Now... Umm, how do I say it... Another fic? Yeah, well. Don't beat me? Please?

This poor sucker came to me while working on third chapter of Lotus and EVA/Bleach
cross that torments me lately. It is a Harry Potter/Bleach crossover prologue. The actual
fic will be rather whort, maybe three, maximum four chapters. Although it is a cross,
Harry is actually a canon Bleach character here - mainly the prodigy 10th Division
captain, Hitsugaya Toushiro. For the Bleach-heads - this is a cross with emphasis on
Bleach rather than HP. Also, this is, like my earlier Bleach fic, a definite
Hitsugaya/Matsumoto pairing. Just so you know. And yeah, I don't like Hinamori all that
much.

Timeline wise, it's just after Sirous' death at Departament of Mysteries, bleach wise, it's
way before the manga. At least the prologue is.

Like always, feel free to rip it to shreds if it improves it but leave a comment. Kind or
not, I'd like to hear what people have to say about it. It's the only real way to improve. So,
feedback is very appreciated, as always.

Also, to be on the safe side, a disclaimer. I don't own Harry Ptter or Bleach. If I did, I
wouldn't have to work for a living writing articles about my dumb government making
even dumber moves.

Without further ado

Frozen Ring

A Harry Potter/Bleach crossover fanfic by Fosfor

Prologue: Frozen Heaven

"Harry! NO! You can't do this!"

"This time... This time I will make it right... No one will die for me... again."

"You can't change what already HAPPENED Harry!"

"Watch me."

"Do you even know what uyou are DOING?!"

"Please... Listen to us!"

"My boy... Interfering with what was is gravest of all crimes... Even if it would be
possib...

"Shut up.. Just... SHUT UP! It's all your fault! If not for you it would never happened!"

"Harry! He's the HEADMASTER!"

"My boy, I know it pains you to..."

"NO... You don't know what I feel... Not that you'd care if you would... My life... all my
LIFE... and I was just a weapon... Like a muggle heat seeker missle. Fire and forget...
Good ol' heroic Harry Potter will take care of everything, it's his DESTINY after all!
No... No. I wasn't even that. Weapon at least can DESTROY what they are AIMED at. I
can' even do that right... And people die... Any people I'm clost to... Just die. And it's all
my fault, in the end."

"Harry! Whatever I did was for yo-"

".. and now... NOW when I can finally do something RIGHT for a change fix my
mistakes, you step in?"

"Harry! Time Turner is NOT a toy! It's dangerous! Just give it back to the Dep-"

"Dangerous? DANGEROUS?! My whole LIFE was one big danger since the day I was
BORN! Ever since I went through Hogwart's gates there hadn't been a MONTH I wasn't
in danger... I had to fight for my life since day ONE, since I was eleven years old...
Trolls... Voldemort-possessed sorry excuse for a teacher... BASSILISSK... That
TOURNAMENT... one after another... And now you lecture me about danger? It's not
about danger... It's about making things RIGHT."

"Harry!"

"Harry Potter!"

"My boy..."

"You know what? Screw you. Screw you all."

"Expellarmus!"

"Wh- NO!"

"Harry!"
*

"Maan... Look at him. Never seen a newbie with so much stuff before!"

"Hell yeah!"

"Look at that... is that...GOLD? Holy shit! Guy's loaded!"

"Guys... I don't think that's smart."

"Oh shut up, you whiner or you won't get your share."

"Guys, I mean it... If he's rich... What if he's some big wig?"

"Well he wouldn't be in Zaraki, then, now would he?"

"But still...! This stuff he wears... It's black. And kinda looks like, you know..."

"You think brat's a bloody shinigami? Give me a fucking break, man. If he was a
shinigami no way he'd go down from one punch."

Yeha, he'd cut us to ribbons. So relax. Besides, see? No Zanpakuto. Guy's just a loaded
newbie."

"But what if, you know, reapers come lookin' fer him? Won't he, you know, recognize us
later?"

"You know, Jiro... For a moron you have your momments."

"Gee, thanks, boss... I think."

"Well, we'll have to take care of him then. No witnesess, no reapers. Easy.

(...take care of him then. No witnesess, no reapers. Easy")

'I'm going to die... Or did I die already...?'

He floated. The words echoed but he just... floated. He could feel the ground, feel the
grass and rough sand scratching his nody but to move... It was impossible.
'I died... I remember.'

Shot of painful recollection blazed through him, burning his face, his eyes, his hands as
his body just collapsed, imploding on itself with silent dread.

'Yes... The sand form the Time Turner... and the spell... But I can FEEL... Why?

("All right, peel the fancy clothes from the dumb bastard and we gut him. Scavengers will
take care of the rest.")

The words rang hollow, as if from a dstance. No matter how he strained, they just
remained distant, and he still couldn't so much as open his eyes.

'So I get to die again... Never thought it would be that way though...'

He allowed himself to drift inste himself even more.

'Maybe it's for the best... I'm tired... So tired...'

"So... Just lying there, waiting for death. I had better opinion on you. It seems I was
wrong. A shame."

The voice was loud like an avalanche but silent like falling snow all at once as it rasped
with crackling of breaking ice.

'Oh goody... I'm hearing voices now. It seems I REALLY am mad. Brilliant.'

"The Great Harry Potter... survived Dark Lords, basillisks and dragons only to be brought
low by some unwashed rabble. Pathetic."

The rasp dripped with scorn that somehow got more under his skin than Snape's snide
remarks ever did.

"Laying there and waiting to be gutted like a pig... Are you really that much of a coward
to go down without a fight, boy?"

'Well I would if I could so much as move, thank you very much!' Harry snapped mentally

"A flimsy excuse. You can move. You just don't WANT to move. You are too afraid to."

'Afraid? Harry laughed bitterly 'You don't know me very well, do you?'

"I know your fear, whelp. I can taste it. You are so afraid you'd rather be killed that live
with it... The will.. the desire to fight... to so much as live. That fear eroded them long
time ago."

'The will to fight?' He chukled bitterly in his mind 'Don't give that shit... All I have ever
done is fight. I'm sick and tired of it, sick and tired of clawing, fighting and begging for
what others take for granted... Sick and tired of being used....of being told what to do or
not to do... sick of that goddamn tags everybody pins on me, of the demands they have of
me... sick of always falling short of what I want... I've had enough. I'm out.'

"So you lost that last, pitiful shred of pride as well, boy? It won't matter when they gut
you then, whelp, since you've been dead already."

'...Harry Potter.'

'What?'

'Harry potter, you raspy sod. That's my name. Use it just once, goddamit. I'm really tired
of being called "whelp" or "boy"'

"Brat... cowardly trash like you doesn't DESERVE a name, much less any respect that
comes with it."

If Harry could move, he would have gritted his teeth.

'You know what? Fuck you. You're just like everybody else... Spouting bloody, all-
knowing sermons, "words of wisdom" that don't mean SHIT but won't help anything or
anyone in the long run. All talk, but no real substance.'

Instead of snapping back, thre was a strange, crackling noise of glacier breaking. It took
Harry few seconds to realise that the voice, whatever it was, was laughing.

"You want substance, boy?" the voice rasped in amusement

And the world froze before shattering into to thousand jagged shards of ice that ripped
through him before he got so much as a chance to scream.

He gasped, trying to shield himself from the shards, before blinking.

"I can move?" he muttered, waving his arm expermientally, before freezing.

The grass patch he was lying on was gone. So were the trees.
There was only snow and ice in every direction, jagged spires and snowy dunes covering
the landscape all around him.

Even the painfully bright sky was frozen, if that was possible, as if dipped into liquid
nitrogen.

"What the..." He started before closing his eyes rapidly as the errant gust of wind blew a
handful of snow right at his face.

Or what felt like snow. Only it wasn't cold. It wasn't even chilly, as any proper snow
should be.

He gingerly took a handful of snow under his feet and rubbed it, trying to feel the texture.

It looked like snow. It felt like snow. But when he grasped it, it didn't melt. He didn't feel
the biting chill thta should have been there either.

There was no discomfort that should be there from holding snow in his unprotected hand.

He took the nearest shard of ice nly to get the repeat performance.

'You know... This doesn't feel bad at all. It feels good. Kind of comforting, actually.' he
thought in amazement

"So..." there was a crakle of ice again "Do you like your..."substance", boy"?

Harry turned quickly to find the source of his voice only to find a wall of blue.

He looked up.

And up.

And up.

Only to meet two ruby red eyes and long maw full of jagged sharp tooth bigger than
some houses. A dragon maw, bigger than any single dragon he had ever seen, twisted in
sort of sardonic smile.

'Good God... That thing could swallow the basilissk whole with one bite!'

The dragon should scare him, or at least surprise him in some way. Only it didn't.

It was like the snow of that place that wasn't chilly, wind that wasn't cold and ice that
didn't melt.

And the absurdly huge, serpentine form with maw full of teeth that looked to be sharp
enough to bute through steel and concrete on an aftertought looked... soothing. And
comforting.

'Okay. I look into a mouth thatn can swallow a semi and I find it comforting. It's official.
I went stark raving mad at some point in the last few minutes. How nice.' Harry thought
calmly

But the dragon, with his sharp teeth, massive grith and eyes blazing crimson felt so damn
FAMILIAR.

He had never seen the being in front of him before in his life, he was ure of that but he
knew, somehow, someway, that if he closed his eyes he could describe the dragon in
every detail down to the ammount of scales on the gleaming reptile.

There was that sound of glacier breaking again, this time louder than before.

"You know who I am, brat. Ever since that first brush with death that left it's mark..." The
dragon stretched his impressive form, looming over Harry, it's crimson eyes blazing like
two hellish lanterns, gazing straight into his very soul.

"I am Lord of Ice, Master of the Northern Storm, Keeper of the Ring. I am the hand of
winter the one that rules the throne of the frozen Heavens." The dragon's maw got so
close that the tip almost touched Harry's face. "But you don't need to be told that. You
never did. You have always known. Say it. Say my name and I will walk by your side
forever. Say my name and go forward without fear. Say my name and I will roar out for
you. Say my name and I will freeze the very firmament for you. Say. It. "

For the very first time in his life, Harry didn't feel even tiniest bit fear. He didn't feel any
uncertainity, any doubt, only jubilation and pure, unbridled joy as he stared at the two
blazing rubies.

As he opened his mouth, he could almost hear the chains that held him all his life
snapping like twigs.

"Sit upon the frozen heavens... HYORINMARU!"

And the Dragon roared.

*
TBC.

Comments appreciated.

Edit: Okay, cleaned up swearing, since even pissed of beyond limits, it didn't fit Harry's
personality and upbrigning at all. Well, come to think of it, neither does such a blatant
display of agression but, oh well. Hormnoes, guilt, grief... What can you say (Yes, that is
a rather blatant attempt at discouraging the eyes from obvious occ-ness and plot hole mile
wide if you're wondering)

Edit 2: kay, call me careless, call me lazy. Whatever. This is pretty much final form,
without going over some mistakes. I changed the beginning a little, to give it more
desperate-Harry feel, but I'm pretty much out of ideas for it now. First chapter is in the
works, so it should come out today or tomorrow.

Frozen Ring

HP/Bleach crossover fanfic by Fosfor

Chapter 1

or

Discussions with the Dragon

In the swirl of falling snow, pair of emerald eyes opened. They looked around, giving
only passing glance to four blocks of ice tha used to be people before gazing upon pair of
small hands.

Owner of the eyes frowned and with a crackling sound, the very air froze into rough
shape of a mirror, reflecting small, emerald eyed boy with mop of unruly snow white
hair.

"A..side effect?" he muttered touching his brow gingerly. The scar, the tell tale, thrice
damned scar that basically defined his life was gone without a trace.

"But why...?" he said, staring at his pre-teen body in confusion only to halt.

"What..?" There was no mistaking it. His voice was different. It had undertones of
ayoung child, but also carried Hyorinmaru's raspy growl in it. "What happened to me,
Hyorinmaru...?"

But the dragon's voice was absent.

And there was no sword. He didn't know how, but he KNEW that there should be a sword
in his hand.

The air crackled again, the deep chill eating away the patch of grass and trees, leaving
frosted ground it it's wake.

Harry didn't care.

"Hyorinmaru. Where the hell are you?" he frowned, clenching and unclenching his fist in
agitation, desperately craving the comforting weight of a sword that he knew SHOULD
be resting in it right now.

He growled.

The crackling of freezing air was joined by the frozen trees virtually exploding from the
sudden drop in temperature.

If anyone had been nearby, they would have propably frozen to death by now.

Then a quickly as it started, it was gone, the ice receding on absurdly fast pace but in a
curious way, as if forming a de-freezing ring that got smaller with each second.

'Receding...?' Harry stared in fascination at the spectacle until only a relatively small
patch of ice, maybe half meter in radius was left. Ever so slowly, the patch started to
shrink, loosing it's previous speed, but at the same time it started to grow upwards,
forming a steadily rising icicle. The ice spire rose until it was taller than Harry and then
stopped suddenly and started... Shrinking?

"What the...?" Harry muttered in confusion before blinking. The raspy crackle of
breaking ice was gone from his voice, leaving only high pitched tones of small child he
now apparently was. He didn't have time to deliberate before as the ice crakled in that
familiar way he had heard before.

'Oh don't tell me..." He thought with a sudden sinking feeling as the ice exploded,
strewing ice shards all around just as he managed to rise hands to shield his face.
Miraciously, none of the shards so much as touched him, though some pierced right
through the nearby trees.

"Hyorimaru, you bloody git!" He hissed, knowing, just knowing, that the dragon was
behind this. "Are you trying to KIL-...?" He froze. In the place of the icicle was a
beautiful sword, not unlike a japanese samurai sword he had seen in Dudley's comic
books, though it seemed longer and slighly more curved. The handle seemed to be odd,
too, much longer then what he remembered from the images, as if the sword was meant
to be wielded with two hands.

'Well, it IS tad long.' Harry thought wryly gazing. The sword would be long for an adult,
as he was now, the blade was longer than he was tall. "And what's with the hand guard...?
he murmured staring at the star-shaped tsuba.

Still, he couldn't find any fault with it, no matter how how much he tried. Lenght, size,
odd, unwieldy looking handle, the gleaming edge, the coloring... And the sword was
perfect in his eyes, stading there and reflecting rays of the morning sun, stuck into block
of ice, all that was left from the explosion.

He licked his lips before touching the sword.

Although it seemed to be stuck in the ice for good, it came ut with the gentlest of tugs.

"I kind of feel like King Arthur." Harry muttered, trying to keep the stupid grin of elation
from showing on his face.

The lenght, especially in his currently small hands, should make the sword unwieldy but
the weapon was anything but. In fact, it felt better in his hand than the Sword of
Gryffindor ever did. It felt... Right. It felt like comming home after a long trip, like
enetering Hogwarts for the very first time, like learning that he was a wizard, before he
knew of Voldemort and felt like he fell into a fairy tale and like casting his very first
spell.

Just holding the sword, feeling the comforting weight felt simply brilliant.

"Well, it seems that there WERE some consequences from using shikai straight of the bat
and with stil living body. Imagine that." Harry almost dropped the sword as Hyorinmaru's
serpentine form rose, as if slithering from the tip of the blade. It was far smaller than he
remebered but there was no mistaking it.

"You stupid dragon! You want to give me a heart attack?!" Harry snapped, overcoming
his surprise "And what's with that explosion anyway?!

"Chill, brat." The dragon grinned and Harry groaned at the bad pun "My ice won't hurt
you. It CAN'T. Feh, I can't even so much as cut you."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked curiously staring at the gleaming edge. It looked
sharper than a razor. He wouldn't be surprised if it would be sharp enough to shave. If he
had to shave, that is.

'Well not for next few years, at least.' He thought darkly 'And I'm pretty sure I know
whose fault is that.'

"'Why thank you, Hyorinmaru, thank you SO much for saving my worthless skin,
Hyorinmaru. I'm ever so grateful for your timely help, Hyorimaru.' Bloody ingrateful,
bleach haired rugrats." Grumbled the dragon

"Thank you EVER so much for making me a pre-teen KID, Hyorinmaru." scowled Harry
"How can I repay you for that most splendid favour?"

"Well I wasn't a bloody moron who went straight for shikai without so much as
manifesting the zanpakuto or having enough power to back it up, still in his living body,
no less." Hyorinmaru drawled lazily

"Zanpakuto...? Shikai?" asked harry dumbly

"Ah, right. You don't know." muttered the dragon "Sit down and make yourself
comfortable, because it's tad long explanation."

"Well, as long as you undo whatever you have done to me." grumbled Harry sitting on
the ground.

"Kid, let's get some things straight." The dragon growled, looming over Harry "I cut
things to pieces, I freeze them, chill them and dice them at your lesiure. In short, I do ice
and, to lesser extent, wind and water. You want something, anything, frozen to death? Just
call me out. That's what I'm here for. But that's it. Whatever you have done to yourself is
YOUR doing, and YOURS alone."

"Bollocks. I was pretty normal until YOU came out." Pointed out Harry

"Well, that's debatable." muttered the Dragon and Harry glared. Dragon coughed before
going back to explanations. "Anyway, as I was saying, I'm elemental type Zanpakuto, ice,
obviously. Basically, I freeze things...

"Zanpakuto, you've said it before. What does that mean?" asked Harry curiously

"Zanpakuto, aka the Soul Reaper, is Shinigami's weapon-"

"Shinigami?"

"Death Gods." Dragon glared at Harry "Now if you'd KINDLY stop interupting me...?"

"Sorry." Harry flushed in embarrasment

"Now, Zanpakuto is not just a weapon - it is extension of Shinigami's soul, a

manifestation and focus of his inner spiritual power.

"Wait, wait!" Harry interjected, clearly puzzled "So you are... me?"

Dragon stared frostly at his "charge" and Harry could almost hear the beast's teeth
gritting.

"What did I say about interrupting, brat?" he growled "But yes. In a way. It's actually far
more complicated than that, but I won't bore you with details right now. The Zanpakuto
has three forms: basic, usually a sword, then a shikai - the first release, which relfects
Shinigami's inner power and finally, the bankai - strongest possible form and true extent
of Shinigami's inner power. With me so far?

"Yes, but there is something I don't understand." Harry frowned thoughtfully. "I mean, if
you are extension of ME, how do you know abou this shikai and bankai? Or even
shinigami?"

"How did you know my name? Or the command for releasing the shikai?" riposted the
dragon with a question of his own.

"Well, I just... did." the boy muttered, confusion on his face "It's like I always knew on
some level, just didn't realise it before."

"See? It's about the same with me. I don't know HOW I know, I just do." said
Hyorinmaru

"All right. But what does this "shikai" has to do with my body if it just realeases my
"inner power"?" asked Harry

"Now that's a little bit more complicated." The dragon sighed, frosting nearby patch of
grass. "Shikai realeases power, yes, but it uses zanpakuto's basic form as a focus. You
must manifest zanpakuto first, get aquainted with it, letting your power "mature" in a
way. Then you can call forth a shikai."

"So what that's got to do with me?" harry raised an eyebrow

"Well, you kind of bypassed all the needeed steps and brought out a shikai straight out of
the bat. WITHOUT enough power to back it up and without zanpakuto to focus it. Being
in still living body, which complicated the process even further."

"Wait, wait! So I'm still alive?" asked Harry

"Well, you WERE until the shikai's forceful manifestation disintegrated it leaving just a
bare soul." said Hyorinmaru in amusement "Congratulations are in order brat, you're first
person to live through commiting a succesefull suicide that I know of."

"Oh bloody wonderful." muttered Harry slapping his face with a groan "I survive Time
Turner explosion just to off myself. Brilliant, Harry, just brilliant. Voldemort must be
laughing himself silly right about now. Hermione told me that I'll kill myself through
stupidity one of those days. Why didn't I listen?"

"Okay so... I manifested the... zanpakuto. You." Hyorinmaru nodded "Went straight for
shikai, which ripped my body into...spiritrons?" Dragon nodded again and Harry
continiued "So basically, I'm dead and I'm currently a soul. Correct?"

"So far."

"So if I'm a soul now, why am I looking as if I'm six or seven? Shouldn't I look like
myself?" asked Harry with a frown

Dragon shifted slightly and Harry could swear that he looked uncomfortable and even
nervous for some reason.

"You must understand, you didn't have nowhere near enough power for shikai, no matter
doing one wihout properly manifested zanpakuto." The dragon said carefuly "And with
the rapid disintegration of the body, parts of your soul, those marked by Voldemort,
were... unstable but had plenty of reiatsu to use."

Harry had sudden sinking feeling as he looked at the beast in front of him.

"Wait a minute... Souls... if souls are made of spiritrons..." Harry mutered slowly, his eyes
widening "You didn't." he said disbilievingly

Hyorinmaru twitched.

'Oh yes he did.' Thought Harry glaring at the dragon.

"You just... ATE... part of my soul?!" Harry gritted out through clenched teeth

""Ate" is such a vulgar word. More accurate would be "absorbed"." The Dragon frowned
thoughtfully "Or should it be "converted"? Recycled wouldn't be bad too, very
environmental friendly sounding."

"I don't BELIEVE this! You ATE a part of my bloody SOUL." Muttered Harry

"Well if that's any consolation I ate part of Voldemort's that was left in the scar as well."
said Hyorinmaru hopefully

"No that's NOT bloody comforting!" growled Harry "So next time I call you out you
what, eat another piece? Is that it?"

"Oh no, that was the one time deal only. In fact I'm amazed it worked." Hyorinmaru said
waving his tail in dismissive fashion "If not for the scar and leftover soul residue from
Voldemort, I think you would have died."

Harry looked at the dragon in disbielief.

"So you ATE my sould without knowing it would WORK?!"

"Well." If he could, Hyorinmaru would have shrugged "Nobody's perfect." he said

philosophically "And could you PLEASE stop hitting your head with the blunt part of my
blade?!

TBC...

--------------------
I felt oddly inspired, even as tired as I am after taking care of christmas festivities,
managing to write several things, among them this. It hasn't been really cleaned up so I'd
be grateful for any comments. I also have another chapter of Lotus and Operator 95%
ready but I'm to tired to do anything about them now. So, comments appreciated.

Frozen ring.

Harry Potter/Bleach crossover fanfic.

Chapter 1 (batch 2 and 3 of 3)

*
He closed his eyes, savoring the sweet taste, Sweet, but not too much. However...

He popped one eye open, staring at the sun for a second, judging the heat. Hinamori was
long gone and there were no witnesses around so...

The waterery fruit suddenly developed a slight sheen of frost.

'Ah yes. Now that's more like it.'

Hyorinmaru didn't even bother to growl at the "paltry use of his grand might" anymore.
Though he always suspected that the dragon enjoyed the frosted watermelon as much as
he did and most of his grumbling was just for show.

'So... Gotei 13.' The crackle of breaking ice scrapped at the edge of his thoughts

Hitsugaya Toshiro, both after his zanpakuto and his hair as well as a way to
chase away ghost of the past, bit into his watermelon.

'Maybe. I'm still thinking about it.' He thought

'Now don't play coy with me, brat. We both know you're pretty much committed.' said the
dragon smugly

'You seem excited.' Toshiro thought savouring the frozen, watery treat.

'Shouldn't I be? All you seem to use me these days is freezing water melons and chasing
away that oppressive summer heat. Some action would be a nice change.' the dragon
grumbled.

Toshiro smirked.

'I distinctly remember hearing you say that if something needed to be frozen I should call
you out.' he shot back

'But watermelons? WATERMELONS?! What am I, some glorified fridge or something?'

complained Hyorinmaru 'I'm most the powerful ice type zanpakuto in existence,
goddamit, and you have me freeze fruits and act as an air conditioning. This is
humiliating. We haven't cut anything in so long that I though I would rust, if I didn't
know any better.'

'I don't want to fight anymore. I had enough of it for one lifetime.' Toshiro closed his
eyes, leaning on the post

'I want responsibility that comes with the job even less.'
'Oh don't give me that.' He could "feel" the dragon rolling his eyes, a distinctively odd
expirience.

'Remember that last hollow rampage through Kusajishi? One when you went for those
blue flowers for the Crybaby?'

It was the odd quirk of his, but the dragon refused to call Hinamori by name. Toshiro also
had a feeling that despite not stating it openly, the beast had a strong dislike for his friend,
though he had no idea why.

He asked once, but all he got was a wave of vaquely recognizable disgust after the dragon
clammed up, refusing to answer the question.

It used to bug him, since the dragon WAS part of him, but in his years with Hyorinmaru
as a companion he had learned that part of his soul the dragon might be, but there were
differences. Glaring ones, sometimes.

'You were an inch from calling me out as you watched the shinigami deal with it. The
dragon's smug voice brought him back to reality

'Maybe.'

'Yeah, and Nile is just a river in Egypt.' The beast snorted 'I could almost taste the urge.
Hell, even the shinigami would have felt it if they weren't so busy getting their assess
kicked.'

Toshiro wiped his mouth, scowling as he threw away the remains of the watermelon slice.

He wanted to say something, but the dragon was right.

He DID feel the urge to fight and it wasn't exactly the first time it had happened. Before
coming to this rather sleepy, safe part of Rukongai, he had
traveled through the most lawless parts of Soul Society, where a small kid was a prime
target. Of course the idiots that tried to attack him quickly wisened up after first few
ended up as icicles, but the ocassional hollows that appeared on the edges of the Soul
Society were drawn by his reiatsu until he had learned to hide it.

Learning how to do it was a trying expirience - not because it was hard, but because
Toshiro found himslef with a strange need to fight, to draw his Zanpakuto and release it
in the orgy of flaring energy and power against an opponent, any opponent. According to
Hyorinmaru all shinigami had that urge, his was just that much stronger because of their
deeper connection. Zanpakutos were, after all, weapons. It was in their nature. It was
subtle, almost like a whispering of a slow moving current most of the time but once it
rose it's head, it was a difficult beast to tame.

'They won't let you wander around aimlessly like that much longer.'
Said Hyorinmaru lazily. 'Once the Seiretei discovers that you have a zanpakuto they
won't stop until they get you. And once they discover that you have the shikai, they'll
drag you kicking and screaming. So why fight it?' whispered the dragon enticingly. 'And
you'll be able to protect the Crybaby better this way, you know.'

'Oh shut up, you bloody reptile!' Toshiro snarled mentally 'You made your point.'

Toshiro was torn. On one hand, he didn't want to fight, and becoming a shinigami would
mean going back to the battlefield. Vastly different one than the one he was on when he
still lived, but still a battlefield. And he was sick of battle. Of fighting, of losing loved
ones and all that went with it.

Even a few years (if he judged time correctly - it was rather hard to
do that in Soul Society) spent just drifting and, later on, settling in the rukongai didn't
wash away the fatigue of his past life. Also, there was the matter of his zanpakuto.

He wasn't like others others - training to so much as learn their zanpakuto's name. He had
Hyorinmaru since the beginning. He didn't strive to coax the weapon through spiritual
devices Academy used to turn the latent spiritual powers into proper shinigami power. He
didn't need to wait for years and train like crazy to coax the zanpakuto's spirit to so much
as talk to him.

His bond with Hyorinmaru was clear and ran very deep, a side effect of their first shikai.
He was so attuned to his dragon that they spoke on a regular basis without entering their
Inner World. Something - he was shocked to find after listening to a few shinigami
bragging about their prowess - that was usually achieved after centuries of working with
the zanpakuto.

Once he entered the Academy, he would be lauded as a prodigy, a genius and whatnot. He
would be put on a pedestal, be in center of attention and be expected to do 'great things'
once again.

He had quite enough of that the first time around, thank you.

On the other hand, Hyorinmaru had a point. Gotei 13 was always on the
look out for potential recruits. The job was dangerous and shinigami
died often, leaving vacancies that needed to be replaced quickly,
which was problematic at best.

Even among the pure souls gathered in Soul Society and unfettered by human bodies that
tended to stifle the spiritual potential, only a handful had enough of spiritual energy to
become even a low level shinigami. Somebody like him, with his own zapakuto,
considerable reiatsu and already manifested shikai?

Had he not learned to hide his power early he would have been drafted to
Gotei 13 faster than it took to say 'Hyorinmaru'. It was a mediocre level of self-taught
skill and plenty of luck some shinigami didn't manage to find out his potential. One day
he would slip up his luck would run out or he would have the misfortune to attract some
attention and he would be drafted anyway. And if he went now, he would be able to
protect Momo.

It wasn't that his bed-wetter friend was weak. Far from it. The girl had an impressive
amount of reiatsu hidden in that slender frame of hers and she had a knack for more
esoteric aspect of shinigami powers.

She was competent, hard working, intelligent and immensely talented in kidou. He had
no doubt that she would do very well in Gotei 13.

But for all her potential, the girl had a glaring weakness. She was kind hearted, soft and
naive. She always wanted to see the best in people and firmly believed in the world was
just and people kind. She was the type that would reason rather than fight. She lacked the
edge, that deeply buried killer instinct that was so vital to a true warrior.

Her intelligence and belief in justice and her inner softness and kindness reminded him of
himself, or rather the Harry Potter from before. So much like him before he had lost so
much and died.

But even before his death, his good will and belief in "right, light and justice" had been
eroding with each day as the world got darker and people kept dying all around him
regardless of what he did.

His death and subsequent wandering through the lawless, dangerous fringes of Soul
Society only sped up the process. He had realized just how much he had changed after
cutting down a bandit that fancied taking Hyorinmaru from him.

Toshiro was just a nickname given to him by the scared thugs of Zaraki
because of his white hair, a nickname that he used to hate but... He had slowly realized
that he was more "Toshiro", the sarcastic, somewhat aloof white haired brat that smarter
Zaraki thugs avoided like a plague with a big, outspoken mystical sword than he ever was
a "Harry Potter" the would-be hero with 'saving people thing', heaps of guilt, destiny he
didn't want and a wand in his hand.

It wasn't just the death of that one worthless thug that Zaraki had a countless supply of. It
was his attitude after it.

The man was big, strong and obviously had some practice with that rusty cleaver of his,
but his muscles and steel were only things he had. Toshiro had a large reiatsu reserve that,
even as unskilled as he was in using it, boosted his speed, strength and reflexes to flat out
supernatural levels and a sword that was unnaturally sharp, all of it's power aside. There
were several ways of handling the man without killing him. He didn't even consider
them. He just responded to the lethal attack with equally lethal intent and cut the man
down
where he stood. Then he sheathed the Hyorinmaru and walked away.

Just. Like. That.

And that was when the thought hit him. He just wasn't very "Harry Potter" anymore.
Maybe he never was, instead of being himself he just went along with what other thought
of him or expected of him for the most of his life. Now, un shackled by - oh irony - death,
he had finally found himself.

It had also made him realize that it was the first time he had thought of his past life and
what he left behind since he died.

The top of the gnarly fishing rod, though held lazily in hands almost as gnarled as the rod
itself didn't waver despite the blowing wind or fast current. It kept it's position with sort
of careless grace until it moved slightly, almost too gently for the naked eye to spot. But
the pair of half lidded eyes, countless wrinkles around them, didn't miss the twitch. in
matter of seconds, yet another fish was brought out from the water.

"Now that is quite the dilemma." The voice was almost archetypically "old man", but you
wouldn't find gentle "grandfatherly" tone in it, though it was cheerful in it's own way.

Toshiro sighed, combing his unruly, snow white mane with his palm.

"You can say that again." He muttered sullenly "I just don't know what to do.
I don't want to be a shinigami. Not really. I've had enough of fighting. I'm content with
how things are now. But... They WILL find out sooner or later. And if I go now, I might
be able to protect Hinamori. And do it on my own terms, more or less. It's just... It's too
soon. I thought I had more time."

The old man cackled.

"When you get to my age, you will find that there is never enough time. Even when
you're dead."

