In this life and in the next Chapter 21: Once More, Time Stands Still, a bleach fanfic

Author's Note: Hello everyone! I'm so sorry for not having updated in a while, but I think that the sheer length of this baby monster says it all. It's the longest chapter I've ever written, but I sincerely hope that I haven't unintentionally sacrificed quality for quantity! Also, I hope that you're not put off by the excessive wordiness of this piece – it's a much quicker read than it looks. Honest.

Before continuing, I should probably also tell you that at one point in the chapter (trust me, you'll know it when you see it), thoughts/internal feelings will be distinguished from "conversation/speech" by quotation marks as shown.

Please enjoy!

Chapter 21: Once More, Time Stands Still/The Awakening

"Captain Ukitake... you're here." He had been careful to sound appropriately disinterested, but since the conclusion of their experiments, there had been no word, not even the slightest indication of what the respective Captain had discovered – indeed, if Captain Unohana and Captain Kurotsuchi had discovered anything significant had remained unknown, since Captain Ukitake had remained conspicuously absent – and Hitsugaya had not appreciated being so blatantly kept in the dark. "Would that...?"

"Yes," the Captain had nodded solemnly. Unbeknownst to the anxious young man, and after weeks of additional meetings and discussions, he had finally having received Head-Captain Yamamoto's permission to reunite the shinigami who could very well be a former Gotei 13 Captain, with his zanpakutou. "Both Captains finally finished analyzing the results of their respective tests yesterday."

"And...?" He had inquired impatiently when the Captain quieted without giving any indication of intending on further elaborating on his own accord. Hitsugaya remembered feeling rather indignant and very, very irritated – he had not endured Captain Unohana's lengthy and thorough examinations and Captain Kurotsuchi's equally lengthy and thorough, if just somewhat bloodthirsty and overall peculiar tests for Captain Ukitake to hold out on him in such a... frustrating manner. "Captain?" he had prompted, this time a little louder.

"Well, while the tests show that there is nothing much wrong with you, Captain Unohana and Captain Kurotsuchi independently reached the conclusion that another zanpakutou may prove beneficial in your case." Captain Ukitake had paused to observe the other white-haired man thoughtfully; the seemingly eternal frown on his forehead had deepened as he quietly contemplated that which had been said. If the Captain hadn't known his student better, he might have interpreted the resulting silence as a sign of shock.

"Forgive me," Hitsugaya had finally overcome his initial speechlessness, "but what do you mean by another zanpakutou? I haven't been able to manifest anything yet, so there should be no difference-"

"Here." Feeling rather relieved that the younger shinigami's reaction to the news had proved well within the range of that which could be expected of him, Captain Ukitake had unceremoniously interrupted his charge by pushing a carefully wrapped zanpakutou towards him. "This is for you."

Thus, Hitsugaya had suddenly found himself holding an unfamiliar katana and he remembered staring at its deep blue cloth stupidly, ashamed to admit that the Captain's actions had left him completely dumbfounded. "Captain Ukitake? Is this really- I mean, why do-"

"That is irrelevant, Hitsugaya." At the sound of his name, Hitsugaya had looked up from his hands, noting with some amusement that the squad commander for once hadn't neglected to address him properly. But that sense of satisfaction had been pierced by the inescapable authority in his voice, which had effectively informed him that the Squad Captain would not tolerate to be questioned. "Please use this from now on... unless you plan on continuing to practise with that asauchi over there."

"Thank you, Captain," he had muttered while still wondering what exactly he had to be thankful for.

Captain Ukitake had nodded twice in acknowledgement before he quietly floated out of the cave, presumably to return to his squad. Once the Captain and teacher had disappeared from view, Hitsugaya had examined his 'new' zanpakutou critically, carefully examining its length, weight, and width before sighing to himself.

Well, it wouldn't hurt to try now, would it?

He had been in the middle of one of his many zanjutsu practise sessions when he suddenly found himself surrounded by ice and snow. The strange, barren landscape, which replaced the solid stone walls that usually surrounded him from all sides, had seemed disturbingly familiar, and as he looked around him, Hitsugaya had concluded that he indeed had seen it before.

Although the recognition had been dull like a forgotten memory, he had felt as if he not only had seen it before, but that he knew it – something deep inside of him had grasped not only its physical shape and form, but its entirety and its essence. The landscape had even borne some resemblance to the dark, glossy plains from his dreams, and yet it was very, very different; whereas his dreams had been dark with black rocks and shadowy earth, this mysterious world have seemed to contain only white snow and glistening ice.

He had wandered aimlessly, instinctively clutching his zanpakutou tightly in his right hand. Although he had no destination and no reason for his wanderings, Hitsugaya had been overcome with a mysterious urge to walk. Towards what he had not known, only that something prevented him from doing otherwise – without quite understanding why, he had sworn to himself that he wouldn't give up before he reached it... whatever it was.

But the silent plains had stretched into infinity in all directions around him, and he had finally been forced to stop to catch his breath and his bearings.

And that was when he heard it.

"Toushirou..."

It had been very faint at first, barely even a whisper, but there had been a voice calling out to him... and it had been a voice that belonged to someone he could not see, but who nevertheless was very important for reasons he couldn't discern.

The voice had progressively sounded stronger, closer, and Hitsugaya had spun around, desperately trying to discover its origins. But his search had been in vain; the plains around him lay empty and abandoned, save for the wind and the snow that had been swirling around him. However, there was something in that voice that reminded him of something... something familiar. Only, he could not quite understand what. Or why.

"Toushirou...?" the white plains and the pale blue sky had seemed to be asking. "Master..."

"Who are you?" he had shouted into the arctic wind and its gracefully dancing snowflakes. "Why are you calling me? Why am I here?"

"Toushirou." The voice had been partially drowned in the howling wind that seemed to have intensified. "I... waiting... come..."

"I can't hear you! Where are you?"

"Ask..." The voice had slowly ebbed away, disappearing into the wind. "Ask for me... Ask..."

"Ask? But I don't-" The slender zanpakutou had finally sliced the air impatiently. "I demand that you show yourself, whoever you are!"

At his command, the wind had immediately silenced and was replaced by an eerie silence, the snowflakes had appeared frozen mid-dance, and somewhere in the far distance, he had heard a soft rumble.

Then, suddenly the very ground underneath his feet had trembled and it had appeared, floating gracefully in the air in front of him and observing him in complete silence.

Hitsugaya had only narrowly resisted the urge to rub his eyes in surprise, but materializing before him had been no other than the black dragon from his dreams. Although, this time, the majestic creature had shed its dark form in favour of clear, pristine ice.

"You..." He had said slowly, his gaze fastened on the dragon. "You are the spirit of this zanpakutou."

