I told Yachiru everything, the barrage of words like water from a flood through my tears and sobs. When I stopped and the silence rang, I leant my head back against the wall. A soft sigh left my lips and funnily enough, it was like the balance shifted. Like my world had righted itself once again. The little broken part of me that I'd left behind in the soul society fitted back into the puzzle piece gap within my soul and I felt... whole.

"So there you have it," I whispered, voice hoarse. I cleared it. "That's all that's happened since... the incident."

Her eyes were red rimmed but she wasn't crying. I couldn't remember if she had been. "You'll have to tell Kenny this too. I think he's really been missing you."

I snorted and rolled my eyes then noted the seriousness on her face. I peaked an eyebrow at her, a shiver of joy supressed because entertaining the notion that Kenpachi was missing me was a dangerous road for my mind to wander down. "Somehow I have a hard time believing that. He hates me for what I did."

"Silly," she berated. "You're still alive, aren't you? If he really hated you, you'd be dead."

Kenpachi didn't hate me? Kenpachi ca-

NOPE! I shook my head to dispel the second thought and focused on the first. Yachiru was right; if he truly hated my guts, then I'd be dead for what I did to the lieutenant. I decided it was time to change the subject.

"We better head back to the others." Even though I was the one to suggest it, tiredness tangled my limbs and I found myself grounded.

"Are you sure? You don't look too well, Kera," Yachiru asked, laying a hand on my forehead. I rolled my eyes at her motherly fussing – it should be the opposite way around. Yachiru doesn't even look fazed now after all I'd said but I knew she was chewing over all the information I'd given her.

"I'm fine," I lied. Really, all I wanted to do was curl up on Kenpachi's bed and sleep like the dead. All this fighting and fleeing had run me ragged. I fought the urge to crawl under the blankets by giving my cheeks a few quick pats. "I'll sleep when this is all over."

She pursed her lips but then her face broke out into a smile. "Then it's best we go back to the others. They were devising a plan to find Ichigo and go save Rukia!" She leapt to her feet as I inched my way back up the wall and hobbled after her, every bone in my body creaking.

Bye, bye bed.

The door opened to reveal Orihime facing Ikkaku, Makizo and Yumichika. Kenpachi was seated behind the men, an eye that had been watching Orihime switching its fixation to Yachiru and me. Conversation stopped and I suddenly felt shy beneath their gazes.

I squared my shoulders even though I knew I probably looked like utter crap: pale face, blotchy cheeks, red rimmed eyes. But it didn't matter because when they looked at me, I saw the same friendliness they'd gifted me back when I became a true member of the Squad.

"Uh, Kera?" Ikkaku was perched on the backwards chair, head propped up as he placed his elbows on the top. "Please stop grinning like that. You're giving the Captain a run for his money."

I touched my lips, surprised that I was smiling. "Why? We have some soul reapers to fight. Ichigo and the others aren't going to save Rukia all by their lonesome."

"And we'll have a few more friends too!" Orihime stated happily.

"Huh? Who?"

Yachiru leapt onto my back and shouted in my ear, "It's rescue mission time!"

I winced yet my grin grew larger. Then I caught the Captain looking at me again and it died away, replaced with a serious face.

"What's the plan then?"

We didn't spend long on the plan – it seemed that the others had kept themselves busy while I'd been breaking down in the room over.

"So you know where the others are?" I questioned.

"We think so," Orihime pondered, rubbing her forehead.

"There have been talks all day about added security in the section and our bet is that it's because your Ryoka friends are being held there," Yumichika said.

"What about Ichigo?"

"No idea. Haven't sensed his spiritual pressure in a while," Ikkaku answered with a shrug. "But no doubt he'll show up. He's probably off recovering from his fights."

I stood up and paced. "So we rescue Chad, Uryu and Ganju from prison then head for where Rukia is being held, praying that Ichigo will catch up to us by then. All while soul reapers of all ranks will be hunting us and no doubt be spread around Rukia's prison so they can stop us from all sides. Have I missed anything?"

"Nah, sounds about right," Ikkaku said. "Just the usual odds."

Just then a Hell butterfly fluttered into the room. Every pair of eyes watched as it landed on Kenpachi's outstretched hand, opened its wings a couple of times then bobbed back out the window.

"They've moved Rukia's execution forward," the Captain said.

I stiffened. "What's that mean for us?"

"It means we're not going to the tower. We can catch up to them but we have to move now," he explained, rising and redoing his uniform up and throwing on his captain's robes.

Everyone rose into action. Ikkaku and Yumichika fastened on their weapons and checked their blades; Orihime touched the flower clips in her hair with a resolute face.

"Do you want a fresh pair of clothes, Kera?" Yumichika asked, a uniform bundle outstretched.

"Thank you." I dressed quickly in Kenpachi's room. I tightened my belt and empty scabbard around my waist, cinched tight since the uniform was a little big. It unnerved me that the sword was still missing and I felt a little lost without the familiar weight of a weapon to hold. I was grateful though that the others hadn't asked about it.

I exited the room to find everyone waiting. "Ready."

Kenpachi gave me a sidelong look and I felt all the fine hairs on my neck stand on end. "What's with the empty scabbard? Where's your zanpakuto?" Perish the thought that they weren't curious enough to ask.

I shrugged my shoulders, avoiding his gaze. "I'm doing fine on my own as is," I deflected. "When we have time after this, I'll explain." Explaining the sword would raise more than a few eyebrows and heated exclamations.

"What, have you been running around using Kido the entire time?" piped up Ikkaku. "At least it's so destructive not many would stand a chance against you." He guffawed and with a growl, I butted my head against his.

"Open your mouth again, Cueball, and I'll show you how deadly my Kido can be."

