Chapter 17

Grasp The Moon

Aaron, Ichigo and their friends were having a hard time processing Kuukaku Shiba's claim of employing her giant, underground cannon to get them to the Seireitei.

Sasune shattered the stunned silence by proclaiming, "A-Are you insane, lady?! You must be if you're seriously thinking about using that thing up there to send us anywhere!"

"Tsk! You've got a lot of nerve talking about something you know jackshit about, kid!" Kuukaku snapped back. As he curled his lips, she added, "Didn't I say that when it comes to fireworks, no one in the whole damn world is better than me! You're in the best of hands!"

"Um...w-while I've got no reason to doubt your skills, what...exactly are you planning to do?" asked Aaron. He worded his question cautiously, not yearning to incur his host's wrath.

"Rather than yammering on about it, how about I just show you?" Kuukaku leered toward the ceiling. "Kuroganehiko! Shiroganehiko! Pull us up, will ya?"

The twins, waiting on the surface by a pair of levers, replied, "Yes, ma'am!"

The two put their bulky bodies to good use, wrenching on the cranks with all of their might. Their efforts caused the flooring underneath Kuukaku and her guests to rise.

"Well, I...didn't see this coming," admitted Aaron.

"Oh man, I-I think I'm gonna be sick!" cried Sasune, shooting a hand over his mouth.

Konoka backed away from him, saying, "I-If you gotta hurl, don't do it near me! I'll break your ass in two if you mess up my clothes!"

Chad patted the Quincy on the back though the gesture did little to relieve Sasune.

"Look. The ceiling is opening," said Sharpscale. "Fascinating."

The Hollow snatched the word right out of Aaron's agape mouth. The black cannon and those riding the elevator arrived on the outside world in due time. With their work completed, Kuroganehiko and Shiroganehiko took a moment to catch their breaths. Kuukaku, meanwhile, proudly stood in front of the cannon.

"So? You kids amazed or what? This is my personal fireworks station!"

"It's the Kakaku Cannon!" declared Ganju, standing beside her.

An enraged Kuukaku suddenly kicked him in the mouth. "Who the hell said you could come up here too?!"

"S-Sorry!"

Uryuu aimed a stern finger at Kuukaku. "...While agreeing with Sasune is rather excruciating for me, he had a point when he said you must've lost your mind! I don't care what kind of technician you claim to be! Shooting us with that thing is impossible! We'll die for sure!"

Kuukaku shut him up by tossing a basketball-sized orb into his nose. Stained with his blood, it bounced off his face and into Ichigo's hands. The orange-haired Shinigami took a closer inspection of it, noting the image of a phoenix in the center.

"What's this?" he queried.

"It's a Spirit Core!" replied Kuukaku. "Hold onto it and give it your energy!"

Ichigo gazed at the Spirit Core in total silence for a couple of moments.

"...I still don't get it," he finally said. "How do I give it energy?"

"Eh?! You...seriously have no idea, Kurosaki?" asked Aaron. Considering Ichigo was the type of guy to throw around his raw strength without even thinking about it, it was perplexing to Aaron that his counterpart seemed so genuinely baffled by such a meager task.

"Huh? Just...focus your power in the palm of your hand like when you go to use Kidou," said Kuukaku, forming a ball of spirit energy to show what she meant. "Don't all Shinigami use that junk?"

Yoruichi stepped forward. "Well, Ichigo here isn't an officially trained Shinigami. He...doesn't know any Kidou."

"Tsk! Seriously?! Guess there's no other choice then! Ganju, show them how it's done!"

Ganju eagerly rose his hand. "Okay!"

"There he goes again. That idiot has way too much energy," grumbled Konoka.

"I don't mind, so long as he isn't using it to blindside me," said Aaron. He held his reddened, aching jaw. "...He sure has one hell of a right hook."

When Ganju went to retrieve the Spirit Core from Ichigo, the latter moved it out of his grasp.

"Hey, hand it over!" barked Ganju. He made another pass at it, yet Ichigo got in his way once again. Appearing both annoyed and amused, Ganju decried, "Punk! Are you trying to pick a fight?!"

Ichigo's eyelid twitched. "Maybe! Come and get this thing if you really want it! I'd rather die than have someone like you teach me!"

The Spirit Core was snatched away from him but by someone other than Ganju.

"Got it, big bro!" said a beaming Mayu Shiba.

"Ah! Thanks, Mayu! You're the best!" said Ganju.

"Haha! Good girl!" said Kuukaku. She then glowered at her other sibling. "Was that so hard, idiot?! Even a little kid like her could do it!"

Sniffling, Ganju retorted, "...I-I could've done it too."

Mayu skipped over to her older brother and forked over the Spirit Core, much to his delight. They high-fived afterward, a sight Aaron sort of felt was touching.

"Weird. Where'd she come from? I thought she was sleeping" he mumbled.

She spotted him and stuck out her tongue. "You're still hanging around here, stupid Shinigami?! Go home already! You're an eyesore!"

Although wanting to argue, Aaron merely sighed.

"She doesn't seem to like you very much," said Orihime, concerned.

"Yeah, CT here tends to have that effect on the opposite sex," said Sasune.

"You're hardly a ladykiller yourself, so maybe you should shut the hell up for once and just watch that Ganju guy," said Konoka.

"Ouch! You certainly know how to bring a guy down..."

Ganju, clutching the Spirit Core forcefully, strained as he channeled energy into the ball. His efforts weren't for naught; a transparent, spherical barrier enveloped him after a bit. Everyone spectating was thoroughly wowed.

"This is the cannonball!" explained Kuukaku, tapping her knuckles on it.

"Great. I just knew you were gonna say something like that," groaned Aaron.

"You guys can easily get through the shield covering the Seireitei with this!" said Mayu.

"Wait, what are you talking about? What shield?"

"Ah. I suppose I forgot to mention that," said Yoruichi.

Kuukaku did the honors. "If you kids figured that wall around the Seireitei was its only defense, you're dead wrong. Those gates are made up of a special mineral that completely blocks out spiritual energy. Basically, what I'm saying is that you can't go trying to make a hole in it! You'd be wasting your time!"

She snarled like a rabid dog when Sasune yawned.

"Is my story boring you or something, punk?!"

The Quincy yelped. "N-No! O-Of course not, ma'am! I'm just tired is all! In actuality, your story is quite fascinating! Please, c-continue!"

Kuukaku eyed him suspiciously but chose not to hurt him.

"...The mineral I mentioned before releases an energy wave both below and above the Seireitei, so the city is constantly shielded by a spherical protective field!"