"Correct," the ice-dragon's had whispered, and Hitsugaya had silently wondered whether the deep rumble had reverberated only inside his head or also over the frozen plains around them. "You have entered my domain, the part of you that is I. This is my true form."

"Your domain...?"

"Here I rest until my wielder calls upon me for battle."

"Wielder? But if you are this zanpakutou's spirit, then-"

"You have kept me waiting."

"Waiting?"

"Yes, I have been waiting for you. I searched, sensing your presence far away, but when you could not hear me, I stopped calling. I trusted that you would find me when the time came. And now you are here."

"Tell me who you are, how you know who I am!"

"Like all of my kind, I am a companion and a guardian."

"What is your name?"

"You have not yet made yourself deserving to know my name. If you hope to command me, you must prove yourself, boy. Prove that you believe in what I am. Prove that you trust me with your life, you mind, and your soul. Prove that you do not doubt in our strength. Prove that you are truly worthy of calling yourself my master."

"Then you must tell me, dragon! How do I prove that I'm worthy?"

"In time, you will know what to do."

When the dragon finally quieted, layers of solid ice had shattered beneath his feet, giving him the impression he was falling through space and time. Then, as quickly as he had been drawn in, he had been repelled from the ice world, returning to the familiarity of the underground training hall.

Once he had returned, Hitsugaya had blinked uncertainly at the rocks around him, attempting to make sense of what he just had experienced. Although he had yet to achieve a true manifestation, he had finally managed to communicate directly with his zanpakutou's spirit... so much had been certain. But it was beyond belief, logic, and bewilderment even, that he had found his soul to be the true form of the black dragon from his dreams... It had appeared highly unlikely that it would be a mere coincidence, but Hitsugaya had not dared to speculate any further. Indeed, the situation and the events leading up to their meeting had undoubtedly been very strange, but he had been reluctant to question something that had felt so... natural.

In any case, he had finally met it, the physical form of his soul.

At the end of a particularly gruelling kidou practise, Hitsugaya had found Captain Ukitake sitting at his normal place by the low table, contently sipping a cup of steaming tea. "So how are you finding your new zanpakutou?"

"I'm still adapting, Captain," Hitsugaya had answered guardedly. Although he knew that as his teacher and mentor, the 13th Division Captain was entitled to a more detailed report of his recent progress, he had been reluctant to supply the Captain with such. After all, he had yet to establish a permanent communication channel with the ice-dragon, and Hitsugaya wanted to ensure its complete success before informing Captain Ukitake of his accomplishments; his occasional meetings with the spirit of his zanpakutou had still only been sporadic, and they seemed to occur entirely according to the dragon's wishes rather than his own. "But I have no complaints."

"Good." To Hitsugaya's great relief, the Captain had only smiled as usual before returning his attention to the contents of his cup. "I have already given you your exercises for this week, but if you need any additional assistance, I would be glad to help."

"...actually, Captain, there is one thing," Hitsugaya had started hesitantly, regretting with each syllable as he spoke them.

"Yes, Toushirou?" But to his immense disappointment, Hitsugaya hadn't fallen for the bait as usual and had instead opted to ignore the intentional use of his given name; it had been obvious that something serious must have happened in his absence for the self-assured young man to act so uncharacteristically.

"Uh, the zanpakutou, it... eh, it..." Hitsugaya had been all but squirming with uneasiness before he had rallied all of his will-power and self-control, finally managing to pull himself together. "Its length is somewhat of a bother."

"Ah." A look of understanding had briefly crossed the older man's features. "I see."

Two days later, the Captain had returned with a long piece of cloth.

"You can use this to carry your zanpakutou. I had something similar for mine in my youth."

Hitsugaya had examined the cloth carefully. "The length is near perfect."

"Oh, it's just something old I had saved." The Captain had concealed a low chuckle at the sight of the white-haired man and the sash with a convenient cough. "What do you think of the colour? It's a little faded, but is it tolerable?"

"The colour is fine." Hitsugaya had honestly not cared much of its appearance as long as he wasn't forced to carry his zanpakutou in his hands, or having to suffer the humiliation of it touching the ground. It was utterly infuriating that he wasn't able to wear his own zanpakutou at his side as was customary – he didn't think that he shorter than average by all that much, but his zanpakutou was quite long and a few crucial inches still eluded him. "But I suppose that I've always been partial to green." Hitsugaya had effortlessly wrapped the sash around the zanpakutou, thrown it over his shoulder and lastly adjusting it over his chest before the tying the ends together in a neat knot. "Thank you, Captain."

"Even as you're here in front of me, I feel as if I can't reach you. I have asked you before, but why is that, dragon?"

"As long as you refuse me, I cannot be wielded."

"...refuse?" he had repeated, a frown settling on his face.

"Your soul does not fully accept me. That is why you cannot call upon me."

"My soul?" Hitsugaya had stared at the dragon in disbelief. "But that's not possible... you are my soul. How could I be refusing myself?"

"While it is true that I cannot exist without you, our connection is not yet complete. There is still a barrier that separates us."

"How do I break that barrier?" Hitsugaya had hardly dared to hope for an answer. Usually, the dragon expelled him from his arctic world before answering any of his many questions.

"Do you believe that I would not harm you?"

"Yes."

"Then the time has come for you to decide if you are willing to endure the pain."

"Pain?"

"There are some doors that are not meant to be unlocked and some things are not meant to be a second time... But if it is your will, then I shall show you: I shall show you who you are and who you were, Hitsugaya Toushirou. But I cannot, unless you accept me with your entire soul. Is this your will?"

"If that is what it takes to finally reach you, then yes it is."

The dragon's ruby eyes had drilled themselves into his emerald, seemingly searching the depth of his essence, and for a moment, Hitsugaya had been filled with a well-known sense of dread. The dragon would sometimes do that – challenging the shinigami to look back into the void behind his hard, unflinching eyes – and each time, Hitsugaya would be forced to yield to the sharp, burning pain that would pulse through his body.

But something had felt unexplainably different that time, and unlike their other clashes of wills, Hitsugaya had not diverted his gaze. Instead, when the ice-dragon melted into his consciousness, he had defiantly stared back into the deep, merciless abyss.

Red, he remembered thinking to himself, so very red.

Red... It was the colour of the setting sun, of spilt blood, and of raging fire. But no red he had ever seen was comparable to the colour of the dragon's crimson eyes.

First there was red. And then there was pain.

His whole being seemed to be aching, and an unexplainable hurt had washed over him in waves.

"Cast off your uncertainty and your doubts." A deep voice had echoed inside his head, cold and unforgiving. "Leave nothing behind."

