#

Chapter 29

State of Affairs

Snickering on Kagami's ceiling, Aaron Inner Hollow feasted on the bewildered looks it was receiving. Its yellow eyes darted from each person there before settling on Aaron, who quivered in rage.

"What the hell do you think you're doing here?!" he roared.

The Hollow replied, "Relax there, kid! You're gonna end up giving yourself gray hairs!"

"Cut the crap! I don't have time for your games!"

"...Oh? Is that so? Sorry, but I don't work on your schedule, punk!" Hollow Seigetsu furrowed its brow and stared daggers into the dark-skinned Shinigami. "Besides, you were the one who called me here, right?"

"N-No! I summoned Seigetsu! Where is she?!"

"Beats me!" said the Hollow, trying its best to look innocent. "Heh! Maybe she doesn't like you anymore! What the hell do you need a weakling like that around for anyway when you have me? Or did you forget how worthless you are without me?!"

"Tsk! Y-You son of a…!"

"Um...I hate to interrupt you two, but who is that girl, Higuchi?" asked Rukia.

"Damn, kiddo. How many girlfriends do you have?" asked Kagami shrewdly.

"W-Wait, you can actually see her?!" cried Aaron in astonishment.

"Huh? Of course we can. You flipped your lid or something, kiddo?"

Aaron turned to Sode no Shiryaku, Rukia's Zanpakutou spirit, to verify if she could see the Hollow too. She nodded. Now freaking out, he wondered how all this was possible.

His Inner Hollow rolled its eyes. "...How long are you gonna piss your pants over there? Where the hell is it you've summoned me anyway? Sheesh! What a dump!"

"Hey, it might be a dump, but it's also my home," said Kagami fiercely. "If you don't like it, you can get out. Capiche?"

"What was that?! How about you come up here and say that, maggot!"

"Enough!" voiced Aaron. "Bring Seigetsu here right now! I won't ask again!"

The Hollow laughed some more. "Oh, how scary! Didn't you hear me the first time, punk?! I was the one you called for, not that stupid, little girl! Besides, she already told you that we're like two sides of the same coin! Calling for her is the same as asking for me! Got it?!"

"Well, this is getting us nowhere," stated Kagami with a sigh. "I don't know what the hell is going on, but something tells me that girl up there is an uninvited guest."

"...That's one way to put it," said Aaron bitterly. "Dammit! What should I do?"

Hollow Seigetsu abruptly jumped down, startling him. Instinctively, he backed away.

"Tsk! Don't give me that look!" it said. "You're pathetic! What's all this crap about you learning Bankai?! I heard everything! You can barely piss in a straight line without my help, so how in the world do you think you could pull something like that off?!"

Aaron grit his teeth but was unable to come up with a response. A part of him felt the Hollow's claim was spot on, even if his pride refused to let him admit it.

"No matter how much you go on about that stupid girlfriend of yours, you ain't saving her on sheer willpower alone! The only way you can get anything done is by using my strength! You've seen me in action before, punk! You know I can get the job done!"

There was no denying that, Aaron thought. However, the Hollow's power came at the expense of his body and sense of reason. Every time it took control, he was powerless to do anything but watch as it destroyed everything in its path. No matter what it said, there was no chance in hell he could rely on something so bloodthirsty and unpredictable.

Hollow Seigetsu could tell what he was mulling thanks to his expression. It was enough to make it sick to its stomach.

"Tsk! You really are pathetic, aren't you?! Well, it isn't as if I need your permission to do whatever the hell I please! Now that I'm here in your world, I can..."

An icy presence crept up on it just then, prompting it to turn the other way. Awaiting it was Sode no Shirayuki, who had her hands on her hips and a nasty look adorning her features.

"And just what in the hell do you want?! Beat it! I don't have time to screw around with a whipped bitch like you!"

"I've heard more than enough!" declared Sode no Shirayuki. "I know what you are! You're a Hollow! How can this be though? You've...somehow merged with that boy's Zanpakutou spirit! I know this for certain because I can still feel a faint trace of the spirit somewhere within you!"

"A-A Hollow merged with…?!" said Rukia. The rest of her statement was lost when her mind began to race. Then, her skin became as white as Sode no Shirayuki's.

"Something wrong, princess?" asked Kagami.

"N-No," Rukia was quick to say. "I was just...surprised to hear something like that is all."

There was clearly something more to her abrupt change in demeanor, but neither Aaron nor Kagami felt the urge to press the issue and possibly upset her.

"It's a...um...long story," said Aaron sheepishly.

"Don't worry. We won't ask for the details," said Kagami, sticking a cigarette between his lips and lighting it. Black smoke shrouded him as he added, "Still, we've got a problem here."

Hollow Seigetsu gathered he was referring to it. "You know, you've got a smart ass mouth over there! I think it's about time I did something about it!"

"Yeah, I'm not all that keen on fighting women, even if they're Hollows, so..."

Without warning, Kagami whipped out a what Aaron thought was a black handgun. However, the white light that fired out of it was anything but a bullet. It struck Hollow Seigetsu in the chest and sent it soaring across the room right into Aaron. Groaning, the dark-skinned Shinigami opened his eyes and gasped at a familiar entity sitting on his chest.

"Huh? W-Where am I?" said Seigetsu, blinking in confusion.

"Y-You're crushing my ribs..." moaned Aaron.

"My apologies." Seigetsu helped him up. "This...isn't how I thought we would meet again, Aaron."

Aaron brushed his clothing off. "Same here. What...just happened though?"

"Nothing much. Just my anti-Hollow gun." Blowing the smoke off his weapon, Kagami smirked. It faded though when everyone stared at him blankly. "To put it simply, it weakens the spiritual pressure of a Hollow. We won't have to worry about...whoever that was for awhile."

