Bad chapter is bad, but after five months I figured a bad, rushed chapter was better than no chapter at all. Especially with all the people who seem to enjoy this.

"Kushinada-san I cleaned the courtyard!" Shunsui declared, bursting into my room. I had been bandaging up the arm of a young boy named Masaru and Shunsui's sudden arrival made me jerk and wrap the bandage too tight. Masaru winced.

"I'm sorry, Masaru-kun," I said, loosening the bandage. I glared at Shunsui, who flinched. "What did I say about bursting in like that?"

Shunsui looked at his feet. "Don't do it…"

I smiled. "Exactly. Thank you for cleaning the courtyard." I finished off Masaru's bandages. "You can go now, Masaru-kun. Try not to get into any more fights, okay?" Masaru nodded then bowed in thanks. After he left, I turned my attention back to Shunsui. "Do you never learn, Shunsui? It's been two years!" In Shinigami standards, that really wasn't all that long. However, I had yet to adjust to the fact that I was nigh immortal.

Shunsui smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry. I forgot you had a patient."

At that, Jushiro came in holding a bundle of clothes. "I got the dry clothes off the line!"

I smiled appreciatively. "Thank you, Jushiro-kun. You can put them in the corner." Jushiro smiled and did as I instructed. Both of their eagerness to please was somewhat amusing to me and sometimes I could hear Zanpakutou-chan laughing in the back of my mind. It wasn't uncommon for them to argue over who would do what I asked. More often than not I found it easier to do it myself, and eventually stopped asking them to do anything that we hadn't agreed to in the beginning.

Shunsui looked deeply offended. "But Jushiro just burst in! Why didn't he get scolded?"

"Because Jushiro didn't burst in while I had a patient," I replied smoothly. "Have any of you heard anything about your disappearance yet?" It was a question I asked regularly. Since they were both from noble families, I would have expected to have heard at least some gossip about it, but so far we had heard nothing.

"Nothing yet," Shunsui said, crossing his arms over his chest. Any playful energy from earlier was gone. "But that's good isn't it? That means we don't have to go back."

I sighed and rubbed my temples. "You do realize you can't stay here forever right? There is such thing as responsibility." Was I being harsh? Some people might say yes, some might say no. At this point, the fate of Seireitei was on the line because if these guys didn't become captains, we would be screwed. It's not that I didn't like their company. It was quite the opposite actually. Jushiro and Shunsui were both really nice and helpful and I would like nothing more than to have them stay. Heck, these guys were my two favorite characters when Bleach was still a fictional universe.

"Not to mention all the slash fics you read-" Zanpakutou-chan said snidely, causing me to blush lightly. The blush faded, however, when I saw the dejected look on Shunsui's face.

"So you don't want us around?" he asked sadly.

I stood up and fixed him with a glare. "Don't you play the martyr. You both know full well that I like having you around. But have you considered that maybe- just MAYBE- your families are worried about you? And that MAYBE they know where you are because of Jushiro's connection to this place?"

It took me a moment to realize that I shouldn't have said that last part. It was something I wasn't supposed to know.

"You fucked up."

Shut up I know.

"How-how did you-" Jushiro began, but I cut him off.

"Mimihagi told me," I lied. It wasn't like they could disprove it or anything and luckily they seemed to buy it. "I'm sorry for snapping. I just don't want you to do anything you regret. Or in this case regret not doing something."

The three of us looked to the ground in silence. Shunsui and Jushiro had both been so kind and helpful and I felt horrible for making them feel bad. "I'm sorry," I said again. "I should have told you that I knew."

Jushiro's eyes widened. "N-no! It's okay! I understand that you didn't mean to pry or anything. I mean, I didn't tell Shunsui for years…"

This came as a surprise to me. I always had the impression that the two of them were instant besties.

"According to canon they didn't meet until the Academy," Zanpakutou-chan informed me.

Wait what? But they didn't go to the academy! How did they-

I could feel her shrugging. "Remember when you met Yamamoto? It may have had something to do with that."

