• Chapter 8
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    Back in Soul Society…

    “Are you crazy?”

    Matsumoto Rangiku was getting used to hearing that.

    She didn’t care. This was for his own good.

    Her beloved taichou and his beloved were going to settle things, once and for all.

    Even if they needed just a little help to do it.

    “I told you, it’s better if I handle her myself, but it’s going to take some plotting to get him out of his office and into the right frame of mind for this.”

    Abarai Renji, Kira Izuru, and Kotetsu Isane had agreed to hear her out. They hadn’t agreed to agree with her, after all.

    Renji started listing objections on his fingers. “First and foremost, Yamamoto-taichou specifically forbade her coming back to Soul Society, remember? Do you really want to cross him? Just remember the last time Hitsugaya-taichou found your sake stash in his office and take it up a few notches. OK, a few hundred notches.” Isane shivered. “Next, how exactly do you plan to keep her a secret? It isn’t just like you can announce her coming through the main gate. And what happens if something, well, happens?”

    “But that’s what we want to happen!”

    Renji would have been yelling if he weren’t trying so hard to keep quiet. “Are you crazy? Remember what happened the last time something ‘happened’ when she was here? Fireworks display, two dragons lighting up the night sky. How are you going to keep it secret then?”

    “How, indeed?”

    The group snapped to attention. They hadn’t seen or heard Kuchiki-taichou approach.

    “Taichou!” Renji stuttered. “How much – “

    “Enough,” Kuchiki replied. “Enough to guess what you four are planning. It could be seen as direct disobedience, or even treason if presented in the wrong light. And by four lieutenants, too.” He was shaking his head. “You haven’t heard the most recent mandate, have you? A simple statement: ‘You control her, or we seal her.’ Hitsugaya-san is not in the best frame of mind right now.”

    Isane blanched. Izuru bit his lip. Rangiku was the one who spoke up. “It was my idea, taichou. I still think we can somehow get her under control if we just find a way to get them to come to terms with how they feel about each other, and we really can’t do that in the living world.”

    “Indeed you can’t. The other thing you haven’t heard is this: The first Arrancar was a mistake. A chance find, as it were. The next one won’t be. She may not be leaking reiatsu, but the dragon is. And now they know where she is. It is almost guaranteed she will be targeted, especially if anything happens that could draw attention.”

    Renji growled. “She doesn’t stand a chance! She would be destroyed and probably most of her town with her!”

    “Precisely. Which is why you are going to need help if you are going to accomplish this.”

    None of them had expected that. “You’re willing to help, taichou?” Rangiku queried.

    “What you need here you are unable to do by yourselves. You need more than a simple barrier to whereever you plan on this – liaison – taking place. You need a kekkai capable of holding in the released power of a captain. Or two. And that means a kekkai formed from the released power of at least four captains. Your group can’t do that. Besides, you will have your hands full just arranging the details.”

    “A kekkai? What? And why the power of two captains?” Isane asked.

    “Because her dragon is at least Hyourinmaru’s equal, and we have to assume would hold equal or greater released power. If your plan succeeds, a great deal of power will be released and will need to be dampened if not hidden. A kekkai is a special type of barrier that temporarily places the contents within another dimension. That should be enough – we hope – to keep them from Yamamoto-san’s notice long enough to do what needs done. And hopefully, to keep them from Aizen’s notice as well.” Kuchiki nodded to himself. “I know just who to ask, too.”

    Rangiku was delighted. “Thank you, taichou!” she nearly squealed. “Isane-san, I was going to ask you about that little cottage on the back side of the 4th complex…”

    “You mean the healer retreat? The small one?”

    “You think we could, well, borrow it for a night?”

    “I don’t know…”

    “Don’t worry about that,” Kuchiki said. “Unohana was one of the captains I had in mind. It will be available.”

    “We’re going to need food – a light supper, something tasteful… Wait. Better. Something from the living world. We’ll have to see what she likes. And some beautiful kimonos. And a relaxing bath beforehand. And I simply must think of something to do with her hair…”

    A small smile crossed Kuchiki’s face. “I’ll leave you to your plotting, then,” he said as he departed. The four lieutenants crouched together, whispering in excited tones. He never did get Renji to do what he needed. Oh well. This was more important.