A/N:

Late birthday present for my dear Sari.

Setting: Ancient Japan (or whatever setting that has kimono, swords, magic/superpower, samurai, priests, ect...you name it.)

This will be a fantasy / adventure story that features Orihime Inoue, the main heroine, and her friend Ichigo Kurosaki, the main hero/her main love interest, in their journey to find the truth of their world as well as their true destiny. May or may not contain overt romance materials.

Thank you, Annie for your awesome notes and advices.

(3/4/12)

It was a curse.

This power was a curse.

Her eyes still closed, for even if she opened her eyes she could not see anything, not with this blindfold over her eyes. It would hurt more if she opened her eyes.

She should not move her hands either. Her wrists would hurt too under the tight rope that glued her hands together. She thought her arms were going to break. It was aching all over, with her hands behind her back like this.

Her legs were sore from all the walking she had done. How long did they make her walk around? Two hours? But it felt like days, or even years.

But...

She would not stop. She would continue to walk, to follow them, to be captured, for she had someone she needed to protect. She hoped that they would not discover it. Maybe they would soon, but she hoped that by then it would be too late.

This power was a curse, but for the first time in her life, she could use it, for the first time in her life, it was useful for her. Maybe it would not be too bad after all.

There was a scent of bamboo. The scent became stronger and stronger as she stepped on the wet grass. They must be in a bamboo forest now. She could feel it. She could hear the ripple of the leaves whirling in the wind, fighting ferociously before falling down to the ground.

She was startled a little when she stepped out of the dampened mosses and was led into a wooden stair. She guessed it was a wooden stair because of the sound it made when she stepped on it. She wished she could free her hand now and pulled the hem of her kimono a little bit up her ankles. She would trip if it continued to hang around her zouri like this. Formal kimono was really difficult to wear. A man roughly grabbed her elbow and pushed her forward.

She was in a room now. She guessed, because it got warmer and she could smell a faint scent of incense.

Her breath accelerated as she heard footsteps, soft but firm and strong, coming closer and closer. The presence of whoever made that sound overwhelmed her, making her feel weak and want to drop down to her knees, like she was sucked into its power, totally under its control. She knew that it was a man. He was the man.

Fingers touched her chin,elegantly raising her chin up, appraising her.

"Arisawa-hime." The voice was so deep. She thought she was drawn into an abysmal pit, intoxicated by the gentle yet over-powerful sound. She could feel his breath on her neck as he leaned closer and untied the blindfold, freeing her eyes.

The piece of cloth dropped down to the floor, but she kept her eyes closed a little bit more before slowly opening them. She was scared. She was scared of the light that would come to her eyes and future that lay under it.

He was handsome, just like the way she thought he would be. Mahogany brown eyes, chestnut brown hair... a smiling and confident face. She had to raise her head to see his face. He was so tall... and so... Yet, she was so small and insignificant, compared to him. He wore a dark blue kimono and a black haori, with a white diamond pendant that swayed slightly over his black hakama under the wind that came through the open windows.

He looked at her for what seemed like an eternity, then he nodded and took his hands away. "I never could have imagined that Arisawa-hime is this beautiful... unless," he put his two hands into his long sleeves. "unless... the beauty in front of me is not her."

He then turned his head towards his subordinates, "Thank you for your good work today, but I'm afraid I cannot let your rest just yet..."

"How do you know that I'm not Arisawa-hime?" Orihime said, trying to hide her fear away. She had to do something, anything to protect Tatsuki.

"Oh..." He turned to her and smiled. "What's your name?"

"Orihime. Inoue Orihime." She immediately bit her lower lip. She was taken off guard. How could she be so stupid, telling him her real name like this?

"See? Then you're not the one we are looking for." There was an obvious hint of mockery in his gentle smile. "But..." He hooked her chin between his thumb and index, forcing her to look into his deep brown eyes, "but don't worry, Inoue-san. I still might find you quite useful in other areas." He took a quick glance at her chest with a smirk on his face then spun around in a swift movement.

"Bring her to my chamber and guard her well." He reached the door and glared at his subordinates, "Also take care of the mess you just made. I won't tolerate failure the next time." His eyes sparked with dangerous killing intent. "If there was any fault in my plan, then it must have been due to your incompetence. And any flaws that result in failure should be eliminated. Remember that well."

The door closed, but she could still feel the fear swallow the whole room. All of the brawny men were now trembling, their foreheads dampened with sweat.

Even her heart was racing faster and faster until his presence completely disappeared from her senses.

XxXxXxXxXx

His plan was perfect. That much, she knew.

Sitting on the giant futon behind the bamboo curtain, Orihime tried to free her hands in vain. Her guard was sitting on the other side of the curtain, stoic and expressionless. She must not draw his attention, but there was really nothing here that could help to cut the rope apart.

She had to calm down and think hard.

She began to close her eyes and meditate.

The future was something uncontrollable... unattainable. And for years many people could do anything just to attain that invaluable piece of information, for they believed that if they could get a hand of it, they could control their fate, but that was not true. If people knew the future and be able to change it then that future they tried to change was not their future truth was that the future was the future because we neither could control nor change it. However the truth was also that there were the few who could foresee the future, and it was an abominable power.

