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

33. Stabbing in the Dark

Chapter 33: Stabbing in the Dark.

(I won't lie to you, I am a little disappointed that I most likely won't be able to wrap up this arc before Halloween this year. My writing drive really took a hit due to all the shit happening recently and honestly, it just hardly feels worth it at times. But, considering I'm at the very least creating something now instead of hating others for creating, I suppose I'm doing better than I once was and that's enough reason to continue.

So there are about four chapters left in the story, including this one. I'll do my best to get the bulk of them done before the year is out but I can't promise anything, especially with my other stories to contend with. As I mentioned last time, this one should be a bit longer than the last chapter as well as there's plenty of content I need to put in.

I only just realize how I try to extend the Author's Note, only to remember I can't say much because of spoilers. Man, I'm stupid. Anyway, I have pretty much run out of things to say at this point. All that's left is to bring up the fanart scammers that have been bothering me as of late. I'll be dropping this message on a few of my stories to let others know and to let those jerks know I'm on to them. If you're planning to favorite one of my stories and ask for a commission for a fancomic for it, I'm not interested and that goes for all of you.

Enough bullshit, let's just get into the story...

"My name is Samhain and I am the key to your destiny."

Michael stared at the strange bird-like creature as it approached. As it stepped into the moonlight, Michael was able to fully take in its shape and form. The creature's face was concealed in, or perhaps even consisted of, a bone-white mask resembling that of a plague doctor. The back of its head was covered in a leathery black skin that split apart at the creature's ribcage and draped over its sides, the loose skin flowing like a cape as the creature walked. The body beneath that split was bony and ashen grey and, as the creature that called itself Samhain came to a stop in front of Michael, his loose skin came together to conceal that lower half. It was as if Michael was face to face with the specter of Death itself.

He remembered being considered such every once and a while and thus, while he made no indication to such, the irony was not lost on him.

Samhain turned his head quizzically. "Oh my dearest boy. Surely you must recognize me." He said in a almost hurt tone. "I was the one who raised you up, who protected you for all those years and the one who you paid back with a surgical blade rammed into my flesh."

The mention of a blade slicing through meat was enough to give Michael a reason to actually entertain this creature and think back. Of course, at this point, Michael had ended so many lives that they all fell into a blur in his memory. He could differentiate their screams far more than he could their faces. Thus, he focused on the sound of the creature's voice, racking his brain to see if he had heard it cry out in one last pathetic plea for mercy. Then it hit him but he said not as much nor did he need too. Samhain was able to pick up on it somehow and replied with a chuckle.

"I can see the glint in your eyes, Michael. You do remember me. And your memory serves you well." He bowed. "I was Doctor Wynn, the one you taught you how to drive, the one who helped you escape." He stood back up. "And the one who wants to help you again."

Michael tilted his head in confusion.

"Oh. Confused are we?" Samhain chuckled again. "Confused as to why someone who you brutally murdered would want to help you?" Samhain began to walk around Michael. "Don't get me wrong, being brutally killed in that fashion was not what I would call a pleasant experience. But it was a blessing in disguise. You see my new form, right? A new powerful body, fueled by the souls of the Cult of Thorn. I must admit it was quite horrifying to discover I had a drive to devour them but once I cast aside my guilt, I was able to elevate myself even further than you had, until I became a being worthy of the title of Samhain."

Michael studied Samhain closely as he watched, clenching his knife tightly. He put two and two together and realized that these masked creatures he had been seeing used to be humans How many of his past victims had become these things, he wondered. How would one go about killing them?

"It's all thanks to you Michael!" Samhain shouted, snapping The Shape out of his wandering thoughts. "You freed me from my flesh and gave me this new, powerful form and for that I thank you!" Samhain bowed before Michael again. "I see the truth now. I realize the folly of the Cult of Thorn and for that, I apologize. I see now that all we have done is keep you from your true potential, your true destiny!"

Michael perked up.

"You know it by now, don't you Michael? The voice in your head, the shadows in your heart. It's not just an evil presence but a living, breathing power capable of rewriting reality itself! You've used it more times than you even realize but always unconsciously, always without fully realizing it. And now that you know it's there and what it is, you can feel it growing, yes, growing and changing into its final, most powerful stage!"

Michael lessened the grip on his knife as his interest became piqued So far, everything the creature calling itself Samhain was saying rang true. Michael could feel his power growing day by day and soon, it would be at its peak. He would have the power to claim the world and twist it into his image. His dark, demented image.

"But there are others." Samhain continued, once again snapping Michael out of his thoughts. "Other beings like me who seek to stop you. Who seek to destroy you before you can reach your perfection. They are here now, in the same town as you and they know you are here as well, Michael."

Michael turned fully toward Samhain, giving his full attention to the dark messenger.

"They have powers as well, Michael. None as strong as yours but enough to pose a problem. Powers far beyond anything you've seen before." Samhain continued. "It won't just be like with Laurie or that fool Loomis. You're the one at the disadvantage here. For they are many and you are one and you are not yet at full strength!

Michael cared not about the number of these potential enemies. He had wiped out dozens in one sitting before. It was only the mention of powers that concerned him for he recalled the night he was attacked by people with such abilities and how he was brought back here by the survivors not too long ago. These must surely be the people Samhain was referring too.

"But we can help," Samhain added. "Me and my new congregation. We can align ourselves to you the same way the Cult of Thorn once did, this time with the full knowledge of what you are and what you will become! We will help you to hide away, take you to a place where you can better train your powers. And then, when the time is right, we will fight alongside you against the heretics that would see you fall!" Had Samhain kept his human mouth, it would no doubt be foaming from madness. "All we ask is that you set aside a place for us in your new world, Michael. That is the only request I dare to make in exchange for our help."

Michael stared at Samhain and pondered his offer. While he was confident he could take most of these new enemies out himself as he had so many before, he knew he had to play this smart. There was no telling just what the strongest of them could do and if he failed this time, there might not be another chance. Just considering the idea of not coming back felt utterly ridiculous to Michael but he was in a new world now, a world of real monsters and real magic. Getting cocky now could spell the difference between godhood and his final and ultimate destruction. Thus, Michael decided that, for the moment at least, having a support system backing him up until Halloween wouldn't be the worst idea in the world. After all, he could always destroy them the second his powers had reached their peak.

Michael nodded his head once, the closest to outright communication he had performed in decades.

"Wonderful!" Samhain shouted. As he spoke, a large black void opened behind him. Its darkness matched Michael's eyes and the Shape once again tilted his head in confusion. "Oh, don't be afraid." Samhain continued. "This is a Garganta. It will take us to a place where you can train your power in peace, away from the prying eyes of those heathens out to destroy you!" Samhain turned and started walking right into the spatial cavity. "Just focus your energy at your feet and you will create a path connecting to mine. Come along then, we have much to show you."

Michael hesitated at first, unsure of where Samhain was going with this. Slowly, he approached the Garganta, slid a foot inside and from his heel slowly but surely formed a path of energy that felt firm beneath his foot. Realizing what Samhain was getting at, Michael put his other foot forward, outpouring even more energy. Then another step. Then another. By the time the Garganta began to close, Michael was already treading the path born from his spiritual energy as easily as he would a ordinary sidewalk, vanishing into the shadows as he always had.

---

"Come in...Come in Captain Kurotsuchi! Come in...Dammit!" Kisuke hissed under his breath as his ninth attempt at stabilizing the screens resulted in more static He pounded on the controls once and raised his hands for another go only to stop himself. It had been quite a long time since Kisuke had lost his composure like this. Even when he was banished from the Soul Society for saving the Visored, he was still able to keep his head on his shoulders. But now, for the first time since before he could even remember, he was totally lost.

Ten minutes had passed since the group lost contact with the would-be backup. By now, Rukia had managed to calm down Orihime and Jamie although the latter still wore a look of utter defeat on her face. The shock proved too much for Riruka and Yukio and thus they were returned to the latter's room to recover on their own time. Loomis was standing in the corner of the room, muttering to himself about the Heart of Darkness over and over again. No one could seem to snap him out of his raving but at the very least, he had quieted himself enough to give everyone else a chance to recover. Uryu had to step out to take care of some doctors and nurses that had been attracted by the sound of panicking and cursing. It took about five minutes but he was able to convince them that he was simply dealing with an unruly patient whom he had already gotten under control and made them leave. He returned to the room and joined Ichigo and Sado in watching Kisuke trying to reestablish communications with Soul Society. They all kept their distance, not wanting to breathe down his neck as he worked although this seemed to have little affect on his stress. As Kisuke cursed under his breath once more, Ichigo finally took a chance and broke the silence.

"Kisuke I...I think you should stop for now." He worried that in his distressed state, Kisuke might rebuke or even snap at him. However, the former Captain of Squad 12 only responded with a sigh of relief as he stretched his arms. "Phew! Glad someone said it! A few more minutes of this and I would have exploded from sheer stress!"

"I'm sorry." Ichigo muttered. "I should have spoken up earlier then."

"Don't sweat it, Ichigo." Kisuke turned around. "I think its safe to say we're all a little stressed tonight and we all have damned good reason to be." He sighed. "It's never a good feeling when you have a bunch of problems and no solutions."

"Well, let's start by straightening out what we do know." Uryu suggested. "First of all, what exactly happened out there?"

"Well from what we can tell, the Kototsu essentially broke into the pathway our backup was using and destroyed it and itself by grinding against the walls. We can only hope the others made it out in time but until I can reestablish communication with Squad 12, there'll be no way of knowing."

"Is there any other way you can reach Soul Society?" Sado asked.

Kisuke shook his head. "Pretty much all of our communication equipment was wiped out by the Kototsu."

Rukia walked up to the men and held out her Denreishinki. She pushed a button which resulted in a loud beep and nothing else. "My Denreishinki is offline as well." She muttered. "Its as if we've been cut off completely from the Soul Society!"

"The Heart of Darkness..." Loomis muttered. "The Heart of Darkness is at work.."

"This is all my fault!" Jamie whined. "If I didn't run off, they wouldn't have had to go after me. They wouldn't have been in there when..." Jamie began to sob, only for Orihime to comfort her again.

"Please don't blame yourself." She said. "No one could have known this was going to happen. It's not your fault."

"Besides, we don't know for sure yet what happened but I know these guys." Ichigo butted in. "They don't die easy, any of them. I'm sure they all made it out alive."

"Ichigo," Jamie sniffed.

Ichigo offered her a reassuring smile before turning back to Kisuke. "Can you fix it?"

"Well I'll try." Kisuke said as he scratched his head. "And there's no doubt in my mind that right now, Captain Kurotsuichi is working hard on his end to reestablish contact. I'll be sure to do my part as well. Only when one of us contacts the other will we be able to figure out the situation in more detail and work toward a solution but it might take awhile. Kisuke fiddled with the controls once more, only to get static once again. He sighed and turned back to the group. "In the meantime, we have a more pressing concern." His eyes darkened. "I'm talking, of course, about Michael Myers."

Jamie stiffened in Orihime's arms and Loomis continued to rant and rave in the corner.

"You all realize as much, right?" Kisuke continued. "Without that back-up, we're all that's left to counter Michael. And while I don't mean to offend anyone, a lot of us aren't exactly at full capacity to fight this threat."

Jamie lowered her gaze to the floor, knowing that Kisuke was referring to her and the Fullbringers

"That doesn't matter!" Ichigo spoke up. "Even if it's just a few of us, that's still a few more than Michael's got. He might be strong but he's alone and that means we have the advantage!"

"Don't get cocky, Ichigo." Kisuke wagged his finger. "That might be the case for now, but remember what the aptains said about those Hollows that blocked off the Seikaimon in the first place. We don't know how many of them there are or what their abilities are but we know they've taken a shine to Michael." Kisuke sighed. "It's the same as with Freddy and Jason really. These Surassha, evil as they are, seem to gather allies wherever they go. We have to play this smart."

Ichigo clenched his fist as Kisuke's words sunk in. All we wanted to do was find Michael and end this nightmare as soon as he could. He could tell from the look on Sado and Uyru's faces that they felt the same. Everyone wanted this nightmare to be over. Everyone except Michael himself.

And after tonight, he might be the only one with a say in anything.

Ichigo sighed. "Alright, so what do you suppose we do?"

"Well, that should be pretty obvious." Kisuke replied. "We really only have one thing to do and that's to prepare to throw everything we have at Michael." Kisuke walked down the room, holding his hat. "At it stands, most of us are battle ready, me included. But I have to focus on getting back in touch with Soul Society as soon as possible, that, unfortunately leaves the bulk of the fighting to the five of you." He turned once he was right before the doorway, facing everyone in the room. "Orihime. Rukia. Uryu. Chad and Ichigo."

"And me!" Jamie stood up suddenly. "I want to fight as well!"

"Jamie," Orihime whispered.

"I know I'm not as strong as everyone else here. I...I don't even have the full power of my Zanpakuto but...but...this monster...he took everything away from me. So I can't just stand by and do nothing. I...I have to fight!" She shouted with as much resolve as she had, leaving herself breathless and panting as all eyes aside from Loomis's fell on her.

"That's a nice thought," Kisuke spoke. "And I can certainly appreciate your reasoning for wanting to join this fight. That being said, you should stay out of it."

"What!?" Jamie replied as Ichigo as his friends turned to Kisuke.

"Look, it pains me to say this. It really does but the fact is, this isn't some action series were the plucky youngster can summon the strength to fight just because he wills it or because his friends are in danger. The reality is you're far too weak to take on Michael."

"B-But you're the one who encouraged me to stay and fight!" Jamie argued.

"That's right!" Orihime backed her up.

"That was before the Kototsu broke into the Seikaimon pathway." Kisuke countered. "And while I can't 100% confirm that it was Michael's Heart of Darkness, I have to at least consider the possibility. And if it really is the cause, that means Michael's powers have grown far beyond the scope I originally envisioned. I feel uncomfortable letting Ichigo and the others go after him without backup from the Soul Society and with you in the picture? Forgive for my bluntness but you would only be a liability."

Jamie quietly gasped as that final word sank in. Everyone else was just as shocked with Ichigo clenching his fist. "Kisuke, you bastard! What the hell is-

"I must disagree, Mr. Urahara." Loomis spoke in a loud and clear voice free of hysterics and frenzy. All eyes turned to him as he turned away from the corner, her face dark and focused. "On the contrary, Jamie may in fact be our best asset in this fight."

"Dr. Loomis." Jamie whispered.

"Interesting," Kisuke responded. "Care to elaborate on that, Doctor?"

"In the midst of our catching up so to speak with Jamie and Michael's tortured relationship, there was something I failed to mention or rather wasn't given the opportunity to do so."

"What was it?" Ichigo asked.

"You see, in the year that Jamie was kidnapped by the Cult of Thorn along with her uncle, in the days before that dreadful night, she seemed to have developed a strange connection with Michael. She could see bits and pieces of what he saw."

"You mean...a psychic connection?" Rukia asked.

"I...I don't remember that." Jamie refuted.

"I don't blame you." Loomis said. "It was quite the traumatic experience for you. Every time the visions took hold, you were left a crying, sweating mess." Loomis shook his head sadly. "I...I wouldn't be surprised if you had blotted out that memory even before you died, Jamie."

Jamie's lips trembled as she tried to process Loomis's words. "A psychic connection? With my uncle? With that monster?"

"That certainly is an interesting matter," Kisuke said. "But what does it have to do with our current situation?"

"Back when I was reading those documents, on the night Michael finally claimed me as a victim, there was another tidbit of information I read. Only a sentence or too but in the time since that...Kototsu or whatever you call it crashed into the pathway our backup was taking, I've had time to reflect on it. It mentioned that sometimes, and especially in cases of sharing the same blood, Fullbringers can share visions if their Reiryoku makes contact with one another."

Jamie's eyes widened. "W-Wait Dr Loomis! What are you saying?"

"It's just a theory, I admit." Loomis continued as he approached Jamie. "But I believe that when Michael first attacked Jamie, he activated some latent power in her soul that manifested as that psychic connection. In other words, a Fullbring!"

Orihime and Rukia gasped as did Jamie.

"A-A Fullbring? Y-You're suggesting I'm a Fullbringer? Like Michael?"

"Yes." Loomis nodded. "I believe you have latent power within you, Jamie."

"No."

"Latent power you can use to defeat Michael-

"No!"

"The power to end your uncle's reign of terror once and for all!"

"Enough!" Jamie shouted. "Dr. Loomis! Y-You've gone crazy! There's no way in hell that I can be a Fullbringer! I-I never felt anything back then that could be latent power! I never-

"They kidnapped you, Jamie!" Loomis shouted, returning to his hysterical posture. "And they knew! No one else but them knew what you really possessed! They must have stifled it somehow! Kept you from knowing! Kept you from using it so you wouldn't pose a threat to Michael! They stole it from you Jamie just like they stole everything else!"

"Stop it!" Jamie cried as she dug her fingers into her scalp. "Please! Just stop!"

"Jamie!" Loomis was suddenly pulled back by Ichigo and Sado while Orihime and Rukia went to comfort Jamie. Uryu and Kisuke watched on in quiet horror as mania once again ruled the room. The mere mention of Michael's name seemed to attract it like flies to carrion.

"Stop it, old man!" Ichigo demanded. "Can't you see you're scaring her!?"

"You're right! She is scared!" Loomis shouted back as he struggled to get out of the boys grasp. "And if Michael is not defeated, she'll never be anything but scared again!" At that moment, he finally broke free but did not step closer to the crying Jamie. "Jamie, just a minute ago, you spoke with resolve about wanting to fight Michael but to do so, you have to face your past!"

Jamie looked up at Loomis, tears streaming down her face and onto her fingers.

"I know you don't want to face it again. The terror. The loss. The blackness. But you must if you are ever going to be free! You must look inside yourself, find the dark power that Michael has given you and use it against him!" Tears formed in his own eyes now. "You've been through so much, Jamie. More than any child should ever experience. Why, you hardly even had a childhood. Hardly had a life and it was all because of your uncle!" Loomis wept a little and dried his tears with his sleeve. Ichigo and Sado stayed behind him, ready to pounce if he made any sudden movements. "That night you stabbed your step-mother, I thought the evil had tainted you and in a way, it had. But now I know better. Now I know that you can control it, Jamie! You can take the power, the darkness that Michael tainted you with and use it as a weapon to hack into the light! To defeat the evil once and for all!"