Uryuu, unnerved, said, "B-Both above and below?"

"If you just fly in bluntly, your bodies, which are made up of spirit energy, will be reduced to dust. That's why you need this!"

She banged on Ganju's barrier a second time, causing her younger brother to whimper like a frightened puppy. It wasn't just that; his skin was pale, and his legs were quivering.

"Um...a-are you alright, Ganju?" asked Mayu. "You...don't look so good."

"I-I can't keep this thing up forever!" he said, frantically inhaling and exhaling.

"Hold it!" snapped Kuukaku. She turned back to the others, adding, "My invention here creates a specially hardened spirit shell around whoever uses it. By providing energy to the Spirit Core, you guys can create a cannonball strong enough to penetrate the protective field around the Seireitei! Then, I can use the Kakaku Cannon to fire you up and break you in with one, clean strike. The whole idea might sound ridiculous, but it's your only way in!"

While that may have been the case, the concept of being shot out of a cannon wasn't all that appealing to her guests. On the other hand, voicing their complaints would likely result in them getting their collective asses kicked, so they kept their lips sealed.

"That's all for now. Any questions?!" asked Kuukaku.

Other than glancing at one another, the others had none.

"Wait, I do!" said Sasune, eagerly raising his hand. "...Got any grub, cow tits?"

Kuukaku had something else. She took the Spirit Core away from Ganju and planted it square in Sasune's pretty face with the snap of her wrist.

"Go freeload somewhere else, you bum! This meeting's over! To the training room you go, everyone! Koganehiko! Shiroganehiko! Take them there!"

The twins, at the snap of their master's finger, did as instructed. They ignored their victims squirming as they propped them over their shoulders.

"Agh! Dammit! I-I think my nose is broken!" hollered Sasune. "H-Hey, put me down, you big brute! Hey, come on! Only girls are allowed to touch me like this! Are you even listening?!"

"Sheesh! That one sure can yap," said Kuukaku.

"Yes. It's a rather annoying trait of his," said Yoruichi. "Well, I'd best make sure the others don't kill themselves."

"Sounds good! Tell those punks they'd better train hard! If they can't master the Spirit Core by tomorrow, they'll be blasted into bits!"

Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko dragged everyone to the training room, per Kuukaku's request. Well, almost everyone. Even with their combined might, they were unable to lift Sharpscale an inch.

"My, this one weighs a ton!" said Koganehiko.

"Perhaps it because of the strange outfit he's wearing!" said Shiroganehiko.

"...Come again? I am not wearing any sort of outfit," replied Sharpscale.

Those around him froze.

"W-Wait a sec! A-Are you a goddamn Hollow?!" cried an aghast Kuukaku.

Nonchalantly, Sharpscale answered, "Indeed. Did I fail to mention that? My apologies. Anyway, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

The Hollow held out its hand yet put it down moments later. Kuukaku didn't seem to be in the mood for pleasantries.

"Yoruichi, what the hell is going on?!"

"Don't look at me. If you really want to know, ask that Aaron boy. He was insisted on bringing this one along. He has assured me this Hollow is of no threat, and so far, it hasn't done anything to arise my concern."

"'No threat?!' You've gotta be kidding me! Just look at this bastard!" blared Ganju. "It's bad enough we're gonna help a pair of Shinigami! You want us to help a Hollow too?!"

"Shut the hell up, Ganju! I know what I'm doing!" said Kuukaku. Though still wary as she scrutinized Sharpscale, she eventually smirked and said, "Well, you haven't done anything to piss me off either, so I guess I'll give you the benefit of the doubt! I'm just shocked that skinny kid back there has been able to keep you under control! He's got more balls than I gave him credit for!"

"Are...you really okay with this, big sis?" asked Mayu.

"That's right! We shouldn't trust any of those guys, including this monster!" added Ganju.

Kuukaku said, "...Enough! I've already made my decision! If you two have time to complain, go help those idiots with their training! You want them gone, right?! The faster they master the Spirit Core, the faster they'll be out of your hairs! Now, go! That goes for you too, Hollow boy! If I hear a whiff of trouble outta you, you're outta here!"

"Of course. If you'll excuse me."

Sharpscale gracefully bowed and took its leave. Yoruichi waddled after it, leaving Kuukaku alone with her siblings. She took out a bottle of sake and poured the clear liquid into a cup. She readied to press it up to her lips but paused, sensing Ganju and Mayu staring at her back intently.

"...Why the hell are you two still here?"

Ganju gulped and worked up the courage to speak. "A-Are you really going to help those Shinigami, sis?"

"...What do you mean?"

"I know you said to go help them, but...I won't do it! I'll never help a Shinigami!"

"Yeah! Shinigami are bad! They're just a buncha big jerks!" declared Mayu.

"That's right! Think of our older brother! He would…!"

When Kuukaku slowly rotated her head and stared daggers into him, Ganju bit his tongue. While his older sister had a temper, he could never before recall her gazing at him with such potency. It was like venom; it had a paralyzing effect on him and Mayu.

"I thought I told you both to never bring that up again," she said, slow enough to let her bitter speech sink in without fail.

"S-Sis..." began Ganju.

"Get outta my sight! Both of you! And don't let the others see those pathetic faces of yours!"

Mayu sniffled and found herself unable to hold back a surge of tears. Ganju, meanwhile, appeared ready to bawl himself. The two sprinted off, not feeling up to snuff to confront their sister any longer. Hearing blades of grass shuffle in their wake, Kuukaku smacked her lips and sipped on her liquor.

It was going to be a long day.

#

A pair shuffled down a hallway in Seireitei, moving with a quickened pace.

"Tsk. I'm not ready for something like this," grumbled Akira Akiyama, pressing her fingertips against the bandage adored to her nose. The bruise underneath stung a bit, giving her a good reminder she wasn't back to one hundred percent. Nevertheless, she was being pressed back into service as demonstrated by her wearing her Shinigami robes.

"Don't say that. You must be," said the blonde-haired man walking beside her. She stared back at Izuru Kira, always finding his usual, dour expression rather demoralizing. "Our Captain thought so anyway."

"Don't even get me started on him! I can't get a read on that guy! Is he doing this as some sort of joke?!"

"Stop being ridiculous. You should be honored our Captain thinks so highly of your skills."

"Yeah, yeah! I've heard that sorta crap before! This whole thing is still bullshit!"

Izuru didn't respond, troubled that his attempt to cheer up his fellow Third Division member hadn't gone so smoothly. Then again, he had regularly known Akira Akiyama to openly complain about even the most minor of things. It wasn't in her nature to stay positive. As such, he had grown accustomed to her; her shrill voice no longer made him sigh on a constant basis.

