Two soul reapers scanned the area. They looked to each other before walking in opposite directions. I motioned for Uryu and Orihime to move then took up rear. After the encounter earlier, we'd been having some peace and quiet. I wanted to keep it that way.

As we walked, I munched on a banana Uryu had packed. He'd brought other snacks but they were all crunchy and any sound we made now would come back to haunt us no doubt. The silence between us was good and the fact that they were more alert to enemies now gave me more time to berate that stupid Hollow.

'What the hell happened to Dorangohato?'

Chiya stirred. Both Kisuke and I warned you, did we not? And the cat too. Avoid using my sword while in the Soul Society.

'It wasn't like I had much of a choice, you overgrown lizard.' Her anger flared up and for a second, we both looked out through my eyes.

You are the stupid one. I'm using almost all my energy to make sure you don't die. The least you could do is try harder. He almost killed us.

She didn't have to explain who 'he' was. 'It wasn't like I was trying to run into him. I'm not as strong as I was before all this.'

And yet you decide to turn and fight several times.

'There was only so far I could run before being caught. Then we'd have to fight on his terms.'

Chiya grumbled something unintelligible. I didn't ask her to repeat it; it was most likely a curse upon me. Our spiritual energies are joined, Kera. Dorangohato is a powerful weapon to wield but the toll it takes is great even with our combined spirits. I'm surprised you managed to perform Kido after noticing Dorangohato was missing.

'So you're saying I'm out of power?' I didn't feel any different or any fatigue.

I'm taking the brunt of it but you should have noticed by now that running's difficult for you, like you're a human with no endurance. I can't help you anymore, Kera, if you do encounter someone you can't escape. Nor can my sword help. If you try to use it again, you'll die.

"Where to now?" Orihime mouthed when we reached a dead-end. Walking was a death trap. Every time we turned a corner came the chance someone would be standing there. And the dead-ends in this place were plentiful and I didn't know them all to avoid them. My nerves were on quickfire again. Chiya's words frightened me to the core because if we ran into someone we could not face, we'd be dead as doorknobs.

We had to hide, at least until the searches settled down and my powers regenerated. I looked for a manhole but there were none here.

Uryu nudged me and pointed ahead at a tall building with a gold roof. "Roof?"

Good vantage point and good hiding spot all in one. I nodded. Hopefully no one else had the same idea. We got to the top by scaling the walls. I didn't want to risk entering it and finding someone snoozing on the stairs. We slithered forward to the edges. Uryu looked first, then Orihime, then me.

Down below, a wall blew apart to our left and we flinched, staying low. From the dust walked Kenpachi. Yachiru balanced on his shoulder. He looked pissed.

I hit the ground so hard I knocked the breath out of me. The others did the same, shooting worried glances my way. Had he managed to pick up my trail? There was no way to be sure.

"He's gone," Orihime whispered and I gave her a withering stare. She zipped her lips. We stayed down for a few moments longer then I raised my head cautiously. She was right, he was gone. It better stay that way.

"He seemed terribly strong. It's lucky he didn't see us, don't ya think?" Orihime said to Uryu. These two didn't know who my captain was and they'll be pretty glad they didn't. I, on the other hand, was trying to calm my thundering heart.

One look at my hands almost had me crying. They shook uncontrollable and all from one look at my pissed captain.

"Kera, are you okay?"

I kept my head bowed. "I'm fine. Just tired is all."

I heard them move away. Uryu was pointing out similarities between my captain and Ichigo. I couldn't be fearful right now. If I spent all my time worrying about Zaraki finding us, then someone else might decide to show their face. I had to remain strong and alert.

I stood and dusted myself off. After three deep breaths, I looked up. Orihime was pointing into the distance. A soul reaper's blade was descending on her arm.

"Move!" I screamed and darted forward.

Uryu was a blur in the corner of my eye. His arms wrapped around Orihime and got her to safety. I went in with an elbow, driving it into the large man's gut. The air from his blade knocked me off balance so I lost most of my force for the attack. He still went oomph, skidding backwards.

