Sorry for the delay on this chapter, but there has been a lot of issues. First my hard drive broke, so I lost everything that hadn't been backed up. Which seriously sucks. I have also now broken the keyboard so there won't be any updates til I get it replaced.

Plus I got Final Fantasy 9 for Steam, and it has taken up all of my free time so yeah...

Thanks to IrishPrincess1987 and Suzume Amai for your awesome reviews! And to Cecilia-Senpai, starlightstella, omcheekster910, AmeliaRose91, Oh My Cabbage, chien1, gdodo20 and Suzululu08 for favouriting/following!

Enjoy!


Chapter 12: Benched

Kirara huffed as she pulled on the clothes that Natsuki had brought for her.

"Oh come on, it's not that bad," Natsuki smiled, hearing Kirara's sulking as she kept her back turned.

"Speak for yourself. What am I going to do for a month minimum until I've recovered enough for Captain Unohana to let me go back?" Kirara whined as she pulled her hair free from her top and tied it back up.

It had been a fortnight since Kirara had been badly injured, and finally her forced bed rest was done. She had tormented Seinosuke and the others unfortunate enough to have to take care of her, and even those who had come to visit her. However, the Captain of Squad 4 could tell that while Kirara could now move about with minimal pain, she still wasn't entirely healed. So, she had ordered a minimum of a month's leave of absence for the young woman. The only reason Kirara hadn't argued, was because it was Unohana who had ordered it.

"Well you can finally visit your parents like Seinosuke has been telling you," Natsuki giggled, earning a glare. "Oh! And the festival for the Head Captain's birthday is in just under a month, let's go to that," the other Lieutenant realised, wrapping her arms around one of Kirara's.

"Sounds good to me," Kirara smiled at her, her tantrum calming as Natsuki led her out of the healing room. Most of her sulking had been down to being stuck staring at the same four walls, and now that she was getting out, she was a lot happier. At least until she got bored. "So, what now?" Kirara asked Natsuki when they stepped out into the sun.

"Huh...no clue. Captain Unohana said nothing strenuous, and it's too early for drinking..." Natsuki tapped her chin as she thought. "Oh! Let's do some shopping! I saw a really cute yukata that will be perfect for the festival!" she smiled, pulling Kirara along.

"Okay, but only if we can visit that place that does those amazing sweets," Kirara told her firmly. Natsuki cheered loudly, continuing to pull Kirara along. "And can you stop pulling me? I'm not fighting you, but I was almost cut in half two weeks ago, you could stand to be a bit more gentle," Kirara complained.

"Then hurry up!" Natsuki told her, and Kirara groaned, resigning herself to being dragged along for the day.


"See! See!" Natsuki was like an excited child as she held up a dark blue yukata with pink butterflies lining it.

"Oh, that is cute," Kirara nodded her approval, her arms folded as Natsuki held the traditional garb up to herself. "You definitely need to wear it to the festival," she told her best friend, who nodded with excitement.

"Now to find something to with it!" Natsuki decided, bouncing away as Kirara looked around idly. She hadn't intended on buying anything for herself, but Natsuki's excitement had gotten her into the spirit of things. "You should get something that shows off," she looked around as Natsuki materialised behind her.

"Shows off what? The big gaping wound down my chest?" Kirara quirked an eyebrow. Natsuki huffed.

"Trust you to find an excuse not to wear something revealing," she complained.

"Yes, because I almost got myself killed for that exact reason," Kirara rolled her eyes as she turned away, looking around the store for something for herself. "It's not like I did it on purpose," she muttered, putting a hand to her chest where the gash started. She sighed, shaking her head, and lifted a kimono with long sleeves and a short skirt. It was mostly white, with a dark green trim and a black skirt.

"Oh, that's cute," Natsuki peered over her shoulder. "And I found something perfect to with it," she smiled widely, and before Kirara realised it, Natsuki had tied a green ribbon in her hair, tying it up in place of her usual tie.

"Hey, I don't-"

"It's cute on you," Natsuki told her as Kirara pulled it out, looking at the ribbon in her hand.

"It doesn't really boast Commander of the Onmitsukido though, does it?" Kirara raised an eyebrow.

