AUTHOR'S NOTE: The characters of Kisuke Urahara, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Jinta Hanakari, and Ururu Tsumugiya are canon characters from the anime and manga Bleach. Kisuke is a former Soul Reaper Captain, Mayuri is a current Soul Reaper Captain, and Jinta and Ururu are kids who work for Kisuke in his shop. They're being brought into the story in connection to Sakura and I just wanted to explain who they are to the people who haven't read or seen Bleach.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
AIYANA
She was getting oddly used to her new living situation. Zell was very protective of her but kept a bit of a wall up between them like he didn't fully trust himself around her. Elgan came by to visit daily, and Aiyana really enjoyed talking to him. For the last few days, Claudine had been staying with them. Zell's home was the last place anyone would look for her, and Aiyana was happy for the company. Liza checked in every day but never stayed for long. The Power Rangers were facing a crisis with a Ranger who'd been turned by the Flames and Liza knew it was safer to keep Claudine hidden for now.

She sensed something was off. Aiyana knocked on Zell's door gently. He didn't answer, but she heard him whimpering. She only hesitated for a moment before she opened the door.

Zell lay in bed asleep. He was crying in his sleep. The whimpering continued. It broke Aiyana's heart to see him so distressed.

She didn't stop to think before she crawled into his bed and wrapped her arms around him. His bare chest was incredibly familiar to her. Daphne's memories flowed into her mind. When Zell wasn't being a monster to her, she'd always found comfort in curling up on his chest like that and listening to his heartbeat.

It went back further than that. Oralee had also found Zell's heartbeat incredibly soothing. More than once when they were still neighbors, Oralee had sensed he was having a nightmare and used her Air affinity to float up to his window and climb into his room. On those nights, she'd curled up on him just like Aiyana did now, and she'd held him until he calmed down.

"Lanny... Lanny, I'm sorry..." Zell sobbed.

"Zell... It's alright," Aiyana said soothingly as she placed her hand over his heart. "That was a long time ago."

Oralee's memories of the many nights Zell had struggled with nightmares after Lanny Farmell's death flowed through Aiyana's mind. He'd only been eight when a member of the Coalition had abducted him and Lanny. The little girl was a distant cousin of Zell's, and they were friends. Zell had been restrained by magic and chains. He'd been forced to watch as Lanny was tortured to death while he begged the monster to let him take her place. After her death, the man had tortured him for a while until Zell lost consciousness. He'd woken up to find his cousin Lee had been captured as well. That was enough to make Zell fight back. The children had escaped with Lanny's body and the monster had been put to death for treason. It had haunted Zell for years. Apparently, it still did.

Zell started to panic. Aiyana slipped into his nightmare to soothe him and end it. She helped him wake up while still holding onto him. At first, he was too upset to do more than sob as he held her.

"It's okay, Zell... You're safe now," she said soothingly. "That was a very long time ago."

He was still crying, so she began speaking in Eltarian, softly telling him, "You're awake now. No one can harm you. You're not alone. I'm here beside you."

"Ora..." He whimpered.

"Close," she replied gently.

He seemed to realize where he was then. "Aiyana..." He said softly before he released her. "I... I apologize if I woke you."

Aiyana sat up. "You didn't," she said. "I was already awake. I'm sorry for coming into your room... I just knew you needed me."

"Oralee did it all the time. I did the same for her."

"I know. You used to climb the tree outside her bedroom and let yourself in whenever you sensed she was having a bad dream or was upset. I remember you broke your arm one night trying to do it in a storm."

"For once, it was I who was the clumsy one. To be fair, I was five," Zell replied with a slight smile. "Besides, we can't all command the air to lift us up to our friends' windows."

"Your pain woke Oralee from the nightmare, and she brought you inside and woke her parents up so her mother could heal you."

"And when I asked her what her nightmare had been about, she said she dreamed I fell off the roof trying to save her from some kind of monster and I got hurt. She wasn't too far off." He laughed softly. "Thank you for waking me up, Aiyana."

"I know what you were dreaming about. Do you want to talk about it?"

"When I finally chose to be good, the nightmares returned. Sometimes it's this... Other times, it's flashes of the horrible things I did... Killing Lee... Killing my parents... Killing Elgan... And..." He hesitated.

"Daphne?" Aiyana guessed.

"Daphne," he confirmed.

"Zell, it wasn't your fault."

"It doesn't matter. I still did these things to the people who meant the most to me." He sighed. "I killed them, and so many other innocent people. Sometimes, I think it would have been better for everyone if Murzey had killed me after he finished torturing me... If I'd just let him break me and perished before he decided to take Lee."

"Zell..." Aiyana felt tears in her eyes as his pain hit her. She wrapped her arms around him. "You did so much good. When left to your own devices, without the Witch's influence, you helped so many people... Including Oralee."