Jamie considered Loomis words carefully. She didn't recall her psychic connection with her uncle at all but she remembered being under the influence of his evil and finding herself standing on the top of the stairs covered in blood and holding a pair of scissors. "I...I want to be free." She thought. "I want to step out of my uncle's shadow for good." Jamie dried her tears and turned to Kisuke." M...Mr. Urahara?"

"Hmm?"

"I-Is it really possible what Dr. Loomis is suggesting? I-If I really was a Fullbringer in life, c-could I really rediscover that power as a Shinigami?"

"I don't know," Kisuke admitted. "While a Fullbringer can certainly keep their powers after death, all of the observed cases have been for souls in the Rukongai, not for any Shinigami."

"Oh..." Jamie uttered, feeling disappointed.

"But then again," Kisuke said with a smile. "Ichigo here once went through Fullbringer training to get his Shinigami powers back."

"R-Really?" Jamie turned to Ichigo. "Is that true?"

Ichigo nodded. "That's where I know Riruka and Yukio from. I had lost my Shinigami powers and they had offered to develop my Fullbring as a gateway to getting them back."

"A gateway?" Jamie whispered. "D-Does that mean, if I were to learn my Fullbring..."

"It might lead to the awakening of your Zanpakuto as well." Kisuke suggested. "Of course, this is all still speculation. I'm not, by any means, promising anything."

Jamie sniffled as she got up, Orihime and Rukia holding her arms. "I have a chance..." She thought. "A chance to finally be free...once and for all..." She broke out of the girl's grasp and wiped what remained of her tears away, saying; "Dr. Loomis! I want to try your theory! I...I want to try and awaken my Fullbring!"

Ichigo and the others smiled as it seemed Jamie's resolve had returned, this time to stay. Loomis uttered a sigh of relief and even Kisuke fixed his hat in place with a smile. While he wasn't completely convinced that Jamie could recover her Fullbring as a Shinigami, he was certain of one thing. If Dr. Loomis's theory was true, the odds might be more even than they realize.

"Alright so its settled." He spoke up. "Starting tomorrow, we begin patrols throughout Karakura Town in search of Michael. No one is to go in it alone. There should be at the very least two people at a time but three would be preferable. We'll perform the patrols in the mornings and evenings when the sun is out. I don't want anyone getting caught off-guard." He turned to Jamie. "For now, you and Loomis can stay at my shop. There's plenty of room there and I boast quite the impressive underground training room." He said with a flair of bragging in his voice. "You can train there along with whoseever available to help you at the time. It doesn't matter if you focus on your Zanpakuto or your Fullbring or even just your Hakuda. Just as long as you get stronger than you are now."

"R-Right!" Jamie shouted.

Loomis smiled. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen Jamie with such hope in her eyes. With the shadow of her uncle looming over her like a bad storm, he supposed it was possible that he never had before.

Everyone else felt that same hope well inside them. Even as the night outside continued to cast its relentless shadow, the light of their resolve shined through.

---

"Now you're mine!" Mr. Pork the III screamed as he launched a punch toward Jamie. With a cry of surprise, she threw herself on her back to escape the blow, only to find herself flying away to the other side of the box. She screamed in a blind panic right until she hit the wall face-first, her right foot twitching before she fell down.

Riruka sighed. "Alright. I've seen enough." She tickled her nose with a feather and after a few seconds of false starts, sneezed right onto both Jamie and Mr. Pork the III, causing the both of them to form out of the pretty rainbow box they had been shrunken into. The giant plush turned back into his original form, a heavyset-wanna be gangster and Jamie shuddered as she looked over her outfit, covered in mucus.

"Ugh!" Jamie whined. "Ms. Riruka, I understand you're taking time out of your day to help me with my Fullbringer training and I'm grateful. I really am!" She gagged as she pinched the hanging side of her sleeve and wipe some of the mucus off. "But are you positive that there's no other way to return us to normal besides sneezing on us?"

"I already told you no!' Riruka replied. "And besides, the more you're exposed to a existing Fullbring, the more likely you are to awaken your own, right? If anything, my snot should be doing wonders for that!"

"Somehow I highly doubt you spraying your bodily fluids on her is going to help awaken her Fullbring." Yukio commented from the far side of the training room. He was leaning against a large rock, playing his game as usual.

"Why do you have to put it like that!?" Riruka shouted in anger.

Meanwhile, the gangster was rubbing his head, his knees and remaining hand still on the ground. Suddenly, with an angry roar, he jumped back up to his feet and pointed at Riruka. "That's it! I'm sick of this!" He shouted. "I don't even know what the hell's going on or why you keep turning me into a damn pig! Why...Why did I even agree to this humiliation in the first place!?"

Riruka scoffed at him, unimpressed by the display. "I just figured since you couldn't give us any useful information on the man that wiped out your gang, the least you could do is help out in my student's training!"

Jamie blushed. Riruka sure seemed to love calling her that.

"Of course, if you've grown tired of being a sparring partner, we could always surrender you to the police." Yukio suggested without taking his eyes off the screen of his Fullbring. "Or better yet, we could release you on the streets and use you as bait. After all, Michael does seem the kind of person who prefers to finish the job."

The gangster's face grew blue the second Michael's name was spoken. He still remembered hiding inside a massive crate as his fellow gang members were brutally slaughtered. The only reason he was even able to escape with his life was that fact that, as he climbed out of the crate, he slipped and fell into a puddle of blood formed from the massive slit in one of his mate's throats. He remembered playing possum as Michael loomed over him and the eternity that seemed to pass before that pale-faced nightmare finally went away. He was captured by these freaks with powers not long afterword, being made to play the role of Mr. Pork the III again and again.

A role he decided at that moment wasn't so bad after all.

"I..I apologize." He said. "Please don't send me away."

Riruka scoffed again. "Whatever, everyone take five! I got doughnuts to eat."

The gangster collapsed on the floor as Riruka headed for a bag she had left on a rock nearby. Within the bag was a box of doughnuts and a few canned coffees. Riruka found herself sorely missing Giriko and the original hideout as she sat on the rock, cracked open a coffee, and took a bite out of a doughnut. Yukio just continued to play his game, leaving Jamie standing by herself awkwardly, unsure of what to do.

"Um..." She approached Riruka." R-Riruka. I-I mean, Ms. Riruka."

Before Jamie could continue, she was pelted in the head with a doughnut. She panicked and struggled to grab a hold of it before finally smashing it between her open palms. She stared at the doughnut for a few seconds before lowering it to face Riruka.

"Don't get too excited." Riruka said. "I bought these doughnuts for me." She finished off the one in her hand and picked up another one. "You can have one more after that and that's it."

"Uhh..thanks..." Jamie awkwardly took a bite out of the doughnut, so as not to be rude. Despite having been smashed between her hands, it still tasted quite good. "Listen, I...I wanted to apologize to you."

"Huh?" Riruka stopped just as she was about to place the doughnut in her mouth. "Apologize for what?"

"You and Mr. Yukio, you've been working with me for a week now but I still haven't made any progress. I just...I just feel like I'm wasting your time. I'm...I'm sorry." Jamie bowed her head as she said this, a custom she had learned from her time in Soul Society.

Riruka huffed as she watched Jamie bow. "You know, you really should stop apologizing so much." She said. "It's really annoying."

"Wha!" Jamie shot back up. "I'm so-shit! I mean I..uh..."

"Besides, I wouldn't say all the training has gone to waste." Yukio spoke. Jamie turned around to face him only to stiffen she saw him charging toward her with a single fist, using his Bringer Light as a boost. Without a second thought, she blocked the blow, the dust behind her getting kicked up by the force of it. Yukio landed back on his feet, his fist still connected to Jamie's hand. "Your reflexes have gotten a lot sharper. A week ago, I would have sent you spiraling into the ground."

"A year ago, you weren't even able to punch that hard." Riruka laughed

"My point still stands." Yukio said, ignoring her. "Your training is coming along nicely, it's just a matter of putting it into unlocking your powers. That's the only area in which you're lagging."

"I'm sorry." Jamie said again. "I guess there's still a part of me that refuses to accept all this. I mean, Hollows? Fullbringers? Being the niece of the Bogeyman seemed extraordinary enough." Jamie gasped as she realized she might be offending her two training partners. "Crap! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you!"

"Quit saying sorry!" Riruka pelted her with another doughnut.

"Ow!"

"There's no need. We know how you feel." Yukio said. "We've all longed for a normal life at some point or another. Hell, we even had a friend who wanted nothing more than to get rid of her powers for good. And in the end, when the dust settled, she got her wish."

"Really?" Jamie asked "W-Where is she now?"

"She's been around, making ends meet and getting used to a life without powers." A voice randomly cut in.

All eyes turned to the entrance from where two people were approaching them. One was Tessai, Kisuke's assistant who had been checking in every now and then. Jamie had been put off by him the first few times they interacted but had grown to appreciate his company as the days went on. She did not recognize the woman walking alongside him however. She was tall with dark skin and black hair, wearing a blue jacket over a yellow shirt, matching blue jeans and thick brown boots. Her face was stern as if she had something serious on her mind yet there was an air of warmth to her. Jamie heard something fall next to her and looked to find it was Riruka's box of doughnuts. The magenta-haired Fullbringer had rose to her feet as she stared at the woman with wide, knowing eyes, making it clear to Jamie that they were acquainted. Yukio wore a similar expression on his face as the mysterious woman grew closer. "But most of all, she's been missing her allies."

"J-Jackie?" Riruka uttered. "It..It's really you."

"Yeah." Jackie nodded as she approached Riruka. "It's good to see you, Riruka."

"Jackie," Riruka whimpered as she was pulled into a hug. As Riruka dug her face into Jackie's shoulder, the dark-haired woman turned to Yukio.

"It's nice to see you too, Yukio. How's that company of your been holding up?"

"Extremely well." Yukio answered. "I remember telling you that it would be ready in three years but at the rate we've been growing, it'll probably be two."

"That's great to hear." Jackie chuckled. "Then I'll be able to quit my job as a ramen delivery girl."

Riruka looked at Jackie in surprise. "What? You don't look anything like a ramen delivery girl!"

"It's my day off," Jackie laughed before turning to Jamie who stiffened under her intense gaze. "Was this the one you were telling me about, Tessai?"

"Yes," Tessai confirmed in his usual jovial tone. "This is Jamie Lloyd. She's currently a student at the Shinigami Academy but here she's attempting to activate her Fullbring."

"Huh." Jackie shrugged as continued to size Jamie up. "I didn't realize Shinigami needed to go to school."

"Um...H...Hi?" Jamie awkwardly waved, unsure of what to make of this situation. "I-I take it you...you know Ms. Riruka and Mr. Yukio?"

"Ms. Riruka?" Jackie turned to her magenta-haired friend. "Just what are you having this poor girl doing?"

"Hey! She came to us for help on her own accord!" Riruka defended. "Besides, aren't students supposed to refer to their teachers with honorifics?"

"You are far too young and bratty for anyone to refer you as Ms." Jackie replied flatly.

"What did you call me!?"

"Her name is Jackie Tristan." Yukio explained to Jamie as the two continued to bicker. "She was a member of Xcution like we were."

"Xcution?" Jamie asked. "Does that mean she's a Fullbringer?"

Yukio shook his head. "She was actually the one I was talking about, the one who lost her powers after Ginjo died. As of now, she's just a ordinary human."

"Oh." Jamie uttered with a bit of disappointment to her voice. "I...I see."

"It's very nice to see you, Jackie," Yukio spoke up. "But what exactly are you doing here? No offense but I don't think you can offer much in terms of training Jamie here."

"I'm aware of that," Jackie answered as she turned away from a still-shouting Riruka. "But my memories came back too."

Yukio and Riruka shuddered as they knew at once what she was talking about.

"I remember the Cult of Thorn. I remember Dawn. I remember everything." Jackie continued. "And I know without my powers, there isn't much I can do now to fulfill the promise we made to Ginjo that night. But that doesn't change the fact that we made that promise and with all the others gone, it's up to us to see it through."

"So you tracked us down to Urahara shop?" Riruka asked.

Jackie shook her head. "Actually, it was Uryu who called me, filled me in on the whole situation. Funny enough, it happened right after I got my memory back."

"Ms. Tristan has agreed to lend a hand anyway she can." Tessai answered. "And I think you can all agree in a situation like this, we can use all the help we can get."

"I see," Yukio nodded. "Well, regardless of the circumstances, it is rather nice to see you again, Jackie. It's almost like old times."

"About as close as we can get anyway." Riruka added as she pointed to Jackie. "Look, just don't get in the way and we'll all be fine."

"Sure," Jackie shrugged again. "Whatever you say."

Riruka nodded with a huff. "Alright! Now that that's all settled we can-AHHHHH!"

Riruka cried out as she finally noticed her precious doughnuts on the dusty ground.

"My doughnuts! My beautiful doughnuts!" Riruka wept as she fell to her knees. "I paid good money for those!"

"Correction." Yukio spoke up. "You used my good money for those."

Riruka pouted, steam practically rising from her head. "We'll guess what, smartass! You'll have to buy me some more!"

"Nuh uh!" Yukio shook his head. "Not going to happen. You can buy your own doughnuts!"

Riruka fumed, gritting her teeth as more blood vessels journeyed to her face by the second. Jamie gulped as she always felt nervous seeing Riruka in such a state.

"Relax, Ms. Riruka. I will be happy to accompany you to the store to buy more doughnuts." Tessai offered. This seemed to appease Riruka a little as she let out a sigh that cooled her face and approached the former Kido Corps member. "Alright, take the lead." Tessai nodded as he turned toward the exit.

"Wait!" Jamie cried. "What about our training?"

"That can wait until I've had a proper lunch break." Riruka answered. "One that doesn't involve my lunch falling on the floor!" She glared at Yukio as she said this, despite him having nothing to do with her losing her doughnuts. With a huff, Riruka vanished into the blackness of the entrance with Tessai. Just then, Yukio's Fullbring beeped and he grunted.

"Just as well, my game needs charging." He walked away to the only workable outlet in the training room, leaving Jamie alone with Jackie. An awkward silence followed as Jamie rubbed her arm, unsure as what to do. Her instincts were compelling her to ask a certain question but her rational mind blared in alarm against it, pointing out all the ways it could go wrong.

"So uh...you...you used to be a Fullbringer?"

The alarms were ringing loud.

"Yes?"

"So...uh...Y-Yukio told me you wanted to get rid of your powers. Why?"

Jamie felt the alarms go dead silent, her subconscious's way of calling her a big fat idiot for letting her instincts win. Jackie stared at her with those stern eyes and Jamie wasn't sure if she was being glared at or not. With Jackie, it was hard to tell. In any event, she wished that a giant hole would open up beneath her feet and swallow her whole. How could she possibly ask such a moronic question as casually as discussing the weather. How could she-

"Technically speaking, I didn't give up my powers. I lost them." Jackie said.

Jamie snapped out of her funk with a gasp.

"I pulled a move during my final battle with them in a attempt to end it. It worked but after that, my power was lost." Jackie sighed. "But it was true, even before then, I wanted nothing more than to be rid of them."

"Really? Why?"

Jackie thought back to that awful night, the night her power took everything from her. "That Fullbring was nothing but a curse from the minute I got it. I lost everything because of it." Jackie started to walk off. "I don't know much about the Shinigami but I do know that our powers, all of them, were born from the creatures they hunt. Hollows. Corrupted souls made of emptiness and hate." She turned to Jamie. "I understand you want to help take down Michael Myers more than anyone but remember that the power you're trying to unlock, the Fullbring, is the same exact power that allowed him to take everything from you."

Jamie shuddered.

"Want my advice, kid? Forget about your Fullbring and focus on training your Shinigami powers instead. Because if you actually possess a Fullbring, chances are it was born from the dark energy your uncle gave you and should you use it, you might just end up destroying the very lives you're trying to save."

Jackie walked toward Yukio, leaving Jamie to soak in her words. She felt chilled right down to the bone as it dawned on her that what Jackie said was true, that the very power she was hoping to use against her uncle bound them together. She stood there, completely dumbfounded as her heart tried to process this information as well as her brain had. To her side, the confused gangster looked around nervously, not comprehending anything that his protectors/captors had said.

"Um...does someone wanna fill me in here? Hello!?"

---

Sado and Orihime were walking down the street. To an untrained eye, they looked like ordinary high school students out for a walk maybe even on a date. But they were both on a secret mission, a patrol on the look-out for anything out of the ordinary. Aside from a couple of Hollows which they quickly dispatched, there wasn't any sign of Michael to be seen that day, just the same as it had been for all their previous patrols. Orihime sighed as she walked, already knowing that today's patrol would fair no better.

Sado noticed his friend's fatigue and was quick to respond. "You look tired. Do you want to take a break?"

Orihime looked up at Sado and shook her head. "No, I'm fine. Really! I could probably go for another 10 miles or so before I need to rest!"

Just then, Orihime's stomach growled. It was only a short growl but it was loud enough for Sado to hear it. Orihime couldn't help but blush and chuckle as she rubbed the back of her head.

Sado looked ahead and noticed the ice cream shop just before them "Let's stop for a moment anyway and get some ice cream." He turned to her. "I'll pay for it."

"Oh Chad!" Orihime replied. "You don't have to do that."

"I insist." Sado led Orihime into the shop. He ordered a simple strawberry swirl while Orihime had...well...the base flavor was mint. She just so happened to add gummy bears, chamoy, pickle slices and tried to get mayonnaise on top of it all. Sado couldn't help but suffer a mild stomach ache just looking at the concoction but as Orihime took her first bite and murmured happily, he was able to relax a little. After Sado paid for the ice cream, the two of them stepped back outside and sat on a bench sitting just outside the shop. They spent the next few minutes in silence, enjoying their ice cream and putting the threat of Michael Myers and the Heart of Darkness out of their minds to the best of their abilities. But neither left completely and even through the sweet taste of the frozen cream lay the sour sensation of dread.

"So...who's going on patrol next?" Orihime decided to ask in the hopes of distracting herself. She would immediately come to regret that decision.

"I think Ichigo and Rukia are supposed to take the next one." Sado answered

Orihime's heart sank as she was reminded of their relationship. Of course, she bore no ill will toward either of her close friends but just hearing about the relationship again hurt her immensely. "It's my fault," She thought to herself. "I waited too long and now it's too late. I...I don't have any right to be upset but still I..."

A single sniffle escaped Orihime and once again, Sado was quick to respond. "Orihime, are you alright?"

