A Burden Hardest To Bear

Prologue

It was the morning after she'd received the news that her application for a captain's position had been approved; and Shina Murasame couldn't be more excited. So much so in fact that she was up at least an hour before a Hell Butterfly was sent to her requesting her presence at a Captain's meeting at Commander-General Yamamoto's order. "I still can't believe they picked me, Sako and Kuniko for the jobs..." she said happily to herself as she gently petted the small black butterfly sitting on her finger, whose kind Shina had always had a special fondness for...

Ever since she was very small, Shina had possessed an affinity with butterflies that had never been seen before. Having grown up in one of the poorest districts in Rukongai - the 78th one known as Inuzuri or Hanging Dog - as an orphan since the age of nine, Shina had been abandoned by her parents when they'd realised she had Shinigami powers and couldn't handle having such a 'strange' child in their household - Shina's only friends had been the local wildlife (among them butterflies and other insects) ... and the rest of the street kids that sometimes frequented the orphanage she'd initially been sent to. Over time, her abilities and friendliness won many of the other street kids over, in particular a wild and mischievous redhead called Abarai Renji and his mostly quiet (but just as handy in a fight) companion Kuchiki Rukia.
When Shina was about fifteen, she learned of Renji's and Rukia's desire to become Shinigami - they'd grown tired of life in Rukongai, wanting to make something more of themselves. They in turn encouraged Shina to join them, saying someone with her natural abilities would go really far in Soul Society. Shina had at once excitedly agreed, envisioning a life far more comfortable and glamorous than anything you could have in a backwater place like Rukongai; and then had begun for her a long hard road of hopes, disappointments, successes and failures.
But once she'd entered the Soul Society Academy, Shina began to have trouble fitting in, just as Renji did; and like him, as she came from Rukongai, Shina was teased and excluded from a lot of social things - academically, however, she scored high enough to gain a lot of respect from the teachers, and in particular Shina easily formed a natural skill with demon magic. This led to her having to give poor Renji private lessons after some significant blunders on his part on the practice field; he'd fared far better with swordsmanship, which Shina had been very pleased to hear about, since they were still such good friends she wanted the best for him and Rukia (who'd been adopted into the prestigious Kuchiki family not long beforehand and ended up having her graduation fast-tracked, which Shina had been very upset about at first).
Despite her initial difficulties with most of the other students and trying to fit in or at least get along with them, Shina did succeed in finding two other very close friends in the form of the even-more-girlier-than-herself Ikisako Yumaeda, and the vivacious Kuniko Hibiki. Kuniko was blonde, very outgoing (if not a little clueless at times) and totally obsessed with one of the senior students, Hisagi Shuuhei; Ikisako on the other hand was a bit quieter, had a remarkable sense of fashion and was equally taken with one of the 13 Captains - a huge and imposing man with freakishly-spiked black hair and a black eyepatch by the name of Zaraki Kenpachi. Of course, Shina eventually ended up with a secret crush of her own as well - but that didn't happen until she'd graduated from the Academy and joined the 8th Squad as a 3rd-seat officer under the command of the sake-loving, pink haori-wearing straw-hatted Kyouraku Shunsui. It was from then on the normally-reclusive and sometimes shy (more around strangers than anything) Shina discovered what having a crush felt like; but unlike most people, who usually sooner or later try to ask their crushes out, Shina never could as the rejection by her parents as a child had instilled in her a sense of unworthiness - and the fact she could see right away that Kyouraku was a player and liked his women (even regularly flirting with Ise Nanao, his lieutenant) made it even worse for her. So from then on Shina kept her secret love close to her heart, only revealing it accidentally sometimes to her two closest friends.

