And the next chapter is up folks! I hope you enjoy! As always, R&R!

-----

Kumori was in very high spirits the next morning. She was smiling, cheerful, and she felt like she could leap into the air and shout for joy. Those who knew her well enough knew that Kumori in such a happy mood was something to beware of. She flounced down to the 3rd division lounge, the equivalent to a cafeteria, her layered black hair swinging behind her as she started laughing for no apparent reason. Luckily no one was there…no one except Hitsugaya, that is.

She didn't even notice him standing there against the wall as she bounced over to get herself a sandwich. Hitsugaya had gotten the 'O.o' look on his face when he had heard her laughter, but quickly calmed down and pushed himself off the wall, "well…you're in a happy mood today."

Kumori whirled around and instantly flushed a deep red when she saw him, "…don't tell me you saw me like that…"

Hitsugaya averted her gaze and flapped his hand vacantly, "I get it all the time from Matsumoto, I'm used to it…sort of."

Kumori couldn't stop blushing, so she went back to making her sandwich, her heart pounding, "so…why are you all the way here in the 3rd division lounge?"

Hitsugaya walked toward her and began making himself a sandwich as well, not looking at her as he spoke, "Captain Yamamoto wants us to make a trip to the human world. I told him about my suspicions about the Kurosaki girl the last time I was there. You know, Ichigo's sister?"

Kumori looked at him and realized he wasn't wearing his shinigami outfit, but rather the collared white shirt and the jeans that he always wore when he went to the human world. No wonder he had looked different when she had seen him, "was that the time Matsumoto told me about when you played soccer with the elementary students?" She purposely used that term because she knew he hated it.

As she expected, Hitsugaya twitched, "yes…that was exactly that time. Let's hope they don't have another soccer game." He looked up at her, "are you ready to go?"

Kumori ate the rest of her sandwich, "we go now? Just the two of us?"

Hitsugaya was just taking his first bite. He chewed, swallowed, and looked at her, "yeah, just us. Matsumoto decided to stay behind this time, and Captain Yamamoto figured that this wouldn't be a big thing. Get some stuff about what Ichigo's sister knows, and get back here. Shouldn't take long."

Kumori was stunned speechless for a moment, her heart was slamming in her chest so hard she though it was echoing off the walls. She tried to calm herself, but the same thought kept going through her mind, Hitsugaya and me. Just the two of us…she was so excited she thought she would burst.

"I guess he figured the two of us would blend in the easiest with the other kids…" he said, twitching a little bit.

Kumori couldn't help but snicker, "blend in? Maybe me…but you? With that silver hair? What are you going to say, it was bleached?"

Hitsugaya closed his eyes and got that disgruntled expression on his face again, "it's not like I have a choice…" But Kumori wasn't paying much attention anymore, she was lost in a little dream world where one little voice was speaking and it was saying, "Hitsugaya and Kumori…together…just the two of them."

"You know though, if you don't want to go, I can always bring along Matsumoto," he said, his face completely serious.

Kumori almost gasped, "of course I want to go!" Hearing what she had said, she quickly added, "the human world seems like so much fun, and Matsumoto's already been there!"

Hitsugaya smirked a little bit, "somehow I knew you would say that…" He turned and headed out the front door of the 3rd division lounge.

Kumori suddenly got an urge to ask something she never though she would ask. She had to know the answer… "Hitsugaya!" He turned around and looked at her. Kumori ran to catch up with him, and hesitated a second before she asked, "if Hinamori wasn't in the 4th division ward, would you bring her instead?" Now there was no sign of the laughter that had sparkled in her eyes moments ago.

Hitsugaya did not say anything for a moment, and then simply turned, "that doesn't matter. She's still in the ward, so it's not like I have a choice who to bring along." Kumori's eyes saddened as Hitsugaya walked out the door. She had not expected him to answer straightforward, but the answer he gave her…Kumori definitely knew he would've taken Hinamori instead.

"So…where are we?" Kumori asked as they landed in the human world. They landed beside a road, and the railing separated the road from a grassy area that descended sharply into a steep hill. There were trees everywhere, and there was a beautiful view of the sky from this place.

Hitsugaya stared at the sky for a few moments, "well, look for yourself. We're near the place where that Kurosaki kid kept coming up to me and asking me to play soccer for her team." Kumori nodded slowly, but didn't say anything. Her demeanor had totally changed from that morning in the lounge, from being hyper and carefree to solemn and thoughtful. Her mind was on other things at that moment. Hitsugaya loves Hinamori…he most certainly would've taken her instead of me if he had the chance…the two of us don't share any memories like they do…I should just stop trying…I can't make Hitsugaya like me, no matter how much I…love him, not if he already likes Hinamori. I'm just being selfish, I should stop trying…I'll just cause myself more pain in the end. Unbeknownst to Kumori, she had sighed multiple times while thinking this and her amethyst eyes harbored a deep, regretful grief.

"Ryuhana?" Hitsugaya's concerned voice broke through her thoughts, "are you alright?" She looked at him with a mildly surprised look on her countenance, and noticed very consciously that his hand was on her shoulder as his deep emerald eyes looked into her shadowy wine-colored ones.

Kumori quickly broke eye contact and held her head high; afraid she might start crying, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just…thinking, that's all." She sniffed and coughed once to rid herself of the tears that threatened to overflow at any moment.

Hitsugaya turned his head away but kept his eyes carefully trained on her, worried, "are you sure…? You don't sound so…"

Kumori was so close to breaking down, and she shook her head, not trusting her voice not to crack. She cleared her throat, and was shocked when she felt a tear run down her cheek. Quickly she wiped it away with her sleeve, clearing her throat again.

