Chapter 16:

Though the plan was made in secret, it wasn't long before Hitsugaya learned that Squad 2 was spying on all the Divisions. They could hide their Spiritual Pressure but not their scent. He could smell them just about everywhere he went, even at his own Division.

This could become problematic. Byakuya liked feeding in private but eventually the Stealth Division would catch on that something was happening behind closed doors. Byakuya could only feed off his servants for so long before weakening them to the point of requiring medical treatment. Luring someone into his office to feed upon might attract some attention, even within his own Division.

Nighttime strolls might also become troublesome for a young wolf with all these eyes lurking in the shadows. With a full moon coming up and little knowledge of how it would affect him, Hitsugaya wasn't liking this new arrangement.

"You're not the first person to ask me about Ikkaku today and I doubt you'll be the last. All I can tell you is the same thing I've told everyone else: I don't know where he is."

Hitsugaya stood behind Yumichika who was fixing his hair in the mirror hanging on the wall in a corner. He carefully brushed his hair aside and gently tugged unaligned strands back into place, unaware of the worry Hitsugaya was carrying.

He had smelled Ikkaku's scent on the girl and feared Ikkaku would be linked to the crime which might also implicate Byakuya in some way. He came to Yumichika hoping to gather information but was met with a preening pretty boy's fastidious rituals. Yumichika was being extra careful with the decorative feathers today as he admired his reflection, batting his lashes flirtatiously.

"Yumichika, it's important."

"Why are you asking me?" Yumichika adjusted his collar before going back to touch up his hair for the millionth time.

"You and Ikkaku are practically joined at the hip. I figured you'd know something."

Yumcihika puckered his lips, batted his lashes and then smiled, finally satisfied, before turning away from the mirror to face the Captain.

"Look, I haven't seen much of Ikkaku for the past few days which is odd. I figured he was just training by himself as he tends to do from time to time when he feels the dojo isn't working. A breath of fresh air, I suppose. There are times a man wants to be by himself, you know."

"But for days on end?"

"I'll admit that is a bit unusual for him…" Yumichika folded his arms. "However, I'm not changing my answer. The men have been asking me the very same question and I answer truthfully every time. I do not know where he is. No amount of asking me is going to change that. Why are you asking of all people? He's not part of your Squad."

"I'm just concerned. After that girl was attacked and knowing that Ikkaku had been sent to the sickbay… I just want to make sure everyone's alright. That's all."

Hitsugaya wasn't sure how else to explain his questions. He knew he probably should have kept his mouth shut but he couldn't help but ask, feeling he needed to.

Perhaps his loyalty wasn't just to those he felt closest to. In a way, everyone was a member of his pack. He wasn't sure how else to explain it. Maybe it was all just to protect Momo and Rangiku and everyone else in his Squad who was like family to him and somehow asking after others was a way to do that.

Yumichika nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders and started to walk away. "In Ikkaku's absence, I suppose it's up to me to lead the group in this afternoon's training exercises."

Shinji knocked on Kensei's door and let himself in without being given permission. He found his friend drumming his fingers on his desk and staring angrily at the clock on the wall, jaw stiffened to suppress his mounting rage.

"What's with the look?" Shinji asked.

"Hisagi hasn't shown up yet again today. I'm tired of it."

There were two distinct piles on the desk marked 'finished' and the other as Hisagi's pile without any indication other than the fact it was shoved off to the side and that Kensei refused to even look at them. Clearly fed up with having to do all the work by himself, Kensei made sure to have his Lieutenant suffer for it upon his return.

"If he knows you're going to dump all this in his lap, he's never going to show up," Shinji pointed out.

"He should have shown up when he was supposed to. He knows I'm looking for him and when he does, I'll break his legs so he can't run off again."

"I'll admit I don't know him as well as you do, seeing as how we're from different Squads, but this doesn't sound like him. I've never seen him actively avoid work. In fact, I've seen him panic when a deadline is approaching and work isn't done. You think there's something going on?"

"Of course, there is," came a voice from the couch. Rose was reading quietly and hadn't made a single noise until now, startling Shinji.

"I didn't see you there," he said. "What are you doing here?"

"Same I you, I suppose." Rose closed the book in his hands. "I'm very suspicious about what's been taking place lately and want to know what's going on. Weird things have been happening to people. And I don't just mean events happening to them; I'm talking about them acting strangely."

"Yeah, I know. Like with our meeting. You think Yamamoto knows more than he's letting on?"