It was a curse, not a gift.

Because again, the future could not be changed.

It just added more pain when we knew a person would die but could not do anything against it, could not do anything to prevent it. Completely helpless. It was much better if we never knew.

Inoue Orihime was one of the few that were cursed by that power. To preserve the future, there was an additional curse given to those who could see the future. That was, no one would believe in what they say, so even if they told others about the future, not a single soul would believe them.

Orihime opened her eyes, unable to concentrate. She was here, captured instead of Tatsuki. Did that mean that she changed the future? Would it lead to any consequences? No, she shook her head, she had never foreseen that Tatsuki would be captured. She foresaw the plan, the attack in the middle of the road, and she knew that the target was Tatsuki, daughter of Arisawa-sama, Lord of west Karakura. All of her visions were fragments and unconnected, but she actually never saw that Tatsuki would be captured, which meant she did not change the future.

Maybe this power was not supposed to be used for others. She was not supposed to tell others about the future but rather use it for herself, and her actions based upon her premonition would be what that led to the future. Everything in this world had a purpose after all, but she had not yet discovered what her role in this universe was. This was the first time that she found her power useful, so maybe this would lead to the answer of what she could do with this power and the path she had to go in her own future.

She closed her eyes again. She must find out the answer. There must be one. She had to get out of here and find someone to help Tatsuki against another attack from that man. There must be someone around here that could help her because that was why she was brought here. There must be.

A young man chained in a dark room...

Bamboo...

Exhausted, she fell down to the futon and drifted off to sleep.

XxXxXxXx

Her hands were freed. She opened her eyes sleepily. The man she saw earlier in the main room was sitting next to her, caressing her cheek. Heaving, she tried to get out of his reach, but he grabbed her wrists and threw her down on the futon.

"Now, now...' He whispered into her ears, "my dear, you should be more obedient. You're mine after all."

"Yours?" Her face was all red from the embarrassment, and he chuckled. "Yes, mine."

"Aren't you ashamed of yourself?" She placed her hands on his chest, trying to push him away. "You dress like a noble, but you act like a rogue. Even a rogue should have some pride and not force himself on a young, harmless girl."

"A young, harmless girl?" He made a sound that was like a laughter. "You surely don't look like a young, harmless girl to me." His eyes darkened and he lifted her face with her chin, "Tell me, Orihime. How did you switch places with the princess without anyone noticing? And why did you do so? Where did you hide the princess?"

She looked away. The stone on her heart had lifted. So it meant that he had not been able to find Tatsuki yet. If the lord, Tatsuki's father, sent his men to find his daughter, then there were a chance that Tatsuki would be saved. However, there was also the possibility that this man in front of her would send his men to follow the lord and find Tatsuki first. There were also possibilities that...

"You know, you're a very smart girl." The voice of the man brought her back to reality. His face was so near her now, she could feel his breath on her cheeks. "However, I'm still the winner. I don't even need you to tell me where you hid the princess. As long as the princess is out of her father's reach, I can still make him do whatever I wish."

It was so difficult to think and focus with this devilishly handsome villain so close to her, capturing her gaze completely. She did not even dare to think too much, for she feared that he might read what was in her mind with those bright and knowing eyes, and it could be fatal if he knew about Tatsuki's whereabouts. No matter what he said, Orihime knew that he needed that piece of information. Even if he could threaten Tatsuki's father like he said, Tatsuki being out of his control was still a serious menace to his plan.

Moreover, Orihime doubted that the real purpose of kidnapping Tatsuki was to blackmail her father. For one, Orihime knew better that women in this time and society were just objects that could be useful to men. Though Tatsuki's father loved her dearly, as a man, a lord, a head of his clan and land, he would never trade the security and well being of his people for his own daughter's life. He would sacrifice her for sure. This man in front of her was definitely a smart man and if he planted spies around the lords, he must know and foresee this fact. What was his real intention?

"What's your name?" Orihime asked. She figured it'd be better to stall time and learn more about her enemy first.

"Tsk...tsk..." He shook his head in disapproval. "That's no way to talk with someone of a higher rank than yourself. You certainly have no manners."

Orihime flushed and she had to clasp her fingers together to keep her calm. She had forgotten her current position. Though he was a rogue, a villain, he was a man, and she was a woman, a maid for that matter. Being a maid meant that she was below all creatures, even compared to an evil knave such as himself. There was a moment when she forgot her social status, but he reminded her her place... That she had no control over her own life. That her life was his to decide.

"You..." He unclasped her hands and then gently placed her knuckles under his lips, taking her off guard from the sudden gentleness. Her body was on fire, and waves of unknown feelings flooded her body, paralyzing her ability to think straight. "You... are no ordinary woman. You talked and acted like a real princess.'