"None of the other Vice-Captains are gonna like this," stated Akira as she and Izuru turned down another corridor. Having been in the hospital for so long, she had forgotten how confusing the Seireitei was to navigate. "God dammit. Is this the right way?"

Izuru nodded. "That doesn't matter. Third Division business should be of no concern to the other squads. Whether they like it or not, your promotion is already on record, Akiyama. Besides, we're not the only Division that's strange when it comes to ranks. The Thirteenth Division has no Vice-Captain and two Third Seats, remember?"

"T-That scenario is completely different! You know Captain Ukitake can hardly get out of bed nowadays, let alone run his squad."

"Well, you get my point. Besides, there's no point in you whining about it now. You know the Captain as well as I do. He's not going to change his mind about this. Unless you're thinking about resigning, Akiyama, you'll just have to bear your new position."

Akira's features wrinkled in disgust. She restrained herself from punching Izuru in the mouth, reminding herself that none of this was his fault. Indeed, she wasn't sure whether to blame Gin Ichimaru or her own, rotten luck. The moment she had been released from the hospital, she found herself sent back to work and with a Vice-Captain's badge to boot. Leering at the aforementioned item affixed above her right elbow, she growled and struggled to come up with an explanation for it. The Third Division already had a Vice-Captain: Izuru Kira. Even so, her Captain, for whatever reason, felt it necessary to promote her to that position as well. Being rewarded for blowing her cover in the Human World, half near getting herself killed, and almost unraveling Gin's plan was the last thing she anticipated. Nonetheless, her Captain was a complete enigma to her.

"...Where are we going again?" she asked her fellow Vice-Captain through clenched teeth. "I think I'm losing my head with all the craziness that's been going on the past couple of days."

"Pay attention next time when you're given orders, Akiyama. You're a Vice-Captain now, so others are going to be counting on you to be a bit more responsible."

"I-I know that, you ass! Just answer my question!"

Izuru chuckled. "All I know is all the Vice-Captains were told to put on their armbands and await further orders in the gathering room."

"That's it?" Akira's eyebrow heightened. "Something isn't right here."

"It's like you said. The Soul Society has been in complete chaos as of late."

"Because of those intruders, right? The Captain should've taken care of them. He was the one who went down there to greet them. Tsk! That idiot! What was he thinking?"

"I'm not sure. Whatever the case, he's in a lot of hot water with the Captain-Commander now. I heard he and the rest of the Captains are going to have a meeting to discuss what to do with him."

"...What to do with him, huh?"

Akira shook her head. Gin Ichimaru was an enigma indeed. There was no doubt in her mind that someone on his level should have easily been able to dispatch the likes of Ichigo Kurosaki. She was impressed the teenager had the balls to come to Soul Society after what happened to him.

"Balls? No, maybe that kid's just a glutton for punishment."

"You say something, Akiyama?" asked Izuru.

"No. I was just thinking to myself is all."

Going back to the matter at hand, Akira supposed it no longer had anything to do with her. Ever since she arrived back in Soul Society from her recon mission in the Human World, her Captain hadn't instructed her to do a single thing when it came to Ichigo, Rukia Kuchiki, and specifically, Kana Mitarashi.

"Tsk. Kana..."

The brunette's smiling visage flashed in her mind, making her ball her fists. Kana dying was of no issue to her. Not being able to finish her off with her own hands however was what really stuck in Akira's craw. Compared to what she would do given the chance, she felt Kana was getting off lucky being executed by the Soukyoku.

"Is something else the matter, Akiyama?"

Izuru's voice snapped Akira out of her sour thinking.

"Huh? N-No. I'm fine. Just butterflies in my stomach, I guess."

"You're nervous about meeting the others? Heh. How unlike you."

"Oh, be quiet! Don't talk like we're old pals or something, Kira."

"Of course. Anyway, there's no need to worry. Almost all the other Vice-Captains are pretty nice people from what I can tell."

Finally, the two reached their destination. The small room they entered was already jampacked with a number of individuals. Akira identified them as the rest of the Vice-Captains. She knew most of them by name and face but not on a personal level. With that in mind, she wasn't really sure what to expect.

"Eh? That you, Izuru?" asked a squinting Renji Abarai. "It's been awhile!"

"It's good to see you again, Abarai. Have you been keeping up with your training?"

"Of course! If you're getting at what happened to me in the Human World, no need to worry! That was just a fluke!"

Renji soon focused on Akira, who turned away in response.

"Akiyama? What the heck are you doing here?"

"What business is it of yours, Abarai? Worry about yourself."

"Hey, you wanna repeat that?!"

When Renji got up threateningly, another body got in between him and Akira.

"Relax! Relax! There's so much tension in the room! Sheesh!" said Rangiku Matsumoto. She spotted Akira's Vice-Captain badge, adding, "Looks like someone got a promotion! Congrats! Well then, that makes us all the same rank here! How about we try to get along?"

The mere sight of the busty blonde made Akira's blood boil. It always did. Perhaps it was because the woman reminded her so much of Kana.

"Matsumoto, this is a surprise. And here I was certain you'd be getting smashed at some bar. I guess even you have no choice but to act your rank sometimes."

The less than kind remark made Rangiku's smile fade. Replacing it was unadulterated ire, but before she could unleash it, Izuru stepped forward.

"S-Settle down, you two! This is not the time for infighting!"

"It's okay, Izuru! I guess someone's just a little uptight today!" said Rangiku, smirking. "Try not to let that promotion go to your head, Akiyama. Remember, all of us here have been Vice-Captains a little bit longer, so maybe you shouldn't consider yourself our equals just yet!"

Akira smacked her lips. "What was that, bitch?! Don't make me…!"

"Please don't fight, you two. There's already enough trouble going on as it is," said the teary-eyed, black-haired girl sitting against a wall. Not recognizing her at first, Akira spotted the bun the woman's hair was tied into and figured she was Momo Hinamori, the Vice-Captain of the Fifth Division.

"...Dry your eyes before you try to scold someone. It's unattractive."

Momo gasped and quickly rubbed her eyelids. "I-I'm not crying! I-I was just…!"

"Are you trying to pick a fight with us or something, Akiyama?!" exclaimed Renji, growling like a feisty mutt.

Akira waved him off. "...Like any of you would even be worth the trouble. I'm only here because as a Vice-Captain, I was told to come. Don't get things mixed up, Abarai."