Coming out of her daydream, Shina sighed and then grinned; life was way too short to waste on reminiscing!
She headed out the door after dressing in her brand-new Captain's uniform, and popped over to Sako's to see if she'd left yet; and had to slap her forehead in resignation when she saw a comatose Sako still slumbering peacefully, a Hell Butterfly (this one Shina recognised as one she'd hand-raised herself) slumped against the windowsill with its little legs twitching. "Aww Sako, not again..." Shina sighed, and picked the poor little guy up gently before shaking Sako's shoulder. "Oy you, wake up - you'll be late for our first captain's meeting," she whispered.
"Huh wha- oh!" Sako mumbled, sitting upright at once. Her head then dropped. "Hmm..." she complained sleepily, rubbing her eyes. "I was right in the middle of a good dream about Ken-chan... he was carrying me over the threshold of the 11th squad headquarters in my wedding dress."
Shina sweatdropped. "That's far more than I ever wanted to know..."
Sako grinned, swinging her legs out of bed. "Okay, I'll be ready soon - you go on without me and tell them I might be a little late."
"Well I'm probably gonna be late myself at this rate..." Shina sighed, but nodded. "Okay then, I'll see you there - now I have to go see if Kuniko's on her way, I don't want any of us to be late on a big day like this."
Sako looked a bit ashamed. "Sorry..."
Shina shrugged and smiled. "oh well, it isn't the first time you've been late for stuff and it sure won't be the last. It's definitely not punctuality they picked you for, so don't worry too much about it. I'll see you there."
And with that, she was off; Sako was left to get ready and think about the events that had propelled her into such a dream life in Soul Society...

~*~*~

Unlike Shina, Sako had enjoyed a relatively happy childhood - despite growing up in an even poorer district than Rukongai, Zaraki, Sako's early memories were filled with love and encouragement from her parents. She'd been quite a bright child, having been home schooled wherever possible and given every opportunity to develop her own natural Shinigami abilities, which her parents had been extremely proud of... unlike Shina's. But then when Sako was about fourteen, a year before she made the decision to join the Soul Society Academy, her entire world turned upside down when she was waylaid one day walking home by some of the local gang - whose leader had set them to watch her every move for the last few months beforehand...
Sako hadn't been far from home when this happened, and she managed to outrun the ruffians long enough to get to the front door - but then one of them had successfully grabbed her just as her parents had emerged to see where the source of the screams was coming from, and it was when one of the bandits had thrown Sako to the ground and threatened to rape her that Sako's father had attacked the would-be kidnappers and been killed for his trouble. Poor Sako's mother was next, another of the bandits having hit her from behind with a rough looking axe to silence her; Sako had fought like a wildcat to get free from her attacker, but at fourteen she wasn't nearly strong enough to push off the rather large man that had her pinned down... until a huge shadow had fallen over them both, and the man on top of her gave a strangled death cry as a ragged-edged blade buried half its length in his back.
Hysterical, Sako had wriggled out from underneath the dead bandit, trying not to cry out of sheer terror as she watched from the doorway of her house the swift and bloody demise of her attackers, wondering the whole time why the huge spiky-haired man who wielded the ragged-bladed katana in his hands with deadly accuracy would even have bothered with a weak girl like herself... and it was that day, amongst the terror and the blood and the grief that Sako found her hero in the wanderer whom she was to soon know as Zaraki Kenpachi.
She had then watched, frozen to the spot, as the stranger strode up to her and looked down at the frightened girl with impassive eyes; the eyes of a killer, Sako could see that all too well, yet her fear began to diminish the moment he approached. Somehow, as he stood looking down at her, Sako began to feel she could really trust this man... and she had then ventured to ask who he was and why he'd saved her. He'd simply replied, "I don't remember my name... you can call me Zaraki Kenpachi. And as for why I'm here... well, I'm not so heartless that I'd let a shrimp like you be taken advantage of by bastards like them. I prefer a real challenge, and those guys didn't even make me break a sweat."
Sako had gaped at him a minute, and then latched onto him not knowing what else to do. "Please... take me with you, my parents are dead and I don't want to stay here! Let me go with you!"
Kenpachi had just given a 'hmph' sound and held out his hand to her. "Well all right then, guess we can't leave you here to flounder - dunno if the brat's gonna like it though."
Sako had given him a closed eye smile and held tighter to Kenpachi's arm as they left the grisly scene of her parent's slaughter.

