一歩ずつ。私も移動し続けます。

Yukiko walked into the 10th squad captain's office to find Toshiro sitting on his desk with his eyes closed in frustration. He pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a sigh. During her walk between her room and this office she gave out a lot of sighs. It was due to the thoughts in her head and the decisions she should take.

Yukiko cleared her throat and walked towards Toshiro's desk. He looked up at her and gave her a small nod. Good, at least he wasn't' so deep in thought he can't even recognise anyone. Yukiko propped her elbow onto the desk and stared straight into Toshiro's deep teal eyes.

"Do you need any tea?"

"No, it's fine."

Yukiko quickly glanced behind her to the green sofa they had there. "I see Ran-nee is out of it."

"She been sending out messages to all the members."

"I see."

The silence that settled in the room was unwelcomed. It gave her a sense of ill. Yukiko did not mind the silence, however this one did not make her feel comfortable. If anything, it increases her stress level. She is worried and he is anxious. The news of the ryoka breaking through brought out many speculations, but it seems there is a silent agreement. It was to prevent Kuchiki Rukia's execution.

Seireitei is in high alert. A lot of the newer members didn't fret over the ryoka. After all, the seki-seki barrier will turn anything approaching Seireitei to smithereens. But the higher ups were anxious. They fear that the ryoka has some hold of technology to break through the seki-seki, thus the constant patrol in the last hour.

Toshiro let out a sigh. Yukiko finally looked away from Toshiro and stood up straight. She turned her back on him and began heading for the door. She heard the chair move and footstep following hers.

The walk to their garden was quiet. Many unspoken sentences came close from spilling from her lips. Instead of giving him questions and demands, Yukiko chose to hold Toshiro's hands. Her grip was firm, though her hand trembled slightly.

Summoning the doors took no effort at all on their part. As the doors gently opened Yukiko slowly let go of Toshiro's hand, drawing in a deep breath to calm her nerves. She walked towards the red bridge, a part of her still very tempted in putting fish into the moat. The other wanted to completely redecorate the garden.

"After the whole ryoka business, let's redecorate the garden."

Toshiro stood next to her and nodded.

"So that means you need to stay safe and fine right?"

He nodded again.

"Good." She put a hand on the railings and looked into the pond. For moments they stood there. Yukiko simply watched the ripples forming on the water from her ever-falling Sakura petals.

"Yukiko, the same goes for you."

"Un, I'll stay safe."

"Keep an eye out for Ichimaru Gin."

Diverting her attention away from the water she looked at Toshiro who was giving her such an intense gaze. "Why?"

"There's just something fishy about him. Just steer clear from him."

There seriousness in his eye told Yukiko everything she needed to know. Toshiro witnessed something serious. A threat, perhaps, given by Ichimaru to someone else. Yukiko nodded and returned her attention to the pond.

"You will stay safe won't you?" It wasn't good. Tears were welling in Yukiko's eyes. Although her brain told her just because the ryoka managed to defeat Jidanbou, that still doesn't mean their strength rival that of the taichou. However, instincts were clouding her judgement.

Yukiko felt the soft ruffle of her hair. She forced her eyes to look at Toshiro. She felt their foreheads touch. With his eyes closed and a small smile gracing his lips, "I'll be fine Yuki."

Feeling relieved Yukiko let her pent up fears and anxiety go and cried. She was glad that he'll be fine. The Ryoka won't hurt him. Smiling she nodded at Toshiro and gave him a hug.

"Good. I was so worried."

Yukiko felt Toshiro's hand wrap around her, "your worry is needless," he replied.

Smiling at his comment, Yukiko let go and giggled. Yukiko complied when Toshiro told her that it's time to return to their respective squad. Toshiro walked ahead of Yukiko.

Am I ready for this? I do owe her one. But… Yukiko stopped dead at her tracks and looked longingly at Toshiro's back. She held her hand to her chest and squeezed tightly on her shihakusho. Yukiko was going to do what she believed was right. So it should be alright.

After Toshiro was metres ahead of her she began moving again. She ran to catch up with him and walked beside him. I may have to go and worry you, but I promise to come back again.

