A/N: Hello Readers. Well here we are, my first attempt at a chaptered fic. I've always wanted to write one, but tedium and writers block always strike at unwanted times. Since we are running up to Christmas, I can hopefully foresee a little bit of elevation to my schedule and therefore more writing time. So here it is I present to you Costly Mistakes.

When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained

Philosophy was of course to be expected among the souls of the dead. Despite having no previous recollection of their living selves, they were told that yes, they were in fact dead. Yet they still existed. There were no pearly gates, no paradise, nor any sort of judgment that weighted up their actions, good or bad, from their previous existence. No, all that existed was the Rukongai or the Serentei in which souls of the dearly departed lived after death.

Currently located in the Serentei, in the 10th division compound of the 13th Imperial protection squads, there sat a young white haired teenaged male, calmly allowing the brush to glide across the paper, leaving his signature upon it.

Hitsugaya Toushiro had once again, been left at the mercy of pile upon pile of previously forgotten documents. While most captains would not be left to do this alone, Hitsugaya had managed to attain the only Fukutaicho in the whole of the Serentei that could evade paperwork as easily as sidestepping a Kido.

The rustling of Robes and approaching footsteps announced the arrival of said Subordinate.

"Good evening Taicho!" Squealed 10th Division Fukutaicho Matsumoto Rangiku as she casually walked in to the office, oblivious to the glare her superior had directed her way. "How's that paperwork coming along?" she inquired innocently, flopping down on the couch.

"I would get done damn well quicker if you didn't slack off your duties as a Fukutaicho" He replied irritably, not taking his eyes off the rhythmic swaying of the brush.

"Oh Taicho, your mean! I don't slack off my duties, how could you suggest a thing like that?"

"Why did 3rd seat Akamuni Kuze bring me the bundle of paperwork I gave you last week and told me he has completed it?"

Matsumoto grinned nervously, not wanting to admit she had been caught out. "I have no idea what you're talking about Taicho! You must be mistaken!"

Hitsugaya closed his eyes and sighed, but pressed on "Akamuni came to me this afternoon and handed me a bundle of paperwork I hade give you to complete. He told me you had given the paperwork to him only my request."

Putting down the brush, his glare intensified and Matsumoto visibly shrunk.

"I fail to see how this was possible since I was in a Captains meeting at the time he was supposedly gave this request."

"Well you see Taicho I… what I meant to say was..." she faltered and it amused Hitsugaya to watch Matsumoto squirm and try to think of any possible way out of her predicament. Drawing no conclusions she resorted to flattery.

"Err… you know Taicho, have you grown taller since this morning?"

Hitsugaya was not impressed. It had been 5 years since Aizen and his two subordinates Ichimaru Gin and Kaname Tousen had first defected and steeled to their base hidden deep within the deserts of Hueco Mundo.

It would be far to say that he had at long last grown to a respectable height of 6 ft and still growing at an accelerated rate, giving him to unhealthily look of someone who had grown tall in a short space of time, well by soul society standards at least. Both he and Unohana Taicho had to rebuff requests by Mayuri Taicho to "Study" Hitsugaya's sudden growth. The very idea sent chills down his spine.

He pinched the bridge between his eyes to suppress his annoyance with his Fukutaicho.

"You should know by now Matsumoto that I am not susceptible to Flattery, bribery, blackmail or any other type of your get out of jail free cards". He growled.

"Ahhh, you worry too much Taicho." Matsumoto said, obviously trying to change the subject. "You should relax more! It isn't good to be constantly switched on all the time."

" I will have time to relax more when this war is over, which is more of an incentive to get all this damn paperwork out of the way so I can get back to running my Division."

Matsumoto stood up rubbing the back of her neck "At least take a break, you've been working for 5 hours straight on those silly documents."

He yawned. At least we can agree on that… he thought.

A knock came at the door and a sheepish Isane opened the sliding panel.

Hitsugaya stood. "What is it?"

Isane didn't meet his gaze. "K…Kyouraku Taicho requests that the 10th Division would allow Rangiku-san to help with a… an important matter." She stuttered.

Matsumoto walked over. "Yes of course I'll help as long as Taicho has no objections?"

