Set your alarms and mark your calendars! Kataku will be posted on May 6th (that's three days away for you with no sense of time). To get you all excited for it, here's another, small excerpt from my upcoming fic, that I'm desperately promoting XD. If you didn't already, go check out the other scene I've already posted-- a oneshot entitled Cherry Blossoms.
A couple notes about this chapter, and the fic in general (though most of it will be restated in the fiction itself). Kataku is the world where everything takes place, making it an AU fic. The six kingdoms and lords are as follows: Ichimaru and Kan, Aizen and Shokkaku, Zaraki and Kyuukaku, Ukitake and Choukaku, Byakuya and Mikaku, and Hitsugaya and Shikaku.
The geography itself of where everything is placed is described, in detail, in the fic itself, but Kan and Shikaku are to the north, Kyuukaku and Shokkaku are to the south, Choukaku is to the east and Mikaku to the west. In addition, the direct center of the planet is roughly on the border between Shikaku and Kyuukaku. This isn't pivotal information, but it might help with understanding where everything is at in this chapter, and what all those freaky ass names are.
The second note is: As this fic is AU, there are no shinigami, Soul Society, etc. Instead, we've got kingdoms, lords, and so on. Obviously I've listed the kingdoms and their kings above, and the subordinates... we'll, you'll just have to wait to find out about them XD. I think that's about it, and even though this oneshot has many more elements of the actual fiction in it than the last one, I hope you can still enjoy it!
Teal-green eyes watched as Kataku's sun rose slowly over the horizon. Hitsugaya leaned against a weather-beaten, wooden post that held directional signs, leading lost travelers to their destination. Each sign pointed in a compass direction, respective of the four dirt roads that led from the meeting place. Two branched off into Shikaku, leading to the northernmost kingdom itself while the other headed off to the west and Mikaku. The remaining two roads descended into Kyuukaku, one leading towards the war-ravaged country while the other trailed towards the poor but beautiful Choukaku in the east.
All around him, a thick layer of early morning fog splattered the dense air. Even once the sun rose high into the sky, the Kyuukaku-Shikaku border remained misty and difficult to see-- a direct result from the clashing temperatures of the two kingdoms.
"In Kataku, the lands themselves hold the temperatures, so it's not unusual for the fiery Kyuukaku and the chilled Shikaku's borders to be dense with fog," Hitsugaya thought, trying to see through the mist, "but is it always this bad?"
Wild winds blew from the eastern path, sweeping the fog into an ethereal dance before the young lord's eyes. He glanced down the road to Choukaku. The next to arrive, he was sure, would be Ukitake.
Sure enough, Hitsugaya received company half a day later. The sun was starting to set and though the fog had thinned, it still settled over the land lightly. The rattling of carriage wheels could be heard from quite a distance away, as there were no birds singing or crickets chirping in a desolate place such as those crossroads.
Hisagi was chosen to drive the carriage this time, and so Urahara and his lord were stuck in the back to relax. The sandy-haired passenger smiled to no one in particular as he broke the silence. "I hope Hisagi-kun is a better driver than you, Ukitake-sama."
Hisagi sent a glare over his shoulder, but didn't take his eyes from the road for very long. "The road's conditions are poor enough, Ukitake-sama can't be blamed for it." Then again, wasn't it Ukitake's fault that the roads in his own country were poor?
"Things will be nicer once we cross the border," Ukitake assured them, hoping to settle the argument.
"Even the roads in Mikaku are paved with dirt," Urahara pointed out, earning himself a grateful smile from the one seated next to him.
"I don't mind ruling a poor country," their king said, "as long as it's a content and peaceful one."
"We're almost there," Hisagi said suddenly, his grey-blue eyes scanning over the passing surroundings. It had melted from the beautiful scenery of Choukaku to the dried and burnt tundra that was Kyuukaku. The trees thinned and the grass turned yellow, signaling that they were indeed no longer in their homeland.
"Listen," Ukitake spoke up, drawing his subordinates' attentions, "I want you both to return home after I leave for Shokkaku." It was one, last, desperate attempt to keep the two, that were like family to him, out of harm's way. Of course, it was also a futile one.
"Not a chance," Urahara and Hisagi refused in unison. Knowing that it was hopeless, Ukitake put up no more resistance. He smiled a little at the relationship he shared with his subordinates-- they were so defiant, but only when it concerned his protection. A good soldier was supposed to follow orders, no matter what, but Ukitake was sure that Hisagi and Urahara were even better soldiers because they didn't. The best guards in Kataku? No doubt.
"Hitsugaya-san is up ahead," Hisagi informed the two in the carriage, slowing the horse's speed down to a trot as they reached the meeting place.
"Hitsugaya-kun," Ukitake greeted, smiling as he exited the carriage, "how are you?"
"Ukitake-san." Hitsugaya nodded, then looked to the others. "Hisagi-kun, Urahara-san, you two came as well?"
"Of course;" the sandy-haired soldier told him, "we'd never desert Ukitake-sama."