"Thank you. As embarrassing as it is for me to admit, I pretty much have no control over that Hollow anymore," said Seigetsu sadly. "I apologize to everyone here for any inconvenience my other half might have caused."

"D-Don't worry about it. Things could've gotten a lot worse," said Aaron, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Anyhow, Aaron, I suggest we get started on your Bankai training as soon as possible and while I still have control over myself."

"Alright! Let's get started!" said Aaron with vigor. "...Wait, what do I have to do?"

The others fell on their heads.

Kagami groaned. "At least he remembered to ask, I guess..."

"Lady Rukia, the training we will be going through will be intense, so I suggest we move to another area to avoid getting in everyone else's way," said Sode no Shirayuki.

Rukia nodded. "Kagami, is there some other room we can use?"

"Sure. There's another room like this one toward the back, though it isn't as big. It should be good enough for your training though," said Kagami.

"That should be just fine. Alright then, Higuchi. Good luck to you in your training. I'll see you again three days."

Aaron smiled and gave her a salute as she and Sode no Shirayuki strode off.

"Someone like her won't even need three days to learn Bankai..."

"Probably not. She is a Kuchiki after all," said Kagami. "What about you, kiddo? You think you can do this?"

"It's...not like I really have a choice. It's either I do it or I don't."

"Well said, Aaron," remarked Seigetsu. "I have no doubt you are ready for this. As for what you must accomplish during your training, it is quite simple: you must beat me into submission."

"...Eh?" Aaron wasn't positive his ears were functioning properly. "D-Do I really have to fight you? Isn't there some other way?"

"...If you're perhaps worried about hurting me because of my frail appearance, don't be. To be frank, I'm more concerned with seriously injuring you."

That was yet another thing Aaron hadn't counted on hearing. He didn't get the chance to ask Seigetsu what she meant because suddenly, she started to glow a deep blue. That was just the beginning of the weirdness.

"W-What the hell is going on?!" cried Aaron when he found himself surrounded by well over a hundred Seigetsus. "I-I'm just hallucinating! T-That's right! Kagami...probably slipped something into that food while I wasn't looking!"

Overhearing this, Kagami gagged on all the cigarette smoke floating near him.

"My apologies, Aaron, but I can assure you that what you are seeing is quite real," said the army of Seigetsus in unison.

"I-I guess it was a good thing Miss Kuchiki left when she got the chance. There really wouldn't have been any room in her for her to train," said a chuckling Kagami. "Looks like this is going to be more interesting than I thought."

No matter where Aaron looked, a Seigetsu was waiting. To say he felt suffocated would have been an understatement.

"P-Please, don't tell me I have to…!"

"That's right, Aaron. In order to learn Bankai, you'll have to defeat each and everyone of us before your three day time limit is up," said the Seigetsus. Blades spawned in each of their hands, causing Aaron to gulp. "Prepare yourself. We will be coming at you with the intent to kill."

"H-Hold on a sec! I don't even have a weapon!"

No sooner did Aaron finish saying that did his released Zanpakutou plant itself into the ground in front of him. He smacked his lips and pulled it out, strangely not feeling any better about the prospect of his survival.

The Seigetsus quickly swarmed on him like locust, giving him no choice but to fend off attacks from every conceivable direction.

"T-This is insane!"

"Hang in there, kiddo!" Kagami shouted. "You're young, so you can handle your fair share of abuse!"

"I-Is that supposed to make me feel better?!"

"Try not to get distracted." One of the Seigetsus slashed him on the shoulder. "Perhaps you didn't take my threat of coming at you with everything I had seriously."

Clutching the bleeding spot, Aaron spun away from his enemies.

"Running will not solve anything," said another Seigetsu, who appeared behind him all of a sudden. At the last second, he blocked a sword swing that would have taken his head off. "In order for you to progress, you must put aside your fears."

Her words were helpful and all, yet Aaron could hardly focus on them, not when another group of Seigetsus were heading for him. In a flash, he pushed the one he was fending off away before directing his blue tachi at her. He expected her to be severed right down the middle, but instead, she vanished into thin air.

"Huh? Wait, I only have to hit them once?"

Elated by the theory, he tested it out by cutting down another Seigetsu. Like the other, it too dissipated. Though the odds were still stacked against him, he felt as if he had a fighting chance now.

"Maybe I won't need three days to do this after all!"

"Do not get overconfident. This fight is far from over."

Blood ruptured from a downward gash on his back given to him courtesy of yet another Seigetsu. He stumbled forward and grimaced, thinking three days wasn't all that generous after all.

"I-I wonder if it's too late to trade partners with Kuchiki…"

#

She couldn't take much more of this. The darkness, the solitude, the stillness. It was enough to drive a person insane. Akira Akiyama hadn't reached that point yet as she banged her skull against the cold wall of her cell, but she felt like she would reach that point in due time. Staring emptily at the space before her, she didn't understand why she had to waste away there. Kana Mitarashi was still out there. The longer she sat imprisoned, the more time Kana's friends had to rescue her. She couldn't let such a thing happen. She refused.

"D-Dammit! If only I still had my Zanpakutou or could at least use Kidou!"

She glared at the cuffs binding her wrists. To the naked eye, they would have seemed like simple binding. She knew better though. They had the added effect of sealing one's spiritual pressure, meaning she was basically helpless when it came to escaping. Being so weak and powerless was enough to make her scream out loud. She didn't, however. Rather, she remained as quiet as a mouse, forced to listen to the heavy breathing and mumbling coming from the adjacent cell.

"I-I actually held my sword against Hinamori! I-I'm...despicable! D-Despicable..."

