Gin and Sakura sat together at lunch that day, studying one last time before the test next period. Renji and Ichigo were pretty vocal about their disapproval, but shut up when Rangiku threatened them – with what Sakura didn't know and she didn't want to know; it was Rangiku so it probably involved a hell of a lot of discomfort and humiliation. She sent a nod in the busty blonde's direction as silent thanks. When the bell rang, Sakura packed up her books and the remainders of her lunch.
"Well, it's now or never," she muttered as she opened the door to room 214.
Gin chuckled, "Ya gonna be fine, Sakura."
"Thanks," she smiled up at him, "Same to you, but you know that already, don't you?"
He just smirked and ruffled her hair, "Thanks anyway."
They sat at their lab tables, the dividers up to prevent cheating. Sakura took a deep breath as the tests were handed out. She scribbled her name on it and started answering the fifty questions that made up the chapter 1 test.
Sakura finished the test with twenty minutes to spare. She double checked her answers, was satisfied and set her completed packet on their sensei's desk. The kind woman smiled at her and took the test and began to grade it. Sakura gave a small bow and went back to her desk, pulling her sketch book from her bag and working on her drawing some more, covering it when Gin finished his test and got up to turn it in. She was sure that he either took his sweet time with it or just sat there, looking like he was still testing. Maybe he's like me and likes to wait until someone else turns in their test first…she wondered. Gin patted her shoulder when he came back to his seat and pulled out some paperwork from a manila folder with the Gotei 13 and Third Division stamps on the tab.
Must be that formal complaint, it looks like the right form. She had seen the formal complaint forms before, her father had taught her how to fill them out years ago, and her suspicions were confirmed when she caught a glimpse of the bright red band at the top of the paper. She uncovered her drawing and continued working, keeping the blank paper at hand in case Gin decided to be nosy. A week ago she had thought that it was almost done, but she had learned much about Gin since then – from the point that she met Shinsō and officially found out that he was a part of the Gotei, the picture was far from complete.
Once their teacher had announced that all of the tests were in and that they could speak to each other quietly, Gin peered around Sakura's blinder. The blinders would be left up for the next class.
"Whatcha doin'?" he asked her, trying to get a glimpse of the picture as she slid it blank paper over her drawing.
"Working," she snapped. "Do you mind?"
"Touchy," he chuckled. "C'mon, ya can tell me."
She looked him dead in the eye and swatted his hand away when he tried to snatch the paper. "It's a pet peeve of mine to show off incomplete work. Nose out, Gin."
He just stared at the sketchbook, most likely trying to figure out a way to steal her paper – she was sure of it. Before he could make a move, she slammed the black book shut and locked it.
"Where th' hell did tha' come from?" he studied the padlock she had just pulled out of seemingly thin air.
She pulled back her sleeve, showing off the bracelet that Grimmjow gave her. "I hang it on the chain. Open of course – just in case someone nosy wants to get into my book."
"Ya know, ya cute when ya glare like tha'," he ruffled her hair again.
"Will you stop that? It takes me half an hour to tame my hair in the morning; I don't need you messing it up."
"Touchy, touchy," he replied. "Fine."
They sat in silence for about two minutes before Sakura broke it, "So how's Shinsō?"
Gin smiled, "She's okay. I think she misses you – she's hard to read sometimes, even for me."
"I bet," she grinned. "Especially when she lives with you." She looked up at the clock, there was five minutes left in the period.
"Is tha' supposed ta be an insult?" he quirked an eyebrow.
"It's a fact," Sakura smirked. "Just a fact."
When the bell rang, they both left laughing lightly.
"I'll see you later Gin," she said as she turned to go to her next class.
"See ya," he waved, "Bye-bye!"
"Why do you always do that?" she called after him. He just grinned, shrugged and waved again.
Sakura walked down the hall to go to her locker, chuckling to herself. She out her biochemistry books away and grabbed her history books and went to class. When she got there however, the principal told her that her grandfather was down in the conference room and had requested her presence.
"And do you know where Ichimaru Gin is this period?" he asked.
"He's in AP calculus, room 325," she replied. "Why?"
"His presence is also requested," he told her. "Our computers have crashed so we couldn't access his schedule and your grandfather asked me not to use the PA system."
