XII.

Counter-Intelligence

Dated: Gotei Thirteen Era Four

Ikatsue stands on the hill, staring into the rising light. It is then that he feels it. In barely an instant, two of his Zanpank-to are drawn.

He spins in place, looking over his shoulder, as the sky begins to turn gold. His power is waning rapidly. He has little time left. His blades are re-sheathed, and he sits down. For barely an instant, his eyes flash white.

It is almost too late. His mind is made.

"Sotaichou!" Ikatsue rose to his feet, turning. The Commander of the Special Forces had fallen from the sky behind him.

"Soifon? What is it?" He asked, somewhat annoyed by her intrusion.

"Aizen. He is on the move. He is coming here…"

"Again?"

Soifon looked at him, not quite understanding.

"He was here… three days ago. He visited his former Fukutaichou, and convinced her that the Gotei are evil in order to get information from her. Didn't you know?" Ikatsue asked, as though he had read her thoughts.

Soifon stared at him as though he were insane.

"Well… I'm going to go pester the kid. Make sure that Shunsui-kun tells you about what he learned yesterday. He's winning in your little game by far."

"So… Hitsaguya-kun." The boy flinched ever so slightly. Mentally, Ikatsue smiled. "How are you today?"

"Fine, Sotaichou." He responded absentmindedly. "Come in."

"Ikatsue-san!" Ikatsue was hugged by a… decidedly un-hung-over Matsumoto Rangiku.

"Good morning to you too…" He was at least slightly perturbed by this, managing to claw his way out of her grip. "Aren't you… hung over?"

"Not at all."

Hitsaguya clicked his sandals against the ground.

"Forgive me, Toshiro-kun." This time, the boy's flinch was both large and easily noticeable. The two Taichou walked off toward Hitsaguya's offices.

"How does she do it?"

Hitsaguya didn't even look up. "Avoid hangovers? She never gets sober. She's probably still drunk.

"That explains a lot.

Hitsaguya's office held a desk overflowing with paperwork, a large armchair (perhaps to compensate for his height), and a couch.

"So… what now?" The boy asked, as the older man tore off his red jacket. "Wait. Not in here. I don't want the blood all over my floors. At least throw it out the window."

"It's not blood." Ikatsue lied. "Although… good job on noticing. Most of the other captains haven't." Ikatsue dropped the jacket onto the floor, where it melted immediately. Hitsaguya glared, but was then surprised when it left no red stain as it cleared.

"Now then… what would you like to do?"

"Well… if you don't mind, I have to… fuck off and do my paperwork."

Ikatsue scratched his head. "Sorry about that…" He walked off, leaving the young captain to his work.

Almost immediately outside the door, he was once again seized by Matsumoto.

"You know… when he hits puberty, you're screwed." The much stronger man wormed his way out of her grip. He momentarily thought about her being very drunk, and himself being very clever, but banished the idea.

Ikatsue walked off as Matsumoto paused to think about this. Then the problem occurred to her.

"Oh shit."

"Hey, Sandal-hat?"

Urahara Kisuke looked up from his "work", to see Ichigo charging toward him.

"What is it?" He asked, still tallying his apparent lack of funds.

"Where's Rukia?"

"She's not with you?" This time, he looked the boy straight in the eye.

"No… why?"

"It was the only place I could think of, apart from being after a hollow..."

"No. She's been gone for almost a day." Ichigo responded, worried.

"Sotaichou?"

The old, bearded Commander of the Gotei Thirteen turned to see the Kuchiki heiress running toward him across an open plain far to the north of Karakura town.

"Rukia-chan." He nodded to her. "What are you doing here?"

"I sensed your reiatsu. What are you doing?" She asked, fully aware of the rudeness of her question.

Yamamoto sighed to himself. "Something I should have done long ago. I will need a few more days of practice."

"Before what? Are you going after Aizen?"

"Possibly. Where is he…?" Yamamoto seemed preoccupied.

"Who? Where is who?"

"Urahara Kisuke."

"Rukia! Where were you?" Ichigo asked as the young Shinigami rounded the corner into Urahara's alleyway.

His question was answered by the next man who rounded the corner of alleyway containing Urahara's shop.

"Yamamoto-sama?"

"Kurosaki-san. You have as much reiatsu as ever." The old man walked past the two, his staff clicking on the ground as he went.

Stopping in the threshold of the shop, Yamamoto spoke again.

"Kurosaki… you have great potential. You will exceed even me someday. If I should fail, you must defeat him."

Ichigo looked at the man quizzically. "Who?"

"Karite Ikatsue." Yamamoto answered. "And… never let him touch your Zanpakuto."

With that, he entered the building.

"What the hell…?"

"I don't know." Rukia responded.