EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
This is after the Hueco Mundo has fallen. 1 year after that to be exact. Gin, Tousen and Aizen have disappeared to somewhere unknown but their dominion has fallen. They are still at large but not perceived to be as powerful. Hinamori and Hitsugaya have started going out. 3rd and fifth division managed by respective Lieutenants as is 9th Division. Appointments of captains will be soon as possible as all three vice-captains haven't achieved their Bankais.
Matsumoto is single, still 10th Division vice-captain. She is a great friend of Hitsugaya as always.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Most of all ", Matsumoto declared, "I HATE FORCEFUL MEN!!"
She was drunk and open with Shuuhei, Ikkaku, Renji and Kira.
They hadn't had lots of work since the Las Noches fell. Hollows were dealt with more faster than before thanks to Ichigo and his friends. Rukia was permanently stationed at Ichigo's house. Renji went back and forth as situation demanded and orders followed.
With lots of time at hand, sake sessions were pretty much every night. 10th Division's paperwork was catching up with the deadlines since they didn't deal with 5th Division and 3rd Division work anymore, currently managed by their respective vice-captains. Hitsugaya as well as Matsumoto found a lot of time in their hands. He hence often would often disappear understandably to give the 5th Division fukataichou tips about her work or more likely giving her a hand, otherwise dating. Matsumoto not under the watchful eyes of her captain used her free time to go as frequently to sake-'bar's as she could possibly could.
One such night, she was posed the question, " What kind of man would her next one be?"
"Uh?", she thought, surprised, " Never thought of getting hooked up again"
" But if there were to be one for me, he would be...someone completely different. Totally unlike Gin", she decided aloud, " like he would be honest, direct and keep no secrets from me"
" Sounds like..", Kira said timidly, " ...Your current taichou.."
There was a silence which made Matsumoto surprised. She didn't know, how many actually thought that she herself would end up with her captain.
" Don't be silly", she broke the silence, " I AM NOT A PEDOPHILE!"
" Besides, he has been spoken for already", she declared.
" What do you hate in men?", asked Renji changed the course of the conversation.
"Hmm... secretiveness, possessiveness, and most of all.."
"...I HATE FORCEFUL MEN!", she declared with all forcefulness.
---------------------------------------
The next day, the captains and vice-captains were presently surprised when it was announced that a new 5th division captain had been appointed. It was someone they didn't know or had seen before, at least most of them.
All was known, that he was from a noble family who originally lived in the dimension as the king. It was rumoured that he had forsaken the appointment as captain before Aizen accepted his position. What had made him forsake it before was unknown and what made him change his mind now was unknown. Nobility didn't often join in the Gotei 13 divisions even though it was honourable to join in also.
Another member of nobility besides Byakuya, Yoruichi and the late Kaien. The only huge difference was that this member's clan didn't have any houses in Seireitei let alone Rukongai. It was presumed he was of a snobbish nature.
Looking at her captain after they were asked to gather to welcome the new captain, Matsumoto detected that Hitsugaya was a tad more discontent and scowled a little more than usual. She could categorise his levels of scowl. That was one of the ways she discerned his moods. Despite the distance that had grown since Hitsugaya hooked up with Hinamori, Matsumoto still knew him. The times they chatted together were lesser than there were before but the few times they did were precious to her as well as to him. This kept them connected. She had understood when he had given more time to Hinamori, it seemed natural to her that he would have lesser time for her though she did miss him at times.
Now, with the advent of the new captain, Matsumoto sensed his position of assisting his girlfriend in at least office-work, would cut down.
" Taichou, you are so easy to read.", she said stooping over him from behind as he was seated on his chair in the 10th division office. She didn't have to stoop so low as a year before. His 14 year-old like body had grown by a drastic 5 inches since last year. He had already crossed Hinamori's stature though he had to still catch up to Matsumoto's height, by a few centimetres he hoped. His face had already shed it's puppy fat and had angled to his facial bones which surfaced to show that he had great promise to be a good-looking hunk. He was already tired of the female attentions he was receiving due to his growth spurt and development and felt extremely thankful that he had the excuse of Hinamori to reject all proposals of love and even marriage. Some residential nobility in Seireitei had the gall of offering their daughters' hands in marriage as if they felt they should queue up from now on! "For crying out loud! I am still effectively an underage teenager ", he had scorned mentally at the proposals piling up in his post. Matsumoto loved to pick them out assuring him happily that, " Don't worry, I will plan out your marriage ceremony properly, by myself!"
Hitsugaya sometimes felt that he was like an open book to Matsumoto who read every change of his mood and expressions, and almost always ascertain what he thought correctly.
"What have you 'read'?", he asked with frown of disapproval at her 'guesses'.
" Ahem!", she prepared herself to imitate his expression, " This is very unacceptable that my oh-so-fragile Hinamori-chan is going to be nabbed by another moronic captain. I should have been chosen in his place! It's just that dratted Matsumoto hounding her place below me, that I can't offer her this place."
Hitsugaya voiced his thoughts, " That is so not it!"
Matsumoto turned a little surprised. A little expectant?
"I was not even thinking about you."
-------------------------------
All the captains and vice-captains were lined up in front of Yamamoto.
" Please greet the new captain of the 5th division", Yamamoto raised his hands towards the door.
"What's with the VIP welcoming?", Abarai asked in hushed tones to his captain, " Why are all of the captains supposed to line-up in front of another captain?"
To his surprise, Byakuya actually replied back in a low voice, " Considering, that he had been the ace of his school and one of the seven warrior clans in nobility, the General feels honoured that his request had been finally accepted."
A tall figure approached the General from the doorway crossing the captains and vice-captains. Any feeling of reproach or hostility at the unusual welcome that they had to partake had been momentarily dissipated. He was as tall as Aizen was, his presence was overwhelming, he walked with grace and all the aristocratic aura that would befit a King. His hair was white and spiked, his skin deeply tanned, his eyes gray. His well-formed body was prominent with his self-fashioned shinigami-captain robes. But actually, he wasn't wearing the proper uniform, he was wearing a warrior-like protective black body suit, which traced and showed all his muscles. On top of that was a robe, which looked nothing like a shinigami-captain robe. It was like an overcoat cut to fit the slanting well-built back perfectly leaving a flowing end as with a captain robe. The only part that actually corresponded with the captain robes, was that it was white and it had the fifth division symbol at the back. They all could see he carried two falchions on each sides of his waist.
Somehow, Matsumoto recognised that they were Kan-Dao pair, combination of Ying and Yang.
"Kan-Dao", she murmured without realising that she was being audible. Hitsugaya gave a fleeting-look at his vice-captain in puzzlement. The new captain passed each of the captains and vice-captains without glancing at them indifferent of their presence.
As he passed Matsumoto, she could swear that she saw his irises move to their side giving her glimpse of their steel gray colour. She shivered for a moment.
" He heard", she perceived.
" This is Shirou Ryujin from the Archer clan", Yamamoto introduced.
----------------------------------
" What were you saying then?", Hitsugaya queried Matsumoto, intrigued. There was a post welcome, party like get together now. Everyone was talking and socialising. Hitsugaya could see out of the corner of his eye that the new captain was mildly smiling at his new Lieutenant who was chatting enthusiastically looking completely enamoured by him.
Matsumoto was very thoughtful, " Kan-Dao are a pair of twin blades which have a legend behind them. They represent Ying and Yang in a way such that you could control one as long as you have the other. This is one of the weapons granted to the Epic warriors of the Holy-Grail war."
" How do you know this much?", Hitsugaya asked, incredulously.
" I –I don't know", she stammered.
" So, you are the great captain who controls my namesake"
Both Matsumoto and Hitsugaya turned around to see Shirou Ryujin towering over both of them.
