Rejoice, the moment of truth had come! :) Who is the third Guardian? There was but a single correct answer! :) Congratulation to tellie-san who got it right, here is a kiss *chu* and if you wish to, just drop me a line about the next fic, you'd like to read, as promised! :)

For the rest of you, I hope you're going to enjoy this, because we're nearly done with the introduction and ready to jump head-on to the adventure part of the story! :)

And last but not least, some fluffy smut coming up in the following chapters, so stay tunned!

Have fun!


Chaos ruled over Seireitei now bathing in golden rays of sun perched high above in the skies of forget-me-not blue since early morning hours and it certainly wasn't going to get any better any time soon as all capable hands were preparing for the arrival of rather special and not at all welcome guests.

After days of uncertainity and dark rumors flying around, becoming more frightening and even more mendatious with each retelling, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, the 1st Division Captain and commander of the Gotei 13 finally realized the only possible way to prevent any more damage is to reveal the truth. Or at least a part of it. And Renji was glad for the decision. Even though all of Seireitei knew now the arrancar were coming as well –although with the exception of the highest ranked Shinigami they could only guess exactly why that was- it meant a certain weight lift from the depths of the red-head's stomach. He felt guilty about not being able to tell anything to Rukia and when she left for the Material World, stubbornly refusing to talk to him, he couldn't help to also feel a bit sorry for Urahara Kisuke who was bound to become the next target of her investigation attepmts. But now it all seemed to have turned up for the best, given he had to put up with his Guardian chittering all day long in his head or Byakuya releaving him of even the most routine paperwork so that there was absolutely nothing to do. The fact that there was also this delegation from Hueco Mundo coming on Captain-Commander's personal invitation to assist the Shinigami in solving this confounded situation -which Renji still couldn't fully comprehend- didn't make him feel any better.

Abarai subconsciously let out a sigh and caught a glimpse of Kuchiki Byakuya's obsidian eyes zeroing in on him for a fraction of a second as they walked through the gate leading to the 1st Division Headquarters. He immidiately straightened up and fell into step with his Captain, always keeping a little distance. His thoughts jupmed to the pending Captain and Vice-Captain meeting they were about to join. Ichigo and the others were invited as well, because of one of their friends becoming a Guardian. To Renji it seemed as though Yamamoto-soutaichou was building an army. But what could a bunch of humans do against the thing that annihilated almost his whole Division? The Quincy, Ishida. He was strong, but was he strong enough to stand a chance against this ancient evil they were all talking about? And Inoue-san wasn't built for battle at all. They shouldn't have brought her... although as he was thinking that, Renji knew very well Inoue Orihime would never have remained behind, even if Ichigo himself tried to persuade her – and that was something given she adored him from the depth of her heart.

Renji could not help to chuckle inwardly. That prat Ichigo, he didn't have the slightest idea...

/You're one to talk, Pineapple!/

The sound of his Guardian's voice –blisfully silent untill now- made the red-head jerk, though Byakuya did not seem to have noticed.

/You wouldn't recognize love even if it was pinching your tattooed ass./

Renji -determined to ignore the taunts- swallowed an incisive retort, though he couldn't prevent himself not to run his gaze along the regal features of Kuchiki Byakuya's slender frame before him. And those few seconds were enough for him to immediately regret this moment of weakness, because there was a break of such girlish giggles inside his head, he thought his skull might crack in half. From now on, it will be much harder to put up with that pervert of a Guardian.

Fortunately for Renji, however, as he was sinking lower and lower into the black depths of depression, brows furrowing more that usual, they have arrived at the 1st Division inner gardens. Rukia was already waiting by a cluster of trees along with Ishida and Inoue. This must mean that Ichigo and the human girl were already here. Inoue smiled, Ishida pushed his square glasses up his nose and the petite black-haired shinigami gave her childhood friend a nod to let him know she's no longer mad with him as he and his Captain swiftly walked past and dissapeared inside the Headquarters.

Only a handful of Shinigami were still walking through the hallways, apparently to finish their duties before the meeting starts and they need to leave. Each of them stopped as they passed and gave the 6th Division officers a polite greeting. Renji made sure to return the gesture, because Byakuya never did. He was always like that. Not concerning himself with low-lifes as he sometimes called these ordinal Shinigami. A single skim through the numbers on the tablets outside the Main Hall when the two turned another corner, let Renji know the only ones still absent were the arrancar.

Still thinking it madness to let their lot roam freely through Seireitei, Renji assumed his position behind Kuchiki Byakuya's back and between the 4th Division Vice-Captain Kotetsu and 8th Division Vice-Captain Ise, spotting the unmistakeable spikes of Ichigo's orange hair standing out painfully as the teen leaned against a wall on the other side of the hall. He looked pissed and impatient and a bit worried, dark-haired girl Renji remotely remembered from his last visit to Karakura standing beside him, looking around insecurely like she was going to wake up from a dream. She must be strong, Renji thought. To withstand the spiritual pressure of all the Captains and Vice-Captains and Yamamoto-soutaichou as well, even though the full extent od their reiatsu was being tightly supressed. No matter how hard he tried, however, the girl's name kept eluding him.

