The following statement was penned by I, Greatkingrat88, and fully expresses the views of both myself and Goshinzilla on this issue.
Last chapter revealed a twist long time coming. While a good deal of our reviewers were positive or neutral to the idea, a fair number of our reviewers were decidedly critical of this idea.

Let us first assure you all that we understand your hesitance and skepticism, and we respect your difference in opinion on this matter. That being said, we do not believe it was a mistake, nor do we intend to undo the idea- it would be rather cowardly to walk back on such a major subplot. We are both quite confident it is a good idea, and that if given the chance by you, our readers, we can provide you with a worthwhile story.

There appeared to be two major points of criticism. Firstly, it was:
"I just don't like yuri. I don't have a problem with gay people, but this isn't my thing at all."

That's fine. You're not expected to like every idea we bring to the table. Few and far in between are the fics where you can find nothing to really dislike. Let us assure you that the fic will not suddenly become a PSA on LGBT issues, or that the romance will overshadow the rest of the story. The main point will always be the plot itself, with its twists and turns, its battles and intrigue, its themes and messages. The romance will be there, but it will be there as a hopefully non-invasive subplot.

And secondly,
"It just doesn't feel right. I feel that Erza and Momo are more like sisters, and pairing them doesn't make sense. You already have a gay pairing with Isane and Nemu."

This too, we understand and respect. But we ask that you be patient, and give this a chance. We have this plotline well planned out, and we believe it makes sense. Consider Momo's obsessive behavior, lifted directly from canon but instead directed at Erza, rather than Aizen. A romance is a logical extension of that, and for Erza, it means breaking new ground and taking her character new, and interesting places. In short, to those who are skeptical: we understand, but we hope that you can be patient with us and open to the idea. If this still is not doable, we hope you can enjoy the rest of the story still.

Cheers from Greatkingrat88 and Goshinzilla.

Thanks once again to Greatkingrat88 (for writing) and jcampbellohten (for being our Beta)

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo and Shounen jump. Fairy tail is owned by Hiro Mashima and weekly shounen magazine. I own NOTHING. This is all just for fun.

The artificial sky of the basement had switched to night, displaying a cloudy, dark skyline. Grimmjow liked it better this way. The rocky, sandy ground, without obnoxious daylight, reminded him of Hueco Mundo, of a time before Aizen. He didn't sleep much, preferring short naps every now and then, spread out across day and night; a drawn-out sleep cycle had been the same as inviting death in the time when he had risen to prominence, and old habits die hard.

So it was that he was not totally taken by surprise when a wild-eyed Erza Scarlet barrelled down on him, landing with all the subtlety and grace of a landslide. She had flown through the air, and she smelled of sweat, confusion, and anger.

"Red?" Grimmjow asked, furrowing his brows. He halfway got to his feet when she marched up to him, grabbing him by the collar, pulling him up close, their faces only inches apart. "What the fuck-"

"You're a hollow," said Erza, "arrancar and all, but a hollow. Aren't you?"

"Hey, hey, hey, I'm unarmed!" Grimmjow said hastily. "You fuckers took my sword from me, remember?!"

She has snapped, he thought to himself, and that means my life ain't worth shit.

"What are you talking about?" said Erza. "Answer me!"

"Look, you can't just- I'm a prisoner!" Grimmjow snapped, until he realized that she hadn't drawn a blade, that there was no killing intent to be sensed. "Wait…" he muttered, "if you ain't out to kill me, then what're you here for, in the middle of the night?"

"Answer!" Erza snarled. She was unhinged; Grimmjow could see it as clearly as he could smell it. She looked a mess, like she had just been through the fight of her life, like her mind was all over the place.

"…What's going on?" he said cautiously.

"ANSWER!" Erza roared.

"Fine, fine, I'm a damn hollow! Fucking congratulations, you got eyes in your skull!" Grimmjow spat. "Shit, the fuck is wrong with you?"

"And that means you can open a portal to Hueco Mundo at any time. Doesn't it?"

"…Yeah," Grimmjow said, looking into her eyes with apprehension. "Look, if this is some kinda trick…"

"I've got some issues to work through," said Erza, her voice low, "and I need to find some hollows to crush. You'll know where. Won't you?"

Grimmjow suspected strongly that a 'no' would be very bad for his continued health.

"…Sure," he said, nodding. "Sure, I knows a place or two. Well out in the wastes, nice and far from Aizen's prying eyes and such."

"Good. Do it."

"What's even going on?" Grimmjow muttered, not content to obey so easily. "The hell's got you this rattled?"

"It's personal," said Erza, looking no less wild-eyed, although her tone was a bit more stable. "I just know that right now, I need to work through things doing the one thing I'm really, really good at. Preferably till my mind is numb."

Grimmjow cocked his head. This was interesting. Strange, and interesting.

"What gives?" he demanded.

"Look, you stubborn bastard, I'm giving you free rein to wreak havoc and kill things if you get me in and out of Hueco Mundo for a couple hours!" Erza snarled.

"Well… when you put it that way," said Grimmjow, a wide grin creeping across his face, "yeah, I ain't gonna argue with that. Fuckin' A, let's go kill some hollows."

Erza nodded. "Good. And, don't even think about-"

Grimmjow rolled his eyes. "What am I gonna do, leave you in the wastes? Can't hardly go back if I do that, and I can't exactly stay there, either."

"Good. So… get on with it, then."

Tapping into powers he hadn't used for some time now, powers weakened but still present, Grimmjow raised a hand and tugged at the fabric of the Universe. Slowly, it began to rupture, blackness unfolding in a straight line before them.

"What's taking so long?" Erza demanded.

"Collared like a dog, don't you remember?" said Grimmjow. "You did that to me, so live with it."

"Fine," Erza said impatiently.

"It'll open in a minute," Grimmjow said. "Just be ready. We're going to a proper hollow den. Filled with big 'uns. You'll be up to your neck in monsters within a minute of going in, and that's at most. Hundreds of 'em."

"Good," said Erza darkly, and drew her blade. Wordlessly, it transformed into a nasty-looking war hammer.

"'Atta girl, Red," said Grimmjow, for the first time seeing something about the shinigami that he found agreeable. "Well, here we are. Let's go."

The gateway had opened.

"You first."

She hadn't lost her caution, either.

"My pleasure," said Grimmjow, the grin all but glued to his face, as he jumped through the gateway. Erza was right behind him. There was darkness, and then there was a rustling of hundreds of claws and teeth stirring to life. Erza let out a growl that turned into a roar, and Grimmjow joined in. Before long, their reality was one of blood, brutality, and vicious speed.

In the light of the dawn, the muster of soldiers were an impressive sight. Three hundred shinigami, all standing to attention, eyes forward. A central had been set up, shortly following the last invasion of Karakura Town, where a dozen senkaimon were readied out on one of the Gotei's great squares. A full three hundred division elites, one hundred from each present- ninth, third and fifth, right now- each led by their captain or vice-captain, on full military alert. In the event of an invasion, they would be able to respond in force within fifteen minutes, and their captains within five.

