I truly, truly apologize for such a delayed update for this story "/ I really hope I didn't disappoint you guys in any way. My reasons for neglecting the stories on both this and my other account are, truthfully, really stupid and unnecessary but the threat of college is coming up and tests during the week had to be studied for and parties over the weekend definitely needed to be attended to. But since its summer now, updating may return on a frequent basis again…until school begins.
Also, I haven't been up-to-date with recent Bleach manga but, from what information I was able to gather, they're fighting Aizen's army now. Unfortunately, when I created the plot for this story, Orihime had just been rescued. Because this is AU, the following events of Orihime willingly returning to Hueco Mundo with Ulquiorra leading her, never happened. Other than that, enjoy my semi-long chapter and return to this story :)
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In Fragments
IV
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'I may not have been sure about what really did interest me, but I was absolutely sure about what didn't.'
-The Stranger; Albert Camus.
Perfect Justice. It had first stemmed from a vague idea of what the difference between right and wrong was that gradually flourished into something… well, downright beautiful; completely tangible.
Light suppressed a smirk, his eyes sweeping over the recently mute room.
There had been a profound silence that the office had lapsed into ever since the passing of the detective. Productivity had not wavered -- they were still running around in circles at Kira's godly disposal -- and the misplaced thought of bringing justice forth had continued to healthily prosper in their ill-informed minds.
What idiots, the young God thought bitterly, searching for something lodged so bluntly under their dirty noses. But humans were prone to being blind simply because they ironically had separate opinions and perceptions that blocked out divine truth. Such a paradox, isn't it?
A firm hand had been placed upon his shoulder and his world shifted slightly; the adolescent immediately, and carefully, ostracizing his expression before peering upwards to lock eyes with his elder. Mr. Yagami wore a look of concern, his moustache untrimmed and his eyes drooping slightly from subtle defeat and stretching stress.
It was a bit cruel, in theory, that L had pressed a lasting impression of anxiety and depression on the crew. It could've been Kira's fault too, but Kira was doing the world good, after all (so, it just can't be his fault), and L's plan to intercept and dismantle the golden pinnacle the rising God had been recently climbing was unnecessary. The aforementioned man was only investigating because he had thought the case as superior as himself; something eccentric and worth value. And it was his arrogance that led him to his death which left the team with a sense of hopelessness. If L, the acclaimed detective himself, couldn't prove his beliefs and catch the murderer, then who could?
"I think you should get a breath of fresh air, Light," the older Yagami suggested.
Light's eyes grew wide -- with intention, of course. "But dad," he began firmly if not a little childishly. "L's—"
"—dead," Soichiro finished. "And I understand your need to pick up where he left off, but that doesn't incline you to work all hours of the day and night. You should pay your mother a visit; she's been worrying about you."
With his father's words clinging to the stale air of the room, the boy felt irritably obligated to leave the office filled with clicks of keyboards and data-collecting monitors. He sent Soichiro a wary, well-rehearsed glance before slowly pulling himself upwards and admitting quiet, begrudged agreement before reaching for his jacket.
"If you insist, father," he muttered and, with a swoosh of a pair of wings; a muffled 'hyuk, hyuk', Light exited the building under his father's request; the dark mass of Ryuk trailing not far behind.
--
"Captain?"
There was a trail of strawberry-blonde hair and a sudden, and particular, amount of weight distributed over his shoulders. He closed his eyes in acrimony, stepping forward so the remarkable heaviness previously resting on him fell, before twisting around with his arms tightly crossed and the veins in his neck throbbing dangerously. His companion smiled sheepishly in response, readily tucking away her woman assets that were propped on his shoulders moments prior in attempt to ease the malice illuminating from his small body.
"Oh Captain Hitsugaya!" she beamed dramatically; hastily. She began to turn around. "I see you're not in the position to speak now so I'll—"
"Hold it!" he growled suddenly and she froze. "Is there a reason why you're paying a visit to my office during midday, Lieutenant Matsumoto? Is there a sake shortage at the bar? Because I can assure you I threw out all your stashed bottles in here. In fact, I even replaced them with all your untouched paperwork for the week. Astounding how I found piles of it hiding under the couch and behind the bookcase, isn't it?"
