Tina was confused as to what she was being summoned over but was not sad about it. She walked behind Vice Captain Abarai towards the office of the 6th squad Captain's office. For whatever reason, she couldn't fathom, she was being summoned to talk with Byakuya Kuchiki himself. As she and her friend's had all had secret crush on the young handsome captain, she was fighting the butterflies in her belly as they approached. The Vice-captain looks very serious she thought as he gestured towards the doorway. Tina entered, trying to stay serious and keep her smile under control.

When Tina took her first step into the large square room she saw Captain Kuchiki behind his desk, signing off on an order. Then she saw her own Captain Ukitake leaning on the corner of Kuchiki's desk off to the right. Closer to the door was Captain Kyoraku leaning back on the wall with his arms crossed and large straw hat on his head pulled low. She didn't see his face, but knew it was him by his distinctive flamboyant pink kimono.

Tina bowed in greeting and then kneeled as the military hierarchy dictated a junior officer do in the presence of so many captains. She looked up with a smile at her Captain, eager to make a good impression on him, but she was greeted with a stern looking man. None of them were smiling. Tina's face shifted according to the rising anxiety she felt. She looked around, her eyes wide with fear, waiting to hear why these powerful men had summoned her. She was still fighting butterflies in her belly as Kuchiki was not the only captain she and her friends were crushing on.

This situation was confusing. Kuchiki finished signing his document then nodded to Ukitake before he focused his inscrutable features on Tina. Kyoraku appeared a bit reluctant to be there, but it became very clear this was a serious issue when Ukitake said "I'm very disappointed, 7th seat. Very disappointed."

Tina held back tears and bit her lip trying to hold in her feelings until she heard from them what it was that she had done. Or not done.

Ukitake continued "I…I really don't know what to say." She looked into his eyes and he looked away "I can't even look at you."

She looked around the room and none of the captains would make eye contact with her. "What have I done?" Oh my, this is bad. What on Earth is going to happen? Her clenched fists were shaking with anxiety, nausea was starting to roll around in her stomach. Did I break a law? Did I some rule I didn't know about?

Ukitake reached into his sleeve and pulled out…

My journal!

Ukitake turned around and dropped it on Kuchiki's desk.

Tina didn't say a word and was a bit confused. That's the journal I keep with the girls. The one with fantasy stories about…Oh dear Spirit King. Tina calmed down and realized she hadn't done anything illegal or even broke any rule she could think of. But she was cautious. Maybe I did break a rule?

Her eye was caught by the shimmering of Ukitake's hair as he shook his head in disbelief. The black leather bound journal with lock undone was sitting on the desk. She could see sides of the sections she hand colored to indicate what pages were about which captain. All three of whom were in the room with her. Grey for Kuchiki because of his piercing eyes. Green for Ukitake, and Pink for Kyoraku.

Tina gave nothing away. Her girlish fear disappeared and she realized there was nothing to be ashamed of. Ukitake turned around, unable to find anything else to say. He took a step behind Kuchiki and looked out the window there, placing his hands on his hips. Kuchiki looked at both Kyoraku and then over his shoulder at Ukitake who shook his head. The young steely eyed captain said "It has come to our attention that you are the…author…of this smut."

Tina said nothing.

Ukitake gazed out the window and said "It was in your possession. We know it came from you." He turned around very serious and at a complete loss said "This is insubordinate and I cannot let this slide."

Tina involuntarily cocked an eyebrow and waited for the captain's to volunteer more information. Do not admit you wrote these stories. Did one of the girls break the rules? We had agreed that the journal would be kept in a lock box in my room and that they could only come to read the book in that space. Also the journal itself has a lock on it. How did they come by this? Did they break into my room? Did one of the girls break any of our rules? She noted Kyoraku hadn't said anything, and was just pensively looking at the floor.

Kuchiki then directly asked "Do you have nothing to say for yourself?"

Don't say anything untrue. Don't deny it's yours just in case they CAN prove it. Then you will have lied and they can get you on lying to an officer. "I don't understand what you expect. Can you clarify what rules you think I have broken?"

Kyoraku chuckled softly and smiled, but again, did not participate in the conversation.

Kuchiki was incensed at her questioning and said "You know full well what we are implying. And you know full well what this" he gestured towards the book on his desk in a karate chop fashion "…is."

"Please explain to me what I am being accused of" replied Tina, coolly, obviously ready to verbally spar with her superiors. "Please explain how you obtained that item."

Kuchiki was not used to people subverting his authority, or even daring to question it.

