"Tch! Just what the hell was with that woman?" Kensei growled several minutes later, hands in his pockets and a sneer on his face.

"She talked only to Ichigo and left in the blink of an eye…."

Mizuki watched from atop one of the boulders in the underground training area. She was dressed now in a pair of Kensei's cargo pants and one of his tank tops. She had no shoes on her feet, but her hair was flowing freely down her back for the first time in many years.

"Orihime-chan…." Shinji was speaking now. "Was my first love."

"Bullshit." Kensei and Mizuki snapped at the same time.

"Shinji you say that to all the cute girls!" Lisa snorted. "You've said it to me before too."

"OH! SO YOU SAY THAT TO ALL THE CUTE GIRLS, HUH!? THAT'S FUNNY! I DON'T 'MEMBER YOU SAYING THAT TO ME!"

"That's cause I didn't."

"Don't take your eyes off me!" Ichigo yelled, swinging his sword at Hiyori.

"Aw~!" Mizuki pouted, staring at the empty stick of her cherry popsicle. "It's done."

"Why are you here anyway?" Kensei turned to the temporary captain. "It's not like you pop in to visit without a reason."

The green haired woman sighed, leaning forward to lean on her knees. "It's nearly time."

"Already?" Shinji turned around from his wallowing and frowned. "Time has certainly flown."

"Indeed it has. I came to check on Ichigo's progress…"

"I'm sense a but at the end of this…." The blond scowled.

"But I'm also here to make sure you're all still going to help."

"Our answer is the same as it was before." Mizuki nodded, sliding down from her rock and stretching her arms over her head.

"Thought so. Well," Her body morphed, and soon she was standing on four paws. The clothing Kensei had given her was left in a pile on the ground. "I'm off then. I'll be seeing you."

"Listen up, Inoue." Mizuki watched from behind the two younger girls as Rukia got up. Orihime Inoue had been told to stay out of battle, and while Mizuki couldn't care less, she had a feeling this little human was going to be important. "In battles, the ones that get in the way are the ones that have no power. They are the ones that have no resolve for battle. Of all the battles in Soul Society, no one was a burden to anyone else. Not Ichigo, nor Chad, nor Ishida, and neither were you, Inoue. If any of you are less than you are today, I wouldn't be where I am today. For such a decisive battle as this, there must be something you can do. Let's find that something together, Inoue."

"Kuchiki-san…"

Mizuki saw her before either of the other two did, and the taicho smirked as Hiyori dropped between the two girls and snatched the front of Orihime's shirt.

"You're coming with me. Hachi said he had some business with you." The blond girl snarled.

"What in the world was that….?!" Rukia stared after Hiyori and Orihime as the blond vanished.

"That was Hiyori. She won't harm Orihime….much."

"Gah~!" Rukia screeched, spinning to glare at Mizuki who was seated on the stair case building. "How long have you been there!?"

"A while." Mizuki shrugged.

"Don't do that!" Rukia hissed, glaring up at the captain, who merely smirked.

"Orihime will be safe. Hachi won't let anything hurt her."

"So, you know where they are then?" Rukia's surprised demeanor vanished, and the petite Shinigami fixed serious plum eyes on the woman.

"Course I do, stupid. I just ain't gonna tell you. You can find it yourself, Kuchiki. Good luck~!" Mizuki turned and vanished, using Shunpo. Rukia shuddered. There was only one thing she hated more than talking to Gin, and that was listen to Mizuki Hayashi speak like that.

Mizuki sat silently beside Ukitake, captain's haori spread around her and held up only by her slightly bent elbows. It had been about a month since Ichigo had begun his training, and several weeks since Rukia, Orihime and herself had been crossing back and forth to train at the Seireitei.

She'd been overseeing the training of the two younger girls, and occasionally sparred with the members of the Eleventh Division.

"There you are," The two captains turned to see Hisagi standing over them. "What're you doing in a place like this?"

"Ah, Hisagi-kun!" Ukitake smiled, setting his tea down by his knee. "Just taking a little break, and doing some sightseeing."

"Isn't that Kuchiki and that Ryoka girl…uh, err…."

"Orihime-chan." The white-haired male supplied turning back to the fighting females below. "They've been training for the winter war for a month now."

"For training, it sure looks like they're having lot of fun." Hisagi grumbled, prompting a laugh from Mizuki, who grinned up at him.

"Doesn't it? I'd love to join them."

