Hey!
Now I'm not too sure about this chapter. I don't know how many people are going to like it, because it's pretty vague. There's a bit of a jump happening here, so there may be a bit of confusion. I'm fighting with the difficulties of both speeding things along and explaining them along the way, so bare with me!
Anyways, please enjoy this latest instalment~
And I promise to start clarifying things in the coming chapters.

_________________________________________________________

I unleash another ball of pink energy directly at the small figure wobbling slightly before me. Before my attack even makes contact, I've jumped into the air. Half murmuring the words of a Kido spell, I'm already in the process of contemplating my next move. This fight is mine.

"Wow, wow, wow." A voice calls from behind me. Despite myself, I jump in surprise. Moments later, I land on the ground with an audible thump. Chalking it up to how intense my concentration was, I turn to greet a familiar face.

Renjii wags his finger at me, and continues to tut. "What's your problem all of a sudden, huh? Just look at the poor thing. You've sufficiently chewed him up and spit him out, I'd say."

I follow his eyes. My gaze settles on the 5th division's practice dummy, or what remains of it. His two arms are mere splinters of what they used to be, and his head is all but dislodged from the rest of his body. No arguing with Renji's logic. Today, at least.

"Seriously though. It's been like this for at least two months." He continues "I don't get it. When you got out, I thought for sure you'd be having meltdowns daily!"

I narrow my eyes at this. Thanks.

"But, you were completely fine. Like nothing had changed. I thought for sure they were overreacting when they cooped you up with Captain Unohana for all those months. Now though, I'm not so sure."

Crossing my arms, I turn my back on him. I can't stand the pity in his eyes. Stupid Renji, he doesn't understand anything. Doesn't know what he's saying.

"Seriously, I want to know what's wrong. You hardly talk to any of us, not even Rangiku! All you do is hang around here, or wall yourself up in your office doing paper work." A whine begins to creep into his voice "All Ikkaku and Rangiku do is play their silly games! Dumb old Yumichika's too busy with his reflection to do anything about it. And Rukia's gone off to the human world, helping Ichigo again. I miss you."

I feel my lips turning up into a smile; despite the scowl I was so keen on holding onto. I can't help it, though. I can't stay mad at Renji. With his serious little rant, inevitably breaking down into a plea by the end. So typical. But he means well. Unfortunately there are some things I'm just not ready to go back to.

"Look, I've just got some stuff to figure out." I feel myself say, a sudden exhaustion shaking my body "Can we talk about this some other time? I think I'm feeling a bit tired."

Confusion contorts Renji's features, as he begins to move towards me. "Yeah you're looking pretty pale. Maybe you should sit down..."

I open my mouth to agree, but a familiar sensation begins to overwhelm me.

Uh oh, I know what's coming.

"I think I'm gonna---"

This time, I don't even get the chance to finish my sentence before everything goes black.

_____________________________________________________

When I wake up, I figure it's probably early morning. An orangey light filters in through my half open window. Everything in my room sits neat and tidy and I catch Rangiku, furiously scrubbing away at something on the table, within my peripheral vision. Feeling the weight of my eyes on her, she turns and smiles.

"Look whose up!" She observes brightly "And I've got a surprise for you!"

Judging by the smell of freshly baked cookies, I can probably guess what that is. Instead I'm the one who surprises her, by unceremoniously throwing up in the waste bin beside me.

Wrinkling her nose, Rangiku makes a face. "Well if you don't want to have one, you could just say so. Jeeze, everyone's a critic! Anything to get out of eating my cooking."

Moaning, I roll onto my side and curl into a ball.

"Okay, I'll bite." Rangiku says softly, kneeling at my side. "Stomach flu? There's been a bug going around. Captain Unohana's up to her ears in groaning, puking patients."

"I guess so." I mumble. Why won't she go away and leave me to suffer in peace? "I haven't been feeling that great for a while now."

"No kidding! Is that why you've been acting like a social pariah? You embarrassed to toss your cookies in front of your best buds?"

I consider this. Seems as good an excuse as any.

"You caught me," I laugh shakily, hoping she doesn't catch the lie "Been distracting myself with training and paper work, trying to avoid the humiliation of it all."

Rangiku nods, as if this explains everything. "Well I don't figure you should be straining yourself with all that training anymore. You know how long you've been out? 2 days."

I raise my eyebrows in surprise. No wonder I have to pee so badly.

"But it's all good," Rangiku comments, as she settles herself back against the wall "You've had one very worrisome visitor."

I try to arrange my face in what I hope is mild interest. "You don't say."

"Oh yes! Mr Huffmister himself!"

Assuming she means who I think she does, I bite my lip until I can taste the bitter rust of my blood. Revelling in the slow, burning anger that begins to seep under my skin I can't bring myself to say anything I really want to.

"You don't say?"

But even Rangiku isn't that slow. As my façade of pleasant indifference begins to falter, she cocks her head to the side, obviously perplexed. "What's with that look? You don't believe me? I wouldn't make this up."

"Of course not." I run a hand of my tired face, trying to physically soothe my strained nerves.

"Why do you look like you want to kill someone?" She exclaims, not buying into anymore of my crap. "You don't believe me! Well, he was here. I don't think you should be badmouthing him."

Narrowing my eyes, I pull myself into a more upright position. "I didn't even say anything."

"Out loud! But I know what you're thinking. I can hear your anger."

I roll my eyes at this.

"Seriously though, when Renji came and told us what had happened, I thought for sure Toshiro was going to smash his face in. Thought he had done this to you. By accident, maybe, but your unconsciousness being his fault nonetheless. He paced this room for hours too! Wouldn't shut up about whether we should call someone from the 4th squad to come down and check you out."

I know I should feel flattered. But all I could think of was all those times in the past two months. Those whispered conversations between him and Captain Witch-Face. The pair of them, walking together to breakfast. How he always seemed to blow me off, saying he was too busy with work to have dinner with me.

"I'm surprised he found the time to a visit to his sick friend!" I explode, ignoring the shrill pitch of my voice "Doesn't have more important things to attend to? More important people?!"

Rangiku stares, speechless for once. I close my eyes, soaking in the awkward silence. It's not until I hear the quiet shuffle of feet that something occurs to me. Perhaps it's not my words she's reacting to.

Even without turning, I know who's there.

"I'm glad you're okay, Momo." Whispers the all too familiar voice.

I gulp, too afraid of his expression to be embarrassed by my harsh words. Rangiku, in her usual bold fashion, attempts to salvage the situation.

"Hahahaha," She laughs, uncomfortably, albeit "She wasn't talking about you, Captain. No no, my cousin Tateo. He's a naughty little boy, always getting into trouble. Momo, of course, knows him well. Doesn't like him either, obviously! Hahahaha!"

I wince at this thin lie, but silently thank her for trying to help. Fighting my battles for me, as always.

Still with my back to him, I can only imagine his slow nod as he mumbles a hasty reply. "Yes, I see."

Before anyone can say another word, I hear the soft click of the door shutting behind me.

Silence, again. The pale morning light, now stretching across the room, hits a small object sitting high up on my shelf. It winks down at me. A fragile glass flower. Made of ice, yet still completely intact. Defying all reason and belief.

What a mess.

___________________________________________________________

Well there it is.
It'll get clearer as the story goes on, I promise.
Anyways, thanks for reading.
And I love feedback, good or bad.