A/N Hey guys! Welcome to the first chapter of Frozen Tears! In this chapter, there'll be a strange scene... What could it be? Let's find out! Happy reading everyone!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Though I wish I owned Hitsugaya.


He stood in an icy plain, surrounded by crystals and ice. Everywhere he looked, there was nothing but barren, broken ground, frost growing over the little cracks. Dead trees stood alone on the vast plain, their branches naked of leaves. There was no sign of life anywhere. The sky was a majestic dark marine blue instead of the usual sky colour, and instead of clouds, large chunks of ice floated in the air, slowly moving around through the sea-like sky.

Gazing around the area fondly, he proceeded to seek out his zanpakuto. He knew that he was in his inner world, though he had no idea why. He scanned the heavens for any signs of his dragon zanpakuto, looking for at least a glimmer of icy blue.

There were none.

He frowned at the absence of his beloved friend, and began to call out its name.

"Hyourinmaru!"

No response came. He was met with utter silence. Frown growing deeper, he wandered around his inner world, scanning the horizons for any tell tale signs of a blue dragon. Once again, there was no breakthrough in his search. Sighing, he sat down on a rock, glancing up at the marine heavens above his head.

It was then a spark glinted, a powerful bright light up in the skies. He perked up expectantly when he felt a familiar reiatsu. Finally, his zanpakuto had come.

With a powerful gale, the ice dragon descended, spreading magnificent wings of frozen water. Ruby red eyes twinkled amusedly at him as the dragon wrapped its tail around his body. He smiled up at his companion, reaching for the reptile's snout as it bent down towards him. Stroking it lovingly, he decided to ask why he was in his inner world.

"Master, I have come to warn you."

The young man raised an eyebrow questioningly at his dragon, wondering what in the world he meant. "Warn me about what?" He asked, blinking as ruby eyes bore into his soul.

"You are in danger. I can sense it-"

A sudden explosion of black erupted from behind the two. The man, startled, looked behind the dragon in curiosity, wanting to know what had caused the explosion. His eyes widened alarmingly, his teal pupils taking in the sight before him.

Darkness poured out of a hole in the ground, thick ghastly tentacles reeking of death. The dragon let out a fearsome screech and took to the skies, its tail which had been wrapped around the man's waist yanking him into the air. An undignified yelp escaped the man's lips as he was forcefully carried by his dragon through the heavens, wondering frantically what was going on.

He glanced back at the overwhelming darkness, and froze when he saw that it was chasing them, disgusting black limbs reaching out into the air.

Then the darkness seemed to curl itself inwards, before springing back out with such force that it crashed into one of the dragon's wings. The man let out a gasp as his zanpakuto screeched again, flapping its wings in a desperate attempt to shake the darkness off it.

The reptile's efforts were futile. Eventually the darkness began to seep into the icy wings, black, greedy veins spreading out through the dragon's body.

With a pained, strangled cry, the dragon plummeted from the sky down to the ground, letting go of the man in the process. Grunting as he landed on the ground on his feet, the boy who looked to be the age of 18 stumbled, tripping over his legs.

"Run Master...! Run away...!"

He whirled around upon hearing his zanpakuto's pleading voice, only to see that very creature being devoured by the shadows. The tentacles of darkness held it down firmly as it thrashed in their grasp, black, sticky webs pressed against the dragon's icy hide.

"Hyourinmaru!" The young man cried out despairingly. He took a step forward, only to stop as he was ordered to move back, to run and hide away from the creature-like shadows. Teal eyes flashed furiously at the shadows engulfing his zanpakuto. He had to do something... There had to be something he could do to help!

"Hyourin-"

"FLEE MASTER! NOW!"

The boy flinched at the roughness of his companion's tone and shrunk back, watching as the dragon slowly began to disintegrate before his eyes. "No! Hyourinma-"

"I am sorry Master... But please, go... Before... The darkness..."

Eats you too.

"NO!" The heartbroken boy watched as his zanpakuto's form shattered, melting away into the wind like the dragon had never been there. The shadows bubbled for a moment, before it became a violent mess of black, writhing around. To the boy's horror, a figure emerged from the spot his friend had once been in.

It was a beast from Hell. It was entirely black all over, only a distinct shape to its form telling him that it was no ordinary shadow. Suddenly two holes opened up on the creature's face where the eyes were meant to be, and the boy found himself staring into the depths of poison yellow pupils.

His blood froze over, his limbs stiffening. An emotion flashed through his body, sending every single nerve in him alive. How long had it been since he last felt this feeling? Since he ever experienced anything that awakened this emotion?

He was afraid. Of the monster before him, and the fear of ending up like his beloved zanpakuto ravaged his mind. He felt his sanity stretch in the presence of the shadowy inhuman being, his mind nearing the edge of madness.

"Fear..."

"Fear..."

"Fear... Me..."

His eyes widened further as the beast spoke, a deep rumbling, ancient voice, which seemed so foreign... yet so familiar at the same time. He took a few more steps back, his breath caught in his throat, his mind whirling in confusion. Then he whipped around and ran, pumping his legs as he sprinted away from the creature, putting in all of his energy to escape.

He knew the shadows were chasing after him, hot on his trail.