The room grew quiet, uncomfortably so, after she finished. A male Shinigami with slicked back hair, a mustache, and sunglasses took center stage just then.

"I know it's already been said, but how about we just calm down already?" suggested Tetsuzaemon Iba, Vice-Captain of the Seventh Division. "We're all on the same side here. I'm thinking we're all tense because we've all been told to gather here so suddenly and want some answers. All of us being here together like this is unusual, just like the meeting the Captain's are rumored to be having."

"About that..." began Akira. "I heard it has something to do with Captain Ichimaru."

"...That man gives me the creeps," muttered Momo. Her countenance became bright red afterward since everyone began to stare at her. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to say that out loud..."

"Don't worry about it. I'm pretty sure most of us here feel the same way," said Renji. Despite their differences, that was something Akira could agree on.

"I'd very much appreciate it if you'd stop talking about my Captain that way," stated Izuru, slightly peeved. "Wait, aren't some of us still missing?"

"Looks like it," stated Rangiku.

"There are more of these idiots?" said Akira out of earshot.

"I doubt Sasakibe will come. I've never seen that guy leave Captain-Commander Yamamoto's side," said Renji. "And the same could be said for Vice-Captain Kotetsu when it comes to Captain Unohana."

As the room fell into silence again, Akira surveyed her peers, finding them all stranger than the next. She was grateful the Vice-Captains gathering together like this was a rare occasion. She was certain she wouldn't be able to stand the sight of most of them on a regular basis.

"Shit like this is why I didn't want a goddamn promotion in the first place..."

From a hallway outside came the clatter of a person running at full speed. The Vice-Captains whipped their heads to the disturbance, being frightened when someone darted into the room out of the blue. The individual gasped for air prior to making sure he wasn't being trailed.

"Eh? Who is that?" asked Akira.

"The guy with the tattoos and piercings? That's Shuuhei Hisagi. He's the Vice-Captain of the Seventh Division," replied Izuru.

"No, not him! The other one behind him!"

Izuru had no idea what she was talking about, not until a short, pink-haired girl popped into view. Her giggling resounded through the room like nails against a chalkboard, and everyone made haste to cover their ears.

"There you are! You can't run!" the girl informed Hisagi, making his skin grow pale.

"Did someone lose their kid or something?" wondered Akira.

"T-That's Yachiru Kusajishi! She's the Vice-Captain of the Eleventh Division!" said Izuru. Akira couldn't help but note how profusely he was sweating, like he had a bumped into a sinister apparition.

"W-Wait! She's a Vice-Captain too?! Of the Eleventh Division?!"

"Uh...w-what the hell is going on?" asked Renji.

"Looks like Yachiru's up to no good again," stated Rangiku with a sigh.

"T-That's not even half of it!" mouthed Hisagi as he grit his teeth. "I was just minding my damn business when Vice-Captain Kusajishi ambushed me out of nowhere!"

"Ambushed you?" asked Renji. "How so?"

"With these!" Yachiru ecstatically declared. She hoisted up a bag chock full of croaking frogs. "I stuffed a couple down his shirt! You should've seen the way he ran away! It was hilarious!"

She laughed even more at her successful prank, whereas Hisagi looked ready to rip her to shreds.

Chuckling herself, Rangiku nonchalantly said, "That's all? I thought something serious had happened!"

Her tune changed when Yachiru said, "Catch!" and lobbed a frog her way. It plopped right between her cleavage. She blinked and stood still, believing the creature croaking back at her was just a hallucination. When it vanished down her clothing, her pupils shrunk.

"W-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-AH!"

Unable to think of anything else, the busty blonde settled on running around in a blind panic.

"Get it off! Get it off! GET IT OFF!" she howled, digging for the creature invading her personal space. "S-Stop jumping around in there!"

Momo ducked for cover when Rangiku came barreling toward her, yet it was too late. The two slammed into each other with a loud thud, prompting the others to grimace at the wreckage.

Renji said, "Y-You've gotta be kidding me!"

He went to Rangiku's and Momo's aid, only to have the very same frog latch onto his face.

"W-What the…?! G-Get the hell off already!"

"Hey, relax already! It's just a frog!" declared Iba. Frog or not, his words did little to stop Renji from crashing into him, sending another pair face first into the floor boards. "Y-You idiot! You trying to break one of my limbs?!"

"D-Don't look at me! Just get this damn thing off already!"

"D-Don't move, fool! It's trying to go down my shirt now!"

"T-This is complete chaos," mumbled Hisagi.

Yachiru, either oblivious or uncaring to the carnage wrought by her hands, continued giggling as hard as she could.

"...This is so stupid," muttered Akira, palming her hand over her face.

"It's...not always like this with these guys!" Izuru assured her, laughing weakly. "I swear!"

"Yeah, I'm thinking it'd be a good idea to renounce my new position after all."

At that moment, another frog hopped into her pink hair.

"H-Huh?! Hey, hold on a second! G-Get outta there, you bastard!"

"A-Are things going to be alright if they stay like this?" pondered Izuru.

It was going to be a long day for the Shinigami too.

#

Aaron, holding the Spirit Core, closed his eyes and concentrated every ounce of his spiritual energy into the orb. It replied by crafting a circular barrier around him.

"Very good, Mister Higuchi!" said a clapping Koganehiko. "That was effortless for you, wasn't it?"

Though he wasn't one to brag, Aaron had to admit controlling the Spirit Core wasn't the hardest thing he had ever done. With that in mind, he passed it on to Sasune, who needed the practice more.

"Watch and learn, kiddies!" he exclaimed prior to making a shield off his own, albeit smaller compared to Aaron's. "Ha! How's that?!"

"Impressive, Mister Ishida!" said Shiroganehiko. "That compact size shows how much control you have over you spiritual powers!"

"Thank you! Thank you!" Sasune took a bow and then chucked the Spirit Core to Konoka. "Knock yourself out, gorgeous! Don't be too upset though when you can't match my…!"

"Shut up." The Red-Haired Beast drove her knee into the Quincy's stomach, reducing him to a crumpled mess on the ground. "You make it sound like you actually did somethin'."

She quickly learned that Sasune's boasting wasn't for naught. She strained and grunted yet getting the Spirit Core to take her power was easier in theory than execution. Eventually, she made something akin to a clear barrier, though it was more of a jagged oval than a perfect circle.

"Hmm. Not bad!" said Kuroganehiko and Shiroganehiko.

"It could use some work though!" voiced Kuroganehiko.

Shiroganehiko added, "It's not exactly stable, is it?"