~*~*~

Kuniko picked up the western cowboy hat before hanging it round her neck so it rested on her back a long time her obsession with things from the living world had been sparked from parents returning from missions in the living world, she grew up well educated and in one of the more richer districts of soul society. Her parents retired but yet still respected shinigami.
A lot was expected of her from a very young age, and with parents like hers who had held high ranking positions in various squads she was expected to succeed. But unlike her parents her demon magic seemed to be a little bit on the lacking side something she didn’t realize until she had joined the soul society academy, where she had recognized one of her neighbor’s had signed up. Kira Izuru, she was left gaping at his demon magic ability and she found she faired no better than a lowly red headed fellow from Rukongai. It was there she meet Shina Murasame who ended up trying to teach her and the red head who she later came to know as Abarai Renji. She found out her physical fighting skills were similar and on par with his own but it took Kira whose class she had ended up in along with Shina to teach her the art of demon magic. Various times she had accidentally blown the two of them up, much to their disapproval. But she considered them very good friends.

It was on a routine training exercise lead by senior Hisagi Shuuhei that she realized how important it was to know demon magic, separated from her group when real life hollows attacked she found herself lost and surrounded by hollows, when he had come swooping down slicing the hollows through and saving her life. He had turned to her at that moment and offered her his hand. She had grabbed it and he had taken her to safety from that moment she had found herself thankful to him for the extra lease on life her gave her that day almost at the cost of his own if it hadn’t of been for captain Aizen and the then lieutenant Ichimaru.

Not long after that day she found herself separated from Hisagi and teamed up with Kira and taken under Ichimaru’s wing when he reached 3rd captain rank, it kept her away from Hisagi but close to Kira who spent time with Hisagi on various missions and she ended up tagging along irritating Hisagi to no end to which Kira apologized endlessly to Hisagi for having such a ‘strange obsessive’ friend.

Now here she was taking the place of Hisagi’s captain Tousen, she looked to the hell butterfly frowning slightly it meant she had to choose a new lieutenant, in all honesty she couldn’t replace Hisagi, Hisagi would have to listen to her orders now….
“Ooooh Hisagi can remain as lieutenant I know he’ll be great and he has to listen to me now!” She pumped her fist in to the air jumping up happily.
“I take it Hisagi isn’t going t lose his position in ninth squad then?”
Kuniko looked to see Shina in the doorway and she ran up to her grabbing her hand. “He’s going to be my sexy ninja servant boy!”
Shina laughed. “I don’t think that’s the same rank as lieutenant.”
“But I owe Kira a lot to if Sako doesn’t want him as lieutenant can he be my second lieutenant?” Kuniko asked.
“Take that up with her if she gets to this captain’s meeting on time… which speaking of we are going to be late for unless we leave now.” Shina pointed out.
“Good point the sooner we leave the sooner I can claim Hisagi as mine.”
Shina laughed watching Kuniko race outside. “The meeting is the other way.”
Kuniko raced past the door in the other direction. “I knew that.”
“I swear she’s worse the Kenpachi and Yachiru combined.” Shina shook her head following her friend as they flash stepped across the rooftops to get to the meeting on time.

~*~*~

Outside the offices for the captain meetings a group were standing and waiting for the arrival of the new captains to see them in their last moments of their originating squad uniforms.
“Hey I hear them!” Kira smiled.
Yumichika looked up. “They’re early that’s a good sign.”
“Then……” Ikkaku began. “FOR SAKO!”
“For Sako?” Hisagi looked at him as normal his arms crossed and unimpressed as Ikkaku began to dance.
“Lucky lucky lucky…” Ikkaku began his ‘Lucky Dance’

Shina landed first stopping dead at the sight of Ikkaku dancing his ‘Lucky Dance’ She oooffed as Kuniko hit her in the back.
“Ow damnit why’d you stop?” Kuniko looked over her shoulder.
Already Shina’s hand was to her face and Kuniko raised a brow.
“Lucky lucky lucky…” Ikkaku was still dancing.
Yumichika cleared his throat. “Ah where’s Sako?”
“She’s late as normal.” Shina replied with a sigh… “Something about dreaming about Ken…” She paused to shudder. “Nevermind… Ikkaku just what are you doing?” She sweatdropped at the sight of the bald member of eleventh squad, he was doing some strange weird dance or attempt at dance.

