"I don't care about the price on her head or about her old crew, but as long as she is under my command no one will hunt her without answering to me," Toshiro threatened the cowards.

Rangiku cheered, "Captain does that mean your letting another girl join."

"Don't make me change my mind," he glared over to her.

"Private we can take them, it's only four people. The only threat is the two men but Mr. Captain isn't surrounded by his crew it shouldn't be too hard," the commander eased bringing his fist to his face.

"I'm not really a street fighter, please forgive me," Ishida waved his hand.

"Damn what good are you?" Toshiro played back.

"Just the best navigator you ever met with also the best aim," Ishida gloated.

"Catch up with the times, who uses bows and arrows anymore?" Toshiro turned toward him, turning his back on the bounty hunters.

The commander stomped his foot angrily, "Stop insulting me."

"Oh sorry, we thought you would have run away by now," Rangiku apologized flashing them a devilish smirk. Momo couldn't help but laugh, the way they acted around one another reminded her of the happy times she spent on the Fifth. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to join this crew.

Rangiku continued, "So who are you guys anyway?"

"Taji leader of the something bounty squad," Momo answered for him, "this isn't even a word you just wrote down a bunch of letters."

Taji looked in Momo's hands to see his wallet in one with some of his papers in the other. "Where the hell did you get that you brat."

"I swiped it when I ran past you after you refused to give me a hat," she shrugged taking the little money he had and shoved it in her pocket.

"You are a bitch!" he yelled running toward her. Toshiro kicked the man in the stomach before he could take another step closer to Momo.

"Commander!" the scrawny private yelled watching his boss fall in pain.

Toshiro sighed bored with the situation, "are we done yet?" seeing neither one of the men moving he made his way out of the ally with the others behind him. As Momo walked by the commander, she swiftly picked up his hat and placed it on her head.

"Awe, it's too big," she complained lifting her head up so she could see where she was walking.

Rangiku bent down closer, "I think it's cute, do you want another one?"

"Nope, I like this one," she smiled adding a slight skip to her step.

Toshiro led the way back to the ship with Ishida by his side. Momo and Rangiku trailed behind them talking about her picture.

"When was this taken? It looks recent and you look so care free and happy," Rangiku admired.

"I was," Momo agreed, "Captain Ichigo and I went on our first task together we got caught, it was a crazy adventure, this was when my price was raised by 9 because to get out of the situation we were in he used the governor as an escape goat."

"You are going to have to talk about that later, right now you better prepare yourself Hinamori," Toshiro called from up ahead, they looked up to see him already on the ship. Rangiku pulled Momo into a side hug as she led her back up the boat. Toshiro noticed Momo's expression change back to when she first met the crew, serious and on edge. Momo stood bravely as Toshiro announced she would be joining the crew. To her surprise she heard more cheers then complaints but she knew there was a dark meaning behind the cheers.

"If any of you mess with her, I'm going to kick your ass," Rangiku shouted in the middle of Toshiro's speech.

"Matsumoto," Toshiro barked turning toward her.

"Your right, sorry captain," she smiled, "the captain will kick your ass before I do."

Toshiro threw his head back in annoyance, "Why are you my Vice Captain."

"You know I don't remember, but it's been fun hasn't it," she winked leading Momo down toward the crew.

"Captain you always said you hate girls on boats," one of his men sounded breaking away from the crowd. He followed the captain up to the navigation room.

"I know," was all he could say in return.

"You already get fed up more than enough with the vice captain," after receiving a grunt in response he continued, "then why?"

"Chad I really don't know," Toshiro admitted. Chad understood his captain's confusion he knew the truth he would never admit. Chad nodded leaving the captain to his thoughts.

"What is with you the night sky?" Toshiro asked approaching the distant Momo, it's been one long crazy month since she joined them.

"Oh hi Shiro," she greeted giving him a sideways glance.

He scowled, "for the last time it's Captain Hitsugaya."

"I like Shiro better," she could feel the glare he was sending her way. "Don't worry; you know I won't call you that in front of your crew, I know you get made fun of enough with Rangiku around."

"Don't call me it at all, your one of my men so you have to call me captain," he pointed out trying to be as threatening as possible.

Momo turned her body toward him, "what are you going to do, throw me over board?" she teased neither one realized how close they were to each other.

"I'm not that mean," he whispered, "I'll find another way to make you stop."

"Ok Shiro," Momo studied him closely, she could see his cold exterior melt around her though this was the first time she truly noticed it around the rest of the men he was always impassive or barking orders. They both seemed to realize how close their heads were at the same time, they pulled back quickly.