"Tsk! Whatever! I did it, didn't I?! Someone else can try now!" snapped Konoka. She violently tossed the orb at Sharpscale, who caught it with some difficulty.

"My, my. Shall I give it a shot then?" uttered the Hollow. The fact it easily formed a spirit shell wasn't all that shocking. It being three times the size of anyone else's was what made everyone's jaw hang in astonishment. "Hmm. Curious. I only put a fraction of my power into it. Is this sufficient?"

Kuroganehiko and Shiroganehiko were left lost for words.

"Heh. Maybe the rest of us don't need to practice after all!" exclaimed Aaron.

After Uryuu, Chad, and Orihime passed the twins inspection, the sole person left to use the Spirit Core was Ichigo. All eyes were on him as he placed the orb in his hands and clenched every muscle in his body. Besides looking awkward, it got him nowhere. Erratic energy swirled around him but failed to materialize into anything solid.

"Mister Ichigo! That's terrible!" cried Kuroganehiko and Shiroganehiko.

"Are you even trying?" a skeptical Kuroganehiko asked. "I can hardly bear to watch!"

Just as unsure, Shiroganehiko remarked, "Well said! However, instead of doubting his efforts, how about we say he just doesn't have the talent for this?"

"Terrible!"

"Unbelievably terrible!"

"SHUT THE HELL UP ALREADY!" roared Ichigo. He threw a fastball, nailing Shiroganehiko right between the eyes with the Spirit Core. "I have no idea what the hell you two are saying! Explain how to use that thing in human language!"

"Uh...is it me, or does he kinda suck at this?" whispered Sasune.

Aaron replied, "Y-Yeah. I didn't think Kurosaki of all people would have this much trouble. He's got more spirit power than all of us combined probably. Then again, he never did seem good at controlling any of it."

"Ha! You suck Shinigami!"

From the sidelines, Mayu was enjoying every moment of Ichigo suffering through his training, much to the orange-haired Shinigami's chagrin.

"Hey, shut up over there!" he yelled. She blew him one of her signature raspberries, inciting him further. "G-Goddammit!"

Ganju, sitting beside his sister, was far too busy picking his nose to give a care about what was going on.

"Are all Shinigami as bad as you?!" Mayu further taunted. "Even if you do make it to the Seireitei, you're gonna die in five seconds at this rate!"

Ichigo was primed to erupt like a volcano, but Aaron hastily held him back.

"S-She's just a little girl, Kurosaki! Let it go!"

"Lemme go already, Higuchi! I'm gonna kill her!"

"Um...I-I hope I'm not interrupting things, but dinner is ready," said one of Ganju's underlings from a nearby hall.

"Alright, you guys! It's time to eat!" Ganju proclaimed. "Go on! You all have gotta be hungry after all that training!"

Without warning, Sasune rushed over to Ganju, scaring the hell out of the him.

"You are forever in my debt, kind sir!" said the Quincy, tears rolling down his face. "Your hospitality will live on in my heart for all of eternity!"

Ganju shoved him back. "W-Whatever! Just go in the kitchen and eat already, freak!"

"Hey! Why do we have to feed a bunch of freeloaders, big bro?!" asked Mayu as she angrily waved her arms.

"Hey, don't look at me! This was big sis' idea! Take up any complaints with her!"

"I don't get it. We're supposed to be spirits right now, right? How come we still need to eat?" asked Konoka.

"'Cause unlike the souls in Rukongai, you guys actually use your spiritual powers. Spirits here don't get hungry unless they do that. You won't find any food anywhere else because of this, so just go eat while you can!"

"Wow. You might look stupid, but I guess you know a thing or two."

A vein throbbed on Ganju's temple. "W-Why you…!"

"Eating is all well and good, but Kurosaki still hasn't..."

"It's alright, Ishida!" Ichigo, huffing and panting, said to Uryuu. He picked up the Spirit Core, adding, "...You guys go on ahead. I'll eat after I'm done."

Uryuu paused and then nodded. "...Fine. We'll go on ahead."

With that, he and Chad headed toward the kitchen. Following them at first, Sasune stopped after seeing Orihime linger.

"You...uh...coming, Miss Inoue?"

She hesitantly responded, "I-I'm not hungry actually! You all can go first! I'll just...stay here with Kurosaki!"

Her claim was emphatically fractured when her stomach growled loud enough to wake the dead.

"Uh...I-I was just kidding! I'm only a little hungry!"

"Inoue. Go with them. I don't mind," said Ichigo.

"No, that's okay, Kurosaki! I-I just want to practice some more too! I'm really not that hungry..."

"I guess lying isn't one of her strong suits," said Konoka.

"B-But isn't she really cute when she tries?" said a beet red Sasune.

"...You're hopeless, Pretty Boy."

In a more desperate tone, Ichigo uttered, "Inoue...please."

Orihime, startled, paused before replying, "O-Okay then! Since you put it that way, I'll be going now! Ishida! Sado! You guys come too!"

Neither had much of a choice in the matter; Orihime shoved them toward the kitchen.

"You and your friends better hurry too!" she said to Sasune before disappearing.

"I-I think I just swallowed my tongue..." muttered the Quincy. His already scarlet skin became an even deeper shade of red. "W-Why is she so damn cute?!"

"Like I said, you're hopeless. Come on, lover boy!"

Konoka figured he wasn't going to get there on his own, so she grabbed him by the cape affixed to his outfit and dragged him along with her so they could get some grub.

Aaron, now alone with Ichigo, gazed at his friend in silence.

"...What? You don't have to wait on me either, Higuchi," said Ichigo.

"I know. I was just gonna tell you not to overdo it, Kurosaki!"

"Heh! I ain't promising anything!"

"Well, that's rather reassuring!" Aaron laughed and then became quiet once more. In time, he stated, "...You know, they're still waiting for us out there."

Solemnly, Ichigo replied, "...Yeah. I know. Don't worry. I won't stop until I figure out how to use this stupid Spirit Core!"

There was no doubt in Aaron's mind he would. That made it easy for him to leave Ichigo on his lonesome.

"Hey! You all could at least have the decency to wait for me! This is my house for crying out loud, so you guys better not eat up all the food before I get some!" exclaimed Mayu. Her wrath subsided thanks to her brother, who hadn't said much at all as of late. A gloomy expression painted his face. "Huh? You okay, big bro? Aren't you gonna eat?"

"...Don't worry about me, Mayu. Just...go ahead."

Though still worried, she nodded and went on her way.

"She's a curious child, isn't she?"

"Eh?! W-What the hell?! H-How long have you been there?!"

