"Look out sis or he's gonna get ya!" Mitsurugi gave Hinata a heads up
Turning around, she saw Daisuke coming in to tag her and he was coming in fast… way too fast. Thinking quickly she back flipped out of the way to avoid getting caught. Daisuke just smirked and sped past her using shunpo to get to his little brother. Tagging him and then moments later Hinata he called for a break.
"You two are gettin' better but you can use some work. You know the next time we play you guys are it, right?" he grinned at them
"Yeah. Sure." Mitsurugi grumbled obviously not fond of losing; Hinata just nodded her acceptance.
"Aww, don't be like that otouto. If you get just a little faster you'd be able to last longer."
"It isn't fair that you use shunpo and all we can do is run around. And why do you punch me?!"
"Not my fault that I know something you don't. Besides you'll figure it out eventually. Now it's time to get back to it, hehehe." Daisuke was clearly enjoying their 'tag' sessions.
"Not again." Hinata mumbled while shaking her head
"You know the rules. You can't move around to catch me unless it's shunpo and if you move around by running and I catch you, I'll hold you in place with Bakudo number one for as long as I want. And then I'll double the rest of your training."
"Sadist." Mitsurugi uttered
"No complaints! Besides you guys caught me before."
"Yeah but it took us two straight weeks without food or rest you jerk!"
"Yes but when someone's desperate it seems to bring out the best results. I mean, you caught me with shunpo then, didn't you?"
"We did but it seemed like a fluke." Hinata told him, all Mitsurugi did was nod
"Then you weren't paying attention to what ya did. Try focusing on what you did and you'll get it soon enough. Now less talk, more action."
"This is gonna take forever!" Mitsurugi whined
"Then stop whinin' and hop to it otouto!"
"This sucks." Hinata murmured before getting to the task at hand
-6 hours later-
"Still nothin'. We just can't seem to catch him and we missed lunch already!"
"If we don't get Daisuke-niisan we'll miss dinner too, so I say instead of chasing him we try finding out the trick to shunpo. Then once we do that we can get him for sure." Hinata suggested
"Alright, let's do this!" Mitsurugi agreed
They both sat down cross-legged and closed their eyes. Relaxing their minds and bodies and steadying their breathing, they concentrated on remembering how they caught Daisuke last time.
-Flashback-
Hinata and Mitsurugi were racing through the trees after their target being careful not to be seen or sensed in anyway. They had been on the hunt for days now and were getting weary. The siblings gave each other twin looks of determination once they felt Daisuke's reiatsu in the area. Holding up her fist, Hinata signaled for them to stop. Understanding passed between them as they realized that Daisuke had stopped moving. Running in opposite directions to trap him on either side, they thought that they had finally caught him. They were in for a rude awakening.
"You two slipped up. You really thought you had me caught, didn't ya?" Daisuke called out randomly as he disappeared from view. The next thing either of them knew was that the roles were reversed; instead of being the hunters they were the hunted. In the blink of an eye, Daisuke had Mitsurugi trapped using Bakudo spell number one: Restrain. Then he went after Hinata while still maintaining the spell. She could barely dodge his attempts at getting her but somehow she managed. She didn't even realize that she was using shunpo, although she did notice Daisuke's silly, but knowing, grin.
'What's he smirking about? Duck! Step, burst, step, flip, step, burst. If I keep it up I just might be able to catch him. Ah ha, an opening! I got him!'
"Tag! You're it!" Hinata breathed out harshly while managing to muster up a relieved smile.
-End Flashback-
"That's it! I got it Mitsurugi! Come here!" She waved him over and explained that to use shunpo you've got to use your reiatsu to give you a speed boost to move and that once it's done properly you can cover a ton of ground between individual steps.
"That's all? That's easier than I thought."
"Yeah. I guess that's why we didn't think of it. That and nii-san never lets us get a break to eat and sleep."
"Now that we know, let's get him. We should be faster than most because of all that running made us quicker."
"Yep! Let's go." and with that they flash stepped away to 'tag' their older brother
-10 minutes later-
"Whew! You actually wore me out!" Daisuke told them as he laid on his back trying to even out his heavy breathing, "You two got me good! I'm proud of you both."
