Thank you for reviewing again, people. We authors always appreciate a review, whether it's good or bad or signed or anonymous. But first, I have to warn you. The chapters will not be coming out as frequently anymore, reason being that school starts in less than 24 hours. Heck, I don't even know how many chapters this story is going to have!

Moving on…. Here it is, the 3rd chapter!! Apologies if the previous one was too short. I will try to make this chapter as long as I can, just like every other chapter and story I write. But the one thing I'm afraid of is that it will interfere with the way I will write my essays from now on… Oh well. The teacher will just have to deal with me.

There will be more bonus editions! What did you think of the first one? Well, there's going to be more… That is, if I can squeeze it in. Well, I should stop rambling now.

Party of the Year

To: All Captain and Vice-Captains of the Gotei 13

There has been a change of plans. Since we have an ample amount of time on our hands, we will hold at least two rehearsals before the upcoming party. The three MCs will have to finish preparing their scripts by the second rehearsal. As for the first one, they will improvise. However, if they find that they are more comfortable with an impromptu act, then by all means they have permission to perform without preparing a script beforehand.

Captain Sosuke Aizen will create an audience for us using his zanpaktou's ability. Everyone has their tasks. You all know what you have to do.

The rehearsal will be held tomorrow at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. We will meet in the Great Hall, where all our rehearsals will take place. However, the venue for the actual party has not yet been decided.

Signed,

Captain General Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai

The second letter arrived on 13 desks throughout Seireitei. Swearing was heard everywhere as everyone worked twice as hard to achieve their tasks.

\2008002008002/

3 o'clock seemed to arrived much too quickly for 28 exhausted people. They dragged themselves of to the Great Hall, looking like the living dead. Well, technically, they were the living dead but you get what I mean.

Captain Unohana helped everyone to freshen up. Then, the rehearsals began.

At the front of the Great Hall, there was a stage with curtains, which performers could hide behind during their introduction before their performance. The Hall was big, with only one entrance, which Vice-Captain Omaeda stood guard at. He was not very good at his job, though. When the Captains and Vice-Captains walked by, he did not stop them or ask for a ticket. Instead, he pulled a bag of fried rice-crackers out of his robe and started munching on them.

As his Captain walked by, he managed to drop crumbs in her hair again. He got no warning this time. Captain Soi Fong instantly bashed her fist into his jaw, and a resounding crack was heard. She then grabbed the bag of rice-crackers and crushed them into a fine powder with her fists before dumping the contents over his head.

They moved on and sat down on chairs which had been strategically placed around the Hall. Captain Aizen drew his sword, and an audience immediately appeared around the Hall, alongside tables laden with food which had not been there moments before. Then, as Captain Tousen dimmed the lights, the illusionary audience took their seats.

The three MCs climbed on the stage via the stairs and huddled together in a circle to do some last-minute discussions before breaking up and getting some microphones from a Fourth division member who was working backstage. The microphones had been ordered specially by the Captain General himself, but rumour had it that he would use it for karaoke after the show.

The MCs stood in a line on the stage: Sentaro, followed by Kaien and Kiyone in that order. Kaien held the mic to his lips and started off, "Welcome, shinigami of Seireitei! We will be your MCs for today. I'm Kaien Shiba, VC of the Thirteenth Squad, and beside me are third seats Sentaro Kotsubaki," he paused as Sentaro made a rude gesture at the audience, "and Kiyone Kotetsu, both from the Thirteenth Squad as well. " he stopped as Kiyone made the same gesture at Sentaro, much to the delight of those gathered.

After the laughter had died down, Sentaro picked up where he left off, "The first act will be performed by Vice-Captain Chojiro Sasakibe from the First Squad, who will attempt to juggle and swallow fireballs. The fireballs were kindly donated by none other than our very own Captain General, who has spent a lot of time practising making bite-sized fireballs. Over to you, booger-girl."

"Why you…" Kiyone growled but continued anyway, "Here he is, ladies and gentlemen! Vice-Captain Chojiro Sasakibe!!" she ended off to a round of applause before the three of them left the stage arguing with each other.

Chojiro stepped on stage from behind the curtain, followed by his Captain, who was holding his released sword in one hand and a fire extinguisher in another as Tousen made spotlights shine on both parties. They bowed together and moved to their respective locations- the Captain General moved to stage right, almost hidden by the curtains, and Chojiro stood at centre stage, near the front.