Orihime realized Sado was on to her and nodded. "I'm perfectly fine. Just...I guess I'm just a little stressed about this whole Michael situation."

Sado murmured in agreement although he wasn't fooled for a second. Orihime was hiding something, something unrelated to the Michael situation. But it was something deeper, more emotional, the kind of thing that had never been Sado's strong suit. Thus, he concluded that if Orihime was going to such great lengths to keep it a secret, maybe he should respect that. At least until he could ask someone more qualified than him for help. And so, rather then press the issue, he gently raised his hand and placed it on Orihime's shoulder. "We all are." He said. "All of us."

Orihime nodded and continued to eat her ice cream. Sado followed suit and the rest of their time on the bench was spent in silence, even as Orihime's heart was heavy with sorrow.

---

"The evil."

Jamie shuddered as she stood before her uncle. He was only but a few feet before her, his black sightless gaze burning into her soul like fire onto wood. She couldn't move a muscle yet she was shivering from sheer fright all over. She clasped what remained of her Zanpakuto, the handle and a bit of jagged metal, tight in her hands and held it close to her face. Her mouth was dry and the stench of blood flowed through her nostrils. Tears streamed down her face as she summoned enough courage to call out to her uncle.

"Alright asshole! I'm here now!" She screamed, trying her best to sound fierce even as fear took over her soul like an infection. It helped that, buried beneath her fear really was a well of repressed anger for everything he had taken from her, and as The Shape simply stood there, unmoving, that anger only swelled. "What's wrong with you!? I'm here now so why don't you try to kill me!? Huh!? That's what you want right? You want me dead, right? So here I am!"

"The Evil is.."

Jamie continued to tremble as she pointed her ruined blade at Michael. "I-I'm not the same helpless little girl I once was, uncle!" She declared defiantly. "I'm a Shinigami now, with the power to destroy you for good!" She briefly remembered Rachel and shook her head to fight the tears. "You've killed so many, taken so much, but now that ends! It all ends tonight Michael! Now come on then, come on a fight me like a man!"

Michael continued to stare at his niece, not looking at her so much as looking past her, deep into her soul, deep into the space were she hid her most private of thoughts and feelings. Jamie could feel this very sensation as well. It was worse than being naked, it was as if she had been sliced open and all of her organs were being studied one by one while she retained her consciousness. Only her uncle could make her feel this exact way, only her uncle could see the blackness that lurked beneath.

That same blackness that bound the two together.

"The Evil is...

Michael raised his knife and Jamie steadied herself, ready for the fight of her life, ready to finally avenge all that she lost to The Boogeyman...

...Only for him to bring his knife down again, turn around and walk away.

"Huh?" Jamie whispered. "W-Where do you think you're going?"

Michael made no reply as he continued to walk away, each footstep getting lighter and lighter.

"Don't you turn your fucking back on me!" Jamie snarled. "You're afraid to face your punishment like a man, is that it!? You don't get to walk away from this, Michael, not after all you've done!" She raised her foot as she prepared to flash-step in front of him to keep him from leaving. "You hear me, you sorry piece of shit!? Get back here no-

As Jamie slammed her foot down, she was caught off-guard by the sickening splash it made. She felt something hot and sticky splatter onto her leg, touching her skin through the tears in her academy uniform. She looked down and realized she had stepped into a puddle of blood.

No. That wasn't right. She was already in the middle of the puddle and had been standing there the whole time. She just happened to splash herself with some of it as she stomped.

"Wha...what..." Jamie stepped back a little and then stopped as she could not longer take the grotesque squishing of her own footsteps. She looked around, trying to find a way out of this mess of blood but there was nothing but inky blackness. At least, that was until she looked down at the edge of the puddle and noticed a corpse.

It was Rukia's. Neck broken and limbs twisted, her face frozen in an expression of fear and agony.

"Rukia!" Jamie cried. She tried to rush toward Rukia's body, only to trip and fall on the blood, tightening the grip on her weapon so as not to lose it. She picked her head back up at once and wiped the blood away inching toward Rukia's body on her hands and knees. "Rukia! Please don't be dead! Please don't-

Jamie gasped as she recognized two more bodies next to Rukia's. In front of her was Uryu, broken shards of his glasses embedded in his eyes and his head twisted as well. Behind Rukia lay Orihime, dried tear stains beneath her vacant eyes as steam rose from her exposed innards.

"Noooo!" Jamie wailed. "Orihime!" Sobbing, Jamie backed away in a panic, almost crab-walking away from the ruined carcasses of her friends. She didn't stop until felt something cold and hard against her hand. Turning her head, she saw saw Sado's body laying behind her, one of his arms broken and bruised and the other one missing. Riruka and Yukio were laying besides him, the former missing her head and the latter missing both his arms.

"No! God!" Jamie was at the verge of a breakdown as she backed up to the middle of the blood puddle and forced herself to stand up. Crawling around in the gore had left her torn uniform reddened and reeking of death. Blood caked her messy hair and haggard face as well and as Jamie brushed it to the side, she saw at once that she had been surrounded by the bodies of all her friends and allies the entire time. Kisuke, Yoruichi, Carrie, Yumi. They were all dead and lined in a morbid circle, missing body parts or leaking organs from open cavities in their stomachs and backs. Jamie felt like she was going to suffocate, the anger in her heart burning brighter and brighter at the realization that her uncle had taken everything away from her again. Gritting her teeth, she looked up into the darkness he was retreating toward and pointed her ruined weapon.

"Michael! I-

She didn't see her uncle. She didn't even see the darkness. What she did see was the stunned and frightened face of Ichigo Kurosaki as he stared back at her. She was shocked as well, wondering where he had come from. Then she felt a stream of putrid warmth trickle down her arm and looked down. Her jagged blade was buried inside of his chest, red overtaking the blackness of his robes little by little. Her lips trembling, Jamie slowly looked back up in time to see another trickle of blood fall down Ichigo's mouth as he opened it to speak.

"Jamie...why..."

"I...no...no!" Jamie screamed as Ichigo fell away from the blade and onto the puddle, joining his friends in the carnage. His blood continued to drip from the blade, one drop falling onto his feet after the other. Sweat coated Jamie's skin as she stared at the blade. "No...It can't be."

It was coming back to her again. The night her uncle first attacked her. The night his evil tainted her soul. The night she almost killed her stepmother. Michael hadn't done this. She had. And that revelation turned all of her pent-up anger into pure terror

THE EVIL IS YOU

"Nooooo!

...

Jamie shot up from her bed, her skin coated in cold sweat. She looked around the room in a frenzy, breathing heavily. The images of blood and death slowly faded from her mind, replaced with the benign setting of the mostly empty room she was boarding in Urahara Shop. The only other thing in the room with her was a table with some of the papers concerning Michael on top as well as the supper she had picked at earlier that evening.

As it began to dawn on Jamie that she had in fact been dreaming, her breathing began to regulate and she pressed a hand against her chest. "Just a dream." She whispered to herself.

"Jamie,"

"Gah!" Jamie zipped around to find the ghost of Loomis standing at the doorway, his eyes wild and concerned.

"Sorry," He whispered. "I didn't mean to startle you. But I heard you from the other room. Are you alright?"

Jamie only heard the first half of Loomis's sentence. As the old man's ghost was speaking, her eyes were drawn to the Soul Chain dangling from his chest. It was moving back and forth due to the sudden movement its owner had made getting to Jamie's room. They way it hung from his body, just moving aimlessly, reminded Jamie of the spilled intestines she had seen in her dreams. She was seeing them again now, visions of blood and pain and death, the chain replacing itself with a ruined gut...

"Jamie!"

"Huh?" Jamie snapped out of her stupor.

"I asked, are you alright, child?"

"Oh...I...I'm fine." Jamie replied as she nodded softly. She turned away from Loomis and laid her head back down, doing her best to keep the blood-soaked visions away from her sight. Her whole body felt cold and heavy as if she were a corpse, her stomach tied in a knot and her sheets soaked with sweat. "I'm fine..." She repeated, more so to herself than to Loomis. "Just had a bad dream."

---

Mayuri mumbled angrily to himself as his fingers tapped roughly on the keys. It had been a week and a half since the disastrous cave in of the Dangai and he and his Squad were no more closer to fixing it. The only saving grace was that some movement matching that of the Kototsu was detected yesterday from their computers, suggesting that the alien behemoth had partially reconstituted itself. Mayuri theorized that, once it had grown enough to regain its original speed and strength, the Kototsu would begin to pick up the pieces of the Senkaimon's path it destroyed, allowing the walls to regenerate as well. Then and only then could Mayuri and his men move in to speed up the process and the wait was total agony for the Squad 12 Captain. He would never admit it, but he felt as if he had failed personally for not being able to foresee this happening. The reports he had from before the collapse showed the Kototsu acting strangely, changing speeds and rubbing against the walls of the Dangai. The only question he had was how this could be.

"The Kototsu had never shown such strange behavior before." He mused to himself. "Even after Aizen had destroyed its original incarnation, it grew back just the same as it ever was. I refuse to believe this wasn't caused by some outside force but what could it be?"

Just then, Nemu walked into the room. "Master Mayuri, you have a visitor."

"Tell them to come back another time!" Mayuri snarled. "Can't you see I'm busy!?"

"But Master Mayur-oh!" Nemu gasped a little as Byakuya slightly shoved her to the side.

"Please pardon my rudeness, Lieutenant Kurotsuchi." He said as he made his way to Mayuri. The Squad 12 Captain growled in annoyance and began to speak to Byakuya without taking his eyes off the monitor. "And whatever do I owe this bothersome intrusion into my private domain?"

"Captain Kurotsuchi," Byakuya began. "It has been a week and a half and we still have no way to access the World of the Living. I demand to know what is taking Squad 12 so long to fix the issue."

"What's taking so long," Mayuri turned to face his fellow captain. "Is that we have no way of getting to the problem at hand! Until the Dangai reconstitutes itself enough to actually enter, our Senkaimon and all other methods of traveling out of Soul Society are completely useless! I may be the greatest mind in the Gotei 13 but even I am bound by the laws of the Universe from time to time. I'm afraid our only recourse is to wait until there's actually a Dangai to go in and fix."

Byakuya furrowed his brows. "Captain Kurotsuchi, a good number of our allies, including Lieutenant Kuchiki, are trapped in the World of the Living with a Surassha we know next to nothing about." He stepped closer, as if trying to somehow intimidate the Squad 12 Captain. "I am far from the only one concerned with your lack of results on the matter. Even the Head Captain is-

"The Head Captain as always been a hot-headed fool!" Mayuri shot back, annoyed, even insulted that Byakuya would attempt to threaten him like that. "Don't forget that he was the one who ordered the mission to the World of the Living almost immediately after the Hollows interfered the first time! Threaten me all you want, bring up anything you might think is a weakness but that fact of the matter is that, until the Dangai reconstitutes itself, there is no way out of Soul Society!" He returned to his computer screens. "Besides, we all know far too well the real reason you're so anxious to go to the World of the Living." Mayuri gave a sideways glance to the Squad 6 Captain. "Tell me, Captain Kuchiki, how big of a stain will it leave on your noble household if your little sister gets felled by a lowly Surassha?"

"Scatter, Senbonzakura!" Byakuya shouted as he unsheathed his sword. At once, the blade split into several pieces glowing in a brilliant pink light. The pieces surrounded an unimpressed Mayuri as well as a utterly furious Byakuya. While his stoic presence remained, his furrowed brows and deathly glare left no room for doubt.

Byakuya Kuchiki was royally pissed.

"Choose your words more carefully, Captain Kurotsuichi." Byakuya spoke. "For while I will not sully the good name of the Kuchiki household by slaying a fellow captain over a petty argument, I will leave you in a state of wishing I had."

For the next few seconds, both captains glared at each other, the lethal petals of Senbonzakura flowing through the room silently. Nemu watched from the corner, her concern for her captain inching her ever closer to the fray. She stopped only when one of the shards of Senbonzakura sliced through her cheek, trailing a few blood drops behind it. Mayuri noticed the damage to his creation and made a mental note to punish her for trying to interfere, all while meeting continuing to meet Byakuya's gaze head on. The moment seemed to last for eternity and when the silence was finally broken by Byakuya and despite the fact that it was broken by a mere utterance of words, those words carried the weight of a battle-cry screeched at the top of a mountain.

"Fix the Dangai as soon as possible." He said as he willed his many blades to become one again. "And pray that Rukia is still alive by the time you do so."

"Keh!" Mayuri scoffed. "Empty threats will never get you far." Mayuri turned back to the computer screen, watching the monitor that tracked the Kotetsu's reconstruction. Byakuya stormed out of the room, completely ignorant of the cut his Zanpakuto made on Nemu's cheek. She watched as he left, awe-struck and quite close to losing her own stoic posture.

As Byakuya made his way through the corridors of the Department of Research and Development, his mind centered on only one question

"Is Rukia safe?"

He recalled with bitter irony the time when he himself had dragged her back to Soul Society to be executed for passing her powers onto a human. While it was true the order was eventually revealed to have come from Aizen, it did not change the fact that Byakuya, at that time, was willing to see to his sister's death in the name of the law. It was only after his defeat at the hands of Ichigo Kurosaki that he was made to realize the error of his ways, to honor the promise he had made to Hisana all those years ago. And now, Rukia was in danger again and he was completely helpless to protect her. The fact that Ichigo and the rest of her friends were there with her put his mind at ease somewhat but it still wasn't enough to complete squash his fears.

"Please be safe, Rukia." He quietly begged. "Please be safe."

---

Jamie Lloyd had never played a video game in her life. That wasn't to say she wasn't familiar with the concept or even what they looked like as she had seen commercials on TV and occasionally passed by the arcade with Rachel in her car. Jamie had just never had any real special interest in video games. And yet, as she witnessed Yukio's Invaders Must Die at work, the blackened walls forming around her and Ichigo like fast-growing ice, she couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.

"Oh my God!" She commented with a smile. "We're inside a video game."

"Eh, it's a little overrated." Ichigo replied as he watched the ends of the formation meet above his and Jamie's heads. Another screen appeared before them, displaying Yukio's head.

"Now Ichigo, that hurts my feelings." He spoke emotionlessly. "You shouldn't let Ginjo's little gag ruin the experience for Jamie."

"What gag?" Jamie asked.

"Nothing. Forget it." Ichigo gritted his teeth as he remembered the little joke that Ginjo played when he first entered Invaders Must Die. Unfortunately for him, so did Yukio.

"Basically, Ginjo goaded Ichigo into admitting that he had always dreamed of being in a video game like everyone else, only to retract his statement and say he never did."

"Yukio!" Ichigo growled with a reddened face. "I'm gonna kill you!"

Jamie giggled. "T-To tell you the truth, I never really thought about being in a video game either." She looked around again. "But I have to say, it's actually kinda cool. Kinda like Riruka's box."

"Oh it's much better than that." Yukio broke in. "I can control everything within the confines of Invaders Must Die. The gravity, the time, and can even create objects at will." Ichigo and Jamie heard some slight tapping and a few seconds later, a beach ball materialized out of thin air between them. They watched as the ball fell down and bounced away.

"Amazing!" Jamie awed.

"And you choose to make a beach ball because..." Ichigo droned.

"I thought it would help to lighten the mood," Yukio admitted. "But now the fun's over. It's time to get down to business."

Some more tapping and the ground beneath Ichigo and Jamie's feet began to change, turning into a sandy terrain not unlike Urahara's training room. Jamie turned and walked away from Ichigo in order to create some distance between the two of them. She took a deep breath and turned back around.

"Are you sure you wanna do this?" Ichigo asked as he drew his sword. "I mean, I'm not a captain or anything but it still feels weird going up against an academy student."

Jamie nodded. "That's precisely why I want to spar with you. I've been training with Ms. Riruka and Mr. Yukio for a week now and all I have to show for it is some increased speed and strength. I need to take things to the next level and I think this might be the best way." Jamie drew her sword as well. "If I can't awaken my Fullbring, I'll just focus on my Shinigami abilities!"

Of course, there was more to it than that. For the past few nights, Jamie had been plagued by the same reoccurring nightmare of finding herself in the midst of a bloodbath she had created. Not Michael. Her. She had become convinced awakening her Fullbring would only lead to danger down the road and she hoped that, if she somehow learned her Zanpakuto's name, everyone would forget the notion of using her Fullbring. It was a long shot, especially against someone like Ichigo Kurosaki but that didn't matter to her.

"Alright," Ichigo agreed. "But don't expect me to go easy on you."

"Wouldn't have it any other way." Jamie smiled.

"Alright...and...begin!" Yukio called out from the screen.

At once Ichigo vanished from Jamie's sight. Bewildered, the raven-haired girl looked around for him, only feeling his presence behind her right as he had stepped closer. She barely managed to block his attack and after a second or two of the swords pressing against each other, Jamie was sent flying from the force of Ichigo's swing. She managed to dig her feet into the dirt and bring herself to a halt, only for Ichigo to suddenly clash his sword again hers again. Jamie struggled and remained in place for a few more seconds before getting knocked back again.

"He really isn't taking it easy on me," She thought. "Better change tactics!" While still flying through the air, Jamie raised her hand to her lips and whispered an incantation. Then she flipped and landed back at her feet with Ichigo once again charging her. She pointed her finger toward him and shouted. "Hado #1: Sho!" At once, a small amount of energy was sent flying toward Ichigo. It hit him right in the face, knocking him on his back.

Jamie stood there, dumbfounded. "Oh my God! I...I actually landed a hit!" She jumped up in a cheer. "I actually landed a hit!"

"You landed a hit alright!" Ichigo groaned as he got back up, rubbing his bruised cheek. "Right in my damn face!"

"Oh" Jamie blushed. "I...I'm sorry! I got carried away."

"Oh what's wrong, Ichigo?" Yukio mockingly asked. "I didn't realize took so much value in your looks."

"Bite me!" Ichigo barked toward Yukio. He rubbed his face a few times before turning to Jamie. "Alright, let's continue!"

"Hado #1: Sho!" Jamie shouted as she released another blast. Ichigo vanished out of the way again and reappeared above Jamie, raising his blade. "Better aim this blow next to her." He thought. "Don't wanna hurt her." Ichigo arched his arms and swung them back, releasing the full power of his sword. "Getsuga Tensho!"

Jamie gasped as she witnessed the dark red crimson crescent-shape energy shooting toward her. Too panicked to dodge, she tried to raise a kido barrier instead. Unfortunately, she was too frightened at the moment to recall which one she knew, allowing the blast to hit the ground, tearing at her arm while sending her flying to the other side of the arena.

