Once again Gin was waiting for Aizen to finish writing a letter. This time he wasn't alone. Tosen was sitting next to him, waiting with that perfect patience that Gin found to be one of Tosen's more annoying traits, but then nearly everything about Tosen annoyed him, and vice versa, so while Tosen sat completely still on folded knees, Gin sat more comfortably and picked at the dirt under his fingernails.

Aizen, when he finally turned to them, showed neither approval or disapproval of either of them. He looked them over calmly before he spoke. "Ukitake's interest in recent incidents was not particularly surprising or concerning; he is of the type to find the loss of nine division members upsetting and to search for answers. However, he should have been satisfied to accept it as another attack of the same type of hollow as destroyed Suzuki and his team, a possible arrancar, and to leave it at that. You did speak to him about that incident, did you not, Gin?"

Gin shrugged. "He seemed to think we've all been asking the wrong questions. He wasn't at all interested in what it was but where it might have come from, which is an odd question, isn't it? We all know the hollows come from Hueco Mundo. They only grow so strong after years of fighting and devouring each other, so where else would such powerful hollows be coming from? That's what I said, and he asked me why now? If arrancar have always existed in Hueco Mundo then why have we not met any until recently? It's a fair question, but I'm afraid I didn't have any answers for him."

Aizen nodded. "It's not the first time that question has been asked, and so far we have easily prevented it from leading the more curious in any useful direction. However Ukitake's inquiries may be more difficult to divert. Not only has he made the usual records requests from the various offices and archives, but he has also begun reading event logs from Research & Development," he said. "His connection to Kurotsuchi is unfortunate. We have been able to keep a close eye on all official records and have adjusted them as necessary, however Kurotsuchi's paranoia is such that for every file we locate he likely has dozens of copies, backups, and hidden files. There is no way to know what Ukitake may find, especially with his new wife's assistance."

"Maybe it's time Captain Ukitake's retired," Gin said, smiling pleasantly, and inwardly annoyed at the part of himself that flinched at the idea of ending the captain's life-he had definitely allowed himself to become too soft. Ukitake was a nice guy, but everyone knew he was living on borrowed time anyway. "No one will be surprised if he fails to make it through another winter. They've been expecting it for years. I've picked up a nice little poison that in small enough doses does nothing but attack lung tissue. Even Unohana wouldn't be able to distinguish the poison's damage from the damage that's already there."

Aizen frowned, looking thoughtful for a moment. "No," he said finally. "We won't end the gentle captain's life. There are too many others who might feel called to finish his final work. Captain Kyoraku, in particular, is best kept drunk and indifferent to the goings on of the Gotei. Is it possible your new toy could be used to exacerbate Ukitake's illness? He can hardly continue his little quest if he's bedridden."

Gin cocked his head thoughtfully. "I suppose so, might be tricky, probably be kinder just to kill him."

Tosen turned his head slightly to look down his nose at Gin. "Kinder?" he said doubtfully.

"Ran-chan says I need to work on showing empathy," Gin said. "She thinks I will connect better with the boys if I sound like I care. Shiro's getting to a difficult age-did that sound like caring?"

"It's when I remember that you are a father that I find it impossible to sleep at night," Tosen answered.

Gin smiled at him. "I don't know why people treat that title as something sacred. It's one of the easiest things to do, becoming a father; all it requires is a willing female. Quite a bit of fun, actually; you might give it a try sometime. We could have a mini-Tosen or two running around Seireitei, and wouldn't you enjoy showing me what a father should be?"

Tosen only looked more disgusted. "I have no interest in anything that does not further the cause of justice."

"Never?" Gin said. "And no sympathy for those who do. You must be terribly disappointed with your lieutenant at the moment. He seems to have succumbed to the temptations of the flesh with Kyoraku's sexy little librarian."

Tosen's expression darkened further. "Lieutenant Ise is a woman of irreproachable character. That a woman so highly respected by all of Seireitei should favor my lieutenant speaks highly of his character as well. Were he a man of more questionable character he might have chosen a woman by her physical attributes rather than by her intellect and integrity."

Gin laughed at that. "Intellect and integrity; I'm sure that's what Hisagi was appreciating when he was taking her against that old willow in the Eighth Division garden."

"Gin-kun," Aizen spoke in a tone of gentle rebuke. "Perhaps we might return to the topic at hand? How do you intend to administer this new treatment, shall we say, to Captain Ukitake?"

"I'm torn," Gin admitted. "Adding it to his medication would be simple and direct, but it occurred to me I might add it to one of Nemu's lotions or soaps, as its one of a family of toxins she's immune to, and she could once again be the vehicle through which his life is threatened, seems almost poetic, doesn't it? On a more practical note, it might also add more variation to his symptoms, depending on how much time they spend in close proximity." Here he glanced at Tosen again, but the too boring captain did not respond, yet another wasted effort. "But there is a slight chance she might detect it, and that would spoil everything."

Aizen frowned. "How likely is that?"

"I've never been able to get into Kurotsuchi's files on Nemu. I can't hack them as they're only in hardcopy, and last time I had a friend try the poor man ended up one of Kurotsuchi's failures in his flesh regrowth experiments, very unpleasant, died with hands growing out of all sorts of places you really don't want hands. That was before R&D had any outside oversight, and Kurotsuchi was always disposing of my friends when he noticed them. These days he has to settle for demoting or transferring them. I think that's why he's been so cranky."

"And what about his lieutenant?"

"Nemu's senses are all heightened, however I have never seen or heard of her identifying trace substances without the use of computer assistance so I think it's safe to assume that she would be no more likely than anyone else to notice a small addition her a lotion."

"Then that is what you will do," Aizen said. "Variation in his symptoms will make it appear to be a natural downturn in his health."

Gin smiled. He'd known Aizen would like the idea of poisoning Ukitake through Nemu. What would appeal to him most was the part Gin had left unsaid, that Nemu, herself, might notice that her presence had a negative effect on her husband's health. For Aizen, the distress it could cause was worth the possibility of eventual discovery. And the poison was one of her father's many creations, so if she did discover it, the discovery itself would only lead to more problems with the mad scientist, more ruined trust and more distraction from the real danger threatening Soul Society.

It really was a beautiful plan, and Gin refused to feel bad about the pain and suffering Ukitake would have to endure because of it. He had to know his inquiries could draw attention and lead to any number of unpleasant consequences. Gin had tried to make it clear to Kaien that there was nothing anyone else could do to stop Aizen. It wasn't his fault if they didn't believe him.

"And if Captain Ukitake sends his lieutenant to continue his investigation?" Tosen asked.

Aizen smiled. "I have noticed the effectiveness of the entire Thirteenth Division tends to revolve around its captain's health. Shiba-kun will have more than enough to do, simply running his division, especially since her run-in with our hollow has frightened his wife out of the Gotei and left him without a Third Seat. If he somehow finds the time to spend looking for answers, we will have to engineer another distraction for him. I am sure, with the responsibility for the entire Shiba family on his shoulders, that will be a simple enough matter. No, Shiba Kaien is now more of a weakness than a strength for his captain," Aizen said. "It is as if fate itself is on our side. Captain Ukitake is the first person in a position to discover our work who has begun to look in the right places, but his health is poor, and his allies are distracted. Even your lieutenant's affair with Ise-san is happening at just the right moment to take Kyoraku's watchful eyes and constant assistance away from his friend. Our work may continue without interruption."