Ikkaku was still dancing his ‘Lucky Dance’ singing. “Lucky lucky luc-” He stopped looking at the two jumping right in to Shina’s face making her inch back a bit. “Where’s Sako? You’re not privileged for this dance it’s for Sako.”
“Lucky Sako.” Kuniko drawled from behind Shina.
“I already asked her that.” Yumichika sighed.

Renji stepped forward looking at Shina and he smiled. “Shina… Congratulations… I’m proud of you.”
“Awwww Renji thank-you!” Shina squealed grabbing the tall red head in a glomp making him blush slightly.
“Yeah yeah it’s okay…” He rubbed behind his head sheepishly.
“Proud of me too?” Kuniko grinned.
Renji raised a brow at her. “Yeah I guess so you annoying brat.” He huffed.

Kuniko felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned to look at Kira and he smiled at her. “I’m proud of you.”
Kuniko looked at him and smiled. “Kira I don’t think we deserve this, after all you, Hisagi, Renji even deserve to be captains more so than us.”
Renji blinked from within the glomp Shina held him in and she let go looking at Kuniko seriously.
“Kuniko…” Renji blinked for most part he’d been on the other end of her sugar rushed torments in the academy and her failed demon magick spells, but to hear her say she thought he would be a better captain…
“It’s just… you guys you’re higher officers and you didn’t apply you could of become captains… why didn’t you apply?”
Hisagi looked to the side choosing to remain silent.
Kira smiled. “We have a few things to sort out amongst ourselves first.”
Shina looked down. ‘The betrayal of Aizen, Tousen and Ichimaru is what he means… oh Kira… Hisagi… you two.’ She then looked to Renji he didn’t seem so choked up about the betrayal as those two did.
“Until I can beat Captain Kuchiki, I won’t evolve in to anything captain worthy. Until then.” Renji looked at him.
“That’s so like you.” Kuniko smirked jabbing Renji in the chest.
Matsumoto smiled at the two girls. “Just remember being a captain is a big responsibility.”
“Unlike the responsibilities you take.” Renji looked at her flat eyed.
“Renji be nice.” Kira smiled. “Matsumoto may lack that but it’s very good advice.”
“Kira. Oh how could you?!” Matsumoto suddenly glomped Kira from behind making him sweatdrop before he laughed nervously looking over his shoulder at the vivacious strawberry blonde headed lieutenant.
Hisagi’s hand moved to the side of his face and he sighed. “Hnnnn.” He groaned.

Shina looked to the door. “Well we better head in now everyone is waiting for us.”
Kuniko stepped back and she smiled. “My last moments as the third seat officer of third squad… nostalgic much.” She looked at Kira before grabbing him in a hug making the lieutenant smile.
“It’s okay Kuniko. I’ll still be here.” Kira smiled patting his friend on the head.
Shina sighed. “It’s not like we’re going off to fight hollows to the death. You’ll still see Kira.” She grabbed Kuniko by the back o her cowboy hat yanking her off Kira. “Now c’mon. We will not be late we’re going to be captains we need to set an example.”
“Hck!” Kuniko choked as Shina pulled her away from the group that came to wish them well and luck.