"Heheh, thanks." Hinata replied just as tiredly with a sincere smile
"Yeah, what she said." Mitsurugi seconded, "That was so much more fun!" They all sniggered at that and agreed; then Daisuke gave them the rundown.
"Alright. We'll take a break for an early dinner and then we'll do some zanjutsu training."
"Yay! Food!" Mitsurugi cheered with an already watering mouth
"There he goes." Daisuke mumbled, "It's Mitsurugi the stomach."
"More like human vacuum cleaner. You know how he inhales food." Hinata chimed in, sharing a laugh with Daisuke at Mitsurugi's expense.
"Hey! I don't appreciate that! He practically starves me for food!" he pointed an accusing finger at Daisuke, "And you're one to talk, seeing as though you're just as bad, you gobble-monster!"
"I do not starve you!"
"Do too!"
"Do not!"
"Hey! I'm not a gobble-monster! I'm just really hungry!"
"Oh yes you are!"
"Am not!"
The brother-sister trio continued to bicker and squabble playfully as they prepared their meal. Once they ate, they each grabbed their zanpakuto and went into the center of the clearing. They then got into ready positions and waited for the right moment to strike. Within seconds the sounds of metal clashing and clanging against each other filled the air within their training area. Loud grunts and yells echoed throughout the are making it seem like a fierce battle was going on instead of a simple spar.
The following month and a half went in much the same manner, just far more intense as they improved. On the second to last night during their three month training trip, they all sat down for a much needed break and decided to just talk.
"Hey, you two are doing great." Daisuke said to his charges, "I just wanna know something."
"What is it aniki?" The two youngsters responded; they became so synchronized from having to work together constantly that they knew what the other was thinking with only a look and even spoke the same words at the same time.
"Why do you keep going?" He asked with a smile; honestly he knew why but he just wanted to make sure they never forgot their reasons.
"Because we want to get stronger." they chorused again
"And I get that, but there's something else, right?" He asked to find out if there was more to it than that driving them forward.
"Well, I wanna follow in your footsteps aniki, and then I wanna be stronger than you to make you proud and so everyone will know the name Watanabe and know we're a strong family." Mitsurugi said seriously making his older brother grin proudly at him and ruffle his hair.
"I know you'll do just that someday Mitsurugi. And what about you Hinata-imouto? I remember when we first met you said that you wanted to learn and get stronger. Don't you think you fulfilled that?"
"I did but there's still much more that can learn and so much more that I can do to get even stronger. But I have another goal." she said softly
"What's that sis?" Mitsurugi prodded curiously, of all the things he knew about her from their time together he never knew this, so he was genuinely interested in this new reason for his sister to keep training.
"I want to find my mother." she said firmly, "I haven't seen her since I was little and I thought that maybe… maybe I…"
"Can find her in Soul Society?" Daisuke finished for her
"Yeah. I want to find her so I can tell her I'm sorry and that I love her. I want to ask her to forgive me." As she spoke, her got lower and lower until it was little more than a sad whisper.
"Why do you want her to forgive you? I'm sure you did nothing wrong."
"You don't get it! I did! I did do something wrong!" she was in tears from all the pain and guilt she felt right then, "I caused her so much trouble that it got her killed!" She still spoke softly, although her crying became more intense.
"What are you talking about? Sis calm down." Mitsurugi grabbed her and held her to try and calm her sobbing so she could tell them what happened. "There. Can you tell us what happened now?" he asked gently once her crying calmed down to small hiccups and sniffles
"Yeah. Well it all happened when I was six…" and she began to tell them of the night her mom left her
-Flashback (5 years ago)-
'It's dark. It's dark everywhere. I can't see. Where is everybody? I'm all alone. I hate being alone. Where's tou-san? Where's Hanabi-imouto? Where's kaa-chan? I want kaa-chan. Okaa-chan where are you?'
Little Hinata was running around frantically searching for her mother. She didn't know where she was going or where it was she had come from; she just knew that she had to keep looking. But where can one look when they're surrounded by a black emptiness, an abyss of nothing? Before long she began to hear a voice, deep and rumbling.