Hitsugaya was very concerned now, "Ryuhana…? Are you…crying…?" He couldn't help but blush a bit as he asked this; he normally didn't show so much care for someone.

Kumori shook her head and smiled a little, "no…are you kidding? It's just the sun…um; staring at it is hurting my eyes."

Hitsugaya scoffed, "well then don't look at it!"

Kumori coughed out a little laugh, and then stood up and turned away from him, "right well…let's go and find that kid then!" She marched off, trying to hold back tears as she walked, hoping her excuse had been good enough for Hitsugaya. She didn't want him to think she was weak for a shinigami.

Hitsugaya looked at her as she went off, and blinked. He had been planning on just standing there for a while with her, enjoying the view. Was it something he had said? Without a doubt, there was something nagging at Ryuhana's mind, but what was it? Hitsugaya had been sensing something plaguing her ever since he had that talk with her the day she had become captain. For sure, he wasn't stupid enough to fall for her excuse. She had definitely been crying…but what for? Hitsugaya only got more worried.

Kumori loved rhinestones, which was much of the reason her human world outfit consisted of tons of them. She walked along, trying to find the kid, though she was doing it more just to clear her mind. Her thoughts flew to-you guessed it-Hitsugaya. Shaking her head, she tried to push him to the back of her mind. She was here for a reason, a mission, and couldn't afford to be thinking of him constantly, even if he was here with her…

Hitsugaya stood, leaning against the railing in the same place he and Kumori had been that morning. He was peering down at his cell phone, intently pressing buttons. From time to time he glanced up at the setting sun in the sky, his thoughts on Hinamori. How was she doing in the fourth division wing…?

"Toushirou!" he heard a familiar voice call, and turned around to see Ichigo's sister running up to him, waving her arm. He looked around, as if wishing Kumori was there. She was out looking for the girl, after all, "you're back! Why are you here again?" Her soccer ball was slung over her shoulder, just like the last time he had seen her, and he could tell by looking at her that she had just been practicing with her friends. He really hoped she didn't have another game coming up.

"Hey," he said simply, and turned to look at his phone with surprise when it started beeping. A hollow was nearby…he glanced up the road, knowing that's where it was. He pushed himself off the railing and was about to go after it when the beeping stopped. He glanced down at his phone again and smiled softly, "she got it."

"Is Rangiku here again?" Ichigo's sister asked, obviously excited at the prospect of shinigami.

Hitsugaya shook his head, "no, she-" the phone started beeping again, and before Hitsugaya could flip it open to see where the hollow was, he heard a piercing scream from up the path. His eyes widened, that was Kumori's voice! He dashed in the direction of the scream, leaving Ichigo's sister behind. She took a few steps forward, hand outstretched for him, but then stopped, a confused look on her face, what had that been all about?

Hitsugaya broke through the trees and into the playground clearing to see Kumori in her captain's uniform, her zanpaku-to drawn. Her left arm hung limply by her side, and that shoulder was drenched in blood. She was breathing hard, sweat on her brow. Her eyes were closed and she looked like she was in deep concentration.

Hitsugaya instantly changed into shinigami form and dashed forward, putting his hand upon Hyorinmaru's hilt on his back, but was stopped when Kumori's blade blocked his way, "stay back." She didn't turn to look at him, but kept her eyes closed and her forehead furrowed.

"Ryuhana!" Hitsugaya looked at her incredulously, "you're hurt."

Kumori took a few deep, labored breaths before replying, "Let me handle this. I can't always depend on you to save me, Hitsugaya." Black spirit energy began to swirl around her like shadows, misty wisps of darkness whirling around her body and her outstretched arm.

Hitsugaya was a little taken aback by Kumori's words, but quickly recovered, "don't be a fool! You can't move your left arm, let me help you!"

Kumori opened her eyes slightly and regarded Hitsugaya with a look he had never seen before. It was a mixture of sadness, anger, and confusion, and there were tears mingling in with them. Her ever expressive violet eyes were portraying the emotions of her heart, "there are two types of battles Hitsugaya: battles for life, and battles for pride." She focused her gaze forward again, and the shadow aura around her grew stronger as she gripped her sword hilt so tight her knuckles went white, "this is a battle for my pride." A black shape flew out of the bushes, and she whirled around and swung her sword sideways in front of her. Night Wolf's snapping jaws were stopped by Mayonaka's blade as Kumori was pushed back several feet by the force of the attack. Her left arm still dangled uselessly by her side as she held off the powerful hollow with one arm, her legs shaking. She gritted her teeth and used all her power to lunge forward, and a shadow crescent sliced through Night Wolf's pelt, scoring a deep wound. The wolf howled and stepped back, disappearing into the foliage with a leap.

Kumori's sword arm fell to her side as well as she barely stood, her hair covering her face. She was breathing hard, trying not to faint. Her sword fell out of her limp hand and landed on the dirt, sending dust swirling around. Her head was pounding, her mind unfocused and dizzy. Night Wolf had injected some sort of poison into her when he had torn open that wound on her shoulder with his jaws, she was sure of it. Her legs were sore with weakness, and she slumped forward, landing hard on her knees on the ground.

Hitsugaya rushed toward her and supported her with one arm, his eyes glistening, "Ryuhana…"

Kumori's eyes flickered open just the slightest bit, and breathing was getting harder and harder by the moment with the poison she had been dealt. Her fingers twitched and her right hand felt like lead weight when she tried to lift it. It was in vain, her muscles had been drained of all strength. Her last thought before she faded into darkness was, why does Hitsugaya always have to save me in the end? I hate having to be the damsel in distress…