Deha wandered down the stone corridor, highly aware that the temperature had dropped as a result of all the rock. She wished she'd taken her kosode back because right now the single layer of cotton she had on wasn't doing much in the way of keeping her warm. She wondered idly how long this corridor had been going on for. Surely she must be halfway back to Seireitei by now. She giggled despite herself, glad to see that her sense of humour was still intact after her earlier trauma. "Ha!" she said triumphantly to the air, "Can't beat me that easily asshole."
She didn't know who or what she was talking to but it made her feel a little bit better to hear the sound of her own voice. She began to sing quietly to herself, the music easing her tension as she manoeuvred the maze of rock.
She hadn't gone much further when she cut her song short, and paused, peering into the dimness beyond. There looked like some kind of alcove up ahead but it could just be a natural feature of the rock. Just in case, Deha unsheathed Kurobara.
The zanpakuto was still buzzing from the earlier kill. It had never been used to kill anything but hollow in the past and the reiatsu that was rolling off it was stronger than the redhead had ever felt before. She glanced down at it in wonder, then shrugging it off, continued cautiously up the path. After her last experience she wasn't about to take any chances and she readied herself for her next test.
Approaching the alcove, she saw that it wasn't merely an alcove, but another pathway this one brighter than the one she was currently on. She knew it was probably a trap, that she should carry on her way instead of falling prey to whatever was in store for her up ahead, but she was determined to beat this. She would take on whatever this person or thing threw at her and she was not about to back down. It was that Abarai stubbornness that had gotten her and Renji into trouble on many occasions in the past, and it would get them in many more once they were out of this place. She was sure that her brother and Byakuya were down here as well now. That's why they had been unable to feel their reiatsu. They were trapped somewhere in this never-ending maze and she was going to find them, and the rest of the search party and together they were going to find the sadist who was in control of all this and kick his pathetic butt.
She nodded her head once in determination and stepped forward into the new corridor. As she did so, she noticed a door in the side of the rock wall. It was intricately carved with flowers and looked expensive. The wood was dark and smooth, and warm to the touch as she placed her hand against it and pushed. It swung open soundlessly, revealing tatami mats and beautifully painted silk screens. She could hear the sound of birds and water rushing and as she stepped into the room, she realised why.
She was above ground again. The room she had entered led out into a garden full of flowering plants and trees, surrounding a pond. She took a deep breath, savouring the cool, fresh air and relaxed a little.
"Can I help you?" a soft voice spoke from behind her, and Deha whirled round, her zanpakuto at the ready, to face a petite woman who observed her curiously. Azdeha gasped. She was wearing the most beautiful kimono the girl had ever seen, with flowers embroidered on it in the finest silk, but that wasn't what had caused the girl to gasp.
She was staring at the woman's face. A face as familiar to her as her own. Rukia's face. Only, it wasn't Rukia. This woman was much older, and taller than Rukia. "You seem lost? Are you?"
Deha stammered, still unable to believe what she was seeing. "Hi...Hisana?"
