You know what I said last chapter about this one? Uh... I lied. An unfortunate side effect of not updating for... (checks last update and winces) nine months?

On the bright side, you get some Aizen in this chapter.

Has Bleach gone on hiatus? No? Then I think you can figure out I'm not writing it. Or drawing it. Whew, considering how awful I am at art, I think we can all be relieved.

Renji left the Senzaikyu feeling almost guilty. Rukia's expression - a mixture of disbelieving relief and renewed hope - ate at him, making him wish he hadn't decided to tell her about Kurosaki being sighted in Soul Society. Ichimaru intercepted him, after all…. What's the chance he's still alive?

The captain was Third division for a reason.

"Hey!"

The redhead blinked, jarred out of his thoughts, and glanced around. "Captain Aizen?"

Aizen Sosuke waved energetically from down the row, beckoning him over with a friendly smile. "Renji! It's good to see you," he said when Renji was closer, looking him up and down with the paternal air he took with all his subordinates, former or current. "And you seem to be doing well…. Do you have a moment?"

Although he really needed to report back to Captain Kuchiki, Renji nodded and followed Aizen when the brunet began to absently wander off. Aizen had something to say. Of all the captains, he was the easiest to read.

"How long has it been?" Aizen murmured aloud. "How long since I lost you to Kenpachi? Some forty years? It was a disappointment, but that's how it is, I suppose. You're in the sixth division, now?"

It was a disappointment? Renji grinned, feeling flattered. "Yeah. Probably for the best, right? Momo'd roast me if I tried takin' her vice captain spot."

"Maybe so." The captain laughed, and opened the door to let Renji enter first.

The lieutenant glanced around at the old-style furnishings in the room, not recognizing it, before he realized he was in Aizen's office. Momo had described it to him once; apparently she sometimes spent nights here, falling asleep while trying to get Aizen to get some rest.

"Anyway," said Renji. "What did you want to talk about?"

Aizen smiled. Then, with one hand, he pulled the curtain across the office's single window, and grew serious. "Renji… you're… close to Kuchiki Rukia, aren't you?"

The redhead froze. "Well… uh…"

"There's no need to deny it," the captain said softly. "I know you've been friends since you were in the Rukongai."

"Yeah…" What's he getting at…?

"I'll cut to the quick," said Aizen. He met Renji's eyes solidly, and the lieutenant hid a shiver. "In your opinion, does Rukia deserve to die?"

He didn't just say that. Renji stared at the captain wide eyed, unable to believe what he had just heard. Was Aizen actually questioning an order of the Chamber of 46? "I… I'm not sure I understand."

Now Aizen looked away, gazing fixedly at his desk as though it held the secrets of the universe. "Don't you think it's strange?" he whispered. "Her crime was the unauthorized transfer of reiryoku and an overlong absence from the Soul Society. I've never heard of anyone getting the ultimate penalty… for crimes like those."

Dissension against the rulings of the Chamber of 46 was enough to prosecute someone for treason if the old men of the court were in that sort of mood. Was Aizen implying that someone from the Chamber had a vendetta against Rukia?

"On top of that," Aizen continued, growing ever quieter, "her gigai was disposed as soon as she returned the Soul Society, instead of being used as evidence; her stay of execution was cut from thirty-five to twenty-five; and, of course, the use of the Sokyoku on someone under captain level is unprecedented." He paused, appearing to debate his next words, and Renji's stomach twisted. "Even on captains, its use has been restricted to high treason and conspiracy against the Soul Society."

"Conspiracy against the Soul Society?" Renji repeated faintly, completely stunned. "But - but that's…"

Then he understood. Most of the people who sat on the Central 46 were from the noble families of the Seireitei, politicians with power only checked by other families. While Renji didn't pretend to get the noble politics, he knew Rukia's situation had to reflect badly on the Kuchiki.

And with that sort of implication…

This was bad.

Renji looked back up at Aizen. "But… Captain Aizen, what can-"

The emergency alert began to ring, and a message began to blare over the intercom system, calling all captains to an emergency officer meeting. Aizen, brown eyes solemn, put one finger to his lips, wordlessly clasped the lieutenant on the shoulder, and then left.

Ichigo lost himself in the push of shihakusho-clad bodies with more ease than he should have had. It only took a little concentration to disguise his distinctive orange hair, and Kyoka Zangetsu blended in with the reams of sealed zanpakuto so long as he kept it sheathed.

"All captains! All captains! Report immediately for an emergency officers' conference!"

The push slowed, shinigami looking around in surprise and confusion.

