I met him 15 years ago. I was told there was nothing left. No reason, no conscience, no understanding even the most rudimentary sense of life or death, good or evil, right or wrong. I met this six-year old child with this blank pale emotionless face and the blackest eyes...the Devil's eyes. I spent eight years trying to reach him and then another seven trying to keep him locked up because I realized that what lay behind that boy's eyes was purely and simply...Evil.

_Dr. Samuel Loomis

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

Jamie Lloyd was caught in a nightmare. This was nothing new to her. Her whole life had basically been one nightmare after the other and even when she slept in the Soul Society, she found herself pursued by the monster that was her uncle. Of course, this nightmare was far different than those past ones, far more akin to the preteen nightmare of coming in late for a test while in your birthday suit. Jamie was, of course, fully dressed and there was no test to be had, just a hearing to decide what her punishment would be for running away from the Soul Society in the middle of battle. A hearing that just so happened to involve the entire Gotei 13.

And unlike the dreams of Michael chasing her through endless corridors, there was no waking up from this one.

"Jamie Lloyd, step forward" Genryusai commanded gruffly.

Jamie fought the urge to whimper in fear as she obeyed the Head Captain. She made the mistake of shifting her eyes toward the other captains surrounding her on either side, all of whom were watching her in turn. Some of them weren't so bad, Captain Hirako flashed his usual smile at her and there was an air of sympathy to Captain Unohana and Captain Komamura's face. Still others, like Captain Soifon and Captain Hitsugaya gave her stern looks, making it clear she was not to walk out of this room unscathed. The worse had to be Captain Kurotsuchi, who met Jamie's gaze with genuine hate. And why wouldn't he? She was the reason he couldn't so much as dissect Michael's corpse. He had been deprived of a valuable research subject because of her and she could only pray that whatever punishment she was about to receive, it wouldn't be coming from him.

"You stand here today, accused of defecting from the Soul Society to pursue a goal of personal interest." Genryusai began. "Normally, Central 46 would be the ones handling this case but as you are a mere student of the Shin'o Academy, they have decided to leave your punishment within the Academy's hands. This being said, the concept of Surassha is still a new one for the Soul Society and so to avoid spreading too much fear and confusion, it was decided that we would take the matter into our own hands. Now Lloyd, do you deny the charges that have been made against you?"

"N...No," Jamie shook her head. "It's exactly as you said, Head Captain. I intentionally disobeyed orders from Captain Hitsugaya and left for the World of the Living to pursue Michael Myers on my own. I have no excuse nor will I try to create one. I acted selfishly and childishly and accept the outcome of this meeting, whatever it may be."

There were a few grunts among the captains as Jamie finished speaking, as of to say "Damn right, you stupid little brat!" Jamie felt sick to her stomach but kept her head bowed.

"I see," Genryusai replied. "In that case, why exactly did you flee to the World of the Living after the Surassha Michael Myers? It has come to my understanding that he was your blood in your human life. Were you, by chance, attempting to protect him from us?"

Jamie shook her head again. "No. Quite the opposite. I wanted, I ne...felt like I needed to kill him myself. You see, it was Michael who ended my human life all those years ago and ever since then, even without my memoires, he still haunted me in my dreams, in my soul. I felt that if I was ever to be truly free from him, free to move on from my human life and become the Shinigami the Soul Society needed me to be, I had to destroy him, for good this time. I know now it was a foolhardy dream, maybe even childish and it is no acceptable excuse but that was my mindset when fleeing, Head Captain. I promise my loyalties lied with the Soul Society at all times."

There was a fierce "tsk!" that Jamie could somehow tell came from Captain Soifon and she broke into a cold sweat. Perhaps she should have stopped talking after explaining her mindset.

"A foolish dream indeed," Genryusai agreed. "And yet, with the help of Ichigo Kurosaki and his allies, including former Captain Kisuke Urahara, you succeeded, didn't you?"

Jamie looked up in surprise. She wasn't expecting the fact that she actually managed to destroy her uncle to matter to the captains, at least, not at the moment of the trial. Of course, there was no guarantee that this would lead to anything good and Jamie was painfully aware of that. She gulped before answering. "Y-Yes, Head Captain. Thanks to extensive training with both Mr. Urahara and Mr. Kurosaki, I was finally able to awaken my Zanpakuto and use it to uh...e-erase my uncle."

Mayuri scoffed, sending a chill down Jamie's spine.

"I see," Genryusai nodded. "Then it would seem Urahara's report was true. I had no reason to believe otherwise but I wanted to hear it from your own lips to be sure."

Jamie was beyond nervous now. The moment she had been dreading since returning to the Soul Society was finally at hand:

The sentence.

"Alright Jamie, just keep calm," She mentally told herself. "No matter what sentence they give you, you take it like a warrior! You don't show any cowardice or pleas for mercy. You have resolve now and you need to use it! Because no matter how bad the punishment is, it'll never hold a candle to what Michael and Wynn put you through."

"Head Captain?" Sasakibe spoke. "Your verdict?"

"Hmmm," Genryusai took a bit before speaking, mostly likely assuring himself that the facts were in order. "Before Central 46 passed your case onto the Academy, they made it clear that you were to be given the severest punishment possible for directly disobeying a captain which to you would be permanent expulsion and the relinquishment of your Zanpakuto."

Jamie stiffed. It was as if her heart stopped beating. "Relinquish my Zanpakuto? No! I just got it to awaken! I-..." Jamie closed her eyes and shook her head. "No. I promised I would accept what ever punishment I was given and I will. Even if it means I never get to become a Shinigami." She could feel tears welling up in her eyes but forced herself not to let them out. Not until it was over.

"However," Genryusai continued. "It cannot be denied that you played a crucial role in the slaying of a Surassha that presented a danger to the Cycle of Souls. Thanks to you, countless humans will be able to live their fullest lives and countless souls will be able to move on. Not to mention that, in addition to Kisuke Urahara's report , we were also sent a written appeal from Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends, explaining the situation and insisting that your sentence be lightened."

Jamie gasped. "I-Ichigo...did what?" The tears returned.

"We of the Gotei 13 owe Ichigo a debt of gratitude for what he's done for us over the years." Genryusai continued. "Taking these things into consideration, I will now deliver your sentence. Jamie Lloyd, you will be taken out of Shin'o Academy for six months and placed in a new experimental program to provide aid to the Rukongai. You will have your Zanpakuto temporarily confiscated for the duration of your sentence after which, you will be allowed back to the Academy. You will be given one chance to appeal for your Zanpakuto's return. If it fails, you will have to wait until graduation for it to be given back to you but you will still be allowed access to all classes of the Academy until then with the proper accommodations."

Jamie could hardly believe what she was hearing. She was almost certain it was her mind placing softer words over the Head Captain's true sentence to protect her. And yet, deep in her soul, she knew it was the truth. Out of all the possible outcomes of this trial, all of the potential fates she could have been dealt, she got what was possibly the best outcome of all. She let the tears fall as she fell to her knees before the Head Captain. "T-Thank you, Head Captain! Thank you!"

Soifon scoffed as she leaned toward Shunsui. "If you ask me, she's getting off way too easy!" She whispered.