Sharpscale blinked. "Hmm? I've been standing beside you for a few minutes now. Are you saying you truly didn't know I was here?"

"S-Shut up! Stop sneaking up on people like that! Go...eat or something!"

"While I appreciate your hospitality, Hollows such as myself do not need human sustenance. Our diet consists solely on other Hollows and..."

Ganju shot his hand up. "Okay, okay! I...didn't need to know that much! Just go! I don't care where, just anyplace but here!"

"Very well."

In light of how much Sharpscale freaked him out, Ganju wasn't exactly sad to see the Hollow disappear into thin air. His gape and focus soon slid to Ichigo, who was glaring right back at him.

"...What the hell are you looking at?" the Shinigami asked.

#

Within the Repentance Tower, Rukia Kuchiki found herself blankly staring out at Soukyoku Hill. Something about the mesa and the giant halberd resting on it really was transfixing.

"Come on! Stop that already, Rukia! You're really creeping me out!" said Kana. "Don't you think doing that is just gonna make you more depressed?"

"...I am not depressed, Mitarashi. If anything, I think I'm beginning to accept our circumstances for what they are."

"Huh?! Seriously?! Well, you might not be sad, but you sure are bumming me out!"

"I guess that means you still aren't done thinking about escaping from here."

Kana grinned. "Of course not! As soon as I get my phone working, I'm pretty sure I can call someone and get them to bust us outta this joint!"

The mention of a phone prompted Rukia to turn her head to the brunette. Her eyes widened at Kana furiously tapping away on a Denreishinki.

"Where did you…?"

"Oh, this? Us girls have a lot of hiding places on our bodies! It wasn't too hard to sneak this thing in with me! It might not matter though! I can't get any reception in this place!"

"Yes. That...sounds about right. Think though, Mitarashi. Even if you could contact someone, the Soul Society has a tracker in that thing. They'd come here and take it from you as soon as possible."

"...Oh. C-Crap! You're right!" Kana began pulling at her brown, curly hair. "Ugh! There's another plan down the drain! Oh well! Even I can't use this thing to call someone, there's a lot of others things I can use it for to kill some time!"

She inched over to Rukia to allow her friend to see a picture she had pulled up. Rukia squinted, eyeing a picture of Kana posing next to a sleeping Aaron Higuchi.

"I took this one right before I left the Human World!" clarified Kana. "Isn't he the cutest?"

Rukia delayed in saying, "...You really should've deleted that. It would be best if you just forgot about that boy and everything else from his world. If we really are to be executed soon, attachments like that will only make it harder to face that fate."

That wasn't the reaction Kana was expecting. She coiled her mouth, closed her phone, and crossed her arms.

"I-I guess you've got a point. I didn't think of it that way."

Whenever she was chastising Kana, Rukia felt guilty, like she were scolding a child that messed up yet meant well. This time was no exception, and she readied to apologize on the double.

"That's okay!" Kana cheerfully proclaimed. "We don't have to worry about stuff like that since we're gonna escape anyway!"

Rukia froze. She was no longer apologetic but enraged.

"D-Do you ever listen to anything that's said to you?! I swear it's in one ear and out the other with you!"

"W-Wait...are you actually...mad, Rukia?"

Without warning, Kana began giggling like a giddy school girl. Rukia wondered if she had finally snapped.

"I-I'm sorry! That's...just the first time you've gotten so worked up since I've been locked up in here with you! It's kinda nice actually! I thought you had already turned into a lifeless vegetable!"

"I...haven't the slightest idea what you're trying to say, Mitarashi."

She didn't get the chance to find out. Both she and Kana were alerted by the Repentance Tower's large doors opening. Light flooded the room afterward, stinging their dark-adjusted eyes.

"How are you two doing? Holding up alright?" asked someone at the entrance.

"Hey, I know that voice! How's it going, Arashi?" asked Kana. Her weary features brightened up like the room at the sight of her younger sibling. "What's that you've got there?"

He was holding two trays of food. He dispensed one to each of the prisoners. Scrunching her nose, Kana gagged and could hardly call the indescribable slop 'cuisine.' Then again, in light of how hungry she was, it was better than nothing in her mind. She greedily dug into her meal, making her brother take a precautionary step away.

"Thanks, Arashi! You're the best!" she said.

"No, no! It's no problem!" Arashi, becoming embarrassed, rubbed the back of his head. "It's...the least I could do considering your situation, sister."

His eyebrow heightened at Rukia eating her own meal tortoise-like.

"Is something the matter, Miss Kuchiki? I-I know it's not the best of food, but I tried to scrounge up what I could! The cooks...aren't eager to make gourmet meals for criminals like you two unfortunately. I'm sorry."

"No, don't be. There's nothing wrong with the food," Rukia assured him. Still, it was clear something was eating at her. "I...just don't have much of an appetite today."

"You said that yesterday! Come on, Rukia! You gotta eat something!" cried Kana. "Don't make me force feed you!"

"I-I don't think that will be necessary, Kana," said Arashi apprehensively. "She's got a point though, Miss Kuchiki! You must keep your strength up!"

Since they were going to be killed anyway, Kana thought that a strange thing to say.

"You know, I'm surprised we're being fed at all!" she stated, tearing into a piece of meat. It was under seasoned and partly uncooked but she was far too famished to care.

"I suppose Soul Society isn't going to let you two die before you execution. There wouldn't be much of a show!" joked Arashi. When things grew uncomfortably quiet afterward, he cleared his throat and added, "I-I'm sorry! I...didn't mean to make light of your circumstances."

"No, it's fine," said Rukia. Much to Kana's and Arashi's shock, she was smiling. "Perhaps we need a bit of humor to lighten the mood."

She forced herself to swallow down a portion of her meal if only to prevent Kana from yelling at her about it later.

"Oh! This...doesn't really have anything to do with what we were talking about, but Akira got a promotion, Kana!" said Arashi.

"Eh?! Really?!" Kana rotated her head in confusion. "Did she transfer to another squad?"

"Nope! She actually got promoted to the Vice-Captain position of the Third Division!"

"Wow! That's pretty…w-wait! Doesn't that squad already have a Vice-Captain?"

"It certainly does," said Rukia. "Strange. It's rather unusual for a division to have two Vice-Captains."

"Yeah, I don't think I've ever heard of that before!"

"I thought it was weird too! I guess that just means Akira's that good!" said Arashi. "I was gonna go congratulate her, but I haven't been able to track her down yet."

"Yeah...she's...good for that," said Kana in a somber infliction. Simply thinking about Akira brought up a lot of agonizing memories, specifically. their encounter in the Human World. "Uh...i-is she still mad at me, Arashi?"

