Winter Serenade Chapter 21

In the underground training hall…

Clashes of blades, the sound of grinding dust as feet sped through it, the pants of exhaustion. A sudden whirl of wind as reiatsu built up and attacked, striking the surroundings and obliterating everything in its way. The crumbling of rock as metal sliced through it like butter. The sudden stillness as the victor was decided.

'Urahara-san… you're growing soft…' Kazane said in an annoyed tone. 'You can do better than that.'

Urahara grinned, 'But this training session is for you, Kaza-chan!'

'What good is it if the teacher can't even stand against the student!?' Kazane whacked the top of his head with the end of her scythe.

'Ow!' He rubbed his head. 'But you can control it well enough already…'

Kazane raised a fist and an icicle formed around it. It glinted dangerously. She smiled dangerously, 'Why not we test that out, huh?'

Urahara sweated. 'No need to! I'll step up my standard of fighting for sure!'

Kazane smiled sweetly and pointed it towards the ceiling. A torrent of ice shards sped towards it and cracked the ceiling. She pressed a finger to her lips, expressing mock surprise. 'Oh no, I only meant to shoot 3 of them! Look how wonderful my control is!'

'Enough sarcasm, more work…' he muttered and shoved his bucket cap down, picking up his sword and getting into a fighting stance.

'Hm…' She swung her scythe around. 'Maybe…' There was a rumble of reiatsu.

'Not.'

'Ah… what bad timing. It's arrancar.'

'Got it. Bye!' Kazane flashed stepped off. Urahara watched her leave, pulling his bucket hat further down.

'Ara, and we were in the middle of training. I suppose that can be considered training but… whatever it is, don't lose control.'

A particular street in Karakura Town…

Ichiru wielded his sword, eyeing the arrancar warily as it lumbered its way towards him. His grip tightened around the hilt.

'Hey… are you strong?' the arrancar questioned, licking his lips. Ichiru didn't reply, lifting his sword higher.

'Hey! I asked you a question!' the arrancar slashed at the air, sending bits and pieces of the pavement shooting towards Ichiru. Ichiru flashed stepped away, dodging the rocks narrowly.

'Slice through the heavenly skies, Yoru no Kage!' Ichiru released his zanpakto. It turned into the black pole.

'So you are strong! I can feel it…' the arrancar sniffed the air. His tongue shot out as if he could taste the air, and apparently he looks as though he's enjoying it.

'What's your name, arrancar?' Ichiru demanded.

The arrancar took one look at him and snorted. 'I have no name, unlike the other arrancar that came! Grimmjow –sama promised me of a name when I get back to Hueco Mundo, but until then…' he licked his lips. 'You'll have to die for me if you want my name, shinigami…'

Ichiru swung his pole. 'I'm afraid I can't do that.' He pounced.

The arrancar reacted quickly. He pulled out his sword and deflected the gust of wind sent to him. He then proceeded to block every attack dealt. The arrancar taunted, 'Come on, you can't be this weak! Hit me, come on!'

'Ichiru-kun…' the familiar voice rang out.

'Ojou- no… Kazane-san…' Ichiru backed away immediately and nodded towards the blond girl that had appeared.

The arrancar licked his lips. 'Hm… a sweet thing you are. Your aura spits out strength… Are you strong?'

Kazane eyed him bemusedly. 'Why don't you find out?' She added to the shinigami behind her, 'Ichiru, record this…'

The arrancar grinned. 'Why don't I?' He lifted his sword… only that it wasn't a complete sword anymore. Kazane raised her hand along with the half of the arrancar's blade.

'Am I strong, arrancar-kun?' Kazane sang, running forward with the blade stuck out in front of her. The blade pierced him through the shoulder, drawing blood. He spat out the red substance and it landed on her clothes, staining it a brilliant red.

'You…' The arrancar growled. He raised his zanpakto and said, 'Release, Lizard-King!' He transformed into a lizard-like thing, its features formed distinctively by the white goo that formed the very same mask on him. His tail was unusually long and it whipped about dangerously. The hole on his stomach was still there, though it was covered partially by his scales.

