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Reflections in Flight

Part 1

"Go, Shizuku."

The girl stared back with nothing but a blank look in her eyes. She did not understand. Why was he asking her to leave?

"Take the Garganta and escape to the world of the living. I've left you a spare gigai and an artificial soul near the exit."

The girl turned back to see a large, black gap in space-time behind her that seemed to be nothing but a void.

"It should be a straight path. You'll reach the exit and opening to the second Garganta if you don't meander."

"-"

"I wish to protect you, that is all."

"-"

"At this point, the real world is a better place for you than Soul Society."

"-"

"Word has already spread and the Gotei 13 has already started to act in order to prevent a massive upheaval. Central 46 will soon issue the kill order so just get out of here! I refuse to let them enact that twisted justice for the sake of maintaining the status quo. So, just go, Shizuku, and learn to finally live."

The sound of the device holding the Garganta open reverberated as Shizuku stared at the man without even saying a single world. She had nothing to say anymore. She no longer knew what she could say to the man.

She walked to the entrance of the Garganta and turned her head to face the man with her blank expression one last time. What she saw reflected in her eyes was simply a warm smile engraved on his face.

How could he even smile in such a situation? He would likely be murdered in a few short minutes. She knew these were all bad things. Yet…she could not even muster up the her strength to even show any emotions.

With her head half-turned to look back at the shinigami smiling in the face of inevitable death, she took one step into the Garganta. One step was followed by another and another…and as she continued to run forward, the mouth of the Garganta shut with her last sight of Soul Society being that smiling man's face.

Part 2

"I've found you." The uninterested voice came from the strange girl who seemed to be standing blocking the path. In contrast to the indifferent expression seemingly plastered to her blue-eyed face, she seemed to be out of breath as she was hyperventilating through her nose. Despite the night-time breeze one would expect at the end of May, her body was drenched in sweat to the point where her white camisole and jeans were sticking to her slender body and her shoulder-length silver hair seemed to be completely disheveled.

"You've found me?" Kurosaki Ichigo raised an eyebrow while leaving the rest of his signature scowl in tact. He already had a long day at school and at work doing odd jobs for Ikumi. The fact that some strange girl was standing in front of him and blocking his way was definitely not a welcome sight. But, she seemed to be out of breath out of searching for him. At the very least, he did not want to be rude and just avoid her. With the hand that was not holding his bag, he scratched at the back of his head. "Why are you looking for me and who are you?"

"I merely sought the strongest reiatsu I could sense." The girl's breathing started to return to a normal rate as her shoulders slowly relaxed. "My name is Iroha Shizuku. I need-"

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅▄▄"

The desperate cry and roar of a fallen spirit began to resound throughout the sleepy streets of Karakura Town. The two people on the street stiffened their muscles in immediate response as the terrible cry began to lead to the repeat and overlaying of multiple cries which slowly approached.

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅▄▄"

"▂▂▃▄▃▄▅▄▅▄"

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅▄▄"

Ichigo immediately reached for the Shinigami Substitute Combat Pass, but as soon as he could tap it to his chest and separate from his body, he saw a Hollow falling straight from the sky straight towards-

"LOOK OUT!" In a single motion, he jumped and pushed Shizuku back, throwing her away by three meters before pulling out Zangetsu and stabbing it straight into the mask of the descending Hollow. As soon as the feeling of the blade piecing through the mask hit Ichigo's muscles, he smashed the edge of the blade down, bringing the Hollow along with it onto its back and breaking through the mask to the ground.

The Hollow started to disintegrate, allowing Ichigo to draw his blade back. "That was way too close. Are you alright…um…"

"Iroha Shizuku." Her prompt reply held neither worry nor fear. It was as undeniably listless as the voice she had when she first found Ichigo.

"Iroha-san…I really don't get you at all." Ichigo scratched his head again.

"You don't need to. I would just like to make my request."

"▂▂▃▄▃▄▅▄▅▄"

"Unfortunately, that will have to wait." Ichigo readied a stance. "I get that you're spiritually aware, but stay back. There seem to be a lot more, so I need to make sure you don't get caught in the crossfire."

As if on cue, various Hollows crawled up on the gates, telephone poles, and mailboxes within the vicinity.

"I can fight. Do not worry about protecting me." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a piece of plastic with the word 'Chappy' written on its surface in a bold red font. "Just focus on eliminating all of the Hollows."

