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Toshiro took a small step backwards reflexively at the sight of the cool faced one armed man. He suddenly felt the urge to run, but quickly realized that would only draw attention to himself. A small growl escaped his throat. Yasashi briefly looked at him with a confused expression before turning back towards the front once Dagateru started to talk.
'What the hell is Aizen doing here?'
Probably looking for you, young one. Since he's here though I can only assume he knows about your relationship to Dagateru. This isn't good.
"Good morning!" Dagateru bellowed in a deep voice that resonated throughout the courtyard. "I am glad that you all could me, I have a very important announcement." He paused for effect as his grin widened along with Aizen's "It seems that my son is still alive."
The dragons in the crowd murmured amongst themselves. It had long been thought that their leader's offspring had died at birth.
"My new friend here, Sosuke Aizen has informed me that he has seen my son himself and wants to help us find him as a gesture of good will." he put his arm around the burnett's shoulders, making the one armed man smirk. "My son's name is Toshiro and he has the ability to take on a human form, which he seems to prefer. I will offer a reward of one thousand gold pieces to whomever finds him." Chaos began to erupt in the crowd as everybody excitedly began to fly off in search of their leader's lost child. In the chaos Yasashi turned towards Toshiro with confusion written all over her face. She was smart, there was no way she didn't realize who he was now. Toshiro sighed and gestured her to follow him. He turned back to the platform for a moment to see Aizen carefully scanning the crowd for him. The burnett didn't seem to notice him yet so he took off out of the courtyard with Yasashi on his heels. She followed him all the way back to her humble cottage without a words, but once they entered the domicile she began to spill the thoughts in her head.
"You are Dagateru's son? Why didn't you tell me? I would have given you a more proper meal and a better place to sleep. And why does he not know you are here? Do you not want to see him?"
"Slow down please." Toshiro sighed. "I will explain everything, I owe you that much at least." He carefully recounted everything that had happened in the past year, along with elaborating on his past relationships with Aizen and the Gotei 13. He ended with the story the Guardian had shared about his parents.
She sighed as she took in his tale. He could see the thoughts whirling around in her head, but he remained silent until she spook.
"You should leave at nightfall, they will find you if you remain here." she smiled. "I can give you some supplies. I'm sorry I don't have much, but I can give you what I have." Toshiro sighed, she was too kind, she deserved a better life than what she had, and there was one way he could help.
Don't you dare do what you're thinking! The Guardian growled.
'I have to, they deserve the reward. It would really help them out, and she had been so kind and generous even though she has so little.'
It is a trap set by Aizen, Toshiro Hitsugaya! Do not be a fool
'I'm tired of running away, besides this will be the last thing he's expecting. It might throw his plans off a little.'
I do not agree with this plan.
'I don't care, it's happening.'
Hmpf, stubborn child
"Turn me in Yasashi." he announced solumely.
"What? Don't joke around like that."
"I'm serious, you and your family need the money, and I think I'm done running away from my problems." she smiled slightly to reassure her. She still frowned not liking the idea, but she nodded anyways.
/
"Lord Dagateru." a large black dragon interrupted the private conversation between the silver haired man and the burnett making the former frown slightly at the intrusion. They were standing on a balcony overlooking the town. He had just announced his son being alive just an hour ago and he was conversing with his new acquaintance when the guard had burst in.
"What do you want" Dagateru growled causing both Aizen and the black dragon to shiver slightly.
"Someone claims to have found you son." The dragon bowed asDagateru's mood instantly recovered.
"Bring them in." the dragon left and returned with a large purple dragon with a smaller silver dragon beside her. The guard followed behind them. The purple dragon bowed with respect as the silver dragon locked eye with the man, neither moving.
"Are you truly my son Toshiro?" the silver dragon snorted and released a whirlwind of spirit energy that transformed him into the silver haired young man he was accustomed to. Yasashi gasped slightly at his transformation, even though she knew he was Dagateru's son she had not sensed this much power within him. She suddenly felt less worried about him now.