Matsumoto Rangiku forced a pitched laugh. "Oh Captain, you know I was only paying you a visit!"
He appeared unconvinced, cocking an eyebrow as he spoke, "or could your uncharacteristic sojourn have to do with the hell butterfly you most likely saw traveling to my room?"
"Well…" Her lips were caught between a smile and a frown, unsure what direction to take the sentence's shifted subject. "I… I thought it had to do with…"
"Aizen? Partially." he answered tonelessly. Her eyes widened in captured attention, silently entreating him to continue. "Apparently the disturbance of spiritual energy Lieutenant Abarai has recently been tracking had nothing to do with hollows but a soul. Kurosaki Ichigo and Urahara successfully apprehended the soul and was informed that there could possibly be a… problem."
"A problem?" repeated Rangiku, frowning prettily. "Captain, when you say 'problem'… it doesn't regard back to Aizen and the Arrancar, does it?" The lack of response had confirmed her sharp suspicions. 'But how, sir?"
"I've been informed that there's a human -- a boy, who carries some sort of death book," Toushiro explained. "If the human writes a name in a page, another human will die. As of now, its power compared to shinigamis is inadequate. It can't harm us. But Urahara fears Aizen will attempt to twist its ability to kill us, instead."
"But the boy." chocked the attractive woman.
"Has not been contacted -- as of now," the young captain assured, resting a clenched hand on the cool surface of his desk. "However, I can only assume Aizen already knows of his and the book's existence. It's only a matter of time before he's able to track the boy down. Unfortunately, Seireitei is already swamped with preparations for the winter war nearing so there's not much that can be done."
There was an abrupt knock on the door. "Excuse me Captain Hitsugaya-kun—"
"Momo?" Rangiku exclaimed at the unexpected visitor.
The petite girl smiled shyly, a slight curl to her lip that created a lopsided quality to her smile in its entirety. She placed her small hands behind her back, straightening herself as she proceeded before the bewildered captain and his lieutenant, "I… I wanted to say goodbye to you, Hitsugaya-kun."
"Goodbye?" He furrowed his eyebrows.
"Yes," she nodded promptly, "I'm leaving for the Living world now."
"Under whose orders?" he questioned lowly.
"Captain Kuchiki. Renji -- I mean, Lieutenant Arabai -- notified him of the activity in Kurosaki's town and… well… I haven't been much help for the past couple of months, and neither have I been out, so I volunteered to stay in the Living world to investigate whatever's happening and was granted permission from him." Momo recapitulated in a rushed voice, pink adorning her cheeks in slight embarrassment. She inhaled sharply, just as Toushiro parted his lips to speak, before rashly insisting, "I understand that… that Aizen's a trader now, Hitsugaya-kun, and I'd really appreciate it if you spared your comments and protests and just said goodbye to me."
Clinging tears stained the corner of her rounded eyes and Toushiro's shoulders shrugged in defeat. She looked terribly determined to pull a few departure words from him she was almost shaking, which quietly worried both him and Rangiku.
However, the lieutenant stepped quickly forward, because the formed lump in Toushiro's throat and the crystallized rocks in his feet forced him to remain where he stood, and gave the girl a hug.
"How… how unpredictable, Momo-chan!" laughed Rangiku, a waver threatening to ride her tongue and give way to the true uncertainty she harbored over the situation. "I'm happy you're out and about though! Heavens know I couldn't get you to go to the bar with me'n Izuru."
"Thank you, Rangiku-san," smiled the smaller girl, allowing Rangiku to part from her. She glanced at the adolescent next, unsure and quite terrified. "C-captain Hitsugaya?"
His eyes met hers. This had been the first time she ever addressed by… that. Without his crude urging. He grimaced. "Good luck, bed-wetter."
Her face lit up, nodding feverishly, and then reeled around; departing from the office. Silence delighted the enclosed area until the boy sighed.
"Captain, what if she's… not as 'stable' as she promises she is?" Rangiku blurted once the sound of footsteps gradually descended out of earshot.
