2/2

"Whoa, hey, hold your horse's, Tiger. You can rip those idiots apart when you've gotten patched up." Shiba rolled his eyes and Kyoraku chuckled as Kokoro scowled but shut her mouth.

Great, just what she needed, to blow her top off again in front of her superiors. It was one thing to get mad in front of Captain Kyoraku. He was her godfather and had known her since she was a baby. But she did not want Captain Shiba thinking she was a temperamental brat.

But you are a temperamental brat. A low growling voice chuckled wickedly in her head.

Kokoro's scowl deepened. Great, even her Zanpakuto was making fun of her now.

She stayed silent until she reached the doors to the division's barracks where they were fortunate enough to run into Kokoro's roommate Kimiko who herself was returning from the direction of the training field.

"Captain Shiba, Captain Kyoraku what a surprise I-Oh my gosh, Kokoro-chan what happened to you?" the Raven-haired beauty squealed in shock at the sight of her injured friend.

"Don't worry it looks worse than it is" Kokoro grunted, but her Captain rolled his eyes.

"And there's the Shiraki stubbornness they warned me about. Look Kimiko a Hollow attacked your friend in Junrinan. She killed it but she needs medical attention. If you wouldn't mind helping her wash up and get changed in your room while we wait out here for the healer that would be great."

"Of course sir. Follow me." Kimiko nodded firmly as she quickly grabbed the shawl and shopping satchel from Kokoro's hands and marched off towards their room door.

Kokoro sighed heavily in defeat as she was carried and deposited in her room, only to have Kimiko swoop in and fuss over her like a mother hen even as the door was shut behind them.

I guess it could be worse. Father could have seen me like this and would have thrown a fit.

She supposed as she was eased into their small shared bathroom to shower off. Thankfully Kokoro and Kimiko were extremely comfortable around one another so there was no awkwardness between them as the older girl gingerly helped her wash her body and her hair as she sat on a stool under the spray.

"Ugh, eww what the hell is this stuff?" Kimiko's nose wrinkled as she washed the remnants of slime from her friend's pale blonde locks.

"Hollow saliva" Kokoro grunted as she gently made to wash the wound on her arm. It stung under the warm shower, but it was not as deep as she had first thought. In addition to this bleeding mark, a large fantastic blue-black bruise had blossomed over her lower left ribs from where the Hollow's tail had smacked her.

Ugh! Great more marks to add to my collection. Kokoro mused glumly as she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror where the long mark on her left eye and the feathery tiger-stripe-like burn that spread over her back and arms stood out starkly against her pale skin.

She would not be surprised if she ended up looking broken like a ragdoll by the end of this year.

She was glad when the bath was finished, and Kimiko helped her wrap a makeshift bandage over her bleeding arm before helping her step into one of her loose sleeping yukatas.

"There you are, come on I'll get you to lie down on your futon"

"My hair's still wet" Kokoro mumbled tiredly as she let the older girl lead her out of the bathroom and back into their room.

"We can put a towel down over the pillow," Kimiko assured her. "Come on, you'll feel better when you can lie down."

Kokoro did not bother arguing. The woman was going to get her way one way or another, why fight the inevitable?

It was not long after she had laid back on her futon and pulled the blanket over herself that Kimiko opened the door to her room to check outside.

"Captain, she's cleaned up and resting in her futon."

"Good timing, Toushiro has just come back with the healer." Captain Shiba said before turning to face someone outside.

"Come on in Isane."

"Isane?" Kokoro frowned, turning her head on her towel-covered pillow as the very tall willowy form of Lieutenant Isane Kotetsu of the Fourth Squad bowed politely upon entry.

Behind her, silhouetted in the doorway next to Captain Shiba, was her father, his face pale but grim.

Kokoro's heart sank.

Great, now she really would look like a weakling.

At least he is not seeing me covered in blood. I must have looked like one of those bloodthirsty ruffians from Squad Eleven walking down the street like that.

She frowned but stayed silent as Isane made to check her over and cast her healing Kidos. The woman was kind but slightly skittish, not at all as refined as her Captain Unohana. However, she was a talented healer and had a big heart so Kokoro did not mind her presence so much.