Captain Lisanna Strauss felt some measure of pride as she looked down the left column. The hundred best fighters of ninth division. Her ninth. She had whipped them into shape the last couple of weeks. Tousen, traitor though he was, had not let them grow slack in terms of professionalism, but they had been demoralized. This, Lisanna had solved by working them to their limits, over and over, doing drills, patrols, hard work strong enough to dispel any thoughts of having been used and deceived. They had hated her at first, she was sure of it, but they stood tall now, eager and battle-ready. In four hours' time, another hundred elites would come replace them, and so on and so forth, in shifts. The idea, as lined out by the captain-commander, was that there would be reinforcements available at all times, that they would be able to respond whether it was night or day.

It had strained their resources considerably. The purgation patrols, whose duty it was to purge hollows and send souls on to the Soul Society, had been reduced to a bare minimum. The rest were either standing ready as reinforcements, or training.

Harsh though the wartime measures were, Lisanna knew they were necessary. She felt not a little pride as she marched down the column of a hundred, inspecting the men. A small grin on her face, she nudged Hisagi, who looked as stoically grim as always.

"Not bad, is it?" she said.

"They're all ready to fight and die, captain," he assured her, and Lisanna wished he weren't so stiff. Then again, Tousen's betrayal had to have affected him more personally than anyone except perhaps Captain Komamura.

"I'd rather they fought and lived," said Lisanna with a shrug, "but war is war, I suppose."

Hisagi nodded. "Many of them won't come back, I'm afraid. But…"

He paused, their slow walk coming to a halt.

"But?" said Lisanna.

"I know the men and women under my command as well as a body can," said Hisagi severely, "and believe me when I say that when they got past the denial and despair part of being betrayed, there came anger. They know the risks, and they're eager all the same. They want payback. They want to wash away the shame. Just… just like I do."

Lisanna nodded approvingly. "Then we had better see to it they rule their passion instead of letting it rule them. That goes for you, too, Hisagi."

"Yes, captain," said Hisagi with a nod.

"I mean it," said Lisanna, resuming the slow walk, eyeing the soldiers as she walked, carefully looking for fault in their discipline and, to her satisfaction, finding none. "I can only imagine how it must have hurt you. It would be fully understandable for a man to lose his patience on the battlefield. To be overcome by rage upon seeing his former mentor on the battlefield."

"If I do."

"It's a distinct possibility," Lisanna insisted, "and I need to know that when the time comes, every one of my subordinates, you included, will keep their head in the game. Will you?"

"Tousen will pay," Hisagi said slowly, "and while I can't deny I'd like to be the one to put a blade through his heart, I know I may not get the pleasure. I know this is bigger than my grudges. On my honour, captain, I will not fail you."

Lisanna smiled. "You know, you speak with such conviction and severity that I wonder if you shouldn't be captain."

"It- it is not my place," Hisagi said stiffly.

"Relax, sheesh," Lisanna said, as they begun to approach the end of the column of soldiers. "I'm just teasing a little."

"You are… a different kind of leader," Hisagi admitted, "although, perhaps, that is what we need. What I need."

"We'll be up to our knees in blood and grime soon enough," said Lisanna with a shrug, "so we might as well take it easy when we can. God knows there won't be a lot to smile about once the violence starts."

"Yes, captain," said Hisagi diplomatically.

The column ended, and Lisanna circled around the back of the troops lined up, still looking carefully for any breach of discipline. As she turned, she saw Renji doing the same march of inspection, and she raised a hand in a greeting gesture. Renji nodded back.

As reluctant as he had been, Renji seemed to fill out the haori quite well. He wore a stern, severe expression on his face, and walking upright, he very much looked the picture of a captain.

"Hey, Renji," Lisanna said as they met toward the middle. "Everyone up to par?"

"Wouldn't have it any other way," said Renji firmly. "Kira and I worked hard whipping them into shape, sorting out who should go where. They know what their job is and what to expect. If one of them moaned about it, I daresay my own troops would get to him before I did."

Lisanna nodded approvingly. He was still getting accustomed to the more complicated parts of leadership, like administration and logistics, but he had a face and an attitude people could believe in. That, Lisanna knew, was an essential quality of leadership, and one she very much hoped she possessed, herself.

"And fifth?" she asked.

"Eager and ready under the fourth seat," Renji said. "They wish their captain was here, of course, but things are the way they are. They've learned to adapt. We all have. In a way… in a way, it's good."

"It is?" said Lisanna curiously.

"We used to be… pretty sure of ourselves," said Renji, reaching back into his mind for the right words, "everything clear to us, the same safe routines…"

He paused.

"But now, circumstance has given us a rude awakening and forced us into a by necessity uncomfortable space," said Hisagi. "We've been forced to confront a new reality, and it is driving us to new heights we never expected we would have to deal with ourselves. Aizen, paradoxically enough, has forced us to become stronger in ways we never knew we could or needed to before."

He stopped himself.

"My apologies, captains. I should not have interrupted."

"No, shit, that was exactly what I was thinking," said Renji encouragingly, "this whole… war that's coming, maybe it's what we needed. We got lax. Complacent. No two ways about it. And now look at us," he said, gesturing at the three hundred soldiers standing at the ready, "in better shape than we ever were before. Aizen wants a piece of us? Let him come and get it. He'll pay for everything he takes in blood."

"Hopefully his more than ours," Lisanna remarked, not quite sharing Renji's enthusiasm.

"We're doing our part," said Renji, "and the team on the other side is doing theirs. Old Yamamoto is doing everything he can. We're as ready as we'll ever be."

Perhaps he was as confident as he sounded, but Lisanna doubted it. Another part of leadership was just that- to sound as if you were sure of yourself even when you weren't. The soldiery could certainly not be allowed to think of their leaders as weak or indecisive; it would erode morale.

"You're right," she said with a nod and more confidence than she had. "Let him try. We're ready and able, every last one of us. Isn't that right, boys and girls?"

She had turned toward her troops by those last few words, and raised her voice. In response, the one hundred of her division let out a sharp, quick war chant, aggressive and loud. Fifth's company repeated it a second later, followed by third.

"Ready as we'll ever be," Renji reassured her.

She hoped that was enough.

In the early morning, Momo had lied and stated to Soifon- who, in Erza's absence, was the acting commander- that she would be staying behind to finish up some relevant paperwork.

In reality, she hadn't touched a single sheet of paper, much less lifted a pen. She hadn't slept a minute the night before, and she was thoroughly exhausted. Not so much from a lack of sleep as it was from crying until she had no tears left to shed, until her eyes were red, swollen, and sore.

It was unprofessional, she knew. But, she couldn't find it in her to care. She had done something terrible, and Erza… Erza had just ran away.

Erza, who had meant everything to her in ways that Momo until last night couldn't even fully explain, had been so revolted by Momo's advances that she had simply run.

