A/N: not really sure what I think about this chapter, but it has been sitting gathering dust and I just want to get rid of it. I have spring planting to get to! Hope that you all have a fun holiday weekend- the amusement parks open! Roller coasters for all!

Thanks again for all the wonderful reviews, hits, and fav's!

And again- all mistakes I apologize now for.

The Stages of Finding (and keeping) a Mate

It became a tradition with Isane to take a group of new recruits to the Soul Society Canteen for dinner once they had settled in to their new routines. The dining hall was a friendly yet intimidating place to be in if one was new to the ranks. It was almost large enough to hold whole divisions if necessary, but in general it was usually only half full at best. Since all the divisions usually worked in rotating shifts the hall was open 24/7 in order to accommodate those that needed to eat at odd hours. Some divisions, like the Fourth, who not only never slept but also sometimes needed a place to go to get away from the stress of their jobs to decompress were frequent visitors to the Canteen. Like all the other divisions theirs had their own dining hall, but sometimes it was just nice to get away and eat a good meal outside the barracks but still within the Seireitei proper in case of an emergency. Some divisions rarely came here to dine as their own meals were far more extravagant, and more importantly-free. Though the Canteen didn't charge an exorbitant price they still charged. However, unbeknownst to most each division was given a yearly stipend toward the Canteen, and it was at times like this that Isane took advantage of it.

Escorting her charges to a long table she motioned for a waitress to intercept their path. She had ten newbies with her, and fresh from the Academy. Isane smiled gently at how they tried to seem unimpressed with their surroundings, but at the same time eyes darted around furtively. The Canteen was an unofficial place to see and be seen in. Luckily for her Aina was one of the new recruits that was with her, and the young girl chatted easily with her fellow recruits. Aina made it seem for all intensive purposes that this was no one's first time here, and eating with the more seasoned Shinigami in such a popular place was old hat. Right now the dining hall was primarily filled with members from the Eleventh. They treated the establishment as if it was their own personal club house, and more times than not ran semi-civilly amok. They tended to be drama queens who sat in the center areas so people could more easily admire them. Isane steered clear of them not because she was intimidated by their personas, but more because she wasn't up for any of their antics tonight. Her new recruits would be fodder for fun for the Eleventh, and she just wasn't in the mood.

Quietly making small talk Isane watched the people around her. Shinigami of all ranks came and went from the hall. From Captain-class to new recruit people came to eat. She smiled and nodded to those that she knew either socially of from having patched up at one time or another. As a healer she had seen her fair share of blood and torn bodies, and no matter the rank the blood was always the same color. Pain and distress knew no boundaries, and even the strongest bent low at one time or another before grief and sorrow. She had soothed captains as well as cadets.

Yet here people knew only hunger, and finding relief from the gnawing in their bellies with friends or alone Shinigami went purposefully about their business. Looking at those around her with a deeper intention she observed not their obvious purpose, but instead how they went about interacting with those around them. In particular she watched the men and women who were either in couples or grouped together. She especially tried to pay particularly close notice to those that she knew or thought she knew were in relationships together. Before she became entangled with Mayuri she never thought too much about such things. In fact, many times it was in some ways slightly uncomfortable for her because she felt painfully aware of her single status. She never begrudged anyone their good fortune, but neither did she really want to give it too much thought. Seeing couples being together and sharing themselves with each other only hit home her own lonely status. Isane was honest enough with herself to admit that there had been times when she had even felt a deep stab of jealousy. There had been times when she had felt the torturous bindings of depression try and take hold because her loneliness had been so great. She tried her hardest at first to deny that what she felt was depression or self-pity, but after a while she honestly took a look at herself and her state of mind and embraced the hard facts. Never had those times been felt more than when she had been in Shuuhei's company. It had been exceedingly sharp when she would catch him staring longingly at Rangiku when he thought that she wasn't paying attention. Those were the times when her depressions had been greatest. Those were the times when her self-doubt had been strongest, and in order to rid herself of the darkness she would throw herself even harder into her duties. It would help for a while, but not for long, and then she would start to find herself spiraling downwards again. Isane felt great shame during those moments. She felt that she had so much to be grateful for that to have such pity for herself was disgraceful to both herself and her position. So after the depression left the shame came to take its place. During those times she would work extra hard and take on extra duties. Isane buried her emotions and put on a good as she could game face to hide the quiet desperation that she felt.

