Sorry, guys, but I decided not to do any of the filler arcs after all. Takes up too much time. I'm very sorry! :(

One quick question: Should Ulquiorra die in this story, or would you guys prefer to have him live? Please review or PM me your answer. If you have done so already, thank you for your opinion! :)

So far, the results are:
Live - 5
Die - 2

Chapter 16: Tension

"You're going back already?" Urahara whined, "But you just got here!"

"The Head Captain would want me to go back and report everything that has happened today," Saki explained, "I've healed Ichigo's wounds, and there really isn't anything else for me to do here."

"Okay, okay," Urahara relented, "I'll keep your Gigai in case you ever return here."

"I hope I never will," Saki sighed, "I don't like the real world much. Too noisy."

"Oh, well, I'll keep your Gigai anyway. I never throw away my creations."

"Do as you wish." Saki opened up a Senkaimon, "Maybe we will see each other again, Urahara-san."

"Maybe we will," Urahara murmured as Saki vanished into the Dangai.

When Saki arrived back in Soul Society, she was slightly surprised to see Ukitake waiting for her. "Ukitake?" she said, "What are you doing here?"

"Welcome back, Saki-san!" Ukitake raised his hand in a wave, "A captains' meeting has just been called, and I came to make sure you knew."

"Oh. Thank you." By an unspoken agreement, the two of them began to Shunpo to the 1st Squad's barracks together.

"What do you think of the real world?" Ukitake asked, attempting to make small talk.

"Noisy," Saki replied, "I'd rather not go there again. It also stinks of smoke and the air's too stuffy."

Ukitake chuckled. "I expected something along those lines." He saw Saki's lips curl up slightly into a smirk. A few seconds of comfortable silence passed before Ukitake spoke again.

"Saki-san?"

"Yes?"

"Would you like to join me for tea at Ugendo this evening?" Ukitake asked somewhat hesitantly.

"Ugendo?" Saki asked, "What's that?"

"Ah, it's part of my family's estate in Seireitei and where I usually spend time when I'm not in the office," Ukitake explained.

"I see. What time?"

"Does 6:30 sound good to you?"

"Perfectly fine."

By this time, the two of them had arrived at the meeting room. They took their places in line and waited for the Head Captain to begin the meeting, which he did once all captains were accounted for.

"Kuroichi Saki, tell us what happened in the real world."

"Yes, sir."

The other captains remained silent as Saki told Yamamoto everything that had happened in the real world. When the 3rd Squad's captain finished her report, Amina stepped forward unexpectedly.

"You haven't told us everything, Saki," Amina accused, "What's bothering you?"

Saki glanced at her younger sister from the corner of her eyes. "I have reported everything that happened, Amina. There is nothing bothering me," she said calmly.

"Bullshit!" Amina spat all of a sudden, "There's a reason I'm called your sister, and that includes knowing when there's something on your mind."

"And I said that there is nothing on my mind," Saki replied, a tinge of annoyance in her voice this time.

"Enough!" Yamamoto cut in before the argument could escalate, "You have all heard what Captain Kuroichi Saki has just reported. Prepare your squads for the threat of Arrancar, and await further orders. Dismissed!"

Saki was the first one out the doors. Amina stood still for a moment before she suddenly turned and stomped out of the meeting room, her haori billowing behind her. Hanako called after her in a frightened voice, but Amina ignored her sister. More captains began to file out of the room after the enraged female Shinigami, worried about what was going to happen. Meanwhile, Amina finally caught up to Saki right outside the barracks for the 1st Squad.

"STOP RIGHT THERE, KUROICHI SAKI!" Amina yelled, angrier than anyone had ever seen her, "YOU WILL TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON, OR SO HELP ME, I WILL BEAT THE ANSWERS OUT OF YOU!"

There was an awkward and tense silence. Hanako's eyes flickered nervously between her older sisters. The other captains were staring at the quarreling pair apprehensively.

Saki stood with her back to Amina, so the latter was unable to see her face. If Amina did, she would have been able to see the pain and confusion that Saki was unable to hide. Dark clouds began to gather above Seireitei, and for the first time, it began to rain heavily. Within seconds, everything was sopping wet.

"Calm down, Amina," Saki said, her voice level and not betraying the swirling torrent of emotions she was feeling inside, "We'll talk later."

"Don't order me around, Saki!" Amina spat, "I've had enough of you hiding things from me and Hanako. You never tell us anything! You didn't say anything after Mother died, you stayed silent when Haruki died, and you were the one who killed Father, weren't you? WEREN'T YOU?" She shouted when Saki didn't answer.

"Now, Amina-chan, don't do this..." Kyouraku started, eyes glittering with worry.

"Stay out of this, Kyouraku-san!" Amina screamed, whirling around to face the brown-haired captain.

"That's right," Saki interrupted. Everyone turned to stare at her as she went on, "The one who murdered Father 89 years ago...was me."

With that sentence, the remaining tendril of Amina's self-control snapped. "TAKE CONTROL!" she roared.

"Amina, no!" Kyouraku shouted.

"YOSO!" The captain of the 9th Division pointed the tip of her zanpakuto at the sky just as a bolt of lightning briefly illuminated Seireitei. Thunder crashed, shaking the very earth and deafening the Shinigami that had come out to see what was going on. The tension had reached its peak.

Next chapter: Hanako's Memories