Akira had lost count on how many times she had heard the pathetic sack of flesh in the next room say something akin to this. For whatever reason, this instance made her snap. She jumped to her feet and hammered her fist on the concrete separating her and Vice-Captain Izuru Kira.

"Would you give it a rest already?! Hinamori can't hear you from here! Why the hell are you beating yourself up like this anyway?! You didn't do anything wrong! We didn't do anything wrong! Hinamori was the one who screwed up! We were just doing our jobs! Kira! Answer me, Kira!"

It was no use. Izuru continued to speak in that shaky voice like he hadn't heard her. She threw her hands up in exasperation and returned to her seat in the corner.

"...This is the worst. They won't even tell us what's happening outside."

Were the Ryoka still wreaking havoc? Had Aizen's murderer been caught yet? What was to become of her and Izuru? Sinking her head into her arms, she was too tired and frustrated to worry about any of this.

"...Where are you right now, Arashi? Tsk. That idiot. Why hasn't he busted me outta here yet? You think the jerk would know better than to keep me waiting."

Water dripped down from the ceiling, hitting her on the nose and settling her down.

"...He better be alright! I'll kill him myself if he gets his scrawny ass in trouble!"

The clatter of a door opening and footsteps approaching resounded. Akira shot her head up, though her excitement waned when she figured it was likely just a guard coming to check on she and Izuru. One always did so periodically, likely to ensure the two didn't get themselves into any more trouble.

"W-Who's there?!" she heard her fellow Vice-Captain proclaim.

"Would you calm down already?! Jeez! You're giving me a headache!"

The person that arrived was no guard. In fact, they were the very last person Akira craved to see.

"This is horrible! So very horrible indeed!"

The sneering visage of Gin Ichimaru stepped out of the shadows.

A cold sweat broke out over Akira. "Y-You…!"

"C-Captain...Ichimaru..." mouthed Izuru as if he had seen a ghost.

"W-What the hell are you doing here?!"

Gin frowned. "My, my. Why is it you always say something like that whenever I show up, Akiyama? Is that anyway to talk to your superior? And here I thought you two would be happy to see me."

Feeling her throat go dry, Akira didn't offer him a reply.

"You two look so frail. You poor things." Gin inched closer to their cells, pressing his pale hands on the bars. "Would you like me to save you both?"

The prospect made his Vice-Captain's eyes widen like saucers.

"Come with me, Izuru, Akira."

Akira got up at once. His suggestion felt more like a command in her opinion.

"W-Where are we going?" she forced herself to ask.

Somehow, Gin smile broadened even more. "...You'll see soon enough, Akiyama. I get the feeling you'll enjoy what's to come."

#

"Y-You don't have to give me that much oatmeal, Ma! I've already had seven bowls!"

Turning over in his bed, Sasune contently yawned and scratched his exposed belly. He woke up moments later, groaning at having to head off to school when he could have been using that valuable time to lounge at home. His mother would never approve him skipping classes, so he compelled himself to go. His arm lazily reached out for his alarm clock so he could shut it off and get ten extra minutes of rest beforehand.

"W-Where is that damn thing?"

Something wasn't right. Opening his eyes and shooting up, he cried out in pain when his skull collided with something hard and wooden. Upon further inspection, he saw another bed directly above his.

"S-Something tells me I'm not in Hino anymore..."

His memory came back to him at once. He hadn't been home in what felt like months. No, he and his friends had been having a jolly old time in Soul Society. He guessed he must have still been there, but the musty, cramped room he was in kept him guessing.

"Uh...I'm either in some sort of jail, or I got kidnapped by some chick who's into some really kinky shit."

His comment came on account of the handcuffs restricting his bandaged arms. He tugged at them in vain and got it would take more than sheer force to break them.

"Okay, I've got it! I really am in jail! Wait, but someone went to the trouble of bandaging me up. So, I'm...in a hospital? No, I've got it! This is a jailspital! Of course!"

A voice above him said, "...You really are freakin' idiot, aren't you?"

A frowning Konoka Mitsumi, wearing the same white robe and handcuffs, jumped down to him. Sasune could tell from the amount of bandages covering the various parts of her that she hadn't lost her knack for getting into trouble.

"M-Miss Mitsumi! You are unharmed! Well...mostly anyway. It feels like years since I've last seen you, my dear! Come here and give me a hug!"

"...I will break you back if you even think about touchin' me!"

Sasune retook his seat without a moment's delay.

"As always, it is an honor to behold your radiant visage, Miss Mitsumi! I see you're still as spicy as any pepper!"

"And as always, you don't do anythin' but talk shit, Pretty Boy."

"Your words sting with the strength of a thousand hornets! Still, nothing can break my love for you, dearest!"

"...What the hell are you even sayin'?! You sound like a shitty poem!"

"Uh...s-sorry. Look, I guess I'm just trying to say I'm glad you're alright."

Konoka frowned. "You sure have a funny way of sayin' it. Well, lookie here. I guess Sado was right."

"Huh?"

"Oh, I made a bet with him whether I'd see you alive again or not. Whatever. I'm rich. Handin' out a few thousand won't kill me."

Sasune teared up. "I-It's nice to see you had some faith in me, you...you harlot!"

"There you go sayin' weird shit again."

Drying his eyes, Sasune inspected his investigated his surroundings. "Say, where are we? It's totally a jailspital, isn't it?"

"I-I don't know where we are, but I'm pretty sure it isn't...whatever the hell you're goin' on about! I woke up here just like you not too long ago. Tsk! I can't get these stupid cuffs off!"