"Well you don't seem to have problems goofing off, old man." Toshiro waved his hand
lazily "Sun, nice spot by the river, some campfire and plenty of time to fish. Come to
think of it, that's pretty much all I see you doing when I meet you. Well that and sleeping.
Don't you have anything else to do?
The fishing rod somehow found the way to his head with unerring precision.

"I have you know, you disrespectful runt, that I am not goofing off."

The old man said indignantly "I'm thinking."

"That's what you call sleeping nowadays? Could have fooled me." Toshiro rubbed his
head with a wince

Rod? Meet head. Head? Meet rod.

'One of this days I'll buy a helmet before I'll come to see him.'
Toshiro thought with a scowl. 'Or better yet, I'll whap him around with Hyorinmaru, see
how he likes it. Sadistic old bugger.'

Despite that, Toshiro found himself liking the ancient man since he had met him so many
years ago when he moved to Rukongai. At first he thought it was because the old bugger
reminded him of Dumbledore, but then he realised that it was the other way around. He
liked the old man because he was so much UN-like the venerable Headmaster.

Both men were old, white haired from age and wrinkled like prunes, but that's were the
similarities ended.

Dumbledore, for all of his friendly facade and "grandfatherly" concern always made sure
to be seen as an authority figure. He carried an all knowing air of command that, Toshiro
realized later, was carefully cultivated. He might have made himself more approachable
to common folk, the occasional bouts of silliness making him appear more human but in
the end, he was the Headmaster of Hogwarts, the Supreme Mugwump, the Grand
Sorcerer and the most powerful wizard alive. He was Albus Percival Wulfric Dumbledore
and he knew best. And he never, ever, let anyone forget it.

Yama-ji, on the other hand, was vastly different. And it wasn't just because he was a
sadist and struck Toshiro with his fishing pole or that gnarled monstrosity he used as a
staff whenever he felt like it.

Yama-ji had, like Dumbledore, an air of command around him, an air of power and
knowledge. What kind of power, Toshiro wasn't sure since he never felt any reiatsu from
the man. Though his skill WAS self taught and crude.

Still, on their first meeting with the old fisherman, Hyorinmaru went oddly silent and
didn't so much as twitch even when the man had whapped him with his cane for "lack of
respect to his elders". And THAT, Toshiro knew, was very odd.

The dragon was fiercely protective of him and his status and tended to rage at anyone
who attacked or slighted him, demanding to be let out to "teach the soon-to-be-decased
fool a lesson". Instead of doing his "I'm pissed of Dragon, hear me roar" routine,
Hyorinmaru was silent like a tomb and only thing that Hitsugaya got from his companion
was a vaque feeling that the old man was far more than what he appeared. And that
whatever he was was NOT to be annoyed.

But whatever power Yama-ji had, he didn't flaunt it. He didn't even so much as HINT on
it, as Dumbledore was so fond of doing, reminding people just who they were dealing
with. Yama-ji just... was.

"Yes... Quite the dilemma..." The old man said nodding to himself

"Though not in a way you think." He added, gazing at his fishing rod ruefully, before
untying the fishing line from the top.

Hitsugaya didn't know how it happened. He knew even less of WHEN.

He had been sitting by the river, next to Yama-ji in one instant to realize duddenly that he
just hit something. Then he realized that his chest hurt.

It took several seconds to realise that the something he had hit was a boulder that was
good several meters away from his previous position and that he had growing, red mark
on his chest that looked oddly like the outline of Yama-ji's fishing rod.

Toshiro stared at the angry welt dumbly. It was a miracle the strike didn't break any ribs.

'What... What was...?'

"To become or not become a shinigami..." Yama-ji drawled as he rose up. "As if a coward
like you has any right to decide... As if somebody with such weak resolve has any right to
talk..." Slowly, the usually half lidded eyes opened and Toshiro knew what dread was
like.

Screw the Bassilissk.

Voldemort? A harmless gnat at best.

Dying? Toshiro would die again a hundred times it it allowed him to escape the mercilles,
heavy gaze and the absurd amount of force that pushed him to the ground like a giant,
invisible hand.

The very air was heavy with pressure and despite his best intentions, Toshiro found that
he not only couldn't move, frozen to the spot by both terror and the overwhelming power
but suddenly, even breathing was a luxury.

Old, cranky, perverted and lazy Yama-ji towered over him like a GOD, seemingly
hundreds meters tall and powerful beyond mortal comprehension.
"Brat... KNOW YOUR PLACE!" The old man thundered, his eyes full of contempt.

Suddenly Toshiro knew just why his dragon companion was so wary.

If there ever was an incarnation of unstoppable force, Yama-ji was it.

"You think that your zanpakuto makes you better? Stronger? More powerful?" Yama
snorted "Look at you... a little bit of focused reiatsu and you fall to pieces. Frozen in
place... Almost wetting yourself in fear... Where is your great zapakuto now... little boy?"

With lazy nonchalance, the fishing rod rose before it fell down, hitting the earth, the pure
force moving the air with power to create a wind that nearly swept Toshiro away.

He stared, still frozen with fear.

The solid ground had just... split open. Like wet tissue paper cut by a ginsu knife. From
one strike.

And now...

Toshiro's eyes opened wide and if it was possible, the absolute dread he felt started
growing steadily.

With slow, purposeful stride, the old man was getting closer to him. And the rod was
rising once again.

'He... he won't...'

But the rod didn't stop it's ascent, and the eyes were hard, the dread unstoppable.

'He will.. he will... he will kill me!' Toshiro thought, the utter mind breaking terror of this
force of nature turned man only thing on his mind

'I must escape! I must RUN! But I can't move! I must move or I will DIE!'

Blind panic tuned out everything else. Only survival mattered now. But no matter how
much he tried, how much he strained his will and how much reiatsu he flooded his body
with, his body was still in the same spot.

Shaking.

Sweating.

But still frozen in the same spot.

'OH GOD I CAN'T MOVE!' howled his panicked mind

'ICAN'TMOVEICAN'TMOVEI'CANTMOVEI'MGOINGTODIE!'

"Not so easy now, is it?" said Yama-ji, his conversational tone at odds with his cold eyes,
purposeful gait and the deadly intent radiating off him in waves.

"I can see them you now... Your thoughts, that is." His hard eyes seemed to gaze deep
inside Toshiro's very soul.

"'I must move... or I will get hit.'.... 'I must escape... or he will crush me.', 'I must run... or
I will die. But I can't move. I'm going to die.' Is that it?" The old man shook his head
slowly, never stopping, never missing a step.

"Don't you see? This is the difference between a shinigami and a brat with zanpakuto and
some reiatsu to spare. The shinigami has more than just empty power... He has will... He
has resolve and belief... Enough of them to stand and fight despite the odds. And you lack
any of those qualities." Yama sighed ruefully, his oppressive presence still relentless

"The world hurt you, so you closed yourself off like a coward instead facing it. The
power burned you so you let it rust instead of mastering what you have, becoming
stagnant and weak. The duty crushed you... so you shirk it instead of simply getting
stronger." his face hardened, eyes lit with reddish glint for a moment as he stared at
Toshiro with mix of disgust, pity, contempt, anger and sadness.

"Hitsugaya Toshiro... No. Harry Potter. You are truly pathetic." he intoned. And all
Toshiro could see was the wooden blur and darkness.

The howl might have been different, more of a mournfull whine than mighty scream but
Toshiro knew where he was before he opened his eyes.

He opened his eyes lazily to see the frozen firmament of his inner world.

'Well... at least I'm not dead...'

"Still thinking like that even now... The old man was right. You really ARE pathetic." The
growl was raspy as always but this time it carried clear undercurrent of anger.

The sound of icy desert breaking and exploding all around him as the enormous
serpentine form lashed out with it's tail was more than enough to see that the beast was
more than just a little pissed off however.

"WELL?" The dragon hissed, it's enormous maw scant centimeters from Toshiro's face
"Will you keep lying here like a pathetic coward, too afraid to so much as twitch like you
did in the outside world?!

"Like you're the one to talk." Toshiro said closing his eyes again tiredly "I don't
remember you coming out to help."

"YOU FOOL!" The dragon roared and struck the ice around his wielder and catapulting
him up, the numerous shards, usually harmless bitting into white haired ex-wizard's form.

Toshiro stared at the ice burred in his palms and forearms dumbly, too shocked to even
feel the pain.

'What...?' he thought dumbly 'But that's impossible... Hyorinmaru can't hurt me!'

"AWAKE NOW?!" The crimson pools gazed down at the shocked wizard as the beast
hissed "What the FUCK are you thinking?! ARE you even thinking in the first place?!
Does you puny little brain even realise just what you just allowed that old fucker to do?!
LOOK AROUND YOU GODDAMN FOOL!"

Still not quite over the sock of his companion managing to just do the impossible, he shut
up and did as he was ordered.

And almost fell to his knees.

The icy desert of his inner world was something that most would view as harsh and
desolate place. Full of jagged, frozen spires, snow and howling wind blowing through
frozen sky, it wasn't exactly what one would call hospitable. But it was beautiful in it's
own, harsh way and it's very sight felt oddly comforting to him.

Now, the ice of majestic spires was cracked, broken and...

Toshiro swallowed hard.

...melted. So was the rest of the desert, for that matter. Mangled, melted and broken.

There was no beauty here. Just destruction and ugliness that brought hollow despair to his
heart with a glance alone.

"How...?" He whispered, looking back to dragon.

"With his words, his power and your own fucking indecision and lack of faith... He broke
you. He broke your will. He broke this place. Are you happy now?" The dragon snarled
"You never wanted power... Always threw it away, neglected it, stunted your own
growth... Always shunned my gift.. detested it even at some level... Well then... Now you
won't have to worry about it anymore." The beast said bitterly
"What the hell are you talking about?" Toshiro scowled "So the old man kicked me
around... Big deal. it's not exactly first time we got our assess kicked. Remember
Kenpachi? We got over that then, we'll get over it now.

"DON'T.YOU.FUCKING.SEE?" Hyorimaru ground out slowly "Are your perceptions

THAT fucking off? The old man is litterally suffocating your reiatsu with his own.
Without any true focus to hold it together... Without any resolve... He will close the
power off completely. Seal it so deep inside you that you'll NEVER hear my voice
anymore... Or come here again."

"...WHAT?!"

The dragon just stared at him sullenly and Toshiro felt himself going numb.

Hyorinmaru was an annoying bastard most of the time. The dragon was arrogant,
aggressive and vicious creature and what passed for his sense of humor usually spelled
the trouble for anybody involved, Toshiro included. But...

He also was part of his soul and Toshiro could without exaggeration admit that without
the beast's help and aggressive nature he would have never survived his first months in
Zaraki. And as annoying as he might have been, the dragon was also plenty fun to talk
with and have around. He also was a companion and... a friend.

Not to hear Hyorinmaru's voice anymore... Not to have the comforting weight if it's blade
in hand... No.

Just no.

Not now.

Not ever.

Over his dead and bloody FROZEN body.

Had he looked around, he would notice the desolate desert stop it's slow descent into
melted mess. The spires were still broken and cracked, true. But out of the snowy ground
several small, nearly un-noticeable tips started to show their points.

Once again some one was deciding for him. Once again somebody made the decision that
was HIS to make.

Toshiro growled, his high voice disturbingly similar to Hyorinmaru's raspy growl. The
voice of a rising snow storm, of howling mountain wind of avalanche growing from a
single frozen petal and of lake freezing in an instant.
The old man... Man who he though was his friend... With a glance he turned him into a
quivering, helpless mess.

HELPLESS.

HIM.

Wielder of Hyorinmaru. Man who had more reiatsu than most Gotei 13 platoons.

He wanted to take Hyorinmaru from him. He wanted to make him helpless again.

He wanted to make him weak.

He remembered being weak. He remembered feeling fear day in and day out. Seeing
others die was bad... But the fear, the constant, acidic taste of fear, of terror ruling your
life... Was the worst.

"NO."

Hyorinmaru could feel his icy eyebrows rising up in amazement before his toothy maw
stretched in a savage, bone chilling grin.

If anybody listened to the boy now they wouldn't have found any difference between
dragon's mighty roar and the white haired boy's timbre.

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni almost felt like like sighing as he slowed his strike just
enough to knock the child out instead of killing him. Though death might be seen as
mercy in his case. To have a part of your soul sealed...

Still, this was for the best. He had known of the boy ever since he had come to Soul
Society. After all, manifesting a zanpakuto of that power wasn't something he could
overlook. He allowed the boy to do as he pleased for some time, watching over him and
even befriending him when he came to inner Rukongai. He didn't need to, but the boy
was amusing to watch and the old commander-general geniuinly liked the sarcastic,
slightly scathing humor displayed by the the brat. Even with his zanpakuto, Yamamoto
decided to wait before inducting the boy into Gotei 13. He had high hopes for him, very
high hopes indeed.

With his powerful zapakuto, quick mind and obvious power the boy was a definite
captain material. One of the best to come around in centuries, in fact. With some training,
seasoning and guidance the boy might soon be a second Shunsui or Ukitake without too
much trouble.
He had such high hopes... Only to have them crushed when the boy failed like that.
Captain potential or no, he simply couldn't have somebody like that become a shinigami.
It seemed he had misjudged the lad's character after all.

If he had less power, less potential, then he would let the matter slide.

The lad would be an excellent addition to purely combat units, like Eleventh or Sixth
division, and would be kept firmly under control. But a captain with that kind of attitude?
The Academy wouldn't straighten him out, he was already too powerful for most of the
instructors and would gain skill quickly. And once in the Gotei 13 proper, he would grow
in power as well.

No.

This was the only way.

Maybe if the lad learned his lesson sometime later in his life, he would help him unseal
his power, but even then, he would never be as powerful as he could have been.

For a brief moment, before the rod hit, Yamamoto felt each and every day out of many
centuries that made up his life and closed his yes.

Only to open them in surprise when he felt the rod hitting something far more solid than
flesh and bone.

The boy was still on his knees, his face still bowed but between his head and the rod there
was a gleaming edge of an unusually long katana.

"My. Name. Is. HITSUGAYA. TOSHIRO." the boy growled out, pushing the rod away
from his head with each word.

Yamamoto flash stepped back when the blade finally cut the wood and his eyebrows shot
up a tad.

Sure, it was wood but he had been pouring some reaitsu in it. For the boy to not only nick
it, but actually cut it...

Yamamoto looked at the white haired child carefully.

The boy was standing now, despite the fact that amount of power he was putting out
would knock any low level shinigami by it's presence alone. Unlike before, his reiatsu
was easily repelled, the boy's own spiritual power pushing out into visible, icy blue
spectrum.

Yamamoto smiled behind his beard.

The boy just might have what it takes to go the distance, after all.

Still, he needed to make sure.

"Well then, Hitsugaya Toshiro. Since you were kind enough to give me your name, I can't
do any less, can I?" he shrugged his haori off, letting it fall and took out the Ryujinjakka
from behind his obi, allowing it to take on it's true form of a long katana, not unlike the
boy's own. The blades were, in fact, almost disturbingly similar.

"I am Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni. General of Seiretei's armed forces and

Commander-General of Gotei 13." He was old, powerful and skilled. He didn't need to
unseal his zanpakuto to show it. Of course, that meant less power, but he didn't want to
crush the boy. Just to test him.

"That is very impressive youngster. You standing there, that is." he said, opening his eyes
fully, allowing bits of his true power to shine through. This ammount of reiatsu left most
non-seated shinigami blubbering wrecks. The boy didn't even so much as twitch.

'Very impressive.' He thought, his respect for the child rising a notch

"But tell me... Is your that extent of your resolve. Just standing there?" Yamamoto asked,
rising an eyebrow quisically "Or can you actually move?"

The boy raised up his head, and the old shinigami could see his eyes for the first time.

It took all he had to keep his composure instead of breaking out sake bottles and cackling
in triumph.

They were two pools of focused, deadly jade, positively glowing with power.

"Hey... Old man...?" Toshiro said slowly "Your reiatsu... It has a very distinctive smell...
One of ash and brimstone. That zanpakuto of yours... It's fire, isn't it?

Yamamoto's eyebrows shot up. To feel the nature of a sealed zanpakuto... The boy was
truly amazingly gifted. Last person to reach that level was Urahara.

"And if it is?"

The boy chuckled softly and his reiatsu started to lick his frame, liting it and the blade
balanced on his shoulder with bluish sparks.

Yamamoto looked with interest as the very ground around the young would-be shinigami
and even the nearby river started to freeze slowly before the boy so much as brought out
his shikai.
Yamamoto looked on with a degree of fascination as the boy's eyes started to gain slitted,
reptilian pupils and his voice dropped into raspy growl with each word.

"It's just that, you know... Hyorinmaru and I... We HATE fire."

Comments?

EDIT: Okay, this is MOSTLY cleaned up version. Typos, some grammar issues and little
bit of formatting. Other than any mistakes that still remain, this is pretty much as close to
final version as it gets. I'm going to leave this for a while and concentrate on chapter two
and other fics for now. And there is still rest of Revenant to edit.

--------------------
Well, this is it. Frozen Ring 2 is almost finished. Plotwise, that is. Typos are propably
there, though I tried to avoid them. Still, this is ME we're talking about. There's bound to
be some. The Harry/Yamamto fight/test/duel thingy gets resolution... And for you
Matsumoto fans - our favourite blonde bombshel practically monopolises nearly half of
the chapter... to our wizard-turned-shinigami's chargrin, torture and... Well, that would be
telling.

Oddly enough, writting the battle scene I had the Ghost In the Shell Inner Universe
running through my mind. I have NO IDEA why. And, to add insult to injury, the
finishing scenes had the Lithium Flower (the closing song to GITS: Stand Alone
complex) running full swing, both on Winamp (which was set to 'random') and through
my head. Weird.

So, without further ado...

Frozen Ring

A Harry Potter/Bleach corssover fanfiction by Fosfor

(Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, HP. Don't own much of anything really.)

Wind rose as if on it's own.

Cold.

Fierce.

He closed his eyes, rising his head up, letting the touch of arctic chill caress it.

'That is a good wind.'

Dragon's voice was colder than th wind, sound of breaking glaciers filling it witohut a
pause.

'Yessssss.'

Fiercer thant the wind, but calmer.

No... Not calmer.

Majestic.

He smiled, feeling the zanpakuto's blade growing colder with each second, a hiss of
freezing air getting progressively louder to his ears, chilly bite of winter touching his arm.

But the cold didn't bother him.

He welcomed it.

It was like a caress of the lover after a long journey, like a greeting of a mother after a
long absence. Like comming home.

'You are right... This is a good wind.' He smiled. For the first time in a long while, he
didn't smirk, grin or scowl.

He just... smiled.

Avalanches roared and mountains split.

Hyorinmaru laughed.

'Welcome back, brat. Are you here to stay?'

'Stay?' He opened his eyes and the twin jades gleamed 'No. We are going forward.
Forward to the end. And if the ground shall not carry our steps...'

He brought the zanapakuto to his face, looking at the gleaming blade. Long, deadly,
sharp... Most beautiful thing in any world.
'Do you rememnber what you said when we met... Hyorinmaru?'

Hyorinmaru's maw opened, showing rows of jagged teeth in a grin.

'Then do it... Keeper of the Ring... Lord of Winter... Do it. Coat the firmament in ice and
snow so it may carry my steps. Let me walk the sky and sit upon the frozen throne...'

He looked at Yamamoto, who stared in rapt fascination as the pale blue of rleased reiatsu
turned arctic, cold and, above all, powerful.

Toshiro's eyes became hard and colder than any ice a s his power exploded outward.

The words that came out of his mouth were more akin to beastly snarl than a voice of a
small child.

"Sit upon the frozen heavens...HYORINMARU!"

Yamamto grinned under his beard as the long pillar of ice with a face of the dragon
rushed straight for him.

Power, focus, control... With that one, single attack the boy just showed more prowess
than shinigami CENTURIES his senior.

He batted the attack with Ryujinjakka only for his smile to get even wider when he had to
use shyunpo to block the blade that followed it.

Toshiro's small form twisted like an eel when he cleared the gap between them, letting
loose a barrage of strikes. The length of his zanpakuto didn't seem to matter to the boy as
he twisted, slashed and stabbed at the old shinigami.

'Reducing my reach advantage by getting close and keeping me on the defensive...

Clever. Good instincts, boy.' He thought with aprooval 'But charging the enemy head on
without knowing his capabilities... That's a mistake.' He used the boy's momentum to
block his zapakuto, allowing the blade to slide down in the shower of sparks until it hit
his tsuba. With a burst of strength he used his size and force of Toshiro's swing to send
him flying 'That's why you don't attack larger opponents head on... But you will lear-' His
eyes widened when he saw soething shar and fast closing in on his head. 'What?!'

In the air Toshiro grinned, twisting the hilt and adding even more speed to the chain.

'Hyorinmaru isn't just a sword, old man.' He thought with a smirk.

Yamamoto's eyes widened as he saw something he, at first, took for a shuriken twist in
the air, the scythe-like crescent once again going for his head.
'Manriki kusari?' He thought astonished. 'Is that his shikai...? But I saw only a sword after
the... release...' He smiled. "Nice one, boy... Ice, wind... Blade for close in and a chain...
That's some zanpakuto you have there. But the more complicated the weapon is... THE
HARDER IT IS TO CONTROL!" He said gleefuly, striking at the cahin and using it to
bring the young man down to the ground, child's body hitting up a dust cloud as it met the
ground.

'Well, that's that.' He eyed up falling debris with a critical eye "Maybe I shouldn't have
done that so hard." he muttered, only for his eyes to widen.

Instead of the boy, there was a large ice pillar, with the crescent blade in it... And a chain
that rose up.

'What?'

"I've been WAITING for you to do that." Came the voice from above, right before the ice
pillars struck his position.

Yamamoto cursed under his breath with humor as he backed away using shyunpo.

'Splendid... Not even a shinigami yet... And so much control and synchronisation with his
weapon without any formal training... The boy is a natural!' He thought gleefuly only to
use shyunpo again, as yet ANOTHER ice pillar bloomed.

'Fast! Too fast!' His eyes widened 'Unless...' He took initiative for the first time since the
fight began and let loose a portion of his power, swinging straigth at the boy's postion...
Only to hit air.

'Natural indeed...' He thought with geniune respect 'He copied my shyunpo, that little
sneak! He copied my shyunpo by instinct and observation alone!' He almost laughed out
loud. 'Last person do that was Yoruichi! My boy... You are a MARVEL! What other
surprises are you holding, I wonder?' He thought, a gleam entering his old eyes. 'How far
can you go... Show it to this old man!'

And indeed he did.

With every swing, with every exchange of blows, with every feint, every pillar of ice,
Yamamoto went a little faster, hit a little harder, his moves became little more
sophisticated... And the boy was there, rising to every challange, matching him blow for
blow.

Only one of his own missed blows cut the stones in half, Yamaoto realised that this wasn't
a test anymore... They were going on a level usually reserved for the seated officers!

The boy... a stripling with no training and barely few years with a zanpakuto fought like
an elite shinigami!
Oh, his blows were too forceful, his techniqe crude and he wasted power and energy...
But those were minor concerns. If he managed to do it being pretty much raw skillwise...
What would he be able to do with proper tutelage?

And the boy... No. The young man learned with a terryfing speed. Already his swordwork
improved, stabs becoming faster, swings less wild and more focused, loosing much of
their wasteful nature. And he caught the brat copying his OWN slashes, basic as they
were, and using them on him!

He forowned thougtfully, batting away the stab, only to block the chain.

The boy had more than proven himself to him twice over. But... Yamamoto was curious.
For the first time in centuries, he felt his warrior's blood warm in anticipation, his spirtual
force rising with joy.

'Last time I felt that... Was with Shunsui and Ukitake.' He thought with a wistful smile,
before his resolve hardened. 'Forgive this old man, Hitsugaya Toshiro... This is not a test
anymore... but please, indulge this old man's curiosity alittle longer.' He thought and
pumped more of his reiatsu into explosive force of his arms that sent his opponent to the
ground.

"Very good. Very, very good... But show me... Show me where your limits are!" He
thundered, brandishing the Ryujinjakka "Burn all to ASH, RYUJINJAKKA!"

And with his words... Hell opened it's gates.

He thought he knew power.

"Huuu... Haaa... Huuu..."

He really did.

"Haa... haa...Huuu..."

Power ruled most of his life. Power ruled his death as well.

"Huuu....Gah...Huuuu..."

Nothing.

He knew NOTHING.

Now he only knew his blood pumping so loud he barely heard his thoughts.
He knew blood that should drip down his face, but flaked off frozen by Hyorinmaru's icy
touch

And the only sound he knew... was of his own heaving breath.

And the cracking of fiery HELL held by the monster of the man before him.

His hands shook, muscles tired, burning with an agonizing ache even Hyorinmaru's icy
grip couldn't cool.

His lungs were on fire with every breath he took.

His legs felt like lead.

Chilly glint in his eys diminished, as his reiatsu leaked all over.

The black and white spots danced like feverish dervishes.

"Huuuuuu...."

Lead turned to jello.

He swayed, nearly falling to his knees...

He bit his lip savagely, stabbing the Hyorinmaru to the ground, stubbornly refusing to
fall.

The blood chilled and froze, leaving a crimson trail from his lips.

'This..this is MAD!'

"Ghwaaa..."

'How can... How can... anyone..have... something like THIS!'

His eyes, blurry as they were, could see the figure with very essence of fire closing in
steadily.

He thougt he knew what shikai was... He saw other shinigami unseal theirs... He knew
HIS OWN.

But this... this THING...

When Yamamoto unsealed it, hell broke loose. Literally.

Toshiro licked his parched lips, pulling outt he zanpakuto from the earth with shaking
hands.

Though he didn't know what for.

Once he unsealed...IT... His ice... His mighty ice colder than the Arctic... Simply
evaporated.

It didn't melt, crack or fall apart.

Once it was there... then it was vapour.

Just. Like. That.

And now... He was closing...IT in hand.

He glanced at his weapon and would have grimaced, had he the strength.

He could barely hold the sword straigth, his shaking, tired hands making the grip more
unsteady with each second.

And even worse... He couldn't move.

This was it.

This was his limit.

He was done.

And the man still closed in.

He could feel the heat from..IT. Worse... He could feel his gaze. Calculating. Powerful.

Mocking.

'That's all you can do?' They seemed to say 'That is the limit, isn't it? Pity.'

'Yes... He KNOWS... This is... all I had... There is no more...' Toshiro thought tiredly

It was like Voldemort all over again... Like watching Sirius fall because he wasn't good
enough... Like watching Cedric DIE because he was involved...and not strong enough...

'No GOADDMIT!' He raged 'I...I...REFUSE! Not this way! I changed! I'm not that
PERSON ANYMORE! Not like that... I won't LET IT END THIS WAY!' he thought
depserately 'Move...MOVE MOVEMOVEMOVEMOVE!' He shrieked mentally

Then the Ryujinjakka swung.

'NO!'

And the world broke into shards of glass.

He opened his eyes.

There was snow at his back.

There was ice in the sky.

"Now this feels...familiar..." He muttered, rising up tot he sitting postion, only to blink.
"Or maybe not." He ammended with wide eyes.

Glaciers, icicles, frozen rivers...

But...

He stood up and stared.

They were.. small...

Or...

His eyes widened even further and he looked down.

And down.

And down...

Whatever he was standing on was... large... Almost as large as...

A giant head twisted, maw stretching into a fierce grin, red eyes glowing like lamps.

"Boo."

He yelped, sliding back and stopping in the last minute.

He looked at the dragon, eyebrow twitching.

"I hate you." He muttered

"Feeling's mutual, brat." Said the grinning beast "Enjoying the wiev?"

He looked at the ground.

"Actaully, now that you mention it... Yeah." He sat comfortably "I never suspected you
were this large."

"I'm not." said the dragon gleefuly

"What?" Toshiro blinked, before yelping as they...twisted. And the ground started to
move. FAST.

"What the bloody hell?!" Screeched the boy, holding for dear life.

The gleeful crackling of avanlanche and another mad twist was his answer.

"Look around, you blind brat!" Roared the dragon, his voice almost explosing with glee

"'Look around? What are you...'" He looked left and froze

It was long, wide and gleamed in the sun like most precious jewel. Ot rather a pair of
them.

"My god..." he breathed "Hyorinmaru you bastard... You have WINGS!" he said with
amazement "Since when you got wings?!"

The maw twisted to him, obvious glee on it's fierce features.

"Don't you understand yet?" The beast laughed at his stupfied expression "Your refusal to
give up... Your courage... Your power and resolve...You GAVE them to me! You were
finally ready!" His grin turned savage "And now... We don't need to crawl...to walk.." The
dragon roared, and stretched the two magnificent wings, before plummeting straight to
the ground.

"Hyorinmaru, you bloody repitle... WE WILL CRASH!" Toshiro shrieked.

"Crash? No. WE WILL FLY!"

The world exploded in white.

*
It took all composure earned through his long life to prevent Yamamoto from breaking
out into a joyful jig.

He upped the ante to the level most shinigami never reached, he crancked it up to elite, he
even went so far as to UNSEAL his zankapkuto! He even actually USED it!

And the boy STILL stood, giving as good as he got.

He stood when a vice-captain level shinigami turned into sobbing, blubbering messess
incapable of so much as whimpering.

Granted, by now standing was all that he COULD do, exhausted and beaten up as he was
but...

'Magnificent!' Yamaoto smiled 'My boy... You have not only matched my expectations...
You have utterly SHATTERED them!' He thought with joy "You are truly wor-'

"..y.. r..nm..."

His eybrows shot up as the small petals of snow started to litter the ground.

What was he...?

"...f..y.."

The cloudy jades cleared, looking at him sharply.

"FLY, HYORINMARU!"

Reiatsu exploded in rogy of icy destruction, pillars of ice rising tot he heavens, wind
howling, snow dancing in the sudden blizzard.

Yamamoto covered his eyes from the suden storm of ice and power... Power that was
dreadfully... inevitably... Familair.

"It can't be...!" He thought with utter astonishment as the snowstorm cleared

Yamaoto Genryusai Shigekuni, Head of Armed Fources of Soul Society, Commander-

General of Gotei 13 could only stare as two magnificent wings of purest ice urofled from
the child's back, three icy flowers blooming over them, glistening in the sun like
diamonds.

"Dai Guren Hyorinmaru..." The boy breathed out smirking, before turning thoughtful
"And before I forget... Bankai." He deadpanned.

For the third time in his extraordinarly long lifetime... Yamamoto honestly had no idea
what to say.

He opted for boggling.

It seemed like the right thing to do.

He opened his eyes lazily.

'Welcome back to the world of the living, brat.' The dragon's voice was even more
grumpy than usual 'Had a nice nap?'

He glared at the zanpakuto stabbed into the ground next to him.

'Bite me.' Toshiro groused, rising painfully

His whole body ached like hell. The half-healed wound didn't help the matters any.

Still, he grit his teeth and rose up, taking Hryorinmaru from the ground and assuming the
defensive position.

'No.'

"What?" Toshiro frowned

'You're not training anymore today. You're not unsealing me either.' Said the dragon
calmly. 'So don't even try.'

'Should I remind you just who has the driver's seat here, you bastard?' Toshiro growled
'I'm the one giving orders here.'

'Not when you are as fucked up as you are you're not.' Any sings of pissy arrogance and
playfull viciousness were gone from the dragon's cold voice 'You're stopping this
nonsense. NOW.'

"Are you fucking KIDDDING ME?!" The young shingami snarled "You saw what that
BASTARD did and you're telling me to STOP?! Are you MAD?!"

'Yes. And I would bet that between us two... You're the one who has his head screweed up
more.' The calm was unshakable 'What you are doing isn't training... It's beating yourself
up for something you had no power over and messing yourself up further. You are
wounded, tired and barely able to think straight. I humored you long enough, but this
childlish tantrum ends here and NOW.' There was undeniable steel in the crackling
avalanche'

"CHILDISH TANTRUM?!" He snarled "Why YOU FUCK-!"

