Chapter 4: Unasked Questions

Ichigo thought his bedroom was definitely not made for seven people, not including himself. However, after the hospital visit, everyone had come back to the Kurosaki house, and they were currently sprawled around Ichigo's room.

Actually, not everyone is sprawled, the orange haired teenager though as he noted the two captain standing, not lying on his bed, or swinging on his chair.

'Nee-san?' a whingey voice sounded seconds before Kon, mascot-mod-soul-in-stuffed-lion-plushy-form, burst from the cupboard and launched himself at Rukia. She pushed him away with ease, and, in his new flight path, the perverted toy realised that he was now on a direct route to Matsumoto's bosom.

Smoke was curling from Kon's mouth by the time the Lieutenant was finished with him.

'Now,' Rangiku smiled cheerily, 'Don't you all think we should talk about Orihime?'

'Yes,' Uryu sighed, 'She really doesn't remember that attack,'

'Has that memory been erased?' Rukia's tone was hollow, her concern for her friend throbbing away, steady as her pulse.

'I don't think there ever was a memory,' Ichigo nodded at Chad, considering his friend's words.

'How's that?' Renji was confused, looking at Chad upside down as he was lying on his back on Ichigo's bed.

'I don't know,' shaking his head, the teenager fell silent.

'Well,' Ichigo sighed, 'There's nothing we can do. Maybe when Inoue is released from hospital tomorrow we can ask her where she,' he rubbed his head, 'Fell down the stairs,'

'Sounds like a plan,' getting up, Renji jumped out the window, no doubt leaving for Urahara's.

'We should go, Captain,' Matsumoto's pale blue eyes flicked to Yuki, 'Are you coming too Captain Kanashimi?'

Yuki seemed very distant, obviously not hearing what the Lieutenant said. Her expression was tense, and there was a flickering deep in her eyes.

'I'll take that as a yes,' dragging both captains to the window, Rangiku grinned at Ichigo, 'See you tomorrow! Come round to Orihime's in the morning to greet her! And don't worry about school!'

'Uh, right,' the orange haired teenager stared at the woman as she disappeared, then he turned to Rukia, 'Are you planning to show yourself to my family this time?'

'Tomorrow,' she spoke dismissively, 'I'm going to bed now,'

And , climbing into his cupboard and slamming the door, the petite shinigami did just that.

Toshiro had noticed that, during the time in Kurosaki's room, everyone had cast at least one glance Kanashimi's way. Like him, he supposed, they must have thought she knew something. After all, ever since the hospital, the intense expression she'd been wearing would have told anyone that she was figuring something out, or maybe she already had.

Since Matsumoto was in the bathroom, presumably taking a bath, Toshiro found himself sitting on the couch, and staring at the ceiling. His thoughts were flicking between Inoue, and what had happened to her, and Kanashimi, and what she might know.

When the Third Division captain wandered back from inspecting the kitchen, having been quite surprised, and not exactly pleasantly, at the contents of Inoue's refrigerator, and sat on one of the chairs in the living room, Toshiro resolved to ask if she knew anything.

'Kanashimi,' at the sound of her name, the shinigami glanced at the other captain, Toshiro inhaled deeply, 'About the attack on Inoue, and the reiatsu, do you know something?'

Yuki considered the question, tilting her head to one side, and then she blinked, her voice deadpan, 'No,'

'You can tell me anything, right?' Toshiro sighed deeply, rubbing his head in mild exasperation.

Violet eyes half closed as the captain of the Third Division shook her head and smiled, 'I know,'

Secrets hide inside your eyes,

But the mystery you hold,

Is forgotten.

You shake your head and smile,

And I cannot ask you again.

Toshiro sat bolt upright, realising that he'd fallen asleep, and then he had to blink a few times to adjust to the new lighting.

Another strange poem, he sighed mentally, looking around the apartment, I wonder if I'm going insane. Do insane people get hallucinations of blood and then read odd poems in their heads? So annoying.