'Interesting…' Kazane instructed before flash stepping over to the arrancar's back. She released her zanpakto, 'Fuyusuisei…' the hilt had transformed into the long sword before changing into the familiar scythe.

'I see you, shinigami!' the arrancar turned around and charged towards her, tongue out and ready to lash.

STAB! Kazane plunged the head of her scythe through the arrancar's hole, ripping past the sinewy flesh and scales. She then pulled it out again, slashing through the entire right side of his body. The arrancar gave a blood-curdling scream as its blood flowed and stained the pavement.

'Kazane…' Ichiru mouthed, mortified by the display of violence. The camera he was using to record the scene was shaking.

Kazane licked her bloody hands and ran her tongue over the bloody face of her scythe, glancing at Ichiru sideways. She grinned, 'That was… interesting. Who knew arrancars were so fun to hunt?'

'Kazane…'

She's changed.

With Urahara later that night…

Ichiru stepped into the sitting room where Urahara was drinking tea. He bowed and took a seat opposite him. Urahara set down his tea cup and picked up the camera on the table.

'This is a recording of the battle between Kazane and the lizard arrancar just now?' Urahara turned the camera on and searched it for the video.

'She instructed me to record the match. I assumed that it was for research purpose as we have little information on the arrancars. But… I felt that I had to show you this video. Kazane… she has…' Ichiru bit his lip. 'Watch it, please.'

Urahara played the short video clip and watched as Kazane slaughtered the arrancar mercilessly, as well as the final question she voiced out before the screen went black. He sighed and played the video again, searching it closely for any details. He stopped one particular moment and gestured for Ichiru to come over, which he did. Urahara zoomed in to Kazane's eyes and pointed them out.

'Look. What colour are they?' Urahara pointed to her eyes.

Ichiru peered closely before saying, 'It's… Holy- It's violet, blue, black and gold. How did that…?'

Urahara zoomed in closer. He pointed out, 'There are also specks of green and red. Kazane's eyes are originally violet. Fuyusuisei's are blue while her hollow's are black and gold. But there's no link with Kazane and red or green eyes. What I can deduce is that when she's fighting, she draws out her own special kind of power, and that power is one that involves all parts of her soul. Thus, her eye colour changes to reflect that. Look, I'll play it further…' Urahara pressed the play button and it showed Kazane's eye colours changing every second. At the last part where she said "Who knew arrancars were so fun to hunt?" her eyes were a clear violet.

'What does it mean? At the last part, they were violet. That's Kazane's true eye colour. Does that mean that… Kazane actually meant it without influence from her soul?' Ichiru looked horrified. He stood up and shook his head. 'No, that can't be true!'

'There are many layers in Kazane, like an onion. I think this is the one layer that not many have seen. Were you aware that Kazane loves to have fun?'

Ichiru nodded. 'It's apparent in her childhood. She loves playing, breaking rules, escaping to Rukongai… anything that invokes thrill. I thought that it was a result from her noble upbringing but… is it really her true nature? All the while… she was so serious…'

'It makes sense. Her zanpakto's shikai is of a morphing weapon. Could it be that Kazane sees the weapon as toy that can change to fit her desire when she grows tired of her old weapon? Certainly playful… and dangerous, that kind of shikai…' Urahara laced his fingers and rested them on the table. 'That certainly helped understand her a bit more…'

'Her zanpakto spirit likes lame jokes…' Ichiru threw in his two cents' worth. He caught Urahara's questioning stare and hurriedly explained, 'She was always telling me such lame jokes and puns… When I asked, she said that Haruka made them up and she had to share them or Haruka will go on a strike… what's a strike, by the way?'

Urahara ignored the last question but chuckled heartily. 'Well, at least she's not the only one out there that just wants to have fun. Where is she, by the way?'

Ichiru closed his eyes for a second before opening them. He informed, 'She's downstairs training. She mentioned something about her Bankai… and not to let anyone go in there for the rest of the night.'

Outside the room, someone, who was very likely to be Jinta, yelled, 'Who the hell installed an air-conditioner inside there? It's freezing! Argh! Where did the ice come from? Ahhh! It's spreading!!!'