"I have to disagree with you there," Shunsui said. "Sure, she might have broke the rules but if this Michael fella was even half as strong as Kisuke said he was, then it's safe to say this lovely lady saved us all a lot of trouble down the road. Hell, I'm tempted to even say she saved us period."

"You're far too lenient," Soifon replied dryly. "Especially around pretty girls. You'd never make it as Head Captain."

"Heh." Shunsui fixed his hat. "Yeah. You're probably right about that."

"Do you have any questions before the sentence is carried out?" Sasakibe asked as he stepped toward Jamie. The raven-haired girl looked up and wiped her face in a haste.

"T-That soon huh?" She asked with a giggle.

"You will be allowed to return to the Academy only to collect your belongings." Sasakibe explained.

"I see..." Jamie sniffled as she wiped her face again. "Well...I do have a question...or rather...a request...I-I know I don't have any right to ask of one but..."

"A request?" Genryusai asked. "And just what would it be?"

"Well, I'm going to the Rukongai, right? W-Would it be possible to choose where in the Rukongai I get stationed at?"

Genryusai and Sasakibe looked at each other in slight confusion. Then the Head Captain turned back to the girl. "It might be possible to choose where you are stationed for the first few months, but why exactly would you make such a request? Is there a certain part of the Rukongai you wish to aid?"

Jamie smiled as she thought back to her promise to Dr. Loomis.

"As a matter of fact, there is."

"Ooohhh! Annoying! Annoying! Annoying!" Mayuri hissed as he stomped through the darkened corridors of one of his many labs. It was a few hours after Jamie's sentencing and the Captain of the 12th Division was still seething. "That little brat is so annoying! First she destroys Michael Myers completely, leaving not so much as a drop of blood behind that I could use! Then she doesn't offer herself up for experiments on his behalf! How could one be so selfish!?" He stopped just short of the large computer at the end of the room, its blank screen reflecting his vicious scowl right back at him. Mayuri sighed as he took a seat at the controls and rested his head on his palm. To his left was a large glass pillar filled with bright green liquid. The liquid bubbled quite aggressively, obscuring the object floating around inside.

Almost as soon as Mayuri had sat in the chair, the door to the lab swung open and the clacking of approaching footsteps filled the room, making the Squad 12 Captain groan in annoyance. He could already tell it was his lieutenant who was approaching and decided at that very moment that he would put her on duty feeding his genetic experiment failures if she had anything less than wonderful news to offer.

"Master Mayuri," She spoke from behind. "Kisuke Urahara has sent you a package."

Mayuri scoffed. So much for good news. "Did he now?" Mayuri turned in his chair toward his lieutenant. "It was thanks to his report and that pathetic appeal of Kurosaki's that Jamie Lloyd was able to get off on such a light sentence for destroying my potential experiment. Even after all these years, that man never ceases to annoy me." He held his hand out. "Alright. Let's see it."

Nemu walked up to her captain and held out the small package. It was more akin to a bulging folder.

Mayuri ripped the folder away from Nemu's hands and tore it open. Inside were a series of papers clipped together. Mayuri took one of them out and set the folder down in his lap. He flipped through it, his annoyed gaze softening as his interest began to peak. "My my...what's this?" Mayuri set the first stack down and took out another, chuckling to himself as he looked through it. "Well, well! Perhaps Kisuke Urahara isn't as useless as I thought. At least, not in this circumstance."

"What is it, Master Mayuri?" Nemu asked.

"It would seem since the battle with Michael Myers, Kisuke Urahara has been hard at work looking through murder cases around the world in search of potential Surassha." Mayuri explained as he looked through his third stack. "Each of these pages lays out the details of these mass murders and what possible abilities the Surassha might have if one is indeed responsible."

"But Master Mayuri, if the involvement of an Surassha is only a potential variable, doesn't that mean that some of these might be normal murder cases."

"Oh some are bound to be false leads. There's no escaping that." Mayuri admitted. "But there's just sure to be genuine Surassha among these cases, some with abilities we've never seen before. This is most exciting!" Mayuri emptied out the folder and turned on the computer before him. Slowly, the machine hummed to life, its controls and buttons turning bright green as data and images appeared on the screen. Mayuri tore the first page out of the first stack of papers and placed it face-down on a small glass panel where it was scanned at once, the information on the paper appearing on the screen. Besides him, the liquid in the tube began to bubble in response to the computer turning on.

"This is quite a pleasant turn of events," Mayuri said as he continued to scan paper after paper. "All we need now is for Queen Harribel to finally agree to our project and the D.A.C.U will finally be running the way it's supposed to! Even now, to think of all the different Surassha we'll find! All the experiments I'll be able to perform! And this time, I will not let the likes of Jamie Lloyd or the residents of Beautiful Dream stand in my way!" Mayuri cackled harshly. "No, anyone that attempts to stand in our way from now on will be dealt with efficiently and with no mercy." He turned to the tube, the bubbles inside finally vanishing. "After all, you Surassha wouldn't have it any other way, would you Pamela?"

Inside the tube, the severed head of Pamela Voorhees bobbed around, two wires attached to the underside of her ruined neck and another clamped over her right eye. The head, of course, did not respond with anything other than a bob.

Ichigo sat in the waiting room quietly. At least, he figured it had to be the waiting room on account that this is where Hanataro had advised him to wait while he got either his lieutenant or his captain. It was white like a waiting room in a hospital but had a single window next to where Ichigo was sitting and the only magazine that seemed to be available was the Seireitei Bulletin which Ichigo decided he wasn't bored enough to even try to read. Thus, he just sat there, arms crossed, occasionally thinking about how much school he was missing.

Then again, without Keigo's constant complaining or Mizuiro's womanizing, school was too quiet lately for Ichigo's comfort.

He lowered his head and almost let himself get lost in thought once again before the sound of footsteps approaching brough him back to reality. He looked up to see Isane towered before him, that same nervous look on her face she always had.

"Ichigo Kurosaki?" She said. "I suppose you're here to see Lieutenant Kuchiki, right?"

"T-That's right," Ichigo nodded. "Can she have visitors?"

Isane smiled with a nod. "Of course. Right this way," Isane turned walked out of the room, gesturing for Ichigo to follow her. When the captains returned to the World of the Living that first morning after the battle, they took both Jamie and Rukia with them. Rukia wasn't in any serious trouble or pain but it was agreed that she would heal much faster in the Reshi-rich environment of the Soul Society. There was no great struggle to keep her at Urahara Shop, especially since she was already well enough to walk on her own.

"So how is she?" Ichigo asked as he followed Isane. "Rukia, I mean."

"Her progress is astounding!" Isane chirped. "Her bones have mended. Her cuts are mostly gone. Even her Zanpakuto finally reformed itself. She'll most likely be ready to resume her ordinary duties within the week!"

"That's great to hear," Ichigo smiled. "Thank you for all your help."

Isane flushed a little as she waved her hand. "Oh, C-Captain Unohana was the one doing most of the work to be honest. I mostly just helped."

"Still, Rukia wouldn't have recovered as fast if you hadn't been there to help her. Thank you for that."

