Author's Note (Give Credit Where Due): So yeah, just so you all know, this story was a join operation. ScenexCupcake is the co-creator of this Bleach Universe/Ficlet. She created the storyline while I simply put it into fan-fic form.

This is part one. I'm doing it in parts so that I can concentrate on each one individually and won't screw it up.

Moonlit Meeting
Chapter I

-

This was the last thing he needed, to be kept up when he should be resting before an operation. When the sun rose, Hitsugaya would be tasked of taking his team of Soul Reapers into the human world where they would keep watch of Aizen's movement. It was more or less a recon mission to survey the area for threats and eliminate anything that would harm the inhabitants of Karakura City, whether it be Hollows or the newfound Arrancar army.

Still, this intervention he sat through now was nothing he could turn away from so quickly as normal interruption.

"But…" Hinamori adverted her gaze before finally turning her back on the one she had previously been talking to, feeling as though no one understood her anymore. Even now, Hitsugaya would always look at her with a masked sense of sympathy, the same as every Soul Reaper.

"There's no saving Aizen in this lifetime. The only path we can take with him is—"

"Execution?!" She broke in, whirring around to face him with anger in her eyes. He, on the other hand, kept his usual calm and collected façade. "Is that the answer to everything?! Death?!"

"That's all there is when it comes to treasonous acts. It is law."

As far as he was concerned, if one of them was going to get angry, it might as well be her.

A lot had happened over the past few weeks. The ryoka had challenged the soul society to rescue some girl named Rukia from execution at the hands of the Seireitei—though calling her 'some girl' would be an understatement. She was the younger sister of the Captain of Squad Six, Byakuya Kuchiki.

During that mess of an operation, the peaceful balance the Soul Society had maintained for decades had been tilted towards destruction. Sosuke Aizen, a man that had befriended anyone he met, revealed his true face.

There was no redemption for what he had done.

What Hinamori asked for was unreasonable. After all the pain Aizen had put her through, why was she even still showing compassion to that traitor?

"Hinamori, you need to see the situation from a logical standpoint."

"I can't distance myself from problems as you do. I can't be as cold and calculating to this. You don't know how it feels at all to be in my place. He was my captain—I knew him better than anyone else and…" She trailed off, emotional to the point of not even being able to finish her comment. Hitsugaya could do no more than stare silently at his friend, who had once again turned away from him, her sobs becoming the only noise in the room.

A minute passed before he stood from his desk, pushing in his chair and crossing the room, stopping as he came near. He gazed at her back, not daring to pass her. Hinamori was crying, something she rarely did, and if he ignored something like that…

"I understand your plight," he began in the gentlest voice he could muster. "Though there is no way I can possibly help in the way you want. I can only save Aizen from himself now."

It took a moment for her to respond, swallowing her misery. "I know, but…try. That's all I can ask."

He sighed, shoulders slumping a little at her request. What was the harm in humoring her, just this once?

"Very well—now dry your eyes. I'll see you back to the barracks." He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, lightly nudging her towards the door. "Come on. I have to get up early so I can't hold drawn out conversation right now."

Hitsugaya brushed past his childhood friend, heading for the exit while she vigorously wiped her tears away and squeaked out, "Yes, sir!"

-

"Captain…?" Someone spoke hesitantly.

He ignored the call, believing it to be apart of his memory.

"Captain Hitsugaya."

This time the voice brought him back to reality and his head snapped up, searching for the one who had called out to him. At last he found the source of the voice, his eyes resting on a fairly familiar young woman with ebony hair and dark violet eyes.

He knew it was rude, but he couldn't help but stare at her. She had a small, delicate frame and was pale—oh so very pale and the moonlight that fell upon her only sought to strengthen that fact.

"You seem tired," she spoke, once again breaking him away from his thoughts.

"I was up late last night." And that was the truth. Once he had dealt with Hinamori, he got a surprise visit from his so-called Vice-Captain, who was so eager to go on the mission the following day that she couldn't sleep. The remainder of his night was spent in less favorable ways.

He leaned his head back against the wall behind him, relaxing as best he could. Orihime and Matsumoto were loud and whatever they were doing seemed unnecessary to the captain. Keeping so much noise was unnecessary in general, at least in his opinion.

"What's going on?" He asked at last, watching as she crossed over to where he was and leaning against the wall next to him. The moment he turned to look up at her, he found himself hurriedly forcing his attention elsewhere. With the breeze circulating through, he had almost seen under her skirt. Why did she have to be so close to him anyways? There was plenty of room for her to roam around and not be standing right next to him, where he could easily see up her skirt if he slouched a little. How unladylike of her to not show modesty at that fact. "Why are you up here?"

"I was on my way out and thought I'd let you know that everyone is forming a search party to find Ichigo."

"Kurosaki?" It dawned on Hitsugaya that he hadn't sensed the substitute soul reaper's reiatsu in a while. Honestly, Hitsugaya hadn't been trying to keep tabs on Ichigo either, since the guy was strong enough to hold his own if anything ever attacked him. It was the humans and those who weren't of lieutenant class he had to keep track of.

But if he had known Kurosaki would up and disappear than he would have kept track of him too.

"He hasn't gone home and it's been hours since he last contacted me. Everyone is going to look for him."

