"Gin... Don't go… Don't leave me again." Rangiku leapt out of the meagre bedroll she'd managed to scavenge to try and catch up with the retreating figure of the boy. He didn't turn as she called after him, opening the door to their small shelter. The thin fabric of the bedding tangled up her feet and she tripped. The more she struggled to free herself, the more she became stuck. The trails of his travelling robes were far from the reach of her clawing hands as he disappeared into the night, rapidly being swallowed up by the darkness. "Gin…"

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"Gin!" Rangiku's eyes snapped wide open as she sat up, breathing fast and heart racing. Gentle sunlight bathed the room in light, not a dingy shack in the Rukongai but the barracks of the 13th Division. Birds were chirping outside and looking out the open door, the sun was high in the sky already. The other members of her recruit squad were all gone. She leapt out bed and almost colliding with a black-clad figure that'd appeared before her. At eye height, the young girl found herself staring at a wooden crest, the cross and daffodil of the Tenth Division inscribed upon it. Raising her head slowly, she found herself looking up into the face of Lieutenant Rei Mikihara, the senior officer's arms folded and her customary front-hanging lock of hair at this angle hiding what must be an angry frown at her tardiness.

The lieutenant swept aside her dark hair to instead reveal a friendly grin, free from the irritation she had expected. She uncrossed her arms and helped pull Rangiku out of her bed. The young girl had her zanpakuto thrust into her arms and her black shihakusho tossed on top of it. "Come on, recruit. Get dressed and get your ass to the training dojo on the double. If you're not there in five minutes, I'm going to have you running laps around the compound, alright? See ya now!"

With a mock salute, Lieutenant Mikihara bounded out the door in a casual flash step, leaving Rangiku hurrying to pull on her uniform, stumbling out of the barracks in her wake, attempting to tie her sash on while clutching her sheathed zanpakuto in her mouth and trying to stop her hakama falling off at the same time. It was several more minutes before she came stumbling in, tripping over her own feet and almost collapsing in a heap at Mikihara's feet. Hands gripped her under the arms and hauled her to her feet, brushing her down to straighten her shihakusho.

"Wow, Rangiku-chan. I was kidding when I said you'd have to run laps. Come on… Sort your uniform out before we get started." The officer waited for a moment while the recruit fiddled with her uniform then tugged on the bogu armour pressed into her arms. Once she was finally kitted up, she drew herself up to her full height, coming just up to the lieutenant's chest. The latter passed her a shinai and then drew her own from the weapon rack. Somehow, even though the weapon she held was only made of wood, in the hands of such an experienced shinigami, Rangiku felt the need for even more protection to avoid possible death.

"Alright…well your other fellow recruits are still either in the 4th Division healing up or have been sent on a long endurance run today. Instead, the captain told me to instruct you personally. Zanjutsu is one of the most essential skills you need to master as a member of the Gotei 13. And in a few moments, I reckon you'll get to see a fine example of it in action." Mikihara peered at the sun as if reading the time of day, counting slowly down on her fingers before putting one to her lips and pointing off to the building in the distance to Rangiku. "And now…"

"Keisuke, you pervert bastard!" A small explosion suddenly erupted from one of the buildings across the courtyard, the female officers' quarters. A moment later, a figure came running out, Keisuke Nakamura sprinting away as another person leapt out behind him. Wielding her zanpakuto one handed and clutched a towel around her body with the other, long dark hair still soaking wet, Yugito Kosaka came lunging at him. With a yelp, the 5th seated officer managed to draw his own zanpakuto in time, dropping to his knees and leaning back like doing a limbo in time to catch her blade on his.

He rolled and spun around, parrying a flurry of attacks, sparks flying as Kosaka struck at him again and again, curses flying hard and fast enough to make Mikihara temporarily cover Rangiku's ears, the voices just about carrying across the courtyard. The young recruit watched the comical scene playing out but noticed that, for all the play fighting, their sword work was flawless, each carefully weighted attack met by an impenetrable defence. Kosaka kicked Nakamura flying, crashing through the wall of another building and lunged in after him, the two disappearing from view again.

"Right well…as you could see there, thanks to our fine senior officers, kendo is an art by which to protect yourself and deal damage to those who seek to harm you…or your privacy. That's also the most active you'll see officer Nakamura ever, funnily enough." Mikihara scratched the back of her head in thought before taking a step back and raising her shinai in both hands, taking her stance. "Alright…this will be done easier with actions rather than words. Helmet on, shinai up, let's go, Rangiku Matsumoto."

