Chapter Ten: The Icicle captain.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but Miaka and Reki. Miyurie belongs to ellieorchid.

"Great it's Icicle," Miaka didn't seemed happy.

"Toshiro-koi," Miyurie was happy to see him

"Hmph," Reki didn't really care.

"Let's go back to the house," Hinata smiled. She knew that she's part of the reason why this captain is here. Izumimiko didn't seemed to happy. Her own zanpakutō went back to her sealed state.

"House?" Tōshirō didn't seem happy to hear that.

"Yeah Icicle," Miaka gave him a wicked grin, "have a problem with that?"

"What a pain," Reki groaned.

Tōshirō just looked at the non-blindfolded Reki. It was the first for him and even Miyurie to see her like this. Reki was aware only to Shunpo to the house by herself. She didn't like to be in the center of attention at all. Besides she isn't use to it either.

"Well," Miyurie sighed. "I guess she's right."

When they got to the house, Reki was back in her gigai with the clothe covering her eyes. Nagato was sitting at the table. He was mildly confused on what's going on. Reki did tell him that a captain appeared but didn't delved much deeper then that.

"Oh, that must be the captain you talked about," Nagato looked over towards Reki who was preparing lunch.

Did this human see him? And what's up with his eyes? They had a ripple pattern to them.

"Do you have a gigai?" Miyurie asked Tōshirō.

"I'm in it."

"That explain the staring at you Icicle," Miaka teased.

The temperature went down a few notches in the house. Tōshirō gave her a mean look. He never did like the woman due to her nature or her calling him Icicle.

"Chill," Miaka teased him more.

"At least he's 'cooler' then you Miaka-chan," Miyurie defended her boyfriend.

"Enough," Yourichi intervened. "There's a reason why he's here."

After getting in their gigai, they took their spots at the table. Hinata looked around the table. She was sitting between Nagato and Reki. Nagato didn't seem to be phase by all this. He just sat there. Maybe a little or he didn't know what to do since he was fiddling his hands under the table.

"Tōshirō-san," Reki said, "would you like anything?"

"No thank-you," he told her, his tone was slightly icy. Hinata wonders why he is like that to Reki. To her knowledge, Reki didn't do anything only to be adopted by Miaka.

"Well, it's nice to see you again," Miyurie gently places her right hand on his right shoulder. "It's been awhile since we've seen each other up close."

Miyurie seemed happy to be near Tōshirō. Hinata felt that they were close and in love with each other. She felt a pain of envy; she wanted something like that with Naruto.

"Hn," was all he said. But something told Hinata that Miyurie understood what he just said.

"So why are you here Icicle?" Miaka sips her sake.

A drop in temperature told everyone that he didn't like that. It was only the second time that Tōshirō has an ice type. At first Hinata thought Icicle was a nickname about his cold demeanor, now she understands it was due to his zanpakutō.

"I'm here because of her," he looked at her. "Yamamoto-sou-taichō isn't happy that you did this."

"Oh please," Miaka flatly stated. "What is that old fart going to do to us? He has no power over what we do. Hell, he can't even punish us for this."

'Punish?' Hinata thought. The old man couldn't do anything.

"As long as Hinata-chan is under the care of the Royal Guard, the Thirteen Court Guard has no power in our decision making," Reki sips her green tea.

"That maybe so but you are aware that what you're doing is illegal," Tōshirō chided Reki.

'Illegal," Nagato thought. He was amazed that no one had thrown him out yet. 'So what's going to happen with Hinata and me?"

"I agree," Miaka got another bottle of sake out. "The old man is in a pickle. You must remember, we have a king backing us."

"The king has no power over the Thirteen Court Guard," Tōshirō looked coldly at Miaka.

"Yes but he has the power over us," she countered. "Since Hinata is part of the Royal Guard, not only does she take orders from us but orders from the king himself."

She knew that she had Tōshirō stuck. Since the wager weather or not Hinata should go to the Royal Guard or the Thirteen Court Guard, most people forgotten about that small information.

"If the king orders her to go back to her home village to protect it on an extended stay, then she must do it," Miaka just put more icing on top.

"But since you are leading the team, all the captains know that it wasn't an order from the king," Tōshirō just burst her bubble. It was well known that Miaka would do something like this.

"What if there was no one around to help Hinata?" Miaka was getting annoyed.

"Then they would've sent Miome or Kage-san to do it," Yourichi said.

"But Miome-chan disappeared a year ago," Miaka told them all teary eyed.

'Only on the report that we gave the captains,' Reki thought.

"Hn," Tōshirō didn't believe that someone as strong as Miome could disappear like that. She was a strong fighter and something about her made the Royal Guard protective of her being.

Miyurie felt the high tension. It was so thick that someone could cut it with a dull spoon. Mostly between Miaka and Tōshirō, it might be the way how Miaka reminds him of Rangiku.

"I think I need to talk to Tōshirō in private," Miyurie finally got up. She couldn't take it anymore. "We could take a walk in the woods nearby."

Tōshirō only gave a nod to her. Getting up, he follows her out to where she wanted to go. He could get more information from Miyurie then from Miaka or Reki. Walking away, they got to a nice patch of wooded area and begin to talk. When they got out of sight of anyone, they held hands.

"You have to excuse Miaka-chan," Miyurie apologies to Tōshirō.

"What did I say about apologizing to me," a vain popped on Tōshirō's forehead.

"Sor…" Miyurie stopped herself. "Do you need information?"

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"You know, why was Hyūga-san brought back to her home village?"

Miyurie took a pause. She wasn't sure how to word it.

"I think it was guilt," Miyurie finally said.

"Guilt?"