Shigekuni waved his sword in his Vice-Captain's general direction. Instantly, five medium-sized fireballs appeared and revolved around his head. The Captain General frowned a bit and they shrank, just small enough to be eaten.

Then the balls lowered into Chojiro's hands. He started throwing them up and catching them with only one thought in his head: Drop them and the Hall will burn down.

He managed to keep them in the air for a few minutes, but then the Captain General noticed that some people in the Hall were already getting restless. He decided to do something about it.

Shigekuni waved his sword in his Vice-Captain's direction again. To the audience, if they had not been paying attention to him, it would look as though he had just tossed the balls higher than all his previous times. Between Chojiro and Shigekuni however, it acted as a cue.

The audience grew quiet as the fireballs fell through the air towards Chojiro's open mouth. Shigekuni also watched him closely, momentarily losing his concentration.

Just as the first fireball was about to enter his mouth, it seemingly exploded. In reality, however, it just grew bigger; too big to fit into the Vice-Captain's mouth.

0-o-0-o-0

The Fourth Squad medical team disappeared through the entrance of the Hall, carrying a moaning person on a stretcher.

"Umm…Well, that was…umm….great? Give it up for Vice-Captain Chojiro Sasakibe…!" MC Kaien said somewhat unconvincingly. The audience gave a weak applause which died down almost instantly.

"Up next, we have Captain Gin Ichimaru of the Third Squad! He will come up on stage, and whoever can make him frown, or anything other than smile, will receive a prize. However, as this is just a rehearsal, no prizes will be awarded. Please welcome, Captain Gin Ichimaru!" MC Sentaro hollered to loud applause.

Gin stepped onto the stage with practised ease. He faced the audience, and Tousen turned the spotlight in his direction with the same fluid movements.

Gin started to speak, but before any words could come out, a little girl rushed out from Aizen's crowd and kicked him in the shin. Then she ran back to the audience and seemed to disappear.

"Now, now, tha's not very nice of ya' is it?" he muttered and shot what only Aizen could recognise as a glare at him. To the rest of the audience, it would appear as though he was smiling at Aizen.

At that moment, Yamada Hanataro walked awkwardly onto the stage. He gestured for the Captain to lean down a bit and started to whisper into his ear. After a few minutes, Gin's face began to contort. If anything, if could no longer be called a smile. Instead, it appeared to be tilting downwards, making Gin look like he was about to….Cry?

MC Kiyone decided to intervene before the Captain lost all of his pride. "Let's give it up for Captain Gin Ichimaru! And not forgetting seventh seat Yamada Hanataro, who managed to accomplish the seemingly impossible task!" The audience broke out into a deafening applause, but maybe it was so loud because before that, there was absolute silence.

Captain Gin nodded graciously before stepping off the stage and running out of the Hall, presumably to find a quiet corner to cry in.

Hanataro blushed at the sudden attention he was receiving. He stumbled down the stairs and headed to the Fourth Squad's Headquarters, mumbling something about them needing help.

After the laughter had died down, MC Kiyone spoke again, "And now, we have Vice-Captain Kira Izuru, who will perform kido for us." The introduction was punctuated with polite applause as Kira climbed onto the stage.

"Before I begin, I want to request that all lights are turned off." He looked at Tousen, who nodded and hit the main power switch. Instantly, the Hall was enveloped in darkness.

"Thank you. Now, ladies and gentlemen, if you could just look this way..." Kira's voice shook a bit. Then the front of the Hall was lit up with colourful lights; it was as though there were fireworks in the Hall, only better.

0-o-0-o-0

As the applause finally died down, the MCs appeared on the stage again. "Thank you for that wonderful performance, Vice-Captain Kira Izuru," Kaien held up his hands to stop the applause before continuing, "And now, we have Captain Sosuke Aizen, who will be the illusionist for the evening." As Aizen rose and strode to the stage, there was a standing ovation for him; it was, after all, his audience.

He walked onstage and bowed before gesturing at Momo to accompany him onstage. She blushed lightly but walked nervously to his side. "Ladies and gentlemen of the audience, Captain Sosuke Aizen and his lovely assistant, as well as his Vice-Captain, Momo Hinamori!" MC Kaien finished off to a final round of applause before the spotlight was focused on the pair.

Aizen gestured at Momo to reach her hand into her sleeve. She did so, and with a surprised look, pulled a Chappy plushie out of it.

Aizen then told the crowd that whoever assisted him for the next trick would get the plushie. Instantly, Rukia stepped up with an obsessed glint in her eye.

