A/N: Alright, this is the sequel to Memory's Lie. I made it, since cherryblossomhimerequested it, and because she's the first one to ask for a request! I totally appreciate it! Well, anyway, here it goes! Hope you'll like it!
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. Period.
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True Warmth
Ice, so cold, so merciless, so heartless…
Hitsugaya-kun's power is ice.
Almost everyone fears dying because of ice - freezing to death.
Hitsugaya-kun's zanpakuto is Hyourinmaru, the ice dragon. One of his techniques is freezing his enemies to the core, then striking them so they shatter as ice – Ryusenka.
Being compared to ice is like saying you're cold-hearted, merciless, mean…
Hitsugaya-kun's called by everyone as the Ice Captain, the Ice Prince, not just because of his power…
Don't expect people having mastery over ice to give off warmth; expect them to give you the cold shoulder. They-
That's not true!
Ever since Shiro-chan took a day's off from the real world to visit me, I've been feeling warm. He's been nice to me before, I don't know why I'm feeling fuzzy just now.
Yes, I know he's mean, too, most of the time, but I think he means that the other way around. So that fact's not entirely true.
Wait.
I also remember someone giving off warmth whenever that person's around, whenever I'm near him. I don't know who – his image is blurry inside my head. But I do know that he used to pat my head, brushing his warm hand on my hair. I also recall his warm smile, the compassionate smile that does my heart joy whenever he beams it at me.
Who could that person be?
I like the warmth Shiro-chan gives me, but I'm just curious to find out who that person is.
I just got to find out…
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"Hinamori-fukutaichou! What are you doing here?!" a coffee-brown-haired shinigami asked the petite, black-haired lieutenant of the 5th division, Hinamori Momo. They were now at war against the arrancars , Aizen's minions, at Hueco Mundo.
"Eh?" Hinamori titled her head slightly to the side, her timid brown eyes looking at him confusedly. "What do you mean, Rigako-san? I'm part of this war, aren't I?"
"Y-yes, ma'am. But were you allowed by the soutaichou?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't he?"
Rigako Tairu blinked. He felt embarrassed. "Ah, go-gomen-"
"Watch out!"
Hinamori suddenly slashed through a pseudo-arrancar that was about to attack the death god she was talking to from behind. At the moment Tobiume cut through it, it dissolved to oblivion.
The low-ranked shinigami from her division stared blankly at the spot the pseudo-arrancar was in before. He was stunned.
"Are you alright, Rigako-san?" the bun-haired vice-captain asked him, sheathing back her zampakuto. "You should always be alert, you know," she reminded, pouting. "Especially now."
He blinked twice as he turned to his superior. "Ara…" He immediately bowed low saying, "Domo arigatou gozaimasu, Hinamori-dono! Please forgive my inattentiveness!"
"Ano, don't apologize! It's no big deal!" she said, feeling a little awkward. She's been vice-captain for years, and she still couldn't make herself get used to her subordinates bowing low to her, especially with matters that aren't big deals for her.
She then remembered that she was supposed to help someone. She glanced to her back, and then told Rigako, "Go look for the others, okay? Take care of yourselves."
"What about you, ma'am?"
"I have to join Rangiku-san and the others." She moved her head forward a little bit, indicating that he should go. "Keep your eyes open, "she advised; then she ran off.
The hallways of Las Noches were slightly deserted. She met a few enemies along the way, and she guessed the ones she had beaten in seconds were really low-ranked. Some managed to give her a few scratches, but because of her determination to find and help her friends, she defeated them.
Then, a meter away from the next room, she heard loud echoes – echoes of a sword fight. Then, she heard someone shout, "Soten ni zase, Hyourinmaru!"
She recognized that command, especially that voice. She knew it very well…
Hitsugaya-kun!
She ran, ran as fast as she could. The doors of the room where she heard the sounds were open, so, she peeked first to see who were fighting, if her guess was really true.
Her brown eyes looked at the two figures dueling, one she perceived to be her best friend, the captain of the 10th division, Hitsugaya Toushiro. He seemed badly hurt, for he was covered with his own crimson red blood, patching his white captain's haori, tainting his spiky, white hair, and even trickling down his face. Realizing this, Hinamori gasped silently.
Oh God, what was she going to do?
She gaped at the one her Shiro-chan was battling and scanned him. He had brown hair neatly pulled back, and he was wearing white clothing, like the ones the arrancars and espadas wore.
So, he's an arrancar?
But, why isn't he wearing a mask? And why doesn't he have a hole anywhere on his body?
He seems unusually familiar, too.
Just then, in the middle of the two's fight, while their swords were clashed to each other, the arrancar said, "What's wrong, Hitsugaya-taichou? Don't tell me you're going to lose now?"
"What are you talking about, Aizen?" Hitsugaya asked back, panting hard.
Hold on a second.
Did he just say his opponent's Aizen? The leader of the arrancars?
Hinamori's eyes grew wide when that fact came to her.
Oh no…What should I do?
Aizen continued, his zanpakuto still colliding with Hitsugaya's. "I'm talking about you losing – in front of our audience."
The younger captain's green orbs widened as they both looked at Hinamori, who was now stuck to the ground, trembling. Learning that the enemy knew she was there stupefied her.
Heavens, no…WhatshouldIdowhatshouldIdowhatshouldIdowhatshouldIdo?!
"Hinamori!! Get out of here!" Hitsugaya shouted to her. "Now-!"
The last word was cut off when the ex-captain threw a kidou spell at him, sending him straight to the wall.
