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'New day, tell what comes?

—More mistrust and enmity?

Please New Day, bring peace.'

On top of a small grassy hill, wild flowers running along its slope, Kira stood. The Yasu River below him, snaking its way on the bumpy landscape, hiding a hollow within its quiet depth.

The sun continued to break from the cold land, bringing an arc of colors and warmth. Kira frowned, noticing that today just as the past few days, red was adorning the sky. Indeed too much red, two thick ribbons of red zigzagging, entwining with one another— warning of the bloodshed that would come.

He sighed. The mission would officially begin today, so of course it could be expected that more red would appear. But this approaching bloodshed wasn't bothering him.

Last night's brawl between two shinigami from the Third and Tenth Division, left him unease. Masumoto had stepped in, of course harshly reprimanding her subordinates for acting so foolishly, and proceeded to move her camp, as a sort of reparation. But the Third Division did not view her amends in any kindness.

At once the division broke out in an uproar- reprimanding the Tenth Division's behavior. Arguments flowed, like spilled water, over their selfishness and imprudence, in being so over controlling over a campsite and then having the nerve to insult their division. Sympathy was cried out for poor Youshirou, who had only done his duty as Third Seat.

Kira tried to raise his voice, tried to get a hold of the situation as Masumoto had, but his soft voice barely reached the surface of their shouts.

"Now what seems to be the problem here?"

The cool voice easily broke through, like a whip cracking in the air. The Third Division bowed to its captain.

"Izuru what happened?" Ichimaru-taichou asked a curious look on his face.

"T-there," he cleared his throat. "There was an unfortunate dispute sir."

"Oh?"

There was another outburst, shouted arguments that the Tenth Division had provoked the fight.

"It was self-defense, Ichimaru-taichou!"

"They're the ones that threw the first punch!"

Quickly other shinigami squawked out in agreement. Their captain stood calmly, the smile still on his face as though he were hearing his nephew happily recall a family trip. "Youshirou," he finally beckoned causing the division to instantly return in silence. All eyes went to the young man, nursing a swollen left eye and broken lip. "Sir."

And then Ichimaru laughed such an amused laugh that was completely out of place. It was not a boisterous laugh, it was creepy. "I win the bet! I told Lil' taichou you all wouldn't last twenty minutes without killing each other." He chuckled again, the shinigami silent, unsure whether their captain was joking. The captain turned, his white haori flapping behind him.

"Izuru will watch over you, so don't be getting into anymore trouble." He paused suddenly remembering something. "Youshirou, do clean yourself that eye of yours looks real nasty."

Again he chuckled before strolling away, leaving his division in bewilderment. Camp was set up in silence, for which Kira was grateful.

However sometime in the late night while everyone slept and the river roared rather loudly, Kira woke in the middle of the night. Tossing and turning, Kira finally decided to take a walk around the campsite. The grass seemed almost black as he stepped outside his tent, the trees long tendrils stretching against the clear night sky.

Water splashing from the river, roaring as it continued to flow downriver- carrying water and corpses.

"Kira-fukutaichou, you startled me!"

He squinted his eyes in the darkness, noticing the petite girl with the large blue eyes that had come running to him for help. To her side was another shinigami, his face pale with fright. In the end he hadn't been able to do anything, it was Masumoto-san that pacified both divisions. Suddenly he felt a bang of guilt. "I'm sorry Manami-kun."

She smiled at him, her dimples spreading on her face. "No it's my fault! I should have been paying attention, sorry 'bout that Kira-fukutaichou!"

Manami-kun, the current Seventh Seat, had such a pleasant personality that anyone felt an ease around her. She was the first person in the Third Division that had introduced herself, ever since he had gotten along fairly well with Manami-kun, it was just that he often found her gossiping rather annoying.

"You should be on guard all the time, Manami-kun, especially if you're on nightly patrol."

