~The Great Divide~

Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach and IT KILLS ME!

Author's Note: Massive apologies for the late upload. I had writer's block for a while, then there was a problem uploading for the last 2 days. ViolentxLove couldn't upload her chapters either, it was very strange... Anyway, thanks go to her also for the beta!

Kyouraku continued to stare at Miyako with a same sad expression.

"Taichou," she began slowly, quietly. "...Have you been ordered to kill him?"

Kyouraku regarded her for a moment longer, and then reached up to his head, moving his hat back to scratch his forehead. "Yes, I have."

Stark didn't move and showed no expression. No surprise there - Kyouraku was a shinigami. Even if Miyako hadn't come out [there] with him, he would still have been ordered to kill him. Simple facts. Now when the moment had finally arrived, he stood ready to move, draw, block, whatever he needed to do. Although his readiness did not show in his exterior.

Miyako made some sort of noise in distress - Stark's stomach tightened at the sound but he did not look at her. He remained glaring at the Captain, who, very strangely, still hadn't moved. He didn't seem to be paying any attention to his enemy, actually. He was still watching Miyako, with a thoughtful expression.

You could kill him right now... A voice said clearly in his mind. He blinked in surprise.

Lilinette?

Why do you call me that? The voice sighed in exasperation.

I don't know.

So, are you going to kill him?

Stark didn't answer, instead he merely narrowed his eyes at the Captain. Why hadn't he attacked him yet? It looked as if he wasn't going to make the first move, but at the same time he didn't want to attack him when he knew Miyako was distressed. He wouldn't stand here and let himself be killed either, though. Not now, he had just found her again.

Draw at least. You think too much. Lilinette chided.

Shut up.

Stark did as he was told and reached down slowly, drawing his sword. The Captain finally looked up in a sharp movement and Miyako made that noise again.

"What are you doing?" She hissed.

"I'm not gonna stand here and watch him kill me." Stark stated, but he still didn't look at her. He might change his mind if he did. He had to think clearly again - back to battle instincts. He'd lost a lot of his sense since she showed up. He even panicked, which was strange for him. Now, he was anxious, he'd admit that. He was so anxious he could almost feel it physically gnawing at him, but at least he could think straight. He realized he needed Lilinette for that. He heard a faint chuckle in his mind at that thought, but ignored it.

"Do you want to fight me, Primera-san?" Kyouraku asked casually. His eyes were far from casual though.

Stark shrugged. "Not particularly. Fighting's not my thing."

Kyouraku suddenly beamed at Stark, bewildering him, but he still held his expression. "Me either! I hate fighting!" His grin fell slowly until it returned to the sad smile he regarded Miyako with earlier. "But you know... Sometimes it has to be done."

Stark tightened his grip on his sword at those words. Kyouraku noticed, and cast a quick glance at his hand and back. "I'm not going to attack you, though."

Stark turned his head to the side slightly. This Kyouraku was a strange man. He had been ordered to kill Stark specifically, and yet he wasn't going to attack?

If he's not going to start the party, why don't you?

Shut up, Lilinette.

You're an Arrancar, you're supposed to kill him.

I didn't choose to be an Arrancar. You know this as much as I do. Why do I have to kill him? Has he ever wronged me? Why do I have to listen to Aizen?

Even if you weren't an Arrancar, you'd be a hollow. And Shinigami are Hollows' enemy!

Then does that make Aizen my enemy? Shut up. You just lust for battle. Could you care less who I was fighting?

"Still with us, Primera-san?" Stark came back to himself. He couldn't believe he'd just let himself be distracted like that. So much for thinking clearly.

"Taichou..." Miyako began suspiciously. She had always been a sharp woman, Stark thought nostalgically. "Why?"

"Hmm? Well..." Kyouraku folded his arms, inserting each hand inside the opposite sleeve. "I've been ordered to kill him if I find him..."

Stark caught on quickly. "You want me to run." He stated disgustedly. Even if he didn't enjoy battle, he had never run from one. "I won't run from a fight."

"What fight?" Kyouraku replied sneakily. He glanced at the sword in Stark's hand. "Are you starting one?"

What was he getting at? There was no fight? It made sense in a way. Stark had drawn his sword, but he hadn't attacked. Neither had Kyouraku, so no fight had begun.

"Why?" Stark echoed Miyako's earlier question.

"Let's say I want a private word with my subordinate. Besides-" His grin left his face completely and he gave Stark a serious look. "-I get the feeling this isn't the last we'll be seeing of you."

Did he expect Stark to appear up there with the other Espada, behind Aizen? Not after this.

"Maybe. Maybe not."

Kyouraku raised one eyebrow. "Under better circumstances, then, Primera-san."

Stark nodded, sheathing his sword to many protests from the voice in his mind. Miyako stepped forward, a hard look on her face.

"Where are you going?"

Stark looked down at her at last. "I haven't decided yet."

Miyako glared at him for what seemed like hours, before looking down at his feet and nodding. Without another word, she turned around and walked to stand by her Captain. Stark felt a sudden rush of resentment, at what, he wasn't sure of. The image in front of him of the two of them standing there in the uniform of a Shinigami was yet another reminder of how he had found her again, but he didn't have her back. Not even close.

Kyouraku gave one final nod before placing a hand on Miyako's shoulder, the two of them using shunpo to vacate the small park in a split second. Kyouraku was worried about the consequences of letting Stark go. He could always say he didn't find him, but he found out long ago that Yama-ji was faster than that. He had decided that he definitely did the right thing though, when he saw the Arrancar's expression softening when he looked at Miyako.

That and he just loved to meddle. Juushiro was going to be upset with him.

Thank you to Capijvao, ViolentxLove and School boy humor for the last reviews!