AN: Firstly, and most importantly, this chapter could not have been possible if not for the great help and brain-storming session with SaVrAiNoiR . Thank you so much 'S' for putting me back on the right track! ::smooches::

Secondly, any problems encountered are entirely of my own making...

Chapter 49

"Opportunity is a bird that never perches"

-Claude McDonald

The Fourth Division

Retsu stood at the window in her office and looked out at the rising sun as it sent rays of warmth and beauty to fall upon her beloved Seretei. Her timelessly beautiful face was serene yet pensive. Retsu's hands were folded into her sleeves , and her body was relaxed.

"Minazuki, have you heard anything interesting from either Ashisogi Jizo or Itegumo?"

They were all together last night in one of the greenhouses, but nothing out of the ordinary was either said or felt , the zanpakutou said calmly. Neither are they planning anything nor are they aware of my observations. However, I do get the feeling that Ryujin Jakka might have been eavesdropping at some point. If that is so, then the Captain-Commander is certainly aware of what is transpiring...

Retsu turned around raised a delicate eyebrow at her zanpakutou that had been placed reverently upon a comfortable chair . "Is that so? Well," she said with a slight shrug, "I am neither surprised nor concerned. Captain-Commander Yamamoto is neither feeble nor unintelligent, and together he and Ryujin Jakka make a powerful entity. They are also very skilled in subterfuge, so I have expected all along that at some point or another one or both would initiate such an intrusion."

Do you think that their involvement will affect our plans any?

"No, in fact, they might aide us along if anything," Retsu said thoughtfully. "If I had thought that Captain-Commander Yamamoto would have had the idea to check in on those zanpakutou then you can bet almost anything that Mayuri would have come up with the same idea. So in his multitude of machinations casting doubt or intrigue our way will be low on his priority list, if not almost nil. Besides," Retsu said with a slight smile, " he believes me to be too forthright and above-board for such intrigues."

They all surely do, Minazuki said with no small degree of disdain .

"I believe that Captain-Commander Yamamoto is more curious than worried as to what will happen. I do not in any way think that he suspects any serious insubordination on anyone's part. He has never been as suspicious as Captain Soifon."

I have never liked either Captain Soifon or Suzembachi, Minazuki said stiffly. I know that they are loyal to a fault, but they are too moralistic, judgmental, and unbending in their thoughts. They always believe that their way is not only the right way but the only way. I do not agree with such philosophy. She confuses dedication with being an extremist.

Retsu smiled, and mentally gave her zanpakutou a comforting mental stroke. "I know, my love, I agree whole-heartedly with you. People like that are always on the verge of being zealots, and I am never comfortable with such a stance, and no matter how well meaning it is meant. However," Retsu said with a sly look coming over her, "such people are easy to manipulate due to their predictability. But Captain Soifon is not our concern right now. Right now I have plans to solidify and people to set in motion."

Your plan is an excellent one, My Captain. It is both simple yet effective, and the many layers of irony are hard to miss. Even the dullest of minds would be hard-pressed to miss anything. In one fell swoop you will take away all choices, stop any altercations, and amuse those smart enough to appreciate your cunning and daring. I am exceedingly interested to see what the out-come will be.

"Thank you, My Love. Many times people over-look simplicity, and instead choose to walk a path of too much obfuscation and deception. Less is more, I have always felt. But yes, you are right: the chain of events that this will set off should be both beneficial as well as amusing. Something, that only after he has let his ire cool, will Captain Kurotsuchi appreciate."

He will be anything but annoyed; he will be utterly enraged.

"People forget that you and I were once, long ago, Kenpachi, My Love. Once a Kenpachi, always a Kenpachi. The desire and drive never fully abate, don't you agree?"

As always, you know best.

Shaking her head Retsu took Minazuki and slung the zanpakutou over her shoulder to rest comfortably in place. With a determined but satisfied look Retsu left her office and went straight for her destination.

The Twelfth Division

(Mayuri's inner sanctum)

Mayuri was not a deep sleeper; as a Captain and a Scientist he always had to be ready for action or contemplating new ideas or figuring out existing problems. Most times they were all one and the same. So because of his high level of responsibilities he needed to always be mentally sharp and physically able to face any situation at a moments notice.

Until today.

…..Mayuri-sama? Captain? Mayuri-sama? Captain?...WAKE UP, CAPTAIN! WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP!