Without giving her even the second needed to take in the artificial soul, the group of at least ten Hollows immediately jumped straight towards the two. All Shizuku could understand was the large force exerted onto her back combined with a burning feeling before her body flew forward and hit the ground, leaving her consciousness to be wiped away only after hearing the sound of sword pressure cutting through flesh.

Part 3

The sensation of cool air, flowing across her body, brought a wavering sense of consciousness to the sleeping girl. Shizuku's eyelids were heavy, but she was sure that she was at least half-awake. As she slowly opened her eyes, her senses started to function.

With the light of the sun finally reaching her eyes, Shizuku put a hand down onto the grass beneath her and forced herself to sit up.

Grass? She looked down at where she was sitting and sure enough, the was sitting with the butt of her red hakama planted firmly onto the grassy field beneath her. Ah, right…I fell asleep after classes.

"Good morning, sleepy-head." Shizuku turned her head to see a wavy, black-haired student sitting with his legs crossed.

"Houki-kun…"

The boy closed his eyes and crossed his arms to gesture an X. "INCORRECT! Come on, Shizuku…how many times to have to ask you to call me by my given name or at least call me onii-chan? We've known each for too long for you to refer to me as Houki-kun." The boy held out his hands and started to wave them in tandem with each syllable. "Ma-mo-ru. Say it with me. Mamoru."

"Mamoru."

"Perfect…though why do I get the feeling you-"

"Houki-kun."

Mamoru sighed. "And there's the relapse. Breaking a record for shortest relapse time, are we?"

Shizuku pulled in her knees and rested the side of her head on them. She started straight into Mamoru's eyes. "Does it really make a difference?"

"Of course it does!" Mamoru jumped straight onto his feet. "It feels like there's a distance between us whenever you refer to me so formally." He got down onto one knee and put her face only a couple of centimeters away from her. "You're like a younger sister to me. Ever since we first met each other in the Rukongai…and ever since I took you in, I always believed that. So can you at least reciprocate that for me…?"

Shizuku stared back at Mamoru before turning her head to let it rest on her knees. She let go with her left hand and clutched at the sheath of the Zanpaktou sitting to her side.

Mamoru sighed and got back to his feet. "Well, I'll break through to you some day. Even if I've lost count of how many times I've repeated that to you…at the very least, I don't think you are a bottomless abyss." The boy placed his hand on her head and ruffled her hair. "So, I'll wait until then. No matter how long it takes."

Shizuku did not understand it. All she felt was an odd sensation in her mind and chest she could not understand.

"Come on, now. Don't look at me like you've seen some weird piece of art, Shizuku."

"What are you even doing here, anyway, Hou…Mamoru-kun?"

"Ah, that's right! Get your zanpakutou. It's almost time for class!" Mamoru grabbed at her right hand and stood her up before running with her in hand. Shizuku, having tightened her grip on her sword, followed suit.

"See…? It isn't that hard…" Shizuku could swear she heard him muttering those words as they ran hand-in-hand to class.

Part 4

Shizuku's eyelids started to crack open as her hazy consciousness began to solidify. As far as she could tell, she was in a room with a dim light. She felt the comfortable feeling of a bed on her back and a loose piece of clothing laying on her chest. She slowly put herself into a sitting position and noticed as a blazer fell off her chest onto her lap. "Ahh…what…"

"Ah. You're awake!" Shizuku's attempt to question the surroundings was interrupted by the voice of another girl sitting next to the bed with a book closed around a tilted and half-out bookmark. She was a teenager with long, wavy, burnt orange hair, brown eyes, and a curvaceous figure hidden underneath her sweater and dress. Shizuku went wide-eyed as the big-breasted girl put her face close to her own. "Mmm-hmm." She crossed her arms and nodded with an oddly serious expression on her face before leaning back onto the chair she was sitting on and loosening her facial muscles into a smile. "…and you're alright, too. That's a relief. I was a bit shocked when Kurosaki-kun called me saying he needed my Sōten Kisshun to save someone but your back wounds weren't too serious. He was even carrying you to me."

"Kurosaki…?" Shizuku's eyes returned to normal, bringing forth her regular listless expression, and she tilted her head. "Who…?…and who are you?"

"Ah, I guess I never did introduce myself, Shizuku-chan." The girl put her hand on her chest and gave a welcoming smile. "My name is Inuoe Orihime. I guess you can say I'm the person who healed your back injuries."

"How do you know my name…and who is this Kurosaki person?"

"…Kurosaki-kun told me your name. He said you introduced yourself to him before those Hollows appeared-"

"So, Kurosaki is that guy's name?"

"Mm-hmm. Can you wait here for a second? I'll go get him." Orihime put the book she had in her lap down onto the dresser next to her chair.