"Stay where you are. They have arrived." Byakuya hissed as if he knew Renji was thinking about getting together with Ichigo, at least for a while before it all begins and the atmosphere changed rapidly as a thick wave of reiatsu washed over all of the assembled. All of them recognized its owner long before he walked through the door, boney hands with long thin fingers shoved inside the sleeves of his white haori, obi of forget-me-not blue tied around skinny waist, white hakama dangling around equaly skinny ankles hidden within black tabi socks in contrast with a pair of white waraji.

"Ain't it nostalgic meetin' ya all here again." Ichimaru Gin grinned broadly, coming to a halt across the hall from Commander Yamamoto.

All eyes fixed on him instantly; some surprised, some disconcerted, though many hateful and apprehensive. The black-haired human girl looked like the air was being forced out of her lungs, threatening to suffocate her from just being this close to the former 3rd Division Captain who did not seem to be concerned with leashing his immense reiatsu like all the others did. There were, however three people to whom this silver-haired man with fox-like face and eyes seemingly shut tight still remained much more than a mere traitor.

Renji's eyes darted to the 10th Division officers. The only thing giving away Matsumoto's distress being her convulsively cluthing her arms, face hidden beneath long, blond locks and Hitsugaya's firmly clutched jaw revealing his inner struggle barely able to hold anger at bay, eyes throwing daggers at his Vice-Captain's childhood friend. Though the temperature within the hall seemed to have dropped a few degrees anyway.

"Sending his lapdog, is he?" the young Captain's boyish voice dripped scorn as he spoke, white brows furrowed slightly. "Coming himself would be too much of a bother, I take it?"

Ichimaru feigned a tremble, grin still wide on his pale pointed face. "So cold! Might seem as though ya ain't glad to see me, 10th Division Taichou-han. And I was lookin' forward for this lil' reunion, ne Izuru?"

The 3rd Division Vice-Captain stiffened, turquoise eyes flew up from beneath a curtain of pale blond hair to meet his former Captain's. His mouth opened and closed again several times -though no sound came out- pale fingers entwining only to keep his hands occupied. He wasn't sure what to say or what to do. Hearing his given name spoken in that sly creeping voice again made his heart jump and his throat clench and he realized his feelings towards the man he had adored for so long haven't changed a single bit. But now they were standing on the opposite sides of the fence. And the 3rd Division learned to rely on him since Ichimaru had left and Kira grew attached to them as one would to his family and he felt proud of them just as much. Even though there was no official Captain, his division was still proud and strong and they looked up to him as their leader. He couldn't destroy it all just because Ichimaru walks in here and decides to sweet-talk Kira's resolve off. He won't allow that to happen, no matter what their relationship might have been like in the past.

"Don't forget your place, Ichimaru Gin." Yamamoto's voice pierced the momentary silence, resonating through the hall very clearly and perhaps a bit too unnaturaly strong followed by a clap of the cane clutched in his wrinkled old hands, hiding Ryuujin Jakka beneath its harmless visage. He set his eyes on the former Shinigami. "Where is the third Guardian?"

Ichimaru's full attention jumped almost immediately to the Captain-Commander, but not before he managed to stare Kira to cast his gaze down to his feet. Provoking the sleeping dragon further would cause unnecessary problems and would probably go against his orders. And whatever the case may be right now, Ichimaru very much liked all parts of his body the way they were. At least for the time being.

"Oia, how rude of me!" he burried long fingers in his silvery hair and stepped aside to reveal two other men looming out of the shadows behind him. Both were wearing long white hakama that seemed to flow around their ankles in a non existent breeze with every move, soft sounds of two pairs of steps muffled by white waraji, just like Gin's.

One was slim and a bit short, hands shover in his pockets, black obi visible beneath the lower hem of his white tail-coat, its collar drawn to thin neck, blending with ivory-colored skin -just like his broken horned mask- in painful contrast with jet-black hair falling into deep eyes the color of malachites. Two slim dark streaks trailed down emotionless face like tears. A complete opposite of the other, whose short and unfastened black and white shirt with rolled-up sleeves revealed tanned, well-built body – despite the gaping hole in his midsection. The flow of muscles underneath the softly bronzed skin combined with fluent cat-like movements spoke of a predator driven by primal instinct to hunt and kill. He couldn't supress his annoyance with being here, defiance shaping his handsome features, narrow pale deep blue eyes darting about in search for prey worthy of his skill. They fell on Ichigo, lingering there just a little bit too long, grin spreading over left cheek, the right one hidden beneath a piece of broken white mask. He tossed his head in aknowledgement of the orange-haired Shinigami's presence as well as daring him to start a fight, few locks of blue hair wobbling from side to side.

Kurosaki's fingers wrapped firmly around Zangetsu's hilt as he stood infront of Arisawa Tatsuki to protect her, teeth gritted, bronze eyes narrowed and ready to accept the challenge. Before he could make another move however, Ichimaru reached for the teal-head and pushed him forward.

