Lifted Up

by Tomas the Betrayer

Sequel to 'Hammered Down'. Under the shadow of a heaven ruled by monsters, Rukia Kuchiki continues to fulfill her duties with new lives and hearts added to the mix. And above all, there is a mother's love.

23. Cure-all: Rumor Has It

PRIVATE LOG OF KIYONE KOTETSU, SECOND SEAT OF THE KIDŌ CORPS:

I was told early on that I would lose many people throughout my life.

The Kotetsu have long lifespans, even for spirits. Seireitei, the land of my birth; I've watched it grow and change for eight centuries. The faces are different, which is what we are told to expect. None of the captains I knew from my childhood are still in office (though two are alive, thankfully).

But I keep their names and stories with me.

Friends. Enemies. Folks I've never even met. That's what I decided back then; I would keep some part of them alive in my memory, even if it might seem insignificant to others. 'Just a bit of gossip', they call it.

Well, not for me. As far as I'm concerned, even the most trivial rumor is like a mini-epic in its own right.

---

Rumor has it…

After the co-captains of Siamese Squad, Renji Abarai and Neliel tu Odelschvank, called it quits on their not-so-secret romance, they are now living apart. Sources say she has moved on…

Rin Tsubokura knocked on Saijin Komamura's door in the early hours of the morning, resolved to handle any sight that might greet him. A few moments later the master of the house himself showed up to let him in. "Be welcome in my home, Rin-san."

"Thank you." The member of Ibis Squad couldn't help but feel a little discombobulated as he walked by the much bigger man. The retired captain had clearly been made aware of his approach beforehand, yet the reason behind this visit made him nervous. Still, orders were orders.

His host led him to a nook where breakfast had already been laid out. Rin's experienced eye noticed treats both normally served in Soul Society and others more exotic. Human fare?! It filled him with a giddy excitement that only sampling new food could afford. While Saijin poured out cups of tea, Rin helped himself to a blintz filled with cheese and blueberries (What a treat!). The aroma and general coziness of the surroundings served to lessen his understandable anxiety. Perhaps this excursion would prove to be less stressful than he initially surmised?

He was just thinking how to start a conversation when the kitchen door slid open, and in walked Neliel tu Odelschvank clad only in a t-shirt. Bare feet slapping the wooden boards and rubbing her eye tiredly, the arrancar captain mumbled, "Mornin'," as she plopped down across from Rin, who sat frozen with pastry halfway to his mouth.

"We have a guest, Nel-chan," Saijin pointed out.

The green-haired bombshell cracked a pale eye open to focus on the goggle-eyed scientist. She sniffed the air, like a hound scenting a rabbit, and Tsubokura heard something that might have been a moan but more closely resembled the groaning of an underfed stomach.

"Hey," Nel threw out offhandedly, then to her furry companion, "She could use some meat on her."

"As you say," he responded cryptically while pouring another cup of tea. This he placed in genteel fashion before Neliel as she yawned and scratched her belly. They looked almost domestic together, which only served to freak Rin out even more. What if that crack about fattening me up wasn't for laughs? What if they really do intend to eat me?!

How long have they been living together, what are the terms of their relationship, do they sleep in separate rooms, who gets to be on top? Ask SOMETHING, dammit!

"These… pickles smell delicious!" Rin managed a brittle smile, feeling sweaty and itchy at the cost of holding back his natural curiosity. "Where did you get them?"

"From Southern Rukongai. A friend brought them," Saijin replied. Nel opened a box containing something that looked like chunks of salmon but smelled quite different. She began popping them into her mouth, giving little exclamations of delight. Her furry housemate took a sip of tea before sliding some omelets onto his plate. The half-dressed beauty beside him appeared to have no effect on Komamura. Rin had never known the giant to be anything but a bundle of nerves when it came to women. Of course, that was when he kept the mask on all the time.

Could getting laid on a regular basis be the explanation for his sang-froid?

"Th-that brings me to my reason for being here!" Rin exclaimed hurriedly, although in truth it didn't. "Komamura-san, here is the data Akon asked me to provide."

Rin produced a small golden pyramid from one pocket and held it out to his host. Before Komamura could accept this offering a pair of chopsticks snatched it away. Neliel wrinkled her painted nose as she examined the item. "What's this?"

"An analysis of my soul," Komamura informed her.

Rin jumped a little upon learning this. Akon had nearly turned him to ash with his eyes when he dared to ask what this mission involved, so naturally Rin assumed the intended recipient felt the same way regarding its secrecy. To the contrary, Saijin did not seem disturbed at having his private matters intruded upon by the curious arrancar, or Rin for that matter. "An acquaintance performed it at my request following the episode we discussed."

Rin's large eyes darted over to the captain of Siamese Company, who was turning the pyramid around for a closer inspection. Komamura reached over to pass his hand above the data storage unit, and information came up which the two of them studied together.

Maybe they really do have that kind of relationship?

Golden eyes turned upon him, causing Rin to squirm a little. "Can you explain this for us?"

He studied the item in question before adopting a more professional tone. "The… analysis revealed exposure to a vasto lorde-class Hollow. Based on previous samples taken, it is Akon's conclusion that what you encountered was in fact…" His voice died out for a moment, then resumed in a dry throat. "…Coyote Stark, the Primera Espada. At your request the Patroness was informed and provided with scrubs for both her children to remove any taint upon their living souls."

Nel had taken to biting the pyramid absently as though it were a foil-wrapped candy bar. "Do'sat mean Enris i'ree?" she asked from the corner of her mouth.

After taking the time to puzzle this statement out Rin quickly responded, "Not… that we can determine."

"So Nirvana remains locked." Komamura reached over and took the capsule from Nel, who pouted before turning her attention to breakfast once more. He examined his reflection in its shiny surface. After a time the burly canine looked up. "Thank you for the swift results, Rin-san. Would you care to join us for breakfast?"

"Oh… yes, please!" Rin had been eyeing the gorgeously laden table. There were foodstuffs on it he recognized from reports about the mortal realm but never actually gotten the chance to try. Could those really be the fabled 'waffles' he had read so much about? Komamura pocketed the communique without further comment and they proceeded to tuck in. Neliel stuck mainly to meat and tea; Rin made a point of avoiding anything she put into her mouth. As for the remaining fare, it proved just as wondrous as he could have hoped.

While adding dollops of honey and sliced fruit to his mounds of waffles, Rin surreptitiously observed the interaction between former Espada and former captain. They appeared quite companionable. The truth of the matter was that Noboru Shihoin had informed him of Captain Odelschvank's new living arrangements awhile back. But rumors hadn't prepared him for this experience. There was something quite homey about the environment.

Go ahead. Ask.

About what?

You know. Are they forming the Beast with Two Backs every night? Is she riding his furry locomotive? Is he pounding her Hollow hole, bouncing her melons on his banana, sailing his canoe up the River Nile-iel? Ask SOMEthing, will you? The Mistress of Whispers would pay dearly to find out.

And risk getting my face bitten off by one of them? No, thank you!

They don't seem so bad. But fine; if you're really that worried, then try something not quite as personal.

Ohhh… you mean…?

Go for it.

"Neliel-taichou?"

Her head came up. "Yes?"

"If it isn't rude to ask, I was just wondering… where exactly is your Hollow hole?"

The arrancar gazed at him with cool sandy eyes.

Then she reached over to grasp Rin by the front of his robes, pulled him across the table and swallowed his head.

Saijin watched this while calmly munching on a slice of cantaloupe. Rin's body hung limply from the captain's engorged mouth. After a few seconds, Nel popped the little guy out and replaced him in the same position as before. He sat there with hands in his lap, eyes even bigger than usual. Saliva glistened on his cheeks.

"Did you see?" Nel asked.

So much tongue...

Mechanically the tiny academic gave a faint nod. At last he managed to mumble through numb lips, "It's… kind of small, isn't it?"

At this the voracious beauty bent over and moved her mass of viridian curls to one side. Exposed in the back of her neck, right where the skull met the spine, was indeed a Hollow hole. She prodded around it delicately with two fingers, then flipped her head back up to regard them. "You know, I never thought about it before, but it just might be. The position has always been a bit unusual. It never went all the way through my throat, but Aizen speculated that had something to do with my Cero Doble ability."

"Perhaps it might have shrunk?" Saijin asked. "We should take measurements."

"Oh, it's not that big a deal. Can you pass the dipping sauce?"

The rest of the meal passed without further incident. For his part, Rin gave the matter some thought and concluded he would prefer to forget that ever happened. Lieutenant Kotetsu could find someone else to satisfy her curiosity. He then happily locked the last thirty seconds away in the darkest depths of his being and helped himself to more frittatas.

---

Rumor has it…

Concerning the so-called 'mortal miracle', Rukia Kuchiki continues to associate with Lord Arashi, even after her demotion. This on the heels of Katsurou wooing a certain Shiba…

A servant deposited refreshments on a low ornate table before departing. Reclining beneath the bows of a flowering apple blossom tree, Rukia Kuchiki looked across at her host. "How go our pursuits, my lord?"

"Well." Katsurou Arashi grunted as he moved from one step to another. The Tiger Lord performed a sword dance one-handed, blade swinging in intricate movements while his waist-length braid whipped around him. He wore a long overcoat of olive and crimson that flashed in the light like blood with every movement. Power and agility that even a younger man would envy showed in every movement.

Katsurou reversed his grip on the jian sword to lay its blade flat against the underside of his arm. He then began to pace slowly around the edge of the small arena located in a glade on the palace grounds, resembling a prowling tiger in the way he swept one leg over the other.

Rukia privately marveled at this display. It reminded her of years spent training together with Yumichika Ayasegawa. She remembered scoffing when that joyous madman insisted that any pupil of his must learn the appeal of combat. At first there seemed little sense to the idea. But so gradually she hadn't even noticed, the Kuchiki princess did indeed find herself developing an appreciation simply for the way her old tutor moved. There was, as he said, beauty to it. A strange hypnotic quality, like watching someone meditate in the midst of pitched battle. The same sense of admiration for martial prowess returned upon observing Katsurou at practice. Not for the first time, a part of her regretted that she had not witnessed his battle with Ichigo and Kon.

The thought made her feel guilty, and Rukia sought to reassure herself that admiring a master at work did not constitute infidelity.

"It pleases me to see you have weathered your sentence admirably, Lady Kuchiki," her host remarked while keeping his eyes fixed on a point in space where his imagined opponent must be. "Exile in the mortal realm has cost you none of your poise."

"His Lordship is too kind, but I must correct you." Rukia's brows contracted in slight reproof as she picked up her teacup. "My position is self-imposed. Nii-sama made it clear that I am always welcome home regardless of any disagreement we might have."

"I beg your pardon." He smiled slightly, perhaps amused at this unfailing support of her elder brother. "Nevertheless, my offer still stands. Apartments can be made ready for you and your family here on Arashi grounds should you ever find the situation…" His eyes narrowed, and once more the sword flashed out, "…untenable."

"I thank you for the courtesy," she asserted, raising her chin with the faintest hint of challenge. "Unnecessary though it may be."

Katsurou gave a grunt before returning to his workout. Rukia inhaled the sweet scent of apple blossoms in bloom while watching her former fiancé and erstwhile ally contemplatively. His face never lost the expression of calm authority which hadn't changed since they were engaged. Having being given the privilege of meeting all four heads of the Great Houses (five counting Lady Shiba), Rukia still found herself amazed at the drastic differences between their leadership styles. Lady Yoruichi Shihoin was a whirlwind, apt to surprise you at any given moment, and her people had adapted to this mercurial temperament. Their devotion to her was a form of wild adoration that outsiders often found bewildering. Meanwhile Lord Katsurou Arashi could easily be described as the brain and will of his entire household. All living under his purview seemed singularly devoted to whatever purpose he set his mind to. By contrast Lady Isane Kotetsu was more obedient to the overall will of her clan, only choosing to put a foot down in getting her way when she felt it absolutely necessary.

The one most closely resembling Lord Arashi in terms of demeanor was her own brother Byakuya. Both could be unnervingly reserved, to the point where you always had to wonder if you had offended them somehow without realizing it. Yet each of their households lived and died by their word.

After giving the matter careful thought, Rukia had finally determined the difference between them lay in terms of doubt. Both men took to authority as though born to it (which they were). Still, though you wouldn't think it at first glance, Katsurou was far more relaxed in his application of that supreme power. Byakuya privately agonized over the right thing to do, even if only those closest to him ever realized it. Katsurou had no such misgivings. His confidence might easily be mistaken for a nobleman's belief that he could do no wrong. Having spent more time in his presence, however, Rukia had arrived at the conclusion that the Arashi lord simply did as he saw fit until shown otherwise, at which point he adjusted his strategy accordingly and calmly set out on this new route until further notice. He was like an experienced captain of a seafaring vessel who recognized that while his word onboard ship may be law, the sea on which he sailed could easily turn fickle, at which point he must choose the most favorable action and work to make it a success.

Servants in the Kuchiki strove to keep from displeasing their lord every hour of the day. The Arashi were different, almost seeming to belong to their Lord as much as themselves. Finding fault with him was like finding fault with themselves. It must be nearly impossible for them to be at odds as she currently was with her brother. Perhaps this sense of tranquility was what caused her to seek out Katsurou's counsel more often than when they had been set to wed.

And, truth be told, she valued the company of someone whom she hadn't failed lately.

At last the weird blend of meditation and swordsmanship ended. Sheathing the zanpakutō, Katsurou strolled across the sward and took his seat beside Rukia. She handed him a cup of steaming tea which he accepted. "There has been no change in the Lord-Commander's decision, I take it," Katsurou inquired with covert circumspection.

"My position is something of a sinecure at this point," she responded self-deprecatingly. "I am welcome to visit, but as far as official duties go, no work has seen my input."

"I understand the R&D Bureau still enjoys your patronage."

Rukia shrugged. "Money is the only contribution I can make now."

"Several thousand human lives have been prolonged as a result of our collaboration over the last year," Katsurou spoke as he settled down on the cushions. "My position protects me, but that cannot last. Construction of the heavenly realms proceeds apace. The Halos are emptying. In just a few years, every soul will be ensconced in a permanent home. At that point your brother will assuredly insist I call a halt to the Arashi clan's interference with mortals, in spite of our contributions to Soul Society's repair."