Momo had, with just the one move, ruined a perfect life. She had ruined everything. Erza hated her, now; she was sure of it. What other answer was there? She'd had it all- she had seen her very best friend have her good name restored, put in charge of Momo's own division as a captain. She had had her best friend back, her faith rewarded. For a brief time, she had known pure happiness, as much as she could have ever asked for.

Now, she had thrown all of that away on a whim.

She sat curled up in a comfortable chair, opposite the couch where it had happened, feeling a pang of pain every time she looked at it. It stabbed into her heart like a white-hot knife.

How could she have been so stupid? What had she been thinking?

Well, she hadn't thought at all. She had just… acted. Acted on a feeling she didn't even realize was there. And for a second, she had thought that was right. Then she had seen the blank, panicked look in Erza's face and realized something was wrong, and then Erza had left and then she had realized something was really wrong.

When had this happened? When had she… when had she started feeling this way? When had that admiration turned into more than just that?

She couldn't be sure. For the longest time, she had looked up to Erza more than anyone else. Back in the academy, when she had struggled with her swordplay and Erza had been there to coach her, to take extra time out of her day just to help a student pass… she had known then Erza was a good person. Somebody to look up to. Yes, she had been a great teacher, but…

But, it hadn't started there, Momo reasoned. It wasn't some student-teacher crush. No… no, the real change, it had been… later.

That mission turned into a horror story, with hollows threatening to take all their lives, ending their careers before it had begun. The same kind of mission that had robbed Erza of so much. When she had been faced with her darkest hour, only to be delivered from it by a bloodied, screaming angel…

That was, most likely, where it had really changed. She had looked up at Erza with wonder and awe and felt a gratitude and devotion she couldn't even understand. It had only grown since then. When Erza had been banished… when she had been deemed a criminal, Momo had kept a rock-hard belief that Erza could have done no wrong. That was when she had become an ideal to Momo. At the time, she had thought it meant loyalty, that it meant friendship, and that it made Erza the greatest role model to live up to.

But, all along, she slowly realized, it had been more than that. She had become devoted to Erza, and when Erza had come back… it had blossomed. Erza, as strong, resolute, and loveable as ever. The joy she felt each time she saw her captain... that, she realized, had been love.

Now it was all ruined, forever. Momo buried her face in one of her sleeves, her shoulders heaving with sobs, tears staining her red and swollen eyes again.

How could she have been so stupid?!

Uryu prized having time to himself, especially now that there was so much to think about, so much to reflect on- like a careful analysis of the Wandenritter; although he suspected they were genuine in their intentions, he could not allow himself to be duped. On a more practical subject, there was how best to improve his training: what exact parts he could do better, and how.

Meninas had set their date of training later in the evening, citing some personal business, which suited Uryu just fine. Having exchanged a word or two with his father- no more or less than courtesy demanded- he had gone up to his room and sat himself on his bed, back leaned against the wall, feet lazily extended. He had taken out his sewing kit, this time opting for the knitting of a simple scarf. It helped him think. It was a productive hobby, one that demanded precision and effort, two things vital to being a quincy, and he had at this point learned it well enough to be the envy of any grandmother. The knitting sticks moving with ease under the direction of his deft fingers, he sat back and let himself sink into his own little world, reflecting, thinking…

It had been perhaps an hour when he sensed another presence. Although he had been distracted, he had not let his senses dull, and he noticed it the moment it landed on the roof of his house. A second later he realized that it was, in fact, Meninas herself. Surprised, he put the knitting project down on his nightstand, and stood up just in time to see Meninas hanging down from the outside of his window, one hand waving cheerily to him as he approached her, the other apparently holding her entire weight. It was a bizarre enough sight, a girl- woman- in full plate mail, dangling from the roof's edge like she weighed nothing. Uryu opened the window, a little befuddled.

"Oh, hello there," said Meninas, sounding friendly. "Really, don't let me disturb you."

"It's rather difficult not to be distracted," Uryu returned, trying and failing for dispassionate neutrality, sounding rather more irritated, "when your mentor shows up out of nowhere."

"I finished my business earlier than expected, and I was bored," Meninas said with a shrug, still dangling freely, "but I'm not here to rush you, really."

"You could have used the door."

"I have been given the impression that your father would disapprove of my presence."

True enough.

"Yeah… well, that's not wrong," Uryu said with a shrug. "So, what, are you going to just… hang out there until I feel like leaving?"

"Oh, not at all. I could, but I won't. It is your room, after all. I'll just wait on the roof, I think. Maybe meditate a little."

"Right…" Uryu said. She sounded cheery, carefree, in a way he was not used to- but then again, most of their interactions were her pushing him to his limits, and quite forcefully, at that. "Um. You may come in, if you so please," Uryu said, hoping that was the right call according to whatever chivalry the Vanden lived by.

"Really? How kind of you," said Meninas, and in one smooth movement, she had flung herself inside, landing with the grace of a cat. "So, this is your room, eh?" she said, getting a look around. "I'm not surprised. Everything is so… neat."

Uryu's room was indeed neat. Two different bookshelves, all books sorted meticulously. A bed, carefully made and only slightly crumpled by Uryu having sat on it. A desk for studying purposes, all papers, notes, and books carefully placed in different drawers. It was a spartan place, and it fit Uryu perfectly. In fact, the only thing to stand out was…

"Is that a scarf?" Meninas said brightly, marching over to Uryu's knitting project. "Oh, would you look at that- I really like the mixed colours. Do you have a bit of an artist inside you after all?"

"Er, well," Uryu mumbled, mildly embarrassed. Knitting was about as far removed from knightly heroism as could be, and he cursed himself, wishing he had thought to put it in a drawer.

"Ooh, this is quality wool, too," Meninas said, examining the work in progress. "I had no idea you were quite this skilled, Uryu."

"You, er… you like it?" Uryu said, inwardly cursing himself; he could feel his earlobes reddening.

"Why wouldn't I? Ooh, I think these are actually a perfect match on the colour wheel," she said excitedly, examining the blue-and-turqoise yarn.

"It's, er," said Uryu awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head, "I mean… sewing, knitting, that's not typically what you think about when you, ah, when you think about a… knight."

"Uryu," Meninas said, a bit more severely although without dropping the cheer entirely, "a true knight is a gentleman as well as a warrior. An expression of artistry would be considered laudable in our order. It shows a noble desire to pursue worthier goals."

"Really, now?" said Uryu, and blinked. It made some sense, although he had not considered it.

"Oh, yes," Meninas said with a nod. "His Majesty paints. Our Grand Master has a knack for sculpting. Artistry can take many forms; it can be poetry, writing, carving… even sewing."

"I… well, that's good, then," Uryu said, a bit baffled.

"Besides," said Meninas, "Bambietta does the same thing, only not half as good, even if she'd die before she admitted it."

"Really?" Uryu said. This, he had not expected at all.