"Of course it's ok Isane-san. Matsumoto, I guess you're free to go for now…"

"Yey!" The well endowed Fukutaicho screamed and dragged Isane to the door "Thank you Taicho!" They exited and slammed the door on the way out.

Hitsugaya did a double take. "I feel slightly tricked but I don't know why."

Shrugging it off he organised what paperwork he had completed and brewed some strong tea. Maybe I'll go for a walk to relax, just this once…

Matsumoto waited until her and Isane were quite a distance away from the 10th division office before muttering "what took you so long? I said come and get me at 11PM!"

"I'm sorry" Isane replied. "First I had to make sure Abarai-kun had an air tight alibi or Kuchki-Taicho wouldn't let him leave."

"It's ok, forget about it. Anyway, did Shuuhei manage to get the stuff?"

"Soi Fong Taicho almost caught him but she was distracted when Yachiru-chan broke the 2nd Division ceiling."

Matsumoto broke in to a wide grin and wrapped her arm around Isane's shoulders "well Isane I think we thoroughly deserve this break. Sake all round!"

Again she dragged Isane off to where the Secret drinking party way to be held, happy in the knowledge that her Taicho was none the wiser.

Hitsugaya walked silently through the 10th division compound. The night air was cool and it was soothing after months of irritating heat. He exited the gates and nodded as the subordinates on guard duty bowed to him out of respect. He continued on to the gardens that made up the centre of the Gotei 13, following the flaming torches that lit the way.

"Toushiro-kun!"

Hearing his name Hitsugaya was aware of the approaching rietsu of none other the Ukitake. Instead of waiting for the 13th captain to catch up to him Toushiro stopped and waited for him to approach until they were side by side, and they walked together.

Hitsugaya smiled politely at Ukitake "How are you today Ukitake Taicho?"

Ukitake smiled back "I'm well Toushiro-kun, yourself? What are you doing out at this hour?" he inquired as the distant bell rang midnight.

"I though I might take a walk to take a break from paperwork."

Ahh that means Rangiku-chan is off somewhere doesn't it?"

"More then likely."

Companionable silence reigned, occasionally broken by little coughing fits by the sickly captain.

They discussed trivial matters. The latest captains meeting which highlighted hotspots of attack patterns that Aizen might attempt in the real world was a hot topic among the captains and they discussed it thus.

"Ukitake Taicho!" Kotetsu Kiyone has shunpoed a little distance away and was furiously running towards them. She faltered in her bow due to breathing heavily and addressed then in a hurried voice. "Sorry to disturb you sir, but there is some paperwork hat the Sou taicho requests is signed by you right now."

Ukitake sighed "I will be along shortly Kiyone, you can go."

Looking thoroughly pleased with herself Kiyone bowed again and shunpoed back to her division.

"I must hurry along Toushiro-kun; you know these matters have to be dealt with swiftly.

"As usual. Goodnight Ukitake-Taicho" Hitsugaya bowed respectfully.

Ukitake turned and waved "goodnight" He disappeared, his reitsu bound for his division.

Silence surrounded the young captain. He allowed his reitsu to flow and probe the calming chill within the air. Content for the moment he turned to head back to his division.

He stopped just as the bushed rustled out of tune to the flow of the wind and a weak, but unwelcome rietsu entered his spiritual peripheral. The looked around, scanning the walls that enclosed the lush garden area.

"Show yourself" he growled.

He was met with silence once again, yet the gentle rustle of the trees were unnatural, the wind could not have generated that noise.

Hitsugaya drew Hyourinmaru. "I said" He repeated. "Show yourself"

The intruder walked along the gated entrance of the compound, as if to press the fact that Hitsugaya was alone and to an extent, trapped. He walked along it until he was directly in front of the moon as it hovered in the sky. The calmness of his action was eerie, and all to familiar to the white haired teen.

"Well that wasn't very welcomin' now was it? Yer not happy that I dropped in fer a lil chat? Oh well I'm here now ain't I? So why not roll out the welcome mat ne Toushiro?"

A/N: I'm going to leave it at that for now. I know it's a bit cliché for an ending but I want the readers to want more. if there is enough interest in this story then I'll keep it going. Its my first attempt at a chapter story so please review!

Thanks for reading.

SG88