Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder

Author's Note: I should not do this late at night. Oh, well, major issue caught and fixed, and not so much of an issue in the long run. This has sadly not been checked by a beta. Beware of falling errors. These really feel much longer while I write them. ._.

Cherry Starburst: I have a hard time taking him too seriously. He reminds me of Master Roshi.
Nusku: He's tough. XD

* * * *

The Special Underground Detention facility housed the members of the Gotei 13 deemed too dangerous to let roam amongst the populace. Gin was no exception as he sat on his cot with his back against the wall.

Boredom set in. Again. He seemed to spend most of his time these days stuck in the same state.

Oh, he could get just about anything he asked for to keep himself occupied There was intelligent conversation and wicked brawling. Sometimes there was wicked conversation and intelligent brawling. At least there was when he was allowed to mingle with the rest of the inhabitants of the Maggots' Nest.

Nothing here ever changed.

After all he had done, Gin wondered why he was getting special treatment. They made sure he was well fed, and exercised. He was given his own room.

Cell.

Whatever.

He missed having the company of his zanpakuto. The last time he had seen Shinsou, Soi Fon had tried to thrash him with it to get answers to her menial questions. Shinsou had zapped her for her trouble. She tried different methods and techniques after that.

Sometimes she could be such a bitch.

However, his response had been to smile and give random answers. Black cats kept popping up. And strawberries too. He had become almost obsessive about the latter.

She seemed ready to tear her ringed braids out. Instead, she beat him, and he just smiled at her until she left in agitation.

Captain Unohana had mentioned the strawberry thing may simply have been a rewiring of his brain caused by close proximity to Ichigo as he was dying. She looked dubious as she said it. The woman had a terrible bedside manner.

What did she know about the psyche anyway?

Now Aizen was good at messing with people. He seemed to know the inner workings of the mind inside and out. Somehow he knew for a fact that Ichigo would come to rescue Inoue. Well, they all knew that, but Aizen had planned everything out so very, very thoroughly.

Poor little princess. She had been surrounded on all sides by strong-willed, powerful friends and enemies.

Poor Ichigo. Gin wondered how he was coping with Inoue's death.

Not much had happened since then to replace the memories of that day. His fingers tingled as he thought about how warm the boy had been. He smelled of rain just before a coming storm. Both were probably caused by the chaotic energy swirling within the substitute shinigami.

Gin knocked his head back against the wall to dispel the imagery. Instead, he poured his spirit into the room, filling every nook and crevice. Reaching out with his senses, he felt for the walls to use as boundaries. The guards tended to pay attention if he let his reiatsu leak much further into the complex.

Right on cue, there was a knock at his door. The panel on his door slid open, and one of the guards called, “Hey, Fox-man, you have visitors.”

Dropping control of his energy, he pulled it back to his person. He could receive visitors? Soi Fon and Kurotsuchi only came on business, and he'd wager that nobody knew about Urahara coming by. Smiling, he waved at the guard.

The door opened to reveal Komamura, Matsumoto, and Soi Fon. The vulpine captain growled at the guard as he passed. Following close behind, Matsumoto spread out on his bed, and crossed her ankles over his lap. Soi Fon stood in the doorway and dismissed the guard. She watched them all warily.

“Hey, Rangiku! Basket-head! Ta what do I owe tha honor of havin' y'all as distinguished guests?” he queried. A waggle of fingers was sent in Soi Fon's direction, and the captain rolled her eyes.

Komamura looked away and huffed, “This will not work.”

A smile that matched his own devious expression spread across Matsumoto's face and she smacked him in the arm. “Oh, Gin! Kira will be so happy to have you around again. Damn, the boy can mope. For five years now!” she quipped. The red-headed woman ruffled his hair and stood up. “Come on, Captain. Let's get your zanpakuto.”

Eyes cracked open in disbelief to peer at the vice-captain, his head tilting at a comic angle. He opened his mouth to speak. Nothing came out. He tried again and managed to utter a weak, “What?”