"Crap!" Ichigo shouted. "Jamie!"

"I'll send for Orihime." Yukio as his screen went into saver mood. Ichigo returned to the ground and rushed toward Jamie.

"Jamie! Are you okay? Jamie!" The dust began to settle as Ichigo drew closer to where Jamie landed. She was sitting against the wall of Invaders Must Die, her left arm torn open from the force of Ichigo's Getsuga Tensho. Her sword lay in her right hand and her head was slumped, her dark hair concealing her face.

"Shit! Jamie!" Ichigo knelt down to the ground. "I'm sorry about that. I was expecting you to dodge or something. I even aimed next to you so you wouldn't take the full hit."

Jamie said nothing and only the rise and fall of her chest indicated that she was alive.

"Crap!" Ichigo muttered. "Rukia's gonna kill me for this." He slapped his head in frustration. "Look, don't worry. Orihime's gonna be here soon to heal your wounds and then we can take a break."

Jamie still said nothing.

Ichigo rubbed the back of his head. "Although, to be perfectly honest, maybe we should just put the whole thing off for today." He continued. "I mean, I'm just not used to holding back against someone like this. The last thing I wanna do is hurt you before our big fight with Michael so-

"Not...used..."

"Huh?" Ichigo stopped himself as he realized Jamie was finally lifting her head. "H-Hey! Are you alright?"

"Not used...to holding back...what...what do you mean by that?" Jamie's right eye showed beneath her raven hair.

"Just that I've never really helped train anyone before. I'm more used to being trained I guess." Ichigo held out his hand. "Come on. Let's-

Jamie slapped Ichigo's hand away with enough force to actually hurt him. Ichigo winced and stepped back as he stared at Jamie in complete shock. "Jamie! What the hell? I'm trying to help you!"

"Why? Because I'm weak?" Jamie started to get up. "Because I'm useless!? Is that it?"

"Jamie? What's gotten into you?" Ichigo asked as Jamie got back to her feet. Blood flowed freely from her arm wound yet she gripped her sword tightly. Slowly, she picked up her head to face Ichigo, her face twisted in an enraged expression that rivaled even Ginjo's.

"I'm not weak!"

With a shrill roar, Jamie charged toward Ichigo and clashed her blade against his. Ichigo shuddered as he realized he was being pushed back and arched his back to give his arms enough force to shove Jamie away. Instead of flying away, however, Jamie only dragged along the ground for a few feet. She screamed and jumped toward Ichigo who once again blocked her blade with his own. He tried to shove her away but she twirled in the air, landed on the ground and slashed Ichigo's side.

"Gah!" Ichigo turned and successfully blocked another blow. "What the hell's gotten into you!?"

Jamie only smirked in reply as she attempted to get another slash in. Ichigo half expected her to break into insane laughter at any moment as he blocked slash after slash after slash. Jamie was quicker now and after bringing her blade down on Ichigo's, she used it as leverage to jump up, spin around, and kick Ichigo in the face, sending him back. In the time that Ichigo was distracted with the pain to his face, his Zangetsu to his side, Jamie took the opportunity and made another slash along Ichigo's other side. Now the Subsitute Shinigami was bleeding from both sides, one wound vertical, the other horizontal. He groaned as he fell to his knees, using Zangetsu to keep himself from falling over completely.

"Jamie...snap out of it..." He groaned. He looked up toward his attacker, expecting her to be bearing a sadistic grin at his misery. Instead, her face was almost stoic, her eyes vacant and almost glassy. Only her lips showed any emotion in the form of a small smile almost impossible to see. And somehow, Ichigo found himself utterly chilled by this small smile. "Jamie...

"What's wrong? Not as weak as you thought I was?" Jamie cooed. "You were so high and mighty just a minute ago and now look at you. Scared and covered in..

The vision from her nightmares practically burst into her mind and Jamie became lucid again.

THE EVIL IS YOU!

Jamie gasped as she regained control. She looked down at Ichigo, processed what had happened and looked down at horror at her blade, still dripping with his blood. "No..." She whimpered as she dropped the weapon. "No...No! No!" She gripped her head as tears welled up in her eyes. "No!...It can't be happening! I'm not training my Fullbring anymore so why..." She looked at Ichigo, held out her hand, then shot it back as she remembered that she was the one that left him in that state in the first place. She covered her mouth with a whimper and ran off crying.

"Jamie wait!" Ichigo winced as he picked himself up and followed, droplets of his blood falling onto the virtual sand. He followed Jamie to a large rock near the edge of the arena which she ducked behind. His breath shallow, Ichigo slowed his pursuit to a brisk walk as crying sounded from behind the rock. As Ichigo finally made it to the other side, he witnessed Jamie curled up in a small ball, her cries muffled by the fabric of her academy uniform. "Jamie?"

"I'm so sorry," Jamie sobbed without lifting her head. "I...I don't know what came over me...please go away..."

Ichigo's gaze shifted toward the huge gash on her left arm. "Afraid I can't do that. You're still bleeding pretty bad there."

"I'm bleeding bad!?" Jamie shot her head up. "Look at you!"

Ichigo looked down at the wounds on his side which even now were spreading signals of pain throughout his body. "Yeah, I guess we're both a little roughed up huh?"

Jamie's lips quivered as she buried her face in her knees once again. "I can't believe I did that...I wasn't even trying to use Fullbring...it's not fair..."

Ichigo groaned as he sat down besides Jamie. She noticed this and scooted away a little but did not try to run away otherwise. Ichigo took a few seconds to choose his next words carefully and when he had chosen them, he spoke them in the most understanding tone he could muster despite his pain. "Jamie, what are you talking about? What does your Fullbring have to do with this? Is there something you're not telling me?"

Jamie shook her head with her face still in her knees.

"Jamie listen, I know what its like to feel like you need to shoulder your burdens alone, like you need to protect everyone else from them. But I've learned that that's not the way to handle it. You have friends you can share those burdens with so whatever's going on, you can tell us."

Jamie didn't move but somehow, Ichigo could tell she was listening.

"We preparing for a tough battle in the near future, one against an enemy we've never seen before. We can't afford to start keeping secrets from each other. I don't know what's going on but you shouldn't keep it locked up inside. It'll only end up hurting you and the mission. So I'll ask again, what's going on?"

Things remained silent for a few moments more. The kind of silent where your ears start to ring just to fill the air with sound. Jamie wearily lifted her head, her eyes reddened and moist, and turned to Ichigo. After a few seconds, she faced away from him, looking straight ahead at the black walls of Invaders Must Die. "I...I've been having a dream lately."

"A dream?"

Jamie nodded. "A nightmare...a really visceral one."

"Ok. Go on."

Jamie took a deep breath before continuing. "In my dream, we're finally fighting my uncle, all of us. And...we're losing...people are dying around me..."

"Jamie," Ichigo scooted closer. "With everything that's been happening, with everything that he put you through, it's only natural that you would have nightmares like that. That doesn't mean they're going to come true. Michael's not going to kill any of us. My friends and I won't let that happen."

Jamie sniffled as she shook her head. "That's not it...that's not...that's not the reason the nightmare is so horrible...I-I mean...it is awful...truly awful...but that's not the worst part..."

Ichigo's eyes widened. "Not the worst part? What could be worst than that?"

Jamie wiped the snot and tears from her face before continuing. "Everyone...they're dead or dying around me...and I can't do anything about it...I get scared and sad...but then...it turns into rage..."

"Rage?"

"Rage against my uncle. For taking everything again. And I try to kill him. I try to finish him off but..." Jamie's pupils shrunk as if she had been caught in the blinding headlight of a rapidly-approaching vehicle. It was as if she was seeing something against the wall she was staring at, something too horrible to describe. All she could to was stare and tremble.

"Jamie...what's wrong?" Ichigo asked, the panic beginning to spread to him as well.

"I...try to finish him off but...he's not there..and I land a hit but...but..." Slowly her eyes shifted toward Ichigo. "He's not who I hit."

"Then who?" Ichigo asked quietly but sternly. "Who do you hit?"

"...you."

Ichigo was dumbstruck at once as Jamie began to cry again.

"It's you...it's always you at the end of my blade...and I realize Michael didn't kill the others...He only watched..." Jamie whimpered as the tears came flowing through. "I've been having this damned nightmare ever since Jackie told me about my Fullbring."

"Jackie?" Ichigo shook his head. "What about your Fullbring?"

"She said it's evil!" Jamie cried. "It's the power that connected me to my uncle, that made me try to murder my step-mother. And if I awaken it, I'll...I'll..." Jamie gripped her head tightly as if she were suffering a horrible headache. "I'll become just like him!"

"Jamie, that's not true!" Ichigo argued. "Just because you had that connection to Michael doesn't mean you'll turn out like him!"

"Of course it does!" Jamie screamed. "Why the hell else was I able to see through his eyes? Why else could I feel the life of his victims leave through my hands!?" Jamie sobbed as her hair fell over her face. "It's because he wanted to groom me, wanted to pass on his sickness, his darkness to me! And he succeeded! He succeeded, don't you understand!?"

"Jamie,"

"It's in me now!" Jamie clutched her heart cruelly, wincing in pain but refusing to let go, almost as if she was causing herself pain on purpose. "The same evil that's driven my uncle all these years is in me and it's always been in me! Just...Just look what I did to you!" She gestured to the gashes on Ichigo's sides. By now, they had finally stopped bleeding and the pain, while present, had subsided quite a bit. Ichigo moved his mouth to tell Jamie as such but she was quicker.

"There's a monster inside me," She finished darkly. "And sooner or later, it's gonna consume me completely."

"Jamie," Ichigo began, moving even closer, despite his pain. "I know it may seem hopeless. You feel like you have an enemy inside you that won't ever truly go away and that can be a totally helpless feeling. But believe me, it can be conquered. It can be beaten to submission!"

Jamie scoffed. "Lovely words. Really lovely words." She turned to Ichigo, her expression condescending and almost indignant. "And just how would you know that?"

"Because," Ichigo tapped the top of his forehead and pulled his hand down, producing a Hollow mask over his face. "I've done it before."

Jamie uttered a sharp scream and jumped back. She crawled away a few inches before reason could kick in and her mind reminded her that the entity before her was still a human. Her gaze was transfixed onto the Hollow mask and the more she stared, the more she realized the man behind it was the exact same person he was a second ago. Despite the change in his pupil's color, his gaze still somehow carried a warmth to it, enough to put Jamie to a halt if not exactly at ease. "I-Ichigo?"

"Never knew I could do this huh?" Ichigo spoke in a slightly deeper voice as he pulled the mask upward, causing it to break up into tiny pieces and fade away. "Can't say I'm surprised. This always struck me as something the Gotei 13 keeps under wraps from the rest of the Seireitei."

Jamie slowly sat back in place, dusting herself off. "I mean...there were rumors...but I never thought they were true. You...Are you a Visored?"

"You could say that." Ichigo agreed. "Although I didn't get this Hollow the same way they got theirs."

"Then...how?"

"It's complicated." Ichigo turned away and faced the wall as well. "For now, let's just say it was an unfortunate side effect of Kisuke's method of restoring my Shinigami powers after I had lost Rukia's. The point is, ever since that day, I've had this Hollow inside of me, watching, waiting for a moment to strike."

"And you...conquered him?"

"Well...let me put it this way. One of the times I fought him, in the center of my mind, he told me about the difference between a king and a horse. How one rides into battle seeking glory and power and the other carries the weight of the former. According to him, the dividing factor between these two wasn't something simple like one being a person and one being an animal but a matter of instinct." Even as Ichigo retold this story, his mind flew back to that battle, to that day he faced his inner demons and his inner strength.

"Instinct?" Jamie asked.

"Drive. The will to seek battle and victories." Ichigo explained. "Now I'm not much of a thrill seeker but in the end, I was able to convince him that I had the instinct, the drive to use his powers and he resigned to his position as the horse." Ichigo paused for a moment as he recalled the final thing his other half had said to him. "Of course, he warned me that he would still be watching, waiting to take my place the second I slip up."

"So...he's still there." Jamie said.

"Yep. He's a part of me and has been a source of power from time to time."

"That...That's nice, Ichigo." Jamie sighed. "But this isn't the same. This isn't just some Hollow hiding inside of my body. It's my uncle's evil, a drive to kill and destroy. I highly doubt I could even begin to conquer something like that."

"But I think you can." Ichigo said.

"And what makes you say that? In case you forgotten, I'm not exactly a Captain-level Shinigami! I'm not even a proper Shinigami! I'm just a student!"

"A student who beat all odds to make it here to the World of the Living." Ichigo added. "Or did you let yourself forget that?"

Jamie gasped at how easily Ichigo cut into her own self-deprecating words.

"Your uncle took everything from you and a lot of other people as well. And when you realized you had that connection, when you realized he had come to Karakura Town, you could have stayed at the Academy where it's nice and safe but you didn't. You risked everything to throw yourself right into the fray because you didn't want that bastard to hurt anyone else and to avenge all you lost. I don't know what you would call that, Jamie but I from where I'm standing, it sure as hell looks a lot like instinct."

"I..Ichigo...

"Jamie, you and your uncle have a connection born from the power of the Fullbring. That's all there is to it and there's nothing to be done about it. And yeah, it did almost get a hold of you when you were younger and couldn't defend yourself. But you're not a child anymore. You're not even an ordinary human soul anymore. You're a Shinigami and you have the power to fight this thing, to impose your own instinct on it." Ichigo got up, completely ignoring the blood trickling from his wounds. "Tell you what. If you end up getting swallowed by this darkness of yours and become a threat, I promise to cut you down before you can hurt anyone. But in exchange, you have to promise that it won't come to that so easily." He held out his hand toward Jamie. "I know facing your inner darkness can be terrifying but that's all the more reason to stand your ground, to impose your will on it and be the king instead of the horse. And I know you're strong enough to do that, Jamie. We all do."

Jamie stared up at Ichigo in awe, her mouth agape and all thought to her injured arm lost. "Be the king instead of the horse?" She thought. Part of her couldn't help but consider how silly such a expression sounded on paper and yet, somehow, it was the perfect metaphor for her situation. Dr. Loomis always spoke of Michael as if he was more of a vehicle for pure evil than an actual person and from the many encounters she had as a child, she was inclined to agree. "This is what I fear," Jamie realized. "That the darkness Michael tainted me with will consume my soul, turn me into a killing machine just like him." Fear crept throughout Jamie's body like a deathly chill and for the briefest of moments, she felt just like a little kid again, lost and scared, wandering alone on a brisk autumn night, running from the Bogeyman.

"No!"

A new sensation, one of furious determination overtook Jamie's fear. "I won't allow that to happen! I won't allow my uncle to taint me anymore! Even if he planted this evil in me, even if my Fullbring did come from him, it's still my Fullbring dammit! And I'll use it and whatever else I have to bring an end to him once and for all!" With a sharp nod, Jamie grabbed Ichigo's hand with her uninjured arm and allowed him to pull her back to her feet. Her face nearly hit his chest as she was pulled up and she took a few steps back in a daze. As Ichigo was about to ask if she was alright, a familiar screen appeared above the both of them. They looked up to see Yukio along with Riruka and a very fretful Orihime who was inhumanly quick to notice the gashes on Ichigo's side.

"Ichigo! Wh-What happened to you!?"

"Huh?" Ichigo looked down and remembered his wounds. "Oh yeah. We uh..."

"It's my fault." Jamie butted in. "I...I sort of lost my temper when Ichigo injured my arm by accident."

Yukio, Riruka and Orihime all bore surprised, almost unbelieving expressions on their faces. "Y...You? You managed to actually cut Ichigo like that...you?"

Jamie was well aware the surprise was coming from the fact that she was a mere academy student and part of her wanted to feel offended while another part of her wanted to be impressed with herself for managing to lay such a blow on the legendary Ichigo Kurosaki. However, both desires lost to her embarrassment as she bowed down in apology, her face burning with shame.

"Are you kidding?" Riruka complained. "You really let an noob crave you up like that, Ichigo? Either you went too easy on her or your starting to lose your edge!"

"Oh shut up!" Ichigo fired back. "Yukio, can we have some healing here or what?"

"Oh!" Orihime gasped as she remembered why she had been called in. "Yes, please Yukio? Can I go in now?"

"Alright but don't baby them." Yukio sighed as he messed with the controls of his Fullbring. "You might make them soft."

As Ichigo and Jamie watched, Orihime was consumed by black pixels on the screen. A few seconds later, those same black pixels reappeared inside the arena and from their swirling presence, Orihime appeared. She rushed to Ichigo at once and prepared to reject the existence of his wounds only for him to shake his head and point to Jamie. "Her first,"

"But Ichigo." Both girls said in unison.

"I'll be fine. I've been cut up worse than this. You know that. But Jamie needs to continue her training so please." Ichigo gestured to her again.

"If...If you say so," Orihime walked over to Jamie. "Please show me your arm."

Jamie turned her injured arm toward Orihime and started to lift the ruined sleeve only for Orihime to smile and shake her head.

"That won't be necessary." She placed her hands together and held them close to Jamie's arm. "Soten Kisshun, I reject!" At once, two of her hairpins flew over Jamie's arm and connected to each other by a small shield-like formation of light. Jamie watched in amazement as her blood reversed direction and flowed back into her rapidly closing wounds. Eve the torn cloth of her sleeve was reforming over her skin. She had heard about how Orihime Inoue's healing abilities worked but to actually bear witness to them firsthand, Jamie was left speechless.

"She didn't just heal my wounds. She completely rejected all the damage. Who...Who are these people?"

"Orihime? Are you in there already?" Another familiar voice broke in from the screen. Jamie turned to see Rukia Kuchiki along with Sado and Uryu behind the two Fullbringers.

"I am!" Orihime chirped. "I was just-

"Gah! Ichigo! Your sides!" Rukia shouted in a voice that sounded far more concerned than annoyed. "What did you let that girl do to you?

"I'm fine, Rukia." Ichigo replied. "It's just a scratch."

"Just a scratch!?" Rukia interrupted. "You've been carved up like a piece of meat! And by an Academy student no less! You're choosing the wrong time to starting getting weak, Ichigo!"

