Disclaimer: Bleach isn't my property nor my work. I'm not making any profit out of writing these fics. But I definitely want Byakuya to live. Sorry, for the moment he's my ultimate obsession!

Chapter 2

I stop by the door of Kurosaki's home, and I knock twice on the door before it opened. Kurosaki looked at me and he didn't seemed surprised. It's like he's expecting me.

He didn't seem to change at all, except that he got taller and it made me feel inferior to him, but I shove it to the back of my mind.

He smiles, then looks at my haori and my kimono. He sighed after, running a hand through the back of his hair.

"Seriously, you didn't go to Urahara-san's place first to get your Gigai?" Is the first thing that he said. I got a little mad because I expected at least a simple hello. But he has a point there. No one can see me and people might think he's crazy because he's talking to air. I see a few people not far from here walk the street, and I enter immediately. Kurosaki shrugs and closes the door.

There's no sign of his family and it makes things better.

"Why the haste, Toshiro?" When he mentions my name, I was about to remind him to call me the right way but for now, since I'm suspended for valid reasons, I'm not a Captain as of now so I don't say what I occasionally say to him.

"Because people might see you talking to me and believe you have a nail hit on your head." I explain smoothly, and he takes me to his room. It's not as cramped as the last time I was here, because five other Shinigami were with me that time.

"Are you sure I can stay here?"

"It's not like my family would mind." he shrugged. He looks at me, and I know that he can see the heavy outline of Spirit Energy flowing out my body and making the room feel crisp. "They know everything, about Shinigami, about you, about everything that I know. They have the right to know."

"You didn't have to say that." I mutter, and I sit on his bed to rest my feet. He doesn't mind what I did, and he sits beside me but we keep our distance.

"To clear up questions I said it. I just hope you won't be a pain." he said and I frown but I have to be honest, I may be a little too much on him. He does nothing but help me, yet I always give him the coldest shoulder I've ever given anyone. So I sigh in understanding.

"Don't worry, I won't."

"That's great. By the way, how's Hinamori doing?"

I turn glum for a moment, looking away and facing the window. "She's getting better. But she's not yet awake."

"At least it's better than getting worse, right?"

I nod. Silence fills the place apart from the cold, and I head for the window. "I'll go get my Gigai then. I'll be back soon."

"You better hurry. The Adjuchas often appear in the mid-afternoon." he stated and I immediately jumped out, making my way to the small candy store in a few flash steps. I slide the door open with ease and enter, where the blonde-haired hat-and-clogs-wearing ex-Captain is arranging the small wrapped treats.

"Ahem!" I clear my throat to notify him of my presence and he calmly brings out a box instantly. It seems like he doesn't care about the cold.

"Hi, Captain Hitsugaya. This is your Gigai, as well as your new Gikon in this box." I got piqued with interest, even though I know a Gigai is just an empty look-alike of us where we put our souls into. There's something about me that wants me to look at myself in the flesh.

When Urahara opens the box, I walk closer and I see my human body positioned inside the box, like it was just resting. Without any words, I project my spirit inside the soulless body and I get out the box, my body feeling a little groggy. It's always like this when I go inside a Gigai after a long while of not doing it. Then I take the small bottle containing the Gikon.

"Thanks. Now then, I'll be taking my leave." I walk out, and I start to go back to Kurosaki's home. I pass by a few people and they shiver once I'm close to them, and I clicked my tongue. So even in human form, my energy isn't compressed even by one bit. I really have to do something about this, and fast. Because humans are less resistant to my powers than the Shinigami are.

I climb up the window where I left the house, and Kurosaki welcomed me without complaint.

"You could have used the door." he commented.

"It's more convenient for me this way." I state. Then I take a scan around the room and it's not his room. It looks like his room, but the bedsheets are different and it looks more spacious because there are less things stacked inside.

"So, this is going to be my room?"

"As long as you're here, yes." he answered. "I'll go get something to eat. You hungry?"

Because I filled myself with amanatto given by my grandma before I left, I shook my head and he left the room, going downstairs. Now, I don't sense any threatening presences nearby so I just lie on the bed. It's small, but it's very comfortable and I let my body settle on the cushion.

Suddenly, I tense when I feel something in the sky rip. I rise up the bed and from the window, I can see a large gate rip in two, making an enormous opening. Several Adjuchas along with low-level Hollows enter the town, roaring into the atmosphere. I didn't need waste another second when I swallowed my Gikon, allowing my spirit form to eject out the Gigai.

I see Ichigo already on the sky and he looks back at me. We nod at each other once, and we charge towards them. Thankfully, they're as slow as turtles.

"Be careful, Toshiro. This time, there are more of them than I'd usually handle." he warned, his voice dead serious. Of course I'd be, and I nod at him in agreement. When we're in range, we draw out our swords from our backs and begin to eliminate them one by one. Apparently, I thought it's going to be piece of cake but these mid-class Menos are harder to handle than I thought.