Toushiro turned to her before casting his gaze to the nearest, open window. He rolled his eyes. "Lieutenant Hisagi and Lieutenant Kira, Hinamori is gone, you're allowed to come out from hiding."
There was a thud and a frantic scramble of feet before two heads belonging to Hisagi Shuhei and Kira Izuru; colored with shame, dared to rise up in dangerous, visible air.
"C-captain…" stammered Izuru incoherently, trembling under the rendering and cold stare. "We… were…"
"Never mind what you were doing, Lieutenant," harshly interrupted the boy prodigy. "Grow a backbone and send a request to Captain Kuchiki of his presence in my office immediately and you, Hisagi." The broader man -- just about to leave with Izuru -- jerked his head sideways to stare Toushiro directly, if not a bit reluctantly, in the eye. "Under my permission, I want a joint mission between your division and Lieutenant Hinamori's. Tell her there was simply a change in plans and follow her to the Living world and arrange rooms and IDs with Urahara. I'll send you further instructions when you arrive there."
Shuhei's face twisted with conflict, however, he obediently nodded his head. "Yes Captain." he forced before flash-stepping after Momo.
Within a second of his exit, Rangiku's face fell exquisitely at the lack of an anticlimax. The absence of an explanation from Toushiro's part or the protest from Shuhei's. Instead, she was left with a verbal agreement that loomed in the air between herself and her superior; enabling her to hear every tremble and inflection to Shuhei's words. Perhaps it was better, though, in retrospect, for someone to look after Momo.
"Is there something wrong, Matsumoto?" Toushiro asked.
Her jaw locked slightly. "I just have a very bad feeling, sir."
--
The sun was absent.
A pack of dark, brooding clouds had consumed everything in the atmosphere that was once light, leaving the border between the sky and street nearly nonexistent. That very fine line had blurred and smeared away and the threat of rain was prominent in smell and visibility.
Light frowned at the persistent growling of Ryuk's stomach; the spasms sure to follow any moment. He paused and glanced at the nearest market, deciding the impatient shinigami probably would not wait the entire walk home to the Yagami household for an apple, and casually entered. The adolescent walked up and down the isles, assuming Sayu was home and purchased a chocolate bar for her while grabbing two apples for the rest of the journey home for Ryuk.
"What a creepy guy," commented Light's unearthly companion and he looked over his shoulder, meeting slit eyes and silver hair. "Wonder if he's lookin at you or me."
Ignoring Ryuk's remarks, the teen stepped forward. "Can I help you, sir?"
An odd twist appeared on the man's smile. "Yagami Light," he hummed pleasantly with an undertone Light couldn't quite decipher.
The teen controlled an innocent blink before taking his plastic grocery bag, extending his free hand out. It was left untouched, suspended in mid air. Eventually Light retracted it, however, carried on with formalities. "Yes, I'm Yagami Light. I apologize but I can't seem to recognize you at this moment."
"Oh, you wouldn't recognize me," he smiled before slithering out the store's door.
Light followed in toll, collected and impartial. "Then how, may I ask, do you know of me?"
"Profound names always find their way to profound souls, Yagami Light," the man replied. There was a falter in the teen's movement at the response. The elder reeled fleetingly around.
Red. His eyes were red. Like the apples rolling back and forth in Light's bag.
"You assume you know of unworldly things, Yagami Light, and you do. But its just a sliver of knowledge that you've obtained. There's an entire world you can never touch, a world filled with deficient justice."
"What are you talking about?" Light snarled, his pretenses falling to the snake's taunts and incoherency. "Who are you?"
"Who am I?" he smiled widely. "Why, I'm Ichimaru Gin, a shinigami."
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All right guys so an explanation for Momo's unexpected roll in the story will be covered in the next chapter (besides the fact that I'm admittedly one of her few fans anddecidedtogiveherthecreditshedeserves) as well Matt's brief introduction. Also, I admittedly prefer Gin's polite, mocking voice in the English dub rather than the Kyoto dialect he uses in the Japanese sub and honestly can write the former much more adequately than the latter, harhar. And I promise next update will be a lot sooner than my last one. Hopefully. Cough. &reviews are lovely as always!