"So in all seriousness why don't you like girls on your ship," she asked lifting herself up onto the railing, letting the cool air crash onto her back.

Toshiro ran his hand through his white hair, "They are nothing but trouble."

"How so!"

"Because there easily manipulated and weak," he spat.

Momo's mouth dropped, "explain."

"A guy can walk up to you talk about how pretty you are and flirt then there head over heels losing all sense of pride. It's dumb. Then all it takes is three little words, I love you. That's all a man has to say and the girl is wrapped around his finger doing anything he desires. It's sick how they can lose control like that." He ranted on.

Momo looked down fumbling with her hands, "Your right."

Toshiro's eyes widened he couldn't believe he ranted on to her like that never mind her agreeing.

"Your right girls lose their emotions when they meet to what seems like a nice guy who they think would never hurt them. Then when girls hear the words I love you their hearts just sore threw the sky they will do whatever it takes to keep that feeling. But you know what the problem with guys are," he could see her soft brown eyes grow black and hard, "All they want to do is go out and look for that innocent girl to trick for their own amusement and pleasure, it's sick, but you know manipulation works both ways. Girls can show a little bit of skin talk a few sweet words, then that poor boy can barely think straight. All there thinking about is how far they can go with this girl next thing they know there laying in a bed with all their valuables taken from them."

"Is that what you do?" Toshiro asked bitterly, Momo jumped down landing swiftly she walked up to Toshiro getting close to him.

"What do you think?" she raised an eye brow slyly.

Toshiro shook his head trying to keep his jagged breath steady, "I don't think you are like that."

Momo backed away brushing her bangs out of her eyes, "your right I'm not. I never went that far."

"But a guy manipulated you," he commented hitting a nerve.

Momo looked away so he couldn't see her eyes grow watery, "Shut up."

"That a yes," Toshiro pestered.

"I was manipulated yes I wasn't in love but I was deceived by the man I admired most in this world." Her heart ached painfully in her chest; her stomach was tying itself in knots.

"Your captain," Toshiro guessed quietly.

"I said I didn't want to talk about that remember," she turned back around with full force. Her eyes were once again dry. Toshiro was a little mad at himself, in his mind he never really thought about Momo in that group of girls; because she wasn't like any girl he has ever met. He didn't fully realize his opinion would apply to her.

"Momo, I'm sorry," he did his best to sound sincere and emotion he rarely expressed.

Momo laughed a weak laugh, "for what, your opinion of girls applying to me."

"It doesn't apply to you," he expressed.

"Because I wasn't in love?" Momo held onto her over sized hat as the wind picked up, "I did whatever Captain Aizen asked of me no matter what is was, I did whatever it took even if it could have killed me to please him. Because he had me wrapped around his finger." She twirled her finger in the air. "But that was the one and only times I've been tricked like that, it will never happen again. Manipulation is a disgusting and dirty game to get caught up in."

"So you will never trust a man again?" Toshiro asked.

"What is this, 20 questions?" she hung her arms over the wood railing slumping her shoulders.

"Not every guy is like that," Toshiro stated.

"I guess we are going to move on to statements now," she breathed, "Have you met a guy no let me rephrase that, how you ever met a pirate who wouldn't do that to a girl? Shiro, I am a pirate, there the only guys I will ever be around and I know there not good people."

She had him, he knew what pirates were like, and even he was somewhat like that. Talking to girls to get what he wanted, he never went as far as sex and he never told a girl he loved them. He wanted to wait to find the one he loves for both of those things, but he wasn't that different.

"There's a storm coming," Momo breathed in the salty air bringing Toshiro out of his trance.

"Looks like there is," he agreed noting the dropping pressure. She patted him on the shoulder before walking away. She grabbed onto the thick rope and began to pull herself up to the white sails. Once she stood at the top she held onto the rope that tied the sail and the mast together looking out to the sky. She felt the temp drop slowly and the wind picked up. Being out on the water since four years taught her a few tricks. Toshiro watched her from down below, she looked like a angel standing up so high and elegantly, he shook the annoying thoughts out of his mind deciding he should go wake up Ishida. Soon the waves clashed against the pirate ship with thunder echoing in the air, it wasn't a bad storm but it was a storm. The crew acted quickly doing what was necessary to survive.

Momo couldn't help but laugh at her friends shocked expression, "I was four, since that day I've been trained to steal, not many people are suspicious of a little girl. All pirates care about is money, that's probably the only reason I've been kept around this long."

"Seems like something that would be true," Toshiro joined the conversation sitting down with the girls, Ishida and Chad stood behind them.