For the first time in quite a while Mayuri slept, as they say in the World of the Living, like the dead. He had quickly fallen asleep nestled deeply in his silk sheets, and fell so hard and so deep that Ashisogi Jizo had a hard time waking him. But when he did Mayuri was stunned momentarily speechless.

Mayuri had bolted upright in bed and was momentarily blind as he was still sifting through whether he was awake, asleep, or even where he was. He was also amazed at the sheer audacity at how rude Ashisogi Jizo was being.

"What in the name of all the Gods...?! Not even the burning of the Seretei should elicit such a call, Ashisogi Jizo! You had better explain yourself, and quickly..." Mayuri said with pure menace in his voice.

And Ashisogi Jizo did. Not once, but twice. The zanpakutou had thought that maybe a third time was needed, but by Mayuri's sudden response he knew that his master had finally grasped the importance of the situation at hand.

The amount of reiryoku a Gotei Captain had stored within them was monumental. The potential amount of energy that resided in a Captain could at times be almost incomprehensible. The manifestation of that stored energy into reiatsu rarely matched due to the amount of control exerted or strength of experience. They had to be unequal because if potential and exertion were comparable , as in the case of a Captain, then mass destruction of such a scale would be the result. So one thing that captain-class individuals learned early on as lieutenants was to contain and control their reiryoku to reiatsu output.

Unless, of course, if they were really upset. Like now.

If emotional stress or exertion was given lead over control the power potential could be unfathomable. Mayuri's response to his zanpakutou's words was in one word: passionate. Rage, frustration, despair, dismay, hatred, love, and even a certain amount of profound respect swirled madly around the stunned captain in a maelstrom of uncontrollable emotions. The emotional turmoil curled around and seeped outward in a hot, shimmering, wall of feelings. Flames and ice simultaneously started to appear and disappear around the ornate bedroom, but neither could get a firm hold as the upheaval also caused the air to swirl in and out of his presence.

Ashisogi Jizo shuddered at his companion's plethora of passions. He was at a complete loss as to what to say or how to act. He did know that he would need to keep a cool head and stop his captain , and any way necessary, from making any decisions too rashly. He would sacrifice themselves in order to save others.

Taking a deep breathe in through his nose and slowing exhaling through his mouth Mayuri seemed to calm all at once. The vortex of confusion that swirled around him came slowly to a stop.

"Tell me again, Ashisogi Jizo, exactly what happened?"

I cannot find either Itegumo or Lieutenant Kotetsu anywhere on the Seireitei.

"They could merely be on an errand," Mayuri said softly. "Maybe they were sent to the World of the Living?"

No, Mayuri-sama. Even in the World of the Living I can sense the pair. Itegumo and I are firmly bonded, and that means that there is nowhere that I cannot sense or find her. No, I cannot sense, feel, hear- nothing! I do not know where they are!

As annoyed as he was by his zanpakutou's rising panic he could understand it. He and Isane did not have a telepathic relationship. Instead, they relied on their zanpakutou to act as bridges and messengers to each other. If Ashisogi Jizo said that he could not sense the pair anywhere then that was enough for him to become concerned. And his concern was not from the idea that bodily harm had come to Isane. No, Ashisogi Jizo would have gotten a call for help from Itegumo at the very least. He did not fear for their safety on this matter. Besides, even unconscious Ashisogi Jizo would have been able to track the pair down, as he had shown in the Sewers not that long ago. The prospect of Isane and Itegumo ceasing to exist, and without a word of warning, meant only one thing: the pair had been deliberately and with premeditation spirited away by someone of rank. Yet even that concept wasn't the genesis of his upset. No, he himself would have no issue with pulling such a stunt because he himself had done that innumerable times.

No, what set him in such an uproar was the idea that someone, and with deliberate discourtesy, had decided to thwart, change, or manipulate his well thought out plans. That was what really enraged him. The audacity that someone would take the pair away from him and just as he was about to teach the Gotei a lesson that they would not soon forget! He had planned to show the other Captain's and their scurvy Lieutenants just once and for all the magnificence and beauty that such a powerful union could create. And now he was left standing with his proverbial hat in his hand and with nothing to show for all his hard work. And in the end, and with all the posturing, threatening, or complaining that he might do there was nothing that he could really do about it, as the removal of Isane from the Seretei to an undisclosed (for now) location was entirely up to her commanding officer. For the time being he was completely impotent. And that never sat well with him.