Even so, she was glad when the process was complete as the lieutenant helped her rearrange her yukata back over her.

"You should lie back and rest for a moment. Your arm is fully healed, but I want you to take it easy with your ribs for the next few days. I've healed and aligned the bones as best as I can with kido but I don't want you lifting any weights or overstraining yourself at least for a week or two so they can fully set." Isane said in a gentle but firm tone at Kokoro who nodded moodily.

Perfect, now she could not train for two weeks!

"Look on the bright side Kokoro-chan. At least you can catch up on your reading" Kimiko smiled encouragingly at her side.

"I guess" Kokoro grumbled. Kimiko was right, she had wanted a little more time to read recently, even though she did not have any book on hand that she had not already read.

Isane meanwhile quietly slipped out the room and sighed softly as she turned to face the three captains and the young boy that sat or stood on the patio.

"Kotetsu. How is she?" Captain Shiraki asked as soon as the door was closed.

"She is fine. She will have to rest for at least a week before returning to her normal schedule. She was incredibly lucky that she got away with that little damage given the situation" the lady lieutenant's lips pursed with unease.

"Those hollows in the First District have been rather ferocious as of late. Many of those who encountered them have already lost limbs and one of Fifth Squad's seated officers was half dead when he was brought in last week what with all the poison in his system."

"Poison?" Kyoraku chanced a quick glance at Shiraki who looked if possible, even paler than before.

"Yes. It was a poison that was both a paralytic and anti-coagulant. We nearly lost him because he bled out so much before we could apply the right healing kido to his wounds. Fortunately, from what I have just seen, this hollow that attacked young Kokoro-san does not seem to have any similar powers. However, I must insist that you keep a careful watch on her constantly until I return tomorrow morning to make sure there are no delayed symptoms that may show. If there are then please bring her to the Fourth Division immediately, we have better equipment there and will be able to monitor her condition more thoroughly."

"We understand, thank you Isane." Captain Shiba nodded with a grin.

"Yes thank you, Kotetsu." Shiraki nodded stiffly as he took a seat on the steps of the patio.

"Do not worry Captain Shiraki, Kokoro-san is a strong girl. I am sure she will be fine. Captain Unohana just wants to make sure everything is checked thoroughly due to the disturbing cases we've seen of late." Isane gave a nervous but kind smile to the worried father, who nodded silently as she quietly bowed and excused herself from their presence.

As soon as she was gone Shiba turned towards Hitsugaya, the grin falling from his face to be replaced by a grim frown.

"Toushiro. Fetch Lieutenant Matsumoto and tell her to meet me in my office in an hour, then go out to the First District, find Lieutenant Ichimaru and ask him if he or any of his officers saw anything of the hollow that attacked Shiraki-san today. If they did, I would like them to report to me at the office with Matsumoto as soon as they can. I want to know exactly what has been going on."

"Yes sir" Hitsugaya nodded however he hesitated slightly as his turquoise eyes glanced towards the closed shoji door. "Are you going to take Shiraki's statement too?"

"If my daughter is feeling up for it then yes, we shall." Captain Shiraki nodded folding his arms as he looked the boy closely up and down.

Despite himself, Hitsugaya could not help but stiffen. Those grey eyes had the unnerving effect of making him feel like he was being dissected like a meat carcass about to be carved by a professional butcher. Thankfully, he was spared further discomfort as Captain Kyoraku smiled at him with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"Don't worry Hitsugaya-kun. Kokoro-chan is a tough cookie, she'll be fine. Now off with you, I think I saw Rangiku-chan going back to her rooms to change. If you're lucky, you might be able to catch a quick peek of something you like." He winked and chuckled as, despite his attempt to remain stoic, Hitsugaya's cheeks flushed pink.

"With all due respect Captain Kyoraku, I highly doubt it. Excuse me" and with that he flash-stepped away, cheeks and ears flaming red.

"Shunsui" Shiraki sighed, pinching his nose as Shiba snorted under his breath.

"What? I was only teasing. It's perfectly healthy for a young boy to be curious about beautiful women. At least I was not giving him the death stare as you did just then."

