AUTHOR TIME: SO who loved that cliffy last chappie? I DO! (Aprilup is pelted by rotten tomatoes) OKOK! I get it, on with the story!

DISCLAIMER: Well, sometimes I forget this guy even exists . . . no offence but he's quite boring and dumb.

TOSEN: Who are you?

APRILUP: Sigh, I'm a crazy fangirl. But I'm not your crazy fangirl.

TOSEN: Are seeking to mess with my justice?

APRILUP: Yep, I knew this was a bad idea getting you to say the disclaimer.

TOSEN: Disclaimer?

APRILUP: Aprilup does not own Bleach. There, you can go now, you useless thing.

TOSEN: . . .

APRILUP: WHOAH! WHAT HAPPENED? I CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING! I CAN'T FEEL ANYTHING! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?

TOSEN: . . .

Chapter 7: Shiawase (Happiness)

~The one thing we wish for, the only thing we long for, we can never attain for otherwise, why else would we call it an impossible dream?~

Rukia sighed.

As much as she liked coming to the Living World, she still missed her home. Soul Society is the place where she grew up and all the people she cared about are still there. Briefly, she wondered how angry her brother would be at her for running away but she dismissed it. There were more important things at hand. Something felt wrong, she couldn't explain it but she had that nagging feeling in the back of her head and it just wouldn't go away.

She flexed her gigai hands and winced as she tried to get over the stiffness and soreness that spread. The body was getting slower and heavier to move; and it didn't seem like her powers were going to return anytime soon. She was going to be here for quite a while. Nonetheless a smile flittered to her face; at least she would be entertained by that kid she saved last night. Who would have thought he was that strong? His sheer amount of brute strength was so strong, it blocked out all other thoughts in her mind. And just for a second that night, she had felt herself calmer than she ever had.

Still it was a little lonely. With no Sode no Shirayuki to talk to about what had happened, Rukia felt lost. She shifted of the ledge she was sitting on and straightened her skirt. Her hand went to her red bow and fixed it from the crooked angle; everything had to look real and perfect. She grabbed her bag and started skipping down the road. Her shoes barely making a sound as it touched the ground.

The smirk never left her lips, even when she entered the school. It didn't disappear when she entered the room. She made her way carefully but surely up the room where he was. He was impossible to miss, what with that impressive height and terrifying scowl; and don't even mention the fact that his hair was a bright shade of orange. Taking a breath to steady her heart she tapped him on the shoulder.

He turned with an annoyed expression on his face which turned to surprise and shock as soon as he saw her. Inside, she grinned but outside she maintained her good girl act. Rukia stretched out her hand with the already written message and smiled as creepily as she possibly could at him. She just loved his dumbfounded face as he looked at her message; it looked familiar somehow. . .

"Nice to meet you."

With the hand that was free she reached out and gathered her skirt and then gave a well-executed curtsey. Ichigo's mouth was opening and closing; making him look like a dying fish.

"I don't believe we've met before, I'm Kuchiki Rukia."

Ichigo was stunned speechless for a while but then he returned.

"WHAT THE HELL?"

Rukia kicked him inconspicuously on the knee. When she heard him wince and scowl even harder at her she felt a giddy, childish sense of accomplishment well up in her; as well as something she hadn't experienced for so long, she had almost forgotten how it felt and the fact that it had existed in the first place.

Kuchiki Rukia was happy.


Gin watched and thought quietly to himself as he waited for Aizen to appear. It was odd; he had watched the moment when that boy had turned into a Soul Reaper and it surprised him that Aizen didn't notice something that was so obvious. The hollow had a second eye which recorded everything that happened; Aizen saw it live.

It must feel nice, Gin thought, seeing your plan unfold perfectly before your eyes. But how would it feel if your plans went completely wrong?

"Gin."

He looked up and unfolded his arms.

"Wha' issit Aizen taicho? Aren't things going well?"

"Yes. But not quite."

Gin's eyebrows rose slightly. What a rare occasion, Aizen admitting something went wrong.

"Well, well. Wha' can I do abou' it?"

"Tell your Vice Captain that tonight might be a good night to go out, he might want to check on his best friend."

Gin's face didn't change but inside, confusion reigned.

"Ah, abou' tha'. Ya see, he already has gone with Ran-chan."

"Then kindly pass the message onto her too."

Her too?

"O'course."

Aizen turned and left.

So even now, ya still don't trust me? Well, ya have a good reason to.

But he had a trump card. He knew something that Aizen didn't and that might be so vital. Aizen had always underestimated the power of feelings; how stupid, it's going to be his downfall. How could he not notice or consider the fact that he had put a female Shinigami to do the job. Any two who goes through so much together would be bonded together in some way. It's not going easy to take them apart though it had been easy to put them together. And that boy didn't seem like the type to abandon his friends.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Gin headed towards the pub where Matsumoto would definitely be having a fun time with Izuru and the other Vice Captains. He had to know why Aizen passed that message along. Why wouldn't Aizen send him to end whatever problem there was?