He was a head taller than Matsumoto if not more.
" God of sea, Ryujin or Hyourinmaru as I heard is your Zanpakutou", he calmly said.
" So what if I do?", Hitsugaya asked, a bit menacingly.
" Don't get me wrong. I was just trying to start a conversation with you", he said and then turned to Matsumoto saying , " It was very perceptive of you to recognize my Zanpakutou. How did you know about it?"
" She doesn't know how.", Hitsugaya answered for his Lieutenant who stared at the 5th division captain blankly.
Someone called Ryujin from behind.
" That is interesting. I am afraid this conversation will have to continue later, Matsumoto Rangiku", Ryujin said completely disregarding Hitsugaya.
" What is interesting about you not knowing how you knew?", Hitsugaya observed with annoyance. He turned to Matsumoto who seemed even more lost in thought than before. Her unmindfulness disconcerted him even more than before.
---------------------------------------
Next day, Matsumoto turned up in her office to see a very small pile of papers on her desk and a huge bouquet of flowers. The captain was nowhere around.
" Less work and lots of flowers", she clasped her hands in glee, " The captain is really learning to be a gentleman!"
" Those are not from me", Hitsugaya said from behind her.
" Eh? Really?", she said smelling the flowers. But she thought, yeah, like flowers would even be a part of the custom of Seireitei.
" Read the note", Hitsugaya urged.
" Hmmm, why?", she searched and found a note.
" With regards and a request to meet you, Ryujin"
Her light spirit disappeared in an instant and she became grave.
" Pretty direct, isn't he?", Hitsugaya observed.
She didn't answer and Hitsugaya found himself in yesterday's position again.
" This is getting on my nerves. I am out of here. You can take an early leave once you are done with the paper work", Hitsugaya said and he left.
---------------------------------------
Hitsugaya was genuinely irritated as he trudged home.
Hinamori ruined their date by bubbling in profusion about how wonderful her new taichou was.
He had listened to her silently as she babbled on under a tree close by his old house in Rukongai which was the only place he could meet her keeping away from prying eyes. He however, patted his own back seeing that he could keep his jealousy monster in check.
He came to the door of his quarters. He stopped to take a look at the moon.
" It's pretty big tonight"
He took out his keys and noticed that the door was unlocked. Burglars?
He crept in stealthily. In the dark, he noticed that his stuff didn't seemed to be in disarray but a few extra boxes seemed to be added?
He raised an eye-brow and scoured the whole area. He quietly went into each room and checked his stuff. Nothing was missing. He was too tired to check what was in the boxes. He assumed he might have forgotten he kept them there and decide he would check it out in the morning as he felt really tired with the strain Hinamori had kept him in.
He went to the bedroom, decided he wouldn't switch on the light though it was very dark and took off his robes, wore a comfy pyjama-like trouser. He usually slept with the upper half of his body naked. He crept into bed thinking about the new captain, " What is with that guy?"
He pulled the sheets over him. The bed was a double-bed. It was always assumed that the captain would be an adult and with a spouse though, at present none of the captains were married.
He felt his cover wasn't enough and tried to pull some more of the quilt when it occurred to him that there was an obstruction. He knitted his brow as he got up to inspect the problem. There was an unfamiliar bump in the covers. "I don't sleep with a soft toy", he thought, "so what is..?," as he pulled off the sheet.
He heard a moan, and Matsumoto's voice, " Uh! I am cold!!"
" Ma-Ma-Matsumoto!!???", he exclaimed incredulously.
" Shhhhhh! You are too loud! The neighbours will hear you!", she murmured sleepily.
" Wha- WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING IN MY BED??!!"
"Your bed? Oh- forgot to tell you. I will be living here from now on.", she said as she turned the other side, going back to sleep.
"WHAT?"
A small crack could be heard. It seemed someone threw something at his window,
"What?", he repeated, this time in a whisper.
But she had fallen back to sleep.
" Tcheh!", he took out an extra futon and laid it on the floor for himself to sleep on.
----------------------------
"Taichou?Are you asleep?", Matsumoto called.
No answer.
"taichouuuuuuuuuuu", this time Matsumoto whispered loudly, persistent.
" What?", responded Hitsugaya, clearly not asleep.
"Know what? I went."
"Wher-? Oh! You met him."
"Uh-uh"
After some silence, Hitsugaya got impatient.
"Well-?"
" He asked me to marry him."
Hitsugaya sat up. " Eh?" he thought, " He took it to the next level a bit too fast, didn't he?"
But he said aloud, calmly, "What did you reply?" Hitsugaya felt reluctant to ask Matsumoto if she had any history with him. He did not want to know details of something he might regret hearing later. Though his own reluctance was a puzzle to him.
"Yes"
Hitsugaya lay down and turned his back to her. He said, " Well, good. And congratulations. But you are in the wrong bed."
"Mou! Taichou!", she lifted herself to rest on her tummy.
"I refused him", she said.
"So he really did propose.", Hitsugaya said still on his side.
" Ya. I hate forceful men."
" So I heard."
" From where?"
" Not important." The truth was he never did feel comfortable with her increased binge-drinking. With his time mostly for Hinamori, he still did maintain a regular routine to follow her, every few days, right down to the bar to check on her, keeping himself unnoticeable, trying to be sure that she didn't turn into an alcoholic, while pining for Gin.
" It's nice to know you still keep tab on me", she said in a low voice.
" did you say something?",Hitsugaya asked not able to hear her last comment.
" Nothing important"
" So what excuse did you give him?"
" Hmmm? Oh! What did I say?", she said, as if trying to remember.
" Cut to the chase! What did you tell him?"
"Oh! I just said that I am madly in love with my chibi-captain. And that my love will stay so forever!", she said and plopped herself cosily into the pillow.
" WHAT??", he sat up again.
"Why drag me in?", he continued in a calmer tone, "Why not Shuuhei or Renji or another captain perhaps?"
" Hmm. You are the only one who wouldn't misunderstand or jump on me."
" Invent something plausible. I bet he won't buy that. Maybe someone who might catch your fancy. Ukitake or Byakuya perhaps?"
" Ukitake is way too sweet but he wouldn't be an option for me"
" I am trying to suggest an excuse, not a suitable date. How about Byakuya ?"
"Uh Uh!", she shook her head in the pillow, " He gives me the creeps"
------------------
" How am I ever gonna explain this to Hinamori?", Hitsugaya scratched his head as he woke up to find his Lieutenant still on his bed. He folded his futon and got ready for the day. He went back to the bedroom, after he was done with his morning exercises, to find her still cuddled under the covers.
He had a good mind to kick her off, to get her to be on time, at least for today when he had the chance. He went to the bed side towards which she lay facing.
He took a look at her and changed his mind. She seemed to be at peace with herself. When was the last time he had caught her sleeping on the couch in the office? They normally missed each other as he would have already left the office, done with his share of the day's work before she entered the office, many a days. It must have been months, no a year, since it had turned up like that. From the time he started going out with Hinamori. He suddenly felt he had missed out on friendship a lot, when he started going out, trying to spend all his free time with Hinamori. Hinamori made him so happy when she agreed to his asking her out, that he gave his all to keep up with her.
He watched Matsumoto's sleeping form for a while, settling himself down on the floor.
" You really are a good-looking woman", he said softly.
After some time,
" Maybe he is a good option for you.", he said getting up and leaving the room.
When his footsteps left the door, Matsumoto opened her eyes.
" You think so?"
That night, Hitsugaya discovered that she and her stuff had left his quarters.
----------------
The next day, Hitsugaya came into his office to find Matsumoto sitting and doing her paper work diligently. A fresh bouquet of flowers sitting on her desk. He looked at the wall clock thinking he was late. Nope, he was, in fact, a bit early. Another thing he noticed was that her exposed bosom was half-covered. She also had a new weapon dangling by her side. It was a beautiful sword. He thought he would ask about it and then desisted.
