. "And in Karakura Town?" The Lieutenant of Squad 10 was alone in a classroom, taking her lunch break when a Soul Searcher flew through the open window and landed on her shoulder. Suffice it to say, her relatively good mood for the day was ruined by the news it had to share. "Well, this is just great! First, that Jason guy slips through our fingers and now one of his buddies starts messing things up in Karakura Town!" She sighed. "I guess I better wrap things up here as soon as possible in case I get sent out on a mission. Rats! And just when I was just starting to have fun."

Unbeknownst to Rangiku, she was not the only one receiving the message from the Soul Searcher. Next to the classroom she was in, hidden behind a thin wall were the computer labs, a somewhat new feature of the Shin'O Academy designed for those wishing to join the Department of Research and Development. As with the classroom Rangiku was in, it was supposed to be empty as there were no classes scheduled for that day but hidden within the darkness of the room with only a single computer screen acting as their source of light, three male students listened in on the message meant for Rangiku.

"Holy crap!" The young brown-haired one who was sitting in the chair exclaimed. "Did you hear that?"

"Of course, we did Haruto," The bald student to his right answered as he fixed his swirly glasses. "We're all right here, aren't we?"

"You know what I meant, Aoto." Haruto muttered. "The Gotei 13 might have found a third Surrassha in Karakura Town! This is big!"

"More like horrifying," the third boy, a skinny blonde thing, shivered. "What if they bring him here like last time? What if he gets loose and ends up at the Academy? What if-"

"Shut it, Dai!" Haruto slammed the back of Dai's head. "That's not gonna happen!"

"More than likely, they'll go over the information they've gathered, find and interview this guy's past victims, and then send a few of their best to eliminate him in the World of the Living," Aoto replied.

"Y-You really think so?"

It was then that the computer began to suddenly beep. All three boys watched as the screen transformed into an image of Captain Kurotsuichi making a face. "Oh deary me." His voice said. "It would seem some peeping toms have decided to hack into the Soul Searcher I sent. It's rude to eavesdrop on other people's conversation you know? "

"C-Captain Kurotsuichi!?" The boys asked in frightened unison.

"I'm afraid such rudeness must be disciplined." Mayuri's face was replaced with a giant number 5 that began to count downwards until it reached zero. When that happened, the computer exploded, cutting off the screams of the nerdy trio.

Back in the other classroom, Rangiku heard the explosion but decided that going to investigate would be against her better judgment. "There's never a dull moment around this place. That's for sure."

"Focus...Focus...Focus...There is nothing else in this space. Nothing else exists but me and my sword...Focus...Focus..."

Jamie had been meditating with her sword for the past few hours and as she opened her eyes, she found herself in total darkness. The darkness scared her as it reminded her of her recurring nightmare. Nonetheless, she persisted, pushing her fear aside to focus on the blade in her lap. "The only reason this place is dark is because I haven't been able to communicate with my Zanpakuto yet." She assured herself. "All I have to do is find its voice. If I can just do that, I know I won't be trapped in the shadows. I won't be af-

She opened her eyes as she said this and there he was. The tall lumbering figure who haunted her nightmares just as he haunted her mind, looming over her like an intangible angel of death. His black soulless eyes stared through Jamie, stripping her of every little notion of hope and bravery.

"N-No!" Jamie whimpered. "Leave me alone!"

The pale-faced nightmare spoke no words nor made any action. He just stood there, refusing to budge.

"W-What do you want!?" Jamie screamed. "Why won't you leave me alone!"

The Shape took a step forward, causing Jamie to scream and fall backward.

"Stay back! I-I'm warning you!" Jamie reached for her Zanpakuto. Even without any powers, it would still at least be capable of cutting this monster right? Jamie would never get the chance to find out, however, as no matter how much of the ground she felt, she could not find her sword. It had vanished into the inky blackness. "Where is it!? Oh God, where is it!?"

The Shape took another step toward her, looming over her shaking crying form. She could hardly make out what little features he possessed with her tears blurring her vision. "W-Why!? P-Please!"

The Shape cocked its head and lunged at the helpless girl and with that final terrifying visual, Jamie screamed herself free from her Jinzen. She sat in the middle of the room, drenched in sweat and panting heavily, the sword that had failed to come to her aid still sitting on her lap. Once she had reclaimed her full bearings, she gritted her teeth, screamed at the top of her lungs, and tossed her sword forward. "Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!" She scrambled up to her feet and grabbed her hair. "This is bullshit! Fuck! Fuck!"

