AN: Hi, hi everybody! dances kay, chapter's posted... late, i know... sorry... sniffles anyway, important info for everybody... i've started keeping an updated on my profile for where i am in the upcoming chapters for people... i don't like wasting chapters on it, so check my profile and i'll let you know if the chapter'll be on time or not, eh? right now i've got a bunch of nifty hitsuhina videos too! okay, this chapter, it's only half actually... i was gonna do the whole legend but it's getting kind of late and i don't want shortchange the ending, arguably one of the most important points of the entire story... so it's a twopart bit... an intro part, and the first half of the legend... the next chappie will be the second half and conclusion along with reactions to it... very important. after that, i think it'll be a matsumoto centric type chappie and then we're taking a journey to the real world! but no worries, hitsuchan's still the main character also, i'd like to thank everybody who reviewed... both the last chapter and the chapter's before! i'm so grateful! also, i have a general policy of replying to all reviews so, while i don't mind anonymous, if you're logged in, i'll send you something tasty! and thank's to andrew, my currently only anonymous reviewer! i'm glad you're enjoying the story... dances i'm so dying of curiosity to see what you guys think of the legend... though of course, it won't really mean anything til the next chappie, right? let me know... and i hope you enjoy this next installment!

Unohana had exacted her vengeance in more horrible ways than he had contemplated. She had extended his bed rest by another day, and rather than explain that Hitsugaya had overexerted himself, she announced-to all the captains as explanation for why he would be missing from more meetings-that the change was due to a miscalculation on her part. She said that he would need to stay longer than she expected because his body was unable to heal that quickly. This was because of his distinctive height and youth.

He could have killed her.

If he wasn't stuck bedridden and forced to endure countless taunts at his expense courtesy of at least half the remaining captains and other various members of divisions he was acquainted with, he most definitely wouldn't have allowed her to get away with that heresy. The only and most surprising exception had to be his own vice-captain. Uncharacteristically, she mentioned nothing about Unohana's commentary. She merely hovered anxiously over him. And when she thought he wasn't looking, she was examining him with a very careful, analytical stare that he found much more nerve-wracking. She was planning something and that could never be a good thing. To the rest of his mocking audience, he let none of that show. His infamous glare promised retribution to all those daring enough to make their numerous comments audible. However, he couldn't enlighten them as to the truth of the matter because that would involve discussing the scene with Hinamori. And that was private. So he was stuck with listening to their stupid taunts for two whole days.

After that, however, was another matter. As soon as Unohana released her bed rest injunction, Hitsugaya was simply waiting for someone to evenhint at his height difference. He was ready to deliver some well-earned reprimands in the form of equally well-earned physical discipline. At which he excelled. While he was waiting for such a person to appear, he decided to have his rather late in coming meeting with Yamamoto-soutaichou.

As soon as his presence was announced, Yamamoto called for an emptying of his chambers. All his seated officers were temporarily evicted in order to give him and Hitsugaya some privacy to discuss his insubordination. Once the chambers were emptied, Hitsugaya and Yamamoto stood silently, facing each other.

At last, Yamamoto began to speak. "I think we both know you are not here to discuss your rash actions in dealing with that hollow."

"Of course not. The hollow in question had been working for Aizen and the hollows. He was the go-between the two that originally began their negotiations." Hitsugaya sighed heavily. "By the time we managed to get to the interrogations, there was no way I could bring him back alive by myself."

"Excellent. It would not have been convenient to have him still living now. Obviously, we must continue to cover our tracks, Hitsugaya-taichou. So that no one becomes suspicious, this meeting is to be exactly what it seems to be. You are hereby suspended from your captain's duties until I inform you otherwise. This works to our advantage, giving you all the free time you need to continue your task."

Hitsugaya bowed respectfully. "Of course, soutaichou. The mission itself was a success, though I have yet to follow up on it due to my injuries and Unohana-Taichou's strict policies."

"Of course. We need you to be successful Hitsugaya-taichou. Failure is not one of our options. I trust that you'll get to the bottom of this. Report back to me when you have more information."

Hitsugaya bowed again and left the office, considering. His plan needed to be careful, flawless. He needed to think like Aizen, but surpass him. He needed to consider all the different souls involved and how they would react, not just those in to Aizen's plan. He needed to outsmart the greatest genius Soul Society had ever seen. Well, he wasn't called a tensai for nothing.