" A gift from him maybe."
He sat on his chair and continued with his work. As days went by, Hitsugaya noticed changes in Matsumoto. She spoke less, her plunging neckline was uplifted to a discreet level and her sunny disposition was more-or-less gone. The daily gift of flowers came and then they stopped. She then begun to tie her long hair in a braided bun and was very serious while conversing, to the point and always as much as needed. She was always armed with her unusual weapon also. She was turning into a perfect Lieutenant.
It worried him.
"Shirou-kun!", Hinamori yelled.
"Uh?", Hitsugaya came to. He was sitting with Hinamori in a small stand in Rukongai watching people walk by.
" You were lost in thought again! That's the third time today, you know"
" Sorry, I-", then a thought struck him, " Say, have you ever spoken to Ryujin about Matsumoto?"
Hinamori pouted her lips, " You are doing it again"
"Doing what?"
" Talking about Rangiku-san again"
"Sorry. But when did I -?"
" You do this often. When we started going out, you would compare my " she blushed a little, "- chest with hers. Then it was Matsumoto this and Matsumoto that. When I made you promise to stop, you would but for a week or so and then start again. Then I would make you stop again and in a few days, you would forget it all and go on. Even after all the time we spent to make up lost time, you start yet again to talk about her. Do you talk to her about me??"
" Wait...do you mean, it has been going on like this for a year??"
She looked back with fuming eyes.
" Err—oh YES!! All the time, I ask her about how should I do this for you and that. And she teases me a lot about you and.."
Hinamori looked a bit happier, so Hitsugaya didn't continue with his query.
-----------------------
Fast forward, two months after the last incident,
" Tell me, Sabre. Are you happy?", Ryujin asked holding Matsumoto's hand. They were sitting on the entryway platform of his house. Matsumoto was wearing her normal robes but there was the unusual sword attached to her side. Ryujin had finally settled in a white Yukata as it was his home. It looked like a large home built for nobility and had a beautiful Japanese garden. But it was night-time. Both of them were looking at the stars, the door ajar letting in the summer breeze and letting out some amount of light.
" Why do you ask that?"
" You have reverted to your original self and retained most of your memory which was the way I wanted it to be. I had no idea, you would be so changed when I met you here, at first. I wanted you to remember me after all the years I spent trying to find you. But it seems you recalled your unpleasant memories of your other life on earth as well. "
" It was hardly unavoidable, Shirou. It's not your fault. As I could not return to the role of a servant in the war while being a shinigami, I suppose I had to settle into this peaceful life. Now that, I have a chance.."
After some moments of silence, she asked Ryujin, " Didn't it ever bother you that I look so different from the time you saw me as a servant?"
" Yes, it did. I began to doubt whether you really were the soul of King Arthur and who would think you would actually turn into a soul-reaper. "
" Who would think you would be a part of the noble clan in the King's dimension?"
" All the servants, once they get out of the holy grail war actually do end up there. We can return to servant-hood when we enter the clan but I couldn't find you in the sabre clan nor in the list for Avalon. How did you get out of the circle?"
" I don't remember"
" No matter, you can return to the warrior clans once we get married."
" Do you not feel used as my entry ticket to the Holy Grail war, Shirou?"
" Not a bit", Ryujin said, " I will do anything to be with you. Besides, this means, we will be together forever. Your purpose is not too different from mine's."
" Don't you think if you kill your former self, your course will change?"
" You are not the only one who can decide to sacrifice yourself", Ryujin said as he bent to kiss her.
----------------------
"This way! This way!!... Shh…be QUIET!", Hinamori hissed as she beckoned her beau.
" Pray tell me why we must creep into a bush in Ryujin's garden to see him at nightfall and not meet him upfront?", Hitsugaya questioned in mild irritation.
" Don't be silly, this is the time you CAN'T disturb him. he receives no guests as he is with Matsumoto-san now"
" Wha-? Matsumoto is here?", Hitsugaya asked in a hoarse whisper, alarmed. He knew she was meeting Ryujin but he didn't know, she would be here at this time!
"Oh! Didnt you know? she moved in with him about four days ago."
"…??"
He hurried to her side and squinted his eyes to see two people sitting close outside. But..they weren't just sitting, they were...
"..kissing!", Hinamori hissed in excitement, " Oh! They make a lovely couple, don't you think, Shirou-kun? Shirou-kun?"
In the dark, she could not see his face but felt he was strangely inert.
Hitsugaya didn't know what stunned him more, the fact that they were kissing or the fact that after disengaging, he could see the honest expression of pure love on her face.
There was the glint of the sword by Matsumoto's waist which flashed on his eye, mocking him.
------------------------
As he entered the office next day which was a Saturday, half-day, he found her getting ready to leave.
" Taichou, these are the only papers that would require only your signature. The deadlines for all of them are two days later. Do you need me to do anything else?", she asked in a flat voice.
He looked at the familiar features with unfamiliar expressions. Was she the same woman who had teased him so much, irritated him to extreme and goaded him to near insanity many a times? He noticed with a start that much of her garb was changed. She was actually wearing her shinigami-robes as per protocol. The trusted sword, not the Haineko, dangled from her waist but she was armed always, no less. (The enemy may strike at any moment!) Her Lieutenant sash was where it was supposed to be, her pink scarf wasn't on her, her chest was fully covered and supported, her hair was neatly done. It was like he didn't know her anymore.
" Matsu-!" he stopped, he didn't know what to say or where to start, " No. That will be all for today. You may leave."
He half hoped for her to spring up in joy, leave with a tease or complain about something. Anything!
She bowed and she crossed him to leave. As she passed by him, his heart sank.
When she neared the doorway. He whizzed around and called, " Matsumoto!"
She stopped and turned.
" Yes, taichou?"
He could judge from her facial expression, that she meant, " Any work?"
Who is she?
"Ma-Matsumoto", he stammered.
She stood waiting obediently, like a subordinate to her master.
"This is NOT LIKE YOU!", his mind screamed. He racked his mind for something suitable to say. He, who was hardly ever at loss for words, felt blank.
" Matsumoto", he repeated, " If- if you ever feel- the need to talk, I – I am here for you..."
Matsumoto stood still then replied bowing her head again, " I understand."
As she left, he said, "...always."
……---------------
" I am loosing you", he thought as he saw her leaving form. He felt like he should chase after her, he didn't know why he felt so. He held his feet to the ground, pacifying himself.
He thought maybe, he should take a breather, before he started work or maybe take the day off. He could complete the work on Monday. He knew the deadlines were two days later. He decided he would go visit Hinamori and thus, he left.
Over the stack of papers she left behind was a folded paper marked 'resignation'.
--------------------------
"Hinamori!" ,he called.
"Shirou-kun!", Hinamori exclaimed, " you are early."
".. and you are out of office. What's up?"
"Oh! Shirou-taichou gave me the day off totally!"
" Good. ...(moment of reflection)…wait! Since when DO YOU call him with the same name as mine?"
"Oh!", Hinamori smiled, " That's easy. It's easier to call two people the same name. But it won't matter later, since he is leaving."
"Leaving??", he stopped mid-way
" Yes, he turned in his resignation this morning and is leaving by tomorrow night."
"In that case,...", he was about to say, "Let's celebrate!" but he changed direction saying that , "Let's go someplace!". He didn't ask for why or any other details, the thing that stuck to his mind was, " Ryujin's leaving!!"
---------------------------
Hinamori seemed sad a bit but to Hitsugaya's relief, not enough to enjoy her time with him. She chatted happily about lots of stuff and kept her captain out of conversation since she knew Hitsugaya got irritated at the mention of his name.