"Hey! Who are you calling weak?" Ichigo and Rukia's argument devolved into an incoherent mess of shouting and harsh words. Sado, Uryu and Orihime all tried to diffuse the situation with words with the latter trying to heal Ichigo's sides (which had reopened) at the same time. Riruka and Yukio shared an awkward glance and in the midst of the chaos, Jamie couldn't help but laugh. She hadn't felt more at ease in her entire life or afterlife than she did at this very moment. Amongst the shouting and panicking, Jamie realized the answer to her inquiry.

"These people...they're my allies."

---

The next two weeks were quite hectic for everyone. Aside from confirming that the Kototsu was regenerating in the Dangai, Kisuke had made hardly any progress in reestablishing contact with Soul Society. It seemed more and more likely by the day that no last-minute backup would be arriving, pushing everyone present even further into their training and searching. Jamie continued to train most diligently of all, determined to unlock the power she needed to defeat her uncle. She occasionally became distraught as the days dragged on and she seemed no closer to achieving either her Shikai or her Fullbring but every time this happened, she was reminded of all the physical boosts she had enjoyed since coming here and realized she was making progress after all. Not only that, but as she practiced Jinzen in search for her Shikai, even as she had yet to hear her Zanpakuto's voice, she found it easier and easier to keep the Bogeyman out of her mind as she searched.

Not a day went by in those two weeks that someone hadn't gone on patrol at least once a day. They did their very best to remain as inconspicuous as possible so as not to attract unwanted attention. Aside from the occasional Hollow, however, they never were able to find any trace of Michael nor did any of the Hollows they slayed have anything to do with him. With Halloween fast-approaching, everyone was on edge but they kept their deepest concerns to themselves, not wanting to worry the others. This created a dark air of intensity around Urahara Shop, one that sometimes affected those training in it with its presence alone. Regardless, everyone continued to do their part to protect Karakura Town. When they weren't on patrol, they were either in school or they at the hospital visiting a rapidly-recovering Tatsuki. Her progress, even in the face of all that happened, gave everyone hope to push forward, even as the threat of Michael's Hear of Darkness awakening hung over a unsuspecting Karakura Town like a thunderstorm, sounding its cries as it prepared to unleash its fury...

---

"Dammit!" Ichigo cursed as he watched the last of the Hollow vanish into thin air. "This guy didn't know anything either."

"It's strange," Rukia spoke as she approached Ichigo from behind. "With the way those other Hollows went out of their way to protect Michael last time, you'd think at least a few of them would have been stationed around Karakura Town. But every one we've encountered so far is just running amuck of its accord as always."

"I don't get it," Ichigo complained. "If Michael was supposed to be such a big deal for these guys, then why aren't any of them trying to stop us?"

"Perhaps they're holding up somewhere in Hueco Mundo," Rukia proposed as she looked up at the sky, the sun's final ray beginning to dim as the moon and stars took over. "In any case, I think it would be best to call it a night." Rukia flash-stepped onto the roof of a nearby building and waited for Ichigo to join her so they could head to Urahara Shop but he didn't budge. She turned to see him still standing before the area where he had destroyed the Hollow. She flew back to his side at once. "Ichigo?"

"We're running out of time," He replied. "Halloween's at the end of this week. If we don't find Michael before then,"

"We'll find him." Rukia squeezed Ichigo's shoulder. "We'll find him and we'll destroy him. But staying up and fretting over when that will come to pass will not help us. You need to rest." She tugged at his arm a few more times, prompting him to turn to her with a glare. It didn't take long, however, for her violet pupils to wash away his rage and with a sigh, he nodded. "You're right."

"Aren't I always?" Rukia smirked as she started to walk away. "Ready to go?"

"Actually," Ichigo turned in the direction toward the hospital. "I was thinking of visiting Tatsuki one more time before heading home."

"Oh. I see." Rukia nodded.

"You wanna come?"

"Can't. Kisuke said he was on the verge of a breakthrough with fixing the communications with Soul Society and if there's the smallest chance I can let my brother know I'm alright, I have to take it."

"I see," Ichigo nodded as he waved his hand. "So I'll see you at Urahara's?"

Rukia nodded with a smile and flash-stepped away. Ichigo waited until her Reiatsu was faint and headed toward the hospital. The night sky was clear and beautiful. And yet, a storm was set to pass...

...

"Ichigo might be right," Rukia thought as she made her way through the rooftops. "It's almost Halloween and there's been no sign of Michael Myers. We must have combed the entirety of Karakura Town by now, all of us. And yet, he's still managed to elude us." Rukia felt an uneasy feeling well in her chest as she considered Dr. Loomis's words. "If what Dr. Loomis says about the Heart of Darkness is true, then-

As Rukia was lost in thought, something suddenly smashed into her from the opposite direction. It stunned her for but a moment and once that moment was over, Rukia twirled in the air, landed on her feet and pointed her index finger at her attacker. "Bakudo #61: Rikujokoro! At once, six beams of light formed out of the air and slammed into the assailant just as he was getting back up. He grunted as the Kido locked him in place, the light from it illuminating the darkness and allowing Rukia to see his face.

"Alright you worm, just who are...you?" Rukia began her question as she started to approach the assailant. It didn't take her long to recognize the afro upon his head. That stopped her in her tracks.

"Gah! What the heck is wrong with you, Lieutenant?" Zennosuke shouted as he struggled in vain against his bindings. "Is this how you greet every Shinigami you meet?"

"Z-Zennosuke!" Rukia released the bindings at once, causing the afro-bearing Shinigami to fall on his ass. "How are you here? Did they finally fix the Dangai from the Soul Society?"

"Dangai nothing!" Zennosuke growled as he rubbed the small of his back. "I haven't heard from Soul Society in almost a month! Been waiting and waiting for a reply but nothing. I even skipped town for a bit just to see if I can find another Shinigami stationed somewhere who might know what's going on but nothing!"

"And...you didn't think to ask Ichigo?" Rukia inquired. "Or any of the spiritually-aware people living in this town"

"Hey! I have strict orders to stay out of the way of those spiritually-aware humans." Zennosuke defended. "And I don't know about you, Lieutenant Kuchiki but some of us follow orders." He got back up. "Besides, who needs them when I got you? You sure seem to know what's going on so how about you let me in?"

Rukia figured it wouldn't do much harm to bring Zennosuke in on the plan. Low-level as he was, he was still a trained Shinigami and they could use all the help they could get. "It..It's a little complicated." She began. "Have you been informed about the Surassha?"

"You mean those evil monsters born out of the souls of killers, right?" Zennosuke replied. "Yeah, I've heard about them. Can't think of anyone who hasn't."

"Well, we have reason to believe that there's another one lurking here in Karakura Town and it might have...well...it might have caused the Dangai to collapse, severing the connection between the Soul Society and the World of the Living."

Zennosuke stood silently for a moment as he processed the information that Rukia had just given him. Once that was done, he proceeded to fall on his back with a short grunt, only to shoot back up to his feet screaming "What!?"

"I know it might sound unbelievable but it's true." Rukia continued. "This Surassha, Michael Myers, is far more dangerous than the other two we've encountered so far. Me and my friends have been trying to find him before his powers get out of hand." She stepped closer to Zennosuke. "Don't worry, both Kisuke and Captain Kurotsuchi are working on fixing the Dangai as we speak but until then, we need to focus on locating Michael."

"R-Right...locating Michael..." Zennosuke muttered, slowly coming back to his senses.

"Now think Zennosuke, before you left Karakura Town, or maybe even after you got back, was there anything out of the ordinary you might have noticed?"

"Other than the increase of Hollow activity, not really." Zennosuke admitted as he scratched the back of his head. "And most of the time, you guys beat me to the punch anyway so I haven't even needed to get my hands dirty." His expression turned more thoughtful. "Then again..."

"Yes?" Rukia asked, getting slightly unnerved.

"Well, it really only happened once or twice but there's been occasions where the Hollows straight-up refused to fight me."

"Refused...to fight?"

"Yeah. Just take one look at me and they'd disappear into that Garganta of theirs. A-At first I thought they were just cowards, too chicken to face someone like me directly, you know," He produced a cocky smile as he spoke, only for it to fade almost immediately. "But then, the last time that it happened. I heard one of the Hollows whisper something interesting to its comrade before retreating."

"What did it say?"

"Not 100% sure but I think it said something along the lines of "Let's wait till Michael's ready."

Rukia's eyes widened. "So they are planning something." She thought.

"Didn't think anything of it at first but then, just right now, you mentioned you were talking about a Surassha named Michael Myers." Zennosuke shook his head. "There's no doubt about it now, that's totally the same guy they were talking about. Only question is, what would a buncha Hollows want with a mindless killer?"

Rukia hesitated to speak. "Well...that's where it gets complicated. You see-

And Rukia found herself interrupted the second time that night. Not by something physical smashing into her but something spiritual making itself know to her senses. Something spiritual and foul. If one could prescribe a smell to one's Reiryoku, this one would smell like rotting meat. Rukia felt sick to her stomach just sensing it and from the disgusted look on Zennosuke's face, she could tell he felt it as well.

"What the hell...is that?" He spoke. "A Hollow?"

"I'm not sure," Rukia answered. "But whatever it is, it's coming from the park." Both Rukia and Zennosuke turned to the direction of the park and noticed what seemed to be a line of smoke coming from the basketball court. Just seeing what the oppressive Riryoku looked like increased the dread that Rukia felt. The last thing she wanted to do was go anywhere near it and yet, she knew she couldn't run away.

She might have just found what she was looking for after all.

"Let's check it out!" Zennosuke shouted as he flash-stepped toward the smoke-like energy.

"Wait! Zennosuke!" Without anytime to call for back-up, Rukia followed the hot-headed Shinigami to the park.

---

"Knock knock," Ichigo said as he knocked on the door. "You awake in there, Tatsuki?"

"You know I am, Ichigo." She shouted from inside her room. "Come in already."

Ichigo opened the door and walked into Tatsuki's room. In the weeks that had passed since she was attacked by Michael, Tatsuki seemed to have healed up quite nicely, almost all her wounds now little more than scars. The bandages covering her lost eye had been replaced with an eyepatch and the ones around her stump were no longer stained read. She was starting to look like her old self again and, as Ichigo had noticed in his past few visits to her, started to act like her old self as well.. "Hey Ichigo, did you bring that game I asked for?"

"Yeah," Ichigo reached into his pocket and pulled out a game cartridge. "Don't know why you didn't ask for this earlier though."

"I...I didn't want anyone going out of their way for something like that." She admitted sheepishly. "But you've been doing so much around here, you've practically become a maid so I guess my guilt went away."

"I'm no maid!" Ichigo refuted as he handed Tatsuki the game. "Keep talking like that and I'll stop helping you."

"Jerk," Tatsuki playfully shot back as she took the game. She smiled at it for a moment, before frowning and looking back up at Ichigo again. "How...How's the search going?"

Ichigo sighed as he looked out the window. "Not too good to be honest." He confessed, his eyes scanning the sleepy town before him. "We've searched high and low for Michael but he just seems to have vanished off the face of the Earth."

Tatsuki lowered her head, a small sad smile forming on her lips. "You know, most people in your situation would have lied to me to try and make me feel better."

"The last time I tried that, you made me apologize for trying to baby you." Ichigo laughed. Tatsuki shared in the laugh but only for a few seconds. Then the room went quiet again as the gravity of the situation bore its horrible weight upon the two high-schoolers. The silence seemed to last hours, ticking away second by excruciating second.

"Ichigo," Tatsuki finally broke the silence. "What's gonna happen if you don't find Michael before Halloween?"

"Don't say that," Ichigo replied angrily as he turned to Tatsuki "Don't even entertain that thought because it's not gonna happen! We'll find Michael and when we do, he'll be history! I promise you."

"Ichigo," Tatsuki turned to him.

"I promise." For the briefest of seconds, it sounded to Tatsuki that Ichigo's voice was breaking. She convinced herself she was imagining it. She had to. The last thing she needed was to think that the situation was so bad, even Ichigo was starting to lose hope. Ichigo clearly felt the same way for he shook his head and forced himself to smile at Tatsuki. She forced herself to smile back.

Just then, the nurse poked her head into the room. "I'm sorry sir but visiting hours are almost over. The patient needs to rest."

"Alright, I'll be out in a sec." Ichigo agreed, watching as the nurse nodded and closed the door. He turned to Tatsuki and asked "Is there anything you think you might want tomorrow?"

"Maybe some snacks from the vending machine if you can sneak them in." Tatsuki answered. "The food here is even blander than the lunch at school."

Ichigo stifled a laugh. "Better not let Uryu hear you say that or your ass will get thrown to the curb."

"If that happens, I can just head over to the Kurosaki Family clinic, am I right?" Tatsuki snickered.

"Oh please, the thought of you staying over there is a total nightmare!"

"Fuck you too!" Tatsuki grabbed one of her pillows and launched it at Ichigo's head. He smiled as he deflected it with hand, grabbed it, and handed it back to Tatsuki. "Well, I gotta go. See you tomorrow?"

"Don't have plans anywhere else." Tatsuki replied with an air of dryness as she watched Ichigo walk out of the hospital room. She waited the door to fully close before letting her smile faulter. She picked the game back up, examined it for a bit and then placed it down on the table. Her game system was charging at the moment and she had found it hard to play with just one hand.

She found a lot of things harder to do with just one hand.

Slowly, she looked down at her stump. No longer was there any bloodstains on the bandages but the lack of an appendage was still all too apparent. She raised her left arm and squeezed the space were her other hand should be, wincing as she felt her fingers touch. "This is all my fault." She thought. "I did this to myself." She lowered her head back onto her pillow, listening to the beeps and clicks of the machines all around her. "It's my own fault for being so rash, so reckless. I have no one to blame but myself and I could live with that." Her lips began to tremble. "I could live with that if that was all I did but...them..."

Tears flowed from her remaining eye as she thought about Keigo and the others, the sight of their broken bodies forever burned into her mind. "I...It's all my fault! If I didn't rush into this so recklessly, if I didn't ask for their help, they wouldn't have..." She couldn't even finish that thought. She uttered a quieted choke and wiped her tears. "I was so certain I could help somehow...I...I...just didn't want to be left out of the loop again, none of us did...and look where it got us..."

Tatsuki lifted her stump as much as she could and stared at it. Not too long ago, she had won many a karate match with this arm and now, it was useless, the hand ripped from her with a single strike from the monster she so foolishly underestimated. "I tried to play it safe...and when I needed to, I fought harder than I ever had before but still..." Tatsuki gritted her teeth. "It still wasn't enough...I wasn't enough...I was still too weak...like I've always been."

A older memory now filled Tatsuki's head, this one from a time when she was only just beginning to suspect something was up with Ichigo and Orihime. She remembered some of her friends from karate class were among those whose souls were devoured by a creature she now knew as an Arrancar. She would have joined them if Orihime and the others hadn't intervened when they did. Even before Michael, she found herself thinking about how helpless she was that day, how clueless she had been to the true nature of the world she lived in. Then, of course, there was the day all of Karakura had been put to sleep by the Soul Society in their war effort against the man known as Aizen. She remembered the sheer terror she felt when this man, with his certain smile and almost-godly presence, came after her and her friends. Despite their best efforts and even some help from the so-called Shinigami, it was only when Ichigo arrived, baring a foreboding aura of his own, that even the smallest glimmer of hope in survival had returned. It wasn't long after that that Tatsuki and the others finally learned the truth behind everything and, now, as she sat in this hospital bed alone and grieving, she recalled her first emotion toward what she learned.

Shame. Shame over her complete and utter helplessness.

"I hated it," Tatsuki thought. "I told Orihime I was fine but the truth is, I hated it. I hated being reduced to nothing more than a load for my friends to carry. I hated being powerless against the real monsters lurking around us and I hated being left behind by the others like that." She squeezed her stump of her right arm with a wince, not from physical pain but from mental agony. "When Michael arrived, I thought he was human enough that maybe we could make a difference, show that we don't have to be saved all the time." She scoffed at herself. "What a fucking joke. Now everyone's dead and I've been victimized again..."

Tatsuki glanced toward the window Ichigo was staring at not too long ago. It occurred to her that Michael was out there somewhere, perhaps brutalizing another innocent soul. And while she was certain, almost expecting to feel fear about that fact, all her heart would allow at the moment was rage. Rage against the monster that destroyed her friends and rage against herself for not being strong enough to protect them or herself.

"No more." She whispered darkly. "I won't stand for this anymore." She clenched her remaining fist. "I see now that I'm far too weak to be of use to anyone, even against another human like Michael. I let my pride get wounded by the mere existence of something that I couldn't understand or control and I've paid for that dearly. Never again. I understand that I can't be expected to fight every battle and win. No one is. Even Ichigo had to sacrifice his powers to beat Aizen the first time. That being said, I can't just go back to being a damsel in distress either. And this time, pride's got nothing to do with it. I...I just can't sit by and let monsters like that hurt people!"

She started to tremble within her bed, tears streaming from her one good eye once again. "Mark my words, even if I have to dig through Hell itself to achieve it, I will find the strength to fight back again! Just you watch!"

---

Zennosuke and Rukia arrived at the basketball court before long. By then, however, whoever or whatever had produced that awful Reiatsu was gone, leaving only a lingering trace of it behind. Now that she was closer, Rukia found herself getting ill from the mere presence of it. Her stomach curled in knots and she unconsciously covered her mouth. It was as if the entire area was rife with the stench of decay and yet, there was no such smell at all. Rukia had never felt such a aura before.

"Hmm." Zennosuke, after recovering from the oppressive energy alongside Rukia, led the way toward the basketball court. Aside from the lingering Reishi, nothing at all seemed out of the ordinary although both Shinigami were quick to notice the single door to the gate hanging open. "Looks like our little friend just left."

"It would appear so," Rukia drew her sword. "Kurumadani, I cannot stress enough how dangerous this situation might be. Stay sharp!"

"Right," Zennosuke agreed darkly as he drew his own blade. The two Shinigami felt around for any strange spiritual presence but found nothing. Slowly, they made their way to the path leading from the open gate through the park and toward the edge of town. It was a long walk and, as she kept an eye out for anything strange, Rukia noticed all the little decorations surrounding her. Paper ghost hung from the branches above and pumpkins and watermelons alike lined the pathway, all with strange and silly faces carved into them. As they neared the entrance, Rukia noticed the banner above the entrance way, the kanji on the back spelling out the same message as the front

Karakura's Halloween Festival

"Halloween?" Zennosuke read out loud. "Just what the hell is that suppose to mean?"

