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She was floating. But she wasn't. But she was.

She was standing. But there was nothing beneath her feet.

She was weightless. But she was very much weighed down in place.

Rainbow bubbles danced around her. The world was vast, empty, and dark. Except those bubbles.

'Why do you deserve me?' A familiar voice Mai had never heard before whispered. It was rough, harsh, but in a natural way. Like a smooth purr, a sound from deep in the throat.

'Where am I?' Mai wondered. 'I know this place. This is where I go when I dream walk. Crap, I fell asleep?! I'm supposed to be meditating to find my Zanpakuto!'

'Why do you want it?'

'… What? Why wouldn't I?'

'You think its that easy? Who are you, Kuchiki Mai?'

Kuchiki. She had been adopted, by official invite of Byakuya into the high Kuchiki clan.

'Who is Taniyama Mai? Who is Kuchiki Mai? Is there a difference?'

'Of course!' Mai yelled back at the voice. 'Taniyama Mai is that weak girl from before! A Kuchiki is powerful, strong!'

'And? Who are you? Taniyama Mai, or Taniyama Kuchiki?'

Taniyama Mai is that weak girl from before.

'Taniyama is that weak girl… The one who cowered away and cried at mere dreams.' Mai repeated to herself uncertainly. 'I'm not weak like that. Who am I?'

'Yes. Who are you? Why do you want power, Mai?'

'Why…'

An image appeared in the black. Of her ghost hunting team back home.

'To… protect them.'

'Mere humans? Is that the only reason? Isn't that what Taniyama wanted? That weak girl who could do nothing? You are a weak girl who can do nothing?'

'… Yes… I was always being hurt… they always had to save me.'

'And do you need saving, Mai? Are you trapped here in the world of Shinigami? Do you just want to go home?'

'Yes. I want to go home, and have dinner with my family, every single night. I want them safe!'

'And who is your family? Where is home, Mai?'

A flash of another image, of the Kuchiki manor's garden. Sitting underneath a cherry tree for afternoon tea with Byakuya and Rukia. No… with Nii-Sama and Sister.

'Ah, so thats your family?'

Warmth filled her. 'Yes. They're my family.' She stated proudly to the voice.

'But aren't you Taniyama Mai?'

The words lashed at her like a whip. Taniyama Mai is weak.

'So… who are you, really?'

'I… I am Kuchiki Mai.'

'Ah, a Kuchiki! It's an honor, isn't it. The Kuchiki are so strong! Are you strong too?'

'… No…'

'Ah. Then you have no place here, do you. You should just give up, Taniyama.'

'NEVER! I'll never give up.'

'Why?'

'… Huh?'

'Why won't you give up? What won't you give up on, Mai?'

Mai was confused now. Lost. When she sat down on that hard stone floor, meditating, to find herself, she thought she knew who she was.

'Who are you? Why does Kuchiki Mai fight?'

'I fight to protect the things precious to me. I won't let anyone touch them!'

'Ah, is that so. What about that Byakuya? He's very strong. I don't think he'd like it if you tried to stop him from fighting for what he values.'

'I fight to protect them. I hated being weak… I can't just inflict that same self-hatred on those I love, now can I. I have to let them fight for themselves, too. Nii-Sama is strong. He can fight. I don't need to protect him. If he ever needs me to, I will.'

'Oh! With an attitude like that, you must be Kuchiki Mai!'

'Yes. Yes, I am Kuchiki Mai.'

'And Kuchiki Mai fights for the things she hold precious.'

'Yes.'

'What about Taniyama, and the things she hold precious?'

'Those things are precious to me too.'

'But Taniyama was always being protected by them.'

'Yes. But no more. The person they knew as Taniyama is actually me. Kuchiki. I am strong. Nii-Sama and Rukia have faith in me… I will not let that leave my knowledge again. Kuchiki is my home, but Taniyama is what gave her the will to protect.'

'So. What now?'

'I'll find my Zanpakuto. I'm a Kuchiki after all! It simply won't do for a Kuchiki not to have a Zanpakuto!'

'So… Kuchiki Mai dreams of being so strong, that she can protect everything she holds dear. That's her world.'

'Yes.'

'And you are, again? I got lost, I think. Taniyama and Kuchiki are confusing people, after all.'

'I am Kuchiki Mai!'

The world exploded with dazzling white, and Mai blinked to clear the stars from her vision. She looked around, then up.

Curled around her was a massive fox, shining with pure white light. A very cold white light. It's tail curled forward around her, sweeping Mai into the curve of its body. She could see lightning dancing over its fur, giving it the pure with glow. Where its fur swept the ground as it pulled her close, white flame edged with blue was left behind, radiating freezing air.

The fox touched it's muzzle to her forehead, and the world spun away to black.

Mai's eyes shot open. Gone was the dark field filled with bubbles, the biting cold flames and fur crackling with lightning.

In front of her, resting in her lap, was a silver sword, a fairly long one, but not too long. It was slender, and thin as paper, but looked incredibly sharp. Unlike a traditional Katana, it was completely straight, with a double-sided edge point like a broadsword's would have, but had the one blunt edge as a Katana would have. The hilt was short, with a intricately carved ten-point star for the guard, wrapped in white and cobalt wrap. The sheathe was pitch-black, with a golden cord.

It was beautiful, to say the least.

Mai stood, wincing as her legs shook a bit and tingled. Just how long had she been sitting in meditation pose?!

She exited the cave. It was dark out. Four of the original six were left behind her.

Rukia and Byakuya were waiting.

Mai unsheathed her sword, pointed it at the sky, and let out a victorious howl.

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"Kuchiki Mai, you are assigned to Division Ten. Flames and Lightning - a powerful type that usually causes widespread damage, at least once you achieve Shikai. Therefore, you are assigned to the division that deals with large-scale operations." The Head Captain stated.

Rukia wailed, Shuuhei cursed at Hitsugaya, and Ukitake fell back into his chair to pout. Mai merely turned to face her new Captain, and bowed with her eyes down.*

"I'll serve you the best I can, Captain Hitsugaya!" She declared.

Her Captain nodded at her. "I'll send someone to show you the ropes tomorrow at noon. You were meditating four days. Get a bit of rest tonight."

"Yes, Sir!" She bowed cheerfully. The Shinigami, other than the Kuchiki's seeing as the meeting was held at the meeting hall in their house, all exited the room, heading off to whatever they needed to do.

Mai launched herself at Rukia, and they both squealed together. Byakuya smiled at their antics.

Mai looked at Byakuya and merely squealed again, unable to find words, and launched herself at him too, wrapping her arms around his middle in a hug. Then she gasped and stumbled back, wide-eyed as she realized what she had done.

"S-s-ssssryyyyyyyyyy." She mutilated the word she attempted as her voice broke high.

Byakuya's vaguely surprised expression melted, and he merely raised a brow at her. Mai went crimson.

Rukia began laughing her ass off as she too got over the shock, then took her sister by the hands and skipped around in circles with her, like two kids playing ring around the rosy.

Then, in unison, they dared as no one had before and both dived at Byakuya, tossing their arms around and completely encircling their stoic older brother in a hug.

He strangely didn't seem to mind, smoothing down his two sisters' hair gently.

"Welcome home, Mai."

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* Bowing with your eyes up is how you would bow to a classmate you spar with, or a stranger. Bowing with eyes down is how you bow to, per say, your Karate master, showing you trust them to watch over you.