Ikkaku scratched the side of his face. “So much for my lucky dance… where is Sako anyway.”
“Probably in bed getting her beauty sleep for the captain you know how she is.” Yumichika replied. “She’s always been late... much like Matsumoto you know that.”
“Oh Yumichika how could you be so mean?!” Matsumoto wriggled up to Yumichika pouting.
Kira stretched his back and looked at Hisagi. “I hope you take good care of her for me Hisagi… she’s a good friend.”
Hisagi’s head dropped. “And how many times have you apologized for that good friend when she’s tried to grab me in public?”
Kira rubbed behind his head. “I think I’ve lost count.”
Renji smirked. “Well whoever Shina is picking for her lieutenant I feel sorry for him she’ll be sending him on missions for chocolate and sugar I can just see it now, her sweet tooth and when she gets started.” He shook his head and chuckled. “The idiot.” He smirked.
“You’re just glad it’s not you anymore.” Ikkaku taunted.
“What makes you think I made a run to get chocolate for her huh?!” Renji glared.
Ikkaku just grinned and they stopped as the Hell Butterfly floated about them announcing the start of the meeting.

Yumichika looked over to see Sako land and she looked at them.
“Ooooh hi…. Did you come to see me off? That’s so sweet.” She smiled innocently.
“You’re late.” Hisagi remarked.
Sako stuck her tongue out at him. “Ppffffffffbbbbbbttttt to you I’m here because Ken-chan will be inside…” Her eyes grew large and starry and she jumped up rushing in to the building.
“Hey wait!” Ikkaku sighed. “Damnit I didn’t get to give her my ‘Lucky Dance’.”
“Seems she was lucky after all.” Yumichika chuckled.
Ikkaku just glared at him.

~*~*~


Just before they went in, Shina turned at the sound of footsteps following behind her and Kuniko, and looked relieved at seeing Sako catch up to them. “Hey you, sleepyhead,” she teased. “Finally dragged yourself out of bed, huh?”
Sako blushed a bit. “Sorry, sorry… but you know how I get about Ken-chan…”
Kuniko laughed. “Yeah, do we ever - anyways, we’re here. You guys ready?”
Shina swallowed a little as she gazed through the entrance of the building and saw the remaining ten Captains lined up on both sides (with the exception of the Commander General, who was also the 1st squad Captain so he wasn’t in the lineup) of Commander General Yamamoto, who sat at the end of the room. “Sure, what’s to be nervous about?” she said a little uneasily. She wasn’t at all sure now that she could ever live up to Aizen’s status, Shina might have always had her suspicions about the scholarly Captain but how could she ever hope to replace him even slightly?
Kuniko looked sideways at her, grinning a bit. “Nooooo you’re not nervous…”
“Oiy shut it!” Shina hissed, colouring a bit.
Sako on the other hand smiled brightly. “My Ken-chan’s in there, I can’t be nervous in front of him - just thinking about him makes me feel better about this whole thing.”
Suddenly they were interrupted by Yamamoto’s voice booming out, “The meeting has begun - would the three of you join us?”
Shina sweat dropped. “Oookay… guess we’d better go in before he gets too impatient.”
“Oh he’s not so bad, I’ve faced Hollows scarier than him,” Kuniko smiled. “Come on, let’s go get promoted huh?”

