Note: I changed the lyrics in the songs a little so that they could fit the story better.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or the songs from Phantom of the Opera that I'm using in this story.
Past the Point of No Return
By: Sally White (a.k.a. RDH)
Part 1: Point of No Return
"Ahhh, what a nice, quiet day," 8th Squad Captain Shunsui Kyoraku sighed as he leaned back in his chair behind his desk. He tilted the wide brim of his straw hat down to cover his eyes, then stretched his arms back to link his hands together behind his head.
Standing in the office in front of the desk, his Lieutenant Nanao Ise glared at him through her glasses. "Sir, I think that you should try to get some work done instead of napping." She gestured to the small pile of papers on his desk. "This paperwork is due in two days."
Shunsui sighed and lowered one hand down to tilt the brim of his hat up so that he could look at her. "We have two days, Nanao. Besides, it's the perfect day for napping."
"Sir, you say that about everyday," she protested, gripping the clipboard in her hands tighter.
He smiled and pulled his hat back down, raising his hand to rest behind his head again. "That's right, Nanao, very good, you're learning."
Before she could protest, the door to the office was slammed open. The temperature in the room dropped by several degrees.
Shunsui lowered his hands to rest on his desk and sat up, raising his hats brim. "Toushiro. Is everything alright?"
Standing in the doorway was Toushiro Hitsugaya, the Captain of the 10th Squad. His hand was against the doorframe to keep himself upright as his small frame shook with exhaustion. His shoulders heaved as he panted for breath, and his turquoise eyes were almost wild-looking.
The young Captain shunpoed over to stand in front of Shunsui's desk. He reached across the desk to grasp the older man's haori in his hands as his eyes look desperately into the brown eyes of the older Captain. "Captain Shunsui, you've to help me! She's gone crazy, I just know it! She went off to meet him, even after I specifically forbid her to. She thinks that responding to his demands will help, but he's got evil intentions, I just know it! Please help me! I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something happened to her!"
Shunsui pried Hitsugaya's hands off his haori before speaking. "First of all, Toushiro, you need to catch your breath and calm down."
Hitsugaya stepped back from the desk and took slow breaths so as to catch his breath and calm down. Nanao asked if he wanted her to get him anything, but he just waved her away.
Once the younger Captain had calmed down, Shunsui continued, "Okay, secondly, since you're calmed, repeat what you said in a more explainable manner. You weren't making any sense when you said it the first time."
Hitsugaya nodded and blurted out, "Matsumoto has gone to meet with Gin!"
"What?" Nanao exclaimed as Shunsui's eyes went wide.
"He had a note delivered to her," Hitsugaya explained. "How the hell he got it through without being caught is beyond me. But anyways," he shook his head, "the note asked her to meet up with him outside of the farthest district of Rukongai. He claimed that he just wanted to "talk", but I of course knew better. I forbid her from going, telling her that she would be punished by me personally if she disobeyed. She begged me to let her go, saying that she wanted to meet with him to make him explain things to her, but I refused. She seemed to give up…" He shook his head, his expression one of frustration directed at himself. "But I should have known better than to believe that."
"What happened?" Shunsui asked, listening attentively.
"Last night after our spar," Hitsugaya continued, "she was being especially careful to be good. She cleaned, and did paperwork. I should've known right then what she was up to, but I thought that maybe she was just sucking up for arguing with me. She brought me my tea like she usually did and I thanked her before taking a sip. Not long after the room started to spin. I panicked and tried to yell, but then everything went black. I woke up on my desk this morning, with a note from Matsumoto on my desk. She wrote that she was sorry and that she would take her punishment later, but that she had gone to meet up with Gin. She asked that I not go after her or try to stop her in any way, but I refuse to listen to that." His expression became desperate again. "I've been looking all day through the Rukongai districts, but I couldn't find her! I couldn't even sense her Spiritual Pressure! Please, I know that you both are close to Matsumoto, so will you please help me look for her?"
Nanao whirled around to look at her Captain pleadingly. "Sir, please…?"
Shunsui nodded immediately. "We'll help you, Toushiro, don't worry. Have you asked anyone else?"
"No," Hitsugaya shook his head. "You two were the first one's to come to mind when I tried to think of who I could ask to help."