That makes no sense!

Shunsui cleared his throat. "Um, Kushinada-san?"

I blinked. I had forgotten that I would zone out whenever I spoke to Zanpakutou-chan. "Yeah, I'm fine, just… thinking."

"About what?" Jushiro asked.

I motioned to the three of us. "This whole arrangement. I'm sure you guys would rather be doing anything BUT helping take care of a run-down old shrine. I mean, despite the mortality rate, being a Shinigami doesn't sound that bad. I'd even go so far as to say it could even be fun."

"Sayaka-san," Jushiro said with something resembling pity in his eyes, "do you want to be a Shinigami?" Shunsui looked at me with the same question burning in his eyes.

I considered this. I had told myself that this was what I needed to do the whole time I had been residing in the Rukongai. With every Hangul character I wrote. Every time I stared at the future Gotei 13 captains. Every time I pretended not to hear the distant scream of a Hollow when Jushiro and Shunsui clearly did. Every time I spoke to my Zanpakutou spirit. And most of all, every time I woke up in the morning in a body that was not mine in a world that I didn't belong in to begin with. I had been put here for a reason. I knew what I needed to do, but was it what I wanted?

"Sayaka-san?"

"Yes," I whispered.

"What?"

"I want to be a Shinigami," I said, louder this time. "But I can't. So I guess it doesn't matter."

"You don't know that."

"You don't know that," Shunsui said softly. "There's a shortage of Shinigami so Old Man Yamamoto might change the rules."

"The Academy should have been open to everyone from the get go," Zanpakutou-chan said. "You can blame that on yourself too."

I'm pretty sure she didn't mean to sound so mean, but I couldn't help biting my lip at her words. "Do you really think so?"

"We've seen you practicing with the broomstick at night. You're really good," Jushiro supplied.

I smiled. "Maybe we could enter together. When the rules are changed."

Shunsui fist pumped. "Yes! We would be unstoppable!"

We probably would be, and that's what made me smile. Much like in Harry Potter or Naruto, we'd be the Golden Trio. It would be amazing, and should I gain a position of power, I'd have a better opportunity to save as many people as possible. I began formulating different strategies for as many possible situations I could think of, taking into account the variables caused by any changes I planned to make. I also seemed to have once again forgotten that that Shunsui and Jushiro were still in the room. It wasn't until Jushiro cleared his throat and Zanpakutou-chan gave me a little mental nudge that I snapped out of it.

"Sorry," I murmured, face flushed. "I was just thinking. Again."

Shunsui scoffed. "You do that a lot, Kushinada-san. We've gotten used to it."

As we laughed, I looked at my two friends and wondered just when everything would go to hell. This was Bleach, after all. Granted nothing really happened unless Ichigo was around, and he was several hundred years away from even being born.

My question was answered a week later with the arrival of a Hell Butterfly.

Jushiro and Shunsui looked equally terrified of the bug, and since I was fairly certain I wasn't supposed to know what a Hell Butterfly was (neither of the boys had told me anything about them), I pretended to be unafraid. This became an increasingly difficult task when it began to speak.

THIS TANTRUM OF YOURS HAS GONE ON LONG ENOUGH, YOU TWO!

Did I say speak? I meant scream bloody murder.

YOU HAVE TWO DAYS BEFORE WE SEND THE ELEVENTH DIVISION TO DRAG YOU BACK WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!

The Hell Butterfly proceeded to scream for another five minutes before bursting into flames and falling to the ground in a pile of ash.

We stood there standing and staring at that pile of ash for a long while before I took my broom and swept it away. "Now," I said, leaning on the broomstick, "would one of you please tell me who that was?"

Shunsui cleared his throat and scratched the back of his neck. "That would be my mother. She is…"

"Crazy?" I supplied.

"An understatement, but yes."

"Ah," I nodded my head. "So, what are you two going to do?"

Jushiro and Shunsui looked at each other, a silent exchange taking place before turning back to me with a determined look on their faces.

"We're taking you with us," Jushiro declared. "We won't go back without you."