Dragon, I can't think... I can't breathe... I can't exist... But I will endure your test! If this pain means that I can finally reach you, then I will endure! I will not turn back – this time I'm not going to fail! Do you hear me? DO YOU HEAR ME!

Then, almost as suddenly as he had been overcome, there was no more red, no more pain... no more anything, only a crushing, engulfing whiteness.

White.

An eternity passed as he drifted in white. All he could see, hear, touch, taste, and smell had been that absolute and devastatingly overwhelming whiteness... until he had heard a distorted voice's eerie, distant call. It had carried with it the faint sensations of the rustling of paper, distant laughter, exhaustion, ink, warmth, and sweat. He would always remember those odd mixtures of immediate impressions, just as he would always remember the voices and broken images that would pass through his mind. Those pitiful pieces were all that he had left of his other life; the one he had once lived first in Junrinan and then in Seireirei; the one he had lived before Aizen had shattered his peaceful existence.

Since most of his so-called 'memories' were borrowed from the vast collections of others, he treasured the fragments that he knew were his own. But, that said, Hitsugaya had never regarded himself as sentimental or anything... He simply wasn't the type.

But that hadn't stopped the blurry images or the far-away voices from entering his consciousness, one by one...

"Shiro? Shiro-chan, where- Oh, there you are. I'll be going now, but I'll see you later!"

"Oi, I've told you not to call me Shiro-chan! And stop with the patting already! It's weird... and it's messing up my hair!"

"I won't, at least not until you go to the same school as me!"

"Eh, whatever... Why would I want to go to the same lame school as you?"

"Mou! Don't be so mean, Shiro-chan! Anyway, I'll be staying at the girls' dorm from now on, but I'll come back to visit soon, I promise!"

"Heh, like I'd care where you are. But thanks for the warning! Don't hurry back, you bed-wetter!"

"Hey! Dropping the change on the counter like that... Is that any way to treat your customers, huh?!"

"Look here, shinigami-lady, I'm just doing my job, so do me a favour and go back to Seireitei, will ya?"

"You really are rude, aren't you?! And not only that, you think that you can get away with it just because he's a kid!"

"Lady, if you ain't buying nothing then-"

"And YOU! You shouldn't just lie there, crying about it! If you're a man, then act like one!"

"But- But you're the one who knocked me down in the first place! And I wasn't crying or anything, so let me go!"

"Hey, kid-"

"Get off already!"

"Huh?"

"I said, get off!"

"What- Hey, kid! Wait a second! Oi! Wait!"

"Why are you calling me? Who are you?!"

"Listen... Toushirou, listen! I am... I am..."

"I'm trying, but I can't hear you!"

"Geddof, Bed-wetter, it's too early... Leave me alone already! Come on, five more minutes... just five more-"

"Mornin', short-stuff. I don't know about this 'Bed-wetter' person, but are you always this difficult to wake up? You sleep like a rock, ya'know."

"Huh...? What- Why, it's- From the market- Where the- What are YOU doing here?!"

"It wasn't all that difficult, following you trail. You know, your spirit energy is out of control... Stop leaking it everywhere!"

"Spirit energy? What are you talking about? And... you still haven't answered my question!"

"Your grandmother looks pretty cold."

"Uh, Granny...?"

"You know, kid, with all that power of yours, you could become a shinigami."

"What are-"

"Yeah... you've got some power alright, but you don't have any control over it and that makes you very dangerous. You know, if you stay like this, you might even end up killing that grandmother of yours."

"...killing?! What are you say-"

"There's a voice, right? Calling out to you from somewhere far away and you keep on hearing it. But you don't know where it's coming from."

"I... I don't know what you're talki-"

"Save your breath, kid. I heard one too, so I know what I'm talking about. Now listen carefully, because I won't tell you twice. That voice... You won't know how to control your powers until you properly understand it."

"But that-"

"Yeah... it means that you'd have to become a shinigami."

"...and that's why I should go, Granny."

"Oh, the Shinigami Academy? But that's wonderful, Toushirou!"

"It is? But I thought-"

"You're such a kind child, staying here, holding yourself back so that I wouldn't be all alone. I think that as your grandmother, knowing that you've done all that for my sake... that is the hardest thing of all."

"I won't be gone for long."

"I know, but in the meantime, I'll make sure to send you some of your favourite foods every week, just like I did for dear Momo."

"...natto. Perhaps you could sometimes send me natto."

"Of course."

"Class dismissed! Not you, Hitsugaya. You're staying behind."

"You wanted to speak with me, sir?"

"I've decided to move you ahead with the second-year students, since there is no use for you to continue at this level. That is all. You may leave."

"Thank you."

"And why would the likes of I serve the will of a mere boy?"

"Because I'll defeat you one day, dragon, and then you will obey me."

"There he is! Over there!"

"Where? Where? I can't see him."

"No, not over there, you idiot... Look! He's the guy sitting on his own under that tree."

"You mean the small one with the white, spiky hair?"

"Yeah, that's him alright. That's Hitsugaya."

"Ehhh? Are you sure that he's really a student here? I mean, he's wearing a uniform and everything, but he looks really young to me."

"Yeah, you're right. He shouldn't even have been old enough to apply, let alone being accepted, but apparently he's real special. According to the rumours, he had the top score at the entrance exam. And it was his first time too..."

"Yeah, I heard about that a few weeks back. I also heard that although he's a just first-year, he's already studying with the third-year students... He's definitely a genius."

"Are you serious?! The shrimp is at a third-year level? That's not genius, my friends, that's just plain ridiculous... Wait... Oi, you're lying, aren't you?!"

"No, it is true, I swear! He's in the same zanjutsu class as my younger sister, who's a third-year, and according to her, he's even one of the best in their class. The first time he showed up after being accelerated, he was challenged by one of the older boys and he won. Rumour has it that they had to send the guy to the hospital wing afterwards... It's hard to imagine, though, considering that he's so short."

"Woah... That's just crazy, dude!"

"Yeah, but it doesn't seem like anyone really knows anything about him other than that he's some kind of prodigy, and that even the high-ups in Seireitei are keeping an eye on him. He's pretty cold and doesn't talk much."

"Hm. I heard that his roommate switched out after only a week, and apparently he still won't talk about it... I wonder what Hitsugaya did to the guy."

"Yeah, I heard that rumour too. Maybe he's...

"You fought well."

"Now tell me your name... You promised."

"And a dragon is always true to his word. I am Hyourinmaru."

"Ice ring... no, the frozen full moon. That is a beautiful name."

"Of course, little master, what did you expect?"