'Well that's real mature. What will you do next, stop your legs and cry because you didn't
get a lolipop? Go on a rampage and tear a block or two apart like one of Zaraki's men?'
Hyorimaru raised his mental eyebrow 'Stop behaving like some child or a fucking 11th
division MORON with muscle in place of a brain and start acting like a fucking 10th
division CAPTAIN and elite Shinigami you are supposed to be, brat!'

Toshiro scowled, opening his mouth and... Stopped.

He sighed heavily. His anger wasn't going away and the hours spent supposedly venting
only aggravated his half-healed injuries further.

As much as he hated it, the dragon was right.

'Well, I kind of USUALLY am, you know.' The beast groused

"Don't push it." Muttered the young shinigami

'Working himself to death like that... Bloody ingrate.'

Toshiro smiled.

Sometimes the fierce, high and mighty Hyorinmaru, self proclamied 'manliest badass'
among the zanpakuto could be such a mother hen it was amusing.

'I HEARD that!' Snapped said 'manliest badass'.

Hitsugaya rolled his eyes, sheathing his compaion, wincing int he process.

Unfortunately, the dragon was REALLY right this time. He was beat up, aching and
exhausted, both mentally and physically.

There was no point in training like that.

He forowned, fingering his clothes with disgust.

Holes, tears, rips...

'Hell, I must look like a junior version of Kenpachi right now. Though I can see why he
uses that ripped haori... Less restricint this wa-' He froze before shuddering. 'That's it. No
more training today. I'm starting to go insane.'

He stalked out of the 10th division training ground and stopped.

He took care of all of the overdue, current and advance paperwork he had while he was
stil recuperating. So that meant, for the FIRST TIME EVER... that he had no more work.

And he couldn't train.

Ergo... He had NOTHING to do.

He had... free time.

LOTS of it.

His mind couldn't wrap itself around the concept somehow.

The way he had become a shinigami and a captain - practically at once - meant that he
had work hard. First it was the exams during the academy, which he ended in one year,
and that's just because of Kido and added strategy and administrative lessons with
Ukitake (he KNEW that the Old Man groomed him for position, he just didn't know
WHICH one) and then a 'quick tour', being passed around to each and every division,
learning the basic workings of any Shinigami discipline and Gotei 13 inside and out...
And then, the captiancy.
Which, no thanks to Matsumoto, meant endless forms, papers, documents...

Matsumoto was an excellent vice-captain. She was intelligent, strong, bright, capable and
loyal to him to a fault.

Though they seemed like night and day, being dfferent on so many levels it wasn't even
funny, they worked together like a well oiled, perfectly designed machine since the day
one.

Fighting, working, planning... It didn't matter. Matusmoto might seem like a careless
airhead, more interested in drinking and partying, but once things got rough, she was
ALWAYS there. Ready to assist, give advice or even risk death and spill her blood (which
she DID) to support him in any way possible.

Unless there was paperwork involved.

Paperwork, it seemed, was a bane of her lexistence and an enemy number one to his
lovely, if INFURIATING vice-captain. Enemy that was to be avoided at ALL COSTS.

He raged, he scowled, he ranted.. But deep inside, he just sighed and picked up the slack.
Matsumoto was Matsumoto was Matsumoto. And, to be honest, it was a very small price
to pay for her unwavering loyalty and support.

But if the paperwork was done...

Mind boggled.

Free time. NO paperwork.

What an UTTERLY alien concept.

So... He could go and sleep it off. He was tired, after all.

But no. His mind was too restless. Even if he did manage to catch an hour or two, he
would end up more exhausted than before.

Round of Go with Ukitake? Oh. Right. The man, due to his sickness and extnesive
experience, filled the temporary captaincy for the 9th and 3rd divisions.

Read?

He shuddered.

He liked to read, even more so once he came to the Soul Society but last bout of
paperwork made looking at anything written almost nauseating.

And... Hinamori was stil in coma.

He clenched his teeth, refusing to think of her, of Aizen, of betrayal, lest he get pissed
AGAIN.

'Damn.' He scowled 'Nothing to do... Am I really such a workaholic?'

'Brat, you spend roughly eigth hours a day at your office or leading troops. You spend
next two training then even more reading up on kido, reiatsu manipulation or some other
garbage...' Drawled Hyorinmaru 'Aside from your work about the only thing you do for
fun are rounds of Go with Ukitake... Which basically turn into advanced strategy lessons.
Tell me, ARE you a workaholic?' The beast deadpanned.

'Quiet, you.' The young captain scowled

'Face it, brat. You have NO life. Work, train, sleep. And bitch a lot. That's about all you
do. Name at least ONE day during last year that wasn't connected to work. And no, the
Crybaby doesn't count, beacuse you meet her during work hours.'

Hitsugaya opened his mouth, before closing it soundlessly.

'See what I mean?' Hyorinmaru said smugly. 'When was the last time you even went out
anywhere just for fun, huh?'

"Well there WAS this godawful hotspring trip with Matsumoto..." he muttered, still
wanting to shudder at the memory. It was one of the most embarassing times in his life.
Period. Damn that Shigami Women's Association and their clandar! And who the HELL
told Matsumoto about his demented fangirls - sorry - the 'Hitsugaya-sama Love Fanclub'
from the academy days anyway?! Damn love struck shotacons!

'Yeah, now THAT was fun. But you went only because she MADE you. So it doesn't
count.'

'Don't remind me.' Hitsugaya winced. Matsumoto had the Puppy Dog Eyes trick down to
perfection. In his opinion it should be listed as the 100-class kido and banned from use.
It's power was just inhumane. Even the dreaded Soi Fong caved to Matsumoto Puppy
Dog Eyes. Or should it be Kitten Eyes?

'Okay... That's it. If I'm starting to debate the Puppy Dog eyes vs. Kitten Eyes question...
I'm officially overworked.' He thought with a grimace.

'That's exactly what I had been trying to tell you, brat!' Groused the dragon 'Go and
unwind. Cover yourself in green jello, buy a porn mag, pick a chick, or two or three -
hell, your pay is more than enough for hundred of extravaganzas! hell, if anything else
fails, take a leaf from your bombshell of a vice-captain and go barhopping! I'm partial to
option two and three, personally. Getting a laid and drinking yourself under the table
would do you loads of good. And I wouldn't mind a bottle of sake myself.'

'Oh great... Comments on my love life again.' Toshiro palmed his face 'What the HELL is
your problem, you perv?'

'My problem is that you don't have any and since you hit puberty, it started making you
cranky.' Said the dragon petulantly 'I HATE it when you're cranky. You get even bitchier
than usual.'

'Shut up.' Snapped the white haired teen with a scowl 'God... I can't BELIEVE this... I'm
actually ARGUING with my zanpakuto!

'And losing.' Suplied the dragon smugly

Toshiro gritten his teeth, counting backwards.

There were times he would give EVERYTHING to trade places with Kenpachi.

'Aww, but you know you love me!'

Toshiro resisted the urge to scream through sheer force of will.

Why him?!
*

In the end he decided to take Hyorinmaru's advice. Not the whoring or drinking ojne, but
the walk was something he could agree with.

At least the dragon stopped bitching and being annoying.

More than usual, that is.

Though he was worn out, he still had more than renough juice for moderate shyunpo, so
he had found himself fair distance from Siereitei fairly quickly.

He wandered around aimlessly for a few hours and, amazingly, found his overworked,
stressed mind calming down.

'This... actually this isn't bad.' He thought with amazement, feeling the nightly breeze on
his face. The moon was full and bright overhead, the night was quite warm and
peaceful... He could grow to like this.

'I really should get out more often.' He thought taking in a deep breath of night air.

'Peace, quiet...'

He blinked when a figure landed with a muffled curse right in front of him.

'What. The. HELL?'

Toshiro fronwed, turning to the source, noticing the open bar door and hearing the
obvious sounds of a party and tell tale sounds of a brawl going strong.

"Oi." He looked at the former flier "You all right?"

The man, a tallish, rugged young man with ash blonde hair winced, but stood up gingerly.

"Yeah... Nothing broken... Aside from my pride, maybe." he winced, rubbing his torso
"DAMN but for a hot chick she hits hard!"

"A...chick?" Toshiro raised an eyebrow "A woman did this to you?"

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, shrimp." The man rubbed his torso again "You wouldn't laugh if
SHE decked you and sent you flying like that."

"Shrimp?" Toshiro's eyebrow twitched, but he decided to let it go. He was too damn tired.
"If you wanna go fer a drink... Don't." The man straightened up, sweeping his figure with
a careful look, stopping at his hair. "'specially wit that hair. Believe me man, ya don'
wanna piss her off."

"What does HAIR have with anything?" Toshiro asked with interest

"Well, dunno, to tell the truth." The man scratched his chin "But once that gal started
drinkin', once o' the guys offered ta buy her a drink. All friendly like an' stuff. And she
just... went nuts!"

"Well yes, but why the hair play a role?" Toshiro pressed, rolling his eyes

"I'm GETTIN' to it, runt!" muttered the man

'All right, that's IT.' Thought Toshiro furiously

Next thing the story teller knew there was a really long, really sharp looking edge inches
from his face.

"I suggest you 'get to it' faster." Said Hitsugaya with a polite tone and grin colder than
arctic.

"Well, that's because tha guy, my buddy 'ctually, was a blonde! Very pale plonde, almos'
white... And she jus' went nuts and started rantin' 'bout 'bleach haired foxy smilin'
bastards' an' started ta tear th' place apart, kickin' the shit outta any blonde guys in tha
hood!" the man said quickly, sweating bullets.

'Bleach haired foxy smili-'' Toshiro's eyes widened

"The woman.... How does she look like?" He said lowering his sword with a sinking
feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Tall, blonde.. Hot like hell... And she got breasts...MAN does she got breasts" The
gangly thug shook his head in awe "And legs... Body... Ya don't see a babe like her
everyday, let me tell ya. Seein' those gazongas move... almost makes it worth gettin'
smacked 'round!" he said with a far away look, licking his lips "Hell, she must'a be
wildcat in the sack! That mouth of her must suc-urk!"

"One more word... Just one more word about her.. And I will make sure you will never
speak again, are we clear?" Toshiro's voice was sharper and colder than the Hyorinmaru's
edge that pressed at the thugs jurgular.

"Y-yeah." The man nodded shakily 'What the HELL is this brat?! First that chick and
now...' His eyes went over the kid with the sword, this time with more than just casual
interest. He ignored the black robes, since they were to riped to be actual shinigami
uniform - no shinigami would wear such rags - and stopped at the face, with two eyes
glowing like polished jades, cold expression and snowy white hair.

"Holy shit...!" The thug paled "It's you!" He tried to swallow. "That was a honest mistake,
man! I had no idea she was your woman! We didn't know! Please don't kill us!"

Toshiro blinked.

"You know me?" he asked surprised.

"Know ya?" The man boggled "I know OF ya, man! EVERYBODY in this part of
Rukongai does! You're Hebi-gan no Toshiro! The guy who survived Kenpachi and who
took out Takezo the Claw and his posse!"

'Serpent eye...? Though this place DOES seem famliar, come to think of it.'

'Whooo.... You got nicknames, brat. Niiiiiice. Though Dragon Eye would be better,
Serpent Eyes is still not bad.'

'It sounds bloody ridiculous' Toshiro rolled his eyes 'And who the hell was this 'Takezo
the Claw' anyway ?

'Didn't we fight a guy with that idiotic, oversized kama somewhere around here?'
Muttered the dragon thoughtfully 'Him and his thugs... They ran a white slavery ring
here, if I remember correctly. Didn't they try to kindap you?

'THAT moron?' Toshiro thought with surprise 'Geeez... I almost forgot all about him.'

"What happend to ya, man?" Asked the thug curiously. "Everybody thought ya're
eliminating tha competition, buildin' yer own group or somethin'... Plenty o' guys wanted
to join you! But you never stayed. Just went south..." his eyes widened, before looking at
him speculatively "But now you're here...and She's with you... You're doing it?"

"Doing what?" Toshrio asked sheatihing Hyorinmaru

"Oh don' play me man... There haven't been a good kingpin since ya took out Takezo...
everybody still scared of you, man! And now you come... with a hot, strong chick..." he
shook his head in awe "Shit, but no WONDER she's so strong, bein' Hebi-gan's woman
and all! That's HELL of a gang you must have there, on the south!

Toshiro stared, opening his mouth to correc the man, before stopping.

He just couldn't resist. He blamed it on spending too much time with Matsumoto.

"The best one." He said calmly. "The best one there is.... man."

Hyorinmaru's bout of mad laughter resounded in his head long after he walked through
the door of the cheap bar.

He ducked under the flying and - true to the thug's words - pale blonde body without
breaking the stride.

'Now finding drunk Matsumoto...? Easy. Just follow the chaos.' he thought sarcastically.

True to form, his vice-captain was sitting in the thick of things, holding a battered looking
thug uder her foot, pressed tot he ground and other at Hainkeko's point, sweating as she
poked him, giggling, muttering and drinking. Nearly all at once. It was atotal mystery
how she managed to down the drinks.

He raised his eyebrows.

There was a free circle around her, one strewn with bodies.

Fortunately live bodies.

'At least she didn't kill anyone.' He thought with a sigh, shaking his head

'Well, most of the guys here won't beeating solid meals for a while.' Pointed out
Hyorinmaru before whistling 'Look at THAT guy... Now that takes skill and a REALLY
vicious mind! Whooo, brat...That woman is my new hero!'

'Psycho.' Toshiro shook his head.

'Well, since I'm part of your soul, what does that make you?' shot back the dragon
smugly.

'Guy with a psychotic MPD?' Tosiro deadpanned closing in on his, obviously PISS drunk
but still hellishly effective fukutaicho.

He didn't even notice the murmurs that started when peple noticed his eyes and hair... and
the Hyorinmaru on his back,

He DID notice, however, the pople making like a Red Sea before him.

He stopped few steps away from his leuitenant and looked at her for a while.

She mus have changed out of her shinigami robes, since she only wore a loose green
yukata, but Haineko was, as always, by her side.
She didn't have her scarf, though the ever present necklace dngled between her partially
uncovered breasts, clevage deep and wide in typical Matsumoto-ish fashion.

She was flushed from drinking, her hair slightly fdishleved and she was swying on the
stool lightly, but her hand hel the haineko in asecure grip, not even wavering and her eyes
were eurpisingly clear for somebody who had a night of drinking behind herself.

Though it would help if thoe eyes weren't focused entirely on her sake.

Toshiro coughed.

Rangiku giggled.

Toshiro scowled.

Matsumoto muttered.

'Well if anything else fails...'

He straigthened up, taking the special 'Matsumuto-where-the-HELL-is-my-

PAPERWORK?!' tone.

"MATSUMOTO!"

The blonde bombshell yelped, nearly spilling the sake, her panicked eyes makcing a quck
sweep.

She binked owlishly, spotting a famliar white-haired shape.

"Taicho..." she said with slightly slurred voice, her yes wide "What are you wearing? Did
Kenpachi start a new trend?"

Toshiro STARED.

He finds her tearing apart a bar, beating shit out of thugs and innocents alike... And the
first question is about his FASHION?!

'Only Matsumuto...' He thought resignedly.

"Matsumoto... Can you kindly explain to me.. why the hell are you holding one man on a
sword point and another under your boot?"

She cocked her head thoughtfully.

Then she cocked it again, this time in the opposite direction.

She 'hmmed'.

Then she smield brightly, that typical Rangiku-grin.

"I...have absolutely no idea!" She said cheerfully "But it seemed like a thing to do at the
time, so I'm SURE I had a reason!

Toshiro blinked.

He didn't palm his face, he didn't scream, scowl, rant...

He did only poosble thing in that situation.

He turned to the barman.

"Double of what she's having." he said calmly, sitting at the bar "And her bill. AFTER I
drink the shots."

Matsumoto stared.

Toshiro looked at her.

"What?" hs asked calmly

Her eyes became misty and Toshiro got the sudden, unexplainable feeling of impending
danger.

Danger which was proven to be true when she got a full dose of 'Rangiku BREAST HUG
O' DOOM'.

And a sqeal.

"Wai! Taicho... You're dirnking with me... HOW SWEET!"

"Mat-sumo-to...Can't..BREATHE!" He wheezed

"Ah!" she let him go, nearly falling on her ass in process "Sorry... Still..." her eyes got
misty again. "Your first sake with me... AWWWW!"

Breasts? Toshiro.

Toshiro? Breasts.

Get re-aquantined.

*
"Damn but you're heavy!" Groused the young captain, struggling with nearly prone form
of is leuitnenant

Nearly prone, that is.

"Now now, Taichoooo... That's now way to treat a girl...!" she sing songed, before
breaking int yet another mad giggle that ended with a sudden bout of a pompatic
seriousness only drunk people were capable of. "Not if you want to get lucky, that is."

She burst out giggling again.

Their road from Rukongai looked more or less like that. With compliment of bawdy
drinking songs, embarrassing questions she just HAD to have answered, questions about
her bust size... And so forth, so on ad nauseum.

'Why me? Tell me god?' He thought miserably 'Did I really led such an evil life? Was I
such a bad man?'

Although drinking those shots at the bar was spur of the moment decision, and fairly
stupid one, he realised, it actually helped.

Slight numbness he felt allowed him to distance himself fromt he thought just WHAT hit
his reputation just took due to this...excursion.

Or rather, return.

'This can't get any worse...' He thought sullenly

"Taichoooo... You know... You have quite a cute butt! I never noticed before! Why don't
you show off your butt to me more? Are you made because I don't show you mine?" she
slurred

'Oh yes it can.' he thought resignedly before blnking as he realised his reliable, but now
piss drubk fukutaicho was trying to rise up her yukata.

"Matsumoto!" he scowled at her "Stop it this instant."

She froze, calming down.

"Oh. That's it. I see it." she said, her vocie sounding almost sober "You don- sniff you
don' wanna look at my butt... Because I'm UGLEEEEE!" Her eyes went glassy as she
started sniffing.

It didn't matter that the tears were suspiciously like a crocodile ones... He HATED to see
a woman cry. And she DAMN well knew that.
Toshiro raised his eyes to the heavens for a precious second.

'I. Hate. My .Life.....'

But only for a second. He had a bawling blonde to placate.

He cursed.

Getting Matsumoto to open her door had been an... ardous task.

If not for the fact that he lived in the opposite direction, he would have taken her home,
property be damned!

Still, they, somehow, managed.

Of course, Matsumoto managed to somehow worm herslef around his arms, crying out
gleefuly as he struggled to get her to touch the seal that opened her room.

He was introduced to three important facts then.

One - Matsumoto, despite her volomptous build, was liber like hell.

Two - she was far stronger than she looked.

Three - Those summer yukatas are awfully slippery and fall off easily.

By the time he managed to haul her inside, close the door and find her bed, the green robe
already slipped down her shoulders, revealing even more skin than it already did.

He scowled, trying to fight a blush that he just KNEW was comming.

They called him cold blooded, but her had hormones like everybody else, goddamit!

It was jsut that his two lives taught him better control than most. WEell, that and the fact
that he was tusually far too young for any such.. activities. At least he USED to.

Puberty, he found out, waited for no man.

And his hit with venegance. Just his luck that he had ben in the tender, loving care of 4th
division.

Retsu took too damn much fun in explaining 'the bird and the bees' to him. Not that he
needeed it, his life and death being what they were. Still, Retsu, in that serenly CREEPY
way of hers, insisted.

She was one of the few aware of his real origns and being a medical specialist she
esxplained the... details of his 'spiritual' growth spurt tha would be propably comming
once he started approaching his prime. And since he was 'reduced' when he came to Soul
Socety, his reiatsu was working overtime to 'patch' him to his previous 'spiritual maturity'.
Especially since he achieved a bankai that was yet not complete, as much as wanted to
deny that fact.

Which, in essence, translated to a puberty from HELL.

'Goddamit, woman... You think I'm made of stone?' he thought with a scowl

She stopped giggling, looking at him, her impossibly blue eyes sharp and focused, despite
the drunken flush on her face.

'I wonder why do they say that dark eyes are mystrerious ones?' he thought, strangely
fascinated 'Hers are bright like a smummer sky... And just as unrdeable.' ONly then it
struck him that she was watching him like a hawk. 'Crap? Did I say that out loud? More
importantly... Did I saay thta BEFORE out loud?!' He panicked.

"Taichio..." she whispered huskily

He swallowed, his throat dry.

"I think... I'm gonna be sick." she said becommng slightly green

His eyes widened

'Crap!'

Maybe using shyunpo to get ot the bathroom wasn't most glorious of it's uses, but it got
the job done.

It got his haori, ripped as it was, stained with vomit as well.

He held Rankigu carefully, as not to touch her with the stained part of his robe, allowing
her to vomit in peace.

He shook his head with disgust, eying his clothes.

'Damn. This will never wash' He grimaced 'Well, not like I could have used it anyway,
ripped as it was.

Rankigu heaved for the last time and gestured for the sink.

He helped her to hobble there and as she washed her face and rinsed her mouth, he shed
the soiled outer robe. leaving only the gi pants, only part of his wardrobe that wasn't
ripped, filthy or soiled with vomit.

Pity he never noticed pair of azure eyes spying his reflection, soaking in every detail.

It would saved him lot of embarassment later on.

Though it wouldn't have been nearly as fun.

He scowled, hauling the nearly passed out Matsumoto to her bed.

The shirt he took from the pile of clothes in the bathroom wasn't bad, as far as Rangiku's
things went. It was light blue, a color he could live with, fairly unisex in cut, even iftad
too big. It was the smell that bothered him.

It wasn't that it SMELLED, per say.

No.

The smell was faint scent of fresh apples, cinammon and touch of spice... Not bad at all.

Or it WOULDN'T be bad if it was HER smell.

Which he was intimately familiar with, hauling her half naked body (DAMN that slippery
yukata!) which was fairly saturatet with it.

THough he didn't need it to know that.

Her smell, that unique scent always lingered in the office and on everythin she touched.

Come to think of it...

He frowned, raking through his memory.

Didn't that smell linger around...him...all the time?

His eyes widened.

And Matsumoto always somehow managed to touch him every time after he had a bath
or changed clothes... ALWAYS.

Almost like an animal marking a...

'Wait, no, that's stupid.' He frowned 'Matsumuto's touchy-feely, EVERYBODY knows

that. She's just a damn physical person. That's the way Matsumoto is. She's always
slapping backs, holding arms...' he frowned 'Like, for example, now.'He thought with a
twtching eyebrow.

Rankigu laid on her bed. Clearly comfy, looking liek a cat about to take a nap, her blonde
mane strwen on the pillow, body slightly huddled.

All would be fine and dandy, if not for the fact that she used him, of all people as part
pillow, part teddy bear.

His eyebrow twitched once again.

"Matsumoto... Could you be kind enough to... unhand me?" He said lowly

"Nope. Don't wanna." she yawned

"Matsumoto... I'm NOT staying to be your pillow. And this is hardly proper. Let go." He
said forcefully.

Her azure eyes opened, sharp and clear and...

He hissed a breath.

...And horribly, horribly lost.

"Toshiro... Stay? Please? I.. don't want to be alone now. Not now." she said. Her voce was
calm, no sing of her her usual playfulness. "Not when I...When I think of... Please...

And that scared him. scared him more than he cared to admit.

Especially since he had seen such eyes before. Every time he looked in the mirror in the
morning.

Matsumoto never spoke seriously out of combat. She smiled, joked, slacked off and
reacted in playful, tad theatrical manner that was her trademark.

To hear that hollow, calm and... so lost voice...

He swallowed, his throat dry.

He just nodded, closing his eyes.

Closing his eyes to allow her illusion of privacy as her tears soaked the blue shirt he had
on.

They stayed together until dawn.

And it was okay.

"Hey... Matsumoto?"

"Hmm?"

"In that bar... You nearly killed anyonone whose hair looked like Gin's... But you didn't
even try to hit me... Why? I mean... Me and Gin.. We have very similar hair, after all. And
you weren't exactly in shape to recognize anyone back then. So...why?"

She laughed softly.

"Because, by naive little taicho... There are many men simlar to that bastard... But
Hitsugaya Toshiro is only one. There are no substitutes."

"... I don;t get it." There was confusion "I mean, granted, I'm tad... short "his teeth
DIDN'T grit, oh no. Really 'But it's not like I'm all uniqe..'

She looked at him, her eyes deep and azure endless.

"You aren't short, taicho." she said, a strange, knowing smile on her lips "You are exactly
the way you need to be. And you are unique."

He frowned, freezing as she gripped him tighter.

"And Toshiro?"

"Yes?" His voice came out a strngled croak despte his best efforts as his blood boiled

"I don't tink you're made of stone at all." she said.

The blonde giggled, faling asleep with a content smile on her face.

He stayed awake for a long time after that.

*

Now, if there are people who think that Harry/Toshiro gets his bankai too quickly...
Maybe. But remember several things. Bankai depends on level of 'synchro' wit your
zanpakuto, to a dgree. That, Harry/Toshiro in this fic has up the wazoo. He's had
Hyorinmaru good deal of time, it wasn't like he pulled bankai out of thin air. And he had
the power for it and Yamamoto pushed him beyond his limits while our boy refused to so
much as think of giving up.

Thus bankai. Immature, underdeveloped bankai, since he's not in his 'prime', but he's
getting there. Rather fast, in fact. And notice one fact - despite Harry puling out a bankai,
Yamamoto OWNS him. Totally. And he's isn't going ANYWHERE near full power of his
shikai. Hyorinmaru isn't as poiwerful as it is during Toshiro's captaincy. The fight with
Yamamoto is just scratching the surface.

So... Yeah.

Comments please. Feedback helps write better and pointing out mistakes also helps great
deal.

--------------------
Okay, Waruiko complained about the lack of updates, so here it is.

It isn't a teaser, but it isn't a complete chapter either. I'm too busy to write much, so this is
it for now. Until the weeked at least. Not much, I admit but I'm too damn busy right now.
Enjoy or whatever.

Warning - this is a rush job, as such epect the typos. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Frozen Ring

A Bleach/Harry Potter fanfiction by Fosfor

(Disclaimer: I don't own HP and Bleach. I don't own much of anything really. Not even
my sanity right now.)

*
Chapter 3 (part 1)

The Morning After that will live in infamy...

Seven years of academy in three.

Basic marks for kido.

Slightly above average in zanjutsu.

Hoho...?

Instructors tended not to test her after first year.

Put it plainly... Hasegawa Mina was fast. As in VERY.

She used to have a heart condition and fairly delicate constitution. One that left her
watching others doing a small jog envoiusly. One that left a tall, gangly and somewhat
clumsy girl exhausted after reaching the first floor at moderate pace.

One that eventually killed her just after she passed the exams for the Art College she had
been dreaming about all her life.

But Mina didn't bemoan her fate. On the contrary - she LOVED being dead.

In fact, one of the greatest momments in her life, (or death, or existence, who the hell
cared?) was the konso performed by a friendly, stacked blonde of her now-Vice-captain.

In the Soul Society, she was free. She could walk without panting. She could run... She
could DASH for hours.

That simple thing changed her. Profously.

Then she saw a shinigami doing something... Something great. Something unbelieveable.
Something that etched itself in her mind with block letters, something that beckoned with
a siren song, arcane might of pure essence of speed.

Shyunpo.
She was extatic.

So were her awed teachers who tested gangly young nobody of a soul asking, nay
DEMANDING to be taught with fierce singlemindedness not seen since Kuchiki
Byakuya.

Being dead, she had finally found something to really live for.

Speed. She lived for speed, for pure, unadulterated joy of blurring lines as she entered
that sacred state where pure essence of velocity was a tangible thing.

She was hailed a prodigy not seen since Hitsugaya Toshiro, a shinigami with potential for
a great future in Gotei 13, she had been literally drowned in praise.

Mina, to put it bluntly, didn't give a fuck.

She didn't care about rank, about distinction, about praise.

She had her speed. And her dream.

One day she would run like the fabled Goddess of the Flash, the great Shihouin Yoruichi
herself, whose legend lived even after her desertion.

That was all that mattered.

Well that and seeing the deliciously yummy, if tad cold Hitsugaya-sama without a shirt.

Girl had her needs and proirities. Third in command of the Hitsugaya-sama Love Fanclub
even more so.

Many shinigami resented the messenger duty. It was a tedious, tiring and responsible job,
one that earned little to no accolades.

She loved it.

As a messenger, she could use her shyunpo at will, running around the Soul Society
without restriction or cross looks.

Still, there WERE times when she regretted it.

Like, for example, now.

7.30 in the morning.

Hitsugaya-sama, as adorable as he was, was something of a workaholic. Finding him to

sign several documents? No problem. At this hour, despite the formal functions not
starting before ten, the prodigy captain was already burried in work since seven. In fact,
you could set a clock by him. If it was seven and the young captain wasn't in his office?
Well, your clock was wrong. At seven, Hitsugaya was in his office. No doubts, buts or ifs
about it.

Only this time he wasn't.

It took her nearly ten minutes to shake off the shock.

Hitsugaya-taicho, adorable and well loved by his troops, if notoriously hardass

workaholic commander... WASN'T in his office.

She ran to the training grounds. No bleachy headed and coldly efficient captain training
his troops in sight.

She ran to the Archives.

No bleachy-haired captains there as well.

She checked the 4th division - no scowling teenagers inquiring about the health of 10th
Division soldiers or checking on Hinamroi-fukutaicho.

She checked every nook and cranny, even going so far as to check his home only to draw
a big, fat zero.

Hitsugaya-taichio, voted second most work obsessed shinigami captain right after the
dreaded obsessive maniac known as Soi Fong... wasn't working.

Mind boggled.

She stared at the door, biting her lip nervously.

There was only one person in the whole Seireitei, nay - in the whole Soul Society who
could know where Hitsugaya-taicho was.

It didn't matter if he yelled at her, scowled or if she went drinking for a whole evening - if
it concerned Hitsugaya, Matsumoto-fukutaicho always knew. ALWAYS.

There was a joke running in the Gotei 13 that if you asked Matsumoto-fukutaicho where
some important items or, even worse, critical paperwork got misplaced, you would get an
airy wave, a coy smile and a short speech how to 'not sweat the small stuff'.

But if you asked her about Hitsugaya, she would tell you not only his exact timetable
down to the seconds. She would also know what he ate and when, if he had his morning
tea just the way he liked it, if he felt good or grumpy (or grumpier - Hitsugaya almost
never smiled so it was hard to tell) slept enough, trained in which kido (which he usually
did in private), what book he red and if he liked it, what duties he would assign to the
shinigami under his command before they were even properly planned... It didn't matter
what it was - Matsumoto KNEW.

Gotei 13 thought this an amusing anecdote.

Any 10th Division shinigami knew it was a FACT.

Just as much of a fact was that Matsumoto tended to calmly, inevietably and goddamn
viciously beat the shit out of anyone that so much as joked about it and called it
'babysitting the kid'. 11th Division found about it the hard way. They NEVER did so
again. Indeed, next to Unohana Retsu, unofically nicknamed the 'Unholy Serene Terror'
by the 11th Division troops, Matsumoto was the single most feared woman in the 11th
after that little scuffle. Well, just after the Kusajishi-fukutaicho.

But only just.

11th division learned not to make lewd comments about Matsumoto long before that.
Hitsugaya could be very persuasive. Business end of Hyorinmaru and the two cold jades
radiating chilly promise of violence on Kenpachi-levels made for excellent arguments.

Nedless to say, Kenpachi had one hell of a laugh. After he beat the shit out of his men for
being damn pussies. Though fearing Unohana-taicho, while not encouraged, wasn't
exactly frowned upon.

