Rukia continued to puzzle over this new development well until her shift had ended. Although, she walked among her fellow Shinigami, her thoughts couldn't have been farther from the petty things Thirteenth's Squad members argued over; the meetings of the SWA society nor the idle complaints of the menfolk around Seireitei about the things those crazy women were up to.

Once, she would've felt the sting of exclusion now only minor irritation with Kiyone bubbling about the latest fashions Rangiku-san had featured in their little meet-up. When she had finally sought out Stark amid the tall trees of Ugendo's forested lands, her head was pounding sufficiently enough so that his laziness irked her more than ever.

"Quaint." Was the lazy Arrancar's comment to her sandaled foot planted in his backside. "Is that how you greet anyone who isn't your friend?"

"They're not my friends." She said quickly, then huffed. "I...what I mean is...we're comrades." Why was it so difficult to explain? She shouldn't have had to explain herself to the Hollow in the form of a tall man relaxing against the trunk of the thick, spreading oak tree.

This is wrong, she thought, pressing her palm to her forehead.

I'm wrong.

Stark was watching her as he always did, with a single eye, the other lazily closed. He wasn't smiling yet there was no judgment present in his slightly scruffy face. "Is there a difference here?"

Here? She stopped herself from echoing. The wind gusted through the treetops, whining a lonely sound. Rukia shivered abruptly, drawing her arms close to her body. Difference? She thought back to Aizen's words - her promise - her deal with the devil, and felt sickened. "There are others," Rukia murmured, almost afraid her voice would carry. "Others, your comrades."

Stark was silent, so silent she was just as afraid to turn her head, look back at him.

"No," he said, his voice full of weight, gravity. "There is a difference."

It was her turn to remain silent, pondering the meaning of his words. There were others, Aizen had almost guaranteed it so. Until Ulquiorra and...Stark - yes, she couldn't let herself forget where they had come from, the evil they'd been born from, she had never seen a humanoid Hollow nor one capable of speech, intelligence and - . Her thoughts stopped there. That was a dangerous path, the one where those thoughts led.

In the darkest depths of her mind she had allowed herself to contemplate the answer to that question. She both feared and longed for it, but would never dare ask it. It's enough, she thought, worrying her lip. This had to be enough. "Stark...," she turned around to face him. "I have to know what's -"

"Ukitake-Taichou's coming." Stark murmured softly. He had closed his eyes, feigning sleep. Sure enough, she could feel the gentle waves of her Taichou's reiatsu flickering across the expanse of fertile ground. She wanted to say more before her time was taken by frivolous deeds. Above all, she wanted to know what happened next? No, needed to know. Rukia despised the suspense and cunning of her unwilling King as a pawn in the master player's game.

"Stark-"

"I'm coming for you."

In the single moment it had taken her eyelashes to flutter, Stark had risen to his full height.

When? How? The answers she longed for...

"When?" She was almost afraid to speak. Afraid? Her heart whispered the reason; afraid for them to know, find the difference in the man standing beneath the shade of the oak tree. The wind whipped their loose robes, together, carrying his last words for her on the breath of sharp breeze from his swift Sonido.

"Tonight. Tomorrow. Aizen-sama has called a meeting."

In the brief second before he vanished before her eyes, she had seen the look on his face.

Loneliness.

Then, he was gone.

"Rukia-chan?"

It took several more moments for her to realize her name was being called. Swaying a little on her feet, she turned toward her frail Taichou. "Is something wrong?" He asked worriedly; in the background, Kiyone and Sentaro fought over an orders scroll.

"...no, it's nothing."

Everything and nothing.

Her mind turned inward even as she sat with her comrades for tea and cakes to watch the moon; a small celebration Kiyone had spoken of but one she had completely forgotten. Ukitake made some passing remark on Stark being called away on some errand. Rukia didn't ask whom had sent for him, although she could guess just as well. He slipped in eventually, a tall shadow greeted by several members of Thirteenth company much like an old friend.

Rukia wasn't entirely sure why but her throat closed up with those greetings.

Hollows could feel.

-TBC

AN: ^^; this is incredibly belated and not very long considering the monolith of the previous chapter. I took time off The Damned in order to write up this short chapter, more or less hoping to kickstart my former impetus to finish Atonement. My apologies for the delay.

No haters, flames or spam!

Reviews are love ^^

It was a strange feeling, this comfort.