The library was dusky and deserted. He wandered through the empty aisles of dusty records and approached the computer terminal. He backtracked through the old files, trailing the recent users and what they had logged in and out. Due to the relative business of the Seireitei lately, it was not incredibly difficult or time-consuming to come up with the information regarding Aizen. Hitsugaya clenched his teeth unconsciously, irritated that so much of his time must be consumed thinking about a man he hated.

Most of the files, especially the more recent ones, were concerning the hougyoku or Urahara's research in general. Though those were important, they weren't what he was looking for. He scrolled farther back, trying to uncover the mysterious legend mentioned by the hollow. It was nearly a year back before he finally found what he was looking for. Far before Rukia had entered the human world. But that made sense. After all, Aizen needed to know what his primary goal was before he could even begin to develop his methods. The legend itself seemed innocuous enough at first. It read as a simple love story complete with evil villain. It resembled a fairy tale more than it did a legend. He sighed audibly. What did this have to do with getting into heaven? He wondered if he ought to just ask Yamamoto. However, there was no guarantee that Yamamoto would even have the answer. At the very least, he ought to finish the legend before asking him. He turned back to the screen.

The legend itself was ancient, having been written centuries before Yamamoto had created the Seireitei and set up a governing system. The language was vaguely archaic, some of it difficult to understand. As he read however, he found a slowly dawning sense of horror drawing in around him. This……

It all began long ago. The days stretched long and vast and the sun brightened each day. Back in the smoky mists of the forests, he found her. For some reason unknown, she bore no name. He found her wandering with dead eyes through a maze of trees, hair limp around her shoulders and clothes ripped and shredded. She did not speak. Whether or not this was because she lacked the ability at that time or simply chose not to is unknown, even to this day. He described her as a dead angel to those close to him and vowed that he would find a way to bring her back to life.

Under his gentle and careful care, she gradually lost the dead expression in her eyes. Sometimes she was even able to smile, though this was extremely rare. He accomplished exactly what he vowed. She ate food, interacted with the other townspeople and even began to speak. Still, she did not smile often and the smile never did manage to reach her eyes.

It was not until the newcomer came that everything began to change.

When the mysterious, kind gentleman first walked into her vision, it was as if she had become a whole new person. Her eyes glowed from deep within, not smiling perse, but as a strange kind of devoted joy. When she took to following him around town, everyone could see the change in her caretaker. It was as if she had stolen his light for herself, powered by the mysterious gentleman. Suddenly, he was the one who spoke rarely and smiled less. Still, he did not stop her in her pursuits. He respected her choice of happiness and did not complain. After all, simply wishing for her to be alive did not mean that she would be alive for him. And so he drifts into the background of the story.

The mysterious gentleman's arrival was heralded and celebrated by the townspeople. He was fair, just and kind, always on the lookout for someone in need of rescuing. All of them appreciated his wisdom and he always expressed his appreciation for their courtesy. Coinciding with his arrival was the beginning of a series of strange occurrences surrounding the village. It began as merely odd, a misplaced set of dishware, missing belongings presumed lost. It wasn't long before that degenerated to eerie, the misplaced belongings being found suddenly out in the woods piled together. There were dead animals scattered among them. Little creatures like rabbits and young deer, cut open, their insides dried on the forest floor. None of the villagers retrieved their possessions. Instead they cleared out a trench around the little clearing and burned out the evidence.

All of them were at a loss as to its source. There seemed no purpose and no culprit, unless someone was hiding in the woods. All of them were frightened, uncertain as to how the situation might escalate further. They turned toward their mysterious newcomer for guidance and wisdom. He recommended a watch be set and trained them to stay awake at night without sleeping for hours. Each was asked to report to him if they were to see or hear anything unusual, no matter how slight. The girl-child from the woods became his special assistant, always performing what he asked without question. She longed for his approval, to be useful to him and to protect the village that had loved and saved her.

Despite all of the precautions in place, disaster struck. One of the children disappeared. The parents were inconsolable and utterly distraught. The girl-child was little better. However, she was able to stave off her weaker tears and immediately ran to the woods to find the missing little girl. The mysterious gentleman discovered this shortly after her departure. He was furious, but most of all, frightened. After all, they did not know what dangers awaited, and he could not know if she would be safe. With little delay, the gentleman set out to follow her.

The villagers were now panicked. A child was gone. What if she ended up just like the poor animals? And what were they to do now that their only protectors had gone? What if they died? Hysteria was close upon them. With nothing left to consider, they approached he who had passed to the background. When he heard what had happened he paled to the shade of clouds on a clear day and then flushed red. Though he bore concern for the missing daughter, his mind was overcome with possibilities of what could happen to the girl he rescued. But with the villagers crowded around him in his small hut, on the verge of becoming a terror-crazed mob, there was nothing he could do.