But now things were different. Now she had Mayuri, and now she felt as if she would never be alone again. He had filled in the holes in both her soul as well as her heart. She had found someone who could reciprocate her feelings above and beyond what she had ever hoped for. What amazed her the most was that he had been there the entire time. For some reason the Fates had needed her to go through her trials in order to be awarded with such a prize. So it was with a new perception that she viewed those around her. She wondered if other people felt the same way. Watching those that were obviously single Isane couldn't help but wonder if they were going through what she herself had gone through.

The women were easier to read for her. Maybe it was because she herself was a woman that she could read them more clearly. The furtive looks and obviously cheerful countenances were apparent. Isane chuckled to herself at seeing the subtle and not so subtle preening that women did. How observant Mayuri had been! The women that were obviously eligible did not eat as robustly as women that Isane knew were not on the market. They ate demurely and with a certain amount of restraint. They also had taken great pains to make sure that their appearance was more than presentable while they were on public display. None of them had just come back from a grueling mission or dirty training session. None of them had a hair out of place or a piece of clothing not designed to show off their form in some way or another. They also surreptitiously watched the possibly eligible men in the room, and some were so obvious in their intentions that it almost made her cringe with embarrassment. Many of the women in particular kept an eye on the members of the Eleventh Division, and not because there was any sort of fear or trepidation of a possible fight breaking out. Far from it. The testosterone that the men from the Eleventh exuded almost coated the room like a heavy musk.

If the women were on restrained display then the men were overly-eager buyers. They made no bones about taking stock in the eligible women around them. There was nothing subtle about their presentation. Even the women not looking for a partner were still considered fair game. If they seemed physically appealing they were in the running. Some of the men, and those in the Eleventh in particular were robustly demonstrative in their masculine display. Whether it was verbal bragging or some sort of physical show it was aimed at displaying what they considered their best attributes. The end means was to announce that before them all stood the most alpha of all the alpha males in the room. Even the lower seats in the Eleventh considered themselves a cut above even a higher seated member of another division. Except for a captain, that was. When a captain came into the room even their ostentatious shows decreased perceptibly

Captain Kyoraku sauntered in by himself, and made his way to a table against the wall. Before he even sat himself down a pair of eager, young waitresses were already at his beck and call. It wasn't that he was so friendly and laid back that women flocked to him, but more because he exuded such an understated masculine appeal that was hard to ignore. When he walked into the room women became breathless, and men tried to figure out what it was that they themselves were lacking. The men from the Eleventh watched him with a certain amount of envy and no small amount of wariness. It was as if he was a friendly wolf in sheep's clothing, but a predator none the less.

Soon however he was joined by his almost constant companion of Captain Ukitake. There the line was clearly divided among the men and women in what they thought about him. If the women swooned over Captain Kyoraku then they looked at Captain Ukitake with the longing that a captive princess might give on seeing her white knight finally coming to free her. He was as princely as they came among the captains. There was nothing tarnished about him. Even with his infirmity he was shining through as if he was a beacon for all that was just and true in their profession. He was everything that every woman wanted and what no other man had in that room. Captain Ukitake was either your perfect dream or your worst nightmare, and it was made even more apparent by the totally understated way that he had. Together the two captains quietly ate their diner, and seemingly unaware of all the attention that they garnered from those around them. Isane thought that maybe it had to do with being a captain for so many years that one tended to dismiss such notice as mere background noise. Though she hardly thought that either man was unaware of their surroundings. They just had ceased long ago to find the commotion that they made as being nothing too special.

Isane's attention was brought back to her dinner companions when Aina called her name.

"Lieutenant? Captain Unohana mentioned that we will have to prepare for the yearly physicals. Does that mean that we will have to perform physicals on all the members of each division?"

Aina and the other recruits looked somewhat over-whelmed and more than a bit unnerved. There were a lot of Shinigami to care for, and unfortunately that also meant a lot of paper work. The act itself wasn't what bothered her. As a ranking officer it came with the territory. The higher the rank the more the honors, but it also meant double the horrors, and for Isane paper work was her secret dread. Unfortunately, unlike some people that she knew she couldn't fob it off or blatantly ignore it. Medical records always had to be kept precise and up to date. The problem being was that half the members in dire need of physicals were all from the same division- the Eleventh, and they were absolute beasts when it came to getting a regular check-up.

