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.

28. Winter's Touch: Trials and Tribulations

"NO!"

He heard Matsumoto scream. And then Hitsugaya Tōshirō's life flashed before his eyes.

---

Gin came sauntering down the steps. As he did, Tōshirō could not rid himself of the feeling that death was approaching. At last they stood on the same level. The madman's hands were hidden in the sleeves of his white coat. It occurred to him that they had not had reason to be this close to one another since their brief fight in Soul Society when they were both still captains, before their world was turned upside down.

"How is this going to work, then?" the boy captain asked quietly, itching to draw his sword.

Ichimaru cocked his head, his eternal leer now almost certainly looking to draw blood. "Well, lemme show ya what we've cooked up." He indicated back over his shoulder and turned, showing his back to Hitsugaya. It would have been the simplest thing to run this man through. The world would undoubtedly be a better place. Yet again his thoughts strayed to that last aborted battle, when he thought Ichimaru at his mercy, only to be proven woefully wrong.

At this he felt a shiver. When he looked up, it was to find Matsumoto Rangiku regarding him. Her face was calm, eyes half-closed and head tilted to one side, as though inspecting him thoughtfully. Like she was judging every move he made.

Matsumoto descended from the pedestal as well. She indicated over one shoulder and turned to follow Gin. After a moment, Hitsugaya did the same.

By the statue's pedestal, Gin stopped and turned around. Upon drawing closer Hitsugaya noticed a small replica of a pagoda set on the statue's base. He looked between Ichimaru and Matsumoto, silently wondering what this might portend.

"We've set up a little set o' trials for ya, Hitsugaya-kun." The lilting tone in which Gin spoke held only mockery and malice, with no attempt whatsoever to hide it. "See right now, you're here." He pointed at the lowest level of the tiny tower. "And I…" His finger trailed slowly up to tap its highest point. "… am here!" The fox tucked both hands into his sleeves and turned to regard him with a smile. "There's seven levels in this set o' labors. And yer gonna have to beat all of 'em."

Rangiku stepped forward before he could speak up. "Think of it as the seven deadly sins, Taichou," she smiled at him in a kindly fashion. "Each opponent that you face in our little gauntlet embodies such a trait. By triumphing over them in battle, you will be one step closer to heaven!"

He looked between them for a moment, unnerved by how comfortable they appeared in each other's presence. Though he had known for a while now that Gin and Rangiku were working together, seeing it for himself drove the point home cruelly. Rather than dwell on this, though, Tōshirō instead stole a glance over his shoulder. He made a quick count to confirm his suspicions and then came back around. "You expect me to fight your lackies, is that it?"

Someone uttered an oath behind him, and when he turned, the human girl Tatsuki Arisawa had taken a step towards him, only to be restrained by Konpaku Shiba's hand on her wrist. She regarded him in annoyance, but in response the mod soul just gazed back calmly. After a few moments the hostile woman appeared to relent, going back to him and her shadowy companion.

"Now I know what'cher thinkin'." Gin's insincere tone returned his attention to the more immediate peril. "You're thinkin', 'Why do I, Tōshirō Hitsugaya the Mighty Captain of Leopard Company, gotta go through with this clown's theatrics? What's it gonna prove, eh?'" Ichimaru wagged a disparaging finger. "But consider this! We've been plannin' on your company for a long time now, Tōshirō-kun. And every one of our merry band is an expert at certain tactics which are in short supply amongst yer other friends. They'll hit you where it hurts, make no mistake. But the best part?"

Suddenly Gin was right in front of him, leaning down to thrust his killer smile right in Hitsugaya's face. He jerked slightly, cursing himself for such a display of weakness, and resolved not to budge in the slightest.

"If we can," Ichimaru hissed, "we're gonna kill ya, Tōshirō-kun."

A flash of light shot through his sleeve. Before Hitsugaya's fingers could even curl around Hyorinmaru's handle, the tip of Gin's zanpakuto Shinso now hovered below his chin. Its tip pressed in just enough to draw blood. Furious emerald eyes focused on the smirking fox, a snarl curling his lip. Damn! The same trick he got me with the last time we fought!

Gin's unrestrained reiatsu poured out into the room, hot and rancid. The very air was laden with lethal intent. The two of them were frozen in that simmering tableau of attempted murder. Neither of them made a move.

Suddenly that crazed leer dipped. The lids blinked a fraction, and for the briefest possible moment, their eyes met.

In that moment, he knew Gin was about to kill him.

"Hey."

Matsumoto's soft utterance held an edge of reproach. Upon hearing it, her silver-haired partner stepped swiftly back, sliding his tanto dagger back out of sight. He then rejoined her. Briefly they appeared to communicate without speaking, like they were the only people in the room. Then after shooting him an admonishing look Rangiku summoned up her sweetest smile and went to check on Tōshirō. She removed the scarf from around her neck and used it to dab at his bleeding throat, sighing reproachfully as she did.

"You two, I swear," the goddess murmured, her sky-blue eyes silencing any protest Tōshirō might make with a look of admonishment. "Let this be a lesson to you, Taichou. We're not going to treat you like a precious little prince. Gin's right. You might actually die from what we put you through." She surprised him by tilting his chin up slightly and regarding him with a disturbingly critical air. "Don't be a hero, little guy. Some of these people are killers… myself included. I wouldn't bet on your odds of surviving this."

Just as he was about to make an angry retort, there came a rustle of hair and cloth as he felt her lips press softly against his own.

Hitsugaya…

Rangiku broke off the kiss. She hugged him then, and there was no doubting her sincerity when she whispered, "So if you want, run now, Tōshirō. Because I don't want to see you die."

Stunned, the captain could do nothing but stare over the mass of honey-gold locks. Behind her, Gin Ichimaru's face had lapsed into a frown. He did not speak out against this treatment, but there was anger in every line of his body.

That is the face of a man who wants me dead.

Will you take them up on this challenge? Face the serpent in his lair?

Don't forget; from the first day we met, I wanted to kill him too.

So your mind is made up, then.

Whatever it takes.

To Matsumoto's surprise, the boy offered her a fond smile. It felt as though no time at all had passed since they were bickering in the barracks of the Tenth Division, her teasing him into a frustrated little frenzy, and him doing his best to steal her heart without even knowing it. The thought gave her the warmest feeling inside, and it caused an ache of sorrow in his former lieutenant's soul when the captain slipped past her and stood before the architect of this deathtrap again.

"I have nothing to fear from you, Gin," the little hero said without an ounce of self-doubt. "But what exactly do I get out of this arrangement? I have more than enough sparring partners, a lot stronger than what you've scraped together here. What's a few more going to accomplish even if they have no compunction about killing me?"

This put a smile back on the serpent's face, more bloodthirsty than ever. "Greedy, ain'tcha? That's okay, I had a feelin' it might come down to brass tacks. So how's about this? If you complete our trials and defeat us both, I'll tell ya where you can find Lil' Momo Hinamori."

Gin placed a finger to his chin and tilted his silver head in a quizzical gesture. "Sound fair?"

Hitsugaya's eyes narrowed. Lying bastard. He probably doesn't have a clue where Momo is. He's betting I can't turn down the chance. Like I'd do anything for her.

"I accept."

---

With every last drop of strength left in her shattered body, Xiomara lunged at her opponent with shattered spear poised for a killing blow. He batted her attack aside negligently. Grabbing her by the hair, the demon forced the warrior woman to her knees, yanking Xiomara's head back with a grin.

"Look at you," he purred. "Dead on yer feet and still tryin' ta kill me. What'd I ever do to you, hmmm?"

One eye was swollen shut, but still she spat through bloodied lips, "You know."

"Hrrrm." His hooded head tilted to one side. "Welp… guess there's no point denyin' it!" And he chuckled.

Tears and blood dripped down her face. As she hung helpless in his grip, there came flashes of the scene showed briefly through her contact with her parents' bloodied marriage certificate; the shrieking mob whipped to a frenzy as they brutalized her mother through the streets of Targu Mures. The bureaucrat Timofey Sonnen rushing bravely into the street to protect her, almost getting Suzan back to the safety of his home before a hurled stone brought him to his knees and sent the crowd once more howling for their blood. A brick, flung from the shadows of a nearby alley, where Lohengrin crouched gleefully enjoying his sport.

"Of course, 'tis not the first time we have conversed on this topic, child."

As he spoke, the monster's form began to change. Though his grip on her never wavered, the façade of humanity fell away to reveal something utterly grotesque. Gigantic crystalline wings with red, green and white feathers spread out in a rattling rustle.

"Thou once didst learn the truth ere this occasion, only to have it burnt away when the curse took thy life yet again."

His mouth elongated, huge eyes bulging from between the lashes to reveal the composite glittering orbs of a fly.

"For we cannot have ye speak of this to Radu, eh? After all, t'was I who answered his call when he didst offer his soul to the Abyss in exchange for vengeance!"

The body shriveled away until there was only the great white head resembling that of a giant mosquito. From beneath it grew two long arms encased in a pearly carapace, the monstrous taloned hands now winding through her inky tresses as its wings flapped slowly.

"And oh, how I didst profit from that unsought bargain! To think that I, a mere hanger-on of the Infernal Demesne, should be elevated to the rank of Count for my success! A Captain of the Hosts of Hell, where once I was naught but a lowly fallen cherub of no great worth. Spat upon by heaven for daring to demand more than was my due, and shunned by hell for my infirmity. But now… oh, such power and glory is mine! For as long as the curse doth last!"

Lohengrin hauled her off the ground to dangle in midair. Xiomara could do nothing but hang helplessly before him. Whatever Rahnia did was wearing off; she could feel the flames of her father's vile curse rising to burn her to ash, a mark of his vengeance upon the world and her soul. Only to return for another seventeen years, in which she must strive to piece together her memory while battling to end the Graff's unholy lineage. More friends and innocents lost while she languished in Limbo.

"I do look forward to our next exchange, child. 'Tis but the matter of a moment. And fear not; thine Gypsy friend shall patiently await thy return, as Totholtz's immortal bride! As for the rest…" His faceted eyes swiveled to where Inglebert lay unconscious. "Perchance they shall watch over ye from heaven, alongside your blessed mother."

From deep in her crushed throat she rasped, "Mother…"

Compelled past any injury to body or spirit, one shaky hand rose to touch the creature's loathsome flesh, gripping with sudden strength.

Lohengrin's attention rotated back to her. "Oh? Not yet weary of hopeless struggle? Poor thing; hast thou not yet realized though canst not slay a demon, no matter how often we do battle?"

"Yes…" Xiomara whispered.

Her back suddenly arched to wrap long legs around the unnatural limb, and she fixed her fading vision on the startled horror's face. As the flames burst free to consume her she swore…

"But I know somewhere that CAN!"

With her dying breath, Xiomara then teleported them both.

To a place she had never been, only glimpsed briefly; the frightening and awesome world perceived in that single moment when she felt her mother's touch for the first time in a century.

All was light here, filled with a great carillon as though thousands upon thousands of enormous bells rang joyously out all at once in proclamations of all-consuming majesty. Xiomara cried out from the agonized impression this rapture left upon her hell-stamped soul.

But it was nothing compared to what the demon was experiencing, if she were to judge by Lohengrin's screams.

"I like the dub better."

Karin turned in her seat to find a tiny boy leaning on the headrest behind her. He couldn't have been more than ten years old, gazing at the video on her handheld with a child's intensity. Crooking a smile, she paused the anime and turned to address him. "Oh, yeah? Do you speak English?"

The kid shook his head. His behavior reminded her of Jaku. "No. My older brother does. He translated for me. English Xiomara says, "May God have mercy, Captain of Hell!" It sounds cooler."

"This anime is a little mature for someone your age, isn't it?" she felt the need to point out.

"I'm eight," he informed her, and began to fidget restlessly. "Are you going to watch the rest?"

At this point the woman sitting next to him talking on her phone appeared to notice the boy's intrusive behavior. "Don't bother other passengers," she scolded him, and turned to Karin with a helpless expression. "I'm sorry. He's very curious."

"Reminds me of my nephew." At his mother's insistence the kid waved goodbye before sinking out of sight. Karin chuckled and went back to her online activities. Rather than continuing the stream, however, she gazed at her reflection in the window while the landscape zipped by outside.

She had elected to take the train by herself. The family held a big party the night before to celebrate her and Yuzu heading off to college. This was the first time in her life the girls would be separated by such a pronounced distance. They already had a video chat set up for later in the day after they had settled into their dorms and gotten through orientation. Karin wasn't ashamed to admit she was already looking forward to seeing her twin again. After that was a shared conference call with the whole family to make sure they were both doing okay. She worried about her little sister, out there alone in the world. Although it was nice to know that three of Yuzu's friends would be joining her at the same university. Not so much Karin; as far as she knew, none of her acquaintances had made the cut.

The undergraduate program at Tottori University was a good place to start her career in the field of medicine. A scholarship helped defer the cost, and Dad had connections there that made the financial pinch less obvious. She was already resolved to help Yuzu after graduation if the whole Cultural Anthropology thing didn't work out. They had years of experience in the field, so that meant it might be possible to get valid work even without a medical degree. Or maybe I'll be the one coming to her for help? No way to tell at this stage.