A chill of uncertainty stole over her. Rukia placed the teacup down and looked at him squarely, hands folded in her lap to keep from fidgeting. "Are you still certain we are doing the right thing, Lord Arashi?"

The expression he turned on her held not an ounce of doubt. "Yes."

"It was reckless, involving you," she insisted. "At the time, I was… not thinking clearly. There was much on my mind. All the same, when you agreed to accept the spell Unohana gave me, I…" Rukia strove to muster her thoughts. "A part of me hoped you would refuse."

He gave a negligent shrug, black eyes drifting across the manicured garden. "I am not in the habit of dismissing entreaties out of hand. Nor was your status in my eyes diminished in any way by Lord Kuchiki's edict. You are a noblewoman. And despite your misgivings, I remain convinced the enterprise we have set out on is a worthwhile one."

There was no indication he was troubled by bucking the system or incurring the wrath of the Gotei 7 at all. Whatever misgivings he might have were his to contemplate, not hers. When Rukia first came to him with the suggestion that he use his authority as head of a Great House to do what was forbidden to other shinigami, she had recognized how unlikely the chances were that he would agree. Perhaps it was her Kuchiki training. In their world, nobility did not disregard the law, no matter what. Of course, the Arashi were different. And after determining for himself that the miracle spell held no nefarious undertones, Katsurou directed the military arm of his clan, the Mashō Demon Generals, to begin applying it wherever possible.

"Forgive me if I seem pessimistic," she sought to explain. "I'm told I have an overblown sense of responsibility."

"That is hardly a mortal sin. But if the topic troubles you, let us speak on less weighty matters. Tell me about your other family. How is your husband?" When her lip curled in a pout, Katsurou strove to correct himself. "That is to say, your partner. Has he recovered sufficiently to perform his duties?"

Really wish he found a different way to say that.

Out loud, Rukia admitted, "Ichigo regained his mobility some time past. However, despite the intervention of his father and Nanao Ise, there was damage that could not be fully addressed."

"Your young man is quite remarkable," he stated in an offhand manner. "It would not surprise me were he to achieve a full recovery."

"You are kind to say so, my lord." Still troubled at this topic, Rukia sought to think of a way to steer it away from her.

"Speaking of remarkable men, how goes it with the Shiba lad? Is he well?"

There was little doubt he meant Kon, but Rukia was surprised to find him up to date on their current living conditions. "We are all glad to have him back. The time away proved most beneficial to his growth." Then, with only the barest hint of suspicion, she asked, "When did you hear of his return?"

"An acquaintance informed me some time past." He nibbled on a small sesame cake with all appearance of tranquility. Katsurou always did have a way of raising her hackles without trying, and this time was no exception. Perhaps he enjoyed riling her up? Well, I can play that game too, Tiger Lord!

"Kon has expressed a desire to visit his family in the Shiba," she responded sweetly. "Would you happen to know when Kukaku might be available?"

"I will broach the topic when next we meet."

It was hard to tell whether that barb had hit its mark or not. Lord Arashi tended to project an implacable façade unless deeply rattled. "So you are still in contact with one another."

Katsurou turned black eyes on Rukia, who stared resolutely back. At length he said, "Our relationship is cordial."

For a noble, this admission held subtle undertones. Apparently Kukaku remained opposed to a formal marriage. Last she heard they had gone on an o-miai together. The details were so sparse as to lead her to believe they were being actively suppressed. Even rumors didn't fly far. Only a handful of people in the Seireitei wielded that kind of power.

"I would offer to speak with her, but Kukaku does not seek out my counsel regarding her private life. She can be…" Rukia touched her crown at a throb of remembered pain. "…fierce."

He sipped the tea tranquilly. "It is the nature of tigers to be solitary. We shall see how events proceed."

They spoke of other matters for a time, small things which nonetheless gave her comfort to discuss. Rukia was grateful for the chance to catch up with the goings-on at home. Eventually, though, she recognized that there were duties that demanded Katsurou's attention, and rose to depart. "I should return. Thank you for your hospitality, Arashi-sama."

"It was my pleasure." Katsurou rose to accompany her out of the garden. Behind them servants silently began cleaning up the remains of the picnic. As they walked through the halls of his castle he stated, "Lady Isane tells me she intends to visit you in the near future. Does this concern your possible reinstatement?"

"No." A group of Arashi warlocks parted with respectful bows to both of them as they passed. "It is a personal matter."

"Ah."

He seemed content to let it drop. For some reason, Rukia found herself adding, "I've asked her to examine my son. He has been having dreams of late that are troubling."

Katsurou turned his head slightly. "Nightmares?" They continued for a few paces in silence, at which point he said, "I know how trying that can be. Please let me know if there is any way I might offer assistance."

"Thank you, my lord." At last the two rulers came out to the courtyard where her palanquin awaited. An Arashi retainer stood there as well holding a small box. At Katsurou's approach, she opened it and the Tiger Lord reached inside to retrieve an exquisitely wrought white jade brooch which he held out to Rukia. "Please accept this, with my compliments."

"My lord is generous." She took the hexagonal carving, noting with a smile the snowflake etched into its smooth surface. Ichigo might get the wrong idea if I show him this.

He helped her into the palanquin. "Farewell, Lady Kuchiki."

Katsurou watched her depart. When the procession was out of sight, he retired to his bedroom, despite it being the middle of the day, and gave orders that no one was to disturb him.

After this, the Lord of Arashi dreamed…

---

Rumor has it…

Abarai Renji, co-First seat of Siamese Company, has been called out at captain meetings for unruly behavior. Apparently at one point the Lord-Commander even took him aside to dress him down for 'setting a poor example'...

Renji Abarai was examining a readout in his office when he finally registered the itch between his shoulder blades. Less a nuisance than a premonition, he had only a second to squirm uncomfortably before a shadow fell across his open doorway. When he looked up, Ikkaku Madarame leaned against the frame.

"Yo," the bald fighter greeted him indecorously.

"Hey," Abarai responded back without moving.

Ikkaku hiked a thumb over his shoulder. "Let's go get drunk."

Tattooed eyebrows contracted together in a grimace, and Renji returned his attention to work. "Maybe later. I've got a lot on my plate at the moment."

"Did that sound like a request, punk?"

His temper flared so hard red energy emerged around the captain's body in a lethal haze. It was all he could do to not leap up and launch himself at the other man's throat. Instead Renji mastered himself, directing a frigid look worthy of Byakuya Kuchiki at the other man. "Ikkaku, as your superior officer, I order you to get the fuck out of here before I kick your shiny head off."

In response the Third Seat only chuckled. "Wow! Iba wasn't fooling. He said you've been about as friendly as a pit bull at the officer meetings lately, but this…?"

Madarame lifted his hands melodramatically and turned around. "I'll be in the Blue Heaven in the 8th Ring. You got five minutes to finish wiping your ass with that paperwork and join me. That's an order from your sensei… Captain!"

He departed without awaiting a response. For a while Abarai considered just ignoring the ultimatum altogether. Give him a chance to come to his senses after a few drinks. Even someone as oblivious to military decorum as Ikkaku wouldn't be stupid enough to accost a captain in his own division.

But after fruitlessly staring at some logistics reports for two minutes, it occurred to Renji that he was expecting sense from a member of the Kenpachi's crew. Which was about as stupid as you could get.

With a resigned sigh, he grabbed his zanpakutō and strode out into the hall. You never know; there was always the chance they might wind up in a game of 'You Chop Me, I Chop You'.

"Rikichi! I'm going out. Clean up for me, will ya?"

In under three minutes the captain of Siamese Squad was plopped down in a booth in the Blue Heaven's taproom guzzling a platter of cheap booze courtesy of his old fighting instructor.

"Attaboy, Rooster." Madarame threw out the nickname without regard for how much it irritated him. Or maybe precisely because of that. "Let it all out."

Renji finished gulping down the saké and dropped his dish with a loud sigh. Ikkaku had managed to consume two jugs already by himself and was signaling the waitress for a third. How the guy could swallow so much liquor and never be the worse for it was a mystery Renji had long since given up on solving. Right now it only served to make him feel even more lousy.

Ikkaku snagged the jug when it was brought over and refilled the younger man's plate. "Alright," he said while pouring. "Spill."

" 'Bout what?" the redhead groused sulkily, eyeing the level rise in his dish.

"The reason you're such a snappy bitch, for starters."

"Fuck you," he muttered back, snatching up the plate and swallowing so fast and hard it made his throat hurt.

A dire expression passed over his half-mad ally's face. "Y'know, I was willing to play this nice so as not to show you up in front of the grunts. But any more talk like that, I will forego the pleasantries and proceed to kick your sorry ass from here to Byakuya Kuchiki's next pansy poetry recital."

That is no idle…

…threat, brother. Best start unburdening yourself.

Renji stared at his own unwholesome reflection in the platter-sized dish, taking in the red-rimmed eyes and downcast expression. Damn… I look like shit. What could it hurt, eh?

"I got dumped," he admitted in a defeated croak.

This admission saw Ikkaku lean back and settle chin on hand with a contemplative air. "Okay."

Renji finished off his remaining drink, feeling the warm light-headedness of intoxication wrap around him like an old familiar friend. Let it all out, it seemed to say.

"You know Neliel?"

"Tall arrancar with big tits? Hard to miss."

Renji grunted in what might have been agreement. "Me and her, we… we had a thing going. For years, without anybody finding out, although we were both captains."

Unnoticed by him, Ikkaku rolled his eyes in an 'Oh, please' manner. Thanks to a certain nosy lieutenant, half of Seireitei was in on Renji's 'big secret'. Not that hearing this now would do him much good. The battle aficionado resolved to listen without unnecessary interruption. A friend was in need here.

"For a long while… years… we had a good thing going, y'know?" Renji looked at Ikkaku, who nodded in commiseration. This silent encouragement persuaded him to further unburden himself. "After Rukia… well, I don't need to tell you about that, right?" It was still a sore topic. Good thing Yumichika wasn't here to bug him about that.

'Ready when you are, Renji! Let the pity party commence.'

Buzz off.

Aloud he continued. "And it wasn't just sex. Although, the sex was great. Mind-blowing. Hard work, exhausting, even, and dangerous. Like sometimes? I'd get this feeling like she was about to take a bite out of me. 'Cause she was so excited. And I'd have to fight her off! Only that made it even better somehow, y'know? If you ever get the chance, get yourself a Hollow girlfriend. They are just wild, man." Renji's head rolled back and he stared at the ceiling with a glassy-eyed smile. "Wild!"

Ikkaku raised an eyebrow and nothing more.

The red coxcomb wagged as Abarai's chin dropped down. "We had so much fun," he mumbled against his chest. "She taught me stuff, and I… returned the favor. Helped her acclimate, y'know? Not 'cause I expected anything from her, you understand! I never tried to force anything on her. Come to think of it… she practically forced it on me! Waddaya think of that, huh?"

Ikkaku just shrugged.

"Pshht!" The happy drunk reached over and punched his arm playfully. "You know what I mean. So we were good. Really, we were. Out in the field, at the office, in… bed, even. We did a lot of great work together. Believe me. We were happy. I never saw it coming, but we were. Me and Neliel."

Renji fell still, the joy draining from his features. "I never saw it coming," he repeated.

Nothing more came from him for a few seconds. It almost looked like he might be about to start crying. To stave off that embarrassment on both their parts, Ikkaku poured out another measure of booze and offered it to him. "So what happened?"

His former acolyte accepted and drank it dry. When he finished, an eerie sort of calm had settled over him. Definitely an improvement over bawling his eyes out over a woman… maybe? The way Renji looked now made Ikkaku uneasy. He almost seemed… scared. Or ashamed.

"I didn't do it."

Ikkaku sat up.

Before him Renji slumped with hands resting listlessly in his lap. There was a subdued quality to him now that indicated lack of sleep. Which was exactly what Madarame had guessed after getting a good look at him. The signs had been there for experienced soldiers to see, but no one short of a captain was going to tell a First Seat of the Gotei 7 that he needed to get some shuteye. Unless you belonged to Tiger Company, that is. They would tell off anyone, up to and including Old Man Yamamoto, at least if you got 'em drunk enough.

Unless it was Captain Unohana. Drunken bravado didn't cut it with her. That lady could make your balls shrink without even batting an eye.

"We…"

Renji swallowed. His eyes closed, and a shudder went through his whole frame. When he spoke next it was like he was reciting a litany. One that he had memorized.

"We were visiting the living world. Ichigo and R… Rukia. Just to say hello, y'know? Nothing serious. Check up on the kids, see how they were doing. And I remember talking to Ichigo, and Rukia was there holding the baby… the new one. Little girl. Cute little tyke. Good for her. The other one… I dunno. Kind of a wuss, if you ask me. Not that I'd ever say that to her face. But he wouldn't come near Neliel. Like he was scared of her." A sour laugh emerged from his throat. "The son of Ichigo 'Kick-Ass' Kurosaki' is afraid of Hollows. Who'da thought, huh?"

"Hrm." His drinking buddy chose not to comment on this.

"So anyway, Nel was sniffing around the kid, and I started getting worried she might be hungry. So, listen, so I made our goodbyes real quick, and Rukia, she… she looked sad. Hurt, y'know? Asked if we could stay a little longer to catch up, but I…" He swallowed, looking heartsick in a way that made Ikkaku's skin crawl. "I refused. Just like you would, right, man?"

For some reason Madarame didn't feel like Renji was talking to him right then.

The drunken confession continued. "After that we split. I felt bad for it, but… had to be done. And we were on our way back to Seireitei, just walking together, and Nel said… sh-sh-she looked at me and said… she asked if… if I was the girl's father."

Ikkaku frowned. "Where the hell did that come from?"

In response Renji groaned and flopped headfirst onto the table. "It was a misunderstanding, man!" he moaned into the wood stained by beer and vomit. "Just a misunderstanding, that's all. See, see, the thing is… their first kid, the boy… he's spiritually sensitive, so she could smell him just fine. But the younger one, little girl, she… she ain't got no spiritual powers, y'know? And Neliel… shit, man, shit… she's a Hollow, so she don't know about… babies, and stuff like that. Heredity, y'know? She thought… she thought that since one kid smelled good, and the other one didn't, that they must have… different parents, y'know?"