Urahara eyed the door which was covered in frost. 'Well… I think we have out reason.'

With Kazane…

'More…' Kazane whispered out as she pointed to an already frozen rock. More ice formed around it, freezing it until the rock could barely be seen through the thick layer of frost. Kazane picked it up and shot it to the wall. It connected and ice exploded. It froze the area quickly, and soon, the whole room was covered with a layer of icy frost.

'Nice… Now add a little pavilion and you have a replica of your inner world…' Kazane thought sarcastically. She glanced up at the frozen ceiling. 'Come to think of it… why not add some snow?' She closed her eyes and raised both hands, palms up. Her reiatsu flared around her and soon, it was snowing.

'Hey… That's not all you can do.'

Kazane opened her eyes. 'Fuyusuisei?'

'No, it's Kazane. Ka-za-ne. Say it.'

Kazane blinked once, blinked twice, and inclined her head in realization. 'Oh… So, tell me, Kazane-chan, what else can I do?'

'Kazane-chan? You actually want to call yourself in that way? Anyways, answering your question, you can do Bankai, of course. It's different now, but I'm sure you'll handle them just fine. Remember?'

'Winter's Cradle, Nocturnal Snow Wrath… they're the ones I use the most… actually, the only ones I've used on an enemy so far. Then there's Snow Globe, the protective form, and Winter Playland. I haven't been training Winter Playland since… Reiyuu-sensei died.' Kazane took out her zanpakto. She muttered the release and out came the long, sharp ice sword.

'Of course… Winter Playland is your best yet most unpolished form. Would you like me to pass on the skills of mastering that Bankai?'

Kazane froze. She gripped her sword tightly and whispered, 'Can you?'

'Naturally. So, why not we start now?'

She smiled. 'Thank you… Kazane-chan.'

'You're welcome, Kazane-chan.'

With Shinji… on a wall far from the place where Ichigo (and Hiyori) was demolishing…

He stared at the ring on his finger, toying with it continuously. The next second, he took out the book given to him by Kazane, and then the next he was back staring at the ring.

'What is it? An engagement ring?' Kensei looked over his shoulder. He peered at the crest on the ring and widened his eyes. 'That can't be what I think it is.'

'It is, Kensei,' Shinji smirked. He showed it to him, but didn't take it off.

Kensei looked closely at it. 'Holy mother of hollows, where did you get this?' he turned skeptical. 'It isn't an imitation product, is it?'

'No, it's not. It's the exact thing,' Shinji fingered it again. 'Do hollows have mothers?'

'…Where did you get this?' Kensei asked again.

'…' Shinji didn't reply.

'It couldn't be… from her?'

'Indirectly, but yes,' Shinji nodded.

'Your sister?' Kensei's eyes twitched.

'Is there a problem? It's mine, anyways,' Shinji shrugged. 'She gave it to me.'

Kensei was silent for a while. He cracked his mouth open and asked, 'Will you be going back? Do you even know what accepting that ring entitles? We can't go back, not when we're all in this state. Central 46 will kill us for sure!'

'True, but if I don't, then she will become the next head of the family, and I don't want that,' Shinji tucked his hand into his pocket. 'I'm not going to pass on this position to her.'

'Why? Is it because she made your childhood hell? Or is it because you don't want her to take on the burden? You rejected that position before! You killed the clan's future with your own hands. How come… why would you… want to head a family that you yourself don't want?' Kensei pounded his fist on the hard concret.

'I wasn't clan head then, not officially. The ring was missing when I was supposed to become the head, so the title wasn't on me, officially. But now… perhaps I can finally bring everything to an end. …Hey, Kensei?'

'Hm?'

'You're cooking dinner today!' Shinji got up and flash stepped off.

'Oi! Shinji!' Kensei burst a few blood vessels as he hollered. 'Don't push your chores to me!'

Next Day…

'Please train me!'

Kazane looked up at the source of the plead. The scythe in her hand was still spreading milky white mist over its path. Curious, she lifted the hems of her white kimono and flash-stepped up to the main shop.