"Same here. Looks like we're stuck in this jailsp..." Sasune bit his tongue when the Red-Haired Beast stared at him with the intent to kill. "Er...looks like we aren't going anywhere for the time being! Let's just...uh...enjoy each other's company!"

"...I don't like the sound of that."

"No, honestly! I didn't mean anything perverted! Scout's Honor!"

Konoka eyed him suspiciously. "You sure?"

"Positive! Cross my heart and hope to die! Considering all we've been through, I think it'd be a good idea to work off some stress by having a nice, quiet chat! Come and tell me what you've been up to since we were last together!"

"Well…"

"One second, Miss Mitsumi. You've got something on your chest."

Expecting him to point out a stain, fury built up in Konoka like a bubbling volcano when he instead squeezed her breasts.

"Say, have these gotten bigger since I last saw you?"

Sasune didn't know she hit him, but by the time he came to, he was lying a broken mess on the other side of the room. He weakly chuckled and grasped his swollen cheek, believing his pain well worth it.

"Unbelievable. You can't even keep your hormones under control while locked up."

Sitting on a bed and shaking his head in disappointment was Uryuu.

"Ha! You're just jealous you didn't do it first, bro!" countered Sasune.

"No, I'm just upset I have a complete idiot for a brother."

"...I'll pretend I didn't hear that since I wouldn't want to shed your blood in front of Miss Mitsumi."

"Mind if I shed your blood instead?!" said Konoka, cracking her knuckles.

"Um...n-no. I'm fine, thank you."

While his older brother cowered in fear, Uryuu shook his head in disgust.

"In any case, it looks like we were imprisoned. I don't get it though. Why were our injuries treated? We're the attackers! Our enemies have no obligation to help us."

"I was wonderin' the same thing actually," said Konoka. "Maybe that old perv Kyouraku had something to do with this..."

"'Kyouraku?' Who's that?"

"Yeah! Have you been cheating on me, Miss Mitsumi?!" asked Sasune dramatically.

"We're not an item, you lunatic!" the Red-Haired Beast snapped.

"...The situation has changed," said someone sitting on a bed across from Uryuu and a person the others hadn't paid any heed to.

"S-Sado?!" exclaimed Uryuu.

Yasutora Sado nodded.

"Whoa! W-Where the hell did you come from?!" shouted Konoka. "You nearly gave me a freakin' heart attack!"

"F-For such a big guy, you sure do blend in with the surroundings, pal!" said Sasune.

Chad frowned at being spoken of like some kind of monster.

"What did you mean when you said 'the situation has changed?'" asked Uryuu.

"I overheard one of the guards talking about it. One of their Captains was assassinated, and Soul Society doesn't have a clue who did it. So, we Ryoka are the prime suspects."

"I see. So that's why they're keeping us alive. They're going to interrogate us."

Sasune gulped and ducked behind Konoka. "I-I can't deal with something like that! I totally crack under pressure! Y-You'll protect me, right, Miss Mitsumi?"

"Get the hell away from me, you idiot!" Konoka shoved him back as hard as she could. "Grow a pair, would ya?!"

"Y-Yes, ma'am..."

"We're innocent! It ain't any of our business if some dumb Captain went and got himself killed!"

"Of course we know we weren't behind this, but good luck explaining that to Soul Society," said Uryuu. "Think about it from their point of view. We're Ryoka. We've already taken out a number of their forces, so there's no reason for them to think we wouldn't go so far as to kill a Captain."

"Shit. We're pretty much screwed then," said Sasune darkly. "I don't even know why they're bothering with an interrogation. They're going to kill us regardless. After all, we'll make the perfect scapegoats."

Everyone fell into a somber silence. They were in the worst possible situation.

"L-Like hell I'm gettin' killed for somethin' I didn't do!" declared Konoka. "I'm bustin' outta here!"

She touched her emerald necklace, yet nothing happened.

"W-What the…?! What's goin' on?! I can't use my Fullbring!"

"Don't waste your time, Mitsumi. These handcuffs we have on seal spiritual powers," explained Chad. "One of the guards was talking about it when he brought us here."

"Tsk! Of course!" Konoka tugged, headbutted, and even bit at her restraints. "Come on already! G-Get the hell off me! I don't have time for this bullshit!"

"Heh. Even if we didn't have these on, neither me or Uryuu wouldn't be of much use..." said Sasune, smiling faintly.

"Huh? What are you talkin' about?"

Before Sasune could explain, Uryuu shot him a stern glance that instructed him not to say anything more.

"N-Nothing. Never mind," added Sasune, reading his brother loud and clear. "I sure am gonna miss my Sanrei Glove though. It made me look like a total badass in front of the ladies! Oh, it was pretty hand for a fight too."

Uryuu face palmed, thinking his brother was as deaf as he was dense.

"Eh? What the hell are you goin' on about? It's right there."

Konoka pointed at the red and black glove on Sasune's right arm. He did a double take before scrutinizing every detail to confirm it was actually there and not some bizarre hallucination. Uryuu sprang to his feet to get a gander at it too.

"Impossible!" he cried.

"I know right! This is wild!" said Sasune.

"Uh...am I missin' somethin' here? What's so special about that glove?" asked Konoka.

The Ishida brothers leered at one another prior to moving to a corner to chat in private.

"What the hell is going on, Sasune?!" whispered Uryuu.

"T-The hell if I know! I'm just as confused! I saw it break right before my eyes!"

"So did I! I don't…!" Uryuu paused, and he came to an understanding. "Of course!"

"Well, don't just keep me in the dark over here! What is it?"

"Right after we left that Nemu girl, I could feel my powers slipping away. However, I remember you saying something about how you didn't feel anything of the sort, just that the increased strength you got from breaking your Sanrei Glove was fading."

"Sure."

