AN
A bit shorter, sorry but I wanted to get you guys a new chapter since I gave 2 to my other stories. Plus think of this as the set up for the next chapter which is gonna be chock full of enough Gin/Ran to make me not so sad about my other story.
AN
"Damn it Ran."
Matusmoto frowned and opened her eyes, bleerily recognizing the interior of the Fourth Division and the angry angry ruby eyes looking down at her. She frowned, trying to figure out how she got there but her mind was plesantly blank. Her body was also rather plesantly numb. Her throat however was dry, her tongue felt big in her mouth. She felt the bed shift as Gin sat down and slid a hand under her shoulders, pulling her up with suprising gentleness and bracing her against his forearm. He reached behind him for the glass of water on the bedside stand and gently held it up to her, tilting it so the cool water trickled down her throat. The anger didn't go out of his eyes but it didn't seem to be directed at her for once.
"Whats going on?" she whispered as he removed the glass and placed it on the table before gently easing her down, "Gin—"
"The Arrancar torturing you attempted a new technique," he said, "it worked."
"And?" she prodded
"You've been unconscious for three days," he replied.
"And you haven't captured Hitsugaya yet?" she demanded, strength returning to her voice. He shook his head, "that's good," she said with a faint smile. Gin continued to glare, "I don't know where he is—"
"I know that!" he practically shouted at her, looking very young for once, "you would have told me."
"Don't be so sure," she snapped, her eyes flashing.
"Ran, don't start," he said, his voice betraying the weariness she was just beginning to pick out in his face.
She frowned, concern in her eyes but she wasn't going to apologize. The bastard did, after all, help destroy her home and throw her in jail. But still, he didn't look that good. Like he hadn't slept in days. Like he hadn't moved. Like he had stayed by her side. Matsumoto's eyes widened. Was the concern for her? Had he, Gin Ichimaru, been worried about her? She knew she was one of the few people he really cared about—not as high as Aizen on his list though—but she didn't even think he would have guarded her, waiting for her to wake up. She lifted a hand and gently placed it onto his knee. His eyes went from her hand to her face, half expecting her to summon strength from some unkonwn place and kick his ass. But she just offered a small smile, her eyes still burning with that same determination they always had.
"You've got your eyes open more," she said as she felt sleep tug at her, her eyes going up to see Gin removing a syringe from her IV, "Gin?"
"You need to sleep," he said, "Unohana had to be locked back up but she told me to give you this," he showed her the vial, she vaguely recognized the odd name from an old injury she had.
"Stay with me til I fall asleep?" she pleaded, ignoring the childishness of her voice. For a moment she tought he would refuse her but instead his head inclined in a nod of confirmation, "its nice."
"What's nice? The drugs? Well I know its not sake—"
"Ha ha Gin-pig," she yawned slightly, "no, its nice to be here with you," she smiled and closed her eyes, "even if you're silly sometimes."
"Sorry," he whispered, his voice soft enough so that she could barely hear him.
"S'okay," she murmered faintly as her eyes fluttered shut, "I'll always forgive you."
Gin bowed his head as sleep took Matsumoto off to a much simplier place. He looked at the unblemished skin of her face, painfully aware that the damage all lay where he could not see it. Where it could not be easily fixed. Unohana had worked wonders but she had done them illegally. Orihime had tried to fight off Ulquiorra to get to Matsumoto when she felt the fluxuations in her Spiriutal Pressure. But Aizen had need to see how his technique had worked before he tried it out on Byakuya Kuchiki. Since Matsumoto's Zanpakto was the closest to his he had chosen her to be his candidate.
Inwardly Gin shuddered, remembering feeling the changes in her Spiritual Pressure so acutely it made his head spin. He had always been very in tune with Rangiku's Spiritual Pressure. It was how he found her that day so long ago in the middle of the field. He had gotten to her prison faster than he thought he could, just in time to see her collapse in a boneless heap on the ground, her eyes locked on the now vacant handle of her Zanapkto. Next to it, in a container that had been sealed with something, was the ash of her Zanpakto in a container. All his grace, all his humor, it was all gone in the face of her injury.
And then Aizen had locked Unohana away, forbid Orihime from healing her and sent Tousen of all people to try and get Gin away from her. Well Tousen might have been good but this was Rangiku and it was going to take a hell of a lot more than Mr. Blind-Pure-Spirit to get him away from her. That and the fact that he had some help from a rather suprising source.
"Is she sleeping?" Hinamori asked softly from the doorway.