"We need to inform Captain-General Yamamoto about this and see if he will issue orders for certain Squads to help us look for Rangiku," Shunsui declared, standing up. "I'll go and tell Jyuushiro what's going on, then he and I will go and tell Yamamoto." He looked at his Lieutenant. "Nanao, could you please go and inform the other Lieutenants about this? Have them tell their Captains and try to convince them to help out too." With that said he shunpoed out of the office and out of Squad 8.
Nanao turned to Hitsugaya and reached out a tentative hand to lay on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Captain, we'll find her." Then she hurried out of the office.
Hitsugaya shook his head and buried his face in his hands. "Matsumoto, you idiot. Why do you want to see Gin so much when you have all these people here who care so much about you?" He sighed and lowered his hands from his face. He shook his head again and got a determined look on his face, then shunpoed out of the office and out of Squad 8, determined to find more help.
….
Rangiku Matsumoto looked up at the sky at the sun. It was at least an hour away from setting. She let out a breath and shifted in her seat on the ground, leaning back against the tree behind her. She laid Haineko across her lap, trying to seek comfort from the zanpak-to. Do you sense him? she called out in her mind to the ash cat.
Not yet, mistress, Haineko's rough yet gentle voice answered. Though I will admit that I'm not in the least distressed about that. I don't like this.
I don't care if you like it or not, Matsumoto snapped back at her. You know why I'm doing this and you even said that it was logical, so don't complain! Just keep watch for him!
Suddenly there was a change in the direction of the wind, and a familiar Spiritual Pressure filled the clearing. Matsumoto froze.
"Ah, Ran, ya did come," a smooth, sinister voice said, then a low chuckle was heard. "I wasn't sure if you'd show."
Speak of the devil and ye shall appear, Hraineko mused before falling silent.
Matsumoto slowly stood up, putting Haineko back in her sheathe at her waist. The blonde Lieutenant slowly turned around to see the owner of the new voice.
Gin Ichimaru was leaning against the tree Matsumoto had been leaning on. The former Squad 3 Captain looked the same as she remembered. He still had short silver hair and the same fox-like grin was spread across his face. As he looked her up and down the grin got bigger, if that was as all possible.
"Well, well, Ran, look at you," Gin said, his tone friendly-seeming. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes. You look good, Ran."
"Thank you," she replied stiffly, trying not to tremble.
Gin pushed off the tree and made his way over to stand in front of her. "Y'know, I'm surprised that Toushiro let you come. I know that he never had a high opinion of me."
Matsumoto just looked down at her feet.
"Ah, I see," Gin drawled, smugness sneaking into her tone. "You didn't tell him that you were coming to see me. Well, I guess you'd have to not tell to follow the instructions in my note, huh? To not involve the Gotei 13."
"Look, Gin, I'm here now, so what do you want?" she asked, looking up at him with a mixture of irritation and fear in her eyes.
"Like I told ya in my note, I just wanna talk," he answered, then took one of her hands in his and lead her over to the tree they had been leaning on. She followed reluctantly, not wanting to push her luck. He leaned back on the tree with her hand still in his, her standing in front of him. He looked up at her. "I know that yer probably not 'xactly thrilled to be here with me, but just tell me this, Ran. Have ya missed me at all?"
She looked at him, her eyes softening just a bit. "Of course I've missed you some, Gin. You were one of my best friends." Her eyes hardened again. "But when you left it hurt. A lot. There's nothing you can do to make up for that."
"I know," he said, his expression saddening. "I can't say that I'm sorry for leaving, 'cause I'm not." His thumb rubbed gently across her knuckles. "However, I am sorry for leaving you, Ran. I meant it when I said that I wouldn't have minded being your prisoner for a while longer." His expression brightened. "But I have a solution that I think will make up for me leaving."
"What do you mean?" she asked, regarding him suspiciously.
He reached out and took her other hand in his, looking eagerly at her. "I want ya to come with me, Ran. I want us to be able to be together again."
She looked him with wide eyes. She was about to answer when she felt a light, yet strong Spiritual Pressure surround the clearing before it disappeared. She had to keep herself from gasping in horror. Captain Hitsugaya! Why is he here? I told him not to follow me! If Gin senses that he's here, Captain is doomed!
Not necessarily, Haineko told the panicking Lieutenant. And besides, he's not alone.
Matsumoto's stomach dropped. She took a quick glance around and could see faint outlines of people figures all around the clearing.
"I see that you have noticed, too," Gin said in a low voice. He let out a dark chuckle. "Let's entertain them while you think about your answer to my proposition." He let go of her hands and got off the tree and walked around her.