"Of course, that is not surprising from Yamamoto-jiisan," Sakura nodded. "Would you like me to retrieve Ichimaru-san?"
"Hai," the principal nodded and handed her an armband. It was a Gotei honorary armband. The Gotei diamond was stitched in white thread, making in stand out from the black band, and there was a purple chrysanthemum inside the square – the flower and color signifying the first division. She slid it on her arm; she was used to wearing it when meeting with her grandfather in a formal situation. This will also tell any teacher or student that she was on a mission and was all business. She gave a short bow to the principal, turned to their sensei and asked if there were any homework. He handed her the required papers and told her what pages to read. She thanked him, bowed, and put the papers in her folder. Before she left, the principal handed her a white piece of clothing. She immediately recognized it as Gin's haori. She thanked him, went to her locker and put her books and bag in it. Kyōraku Sakura strode quickly to room 325 and knocked urgently. The teacher opened the door, and Sakura bowed.
"I apologize for the intrusion, but Ichimaru-taichou needs to report to the office for a meeting with Yamamoto-sou-taichou, immediately," she said, all business. The teacher looked surprised as Gin stood up, collected his things, asked after the homework and approached Sakura.
She held out the haori with great reverence, "Ichimaru-taichou, this is yours."
"Thank you Kyōraku-san," he said, smiling and took the coat from her. At her insistence, he gave her his small stack of books and folders, and put on the haori. He took his books back. Sakura thought the haori looked funny over his school clothes, but didn't mention it. A haori was a haori – it mattered not the clothes underneath it.
"This way," she said and motioned for him to follow her. They strode down the hall, the air around them commanding and scared more than one poor freshman. They entered the conference room and bowed before Yamamoto Genryūsai.
"Ichimaru, sit. Sakura, come here." He told them gruffly. Gin sat across from Seventh Division Captain Nagakura Shin. The seventh division was in charge of shipping things out of the Gotei and receives packages – most of it dangerous, potentially illegal or in some places in Japan, downright contraband. As Sakura liked to say, "You look up 'idiot' or 'stupidity' or 'laziness incarnate' and you'll find Nagakura Shin at the top of the list of 'idiots supreme'."
Sakura knew that her presence was probably not required, more likely just a chance to learn about relations in the Gotei, and stood silently as Yamamoto asked each captain what was going on and why Ichimaru was issuing a recall of all containers of poison batch no. 294. Gin explained how the batch had been sent out prematurely and how he had received no paperwork to authorize the shipment. As the captain's began a heated discussion – Nagakura Shin wailing like a little kid and Gin frowning and telling him off while Yamamoto looked on, prepared to shut them up with force if need be – Sakura noticed a shady figure hanging around the conference room.
"Excuse me sir," she placed a hand on her adopted-grandfather's shoulder, "I must check on something." She strode over to the door, opened it rather harshly and glared at the man before her.
"Ah, Kyōraku-chan," he greeted, smiling. "How are you? I'm here to see your grandfather."
"He's in an important meeting, whatever it is Kurotsuchi – it can wait." She snapped.
"Oh, but this is important too," Mayuri told her. He wasn't wearing his usual makeup or headpiece so it had taken her a moment to recognize him.
"Wait here; I will consult Yamamoto-sama." She swept back into the room, and whispered the situation to her grandfather.
"Tell him to wait. Stand guard," he told her shortly and gave her the other orders. "Thank you Sakura." She bowed and stood outside the door at attention.
"He will see you when he is through, not a moment before. You are ordered to remain where you are and refrain from inducing panic or any of your other usual mischief," she barked. She'd be damned if anyone ever said that she couldn't take command of a situation.
He grinned evilly at her and took a few steps closer, a hand reached out towards her. She immediately went into a defensive stance, "You are ordered to remain where you are – insubordination will result in punishment."
"Citing regulations to a superior officer could also be taken as insubordination," he cooed, a hand gripping her chin.
"I am not officially a member of the Gotei and these orders come directly from the Captain Commander himself. You will let me go and you will maintain your distance," she hissed loudly through clenched teeth, "Or I will have to resort to force."
He quickly tried pinning her to the wall with one arm and went for her armband with the other. She retaliated harshly, elbowing him in the face and stepping on his foot, followed by a hard punch to his groin.