"Cool it," Kenpachi commanded. We fell silent and backed away from each other. Ikkaku's eyes suggested that it was high time for a rematch and I gave a surreptitious nod. But not right now.

I redid my hair and followed the entourage out the door. alert.

Stepping into the open street left me wanting to crawl back into the safety of the barracks for a little while longer but I hardened my resolve. I was Kera Senbonsai, Fourth Seat of Squad Eleven – no more backing down, no more hiding. Strength in numbers they'd say, and we planned on using this strength to liberate the others, find Ichigo and save Rukia. The consequences were more than a little terrifying, so I tried to keep my mind from wandering down that path.

Kenpachi looked left and right before heading off to the left. "Let's go." We started off in a brisk jog. I really hoped he knew where he was going.

Kenpachi led the way with Yachiru on his back; Orihime followed, cocooned between Makizo, Ikkaku and Yumichika. I strayed to the back of the pack, comfortably hitting a pounding rhythm despite my aches and niggles. Ironic that I slowly filled with a calm as we ran towards a possible doom.

We careened around the corner, startling the living daylights out of two Squad Eleven squad members.

"What's Aramaki doing with the captain?" I heard one question as we barrelled past.

"Forget that, was that Kera?! And what about the orange haired chick behind the captain?" said the other, voices fading away.

Up ahead loomed four paths. "Which way now, girl?" Kenpachi asked. Yumichika gave a startled Orihime a boost onto Kenpachi's back so she could see past his broad shoulders.

"Um, I think it's-"

BONK!

Poor Orihime was no match for Yachiru's head. "That way!"

"Ow, Yachiru, what was the for?!" she cried, rubbing her cheek.

"See?! Kenny thinks it's this way too!"

They bickered between each other on his back. I could almost see the tethers of his patience fraying and I held back a snigger.

"Maybe you should let Orihime lead. Your sense of direction stinks." Yachiru lobbed a spitball at Ikkaku.

"Shut up, pachinko ball!"

Ikkaku and Yachiru began to argue while Yumichika helped Orihime down from Kenpachi's back. Makizo eyes lit up like he wanted to contribute but I poked him in the back in warning.

A shudder ran from head to toe and I stumbled a little at the sensation before picking myself back up again.

We were being followed.

"Forget it, I'll trust my own instincts," Kenpachi muttered, running straight.

Everyone else seemed oblivious by our stalker. Time wore on. We zigzagged through the Seireitei getting lost more often than not. It got to the point that Yachiru had retaken the reins for directions and was attacking anyone who suggested any ideas of where we were going.

Those eyes were boring into the back of my head. I whipped my head back over my shoulder for the umpteenth time but there was no one to be seen. It rankled me to a whole new level but I didn't want to warn the others yet. Whoever it was wasn't close enough for me to apprehend nor did they seem inclined to rush off and report us. It was almost like they were waiting for a chance to attack.

Which would be the stupidest mistake of that person's life should they choose that path.

That said... I kept a close eye on Orihime. Being flanked by Squad Eleven soul reapers basically painted a sign saying, 'I'm the weakest fighter'.

I came to a halt when we rounded the bend. We had been led into another dead end.

"Remind me why we're following either of their directions again?" Ikkaku muttered under his breath.

I shushed him quickly then said, "I think we should have turned right back at that intersection."

"I told you, Kenny, that we should have turned right instead of left! Why don't you listen to me? This is why we keep getting lost!"

"You told me left!" he growled as we backtracked.

We reached the junction we'd split at before and kept heading straight, the path widening as we continued. Only this time I noticed something very peculiar. Flowers were growing from cracks in what I thought had been a seamless path. They were brown and dark green, lacking in the usual bright colours, but making up for it with curved leaves and spiked petals. Each was about the size of my palm and lay almost flat to the ground on short knobbly stems.

"What a disgrace. Someone should have been through with a weed killer," Yumichika said, glaring at the plants like his searing gaze could shrivel them.

"The state of the path isn't important," I snapped, irritated by the continued circles we were doing and the itching stare of whoever was tracking us. "We have more-"

I stood on a flower.

The bear trap plant slammed shut with a wet crunch, burying a row of razor sharp thorns into my lower leg. I screamed instinctually and yanked my leg up to try and escape the pain. The thorn jaws tightened, drawing spurts of blood, and I fell over. My leg shook, fire through every nerve.

"Kera!" Ikkaku's shout came to me through the red haze and I watched him turn round to come back to my rescue. Thick vines shot up from the remaining flowers, a solid green wall blocking the others and creeping up along the rooftops.

"KERA!" Yachiru wailed and the wall shuddered under impact. It writhed then the wall sprouted thorns as long as zanpakutos.

"I thought I'd never get a rematch against you." I knew that voice.

My head snapped round and fury bubbled in my chest. I pushed myself to my good foot, stifling groans but unable to stop panting. "I'm surprised... they let you... handle a real zanpakuto, Paulo."

He swiped his left hand through his hair, which had grown past his shoulders now and was held back from his face with a thick, plain bandana. He wore the official soul reaper uniform but his blade was unsheathed, a strange three pronged weapon, tips wicked sharp and curved inwards like claws. Or a gardening tool, the mocking part of my brain sniggered. I had no doubt though that the blade would do damage if latched on skin. Along his left arm was a shell encasing, the colour and appearance like an almond's skin.

Power emanated from him, much more vivid than the last time we'd met. He cocked his head up, sneering at me. "Looks like you were the only one blatantly against me. The Captain of Squad Five saw my potential as the strongest soul reaper, unlike your sham of a captain. And now I get the chance to put you in your place – at my feet, where women like you belong."