"The one yer lookin' for, Captain-Commander." he said, ignoring the arrancar staring at him with expression of one wishing nothing more than to rip him apart limb from limb. "Sexta Espada, Grimmjow Jeagerjaques."

Judging from the look on their faces, many of the assembled recognized Grimmjow the moment they saw him and they were also aware of the other Espada's identity.

"And Cuatro Espada, Ulquiorra Schiffer I presume?" Yamamoto's gaze fixed into the great malachite eyes with slit-like pupils as if trying to read their owner's thoughts.

"Hajimemashite." Ulquiorra faced the Captain-Commander without any change in his ever-present stoic expression and deathly stillness fell upon the hall and its occupants as they waited for the soutaichou and petite Espada to break the eye contact.

"Unacceptable." Genryusai's cane hit the wooden planks again and a few of the Shinigami assembled jerked slightly, the sound bringing them out of their reverie. He turned back to Ichimaru Gin. "I will not have any unnecessary danger threaten Soul Society's safety. Only the Guardian is allowed to stay."

Ichimaru's smile dissapeared, hand ran through silver hair. "Now that ain't good, Yamamoto-soutaichou. Aizen-taichou specifically ordered the three of us to help ya. Take it or leave it." the grin returned as the former 3rd Division Captain stood his ground, unwilling to budge even under Yamamoto's x-raying gaze.

"Wery well." the old Captain uttered after a few seconds of regarding all the possibilities and those two simple words caused an explosion of chatter as almost all the assembled Captains and Vice-Captains wanted to express their dissaproval with the ludicrous idea of having a traitor and two Espada running around Seireitei. "However," Yamamoto's strong voice silenced them all immediately. "All three of you are to surrender your swords untill such time as they are needed in battle."

"Tch! Like hell I will!" Grimmjow couldn't stand it any longer. It was enough he had been forced to come here with the two people he loathed above all others, having no say in this because of that fucked up Guardian business. He was still furious with himself for being unable to stand against Aizen and that impossible reiatsu of his he so enjoyed to focus on hi whenever he felt like Grimmjow might run out of control – and that was pretty often these days. But now there was no Aizen, thus the Sexta felt in no immediate danger of having his bones crushed to splinters.

However, the Lord of Hueco Mundo had a very good reason for sending Ulquiorra to keep an eye on Grimmjow as well as Ichimaru himself. The Cuatro was the only one capable of doing so. The only one Aizen could trust to fulfill his wishes to the letter.

"O-oi, Ulquiorra, you bastard!" the teal-haired Espada managed, but the arrancar already swept past and snatched his associate's and Ichimaru's katana, handing them over to the Captain-Commander without so much as a word, single look of the green eyes preventing any further complaits.

"And you will also stay under strict surveillance of the Onmitsukidou at all times." the old Shinigami continued and the 2nd Division Captain Soi Fon nodded briefly, thrusting an elbow into her Vice-Captain's stomach to wake him up and make him pay attention. "Should you attempt any kind of misbehaviour, you will be dealt with swiftly and without mercy, crisis or no."

"Hai." Ulquiorra noded, still with that vexing expressionless mask of a face, taking the lead for no particular reason"

"Oia, seems like we've been overruled, ne, Grimmjow-san?" Ichimaru's attempt to look sheepish made him look even more like a fox sneaking into a hen-house. Grimmjow snorted. Once again he couldn't help to feel like an obedient dog and it pissed him off to no end.

/Dear, dear. Why are you frowning like that all the time, you look like you've got a stick up your ass./

The sound of his Guardian's voice made the Espada jerk in surprise for he was still fully concentrating on fuming about his inability to rip Ulquiorra's face off.

What did you say? He growled, though no sound came out aloud.

/You heard me, Puss. Last time I looked you had ears!/

Shut the fuck up!

The guardian broke into sniggers, enjoying Grimmjow getting more livid by the second. For another half an hour -untill the meeting was over- the two of them kept exchanging one insult after another, not listening to Yamamoto going on about their being accomodated in the 6th Division barracks and forbidden to leave without his permission or tomorrow's journey to Inuzuri to perform the Ritual of Banishment. And by the end of the day Grimmjow felt so exhausted he couldn't even find the strength to curse whomever it was that made an Oni his Guardian.


Well, that's it for today :)

Anyway, a bit of explanation is in order:

Oni - creatures from Japanese folklore, most commonly translated as devils, ogres or trolls. Usually they are depicted as giant creatures with sharp fangs and claws wearing nothing but tiger-skin loincloth around their waist and carrying an iron club called kanabo.

P.S. No, I did not choose Oni as Grimm's Guardian because of any similarities, it's just that there are so many different types of yokai (spirits) in Japanese legends and this seemed the most common and quite the opposite of the Guardian I assigned to Renji. You'll see in the next chapter :)

And also, I appologize for any grammatical mistakes, did my best to correct them :)

Please review, your opinions are much appreciated!