"I know where your mother is, Hina. Come closer to me and I'll show you." It beckoned her. She was about to go to it when another more shrill tone called out, "No! Don't listen to that fool! Your mother is with me! Come my way Hina!" It caused her to stop completely and stand still in pure confusion. Soon many more voices came rushing to her ears all at once frightening the already confused girl.
"No she's over her Hina!"
"This way Hina!"
"Follow me Hina!"
"Here is where she is Hina!"
The din of voices grew into a loud roar of jumbled sounds causing Hinata to drop to the ground in panic and horror and curl in on herself. Covering her head and ears with her hands, she crouched down low to the ground and screamed at the top of her lungs, "STOP!" But the voices only persisted, constantly calling her by her beloved nickname given to her be her dear mother.
"Hina!" they called, "No!"
"Hina!" they once again called, "No!"
"Hina!" they beckoned her one more time, "NO!"
"Hina! Hina! Wake up!" A worried voice called out to her softly whilst they gently shook her awake. Shooting up in bed with her eyes wide open in fright she looked to the side to see a woman with midnight blue hair that went straight down her back. Her deep amethyst eyes stared at her in pure concern. The lightly pink-tanned woman watched her oldest daughter as she cradled her younger, one-year old in her arms. Seeing her mom and little sister there beside her helped to calm Hinata's alarmed mind slightly. She was breathing heavily with tears running down her cheeks as she kept eye contact with her mother. Hanabi looked between the two in childish curiosity and dread of what scared her sister so much.
"Are you okay, sweetheart?" She placed a hand on her eldest daughter's cheek. Hinata didn't answer her verbally but instead hugged her mother tightly while she began to relax more. Burying her head in the crook of her mother's neck, she spoke to her, "I had a bad dream 'kaa-chan. You and tou-san and imouto-chan were all gone and I was all by myself."
"Aww, it's alright sweetie. It was just a bad dream." she soothed her
"Nee-chan scared, kaa-chan." Hanabi said full of wonder but there was worry etched in her eyes
"I know baby, I know. Hina-chan?" her mother called out to her softly
"Hai kaa-chan?" she was still clutching to her mother tightly
"Everything will be okay, you'll see. There's nothing to worry about."
"You promise?"
"I promise." she told her solemnly and she punctuated her pledge with a kiss to the top of her daughter's head, it put Hinata at ease, "Now go to sleep sweet pea." And she then tucked Hinata into bed, next Hanabi giving both her girls goodnight kisses before leaving them to sleep. But Hinata didn't go to sleep right away, instead she heard her parents arguing about her… again.
"Damn it Haruna! You coddle that girl too much, that's why she is the way she is! She's even disturbing Hanabi now! Next time leave the girl be; she needs to get stronger anyway."
"Don't you dare call our baby weak! She's just a little girl Hiashi! She's only six for goodness' sake! Kids have bad dreams, they don't know how to deal with them yet! You're too harsh with her!"
"Don't give me that nonsense! This isn't the first time! Remember that time she ran away because she said there was a monster chasing her?! She was nearly kidnapped by that bastard from Kumo then!" Haruna remained silent at that. "Oh nothing to say now? And what about the time her caretaker spent hours trying to calm her because she was seeing things with 'white faces' and hearing voices? She's insane, delusional, and only at the age of six! She's been nothing but trouble, a complete burden!"
"Okay, so she's a bit more imaginative than most Hiashi but she is only a child and she's our daughter."
"She needs help."
"Hiashi please! You're overreacting! It isn't that serious!"
"Not that serious?… Not that serious! My brother died because of what happened 3 years ago and it had everything to do with her silly fear, her weakness! And you say it's not that serious; do you honestly hear yourself woman? Stop babying her and move on."
"What are you saying?" she asked lowly with an almost distressed edge in her voice
"I'm saying leave her alone. I certainly will. (Sigh) She, Haruna, is a lost cause. I think it's time you admit that." He finished coldly; internally he wanted to lash out at himself for being such a detached father, He loved Hinata dearly but he didn't know what to do with her, so he constantly distanced himself from her.