Matsumoto let out a small moan, resisting the urge to cover her face with her hands. This is why I didn't want to get them involved. If I say or do anything wrong, he'll start a fight and end up killing some of them or he'll call out some Hollows and some of them will loose their lives because of that! She took in a deep breath and looked up with determination. It's all up to me, then. I'll distract him for as long as I can until I can a get a signal to them to get them out of here. It's their only chance. She turned around so that she could look at Gin.
Hiding in the bushes around the clearing, Hitsugaya breathed in deeply and reached down a hand to grip the hilt of Hyorinmaru. As soon as I get her out of here, Matsumoto is so dead! She's going to have so much office work to do she won't see outside for months!
Good luck getting her away without Gin trying to kill you, Hyorinmaru's voice rumbled in the young Captain's head.
Hitsugaya scowled. Shut up, dragon, he scowled. Hyorinmaru fell silent and the Captain turned his attention back to the scene in the clearing.
"Just follow my lead, Ran," Gin said, then sang in an eerie voice, "Go away, for the trap is set, and waits for its prey…"
Hitsugaya wanted to lunge in right then, but was held back by Shunsui and Ukitake.
Gin smirked and turned his attention to Matsumoto, singing, "You have come here in pursuit of your deepest urge; in pursuit of that wish, which till now has been silent…" His voice got softer as he sang, "Silent…"
He spread his arms wide and sang loudly, with confidence, "I have brought you, that our passions may fuse and merge." He held his hands out towards her. "In your mind you've already succumbed to me." He threw his arms back, "Dropped all defenses, completely succumbed to me." He let his arms fall to his sides and brought a hand up to point at her, "Now you are here with me," put his hand on his chest, "no second thoughts," shook his head and smirked at her. "You've decided…" He walked away to the other side of the clearing. "Decided…"
Matsumoto gulped, fearing what he was going to try next.
"Past the point of no return," Gin sang, slowly walking back to her. "No backward glances. Our games of make believe are at an end." He smirked and sang, "Past all thought of "if", or "when"; no use resisting." He circled around behind her, singing into her ear, "Abandon thought and let the dream descend."
He circled around her, looking into her eyes as he sang, "What raging fire shall flood the soul? What rich desire unlocks its door? What sweet seduction lies before us?"
"Past the point of no return," he continued to sing, going behind the tree. "The final threshold." He circled back around her. "What warm, unspoken secrets will we learn?" He walked to the other side of the clearing, singing, "Beyond the point of no return…"
Matsumoto looked over her shoulder at her Captain, her eyes apologetic and pleading. Forgive me, sir, for what I'm about to do, she thought. She looked at Gin. But I hope that I'll be able to tell you one day that it is you, not Gin, that I'll be thinking about as I do this.
"You have brought me," Matsumoto sang, "to that moment when words run dry; to that moment when speech disappears into silence…" She closed her eyes. "Silence…"
She opened her eyes and sang across the clearing to Gin, "I have come here, hardly knowing the reason why. In my mind I've already imagined our bodies entwining, defenseless and silent." She put a hand on her chest, "Now I am here with you," reached out the hand, "no second thoughts," let the hand drop to her side, "I've decided…" She glanced at her Captain one more time before looking back at Gin. "Decided…"
"Let me go!" Hitsugaya growled, albeit quietly, at Shunsui and Ukitake as they held him back from charging into the clearing. "I have to stop her! Let go, damn you!"
"No, Toushiro," Shunsui told him forcefully, also quietly.
"If you try anything now, Gin will kill you," Ukitake warned, his voice also quiet.
Hitsugaya continued to struggle, but it was in vain as he kept his attention on the scene going on in the clearing.
"Past the point of no return," Matsumoto sang, taking a step forward. "No going back now; our passion-play has now at last begun." She took another step forward and sang, "Past all thought of right or wrong," she took a step back, "one final question." She shunpoed back to stand behind the tree. "How long should we two wait before we're one?" She leaned on the tree and looked around it at Gin as she sang, "When will the blood begin to race? The sleeping bud burst into bloom? When will the flames at last consume us?"