Hitsugaya was talking effusively also. He was very happy that day. Even though, the morning event of Matsumoto's cold nature had depressed him but he thought that maybe she would change back to normal once he left. He felt extremely relieved that both of his women were to stay out of Ryujin's reach even though he couldn't find a proper reason to hate that man.
He also felt a small doubt nudging him at the back of his head. It was the kiss he witnessed last night. He hadn't forgotten about it. He just wanted to push it at the back of his mind like it never happened. He remembered when Matsumoto avoided Ryujin, when she came and slept on his bed. Surely, that meant that she didn't ...
From his long-term knowledge of her, he knew she wouldn't do something drastic. He might be practical and she might look impulsive but things like marriage and falling in love in such a short time were completely uncharacteristic of her.
He pressed the thoughts and returned to enjoying his day with his date.
It was almost dark. The sun had set and the stars came out as Toushirou trudged home. He looked up at the stars and now standing all by himself, he felt there was something...left unfulfilled. He suddenly remembered the calm nights he would have, thinking why Hinamori liked Aizen and not him. he suddenly realised that he never felt alone those nights but now that he had her now, why did he feel the opposite?
What was different? Who filled up the hollow moments in his life?
A face came back to him. he felt a strange heartache. Is the feeling of friendship stronger than love, he thought? Can this feeling of a void that he sensed in him be filled by the feelings of elation he felt when he first kissed Hinamori? Kiss? He felt a jolt.
He remembered Matsumoto's face after the kiss. He re-experienced the sinking feeling he had. What was-why was she looking like that? Would he----- ever ...see... her... like this...for ...him??
He felt unsettled about the thought that came into his mind. Was this the first sign of real jealousy?
He looked down from the stars in haste and walked.
He was coming close to his quarters, enough to see the door. As he came near, he thought he saw something, no someone sitting close to his door. It was someone with a reddish blond head bent on his knees sitting on the floor. Hitsugaya felt his breathing restricted as he broke into a run.
"Matsumoto!", he said to the figure, elated.
"Taichou, you are late!", she murmured sleepily. She was sleeping!!
" Why didn't you come in like before? How long were you waiting?", Hitsugaya felt a rush in his blood as he thought he could see the old Matsumoto coming back to life.
"Not long", she lied. She was waiting for five hours. But the cold and the wait were unimportant to her now.
Hitsugaya cup of happiness for today seemed to have filled and ran over since the moment he saw her sitting at his doorstep. He realised, he hadn't felt this deliriously happy for long. He felt himself unfamiliarly eager to please her, to make her smile or do something for her.
" S-sit down, ..please", he said trying to get accustomed to his surging feeling of happiness and eagerness.
Her hair was down, her neckline though not as plunging as before but still low enough for her cleavage to be seen, her pink scarf was around her neck to keep her warm but her Lieutenant sash wasn't worn by her. The long foreign sword was no where to be seen.
"Still she looks like the one I used to know...", he thought. He felt , so ...relieved , he decided.
She was, however, quiet and looking around as if she had never seen his place before. She looked at everything. He wondered, if his quarter was really dirty.
"Um- do you want something? Tea? Juice?"
He looked into the fridge, " I am sorry, I only have water melon juice..."
She turned to him and smiled warmly. " That will do fine, taichou."
Her smile, when was the last time he had seen that? Was it a week, no a month, no more than that. She stayed in his apartment about two months ago before she had drastically changed into a different person.
As he poured the juice into the glasses, he thought why had he never asked her what made her change so. He wondered what restricted him. He knew he wasn't forward in conversation. Matsumoto, at least her old personality made up for that. He never had a reason to actually venture out of his way to console her because she always did console herself like the time she did manage to get over Gin. And if she did need a shoulder to cry on, he still felt it was easy with her personality to fall into conversation with her, that was how she was. Approachable and dependable. For consoling him, she was an expert mind-reader. But now, he didn't have to think about that. Now, that everything will return to normal. Normal? When he divided his time between Hinamori and work? No, he decided, this time, I will make sure I spend some time with Matsumoto also.
He served the glasses of Melon juice. She picked up the glass and tasted it.
"Taichou! This is good!!", she gushed, some of her old spirit renewed.
As he watched, she drank it down with one gulp. Some of the liquid spilt onto her cleavage. His eyes naturally followed suit. He looked at her breast and wondered when was the last time, he was bombarded by those menacing things.
"Taichou!! Have you been missing something?..." he looked up to see her eyes teasing as she drawled. Her eyes were also shining.
He blushed. His puberty had caught on, it seemed.
" TAICHOU! You miss my 'hugs', don't you?", she continued and then walked up to him.
"No-no! Wait!"
Matsumoto still gave her taichou a jolly 'hug'.
"Wa-wait!", he struggled. It seemed, that though he had grown, these things were still big for him. Worse still, he felt at this stage of his age, he might do something instinctively.
He tried to distract her. "Ma-! Wait! Tell me how you came in before?"
She still cuddling him with all her 'love' said, "Oh! That! I forged your key"
" What?? ...Th-en why couldn't you come in now?"
She stopped, "I threw it away." She let go.
Hitsugaya was surprised by the sudden release, a little thankful and...a little disappointed??
"Why?"
She said very quietly only to herself, " Because, I wont be needing it anymore." She had guessed that he didn't read her resignation letter. She was a bit glad that he didn't know, a bit sad that she ...wouldn't see how he would have reacted.
Changing the course of conversation, she whizzed around and said, " Taichou, I will stay here tonight!"
"?? No-but-wait-", he started to protest but she turned around with puppy eyes saying, "Mouuu! Taichou! Hinamori-san wont be too selfish to let me borrow you for tonight! Its not like I would be sleeping with you,...in THAT sense!!" she teased.
He swallowed. "Shit!" the last time it was a fluke that Hinamori didn't come to know, this time...
But looking at her, he didn't feel like putting her off.
He took a deep breath. "Oh-Well-Ok. I will explain it to her later."
---------------------------
"Its a cold night.", Ryujin said.
Hinamori was looking at the stars, there was no moon. She was sitting at the bench outside fifth Division. She didn't feel like sleeping and felt that she could do with a walk when her legs brought her here.
"Yes", she agreed .
"May I sit down beside you?", he asked.
" Oh yes!"
He sat down beside her.
R:"It has been good, the last two months, don't you think"
H: "Yes"
They were quiet for sometime.
R: "Are you relieved?"
H: "I beg your pardon"
R: "She is leaving with me tomorrow"
H: " I don't kno-"
R: "You purposefully brought him to my garden last night, didn't you?"
H: "Yo-you knew!"
R: "It would be dumb of me not to sense you."
H: "Di-did Matsumoto-san-?"
R: "No. I used my reiatsu to mask yours"
H: "But Shirou-kun's-?"
R: "It was easy to guess. But thank you. I hope he does get the idea."
H: " Where is she now, sleeping?"
R: "Maybe, I suppose"
H: "Supp- isn't she staying with you?"
R: "Not tonight"
Hinamori asked , suddenly fearful, "Returned to her quarters?"
R: "No. She is with Hitsugaya."
Hinamori stood up. Then, she felt a hand on her shoulders.
R:"Where are you going?"
H: " To Shirou-kun's quarters, of course"
R: "What are you going to do?"
H: " Tell her off, of course. How dare he let..?"
Ryujin quietly said, " let them be."
H: "Taichou!!"
Ryujin: "Isn't it enough that he won't see her for the rest of his and her life? Today, I have seen her smile for the first time in days. I am sure your sweetheart will feel the same when he sees her."
H: " But he might..."
R: " If he really loves you, he won't . But if he does something, which I am pretty sure is unlikely, he won't be the one for you."
Hinamori looked at the direction of Hitsugaya's house with longing.