"The Witch only attacked Oralee and set her house ablaze to keep her from helping me resist her influence. She wouldn't have lost her parents or been sent to that monster she called an uncle if I'd perished as a boy. Lee would have lived his life. Elgan would have lived, and our parents, and-"

Aiyana was as overwhelmed by his emotions as Zell was. Without stopping to think, she found herself kissing him just to stop his pain from breaking them both. Zell tensed in shock for a moment before he kissed her back.

She relaxed as he did, deepening the kiss slightly and taking comfort in how familiar he felt. Oralee had never kissed him like that. Their relationship had been fairly chaste considering how young they were. Daphne had kissed him many times, however, and when he wasn't being a monster, that had been something that brought them both peace.

Zell had wrapped his arms around her and was kissing her fiercely, like he suddenly couldn't breathe without her. Aiyana wasn't the sort to run around kissing people. Spending most of her teen years in hiding hadn't really allowed for that. She had never really kissed anyone before other than quick, chaste pecks on the lips, but she couldn't deny how natural it felt to kiss Zell.

When they finally broke the kiss, Zell whispered, "Aiya..." He took a deep breath before seeming to come to his senses. "Apologies, my dear one. That was exceptionally inappropriate of me."

"You have no reason to apologize, Zell," she replied. "I kissed you."

"You were caught up in my turmoil. As a Mystic with a Spirit affinity, it's natural. I am older and should have stopped you."

"I'm young, Zell, but I am not a child. I'm a legal adult and have been for two years now... Five if you go by Eltarian standards."

"Still... I should not have kissed you, my dear one."

"You only responded," she reminded him. "This was my choice."

"I'll only destroy you, Aiyana!" He cried. "I destroy everyone! I slaughtered Daphne... I shall never forgive myself for that, and I cannot allow myself to harm you again." He was crying again.

Aiyana gently wiped away his tears with her index finger. He looked at her with deep sorrow in his eyes.

"I'm not Daphne, Zell," she said gently. "And I'm not Oralee. I'm Aiyana, and I know you could never hurt me."

"You're right," he replied. "That is why I cannot allow myself to kiss you. I'm sorry, my dear one. This cannot continue."

She knew he was terrified, and she also knew she couldn't talk him out of it. "It's alright, Zell," she replied. "Forgive my impulsive lapse in judgment... I only wanted to comfort you."

He smiled at her sadly. "You did that," he replied. "And I am grateful. Go downstairs, my sweet Aiya. I shall make us some tea in a few minutes."

She left his room with too much on her mind. What was I thinking? That was so unlike me, she thought. Had she lost her mind? Was it the result of the trauma of Reyzzo's attack?

No, she decided. Zell makes me feel safe. I care for him deeply, and I know he cares for me. I wanted to comfort him more than anything. This wasn't about what the Guild did to me... I wanted to kiss him.

It was a strange realization. Technically, she hardly knew him, but Oralee's memories of their pure, innocent love were strongest in her, and despite how toxic Daphne's relationship with Zell had been, Aiyana knew she'd loved him, too. It was only natural that Aiyana was starting to care for him in a way she hadn't expected to. The more time she spent living in his home, the more she came to care about him.

She took a deep breath and focused, knowing thinking about the confusion in her mind would only make things more complicated.

SAKURA
It was the pendant that gave it away. Sakura had recognized that part of the portrait before she really took in Wisteria's face. Now, she stood in the town she'd grown up in and was forced to face her past.

She was raised in Japan by the Ishida family, a wealthy couple who treated her well enough even if they were often very busy. The truth of her heritage hadn't come out until right before she died. One day, she'd been an ordinary seventeen-year-old girl, the next she'd learned she was adopted. The truth was far messier than just that, however.

At birth, she'd been powerful. She'd also been one of triplets. Zell had traveled through time just to ensure she'd been erased from everyone's memories in Angel Grove. He'd used her own powers to erase even her mother's memories, and that was no easy task. After all, Sakura's mother was a powerful Shaman.

She wasn't Japanese. In fact, she was Korean-American and Native American. Her birth parents, Casey and Adam Park, never knew what Zell had stolen from them. It only came to light when her long-lost sister, Sage, came into her realm and went to Japan in the middle of a bit of a nervous breakdown. Sakura had figured it out then. She'd also realized what sort of trouble Sage was mixed up in, and that something very bad would follow her. She pushed Sage to leave, but it was too late. Sage didn't remember her, but Sakura would never forget the sister who'd cost her her life.

It was only when Sage came to town that Zell started sending Shamans to try to kill Sakura. The second attempt on her life had killed the parents who raised her and put Sakura in the hospital. A couple of weeks later, when she was nearly recovered, a Shaman had bewitched her doctor and the doctor had killed her. At seventeen, Sakura had died, and her new life as a Soul Reaper had begun.