"It is quite possibly the worst crochet I've ever seen," said Meninas with a nod, "no disrespect to my fellow paladin, of course. The point is that she tries. To seek the nobler arts and to create is itself a sign of worthiness, even if one cannot make great art."

"And… a scarf would be acceptable?"

"If it's creatively and qualitatively made, certainly."

"Well…" said Uryu, unable to resist the opportunity to brag about a much under-appreciated skill set, "that… that is really just a side project. Nothing special, really. I've done better."

"Oh?" said Meninas, and Uryu was shocked to see a sign of genuine interest in her face and her voice. "Well, you must show me."

"Well…" said Uryu, "well, if you insist…"

"I do!"

"All right…" said Uryu, and with a sense of eager anticipation, he walked over to his study desk, pulling out a drawer that, he was sure, nobody else but him had ever really laid eyes on. "There's this, I suppose," he said, pulling out a piece of cloth with an intricate floral pattern sown into it. "It's still something of a work in progress, but mostly done. And then there's this," he said, pulling out a pair of gloves, "more on the practical side. I've had to make my own uniforms for quincy business, god knows my father wouldn't make that effort…"

"Ooh," Meninas cooed, eagerly observing Uryu's hidden stash of sewing. "Uryu, these are quite a treasure! You're a man of hidden talents, you are."

"Oh, it's nothing," Uryu said, finding it oddly satisfying to be able to revel in his skill like this. "I've plenty more. But, er, if you'd like to go train…"

He said that last part, hoping she did not. To his relief, she said, "Oh, there's plenty of time, isn't there? You have to show me the rest."

"My pleasure," said Uryu politely. "For example, there is my attempt at sewing a piece of haiku onto a piece of cloth. My teacher was quite impressed…"

Time passes quickly when one is having fun, and when it was in fact time to train- which Meninas insisted on; business over pleasure- Uryu felt both considerable satisfaction, and regret that they had to go. He had much else to show her, and made a mental note to keep it readily available in the future. Just in case.

At dawn, Erza had in the quickest terms possible- so quick, in fact, that there had been no time to respond- put Soifon in charge while she desperately looked for a way to put herself together.

She had come out of Hueco Mundo, soaked in blood and gore, after some four hours of carnage. Grimmjow had had the time of his life, of course, and had gone back to the cellar looking pleased for the first time since he had surrendered to them. Erza had quietly gone to Rangiku's place, thrown the bloodied shihakushou aside, and borrowed a new one from her still sleeping friend, after washing her hands and face clean of the red, sticky, already clotting blood she had amassed. Thus equipped and looking almost normal, Erza had poked her head into Soifon's headquarters, put her in charge and left before the little captain could ask what was going on, and thus set about trying to make sense of the world.

It wasn't going very well. She walked the streets, still grey with the pale light of morning, her mind still just as scrambled and chaotic as before.

The bout of violence had helped. Being up to her neck in hollows trying to kill her had been refreshing at the time; it had given her some very immediate problems to focus on. It had granted her a clarity of mind that only mortal combat could provide. The fact that even in their hundreds, none of these hollows came close to a real challenge hadn't mattered. Erza had purged and purged until only a handful had remained, scurrying away into their burrows. Adrenaline rushing and her muscles going numb with the effort, she had nodded at Grimmjow and gotten back to the world of the living.

But, now, by her lonesome and the adrenaline rush draining away, she realized it had only been a temporary reprieve. She nearly panicked again. It shouldn't be this hard. Sure, Momo had... kissed her. Erza was an adult. She should be able to handle stuff like this.

So, why couldn't she?

Realizing that she was driving herself crazy, she abruptly halted her morning walk, and headed back. She needed a friend, now more than ever. Isane and Nemu were probably still asleep; their shift would start later in the morning due to their night patrol. So, whom to tell? Rangiku? No, that'd be the safest way to ensure everyone would know, and Erza wanted discretion.

It had to be someone else.

Yoruichi lay stretched out on a cot, lazily enjoying the morning light creeping through the window. She was not about to get up early; it may well be that one could have too much leisure, but that could never apply to a good old-fashioned sleep-in. It was much to her surprise, then, when there was a violent rapping on her door, as if the person knocking had a grudge with it. She opened it to find a wild-eyed Erza, demanding she needed to talk. After hastily pulling her clothes on, Yoruichi followed her down to the basement- far, far down in it, to the very corner. It was strange behaviour, not least of which because the cellar was several kilometres across to begin with.

"So..." Yoruichi began with a yawn, still not fully awake. She blinked, and looked at Erza. The captain very clearly was not herself. She had a clean uniform, yes, but she looked a mess. There was a fresh scar on her left cheek, near the ear, bleeding slightly and it didn't seem like she had even noticed. Her eyes were wide open, barely even blinking; her hair was a mess of split ends and Yoruichi was sure she saw traces of blood in it, and she was pacing back and forth rapidly, like she wanted to crawl out of her own skin.

"Erza..." Yoruichi said, furrowing her brows, "is something wrong?"

"I, um, well, no. Yes. Sort of. Yes." Erza murmured, seeming to be uncharacteristically shaken.

"Well, what is it?"

"The thing is..." Erza said, hesitating, very abruptly pausing her pace, staring Yoruichi right in the eye.

"Yes?"

"You..." Erza took a deep breath, and paused. "You've been with... women, right?"

"Well, well, well," Yoruichi said with a sultry grin, "did you finally become a bit curious, eh? I figured you might-"

In a flash, Erza stood just an inch away from Yoruichi, grabbing her by the rim of her shirt.

"That's pretty aggressive-" Yoruichi started again, only to be interrupted a second time.

"No jokes," Erza hissed, and she looked haunted, as dead serious as she had been in any life-or-death situation. This, Yoruichi realized, was more than bi-curious nervousness. "No funny little quips. No lewd remarks. No innuendoes. This is serious business, Yoruichi, and I don't know anyone else to ask!"

"O... okay then," Yoruichi murmured. "Really, I got it."

Erza held on to the rim of Yoruichi's shirt for a few seconds more, before letting go. Pained, she ran both her hands over her face and through her hair.

"So, um... why do you ask?" Yoruichi asked, taking a few steps back.

"It's... it's complicated."

"I bet. So, who is it?"

"Who what?" Erza snapped.

"The girl."

"Who says there is a girl?"

Yoruichi rolled her eyes. "You come to me early in the morning, looking utterly terrible, and then you tell me it's dead serious, after asking if I know what it's like to be with a girl. You don't have to be chief of the stealth force to put two and two together. So, who is it?"

Erza's shoulders slumped, and she groaned. "There's no girl. I mean... I don't like her that way. I don't. I don't think so."

"Erza," Yoruichi said in a calm, friendly tone, putting a hand on her distressed friend's shoulder, "relax. Sit down and start from the beginning. Take the time you need."