Ryujin said, " I like to believe true love always wins. Whether the outcome is sad or happy for both of us, that remains to be seen. But whatever happens, let's win it the right way."
-----------------------------
Hitsugaya spread out the futon.
"Taichou! What are you doing??"
"Making my bed. You sleep on the bed, and I will sleep on the floor."
"Hmm", Matsumoto saw but said nothing else.
Matsumoto climbed onto the bed above and Hitsugaya switched off the light. He took off his robes when he could make out in the darkness that her back was turned.
" Maybe I should sleep in the living room", he decided and rolled his futon to take it with him.
"Taichou, what are you doing?", he looked aside to see she had sat up on the bed.
"You go to sleep, I will sleep in the living room"
"Nonsense, this bed is big enough for both of us."
Hitsugaya scowled for the first time, in the evening or rather night. Sometimes, he felt, she just loved going overboard with him. Challenging him because he was a child in her eyes. He thought, he should have been an older man, to put Matsumoto to her place in situations like these.
But then again, she probably wouldn't make offers like these if he were. He felt guiltily, that he was a bit thankful to his stars for being a man-child at this stage.
"Not an option", he dismissed her and turned. He suddenly felt arms grabbing his waist from behind and they both landed on the bed.
"I am not letting you go.", she said stubbornly as he tried to get up afraid that he had hurt her with his weight. The futon had already dropped on the floor.
He said resignedly, "Hah! Who's being a child here?"
"Please taichou", she murmured softly, pleading from behind his back now that he had shifted to the side to take his weight off her, "...just for tonight. Sleep by my side. I won't ask for this ever again."
He sighed and said, " OK. Now please let go"
She loosened her hold and moved to give him space. He shifted to one side and turned his back to her. After a few moments, he felt hands hugging him again from the back.
"Matsu-", he started to scold.
" Taichou, while we are at it. Let me be this way. Please! I promise not to rape you!"
"What a thought!", he thought. He relented with " Suit yourself." It was not like he didn't enjoy her warmth. He would have a lot of explaining to do to Hinamori tomorrow.
He tried to fall asleep but felt the uncomfortable, inviting forms of flesh nudging at his back.
"Maybe, I won't be able to sleep tonight.", he suspected.
"Say, Matsumoto?"
"Hnnn?"
"Not to be rude or anything? Have you ever thought of wearing a bra?"
" They never had it my size, the shops"
"Really? Oh,...but how did you, in the day,.. "
"I wore linen strips."
"Oh, so that's it.."
After sometime, Hitsugaya still found he couldn't sleep. Maybe she slept off. He tried to carefully loosen her hold and shift aside more. She didn't resist.
"Whoa", he thought, " She's out like a light!"
He turned a bit to take a look at her if she were asleep. Though it was quite dark, her face was visible from such a close range. He sat up and turned totally on his side.
"Rape me?", he whispered very softly, " I wonder who's the possible victim here? You who make yourself totally vulnerable to me!"
He stared at her. Her hair falling on her face. Her long lashes, her sensuous lips, her smooth skin, her curved eye-brows, the mole under her lip, the bearer off these heavenly features sleeping away to glory, oblivious of herself, the effect of her beauty.
" You are an irresistible beauty, you know that, woman?", he whispered as softly as he could, " Makes me almost want to give in."
He slowly bent down to her face and almost touched her lips to his, but he stopped when he realised what he was doing. He kissed her on her hair lightly and turned his back again.
Matsumoto's eyes opened and she said to her breaking heart, " Why don't you?"
-----------------------
The next day, Hitsugaya woke up to find his bedside empty.
" She's risen early for a change."
He got up and looked around. There was no sign of her anywhere. He scratched his head in puzzlement, still yawning. He looked at his face, at the mirror, and realised with a shock while taking a look at himself at the mirror that Matsumoto must have seen his morning face. He looked at his face, hated how boyish he looked. He wondered for an instant, what kind of face did women like.
Ryujin's face popped into his mind, unexpectedly and he shooed him off. So big deal, even he had spiky hair. So if Matsumoto was attracted to Ryujin by any chance, she would have liked his spiky hair. Hitsugaya thought, that maybe she would like his spiky hair. He blinked. Would she ever consider him attractive in anyway? He stared at his face and thought, if only I were a bit older.
-----------------------
Since it was Sunday, he had the usual date with Hinamori during the early morning. He hurried afraid he would be late then turned in puzzlement to the lot of Renji, Shuuhei and Kira walking past. Matsumoto usually hung out with them for the usual practice fights for Lieutenants joined by some of the captains during late morning.
She wasn't with them. Renji caught Hitsugaya looking at them.
"Hitsugaya-taichou, do you know where Matsumoto-san has went off to?"
Hitsugaya replied he didn't. He had to hurry because, he had to catch up with the fights today. He didn't want to be late on both counts because, if he were late to meet Hinamori, who wasn't scheduled to fight this Sunday, she would make sure that he would be late for the practice session. He always found it hard to talk her out of his lame excuses of being late. Still, he wondered, where was Matsumoto?
------------------------------
He was late a bit but she didn't seem to complain for a change. Something is wrong with both the women in my life, today, he thought.
They sat beside a bubbling stream which Hinamori had chosen. Today, he felt a bit bored. She wasn't as chatty as usual which gave him time to his own thoughts. He thought about the times he spent with Hinamori, how he felt about her at first, how often they just talked and felt pleasant with each other. Initially, when it started out, he felt the novelty of kisses and touching hands but it wore off for him pretty faster than he could imagine. Hinamori seemed a little welcoming to the thought but to his surprise, he realised he would often avoid it. He felt a bit guilty about not being interested in being loved-up. But somehow, for him, this closeness was enough. He wondered whether he indeed was totally out of it. No interest in kissing her, what kind of a guy am I ? He hesitantly thought about sex, but then, he couldn't even imagine invading her in any way or is he just not physically attracted to her? This thought disconcerted him thoroughly, even though he had the gall of thinking lewd thoughts in such a situation.
He brooded a bit, thinking maybe it had all staled out a bit now. Then, he thought, would it always be like this? How was it different from spending time with a friend?
He racked his brains for a good friend. He found many but he found it disconcerting, that his relationships with his male friends were pretty much like it was with Hinamori. Teasing from one end and sometimes silence, sometimes, talking about things, doing things together like eating in restaurants, hanging out. He did the same thing with his age-group friends in Rukongai. Yes, he had friends in his age-group but he made sure no one in Seireitei knew about this because, he wouldn't want them bullied or affected negatively because of him in anyway.
No good. Female friends would be a good comparison. Now, that's the hard bit. He could only think of one, Matsumoto. Comparing, he thought, the checklist was the same. But there was something else. Her unpredictability, her often fussing, her mind-reading, her teasing often sexual in nature, her ever-changing hobbies, her ebullient nature to take him off his feet, her beauty that you could not take your eyes off, her smile that lighted up the room, her deep care and concern when he was hurt or sick, her tendency to pop in whenever he felt a bit down, wherever he was, the tempting situations she created when he could almost feel his heart jump off his chest tantalizing him, daring him to give in...the list was running continuously. But these were not the things he did with her, these were the things she made happen, all by herself, because of what she is. There is only one of her, like no other.
He felt his heart constrict, "Why hadn't I realised it before?", he thought as he grabbed his robes at the place covering his chest.
It was almost noon. He was late for practice.
"Shirou-kun?", Hinamori called.
He stood up, he felt uneasy suddenly. There was something wrong with the picture here. He felt that there was something he must do, his intuition kicking in. Something unwanted was about to happen, and he didn't know what it was. " Gomei, Momo-chan. I have to run."
"Wait!", she tugged at his sleeve., " Don't leave! Where are you going?"