'Please, Urahara-san! Train me! At my current strength, I cannot assist Ichigo in any way. Please, I want to get stronger!' Sado was on his knees. Kazane raised an eyebrow and looked at the shop keeper.

'What's this…?' She asked.

'Exactly what you just heard,' Urahara replied.

'You? Train him?' she looked incredulous.

'Ichigo improved incredibly even after a few days of Urahara-san's training. If I could be trained by Urahara-san… then perhaps… I can reach towards Ichigo's strength, even if it's just a little. Please, train me for the Winter War!' Sado bowed.

'But that was because Ichigo was up to standards,' she countered. 'I'm saying it bluntly. If you attempt to train against Urahara-san, you'll die within the first 5 minutes.'

Urahara flapped his fan at her. 'Aw, Kazane, don't flatter me so. But it's true, I cannot train you, Sado-kun. The difference between strengths is too much. I may accidentally end up killing you.'

'But-'

Kazane interjected, 'What about that freeloader?'

'Eh?'

'Not a bad idea, Kazane,' Urahara smiled.

'What?'

'Oh, you're home, Renji-kun, Ichiru-kun!' the two blonds turned to the door and smiled creepily. Renji and Ichiru backed away nervously.

'Yes…?' Ichiru asked apprehensively.

'We've got a way for you two to repay your debt!' Urahara grinned.

'No, no, for Renji-kun only!' Kazane said. 'Ichiru's mine to order around!'

'Ok, ok.'

'Debt?'

Urahara smiled sinisterly, 'You don't think we'll let you stay for free, do you?'

GULP.

'Well, Sado-kun, you've got a teacher!' Kazane pointed her scythe to Sado

GULP. 'Could you please remove that from my face… please?'

'Oh!' She didn't withdraw the scythe but instead had a very thoughtful look on her face.

'What is it?'

She winked. 'There's double training!'

'WHAT?'

'Haha! The training hall is covered in ice so it'll be a tad cold, but it'll be a good simulation for the Winter War though!' She laughed happily.

Renji rushed to the door to the hall and saw the snowing icy hall. He paled.

'We'll get frostbite!'

'Too bad~!'

A few minutes later…

Urahara walked into the sitting room where Kazane was sitting and drinking tea. He chuckled softly and took a seat opposite her. Kazane poured him a cup and pushed it towards the shop keeper.

'How is it going?'

'Abarai-kun seems bent on chipping away all the ice from the room before they start training. He went all out and used bankai.'

Kazane snorted. 'Bankai? Our zanpaktos are being used for more and more stupid things now. What next? Use it to demolish a building?'

'He did that already,' Urahara reminded.

'Ara, you're right…'

Silence.

'Enough small talk. Where are you intending to train after this?'

'There are plenty of places for me to train. I'll just find one tomorrow.'

'Don't joke around. I was peeking just now and that bankai you were using…'

'Winter Playland.'

'Huh?'

'My ultimate form, Winter Playland. That's what I was practicing just now.'

'Anyways, that thing is really… beyond comprehension.'

'I know. I never knew how to use it until now, and it has been quite troublesome to use.'

Urahara frowned, 'Troublesome?'

Kazane smiled and said, 'It's very different from what you normally see. It's like… hm, Kyoraku-taicho's bankai, except that it's not very like that…'

'I completely don't get you. How did you know what his bankai was, anyway?'

'I knew you wouldn't. And how I get my information is none of your business.'

He laughed, 'Cryptic . But now, things have been set into motion. Ichigo is with the Vizards, Soul Society is preparing for the war and… you are training to fight him, no?'

Kazane stood up. 'If it's the last thing I do, I want to kill Aizen. For you, for me, and for all those that have suffered under his hands. I will kill him, even if he kills me.'

Urahara said nothing as she walked out as silently as he was then.

Time skip: One month later, Urahara Shoten…

'Uwaaaa!'

'Hyaaaa!'

*Grunt!

'Uwoooo!'

Smash!

Faint.

'Tessai, revive him.'

'OW!!!!'

'Right, ready to go back to training!'

'Slave driver…'

'…It looks like fun! …What's going on, by the way…?'

