Since my attempt at a formal warning failed, I spent the next couple of days trying to convince everyone I knew that Aizen was a fake. Most looked at me like I had a screw loose, and I couldn't blame them. Aizen's facade was so elaborate it was nearly impossible to see through, even for me. Still, I continued to try. Momo was my biggest concern and she seemed the least likely to believe me.

Even Renji thought I was nuts.

"Come on Kaiya! Are you sure you're not talking about your own Captain? He's definitely a creep! Or what about that Mayuri, I'm sure he could do something nasty and none of us would expect it!" He tried to convince me otherwise.

"Renji!" I cried, "I'm serious about this! You're my brother, please, can't you believe me?" He groaned.

"I'm trying," he grumbled, "but it's not exactly easy. How could someone like him possibly be as awful as you describe?"

"You don't know what I know," I sighed. He rolled his eyes. Then, he fell against me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

"I know you can't tell me, so I'm sorry you're scared. I'll try and be careful, I promise," he assured me. With a small nod, I leaned against him.

"Thanks, Renji,"

We were going to talk more, but, out of nowhere, a hell butterfly appeared. The small thing fluttered to Renji. It delivered a message to only him.

"What did it say?" I asked as it flew away. Renji was already on his feet.

"I have to go meet with my Captain," his voice sounded urgent, and he was ready to bolt. But, as I looked closer, his brows were furrowed, and his face had paled. "We're going to arrest Rukia,"

Renji had left and returned in no time at all. His exterior showed no change, but I knew this sudden occurrence was affecting him greatly. After all, she had grown with us, and the three of us had outlived our friends in the Rukongai. I also knew that he loved her. Not many of us knew exactly why she was arrested—Renji had yet to tell me—so we all hoped for the best.

The next several days, Renji hardly talked to anyone. If he didn't have any work to do, he would go to the holding cells to see Rukia. His entire demeanor was off, and I was concerned for him. Even though I kept trying, I was never able to talk to him. At least, not until he came to me himself.

"Kaiya, I don't know what to do," he told me, his head the lowest I'd ever seen. Renji was standing just outside my door as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

"What do you mean?" I asked groggily. That day he seemed especially off.

"Kaiya, they're gonna' kill Rukia!" He cried out, suddenly gripping my shoulders. In the next instant, I was fully awake; my eyes wide.

"W-what do you mean?" I gasped, holding onto his arms in return.

"Central forty-six ordered her execution! Apparently, what she did for that random kid was a capital offense," his face was falling again. "What do I do, Kaiya?"

Quickly, I racked my brain for any tiny sliver of a memory that could hold a clue about what was happening. I came up short each way I tried. There was nothing that I could remember or think of that explained the death of Rukia. I couldn't even remember Gin telling me much about her at all. All I pulled was that Aizen was going to murder each member of the Central forty-six. That couldn't have happened yet, right?

"Renji, I," I started, desperately searching for words. Orders from central forty-six were absolute. No one could go against them, everyone knew that. "Renji—!" His hands fell away from my shoulders.

"I have to save her," he said suddenly, "will you help me?" Renji's pleading eyes bored into my own. Slowly, I was nodding.

"I will, Renji," my voice was firm as I agreed. "I know she's important to you," I know you love her. "But that means you'll have to deal with everyone who doesn't oppose her sentence! Can you do that?" His fists instantly clenched.

"Of course I can!" He declared in pride.

"That's what I wanted to hear," I grinned. "Then let's rescue Rukia together!"

It wasn't long until Rukia was taken to the repentance cell. I noticed Renji growing more and more restless, especially because Rukia wasn't allowed visitors. There was nothing I could do for him outright, though. He just needed to be patient as we figured out what we were going to do. We seemed to be formulating a solid plan, but the two of us were distracted as well. Renji was hung up on Rukia of course, but I was dealing with an overwhelming bout of unease.

Between my frequent discussions with Renji, I was still trying my damnedest to protect as many people as I could. As time progressed, I could constantly feel eyes on my back. Still, I knew it was important that I warned whoever I could. My unease only grew. Life in the Seireitei didn't seem to change much aside from Rukia's imprisonment.

Then, there were suddenly rumors of intruders attempting to break through one of the gates. The rumors took rise quickly, and when we saw the wall come down to stop the intruders, everyone knew it was true. Despite the seriousness of the matter, everyone put their faith in the giant in charge of that gate. Something wasn't sitting right in my stomach, however, so while no one was paying attention: I snuck off to the gate to see just what was happening. When I made it there, I found the nearest hiding spot and took to watching.