Kyoraku exhaled loudly. "Yare, yare" he said as he strolled up to Kuchiki's desk. He looked down at the book.

Ukitake softened. "Tina-san, being insubordinate is serious."

"I understand, sir, but I have yet been told what it is that I've done which is insubordinate." She started to feel tension and she knew they would try to get her to implicate herself. Stick to your guns, don't let anything slide.

Kyoraku flicked the rim of his hat upward to show his chiseled face more fully "Gentlemen, she's right. Being insubordinate is very vague."

"This item was found in your possession. What say you to that charge?" asked Kuchiki.

"Can you describe the item, sir? And why it is insubordinate?" she asked.

Kuchiki drew a breath, but before he could let loose a string of angry words Kyoraku scooped up the ragged journal from the desk and said "Come now gentlemen it appears a bit unfair, considering where we found it and you know that she will certainly have questions regarding that. Am I right, Tina-san?"

"Of course, Taicho" she replied. "I am very curious, still as to what rules I have broken. I'm always full of questions."

Kyoraku laughed, unabashedly. "This" he wagged the book at her, then brought it back and opened up to a random page. He was genuinely amused by the writing and read an excerpt to himself.

Ukitake put a hand on Kuchiki's shoulder and calmed himself with a deep breath. "The technicalities Tina-san are in order. It's just the content of this is so…so…"

"Smut" said Kuchiki trying to keep himself under control.

Kyouraku laughed a high pitched sigh "Haaaa…" then read aloud from the grey section. "Hi steely eyes bored into her and then cautiously slid down, lingering on where her flesh was exposed –"

"SILENCE!" snapped Kuchiki.

Kyoraku closed the book and not taking his juniors anger seriously he said "Watch it now, Kuchiki, your steely eyes might linger on her bare flesh too long" and then he let out a boisterous laugh.

Ukitake tried to bring his colleagues to a consensus "Now, now, gentlemen" he said smiling. "Let's stick to the issue at hand."

Tina did not laugh nor let down her guard. Kyoraku said "Since we found it in your room, we know it's yours. As for the rule breaking it's defamatory language against your superior officers." And he dropped the journal on the desk with a slap. "I was called in because I'm as subject of the writing."

Tina nodded.

Kyoraku continued "But I'm not interested in pursuing any disciplinary action."

Tina said "SSG Code 115, subparagraph B. Any language inflicted upon a senior officer, of defamatory or liable nature is punishable at the discretion of the captain. This includes, but is not limited to, corporeal punishment, fines, or expulsion from the squad."

Ukitake's eyebrows jumped. Kyoraku whistled then said "She wasn't joking about the rules. She knows the law."

Tina said "If it was indeed my personal space where you found the journal I would have to question the validity of your evidence. Additionally, the law I cited is actually in reference to spoken word, not written."

Kuchiki said "There is no protection against the searching of a Shinigami's personal possessions."

"I'm aware, but I could easily counter charge that one or all of you conspired and planted it" she said with enough cool to rival Kuchiki's famous ice.

They shared a glance telling her they had not considered this. "I would counter sue each of you individually and then each combination of the three of you as possible." More silence followed.

Kuchiki was not deterred "You would still be held accountable-"

"No, she wouldn't , Kuchiki" said Kyoraku. "Our charges against her would be put on hold until all counter charges were cleared."

"But eventually this slander would be addressed" said Kuchiki gesturing to journal like it was a pile of slime on his desk.

Kuchiki is ludicrously embarrassed realized Tina. His over reaction is fueled by embarrassment. He is a famous noble and likely sensitive to anything related to his clan's reputation. She then tacked on "And, of course don't forget that it would make the journal and its contents public. Anyone could access it."

Kuchiki's cheeks burned bright red. Not from anger, but sheer embarrassment.

Ukitake let out a short chuckle and said "Are you the daughter of a litigator, Tina-san?"

"Perhaps. It could be said that if a charge of such a frivolous nature were to come against me I'd have quite a few resources to tap. You could say I have 46 resources with which to confer."

Kuchiki's embarrassment turned to anger, furrowing his brow. Ukitake's concern turned to curiosity. Ukitake rubbed his temples and Kuchiki sat back in his chair, calculating his next move. Kyoraku shrugged and said "Or we could just ask you to stop."

She said nothing but crossed her arms and nodded.

Kuchiki added "I don't feel this is just."

She said "Being erroneously accused and stretching the law to suit your own ego is not just either." The ball was in her court now. She continued "Ukitake-taicho, I'd like to put in for a transfer."