Time moved differently in her realm, so Sakura should have been nineteen even though Sage and Thorn were only eighteen. In under a year, she'd completed the training that took most Soul Reapers seven years to complete. She was incredibly powerful and had earned the Rank of Captain almost immediately. It seemed her Shaman heritage had increased her abilities as a Soul Reaper. Naturally, when Zell started throwing off the balance between life and death, she'd evened the odds by placing Garron in his Gigai, resurrecting Raffitty, and doing the impossible and resurrecting Elgan.

Zell's spell kept her biological family from remembering her, although Casey knew about her now that she was the Goddess of the Underworld. On the few occasions Sakura had reached out to Adam and Thorn in their dreams, they'd gotten attached to her, but they always forgot about her after the dreams ended. She avoided Sage. She hated her and wanted nothing to do with her.

Sakura saw her aunt sitting in the garden. She noticed her growing flowers and knew she was right. She'd never realized her aunt had magic.

"Hello, Oba," she greeted her with a bow, respectfully using the Japanese word for aunt.

The young woman blinked at her in surprise. "Sakura? How are you here?" She asked in shock.

"It's complicated. We need to talk, Oba... When my grandparents adopted you a few years ago, you were an abandoned teenager in a foreign country. They took you in, cared for you, and raised you... You became my mother's younger sister, and she loved you... So please, tell me the truth."

"What truth?"

"Is your name Wisteria?"

She stared at Sakura in confusion. "What?" She asked.

"I know you aren't from this planet. Tell me who you are."

Her aunt sighed. "I don't know," she admitted. "I was severely injured. I woke up on Earth, in a hospital. They said a man dropped me off, but no one knew who he was. I was in some sort of explosion. I only realized I was different later because I could do magic. I don't remember who I am or where I come from, but I know how to use my magic. It comes naturally to me. I also know I speak Eltarian. I've run into other Eltarians, and I understood them." She paused. "I only knew I had to hide. There is a constant thought in my mind that I'm not safe. So every decade and a half or so, I move and start over as a teenager. I can only hide the fact that I don't age like people here do for so long without it becoming obvious. Sakura, how did you know about this?"

"I'm a Soul Reaper, Wisteria, and a Shaman."

"And you think my name is Wisteria?"

"I think I can help you remember." She took her hands and dove into her mind. The trauma of the explosion had stolen her memories, but Sakura began to heal the injuries and return them to her.

Wisteria stared at her as she adjusted to the memories. She looked calm as she took a deep breath. "Thank you," she said softly. "Not knowing who I was has been a terrible burden... Although my true past remains a mystery. I went to Eltar to find my family, but I never figured out who they were."

"Do you still want to know?"

"I do... Does that question mean you know the answer?"

"Yes, Wisteria. If you want, I can reunite you with your mother."

"That was all I ever wanted."

"Stay here. I'll be back." Sakura walked away before reaching out to T'Dania. "I found her," she said without preamble.

"Where is she?" T'Dania asked softly.

"Japan."

"Japan? You mean she's...?"

"She's still alive, and she was adopted by the family who raised me. She had amnesia, but I fixed her."

"My daughter is alive..." T'Dania whispered.

"She wants to meet you, T'Dania. If you come to my location, I can introduce you."

"I'll come immediately... Thank you, Sakura. You do not know what this means to me."

"I think I do."

Sakura knew T'Dania had gone insane from both her trauma and her grief. Reuniting her with her daughter would stop her from slaughtering the former Rebellion members, and it might even make her walk away from the battle entirely. It would restore a small piece of balance. Besides, Wisteria was in danger, and until they figured out what the threat was, Sakura knew T'Dania could keep her safe.

How is it possible she just happened to get adopted by my family? It can't be a coincidence, Sakura realized. I'm missing a piece of the puzzle. Something bigger is at play here.

She had a feeling it was urgent she figure that out. Something told her they were running out of time.

ZOLAN
Zolan... Help me, Zolan. I'm scared.

He sat up, confused by the thoughts he was hearing. They were in Eltarian, and he knew the voice, but it was impossible.

Zolan, please, I'm so confused! I don't know where I am. The last thing I remember is- She hesitated. They're coming! I have to hide.

"Tanzi..." Zolan whispered in shock.

"Zo... Are you okay?" Vallen asked in concern.

"I heard Tanzi," Zolan replied in disbelief.

"Since when can you hear the dead?" Ezzex asked.

"I can't... Which means-"

"Look, Zolan, we all miss Tanzi, but-"

"I know what I heard, damnit!" Zolan snapped.

"Easy, Zo," Braydee said gently. "No one's suggesting you've gone mad, but you saw Tanzi die."

"And you all saw Tadd die. Apparently, that doesn't matter."

"What did you hear?" Tadd asked.

"She was calling my name... She said she was confused. And that they were coming."

"That's not creepy or terrifying at all," Ezzex said dryly.

"She's in trouble, Boys... And I have to find her."

"I'm in," Vallen said.