Fortunately for them Captain Unohana had some special leverage that might be of some use if push came to shove. It would be interesting to see how or even if her relationship with Captain Zaraki would cross into their professional lives. Normally either she or Captain Unohana would have to have General Yamamoto issue a direct order to the Eleventh about their yearly physicals. Things would turn fractious and a simple, relatively easy visit would more times than not turn into a barrage of warning missives and nasty verbal altercations between the two divisions. One year it had gotten so bad that Isane had practically begged her captain to just forget the whole thing. Isane had waived the latest, barely legible note from Captain Zaraki saying that they could take their physicals and shove them up their arses. For a good fifteen minutes Isane had spewed about the insult done to her captain, and the entire time Captain Unohana had just sat quietly and smiled serenely. Then, unexpectedly a few days later members from the Eleventh had come over begrudgingly in groups for their annual. Isane never knew what her captain had done or said, but whatever it had been must have been nothing short of a miracle.

Isane patted Aina's arm and smiled confidently.

"I wouldn't worry, we have Captain Unohana on our side, and what she wants- she gets," Isane said with a small smile.

"Oh, but still," the young woman said with a worried frown. Suddenly Aina's face brightened. "Does that mean that we will also be examining members from the Seventh?"

A few snickers could be heard from the other recruits. Isane saw Aina blush furiously and give her peers a heated look along with a shushing motion of her hands. Isane gave Aina a sympathetic smile, but said nothing. She did make a mental note however to speak with Aina privately though. She was curious to know exactly how far Aina's and Sajin's relationship had progressed. Isane knew that Aina had not gone to see the Seventh's Captain professionally, but privately? Isane had a lot of people to look after, and when they were on their own time she had no idea what people did then.

A slight stab of pain shot through Isane's chest at the thought, and was instantly replaced with a feeling of deep guilt. Sajin was not and never had been anything other than a good friend to her.

But still…

Isane couldn't help but feel the tendrils of something creep around inside her chest and try to take hold. There was no reason for it, of course, and she couldn't rightly figure out what it was or how to shake it. Whatever it was caused her to feel some sort of shame and guilt, and that was something that had no place in the life of a Lieutenant.

It wasn't that she was jealous of her young recruit. Not at all! Isane also didn't think that Aina or Sajin didn't deserve to find friendship together. Sajin was an interesting male to be sure. Many people thought that Ukitake personified nobility and purity, but to her it was Sajin who had more of the qualities. Yes, both were brave, strong, and loyal, but Sajin also had that raw nobility that she thought that Ukitake and even Kuchiki lacked. Both men came from nobility, and because of that they had the sterling manners and ideas that came from their upbringing, but with Sajin it came naturally. He didn't have to be taught to be righteous; it was a part and parcel of who he was since birth. She was fond of both Aina and Sajin, and no one should be denied happiness.

But still…

Isane mentally shook herself out of her reverie. She was being narrow-minded and ridiculous. She also knew that she was being extremely petty. He was a good friend to her, and she would not deny him something or someone that might ease his loneliness. If he was willing to over-look or over-come the large gap in their rank than far be it from her to stop them.

She gave a wry smile and uttered a soft chuckle. She wondered if this was how Captain Unohana felt at first upon finding out about her and Mayuri. That instinctive need to shelter and protect someone that she was fond of must have been the first thing that came to Captain Unohana's mind when she realized that the Captain of the Twelfth had designs on her relatively naïve Lieutenant. Isane wondered if she had ever given Captain Unohana a reason for worry during those first, tumultuous moments during Mayuri's early courting. She hoped not, though knowing how concerned her Captain could be Isane thought that she probably had given the woman a few tense moments. Either way one of these days she must remember to ask her Captain about her first impressions.

Suddenly the air in the room changed, and conversations became stilted or hushed. Like everyone around her she looked around to see what the reason for the abrupt shift was.

It was Mayuri.