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant… What…?" The young girl's eyes widened, ramming on her helmet and raising her shinai just in time to catch a downwards slash, the cracking of old wood sounding throughout the dojo room. The next half an hour went by in a blur, her memories hazy with shouted instructions and repeated bashes on the head, her arms aching and sweat poured down her face underneath her mask. Somehow, she thought this was going to be a very…very long day.

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"Shall we take a break now?"

"Yes…please…" Rangiku pulled off her helmet, running a hand through her sweat-soaked, blonde hair. She bent over, hands resting on her knees and panting hard. She slumped down on the floor, resting her back against the nearest wall. For the past three hours, she'd sparred back and forth against the 10th Division lieutenant and it had been some of the hardest training she'd ever undertaken. A cup of cold water was pressed into her hands as the lieutenant walked over, looking as serene as if she hadn't just been lunging back and forth, whacking her training partner senseless with a shinai for a long period of time.

"How'd you get so...good at kendo, Lieutenant?"

The older woman grinned as she sat down next to her, tucking her knees up to her chest and resting her head against the back wall. "I learnt from the best. Captain Matsumura trained me everyday from when I first joined the 10th Division. If you were subjected to his training everyday, it'd be impossible for you to be anything but an expert. But luckily you got stuck with me instead."

"That was one of the things I was wondering..." Rangiku sipped at her water, steadily regaining her breath. Her shihakusho clung to her body, soaked with sweat beneath her bogu. Luckily, the cool breeze ran through the dojo, filtering through the open ends of the room. Now the crashing of shinai had been silenced, only the rustle of the leaves and the chirping of birds could be heard. It was very...calming. "Why did the captain order you to look after me personally? And well...tell me about him. I met the captain once when I first joined the Division but it was momentary and he seemed kind of...cold and distant at the time. That's all I really know about him."

"Don't be fooled. Despite his hard exterior, he does really care about everyone under his command. And as for why he picked you out, the captain has an 'eye' for people who are marked out for what he calls greatness. And standing your ground to protect a friend is quite an admirable act in itself." Mikihara chuckled to herself at some private joke. She paused, as if in deep in thought, pondering over what she knew and wondering where to start. "Now...the captain himself. Let me see..."

"Well aside from the original members and Captain Kuchiki-sama, the oldest members of the Gotei 13 are Captain Hikifune and our captain. Both grew up together in the Rukongai and joined the Gotei 13 at the same time, becoming students of Captain Unohana who taught them kendo. They became captains of the 10th and 12th Divisions respectively at the same time and have been serving with distinction for many more years than the younger ones. Not just that but he's contributed in making others into what they are today. Captain Matsumura ended up training Lady Yoruichi Shihoin who later became 2nd Division captain among some other prominent members. Oh…and myself, of course."

As the lieutenant spoke, with her easy laid back manner, it made it difficult for Rangiku to remain wary of being in the presence of such a senior officer, relaxing and allowing herself a small smile of her own. "But anyway…shall we get back to training, Rangiku-chan?"

She nodded and made to get up, her mouth suddenly opening wide in a yawn. She realised what she was doing and clapped her hands to mouth, looking over at the young lieutenant to find her chuckling slightly at the recruit's attempts to hide her tiredness. The woman squatted down again. "Well alright…I suppose a few more minutes rest can't hurt. You look like you didn't get a whole lot of rest last night. Nightmares or something? You can tell me about them if you want. The captain says I'm good at listening. It could help."

"Err…" Rangiku hesitated a moment. Since that day joining the academy and then the Gotei 13, she'd never shared her past with anyone yet she felt she could trust this woman almost instinctively. "Well it sort of involved a guy. Gin…He was called Gin Ichimaru and we'd known each other for a few years since he saved me from starvation in the Rukongai. We found a small shack where we lived for a while, taking shelter from the rain and cold. For a while we were happy, content with just being together alone and living as we did."

