Welcome back, my faithful readers! I have returned long enough to be able to give you the start of a new story! I am still unsure as to where some of the others will go, but the ideas are starting to flow again. Have no fear, I'll be working on my stories when I get the chance. As I was pondering my other plots, it occurred to me that I could take a different spin upon my tale "Things Aren't Always What They Seem." So, this is an alternate version which takes place right before the first time jump in my Ichimaru story. Thoughts will be in italics!

Akira Shinobu sighed as she left her captain's office. Once again she had been ignored by the man she loved. Her heart was breaking, and there seemed to be no end to the pain. She walked slowly back to her room and throught about her options. At the moment, she had told no one about her inner turmoil.

Akira wasn't sure who she could tell, after all the reactions she would get from any of her friends would be less than positive. Rukia, who Akira cared about like a little sister, was terrified of Gin Ichimaru and would ask if her friend had lost her mind. Matsumoto was out, since it was common knowledge that the buxom blond had feelings for Gin. Hinamori and Nanao had little more luck in the romance department than she did. Her only other source of advice would be from one of the guys that made up her friend list, but that would be worse than flirting with disaster.

She entered her room and looked around. The longer she hid her feelings, the more she felt like the third division was a cage. She knew that she needed something to change or that she would break, but she wasn't sure what to do. Sitting on her bed and letting her blond hair obscure the tears falling from her eyes, she came to a decision.

The only light she could see was to leave this division and hope that she would forget about him. Had it been any other man, she might have had no worries in addressing him about her feelings, but a third seat falling in love with their captain is not an easy subject to bring up.

The next morning, she didn't bother to speak with her captain as she normally had done. Instead, she went to speak with her lieutenant. It was time that she transfered out and she really didn't care where she went. She knocked on Kira's door and he opened it confused, only then did she notice that it was 5 in the morning.

"Can I talk to you... about something personal?" She asked.

"Yeah, come on in," the lieutenant yawned.

Once the door was shut, Akira spoke her mind. "I need to transfer out of here. I just can't take it any longer."

"What brought this on? You seemed pretty happy the other day."

"Well... Kira... what I'm going to say... has to remain a secret, ok?" Akira's voice faultered.

Kira seemed confused, but nodded. "Alright."

"I... I... I need to get away from Captain Ichimaru."

"What did he do?"

"He... didn't do anything. He doesn't even know I exist. And... I've fallen in love with him. I can't take it. I'm going to go crazy if this goes on much longer." The third seat hung her head. She flinched as she felt an arm around her shoulders.

"I'll see if I can find something for you... for right now, just give your paper work to me. I'll take it to him instead."

"Kira, you are the best!" Akira hugged the lieutenant. "Thank you."

Not long after this, she was approached by Captain Ukitake. He asked her if she would like to be his lieutenant. She had jumped at the opporitunity. Before she moved her things, she dropped by to see Kira and thanked him.

Happily, she had left her broken heart behind and she had been trying to run from her foolish crush. The day she had entered the thirteenth, she had vowed never to allow herself to go back. Her duties weren't much like what she had expected, but she was content for the first time in her life. Akira had become quite loyal to her new Captain. Ukitake was a sweet man and one she respected greatly. Recently, she had become aware of the fact that she would willingly give up her life for him- something she had never expected to feel.