Only he could cause such a dramatic alteration, and without even saying a thing. He stood in the doorway for a moment as his golden eyes calculatingly scanned the room. Before Isane could even say or do anything his gaze met hers, and with a small, smug, smile he made his way directly for her. She could feel her new recruits become tense and nervous. They had looks of surprise and even dread on their faces as he obviously made his way straight for them. Isane smiled comfortingly at them and shook her head as a few tried to make motions of leaving. As she rose to offer a professional obeisance so too did they. Mayuri stopped directly across from her, and right besides the furiously blushing Aina.

"Captain Kurotsuchi," Isane said pleasantly. "Would you care to join us?"

Mayuri's golden gaze swept to the faces around them. Then, with a dismissive shrug to his shoulders he sat down and impatiently motioned for Isane and her members to sit down as well.

Isane's heart went out to her recruits, and especially to Aina as she was decidedly uncomfortable sitting next to Mayuri. Well, considering that he had threatened to cut her tongue out and sew her mouth shut after catching her and Mayuri embracing Isane didn't think that she could blame the young girl much. Something like that would surely leave a lasting impression on anyone.

"How are you this evening, Captain?"

Mayuri gave Isane a pointed look of disappointment and even boredom.

"So, we shall start our conversation with banal platitudes, shall we? Fine. I am well Lieutenant, and yourself?"

His voice was dry and lacked any emotion or sincerity. Isane had to bite her lip to force the laughter at bay. Mayuri was not one for polite small talk. He was also probably not in a good mood to begin with since it was obvious that he had come looking for her here. To find her here meant that he could not act or express himself as he would most probably want to. He would be fettered by at least a small amount of propriety in regards to their relationship due to such being in such a public forum.

"I am very well, Captain, and you? How are you? What brings you here? Is there anything that you need?"

Isane voice was well modulated and innocently curious. She knew all along that Mayuri saw right through it all. He knew that the calm smile and inquisitive response was nothing more than a sham. Isane couldn't help but let the humor of the situation shine in her eyes at him. He was in a tight spot, and with few options open to him. He could of course assert his authority as a Captain and not play her little game. Or, as her lover he would be compelled to hold his tongue, keep the peace, and go on whatever ride she chose to take him on. Seeing him with his back to the wall and nowhere to go was a diversion that was a rare treat for her. However, she may be at times foolhardy, but that did not in any way mean that she was foolish. Isane knew how far she would be able to play her little games until the tiger that she had by the tail turned on her, and that wouldn't be very far.

Still…it was just too much fun to be ignored.

Mayuri's face might look impassive, but his gaze slide around the room calculatingly. He seemed to be taking stock into who was here and who was trying not to be too overly curious. When they came back to rest on her face there was a tell-tale look of warning in his eyes. It was not in any way malicious, but there was a definite look that promised immediate retribution should she push her luck with him. She might not be a Captain, and she might be impetuous, but that didn't mean that she was stupid. Isane was familiar with the shaky ground that she was standing on, and as such she was very good at assessing and adapting to any situation.

A finger snapped in her face, and caused those around her to gasp audibly. She must have been wool gathering, and in doing so missed a remark from Mayuri.

"I am terribly sorry, Captain. How rude of me! What was it that you said?"

Isane's voice was contrition covered in honey.

Mayuri's eyes narrowed imperceptibly. He turned ever so slightly to the visibly shaking Aina next to him. "Did you hear me? Do I stutter or stammer? Have I some mental impediment that would cause a lack of verbal communication?"

"No! I mean- no, Captain!" Aina tried to stand to offer her response but with only a finger Mayuri pushed her back down.

"Sit down, whoever you are," he said dismissing her. "Don't annoy me any more than you have to. Or, more importantly- than you already have previously…" he said raking his eyes over the trembling girl. He remembered her very well from the time in the herborium when she had burst in on them just as he was about to pleasure Isane. He had been trembling with fury and sexual tension, and luckily for the girl Isane had calmed him down. Luckily for her this girl now offered him a more beneficial diversion.

His remark and the implied threat got Isane's attention. Mayuri chuckled as he raised an eye brow. Isane was up to something, and as of yet he wasn't exactly sure what. Not that it would be a hard task to find out. Isane wasn't very good at playing psychological games. That sweet, doe-eyed look that she had been giving him set his hackles to rise, and the only way he knew how to rid her of it was to make a swipe at her division members. A swift, sharp gleam appeared in her eyes for a brief moment before she went back to her more demurely placid persona.

