Disclaimer- I do not own Bleach.

Chapter Two- Search Party Assembled

The Hollow that had broken into the Seireitei were huge and Head Captain Ukitake had no doubt that they had been placed in Soul Society by Aizen in an attempt to disrupt their battle preparations. As he drew his sword and released it into two, Ukitake's thoughts went to Aizen. It was apparent to him that the former captain of Squad Five hadn't learned of the death of Head Captain Yamamoto because Ukitake felt sure that if he had this information he would have attacked the Seireitei himself instead of sending the Hollow. They were vulnerable and would be in serious trouble if Aizen found this out.

Swinging his twin blades Ukitake released a huge wave of water, which crashed down upon the Hollow. And then, without a moment's hesitation, Ukitake leapt into the air and sliced the mask of the Hollow closest to him. The mask was destroyed and the Hollow fell. Moving on Ukitake proceeded to destroy the three remaining Hollow before sheathing his sword.

"Amazing sir!" Sentaro said in an excited voice. "You took care of those Hollow in no time."

"Thank you Sentaro," Head Captain Ukitake said. "Could you handle the clean up here so I can get back to Captain Hitsugaya?"

"Yes sir," Sentaro said.

And so, having taken care of the Hollow problem and arranged for the clean up of the battle sight, Head Captain Ukitake made his way back to his office in the Squad One barracks. He was expecting to find Captain Hitsugaya awaiting his return so they could continue the conversation that had been interrupted however when he arrived back at his office it was to find the room empty.

"I guess he got tired of waiting," Ukitake muttered to himself as he turned around. "No matter. I'll go and see him now and we'll figure out what to do about Momo."

Head Captain Ukitake made his way across the Seireitei to the Squad Ten barracks. When he arrived he knocked softly on the door of Hitsugaya's office. "Captain of Squad One Jyuushirou Ukitake requesting a meeting with Captain Hitsugaya."

"Enter."

The voice that beckoned to him to enter the office was not the one that Ukitake had been expecting and when he slid the door open he saw Vice-Captain Matsumoto sitting behind Hitsugaya's desk. There was a stack of paperwork in front of her and she held a pen in her hand.

"Hello Head Captain Ukitake," Matsumoto said, offering him a smile.

Ukitake was immediately suspicious. It was a well known fact among the inhabitants of the Seireitei that Matsumoto NEVER did paperwork and yet there she was sitting behind the desk with a pen in her hand. "Where's Captain Hitsugaya?"

A bead of sweat appeared on the side of Matsumoto's face as she gazed at the Head Captain. "Um, I don't really know sir. I haven't seen him."

Ukitake could tell by the slight hesitation before her reply that the vice-captain knew more than she was willing to tell. "Matsumoto. . ."

That got her attention. The Head Captain rarely called anyone by their last name and yet she still couldn't bring herself to betray her captain's confidence.

With a sigh Ukitake began shaking his head, a knowing look in his eyes. "Never mind Matsumoto, you don't have to say. I already know the answer."

"Uh oh," Matsumoto thought to herself as she gazed up at the Head Captain. "I think the captain might have gotten himself into serious trouble."

"I'll have to send someone to bring him back," Ukitake said.

After a moment's thought Matsumoto said, "May I go sir?"

Ukitake glanced down at the Squad Ten Vice-Captain and saw that she held a determined look in her eyes. Even now she was trying to think of a way to help her captain and although Ukitake was angry with Hitsugaya at the moment he found the loyalty of the boy's vice-captain to be very admirable. "Very well but you're not going alone. I'm going to send a group. Meet me in the Squad One conference room in an hour and I'll introduce you to the rest of the group."

"Yes sir," Matsumoto said.

Within an hour Head Captain Ukitake had assembled a group of Shinigami to send to Hueco Mundo in pursuit of the AWOL captain and acting captain. He couldn't spare any of the captains or acting captains as they were all involved in focused training at the moment however, along with Matsumoto, there were several fairly high ranking Shinigami in the group. Once everyone was assembled in the Squad One conference room Ukitake gave them their instructions.

"Alright," Ukitake said as he faced the group. "Your job is to travel to Hueco Mundo and bring back Captain Hitsugaya and Acting Captain Hinamori and return them to Soul Society. However I want you all to be extremely careful while carrying out this mission. Hueco Mundo is filled with Arrancar and Menos as well as the three traitor captains: Aizen, Tousen and Ichimaru."

"We can handle it," third seat of Squad Nine, Chitose Nakamura, said. He seemed excited about the prospect of doing battle with the Arrancar.

"I hope so," Ukitake said, shaking his head at the third seat's unwarranted enthusiasm. "But all the same don't take any unnecessary risks. Find Captain Hitsugaya and Acting Captain Hinamori and bring them back."

"Yes sir," the group all chorused.

"Matsumoto you're in charge of this mission since you've got the best chance of convincing him to come back."

"Yes sir," Matsumoto said with a nod.

"Take the Senkaimon that I've set up beside the far east wall to Karakura Town," Ukitake ordered. "Our Acting Captain of Squad Twelve is still using his shop there as a base of operations and if I know Kisuke he'll be able to help you out on your journey to Hueco Mundo. I'll check in on your progress periodically so make sure that your communicator stays on Matsumoto."