Erza simply nodded, and took a seat on a nearby piece of rock alongside Yoruichi. Quite awkwardly, sometimes having to have the words pulled out of her, Erza recounted the previous night. It seemed oddly banal to say; it really only took a couple of minutes, and in Erza's opinion, it completely failed to recount the severity of the situation. Yoruichi nodded understandingly, however, and gently encouraged her to tell the story from beginning to end.

"So... yeah," Erza murmured. "Just, um... out of nowhere, that. I wound up freaking out, and... I went to my room and bailed out the window."

She felt her face redden with embarrassment. She had panicked and run from her problems, quite unlike how she would normally handle them. It felt wrong. Irresponsible.

"Oh, dear," Yoruichi murmured. "Poor Momo."

"I... I just don't know what I was supposed to do!" Erza said exasperatedly. "I panicked! My mind went blank, and, and, and..."

"Breathe," said Yoruichi calmly. "Stop for a second, and just breathe. Okay?"

Erza clamped her mouth shut, gave Yoruichi a half-mad look, and nodded.

"Now, the breathing part?" Yoruichi suggested.

Erza nodded again, as if it had been the most intriguing suggestion she ever heard, and breathed out, then in. Then out, then in. Eventually, she seemed to calm down a little.

"Right," said Yoruichi, "and you had no idea this was coming?"

"No!" Erza burst out, and Yoruichi had to put a hand on her shoulder to prevent another outburst. "I just... I figured we were just really good friends, you know?" She shook her head, and moaned. "Please tell me you can help?"

"Well," said Yoruichi, "I don't exactly have a lot of relationships under my belt. A few flings here and there, but nothing serious. I do have experience with women, though. I've always liked men just as much as women, and when you've lived as long as I have..."

She smiled, and Erza suspected it was about more than just having lived for so-and-so many years.

"In short, I'm not totally lost on the topic. How can I help you?"

"I… hell, I don't know," Erza said nervously. "I just… I don't even know what to do with this. I… I'm a commander. I have to work this out, and soon. I have duties to attend, and I can't skip out on them. And Momo… she's my second in command, damn it all!"

"Slow down," Yoruichi said reassuringly. "One thing at a time, okay? She kissed you, is that correct? And you froze."

"I… well, yes. I mean, I kissed her back. A little. But, um…"

"Oh, well… maybe this could be really simple, then?" said Yoruichi. "I know some people would kill for a secretary who'd go down on them."

"What did I say about jokes?" Erza snapped.

"Hey, I may have put it that way, but who says I'm not serious? You could just… you know, go for it."

"That's not helping!" Erza snapped. "I have no idea how to handle any of this! I've- I've never been with anyone like that! I haven't even had sex, damn it!"

Yoruichi blinked. "…Oh. That complicates things. I was, um, just going to say, 'it's just a bit of girl love,' and teach you the basics of sapphic lovemaking, but…" She paused, cocking her head. "I mean really, not even once? Erza, you're over a hundred years old. You never…"

"It never seemed important!" Erza snapped, throwing her hands up in the air. "I never had the time or the interest! And frankly, I don't see why everyone else does. Everyone seems so crazy about… about boobs and curves and humping, and I never understood why. It seems overrated!"

"Calm down," Yoruichi said, lowering her palms in an appeasing gesture. "It's fine. It's not for everyone. It's unusual, but there's nothing wrong with that." She sighed, and paused. "Well, there goes the one thing I actually know pretty well. Sorry…"

"Don't say sorry! Help me figure this out, because I'm not getting anywhere myself!" Erza snapped, near hysteria.

"Alright," Yoruichi said, "another angle, then. So far… so far you've told me that you don't understand sex, that you've not had a relationship like that, that you don't understand how any of this works… but you've never said anything about not being attracted to her. So, let's start there. Are you?"

"No!" Erza burst out. "I'm not! Well, I don't think so. Maybe? I don't know!"

"Well, I can see how that would be a problem," Yoruichi said with a sigh. "Honestly, this kind of anxiety is what your teen years are for."

Her face becoming more serious, she looked Erza in the eye.

"You left Momo behind after she exposed herself in a way she probably never had before. You're not in a good place right now- I can see that- but Momo might be worse off. I… haven't had a lot of relationships, but I do know heartache. You need to talk to her. She deserves to at least hear a 'No.' Heartache is bad, rejection is bad, but you can move on from that. But, not knowing? Thinking everything's ruined?" Yoruichi shook her head. "That's a terrible place to be. I know it'll be hard, but you'll have to talk it out. Calm your thoughts as much as possible, and talk. If you can't figure out where you stand with me, maybe you can with her."

Erza took a few deep breaths, and groaned. "When you're finally saying something useful, it's got to be something as painful as that…" she said, shaking her head. "You're right, I guess. I think I knew. I just… I couldn't get hold of it."

She was a truly miserable sight. Yoruichi had never seen Erza quite like this. The only thing that came close was when, all those years ago, Masaki's children had been kidnapped. Even then, Erza had kept a level head. Her urgency had been… contained. This… this was her in a state of confusion completely out of character for the decisive, brave woman Yoruichi knew.

"It'll all work out," Yoruichi said with confidence, not sure what else to say.

"But what if it won't?" Erza wailed. "What if Momo winds up hating me forever? What if it's all ruined?"

"Then she hates you forever and it's all ruined," Yoruichi said bluntly. "If that's a possibility, prepare for it. But, ask yourself: looking at it objectively, do you think that's likely? If you calm down a bit, do you think you'll lose her?"

"I… no," Erza said weakly. "No, I don't think… I don't think I will. But it will hurt. And… it would be really awkward. She would probably transfer over to another division, and…" She trailed off into a groan.

"You'll make it," Yoruichi said reassuringly. "Even if you can't patch it up, you'll make it. You're strong, Erza, and you've been through worse and come out on top. This… this is just another challenge."

"Why couldn't it be an espada?" Erza said, sounding almost petulant. "An elite hollow transformed into an ultimate killing machine, that I can handle. Dealing with this stuff… that's not part of my damned job description."

"Nope," Yoruichi said with a nod, then smiled. "Part of life, though. Pretty hard to get out of that."

"Yeah." Erza sighed, and shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so. Damn it… well, thanks, anyway. I feel… better now. No, scratch that- I don't feel better at all, but at least I know what I have to do."

"'Atta girl," Yoruichi said encouragingly. "Tell me when you're done. I haven't heard of anything like this since I was back in the academy. The details-"

"I'll keep to myself," Erza said sharply. "Well, unless… you'll find out anyway, I guess," she said exasperatedly.

"I'll keep an eye out," Yoruichi assured her. Erza nodded, and without a word of farewell, she turned around and began walking away. Well… that was half of it sorted, then. It was just that the other half was by far the heavier load to lift.

In a tall building overlooking the courtyard where three hundred soldiers stood ready, Kyouraku Shunsui sat slumped over in a wicker chair, fanning himself with his straw hat. He had discarded his pink, flower-patterned kimono, and had a look of weariness about him. It was so bad, in fact, that the cup of saké sitting on the table in front of him was untouched.

