So that was that, the two armies were ready to go to war with each other. And all the while Toshiro was trapped in a cell in Hueco Muendo.

And while he was there, the espada watched over him. They would alternate shifts and as they guarded him Toshiro began to notice some striking similarities between the espadas and some of his soul reaper captains. In his loneliness it was the only thing he could do.

There was espada number seven Zommari who reminded him a lot of Byakuya. The two had a very cold look, but Zommari was probably the most proper and sophisticated one amongst his comrades like Byakuya. But he appeared to hold himself to a higher standard than the others.

Next was espada number five Nnoitra who acted just like Kenpachi. The two had a very gruff and angry attitude, and wanted to resort to violence in everything. Just like his soul reaper counterpart Nnoitra spent the whole time belittling and trying to challenge Toshiro to fight, although it had no avail. Toshiro just sat back and didn't say a word, much to Nnoitra's displeasure.

There was also an old man, Espada number two Barragan. He reminded Toshiro of the old man of the soul society Yamamoto. The two were old and wrinkled with white facial hair. But more than that, they appeared to have a no nonsense attitude towards their comrades.

And then there was Espada number one Stark who was exactly like the captain of squad eight Shunsui. Just like Shunsui the number one espada was very laidback and had a peaceful attitude. Instead of watching Toshiro like his comrades did, Stark just drifted off into a deep sleep, something Shunsui would do.

But there was one espada Toshiro couldn't make a connection to. It was the only female espada, the one who had tried to talk to him before. Being the only female espada, Toshiro tried to make the connection with a female captain. Soifon? Hell no. Unohanna? Maybe she had tried to be motherly to the little captain before.

So stark was napping in his chair before Toshiro's cell. Toshiro just looked at him a large glob of spit hanging from his mouth. And then she came.

She walked up and placed her hand on Stark's shoulder. The first espada fidgeted his head and then looked up to see Tia Halibel standing there.

"Your shifts up." She said. Stark yawned and then got up from his chair and began walking away."And Stark." She called out after him; he turned and looked at her."Don't send someone in to relive me." Stark just nodded and then went on his way.

If he had looked at the time he would have noticed his shift was not done. Each espada were supposed to watch Toshiro for an hour, and Stark had only been there half an hour. But I don't think this change would have displeased him.

Halibel took a seat in the chair and began looking at Toshiro. For a few moments she just stared at him in silence. She looked at him, while Toshiro looked at the wall, away from Halibel. They sat like that for a few moments but finally Halibel broke the silence.

"So how are you doing?" asked Halibel. Toshiro gave no reply he just continued to look at the wall."I said how you are doing?" she asked again but this time a little louder. Toshiro still did not reply."Don't be such a grouch." said Halibel as she leaned forward in her seat."Can you talk?"

Toshiro sighed."Nothing to talk about." He replied still looking at the wall. Halibel smile a little, she had gotten him to talk that was somewhat of an improvement.

"Don't be like that." she said."There's always something to talk about." Toshiro now turned his head over to Halibel with an annoyed look. This was to Halibel another improvement; he had spoken and was now looking her in the eye.

"You wanna talk?" asked Toshiro."OK." he said shifting his body forward so he could face her. Halibel felt pleased with herself everything was going fine so far."Let's talk about how I'm being kept here against my will, until tomorrow when I'm to be executed in front of everyone I know, then a short time later they'll all die to." told Toshiro.

That wasn't exactly what Halibel had in mind when she said they should talk.

"Well." She said after a few moments."Just because that's going to happen, doesn't mean you should be so upset. I'm just trying to make this time more pleasant for you."

"You know what would make it pleasant for me?" replied Toshiro."If we just stopped talking. You've all come in here and tried to talk to me, yet I don't want to talk to any of you. I think the only one of you I remotely like is the one you relieve because all he did was sleep, he didn't try to talk to me or get to know me he just slept." Toshiro then dropped his eyes of her gaze.

"Well that just sounds boring." said Halibel.

"humph." said Toshiro not hearing her."He reminds of me of a soul reaper I know."

"Does he?" asked Halibel. Toshiro looked back up at her.

"Yes." He replied."I fact most of you do."

"Well who was Stark?" asked Halibel.

'The captain of squad eight, Shunsui." replied Toshiro.