With no other way to respond to the surprising and frankly embarrassing gratitude, Isane simply nodded. "Oh! We're here." She stopped by a single door with the number 78 on it and presented it to Ichigo. "She's right in here."

"I see," Ichigo turned to the door and gripped the handle. "Once again, thank you for everything. I really mean that."

Isane's flush doubled as she waved her hands in shy dismissal. "Oh! It's really nothing. It's out job here at Squad 4 to mend the wounded. Just, try not to rial Lieutenant Kuchiki up please. She's mostly healed but she still needs her rest."

"Sure," Ichigo nodded. "You got it." He opened the door and stepped inside. It was a simple room with a single window like the room Ichigo was waiting in, only this room had a bed. And laying on that bed, drawing on some paper held against a hard-cover book was Rukia. She turned at once to her new visitor, smiling as she saw who it was. "Ichigo!"

"Hey, Rukia." Ichigo saluted as he approached her bedside. "Sorry it took me so long to get here. Things have been pretty hectic for the past few days."

"You can say that again," Rukia agreed. "Everyone's having to work hard to catch up with the days missed because of the disconnection between our worlds. I know right now my job is to heal but I just can't help but feel guilty that I'm not out there helping out."

"Don't worry about it," Ichigo replied. "You're already far better than you were when you left and I heard your Zanpakuto even recovered. You'll be able to help out soon enough."

"I suppose you're right," Rukia sighed. "In the end, the best thing to do is to recover as fast as possible. I should be out of here by the end of this week."

"Yeah," Ichigo's gaze shifted toward the paper Rukia was drawing on. As usual, every character on the paper was drawn as a crude rabbit with Ichigo only able to recognize himself and his friends thanks to the hair and glasses. At the center of the paper, however, was a new rabbit character, one with a knife.

Michael.

Usually, when Rukia drew Hollows or evil people in general, she would display them with cartoonishly evil smiles and glares. But there was no such expression on this rabbit. Just the knife in its paw and two giant black holes were its eyes should have been. The rest of the face was blank and altogether, it created a eerie and discomforting feeling in Ichigo.

Rukia seemed to notice her boyfriend's turmoil. "Ichigo? What's wrong?"

"It's your drawings..." He muttered. "They're...they're..."

Rukia stiffened as she waited for a response, the tension in the room thick enough to cut a Zanpakuto through.

"...I can't believe it but they suck worse than last time!"

Silence filled the room, Rukia staring at Ichigo with a blank expression to rival even Myers.

"YOU JERK!" Rukia ripped the hardcover book out from under her drawing and started hitting Ichigo over the head with it. So swift was this movement that the Substitute Shinigami hardly had any time to try and shield himself, his hands staying awkwardly by his head as his scalp took the brunt of the blows. This only lasted for a few seconds, but it was enough to leave Ichigo dazed as he fell to the floor.

"Gah! What the heck Rukia!" He groaned as he fought the urge to rub his aching scalp. He could already feel the bumps forming. "Can't you take a joke?"

"Only if the joke is funny in the first place, you fool!" Rukia crossed her arms with a huff as Ichigo struggled to get back to his feet. He gripped the side of Rukia's bed and groaned as he rubbed the bumps forming in his hair. Things got silent again as Ichigo waited for the pain to die down. Once it did and he could think clearly once more, Ichigo continued to speak.

"Rukia, I'm sorry."

Rukia turned to Ichigo. "Sorry? For what?"

"For not being there when you were attacked," Ichigo explained. "I know it must sound like empty words but-

"No, Ichigo." Rukia shook her head. "We've already been over this. I'm the one who should be sorry. I went off on my own despite how dangerous I knew Michael could be and I should consider myself lucky to be alive to regret that decision. I should apologize for putting you and your friends in harm's way trying to rescue me."

Ichigo sighed. "Well, maybe it's both our faults then."

"Both?"

"I mean, we had first-hand accounts of just how evil this guy was and we still wanted to go in guns blazing. In that final battle, when Michael's darkness had covered everything. I...I started feeling fear for the first time in a while. The fear that I wouldn't be able to win this fight, no matter how badly I wanted to." Ichigo sighed. "I...I never thought I would feel that helpless again."

"But Ichigo, in the end, we still managed to come out on top!" Rukia reminded him. "And now Michael is gone and everything's back to normal."

"But for how long?" Ichigo asked. "How long until the next Surassha comes along and what if he's even stronger than Michael? What if I lose my resolve once again?"

"You won't, Ichigo!" Rukia assured him. "Remember what I told you when Kugo took your powers? You have something inside that no one could ever take or break. Everyone that's tried has failed, including the Surassha! I...I'm not going to pretend that that night wasn't terrifying or that Michael did very nearly win. But in the end, even despite that, we still managed to come through and we will again! Even if we have to face 100 Surassha!"

Ichigo couldn't help but chuckle at Rukia's hyperbole. "Yeah, maybe you're right."

"Of course I'm right." Rukia's smile faltered. "Ichigo, are you sure that's all that's wrong?"

"Well, what else could there be?" He asked in an almost defensive tone. The reason for this was because of the memory that returned to him as Rukia mentioned Halloween night. The memory of him and Orihime holding each other in the pitch-black darkness, the way he climbed over her and took blow after blow from Michael's scythe making the still-fresh wounds burn. He remembered feeling something in those final moments, when he was all but certain of his demise. Something like what he had for Rukia, only stronger, only more intense. When Jamie had come to the rescue with her awakened powers, these thoughts, these feelings took a backseat in Ichigo's mind. But now that Michael was gone and the dust had settled, they came seeping back like rainwater through the cracks of a limestone cave.

Rukia, of course, couldn't read minds. She couldn't see Ichigo's internal turmoil and how it involved one of her closest friends. But she didn't need to. She had women's intuition and it told her that Ichigo was holding something back. A deeper reason for his worry for the future. Or rather, their future. She could have pried. She could have made him spill it right then and there and get it out of the way but she didn't. She didn't say a word. And as much as she told herself it was for Ichigo's sake, to allow him time to recover from the battle, deep down in her heart, she knew she was doing it for herself, to avoid dealing with a possibility she shuddered to even consider.

The rest of the visit was somewhat quiet, with Ichigo bringing Rukia up to speed on events in the World of the Living and vice-versa. A heavy cloud hung over the couple's heads, yet they continued to smile and laugh as if it wasn't there at all.

"There you go! That's it! That was quite a workout you had back there! You're growing stronger every day." Dr. Toriyama complimented.

"Please don't praise me like a child," Tatsuki groaned in embarrassment as she climbed back into her hospital bed. "I already told you. I'm fully recovered now! I'm ready to be discharged!"

"I'm afraid that's for Mr. Ishida to decide," The doctor said as he fixed the blanket over Tatsuki. "Until then, try and rest. I'm sure you will be out of here in no time."

"I hope," Tatsuki muttered as she watched the doctor take his leave. Almost as soon as he vanished behind the door, Uryu, Orihime and Kisuke all walked in.

"Good morning Tatsuki! How are-

"Tatsuki!" Orihime shouted as she rushed up to her friend, wrapping her in a giant hug.