The Third Seat leaned in, unusually eager to hear more. "What happened next?"

"What happened? What happened is… I lost it. I blew up at her. Like, what she accused me of… I would never do that. NEVER!" Renji suddenly sprang up and looked wildly around at the other bar patrons. "I WOULD NEVER DO THAT, Y'HEAR ME?"

When they only stared at him without saying a word, he settled down, the red glow of anger dying all around him as he retook his seat. For his part Ikkaku surreptitiously eased his zanpakutō back under the table. No need for things to go that far, it would seem.

"And I tried to… explain that to her. How she got it wrong, how sometimes kids are just different. Ichigo's sisters, for example, the one can see spirits, and the other can't. And she ain't even freaky strong like their big brother, the lucky punk. Just luck of the draw. Luck. And I… told her she was in the wrong for accusing me of cheating on her. Because I would never do that either. I'm not that kind of man. And she was crazy for even thinking I could do either of those things… to my friends."

"But then she asked me… if that was true… who it was I saw in my dreams?"

"Eh?" Ikkaku cocked his bald head to one side.

His drinking buddy gave a miserable nod. "Yeah. 'Bout that… I have these dreams, man. Like really fierce dreams. Thing is… I can't remember what they're about. Forget 'em as soon as I wake up. Usually I go right back to sleep. And Nel never mentioned it before either. Only now… she said that I lied. That she could… smell it on me, y'know? Smell the other woman. And that's crazy! Right? 'Cause usually we had just got done having sex, so why shouldn't she smell it on me, huh? After what we got up to in my… our quarters. And I didn't know what she meant. She said it was… strong, whatever that meant. And familiar too, but… different. So she thought that maybe… maybe I was… sneaking off somehow while we were together and… getting it on with… Rukia."

Self-loathing was never a pretty sight. It made Ikkaku wonder how long his young friend had been keeping all this bottled up. I might have come just in time to prevent a really big mess.

"And she wasn't even mad about it," Renji continued while he brooded on all the vagaries of a spurned lover's heart. "That was the worst part, y'know? Just took it all in stride. Like she didn't even know… how wrong it really was. Neliel… she's kinda simple, y'know? Not dumb, but… innocent. Straightforward. Doesn't always get the gist of stuff. But she seemed to think it was… okay. That I would do that. Slip around behind her back… with Rukia. And I… I'm so stupid, I asked if… she would do that with Ichigo behind my back. And she told me… she would. And I wanted to know just how many guys she had cheated on me with! And she said I couldn't know because it might get me killed and she didn't want that. After that I didn't know what to say so we stopped talking. Went home. We just… stopped. Stopped eating together. Stopped… having sex. Couldn't even look at her after a while. Then she just… up and left. No idea where. Never tried to find out. She could've shacked up with anybody. 'Free love', y'know? Hell, for all I know, she's having wild crazy sex with… with… TŌSHIRŌ HITSUGAYA, of all people!"

Renji looked and sounded so jealous there Ikkaku had a hard time pitying him. "Too cold," he grunted. "Too small. And too young."

"Not for Neliel," the drunken paramour lamented bitterly. "Nobody's too good for her!"

Oh, yeah. You've got it bad, son.

While the redheaded mope stared bitterly into the bottom of his glass, Madarame pondered. Not hard to figure out what the deal here is. Nel cut straight to the heart of it, naivete be damned. Renji wasn't lying when he said he would never do that sort of thing, to her or Rukia.

But he still wanted to.

And that was eating the poor bastard up inside.

"Listen, Renji," Madarame began when it looked like he had gotten it all out of his system and had lapsed into spinning the smaller dishes to wobble on the table. Time to play the part of the commiserative friend. "You remember how you used to get drunk and open up to me and Yumichika about your love life?"

"No."

"Good."

WHAM!

His fist smashed into the back of Renji's skull and drove it clean through the table.

Shocked silence settled on the establishment. Waitresses stood frozen with platters held in each hand. The bartender made a point of slipping the good stuff out of sight so it would not wind up broken over somebody's head. A few patrons wisely paid their tab and exited without any fuss.

Slowly Abarai Renji rose from the wreckage. He fixed Ikkaku with an accusing glare.

Rather than finish the job, the Third Seat offered him a bland, almost passive look. "You're too stuck on envying another man's life, when what you should be doing is making your own so kick-ass amazing that Ichigo wishes he could be you!" He took a swig from the ceramic flask and held it out to Renji, who regarded the offering suspiciously but accepted nonetheless. Ikkaku continued while he drank. "You need to get out there and go balls deep. In everything. Marry a god-damn royal clan head. Lead your company to glory. Kill a fuckin' vasto lorde. Get unanimously voted Captain-Commander and kick Byakuya Kuchiki's ass to the curb. Then go knock on Ichigo and Rukia's door and ask what they did this morning. Stand up and roar, man!"

The booze flask dropped to the table. "Yeah," Renji whispered. "YEAH!"

He then leapt up, threw his head back and let out a sound that had Ikkaku reaching for his sword again, as it was the closest thing to a Hollow's howl he had ever heard coming from a solid spirit's throat.

"I'm gonna… I'm gonna ROAR!"

Numerous people in the 8th District later testified to hearing a terrific crashing sound just before a gigantic serpent skeleton reared up into the sky, firing energy blasts and trumpeting like a herd of elephants.

Ikakku remained sitting in the now roofless bar watching Hihio Zabimaru go winding around overhead. Before he could decide how to respond, his young friend grabbed up a stone saké jug, smashed it over his own head, and collapsed in a wet, unconscious heap. His bankai disappeared soon after.

The Third Seat leaned over to ascertain whether or not the kid was still breathing. After confirming that he was, he signed for another round and waited to see who came around to arrest them both. That was when the night would really start to get wild.

---

PRIVATE LOG OF KIYONE KOTETSU, SECOND SEAT OF THE KIDŌ CORPS:

I have come to a conclusion. And that is I want to be of use. To my family, my squad, and my home. With everything that's going on, and the threat we're facing (which some of us aren't even aware of anymore, by their own choices), I want to make an even greater contribution. My empire, my treasure, my reach; it's got to be worth more than preservation! Up 'til now, that was enough. Maybe if I try and put my talent to a different use, it could be just what was needed for somebody to survive. Not that I think my contribution will win the war! I'm not that full of myself.

If I'm being perfectly honest, I'm scared that if I don't do this, my sister will wind up getting hurt. And that's not something I can live with. There is some info that even my trusty network of snoo… err, acquaintances, can't provide me with. For that, considering my current position, I have only myself to rely on.

SO!

With that out of the way, let's see what I can root out from the best of the Kidō Corps!

---

"Hmm? Oh, sorry, didn't hear you come in. I'd like a bowl of udon noodles, extra hot sauce."

"I'm not a take-out girl, I'm your division's Second Seat."

"Really? What happened to Hachi?"

"Are you serious?"

---

"The lieutenant? I believe his name is… Isshin… something?"

"Oh, for the love of… look, I'm told that you're the resident authority on the Sōkyoku halberd."

"The Weapon, you mean. Yes, that's right. They haven't found it, have they? I was simply agog at being able to examine the actual remnants! Its loss was a terrible blow to my research."

"You know your previous lieutenant was killed during that little escapade, right?"

"Yes, terrible business. Just terrible. She was such a fine girl, that Kirio… uhhh…"

"Don't bother. Look, if the halberd was stolen, that probably means they wanted it for something. Do you have any theories about why?"

"Off the top of my head? The thieves probably had someone they wanted to execute."

"Yeah. That's what we used it for."

"Wait one moment. I feel some things must be made clear here. Now, I haven't exactly been up to date on current events, but correct me if I'm wrong; weren't we invaded by vasto lorde a few years ago?"

"Kinda surprised you heard about that…"

"Well, you do know what they originally created the Weapon for, don't you?"

"Are you telling me…?"

"The Sōkyoku halberd was intended as an execution weapon for a vasto lorde. The first of its kind. They called it…"

"Fenris Wolf?"

"Quite! Glad to see someone else remembers the old legends. You look a bit pale. Would you like to sit down?"

"Thank you. I just… need a second. Okay, I'm better now. Please go on."

"Well, since you are remarkably well-informed, I won't bother with the details. You must already know just how many shinigami and their zanpakutō willingly sacrificed themselves to form the Weapon, that's no big secret…"

"…"

"After such a catastrophic loss of life worldwide, finally managing to snare the Wolf, only to find that no one had the power to deliver a deathblow, even when it was completely subdued; can you imagine the disappointment? Which was why they felt it necessary to take such drastic measures. It was generations before the ranks of the shinigami recovered! With sundry ages passed, most people simply forgot why so many chose to make the ultimate sacrifice."

"They used living shinigami to make the Sōkyoku?"

"Indeed. Naturally, it didn't work. Huge disappointment for those concerned, the records are quite explicit. And after so much trouble! The vasto lorde was transported to a locale deemed inhospitable as a means of minimizing collateral damage from the Weapon's release. It was an elemental weapon, you know, so its activation in the living realm would have resulted in significant damage to the environment. A creature of pure unyielding flame… how I wish I could have seen it just once! If only they hadn't been so unreliable about the last time, honestly, changing the date, twice no less! By the time I heard about it everyone had already…"

"Wait one second! So it didn't work the first time?"

"On the Fenris? No. The execution failed miserably. Hard to believe, I know. But even with a force equivalent to a million zanpakutō, tenfold that at the moment of impact, the target survived without a scratch. Still, they reasoned such an incredible sacrifice should not go to waste. So our ancient forebearers retained the Weapon in case another enemy of such staggering proportions should appear in the hope it might prove more effective. Nothing like it in existence, you understand. I'm afraid the Sōkyoku halberd is quite dead at this point. The Terminus was designed in case the Weapon ever went out of control. Whoever abducted the Weapon's remains must have done so with the hopes of reanimating it."

"Could they?"

"No such luck. Not like there are legions of shinigami we can offer up, am I right?"

"Right."

"Unless, of course, you happen to know any regiments willing to make the noble sacrifice…"

"NO! Mercy, how can I forget you people are all LOONS?!"

---

PRIVATE LOG OF KIYONE KOTETSU, SECOND SEAT OF THE KIDŌ CORPS:

Okay. Not a lot to work with yet. Interesting stuff, to be sure, but whether it might make a difference…

As for me, I find myself drowning in a sea of recluses and hermits. I get lost in our own division headquarters at least twelve times a week, and the only thing that keeps me from going absolutely batty is all the interesting stuff I stumble across as a result. People are more than willing to talk when you find them, but they're such a bunch of shut-ins their gossip tends to be centuries out of date. To put a point on it… this division is hell for me.

Hmm… Hell. That reminds me…

---

"-YONE KOTETSU! One of the OLDEST shinigami alive today, I probably predate your GREAT-GRANDPARENTS! Now turn off this spell and let me out of here or so help me, I will see you FED TO HOLLOWS!"

"Sorry, Lieutenant. Can't be too careful. So what can I do for you?"

"Look… according to witnesses, when the Wild Hunt last got wiped out, the Gates of Hell appeared at the site of their destruction. Have you ever heard of that happening before?"

"Never. Then again, the Hunt is not my field of research. I mainly research Hell. Are you certain it wasn't an unrelated matter?"

"Positive. I think Hell might have been searching for… an escapee."

"Fugitives are extremely uncommon. That's why I've made their study my life's work, actually! Rather scant information on the topic. A body gets curious."

"What can you tell me about damned souls who have gotten loose?"

"Well, for starters, escapees usually remain free for an average of 2 seconds. In every recorded instance of a breakout, the target was only able to keep from being immediately reclaimed by inhabiting a mortal body close at hand."

"So they can possess the living to hide."

"Oh my, yes. Mortal flesh cannot be penetrated by infernal means. It's beyond a demon's ability for some reason. As you can imagine, this leads to simply appalling conditions for whatever poor creature finds itself the new host of the damned. We call the result 'Shells'. They're absolutely wild, you know. I've postulated that upon escaping Hell the mind's virtually empty of everything but the pain which they were subjected to. Hard to say what might…"

"How does Hell get them back if they do that?"

"Afraid the only way is for the host to be killed. Or die. A necessary sacrifice. Once that happens, the damned is revealed; disoriented, confused, and an easy mark for Hell to reclaim. But where things really become fascinating is if the host had a soul beforehand! A wild animal, for instance, is highly unlikely to have developed one. They are such simple creatures, far removed from us, after all. I've often wondered what truly becomes of them when they die…"

"I'll ask around. Getting back to business…"

"Right. So in the case of human possession, there is a further inconvenience. From what we have been able to gather, once entering Hell, the damned are exposed to excruciating torture and pain. A plus soul or even a shinigami can take only so much injury before it proves fatal. Being for the most part regular souls themselves, one would think the injuries received by the damned would be enough to destroy them in a very short time. Instead, according to legend, the demons of Hell enchant their victims such that they can endure unspeakable harm without perishing! Thus the torment endures past all reason."

"Come to think of it, I've seen purified Hollows getting speared through by a Hell warden with a giant weapon before. Looked pretty fatal, but it wouldn't make sense if it was, 'cause then they wouldn't be able to punish them."

"Exactly. Numerous mythologies attest to this in their depiction of the afterlife; eternal torture, rejuvenation, the next day they start all over again. And a damned escapee appears to retain this protection. In the case of human possession, the fugitive will bind itself to its fleshy host's soul, conferring their immunity to harm at the same time. Scholars have debated for ages that certain infernal categories of mortal monsters from around the world, such as draugr, were-beasts, Chinese jiang-shi or really any type of 'vampire', are the result of interactions with Shells! As such, human Shells can endure physical damage which would assuredly kill a regular mortal. At this point, the only way to separate the two is through the use of what we call a 'purified weapon'."

"And that is?"

"Something bathed in their victims' blood."

"You're kidding."