'Captain,' Matsumoto waltzed in, smelling very strongly like roses, and leaned over the chair he was sitting on, 'Dinner's ready,'

'Don't tell me you tried to cook something,' shaking the troubling thoughts from his head, Toshiro glared at his Lieutenant instead. His stomach wasn't accustomed to everything out there in the world.

'No, no, no,' laughing, Rangiku grabbed her captain's arm and dragged him over the back of the couch, 'Captain Kanashimi went and bought some things from the store,'

'Oh,' relieved that the woman hadn't been cooking, as her tastes were remarkably similar to Inoue's, Toshiro followed her into the kitchen.

As they ate, everything was strangely silent until Matsumoto burst into random laughter. Two pairs of eyes, one showing a much more withering look than the other, flicked to the Lieutenant's face.

Toshiro wasn't going to ask what was wrong, but, when the woman didn't stop, he snapped, 'Are you going to share what's so funny, or will I have to kick you out?'

'Sorry,' snorting in an effort to stop chuckling, Rangiku banged on the table, making the cups and plates jump violently, 'It's just that,' again she was lost in her giggling, recovering after another short while, 'Just that-,'

'Shouldn't you be thinking about Inoue's situation right now instead of laughing about nothing?' Yuki's tone was cool, but she was amused.

'Yes,' strangely, Rangiku stopped all her loud noises and sat straight, a dead serious expression on her face, 'You're very right,'

Toshiro was freaked out. Either Kanashimi had used a kido on his Lieutenant, or the bubbly woman was just trying to be vexing. Both options were feasible and the white haired captain found himself unsure of which was true. Or which one he wanted to be true.

'So,' Yuki continued, gaze never straying from Matsumoto's face, 'What do you make of it?'

'I think it's horrible,' the way the woman declared it was very normal, but Toshiro was still uncertain.

'In what way?' the cool tone was almost enough to make Rangiku shiver. There wasn't any kido, or at least any she could feel, but there was something about Kanashimi that demanded some sort of understanding in return for the captain's very presence.

'Well, Orihime's such a sweet girl that she really doesn't deserve to be hurt,' getting rather worked up, Matsumoto opened her mouth again to begin a full speech, but she never got to make it.

'Matsumoto,' Toshiro's voice silenced his Lieutenant, sighing, the captain continued, 'Whether or not it's a terrible thing, the fact is that it happened. Now,' he glanced down at his bowl, 'As the shinigami who have been sent to the Human World in order to investigate the cloud disturbances, and now, I suppose, the attacks too, we have to figure out every detail. Your emotions hardly matter if human souls are at risk,'

'You're right, I'm sorry,' Rangiku nodded. This was one of those times that reminded her of the exact reason why Hitsugaya was a captain, despite his young age by shinigami standards.

'Well, worrying any more isn't going to do anyone any good,' standing, the woman gathered together the disposable containers and tidied away the plates, 'Orihime's coming back tomorrow so we can ask her more questions then. So now, I think we should all just go to sleep,'

Lying on his back, strangely under a table again, with the screen that would allow them to communicate with the Soul Society if need be behind him, Toshiro sighed deeply. His unfocused eyes skimmed over the bottom of the table. He didn't know why he was there, he couldn't remember where exactly he'd initially fallen asleep, but it didn't really matter.

Thoughts drifting, he recalled hearing Kira Izuru laughing the night before and his lips curled slightly upwards. It was such an unusual sound, so rare, and not unpleasant. Obviously the Lieutenant had come to relax a lot more around his new-ish captain, and had begun to show some other emotions apart from misery. Hearing that laughter had calmed him down enough that he could go back to his office and look at his desk without having a mental breakdown.

Once again, Toshiro's mind shifted to a new thought, restless despite the late hour.

Our two worlds have collided,

I have found a part of me,

That I didn't realise I was missing.

You are the meaning,

To my life.

The white haired captain couldn't help but sigh again, tapping his fingers over his forehead in an effort to drum out the vision of the words.

It's happening more frequently, he mused thoughtfully, Does that mean I really am losing it? A break from strangeness would be nice, I think. Just maybe . . .

Author's Note:

So, is Kanashimi telling the truth there . . . ? And, probably for the hundredth time . . . poor Toshiro