As they reached the squad entrance, they stood in front of the gate and bid their goodbyes. Yukiko gave him a quick hug and ran off waving goodbye to Toshiro. She walked into the night and towards her room. She'll have to converse with her zanpakuto regarding her resolve.

Toshiro walked back to his barracks in the silence of the night after bidding his farewell to his friend. Of course it wasn't in his nature to admit such a thing out loud, but Yukiko is his closest and dearest friend. The constant feeling of having to make sure that she isn't hurt increases day by day.

Today was no different. He reassured her of her needless worries. Entering his office he saw Matsumoto sipping tea with half dazed eyes. He figured she must still be tired. Despite the airhead act his fukutaichou put up; he knows full well that Matsumoto is realiable.

Toshiro cleared his throat, letting Matsumoto aware of his presence. She acknowledged his presence with a bow of the head. Seeing the tired eyes, Toshiro figured that there was no point in letting a sleep deprived woman walk around Seireitei during its perilous time. He ordered Matsumoto to head to her room and rest. Kami know that that woman deserved it after her work pushing her to the limits.

Peeking a glance at Matsumoto closing the door he returned to the matters running through his head. He was looking for all the possibilities why Ichimaru Gin would threaten Aizen Sosuke. Was it possible that the third squad captain was fraternising with the enemy? After all, Ichimaru Gin was the first to encounter the ryoka as they stepped into Seireitei after defeating Jidanbou. Running his fingers through his hair he let out a sigh and returned to reading through paperwork. He needed to start reporting the current positions of the squad members.

As he began writing, he couldn't help but stray his thoughts to Yukiko and their parting at the gate.

Yukiko gave him a quick hug and whispered, 'I'm so sorry.'

Toshiro sighed again. That stupid child. What was she sorry for? Making him worry? They sorted that issue out. He let out a frustrated growl as the worst possible thought came to her head. That damn girl better not be planning to even HELP the ryoka! Stopping his writing he felt his heart clench at the thought of her betraying Soul Society. He banished such a thought and returned to writing the reports.

When he finished, Toshiro walked to his room. The nagging thought of Yukiko helping the enemy still fresh on his mind. She was loyal to Seireitei. Besides, there was an unspoken promise between them that they won't ever betray each other.

Reaching his room he kneeled in front of his katana kake. After untying his zanpakuto off his sash he carefully placed Hyorinmaru upon the katana kake. Toshiro smiled slightly at the memory of Yukiko giving it to him as a present. He remembered how excited he was to receive such a craftsmanship.

The katana kake was lacquered in black and on the shelf was engraved with a dragon and tiger circling one another in gold. The size of the rack was customised for Hyorinmaru and padded to protect the saya. He gave a bow to his sword to show Hyorinmaru respect. He got up from his seiza position and went to change and head to bed.

As Toshiro began to close his eyes and drift into sleep. His last lingering thoughts were on Yukiko and her decisions regarding the ryoka.

Yukiko reached her room and took out her futon. She walked towards her door and calmly placed a barrier to block out the oncoming reiatsu she felt. Glad with her barrier she laid out her futon and placed her black choker on the futon. Sitting down onto a seiza position, she placed her hand over the miniature katana pendant she called out her zanpakuto's name.

Yukiko felt the pendant release a burst of reiatsu and she felt wind blow around her. The pendant then grew in size and the silver appearance melted like liquid to show the true colours of Yukiko's zanpakuto.

The zanpakuto was one metre and eight centimetres in size. The sheath was black and both ends of the scabbard were silver. The tsuba was silver with the shape of a circle and Minami, Kita, Azuma, and Nishi engraved onto each end. The same is blue with a black ito.

She smiled at her zanpakuto and closed her eyes. Visualising her inner world, she gripped the saya of her zanpakuto. She felt her reiatsu meld with Kazemouko and she slowly closed her inner eye and when she re-opened them she knew she was in her inner world.

