"Wake up, lazy!" a voice called out. "You don't plan on sleeping all day, do you? Its a brand new day!"

Tamotsu slowly opened his eyes. The light was coming in from his apartment window and he saw that he was still seated on his stool. He must have drifted asleep while painting. Looking over his work it seemed that everything was in order and he hadn't messed up his piece.

"Well are you just going to sit there, Master?"

Tamotsu turned to see Hinohebi, hands on her hips. "Do you have to manifest yourself so early in the morning?" he said. He didn't mind that his zanpakuto spirit had a habit of manifesting herself but it became tedious when she did so at inconvenient times.

"Come now, sir," another voice sounded in a rough English accent. "It is already well past nine and the city has awoken without you."

Looking down on the ground Tamotsu saw a small stuffed owl making its way across the floor. It was Lucky, his artificial soul that was given to him. Originally it was the Pupples design but he had gotten a toy for it to inhabit while he didn't need it. Being an owl, he had changed it name to suit it better.

"In case you had forgotten you were going to wash this plush body of mine. I may not perspire nor eat but I still get dirty. It gets so tiresome when you use me and neglect my plushie form in the heat of the moment."

"I'm sorry, Lucky," Tamotsu said. "You want another body while I wash that one or you just want to stay in your pill?"

"I beg your pardon," Lucky said somewhat defiantly. "But I insist on being aware of what you are doing."

"Okay, see if there's anything in the drawer that suits you."

Luck looked up from the floor and folded his wings before tapping his foot impatiently. Moaning, Tamotsu stretched and stood. He made his way to the drawer with a small collection of stuffed animals he had purchased for Lucky to switch in and out of. Despite the variety he was offered he still insisted on remaining in the owl form. It was a simple matter of appreciating what was given to you, Lucky had once said. So, rather than switching out as a person would change their clothes each day, Lucky had chosen to remain in the first body of his own he was given.

Dumping the stuffed animals out on the floor, Tamotsu stepped back and allowed Lucky to sort through them. There was a dog, a bull, two dinosaurs, a cat, a lizard and a chicken. Although it would only be for a few hours, Lucky still took care to decide which temporary body to wear. After a moment Lucky pulled out one of the dinosaurs, a Stegosaurus.

"This will suffice," Lucky said. "But I would insist that you add a few more bipedal plushies to your collection. It is awkward having to walk on all fours then switching back again."

Picking up the owl, Tamotsu stuck his fingers into the mouth and pulled out a small green pill. The owl immediately went limp and Tamotsu stuck the owl into a backpack. Then he picked up the Stegosaurus and put the pill into the mouth. Blinking twice, the dinosaur jumped down and shook its body and then swung its tail a couple of times.

"I'll get this taken care of with my laundry today. You coming with me?"

"Of course I am," the dinosaur responded with Lucky's voice.

"Come on, Tamotsu!" Hinohebi cried out. "Lets go already."

"Okay, okay," Tamotsu said, still groggy. "Get into your Gigai and-"

"Already in it!" Hinohebi struck a pose, showing off the outfit she was wearing. A short black leather jacket with a red shirt underneath with a pair of black pants. It was her favorite look. Tamotsu believed that she favored the color red due to her being a fire type zanpakuto. As for the leather, he could only guess.

There was a meager wardrobe he had purchased for Hinohebi, along with clothing that Rangiku had gotten for her. With as many times as she enjoyed manifesting herself and demanding to take part in the features of his world he only thought it fitting. She had even managed to make a few human friends. Of course, she never mentioned that she was the spirit of a sword. As far as they knew she was a young woman who had graduated early from High School. Nobody asked about her profession and whenever they asked about her relation with Tamotsu they had decided to go with the play that they were close friends.

It was close enough to the truth. They had done much for each other and seemed to have a closer relationship than most Shinigami had with their own zanpakuto. As far as Tamotsu knew, she was the only one that freely manifest herself in the open. Even though they had a rocky start, it was clear that Hinohebi would do anything for Tamotsu. And Tamotsu would do anything to protect those he cared about.

That was the reason, he supposed, that Hinohebi allowed Tamotsu to use her Bankai form a second time in his fight against Fumio Tanaka. Back when his power was held in check by the seal. He won the battle, but the power unleashed from him created a crater a mile wide outside of the Seireitei. Hinohebi held him until his sister arrived. Rangiku Matsumoto. Sister. He hadn't known it at the time, but he always felt close to her. Not in an intimate relationship, but more of a fondness.