"…" Shizuku nodded without a word.

"Do you not like talking too much?" Orihime got up off the chair as she asked.

"It's…not necessary. Talking too much is…superfluous."

"That's too sad."

"Sadness…I can't even muster up the effort to feel something like that. Sadness. Happiness. It's all unnecessary." At that moment, she felt her cheeks being stretched.

"Nooooooo. That's a bad girl." Orihime was stretching Shizuki's cheeks while wearing an exaggerated pout on her face. "You shouldn't say that. That's just not right."

"Owowowow."

"Ah! I'm sorry." Orihime retracted her hands, her mouth agape in surprise. She then reached her arms around Shizuku and embraced her. "Then tell me, how does this feel?"

"It's…warm…"

"It is. Do you not like that?"

"Between like and dislike…neither…but…something is telling me to make sure you do not let go..."

Orihime pulled away and looked into Shizuku's eyes. "That kind of thing is a heart. That desire to connect to another and the desire to share emotions with another. It's the greatest proof that you're alive! You can't say that kind of thing is meaningless, alright?" She even had her fists clenched right in front of her as if she was trying to psych herself up. For some reason she was hell bent on getting this through to Shizuku.

"I will try not to." With that, Orihime's muscles seemingly relaxed all at once as her determination transformed into a beaming smile.

"Alright then. I'm going to get Kurosaki-kun so stay put." She said before hurrying off to the door and heading out to loudly call out for Kurosaki.

Her blood kept rushing to her face whenever she mentioned this 'Kurosaki-kun'. Is that also because of the heart?

Part 5

"Are you feeling alright? The Hollow that attacked you left a pretty bad cut on your back." The orange-haired boy with a scowl was sitting next to the girl from earlier.

"I am feeling better." Shizuku gave a small bow. "Thank you."

As Shizuku looked to the boy, she noticed him turning his head to the side in a desperate attempt to avert his eyes. "It's alright. Orihime was the one who did the healing work so it's her you should be thanking and not me."

"Thank you, Inoue-san. But, Kurosaki-san…you did protect me from those Hollows. As such, I do owe you a debt of gratitude as well."

"Fine, fine. You can thank me by sitting up straight!" Ichigo exclaimed.

The quizzical Shizuku turned her head to see Orihime blushing and stifling an awkward laugh. "Your shirt. Apparently, the back was damaged by a hollow and…"

Shizuku looked down to see her camisole hanging down much like an apron, leaving a majority of her back bare. "Ah." She stood back up and methodically tied the now open back of her camisole at the top and the bottom. "Did you like what you saw?"

"Are you really trying to tease me in that monotone voice?" Kurosaki's scowl only seemed to intensify.

"Mamoru-kun told me to learn to finally live…is sharing emotions like through teasing…not a form of living?" Shizuku sat back down on the bed, watching the boy's face shift into an expression of pure bewilderment.

"You're an odd one…I really don't get you."

"I get told that a fair amount…" Shizuku stared back as the Inoue and Kurosaki sat there, mute, with no response or rebuttal. A few moments of silence passed.

"Haaa," Kurosaki sighed and relaxed. "Well, I guess I should introduce myself since you already made your own introduction earlier. I am Kurosaki Ichigo, a Shinigami Substitute. It's nice to meet you, Iroha Shizuku."

"A Shinigami Substitute…does that mean you report back to the Seireitei?"

Ichigo raised an eyebrow. While he was fully aware that most shinigami did not even know of the existence of the Shinigami Substitute, what Shizuku had asked was definitely not the first question he had expected to hear. "Not really. Despite the fancy title, I generally act independently of the Shinigami in the Seireitei. Why would you ask that, of all things, first?"

"I…" Shizuku looked down at her knees and then into Ichigo's eyes. "As of a few hours ago, I have become a fugitive from the Gotei 13."

"For what reason?"

"I don't know…"

"You don't even know why you've run away?"

"Mamoru-kun said that Central 46 wanted to execute me in order to maintain the status quo. Apparently, my existence will cause a massive upheaval. At least that's what he told me before he sent me here through the Garganta."

"Eliminating someone simply because of their existence…" Ichigo clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. Such a thing was definitely not unheard of. For example, Rukia's execution. For example, the pair of Shinigami Substitutes. Even beyond those, there were likely many cases he was unaware of.

"But, why did you seek Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime spoke up in Ichigo's silence.

"I was seeking out the highest reiatsu in the near vicinity and I came across you. I seek help to save Mamoru-kun."