"Not for the squeamish, I know. But it's true, I assure you! This is old sorcery we're talking about. Death magic, the really ancient kind. Back before the rise of Soul Society itself, mortals sought to harness the arcane through such beastly stuff as animal sacrifices, blood-letting, ritual mutilations. The power that exists in life ending. Didn't always work, of course, because not everything has a soul. That's essential. Terribly out of fashion, you understand. Nobody likes to talk about it these days. It's like deathstone."

"You were saying? Purified weapons?"

"Oh, right, do excuse me. Blood magic; primitive, the very first of its kind, whose only purpose was to bring pain. All more sophisticated conjuring owes its existence to this primal fount. Now, any person killed or possibly even injured by a Shell will do. Collect some of their blood, smear it on a physical object, say a knife or a spear, and stab the poor devil to death with it! This will cleave the living soul from the damned and bring the sad beastie out into the open for Hell to snap up. The victims of the Shell's attacks are imbued by some manner of connection with their murderer, you see. I've never been able to deduce what it might actually involve…"

"Revenge."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Revenge. Against the person who killed them. Hell's demons are all about torturing evil souls for crimes committed while they were alive. Revenge is key to harming the damned, so it makes sense their victims are the only ones allowed to hurt them."

"A fascinating theory. Where did you read it?"

"Jigo… I mean, it's just some gossip I heard."

"Ah… 'gossip'. I see. But who determines what is evil? Now there's a question for the ages, since…"

"So the damned soul is separated from its host after death, which is when Hell feels free to swoop in. Just like when the Hollow of a person bound for Hell is purified by a shinigami."

"Quite right. The two concepts are similar, because our role in purifying Hollows is precisely what led to this conclusion regarding Shells. In each situation, Hell is incapable of claiming their lawful prey owing to some outside interference. In the case of Shells, a mortal agency must be involved to deal with them. Not like we shinigami can anoint our blades with the blood of the slain, am I right? You have to wonder, though, does it have to be a mortal victim's remains? Would their spiritual 'blood' also do the trick? Assuming we could find them…"

"Focus, please."

"Beg pardon. Where was I? Ah, the blood. Now, we step in to purify an evil soul's Hollow in order for Hell to claim them, though what exactly prevents Hell from doing so on their own is quite another matter, one which has seen much debate flourish around it. You see, upon death, damned souls sometimes become Hollows immediately and…"

"A Hollow has no heart. Even if Hell did reclaim them, demons wouldn't be able to work out their aggression the way they're supposed to because the damned can't feel remorse for what they did."

"I'm sorry?"

"See, demons force their own pain onto the damned 'til the soul dies or they don't have any left to work with. It's like… what was it? Ah! 'A cup with no bottom cannot contain our pain'. Something like that, I think. By purifying a Hollow and removing their emptiness, we shinigami make the damned capable of feeling Hell's punishment fully. Otherwise they'd just explode! Kind of like being killed by a Quincy, really. That's how demons let go of their own suffering from when they were alive and are eventually allowed to die and be reborn."

"That… that is a BRILLIANT hypothesis! How have I never read anything from you before now?!"

"I mainly operate by word of mouth. Hang on … so the damned can possess the living, right? Could they also… possess the dead?"

"You mean like a corpse? Yes, of course, that would be perfectly…"

"Actually I meant can a damned soul possess a Hollow?"

"No. Why do you ask?"

"Never mind. I was just wondering if that might explain the Wild Hunt and why nobody can kill it for good. How did people even figure out this whole 'pure weapon' gimmick? It doesn't seem intuitive."

"Trial and error, I would imagine. For example, say you've just seen a Shell maniac slaughter your sister, or son, or family friend. They're turning their sights on you…"

"So in desperation you grab the knife or rock or whatever they used to do it with and let 'em have it, POW!"

"Quite. Of course, it's within the realm of possibility that an outside agency brought the solution to our attention."

"I think that's all I need right now. Thanks for the help. If you'll excuse me."

"Wait, Lieutenant! I mean, that is… in the future, would you perhaps… like to trade information again?"

"Buddy, now you're speaking my language!"

---

Aizen Sosuke raised his head from a Go table and smiled. "Uncle. It is good to hear from you again. Will you join me in a game?"

Katsurou took a seat across from him. He ignored the black and white stones arranged so neatly on the board. All his attention focused on the handsome soul lounging in a huge wicker throne. He still wants to play games. Like a child.

Without an ounce of emotion, the Lord of the Arashi pushed his arm over the surface of the board, sending polished tiles clattering upon the floor with tiny clicks. Aizen watched him do so, merely raising an eyebrow in response. "If Go is not to your liking, I am an expert at parcheesi."

"Have you been visiting the Kuchiki child in dreams as you have me?"

Wearing a light cotton yutaka, the last living son of the Takuiyoku clan settled back with an untroubled air. To anyone else, he might have prevaricated, or outright lied. Instead all Aizen said was, "Yes. I sought to understand him."

What felt like hot acid in the back of Katsurou's throat made his voice a hiss. "Why?"

"If you are implying that I mean the boy harm, rest assured that is not the case. My pursuits are purely intellectual." He made a motion with his hand, and the Go board and its pieces disappeared. They regarded each other with nothing between them. Then, perhaps because he was nettled at the implicit accusation, he added, "We simply wished to investigate the latest scion of the Kuchiki."

"We?"

"Retsu and I." He fanned himself with a painted Chinese fan that hadn't existed a moment before. "If she wished to cause him injury, Retsu had every opportunity when the boy's own parents left him in her care for months all unknowing." He glanced away across the sparkling ocean to his left as though done discussing the matter.

Katsurou rose to stand over him, lips set with displeasure. "You know better than to involve children in their parent's affairs."

Chocolate brown eyes narrowed in what might have been a warning. "He is not aware of who I am. It is merely a means to learn more about him. The boy thinks me a playmate. I entertain him with children's games, stories and myths, nothing more. In no way have I attempted to turn him against his parents. I doubt he even remembers me upon waking."

"You," Katsurou said slowly, emphasizing his words so that they were not so readily dismissed, "should know better."

Aizen regarded his uncle in a somber vein, then stood up. "I have committed no crime against that boy."

"Deception," Katsurou spit. "Trickery."

"The same you engaged in ages past?" Aizen retorted coolly. "With the Shiba. I am well aware of…"

"A KING… SHOULD KNOW BETTER!"

His shout caused Aizen to stiffen. A spasm of anger passed over his face, to be quickly replaced by cold reproach. "And a lord should not?"

"Is it admirable, then, what either of us has done?" Katsurou countered. "Do we boast of it publicly without reserve? Or do we hide our actions, hoping no one will notice until it is too late? Sosuke, that is the behavior of a criminal! I committed a crime!"

"A justified one." The younger man's face twisted with contempt. "To avenge my mother's death. You had no choice because the corrupt system under which we lived took no action against their crimes! The law you broke had been perverted to keep a murderer safe and free simply because he wore a white robe!" Aizen turned to gaze out across the boundless sea. "That must change. Under my rule, there will be no more injustices swept away for the sake of convenience. I intend to bring about an age in which men can be proud to live!"

"Regardless of what it costs in innocent lives?"

"You are exaggerating, Uncle. I have harmed no…" Here he paused, as though in deliberation. Then Aizen stated, "I have killed no children."

Katsurou gathered his strength to say what he must. Before it was too late. "You are living a fantasy, Sosuke. A fairy tale written by someone else. You think your path is set, and all who stand between you and your desired ending are criminals. But that is not your only future! You are no longer a child. You cannot continue believing that a crown will change anything about your life! The kingship; the title of Takuiyoku; regaining any of these things has no bearing on who you are." He reached forward to take the younger man's arm in a secure grip. "Give it up, Sosuke, I beg of you. Do not strive to make yourself anything other than who you are. You need not play the role of Aizen any longer."

A frown came over that regal face, and he looked away. "Aizen is more than just a mask, Uncle. It is part of the real me."

"Lordship and nobility are all masks forced upon us since birth. Do you think I have never given an order that galled me? If you truly wish to become king, then you will find it comes with a terrible price. In order to make this glorious age of yours come true, the only way is to burn down everything that came before; all the lords and their houses, all the history; and even then, no one will thank you. You will have caused too much pain for it to ever be forgotten or reconciled. Men will remember you for a monster, and only by killing every last one of them will you be assured of that accusation ever dying."

"Then their children will be told a new tale, from the lips of their king," Sosuke retorted without a trace of concern. "I do not fear the slanders of small, frightened souls too weak to recognize evil when it has them by the throat, much less fight back against it. If any try to tear me down, be they lord or commoner, whether by word or deed, I will teach them the error of their ways!"

Katsurou's eyes narrowed. "Your mother would be ashamed to hear you speak as such."

The dream lord looked back, an angry god certain that he stood higher than any other. "And I would grieve to see her so, were she alive to feel it! But she is not. Thanks to the cruel vagaries of this world, I will never see my mother again. The ones responsible are not all dead. And even if they were, I would gladly visit Hell itself to make sure their suffering would never end. This is not a child's story we are living, Uncle, in that much you are correct. It is the fate of the human soul. And from what we both have seen, do you honestly believe that things can be allowed to carry on as they always have?"

"Sosuke," the Tiger Lord urged, "it will never end the way you want! Unohana has beguiled you with a fantasy for her own selfish pursuits!"

His nephew appeared about to speak, only to check himself. Instead he studied the fading sunset across the waves for a time. Mention of Unohana appeared to distress him more than anything previously said. "What would you have me do, then?" he asked.

Katsurou rejoiced at this first sign of uncertainty. He stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Aizen's shoulder. His nephew made no move to return the embrace, yet neither did he resist. Urgently the Tiger Lord pressed his perceived advantage.

"Come back home. Cast aside the monsters you have created. Return to Soul Society as my heir! You may assume command of the Arashi at once. I can convince the Kotetsu to join us. With our support, you can affect change that does not come at the point of a spear. The earth need not be soaked in blood for something good to grow from it! You are no monster, Sosuke. You are Manami's beloved child. She gave you up in the hope that you would live! It's not too late. Come home to your family. Let us make things right together."

Katsurou saw something then on his nephew's face he had never know before; fear.

A form rose behind Sosuke suddenly, made of cloth and colors, and from its highest reach a solitary eye blazed wrathfully at Katsurou.

The world around them went black. At the same time Sosuke slipped away, disappearing into the ebon background. Katsurou stared after him, hardly daring to hope.

Upon waking, he saved the dream, and spent the rest of the night contemplating its promise.

Manami, if there is any way possible, I will save your son.

---

Kiyone Kotetsu sat alone in the office reserved for her within the Kidō Corps Sanctuary. She had interviews scheduled with six different people concerning rumors milling about the Seireitei this afternoon. Yet all her attention was claimed by what she had gotten out of that last wizard.

Umasaya? I'm coming in.

Make sure you're not followed.

The world around her dissolved away, to be replaced by the offices of a bustling newsroom. Old-fashioned printing presses clattered away next to more modern varieties of media. Reams of paper were fed into row upon row of clattering, whirring, whistling contraptions. Papers and posters alike spewed out of them, bearing such eye-catching headlines as 'Fifth Seat of Tiger Division: In Memoriam or More Than Meets the Eye?' and 'HALO #6 is Secret Sweatshop Selling Seireitei's Sundries!' Little creatures that could have passed for gnomes or goblins bustled about swaddled in scarves and baggy clothes with caps pulled down over pointy ears to hide their faces. Only the gleam of eager eyes peered out as they snatched news items from one another while arguing over their import.

Kiyone climbed a stairway to reach the offices of the publisher. Once she opened the door and shut it behind her, all the clamor faded away. Here everything was peaceful. Serene. With a grateful sigh she flopped into the plush leather seat reserved for her and rotated around to view her empire of the soul.

Sure you weren't tailed?

Her gaze alighted on a darkened corner in this otherwise well-illuminated office. The hunched figure crouched there stared back.

"Positive. Have a seat and let's chat."

Instead Umasaya snuck over to the window and yanked a cord to bring the blinds rustling down. He quickly closed them, only to peer through the slats with obvious suspicion. At length the zanpakutō seemed satisfied. He came around with quick steps to stand at attention near the bookshelf, running his eyes over several gleaming trophies awarded for best scoop.

Were Umasaya not so inclined to paranoia, his appearance might have made one uncomfortable. The guardian spirit was little more than an absurdly large pointed nose sticking out from under a straw hat. The collar of his raincoat was turned up to completely hide any other part of his face (assuming he had one). Water dripped off him, as though he'd just snuck in out of a downpour. When his hands came out of his deep pockets, the nails were three inches long and narrowed to sharp points. He had a habit of tapping them in complicated patterns on any available surface. Umasaya claimed doing so soothed him. Kiyone never called him on it.

To what do I owe the honor?

Kiyone leaned back in her seat to study the shifty-looking soul cutter. "It's time we got serious."

A snort caused those cavernous nostrils to expand to the size of bowling balls for a second. Color me shocked. Since when are you interested in what I have to say?

"Don't be like that. I always like to hear you out! It's just, well…" Here she rested her head on one hand to regard him with sad eyes. "Once you get going, I tend to get lost."

Oh, really? Well, who was it that predicted GIN ICHIMARU was actually a TRAITOR?!

"Uh, everybody?! There were zero people who trusted that guy. You'd have gotten my attention if you told me Unohana was the one to watch out for."

I DID, remember?

"Because you thought she was running a bordello out of the Fourth Division headquarters! How you ever reached that conclusion…"

Here Kiyone took a deep breath and held up her hands in a gesture of surrender. "Never mind. I freely admit I was drunk when you came up with that one, so part of the blame rests with me. Right now, let's put our heads together." She stood up and moved to stand in front of the desk, bringing them closer. "I want to start knotting the loose threads. Always before, I never looked much further than the information I received on its face. I left that up to others because I had… things on my mind."

Their eyes turned to where a small framed photograph of Ukitake Jūshirō rested close at hand on the desk, always in sight and ready when needed.

"Now… my sister needs more from me. Even if she doesn't know it." She looked back at the silent zanpakutō. "You weren't like me, though. You always followed the threads back to their source. Maybe the conclusions you reached didn't make sense, but that's beside the point. I want your help. So right now, give me whatever you've got."