His last statement shocked Haruna even though she expected it, she didn't think he'd really come out and say it so unemotionally. Within a split second her shock was replaced with anger and she let him know just how upset she was with him for saying that when she slapped him across his face; it left a good pink hue on his once pale cheek too.
"I can't believe you'd actually give up on your own child like that!" her voice quivered with the suppressed fury, "She's not the weak one, it's you." She spat before storming off but before she left the room she told him why. "To give up so easily is not only weak, it's downright disgraceful. You should be ashamed of yourself." And with that said she left to go calm down in her garden.
Hinata laid in bed crying her eyes out. Lying restlessly in her bed Hinata just stared at her ceiling mindlessly as the words rippled throughout her head over and over again.
"Tou-san and kaa-chan always fight because of me. I don't want them to fight anymore."
"Then leave child." a foreign, smooth, deep voice told her, "It would be better that way. Your parents certainly wouldn't fight anymore." That was all that was needed to convince her to get up and go. She got out of bed and gave her baby sister a kiss on her forehead before heading down the hall to run outside.
-Back to the Present-
"At the time I truly believed that I was nothing but a burden and I really felt that I had to leave." she said while fighting back more sobs
"Who was the person that told you to leave?" Mitsurugi spoke up feeling pissed off over the whole situation but still needing to know who would tell her to leave her own home like that. Daisuke wanted to know too but remained quiet due to the immense scorn he was feeling towards Hiashi then. If they were to ever meet the man they'd surely beat him to a pulp on sight. 'What a prick, ugh!' the Watanabe boys thought simultaneously.
"That's the thing, I didn't know. But I found out quickly enough." she said as her sniffling and hiccups finally quieted
-Flashback again-
Hinata was running toward the nearby forest when she heard the distinct sound of heavy footfalls coming from behind her. She sped up her running only to realize that whatever was following her picked up its pace as well. She started to get that ominous creeping feeling that would always plague her when one of those 'white faced' creatures would chase her. Suddenly she tripped and fell, scrambling to get up she soon came face to face with her stalker… which happened to be a large hollow with a white mask that consisted of ram-like horns on the sides of its head. Its brown body was human-like only it was 10 times the size of your typical human. The hole was in the center of its chest and it had a wicked grin on its hideous face. The hollow started cackling like mad as he stared at the trembling form in front of him.
"Why so shaky, brat?" he asked with that grin still on his face, "Surely you aren't afraid of me?" He then advanced on her preparing to snatch her up in his giant claw-like hands. But Hinata's instinct to run was stronger and made her far quicker, for she soon turned around and began sprinting as fast as she possibly could away from him.
"Ooooh! I do love a nice game of cat and mouse." It spoke with malicious amusement as it began to run after her again. "I'll catch you soon enough my little morsel."
Moving as quickly as she could towards the forest, Hinata cut through her mother's garden to get there since it was a quicker path for an escape. 'If I could just find a good hiding spot like last time then maybe it'll go away.' Unknown to neither the predator nor the prey, Haruna was witnessing everything. She saw her child running for her life in the direction of the forest and although she couldn't see what was chasing her clearly, she could certainly feel it; she could also make out a vague outline of its shape. Getting to her feet she yelled out for her firstborn.
"Hina!" She shouted again when she realized that her daughter didn't hear her. "Hina wait!" When she didn't stop, Haruna took off after her. As she ran behind her daughter the presence, as she named it, became clear for her to see, changing from a clear haze to a solid form. Seeing the fiend caused apprehension to well up within her heart and mind.
The three beings raced through the forest, the smallest leading the way, to a very secluded area. All of the weaving through the trees made it difficult for Haruna to keep sight of her daughter and soon she found herself lost and separated from her little girl. Panic set in, rooting itself deeply in Hinata's mother, as more time was lost to find her. Using the last of her energy to get away, Hinata made a mad dash for a tree and dove into the hole in the trunk, which was just large enough for her small form to inside. Hinata's young mind was too preoccupied with her trepidation and need to hide to comprehend that she had just cornered herself for the hollow to get her.