"One of the joys of being a father to a girl. You have the excuse to scare off suitors and plot their accidental demises in your head." Shiraki rolled his eyes and Shiba smirked.

"Sounds like fun, maybe one day I will have some beautiful daughters of my own and enjoy that same privilege."

"Funny, I always pictured you having sons whom you would yell at and tackle out of bed in the mornings." Kyoraku scratched his beard.

"Who knows maybe I'll have both" Isshin shrugged.

"Isshin Shiba a father, now that is a terrifying thought" Shiraki deadpanned and Shiba scowled.

"Hey-hey look who's talking. You know people thought the same thing of you when you first adopted your daughter, and look how well it turned out"

"I suppose that's true" Shiraki conceded, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards as he got to his feet. "Come on, we've got work to do. I want to know more about that hollow that attacked my daughter"

And with that, he opened the door to his daughter's room and stepped inside.

Kokoro sighed as she sat alone in the special clearing of Tenth Squad's woods. It was nighttime, the moon was a thin silver crescent in the dark skies and the air was even colder than ever, but Kokoro did not really pay much attention as she leaned back against a rock beside the cold glimmering stream.

Her mind was racing with the events of the day.

The hollow, its strange strength. Meeting Renji and hearing about the difficulties Fifth Squad were having in containing the other hollows. Then there was the case of her father, Captain Shiba and Captain Kyoraku.

Though proud of her for standing her own, they were all anxious about the whole situation. They knew something strange was simmering beneath the surface and that there was something about these hollows that was not quite right, their probing yet carefully constructed questions about the incident were proof enough of that.

She frowned as she remembered the look on her Father's face when she told him about how the hollow almost swallowed her whole. He had looked like he was about to faint. Then again, he always did worry about her if she ever was in any sort of trouble, just like she always worried about him every time he went away on a mission.

Well, now he gets to see how it feels to wear the sandal on the other foot.

She sighed softly only to flinch as a voice spoke up softly from her blind left side.

"Shouldn't you be in your room?"

Kokoro glanced sideways and saw Toushiro Hitsugaya standing over her in a light blue sleeping Yukata, his spiky snowy white locks even more of a mess than usual, his Zanpakuto slung in its holster over his shoulder.

"Can't sleep. I'm guessing you can't sleep either" Kokoro mumbled as he folded his arms and scowled.

"I thought Shibata was supposed to keep a constant eye on you till tomorrow morning?"

"She fell asleep. She as already tired after doing a massive training session this morning before she was ordered to keep an eye on me. It's fine really. I don't feel any different from this afternoon, so I doubt anything else is going to happen. Besides I have my Zanpakuto." Kokoro glowered back at him, patting her Zanpakuto which she had laid down beside her in the grass.

Seeing that he was not going to get anywhere Hitsugaya rolled his eyes and quietly sat down on the grass opposite her.

"Lieutenant Ichimaru of the Fifth Squad came with one of his men to tell Shiba about what happened to you. He said you let yourself almost get eaten so you could kill the hollow."

"Yeah well, there weren't any other real options left to me at that point. All of its skin was too hard for me to break, it was like it was covered in some sort of invisible armour." Kokoro muttered quietly. "Do all hollows have some kind of specialised ability?"

"No, only the stronger ones." Hitsugaya's lips pursed uncomfortably as he looked out over the clearing. "Though from what I've read in the reports they're supposed to be fewer in number and prefer hunting around in the lower districts where the Squads don't patrol as regularly. As far back as I can remember the Junrinan has been a safe zone as far as hollows are concerned. Oh for sure they may get the one or two nasty ones per year but it's never gotten this bad. Something powerful must be luring them to the First District."

"Maybe…" Kokoro hummed "Or maybe…no that's stupid-"

"What?" Hitsugaya glanced sideways at her brow furrowed.

She was looking nervous as she fiddled with the end of a lock of her pale ends, braiding and twisting it around her fingers.

"Shiraki, what is it?" He urged her gently.

She looked up at him, blushed with embarrassment then turned her face down to look at her faint distorted reflection in the flowing stream.