"You're a suspicious guy, Shinji, but I think we have more reason than most to second-guess a Soul Reaper's actions. All things considered."

Shinji nodded. "Yeah, tell me about it. And I have a gut feeling more's going on than they're telling. Yeah, we're back into the swing of things, but I doubt Yamamoto has lightened up that much."

"So you do think he's covering up something," said Rose, suspicions confirmed.

"Maybe not covering it up. My best guess is that the main reason he didn't say too much during the meeting and just told us to keep an eye out is because he suspects one of the Captains is involved."

Kensei stopped eyeing the clock to look at him. "A Captain?" He scoffed. "Wouldn't be the first time. Aizen was only a Lieutenant when he screwed us over and made everybody look like an ass when he made Captain."

"But all the Captains now are deemed trustworthy. We all took part in that fight to bring Aizen down," said Rose. "You really think any of us are capable of something like that? I'd rather not go around thinking that way about any of us."

"It's not a question of being capable, it's if they are," said Kensei. "If they are making a move, we've gotta know why. What do they have to gain? Why now?"

"I don't want to go stirring up trouble without any proof," said Shinji. "A hunch is not the same as truth."

"We also have to make sure we have the right information before we go jumping in," said Rose. "Remember what happened with us? We were going to be executed for something we had no part of. Aizen was going to get away with it and we, the victims, were going to pay the price? How's that fair?"

"Yeah, but it didn't happen that way."

"The point is," interjected Shinji, "we can't go jumping to conclusions before we have all the facts. I'm sure that's why Yamamoto didn't bring it up during the meeting. He didn't want us turning on each other. Without a united front, all hell breaks loose."

"I take it you don't want us taking action either, huh, Shinji?" Rose said with a sigh, reclining back in his seat.

"Why bring it up if we're not going to do anything?" Kensei asked.

"I want to make sure we're all on the same page and I know you guys the best."

"Then you suspect one of the other Captains."

"Or someone who should be doing something right now and isn't because he's acting out of character." Shinji gave Kensei a pointed look. When he didn't take the hint right away, Shinji's eyes darted from the stack of papers and back.

Kensei felt his muscles tense. "A Lieutenant." He lowered his head, allowing the possibility of his own Lieutenant being involved sink in. "I have been wondering where's he's been going lately. Especially when he's not here."

"Those acting strangely are a good place to start, but remember, we don't know why they're acting this way. Maybe they're not directly involved."

Rose pulled a book out from behind his back and held it up for Shinji to see. "You know, there could be another reason for them to be acting strange. This manga depicts something akin to pod people, so it could be possible that they've been replaced by someone else and that's why they're acting odd. Or they could be possessed by a fox."

Shinji and Kensei both frowned, raising their brows.

"Did you borrow that from Lisa?"

Rose frowned back and lowered the book. "It's a good issue and that's beside the point."

The sun was starting to set and many Soul Reapers were packing up for the night. A chorus of "goodnight, Captain" rang throughout the different Divisions. Few talked about the incident involving the girl, which Hitsugaya found strange. Even the best-kept secrets had a way of making people gossip. Anyone who asked was told that the girl had been in an accident, which he felt would arouse more suspicion. He concluded that people spoke about it quietly or chose to keep their opinions to themselves.

Now that the sun was going down, Hitsugaya felt more anxious than he did during the day. It wasn't just because he knew Byakuya would be more active. He was concerned about his own activities being monitored by the Stealth Force.

Exiting the building, he sniffed the air, locating the men he could not see. They were topnotch ninja but they couldn't hide from his nose. He walked casually to the barracks, taking in the scent on the air. Their smells weren't as strong here, meaning that they weren't spying on the people as they slept. This greatly helped Hitsugaya learn not only that he could transform without worry, but where the members of Squad 2 chose to concentrate their efforts.

Since the attack happened near Squad 4, he highly doubted anyone would bother to search the woods for clues, meaning that he was free to do as he wished.

He made sure no one was nearby when he became a wolf, sniffing outside his window before transforming and running off for his nightly stroll. He couldn't detect any Soul Reapers in the area, confirming his hunch about them focusing on specific areas, the woods not being one of them.

The scent of the trees in the night air soothed him. More so than his own bedroom, the woods had become his sanctuary. He started prowling around, looking for small game to chase but his nose caught the scent of something else. He started digging and unearthed another garlic plant. This was good news considering Ikkaku had destroyed the ones in the garden. Hitsugaya carried his prize in his mouth the entire night, unwilling to let it out of his sight considering its value.

