Wind's Calling

Lost

The pain screamed from every fiber of her soul as she cried out, wrenching at the mask forming on her face. It poured from even her ears as the hard liquid rushed from inside of her and all she could see was the glint of those glasses and the smirk on that man's face. She couldn't even react as the pain tore her apart. He was saying something to someone else, calling her a failure. The rage that had just died down was renewed, more intense now than when she argued over the last substitute soul reaper.
She was regretting every word she had said, knowing she could have been calm in her argument over Captain Yamamoto's justifications for the boy's execution. She still had to make him see the errors, still had to make him see just how wrong and unjust the law was. He could have just had his position revoked and parole officers following him. He didn't have to die, especially for protecting her from her own blunder. (Y/n) could have done something to help.
That was when the world turned dark and the damp grass that had been under her knees was replaced with something course. It confused her; this wasn't the sequence of events she remembered. Wasn't she lost in her inner world? She was speaking with Kamaitachi wasn't she? Hadn't she just been lying there in Hueco Mundo under that immortal crescent moon since she got there?

(Y/n) sat up in the futon, silently screaming and gasping with her hands around her throat. She was in a cold sweat, the room completely blocked off from anyone outside. No one could witness the terrified look in her eyes or the uncertainty as she felt the mask drop to her lap. She stared down at it, her mouth dry from being open. It reminded her of Kamaitachi, the shape of it looking like a weasel's face and the eyes small slits.
She had the mask since she woke up and no matter how many times she had tried to be rid of it, the thing was always back in her possession. She kept it as a decoration in her apartment in the living world, staring at it when there was nothing to do. What was it really? Why did it appear on her and why did it always come back? It was morbid and terrifying.
She stood up and shoved the doors open, blinking at the number of people running about in the dead of night. She grabbed a young man's arm and stopped him, his eyes wide as he stared at her. "What's going on," she asked quickly. Her voice felt like knives in her throat, making her wince.
"They sensed a hallow nearby but it vanished," he replied. Something about his eyes made her scowl. They weren't focused on her but on her hand. She stared down at the mask and held it up for him.
"What, does my hobby bother you," she sniffed. "If there's a hallow than get going. Get a group together for recon and have the rest on high alert." She shut the door and quickly got dressed, stepping out to a group of soul reapers waiting. She couldn't sense anything but they were freaked out about this supposed hallow.

(Y/n) was tired but every time she closed her eyes she could see the horizon of Hueco Mundo and it unsettled her. Shunsui sat across the blanket that had been set out, his eyes on her with a small smile. "You seem tired, little (Y/n)," he hummed softly at her.
"I still have to-"
"Adjust," he asked. "It seems like it's more than that." (Y/n) cursed his sharp intellect, staring down at the cup of tea he had given her.
"Just a nightmare," she sighed. "It's nothing serious. I should be fine soon enough."
"What was it about," he asked.
"It," (Y/n) hesitated. Could she tell him about Hueco Mundo? About what had happened that night she argued with her grandfather? Who would believe her though? "It was about grandpa dying."
He hummed and his smile broadened, "You love him even after being gone so long I take it."
"I can be mad at people I love too, you know," she snorted.
"I heard the first division sensed a hallow last night," Shunsui mused. "The entire Seretei did actually. I'm surprised there wasn't an attack. In our situation, the divisions are weak and too high strung."
"Captains betrayed you all and with the current bount issue it's understandable," she nodded.
"You know about that," he chuckled lightly.
"It's not hard to hear about with Captain Mayuri screaming about files," (Y/n) sighed.
"You've become more sensitive to that sort of thing," he noted. He poured her more tea and she glanced at the bottle of sake he poured into his own cup. "If you feel you can't tell me anything, I'm going to tell you that you can trust me, (Y/n)." She stiffened, the cup falling from her hands as she stared at them intensely. She ignored the scalding liquid as panic filled her.
"Where did you vanish to," he asked quietly. Why was she suddenly turning angry at that question though? It was innocent enough but who would he tell? "I went looking for you a week after your fight with the big man because you hadn't reported in. You were too diligent to just leave and drop off the radar."
"It's eerie how much you studied me," she snorted finally. "It doesn't matter where I went now, does it? Why'd you come looking for a low ranked soul reaper anyways?"
"Because you were a friend, (Y/n)," he said seriously. It was true, she had been a friend to him and Jushiro. They were close to grandpa and therefore to her as well. It was silent as remorse and regret filled the air.
"I didn't mean to disappear," she muttered. She looked up at the plum tree they sat under. "Honestly, I don't know where I went. I know I was speaking to Kamaitachi for a long time though."
"Your zanpakuto," he seemed surprised, his eyes wide.
"I needed to," she nodded. It didn't hurt to tell him a little. She still wanted to trust him, to speak her mind freely with the man that had been there since she was younger. "I learned my bankai and I learned shunko at some point. It was surprising to wake up with that mastery."
"That's amazing, (Y/n)," he praised and laughed.

Stepping lightly, (Y/n) patrolled the world of the living. What she didn't understand was why two other soul reapers were attached to her. Did her grandpa think she'd disappear and hide away again? "You two," she snapped and they stood straighter. "Why are you here? You're not even from my squad so what's your real mission?"
They looked to one another and the taller of the two spoke up, "We are to make sure you don't betray the Soul Society.
(Y/n) snorted and stood straight, glaring at them, "On what grounds does the second division suspect me of betrayal?" They looked to one another and (Y/n) sighed.
"You wouldn't catch me even if I was," she told them. "Your captain isn't the fastest reaper out there you know. There are people better than her at flash step." They tensed more and (Y/n) rubbed her face.
"You refuse to wear the proper uniform, you were gone for decades, and yet you have such a high seat in the first division. There is every right to suspect you," the other chimed. It made her face scrunch up in displeasure. Her senses went off before the soul pager did, her zanpakuto drawn instantly. She turned, staring at the eel-like hallow. It's mask was cracked, red eyes glinting as they glared at her.
"You," it snarled out. "I owe you for ruining my face." (Y/n) had never seen this hallow before and a pit formed in her stomach as she stood in confusion at the words. She flash stepped, her blades making quick work of the hallow and cutting it to ribbons. There were now questions she needed answered and there was no one to ask.
The two were shocked, their swords in the air as (Y/n) sheathed her weapon and turned to them. Shunsui came to mind, the words already formulating in a speech. She was panicked as her face stayed straight, the patrol continuing on.