"Exactly, " Kisuke stated firmly to Juushiro's words. "Reading my mind or not Aizen is no fool. He knows me well enough to keep a close eyes on me. And why do you think that is funny?" he demanded of Kita.
She calmed down. "I do see you as good friend, Kisuke. I have known you a while now."
Kisuke managed a smile in return. "I am glad you think of me as a friend, Kita, and I have to say it is amazing to see you here after what has happened. I would have never thought or even consider using the hougyoku on a human. I am not sure if Aizen got the effect he did with you because you are the seraph or if it was because you were human." He shrugged.
The last sentence echoed in his Juushiro's mind. "Kita's a seraph," he asked tentatively, hoping he hadn't heard that after all.
Kisuke awarded Juushiro with a strong stare. "Yes," he turned to Kita, "she is."
Kita's smile dropped and she hung her head. " I wish I was not."
Kisuke stood up and rested a hand on her shoulder. "There is nothing to be ashamed of, Kita."
Juushiro rose as well and set his hand on her head, petting it. "You can't be blamed for what or who you are. No one should be...." His words trailed away as his thoughts turned inwards with this new revelation.
Kita sighed. "But if I never existed...."
Heartstrings pulling at her tired sigh, Juushiro finished the sentence. "Aizen would have found something else," he continued, resolute. "It is not your fault," he said in a more gentle tone.
After a moment, he asked, "I take it that this is the reason that Aizen took you?" Kita nodded slowly to Juushiro's question.
Kisuke sat beside her. "We will get you out of there, Kita. Don't worry about that. Soon, you will be safe in the Soul Society."
Somehow, Juushiro doubted Soul Society would be the haven Kita needed, not as a seraph... but the fact that Kisuke had brought up Soul Society in regards to her had given rise to another question. He took a seat back at the table.
"Soul Society?" he asked quietly. "Is this the mission Yama-ji gave to him?"
Kisuke nodded, taking a seat too. "Yes. He is to remove the seraph from Las Noches at all costs."
Juushiro ran a hand through his hair, going silent. ".... He does realize that Toshiro hates Aizen more than most of Soul Society, doesn't he?" he muttered, half to himself. "Why assign a task like that to him?"
Kita sipped at her tea and listened to their conversation quietly, glad it had shifted from her role in all this.
"What better person to send in there?" Kisuke inquired. "Toshiro will not only remove the seraph, but maybe get some good insight on what he is doing in there."
Juushiro sighed. "But will he leave Aizen alone?" he murmured quietly.
"That I do not know," Kisuke replied from behind his fan.
"I hope he comes back safely," Juushiro sighed, pouring himself more tea.
Kisuke laughed, eyes lit with ill-concealed mischief. "He'll be fine, Juu. Not even Aizen is going to be able to pick him out of the lot of arrancars he's got."
Kita blinked rapidly. "You sent him concealed as an arrancar?" she exclaimed. "Kisuke, that's craziness."
On his side of the table, Juushiro found himself nodding again. "That may explain why Toshiro was chosen," he commented aloud. "He's talented enough to alter his style and signature moves enough to go unnoticed even by Ichimaru and Aizen, if he catches their attention and his disguise was good enough."
Kisuke closed his fan. "I'm sure of it. The old man knows what he is doing."
Juushiro nodded, going quiet as Kisuke once again turned to Kita, listening in the background. When he left for Soul Society, he would have one thing to wonder about.
Related to: Good News? - Or - Bad News?