Nobody knew if it was because Kenpachi was also mildly freaked out by 4th's Captain as
well or becasue he found it amusing.

Though rumors about the two captains beeing seen together since the Aizen's betrayal
might be one of the reasons. 11th and 4th divisions went oddly pale and tight lipped
whenever it was mentioned.

Well, except for Yumichika, who thought it was natural that 'the beautiful people are
drawn to each other'.

Nobody commented. Nobody dared, for many reasons. Sanity and continued mental
health being one of them.

So now she fretted, chewed her lip and paced.

On the one hand, Matsumoto-fukutaicho would know where Hitsugaya-taichi was. No

buts, ifs and maybes.

She would.

On the other hand, walking Matsumoto after night of drinking before at least ten...
Mina paled.

Nobody did that.

NOBODY.

Even Hitsugaya.

Hungover Matsumoto roused before her time meant tired, snippy and vidictive
Matsumoto.

And vindicitve Matsumoto was a terror to behold.

She wouldn't yell. She wouldn't threated. She wouldn't curse.

She'd smile, that strangely serene smile so unlike her usual fliratioius turn of the lips,
look with that soulful blue eyes... And then she would calmly, cheerfully and inevitably
make the life of offending party an utter HELL without so much as lifting a finger in a
violent manner.

She had seen grown men, utter badasses at that, CRY and whimper after being subjected
to one of - thankfully - excedingly rare examples of her vendetta.

Still, Matsumoto was fair. And Mina had her orders.

Gently, she knocked.

Once. Twice.

Then a third time.

There was silence.

She sighed, before hitting the door in a firm stacatto of quick knocks.
There was a muffled curse and a sound of lumbering steps.

'Oh this SO isn't good...' she thought with a sinking feeling.

Her fukutaicho must have hit the sake hard yesterday.

With a resigned sigh, Mina steeled herself as the doors began to open, ready for anthing.

...

Well, ALMOST anything.

Hitsugaya-taicho in a loose blue shirt which practically REEKED of Matsumoto-
fukuticho's perfume AND sake, his usually cool, glimmering eyes clearly bloodshot,
snowy mane tangled and sleep lines on his scowling face... she did NOT expect.

"WHAT.IS.IT?"

The raspy GROWL of pure annoyance... she did not expect either.

"Er... Ummm..."

"WELL?!" he glared.

"Papers...?" she said weakly.

Outstreached hand took the package without so much as looking. Blood shot eyes went to
the clock, before narrowing and glaring fiercely.

Mina suddenly felt very, very small.

About the level of the floor really.

The eyes, mercifuly, turned away. Then a pale hand shut the door with a slam..

Mina blinked.

The door opened again, the face scowled, bloodshot eyes stared for a second.

"Free practice unil noon."

Then he slammed the door again.

Mina stared.

She honestly couldn't find any comments to that.

Oh wait. She could.

'Screw this. I'm taking a day off. And I'm going to drink myself stupid.'

Hitsugaya-taichio, prodigy, genius, workaholic of the first order and all around notorious
hardass stared at the packet.

He weighted it in his hand.

He looked at the seductively inviting bed.

He looked at the papers.

He lloked at Matsumoto, curled like a cat and having a BALL of a time snoring away.

He hefted the papers.

Then in a calm, utterly non-Hitsugaya move that would shock anybody that knew him, he
put the papers on the nightstand.

He reached for a pitcher of water next ot them. He drank almost a half of it.

Then he he yawned and crawled inside the bed.

With another yawn he slid the covers over himself and Matsumoto securely, sinking into
fluffy softness of cinammon scented sleep with a contented grunt.

Rangiku, halfway awake ever since the knock-fest began, blinked owlishly.

She stared at her captain.

She stared at the paperwork.

She stared at the precious - to her Captain - white sheets of paper, at the inky marks, at
the seals...

"Stop turning Matsumoto."

She blinked in surprise, staring at her captain. His eyes were closed, even if his mouth
moved.

"You're hogging the covers."

Matsumoto stared.

Birds by the window chirped cheerfully.

There was a brief spike of reiatsu as low-level kido spell exploded through said,
thankfully open, window.

There was silence.

Matsumoto blinked owlishly again as her captain laid his hand, leftover power still
present, back on the pillow, sighing in contentmnt.
"Go to sleep." he muttered, sinnking into the pillow "It's too damn early for this shit."

What was she supposed to say to that?

"Yes, taicho."

Comments?

Edit: Typos begone. The power of spellcheck compells you!

--------------------
Well, I had a hard day, little time to write and I was supposed to just veg... But then this
knocks up my door. What can you do? Not much, but there will be more. Soon.

Sleeping with her captain was one of the most surreal, if very pleasant experiences in her
life.

To decide that, it took her exactly thirty seconds.

And the surreality wasn't on the all time high because Hitsugaya "I'm a serious
workaholic" Toshiro put down his paperwork and went to sleep.

No.

It was the way they were sleeping.

Or rather, how Hitsugaya was sleeping.

He was clearly hungover and tired.

Yes.

He damn near ordered her to the bed.

Yes.

But when he pulled the covers, it was over them both.

He took care, even half asleep, hungover and not exactly in most jubilant of moods, to
give Matsumoto as much balnket as she needed to.
He took care to push the pillow to give her enough room.

And he was practically sleeping at the time.

Matsumoto was used to her captian being thoguhtful. Hitsugaya was a hardass.
Everybody knew that. He pushed people to the limit, asked for a lot and ran his division
with iron discipline.

But the troops loved him, even if they cursed his relentless nature at times.

Because when he pushed them, he was right there with them. If he demanded much of
others, he demanded even more from himslef.

He didn't talk about it. He didn't show off to the troops. He even kept it as low key as
possible. But people talked. They weren't stupid. They had eyes and ears.

He pushed them to the brink, yes. But he was with them every step of the way.

He demanded respect, even more so than other captains. But since he was so young when
he became captain and came from practically nowhere, skyrocketing through the ranks at
incredible pace, it was a given.

But he wasn't afraid to get off of his lofty perch and get his hands dirty, unlike poeple
like, say, Kuchiki Byakuya.

He was not above talking to some rookie members of the division, offering wourds of
encouragment and praise. He was not above discreetly helping others, with none being
the wiser.

Or so he thought.

The troops loved him.

She smiled gently, playing with Toshiro's white mane.

He didn't look at all like what she expected in his sleep.

She expected him to look cuter. Younger. To show his age, for once.

But if anything, he looked.... Not older. Not exactly. There was some other quality here.
Not weariness. Not seriousness.

But something.

As if he was on guard even when he slept.

Gently, not to wake him, she combed his hair with her palm, only to blink as the ever-
present frown relaxed slightly.

'Come to think of it... He doesn't frown.' She looked at her captain thoughtfully. 'Even
when he sometimes sleeps at the office, he always frowns in his sleep. But he... doesn't
now. Not much, anyway.' She trailed off.

Unconsciously, her hand combed the air further, touching his cheek only to see it relax a
bit more.

'He looks cute like that. But... not much like a kid.' She thought wistfully. 'Where is that
little, ice cold runt that used to scream for his paperwork now?' She smiled fondly. 'But
this look. It's good on him. He looks... Peaceful.' She sighed sadly.

So little peace they had lately.

And so much it weighted on him. Especially with Hinamori...

'Bitch!' Matsumoto scwoled. 'That... prissy, underdeveoloped, overly-sugary little fucking

TART! Pulling sword on the superior... no, on the best friend who would storm Hueco
Mundo barehanded for her...! That...!' She took her hand back from her captain's face, lest
she injured him by accident in her pique of fury.

Hate wasn't her. It wasn't her at all. She wasn't the type. She'd rather laugh, teach the fool
a lesson and get some entertainment out of it than fester in some grudge.

She didn't hate. She could get angry, but she didn't hate.

Usually.

But when she did...

It was a venomous, acidic and relentless thing. Gin, fearless bastard that he was, once
told her sincerly and without the barest hint of mocking that her hate was one of the most
terryfing things he had ever witnessed.

And Hinamori, her she hated now.

She despised that girl with utter, boundless passion.

She didn't care that the little bitch idolised Aizen. She could understand that. She had
similar problems with Gin. She didn't worship the foxy smiling bastard, no.

But it was similar.

So she couldn understand her.

To a point.

But being so blinded by her 'love'... Becasue she, unlike others, saw for what it was. It
wasn't just hero worship. Others might think it like that, but she was around Hitsugaya
almost all the time. She saw how Hinamori treated Aizen profesionally and in private.
Puppy dog love it might have ben, but love it was.

No. She could understand that.

Aizen tricked them all, and his disguise was just so damn likeable...

But... Hinamori hurt Hitsugaya.

Hurt him in a most cruel fashion.

Her captain was tough. Everybody knew that, she first among them. He was relentless,
determined, focused...

Yes. All those things.

And kind. Even under that grumpy, scowling or icy cold veneer.

If she had any doubts, the recent night chased them away completely.

Not thta she had any before that, mind you.

She was an excellent judge of character.

She supposed she was just selfish. Such a selsfish woman.

Because Hitsugaya Toshiro was supposed to be there.

His mane wild, his gaze icy, grimace between slight irritation and exasperation on his
face, jade orbs focused and bright. He was supposed to be there. Hyorinmaru's hilt over
his shoulder, pristine white haori around his shoulders. He was supposed to be there, to
sream for paperwork, to scold to chide and offer some dry commentary.

He was supposed to be there to silently cover her with a blanket when she fell asleep
from trying to work the paperwork that was long overdue because she avoided it for
weeks on end. He was supposed to be there, standing in front of her and not even
throwing a glance to see if she followed, knowing she was there. Trusting without a room
for doubt.

Hitsugaya Toshiro was supposed to be there. He was supposed to be the dry wit, calm yet
fierce strength. A solid rock.

He was most certainly not supposed to train himself without focus, but with plenty of hurt
and rage, half dead, to the brink and beyond.

He was the one that told cadets to conserve their stregnth, to remind them that exhaustion
was mindless. It wasn't training.

And he most certianly wasn't supposed to have that empty, far away look, one she knew
OH so well in his eyes.

She was drunk, but she wasn't that drunk. She saw his eyes. His eyes so much like hers.

'Hinamori...' Her hands clenched, convulsing.

Had the situation been different, she might let go. Sooner or later. Because Hinamori was
a friend. Misguided, foolish and lost, but still Hitsugaya's friend.

She'd even help them. Well, help HIM more than her.

But not now. Not agfter that night.

It was good. It was good because when he finally shed his mask, allowed himself to let
go...

She saw. And she couldn't just stand by and support anymore.

It would be better for all involved if Hinamori just never awoke. Or awoke a long itme
from now. Because then Hitsugaya would heal.

Indeed, her coma was the best thing that could have happened. Hitsugaya could... well,
not be NORMAL, but he was well on his way.

But Unohana's skills were unparelled.

Hinamori would wake up. There was no question about it.

'But you will wake up to a very different circumstances, little girl.' Matsumoto thought
satisfaction. 'That I promise you.'

Toshiro needed support. Her captain needed somebody whom he could trust. Needed an
arm that wouldn't waver and heart that wouldn't go and betray a long time friend without
even checking the facts.

In short, he needed her.

He just didn't know that yet.

'But he will.'

Hitsugaya Toshiro was her captain. He was also her friend. Her best friend, now that Gin
was gone. He propably was even when Gin was here, the bastard.

He needed her as much as she needed him.

Because it was the first night in weeks she managed to go to sleep withotu nightmares
interrupting the sake induced stupor.

And she would bet it was the first night he hadn't simply worked himself to exhaustion.

They needed each other. They always worked best when they worked together.

And she really had no problems with that.

'Indeed.' She smiled faintly, looking at her captain's sleeping form, only to gigle slightly.
'I don't believe I have a problem with that at all.'

"Sleep, my captain. Sleep." She murmured softly. "I will not walk away. Not now nor
ever."

The creases relaxed under her hand and she smiled gently.

With a contended sigh, she sat next ot her captain, curling her long legs under her.

She gave the paperwork a sideways glance.

She cocked her eyebrow.

"I'm too considerate for my own good." She muttered, looking at her captian. "The things
I do for you... You better appreciate this, taicho."

Lazily, she grabbed the first sheet of paper.

She blinked.

'Who the hell is 'Sirius Black'?' She frowned. 'And why is he to be transferred to our
division's holding cells?'

Comments?
--------------------
How went that saying? Start with an earthquake...? Well, this isn't an earthquake. But
Hitsugaya is certianly going to have his world turned upside down. Determined
Matsumoto will see to that.

Whistle a jaunty tune. Smile. Say hello.

Ruffle that cute little rookie girl's hair and say an encouraging word or two.

And smile. Smile.

Matsumoto Rangiku nodded to yet another 10th Division shinigami with a smile and a
spring in her step as she hefted the package in her hand.

It was fresh, new. Black and white.

Sizes meitciously taken.

Captain's robes.

To be more exact, Toshiro's new robes.

'Though for the life of me... Why did that man in our division's Requisitions Office look
at me so oddly when I took Hitsugaya's new uniform.' She frowned.

And it wasn't the requisition's officer alone.

When she entered the office to drop off the paperwork and take required form, the 10th's
seated officers just... fell silent.

They just kept looking at her. Not a word uttered.

Not a blink made.

And as she left the building, new robes for her captain in hand, she could swear the whole
division looked at her back.

'Creeeeepy.' She thought before smiling. 'Oh well. No matter, no matter! It is a beautiful
day, after all!' She smiled, skipping up only to enter shunpo mid-step.
She liked it like that. She felt as if she was flying.

She loved the feeling of utter freedom it gave her.

One of the reasons she was so fast, really.

Still humming she cain linked her shunpo, strafing, weaving and blurring until she ended
up in front of her home.

She walked in, closing the door with her leg as she put down her package carefully.

She walked to the bedroom only to frown as she found the empty bed.

Empty, but not messed up. Neat, blanket pressed in picture-perfect orderly fashion.

'Ah captain, my captian... Such a cute little neat freak you are.' She thought with a giggle.
'Now, where migh you...' She perked up as she heard the sound of running water. 'A-ha! I
have you now!'

She picked up her pakage, hefting in her hand, beefore halting.

'Wait. Shower. Means he is...' She frowned thoughtfully. 'Now... should I...?' A gleam
appeared in her sky blue eyes. 'What am I thinking? OF COURSE I should!' She brefely
checked her reflection only to smirk. "Don't you look just fabulous, honey." The
reflection winked. "Ah, I knew I could cout on you."

She nodded sagely, before chuckling.

'But first...' She smirked, grabbing Hitsugaya's new gi top and haori from the package and
putting it under the pillow. 'Yes. Now I'm ready.'

"Yo~hooo! Taichooo! I brought you robes!" She walked to the bathroom with calm
purpose, smirking all the way. 'Well, I warned him. Can't say that I didn't. Not my fault.'
She thought smugly.

Of course that hearing her careful shout over the running water was impossible...

That was a whole another matter.

One that, sadly for Toshiro, didn't interest her one bit.

He stood under the shower, allowing the hot water to flow down his skin.
He sighed (men of status, especially division captians didn't moan in pleasure under the
shower. It just wasn't done.). He was the ice type, true. Like his zanpakuto he was better
off with ice and chill. He hated heat. But hot baths were an exception.

'I don't CARE how creepy 12th is. They deserve a reward for the hot water and indoor
publing running on reiatsu. Seriously.'

He stretched, allowing the water to wash off the last bits of soap and shampoo. Both
were, of course, Matsumoto's but beggar's can't afford to be picky.

Well, the soap was gone a long time ago. So was shampoo. He had been standing under
the shower...

He blinked.

'How long was it again?' But another bout of hot water made him close his eyes in bliss.
'Ah... who cares...' he thought lazily, before smirking. 'Heh... that almost sounds like
something Matsumoto would.... have... said...' He trailed off eyes widening.

'Oh kami... I'm... I'm turning into Matsumoto!' He thought with a dawning realization.

He had this image of himself with a sake jug and a pink sash and stacks of paperwork
and...

He shuddered.

'This is... simply too horrible to contemplate.' He thought chasing the horrid image out of
his mind. 'One Matsumoto is enough, thank you.' He frowned thoughtfully. 'Though if
you squint and substitute pink haori fo the sash... You'd get Shunsui.' He snorted. then
snickered. Only to choke on a guffaw.

He imagined Matsumoto with that ridiciculous pink haori, the hat on, chasing some poor
unfortunate soul and whining: 'Nanaoooooo-chaaan! My lovely, lovely Nanao-chan!
Some help for your poor, foolish captain? Nano-chan... A kiss, from my kind, smart and
beautiful Nano-chan?' He cracked a grin. 'Though she'd proably call 'Tai-chooo! with that
half begging tone of hers. Those two are so damn...'

Then froze.

'Wait.'

He frowned.

"Wait just a goddamn minute..." His eyes widened even further. 'She actually... Oh god...'
He thought with a sinking feeling as he rememebred the soulful eyes and that half sang,
half begging 'Taichooo! Show some mercy to your poor, downtrodded fukutaicho!
Taichooo! Mercy! Don't make me do the paperwork? Pretty please?'. 'Lazy. Irresposbile.
Drunkard. Weaseling out of work by using pity... Give her the kissy obsession... and she
IS a female Shunsui! What... where those two spearated at birth or something?!' He
thought incredously, turning the water of reluctantly and reacjhing for his towel. 'Damn...
I can almost hear her voice...'

"Yo~hooo! Taichoo! Oh...!"

Hitsugaya blinked, stopping in the middle of drying himself off.

'Wait. I CAN hear her voice. And that means...' Slowly, he lowered the large, fluffy and
PINK (no gritting teeth, no gritting teeth - begars can't be choosy) towel.

"Oh my."

To stare at Matsumoto.

Who stared at him.

With a widening grin.

"My, taicho. You are certainly not slacking off in your training." Rangiku said with an
appreaciative whistle. "And you're certainly a grown up man, no matter what they say."
She added with a cheerful smile.

Toshiro's eyes widened.

With an undignified yelp he quickly covered himself with the towel.

Unfortunately, the move was rapid. The floor was slick with moisture.

Hitsugaya's motions only made it worse

Though landing wasn't bad.

'Soft...' Hitsugaya thought absentmindedly, shaking the cobwebs, only to freeze as he

stared into two pools of blue under him.

"Oh."

Jade stared down on blue.

His hands were just the right height to pin her arms down a little. Her body, shinigami
uniform disheleved, right under him. His naked body over her, a bare inch from touching
her as one of his legs parted her knees when he fell forward.
'This is... this is...'

"Oh my." Matsumoto muttered, qurking a smile, watching him from under her eyelashes.
"My oh my... so forward..." She breathed. "Just... be gentle, mmm?"

Hitsugaya opened his mouth, only to close it without a sound.

His cheeks reddened and he was sure that the blooming heat would be enough to power a
small city.

'Speaking of heat... her body is... so warm...' He thought absentmindedly, licking his lips.
'So... soft and warm...' He blinked 'GAH! WHAT am I THINKING?!'

Matsumoto smirked inwardly as she watched the heat rise on her captain's face.

'Speaking of things 'rising'...' She grinned outwardly.

Hitsugaya's eyes widened comically.

"OUT! OUT!" He howled jumping back and covering himsefl wit the towel again. "OUT,
GODDAMIT, MATSUMOTO!"

"Oh my. Do you have a... problem?" She snickered. "Anything I can help you with? Lend
a hand, maybe?"

"MATSUMOTO!"

Rangiku's laugh resounded through the bathroom as she ran to the exit as Hado crackled
to life in Hitsugaya's hand.

She shut the doors after herslef and felt a kido barrier snap into place and laughed and
after catching her breath, walking to the kitchen to make the breakfest for the both of
them

She hummed a happy tune as she openned her cupboard a satisfied little smile on her
face.

'This... went SO much better than I expected!' The blonde though gleefuly.

'This... couldn't have gone any worse.' Hitsugaya thought dumbly, loooking at the wall.

It was just a fall. A fall.

A stupid, little fall.

Just stand up, apologize. With dignity.

But...

It was so much harder than he suspected.

He winced.

'Bad pun BAD PUN!'

He gritted heis teeth, trying to brig his raging hormones under control.

'GET A GRIP YOU... wait. no. Don't get a grip... I...' He shook his head. 'AAARGH!
Everything brings... THAT to mind... God!' He smacked his forehead on the cool wall.
'This... just can't get any worse.' He thought witha tired sigh, closing his eyes.

'Still... She was so soft... so warm. I never thought body of a fierce fighter like her can be
so sof-...'

He groaned.

'WHAT AM I THINKING?!'

He hung his head.

The situation would be embarrasing on itself, but she was not only older, but also a co-
worker. His subordinate. His closest subordinate, at that. One that worked directly under
him.

He froze, only to whimper as his mind made yet another... connection.

'Oh god... And I'm siupposed to walk out of here and face her?!'

He'd rather fight a Menos Grande.

Hell, he'd fight a Vasto Lorde! Barehanded!

Anything but walking out to face his fukutaicho. Anythig but having to look into those
deep, blue eyes, watch that soft, delicate face, that magnificent bos-'

Hitsugaya whimpered.

'This day... sucks.'

He smacked his head on the sky blue tiles.

Matsumoto blinked and tunred, hering the bathroom door open.

"Oh taicho. I see you found the clothes." She said cheerfuly looking at the bare chested
Hitsugaya.

"Well, yes about that..." He muttered, eyebrow twitching.

"OH! You must be hungry. Come on, you need to eat something!" She gushed.

"I'm n-" He started warily.

"Oh but you must be! Come on, taicho! Sit down, sit down! I made some good stuff!"
She walked to hima nd ushered him tot he table.

Of course, her hands sliding over his shoulers? Coincidence.

Really.

Hitsugaya stiffened, trying not to whimper as her hands touched his naked back.

He'd swear she had a lightning type kido on her hands as he touched him.

"M-matsumuto." He ground out heroically. "My gi... Where is the gi?"

She blinked innocently.

"Why, I left everything in the bathroom, taicho."

"Well... it wasn't there." He mubmbled, sitting down, trying to concentrate on the food
and not on the fact that her bare hand rested on his equally bare shoulder.

She tapped her lips in a thoughtful manner.

"It's not there? Strange. Maybe it fell out of the bundle?"

"Fell... out. Right." His eyebrow twitched.

"I'll help you look. I brought a full uniform so it must be SOMEWHERE in my home.
But first... the breakfast!"

Hitsugaya nodded, reaching for the fod with some trepidation.

Only for his eyes to widen after he took the first bite.

"This is... this is... good. Very good, actually." He said slowly, before looking at his vice
captian. "I didn't know you could cook so well. Or cook at all."

"You didn't?" She blinked. "But I made you bentos some times when you forgot lunch."

Hitsugaya looked at her with surprise.

"That was you?" He raised an eyebrow. "Oh. I didn't know I thought... It was Hinamori..."

Matusmoto's face became expresioless.

"Hinamori-fukutaicho had been making bento for Aizen every day since she became his
vice captain." She said coldly only to curse inwardly as Hitsugaya's gaze hardened and
sadened at the same time.

'Damn, damn, damn! You idiot!' She berated herelf. 'How can I make him...' She smirked.
'Oh of course. Matsumoto. You're a genius, girl!'

"So... did you like them? Bentos, I mean." She clarified seeing the incomprehension in
his eyes.

He blinked.

"Yes, actually. They were quite good."

"Ah." She nodded with a smile. "Then I'm glad. But..." She frowned. "You never said
anything, you know. Not even once, taichoooo!" She pouted, whining. "I feel so
unaporeciated!"

"Ah... well..." He shifted slightly, tryiong not to look at her. "Thank... you. For the bentos.
I appreciate you... Er... BENTOS! I appreciate the bentos!"

She smirked inwardly.

'Oh my captain... my beloved captain, we will have so much FUN together... You will
come around yet!'

"Ah. But you never show it. Not even thanking a girl properly. Taicho... how rude." She
chided as she leaned in.

And kissed his cheek.

"That... is how you thank a woman." She whispered into his ear gently. "So... thank you."
Hitsugaya just froze, unable to move a muscle.

"What... for?" he said dazedly. as she got up form the table.

She smiled coyly, looking at her captian.

"For a woman... it feels nice to be appreciated. And you certianly did." Her smile
widened. "So... Thank you."

Hitsugaya, unable to for a cherent thought, no mtter a coherent reply, watched her sashay
out of the kitchen.

Feeling his eyes on her, Matsumoto smirked, putting a little more sway into her fluid,
graceful steps, a smile dancing int he corner of her mouth.

And this is it for Chapter 3.

Now onto Chapter 4

Comments?

--------------------
I told you it was being written. And I had to write it TWICE because I lost the whole
cahpter because of a power outage. That and a few other tings, but that's beside the point.
It's here now.

Enjoy.

I don't own Harry Potter or Bleach. Shame, but not as much as in case of Naruto. In case
of Bleach, at least.

Frozen Ring

Chapter 4
*

"Past catching up."

"Matsumoto, where is the paperwork?" Toshiro pulled on his new haori that Matsumoto
managed to finally 'find'.

The blonde waved the question away.

"Oh it's done. I dropped it over at the HQ when you slept, taicho."

Hitsugaya froze.

He slowly looked at his vice-captain.

"Matsumoto... are you feeling well?" He asked worriedly. "No pains? No temperature?
Stomach aches?"

Rangiku blinked.

"Not that I know." She said finally, before frowning. "Taichoooo! That's so mean! I'm not
that bad!"

Hitsugaya looked at her incredously.

"...well, maybe a little." She muttered. "But you are still mean, taicho. I did it for you, to
save you the stress of hangover and all." She pouted.

"...You did... paperwork." Hitsugaya muttered, trying to approach the... alien concept.
'Without prompting. Without whining. My god... And all it took was drinking with you?"

The blonde blinked, before tapping her lips thoughtfully.

"You know, taicho, that might not be such a bad idea..." She muttered.

Hitsugaya scowled.

"Don't even think about it."

"But, taicho, it is a such a goo-"

"No."

"But we had fun and...!"

"NO!"

Matsumoto pouted.

"Taicho is so mean..."

It was an usual sight in Seireitei, even more so in the 10th Division district.

A white haired, serious-faced teenager with a slight scowl walking purposefully in a

somewhat rigid manner, followed by a tall bombshell of his vice captain. The captain was
mostly silent while the vica captain walked with a lazy grace, smiling and chattering all
the while.
Usual. Par of the course.

Ordinary.

Toshiro eyebrow twitched.

'So why are they staring?!'

He was just walking with Matsumoto, what was there to look at?!

Some just stopped.

Others stared openly... Or at least as openly as they dared to after meeting a pair of cold
green eyes.

It was annoying.

And Matsumoto just waved, smiled and chattered away.

Hitsugaya scowled slightly.

There was another problem.

Each time he took even a slightly deeper breath, he could feel Matsumoto's faint scent
lingering on his new clothes. It was faint but...
It was there.

Matsumoto chattered, absentmindedly touched his back, patted his shoulder and rubbed
herself on him faintly EVERY DAMN TIME they took more cramped walkways.

The... scent was there. All. The. Goddamn. Time.

With every breath he took.

And he couldn't' even scold her, goddamit!

Each time he turned to snap, he met the blue, amused eyes, the faint smile, the smooth
skin, the cleavage and...

Hitsugaya gritted his teeth, trying not to blush.

...and he kept flashing back to that damnable accident.

'Blue balls suck, ain't they?' The ice crackled with amusement.

'I wondered when you'd start pestering me, you overgrown worm.' Hitsugaya thought
darkly.

'Of course you wouldn't HAVE that problem if you weren't such a damn wuss.' The
dragon continued, completely ignoring his partner.

'...the hell you...?'

'Steamy, wet... and a nubile bombshell all fired up under you... If you weren't' such a
damn wuss, you two still wouldn't be out of that bathroom.'

Hitsugaya growled, scaring the 10th division peon in his way.

'You're delusional.'

'Am I?' The dragon said smugly. 'She was right THERE, brat. Right under your hands,
right under your body... And she certainly didn't mind. But you just HAD to be a wuss.'

The teenager could feel himself reddening.

'Shut up you damn lizard! Or I will seal you right proper!'

'Ha! As IF!' Hyorinmaru shot back with amusement. 'You couldn't even if you WANTED
to, brat.'

Toshiro gritted his teeth even tighter.

The dragon, as much as he hated it, was right. Their close bond had numerous
advantages, but he paid for it with inability to seal the dragon completely. It was just
impossible - both of them knew that.

Though there were times he sincerly regretted that fact.

The dragon chuckled.

'She has really nice set of smooth-'

Under his cold, grumpy exterior, Hitsugaya Toshiro felt like screaming.

"H-H-Hitsugaya-taicho!" The two officers jumped up nervously. "We...we didn't expect

you so soon." The man laughed nervously.

One snowy eyebrow rose.

"It is noon, Yuriko." The teenager said dryly.

"Um... weeeeeell... You see... We kinda thought..." She threw a quick glance at smirking
Matsumoto."Um... Ithiknweareneededinarchiuves!" She blurted out and vanished in
shunpo, dragging her fellow officer with her.

Second snowy eyebrow joined the first.

Matsumoto chuckled.

"What was that about?" Hitsugaya muttered curiously.

"No~thing, taicho!" The blonde smiled cheerfully.

"Office, office, taicho!" Matsumoto batted her eyelashes. "Work awaits!" She said
enthusasitically.

Hitsugaya looked at his subordinate suspiciously.

'Acquisition...correct....correct...this one too...folder for...ah, right. Hmm.' Hitsugaya

leafed through the papers with wonder. 'Incredible. And all it took was DRINKING with
her? Hmm... This just might be... Oh? What's th-'
Hitsugaya froze.

He grabbed the paper tighter, before reading it again.

Slowly.

Then again.

Just to be sure.

'Rapid spirit boundary transfer, violation of spiritual and natural law, death-life transition
break, spirit balance crime, unlawful barrier trespass, unlawful transfer, criminal charge
of...'

And a name. A solitary name.

A name that hit him like a 99 class kido. Name that brought things to light, things that he
thought dead and buried decades ago.

Sirius Black.

He looked at the page in astonishment.

'...what? how...? why? Now..why the hell..? How in the..?!'

Matsumoto looked worriedly at her young capitan.

She had been watching him inspecting her paperwork, so it came as no surprise that she
noticed his rapid shift in the mood right away.

He looked... Well, the last (and only, really) time she had seen him like that was during
that whole mess with the Hinamori bitch.

But now... there was no rage. Or anger. Just...

"Matsumoto."

The blond looked at her captain carefully.

"The transfer notice... Who authorized it?" he asked,d his voice oddly calm. Calm, she
knew, that usually preceded the storm in his case.

"Hmm... It was rather odd." She muttered thoughtfully. "It didn't come from the
coordinator but from the top, form what I remember." She rummaged through the
paperwork on her desk for a moment, before grabbing a single sheet of paper. "A-ha! I
knew it was here somewhere!" She muttered. "The authorization came from..." She
blinked. "The office of Commander-General...?"

Toshiro sat still.

His face was utterly expressionless.

"He knew." he said tonelessly. "He knew. Over five decades of loyal service... and he
knew."

"Um... taicho?" Matsumoto said carefully, eying the rapidly growing sheet of frost on her
captian's desk.

"From the beginning... fits. So fits.... In Gotei 13 nearly form the start and he knew.'

"Taicho..." Matsumoto's eyes were wide as she saw the frost turn to ice and she saw
Hyorinmaru frosting over. there was a low growl as Dragon's head came out form the
blade slowly.

"Dropping this on me like this... This..." Toshiro's hands clenched.

"TAICHO!"

"WHAT?" He hissed murderously, his eyes cold and glinting menacingly.

Matsumoto pointed at the frozen desk.