Uryuu mulled the matter over some more. "...Listen, this might sound crazy, but it's the only thing I can think of for you still having that glove. It's possible that unlike me, you simply never lost your powers. Remember what that Mayuri Kurotsuchi said: your mother stole that glove when she fled to the Human World, but it used to belong to that Shinigami Research and Development Institute. Maybe that Mayuri guy modified it so whoever used it wouldn't lose their powers no matter what."

"That...actually makes sense! You're pretty sharp, bro! Still, I believe there's one thing you missed!"

"...And that is?"

"Why would that Mayuri creep do such a thing? Because he was bored? Maybe. If you ask me though, I think it was my Ma who messed around with this glove!"

"Y-Your mother?"

"Yeah! She must've known I'd be stupid enough to break it one day, so she put in some kind of failsafe so I could go on sniping jerks as a Quincy! Wait, she knew I'd be stupid enough to break it?! I-I feel kind of insulted!"

"Just...be glad your mother wasn't an idiot. I wish some of her intelligence would've passed down to you."

"You...do know I'm the only one of us that still has his powers, right? Killing you wouldn't be that hard, little brother."

"True, but you have those handcuffs on, so you're just as useless as me, remember?"

Sasune snarled under his breath and conceded that point.

"Alright, what's so damn important that you two have to sneak behind our backs and talk about it?"

The Ishida brothers screamed in terror when they realized Konoka was hovering behind them.

Picking himself off the ground and making sure he hadn't soiled himself, Sasune murmured, "I-It's nothing! Nothing at all!"

He went back to his Sanrei Glove and speculated if his dear, departed mother really did have something to with him still being a Quincy.

"Now that I think about it, we're the only ones here," stated Uryuu. "I wonder what happened to the others."

"Say, big guy, did any of the guards mention one of our friends was dead?" asked Sasune.

"No," replied Chad. "That probably means everyone else is still alive. Inoue, Ganju, and his little sister were weaker than all of us though, so they probably got captured too. That just leaves Yoruichi, Ichigo, and Higuchi, and that Hollow."

"You can omit me from that list. I'm afraid I too have been taken out of the equation."

Everyone paused. That remark hadn't come from any of them, but they didn't spot anyone else around either.

"Up here," said the same individual. Those present heeded his advice and all shrieked in unison at the sight of Sharpscale. More than accustomed to this reaction, the Hollow wasn't all that offended. "Hello again, everyone. I'm pleased to see you all are more or less in one piece."

That was more than they could say for it. The Hollow had more dressings than all of them combined and twice over. In fact, if it weren't so recognizable, they would have confused it for a mummy.

"W-Where the hell did you come from?! And why are you standing on the ceiling?!" hollered Uryuu.

"There weren't enough beds for all of us, and I didn't want to deprive any of you, so I thought I would rest up here," said Sharpscale nonchalantly.

"Jesus! I-I think I just shit out my heart!" said a panting Sasune.

"T-Too much information," said Konoka, just as rattled. "Would everyone just stop poppin' up outta nowhere, god dammit?!"

"Sorry," said Chad and Sharpscale.

"I'm surprised they even went to the trouble of giving a Hollow medical treatment," said Uryuu.

"Yes, I too was astonished. The Shinigami were rather reluctant to do so though," replied Sharpscale, coming down to where the others were. "I believe it is as Mister Sado said. They want all of us alive in the hopes one of us will confess to being a murderer. Fortunately, that Shinigami known as Ukitake put in a good word for us. Perhaps that's also the reason we are all still breathing."

"'Ukitake?'" said Uryuu.

"Yes. He showed up at the Repentance Tower not long after Aaron Higuchi and Ichigo Kurosaki did."

"Wait, those two actually managed to get there first? Damn. Looks like we were slower their we thought, Uryuu," said Sasune. "So, what happened? Did they manage to save our damsels in distress?"

"...Not precisely. Things spiraled out of control."

Sharpscale told them everything that went down, including Ganju, Arashi, Mayu, and itself making it to the Repentance Tower, the arrival of Byakuya Kuchiki, the surprise appearances of Aaron, Ichigo, and Yoruichi, and finally the giant wave of water that nearly killed everyone.

"N-No way! You're sayin' Higuchi might be dead?!" exclaimed Konoka.

"I'm afraid so," said Sharpscale. "He risked everything to save Miss Kuchiki. No one has heard a thing from them since. Fortunately, Kurosaki and Yoruichi managed to flee to safety. I cannot say where they've gone, however."

"We don't have to worry about Ichigo," said Chad confidently. "Knowing him, he's off somewhere getting stronger. ...I don't know how he'll react to the news about Kuchiki though."

"Forget about that guy! What about CT?!" cried Sasune.

"Ukitake assured me he would have search parties looking for him and Miss Kuchiki," answered Sharpscale. "He seemed quite passionate about tracking them down. He was a very strange man. Despite them assisting us, he insisted he would try to clear Hanatarou and Arashi from any wrongdoing. He also said he would personally take care of the Shiba siblings."

"Arashi's that Mitarashi chick's brother, right? Damn. All of this must've been rough for him. I can't imagine being in his shoes," said Konoka.

"D-Dammit!" Sasune punched a wall all of a sudden. "We can't just sit here! Miss Kuchiki might be gone, but Miss Mitarashi is still stuck in that tower! Not to mention CT is likely out of commission! Even if Miss Inoue is still out there hiding, she can't rescue anyone by herself!"

"We still have Ichigo," said Chad.

"Man, do you have a boner for that guy or something?! So what if he's off somewhere training?! Are you saying he can save everyone by himself?!"

He could tell from Chad's thin smile he thought this was indeed the case.

