"How naughty. That rude tongue of yours hasn't changed," Gin adresses Rukia at the center of the long bridge leading to her execution. "It ain't Gin, it's Cap-tain Ichi-maru. If you keep doing that, your honored brother is gonna scold you."

A sweat breaks out on Rukia's forehead. Her expression is guarded and wary, "...Pardon my rudeness... Captain... Ichimaru..."

"Aw, no way. You took me seriously?" he shrugs lightly. "Don't worry about it. Ain't we friends?"

She glares at him. "...Why..." she hesitates, "why did you come to a place like this, Captain Ichimaru?"

"Ahh, well it ain't like I had any important business. I just happened to be out on a walk," his grin turns frighteningly sadistic, "so I came by to bully you."

(Intro - Gin's turn. He sits there with his chin resting in the palm of his hand, looking rather pleased with himself.)

I hated him.

My honored brother became the Captain of the 6th Division shortly before I entered the 13 Divisions. Around the same time as that, this man became the 3rd Division Captain.

Years ago, Kuchiki Byakuya strode through the halls of Seireitei with Rukia following quietly behind him. He would always call out to my honored brother whenever I took a walk with him.

She stood there, watching Gin speak with Byakuya. On the surface, it looked like two captains speaking of worldly matters, when in actual fact their conversations held little meaning. However, it really didn't seem that way to me.

Gin peered over Byakuya's shoulder and her eyes widened in fear, I remember when I first saw him. A stinging sharp sweat broke out all over my body. His fingers, his mouth, even the movement of his narrow eyes all seemed like a snake licking its lips. Although he was speaking with my brother, it felt like I was being held by the throat the entire time. She imagined the pressure curling around her neck like languid snakes. I couldn't even move an eyelid. I hated him.

Gin had that ever-present grin when he saw her. A tiny, imperceptible crack dissolved away by toxin that oozes inside unnoticed; penetrating the depths like a slimy sickness. That's the sort of terror I felt from him. Without any reason, there's been something within me since the beginning that is completely repulsed by his entire being. It's something that never vanishes no matter how often we trade words.

Even now - Rukia's thoughts are interrupted when Gin steps up and asks, "What's wrong? You completely spaced out all of a sudden."

"...it's nothing..." she manages to say. Not a single thing has changed.

"Oh, I see. It looks like he ain't dead yet," Gin turns to look over the landscape of Seireitei, as if he were noting the clear weather. "Abarai-kun, I mean."

"...what... impossible...!" she jerks toward the edge of the bridge, seeking out traces of his spiritual energy in the calm of the morning. It's true...! If I concentrate and search... I can feel something faint resembling Renji's spiritual trace...! her brows hunch together in worry, ...But at this rate he's...

"He's gonna die, I bet," Gin says, "Very soon. Man, I feel sorry for Abarai-kun... just as he was trying to come rescue you..."

"That can't be...!" Rukia shouts, convinced that he's lying to get at her. "Don't say such things!! Why would Renji do that for me..."

He teases, "Are you scared?"

She looks wary, "...What.... did you say...?"

"Abarai-kun and all those other people don't want to let you die," Gin says. "When you've got folks who don't wanna let you die, you suddenly get scared of dying, am I right?" Rukia glares at him as he pauses and asks in a friendly manner, "How about I rescue you?"

"...Wha...!?" Rukia gasps as sweat rolls down her face.

"C... captain Ichimaru...!?" the shrouded guards step forward and surround Rukia, though they appear to be defenseless against the captain. "What... how could you say such a thing so calmly!!"

Gin ignores them and keeps his narrow gaze trained on Rukia, "How about it? If I felt like it, I could get you out in no time. You and Abarai-kun and all those others."

What is he saying...!? Is he insane!? Rukia stares at him in shock. How could he benefit from saving me!? What's in it for him if he saves Ichigo and Renji!? No, or could he really -

Gin places a hand on her head. He leans close to her face, "Just kidding."

He walks by her with half-hearted wave, "Bye bye, Rukia-chan. See ya next time at the Dual Terminus."

Rukia stands there, staring blankly ahead of her, I was supposed to abandon all hope. I was supposed to lose any reason to live. No lingering attachments. No fear of dying.

It feels as if an abyss has cracked open at her feet. I've been shaken. Just by dangling the smallest resemblance of hope in front of me, I've begun to think so easily that I want to live. All of my defenses she falls to her knees as a scream tears from her throat, have been destroyed.

Gin turns and looks back at her with a satisfied grin.

~*~*~

A deafening clang echoes across the area as Captain Tousen and Captain Komamura strike down at their enemy in unison.

Captain Zaraki blocks both swords at once with his roughed up blade.

"...Wha..."

"At this rate, you guys aren't going to scare me and catch me off guard at all!!!" Zaraki slams his foot in Tousen's chest, sending the man crashing into the other side of the open area.

"Tousen!!" Komamura shouts.

"You too, moron," Zaraki reaches up, grabs Komamura's wrist and twists the huge man overhead to slam him into the ground.

"Ahhhh! This is going nowhere," Zaraki kicks a slab of debris in disappointment. "How can you guys consider yourselves captains with those kind of skills! Stand up," he orders them. "You guys ain't dead yet. If you're going to die, then show me at least a Bankai like real captains before dying."

"...You are full of yourself," Komamura moves to stand, "Traitors like you are undeserving of Bankai..."

"Wait, Komamura..." Tousen steps up behind him and lifts his sword. "I'll do it."


Note:
- Gin's accent was so thick this chapter that I had to get an old friend of mine to explain Osaka dialect to me. Now that I've got a better understanding of Osaka-ben I feel ready for Gin's next wordy appearance... I hope. ^^;
- The Bleach Summary Drinking Game: Chug every time I use "Gin" and "grin" in the same sentence. Bah! XP
- By the way, Isshin's voice actor also does the voice of Naraku in Inuyasha... am I the only one creeped out by that? o_0

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