I'm starting my real life.

As the scenery passed by outside, the college freshman felt a twinge of heartache. Everything she had come to expect would change today. No familiar routes and people. No more knowing exactly where to go for whatever you needed. No more comfort and assurance of the familiar. She looked down at her clothes. This and two pieces of luggage plus a backpack were all she had brought along. The rest had to be left behind. Along with so much else.

Hiruko cried and hid when it was time for her to go, but Aunt Karin found her, and they had a nice hug and chat. Little Shotoku (who was getting bigger by the day) gave her a lucky paper charm he had made himself at the local temple. She kept it tucked in the ceremonial bag alongside the one her father made, though the little boy's held only love, and not the pulse of protective magic. This and her shinigami glove were the only aspects of the occult she had elected to take with her. Yuzu set off from the station first, as they had arranged, so that Karin could be there to see her baby sister off with the rest of the family. They both got a little emotional there at the end. Then it was Karin's turn to go.

And right to the end, she had hoped Kon might show up. Just to wish her well. Not like she would have made a scene. But he had been unreachable since that day three weeks ago. At first she was scared something might have happened to him, but funnily enough, Tōshirō Hitsugaya of all people assured her he had spoken to Kon and he was fine. How the shinigami captain arranged this was not known to her, but she appreciated the gesture.

Guess I'll be leaving more than my possessions behind on this trip.

Someone moved in the reflection of the train's window. "Mind if I sit here?"

At first she felt certain this must be her imagination working overtime. But to Karin Kurosaki's surprise, when she turned around there stood Kon, looking uncomfortable in his own skin and still dressing in the dark by the look of him. A laugh escaped her throat at the sight of him. The relief was so strong, it was all she could do not to leap up and hug him. But that brought up unpleasant memories owing entirely to her own mistakes, and so she settled for patting the empty seat beside her. "Take a load off, you big lunk."

He relaxed visibly at being met with such friendliness, but rather than accept her offer, he settled down across from her. What, afraid I'm going to jump your bones again, Kon? Guess I deserve that. Should probably start off with an apology.

"I'm sorry I hit you, Karin."

Oh, of course he beats me to it. Like he's got more to feel sorry for. Irritated all over again, she settled for blowing out her breath in a huff and fixing him with a disapproving stare. "It was technically a slap," she pointed out. "And I was being a bra… a major-league bitch, actually. You are definitely not the one who should feel worse about their behavior, Kon." She reached over and patted his knee a bit tentatively. "I forgive you, by the way."

"You sure you don't want to hit me just so we're even?" he asked with an absurdly serious expression on his face.

"Is that some crazy Shiba thing?" she demanded. "Or did you get it from your psycho Mom?"

Oh, of all the stupid…! Why did I have to remind him of that crazy witch!

"My Dad, actually." He gave a hapless shrug. "He believed strongly in an eye-for-an-eye. Not much one for letting go after a heartfelt apology. His idea of settling the score involved things that took away basic bodily functions."

To her relief he didn't react badly to her tactless statement. Gotta work on that big mouth, it's what got me into trouble last time. I'm an adult now. Better start acting like it. Karin glanced up and down the aisle. "So were you on the train the whole time waiting to make your move?"

"Well… no." He threw a shifty look around and leaned closer. "You might say I'm… hitching a ride."

That drew an amused snort from her. "Did you run all the way after me?"

"Just the last few miles. I needed to say goodbye to Yuzu too. I figured that it would be best to save you for last because we… had a lot more to talk about."

So Yuzu got her parting shot too. That's good. She lifted her hands in the air and gave a dramatic flourish. "Well. Here I am. A girl on her own in the world for the first time. What do you think?"

He had adopted that same serious, anxious face from before. "I think you'll do great."

This was neither as happy a reunion as she had hoped nor as uncomfortable as she had feared. The unpredictable situation left her somewhat queasy, but still in control. "That's all?"

"No." He leaned forward then, blue eyes shimmering in a way that made her topsy-turvy stomach do backflips. Stop that! No more mooning over him like a stupid kid. She resisted the urge to punch herself in the gut for fear of puking all over him. It almost made her miss his next words. "Do you remember the people you had to watch out for?"

"Silver and Goldie," she recited dutifully. "And anyone who might look like Unohana."

"They're up to something. I can't tell you how I know, but… it could be pretty grim. From what I've heard, it… doesn't involve you or anyone in the family. You and Yuzu should be out of harm's way. I'm really not sure what's going on. I just wanted to remind you about them. Gin and Rangiku especially. They're persuasive. If you see them, don't go along with anything they say. Okay?"

Where did that come from? Everything she had planned to say to Kon when they met again went clean out of her head. Now for some reason she felt scared for him again. "Okay. But you'll be careful too, right?"

A pained expression flickered over his cat-like face, and he clasped his hands together hard. One foot tapped the floor in agitation. "I will be. Nobody's gonna die on my watch if I can help it."

There was so much more that needed to be said between them. A lifetime of emotions, starting from the day he first saved her in Soul Society and ending the night of her graduation. Karin had never doubted they would meet again, and she probably couldn't have asked for it to go any better than it had. Except once more, she felt the unpredictable dread of the supernatural falling over her.

She reached out to slip her hand into his and squeezed. He held her in return, but before either of them could say anything, the car door opened, and a conductor came in. Kon spotted him and rose up swiftly. "Shoot. Gotta go. I was hoping we'd get more time." He slid into the aisle, only to pause looking down on her. "Be safe, Karin."

It was too fast. Uncertain what to say, the best she could come up with on the spur of the moment was, "Be safe, O-niichan."

For once she got it right, because that finally made him smile for real. And then he was gone, like a thief in the night.

Karin heaved a sigh. Maybe life doesn't get easier than this. Nothing but hard choices for the rest of my days. And ghosts. Demons. The works. As well as vague warnings from people you know you can trust.

This served to remind her of what she had been doing before all the excitement. Once again Karin turned to the simple pleasure afforded by a good anime.

The demon's shrieks were barely audible over the heavenly paean of bells.

A moment later she flinched as a shaft of white light tore through the fallen angel's body swift and strong as a thunderbolt, leaving him suspended struggling along its length. Xiomara could only stare dumbfounded as Lohengrin wailed, helpless as she had been in his grip only moments before.

Then another blazing spear drove through him from a different direction with such force he was rocked sideways. More beams of light impaled Lohengrin again and again from every angle, piercing his wings and arms, until their brilliance was so intense she could no longer look at them. Eyes shut, she heard the creature pleading for mercy in a language that sounded like a corrupted version of this realm's song.

In response the voices of his attackers shouted their condemnation. Lohengrin's form blazed with celestial power. A final despairing cry tore through her ears as the host of heaven pronounced judgement upon their ex-cohort. And with a note of regret, the bells rang out all at once, at which point her nemesis erupted like a dying star only to dwindle away faster than a snuffed candle, annihilated from the very face of Creation.

Thus did Lohengrin perish at long last.

The wielders of those lances turned their attention on her. Xiomara was just preparing to suffer the same fate, when a hand touched her cheek, and she turned to find her mother Suzan smiling by her side. It was the exact same scene she remembered from before.

Then that martyred spirit spoke out in her defense. Heaven consented. There came a last longing touch, upon which they were parted once more. With that Xiomara found herself back on the battlefield, sobbing in anguish as she fought to keep the curse from destroying her once more.

Defeating monsters with the power of your loved ones? If only it were that easy.

"Excuse me..."

When Karin turned, it was now the woman from before addressing her. "Yes?"

"Was that... were you just talking to Konpaku Shiba? The track legend?"

"Well..."

"Mom! Don't bother people on the train, remember?!"

It was so cute she couldn't help but laugh. The first day of her new life was turning out to be pretty darn good.

---

Matsumoto led him through the halls. "Your first challenge is the Sin of Greed, Codename: Atalanta."

Hitsugaya was still unsure about the layout of this fortress. How long had Gin been fortifying this temple for his personal use? Since even before he became a shinigami? Hard to say.

They stepped out into the temple hall, but to his amazement, the sight that greeted him was completely different. Instead of the forest of support columns he remembered, there stretched a vast empty swath of flat pavement that went on for a dizzying distance. Far away he could make out the huge statue rendered tiny by distance seen through the web of pillars. Hitsugaya blinked, wondering if this was a part of the challenge.

"Bakudo #59: Hateshinai Douro." Matsumoto stood beside him, a charming smile curving her lips. She swept out an arm to encompass the altered reality of the hall. "Never-ending Road doesn't have to be a straight line, Captain. If you combine multiple iterations of the same casting and chain their endpoints together, you can create a closed loop. C'mon, I would have thought for sure you'd have heard about this trick from Momo. She wrote a whole paper about it in the Academy."

She tutted softly and gave a sad shake of her head. "Guess that's what happens when you breeze through your classes. No attention for detail."

His coach/gaoler trotted deeper into the spell confines. Hitsugaya followed, but after he had taken only a few steps he looked back, and jumped upon seeing the cave entrance now far away in the distance. Sweat dripped down his ribs. This was some high-level sorcery here. Was Gin responsible, or was it Matsumoto's doing? He silently revised his opinion of just how far his former lieutenant might have progressed in the time since they parted ways.

"This limits the damage that can be done to the environment," Rangiku explained like a guide giving a tour. "Here you can go all out without having to worry about bringing the mountain down on top of us. None of your attacks will escape the spell boundaries, and neither will you. This is the real deal now, Taichou."

"I understand."

For now Tōshirō resolved to just focus on the challenge ahead of him. There had been no explanation given as to what order he might be going up against Gin's apostles. The only thing he knew for sure was that the last person he faced would be their leader himself. But why this whole business of levels, Sins and codenames? Not as if he didn't already know the names of virtually everyone involved.

Perhaps this is Matsumoto's way of having fun.

It does seem like something she would do. Surprised Gin went along with it.

Those two are closely linked. Haineko is more loose-lipped than Shinso. She asked me to pass on a warning: do not underestimate them.

I agreed to participate in this little carnival of theirs, but I'm still a shinigami captain. It's doubtful half of the mortals will put up much of a challenge.

I think sometimes you are willfully stupid.

What…?

"Before we proceed, Taichou, one thing…"

They had stopped. Matsumoto bent down to look him in the eye, causing her tantalizing cleavage to be exposed by the cross-fall of her robe. Realizing he was staring, Hitsugaya hurriedly turned his head, cheeks reddening slightly. It was then he felt her fingers against his chest.

"I'm placing a limiter on you," the honey-haired beauty explained before he could speak. As she traced the magic symbol on his skin, the outline of a daffodil appeared in glowing lines. "This will be standard practice for your first few bouts. And it's non-negotiable." She threw him a challenging glance. "Not that you'd object to being restricted to a fraction of your strength for these small-fry, right, Taichou?"

The mockery was by no means implicit. Hitsugaya knew all about being ridiculed. And so did she.

"That's fine," he affirmed. "I accept your rules, Matsumoto."

"Good boy!" She then bent to her task. After about a minute Rangiku stepped back to examine the results. Before her the small shinigami remained unchanged to all outward appearances. But his wintry aura had diminished by a significant amount.

Hitsugaya had experience fighting under these conditions. In truth, he half-expected something like this from the start. Otherwise the fights would be over pretty quickly for everyone except Gin and that human Arisawa.

You include Matsumoto in that assessment?

She's still my lieutenant. I'd never go all-out on her to begin with.

I do not share your overconfidence.

Lecture me after I lose.

With pleasure.

Now operating under a handicap that left him at only one-fifth of his strength, he regarded his ostensive manager for this event. "So who's first?" The name 'Atalanta' hadn't rung any bells.

"Right here, kid."

His eyebrow twitched. Pivoting, the pale prodigy leveled a frosty glare to where another figure now stood. "You know, I am older than you, Kon."

Konpaku of the House of Shiba just lifted his eyebrows dismissively as he began to limber up. He wore the black bodysuit with yellow bands on it that the R&D Bureau had developed for mod soul combat purposes. It encased everything except his face in a skin-tight cocoon. Muscles stood out against the fabric as Kon stretched one arm over his chest, then another. He lifted one foot behind his back and grasped it to loosen up his thigh. The normally expressive mod's face was blank. He gazed at the floor while alternating pulling both elbows behind his head.

"Begin whenever you're ready, Kon," Rangiku told him, and he grunted in response. She rounded on the captain and said simply, "Good luck," before vanishing via shunpo.

Hitsugaya considered. He could no longer feel Rangiku's reiatsu, meaning she had left the bounds of Never-Ending Road somehow. So there was a way out. That was valuable information. He had not neglected the possibility that Gin or one of his minions might try to take advantage of his being trapped here in a weakened state to try and kill him. They had made no effort to hide their intentions. I just hope this doesn't turn out to be a waste of time.

"Ready, kid?"