Hitsugaya blinked.

"Oh."

The frost stopped growing as his aura relaxed. but his eyes were still cold and hard.

He stood up sharply.

"Matsumoto. I'm going out." He said coldly, grabbing Hyorinmaru and vanishing into
thin air with a blindingly fast shunpo.

Rangiku frowned, getting up from her desk and grabbing the transfer notice, tapping her
cheek thoughtfully.

"Sirius... Black. Hmm. what is it about you that has my taicho so agitated, I wonder?"

She stood there for a moment, before letting the notice fall.

A short spike of reiatsu later, the office was empty.

*

It was instinctive.

He didn't even think about it.

Step. Step. Run and link.

Step after step, as his reiatsu boiled, moving him faster than even most shinigami could
dream to approach.

It barely took a moment to stop in front of 1st division headquarters.

"Good morning, Hitsugaya-taicho." The secretary smiled cheerfully. "Do you have an...
appointment?" She trailed off as she meet the two cold jades. "...please go in..." She said
weakly.

The young captain walked past her, not sparing her a second glance, his furious reiatsu
slowly escaping the iron grip of his honed control.

The 1st division shinigami in his way froze, almost suffocating under the power.

Hyorinmaru raspy growl in his mind didn't make things easier.

The dragon was furious as it kept raging.

And Hitsugaya himself was no better.

He HID it form him. From HIM!

But that was minor, really.

Did the old man really thought so little of the man he made one of the captians of the
Gotei 13?!

Did he think so little of Hitsugaya Toshiro?!

He had sworn the oaths, sorn to uphold them until he died. He was SHINIGAMI of Gotei
13.

And he STILL doubted him?!

"..and I think that-" Saskibe cut off. "Hitsugaya-taicho." He said calmly, unminding of the
reiatsu pulsing just a hair out of visible spectrum around the young captain. "I hope you
do have-" Saskibe fell silent when Yamamoto's hand rose, cutting him off again.

"Leave us."

Saskibe looked at Commander-General, then at the clearly furious captain.

"...as you wish." He said stiffly, walking out.

Hitsugaya had nothing against Saskibe personally, but him and the fencer never really got
along, especially after Hitsugaya was made the captain of 10th.

Chojiro thought the position should go to a shinigami with some experience, not 'wet
behind the ears brat'. Hitsugaya also knew for a fact that Saskibe resented the fact that
Yamamoto paid so much attention to Hitsugaya's career, above other, more 'promising'
shinigami.

They sparred a few times. Sasakibe was good. Very, very good. Very precise, incredibly
skilled.

He tried to prove that one time too many and Toshiro went Bankai on him after finally
losing his patience.

He was angry, the dragon was furious - he ended up crushing Saskibe. In public. And that
was before he was captain.

The older shinigami never forgot.

They respected each other as professionals now, after all those decades, but Toshiro didn't
care for Saskibe and Sasakibe didn't care for him.

Though Toshiro had to admit that he expected his grudge to become really serious after
he defeated the man. But Sasakibe was an experienced warrior and Hitsugaya proved his
strength, if nothing else.

Mild dislike, however, always festered.

"I imagine you are here about the recent transfer to your cells, hmm?"
"You know why am I here, Commander-General." Hitsugaya said coldly.

Yamamoto looked at the young captain for along moment.

"Indeed." he said finally.

"Over five decades... Five. Decades. Of service to Gotei 13. A captain. And you still test
me."
Yamamoto's eyes opened a fraction.

"Even if... Should I remind you it is my right?" He said, fiery reiatsu spiking slightly.

The reiatsu fluctuated, one cold, one fiery.

"Taicho, I..." Matsumoto stopped, frozen.

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni and her captain were standing, looking at each other, but
the reiatsu was far too dense, too thick for simple staring match.

"Good morning, Matsumoto-fukutaicho. Please, walk in and close the door." Shigekuni
said calmly.

"She has nothing to do with it, old man." Hitsugaya said angrily.

"On the contrary, Hitsugaya-TAICHO." Yamamoto's eyes opened fully.

Toshiro gritted his teeth.

"This is between-"

Yamamoto's staff hit the floor.

"You are forgetting yourself." He said coldly. She has, because I said so. And that is the
only explanation you need, soldier of Gotei 13."

Hitsugaya lowered his head.

"...yes, sir." He gritted out.

Matsumoto swallowed.

This was... This was beyond simple weird.

Not many knew that, but there was almost grandfatherly affection between Hitsugaya and
the old Commander-General.

Not in away that would leave him accused of favoritism, but...

With the exception of Shunsui and Ukitake, only Hitsugaya was reffering to Yamamoto
as 'old man' or 'geezer' without fear of reprisal. And she saw them bickering once or
twice.

But never... Never like this.

Hitsugaya closed his eyes, forcing his reiatsu under control.

As odd as it sounded, he was grateful to the Commander-general.

This was foolish.

He was not a temperamental child any longer. He was a leader, a soldier. He knew how
crucial keeping his cool was.

This whole day was just so damn infuriating!

Only his hard-won control that stopped him form unleashing his bankai and simply
trashing everything around him.

Last time he was so furious, he did exactly that. Though the circumstances were different.

"Good." Yamamoto nodded, his eyelids falling down to their usual position. "You have
learned well, I see."

"Why?" Hitsugaya asked finally. "Did you think I will... run like some child? Have you
so little trust in me?"

Yamamoto sighed.

"On the contrary, Toshiro." He said, stroking his beard. "But... At that time we were not
sure. However... have you never questioned the fact that I never sent you to the living
world?"

Hitsugaya blinked.

"I assume it was to prevent me from-"

"No." The old man looked at his subordinate. "World would not... allow you back then.
The balance, the preservation... To change what was to what IS is the gravest of all
crimes, young Hitsugaya."

The jade eyes widened.

"...what?" Hitsugaya whispered.

"The Sand of Chronos is a voliatile substance, young one." Yamamoto sat behind his
desk. "Even greatest of forces can sometimes be... bent a little. But not swayed. Have you
never questioned just WHY have you ended up directly in Soul Society? And in the..
condition you were in, no less? Hmm?"
Hitsugaya stood frozen.

'...you are the first person that lived through successful suicide that I know of...'

"oh...my...god..." He said with sudden understanding. "I wasn't dead..."

"On the contrary." Yamamoto said calmly. "You were very much dead. In fact, you had
been dead most of your life."

Toshiro blinked.

"The killing curse, young one. Don't you remember? 'Nobody survives the killing curse'.
And it is true. A living being cannot survive it. It snaps the chain of fate by forcibly
banishing the spirit form the body. a remnant of old, forbidden necromantic secrets when
wizarding folks actually KNEW what they were playing with." Yamamoto sighed. "That
accursed thing is nothing but a problem."

"But... that's impossible... I... But I was alive. I breathed and..." Hitsugaya whispered.
"How in the..."

"Your body, from that very moment acted like nothing more than a good gigai."
Yamamoto said simply. "But in technical sense, you were already dead ,my boy." He
shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry for not telling you earlier, but... It would have brought
you much grief, because you would have done anything you could to try... and would
have failed. Some barriers even we cannot cross. I know it is no better now, but as you
saw Seireitei has a need of your power. And for that I will not expect any forgiveness."

Toshiro wanted to lash out, to protest, to throw it in Yamamoto's face but...

'Hyorinmaru... Is that...?'

The world froze in white.

Toshiro blinked, before noticing he was in his Inner world Again.

"I told you, didn't I?" The dragon sighed softly in genuine sadness, his gigantic form
unusually subdued. "I have always been with you. From that very moment... You were
one of the few born with spiritual power. When the curse killed the connection... I was
there. But you couldn't hear my voice then. Too much pain, to little will in your soul."

"Why didn't you TELL me?!" Toshiro screamed.

"And what good would that do?' The dragon said bluntly with a snort. "Who are you, my
partner? Harry Potter the wizard or Hitsugaya Toshiro, the shinigami?"

"I... This is unfair! I'm the same person, name doesn't-!"

"Are you? Are you REALLY?" the dragon snapped. "From the very moment you
accepted your power... ARE you really?"

Hitsugaya's hands clenched as he tried to come up with an answer..

"You SHED your name, your life, your burden WILLINGLY. No one made you. So don't
dare to whine"

"This is not that simple! You can't just..!" Hitsugaya protested.

"Don't you DARE!' The dragon hissed, his tail and wings breaking the ice with each,
angry move. "You stepped up and took your fate in your own hands. Took the power that
you KNEW would change things. It was your choice. Your WILL."

Hitsugaya stiffened.

The dragon was right.

At first, Hyorinmaru was just a grumbling sword, but...

It was so EASY to wander Soul Society. So easy to become Hitsugaya Toshiro, the Hebi
Gan and later the Hitsugaya Toshiro,shinigami. He was praised, known and had notoriety,
but... It was HIM. Not some stupid thing he didn't even remember. Him. All his. His life.
His power. Respect won on his OWN.

And people expected a lot of him, true. But... it was different. It was something he
decided on himself.

And that made all the difference.

But it wasn't out of nowhere.

Nor for free.

Sometime along the way, Harry Potter died like his body.

Now... the burden of past was lifted. Only Hitsugaya Toshiro remained.

'Is it... why I am so angry?' He thought dumbly. 'Because I don't... I don't' want to face it
again?'

"Stand. Stand UP, Hitsugaya Toshiro.'"Hyorinmaru rumbled. "Stand up and don't look
back, lord of the frozen heavens."

"The past... it is.... the past..." Hitsugaya straightened, a scowl on his face. "But if you
think I will let that old geezer get away with it...!"

The broken ice rumbled with amusement.

"Oh that I don't expect at all."

The world shattered.

Hitsugaya blinked, looking up at Yamamoto.

Commander-General looked at him calmly.

"Still, could have told me at least." Hitsugaya scowled. "I'm not a child. Little trust would
be nice."

Yamamoto raised an eyebrow.

"I sent a notice, didn't I?"

Hitsugaya glared.

"So, why me?" The teen said finally. "And don't' even try to tell me it's because I sued to
know him. In those cases it is ALWAYS handled by somebody else."

"Because there are things that need to be completed. And balance between living and
dead that needs to be upheld." Yamamoto frowned. "Wizards played with natural order
one time too many. It is time for a lesson."

Hitsugaya's eyes widened.

"Voldemort." He breathed.

Yamamoto nodded.

"First, and arguably among the most important, parts of your assignment."

"Assignment?" Hitsugaya blinked. "You are sending me?"

Yamamoto shrugged.

"You are more familiar with the region and the society than anybody else."

"I am a captain. That's overkill." Toshiro said sceptically. "Besides, I have plenty of work
here, especially now."

"Jyuushiro will take over your duties." Yamamoto said calmly. "This is not a voluntary
mission, Hitsugaya-taicho. You will go, beacause you are suited best. Besides, by killing
you, Voldemort crossed some... uncomfortable barriers."

"...hollow..." Toshiro said with sudden insight. "The spiritual power.... and forceful
expansion of spirit, backlash, death... It would fit."

"Not exactly... hollow." Yamamoto shook his head. "But dangerously close to an undead
abomination that lives, yet feeds like a hollow."

"Leave it to that tosser to give me trouble after I am dead." Hitsugaya scowled. "You said
'part'."

"Your mission is to eliminate the spirit calling itself 'Lord Voldemort' but also eliminate
and perform konso on all of the so-called 'Death Eaters' and people he marked with his
symbol. It links them to him - that's how he survived. he drains power of their souls form
them, bit by bit, slowly turning them in the same abominations that he is becoming."

Hitsugaya rubbed his temples.

'Death Eaters... Oh great. And some of those wankers are STILL in hiding. It will be
bloody troublesome to find them all. Still...' He grinned. 'Wait a minute. That means... I
get to remove Snape!' He perked up visibly. 'This is one silver lining I can live with.'

"Also, you are to perform konso on any victims killed by Voldemort using the so called
'killing curse' after his 'resurrection'. And while you are at it, I want you to perform konso
on any spirits that were tied there. It is well past time we did this, especially in the current
situation. Also, the so called 'Veil' is to be removed form the equation permanently. It is
too much of a security risk to leave it alone anymore."

"That's a lot of work." Hitsugaya muttered thoughtfully. "I am strong but even for me that
will take weeks. Months, even. Maybe longer, unless I have some way of detecting the
Death Eaters. Finding Voldemort alone will take some work." He admitted grudgingly.

"That is why you re not going alone." He turned to the blonde. "Matsumoto-fukutaicho."

The bemused woman, disoriented by the fact she couldn't follow much of the
conversation, snapped to attention.

"You will follow your captain to the living world and assist him with his mission."

"Commander, I can't leave my unit without acting officer, especially with Aizen around!"
Toshiro protested.
"Hitsugaya, the situation is complicated enough, even if you discount Aizen's possible
involvement. You need the strongest possible shinigami with you. I will take no chances."
Yamamoto looked at his protege calmly. "Matsumoto is ideal for the assignment because
you two also work incredibly efficiently together and know each other well. And your
division, save maybe for 6th and 13th, is one of the most disciplined in Gotei 13. Several
months of your absence won't hurt the performance of your unit. And I would be
assigning you to the living world soon enough anyway."

Toshiro raised an eyebrow.

"According to our scientists and Urahara, even Aizen will not be capable of activating
Hogyoku before it's period of stasis ends. We have from seven to ten months before that
happens. Propably more. "After you complete your assignment, I want you to move to
Karakura and lead the forces on site, with Matsumoto as your second."

"Understood." Hitsugaya and Matsumoto nodded.

"You are leaving in a week, Hitsugaya-taicho. Any details will be given to you in three
days. Presently, I advise to interrogate Sirius Black before you start your mission." A
frown appeared on Yamamoto's face. "This is a priority mission, Hitsugaya-taicho. The
wizarding world to long played with forces beyond their comprehension. With current
situation with Aizen, we can't allow their messess to spil over and create even more
trouble. I want it to be a swift and brutal show of force when it comes to punishing those
responsible. If you need to eliminate obstacles, living or not, I leave the actions up to
your discretion, as long as you take care of the collateral spiritual damage."

"Understood." Hitsugaya said with relief. This actually made the mission much easier. He
was not a fan of killing, but he was a realist. And the 'license to kill' would help him
tremendously.

"I trust you to wield the powers bestowed upon you in a manner befitting a man of your
station and honorable shinigami you are, Hitsugaya-taicho." Yamamoto nodded at him.
"Dismissed. And good luck."

"...Taicho... what was that all about?" Asked confused Matsumoto. "The whole 'living
death' issue, that 'Voldemort'..."

Hitsugaya sighed, rubbing his temples.

He didn't WANT people knowing his past, but in this case, it was inevitable.

'Office...?' He thought, before discarding the idea. 'No. Where can I...'
He blinked as his stomach rumbled. And he knew he had nothing to eat in his apartment.
'No. I won't. I won't. I...' His stomach rumbled again. '...it had been a weird day anyway...'

"Matsumoto... Do you have more of that food you made for breakfast?"

Rangiku blinked.

Toshiro opened his eyes blearily.

'Soft... Warm...' He blinked owlishly.

There was a strange after-taste in his mouth, the wooly-headed feeling and...

He froze.

...and Matsumoto's head next to him.

'What. The. Hell?'

His mind raced trying to come up with explanation. Some kind of, any kind of reason.

He'd settle for excuses, even.

'We came here after the whole case with... ah. Right.'

He scowled.

'The mission. But... Right. Meal. Talk and... stiff drink. Right.'

He groaned.

Of course, with Matsumoto it NEVER ended with just one drink.

And he couldn't even remember how the hell HE had started to drink with her.

Still, here he was. Hungover. Formerly drunk. In Matsumoto's bed.'

His eyes widened.

...and mostly naked.

'...I'm so screwed.'

Well, he wasn't NAKED per se.

Not... really.

Pants.

He had his pants on.

Right.

Not. Naked.

bare chest and all but... not naked.

Right.

Good.

Only...

He peeked to the right and paled.

Matsumoto wasn't snoring, but she was fast asleep. Her shinigami uniform was to the
side, indicating that at some point it had been ON her. And judging by the location she
somehow wiggled out of it during the night.

Leaving her in the underwear.

Toshiro paled even further.

Underwear that looked dangerously close to sliding off her.

The fact that she apparently though he was an acceptable substitute for a pillow didn't
help matters.

And she... hugged him.

And her chest... moved. With every breath.

Over his.

And Matsumoto was NOT a motionless sleeper.

Little move. Little rub.

Toshiro whimpered.
'I was wrong. It CAN get worse.'

Hitsugaya glared at the blonde.

Rangiku paid no attention as she smiled and put the breakfast on the table.

Toshiro glowered.

Rangiku hummed under her breath as she put the bowls in front of him.

"Here taicho!" She smiled cheerfully. "Fried meat, veggies. Little much in the morning,
but ideal for hangover."

The teen was a hair's breath away from growling at his... chirpy subordinate.

"Are you always this... cheery after waking in a bad with a stranger?" He muttered
snarkily.

"Hmm..." She patted her cheek, before smiling cheerfully. "Nope! But you are not a
stranger, taicho. So waking with you is okay!"

Toshiro just stared, before palming his face.

'Only Matsumoto, goddamit. Only Matsumoto.'

"Here, Taicho. Have some cheese. I found it's GREAT for hangovers." She slid a bowl
full of cheese to him.

'I didn't HAVE to eat things that would help my hangover before meeting you, you
know." He grumbled, snatching the bowl.

"Ah, but you didn't have that much fun either!" Rangiku nodded sagely. "So I think it is
far better trade!" She frowned. "Besides..." She squeezed her breasts. Her breasts under
awfully tight silk yukata. "Don't you think those are a great bonus, taicho?"

Toshiro chocked on his cheese.

Rangiku blinked.

"Are you all right, taicho?"

'Ask her for premium package, brat! Ask her now!'

Despite choking like mad he somehow found a strength to snarl mentally at the dragon
laughing himself hysterically in his head.

'My, my... Have to say this is one GOOD morning.' Hyorinmaru rumbled with
amusement. 'Though you COULD have left the doors to the bathroom unlocked, you
know. She might feel rejected.'

'Shut up, you lousy reptile.' Toshiro snapped, drying himself off with a towel.'I really
don't need it now.'

'Au contrare, brat. You need it more than ever.'

Toshiro frowned.

'Laid.' The dragon elaborated

'...I really wish I could seal you for good sometimes.'

'Wuss.'

'Screw you.'

'Ooho. No, no, no. Screw YOU. You desperately need it. Good fuck would help you
immensely.' The dragon shot back pleasantly.

'As if you knew.' Toshiro snarked. 'Don't you forget something? Part of my soul, lizard.'

'SUPERIOR one.' Hyorinmaru sniffed. 'As evidenced practically every day.'

Toshiro just sighed, pulling own his haori.

Toshiro's eyebrow twitched.

'You know... This is like a very bad case of deja vu.'

They were staring.

AGAIN.
Matsumoto smiled, waving to one of the officers that bowed to her and Toshiro.

Of course, she somehow ended up touching his back faintly as she let her hand fall from
the greeting.

'Yes. Definitely deja vu.'

He turned to his subordinate, order to stop being so damn touchy feely on his tongue...

Only to see her breasts.

Her breasts that were so smooth as they rubbed on his ch-'

'...I give up.'

Hyorinmaru chuckled.

Despite her ocassional flakiness, Matsumoto was worth her eight i gold, Hitsugaya found
not for the first time.

He had told her. He kind of HAD to.

Not that he wanted to. But Matsumoto, in her usual fashion, made a few jokes, smiled
and waved at away.

She didn't treat him any different at all.

Well, aside from asking about his wand and making it rather suggestive in best
Matsumoto style, of course. But that was to be expected.

Still, she was surprisingly sensible.

"Hitsugaya is Hitsugaya is Hitsugaya." She said with a shrug. "You are who you are now,
taicho."

He was once again surprised how wise Matsumoto could be.

He leafed through the paperwork half heartedly.

He had too much on his mind to focus properly.

There was no point in it anyway. He had filled out, stamped and signed everything that
needed filling out, stamping and signing for the next several weeks.
And he was going on a mission anyway.

There was really only one thing to do before he signed up for the mission gigai.

Siruis Black.

Toshiro rubbed his temples.

The man was harry Potter- HIS godfather.

WAS.

'Or is?'

Still... as much as he liked to, he didn't know the man. Or rather barely knew him.

And Sirius did have that irritating habit of calling him 'cub' that he hated, too...

He had no idea what to do with him, really. That Sirius broke the law was evident. It
wasn't deliberate action, that was very in his favor. But Seireitei was strict. The man
would be given some form of punishment. Only...

'Yeah, only.'

According to Yamamoto, the custody over the prisoner was given to him.

Which was logical, really, all familiarity aside.

With Central 46 all dead, the Captains, with a few advisors, were now the judiciary. Each
division captain, aside from his Gotei 13 function took on an aspect of governing - not
that it was that important considering that Seireitei and whole Soul Society was basically
under Martial Law now.

As per his position, Hitsugaya had now complete jurisdiction over Sirius Black's
punishment without the red tape involved.

Besides, he had witnessed it firsthand. Somewhat.

So he was the best equipped to deal with the matter.

That there HAD to be punishment. Law was clear on this. And cordial relationship or not,
Yamamoto was the man of law.

'What to do with you, Sirius Black?'

He tapped his desk thoughtfully, looking at the paperwork for a long moment.

"Matsumoto." He said finally. "Get a hold of the detention officer. Tell him to prep the
interrogation room. We are going to interrogate Sirius Black."

"Understood. I will inform the scribe-"

"No. Just the two of us. The less people know, the better."

Matsumoto nodded.

"I understand." She said simply. "When do you want it to take place, taicho?"

"As fast as it can be arranged." Hitsugaya sighed. "No sense in waiting."

Matsumoto nodded, vanishing in a shunpo second later.

'Are you sure it is wise?' Hyorinmaru rumbled.

'Aren't you the one always telling me to confront my problems?' Hitsugaya snorted.

'You are still off balance, brat.' The dragon cautioned. 'Not the best state of mind for
dealing with official mission. especially as emotionally loaded as this one.'

'No. I think it is exactly the right time.' Toshiro closed his eyes. 'You said it yourself,
didn't you? I'm Hitsugaya Toshiro now, right. I hae duties, obligations to the Seireitei.
One of them is solving this whole mess as fast as I can so I can return and concentrate on
the main issue.'

'Hmm.' Hyorinmaru chuckled. 'Standing up, brat? Welcome back, Hitsugaya Toshiro.'

The white haired teen smirked, standing up and grabbing his zanpakuto.

'Wise ass.'

"How is our prisoner, Van?"

"Quite well if a tad pissed, Hitsugaya-taicho." The officer shrugged. "We got him form
the holding cells, let him bathe, fed him... The usual. Still guy's angry. Not that I blame
him." He muttered. "Poor sod has no idea where he is and what he is even in for. Bloody
12th division wanted to start prodding him without so much as 'by your leave.'"

"Fed him?" Hitsugaya blinked.

"Uh, yeah." Van nodded, scratching his head. "They didn't tell you, captain? Guy's got
some spiritual power. Not much, but some. Geeks figure he got shocked because of that
veil thing and got a kick start, so to speak. Almost killed him, too." The redhead scowled
"Pity it didn't. Less paperwork that way."

The teenager raised an eyebrow sardonically.

"Really?"

"Uh..." Van rubbed his neck sheepishly. "Right. Sorry. So, um, calling the scribes or...?"

"Take a five, Van." Rangiku smiled.

"Five as in 'five' five or..." The man trailed off.

"I saw Kei-chan in the northern sector. Grab a tea with her, hmm?" The blonde suggested.
"Don't hurry back."

"Right. Well..." The officer perked up. "Off. With me, I mean. Then. Right." A second
later he vanished in a hiss of shunpo.

Hitsugaya raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Kei's a good girl. and she thinks he is adorable. Even if he has no guts to ask her out."

"Meddling in love lives during work time, Matsumoto?" He said dryly. "Have you no
shame?"

"Ah, but taking care of interpersonal relations of the division is my job, taicho!" She said
cheerfully.

Hitsugaya looked at her for a moment, before sighing faintly.

'Why do I even bother trying?'

'I'm asking myself the very same question, brat.'

And please don't say Hitsugaya wouldn't react that way. The kid has a temper. He is
mostly snarky, cynical and calm, but once he gets going...

And he's under a lot of stress (Aizen's betrayal, Hinamori, almost dying) and then he gets
that kind of surprise dropped on his head. Anybody would be pissed. Only discipline and
Matsumoto's presence stopped him from getting into shouting (and possibly sword)
match with Yamamoto. Even Hitsugaya has his limits.

For anybody who thinks that Harry's missions is excessive -on part of Yamamoto's it is
damn near MERCIFUL.

Quincy were wiped out. If Killing Cuurse created hollows every time - Wizarding world
would be slaughtered tot he last man. And even as it is, Yamamoto's orders are actually
pretty tame. Though Hitsugaya will still end up 'killing' a lot of people.

As you might gues, ol'Albus will be terrified, appaled and, in general, none to pleased
with his 'dear boy' when he returns. Heh heh. Hogwarts is in for a shock. And anybody
getting in Hitsugaya's way... heh heh. Let's just say that chances of geting iced are pretty
slim. Certain blonde will sic her zanpakuto on them first with extreme prejudice. Oh
Matsumoto won't be happy with some people. Not at all.

Though Matsumoto in Hogwarts robes will give new cases of sleepless nights for
Hitsugaya.

Poor guy is starting to notice what's going on. He is thick in that regard, but not that
thick. And Matsumoto is ruthlessly, methodically seducing him. The mission will just
make it easier.

--------------------
Well, after so long, finally an update of one of my more relaxed fics. Matsumoto battles
paperwork, Hitsugaya battles red tape and plays lawyer and Sirius has no clue
whatsoever. And Soi Fong drinks tea.

Thanks go to MageOhki, Skelethin and Cornuthaum for help, some suggestions and
overall bravery for reading undedited version as well as to Slyfer101 for editing.

Enjoy.

Frozen Ring

Chapter 5
*

"Embers."

Hitsugaya looked at the door for a long moment.

"Taicho? Are you...?" Matsumoto's voice was hesitant.

"It is nothing. I'm fine." He muttered, squaring his shoulders. "The folder?"

Rangiku gave him the papers without a word and Hitsugaya started leafing through them
absently, letting his eyes catch the meaningful facts past the legalese dross.

'Damn. Not a lot of it, but...' He sighed. 'What am I supposed to do with it? In normal
circumstances it'd be just a cell for a few years, maybe some restrictions, maybe the Rei
En shackles, but...damn it. Martial Law. And that means Gotei 13 law.' Toshiro grimaced.

The military law was far stricter when it came to things like spirit balance crimes. Had it
been up to sterner captains, like Kuchiki or Soi Fong, Sirius would be interrogated and
executed without a second thought and nobody would bat an eye. Those were all major
offences - things that Gotei 13 didn't took kindly to meddling with. The Veil alone was
bad enough, but Sirius was still not technically 'dead'. 'Bad. Bad and complicated case.
Damn it.'

He slammed the folder shut, giving it back to Matsumoto.

'No sense in waiting.' He laid his hand on the door, dispelling the low-level kido barrier
and pushed them open.

"Let's go."

"Yes, taicho."

"You lock me in a cell, throw me around without a word and NOW you want to talk to
me?"

Hitsugaya studied the white-clad form carefully, letting no emotion show on his face
despite slight inner turmoil.

Sirius looked...well. For a prisoner. Far better than what he remembered of the man's stay
in the Azkaban. He was clean, even if there was a slight stubble on his face, and the
clothes he wore were a set of simple white prisoner's gi, neatly pressed and obviously
fresh.

Not that he looked to be comfortable in them, tugging at the sleeves and pulling the gi
tighter around himself every few seconds as he sat by the small table. He was pale,
looking slightly frayed around the edges, but that was to be expected considering what
his body was currently going through.

'Another complication, damn it. It can't ever be simple, can it?' Hitsugaya groused
internally.

"Sirius Black." The young shinigami said, his tone calm and collected. "My name is
Hitsugaya Toshiro, Captain of the Tenth Division of Gotei 13." He gave a slight turn of
head to the left, where Matsumoto stood. "This is Matsumoto Rangiku, my vice-captain."

Sirius frowned.

"Aren't you a little young for an auror... or whatever you people call yourselves in these
parts?"

Toshiro quirked an eyebrow.

'He has no idea where he is?' The young shinigami scowled inwardly. 'Damn those
incompetent, lazy... Oh I am going to have words with those morons.'

"Actually, you are mistaken mister Black. I am not an auror, nor is my subordinate one."

"You can't be muggles. I saw you use spell on that... whatever it is."

"Kido is not... exactly magic as you understand it." Hitsugaya said carefully.

Sirius just looked at him for a moment, before shaking his head.

"Look, I'm not interested in that, whatever you call your spells." He said tiredly. "I tried
to tell you people time and time again - I just want you to contact Albus Dumbledore, the
Headmaster of Hogwarts in Scotland. He can vouch for me."

"I am afraid that is not possible, mister Black."

"Just contact Dumbledore. He can vouch for me, I swear it!"

"And I am telling you, mister Black, this is not a viable option."

"Just floo him, damn it!" Sirius jumped up from the chair. "It can't be that hard!"
"Harder than you might think, mister Black." Hitsugaya looked at his godfather - or ex-
godfather, whatever - calmly.

"You people don't understand!" The black haired man waved his hand agrily. "My godson
is in danger! I can't just-" Sirius froze mid-step as Matsumoto's reiatsu spiked slightly.
Slightly for a trained shinigami, but overwhelmingly to a soul newly awakened to the
spiritual sensitivity and still bound by frequent human limitations.

"This will be quite enough, mister Black. Do remain calm, please." Matsumoto's voice
was cool, if not without a kind note, yet so different form her usual carefree lilt. "Please,
sit down."

Reluctantly, Sirius followed the order.

Hitsugaya sat as well, placing the folder on the table as Matsumoto remained standing, as
per protocol, as always at his back.

"Mister Black, I don't think you fully grasp the situation, so I will explain it to you." The
young shinigami said after a moment. "This place is not in the Wizarding World. It is not,
in fact, even on Earth."

Sirius' eyes widened.

"...What?"

"You are currently in Soul Society. A place you might refer to as...well, afterlife would be
a good term."

"...I am...dead?" Sirius said dubiously. "But it can't be! I have a body and-"

"Technically, you are... and you aren't. Which is, in fact, part of the problem."

"This is ridiculous. Either I am dead, or I'm not. And I don't feel dead." The wizard glared
at the shinigami.

"Which doesn't change your legal standing, mister Black." Hitsugaya shrugged.

Sirius blinked.

"...legal standing?"

"Of course. Soul Society has laws, mister Black. Aside from military duties, Gotei 13
guards those laws. And, let me tell you, you have broken quite a few of them."

"But I didn't do anything wrong!"

"You have crossed the veil as a living being, mister Black. You entered Seireitei via
unlawful means, disturbed the spiritual balance of the world and broke several laws. The
balance between the living world and Soul Society is _not_ something to play around
with, especially not in the manner you did."

"But it wasn't my fault!" The wizard protested indignantly. "It isn't like I wanted to fall
into that bloody thing!"

"You will find that the laws dealing with spiritual balance are quite strict, and they are so
for a reason, mister Black." Hitsugaya said coolly. "Breaking them, for any reason, is not
something we can make light of."

Sirius gritted his teeth but, to his credit, remained silent.

"Be advised, mister Black, Seireitei is currently facing a crisis - we are under Martial
Law." Hitsugaya said forcefully. "So I would advise you to cooperate to the best of your
ability. This is not Azkaban. You can't escape from here, nor would you survive if you
did. Your animagus transformation won't help you here."