"And Zommari?"

"The Captain of squad six, Byakuya."

"Nnorita?"

"Captain of squad eleven, Kenpachi." Halibel sat in silence for a few moments.

"And what about me?" she asked.

"I don't know." replied Toshiro as he sat back."But I've narrowed it down to a few choices."

"And that would be who?"

"One of the female captains most likely." replied Toshiro."Probably the captain of squad four, because you've come in here and have tried to comfort me and be all mother like to me."

"I'd say that's a good bet." said Halibel blushing.

"But then I realized there was a better choice." said Toshiro as he leaned forward."I think you are Mayuri." Halibel raised an eyebrow at him."Yea Mayuri, because you come in here and try to talk to me, something I don't want to do but you force it on me anyway. It's like torture."

"Don't get like that." said Halibel."We were having a nice conversation and then you go off and do something like that." Toshiro just looked at her like a little child was being scolded by his parent."If you don't shape up I might have to come in there and spank you." A look of shock hit Toshiro's face.

"I'm not a boy." He said back."I'm a soul reaper captain."

"All the same." said Halibel. The two sat in silence for a few moments."I noticed this whole time we've been sitting and talking we haven't introduced ourselves.'

"No I suppose we haven't." replied Toshiro.

"I'm espada number 3 Tia Halibel." Toshiro signed, he didn't want to talk to her any longer but he had no choice.

"I'm Captain of squad ten Toshiro Hitsugaya."

"Really you a captain?" asked Halibel.

"Yea." replied Toshiro.

"Aren't you a little young?" she asked.

"So what if I am?" said Toshiro back to her in an annoyed tone.

"What did I tell you about being fresh?" asked Halibel. Toshiro sat back in his place, Halibel smiled as she now knew something she could do to get him to unwind and talk to her."Don't feel like talking anymore? "she asked as Toshiro sat there and looked at her.

"I like the silence." said Toshiro.

"Really?" asked Halibel. Toshiro raised an eyebrow at her."Then I know something we could do." She said in a seductive tone. From being around Rangiku Toshiro knew what that meant, he quickly jumped to his feet and prepared to fend off a sexual attack.

But to his surprise Halibel left his sight, she turned and walked away from the cell. Then after a few moments of hearing her go it became silent. Toshiro then began to think, had she really just left him after all that let's talks stuff.

But then Toshiro began to hear footsteps once again. Then he leaned up against the bars and tried to peer out to see what was going on. The footsteps just kept getting closer. But as they were their loudest Toshiro quickly jumped back onto his bed. To make it seem as if he hadn't been looking, or as if he missed the company.

Then when he looked up he saw Halibel standing there with a board in her hands.

"Oh your back." He said as he sat up."What have you got there?" Halibel opened the cell door and then walked in. Then she showed the board to the little captain.

It was a chess board.

"Chess?" asked Toshiro looking at it."You want to play chess?"

"You said you like the quiet." replied Halibel as she pulled a chair up for her to sit down on and set the board up between them."Now it'll be quiet and you can test you mind."

Toshiro raised an eyebrow at her. She was different from the other espada who had come in previously. She was unkind or nasty; in fact she was quite the opposite. Maybe Toshiro was wrong about her. She did remind him of a soul reaper, but it wasn't Unohanna and definitely not Mayuri.

Toshiro looked down at the board at the black and white pieces. He noticed some of them had been broken in half or chipped; this was the chess board that Mayuri had kicked before when he was talking to Toshiro.

Halibel set up the pieces."Are you ready to play?" she asked.

Meanwhile with the thirteen court guard squads. The entire thirteen squads' army had settled in the streets, sitting around fires. Sajin walked out amongst them all.

But he was no his way to a different area. He was on his way to the squad ten barracks to speak with Rangiku. In no time at all he found it.

Sajin walked up to the barracks and knocked on the door then proceeded to make his way in. Once inside he saw Rangiku sitting on the couch curled up into a ball, she had heard about what happened to Toshiro and it had hit her hard. And Haineko stood over her comforting her.

Sajin cleared his throat making his presents known.

"You." said Haineko as she shot up."What are you doing here?" she said as she walked up and stood before Sajin.