"It's Tanzi. You know we'll all have your back," Braydee added.

"We made a promise," Ezzex added.

"Brother Forever," Tadd chimed in.

Zolan smiled in relief. "Thanks, Boys. I think I'm going to need the help," he said.

"So where is she?" Braydee asked.

"I wish I knew. I can't seem to reach her. Tanzi knew... knows how to block me. If she doesn't reach out to me, I can't hear her."

"Perhaps..." Tadd hesitated. "Perhaps I can track her."

"It's about time our tracker get back to work!" Ezzex teased him.

"Do you think it'll work, Tadd?" Zolan asked.

"I won't know until I try. Give me a day to practice a bit, and then I'll focus on Tanzi."

"Sounds like a plan... I need some air." Zolan rushed out of the house. He made it a few feet away before he started to hyperventilate. The panic attack was overwhelming, and he sank to the ground, pulling his knees to his chest as he tried to calm down.

The sound of a guitar being strummed beside him snapped him out of his panic attack. Vallen began singing a very soothing song, and Zolan focused on the music as he began to calm down. Soon, Vallen started another song. This one was much more cheerful, and it began lifting Zolan's spirits.

As Vallan pulled Zolan to his feet, he started dancing around him with his guitar, making Zolan laugh.

"Dance along, Zo, or I'll just look goofy," Vallen said.

"You are goofy, Val," Zolan teased him. "But thanks for coming after me."

"Anytime, Brother. Let's dance badly and make fools of ourselves." He enchanted his guitar to start playing itself, took Zolan's hands in his own, and started forcing him to dance. Zolan couldn't resist for long, and soon, they both looked like idiots. He couldn't deny it made him feel better.

"Am I crazy, Val? Or is this real? Is she really alive?" Zolan asked after a minute.

"She's alive," Vallen decided.

"How do you know?"

"Because you were right about Tadd... And because the Universe owes Tanzi a second chance, and despite the five of us being the Prophecy Boys, we're not really complete without her by your side. Now stop overthinking things for once and dance."

That was the end of that.

THE HUNTRESS
There was blood everywhere. Eris looked at the source and took in the scene. "Well, you've certainly been busy," she said to Gia.

"I got bored," Gia replied as she removed the head of her final target. Six bodies littered the ground around her. Each had been a low-ranking member of the Coalition.

"I realize they weren't worth much, but try not to kill my foot soldiers unless instructed to," Eris said. "After all, even the fairly useless ones can serve a purpose for us." She shook her head. "Daneena, clean up this mess, would you?"

Daneena joined them and shrugged before casting a powerful cleaning spell.

"When can I go after the Power Rangers? And Zell?" Gia asked eagerly.

"Not yet, Gia," Eris replied. "Patience."

"I never had much of that to begin with. I think the Flames took the rest away. Hey, Daneena, I'm gonna kill you, okay?"

Eris grabbed Gia before she could attack Daneena. "No attacking the Elites, Gia," she said firmly.

"You're no fun, Huntress... Fine. I'll kill someone else instead."

"Your bloodlust is more insatiable than mine."

"Thank you." Gia smirked at her.

"Gia, go to the training room and practice your combat magic. You'll have your next target soon."

Gia grinned in excitement. "I look forward to it." She headed toward the training room.

"Huntress, she's out of control," Daneena said.

"I know," Eris admitted. "Something needs to be done. Keep everyone out of that room until I return. Unless it's T'Dania, I don't want anyone to approach her."

"Understood."

Eris left their base and took a deep breath. "It's the only option," she decided. She reached out with a communication spell and waited for it to reach her target.

"Eris," Sakura said calmly. "Is everything alright?"

"You may have Gia if you truly believe you can handle her," Eris began. "Where do you want her?"

"Japan," Sakura replied. "I'll send you the exact location."

"Simple enough. I'll open a portal. Tell me when you plan to arrive. If Gia is left unattended, she'll slaughter everyone in Japan."

"Bring her in ten minutes. I'll get her to Keilah. She can handle her." Sakura paused. "Thank you for doing this, Eris."

"It's for the best... And I suppose I owed you one."

Eris went to retrieve Gia. "Come, Gia. I have something for you to do," she said.

Gia's eyes were cold, calculating, and dead, but she still managed to look excited. "Are we going to kill some monsters?" She asked.

"Just one," Eris replied.

"I'll take my time and enjoy it then," Gia said with a sadistic smirk.

Eris opened a portal to the location Sakura had given her. Gia spotted Sakura and grinned. "Oooh, the Soul Reaper? Goody! I love a challenge!" She declared.

"As do I," Eris replied. As Gia moved to lunge at Sakura, Eris whispered, "Vermiz..."

Gia collapsed, fast asleep. "She's all yours, Sakura," Eris said. "The sleeping spell won't last long, so whatever you're going to do, do it quickly."

"I'll get her to Keilah. Thank you, Eris. I am proud of you for making this choice," Sakura replied.