"Well, …it's just a thought…I mean it could be an absolutely stupid crazy idea, but-but what if…what if instead of something powerful luring the hollows, something powerful was sending them there on purpose?"

Hitsugaya stared at her in astonishment. He had not thought about it like that before. The information that Ichimaru had given them seemed to indicate they had not found any individuals or items exuding high levels of reiatsu in the area aside from the Shinigami that patrolled or wandered there on break and nothing out of the ordinary had been discovered or seen.

He was distracted by the shifting of material and looked up to see Kokoro gingerly pull up a knee to her chest so she could hide her face against it.

"See I told you it was a crazy idea?"

"Maybe." Hitsugaya nodded "but just because it's crazy doesn't make it wrong. Though I'm not sure how or why someone would want to send hollows to run rampant in an area that has nothing of real value."

"Unless you count the mass population of pulses that live there" Kokoro mumbled as she tilted her head, one light blue catlike eye peeking sharply through her pale lock's.

"True" Hitsugaya admitted with a scowl leaning back on his elbows in the grass to look up at the starry sky "Though that only begs the question of why someone would want to send a bunch of hollows to devour all those souls. What is its purpose? Are they hoping the hollows will get stronger if they have a bigger feeding ground? And if that's the case then why would they want the hollows to get stronger in a place crawling with Shinigami that could stop them?"

"Maybe because they want them to be stopped?" Kokoro countered swiftly "Maybe they don't care what the hollows are doing or what happens as long as they cause as much chaos as possible-"

"A diversion." Hitsugaya finished quietly. "But for what?"

"I don't know. But it wouldn't be good that's for certain-"

She stopped quickly and looked up at the trees.

"Probably just a cat or an owl, no need to get spooked." Hitsugaya sat up with a roll of his eyes.

"I'm not spooked," Kokoro muttered nostrils flaring and contracting as she sniffed the air.

A foul stench was pouring in from somewhere above, like a horrible mixture of blood and rotten dead meat and something oddly medicinal, like one of the strange substances they used for healing in the Fourth Squad.

Kokoro frowned as she tilted her head to listen more intently.

"Shiraki-what-" Hitsugaya scowled but was silenced when the girl before him reached out and shoved her hand over his mouth.

"Shi-wa-ee!"

"Shh." She hissed only to stiffen in terror as something thudded behind the line of trees. Something far heavier than a simple bird or cat.

"HEY! Who's there?" Hitsugaya shouted as he tore Kokoro's hand off his mouth, ignoring her frantic whispers to stay quiet. "Show yourself! We know you're out there!"

A heavy silence fell over the two youths as they stared out over the clearing before them as a feeling of dread hung heavy in the air like a thick mist around them. No, that was not dread, that was spiritual pressure. A very dark, brutal, and horrible presence that shifted between the trees…right towards them!

"Shiraki get ready" Hitsugaya snarled under his breath but he need not have bothered, for Kokoro had already drawn her blades and stood beside him.

He could feel her trembling against his back but to her credit she kept her swords raised as her sky-blue eyes blazed with nervous determination as the thing stepped out into the clearing.

It was a tall shinigami with short silver hair and a wickedly grinning fox-like face and a lieutenant's armband on his left arm.

"Ah, okay, okay ya both got me, I surrender." Gin Ichimaru strode over towards them, held up as if under arrest.

"Ichimaru, what are you doing here?" Hitsugaya blinked in surprise, though he made no move to lower his sword as the older man's smirk hardened slightly.

"I could ask the same of ya both, lil-Shiro-kun. And it's Lieutenant Ichimaru. Really I would'a thought Captain Shiba taught you some more manners in your Lil' one-on-ones. For one thing, you could get into serious trouble for pointing your weapon at one of your superiors."

Hitsugaya glowered up at Gin but said nothing as he and Kokoro both quickly sheathed their weapons.

"Sorry Gin I-I mean Lieutenant" Kokoro coughed earnestly up at her old friend. "You just surprised us that's all. It was dark and quiet, and we thought you were…uh…sorry."

Hitsugaya frowned warily as he watched Gin smirk soften ever so slightly as his broad shoulders relaxed.