After he died there, in Rangiku's arms, Tamotsu was reborn in the world of the living and twenty-six years later he regained his powers and Hinohebi had stayed with him the whole time. She would always be there for him. She was always there.

"So are we going or not?" Hinohebi asked.

Tamotsu nodded. "Okay. Let's go."

"Well look who decided to step outside," Hiroko Nakamura said as Tamotsu entered the art shop. "Its been a long time. Bringing in some new things?"

"Yeah," Tamtosu said as he pulled up his portfolio. "I've tried going with a few different styles. See if anything sells."

Hiroko opened the portfolio and looked through the canvases. She smiled and nodded, taking the same amount of time on each image and not favoring any in particular. Hiroko was gifted in that she always seemed to know what customers would want at any given time and what would sell on the market.

"If you're worried about price you can discount these," Tamotsu said. "I don't need the money as desperately."

"Very interesting," Hiroko said as she finished examining the last of the ten paintings that Tamotsu had brought in. "Are you sure you're the one that painted all of these? I can see a lot of influence from other artists in there. People might not believe me."

"Trust me, they're all mine. Just scatter them around and no one will be the wiser."

"You know I could probably get some of these into some major art shows. There's one coming up you know."

"I probably won't attend. Its more of a hobby now."

"Right, your new job. What is it exactly again?"

Tamotsu laughed. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he said.

"So I see," Hiroko responded. She looked around the shop, to which only a couple of people were meandering, and found Hinohebi carrying a stuffed Stegosaurus and pointing to paintings, making comments as if talking to the stuffed animal. "Your friend Hinohebi is an interesting one."

"Yeah, she keeps things lively."

"Its almost like she's carrying on a conversation with that stuffed dinosaur of hers."

"Well, some girls tend to talk to their toys and dolls well into adulthood. Its nothing I'd worry about."

"I see. Before I forget, you managed to sell a couple of paintings. Not much, but at least its something." Hiroko stepped into the back and returned a moment later with a check. "Just keep them coming in. Who knows? Maybe with your new styles you'll come up with a masterpiece."

"Who says I haven't already?" Tamotsu said with a sly grin.

Hiroko smiled in return. "That's the attitude."

With a wave of goodbye, Tamotsu began walking out and Hinohebi followed. Hiroko opened the portfolio once again and looked at a few key pictures.

"I don't know how you do it," she said. "But you've completely mastered several techniques and styles where most people would be lucky to come close with one. I wonder what goes on inside that mind of yours?"

Mayuri Kurotsuchi walked into the large open room which served as Captain Commander Yamamoto's study. Dressed in an elaborate display with a golden headpiece and vertical lines of white and black down his face, the Captain of the Twelfth Division could do more to intimidate with a mere glance and a couple words. He disliked being summoned as it disrupted whatever project he was researching at the time, always insisting that they are very important.

"You summoned me, Captain Commander?" Mayuri asked.

"Mayuri Kurotsuchi," Yamamoto responded from behind his desk, his voice deep and decisive. "I would like for you to perform some research projects for me."

"Well I'm afraid that whatever it is you would like me to do it will have to wait. I have just uncovered-"

"I do not care what you have just uncovered. My orders surpass whatever your own petty projects may dictate."

Mayuri made an annoyed sound. He disliked being interrupted when he was about to explain something, the Commanding Officer was no different. "Very well," he said, obviously annoyed. "What would you have me do then? Bear in mind that if I shelf my current project it will cost much time and money."

"You will be compensated, I assure you," the Commander said. "What I wish for you to do is perform research on the Reincarnate Shinigami. I wish to know what causes them to regain their memories of past lives."

"My, my. This is most unlike you. To what do I owe this sudden interest?"

"That is of no concern to you."

"Very well. I must admit I have been somewhat curious of them myself. But in order for me to research the Reincarnates I must first obtain a specimen. And then, even though it is an unofficial squad, I would need the approval of Captain Tamotsu Toshiyuki in order to do anything."

"I do not care how you go about it, but I am placing this as a mission for you. Do you understand?"

Mayuri waved his hand. "Fine, fine. As soon as I have anything of value to report you will hear from me."

"Mayuri Kurotsuchi. I insist upon you bringing everything to my desk as soon as it is printed."

Mayuri bowed, the gesture half-mocking. "As you wish," he said. Turning around, the Twelfth Division Captain exited the room. "Come on, Nemu. The Captain has requested some new research."

"Yes, Mayuri," Nemu responded. "Is something the matter?"

"I find it odd. Since when has Genryusai Yamamoto ever cared so much about my research?"