"Easy pickings, hehehe. You foolish brat, you'll die for sure now." It said while grinning insanely; he was more than happy to get a free meal as delectable as this. 'I'll just play with this brat some more.' "Why do you insist on running from me? Do you not know who I am?"
"Go away!" Hinata cried out in her tiny voice
"Aww, you wound me deeply child. Now is that anyway to talk to the one who tried to help you end your parents' suffering?" It asked in the same smooth, deep accent that convinced her to leave for her parents' sake. Hinata soon realized that her mistake was believing in that sickening voice in the first place. Crying silently in terror she closed her eyes and prayed for someone, anyone to come and save her because she knew now she was finally caught.
"You won't come out, eh? Well you leave me no choice, I'll just have to crack this thing open to get you." The hollow drawled with a sigh; it was tired of playing with its food. Just as it was closing in on the tree, Haruna came running into the clearing screaming out for her daughter. "Leave Hinata alone you beast!"
"Oh? So you can see me too. Hmm… it's a 2 -for-1 deal tonight. Delicious! I guess I'll eat you first woman, then I'll devour that little brat of yours, and there's nothing you can do to stop me." It began cackling again.
Haruna stared at the hole in the tree trunk to see her child peering out at her with hopeful eyes. 'No one believed you little one, not even me. I'm ashamed to admit that but I believe you now and I'll protect you no matter what.' It was then Haruna knew what she had to do.
"It'll be okay sweet pea. I promised you it would be okay and I keep my promises. I love you Hinata." She told her one last time with a heartrending smile.
"Aww, how touching." it mocked her with a false tear, "That's real sweet and all but I'm hungry and it's about time I got my feeding."
Swallowing the lump of fright in her throat, Haruna eyed the hollow with a burning ferocity and fierce determination before speaking. "You want to eat me, huh? Well you're going to have to come and get me." she teased it
"I'm tired of chasing my dinner around." it whined
"What, the big, bad, ugly monster can't keep up?" She taunted; she hit the right nerve because with a vein bulging on its head it let loose a immense howl of rage and moved to grab her. Her sharp reflexes and great agility allowed her to dodge its claws and begin running away from the clearing with it following her close behind. "Hey get back here! Hold still you pest!" It shouted out at Haruna as it chased and swiped at her. Just before Haruna was out of sight she gave Hinata one last look. Even Hinata's young mind understood what that glance was about, it was a goodbye.
When both were gone, Hinata climbed out of the tree and ran back home with tears streaming down her face, right into the arms of her worried and panicked father. They waited for Haruna only to realize that she would never return to them.
-End of Flashback-
"My father sent out search teams from my clan and asked for shinobi assistance to help search for her. They all spent wasted hours searching. Then those hours turned to days, days became weeks, weeks became months, and soon enough 2 years went by before my father and the Hokage declared her dead. She wasn't deemed missing since there wasn't anything, not a single trace of her left to find. It was like she disappeared off the face of the earth. Most people that knew the details of what happened said it was my fault and I can't blame them either. It was all my fault." She finished in a whisper with fresh tears streaks running down her cheeks.
"Hey don't say that. Your mother protected you because she loved you. She doesn't blame you and neither should you or anyone else. You gotta forgive yourself sis." Mitsurugi spoke softly
"I can't. Not until I find her and make peace with her; I just can't Not until then." Her voice was quiet but loaded with emotion.
"Imouto, I hate to be the one to make things worse but what if she isn't in Soul Society? What if she's a hollow now? What will you do then?" Daisuke questioned her in his serious 'fifth seat officer' mode.
"If she's a hollow and not in Soul Society, then I'll just look for her until I find her as a hollow."
"But will you have the heart to…" Mitsurugi trailed off not wanting to finish that statement.
"… To kill her?" She finished for him with her head bent down and her bangs shadowing her eyes. He could only nod. "To be honest, I don't know but I do know that when the time comes I'll find out. A person does what needs to be done and if it comes to that, then I'll do what I have to do."
"Well… defeating a hollow isn't exactly killing it." Daisuke pointed out trying to make things better in the somber atmosphere.