"Guess I did rather startle the two of ya huh? Though honestly Hime-chan I'm surprised at ya." Ichimaru's gin widened mischievously "Captain Shiba told me you were being such a good girl and here I find ya sneaking out of your room to have a midnight rendezvous with a boy. Tut-tut, what would your father think if he knew eh?"

"Gin, that's not-we're not-It's not like that we were just sitting talking and-and even if that were the case which it is not- it would not be any of your business." Kokoro scowled, cursing herself as her entire scarred face blushed scarlet.

"Relax Kokoro-chan, relax. I'm only teasin' ya. No need to get so hot and bothered." Ichimaru chuckled ruffling her hair with a gentle hand "Though I must admit I am curious as to why you are out here when you should be resting safely in your rooms like you were told to by Lieutenant Isane"

"Who told you about that?" Hitsugaya blurted out before he could stop himself, stiffening as Gin turned his attention to him.

"My, my you are a rude one aren't ya?" he murmured, his voice slightly colder than before. However, he was quick to master himself as he straightened up and turned his attention back to Kokoro. "But if you two really must know, I came by to check in on you after my patrol ended. Instead, I ran into Rangiku worrying herself silly outside your room lookin' for ya."

"Oh, crap…" Kokoro gulped guiltily. She just thought she would slip out for a couple of hours and slip back into her room while everyone was still asleep. She had not thought the Captain would send someone to keep an eye on her. Now poor Kimiko would get into trouble for not watching her closely enough.

"Oh, crap is right." Gin nodded folding his arms and frowning down at her crossly, but not coldly as he had done to Hitsugaya. "Ya know ya shouldn't wander off on your own like this-"

"But she wasn't alone!" Hitsugaya scowled, as he cleared his throat "Shiraki wanted fresh air so I volunteered to stay with her since Shibata was too tired. If you should blame anyone then blame me."

Nice try Hitsugaya. Kokoro sighed sympathetically in her head.

To anyone else, the lie would have been adequate to appease their anger. But it would take an absolute mastermind to pull the wool over the eyes of a man like Gin Ichimaru.

"Bad manners and bad bullshittin' skills. I honestly don't know what you see in this one Kokoro-chan." Ichimaru shook his head with disappointment.

"Gin, please don't-" Kokoro tried to say but the fox faced lieutenant put a hand up to silence her, his smirk growing icy again as he stared Hitsugaya down. "Y'know kid its lucky for you my Lil' friend here is so fond of you, or else I would've handed yer ass to your Captain for your rudeness. I'll let you off the hook this once, but I gotta warn ya if ya point your sword at me again you can expect mine to push it back with interest. Ya got that?"

"Yeah, I got it loud and clear" Hitsugaya barely held back the snarl behind his gritted teeth.

"'Yeah I got that loud and clear' what?" Gin put a mocking hand to his ear.

"GIN!" Kokoro snapped angrily, but Hitsugaya was already growling, his turquoise eyes scathing.

"Yeah I got it loud and clear sir"

"That's much better" Gin leaned back, smirk relaxing with almost malicious satisfaction as he reached out to take Kokoro's shoulder gently. "Now, it's getting late. Why don't you head off to bed Shiro-kun? I'll take Kokoro back to her room? Ne?"

Hitsugaya opened his mouth to argue but stopped quickly as Kokoro shook her head imploringly at him.

Don't argue just go. Trust me it'll be safer for you. Her eyes seemed to say.

"I'll come by and see you tomorrow Shiraki. Goodnight." Hitsugaya sighed in defeat as he turned away, but not before sparing the lieutenant behind her a filthy glower as he stormed off, sword rattling a little in its sheath with each stomp of his foot.

As soon as he was gone from sight and hearing Gin sighed.

"Lil' runt 'as got a bit of an ego ne Hime-chan?"

"You're one to talk." Kokoro glared up at her friend angrily. "Why did you threaten him? He wasn't doing anything wrong besides talking back once-"

"And draw his sword on me." Gin tutted. "Big mistake on his part."

"I drew my swords on you and I didn't get in trouble."