Eris wasn't sure what to say to that. "I should go," she decided.

"T'Dania's going to be gone for a while," Sakura said.

"What? Why?" Eris demanded.

"I helped her out with something. She needs some time. I figured you should know."

"Very well. She'll return when she's ready, I suppose. Goodbye, Sakura." Eris quickly left. She decided to take a walk before returning to the base. She needed time to clear her head.

DOCTOR K
She was a mess, but she hid it well. Doctor K had mastered hiding her emotions years ago. Still, watching the others break was hard on her.

Flynn had thrown himself into work. He refused to leave the garage, working around the clock. He was one of Sage's extra hands at the auto shop and he had plenty of cars to focus on, especially since Tenaya, who also worked there, had taken time off. She was extremely depressed and was busy planning Dillon's funeral. Gemma was helping her. After all, Gemma had planned Gem's funeral. She understood what went into this sort of thing and knew entirely too well how it felt to lose a brother.

Scott seemed to be doing the best of the bunch, but K could see the grief in his eyes. He focused on his duties as a Power Ranger, making sure everything the RPM team was responsible for was being handled without the rest of them.

Summer had finally broken the night before, once the adrenaline and shock wore off. She'd cried herself to sleep in the bed she'd shared with Dillon as K played the violin to try and soothe her and Gemma sat beside her and stroked her hair gently.

It was Ziggy's reaction that broke K the most. He was alternating between shock, denial, anger, and sorrow. He'd spent most of the night hysterically laughing like a lunatic or sobbing until he had no tears left. K had never seen him so broken and she had no idea what to do for him.

She sat down in the home lab she shared with Josh and their father and sighed. Billy came into the lab and looked at her in concern.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked.

"What's to discuss? Dillon is dead. People die. It's a natural part of life," she replied.

"Kristina... I know this is hard for you."

"I suppose... The team is falling apart. Summer is devastated. Ziggy is having a complete nervous breakdown. I don't know how to comfort them. I'm not good at comforting people."

"I'm not always good with emotions, either," Billy admitted. "Just be here for them, K. Listen if they want to talk, and let them know they're not alone."

K nodded before pausing to ask, "And... How, exactly, do I help myself?"

Billy smiled at her patiently. "You lean on the people who offer to be here for you... Including me."

"Oh, you don't have to do that."

"I'm your father, Kristina. I know we're still kind of working out exactly what that entails, but being here for you when you need support is always on the list."

She smiled. "I appreciate that... Dad." K usually called him Billy, but on rare occasion, she tested out the strange word. She'd never had a father, so she'd never had a reason to use it until she met Billy and the truth came out. Still, she greatly appreciated Billy, and she respected him deeply. She was pleased he was her father, and when they were together, she was slowly trying to bring down the walls she always kept around herself.

Billy returned her smile. He patted her back gently as K took several deep breaths and tried to process the horrible truth. Dillon was dead. He'd been killed by a Power Ranger who couldn't control herself... And unless someone broke some serious rules, he wouldn't be coming back. In the safety of their lab, K allowed herself to cry as her father held her.

THE WITCH
She'd felt the spell shatter as it was ripped off of Eris, but she hadn't been overly worried. Eris had belonged to her from the moment she was born. She hadn't drawn a breath until the Witch marked her. There was no way Eris would betray her, spell or no spell. They were besties, after all.

That was why she was so stunned when Eris turned Gia over to Sakura. "That little bitch!" She cursed. She'd thought she handled the situation with the Soul Reaper pest ages ago, but apparently she'd been wrong. "I'll make her pay for this... But first..." She paused, knowing exactly what she needed to do next.

She found Jezzeff in his ritual room. "Perfect," she said. "Eris has betrayed us, Jezzeff."

He tensed, looking appropriately concerned that she hadn't called him by an annoying nickname. "Are you certain?" He asked seriously.

"She gave Gia back to the boring side. I can get Eris back in line, but I need your help."

"Of course. What can I do?"

"I need you to resurrect someone. All Eris needs is a little reminder of where she came from. Trust me, she'll never betray us again."

Jezzeff smiled darkly. "Then let's begin."

"We'll need a sacrifice. Give me ten minutes. Prepare for the ritual until I return."

She cackled to herself as she searched for a person to sacrifice. This would work. Eris would be back by her side in no time. She just had to remind her who she really was.

THE NEXT DAY.

SAKURA
She was deeply amused by her plans for the day, but they were also practical. "Okay, now, remember, Ururu... This is a bad, bad man, and if you do this, he won't be able to hurt anyone for a little while," she said.

The adorable, soft-spoken little girl nodded seriously. "Yes, Sakura. I understand," she said nervously.

"And Jinta... If he tries to touch her, you just... Do you," she added.

The frequently obnoxious little boy with red hair grinned. "Got it!" He said. "When do we get to kick his ass?"