"... and on those recommendations, I summoned him to the 1st Division. Yesterday, I, Yamamoto Genryuusai, along with three other Captains examined the qualities of the candidate, and we have concluded that his abilities and personality are acceptable. Therefore, Hitsugaya Toushirou, who stands before us, is now the new Captain of the 10th Division."

"Shiro-chan? What are you doing here? And what- Why are you wearing a haori?! Only Captains are allowed to wear those, you know that! So hurry up and take it off before someone sees and reports you! And where in the world did you manage to find a spare, anyway?!"

"We haven't properly seen each other for years and this is how you greet me? You really should work on your manners, you know. And you never seem to learn – how many times have I told you not to call me Shiro-chan! Besides... this haori is mine."

"But... but that has the 10th Division's insignia on it... But Squad 10 has been without a Captain since-"

"Yeah, I know, because I'm the new one. Oh, come on! Don't look so shocked, stupid – that face isn't becoming of a Seat! Besides, I'm supposed to be a genius, right? Well, there you go."

"You're the prodigy everyone has been talking about??"

"Yeah, who did you think?"

"But...but that means that you- You have got to be kidding me! You're the new Captain of Squad 10, Shiro-chan?! You know your bankai?! You took the Captain Proficiency Test already?!"

"Eh-"

"Why didn't you tell me?! You-"

"Hinamori!"

"...yeah?"

"First of all, it's Captain Hitsugaya, not Shiro-chan! And secondly, don't start crying about it! The reason why I didn't tell you was that I wanted it to be a surprise, alright?"

"But- but-"

"Cat got your tongue, Bed-wetter?"

"You know that I don't wet the bed, so stop it already! I... I just can't believe that you're the leader of your own squad now, Shiro-chan! It's just so-"

"Hinamori, it's Captain Hitsugaya! C-A-P-T-A-I-N! Captain! And don't you forget it!"

"I know, but you'll always be Shiro-chan to me, Shiro-chan. It doesn't matter if you go on to become Commander-General... even then, that won't ever change!"

"Welcome to Squad 10, sir."

"You must be the lieu- Huh?! But... it's- it's you!"

"What- Wait a minute, aren't you're the... Ah, so you're the new-fresh-from-the-Academy kid genius Captain! Oh my, you've really come a long way from freezing grandmothers, shorty."

"Why you-"

"The name's Matsumoto Rangiku. It'll be a pleasure to work with you... shorty-sir."

"What happened here? There's paperwork all over the place and what are you doing on the floor?"

"Shiro-chan? Don't sneak up on me like that..."

"It's Capt- Hey, why- You're crying! Who did this?!"

"It's nothing... really, I'm fine."

"Stop lying, stupid, anyone can see that you're not. When I find the bastard who's responsible for this mess, I swear that I'll-"

"I told you that I'm fine. Someone was in a hurry and bumped into me, that's all. And don't go around using those words. It's not very nice."

"You're too stupid for your own good, sometimes – can't you hear yourself? You're basically siding with the person who made you cry!"

"There's nothing wrong with being nice to people."

"Yes, there is, if you're not getting any kindness back. Come on, let me help you up. Where were you headed anyway?"

"Um, to Squad 4 with some papers for the 5th Division's medical files."

"Ah, I see. Well, in that case I'll come with you so you don't get into any more trouble. Here let me take those... This is too much for a girl to carry, anyway – what was Aizen thinking when he sent you off with all these?"

"You should address him as Captain Aizen, Shiro-chan."

"Is he, now? So what does that make me then?"

"You're different."

"Different, huh."

"Eh... Well, you see, the thing is... my Captain doesn't know. He said that he was going to send Tanaka and some others with them later, but since Captain Unohana personally requested that they would be brought to her as soon as possible, I thought that I would...umm... I didn't want to trouble the Captain, so... Well..."

"You're too much, you know that?"

"Don't be so mean, Shiro-chan."

"It's not Shiro-chan! It's Captain Hitsugaya and- What is it now?"

"Nothing, it's just... your left eyebrow twitches when you get mad. I never noticed that before."

"Hina- Never mind... Come on, we don't want to keep Captain Unohana waiting. Besides, if you don't get back to the 5th Division office soon, your Captain will start wondering where you are."

"Thank you for your help... and I'm sorry if I made you angry. I didn't mean an-"

"Don't worry about it. Come on, let's go. I don't have all day, you know."

"What have we got here? A couple of shinigami brats..."

"Oi, take a look at that one's hair... It's friggin' white!"

"What a freak! He's got scary eyes, too."

"And it looks like he's wearing a haori!"

"Haori? What's that?"

"It's what the big fish wear up in Seireitei, you dumbass."

"Oooh, his daddy must be one of those Captain-guys, eh?"

"Yeah, this one's just a lil' kid. No way that he could be a real Captain."

"What did you just call me, you overgrown buffoon?"

"Hah! We've got ourselves a talker, lads... Acting all tough, are we? But remember, you're a long way from home, kid."

"The girl's kinda pretty, though."

"A bit young, I suppose... but that doesn't really matter."

"I know how you like yours tender, eh?"

"Shut up. So... would you like to play with us, little girl?"

"Leave her out of this."

"Come here, sweetheart, we won't hurt yo-"

"Take one more step, you bastard... if you value your puny life, that is."

"But Shiro-"

"Stand back, and let me handle this."

"You've got some balls, kid, I'll give you that."

"But whatcha gonna do, freak? Call for daddy?"

"Well, he ain't gonna save ya now."

"Don't worry, sweetheart, once we've taught your little friend here a lesson, we'll have some fu-"

"If you as much as touch her, I will do more than just kill you."

"You talk big, kid-"

"Which one of you worthless specks of scum is first?"

"W-w-what the hell?! Look! He's... he's... fucking glowing!"

"I said who's first?"

"You're late."

"Lots of paperwork today, Captain?"

"The usual. Your share is over there on the- Oi, where do you think you're going?"

"Uh... bathroom break? I'll be right back."

"But you just- MATSUMOTO, GET BACK HERE! MATSUMOTO!!!"

Ryoka? In the Seireitei? Impossible.

And Ichimaru... he let them live.

That smile... it doesn't ever change.

What is he planning?

"Saved by the emergency alert. That's rather convenient for you... isn't it."

"I don't know what you're trying to say, Captain Aizen."

"You don't really believe that you'll get away with this, do you? You'd do well to remember not to underestimate me, Ichimaru."

"I would never dream of doing such a thing. Well, you better get back to your squad, Captain. You wouldn't want to miss the bell now, would you... You never know when it's going to be your last."

"...and Hinamori?"

"Yes? What is it?"

"Just some advice... Be careful around Squad 3."

That spiritual pressure...

Momo.

And... and Kira?