Opposite of him sat Ukitake Jushiro, looking no spryer than his friend and colleague, although he seemed to bear it better, sitting up straight compared to Shunsui's half-lying slump.

"What a sight, huh?" Shunsui muttered, gesturing vaguely at the troops assembled outside. "The old man really means it this time."

"That's our sensei, alright," Jushiro affirmed. "I'd expect no less. If there is one thing he knows, it's how to respond to a threat."

"You know," said Shunsui, wearily reaching for the cup of liquor on the table at last, "it's gotten so bad that I'm actually on a break now because I worked until now. Twelve hours straight!"

"I can scarcely imagine it," Jushiro said in a gently sardonic tone. "The infamous Kyouraku Shunsui getting up before eleven? To do actual work?"

"I know, right?" Shunsui said theatrically, downing the cup in one go. "I mean, I even surprised Nanao by doing my own paperwork the other day. I want to say the baffled look on her face was worth it, but frankly, it was not." He made a face.

"Well… we're out of options," said Jushiro with a shrug. "We're captains, and we're needed."

"It's a curse," Shunsui muttered, reaching for the saké bottle. "I've spent all of last week putting my best troops into shape, when really there's nothing I was doing other than look like I cared. They've got it covered themselves."

"Don't underestimate the importance of an air of investment. It's good for morale, you know."

Shunsui grunted something inaudible, weighed the cup in one hand and the bottle in the other, and then, apparently lacking the energy to even pour a drink, he took a swig right out of the bottle.

"We're making history, you know," he murmured, sounding half as if he was talking to himself. "This kind of muster hasn't been heard of since the quincy wars. No matter what happens… no matter what happens, one day, historians will be sitting their asses down to write out a suitably pompous description of it all. This…"

"Technically, we're making history all the time," Jushiro countered. "It's made out of the little bits and pieces we call 'now', created by everyone. We're captains. That in itself means making history."

"True," Shunsui said with a nod, taking another swig. "But… this is different, isn't it?"

"It is," Jushirou said, nodding his assent. "This is… unheard of. I don't think anyone has ever done what Aizen has. He'll go down in history as the greatest traitor there ever was, and one day, this war will be the greatest event told in the books."

"No matter who wins," Shunsui said darkly.

"Surely you have faith in our victory?"

"Faith?" muttered Shunsui. "Faith doesn't win battles. I've got a bad feeling, that's what I've got."

"We're mustering more than ever before in our history. Genryuusai-sensei is in firm shape."

"The reality is that we could lose," Shunsui said bluntly. "That's what we have to consider."

"Why? If we lose, I doubt we'll survive. To look forward at all, we have to assume we'll make it."

"You're right, I suppose," Shunsui sighed.

"This has gotten to you, hasn't it?" said Jushiro. "It isn't like you to be so… pessimistic."

"We might make it," Shunsui said with a nod. "No, we will. I agree with you on that count. But not all of us will. This will be a war unlike any the Gotei Thirteen has ever faced, and people die in wars. I've started to ask myself which faces I'll never see again when this is all over. I jest and I complain, Jushiro, but not inside. I take this seriously enough to face reality. It might be you. It might be me. It might be any captain or vice-captain out there, not to mention the hundreds of soldiers out there. It might even be the old man."

"Surely not!" said Jushiro keenly, upset at the very idea. "He is the rock the Gotei was built on. I can't even imagine a world without him."

"You may well have to," said Shunsui. "The world cares little how we feel, and nothing lasts forever."

"Now you're just being negative for the sake of it," Jushiro said accusatorily.

"No," Shunsui said, shaking his head, "I'm considering something that may well need to be considered. If the old man dies… then who will take over? Who will lead? What will become of the Gotei?"

"Shunsui-"

"Quiet down and think," Shunsui said, with unusual firmness. "It may well come to that. I hope it doesn't, but what I hope is irrelevant. We have to be prepared for every eventuality. The old man may well fall. And if he did… well, the central forty-six are in no state to decide who comes next, and short of the Soul King coming down with a proclamation…"

"It would be left up to us," Jushiro muttered, staring into space. "I… I have thought of this. Sometimes. I always assumed it would be you."

"Me?" Shunsui chortled. "Honestly, I can barely run the one division, and my vice-captain does most of the actual work!"

"You've got your health and you're one of his favoured pupils," countered Jushiro.

"It'd have to be our senior, Unohana," Shunsui said, "the one person more experienced than us, aside from the old man, of course."

"She'd never give up her position at Fourth."

"Maybe so," Shunsui grumbled. "Enough of this, then. We'll deal with it when and if it comes to that."

"Which we both hope is not anytime soon."

"Quite," Shunsui muttered, and took another swig. "Hell, I wonder what the future will be like even if we win…"

"We'll have a lot of rebuilding to do, of course. But I guess that isn't what you meant?"

"Me, I wonder what will become of popular figures like Scarlet. She's tenacious, and she's already got her division behind her. She won't quit, you know, and the Gotei as-is…"

"Strange thing to worry about compared to the war."

"What was that you said? Assume we'll make it, I think."

"Oh, right," Jushiro said with a smile. "Yes… yes, that's true. Thinking about the future… well, why not? We'll have precious little time to do so until this whole thing is over and done with."

"Speaking of which, I'm back on duty in about five minutes," Shunsui grumbled. "Another six hours of organizing, filling out papers, and of course training myself… and then a few hours of sleep to repeat the whole damned thing. Treason is one thing, but this intolerable change to my lifestyle? Aizen will deserve everything coming his way."

Jushiro chuckled. "It can't be all that bad if you've still got the energy to crack jokes."

"Don't say that," Shunsui groaned, and stood up. "I'm keeping myself up mostly on a mixture of coffee and booze that, frankly, is unhealthy even by my standards. One of these days I'll hit a wall, and no mistake."

"I'll be there to pick you up."

"Yeah, well…" Shunsui grumbled, and began walking away. "You always do. I'll see you later, Jushiro."

"Goodbye, old friend."

Shunsui walked away tremendously annoyed. Whine as he would, he was still doing his duties well enough. If he hadn't been so terribly lazy, he knew, he would be rather good at this whole captain business.

Erza had resumed command of the mission and spent the remainder of the day trying very hard not to think about Momo and what she had to do and say. Momo had, for her part, been nowhere to be seen- apparently catching up on paperwork in the apartment, according to Nemu, something Erza knew to be a lie.

Eventually, Erza's shift had ended. Even so, she had found other things to do, excuses; a patrol here, some micromanagement of her subordinates there. When it had been two hours past her time and the sun was starting to hang low, Erza had sighed, pulled herself together, and walked back toward the apartment. Nemu and Isane were out, thankfully, still on the night shift. It would be just her and Momo.