His silence was a good enough answer for her. She wasn't all that shocked. If their situation were reversed, she knew she would have similar feelings of animosity.

Rukia peered at the Mitarashi siblings ahead of saying, "W-While it's not my place to ask, what exactly are you two talking about? Weren't you friends with Akira Akiyama? I remember seeing you two together all the time while you were both attending the Shinigami Academy. Did...something happen between you two?"

Arashi began to say, "I-It's nothing like that! It's just…!"

"It's alright, Arashi. I don't mind telling her." Kana faintly smiled. "Let's...just say I hurt someone very near and dear to Akira. Yeah, I...hurt them pretty badly."

#

Sasune finished his meal, dropped his chopsticks, and contently sighed. For the first time in what felt like forever, his stomach wasn't irately panging.

"Man, I think I might've eaten four of five people's worth of food!" he said, patting his swollen belly. "I couldn't eat another bite!"

Konoka polished off her own dinner and replied, "Yeah. I'm good now too. The meal wasn't all that special, but I guess anything tastes good when you're hungry as hell. What's with your brother though?"

"...Yeah, he eats kinda slow," said Chad as he observed Uryuu.

"S-So what?" replied the Quincy, wiping his mouth. "I was brought up this way."

"That wasn't the way I was raised!" declared Sasune. "My mother always told me to eat hard and fast so I wouldn't end up as nothing but skin and bones!"

"That's no excuse for you to eat like a sloven pig."

Sasune pointed a chopstick at his brother. "Watch it! Don't make me poke out one of your eyes!"

"Well, if you aim those things as well as you do a bow, I have nothing to fear."

"Y-You don't have a shred of respect for me, do you?!"

"Break it up already. Hearin' you two gets kinda old," said Konoka plainly. "Can't even enjoy a meal in peace."

"H-He started it!" the two Quincy were quick to state.

"Wow! You guys are really alike!" said Orihime.

"I-Is that supposed to be a compliment…?" muttered Uryuu, wanting to vomit.

Aaron, with a mouthful of food, said, "Say, Inoue, is everything alright? You've hardly touched your plate there."

"Are you full already?" asked Uryuu.

Appearing somewhat pasty, she answered, "Y-Yup! I couldn't eat another bite!"

That wasn't what her stomach was professing. It made a bizarre noise the reverberated across the room. Everyone stared at her impassively while she punched her tummy in order to quiet it.

"S-See? I'm totally fine..." she feebly uttered, hunching over.

"Y-You weren't poisoned, were you?!" Sasune got to his feet and exhaled dramatically. "W-Whoever did this to you will pay for this!"

He shook his fist at no one in particular.

"You hear me, you son of a bitch! You...will...PAY!"

"...Idiot," was all Konoka and Uryuu had to say.

"Yeah, I...don't think anyone was poisoned or whatever," stated Aaron.

"T-The truth is...I wanted to save some for Kurosaki," explained Orihime.

"T-That loser?!" exclaimed Sasune in total disgust. In a meeker tone, he added "Y-You don't have to worry about him so much, Miss Inoue! That guy can take care of himself! If you want, you can finish off my food! The thought of you going hungry...erm...p-pains me greatly!"

"Good job, Casanova. Too bad you already finished off everything you were given," said Konoka nonchalantly. Shrieking, the Quincy peered into his empty bowl and saw she had a point.

"D-Dammit..." he grumbled, shedding melancholy tears.

"T-Thanks for offering anyway!" said Orihime, trying to cheer him up.

Uryuu spotted a clock on a nearby wall. "Speaking of Kurosaki, it seems he isn't done training yet."

"Yeah. Maybe we should go back and..."

Aaron couldn't even recall the rest of his statement. His train of thought was thrown eschew by a tremendous spiritual pressure that violently rocked the entirety of Kuukaku Shiba's manor.

"EARTHQUAKE!" screamed Sasune. "Every man, woman, and child for themselves!"

"D-Do earthquakes even happen in Soul Society?!" said Aaron. He struggled to maintain his footing. "Tsk! Don't tell me it's…!"

Mayu barreled into the room just then, looking terrified beyond belief.

"W-What the heck is going on?! Did you do something, stupid Shinigami?!"

"Aaron Higuchi is not to blame." Scaring her even further was Sharpscale, who came into plain view with a burst of Sonído. "However, you are on the right track blaming this on a Shinigami. I suggest we all head back to the training area. There's something there I'm certain you all will desire to see."

"I-It's Kurosaki, isn't it?!" cried Orihime.

Everyone else thought so as well.

#

"W-What the hell is this?!"

Kuukaku rushed toward the training room, where everyone else was already waiting. Hungry for answers, she discovered her younger brother cowering on the floor.

"What happened?! What's going on, Ganju?!"

He was too petrified to say a word.

"I asked you a question, idiot!"

"D-Did somebody hurt you, Ganju?!" wondered Mayu. "Is that why you won't talk?!"

"I-I'm so sorry, you two!" Ganju, perspiring heavily, managed to stammer. "I-I just taught that kid my shortcut! I-I never meant for things to end up like this!"

His cryptic talk unsettled Kuukaku even more than she already was. She wasted no time in shoving open the doors leading into the training area. Anticipating the worst, her eyes became as wide as saucers after she caught wind of Ichigo enshrouded in a massive spirit shell.

"Tsk! Hey, idiot! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" she queried. "Focus your energy and refine it already!"

Aaron took a peek inside. "W-What the…?! T-That's even bigger than the one Sharpscale made!"

He craved to tell Ichigo not to panic but felt it foolish since he was freaking out himself.

"T-That's right! His energy is like a leaky faucet! He's got so much of it, even when he's not trying to use it, it just seeps out of his body! C-Can he really refine something like that?!"

Ichigo heeded Kuukaku's advice to the best of his ability, and his barrier shrunk to a more manageable size.

"I-I did it!" he triumphantly said moments later.

Still wowed, Orihime said, "C-Congratulations, Kurosaki!"

"Huh. Yeah, I dunno what just happened, but...congrats?" said a shrugging Konoka.

Aaron sighed in relief. "D-Don't scare us like that! I thought…!"

Suddenly, Ichigo's spirit shell started to crack and crumble.

"Y-You idiot! Don't lose concentration!"

Kuukaku's warning came a microsecond too late. Everyone braced themselves as Ichigo's barrier exploded, causing the building to shake again.

"Did you hear anything I said earlier?!" said Kuukaku through clasped teeth. She planted her foot on the back of Ichigo's simmering head and added, "Didn't I say it would blow up if you lost your focus?!"