His hand rose to Hyōrinmaru's hilt as he rounded on the Shiba prince. Hitsugaya was not terribly concerned about this fight. Scientific prowess or not, artificial enhancements paled against inborn talent. And lest he forget, there was one important point about Kon that not many people knew: he was categorically opposed to killing anything, whether humans, animals or Hollows. So for this first fight, at least, there was no need to worry about losing his life. That was some comfort. He was resolved to extend the same courtesy to Kon. That Kurosaki girl for one would certainly be upset should he die.

Before beginning the match he wanted to satisfy his curiosity about something. "So what's this 'Atalanta' business? And the sin aspect; what is that supposed to reveal?"

"Oh, my sin?" Kon was crouched down, one knee bent and stretching the opposite leg out to its full length. "That's just something Matsumoto thought up. I think she wanted to make it more exciting for us."

Knew it.

"As for Atalanta…"

A sledgehammer drove into Tōshirō's gut. The impact sent him flying even as he disgorged the contents of his stomach. He rolled across the floor covered in his own bile, coughing and choking.

"… that means I'm the fastest mother-fucker you'll ever meet."

Hitsugaya fought to regain his focus. Back where he had been Kon now stood with one foot extended out before him. He remained expressionless, regarding the humbled captain on the floor with utter dispassion.

He's trained for this. Mayuri pitted the mod souls against one another. That Kon survived 'til the end should tell you something: he was never defeated.

Alright… got it. Let's give him a good show.

His zanpakutō snapped free, transforming at once into shikai. As the sickle looped around him, a murderous flotilla of icicles roared across the way at Kon.

Hitsugaya never saw what happened next. All he made out was the black-clad foot as it smashed into his nose.

He lay on the floor, blood streaming from his nostrils and teary-eyed from the pain. How in the hell…?

Of a sudden Kon appeared in his field of vision and bent over. "Ready to call it a day?" he asked. "You get as many tries as you need."

Rage and humiliation made his heart pound. But only ice surged through the captain's veins. "No," he said, and his breath came out in a puff of mist.

At the same time, frigid reiatsu swept across the floor from where Hyōrinmaru touched it. Though Kon leapt back, in mere moments the entire arena was converted into a skating rink, its surface covered by a smooth layer of ice.

Kon landed several yards away and glanced down. His balance remained as sure as ever. "Seriously?" he drawled. "I hope you're not expecting me to slip and break my neck. We mods were tested under all sorts of conditions."

When he looked back up, it was to find Hitsugaya had vanished. Raising an eyebrow, Shiba looked a little higher, and sure enough there the captain was, floating a hundred feet above him. Being in the mortal world had its advantages for spirits, after all. Unlike in Soul Society, he didn't need his bankai to fly here. Which wasn't the case for Kon.

A burst of yellow energy came roaring up at him, and Hitsugaya quickly dodged to one side. This was soon followed by a whole volley of blasts that forced the captain to perform evasive maneuvers. Despite the onslaught he did not entertain the possibility of returning to the ground. That was Kon's realm of expertise. He was just trying to negate the advantage going airborne allowed him.

Avoiding the fusillade, Tōshirō decided to go on the attack himself. Between one blast and the next he whipped his sword down. A winding dragon of ice emerged from the tip to go cascading at his attacker. The creature proved just as adept as its master at avoiding the incoming blasts as it streaked toward Kon. Rather than racing off, however, the speed demon crouched down and launched himself like a human missile. He soared straight at the dragon.

As it opened its jaws to devour him, Kon flipped in midair and thrust both legs out. The energy blast that resulted was like an anti-aircraft round. It blew through the frozen sending with ease.

At the same time, an icy blade came chopping down straight at his outstretched foot. There was no time to evade.

Instead to his disbelief Hitsugaya felt his downward swing halt a scant inch from contact. He tried to follow through without success. What the…?!

Right then Kon twisted in midair and brought his own foot down in a concussive arc. It connected with Hitsugaya's collarbone and sent him rocketing towards the floor. Being a spirit, his body made no impact, passing into the ground only to rebound back out a moment later. He clutched his throbbing shoulder, groggy at the experience of being ping-ponged around like that. It only took him a second to realize why; the Never-ending Road prevented him from going past a certain physical limit. Which in no way explained what the devil happened back there with his arm!

"I guess it's only fair to tell you…"

Instinctive sense of danger saw him leap aside, moments before the ground at his feet exploded in a yellow blast. He caught himself midair to spy Kon back on solid footing once more. His heel was striking the ground so fast it became a blur. Some kind of explosive transmission technique? The mod soul was clearly establishing his claim on earthbound fighting. He cocked a meaningful look at Tōshirō.

"Those new shinigami battle suits you're all sporting nowadays? My Dad designed them. They work great, but… according to the boys at the labs, Pop included a little-known feature for personal protection. Within a certain distance, if anybody wearing one tries to attack him, the suit freezes up. And well, I've still got a bit of my old man in me, so…" He shrugged idly. "You've got more than one limiter on you, kid."

"Thanks for the warning," Hitsugaya growled.

He glanced down at the personalized body armor beneath his captain's haori. If I take it completely off I'll be naked. But this is too much of a handicap. I can't rely on long-range attacks, he's too damn quick. I forgot Kon regularly races Noboru Shihoin, and much as I hate to admit it, that brat is faster than me. Was there anything else Noboru told me that might help against him?

For the time being no more attacks came his way. Apparently Kon was giving him a chance to think about his next move. Pretty sporting of him. It also served to confirm his suspicion that the mod wasn't actually gunning for his head.

Perhaps you should try using it, then?

Right.

Tōshirō hoisted up his sickle chain to grasp the blade, concentrating intently. White energy began to coruscate along its edge. Taking a deep breath, he brought it to his left shoulder, just below where his sleeveless haori ended, and drew it in a half-circle from armpit back as far as he could reach, wincing as the razor-sharp edge came near his skin. But this was his own weapon, his partner; it would not harm him.

Instead the enchanted fabric parted cleanly enough, suffused as it was with his own reiatsu. Anything else would have had a hard time getting through. With Hyōrinmaru's handle between his teeth, Hitsugaya switched hands and repeated this on the other sleeve. Then he slipped off the attached glove, took a good hold and gave a quick hard yank. He heard the armor rip somewhat, and after a few more jerks, the whole sleeve slid off his arm. The next one required about as much effort, until at last he stood breathing hard with both limbs bare. Swinging his arms to get a feel for this, he retrieved his blade and stood ready once more.

"Time in!"

Kon appeared beside him and drove one foot into Hitsugaya's side. In response his blade licked out once more, and this time Kon had to duck or risk being decapitated, rendering him unable to put as much power into the blow as before. He sped away as Tōshirō staggered in an effort to regain his balance. They watched one another for a time. The captain was breathing heavily. He could feel the burden of fighting more acutely than normal in this reduced state. A part of him wanted to try breaking the seal, but doing so might cripple him.

You have disdained the use of bankai in this fight as well.

There's six other people after him. What would it say if I had to turn to my ultimate move on the first one?

So this is not a case of pride.

These people are trying to kill me. I need a strategy that will let me survive… and win.

Then think about how to defeat this opponent.

Beneath his breath he muttered, "Bakudo #21: Red Smoke Esc–!"

Another double-heel cannon shot from Kon forced him to cut his incantation short. With that Hitsugaya began weaving through the air to present a moving target. While dodging more rapid-fire shots from Kon he concentrated on his spell-casting. "Bakudo #61: Ri–"

This time the ochre beam that flashed from Kon's kick was like a long blade that grew as it twirled round and around itself. Cursing in frustration, Hitsugaya abandoned the chant and met the attack with his soul cutter directly. He managed to split the beam, but immediately after came a second followed by a third. These too he chopped in half, then grasped the chain and swung it down, sending a hail of icicles to impale Kon. The mod had already sped away from that point, however, and now hopped lightly from one foot to another like a boxer, never taking his eyes off his opponent. If he could only damage that suit, Kon would lose the majority of his firepower.

I was hoping that first one was bad luck, but now I think he can hear me chanting no matter how softly I speak.

His senses are enhanced beyond simple leg strength. Mayuri is a thorough monster.

So where does that leave me? I don't want to wind up killing him.

Doubtless he feels the same way.

Yeah. We're both in the same leaky boat.

True to his claim, the frozen floor wasn't causing Kon any trouble. He moved over it as though on skates. "C'mon, kid!" Kon called while lazily sliding along. "You're supposed to be some kind of prodigy, right? You're not putting much 'oomph' into this fight."

"What's your game, Kon?" Tōshirō called as he hovered above the battlefield. "Just how long have you been betraying your family to Ichimaru?"

If he had expected to draw blood with that barb, he was disappointed. Kon regarded him with the same apathetic expression as before while performing a figure-eight. "A babe with huge knockers asked me to. Sound familiar?"

Another ice dragon soared down to collide with the temple floor, leaving a great pillar of icicles rising into the air. Unharmed, Konpaku Shiba slid to a halt further off and observed the ice sculpture critically. "Geez, you really don't take well to criticism, do you?" He cocked a curious eyebrow up at Hitsugaya. "So you going to break out that bankai anytime soon? My nose is starting to run."

"If you're getting chilly, you could always surrender," the captain countered.

"It doesn't work that way, kid. You have to beat us all." His mouth twisted bitterly. "Some of us you might even have to kill."

This first real display of emotion on his part touched something in Tōshirō. "Not if I don't have to, Kon. I don't want to kill anyone."

"Did we just have a moment?" Kon shook his head and chuckled dispiritedly. "Well, if you do ice me, don't tell anyone. Especially Karin. She's had enough disappointments lately."

And just like that, a plan formed.

"Have it your way."

So saying, he flipped Hyōrinmaru to point straight down, grasped the hilt in both hands, and dropped to the ground like a stone, driving it point-first into the icy floor with a wild cry. Immediately a blast of arctic air swept out, and mounds of ice began to sprout around him, swiftly building into what would soon become mountains.

Kon took note of this. His speed was best put to use in an open environment; these relatively obstructed confines hindered movement. But it opened up another avenue of attack. "Wrong move, kid!" His feet began to drum the earth once more, mixing Shiba sorcery to infuse the ground with dormant power. Moments later, his 'Land Mine' technique caused explosions to erupt all over the hall. The still-forming sculptures crumbled like calving icebergs. Before Tōshirō could retract his weapon, another went off right at his feet, sending the captain flying back.

There shouldn't be enough power in the attack to hurt him much. Sure enough, Hitsugaya came up with only mild cuts and scrapes. But more importantly, his hands were empty. Both of their eyes focused at the same instant on Hyōrinmaru lying several yards away on a mound of shattered ice.

"Damn!" Tōshirō swore, and dove for his weapon.

But Kon was too quick. He cleared the space between them in a godly sprint, lashing out with one foot in a blast of crackling energy that sent the soul cutter skittering well out of reach. No way was he about to touch that thing directly; for all he knew, it might freeze him solid in an instant. An energy blast did the trick, though. Tōshirō drew to a halt, unarmed and breathless. Uttering an angry shout, he flew at Kon with small fist cocked back to punch him.

Seriously, kid? Get real.

With that he spun on one heel and sent his other foot lashing out. Unable to check his momentum, Tōshirō ran right into it. He managed to get a hand up to try and block, for all the good that did him. The strength of that enhanced limb proved more than he could bear, overpowering his amateurish defense to deliver a solid crack in the jaw. Tōshirō went spinning away and landed in a heap. Stars danced in his eyes from the pain.

Kon collapsed.

For several seconds the captain lay on his side until he felt certain he wasn't about to pass out or lose his lunch again. Then he sat up, testing his jaw to make sure it wasn't broken and no teeth had come loose. Let it never be said Mayuri Kurotsuchi didn't know his business. Anyone less than a shinigami lieutenant would have been decapitated by that blow. And Kon had probably been holding back to boot.

Satisfied that he was in no immediate danger, he rose and retrieved his sword before returning to check on his fallen foe. As he did there came a rustle of movement, and Matsumoto stood beside him once more.

She studied the prone Kon, who lay unmoving, before rounding on the tiny victor. "Dare I ask…?"

Hitsugaya then lobbed something to her, which she caught handily. Mystified, Rangiku inspected the strange object she held while he bent to search the floor. It proved to be a five-sided tile of some kind, with a mark carved into it that looked like a Hollow mask emblazoned by an 'X.'

"What…?"

"Shinigami substitute badge," he called over his shoulder.

This earned him a suspicious frown. "Since when do they make badges for that?"

"They don't," he supplied while rooting around. "We captains gave it to Kurosaki way back, primarily as a trap for his Hollow. But it had more benign features. Like alerting him whenever Hollows were nearby. And… ah!"

Tōshirō rose upright. Between thumb and forefinger he now held a small green pill.

"It also served to draw his soul from his body whenever he needed to become a shinigami. His youngest sister gave it to me. For luck."

Matsumoto smiled as the truth dawned on her. "I see."

He rejoined her and bent by Kon's vacated shell to reinsert the pill. As he did those bright blue eyes blinked. The mod looked warily around, as though wondering what he was doing in this position. At last he appeared to notice the two shinigami standing over him. A wry grin caused his face to soften.

