Fires of Hell

We meet again

A?N: This part is still in development...I may go back and add some more in.

Ashaani gave a heavy sigh as she nodded in agreement with her Captain's idea of her following along. Convincing her husband wasn't so easy for anyone, even herself. "If Rukia and Renji are going to investigate this at least let me go as well. We don't know how strong this is or even what it is and-"
"Alright." Byakuya said simply. Ashaani paused and looked back at Captain Ukitake.

"Alright?" She said after a long moment of silence. "Are....are you sure?" She asked looking back at him, trying to read between the lines. Byakuya simply blinked and tilted his head down to her gaze. "If you do not wish to go..."
Ashaani shook her head. "No, it's not that...Thank you." She said looking between him and Jushiro before hurrying off to find Rukia and Renji.

Once they made it through to the world of the living she sensed a strange presence. Her attention however was directed to Ichigo as the group waved him down. She didn't pay much attention to what was being said until Ichigo decided to question why she was there and why Byakuya didn't want him involved.

"Look, all I can say is that we don't think this is any normal hollow...These disturbances are strange enough to be happening as they are. You should focus on your studies for now. If we need you, we'll let you know." Ashaani said pushing past the group and walking forward.
Ichigo huffed as Renji and Rukia watched for a moment. "She's getting just as bad as he is you know that?" He asked, scratching the back of his head. Rukia headed on to catch up with Ashaani while Renji nodded. "Tell me about it." He said before starting off. "It's like the guy is rubbing off on her..." He added throwing his hand up to wave at Ichigo.

After a while of walking Ashaani stopped with Rukia. "Did you feel that?" She asked, looking over to Rukia. "Yeah...It felt like it came from Ichigo's school..." She said as they both looked at Renji. Another faint presence could be felt in the direction of Ichigo's house. "You two go on ahead to the school, I'll make sure everything is okay at the house." Ashaani said before she felt herself being knocked back. "Ashaani!" Renji drew Zabimaru and quickly released his zanpakuto. "You two go, I can handle this!" Ashaani said flash stepping behind her attacker with her own zanpakuto already in is released form. Now, instead of a simple blade she wore a long gauntlet on each arm with sharp metal claws on her fingers and her senses were heightened greatly, allowing her to attack quickly and quietly from behind.

She'd probably have been better off on the stealth force, but it didn't quite satisfy her fighting style. She slashed the attacker's back and missed as he flash stepped too quickly. Soon her body was bound together as she struggled against the chains that wrapped around her. They threw her forward, into the brush of the forest. She covered herself, and hid in the shadows as she tried to regain her ground. She watched, looking for the opponent but he was nowhere in sight. Soon she felt Ichigo's spiritual pressure rise and a few others that were unknown. She quickly made her way to the fight, all the way across town but she arrived much too late.

"Ichigo! Rukia! What happened here?" She asked once she had flash stepped up to them.

"I don't believe this..." A deep voice said from behind her. Ashaani furrowed her brows, feeling that it should be familiar to her as she turned around. Her eyes widened as a heart sinking feeling overcame her. She couldn't forget those eyes, one of which was now covered. Regardless the familiarity in the voice made sense to her now and she couldn't find the words as she stared at a man she had once lost so many years ago.
"Kokuto?" She whispered faintly, still frozen. The two stared at each other for a moment before Kokuto's gaze shifted from her and his lips tucked into a more neutral position. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" He asked before Ichigo finally spoke up.

"You guys know each other?" He asked, seeming to have calmed down a bit. "We do." Ashaani had shifted her expression to match a grimmer tone as Ichigo and Rukia kept their eyes on the two of them.

The group settled in at the clinic where Orihime was healing everyone's wounds. Chad and Karin were in worse shape than anyone and Ashaani sat quietly. From what she gathered so far, a group of sinners from hell tried to drag Ichigo's sisters there, hoping to lure him in with them. Her eyes focused on the wall across from her but she was fixed on Kokuto's deep and somewhat soothing voice.

"You're from hell, aren't you?" Rukia asked, observing the chains as Kokuto held his arm up. "Yes, it would seem so." He said, stealing a glance at Ashaani. "As you can tell from my chain's I am also a sinner."

"What's your purpose for coming here? And why can't you tell me what they want with my sister?" Ichigo started. "Woah, one question at a time..." Kokuto threw his hands up as he uncovered his nose and mouth from the cloth. It was Ashaani's turn to steal a glance, quickly looking away as Renji watched her curiously. "I told you the only reason I'm here is to see those fools' plans die. See our chains are what bind us to hell. Find something strong enough to break the chains and you're free." He said simply.

"So, you can take us back to hell so I can get her back right?" Ichigo asked but Kokuto didn't answer. "Well?!" Ichigo took a step forward. "It won't be easy but...It's possible."

"Wait a minute, how do we know we can trust this guy?" Renji asked, reaching out a hand to Ichigo. "It doesn't matter! All that matters is that he can get us inside so I can save my sister!"

"It's true..." Kokuto stood and glanced at Ashaani. "I've committed terrible acts throughout my life...But when you surrender your soul to darkness for those you love...Sometimes the eternity of hell is worth it." He placed his hands on his hips and looked back at Ichigo as Renji looked back to Ashaani who looked away, troubled.

"So, how do you two know each other?" He asked before all eyes shifted between Kokuto and Ashaani, who stood. "None of that matters. Ichigo, you don't understand what you're dealing with. Going to hell is very risky and-"
"I told you, I don't care. I just want my sister back."
Ashaani shifted her gaze to the floor and nodded. "Very well. I'm coming with you then. But if anything goes wrong...I won't hesitate to contact the Soul Society...understand?" She turned to Kokuto, giving him a look that even after all these years he still could recognize. She left the room in silence, waiting for Kokuto to follow. He stood in the same spot for a moment. "Well then I'm about to open hell. When you're ready Ichigo I'll be waiting for you." He said, leaving to find Ashaani.

She waited outside for him, looking at the ground beneath her as if reflecting on something. She was quiet, and to Kokuto it was strange that he could tell she had changed so much. "Ashaani?" He asked softly as she kept still, not even bothering to look back at him or greet him.

"Ashaani, how long has it been?" He asked walking closer to her and taking her hand in his.

"Too long Kokuto." She said softly, still refusing to look at him. "I stopped counting over a hundred years ago..." She said gently. "When I died, I searched everywhere for you. I went to the Soul Society where I became a Soul Reaper. From there it was all I wanted....to be able to find you...hoping you had moved on to that place too.... Every day I thought about you. I never stopped loving you..." She said as she felt his hand wrap around hers and stop. He looked down, holding her hand up as his fingers traced over the sparkling ring on her finger. "Long years passed Kokuto and I realized you were gone.... Then I meet someone...Someone who took all my remaining pain away. Someone who understood what it was like to lose someone they loved and cherished most in this world."