"Who said ya weren't in trouble?" Gin raised his eyebrows at her folding his arms once more. "You had orders to stay inside your room till tomorrow morning and what do you do? You wander off again without tellin' anyone."

"Right, and you're such a perfect angel." Kokoro growled back nostrils flaring "You wander off around the Sereitei all the time at night-"

"Yeah, and ya know why I can do that? Because I'm a lieutenant who knows how to defend myself. And even then, I'd know better than to disobey orders if they're made for my own good." Gin snapped, all pretence at calm gone as he scowled at her.

"Do ya have any idea how worried we were when we saw your bed empty? Rangiku and yer friend Kimiko was practically panicking like headless chickens. Hell, I nearly panicked! You already got attacked once today and nearly got eaten'. I shudder to think what would happen to ya if something bad happened to you while you were on your own at night."

"But I wasn't alone I had my Zanpakuto-"

"A Zanpakuto to which you don't know the name of yet." Gin steamrolled over her, his reiatsu flaring ever so slightly in his frustration. "A Zanpakuto that you have not even gotten comfortable enough to trust completely and fight with-"

"Yeah well news flash Gin I fought with her today and I was fine." Kokoro snapped loudly "She guided me, helped me. She was there for me when the hollow came. It was she that told me to fight it, and you know what I'm glad she did, because now I know I can look after myself...contrary to what you and everyone else seems to think." She added bitterly.

"Oh, and what is it that I and everyone else seems to think?" Gin sneered.

"That I'm a spoiled captain's brat," Kokoro stated bluntly. "That I can't be a Shinigami because I'm too sheltered by everyone. That I'm never going to be as good as my father…that I'm…I'm…"

She shut her mouth as she felt her eyes burn and bit her lip to gulp down the hard lump that had formed in her throat.

"That yer weak." Gin finished softly, his voice low and oddly strained.

"You really believe that that I would think so little of ya?" he murmured stepping up so that he was toe to toe with her even as she looked down to the ground to avoid his eye.

"Kokoro... I know you aren't weak. I have seen how strong you are, and I know you'll go on one day to do great things. But I also know that you aren't ready. Yeah, you've dealt with your first hollow and I'm so proud of you for that, even if I nearly did have a heart attack when I first heard about it." he added with a small snort under his breath. "But even with that, you still haven't seemed to grasp just how dangerous this life you've chosen is. There are many monsters out there waiting for their chance, and not all of them wear white masks."

Kokoro stayed silent her heart sinking in her chest as she looked up into the lieutenants' face. She had never seen him look so…afraid? No Gin never got afraid? The Gin Ichimaru she knew always smirked in the face of danger, so much so that he usually creeped out the danger and made it run away.

Then she remembered her earlier conversation with Hitsugaya, and she shivered. Had not she herself said that there could be someone pulling the strings behind those attacks?

True even she thought her own idea was far-fetched if only because it sounded like something out of a conspiracy novel. But there had been cases in the Soul Society's history when such dreadful beings did arise to wreak havoc and cause disaster, and often they were remembered as being far more terrible than any hollow ever faced.

"I'm sorry Gin. You're right, it was stupid of me to run off like that." She mumbled down to the ground.

"I'm sorry too, Hime-chan." Gin sighed, his whole body seeming to sag tiredly. "I know ya hate being mollycoddled and cooped up like this but I'm only getting mad at you because I care, and I want ya to be safe. When I joined the Gotei Thirteen as a kid I had no one to protect me or tell me this kinda stuff. If I had then maybe I wouldn't have-" but he was quick to stop himself and cough loudly, faking a yawn as he did so for good measure.

"Then maybe you wouldn't have what?" Kokoro frowned, but Gin ignored her as he pretended to check his wrist for an imaginary watch.

"Oh, goodness is that the time already?"

"Gin-" Kokoro reached out and grabbed his sleeve. "Gin wait what is it you were going to say?"

Gin stopped and looked down at her his expression softening "Something that can wait for another time."

"Which is Gin-speak for you'll never ever tell me in a million years," Kokoro pouted and Gin chuckled as he made to take her by the shoulder and steer her gently towards the tree line.

"Not never, just not now. Besides, a man's gotta have some secrets" he put a long spindly finger to his widely smirking lips.

