A/N: Wow, okay, my memory is really shocking because I had to change like most of this chapter from what I originally wrote from 'memory' XD. Chapter is also over 2000 words long because I wanted to fit the end bit here instead of in the next chapter. 

A bright flash of white light illuminated the trees, casting our shadows out sharply behind us. I shielded my eyes from the glare and the wave of power crashing over us.

Our conversation died and we paused walking. I realised on the second bright flash of white and crashing power who Ichigo was up against. One of the captains I hoped he wouldn't face because if he did, he would never ask for help.

I sighed. The others were pale and scared at the sheer strength of spiritual pressure.

"What is this spiritual pressure?" Chad questioned.

I opted out of telling them that it was Byakuya Kuchiki that Ichigo had pitted himself against.

A tap on my head. "Byakki is getting serious," Yachiru mused quiet enough for only me to hear.

I only hummed in response. Another flash reached over. That had to be the fifth or sixth one now. Each attack as strong as the next.

"Orihime, I think we should move further away," Uryu said to her, touching her arm gently. "There isn't much we can do here."

She had her arms wrapped around her torso, the visible effort of keeping herself stationary written across her face. She wanted to run to Ichigo so badly. But I think she knew that, like the rest of us, we wouldn't have neither the strength to face such an opponent in our state nor the nerve to defy Ichigo if he wished us gone.

"Thank you, Uryu. But I'm sorry, I want to stay here."

We could do nothing more than wait helplessly aside for now. I gnawed on a thumb, considering our options. With the show of strength, it would be prudent to rush headlong towards the clearing. I glanced around as another flash appeared. It made it harder to see around us. Strategically, that was bad in enemy territory.

"Don't lose, Ichigo," muttered Uryu.

I clapped my hands to get their attention. "There isn't much else we can do but sit and wait and gather our strength back. Just because Ichigo is fighting however doesn't mean it's over. We need to keep an eye out for any other soul reapers."

"What do you suggest we do?" Chad asked.

"Split up into pairs and spread out in a line. Make sure you're within calling distance to all of us and be on the defensive."

They looked reluctant to do so but heeded my words. Chad and Uryu moved together, I sent Ganju with Makizo and Yachiru. Orihime and I moved off.

I patted her gently on the back – I wasn't really good at comforting but she gave me a grateful smile.

"You stay focused on Ichigo's direction. I'll watched out for anyone coming around," I told her and she nodded.

Time passed agonisingly slowly. Fortunately, nothing happened. But there was a single point where the flashes stopped. I stiffened at the zing of power I sensed, uncommonly familiar to one I too possessed.

Not possible.

Another flash of light but red this time. Dark red, heavy spiritual pressure. The others all stiffened, looking at one another but neither raised any concerns. It couldn't be felt in the pressure, just that something was different. It died away soon enough and I let out a shaky breath.

"What happens if someone appears?" Orihime asked.

"If it isn't someone from my squad or another you have made friends with, we have to fight." And by 'we', I just meant me.

Chiya roused. I think the fighting is coming to an end.

"How can you tell?"

She flooded my senses and I felt it, the surging of two spiritual pressures. I swallowed and she dropped back again, content to watch and wait.

"I think it's almost over." I whistled to the others then gestured for them to come to us. They jogged back over. "The fight's about to finish. I propose we move closer."

"Won't that be a bad idea?" Makizo asked.

"No better than just standing here on edge the entire time. At least with being closer, we'll see Ichigo."

"I agree with Kera," Orihime announced, her jaw set. She started towards Ichigo without another word. I shrugged my shoulders and fell into step.

We walked briskly towards Ichigo's spiritual pressure before black and white energy flared to life. I shielded my face from the dust, grabbing Orihime by the back of her uniform when she stumbled.

"Behind a tree, now!" We took shelter in our pairs.

The strength of energy  had me praying for Ichigo.

"What's happening?" Orihime asked over the howling wind.

"It's the final attack!" I shouted. The howling wind suddenly died and the world went still-silent. "Now we can move again," I said, my voice sounding too loud.

Black and white puffs of power lingered like clouds in the air. "Chiya, can you tell what happened?"

We switched spots. 'No. So we're either going to be walking into a death-trap or a reunion.'

A tortured scream from Ichigo. The others all glanced at each other before breaking into a sprint. We burst into the clearing. While the others made a beeline for Ichigo, I searched for Byukuya but he was nowhere to be found.

Orihime reached Ichigo first at her full sprint. He was falling backwards. They smashed heads hard enough to probably give them both a concussion.

"I'm sorry, Ichigo! Are you alright?" Orihime apologised while a severely injured Ichigo writhed on the floor holding his head. "Sorry I have such a hard head. I was trying to catch you."

"Orihime?" Ichigo asked. I really hope he was saying it like that because he was shocked to see her and not because he'd forgotten who she was. "Uryu, Chad, Ganju!" His eyes jumped to me. "Kera! Thank goodness everyone's alright."

"We're not alright," Uryu said. "But compared to how beat up you are, we're in a much better state."

"What about you, Orihime, are you hurt?"

She went red at having been asked directly. "Huh?! M-me? I'm fine!" She waved her hands in the air to prove her point. "I wasn't of any use but Uryu protected me. And Mr. Zaraki carried me by piggyback. So I'm fine!" She ended her nervous babble with a fist to the sky. "I wasn't in any danger. It's just... I was so worried about you. Sorry I couldn't protect you."