Dagateru grinned at the sight, this was definitely his child. He sized him up as Toshiro stood in place with his arms crossed and a smug look on his face. He had glimpsed Aizen's slightly shocked expression when he showed up and it was very amusing. Dagateru walked over to embrace Toshiro.
"You are indeed my son. You look just like me." he laughed and then cocked his head to the side. "But I can see your mother in you as well."
Anger flushed in Toshiro's face at that last comment, but he held his tongue as his father looked him over before turning up to Yasashi.
"Thank you, you may go now." he waved her off.
"What about her reward?" Toshiro questioned.
"Oh right, right." he waved dismissively. He reached into his pocket and tossed the purple dragon a bag of gold that she caught.
"Thank you." she bowed to Dagateru but look at Toshiro as she spoke before quickly leaving the room. Toshiro then turned back to face his father and the man he hated most in this world.
"You seem tense, my son." Dagateru noted and he stepped to put his arm around Toshiro's shoulder. The younger man tried to squirm out of his grip, but the older man's grip tightened holding him in place. Toshiro then settled for glaring at Aizen instead. Dagateru noticed this and laughed.
"It seems my friend was right when he said you probably didn't like him that much."
"That may be an understatement." Toshiro sneered making Aizen smirk as well.
"If I may, Lord Dagateru." Aizen interjected smoothly. "I have helped you reunite with your son, may I be so bold as to ask for you to fulfill your half of the bargain?"
"Toshiro." Dagateru began as he turned towards the smaller man under his arm. "Aizen here says you have something that belongs to him. I would like you to give it to him." he squeezed Toshiro's shoulder for emphasis making the young man wince slightly.
"Not going to happen." Toshiro gritted out while glaring at Aizen who frowned slightly at this.
"Make it easy on yourself, Toshiro, and give me what I want." Aizen forced a smile on his face again.
"You want it? Come and take it. Unless you want me to bite off your other arm." Toshiro smirked. Dagateru roared with laughter.
"You bit off this man's arm? How amusing, you are definitely my son. Come we will talk about this more later. For now we must have a celebration." He steered Toshiro out of the room as he kept talking, leaving Aizen behind fuming as he began to follow the two dragons.
/
Toshiro felt his mouth drop open as he gazed at the banquet table full of food. It felt like ages since he had seen that much food in one place. There was enough food here to feed the entire village, of was everything from roasted deer, boar, and pheasant, to a large variety of vegetables and a few unidentifiable dishes. He awkwardly stood in the entire way gawking at the food until his father walked behind him and slapped him on the back snapping him out of his daze.
"Like it?" Dagateru grinned. "You can have meals like this everyday from now on."
Toshiro didn't know what to say. There was no way everybody in this room was going to eat all this food. There had to be a ton of leftovers. But what did they do with the leftovers? He hoped they didn't throw it all away, but he had a feeling that was probably the case. There was about twenty dragons in the room and at least fifteen of them were in human form. Everybody was busy conversing amongst themselves, but Toshiro could feel everyone taking their turn to size him up. Dagateru noticed his unease and put his arm Toshiro and steered him past the food and towards the balcony where he could see the entire village bathed in the orange glow of the sunset.
"You will get used to it, my son." he purred which gave Toshiro a slight chill. "Don't worry about them in there."
"But I don't plan on. . " he was interrupted as Dagateru rustled his hair making him growl slightly, he thought he was past the days where people did that to him.
"Just enjoy yourself tonight, kiddo." he patted Toshiro on the back again and handed him a beverage before walking off to mingle. Toshiro sighed and leaned in the balcony. The view was truly spectacular from up here. The little lights from the village danced starkly against the encroaching darkness. He pulled at the shirt collar around his neck. He wasn't used to fitted clothing, especially in the past years. His father had insisted on outfitting him with new clothing. Toshiro looked down at the fitted blue silk shirt and tan slacks. He felt out of place dressed like this.
"You should be thank me, Toshiro." Aizen purred from behind which caused Toshiro's anger to rise.