"...You?" Kisuke finished in a deflated tone. "Well that was kind of rude, Orihime. I didn't even get to finish my greeting."

"Good morning, Mr. Urahara," Tatsuki laughed before placing a hand on Orihime's head. "Hey Orihime. Glad to see you."

"I trust your arm and eye are working properly?" Uryu asked as he fixed his glasses.

"You bet!" Tatsuki lifted up her right arm and made a fist, relishing in the sensation of it. "I don't think my right arm has ever been stronger! And the vision coming from my left eye has been crystal clear!" She turned toward Orihime. "And it's all thanks to you, Orihime!"

"Oh! It's nothing! Really!" Orihime waved her hands. "I'm just glad I was able to restore them completely!"

"I'll say," Kisuke agreed. "It's like you never lost them in the first place."

Uryu coughed loudly as a hint for Kisuke to shut up, lest he stir up bad memories.

"Still, I can't believe you guys actually managed to rewrite everyone's memories like that." Tatsuki continued. "A little scary to be honest."

"Well I can assure you, miss Arisawa, that Memory Replacement only affects the targeted areas of a human's memories such as anything relating to your injury. The rest of their memories are completely fine and unaffected." Kisuke assured.

"If you say so," Tatsuki bent her head down, her expression somber.

"Tatsuki," Orihime grew worried. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Tatsuki said. "It's just...despite everything else we've been able to fix...there...there's still no bringing them back, is there?"

Everyone in the room stiffened as they realized at once who Tatsuki was talking about. Michael and Samhain might have been gone but Keigo, Mizuiro, and Chizuru were all still dead and nothing could change that. As anxious as she was to get back to her normal life and finish school, Tatsuki also dreaded having to put up with the silence of her classroom that was already plaguing her still-living friends. Orihime fought back the urge to cry as Uryu lowered his gaze to the floor. Kisuke simply sighed.

"There's always causalities to every war," He whispered. "It's unavoidable."

"It's all my fault," Tatsuki said. "If I hadn't tried to go after Michael-

"Stop!" Orihime shouted, shocking everyone in the room. "That's enough!"

"O-Orihime?" Tatsuki stiffened as Orihime embraced once again.

"It's not your fault! You hear me! Michael's the one that killed everyone! Not you! So please stop blaming yourself for what that monster did!"

"Orihime..." Tatsuki fought back tears as Orihime met her gaze.

"Don't forget he nearly killed you too! And I...I'm so glad you made it, Tatsuki! And we all have to live now, for their sakes as well as ours. We owe that much to them! at least!"

Tatsuki sat still for a few moments before nodding as tears fell down her face. As the two girls embraced each other, a voice erupted from the intercom.

Mr. Ishida! Mr. Ishida! There's a visitor by the name of Yasutora Sado waiting for you at the front desk."

"Ah! Chad's here." Uryu said as he walked up to Orihime and patted her on the shoulder. "Let's go greet him, Orihime."

Orihime turned to Uryu, her eyes still wet with tears. "But...Uryu..."

"No," Tatsuki patted Orihime on the arm. "Go get Chad. I'll be fine. I promise."

"Tatsuki..." Orihime smiled as she wiped her eyes. "R-Right! Me and Uryu will bring Chad here and we'll all make some nice chocolate syrup curry right here in the hospital room!"

Tatsuki stiffened with a scared smile as she heard Orihime's declaration. "Oh...s-sounds good!"

"O-Orihime! What are you thinking?" Uryu protested. "This is still a hospital, you know! You can't just cook in-

Orihime suddenly grabbed Uryu's arm. "Come on, Uryu! Chad's waiting for us!"

"Orihime!" Uryu cried as he was suddenly pulled from the room by his arm, protesting as Orihime practically carried him down the hall. A somewhat dumbstruck Kisuke and Tatsuki waited until the dust had settled before speaking.

"Well, let it never be said that Inoue isn't a energetic young woman." Kisuke laughed. "Woe and envy alike of the man who marries her."

"Mr. Urahara," Tatsuki spoke. "C-Can we talk? Now that we're alone?"

"Hmm?" Kisuke turned to Tatsuki. "Now that we're alone? Oh dear, please don't tell me this is some sort of high school love confession because I'm afraid I'm far too old for such a thing."

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT, YOU CREEPY OLD BASTARD!" Tatsuki screamed, her face aflame and mouth fixed into a snarl. She took a moment to recompose herself. "It's...well...it's about what I said before. About Michael killing everyone."

"Still on about that, huh?" Kisuke said. "You know, Orihime and the others don't hold you in the least bit responsible for what happened and I doubt your deceased friends would either. So you should really stop blaming yourself."

"That's not what I mean either!" Tatsuki groaned. "I mean...that is what I mean...I led them there in the first place...and I was the one that wanted to go after Michael but...that's not the reason I feel guilty. Tatsuki sighed. "I'm sorry. I know I'm not making any sense whatsoever."

"On the contrary, I think I'm beginning to see the bigger picture here." Kisuke countered. "Allow me if you will a chance to guess your dilemma. On the surface, you blame yourself for what happened due to bringing everyone within Michael's reach but in reality, what's really eating at you, was the fact that when Michael attacked, you couldn't fight back. At least, not as well as Ichigo or the others would have."

Tatsuki gasped loudly.

"Ah! So it would seem I've hit the nail on the head, have I?" Kisuke fixed his hat. "You feel guilty because, despite all of your natural strength, you are still just a mere human."

Tatsuki looked down at herself.

"Please don't think I'm trying to insult you or anything." Kisuke continued. "I'm merely stating the situation as I see it."

"No," Tatsuki shook her head. "You're right, Mr. Urahara. You've found me out." She uttered a dry laugh. "Almost feels like I've been caught red-handed in some crime." She gripped the edge of her blanket. "Ever since Ichigo and the others got involved with the Soul Society and developed those powers of theirs, it seemed as if me, Keigo and the others got left behind. I can still remember the day when Orihime told us everything, you know? It sounded so fantastical then, way too weird to be true. And yet, deep in my heart, I knew she wasn't lying or even letting her mind wonder. Every word she said was straight from the heart." Tatsuki sighed. "And by then, with the brush with Aizen and all, I thought I was content with leaving the fighting all to you guys. But now I see, it was just another way of running away from my own weakness."

Suddenly Tatsuki threw off the covers and sat upright, sitting on her legs with her hands on her knees. She bowed to Kisuke at once.

"Oh? What's this now?" Kisuke asked, taken aback by the sudden gesture.

"Mr. Urahara, thanks to Ichigo, I have spiritual awareness but nothing to show for it! And that cost my friends their lives! I can't ever let something like that happen again! Not when I can make a difference! So please! I don't care if you have to kill me and revive me or even stuff my soul inside a rock or what!" Tatsuki looked back up to Kisuke with an intense look of determination that rivaled Ichigo's. "I beg of you, give me the power to fight back!"

Kisuke could only stare at the young girl's fired-up plea for power in quiet amazement. "Well, well, Ichigo." He thought in amusement. "It would seem you've imparted more than your spiritual awareness onto this young lady."