I took a defensive position to the right of Uryu. The soul reaper stood tall, much taller than most. His pouty bottom lip took up much of his square face. On his neck was thick, red beads, a tassle hanging down the front of his uniform. His wrists too had the beads.

"You dodged at such close range. I'm impressed," he addressed Uryu, not even sparing me a second glance.

Good. It was giving me time to come up with a plan. There weren't many options for me and running wasn't one of them anymore. For now, I'd have to sit back. When the fight began – and it would – I'd have to pick my moment carefully for a close range attack. If the three of us worked as a team, we could defeat him.

"If you had not encountered me, you would have lived a while longer. Now I'll say goodbye! Feel regret!"

I looked to Uryu from the corner of my eye. If anyone would make the first move from our trio, it would most likely be him. Uryu and Orihime were conversing softly before the soul reaper opened his mouth and more blaring words came out.

Any louder and the rest of the Seireitei would be joining us on the rooftop. It's time to make a move, someone! I don't care which it is now.

The soul reaper swung him blade between us. We leapt apart. The blast took out a chunk of building

"Tsubaki! Koten Zanshun!" Orihime summoned one little flower from her clip. "I reject!" It sailed through the air like a spinning disc.

"Ha!" He turned and faced the attack head on, cutting through Tsubaki like he was nothing.

I landed on the balls of my feet. Until we disarmed him, close range attacks would be no use with him swinging that mammoth sword around. I channelled as much energy as I could into my hands, smacking them together in preparation for a Kido. But there wasn't enough to even form a glow.

"This is a battlefield," he preached. "You won't accomplish anything here with an attack that lacks murderous intent!" He swung his blade again, Orihime in direction line. A streak of blue in the sky. It knocked his hand away. Blood spurted from a nick on his arm. "What?"

"You want murderous intent? Then fight me." Uryu stood with a smoking bow as tall as himself. It was a beautiful bow with blue and white and it seemed to be attacked to the glove he wore on his right hand.

"How unexpected! You wouldn't happen to be a Quincy, would you?"

"I am," Uryu answered. His voice was stone.

The soul reaper laughed. "This should be fun. A soul reaper with no sword, a girl with mysterious moves, and a Quincy. No matter than only two use weapons! What a coincidence that you two would appear as my enemies! What a twist of fate!"

I had no idea what he was getting at with that and at the moment, I didn't really care. I was trying to summon my spiritual energy for at least one attack. One that hopefully would not kill me.

"Then let me show you the true form of my zanpakuto!"

My eyes widened as he put one hand on the tip of his blade and pushed down while saying, "Spread your wings! Tsunzaki Garasu!"

It was like a magic trick, only in this one it wasn't butterflies appearing when the sword vanished. Wicked little blades zoomed around his head, faster than my eyes could catch. On a scale of 1 to Disastrous, this was very, very bad.

"What do you think? Now feel regret! I am Jirobo Ikkanzaka, fourth seat of Seventh company! Also known as Kamaitachi Jirobo! The title of Kamaitachi is the mark of the ultimate weapons master. No one but has ever seen these blades flitting through the air and lived!" The blades whirred faster and faster, a tornado about him. "Terrifying, aren't they?"

There could be no more hesitation or waiting for an opening. I need something now! I can't wait around any longer!

The air around my forearm crackled with spiritual energy. I slipped by his swirling defence with a speed I'd never felt before and swiped at Jirobo's stomach with a mighty roar and ripped four gashes through his uniform and deep into his skin. He howled with pain and backhanded me across the rooftop.

I laid face down, the wind knocked from me. My right arm still tingled and I looked at it. Hollow bone formed talons and bony protrusions from fingertips to elbow. It was the same casing I got the first time I unleashed Chiya's true powers, powers that had refused to resurface in my training days.

"You'll pay for that," Jirobo growled. He sent Tsunzaki Garasu flying towards me. I only had enough time to get to my knees.

I slashed with my right hand as quick as possible, nails glowing dark blue. One blade sliced across my cheek, another two along my forearm and neck then five more across my torso. I stifled my cries of my pain as the blades redoubled their efforts.

"Santen Kesshun! I reject!" An orange, triangular shield blocked the blades.