"Oh yeah! When a shinigami beats a hollow, it's called cleansing. How could I forget!" Mitsurugi wanted to smack himself in the head for forgetting that one. "We studied that right sis?"
"We did?" she responded clearly not recalling the countless hours they spent with their noses in those books, "We did! Cleansing is when a shinigami split's the head and mask of a hollow in two or just damages them enough to effectively dispatch them. By doing this the person's soul is purified of all the sins it committed as a hollow. Depending on whether or not the person was a good person or a sinner in their lifetime determines if the soul is permitted into Soul Society or taken into Hell." She practically quoted the textbook word for word before coming to a conclusion. "So I wouldn't exactly be killing her if she's a hollow; I'd be freeing her of her sins and allowing her soul to rest in peace in Soul Society." She breathed a sigh of relief.
"Exactly." Daisuke told her, "Unless she was an evil person in life but I doubt that she was."
"She wasn't, I can guarantee that." Hinata told them
"Yeah, this is her mom we're talkin' about." Mitsurugi said, "Hinata-imouto got her charms from her!"
"But still really wish it doesn't actually come to that." She said with a heavy heart.
"Would you rather it be someone else that defeats her?"
"No!" she said firmly, "If anyone takes her on, it'll be me. I'm the reason it all happened, so I'll be the one to make it right. That's MY duty, no one else's." She stated with conviction.
"Well then, let's get you stronger so you can find your mom." Daisuke said standing up and brushing off his clothes.
"No worries sis! We'll help make you stronger so you can find her and we'll help you track her down too! That's a promise, right aniki?" Mitsurugi said also getting to his feet.
"Right! We promised to help you every step of the way imouto-chan." Daisuke held out his hand in the center of the three of them. Mitsurugi then showed his unwavering support by placing his hand on top of his brother's with a grin. Finally, Hinata put her hand on top of theirs and grasped both tightly with teary eyes and a smile to show her acceptance and gratitude for all that they've done and promise to do for her.
"Thanks you guys!" she choked out emotionally, "You're the best brothers anyone could ever have."
"You know it!" Mitsurugi replied enthusiastically, causing everyone to laugh. They didn't realize it then but they made an unbreakable bond of love and trust, that only the closest of friends and family share, that night under the stars.
-Fast Forward-
"Well we go back today. You two ready?" Daisuke addressed his 2 siblings
"Hell yeah!" Mitsurugi yelled out excitedly
"Yeah, we're ready." Hinata said with a giggle at her brother's antics.
"Good. Okay, let's go!" And once that was said they gathered their belongings and marched off following Daisuke's lead. The next thing they noticed was a black swallowtail butterfly fluttering ahead of them before the, now very familiar, double-doors appeared in front of them. Once they opened the trio stepped through with their backs straight and heads held high.
-In Soul Society-
'Taichou said they're due back today.' Thought a lone shinigami waiting at the gate for the arrival of Daisuke and his group. "Looks like they're comin' back. I'll go tell Ukitake-taichou." Sentarou, one of the two rambunctious third seats, mentioned before sprinting off from the gate to his captain's quarters once he noticed the gate opening.
"Oh no you don't! I'll go inform taichou!" His rival Kiyone, the other third seat, bellowed before running off after him. Both of them blitzed through Seireitei to win their little race, howling all the while about who would be the more devoted subordinate to deliver the news with a few insults sprinkled in here and there. Slamming the door open, they both fought to step inside before their rival could and immediately called out.
"Ukitake-taichou! I've come to tell you that Daisuke-san has returned!" Sentarou explained before Kiyone could.
"No taichou! I have come to let you know that Daisuke-kun and the children are back, not this baka! Also as your loyal subordinate I apologize for barging I like this." Kiyone bowed towards her captain.
"As your most faithful and trustworthy third seat, I humbly apologize from my heart for my rude intrusion taichou. Please forgive me." Sentarou begged in the crouching tiger position (his head bowed down to the floor while he is on his hands and knees) trying to out do Kiyone. Ukitake cut them both off before it could escalate any further. And if one were to look up, they would see his colossal sweat drop at their behavior.