"Hai," they stop but they didn't let go of each other hands. "I'm not sure why but Miaka-san felt guilty for a wrong she did with Kage-san a long time ago."

She couldn't tell him the whole truth but she felt like she covered it.

"What did she do?" Tōshirō raised a white eyebrow. "And why does it have to do with Hyūga-san?"

"There are too many horror stories of what Miaka did to with Kage-san but I think she's trying to do some good. I think."

"Why not do something nice to Kage-san?" another vain popped.

"Miaka-san said that if she tries to do something nice Kage-san would get suspicious towards her mother."

"There's no trust, figures," Tōshirō said.

"Sadly enough if Miaka-chan doesn't do something, Kage-san begins to suspect something," Miyurie said with a smile. She decided to change the topic. "Have you eaten yet? I know a place that serves wonderful amanattō. They even have watermelon."

Hearing his two favorite foods in one sentence, Tōshirō wanted to go crazy and jump around like a hyper Chihuahua. But he keep his cool, gave her a smile and a nod. Some amanattō and watermelon sounds good right now. He hasn't eaten yet but he could snack before he returns to the Soul Society to give his report.

Hinata walked through Konoha thinking. Why would the Thirteen Court Guard be interested in her? True, she does have the Byakugan. The Royal Guard would try everything in their power to keep her here. She smiled at that. If she stayed here then she has a chance with Naruto. She liked the idea.

'Remember what Miyurie told you,' Izumimiko reminded her.

'Oh that's right,' Hinata thought back

Flashback

"I don't know," Hinata taps her forefingers.

"Then don't ask straight out," Miyurie told her. "I'm all for you going with this Naruto guy. So ask him if he would like to go to lunch."

"But he would think it is a date," she quickly told her.

"Did he know that you had a crush on him?"

"No."

"I did get to met him for a moment and to me he's dense. I mean really dense."

"So what should I do?"

"Well if I was you, I would ask him if he wants to go and eat somewhere and hang out. That's pretty much what a date is, hanging out and most likely getting something to eat."

"Really?" Hinata hope begins to grow. "But what if…?"

"Don't worry about it, just think the 'date' as just hanging out," Miyurie told the young ex-heiress. "Naruto would think that you're hanging out with him so why not you. If you're lucky enough, he would ask you to go out and 'hang' out some more."

End Flashback

Miyurie was right, if she thinks it's just her and Naruto hanging out, then it wouldn't be so bad. Hopefully, he would begin to like her like he does with Sakura. Now she is determined to find Naruto and ask him to 'hang out and grab something to eat.'

Part of her hopes that Naruto hasn't eaten yet. If he did then she must go to plan B. Ask him if he wants to get dessert. Maybe cinnamon rolls. She was so deep in thought she bumped into somebody. Looking to see who it was, her face turned deep red. To her horror she bumped into Naruto.

"N-naruto-kun!" she looked down.

"Hi Hinata-chan, what are you up to?"

"Well you see…" she taps her forefingers to together and looks up once in a while. "I was wondering if you would like to get a bite to eat with me."

She wanted to faint right then and now. It was surprising that she didn't. Yet she still feels the heat on her face. Her heart was like a caged bird trying to get free.

Naruto looked at her for a moment. He was hungry and it wasn't like she was asking him out. What the harm in getting a bite to eat with her anyway.

"Sure why not," Naruto smiled while he rubbed the back of his head. "How bout ramen?"

"Sure, why not," Hinata felt overjoyed that he agreed.

"Aren't they cute together?" Miyurie asked Tōshirō. She didn't expect him to answer.

"I hope Miaka-san doesn't have a hand in this," Tōshirō picks up his third watermelon.

"No, I do."

He looked at his girlfriend with much shock and horror.

"What? She loves him and I just told her to ask him if he wants a bite to eat."

"Still," Tōshirō finally found his voice. "Do you think it is a bright idea?"

"Well Miaka-chan wanted Hinata-chan to go to Nagato," she said between bites of her own watermelon.

"N-nagato?"

"The one with the ripple-pattern eyes, Miaka wanted them to have a baby for some odd reason. Perhaps it's because of their eyes."

"Eyes? Why would she do that?"

"Well, you've seen what Hinata-chan could do with her Byakugan."

He just looked at her.

"Oh," Miyurie gave a nervous chuckle. She explained in a low voice on what the Byakugan can do. "I haven't seen what Nagato's eyes could do but I would pass it if it can."

"So Miaka-san wanted a baby with both qualities of those two," Tōshirō sighed."If he did have a unique ability that involves with his eyes, a baby would be a powerful force to be recon with."

"Doubt that she thought this one through like all the others. Could she?" she asked herself. "Nay, its Miaka-chan we're talking about. She couldn't think of a plan to save herself."

Tōshirō begins to nibble on his watermelon, thinking on what to tell Yamamoto. If Miaka was behind all of this then what would they do? The Royal Guard would make up something to make sure that the Thirteen Court Guards don't get their hands on Hinata. Is she that important that one Royal Guard member willing to risk it all?

"Why did you come?" Tōshirō felt bitter towards Miaka. She could bring down Miyurie's career down the drawn very quickly.

"I don't know," she said looking at her watermelon. "I guess I wanted to see this place. Hinata always talking about Konoha, I felt like I wanted to see it."

"What about your career?"

"Don't worry about it," she gave him a sweet look. "Besides, a member of the Royal Guard told me to blame it on Miome."

"Didn't she disappear a year ago?"

"Yeah, about that, she didn't disappear," Miyurie told him. "She somewhere else."

"WHAT?"

"Yeah, I wonder if the rumors about her are true. I can't get anything from the other Royal Guard members."

TBC and please R&R