"Heard the whole thing," he sighed, and sat up to a cross-legged position. "Nice thinking, kid. Consider me thoroughly vanquished."

"And me sufficiently chastened." Hitsugaya held out a hand to help him up, which he accepted. They regarded each other with rueful smiles.

"Oh, now that is just adorable!" Rangiku exclaimed. She clapped her hands, and on cue, the world around them changed. Now the hall had returned to its original layout, with them standing near the entrance at the edge of the forest of pillars.

"Congrats, Tōshirō-kun."

His satisfaction at emerging triumphant was soured when Gin came sauntering up to them, clapping with distinct insincerity. His smile had never seemed more suited to mockery. "But he was the weakest of the Human Four!" the fox demon pronounced merrily. "If ya want my advice, I wouldn't get too cocky. The rest of 'em ain't nowhere near as sweet as ol' Kon here."

"Then bring them out," Hitsugaya responded coolly. "Let's keep this farce running."

"Naw!" Gin guffawed. "Where'd be the fun in that? Aint'cha ever watched an anime? You don't speed through the whole thing in one go! Gotta take your time, one episode a week, draw it out so's you can enjoy the good ones and really build up an appetite fer what comes next!" He loomed over Tōshirō, untrustworthy and unhealthy. "Take some time off. Visit friends! We'll let'cha know when we're ready for the next round."

So saying, he turned and threw a wave over his shoulder. "Bye-bye, now!"

Matsumoto placed a hand on the small shinigami's shoulder and indicated it was time for them to leave. As she reached up to withdraw the scarf from around her neck, Gin suddenly called out, "C'mere, Kon."

The trio froze. Both shinigami looked at the mod soul, who blinked and swallowed. He glanced at Matsumoto, who gave a nod of reassurance, as though to say she would be right behind him. Kon shifted from one foot to another uneasily, sketched a last hasty salute at Hitsugaya, then shambled without enthusiasm in his master's wake.

As the teleportation charm encircled them both, Hitsugaya watched the retreating Shiba's back. While he knew it to be unlikely, he couldn't rid himself of the fear that this might be the last time they would ever see each other. This place felt like a trap more than ever, but maybe he wasn't the only one caught inside?

In his heart, he resolved to destroy whatever hold Ichimaru had over all these people. At the very least it would make his time spent here worthwhile.

---

On a cloudless day in Soul Society, the heads of all Five Noble Houses attended a wedding.

Rukia Kuchiki sat in the front row at the right hand of her brother Byakuya, head of Clan Kuchiki. To his left was Yoruichi Shihoin, his wife and matriarch to her own clan. She was joined by their son Noboru Shihoin, the heir apparent. And next to him was Lady Isane of the Kotetsu with her husband Ukitake and younger sister Kiyone.

Before the assembled guests in the great hall of the Arashi there stood Katsurou, Lord of that house, wearing the black and white robes and headdress befitting a groom. Facing him was the ruler of the Shiba clan Kukaku, dressed in a sumptuous uchikake bridal kimono of purest white dyed in accents of pale green. Not ten years ago, had an Arashi met a Shiba in the street, it would have led to bloodshed. Now they were to be wed. And the world was better as a result.

The priest continued with his purification rituals. It would be some time yet before they could be called man and wife. A measure of heartache stole over Rukia at the thought of how she had denied Ichigo this particular joy. As a noblewoman, she dismissed these thoughts for another time. It had been 500 years since all the clan heads were gathered for such a ceremony; there was no point in growing melancholy.

Today was a joyous day.

A small sniffle caused her to reach over and pat the hand of the man seated on her right. Swallowing down manly tears, her one-time employee Ganju Shiba gave a firm squeeze back without looking away from the proceedings or shedding a tear, though his eyes were full. This man, whose brother she had been forced to kill, accepted her gesture of support without reservation. There was nothing but pride to be found in his face. Meanwhile the twin guardsmen in Imperial Chinese garb behind him wept unabashedly for their mistress' sake though they made no sound.

From this position, Rukia could not see Ganju's adopted brother Kon without turning her head. She tried not to think of how he had been careful not to sit next to her. Instead that honor went to his elder sibling. It was the proper thing to do. There too, though, she understood how much this must be hurting him.

Happy thoughts, princess.

I know. Thanks.

Rukia inspected the soon-to-be newlyweds. Had things not turned out as they did, it would have been her standing across from Katsurou, eight months pregnant with another man's child while he used the marriage to turn her clan into a slave to his own. She had been furious with him upon learning the truth. But thanks to Kon, neither of those things took place. Instead she was released from their arranged marriage, while Katsurou was freed from centuries of guilt and rage. He abandoned his long-held grudge against the other Noble houses. In turn, Kukaku forgave him for the devastation his vendetta wrought upon her own people. From there, the two of them gradually grew into a pairing that beggared the imagination.

Katsurou remained outwardly reserved as his bride licked the back of her hand and dipped it in a proffered dish of salt. She held it out for him, stone-faced. Obediently he bent to perform his duty, tasting the grains on her skin. Kukaku withdrew her arm somewhat quickly, and when he came up, there was a smile on his face. This caused her eyes to narrow, and Rukia thought for sure there was going to be a blow-up of some kind. Instead, her former fiancée performed the same ritual, anointing his hand with salt which he held up for Kukaku's benefit.

Rukia saw the bride's mouth twitch slightly in what might have been a suppressed smile. Then the Lady of Shiba licked the ceremonial salt free without even a moment's hesitation. A ceremonial cup of saké was offered which they both drank from. She took him by the hand, the priest's magic causing a red silk band to form from their spirits, symbolizing the unification of man and woman.

"Shiba Kukaku, Arashi Katsurou," the official intoned. "Having accepted these gifts and made your wishes clear, I do hereby declare thee wed. Step forth into your new lives."

It was exciting watching what happened next. Kukaku moved forward, her single arm coming up to wrap around her husband's neck. In response Katsurou cupped her cheek tenderly with his own remaining hand, fingers sliding over her throat, into her hair. They gazed at one another for a while in silence, and Rukia found her cheeks going red at the sight of them. For that moment they were lost in each other, completely oblivious to everyone around them. It felt like she was intruding on something unbelievably private, and she touched the silk-wrapped pearl and jade necklace around her neck for reassurance that she did indeed belong here.

Between one pounding heartbeat and the next, Katsurou and Kukaku gently kissed one another, closing their eyes as they did.

I'm speechless.

Likewise.

At last the two of them broke apart and turned as one to face their guests. "There's grub back at my place," Kukaku informed them in a soft voice so unlike her usual assertive bark. Her face was red beneath flowing green silk headdress. "You're all welcome. We'll be with you…" She cast a brief glance at her husband. "… shortly."

Wait… are they going to…?

I believe so.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's not how these things usually proceed.

Who can tell them no? Not even the King of Heaven at this point.

Don't bring him into this.

It was time to leave. The Lords and Ladies stood, followed by their heirs. On her way out, Rukia was somewhat surprised to see Renji of all people seated in the very back. The cocky captain gave her a wink as she passed, flipping down his shades. She'd sensed his presence earlier, of course, but the question of why someone not related in any way to the proceedings might show up baffled her. Perhaps he was only in it for the free food?

"Psst! Ba-san!"

Her nephew Noboru had slipped over and now took up step beside her with a triumphant grin. She kept her hands clasped before her demurely, but gave him a fond smile. "What did you think?"

"Well, I wasn't hiding up in a tree with my stomach in knots this time," he drawled. Apparently any attempts by the Shihoin to instill some sense of propriety in their young master had not taken root. Dressed like a prince with baggy red pants and flowing yellow sleeves, the young shinigami radiated a saucy aura that made him seem like a stowaway in stolen clothes.

As they spoke, Kiyone Kotetsu came racing up dragging a confused Ganju Shiba behind her. "Hey, there, fellow heirs! What're you talking about?" the gossip queen of Seireitei asked. Ganju appeared uncomfortable, smoothing his well-combed hair for perhaps the hundredth time. He seemed out of place, although that might be owing to him towering over the other prince and princesses. It was a small and largely short club she belonged to.

"Well," Noboru responded quickly, "I was just saying how there's two of the clan heirs are guys, and two are girls! The math would be perfect if we got married! And that way, all the clan bozos would leave us alone."

Ganju's eyes popped from his head as he gave Rukia a startled look. "I hardly think the matter would be settled so easily," Rukia informed her nephew dryly.

"Yeah, hate to burst your bubble, Prince of Thieves," Kiyone retorted sharply, "but marriage among the clans isn't all about rank. There's tons of ancillary aspects to weddings beyond simple courtship. I could tell you stories about the stuff going on behind the scenes! For instance…"

"And your count's off anyway!" Ganju drew himself up and cast a foreboding look at his counterpart in the Shihoin. "You're forgetting the Arashi have a chosen heir as well."

"Really?" Noboru quirked an eyebrow. "Who? I don't remember–"

"Aizen."

Rukia had spoken so softly her voice hardly carried beyond a few feet. Still, that single word caused a shiver to go through everyone who heard it.

Despite everything that brought them here today, even with the reconciliation now formally adopted between both clans, Lord Arashi had not rescinded his previous declaration conferring his nephew as legal heir to the clan. No one, not even Kiyone and her sister, who was closest to the Lord of Tigers, knew if he and Kukaku had discussed the matter at all prior to their nuptials. But even if he could not be present at the affair, the shadow of Aizen Sosuke still managed to cast a pall over them.

At Noboru's insistence, the four of them shared a transport to the Shiba grounds. Flying barges plied the skies, borne aloft by ancient magics only the most lofty of Noble Houses could lay claim to. It was a wondrous treat to see their world from such a height. Rukia regretted not being able to show the children this. Formalities had to be observed; she and Ichigo were not wed, so their children were not currently recognized among the nobility. And both Kujaku and Hiruko were both still so young; best not confuse them with trips to the afterlife.

The party held at Shiba Manor proved to be a far cry from the archaic, rule-bound ceremony they just took part in. A few captains were in attendance. Neliel tu Odelschvank was flanked by a dozen masked guards of the Arashi's Mashō Army. Apparently they were meant to forestall any theatrics of the sort that had caused such a stir at her brother and Yoruichi's wedding. As head of the Feng clan, Captain Soifon was also in attendance, though she appeared no less dangerous and unapproachable in ceremonial attire than when bedecked in her Stealth Forces uniform. All the same, potential suitors flocked around her, though she did not appear interested in their advances. Perhaps strangest of all, Kyoraku Shunsui was in attendance, standing atop a dais off in one corner. He must already be drunk, because he was sweating profusely and appeared ill as he read from some sort of prepared document. She couldn't hear him over the distance and the hubbub. A poetry recital, maybe? He did have a reputation for composing the stuff at weddings.

She was mildly taken aback to note Mayuri Kurotsuchi and his daughter Nemu in attendance. Rukia knew the mad doctor had been funded by the Arashi prior to his internment in the Maggot's Nest, but she never expected him to take time from his busy research schedule to attend a noble's wedding. He saluted her with his wine glass from afar, lips stretched wide over gold-capped teeth, and she inclined her head respectfully in turn. No one appeared to be approaching him, and he busied himself with food while lecturing his impassive daughter.

"Lady Kuchiki."

She turned and smiled warmly as her former captain Isane Kotetsu came drifting up. "Captain Kotetsu."

The First Seat of Heron Company was attired much like Rukia in beautifully detailed robes in the turquoise and silver colors of her family. Despite Byakuya's interdiction regarding her status as a shinigami, Isane still considered her a part of their squad, for which she remained grateful. This, too, would blow over eventually.

"I'm glad you could make the time to attend," the tall healer said as she adjusted her brand-new attire uncomfortably. A person of Isane's dimensions could only wear custom-made clothing, and even then, it seemed, there was a period of adjustment. "Raising a family must be quite absorbing. Are your children doing well?"

"They are," Rukia informed her. "Kujaku is attending primary school, while Ichigo has insisted that both he and our daughter Hiruko learn martial arts. A friend of the family volunteered to teach her despite only being four years old."

"I admire your devotion to them. Hopefully we can resolve this conflict before either of them has to put such training to use."

"Truly." Here Rukia hesitated as that previous source of consternation came back to her. "Regarding Lord Arashi… he hasn't changed his mind?"

Troubled, Isane shook her head. She knew what Rukia meant. "He is immovable on the topic."

"Then perhaps his new bride can talk some sense into him."

"How's it going, ladies?!"

Captain Renji Abarai forced his way through the crowd and moved to stand near them, taking no notice of their rank or the wide space the other partygoers had afforded the two noblewomen. He radiated good cheer that seemed out of place in their somber conversation. But in truth, if there was no good news on that subject, perhaps they should turn to happier topics? "You're certainly enjoying yourself, Renji," she chided him in a humorous manner.

"I wasn't aware you were well-acquainted with either the Arashi or the Shiba, Captain Abarai." Isane afforded him a curious smile that saw her childhood friend stand up a little straighter, as though for the sake of appearances. "Were you invited in an official capacity, for security, perhaps?"