"To the practice. I am scheduled to be there"
"No! You are lying!", she wailed, " You are going to meet her! You are going to stop her!"
"Meet her? Stop her?"
" You were with her last night, weren't you? Did you bid her goodbye or asked her to stay?"
Hitsugaya's mind whirled. He braced himself.
"Wha-what are you talking about? Goodbye? Where is she going?", he asked Hinamori trying to collect himself.
" You were the only one she chose to say goodbye to!", she was crying afraid that he would leave.
Hitsugaya grabbed her roughly, " WHERE IS SHE GOING???", he shook her, already out of his senses in tension.
" You liar!! YOU LIAR!! DONT ACT LIKE YOU DON'T KNOW!! SHIROU-SAMA TOLD ME SHE SUBMITTED HER RESIGNATION TO YOU YESTERDAY!!", Hinamori cried anguished at him, feeling her heart breaking yet again.
"Shirou-sama? Ryujin? Wasn't he supposed to leave tonight?", he asked still out of control but less violent as he noticed her crying bitterly.
He suddenly realised when it hit him. The small hints, how could he not see through them??...
the changes during the last two months...
the kiss with Ryujin...
the sudden change back to her old self last night...
..the way she was looking around..as if to capture each portion of his house in her mind..
...his house key..."I threw it away."
..." Taichou, I will stay here tonight!"
..."I am not letting you go.",
..."Please taichou",..."...just for tonight. Sleep by my side. I wont ask for this ever again."...
All the realisation hit him with such a force that his knees buckled in shock. His thoughts were in a frenzied state of disarray. He needed to.. he needed to ...STOP HER!!
His mind declared a state of emergency, he had just one purpose now. But where will he find her?
"Listen to me, tell me, where is she NOW?", he asked holding Hinamori by the shoulders who was hiccupping as well as crying.
"I-I don't know! She might have-told you last night when you were SLEEPING with her!", she cried.
"Don't be silly! Of course, I didn't 'sleep' with her!", he tried to console her, " Now, tell me, where might she be now?"
"I do-don't know. Maybe, she gave a hint in the resignation letter. After all, it was addressed to you!!"
" Resignation letter? 10th Division office!!", he guessed, and stood up to run for it. He felt pulled back again, and looked into Hinamori's crying eyes.
"Don't leave me! Please, DON'T! You can't leave me!"
Hitsugaya felt a pity for her, guilty himself. He bent down.
"Hinamori, please try to understand. I must stop her!"
"Choose! Shirou-kun, choose!"
"Wha-?"
"If you must leave, then choose! If you leave me now, you will never see me again! If you don't leave, I will forget last night ever happened!"
Hitsugaya cursed himself. He felt an extreme regret because he realised that he himself had started it.
He decided...he took out his Zanpakutou which didn't look as big as before..in front of his form.
Hinamori backed out thinking that he would strike her down. She was unarmed and he was carrying the weapon because he had to attend the practice matches.
He plunged the blade into his leg.
Warm blood spurted out and landed on the ground in droplets absorbed by the dry earth(?).
He grimaced at the pain. After he held himself for a moment, he tore some part of his sleeve and tied his leg.
" Wha-why did you do that, Shirou-kun?", Hinamori asked fearfully, suddenly quiet, feeling that he had actually gone mad.
He panted as he tied his leg. " The muscle that I severed will stop me from walking or running now. Even if I have the urge to move, I won't be able to. "
He got up and tried to walk, then fell down. Hinamori grabbed hold of his fallen figure, and he lifted his face, managing a painful smile, " Momo-chan, I have a last request to make of you today. Will you stay with me for a while I wait here for the night to fall? It will all be over by tonight, right? That is all I ask of you today, TANUM!!" , he bowed his head while supporting his body with his hands.
---------------------------------
" Are you ready ? ", Ryujin asked before he entered the room.
"Yes", she replied.
He entered and gazed at her fully attired form along with the legendary Excalibur. Despite the change in her features, she possessed the same glow as King Arthur of the sabre clan had the night Shirou Emiya first summoned her.
" You look good enough to go to the next Holy Grail war"
-------------------
Hitsugaya actually pierced a muscle with a very rich supply of capillaries, the force of the pressure from his heart would not let the blood flow subside. With the heavy blood loss, Hitsugaya felt his consciousness ebbing. Hinamori didn't know what to do so she sat with him for a while on a rock supporting his body after bringing him to a seated position. She could see his consciousness fading, his white robes were drenched with blood. In a fight, there were few distinct areas of the body that you would not let your opponent touch even if he defeats you badly. Hitsugaya had had enormous amounts of wounds from his battles, with his blood flowing freely, but always recovered because the opponents never had the head or the skill to mark all these distinct areas. Some distinct areas were hit but by frequent injuries, those places had developed a protection of their own. The place that Hitsugaya had wilfully jabbed himself was one of the areas of his body that had never been hit.
Hinamori was half torn between taking him to Unohana-sama and half towards waiting for the night to arrive, safely transporting her only rival out of her true love's reach. "True love?", she thought.
Ryujin's words came back to her.
" If he really loves you, he won't . But if he does something, which I am pretty sure is unlikely, he won't be the one for you."
"Don't be silly! Of course, I didn't 'sleep' with her!",
Hitsugaya's words came piercing through Ryujin's words.
"No, nothing happened. I trust you, Shirou-kun!!"
Hitsugaya was groaning. He seemed to say something, she stooped to listen to him.
He was in a delirium. He was mumbling,
" Hi...na...mo...ri..."
She was glad to hear her name and not Matsumoto's. That means, there is hope, she thought.
He was still rambling,
"Go...mei..."
No, this isn't what she wanted to hear!!
" Yo-u..pro..mi..sed...my..mar..riage...yo..u'll..arr..ange.."
He was making no sense now.
Hinamori sat and waited.
"He might die, you know"
Was it her conscience? No, she didn't want him to die nor to loose him to someone else.
" He's better off dying, don't you think?"
No that isn't me thinking.
" If he is alive, do you think he will love you?"
He will. He DOES! That's why he cut his leg!!
" FOOL! Do you think you have won his love just because you spoke nicely to him once when he was a kid?"
He TOLD ME! HE TOLD ME HE LOVED ME! All through Aizen-sama's betrayal, he was there for me caring for me. Doesn't that show I am his all?
" What if he were mistaken?"
Mis-mistaken? No way!! He is never mistaken. How can you be mistaken about the one you love??
" Just as you were mistaken about Aizen..."
No! THAT'S DIFFERENT! I really DO LOVE HIM!!
"In that case, where does that put Shirou-kun?"
Hinamori was speechless. The debate in her mind had worn her and she felt her resolve breaking.
" Just because he cut himself doesn't mean he loves you. ...like just because you feel like holding him back doesn't mean you love him.. If you did, you wouldn't let him die like this!!"
Die? Shirou-kun, die?
Hinamori turned aside and looked at her beloved Shirou-kun. He was almost unconscious, his groaning had stopped...almost.
"Ma-t-su..mo"
He finally said her name, she thought.
"...tha..nks...fo..r...eve...ry...th..ing.."
" Thanks". What has SHE done to deserve thanks?, Hinamori thought. All the times,..Matsumoto was with him. she saw the pictures in her mind. She saw the lady care for Shirou-kun, mother him, tease him, follow him, leave him when he wanted, played cupid and post master, did...
Compared to that, she did nothing. She was like a childhood friend. She never guided him, nursed him, constantly stayed with him, abide him...she let him follow her around, while she ran after Aizen through her long saga of being his fukataichou...she never...did anything...to get Shirou-kun's thanks.
Ryujin had said, " I like to believe true love always wins. Whether the outcome is sad or happy for both of us, that remains to be seen. But whatever happens, let's win it the right way."
