Sorry it took me so long and don't blame my late chapter on my report for that wasn't entirely the only reason this is late. I went back on some of my chapters and did some re-writing. Not much changed, I put in some little tidbits is all, and in Before the Dawn I put in a little snippet of Kiyoko hearing someone in the halls, and almost getting caught. Also, my family got a puppy! Well, sorta it adopted us. You see, we think someone dumped it near our town and because it is the coldest part of winter (-10, -20 on average during the day) we took it in. It's been hectic, the puppy isn't house trained and hasn't got house manners.

Thank you Edge-Keen Blade for the extra boost to finally motivate me to finish writing this chapter.

Important! I just realized that I've only told you once what Kiyoko's zanpaku-to's name is. Well, it's Remitora(thunder tiger…at least, I hope that's what it means. I don't speak Japanese ! ) Also, I figured out how to let every body (not just the people who are logged in) review! YEAH!! Everybody can review!!

Anyway! ON with the chapter!!

PS: My proofreader hasn't been able to read this and tell me the problems (her computers a little…dead), SO once again, brace yourself!!!!! I reread it a few times, but I usually miss things.

(I don't know a song that fits this one)

The man's eyes sparkled as a small fire of hope was reignited. His lips parted and he whispered, "Kuchiki,"

Kiyoko's eyes widened. Did he just call her Kuchiki?

No, why would he call her that, she wasn't a member of the clan.

"What?" replied a voice from behind her.

A familiar sensation trickled down her spine; she felt reiatsu at her back. Feebly she peered over her shoulder to ensure if anyone else was present. Her gaze fell upon a suave man with smooth black hair that was clipped deliberately so that it fell in front of his inscrutable face. Around his neck was a delicate light azure scarf with newly tattered ends. The noble blue eyes of Byakuya Kuchiki were glaring, silently commanding her to depart and leave the two men alone.

Kiyoko felt her face grow warm and red; if the man wasn't talking to her, why was she still standing there in-between the two males?

"Sorry," she turned back to the man in front of her. "I thought you were…" She tried to finish explaining, but she couldn't think of anything to say.

The man's mouth was agape and his eyes were wide in shock. A confused expression took the place of the hopeful one.

Kiyoko's face grew warmer; did he just notice her? If she hadn't said anything, would he have noticed her? Lowering her head in shame, she scurried away with her head facing to the floor to avoid awkward eye contact.

Keeping her face down, she half walked-half sprinted away from the men. Maybe she could have just sneaked away without being seen, instead of pulling the attention to her. Why did she even think that he was talking to her? Maybe, she supposed, it was because she hoped that he was from her past, but that couldn't be possible.

Kiyoko barely got five feet from the men when…

"AH!"

…her gracefulness failed her. Due to not paying attention to anything, she somehow managed to trip over herself and land face first into the ground. Once she got herself to her knees, someone grabbed her arm to help her up. Startled she faced the helper.

The chestnut haired man.

"Are you alright?" his voice was filled with sheer concern.

She looked into his eyes, "Yeah, I'm fine." She answered climbing fully to an upright position, not leaving his green gaze.

"Good, so why didn't you…"

Byakuya walked up behind him and place a hand on his shoulder. The man stopped mid-sentence and looked at him. Byakuya whispered something too quiet for Kiyoko to hear. When he was done talking, Byakuya walked away.

Blankly, she stared at strangers face. For the first time she took in his appearance. He was looking at his feet with his hands clasped behind his back. Dazzling green eyes could barely be seen though his chestnut bangs. His elegantly angled face was framed brilliantly by lively chestnut hair. He wasn't wearing a shinigami uniform, instead he wore an expensive men's kimono.

Kiyoko's eyes widened. The man that stood before her was a noble.

"So, you're talented in kido." he said confidently looking up.

Kido? What a strange way to start a conversation, let alone say to someone you've never met.

"Well, you're not wearing a sword, so wouldn't that make you talented in kido?" he continued.

What? Not wearing a sword. Kiyoko checked her hip.

No zanpaku-to.

"SHIT! Where did Remitora go?!"

"WHAT!"

Well aware that she just swore in front of a noble and a complete stranger, she franticly glanced up and down the halls. She didn't care what he thought; she'd have to worry about that later. Right now she needed to be fully focused on the current situation-the war. In order to do this, she needed to discard everything that didn't have to do with it. But also, she needed to have her sword which happened to be no where in sight.

"I have to go." She hastily excused herself before running down the hall.

"Wait! I'll help you." He called after her.

"No thanks."

She didn't require his help; she could find Remitora herself. Even though she knew very little about nobles, she knew he probably would tell her to calm down and think. That technique would be quicker than hers (running around until she found what she was looking for), she didn't want to be near him any longer than necessary. She just had the most embarrassing moment of her life, and he witnessed it. Heck, he was the reason for it! If he hadn't been looking over her shoulder, she wouldn't have been confused and this whole ordeal would have been prevented.

Not only all of this embarrassment, but now she didn't know the battle plan. What was she to do? She could just trail everybody else, but if they split in group, where does she go? Would it even matter if there was an extra person in one group and one less in another? It probably wouldn't, but it might perplex a few people.

"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!"

"Sorry!"

She finally came to the place where her sword lay. Foolishly she had left Remitora in the middle of the hall where she had been trying to sleep earlier. She lifted the blade from the floor and strapped it to her hip. Now ready for battle, she followed the crowd with her eyes down as if she were headed to her end.