"Hainkeo." said Rangiku stopping her. The two looked back t see Rangiku sitting up."It's all right." Then Rangiku waved Haineko off. The cat took a last look at Sajin and then left the room. Then after that Sajin approached Rangiku.

Then he dropped to his knees before her and bowed his head.

"I couldn't protect Toshiro." He said."I am sorry I could not fulfill my promise to you. Forgive me." Then he raised his head up and looked her in the eyes. It was then that Rangiku noticed a small twinkle in Sajin's eye and then a tear fell down his face. Then Sajin bowed his head once again.

Then Rangiku reached her hand out and patted Sajin on the head.

"You are forgiven." She said. Then Sajin raised his head once again and looked at her. Then Sajin held her hand into his.

"I promise you." He said."On my honor I will get Toshiro back." Rangiku sniffled.

"And I'll be there to help you." She said. Then she reached out and hugged Sajin. Sajin wrapped an arm around Rangiku and did the same.

Then after that Sajin stood up."I must return to the other captains." He said."We're discussing battle plans for tomorrow." Then with that Sajin turned and left.

Rangiku was left alone in the silence. Then she got up and moved over to the window. She looked up into the night sky, how it twinkled with stars and how the bright moon shined.

Meanwhile back in Hueco Muendo. Toshiro was playing chess with Halibel, and it had gone a lot differently than he expected. The two actually ended p talking.

They talked about each other mostly, both learning a great deal about the other. They learned the others likes and dislikes, what they thought about their co-workers.

"So your best friend is a giant fox?" asked Halibel as she moved her horse forward.

"Yes what's so hard to get about that?" asked Toshiro as he moved a pawn forward.

"I don't know." replied Halibel as she kept her eyes on the board."I just can't picture the two of you as friends." She then picked up her castle and moved it across the board.

"I suppose that's what helps make our friendship work." told Toshiro."We might look different but we're a lot alike." At that moment Halibel picked up her bishop and took one of Toshiro's castles."Damn." groaned Toshiro.

"What about the rest of the captains?" asked Halibel."What about Mayuri?" Toshiro shut his eyes for a brief moment; he was once again reminded of who had him incarcerated here."I mean." Halibel spoke up again."Why does he despise you so much?"

"Don't know." replied Toshiro."It's always been like this, ever since I became a captain." Toshiro then picked up his queen and moved in across the board."Check." he said. Halibel picked up her castle and then took Toshiro's queen.

And then for a brief moment as he watched his queen being taken he thought of Rangiku, and how he might never see her again. But then Halibel spoke breaking him out of trance.

"And do I still remind you of him?" she asked trying to lighten up the mood.

"No." replied Toshiro as he looked up at her."I don't really know who you remind me of yet." Just then Halibel moved her castle across the board towards Toshiro's king.

"Check mate." She said with a smile. Toshiro then observed the board. It was true she had beaten him; Halibel's two castles had Toshiro's king trapped. And with that Toshiro tapped his king over.

"Very well." said Toshiro."I've been beaten." Then he sat back in his place. Halibel took this opportunity to look Toshiro over. Like most women she saw how he looked like a little baby, how cute he looked with his white hair and his large eyes. But over the short time they had spent together she had gotten to learn so much more about him, what he thought his likes and dislikes. With this new information she saw more of how Rangiku saw him.

Tia Halibel rose up from her seat and began to move closer to Toshiro. She moved the chess board aside and now stood before him.

Toshiro looked bugged eyed and confused as she came towards him. But then when she reached out her hand and ran it across his face, he knew her intentions. And Toshiro couldn't lie, he had felt a little thing for her, she reminded him so much of someone but he couldn't name who. Then Halibel moved closed her eyes and moved closer to Toshiro ready to kiss him. Toshiro closed his eyes as well, but when he did he saw Rangiku's image in his mind. Then his eyes shot open. Halibel still leaned into him.

But then as she leaned in Toshiro stopped her. Then she opened her eyes and saw Toshiro standing there with his hand up.

"I'm sorry." He said. Halibel stood up."But there's someone else." At that Halibel quickly turned away and ran out of the cell and the room. She moved quickly most likely to hold back tears.

Then after she left Toshiro moved over to the window. Then he looked up at the night sky. And at the same time Rangiku was doing the same thing.

