I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW FROM THE STORY!

Chapter Seven

Problems here and there

"So, she kicked your ass, did she?"

"No."

…

"She did though, didn't she?"

"No!" Shinji growled at the woman walking beside him. "I let her win."

Natora gave him a disbelieving look. "Sure you did."

"Can it, Umio!" Shinji hissed, clenching a fist.

Natora gave a laugh before shaking her head. "So, Hiromi was allowed to make a 14th Squad, was she? That's surprising. It's been the 13 Court Guard Squad since, will, forever. I never thought that Genrysai would change that, even for his granddaughter."

"It was because it was his granddaughter." Shinji told her. "The old man may have hated the man that his daughter married, but he does feel responsible for her killing herself afterwards. He feels that if he had done something after his death, like take better care of her instead of just continuing on with his work, he would have been able to save his daughter. He doesn't want to see that happening to the last member of his family and will bend his knee to anything Hiromi wants, no matter how foolish of insane he may think it is."

Natora closed her eyes for a moment and let the words sink in. Shinji had a point. She could understand Genrysai being worried about his granddaughter, but…

"Hiromi's not that foolish." She told her Captain. "She may have pulled back after her mother's death for a while, but she came back. She is stronger than her mother ever was and moving forward to ask, let alone create, her own Squad just proves that." She gave an excited grin. "I can't wait to see how far she takes it."

Shinji gave a frown. "Good or bad, it doesn't matter at the moment. What does matter is the mission we are on…"So, what mission is it that we're talking about again?" Shinji asked.

Natora rolled her eyes, but gave a small laugh, as she explained everything to her Captain. "There have been attacks all over Karakura Town these last few weeks. Same casualties and everything. There has been one report, from a Soul Reaper who barely escaped one of the fights, that the attacker is a set of two. A young woman and…"

"And what?" Shinji asked her.

Natora paused in her steps. "A strange black creature. He claimed that the creature held a human-like form with spikes and a tail."

Shinji frowned. "And where is this man now?"

"He seemed to have died from some kind of poison he acquired from the said battle. It sent him into a rage, trying to attack everyone before it killed him. We believe that he went crazy and that's where the others believe the spew of the black creature came."

He glanced at his partner. "And you don't?"

Natora was silent for a moment, her brow furrowed. "I'm not…sure."

"Well, tell me what you think."

"When I heard the story of the creature, I instantly thought of the Bounts."

"The Bounts?" Shinji asked, raising a brow. Natora quickly explained the events that Ran'Tao had gone through to create the said Bounts, the humans that could continue to live, and increase their abilities, by consuming other human/Shinigami/Quincy souls. "Ran'Tao made them through an accidental explosion during an experiment. The woman was mixing the slow-aging Shinigami souls and the human souls and created them."

Shinji remembered something about this a few years ago. "And then Genrysai exiled them from the Society, right?"

"Indeed," Natora nodded. "Each Bount was believed to be destroyed, but there's always a few that come back in the future to bite us in the ass, you know?"

Shinji gave a sigh and continued to walk down the road. "There's always a problem here and there; they're everywhere." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Speaking of which, how has Aizen been?"

"The same as always," Natora answered him. "He's a fast learner with the job he has been given and has kept everything inline. The Squad loves him."

"And you?"

Natora gave another frown. "He's a pleasant person, kind and smart and easy to talk to, but I trust your feelings before I do him. If you say there's a problem with him, Captain, then I will believe there is."

Shinji gave a grin. "And that's why you're mine, little phoenix."

She paused for a moment, staring at the blond man. "What?"

"Where are we on the Squad Barracks rebuilding?" Shinji asked her.

She stared at him for a moment longer before wiping that from her head. "Uh, nearly done," Aizen may have been the Lieutenant to Squad 5 now, but Shinji received the reports and updates from Natora before he did from the other man. "Just another day or two, depending on how fast the workers move."

"Well, have them work faster. I'm tired of looking through half-made walls and seeing naked men." Shinji grunted.

~I agree there~ Natora grunted herself. That was one of the main reasons Shinji had been sleeping in her family home these last few weeks. His complaining over the naked men running around the Barracks were beginning to annoy her.

"Oh, Captain, I heard that a new Captain had been given to Squad 12 as well," She decided to change the subject.

"Ah, yes, that was at the ceremony the other day, too." Shinji nodded. "Kirio was promoted to the Royal Guard. Kisuke Urahara has been given the title of Captain."