'Kaza-chan! So nice to race us with your presence in this extremely repetitive training, ' Urahara greeted cheerfully. He nodded towards the empty space on the slab of stone he was sitting on. 'Come, come, tell me all about your adventures. You were gone for a whole month; I was worried that you'd have no food to eat or even met some rouge hollows!'

'Enough sarcasm,' Kazane sat down beside him and crossed her legs.

'How's training?'

'I mastered it, finally. I think I'll be able to match up to Aizen soon, with the ever increasing amount of reiatsu growing inside me,' She ran her fingers along her zanpakto.

'Good, good, you're amazing to achieve so much after only a month,' Urahara nodded. 'Those two are doing well as well. And little Hiroshi-kun is on his own, training. I think he's with the other shinigami right now. It seems like he enjoys company while he trains, unlike a certain someone here.'

'Sorry for wanting to NOT sacrifice lives while training. Normal people don't have the same resistance to cold like me,' she rolled her eyes. 'The waterfall I trained at won't defrost until next summer.'

'Waterfall….'

'Yes?'

'Darn, I should have thought of that, right Youruichi?'

MEOW! Kazane yelped as the black cat jumped onto her head and settled calmly on the said head. Growling, she attempted to pluck the cat off her head but yelped when the claws dug into her scalp.

'Alright! No claws, no claws!' She yelped, releasing the cat immediately. 'How did you get here without me detecting you, anyways?'

MEOW! Youruichi thumped her head with something small on her neck. Kazane reached up and took it carefully, wary of the cat. She examined the object in her hand until she remembered what it was.

'Urahara-san, why do you still have this?' Kazane asked sweetly in a dangerously low tone.

'Ehehe…'The bracelet was thrust into his hands. He toyed with the pink heart bracelet, swinging it from here to there like a swing. 'It still works wonders. Perhaps you should bring it with you…'

'No way.'

'Ugh…' he looked down dejectedly. 'I made a few modifications too… I'll be very sad if you don't accept it… Kaza-chan…'

'Krk… Do you have to put up that disgusting puppy-dog face?' She snatched the bracelet forcefully away from him and tucked it into her pocket.

Urahara shook his head. 'No, no, it has to be on your body, Kaza-chan. You know how it works.'

'Grr…'

'… Ok, why not you make it into a holster or something?'

The growling stopped.

'Uh… but the bracelet must be around at least one part of your body.'

The growling started again.

MEOW! Scratch!

'Ow! Youruichi-san!'

'Stop whining, Kazane! Keisuke, tell her what it's for!'

'Keisuke…? I didn't know you were on first name terms, Youruichi, Urahara.' Kazane commented, earning a two glares.

'Ahem. This bracelet was designed to not only conceal your reiatsu, it can also regulate and store excess reiatsu so that the excess reiatsu can be discharged from your body in a non-harmful way. You were hurt. Weren't you, during the past month?' He eyed her.

Kazane flushed and looked away, clutching her abdomen. 'Just a little.'

'Even after practicing Bankai day and night, there was still excess energy left in your body. It'll get worse as time goes by. Are you sure that you won't get hurt again? I think not. And what if you can't practice Bankai? What will you do with all the reiatsu building up in you?' Urahara beat her down with his solid argument.

'As long as I stay in the Human World, there's no reason why I can't practice my Bankai!'

'And if you don't?'

'…What do you mean?'

'Just a possible scenario. What if you had to go to Soul Society, or even worse, Hueco Mundo?'

'…Impossible. There's no way I'm going to Hueco Mundo. The arrancar will have trouble bringing me there, and even if I go there, I'll just massacre the whole lot and come home. And Soul Society won't bother me, I'm sure of that. They know that I'm volatile to unwanted orders, and I'm just important in winning this war as the captains are.' Kazane shook her head.

'Either way, keep this on you. I don't want anything to happen to you. Not now.

'Your concern is greatly appreciated.'

Vizard's Hideout, the next day…

'Oya! Is that all you've got?! Hey! I told you not to take it off without my permission!' A sandal flew through the air like a dagger and hit its target with frightening accuracy.

'Hey! Give me a break already! I'm doing my best!'