Yumichika heard a noise in the hall and opened the door. "Ikkaku?" he asked sleepily. "Are you just getting in? Where have you been?"

Ikkaku paused, looking at his friend wearing a purple nightcap and matching pajamas. He knew it was probably strange to show up at the barracks this late at night, but he couldn't tell Yumichika what he had actually been doing.

"I was out training."

"By yourself?"

"Yes."

Yumichika yawned and started to close his door. "Alright, then. Goodnight, Ikkaku."

"Goodnight."

The door closed, blowing something on the ground closer to Ikkaku's foot. It was one of Yumichika's feathers, only a different color than Ikkaku was used to seeing. He kicked it aside, giving it no further thought. He could never understand his friend's fascination with feathers or how they could enhance someone's beauty.

"Good morning, sir." Hisagi opened the parasol and held it over Byakuya's head as he came to walk him to his Division at dawn. Some days, Byakuya would just stay out all night and return to the office, not requiring an escort. Other days, like today, he would return home to keep up the illusion of his normal life for his servants and possibly Rukia who shared the manor with him.

Come morning, Byakuya would be tired and practically sleepwalk to the Division. Once he reached the office, he treated it like his own bedroom and prepared for his rest. Hisagi had come to find Byakuya's lethargic pace with minimal conversation cute, comparing their relationship at the moment to a parent escorting their tired child to bed after a long day of fun. He enjoyed this quiet time together.

"You sorry bastard!"

Byakuya lifted his gaze from the ground at the sharp words of Kensei who was standing directly in his path, screaming at Hisagi.

"You're my Lieutenant. Why the hell are you kissing his ass?"

Clutching the parasol in one hand, Hisagi gave Kensei a defensive look, feeling somehow that his master was being insulted through him.

"Get your sorry ass back to the office before I break both your legs!"

"Kensei," Byakuya said calmly to him. "Hisagi was doing me a great favor. Don't be so cross with him."

Hisagi was humbled at Byakuya's words, though he tried not to let it show. Byakuya was truly a great man to stick up for him like this. It was also nice to know his efforts were appreciated.

"All week he's been dodging work and I'm sick of it," Kensei snapped. "I don't care if he was doing you a favor. He's not your Lieutenant. He's mine and he hasn't shown up for work, leaving me to do it all."

"Don't be upset with him," said Byakuya, staring into Kensei's eyes.

"Oh, I'm not upset. I'm pissed," Kensei corrected with a snarl.

Byakuya maintained eye contact. "He was helping me with something important. Allow him to assist me for a little while."

"Don't you have your own Lieutenant to boss around?"

Why wasn't this working? Was Kensei not looking at him properly? Was he too tired to do this? Byakuya tried to do his eye trick again, putting forth more effort than usual.

"Kensei… Hisagi was doing me a favor. It is important. Allow him to assist me."

"Don't stand there repeating yourself. I heard you the first time."

"Kensei… Calm yourself, Kensei."

"I am calm. If I wasn't, Hisagi'd be in the sickbay with…" Kensei felt strange. His anger was leaving his body. He couldn't even remember the threat he was making.

"It's alright," said Byakuya rhythmically. "Hisagi was doing me an important favor. There's no reason to be angry with him."

"I wasn't… angry." Kensei couldn't take his eyes from Byakuya's. He was so distracted by them that he hardly understood what Byakuya was saying to him.

"Allow him to assist me for a little while, Kensei."

Byakuya had such a nice voice. He could listen to him talk all day. Like warm velvet. He just wanted to wrap himself in it.

"Huh?" Kensei snapped himself out of it, realizing after the fact that Byakuya had been talking to him. He didn't know how long he had been standing there, saying nothing, but quickly recovered and tried to play it off.

"Allow Hisagi to assist me with something important," said Byakuya. "If you please, Kensei."

"Uh, yeah. Fine. Whatever." Kensei found himself being very amenable all of a sudden and didn't know why. All he could think about was that voice Byakuya had been using. Though he had only just heard it a moment ago, it was getting harder to recall, like the contents of a dream.

"Thank you, Kensei." Byakuya walked by him with Hisagi in tow. Kensei did not stop them.

Hitsugaya carried the garlic plant in his pocket on the way to his Division that morning. His breath still reeked of it.

He wasn't sure what he was going to do with it, but it would be too risky to leave it laying around for Ikkaku or one of the others to find. Carrying it around seemed best but it would be hard to explain why he had an entire garlic plant in his pocket. Cooking it and putting it in food was the perfect solution, but once it was eaten, then what?

