The Return
The plan was for Toushiro to secretly return to the Soul Society and watch Riku Kora until Goku and the others had finished gathering everyone together and acquired some Senzu beans. He also was suppose to watch him to gather proof of his mistreatment over the remaining squad members and the potential threat looming for the 13 Court Guard Squads if Squad 10 is destroyed. Toushiro couldn't wait to be home as he passed through the exit. But what he saw was nothing of what he expected...
The Soul Society has changed.
All of the houses, the buildings and everything in the rukon were tattered, beaten and in near shambles. Windows and doors once opening into warm homes were boarded up tightly. Streets once full of people and kids playing were now empty and deserted. No lights were on, no sounds of life echoed from anywhere. And yet Toushiro could feel eyes watching him from within the shadows. The people have become terrified. And he could see why. There was not one building or one stretch of street that did not have some blood painted on the surface. There were signs of forced entry that could only be done by a hollow on some of the buildings. What has happened here, the youth thought?! And when he climbed to the top of a hill to view the Seireitei... he saw a heartbreaking sight.
Toushiro: (Whispers) "No..."
Even with the sky colored a dark dusty grey, it was plain to see. All sections of the rukon districts and the Seireitei itself were in the same sad state as what he's just seen. Toushiro surveyed the sadness that he was seeing.
He just couldn't understand how...
Levi: "Toushiro! Wait up!"
Toushiro turned around to find Levi running up to him. The soldier was taking a huge risk in coming back. It took Yoruichi and the other captains everything to see to it that he escaped and Kora was probably aware of his escape. But he decided to risk it anyway to help Toushiro. As he walked up next to the youth, Levi could see the confusion and heartache within Toushiro's eyes.
Levi: "... Awful, isn't it."
Toushiro: "Levi... What happened here?"
Levi: "It's all because of Kora. Because of the curfew, no one was allowed to portal after dark. When they found out, the hollows quickly took advantage. Every night hollows came and raided the Soul Society. The citizens of the rukon districts were left defenseless. And the squads, because we weren't allowed to leave our barracks after sunset, we basically became trapped within our own homes."
Toushiro: "My god what has he done?..."
Levi: "A lot of lives have been lost, Toushiro... And it's all because of him..."
Toushiro: "Well we're gonna put a stop to this. I promise. If I have to I'll fight him to the last breath."
Levi: "Then I'm with you till the end."
Toushiro smiled before gazing back towards the Seireitei. A few minutes later and both Toushiro and Levi were sneaking into the Seireitei. They both had to be careful. If Kora found them now, they'd be goners. Using the shadows and buildings to conceal themselves, Toushiro and Levi made their way over to the back of Squad 10. They could hear people outside around the front.
Toushiro: (Whispering) "Alright, Levi. You go get Yamamoto and the others. I'm gonna climb up on roof and look for Riku."
Levi: (Whispering) "Alright. I won't be long. Be careful."
Toushiro: (Whispering) "You too."
Toushiro watched Levi sneak off to get the others for a moment before turning his attention back to finding Kora. He looked up and then jumped up onto the roof. It was a good vantage point where he could remain hidden. Slowly and carefully the youth climbed up and over to the side he was hearing the voices from. He made not a sound as he leaned over the top of the roof to find Kora just outside his office pacing back and forth. And then...
Riku: "Where are my LIEUTENANTS?!"
As the echo died, Toushiro continued to watch Kora... Until he spotted Rangiku and Vegeta walking towards him with the squad.
Rangiku: "Yes, sir?"
Riku: "Prepare the squad at once! We're leaving in just a few minutes."
Rangiku: "Sir, with all do respect, I think we should stay back this time."
Riku: "Oh no. We're going and that's final."
Toushiro looked on as Vegeta and Rangiku argued with Riku. Everything Levi had said was true. Only 50 members of Squad 10 remained alive.
Vegeta: "Those last few missions have nearly wiped the entire squad out and now you want us to go on another!?"
Rangiku: "If you keep this up, there will be no one left in the squad!"
Riku: "So what! I only have use for strong Soul Reapers. If they survive than good work. If they don't than they weren't fit to be a Soul Reaper!"
Vegeta: "The very fact that I used to think like you makes me fucking sick!"
Riku: "Shut it, freak-show! Or do I need to remind you who's in charge?"
Vegeta growled under his breath and backed off for a moment.
Rangiku: "You can't send us on this mission! Not until we have a suitable number!"
Riku: "50 is more than enough."
Vegeta: "No it's not!"
Rangiku: "Please! The remaining squad members haven't even fully recovered from yesterday! If you send us now you'll sentence us all to death!"
Riku: "Then so be it!"
Vegeta and Rangiku were just horrified!
Vegeta: "You can't do that!"
Riku: "I am the captain! I can do whatever I want with my squad! (Cutting Vegeta off before he can speak) And don't give me any lip about the old man being in charge of me, saiyan! There are some things even he can't do with another squad."