She walked the entire way back, every step feeling like she was walking in boots of concrete. The closer she got to the door of her place, the heavier each step became. Finally- all too soon, Erza thought- she stood before the door. She stared at it for a few minutes, before working up the courage to turn the handle. What was she going to say? What was she going to do?

Yoruichi had been right. Momo deserved to at least hear a 'No.' She deserved some way of moving forward, even if it hurt. That was the crux of it- Erza could think of nothing that wouldn't hurt her friend. Except... except if they...

No. She shook her head. That was… madness, wasn't it? And she certainly couldn't do that just to spare Momo's feelings. That would be lying, and it would only make it worse in the long run.

She had spent all day thinking about it, despite her best efforts not to. Momo… the kiss they had shared had been something else. So much so that the details were still quite a blur. It was just that… Erza had never considered being attracted to another woman. In fact, she couldn't recall the last time she was even attracted to a man. All of that had never been interesting to her.

Damn it all.

Firmly, she turned the handle and opened the door. Standing here, staring herself blind at the door lost in thought: that would get her nowhere. She had to do this, and the sooner, the better. Rip the Band-Aid off, because drawing it out only hurt more.

She found Momo by the office space, sitting at Erza's desk, looking haggard. Her hair, normally kept in a bun, was let out and flowed in a sticky, sweaty mess that brought to mind a crow's nest. She was red around the eyes, and Erza felt a pang of guilt when she saw it. How much had Momo wept on Erza's account?

"Momo-" she said, walking up to the desk.

"I organized all the files, captain," Momo said in a chipper voice. There was something strained there, and she had a glassy look in her eyes, "and I took care of all of today's paperwork. I've also been reviewing your schedule for tomorrow. At nine, you have a security meeting with Captain Soi-"

"Momo," Erza interrupted her, as gently as she could. It hurt to see her like this.

"-with Captain Soifon," Momo insisted, "which should not take long, but I made sure there was a space of at least twenty minutes allocated-"

"Momo, stop."

"I'm not sure what you mean," Momo said nervously. "Did I get it wrong? I was sure I went through your schedule quite thoroughly, and-"

"Momo, you know…" Erza said, before sighing and taking a deep breath. "You know that's not what it is about."

"What else could it be?" Momo said, her voice rising a little in pitch. "I can't think of anything else. Today has been very quiet and all around normal. Just like most days since we arrived. Just like yesterday and the day before that. I can't imagine what you would object to."

She looked Erza in the eye, with what she probably thought was a stable, firm expression. She looked like some small woodland creature, Erza thought, like some rodent who had broken a paw, but for some reason decided to act as if it hadn't.

"Momo-"

"At any rate, the next item on the schedule would be-"

"I told you, stop!" Erza said, more firmly. "Momo, we have to talk about this-"

"There's nothing to talk about!" Momo snapped, her voice rising almost to the pitch of a squeal. "Everything is normal. There's nothing we need to discuss. Everything is fine. I'm fine. You're fine. We'll just… keep on going, yes?"

She wants me to just never bring it up, thought Erza, to act like nothing ever happened. To lock it all up deep inside and pretend everything is as it was two days ago.

She could do that, she realized. It was a solution. Momo clearly didn't want to talk about it, and frankly, neither did Erza. They could just… act like everything was fine.

But, that would be dishonest. That would be untrue. That was not an option, not for Erza. Not least of all, Erza was sure it was unhealthy.

"Momo," she said, "you can't just pretend it never happened. We need to- we need to deal with this somehow, talk through it-"

"There's nothing!" Momo shouted, squealing like a wounded rodent. "There's nothing wrong, Erza! Everything is fine! We're just- just captain and vice-captain, like it should be! We're-"

"Damn it Momo, I kissed you back, didn't I?" Erza shouted back, realizing only as she spoke the words that it was true.

Momo looked stunned, her agitation instantly dispelled. The effect was only temporary, though, and she took a few steps back, whimpering,

"No, no, no, you don't- you're just saying-"

"Momo," said Erza earnestly, taking a few steps to catch up with her friend, putting a hand on her shoulder, "I'd never lie about something like this. I… I don't know how or why, but… it wasn't just you. You understand that? Look me in the eyes, Momo, look me in the eyes and tell me I'm lying!"

She was probably coming on too strongly; she should probably have been gentler, but Erza had never been an expert at tactfulness.

"I-" Momo whimpered.

"Do you think I'm lying or not?" Erza insisted, unrelenting.

Tears spilled out of Momo's eyes and down her cheeks.

"Well?" Erza insisted, hoping dearly she hadn't pushed too hard.

"No," Momo said breathlessly. "No, you'd never lie to me."

"Good," Erza said with a nod. "So…"

What she would say next, she had no idea. She was fully improvising this, which might be excellent or might be terrible. It was the only way she knew.

"I thought you hated me," Momo whispered under her breath, clumsily wiping her tears with a sleeve that, Erza noticed, looked damp already.

Instinctively, Erza surged forward and put her arms around the smaller woman, pulling her into a tight hug.

"I'd never hate you," she said, intensely. Gently, she ruffled through Momo's hair with one hand. "No matter what, no matter how this turns out, you'll never lose me. Are we clear?"

Momo whimpered something resembling confirmation, although without much coherency.

"Let's have a seat," said Erza. Gently, she took Momo by the hand, and led her to the couch- the same couch where it had happened less than twenty-four hours ago.

They sat down, in silence, and Erza looked Momo in the eye. She was like an open book; vulnerable, anxious, hopeful, all emotions plain to read in her face even for Erza. Erza looked away, staring intently into the wall. She couldn't bear it, couldn't bear the thought of Momo being so vulnerable, so easily hurt by the wrong choice of words.

"I… I don't know how to say any of this," she muttered, gently squeezing Momo's hand. "It's all a mystery to me. This… this stuff with, like, two people. Being together. In any kind of way that's…"

She trailed off, and sighed.

"Teaching, I get. Bullying Ichigo into shape, that was easy. Being friends, I get. Being around other people, even ones I don't like: that I get. Leadership: I'm managing to not completely muck that up. It's all… pretty difficult, but I got the hang of it. I think. But, this stuff…"

She threw her hands up, only to realize she was still hanging on to Momo's hand, and lowered them again.

"I'm sorry," Momo murmured.

"It's not your fault," said Erza wearily. Technically it was, but this was not the time to remind her.

"Is it… is it because we're both women?" said Momo, her voice quivering a little.

"That's…. that's complicated. But no, I don't think… I don't think I would feel less lost if one of us was a man."

"We don't have to go through this," Momo reminded her. "I don't want you to make yourself this uncomfortable."

"We have to," Erza sighed. "We do, don't we?"

She finally looked back to Momo's face; Momo nodded ever so slightly.