So until he could figure out how to provide a reversal of fortune he would have to quietly bide his time. Until he could not only find and free her he would have to quietly wait and take the smug or amused looks of his fellow captains. And the amusement factor would be high, he thought with distaste. It wasn't the idea that people would try and ridicule him, but rather the idea that it would all be such a waste of his time.

The only thing that caused him to believe that some of the attention would be directed away from him would be the part where the Captain- Commander would question her. And he knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was behind all of this. There was no other person that could have done such a thing. If Yamamoto had tried to do this then Retsu would have taken her place instead out of loyalty and principle. Besides, Isane had done nothing to cause such a banishment, so there was no reason for Yamamoto to be a part of this debacle. No, Retsu was one-hundred percent behind this cluster-fuck, and he hated her with a passion for it. She was ruining and spoiling everything!

And besides, Isane and Itegumo belonged to them. As at least a courtesy Retsu should have said something...but no, instead she decided to just steam roll over everything and everyone! With the thoughts of the Fourth's Captain rolling about in his head a sudden idea came to him, and it was one that made his gut clench tight with the thought.

"Ashisogi Jizo, in all the time that you and Itegumo have been together have you ever felt the presence of another zanpakutou?"

I have spoken to or with other zanpakutou, but it has always been with the expressed permission on one or the others part.

Mayuri rolled his eyes and clenched his teeth in annoyance. "No...I am talking about have you ever felt as if you were being spied on? Have you ever wondered if someone was listening in on you and Itegumo?"

His zanpakutou was silent for a moment as if contemplating the incredible idea.

Do you mean, Mayuri-sama, like as if Minazuki was around?

"Yes, or even maybe another one, like Ryujin Jakka?"

Again his zanpakutou was silent before he came out with a reply that seemed suspiciously timid to him.

No, Mayuri-sama. Neither I nor Itegumo ever spoke to them while together, Ashisogi said meekly.

"That is not what I am asking, Ashisogi Jizo," Mayuri said getting irritated. "Do not think about lying to me," he hissed. The idea that his own zanpakutou was either out-right lying or lying through obscurity irritated him to no end.

Ashisogi Jizo wasn't sure how to answer the question. He never knew for certain that either Minazuki or Ryujin Jakka were listening in. They were available if needed, but they never really let their presence be formally known. And he never really cared either, as neither he nor Itegumo had ever done anything wrong. Besides, he liked and respected Minazuki as well as slightly fearing Ryujin Jakka. And because of those feelings of respect and fear Ashisogi Jizo felt that maybe somehow he had caused all this commotion and upheaval. And now he would have to pay the price for such a bad decision as to never let his master know what he had suspected all along.

Mayuri-sama, I do not lie when I said that neither Minazuki nor Ryujin Jakka ever joined our conversation. Neither do I lie when I say that I know for certain that they were ever surreptitiously present.

"But you do think that maybe...?"

With a sigh Ashisogi Jizo gave an affirmation. Yes, Mayuri-sama, I believe that occasionally Minazuki was present, but just under the guise of making sure that Itegumo and Isane were safe and sound.

Mayuri smacked his hand across his face in frustration. He couldn't really find fault with Ashisogi Jizo, and neither could he really take his frustrations out on him. After all he himself has used Ashisogi Jizo to spy on Isane and Itegumo on more than one occasion. It was really the idea that someone had been spying on him indirectly. All he could hope for was that the interlopers had garnered nothing more than two zanpakutou cavorting about together or killing time while their owners canoodled...

Another reason he was so frustrated was because that now that he had found such a satisfactory bed partner she had been taken from him without any warning, and with no idea as to when she would be returned...Very incommodious to be certain! Pulling back and looking around Mayuri saw the mess that he had made of his inner sanctum. His perfect and pristine bedroom was a shambles. It had taken him a long time to get it to how he liked it and now he would have to start all over again...Another strike against Retsu for starting her mayhem. But it also gave him a very good reason to go to the World of the Living...

"Look lively, Ashisogi Jizo, we have a lot to do today because tomorrow we leave for the World of the Living," Mayuri said as he stripped and preceded to his private bath.

But Mayuri-sama, we have a Captain's Meeting tomorrow at the First Division.

"I know that, dolt! I plan to leave directly after that. And besides, that meeting will only take a mere few minutes..."

