DISCLAIMER: Bleach chars are the property of Tite Kubo and I'm borrowing them for the purpose of my overactive imagination and my fanfics.

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"So Sir.....Name?"
"Byakuya Kuchiki."
"Rank?"
"Captain."
"Age?"
"Is this entirely necessary? I don't think you should be asking me questions like this."
"Oh... ok, its just on my list, I have to put something"
"No Comment"
"What do you want?"
"I want you to stop asking me stupid questions and go away"
"But its for the monthly magazine, sir. We thought it would be ideal for teams to know more about their captains. So for this section, if they know what you want, they might, for example... find it for you"
"Really? Well in that case..... I want Ulquiorra Schiffer!"

So there it was, documented for all to see, the next week, in print.

Renji approached him, "Sir, is this true, do you really want the arrancar?"
"I do."
"But why?"
Byakuya sighed. "Renji, I don't think this is any of your business WHY I want him. But he is on my goals to seize. And what I believe from this whole magazine exercise, anything that I require, people will go out of their way to acquire the things I need, to get on my 'good-side'."

Renji looked exasperated, it looked like he'd been 'volunteered' for the task.

Byakuya looked at him. "What's that look for Renji? You don't HAVE to go. Someone else could find what I need." he smiled

This was just more of a taunt, and more encouragement for Renji to go.
"Ok, I'll go" he stood up sharply "I'll leave tomorrow."

Months passed and Byakuya heard sight nor sound of Renji. In the end he left for Hueco Mundo himself.

Gin was waiting for him. "You took your time arriving. I've been stood here for ages waiting for you."

"Sorry to have kept you from more pressing duties." Byakuya said sarcastically.

"So... do you really know why you've come here?" Gin asked.

"Of course. I came to acquire two objects and I don't intend to leave unless I get both of them."

Gin smiled, "well, you may be here sometime. One has, however, been aware of your interest and is currently awaiting your prescence. The other, is indefinately preoccupied. So before you leave on your acquisition quest, Aizen asked me to ask you to join him for tea." Gin paused to witness the sternness on Byakuya's face, "he won't take 'No' for an answer. This way."

In the shadows, watching from a distance, one of Byakuya's 'quest objects' studied him intently.

Byakuya walked into the room following Gin. Aizen was sat at the head of the table. "Would you like some tea?" he asked pleasantly. "I miss our little chats we had. You should visit more often."

"Where's Renji?"

"Is that who you really came to see? I think not."

"So where is he?"

"That's not for me to say."

"You don't know? That's so unlike you."

"I know everything that happens in these lands. I am Lord Tyrant afterall. I do know where he is, I just don't wish to tell you. And no, I haven't done anything to him. What use do I have with him, when I have my own objects of desire?" Aizen beckoned Gin towards him, who knelt down and kissed his feet.

Byakuya raised an eyebrow. "I had no idea the two of you were so close."

"There's a lot of things you don't know about this community here, many you will never find out." He dismissed Gin. "Anyway. Onto business. You're looking for somebody and I know where they are."

"You're repeating yourself. You already told me you won't say where Renji is."

Aizen shook his head, "No not that fool. The OTHER somebody which you seek."

Byakuya stared at him, "You know?"

"I told you, nothing escapes me here. He knows you've arrived. He's been watching you. But be prepared for a battle, he won't give in that easily."

Byakuya got up to leave, but Aizen continued speaking.

"You can return for more tea if you ever decide to make you way back. I may want to talk to you again. And if you just walk straight ahead, he'll find you before you find him. Be aware, he does not take fools lightly, and to be worthy of such a prize you have to prove yourself."

Byakuya left the building and walked out into the forever night sky.

Aizen watched him leave "Do you think he'll manage to gain Ulquiorra's affections?" Gin said behind him. Aizen turned round and smiled, "he'll be lucky. However, I don't really care. It could be amusing to see what battered state he returns in, though." he grabbed Gin's waist and pulled him down onto the chair with him. "Now what was all that with the toe sucking earlier?"

Gin looked up at him from his almost horizontal position he'd been pulled into, "toe sucking? I was just kissing your feet." he smiled.

"No, you pretended to kiss my feet, instead you were lashing my toes with your tongue, you almost made me lose my concentration"

"You don't complain usually." Gin had moved himself into a seated position and then stood up.

Aizen pouted at him, "where do you think you're going to now?"

"Me? Nowhere." he knelt down and picked up one of Aizen's feet in both hands, "I'm just going to see how easy it is to make you lose your concentration again!"

TBC