"I'm sure wherever Kurosaki his he's fine," Hitsugaya declared, trying to assure Rukia. "He'll come back eventually."

"I agree, but…there's no harm in making sure he's alright." Now if he recalled correctly, Rukia and Ichigo were friends, perhaps even closer than friends—though with how hostile they were with each other at time it was hard to tell. Even so, it was easy to see that they cared about one another.

Hitsugaya considered himself and Hinamori to be equally as close as the other pair, but maybe it was one-sided.

"True…" He agreed, saying nothing else afterward. What else was there to say, really?

She remained quiet, same as he, just standing there and accepting his company. He didn't mind, since she wasn't yapping his ear off.

The wind blew harder. He felt something brushing against his ear when the breeze passed and he turned to face her, thinking she was trying to catch his attention. It wasn't her, however. It was the hem of her skirt.

He could see her…

Hitsugaya groaned as he looked away.

A blatant disregard for feminine mannerisms. Just because she fought like a soldier amongst men didn't mean she had to act like one. Matsumoto still found time to groom herself during the day, albeit it was when she was supposed to be doing work.

What made it worse was the fact that she was of a high-class family.

Being so aloof of her own appearance was causing awkwardness.

"Rukia, was it? Why are you still here? I thought you were going to find Kurosaki." He didn't dare look in her direction while speaking, keeping his view out over the city lest he see another 'graceless' sight that night.

"I've been out all day," she said, it sounding like more of a complaint. "I'm just taking a small break."

"I see."

Orihime and Matsumoto bickered as they slammed doors shut. A second later, the ladies were running down the street, towards the direction of Urahara's shop. Hitsugaya watched them go, feeling a slight need to follow but ignoring it.

If he did search for Ichigo, it would be in his own way. If Matsumoto was with Orihime then he could travel freely and with no worries.

A few minutes passed in silence between the two. Rukia slid down the wall until she was seated next to him on the concrete roof, hugging her legs to her. She sighed, before turning to him with a questioning expression.

"Can I ask you something?" She inquired softly.

He glanced over to her and then back out at the city, shifting into a more comfortable position. "Go ahead."

"Do you promise not to get mad at Matsumoto?" Well that was suspicious.

"I'll be the judge of that." Hitsugaya was now focused entirely on Rukia, a somewhat menacing tone to his voice. So his Vice-Captain had done something behind his back… "Why? Did she tell you something?"

It was her turn to look away awkwardly at something, not wanting to meet his gaze after her inquest. He growled when she stalled for an answer. "Well…" She paused for a moment, a thoughtful appearance flashed on her face and decided to skip straight to the point. "What are you going do to about Vice-Captain Hinamori's request concerning Aizen?"

"That eavesdropper," was the first thought and reply that came from him, shaking his head at the idea of Matsumoto having heard his conversation with Hinamori. Truthfully, he'd been paying no attention to anything at that moment so it was no surprise she was able to sneak around in such a manner. So that was why Matsumoto had been trying to be slightly more helpful… "Is that all she mentioned?"

"She told us to not give you a hard time if you were to show hesitation."

"Hesitation? Towards what?"

Rukia shrugged. "I don't know."

"She's just giving orders for the sake of giving orders, I think."

"Yeah," the black haired young woman laughed. "You might be right. But still…" Her mood reverted back to the seriousness she held previously. "What are you going to do? What if he does really appear? What will you do then?"

"What I've always done," he answered in a matter-of-fact way, showing a wintry exterior. Hinamori's request had bothered him. Why ask him? He couldn't change anything. For her sake, however, he agreed to it. Though, what could he possibly do alone? "Follow my orders."

There was no way he could sway Aizen's decision or forget the past. What Aizen had done was unforgivable.

The captain jumped to his feet separating himself from his gigai and tired of contemplating ancient history, even if it wasn't really ancient. What's in the past is in the past, but that didn't mean he had to accept it.

Maybe that was how Hinamori was feeling. Even though the event had already happened, it was still hard to let go. Aizen was apart of her past, and it was hard to forget him.

Hitsugaya was beginning to understand.

Rukia raised an eyebrow at the white haired boy's sudden movement to leave. "Where are you going?"

"To look for Kurosaki."

"Oh. I'll go with you."

"No, I'm better off traveling alone," he affirmed as he strolled to the edge of the roof, peering over the edge to the ground and then in the direction where his vice-captain had disappeared. "I can cover more ground by myself." It wasn't just a statement, it was fact.

"You have such a lone wolf mentality, Captain Hitsugaya." Her statement caused him to face her with a faintly baffled look. She was now standing, staring at him with a determined expression.

He jerked away from the offense, getting back to the present. "And with good reason, in this case."

"True, but just so you know, you're not alone."

"I know, Rukia." He turned to leave, but paused just before he leapt off the ledge, wracked with hesitation from out of nowhere. And here he thought he wouldn't falter on anything. Unconsciously, he glanced over his shoulder, murmuring to her, "Fine. If you can keep up, then come on."

"No, that's alright. I'll trust you to find Ichigo your way." She crossed her arms, leaning her weight on one leg. "I'm going to head back to his residence and wait there."

"Very well. I'll notify you if you find him—and Rukia?"

"Yes, sir?"

Once again, he hesitated. "Thanks…for taking the time to talk to me."

As she smiled in response, he disappeared.