Chapter 19: Let's Try This Again

I still had a couple of other stops to make, so that no one killed me for not telling them I was back. One of which was to my captain's office. Oh geez. I'm pretty sure hell froze over based on Byakuya-taicho's response to me being back, and there's only one person I know who had the power to make hell freeze over that bad.

I knocked on the door to Hitsugaya-taicho's office and heard an annoyed "come in". I entered and was surprised to see Rangiku at her desk doing her paperwork. Yup. Hell hath indeed frozen over. Multiple times. They both looked up at me, and their eyes nearly popped out of their skulls.

"Ano (Um)…. Konichiwa Hitsugaya-taicho…" I said with a nervous smile, "I know I have some major explaining to do, but I'd rather explaining it in private if you don't mind." Taicho glared at me for minute before sending Rangiku out. Rangiku looked kind of hurt, but I really didn't want to tell anyone I didn't feel needed to know about my inner hollow.

"Now what the hell do you think merits you disappearing for 6 months?" Hitsugaya-taicho yelled at me. I flinched back. I knew if hell freezing over was a result of Taicho's rage. Sigh. I wish I wasn't the source of it though. I'd much rather leave that to Rangiku-chan.

"G-gomen nasai, Hitsugaya-taicho," I apologized sadly, "I really am… I just… I fired a cero at Byakuya-taicho and found out that I had an inner hollow. I panicked, so I fled and trained myself to control it. I was also scared, but I'm back now. I can control my inner hollow easily, and um." I whispered the next part, and his eyes widened.

"Does anyone know about this?" he demanded to know.

"Not the second part. No. The other part is known by you, the Head captain, Jushiro-oto-san, and Byakuya-taicho. I'm keeping it on a need to know basis," I replied calmly. Toshiro-taicho nodded in understand, but still looked annoyed. I looked down sadly. "Gomen nasai, Hitsugaya-taicho for my absence, and I will accept any punishment you see fit," I said softly. I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Call me Toshiro, and I think what you have been through is punishment. From now on, if something is going on, talk to us. We are your squad and are here to help each other," Toshiro-taicho says with a comforting smirk. I looked down and smiled at my captain.

"He's right, Shinkiro-chan! We're like family here!" Rangiku-chan exclaimed bursting through the door and hugging me way too tight. My face got a look of terror on it because I wondered if she heard our whole conversation. What if she told everyone?

"Shinkiro-chan, it's okay! I heard everything, but I swear I won't tell a soul," she said seriously, "Now, we have to go out and celebrate the return of our third chair and friend!" Rangiku-chan got really excited, "We have to invite everyone! Kuchiki-taicho, Rukia-chan, Ukitake-taicho… Wait are you and Kuchiki-taicho okay? Like I don't want to invite him if things with y'all aren't okay!" I smiled softly. I missed my squad so much.

"Hai (Yes), we're fine. We agreed to kind of start over, but yeah…," I could feel my face turn red as I thought about Byakuya-taicho. I hoped things worked out. Rangiku-chan smirked. "Awesome, oh and we need to invite Yumichika-kun too…" Rangiku-chan started and then I facepalmed. Crap. I've got to go visit Yumichika-kun. He's probably been really worried!

"Sorry, Rangiku-chan, Toshiro-taicho," I said quickly as I ran towards the door, "I have to go so Yumichika-kun! He's gonna be really upset with me!" Taicho nodded and that was all I needed for me to begin shunpoing to the 11th Squad which was nearby. I ran straight towards the training fields where I could sense the familiar spiritual pressure of my best friend and guardian angel as I used to think of him. My reminiscing was interrupted by the voice of a rather annoying baldy.

"What the hell?! Is Ukitake-taicho's brat finally back in town?!" I heard Ikkaku yell from below me as he charged with his sword and sheath. I shrugged and heard Aisuhime giggle, "This is going to be fun." You're not allowed to help me right now, I reminded her. I felt her get disappointed. Kagekishi too. I simply whipped out my zanpakto and blocked baldy's oncoming attack and dodged his sheath by jumping onto it. I quickly ran across it and kicked him in the face. I jumped off and landed on my feet and turned to glare at him.

"What kind of greeting was that, Baldy?!" I yelled with a small smirk. I suddenly got grabbed in a tackle hug. I laughed and turned to see Yumichika-kun. "Konichiwa, Yumichika-kun!" I said happily. He looked at me with tears in his eyes and smiled.

"I thought you were dead. I swear if you ever leave without telling me again, you're going to be in so much trouble," Yumichika-kun said sadly, "Also, I'm pretty sure Kuchiki-taicho would personally chase you down." I blushed at this. I had missed Byakuya-taicho a lot. I hoped he would agree to go the party tonight. Oh right! The party!

"Yumichika-kun," I said with a small smile, "Rangiku-chan wants us all to go out to celebrate me returning tonight. Will you come?" He smiled at me and nodded, and then looked behind me and smiled. I turned around to see Byakuya-taicho. What was he doing in the 11th squad? We weren't even near the 6th squad.

"Shinkiro-san," Byakuya-taicho said calmly, "I need to speak with you in private." His tone told me I didn't have much of a choice. I looked apologetically at Yumichika-kun and Baldy-san. Baldy just ignored me, and Yumichika-kun smiled his encouragement. I smiled at them and followed Byakuya-taicho who had already started walking away.

We walked in silence to the 6th squad and eventually and went towards the Kuchiki manor. At this point, I decided to speak up. I was very confused. "Ano (Um), Byakuya-taicho… Why are we heading towards the Kuchiki manor?" I asked shyly. He ignored me and kept walking until we reached the gardens. What does he want? Is he mad? Finally, we reached the center of the garden. For once, it was completely empty, which was weird especially for this time of day.

"Where is everyone?" I asked shyly, not wanting to annoy him but getting a little annoyed myself. He ignored me again and continued walking. Okay, now I was annoyed. What the hell is with this guy? He seemed so happy to see me, and now he's completely ignoring me. I don't understand-. I was interrupted by bumping into Byakuya-taicho who had stopped. "Gomen nasai, Kuchiki-taicho," I said smally. I felt him tense up before I felt him turn around and grab my chin in his hand and tilted my face up. I looked down, not wanting to see the annoyed look on his face. I still didn't understand why he wasn't pissed at me and just wanted to go back to how things were.

"Look at me, Shinkiro-chan," he said firmly but softly. The way he said my name made my heart stop before looking up at him. What I saw in his eyes made me freeze. How could I have not seen it before?