It's all connected. Every bit of it. Unohana Retsu. Takuiyoku Sosuke. Arashi Katsurou. They're THREE HEADS on the SAME BODY. One hand washes the other even though the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. Understand?

Hoo-boy, here we go. "No."

Try and keep up. What are you? Shinigami. What are they? Hollows. And Hollows only care about one thing: survival. They hunt at night, they tend not to stay long in any one place, and they don't make friends. So where does that lead us?

"I dunno."

Easy. There's a missing piece of the puzzle. Not hidden, or lost, but gone completely. A big huge empty space where something or someone used to be but isn't.

"I'm starting to think this is a waste of time."

Listen to me! It's all right here, in your head! I've been playing the angles, doing long division, theorizing, extemporaneous exposition, and you know what I've realized? We dodged a bullet.

Definitely a waste, Kiyone thought to herself.

It all comes back to ONE PERSON: Ichigo Kurosaki.

Oh?

That kid was trouble. Bad news, with a capital 'B'. Then all of a sudden Nanao said his inner hollow WAS GONE. No explanation. That's three major Hollow half-breeds up and disappeared in the span of a few hours. Gone, vanished, like smoke. Arrancar, Vizard, and Human. No sign of them. And WHAT HAPPENED THEN? That's right. The Wild Hunt. Captain Hitsugaya and Leopard Company fought it off. What were they there for? To keep Rukia Kuchiki safe? No way. That was the OFFICIAL excuse. They were meant to draw our attention. The Wild Hunt wasn't defeated. It just went away. And WHY? I'll tell you: because its reason for being there was gone. Which can only mean–

"Stop."

The soul cutter paused with one finger raised in the air. Am I going too fast?

"You're not going anywhere. That's the problem." Kiyone flopped back into her armchair and spun around. With irritated finality she slammed her heels on the ground. "NO! No more distractions! We've got to get some actual work done. So let's take it from the top." She picked up a pen and began tapping it against the table. "What do we know for sure?"

Umasaya sat across from her, his nails now drumming a nervous pattern in counterpoint to hers. For sure? Well, there's rumor, and speculation, but… uhhh… why don't you… tell me?

Kiyone inhaled deeply and pondered. "Unohana Retsu was Fourth Division captain since the founding of the Gotei 13. That whole time, she was trying to find a way to bring it down. Aizen Sosuke was just her last stab."

BUT…! The nasally-magnified gumshoe leapt to his feet with finger upraised. He wasn't her FIRST!

"Yeah. Obviously. So where does that lead us? Prior to Aizen, whom we know was born about 580 years ago, what was Unohana doing? If she wanted someone who could beat the Commander-General, where would she start looking?"

Yes… yes, I see where you're going! It's all so clear!

"It is?"

Yes! Unohana CREATED THE WILD HUNT!

"What? No! NO! The Wild Hunt existed ages before Unohana was born! Oh, for crying out…! THAT'S CRAZY!" Kiyone stood up and began pacing around her office while Umasaya looked somewhat meekly on.

Eventually she stopped and held up both hands as if to steady her thinking. No more simply running rumors. I've got to use this gift of mine to try and piece things together for once! Just take it slow.

Wild Hunt. Hollows. Wild Hollows. Crazy-crazy. Cray-cray, as the kids say today. Crazy. Mad. Hollow. Fenris. The original vasto lorde…

"…Hmmm,"she murmured. Kiyone began pacing from one length of her office to another, trying to get her thoughts and suspicions in order so as to make sense. After a time she came back to the desk and sat across from Umasaya.

"At some point before recruiting Aizen, Unohana must have tried to get herself a vasto lorde. The original one, Fenris, Coyote Stark… he could have destroyed Yamamoto."

And everyone else, don't forget.

"Still, is that the only reason why she didn't go after it?"

Maybe. Also no one KNEW WHERE IT WAS.

"Right! Well, I mean, the Shiba knew, but we didn't learn about that 'til afterwards." Kiyone leaned back in her seat to stare at the ceiling fan going round and around overhead. It was almost hypnotic. "Alright, so… say you wanted a vasto lorde. Where would you go to look? Hueco Mundo, obviously. Aizen did the same thing, maybe with help from his mistress beforehand. And if she found one, she would have tried to maneuver it into a position where it could attack Yamamoto. Even if it couldn't kill him, it might have weakened the Old Man to the point where Unohana felt she stood a chance of finishing him off."

That's a longshot. Too long for my tastes.

"Really? Well, if it was too far-fetched for you, that's saying something. But let's assume for the sake of argument it worked. She got her hands on a Hollow god. Don't you think we would have heard about an attack like that?"

No. You know as well as I that there was a CONSPIRACY afoot to keep low-ranked shinigami from learning about the existence of anything higher than Menos Grande. The Central 46 didn't want their foot soldiers getting all panicky over the possibility that they might run across an ADJUCHAS or an ARRANCAR while out on patrol!

"Yeah… they would hush it up, wouldn't they? And when that happens…" A slow, hungry smile lit up Kiyone's pixyish face. "What's left but a rumor?"

She rounded on her accomplice. "Umasaya, give me everything you've got that might count for the last two thousand years. The criteria is…" She tapped a gloved finger to her chin in thought. "Sudden disappearance of captain or captains, especially with any of them not coming back; mass deaths, here and in the mortal realm, up to and including the extinction of civilizations; any of the Big 4 captains using their ban-kai in battle, specifically Unohana or Yamamoto; and… that's all."

A packet of papers was thrust before her nose. Grinning merrily at the swiftness of their work, the Kotetsu princess opened the binder labeled 'Top Secret' and started to snoop with Umasaya reading along over her shoulder.

"First up, one hundred years ago … four captains and their lieutenants go missing while investigating the rumored disappearance of regular souls …" Kiyone frowned and threw a disparaging look at her zanpakutō. "Well, I guess we all know what happened there."

Or DO we?

"Oh, save it. Rumor confirmed. Next is… extinction of the Quincy population half a century later. Coordinated attacks worldwide, aid from Soul Society possibly delayed or withheld, confirmed appearance of the Wild Hunt, subsequently destroyed… rumor confirmed." She began leafing through the documents. "Captains dispatched to deal with… Wild Hunt, Wild Hunt, rumors confirmed, flu pandemic, lethal rat-borne illness wipes out a third of Europe…"

And at roughly the same time as the Mayan Empire's decline. COINCIDENCE?

"Yes! Hold on, here we go. Finally, something to do with the Big 4! Rumored Captains Unohana and…" Here she swallowed before continuing. "…Ukitake dispatched together. I remember that, it was…!"

Kiyone checked her notes and frowned. Umayasa leaned forward to get a better view.

The Kenpachi from that period was replaced around then, remember? No one ever saw her again.

Kiyone looked at the separate bits of news. I never put any of these together. Granted, there might not be a connection at all. Except… the Quincy genocide and the incident that led to the Vaizard… they have nothing obviously connecting them, but we know for a fact both were arranged by Aizen. And I've barely started going through all this. Just because these other events happened in the mortal world doesn't mean they might not also be significant.

Of course, nowadays there's only two people left who can tell me if I'm really on to something here.

"We need to speak to the captains."

---

Katsurou Arashi sat across the dining table from Kukaku Shiba and wondered what she might be thinking. Was the banquet to her liking? "There was a large harvest of citrus this year," he remarked suddenly.

"Yeah," was her reply.

"That is why there are oranges in the curry."

"I like it." As if to confirm this she lifted a chunk of beef and popped it into her mouth.

What should I say next? Is she bored?

You are far too anxious right now.

Their meal continued in silence.

The problem was Katsurou had lived alone for a very long time. He had attendants, and courtiers, and family members, it was true. But they mostly left him alone to do as he saw fit. In the end, he was their lord, and they his servants. He was born to it. They accepted that.

Katsurou was never bored. He secretly believed ennui was what led other people into the most absurd follies which to his outside observation seemed woefully obvious.

I wonder if the servants are watching you both thinking the exact same thing?

Kukaku placed the chopsticks on a stand next to her empty plate. Katsurou did the same despite not having finished. Immediately attendants came to clear away the meal and bring out another course.

The two looked at one another the whole time this was proceeding. He did not know what to do with this woman. She did not respond to his entreaties or explanations as one might expect. And although every attempt he made for her benefit was rebuffed, Katsurou still found that he did not want to give up.

Some might call this pride; the swollen ego of a powerful man unused to not getting what he wanted. That was not the case, however. He knew this for the simple reason that when he tried to fit that answer into the question of why he did not surrender, it gave him no insight. It was not the correct solution. Nor, when he was perfectly honest with himself, did the answer that he was in love with her make any more sense. This, too, provoked no response in him that would explain his enduring effort in what others might term a fool's errand.

I do not know what it means to be in love. I have been alone with myself and my thoughts, unwilling to allow anyone to truly approach me, for a very long time. Perhaps it is simple recalcitrance and if I were to open myself up even a little, it would be enough. Things might progress from there in a way I never expected and even prove welcome. An improvement to my life.

"I spoke to Lady Kuchiki recently," he said.

"I know." The head of the Shiba clan eyed a roast peacock in all its finery as it was brought out on a silver platter. He couldn't tell if she was amused or appalled.

"She mentioned your young brother would like the chance to pay a call when you are available."

"Kon?" A smirk flitted across her face for a moment that was swiftly dispelled. "Thanks for telling me."

I wonder if she tastes better than her brother?

"I wonder if I am up to the task of courting you."

The Lady of Shiba's eyes narrowed. "What?"

His next words came so quickly Katsurou wondered if Jurōgumo might not be giving him some subtle inner prodding. "I become unsure of myself when we are together."

Kukaku tapped a finger against the tabletop restlessly, then seemed to realize what she was doing and stopped. "Then maybe you should just give up."

What does she want? And can I give it to her?

"I do not know. But I do know that my life would be less satisfying were you to leave it."

"What the hell does that mean?" An angry growl, accompanied by drawing a pipe from her robe and proceeding to fill it one-handed. The noblewoman cursed as she spilled tobacco on the table, finally jamming the stem between her teeth half full. When a servant appeared bearing a burning taper, she shot him a look that sent the man fleeing as though blown by a gale. Instead Kukaku summoned forth a small pinhead of fire on one finger and used it to light the pipe. She sucked in smoke and expelled it forcefully from her nostrils, glaring at her host through the haze as though defying him to call her out on any perceived bad manners.

Katsurou studied her throughout the whole process. There was frustration in her every move which she no longer sought to disguise. This came as no great shock. Kukaku seemed to be holding down a ferocious temper whenever they were together. He had initially surmised this was due to him always making the arrangements to share her company which she, despite being Head of a Great House, felt obligated to attend as a result of her family's inferior social status.

Perhaps, rather than resentment, she also remains confused as to your relationship.

We are on an o-miai. I would think that was clear.

Are you courting a girl, or stalking your prey?

Since when are you interested in my social responsibilities?

Since you discovered a need for sex.

This pronouncement brought Katsurou up short. For just a moment Lord Arashi saw himself and Lady Shiba rolling on the floor together with robes open, entangled in each other's embrace.

I wonder if her zanpakutō is offering her similar encouragement?

"Well?"

Kukaku obviously expected a response to her question. He came back to himself with shocking suddenness. Recalling their conversation, Katsurou sought to regain control of his feelings even as he tried to understand them.

What is there to say?

'Do you wish to have sex with me?'

"Do you want to have sex?" she said.

He gave a start, looking across the table at her with shock. Kukaku stared back puffing her pipe. A grimace twisted her face, and she barked a contemptuous laugh. "Hah!"

After a while his eyeline dropped. "That is… not my goal here. My intentions towards you are honorable. This is an o-miai. An arranged introduction."

"Our fourth or fifth, by my count," she shot back. "Can't you figure out what you want and just admit it so we can stop playing these ridiculous games?"

His lips compressed in abrupt anger. "Lady Shiba," Katsurou declared coldly, "I am willing to overlook your lack of social graces for whatever reason you choose to disregard them…"

"Oh, is that right?"

He proceeded without interruption. "…be it an impoverished upbringing or ignorance of these matters on their face…"

Her eyes flared with fury, carrying the smell of burning charcoal laden on the air. "Asshole, like I need anything from you…!"

"…but if you have any suggestions as to how we should conduct our meetings from here on out, I would be more than willing to listen to them."

Kukaku surged to her knees and slammed a palm on the table so hard the room shook. "STOP SENDING ME GIFTS! Stop offering me advice, stop asking for my attention, and stop wasting my time! Get a fucking life, you goddamn… cripple!"

She was breathing very hard, face flushed and sparks dancing from her lips. After a moment, though, Kukaku seemed to realize what she had said. Her hand stole up to clutch instinctively at the sleeve of her own missing limb. Her mouth opened, then shut just as fast.

Katsurou's arms rested in his lap, one of which ended well before the wrist. Without even the flick of a finger, every servant in the vicinity, whether visible or not, removed themselves with all due haste.

When they were alone together, he rose upright and crossed the length of the room until he stood over Kukaku. The bold beauty glared up at him, brazen challenge evident in every line of her face. The way she tensed as though in prelude to combat was telling. Whatever gaffe she might have committed, clearly Lady Shiba was bound and determined to answer for it directly.

Instead, he sat down at the table, placed an elbow on its surface, and extended his hand.

"What's this?" She regarded him warily.

"What does it look like?" he countered.

"Seriously? You want to… arm wrestle?"

"Indeed."

At this the fireworks engineer burst out laughing, short sharp barks that did not last long. "That's a joke," she proclaimed with savage scorn. "Two one-armed people going at it. Almost as grotesque as sex between us would be."

"If you simply do not care to engage in a contest for fear of losing," Katsurou retorted calmly, "I would be more than happy to give myself a… handicap."

Those pale jade eyes sharpened. "Son of a bitch," she muttered. When he merely gazed back without making a move, Kukaku shrugged out of her robe, revealing her bare arm sporting the mark of the Shiba clan on it. Muscles stood out against rosy skin that shone with health. A mean smirk played over her face. She settled her elbow on the table, reached out and clasped his fingers in a ferocious grip that was as much an assault as anything they were about to attempt.

The moment she did, Katsurou leaned down and placed a kiss on the back of her hand.

