" Who would have thought my greatest aspiration would be so tiring and exhausting?" Rukia mumbled, as she continued writing her tenth report of the day.

Of course she knew it would be an extensive career, a captain of her own squad, although she wished she obtained the position in a more befitting way. Her beloved captain, Jūshirō Ukitake died in the war with the quincy's. Even ten years after his death, it was very difficult to move past it, he was like a father to Rukia. And just about everyone knew she was reeling from it, her husband Renji, suggested the idea of receiving counseling. But she quickly dismissed it, most likely out of her pride and her comfortability.

"Just telling someone all of my deepest darkest feelings, if it was him perhaps.."

The name suddenly sent a flutter into her chest, she hadn't seen her long-time friend in years, much less communicated with him. It was almost as if they were complete strangers...

"Captain have you finished with your paperwork? I'm here… My apologies captain! Did I disturb you?" Her lieutenant frantically asked.

Rukia was abruptly brought out of her thoughts by her lieutenant, when had she lost track of the day?

" Yes, I have, well most of it at least. Here you go Hiro." She smiled,handing the young man her stack of papers while giving it a stamp of approval.

" How's your day going captain?" He asked,

Rukia laughed, " it's exhausting and tiring but I'm glad to be here. Is your day going well?"

Her Lieutenant paused and gave her Captain a fake smile." It could have gone better,unfortunately I just heard some bad news." He confessed.

Rukia slightly gasped, " what do you mean bad news? what happened!"

Her Lieutenant lowered his head and sighed. " Apparently I've been chosen to be one of the guards posted around Aizen's cell tonight. The head captain is making all the lieutenants take part in this training. Something about needing to look the monster in the eye! But it just gives me the chill's captain."

Rukia shook her head in disappointment,how could the head captain make the Lieutenant's do this? Some of them were just fresh out of the academy but we're just talented, which is why they were placed as lieutenants. The gotei thirteen became desperate to feel the positions because of the high casualties they suffered in the in the last war.

"But that's not a good excuse, these kids shouldn't be rushed like this!" She inwardly thought before speaking.

" I understand that this will be a very difficult time for you Hiro, but he is locked away for good, you shouldn't have any fear. I know from experience that this is what he wants, Aizen has been stripped of his power and all he has is fear to his name. I fully trust the security of Munkin to keep you safe. And if that monster talks to you, just ignore him, he loves playing mind games with people." She declared.

The young man smiled, " Thank you Captain, although I will admit that I'm not completely over my fear but your encouragement does help."

" it's my duty as a captain to help my subordinates,no matter what they're going through. Oh yes and almost forgot,here are the rest of the papers." She replied, handing him the final stack before getting up and stretching. Just how long has she been in that chair? Her muscle felt awfully tense.

" Any plans for tonight captain?"

Rukia shook her head, " No, I just have dinner with my family, although I kind of wish I had something to do. I remember before I got married, my friend Ichigo and I always went out and had fun, we were quite the knuckleheads." She smiled, remembering his stupid grin along with their shenanigans.

" Captain! I haven't seen you smile like that in a long time, perhaps it wouldn't be so bad for you to go to the human world and reminisce with your old friend." Hiro suggested, seeing the bright smile on his captain's face.

" Perhaps it would take the load off of her."He hoped.

Rukia cheeks flooded with embarrassment.

"Oh no! I couldn't do that now, he's married and besides he has his own life. We still communicate every now and then but I don't think we're in that place anymore." She said with a hint of sadness.

" Captain don't say that! If you guys were best friends then it shouldn't be that much trouble to reconnect! I haven't seen my brother in twenty years but I know that once we connect again,we're going to be best friends! Almost as if I never left to go to the academy." He encouraged seeing a slight smile appear on his captain's face.

Rukia pondered her lieutenant's words, debating whether or not it was a bad idea to visit Ichigo. Of course she would need to talk to Renji about it but he shouldn't have a problem with it, right?

Rukia's residence.

Rukia waited patiently for her husband to arrive home, she knew that she would have to discuss her idea with him before he went to sleep. Although, she could just go to the human world, after all just because they were married didn't mean he owned her. However communication was very important in marriage.

