I didn't remember being carried inside, neither did I remember falling asleep on a mat. I woke up in the late afternoon, the faint glow of a sunset coming in through a solitary window. I heard muffled voices and crawled off the mat, placing my ear against the door or wall, whichever the screen was.

"Who else is here, Kisuke?" asked a female.

"A guest," replied Mister Hat-N-Clogs, whose real name must be Kisuke. I could just imagine him hiding behind his little fan.

"What sort of guest has extremely high spiritual pressure?" the female asked.

"An interesting one."

"Who are you hiding, Urahara?" Urahara must be his last name.

"Rukia, I don't think it concerns you at the moment. You better get going, a Hollow has formed."

Just then, a persistent beeping began, one I remembered from a Hollow mission. It was that device that detected when a Hollow was about to appear in the living world. 

This girl is a soul reaper? Wait, that name, it's familiar. Where have I heard it before?

I heard a door shut and I sat back on my heels, pondering the name.

Think, Kera! Where have you heard that name?

The screen in front of me crashed open and I jumped to my feet quickly, arms crossed before my face in defence.

"You heard the conversation?" Urahara asked. 

"The last part." I relaxed, rolling my shoulders. My heart still beat furiously though from the scare. "Who was the girl?"

"I guess there is no harm in telling you now. That was Rukia Kukichi."

A lightbulb went off in my head. "Oh, Rukia! Isn't she the soul reaper who is supposed to be on duty here in the world of the living?"

"Yes, she is. She felt your arrival and traced your spiritual pressure to my shop."

"Oh." I looked away, rubbing my arms. "Thanks by the way. For helping me."

"No problem. I hope the gigai is okay, we had trouble getting your soul to get in it."

"Huh?" Blinking, I glanced down at my body.

I hadn't realised that I was wearing a gigai. I was now wearing a high necked blue shirt and long black pants. I wiggled my toes, feeling the cool wood under my feet now.

"Come on, food is ready for you," he said, stepping out of the doorway.

My stomach grumbled in response and I peeked my head out the door, looking around curiously, before walking after him. My legs felt stiff and they ached. I guessed it had something to do with being crammed into a body.

We passed a mirror and I glanced at my appearance, my hair still in that intricate weave of plaits, minus several flower pins. My heart gave a wrench and tears filled my eyes, before I wiped them away angrily.

Those children from before, Jinta and Ururu, sat at the table, along with the man Tessai. The smell of chicken soup and roasted vegetables led me to an empty spot at the table and I dug in gratefully.

"Whoa, I've never seen a girl eat that fast," Jinta said in awe, his spoon suspended before his mouth.

"This is so good!" I cried, helping myself to seconds.

"I am humbled that you think so, Kera," Tessai beamed, bowing to me at the table.

I hesitated. "How do you know my name?"

"I told them," Urahara said, biting a piece of pumpkin in half. "We can't have you being known as the 'guest', can we?"

"No, I guess not."

We ate the rest of dinner in silence, then I helped Tessai remove the plates and wash everything. He tried to get rid of me, but I insisted; it was the least I could do for the hospitality.

Later on in the evening, I stood outside, staring with unseeing eyes at the stars twinkling in the sky. A shooting star blazed across the sky and my eyes followed it quickly until it faded.

"Nice out here, isn't it?"

Urahara stood next to me, his blond hair waving in the slight breeze. His trademark hat was missing.

"Yeah, but it makes me miss home," I whined, looking at the ground to hide my tears.

Weakling. Why do you always have to cry? What happened to that child who entered the Squad that first day? Don't tell me that this is your true nature.

"There's a voice in your head, isn't there?" Urahara asked suddenly.

"How did you know?"

"I've been asking you questions for a bit; you didn't answer. Tends to happen when your zanpakuto spirit talks to you."

"I don't have a zanpakuto anymore so it can't be that. Plus, how do you know all this stuff?"

"I have lots of contacts," was his only reply. It wasn't much of answer but that was all I suspected to get out of him.

"Has anyone come for me yet?" I dreaded the answer to the question but I had to know.

"Some of the stealth squad have scouted the town but can't find you. I disguised your spiritual pressure so they couldn't trace you."

We lapsed into silence again. I wanted to ask another question, but I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to handle the answer. Urahara gave me a knowing look; he knew what question I was holding back.

"Don't worry, Kera. I will help you to try and recover your powers; it might just take time."

"I have a feeling that time is running out for me," I replied tiredly, before I retreated back into the shop, heading for the room I woke up in.

I fell asleep straight away, my body still recovering, but it wasn't a peaceful sleep.

In my dreams, I saw a large blue dragon with white spikes standing before a small, razed town, a large gleaming white mask grinning down at me. I stood in the middle of all the carnage, a sword held tightly in my hand, blood like a second skin over me. My body shivered in recognition as the dragon crouched before me, blowing hot smoke over me, but my mind had no recollection of the creature.

"Weakling, you took longer than I expected to appear."