He could sense their presence behind him, slowly gaining on him.

Forgive me... Hyourinmaru... the boy thought, despair and grief wrecking his mind. He risked a look behind, and saw the darkness still following him, splashing around like black, murky waves. The monstrosity from before was nowhere to be seen.

He turned back, feeling a slight bit of hope swell in his chest.

Until a claw of darkness shot forward and grabbed him by the neck.

A splutter, then struggling, as the boy tried to free himself from the black shadow's iron grip. The touch of the shadow burned him, and he let out a strangled scream of anguish, his beautiful teal eyes dulling and dilating from the agony.

He attempted to kick at the figure, but it caught his leg, and with a sickening crunch, snapped his ankle. A howl echoed through the air as the boy felt pain zap through him, his nerves jolting and jumping wildly. His body grew slack, and all he could do was endure the fiery sensation against his skin, gasping for air.

The creature pulled back an arm, its fingers sharp and dripping with a strange black liquid.

"You..."

A slit opened up on the creature's face, and it curved into a malicious grin, fangs bared at the weakening boy. Then, with a laugh, it stabbed its arm through his body, piercing him accurately through the heart.

"Are mine..."


"Taicho~!" Matsumoto Rangiku, 10th Division Vice-Captain of the Gotei 13, hollered, slamming the office door open. Seated at his desk, an imposing figure sipping tea from a cup and a thin brush in hand, was Hitsugaya Toshirou, Captain of the 10th Division. The ice captain grimaced at the loudness of his vice, nearly spitting out his tea.

"What is it, Matsumoto?" He asked agitatedly, trying to calm his nerves. Matsumoto merrily skipped into the office she shared with her captain, ignoring the piles of paperwork on her desk. Hitsugaya watched her as the busty woman pulled open a drawer of her table, his irritation growing by the minute.

"Ah! Found it!" The vice-captain suddenly gave a cry, bringing a scowl to the prodigy's face when she revealed several large sake bottles. "I'm going over to the 9th Division for Shuuhei's party!" She announced, blinking innocently at her young captain. A tick mark appeared on Hitsugaya's forehead.

"Absolutely not," he snapped harshly, standing up from his seat abruptly. Matsumoto's face fell.

"Why?" She whined, clutching the precious bottles closer to her chest in fear of her hot-tempered captain snatching them away and breaking them. Hitsugaya sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he sat back down. He indicated to the large amount of paperwork that were almost toppling over on the vice-captain's desk.

"You've still got a lot of work to do. Complete them all before you go for that blasted party," he grumbled, dipping his brush into the ink holder, wetting the tip with black dye. Matsumoto's eyes widened disbelievingly.

"But it'll take me forever to finish them all!" She protested vehemently, pouting at her captain. "By the time I'm done with them, the party will be over, and I'll become an old hag!" She went on.

"I'd rather you become an old hag from paperwork than from excessive drinking," Hitsugaya muttered, quickly finishing up the last slip of paperwork which he had to do. Matsumoto's eye twitched at her captain's words.

"What did you say Taicho?" She said threateningly, a sinister aura enveloping her. Her nails became sharper as she glared at the young captain. Hitsugaya let out a yawn, blinking his teal eyes tiredly at her. He pushed back his chair and set his brush down, running a hand through his silvery-white hair to spike it up a bit more.

"I'm already done. I'll be taking a nap, so by the time I wake up I expect to see all your paperwork completed. If not you can kiss those sake bottles of yours goodbye," he barked sharply. Matsumoto hunched, the evil aura disappearing, and she placed her sake bottles back into the drawer. Sulking, she plopped down on her seat and began to do some paperwork.

Hitsugaya sat on the sofa, stretching his sore limbs. Lying his head down on a cushion, he let himself relax, his eyelids drooping tiredly. But then a memory flashed through his mind and he flinched, cringing.

That dream...

He could still remember every single specific detail in the nightmare he experienced from the previous night. Hyourinmaru had gotten eradicated by some shadows. And the creature stabbed him. It had seemed so real that Hitsugaya almost believed it was real, and that the life he was living in now was just a dream.

But then he had woken up after being 'stabbed', and found himself lying on the ground, having rolled out of his bed. He had been drenched in sweat, the liquid wetting the floor of his quarters. He was lucky he did not have to endure the feeling of a shirt sticking to his body due to the sweat, as he normally slept without a shirt on, only a pair of pants.

Not that he would tell that to anybody.

Hitsugaya found that he couldn't bear to sleep, at least, not for now. He did not want to see that dream ever again. I hope it won't come back...

It was then a knock sounded on the door.

"Come in," Hitsugaya commanded, sitting up. He sensed Matsumoto's surprise radiating off her, but ignored it.

In came a messenger from the 1st Division obviously with a message in hand. "Hitsugaya Taicho, your presence is requested by the Sou-Taicho. He has called for a Captain's Meeting," he reported, getting on one knee in a form of respect towards the ice captain.

"Very well. You are dismissed," The messenger shunpoed away.

Hitsugaya furrowed his eyebrows, pondering.

Now what does that Kyouraku want this time...?


A/N There you have it everyone! A Captain's Meeting! What does Kyouraku want now? Find out in the next chapter! Reviews please! :)