The big man snorted. "Got me. Out of the blue I receive an invitation, saying that my presence is requested at the wedding and I simply must attend. Figured it would be a nice chance to kick back and relax."

"And did you enjoy the proceedings?" his fellow captain inquired politely.

"Well, actually…" And here Renji's cheeks colored, eyes drifting about in sheepish fashion. "I kinda drifted off halfway through that old guy's performance… can't really remember much about what happened until the whole thing was over." He rounded on Rukia suddenly. "You look great, by the way." Then, as though realizing how this might be taken, he quickly added to his fellow First Seat, "You too, Taichou. Real classy, regal even. Hana-chan would have been proud."

Rukia lifted an eyebrow in confusion at this while Isane mumbled something while clutching the hem of her robes in obvious embarrassment. To her amusement Renji just kept digging himself even deeper as he tried to make further amends. Isane's husband Ukitake Jushiro drew over, delight at seeming them all sparkling in his deep brown eyes. Rukia gratefully expressed her best wishes to her long-time superior, and he adeptly turned the conversation to matters of squad performance, permitting his wife to recover herself socially and the younger man to maintain his dignity. She drifted off in search of some food before returning to the press.

"I wonder how long it will take them to have children!" a scratchy voice mused beside her.

"I couldn't say, Your Excellency," Rukia replied without looking over at Mayuri Kurotsuchi, who had appeared beside her at the buffet table. Kukaku had certainly put out an awesome spread, judging by the number of delicacies on display here.

"The Kotetsu are nowhere near as prolific when it comes to breeding as the other Noble families, as I'm sure I don't need to tell you, Ojousama." He leaned in to confide in her, reminding Rukia of a gossipy housewife for some reason. "For all their advanced lifespans, they have a peculiar trait of only fostering one child per partner. Had Lady Isane's father not been so long-lived, she might never have been born. He outlasted three of his paramours, after all."

"That is how the story was told," she replied with genteel caution, wary of saying too much as she piled white and dark chocolate-covered strawberries on her plate.

"So many noble by-blows from the other clans scattered throughout Seireitei," he drawled, making no effort to leave her alone. Perhaps she was the only person in the whole company willing to speak to him. Could even Mayuri get lonely and be in need of an ear to pull on in polite company? "One wonders how tangled the hereditary trees are by this point. No telling who might be related, after all."

"Yes," she agreed for lack of anything else to say.

"How did you become pregnant, Ojousama?"

She nearly dropped the plate.

Several other well-wishers shivered as a blast of freezing reiatsu swept over them. Nearby, Rukia turned to confront the fiendishly gleeful scientist directly. "I beg your pardon?"

"It's a topic of great interest for me, you see," he explained as though they were discussing nothing more innocuous than hobbies, like bug-catching or stamp collecting. "There shouldn't have been any way for a shinigami and a human to have children, your gigai notwithstanding. Granted, I'm aware that Master Kurosaki and his siblings are the result of the very same thing, but that was taking Kisuke into account. And I have his assurances, confirmed by my own findings, that he made no such modifications to your gigai that would otherwise explain it. Once is a miracle. Twice smacks of something else." His smoky golden eyes appeared to devour her, eager for information to sate his gluttonous brain. "Can you offer an alternative opinion?"

Rukia said nothing. She just stared at him.

For a while the madman continued chewing on his repast as though nothing was wrong. Then he said, "Pray forgive my rudeness."

Her eyes narrowed at what might be sarcasm. But right at that moment Mayuri gave a start and began to cough, as though he were choking on something. In a flash Nemu was at his side pounding on his back. He doubled over with tears in his eyes, and Rukia chose this moment to slip quietly away. She heard him snarl an angry response when his daughter questioned if he was alright.

I think he actually choked on his own pride.

You were about to do the honors yourself.

That man… he simply cannot take a hint when he's fixated on something.

Maybe you can drive the point home in the future. Aim for the head.

I'll be sure to do that.

She disassociated herself from the festivities for a while. The newlyweds still hadn't made an appearance, and might not for some time. Rukia sought to revive her previous assertion of this being a happy affair, but that last debacle had soured her mood somewhat.

They were looking to the future. But some people just won't let go of the past. In some cases I can't really blame them. Revenge… watching the people you blame for your sorrow walking around seemingly without a care… these festivities boasted a staggering assortment of powerful people, fair glittering with wealth and privilege. She herself was one of them. But for the longest time in her life Rukia had lived at the mercy of the elements, running and hiding from those who meant her ill, forced to watch as people she cared for suffered with no means of aid.

The ones who hurt her back then were probably still out there, living their lives. Perhaps they had come to terms with themselves. She liked to think that Soul Society today was far less suited for the downtrodden misery that had prevailed during her century in the Rukongai. The shinigami had established Halos and multiple dimensions designed to protect and benefit their charges. Abuse, victimization, cruelty… had such things truly been abolished? When was the last time she actually visited the new heavenly planes? Her life as a mother in the human world had taken up so much of her thoughts over the past few years. Have I willingly and blindly ignored my duties as a shinigami? Hunting the occasional Hollow and performing konso for any lost spirit I find is all well and good. But Soul Society… my home… is it any better as a result of all our works? Or could just one slight slip cause all we have built to come tumbling down, wrecking our self-satisfied image of tranquility?

How did I become pregnant?

The thought unnerved her. Rukia accepted a drink from a passing waiter and sipped contemplatively. The truth was she didn't know. Following Hiruko's birth, she and Ichigo agreed to be more careful about having children. That still didn't explain how it happened in the first place. Producing heirs was a huge focus of the nobility. Most of them tried to have as many as possible, just like Mayuri said. In that respect, she should have been thrilled.

It just… shouldn't have been possible. And that served to remind her that there were forces at work in the world she had no idea about.

For some reason a strange sense of déjà vu settled over Rukia right then. It felt like she had been here before, or somewhere similar. A party, loud and unrestrained. Alcohol flowing freely, and there… there was Kiyone, just as she was now. And Renji, him too, and…

"Ba-san, come quick! I think the old captain guy is about to puke or pass out if he reads any more of Papa's treatise!"

She roused herself from that daydream to find Noboru excitedly tugging her arm. Drawing on a queenly aplomb, she let her lead him over to where poor Kyoraku Shunsui was heroically attempting to remain upright under what looked to be a crushing weight.

So are we all, she thought, and moved to help him.

---

Lying in the embrace of the woman he loved, Katsurou Arashi found himself dreaming.

"I saw the ceremony, Uncle. It was a beautiful affair."

He stood in the middle of the ocean on a rocky promontory barely jutting out of it. Mermaids, naiads and mythical creatures of the deep leapt from those churning depths to frolic briefly in the bright sunshine, laughing and singing as they dove back and forth. It was beautiful. He turned to the handsome young man who had joined him. "I'm glad you thought so."

"Thank you for inviting Renji," Aizen continued. He chuckled at a mermaid princess who blew him a kiss while riding a dolphin. "Retsu saw everything through him, and thus I could as well. You've chosen a fine wife," his eyes drifted to the sky, "no matter that she is a Shiba."

Waves crashed against the outcropping to douse them with spray. Neither felt it or grew wet as a result. A rainbow flashed briefly, and was gone.

"My wife and her family are no more responsible for Manami's death than you are for the crimes your father committed," Katsurou responded evenly. It distressed him to hear his nephew still clinging so fervently to those old vendettas.

"Crimes?" Sosuke waved a dismissive hand. Sunlight gleamed from water droplets on his skin. "Do you put truck in those old stories, Uncle?"

"I was alive then, Sosuke. I saw what took place during the Manor Wars. Much as I hated him, Ginrei Kuchiki was not wrong to level the charges he did at Kaito. He presented evidence. It all rang true. Your mother's death was only one more consequence of the insanity your father took part in."

"All at the request of his King."

Seabirds wheeled overhead calling out harshly. When Katsurou looked at him, the rebel shinigami returned a cold stare. "Remember where I am now, Uncle. I have had years to dig up the truth of the matter, from the lips of those who engineered it."

He took a deep breath and turned away, walking a short distance to the edge of their miniature island. "Yes, my father instigated the Manor Wars. I'll not deny it. But all of that took place at the request of his Divine Emperor, by his own confession."

This came as no surprise. Still, Katsurou felt dread coursing through him at the revelation. "So it was as Ginrei suspected."

"The King feared the growing power of the other clans," Aizen continued. They were facing different directions now, while the playful inhabitants of the deep leapt about them with no less cheer. "He suspected they might rise against him. The Manor Wars were his attempt to affirm Takuiyoku dominance. And Father performed his duties exceptionally. It took decades for them to untangle his schemes." He shook his head ruefully. "One could almost admire it."

"He ruined your life," Katsurou stated while gazing over the ocean. "He caused your mother's death along with all your siblings, including the one she carried within her."

"The King would have crushed him had he not. He threatened all Father held dear. There was no other way."

"There is always another way, Sosuke." The Arashi Lord turned and looked at his nephew. The man's back was straight, arms crossed over his chest. He seemed so proud. Like a noble should be. But for all the wrong reasons. "It is only those who are unwilling to accept loss who convince themselves otherwise."

"Would you have had him ruin his whole family for the sake of others?"

"Rather I wish he had saved them," Katsurou replied forcefully. "Even if it meant turning against his King, and seeing all his fortunes fade. Had he joined with myself and the others, we could have resisted any show of force."

"Not Yamamoto." Sosuke turned back to him, and his face was a cold mask. "Not all the other captains. At a word from the divine lips, they would have burned my father's house to the ground with everyone inside and put his family to the sword. Which is exactly what they did. I fail to see how resisting that unjust command would have resulted any better, Uncle."

"Yamamoto is dead." He crossed the black rock to join him. "Power without measure is at your beck and call, enough to level all the Seireitei should you so choose. You need fear no one now. What is your excuse for behaving exactly as Kaito did, ignoring all other paths than the one that has been laid out for you?"

"I have the right to revenge," Aizen responded. A line of anger was growing in his flawless brow. "No society on Earth or beyond outright approves of vengeance, but I do. My reign will not permit the guilty to flaunt their behavior without reproach."

"I bared my throat to the Lady of Shiba." Katsurou reached out to grip his arm, squeezing the solid form that was the only real thing around them. "Had she taken her vengeance and bestowed the punishment I so deeply deserved, you would never have met me. Do you wish she had?"

Aizen did not hesitate to answer. "No. Kukaku redeemed her family honor. As I mean to do for mine."

"You cannot have it both ways, Sosuke!" he argued hotly. "You cannot exalt vengeance except when it does not suit you! My life is solid proof. I was forgiven, by a woman who saw me for all my worth. And now she has made me happier than I ever thought possible." His hold on the stubbornly glaring shinigami tightened. "Find another way, Sosuke."

"There is none. Not for me."

His head tilted to one side thoughtfully. "Shall we wager on it?"

For the first time his nephew looked uncertain. He was never quite as sure of himself as when he spoke to his uncle. That much Katsurou had noticed. And now he sought to take advantage of it. "How so?"

"You continue to visit me in dreams. Can I assume the same is true for the Kurosaki child?"

Sosuke nodded without speaking. He still did not seem clear about where this was leading.

"His mother tells me he delights in storytelling. According to your own words, he seems a fine boy, with a good heart and mind. My challenge is this: if you cannot conceive of any other way for your future to proceed, then ask him. Bid the child of Kuchiki and Kurosaki to craft a story by which you might return to us in a way that does not demand conflict and retribution."

An incredulous look passed over that aristocratic face. "You expect me to put my fate in the hands of a child?"

"Then wait," Katsurou said firmly. "Watch over the boy as you have his whole life. When he is grown, and no longer a babe, put the question to him. See what one who knows your story, whom you have given no cause to despise you, has to say about how it must proceed. And what should be done to save us all." He stepped away. "And if you judge it to not be impossible, then I charge you to accept that path."

"I see." That fair face turned to gaze across the boundless ocean of dreams. "So then tell me this, Uncle; should I judge his effort to be inferior, what would it cost you in this wager you propose?"

"Your freedom."

Here Sosuke settled a thoughtful look on him. "I am able to commune with you because of the blood ties we share. As for the boy, Retsu worked her magic upon him while he was under her care. There are a few others I can reach. But owing to the spell that remains upon them, they can have no memory of our counsel upon awakening."

"I have spoken to Mayuri Kurotsuchi," Katsurou declared confidently. "He alone in all of Soul Society has a chance of replicating what Kisuke Uraraha accomplished in creating a hōgyoku. According to him, he has never made the attempt because it holds no interest. But if you agree to this, then I will call upon him to do so. Give me all the information you have on the hōgyoku already in your possession, and I shall relay it to Kurotsuchi. He owes me a debt. At his trial, the Arashi spoke in his favor. It was for this reason that he was not subjected to torture while under imprisonment and given some manner of privacy. We have remained on reasonably good terms since. You have already provided us the means to construct a King's Key. Should I lose this wager, I will have Mayuri fashion a hōgyoku, and use them to affect your release."