" Ichika make sure to eat your vegetables." Rukia warned, as she sat with her daughter at the family table, making dinner was always a hassle. It seemed like her life became more hectic, especially with the added weight of becoming a captain.

"But this is what you wanted right?"

" Mom, where is father? You said he should be home by now and that was over an hour ago?" Her daughter asked.

Rukia sighed," I have the same question Ichika, your father has been coming home very late for the past few months, I wonder why?"

Her daughter shrugged her shoulders, "Maybe he's with the blonde lady." She suggested innocently.

Rukia's body halted at her at her daughter's statement. " Ichika, what do you mean by that?"

" Well one night when you were in your office,I saw Daddy walking home with a blonde lady, she had her arm around him and daddy looked like he was stumbling. They were leaning in very close but I think she was just helping daddy." She answered.

What woman is she talking about, maybe my daughter is just…."

" I'm sure your father was just getting help."

The little girl simply shrugged her shoulders, possibly satisfied with the answer

" Okay." Ichika replied before tossing a carrot in her mouth.

"Probably just nothing, although he has been coming home late.Could he be… No, I know he loves me, it's just nonsense. Ichika Is mistaken, there has to be a reasonable explanation."

Suddenly a slide of the door alerted the family to Renji's arrival, putting to ease some of Rukia's worries. Today he came home later than usual. As a family they had dinner at unusual times, this was due to their occupations duties. However, for Renji to miss their dinner completely was surprising to Rukia.

" Rukia, Ichika." Renji greeted, as he took off his shoes and placed them in the correct order.

" How's your day and where were…"

" I'll you in a minute."

" oh okay it's no rush, did Bakuya overwork you?" She asked as she placed his food down on the table.

Renji paused before answering, he wanted to get himself settled, thinking it better to get some food in his stomach before retelling the entirety of his day. For some reason Rukia's brother thought it was wise to load a lot of paperwork on him! It was certainly his job as her brother's lieutenant to do so but he expected Bakuya to show some leniency now that they were brothers in law!

" It was very hectic thanks to your brother but besides that it's okay."

" Daddy you look very tired." His daughter observed, seeing in the dark circles around his eyes.

Renji patted his daughter on the head before chuckling, " I'm fine ichika, I just need some rest."

"Apparently not too exhausted to still go to the bar." Rukia thought,smelling the slight hint of alcohol under his breath. But she would ask him about that later.

The family conversed as usual, cracking jokes, breaking bread and making fun of one another before Rukia put her daughter to bed. That was usually how their nights went, it all seemed,almost rehearsed to her, nothing exactly out of the ordinary except for her husband's behavior. He seemed to be holding back from her but she wasn't sure why. However first she needed to ask him about…

Rukia found her husband in the living room cleaning his zanpakuto. He was almost vaguely aware of her presence as she approached him.

" Hey can I talk to you for a second?" She asked, seeing his eyebrow rise before nodding his head.

" As you know I've been feeling very exhausted lately, after all I haven't had a vacation in years. So today I was discussing something with my lieutenant and somehow we got unto the topic of my time in the human world. I told him about all the fun times I had with my friends, so I was thinking…"

Renji felt a knot in his throat, " You want to visit Ichigo don't you?" He rightly guessed.

She was a tad bit surprised at his assumption, had it been that obvious? It's not like he was the only one that she wanted to see."Not just him, I mean Orihime, Chad, Karin,Yuzu…"

" But, mainly him." Renji asserted just a tad bit colder than he originally intended.

Rukia was taken aback by his change of demeanor, why had he suddenly grown so agitated at the mention of her old friend?

She folded her arms underneath her chest and became slightly annoyed with the way he was handling the situation." Is there something wrong with me seeing my old friends?" She questioned.

Renji stood up in anger, " Rukia,who are you trying to fool? I already know why you're going there! I don't think you're going to cheat on me but why do you have such an emotional attachment to him?"

" I haven't even seen…"

" And that's the problem! You want to see him even though you haven't seen him in over five years. If I'm supposed to be your husband and we're supposed to be married! Why don't we go somewhere for vacation! Why do you have to go to the human world?"

Rukia glared," If I feel like this is the way to relieve my problem then I don't see anything wrong with it! You know that I love you, so what's your problem?"

