A/N: slightly gory

"GGGRRROOOWWWWLLL."

"GGGRRROOOWWWWLLL."

"GGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWLLL."

"Just shut the fuck up," I whisper-yelled at my stomach, jabbing both elbows into it as if that would keep it quiet. "I know you're bloody hungry."

I had no idea what time it was. The darkness was like sludge across my eyes, not unlike the sludge I'd trudged through to find a small island of safety. I could waggle my fingers in front of my face and not even know how many I held up. Which gave me grave concerns on how I'd find the manhole again.

My stomach began it's monotonous tune again and my throat decided it needed to cry out too. I gave a dry cough that had me hacking and wheezing.

I think you need to leave this place, Chiya commented.

"Way to state the obvious," I mumbled as I stood and stretched. My muscles were tight from being curled up on the only dry island in the sewers.

All things considered, the smell wasn't as bad as I expected but maybe I just got used to. What was bad were the sounds down here. Everything echoed in the tunnels and because of the darkness, I couldn't pinpoint where it came from. It could have been coming from at my feet and I wouldn't even know.

Sloshing my way to the ladder was a task and a half. I didn't remember how far away it was so I prowled along with my arms outstretched, seeking the rusted iron rungs.

What are you going to do when you get out? Chiya asked.

"First point of call is food and water then we will find another place to hide. Hopefully Mr Yoruichi is sorting out how to get back into the Seireitei with the others," I muttered out loud. Otherwise we're screwed.

I felt her frustration at my reply. We couldn't fight, couldn't escape the walls and hiding for Chiya was like tucking our tail between our legs and retreating.

My fingers brushed something cold and slimy and instinctually took hold. My other hand reached overhead. Another rung.

"I've found it."

It was slow going up the rungs and twice I slipped when I misdirected my hand and grabbed air. The rungs coated in what felt like jelly didn't help matters for my trembling, cramped fingers. It hadn't been this hard before but maybe I didn't notice all this in my haste to scrabble down.

I wondered how close I was to the top. I'd have to be hooked around a rung just to balance when I reach the manhole lever to throw it—

THUD!

I teetered on the rungs, my centre of gravity throw backwards until I was at tipping point. Only a force of will plastered me back on the iron. My head throbbed, right on the crown, and already there was a headache blooming behind my eyes.

Manhole – 1, Kera's head – 0

There was a colour stream of curses from my mouth, Chiya's laughter not helping matters. I took a few moments to recover before finding the indentation in the manhole. Now came the fun part. Deciding it would be easier to sit on the topmost rung and hook my legs down and under the next one, I crammed and contorted my torso until my left ear was pressed to the manhole, my neck crinked to the point I knew I'd regret and my hands splayed in preparation. If my legs had been snakes, I'd be constricting the rungs within an inch of their life.

Taking a deep breath in, I tensed all my muscles in preparation. With a loud exhale I shoved the manhole with all my might. It moved up and daylight blinded me. I froze and winced. At that same moment, some oaf landed full force on the manhole.

It bang shut. Something in my neck went pop and both elbows smashed into the iron ladder. I yowled with pain and with a rush of anger, threw the manhole off, other wandering oafs be damned.

It flew off with surprising simplicity and rolled away down the road in pursuit of whoever had stood on it. The sunlight was blinding now in full vision. Through the whiteness came the persistent klang! of the gongs.

"All captains! All captains! Report immediately for an emergency officers' conference!"

My skin crawled and all I wanted to do was retreat down the manhole. Instead, I darted out of my hole and across the street, plastering myself against a wall in deep shadow. And not a moment too soon. Rangiku, the Lieutenant of the Tenth Division ran past, clearly flustered and her orange hair in a tousled mess like she'd just woken up.

I sucked in all my spiritual pressure the same time as my breath, looking anywhere except her in case she felt my eyes on her. She disappeared into the distance. I waited a few minutes, poking my head out of the shadows like a curious turtle.

The coast looks clear and I don't sense any high powered soul reapers, Chiya said and I slipped from the shadows. My hand rested on Dorangoháto's hilt. If I followed the road back the way I came, I'd probably find the tavern again and that would take away the worry of food and drink.

It became apparent though as I slinked along that I was lost. Turned out Yachiru wasn't the only one with a hopeless sense of direction. I stood at a dead end. My fingers danced along the hilt of my sword and my bottom lip was trapped between my teeth. The hunger in my stomach was getting dangerous.

Do you need help?

"I got it," I muttered, gathering myself. How could I have forgotten what the Seireitei looked like? All the twists and turns, the roads to take to reach the other side in the shortest time or the routes that would get me away from guard and cleaning duties.

Nothing was familiar any more.

My limbs tingled and for a split second, I had no control of my body. I was pushed back and my place traded with Chiya. She threw our body to the right and our places reverted when I slammed into the wall.

A jagged, unkept sword was wedged in the earth. I was up on the roof before my brain registered who it belonged to. The shingles on the roof were a lot slipperier than I remembered. I flash-stepped with all the speed I could manage.

It was never going to be enough, especially against a Captain. There was a whisper in the air, just to my left. I shifted all my weight on my right leg and spun back around to face my attacker. He was stabbing forward. The bells in his hair jangled so loudly that I wondered how I'd missed them before.