Now, I was touched. I really was. The only issue was that Shunsui's mother said they would be dragged back whether they liked it or not. Meaning, it was highly unlikely that the Eleventh would care. Especially since it was the Eleventh. Assuming they were always as bloodthirsty as they appeared to be in the anime, of course. Based on what I had been told, they definitely were. Upon mentioning this to the two of them, they suddenly got very scared, confirming my hypothesis.

"You should probably get your things together," I said somberly.

"You should too!" Jushiro exclaimed. "Maybe if we can convince them-"

I held up my hand to stop them. "I doubt anything will happen for another few decades or so. We're immortal. It doesn't matter." The dejected look on their faces was too much to handle, to I retreated into my room to continue my documentation. I fell asleep in the middle of it.

In my dream, I faced Mimihagi.

"Seo Mirae. You have done well."

Upon facing the god, I fell to my knees in a deep bow. "I thank you Mimihagi-sama. However, you are too kind. I have not accomplished nearly enough."

"Rise, Seo Mirae."

I did.

"You have brought light to my shrine. I will be sad when you go."

The eye looked almost sad, and I had a strange urge to hug the god. I stopped myself, as I did not want to get killed for my compassion. Instead I said, "I will not be leaving, my lord. As much as I would like to be a Shinigami, my social status makes it impossible."

"Improbable, yes. Hardly impossible. You will become a Shinigami, for it is my will."

Well, I could hardly ignore the will of a god, now could I?

"Of course, Mimihagi-sama."

"So, you're sure about this?" Zanpakutou-chan asked me two days later. I had packed up all my possessions (so basically a few hundred scrolls of paper wrapped in linen) and was sitting on the steps of the shrine between Shunsui and Jushiro, waiting for the Eleventh division to take us away.

The two of them were jumping for joy when I said I'd be going with them. I'm pretty sure Jushiro cried, no matter how much he denied it.

I'm sure, I replied without hesitation. I'll miss our talks.

"Me too, hon. Me too."

"You're going to love it in Junrinan!" Shunsui was saying. He had been saying it ever since I said I was going. He was in the middle of describing the food (it was the only thing he really missed) when a group of seven Shinigami appeared in the courtyard.

The three of us immediately stilled and went quiet.

"Why are there seven of them?" I croaked fearfully.

"Meep," Jushiro squeaked.

"He has such a way with words."

Shut up.

"Ukitake Jushiro and Kyouraku Shunsui?" A tall, muscular Shinigami wearing the Vice captain's badge on his arm spoke gruffly. "We have orders to take you back to Junrinan."

"N-Nishiki-fukutaichou!" Shunsui stammered.

"Who's the chick?" one of the Shinigami asked. "Her reiatsu levels are insane for a civilian."

Zanpakutou-chan…

"It's not me. You naturally have a lot of reiatsu."

Since when?!

"Since always. The boys aren't good at sensing yet, so they haven't noticed."

Jushiro stood up and stared the fukutaichou in the eye. "This is Kushinada Sayaka, a shrine maiden who has been taking care of us for the last two years. She would like to travel with us and become a Shinigami."

Nishiki shrugged. "Okay."

I did a double take. "What?" I had been expecting at least some resistance.

"Yamamoto started allowing civilians in last year," he explained.

I suddenly felt very, very, foolish.

"So, are we going to leave, or must we wait for you brats to remember how to function?"

"Right!" Shunsui stood up immediately, yanking me up by the arm. "Let's go! Don't want to keep anyone waiting, do we?" He started to laugh nervously, leading me to assume his mother just might have been as crazy as he made her out to be.

I held on tight to my bundle of papers as the Shinigami who commented on my reiatsu grabbed my arm. I looked at Jushiro worriedly.

His expression became extremely concerned. "Wait, you've never done Shunpo before."

Crap.

"Talk to you later, Saya-chan!" Zanpakutou-chan sang just before the group of Shinigami flash stepped away.