Renji rolled his eyes, " Whatever, do what you want!But I need some time away, I'm going to the bar, I'll see you tomorrow."

" He's leaving me to spend the night in my bed alone...Again!?"

" Every time I bring up his name you just suddenly get so angry, he's your friend too you know!"She spat.

Her statement halted her husband's footsteps in his tracks, " Rukia, when he found out we were going out, he never looked at me the same! How about you ask him why when you see him!"

" Don't you walk away from…"

Munkin

Sōsuke Aizen sat in complete silence as he overheard many of the guards and prisoners go about their daily conversations. It was often something that he grew to hate, he would sooner prefer complete silence of the entirety of his prison rather than the insisted mumblings of these lesser beings!However this was a hell of his own making, he could have made an escape after the death of the quincy king but he chose to stay, he needed time to plan and think. Munkin just happened to be the perfect place to accomplish such a goal. As he sat in the deepest levels of the prison, completely bound and shackled, this is where he found true peace and tranquility. However he knewhis time would soon come to an end, ten years was enough!

In the upper observatory of Munkin, Hiro, Rukia's lieutenant observed the disgraced captain from above, he was almost a living statue aside from the slight rise and fall of his chest. However, just the sight of him brought fear into his heart. The guards assured him that Aizen was harmless but judging from stories of his captain, it couldn't be farther from the truth.

" You're shaking like a leaf boy! Are you sure you're even a lieutenant? You seem fresh out of the academy." A guard chuckled, playfully nudging the lieutenant on his shoulder and giving him a smile.

" How can you guys act so calm and casual around a monster like this? You're guarding Aizen!" He gasped, slightly embarrassed by his outburst.

The guard shook his head," Relax kid,there's not a single Shinigami in the soul society that could get out of those bonds and shackles."

The lieutenant rolled his eyes, " I hope so, I don't like being here and I would hate for him to..."

" Your fine kid, nothing has happened in ten years! Haven't you heard? The Shinigami fought the greatest threat to ever exist and his name was Yhwach!"

" but Aizen…"

" Is small potatoes compared to that guy," another guard interjected,

" I guess I can…." Hiro said but couldn't quite finish his sentence as his breath grow cold.

" Why did the temperature just drop!" He thought, feeling the cold even through his rob," Is it just me or did it…? Is this the regular temperature in Munkin!"

" What's happening?" A guard gasped as darkened ice formed around the room, finally the guard saw a figure standing in the doorway, it appeared to be Aizen!

The guard quickly released his zanpakuto and charged the enemy, stabbing the man in the heart. It was then when his eyes fell upon the deceased body he realized it was one of his subordinates!

" What the hell…" He gasped," I thought you were.."

Suddenly chaos erupted in the prison as the guards began to attack each other, Rukia's Lieutenant watched in horror as blood was splattered everywhere.

" What are you doing, you're killing each other!" He shouted, but his pleas fell on deaf ears as they continued to fight.

" Somethings wrong… they don't realize they're attacking one another! What could be the cause of this…."

The lieutenant's answer came in the form of a figure who walked carelessly through the mayhem, almost as if no one saw them.Hiro felt the sensation of fear throughout his body as the mysterious figure approached him.

With a sudden glance behind him, Hiro realized he was standing in between the figure and the descending level to Aizen's cell.

I can't run now! What would the captain think of me if I was a coward? I'm the only line of defense between this person and Aizen's cell!"

The determined Lieutenant released his zanpakuto and held it towards the enemy. It was then that the figures of appearance became apparent to Hiro. His opponent wore clothes similar to that of the Onmitsukidō, which led to his suspicion that this individual might be a traitor. However he had no intention to hide his face as the hood was down and Hiro could see his unkept black hair. But what frightened the lieutenant the most was his fiery amber eyes! Which seemed to bore into his soul. His irises lacked any emotion,while his facial expression was stoic.

The tension was thick in the air as Hiro readied his stance to attack.

" Stop right there!You will be arrested or killed, what are you doi…"

Hiro's declaration was quickly extinguished as his body suddenly began to lose consciousness and convulse, he quickly fell flat on the cold floor before watching the figure walk around his body.

" It was his eye's…" His gasped, before his mind went unconscious.