"You're Gin Ichimaru. The only thing you have is secrets" Kokoro rolled her eyes but did not press him for more as they walked away out of the clearing. "By the way, you really need to take a shower because you stink like a hollow"

"Ouch, that was mean even for you Hime-chan-"

"Yeah well, you can blame that hollow. It's his fault I nearly broke half my ribs and can't rest properly." Kokoro grumbled, missing the way Gin squinted warily over his shoulder to the two dark-robed figures now standing in the clearing they had just left.

Once the pair were out of sight, the two figures looked at one another and removed their hoods, revealing the faces of two men.

One was dark-skinned and wore a visor over his milky blind eyes, the other was a pale brunette with a short mop of hair and rectangular glasses that obscured his cold brown eyes as he said softly.

"Well that was most interesting, wouldn't you agree Tousen?"

"You say interesting Lord Aizen, I say that was a little too close for comfort" Tousen scowled darkly at the spot the silver-haired man and the girl had left behind. "If Ichimaru had not let himself slip-"

"Yes it was unfortunate Gin let his guard down." Aizen glanced sharply at his comrade "But we cannot pin the whole blame on him for our near discovery. The girl's five senses have always been abnormally sharp ever since she was an infant, and our disguises only hide our Reiatsu, not our scents."

Aizen looked around the clearing and then back at the small boulder where Kokoro and the boy Hitsugaya sat talking. His brown eyes narrowed as he thought back to the words exchanged between the two youths.

"That boy…" he murmured softly as he shut his eyes and felt the fragments of ice-cold reiatsu resting over the grass like the winter frost "Toushiro Hitsugaya."

"What do you suppose we do about him?" Tousen asked quietly, but Aizen could hear the dregs of excitement lacing his voice.

"Nothing for the moment." Aizen drummed his fingers together as he sat down on the boulder, legs crossed, and head bowed in deep thought "The boy is intelligent. If we try anything, he'll more than certainly catch on, especially since he now has made a friend of the brat and can bounce his ideas off her. The two of them are smart on their own, but together they could be quite a deadly team in the future, one that may be able to challenge us."

"Then we stop them from being friends." Tousen folded his arms.

"No that would not work at all." Aizen shook his head. "Pushing apart two forces that are so strongly attracted to one another only wastes important energy we could otherwise be focusing somewhere else. No…We must find a way to use whatever bond they make to our advantage. Don't forget Tousen, if two people come to care about one another they will become one another's weakness, and through that vulnerability, we gain control over them."

Tousen turned his head to face the direction of Aizen's voice, his brow relaxing as comprehension seemed to dawn slowly and carefully.

"Gin isn't really attaching himself to the brat because you ordered him to, is he?"

Aizen did not say anything. He just sat there and smirked derisively as he watched his colleague falter where he stood.

"Does he know?"

"I'm sure he is aware. But even if he does feel something for the girl, he knows where his loyalty lies." Aizen paused to look Tousen up and down.

"I would have thought the two of you would at least have made some connection by now. It's sad to think that after all this time you still question his loyalty and by extension my wisdom."

"I don't question your wisdom nor your power to command Lord Aizen." Tousen replied stiffly, his blind eyes glancing side to side behind his visor "However I believe in what I hear. And tonight, when I heard Gin speak to the girl I felt that he was genuine in everything he said. I worry that his feelings may become a liability in the future when the time comes for us to make our move."

"I understand your concerns Tousen and believe me when I say that I will take them under advisement if that means so much to you," Aizen said, and though his words were courteous and benevolent, his tone was sharp and deadly as the edge of a blade. "But I have a lot of faith in Gin, and I believe that he will not betray me. Not even if it means sacrificing something he cares about. I am sure of it."

"How can you be sure?" Tousen blurted out quickly silencing himself as his leader got to his feet and smiled coldly.

"Because if he does ever try to betray me. I will destroy him."

So that was Chapter 4.

Kokoro slays her first hollow and briefly meets Renji. Been wondering how to introduce him for a while. Anyways I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and please fave/review if you have any thoughts or enjoyed reading.

Cheers,

Fuzzybeta