"This was the guy who sent you here, right?" Ichigo broke his silence and Shizuku nodded in response. "Are you sure he's even alive?"

"He was in a rush to get me out of the Seireitei but it's likely that he had enough time to cover his tracks and make his own escape."

"But, he's likely going to be labelled a fugitive because he assisted your escape."

"I do not want to see him die because he tried to save me. He told me to start living my own life but…" She clutched at the knees of her pants. "I will not say that I cannot live without him…but I do not want to live without him."

Ichigo stood up and walked up to Shizuku. "How long do you think he will be able to last on his own?"

"He knows how to keep an iron defense so, I would estimate about three days."

"Then, we have a fair amount of time." Ichigo smiled. "So, right now, you should focus on getting some rest and we can make our plan of action when you're finally more active."

"So you'll help me?"

"Of course I will." Ichigo spat out. "So, don't ask a meaningless question like that again. I'm not just going to deny someone asking for help like that. Actually…your friend told you to live your own life, right?"

Shizuku nodded.

"Then come down and eat dinner with my family. It would be a far better idea than sitting up here on your own, alright? You too, Inoue."

"Ah!" Orihime bounced out of her chair with a luminescent blush on her face. "A-Are you sure about this, Kurosaki-kun? I mean I really don't want to impose-"

"I said it's fine. Besides, I dragged you away from your own place so offering you dinner is the least I could do. Besides, I'm sure Yuzu and dad would be thrilled to have some new people sitting at the dinner table. So, come on."

As Ichigo walked through the door, Orihime hurriedly followed suit leaving Shizuku to be the last to exit.

Part 6

"Are you sure you don't want to stay over or at least let me walk you home, Inoue?" Ichigo and Shizuku stood in the doorway, watching as Orihime had started to make her way out of the house.

"I'm not a klutz, you know." Orihime placed her hands at her hips and gave a deep pout. "I can take care of myself. Besides, you need someone to bring some fresh clothes for Shizuku-chan that are actually her size."

"Make sure you get home safely, then." Ichigo let his mouth curve into a slight, albeit evident, smile.

"I'll see you in the morning, Kurosaki-kun." Orihime gave a quick bow before heading off onto the road.

With Orihime finally vanishing into the night, Shizuku spoke up. "She's much calmer than she was at the dinner table."

Ichigo looked to Shizuku who continued to stare out towards the road in front of her. "She's probably not used to eating dinner with a large family like that. She's been living alone so the most she's ever had with her is Tatsuki coming to eat with her."

Shizuku let his words bounce around in her head. Large family? Was that really it? "I have my doubts."

A confused Ichigo continued his aimless stare. "Why do you say that?"

Shizuku turned her head to look at him with a face of confusion that mirrored his own. She turned back to face the empty road outside the doorway. "Maybe I do not understand the 'heart' as much as I thought I did."

Ichigo could only continue to ponder what she was trying to say. The two stood without a word in the doorway for two minutes while Ichigo struggled to find a way to break the awkward and drawn out silence until…

"Well, then, Iroha-"

"Just call me Shizuku."

"O-okay, Shizuku…" Ichigo's voice trailed off as he let the sound of him referring to the girl by her given name. He shook his head and turned around to head back to the stairs. "Let's just get you back to the guest bedroom so you can rest."

"Are you really willing to accept the burden of letting me stay here?" Shizuku turned around and started to follow Ichigo.

"What is it with everyone and trying to question my offers today…?" Ichigo's default scowl made its gallant return to his face. "It's not like you have anywhere else to go, after all. Besides, you saw how ecstatic Yuzu and my old man were to have someone else staying with them."

"Your other sister was not as enthused. In fact, she had the same scowl you have right now."

Ichigo turned his head to the side to look at Shizuku who now stood a couple of feet behind him at the base of the stairs. "You really shouldn't worry about it. Karin may give that front but she's not the type to even think of another person as a burden. Though…"

Ichigo reached out and pulled a plastic tube from one of his pockets. He gave an annoyed look at the thing and then tossed it to Shizuku. She took a half-step and reached out before it landed onto her palm. It was her Chappy Artificial Soul. "If you really feel that you are a burden and can find somewhere else, I won't stop you."

Shizuku stared at the dispenser. She could leave. She did not need to be a burden anymore to Ichigo than she already had been. It was better for him to not associate with someone as empty as her.

Yet why had she decided to put the dispenser away, then?

She, herself, was probably the one who knew least.