What could she be thinking…

Isane blinked once, and placed an innocent smile on her face, but the look in her eyes was anything but sweet or docile. A steely warning flashed that was so apparent that even her subordinates eyes widened. One or two even brashly looked from her to Mayuri with open disbelief. A few audible gulps could be heard. She even thought that maybe a couple of the closer diners had stifled their conversation in order to better hear what was going on between them.

"Captain, please…"

"Please what, Lieutenant? I was merely asking your recruit to know her place. A very good thing among subordinates…"

The low laugh that he gave was borderline maniacal. He knew that Isane loved to play the game with him, but she had so little experience at it. He was so much better at it. Not only that, but where it only caused her to become irritated and to lose control with him it only caused to whet his appetite for more.

Silly girl…

"Captain, what can be done for you?" Isane let the sentence and its double meaning hang in the air between them.

Mayuri gave an amused 'hm', and ignoring Isane for the moment unexpectedly turned his attention back to Aina.

"You-girl- what is your name and rank?"

Aina stood up and bowed deeply to Mayuri. "I am Amori Aina, Captain! I…I am new to the Fourth, and straight from the Academy. I am not a seated officer, but rather only a member of the Corp…" She looked down at her feet with a flushed look.

"And a valued one as well," Isane said stoutly to the girl though she was looking at Mayuri with a rising heat to her face. She started to stand and motion Aina to sit back down when Mayuri put a hand up to stop her.

"Amori Aina, please, have a seat. I have a few questions for you. Nothing really, just a few, innocent questions that maybe you could answer for me…"

Aina looked from Mayuri to Isane with a panicked look on her face. Isane smiled and nodded her head. The moment that Aina turned her attention to Mayuri the friendly façade dropped and she cleared her throat warningly. To add emphasis to her subtle warning she gave Mayuri's shin a quick kick under the table. She knew that she had squarely hit her mark, but the only recognition that he gave was to tap his long nail once on the table with irritation.

"I am thinking of planning an experiment-"

Aina and the others blanched. She practically threw herself into the lap of the young man sitting next to her, and instinctively he put a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"No, no, no! Please, you misunderstand me!" He looked slyly over at the semi-outraged look on Isane's face and gave her his best beleaguered look. "How terribly hurtful it is to always be so misunderstood…"

"Oh, I don't know about that," Isane said with a tight-lipped smile. "Seems like maybe people are a bit wiser to your ways than you thought…"

"But Lieutenant, that is exactly what I am trying to find out. If some people are not as wise as they think that they are…" He grinned at her and raised an eye brow knowingly.

Isane gave a low growl from the back of her throat. "Have I told you that I have my list ready to go, and at a moment's notice? I plan on breaking someone's savings. Most probably they will never recover…"

Mayuri's eyes widened. "Oh? You better watch yourself-you wouldn't want to deplete all your resources…"

Isane and Mayuri locked gazes.

The entire table was hushed with expectancy. Mayuri again turned his attention back to Aina.

"So, Amori…tell me, if you were to be given a questionnaire pertaining to your perceptions on dating would you be willing to answer truthfully? It would be anonymous, of course! Oh," he said peering forward and pining her with his golden eyes, "you are straight, correct? That would be a caveat to having your opinions being pertinent to this particular experiment. Not that it would be of any detriment if you weren't, but for my purposes heterosexuality is the keystone to this census."

Aina stuttered and looked at Isane with pleading eyes.

Isane immediately came to her subordinates rescue. "Captain Kurotsuchi, maybe now isn't a good place to start. Aren't you tainting your discovery process?"

"Taint my discovery? Me? How rude Lieutenant to imply that I-and as a Captain no less-would do such a thing. Tsk! Tsk!" Mayuri shook his head sadly and gave her a look that seemed surprised at such impertinence.

Mayuri looked to her recruits and gave a sad, melodramatic sigh. "It is always so sad and disappointing to hear that some people feel that they can publicly besmirch or question my scientific methods. As healers you are so lucky to not have such things over-shadowing your career…"

Her recruits gave nervous smiles and tried vainly to make an appropriate response, but the intimidation factor was just too high for them, and all that came out were muffled or garbled half-sentences.

"Now, back to my question New Recruit Amori…would you or would you not be willing to fill out a questionnaire about what would in essence be about your sex life?"

Aina turned beet red, and her companions snickered.

Taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders Aina looked at Mayuri straight in the eyes. "Well, Captain, I guess it would depend on why there was a need to answer such questions…"

Mayuri cocked his head to the side. "Maybe someone needs to build upon already gathered data? Maybe there is a need to delve deeper into the mating habits of Shinigami? Or maybe, just maybe some people are curious as to who holds the elevated ground, educationally speaking that is."

Aina looked at Mayuri with open suspicion. "Sounds like maybe some people have a cheap bet going on somewhere," she said with serious doubt.

Mayuri threw his head back and laughed. He nodded as if satisfied with her answer. "Maybe…" He grinned toothily at her.

Mayuri rested his elbow on the table and with a cupped hand rested his chin on it. "So tell me, New Cadet Amori, is it a physical attribute or a mental attribute that first attracts you to a man?"

"Well," the young woman said cocking her head to the side in imitation of Mayuri's, "I would have to say that like most women it is something about a male's personality that first catches my interest."

Isane held her breath. She noticed that Aina had used the word male and not man, and because of that Isane knew exactly whom the younger woman was obliquely referring to. Sajin…A strange stillness overcame her, and she hoped that Mayuri didn't catch it. But she knew immediately that he did know that something was askew because his eyes shifted towards her own imperceptibly. Isane silently prayed to anyone that would hear it that he wouldn't delve any deeper into things. Isane breathed a sigh of relief when he went on with his questions as if oblivious.

"So, then how a male looks has no bearing on the matter? Your mental stimulation and attraction are purely emotionally based?"

Aina gave Mayuri a brisk nod. "Of course! It might be an old cliché, but looks really aren't everything!" Aina suddenly blushed as if she had said what everyone knew what she must be thinking: you and my Lieutenant are proof of that.

Mayuri gave the young woman a shark's smile coated with a thin layer of ignorance. "But looks must be in some part of the final equation as isn't that a very good reason for taking the relationship to another level?"

"I think that Captain Kurotsuchi is selling women short," Aina snapped out. "No matter what a male looks like if he is confident in his masculinity without being a brute or a braggart about it that is what women find really attractive." Aina gave a pointed look at the table that held the members of the Eleventh. Her look of disdain and censure was written boldly across her mobile features.

"Hm," he said tapping a finger on the table. "What about intelligence?"

Aina looked suddenly uncomfortable. 'Well, personally, I couldn't date a man who doesn't have a certain amount of…intelligence…"

Mayuri smirked at the girl. "So no half-wits or idjits for you?"

"I didn't say that! I just want to have something interesting or similar interests to talk about. He doesn't have to be a genius, but-"

"But he certainly can't be intellectually inferior, is that it?" Mayuri chuckled at the younger woman's hesitant nod.

One of recruits, a young man that looked no older then fifteen hesitantly raised a hand to speak. "Captain, would you be looking for sexual habits or practices as well?" His voice squeaked as if he was still in the process of having his voice drop.

"Recruit, you don't look old enough to know anything about either," Mayuri said dryly.

"Captain, I was initiated into the Art of Love by my father's mistress just before I entered the Academy," the young man said haughtily. "It is an old and valued family tradition…"

Mayuri gave the young man a look of renewed interest. "Oh really? Well, if you were initiated in such a way then I certainly would deem the process a valued one. However, I have found through the years that theoretical knowledge and practical application are rarely one and the same. In short, those women are paid to be attentive, but what about outside such a sphere, and when commerce is not applicable?"

Aina gave the young man a look of revulsion. "That is revolting, Akira! It is men like you that cheapen and demean relationships with normal women!"

Mayuri gave a speculative 'hm'. "How are such women or the relationships that they offer demeaning, Cadet Amori? I would think that such transactions are nothing more than what they appear to be: a woman offering a service to a man for money- nothing more and nothing less. You certainly don't think that she had any feelings for him? To her it was no different than if she was selling a rug or groceries. She was being paid to foist herself upon him by his father."

The young man had a confused and disappointed look on his face at the bald telling of what was for him an almost magical experience.

"So it is just about sex, is that it, Captain?" Aina's eyes became heated.

Mayuri shrugged. "Maybe in the beginning for men it is just that simple."

Aina's as well as Isane's jaws dropped.