The next few days were hectic for Ichigo and his friends. While he, Sado, Uryu and Orihime tried to settle into what was left of their school lives as best they could, Tatsuki joining them in their endeavor once she was released from the hospital, Rukia made a speedy recovery in Squad 4 and did her best to catch up with her usual Shinigami duties. Yoruichi wasted no time returning to the World of the Living and catching up with Kisuke and his clan who had all by now recovered from their wounds from the battle with Michael. The first few days after Michael's attack were quiet Hollow-wise as his defeat and the dissolution of his sect seemed to have scared the monsters off. However, little by little, they returned to Karakura Town at a regular pace, necessitating Ichigo and his friend's aid.

About five days after Michael's death, a young Arrancar named Roberta Shane appeared at Urahara Shop with a message from Queen Harribel. She had just returned from her excursion into the deserts of Hueco Mundo and had decided that she would join the D.A.C.U after all in the interest of keeping more Surassha like Michael from threating life in her realm. Their own science program was still in its infancy, not even bearing a proper name yet, but they had a reliable Arrancar at the head of it, a former nurse named Roka Paramia.

Kisuke quickly relayed the news to Mayuri who had some of his own to share. Once the conversation was finished, Kisuke decided to host a small get-together in celebration. Thus, Ichigo and his friends as well as the Fullbringers found themselves at the shop on a lazy Saturday afternoon, seated around a large table with barbeque that Tessai had cooked.

"This is so delicious!" Orihime declared with a mouthful of food. "Although I can't help but feel some strawberry jelly would go great with it."

Ichigo coughed and tried to clear his chest.

"Something wrong, Ichigo?" Sado asked.

The orange-haired young man shook his head. "I'm fine!"

"I do have to admit, this is pretty good." Uryu added as he took another bite.

"I'll agree to that," Yukio said as he blasted zombies on his fixed game console. "This food is to die for." He said in a disinterested tone.

"You're not even eating!" Uryu and Ichigo scolded in unison.

Riruka scoffed. "So loud." She took another bite herself and chewed as she continued to watch the men next to her feud Since the incident, she was wearing her hair in a ponytail Some grey streaks remained after the battle but some magenta hair dye took care of them. "Men can be so stupid sometimes, right Jackie?...Jackie?"

Riruka turned to see Jackie's widened gaze fixed on something at the end of the table. It was an expression she had never seen on her friend before but as she turned to see what the fuss was about, she understood at once why Jackie had such an expression.

Sitting at the end of the table, downing plate after plate of food and creating a constantly growing pile to her left was none other than Yoruichi. The former captain of the 2nd Division seemed completely ignorant of the eyes watching her as she downed her food with gusto, not stopping to so much as breathe. The plates besides her indicated that she had already eaten more than everyone else put together yet showed no signs of slowing down.

"That's...quite an appetite." Jackie muttered, a single bead of sweat running down the side of her head.

"Who wants to bet it's all going straight to her boobs?" Riruka muttered.

Just then, all attention at the table was arrested by the clinking of a spoon against glass. "Alright, everyone! A moment of your time please!"

All eyes turned to Kisuke Urahara who then seated himself at the end of the table directly before Yoruichi. He set the spoon down and held up his glass. "I would just like to prepose a toast!" He began. "Not just to the D.A.C.U finally getting its third branch but to all of you who put your lives on the line to stop Michael Myers last week. This of course, includes Rukia, Loomis and Jamie, even as they could not be here at the moment."

"Rukia," Ichigo whispered sadly.

"Aww! I still feel bad for Jamie," Orihime said. "I wish she could have joined us instead of having to work at the Rukongai."

"Even if she did it with noble intentions, she still broke the law." Tessai brought up. "We should all just be glad she's still an academy student."

"That's right," Jinta broke in through a mouthful of meat. "With everything that happened, I'd say she got off damn easy!" Just then, Tessai started pulling on Jinta's hair. "Ow! What did I say!? What did I say!?"

Orihime giggled at the display.

"It's thanks to all of you that we're able to be here today." Kisuke continued. "So please, enjoy Tessai's cooking. Eat as much as you like, Because you never know when the next battle will take place!"

The table held up their glasses with comments of agreement and resumed their eating as Kisuke sat himself down.

"So," Riruka spoke as she picked up another piece of meat with her chop sticks. "I heard you were leaving after today, Jackie. Is that true?"

Jackie nodded. "I'm just about out of vacation days for my job as it is and there doesn't seem to be anymore trouble. None that these guys can't take care of themselves anyway." Jackie took another bite. "Besides, without any powers to fight with, all I'd be here is just a burden." She swallowed her food and turned to Riruka. "I belong to the normal world now."

"I see," Riruka responded with an air of melancholy in her voice.

"What about you?" Jackie asked. "You got any plans going forward?"

"Uhh...well..."

"Riruka's asked me to fly her back to America after this." Yukio butted in. "Said some nonsense about hopefully finding somewhere where her powers would be useful."

Jackie's eyes widened as Riruka glared at Yukio with an angry blush. Suddenly, she grabbed both his cheeks and pulled as hard as she could. "Yukio, you jerk!"

"What possible reason could you have to be embarrassed?" Yukio grunted through his strained cheeks. "All I said was that you were going back to America."

"Shut up!"

Riruka stopped pulling as she and Yukio heard a soft chuckling sound and turned to see Jackie of all people making it, covering her mouth with her hand.

"H-Hey! What's so funny!?" Riruka asked.

Jackie took a few seconds to stop herself from laughing. "I'm sorry. It's just...I can't help but wonder what Ginjo would think if he could see you two right now."

Both Riruka and Yukio stiffened at the mention of their former leader's name. It dawned on them that, with Michael gone for good, they had finally kept the promise they made as members of Xcution. Now that the promise had been fulfilled, it was as if the last lingering trace of their organization had finally vanished and they were truly free to choose their own destinies now. It was both a moment of excitement for the future and grief for the warm past they somewhat wished they could go back to.

Silently, all three Fullbringers grabbed their glasses, and clinked them together in memory of all who could not be their with them today, including Dawn.

Kisuke enjoyed his food, holding his hand up to assure Ururu that he had enough sake. Right as he was about to take his first sip, however, he happened to notice Tatsuki to his right, staring down sadly at her plate. The food on the plate had not but a few nibbles taken from it and had long lost its warmth.

"Hey," Kisuke spoke as he lowered his glass. "You alright?"

"Huh?" Tatsuki looked up at the man who, just a few days ago, she had begged for a way to fight alongside Ichigo and the others. As of right now, however, that conversation was far from her mind. "I-I'm fine! Really?"

"Hmm. You don't seem fine," Kisuke lightly challenged. "You hardly even touched your food."

"I-I'm just not really hungry right now," Tatsuki said. "Sorry to make you waste your food like this."

"Tatsuki," Ichigo spoke up, having overheard the conversation. "You should know better by now than to think you can hide your pain from us, especially since it's our pain too."

"Ichigo?" Tatsuki turned to her childhood friend. "Since when did you become such a head shrinker?"

"I'm not," Ichigo replied. "I just know you well enough to tell that we're thinking the same thing."

Tatsuki gasped quietly then lowered her gaze. "You mean, that they should be here too, right?"

Ichigo nodded. "Yeah, they should."

