"This is such a friendly town," Orihime told Yuiko wistfully as they browsed the bookstore. "It reminds me of my neighborhood."

"So you're having a good time?" Yuiko wondered. "I like it here."

"It's peaceful here." Orihime looked around. "This is a cozy bookstore. I like all the blue flowers."

"The owner's son is handsome, too!" Yuiko cooed. "Almost as handsome as Master Aizen."

They were interrupted by a friendly male voice. "Did you ladies need help finding something?"

Yuiko blushed as she turned around to see a dark-haired young man. "Uh.. Good afternoon!"

The young man enthusiastically shook the girls' hands as he introduced himself. "I'm Etsuo Katsuhiko. My dad's the owner here, and my grandmother was the first owner before that." He turned to Orihime. "I'm glad you like the atmosphere."

"It's perfect for reading," Orihime told him sincerely. "But I didn't see the art supplies when I came in."

The young man smiled as he motioned the girls to follow him. "Most of the customers who buy art supplies are students from the academy."

"They're for a friend," she told him. Turning quizzically to Yuiko, she wondered aloud, "You don't know what Lady Yume needs for sketching, do you?"

"Did you say, 'Lady Yume'?" Katsuhiko asked, his eyes wide. "Everyone here knows and loves her. I know just what she uses." He showed her the impressive selection of charcoal pencils and gum erasers. "Did she need a new sketching pad?"

Orihime shook her head. "She picked one up at Mitsuko-san's." She showed Katsuhiko the money Yume had given her. "What supplies can I get for her with this?"

Katsuhiko nodded as he picked out a selection of drawing supplies for Yume. "My grandparents always liked Lady Yume. So we've always tried to take extra-special care of her. If you'll come with me to the books later, we can pick out a book of flower pictures for her. That'll be free."

Yuiko smiled contentedly as she followed handsome Katsuhiko.


"What do you mean?" a confused Hanatarou wondered.

"You see yourself as 'just in the way.' Isn't it obvious?"

"Nothing's obvious! That's the problem."

"So what you're saying is, you wish your brother would come out and say what's on his mind."

"Exactly."

"You saw how tense it got in here when he told Kirinji-san off. He knows it, too."

"Yeah...I'm sorry for that." Hanatarou sighed. "But when I tried to tell him how frustrating it is that he doesn't seem to need anyone, he just clammed up and said I wasn't being fair. I keep trying to get him to open up, and he won't!"

Hikifune left the room and came back with one of her old yearbooks. "I want you to see something," she told Hanatarou, opening to a page. She pointed to a slightly pudgy, pimple-faced boy with a crooked smile and a bad haircut. "Look at this kid. What do you think?"

"Don't tell me..." The youngster read the caption and then opened his eyes wide with shock. "This is...my brother?"

"Mm-hmm," Hikifune chuckled. "Your brother wasn't always good-looking. He was bullied pretty badly just about every day back then. One of the popular girls even stood him up on a dare. But he outgrew that phase. After he got promoted to lieutenant and did his first photo book, those same people...changed how they acted toward him. Suddenly, they wanted to be friends and get favors from him."

The youngster furrowed his brow and pondered this.

"But he never gave them the time of day." She laughed. "The girl who stood him up ended up as an unranked member of fourth squad. One of his first acts as lieutenant was to put her on permanent bathroom duty. He said he wouldn't have done it if she hadn't outright told him she stood him up because he 'wasn't hot back then.' Let's just say he wasn't amused." She paused and looked the youth in the eye. "You understand why I showed you that picture."

Hanatarou shook his head.

"You keep talking about how clumsy you are and how you wish you were more like your brother. You put him on a pedestal he doesn't want to be on. You'll outgrow whatever awkward phase you think you're in. But it's going to take time and work—just as it did for him."

"I guess so." He looked at the unused bowl and whisk. "I guess we should finish making the omelets."


"My mother? I have one more question for you," Aizen said softly.

"What...your question, my Sousuke?" his mother asked uncertainly. "You...worry?"

"I have been curious for a great while now. Do you know anything about our ancestors? I have found some materials, but the information is limited and incomplete."