Are we going to look for Itegumo and Lieutenant Kotetsu? Ashisogi Jizo asked expectantly.

"Of course we are! Why else would I leave when there is so much around here to be done? No, I plan to thwart all their scheming and meddling and bring back Isane, and by force if necessary. The only person worthy of such conniving and interference is me! Never can I allow others to think that they can trump me at will. I must find the perfect reciprocity for such bold machinations..."

Please remember, Mayuri-sama, that both Minazuki and Ryujin Jakka are not only senior to me but much older and stronger as well... They do deserve a certain amount of respect and deference...

Mayuri stopped suddenly and glared at his zanpakutou sitting across the room with fire in his eyes. "Respect?! Respect?! After what they most probably did? Or, at least what Minazuki did as I doubt that First Division was nothing more than an amused bystander...No, I too am a captain and as such am a very formidable opponent. Besides the point, we do not have time for this stupidity on your part. Get yourself together, Ashisogi Jizo, or I shall have to make changes to your personality. And I am not sure that Itegumo would be too pleased with them..." he said warningly as he hastened in to his bath.

Ashisogi Jizo wisely kept his silence.

Gotei Thirteen

All across the Gotei captains were preparing for their monthly captain's meeting. Soon they would gather their Lieutenants and almost as one arrive at the First Division. There were mixed feeling among them about this meeting. Firstly, it was sooner than expected; the Captain-Commander had made this meeting almost a week early, and no one was exactly sure why. Oh, many had their suspicions, a meeting regarding zanpakutou bonding, but nothing had been officially or openly been said. As to the meetings possibilities even those brought out reservations. Everyone knew that it was not unusual for zanpakutou to occasionally communicate to one another; it was a known secret that only the strongest could perform such manipulations, but as to who they were it was not known. Again, suspicions came in to play because no one ever openly offered the information. Secondly, if their intuitions were correct and Captain-Commander Yamamoto openly forced Captain Mayuri and Lieutenant Kotetsu to give an example of their bonding, what would be next? Who would be next?

All the captains knew that knowledge was a double-edged sword, and was many times a cruel mistress. When, during a hushed and serious drinking session, Captains Kyoraku and Ukitake were contemplating the next Captain's Meeting when Captain Ukitake grimly told his best friend that "an ancient Greek philosopher named Crates said that 'one part of knowledge is being ignorant of such things that are not worthy to be known', Shunsui. And I believe that we do not need to know the answer to that question." Shunsui agreed, but his keen mind still wanted to know the truth. The Gotei was still reeling from Aizen's treachery, and he understood the need to never let such villainous subterfuge happen again, but at what cost? Shouldn't lovers be allowed their privacy? Could they really put a ban on zanpakutou to zanpakutou communication? Would they want to? As innocuous and amazing as it had all started out now it seemed to have taken on a darker twist.

Some captains felt decidedly uncomfortable about the whole affair, as they did not want to know anything more about the relationship then they already did. To some it felt like a distasteful intrusion. It was as if they were spying on an intimate encounter better left unseen. To others the intrusion was not so much distasteful as it was personally painful...

Then there were, of course, those that felt that secrecy bred deceit, and with deceit came decay. From decay all that was left was anarchy. There had been too many secrets before...and never again would they repeat the same mistake twice. Never again could the Gotei be held hostage by chicanery and treachery.

But no matter how anyone felt about the matter there was still a certain level of hesitancy due to the idea that maybe they would be next to either prove or disprove their abilities. None of the captains were eager to have such personal scrutiny placed upon themselves. It was amusing when it was only the teasing of a curmudgeon. No one really expected things to get as far as they did, and yet somehow they did... So with great trepidation the Captains eventually rounded up their Lieutenants and went forth to meet their commanding officer. All Captains but one that is...

First Division

Almost as if one the twelve Captains appeared with their Second-in-Command by their side. When the Captain of The Fourth appeared alone everyone seemed surprised except for one. Mayuri gave her a cold, silent, but knowing glare as both Captains as well as Lieutenants looked around at each other in confusion. Retsu gave them all nothing but a serene look as she regally made her way in to the First Division's grounds. Very quickly an understanding seemed to come across them all, and as Captains and Lieutenants parted to go to their separate meetings looks of silent perception were exchanged.

"Retsu," Jushiro said as he fell in to step next to her, "where is Isane? Is she alright? I hope that she isn't ill or anything," he said looking over his shoulder as if trying to find Mayuri in the group.