Kukaku snatched her arm away with an oath. She cradled it against her breast, an expression of disbelief wiping away any trace of pride or rancor. Instead she looked almost… afraid.

It reminded him of Sosuke. Maybe I am doing this for my nephew. To show him you do not have to do what others expect from you.

As such Katsurou took this moment to speak the truth.

"Forgive me, but I have wished to do that for some small time."

She gaped at him as though that were the most absurd statement she had ever heard.

"Is there anything you would like to do to me, Lady Shiba?"

Kukaku stood up very quickly, and Katsurou followed suit. She eyed the man as though she expected him to pounce upon her. The line of her clenched jaw trembled.

In a whirl of green and white silk she darted past him. But after only a few steps, he heard her stop. Lord Arashi waited where he was without turning around. He could hear her breath, and tried to keep his own relaxed for both their sakes.

After a while her footsteps came closer. Clothing rustled, hesitated a moment, then moved again as she reached up and grasped his long iron-gray braid.

Smooth hair wound over and around itself felt soft to the touch. Kukaku rubbed the waist-length cord gingerly at first, lifting it to from one side to another as though to get a better idea of its heft. Katsurou let her do as she pleased, standing patiently with arms crossed.

When about a minute had passed, he heard her turn, and felt a gentle tug on his braid that pulled him down to the floor. A moment later both he and Kukaku Shiba were sitting with their backs pressed against one another for support. She still had not let go of his hair.

"I worry men would find me repulsive if they… saw me naked."

He tilted his head back a little to study the ceiling. "Forgive me for speaking so crassly, but you have a form any man inclined to female companionship would yearn to touch."

"Sure, you'd think that," she shot back. "But I've been on plenty of dates, whether o-miai or not, and believe you me, when they look at where my arm should be, all they're thinking about is what I'm missing, and whether there's gross ugly scar tissue they might have to touch, or how they would have to do more during…" Here she took a deep breath. "…during sex… because I couldn't do it myself."

"Perhaps it is harder for women," he suggested softly. "I have never had to endure that sort of shame. A man who loses a limb in battle is considered heroic; a warrior, a valiant fighter who endured the sacrifice of his own body."

"Depends on what appendage you lose, I guess."

Katsurou took a moment to consider this, and gave a brief laugh. "Yes. Not all loss can be considered… manly."

She chuckled as well. For the first time, it held no trace of scorn or self-deprecation, and Katsurou was very glad to hear it. That laugh spurred him on to speak greater truths.

"However our relationship might turn out… I do not want it to end because of me, and I do not want it to end because of you. If it must end, I want it to be… because of us, and what we agree upon together. Not surrendering; instead, accepting one another, and that comes from being honest. Whether it means we are together or not afterwards, I wish for there to be respect between us."

"I'm not interested in you for your money, or your status, or anything else like that." Kukaku's voice had turned low with anger again, but he noticed she continued playing with his braid, and took that as encouragement. "I've got things of my own that are worth just as much, if not more. But when folks look at us… together or separately, all they see is…"

"Two cripples?" he interjected. "Holding each other up?"

"Yeah. It's stupid. I don't give a shit what other people think about me. And that works… for a nobody. A fireworks nut who has to move every other month because her house burned down. But as somebody important… Lady Kukaku, head of the House of Shiba… that's when I feel like I can't measure up. And it's not just a question of having freedom. I don't know… if I can succeed at that, let alone want to."

He considered this for a while. "I have more to look forward to in my life thanks to you. Not just the grace and humility you bestowed upon me when it was in your power to take all that away. Things I cannot predict, which nonetheless are pleasing to me, though I still cannot say for sure why. I cannot speak passionately because most of my life, I am not impassioned. I am neither happy, nor unhappy. Instead I am calm. But that is not the case when I am with you. If I fail to win your favor, I believe it will make me angry, because it will have proved me unable to put forth the effort which would have been enough to demonstrate my worth in your eyes. Having come to know you better, I understand very well how such an existence might hold no appeal." He turned his head slightly. "But it is what I have to offer."

"The bland life of a noble?"

Katsurou looked straight ahead again. "A life with me."

Apparently Kukaku had nothing to say to that. She continued toying with his braid for a while longer.

It was then he felt her shift, and that long length of dark strands draped over his shoulder, passing briefly before him to settle on the other side, leaving them both bound neck and neck by a circle of woven hair. The sensation of comfort that came with it was irresistibly strange to him, though no less compelling.

"We're still arm-wrestling after this, you know," he heard her say.

"I am ready when you are," came his reply.

Their match did not come for a long time yet.

---

"Kiyone-chan!" Ukitake Jūshirō beamed. "Good morning!"

Her head came up with a start, and Kiyone sprang to her feet. "N-Nii-sama!" Flustered at finding him here, she snapped to attention as though on inspection at a military parade. This in and of itself was ridiculous. He was no longer her superior officer. Before the flustered death god could decide what to do about it, her idol had already given a laugh.

"You don't have to be so formal," he chided her gently upon approaching. "We're both obviously here for the same reason. Why don't we go see him together?"

The retired war hero gestured down the hall of the manor amiably. Kiyone stood and together they left the cozy waiting room to which she had been led by the household staff. There was no denying him. She didn't have the heart, or the will. Any time spent with her brother-in-law could only be a blessing. After everything he had done over the centuries, for her and the rest of the world, wasn't he owed all due courtesy and respect?

Apparently Ukitake felt no need to wait for a maidservant to return, as Kiyone had been when he first appeared. Instead she trailed somewhat nervously in his wake as he entered the manor proper. "Knowing him he's still abed even at this hour," he confided in her with a self-deprecating grin that made her heart flutter. "That's probably why the staff requested you wait. They were trying to rouse him. Never fear, I have experience with this. So what brings you by, Kiyone-chan?"

"I'm… looking to clear up a few things," she supplied lamely. While still positively aglow at being able to spend time with him, a part of her couldn't help but lament this occurrence. Kiyone had hoped to grill (or rather interview) both of them separately. Just to make sure there were no… discrepancies on one end.

They passed some maids who greeted Ukitake politely as though finding his presence here in no way out of the ordinary. That figures. At last they entered a section of the building that was clearly reserved for the master's private use. Kiyone felt certain she could never have gotten this far into the inner sanctum, her status as nobility and a shinigami notwithstanding.

Her dashing guide selected a door and knocked gently on its frame, miming for her to let him go in first. "Shunsui? Are you decent?" He began to slide open the frame carefully.

"EEP!"

Kiyone caught only the briefest glimpse of a maid's uniform as a woman went rocketing past with hands covering her face to vanish around a corner.

"Ah, Jūshirō! So good to see you!"

Their attention turned immediately to a somewhat disheveled Kyōraku Shunsui, who was hastily shoving something under his pillow before rising to join them in somewhat wobbly fashion. His hair was a mess, and he made an effort to adjust his clothing. He turned a smile like that of a doting uncle on Kiyone upon spotting her. "And Kiyone-chan is with you! Good, good, they told me you had dropped by for a visit. This is such a treat. Come, let's retire to the garden where we can all get some breakfast."

It was closer to noon than morning, but the Kotetsu heiress made no mention of her host's private life. Soon enough they found themselves in a comfortable little gazebo with a quality repast already laid out for them. Ukitake and Shunsui chatted good-naturedly together, whereas Kiyone couldn't help but feel like an intruder. As such she made minimal effort to be drawn into the conversation. Strong drink was at hand, and she availed herself of it in order to have something to do. But at last Ukitake took notice of her reserve (he was always so thoughtful). "Ah, but here we are yapping away like two old men. Forgive us, imotou-chan. I believe you had some business with Shunsui that I clumsily interrupted."

"Actually, since you're here, it's… something that concerns the two of you."

Kiyone then went on to briefly explain the line of reasoning that led her to them. As she did, a distinctly troubled expression passed over Ukitake's face. His lifelong friend appeared thoughtful, yet even he could be considered pensive. Or at least not as laid-back as one would normally expect. He poured himself another drink and refilled Kiyone's cup as well, for which she was grateful.

Best start off with something simple. "Sir, if it's not too much trouble… can you tell me what befell the Kenpachi of that period?"

A glance flew between both men. Shunsui lifted his eyebrows a fraction, as though to say, 'What could be the harm?' The corner of Ukitake's lip tugged downward in warning: 'Old secrets can still bite.' At last those two venerable figures appeared to reach a consensus, and the white-haired god turned somber brown eyes on his former attaché.

"Kiyone-chan, this is no easy topic you've brought up. But since you are still fighting a war that was the result of our carelessness, we will try to be of help to you. At the time those events took place 700 years ago, a disturbance was reported in the mortal realm. Unusual weather, and growing disruptions in the planet's harmony, registering in both man and beast. All of this was occurring around what is now called Central America. Officially no explanation for it existed besides random natural phenomena. Unofficially…"

Shunsui directed a moody frown at the floor. "We determined the signs to be similar to those recorded from the first vasto lorde."

Kiyone almost spit out the contents of her cup. They knew?!

I TOLD YOU! Didn't I TELL YOU?!

Ukitake went on. "Captain Shiba reported this conclusion to Yamamoto, who called us together. No confirmed sign of the creature existed yet. We discussed the matter, and eventually the Old Man determined we should send in the Kenpachi and half her command along with the head of the Kidō Corps accompanied by a strong force of mages. They proceeded towards what we determined to be the epicenter of the disturbance. Soon after this… all contact was lost."

Before she could demand more details, he readily supplied them. "Members of the Second Division assigned to observe from a distance reported a sudden upswing in the unusual weather. To a drastic extent. Like a hurricane from out of nowhere. Then everything went quiet. A communication blackout occurred. All sense of the war party…" He made a sweeping motion with one hand. "…gone. When they received orders to investigate, the Second reported back that they couldn't find the Kenpachi, the Kidō Chief or anyone under their command. Not only that, every single human being for over a hundred miles around was dead. No sign of harm. They all looked to have just keeled over in an instant. Worse enough, their souls were missing. None lingering about to explain what might have happened either. Disappeared, just like our people."

"What happened to them?" Kiyone asked. She accepted another drink at her host's insistence. "Were they found?"

His fair head gave a negative shake. "None of us ever learned what really took place that day." Ukitake went on to add, "No vasto lorde emerged afterwards, so it was decided there was insufficient reason to investigate further. A replacement was chosen for the Kenpachi; official word had it that he bested her in a sanctioned duel. Substitutions for the lost Eleventh Division members came from the Maggot's Nest. They were suitably deranged to not stand out from their new comrades, and few lasted long. Needless to say, the loss of the Kidō Corps Captain did not gain much attention, secretive as they tend to be."

"I hear that," Kiyone muttered sourly, prompting her to refill her cup. Boy, this was good stuff!

"Word of the affair was kept tightly under wraps," he continued. "The Onmitsukidō saw to it. New officers were appointed, and things went back to running smoothly as before."

"Until," Shunsui supplied while lounging on his side wearing a disparaging grin, "the same thing happened again less than a half century later."

"Again?!" Kiyone blurted out a trifle loudly. How in the world did I miss all of this?!

"Not exactly," Ukitake sought to calm her with his voice, and it worked. He always had a way of making her feel at ease. Once she subsided sufficiently he resumed his narrative. "There was no loss of personnel this time. What he meant was that the same foreboding weather patterns took place, only this time on the European sub-continent."

"Oh!" Kiyone perked up suddenly. "That's right! When the Black Death hit Europe, we were swamped! It was a nightmare, Hollows everywhere, people dying at a record pace! The gossip back then was… well, things were so bad, nobody paid much attention to the weather, least of all in the mortal realm."

"Unohana was very active during that period." Kyōraku looked at his old friend as he spoke, who nodded in subdued fashion. Kiyone thought she understood a little of how they felt. Each of them must have spent a good deal of time after the Autumn War reevaluating their history vis-à-vis the healer goddess, much as she had. "She spent more time amongst the mortals than she did in Soul Society, trying to be as much help to them as the law allowed."

"At least that's what she told us then," Ukitake chimed in, like bells ringing to her ears. "I accompanied her unofficially after signs emerged that there might be Hollow activity behind the plague's spread itself. Eventually we concluded that was not the case, and the disease ran its course. Millions of humans were dead by that point. So many that we couldn't account for them all."

"Have you…" She hesitated before proceeding further. "…changed your mind after… y'know, recent events?"

They both inhaled at the same time, which was kind of funny. At last Ukitake said, "With the benefit of hindsight, Unohana might have taken a greater interest in these matters than one might expect." He gave her a considering look then. "Why this interest in the past, imoto-chan?"

Kiyone could contain herself no longer. She leaned forward excitedly, spilling her drink as she did. "I think Unohana might've been trying to create vasto lorde!"

Both of them stared at her. It made the tiny death god's face feel hot with embarrassment.

"Well, I mean.." she added weakly, "I just wanted to…be more useful. That is, I wanna make a difference! And when I went over my… my, uh, records, this jumped out at me! Hey, didn't the Mayan civilization go'nto decline around then? What was the expa-…pol…-lanation for that?"

Ukitake glanced at Kyōraku, who just shrugged his broad shoulders. "Mortal civilization was something of a closed book to us for a long time."

Yeah, considering Yamamoto made us all live in a HERMETICALLY SEALED SOCIETY for thousands of years!

"There is one thing I recall from that era which made me wonder," Jūshirō spoke in a musing manner, stroking his chin like a brilliant artist on the cusp of inspiration. She watched him in a sort of hazy rapture. "Many of our residents who died in the Western continents came to us speaking of Tamoan-chan."

Kiyone's forehead wrinkled. "Who?"

"Not sure. I gather it was their version of the afterlife, possibly a person. You made it there through falling in battle, or by being sacrificed to the gods. Anyway, it required some explanations on both sides, since many believed they had reached Tamoan-chan and wished to speak to their relatives who had gone on before."

"A common problem throughout the ages," Shunsui sighed while swirling a saucer of saké. He took a belt and heaved a contented groan. "Geographic location in the mortal realm had no bearing on where you appear in Soul Society. Even today, finding loved ones after passing on can be quite the trial."