And all the terrified fukutaichou could do was murmur his name, stutter his name. "Hi-Hitsugaya-kun…" Her hand resting on her chest was shaking as she looked at Aizen moving to her.
"My, my, Hinamori-kun, how long it's been, ne?" he said pleasantly. He extended his arms towards her as he walked forward. His former vice-captain, however, took a step backward.
"Ara…"
Seeing her appear frightened, he paused in his steps, and asked her, "Oh, what's wrong? Are you now afraid of me because of what I did to you?" He walked forward again, now smiling enthusiastically. "I'm sorry, Hinamori-kun. Please forgive me."
Hinamori took another step backward, this time looking down. "I-I don't understand, y-you're one of them, you're an arrancar…"
Aizen shook his head slowly, still extending his arms to hug her. "No, my little Hinamori-kun. Don't you remember? I'm a shinigami, I'm your captain."
With that statement, the petite girl stopped backing away. "Wh-what?"
"Yes, I'm your captain, Aizen-taichou." He finally came close to her; then hugged her. He put his hand on the back of her head, and made her lean on him.
Hinamori was still dazed as he patted her head. "Aizen-taichou…" she soughed.
I remember now…
I remember everything…
Aizen-taichou…
He was the one making me feel warm inside…The one who pats my head with his warm hand…The one who smiles at me warmly…
She gazed up at him, her innocent brown eyes meeting with his…his…
Cold…
Merciless…
Heartless…
Brown ones…
No…
He's not the taichou I knew before…
The one I knew stares at everyone with compassion…with sympathy…
"My little Hinamori-kun…"
"You're not Aizen-taichou! You're not him at all! You're different!" She managed to free herself from his embrace, and then backed away again. Tears started to well up under her eyes.
"What are you talking about? It's me, the one and only."
Hinamori still disagreed; she didn't want to believe what this imposter was saying. And now, she couldn't move, run, run away as fast as she could to her best friend, so that they can escape.
Where was he anyway?
Was he still okay?
Please be okay…
As she stood there in front of him, Aizen took another look at her, another uncaring look.
"Tsk! Tsk! Tsk!" he said, shaking his head. "What have they done to you?" He unsheathed his zanpakuto, and slowly strolled towards her. "Don't worry; I'll end your suffering, my dear."
Oh God, she was going to die. She was going to die – here and now- without anyone to save her. She couldn't even use Tobiume and save herself. Her whole body was paralyzed; even her eyes were unconsciously fixed on the icy glare her beloved ex-taichou was giving her. The only ones moving were her tears, streaming down her pale cheeks.
Another step 'till death…
And another step 'till death…
And another step…
And now they're close to each other again, about a foot apart.
Aizen put his hand on her shoulders, and was about to strike through her chest, when – he stopped. His eyes looked shocked; then blinked as he turned to look at who was behind him.
The wounded 10th division captain was there, gripping his injured side with one hand, and seeming to point something at him with the other.
He looked down on his chest, and saw a zanpakuto impaled – Hitsugaya's Hyourinmaru.
It was then that he smirked, and suddenly dropped his Kyoka Suigetsu. Hinamori unknowingly moved back as he fell forward after Hitsugaya pulled out his sword.
The panicked, little vice-captain clasped her mouth, looking at her former captain. Her best friend, on the other hand, went to her side to try and comfort her.
"Hinamori, are you-"
His words were cut off when she suddenly plopped down and sobbed. He immediately crouched down beside her.
"Hinamori, don't tell me…"
"Aizen-taichou, h-he…he…" She leaned on him and cried on his chest, even though some parts of his kamishimo were already torn by the wounds he had. Her words were muffled by her sobs.
Hearing her call her former captain with his title, Hitsugaya confirmed that she'd remembered the memories she'd lost. He was surprised for a second, although he didn't show it.
"You remember him, right?" he asked nonchalantly.
Hinamori nodded, still whimpering on him. She slightly lifter her head, and said, "But, he's not the real Aizen-taichou! He-he tried to kill me! H-he almost killed you, too!" She sniffed and added, "I-I-I'm so sorry, Shiro-chan!" Then she went back to burying her face on him.
The white-haired boy winced as some of her tears went to some of his injuries on his chest. But now he had to endure the pain – the pain's nothing compared to seeing his beloved princess in sorrow. He wrapped his arms around her, and hugged her.
"Baka, why are you apologizing?"
"'Cause…I believed that he was just being used! But now I know that what he was doing is his own will, and I'm really sorry that I didn't believe you!"
"You stupid. You don't have to say sorry to me, Bedwetter Momo."
She looked up at him, and met his warm gaze. Even though he was severely wounded, he was still looking at her sincerely, as if he wasn't really wounded. He smiled a tiny bit at her, the warm smile paired up with his warm gaze – both just for her – and that made her fuzzy inside.
Hitsugaya-kun…
You are the only one giving me warmth…
You always were the only one…
Ever since the start…
I know that now…
And that's the truth…
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A/N: Uhmmm…should I have made this another chappie of memory's lie? Or leave it just this? Sorry, I'm having mind troubles… sweatdrop Anyway…Hope you liked it! (I keep on saying that, don't I? Also with the truth part…Darn…)
Please review!
aprilsierra
P.S. Next fic will be a valentine's special, and my first songfic! It happened way before the SS arc, by the way, so expect Aizen to be there! (Though, he won't end up having Hinamori as a date…I'm on a HitsuHina spree guys!) Just guess who'll be his date! evil grin
And I have a question…Do you think Hinamori and Hitsugaya were already part of the Gotei 13 when Hisana-san was alive? If you guys answer this, on your opinion of course, I'm deeply indebted to you! Thanks! smile