After entering, the three girls only went a short way before halting and kneeling on the walkway some feet from the Commander General.
Shina looked up to see her former Captain, Kyouraku Shunsui, standing on the left between Hitsugaya and Byakuya; and immediately blushed when he directed a wink of encouragement at her, mouthing quietly, “Good luck kiddo…”
“Rise,” Yamamoto commanded the trio, and so they stood. “I begin today’s meeting with the primary purpose of dealing with the Captain’s positions from 3rd, 5th and 9th squad - since Aizen’s departure almost a year ago, there has been no time left to us to devote any effort towards appointing new Captains to fill those gaps. We are the Gotei 13 and cannot fully function as such unless we have thirteen Captains in this company; and so at last now that we have dealt with the Bount threat, I have decided to finally appoint a Captain to 3rd, 5th and 9th Squad. Kuniko Hibiki, Shina Murasame, Ikisako Yumaeda - please step forward and introduce yourselves.”
Kuniko looked at the others, and then she stepped forward confidently. “Hi, my name’s Kuniko Hibiki, I’m from 3rd squad - I’ve kinda been appointed as Tousen’s replacement.” She paused for a moment. “I’ve only got one thing to say - no matter what, I’ll do my absolute best to be just as good a Captain as he was. I’ll never BE Tousen, but I sure will work hard don’t you worry.”
Shina had to stifle a snicker as she saw the crossed fingers behind Kuniko’s back at that last sentence, swiftly covering it with a soft cough and looking serious again.
The Commander General nodded. “And what do you suggest could be done about a lieutenant? If you choose a new one, the existing one will have to be re assigned elsewhere.”
Kuniko shook her head vigorously. “No way, I’m more than happy to have Hisagi be my lieutenant if that’s cool.”
“As you wish,” Yamamoto agreed. “Next?”
Shina blinked, and went to stand beside Kuniko. “My name’s Shina Murasame, as of today I’m formerly of 8th squad.” She tried not to look at Kyouraku, who looked a little regretful at that moment - something that his good friend Ukitake noticed, and smiled reassuringly. “I’ve been nominated as Aizen’s replacement for 5th squad Captain, and I promise right here and now that while he’s probably not the most popular at the moment and I know I won’t be either for a while, I can assure you all that I’ll do the best job I know how and strive to be a proper leader that my squad can look up to.”
This was met with another nod of approval. “Lieutenant Hinamori is still currently indisposed due to the events of nearly a year ago - knowing this, will you continue to employ her services?”
Shina thought for a minute, looking towards Kuniko. “Yes,” she answered. “But I did have a couple of special requests in regard to that…”
“What is it?”
“While Hinamori’s not able to return to her duties, I was hoping to have Shingen Ashikage appointed as a temporary replacement,” Shina continued. “I’ve known him for a while, he was at school with me and Renji in the next class over. He won’t mind only being a temporary lieutenant - also, Kuniko and I briefly discussed on the way here about perhaps sharing Kira’s services as a second lieutenant since Sako has her own replacement in mind.”
The Commander General raised an eyebrow, as did several of the other Captains. “That has never been done before,” he said in a ponderous tone. “But as we are a little short of options, I shall consider it and give a decision before the end of today. Now for the last one… please come forward.”
Sako flashed a wink and a smile at Kenpachi before stepping forward. “Hi my name’s Ikisako Yumaeda - well most people just call me Sako, seeing as it sounds cuter and all.” She flicked her hair back from her face, and looked steadily around her - blushing a little as her gaze passed over that of her former Captain. “I’m formerly of 11th squad… it’s a shame to be leaving it, but since I’ve been named as Ichimaru’s replacement I’m pretty excited about being given the chance to make something of myself and take some real responsibility. And whatever happens, I’ll be the best Captain I can, I swear it… maybe then I’ll get more attention from a certain dreamboat!”
Yamamoto’s eye twitched a little, but chose to ignore that last bit and nodded. Kenpachi, who knew very well who Sako was referring to, just sighed. “And do you have a lieutenant in mind?”
Sako nodded. “Yup - Shina and Kuniko want to share Kira so I was hoping my friend Shunmyo might be up to the job of lieutenant. He’d be awesome at it, he’s really dedicated to being a good Shinigami and his swordplay is something I’d even pay to see - plus his kidou’s pretty decent.”
Yamamoto looked around at the assembly. “Captains all - you have now heard and seen for yourselves the three people you will be working with in future. Do I have your approval to go ahead and name them as Captains?”
Murmurs of ‘aye’ and ‘yes’ were heard from most of the Captains - with the exception of Mayuri, he wasn’t all that thrilled about having more women join the Gotei 13 - and after that Yamamoto rose from his seat, motioning for his lieutenant Chojiro Sasakibe to bring forward the Captain’s coats from beside his chair. Each sleeveless white tunic was emblazoned with the kanji for either 3rd, 9th or 5th squad in black on the back; as the three girls were told to line up in front of Yamamoto, they all looked at one another as if to say ‘well this is it - no turning back now…’ and waited as the coats were placed around their shoulders.
As the girls turned and looked around themselves once more, they were greeted with a collective bow from the other Captains, who were now their new comrades - and Shina was startled to see Kyouraku looking a little sad but with a smile of pride such as she’d never even had from her own parents, and it made her stomach sink yet dance inside like the butterflies she’d spent many years raising.
Sako herself caught Kenpachi looking impassively as usual at her, but with one small difference; instead of reflecting his killer’s soul, the 11th squad Captain’s eyes held a gleam of approval for the girl he’d saved so many years ago and moulded into the fine young Shinigami officer who’d practically grown up in his unit. And at that Sako swallowed hard and blushed heavily, but smiled brightly at her beloved; now feeling reassured more than ever that he was still there for her, that there was still a chance for him to see her as his equal rather than the scrawny orphaned shrimp of past years.
“Go now - you are all dismissed for the day,” Yamamoto said then. He looked to the three new Captains. “You three will be summoned to a private meeting later this evening, I must give you my decision regarding the appointment of your lieutenants. Until then, go and begin your duties - Hitsugaya will fill you in on what is to be expected of you.”
Hitsugaya looked less than thrilled at this; he wasn’t a huge fan of paperwork himself, but all his previous attempts at getting Matsumoto to help him usually ended in him sitting there having to do all the work himself as she would find any opportunity to take off and leave him to it. “Come on then, you three,” he said reluctantly, moving off in the direction of 3rd squad headquarters first.
“Wait a moment, Hitsugaya-kun,” Kyouraku suddenly spoke up as he caught up to the group - who were also being joined by Kira and the others from earlier. “I’ll show Shina-chan to 5th squad headquarters and get her acquainted with things. You go ahead with Kuniko-chan and Sako-chan.”
Hitsugaya nodded.