She swallowed, the events running through her mind, bringing with it all the sadness she'd fought to suppress over the years since then. "Then one day, while out in the forests just outside the city walls, Gin said he'd met a man who'd taught him a few things, how to manipulate his natural reiatsu and some techniques for fighting. Everyday he'd go back to see this person and come back looking pleased with himself, so I didn't question it at first. And then he started going…darker. There's no describe it. He became more sarcastic, more scathing… The other kids were scared off until only I stuck by him"

"It must've been this new man he'd met. I questioned him about who this person was…" She shook her head and shuddered slightly. Mikihara moved closer, wrapping a protective arm around her, which she accepted unconsciously. "Gin said that he'd never seen the man's face, that it was always covered in shadows. All he could make out was that he was very tall and seemed to carry some sort of blade beneath travelling robes."

"And then one night…Gin just left." A tear ran down her cheek but she brushed it away furiously with the back of her hand. "He didn't explain why or even say a word of goodbye. He just left and I couldn't stop him. I guess that I keep reliving that moment occasionally which his what woke me up today."

She'd started to cry, despite her best attempts at quelling the tears. The memories were too painful. She felt the lieutenant holding her close, one hand brushing her hair gently and she buried her face in the senior officer's shihakusho, forgetting for that moment where she was or who she was with. It was several more moments before she could regain some control over herself. "I'm sorry about this, Lieutenant. I didn't mean to break down like this. It's just…"

"It's alright…" The lieutenant's voice was warm and caring. She looked around to find the woman with a reassuring smile on her face. There was a rustle as she rose to her feet, pulling the recruit with her. Tucking her shinai under one arm, Mikihara offered out a gloved hand to her. "Come on. We'll take a lunch break and then we can come back to this when you're feeling more up to this. Just as long as we don't take too long. When the captain comes back, we want to put on a good show for him. Now let's go. You'll feel better with some food in you."

Nodding her agreement and wiping her eyes on her own shihakusho this time, Rangiku tucked her shinai into her sash and took the lieutenant's hand, quickening her pace to match the older woman's as they departed from the dojo and out into the bright courtyard, lit by the blazing midday sun.

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The captains listened in silence as Hikifune finished her report, almost a repetition of what Matsumura had already heard from his ceiling-inhabiting informant and his drinking partners. At the head of the room, the old man Yamamoto gestured for her to return to her place before leaning heavily on his staff as he mused on the situation to himself. The other captains waited for his decision, tension hanging over the captains' chambers with its oppressive quiet. It was bad enough to have an emergency meeting on such short notice but now for the old man not to have an immediate solution wasn't the most reassuring of things to see.

While they waited, Matsumura looked around left and right, observing the other captains, maybe to see what they were thinking of the situation. Opposite him, Hikifune was staring at the floor, slightly flustered. She always got so worked up when delivering a report to the commander-captain even after so many years. She looked up, meeting his gaze and grinning weakly. She really did have her silly moments… Always so confusing. She could face down a horde of Hollows on her own but standing alone to address the old man always made her so nervous. He always had to poke her and take her out for a good meal afterwards to help her get over it.

Towards the end, furthest from him, Jushiro-kun and Shunsui looked thoughtful, having already heard the news though the latter seemed to not have his mind on the same thing as the others judging by the self-amused smirk on his face. Probably girls again. Matsumura's sensei, Captain Retsu Unohana looked as she did most of the time, serene and calm, eyes lowered to the floor in her natural feminine modesty. She looked around at him and he straightened up slightly under her scrutiny. Posture had always been a pet peeve of hers. His reaction earned a slight smile from her before she returned her gaze downwards.

Kuchiki-sama was the image of the nobility as they were imagined by the common people, reserved and standing proud and tall amongst his peers. Well he had every right to be. His power was great and had seen many years of experience, perhaps as many as the old man himself. However, what this greater wisdom allowed him to make of the situation remained a mystery just from reading his features.

Opposite him, Matsumura's former student and complete opposite of Kuchiki-sama, 2nd Division captain Yoruichi Shihoin looked relaxed, hands on her hips and failing to suppress her yawn at being up by midday. She winked playfully across at him before being smacked on the arm by Hikifune, mock glaring at her. Kenpachi was absent as always. He never bothered to turn up and generally only turned up when something exploded in Soul Society.