I could only describe Shunpo as going down on a rollercoaster, except you're not going down, you're going sideways, and instead of the fall lasting three seconds it lasts ten minutes. After ten minutes we stopped, and I felt like my soul had left my body. I waited for Zanpakutou-chan to remind me that I was a soul and technically had no body, only to remember that I no longer had Mimihagi's blessing and therefore lost contact with her.

The Shinigami let go of my arm, causing me to stumble a bit, but I managed to keep my balance.

"Kushinada-san, are you okay?" Jushiro asked.

I nodded my head furiously, keeping my hands on my knees. "Just peachy," I spat.

The phrase was ignored by everyone, as their attention was turned to a very angry woman in an ornate kimono, marching toward us like she was out for blood. When she started smacking Shunsui around, screaming at him for running away, I realized just who this was.

I suddenly felt very, very, unsafe.

After a minute, someone grabbed the woman's hand mid-smack. "Now, now, Mamiko-san. I'm sure Shunsui-kun is sorry."

It was a man. A very old man that I recognized immediately. I slowly moved behind Jushiro.

"Of course, Yamamoto-soutaichou," Shunsui's mother, Mamiko, lowered her hand. "My apologies for my inappropriate behavior."

Yamamoto turned to the Eleventh division. "Gentlemen, you are dismissed."

With a chorused, "Yes, Soutaichou!" they dispersed.

Yamamoto let out a deep breath, "It seems you are both doing well. However, there were only two of you last time we spoke."

I knew he was referring to me, so I came out from behind Jushiro. I kept my head down and held onto my bundle tighter.

"Would one of you be so kind to explain?"

Shunsui was still recovering from his mother's assault, and Jushiro seemed to have lost all the confidence he had talking to Nishiki.

I spoke up. "My name is Kushinada Sayaka. I am a shrine maiden from Inuzuri. I want to be a Shinigami."

"And how did you come to meet these two?" Mamiko asked, her demeanor completely changing to one much friendlier and motherly.

"She let us stay at her shrine!" Shunsui spoke up. "We'd have probably ended up mugged if it weren't for her."

"You can look up, Kushinada-chan," Yamamoto spoke kindly.

I did so, fearing I would be recognized. However, the soutaichou showed no indication of knowing me, and instead smiled.

"I'm sure we can arrange for you all to be enrolled in the Academy together," he assured me, before turning to Mamiko. "Would it be too much trouble to ask you to take care of this one? I'd like to have a word with the boys."

Shunsui and Jushiro became very pale at Yamamoto's words, but Mamiko smiled warmly, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Of course not! I owe her my idiot son's life!" She proceeded to guide me away from my friends and the soutaicho, ignoring the look of despair on her son's face.

"Will they be okay?" I asked.

Mamiko was quiet for a while, and I was unsure whether or not she heard me until she finally answered, "Most likely, although I'm sure Shunsui would much rather have to deal with me." I paled, and she laughed. "I'll have the servants draw a bath, dear. I doubt you've had a proper one since you arrived."

She was right, so I did not complain.

Once again, I apologize for the poor quality. Unfortunately, not everything can be a gem.

I'd like to address a comment I received regarding the language thing in the last chapter. I clearly offended someone, and for that I apologize. That being said, half of the statements in that comment were false, so I won't talk about that. My reason for talking about the Finnish language the was I did is because it is a REALLY difficult language to learn. Sayaka knows this, and figures that nobody in Japan will encounter anyone from Finland in a long, long time, and the chances of anyone in the Seireitei being able to understand it are extremely slim. If I end up offending anyone in any way, please let me know in the comments so I can fix it and avoid the mistake again.

Finally, I'd like some suggestions for things you would like to happen, whether it be encounters with canon characters, scenarios you like, or romance choices. I'm actually still debating whether or not this will have romance. The reason for the boys trying to impress Sayaka is simple infatuation, as in my head she's pretty, and the boys are hormonal teenagers. This does not mean she'll be romancing either of them, if anyone at all.

With that, I bid you all adieu, and hopefully the next chapter won't take five months!