Kudo shows up again for this one; the reaction to his character didn't honestly surprise me. I was kind of hoping for it, actually. Maybe because I wanted an antagonistic character without bringing in any of the "villains," or maybe because I wanted to start working in new captains for the missing positions to kind of round out this version of the Bleach world.

This was largely based on an argument that took place in my head. The politics of war isn't something I like to get into, because it almost always leads to an uncomfortable situation; as this chapter shows. So in order to have this argument, I needed an opposing voice. Kudo seemed the most likely vessel for that voice.

To be fair, I think he makes a decent point; he just doesn't quite present it the right way.

It wasn't odd, wasn't at all out of place, that silence would reign in the headquarters of the Tenth Division.

Hitsugaya was a quiet man, often spending his time in contemplative silence, studying or meditating or scratching out his paperwork with an old pen. When he trained, he trained in silence. Forced himself to be silent. Any noise that came from his office was much more often than not from Matsumoto's corner of the room. This was common, and the soldiers of the Tenth Division understood it.

The silence that hung over their headquarters now, though, wasn't common at all.

Every face was stoic, every voice held back. If it was at all necessary to speak, it was done in whispers, and if there was any way to keep quiet, it was done. As Kudo Hideaki followed Madarame Ikkaku and Hinamori Momo through the grounds, he watched the men and women of Hitsugaya's division going about their business in sterile, stifling quiet. The only sounds coming from the training ground were those of steel and wood; there was no laughter, no shouting, no grunting, not even cries of pain.

Ikkaku, loud as he usually was, seemed to respect his present surroundings and kept himself in check as he headed for Hitsugaya's office. Hinamori seemed familiar with this phenomenon, and kept her head low as she followed her captain. Kudo, thinking that Ikkaku would slice him in half if he dared to ask what was going on, kept his mouth shut in a thin line.

When Ikkaku strode into Hitsugaya's office, the boy captain lifted his head. Matsumoto, intent on the shief of paper in her hands, did not. Kudo quirked an eyebrow at her, but she didn't notice. What he did notice was the sudden flash of disdain that visited Hitsugaya's green eyes as he realized the Third Division captain was in his personal quarters.

Ikkaku crossed his arms. "Hitsugaya," he said quickly, curtly, with a low, solemn tone. "You've been summoned. Not sure why Yamamoto wanted us to get you, but…there ya go. C'mon."

Hitsugaya raised an eyebrow. "…I see. Rangiku."

"Yes, Taichou," Matsumoto murmured, and rose from her desk.

They began to walk. Hitsugaya's soldiers saw him, stopped whatever they were doing, and saluted him. He responded in kind, but kept his attention straight ahead. Matsumoto did not make small talk as they left their division's headquarters, as she usually did. Hinamori did not attempt it, either, even though she looked rather nervous. Kudo kept his tongue in check admirably, but when they were out of grounds and on their way to the First Division's headquarters, he finally could not hold back.

He said, "Why are your men all so quiet?"

Hitsugaya did not answer for a long time. Finally, he did: "We have met with failure. I do not let my soldiers forget that." Matsumoto closed her eyes and hung her head. Hinamori stiffened, looking as though she'd expected this. Ikkaku let out a sigh.

"Failure?" Kudo echoed. "You're not talking about last night, are you? That was a resounding success! Yamamoto-soutaichou commended you! How can you…call that failure?"

Hitsugaya stopped walking. He went stiff. "…I sent ten of my soldiers to conduct that mission. Nine returned. That…is failure."

Kudo looked aghast. "What?! One casualty is failure? Are you insane, man? That…that…how can you hold your men to such ridiculous standards? One did not return, and you…you punish them?"

"I do not begrudge the nine survivors their return," Hitsugaya hissed. "I do not 'punish' them for surviving. What I do, however, is acknowledge the sacrifice made by the one who did not. I don't care if my losses were minimal in this mission." His fists clenched. "I care only that I lost one of my soldiers. That one of the men bearing my number did not return home."

"And so…so you force them to…what? Swear an oath of silence?"

"He forces nothing," Matsumoto snarled.

"My soldiers lost one of their own," Hitsugaya snapped. "The Tenth Division is a family, and last night we lost a brother. Would you expect celebration at a funeral? I would not. And neither do my soldiers. My division, apparently unlike yours, respects the sacrifice of those who fall to the enemy. We do not think one casualty is failure. We think that letting one of our brothers die is failure."

"They…they all know the risks," Kudo said desparately. "All of us, we know that we might fall in this war. Do you think that your fallen brother would want you to remain so solemn? I would…I would hope that he would be honored, that his sacrifice allowed nine of his brothers to come back home. He died honorably, did he not? He died in the line of duty, defending this court and Soul Society as a whole."

"Color it with whatever flowery language you like," Hitsugaya said. "Call it what you will, if it helps you sleep at night. I don't care. We, as Shinigami, know death far more intimately than any other. We know the horrors it can bring, we see the grief and pain and ugliness of it every day of our existence. The soldier who died last night already paid the ultimate price once. Now, because of this court, because of me, he was forced to pay it again. We live with honor, we fight with honor, but we will never…ever…die with it. Death is death. There is never any honor in it."

"That's…just not true!"

"…Say what you want."

Kudo's reply was stifled by the sudden glare Madarame Ikkaku sent in his direction.

"You know the first thing I learned when I entered this court?" he asked. "The first thing Zaraki Kenpachi taught me? Yeah, I see the look on your face. You don't think he has the brains to teach anybody anything, don'tcha? Well, that's just fine. You keep thinking that." Kudo drew in a breath and remained silent. "The first thing he taught me is when it's smart to keep my goddamn mouth shut!"

Kudo swallowed heavily.

"If you want to have a psychological debate about whether or not there is honor in death," Matsumoto muttered, "how about you wait a while before bringing it up? You know why you're so unpopular in this court right now? Besides the fact that you're the 'new guy'? It's because you apparently didn't learn tact before entering this position. You're a captain, you idiot! Learn some diplomacy!"

"And before you bring up Kyouraku," Hitsugaya said without looking back, "don't. I don't care if you train here for six thousand years. I don't care if you train here until time itself grows tired of you. You will never be Kyouraku."

For the first time, Kudo Hideaki began to wonder, himself, just how long it would take for someone to kill him.

No words were spoken for the remainder of the five shinigamis' walk to the First Division headquarters.

Perhaps a bit of food for thought for you guys. I'm kind of curious as to your reaction. My personal belief system probably lies somewhere in between our two combatants, here, but I honestly can't be sure. So, there you go. 'Til next time.

I think maybe I'll bring in a few fresh faces next time. Characters I haven't brought into the fray just yet. Any requests?