"Soon," she promised. "Kisuke, are you ready?"

"Of course I am," he replied cheerfully. Kisuke might play the role of the flakey shop keeper, but he was extremely powerful and had once been a Soul Reaper Captain long before Sakura came along. If things went sideways with the kids, he could protect them and get them out of there. Of course, Jinta and Ururu probably didn't need protecting, but it was better safe than sorry given Ururu fell into the age range of Jezzeff's preference.

"Let's go already," Jinta whined.

Mayuri came toward them then. He had a bag full of surprises, and for once, Sakura was happy about that. The Soul Reaper Captain was the head of Research and Development in the Soul Society. He was mentally unstable and liked experimenting on people, but that was exactly why she'd invited him along.

"Now we can go," Sakura said. She opened a portal to the realm she'd been born in.

They headed straight for their target. Jezzeff tensed slightly as he spotted Sakura. "Don't worry, Jezzeff," she said pleasantly. "You aren't worth any more bankais."

"What do you want?" Jezzeff demanded.

"Why, to experiment on you, of course," Mayuri replied. "How else can we gain a proper understanding of how your powers work and how to destroy you, Foolish Boy?"

Jezzeff had been born long before Mayuri, but Sakura didn't point that out. Instead, she watched as Jezzeff laughed.

"You'll never get close enough for that," he replied.

"That's what my little friends here are for," Sakura replied, motioning toward Jinta and Ururu.

"Children? This is your plan?" Jezzeff asked in amusement.

"You are a bad man," Ururu said. "I'm going to have to hurt you."

Jezzeff smiled at her charmingly. He tried to look harmless as he knelt in front of her, but the way he looked her up and down told Sakura exactly what he was thinking. "Hello, sweet girl," he said in a kind, gentle tone. "I'm Jezzeff. What's your name?"

"Hey, Mister!" Jinta shouted. "Keep your eye to yourself!" He hit Jezzeff on the back of his head with his oversized iron club.

Jezzeff cried out in surprise as Sakura burst out laughing. "Comments like that are exactly why I brought you along, Jinta," she said.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Jezzeff, but I have to hit you now," Ururu said in an apologetic tone. She let out a tiny squeak before she proceeded to punch him with the force of all of her spiritual pressure in his good eye.

Jezzeff screamed in pain. "What are these creatures?" He demanded.

"My employees," Kisuke replied. "Go on, Ururu. You know what to do."

"Uh-huh," Ururu replied softly before she threw several more punches in quick succession. With each punch, she made soft a squeaking sound.

Jezzeff was bleeding from his good eye. He took a moment to catch his breath as Ururu waited for further instructions. As his eye started to heal, he looked at Ururu in disbelief. She blinked at him innocently.

"Please, Little One... They have misled you," he said. "I could never harm such a pretty little girl."

"Listen, Creeper, I already told ya, watch your eye!" Jinta shouted before taking the club to Jezzeff's groin. Jezzeff doubled over in pain, so Jinta hit him again for good measure. Jezzeff fell to the ground, curled up in a ball, and whimpered.

"Ouch..." Kisuke mumbled. "Nicely done, Jinta. Why don't we let Ururu finish the job?"

"Awww, why does she get to have all the fun?" Jinta protested.

"Because I want to see how far she can push him," Sakura replied. "Go ahead, Ururu. Take us home."

"Okay," Ururu replied softly. She started running before picking up speed and charging at Jezzeff with her fist out. One final punch to his good eye shattered his eye socket. He was gushing blood as he screamed. His eyeball had ruptured.

"Cool! Ha, ha, Loser! Guess you can't look at anyone now, Pervert!" Jinta taunted him.

"Good work, sweetie," Sakura said to Ururu. "That should last for a little while and buy us plenty of time for the next step. Kisuke, time to take the kids back to the shop. Mayuri... You're up."

"Oh goody!" Mayuri replied. He opened up his bag and started pulling out tools. Jezzeff was in no condition to fight back.

"Don't let our crazy friend out of your sight, Sakura," Kisuke reminded her. "He might not stop at Jezzeff."

"Don't worry, I can handle him," Sakura promised.

Kisuke took the kids and left. Sakura watched as Mayuri began cutting Jezzeff open. He healed, but not as quickly as usual, and Mayuri had no trouble taking things out of his body and putting other things in. Sakura didn't want to know the details, so she kept a safe distance as the experiments began.

"Yes, yes, very good..." Mayuri mumbled. "He doesn't really need a spleen anyway... And he only needs one kidney... And if I just leave a shred of his liver, it'll regrow in no time with his ability to self-heal... Hmmm, how curious. I've never seen this organ before! It must be exclusive to Eltarians. I wonder what it does... Let's find out!"

Jezzeff started seizing as Mayuri removed whatever that organ was. "Hmmm, fascinating!" Mayuri decided. "That does appear to be important!" He shrugged. "Oh well. It's already out. He can grow a new one."