My left leg turned the momentum into a roundhouse kick and crashed into his shoulder, sending him off balance and off the roof. I crashed to the ground, rolling down the angled slope. I land, crouched, facing him.

He lifted his sword onto his shoulder. Kenpachi's face was impassive, the same stoic gaze he wore when everything and everyone bored him. I knew the truth though. He was calculating me, my next move. My eyes twitched to his shoulder – Yachiru was nowhere to be seen.

A hand clamped on my left shoulder then I sailed through the air, crashing into a wall. I gasped once, all air gone and my panic meter was through the roof because I didn't have enough time to counter his follow through blow.

Chiya rocketed forward and took control again. My body jumped up, one foot landing on Kenpachi's blade, my knee connecting with his face. He flew back a good ten metres, a hand to his bloodied nose. Chiya's influence dropped away and I sagged back against the wall, still struggling to breath. Hollow bone crawled along my back, knitting the skin back together, but there was a deep stinging ache in my bones with each small movement.

Run, you fool!

I flash-stepped away, a single cry of pain leaving my lips. The distance between Kenpachi and I grew until I thought I'd be safe. I barely had time to dodge the tip of his sword aimed for my face.

My left hand hit the ground and I sprung over into a single-hand handstand round off, fuelling myself with an ounce of my spiritual powers to complete the move. Blood dripped down my cheek as I stared Kenpachi down. His blade dripped my blood into the ground. He cocked his head to the side, eyes on my face.

Hollow bone stitched it all back together again.

"That explains your strange spiritual pressure," he commented with a sadistic grin.

I drew Dorangoháto and readied myself. Consequences be damned – I broke the collar from my neck and let my spiritual pressure flow. His spiritual pressure rose until I sweltered under it and battered at mine like it was nothing. There was no escaping now. He'd just been toying with me on the roof – now he'd kill me.

Instinct drove me to attack first, swinging Dorangoháto towards his left side then, as he moved to deflect the blow, feinted to the right side. The blade twirled through the air, a fury of uncontrolled attacks with one sole purpose. Find his weakness. I darted and dodged all his blows. What Kenpachi had in strength, he lacked in speed against me. I'd been fast before but Urahara's training had really helped. Blood splattered me and Dorangoháto as Kenpachi's skin was slowly rendered open.

The thin line my lips had made in concentration turned into a wide grin the more I barraged him and more blood he lost. A kernel of hope rose that I could tire him out with the speed of my attacks and I'd get a clear opening. The kernel of hope only spelled disaster though. I went in for a backhand at his spine. His blade crashed down on mine, driving it to the ground. I stumbled forward. My heart jumped into my throat, my blood streaked face reflected in a clear section of his blade. I reeled my head back. A sizeable chunk of my hair fell to the ground and I leapt back, skidding to a stop.

Dorangoháto shook in my grip. Sweat dripped into my eyes. Each breath was hot and laboured, painful in my chest and wheezing in my throat. Hollow bone had healed all the cuts I'd received but I ached all over. Kenpachi stood tall, blade at the ready by his side. He bled all over but didn't seem fazed. Unlike for him, he was again impassive in his gaze. There was no signature smirk and I went ridged all over with fear.

"I'm sorry," I blurted.

I had no idea what compelled me to say that now. Was it the fatigue speaking? There had to be ten million safer times and places to offer an apology but no, I chose the most dangerous and probably the most effective way to piss him off even more.

"You're sorry?" he questioned. Our blades met, the force of his blow and his spiritual pressure sliding me backwards. My arms shook and his blade drew dangerously close to chopping me in half. "Not what I wanted to hear, Kera!" His lips were twisted into a snarl and there was a dangerous look in his eyes and not the nice dangerous he wore in fights.

I had my other hand on my blade just to hold him back, my own weapon gouging deep into my palm and fingers. We were locked in a battle of strength and if I didn't do something, I'd lose.

There wasn't often a time when I'd doubt my abilities. I'd never doubted myself when I battled Kenpachi what felt like years ago. But this was different. The training I'd completed with Ichigo and Urahara should have increased my abilities but all it did was improve my speed. I had the strength levels of a low powered soul reaper and the reiryoku of someone who definitely should not be around a Captain of Kenpachi's standings.

I was panting and it wasn't just from holding his blade as far from my skin as possible.

How did I ever think it was possible to win?

A desperate cry left my lips. My limbs were jelly. I didn't have the strength anymore. His sword and mine came down onto me with all the weight of a falling wall.

I didn't know how Chiya was doing it but she'd managed to take control of my body yet again. Dorangoháto was bloodied and limp in my right hand. I cradled my chest with a damaged left arm. My left shoulder was a mess of sliced skin and ripped muscle and I'd been cut across the chest by my own blade. Hollow bone worked frantically to heal me but I'd lost too much blood already. Woozy, I swayed on my feet.

"Just kill me now," I whispered, ashamed to feel tears on my cheeks. I really didn't want to die, not now, but there really was no choice now. I met his eye with one final challenge. "Just kill me!"

His face darkened.

Above us, the sky split open. 

 All thoughts appreciated!