Disclaimer - I do not own Bleach, not even the kind designed to keep your whites, white

Chapter Ten - The Beginning of the End

"Captain!" Matsumoto called out in the loudest voice that she could muster as she and Kin stepped inside the Sqaud Ten office, neither of them having bothered to knock. "You wanted to see us?"

Hitsugaya raised his teal eyes and watched as his vice-captain and third seat officer walked across the office toward the desk at which he was sitting. Their timing was really good considering the fact that he'd only summoned them ten minutes ago.

The young captain got to his feet and grabbed Hyourinmaru, quickly tying the sash that held his zanpaktou secured across his back. "Come with me. We're going out into the Rukongai to train."

"Sir?" Matsumoto said, a confused expression in her blue eyes.

"I've received permission from Head Captain Ukitake to set up a protective barrier out in District Five," Hitsugaya explained as he joined his two subordinates in the center of the office. "We'll have more room and thus be able to train harder."

"Right," Matsumoto and Kin both said, falling into step behind their captain.

The trio left the office and Hitsugaya led the way out to District Five of the Rukongai. Then, once they had arrived and he'd set up the barrier, the young captain turned on his two subordinates, drawing Hyourinmaru in one swift motion.

"So who's fighting first sir?" Kin asked, a questioning expression in her pale blue eyes.

"We all are," Hitsugaya replied calmly.

"What?" Kin exclaimed, her eyes widening in disbelief. Surely she'd heard wrong. "Are you out of your mind?"

Matsumoto covered hermouth with her hands to hide the smile that had appeared on her face as she gazed at the incredulous expression on her captain's face. Ah she would never grow tired of Kin's refreshing bluntness, not to mention Captain Hitsugaya's reactions to the girl's comments. Both were absolutely priceless.

"This will force us to be at our best," Hitsugaya said in his customary, no nonsense manner.

"It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye," Kin said in a sing songy voice.

Captain Hitsugaya shot her a look of displeasure and the young girl immediately sobered.

"Force us to be at our best. If you say so Captain," Kin said as she pulled her own zanpaktou from its sheath. She still thought that he was crazy but if this was what he wanted then who was she to argue.

With a shrug Matsumoto drew her own sword and in an instant the three Shinigami disappeared. The sound of metal clashing against metal rang out as the three Squad Ten officers fought against one another. Despite her rant that Captain Hitsugaya was crazy Kin found that this little exercise was actually challenging. And as crazy as it was she had to admit that it was also kind of fun.

"Maybe he really does know what he's doing," Kin thought to herself as she used her zanpaktou to block the ice dragon that had been soaring toward her. "Sing to the clear, winter moon, Youkai Ookami!"

The haunting howl of the wolf echoed through the air as Kin's zanpaktou was enveloped by a white aura, changing the blade from white to silver. Kin unleashed the blizzard of snow and ice from her zanpaktou and immediately the battleground was obscurred, making it impossible for any of them to see.

"Okay," Kin thought to herself as she searched for the reiatsu of her opponants. "Obviously this attack has advantages and disadvantages. And you know it kinda sucks fighting against people who are actually smart enough to hide their reiatsu."

Honestly at this point Kin almost missed the idiots that she'd fought against back in the Academy. Those guys had practically screamed out, here I am, come kick my ass! But not her superiors. No they had to be adept at hiding themselves from detection and she'd just made it impossible to see.

"Wonderful," the young girl muttered to herself as she twirled her zanpaktou.

"Lord Aizen!" Kaname Tousen called out in a respectful voice as he made his way across the throne room of Las Noches toward the raised platform where Aizen sat upon his throne. "Ichigo Kurosaki has passed through the tunnel into Hueco Mundo and is on his way here even as we speak."

"Excellent," Aizen said in a velvety smooth voice as he got to his feet and descended down to the floor. "Kaname, Gin."

Gin Ichimaru appeared as though out of nowhere, coming to stand beside his fellow traitors.

"Take the Espada and travel to Soul Society," Aizen said, deciding that now was the perfect time to put his plan into motion. He knew that those fools from the Seireitei had placed a barrier around Soul Society that would make it slightly more difficult for his army to enter Soul Society however they could work on taking down the barrier while he took care of the Substitute Shinigami. "This is the last move that they'll be expecting. Not that they're much of a match for us anyway. I'll stay behind and deal with Ichigo."

"Right," Gin said, his mouth twisting up into a grotesque grin.

"As you will my Lord," Tousen said, inclining his head to Aizen.

"Renji," Rukia said as she gazed over at her childhood friend. The two Shinigami were standing on a rooftop that overlooked Urahara's shop and they had both witnessed Ichigo enter the domain of the Acting Captain of Squad Twelve.

"I know," Renji said, nodding his head in understanding of her unspoken words. Both of them were well aware of Ichigo's intentions. Aizen had threatened his family and now Ichigo was out for blood, now matter how foolish a move it was to go into the former Captain's territory. "We should go back to Soul Society and tell them what happened. They may want to send some troops to Hueco Mundo to help Ichigo with his battle."

Rukia nodded and the two Shinigami vanished.

"Captain!" Kin called out, stopping the battle abruptly as she felt something strange echo through the air in the Rukongai. She'd never felt anything like this before however the young girl knew without a doubt that it did not bode well. "What the hell was that? Did you feel it?"

Captain Hitsugaya felt the surge of reiatsu as well and he turned his attention to Matsumoto. "We have to evacuate the Rukongai now."

"Right," Matsumoto said with a nod.

"Kin," Hitsugaya said, turning an intense gaze toward his third seat officer. "I need for you to return to the Seireitei and inform Head Captain Ukitake that the Espada are attempting to breech the security in place around Soul Society. No doubt the traitors are with them so it's only a matter of time before they break down the defenses that Squad Twelve has put in place."

"Yes sir," Kin said. The young girl knew that a protective barrier had been put in place against Aizen and his minions however the strength of the structure had never actually been tested and apparently now they were attempting to break through. Realizing that there wasn't a moment to spare Kin sheathed her zanpaktou and then used her flash-step to disappear.

"Come on Matsumoto," Hitsugaya said, turning to his vice-captain. "We have to make sure that everyone is out of the area before they breech the barrier. We won't be able to fight them if we have to worry about all of the innocents."

Matsumoto nodded and the two Squad Ten officers parted ways.

A/N - and thus ends yet another chapter. The war is fast approaching, can the Shinigami defeat Aizen and his minions or will they fall at the hands of the Espada? Hope you enjoyed this chapter, feel free to review and let me know what you thought. Seriously, is anyone even remotely interested in this? Just curious. Til next time this is Hitsu-taichou signing out.