Two shikai.

What the hell is going on?

Aizen... murdered? Who could have done this? Challenging and defeating a Captain of his level and experience... and then displaying his corpse in such a macabre manner? Was it the ryoka? Or could it have been...

"Thank you, Captain of Squad 10. I'm sorry that you would have to trouble yourself with one of mine."

Ichimaru.

"Captain... I believe that you were about to kill Hinamori."

"I don't know what you could possibly be talking about."

"One drop of her blood, Ichimaru. One drop and I swear that I'll kill you."

"Oh, how scary you are. But I suggest that you keep an eye on her... with those ryoka running loose and wartime orders, Seireitei is not as safe as it used to be. These are dangerous times, Captain, and who knows? Before this is over, some of us may even end up like poor Sousuke here... and I'd hate if anything bad would befall our dear Hinamori... Well, I don't think I need to worry. I'm certain that you never would let that happen, now that she is without a Captain and all..."

"So you're finally awake, huh."

"Captain? What... what are you doing in my quarters?"

"Quarters? Take a look around, Matsumoto. Does this look like home to you? You fell asleep in my office again, stupid. But since you're awake, you can take over things for me. I've been working since sunrise unlike some people."

"Well, if you hadn't insisted on doing all the paperwork for Squad 5 by yourself, you wouldn't be so tired, would you?"

"Oh, just be quiet and finish it off for me, will you? Here."

"Captain, this report...? It seems like you've left out quite a few things. What about all the details regarding the-"

"Didn't I tell you to keep quiet?"

"...I've been out a long time, haven't I?"

"Don't worry about it. You're not in an easy position yourself."

"Captain... You don't think that Gin...?"

"...and I'll kill you before she gets here, Ichimaru. Your blood will be on my hands."

Huh? Momo? Damn it, where did she come from?!

"I found you. I'm glad that I'm not too late."

"Hinamori, don't do anything stupid! You're no match for him, you know that. Now, stand back and let me handle this!"

"No."

"What are you- Hinamori...?"

"I'm here to avenge my Captain... Why, Hitsugaya, why did you kill him?"

No... Momo?! This can't be-

"I can't... I- I can't! I... I don't know anymore... I- I can't do it, Shiro-chan! I don't know... I don't know what to do! ARGH!"

"You're cruel, Captain. The lieutenant was obviously distressed, and you didn't have to hit the poor thing so hard."

"Ichimaru, I gave you a warning. I told you that if you ever hurt Hinamori..."

"If you insist on releasing your zanpakutou against a fellow Captain and in a place like this, you leave me no other choice than to stop you."

"If you hadn't... she would surely have died."

"You're welcome... Captain."

"Matsumoto, let's go. We're going to stop the execution."

Bodies...

Everywhere, bodies.

It was a massacre.

Blood... It's dry and flaky, but it's blood... there is no doubt about it.

What happened here?

Kira...? What is he-

"Captain...? What- What is this? Captain Aizen? How is that possible... I saw you- You're alive..."

"Hina...mori?"

Blood. All that blood... Could she be...?

No.

It can't be... God no, damn it!

Not her, not Momo.

"...that admiration is the state furthest away from understanding."

Aizen. Ichimaru. I'll kill you.

I'll kill you both.

What...? Aizen? How-

Impossible.

When did he- So quick. I couldn't even sense his movement.

Damn him! I couldn't even-

But... what is this feeling? I don't recognize...

Why?

Cold, so cold...

"Captain Unohana! Captain Hitsugaya, he's-"

"I understand. I will take over for now, Yamada. Isane, could you please monitor lieutenant Hinamori? She hasn't quite stabilized yet."

"Of course, Captain."

"What- Where-"

"Captain Hitsugaya, you are currently in the 4th Division's special ward."

"Hinamori! Where is Hinamori?"

"Lieutenant Hinamori is alive but occupying another room. She received a deep wound but has responded well to treatment and is therefore no longer in a critical condition. I saw to most of her injuries myself."

"I see... Aizen! Ichimaru! Captain, I've got to-"

"Former Captains Aizen, Ichimaru and... Tousen are no longer in Soul Society, but have escaped to Hueco Mundo."

"Aizen, Ichimaru, and Tousen... So, we were betrayed by Tousen, too."

"Yes... and in the attempt to capture them, Captain Komamura and Captain Kuchiki both received severe injuries and are being treated as we speak."

"And the Head-Captain?"

"He is expected to call an emergency meeting for all remaining Captains as soon as possible. Also, Kuchiki Rukia, as well as the ryoka, has been pardoned."

"I see."

"Although your wounds were quite deep, you have recovered faster than expected, Captain. Now if you excuse me, I must supervise the treatment of patients who are in more critical condition than yourself."

"I understand. Captain Unohana..."

"Of course."

"Captain! Captain, thank God that you're alright! When I heard- I didn't know- I was-"

"Shut up, Matsumoto. I only just came back to the office and you're already giving me a headache."

"Um... Captain?"

"Yes, Matsumoto? What is it now?"

"I'm glad that you're alive."

"That idiot..."

"Talking about yourself again, Matsumoto?"

"Argh! Don't surprise me like that, Captain! You scared me so bad that I almost popped out of my robe!"

"So what if you had?"

"Then I might have exposed myself!"

"Which I doubt would bother you very much... Anyway, you have a guest."

"Izuru?"

"I... I need... I need to talk to you."

"Well, I have some sweet-buns here, so help yourself. And sake, of course!"

"Huh? I-I'm not s-sure if that would be co-completely approp-"

"Just do as she says, Kira."

"Yes, sir! Captain Hitsugaya, sir! Ahahaha...Well, on-on a sec-second thought, why not? A bit of sake never hurt anyone..."

"Good boy, Izuru! Now, come join us, Captain! The paperwork can wait until later! I'll even get you a cup and-"

"No, thanks. I prefer to keep my wits."

"Oh, you're no fun, Captain... So had you planned on sitting here, just watching?"

"Yes, but only to make sure that you two don't do anything overly stupid."

"It's your loss, Captain."

"I'm quite certain that it isn't."

"Um, Matsumoto? I'm not e-entirely sure if-"

"Oh, don't pay any attention to him! Drink up, Izuru! Drink up!"

"Eh..."

"Oi, you're not saying all that much, what's the matter?"

"Ah, well, it's just that my... you know- and I don't know if-"

"Come on, don't look so gloomy! Let's have a song!"

"But-"

"We've only had a few bottles so far, so if you don't wanna sing, at least you can drink some more! Come on!"

"No... No more, Matsumoto."

"No wimping out, Izuru!"

"But-"

"I said no wimping out!"

"Fine, just one more..."