Who the hell would have thought there was an acutal reason for Aizen to need Hinamori all nice and brainwashed. The girl hadn't even touched her Zanpakto, she had lashed out with her Spiritual Pressure. It was erratic and harsh, he didn't even think she knew she was doing it, but she had essentially given Tousen the equivilant of a Spiritual bitch slap. Betwen her and the actual blow that Gin had given him he had backed off pretty quickly leaving the two of them to work on Rangiku. Hinamori knew more than he did, she had spent a lot of time in the Fourth Division. She managed to get directions from Unohana very quickly before Tousen told Aizen what happened.
So Gin and Hinamori had become rather unlikely allies in their fight to save Rangiku. Gin hadn't minded. Hinamori was one of the few people in Soul Society who seemed imune to his mockings. Even when he had his eyes open she wasn't afraid of him. In fact, she wasn't really afraid of anything. She could even hold a conversation with Halibel and the Espada didn't seem to want to rip her limbs off like she did everyone else. Hell he had seen her and Grimmjow talking once. No-one seemed to mind her. Even the Shinigami who were locked up seemed only to bring themselves to pity her for her foolishness, hate seemed to be out of the question even for them.
"Why wouldn't Captian Aizen let Unohana help her?" Hinamori asked, her eyes bright, "Matsumoto didn't do anything to hurt anyone—she doesn't even know where Shiro is!" she looked at Matsumoto, "I don't understand, Captain Aizen's got to have a reason for this."
If Gin were more understanding he would have said something smart. But the three days of no sleep, of wondering if Rangiku was going to survive had taken their toll and he couldn't stop the bitter laughter that spilled from his lips. Hinamori's eyes widened and he was sure he must look insane, sitting on the hospital bed with the sleeping Rangiku laughing but he couldn't help it. Mission or no, he knew why Aizen had done what he had. Byakuya was the one they were after, not Rangiku. She was means to an end. He was going to be in a lot of trouble for helping her but he couldn't be bothered to care. Life without Rangiku was not something he ever had or ever would consider.
"W-what's so funny?" Hinamori asked, "I bet Captain Aizen didn't even kno—"
"You fool," Gin laughed, failing to stop, "he knew. He knows everything that's going on around here."
"But then why would he do this? There must be a reason—"
"No, there isn't," Gin replied instantly before realizing what he had said.
His eyes widened. What had he just said? He hadn't continued their game, he hadn't defended Captain Aizen. Captain Aizen who had seen him as something other than a prodigy. Captain Aizen who he had always considered a father figure— Captain Aizen who had tried to use Ran, the one person that Gin had asked him to spare. The person Aizen had promised to spare. His ruby eyes narrowed in anger. He had used her. He had used her and he had used him. The cold pain of realization spread up the length of his spine. He had been a fool. He had follwed Aizen into hell becuase he thought that was what he should do. Because Aizen was like a father to him. Gin wouldn't betray Aizen anymore than Kira would have betrayed him. And so here he was, watching Rangiku still fight for her life because he had been blinded.
He looked at Hinamori and felt the pity he assumed the rest of Soul Society held for her. He looked at Rangiku and realized he saved her now but there was no guarentee he'd be able to do it next time.
He was going to have to get her out of there.
Break
Yoruichi stepped out of the hotel room to go to the ice machine, the bucket in her hand. Even with Nel's healing spit (god she prayed it was spit) Soifon still had some spectacular bruising and Hitsugaya's hand was still sore. Being unbruised and deciding that she had less destinctive hair than Nel, Yoruichi had volunteered to go and get ice. The carpet was scratchy under her feet and she moved slowly, giving the apperance fo being slightly asleep or slightly intoxicated. That way if she was attacked the person would think she wasn't a threat and give her an opening she could use without her Spiritual Power.
"Alright I'm going! Jeez you don't gotta be an ass about it!"
Yoruichi dropped the bucket in shock as none other than Renji Abarai walked out of the hotel room, sending a vicious glare over his shoulder at the other occupant. He was dressed in baggy pajama bottoms...and only a pair of baggy pajama bottoms. His red hair fell down his back, every other tattoo was visible. The door opened and something white sailed through it, hitting him squarely in the back of the head before he turned around and caught it deftly.
"Wear a fucking shirt!" she heard the unmistakable voice of Ichigo Kurosaki bellow.
Grumbling Renji yanked on the garment with more force than necessary before his eyes found hers.
"Yoruichi?"
"Renji!"
Both were so estatic to see the other that they threw their arms around each other.