"U-Unbelievable! W-What's so special about that guy?!"

"...I don't know about you all, but I'm going to wait here for Ichigo," said Chad.

"D-Don't just ignore me, you big…!"

"He will definitely come and get us out of here. Until then, the only thing we can do is heal up and prepare for the next battle."

"Y-You're actually telling us to just sit back to be rescued?! Have you lost your mind?!"

"I for one think that is a sound idea," said Sharpscale, much to Sasune's bafflement. "We can try to break out of here, but we'll likely end up doing nothing more than causing trouble for Ichigo Kurosaki. Besides, none of us are in any condition to do any fighting."

"E-Even so, that doesn't mean we should just…!"

"Give it a rest, Pretty Boy," said Konoka. "You can scream all you want, but I get the feelin' you ain't changin' their minds."

"But…!"

"She's right, Sasune," said Uryuu. "As much as it pains me to admit it, Kurosaki's our only hope."

"...Et tu, Uryuu?" Sasune said dryly. "So, I'm the odd man out then. ...I hope that Kurosaki is as good as you guys seem to think he is. If not..."

"Put a sock in it." Konoka jabbed him in the shoulder, sending him rolling around on the floor in pain. "You almost sound like you're jealous, Pretty Boy."

"J-Jealous?!" Sasune spoke as if someone insulted his mother. "How dare you! L-Like I would be jealous of a meathead like him\! I bet you're mad Aaron isn't going to be the one to come and save us!"

Konoka, blushing, replied, "W-What the hell are you tryin' to say?!"

"Ha! I knew it! You're totally smitten for that guy, aren't you?!"

Instead of a verbal answer, Konoka rung an arm around Sasune's neck and began choking the life of him.

"Say something else! Say...another...freakin'...word, Pretty Boy! I dare you! I double dare you, bastard!"

"Y-You might want to ease up on him. He's beginning to change color," said Sharpscale.

"I...don't think she's listening," said a grimacing Uryuu. He didn't even contemplate coming to his brother's aid. Konoka would likely attempt to kill him as well if he did.

Konoka tightened her grip even as her victim tapped on her arm to tell her he was giving in.

"You better pray Higuchi shows up real soon, Pretty Boy! He's the only one who can save you now!"

#

Drenched in blood, Aaron stumbled to his feet and could hardly recall where he was. He attributed it, as well as his blurry vision, to the last blow to the skull he took. Even without perfect sight, he could tell an innumerable amount of Seigetsus were encircling him.

"O-Okay, I'm pretty sure I've taken out at least fifty of them. So that would leave..."

Merely contemplating the number depressed him. Every time he took down one Seigetsu, another came to take its place. There seemed to be no end in sight.

"Heh. I...can't take much more of this. M-My arms feel like jelly, and my legs don't seem to want to move anymore..."

Kagami, spewing a cloud of smoke, said, "...Looks like he's finally reaching his limit. I'll give him kudos for holding up this long. It's been at least ten or eleven hours since he started training."

Yawning, he nearly forgot how late it was. He put out his cigarette in an ashtray and was about to inform Aaron he was going to hit the sack, though he decided the dark-skinned teenager wouldn't care too much given the circumstances and simply took his leave.

"Good luck, kiddo. Something tells me you won't be getting much rest tonight."

Aaron spun like a top and sliced ten enemies in half in one go. He then blocked an attack from above, putting both hands on his Zanpakutou to do so.

"Good. Your reflexes are getting better," the offending Seigetsu told him.

Another sliced him across the chest, saying, "You still lower your guard too much, however."

Screaming in anger, Aaron drowned out his suffering and cut both down. At the last second, he defended himself from a frontal assault. Sparks flew as his sword and the Seigetsu's scraped against one another.

"Your anger is beginning to cloud your judgment. Remember, Aaron, no matter how dire things become, you cannot allow your emotions to interfere with your reason."

"Screw that! Anyone would be pissed being ganged up on like this!"

He impaled the Seigetsu through the chest, finishing it.

"Oh no you don't!" he told a group approaching him. "Getsuga Tenshou!"

The giant, blue surge of spirit energy took care of them in a flash. It also had the side effect of draining Aaron of much of his remaining vigor. Dropping down to one knee, he leaned against his Zanpakutou and gave himself a breather.

"N-No more! I can't even think straight!"

"Are you admitting defeat, Aaron?" asked the Seigetsus. "Is this how you will allow things to end?"

"Cut me a break! Even Shinigami have their limits! A-At times like this, I actually miss Kana's annoying ass cheering!"

The thought of the brunette suddenly reminded him why he was going through so much hardship. Her bubbly demeanor really was grating in his opinion, but he would rather endure through it than let it be silenced forever.

"Good, Aaron," said the Seigetsus after he stood once more. "Harden that resolve. You're going to need it."

"Tsk! Enough with the lectures! Just bring it on!"

He still felt like he would pass out at a moment's notice, but he also felt like someone had just given him a shot in the arm. Racing at his foes, he opted to fight for as long as his body would oblige.

#

Even if it was being served with a bountiful spread on a lavish table in a luxurious home, Mayu Shiba refused to drink tea offered to her by a Shinigami. She gaped at the now cold beverage in defiant silence.

"Is it not to your liking, young lady? I can have a different flavor prepared if you'd like!"

She moved her head up to the beaming face of Captain Juushirou Ukitake, whose mood soured when she chose to ignore him for what felt like the millionth time.

"H-Have I done something to upset you?" he inquired.

A harsh voice to his right shouted, "What the hell kind of a stupid question is that?! How would you feel if your enemy was serving you to tea like this?!"