"Kazemouko," she uttered as she saw the zanpakuto's soul peering into the depths of her eyes. In front of him was a sleeping girl similar as Yukiko besides the cat ears atop her head. The tiger just closed his eyes as he peered into Yukiko's thoughts.

"You wish to help the ryoka in rescuing Kuchiki Rukia."

Yukiko simply nodded without hesitation at his statement in her mind. Kazemouko's eyes slowly opened and she felt rooted to the ground by those deep blue eyes that mirrored hers.

"Why would I give you my help? I abide the laws of our society. If Seireitei deem that child a traitor then you will do your best to stay out of it."

"But it isn't right! All she did was give away her shinigami powers. Besides, it's fishy for the execution date to take on so quickly without a fair trial from the council!"

"Yukiko! I am a servant of the law that has kept our society going. I will not have you tarnish it. Will you wake the demon in order to save traitor? Will you brandish yourself a traitor as well? I will not allow such nonsense."

Yukiko gritted her teeth. She knew full well of the consequence of helping the ryoka. Brandished a traitor. She remembered vowing long ago to be nothing more than a servant of the law, to follow the law without question. But happenings surrounding her life after running away from her home had left her questioning the law. Especially now, when Kuchiki Rukia was brandished a traitor with no trial. Was it not of tradition to give every shinigami a fair trial?

Clenching her fists, she really needed to find a way for Kazemouko to cooperate. She will not dive into a fight without her shikai. Her heart thudded against her chest as she looked at the replica of her sleeping in front of Kazemouko. She did not wish to summon her demons; she didn't need such instincts to fight. There was no point.

"Kazemouko, I beg of you, let me save Kuchiki Rukia. I know that you abide the law, however, I believe it is time to repay the debt we owe to Kuchiki Rukia."

"Do as you wish, Kioshi Yukiko," Yukiko bit back a scornful laugh at the mention of that name by Kazemouko, "and I will be by your side due to this fact. However, if your resolve is weak, I will not tolerate such a thing."

A forceful wind made Yukiko stumble on her feet and she noticed that Kazemouko and the sleeping girl gone. Sighing, she detached herself from her inner world and returned to reality. Yukiko sighed and looked at the katana laid on her futon. She calmly returned the katana to its pendant shape. Placing the choker around her neck she stood up from seiza. Her legs went numb and she immediately lost her balance. She fell onto the futon with a loud thud.

Feeling lazy and too tired to move Yukiko glanced at the barrier she previously placed. Checking that her choker is secure around her neck, she snapped her fingers and let the barrier crack and crumble into pieces. Yukiko close her eyes and felt darkness take over her. She would sleep and regain her strength for tomorrow.

"Warning to all shinigami officers, the ryoka broke through the barrier!"

To be continued…

Author's Note:

I do not own anything of Bleach apart from Yukiko Kyuumu and the idea for the meddling I did.

There are a lot of terminologies in this one. I had to do constant re-edits since I did sort of write more than half of this story whilst a tad bit drunk. Oops. Anyway, time for terminologies (not necessarily in order of appearance):

Saya: sheath/scabbard of the katana.

Katana kake: katana stand.

Seiza: is proper sitting position where one kneels to the floor folding one's legs underneath one's thighs while resting the buttocks on the heels.

Tsuba: the guard of a katana.

Minami: south.

Kita: north.

Azuma: east.

Nishi: west.

Same: rayskin of the katana.

Ito: the braid surrounding the hilt.

I think that's it. Please PM me if there's something I missed. Also, it's only natural that North, South, East and West is written in kanji. And I know, I have a thing for engraved things.

Reference:

For the katana kake: http :/ / www. kurokami. com. pl/ kake/ front. jpg

For the choker: http :/ / www. misi. co. uk/ uploadedimages/ 9964377jrflower power black chokpic3ext flower. jpg

For the katana pendant: http :/ / img2. etsystatic. com/ il_fullxf ull. 284973662. jpg

Remember, the reference are just there to help you visualise my pathetic and lame excuse of a description. If some of my explanations aren't clear regarding the katana, just google katana parts.

Thank you for reading. I appreciate reviews. Thanks.