She flushed in embarrassment. Both shingami hastily bowed their head in apology. Kira easily dismissed it, continuing to walk along the sleeping campsite, both of them taking a step behind him.

Small noises echoed in the night, mostly owls or crickets chirping in the night. The round moon cast off shadows of trees and rocks, while the rolling valleys provided a quiet silhouette behind them. Suddenly Kira thought of something.

"What were you speaking about?" Kira asked, stopping at the top of a hill looking below the many tents. A thin line of smoke wounded its way to the night sky, no doubt the campsite of the Tenth Division.

The two shingami glanced at one another in hesistation. "Is there a problem?" Kira asked looking to each of them.

"No, no," Manami-kun began. "It isn't anything like that, Kira-fukutaichou. It's just that-"

"What is it?"

The brunette gulped, her blue eyes darting to the side for a moment. The other shingami turned his head, clearly not wanting to join in this conversation. "Well... there's a rumor going around."

There were always rumors going around from who was getting a promotion to who was seeing who. "So?" Kira asked rising his brow.

She flushed. "It's about Hitsugaya-taichou."

"Go on."

"Um... apparently Hitsugaya-taichou was furious when he found out the Third and Tenth were being assigned together. So he made a personal request to the commander-general for a reassignment."

Kira stared at her flushed face in disbelief.

"The commander-general would not allow it. He said that the Central 46 Chambers had personally selected the two divisions. He couldn't deny an order but when Hitsugaya-taichou continue to insist on the reassignment, the commander-general got upset. He warned him that if he didn't get along with a fellow colleague that he would be harshly punished."

What? No, Hitsugaya wouldn't do something like that. Hitsugaya wouldn't be asking Yamammoto-soutaichou for a reassignment without a proper reason. It was completely out of character for him.

"It's true isn't it?" the second shinigami asked, his voice a whisper in the night. Unconsciously they all gazed over the hill where the Tenth Division was currently sleeping. "Hitsugaya-taichou hates our captain."

"No," Kira spat out. "No, he doesn't."

Choler washed over him. He didn't like these awful rumors being spread- these rumors that were probably causing the drifting between both divisions, for creating this tension and unanimity.

Hatred, true hatred was a wicked emotion, Kira understood. It coursed like poison, slowly ailing the mind, twisting and warping it until it ruined logic and reason. It hardened the soul, stripping away compassion and empathy, breaking morals and values.

Hatred deemed it right to hurt another being, to watch that being suffer and somehow find a cruel satisfaction in it.

'Listen Izuru, listen to me. Your parents are gone- they cannot protect you anymore. You have to escape to your grandfather's estate- go, go now!- before they realize you're alive.

"Kira-fukutaichou, are you alright?" Manami-kun asked.

Hatred, Kira thought remembering his parents' tragic death, fueled the flames of war.

"Don't you ever repeat this, and if someone else mentions it, tell them it's nothing more than a rumor- it's a lie- do you understand?"

"Yes sir," both the shinigami answered, slightly shaken by the extraordinary behavior of their soft spoke vice-captain. They hastily bowed; hurriedly scurrying along to continue in their night watch.

'Doesn't Hitsugaya hate your captain?'

Kira shook his head as Abari-kun's question came into mind.

No, why would he? Hitsugaya-taichou was prized for his logic and control of emotions. Sure Hitsugaya would get upset but he would never hold a grudge, he would never commit such a fallacy.

Hitsugaya and Ichimaru-taichou would make great contributions together and then everyone would see what a terrible rumor this has all been.

-

At last the morning sun rose and slowly the ink spots on the sky blended into the sky blue. The red slowly washed away but still a harsh omen of the bloodshed that would invulnerably come. Kira sighed. Ichimaru-taichou had already created a map and schedule of which shinigami would be dispatch.

Although Kira was just a newcomer to the Third Division, he had created a sort of homage with each of the division members and he didn't want any of them to be gone.