The skin around Sosuke's eyes had tightened, whether with hunger or something else. "They will kill you," he spoke softly. "And your new bride. They will kill your whole family if they find out."

"I am willing to risk much to save you, Sosuke." He held out his hand, face grim with purpose and resolve. "I am betting my future, for the sake of yours."

The air around them grew still. All sound ceased. The waves froze, playful sea fantasy coming to a sudden halt. Behind Sosuke, there suddenly loomed a dire figure. Wrapped in swaths of royal purple silk with other colorful hues and fabrics peeking through, this phantom glared at Katsurou with one eye peeking through its bandages, suspicious wrath burning into him.

For a moment he thought Sosuke might reject his proposal, or plead off, asking for time to think. But he was Manami's son; her devotion and his father's fierce resolve dwelt within him. Those smooth features cleared. With utmost certainty the dream lord moved to take his uncle's hand in a secure grip.

"I accept."

Their souls touched, and both felt it.

Katsurou awoke with the bargain he had struck firmly in mind. He made no effort to magically preserve the dream. There must be no evidence of this that another might stumble upon.

Content for the time being, he felt a hand slide over his bare chest to being toying with his braid. Gripping her fingers, he kissed Kukaku's skin, and she sighed happily.

Then his new wife bolted upright. "Shit!" she exclaimed. "Did I fall asleep?!"

"We both did. For under half an hour, by my estimate."

"Goddammit to hell!" she swore, and leapt upright to begin frantically trying to pull her wedding dress back on. "We need to get to the banquet, they're all waiting for us!" Kukaku looked around the darkened room. "Where the hell are we, anyway?"

Katsurou stood up wearing only his shirt. "I believe you pulled me into a broom closet, my passionate wife."

"Oh, wipe that stupid smirk off your face," she retorted with face practically glowing red in the dark. She scooped his pants off the floor and thrust them at him. "Just help me get dressed!"

"We can help each other. Two arms are better than one, after all." And he chuckled. When she punched the top of his head, it only made him laugh.

---

Matsumoto smiled gamely. "Your second challenge awaits! Aren't you excited?"

"I can't wait," Tōshirō grumbled as he followed her down the tunnels. Even without the space-altering magic, this place was a maze; try as he might, he could not determine the layout. That certainly jived with Gin's twisted personality. To say nothing of the fact that they hadn't contacted him in two months! How long were they planning to drag this thing out?

"This time it's a two-for-one deal. You'll be dealing with two of the Seven Lucky Gods!"

He threw her a sharp look. "I thought you said they were the Seven Deadly Sins."

"Hm? Oh, right." Rangiku coughed officiously as she led the way. "Ahem! Today you will do battle with the Sins of Wrath and Sloth, Codename: Samson and Delilah. You'll need your wits about you for this one, Taichou. It's not just brawn this time." She flicked her thick honey-gold hair. "You'll also have to deal with brains. Beauty and the Beast!"

"You're really going overboard with these nods to fairy tales, you know," he informed her in diplomatic fashion.

"Don't get cute with me, young man. Ah! Here we are."

They arrived at the same temple hall as before. Once again, the space was warped by kidō the moment they entered the room, projecting far beyond them. Having given the matter some thought beforehand, Tōshirō was not surprised to find himself confronted by the team of Sado Yasutora and his slender creepy girlfriend standing a ways off. The two of them had been together when he first came here, so he assumed they were some kind of match set.

"Now before you go at it, I just want to remind everyone," Matsumoto cautioned, holding up her hands as though she were a referee in a boxing match. "Captain Hitsugaya has kindly agreed to have his powers restricted by a limiter again. Despite this and his looks, he remains a terribly sturdy and fearsome little opponent!" She ignored the growl that came from her simmering former boss. "So I don't want either of you to hold back. Understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," Sado grunted.

He didn't miss the flash of distaste that crossed the former lieutenant's face at this form of address. The human girl just gave a short nod, black eyes focusing on Hitsugaya with an expression like she had spotted a cockroach in her kitchen. In one hand she held a sheathed sword. The captain quickly evaluated which of these people might be more dangerous. As Matsumoto said, looks were not a valid judge of threat.

"Well, then. Begin!"

Rangiku bowed and vanished.

The captain regarded his opponents from a safe distance. He had brushed up on Sado Yasutora by chatting with Ichigo during their bouts. Despite appearances, the hulking human harbored a strong antipathy for hurting people. He was also reputed to be quite tough. After all, this lone fighter single-handedly halted the advance of a huge force of Hollows during the Autumn War, including several Menos Grande. Normally only officer-class shinigami could be depended on to deal with those brutes. He also brought down two Espada-level opponents while in Hueco Mundo, though not without help.

It was then he noticed Sado appeared to be clutching some kind of weapon. It was short and wide; an axe, perhaps? Some manner of tomahawk? It almost looked as though there were teeth along one edge. Like the jawbone of some large animal.

As he studied them, both fighters reached behind their backs and produced masks which they slid on. Sado Yasutora was now a Kappa, while his partner wore a Noh mask. This must be their battle outfits. Pretty silly. At the same time, the girl slipped her hand over his, clasping them securely together.

Neither of them should be particularly fast, not like Kon. But Sado had a ranged attack that might prove tricky. The girl's fighting capabilities he had not been able to determine. Ichigo certainly never mentioned her as a threat. He seemed to recall she had been present during the assault on Ulquiorra's cult in the caves of Hueco Mundo, but her potential remained elusive.

He considered this to be one of the easier challenges, probably even less than Kon had been. Of course, here too he must take care not to kill anyone. Well, whatever. Best to finish this off quickly and move on to more important things.

With that he quickly uttered, "Bakudo #1: Sa…i…"

His voice trailed off, and Hitsugaya Tōshirō stood mystified.

What was I doing?

The captain peered about the deserted hall in perplexity. He remembered Matsumoto leaving him with the admonishment to start something. A fight, right? With one of her other minions. But there was nobody to be found. Or was there? Could there be someone in hiding, waiting to attack? Why don't I sense them, then?

Best not to take chances. With that he reached up to draw Hyōrinmaru, and there came a brief sensation of danger, right before something heavy crashed into the back of his skull.

When Hitsugaya came to, his head was resting in Rangiku's lap. He blinked up at her. "Matsumoto? What… happened?"

She gave him a soft, piteous smile. "You lost."

What?

He sat up straight, wincing at the dull throb in the base of his skull. Everything swam before his eyes. When he tried to stand, she pulled him back down. "No arguments, Taichou," the sad-eyed beauty informed him firmly. "You've got quite a bump back there."

She nestled his head securely between her thighs again and placed both hands against his temples. "I blame myself for this. That girl is a killer. And I did tell him not to hold back. Good thing your noggin's so hard, eh, handsome?" Rangiku laughed, but there was a measure of self-reproach in her voice.

As he lay there, puzzling over this turn of events, it started to come back to him. The two humans… Sado and the girl, uhhh… Ryō. They were going to fight, only… nothing happened. That club he was holding… why did it look so familiar? For some reason just thinking about it makes me remember a really stupid-sounding voice, but that's all. I can't recall anything else.

After a minute he shook his head, resolutely dismissing the thought. "That's enough." This time when he rose upright she did not protest. He looked back at the healer and bowed his head in gratitude. "Thanks, Matsumoto. But I'm ready to give it another try."

"Afraid not."

The ice mage frowned. "Excuse me?"

"This isn't a video game, Taichou." She continued kneeling on the floor before him, but there was an uncharacteristically cross expression on her lovely face. "You don't get to have unlimited tries. You lost, and that comes with consequences. Besides, those kids have lives of their own. That's partly the reason it took so long to put this together. They're already gone. And you won't be permitted to fight them again for another month."

Matsumoto stood up, dusting off her baggy black trousers. She gazed down at him critically, and Hitsugaya was shocked to hear her say, "I expected better from you. Don't disappoint me like that again. Understand?"

He could only nod numbly.

"C'mon, then. I'll take you home."

After Tōshirō was safely on his way, Rangiku returned to her quarters. There Gin awaited her, smiling triumphantly as she knew he would be. "I hate to say it, but…"

"Then don't," she growled in warning, plopping down on a mound of cushions with a dissatisfied exclamation.

"… I told you so," he finished in tones of devilish amusement. "The kid's not taking this seriously. He didn't even make it past the second set before racking up his first loss. And you actually thought he'd make it all the way to you before he took a knee." Gin gave a disparaging snort.

"Really don't want to hear you gloat right now." His lover covered her face with a pillow and screamed. She then flung it aside and glowered up at the ceiling. "Unbelievable! That self-important little…!"

The silver-haired death god slipped over to sit beside her. "Not that I'm feeling guilty about winning, but… I hate to see you in a funk. So let me remind you that it could have been a lot worse."

Her eyes closed, and she bit her lip. That much, at least, she could be happy for. Had Hitsugaya been facing one of their remaining posse besides Chad and Kunieda, they would have killed him. Tezima for sure, and Tatsuki… that kid was scary.

Actually, the mafia brat had seriously suggested they take one of Tōshirō's ears as a lesson to him when he woke up. Good thing she was keeping a close eye on these proceedings, because Matsumoto wasn't all that certain Chad would have been able to stand up to her. Honest to heaven, there were times she got the feeling he was completely terrified of his girlfriend. And with good cause, from what she had seen. The Kunieda mob had successfully destroyed several dozen of Unohana Retsu's gigai over the past few years. Their young mistress was not to be discounted when talking about spirit and willingness to get the job done. When it came time to lead her family, they would certainly have no cause for complaint.

"You agreed, Rangiku," Gin's soft voice interrupted her thoughts. He kissed her earlobe. "The first time he loses, no more coddling. Once he gets past these two, you can't interfere, even if it looks like he might die."

That came as a surprise. She rolled on her side to regard her partner directly. "You think he'll be back?"

"That one?" Ichimaru scoffed. "He's been itching to for a rematch with me ever since our little duel ended in a draw. Now he's got a loss against two meat-bags to avenge. His pride won't let him do anything less. Trust me, we've got him."

"I hope you're right." So saying, she laid her head tenderly against his chest, and he began to stroke her shining hair.

"Trust me, darling. If there's one thing I know, it's how to push people's buttons. And in that boy's case, the controller broke a while back."

"Oh, fine." Suddenly his paramour sprang up. "C'mon, let's go play that shinobi video game! I think I'm finally getting the hang of that whole 'Break Posture' thing."

He chuckled and slid to his feet. "Of course you are, beautiful. Never doubted it for a second."

Gin enjoyed her fussy rants all the way to the recreation room.

---

Hiruko thought she must be dreaming. When she sat up, it was to find herself in a flower garden of some kind. That was odd enough. But more than that was the strange-looking bird regarding her.

"Who are you?" she asked. At the same time, this all felt very familiar.

The odd creature tilted its white head, blinking deep green eyes.

At last it said, "I am… Kuchiki."

Something her mother had mentioned came back to her, and the four-year-old excitedly asked, "Are you my soul cutter?"

The bird (a peacock?) blinked and began to walk in a stately pace around her. "That one of your age would know about such things… well, that comes as no surprise."

He stopped and rounded on her. "Do not confuse me with such common implements. I am the spirit of Kuchiki! And as such, I am far more than any simple zanpakutō." So saying, his tail suddenly exploded out to frame him in a lacy backdrop of startling feathers. Each one was white with a black tip, upon which something like a great red eye gazed down on her in a multitude.

Despite being impressed by this display, the little girl was disappointed. She had been told that having a soul cutter meant you could see ghosts. Since she was the only one in her family who couldn't, Hiruko hoped to one day get her hands on one and thus prove she could do it as well. But this didn't seem to be it. "Are you sure you're not my soul cutter?"

His tail drooped down again. "I am your spirit guide, little one, here to aid you in your journey through life." He then asked, "Are you disappointed?"

"No," Hiruko lied.

"Ah, how wonderful to be young, and tell falsehoods with such assurance. I daresay you might even convince yourself."

Kuchiki the peacock began to walk off. The girl quickly gave chase. She hopped along beside him, admiring his lustrous plumage and the upright crest atop his head like a black crown. It occurred to her this might be something better than a soul cutter. It was a dream friend! Like the rabbit her brother used to tell her about. That made this a treasure.

"Are you real?" she asked.

He flapped his wings and ruffled his feathers. "As real as you are."

This reminded her of something. "Have we met before?"

"Once."

"Was I dreaming then too?"

"Yes."

"Okay." She skipped around him while Kuchiki continued to stroll through the garden. What should they do now? Hiruko hummed to herself as she thought about it. Her brother had lots of fun in dreams. Sometimes they were even together. She remembered him telling stories about it. "Do you want to play?"

The peacock drew to a halt and regarded her steadily. "Yes."

"What shall we play?"

It looked to her as if he smiled then. "Whatever you desire, princess."

Hiruko laughed at this and spun around in delight. This would be so much fun!