At first, nothing seemed to happen. The wall stayed down, and I couldn't hear anything from the other side. I was starting to think that maybe the intruders had left—realizing they probably weren't capable of taking down one of Soul society's giants. Then, Jidanbo's fingers appeared underneath the gate. As it began to rise, I saw a figure approaching from the same way I had come from the corner of my eye. When I turned my head to have a better view, my jaw dropped.

"Gin?" I breathed in shock. Almost instantly, as if he'd heard my near silent voice, his focus snapped in my approximate direction. Quickly I covered my mouth in my hands and held my breath. Why would he be here? Even if the gate is being opened, surely these intruders aren't worth a captain's intervention!

Just like Rukia's arrest, I had no recollection of anything like this. There was no memory, no story time with my beloved, nothing. I couldn't grasp at any kind of explanation as to why he would be at that gate. I know he's part of this too, but why? Of course, he was part of it, that he told me himself.

The gate was almost completely opened then, and I could see out of it. There were four people standing near Jidanbo as he shouldered the weight of the gate. Three humans, one clad in a Shihakusho, and a black cat. The one donned in the soul reaper uniform I recognized almost instantly. There was no arrancar in Las Noches who didn't know who that boy was. Aizen made a big show about the boy.

Ichigo Kurosaki.

This time, I kept myself from an outburst that would likely have had me caught by my own captain. I had no business at that gate. Instead, I watched closely. There was a conversation going on, but I couldn't hear it well. It seemed like Gin was reprimanding Jidanbo for his defeat, as well as him opening the gate. It seemed like an open and shut case until Gin drew his zanpakuto.

In the next instant, Jidanbo's arm was severed and he collapsed onto one knee. I could barely see Gin's blade extending for the cut. The moments following that, Ichigo threw himself at Gin. Man, that kid is an idiot. But, there wasn't much of a duel. Gin parried Ichigo's massive blade before he jumped back. Again, he was speaking, but I couldn't hear what was said. And to everyone's surprise—including my own—Gin began to walk away. My surprise faded when he didn't sheath his blade.

"Hey! Where are you going?!" I could hear Ichigo's shouting. "Are you gonna' throw that short sword or something?!"

"It's not a short sword," Gin wasn't shouting, but I was far more focused and could listen to what was being said. "It's my zanpakuto," suddenly, he stopped, planting his feet. His body faced a wall, but his focus was on Ichigo. With his trademark grin, he took a stance I'd only seen once before.

"Skewer that punk, Shinsou,"

The next instant, his blade was extended right at Ichigo's chest. The kid didn't see what was coming, but still managed to block it from piercing him. The force of the blade, however, sent him shooting backward. He landed against Jidanbo and Shinsou pushed the two of them out of the gate. Without Jidanbo's support, the weight of it brought it plummeting down. Gin bent in time with the gate, waving to the almost intruders just outside it.

"Bye bye~!" He chortled.

I kept my eyes trained on Gin as he left the gate. My eyes carefully watched his every movement until he was out of sight. Then, I fled with my flash step. I could only hope no one knew I was there.

Renji was leaving the repentance cell. Rukia had just been imprisoned there. He rubbed the back of his neck as he left the tower. There was a lot on his mind, especially the doubt that he and Kaiya could rescue her. What would we even do after that?

"Hey!"

The sudden call broke Renji from his thoughts as he continued to walk. With a glance, he looked to where it had come from. It was Captain Aizen; he was waving.

"Hello," he greeted, lowering his hand, "It's good to see you, Renji. Do you have a moment?" Aizen led Renji into an empty room that was nearby. "It's been awhile, hasn't it? How many years since I lost you to squad eleven? You're with six now, right?"

"Yeah, uh," Renji was dumbfounded. Aizen hadn't done much more than give him a passing hello from time to time since he had left fifth company. "What was it that you wanted to talk to me about?"

"You and Rukia are close, aren't you?" Aizen suddenly asked.

"Uh, er, well," Renji fumbled, caught off guard.

"You don't have to hide it, I know you've been friends since your days in the Rukongai," Aizen added as he closed the curtain of the room. "Let me get to my point," Renji was nodding as he watched him closely. In the back of his mind, he could hear his sisters voice. Don't trust Aizen. "Do you think Rukia deserves to die?"

"...What?"

"Think about it," Aizen began to explain, "she was sentenced to death with the crime of loaning her soul reaper powers. I've never heard of such a punishment for crimes like that. And the use of the Sokyoku for a Shinigami below rank of Captain is unprecedented. I have a bad feeling,"

Renji was stunned beyond belief. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Everything Aizen was telling him was contradicting what he had heard from his sister. Captain Aizen was concerned for Rukia, someone who wasn't even a ranked officer. Aizen was suspicious of something going on in the Seireitei, just as everyone else was. Why can't he be trusted?