"That's the spirit!"

"It's almost been an hour of watching you two idiots drinking yourself senseless and I'm tired of this. I'm leaving."

"Ok, bye-bye, Captain!"

"See ya- See ya later, Captain Hitsugaya! Captain... Captain! Captain Ichi..."

"I-zu-ru? Why the hell are you crying all of a sudden?"

"Captain, you're back. Where did you go?"

"Squad 4."

"I see... How is she?"

"She lost a lot of blood and is still unconscious, but according to Captain Unohana, she should make a full recovery."

"I'm glad to hear it."

"Matsumoto..."

"I was just thinking about Izuru. Poor guy... he has a lot of work ahead of him. Same goes for Hisagi and Hinamori, too. It's not going to be easy for them, having to deal with the aftermath and picking up the pieces like that. I don't think I would-"

"Matsumoto!"

"Yes?"

"Stop babbling."

"What?"

"When you're nervous, you babble. What's wrong?"

"Captain... I have been thinking. The defectors... How likely is it that they'll-"

"Not very. And even if they did return, they'd be executed."

"I see... Of course."

"Look, I know that you and Ichi-"

"What's in the past is in the past."

"So-"

"I'm fine, Captain. But thank you for your concern."

"If..."

"I know. Thanks."

"Captain... You know, apparently... Ah, there is something... I don't know if you know already, but... Um, what I mean to say is... Well, you see..."

"Spit it out already, Matsumoto. I'm busy with work, if you haven't noticed."

"Apparently, Hinamori is... back."

"Back? What do you mean 'back'? Back where?"

"She still hasn't been to the office, not since... but she's apparently heading Squad 5 from her quarters. A large part of the division paperwork is being delivered there at her request. At least, that is what the rumours say."

"Since when?"

"Since she was released from the 4th Division... That would make it two days ago. But, um..."

"What is it now?"

"She's not coming out. And she refuses to see anyone."

"Hn."

"Captain?"

"Just get to work, Matsumoto."

"Who is it?"

"Ah, Hinamori? It's... It's Captain Hitsugaya."

"...what do you want?"

"I heard that you were released from the 4th Division last week. So... congratulations! I've been quite busy with things so I haven't-"

"Why are you here?"

"I... I just want to talk, Hinamori."

"I don't think- I don't-"

"Hinamori."

"But I have so much to do! There is so much paperwork that needs to be done and we're really behind all the other squads, except for 2nd and maybe 9th. I haven't talked to Izuru or Shuuhei, but they seem to be having the same problems as we do. But it's not that strange, is it? I mean, it never ends, you know? Forms and protocols, reports and requests... and everything has really piled up lately and- and I have so much to do and there is never enough time and I really should get back to work! I'm sorry but my squad is counting on me and-"

"I know and I'll even help you finishing it, but I can't if your door is locked. If you want my help, then you'll have to let me in. Do you understand, Hinamori?"

"Yes."

"Then, will you open the door?"

"I don't know if- I mean, I don't think-"

"Let me in."

"...ok."

"Captain Unohana, regarding lieutenant Hinamori, I was wondering..."

"I wish that I could, Captain, but I can only heal physical wounds."

"I understand."

"I'm sorry, I-"

"How long have you been standing there? Come on, get inside."

"But, Shiro-chan, I-"

"It's Captain Hitsugaya, stupid. And as such I order you to sleep on my couch tonight. Have I made myself clear?"

"...yes."

"Good. There are some blankets and pillows on the floor over there. You can use those if you want."

"Thank you."

"Oh, and Hinamori?"

"Y-Yes?"

"If you... if you have another nightmare or if there is anything else, I'm just in the other room."

"I know."

"Good night then."

"You're spending a lot of time with Hinamori, aren't you, Captain?"

"That's none of your concern, Matsumoto."

"I don't know her as well as you do – despite us being lieutenants together – since she used to spend most of her time with... What I mean to say is that I think... I think that it's working."

"That what is working?"

"Whatever it is that you do, Captain, I think it's starting to work. Anyway, you look dead tired... Go home, I'll do the rest."

"Go home? But I'm perfectly capable of-"

"We can't have a sleepy Captain now, can we? Don't worry, I'll finish up for today, I promise."

"If those reports aren't finished by-"

"I know, I know. You'll freeze me to my desk until the end of my insignificant life."

"How did you-"

"Oh, you say it all the time, Captain."

"Hinamori? What are you- Did you walk all the way from your quarters to mine in this weather? It's pouring outside!"

"I- I needed to see you about something. I'm sorry for disturbing you this late, but I promise that it's import-"

"I'm sure that it is, but it can't be worth you catching a cold outside my door. So-"

"No, please, just listen for a moment. I'll be quick. I'm- I'm so, so sorry for everything. I didn't know that Capt- I mean, Aizen would- I shouldn't have- I even raised Tobiume against- I should have known-"

"Hinamori, shut up."

"Shiro-chan?"

"This is the eleventh or twelfth time you've apologised like this – I've even stopped counting since coming back from the living world. The point is that nothing about this was your fault, Hinamori. Aizen, Ichimaru, and Tousen acted on their own and you're not to blame for anything, and even if you were somehow involved in this mess – which you're not – I would... I would probably forgive you anyway."

"...you would?"

"I would."

"But why? Why would you do such a thing, Shiro-chan?"

"Because... Because you're Bed-wetter Momo, that's why. But if you don't either get in here or go straight home, I'll seriously reconsider."

"But I-"

"Hinamori! I mean it."

"Thank you."

"Any time. Now, go home and change into something dry."

"...um, actually, would it be ok if I stay for a little while? I don't want to impose, I just-"

"Fine. I have one condition, however."

"What is it?"

"Lose the 'Shiro-chan', will you?"

"...Aizen's forces keep growing at an alarming rate – you've all read Captain Soifon's reports – and all signs point towards the same thing. It's only a matter of time before he has gathered enough power to completely overrun us; we have already suffered several defeats in the living world, and soon we might not even be able to defend Soul Society. Aizen is growing more and more daring and... I suggest that we act. Captains, what I propose is a counterattack, that we bring the war to Hueco Mundo... to Las Noches. Aizen will not be able to ignore such a challenge, and if he falls, our chances of ending this war will improve drastically."

"I agree with Captain Hitsugaya. We've waited for too long already, and I'm dying for a real fi-"

"Silence! Captains of the Gotei 13, we can no longer afford to merely observe the movements in Hueco Mundo. The time to act has come. Captain Hitsugaya of the 10th Division, you are hereby charged with the responsibility of overseeing the preparations of an immediate invasion."

"Yes, sir."

"Permission to join the operation, Head-Captain."