---

This time Hitsugaya was resolved not to be caught unawares. He came into the battlefield with sword already drawn, though still consenting to wear a limiter. Kappa and Noh Mask were already there, side by side. No chance of being hit from behind this time; a sleeping kidō of Enkōsen protected his blind spot. He had left nothing to chance.

"Begin!" Matsumoto called.

His shikai was deployed before she even made it out of the arena, and Hitsugaya unleashed a huge wave of ice straight ahead of him. He wasn't sure why he did that; there was nobody there. But he distinctly recalled feeling the same way last time right before losing. Now he launched himself into the air and peered down.

To his surprise, it looked as though his attack had been partially blocked. The ripples of jagged ice diverged at a certain point and split off to both sides. Was that a person crouched there? Yes, Sado Yasutora! And he was…!

Blue fire roared up at him, and Hitsugaya dropped down with a curse. A hole opened in his wall of ice at one blow from the giant. As he clambered through the gap with sweeps of his club, Hitsugaya was just preparing to envelop him in ice when he felt a tug on his foot. Looking down, he found a length of cloth trailing below. Was that Matsumoto's enchanted fabric?

And more importantly, who am I fighting?

There was only a moment to ponder this when Sado reappeared holding the other end of the line that held him and gave a mighty yank. Hitsugaya dropped like a stone, but at the same time he swung the flat end of his sickle at the big man. To his surprise Noh Mask appeared out of nowhere and knocked it aside on her own blade, though she staggered from the force of the blow. How did she do that? Was her weapon mystical like that length of cloth?

He had just caught himself in time to float a few feet above the floor, when once more the captain found himself without an opponent, or any memory of having fought one. What the hell is…?

A Kappa appeared before him for a split second, enough time to deliver a solid uppercut to Tōshirō's chin, and he blacked out.

His jaw hurt like hell when he roused sufficiently to hear Matsumoto's declaration of, "That's 0 for 2, Taichou. See you next month."

Spectacular…

---

"You ready?" Tatsuki Arisawa asked. "Okay, kick!"

"HYA!" Hiruko Kurosaki shouted as she whipped out her leg, overbalanced, and immediately fell over. It was all her trainer could do not to laugh. The little girl made a face and tore the grass angrily.

"Hey, cut that out, kid. We're guests here, remember?" They were currently using the dojo of an acquaintance in Karakura Town. In bare feet and wearing a karate gi, the young champion came over and nudged her student with one toe. In response Hiruko just sat on the ground and pouted fiercely. Well, at least she didn't smile the way her Dad used to after messing up. That always pissed Tatsuki off.

Again she gave the kid a poke with her big toe, and Hiruko swatted ineffectually at her. Love that fire! Arisawa kept this up until the tyke scrambled upright and rounded on her, messy brown hair done up in a horsetail. "Stop it!" she demanded.

"You're not always going to land a hit," Tatsuki chided, hooking her thumbs into the belt of her uniform. "When you go for a strike and don't connect, it's just as important to know how to react as when you do. Otherwise…"

A quick step forward, one foot behind an ankle combined with grabbing the back of the collar, and then it took only minimal effort to send the girl sprawling once again. "… you wind up flat on your butt."

Hiruko's face was red and sweaty, but this time she shot up of her own volition. "NO!" she shouted with all the force of her four years on this world.

Tatsuki raised an eyebrow challengingly. "Think you could do the same thing to me?"

Those big brown eyes narrowed in suspicion, like she thought the older woman was mocking her. "I'm serious," she assured the tiny fighter. "I won't move a muscle. Come at me. Try and take me down."

Hiruko sniffed and rubbed a sleeve beneath her nose. Ugh. Better wash that thing real good when we're finished. Then she charged at Tatsuki and tried a graceless shove against her thighs. There was some force behind it, to be sure, but for all that her smiling instructor remained firmly upright. That didn't stop her prized pupil, who wrapped both arms around Tatsuki's leg and struggled as though attempting to fling her into the air.

For her part Tatsuki just lifted the whole appendage off the ground and stood there holding it straight out secure as a tree rooted in stone. Hiruko struggled to hold on, but when she realized she was dangling off the ground, she gave a happy scream, completely forgetting about her previous rage. "Higher!" she gasped delightedly.

Arisawa obliged, and though she dug her tiny fingers into the fabric of her trousers, Hiruko finally slid off. This time she screamed not in frustration, but joy. "Do that again!"

"I will," her sensei promised. "But first you're going to learn how to take me down."

As she had been taught, Hiruko scrambled up to assume a seiza position. Her slight body made that less of a chore than for an adult.

The karate champion patted her stomach. "My center of gravity is right here," she laid out the lesson clearly. "You're small, so it's easier for you to reach it. If you had pushed me here, I wouldn't have been able to keep my footing." Not quite true, but a useful lesson nonetheless. "So if you want to push me over, first stand up."

Hiruko did as she was told.

"Now take a step forward and put your ankle behind mine… no, not the knee, the ankle, remember? Like 'I twisted my ankle!' Good. Okay, raise your hands up before you, put your elbows into my stomach and… push!"

She obeyed, and Tatsuki fell backward, only to catch herself with one hand.

It was all she could do not to take the kid's head off.

One leg trembled from the restraint. That one's gonna haunt me… Meanwhile her head came up, and Tatsuki managed a grin at her prize student, who beamed back. "Nice."

'Weak.'

She took a deep breath before sliding smoothly upright. Of course as per her promise, it was necessary to perform the leg lift again, much to Hiruko's delight. It was good to see the kid having so much fun with this. Developing a lifelong appreciation for sports and martial arts started young. You just needed the right motivation. Of course, a good trainer helped.

They practiced punches then, with Tatsuki letting her student hit her full force in both palms. It felt like being brushed by a butterfly's wings. Gotta build up some strength in those spindly arms. After this it was time to practice her katta. Hiruko dutifully assumed her stance and began throwing strikes along with sharp cries. She spun in place as instructed, then again, imagining herself facing off against foes all around her just like she was taught.

Sitting on the temple steps to observe, Tatsuki approved of the determination on that frowning little face. Fight the monsters, kid. She felt proud of her student's progress. In terms of application, Ichigo's youngest still had a long road ahead of her. But the basics were there, and after just one month she felt certain Hiruko could land a good hit on an opponent her age. Or even older, judging by her brother's example.

Movement to one side caught her attention. The Hollow emerged into the open soon after.

After waiting for an interminable amount of time, apparently it had decided to make its move. She had felt it approaching for a while now. Still, Arisawa made no response or even flicked a glance in its direction. All her attention seemed focused on her student's form.

The spectral creature shuffled closer. Its body resembled a rat. Huge incisors clicked together. As it crept towards the oblivious Hiruko, her instructor tensed in preparation.

'Wait.'

Tatsuki paused. "Hm?"

'Let it play out.'

"Do you still not get how this works?" she murmured under her breath.

'What are you afraid of?'

"Not a damn thing." The Hollow must have overheard her, for it glanced in Tatsuki's direction. Resolutely she avoided looking at it. Those red eyes in its sockets narrowed, as though determining whether she might be a threat. Could it feel her energy? Was that what drew it here? Thing looked like a scavenger.

'I understand. If the girl dies, her father will seek you out for revenge. You fear that. Since the day he beat you as a child.'

Should never have mentioned that little tidbit. This bastard's always looking for a hook to fasten in me. "I kicked his ass last time," she whispered.

'Only because of me. As a human, you would be helpless.'

"Like hell!" By now the ghost had returned its attention to Hiruko at practice. Tatsuki's fingers were itching to do violence. Yet Ulquiorra's words were like a hand around her wrist.

'Then let your student's prowess speak for you.'

"You're nuts. She can't even see it."

'She will her if soul is removed. Once the spirit leaves the body, all will become clear. I can draw it out. Then let them fight. Should she triumph, the Chain of Fate can serve to return her to life.'

Maybe I'm crazy, but that almost makes sense…

'Do you think your pupil so weak as to fall to a mere scavenger Hollow?'

That made her angry. "Cut the 'survival of the fittest' bullshit!"

'You prattle on about the worth of humans. Prove it. Show me their strength.'

To her surprise, Tatsuki's hand was already stretching out. A raven's feathers spread across her skin, and black talons curved from her fingers. A touch would be all it took to separate Hiruko from her flesh, and then they would see what human determination could achieve.

It would be a great fight. Real life or death struggle. The thought of it made her heart pound with…

The Hollow sprang.

Before it could reach its target, a fist smashed through its skull, and the fallen soul died without so much as a death rattle.

Hiruko spun to spy Tatsuki with her hand pressed into the dirt right behind her, teeth grinding and lips curved in a fierce grimace. Her sensei took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She straightened to dust off her knees. "Sorry. I saw a bug."

"Oh." And the girl went back to training.

Tatsuki flexed her fingers, gazing at them curiously.

'Worthless.'

"Just a filthy bug," she repeated, and went to sit back down.

This waiting game was grating on her nerves. Tatsuki almost pitied the next human opponent in her upcoming martial arts competition. If that little captain didn't hurry up and get to her soon, she might just have to skip the prelims and take him on herself. Let Ichimaru complain all he wanted. This girl needs some action!

With that in mind, Tatsuki called Kon to let him know they had a rendezvous later. There were many ways to relieve stress, some of them even more enjoyable than a fight. And best of all, Ulquiorra was such a prude he never spoke up when they were knocking boots.

Yep. Life was still good. And so was she.

---

They were waiting for him. This time, Hitsugaya was ready.

While Matsumoto busied herself applying the limiter seal, he watched his masked foes. They stood close to one another, patiently observing him prepare for battle. That was one thing he remembered clearly. But perhaps more importantly, he had considered more than just his opponents. After losing in humiliating fashion twice, the captain had determined on what he could learn from this fight.

He was loath to admit that he had treated these proceedings like a joke since hearing what Gin and Matsumoto actually planned to do. It seemed too corny. Like something out of a fairy tale, or those modern video games. What was the point of making him face a succession of increasingly difficult challenges?

Yes, what was the point?

Looking at it from that angle, there might be some measure of sense. Having him start with Kon was important because it let him consider his enemy's safety more than his own. It wasn't just about keeping himself whole and alive, but Kon as well. And the same could be said for his opponent. Kon didn't want him to die. He drew it out, didn't go in for the kill when he could have, all while challenging the captain's capabilities. With the limiter on, the mod soul served to remind him what it was like to be toyed with. Not taken completely seriously, never going all out.

In short, the goal was to find a way they could stop fighting before one of them was dead.

The next pair proved trickier. They represented an escalation both in terms of conflict and purpose. He had to do battle with someone who could confuse his mind and subvert his senses. It was something similar to what he dealt with training against the Vaizard leader Hirako Shinji, whose Sakanade reversed the world around you. Attacks that appeared to be coming from the front were actually at your back. Up was down, left was right; complete disorientation. You never knew for sure where he was going to strike next.

He had sought out the Vaizard specifically for this reason. It was the closest thing to Kyoka Suigetsu's Complete Hypnosis he could think of. Training against that level of gut-wrenching confusion, where you couldn't trust anything your eyes and ears were telling you, lent him the faintest hope that next time he crossed swords with Aizen, the fight wouldn't be over before it even began.

Which brought him back to Kunieda Ryō. He had learned her name, but other than that, he hadn't dared approach any of her human friends to find out whether they could tell him more about her power. The chances that they might inform her of his interest would lead to greater caution on her part. As long as she considered him to be largely ignorant of her skills (which, admittedly, he was), he could depend on her to be overconfident. For which she had good reason, by this point. But Aizen too was supremely sure of himself. He expected Tōshirō to fall under his sword's power. And that meant he had a slim chance to turn the tables to his advantage, if he just gave the matter enough thought.

So that's what he did in the time between their matches. He lent serious consideration to… what did Matsumoto call them? Samson and Delilah. Tōshirō even read up on this story in Soul Society. It hadn't helped much. Although the jawbone part got him curious; was that intentional? Was his old lieutenant trying to tell him something? The mighty Samson, whose power drew from the surprising source of his own long hair. Stripped of it, he was only an ordinary man.

This gave Tōshirō an idea.

The spell was cast. He felt his strength bound inside himself from Rangiku's sorcery. The honey-blonde gave him a pat on the cheek. She said nothing, only bit her lip slightly, noticing that Tōshirō's bright green eyes were now locked on the paired fighters across the way without paying her any attention.

For whatever reason this made her smile, and with a last pat on the shoulder, she proclaimed, "Begin."

Matsumoto disappeared, as did Kappa and Noh Mask. And Hitsugaya…

… sank into the floor.

Kunieda's fingers dug into his arm, and Chad swiftly picked her up before rushing to a safe distance from their previous location. After settling his partner to earth, he peered at the spot where the captain vanished. Warily the brawler crouched down on his haunches to examine the floor. "Does it work if he can't see us?" he rumbled curiously.

"I'm not sure," Ryō admitted. Swiftly she hooked an arm through his and drew her blade in preparation of attack. The sheath she threw far away to fall with a clatter. "Stay close to me. His spells can't pass through stone, according to Kon. But he can still stab us from down there."