Toushiro was getting more and more angry with the situation he was seeing. Riku was sending his squad on a suicide mission and didn't care one bit if anyone came back. And Levi was right, he was treating Rangiku and Vegeta like dogs! His anger was almost at its limit. He was very close to scraping the plan and confronting Kora now. All the boy needed was one more push. He got it when Riku did the unthinkable to Rangiku.
Rangiku: "If you were ever half the captain Hitsugaya was I-"
Riku: (Striking Rangiku across the face) "I'M TEN TIMES THE CAPTAIN THAT LITTLE BRAT WAS!"
Vegeta: "Rangiku!"
Vegeta ran over to his fellow lieutenant as Rangiku fell to the ground out cold! But just as she did, Toushiro's rage boiled over and he shouted his anger!
Toushiro: "RIKU KORA!"
Riku looked up in shock and watched the youth jump down and run over to his lieutenants. The remaining squad members all gasped with joy as they saw their old beloved captain. Vegeta was checking Rangiku to see if she was ok when he looked up to see Toushiro running over to him and Rangiku with worry. In truth the boy was more worried about Rangiku than anything else at the moment. There was already a bruise forming on the left side of her face, from her chin up to her temple and close to her eye. She had been hit hard. Toushiro knelt down by her side and leaned over her limp body while Vegeta kept holding her head up slightly. She was breathing.
Toushiro: "Rangiku..."
It was only then that Toushiro noticed all of the over bruises and cuts all over her. He looked up at Vegeta and saw that the saiyan prince had even worse cuts and bruises than Rangiku. He even had a black eye. Without saying a word, the young boy turned to the rest of his old squad. Black eyes, painful bruises, infected cuts and gashes, broken and sprained bones. They'd all taken a massive beating. But Rangiku's was worse and Vegeta's were even more so than hers. It's clear that the two lieutenants had done everything they could do and more to protect the squad members. But even with all of that, only 50 remained. Although Toushiro just wanted to rip Riku apart right then and there, he turned his attention back to Rangiku. He leaned down even closer to her and gently placed his hand on the right side of her beaten up face.
Toushiro: "Come on, Rangiku..."
A weak groan escaped her lips. Rangiku's eyes slowly began to open and her vision began to return. The first things she saw were Vegeta and his pitch black eyes watching her intensely and a white haired youth with teal/turquoise eyes doing the same. Her focus was instantly fixed on Toushiro and she smiled softly as tears ran down her face.
Rangiku: "C-Captain... Y-You... You came back..."
Toushiro: "I came home."
Rangiku sighed with joy.
Rangiku: "... I knew Levi could do it... ... We all did..."
Toushiro smiled softly at her. Everyone really did have all their faith in Levi finding him. He then glanced up at Vegeta.
Toushiro: "Stay with her."
Vegeta: "Good luck."
Content that Rangiku was safe with Vegeta, Toushiro got up and turned his attention to Riku.
Riku: "So it's true. Everyone helped that pathetic human so he could escape and find help. I should have a 'talk' with that little man."
Toushiro: "You'll do no such thing..."
As he stepped closer to the man, he drew his Zanpakuto.
Toushiro: "Give me one very good reason why I shouldn't rip you apart!"
Riku: "And just what do you think you're doing here?"
Toushiro: "I'm here to take back what's rightfully mine!"
Riku: "Yours? Ha! You can't challenge me."
Shunsui: "Oh yes he can."
All eyes turned to see the Head-Captain and the rest of the captains and lieutenants walking towards them with Levi leading the way. They all stopped just feet away from Toushiro and Kora. Just as they did, Vegeta had assisted Rangiku to her feet. Both of them and the rest of Squad 10 looked on.
Riku: "What do you mean?!"
Yamamoto: "There is no law saying that a captain who has lost his position through a Trail by Combat to another cannot challenge the winner again. Also... You, Riku Kora, intentionally failed to notify Toushiro Hitsugaya about your Dual-Blade type zanpakuto!"
Riku: "But you were aware!"
Yamamoto: "Silence! We found out that it is law that all sides of a dual must be made aware! Because you failed to uphold this law, you are technically not the captain."
Vegeta: "So... Does that mean Toushiro's still the captain?"
Yamamoto: "No. As of right now, Squad 10 has no captain. The one who wins this dual will be the official Captain of Squad 10!"
But Riku grinned. He had a different idea in mind.
Riku: "I see. If that's the case, then..."
Riku raised his blade up into the air. Hollow after hollow suddenly started to appear! In seconds there were hundreds of them! The hollows quickly blocked off the rest of the Soul Reapers from Toushiro and many more stood ready behind the prodigy.
Toushiro: "What are you doing?!"
Riku: "This whole thing has gotten me thinking... Why take Squad 10, when..."