"Ara . . . wha' a mess. But ya got yaself into this ya know, Gin."

He quietly scolded himself.


"Where's Hinamori? What are you?"

Hinamori cocked her head sideways, he mouth slightly open, as if curious to find out what Hitsugaya was doing. She frowned as Hitsugaya's voice rose louder and louder.

"Answer me!"

Baring her teeth, she pulled out Tobiume and charged at Hitsugaya.

"DIE!"

Hitsugaya had pulled out his sword and had managed to hold it up vertically to block the oncoming blow but it never came. The intense heat from the flames of Tobiume sparked just centimetres away from Hyorinmaru but the blade never came any closer. Hinamori's hand was trembling as she held her zanpakuto making the flames shiver too. It seemed to him that she was wrestling with herself somehow; half of her wanted to move and the other half wanted to stay.

"Hinamori?"

What could he do? He can't raise Hyorinmaru against her; he'll have to think of some other way. As he pondered on how to go about saving Hinamori, Hinamori herself was in her inner world.


"Tobiume? What's going on? Why am I here?"

The spirit didn't respond she just stood there looking blankly ahead; not even registering that Hinamori was in her inner world. Hinamori turned to where Tobiume was looking and gasped.

"Wh-what is that?"

A black hole had opened up in the inner world and it was slowly sucking up everything near it and becoming bigger and bigger. With each petal swallowed it grew in size but there was still a long way to go before the inner world was completely overwhelmed.

"Momo."

Tobiume had turned to Hinamori, finally showing Momo her front.

"What happened?" Momo cried.

Tobiume was bleeding from her cuts that covered her legs and torso; the beautiful kimono was in shreds and falling apart.

"It's nothing. Momo, tell me, where were you and who were you with before you came?"

"Hitsugaya-kun. In his office."

Tobiume's eyes widened and suddenly her body jerked forward, blood pouring out of her mouth. She pushed an already soaked sleeve against her mouth and closed her eyes in pain.

"T-that's not good. You must go back to him."

"Why? How? Tobiume, please tell me what's going on!"

But Tobiume only shook her head.

"Go. I will deal with this. Go and tell him that nothing is wrong."

"But I-"

"LEAVE!"

Tobiume lifted her sleeves up, grimacing as she did so, and flicked her hands towards Hinamori. Another shower of plum blossoms fell from the trees and swirled around Hinamori, taking her back to her body.

"I'm sorry. But he cannot know what has happened."

Tobiume bowed her head.

"Forgive me, Momo. It is for both your sakes."


Kira walked slowly with Matsumoto towards her Cpatain's office. He kept on shooting looks of worry and confusion at her but she just ignored them all and kept walking ahead. Ichimaru's words were still in his head as they approached the doors.

"Ran-chan. Izuru. I think, ya might wanna check on ya friends who ain't with ya tonight."

Rangiku narrowed her eyes, suddenly not so drunk at all.

"What do you mean Gin?"

The Captain shrugged and continued to smile his usual smile.

"Saa. I dunno myself either, Ran-chan."

Kira leaned over and whispered to Matsumoto.

"Who isn't with us tonight?"

Matsumoto answered straight away.

"Momo and Taicho."

Kira's eyes widened.

Matsumoto pushed opened the door gently and then stepped into the room. Kira followed and the two of them stood there not really comprehending what their eyes were telling them.

"Kira."

"Y-yes?"

Matsumoto took a shaky breath in.

"Call 4th Division. Now."


Aizen watched as things began to spin wildly out of his control. How he despised it when nothing followed his predictions; but can he do, the inevitable is inevitable. As long as he knew he could bring things back under control anytime he wanted, it wouldn't hurt to let things run amok as they were wouldn't it?

The screens flashed out different people and places.

One showed his experimental Shinigami and that Kuchiki girl; fighting over what looked like a bunny.

Another showed Gin wandering around Seireitei restlessly.

Matsumoto and Kira showed up on a separate screen.

No. It wouldn't hurt to have some fun with things the way they are.


"Unohana-taicho! Unohana-taicho!"

The gentle Captain turned and watched calmly as one of her division members ran towards her, huffing and puffing.

"What is it?"

"E-emergency!"

The poor shinigami was so out of breath.

"Emergency," he repeated, "A new patient was moved in Operating Room 1, Captain!"

"Who is in there?"

"Vice captain Hinamori Momo!

AUTHOR TIME: SOooooooooooo, be excited next chappie! The epic confrontation begins!

REVIEW BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT FUELS ME UP!

And this is WAAAYYYY late, i apologize. . . ==' you can all kill me in your awesome reviews, nudgenudge

Aprilup