"It's a holiday that humans celebrate here in the World of the Living." Rukia explained. "It's more popular in the Americas than it is in Japan but it's celebrated here as well. Basically, humans use this holiday to celebrate the things that scare them."

"Huh?" Zennosuke looked absolutely dumbfounded. "Why the hell would humans do that for? Who the hell in their right mind would celebrate things that scare them?"

"It just seems to be in human nature to seek out things that scare them." Rukia continued. "Horror movies. ghost stories. There are even haunted houses and tests of courage humans can participate around this time of year." She turned back to the paper ghost in the trees. "It's strange, I know, but it would seem for as much afraid as humans are of death and the unknown, they're just as usually fascinated by it. It's...It's quite an interesting paradox."

"Well, I still think it's stupid." Zennosuke shrugged. "But in any case, what humans do with their spare time is none of my business. Right now, our main concern is finding whoever showed up in that basketball court."

"Right," Rukia agreed as she continued walking alongside Zennosuke. "Although, it's strange."

"What is?"

"That presence just appeared in the basketball court and walked off. At first, I thought maybe it arrived through some sort of high-speed technique like Shunpo but back there, in the basketball court, the aura we felt only remained within the confines of the gate, as it whoever produced it appeared inside."

"So?" Zennosuke. "Clearly, that means they must have popped up from some sort of portal. And since the Dangai is currently out of order, it can only be a Garganta. Ergo, the culprit must be some sort of Hollow."

"That's just it, Zennosuke." Rukia butted in. "In all my years as a Shinigami, I've never come across a Hollow with that oppressive a Reiatsu. Even when I faced off against Aizen's Espada during the war, I never felt anything matching this. I'm sure...completely certain that this Reiatsu could have only come from Michael Myers. And if he's been outside the World of the Living this entire time, it would explain why we haven't been able to find him until now."

"But...if he came out from a Garganta..."

"Then that means..."

Before Rukia could finish her thought, a ear-piercing scream froze both her and Zennosuke in place. They looked ahead to see a human woman running toward them from the street. She was wearing a business suit and a bloody slash rested above her breast. Her eyes were manic with terror and her feet were bare, most likely because she ditched her high-heels for better speed. "Help me!" She cried as she neared the park. "Someone please help me!"

"That woman's being attacked." Zennosuke growled as he got into a offensive position. "It must be a Hollow."

"I'm not so sure." Rukia whispered. "Something's different."

And then they felt it. That same oppressive aura they felt at the basketball court was emanating from behind the woman. As she had no spiritual awareness, she couldn't see the darker shades of black slip through the shadows of the buildings behind her like the root system of a twisted old tree. In her fear and panic, she tripped on the sidewalk right before the entrance to the park, landing face-first in the soft gravel. She quickly picked her head up and wiped her face before looking behind her, into the knotted darkness consuming the streets. With her on the ground, both Rukia and Zennosuke were able to make out the shape emerging from the inky maw.

The woman screamed as that white mask poked out from the darkness, followed by the silver glint of the bloodied knife he was holding. He took one step out of the shadows, followed by another and then another, all toward the crying woman as she frantically crawled away. The dark Reiryoku surrounding the masked man seemed to intensify as he grew closer to his prey and both Zennosuke and Rukia felt their hearts grow erratic. Sweat peppered their bodies and chills traveled down their spines. Rukia forcefully steadied herself, refusing to give this man, this thing, the satisfaction of seeing her afraid. There was no doubt in her mind anymore. This was him. This was the Shape.

"At last, I found him. I have to call the others immediately." Rukia reached for her Denreshiniki but before she could grab it, her attention was captured by the woman's screams once again. She looked up to see Michael looming over his terrified victim, his bloodied blade ready to be plunged in into her heart.

"No!" The woman sobbed as she shielded herself in vain. "Please God no!"

"Dammit!" Rukia growled as she raised her hand toward Michael and opened her palm. "Hado #33: Sokatsui!" At once a large ball of blue flame formed from Rukia's palm and with a battle cry, she sent it flying toward Michael. The masked murderer only had time to notice the heat of the blast and look up before it slammed into his chest. The resulting explosion sent The Shape flying back to the road, hitting the street a few times before finally coming to a rest on the edge of the darkness he had come from. He became completely still, not even his chest rising and falling.

The woman, unable to sense the presence of the Shinigami or their Kido, stared in confusion at her downed attacker. This only lasted for a moment, however as she realized she now had a chance to escape and took it, getting to her feet and dashing into the cluster of trees within the park, shaken but alive.

"Great shot, Lieutenant Kuchiki!" Zennosuke complimented. "You sure nailed that jerk!"

"Keep your guard up." Rukia demanded. "If this is really Michael Myers, there's no way that single blast will have killed him."

"Maybe not," Zennosuke agreed. "But there's no way a mere human can take such a hit without severe damage to his soul. I think it's safe to say he's...down...for...the...count."

As Zennosuke was speaking, Michael picked his head up, his lightless gaze staring directly at the two Shinigami. Without using his arms to boost himself up, he slowly rose up like an inflating balloon, He stopped for a few seconds to examined the blackened smoking stain on his chest before pressing his hand against the street and standing back up. He and the Shinigami were now locked in a tense and deadly staring contest.

"Those eyes..." Zennosuke shuddered as fear once again eclipsed his heart. "You...You don't think he can see us, right?"

"There's no room for doubt. That is Michael Myers." Rukia explained, her body slightly trembling from fear as well. "And he is a Fullbringer which means he can see spiritual beings such as us."

As if to confirm this for her, Michael presented his knife, the glint reflecting the two stunned Shinigami. Slowly, he began to march toward the duo, knife raised.

"Crap!" Zennosuke shouted. "He does see us!"

"Don't worry." Rukia said as she grabbed her Denreishinki. "I have friends to back us up but we have to-

"H-Hey! Stay back!" Zennosuke screamed at the Shape. "Do you hear me? Stay back!"

Michael paid no heed as he entered the park, his footsteps seeming to grow louder with every step that brought him closer to the Shinigami. With each and every step, the fear in the air intensified and, despite being armed with weapons far more complex and powerful than a mere kitchen knife, both Zennosuke and Rukia found themselves desperately fighting the urge to run away

"I said get back, you freak of nature!" Zennosuke did his best to inject confidence into his voice as he spoke but it was painfully oblivious that he was afraid as his voice trembled when he spoke. Something about the way this human carried himself toward the Shinigami without the slightest moment of hesitation chilled his very core. "D-Don't make me hurt you!"

Rukia felt herself tremble as well as she began to dial the Denreishinki. In her panicked state, however, her finger kept missing the right sequence of buttons. The dark aura that had seeped from the streets now seemed to waif through the trees above them like an oppressive wind, growing stronger the closer Michael got to them.

"Gahhh!" Zennosuke screamed. "I can't take it anymore! Good Morning, Tsuchinamazu!" At once, his Zanpakuto transformed into a wind and fire wheel with a wooden handle. "If you won't back off, then I have no choice but to take you out!"

"Zennosuke wait!" But Rukia's plea fell on deaf ears as Zennosuke stabbed the ground before him with a maddened cry. The ground beneath both him and Rukia began to tremble and she hardly had any time to jump away before it fissured, creating a bunch of shards that floated around Zennosuke. He pointed his Zanpakuto toward the approaching murderer, sending two of the shards flying toward him. Michael only had time to block one of them, using his elbow to shatter the rocky spike while the other impaled him in his stomach. He uttered no cry of pain but raised his head to the sky and convulsed violently.

"Ha!" Zennosuke teased, some of his confidence returning upon realized he had injured the assailant. "Not so tough now, huh? Well take this!" He pointed the blade at Michael once again, willing the rest of the shards to fly toward him. One by one, they slammed into Michael while simultaneously fusing with each other, creating an inescapable prison. When it was finally over, where Michael was standing but a moment ago now only remained a giant lump of stone, blood leaking through the quickly-closing cracks.

"Unbelievable," Rukia breathed. "Y-You actually trapped him."

"Ah. It was nothing." Zennosuke rubbed the bottom of his nose. "All in a days works for us professional Shinigami. Ha ha." She snorted and placed his hands on his hips. So, what should we do now?"

"Well now I call my friends and we'll finish this guy off once and for all." Rukia started punching in Kisuke's number on her Denreishinki again.

Zennosuke sighed. "Why bother? There's no way that monster's getting out of there. I say we finish him off here and-

And then the Earth trembled yet again, this time the focal point being the rocky tomb Michael was currently concealed in. Both Zennosuke and Rukia nearly lost their balance as the tremor continued with the latter dropping her Denreishinki. Once they steadied themselves enough, they heard a large crack from up ahead and bore witness as a single bloodied arm punched through the thick rock. Before long, it was joined by another one, this one armed with a completely undented knife. There was a black swirling energy surrounding the knife and as Zennosuke and Rukia watched in horror, Michael used it to cut himself out of the rock, smashing away what the blade left behind.

"N...No way! Is...Is he cutting himself out of my rock prison?"

"I believe so," Rukia gulped. "This must be his Fullbring at work! He's learned to weaponize its power!"

Once enough of the rock had been cut away, Michael injured and enraged, smashed through the rest of it the way he would a door. He locked eyes with the Shinigami once again and the dark aura engulfing the park began to fluctuate. The trees behaved as if they were caught in the middle of the bad storm, their leaves, branches and even the little ghost blowing away in a foul wind-like energy. Rukia's robes fluttered as a chill ran through her body. She shivered and took a step back. Zennosuke, despite being even more afraid than Rukia, refused to back down. This presence, this situation of helplessness was giving him flashbacks to when he was attacked by Aizen and along with the familiar fear, those memories also brought back pent-up rage.

"You bastard! You think you can just escape my rock prison so easily!?" He stabbed the ground again and produced a new collection of shards, leaving him standing in a crater. "Come on, you son of a bitch! Let's go all out this time! I'm not-

It happened so fast, Rukia hardly had time to register it before it was all over. First, Michael vanished from sight in a burst of what she knew as Bringer Light. He made no such movements to indicate he was about to move. He was simply there one moment and gone the next. Then, before Zennosuke could finish his declaration of war, the Shape appeared behind him and slammed his knife through the afro-wearing Shinigami's throat. The blade burst through the other side of his neck so fast that it cut into the bottom of his jaw. Zennosuke came to a complete stop, his shards falling to the ground. One landed near Rukia, snapping her out of her own stunned awe. All went quiet, save for the sickening gurgle Zennosuke made as he reached feebly for the blade impaling his throat. His Tsuchinamazu fell from his hands and embedded itself into the ground but no now shards of rock formed for it was against his master's will.

"Z...Zennosuke..." Rukia winced. "Zennosuke!"

Michael grabbed Zennosuke's afro and yanked his head to the right hard enough to break his neck. Then he ripped his knife out from the left side, effectually tearing the Shinigami's head off. Rukia gasped as she watched Zennosuke's now lifeless body fall to the floor, the last strip of skin connecting his head to his neck ripping away as gravity took over. The body landed with a thud as Michael closely examined his new prize, tilting his head left and right like a curious child.

"He...He actually killed him..." Rukia thought fearfully as she backed away. "He killed him with a common kitchen knife." Her gaze uneasily shifted toward the bloody knife in Michael's hand. He took note of the swirling black energy surrounding it. "No...It's his Fullbring at work. The Heart of Darkness. Michael knows about the Shinigami. He knows we were trying to stop him and thus willed an effective way to kill us. To murder us the way he murders humans. And now...he has it..."

Michael dropped Zennosuke's head and turned to Rukia. It took all of her willpower not to scream or freeze up although she wasn't able to stop herself from taking a step back again. She felt something beneath her foot and looked to see her Denreishinki. She picked it up and finished dialing Kisuke's number. "Kisuke! This is Rukia! I foun-

A blast of bright orange energy suddenly collided with the Denreishinki, destroying it and taking two of Rukia's fingers and left ear along with it. The Lieutenant of Squad 13 screamed in agony as she clutched her injured hand. The blood from her ear had splattered into her left eye and she found herself blinking rapidly to get it out. Through the brief moments of vision she was allowed as this ran its course, Rukia noticed a new shape approaching her, one also bearing a white mask.

"Oh dear. I am so terribly sorry. That looks like it hurts." The figure spoke in a polite voice. By then, Rukia finally got the blood out of her eye although it still stung. She closed it and with her other eye, she could finally make out the being approaching her.

A Hollow with an elongated face and a skeletal arm pointed toward her.

"I do apologize for that," He said. "I really do. But my good friend is right on the precipice of perfection and I can't have you and your friends getting in the way."

"You...Are you the one...who's been hiding him...?" Rukia breathed.

"Hiding? Oh no no no. I wouldn't say hiding." The Hollow denied. "More like, protecting. "Yes that's it. Protecting Michael until he learned to use his powers more effectively." At this, Michael stepped out from behind the Hollow, his knife practically glowing with the darkened energy surrounding it. The Hollow turned to the knife and then back to Rukia. "As you can see, the training's wielded quite interesting results."

Rukia said nothing. The stinging pain in her eye was finally fading as she was trying to open it without reactivating it.

"To think, you Shinigami can now be felled by something as simple as a kitchen knife." The Hollow chuckled. "Impossible, you might say. Perhaps for anyone else. But through Michael's Will, anything is possible. Such is the awesome power of the Heart of Darkness."

"Who...Who are you?" Rukia asked.

"I am the messenger and the preacher." The Hollow declared. "I am he who will lead the congregation that will carve themselves a home in Michael's new world! I am Samhain and you, my dear, are dead!"

Just then, Michael vanished from Samhain's side and reappeared besides Rukia. She barely had time to raise her Zanpakuto and use it to block his knife strike. Rukia flash-stepped backward into the air, only for Michael to follow her, grab her by the throat and slam her into the ground. Samhain uttered a hearty laugh as Michael raised his knife. Rukia gasped and rolled out of the way as Michael tried to stab her, all while Samhain laughed. Rukia got to her feet as Michael ripped his knife from the ground and pointed her open palm at him again.

"Hado #31: Shakkaho!"

A red ball of energy formed from Rukia's hand and launched itself toward Michael, exploding upon impact. The resulting smoke obscured Michael's visage from Rukia as well as Samhain. Nonetheless, Rukia could still feel the heavy dreadful weight of his Reiatsu and braced herself to continue the fight.

"Michael?" Samhain asked, a slight tone of genuine concern in his voice. "Where are you?"

Rukia panted as she waited for the smoke to clear, her hand still stretched forward and ready to fire another Shakkaho. Before the smoke could fully vanish, however, Rukia suddenly felt a sharp pain in her left shoulder. She had experienced enough injuries on the battlefield to know she had been stabbed and as she forced herself to look up, she found herself staring directly into two bottomless bits of despair.

Samhain laughed again. "Oh classic Michael. Always one step ahead."

Michael, whose entire body was still smoking from the blast and his mask somewhat charred, ripped the knife away from Rukia's shoulder with an angry grunt. At once, Rukia flash-stepped away from Michael, unable to go any further than a few feet due to the pain. She groaned as she gripped her bleeding shoulder, the blood running over her fingers like crimson rivers. She fought to keep a handle on her Zanpakuto with her injured hand and her mind raced with panic.

"This is bad." She thought. "Michael's gotten so much stronger than we anticipated and his backup is surprisingly competent."

Rukia then realized both Samhain and Michael were approaching her, the latter continuing to darkly chuckle. "It really is quite a shame. You're such a bright and pretty young girl, despite being a filthy Shinigami. In another life, you might have made a nice addition to the Cult of Thorn."

"The Cult of Thorn?" Rukia groaned. "So you...You knew Michael in your human life?"

"Oh but of course." Samhain confirmed. "Why, you could even say I was his guardian of sorts. "But that's in the past. I feel like time is much better spent walking toward the future, don't you? Shame you won't be around to see it."

At once, Michael vanished in a burst of Bringer Light and reappeared right in front of Rukia, swiping at her with his knife. She jumped back with a yelp and took a defensive stance as she landed back on the ground, only for her right cheek to sting as a fresh trickle of blood emerged from the wound. The darkness surrounding the park was more suffocating then ever and while Rukia refused to show it, fear was taking over her being by the second.

"He's going to kill me if I don't do something and fast." Rukia racked her brain desperately for an idea as Michael took another swipe at her, a swipe she blocked with her sword. "Th-That's it!" With all her might, she pushed Michael away with her sword and quickly sheathed it. Then she pressed the palms of both hands to the ground and screamed "Bakudo #21: Sekienton!"

At once a burst of red smoke was produced from her hands, blinding both Michael and Samhain. "What's this?" The bird-masked Hollow asked as he shielded himself from the blast. Michael also shielded himself but only for a moment before he remembered the control he had over his Heart of Darkness. With a simple mental input of his will, he caused the wind-like darkness surrounding the park to dissipate the red smoke. By then, Rukia was gone, only a few drops of blood on the ground to indicate she was ever there at all.

"Damn!" Samhain cursed. "Clever little minx pulled a fast one on us Michael." He turned to the Shape. "I don't think I need to remind you how troublesome things will get if she's allowed to reach her friends."

Michael understood. He understood long before Samhain began to speak. Slowly, he made his way to the blood on the ground. He stopped in front of it and stared at it for a moment, taking in and relishing the fact that this blood belonged to a Shinigami, a spiritual being he otherwise would have never been able to harm. He felt elated. He took a moment to study his knife and the blood dripping from the blade, the blood of the once invincible and invisible Shinigami. His elation grew. As he lowered it, he noticed another group of blood droplets a few feet ahead of him then some more and then some more, a trail of sangue leading out of the park.

Michael's elation grew the highest it possibly could.

---

"I'm back." Ichigo called out as he arrived in Urahara Shop.

"Oh Ichigo!" Orihime greeted warmly as he stepped into the shop. "Come on in, I just made some dinner!"

"Dinner?" Ichigo fought the urge to gulp as he recalled Orihime's unusual taste. Sure enough, he suddenly caught the scent of something...strange. It wasn't exactly unappetizing but it was quite unlike anything he ever smelled before. The scent of two different foods that should never have been combined. Another whiff confirmed a third party.

"Yep. It's my famous chocolate pasta with chopped onions! Come in and try some!"

"C-Chocolate pasta with onions?" Ichigo felt his stomach tie in a knot at the mere mention of such an unholy concoction. He moved his lips to lie and say he had already eaten on the way back but for some reason, no words escaped his lips. His knotted stomach might have had something to do with that.