"Putting it in food won't be strange, but then someone has to eat it. Can't really go around carrying a plate of food all day. It's just one plant. How do I protect everyone from Byakuya with just this one plant?"

He hoped Momo still had the garlic hidden around her place. No one knew it was there, not even her, so he doubted Ikkaku would have discovered it. He had no business near her place, anyway.

The scent of the Stealth Force reached his nose, letting him know they were nearby. He smelled something else as well and was quickly lured off his path and onto a different street.

"Barbeque…" he drooled, unable to help himself.

He followed the scent to a very large man carrying a bento of it. His nose locked on to the source of the smell and did not stray from it, causing Hitsugaya to walk with his body angled forward as he followed it.

"This early in the morning? You've got to be kidding me, Omaeda," said Iba.

"I brought it for lunch. Or maybe a midmorning snack."

"Not going home during lunch today?"

"Not with the Captain breathing down my neck about stuff that's going on."

"Something going on?"

"I'm not supposed to say."

"You brought it up, Omaeda. Now I'm curious. Do you even know how to keep a secret?"

"Of course, I do," he boasted. "I never told a soul about the stuffed cat the Captain sleeps with."

"Omaeda…"

"What?"

Iba looked behind him, distracted. Omaeda turned, spotting Hitsugaya sniffing the bento like a curious puppy. He stopped as soon as he was spotted. He straightened up and pretended to be looking elsewhere.

"Something up, Captain Hitsugaya?"

"No." Hitsugaya couldn't help himself. "Um… What's in the bento?"

Omaeda held it up with pride. "Some succulent Kobe barbeque."

"You don't say." He was still salivating. "I don't suppose you could spare some… Hm?"

"Spare some for what?"

Iba sighed heavily. "You want some, Captain?"

"I will admit to a polite curiosity and a willingness to sample some."

Iba nudged Omaeda who opened the bento and held it out to Hitsugaya.

The smell hitting him was overwhelming. He couldn't stop drooling. He wanted to eat it all. They looked so juicy and tender. It took everything in his power to resist indulging himself and simply took a single piece with his fingers.

Eating it just made him want more. He couldn't help closing his eyes the moment it hit his tongue and moaning.

His reaction drew the attention of the two men. One looked confused and the other pleased.

"Best my family can afford, that's for sure," bragged Omaeda. "Only the best food graces our table."

A single bite was just a tease. He wanted more.

"It really is the best. I don't suppose I could have another sample?"

"You skip breakfast or something?"

Hitsugaya did not answer, looking away sheepishly. He could tell from their reactions that this was not typical behavior for him.

Omaeda opened the bento again and handed him an entire skewer of meat. "Here."

Hitsugaya snatched it up and started eating. "Thank you."

To avoid further temptation, Hitsugaya hurried away with the meat in his teeth. He felt embarrassed by his actions but the meat really was the best thing he had to eat this morning.

Unfortunately, his craving for meat did not subside after that and he wanted to eat hours before lunch. He paced his office like a caged tiger, wanting to hunt. He didn't care what type of cut it was or the animal it came from. He just wanted meat.

Fearing his hunger would become an issue, Hitsugaya left the office to go to the shopping area for something fast and satisfying. He bought a large amount of teriyaki at a small shop and hoped it would be enough.

As he paid for his food, he heard something with his sensitive ears. Whispers. People were talking. Their voices were coming from one of the buildings. Above and diagonal from where he stood.

"Anything on your end?"

"Last night was a bust. Nothing happened."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"It doesn't catch us the guy responsible."

"I think we can narrow down our search even more. There are a couple people acting suspiciously. My team saw it."

"Who's the primary?"

"Captain Kuchiki and Lieutenant Hisagi."

"Both of them?"

"Strange match."

"Kuchiki's behavior isn't nearly as suspicious as Hisagi's. I say we narrow our focus to those two but I have an inkling about the Lieutenant."

"But Kuchiki's not a suspect?"

"He could be a future victim. The Lieutenant is spending an awful lot of time around the guy and he has no business doing that."

"Have you told the Captain?"

"Not yet."

"If Kuchiki's in danger, perhaps we should warn him."

"No. Let's not tip anybody off just yet. We could be wrong. Let's just keep an eye on things as we were ordered."

"Right."

Hitsugaya tensed, hearing the hushed conversation.

The woman handed him his change and Hitsugaya started nibbling at his food, the flavor helping to calm his nerves.

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