“Then lets go Whitey-chan!” Kuniko pulled him in to a glomp in a very Matsumoto manner making his arms flap about pushing her back and blinking looking at where his hand was pushing and jumped back blushing.
Kuniko looked down to her chest and grinned slyly. “Oh my Whitey-chan are you growing up to be a man already?”
“That’s so cute! You’re going to have to watch whitey-chan now I think he likes you and we are equals now!” Sako laughed.
Hitsugaya flushed embarrassed that his hand had moved over Kuniko’s over-sized cleavage in trying to break her hug.
“Stop calling me Whitey-chan!”

Kyouraku watched as the three walked off leaving him along with the former third seat officer of his squad and he smiled standing in front of her and smiled placing his hands on her shoulders seriously.
Shina’s head dropped quickly and she felt the flush on her cheeks and she found her feet suddenly much more interesting, and noticed how they shuffled nervously underneath her as if she couldn’t wait to use them to run.
“Listen Shina-chan…” Kyouraku began making Shina look up at him suddenly. “I just want you to know you will be sorely missed, but I couldn’t have picked anyone better to become captain.” He smiled at her. For a moment Shina thought she saw an unnerving twinkle in that roguish smile of his.
“C. C. Captain… Thank-you.” She stammered. “I don’t-” She began then blinked feeling a hand rubbing her from behind.
“AHHHHH! PERVERT!”

*slap*

She began huffing clenching her fist up against her chest. ‘Oh God I just slapped him! I slapped him… erk…’
Kyouraku smiled rubbing his bruised cheek. “Oh how you’ve grown.” He smiled tears streaming down from his eyes… “If you’ll follow me I’ll lead you to the 5th squad office now….” He started walking off.
“Um… Kyouraku-san… isn’t it the other way?” Shina blinked.
He fluttered past her in the other direction. “So you’re right Shina-chan…. This way.”
Shina let her head drop as she followed her former perverted captain to the office of 5th squad.