"You are too damn—Yoruichi?!" Ichigo froze, his eyes widening. Yoruichi yanked him into the impromptu hug, "can't breath!"
"Don't care," she grinned, "how are you two? Whose with you?"
"Why do you assume we couldn't escape on our own?" Ichigo demanded, "we could have."
"Experience says otherwise," Yoruichi said arching an eyebrow.
"Fine! My dad and Ryuken are in there," he pointed to a door, "me, Renji, Sado, Uryu and Hanataro are in there," he pointed to the door next to them, "and, uh, you don't want to go in there."
"What? Is Rukia pissed at you again?" Yoruichi asked.
"Eh if she is, there's someone she's way more mad at."
"And that would be?"
"Hisana," Renji said instantly.
"Hisana?" Yoruichi questioned, "wait, as in, her sister Hisana? As in Little Byakuya's wife Hisana?" they nodded, "where's that bitch?" Yoruichi demanded, her gold eyes flashing, "I'm itching for a good fight."
"Hold on," Ichigo stood in front of her, "we're hiding out here and not that I don't appriciate your need for a good fight—believe me I've been looking for one of those—I'm pretty sure Hotel management would kick us out and then we're pretty much fucked."
"Oh this won't take long," Yoruichi said sidestepping him, "and how quiet she is depends on how good she is with pain," she continued walking over to the door.
Both men dove in front, blocking her path easily.
"Now lets not be—hey who else is with you?"
"Why do you assume there's someone else with me?" Yoruichi challanged.
"Because you're always dragging his ass outta some kind of trouble," Renji smirked.
"She is not!" Ichigo argued hotly.
"Uh, yeah she is," Renji said crossing his arms.
"He's got a point," Yoruichi said, "but the people with me got out on their own," she said turning around and heading to the ice machine, filling the bucket, "come on," she slid her keycard into the door.
"Does it normally take that long to get ice?" Hitsugaya demanded crossly from where he was sitting on the bed.
"Captain Histugaya! Captain Soifon? Nel?!" Renji and Ichigo's eyes went all around before resting on the green haired former Espada who was in her adult form.
"I need a title," she muttered.
"You two escaped?" Hitsugaya demanded, his eyes wide, "how?"
"Why does everyone assume we couldn't escape on our own?" Ichigo demanded.
"No, they assume you couldn't escape on your own," Renji scoffed, "some of us don't usually need to be rescued."
"Shut up! Like no-one's ever had to save you before! I kicked your ass once—"
"And only once, besides I'll fight you again!"
"The two of them suck at being quiet," Hitsugaya muttered crossing his arms, "they're going to blow our cover."
Both suddenly went flying into the room as the door slammed shut behind them and the person who kicked them. Rukia glared at the two men angrily, putting her hands on her hips.
"If you two don't shut up you're going to get us caught," she snapped before looking up, "you all escaped?" she grinned, "that's great."
"You don't seem that shocked," Yoruichi said.
"I'm not, you're all really good," she bit her lip, "did you—did any of you see my brother before you left?" they all shook their heads and she sighed, bowing her own slightly, "okay—"
"Rukia!" Hisana shoved open the door, "I get that you hate me but you can't go charging off like—what the fuck?" she ducked under the well placed kick Yoruichi lashed out with, managing to only have her shoulder caught, "who the hell are you?!"
"You must be Hisana," Yoruichi said catching Hisana's shoulder with her elbow "I'm Yoruichi, we haven't met."
"Yes I can see why," Hisana said catching the fist and twisting it up and behind Yoruichi's back, "you're not very good at greeting people."
"I keep my opinions honest," Yoruichi said tossing the smaller woman over her shoulder before intending to drop her knee to her stomach but Hisana rolled through Yoruichi's legs and slammed her fingertips into Yoruichi's shoulderblades.
"Well its rather obvious you don't like me," Hisana said dryly, "you must be a friend of Rukia's."
"And Byakuya," Yoruichi replied, "so I really really don't like you."
"I can feel that," Hisana said, sidestepping Yoruichi's lunge, "but I've been doing this for a while," she added, producing a dagger from somewhere else, pressing it against Yoruichi's throat before Renji and Ichigo stepped in and separated the two of them, "so lets take a deep breath and postpone this until after we save the world shall we?" she glared at the two of them, "not that I don't appriciate your defensiveness for Byakuya but there's one problem with it."
"What's that?" Rukia demanded.
"Byakuya knows I'm alive," she said rolling her eyes.
