IV. Quality Time

The creaking door of the tenth division's office opened to let its captain come in. The dirty and crumpled haori of the white-haired genius glided its way slowly through the stacks of books and paperwork placed neatly on the polished floor. Aside from that, the orderly atmosphere was disturbed by a few crumpled papers here and there as well as a few empty sake bottles lying around. The smell of alcohol still lingered, though it was not as evident in times that people are there drinking there. He walked slowly towards his desk, and found a small note taped at it.

Taichou, I just went outside to get a drink. Be right back – Matsumoto : )

Get a drink, huh? At least I still have half a day more before she comes back…Hitsugaya thought. Better take the time off.

With nothing much of a word, he heaved a deep sigh and made his way to the couch. He took off his haori and gently placed it over the table near where he stood. He loosened his shihakusho just enough for him to be able to remove the upper part of it, revealing his whole upper body. With that, he slumped at the couch, resting his aching muscles against the soft cushion of the furniture. He slowly closed his eyes in an attempt to drift away to dreamland. While he rested, his thoughts wandered as to what had happened before he got there. Images of the disturbing encounter with the unidentified clown-creature flashed through his mind.

"Copying? Who said I was just copying?" Juego smiled even wider. "Ban kai… Daiguren Hyourinmaru."

Ice formed on his back and arms as wings and claws. The large form of Zabimaru's ban kai transformed into a large snake tail made of ice, as if it was a large ice sculpture of the original. He started the ice ban kai moving, going after Hitsugaya with its large snake head. Hitsugaya dodged using shunpo, moving a safer location. It didn't stop from chasing him, for it charged at him wherever he went. At the final moment of this small cycle, the charging snake finally reached Hitsugaya, who in turn blocked it using his blade. He was literally being carried by the large weapon in its mouth, and the only thing that prevented it from tearing him apart is his zanpakuto. He shunpoed quickly, reappearing before the enemy. With a quick move, he pushed against the ground and stabbed his enemy cleanly through the chest, and ice encased the victim quickly after coming in contact with the blade. He pulled the blade back, leaving an ice sculpture of an enemy behind. He was startled when the ice broke along not with the body but confetti, and all of a sudden lunatic laughter resonated through the air. He looked behind him to see a laughing jester clutching his sides from laughing so hard.

"Well, I gotta go now. It ain't fun staying with you any longer." He waved his hand frantically at them. "Byebye, shinigami!" He was reduced to bits of confetti, and traces of his reiatsu were gone, not even a speck left.

What the hell is he anyway? He pondered in deep scrutiny. His reiatsu felt like that of a hollow and an arrancar and something else at the same time. And that capability of using other's technique…

His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden slam of the door, revealing a brown-haired shinigami that was taking short breaths, obviously from a sort of physical activity. She suddenly turned her head towards the half-naked captain's direction and blurted out a few words.

"Hitsugaya-kun! I heard that you encountered the strange hollow and – " she cut her sentence short when she saw Hitsugaya's bare chest, and she felt a little blood rush to her head. Hitsugaya was puzzled at first when it hit him, and slowly turned his head down to the rest of his body, remembering the present state that he was in. She immediately covered her eyes with her right hand, and the red taint still covered her cheeks.

"I'm sorry Hitsugaya-kun! I didn't mean to – "

"Taaaichoooou!!!! I'm back!" the busty vice-captain entered in a sing-sang voice. She gave a long "ohhhh" sound after she saw what was happening and gave her own interpretation of it. She mustered a wide meaningful grin with the current situation.

"It seems my taichou has really grown up, eh? But don't you think you're a bit too young to do it?" she put an emphasis on the last word before bursting into a fit of giggles. Hitsugaya felt blood rush to his face every moment that passed. He quickly fixed his shihakusho and wore his haori. He cut Matsumoto off by clearing his throat. She quickly grew silent, though she retained a meaningful smile quirked on her lips.

"By the way, what are you doing here, Hinamori?"

"Ummm… I was just worried, because I heard that Abarai-kun and Kuchiki-taichou were injured in the encounter with the strange hollow, so I thought of dropping by to check on you…"

He heaved a deep sigh before continuing. "I'm fine, Hinamori. I didn't even get a scratch. That thing, whatever it was, just took off."

"Oh." That was all that she managed to answer. "It's good to hear that. Ummm… by the way, I needed something else from you…"

"Hmmm?"

"Uh, uh, I, uh, I mean, could you go with me to the twentieth district tomorrow? There are some things that have to be arranged there, and I was planning on paying a visit to our old home afterwards," she became fidgety with every word. "It's alright if you can't come, I mean you're busy and all, and – "

"I'm going."

Her eyes burned brightly with joy and enthusiasm. "Really?! Arigatou, Shiro-chan!" with that final statement she locked Hitsguyaya up in a tight hug.

"Oi! Stop doing that! And stop calling me Shiro-chan, baka bed-wetter Momo!"

She moved away with a smile on her face. "Well, gotta go now. Bye, Shiro-chan!" With that, she went out of the office quickly. Matsumoto gave Hitsugaya a smug look.

"Looks like taichou's going on a date…"

Hitsugaya's cheeks burned a bright red. "It's not a date!"

Matsumoto seemed to have ignored him and proceeded teary-eyed with joy. "My taichou's really grown up…"

Hitsugaya just bowed his head in defeat.

"How's it going, Aizen-sama?"

The cold arrancar leader faced the enigmatic smile of his subordinate with his own mild smile. "Everything is going according to plan, Gin. Just a little more waiting, and we shall have him."