"Permission granted, Captain of Squad 2."

"Then also I and Squad 7 will lend our full support to this mission."

"Naturally, the 6th Division-"

"Atta boy, Kuchiki!"

"Captain Kyouraku, I have repeatedly asked you not to-"

"Shunsui, leave the boy alone. Head-Captain, the 13th Division will also join."

"You sure that's wise, Juushirou? Well, then I suppose I don't have a choice but to go either. Dear Nanao is sure to be very disappointed, though..."

"Permission to return to my Squad, Head-Captain."

"Kenpachi, where are you going? I would have thought that you would be the most interested in matters of bloodshed."

"If you really have to know, Kurotsuchi, I have some sorting to do before we leave. I'm putting in a lot of effort into this one, so those Arrancar better not disappoint."

"Permission granted, Captain of Squad 11."

"I'll miss you."

"Goodnight, Momo."

"I'm flattered. You came all this way to see me, Shiro-chan."

"You have no right to call me that. Only she can."

"'She'? Oh, you must mean dear Hinamori, of course... Yes, how is my faithful little lieutenant doing nowadays? I even miss her dogged admiration sometimes. It was very entertaining."

"Former lieutenant, and she's alive and well, if that's what you're asking..."

"Ah, and you're here to take revenge upon me... Your predictability bores me, Captain. But if you insist, I suppose that I have to other choice but to destroy you more thoroughly than last time. Kyouka Suigetsu."

"Well, this was even easier than I had expected."

"You bastard... I'll... kill you..."

"I see, so even until the very end... Captain of Squad 10, your childish stubbornness is no longer amusing. All that there is left for you to do, Hitsugaya Toushirou, is to die."

"Don't."

His life is mine to end.

"Withdraw, 'shiro. Now."

So you do understand after all...Thank you, Ukitake.

"Hyourinmaru, I saw you break at my feet, and yet... here you are."

"You called for me, master, and I will come as long as I still have power to answer."

"We don't have much time left... I need you, dragon."

"Do you remember what I told you when I first revealed to you the true power of our bankai?"

"Yes."

"Then you know better than to beg."

Master...

"It's time."

...release me...

"Hyourimaru!"

...and I will fly higher, swifter.

"Bankai."

I can see you, Aizen... I can see through your tricks and illusions as if they were made of ice. You can't hide from me. Not this time.

"You won't fool me twice, Captain."

There is nowhere left for you to run.

Aizen, you're mine.

"You should celebrate your victory when you still can, Hitsugaya. Your wounds are deeper than mine and even with Captain Unohana's motherly care, you will not survive."

"Then I'll follow you to hell, Aizen, if it's only to make sure that you stay there."

Then the fragments had once more dissolved into new whiteness, and once again, he had been alone. Only, this time, he sensed the presence of another being. It had felt so near that he would touch it if he reached out, and yet he understood if only instinctively, that he could never hope to fully grasp it. Suddenly, a whisper had reverberated through the whiteness and somehow he had understood that this would be the last piece, the last memory the mysterious dragon would show him... and somehow, he had sensed that this fragment would be the most important.

What is that sound that echoes over these empty plains? What is that call that seems to draw me towards it? I hear a voice... far, near. I hear it resounding. I will search and I will find it, even if I die on this plain of ice.

After hearing his own distant voice, Hitsugaya had finally understood.

So it was you... It was your voice I heard, and your presence that I sensed all those years ago. It was your voice that I heard in my dreams and your ice that I sensed beneath the black rocks.

It was you.

On this frozen plain, I die...

But I wasn't alone, because you were with me until the end, weren't you...

Hyourinmaru.

Then voice had quieted, the white had dissolved, and he was once again standing in front of the graceful ice-dragon.

"You asked me for my name." The voice had echoed inside his head. "Now, I shall answer you. My name is-"

"Hyourinmaru." His own voice had spoken in the dragon's stead, caressing each syllable with an unexpected softness. "The frozen full moon, the ice ring... A beautiful name."

"Of course," the dragon had stated while gazing down upon him imperiously, bright twin fires dancing behind his sparkling eyes. "What did you expect... master."

"Thank you, my zanpakutou..." That day, when he had not only been truly reunited with Hyourinmaru but also with an unknown past, he had not known what to say. But the words that somehow found themselves over his lips had been spoken from his heart. "You opened the door, and all that is left is to take the first step into the light. But I'm still weak, Hyourinmaru; I have so much to learn and so many lost things to recover... Will you help me? Will you teach me all that I have forgotten? Will you lend me your wings also in this life?"

"I have been waiting for you, for you are my master and I am your zanpakutou. I have been waiting because without you, I cannot take to the skies. Now that I have found you, my entire being aches to soar above the stars. It is calling us... Can you feel it in your soul as I feel it in mine? We are creatures of the air, master, and we do not belong on the ground."

"Then, you...?"

"I always did, master – I told you once that I am you as you are me. Let this be my first lesson to you: you and I, we are one. That is what it truly means to wield a zanpakutou and to be worthy of possessing its name."

"Where are you?!" He had hurried towards the distant speck of light that indicated that the end of the staircase, angrily calling the mentor who had proved completely unreliable. "UKITAKE!"

"You're being very noisy today." The white-haired Captain had been sitting at his usual place at the table, frowning at his normally collected student's uncharacteristic outburst. "What is the matter?"

"When were you planning on telling me the truth?" At this point, Hitsugaya remembered that he had still been undecided on whether or not it would be the most beneficial to strangle the other shinigami – that Ukitake in fact was an experienced Captain, and probably would not willingly submit to murder, had seemed completely irrelevant at the time – before or after forcing some half-decent answers from him. "Or were you even planning on telling me at all."

"What do you mean?" The reply had been as sharp as Sougyo no Kotowari's blades, instantaneously extinguishing Hisugaya's most immediate fury.

"No more games." Although his voice had been calmer, Hitsugaya's green eyes had still been blazing with cold heat. "Captain, I need to know... Who am I?"

"I see." The Gotei 13 Captain had gestured for his younger colleague to take up his usual seat at the table. "So bringing you together with your zanpakutou had the effects that we had hoped for – when two zanpakutou resonate, they sometimes do so in unison and thereby show their wielders their pasts... It would seem that Hyourinmaru resonated with your soul, and so in a way with itself, revealing to you your past."

"Captain-"

"Well then, Hitsugaya Toushirou. Please, help yourself to some flower tea – this is going to take some time to explain."

What can I say... whereas I feel as if the last couple of chapters have been lacking a bit of *oompf*, quite a lot happens in this chapter. At least, we learn some more about Hitsugaya's (shamelessly fabricated) past and past life. The whole double past thing is really difficult to write without overusing phrases like "then he remembered", "he could recollect", etc, and I hope I haven't confused you too much!