"I think—!" Aizen was about to continue, when a sudden announcement broke him from his speech.

Emergency Captain meeting. Repeat: Emergency Captain meeting.

"Never mind, but thanks for listening," Aizen smiled, then quickly left. Renji was still conflicted, but decided to brush it off, at least just for then.

Gin never came to the office. It was the first place I went after what had happened; after what I'd witnessed. I figured things would immediately be back to normal, but I was wrong. The sudden announcement for an emergency captains meeting only proved to me just how abnormal things were. There was paperwork, but I ignored it. The way things were going only worsened my growing anxiety.

There were too many things on my mind. First was Renji; I was so deeply worried for him and how often he was out and about. My mind was on Rukia, too. She was a close friend and her strange sentence left me puzzled. What role does she play in all of this? Not only Rukia, but my growing fear of Aizen hurting my closest friends. And more recently, it was Gin—but not like before. I was growing a genuine nervousness for my own safety with him around. There was something about his very presence that felt eerily predatory toward me.

"What is going on," I sighed. As I absentmindedly toyed with a loose pen, a sudden announcement rang out.

All Captains! Emergency officers conference! Assistant captains are to wear their insignia and stand by in conference room two!

It took me a moment to realize that also meant me. Although I'd been a Lieutenant for quite some time, it wasn't often that we were also summoned. Of course, I was already wearing my badge, so I tugged it on tighter and I slid open the door. I still had yet to see my Captain since the incident at the gate and could only hope it wasn't about that. With a sigh, I made my way to the conference room in first company's barracks.

As I arrived, I could hear conversations between the few assistants who had also gathered. The voices I knew well were instantly Momo and Renji. She was asking if anyone had seen her captain yet, and those present disagreed. I was walking in after Rangiku, who also voiced that she couldn't find her captain. It seemed as though Gin wasn't the only one out doing his own thing.

"I've haven't seen Captain Ichimaru either," I grumbled as I stepped inside the room.

"They're all running the Seireitei, it'll take an entire day to gather everyone together," Rangiku sighed, gesturing at the measly few of us that had already come together.

"Captain Aizen has been acting strangely lately," Momo whispered, knees tucked into her chest as she sat on the floor. "I hope everything is alright," As much as I wanted to, I decided it would be better if I refrained from repeating my warning to her right then. She seemed especially upset.

"I'm sure everything's fine," Renji cut in, "I heard it was Ichimaru that intercepted the intruder, so whoever it was is probably dead anyway,"

"If that's the case, then you're probably right," I agreed in a lie. That kid wasn't dead, I was sure of it.

"Besides—!" The sudden clanging of the emergency alarm broke Renji as he tried to continue.

Emergency! Emergency! Intruder in the Seireitei!

The warning was repeated several times as those of us gathered listened in alarm. A few of us rushed out of the conference room, looking for any signs of attack. We were in time to see none other than Kenpachi bolting from conference room one. Other captains spilled out from their meeting, but none with his velocity. He was likely searching to take down the intruders himself. Just as suddenly, the captains were issuing orders to us assistants, as well as the other squad members in the near vicinity. Still, I had yet to see Gin.

There was a sense of organized chaos as every available Shinigami began to prepare for battle against the intruders. I tried my best to help with what I could and stayed out of the way as the situation was handled. There were groups that formed and special attention was given to the most important places in the Seireitei. The preparations were done in such a manner that it seemed as though we were prepared for an attack from any direction at any time.

But there was never an attack.

Hours had passed since the alarms sounded, and not a single Shinigami had found an intruder. Confusion and rumors began to sweep through the battle-ready Shinigami. Many of us were beginning to believe it was a false alarm. In fact, I was waiting for the order to stand down and return to normal business. That is, until a horrible sound broke the stillness.

It was an awful screeching sound that made my ears ring. It tore through the air, sounding as though every inch of the Seireitei could hear it. In shock, we began to look to the sky, hoping to find a source. At first, it was the normal blank sky. Then, the screeching was replaced by a thundering sound of an explosion. The shock wave wasn't much, but I did notice a few stumble from it. As we gawked, a bright light appeared above the dome barrier and pierced it.

"What is that?!" Someone called in shock. I couldn't tear my eyes from it.

"It's coming right for us!" Another shout.

"Momo, move everyone back and keep them safe," that was Aizen—I wasn't too far from where a clump of his squad had gathered.

"Yes Captain!" She called back dutifully, moving everyone to a safe distance. My feet remained planted where I stood. I was mesmerized by the sight of it. Then, it began to morph in the air. With one more thundering sound, the light split off in four directions; each soaring far from where I was. Afterward, the strange light simply faded away.

"The intruders are here," I breathed.