The two captains and the captain commander all rushed to see what the commotion was, only to find a seething Sakura and an injured Mayuri. The captain of the 12th division was on the ground, in the fetal position and clutching his groin – pain etched on that normally-mocking face. Even Gin grimaced at this scene. Yamamoto put a hand on Sakura's shoulder.
"On your feet captain," Yamamoto barked, "What is so important that you must harass my granddaughter?"
Sakura looked over at her adopted grandfather, "Yamamoto-jiisan, may I go get some air?"
He nodded, "You're excused." He watched her go and turned to Gin, "Ichimaru go with her – keep her in check."
"Hai," Gin bowed and hurried after Sakura, who he found in an abandoned corridor, alternating between punching the walls and kicking the forgotten lockers. The only light there was came in from the windows of the empty classrooms.
She heard him before she saw him, "Go away Gin."
"Ya know I can't do tha' Sakura, an' stop playin' bloody knuckles – who knows what is on tha' wall. Ya can get an infection an' tha' ain't pretty," he told her firmly, catching her slightly bloody fist in his palm. "What happened?"
"I gave him his orders and he defied them," she snapped.
"An' then what?" his smile was nowhere in sight. He placed both hands on her shoulders, "What did he do ta ya?"
"He pinned me to the wall and tried to grab my armband," she muttered. It wasn't so much the armband that pissed her off – it was that he had tried dominating her. She would never submit to such a horrible creature.
"Fuckin' asshole – now he's messin' with ya…" Gin growled. Now he wanted to punch the wall.
"He's been messing with me for years – I'm used to it." Sakura huffed, rolling her eyes.
"Tha' asshole's been in my division ruinin' my poisons and alterin' recipes. He needs ta learn where his place is – an' it ain't in my division damn it," He took his hands off of her shoulders and turned around in fury, pacing and running his hands through his hair. Gin was glaring in the general direction of the conference room.
Sakura looked up in sympathy, "I'm not the only one that he messes with then."
"Hell no."
"You're pissed."
"Fuck yes."
"Gin, look at me." She coaxed. "We need a plan if we're going to bring the curtain down on him. Harassing me is just rude and annoying, but if he's interfering with your division he needs to be stopped. I can help you – if you let me."
"How?" Gin looked at her seriously, eyes still shut.
"I have an idea – but I need a little time to poke around. We can't talk here anyway, someone may overhear us if they come looking," she told him quietly, but fiercely. He nodded in agreement and watched as she walked down the crumbling hall.
"Why do they keep this place?" Gin asked. "It's nasty."
"Yeah and I'm sure a bunch of druggies like it – but it looks nice on the outside, so why let the world know that the old wing is falling apart? Besides, it's nice – a good place to get away and think. Well, at least when there isn't a horny couple around. I'd love to run a blacklight over this place and see what we'd find," she sniggered. Gin chuckled too.
"How did ya find it?" he asked. "I never knew it existed…"
"I got lost trying to find my class – no one was around, I figured it was because of class. Well, I found this," she stretched her arms out. "At the time I was too worried about being late to class to explore, so I came back after class ended and when the janitor found me wandering around I told him I got lost."
"It's a strange place…" Gin muttered.
"I like strange places – who knows what surprises you can find? There might even be buried treasure," she grinned.
"I highly doubt tha'," he snorted.
She smiled and walked up to him, "It's a place of secrets."
"What kind of secrets?" Gin asked.
"All secrets. Secrets made, secrets shared – secrets that would be better off left alone. I found a skeleton in here before." She raised a finger to her lips and gave him a wicked look. "Everyone that comes here has some sort of secret – whether they know it or not."
"What's ya secret?" he asked in a low whisper.
Sakura grinned such a little sadistic grin that it made Gin a little nervous, "I don't know – but that's what I'm trying to figure out." She giggled and ran off into the darkness.
He grew nervous as he lost sight of her, "Sakura – this ain't funny. Ya can get hurt in here. C'mon Sakura, we need ta get back."
She grinned at him in the darkness, knowing full well that he couldn't see her. "They'll find us when they're ready," she called out. Sakura stepped into the light and giggled. "So what's your secret Gin?" she giggled again and ran off into the darkness – and this time he followed her.