Yume furrowed her brow in thought. "You know...my parents...serve goddess Shinatobe. This...her shrine. Ancestors...serve her...long time."

Aizen nodded wordlessly, wondering where Yume was going with this discussion.

"Name of temple...Minamoto Temple. Named...for family."

"Minamoto?" Aizen wondered curiously. "So your maiden name is also Minamoto?"

Yume nodded and smiled. "Full name...Minamoto Yamada Yume. Keep maiden name...take Sei-kun's name too."

"What do you know about the Minamoto family? This is fascinating."

At this, Yume's lovely face lit up. "My Sousuke! Not know? Minamoto family...originate in Japan...in human world. Aunt Mitsuko...explain to you...about first Sousuke?"

"Yes, I read about him in the Squad 5 library," Aizen replied, becoming more fascinated. "He was the first captain of Squad 5. He also planted the garden in our sector of Rukongai #15."

"First Sousuke...love flowers. Man of peace," Yume smiled. "Had one brother. That...our ancestor."

Aizen nodded quietly. He had heard this before, but it seemed more real when he heard it from his mother.

"His name...Minamoto Natsumura. Descendant...of famous warrior...in Japan. That warrior...named Minamoto Yoshitsune."

"I believe I have read about him in books," Aizen marveled. "And we are this warrior's descendants?"

"Many generations," Yume nodded gently. "Minamoto Yoshitsune...live and die...in twelfth century. Brave warrior. Betrayed by allies."

"Thank you for sharing this with me, my mother," Aizen said gratefully, hugging her tightly.

"Wonder...how others are," Yume mused. "Hope...Orihime...enjoy herself."

"It would be best for her morale to be high," Aizen remarked. "That girl's ability may prove important."

"My Sousuke...that odd answer."

Aizen looked quizzically at her. "My mother...?"

"My Sousuke...seem unhappy. Not like people. Not understand why."

"No...I do not like people. I...am fond of you. I am fond of Aunt Mitsuko. I am grateful to the townspeople here. I do not, however, like people collectively."

Saddened to hear this, Yume decided not to pursue the discussion further. "My Sousuke...we come back here soon?"

"Yes, we should be going," Aizen agreed, standing up and extending his arm to help Yume up. "You are right: this is a beautiful garden."

"Good-bye, my butterfly," Yume whispered.


After what seemed to be hours, Kirinji's house was finally in sight. "That's it," he muttered, not expecting an answer.

Despite the cold temperatures, Seinousuke felt distinctly uncomfortable breathing in the humid air. His lung, still healing from being scratched by the broken rib, was working overtime. "So what are we going to be doing?" he wondered.

"You're actually talking to me," Kirinji observed, without any hint of irony. "Your breathing's a bit heavy there."

"It's...humid here."

"Yeah, that's the hot spring. You're going to spend some time there to recuperate."

"Then what?"

"You don't waste any time, do you? You're going to show me what you're already capable of."

"All right. Then will you tell me what you know about the Quincy?" He lowered his head and closed his dark eyes. "I...also want to know what happened to Captain Unohana."

"Yeah." Now at the door, Kirinji did a complex hand motion to let them in. Once they were inside, he punched the older Yamada on the right shoulder and then began digging in with his fist.

By now, Seinousuke was too tired to care what Kirinji thought. He let out an anguished scream as Kirinji moved down the right side, causing excruciating pain to surge from his shoulder all the way down to his lower back. "The hell are you doing?" he demanded. "That hurts!"

"That's what I thought," Kirinji commented. "That was part of your examination."

"Couldn't you just do a kido scan?"

"That wouldn't tell me your pain tolerance." He motioned to a hall. "Go clean up. Then we'll start your treatment."


"Hey, Grimmjow?" Ichigo cut in.

"Don't interrupt when I'm trying to slash you!"

"Don't you think it was too easy to beat that caped Quincy?"

"I don't care. We beat him. That's all I care about."

"I guess you're right. Let's finish this spar."

The two combatants were a blur as sword clashed against sword. Finally, tiring of the impasse, Ichigo put on his Hollow mask. Grimmjow, meanwhile, went into Resurrección mode, throwing a barrage of Cero attacks at Ichigo. With the Hollow mask, Ichigo was noticeably faster than before. He was secretly glad to be using the training he had gotten, but Grimmjow hadn't been idle in his time away.