"Y-You specially warned us not to," groaned her victim.

She pressed her foot even harder. "So, did you just screw up on purpose then?!"

"Yeah, it's all your fault, you…!"

"You're not guiltless either, idiot!" Kuukaku interrupted her brother when she socked him upside the head. "That's it! No food for either of you!"

While she continued to chew the two out, Aaron again felt a sense of ease wash over him.

"Guess we'll be able to make it to the Seireitei no problem now!"

"I-I don't know about that. Kurosaki might end up blowing us up along with him next time," mumbled Sasune.

Konoka smirked. "At least things won't get dull with a guy like him around."

"Huh? You crushing on him now or something?"

Aaron's ear twitched after he overheard this, and he couldn't prevent himself from swiveling to Konoka for clarification.

"W-Why the hell are you lookin' at me like that, dumbass?!" she complained, blushing profusely.

He changed color himself. "N-Nothing! Nothing at all!"

Mayu, watching the two, mused on what they were discussing. It didn't make a lick of sense to her.

"Heh! You'll understand when you get older, sweetie!" said Sasune.

"Huh? W-What's that supposed to mean?!" she cried.

#

"Hmm?"

Akira awoke to an individual shouting over a loudspeaker. His voice traveled the length of the Seireitei.

"When did I…?"

She guessed she must have grown so bored awaiting an update, her body opted to take advantage of the situation by catching up on some rest. How ironic, she thought. She had done nothing but sleep during her stay in the hospital, yet here she was desiring more. The time for rest and relaxation was over, she told herself. Clutching her arm tightly, she got the hunch things were about to heat up.

"What's that guy saying?" she asked Izuru while wiping her face clean.

"Hold on. He's about to repeat it."

"Alert! Alert! Intruders have been discovered within the Seireitei! All personnel must return to their appointed stations! I repeat…!"

Akira's eyes broadened before a grin spread across her mouth. "About damn time!"

Without really thinking, she jumped to her feet and rushed out of the room.

Izuru, holding his arm out, said, "H-Hold on a minute, Akiyama! Wait for me!"

Considering how reckless his fellow Vice-Captain could be, he made haste to catch up to her before she did something she would regret.

"You're always so slow, Kira!" said Akira. "Pick up the pace already! We're gonna miss out on all the action at this rate!"

"Well, you seem worked up all of a sudden. What exactly are you planning to do? You aren't even armed!"

"I'm not worried about that! I'm just irritated our idiot of a Captain didn't finish off those intruders! Well, I was annoyed, but now, I'm kinda grateful!"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

She chose not to clarify out loud. If Ichigo Kurosaki and Aaron Higuchi really were there in Soul Society, she had to take them on. She would never forgive herself is she ignored an opportunity like this.

"I don't understand, but it sounds to me like you're just making an excuse to fight," said Izuru. "It's rather like you. You'd probably fit better in the Eleventh Division."

"Tsk! Don't lump me in with those mindless sacks of flesh!"

Izuru tittered at Akira's expense, and she rolled her eyes. She could handle a little teasing if it meant no one, including Izuru, planned on stopping her.

"Hold on a minute, Akiyama! Look ahead!"

She did so reluctantly. Her skin and bones told her to stay on guard long before she glanced forward and made out Gin Ichimaru walking toward she and Izuru. It was like she had developed a sixth sense for the man's presence.

"Well, well, well! If it isn't my Vice-Captains!" said Gin with a wave. "Where are ya both headed off to in such a hurry?"

"It is good to see you, Captain!" said Izuru and Akira while they got down on one knee.

Gin frowned. "Didn't I tell you two not to act so uptight?"

Izuru stood. "O-Of course, sir. We were actually going to return to our posts. Isn't that right, Akiyama?"

"Huh? Oh. S-Sure. Our posts." Akira had forgotten all about that order. "Sir, wouldn't it be better if we went after the intruders instead?"

"You think so?" Gin didn't look all that interested in the topic. Akira felt he wasn't all that engrossed with his job to begin with. "That's not a bad idea! I actually just got chewed out good by the Captain-Commander for not taking care of the intruders earlier! Izuru, why don't you go on ahead and start makin' preparations? I need to chat with Akiyama here for a sec."

Though puzzled at the abrupt order, Izuru nodded and intended to follow it, moving ahead with a burst of Flash Step. Being left alone with Gin Ichimaru wasn't something that made Akira comfortable, but it wasn't as if she had the option of running.

"Hey, stop glarin' at me like that, Akiyama," said her Captain.

"Stop smiling at me like that first. You seem pretty happy for a guy who claims to have been yelled at by the Captain-Commander. He...just let you go? Wasn't he upset?"

"Oh, he was mad alright! Guess I'm lucky that broadcast went out when it did! It gave me the chance to slip away! Heh. I'll probably get my punishment later on"

Something about this really didn't sit right with Akira. Gin was far too content, even more than usual. A chill shot down her spine, and a frosty sweat formed on her forehead.

"W-Was it really Ichigo Kurosaki you ran into, Captain? I have to know."

"Oh? That brat? Yeah, it was! I was kinda surprised!"

"And what about the other one? Aaron Higuchi?"

"Nah. Not that kid. Just the other one."

Just the other one? Akira was afraid of that. She was more perturbed when Gin inched rather close to her out of the blue.

"...Didn't I tell you not to worry about anything having to do with Kana Mitarashi?"

He opened one of his eyes, bearing down on his subordinate enough to make her shudder. Hurriedly, she leered the other way.

"W-With all due respect, sir, since these intruders likely have something to do with the prisoners scheduled for execution, and since Kana is one of them, I believe this whole thing absolutely has something to do with me!"

"Oh? My, my! You really have a one track mind when it comes to this, dontcha?"

Perhaps, but Akira didn't mind being called stubborn. It was the sole way she operated, and she wasn't preparing to change anytime soon.

"Guess it was kinda unfair of me to tell you to forget about that Kana." Gin's sinister grin broadened, something Akira had been confident was impossible. "So...whaddya wanna do?"

"What? What...do you mean, Captain?"

"Ya see, Akiyama, things are gonna get a lot more interestin' from here on out. I've actually got somethin' I need takin' care of. Think you're up for it?"

He needn't ask her twice. In fact, she already had an idea on what his request pertained to.

#

Things might have been growing hectic in the Seireitei, but inside the Repentance Tower, all was calm. Kana, sleeping contently, only stirred to turn over in her bed.

"A-Akira..." she breathed. A single tear trickled down her cheek.

END