"No, Jushiro, she is perfectly healthy and happy, but thank you for asking," Retsu said in a composed manner.

"But she isn't here with you for the Lieutenant's meeting," he said trying to glean more information that Retsu was giving.

"No, she isn't."

Jushiro gave Shunsui a puzzled look, but his oldest friend just gave an enigmatic smile and shrugged.

Though Jushiro's family was nothing more than lower aristocracy, he had still been taught manners that would ensure that he could fit in with even the Royal Family if need be. So it was with great reluctance that he questioned Retsu, as he didn't want to intrude unnecessarily. However, a captain showing up without their second-in-command was a perversity that was hard to ignore.

" So she won't be meeting you here at all?" Jushiro finally asked bluntly.

Retsu, looking straight ahead, smiled and shook her head. "No, Captain Ukitake, she will not."

Jushiro cringed slightly at the formal use of his name. Though Retsu hadn't meant it as an insult he did know that she had meant it as a temporary barrier between them.

"Forgive me, Captain Unohana," he said with a slight nod to his head. "I didn't mean to seem disrespectful or prying..."

Retsu stopped and turned toward Jushiro, and gave him a smile tinged with more than a bit of mischief. "No offense taken, Jushiro, but I do not want to give anything away before the right moment. You understand," she said giving sly wink.

"I always defer to your better judgment," he said nodding and motioning her to continue forward.

Behind them trailed the rest of the captains, and all with a wide range of looks. Walking last in line and keeping his counsel to himself was a coldly calculating Mayuri. He had internally vented his spleen long ago, and because of that there was no reason to cause any sort of public spectacle. He had figured things out quickly, and as such he had just as quickly planned his next fifteen moves. No, he would give no one any such satisfaction as seeing him stymied, flummoxed or even the slightest bit frustrated. He knew what Retsu had done, and why. He gave her credit for protecting his Lady Love, first and foremost. He knew from that first eventful Captain's Meeting not so long ago that Retsu did not want anyone to intrude on his Lieutenant's privacy, and because he was also involved that included his own as well. He too was a man of secrets, and besides that he was by far above and beyond all those that surrounded him- excluding his One, of course. But things had changed. He had changed. Now he needed to break that seal of seclusion and show them all what true power and talent stood before them.

But he was also a very patient man as well. He could turn anything to his advantage. In fact, this slight interlude might work out even better for them as now their attention would be turned toward Retsu and away from what he intended. He was in no way concerned that (for now) neither he nor Ashisogi Jizo could find their mates. No, that just gave him the opportunity to conduct more experiments. He could really push the barriers and see just exactly where- if any- the borders lay. And he could do it all with relative ease as the Captain-Commander took Retsu to task and the other Captains questioned her for once.

With that slightly happy thought Mayuri started to whistle a jaunty little tune in time to his just as perky steps. The strange sight and sound caused more than one captain to turn around and peer at him with consternation and question. All Mayuri could do was grin widely and wiggle his eyebrows back at them.

"Are you telling me, Captain Unohana, that you purposefully came to this meeting unprepared? And by unprepared I mean that you do not have Lieutenant Kotetsu with you?" Captain-Commander Yamamoto said very sternly as he glared at his Fourth Division Captain.

Retsu bowed slowly and demurely kept her eyes focused on the ground before her. "Yes, Captain-Commander, I do not have Lieutenant Kotetsu with me today."

Silence swirled around them in the great hall.

"And what do you have to say for yourself," Yamamoto said loudly and slamming his open-palm down on the arm rest of his chair. "Answer me at once!"

"Please forgive my temerity, Captain-Commander, but my Lieutenant is on a very important errand for me right now, and she cannot be called back," Retsu said finally looking up and meeting her enraged commander in the face.

Yamamoto looked as if he was ready to have an apoplectic fit. He did not allow those under him to do as they pleased, and certainly not when they had been specifically ordered. That he could not allow.

"Explain yourself, Captain Unohana, and remember that if I do not find the explanation highly satisfactory need I remind you of the dire consequences? What are you trying to hide?"

Breathes all around them were held as everyone held their silence. Such insubordination was expected from some, and in some cases even tolerated. Everyone knew that Shunsui pushed boundaries with Yamamoto all the time. Even Zaraki's legendary temper had been forgiven once or twice. Byakuya's cold and silent disdain had many times pushed beyond propriety, but never had Retsu ever been anything but compliant.