"Oh shut up," Momo snapped hugging her legs.

"So you think you are good?" Toshiro challenged.

Momo smirked, "Better then you."

"Captain no," Ishida warned.

"You shouldn't do it," Chad joined Ishida.

Momo looked back at the two men worriedly till Toshiro continued, "Why don't we test this then. See how good you really are?"

Momo's smile weakened, "How so?"

"Well take you to a port and you and I and these guys will go to whatever house you think you can handle and pull a heist," Toshiro leaned back in his chair casually.

Momo nodded in agreement as both Ishida and Chad sighed, "Do I get to go Captain?"

"No Matsumoto, you are in charge here," he ordered closing his bright orbs.

"That's so boring," she whined drumming her finger against her chin.

Toshiro ordered them to set sail to a nearby port so Toshiro could test Momo; he looked forward to tormenting her a little too much.

"Hey Hinamori," a bulky crewmen called for her from the doorway.

Momo tilted her head back causing her hat to fall off her head, "what?"

"Come out here," he called again. Momo rose slowly out of her chair walking outside leaving her friends behind.

"Carefully," she faintly heard Toshiro whisper.

Momo blocked her eyes as the sunlight shone on her face, "Yea?"

"Come watch this with us," she saw a man wave her over. She barely talked to any crew members except for her circle but they always tried to talk to her. They all had a bet going around seeing who could get her first, this was unknown to Momo though and every time Toshiro caught wind of it he quickly stopped it.

"What are you watching?" she skipped over to him.

"Once a month we scrap around to see who the best fighter is, were holding bets. Do you want in?"

Momo laughed at some of the men quarreling, "No, but I'll watch." Momo joined the unknown man watching the pointless fight.

After a few rounds most of the men grew tired and decided to call it quits, "Hey Hinamori you want in, I promise to go easy on you," a smaller man invited.

"I'm not much of a fighter," she shrugged honestly.

"But you're a pirate," he yelled, "you must fight."

"I can outsmart my enemies most pirates are idiots," she announced getting cheers from her words, not aware they were directed toward them.

"Come on is that anyway for a real pirate to talk, You've been out here for so many years all you know how to do is the pirate act. Now fight me," he implored.

"How did you know that?" she grew slightly worried.

"I know more about you then you think," he made his voice grow louder so the whole crew could hear him, "Momo Hinamori, First mate of the famous fifth. Not the best fighter, but it's easy for you to get over your enemies with your mind easily outsmarting people. You had to be smart growing up the way you did, being taken on board a pirate ship after your family was brutally murdered in the night."

Momo listened carefully she didn't have to look to notice Toshiro and Rangiku standing off listening to what was happening.

"Captain Aizen was the one who taught you everything you know about pirate hood, he is the one who taught you how to fight and how to steal he taught you how to survive this harsh life that normal girls could never do. But then he teamed up with the ninth Tosen. He wanted to rule over everyone, he wanted everyone to sail under his flag. He wanted everyone one in the world to fear him. Attacking towns and ports till they became his. You followed him with this scheme for the longest time, killing innocent people, stealing, it didn't matter. Until your soon to be new captain, Ichigo came along 'knocked' some real sense into you. Didn't you get a concussion from that hit? Together Ichigo, Hisagi, and the rest of the crew marooned your two ugly captains somewhere."

No one uttered a word they were transfixed on the strange man's story, Momo continued to stand there with the same smirk on her face.

"Took you some time to recover didn't it? That's the only time you truly acted like a girl, crying, such weakness. Course Ichigo refused to lead you astray he just kept knocking the truth into you every time you denied it. Course over the years you came back to your old self, you and Captain Ichigo became great friends didn't you. Too bad he's dead."

Momo waited a few seconds before responding to make sure he was done with her life story, "Wow, you really did your research. Your right, Captain Ichigo really did pack a punch he didn't care if I was a girl or not. It hurt. So tell me who are you?"

"Fight me and maybe I'll tell you," he sneered.

"I'm surprised you are asking you know so much about me. You should know I don't like to fight without a purpose, so I pass," Momo waved her hand in front of her face.

"I'll fight for you Hinamori," a couple men shouted like heroes.

"No, people need to fight their own battles," Momo informed, "but it's not time to fight mine."

"I thought you would say that, honorable," the man bowed before retreating to the lower deck.

"Who was that?" Momo asked the man who brought her out here originally.

"I haven't seen him before," he answered, "Maybe he's a new recruitment. There are about 200 people on this ship it's hard to know everybody."

"Oh well," she stretched lazily acting like she didn't care, she continued to watch the fights cheering random people on for a couple of hours.