Sirius' eyes widened.

"...how...?"

"We have our ways, mister Black. Do not think us as... amateurish as your aurors. We are
military, and we are in a middle of a war, mister Black. For your sake, please cooperate."

The wizard looked at the apparent youth in front of him, before slumping slightly.

"Very well." He said tiredly. "What do you want from me?"

Hitsugaya nodded.

"Most of these charges are quite severe, mister Black. Especially in the current
circumstances." The shinigami frowned. "However, we need a clear view of the situation.
From an eyewitness."

"You're just going to believe what I tell you?" Sirius said dryly.

"Let's say I wouldn't advise lying." Toshiro said dryly and Sirius slid an inch form the
table as an ice cold... feeling chilled his bones.

"All right." He nodded slowly. "What do you want then?"

"As I said, a clear view. A statement. How, why and in what way have you managed to
find yourself in Seireitei, mister Black." The young captain said simply.
"Fair enough, I suppose." The wizard muttered, before taking a breath. "Well, it started
when I was laying low in my ancestral home because of...

Toshiro looked at Sirius, listening to his story - or rather a statement - carefully, like he
was trained to do. Though that still didn't stop some part of his mind from wandering,
meandering about.

It was odd, this whole thing. He braced himself for an emotional impact - some kind of
shock, maybe. Considering just how badly he took Sirius' death and all. Well, the older...

Toshiro snerked internally.

'Older? I'm good few decades older than he is!'

....well, other man's story was... just that to him. A story. No heart wrenching sadness, no
real emotion in it. Oh sure, it touched him on some level, odd one since he saw the past
events from a different angle - but in some ways it was like listening to a report form one
of his subordinates. A clear sense of purpose, professional inquisitiveness... and maybe
some curiosity. That was almost all. Almost.

Sure, part of it might have been the whole professional calm he had approached the
matter with but...

'You have managed to forget, brat.' Hyorinmaru's rasp slithered into his thoughts.

'Don't be ridiculous.' Hitsugaya scoffed internally. 'I remember most of that. Some details,
maybe but-'

'Not like that. You managed to push it down. Forget might be wrong. Discard would be
better, I think.' The dragon was amused, Hitsugaya could feel it.

'And what about it makes you so happy, you bloody overgrown worm?'

'Nothing. Nothing at all, my sexually repressed worse half.'

'Go and hump an ice berg or something.' The white haired teen grumbled.

'Oh, I don't know. Why settle for an ice berg when I have such a nice, cute little kitten just
next to me.' Hyorinmaru said smugly.

Hitsugaya froze.
'...What did you just...?'

The dragon's laughter was his only answer.

"...and then that guy in black hauled me here." Sirius shrugged and Hitsugaya blinked
before focusing again.

"Thank you, mister Black." He said nodding.

"So... What is going to happen to me?" The wizard asked after a long silence.

"That remains to be seen." Toshiro stood up, walking to the door. "For now, thank you for
your statement. The decision will be made shortly."

Matsumoto closed the doors behind them, quirking an eyebrow at her captain.

"I thought you've already made the decision."

"I didn't." Toshiro said, frown on his face. "The charges...while some of them can be
dismissed, rest of them stand. And will stand."

"The spirit balance and unlawful transfer among them." Matsumoto murmured, leaning
on the wall. "Technically he wouldn't be counted as instigator but..."

"The law was still broken." The young shinigami sighed. "What a troublesome case..."

"We can execute him, taicho." Matsumoto said after a moment.

"I am trying to avoid that, Matsumoto." Toshiro snapped. "And not just because I used to
know him! His charges hardly warrant something as severe as execution."

"I didn't mean it that way, taicho." Rangiku said placating. "I meant, he is dying already,
right? From the overcharge of that rogue Senkaimon?"

Toshiro's eyes widened.

"...Matsumoto... You're a genius!" He breathed.

"Yes, taicho. I know." The vice captain nodded cheerfully. "So being a genius you think I
might-"

"No. You Are not _that_ much of a genius."

"...Aww." The blonde pouted. "Taicho is so mean... And you didn't even k-"

"You are not getting a raise, vacation time or less paperwork."

Rangiku opened her mouth.

"And I am _not_ writing your sake off as an administrational cost either."

Matsumoto sighed forlornly.

'Well, it was worth a try...'

"My taicho knows me so well..." She looked at Toshiro, sending him a half lidded look.
"My, he even steals the words right form my lips... How naughty, Taicho."

Hitsugaya stiffened, before glaring at Matsumoto who only smiled at him and winked.

"...I left myself wide open for that, didn't I?"

"Ask me no questions, and I will tell you no lies, Taicho." The blonde sing-songed.

"Yes, that would be ideal, wouldn't it?" He said dryly, before sobering. "So he gets a
small, if public 'execution' and... Hmm." He stood in silence for a long moment, before an
idea hit him. "Matsumoto, do we have any free transfer papers?"

The woman's eyes widened and she looked at her captain.

"...This might work, taicho." She murmured thoughtfully. "And since he _is_ technically
under our jurisdiction... Yes, we have some. You'd need to vouch for him... and since he is
a criminal, one higher officer from another division would have to but..." she trailed off.

"That won't be too much of a problem." Hitsugaya sighed. 'I think.'

Matsumoto blinked, before wincing.

"...Taicho... Not to be rude, but Soi Fong-taicho is... very straight laced about those
matters."

"I know. But she is also reasonable, and we are in a crisis. Black's crimes are not,
technically, his." Toshiro pointed out. "Since our mission will take care of the matters that
led to it, even if in roundabout way..."

"Oh. I didn't think about it like that." She admitted with a blink. "Yes, she just might. But
wouldn't someone else be better?"

"And who? Ukitake and Kyoraku are in hot water with Yamamoto-soutaicho as it is.
Komamura will follow the letter of the law. Byakuya will have him executed outright."

"Well, there is Unohana-taicho." Matsumoto pointed out hopefully. "She wouldn't mind, I
think."

"That would leave him pushed to the 4th, you know that. I want him under my
jurisdiction, where I can actually keep an eye on him. Besides, Unohana vouched for the
Ryoka, as did Zaraki. Yamamoto is annoyed with that as it is." Hitsugaya rubbed his
temples. "Soi Fong would be better. She's the head of Onmitsukido as well as 2nd's
captain. If she added her stamp, no one would make any trouble."

"Besides Soi Fong herself." Matsumoto said dryly.

"A small price to pay. She's reasonable."

Matsumoto blinked owlishly, staring at her captain.

"...Reasonable. Soi Fong-taicho."

Hitsugaya shrugged, turning to the door.

"I never had any problems with her."

"Sure you didn't." She grumbled under her breath. "Because she actually talks to you like
a normal person, one workaholic to another."

"What was that?" Hitsugaya snapped, not turning.

"No~thing, taicho!" She smiled cheerfully, following her captain.

"Mister Black."

Sirius raised his head, straightening out.

"The charges against you are severe, though not warranting execution in my eyes."
Hitsugaya sat by the table. "However, they still won't keep you out of Seireitei's prison
for... quite a long time."

Sirius gritted his teeth, balling his hands into fists.

"However... there is an alternative."

The wizard looked at the young captain for a moment, his eyes guarded.

"I'm listening."
"There is a way for you to avoid both prison and capital punishment. Quite easily, in fact.
If you agree to it, of course."

"What's the catch?" Sirius asked warily. Offers like that, especially after what he had
heard form the white haired teen before, didn't come cheaply. He knew it best.

"The catch is, mister Black, that you will be killed and inducted into service of Gotei 13
for the rest of your existence."

"But you just said I wouldn't be executed!" Sirius exclaimed, before halting. "...Wait,
killed AND inducted...?"

"You still possess a body, however briefly. Technically, it is one of the violations of the
laws that has you in here in the first place."

"What do you mean 'however briefly'?" The wizard frowned.

"You must have felt it, didn't you?" Hitsugaya waved his hand at the pale, worn
appearance of the man in front of him. "Ever since coming here, I mean. Feeling light
headed, drained of your strength, despite resting and eating. More so than even in
Azkaban, don't you mister Black?"

Sirius froze.

"...How did you...?"

"Yes, you are wasting away. Or... your body is, rather. What you refer to as 'veil' is a form
of a rogue and quite unstable Senkaimon, a gate to and from Soul Society. A very old, not
particularly gentle one, especially to humans with no spirit awareness to speak of. The
sheer concentration and fluctuation of spiritual power is extremely dangerous. Lethal to
humans who lack sufficiently strong reiatsu of their own."

"So I am... dying?" Sirius asked hesitantly.

"Your body is, yes. Technically, it is already dead. Your reiatsu - your spiritual power - is
the only thing holding it together, and it is trickling away with each day. Your body will
dissolve into spiritrons in time. And you don't want that, mister Black." Hitsugaya
warned.

"So... dying, huh?" The wizard rubbed his chin. "Hex me, stuff me, mount me..." He
muttered. "So if I agree I will work for you? Just like that?"

"Not just like that, no." Hitsugaya said coolly. "You will be transferred into training
facilities, to train to become a shinigami and you will be assigned to my division, without
any possibility of transfer or advancement for an unspecified period of time. You will be
watched, evaluated and expected to follow each rule laid out for you with diligence.
Think of it as a parole."

"Sorta like slavery." Sirius smiled wryly.

"Not really, no. Even as a rank and file shinigami, you will enjoy privileges most Soul
Society citizens not living in Seireitei don't. You will be paid a regular salary, offered
quarters in the barracks - your living expenses and needs will be taken care of. You will
have more restrictions than other shinigami, of course - but still some freedom is better
than no freedom at all, wouldn't you agree, mister Black?" Toshiro raised an eyebrow.

"So... I'd be some kind of... indentured worker?" The wizard frowned.

"No. You'd be a warrior. A soldier." Hitsugaya said simply.

"Soldier... huh?" Sirius rubbed his chin. "Doesn't sound too bad... Where's the catch?" He
looked at the young shinigami warily. "Compared to what you said me before, this
sounds... well, too good to be true."

"The catch, if you might call it that, is the fact that shinigami duties are dangerous."
Toshiro kept Sirius gaze calmly. "Make no mistake, mister Black - this is a dangerous job,
even in times of peace. We defend Seireitei, we keep order in Soul Society, and we hunt
Hollows; soul eating monsters, and lethal each and every one of them. The catch is the
fact that we are in a middle of a crisis that is a de facto war and to replenish our eventual
losses, even trainees might be called to fight." Hitsugaya leaned forward, pausing to
steeple his hands in front of his mouth. "Make no mistake, mister Black. I'm not offering
you some kind of cushy position, or some sort of reprieve. In fact, given current situation,
prison would be more than acceptable solution for some. Sooner or later, you _will_ be
called to fight without a doubt. And Hollow won't just kill you - it will devour your soul
leaving nothing."

"Oh." Sirius said simply.

Hitsugaya leaned back in his chair, looking at the wizard for a long moment. Black kept
staring at the table, deep in thought.

"...Hell, I should be dead anyway..." He muttered finally, looking at the captain. "All
right. Do I need to sign something, swear allegiance... what?"

"Is it your decision, mister Black?" Hitsugaya asked seriously. "Do you consent to the
terms you have been given? This is an irrevocable decision. Once you agree, you belong
to Gotei 13." He cautioned.

"Beats prison. I'm not going back to any cell." Sirius' eyes bored into Hitsugaya's. "Risk I
can live with. Prison..." He gritted his teeth. "No. I agree."

Toshiro nodded slowly.

"Very well." He said, getting up. "First thing you must know is that even as a trainee, you
are from this moment a member of Tenth Division of Gotei 13."

"Okay." Sirius nodded.

"The proper term is 'Yes sir'." Toshiro smiled thinly, getting up. "But 'Hitsugaya-taicho' is
also permissible."

"Oh." Sirius blinked.

"Be ready in a few hours, Black." Toshiro turned to the door, Matsumoto following. "The
execution will commence today."

"Okay I-" Sirius blinked. "...What execution?"

Hitsugaya turned, quirking an eyebrow.

"I mean, Hitsugaya-taicho." The wizard corrected himself after a moment.

"Why, yours, Black." The young shinigami smirked, walking out.

Sirius blanched.

"...What?!" He screamed at the closing door.

"That... was sneaky, underhanded and very, very cruel, taicho." Matsumoto said after a
moment.

"So?" Hitsugaya quirked an eyebrow.

Matsumoto sighed.

"What?" The white haired teen snapped.

"Oh, nothing, taicho." She said cheerfully. "It just seems I am rubbing off on you."

'Rubbing? What is she...?'

Hitsugaya froze.

Matsumoto smirked.
Hitsugaya just cursed under his breath, breaking into brisk walk.

"So, Taicho. Where are we going?" Matsumoto asked cheerfully, falling into step easily
after years of working with her captain.

"To Soi Fong. And not we, but I. I want you to retrieve and fill out the papers." He threw
her a warning glance. "And no slacking, Matsumoto!"

"Yes, yes..." She muttered unhappily. "... You are going to Soi Fong-taicho alone?"

"Yes. She is easier to deal with that way." Hitsugaya said curtly.

"Still... this is an official request, taicho. I think that as your second I should be there."
She frowned.

"I don't need her all formal and tense." Hitsugaya snapped.

"Tens-er rather." The blonde grumbled. "She is always tense."

"Matsumoto." Hitsugaya glared at her. "Don't make this more difficult than it is."

"Yes, yes, Taicho." She said with a sigh. "I still think it would be better idea to
accompany you. In case she is uncooperative."

"And you'd do... what?" Hitsugaya said dryly. "Take her out for a drink?"

"Ah no, I'd know where she hid your body." Matsumoto smiled cheerfully.

Hitsugaya sighed.

"Just get that paperwork done." He said tiredly. "I want it ready by 1600."

Rangiku blinked.

"But taicho... There is so much of it!" She whined. "I already made so much today! And it
is a transfer notice, the procedure, the execution... Hours!"

"Just do it!"

"But.... But!" She pouted, before blinking.

Hitsugaya... wasn't there.

Matsumoto blinked owlishly.

"...I was abandoned." She whispered with disbelief.

Her lovable, if obsessively workaholic, left her at the mercy of paperwork.

Abandoned.

Alone.

A dangerous glint flashed in her eyes.

So, he thought he could get rid of her and leave her alone to face the nightmare that was
the dreaded Mountain of Paperwork alone?

"Ho ho ho..." She chuckled nastily. 'You have a lot to learn, To-shi-ro. I, Matsumoto
Rangiku shall educate you! Just you see!'

"Hohohohoho!"

Three buildings away, Toshiro felt a shiver going down his spine.

"So. You want me to vouch for a criminal." Soi Fong, sitting by her desk looked at
Toshiro calmly and poured tea to two cups, offering one to the young shinigami.

"Yes." Toshiro took the tea.

The Onmitsukido head frowned slightly, taking a sip of her tea.

The request was a strange one. While she could understand her fellow captain's
reasoning, even if she did not share it, there was something...more to it. Even in crisis, the
boy was always level-headed, always looking for optimal solution. This one wasn't.
Execution would be easier. Prison would be easier. Allowing the man to waste away,
quite painfully at that, to spiritrons for months to come as punishment would be easier.
This wasn't.

"Why?" She asked finally.

'...And here it comes.'

While Soi Fong was what Matsumoto called 'emotional moron' she could be surprisingly
perceptive.

'Well, she _is_ the head of Onmitsukido.'

"That man is important to you somehow." The woman's eyes gazed at him calmly.
"Yes." Toshiro admitted with a sigh. "He was... family after a fashion."

"Ah." Soi Fong took a sip of her tea. "I see." She leaned back in her chair, a slight frown
on her face. "You should not be handling this matter, then." She said finally.

"Yamamoto's orders. For the mission." Toshiro said curtly.

"Intelligence doesn't require the source to be inducted into shinigami ranks." The other
captain riposted calmly and Toshiro's eyes widened slightly.

'She _knows_! How in the-'

"...I should have known." The young shinigami barked a mirthless laugh. "How much do
you know?"

"As much as I need to."

'Translation - everything.' Hitsugaya thought sourly. 'Damn it, I should have known. It is
so obvious in retrospect...!'

"You are letting it affect you too deeply." Soi Fong poured him some more tea.

'Yes, because a piece of _your_ past in the form of certain noble heiress didn't affect
_you_ at all.' He thought sarcastically, though he kept silent. Bringing up Yoruichi with
his fellow captain was...inadvisable. It was a wonder she wasn't spitting fire still. He
didn't know how exactly their encounter went - which was still more than most, but...Soi
Fong was oddly pensive. Calm, even.

He'd expect her to be in a sour and nasty mood. Hell, he half expected her to drop by
tenth for a 'spar'. She did that often when she was in a foul mood, because he was the
only person who would agree to it without going too far like that madman Zaraki.

It was something they wordlessly agreed on ever since he did a 'tour' in Second before his
captaincy.

He had the speed, the Bankai and the combat skills that could use as much practice as he
could get - she had a temper, the skill and the need to vent. Hell, things being as they
were, he'd welcome it - he was certainly itching to vent some of his frustrations this time
around.

"Vouching for some wizard... and a criminal." Soi Fong said with a frown. "Is that man
even worth it?"

"He is loyal." Hitsugaya said, catching the meaning. "A little carefree but...The Academy
will take care of that."
"So you say." Soi Fong tapped her cup thoughtfully. "Very well. I will do it." She said
fianlly. "However... I want to be the witness. And you will let me evaluate him."

Hitsugaya froze.

"...what?"

"Today. And after he completes the training." Her eyes glinted. "I shall not allow that man
to sully the name of Gotei 13 by his lack of worth."

"He wasn't trained." Toshiro said forcefully.

"Worth of a man isn't something that can be trained. Training just chips away the dross."
She held his gaze. "He will bear my recommendation along with my judgment."

Hitsugaya gritted his teeth, before nodding curtly.

"Then we are agreed."

Toshiro drained his cup down to the dregs. The last sip was bitter, the way Soi Fong liked
her tea.

"Thank you." He said getting up.

"There is no need to thank me." She said calmly. "Hitsugaya."

He stopped by the exit, turning to her.

"Tread carefully. Whatever your relationship with that man... Tread carefully. Those
things are never as... easy as they seem."

"I know." He said softly.

She nodded simply, letting him out.

When the door closed, the Onmitsukido chief kept looking at them for a long moment.

"Yes. Never easy... are they?" She took a sip of her tea. "Too bitter." She muttered
absently, looking into the dark, nearly black liquid. "Way too bitter..."

She drank it anyway.

'She agreed surprisingly easily.' The dragon murmured thoughtfully.

'Easily? If she doesn't like something about Sirius, she'll go Suzumebachi on him!'
Toshiro gritted his teeth.

'Oh, I don't think so.' Hyorinmaru said calmly.

'...Really?' The shinigami blinked.

'She'll just break his neck, I think. I mean, do you expect her to use Suzumebachi on a
simple human?'

Toshiro pinched the bridge of his nose.

'You aren't helping, you know.'

'Sorry.' The spirit said, sounding anything but.

'This is my godfather we are talking about here, damn it.'

'One you didn't think about for last several decades.'

Hitsugaya halted, before sighing.

'Yes. Indeed.' Dragon said smoothly.

'It is all so damn complicated. I'd rather get to that damn mission already.' The young
captain groused mentally.

'So would I, for that matter.' Hyorinmaru's rasp was almost... expectant. 'Yes...some
pieces of trash certainly deserve some ice.'

'Well, aren't you eager.' Hitsugaya raised an eyebrow.

'That wretch Voldemort had it coming for a long, long time.' The dragon growled. 'As did
that slimy caricature of a bat.'

Hitsugaya smirked.

'Now that I can agree with.' He admitted, stepping out shunpo in front of his office.

After he secured Soi Fong's agreement, he filled out his side of requirements and got a 'go
ahead' from Yamamoto. The old man was surprisingly easy going about it - not even a
word, or a raised eyebrow.

'Well, knowing him, that old buzzard knew what kind of decision I'll make. Which wasn't
all that difficult.' Hitsugaya grumbled, opening the door and walking in.
"Matsumoto." He looked at his second. "How's the paperwork?"

She glared at him, over what he noticed was the transfer folder. In triplicate.

"Almost finished, taicho." She said sourly.

Toshiro nodded, setting abotu to ready some tea. He wasn't gleeful. Oh no. heavens no.
Not like he felt vindictive spike of satisfaction looking at his loyal vice captain besieged
by the stacks of forms. Of course not.

'Well, not much anyway.' He smiled faintly.

Matsumoto's eyebrow twitched.

"I am pleased you are so happy, taicho." She said darkly.

"Thank you, Matsumoto." Hitsugaya poured himself some hot tea, sitting by his desk, an
incarnation of calm, impartial professionalism. With tea.

Matsumoto's eyebrow twitched again.

"No thanks necessary, taicho." She said sweetly.

"Ah. You are right." The captain nodded thoughtfully.

Well... that was new. Hitsugaya calmly admitting something like that?

"I am?" She quirked an eyebrow.

"Indeed. After all, you are just doing your job." He took a sip of hot liquid blissfully.

'Oh I will get you for that.' Matsumoto thought darkly. 'Just you wait, my dear captain. I
will get you for that, or my name isn't Matsumoto Rangiku! My revenge will leave you
on your knees, boy! On your knees and _begging_!'

"Matsumoto?" Toshiro frowned.

"Yes, taicho?" She blinked innocently.

"That cackle better be a sign of victory over paperwork."

The blonde slumped.

"...yes taicho."
*

Hitsugaya took a breath, letting his nerves calm down.

'Easy, brat. Not like it is a real execution.'

'I'm not worried about that.' The shinigami snapped.

He felt Soi Fong's reiatsu in the barracks, the familiar, stark presence she didn't bother to
hide as a courtesy. Sort of 'here I am, know it' sign, as polite as she got outside of
protocol.

He tried not to think just where hse was right now.

"Taicho... Is it a good idea?" Matusmoto murmured.

"I don't have a choice." Toshiro said through gritted teeth.

"I knew Unohana-taicho was better..." Rangiku sighed. "Damn.. If she doesn't kill him it
is going to be a miracle."

"She won't."

"If you are so sure..." The blonde said dubiously.

"She won't." 'I hope.'

"I still say it is a bad idea." Rangiku's long fingers tapped Haineko's hilt lightly.

"For god's sake, would you stop saying that already!" He snapped.

There was a familiar hiss of a lazy shunpo and suddenly that stark, powerful presence
was right next to them as Soi Fong appeared, not even a hair ruffled.

Toshiro looked at her, but his fellow captain just took a bland look at Matsumoto who
frowned, but took a step back.

Soi Fong cocked her head for a second, before standing next to him.

"He will do. For now." She said calmly.

Hitsugaya didn't dare to let out that breath.

'Damn it. 'For now'...I don't like this. Don't like this at _all_.'

'And you shouldn't. Whenever Soi Fong has doubts, the angry bee ends up stinging in the
end...unless she is placated.' Hyorinmaru murmured.

'And how am I supposed to do _that_?!' He snapped at the zanpakuto.

He felt the dragon give his equivalent of a shrug.

'Oh you won't give me that 'I'm just a harmless little dragon' routine here you bloody
reptile!' Hitsugaya seethed internally.

'Well I doubt anything save grabbing a naked Yoruichi-hime and putting her in angry
bee's room with a ribbon on is going to suffice.' Hyorinmaru snorted. 'Though black
kitten plushies might work, I guess.' He added, his tone thoughtful.

'...Aren't you just a fountain of wisdom.'

'No problem, brat.' The dragon said benignly. 'After all, one should at least try to help the
less fortunate.'

'Ha ha. Really amusing.' Toshiro remarked wryly, before frowning. '...Hmm. how about
just getting her a cat?'

The dragon was silent for a long moment.

'...You know, that might not be a bad idea.' He rasped thoughtfully.

The mental conversation fell silent as two shinigami from Tenth division led Sirius in.
Toshiro noticed that the wizard was looking somewhat pale.

'Well, he's nervous, it is normal I guess...'

Sirius halted, his eyes widening slightly, the blanch deepening and Hitsugaya followed
prisoner's gaze, only to end on Soi Fong's serene face.

'Yes. Perfectly normal.'

"Hitsugaya-taicho." The shinigami bowed to him, letting the prisoner go.

"Good work. Where is the asauchi for him?"

"Unohana-taicho assured us that-"

The doors opened and Hitsugaya cocked an eyebrow at the tall figure of Kotetsu Isane.

"My apologies, Hitsugaya-taicho. The adjustments took longer than we have predicted."
She said with embarrassment.

"The request was urgent, it is I who should apologize." The young captain nodded.
"Thank you for your work."

"If I might, Hitsugaya-taicho... I would like to stay and observe the patient, if it was
possible."

'Well, we would need someone to check him afterwards anyway...''

"Permission granted, Kotetsu-fukutaicho."

Isane nodded walking up to the assisting shinigami and giving a wrapped asauchi to one
and walking tot he captains, only to hesitate briefly as she saw Soi Fong. The vice captain
gritted her teeth lightly, before taking a longer route around Hitsugaya and standing by
Matsumoto.

Soi Fong snorted lightly, not bothering to pay anymore attention and Hitsugaya just
quirked an eyebrow.

'Well, no point in waiting.'

He nodded to Soi Fong, taking a step forward, the Second Division's captain following at
arm's length.

"Sirius Black." The young shinigami said, tone measured and calm. "Today is the last day
of your previous existence. Who or what you were before now does not matter. Any
loyalty or bonds you have formed, cease to matter as well. From this day on forward,
your first loyalty will be to Gotei 13, to Seireitei and protection of all that is within it.
Your devotion and deed will be to keeping and upholding the spiritual balance, and
defending it with your life if necessary. Do you understand?"

The wizard nodded, slightly jerkily as he felt reiatsu's invisible hand starting to press at
him.

"Very well." Hitsugaya nodded back. "Then stand, Sirius Black. And do not falter."

He had never performed such ceremony - it was hardly par of the course and rarely
practiced. Even then, it was usually reserved for traitors that wanted to repent and weren't
executed. Or, like in this case, to some prisoners.

Still, save few key differences, it wasn't all that different than advancing an officer.

Hitsugaya waited for Soi Fong to draw Suzumebachi before drawing his own zanpakuto.

With one step, the lithe Onmitsukido commander was next to Sirius, her eyes calm,
though there was that cold spark in them.

"Sting to death, Suzumebachi."

The kodachi twisted, shrinking and molding to that dangerous, clawed form Soi Fong
was infamous for, taking its place mere arm's length by Sirius' neck.

To his credit, though Sirius blanched and swayed, he remained standing. Soi Fong was
limiting the burst of reiatsu as much as she could, but it was still a testament to the man’s
will power.

"I, Soi Fong, captain of the Second Division of Gotei 13, shall witness this event as asked
by Hitsugaya Toshiro, captain of Tenth Division of Gotei 13" The warrior said in that
clipped, no-nonsense tone, yet with an air of formality in it.

'Well, time to do our thing, I guess.' Hyorinmaru chuckled. 'Angry... angry bee. So much
buzz.'

Hitsugaya snorted inwardly, keeping the outward expression calm as he raised the
zanpakuto.

"Sit upon the frozen heavens, Hyorinmaru!"

Sirius' eyes widened as the blue aura flashed, the zanpakuto's blade frosting over, chain
taking its place down the hilt.

'Ah, yesss...' The dragon hissed with pleasure. 'Now that's better. Hmm... Stretching our
wings wouldn't be bad as well.'

'Forget it.' Hitsugaya rolled his eyes. 'Going shikai is overkill as it is. I'm not pushing for
bankai just because you fancy a flight.'

'Spoilsport.' The dragon grumbled. 'Let's just get it over with, eh?'

Hitsugaya nodded, placing the tip of the blade against Sirius's chest.

The wizard was white, but gritting his teeth and standing, staring at him almost defiantly.

'Well no one ever said Sirius Black lacked courage.' Toshiro thought with amusement,
calming down his reiatsu and channeling some to the blade at low intensity.

He had no idea why one needed to state shikai before this ceremony - he doubted anyone
save maybe Yamamoto did. But that was how it was supposed to go, and who was he to
argue with it?

The young shinigami's eyes narrowed as he stabbed Hyorinmaru into Sirius's chest.

The wizard's eyes widened, a hiss escaping his lungs as he wavered.

'Now.'

A burst of reiatsu traveled down the edge and Toshiro pulled the sword out.

Sirius gasped, sliding to his knees, grasping at the bloodless wound, eyes glazed.

Hitsugaya blinked.

'...is he...?' He thought cocking an eyebrow, looking at the pale body for a second. 'Well
damn. He _does_. So _that_ is why it is called Tanebi!'

Sirius’s body was glowing. Well, not really glowing. It looked as if fringes of his
silhouette were composed of tiny embers that were just... fading.

It started of slowly, maybe one or two points, only to grow faster and faster. Soon, even
as Sirius’s face contorted with pain, mouth opening in a soundless scream, he was
covered in a multitude of flowing, sparking points.

The glow grew dimmer for a long moment before focusing and sparking upward and to
the sides, as if embers from a fire.

Both Hitsugaya and Soi Fong looked at the fading, firework-like light display for a
moment with fascination.

"Should be called 'Hanabi' rather." Toshiro muttered thoughtfully and Soi Fong nodded,
almost too slightly too notice.

Sirius heaved, using his shaking hands not to fall as he struggled to get up.

"Give that man his asauchi." The young captain nodded to Isane, who grabbed the
bundle, uncovering it to reveal the proto-zanpakuto.

From what he understood, Sirius' reiatsu would fluctuate wildly for some time after the
process of consuming his body. Asauchi would regulate it, drawing in the excess power.

'Hmm, if anything, it might make learning his zanpakuto's name easier.'

'Kinda like us, brat.' The dragon chuckled. 'Not as good, of course, but then - who is?'

Hitsugaya snorted, observing Isane who handed the shaking, heaving ex-wizard the
asauchi and was whispering something to him nearly inaudibly, her hands moving in
standard diagnostic kido.

Sirius shook his head, managing to grasp his asauchi firmly and suing it to prop himself
up.
Toshiro watched as the shaking, obviously tired man took his time to straighten out and
stand firmly, the nameless blade in his hand.

Soi Fong looked at him for a moment, and Sirius flinched slightly, but kept her gaze.

The lithe woman sheathed Suzumebachi, and turned to Hitsugaya with a nod, before
vanishing in shunpo.

Toshiro sheathed Hyorinmaru, letting the semi-seal -which was the beast he could do,
really - take care of zanpakuto's form.

"Welcome to the Tenth Division of Gotei 13, Black." He said simply.

Sirius nodded tiredly.

"Thanks."

Toshiro quirked an eyebrow.

"..Thanks, Hitsugaya-taicho." The new trainee corrected himself hastily.

"Get the man some standard uniform for the time being and give him some food." Toshiro
looked at one of the shinigami, before nodding to Sirius. "Eat something, take a shower
and change from the prison outfit. The quartermaster will show you to your barracks. I
want to see you in my office in two hours. Dismissed." He vanished in shunpo,
Matsumoto following shortly after.

TBC...

Glossary:

Tanebi: spark, ember

Hanabi: fire flower, fireworks.

Well, Matsumoto is as determined as ever and she's preparing her ground, so to speak.
Hitsugaya might as well have a stamp "Property of Matsumoto Rangiku" on his forehead.
Also, the most unlikely friendship between Soi Fong and Hitsugaya is shown. Hell, one
obsessive workaholic to another, those two understand each other very well. Which is jsut
plain disturbing, now that I think of it. And let's just say that with Soi Fong's watchful eye
on him, Sirius will have it as far from easy as possible.

--------------------
It is alive! Sadly, it is my last update to 20th may, because I will be simply too busy to
write.

The thanks go to Cornuthaum, MageOhki, Skelethin, Vasey and Typhonis for assistance.