"Yes sir."

"Good luck," Head Captain Ukitake said. "You are dismissed."

Matsumoto led her group from the Squad One conference room and back out into the Seireitei. Together they made their way to the far east wall where the Senkaimon had been set up for their departure. "Open," Matsumoto called out as they approached and they watched as the doors obligingly slid open. The group of Shinigami stepped through the Senkaimon and the doors slid closed behind them.

Upon arriving in the world of the living the group of Shinigami followed Matsumoto across the town. She led them to a small shop where she knocked on the door. After a few moments the door slid open and a young boy stepped out. "Oh great, Shinigami. And here I thought we were rid of you guys."

"Is Urahara around Jinta?" Matsumoto asked, ignoring the boy's smug look and irreverent tone.

Jinta sighed. "Come in."

The group of Shinigami entered the shop and Jinta said, "Wait here and I'll go and get him." And with that the boy left them and went into the back room. Then, in a few minutes time, he returned followed by the Acting Captain of Squad Twelve, Kisuke Urahara.

Urahara surveyed the unusual group of Shinigami who were assembled in his shop. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"We need to go to Hueco Mundo," Matsumoto told him. "And Head Captain Ukitake said you might be able to help us."

"He did huh?" Urahara said. "Ukitake makes it sound like I make it a habit of breaking Soul Society's laws. I'm not sure I appreciate the insinuation."

Matsumoto gave him a look and Urahara turned serious.

"I know you can't be going to face Aizen, since you'd last about all of five seconds, so why do you need to go to Hueco Mundo?"

"Because Hinamori went to confront Aizen," Matsumoto told him. "And then Captain Hitsugaya went after her."

"Ohhh," Urahara said, a look of understanding appearing in the one eye that was visible from beneath his green and white striped hat. "Poor Ukitake, he seems to have his hands full with that boy. Let me guess, the Head Captain's sending you to retrieve them huh?"

Matsumoto nodded.

"And what are you planning to do if he doesn't want to come back once you've found him?"

Matsumoto shrugged. "Haven't planned that far ahead."

"I see," Urahara said. "Well come with me. I have a portal in the basement that'll take you to Hueco Mundo."

At that moment Matsumoto's communicator began to issue a loud and obnoxious beeping noise. Pulling it from the folds of her shihakusho, she glanced down at it and then excused herself from the rest of the group. Stepping back out to the front of the shop, Matsumoto flipped open her communicator.

"Matsumoto here."

"This is Ukitake. Have you made it to the world of the living?"

"Yes sir."

"Good," Head Captain Ukitake said. "Is Kisuke able to help us out with our transportation problem or do we need to come up with a Plan B?"

"He has a portal just as you suspected," Matsumoto said. "And he's agreed to allow us to use it to travel to Hueco Mundo. We were just about to depart when you called."

"Alright," Ukitake said. "Be really careful Rangiku."

"We will sir," Matsumoto said. "And we'll bring them back."

"Right."

Matsumoto flipped her communicator closed and then placed it back inside the folds of her shirt. Then she rejoined Urahara and her group in the shop's back room. "Head Captain Ukitake had to check in on us," Matsumoto told the others as she rejoined them.

"Are we ready now?" Urahara asked.

Matsumoto nodded.

"Okay then," Urahara said. He walked across the room and opened a large trap door. Gesturing toward the ladder that descended down into the space below the shop, he said, "After you."

Matsumoto climbed down the ladder into the cavernous training grounds that were hidden under the shop, followed by the rest of her team. Urahara brought up the rear and when he joined them he led the way to a large object that resembled a door frame.

"Now before I open a portal into hell, do you all know what you're facing in Hueco Mundo?"

The Shinigami all nodded.

"And you're still willing to go?"

Once again the Shinigami all nodded.

"Alright," Urahara said. "It's your decision. I just had to make sure that you know what you're getting yourselves into."

"We know," Matsumoto said, a determined look in her eyes. "We know all too well."

After he'd chosen the group of Shinigami for the mission to Hueco Mundo, Head Captain Ukitake had informed them of the mission and the dangers they faced. Then he'd given each of them the option to back out. The voluntary basis of the mission had served to impart upon them all the severity of the situation. Normally Shinigami had no say in what missions they were sent on and the sheer fact that he'd offered them a choice was proof that the mission would be tough.

"Very well," Urahara said, walking over to the portal. Placing his hand upon the side, the Acting Captain of Squad Twelve released a large amount of reiatsu. The portal began to glow red and then it was as though a door had been opened. Instead of being able to see through the frame to the objects on the other side, they could now only see a dark abyss.

Turning away from the now open portal, Urahara once again addressed the group of Shinigami. "The path to Hueco Mundo wasn't meant to be traveled by Shinigami and you'll have to use your reiatsu to form a bridge and keep yourself from falling into a dark abyss from which there is no return."

"Understood," Matsumoto said, while the rest of her group nodded.

Hoping that they really did understand the gravity of the mission they were about to undertake Urahara stepped aside and motioned for them to step through the portal.

"Let's go!" Matsumoto said, leaping through the portal.

"Right," the rest of the group chorused before following her.