Part 7

A calm sun shone over the skies of Karakura Town on that brisk late-May morning. The chilly wind passed through Orihime's hair as she stood in front of the front entrance to the Kurosaki household. In one hand was a bag filled with a fresh set of her own clothes. She inched a finger over to the door bell until she had stopped right in front of it.

I know I said I'd be back here today but…

Her face was dyed with a deep red blush. Her finger moved back from and forth towards the bell as she struggled to beat down the embarrassment causing her hesitation.

I've been invited to Kurosaki-kun's house again. I know it's just to get Shizuku the new clothes but…

"DAMMIT, SHIZUKU! PUT SOME CLOTHES ON!"

*ding* *dong*

Before Orihime knew it, her hand had accidentally hit the button and the bell rung. EHHH?!

"AH! JUST GO BACK INTO THE BATHROOM! I'LL BRING INOUE OVER TO YOU!" Ichigo's words almost seemed to get louder as time went forward.

Shizuku's naked? In front of Kurosaki-kun?! Orihime's blush deepened at that thought. That there was a girl naked in front of Ichigo and it was happening right in front of her. She knocked at her head twice in an attempt to calm herself down. Agh. I'm here to bring Shizuku some clothes to work with. As soon as I give her the clothes, this should all come to an end!

The door in front of her swung open. "Are you alright, Inoue? You look like you might have a fever."

"Ah!" The startled girl jumped back a half-step. "N-No! I'm fine! I, uh…I brought some clothes for Shizu-"

"That's right. Come on inside." Ichigo moved aside as he let Orihime walk in and switch into some indoor slippers. In an instant, Ichigo closed the door and pushed Orihime from the back.

"W-Why are we rushi-" The two walked at a brisk pace.

"Yuzu got Shizuku to take a shower before you came here…but she made her do it too early and now she has no clothes."

Orihime's mind drew a complete blank. She failed to fathom why anyone would be willing to walk around in anyone else's house completely naked. "Huh?" Her already apparent blush problem only worsened with every passing second.

"Just get in there and make her put some clothes on." Orihime could only see an even deeper shade of red pained onto Ichigo's face before he finally opened the door, pushed her into the bathroom…

"W-Wait!" Orihime pivoted about her feet and turned around to the door in time for her to see it shut.

Orihime looked at the door for a few seconds.

With her embarrassment finally being overwritten with confusion, she turned back around. Sure enough, Shizuku was standing right there in front of her. The ends of her shoulder-length hair were still wet and there were patches of water on various points of her body, only partially covered by a towel that clung to her slender form.

"Oh, it's you, Inoue-san." The girl stared at Orihime with a vacant expression.

"Shizuku-chan?"

"Yes?"

Orihime inhaled and exhaled. "A maiden like you can't just walk around naked like that! Don't you feel any sense of embarrassment?! I mean…"

Orihime's long lecture commenced while the water on Shizuku's skin continued to slowly evaporate.

Part 8

"Yes, I have received word from the Seireitei of fugitives." Urahara Kisuke closed his usual fan while sitting at his regular spot at the table, opposite to Orihime, Ichigo, and Shizuku. He took a small sip of the tea that Tessai had left at the table, watching the others.

"Fugitives…?" Shizuku muttered. The fact that he had said that meant that the Seireitei was not only after her. That meant that he had to be… "The name of the other fugitive-"

"It's Houki Mamoru. From what I understand, he's the one who helped you escape the Seireitei."

"So, he evaded capture." Shizuku could feel as if a small weight had been lifted from her chest. It was as if a worry that had been plaguing her since her flight from the Seireitei had been finally dissipated.

Worry…? Was that what she could define as worry? Why would she even have been worried?

Her eyes followed her hand which trembled as it moved to the center of her chest. Towards that part of her body that birthed so many contradictions in the human soul. She looked back to Ichigo and Orihime before she reached out of the cup of tea sitting on the table.

She sipped at the tea, allowing a nostalgic scent and feeling to seep into her.

"So, that means he has less than three days, according to Shizuku." Ichigo broke the silence. There was an air of relief around both him and Orihime as he made that declaration. They had time to prepare and possibly negotiate with Soul Society.

"Unfortunately, I think you're overestimating how well one could stay hidden from the Seireitei's watch. The Onmitsukido are by no means slouches." Urahara's eyes narrowed, his words bearing more and more bad news. "You likely don't have much time until the Gotei 13 traces your trail to this town considering they're investigating the Garganta you went through."

The feeling that had dissipated from Shizuku not even a few minutes before once again grabbed at her heart and pulled it down. It was a simple, sinking feeling that threatened to consume all rational thought. Shizuku could not put a finger on the name but she was certain there was no way it could be called worry.