Not edited, therfore typos persist still. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Enjoy

Frozen Ring

Chapter 6

"Silent Night"

Part 1 of 2

"...Hey. Almost no sound. Nice." The ex-wizard muttered, blinking as his - which was
still _so_ damn weird - captain vanished. "Will I be learning that?" He looked at one of
the shinigami, a young, lithe woman in what looked to be a tighter version of standard
shinigami uniform.

"Thats shunpo. And yes, if you're good enough, then you probably will." She grabbed
Sirius' shoulder as the man swayed. "Oh man... Look at ya, all tired and drained. Come
on, I'll take ya to Nozomi. Ya really need to eat something."

"Thanks." Siruis gasped out, still off balance. "I'm Sirius, by the way.Sirius Black."

"Yeah, I heard." The woman smiled. "I am Yamazaki Kureha. The grouch there is
Shirogata Yoshi." The expresionless black haired man nodded simply. "Let's get ya some
food, eh? Ya look pale as death!" She laughed, slapping his back while Yoshi rolled his
eyes.

Sirius blinked, before smiling.

"Hey, that wasn't... heh... half bad." he chuckled, half choking thanks to his own lack of
breath.

"Really? Ya liked it?" Kureha blinked, before pointing at Yoshi. "See! I told ya my jokes
aren't bad, asshole! Ya just can't appreciate humor!"

"I can appreciate it just fine." The expresionless man deadpanned. "You just lack any
comedic talent whatsoever."

"Well, Blackie here doesn't think so!" Kureha said truimpanthly, slapping Sirius' back
enthusiastically. "Ha!"

Yoshi just shrugged, walking away.

"Well, that leaves the two of us, Sirius-han!" Kureha smiled, cheeruflly leading - or rather
dragging would be more appropriate - out of the conference room. "Welcome, welcome,
welcome to the magnificence that is The Tenth Division! And man, did YOU get lucky!"

"I did?" Sirius blinked, trying to keep up with the energetic girl.

"Sure, sure!" Kureha nodded cheerfully. "The Tenth is great! The best, Sirius-han! I've
been in three other divisions, and only here I found what I've been looking for! We have
the cool, if slightly wacky crowd but not the thug society, aka the 11th divison (keep
away form them by the way, unless you want a good scrap or need to drink to oblivion).
We got some brainacs, but not the freaks like that twelvth's crowd and we got some
dedicated types but not the absurdly mission-uber-alles types like those in Second."
Kureha sighed. "And while not speaking ill of Soi Fong-taicho... try not to get in her way,
Sirius-han, eh?"

"Soi Fong... you mean the woman with that... claw?" Siruis blanched slighlty. "That is
one scary... woman." He lowered his voice. "Is she always this... direct?" He shuddered.
"She outright threatened to stab me, for Merlin's sake!"

"Ah, yeah." Kureha winced slighlty. "Soi Fong-taicho's kinda... intense. Though I guess
ya'll have to get... kinda used to her."

Sirius quirked an eyebrow.

"Well, Soi Fong-taicho and Hitsugaya-sama are kinda... friends." Kureha rubbed her chin.
"Well, I think." She muttered. "Nobody really knows. Thing is, she comes around the
Tenth from time to time. So try not to piss her of or it is..." Kureha made an exaggerated
stabbing motion.

"Oh." Sirius nodded slowly.

"But overall, you lucked out!" The woman smiled cheerfully. "Hitsugaya-taicho is the
best captain ya could have come across! Kinda hardcase, but he's great, ya'll see! He
never lets people down and always takes care of his troops. Always did." She cocked her
head, loking at Sirius' dubious expression. "What is it?"

"I just..." Black shook his head. "He's just so... young." Sirius said dubiously, only to
freeze as Kureha loomed over him.

"Oi, Sirius-han... Hitsugaya-sama is a genius and your superior. More, he got us out of
tight spots and runs this division better than the asshole of his predecessor ever did, even
if he's young. Got it? Eh?" She stabbed her finger in Siruis' ribs several times with a
surprising amount of force. "So don't go flapping your mouth about things ya've got no
idea 'bout, rookie."

"Sorry." The ex-wizard muttered, somewhat uncomfortable. "It is still new for me."

"And that is the only reason I didn't Hado ya into oblivion, rookie." Kureha nodded,
relaxing slighlty. "Keep something in mind. The troops like Hitsugaya-taicho, like him a
lot. He cares. He might be haradss, he might push 'em and all, but he cares. So don't go
opening your big mouth around the Tenth, or somebody will take offense. Guaranteed.
And they won't be so nice to care that ya're a rookie."

The ex-wizard nodded slowly.

"I understand."

"As I said, ya're rookie, so I forgive ya this one time. Just learn what's what before ya say
anything, 'kay?" She smiled at him. "Anyway, come on! Time to eat something! We're
going to have tuna casserole tonight and let me tell ya I-"

Sirius smiled bemusedly, following the chatterbox deeper into the complex.

'This might not be so bad, after all.'

"What about the requisition forms for the outfits?" Hitsugaya leafed through the stack of
appaers on his desk.

He might be going out, but he would be damned if he left everything to Ukitake. It was
_his_ division goddamit!

"Filled out, stamped." Matsumoto marked the 'out' tray.

"That disciplinary hearing we have-"

"Taken care of."

"Ah. Good." Hitsugaya nodded with reilief. "How is the emergency draft?"

"Not much so far, but the decision will be going any week now, I suspect." The blonde
murmured. "We put the procedures in place none the less."

"Good. Who's taking care of it?"

"Himura volounteered." Matsumoto peered over her notepad as she heard the snort from
her captain.

"How many times do I have to remind him - he is the third seat officer, for god's sake!"
The young captain muttered.

"He was the zanjutsu instructor at the academy, taicho." Rangiku pointed out. "He can
deal with them efficiently."

"Well he'll be having enough job starting this week. Is Shakti free?"

Matsumoto frowned, raking her brain for the data, before nodding slowly.

"Yes, she should be going out of hospital tomorrow. I don't have anything assigned for
her, save the usual."

"Put her on that. She can talk for hours - she can talk passable recruits from them without
any trouble."

"As you wish, taicho." The blonde swrote a short note, picking up another stack of papers
and wincing. "...Oh dammit. I almost forgot."

"I don't like that tone, Matsumoto." Toshiro said flatly.

"Well, we might have a bit of a problem here. Or two of them, really." Matsumoto sighed.

"Out with it, I don't have all day." Hitsugaya grumbled.

"Sanada Izumi and Hagino Sayoko."

"What of them?"

"Well... we seem to have a real romantic tragedy here involving those two, one that
leaves several people... ah, let's say calling for blood?"

"Let me guess, they both fell in love with the same man and can't stand each other?" He
said dryly

"Ah, taicho, it seems that is... well, the other way around?"

Hitsugaya cocked an eyebrow.

"Well, Izumi-san and Sayoko-san are, shall we say, in very good relations. Downright
intimate."

Hitsugaya blinked owlishly.

"Oh." he said finally after a moment of silence.

"Yes, and considering that Izumi-san is a commoner, and Sayoko-san is not and was to be
married and all..."

"Ah. So that's why." Hitsugaya murmured thoughtfully.

"Yes, well - the father of the bride calls for justice, the family of the groom is so shamed
they call for blood..." Matsumoto shrugged." 'We have been most greviously insulted,
yadda yadda yadda'."

"Do I _look_ like a clan head?" Toshiro snapped. "I am their commanding officer, not
their father!"

"Ah not quite, taicho." Rangiku pointed out cheerfully. " You, according to the Gotei 13
laws, entertain a position equal to that of high nobility. Next to the oaths to Seireitei and
Gotei 13, they swear loyalty to their division. Meaning their captain - personally. If they
decide to rely on your judgment and commit themselves..."

"Ah, dammit. I knew that ceremonial thing would give me a hedeache one day..." The
young captain scowled. "What do they want, anyway?"

"The family of the bride wants her to resign the service, or at the very least transfer, while
the ladies in question, well..." Matsumoto slid a single form to Hitsugaya.

Toshiro grabbed the paper deftly, scanning through it, before putting it down.

"You are, of course, kidding me." He said flatly. "They actually filled out the
_paperwork_ for this?"
"In triplicate, taicho." Matsumoto pointed at her desk.

"So they are serious. Dammit." Hitsugaya rubbed his eyes tiredly, before looking at his
second.

"The 13th seat combat leader... and..." He blinked. "What does Sayoko _do_ anyway?"

"A part time archivist, a part time messenger, a part time..." Matsumoto cocked her
eyebrow. "Oh my. That's a lot of 'part time' here."

"If you tell me she is a 'part time' shinigami as well, I think I'll go and freeze something
as a stress relief." Hitsugaya said dryly.

"She might as well be so. Now that's weird..." Rangiku leafed through the papers quickly.

"What is it?"

"Nothing just..." The blond frowned, tapping her lips. "She had been over a decade out of
the academy, yet... she is still not assigned."

"What?" Hitsugaya's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean 'not assigned'?"

"Well, no. She is, technically, to the Archives, but..." The woman shrugged. "It is like
she's some kind of hot potato, or something. It is almost as if... as if somebody doesn't
_want_ for her to get assigned.And she had the top marks in the Academy, too. Weird."
Matsumoto trailed off and Hitsugaya's eyes narrowed a fraction more.

"Hagino... Hagino... Is it the same as Hagino Iemon. As in, Hagino Family?"

"Oh." Matsumoto's eyes widened. "Oh. Yes, that would make sense."

"Oh yes. For Iemon it would make a lot of sense." he snagged the paper from
Matusmoto's hand and scanned it. "Very well. Push the thing through with my personal
approval."

Matsumoto froze.

"...what?"

"You heard me." Hitsugaya said with a smirk. "And push Sayoko to the 13th seat
equivalency in the archives. Push Kazuya up - Ryoko is going to need help and Sayoko
has enough time and practice for the position anyway. Also, consdering the crisis, it will
actually be better for the division."
"And nobody can say there is anything improper going on." Matusmoto cocked an
eyebrow. "Iemon-dono will have kittens. A whole litter of them, taicho."

"Then he should not have played politics within _my_ division." Hitsugaya said darkly.
"If he has any problems, he can take it up with me personally."

"Ah, now that is something I'd pay to see, taicho." Rangiku smirked. The old man's
roving eyes were far from pleasant, after all. "You do know that you will have to perform
the ceremony, right?"

Hitsugaya shrugged.

"I will even buy them a wedding present to hammer this point home." He said calmly.

"Fanning the flames of the forbidden affection between the two young lovers, separated
by insurmountable barriers, position and a jealous family! My captain, the closet
romantic." The blonde sighed thetrically. "Who would have thought?"

"Cute." The young captain drawled. "Now get to work. Just see it gets done, Matsumoto."

The rustle of paperwork, from two sources - which was a bloody record as far as
Hitsugaya was concerned - filled the office for a long moment. It was what he dubbed the
'office silence', something he alone was usually responsible for.

"Will you tell him?"

The rustle stopped.

"I'm thinking about it."

Matsumoto pushed her stack of paperwork, pulling it together into a one, neat pile
covered in elegant writing. It was surprising to many, but despite her innate sloppiness
when it came to paperwork, she had some of the most precise, elegant reports. When she
bothered to write them, that is.

"You should." She frowned, adding another mark to the long overdue evaluation report.

"I don't know about that." Hitsugaya leaned back.

"He is your family, taicho." She put away the report, finally looking at ehr captain.
"Shouldn't he know?"

"I said I'm thinking about it!" Hitsugaya snapped, though without his usual heat.

"You already told him to report here." The blonde said lightly. "Procastrination isn't like
you, taicho."

"Said the expert." The white haired captian snarked.

"Precisely." Matsumoto nodded, strangely pleased.

Hitsugaya blinked, looking at his vice captian for a long moment.

"Matsumoto, there are moments I honestly don't understand you at all." He said finally.

"Then all is well." She said cheerfully. "It would be boring otherwise, no?"

Sirius Black was not a man who could be surprised easily. As a wizard, a marader, an ex-
unspeakable candidate, a proud renegade of the most ancient House of Black and an
outlaw extraordinare, not much impressed him. To be honest, after the broom ride that his
life had been lately, he thought he lost any capacity for shock.

Still, he had to admit that 10th division quarters were impressive. When he heard the
explanations from his young-looking captain, he imaginend a force much like the aurors.
What he got instead, was a group that was nothing less than an army, the size of which
made him pause.

British Aurors were, at best, a hundred or so strong when it came to field operatives. He
heard that United States wizarding comunity had a larger force, but what he had seen
dwarfed anything he could have expected, and according to his chatterbox of a guide, this
wasn't even nearly the full force of one division. One division, out of _thirteen_. And that
was without counting the things like that 'Onmitsukido' Kureha mentioned and afew other
strange sounding names that flew over his head. The size of tge entire operation was just
inconcievable - the 10th division barracks alone were larger than Hogsmeade and Diagon
Alley put together!

He knew that muggles had huge cities, but those weren't muggles - each person here was
clad in the black robes of the shinigami, each carried a sword and each, of that Sirius was
sure, was capable of that strange wandless magic he saw a few times. The brief glance he
caught of the Seireitei, though, was a real eye opener. The Court of Pure Souls wasn't just
big - it was positively _huge_. As mentioned before, Sirius was not one to be intimidated
easily, but this was a strangely humbling sight.

And, best of all, the food was good! He heard many horror stories about the food in the
army from his muggle friends, but the meals in 10th division were large, tasty - if a little
odd for his british stomach, but after Azkaban he was not going to complain - and varied.
It was almost like the Great Hall in Hogwarts, come to think of it, only cut into several
smaller, cozier if more spartan sections. That and kneeling to eat was just not for him.
Kureha laughed at his surprised face he made at the large spread of food.

"Don't be so surprised, Sirius-han! Shinigami burn a lot of energy, trust me. Soon, you
will be asking for seconds." She said, punching his shoulder good naturedly.

She was right. He didn't notice before but he wasn't just hungry - he was starving. It took
an hour of frenzied inhaling of the food put in front of him to kill that dull ache in his
stomach, and he was sure that he'd be abel to eat a little more, though how he had no idea.
He didn't remember eating so much when he was a teeanger, for Merlin's sake!

"Hey, Black."

Sirius looked up from his bowl.

"Hurry it up, Hitsugaya-taicho wants to see you."

The ex-wizard nodded, wiping his mouth and standing up, wincing slightly at the fleeting
pain in his legs from the time spent in the kneeling position.

He was a spirit now, shouldn't he be free of that?

Kureha chuckled at his disgruntled expression as the man stretched his legs.

"Not what you expected?" She said, a knowing glint in her eye.

"Not really." Sirius grumbled, folowing his self-proclaimed guide out of the dining hall.
"I am a... soul now, right?"

"Yes, however, your body functions much in the same way it did when you were alive."
The girl explained. "With small differences, of course." She added thoughtfully.

"Differences?" Sirius looked at her curiously.

"Reiatsu is easier to acess, and as it holds your form now, it reinforces your body
substantially. With enough control and stable output the reishi matrix functions very
efficently and-" She trailed off. "Ya don't get the word I am saying, do ya?"

Sirius grinned, shakign his head.

"Oh. Well, in layman's terms - ya can take more asskicking and keep on going."

"Ah." The ex-wizard nodded.

"There are also things like strength, speed and such - ya saw shunpo."
Siruis blinked.

"I thought that was apparition of some kind."

"Eh, I have no idea what that 'apparition' thingy is, but shunpo is speed." The girl
shrugged. "A whole different level of it, yeah, but speed still." Kureha grinned and
suddenly she was several meters in front of him, only to vanish.

"Behind ya."

Siruis' eyes widened, turning rapidly as he felt a hand on his shoulder, to see the
shinigami standing casually just behind him.

"Neat, eh?"

The ex-wizard nodded numbly.

Speed? That was _speed_? Those people moved hundreds of paces in a blink of an eye in
a manner even the most praciced wizards couldn't equal apparating and it was 'just'
speed?

"...Merlin...!" Sirius breathed. "But that is so fast! How...?!"

"Fast? Man!" Kureha chuckled. "That? That ain't nothin'. I'm no slouch, but ya'd have to
see Mina-chan - now _that_ gal is a real speed demon. Though she still can't hold the
candle to Matsumoto-fukutaicho, or the captian. Man... ya'd have to see him and Soi
Fong-taicho when they spar! Looking at 'em go..." She shook her head, clear admiration
in her eyes. "that's something else, I tell ya."

"And I'll be learning that?" Sirius said slowly.

"Sure. Hoho is kinda mandatory."

The man looked at her blankly.

"One of the four branches of shinigami combat arts." Kureha explained patiently. "They
are Zanjutsu - meaning the swordsmanship and weapon arts, Hakuda - hand to hand
combat, Hoho - movement and, last but not least, Kido - the demon art spells."

"Demon arts?" Sirius asked with alarm.

"That's the name." Kureha shrugged. "Dunno why, so don't ask. You can call it the spirit-
based magic, I guess."

"Ah." Sirius nodded slowly. "So I will be... learning all that?"
"All of it, yeah." The girl nodded. "All mandatory."

The ex wizard sighed, shaking his head with a weak chuckle.

"Back to school again... damn." He muttered.

Still... that shunpo thing...

A slow grin bloomed on his face. Oh yes, he was going to learn that all right.

"Now, come along, or Hitsugaya-taicho will skin me, eh?" she poked him. "He's a good
guy, but he hates slackers. Still a cool guy, tho." She grinned, chuckling. "Cool guy, get
it? Eh?"

Sirius blinked. He knew there was a joke here somwhere, but he failed to see it.

Kureha pouted.

"Too much of a rookie yet, eh?" She sighed forlornly, before snagging him by his collar.
"Don't worry, my man! Be grateful, for the most amazing Kureha-sama is going to show
you the ropes, Blackie-boy!"

The ex-wizard chocked slightly as the still awkardly worn uniform pinched his throat,
losing a bit of his balance as he fell forward, straight one the offcer.

"Lookie, but no touchie, mmkay?" The young woman grinned, grabbing him tightly.
"Hold on, cuz that's where it gets real fun!"

Sirius' eyes widened as the hiss of shunpo swallowed them both, leaving only the empty
space where they stood previously.

Toshiro raised an eyebrow at the slightly haggard and pale form of his godfather, before
looking at Kureha.

"Should I be concerned?" He asked.

"No, sir!" Kureha smiled cheerfully. "Just a wee bit of shunpo. Shook 'im a little, is all.
Nothing bad, tho."

"Of course it did." The captain said dryly. "You may go for now."

"Yes, sir." Kureha bowed, beofre vanishing in shunpo, provoking a slight twitch from
Sirius.
Toshiro eyed the 'older' man for a long moment. The shinigami uniform looked odd on
him - at first he thought that given the fact wizards wore robes it would look more
natural, but he was wrong. It was obvious that the shinigami robes, while the right size,
didn't fit him yet. Or maybe it was Sirius who didn't fit them yet?

'He will have time enough for that to change, either way.'

Or at least so he hoped. He wasn't lying when he told Sirius it was a difficult job. Indeed,
if anything he wasn't telling him the complete truth. The odds his godfather, or former
godfather, wouldn't live to see his shikai were high even in times of peace. The way
things were now...

He had no illusions - even if they managed to deal with Aizen quickly, he doubted it
would be that simple. Mask or no, Aizen that Hitsugaya knew was a smart man and
planned for almost every outcome and planned this all too long not to leave some
contingencies. Besides, now that they knew what his plans were, some things came to
light - things ignored or overlooked, small things that ammounted to bigger, disturbing
things the more they learned. The strange incidents with hollows that consumed
shinigami, or absorbed them, or, like in case of Shiba Kaien, outright posessed them...

How long had Aizen been planning whatever he was planning Hitsugaya had no idea and
was too young to speculate. Oh sure, there were records but given Aizen's previous
position and goals, if any of those was one hundred percent accurate and not tampered
with, Toshiro would be very surprised. That irked him - usually the data gathered by
Gotei 13 was very reliable, but now Aizen calmly, skillfully crippled even that. Come to
think of it, he couldn't be sure even of his own senses, given that thrice-damned power of
the man's zanpakuto. Who knew what kind of mind games did that bastard play over the
years or when did they start? Aizen was a rank and file shinigami for a quite a bit before
he even became an officer, and captain for a century.

Hitsugaya wasn't ashamed to admit that the possibilities of whatever that madman set in
motion over that time made the hairs on his neck stand when he thought about it.

All that, and Gotei 13 was down three captains.

The blow to morale over that was staggering. Captains, aside form being the military
commanders and authority figures, were living symbols of Gotei 13. Three captains dead
would be a very serious matter - three captains defecting and shacking up with hollows?
That was a damn catastrophe. While the old man kept it under the wraps as much as he
could, the chaos that Aizen constructed made it impossible. Disciplined or not, the troops
talked, and the divisions bereft of captains asked questions.

All that... and his former godfather standing in the ill-fitting hakama and gi, tuging at the
obviously unfamilar apparel trying to get used to it and the mission that was sprung on
him like some deja vu, when Toshiro really had better things to do with his time.
'When it rains it really pours, doesn't it?'

Still, the old man was right. Voldemort had to die and he really _was_ the best suited for
the job.

Hitsugaya put one last touch on his paperwork - redundant, really, since it was all done
but it helped him to organize his thoughts.

"I shall take that, taicho."

He blinked, looking at Matsumoto who was standing by his desk. She wore her 'official'
face, but she looked at him with a faint degree of... was that worry?

"I can take care of it myself." He said shaking his head.

"I need to talk to the quartermaster anyway, captain." The blonde tapped her paperwork.
"Supplies for the misison, don't you know." She said airly.

Toshiro's eyebrow rose slightly as he peered at the several forms in her hand that
immideatly roused his finely honed Motsumoto-sense.

"Aren't those a little _too_ blank, Matsumoto?" The young captain asked suspicously.

So yeah, others might think him paranoid, but then others didn't ahve to deal with the
quartermaster sending officially stamped order for the finest quality sake, a wagon worth
of snacks, and a hefty number of yukata and bikini apparels for the female officers that,
coincidentally, ended up wearing them on one of the Matsumoto-coordinated hot springs
trip. The less said about the fact that Matsumoto ended up dragging entire Shinigami
Woman's Association, _and_ him, with her, the better.

All on _his_ tab! Which wouldn't be so bad if not for Shunsui hounding him for a year
after and outright _sulking_ he wasn't invited or didn't get to see 'his beautiful Nanao-
chan' in a bikini. It was good that Toshiro never took any vacation time he was due,
because Kyoraku formally promised he'd ever let him do something like that again. Well,
not without him, anyway.

So yes, he was wary of any requisition forms that had too much blank space on them. It
wasn't paranoia when you had Matsumoto as your leuitenant - it was a reasonable
security measure.

"Why, taicho - you never know what one might need." Rangiku said innocently. Or it
would be innocent if he hadn't known her as well as he did. That alone woke the perfectly
honed Matsumoto-sense into full alert.

Toshiro's eyes narrowed.

"Why don't I handle those, eh?" He said, his hands sneaking tot he folders almost on
automatic even as she leaned forward.

Leaned might be too small of a word, really.

"Ah, taicho." Rangiku smiled sacily, winking. "If you wanted them so badly..." She
whispered. "You should have just said so Ta-i-cho!" She sing songed and Toshiro
blanched, before reddening.

Somehow during the almost-tug-of-war with the paperwork his hand ended up right in
the reach of the twin peaks of Mount Rangiku.

'Firmly in reach. Very firmly.' Toshiro thought absently, before freezing.

"But that will have to wait for later, my captain." The blonde winked, smiling. "Work,
especially paperwork, first, no?"

Hitsugaya blinked owlishly as Rangiku, spring in her step, almost skipped to the door.

"Thank you!" She waved her hand cheerfully. "I'll be back soon so you won't have a
chance to miss me, Ta-i-cho!"

Toshiro nodded numbly, beofre halting.

"Ma.tsu.mo.to." The snowy eyebrow twitched.

That's it. He was going to ask Soi Fong to show him her place to hide the bodies the next
time he talked with her.

Sirius blinked, before looking at his young commander.

"Now that..." He said with unabashed awe "is one... formidable woman."

"Yes." Hitsugaya's eyebrow twitched again. "I just so happen to notice that fact."

He glared at the door for a long moment, before sighing.

'Some good impression...' The young captain thought dryly.

'Oh, I don't know. This is Sirius Black we are talking about.' The dragon snorted, clearly
amused.

'True enough, I guess.' Toshiro quirked an eyebrow - true to form there was a faint, if
slightly confused grin on his godfather's face.
'I have a feeling he'll fit here quite well.' Hyorinmaru said with a chuckle, while
Hitsugaya just sighed almost inadibly, before squaring his shoulders.

"I see you've donned your shihakusho already."

Sirius blinked.

"Excuse me?"

"Your uniform." Hitsugaya explained.

"Ah." The ex-wizard nodded, tugging at one of the sleeves. "I think the size is wrong,
though. The sleeves are too short."

"That's the way they are designed." Toshiro smiled fiantly. he had exact same reaction
when he saw those for the first time. "You will get used to it."

"If you say so." Sirius said dubiously.

One snowy eyebrow went up, the face remaining impassive.

"I mean, if you say so, sir." The 'older' man corrected himself sheepishly.

"Better." The young captain said with a nod. "From this moment on, you are a part of
Gotei 13, even if not a full fledged shinigami. While some of your mistakes can be
overlooked, you are a paroled prisoner. Keep it in mind. Also, you will find that while the
10th division officers might cut you some slack, so to speak, due to your status, the other
divisions, especially those of rank, most often will not." Hitsugaya steepled his fingers in
front of his face. "Also, on a related note, I'd like to give you a more personal warning.
Soi Fong-taicho is the head of special forces in Seireitei and a very hard, unforgiving
woman. She will be watching you, and watching you closely, Black. If you so much as
toe out of line, she will take action, one that will most likely see you destroyed faster than
I can say those words."

Sirius nodded slowly, his face paling slightly. He was no coward, but the... talk with Soi
Fong was one of the most harrowing moments in his life. The 2nd division captain was...
well, hardly very imposing. Short, lithe, and would be even called cute if not for the cold
frown that didn't seem to leave her face, and that chilling aura she almsot oozed with
every breath or step.

She didn't raise a finger, she didn't change her tone, she didn't even change her
expression, while that oppresive... force just seemed to rattle him to his very bones,
sending him to his knees as he almost suffocated to the death.

In all honesty, he had never been scared like that in his life. Ever. He had no doubt that
Voldemort, scary as he was, could hold no candle to that walking menace of a woman.
Not a candle, not even an ember.

And that comment about not wanting to become her enemy as she left was so casual, so
offhand that it made Sirius' hair stand on his neck. Because the way it had been delivered
left no doubt in his mind that whatever enemies Soi Fong used to have, they were most
certianly not among the living anymore.

"Also, I'd like you to keep in mind that we are military. Rank means a lot here and
protocol is to be respected. I will not allow you to shame this division, in any way." The
jade eyes glinted dangerously. "Are we clear on that, Black?"

"Yes sir."

"Good." The captain nodded. "As we are under martial law, your transfer to the Academy
is impossible. Therfore, all the schooling you will recieve will be inside this division and
handled by whatever shinigami that will be avaliable and things taught to you will be
those restricted to the immideate field use. I'd like to stress that people who will teach
you will also outrank you and the discipline will be strict."

The older looking man nodded.

"Very well." Hitsugaya leaned back in his chair, looking at his ex-godfather thoughtfully
for a long moment, before finally pointing at the chair next to it. "Sit down."

Sirius blinked.

"But-"

"Sit down." Hitsugaya said with a sigh. "The official part is over. There are some things
we need to talk about. Privately."

"Oh." The ex-wizard grabbed the chair, sliding it next to the desk and taking a seat.

The two men looked at each other for a long moment, both unwilling to say a word,
though both for quite different reasons.

"You, Sirius Black, are either the luckiest or the single most unlucky person ever born."
Hitsugaya finally broke the awkward silence. "Did you know the chances of a spiritually
dormant being surviving a trip through an unathorisied, partially disconnected senkaimon
are? Much less surviving it intact?"

"Ah... not so high?" Sirius hazarded hesitantly.

"Less than a full bottle of sake surviving Matsumoto's close vicinity." Toshiro snorted.

"That's... low?" The older man guessed.

"Astronomically." The young captain deadpanned.

"Oh." Siruis said simply, before frowning. "So what about the second part?"

Hitsugaya raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I survived, right?" The older man shrugged. "What's so bad about that?"

"The fact you landed in the middle of a city under a martial law where you could have
been executed for trespassing alone?" The young shinigami said pleasantly.

"When you put it that way..." The ex-wizard rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That does
sound kind of bad, doesn't it?"

"Considering that out of the ten remaining captains, five would execute you, the rest
would not care and the last one would run experiments on you that would left you in a
state of a prolonged agony for decades, I'd have to agree." Hitsugaya deadpanned.

"Oh. Really bad, then." Sirius summed up with a wince.

Toshiro blinked once. staring at his ex-godfather without a word.

'I told you he'd fit here, brat.' The dragon chuckled.

Toshiro pinched the bridge of his nose.

'You are not helping.'

"Are not interested why weren't you exected, Black?" He said, opening his eyes.
"Considering how much easier would that be?"

"It crossed my mind." The ex-wizard admitted. "I guess you need soliders for that war of
yours."

"We need soldiers, not inexperienced souls who don't even know their zanpakuto's
name." Hitsugaya riposted. "As it is you, you are just cannon fodder. Try again."

"Well..." Siruis said hesitantly. "I didn't do anything bad. I just-"

"Let's get something out of the way, Black." Hitsugaya said softly. "You broke some
serious, long-standing rules. If it was up to the letter of the law, you'd be dead thrice over.
Do you understand?"

The older man said nothing, just staring at his captain in defiant silence.
"I know what you are thinking, you know." Hitsugaya said suddenly. "You think that
somehow, some way you will be able to lay low, and run when the opportunity presents
iself, right? To go back to your world, to the living, back to your godson and damn the
consequences."

Sirius froze, as the young shinigami's reiatsu spiked almost painfully to his newly
awakened senses.

"It is pointless. With so many eyes on you, you'd never be able to take one unathorisied
step outside Seireitei, not unless you had a power of a captain, a bankai at your disposal,
and a lot of luck." Hitsugaya's voice was chilly. "You have a degree of freedom within
those walls, as long as you adhere to the rules, but that's it. Winning enough trust to get
rid of the marks on your record will be a long and ardous process that will take decades,
if you are lucky. Your little war, whatever the otucome, will be long over by then and all
people you knew will be long dead."

"You... you can't just expect me to sit by and do nothing!" Sirius exploded. "That is my
godson out there! He is just a boy! He needs help!"

"Oh?" A snowy eyebrow rose mockingly. "That 'boy' was just fine without your help for
the fifteen years of his life. What makes you think he needs, or even wants your
assistance?"

"I..." Sirius gritted his teeth. "You have no idea what Voldemort is capable of! No idea at
all!"

"And I couldn't care less." The young captain said calmly. "Besides, what can you do,
Black?"

The ex-wizard blinked in confusion.

"You have no wand - no more magic to call your own anymore even. No body as well.
You are _dead_ and weak as a newborn kitten."

"I..." Sirius' hand clenched on the hilt of the asauchi by his side. "I... I will..."

"You will... what?" Toshiro leaned forward, slowly bringing his reiatsu up with each
word. "You will go there, swinging that brittle toy that even lacks a name, unknowing of
your spirit, not understanding your own existence and lacking even a shred of any power
to speak of?"

Sirius gritted his teeth, the anger clearly visible on his face.

"I'd... I'd at least do _something_!" he snapped.