"Alright then. Will you just stand right here?" He pointed to his right. "Now then, ladies and gentlemen. Watch, and be amazed!"

Momo brought a dark, blackish-bluish cloth and threw it over Rukia. Aizen circled and waved his arms over the still figure, muttering to himself all the while. Then, in a fluid, unpredictable movement, he drew his sword and stabbed it into Rukia. The audience gasped as the figure buckled and collapsed to the floor. As some of them stood up to help, Aizen waved them back to their seats, accompanied with a mumbled, "She's fine…"

Aizen circled the still figure once more before he stood behind it. He then bent down and took a firm hold of a cloth before standing back up and yanking the cloth upwards.

Instead of a bleeding Rukia, hundreds of hell butterflies emerged from beneath the cloth, their wings fluttering gracefully, much to the awe of the audience.

As they flew through the windows, Momo put the Chappy plushie on the floor, and Aizen cover it with the same cloth. This time, instead of letting the cloth rest on the floor, he held it up with two fingers to up about eye level. Momo circled the cloth three times before stepping aside as Aizen pulled the cloth to the side again.

As it came away, Rukia appeared again, and this time she was holding the Chappy plushie. The audience cheered again as the three of them bowed and returned to their seats.

"Thank you, Captain Aizen and Vice-Captain Hinamori, for that amazing performance. Now, let me introduce you to the Captain of the Sixth Squad, Captain Byakuya Kuchiki!"

"……Byakuya Kuchiki!" MC Kiyone called out again. "Uhh…Captain Kuchiki?" Suddenly, Renji ran up and faced the crowd. He cleared his throat and began, "Captain Kuchiki has not had sufficient time to prepare for his act. He claims he will be ready before the party, but not before the next rehearsal, if there is another one." Renji then walked off the stage and sat down.

"Well… Okay. Moving on then… Umm, what's next, turd?" MC Kiyone addressed her question to MC Sentaro.

He growled, but ignored it as well. "Hmm…Next? Uhh… Actually, that's the end of our show."

"Well, ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for coming to the party, we hope you enjoyed yourselves. Goodnight!" The three MCs yelled out at the audience before bowing and going backstage.

Aizen waved his sword and the audience disappeared. Everyone present rose and gathered around the Captain General, including the MCs, waiting for his comments on their performance.

"Well, from what I've seen so far, it looks as though the party will be a success. Of course, we all need to perfect our own acts, and we must not forget everyone else's roles. We will also have to change its name; instead of having it as a year end party, we could have it as our first annual party, with the date being different every year." He nodded his head before concluding, "Dismissed."

The shinigami headed out of the door and back to their quarters, several discussing the day's performance and what could be done to improve it. Rumours were already going around that there would be one last rehearsal before the actual performance.

[/Bonus Edition!!\

"Yoruichi, do you want to come with me to a party which the Shinigami are hosting?"

"The Shinigami? Why would I want to attend it for? They probably think I'm dead or something." A pause and a lick. "Why don't you ask Isshin Kurosaki instead?"

A slight pout. "But he lost his powers. It would be disgraceful to invite him… And besides, he has a family to look after now."

"So why don't you go alone?"

"Hmm… No. I already have an idea anyway, just in case no one wants to go with me. But why wouldn't anyone want to go with me anyway?"

Jaws parted, revealing sharp teeth, and as the voice started to give a large handful of reasons, it was interrupted by the merry jingling of a phone.

"Hello? Oh, it's you… Why is someone like…? Oh? Really now….Reeaallly?? Before I agree, what will I get out of it? Uh-huh… Yeah… Hmm… That would help quite a bit… But it's not enough. Oh? You're increasing? Ooooh… You have a deal. Now, can you please give me the specifics?" A pause to scribble some things on a scrap of paper. "Uh-huh…uh-huh…mm-hmm… Are you sure about that? Alright, alright… Don't worry, you'd get it before your deadline. Thank you so much. Pleased to be working with you. Bye now."

"Who was that, Kisuke-kun?"

A bright smile which was immediately hidden by a fan. "A customer… A very…uhh…special customer."

8—8—8—8—8

Finally done!!!! Arghh… Sorry it took so long to get this out, but school has started and I think my teacher(s) have a fresh, new dislike for me and it's pressurising. Also, this chapter was very long (as you can see, hope it wasn't too long). I really hope it was worth the wait.

Please tell me what you think in a review. If you think it's too long, too short (doubt it), or if you think it should have gone a different way or if you spot any mistakes, REVIEW. Thank you.