The younger ones were keeping to themselves. Shinji Hirako of the 5th was looking well…bored as he often did as if wanting to get out of the meeting as soon as possible. Love Aikiwa and the newest captain, Rojuro Otoribashi, were seemingly waiting for the senior captains to come up with something. Kensei Muguruma of the 9th was standing with bare arms folded, looking restless at having to wait for orders. That one was always impatient to be getting stuck into the action. Too bad there was no enemy out in the open for him to come charging out and stab to death with his released zanpakuto.

At last, Yamamoto banged his staff down again to regain attention, resting heavily on it as he walked down the line to come to a halt in front of Matsumura and Hikifune. "Until we have more information on these new Hollows, it will be difficult to organise proper actions against them. You two, Captains Matsumura and Hikifune, will be in charge of investigating into them, the 10th Division seeking out the enemy and the 12th learning whatever they can from the encounters. Captain Yoruichi and the 2nd Division will support them and lend fast response units when needed."

"Kyoraku and Ukitake are to remain on standby as is Kuchiki-sama, guarding the Seireitei. Muguruma, Hirako, Aikiwa and Otoribashi deploy and stand guard over the north, south, east and west Rukongai districts. As soon as enemies as encountered, inform the 10th Division by hell butterfly. The 4th Division is to standby and provide medical assistance wherever needed. That is all. Captains Matsumura and Hikifune, go assemble your teams and set out as soon as possible. I expect results. Don't fail me now. Dismissed."

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"So...we're working together again, Shiro-kun. That always makes me so excited." Matsumura frowned at Hikifune, the white haired captain clinging to his arm as they walked along the riverbanks on their way back to their Division headquarters. It'd been a while since they could just spend time together like this with their duties but they tried to grab all these moments when they could. Her head was rested against his shoulder, as she often did when they were alone, like how they did when they were younger.

"I don't think now's the time for this, Kirio-chan. The old man gave us a job to do." Black clad guards opened the doors to the 10th Division compound as the two came up the road, passing under the gatehouse and into the main courtyard. He tried to gently shake Hikifune off as eyes started staring at them but she continued to hold on, pressing herself firmly to his side. Division members milling around began to slow down, whispering very unsubtlely behind their hands.

Knowing the 10th Division, the story of two captains fraternising would rapidly spread around the Gotei 13 within hours, built up into a sordid smut story by the third hand accounts. He slapped his free hand to his forehead in exasperation. "Let's get inside already. You're really enjoying this, aren't you?"

A quickened pace brought them into the nearest building, the training dojo, Matsumura quickly slamming the door closed behind them. He barely had time to turn before she pounced, tackling him against the wall in an instant and pressing her lips to his. Her fingers ran through his hair and clutched at the back of his neck. A moment and she pulled back. She frowned slightly, pouting at his initial reluctance. "Come on, Shiro-kun. No one's watching now and we have such little time when we have an excuse to be together like this. It's not like we're going to be attacked at any second."

"Yeah...I guess you're right." Her hands gripped the front of his haori, pulling him against her again. He leaned down again to kiss her when a shadow fell across him, this time a small, speeding object flying through the air towards him. 'Urgh...not again.' Matsumura managed to raise a hand in time to ward off a kick as a shihakusho-clad figure bounced off his arm, flipped in the air and landed on the other side.

"Hands off my captain, Shiro Matsumura!" The short figure of Hiyori Sarugaki, lieutenant of the 12th Division and probably the most annoying senior officer in the Gotei 13 stood there glaring at him, fists raised and shaking as Hikifune made to calm her lieutenant down. It proved to be unnecessary as Mikihara came out of the side room, cracking her over the head with her shinai. "Speak to Captain Matsumura with more respect, you snaggle-toothed brat."

"Why don't you come and make me, you hussy tart!" Sarugaki spun around to face the other lieutenant, snarling with balled fists as the taller of the two waved her shinai threateningly again. The lieutenants stood, facing off against each other as they seemed to end up doing every time they met, often disrupting their captains. With a bound, Sarugaki lunged at Mikihara, tackling her into the next room, accompanied by the sound of wood cracking repeatedly against someone's skull.

Hikifune sighed wearily, resting her head against Matsumura's chest. "Oh well...so much for that. Should we get down to some work then, Shiro-kun?"

"Yeah...let's do that." Leaving the two fighting lieutenants to their business, they made their way to the 10th Division meeting room, reluctantly reverting to their roles as division captains, calling their senior officers together so they could get down to preparing their teams and track down what could potentially be the biggest threat seen in Soul Society for a while.