"You belong to Gotei 13 now, Black." The young captain said calmly. "Any concerns you
had in the life you had ended the very moment you took up this asauchi and pulled on
those robes. From now on, you will use that sword to serve Soul Society - your duty is to
the balance, your loyalty to Gotei 13. You are one of us now, a shinigami. Remember
that."

Sirius kept on staring at the young captain, his face a mask, eyes stubborn.

Hitsugaya sighed inwardly. He hated doing that but... his ex-godfather or not, Sirius was
dangerously reckless when he was alive. He did not need a shingami going rogue right
now, no matter the reason.

"Besides, your return would be pointless." Hitsugaya leaned back. "Harry Potter is quite
dead."

The older rman paled.

"What...?" He whispered. "How, why...?! Dumbledore said-!"

"It wasn't Voldemort, if that's what you're afraid of." Toshiro cut the odler man's tirade.
"Just an accident. A fatal one, I am afraid."

"...oh Merlin..." ex-wizard slumped in his chair, suddenly looking every inch the tired,
confused man he was. "Dead...? Harry is...? Oh bloody hell..."

Hitsugaya nodded, watching the older man carefullly.

"Wait..." Sirius froze. "This is... this is the afterlife! If he is dead...!" his eyes lit up.

"The Soul Society is incredibly large, Sirius." Toshiro said, eying his godfather. "Chances
of finding one soul within it are very slim."

"Still...!" The black haired man squared his shoulders, his face determined. "If he is
here... there is a chance, right?"

"Slim, as I said, but yes. Also... if not posessing a degree of spiritual awarness, souls
often... forget." Hitsugaya said careflly.

"Oh." For a moment, it seemed take the wind out of Siruis; sails, but he straightened out
quickly. "As long as here is a chance...."

"You seem pretty determined." The young shinigami said ina casualy tone. "Is it that
important to you?"

"I... failed my friends once." Sirius muttered, looking away. "I... I just..."

"Ah." Hitsugaya nodded. "An obligation, hmm? I guess I can understand that."
"Harry is a good kid." The ex-wizard murmured, eyes unfocused. "I failed them.. I failed
him..." The distraught man grimaced. "He didn't deserve that. None of that. If just
Dumbledore wasn't so stubborn...!" He snorted. "It is for greater good, Sirius my boy...!"

"Ah yes. That _was_ pretty annoying, wasn't it?" Hitsugaya said thoughtfully.

"That and that damn twin...kle..." Siruis trailed off, his eyes widening considerably.

"Yes. I always wondered how he did it." Toshiro agreed. "There was no way it could be
natural."

Siruis opened his mouth, before closing it and swallowing.

"Is there a problem, Sirius?" The young captain smirked. "Grim ate your tongue?"

"You..." The olde rman crowed, before swalloing again. "You... you knew about my... my
animagus..." He said slowly.

"So?" Hitsugaya arched an eyebrow.

"No way... there is no way..." The ex-wizard stared, for the first time not just looking, but
seeing.

The mane was wilder and completely white, the frame slightly taller, though still very
lithe, if looking... stronger in some way. Powerful. Though it might have been the clothes,
and the sword, Siruis decided. The features were sharper, somewhat more defined, and
there was hardness in the eyes and demeanor that didn't fit Harry he'd known, as well as a
sense of authority worn like a fine cloak, but overall...

"...oh bloody hell..." Sirius' eyes were wide as he stared at the lithe figure by the desk as
if he saw a ghost. "That's... That's just..." He muttered, pale. "I... Harry...?"

"Harry is dead, Sirius." Hitsugaya said promptly.

"Oh." The older man nodded dumbly, deflating.

"Of course, so are you." The young captain added with a smirk. "From a certain point of
view."

Siruis blinked owlishly.

"I much prefer Hitsugaya Toshiro these days."

"Ah." Sirius nodded slowly, his eyes a little wild. "Hitsugaya Toshiro. Right."
"Hitsugaya-taicho in your case." The young shinigami frowned thoughtfully. "Though
Toshiro-sama or 'sir' also works, I guess." The jade eyes glimmered. "Call me Shiro-chan
and I'll make your life living hell for the next century, get me?"

"Yes sir." Siruis said automatically, before freezing, looking at the young captain with
wide, crazed eyes of a man driven to the brink of confusion and mental fortitude one time
too many.

'I wonder if that is how pulling a Rangiku feels like?' Toshiro thought idly.

END part 1/2

--------------------
Part 2/2

"Merlin..." Sirius less sat and more laid in a boneless heap on the chair he took. "That
was... bloody hell, I thought I was going to _die_! Again!"

"Sorry." Hitsugaya sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I had to know."

"Know what? That I almost had a heart attack? That I almost went out of my mind when
you waved my own godson's _life_ in front of me like some... some _bait_?!" Siruis spat.
"Bloody fucking hell...! I was going insane here!"

"I said I am sorry." Hitsugaya snapped, almost flinching guiltily. What he did was indeed
cruel but... Sirius was an impulsive, careless man and he doubted he'd changed any.
Before it was troublesome enough - now, with Soi Fong and her pet Onmitsukido
breathing down his neck and all too eager to justify their existence and redeem the
catastrophal faliure that was Aizen's betrayal? No. He couldn't risk it, for a hundred and
one reasons. And, sadly enough, Sirius' continued existence - while important personally
to him - wasn't nearly as important as having his division above suspicion and able to
function smoothly. It was a bitter pill to swallow but being a captain was more than just
having a bankai, wearing that nifty white haori and enjoying a set of privileges most
shinigami coldn't even dream of. The burden of command was never a light one. "But I
needed to know if you'd follow orders instead of simply running off for one petty reason
or other."

"A petty reason? A _petty_ reason?" Siruis ssaid incredously. "Harry, it is your _life_ we
are talking abotu here! How can you say that?!"
"Sirius, Please." The young captain said tiredly. "I know it is hard, and probably way too
fast, but please try to understand my position - we are in the middle of the greatest crisis
in a century. The central seat our governemt was completely destroyed, we lost three of
our captains and Sireitei is tettering on a brink chaos right now. If you try to thoughtlessly
run around like you did back then, you. will. die. So please, settle down and follow orders
for once in your life."

The older man simply stared at his godson, his eyes wide and confused, before shaking
his head slowly.

"Good Merlin..." He said softly. "You... You have changed, Harry. What happened to
you?"

"More than you can imagine, Sirius. More than you can imagine." The captain smiled
tiredly, before frowning thoughtfully as he looked at his silent, haggard godfather. "You
know what...?" He mutterred, kicking his desk twice, only to smirk as he heard the
familiar sign of clattering wood. He leaned, pulling out a large sake bottle that
Matsumoto stored cleverly in his desk for emergencies. Of course, she didn't kow that he
knew.. but then she did it without his permission, so... "I think we both could use a
drink." He poured the emergency sake to the saucers. Having Matsumoto as your
leuitenant meant that you were never out of either alcohol or drinking implements. For
once, her habits turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

The dull yes blinked once, before clearing as the older - in theory at least - man grabbed
the full saucer awkwardly and drained its contents without even tasting them.

"...bloody HELL but I needed that!" he exhaled, slamming the cotnainer on the desk,
before grabbing the bottle and pouting himself another.

Toshiro drank his own sedately - a sip or two was fine but he was not going to turn into
Matsumoto. That way laid madness, tardiness, chaos and eternally avoided paperwork.

"So..." The ex-wizard muttered, relaxing slightly. "Dead, huh?"

"As a doornail." Hitsugaya said simply.

"Well... damn." Siruis sighed. "Who would have thought?"

"Considering the way you died?" A snowy eyebrow rose. "Or rather recklessly, stupidly,
irresponsibly got yourself killed in a rather idiotic fashion?"

Sirius cringed.

"How was I supposed to know?" He muttered. "I mean, Bella was always funny, but
unimaginative so not like she was dangerous or anything."
The eyebrow arched a little more.

"Yes. It isn't like she killed you or anything." Hitsugaya deadpanned.

"Well, technically she didn't." Siruis shrugged uncomfortably. "That senka-thingy did."

"Senkaimon." The captain corrected.

"Yeah. That." Sirius nodded. "Was it really so dangerous?"

"I told you, didn't I?" Toshiro snorted. "Astronomical chances, Siruis. Astronomical. And
even if you beat _those_ odds... Well, there are five reasons you wouldn't make it any
farther, and chief among them is named Soi Fong."

The ex-wizard winced.

"That woman..." He shuddered. "Good Merlin but she's one scary broad!"

"And never forget it." Toshiro said iwth a nod. "Unlike most, her bite is far worse than
her bark. Trust me on that."

"At least I had you in my corner." Siruis sighed, before blinking and looking at his
godson. "How did that happen anyway?" He asked with confusin. "I mean, you're dead,
but I saw you at the DoM and then you're here and in that fancy robe...? It was... what? A
few weeks?"

"A few weeks for you - quite a few decades for me." Hitsugaya took a sip of his sake.

"...what?" Siruis stared at him. "How is that possible?"

"After you got yourself killed - stupidly killed, at that." Siruis wilted under the annoyed
stare "I was rather... well, angry, a little bit lost, blaming myself - all together. one
evening I realized that somehow, in the chaos, I manged to steal one of the time turners in
the DoM fiasco and... well..." The young shinigami shrugged. "I tried to use it.
Dumbledore somhow learned of it, tried to stop me and the next thing know I am on the
outskirts of the Runkongai, my hair lost all color and..." He grimaced. "I suddenly turned
into a midget."

"A Time Turner... bloody hell..." Siruis shook his head dumbly. "Any time one of those
malfuncitoned, it ended very badly - that is why they were outlawed, really. You are
lucky to be... alive..." Siruis trailed off. "...oh."

"Indeed." Hitsugaya deadpanned.

"Still..." Sirius muttered, breaking the awkward silence. "It isn't so bad... Not like what I
expected at all, but not so bad."
"It is not a bad life once you settle in." Hitsugaya shrugged. "Quite good, even, if you
find your place."

"Yes, especially when you're one of those captain blokes it isn't." Sirius cocked an
eybrow.

"As I said, it is not bad." Hitsugaya shrugged. "And plenty of benefits, yes."

"Oh I'd say." The ex-wizard smirked, wagging his eyebrows. "Blonde, well endowed
benefits?" He laughed. "Harry, you sly old _dog_ you!"

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Sirius." Hitsugaya rolled his eyes. "She's my co-worker,
my subordinate and my friend."

"I'd say she's not only a benefit but with benefits, if you know what i mean, eh?" The
older man grinned.

A snowy eyerbow twiched.

"Should I remind you that as your commanding officer I can make your life extremly
unpleasant for the next century if I want to?" The young captain gritted out.

"Easy there, Harry!" The ex-wizard chuckeld, rising his hands in mock surrender. "Just
saying."

"Well, don't." Hitsugaya muttered. "And while we're at it, it is Hitsugaya."

Siruis blinked.

"Ah, come on, Harry. It is only-"

"No, Siruis. Harry Potter lived and died in his own time and is _gone_. " The shinigami
shook his head. "Here and now I am Hitsugaya Toshiro, and it will remain that."

"For me you are still Harry." The ex-wizard shrugged.

"Harry Potter isn't the captain of the Tenth Division of Gotei 13 - Hitsugaya Toshiro
_is_." The young shinigami grimaced. "I know it gets confusing, but bear with me. I can't
have any paralells drawn here, and connections made, Sirius. It is bad enough some
people already now - it has to stay under wraps, all right? No reminescence, no shared
stories - nothing. Nothing at all, understand? I can't, and I won't, show you _any_
favouritism. You will work as hard as anyone - and in some cases even harder as you are
a pardoned prisoner and Gotei 13 won't let you forget that neither quickly nor easily."

Sirius nodded reluctantly, obviously not liking the idea.

"I'll try." He said grudingly. "But I don't like it."

"You don't need to like it." Hitsugaya shrugged. "You just need to do it."

Siruis galred at his god son for along moment.

"You've become a really nasty git, you know that?" He said accusingly.

"Comes with the territory." Toshiro took a sip of his sake stoically.

"I still say it is bloody unfair..." The older man whined petulantly.

"Oh stop that." Hitsugaya muttered with annoyance. "And puppy eeys won't work on me
either, Sirius. I deal with Matsumoto daily and trust me - hers are far superior."

"Now how can I compete with her? She has breasts, you know!" Siruis grumbled.

Hitsugaya blinked, before frowning.

"What has that got to do with anything?"

"You know... breasts?" Siruis waved his hand that had, coincidentally a newly refilled
saucer of sake in it.

"But what have breasts to do with puppy dog eyes?" Toshiro said with confusion.

"No, no, no." Sirius shook his head empathically. "Ye gods, man! Breasts! _Breasts_!"

"Yes, I happen to _notice_ Matsumoto _has_ a very nice pair!" Snapped the white haired
shinigami. "But what has one to do with the other?!"

Siruis looked at his godson without a word for a long moment.

"You see those and you still have to ask?" He said incredously.

Hitsugaya blinked, before frowning.

That logic was, while not approaching the levels he knew so well, still skirting on them
and oh-so-dreadfully familiar. Very familiar in fact.

"...Sirius?" He asked suspiciously. "Are you drunk?"

"Not really." The older man said cheerfully, before chugging his sake. "I am working on
it, though."
*

"Had fun?"

Hitsugaya leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes.

"I wouldn't call it that." He said tiredly.

"He is a stubborn man, that one." The blonde slinked back form the shadows, looking at
the dor thoughtfully.

The young captain snorted, sliding the last bits and pices of his paperwork together into
one, neat file.

"Eavasdropping again?"

"Moi?" She blinked innocently. "Taicho! How can you even accuse me of that."

"Because I know you?" Toshiro deadpanned.

Matsumoto sniffed, her blue eyes large and shiny with tears.

"Captain...! How _can_ you!" She sniffed again.

"That won't work either." Hitsuggaya said calmly.

"And I even let you take my emergency sake..." She sighed forlornly. "No one
appreciates me anymore... not even Taicho, for whom I slave for hours, wasting my best
years, slaving away this beautiful, gorgeous, bountiul body to his whims! I am so sad!"
The blonde whined.

"That sake technically shouldn't even been here." Toshiro pointed out. "And even if, it
was _my_ desk. Therfore all that sake was _mine_." He paused for a moment, looking
thoughtful, before reaching itno anothe r'secret' compartment to bring out the second
bottle.

Matusmoto's eyes became as large as saucers.

The white haired teen smirked, shaking the bottle enough for the sound of sloshing
alcohol to be heard through the office.

"But... but...!" She whimpered, hands stretching out towards the rather expensive and
very tasty drink that cost her a bundle even with her discount. "My sake...!"

"Correction." Hitsugaya stood up from the desk "My sake. Thank you for your gift,
leuitenant." He nodded to her, before vanishing in shunpo.

"...but... but... but...!" Matsumoto whimpered piteously. "My sake...!"

Toshiro stepped out of his shunpo, all but skidding to a halt with a muffled curse.

When linking multiple flash steps together, one always ran into a risk of falling into
routine around the tenth step. He disn't know why exactly - it just happened. Unohana
once explained that mind started to execute the steps automatically, spiking reiatsu in
regular intervals barely paying attention.

And there in lied the problem. It was fine as long as one traversed a simple path, but
when traveling through wilds stretching aside from Rukongai? Well, then it was a
problem. And when one started to compensate, drawing more power and taking larger,
steps, one started to accelerate. Usually, most shinigami just hit the borderline step and
either fell out of the rythm for a second before resuming shunpo, or simply kept at it if
they were good enough.

Hitsugaya was a captain-class shinigami with not only absurdly large reiatsu reserves and
ability to control them well, but he was also naturally predisposited towards speed, and as
such his 'bordeline step' was far beyond what most shinigami considered possible, or
even probable. As such when he wasn't careful...

The young captain griamced, looking at the torn patch of grass that had a long skid mark
on it and the reiatsu particles lifting off it and dispersing slowly into the air.

Had Soi Fong seen him, she'd probably frown and propose a 'light jog' just to see if his
control didn't slip. While he did appreciate her, however clumsy, attempts at caring, the
embarrasment was just too much.

He was a captian, not some wet behind the ears rookie - he did _not_ waste power in such
a stupid way, nor did he lose focus when moving.

'Oh stop whining.' Rasped the dragon. 'It happens to the best, brat.'

'It only happens because you are so damn impatient.' Hitsugaya galred at his zanpakuto.
'Hoenstly, would it kill you to wait a tiny bit longer?'

'You aren't the one who will end up sealed down to some half assed mockery of a power
limit for the next few months.' Said Hyorinmaru sourly.

'Actually, I will also be sealed, so yes, I am.' Riposted the shinigami.

'Yes, but you won't be the one spending your time in the sheath and not even moving
much.' Snapped the dragon. 'Now, less talk and more bankai!'

"There are times when I really envy Zaraki, you know?" The young captain rolled his
eyes. "At least he doesn't have to deal with whiny lizards."

The dragon said nothing, but Toshiro both heard and felt the slow, omnious cracking of
glaciers and the hiss of a snowstorm. The dragon was annoyed, clearly so.

'Well, I guess I can understand him...' He sighed, before drawing the weapon and letting
the sheath - which was actually solid, reiatsu-charged ice and Hyorinmaru's creation -
evaporate slowly.

He closed his eyes, reaching for the power inside, unwittingly letting the small grin form
as he tocuhed the freezing energy inside him. Cold enoguh to flash-freeze anyone else,
but nothing but a familiar call and comfort for him. No winter, no snow, no glacier
compared to Hyorinmaru's crystaline, chilly perfection.

He drew his index and middle fingers over the blade slowly, letting the reiatsu enflug the
edge from within. While it wasn't neccesary, especially for someone who reached his
bankai, it helped a little and he wanted to do it properly, to let them both stretch the wings
slowly but surely.

There was a great joy in that, in reaching the full, complete form for the both of them and
he could understand the dragon. He wanted to fly again as well.

Hitsugaya opened his eyes, the focused reiatsu long into the visible spectrum and
overflowing his form.

"Sit upon the frozen heavens... HYORINMARU!"

The chain rattled, slashing side to side like an angry tail, the coiling form of the dragon
rising form the blade and flash freezing the grass with barely a breath, before it roared.

The trees shook, before turing into frozen, white pillars and Toshiro smirked, feeling
Hyorinmaru's rasping laughter.

'You really are like a kid, Hyorinmaru.' He chuckled, as he saw the serpentine body
uncoil and chase the floating snow petals that appeared in the air gradually ever since
they went shikai. 'Aren't you a little too old for that?'

'Bah! Never too old to appreciate life, brat!' The dragon shot back, celarly pleased. 'But it
is not enough... NOT ENOUGH!' The head grew, snarling and consuming the small patch
of trees, leaving behind only pillars of ice and snow. 'Wings... let us stretch them! Let us
FLY!'
Hitsugaya laughed, grabbing his sword tighter. Childish or no, there was something true
and pure in the dragons frantic need and joy.

"We will fly, then. Ban..." The reiatsu erupted, the frozen grass exploding outward as the
previous spikes were drowned in the sudden deluge of power. "KAI!"

And the heavens exploded.

The snow that had fallen previuosly was nothing comapring to the sudden storm that
erupted in that very second.

Usually, Hitsugaya was one of the most controlled shinigami when it came to his power -
he had to be, given the circumstances sorrounding his awakening of said power and
Hyorinmaru's peculiar nature. As such, he had rarely unsealed the full capability of his
sword, and even if he did, he did so very carefully under self-imposed limits. There were
moments, however, when even he had enough of the endless control, of chaffing under
the restraints when he wanted nothing more than to stretch his wings out and freeze
everything around him just because.

As a captain, he could train with his zanpakuto withotu any constraints, save for care not
to injure bystanders, but usually he was either too busy or perfecting the things like kido.
Zanjutsu he left for the practice with his shikai or bouts with Soi Fong, who used his
bankai for shunko practice. They both benefitted form that - she from learning to contain
the power and channel it into more than just pure speed, he to utilise his bankai's power
faster. But still, nothing compared to just letting loose and simple letting Hyorinmaru to
lash out and freeze everyhing around as it roared thruimpanthly to life.

The wings of ice formed, exploding outwards, the rest of it covering Hitsugaya's form
like a partial armor.

As one, the twin wings stretched, the already frozen grass becoming pure white as they
passed, snow blowing out bfore settlingto a spiral.

Hitsugaya could hear the dragon's pleased hiss as the snowstorm intensified, icicles
forming all around him, the previously sunny galde turning into a truly galcial site all
around them and growing swiftly.

All it needed now, was the confirmation, the name to the sheer might of the fully released
King of the Frozen Heaven.

Even without the prompting form the roaring dragon, Toshiro obliged.

"Daiguren Hyorinmaru."

The storm howled, ice forming and breaking under its own weight.
Hyorinmaru laughed.

'Let's freeze the heavens until there is naught but winter! Let's make it snow tonight,
Hitsugaya! Let us seat upon the frozen heavens and turn clouds into the frozen throne!'

With a chuckle, Hitsugaya obliged.

Matsumoto was a slacker. It was an indisputable fact. She didn't like hard work, she hated
anything even resemling paperwork, and she'd like nothing more than to find a nice,
sunny spot and drink some sake with her friends, before curling up to nap a little, then
wake up and have fun again.

Still, one did not rose into a position of a leuitenant of Gotei 13 without both serious
dedication and skill. Matsumoto had both, and then some. Despite her party girl nature,
despite her slacker habits and a body that just screamed bimbo, the blonde was an
incredible strong, and a very skilled warrior. Her abilities with zanjutsu were matched by
very few, her reiatsu level was considerable and speed was nothing to sneeze at.
Matsumoto, aside form that, had a real talent when it came to both controlling and
sensing reiatsu. The first lent itself excellently to Kido, making her one of the premier
Demon Art users in the Gotei 13, while second was jokingly referred as her Hitsugaya-
sense. Which was actually more true than most would suspect.

Hitsugaya was a captain, a young and a very powerful one at that. One would think that
finding him and tracking him by reiatsu signature wouldn't be too hard of a job for
someone of Matsumoto's skill. They were dreadfully wrong. Her captain, as lovable as he
was, was a freak of nature when it came to control and notorious for keeping his power
reigned in very tightly. Hell, she had personally witnessed his matches with Soi Fong
tahat considsted of him and the second freak of nature lighting up as far as they could go
and holding their reiryoku so tightly controlled they didn't let even a single drop escape
the confines of their bodies. And they beat the shit out of each other while doing it, too.
Usually, she'd think up something suitably nasty for Soi Fong for that kind of 'training',
but even as his reiatsu backlashed and rebeleld under the pressure, Matusmoto knew that
it was most probably her captain's idea. Of course Soi Fong, being Soi Fong, agreed to
the bouts repeatedly, despite her own reiatsu flaring out of control at times - espcially
during that 'shunko' of hers, which her captian of course _had_ to answer by unsealing
bankai.

Those two were so alike it was scary in too many ways to list.

Once, way back, someone suggested that maybe getting them together would let them
lose some of that obsessive behaviour, get rid of some tension which they obviously
needed badly. It was shot down by Nanao when calmly described what any possible kids
from that relationship might be like, or that the potential couple might view investigating
officers or training troops as a relaxing dating practice. Matsumoto never heard the party
become so completely, utterly quiet ever before in her life.

Still, those rather improbable and seriously disturbing possibilities aside, because of
Hitsugaya's iron control over his reiatsu, finding him was incredibly hard, and tracking
him very troublesome. Given that her slacking habits meant she sometimes had to
perform a... strategc retreat to avoid her dreaded nemesis - also know as the most dreadful
mountain of paperwork - meant that she often had to find her captain quickly, or waste a
lot of time hunting him down. Needless to say, it did wonders to her already considerable
reiatsu sensory ability. It also allowed her to locate her dear, if obsessive, captain better
than any fancy equipment that came from 12th division ever could.

As such, when Hitsugaya Toshiro unleashed his bankai - and even bofore it, as his reiatsu
spiked, Matusmoto froze, halting her haggling with the quartermaster in a middle of a
word.

It didn't matter that Hitsugaya was far beyond Seireitei, and so out of the way that even
the Onmitsukido couldn't catch even a glimpse of his reiatsu. It didn't amtter that siad
captian went there specifically for that reason, and to avoid both bystanders and questions
just _why_ the hell was the most honorable Hitsugaya-taicho unleashing his zanpakuto
into its full form without any reason and during his, technically, free time?

None of that mattered at all.

Matsumoto blinked.

Nozomi, the quartermaster also eternal officer (because she wouldn't let anybody demote
her and consequently refused any promotion for longer than anyone could remember)
quirked her inky eyebrow when the papers floated to the ground, the blonde vanishing
into a full-fledged battle shunpo, leaivng behind a number of flaating paper sheets and a
bemused quartermaster.

Nozomi's eyebrow quirked a little higher, as the precious, and most probably gleefully
swindled as they were just a wee bit too large, sake requisition forms floated down with
them.

She snagged the papers from the air with skill born of long practice, and seeing as she
was Unohana's conteporary and still remembered the days where certian soft-spoken
medic roamed the battlefields in a very active and scary manner, it was a lot of practice.

"Well, wasn't she in a hurry, hmm?" She murmured, before tssking as she eyed the forms
carefly. "Captain, my captain. She has you both by the balls, and by your wallet, doesn't
she?" Nozomi grinned, stamping the forms. "Ah, young love."

*
Matsumoto, much like her captain, skidded to a stop. Or it should eb said that she slid, to
her own surprise, over the thick, white cape of snow and ice that ended allowing her to
reach quite a distance before finally coming to a full halt.

But she barely noticed that, instead, letting her wide eyes track the winged form in the
sky, sorrounded by the ice 'flowers' of the bankai.

This wasn't the flash step, or its deriveate that allowed shinigami to 'walk' on the sky via
some reiatsu maniplation. This wasn't even a glide - this was a full fledged flight.

'I didn't know those wings could move like that.'

Any time she had seen him train, or on very rare occasions, fight using it (and it was an
overkill, really) the wings moved in an efficent way,serving as both weapon and armor.
Now, as her captain seemed to be content to just glide through the frozen heavens, the
wings stretched out showing off their full size and graceful flexibility ice really shouldn't
be capable of. The wings left traces in the air, as the minute specks of frost and snow
seemed to float away from under them, feeding the rapidly twisting snow petals dancing
all around her in seemingly endless deluge of white and silver.

'This... is Hyorinmaru...?' Matsumoto thought with wonder. 'This... is the strongest ice
and water zanpakuto...?'

It was one thing to hear and read about it, and a whole another thing to actually see why it
was so.

Usually, Hyorinmaru and its ability were kept on the tight leash by Hitsugaya, even when
reaching bankai, to avoid wasting power or injuring any bystanders in training. After all,
the spiritual pressure of bankai alone could shatter Seireitei's buildings in the vicinity like
tissue paper if one wasn't careful.

This, however, was something else. It wasn't battle it wasn't training, it wasn't anything
that woudl serve any real purpose.

Hyorinmaru just froze the sky, as if it owned it, and her captain was gliding through it
with the same nonchalance one would show when walking.

"...Sit upon the frozen heavens... indeed..." She murmured, smiling softly even as the
wings folded and the young captan swooped down looking for all itnents and puroses like
some white meteor, as he fell through the air, only to slow his descent with a crack of
displaced air and rapid chill as the wings unfolded and stretched, allowing him to touch
the ground among the cloud of snow and icy dust.

Hitsugaya stretched and Rangiku noticed with fascination that none of the snow seemed
to stick to him, almost avoiding him completely and instead swilring around him
excidetdly like a swamrm of frozen fireflies, as odd as it sounded.

Toshiro stretched out his hand, letting some of the petals fall on it, and smiled as the
delicate forms didn't melt, cooled by his reiatsu. The touch of snow was... soothing. Ice
was chilly and pleasnt, the winter air crisp and exhilarating.

He took a deep breath before, chuckling softly.

Maybe the dragon was right. Maybe he realy should do it more frequently?

"Had fun, taicho?"

Hitsugaya's eyes widened as he he whirled and stared at his adjutant.

"...Matsumoto?" He asked trying to contain as much dignity as he could. "Ah... what are
you... doing here?"

She looked at him for a long moment, ebfore smiling.

"Oh, just watching." She said lightly. "The sakura watching period is long over, so I
thought I'd come and see the snow." The blonde smiled.
"...Ah." The young captain had to keep himself from fidgeting. Being caught in the act
was really damn embarrasing... not to mention this was _Matsumoto_. She's never going
to let that slide, not her.

'No way around it, then.' He thoguht sourly, before squaring his shoulders.

"Out with it, then." The young shinigami barked

Matusmoto cocked an eyebrow.

"What do you want? Just tell me and we can get it over with." Toshiro grumbled.

"What do I want?" Rangiku tapped her cheek, before smiling. "And why would I want
anything?"

Hitsugay's long, heavy stare, coupled with the roll of his eyes was the only answer.

"Ah, Taicho! I have you trained _so_ well!" Matsumoto gushed, laghing.

"...don't push it." The young captain's eyebrow twitchecd.

"Hmm. What can I want... I wonder..." The blonde murmured, eying the clearing, her
eyes sliding through it, befroe her eyes lit up. "Let me tell you what I want."
"Out with it! I don't have all day, you know." He grumbled.

"Actually, taicho, you do." She said cheerfullly. "The work day ended exactly an hour
ago. Anyway, I want you to give me this..." She pointed at the halfway frozen bottle to
the corner "And this." She pointed to the large, frozen rock.

Hitsugaya blinked.

"You want a stone?" He asked with confusion.

"Oh no, that would be silly!" Matsumoto tssked. "I want it cleaned from the frost, my
captain."

Toshiro sighed, but gave her back the bottle,and proceeded to use a low-level kido to melt
away the snow.

"Ahh, excellent." Matsumoto sat on the now-warm stone comfortably, her finger liting up
as the wordless, low-level fire kido melted away the ice from the bottle, heating its
contents.

"Can I go now?" Grumbled the teeanger.

Matsumoto just smirked, pointing at the warm stone she was sitting on and Hitsugaya
sighed.

It was a large bottle. Not a huge one, but a large one, just enough to leave them pleasantly
mellow as they sipped the kido-warmed alcohol and wateched the snowfall in
companionable silence. Hitsugaya wasn't bothered by the cold and Matsumoto used both
her reiatsu and kido to keep more than warm. Or would have, if not for the fact athat
sometime along the way Hitsyugaya's reiatsu enfluged her like a cloak, letting the chill
become a pleasant, smooth touch instead of the biting cold.

"Matsumoto...?"

"Hmm?"

"...thanks."

The blonde just smiled, taking a sip form the shared bottle.

"Do you think you can make it fall slower?"

"I can. Why?"

"It is full moon tonight. Don't you think it would look nice?"

The snowfall slowed, each petal clear and crisp as the newly emrged moon shone on it.
Lit up by the almost arrogant light of the moon, the slowly falling petals looked almost
like stars.

Hitsugaya would never admit he added a little bit of ice to them just because of that, but
as he watched Rangiku trace them with almost child like glee... he was kind of glad that
he did.

END part 2/2

TBC...

And so ends the cahpter 6, the last chapter of Soul Society arc.

Himura, the 3rd seat of the 10th division is, of course, Himura Kenshin of Ruroni
Kenshin fame. And he is both a very happy, and very stressed man, because both Tomoe
and Kaoru are there, and he kind of lives with both. Lots of fun all around. Kureha is an
OC - she is actually a daughter of minor family who talks thug, and is aformer candidate
to 12th but thought Mayuri way too creepy. Had a brief stint in Onmitsukido, the 4th and
the 8th until coming to 10th and staying there permanently. HNozomi is an OC as well -
throbably the oldest member of the 10th Divison, and contemporary and classmate of
Unohanas. She probably could be far higher up inthe chain of comman, but she simply
doesnt' want to.

--------------------