ALERT: The two authors under the pen name 'Ikezu' did NOT write this story. Someone close to the team members did, and requested for us to post. Enjoy :)

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach, or any of the settings in Bleach. The characters are original, though some are not my own.

"Akane-sama! P-p-please keep yourself covered! E-even if you are in your room!"

A girl wearing Shinigami robes had yelled out into the room. She was not too short, but not too tall, either. Her blonde hair was almost a golden color, and she had strange silver eyes. A large blush crept onto her face. Her somewhat long pony tail and her two streaking bangs to each side of her face gave her a much younger appearance than she actually was. She stood rigid and straight, mostly because of her duties as the personal guard of the woman she was half-scolding.

"Huuuh? How do you have so much energy at this hour, Hotaru-chan?"

Shihoin Akane. She had a large, large list of qualifications, most notably as Captain of the 2nd Squad, the 24th head of the Shihoin Clan, and the Commander of the Onmitsukido. She had many qualities her subordinate admired, even if she had to scold her about her less-than-lady-like behavior at time. She was skilled as a Shinigami, she had a confident air about her. That isn't to say Hotaru wasn't confident in her own skills. After all, she was head of protection for the Shihoin Clan for a reason. She was also a 3rd seat to the 2nd Division of the Gotei-13. Her skill in Kido may not be overwhelming; after all, this is someone who had her own spiritual force blow up in her face as she recited an incantation. However, her speed and raw power were well-known and feared amongst many of her peers. It was even rumored that, just by moving, her body would create light immense enough to blind her opponents. Of course, this was just a rumor, and it always made Hotaru laugh inside. She was caught daydreaming, red-handed, at this point, Akane waving her hand in front of her face.

"Hey, Hotaru-chan? Are you alright in there?"

Hotaru snapped back to attention, and stood rigid again.

"Yes, Akane-sama! Hotaru is fine! She is ready to perform her tasks!"

Akane simply blinked, and laughed. She prodded the girl on the forehead, and grinned.

"Come on, loosen up a little! You work too hard sometimes!"

Hotaru dropped her shoulders slightly, always worrying if she took time off, something may happen to her Captain, even if she did believe in her vast skill. Akane's Kido was well-developed. Her Shunpo was the fastest in Seireitei. Her Bankai only made her faster. Perhaps her raw strength was not the same, but everything else about her made up for it and much, much more. Not only that, but she was the most beautiful thing in the world to her. She didn't admire her as a lover would their partner; but more as a human marveling at the stars, one day wishing to reach them. Her beautiful black hair, and her grey eyes, seeming to see past her wall of seriousness, and into her very soul with every smile. It made her happy. So very happy to be near her. However, one thing still bothered her about all this.

"Put some clothes on, Akane-sama!"

An hour or so later, they made their way down to the divisional headquarters, met by Akane's Lieutenant, Yasushi. He stood rather calm and stoic, as usual. For some reason, his pale green eyes and his dark, dark black hair had always caused Hotaru to fear this man. She trusted him, yes, but there was always this deep fear she didn't understand. Maybe it was because she didn't understand him? He never spoke about himself, or of his personal goal. For someone like her, who doesn't hide anything about her desires or her aspirations, it was strange. Akane, however, never seemed to mind this. She always grinned, and found his mysterious personality amusing, though she had her own problems with him, namely…

"Shihoin-sama. Umi-san. I am pleased to see you two have made it here in a timely manner, and safely."

He always said that same thing every time they showed up. It put Hotaru at ease, but Akane's brow twitched in anger. She hated being called "Shihoin-sama" by anyone, a fact Hotaru knows all too well. Akane did her best to always blend into normal society. She didn't like the stigma of being the head of a Clan; and even more hated then that, was whenever Hotaru referred to herself as a low-class person. She used to feel less of a person than those who were born to the royal families, or even in the low-number districts in Rukongai. It was Akane that picked her up from those ashes on the ground she called her dreams, and raised her up to the stars. She was grateful for it, and ever since then, the training she went through that never seemed to get her anywhere slowly became true progress. She had a reason to be stronger. Again, her daydreaming is cut short by a set of words, spoken by Yasushi. Both he and Akane had already started to make their way into the building.

"Umi-san, if you keep staring forward anymore, you may burn a hole through the landscape."

She stood rigid again, and calls out, "Sorry!" before heading into the headquarters building with them. She sighed, wondering how she can be so distracted when she has such an important job. Perhaps she needed to do more training. Whatever it was, daydreaming sure wasn't the right answer, and even less the right course of action.

Akane, poor her, had to do paperwork, which is something she truly hated doing. She would stare at the wall, or dump the responsibility onto Yasushi, who then dumped it back onto her discreetly. It was always back and forth between the two. One hated it while the other believed the job should be done by the one assigned to it. It's a miracle any of it ever got done. Surprisingly to everyone, today, she actually did the paperwork without delay. Maybe something was on her mind? Or maybe she was just extremely bored? It didn't matter either way. The fact she was doing it at all surprised everyone to the fullest. Even Yasushi was a little bit thrown off guard.

"Shihoin-sama. Are you alright? You are actually doing paperwork for once. And we didn't even have to make you do it."

"Meh. Yeah. I'm fine. Get back to your duties." Akane just waved the thought off.

Hotaru watched the scene, and noticed something different about Akane's gaze. She was looking for something specific. She doesn't know exactly what it was, but she knew it was something important. Something terrifying. Something-

"I found it! The bonus! I'm going shopping tonight!"