Ukitake's other guest, Ganju Shiba, was about as happy as his sister at the moment. He made sure his host knew it too by crossing his arms and scowling as fierce as he could. Considering this wasn't the soirée Ukitake had in mind, he thought it a good idea to do something to brighten the atmosphere as soon as possible.

"I-I just thought it would be nice if the three of us could get together and chat!" he informed Ganju. "Don't you think this is the perfect opportunity for us to get to know one another?"

The Shiba siblings gazed at him like he were insane.

"Alright, look. I completely understand why you would be wary of me. You're likely wondering why I didn't have you locked up alongside your comrades. It's like I said though! I just want to talk!"

Ganju and Mayu still weren't buying it, mostly because of the Shinigami standing guard all around shooting them dirty looks.

"While you're here, feel free to explore the place! There's a lovely pond out back and…!"

Ukitake stopped. Clearly, his sweet talking wasn't doing the trick.

"Alright. I'll be frank with you two. You, along with your friends, are under investigation for the murder of Sousuke Aizen. He was a dear friend of mind."

"Do you think we give a crap?!" roared Ganju.

"Yeah! We didn't kill anyone!" cried Mayu.

Ukitake's expression became austere. "...I believe you. You and your friends risked your lives to try to save my subordinate. For that, I thank you. Anyone who would go that far couldn't possibly be a murderer. Besides, none of you Ryoka, even those two who showed up at the Repentance Tower, are strong enough to kill a man like Aizen. If you ask me, I believe the culprit is someone completely unknown. Of course, trying to convince everyone else of this will be no easy task."

"...When you said your subordinate, you were talking about Rukia Kuchiki, weren't you?" said Ganju resentfully. "Sorry, but I don't need your thanks! If it were up to me, I would've left that woman right where she was!"

"Yeah! Thanks to her, that stupid Shinigami is probably dead!" said Mayu.

"...Yes. That is another thing I have to thank you Ryoka for," said Ukitake. "Thanks to your friend, I am certain Rukia is still alive. We'll find her. We'll find them both. I just know it."

"H-How can you be so sure?"

"Because I know Rukia. She's survived far worse ordeals."

Ganju abruptly slammed his hands onto the table. "What does she know about hardship, huh?! She isn't the one with a dead brother!"

Ukitake's green eyes widened. "...I see. I noticed they symbol on your pants, but I didn't want to make any assumptions. You two...you're related to Kaien Shiba, aren't you?"

"Huh?! Y-You know our older brother?!" asked Mayu.

"Of course! He and his wife, Miyako Shiba, were very popular and dependable members of my division."

"I-I never got the chance to know him. He...died before I was born."

"I see. No wonder he never mentioned anything about having a younger sister. Well then, I would be happy to tell you all I know about him!"

"Really?!" Mayu was giving Ukitake her full and undivided attention now.

"Indeed! Hmm. Where should I begin?"

"Anything about him would be fine really!"

"My! You've put me on the spot here, young lady! Your energy reminds me of Kaien's!"

While the two continued their pleasant chat, Ganju sensed his anger building. All of this was nothing more than a waste of time his opinion.

"Wait, Kaien took naps in the afternoon?!" said Mayu, astonished.

"Every day!" Ukitake said. "Of course, he always made sure to take care of his responsibilities beforehand! In fact, he always went out of his to help the members of our squad!"

"Whoa! He was cooler than I thought!

"W-What the hell is going on?!" snarled Ganju. "W-Why is Mayu talking to a Shinigami like this?! What the hell happened while we were separated?!"

His irritation reached an all time high when his sister and Ukitake shared in some laughter at another unheard story concerning Kaien.

"Um...do you have a bathroom?" asked Mayu.

"Certainly. It's down the hall and to the left," said Ukitake. "Do be careful on your way there. You've...probably noticed by now, but the guards aren't too fond of you and your brother. Just don't give them a reason to act. If you'd like, I can have one of them accompany you."

Mayu's face reddened. "I-I'm old enough to go to the bathroom by myself!"

"Oh yeah? How come you still piss all over your sheets then?" said Ganju. His sister, enraged, chucked a teacup at him. It missed by the hair on his neck, shattering against a wall. "H-Hey, watch it!"

He smacked his lips as she marched off, feeling that if anyone was out of line, it was her. Even so, he knew she would find a way to pay him back for his outburst when he least expected it.

"Your sister is quite lovely," said Ukitake, indulging on a cup of tea.

"A-Are you blind?! She nearly killed me just now!"

"Well, you did goad her into doing so."

"Tsk! Like I need to hear that from a stinkin' Shinigami! Why the hell are you doing all this anyway?! Is it really because of that Rukia chick?! Or maybe it's because Mayu's a little girl and you feel sorry for her! Wait, let me guess! It's because you're taking pity on us! You think just because Kaien was our brother, you have to give us special treatment! You can save it! Like hell I want a god damned Shinigami feeling sorry for me! It's your kinds fault my brother is dead! He loved the Shinigami and look what he got for it!"

"...Perhaps my actions really are because of what you said," replied Ukitake following some reflection. "What happened with Kaien was truly a tragedy. There isn't a single day that goes by where I don't wish there was something more I could've done for him. I get the feeling Rukia has told you his death lies squarely on her shoulders. Allow me to clear up the confusion."

"What the hell are you talking about?! She already confessed to doing it! Twice!"

"I was there the night Kaien died. She was indeed the one who inflicted the fatal blow upon your brother."

"See?! There's nothing else we need to discuss! That woman is a murderer and…!"

"Please, calm down and listen to me for a moment. It's only right your family knows the true story of what happened to Kaien. Rukia would never tell you herself since she harbors too much guilt. I can assure you she would never murder anyone, let alone Kaien, in cold blood. She admired him more than any other."