"Or, maybe she had such feeling for his father that she was willing to demean herself in such a way to garner a positive response from her patron?" Mayuri raised an eyebrow with expectation.

"That is even worse, Mayuri!" In her astonishment Isane forgot protocol and called him by his given name. "Now you make it seem as if she not only prostituted her body, but her emotions as well! I just can't believe that…"

"I would think, Isane, that a woman under those circumstances would have to in order to keep not only her pride but her sanity intact as well," he said quietly. "Such women should be given the respect that they deserve in my opinion."

Isane's mouth opened and closed wordlessly like a fish out of water. She was stunned.

Aina on the other hand ripped into Mayuri's opinion ruthlessly. It seemed as if she had temporarily forgotten to whom she was speaking to: a Captain of the Gotei Thirteen. Mayuri on the other hand followed her tirade with amused interest. After Aina seemed to have spouted all that she could on the matter Mayuri turned to Isane and rolled his eyes. "You certainly have your work cut out for you, don't you?"

Isane's eyes were starting to widen with concern. She was in a public place so she was limited to what she could say or do. They might be in a relationship but right now they were in a professional setting, and she could not lose her temper with a Captain. It could possibly cause problems between her and her subordinates. Yet at the same time she couldn't-wouldn't-let him harass or intimidate those under her. The terrible thing about it was that he wasn't really doing anything that could be construed as harassment. If truth be told he was being calm and pretty much professional. He had done nothing that he could be taken to task for. At least not professionally. Personally? Isane was so going to make him suffer…

Mayuri looked at Aina with real interest. It was almost a hungry look, yet the young woman didn't seem to pick up on it due to the fact that she was still on her soap box. "If you had to pick one trait- and that can be either physical or personality- what would it be? Intelligence? Humor? Looks? Wealth? Bravery? What?"

Aina was silent for a moment as she seriously contemplated the question. "Fidelity," she said shooting Akira a scathing look. "If a man can't be trusted then there is no solid foundation for anything in the future to build upon."

"So he could be stupid, lazy, and socially inept, but if he was faithful like a dog then he would be a worthy mate?" Mayuri looked at Aina as if she was suddenly not as interesting as he had previously thought.

"No! Anyway, there is more to a relationship then just one, single personality trait. Sheesh…men may be so simple but women aren't," Aina said with disgust. The young girl looked at Mayuri suddenly as if something just occurred to her. "You know, Captain, this doesn't sound like a cheap bet anymore…it sounds more like some sort of scam!"

Mayuri laughed so hard that diners around them stopped what they were doing and openly and unabashedly looked at them. Mayuri laughed even harder when he saw the disgruntled look on the recruits face. He turned to Isane and waggled his eyebrows knowingly. When she gave him a look that tried to stop his outburst it only caused him to laugh harder. His laughter caused not only near-by diners to look at them askance, but Isane also saw Captains Kyoraku and Ukitake stare at them with high amusement.

"Yes," Mayuri said getting his laughter under control, "it certainly does sound like a scam. So maybe the real question is this: who is running it? Who is scamming whom?"

Isane raised a foot under the table to give him another kick when she found her foot pinned to the floor, and firmly trapped underneath his own. It was securely caught, and when she gave him a look he quelled it with a smirk. It was a smirk that dared her to speak of it or to try more. To make matters worse he slowly shook his head and gave her what was for him a smile filled with innocence and compassion.

The bastard…

Isane counted to ten and tried to settle her careening emotions. She was on the verge of either having a mental break down or just pulling up stakes and heading out of town as fast as possible. She didn't care if it looked like what it was; her turning tail and running. Isane was concerned for her recruits and how time spent so closely with Mayuri would affect them. She was in charge of them, and she didn't want to be put into the position of word getting back to her Captain that Mayuri had carelessly played with the newest members of her division. She bit her bottom lip, and looked at her recruits with a slightly apologetic look on her face. What she saw astounded her.

Mayuri was chatting harmlessly with Aina and the others. They weren't entirely comfortable, but neither were they as unsettled as they were in the beginning. They were making small talk, and Mayuri was even answering a few, shy questions asked by one or two of the more bolder ones. It seemed as if Aina's use of free speech with Mayuri opened the floodgate for the others. His arms were in his sleeves and he seemed almost civilized. His sarcastic comments were nonexistent and his speech was tempered and well modulated. There were no looks of impatience or snide comments. He was acting more gentlemanly than even Captain Ukitake could be.