"You're on leave, just wear it for the festival," Natsuki told her in a voice that didn't leave room for argument. She took it, and the kimono from Kirara's hands. "My treat, since you know, I'm glad you're alive and all," Natsuki muttered, looking away.

"Alright," Kirara made a big deal of rolling her eyes and sighing, but smiled softly all the same.

"Hey," Natsuki suddenly stopped her from walking off, playing with her hair. "Did you do something to your hair?" she asked curiously, making Kirara frown.

"No, why?" she asked.

"Cause," Natsuki pulled some of Kirara's hair around so she could see. "Take a look at this," Kirara's frown grew when she saw that the tips were white.

"Maybe I'm finally getting the white hairs you give me," she just shrugged, pulling her hair free from Natsuki's grasp. The Lieutenant huffed.

"Rude! If anything, you give me white hairs," she told Kirara, who chuckled. "But, shouldn't that be from the roots?" she asked curiously.

"Who knows. Maybe my weirdness is finally becoming external," she shrugged, dismissing it, but as soon as her back was to Natsuki, her smile fell. She wondered just what was going on now.

"Hey, so at the festival, do you think I'd stand a chance with Lieutenant Kotsubaki?" Natsuki asked as they left the store and began walking. Kirara started to laugh, looking to her friend with a raised eyebrow.

"Really? He's your latest interest?" she teased, and Natsuki blushed.

"Oh shut up. He's pretty handsome, you know," she commented, shrugging.

"He's also got someone else," Kirara shrugged. "In fact, I think he's married and has a kid. Better luck next time Natsuki," she patted her friend's shoulder as Natsuki sighed. "Is that what the yukata is about?" she teased.

"No! That's just to make me look cute. I was just wondering is all," she shrugged.

"Well, is there anyone else you like?" Kirara asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"Let's see...Squad 1's the Head Captain and Lieutenant Sasakibe, so that's a bust, so is Squad 2-"

"Hey, I'm a great catch!" Kirara looked insulted, and Natsuki giggled.

"You know what I mean," Natsuki nudged her gently. "Squad 3-"

"Are you just going to list the Captains and Lieutenants from each Squad? You know there are other seats, right?" Kirara interrupted again with a grin. Natsuki always amused her when she talked about those she was interested in. Her crushes were fleeting, and rarely turned into anything more.

"Squad 3," Natsuki continued with a sour look. "Rose isn't my type. Squad 4-"

"Bust," Kirara said instantly. Natsuki giggled.

"I dunno. Your brother is kinda cute..." she commented, earning a dirty look. Her smile grew. "Squad 5...well...you'd probably kill me," Natsuki teased. Kirara stopped suddenly, her eyes going wide. "You know, because you and Captain Hirako have that whole hate-hate thing going on," Natsuki spoke slowly. "Unless..." her own amber eyes grew wide. "You-"

"No, I'd kill him for going near you," Kirara spoke suddenly, and threw her arms around Natsuki. "No-one can have you. You're all mine," she declared, making Natsuki laugh.

"Good. Cause for a moment there I thought you might actually be starting to have feelings for Captain Hirako," Natsuki teased.

"Yeah, sure, and Captain Kyoraku can go a week without sake," Kirara spoke dryly, hoping that Natsuki couldn't feel her heart pounding against her chest. Natsuki giggled again, and if she was thinking any different, she didn't say so. "Come on, let's get something to eat. I'm starving, and sick of the food they served in the Squad 4 barracks," Kirara pulled her along, and Natsuki smiled.

"Sure!" she increased her pace, and Kirara looked away, feeling guilty from keeping her true feelings from Natsuki. But she wasn't ready to admit them to anyone just yet.


"Well, you're definitely improving," Captain Unohana smiled as she ran her hands down Kirara's torso as they glowed a faint green colour. "How is it to move?" she asked.

"Great," Kirara told her as she lay on the bed, trying to hide her discomfort of being studied by the healer Captain. "I barely feel any pain anymore," she said.

"That's good," Unohana nodded, and stepped away as her hands stopped glowing. Kirara sat back up, pulling her top closed as the Captain lifted the file and studied it. "I'd recommend a little while longer away from your Shinigami duties, just until the pain has completely gone," she decided. Kirara sighed, knowing that it was pointless to argue with her.