"It will be all right," he told them. The kind gentleman had gone to rescue both girls; the villagers had nothing to fear. Though they were partially soothed, the villagers still worried. What if something comes while they're gone? He explained patiently that the kind gentleman would never allow that to happen. Ever. It just wasn't in his nature. And even if something DID come, they weren't totally helpless. After all, he was still there. Furthermore, they ought to hold a special candle ceremony to honor them and wait for their return. The villagers were happy for the idea, appreciating that they would have something to do other than worry while they waited.

Though they now wandered off, satisfied, he was more mystified than ever. There was something wrong with the situation, only he couldn't put his finger on quite what it was. What bothered him the most was the seeming coincidences involved. A mysterious gentleman shows up and suddenly, strange and unusual disasters begin. Disasters that are unsolvable, even by the brilliant new visitor. A bit too coincidental.

Could it really be? Could it be that the town's newest resident and savior was the evil sadist behind the animal incident?

Impossible.But already, he was feeling the panic constrict within his chest. Both his angel and the little girl were alone in the woods with the man-if he was right. He raced through the town towards the man's house, urgency dictating his rapid pace. The whole place was painstakingly neat and organized, each room positively pristine. He went straight to the man's bedroom. If he was wrong, there would be no excusing his actions. But if he was right……

He ransacked it, searching through every nook and cranny for every clue. Odds were, he would have had an outer lair where he performed his evil deeds. Few, if any clues, would be here. Still, he had nowhere else to look, no other place to start. He had no choice but to take the chance. Everything seemed to be normal. Clothes, work tools, papers and writing utensils. Nothing out of the ordinary. He checked under the beds, pulled up floorboards. He pulled drawers fully out of the dressers to look for hidden compartments. He combed through the entire place as thoroughly as he could imagine. He found nothing.

Giving in to despair, he collapsed on one of the chairs, head in hands, trying to figure out what he was going to do. She would hate him for this. Was he wrong? He had found nothing. He looked up dully, staring blankly at the bookshelf before him without paying strict attention. In the grip of despair, he idly read the miscellaneous book titles.

How long before they would return? Would they return at all? He felt his blood run cold at the very thought. If she didn't return…… He would no longer have any real reason to stay alive. His body jerking suddenly, starting violently. His eyes focused, riveting intently on the bookshelf in front of him. He stood up slowly. Of course! There was no need to hide an intellectual pursuit, especially when most of the villagers were unable to read. He stared at the book, unable to believe what he was actually seeing.

Animal Souls and Heaven.

Part of him simply felt latent shock, too heavy and lethargic to actually make himself move, to react. He pushed that part of himself the background and hastily slid the book off the shelf. He flipped pages, skimming for generic details. Apparently, the author believed that animals had more primitive, and therefore innocent, souls, allowing them easier access to "heaven." But wasn't Soul Society already "heaven?" Confused, he continued. The author described a confusing ritual involving sacrificing the innocent animals souls. He scrunched his nose in distaste. Obviously a quack of some sort. But it explained the animal incident. He dropped the book and selected another-quickly.

Religions among the Living.

Religion? He opened the book and scanned through it. Early forms of it were appearing in various tribes and segments. They believed in life after death? An interesting theory-and not entirely inaccurate. He shut the book, more confused now than ever. What was this man trying to do, get to heaven? Did heaven even exist? And what did she have to do with it? Would she believe him if he told her the truth? (Did he even know the truth?) Regardless of what the real answers were, it was clear that that man was responsible for the terrible incidences. And that little girl and his angel were at that man's mercy.

He broke into a run, dashing towards the forest.

He didn't know where he was going, that was the most frightening part. But he was determined, desperate to find her before it was too late. Where would she look first? Inspiration struck and he raced to the clearing where the animals had been found. He looked around the area intently, searching for possible clues. Had she passed this way? There didn't seem to be anything indicating she had. The ground was ashy and mostly undisturbed since the initial incident. Even the animals had stayed away. He noted the broken twigs of bordering bushes and the light half-prints in the grayish dust. At any rate, someone had been here recently. He followed the tracks the forest. Whoever it was hadn't taken the time to cover her tracks (he was hoping it'd be this easy) and so was relatively easy to traces hidden among the foliage.

Agitation hurried his pace. Would he never reach her? The trail stretched on. The fear was becoming overwhelming. What would he find? His angel and the little girl trussed up and sacrificed in another crazy attempt to reach heaven? His creative mind could already see the possibilities and all of them had blood everywhere. He picked up the pace.