Mayuri drew several vials of blood as Jezzeff lost consciousness. "We're done here," he announced cheerfully. He packed the various organs and vials into his bag and walked toward Sakura. "Since I didn't outright kill him, it should take him quite a while to recover from this. I suspect he'll remain unconscious for the duration. And I put in that little surprise we discussed."

"Thanks, Mayuri," Sakura said with a grin. She opened a portal and allowed him to pass through first, mostly to ensure he didn't run off on his own until they returned to the Soul Society.

THE HUNTRESS
Something was wrong. She'd sensed it since the night before, but whatever the issue was remained cloaked by magic. Even alone in her bedroom, Eris remained in battle mode, ready to attack anything which dared to show itself to her.

Anything, that was, except the person standing behind her.

She nocked an arrow as she turned around, but shock prevented her from loosing it. What she was looking at was impossible.

"Father?" She whispered in confusion.

"Hello, Pet. Did you miss me?" He replied.

"You're dead," Eris said, more to reassure herself of this fact than to inform him. "Your head was placed on a pike millennia ago."

"Yes, who knew Grayzee had it in him? I certainly never saw that coming. It's alright, Eris. We'll punish him together." He smiled at her before moving closer.

Eris automatically took a step back. "How have you returned?" She asked.

"My old intangible friend had her puppet resurrect me. You're still a vision, Pet. Let me look at you."

Eris still clung to her bow, ready to loose the arrow, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. "It's alright, Eris," he continued. "It's just you and I now, as it should be. Now, be a good girl, Pet." He reached toward her.

"No," Eris said softly.

"What did you just say?" Her father demanded.

"I said no. You don't get to touch me. Not anymore."

"Don't be silly, Eris. I am your beloved father. We have finally been reunited after millennia. We're going to slaughter your brothers together."

"Brothers?" She repeated.

"I know the other twin lives, Eris. The intangible was kind enough to tell me exactly how to find him. I assumed he died right after birth, but somehow, he survived. I'm told he's a very gifted healer now... Tedius. It's a strong name. Let's see if he can prove himself worthy after we initiate him into the family."

"Tedius isn't part of this," Eris said as unexpected panic seized her. Grayzee had endured nearly as much torture as she had as a boy because Eris had been caught before she could cut out the newborn's heart to spare him the suffering she knew awaited him. Tedius had never known their father. He hadn't grown up in the Coalition. He'd been spared. He'd lived a happy life before losing his adopted parents, and he'd grown up to be a very good, kindhearted man. Eris should have hated him, but she was honestly just envious he'd ever known that kind of peace.

"He is now." Her father laughed before casting a spell.

Eris could see a vision of Tedius in chains, his arms restrained above his head and attached to a pipe. His chest was bare and covered in lashes. He was bruised, bloody, and broken. His breaths were shallow, and he was barely conscious. Eris suddenly felt sick as she looked at the brother she'd never allowed herself to know.

"I collected him last night," her father explained. "I thought it was high time he meet his father."

"You started without me," Eris said calmly, putting her bow down on the ground.

Her father laughed. "That's my little girl! Don't worry. He can survive for a long time if we do this correctly. They'll be plenty of ways you can torture him before he perishes."

"Where is he?"

"Somewhere his friends will never find him... We'll go see him soon, and then we'll hunt down your traitorous bastard of a brother, Grayzee. He needs to be punished, Eris. I'm certain I can count on you to make him pay for what he did to me."

"Of course, Father. What is your plan?"

"I sense his immortality is tied to yours. That means we can torture him as much as we like without killing him. When his mind finally shatters, we'll break the spell on him and free him from his pathetic existence. I suspect it will take a long time to break that boy. I'm looking forward to it."

"As am I." She smiled sadistically, but her mind was screaming. Grayzee... I have to protect Grayzee... And Tedius. I am the eldest. This is my duty.

"Come, Pet... Let's go see Tedius." Her father touched her before she could stop him.

He touched me... He touched me, she thought.

It was like a switch flipped in her mind. Everything she'd been through came rushing back to her. Eris grabbed her father's dagger from his hand and stabbed him in his side with it.

"Eris! What is the meaning of this?" He demanded.

"I told you, you do not get to touch me anymore," Eris replied.

He struggled against her as she attacked him. Klaggo of Eltar was no pushover. He fought with everything he had. He bashed Eris's head against the wall, but she barely noticed, even as blood began dripping down her face. She continued to cut him, slashing open his shirt so she could carve up his flesh.

He shifted and flipped her onto her back. The panic this brought on only strengthened her. Eris used a spell to fling him off of her. He hit the wall and was stunned for a moment. She used that opportunity to restrain him to the bed.

He stared at her in shock. "Alright, very funny, Pet. Now release me so we can eliminate your brothers. Be a good girl."