As Jamie looked ahead, she gasped to see her sword stabbed into the wall before her. "Oh shit!" She whined as she rushed to grab the sword. She couldn't get it out until she pressed her foot against the wall and the resulting crack grew as she wretched the blade out. "Oh dammit!" She cursed as she watched the paint chip away from the crack. "This is just great! There goes my allowance!" She sighed and collapsed on her bed, letting the sword drop from her hand. "This isn't fair! Not only is that bastard haunting my dreams but he won't even let me speak to my Zanpakuto! Who is he?" Jamie wiped the tears from her eyes. "I know he's the one that killed me and I know that he might be my uncle, as uncomfortable as that might be to ponder. But there's much more to it! I know it! Did he kill my mother? My sister? And what about the old man?" Jamie groaned as she gripped her head. "Come on brain! Remember! Remember!"

The door suddenly slammed open, startling Jamie and causing her to fall off her bed as her roommate, Yumi rushed in. "Jamie-Kun! You're not gonna believe this!"

"Ohhh..." Jamie groaned again as she picked herself up, feeling herself up to ensure that she didn't accidentally cut herself with her sword. "What is it, Yumi?" She asked. "Did the Pointdexter trio blow themselves up again?"

"No!" Yumi shouted. "Well, actually, yes they did. But that's not important! There's something in the hallway you need to see!" Before Jamie could ask her just what was so important, Yumi grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. "Come on! Quickly!" Yumi rushed out the door with Jamie in tow. The former American girl stumbled as she was pulled along and nearly crashed into Yumi as she attempted to match her pace, bumping her chin against her roommate's shoulder. "Yumi, what the hell's going on?"

"You'll see when we get there!" Yumi replied. "Come on!"

"Yumi!" Jamie shouted. She sighed as she knew there was no way to reach her friend. By now, she had managed to match Yumi's pace and so went along with her roommate through the hallways. They passed by a few students on their way to Yumi's destination, all of whom couldn't stop but stare at the spectacle dashing past them. Jamie felt her cheeks heat up and mentally prayed that wherever Yumi was taking her, they would be there soon.

With a sharp turn around the corner, Jamie found herself in the same hallway where she had given Shuhei Hisagi directions not too long ago. It only hit her after the fact that he was a lieutenant and she still found herself thinking about that day occasionally. Before she could fly down memory lane, however, her attention was stolen by the confused and somewhat frightened murmurs of a group of students at the end of the hall. Looking forward, Jamie could see that they were gathered around some sort of new poster which was obscured by their heads. "That's what all the commotion is about?" She thought. "A poster?"

"Hey! Move out of the way!" Yumi screamed as she picked up the pace. Once again, Jamie stumbled and struggled to fix her own pace. It was as if she was being pulled along by a speeding car. "Yumi! Slow down!"

"Huh?" One of the male students looked behind himself, his eyes growing in fear as he saw Yumi dashing toward him and his friends. He let out a short cry to alert his friends before running off. They were all quick to notice the speeding girl and jumped out of the way as well, allowing Yumi to come to a screeching halt where they once stood. Jamie practically crashed into her friend's back, feeling her entire rib cage crack as she made contact. She would have fallen back if she hadn't gripped Yumi's shoulder and pulled herself over, her head resting against Yumi's. "Ok, what did you want to show me?"

"Look," Yumi shouted as she pointed to the poster. In bright red letters, it read: Did this man kill you? D.A.C.U wants you! Report to the Department of Research and Development at once!" An illustration of a pale mask-like face sat in the middle of the poster. The students who were gathered around it were speaking in hushed and frightened whispers.

"D.A.C.U? Does this mean that guy's another Surrassha?"

"Oh God! Not another one! The last two nearly destroyed the Seireitei!"

"He looks so creepy!"

"Yeah. Imagine that being the last face you see before you die."

"This is big!" Yumi said. "Do you think any of this guy's victims go to this school?" Yumi waited for Jamie's reply while her own eyes were still glued to the poster. When she received no reply. She finally tore her gaze away. "Jamie? Are you listening... Jamie?

Jamie didn't respond. She couldn't even hear Yumi. As with her roommate, her eyes were glued to the poster, locked in place by the sight of those black soulless orbs that passed for his eyes. But while Yumi's attraction was one of morbid curiosity, hers made her an involuntary prisoner of fear. She wanted to look away but couldn't. Her eyes were transfixed by the eyes belonging to that damned pale face.

The same pale face that haunted her dreams and her mind.

"No..." She whimpered as the last night of her first life replayed in her mind. The freezing night air, the raw scent of blood, and the looming figure watching her die with curiosity and indifference in equal measure. It was the last thing she saw before she died, those lifeless eyes staring through her soul, imprinting its evil mark on her, as if promising that not even death would free her from his torment. "No..."