'Doing your best? As if! 11 seconds in a month is hardly worth the time! You better buck up or you'll meet my sword!'

'Hey! Ow!!' the other sandal slammed into his face from a flying kick.

'Don't talk back to me, you carrot head!'

'Oya, it's very noisy here, isn't it?'

'Very,' Lisa agreed as she turned the page of her manga.

'Hm. It's become a natural occurrence,' Kensei didn't look up from his weights.

'Yes, it has, hasn't it?' Love and Rose mumbled from the couch.

'Wait, who said that, anyways?' Shinji looked up.

Kazane smiled and waved her hand. 'It's been a while, Vizard-chan!' 'I think I've been broadcasting my presence to others verbally these days. Did their senses dull? Of no, of course not, I have this bracelet on, dear me. I should have remembered that.'

Shinji jumped up and pointed to her, screaming, 'How did you get in?'

Hachi bowed his head from behind her. He mumbled, 'She threatened to slice my head if I didn't let her in. I didn't want to risk doubting that, so I let her in…'

'You really shouldn't have sent him out to do shopping, you know?' Lisa said, nose still stuck in her manga.

'Oy, Lisa, be a bit more serious about this, won't you?'

'Why should I be? I have no reason to fear her,' Lisa countered. She said to Kazane, 'Oy, Hiroshi-chick, you want a mag? Maybe we'll be able to compare bodies?'

'Lisa!'

'I wouldn't mind, actually,' Kazane skipped over to Lisa's couch. 'Is that the latest edition?' Lisa pulled Kazane down to look closely at the magazines and they actually looked at the magazines in detail.

'Lisa!'

'What?' Two pairs of eyes snapped up and glared at Shinji.

'Is it really alright, for her to just stroll in like she owns the place, and act as if we're her friends?' Shinji said.

'I don't see a problem with it,' Lisa said.

'Heck, she's one of us,' Love and Rose said. Mashiro mumbled something along the same lines in her sleep.

'You could be more matured about this, Shinji,' Kensei sided with the group and looked at Shinji disapprovingly.

'WHAT? THE HIROSHI-CHICK IS BACK?' Hiyori screeched.

'At least Hiyori's on my side…' Shinji muttered under his breath.

'Hiyori-chan doesn't count!' Kazane smiled. 'Because…'

A sandal flew through the air but was stopped in its path by her hand. Hiyori yelled, 'Oi, get over here and beat the crap out of your brother, whatever he is!'

'Why don't you do it yourself?'

'Hmph!' She scowled. 'Anyways, just get over here. Maybe he'll be more encouraged if you reveal some skin…'

Kazane chuckled and flashstepped over. She took out her zanpakto that was attached to a holster on her thigh and released it swiftly. The scythe glinted in the light. Ichigo immediately backed away.

'Oi, oi! Don't wave that thing around!' Ichigo rushed away.

'That… thing?' She followed him, catching up in an instant. 'You could have more respect, you know?' The scythe came down and made a huge slice on the ground. Ichigo flash stepped away just in time to avoid the blow. Kazane sent another strike at him and said, 'After all, if I called your Zangetsu a thing, you'd feel insulted too, right, you cleaver-wielding-carrot-head-punk-of-a-substitute-shinigami-cum-Vizard!'

'That was long…' Lisa commented.

'Who're you calling a cleaver-wielding… uh…' Ichigo paused. 'Well, whatever! Just don't-argh!'

The scythe nearly chopped his head off. Ichigo blocked the next attack with his sword, and the next, and the next. The attacks came swifter and stronger, and once again, he was forced to call upon his mask. The mask formed on his face in a swirl of black reiatsu, and his eyes turned black with golden pupils. Kazane licked her lips and charged forward again, attacking with more vigor.

'11 seconds in 1 month? That's pathetic!' She commented snidely as she sliced up his hakama.

'Hey, I'm not going easy on you! Getsuga Tenshou!' The Getsuga Tenshou slashed through the air and headed speedily towards Kazane.

A smirk.

A cero fired and met with the black wave. They clashed and sent waves and torrents of energy around the room.