After being grazed with Panther Claws and several Ceros, and dodging a barrage of sword strikes, Ichigo finally took a page out of Yamada's book and deked before ducking to leg-sweep Grimmjow from below. That was enough to take the former Espada off his feet.

"I think that's enough," Ichigo said, laboring for breath. "We'll spar more later."


"This is smelling good," Hanatarou commented, whisking the ingredients together for shiitake stock. "Do we have more reiatsu, though?"

"We still have a little of yours left." She handed him the vial. "Don't put too much in. About six drops should do. We want just enough to replenish energy."

Slowly, the young man folded the drops of reiatsu into the stock and poured it all into a stockpot. "I hope my brother's all right," he remarked. "But is it normal for someone else's reiatsu to make the food taste different?"

"It's almost unheard of. Either your brother has better taste buds than anyone knew, or..."

"Or what? Is it that uncommon?"

Hikifune smiled at Hanatarou. "Remember your reason for putting your reiatsu into food you knew he was going to eat?"

The youngster nodded and opened his eyes wide. "You don't think...?"

"He said your rice balls tasted more subdued, and that he liked them better. Your personality is more introverted than mine. In other words, your reiatsu reflected your personality. That must have affected how the rice ball tasted to him."

"And he could actually taste the difference?"

"It's more that...somewhere in that complicated mind of his, he feels a connection with you." She looked Hanatarou in the eye. "Now do you understand why he keeps bringing you along with him?"


"There are so many books!" Orihime exclaimed delightedly. "It's going to be hard to pick out a book for Lady Yume."

"Didn't Yume-san say you could get yourself something too?" asked Yuiko. "Did you want to get a book while you're here?"

Katsuhiko's hand brushed up against Orihime's as he reached for a book of flower photos. "Master Sousuke has a copy of this book. I'll leave you two to look around." With that, the young man went to the front to tidy up.

"I told you he's handsome," sighed Yuiko, selecting a book of puzzles for herself. "Find anything you like?"

Eagerly, Orihime browsed the flower books and picked a book of sketches for Yume. She decided she'd hold on to the change until they got to the clothing store. They went to the counter, where Katsuhiko was waiting for them. He rang up their purchases and smiled at Orihime. "Will you be here long?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. My friends and I have something important to do."

Yuiko's eyes clouded over. "Thanks, Katsuhiko-kun."

"Stop by any time, Yuiko-kun," the young man responded, not noticing Yuiko's expression. With that, the girls left and headed to the fresh market shop.


As Aizen and Yume made their way back to the shopping area, Yume looked back wistfully at the temple.

"My mother...it is late," Aizen said simply. "Do you want to spend the night at the temple?"

"My Sousuke! We do that?" Yume asked delightedly.

"Once we have met back up with Orihime, we can ask Mrs. Yasuda about spending the night there."

"Like that," Yume murmured.

It didn't take long for them to reach the shopping district. The sun was starting to go down, but the shops were still vibrant with activity. After picking up some fruit at the greengrocer, they went back to the Blue Indigo to talk to Mrs. Yasuda. "Hope...Sei-kun...Hanatarou...OK," Yume murmured.

"My mother...I am sure both of them are doing well," Aizen replied softly.

Mrs. Yasuda quickly agreed to allow Yume and the others to stay at the temple. With a smile, she gave them a bag of leftovers to take with them. Aizen and Yume thanked her and headed to the clothing store, where Yuiko and Orihime were browsing. Much to Yume's surprise, some of her older designs were still selling.

"You should not be surprised," Aizen told her proudly. "After all, classic elegance is always fashionable."

"My Sousuke...flatter me," Yume blushed.

"There are so many beautiful outfits here, Lady Yume!" Orihime told her excitedly. She handed Yume the art supplies and the change and eagerly showed her a beautiful kimono. "This one's so pretty!"

"I...design that," Yume answered modestly.

While Aizen left to browse the menswear, Yume showed Orihime and Yuiko more of her designs. "Like yukatas. Kimonos too. Design a lot of them."

"You're very talented, Yume-san," Yuiko commented. "I can tell you like flowers."