The whole table went quiet as Ichigo and Tatsuki's words echoed throughout the room. Even the Fullbringers, who had no relationship whatsoever with Ichigo's human classmates, couldn't help but feel the sorrow emanating from them. They all looked down, reflecting on the simple fact, although Michael Myers was gone, so too were those he had managed to slay before being defeated.

All felt this heavy weight in their heart and allowed it to pull them downward into themselves. All except for Yoruichi who ravenously finished a bowl of rice and placed it on top of the pile before slamming her palms against the table.

"What the hell, Kisuke?" She shouted in annoyance. "This is supposed to be a celebration! Not a wake! How could you let them get so gloomy? Are you honestly telling me you haven't told them yet?"

"Told us...what?" Ichigo asked.

Kisuke laughed nervously as he took out his fan and started using it against himself. "Oh believe me, I wanted to, truly! But I figured it would make for a better surprise if we simply waited until Captain Kurotsuchi finally called me back first. You know what they say, show don't tell." Kisuke's nervous laughter died as he noticed all eyes on him.

"Kisuke," Now it was Ichigo who sat up and placed his palms on the table. "Just what the hell is she talking about? Are you hiding something from us again?"

"Well," Kisuke tugged on his collar. "You see...I can assure you it's actually quite a bite of good news...you see...eh..."

Just then, Kisuke's Denreishinki rung from inside his robes. "Uh...hold on, I gotta take this." He took it out at once and placed it against his ear. "Hello...uh huh...uh huh...so are they ready yet or not?"

Ichigo and the others exchanged glances of utter confusion. Everyone save for Tessai, Jinta and Ururu that is.

"Uh huh...uh huh...very well...thank you!" Kisuke hung up the Denreishinki and placed it back inside his robes before standing back up. "Well, everyone, if your would please be so kind as to follow me to the back room. I have something quite exciting to show you!"

Ichigo and Tatsuki exchanged one more look of confusion before getting out of their seats. One by one, the rest of the group followed them out of the dining room and down the hallway into a blank room usually used for storge. All of the extra boxes had been cleaned out on this day, however, leaving only a giant TV screen straight out of the Department of Research and Development with its oozing wires and the flesh moss growing around the control panel beneath it. Tatsuki and the Fullbringers stiffened once they caught sight of it but Ichigo and the others were far too used to its appearance.

"Is that supposed to be a TV?" Jackie asked. "What's with all the gooey stuff?"

"I think that's a question we'd rather not have the answer to." Riruka squirmed.

"Kisuke, what is all this?" Ichigo asked as he stepped up to the humble shop owner messing with the controls. "When the hell did you have all this installed?"

"Patience, Ichigo." Kisuke waved his hand in dismissal. "All will be made clear in just a second, just as soon as I find...ah hah!" Kisuke turned a golden dial at the far end of the control panel. There was a loud static noise as the screen came to life, the visage of one Mayuri Kurotsuchi becoming clearer by the second.

"Almost...almost there...finally." The Squad 12 Captain spoke as he fully appeared in the screen, his head and shoulders taking up much of the screen. "You've kept me waiting, Kisuke Urahara. Can't you do anything right?"

Kisuke laughed nervously. "Sorry about that, Captain Kurotsuchi. I was throwing a little get together to celebrate Hueco Mundo joining the D.A.C.U and I guess I forgot about our little surprise."

Yoruichi slapped Kisuke over the back of his head, hard enough to knock down his hat. "Gah!? Yoruichi!? What the hell?"

"You forgot? How the hell do you forget a surprise like this? Are you starting to get stupid on us? Or just lazy?"

Ichigo growled in frustration. "Would someone please just tell me what's going on? What the hell is this surprise you keep talking about?"

"Hey! Is that Ichigo's voice?"

Ichigo and his friends stiffened as another voice spoke through the screen. A very familiar voice.

"Grr! Are you deaf?" Mayuri turned slightly to glare at the brown-haired boy standing behind him who flinched as soon as their eyes met. "I specifically told you not to speak unless I give the signal!"

"S-Sorry Mr. Kurotsuchi!" The boy whined. "I didn't mean to step over your toes or anything!"

Ichigo, Tatsuki, and the others couldn't believe their eyes. "K-Keigo?"

Keigo's worried expression broke as he heard Tatsuki's voice and turned back to the screen. "Oh! Tatsuki!" He rushed over to the computer at once, his face over taking the visage of a very annoyed Mayuri. "And Orihime! Chad! It's really you, guys! I'm so glad you're all ok!"

"Keigo!" Orihime blurted out through tears of joy.

"Looks like you've made it to Soul Society alright," Sado spoke with a smile. "I'm glad."

"And I'm not the only one!" Keigo turned around. "Come on, guys! Aren't you gonna say hello?"

"We will as soon as you stop hogging the screen," Mizuiro appeared on screen with an annoyed tone in his voice. "Some of us aren't okay with looking desperate, you know?"

"Mizuiro!" Almost everyone shouted in unison.

A hand suddenly appeared on Keigo's cheek and shoved him out of the way. "Yeah! Quit hoarding all the attention for yourself!" Chizuru appeared on screen and turned to the group, her eyes directly fixed on Orihime and Tatsuki. "Oh my goodness! I'm so happy! I never thought I would ever get to see you two or your beautiful boobies again!"

"Chizuru!" The group exclaimed while a annoyed Tatsuki added, "Just as degenerate as ever."

"Hmm?" Chizuru's gaze lifted up to Yoruichi, Jackie and Riruka in the back. "Oh my! And there's even more sexy women I've never seen before. So cute! So beautiful! Such wonderful ebony skin!"

"Hmm?" Yoruichi playfully lifted up her arms with were left bare in the t-shirt she was wearing. "You talking about my skin?"

Kisuke stifled a laugh which Yoruichi heard, prompting her to slam her fist onto his skull. "Haven't you learned your lesson, jackass?"

"Ow!" Kisuke whined. "Dammit! You're gonna give me brain damage!"

"She sure is a...strange girl." Jackie muttered as she Chizuru continued to mentally undress her and every other girl in the room.

"She's so uncute!" Riruka pouted.

Chizuru's perverted glances were disrupted by Mayuri's hand grabbing her from behind and flinging her to the back of the room along with Mizuiro and Keigo. "That's quite enough tomfoolery out of you three!" He scolded. "Unless you want to assist Nemu in feeding my genetic failures, hmm?"

Both Kiego and Mizuiro started shaking. "N-No thank you, Kurotsuchi sir!" They replied in shaky unison.

Chizuru lifted up her hand. "You mean that total babe you got working for you? I'd rather help her with a full-body inspection!"

Both Kiego and Mizurio pounced on the perverted girl before she could continue. "Stop it, Chizuru! Are you trying to get us killed!?"

Mayuri scoffed. "What imbeciles." He turned back to the group. "As you can plainly see, we've found the souls of Ichigo Kurosaki's deceased friends and have had them brought to the Seireitei."

"That's great!" Orihime shouted. "Now that we know where they are, we can come visit them!"

"I'm afraid that won't be an option for quite a while."

"Huh?" Orihime stepped back. "W-Why not?"