"But, Mamoru-kun has the ultimate defense. There's no way that he could be captured quickly!" The monotone that had long since been maintained in her voice was starting to break down. She wanted to push down that feeling. It was unpleasant. It was far too unpleasant.

"Defenses can be easily whittled down." Urahara continued to speak in a matter-of-fact tone. He neither wavered nor attempted to sugar-coat reality for Shizuku. "The stronger the defense, the more force that can be held as necessary to whittle it down. Regardless of how hard he tries, a shinigami who has yet to achieve Bankai will eventually fall to one who has."

Bankai. Shizuku pressed the palm of her hand onto her forehead at the sound of that word. She pressed and pressed to mitigate a small pain emanating from that very point in her body.

"Then, how much time do you think we have left?"

"If your defeat conditions are Iroha-san or Houki-san being caught…I'd say you have until the end of today at the very best. Which means that you'd need to move as quickly as possible to prevent the situation from becoming irreparable."

"That's not a lot of time…"

"It isn't. So, that brings me to the important question, Ichigo. What is it you want and plan to do?"

"I want to negotiate with the Gotei 13 to suspend Shizuku's kill order."

"That will likely be difficult. If Central 46 has given the kill order then, it's highly unlikely that it will be suspended."

Ichigo slammed a hand on the table, showing off a scowl and a furrowed brow. "But, couldn't we just go through Rukia and-?"

"It's not a matter of who's making the appeal. It's who you're appealing to."

Ichigo's eyes widened. "You can't be serious…"

"I guess you never did get an explanation about Central 46. So, here's the short explanation. Central 46 acts as the Seireitei's judicial body and its orders are absolute. Their verdicts cannot be overturned for any reason. Take Rukia's execution and the orders to speed them up. At the time, those were believed to be from Central 46 until Aizen had revealed his own actions." Urahara took another sip of his tea. "Those orders were impossible to redact until Aizen made his move. Basically, negotiation is a fool's errand once Central 46 has made their verdict."

"Dammit!" Ichigo cursed as he slammed his fist on the ground he sat on. "If we can't even negotiate, then what the hell's left?!"

"'Central 46 will soon issue the kill order so just get out of here! I refuse to let them enact that twisted justice for the sake of maintaining the status quo.'" Shizuku suddenly spoke in her usual monotone, as if dictating something she had read.

Urahara raised an eyebrow. "Will soon issue a kill order…?"

"It was something Mamoru-kun had said to me before I escaped."

"So, he anticipated an incoming verdict and got you out of the Seireitei before the hearing could happen. It's likely that the Seireitei has been thrown out of order and is trying to find you two in order to start proceedings. In that case, negotiation may not be such a far-fetched possibility."

"The situation is even more advantageous to us, then. Central 46 wants to execute me to maintain the status quo. That means my very existence is dangerous enough for Soul Society to be worried. In other words, my freedom and safety can be used as a bargaining chip to open up negotiations."

Ichigo and Orihime immediately snapped their heads to face Shizuku who showed nothing but a steadfast look on her face behind the hand that still clutched her head. "You can't just offer yourself as a bargaining chip, Shizuku!" Orihime was the first to rebut.

"We're not going to do this that-"

"This isn't just about me…" Her tone of voice had grown firm. Whether or not she had realized this, she had some ground to stand on. "We need to exonerate Mamoru-kun…and I don't want to put you all in danger to do that..."

"Well, you guys should take some time to discuss the negotiation strategy." Urahara stood up. "I'll go ready the Senkaimon and the Reishi Henkan-ki. It will take a couple of hours to get the latter up and running since we haven't used it in two years so you'd best use that time to figure out that plan of action."

Shizuku immediately got up and gave a bow. "Thank you for your help, Urahara-san."

"You can thank me after you've succeeded, young lady. Alright?"

She stood back upright, but before she could nod, she felt a strong pain that felt like a crack propagating from her head. She grabbed at her head again but she could not suppress the pain. Her mind started spinning until she eventually fell to the floor.

"Shizuku!" She could hear the others in the room calling out to her as her consciousness slipped away.

Part 9

Ichigo sat alone in the room with the tea table. Urahara had left to prepare the Reishi Henkan-ki to allow Orihime's passage through the Senkaimon while Orihime had gone to place the unconscious Shizuku somewhere to rest.