"She...did?"

Mayu reentered the room just then. "You weren't kidding about those stupid guards, Mister Ukitake! One of them called me a filthy street rat, so I used my earth magic to stick him in a pile of sand! Um...c-could you not tell anyone about that?"

No one said a word. In fact, it was as if Ukitake and Ganju hadn't noticed her return.

"Huh? D-Did I miss something?"

#

Being a Captain wasn't all about flash, ordering people around, and showing off one's skills. Toushirou Hitsugaya learned a long time ago that there were certain aspects to the job that weren't so appealing. Filling out loads of paperwork like he was doing at the moment was one of them. As aggravating as the work was, he toiled through without so much as a single complaint. It wasn't like there was someone else there to do the job.

On further inspection, he realized there was. Between the tall stacks of parchment on his desk, he could see his Vice-Captain, Rangiku Matsumoto, napping peacefully on a sofa in the middle of their office. He envied her for being able to rest despite there being so much turmoil in Soul Society. Then again, the fact she was sleeping on the job ticked him off more.

Rangiku, perhaps unconsciously sensing she was in trouble, woke up. She sat up and blinked, having no recollection of falling asleep. The first thing she took heed of was Hitsugaya, who stopped what he was doing to chastise her with his stare.

"...Did you rest well, Matsumoto?"

"Captain? ...What are you doing in my room?"

"...Idiot. This office isn't your room. Since you're up anyway, help me with all this paperwork. I'm dead tired."

Rangiku got up to inspect the stack he was holding out, though she wasn't all that eager to take it.

"You know, if you weren't off chasing the Ryoka, you might've been able to get more done," she said, stretching and yawning. "On top of that, it was your idea to take on all the paperwork from the Fifth Division."

Hitsugya rested his head into his palm and shut his heavy eyelids. "I didn't ask for your criticism. Just takes these to your desk and get to work."

"Oh? There are only this many left? Wasn't there a lot more?"

"Shut up already and get to work." Hitsugaya took a sip of tea from a cup. "Go, go!"

Rangiku pouted her lips. "I sure wish Kana was here! The two of us could've gotten through all this work in no time flat!"

"...You can't be serious. Knowing you two, there would somehow be more work in the end. Either that or you two would just ditch all of it and go hit the town."

"Say, that isn't such a bad idea!"

Hitsugaya sighed. "See what I mean? I think it's good Mitarashi hasn't been here. It's been a lot more quiet, plus work is actually getting done. Even you've been in top shape around here without her influencing you, Matsumoto."

His words had the unintended effect of killing the mood and the conversation. Rangiku knew he was mostly kidding when it came to Kana. She did have a habit of driving him crazy, but he also appreciated her talent of livening things up in the Tenth Division. Of course, knowing this didn't make Rangiku feel any better about him speaking so ill of her friend.

Sensing this, Hitsugaya said, "Don't worry, Matsumoto. We'll...have her back here soon enough. I guess I can kiss getting anything done around here goodbye."

Rangiku's expression brightened. "A-Are you serious, Captain? How are you going to get her out of that tower?"

"...That much I don't know yet. I told that idiot I wouldn't be doing anything for her so she wouldn't try anything stupid, so we at least don't have to worry about that. Still, Central 46 isn't budging on their decision to execute her, and considering what happened at the Repentance Tower not to long ago with Kuchiki disappearing, they've no doubt become even more rigid on the matter. ...I know those Ryoka were only trying to help, but they've unintentionally put us in an even bigger bind."

That wasn't what Rangiku was hoping to hear. Hitsugaya again noticed her tepid mood.

"Sorry. I know you're having a rough day. Besides Mitarashi, you're probably shaken up after seeing Hinamori attack an old friend."

The remark caught Rangiku off guard. "An...old friend? Captain, do you really think Captain Gin Ichimaru is..."

Forceful knocking at the office's door startled the two.

"E-Excuse me! This is Seventh Seat of the Tenth Division, Koukichirou Takezoe, reporting! Is Captain Hitsugaya or Vice-Captain Matsumoto present?" said an aflutter voice that followed.

"I wonder what's going on," said Rangiku.

"Come in," Hitsugaya told the person outside.

The doors slid open right away, and a black-haired Shinigami, Koukichirou Takezoe, got down on one knee.

"Please excuse me, sir," he began. "Captain, Vice-Captain! I bring word from the detention center! Vice-Captains Renji Abarai, Momo Hinamori, Izuru Kira, and Akira Akiyama have escaped from their cells!"

The news came as nothing less than a total shock to Hitsugaya and Rangiku.

"F-Furthermore…!" continued Takezoe. "Fifth Seat Arashi Mitarashi of the Tenth Division has gone missing!"

"'Missing?!' How the hell could the guards have lost track of him?!" asked Hitsugaya.

"Weren't they tasked with bringing him to the detention center like the others?" asked Rangiku, raising an eyebrow. "Where are the guards anyway?"

Takezoe hesitated to say, "T-They're dead, ma'am! Their bodies were found ten minutes ago!"

"'D-Dead?!'" exclaimed Hitsugaya. "Are you suggesting…?!"

"My apologies, sir, if my words made it seem like I was construing something! I am simply reporting on what's happened!"

"Right. ...Thank you."

Calming himself to the best of his ability, Hitsugaya absorbed everything Takezoe had told him. Something about the events of the past few days had rubbed him the wrong way. All of these prisoners escaping their cells and going missing appeared to confirm his fears.

"...Matsumoto, grab your things," he said suddenly.

"...We're going out then, right, Captain?" replied Rangiku, stern-faced.

"That's right. It's time to figure out what the hell is going on around here."

END