"Come on, Ichigo!" Orihime gently grabbed Ichigo's arm and led him into the dining room. There, he found a large bowl full of the aforementioned pasta, plenty still left despite six full servings in front of the six people sitting at the table. Uryu, Sado and Jamie were on one side and Tessai, Jinta and Ururu were on the other, all staring at their meals with an expression of quiet horror. Not a single bite seemed to have been taken.

"Oh!" Orihime asked. "How come you guys aren't eating?"

"Oh uh!" Uryu scrambled for an answer. "W-W-We were just waiting for everyone to arrive."

"Nonsense," Orihime replied as she fixed another plate for Ichigo. "If you guys wait too long, the pasta will get cold and the chocolate will become solid again. You don't want that, do you?" She placed the plate at the end of the table and patted the space before it. "Please Ichigo! Tell me what you think!"

"Damn you, Uryu!" Ichigo growled inside his head as he reluctantly sat in front of the plate. The scent of pasta, chocolate and onions combined into a bizarre aroma that punched Ichigo right in the nose. He looked up and noticed all eyes on him. They knew the time was coming and collectedly decided that it should be Ichigo that would take the first sacrificial bite. He cursed each and everyone of them in his head before turning to Orihime, who in her excitement over getting to cook for everyone, was completely oblivious to their hesitation. Ichigo's anger ebbed and, as he didn't want to ruin the illusion of peace for Orihime, he grabbed some chopsticks, grabbed a bit of food, and after a few moments of mental preparation, he placed it in his mouth.

Everyone leaned closer, carefully watching his reaction.

"Well, how is it?" Orihime asked with worry.

"It...It's...delicious." Ichigo said in a uncertain and almost surprised voice. Surprised in the sense that he wasn't even lying. Somehow, against all odds, the combined taste of the pasta, chocolate and onions actually blended well together. Ichigo found himself getting a second bite in without even realizing it. "This is really delicious, Orihime! Thank you!"

"You're welcome!" Orihime chirped, Ichigo's compliment spreading warmth throughout her entire being. "I'm so glad you like it!"

Everyone else at the table let their jaws fall agape as Ichigo continued to eat without hesitation. They looked at each other, looked down at the food and slowly started eating. As they realized the true taste of Orihime's cooking, the slow and reluctant bites became enthusiastic and eager. Orihime pressed her hands together and smiled as she watched everyone enjoy her food. "Thank you everyone!" She sat down next to Ichigo and started making her own plate. "I can't wait for Rukia to try it!"

Ichigo stopped just as he was about to place another serving in his mouth. "Wait, Rukia's not here yet?"

Orihime stopped as well and turned to Ichigo in concern. "No? I figured she was visiting Tatsuki or still on patrol with one of the Fullbringers."

"Didn't they go out to eat?" Jamie brought up.

"Oh!" Orihime gasped. "That's right! I forgot!"

Ichigo shook his head. "I went to go visit Tatsuki actually. Rukia said she was coming back here because Kisuke was making progress on getting communications with the Soul Society back up."

Just then, there was a loud explosion from the back of the shop. All eyes turned to the doorway as a blackened and haggard Kisuke limped into the room, exhaling a fume of smoke as he gripped the doorway. "Man, what a disappointment. And to think I was so close too."

"Kisuke," Ichigo spoke up. "Do you know where Rukia is?"

"Not at the moment, considering I was in my lab most of the day." Kisuke answered in a somewhat annoyed tone, most likely stemming from Ichigo's unappreciation of his condition.

Ichigo looked down at his plate, his expression displaying a look of worry. Orihime was quick to recognize this look and grabbed Ichigo's arm. "It's alright, Ichigo!" She said. "I'm sure Rukia's on her way right now!"

"Yes," Uryu backed up. "Not to mention she's a lieutenant now. She can take care of herself."

"I know," Ichigo responded as he picked his head up. "You're right." He smiled. "I'm sure sh-

"Shit!" Kisuke interrupted, his Denreishinki in his hand. "This doesn't look good."

"What is it?" Ichigo asked. "What's wrong?"

Kisuke looked up at Ichigo and held his hand up. "Now listen, before I tell you, you have to promise to keep a cool head about this. We don't need to act rashly."

"Just tell me, Kisuke." Ichigo quietly demanded. "Is it Rukia?"

"No, and that's the problem." Kisuke explained. "You see, a few years back I took the liberty of placing a spiritual tracker inside of the Denreishinki of the Shinigami that visit here often, including Rukia. Just to keep tabs on them." He presented everyone with an screen displaying a map of Karakura Town. "The location of the Denreishinki is represented by a red dot on the screen."

"But," Jamie spoke up, hesitated, and then finished. "There's no red dot on the screen."

"Exactly," Kisuke confirmed solemnly. "Which can only mean one of two things. Either Rukia deactivated it which makes little sense, or the more likely scenario,"

Ichigo tensed up as he knew exactly what Kisuke was about to say.

"It was destroyed."

At once, Ichigo got up from the table and turned toward the doorway.

"Wait Ichigo!" Orihime begged.

"There's no time, Orihime!" Ichigo shouted. "Rukia might be in danger! We have to help her!" Her turned to Uryu and Sado who were also starting to get up. "Come on, guys!"

"Right!" They both said in unison as they followed Ichigo out of the dining room. Orihime looked back and forth between her friends and her remaining dinner guest before bowing to the latter with an "I'm sorry! So sorry!" and rushing after the former. "Guys! Wait for me!"

"Tessai, please alert the Fullbringers about this development." Kisuke said as he turned to his friend.

"Of course," Tessai got up at once and left the room with Jinta and Ururu following him, leaving only Jamie at the table. "I should help." She said as she started to get up.

"Uh buh bup!" Kisuke wagged his finger. "You're not going anywhere, young lady. Not until we know more about the situation."

"But one of our friends could be in trouble!" Jamie argued.

"And do you think you'd be able to help at your current level?"

Jamie was momentarily taken aback by that question. She knew it was Kisuke's way of trying to look out for her and that he was only trying to keep her out of harm's way but being reminded how everyone save Loomis seemed to outclass her still stung. "I...I can! I may not have my Shikai or Fullbring but I'm stronger and faster now! I can help!"

"I understand that but you need to look at the bigger picture." Kisuke said. "Even with all of your training, you're still just a student who's never seen true combat. Ichigo and the others have survived more than their fair share of battles. If anyone has a chance against an enemy like Michael Myers, which of those two options would you wager on?"

Another stinging comment, one that defeated Jamie and sent her slumping down in her seat.

"For now, let's get everything situated around here first." Kisuke offered. "And place our trust in Ichigo and his friends."

Jamie didn't respond. She was too busy remembering the last night of her life before she was taken by the Cult of Thorn. How utterly helpless she was against her uncle. Rachel. Tina. Even Max. All of them died because he was after her. And she couldn't do a thing back. "It's just like before." She thought bitterly. "Michael's on a rampage and I can't do anything about it. It's all happening again."

From outside the room, Loomis peeked over, his sadden gaze fixed on Jamie. He too was haunted by the memories of that awful night and he too was plagued by an overwhelming sense of uselessness. He failed to save Jamie that night and now he couldn't even offer council, not for the kind of trial she was going through. Fighting off another cry, the ghost of Loomis pressed his back against the wall, trembling and tearing up with clenched fist raised to the sky. "Why Michael?" He whispered. "Why can't you just let it stop? Why won't you just go to Hell already?"

But he already knew the answer to that. He had known it since he was alive.

Hell was simply too weak a place to hold Michael.

---

Rukia flash-stepped as much as she could. With her shoulder, hand, face and head all leaking her life's blood onto the streets of Karakura Town, however, she couldn't keep it up for long. Exhaustion was beginning to creep in and she forced herself to stop in front of a toy store. Behind the display window sat a bunch of cute-looking ghost dolls. Rukia only acknowledged them briefly before moving to the side of the building to hide. She pressed herself against the wall and examined her injured hand. With how chaotic everything had gotten back at the park, it was only now that she recognized her missing fingers. She almost screamed but stopped herself by covering her mouth with her uninjured hand.

"It...It'll be alright..." She thought. "Orihime can restore my hand just fine. It'll be okay."

A man and a woman walked by Rukia. As they had no spiritual awareness, they were completely unaware of the bloody Shinigami standing just a few feet from them. Rukia noticed them, however, and winced as they passed by, hearing their footsteps before actually seeing them. She watched in stunned silence as they walked away, talking each other's heads off about how great their date went.

"What's wrong with me?" Rukia pouted. "Now I'm jumping from my own shadow like a scared little child! How humiliating!" She peeked over the side of the building and shuddered as she witnessed that black pillar of smoke-like Reiatsu towering above the buildings of Karakura Town, just down the road she had fled.

"He's after me!" Rukia thought fearfully. "He's coming after me right now!" Fear gripped Rukia's heart but she fought off as best she could. "No! I won't give in to terror! My friends are sure to notice his Reiatsu! They'll be here soon! I have to trust in that." She slid back behind the building and unsheathed her sword. "That being said, I shouldn't just be standing around waiting to be rescued like some helpless damsel." Rukia studied her own reflection in the blade of her Zanpakuto and narrowed her eyes. "I need to set a trap."

---

Michael didn't bother with his new speeding technique nor did he bother feeling for the Shinigami's spiritual aura with his new sixth sense. He was quite content with following the trail of blood droplets into the middle of Karakura Town. Samhain was nowhere around and Michael deduced he had gone back to Hueco Mundo for back up, mentioning that the Shinigami was likely to have friends coming for her.

He looked forward to that.

The blood trail led him to a toy store displaying little plush ghost. Michael took a moment to admire the ghost before turning the corner, expecting to find a injured and even whimpering Shinigami. Instead, he only found an empty sidewalk and a few more drops of blood on the ground. Michael trekked forward, noticing at once that there seemed to be an alleyway behind the toy store. He figured that with how severe her injuries were, the Shinigami would choose to hide somewhere close rather than run and risk losing more blood. As if to confirm his suspicions, Michael found one more small puddle of blood at the entrance of the surprisingly spacious alley, one that had been stepped in, leaving a trail of slightly bloody footprints walking into the darkness. Michael tightened the grip on his knife and raised it as he entered the alley. He could already hear the dying screams of the Shinigami as he rendered her flesh with his blade and the terrified look on her friend's faces as they discovered her battered corpse hanging from a tree. Michael continued forward, certain he would come across her any moment now...any moment...now...any moment...any moment...

And then he found himself at a dead end, no Shinigami nor blood in sight.

"Some no mai, Tsukishiro!" Rukia's voice called out from behind.

Michael only had time to turn around before he felt a intense coldness on his feet. Looking down, he saw a circle just big enough to fit the alley had formed beneath him. The air grew colder by the second and as Michael looked back up, he saw his target standing at the end of the alleyway, her wounds frozen over, sword drawn and a fierce expression on her face. "This is the end, Michael." She said. "You made a mistake when you tried to graduate from humans to Shinigami. You should have known we would not make such easy prey." She pointed her sword toward him. "Now atone for your sins!"

Michael attempted to step out of the circle toward Rukia but found he could not move. Ice had already grown over his heels and trapped him in place. Before Michael could realize what was happening, the ice grew over him at an incredible speed, shooting up past the rooftops of either building at its side as a giant pillar. After a few seconds after it formed, the pillar cracked and shattered, the pieces raining back down into the alleyway and shaking the earth as they hit it. Rukia stood where she was and watched on, part of her certain that Michael was dead, certain that even if he had somehow survived the encasing, he would have just been crushed by the falling ice afterwards.

But Rukia Kuchiki was no fool. And after her experience with Freddy Krueger, she knew better than to underestimate the Surassha.

Sure enough, from the misty dust and fallen ice particles arose Michael, his jumper bloodied and his mask bearing a huge gash on the left cheek. His Fullbring had clad the knife in protection and Michael raised it over his head as he continued to march toward Rukia.

"So you survived the first dance of Sode No Shirayuki?" Rukia raised an eyebrow. "Well then try this one for size! Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!" Rukia stabbed the ground, forming yet another ice circle before her. Then she stabbed the ground before that four more times, the indents this created lining up in perfect symmetry with each other. Taking a battle stance, Rukia willed the indents to form particles of ice which combined to form a frozen cloud. This cloud exploded into a blast of ice that rocketed toward Michael at an even faster speed than the ice pillar before it. Michael stopped and attempted to shield himself with his left arm for what little it could do against the Artic blast. Once again, Michael was frozen in place by Rukia's attack. When it was all over, and the mist dissipated, Michael was left a frozen statue in the middle of the alleyway, even the steel comprising his knife cracking like glass.

"Hmph!" Rukia sighed in relief. After taking two direct hits and being frozen two constitutive times, she was certain that, even if Michael was to escape somehow, he would be too weakened to be much of a threat. Of course, she knew better than to let her guard down but she figured she could at the very least take a moment to catch her breath. She got on one knee and started to breathe in and out. She noticed a cold wetness trickle down her robe and looked to see the ice on her shoulder starting to melt. Taking her Zanpakuto, she caused it to freeze just a little bit more. "I can feel my friend's Reaitsu." She commented. "I better let them know I'm here."

She stood up and prepared to call out to them right as she heard a sickening crack before her.

"No!" Rukia looked to see the ice around Michael breaking. For a split second, she hoped that the sound indicated he was about to fall apart completely and that his reign of terror was truly over. But as she once again felt that horrible wind blow around her and saw the shadows of the alley themselves extend toward Michael, all hope of that theory was crushed. Imbued in the shadows, Michael slowly released himself from the ice. Little by little, it fell from him and melted before reaching the ground. All that remained was the ice coating the cracked knife and, as Rukia watched in horror, the ice seeped into the cracks of the steel and solidified.

"Impossible!" Rukia thought. "He not only freed himself but used my ice to repair his blade?"

Michael glared at Rukia, all enjoyment and anticipation of killing her replaced with pure rage. Each stomp toward her seemed to shake the very ground itself and around him, the evil aura of wind and shadows began to intensify, as if an extension of Michael's anger.

Rukia felt herself freezing up as the aura surrounded her. The ice over her wounds started to melt and the cold blood slowly began to leak.. "No!" She thought. "I must not falter. I must not waver." Summoning all of her willpower, Rukia pointed her sword at the fast-approaching Michael. "I must not give in! San no mai, Shirafune!"

The air around her Zanpakuto began to freeze and connect to the blade, extending it further and further along until at last, the tip pierced Michael's chest. The Shape didn't notice he had been struck and took a step forward, allowing the blade to slide into his heart. Only when it cut into the organ and started to coat the interior in a thin sheet of frost that Michael noticed what had happened. By then, his heartbeat was already slowing to a crawl. Pain shot out throughout his body and he began to tremble.

"It's over, Michael." Rukia spoke. "You're finished."

Michael continued to struggle against Rukia's blade, even as the frost that consumed his heart spread out from the wound and onto his chest. He dropped the knife, reached out a hand toward Rukia as if asking for help or possible just a last-ditch effort to gouge out her eyes and then stopped moving altogether. His hand fell limp and he slumped, sitting upright only because of Sode No Shirayuki.

Rukia stared at Michael as she felt the air around her begin to clear up, his dark aura giving way to the autumn night The rotten stench of evil was being replaced by the sweet smell of pumpkin-flavored treats and as Rukia uttered a sigh of relief, a icy vapor of air escaped her mouth. "It's over." She repeated to herself. "Not even a monster like Michael could survive a direct stab to the heart. Now all I have to do is-

Before Rukia could finish her sentence, a orange Cero blasted her sword into pieces. Chunks of ice flew in all directions, one slashing Rukia's previously unmarked cheek in the process. Disconnected from the Squad 13 Lieutenant, Michael fell backward next to his knife, his body making a sickening crunching sound as it hit the ground. Rukia fell on her rear, what little ice left on her previous wounds chipping away completely. "Wha...What was that?" It was then that she noticed she was holding the handle of her Zanpakuto, the blade of ice almost completely gone. "Sode No Shirayuki!" She gasped.

"My my, I do apologize, my dearest Michael." A familiar, discomforting voice spoke. Rukia looked up to see Samhain standing on the roof of the building to her right, other snickering Hollows surrounding him. Once again, his grotesque finger was pointing at where her blade once was. "These bunch aren't the kind to organize quickly. Some of the cowards didn't even want to come because of the Shinigami. We had to correct them."

"You...You're the coward!" Rukia shouted. "Waiting until I was distracted before firing your Cero! You've been letting Michael do all the actual fighting!"

"Well of course," Samhain replied shamelessly. "Why wouldn't I? After all, he's the one with the power to mold reality to his image. Besides, don't you let that Substitute Shinigami of yours handle all the major battles?"

"Ichigo." Rukia whispered.

"Maybe if you had let him deal with this, you wouldn't have had to die tonight." Samhain continued with a dark chuckle. "Then again, it's not like he will be able to do much to Michael come Halloween."

"I have to warn them." Rukia thought. "I have to warn my friends." Rukia tried to pick herself up, only to fall to the ground with a thud, eliciting laughter from the Hollows on the rooftop. "I have to warn them. I have to-"

The dying aura around Michael began to violently fluctuate once more as a good amount of the energy within his body began to seep out of his wound. Rukia felt as if she was caught in a horrible foul-smelling gust and shielded herself with her hands. Her already bleeding wounds were torn at, strips of her clothing were ripped away and despite using all of her strength to stay put, she found her tiny body moving backwards little by little until finally she was sent tumbling into the street. The mocking laughter of the Hollow ruled the air as Michael's aura consumed the surrounding area. Rukia only stopped herself by stabbing what little remained of Sode No Shirayuki into the asphalt and planting her foot. She forced herself to look forward and bare witness to Michael as he rose from the ground, supported only by his unholy power. He had reclaimed his knife, sharper than ever thanks to the ice reenforcing the tip and sparkled like a jewel in the shadows over its master

Fear completely consumed Rukia now. She couldn't fight. She couldn't run. All she could do was desperately try to summon her friends. With what remained of her willpower, she fluctuated her Reiatsu as best she could, her snow-white aura shining even brighter within Michael's darkness. However, Michael's power continued to grow exponentially and before long, Rukia's Reiatsu, weakened as she was to begin with, started to dim.

"Trying to call out for your friends, are you?" Samhain observed. "Quite understandable, given the situation you're in. Unfortunately, I'm afraid that won't do you any good now. You see, we've been doing more than just hiding Michael from you all this time. We've been training him as well, helping him to develop the latent talents of his Heart of Darkness. Loomis knew Michael like the back of his hand but I don't think even he realized what a fast learner his patient truly is! When Michael sets his sights on something, he adapts quickly, whether it's learning to drive or developing different techniques with his power to combat you Shinigami, such as this Onyx Curtain."