All he could do was ponder what the next step was. Despite Shizuku's uncharacteristic vehemence, she was against using her existence as a bargaining chip to negotiate. Even if they were negotiating to save the lives of two people, he could not help but feel disgusted at the prospect of gambling someone else's life like it was a raise on the poker table.

"There has to be a better way to do this." Ichigo sighed. "I didn't regain my shinigami abilities just so I could gamble the life of another so easily."

Ichigo heard the sound of the shoji behind him opening up and saw Orihime walking out of it. She closed it behind her and took a seat next to Ichigo.

"How is she doing, Inoue?"

"She's definitely not in any danger, from what I see."

"That's a relief."

"I want to say that she hasn't gotten enough rest, but…" Orihime looked down at the floors. "I really don't know why she lost consciousness like that. I tried healing her but there's not much I can reject when I don't even know the cause."

Ichigo was certain he heard a tinge of regret coming from her voice. There was nothing that either of them could do aside from wait for Urahara to make his preparations and for Shizuku to wake up.

"The best thing we can do is figure out what to do next." Ichigo spoke up while looking away from Orihime. He put a hand on top of her head. "So, don't be too hard on yourself. You did what you could. So, let's focus right now on making sure that we can prevent an execution."

Orihime nodded in response. There was a small blush on her face but she seemed to be much more composed than usual, sporting a simple yet genuine smile that overshadowed the red on her cheeks.

"Right now, the best possible thing to do would be to get in contact with Rukia." Ichigo turned to look straight back to Orihime and took his hand off.

"You're thinking of using Rukia's position as a representative of the Kuchiki Clan?"

"That and her position as a Vice-Captain of the Thirteenth Squad." Ichigo crossed his arms. "We might be able to convince Ukitake-san to assist in negotiating for Shizuku's safety and we might also be able to string…Byakuya..on…" Ichigo trailed off realizing the low prospects of getting Byakuya's help in this kind of situation.

"That probably won't work…" Orihime seconded his suspicions.

Ichigo sighed. "Well, if all goes well, we might be able to get Ukitake-san to gain some leverage."

"Actually…which squad is Shizuku from?"

Both of them stared at each other as they realized that neither of them had received an answer as to which squad she was from.

"It would probably be useful if we knew which squad she came from."

"Yeah…" Orihime got up onto her feet and walked to the shoji. "I'll go find Urahara-san, then. He might know."

Ichigo nodded before she made her way to the back to find Urahara.

Before he could sit and fall back into thought again, the sound of a shoji opening in the distance reached his ear. Most likely, it was someone entering through the front of the shop. He got up and slid the shoji connecting the room he was in to the main shop area enough so that he could see who had entered.

"Welcome to the Urahara Shop." Ichigo saw Tessai running out to greet the person who had recently entered the store. "How may we help you?"

"Kuchiki-san told me to head here to meet the owner of the shop as there is some information I need to get from him." He could not get a good look at who the owner of the voice was. All he could tell was that it was a familiar female voice and that it did not belong to Rukia.

"Kisuke is currently busy so, it will take some time for him to meet you but I can let him know that you're here." Tessai then pointed to the shoji Ichigo was peeking through. "If you'd like, I can lead you to the back room and you can wait there while I inform him."

Ichigo silently closed the shoji before he backed off and sat down next to the coffee table. Within a few seconds, the shoji had opened with a familiar face standing in the entrance. She was a girl who was slightly taller than Rukia with a bob haircut and a hairpin on the left side of her head. She wore a striped sweater reminiscent of Neapolitan ice cream, and a pair of loose cream-colored pants tucked into a pair of black leather boots. It was someone who he had not seem since the fight against Aizen when she was impaled by Toshiro, under Kyouka Suigetsu's influence.

"You're…Kurosaki-san, right?" The girl had spoken up first.

"Yes. That's me. And you are…." His first instinct was to say "the shinigami who was stabbed by Toshiro" but he immediately stopped himself. He had realized that he never spoke to this girl before.

"Hinamori Momo, the Vice-Captain of the Fifth Division." She took a seat across from him. "I don't think we have ever talked to each other."

"I shall leave you two here and go let Kisuke know of your arrival, then." Tessai said before heading off to the back where Shizuku was sleeping.

"So, what exactly are you doing in Karakura Town, Hinamori-san? I didn't think a Lieutenant would come all the way here."

"I was tasked with chasing after a pair of dangerous fugitive shinigami who we feel may have escaped to this town." Ichigo's stomach churned as soon as he realized exactly who she was talking about. "Actually, Kuchiki-san told me to give you the details if I made contact with you."