-------------------------------------
----------
Ryujin ushered Sabre through the hall and guided her on their mount, a death spirit that took a form of a huge animal, specifically used for aristocracy transportation to the gates of Seireitei.
" I will never let you go.", Ryujin thought, " Unless, you , Sabre, of your own free will disengage your memories from the sword and your soul and submit to your memories and feelings in Seireitei, I will never let you go"
-------------------
" WHAT?", Renji almost thundered when Byakuya dropped the news on him, " Matsumoto is leaving with Ryujin-dono?"
" You are much too loud for your station", Kuchiki Byakuya narrowed his eyes but his fury wasn't as strong as it would have been in a different situation.
"Begging your pardon", Renji murmured apologetically, " Where are they?"
" As far as I know, the Eastern Gate.", Byakuya replied as he left, his job done.
"Please excuse me", Renji escaped.
He whizzed passed Rukia and Ichigo on the way out.
" Whoa!", Ichigo tried to stop him, " Where's the fire, Renji?"
"Right now, at the Eastern gate", Renji still running in a stand-still position.
" Eastern Gate?", Rukia asked.
" Matsumoto is leaving us forever from there, and I and whoever I can gather will try to-----no---WILL DEFINATELY STOP her!!"
" She-she's dying?!", Rukia asked, concerned
"Nope, she's getting married!", Renji said and upped and disappeared.
"Hmmm...Matsumoto...AH! BLOND SHELL WITH BIG BOOBS!", Ichigo remembered. " OUCH!"
"IDIOT! That's how you remember women?", Rukia conked Ichigo on the head
-----------------
"Shirou-kun!! SHIROU-KUN!!!"", Hinamori slapped Hitsugaya awake.
"Uhnnn"
"Time to go..", she managed to lift the semi-conscious Hitsugaya on her shoulders and moved very slowly. The sky had begun to darken.
"They are late", Hinamori hissed in exhaustion. She really wasn't built for carrying people on her shoulders. She hoped that Unohana-san whom she called up sometime ago would turn up on her Minazuki.
After about 20 minutes, when Hinamori was ready to give up, she spotted Renji, Shuuhei, Kira,..she stopped counting and identifying. There were a load of them running like their life depended on it.
"Renji-san!", she called.
"Hinamori-san?", he stopped still running in his stationary position as were the whole lot of them. All Lieutenants and some subordinates were there.
"Wha-? OMG! Hitsugaya –taichou!?? So there you were but you- you are hurt!!"
" Almost unconscious.."
"Wa-s he attacked?"
"No! Self-inflicted!"
"Huh???"
"No time to explain, can you help me take him to the fourth division?"
"We-ll"
"I will take him", said another voice behind them.
They all turned around to see Unohana with her Lieutenant riding her Minazuki.
As Isane helped Hinamori lift Hitsugaya's body on Minazuki, Unohana asked where they were heading in such haste.
" Matsumoto is being carried off by Ryujin to the King's dimension. She left without telling us. We are heading there to stop her!... Honestly, without a SINGL-"
He broke off due to the disturbance.
Isane was fighting with the struggling patient trying to steady him."No! No! Hitsugaya-taichou! It isn't good for you..where are you go-"
Hitsugaya came to life with the sound of Matsumoto's name. He fell off Minazuki and would have seriously hurt himself if Shuuhei didn't catch his falling body.
"T-take me there.."
Renji was momentarily surprised but then told him with a smile, " Don't you worry! We will get her back! You should get some treatment."
"NO!!!"
Everyone turned in surprise to Hinamori. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she said,
" Matsumoto is under a very powerful spell. Unless someone close to her stops her, she might not come back. "
"Hi..na..mo..ri..", Hitsugaya whispered in surprise.
" Its ok! Shiro-", Hinamori gulped and then tried to smile wiping the tears off her cheeks, " We will always be good friends, won't we, Hitsugaya-taichou?"
----------------
Unohana was treating Hitsugaya's wounds as he lay on the back of Minazuki. The direction they were heading towards was the Shoryumon, the Eastern Gateway of the Soul Society. After the fall of Aizen, the three gate keepers were reinstated in their prior positions when it had been proved that they were indeed under Aizen's hypnotic spell. So currently, Kaiwan was positioned in front of the Eastern gateway.
" Honestly!", Unohana clucked her tongue.
It was rare to see the fourth division captain so peeved, Isane thought.
She peered hesitantly at the captain's face then took at a glimpse at her patient's. She was surprised that his eyes were still open, even under the influence of Unohana-san's strongest anaesthetic which immediately put anyone to sleep. He is the first one she had seen to actually pull this trick. What willpower!!
" If you would just let your eyes close", Unohana tried to persuade the unrelenting teenage captain, " Boys!"
Hitsugaya's irises flicked towards Unohana for a second before they were looking at the sky again.
" Scar-eee", Renji observed. They were a bit crowded here. Hinamori was not allowed to alight on Minazuki so that made four people on-board. Unohana herself, Isane, Renji and a supine Hitsugaya.
"If you had went any lower and had it treated any later than now, you would have been in danger of loosing your ability to walk forever ", Unohana diagnosed., " With your current level of blood loss, almost one-fourth of the total volume of blood in your body, I am surprised you are even conscious without transfusion. You BETTER not fight with wounds like this. It is really unfortunate that you yourself know which is the best way to injure yourself."
Isane interjected, " But-but taichou, did you not administer that anaesth-"
" It doesn't seem to work on hard-headed fools like him though this is the first", Unohana turned aside, her treatment done.
"How long will it take to-?"
" fifteen minutes", Unohana snapped.
Renji backed at the fourth division's captain's bark, " Whoa! What's biting you???", he thought.
Isane felt she knew what it was.
---------
" Don't we get into the dimension of the seven clans from the centre of Seireitei?", Sabre queried.
" No, that's for the royalty's dimension. Ours is more peripheral to his dimension.", Ryujin replied.
He was very alert though he looked calm and collected. Both of them had already detected the approach of very strong reiatsu.
Sabre/ Matsumoto already sensed a familiar reiatsu which spiked occasionally, it was weak and Sabre detected sadness in her heart.
"He's hurt", Sabre said, with no emotion in her voice or face. She was grabbing her Excalibur at her side with her right hand.
Ryujin looked at her pointedly from behind.
"How long have we known each other?", thought Hitsugaya looking at the sky. A crescent moon had appeared. The birth of a new moon, the infant was showing it's face. A new hope with it's new life, he hoped, he wished.
It has been four-no-----six years, since they started off together as captain and vice-captain, so short compared to a shinigami's life span. In that short time, he had seen so many aspects of the woman; like the moon passing through it's various faces. Happy Matsumoto, sad Matsumoto, a bubbly Matsumoto, a nostalgic Matsumoto, a crying Matsumoto,... "I know you so well. How couldn't have I seen the fading moon? You fading away as I turned my back. It was my shortcoming to expect that you would always be there for me, waiting for me to realise it by myself,...truly, I am dumb...", he remembered her sleeping face, her shifting eye-lashes, he stretched his hand towards the sky.
"Is that some sort of sign?", Renji thought, bemused. He looked up and saw the moon. " He wants—to touch...the moon??", he said aloud.
"Shhh", Isane said watching her own captain.
----------
The portal gate had opened on the surface of the surface of the Eastern gate like a tear on a fabric. Kaiwan was outside the gate so he was nowhere to be seen from inside of Seireitei.
As Sabre stepped into it, helped by Ryujin.
"WAIT!!!!!!", Renji shouted from behind.
He was in a forward kneeling position on Minazuki with an outstretched hand. Sabre pulled back her foot from the entrance of the other dimension, turned around and stood.