He placed her down on the futon, and her body was so weak under his charm she could not resist. She had never had someone treat her with such gentleness...and desire. She was never wanted, never desired. She was always an outcast... always abandoned. He lowered his head- so low that his lips almost brushed on her. "Aizen. Aizen Sousuke. Remember that well." He slipped his fingers into her hair while his thumb caressed her jaw slowly. "This is the name of a man who will own you. However..." He took her face with both of his hands, forcing her to look straight into his eyes, "I have no time to fool around with you now. Tell me..." His voice turned deep and his eyes somehow sucked her in. "Tell me where you hid the princess."

Her body floated in the middle of the sky, and she could not remember who she was anymore. She could not feel, smell, hear, think of anything but a distant voice from a stranger, and strangely that was all she cared about, to answer his question, like she existed just to answer that one question. She searched her mind impatiently to give him that piece of information he desired.

There it was. She had to tell him now. He was waiting for her. She could not let him wait any longer. However, as she was about to open her mind and tell him, there were several voices stopped her.

"Orihime-chan. Don't do it."

"Don't do it. Stupid woman."

"We're here for you. Orihime. Don't do it".

"Don't do it. Don't fall into his spell."

The voices were distant, but they were so annoying. She wanted to cover her ears and blocked them out. She wanted to concentrate so that she could answer his question. Huh... the answer was gone. She could not remember it anymore. Those annoying voices made her forget. Forget about what? Where was she? Who was she?

"Tell me where you hid the princess."

There it was, the voice that she had awaited to hear, the goal that she had to accomplish.

"Are you an idiot?" Suddenly she felt like her head was kicked really hard by something... someone... a part of her.

"We're here for you, Orihime. We're part of you." The voices echoed through her heart again, and she saw six golden lights surrounding her. Such small and fragile lights, but there seemed to be life in them.

"Who are you?" She wanted to ask, but somehow she was not in her physical state anymore, and it was impossible to open her mouth. However, those lights seemed to understand what she wanted to say and they answered her.

"We are your power. The Shun Shun Rikka."

She tried to reach out to them, to have a clearer look of their forms, but then a distant voice from reality woke her up.

"Tell me now. Where did you hide the princess?" The voice was so impatient and it shook the world she was in, and the six lights became weaker.

"We don't have much time left," one voice said. "Orihime. Listen to us. The man in this room is extremely dangerous, even with your power of premonition, it's impossible to get out of here." The voice continued, "but you have us. Your real power. We're made up of two shields and one sword. The first shield is called the Souten Kisshun, the healing shield. It can heal and return everything to its original second shield is called the Santen Kesshun. It can protect you from any force and power. The hypnosis power of this man, for example, was unable to control you because of this shield. The sword is called the Koten Zanshun. It actually is also a shield but is in form of a sword. If you were able to cut your opponent with it, it will put up a shield inside your enemy and splitting the enemy in two, um... theoretically."

"Hurry up," an impatient voice from the lights interrupted. "We can explain everything to her in detail later.'

"Anyway, just focus and call out the shields' names."

She felt a strong energy rush through her body and the lights disappeared completely. She found herself panting under Aizen who was also breathing heavily. He seemed confused and exhausted. Taking this only chance that she had, she called out "Koten Zanshun". A beautiful long sword appeared in her hand, but she really didn't know how to use a sword and secretly wished it could become something more productive in this situation and less harmful. Immediately, to her surprise, the sword changed into a small knife and she used the opportunity to stab it into his hand. She did not want to hurt him though, just somehow wished he could stay still and won't chase after her.

He did not seem to be wounded. There was no blood around the areas where the knife was dug into his hand. The knife look transparent, unreal, almost invisible... like it was made of air and just slipped through his hand. However, the man stopped moving, like he was paralyzed.

Frightened and scared, Orihime ran out of the room, trying to remember the path she must take to get to the dark room from her premonition without anyone noticing.

However, as she passed the door, the guards turned their gazes on her and as a reflex she ran fast into the bamboo forest, unable to remember where to go anymore.

More guards were running after her now, and the formal kimono made it hard to run, she had to pull the hem up with her hands, but then her zouri snapped, making her want to cry. She could not run fast with bare feet on the rocky and thorny ground with men chasing after her like hungry wolves. No, she could not cry. She tried to hold back her tears. She could not cry in this situation. She had to be strong. She had to save Tatsuki. She had to be calm and think hard.

Slowing down her breath, she stopped and took a second to look around. Besides many bamboos, this forest also had several other types of tree around. Holding her zouri in her hands, she ran to the first Sugi in her sight and quickly climbed on it like a cat. She waited for the men to run up to where she hid and then threw a stone far away to have them run hard after it.

She sighed out of relief, she was thankful that it was dark and that she was used to climbing and running since she was a little. Running and hiding was nothing new to Orihime, for she had been doing so during most of her younger life, she could be an expert of it by now. When the men seemed to be gone, she tore a piece of cloth from her kimono and used it to tie her zouri against her feet. It would be hard to walk, much less run in this state, but she had no choices left.

She balanced her breath and began to meditate again.

A/N: Thanks for reading. Questions?

Zouri is the Japanese scandal made of rice straw or other plant fibers. Hope it answered your question.

Thanks, Sari for helping me correcting some of the spelling/grammar errors in this chapter.