The wind rustled just as he was about to turn and he caught sight of an unusual shadow on the other side of the river. The shadow moved with agility and then created a slight ripple on the water surface. Hand on the hilt of Waisuke; he caught sight of silver disappearing from the foot of the hill.

He wondered what it was, when suddenly soft footsteps landed right behind him.

"Kira."

He almost jumped as he recognized Hitsugaya's voice. "G-good morning Hitsugaya-taichou!"

The younger boy nodded, his teal eyes observing him— taking in his blond hair and pale face from his black shinigami robes to his vice-captain's badge— for an instance.

Standing beside the boy-captain, Kira realized that Hitsugaya was indeed very small, even for his age. Undeniably, he resembled most of the First Year Academy students. He had milky white hair that always stood up at a angle, making it seem as though he had just taken a nap.

Thinking back, Kira thought how it was rather humorous that this was the boy Hinamori-kun talked so fondly about back in the Academy. Somehow Kira had envisioned a playful child with large chocolate eyes and a bright, carefree smile. Instead he found a small, skinny boy with sharp, green eyes and a scowl on his face.

"That's your brother?" Abari-kun had questioned out loud when Hinamori-kun first introduced them.

"Yup, this is Shirou-chan!"

Hinamori let out a tiny yelp then as Hitsugaya pulled her pigtail. "Don't call me that!"

Clearly Hinamori and Hitsugaya looked and acted nothing alike. He remembered Hitsugaya preferred to be by himself, doing schoolwork or else training. In contrast Hinamori liked to socialize, laugh and talk with friends and get involved in clubs. Hitsugaya was gifted, Kira soon learned. Hinamori worked hard, night and day to learn a kidou spell, whereas Hitsugaya could learn that same spell in a few hours. Still he was 'bratty' as Abari-kun dubbed it nothing compared to the kind Hinamori.

"Has Ichimaru awaked yet?"

Kira didn't know. His taichou continued with his unusual patterns of arriving, even when they were on a mission. After the incident last night, his captain disappeared from the campsite returning before midnight. This morning he hadn't seen his captain and could only guess that his captain went to god knows where.

"I think so."

"When you do see him. Tell him I would like to hold a meeting with him in two hours."

Kira nodded. "Hitsugaya-kun what were you doing so early on the other side of the river?"

Hitsugaya gave him a look. "Ah… excuse me Hitsugaya-taichou."

His acute eyes turned to look beyond the hillside, towards the Yasu River. He was silent for a moment before he spoke. "There's a small town to the east of Minakuchi-juku that was flooded when the hollow attacked. I was assessing the damage."

"Why didn't it say so in the report?"

The report had mostly concentrated on the destroyed rice ships. There had been no mentioned of any civilians, especially towns.

"There was a fungus disease this summer that caused crop failure. Isn't it obvious?" he asked after realizing that Kira had not understood. "The Central 46 Chambers doesn't care what happens to that town. If anything they're hoping that the flood wiped off the entire town so they won't have to give aid."

The causal manner in which he said it, made Kira frown. "But the Central 46 Chamber was selected by His Majesty the King, with the purpose of protecting Soul Society—"

"Do you really think that Kira?"

It felt as though he had been struck. He looked at the boy, unaware to what Hitsugaya was referring to. The Central 46 Chambers served as the executive and judiciary authority that judged and punished dangerous criminals. They were responsible for the peace and safety of Soul Society. Everyone knew that.

If the Central 46 Chambers didn't mention that town, then maybe it must have been so for a reason.

"I guess you don't see." Hitsugaya sighed but didn't bother with an explanation. "Anyway, be sure to tell Ichimaru that I would like to discuss with him our tactics."

"I will." He thought of something them. "I look forward to working with you Hitsugaya-taichou."

It was nothing but the truth.

The younger captain nodded and with another flash, he was gone.

When he returned to the campsite, Kira was automatically greeted with Manami-kun's worried face. She quickly recited a report, mentioning that the early surveillance squad had discovered a body.