"Jamie?" Yumi asked. "Are you alright?" She reached a hand out for her friend only for Jamie, still transfixed against her will by the face on the poster, to back out of reach. Her pupils were wide and her skin was caked in sweat. Little by little, the student's attention was diverted from the poster to the raven-haired girl backing away slowly. She looked as if she were staring into the maw of a giant Hollow and Yumi's bubbly demeanor began to vanish as she called for her friend. "Jamie!? Jamie are you alright!?"

Jamie finally stopped, her eyes still glued to the face on the poster. And then, she screamed. She screamed so loudly that many of the students had to cover their ears, Yumi included. As the students watched on, Jamie lifted her head, aiming her banshee cry toward the ceiling. Then, as quickly as it had happened, it stopped and Jamie fell to her knees with a loud thud. She picked up her head and faced the group of dumbfounded students, her eyes devoid of light. She uttered one word, "Uncle." before falling to her left.

"Jamie!" Yumi rushed over to her friend, threw herself down, and managed to catch her head before it hit the ground. "Someone call the nurse! Now!"

The students behind her scrambled, some going to find help, others wanting to remove themselves from the situation as fast as possible. As the dust settled, so too did the poster, the pale face of her past continuing to stare down at Jamie's unconscious body, continuing to trap her in the hell of her own fractured mind.

"I'm home!" Ichigo called out as he stepped through the doorway. Karin and Yuzu were thrown in front of the TV, the former too preoccupied with flipping channels to give her brother anything more than a lazy wave of acknowledgment. Yuzu, on the other hand, jumped up and turned in her seat to greet Ichigo. "Welcome back, Ichigo! Dinner will be ready soon!"

Ichigo inhaled and sure enough, the savory aroma of curry filled his nose. He smiled warmly. "Thanks, Yuzu. I'm just gonna put my stuff up."

"Ok!" Yuzu sat back down as Ichigo walked by. As soon as her eyes had left him, Ichigo's smile faded as his thoughts returned to the murderous monster now loose in his town. "That's right," He thought. "Nobody else knows about this monster except us. No one in this town realizes the danger that they're in. That's nothing new I suppose but this time, this isn't just some Hollow. It's another human being making a choice to kill these people. But why? What does he get out of it? What drives him to do it? And concerning what Riruka said, is it true? Could he really be a Fullbringer?"

At that moment, a news report suddenly interrupted the game show that Karin and Yuzu had landed on. "Breaking news! Local gang found slaughtered underneath the bridge!

Ichigo felt his heart stop. With a slight shiver and his eyes darkened, Ichigo slowly turned to the TV screen and was greeted by a reporter standing in front of the bridge in the park. Behind her were several paramedics, policemen, and full body bags. "A father taking his daughter for an innocent walk in the park made a chilling discovery this afternoon in Kon-Kon Park. The eyewitness reports say that several bodies were found underneath the bridge, hung from the bottom by their own insides. Some reports even go as far as to say that some of the faces of the bodies had been mangled, robbed of teeth, noses, and even eyes. The police have since cut down the bodies and are shipping them off to the morgue as we speak. We do not have any official identification at this time but reports liken the bodies as belonging to a local gang known for prowling the area and causing trouble. At this time, police do not have any leads."

"How awful!" Yuzu cried. "Who could do something like that to other people?"

"Or what?" Karin thought as she couldn't help but feel as if a Hollow was responsible for this tragedy.

But Ichigo knew better. He knew just who was responsible for those murders and now that he had seen just what he was capable of, he now had a sickening idea of just what kind of monster he was.

"Michael," Ichigo heard himself whisper.

(And with that, I conclude what may very well be my last chapter for 2023 and my second year of actually fucking writing. I've spent this year practicing my art skills as well so hopefully in the near future, I can get active in the fan art community as well. Fingers crossed. Now for those who don't watch the Halloween movies, allow me to explain.

The series is split into several different timelines, beginning with number 3 which doesn't have anything to do with Michael. When I was young, I thought all the movies up to Rob Zombie's remake were in the same Universe, and for this story, that's still the case. Trust me, the reveal is going to blow your mind...maybe. I hope so.

Anyway, as you can guess, Jamie will be our main heroine of the story as opposed to Laurie. I don't have anything against Laurie or anything but Jamie's always been my favorite non-Michael character from these movies and if you've read the first arc of this story, you know my faves get top billing. And I don't think I need to explain who the old man from Riruka's nightmares is. The only question is, is he really there or has Riruka lost her marbles?

Quick question: Does anyone want an Illustrated Guide to Soul Reapers type dealy with this story? It'd have to be its own thing because I've written far too many chapters but I've been considering it. Something where both the Bleach characters and Horror characters react to the chapters? Let me know what you think if you decide to review and I do hope you review.

Blessed Yuletide and consider this chapter my present to you all! Have a great New Year!)