Rangiku: Somewhere out there

Beneath the pale moonlight

Someone's thinking of me

And loving me tonight

Toshiro: Somewhere out there

Someone's saying a prayer

That we'll find one another

In that big somewhere out there

And even thought I know how very far apart we are

It helps to think we might be wishing o the same bright star

Rangiku: And when the night will start to sing a lonesome lullaby

It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky

Both: Somewhere out there

If love can see us through

Then we'll be together

Somewhere out there

Out where dreams come true

Toshiro: And even though I know how very far apart we are

It helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star

Rangiku: And when the night will start to sing a lonesome lullaby

It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky

Both: somewhere out there

Rangiku: If love can see us through

Toshiro: Can see us through

Both: Then we'll be together

Somewhere out there

Out where dreams come true

The connection the two had made it feel as if the other was standing right in front of them. Toshiro's loneliness melted away as he saw Rangiku standing before him. He leaned up to kiss her. But then she vanished from his sight, and Toshiro was brought down to reality once again.

It was now late in the night so it was pitch black in his room. Just then Toshiro's attention turned over to the cell door.

"Toshiro." whispered a female voice. Toshiro walked over to the source of the voice."Toshiro."

"Halibel?" asked Toshiro after figuring out the person standing before him. He could hear here nut in the darkness he couldn't hear her.

"Yes." She replied."Toshiro let me help you." She said.

"What?" asked Toshiro.

"Let me get you out of here." said Halibel. Toshiro was shocked by this."I can unlock your doors and you can escape from here." Toshiro still stayed silent."Please let me help you." She said. And then she reached her hand through the bars and touched his face. Toshiro felt the warmness of her hand on his face. He sat there in silence for a few moments."Toshiro?" she asked. Now her asking had turned to begging, he could tell by her voice that she began to cry now.

"I refuse your offer." replied Toshiro as he put his hand on top of hers "I'm going to take whatever fate throws at me."

Halibel slowly retracted her hand from his face, but Toshiro kept his hand on her's. The two sat in silence for a moment as their hands were still together. Then slowly Halibel began to walk away, she walked off and then their hands broke free from each other.

As she walked off Toshiro returned to his seat.

Meanwhile back at the soul society. Sajin had just come from the squad ten barracks and was now making his way around. AS he did he noticed all the lower level soul reapers sitting around amongst themselves. And Sajin wondered why most of them there? Unlike himself most of them were probably there out of duty, maybe some from squad ten were had a fire to get their captain back.

But as Sajin continued to walk on he found a group of people with the greatest intentions of getting Toshiro back. The other captains. They were all seated in a circle around a fire. They were all there, even Mayuri.

And Mayuri statement about how nobody knows he's betraying them still works. Everybody oblivious as he wonders around betraying them. Deep inside he's very proud of himself for that.

Sajin returned to their group and sat down amongst them.

"Did you tell his lieutenant?" asked Yamamoto.

"Yes." said Sajin as he looked around at the other captains."She knows." Then the group all turned their attention back to the fire before them and sat in silence.

"So what happens next?" asked Byakuya.

"We wait until tomorrow." replied Yamamoto."Then we go to war." The old man stood up next and began to walk away."We don't know what tomorrow brings my children. So live it while you can." Then the old captain headed off back to his own barracks, leaving the rest of the captains behind.

Then they sat and talked amongst themselves.

"I suppose he's right." said Ukitake."I guess we are a lot like a family here." The members of the group each gave a respective nod.

Then Shunusi broke out into a little laugh.

"What's so funny?" asked Ukitake.

"Remember the day Toshiro first became a captain?" asked Shunsui. The captains were then brought back to a simpler time as they were reminded of such found memories. They smiled and giggled at it.

"He was so small he couldn't even fit into the uniform at first." said Unohanna."He was so cute back then."

"But he's grown up a little since then." added Byakuya."Imagine what he'll be like when he's full grown."

"Yea cause right now he's miniature version of you." chuckled Sajin. Then the group broke out into a laughter.

"What do you thinks happening to him right now?' asked Mayuri breaking up the cheery mood.

"Well wherever he is." said Kenpachi."He'd better be alright. If he comes back with one scratch on his head I will mutilate everyone."

"And I'll help." said Soifon. Mayuri was then taken back at being brutality beaten by the two most savage captains in the thirteen court guard squads.