Hotaru facepalmed. And she knew she should have known better than to worry like that. After all, it's one of her vices. She loved to shop, and can be seen often perusing the streets for some knick-knacks, or clothing, or even just some food. Akane's childish side rears its head when she's out shopping, and often looked disappointed when she didn't get what she went out seeking for.

"Akane-sama, Hotaru thinks you should be doing the other paperwork as well. She knows that shopping is important to Akane, but she thinks actual work needs to be finished as well."

Akane scoffed and held out the papers for Hotaru to do. She grinned innocently, though a hint of malice seemed to be within it.

"Well, since you're so enthusiastic about paperwork getting finished, maybe you should do it for me?"

Hotaru sighed, and took the paperwork. Akane got up from her desk, and patted her head gently with a smile.

"Don't worry, if you get this done I'll be back with something for you, too. You'd be the best for this kind of job, anyway."

Hotaru nodded silently, and she started her work as Akane left, presumably out to shop again. She sat at the Captain's desk, doing the paperwork meant for the Captain. It gave her a chance to see what it was like, looking down and reading the material, punching stamps onto them every now and then. The hours would go by as she sat here. Slowly, the Divisional members left the building, one by one, until only she and Yasushi were left. He grew concerned for the poor girl, but he didn't say anything on it, nor even showed the slightest care. He did finally speak, after another hour in darkness passed by.

"I shall be taking my leave now, Umi-san. Are you sure you should still be doing that?"

"Mm. Hotaru is fine. She will finish and go home, too. After all, this is nothing to her."

Yasushi shrugged, and stepped out, vanishing into the night when he leaves the building. She was alone in the building, continuing Akane's paperwork for her. Another two or three hours had passed by, and sleep slowly caught up to her. She struggled to stay awake, her head bobbing up and down, and at times, her eyes would close. As soon as they did, she'd reopen them and rub them, trying to finish what she can between her periods of deep lethargy. Eventually, her head found its way onto the desk, her cheek pressed against the wood. She fell asleep.

Akane, where she was going, was never for shopping. She decided to treat Hotaru this time around, since she's always so dedicated and never would take time off for herself. She used the paperwork as a decoy, wanting to get her a favorite meal: shrimp tempura. She stopped at a small flat, the man inside known for good fried dishes. The smell in the air would make most people hungry, but Akane was used to much more flavorful scents. She hurriedly paid the man for the food, and awaited it to be done. She noticed a small group of Shinigami run by, a little bit worried about this. However, she paid no mind as no real alert was sounded. After a short wait and a bit of reading, the man hands her the tempura, in a container within a plastic bag, and she heads off on her way. The streets were definitely more crowded than usual, and it didn't take her long to realize why. Four Hollows. They didn't seem tough, of course, and a number of low-rank Shinigamis raced out to fight them. Most of them were outmatched, though only because they didn't have the right training. Akane sighed, and hid the tempura before hopping to battle.

First Hollow. With a devastating drop-kick, and the speed that would make bullets cry, her foot slammed onto the mask of the Hollow, shattering it instantly. Second Hollow. This one fired a weak Cero, which she easily smashed with the back of her hand. She smirked, and suddenly vanished, slamming her fist straight through the mask of this one. This was child's play to her. Third Hollow. This one as actually handled by a small squad of Shinigami, who shot a number of Shakkaho blasts and stabbed it multiple times. It felled some of the Shinigami, but no one too injured before its mask was shattered, and it vanished. Fourth Hollow. Akane made sure to make quick work of this one. She simply removed her Zanpakuto, and just as quickly as her last attacks, sliced straight down the mask of the Hollow. Immediate shattering. She landed on a rooftop when her extermination had finished, and scanned for injured. She decided to help cart some of the harmed Shinigami away from the scene, and into the 4th Division Headquarters. It was a long process, but it didn't take nearly as long as it would should she not have showed up. She easily and quickly carried them two at a time to the medical facility, this task not even breaking a sweat on her. The problem is, it was late, now, and she had forgotten all about Hotaru at this time.

"Oh, damn, I left her to do all that work! I hope she went home already…"

She didn't. Akane got to her Headquarters building and saw the sleeping girl. She frowned at first, mentally swearing at herself for leaving her like this, for this long. She should have known Hotaru wasn't going to go home if there was work to be done. In fact, she did know, but forgot in the midst of battle. She quickly grabbed the paperwork, and stuffed it into her robes, and couldn't help but smile at her subordinate.

"Come on. Let's get you home, silly girl."

She quickly picked her up, and carried her on her back, trying to get her arms around her. Hotaru seemed to help her with this in her sleep, clutching onto her as she mumbled incoherent words in her sleep. Akane shook her head, and took her home, deciding to take her time and walk. She just wanted to enjoy the night scenery while she can, a cloudless night and such a wonderful illumination of the moon upon the buildings. She didn't know what the next day would bring, but seeing nights like these, she couldn't help but not worry about it. It was a relaxing time.

Eventually, she made her way to her own home, the Shihoin Manor, with Hotaru on her back. She didn't hesitate to bring her into her own bed chambers, and lie her down on the bed, pulling the covers over the exhausted girl. She placed the container containing the tempura on a night stand nearby the bed, and smiled. Flashbacks came to her of the moments they had leading up to this one, Hotaru's clumsiness, her lack of skills, even the moment they truly became close, and admired one another for their strengths. She watched Hotaru become… strong. And thought fondly on this as she left the room, closing the door behind her, whispering on the way out:

"Goodnight, Hotaru-chan. And thank you for everything."

That night, Hotaru had a strange dream. One she cannot grasp the meaning of.

Author's Note: Oh? Curveball maybe? Yes, Suzuna is not in this chapter! Mwahaha! So what is her position in all this? Well, you'll know in the next chapter!