"Thank you?! Like hell I would ever thank you for anything." Toshiro spat as he faced the well groomed former Shinigami captain. The burnett stood smuggly between Toshiro and the party while he lazily held a wine glass in his remaining hand. He was dressed up in a smooth grey tux with a maroon colored tie. Aizen took a sip of his wine and stepped closer to Toshiro causing the younger man to instinctually take a step back and bump into the balcony railing without ever breaking eye contact. Aizen then chuckled in response.
"Here I am after all we have been through. You bit off my arm and continuously deny me the key to the Oken, and still I have reunited you with your father and given you a chance at the good life." he smugly retorted. While taking another sip of wine. Toshiro rolled his eyes and turned his back to Aizen once again facing out towards the town.
"Your plan won't work." Toshiro bluntly stated.
"Oh? And what makes you so sure?" Aizen teased. Toshiro turned back around and walked right up to Aizen sticking his face in his.
"I will never give you the Guardian nor the Oken, so you should just give up now. Besides," he leaned in closer for emphasis. "You can't touch me here." Toshiro then bumped into him aggressively as he headed back inside. Aizen smirked as he watched the young man storm off. It was always amusing to push his buttons.
Toshiro spent the evening getting introduced to many of the beings in the room. His father seemed rather eager to show him off to everybody in attendance. After several hours of feasting and socializing the crowd began to slowly shrink as everyone began to head home. Before he knew it only a handful of people remained, his father and of course Aizen being some of them.
"I'm getting tired." Toshiro yawned catching his father's attention.
"Come with me then, I will show you where you will be staying." Dagateru eagerly steered him out of the room and down the hallway, and after a few minutes of silence they arrived and the largest suite Toshiro had ever seen. Even his captain's quarters wasn't this large.
"I hope you enjoy living here, Toshiro. I'm glad I finally found you." Dagateru grinned and placed both his hands on Toshiro's shoulders. "Get some rest, I want to see you demonstrate your abilities to me tomorrow at dawn."
"It has been nice getting to meet you but I don't plan on staying long. . ." Toshiro trailed off as he saw his father's look turn darker. Dagateru sighed as he reached into his pocket.
"Sosuke said you would try and leave me so I had him make me this." before Toshiro could react Dagateru had snapped a metal ringlette around Toshiro's wrist. "I had hoped I wouldn't need this."
"What the hell?" Toshiro shouted as he jerked his arm away and frantically tried to remove the device without success.
"This will allow me to find you no matter where you are. It will stay on your wrist no matter what, even when you transform into a dragon. I'm the only one who can remove it." Dagateru glowered as he stepped closer to Toshiro causing to younger man to feel nervous under his intense gaze. The man could pierce steel with the look he was giving right now. "I have finally found you after all these years. You will not leave me now, and if you do." he paused for emphasis. "I know of your past relationships with the Shinigami. I know you were once a captain of the Gotei 13, so if you leave I will find you and then I will hunt down everyone you care about over there and kill them brutally."
"Don't you dare." Toshiro growled but his eyes were still wide from shock.
"Stay here with me and you will not have anything to worry about, my son." he spat before taking a softer tone. "Goodnight, I want to see your capabilities in the morning" Dagateru then turned on his heel and stormed off down the hall. Toshiro stood dumbfounded. He was trapped. He had been hoping to leave in the morning, but apparently Aizen had anticipated this move and planned ahead. Toshiro walked into the room and plopped on the bed.
I told you this was a bad idea.
'Shut up! There was no way you could have known about this,' Toshiro scowled.
No, but I know Dagateru, and I know he will do anything to get his way.
'Tch' Toshiro sighed, he was trapped. Aizen always seemed to be at least one step ahead of him. He jumped off of the bed and walked over to the balcony in his room that overlooked the town as well. Just a day ago he was freely soaring the skies, completely uninhibited, but now he was stuck here, with his crazy ass father that he has never known, and his worst enemy. Toshiro sighed and grabbed a pillow off the bed and laid out on the balcony. At least he felt comfortable sleeping under the stars.
Oh No Toshiro is trapped! What is in store for our favorite silver haired Shinigami/Dragon? Stay tuned to find out. Please review!