In truth, they all were.

With their small force they really weren't any challenge for the arrancar. That was already established in the first battle that killed so many of the shinigami; Yurie among those numbers. Her voice still rang strong in Kiyoko's mind. The last words Yurie spoke were the only ones she couldn't recall. She didn't believe that the last time they saw each other would truly be their last. Luck, like all the other times, would help them get to the end of whatever lay before them, but luck failed them this time revealing disastrous consequence.

Yurie was destroyed by the phantom arrancar.

Until now he had never crossed Kiyoko's mind, she had only thought of her friend. What would Yurie think of her now? Not morning, even thinking of her, and currently holding her head down in shame? But, shame of what? Not being able to defeat the phantom arrancar when she had the chance, or not being able to save her friend? She couldn't save Yurie anymore, that chance passed, but she was being given another chance to fight and obliterate the arrancar that disrupted Yurie's life.

That chance wasn't ever going to pass again.

She followed the group for what seemed like hours. They had passed almost four exits, and yet kept walking. Fully confused, Kiyoko finally decided to ask someone for the plan. She didn't know anybody who was in front of her, except for the chestnut haired man who was at least thirty feet ahead. She glanced over her shoulder. She was at the tail end of the group, only five other people followed behind her. Among the five there were two that she knew. Captain Hitsugaya and Matsumoto were at the very end of the line, trailing ten feet behind the last person in front of them.

Kiyoko slowed her pace, allowing the other three people to pass her.

"Matsumoto stop it!"

The two were now close enough for her to clearly hear.

"But Captain, you can't fight very well with a crick in your neck." Matsumoto whined.

"Right now I prefer it than you!" he snapped, irritation rising in his voice. "STOP TOUCHING ME!"

"Jeez, you're cranky today." Matsumoto pouted.

"…What are you so happy about?" Hitsugaya changed the subject.

"I don't know," she pondered, "maybe because this war will be over and we can go about our usual routines, and finally sleep in our own beds!"

Rangiku had been acting happy (considering the situation) because of this war plan. Why didn't Kiyoko pay attention?! The strategy must be specifically designed so that the small group could manipulate Aizens larger one. It must be complicated, too complicated for her to cheat her way into it.

"Don't get your hopes too high Matsumoto. I'm personally not confident about this."

"CAPTAIN!"

There was a hard thud and an audible "OW".

Startled, Kiyoko looked back at the two. Rangiku towered above the white head of her captain with her fist raised.

"DON'T SAY THINGS LIKE THAT! Let me go into this fight with a happy state mind."

Hitsugaya tenderly rubbed the top of his throbbing head and shot an cold glare at Rangiku. He regained his composition and stood up strait with his arms crossed, "Fine,"

Matsumoto lowered her fist, "Good."

There was a pause between the captain and lieutenant in which they shot death glares at each other. Unsure if she should talk to either, Kiyoko took a few hesitant steps towards them. The sudden movement caught Hitsugaya's attention and his cold eyes moved to her. Rangiku realized something amiss when her Captain and she too looked at the new arrival.

Felling the awkward attention now focused on her, Kiyoko couldn't think of what to say. She had just interrupted their argument and was just stupidly gawking at them, "Um…"

"Kiyoko?" Rangiku uttered, slightly tilting her head to the side.

"Sorry, I did't mean to interrupt," she began to fiddle with her sleeves, "but, um… I was, er…You see, I didn't…um… Earlier I…" the right words escaped her. Once she had an idea of what to say, her thoughts shifted. How hard was it to say I wasn't paying attention to the battle strategy because I was too busy staring at a man who wasn't looking at me? Could you tell me the plan? But for some reason that simple explanation was the hardest thing to confess.

Hitsugaya's face showed no sign of comprehension, "I didn't catch that."

"Me neither." Rangiku agreed, thoroughly confused.

Once again Kiyoko tried to explain, "I… there was this…so I didn't…and now…"

Yet again she received bewildered expressions.

"I…" sighing she faced the ground, "Do you know the battle plan?"

"Yes," Hitsugaya replied, lifting an eyebrow, "Why don't you?"

Kiyoko closed her eyes. She was hoping he wouldn't ask that. "Well…"

"She was busy flirting." Rangiku simply blurted.

"Seriously," he groaned through clenched teeth. He unfolded his arms and walked in the direction of the others, "We have to get going, we'll explain on the way." Once he finished, Hitsugaya continued to walk past Kiyoko.

She turned and followed, "Where are we going?"

"First division." Rangiku answered from behind.

Kiyoko faced her, "Why?"

"So," Hitsugaya began, making her turn her head again, "we don't waist our time on pointless battles."

"Yeah," Rangiku continued, "we can't deplete our energy on the unimportant fights. We need it for the fights that might actually end the war."

"...okay,"

"The whole plan is to attack the main building where Aizen resides, in one swift instant." Hitsugaya explained.

Kiyoko frowned, "That's not much of a plan."

"That's why I'm not confident about it."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! And you guys thought she was a Kuchiki!! (falls over laughing)…who knows, maybe I'm tricking you? It will all be revealed later.

Once again everybody, I'm sorry for the long wait on this chapter. Also, I had a bad case of writer's block, so I hope that it isn't apparent.

Whatever!

Please review!!!!