Shinkū no Fushichō
"Shiro-chan…?" Hinamori Momo stared at the figure standing before her. Beside her, Hirako-taichō stiffened and pulled out his zanpakutō. The young lieutenant stared as her breathing came to a stop. Hitsugaya Toshirō, the captain of the tenth division was standing before the brown-haired Shinigami. His formal uniform and attire had been replaced by a beige heavy coat worn by the subordinates of Yhwach with silver buttons with a crest on the right side of the uniform. The eyes that Hinamori adored, clear turquoise, were empty as she stared into the empty face of her friend.
He's… Hinamori's eyes had widened at the sight of his dark red skin. He's a…zombie now. An undead. Hinamori gripped her zanpakutō tightly, swallowing as her heart inwardly wept at the sight of her beloved Shiro-chan in such a state. Did she truly only care for him as a friend? Hinamori held her breath and continued to stare at Shiro-chan, who was moving closer, holding two swords in his hands. Watashi wa… How could this happen to the young boy who had once eaten as many watermelons as he could to make her stop calling him Shiro-chan? She remembered of she felt his bleeding body against his chest, a hole in her heart where he had stabbed her. Her blood on his face. "Shiro-chan…why?"
The betrayal had hurt more than any other wound than she had received, even more than when Aizen had nearly killed her. The pain…the tears that she wanted to cry at the knowledge that her Shiro-chan had tried to kill her. Then she heard his screams. Hinamori had fallen unconscious, wondering of why he was screaming, and thought she had never heard such a terrible sound. It was only later did Hinamori realize the truth. Aizen had used her, making the sword pierce her heart when everyone had thought Shiro-chan had stabbed Aizen. As she recovered, Hinamori remembered vaguely of one person by her side. Always. Washing her forehead and holding her hand. She thought she felt tears on her face when she was falling back into the oblivion of sleep. Matsumoto-san had stated of her captain had cried when she had lied unconscious in her arms. "That is the only time I have seen him cry," the fellow lieutenant had whispered as she held Hinamori's right arm as they walked along the grounds of the fifth division. "And since then…he has not spoken a word to anyone." One day, Hinamori had walked far from the grounds of the fifth division and abruptly stopped and almost gave out a cry. Shiro-chan was barely holding his zanpakutō, breathing heavily and sweating as his entire body shook. "Not enough…" he had rasped as Hinamori held her hand over her mouth. "I…have to protect Hinamori!"
"Gomen nasai, Shiro-chan." Hinamori had whispered to the exhausted captain as she crouched above him, watching him sadly as he slept. "You are doing everything…to protect me…but I haven't been able to protect you. Gomen nasai." Her breath hitched and Hinamori wiped away the tears which were beginning to flow down her cheeks. "I promise you…that I will protect you next time." Softly without a breath, Hinamori lowered her lips onto Hitsugaya's lips. His lips felt soft and warm against her own. "I promise you."
Now as Hinamori stood before the former captain of the tenth division, she thought about her feelings for Hitsugaya Toshirō. The female Shinigami wondered what he would say to her if he knew the entire truth. Because I love you, Shiro-chan, it is my duty to stop you. A sad smile caressed her face. I promised you that I would protect you, but I had no idea I would be protecting you from yourself.
"Momo!" Hirako-taichō yelled as Hinamori began to chant.
"Iie, Hirako-taichō." Hinamori didn't have to look back to see that her captain was looking at her dismayed and frustrated. "This is my fight."
I have been training hard too, Shiro-chan. Hinamori thought as she lowered her zanpakutō downward. Shiro-chan was moving forward toward her, closer and closer. Which is why…I created a bankai stronger than yours.
Hinamori put her left foot back and slightly bowed her head.
"Bankai! Honō no tsubame no hikō!" Flying Flaming Sparrow!
The battle was long and fierce. Cracks were embedded in the ground, and waves of ice and fire had exploded into the air on the ground. Hirako Shinji stared at his lieutenant is astonishment. Her bankai's flames were felt even from this distance, and the blond Shinigami forced himself to breathe as the fire made his lungs burn. You've… Her captain thought as he watched the Shinigami trade blades, her face a mask of determination, gotten very beautiful, Momo. The flames melted the ice, almost leaving a stream of water before the ice hardened again. Hinamori held her breath, seeing Hitsugaya using his bankai as sweat and blood framed her face, thinking despite herself that he had never looked more beautiful. This…isn't enough, Hinamori thought as she gasped as a stomach wound bled. I have to…use it. Hinamori gritted her teeth. The brown-haired Shinigami looked back to see her captain slightly smiling, and she held her breath as she turned her blade upwards. Shiro-chan… Hinamori thought. I always wondered why you never called me Momo again since you became a Shinigami. I thought it was because you wanted to create a distance between us…but now I realize that you didn't want anyone to know of how close we were…because of teasing. Stupid Shiro-chan…
Everyone knew of how important I was to you. I think it was partly why Aizen chose to target me…for he always said that he admired you and wanted you to fight you one day. And the only way to do that…was to make you hate him. Make you hate him for hurting me.
The blade started to burn. It burned fierce enough that Hinamori's flesh withered away…but the pain was nothing compared to this. Shiro-chan…
Shinkū no fushichō…Hinamori jumped. The twin blades pieced her in her chest and in her stomach, causing her to vomit blood. She breathed heavily as she stared into the shocked eyes of the boy she loved, feeling her blade push through his undead flesh. Crimson Phoenix...
"Momo!" Their blood was falling on the ground. Almost appearing like rain, soaking into the droplets of ice that were falling. Hinamori sighed heard Hirako-taichō call her name. Hinamori eased her hand off of her zanpakutō and stared into Hitsugaya's eyes.
"I suppose this is how it ends for us, Shiro-chan," she whispered softly. "I, even with all my strength, could not defeat you. However…" Her bloodied hands cupped his face. She pressed her forehead against his. "I can at least make less trouble for everyone."
"Momo!" Hirako-taichō shouted, his voice onto despair. " Hinamori! Don't use it!" His face was white and he was pleading with her. "When we first met, I thought nothing more of you as Aizen's former subordinate! But now I see that you are strong, and too young for this fate!"
"Gomen nasai, Hirako-taichō." Hinamori seemed to be apologizing a lot. "But…this is what I want to do."
She could see Shiro-chan attempt to move, but Hinamori held him close. "Shiro-chan…" she whispered lovingly into his ear. "There is no need to cry." Tears were trailing down his cheeks. "I am here, Shiro-chan." Hinamori could see the silver-haired Shinigami move his lips soundlessly as she felt tears caress her own cheeks. I wanted…a bit more time with everyone…
Momo… Shiro-chan was saying as tears continued to leak from his eyes. Momo…
"You finally called me by my name, huh?" Hinamori gently whispered. "After all this time." Softly, Hinamori pressed her lips against Shiro-chan's own, feeling as soft and gentle as they had been that night. "Toshirō…watashi mo…anata o…aishiteru."
I...love you too.
Hinamori smiled, looking backwards at her captain. He was looking at with a resigned expression, tears trailing down his cheeks. Her smile continued as she whispered,
"Kai."
The bodies enveloped in flames.