"Yes ma'am," she nodded. Unohana smiled, appeased, before it faded slightly.

"Lieutenant Yamada...about your hair," Kirara looked up sharply as Unohana approached again and took a few strands in her hand. "This is new, yes?" she asked, looking up at Kirara.

"Ye...yes," Kirara nodded, seeing no point in hiding it. "I have no idea why it's happening," she said.

"I see..." Unohana let go. "You stated before that the deserter Kenjiro Shirobara mentioned his Zanpakuto having a side effect, yes?" she asked. Kirara nodded as her heart began to beat faster. "Do you mind if I take a look to see if I can pick up on anything?" she asked.

"Um...sure," Kirara nodded, and lay back down at Unohana's request. The woman closed her eyes, her hands hovering just over Kirara as she moved down her torso, searching for something that would have caused Kirara's hair to begin to change. The white that had appeared in the tips of Kirara's hair was beginning to grow, and since Kirara and Natsuki had noticed it a fortnight ago, it had grown about a centimetre in length.

"It's strange," Unohana commented. "I can sense something there, but I just can't detect what exactly it is," Unohana opened her eyes and Kirara sat up again. "All I can say is that there is something, and it may be a lasting effect," Unohana shook her head. "I would like you to come back in another fortnight, to see if anything has changed. It will also be a good time to see if you're ready to return to work, since you seem quite eager to do so," she smiled, and Kirara blushed.

"I'm not very good at the whole time off thing," she admitted, and the Captain chuckled.

"Much like your brother," she commented. "Oh, and I believe congratulations are in order. I hear your family is gaining a new addition in the coming months," she said, and Kirara smiled.

"Thank you. Yeah, my parents are having another child," she confirmed. After putting it off for so long, Kirara finally ran out of excuses to go home. When she did get home, she was fussed over by her parents, who were horrified about her injuries, having heard from Seinosuke. She still needed to get him back for it. However, she finally also heard her parents' news about having a baby in the coming months. It would definitely make things more interesting. "I better go and let you get back to more important duties," Kirara stood quickly, barely registering the flicker of pain from the sudden movement.

"Do not put yourself down, Lieutenant Yamada," Unohana told her with her usual smile. Kirara didn't respond, simply bowing respectfully to the Captain before hurrying off. Unohana watched, a glimmer of worry in her expression as she wondered just what was causing Kirara's hair to turn white from the tips up.


Kirara walked amidst the trees of her inner world, looking around the peaceful forest.

"Kokoro no Kage, do you know what the effect could be?" she asked him curiously, turning. The Spirit emerged from behind a tree, his eyes glowing brightly.

'I do not. All I know is that there is a growing unease inside you Kirara. But that may be from...other developments,' he commented. Kirara sighed heavily. 'The fact that you do not immediately threaten me with the Koi Pond suggests you may be coming to terms with your growing feelings for Captain Hirako,' Kokoro no Kage commented.

"I'm still confused. And annoyed," Kirara sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Honestly. Am I really that stupid to fall for that asshole?" she chuckled, more to herself than her sword's Spirit.

'It seems fitting really,' Kokoro no Kage commented, disappearing behind the tree again. 'He is one of the few who has always managed to spark such...passion within you,' he said. Kirara snorted.

"Please never say that again," she requested.

'Regardless, I believe the only way to tell what is happening, is to simply wait,' Kokoro no Kage suggested.

"I hate waiting," Kirara complained.

'I'm well aware,' the Spirit retorted, and Kirara turned her head to glare at the handle that stuck out over her shoulder. She then sighed, and shrugged.

"Then wait I must," she said, and closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes again, she was back in reality, sitting on a wall with her legs crossed as she looked out from her vantage point. Not allowed to go about her usual duties, Kirara had taken to wandering the Seireitei to visit others, and occasionally just sat enjoying the sun. It did get boring, though. She was even starting to miss paperwork.

'I'll believe that when I see it,' Kokoro no Kage muttered. Kirara grinned in amusement at his sceptical voice.