"I don't know much at all," Erza continued, forcing herself to confront it. It was awkward, difficult, yet somehow not as hard as she had imagined. "So, let's start with what I know. I… know I love you just as much as any of my friends. Maybe more. I know you're dear to me. I know losing you would be like losing a leg and an arm. I know you make me feel happy. I know I feel… comfortable around you. I can be myself around you in ways I can't around others. I'm an authority to so many people, and… I don't feel the need to be that way around you. That's liberating. I don't need to be all stern…"

She trailed off again, hoping Momo would interject. When she did not, Erza continued, before the silence got too long,

"And, I know I kissed you back."

Momo took a deep breath, and then another one.

"I…" she started hesitantly, but likewise trailed off. If it continued like this, nothing would get said, and nothing would get resolved.

"Momo, how do you feel about me?" Erza said, opting for bluntness. She could think of no other way.

"I… I love you," Momo said. "You've been the most important person to me in my life ever since you saved us from those hollows on our first mission. Being with you… that's all I wanted out of life. I thought… I thought you were just like a role model, or an older sister, a friend… just somebody I could emulate. Somebody brave and strong, someone who set… an example to admire. That's what I thought. But somewhere it became… more than that. When you were exiled, I became almost obsessed with you. Everything I did was to find you again, to restore your reputation. Being your vice-captain was a dream come true."

"Putting it simply?"

"I… know I have feelings for you. More than just as a friend. I think I've known for some time, on some level. Maybe since we reunited. Maybe later than that. I just wasn't… aware."

"And if I don't return those feelings?"

"It will hurt," Momo whispered, "a lot. I don't want you to feel guilty- it's not your fault- but… it'll hurt." Her voice quivered, light as a feather and almost inaudible.

"I… would you want to transfer out?"

"No!" Momo snapped. "No, don't do that! Even- even if it hurt me, even if I felt it for a long time, I don't ever want to be away from you!"

She sounded frantic and deeply sincere. Erza felt a little moved.

"I… I don't know anything," said Erza, slowly and deliberately, dragging out the words, "nothing for sure. But… I know I care about you. And maybe… maybe…"

"Maybe?" Momo said anxiously.

"I don't want to give you any false hopes," Erza groaned. "I really don't. I hate to put you in this position…"

To Erza's surprise, Momo smiled.

"What?" Erza muttered.

"Look at you," Momo said, a bit of positivity seeping into her voice. "I'm the one who put you in this position, and here you are, worrying for me. This can't be easy for you, but you still… you still put others first. That's one of the reasons I… feel the way I do. You're incredible, in the smallest of ways and the greatest of ways. You care; you really do."

"I, um, it's just being me. Nothing special about that," Erza muttered awkwardly.

"It's incredibly special," Momo insisted. "That's why I know it will be fine. Even if you won't want me."

"…Yeah," Erza said, and sighed again. It was becoming a habit. "As I was saying…" she said, switching topics only to realize neither one was any more comfortable than the other, "I said… maybe, didn't I?"

"Yes."

"Here's the thing. I… I came here tonight to tell you, 'No.' I figured you deserved at least an answer. I thought that was what I was going to do. But… but here and now… I just, I mean…"

"Relax," said Momo, giving Erza's hand an encouraging squeeze. "You'll figure it out. And no matter what you say… we'll be fine. I am sure of it now. Even if it hurts now."

"You really believe that, huh?" Erza said.

"I do."

"I don't want to give you any false hopes, okay?" Erza repeated. "I can't make any kind of promises. I can't say I'll wind up feeling just the way you do. I can't tell you it'll work out, because I don't know how anything works. But…"

She looked Momo in the eyes, and her heart welled up. Not with sympathy or with pity, for in Momo's tear-ridden face there was a renewed strength and confidence that hadn't been there before, had been absent before Erza had spoken to her, reassured in ways that surprised Erza. She paused to think of it. Her and Momo? Together? An… item? Briefly, the thought of sex passed through her mind, and just as quickly it passed; she had no idea how that would work. The thought of touching her, holding her, being close and affectionate, though… that thought stuck by her.

A life partner? A girlfriend? Somebody to share life's woes with, somebody to… love? Could that be her? Could that be Momo?

Right away, Erza knew the answer.

"It's a definite 'Maybe,'" she said with as firm a voice as she could manage. "I wish I could do better for you, but…"

"'Maybe' is fine!" Momo cut in quickly, standing up on her knees, leaning in close with a smile on her face. "I'll take 'Maybe!'"

"Really?" Erza said, surprised. "I thought not knowing would be, you know… really bad? Disappointing, and, um…"

"It beats 'No,'" Momo said, nodding eagerly. "Believe me, it does. I… I promise I won't make any assumptions or pressure you. Just a bit of hope will do. And, if it doesn't happen…"

"…Then we'll still have each other," Erza said, nodding slowly, "as the best of friends. Captain and vice-captain. A… team."

"Yes," Momo said, nodding happily, "a team. No matter what, it'll be you and me."

"I promise I'll figure it out, then," said Erza. "I… I'll figure out in what way I love you. I'll figure out what's there. And, no matter what, there's a future."

"Yes!"

Gently, Erza wrapped her arms around Momo, pulling her into a hug. Tentatively, she pressed her lips against Momo's forehead, planting a light kiss. It didn't feel too bad, actually.

"Just… one thing," said Erza, breaking off the hug and looking Momo in the eye.

"Anything!"

Slowly, awkwardly and feeling like she was jumping off a cliff, a bottomless pit beneath her, Erza pressed her lips against Momo's.

The kiss was nowhere near as natural as last night's, nowhere near as relaxed. It was stiff, it was awkward, and their noses got in the way, but when it broke off, Momo beamed and Erza felt a whirlpool of emotions rush through her, a cocktail of feelings that left a natural high that was, all things considered, a net positive.

"Not… bad," she admitted, realizing she had forgotten to breathe for a while.

"It was fantastic," Momo said, awestruck. It hadn't been, not if Erza was any judge.

"But, um, let's… keep it to ourselves for a while. Till we figure it out."

"Till we figure it out," Momo agreed.

"Not that I'm ashamed or anything, but…"

"But we're in the middle of a mission and it would be unprofessional to bring personal drama into a military conflict," Momo said.

"Um. Yes. That," Erza said with a nod. "Huh, you always know how to put it…"

"I'm a good vice-captain," Momo beamed.

"Yes… yes, you are," Erza slowly nodded. "So…"

"So, I think we'll need to go over that schedule. Can't be overlooking our duties, after all."

"Yes. That," Erza said, feeling oddly relieved. Schedules, she understood. Grasping something tangible and real felt very appealing right now.

"Now," said Momo, as she eased back, "about your appointment with Captain Soifon in the morning…"

And just like that, the beginnings of a hopefully happy relationship have begun. Now as we said before, we're not going to have this take over the plot or anything, but its something I really want to try out.

Also, not to fear, the action is coming soon. This IS a Bleach/Fairy Tail story after all. But its important to get as much as you can out of your characters for proper character growth. But soon, VERY soon, the action will arrive.

Not much for me to say this time. I am however looking forward to what you all have to say, so please leave your thoughts in a review. Thanks for reading!