Bless her pure soul.

"Thank you for surviving. I'm glad you're alright."

"Thank you, Orihime."

I laid a hand on her shoulder, peering down over Ichigo. "Yo, Ichigo, you look a little worse for wear there."

He glared up at me. "I'd like to see you have tried better."

"Nah, you never would have let me anyway. Orihime, if you're not too tired, he could do with some healing."

I only made her heal him enough to stop the bleed. She was already weakened from healing me and her defensive abilities would be handy to have at the ready when we got moving again. The task was only half done. 

"We gotta keep moving. We can't stay here all day," I said, helping Ichigo to his feet. He swayed but Ganju was there to throw his arm over his shoulder and take his weight.

"Where to though?" Uryu asked.

"We find Kenny!" Yachiru exclaimed.

"Yachiru's right. Squad 11 may be our best bet at getting out of here. Once we find Captain Zaraki, we can search for Rukia and Renji. Hopefully they've saved us the trouble and found each other."

We plodded our way back towards the stairs. Makizo led the way with the kids in the middle. I trailed behind with Yachiru on my shoulders, allowing them privacy as they talked amongst themselves.

I stared down my foe of decline. At least going downhill at a calm yet guarded walk seemed a lot easier than bolting up them. At least the views made up for it. The Seireitei spread out to our right looked quite magnificent.

The fighting was almost over. With Rukia saved and Byakuya defeated, all that was left was to get the hell out of here while everyone else was distracted. Captain Ukitake had helped Ichigo which meant we could probably count on some members of Squad 13 to help us out as well. 

The Captain's battle in that weird black sphere rose to mind. "I hope Kenpachi's alright," I muttered to myself.

Yachiru pinched my cheeks, cooing in my ear. "Did you just say what I think you said?"

Cheeks flaming, I swatted her hands away. I'd forgotten she'd been there on account of how quiet she'd been. "I didn't say anything!"

"Yes, you did! You're worried about Kenny too!" She gasped, somersaulted over my head and spun to face me with sparkling eyes. "You like him, don't you?"

The corner of my eye twitched. I could hear Chiya cackling away. "I like him because he's my Captain and I'm worried because he's my friend. I'm worried about all my friends at the moment," I reasoned.

"Sure, sure," she sniggered, waggling her eyebrows.

"Don't," I growled, more-so angered by the thoughts that start bouncing around in my head. "Don't turn this into something it's not."

"Aw, but you'd be cute together." She pouted.

I went rigid from head to toe, the hair on my neck prickling. I tried to avoid her puppy dog face and shining aura because my cheeks were burning up faster than a kettle over a fire. I rubbed behind an ear – it was warm to touch – and failed to come up with a conversation topic that would steer this into safer waters.

It was Yachiru that suddenly changed topic - I really thought she would have kept pressing me.

"Huh? Well ain't that the strangest," Yachiru said, spinning round and staring off into the distance. I followed her gaze, noting quite suddenly a surge of power coming from the direction of Central 46.

"What is it?"

"I feel Captain Sosuke Aizen's presence."

"And why is that such a shock? I just battled a member of his squad earlier so I don't see how it's strange that the Captain showed up too."

"Because, Kera, the Captain was murdered not too long after you guys got into the Seireitei."

Alarm bells suddenly rang in my head and an impending sense of doom crashed down on me.

"Stop, everyone stop!" I shouted. They all paused just as a tingling went through my scalp. A pressure built, a sharp touch of static electricity.

"Attention all Thirteen Court Guard Squads captains, lieutenants and seated officers, and also the Ryoka! This is Squad 4 Lieutenant, Isake Kotetsu. This is an emergency. This is an emergency announcement from Squad 4 Captain Retsu Unohana and me, Isane Kotetsu. Everything I'm about to tell you is the truth!

My eyes widened. She concluded her explanation and it took everything in me not to scream. I bolted up the stairs.

"Kera, wait! It could be a trap!"

It wasn't a trap. I knew with the same certainty that the sun was shining and the sky blue that it was Aizen, Gin and Tosen above us with Rukia and Renji. All our efforts, for nothing!

Not if I could help it. I reached the Soyouku for the second time, the alarm in me blaring like a klaxon. Aizen had stopped Renji's Shikai with a bare hand then broke it. A gush of blood erupted from his back.

"No!" I screamed. With a surge of power stolen from Chiya, I called forth Dorangohato and flash-stepped between Aizen and Renji, stabbing forward with my blade.

Aizen blocked, the tip of my blade quivering in the centre of his flat edge. Even though his overwhelming pressure had me catching my breath, I held my ground.

"Of all the people I expected to see, you weren't one of them," he mused.

That voice...

The thought wasn't mine though and when I drew my blade back and brought it down on his, it wasn't me in control. Chiya took over as our blades locked together.

"Have you really gotten so weak that that is the best you can do, Chiya?"

He knew her name. The world fell out from beneath my feet, the thundering of my heart pulsating with the growing pressure inside my body. An ancient anger I'd never encountered before filled me. A blue aura built around my body.

His voice was soft but full of mocking when he said, "It's been too long. How does it feel, still being trapped in that pitiful body?"