"You didn't bring Matsumoto-san along?" Hisagi asked, a tiny smirk playing at the edge of his lips.
"I used this excuse to get away from Matsumoto," Hitsugaya mumbled. As much as he loved his subordinate and wouldn't want to go without her for long, she got on his nerves like no one else.
"That's not very kind," Urahara chided. "It's a soldier's duty to always be by their master's side."
"Anyway," the white-haired lord said with an emphasis on changing the subject, "Zaraki should be the next one to arrive, though it'll still be a while before he gets here."
Ukitake nodded. "It will be difficult to keep him still for so long while we wait for Ichimaru-san to arrive."
"We'd be just as well off without him," Hisagi muttered, crossing his arms.
"Ooh, someone's testy," Urahara teased his comrade, earning himself a glare.
"If Zaraki wasn't with us, he'd be against us," Hitsugaya reminded them all. "We're fortunate things turned out the way they did."
"Hitsugaya-kun is right;" Ukitake agreed, "we shouldn't be picky about our allies."
"If we're not picky, then how will we know who we can trust?" Hisagi asked. Ukitake didn't want to admit he had a point-- Zaraki was far from reliable, since he had turned on Aizen in an instant. Who was to say he wouldn't think everyone else was betraying him as well?
"We should get some sleep," Hitsugaya interrupted, "before Zaraki comes."
"Very true. We'll need all the energy we can get trying to entertain him," Urahara agreed.
"It'll still be about another half a day before Zaraki shows up," Hitsugaya guessed, looking up at the sky, "and another half a day after that before Ichimaru-san arrives."
"Have a nice sleep," Urahara called, waving a hand at Hitsugaya's retreating form.
"Goodnight," Ukitake said, then turned to Hisagi and Urahara. "Why don't-"
"You'll be sleeping in the carriage," Hisagi insisted.
"That's right," Urahara immediately agreed, opening the door for his lord.
Ukitake sighed-- how persistent were these two? "Shouldn't it be I giving the orders?"
"Not when they don't have your best interest in mind," Hisagi stated. The look in his eyes begged Ukitake not to argue, because if his lord really insisted upon something, he couldn't exactly argue the point.
"Besides, someone needs to stay up and keep an eye out for anything suspicious," the older soldier said. "Hisagi-kun and I can take turns keeping watch."
Unable to find a solid argument, Ukitake retired back into his carriage. "Goodnight, and wake me if anything happens."
"Of course, goodnight, Ukitake-sama," Urahara said, shutting the door.
"Goodnight," Hisagi replied, as well, thankful that the day was finally over with.
Hours later, Hisagi and Urahara ended up sitting on the dirt road, leaning against their carriage. The deafening silence around them begged them to say something, but each was too lost in their own thoughts.
Finally, it was Kisuke who broke the silence. When he did, his voice was quiet and serious, a tone that generally sent chills up the listener's spine. "You know, not everyone will make it out of this battle alive."
Hisagi was stirred from his own thoughts, and a frown took place on his lips. "Yeah," he solemnly agreed, "but even so, I'm prepared to give my life if it means protecting Ukitake-sama."
Next to him, the older one nodded. "Of course, it's natural to feel that way about someone like Ukitake-sama." He was too kind not to protect, and too gracious and generous to let be hurt.
Hisagi kept his eyes trained on the ground in front of him as he spoke again, this time a little softer. "I'd also give my life to protect you." Urahara Kisuke was his comrade and perhaps best friend. Hisagi was a devoted person, and he was fine with his life being to protect others. Ukitake and Urahara, the two closest to him, were the first on his list of people he wished to protect.
Urahara slid a glance the the punk-featured boy, but said nothing as a small, understanding smile crept across his features. He wrapped his arm around the younger one in half a hug and pulled him closer, ignoring the startled reaction he received.
"You should get some rest, I'll keep watch first."
The blush that had risen to Hisagi's face slowly died away as he became more comfortable with the closeness, and even a little fond of it. Nodding an awkward agreement, he rested his head on Urahara's shoulder and closed his eyes. Within a few minutes, the wear and tear of the previous day got to him and he drifted off.
Inside the carriage, Ukitake remained awake. He stared out the small window by his head at the night sky, a soft smile playing across his face as the clouds darkened the moon's bright light. Sensing that everything was calm outside, he managed to fall into a deep sleep.
I decided on this part for a few reasons. It separates nicely from the fic and stands pretty steadily on its own as a oneshot, if you have those few details I gave you in the beginning. It also shows a few of the relationships in the fic, as so to maybe get people interested in it XD. And just to clarify, no, Hisagi and Urahara aren't together in the fic... at this point. Whether they'll end up that way or not, I'm not telling XD. Also, it doesn't give away any major details, so there's still a lot of mystery left, hopefully XDDD. Like.. everyone's meeting-- but for what? And why has every lord but Aizen been mentioned-- what the hell is he up to now? XD, I hope you read my fic. Once again, it'll be out on May 6th, that's in three days!