She placed a hand inside her sweater and pulled out two pictures from what was likely a pocket on her shirt and laid the two pieces of paper in front of Ichigo. One was a young make shinigami with wavy black hair and black eyes. The other was of the very shinigami sleeping in the adjacent room. Momo pointed to the latter first. "The first is fifth seat of the thirteenth division, Iroha Shizuku. She was taken away from an escort squad on the way to a hearing at Central 46 and disappeared shortly afterwards. We think she escaped via a Garganta opened up by-" She then pointed to the second picture. "This man, eighth seat of the twelfth division, Houki Mamoru. How he was able to do so is currently unknown but the location where the Garganta was opened was found to be empty after it was forced into."

"So, both of these shinigami are on the loose and you are basically acting on a hunch."

"When you put it that way, it sounds like a poorly thought out decision." Momo seemed like she was ready to pout. "Anyway, we were ordered to restrain and bring them back to the Soul Society for a proper trial."

"We?" Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "There are others who were sent here?"

"I was sent with Abarai-san to do the search. He said he knew his way around the town much better than I did so he started to search on his own."

"What exactly did these two do?" Ichigo could only feel more and more suspicion towards the orders that these shinigami had been given. "Isn't sending two vice-captains out for this kind of search and capture mission overkill."

"Honestly, the higher ups haven't given any information. All they mentioned was to watch out for Fifth Seat Iroha's B-"

Momo's statement was immediately interrupted by the loud noise of the shoji being forcefully opened by Orihime in a panic. "Kurosaki-kun! Shizuku's gone missing!"

Both Ichigo and Momo immediately stood up in response. Ichigo rushed to the opening of the shoji and saw an empty futon with its blanket pulled off and a window opened. Sure enough, Shizuku was nowhere to be seen.

Interlude I

Shizuku counted the second time she woke up in an unfamiliar location. Having that happen a second time in two days was likely not a good sign.

Though, calling the room unfamiliar was likely a rush to judgement. She could see a shoji a few feet away and could even hear Ichigo speaking.

"Yes. That's me. And you are…?"

That was definitely his voice. Shizuku figured she was still in the Urahara Shop and that the others had moved her after she had fallen unconscious. But, she needed to figure out plans on how to negotiate for Mamoru's life. She had to get up and-

"Hinamori Momo, the Vice-Captain of the Fifth Division…I don't think we have ever talked to each other."

In that moment, Shizuku felt like her heart was covered in the prickly sensation of thorns before it dropped straight to her stomach. If the girl were the type to have held onto any hope that she could avoid being caught before the day was up, the sound of one of the Vice-Captains of the Gotei 13 was chasing after would be enough to throw that away. It also meant that if she used him any further, she would risk putting him into the position of an enemy of the Seireitei.

"I shall leave you two here and go let Kisuke know of your arrival, then."

Shizuku heard another man speaking and walking to the door so she closed her eyes and pretended to remain unconscious as she listened to what Ichigo and Hinamori were saying grasping at the vague possibility that she may actually not be searching for her.

However, as Tessai exited to go underground and was out of Shizuku's current room, even that possibility had slipped away.

"I was tasked with chasing after a pair of dangerous fugitive shinigami who we feel may have escaped to this town."

Shizuku wasted no time in getting up out of her futon. She would not be a burden on Ichigo and Orihime.

She picked up her shoes and walked to a window, which she opened and jumped out of. She would remove herself as a burden to Ichigo and Orihime.

"I'm sorry. Kurosaki. Orihime."

She put on her shoes as she started to make a break for the main entrance. Seeing as a Vice-Captain, herself, was at the store, it was unlikely that any other personnel would be in the immediate vicinity. So, she continued to run. At random points, she would make various turns.

She just needed to get as far away as possible. Someone as empty as her needed not put kind strangers into a dangerous position for her own sake.

After all, she had already done so to Mamoru. After about five minutes of running she had finally stopped. She was standing in a residential area and had no clue where she was. It was just some random location. So, the chances of Ichigo finding her again would be slim. The chances of her getting him involved were so slim.

"I've found you." A male voice echoed from behind her. She turned around to see a shinigami with pineapple-shaped red hair, a bandanna partially covering tattoos on his forehead and eyebrows, and an arm-plate with a camellia emblem and '六' emblazoned on it. "Thirteenth Division, Fifth Seat Iroha Shizuku. I'm here to take you into custody."

A/N: With that, I have the first chapter of a little short-fic completely uploaded. Chapters should be uploaded on a weekly basis, much like the manga, so expect the next one around the same time this week. I hope you enjoy~