Warning bells went off like mad inside Isane's head. She felt her body tense up for the inevitable. At some point Mayuri would lose all control and snap. She just knew it. He wasn't a man made for the mundane or the trivial. He had many more important things on his mind than to spend time chit-chatting with newbies. Isane didn't even think that he did that with his own recruits. Just as she was about to gather her recruits and take their leave she saw Mayuri turn to her and shift his eyes from side to side. She stilled for a moment, and then followed where his eyes had pointed to.

The majority of the dining hall was silent. People now made no attempt to hide the fact that they were watching her group. There were looks of suspicion on people's faces, but most were of astonishment and even a tinge of envy. No matter how friendly a Captain was they generally kept themselves apart for one reason or another. Even Ukitake and Kyoraku spent more time socially with each other than they did with their own rank and file. But here was a Captain, and Mayuri no less, who was sitting and chatting aimlessly with the greenest of the green. Not only that they were from the Fourth as well. The division that was only taken seriously when there were wounds to heal. Any other time they nothing more than glorified street cleaners. Yet here was Mayuri treating them not only with respect, but deference as well. No other Captain had ever gone out of their way to do such a thing.

Isane's heart felt like it was going to come out of her chest. Mayuri was a man that constantly amazed her. As pig-headed, elitist, and arrogant as he could be at times he could also be surprisingly kind and compassionate in his own, perverse way. By sitting and socializing with them Mayuri was tacitly showing his support. Why? She had no idea, and she didn't care either. All that mattered was that he was doing this somehow for her.

Her. The woman that had always been known for her timid yet impetuous nature. The woman who could bring a body back from death or clean the sewers. The woman that had held a torch for Shuuhei that was an uncomfortably known secret. Now? Now she was a woman that had by her side one of the Gotei's fiercest if not most intimidating Captain. Sometimes it seemed all so over-whelming that-

"Lieutenant Kotetsu," Mayuri said in an odd voice, "are you feeling well? You have this bizarre look on your face…"

Mayuri leaned over the table and peered intently at her. Isane saw that her subordinates were also looking at her rather strangely. Isane's eyes darted around until they finally came to rest on the top of the table in embarrassment.

"I'm fine," she said in a choked whisper.

"Hm," he said dubiously. "I think that I shall be the judge of that."

Isane's eyes shot up to his, and the look that she saw in them had nothing harsh or judgmental about them. There was only a slight concern. Seeing that she didn't want to make anything publicly known he turned the attention back to himself. Rising he gave a slight nod of his head.

"I shall be off then. I really do have more important things to do than sit around and waste my dinner hour with a group of new recruits…"

The look that he gave them was so ludicrous that a few, muffled snorts could be heard. Before anything else could be said he turned to leave so abruptly that his white Captain's coat billowed out behind him. Without looking either left or right he made a direct line for the door.

Itegumo! Tell Ashisogi Jizo that I need to talk to Mayuri! Tell him that I want to tell him about…I want to tell him about Kiyone and myself… Isane hoped that the call would be relayed quickly, and maybe even before he left the hall.

Before he exited the dining room he stopped at the doorway, and without turning around he merely nodded his head. Then, without even a backward glance he left. A murmur rose up around her as conversations started to go back to normal, but she heard none of it. All she heard were Itegumo's words echoing through her head.

Mayuri-sama said that he is eagerly looking forward to it…

Isane knew that if Mayuri was to answer his own question posed to Aina about what one quality he prized above all others she knew that it would have to be truth. To a man like him truth- and no matter how harsh, disappointing, or even unforgiving it may be- was tantamount to anything else. His life was based upon it. To a woman like her it was integrity, and whether it had to do with her professional or personal life. If she couldn't keep her integrity intact than she was as good as worthless, and that was something that he did not deserve.

Taking her attention back to the meal that had just been delivered Isane felt a very small knot that she didn't know that she had loosened. The mere thought of her and her sister's past had always made her uneasy. She was always afraid that it would become public somehow, and that fear was something that weighed on her like a millstone around her neck. But just knowing that she would be openly facing it with Mayuri made it seem not as dreadful. Maybe it wasn't as bad as she had always thought. Maybe, just maybe she could finally let it all go…