"I wonder what that's about," one close to Ichigo murmured to the one beside him.

The other replied, "The ryoka, maybe. I heard they took down Jidanbo. Maybe one of them got in?"

Wondering how fast gossip got around here, Ichigo squeezed closer.

"And get past Ichimaru? Ichimaru's a freaking monster," the first countered.

"You know what I heard?" a third, female shinigami butted in, leaning in conspiratorially. "I heard he goes by Kurosaki. As in, the Kurosaki. The traitor."

The what? Ichigo stopped, unable to conceal his shock. Luckily, several passing shinigami had stopped, some equally surprised, some simply interested. This was simply too weird. And rather unfortunate - if the people of Soul Society connected him with some traitor, they might take it out on Rukia.

"Captain Kurosaki is dead," a brunet shinigami scoffed. "He's been dead for nearly a hundred years now. Stop pulling stuff out of your ass, Hanajima. You're embarrassing the second division with your nonsense."

Second division? Ichigo blinked, before mentally kicking himself. Of course shinigami had divisions, Jidanbo had said as much when identified Ichimaru as the captain of the third division. But how many were there? Sooner or later he might have to identify himself, which meant he needed a quick name - that wasn't Kurosaki - and a division.

"All shinigami assemble at their respective divisions!"

Ichigo cursed inwardly as the crush of shinigami multiplied.

"What?" The brunet shinigami blinked. "They're calling for us to assemble?" He looked at the blonde incredulously. "You weren't serious about that Kurosaki shit, were you?"

She shrugged casually. "Like I said, that's what I heard. And considering I also heard he managed to injure Captain Ichimaru and escape…"

I injured him? Ichigo smirked inwardly and began to move with the bulk of the crowd, having heard enough. Serves the bastard right. If it hadn't been for Kyoka Zangetsu showing him how to do… whatever he'd done, he'd have been toast.

Which way's the Senzaikyu? he wondered. Probably somewhere near the center of Seireitei, true, but the Seireitei was big.

Kyoka Zangetsu nudged slyly at his mind.

I need more information. Ichigo scowled. That meant he had to attend a division meeting, which meant he needed to pick a number and follow someone. One was probably administrative and two was apparently intelligence, so neither were good ideas. Three, the same, considering he had fought Ichimaru earlier and the captain would probably recognize his reiatsu. Four was just bad luck. He was already in Soul Society, going to the death division was too much.

Ah, hell. Ichigo heard someone mention the fifth division and followed them.

Yoruichi gave a feline smirk at the kids' utterly stupefied faces. Kukaku's house always had that effect on strangers; in fact, Yoruichi privately thought the premier fireworks expert of the Soul Society built her houses like that for just that very reason. It was certainly humorous enough. Granted, it could be that Kukaku was just that flamboyant.

"No wonder he lives outside of town!" she heard the Quincy murmur, and had to repress a snicker. "The townspeople wouldn't have it!"

"He has a big smokestack," Inoue chirped. Sado, standing beside her, nodded wordlessly.

None of them appeared to believe Ichigo was actually dead. Ishida had mentioned something about escaping using his zanpakuto, but had concluded it to be limited to line-of-sight, preventing the shinigami from returning; Inoue had confessed it was nothing but a feeling she had, and Sado had voiced his support for both. It was almost enough to sway Yoruichi: Ichimaru was notorious for playing with his meat, and Ichigo, while hot-headed, wasn't stupid. She would search for his spirit pressure when Kukaku got them through.

She wasn't getting her hopes up, though. That zanpakuto of his simply rubbed her fur wrong.

As they approached the house, two familiar burly forms exited the shoji and blocked the way.

"Halt!" one called.

"You are all strangely dressed," the other proclaimed. With a touch of amusement, Yoruichi noticed he was mainly looking at Ishida. "You are a suspicious group!"

"Shiroganehiko and Koganehiko will not let you pass!" the first said. "Leave now or die here."

While ordinarily the twins' posturing would have been met with incredulous looks, instead it was met by Sado and Ishida stepping in front of Inoue, both preparing to draw their weapons. Before it could turn into an actual fight, Yoruichi stepped in front of the boys, attracting the attention of the older brother with a slash across the foot.

"Yow - Yoruichi-san!" he exclaimed. Koganehiko backpedaled. "Oh! I didn't know they were your attendants - right this way!"

"Attendants?" Ishida repeated, but followed along with the others when the twins opened the shoji and gestured them down a flight of stairs.

Yoruichi led the way down and prayed Kukaku would realize just how seriously they needed her help.

Filler, mostly... but some hints. Tell me what you think!