"It's perfectly alright. Thank you for notifying me. I'll go meet them to…"
"You should stay and rest. I will escort them here!" Sentarou enthusiastically shot to his feet ready to complete the task he volunteered for.
"No that's ok…" Ukitake was interrupted a second time.
"Please taichou give me this assignment, for I will insure that it will be done as soon as possible." Kiyone's grin was so huge it threatened to split her face in half, although Ukitake did not miss the scalding glare she sent in Sentarou's direction.
With a sigh he consented to their requests by nodding. Within the blink of an eye the two disappeared and moved like bullets to the gate, much in the same manner as they did before when they were headed to Ukitake's room. Ukitake just shook his head in amusement at the two.
-Back at the gate-
"Whew! Can you believe we're back already? Three months felt like no time at all!" Daisuke said with his patented smirk once he stepped through the gates with his family in tow.
"We know what you mean." a new voice startled them
"Whoa! My goodness! I almost didn't recognize your voice! How's it hangin' Sentarou?" Daisuke said with an energetic smile. Hinata and Mitsurugi just looked on in wonder as their brother continued his friendly banter with his comrades.
"Why are you asking that baka anything? If you want any real answers you'd ask me." Kiyone told him casually.
"Aww, I'm sorry Kiyone-chan, I forgot. But you're looking as good as ever." He winked flirtatiously at her, which in turn made her blush and smack him playfully on the arm.
"Anyways," Sentarou cleared his throat, "let's get you three over to see the captain."
"Right. That's why we're here. Let's go." Kiyone declared grabbing Daisuke's hand and dragging him off to see Ukitake. Sentarou and the kids just sweat dropped at Kiyone's forgetfulness.
"She totally left us didn't she?" Hinata stated more than asked
"Yep." Sentarou responded all the same
"Is she always like this?" Mitsurugi questioned with a raised brow
"More or less, only when there's a 'hot'," and Sentarou made quotation signs with his fingers at the word hot, "guy around to make her lose her mind." That answer only made the 2 siblings' sweat drops grow larger. "She was never right in the head if you ask me." Sentarou muttered quietly under his breath. "Well then, let's get going." Sentarou began leading them back to the 13th division.
-At Division 13-
"Hello." Ukitake greeted with a smile once everyone, and I mean everyone, was standing before him. "It's great to see you again. I'm Ukitake Juushiro, if you weren't told beforehand. It's a pleasure." He addressed the two kids kindly with his friendly smile present.
"It's so cool to finally meet aniki's captain!" Mitsurugi yelled out excitedly and instantly went to shake Ukitake's hand.
"Hi." Hinata greeted with a VERY shy smile and blush. Daisuke just chuckled at their behavior. 'That's SO like them.' Sentarou smiled and Kiyone gushed at their adorableness, especially Hinata's.
"Aww! She's so innocent and cute!" Kiyone swooped her up in a bone-crushing hug and nuzzled her in much the same manner a young girl would nuzzle her favorite plushie. "Can we keep her?" She asked with glimmering eyes. Everyone eyed the pair with mirth while Hinata just blushed a deeper shade of crimson.
"Put her down Kiyone. We've got important business with these kids." Sentarou told her seriously to remind her of what's going on.
"Yeah. Drop my imouto already. You can hug her all you want after everything's done." Daisuke chortled with a smile.
"Oh alright." She pouted playfully while placing Hinata on her feet with a ruffle of her hair.
"Okay. So to get back to the matter at hand. I can assume that you two know why you are here, correct?" Ukitake eyed the youngest people present in the room.
"Hai." they both answered
"Good. Then I don't have to explain the purpose of these tests. Are you prepared?"
"Hai Ukitake-taichou!" they answered in unison once again
"Then let's do this!" Daisuke said anxious to see how well they do
The young shinigami hopefuls were going to be put to the test.
A/N: Hot damn! That's a ton of typing! I suppose that's what I get for not writing in so long. But here's the latest installment for those who actually read my story. Hopefully this long chapter can hold you guys over until I find the time to put out another one. Until then just read and enjoy it. Oh yeah and don't forget to tell me what you think of it. Laterz!