It was one of the three bodies that had been missing. The dead shingami had drowned and just as Ichimaru-taichou had cruelly joked, his body was decomposing. Its skin had turned greenish, algae and mud sticking onto the face. Blood and dirt underneath his broken fingernails, and bones jagging out from torn skin.

The body stunk profoundly as they wrapped it up, on route to Seireitei.

He spotted Ichimaru-taichou giving orders to the shingami that would be taking the body home. "Ah good morning, Izuru! I trust you've heard the recent news?"

"Yes," he nodded his face grave. He briefly speculated whether the shinigami had a family, whether this family would be overwhelmed by uncontrollable tears when they finally received the body, their hopes finally trashed that he was alive.

"Ichimaru-taichou, Hitsugaya-taichou has requested an audience to discuss tactics for the mission."

"Yes, I would be happy to discuss ideas with the Lil' taichou." His smile widened.

Ichimaru-taichou only took his fukutaichou as an escort. He turned and waged a finger at his division, reminding them all to not slack off just because their captain was away. The shinigami stared at him with white faces, no one daring to make some remark about the Tenth Division—the body had certainly spooked most of them.

The Tenth Division had re-set camp a kilometer to their campsite on top of a hillside. Most of the shinigami were waking up, dark circles underneath their eyes probably from staying up late in the night to make camp.

"Who there… oh Ichimaru-taichou, good morning." Both guards bowed. The looked to be sisters with their brownish red hair and brown eyes, though one was in her late adolescence, and the other was in her early adulthood.

"I'm afraid you'll have to wait a moment, sir. Hitsugaya-taichou was not expecting you so early."

"Of course."

A black Hell butterfly flew out, its delicate wings flapping softly. For a moment it was silent, until the two girls took a notice at Kira. They exchange a glance before they whispered into each other's ear.

Kira gulped feeling the color rising in his face. Since he had become fukutaichou, people whispered among each other whether he was actually that powerful enough. His weak exterior and gloomy face gave the perception that he probably should be cleaning up the sewers instead of leading a division.

"Excuse me," the younger girl finally spoke up, she was the prettier of the two. "Are you Kira-fukutaichou?"

"Um…"

"Yup," Ichimaru-taichou answered for him, smiling proudly at having personally selected him.

To this day, Kira doesn't understand why Ichimaru-taichou personally selected him. There had been plenty of candidates that had been promising, perhaps even more so, but Ichimaru-taichou had been persisting. Kira could only guess it had to do with the disastrous field trip to the mortal world.

His class had been on a field trip to the mortal world when hollows appeared out of nowhere. They had been ordered to runaway but Hinamori-kun had wildly stepped in to help the Sixth Year students, so of course both he and Abari-kun had jumped in to help her. It probably wasn't a very good idea considering that all three of them were First Year students with no real field experience whatsoever, but the Fifth Division had congratulated them on their bravery.

Besides that event so long ago, he rarely saw Ichimaru-taichou until one Sunday morning when Ichimaru-taichou walked into the hospital wings of the Fourth Division and pointed out that Kira Izuru would be his fukutaichou from now on.

To this day Kira wonders whether Ichimaru-taichou might have picked someone else, say Hanataro-sempai, if he hadn't been moping the lobby floor when he walked in.

"You're the Third Division's fukutaichou?" The younger girl broke out laughing but was sharply elbowed by her sister. "I mean it's a pleasure to meet you Kira-fukutaichou," she said bowing her head. "I'm Akiyama Tsukiko, Eighth Seat, sir. This is my sister Akiyama Hoshi, Sixth Seat."

"Akiyama?" Ichimaru questioned, raising his hand to his chin. "Now wasn't that boy that started that awful fight yesterday?"

How had Ichimaru-taichou known this? Kira hadn't a clue but then again his captain knew a lot of things.

