Chapter 2 – Six Months Later

It's been six months since Captain Zaraki called us back to the Seireitei. And six months since I told Yumi-kun that I loved him. After the defeat of the Hollow at that store, Masaki and I have become real good friends. We listen to the same kind of music from just over a hundred years ago and we still talk via messages through her jii-san, Ichigo. Every so often, Ichigo-san would bring Masaki with him after visits to the Human World. This was one such time.

"Kuro-kun! Long time no see, Bluebell!"

"Masaki-chan! Did you bring any of your music? How goes things in the Human World without me around?"

"Calm down a little, Bluebell. Yes, I brought my music and the Human World is fine thanks to your squad's hard work. Where is Kaku-Pachinko and Yumi-oji? I have presents for them."

I pouted. "In the barracks, more than likely arguing about something. You of all people should know how they get when they start one of their arguments. I was thinking we could just hang out for a while and listen to music while we talk and wait for them to wear themselves out. Please, Masaki-chan?"

"You can be so much like Hanataro, sometimes, Bluebell. Besides, I'm one of the few people that can stop their arguments without suffering the consequences. Come on."

I pouted again, this time pulling a face that got her laughing. I followed her grudgingly towards the Eleventh Division Barracks when I felt someone nudge the back of my head with the end the end of a scabbarded sword. I turned to see Ikkaku and Yumi-kun standing there, the later looking disappointed at the fact that he didn't have time to "get pretty" for Masaki.

"I take it you're looking for us, Bluebell? We felt Masaki's reiatsu when Ichigo brought her here. We're hungry anyways."

"Pachinko Head! Pretty Boy! We were just coming to find you in the Barracks."

Both men's faces fell when Masaki called them by their nicknames, both of which are courtesy of Lieutenant Kusajishi. I had to laugh because I used both nicknames on several occasions, long before I met anyone in the Human World. Yumi-kun was the first to recover as he led our four person party to the main building. I was still laughing when we arrived at the kitchens. Yumi-kun ordered "small and dainty" foods while Ikkaku merely ordered two bottles of sake.

"For the pretty young lady?" Aramaki asked, turning to Masaki.

"Some of everything you have," she replied. "I also want three orders of sake and two extra orders of sushi, California Rolls if you will."

"I'll gave what Ikkaku's having plus and order of fried mussels," I told the mustached man on kitchen duty. "So, Masaki-chan, when did you start drinking?"

"Only with Jii-san brings me here, little boy blue. What does it matter to you anyways, Kuro-kun?"

"I just don't want to get in trouble with your grandfather."

She rolled her eyes and turned away with her sake, joining my squad mates on the porch area. I stood there waiting for my sake and mussels when a five-foot-tall kid bumped into my legs. I looked down to see one of my best friends from Fourth Squad, Hanataro Yamada. I helped the smaller, more timid man up from where he had fallen flat on his ass after bumping into me.

"I always feel like I'm walking into a wall with you, Kuroshi," he said handing me an envelope. "Captain Unohana wants to see me and you specifically about something that she said was important."

"I'll be there after I eat, Hanataro."

"She said that it's extremely important and that as soon as that envelope is in your hands, we are to go straight to her office. Other than that, I don't know a thing."

"Oi! Ikkaku! Yumichika! Unohana wants me in her office. Hold the thought on my mussels and sake, Aramaki."

The mustached man nodded and my two squad mates knew to keep Masaki busy until either I got back or Ichigo took her back to the Human World. I motioned for Hanataro to lead the way to his captain's office. I admired the fact that the Fourth Squad captain would send her Seventh Seat to come get me for something she deemed "extremely important." A few minutes later, Hanataro knocked on the edge of the screen door. I was trying to figure out why Unohana would want to talk to me AND Hanataro in the first place.

"Come in, both of you," came the soft reply. "This matter concerns the input of two Seated Officers below Captain and Lieutenant Rank. It's good to see you again, Kuroshi-kun. And permission to speak freely between the three of us."