Jirobo turned quickly, the blades following his line of sight. Orihime stood behind him, her concentration focused on holding her Shin Shin Rikka steady against the onslaught.

Bolts of blue light destroyed the blades with a single hit. Clutching my wounds, I staggered to my feet and towards Orihime, who'd fallen onto her backside. Jirobo's attention was now focused squarely on Uryu, who stood with bow at the ready.

"How interesting," Ury said. "Unlike in world of the Living, it seems that the ultimate weapons masters here like to make boring speeches."

"W-what? That was luck! Don't get smug." Jirobon redrew his zanpakuto, a row of tiny blades at the ready.

"Kera, I'm taking over now. Take care of Orihime," Uryu commanded.

I pursed my lips then helped Orihime to her feet, leading her away from line of fire. While I hated being told to stay back halfway through a fight, I conceded because I had a light-headed feeling that I would pass out soon. I kept a strangling hold on Chiya's powers. If all I could manage was part of an arm, I intended to hold onto it as long as possible.

Jirobo's cry of pain echoed around us. I set Orihime down near the roof edge and we turned back to watch the fight.

"Let me heal you," Orihime said. Her face was pale and her hands shook when she raised them to the hair clips.

"Save your energy," I gasped, steadying myself against the lip of the roof. My head throbbed and there was a gnawing pit in my stomach. "You may need it at the end of the battle."

"My hand!" sobbed Jirobo, clutching his wrist. A hole the size of a 50c piece had ruptured his palm.

"Wow. Uryu. He's like a completely different person," Orihime muttered, "from the Uryu who fought Ichigo."

"Are you feeling a little regret now?" Uryu asked, stepping forward. "For a weapons master such as yourself, it was a tragedy that you had to meet me."

Jirobo's shoulders quaked as he staggered upright from his hunched, pained position. "Me? Regret? Why, you imp!" A devil always still has some fight in them when cornered. Jirobo swung round and reached out towards us. I flinched but my reaction was too slow. "It is you who will regret!"

Uryu, bow hand drawn back, came between us. "Allowing you time for regret would be a waste."

Two arrows hit him square in the chest and knocked him off his feet. We stood in silence. Uryu's bow disappeared in a ray of light; his glove was steaming and he held it close to his chest.

"Thanks, Uryu," Orihime said. He turned round and I gave him a weak smile, pushing myself upright so he couldn't see how fragile I was. My wounds bled a little faster.

"No need to thank me. It was nothing, right?"

I shook my head as those two smiled at each other and limped towards Jirobo. He did not stir but his chest rose and fell with each ragged breath. Those arrows should have killed him... My eyes widened. No.

"Is he dead?" Orihime asked.

There was ice blood in my veins. I knew what he had done and for any soul reaper, no matter if they were enemy or ally, it was a fate far worse than death. No one deserved it.

"I just destroyed his saketsu chain and hakusui soul sleep – the spots that govern his spiritual powers. He'll live. But his spiritual powers are gone. And he'll probably never be a soul reaper again."

My hands were fists at my sides. This wasn't right. He should not have done that. Defeat him, yes, but destroy his essence, his purpose of living this life? When I looked at Uryu, I saw no remorse or hint of doubt. His eyes were hard and he barely even gave the soul reaper a second glance.

"You ready to go, Kera?" The flat of my hand connected with Uryu's cheek. The hard look in his eyes abolished into shock and he took an involuntary step back.

"I'm good now," I uttered.

I'd maybe walked ten steps before the Hollow bone around my right arm melted into a puddle on my boots and the ground came rushing up to meet me.

I warned you, you stupid-

A/N: WHOA! That's a long chapter. Blame Kera for that one - she decided that she needed to travel with Uryu and Orihime instead of going at it alone like I had planned originally. 

"Not my fault you couldn't think of anything good for me to do until I met up with the others at Rukia's building." 

...

-_- Characters. 

Anyhoo there is a high possibility that the remaining chapters of the book will be long too so be prepared for a bit more reading since I've had to take mostly from the manga and anime for all their dialogue. If you noticed above, I had to cut out some of Uryu's because it was getting too long. 

Bye for now!