"Kuchiki has never been good at making friends. Well, I guess that's because she never opens her heart. When she came to me with this angry look on her face and said 'Please open up the training grounds behind the Squad barracks!', I thought, what for? But I am glad that she made such a good friend."

"Even if that friend is human?" Hisagi questioned.

"Don't say that." The Thirteenth taicho scolded.

"Sorry."

"Nah, no problem. Friends are a good thing, even if they tread a different path. And think about this; Those kids aren't normal. When they come to Soul Society, they might all become Shinigami. That reminds me! Why did you come all the way out here? Didn't you have some business with me?"

"Yeah. That's right." Hisagi nodded, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a rolled up magazine. "This month's Seireitei Comminicator and inside there's a mail order catalogue too."

"Huh..?" Ukitake cocked his head as he gazed at the cover. "Why would you come all the way….?"

"It's driving me nuts. Division Ten is in the Human World." The lieutenant sighed. "Zaraki-taicho is sleeping, and the two in Division Twelve refuse to come out of the lab. Truth be told, I never realized how much work a taicho had to do, 'cause Tousen-taicho was never the type to hand down work to Division members."

The three were quiet several moments.

"Well, then. I should get going."

"Why don't you stay and relax a little longer?" Ukitake offered, and Mizuki sat up.

"I could do with a spar if you're interested, Hisagi."

"I told you, I'm busy. Although watching two girls train isn't bad. Please, invite me again when I'm not busy." Hisagi waved over his shoulder as he strode away.

"…Four months…" Ukitake sighed. "That's too short a time to heal one's heart, and an even shorter time to build up strength. If only these moments of tranquility could last a bit longer…."

"We all know that moments of tranquility and peace don't last long here, Ukitake." Mizuki stood, long green braid snapping in a sudden gust of wind from the girls below. "It's nearly time to head back."

The greenette lifted a finger to the Hell Butterfly that was fluttering towards them.

'Arrancar that appear to be Espada are in Northern Karakura Town! There are four of them! And they have engaged Hitsugaya's Advance Guard in battle!'

"Kuchiki!" Ukitake rose swiftly to his feet, shouting down to the raven haired girl.

"Yes, sir! I just got the report!"

"The Kido Brigade should be preparing to open the gate! Hurry to the Senkaimon in front of the barracks!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Kuchiki-san, I'll-" Orihime began., before she was cut off by her plum-eyed friend.

"You can't come, Inoue. I told you when we came here, even if you pass through the Senkaimon with me, you won't have a Hell Butterfly and will automatically be sent to the Waste Dimension."

Ukitake and Mizuki leapt down to join the two girls.

"We just sent ahead instructions to secure the walls of the Waste Dimension so that she can pass through safely it. It'll take some time, but you may head to the Human World after. You're probably in a rush, but it's times like these when it's especially important to be patient, okay?"

"Yes, sir." Orihime slumped, casting her grey eyes at the ground.

"Don't give me that look, Inoue. I'll go on ahead and wait for you."

"..Okay."

"I'll follow after both of you, I have something to do here first." Mizuki smirked, vanishing in a flash of Shunpo.

"Ki~!" Kira turned, pouting as Mizuki barreled past, pulling him into a semi-dark alleyway.

"Please don't call me that, Hayashi-taicho." The blond sighed. "And isn't this classified as rape?"

"Nope. I have a job for you." Mizuki smirked, pulling two letters from her cleavage. "Give this to Shunsui, and this to Byakuya. Got it?"

"Hai!" Kira bowed slightly, taking the letters and tucking them into his kosode. "Have a nice trip, Hayashi-taicho!"

"See ya later, Ki." Mizuki vanished.

"Hayashi-taicho!" The Kido Corporation bowed as the green haired woman appeared before them. "Inoue-sama has entered the Senkaimon with the two escorts you sent."

"Excellent, thanks. I'll be going then." A butterfly fluttered forward, and Mizuki headed into the Senkaimon. Not long after she'd entered, a black and teal butterfly joined the original one.

The new butterfly relayed the message it held, and Mizuki sped up.

"What's this? Only two escorts?" The woman scowled, and pushed herself faster. The passage up ahead was being distorted by some sort of energy source, or a portal. "I see even Soul Society is surprisingly inept. It seems they are unaware of the fact that you're at your most vulnerable when you're travelling."

Mizuki skidded to a halt, spinning around the redheaded menace that had appeared before her as the voice continued talking on the other side of the energy displacement.

"Hello, Third Division Taicho Mizuki Hayashi~!" He smiled, pointing at the woman. "Did you miss me~?"