She climbed on top of him, straddling him as she ran the knife across his chest, drawing a minimal amount of blood. As she shifted herself to grind against him, she felt him becoming aroused.

"Don't lie, Father," she said sadistically. "You enjoy this. Look at the way your body reacts to me. You want me to do this." She cut him deeply, making him scream in pain.

"Eris... Don't," he whimpered as a little blood dripped out of his mouth.

"It's only natural, Father. You are a man, after all. This is what you do. This is all you're good for. Embrace it."

"Pet... Please..."

"Be a good boy, Pet." She cut him again.

"Eris... Eris, stop!"

"What's the matter, Father? Aren't you proud of me? After all, I am the monster you created!" She slashed his chest open again... And again, and again... She knew how to torture without killing. He'd taught her that when she was still a child. She lost count of the slashes and the stab wounds after a while. There was only blood... Blood, and rage, and revenge.

She remembered everything he'd put her through. She recalled the things he'd done to Grayzee, and the things he'd made her do to Grayzee. She thought of every time he and his friends had forced themselves on her while he insisted she wanted it, deserved it, had no other purpose...

"I was a frightened, broken child when you were last around, Father... An obedient girl following your orders... But Daddy's Little Monster is all grown up now. Aren't you proud?" She demanded again. She stabbed him in the groin, doing as much damage as possible without actually removing it from his body. After all, it would hurt more if it remained attached.

"Eris... Eris, Pet, please... I'm sorry," he replied weakly.

"Liar," she said calmly. She proceeded to slash his throat, but not deep enough to kill him. She severed his vocal chords. There would be no more lies.

She finally made her deepest cut yet, revealing his insides. "Oh, look... You do have a heart," she taunted him. "Rot in Hell, Father," she added before cutting his heart out of his chest.

She felt the heart twitch out a final beat before it stopped in her hands. Eris stared at the mess she'd made. She was trembling violently. She couldn't look at him anymore. She walked out of the room, and out of the building, and kept walking, not even sure where she was going. All she knew was she had to keep moving.

GRAYZEE
He sensed his sister before he saw her. Grayzee braced himself for a fight. "I'm not in the mood for games, Eris," he said as he looked up. He froze and stared in horror at the sight before him. "You're covered in blood..." He observed.

"Most of it isn't mine," Eris replied in a numb tone.

"Eris... What did you do?" He asked cautiously.

"He brought him back."

"Who brought who back?"

"Our father... Jezzeff brought him back."

Panic overwhelmed him. "What? How?" He demanded. The last time he'd seen their father, Grayzee had been placing his head on a pike beside his body. He'd left a rainbow above his head to tell the Coalition exactly who'd killed their leader.

"The Witch is angry with me... She told Jezzeff to bring him back... He brought him back..." Eris rambled.

Eris never rambled. Grayzee was terrified. "Eris... What happened? What did he do to you?" He asked gently.

"He touched me," she said in disgust. "He touched me... But I showed him that I am the perfect monster he groomed me to be. I showed him exactly what I'm capable of... It was my turn... And he touched me..."

"Eris, you're in shock," Grayzee realized. "Let me help. Please."

"Are you going to kill me, Grayzee? All you have to do is figure out how to separate yourself from me. Once you break the spell, I'm fair game. I can tell you how if you like. We can find out which one of us is the biggest monster here." She laughed numbly. Grayzee was startled to see tears in her eyes.

"I'm not going to kill you, Eris," he said gently. "Not today." He started to tend to her head injury.

"I killed him... It was my turn, after all... You did it with more style, though." She laughed.

"The injury isn't that serious. I can heal you up with a simple spell," Grayzee said before he cast it. "Let's get you some clean clothes..."

She looked into his eyes and turned serious as she said, "He kidnapped Tedius... Locked him away somewhere and tortured him. He's still alive for now."

Grayzee felt his chest tighten. "I'll find him," he said. "He'll be okay."

"You're not the hunter in the family, Grayzee. And you may be twins, but you're still learning what that means. I can track anyone. I'm coming with you."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because Father wanted Tedius to suffer... And I just decided I'm done doing what our father would want."

"Does that mean you're disbanding the Coalition?"

"I can't. At least currently, they're under my leadership. I can keep them in line. If I try to disband the Coalition, someone else will take over, and things will be worse."

It wasn't the answer Grayzee wanted, but he knew she was right. He considered their situation and sighed. Despite the fact that they tended to stay together, the Circle had several safe houses set up, and Grayzee knew which ones were empty. He made a decision.

"Come on," he said. "We'll portal to a safe house. You can shower while I find you fresh clothes. Then we'll find Tedius."

Eris nodded. "Thank you, Little Brother," she replied. "For this, and for killing him long ago. You freed me back then, Grayzee..."

"And today, you freed yourself," he replied gently.

"Yes," she agreed. "Today, I freed myself." She squeezed his shoulder briefly before saying, "Let's go."