"Thank you, Captain," I answered. "You look as lovely as you did the last time I saw you, Retsu-san. However, I am confused as to why you asked me here and why you sent your Seventh Seat to come fetch me. I was about to sit down to eat."

"Do you remember what Captain-General Yamamoto said at your graduation?"

I thought for a moment. "Just barely. He said something to the effect of me being some kind of strategical genius that hasn't been seen in close to three millennia. Why do you ask?"

"Open the envelope, Kuroshi-kun, and you will understand."

Truth be told, I had completely forgotten about the yellowed envelope in my hands. I opened it gingerly with my long fingers. The writing was familiar, but I hadn't seen it in close to half a century. It looked a lot like mine when I would help Ikkaku and Yumi-kun write a report for Captain Zaraki and Lieutenant Kusajishi. I continued to open the envelope slowly and then flipped through the tri-folded paper until I reached the bottom of the last page. The name there made me open my eyes wide in shock.

"Where did you find this, Retsu-san?"

"It was actually Hanataro her that found it this morning on his pillow when he woke up. I suppose that whoever left it there knew that the two of you were good friends and have been for the last few decades. He immediately brought it to me and started asking his now famous infinite amount of questions. You recognize the name I take it?"

I nodded. "There were stories that he was defeated by Ichigo, Sado, Uryu, and Orihime close to a hundred years ago in Hueco Mundo after the Arrancars and Espadas were killed off and disbanded. Then these letters start showing up fifty years later in every Squad except mine, addressed to me."

"The first time I met you at the Academy, Kuroshi-kun, I saw the resemblance between the two of you. I then proceeded to help your superior, Ikkaku Madarame, sort through your reports and the handwriting is also very similar. If you care to dig a little deeper, you'll realize that your last names are quite similar as well, the only difference being a single syllable and a few key brushstrokes."

"The traitor Sosuke Aizen will never be my father. I grew up in the Rukongai, not even knowing my parents and being almost gang raped every night."

I felt Unohana's sad eyes on me as I sat there, suppressing my rage at the thought of being related to a traitorous bastard like Aizen. After an eternal twenty minutes, I trusted myself to speak without stomping around the small room and shouting obscenities at the sky lights.

"What is your real reason for asking me here, Captain?"

"Read the rest of what Aizen has written to you and you will know."

I unclenched my fists and picked up the four sheets where I had set them before spouting off about Aizen. It took me close to an hour to read everything and commit it to memory before turning back to Unohana.

"There will be three other Captain and Lieutenant level Soul Reapers that will defect to Hueco Mundo seventy-five years after his 'death.' Or so he claims. He even knows who it will be."

"Tell us, Kuroshi-kun."

"Captain Komamura, Captain Hisagi, and Lieutenant Matsumoto. Then the events that follow their defection will play out exactly as they did then. How do we stop this from happening, Retsu-san?"

"I honestly cannot say. As a superior officer, I am ordering you to talk to these three would-be defectors before they cause any trouble, both for themselves and everyone else in the Soul Society. Unless Hanataro has a better idea."

"M-me, Captain," he stuttered. "I say knock them out, tie them up and leave them in the sewers for a few days."

"Too much trouble. Besides have you seen how big Captain Komamura is? Good idea in theory, but it will never work. I like your idea better, Retsu-san. It'll be tough, but someone has to do it. You can help if you want, Hanataro."

"Really, Kuroshi? I'm really no good with talking to anyone for any length of time, except maybe Ichigo."

"They'll feel more, how should I put it, relaxed with you around? Besides, everyone knows that we've been friends for the last half century or so."

He gave one of nervous chuckles and a small half smile before nodding his head in approval. I smiled, stood and bowed to Unohana before turning to leave, Hanataro close behind me. We made small talk while we wound our way through the buildings and back the Eleventh Squad Kitchens. I was still hungry and I was hoping that Masaki was still around so that I could tell what's been going on in Unohana's office for the last hour and a half. We were just rounding the last corner when a Hollow blocked our way.