"Because," Mayuri grinned. "All three of them have been confirmed to have enough spiritual power to become Shinigami!"

Ichigo and his friend gasped. "W-What!? A-Are you serious?"

"Quite!" Mayuri nodded. "They'll have to wait until the next entrance exams but rest assured, before long, they will all be enrolled in Shin'o Academy alongside Jamie Lloyd and the students from Beautiful Dream." Mayuri smirked. "I imagine they're going to be worked to the bone."

"Wait! You can't just do that to them!" Ichigo protested. "Have you even aske-

"Ichigo, it's okay!" Mizuiro broke in, shutting Ichigo down. "We all asked to become Shinigami."

"What!?" Tatsuki asked. "Seriously?"

"Yeah!" Keigo jumped in. "We're grateful for all the times you've had our back Ichigo. We really are. But now we have a chance to become the protectors, to be right on the frontlines and I don't know about you, but I'd rather be able to fight back the next time a Surassha shows up."

"The attack that night wasn't just our deaths," Mizuiro added. "It was a wake-up call. We all want to make sure monsters like Michael are put down for good."

"Plus...the women in this place are so hot!" Chizuru shouted. "I just have to see more of them, touch more of them, fond-

"That's not a noble reason at all!" Keigo and Mizuiro shouted as they once again tackled Chizuru.

The group shared a small round of laughter at the shenanigans unfolding on screen. All except for Tatsuki who was simply transfixed by the face of her friends.

"They...They're alright...even after everything that's happened...they still want to get stronger...still want to fight..." A single tear escaped Tatsuki's eye and he wiped it away before anyone can notice. She suddenly stepped forward to ward the screen and clenched her fist. "If that's the case, then let's make a bet!"

"Huh?" All three of the newly-departed teens looked at Tatsuki. "Bet? What do you mean?"

"You don't really think I'm going to just sit on my ass and let you guys get stronger then me just because I survived, do ya?" Tatsuki pointed to herself. "I'll train hard myself! I'll tap into these spiritual powers of mine and get stronger, stronger than even the toughest Surassha! And then, when you guys are full-fledged Shinigami, let's test our powers out against each other! We'll see who's stronger than who in an all-out competition! What do you say?"

Once Tatsuki's words soaked into their heads, all three teens shared their living friend's smile.

"Alright, Tatsuki! You're on!"

"We won't hold back either! We'll gain powers that will make your head spin!"

"I hope I get something in line of close combat! That way I can fondle you again!"

"And Ichigo," Tatsuki turned to the man that was once the crying boy she observed all those years ago. "You join in too, okay. I want to really see how these new powers fair against yours. Same for all of you!"

Ichigo and his friends were shocked to say the least. All sorts of question went through their heads. What was Tatsuki talking about when she mentioned training? Didn't she realize it would take six years at least for Keigo and the others to be declared Shinigami? But even amongst these questions, there was no denying the resolve in Tatsuki's voice and eyes nor that of her friends.

And thus, all that Ichigo responded with as a smile and simple. "You bet!"

"And...done!" Jamie wheezed as she threw the large net full of fish at the old man's feet. "There's the last catch of the day, Mr. Kuso!"

"Thank you so much, young lady!" The plump old man with a fishermen hat said. "Today's haul is going to keep my family fed for the next few weeks!"

"Glad to hear it," Jamie nodded as she flipped her bag over her shoulder. "Same time tomorrow?"

"You bet! And thanks again!" Mr. Kuso nodded as Jamie walked out of his shack.

The sun was setting on the first week of Jamie's sentence into the Rukongai. As per her request, she was sent to the 16th District of Western Rukon where she had first arrived in Soul Society. After laying out a place to stay with the family that took her in as well as inform them of her plan with Dr. Loomis, she had taken to her charity duties without the slightest complaint. It helped that since most of the people in this district already knew her, they were quite friendly and even shared some of the fruits of their labor with her, hence the apples in the bag she carried over her shoulder. Of course, it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows either. The work was usually grueling and as much as she tried to ignore the feeling, she couldn't help but feel naked without her Zanpakuto. She still had her Fullbring ability but the most that was good for was keeping a close eye on those with less-then-noble intentions.

Jamie made her way to the nearby river as she always did before heading home. It was mostly quiet now with the business in town slowing down due to the approaching night. A couple of children ran behind Jamie, a brother and sister playing with a stray puppy. She gave them a passing glance and smiled as she had done at countless other children and countless couples and families as well, all with the same thought in her head each and every time.

"Michael can't hurt you anymore."

Jamie stepped onto the bridge running over the river and came to a stop at the middle. She took an apple out of the bag and turned to watch the river flow, its clear waters dyed a beautiful hybrid of orange and purple by the setting Sun. She took a bite out of the apple, relishing the crisp texture and juicy flavor, before scanning either side of the river.

Once again, no sign of Loomis.

Jamie sighed as she swallowed the food in her mouth. The river running through this district was its most prominent feature and thus provided the best chance for an encounter with Loomis once he arrived. She had been coming to this spot every evening and spending hours at a time in search of her old friend, only returning to her place of rest late in the night. The family tried to dissuade her from such a system, bringing up the unsavory folks that would love to prey on a unsuspecting young girl like her in the dead of night and offered to search for Loomis on their own but Jamie assured them she would be fine. She was a Shinigami after all and even without a Zanpakuto, her Fullbring's power was more than enough to assure she would be safe in the dark.

Besides, remembering how uncomfortable she was in her first few years in Soul Society, Jamie knew the poor old man would need all the help he could get. It would be a difficult journey, that much was certain, but it was a journey that Jamie was excited to take. She took another bite from her apple as she continued to keep her eyes peeled for the old man.

"Excuse me," A feminine voice spoke to Jamie from her right. "How much is an apple?"

"Oh!" Jamie couldn't help but stiffen up as she suddenly heard the voice. It would take her a while, if ever, for her to get used to neutral surprises. "I-I'm not a merchant. I just got these as thanks for some volunteer work." Jamie reached into the bag and handed an apple over to the woman, all without looking away from the river. "But you can one for free. I have plenty."

"Thank you." The woman said as she took the apple from Jamie's hand. "You're very kind." Jamie heard a crunch followed by some chewing. "Oh! I'm sorry!"

"Huh?"

"I mistook you for a fruit merchant because of the apples. But now that I'm closer, well, I couldn't help but notice your uniform. You're from the Shin'o Academy, aren't you?"

"That's right, Ma'am." Jamie confirmed with a nod. "Although I'm currently out of classes to do some volunteer work in the Rukongai."

"Really? I didn't know they had programs like that at the Academy."

"They've started a lot of new programs lately," Jamie said. "Guess even the afterlife needs to catch up with the times every now and then, huh?"

"Heh, if you say so."

It was at that moment that Jamie realized with horrible embarrassment that she hadn't even bothered to turn to the woman once in their entire conversation. "Oh my god! I'm so rude! I didn't even introduce myself." She turned to the woman. "My name is Jamie Lloyd. What's...yours...

Jamie trailed off as her mouth fell agape and her eyes widened. It felt as if the entire world had frozen around her, the river ceasing its flow beneath her feet and the sun sticking itself in place in the sky. Everything came to a complete stop at that moment, save for the blonde woman as she turned to Jamie.