She walked around the tree and Gin walked towards her as they both sang, "Past the point of no return, the final threshold." Gin held out his hand to Matsumoto and she took it, and he jerked her to him, her back pressing against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her waist. They sang, "The bridge is crossed, so stand and watch it burn…" They both quieted as they sang, "We've passed the point of no return…"
Gin ran his hand up her side and across her collar bone. Matsumoto looked in the direction she knew Hitsugaya was in and mouthed 'Get away!' Then she closed her eyes tight. Gin pressed his lips to the junction between her neck and shoulder, and a single tear ran down her cheek. Hitsugaya growled and struggled more fiercely against Shunsui and Ukitake's hold. I have to save her before that bastard molests her! he thought viciously.
Wait, Hyorinmaru told the white-haired Captain.
Hitsugaya stopped and whipped his attention to the scene in the clearing.
Gin wiped away the tear on Matsumoto's face before wrapping his arms back around her waist. He rested his forehead on the junction between her neck and shoulder and sang softly, "Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Lead me, save me from my solitude. Say you want me with you here beside you…"
Matsumoto's breath caught in her throat when he turned her around to face him. He wasn't smiling; in fact, he looked depressed and his eyes were staring into hers pleadingly as he sang desperately, "Anywhere you go, let me go too!" He grabbed her shoulders and sang, "Rangiku, that's all I ask of-."
Suddenly there was a blade at Gin's throat, and the temperature dropped dramatically. "I suggest you get your hands off of her now, Gin Ichimaru," a dangerously calm voice said.
"Ah, hello, Toushiro," Gin said in a fake cheery voice, his usual grin creeping back onto his face. "I was wondering how long you were going to keep yourself hidden." He let go of Matsumoto.
Hitsugaya scowled and tightened his grip on Hyorinmaru, pressing it more against Gin's throat, not drawing blood yet. "Be quiet, Gin, unless you want your throat cut." He looked over at his Lieutenant. "Matsumoto, are you alright?"
She nodded, unable to speak.
"Why are you so defensive, Shiro?" Gin taunted the Squad 10 Captain. "Are you afraid of loosing her? Why fight it?" He looked at the blonde woman, smirking. "She's already mine."
"Quit the chit-chat, Ichimaru," Hitsugaya snapped. "You might as well surrender now." The rest of the Gotei 13 stepped into the clearing as he stated, "We've got you surrounded."
"Oh, dear," Gin said, not at all distressed. "It would seem that I am. Ah, well, not matter." He smiled eerily, looking up. "I also have you surrounded."
Suddenly Arrancar appeared in the clearing, surrounding the Gotei 13. Hitsugaya froze, not expecting it. Gin threw down a substance, and smoke appeared in the clearing, making people not able to see three feet past their noses.
Hitsugaya leapt away from Gin and ran for Matsumoto, reaching out to her. She reached out to grab his hand, but not before Gin grabbed her and shunpoed away.
"No! Matsumoto!" Hitsugaya shouted, trying to get through the smoke. He kept almost running into people, slowing him down.
Finally the smoke cleared, revealing that only the Gotei 13 remained in the clearing. Suddenly there was a cry of, "Oh my God!" All heads turned to see a female unseated member of one of the Squads kneeling beside a fallen and bleeding male unseated member. She cried, "Pachi, my love!" then started to cry.
"Oh my God," Shunsui gasped.
Ukitake grabbed the Squad 8 Captain's shoulder. "Everything's ruined, Shunsui. Ruined!" he said in a distressed voice as everyone rushed to help the fallen Soul Reaper.
Hitsugaya growled and looked around. He spotted Nanao and ran over to her. He grabbed her sleeve and demanded, "Where has he taken her?"
She looked around then answered, "I may have an idea. Come with me, sir. But remember, keep your guard and hand up." She started to lead him away.
Momo Hinamori, Lieutenant of the 5th Squad, and Izuru Kira, Lieutenant of the 3rd Squad, rushed up to them. "We'll come with you," Hinamori told them.
"No! Momo, no," Nanao exclaimed, holding her hand out to halt them. "You two must stay here and try to keep the others from following us." She grabbed Hitsugaya's sleeve and lead him away, running. "Hurry, Captain."
"No!" Hinamori cried, trying to dash after them.
"Momo, don't!" Izuru told her, holding her back by wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Shiro, don't do it! Don't go!" Hinamori cried after the two Soul Reapers as they faded from sight. "Gin will kill you!"
To Be Continued…
Ooo, cliffhanger. The next chapter will conclude the plot. Will Matsumoto be rescued by her beloved Captain? Or will Gin get away with her forever? Please remember to review. Peace