The furry captain muttered quietly under his breath and Soi Fon whipped around to redress Gin, “Commander-General Yamamoto has decided to reinstate your rank as captain. As soon as you pass the tests, you will lead the Fifth Division.”

“The Fifth? Oh, poor Kira. He'll be heartbroken, ya know,” he tried.

"You assume too much. Amagai Shuusuke leads the Third now." corrected Soi Fon.

Matsumoto considered their words before replying, “He and Kira seem to work well together. He's helped Kira become much more confident.”

Oh, well. He would deal with what he'd been given. He wondered how vice-captain Hinamori was handling the news, but he'd handle that later. Springing to his feet, he grinned at Matsumoto and conceded, “Well, then, let's be on our way. I'm sure y'all have more important things ta do than escort me around.”

Gin offered his arm to Matsumoto, who accepted. In triumph, he escorted his friend past Soi Fon into the hall. She regarded him with a cool expression and retorted, “You will wait at the Second Division until your captain's test.”

Sheepishly rubbing the back of his head, Gin glanced over his shoulder at Soi Fon. “Aw, y'all don't trust me ta behave?” he asked.

The head of Special Forces gave a derisive snort. “No,” she abruptly answered, “and you will have your own personal watchdog to keep you in line.”

Komamura rumbled a warning deep in his throat, and Gin sent him a look of mock dejection.

“Oh, no. He has his own division to run,” she replied as her lips turned upward.

The silver-haired man stopped, and pressed his question further, “Then who gets ta hold my leash?”

Soi Fon's eyes took on a ferocious glint, and her smile became menacing and rictal. She swept past the duo and continued down the hall. “Come on,” she tossed over her shoulder, “After all, we have more, “ she paused for effect, “important things to do today.”

Her response didn't sit well with Gin, but he followed anyway.

Always the gossip queen, Matsumoto decided to fill him in on everything that had happened during the time he was in confinement. He listened patiently, grateful to have her chatter in his ear once more.

They stopped at an ominous door with two guards stationed alongside the frame. Soi Fon tapped the hilt of her sword against it, and the door creaked open. She gestured for him to enter, and he did. With a smile, he pushed through the grim atmosphere of dozens of abandoned zanpakuto.

That smile became tender as he held out his hand. The presence of his blade carried him to the correct stand. He trailed his fingers down the sheath and traced around of the guard. As he grasped the hilt, he reconnected with the zanpakuto. Gasping at the shock, he laughed as Shinsou tackled him mentally. Now he felt as if he could take on the world again.

A giggle came from the door, and he quickly looked up. Matsumoto hid her glee behind a hand, but she couldn't banish the happy look from her eyes.

“Come on,” she beckoned to him, “Let's get out of here.”

Komamura agreed, “Yes. I still have work to attend to. Your squad will be happy to have a captain once more.

With a sly gleam in his eyes, he looked at the fox through his silvery bangs and declared, “I never said I would accept tha position.” The captain tensed at the words.

Cackling a little too loudly as she led them out, Matsumoto thumped him square between the shoulder blades. “Gin, dear, don't joke like that around others,” she reprimanded lightly. Her tone held an underlying warning not to push his luck.

Offering his arm once more to his old friend, he advised her in return, “That's no way ta speak ta a captain. Ya should be ashamed of yerself.” There was a subtle shift in the atmosphere as the tension melted from the group. “Hey, Rangiku, ya didn't mention 'im earlier. How's the substitute strawberry doin'?”

Gin saw Komamura twitch his ears, while Soi Fon faltered ever so slightly. How odd. His question didn't faze Matsumoto, though, and she pursed her pretty lips as she thought out loud, “He's been pretty ornery since Inoue...” she trailed off with a sad look in her blue eyes. “You might want to keep out of his way for awhile,” she cautioned.

Soi Fon was peering at him, and he felt wary. Her wolfish grin had returned.