But now Retsu stood as a gracious but unmoving stone wall before her commanding officer. Her placid face and ultra-feminine air was like a silent and unmoving monolith.

"There is no subterfuge or obfuscation, Captain-Commander Yamamoto. There was a time-sensitive assignment that needed Lieutenant Kotetsu's immediate attention. Nothing more, nothing less."

Yamamoto glared at Retsu as she serenely looked back at him.

"What could be so important that it would take precedence over a meeting that I specifically called, and which she had to be present? I find the timing very suspicions, Captain Unohana. I am well within my rights to order you to bring her back, and this very instant, you understand?"

Retsu bowed low. "Yes, Captain-Commander, I do understand that. And I understood it as I gave Lieutenant Kotetsu her orders. Yet even if that was the case I could not bring her back as for the time being she is incommunicado."

Yamamoto's eyes widened in both surprise and anger. "Are you telling me that you willfully and knowingly sent her away knowing what would transpire here? What could take precedence over my orders?!"

"Something that would affect all of us, though as of right now I cannot go in to exact detail," she said quietly.

Soifon sucked in an angry breath and turned to Retsu with a scowl on her face. "There is nothing that takes precedence over Captain-Commander Yamamoto's orders! You are being mutinous," she said with a hiss.

Retsu slid her eyes sharply to her left and speared the smaller woman with a hard look. "I hope that I do not have to remind the Captain of the Second Division that this has nothing to do with her, and this is something between Captain-Commander Yamamoto and myself. Should your opinion be either needed or wanted be assured that then, and only then, will you be spoken to."

Zaraki gave a feral grin across the room at Soifon as she turned three shades of purple. He knew that most people thought that Retsu was a timid creature, but he knew better than most that his little kitten had very sharp teeth, and was really nothing more than a predator posing as a house pet. It always amused him when people fell in to that little trap...

Before Soifon could snip out an angry retort Yamamoto turned their attention elsewhere. "Captain Kurotsuchi, what do you know about any of this?"

Mayuri bowed slightly and with an unperturbed smile shrugged. "I know as much as you, Captain-Commander. I was not informed of Lieutenant Kotetsu's leave-taking by either her or her Captain. That is business of the Fourth, and as such I have to comply with such regulations."

Yamamoto narrowed his eyes and stared silently at Mayuri as if weighing the validity of his words.

"She left with no word? Either from herself or her zanpakutou?"

Mayuri shook his head. "No, Sir, neither I nor Ashisogi Jizo were informed of their departure. I knew nothing until this very meeting along with everyone else."

"I find that hard to believe!" Soifon said acerbically. "I believe that you are lying!"

"Believe all you want, Captain Soifon, I could really care less," Mayuri said blithely.

Yamamoto tented his hands and rested his chin on them as he looked at each of his captains one by one. He saw discomfort, disbelief, amusement, and even boredom mirrored before him. He would never show it nor certainly voice it, but he had great respect for Retsu right now. She had always made him proud, but never so much as she did now. He knew what she was doing. He had expected it. He even knew before they stood before him what she had done as Ryujin Jakka had informed him immediately when the pair had left the Seretei. He also knew why she had done it, and as hard and implacable as he was there was still a very small soft spot in his heart for the love and protection that Retsu had for her second-in-command.

But still, rules were rules and protocol had to be followed. Yet not only that he just couldn't let any of them get one up on him- ever.

"Then are you prepared to face the consequences, Captain Unohana?" Yamamoto said sternly.

Retsu bowed and awaited her sentence. "Yes, Captain-Commander Yamamoto."

"You are confined to quarters. You will not, and under any circumstances, leave your division. Neither will you be allowed to have any visits from anyone from any of the other divisions. I have the right to confiscate all zanpakutou but since you acted on your own I do not believe that others under your command should suffer your fate, so I will only confiscate your own zanpakutou. I am immediately ordering you to hand over to me Minazuki."

Gasps were heard all around, and it wasn't only Soifon who uttered a complaint. Zaraki growled low in his throat.

"She should be taken immediately to The Maggot's Nest," she said angrily. She does not deserve to just be allowed to wander free," Soifon snarled.

"My order stands, Captain Soifon," Yamamoto said coldly. "And Lieutenant Sasakibe will be putting together a small division to patrol outside the Fourth Division to make sure that my orders are explicitly carried out," he finished warningly in Retsu's direction.