"Urahara?" Natora sounded surprised. "From Squad 2?"

Shinji glanced at her. "You've met?"

"No, but I've heard of him through Chisa. He's been friends with Captain Shihoin since they were kids and that led him to become Seat 3 of the 2nd Squad and head of the Onmitsukido's Detention Unit." She then slapped a hand to her face. "Oh Lord, Hiyori's gonna be pissed!"

"I explained things along those lines to Urahara last night," Shinji told her. "Also a few pointers on how to be a Captain."

"Taking advice from you would only make things worse, Shinji."

The blond man frowned at her. "Do you have to be so mean?" He sighed as they finally came to a stop outside of Squad 5. "If you're so worried about it, why don't you go pay a visit and make sure the brat's not causing a problem?"

"What?" She hadn't been expecting that.

"It's not like there's anything for you to do here today, not until the Barracks are finished, anyway. An introduction to the new Captain could be a good idea." Natora stared at him for a moment. He gave a sigh. "It's an assignment, Natora."

"It's a stupid one."

"Just go do it, will you?!" Shinji growled. "Before I make you!"

Natora gave a huff. "It's still stupid." She turned and left the gate, giving a small giggle at the sound of Shinji cursing after her.

It was a stupid assignment. He should have told her to do that this morning before they left the Umio Manor since it was close to the 12th Squad Barracks. Now she had to walk all the way back to her home and even further to the other Barracks. At least walking with Shinji was entertaining. Now she didn't have anyone to talk to.

The last few years that she had been in Squad 5, Natora had been pleased with being close with Shinji Hirako. He had become a good friend to her. A close friend. Someone that she knew she could trust. Hell, she found herself trusting Shinji even more than she did Chisa and Hiromi. Shinji had become an important person in her life, and not just because he was her Captain. He had become someone that Natora couldn't see her living without…

Was that too serious to say? Too serious to think that? It wasn't too far to go, was it? Shinji was important to her, no doubt, but one she couldn't live without? Maybe she was thinking a bit too hard on that part.

"Can I help you?"

The voice ripped her from her thoughts and she found herself standing before a man just outside of the gates of the 12th Squad. "Yes, I was looking for the new Captain of Squad 12," She took another look at the man before her. "And it seems that I have found him."

Kisuke Urahara gave a laugh as he scratched the back of his head. "Indeed you have."

Kisuke was a tall, lean-built man with light skin and gray eyes. His hair was a light blond with strands framing the sides of his face and hanging between his eyes. He seemed to be a nervous, flustered and rather quiet person. He held a feeling that he was unsure of himself and lacked confidence. It made him seem adorable and Natora wanted to hug him like a teddy bear.

"I am Natora Umio, 3rd Seat to Squad 5." She held a hand out to the man.

"3rd Seat to Captain Hirako, huh?" Kisuke took her hand. "Is there something that I can help you with?"

"No, not really. Shinji just sent me here to introduce myself to you and…" She glanced around. "Where is Hiyori?"

Kisuke gave a nervous chuckle. "Uh, she ran off a little while ago. We just returned from the Maggot's Nest with Captain Yamamoto."

"The Maggot's Nest? With Yamamoto?" Natora sounded shocked. "What was he…" She paused. "Do you mean the old man? Or his granddaughter?"

Kisuke gave another laugh. "Captain Hiromi, I mean. I asked her to go with me and Hiyori this morning."

Natora tilted her head to the side for a moment, thinking. "What were you doing in the Maggot's Nest, if I may ask?"

Kisuke opened his eyes. "Nothing too much. Just gathering a few…new seats."

"From the Maggot's Nest?" She asked again. She then shrugged before he could reply. "Whatever you want to do with your Squad is up to you, I won't judge or invade." She was glad when he gave her a smile. "Anyway, I'm sure my Captain sent me here as reassurance issue to you."

"Reassurance?"

"Yeah. Now that Kirio has been promoted, Hiyori's going to be a pain in the ass." From the look that Kisuke gave her, she knew that the little brat had already started her troubles for the new captain. "If you ever need any help with that brat, just let me know."

"Ah, yes," Kisuke nodded. "I believe that Hiromi mentioned introducing you last night. She also told me that contacting you was a good idea if Hiyori ever became a real problem to me."

~Hiromi…~ That thought made Natora smile.

"I believe that I'll be able to handle Hiyori," Kisuke was saying. "But if it ever does get too serious, you can be sure that you're the first one that I will come into contact with."

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