"Ma-Matsumoto-san???", Renji gaped in surprise. She was clad in a plate armour suit, at least her torso was, no visor though. There was an unfamiliar royal crest embedded on the centre of her breast plate. Her hair braided into a bun. She had unsheathed a magnificent sword, (1) on one side were the words "take me up", engraved and on the other side "cast me away" .
here drew he forth the brand Excalibur,
And o'er him, drawing it, the winter moon,
Brightening the skirts of a long cloud, ran forth
And sparkled keen with frost against the hilt:
For all the haft twinkled with diamond sparks,
Myriads of topaz-lights, and jacinth-work
Of subtlest jewellery.
Tennyson
The moonlight wasn't bright enough for the blade of her Excalibur to glint as brightly as legend had predicted but its splendid blade did glimmer with an amazing brilliance so as to dazzle the four shinigamis as Minazuki landed gracefully.
Sabre could see Hitsugaya standing behind Renji, with widened eyes.
" Stand back!", she warned, " I will fight anyone who hinders my path."
"Ma-Matsumoto-san?", Renji gulped in disbelief. This was beyond his expectation or comprehension.
"I-It's li-like she's-", Isane said
"- a completely different person", Unohana finished for her.
"Multiple personalities", Hitsugaya observed in a low voice, " So this is what she meant by 'spell'"
"Not multiple but her true personality", Ryujin explained, somehow detecting Hitsugaya's words from afar. He stood behind Sabre with folded arms, as if to watch the spectacle.
"True personality?",Hitsugaya said in surprise.
" All she needed was her real memories to return, then she would remember her true self. This is the real 'Matsumoto'!!"
"The real 'Matsumoto'!!", Renji couldn't move, very unsure whether it was wise to strike.
Hitsugaya had already returned to his actual self. He withdrew his Zanpakutou.
" It's the sword! Excalibur, if I am not mistaken", Hitsugaya perceived.
" A very precise observation, I must say. But that doesn't change things. As you can see, she isn't ready to give up without a fight.", Ryujin remarked.
"I could gather that", Hitsugaya replied, he had already got down Minazuki and as he raised his sword to strike, "HYOURINMARU!!"
Isane panicked, " He-he's going to fight, Unohana-taichou, aren't going to say somethi-?"
Unohana didn't say anything, looking very grave." Let the lovers fight it out", She commented in disdain.
"L-lovers??!!", Renji echoed. Isane sighed.
Renji, Unohana and Isane were still on Minazuki which flew back a bit to escape the effect of the battle about to commence.
" Howl Haineko", Sabre called, from the surface of the blade of her weapon, emerged a cloud of ash.
Renji exclaimed, "Bu-but tha-that is ...??"
"Apparently, her Zanpakutou had merged with the Excalibur", Unohana said.
"Is that even possible?", Isane asked, amazed.
" A spirit can possess any body, even inanimate. Haineko is a spirit weapon while the Excalibur was originally a material weapon, a phantasm also though", Unohana explained.
Renji was stock-still, then a thought struck him.
" What did Hitsugaya-taichou mean by 'It's the sword!'?", Renji queried.
" Seems like you realised. That sword must be the source of her memories.", Unohana replied.
" So if he retrieved that-", Renji conjectured.
" I doubt it would be that easy"
-----------
The fight had been going on for a while, none of the sides relenting. Hitsugaya panting, the blood loss had affected his stamina. Matsumoto with her returned old skills of swordsmanship. At present, it seemed that he tried to counter all her strikes, not wanting to hurt her.
"Why don't you fight with your full capability?", Sabre insisted, as she observed that Hyourinmaru pounded towards her missing her by inches.
" I don't have to do what you say!!", Hitsugaya said angrily. He was angry. Leaving without saying, it didn't take a 10-year old child to realise that he didn't know she was leaving. From Renji's words, he gathered, she didn't even bother to say any goodbye to the others. it was as if she wanted to disappear without anyone noticing.
"YOU GROSSLY UNDERESTIMATE ME !!", Sabre said suddenly laying a wind-cut close to Hitsugaya who jumped back in time.
A small slant cut appeared on his cheek, it bled.
Renji exclaimed, " She hurt him!"
Ryujin narrowed his eyes and then looked up at the building close by. It was high, a figure stood on the pointed end of the rooftop. A scarf around the figure's neck was being blown in the light breeze. It was watching the fight below.
" YOU, yourself are holding back! ", Hitsugaya said as their swords clashed face-to-face to each other, " Why? Hadn't you forgotten me?". There was a light smile on lips as his face bled from the cuts. His eyes mocking her.
Sabre jumped back on the impact, her eyes blazing with fury. She raised the Excalibur high and struck on the ground letting a huge wave trailing, eroding a pathway of wind directly aiming at Hitsugaya.
" THAT'S YOUR MISTAKE!!"
She yelled.
Though they were far apart from each other, the forceful wind of destruction was dangerously running towards him.
It took the three shinigamis a second to realise he wasn't moving.
"T-taichou!!! MOVE", Renji shouted. Isane also echoed the same thing. Unohana was quiet.
The wind strike had nearly reached Hitsugaya who stood unmoving and then opened his hands to welcome it.
The gust struck him full force or so they thought. As the dust cleared, they saw him standing unscathed at first, then invisible cuts burst with blood (typical to HT's fights). He collapsed.
Sabre stood stock-still for a moment unable to understand what had just happened, then realising the form of her falling captain, dropped her sword and ran towards him, her braided hair came undone, totally. As she ran to catch his falling body, her silky golden hair flew in a confusion behind her and glistened in the sparse moonlight.
" She's back?", Renji said.
Matsumoto shunpo-ed to her captain, and caught his body before it reached the ground.
" Why? Why?", she cried, "-are you so stubborn and dumb?"
Hitsugaya whose eyes had closed, reopened, " Isn't that the way I always am? Why do you cry?"
He said catching the tears falling down her cheeks. He never saw Matsumoto cry besides once, when Hueco Mundo fell, and Gin's running figure disappeared, as he went into the darkness behind. This face of Matsumoto had lurched his heart. He didn't remember it before now, the sudden feeling of loss that he had at that moment when she truly cried...for someone else, just at this moment, this lost piece surfaced in his mind. This was the forgotten reason, that instilled his nature of distancing himself from her, a year back.
"BAKA-BAKA-Taichou", she said, still crying.
"Hmphhh", Byakuya observed from the rooftop, "Lovers' squabbles are the most boring to watch."
Ryujin watched as Byakuya's form disappeared from the rooftop. Ryujin turned back at the reconciled pair and walked calmly towards them.
He whispered as he picked up the Excalibur, " Sabre, it seems your feelings for winning the war weren't as strong as Matsumoto's feelings for her taichou. "
He took a last look at her holding Hitsugaya, with Unohana approaching them, Renji and Isane following behind.
He smiled... a bit sadly, as he entered the gaping on the gate,
"Like I said, true love always wins".
-----
Reference: 1. EXCALIBUR from Wikipedia
EPILOGUE: I know this is a very clichéd
Renji stepping out of fourth division when Isane called him from behind and drop something in his hand.
R: What's this?
I: Money for the bet
R: Bet? Oh! So you were one of the secret supporters for Hinamori in the Hinamori Vs Matsumoto: Who wins Hitsugaya's heart?
I: Umm..Not Exactly..
R: D-Don't tell me? Unohana-san??
I: She's disappointed that youth nowadays prefer sexy women than cute women
R: We-ll..
I: So you're supporting ?
R: Well-yes, I am also in because someone else wanted me to represent him.
I: Who?
Renji scratched his head and said hesitantly.
R: Well, you're representing your captain and I also am...
I: By-Byakuya!!?????
-------
Next Stop: Reconciliation and afterlife..Please excuse me for wrong Japanese words in case I missed replacing them.