"Tina-san, I can't-" he started to say.

"I'll take her" said Kyoraku, cutting off his longtime friend.

All heads turned to him and said "What?"

He shrugged. "She's smart. And she's right." He picked up the notebook again and thumbed through the pages. "And she's a good writer."

Kuchiki closed his eyes, angry and trying to contain his frustration. Tina was still not going to admit she was the writer. She knew Kyoraku was very clever and she was not going to be fooled. You're not going to catch me. Any of you.

He thumbed to a random page with green edges…and the warm hearted captain sighed, caught in the heat of battle between the desire to protect his squad and the need to rely on them. Despite his frail health, Ukitake-taicho was the most powerful among them, yet it was his job to send those weaker than him headlong into battle. His very nature was in direct contrast with his greatest responsibility… She's got you down, my friend."

Ukitake nodded, catching his old friend's point immediately. "Ah." He turned back to the window to gather his thoughts and reconsider their approach.

"You were painted as a drunken womanizer. You're alright with your name being dragged through the mud?" asked Kuchiki, his anger roiling beneath a calm but stern surface.

Kyoraku shrugged. "It's not untrue" he replied before he thumbed to a random page in the book's pink section and smiled "Shunsui's intuition tugged at his heart strings. He was familiar with the initial thrill of lust and noted that while the excitement faded that his mind had been open and collecting the nuances of her behavior from the beginning. He could choose to continue enjoying the shallow reactions of his more primal brain or he could park his lust and enjoy the warmth and constancy of a partner." He nodded . "Mm. Always a good question, Tina-san."

"There's no reason to rehash the evidence" said Kuchiki, dreading what Kyoraku was inevitably going to read.

"I think Kyoraku is right" said Ukitake. "I…I think maybe I allowed my pride to get in the way."

"Pride?" questioned Kuchiki.

Ukitake confirmed with a quick nod over his shoulder "Yes, pride. Hubris."

"I will not have the Kuchiki name dragged through the mud. I have council to combat the-"

Kyoraku interrupted him with another passage from the grey section. He dragged a finger across the page and interrupted his junior "Ah…here we are…And the 28th head of the vaunted Kuchiki family had a choice to make. Then again, no choice was ever really available. He never had a choice. His family had to come first. If a simple personal joy came between his family's legacy and his personal happiness, it was obvious the simple joy would lose out. This had hardened him, but not embittered him. Though it was initially painful for him he knew he was fulfilling his destiny and the obligations to all the people who relied on him. There was satisfaction in that. Also, he was young and had many small pleasures ahead of him. He knew someday one of his interests would overlap with that of his family. That day was something to look forward to and something he cherished at every sunrise." Kyoraku looked over to the grey eyed man whose jaw was tight. "Does that sound familiar?"

Kuchiki lowered his chin and crossed his arms. His only response was a frown. Then he mumbled "The closet story was just too much."

Kyoraku smirked "That's your opinion."

"I would never do such things."

Kyoraku couldn't help but get another laugh at the more junior captain's embarrassment. "Don't sell yourself short, Byakuya-kun, you're a young virile man. I'm sure you have that stamina." Before Kuchiki wanted to defend his honor but choked on his embarrassment. Shunsui continued more seriously "I think all these stories have merit. I think they are decorated with some sexy images to keep the reader's interests and most importantly I think this is a great opportunity to examine ourselves, how we are seen by others, and accept we're not perfect."

Tina spoke up and said "Being perfect is a good goal, but once you achieve it, there's only one inevitable direction after that."

Kyoraku nodded. "So perhaps you add some smut to your stories to make them imperfect?" asked Kuchiki unbelieving.

Tina said nothing. She would not admit it was hers, under any circumstances, but she would not lie and say she did not. "Captains?"

"Yes Tina-san?" replied Kyoraku for all of them.

"May I go?" she asked.

Kyoraku nodded once to Ukitake and Kuchiki reluctantly nodded as well.

"Very well, Tina-san". Kyoraku held out the notebook to her and as she took a step forward she stopped herself again.

She bowed and told him "You should return it to where you found it, sir." Damn that was a close one. He is shrewd. Hot and shrewd.

He laughed impressed with her vigilance. "Impressive, Tina-san. Ukitake will return it to where we found it."

Then he winked at her. Tina bowed and left. She walked with her head held high, proud she could tell her father of her verbal sparring victory the next time she was allowed to speak with him. As a member of the Central 46 he was often in seclusion for his own safety and not permitted to contact friends and loved ones at will.