What can I say? Kenpachi Zaraki is one of my favorite characters in the series.

You know he had to show up at some point.

Or maybe you didn't. But I did.

.

Working with Kenpachi Zaraki would never be normal for Hitsugaya, even though he'd done it many times now; even though he'd worked with plenty of members (and former members) of the Eleventh Division. There was just something about that man with the gnarled sword and the torn haori that Hitsugaya would never know how to approach. Usually, the only way it worked was when he had something serious to deal with, and thereby had an excuse to ignore protocol.

So, Hitsugaya started ignoring protocol as a matter of course.

Zaraki seemed to appreciate it.

"Ayasegawa told me that some of your unseated have lost their shadows," Hitsugaya said, and that was the first thing he said as he stepped into what passed for Zaraki's office. For his part, Zaraki grunted, like this was the least surprising situation he'd ever faced in his life. "What are you doing with them for the time being?"

"Nothin' much," Zarai muttered. "If you're asking me if I'm keeping tabs on them, yeah. I'm not stupid." He glared with his one visible eye, like he was daring Hitsugaya to argue. "So far, though, it looks like Old Nishi is biding his time. Could just kill the lot of them and be done with it, chop his puppets into kindling. But I get the feeling you aren't on board with that."

"No," Hitsugaya said. "No, I don't think I am."

Zaraki waved a dismissive hand. "Whatever," he said. "Cheapest way to handle the bastard. It's the way we used to keep him in check. Before I joined this circus, Old Nishi never dared breach any district past the 60th." He growled, low in his throat. "Still. Now that he's got his slippery little hooks into some of ours, I guess it leaves a bad taste in your mouth."

"You know about this man," Hitsugaya said.

"A'yuh," said Zaraki. "Sneaky sumbitch. Never showed his face. Always sent one of his puppets, or he'd put on a mask or whatever. Thinks he's clever. He's not. All the secrecy in the world ain't gonna help once you start stretchin' past your limits. He's gone and drawn the wrong kind of attention. This is precisely the kind of shit he used to be smart enough to avoid."

"How long has he been around?" Hitsugaya wondered.

"How the fuck should I know?" Zaraki looked affronted that Hitsugaya would even ask such a stupid question. "He's been around as long as me, I guess. That's as much as I can say. I'll tell you who'd be useful to ask: Unohana. But, uh . . . well. Yeah. Sorry 'bout that."

Hitsugaya made a sound that might have been laughter, but it probably wasn't.

"What do you think has changed?" he asked eventually. "Why has he gotten bolder?"

"Either he got stronger," Zaraki said, but his cadence made it clear he didn't believe this, "or he's got somebody helping him. Somebody's got his back, and it's got him thinking he's too big to fail."

"Someone like . . . the Kasumioji family?"

Zaraki's face twisted for a moment, then he seemed to remember. "Maybe. They got money, at least. I could see that being his angle. Yeah. Figures he can afford to get ballsy now, because even if he gets cornered, he's got somebody to cover for him. Somebody with social capital."

Hitsugaya hummed. "Well," he said eventually, "I want to know if anything changes. If the soldiers in the Eleventh who've lost their shadows start acting strangely, or disappear, the first thing you're going to do is tell me. All right?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Give me your word, Zaraki."

The big man grumbled as he forced himself into a proper, upright sitting position. He looked his fellow captain in the eye. "You got my word," he said. "Anything happens to my boys, you'll know about it. Good enough?"

"Good enough." Hitsugaya pointed. "I'm holding you to that."

Zaraki flashed a grin. "You go ahead and do that, kid."

Hitsugaya rolled his eyes, turned on a heel, and left the room without another word.