It was another week before I was released for the 12th squad laboratories. After I'd forced the parasite-thing from my body, all traces of the transformation had vanished. Unohana-Taichou had requested to be updated regularly on my situation, and when it seemed I was back to normal, she politely suggested that holding me was no longer necessary. Kurotsuchi had apparently tried to convince Central 46 that I was still important research material (bastard) but after a week of being poked, probed and wrung out with no sign of hollowfication, Unohana's arguments won out.

The last memory of have of that place was an apology to Nemu for what I'd done. She'd brushed it off as nothing, and had turned away before I could rise from the bow and see her face. I chose to believe she didn't hate me, but I knew I should keep my distance from her, for the time being.

After that, things were mostly back to normal. My reiatsu was back and in a big way, hopefully to stay. I was somewhat notorious for a time, with shinigami either avoiding or staring at me. It's not everyday that a shinigami/hollow hybrid pops up and nearly fights two captains to a draw. I heard from someone that something like this had happened about a century ago, though. Maybe I'll do some research…

"Teranaga-san?"

"Good evening, Taichou."

The garden was beautiful at night. I found I was spending a little more time there.

"Have you been feeling well?"

"Yes, very. Thank you for getting me out of that madhouse."

She gave me a faintly disapproving look. Just a little one, before we let the sounds of the evening take over. The snset was beautiful, but…

"Is there something on your mind?"

"Well, just now that I have my reiatsu back…"

"Yes?"

I couldn't hold back the grin. Or the maniacal laugher. Sweet Kami, I'd been planning this for a long time.

The expression on my taichou's face was magnitudes more disapproving, but it didn't compare to the other glowers and frowns and snarls around me.

Really, I'd only been doing my job. I'd filled in for one of my squadmates, and that was the only reason I'd been near 11th squad headquarters just before the inspection. I couldn't help it if someone had mixed up the paperwork and not delivered fresh laundry to the squad storehouse. I took their dirty laundry like I'd done a hundred times before, and I'm sorry if a group of half-naked elevens had started mugging shinigami for their clothes or tried to sneak into the other squad's storehouses.

One group had snuck up on Matsumoto-fukataichou while she was in the 10th squad garden. Really, if her taichou had heard her shriek and arrived to find her being accosted by a group of naked men, could I be held responsible if he'd released his zanpakutou in response?

They were treated for frostbite. At least nothing fell off.

I'm absolutely devastated that they had nothing to wear just before an official inspection. I can't imagine the trouble I caused the 12th squad, or the Soutaichou himself (which I truly regret) or the mayhem that resulted when the elevens went garment-hunting around the 12th squad headquarters (which I don't regret nearly as much.)

And I have absolutely no idea how the 11th squad guards minding the storehouse, where the extra uniforms were supposed to be, had gotten those bruises.

So I bowed and apologized as much as I could, accepting the token punishment without complaint. I passed a wall of snarling elevens on the way back. The entire group turned red-faced when a group of girls started giggling at the sight of them.

Except for Yumichika, of course. I didn't want to know what he'd been up to during that fateful naked day.

With that out of my system, now things were back to normal, and moving forwards. Learning kido, new techniques, shunpo-ing to work in the morning…

Teranaga Hikaru, 4th squad, 4th seat.

Unlucky? I think it suits me.