"Love flowers," Yume acknowledged. "Love to draw flowers...love gardens too."

Orihime picked out the same kimono she had shown Yume. "This is the one I want. The blue's so calming."

"We have a spring festival coming up," Yuiko chimed in. "If you're still here, you should come."

"That sounds fun," Orihime said wistfully, wondering how things in Seireitei would turn out.

Yume gave the girls a friendly smile. "Kids...need...have fun." She looked over where Aizen was browsing. "I...meet you...at counter. Need...buy clothes...for Sei-kun." With that, she joined Aizen in the menswear section. "Find outfit, my Sousuke?"

He showed her his selections: two sets of shihakusho and kosode, three hakama, and a set of comfortable pajamas. He wryly noted that there were no red pajamas in sight. Once Yume finished choosing some apparel for her husband, they went together to the counter.

"We go to apothecary now?" asked Yume hopefully. "Need things for bath."

After paying for their purchases, the group made its way to the apothecary shop, where Aunt Ayumi welcomed everyone warmly. Aizen ordered his ink and helped Yume select some bath materials. He always felt a sense of nostalgia when he ordered ink and walked past the vases and other items made with his ink. This time was no different.


"When's Yamada going to be back?" demanded Iemitsu. "I'm getting backed up with paperwork here, and these Hollows are just getting in the way!"

Isane sighed at this outburst. "All we can do is wait. The captain and Hanatarou-kun are trying to learn more about the Quincy and the zombies. They'll be back soon, I hope."

"Who does he think he is, anyway, coming in here and taking over? He's not MY captain!"

Isane showed him the letter from Captain Unohana, which she had found in Seinousuke's pocket when she put the stamina pills in. Lowering her head, she said softly, "She always meant for him to become captain of Squad 4 if anything happened to her. All we can do is keep taking care of things here."

"What are we supposed to be doing about the Hollows while he's gallivanting around?"

"I guess examine them, get blood samples, ask them questions... I don't know, to be honest," Isane replied. "Maybe we should see what Akon-san's been able to find out. He can tell us if he needs anything."

"I guess so," Iemitsu muttered. "I suppose I can go over to Squad 12. Ogido's still over there anyway."

Isane nodded. "Is it just me, or is does Hanatarou-kun seem to be less awkward lately?"

"I don't know. I don't pay attention to that little twerp." He shook his head. "I'm leaving now."


At the Squad 12 lab, Akon and Ogido were busily analyzing Neliel's blood sample. "Now this is interesting," Akon remarked, writing notes on his clipboard.

"What did you find, Akon-san?" wondered Ogido.

"I think I know why the Quincy don't like Hollow blood." He looked Ogido in the eye. "I'll need to analyze some other Hollow blood, but Neliel-san's blood has some unusual enzymes."

"That sounds promising. I'll ask Halibel-san for a blood sample when I go back to Squad 4." He thought for a moment. "Did you find a blood sample from the zombie Quincy? I wonder what would happen if we mixed that with Hollow blood."

"Good idea. If you can find me some other blood samples, we can get on that next time."

"Actually...some of Yamada-san's clothes may still be in the wash. I think some of Sternritter D's blood got on him when they were fighting. I'll look."

"That's good for now, I think," Akon said gratefully. "Squad 4 has been a big help."

"You'll let me know when they come back, right? I'm worried about Hanatarou-kun."

Ichigo and Grimmjow came in just then, still exhausted from sparring. "Akon-san, any updates yet?"

Excitedly, Akon and Ogido explained what they had discovered while examining Neliel's blood. Akon looked at Grimmjow and Ichigo curiously. "Could we get a blood sample from each of you too?"

"Sure, why not?" Ichigo answered. "I've got nothing better to do right now." He stuck his arm out expectantly.

"Akon-san, why don't I take them to Squad 4?" Ogido offered. "We have the equipment to draw blood samples."

"Let's take a break then," Akon agreed.

"I still want to fight," Grimmjow muttered as they went back to Squad 4.

Ichigo shook his head. "Maybe Yamada'll spar with you when he comes back. Or Aizen."

"Hey! Aren't you forgetting someone?" snapped the Hollow.