"It is sir," Hoshi replied. "Akiyama Jurou is our brother and I'm afraid he didn't start the fight, sir."

"Indeed Ichimaru-taichou you should be aware that your division provoked the fight," Tsukiko continued coolly. "He was only defending his pride. It was that man that greatly insulted him."

"Really? What was said?"

"Ichimaru-taichou—" Kira began. He didn't want this fight to be brought up any more; both divisions should just forget that awful event.

"He implied that—"

"Tsukiko, Hoshi who are you talking to?" Masumoto stood behind them, a slight frown on her face.

"Oh Rangiku-san! We were just introducing ourselves to Kira-fukutaichou," Tsukiko smiled. Masumoto looked less convinced both she ignored them, instead greeted the Third Division's leaders.

"Rangiku so good to see you," Ichimaru taichou smiled.

"Likewise Ichimaru-taichou, Kira." Her face was stern, probably having received the news of the flooded town from her captain. "Taichou is not expecting you for another hour."

"Yes but I discovered something interesting."

Masumoto nodded. "If you would please follow me." She looked at her two subordinates. "Now remember what I told you."

Both girls nodded, waving good bye.

She led them to a white tent in silence, nodding to the shinigami that stood aside. The shingami still looked upset, wanting to yell out something in anger but no one said anything preferring keeping their eyes to the ground.

Masumoto parted the tent flap for them. Inside was spacious with a large map set on a low rising table, decorated with green pins, X's and red circles. Reports were to the side, along with blurry photographs of the destroyed rice ships and the drowned victims.

"Where are you going Rangiku?"

Kira looked up from his examination. Masumoto was just about to leave when Ichimaru-taichou called on her. "I was going to get—"

"But you said he was coming," the silver haired captain reasoned. Masumoto seemed hesitant. "Sit with us Rangiku."

Ichimaru sat down, Kira doing likewise. She still semed hesistant about something until she darted her eyes to see Kira. He offered her a small smile before she finally nodded her head and sat on the opposite side of the table.

The fight last night must have upset her, Kira thought, noticing how she kept her posture straight and her face firm. The fight was probably still lingering in her mind.

"Would you like some?" Ichimaru questioned, offering her some persimmon. Her gray eyes looked up, almost in nostalgia.

"No, no thank you."

"Are you sure?" he questioned taking a bite of another persimmon. "I thought you liked dried persimmon."

She didn't reply.

"Kira?"

"No thank you sir."

"More for me then," he grinned taking another bite. "Good thing. I'm starving."

"You know, I think I will check on taichou," Masumoto said rising before Hitsugaya entered.

"Ah Lil' taichou there you are! We have been waiting for you!"

"Ichimaru," he answered his green eyes narrowing. His gaze turned to Kira before nodding in acknowledgment.

"I was just offering Rangiku some persimmons. Would you like some?"

"No," Hitsugaya answered flatly taking a seat opposite the table.

"Does no one like persimmons anymore?" Ichimaru mildly asked taking another bite before tying up the bag and stuffing it in his sleeve.

"There has been sufficient collateral damage but as of yet the classification of the hollow has yet to be determined," Hitsugaya quickly began. "Despite this we can determine it must be a water type and a higher level." He dug through a pile of notes before reading from it.

"The hollow has no steady pattern, but if we assume that it is traveling with the river's current, this leaves a dilemma. The river splits into two streams, one heading to Lake Biwa the other merging with a lesser stream. But I've discovered a flooded town ten kilometers from Minakuchi-juku that shows sign it's been recently flooded."

"How interesting," Ichimaru commented. "We found a body three kilometers from our campsite."

"A body?"

"Yes. He looked to have drowned weeks ago. But the strange thing he was no where near the other bodies."

The two captains continued with this back and forth. Each one of them offering their own theories before the other pointed out a flaw. Kira learned that despite whatever differences existed between the two, both captains truly worked well together.