"Isn't taking her zanpakutou away and being grounded enough? Why should she also be denied visitors?" Zaraki growled.

"Because I said so!" Yamamoto thundered, and caused the room to shimmer with heat as his powerful reiatsu enveloped his captains and caused them to bow slightly under the pressure. "You are dismissed- out of my sight!"

Almost as one the Captains bowed and turned to quickly file out and in to better air, but not before Retsu moved against the tide and with a bow handed over Minazuki to her commander. And then with great elegance turned and followed her brethren.

Once they were gone and with no chance of anyone returning Yamamoto smiled widely and stroked Ryujin Jakka fondly. "What do you think, my Old Friend? Shall we see some interesting events to amuse us?"

Very much so, Genryu. I am interested to see what both Captains Kurotsuchi and Unohana plan. I certainly know that Captain Zaraki will not heed your warning... But I shall keep Minazuki comfortable.

Yamamoto held up Minazuki and uttered a stern warning: "You are not to pass on any information, Minazuki, that you hear or see here. I would not want to have to seal you..."

Minazuki said nothing, but Yamamoto could feel a slight shudder in acquiescence. With a hum of pleasure he stood and made his way back to his private chambers.

Outside the silent Lieutenants waited for their Captains. No one uttered a word as wide-eyed they stared at Captain Unohana and the empty place where Minazuki was usually positioned. A few looked as if to make a comment but where quickly suppressed with a look from their superior. All but Zaraki and Retsu flashed away, and with a warning look Zaraki dared Sasakibe to step forward before he was ready.

"I have no plans to listen to that Old Man when it comes to visiting you Retsu," Zaraki said quietly enough that no one could over-hear.

Retsu placed a gentle and calming hand on the brawny forearm of her lover. "Do not think about it, Zaraki. It would not be worth the trouble that would follow. We will persevere, never fear."

Zaraki grunted, and with a pointed look at Sasakibe he took his lover in his arms and kissed her with a passion that left no doubt as to his intentions. When he finally let his flushed lover up for air he gave Sasakibe an arrogant sneer. "The Eleventh Division fears no one." And with that he turned and disappeared.

Giving a tremulous sigh Retsu straightened herself and looked patiently at Sasakibe. "Shall we head on over to the Fourth, Lieutenant? I see no reason to pretend that neither of us knows what is next."

Bowing graciously Sasakibe held a hand out to motion Retsu forward as a small troop of Shinigami followed them back to the Fourth.

The World of the Living

As Isane sat quietly and looking around she couldn't help but be fascinated by what she saw. The shop was neat yet cluttered, and held an array of interesting things. In many ways it reminded her of one of Mayuri's labs; many things she recognized and many she didn't. Some things she knew what they did and others she had no idea. She still wasn't exactly sure why she was here or what she planned to do, but her absolute trust in her captain kept her from worrying or becoming alarmed. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard wooden geta shuffling toward her from behind.

"So, Isane- I may call you Isane, right? After all, we are going to be spending a lot of time together for the next few weeks," the blonde haired man said as he placed a tea service down before her on the low table.

"Of course you may."

As he poured the tea Isane looked unabashedly at him. He had always been an enigma to her. As a former captain he certainly had the power and the authority that came with the job. Yet he also had a gentleness to him that was hard to miss. Just the fact that he had taken Mayuri out of the Maggot's Nest and seen the good in him was enough for her to implicitly trust him.

As if sensing the close scrutiny Kisuke looked over at Isane and winked brashly, and causing her to blush slightly. "I can see why he likes you so much, Isane. You are just his type, I would think..."

At the prospect of hearing about Mayuri from someone that had known him the longest Isane perked up at the possibility of delving in to such a treasure trove. "Will you tell me all about him, Captain Urohara?"

Kisuke grimaced and waived his hand in the air. "Please don't call me that...it has been a long, long time, and is no longer warranted. No, I think that if we are to become good friends then all formalities must be dropped. 'Kisuke' is good enough for me," he said with a smile.

Isane nodded and bowed slightly. "I am honored...Kisuke."

Taking a deep swig of tea Kisuke sat back on his haunches and scratched his day-old beard. "What was Mayuri like when I met him? Where shall I begin?"

"How about at the beginning, Kisuke," Isane teased.

And for hours in to the night Kisuke regaled Isane of the early years with Mayuri.