"Shure't is." Kiyone wondered why her voice sounded so slurred. It was sort of funny, and she laughed, hiccupping. Soon after this someone suggested they have a drinking game to lighten the mood, which the little lush was only too glad to accept. By the time Ukitake (love that man) suggested he take her home, she could barely find her feet and had to be carried out to the palanquin.

Her brother-in-law let Kiyone lay her head in his lap on the way back to the Kotetsu estates. This would have been infinitely more enjoyable were her vision not swimming so badly she feared vomiting all over him. Preventing that from taking place became the sloshed shinigami's imperative for the immediate future.

After being led to her chambers and made ready for bed, one thought remained clear in the boozy confines of her brain.

Who else can I talk to?

---

Rumor has it…

Isane Kotetsu, Captain of Heron Company, continues to turn to her former lieutenant, Rukia Kuchiki, for aid despite the edict laid down by Lord-Commander Kuchiki.

The people behind this rumor have been dealt with…

"Kujaku? Come over here, I want you to meet someone."

The forest of blocks he was busy constructing still wasn't finished. Yet all the same, the boy stood up and came trotting over to the door where his mother waited. Beside her stood an extremely tall woman, so much that he had to crane his neck even higher than usual for an adult. She had short shaggy silver hair and wore a white cloak over the same black clothes his parents sometimes put on. When she smiled at him he decided right away that he liked her.

His mother reached down and picked him up. "Lady Isane, this is our son Kujaku."

"Hello, little prince." Her smile remained as nice as ever. Even better, she didn't ruffle his hair or pinch his cheeks the way most people did upon meeting him. He rested his head on his mother's shoulder, calmly studying this stranger.

At last Kujaku decided to tell her, "I saw a giraffe today."

"Gi… raffe?"

The lady looked as though she didn't understand him, so the tyke eagerly explained. "It was tall like you. And it had sleepy eyes."

At this his mother put him down. Immediately Kujaku remembered his project and raced back to complete it. The building-block forest occupied his thoughts, but from back in the kitchen he heard his mother and the tall woman speaking. "…says things like this… haven't been to the zoo in… apologies, Your Ladyship, a zoo is where exotic animals are kept for… claims he learns these things in dreams…"

After a bit Kujaku rubbed his eyes. Sunlight no longer streamed through the window. That meant it was time to play in sleep instead. Happy at the prospect, he headed for the kitchen where the adults sat deep in discussion. Mama hadn't made tea or put out snacks, which he had hoped they would share with him. She always did that.

Maybe the tall lady was a ghost…?

"Mama." He tugged her sleeve in earnest fashion. She looked down and asked, "Ready for bed?" Kujaku nodded, and she stood to lead him from the room.

The woman with silver hair came with them, not saying a word. With his mother's help he brushed his teeth and chose an outfit to sleep in. Their guest watched these proceedings curiously. At last they all went to the room where his sister already slept in her crib. She didn't cry as much as before. He hoped she would be there tonight.

"Sweet dreams," his mother murmured.

"M'kay," the boy mumbled back, sinking into the covers of his well-stocked crib. Sometimes Mama and Papa would stay and read to him, but normally Kujaku didn't need help falling asleep. There was so much to look forward to, he could hardly wait. The adults didn't leave the room. That was alright too. Maybe they could all play together, us and Moon Rabbit.

After a few minutes, when Rukia had assured herself the boy was truly asleep, Isane Kotetsu knelt by his crib. She examined him with the skill endowed by a dozen lifetimes of professional expertise. Words were exchanged, assurances given. At last, with her permission, the Kuchiki princess cast the spell on her former superior, and Isane's head dragged forward where she sat, one hand outstretched to rest with spectral weightlessness on Kujaku's forehead.

---

To his disappointment, Kujaku did not find Usagi Yue waiting for him in the bright play garden. Instead he looked around somewhere new; a dark, quiet place. There were no flowers or grass. Not even a sun in the sky. It looked like nighttime, only no stars shone down. He wondered if the darkness was a ceiling.

"One 4 Anger, Two 4 Mirth…"

Kujaku looked behind him. There sat the tall stranger with the silver hair across from a smaller girl with short hair and big eyes. They were clapping their hands together while singing a song. Neither of them glanced his way even once, so intent on the game were they. Clap-clap-clap. It looked like fun. But both the ladies were crying.

And so am I, the boy realized.

"Three 4 a Wedding, Four 4 Birth…"

Clap-clap-clap. The floor was covered by tatami mats. But in some places were carpets the likes of which he had never seen before. They were full of color and shapes. They reminded him of aquariums, with beautiful fish slipping and hiding through the rocks. That made Kujaku happy.

"Five 4 Illness, Six 4 Time…"

Both women continued singing, so Kujaku resolved to explore. The floor went on forever, he observed, but there were no walls. He could see all the way to the horizon. No buildings or trees, though. He walked a ways off, wondering where everyone could be. Were they hiding? Was it hide-and-seek? Maybe Father was under the carpets. He lifted the edge of one and peeked beneath, but saw only more emptiness. What a lonely place.

"Seven for a Secret…" Clap-clap-clap.

Kujaku observed the two sisters intently (Are they sisters? Yes, they are). He wanted to ask what the secret might be, but feared interrupting their game. The clapping grew faster. As he watched, the tears ceased to fall, and both ladies began to smile. Now they were clearly enjoying themselves. He was glad.

"Eight for a Crime…"

For some reason he glanced over his shoulder, and that was when Kujaku spotted the door.

"Nine for Retribution, a mother's bane…"

Why didn't I see it before?

"Ten for Grief, and we count again."

At this he realized the rhyme had started over. Only now the smaller lady was gone. In her place there now sat his baby sister Hiruko. She could sit up and was clapping along without any effort. But Hiruko's eyes remained closed, as though she were asleep. When the song resumed, only the silver-haired lady sang.

"One 4 Anger, Two 4 Mirth…"

He had missed his chance to play. This saddened him. He already knew the words, so instead Kujaku returned his attention to the door. It was a sliding panel, like the ones at home, made of white paper and wood. It stood there on its own without any walls to hold it up. Not like Grandpa's, that went in and out. This he could push open easily. Kujaku longed to know what lay behind it.

He walked towards the door where it waited for him.

"3 for a Wedding, 4 for B… birth…"

The lyrics stuttered as he placed his hand on the frame.

"Five for a Brother… Six for a… Son…"

Kujaku pulled. The door remained firmly shut. He took the handle in both hands and yanked harder.

"Seven for a Secret that made me Run…!"

His feet were scrunching up the carpets and tatami mats. Still the boy hauled on the door with all his might.

Run.

Behind him, dark brown eyes blinked. "Itegumo…? What is…?"

The door began to inch open, just a crack. Kujaku thought he could hear singing behind it. That voice…

Bewildered, Isane looked around, finally spotting the boy.

"No, stop…"

He didn't.

The shinigami captain snatched up the baby girl and leapt up to rush forward in a panic. "Stop! Stop! DON'T OPEN THE DOOR!"

The portal wrenched wide. Blazing light fell over them all.

In the doorway stood a person.

Kujaku stared. It was hard to make anything out because of the awful light. But he knew somebody was before him. And a noise. Static, very harsh, and loud, like furious bees. He couldn't hear anything else because of it. This scared him. It almost felt as though the noise knew they were there. And it was so angry!

Isane had fallen to her knees behind him with Hiruko held in the crook of one arm, awake and crying. Nobody moved or spoke, gaping at the cold witch-light.

WHAT IS THIS?

The hollow voice filled the world, making Kujaku shiver. A white hand emerged from the light. He made no move to resist as it reached for him.

"NO!"

Isane yanked the boy back, sheltering him behind her large frame. Still down on her knees, she stared blindly into the outpouring eruption of light and sound. That inhuman hand hovered before her face.

OH…

White fingers brushed her cheek in such a familiar caress there was no mistaking it. She shied away in awful recognition.

Not you.

Almost mindless with fear, Isane gave a shuddering sob.

I promised, remember? No more bad dreams. Not for you.

That tender touch withdrew. The hand reached back out of view, and the portal began to slide closed once more. Yet through the thin paper they could now clearly see a dark form outlined against brightest light.

Rest.

At this the silhouette swung up a fist and brought it smashing against the frame. The pane shattered with a sound of glass falling apart to lie in a broken mess on the floor. Moments later it had faded to nothing more than shadows. Then that too was gone.

---

Isane woke and sat up straightaway. To either side of her Ichigo and Rukia jerked back at this sudden movement. She turned a questioning look upon them, then noticed Kujaku still lay breathing peacefully. "What happened?" the ancient healer breathed.

"Nothing," Ichigo responded warily. "Well, I mean, since I got here…" He checked his watch to be sure. "About an hour."

"You have been asleep for almost two hours, Taichou. Did you dream?" Rukia requested, a note of urgency in her voice. "Was Jaku in it?"

"Yes," Isane nodded. "Yes, he was." She stood up and drifted over to where the boy lay in untroubled sleep. "We were together, and my sister as well. Or was it… his sister? I'm not sure. He opened a door… but it closed by itself. And when it was done, I felt… relieved." Her eyes closed, head lolling to one side with a sigh. "I'm tired."

Her heart ached at the look of distress they both sent one another then. She wanted to give them more, reassure the troubled parents somehow. But to do so might tell them things about herself she couldn't bear to reveal. So instead, Isane accepted their thanks and promised to let them know if she learned anything more after examining her findings further.

Upon returning home, the head of House Kotetsu sought out her husband, only to be told he had gone to visit an old friend. She considered seeking her sister's counsel, but decided it would not be wise. There was still too much Kiyone remained unaware of. Best keep it so, for the time being. When things were clearer, she could bring them both into her counsel.

For her own sake, Isane prayed that day came soon.

---

Playing games with Nee-san… 'til she got scared. That kid… who is he? He's opening… the door…! The DOOR! It's the secret, the one she won't tell me, finally, FINALLY! I'll know, open it-open-itopenit! PLEASE! TELL ME!

"Yo, Infanta. You awake?"

With the voice came awareness, and confusion. Kiyone sat up. Looking around, she registered her own bed, as well as her private quarters in the Kotetsu Manor.

"Oh, great! Have you seen the pictures of my baby cousin yet? She's just plain adorable, got her looks from Baa-san, thank heavens. Not that Jaku isn't cute too but with a mug like his dad's…"

And she even recognized the person perched on her open windowsill flaunting wallet-sized snapshots without a care in the world.

"What're you doing here?" she muttered, wincing at the unpleasant pounding in her temples.

At this, Noboru Shihoin grinned. "We had a date yesterday, remember? At the noon-day bell in Southern Rukongai. You never showed."

"Not a date." Kiyone's head remained fuzzy. A pull of the bellrope near her canopy bed saw several maidservants flow into the room with breakfast and hangover remedies at the ready. Upon spotting Noboru they attempted to shoo the young prince out, to no avail. He simply played with a black lacquer fan and made to smack their bottoms with it, chuckling as they scooted clear in crimson-faced fury to form a wall between him and their mistress.

"Will you just beat it already?" she groused while accepting a time-tested hangover remedy. Good thing, too, because her left temple was throbbing hard enough to bring tears to her eye. "I'll send an apology to your family representatives later. I've got more important things to worry about than an o-miai right now."

Noboru had grabbed the top windowsill and was swinging his legs in lazy fashion. "See, the thing is Mom and Pop think I ducked out on you, so if you can get that hell butterfly or whatever winging sooner rather than later, I'll be out of your hair and back to more important things."

The headache wasn't going away, and she had started to reconsider its source. An angry wave of an arm saw one of the maids retrieve a pad of paper from her bedside table to stand with pen at the ready.

"To the Honored Shihoin," Kiyone began to dictate while nursing her protesting brow. "My sincerest apologies for being unable to attend the arranged meeting with your dear sweet precious young master! I offer you all due honor and do hereby vow to amend this egregious oversight at the earliest opportunity. Vows of eternal friendship, blessings from heaven above, yada-yada-yada…"

She waited for the stenographer to finish her duty, accepting the paper to scrawl her name quickly before passing it off. Noboru accepted this less-than-official document and held it up to the bright morning sun, squinting. Kiyone buried her head in her upraised knees for a moment while she considered how best to begin. What did I learn yesterday? There was a coverup over half a millennium ago involving the loss of two captains; possible link to Unohana and vasto lorde; second-hand story that Ukitake-sama thought was important regarding… uhhh… Krakatoa-chan…? Tam… Tama-chan…?

"Tamoanchan."

"Thanks," Kiyone mumbled.

Wait a gosh-darn minute…

She sat up straight to regard Noboru in surprise. "Wait, what did you say?"

"It's written on the back." He held up the paper for her inspection, then took a closer look. "Well, maybe 'written' is giving this too much credit. But that name I recognize. This stuff about bloody weapons and the love poem to a 'moon-haired god' doesn't make a lot of sense, though…"

At this point the prince had to execute some hasty evasive maneuvers as the recumbent princess of Kotetsu came rocketing off the mattress like a frenzied shark in an attempt to snatch the paper out of his hands. He backflipped into the meditation garden outside with her in hot pursuit.

"Give that BACK!" Kiyone hollered, furious with herself for letting this happen. She must have written down the most important parts of yesterday's meetings before bed. As a self-aware heavy drinker, she often took this precaution in order to make certain she didn't forget anything important overheard while binging. Even with Umasaya's help, the sheer amount of information Kiyone kept within her person meant it was very easy to overlook small things, which was what this whole affair was about. But now… oh, that little monkey…!

"SHINING LIKE A LAMP IN THE HEAVENS / SKIN AND HAIR AS ONE WITH THE MOON…!"

She was halfway up a watchtower with him at its peak reciting the poem at the top of his lungs when something finally dawned on Kiyone. "Hey, wait a second!" she paused, noticing only then how out of breath she really was. Mercy, the kid was quick. "How do you know that name?"

His shaggy black head popped over the edge of the sentry tower. "Which one?"

"The weird… uh, Tamagotchi…"

"Tamoanchan?"

"Yeah, that."

" 'Cause I lived there, that's why."

Most of Kiyone's fury had dissipated by this point, and perhaps recognizing this, Noboru extended a hand to help her up to his level. They sat together on the edge of the tower, the sunrise bursting with color past their heads.