"I don't think he'd do that. Even if he did know where we were."

Her eyes searched the whole magically constrained cavern. At first she had assumed the boy meant to attack the spot he last remembered seeing them, hoping to snare them in a blitz attack of ice again. But that hadn't been the case. Maybe the kid was finally taking them seriously.

Something glittering caught her attention. Kunieda focused on it. There looked to be a small white point protruding from the floor halfway across the cavern. Was that his hair? Or…?

There came a ringing sound. Immediately after this, the ground was covered in a slick, flat layer of solid ice.

Her shoes were stuck in the stuff, and Ryō swore. Chad was the same, but in response he simply lifted his right fist and brought it sharply down. The ice shattered, freeing him, and he turned to do the same for her.

As he did, his feet slid out from under him, and he landed on his back with a muffled grunt.

In doing so she briefly lost her grip on him. Before Kunieda could reestablish contact, Chad was abruptly launched into the air as Hitsugaya emerged to slam bodily into him, sending the big man rocketing skyward with the captain in pursuit. The battle-axe flew from his hand to go sliding away.

"…udō #68: Rising Mountain Crystal!"

A blue pyramid appeared in midair to encase Sado. As he landed on its flat base and scrambled upright, there came a cry of, "… #73: Falling Mountain Crytal!" Instantly another pyramid appeared around him, only upside down, to form a 3-dimensional Star of David. Even as the double incantation escaped his lips, Hitsugaya followed up with, "Carriage of thunder, bridge of a spinning wheel. With light, divide this into six! Bakudō #75: Rikujōkōrō!"

Six beams of light slammed into Sado from all sides, leaving him paralyzed halfway to the ceiling.

From his place in the air, the hovering spirit quickly turned his attention earthward. As expected, he could neither spot his other quarry nor even remember who exactly they were, or why they couldn't be seen.

But one thing he had no trouble remembering: in the legend, Samson's true fall lay in his dependence on his beloved partner Delilah. And Hitsugaya had come to the conclusion that if he could somehow separate the two, then he stood a chance of winning this fight. As he had hoped, even after forgetting who he was facing, by hiding underground and turning the chamber into an ice rink, he had managed to do just that. The moment Sado leapt back into his perceptions, he immediately moved to keep him out of his partner's reach.

No way to be sure if the big human was restrained for good or if he could actually break through that many spells. Before then, he would have to deal with the warrior who fought invisible…

Carefully he scanned the icy terrain. The only thing of note was a slightly cracked section, near which a pair of black shoes were embedded in the ice. Chad still had his footwear on; these must belong to his partner 'Delilah.' She was on the move. But by taking advantage of his state as a spirit, he could remain far out of her reach. It was the other one who packed all the firepower, he was fairly certain of that. The question remained: how to deal with someone he barely remembered existed?

In bankai form, he could lower the temperature of the room until his human opponent was forced to concede defeat or risk freezing to death. But he was resolved not to, partly since doing so endangered the other fighter's life, and also because he still refused to resort to full power this early on. Heaven knows, it seemed like he was going to need all the advantages he could get if he was to prevail.

With that Hitsugaya gripped his sickle chain and began to spin it around him. As he did, an undulating dragon of ice emerged from the crescent moon blade, eventually extending to form a circle around him. His frozen familiar descended until it hovered just above the ground. With every revolution, it began to grow outward, bigger and wider. The ring of draconic frost expanded in all directions.

Delilah, whomever she might prove to be, was still human, and would have no way to avoid his encircling ice magic. This much he could remember. Was that another reason behind Matsumoto's little game of titles? Did she at least want him to have a name to put to an enemy who could erase their existence? So far that seemed to be the case. Now all he had to do was wait until Hyōrinmaru made contact. Sado was the brawn in this pairing; Delilah relied on her magic for the most part. Her threat level shouldn't be anywhere near…

BELOW YOU!

This was all the warning he got before something wrapped around his foot. He looked down to find a chunk of ice tied to one end of a long cloth ribbon. And there below crouched Kunieda Ryō. Delilah! She must have been directly beneath him the whole time; that's how she escaped the dragon!

Even as he thought this, the human girl yanked on the line. Thrown off balance by this and his own movement, Hitsugaya was unable to prevent himself from being dragged down to her level. Barefoot, she drove the point of her sword into the ice and used it like a ski pole to launch herself at his position. The memory of their previous encounter let him know not to disdain that weapon of hers. The steel blade lunged towards his face, and Hitsugaya batted it aside with his soul cutter so that it swept past his ear.

Already unsteady on the ice, Ryō stumbled suddenly to go sprawling. She kept ahold of her weapon, however, and lashed out at his feet as she fell. He caught the blade with his free hand, feeling the cold edge bite deep into his armored glove. Without wondering how this might be possible, he brought the back of his sword down to rap Kunieda sharply on the knuckles. A quick gasp of hurt, and her numbed hand let go.

Triumphantly Hitsugaya flung the sword away. He was just about to shout a binding spell, when Ryō spun away from him. For only an instant he registered her back was bare, and the tattoo of a black dragon stood out starkly against her pearly skin.

Its yellow eyes blazed, and Tōshirō completely forgot what he was doing.

Bewildered, he stared around panting. What's going on? I caught Sado, true, but the other one… De… Desdemona? Something like that, but I'm not…

Why am I even here?

BEHIND!

This time the warning came too late. A loop of white samite wound into a cord wrapped tight around his throat. At the same time, the weight of Sado's axe smashed into Hitsugaya's sword hand. While not a very strong blow, the pain that tore through him as a result was shockingly fierce, almost as though the club was a living thing sinking its teeth into him, and he lost his grip on Hyōrinmaru.

Behind him Ryō tightened her hold on the garrote with both hands now as she dragged him away from his fallen weapon, striving to cut off the captain's breath along with the blood supply to his brain. Without a sword he can't fight, and without air he can't use magic. So be a good boy and go to sleep for me.

"Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini! Look upon yourself with horror and then claw out your own throat! Bakudo #9: Strike!"

The girl stiffened as red energy washed over her, and she collapsed with a pained cry.

Hitsugaya reached up to pull the strangling cord loose. He rubbed at his throat, where the band of protective magic he cast before the fight to ward off sealing spells had served to keep the enchanted fabric from touching his skin. It was just enough to let him breathe. Victorious, the captain gazed down where Kunieda Ryō lay sprawled face down, long black hair spilling around her. Briefly her dragon protector's eyes sparkled with malice.

Seems she didn't do her homework about old Division Ten tactics.

Black dragon versus white… it would seem we emerged victorious.

A loud roar shattered his self-congratulation. Overhead, magic cracked, then exploded, and Sado Yasutora landed on his feet only to rise upright and come stalking forward.

With every footfall, ice shattered beneath him. The giant had flung off his mask, and the face revealed beneath was contorted by rage. He came plowing towards Hitsugaya, arms encased in spiritual steel and fists trembling with fury. There was such murderous power rising off this figure it seemed like a totally different person.

Shocked, Tōshirō wasted no time in retrieving his zanpakutō and rising to meet this fresh menace. What's gotten into him?!

I believe your choice of spell to disable Ryō, while non-fatal, appeared sufficiently harmful to waken the youth's wrath. Prepare to defend yourself.

I was kinda hoping she was Wrath and he was Sloth. Would have made this a lot easier.

Best move away from the girl. In his furious state, he may unintentionally do her harm.

Tōshirō glanced down at Ryō. Should he call Matsumoto to ask her to take the fallen enchantress to safety while he concluded things with Sado?

As he did, his eyes fell on the club she had used to attack him. His hand still burned from that attack, throbbing and angry. Anger… rage… fury…

And just like that, he knew where he had seen that big stupid jawbone before.

We did fight that one time. Maybe there's some lingering resentment left in it? And if so…

I have…

… a plan!

Sado was now charging towards them without regard for the ice rink or anything else. Quickly the boy captain knelt and picked up the unconscious Kunieda. He faced her towards him, turned around, and presented the enchanted tattoo to his maddened foe. The brute was almost upon them. Sure hope this thing still works!

As Chad rushed forward to rend his puny foe limb from limb, he spied the eyes of a dragon watching him. They flickered, flashed…

The next thing he knew, he was standing in an empty room without a clue as to why he was there.

Panting, the mighty youth peered forward, blinking and unsure of himself. Why am I so upset? Did someone get hurt? I can't remember. I should call… uhhh… wait a minute. What's my fiancee's name? I've got one, right?

He stood puzzling over this strange occurrence for a while longer.

There came a snap of cold behind him, and everything came rushing back, moments before the jaw of his old nemesis Yammy Rialgo slammed straight into the back of his head.

A hateful curse, combined with the strength of the person wielding that weapon, saw Chad's knees crash into the floor, followed by him falling forward in a senseless heap.

Hitsugaya breathed a sigh of relief and flung the ugly implement away. He stooped to check on Sado, making sure the blow hadn't done any permanent damage. It hurt just to hold that filthy Hollow's leftover spirit; probably does the boy too, but he's tough and can handle it. Good thing, otherwise I wouldn't have felt comfortable hitting him like that.

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Call it karma.

I'll call it victory.

"Bravo, Captain."

He turned to find Matsumoto strolling towards him and the vanquished pair. In her hands was Kunieda's sword. As he watched, she made a flick of the wrist like a magician, and proceeded to pluck something out of the weapon. Revealed in her grip was none other than Haineko. Giving it a few practice swings, she tossed the vacated hunk of metal aside.

"I didn't know a zanpakutō could be imbued into mortal artifacts like that," he frowned at her.

Rangiku just shrugged. "Learn something new every day, little guy. Spend enough time with us and we could teach you all sorts of things! But that's neither here nor there. You had me worried for a bit there, Taichou. But in the end, you came through like a champ."

Sheathing her sword, the tall beauty came to a halt and smiled proudly down at him. "Now what do you say we look after these two kids and then get something to eat? I, for one, am just dying to gloat about this to Gin!"

---

The dream was odd. Not frightening like others he'd had. But still very, very strange.

For one thing, Kujaku couldn't hear anything. Things also seemed very blurry. Despite this, he felt he had seen this place somewhere before. It was a tiny hut, like out of a fairy tale, with dirt floors and a small fire burning in a pit. And sure enough, there was a little old woman living in it. Well, maybe not that old. Her hair was mostly gray but still had some black in it. She was small and very fat, and she huffed as she bustled about the kitchen, cooking a meal and pausing every now and then to rest as though very tired.

The lady got a cup of water and ate some pickled veggies, then went back to chopping up ingredients. All of a sudden her head came up, as though having heard something. As Kujaku watched, she came out into the living room, wiping her hands on her apron nervously and staring at the door. After a moment she gave a start and trotted over to it. Hesitating, she opened the pane a crack. Her lips moved yet no words reached his ears.

After a few moments she opened the door fully. It was night outside, and raining. A flash of lightning revealed a man wearing a straw hat and mino straw cape, like the type they used to wear in ancient times. He was carrying a bundle against his chest, holding it very carefully.

As she shut the door, the old woman questioned him by the look of it. He shook his head, not taking off his hat or putting down his burden. They conversed for a while, gesturing about them. The old woman's face went pale. She appeared very upset. For his part the man was… scared, maybe. Or ashamed. He shook his head and looked up, imploring her for something. Then he sank to his knees, bent low and touched his forehead to the ground.

She stared down at him. After a while, the lady bowed her head as well. Her caller rose once more, an expression of weary resignation on his face. With utmost gentleness, he then shifted the bundle in his arms and moved aside a wrap.

There lay a baby, shivering and crying, with a small curl of black hair on its head.

With utmost reverence he held the bundle of joy out, and the old woman took it. She held it against her breast, rocking and speaking to it, smiling sadly. At last the man rose and made to depart. He said something more to her, perhaps by way of thanks, before stepping out into the rain and disappearing quick as he came.

The house's sole occupant did nothing but walk back and forth across the packed dirt floor for a time, holding her new charge and perhaps singing. After a while the baby must have fallen asleep. At this the roly-poly lady went into another small room off to the side. Within was a clean pallet and a small wicker bassinet. There were blankets and pillows inside the little crib, but no baby. Here she placed the sleeping infant carefully, drawing the covers up around it before carrying the whole thing into the living room. Then she sat near the fire pit, gazing down at the tiny newborn as it slept, sniffling every now and then with tears gathering in her eyes.

After a while, the old woman began to shake, and she doubled over, clutching her stomach while sobbing. She looked up at the ceiling and pressed a fist to her mouth as though to hold back a cry. There was so much grief in that look that Kujaku found himself wanting to weep himself.

He was crying when he woke. Clutching a stuffed raccoon doll, the boy stumbled despondently to his sister's room. Hiruko woke and, upon seeing her brother's distress, made room for him under the covers. Kujaku crawled in beside her and curled up in a ball. She didn't ask what had made him cry. Her brother's dreams could be scary. The ones they shared together, at least, were some of the worst nightmares she ever had.

In the morning he would tell her about it. 'Til then, they could only sleep, and hope no monsters came to haunt their rest.

To be continued…