They thought in such a deep level, analyzing, examining all the facts before searching through their wide database and coming up with a theory. Kira smiled realizing that these two captains really could get along that these rumors were nothing but lies.

"We should send more squads to the east then," Hitsugaya concluded. "Based on what we have so far its definitely heading east."

"Hn… Nope!"

Kira smiled wavered. Why had Ichimaru-taichou gone and upset the boy when they were both getting along?

"You just crossed out all possible causes," Hitsugaya reasoned. "It's only reasonable that it's heading east."

The silver haired captain merely rested his chin on his palms, a smile on his face. "No we haven't. In fact I think you're wrong."

"What's the other cause then?"

"I don't know." He shrugged. Hitsugaya stared at him in disbelief. "What the basis for your conclusion then?"

"Hn," he thought for a moment. "Easy. I'm right and you're wrong."

For an instant there was a jarred look in his face— Kira had to wonder whether this born genius, had ever had so much as a whisper that he was incorrect— but then he hid the look in a mask of indifference. "Excuse me?"

"I said, 'you're wrong,'" Ichimaru repeated, the smile on his face transforming into a smirk. The boy-captain eyed him, staring at him for a long moment. "You're joking right?'

"No. I'm quite serious actually."

"Ichimaru," Hitsugaya said slowly. "You just ruled out all arguments except one. Therefore that argument is valid until some evidence deems it otherwise. You just can't come up with Theory X. It makes no sense."

"Really? Its makes perfect sense to me."

Kira inwardly sighed.

In the Third Division, Ichimaru-taichou always came up with weird arguments—'I saw a black cat on the way, there's a full moon out tonight, a little birdie told me'— and though the division gazed back at him peculiarly, he was always right. The shinigami had learned to stop questioning their captain's wild stories and would just nod their head obediently. However, Hitsugaya's mind worked logically and he didn't give a damn to whatever riddles he could come up with.

"Well it doesn't make sense to me. You just can't pull out theories from the air."

"Then perhaps you're not the apt boy everyone makes you out to be." Hitsugya's face turned sour but Ichimaru continued.

Kira fidgeted, he noticed Masumoto was looking back and forth. They could feel Hitsugaya moments away from snapping and from what Kira heard, Hitsugaya could throw a tantrum.

"Alright this is what we're going to do," Ichimaru-taichou finally concluded. "I'll go west and you'll go east, and when you figure out that I'm right you'll head west."

"This is ridiculous. You're suggesting the well being of the mission over a stupid notion? And then you mean me to understand your absurdity?" His voice was rising.

Masumoto rose, her hands smoothing his back and whispering gentle words to his ear. It seemed to calm him for a moment and Hitsugaya sat back, briefly shutting his eyes.

"What do you think Rangiku?"

She stared at him blankly.

"How sometimes an unknown theory can explain something that works against the evidence." He thought for a moment. "A pattern should not be taken so strictly, the past is the past after all you can't always judge on it."

"It is better to use the past as a guide to single out certain events and make judgment on it," Hitsugaya answered.

"True but what events should be singled out and who should bear judgment? Is it you Hitsugaya-kun? Do you decide people's fate, their happiness and sadness? What do you think Rangiku?"

Hitsugaya shot a look at Ichimaru but the captain merely smiled.

"Do what you want," Hitsugaya answered rising. "Send your squads west, north, south I don't care." He reached the tent flap. For a while Hitsugaya glared at him and the jovial captain just looked at him with a smile on his face. "Masumoto."

Masumoto bowed to Ichimaru-taichou and nodded to Kira before following her captain.

The silver-haired captain rose at a complete ease, forgetting the fact that he had annoyed Hitsugaya only moments ago. Kira wondered what his captain was thinking ignoring all the evidence they had so far and leading his division blindly.

"Excuse me Ichimaru-taichou?" Kira asked.

"Yes Izuru?"

"What were you talking about?"

"Oh nothing, just something I read in a fortune cookie."

-

TBC