"O...Onyx Curtain?" Rukia asked weakly.

"A little trick I taught Michael personally." Samhain explained. "By concentrating his aura like a barrier around an area, Michael can completely seal off the Reiatsu of anyone around him as well as himself. So even if your friends are out there right now, they won't be able to find you until Michael' allows them to." Another dark chuckle. "And I'm certain he won't allow that until he's had his fun."

What little bit of hope Rukia still had in her crumbled as Samhain's words sunk in. Without a second thought and despite the immense pain her wounds were putting her in, she attempted to flash-step away from Michael and his suffocating aura. However, not even a second after she made her attempt, she was stopped by someone grabbing her neck. Michael had somehow moved behind her in the brief second she made her move and slammed her against the ground hard enough to crack the asphalt. Rukia coughed up a wad of blood as she felt some of her ribs crack. Michael lifted her up and slammed her down again and again as if trying to break her apart like a porcelain doll. The Hollows watching from the rooftops howled in laughter as The Shape brutalized the small Shinigami.

Finally, Michael ceased his slamming and held a limp and bloodied Rukia up to the moonlight. The oppressive wind around them both of them was tugging at her broken body as if she was made of the same cloth as her torn robes. Her eyes were darkening and as she weakly looked up at the moon, her throat still in Michael's ironclad grasp, she could only think to utter a single word...a single name...

"Ichigo...Ichigo..."

---

"Rukia!" Ichigo called out as he flew from rooftop to rooftop in search of his girlfriend. With the four of them on the hunt, he and his friends agreed that the best course of action would be to split off into the four cardinal directions and move throughout Karakura Town. Orihime took South, Uryu took West, Sado took East and Ichigo North. He had been racing through the streets of Karakura for 20 minutes now, caught in a vicious mental cycle of letting his panic flair up and then berating himself on Rukia's behalf, knowing she would chastise him mercilessly for letting fear get the better of him. Nonetheless, every second that he failed to sense Rukia's Reiatsu made it harder and harder to deny his growing dread. Feeling out of breath, he landed on the roof of the last building just before the tea house and stopped to rest.

"Rukia's fine." He told himself as he mentally replayed all the battled they had fought together. "She's fine." He recalled how she stood her ground along with Renji and Sado against Yammy after he revealed himself as the Cero Espada. He remembered how bravely she had fought alongside him against Harekuin and even shared her power with him yet again in order to defeat their enemy. She remembered the stories she told of facing off against Aaroniero and Riruka, stories he knew to be true with every word she spoke. Rukia was strong, resilient, and determined in battle. Ichigo had all the faith in the world that, should something really have happened, she would be able to tough it out until he arrived. And yet, he just couldn't shake this feeling of total terror, as if there was a little voice in his head whispering something over and over again. It was but a single sentence and a pretty common innocuous saying but at this time, in this dire situation, it was like a knife craving into his flesh.

There's a first time for everything.

Ichigo shook his head. "Rukia will be alright! I just have to find her." Taking a deep breath, he focused his senses, searching carefully for Rukia's presence. As with the other three times he had done it, nothing came up and that morbid sense of dread came over him again. He clenched his teeth and put his back into it, his reddish-black Reiatsu engulfing the top half of the building he was standing on. "Come on Rukia! You have to be somewhere around here! Where are you?" He shook his head as his mind began to fill with all sorts of unpleasant questions and scenarios. What if Rukia was caught off guard? What if her power's somehow been sealed? What if-

He shook his head so hard and fast that he was starting to get a headache. He stopped and continued to place his focus on searching for Rukia, fighting to keep calm. fighting to assure himself that she was alright and that he was panicking over nothing.

Then he felt it. At long last he felt Rukia's Reiatsu from several blocks over, near the park where they had found Riruka all those weeks ago. For a microsecond, Ichigo allowed himself to feel relieved. Then he noticed how small her Reiatsu was, how weak it had become, and most frightening of all, how fast it was fading.

"Rukia!"

---

When one is on the verge of death, they may find themselves in a fleeting world of consciousness. They're stuck somewhere in between the realms of wakefulness and dreamless sleep, unable to differentiate between the mind and reality. Rukia was in such a situation now. She hadn't lost any memories, she was quite aware that she had been captured by Michael and the Hollows that had pledged themselves to him. She was also vaguely aware that she had been moved away from the heart of Karakura Town and back into the park. That much was clear from the swaying trees and what few ghost still hung from the branches. She had been fading in and out of consciousness for some time now, she wanted to think a few minutes.

She was caught in a vicious cycle of her own. Every time she woke back up, she would see the exact same scene. Michael's partially masked face just a few inches from her own, his heavy breath muffled beneath what remained of the white latex. Behind him, a entourage of Hollows watched on, howling and hurling insults toward the captured Shinigami. The only one who seemed to remain mostly silent was, ironically enough, Samhain. He simply stood among the group at the forefront, humming to himself and occasionally waving to Rukia. All this was seen through two triangular holes crudey craved in the thing covering Rukia's face. She would recall that there was something on her head and move to try and get it off.

That's when the pain would return. A sharp pain that shot throughout her body. In her weakened state, this was enough to send her back into her dreamless slumber for a minute of so. Whatever Michael was doing to her, it was meticulous and brutal.

This time, however, Rukia decided she had enough of not knowing and, despite the immense pain she felt as she did so, she forced herself to turn to her left toward her arm. She gasped quietly as she saw that her wrist had been impaled by the hilt of Sode No Shirayuki, binding it to a low tree branch. Rukia forced herself through another wave of pain to look to her right and saw the hilt of Zennosuke's Tsuchinamazu nailing her other wrist to the same tree. Finally, despite her very instinct screaming at her not too, Rukia looked down at herself. It was hard to see below due to the object over her head, which thanks to the smell, Rukia could now tell was a pumpkin, but she was still able to see that both her feet were still on the ground. The momentary relief she felt was soon swallowed up with revulsion as she noticed the sheet of blood coating them and the lower half of her body. Michael was digging his knife into the open gash he had created in her stomach, the blade gently caressing her insides. The night air infiltrated the opening as well, filling Rukia with excruciating, unimaginable pain. The only reason she didn't cry out from pain or fear was that she simply lacked the strength to do so. She had used it all surveying the damage to her own body and now her head was beginning to slump.

"Is this...the end..." She thought. "After everything I've overcome. Every battle I survived. This is how it ends for me? Slain by a evil human with powers born from Hollows?" Michael twisted his knife inside of Rukia's wound, causing her to wince and whimper. "How...How could someone be so cruel? Freddy was turned into a creature dependent on souls to survive. Jason was driven to his path of bloodshed by tragedy but you, Michael? What is your purpose? Why are you so determined to destroy everything around you? Is there really no sense of humanity remaining in your heart?" As if he could hear Rukia's thoughts, Michael ceased his cutting and stared directly into her glassy eyes. His gaze betrayed no sense of guilt of confusion or regret. Only a black and twisted triumph.

As Rukia gazed into these eyes, she understood fully what Dr. Loomis had told her. "I see. There really is nothing inside you but malice and bloodlust. Your very heart pumps evil instead of blood and your soul, if it even exist, is too heavy with sin to ever be redeemed. You are nothing but death and destruction." Rukia opened her mouth to speak, another small trickle of blood running down her chin. "You should have never been born." She said.

Michael tilted his head in fascination before digging the knife into Rukia's gash once again, earning another pained cry from her. Fresh blood leaked down her legs and she could feel the dreamless slumber coming once again, this time for good.

"I...I'm sorry everyone." Rukia thought mournfully as tears began to well in her eyes. "I'm sorry I let this happen to me. That I couldn't so much as warn you. I'm sorry for leaving you behind and putting you in a world of sorrow because of my recklessness." She could already imagine Orihime weeping over her body and this in turn empowered her own tears. "I'm sorry Orihime. I'm sorry Uryu. Chad. Jamie. Loomis. Kisuke...Byakuya." Her tears carried the blood from her facial gashes and streaked red down to her chin. "And to you...to the one I know will lose himself in fury for my mistake...that might get himself killed because of it...I...I'm sorry...I'm...sorry...

Within the cold night of the moon, Rukia noticed a figure suddenly appear above the trees. She couldn't make it out at first as it seemed to change shape, extending a large part of itself before taking a stance. Once it had readjusted itself, however, Rukia recognized the shape and, despite her immense pain, felt the smallest twinge of surprised hope.

"Ichigo?"

"Get away from her!" Ichigo screamed as he rose his Zangetsu over his shoulder. "Getsuga Tensho!" At once, a crescent-shaped slash flew from Zangetsu and toward Michael at an incredible speed. Michael only had time to turn toward the direction of the voice calling to him before the attack made contact. The result shockwave knocked all of the Hollows down and destroyed the carved pumpkin on Rukia's face while also reopening all of her wounds. She gasped in pain as she felt herself press against the tree trunk.

"Rukia!" Ichigo flash-stepped in front of her, his eyes wild with panic. "Rukia! Can you hear me?"

"Ichigo..." Rukia breathed.

Ichigo noticed the broken hilts nailing her to the tree and cursed under his breath. "Shit!" He cupped Rukia's face with his hand. "Rukia listen. I'm going to get you out of here but first I need to take these things out."

"Things?...no..." Rukia shook her head as she realized just what Ichigo was talking about. "Ichigo please..."

"I have to. Just clenched your jaw and it'll be over in a second." Ichigo planted Zangetsu in the ground and grabbed both hilts. "Ready?...One...two...three!"

The scream Rukia produced as the jagged hilts were torn out of her wrist were haunting to Ichigo. He had never heard her scream like that before nor did he ever wish to again. He recognized on of the hilts as belonging to Sode No Shirayuki and felt his heart drop. Stabbing it within his robes, he caught Rukia as she fell from the tree onto him. Her head fell back and her gaze was faded.

"Shit! Rukia!" Ichigo cradled her in his arms. "Speak to me!"

"Ichi...go..." Rukia barely whispered.

"Ah! So you're the infamous Ichigo we've heard so much about."

Ichigo turned around to see one of the Hollows he had knocked down approaching him, a vaguely human-shaped one with a mask like a plague doctor of old. The mask had been cracked and the face of an old man not unlike Loomis peeked out from the opening. Besides him was a masked human gripping his arm as a single red line bled from his shoulder. He was glaring at Ichigo with hatred that rivaled that of Grimmjow or even Nnotira. Ichigo could tell at once that this was none other than Michael.

"You...You must be Michael." Ichigo turned to the bird-masked Hollow. "And you must be one of his lackeys."

"Oh ho hardly." The Hollow replied as he bowed. "I am Samhain and I-

"Ichigo!" Rukia coughed up a bit of blood. "Run...He's too strong...just run..."

"Hmph!" Samhain pointed his finger at Rukia. "Didn't your mother ever teach you not to interrupt when other people are talking?" He fired another orange Cero from his hand.

With one swift motion, Ichigo plucked Zangetsu out of the ground and used it to deflect the Cero. He glared at Michael for a few moments, part of him wanting to finish him off here and now and end this. But common sense won out and as he could feel his robes stain with Rukia's blood, he knew exactly what it was saying:

Get Rukia to safety right this moment

"Damn you! This isn't over!" Ichigo sped away at once with Rukia in tow.

"After them!" Samhain commanded some of the Hollows as they were just getting up. "She's on the verge of death and he's distracted! Now's your chance!"

Three Hollows roared in fury as they sped behind Ichigo. Michael took a few steps in their direction and was considering going after the boy but was stopped at once by Samhain who appeared past him.

"No Michael!" He warned. "That wasn't just any ordinary Shinigami! That was Ichigo Kurosaki! He's the one to watch out for. The biggest obstacle separating us from our main goal."

Michael stared at Samhain, still clutching his slash.

"Those fools are sure to die but maybe, just maybe if they're not completely useless, they'll succeed in killing the girl and taking some of his support away." Samhain placed his hand on Michael's uninjured shoulder. "You've been hurt badly so I can understand why you want to go after him. But you must bide your time, Michael. Hone your Heart of Darkness even further." He gave Michael's shoulder a few pats as his mask began to reform. "You'll get your chance come Halloween. I guarantee it."

Michael, of course, didn't reply at all to Samhain's words. He simply looked toward the direction that Ichigo had fled and glared. The boy would pay dearly for this insult all right, Michael would make sure of that.

He would make sure to save him for last.

---

Ichigo was all too aware of the Hollows gaining on him. They weren't terribly strong, one swing of his Zangetsu would be enough to take all three of them out. The problem was that Rukia was losing more blood every second. Ichigo couldn't spare the time to get into battle stance without risking her safety. So all he could do was fly, fly away and reach Urahara Shop before they caught up. This seemed like an easy feat as well, even with Rukia in one arm and his Zangetsu in the other but the Hollows were not stupid. As Ichigo was out of reach, they all fired Ceros after him, one after the other, their aim completely unpredictable. Some flew past Ichigo. Other exploded on the buildings near him.

"Dammit!" Ichigo cursed. "I have to shake them somehow but I can't stop!"

Ichigo cried out in agony as one of the Ceros hit him right on the shoulder.

"Bulls-eye!" The responsible Hollow cried with delight.

Ichigo fought to keep his feet on the ground as he came to a stop on a building, his shoulder bleeding heavily from the blast. "Dammit! I was too careless!" At once, the three Hollows landed before the wounded Substitute Shinigami, laughing to themselves as they surrounded him.

"Well, well well, this is the mighty Ichigo Kurosaki?" One of the Hollows asked mockingly. "What a joke!"

Ichigo growled as he pointed his sword toward the approaching monster. "Get back! I'm warning-

At once, a wet, sticky tongue suddenly wrapped itself around the hilt of Ichigo's sword, just above his hand. Before Ichigo could fully understand what was going on, Zangetsu was pulled out of his grasp and brought over to the owner of the tongue, a grotesque frog-like Hollow.

"Hey!"

"Let's see how well you do without your little toy." The Hollow croaked as it tossed the Zanpakuto over the side of the building. He drank in the look of despair on Ichigo's face as he and his friends drew closer.

"Dammit." Ichigo cradled Rukia tight. "This is bad. I can't focus on these guys and Rukia at the same time."

"Don't worry." One of the Hollows said. "Once we're through with the both of you, you won't have to worry about either!" He extended his front claws and leapt toward Ichigo. "Now die!"

Ichigo turned his unwounded shoulder toward the Hollow, determined to shield Rukia to the best of his ability.

"Shiten Koshun!" Orihime's voice cried out. At once, a orange shield formed before Ichigo and Rukia, blocking the Hollow's attack.

"What!?"

"I reject!" Three lines appeared and intersected on the shield, producing a blast of energy that shot right through the confused Hollow's skull. As the creature vanished while his friends stared in awe, a familiar face stepped out from the shadows. "Ichigo! Rukia!"

"Orihime!" Ichigo shouted.

"Oh!" Orihime fought back tears of joy. "I'm so glad you're okay..." Her smile faded. "You are okay...aren't you?"

Ichigo smiled. "A lot better now that you're here but how did you find us so quickly?"

"We felt your Reiatsu skyrocket." Another familiar voice spoke from the streets below. Ichigo rushed over to the side and saw Sado standing in front of the building, his arms already coated in his activated Fullbring.

"Chad?"

"Once we got close enough, we also felt Rukia's Reiatsu and knew something bad had happened." Sado positioned himself for combat. "We're sorry we're late but we're here to help now."

"A lot of help you're going to be, you fool!" The frog Hollow screamed as he shot his tongue at Sado.

"Chad, look out!"

Without a single word, Sado grabbed the Hollow's tongue with his left hand a single second before it would have touched him. The corner of his lips tilted upward as he pulled on the tongue, ripping the confused Hollow away from the top of the building and hurtling toward him. As the Hollow came closer, Sado clenched the fist of his right arm, the end of which split apart and released a blast of spiritual energy. "El Directo." He spoke as he smashed his fist into the Hollow's face, breaking its entire body apart in the process.

"Way to go, Chad!" Ichigo praised as Orihime ran up to him, her eyes watering as they fell on Rukia. Ichigo turned to the final Hollow, a bat-like creature with a elongated head. He seemed to be shaking.

"Oh fuck this!" He cried. "I'm getting out of here!" He launched himself into the sky and took off in the direction of the park. Just as he was about to vanish from sight, however, Uryu suddenly appeared on the rooftop and aimed his bow at the fleeing predator.

"Sorry, but you're not going anywhere." Uryu shot a barrage of arrows that flew through the sky like a brilliant wave of shooting stars. The Hollow only had time to feel the heat of the arrows coming from behind before they hit their mark, the barrage tearing him apart. Uryu watched as the remains of the Hollow disintegrated in the air and lowered his bow.

"Uryu!" Ichigo shouted. "You're here too?"

"Of course." Uryu replied as he deactivated his bow. "Who do you think brought Orihime and Chad here so quickly?" He turned to Orihime. "The second we arrived, Orihime bolted right for the rooftop of this building." There was a condescending tone in Uryu's voice as if he was slightly scolding Orihime for her recklessness. She seemed to pick up on this as she blushed and pressed her fingers together. "S-Sorry about that, Uryu."

Sado poked his head out from the ladder connecting to the rooftop. Now that all three of Ichigo's friends were here, they gathered around him and Rukia, they're joy in victory forgotten the second they laid eyes on the bloodied Shinigami.

"Rukia..." Orihime sniffled. "W...What happened?"

"Michael happened." Ichigo replied. "Him and his cronies."

"Cronies?" Uryu asked.

"Ichigo, what are you saying?" Sado asked.

"The captains were right as was Kisuke." Ichigo answered. "Michael's got a whole group of Hollows backing him up. And I've got a hunch they've been doing more than just protecting him." Ichigo looked down at his wounded girlfriend. Her breathing was shallow but still present and for that he was grateful. A quick glance at his friend's faces told him they felt the exact same way.

Rukia's survival was the only solace afforded to them on this night.

(Okay. Was not expecting the chapter to be THIS long, holy shit. But I hope that all the action in here will quell your appetite until I can get the next chapter started. Was kinda hoping to finish this arc before Halloween rolled around but again, shit happens. In any case, I hope you enjoyed the story and I'll see you guys next time. Buh-bye!