"I hope the Patrol Corps haven't fallen apart without me. I need to talk to Satoru. Shirobara said he wasn't affected by Reikonsatsu, but I want to be sure," Kirara muttered. However, Yoruichi had forbidden her from doing so until she was declared fit for work again. Needless to say, a tantrum of the highest order had been thrown until Yoruichi had promised to look into it herself. "You know, I'm beginning to understand why people are so surprised by my rank," Kirara mused lightly as she thought about it.

'You can act correctly when you feel like it,' Kokoro no Kage said. 'When you feel like it...' he repeated, and Kirara's grin widened. A gentle breeze picked up, batting her in the face and knocking her hair out of the way. Kirara sighed lightly.

"I guess this isn't a bad time of the year to be on a leave of absence," she mused, before her eyes darted to a figure walking by. Stopping as he realised he was being watched, Shinji looked around slowly, before he spotted Kirara sitting on the wall a little ways away. She tilted her head, watching him silently as her heart thudded. He blinked, keeping his expression blank as well, neither one wanting to speak first. Finally, Shinji sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets as he began to walk towards her.

"You know, when I heard a report of someone sitting on the wall of my barracks, I didn't expect it to be you," Kirara jumped, looking around quickly to see Rose standing with a smile on his face behind her. "Oh? Did I manage to sneak up on you again?" he asked with amusement as Kirara went red.

"Y-you should make some noise now and again!" she stammered. Rose gave a small chuckle.

"My Lieutenant says otherwise," he told her, and Kirara couldn't help but laugh. "Would you care to join me for tea?" Rose invited.

"Oh, uh..." Kirara hesitated, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Shinji had disappeared. "Of course, it's always fun in the Squad 3 barracks," she grinned, jumping down. She winced slightly as the impact of landing jolted her wound, but quickly dismissed it.

"Assuming you don't rile up my Lieutenant," Rose told her, walking on. Kirara glanced back, before increasing her pace to keep up with the much taller Captain.

"Hey, it's not my fault. I'm a delight," she smirked, and both chuckled in amusement at the notion.


Despite having already had two weeks of leave after her time on bedrest, Kirara hadn't had much time to visit Rose for tea. They'd bumped into each other during her wanderings, but she had either been on her way to see someone else, or else the Captain had been busy with his duties. She had to admit, she'd missed it.

"You know, I'm surprised," Rose commented as he sat at his desk. Kirara, who was sitting nearby, looked up from her tea. "I'd have expected you to be back on duty by now," he smiled at her.

"I'd hoped to be, I mean, it's been a month already," Kirara sighed, putting a hand to her chest. "But I guess that's why Captain Unohana is the one who's making sure I'm recovered before I get to go back," she grinned.

"That's probably the wisest decision that Squad 4 could make," Rose told her. Kirara nodded.

"Probably, but I really wish they'd just let me come back to work. I'm getting so bored just wandering and not having anything to do," Kirara complained, taking a drink. "I can't even start my search for Shirobara again," she complained.

"Well, I suppose you have a lot more to go on this time, when you do get to go back to that," Rose pointed out.

"It took almost 10 years to find him the first time," Kirara complained.

"That was without a name, face or any kind of information to go on, other than he had a Shikai that was unusually shaped," Rose reminded her.

"A scythe. He has a scythe for his Shikai. And I have no idea what it can do," Kirara muttered, touching her chest again. "He'll be on the run now, now that we know who he is, he can't hide under anonymity. And those who were working with him before were caught. Hopefully that means he'll be easier to find, since nobles stick out in the Rukongai like a sore thumb," she commented.

"It'll be fine, Kirara," Rose smiled at her confidently. "Just take the time to relax and enjoy yourself. Enjoy the beautiful weather while you can," he told her as he looked out his open door.

"Rose, you are far too dramatic for your own good," Kirara told him as she smirked and resumed drinking her tea. Rose quirked an eyebrow as he looked at her.

"You've a nerve," he told her, making her start laughing, almost choking on her tea.

"You know Rose, I missed this. Even if you are a little long winded," Kirara teased him. Rose looked insulted, and she continued laughing, enjoying teasing the Captain. Taking her mind off Kenjiro, the side effect of his Zanpakuto, and even off Shinji, Kirara felt more relaxed than she had done in a month.


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