"It's in Peru," he explained, adding when her face puckered in confusion, "South America, where I grew up. Tamoanchan is a secluded mountain fastness for spirits, Hollow and plus. I chatted with the ghosts there sometimes, and they told me about the legend of Tamoanchan. How it was supposed to be a paradise."

Kiyone held out her hand demandingly, and with a shrug he returned the crumpled scrap of incriminating evidence. She glanced over it for assurance, then sat across from him. "So it's in the mortal realm?" How weird; Nii-sama made it sound like a spectral plane.

"Yeah. But there's power involved. Real heavy-duty stuff. Lots of old magic, danger around every corner, easy to get lost in. I used the catacombs to hide whenever things looked really nasty."

"Could you show me where it is?"

"You mean like in lieu of our date?"

"It's not a DA–!" Right about then her hangover returned with a vengeance, which left the legendary drinker of the 13th Division curled up in a ball groaning. Once feeling reasonably stable, she managed, "This is official shinigami business. I'm investigating something that could be connected to our enemies."

"Oh." Noboru hopped up to look down on her. Finally he shrugged. "Okay. I'll take you there."

"No, I meant… show me, like on a map. You're not coming along."

"Sure I am," he retorted with a friendly smile that in no way convinced her of his sincerity. "And before you think of complaining to Feng or my parents, let's not forget that I just learned a poema muy apasionada that might cause certain people embarrassment if it found its way into the next 'Seireitei Weekly'!"

Kiyone clearly envisioned herself shoving him off the edge to fall screaming to his death.

Thought you were trying to make FEWER problems for your sister?

He'd probably land on his feet anyway. Just like his mother.

"If I agree," she growled, "do you swear to forget that poem?"

"No problem."

"And do you agree to obey my orders? This isn't a game, Noboru-san," she insisted when he looked ready to give a flippant retort. "You're asking to join an official operation out in the field. If Soifon has taught you how to follow orders, now's the time to put them into practice. And who knows? This might count towards gaining some… freaky ninja training points."

This time he actually looked pensive. But at last he gave a curt nod of his head indicating agreement.

"Alright." Kiyone noticed the blossoming sunrise and sat back to enjoy it. "Have a seat, kid. Things get hairy, you might not see another one of these."

"Whatever." The ragamuffin plopped down beside her, and together they enjoyed the peaceful dawn.

For her part, Kiyone hoped he was a lot more confident than she felt. Because if they were really heading towards something involved with Unohana, heaven knows what they might find.

---

After he returned from the spell-casting, Aizen remained troubled. When Retsu questioned him about this he begged off and chose to retire to his quarters. There was much she could have done, but for now, true sleep was the only restorative he needed. And so he dismissed his servants and lay down in the palatial sleeping quarters that his ancestors had used for ages. This very thought disturbed Aizen.

He had assumed Katsurou might still harbor doubts as to his identity. But when they spoke today… those final moments left him certain the Arashi Lord recognized him as his flesh and blood.

When he looked at me, pleaded with me, it was…

What?

…Threatening. Have I ever felt this way before?

Yes. Once.

Surely it was this recollection that colored the dream Aizen had when he finally slept.

"Tōshirō Hitsugaya… I knew the name from Hinamori before he ever stood out at school, actually. They grew up together…"

Neliel's removal made Aizen more troubled than he was willing to admit aloud. This and talk of the soon-to-be promoted captain left him with a gnawing feeling of discontent, as though he had forgotten something important or neglected a dangerous element.

After Gin left to search for the ocean-bound vasto lorde, Sosuke returned to take up where his double had left off in Soul Society. Yet still, after lapsing back into the guise of the kind Fourth Division Captain, he remained disturbed. Owing to this he arranged for a short leave of absence to pay a visit to Junrinan province in the Rukongai's 1st District.

A simple kidō spell was enough to keep him hidden, and in short order, relying on his general knowledge of the area, he soon found his destination. This proved to be a small house located off by itself. Aizen studied the unremarkable domicile. Supposedly his subordinate Momo Hinamori had grown up here, cared for along with Tōshirō Hitsugaya by the boy's grandmother. For the first time he found himself curious as to what their life together must have been like. Did it bear any resemblance to his own childhood, isolated and unable to interact? Even if it did, what difference would that make now?

And what am I even doing here?

The only person still living in this hovel was the grandmother. Aizen detected no sign of the old woman, and so he stepped inside, pausing only to draw Kyōka Suigetsu and leave her planted firmly in the dirt next to the front door (she protested this treatment greatly, of course). That way anyone approaching could not fail to spy her and immediately fall under the spell of Complete Hypnosis. They would not notice his presence in the slightest, and so he could investigate without any chance of being discovered.

His search yielded little results. Certainly nothing that would explain the foreboding which had claimed him since first laying eyes on the Hitsugaya boy. The room he determined once belonged to Tōshirō held only a few books, some small items of personal value, and a hidden trove in the floorboard containing a paltry sum of money along with a well-thumbed pillow book. Apparently their new captain had a bit of a perverse side to him. Good to know.

Of the house's remaining resident there proved few signs. She hardly seemed to exist when compared to the children. Momo's room remained as she must have left it despite being gone for years. The granny was obviously sentimental, keeping everything free of dust and grime without changing any of the furnishings. A simple life for all of them. Small comfort items. There was food in the pantry, the result of having even one family member serving in the Gotei 13. Their grandmother could benefit from that much even if she doubtless required no fare herself. Nonetheless the family lived like paupers before, according to Momo's account. As did many others today.

He was in the living room flipping through a small book of poetry when Kyōka Suigetsu called out to him.

She's coming back.

Do you have her?

One moment… yes, she sees me. The spell is cast.

He heard the old woman's approach as well, and so went back to his investigations. Complete Hypnosis would prevent her from noticing him in the slightest. Sosuke spared the granny barely a glance when she hobbled inside carrying a small bundle. Her two wards' combined salaries meant she could afford a few niceties. Hopefully better poetry than what he was currently reading.

Sosuke? Something's wrong…

Aizen glanced toward the door with a frown, and only then noticed the old woman hadn't moved. He looked at her, and received the shock of his life to find the granny gazing right back.

She was a shrunken creature, with a gray hairbun and clothes from a bygone era. The old woman trembled where she stood, eyes encased by wrinkles and toothless mouth sucking faintly. Unnerved, Aizen continued to stare at her, and she did the same.

Can she… see you?!

That is impossible.

The very idea rendered him speechless, and as if waiting for that moment, the parcel fell from the old woman's hands. "Oh… it's you," she whispered, sinking to the floor.

Aizen remained frozen, feeling like a burglar caught in the act. What is happening?!

"How I prayed this day would come!" the ancient crone continued, arms wrapped around herself and shaking with some nameless emotion. "I beg your pardon!" Frantically she sought to rise and came stumbling towards him. "I harbored doubts before, but to see you now before me is so…!" She choked, tears dripping down her cheeks. "I cannot tell you how good it is to see you!"

The smile she wore turned Aizen's stomach for some reason. He made no move to escape as she tottered closer. It felt like a horrible dream…

"This small one delights in your presence. Can I offer you anything? I have tea, meager though it may be. Oh, but surely you have come for more than that. How may I be of service?"

She reached out a quivering hand.

Aizen jerked back, almost slamming into the wall of the house in his haste. He stared at her, breathing deeply, choking down a dread unlike any he had known before.

WHAT IS HAPPENING?!

"My lord?"

Is she drunk? No, she must be mad. There can be no other explanation. Her wits are addled past even Kyōka Suigetsu's ability to distort further.

Leave, Sosuke. Now!

He did so, not even bothering to question why anymore.

"No, do not go! Please stay!"

She made as if to grab him as he strode by, and with a startled shout Aizen swung out a hand and knocked her to the ground. She crumpled without resistance.

Stunned at what he had done all unthinking, for a few seconds he just stood there, unable to react in any way. Is she dead?

Low, wretched sobs filled his ears.

"Forgive me."

She sprawled on the tatami mats covering the dirt floor of her hovel, shaking without stop like a frightened fawn. "Forgive me, my lord. Forgive my weakness. I am old, I… cannot serve. Forgive my treachery. Forgive me."

"Who are you?!" Aizen demanded in a harsh whisper. Then, when no response came, "WHO ARE YOU?!"

KILL HER!

He sprang outside and ripped Kyōka Suigetsu from the earth. Dashing back into the house, Aizen raised his sword over the bent helpless form, eyes blazing and teeth bared in a savage snarl. The madwoman had fallen silent, rising to a sitting position to face away from him.

KILL HER, SOSUKE! NOW!

The sword trembled in his grip. For a moment he didn't know what to do. And it was during this momentary hesitation that she began to sing.

In a halting voice filled with sobs, the grandmother croaked an unfamiliar lullaby. Yet something in the tune touched Aizen to his core.

I… know this song…

'Where is the justice in this?'

Aizen did not see who spoke those words, but they made him feel like a child. At peace…

'Sleep, my darling. Your mother loves you. Live!'

Whoever was speaking then sang the same lullaby as the old woman.

Horror. Screams. Darkness and loneliness. It burned through his brain, threatening to overwhelm him. His body warmed, as though from passion or strong drink, and when he came back Aizen had no idea what could have caused him to feel this way.

He turned and fled from the hut as swiftly as possible, leaving the biddy behind. Yes, she must be mad. It was the only explanation. No one would believe her. There was no need to assure her silence. I am not a monster, I do not kill on a whim. My course is a noble one.

You are safe. I saved you, didn't I, Sosuke? Didn't I?

He had no answer for her. Eventually Aizen dismissed the affair and focused his attention once more on their plans, leaving the matter of Tōshirō Hitsugaya for a later day.

---

"TEN-HUT! Heron Squad co-Second Seat Sentaro Kotsubaki salutes superior officer Kidō Corps Lieutenant Kiyone Kotetsu! Salute, men!"

"SALUTE!"

The monkey on her shoulder was chirping what for a human might have been gales of hysterical laughter. It made Kiyone feel just as ridiculous as that moron looked! "Will you stop SALUTING me, already?!"

"Negative!" The big bearded bear stood ramrod straight while staring dutifully over her head. "We must maintain all proper decorum when engaged in this joint exercise. As a full-fledged lieutenant and I merely a co-Second Seat…"

"We're still the same rank," she countered him.

There was something in the way Sentaro smiled then that made her heart sink. "We were never the same rank." He proceeded on in a much softer vein without bothering to notice her distress. "Your sis… I mean, the Captain was very clear. If there's anything there which might be put to use by the Hollows, Heron Squad is to locate it first and clean up." He then squinted at her. "What's with the monkey on your back?"

"Which one?" Kiyone grumbled as she stomped past Sentaro, feeling worn out like she often did when working with her old comrade from the Thirteenth. She regarded the assembled force of thirty shinigami from Heron marshalled at his rear. This coupled with the dozen or so robed and masked sorcerers she had brought from the Corps meant they numbered fifty strong. This stalwart force floated over the Andes Mountains of South America, ready to take part in a joint operation that would investigate the hopefully derelict remains of a long-dead threat.

"Psst!" Noboru's simian form whispered in her ear. "Over there!"

He pointed, and Kiyone zeroed in on one mountain out of many in the snow-capped clusters stretching into the distance. The peak in question appeared to stab the sky from her position, with white clouds spilling out from its tip like ichor from a wound. What a grisly way to start this job…

"What next, commander?" Sentaro barked as he came to stand a respectful pace behind her. "We await your orders!"

She fought down a sigh. There had always been a subdued yet healthy competition (I'm sorry, WHAT?) between her and Kotsubaki. But ever since the Autumn War, he tended to behave towards her… well, like she was his superior. And that was even before they got their current ranks! It was disturbing.

More like you're an ex-girlfriend, really. One he doesn't know how to treat anymore.

"We're going in. Make sure you're ready for anything."

"Acknowledged. How's the captain?"

No need to ask who he meant. They both knew. "He and my sister are very happy together, thank you for asking." Then, just to show him they weren't that far apart after all, "So how did Iemura take it when he got told you were sharing the #2 spot with him?"

"Like you don't already know?" He grinned at her then, which made Kiyone happy for the first time today. "I think our good friend Yasochika is secretly hoping I perish in heroic yet irrefutable fashion on this adventure."

"I wouldn't joke about that if I were you." Kiyone tugged on her gloves while scanning the ether. Nothing to be overly worried about yet. Behind them the members of Heron Squad were inspecting their armored robes along with those of the mages to make sure everyone was secure defense-wise. It was heartening to see them all working so well together. "No telling what we might find in this place if… if the rumors I've heard are true."

"I'm not sensing anything from it in terms of Hollows," he mused. "Sure you're not working with bad intel?"

A whisper from Noboru for confirmation, and she declared assuredly, "There's some type of ancient magic around the place that interferes with spiritual signatures from the inside. Nothing we haven't dealt with before now. Once we're within the mountain, the magic won't affect us. We should be able to feel everything from that point on."

He crossed burly arms over broad chest and lifted his goateed chin. "So what can we expect in this place? Hollows, arrancar…?"

Kiyone withdrew Umasaya to examine the weapon critically. "Hollows for sure. Possibly some friendly souls, though I wouldn't count on that. The place is a virtual underground city, from what I've been told. And lest I fail to overstate the obvious, there might be the remains of a vasto lorde factory inside."

"That's something new, for certain." He cast a cool professional look her way. "I'm ready when you are, Shorty."

"Bite me, Pushbroom!" she bit out. "I'm challenging you to a match the second we're back in Soul Society, you hear?"

"I'm game. It's been too long since I drank your tiny butt under the table."

"IN YOUR DREAMS!"

He chuckled before giving a signal to the squad at their backs. "Whatever you say, Lieutenant."

Tugging at the green band around her chest, Kiyone raised an arm and gave an authoritative shout. "ALL UNITS, MOVE OUT!" The shinigami force followed her lead, racing toward the mountain's summit and whatever secrets it might hold.

---

Rumor has it…

A small force from both the Kido Corps and Heron Squad went missing while out on assignment two days ago. No word yet as to what they were working on or whether a search party has been dispatched.

Awaiting word from the Mistress of Whispers…

To be continued…