Hinamori was being difficult. He may not have been her captain, but since they were both still part of the Gotei 13, he was a senior captain to her, meaning she should've shown him more respect. But the only one Hinamori truly respected was Aizen. Hitsugaya didn't miss Hinamori's slip of Aizen's honorific, and it gnawed away at him that a part of her still felt something for that traitor.

"Alright, I'll go see Kira and Yamada. You meet with Fowl, and see if he'll have any trouble with my presence. The answer will affect how I arrange the teams," Hitsugaya said. He didn't like it, but that was the logical choice. Hitsugaya reached out and touched her shoulder; it was as much an effort to comfort her as well as himself.

"Just be careful," he said, gazing into her eyes, trying to say what he couldn't. Then his icy blue eyes broke away, retreating behind the mask of a captain, and he asked, "Which way is M7?"