"Well...this is sorta awkward but...I don't really remember anything about my life in the previous world. Every so often I get a flash like fall leaves or something but mostly, it's just one great big blank. I...I don't even remember my name."

Jamie fought the urge to gasp. Tears welled in her eyes and she quickly wiped them away, but not before the blonde woman had a chance to notice.

"H-Hey! Are you alright?" She raised a hand towards Jamie. "What's with the tears? I didn't upset you, did I?"

"N-No!" Jamie gently pushed her hand away as she sniffled. "I'm not crying. I swear! It's just allergies. Guess I wasn't able to leave them back in the World of the Living."

"Allergies huh?" The woman shifted her gaze toward the river. "You know, I heard that being near a body of water can agitate your allergies around these parts."

"Heh. Maybe that's true then."

"What are you doing here by the river this time at night, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Well," Jamie sniffled again, fighting to keep her overwhelming emotions in check. "I guess you could say I'm waiting for an old friend."

"In that case, do you mind if I wait with you?" The woman asked. "It's getting late and I'd hate to leave a young girl all by herself, even if she is a Shinigami in training."

Jamie gasped quietly. Part of her was deeply saddened that the woman did not recognize her at all. Perhaps Michael's curse would secure one final victory after all...

...no. Jamie expunged that thought at once. She recovered her memories after all as did the other Fullbringers. And this woman would recover hers as well. She had all eternity to do so and when she did, Jamie would be right there to help her through.

With these thoughts, Jamie nodded at the familiar woman. "You know, I'd like that. I really would."

The two women turned to the river, apples in hand and a single shooting star flying over head.

(You know, this might just be my favorite arc yet. Well, actually, that honor goes to the first arc because ANOES is my favorite franchise but I'm really pleased with how this one came out. I generally hope Jamie fans find this fic because I think they'll like what she's accomplished here. Good for you, honey.

And if there are legit members of the Halloween fandom here, I'm sure you're dying to know whether the mystery blonde at the end is Laurie or Rachel right? Well the answer is...not gonna tell you! Ha! Sorry, but I think it'd be more fun to keep it ambiguous so for now let's just say it's whoever you'd prefer it to be.

In any case, I do have some sad news to share. As of now, I'm putting this story on very, VERY temporary hiatus. The simple reason for this is because I want to go back and fix as many mistakes within the existing chapters as possible. This includes making the characters internal dialogue more recognizable and maybe changing the names of Freddy's Fraccion to better fit their Arrancar natures (I.E Spanish) I know it's probably not good to waste time fixing up a whole bunch of chapters that have been out for more than a year but I intend to work on this story for a long time and dammit, I need to make it evolve with me. I've also decided to do the same with Lisa Simpson: Animal Avenger.

With that said, I hope you've all had a great year and I will see you again at my next post. Adios!)

Rothman liked the sound the raindrops made as they fell onto his car. It relaxed him, brought him closer to the true nature of the world. Little things like that always did, whether it was rain drops falling on his car or the wind blowing through the leafy branches of trees. Even in his line of work, he just couldn't help but enjoy the little things like that.

Unfortunately, it could do little to comfort him tonight, not with the news he had to bring to his boss.

Even in the darkness of the stormy night, Rothman's eagle-eye vision was able to spot the lavish house his boss resided in, a modern palace of natural stone behind a golden gateway with pointed heads on each bar. Before this gateway was a call box with a single button on it. Rothman drove up to the gate, removed his jet-black glove, and pressed his thumb against the button. After a few seconds, the call box beeped and the gate swung open, allowing Rothman to drive into his boss's property. It didn't bother with an umbrella as he rushed to the front door and pressed the button on the doorbell.

"Sir, it's me! It's-

"I've been waiting for you, Rothman." A most disinterested voice answered from the intercom. "The door's open and I'm in my study. Please wipe your feet before you step inside."

"Y-Yes, sir." Rothman did as he was told and removed his wet coat as soon as he stepped inside. He placed it on the coat hanger and made his way through a couple of hallways to his boss's study. It was a cozy room with a fireplace at the end of it. Suspended over the fireplace was a flat-screen TV which was off for the moment, allowing Rothman to see his scared visage reflected in the black glass. Sitting before the fireplace in a leather chair, glass of wine in one hand and a open book held with the other was his boss.

"G-Good evening, sir." Rothman bowed. "How do you do?"

"Save the pleasantries," The man demanded in an annoyed and tired tone. "What possible news could be so important as for you to pester me at such an ungodly hour?"

Rothman gulped as he stepped into the room. "Well, s-sir. W-We found the Shape as you asked but..."

"But?"

"T-There was an unfortunate development. It seems he was somehow destroyed completely. T-There's no surviving trace of him. Not even a tooth. I'm sorry sir."

"Destroyed completely?" The boss asked. "Impossible! Not even a nuclear bomb should have been able to wipe out that beast!"

"There's something else sir," Rothman continued. "The place where the Shape was last recorded before his destruction. It was...well...I can't believe I'm saying this but it was in a place called Karakura Town in Japan!"

"Japan!?" The boss exclaimed, the grip on his wine glass tightening. "Now it makes sense. Those damned Shinigami!" He downed what remained of the wine in his glass and set it down with force, albeit not enough to break it.

"I-It mystifies me as well, sir. How the hell does a Midwestern serial killer end up in Japan of all places?"

"That's none of my concern," The boss said as she slammed his book shut. "The true issue here is that you idiots lose sight of him for ten years, only to find him right as he's destroyed!"

Rothman winced as his boss shouted. "I-I'm sorry, Sir. We have no excuse."

The boss got up from his seat and wiped the long locks of silver hair from his eyes before uttering a drawn-out sigh. "Oh well, I suppose there's no other choice then. We'll have to move on with the project."

Rothman gasped. "W-What!? B-But sir. The Shape was destroyed! Didn't you say you needed his Fullbring to awaken the subject's full power!?"

"There's a ocean of difference between requiring something and desiring it." The boss explained. "I would have preferred to have Michael's Fullbring used to elevate my child's powers but it's not a necessity. If we must do without that power, so be it. It makes no difference in the long run. Besides," The boss grabbed a remote from the table next to his chair and turned on the TV. On the screen was the visage of a crazed man with the face of a rotten corpse pulled over his own, his drooling leer visible beneath the hollowed gape of a dying scream. This was one of the few surviving photos of the man most of America knew as Leatherface.

The boss's lips curved into a smile. "My precious Bubba has already far exceeded our expectations!"

Bleach: Jigoku Files: THE SHAPE OF EVIL ARC (FINISH)

Up next: BETWEEN ARROWS AND CHAINSAWS ARC

(Boom! Another post-AN scene! There isn't much I can really say without major spoilers but the title of the arc alone should give you a clue of what you're in for! And as with last time, once I'm finished with the updating, there'll be a extra chapter that comes out first, also based off a Steven King movie. Until then, please review if you enjoyed this story, I really need to know, and if you're planning on asking for some commission/comic crap:

DON'T.

Bye! Have a beautiful time!)