Hm. Maybe there are a few things I should clear up, just in case it wasn't done well enough in the actual text. Now, I'm not suggesting that anyone would be incapable of figuring them out by on his/her own, it's just that I found that I was getting a little confused myself... and yes, I'm indeed the author. Not a very good sign, I would say. Anyway, since this contains nothing new or overly important – it's just to clarify some bits and pieces – feel free to ignore the rest if you wish.

So it basically begins with Hitsugaya getting back Hyourinmaru, whom he eventually meets. Now the reason why he doesn't tell Ukitake about it (and by doing so, saving himself and me A LOT of work), is that I imagine that Hitsugaya is a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to himself and his abilities (naturally not to be confused with, you know, insecurity stemming from having pretty much failed at the zanpakutou part of being a shinigami thus far). I imagine that he would much rather reveal Hyourinmaru once he understood the ice-dragon a little bit better and actually was capable of summoning him at will. It is also revealed that Hyourinmaru (whom I tried to give a little bit of sass in the manner of 'it's only natural that I would have a beautiful name, what would you expect from greatness such as myself' to reflect Hitsugaya's personality... I mean it can't be denied that he was a bit of a brat as a boy) has been waiting for Hitsugaya to make an appearance in Soul Society (sensing that his wielder was alive confirms the theory behind the self-generation thing in a previous chapter). Ukitake doesn't probe more about the progress, since he possesses better judgement and therefore realizes that there is a chance that Hitsugaya really isn't Hitsugaya at all and as such wouldn't meet Hyourinmaru anyway. Nonetheless, he brings out Hitsugaya's old sash (surprise, surprise! Sorry, but I just had to throw it in there. Predictable and corny, I know...). I thought that having Hitsugaya commenting on the colour and then attaching it to his person in a similar manner as he had before, would put some emphasis on the fact that he's still somewhat the same-ish. Um. Yeah, he still has some issues with his height (or lack thereof), although "he didn't think that he was shorter than average by all that much." Bless him.

Now comes the more difficult part: how much does he actually remember? (Which turns out to be more than I had originally planned). But man, was that hard to write! I admit to having borrowed heavily (and I mean, HEAVILY) from the manga, anime, and also The DiamondDust Rebellion movie, so you probably recognized some of the dialogue and most of the events that were mentioned (I tried to fit the more important ones in there. Speaking of which, I know that the thing about Momo and Hitsugaya being cornered by thugs may have appear to be completely out of the blue, but I actually based it on a short scene in the credits for episode 35 of the anime. Haha! I'm such a nerd, I'm sorry). While knowledge into the details about the true events isn't absolutely necessary to understand this chapter, I do think that it makes more sense of you know a little bit about the back story. I also left out who was speaking and when to reflect the fact the Hitsugaya only remembers things in fragments. But if I tried my best to make it clear who was who by limiting the number of partcipants in each conversation/event, mentioning their names, and (if only slightly) overplaying their more distinct characteristics. I hope that it was ok.

Um, I also made some references to events from previous chapters, like Momo shutting herself away from the world with paperwork (To be completely honest, I'm still not entirely sure about Hitsugaya's reaction to that... What do you think? Too soft and mushy?) and her nightly appearances at his doorstep. More notable is that Hitsugaya's dialogue from Chapter 5 ("A Winter's Tale") reappears. I purposively left out references to chapter 7 ("His Star/Her Star"), though, so we don't know how much he remembers about the more romantic aspects of his relationship to Momo. I hate the inconclusiveness too, but don't worry! I actually have my reasons.

Oh and I apologize for any OOCness in this chapter! I don't know if Aizen really would call Hitsugaya 'Shiro-chan', but I'm pretending that it makes sense, seeing that he uses it rather patronizingly and as an insult. Also, I'm not sure if even Zaraki (who can't boast with having any real manners that would be recognized by polite society) would dare to speak out of turn in front of the Head-Captain. I made him ask for permission before he left, though... And then there is Kyouraku! I'm not quite certain if he seriously would refer to THE Kuchiki Byakuya as 'boy' at am official meeting, and then having said Kuchiki dignify it with an answer, but I'm figuring that for Kyouraku (as well as Ukitake and Unohana) who has been a since just about Captain forever (after all, he is a contemporary to, or if not even older than, Byakuya's grandfather), Kuchiki Byakuya would indeed seem like a boy. Likewise, I'm not sure of Ukitake would encourage such an informal conversation at a serious meeting, but again, I'm playing the "I'm-an-old-timer-and-Yamamoto's-on-off-favourite-so-you-should-respect-me-regardless-of-my-eccentric-tendencies" card. Anyway, I apologize if I overdid it. I thought it was funny.

Also, since she appears quite often in this chapter, I would like to ask you to think about how the way Matsumoto speaks (especially the way that she addresses her Captain) slowly changes from when she first meets Hitsugaya to how she expresses herself as the acting commander of her squad. I have tried to make her sound increasingly mature while keeping her playfulness... It's nothing that is particularly significant, but I wanted to hint at some of her journey as well has Hitsugaya's.

Um, what else? Yes, the concept of zanpakutou resonating with each other to show their wielders' pasts (mentioned by Ukitake at the end as to explain why Hyourinmaru would show Hitsugaya his memories)... That comes from the movie. Basically, my take on it is that Hyourinmaru is Hitsugaya's zanpakutou spirit and in other words the physical manifestation of his soul. Sooo... when Hyourinmaru (whom I see as a more independent being since Hitsugaya isn't exactly the same as how he was when he died, and thus making it impossible for Hyourinmaru to be the exact physical form of the "new" Hitsugaya despite that he bond between them remained) "resonated" with Hitsugaya, he's basically resonating with himself, which TECHNICALLY means that there are indeed two zanpakutou resonating with each other. That Hyourinmaru can recollect events before the Academy is probably because Hitsugaya already interacted with Hyourinmaru as a young boy... or something like that. Phew. If anything of that made somewhat sense to you, I'm very, very grateful.

Argh, I wrote too much as usual. Sorry! But please, let me know what you think!

I'm planning on letting the next chapter be about the Gotei 13 Captains pitching in on training their rookie. What do you think about the prospect of reading about it? Good idea? Bad idea? Stupid idea? Not to encourage a particular opinion, but I'm actually having a rather good time drafting stuff for Soifon. I've never tried writing for her before, but the challenge is turning out to be an enjoyable one! Sure, she can easily be dismissed as being cold, mean, and possessing Kuchiki-esque rigidity (without the talk about honour and pride to go with it), but I think that she's interesting.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.