'What…' Ichigo was too stunned to respond. He raised his zanpakto warily.

And then, in the next moment, she was gone. 'Never hesitate,' Kazane appeared behind him and raised her scythe to her neck. 'If you do, even for a split second, you may die.' She disappeared and reappeared in front of him. A cero was building up in her palm.

'Damn!' Ichigo raised his sword to block the Cero. The mask cracked on the edges. 'Damn! I'm out of time!'

'You're not. Sustain it. Make an effort to keep it,' Kazane slashed at him. Ichigo blocked the attack and sent another Getsuga Tenshou.

'I am!' CLANG!

'Then you must be pathetic to the core! 11 seconds in 1 month? That kind of abysmal result is ill-fitting compared to the time you learnt Bankai!' SMASH!

'This is harder than it looks! I need time!' CUT!

'And didn't you complain about not having enough time?' BOOM!

'I did but-' BLOCK!

'We don't HAVE time, you cleaver-wielding-carrot-head-punk-of-a-substitute-shinigami-cum-Vizard!' KLANG!

'But didn't Hirako say that the Hougyoku can only be used in Winter?' KLING!

'Idiot!' Kazane blew him off and turned to Shinji. 'Who told you that?'

'Uh… Urahara?' Shinji chuckled nervously under her glare. 'I swear! That's what he told me!'

'Urahara doesn't know shit about the Hougyoku!' The words came out angry, harsh, and at a level close to a scream. Her reiatsu flared around her in angry, icy, torrents.

SMOTHER! 'Whoah, keep calm, little one!' Rose and Love pinned her down to the sandy floor. Kazane didn't resist, but she was twitching angrily.

'What's wrong?' Lisa had put down her magazines and flash stepped over to where they were. Wincing slightly at the strong reiatsu, she knelt down and patted her head to calm the girl down. 'Is it bad?'

'Hougyoku reawaken in winter my ass! Did Urahara convince you all that the Hougyoku's true potential can only be reawaken in winter? Heck no! That guy who hasn't even had contact with the Hougyoku since he turned it into that form would never understand that the Hougyoku can be used at full strength if it made contact with an incredibly powerful person, which Aizen so conveniently is! Argh, I'll kill him the next time I see him for not consulting me about it first before spreading the information! The more we underestimate Aizen, the worse the outcome!' The pulse of reiatsu grew weaker a notch, but the flow was still steady. 'Argh!' And with every "argh", it seems that she was calming down.

'Hey, calm down,' Hachi waddled over too. 'Getting mad won't solve anything at this point.'

'Right! The main problem is this idiot right here!' Hiyori punched Ichigo. She yelled, 'Oi, you, get back to training!'

'But she-' WHACK!

'Get back to training you cleaver-wielding-carrot-head-punk-of-a-substitute-shinigami-still-not-cum-Vizard!'

'She memorised it…'

'That she did.'

'Hiyori is amazing. I thought only the Hiroshi-chick could say that in one breath…'

'Aha… Hiyori can do amazing things sometimes,' Kazane giggled, apparently recovered enough from her sudden bout of anger to not shake and blow people off with her reiatsu. She got up slowly, dusting herself off. Bowing to the Vizards, she said, 'Thank you. I think I'll go and whip some Urahara ass right now.'

RUMBLE of reiatsu.

'Maybe not.'

From the other end where Ichigo was training, a shout was heard, 'Let me go, dammit, you short stick!'

'Who're you calling a short stick, carrot head?'

'You, the shortie with a board for a chest!'

WHAM!

Oh. My. God. How long has it been since I last updated… AND Winter Serenade is approaching its 1 year mark! Oh wait, let me check… Oh my &*^%, it's already 1 year, 5 days old! Oh well, I guess 20 chapters in one year isn't too bad… not. I still feel depressed whenever I get story alerts from certain stories every week or so, but I'll try to buck up… the keyword being TRY! Ok, hope you like the chapter. Please leave a review if you can, even if it's one word like "AMAZING!" or "CRAP!" or "LAME!" or "IMPRESSIVE!" Thank you for reading, especially those that have stayed with me since this was first published. Thank you very much! *bows