Dun, dun, dun
Dun, dun, dun! I bet you all looved the cliffy I left you all .
And, this chapter isn't even going to feature Izuru, Renji, or Sarah! (but you do get a little bit of Gin, Grimmy, Rangiku, and 'Shirou!)
Muahahah!
This chappie might also be a bit short, due to lack of brain capacity right now.
Realization
By: BlackWidow01
Chapter 8: Off Topic
"Nee, Taichou…" Matsumoto whined to the boy sitting across from her, while idly flipping through the pages of her magazine. "You've been awfully distracted lately… Is something bothering you?"
Toshirou looked up, staring blankly at his lieutenant for a few moments before answering. "No… it's nothing, Matsumoto."
She furrowed her brow, "You're a bad liar, Taichou…" she chuckled a bit, poking his side to make him squirm. "Really, what's on your mind, maybe I can help."
He sighed, "It's just someone I saw…" he trailed off, casting his unfocused eyes to the window.
"Hmm?" She gave him an interested look. "Is Taichou developing a crush? Who is she?" she asked zealously.
Toshirou cringed at the thought. "No! It's nothing like that! Its…" he hesitated, remembering the relationship the woman had had with this person. He contemplated whether it was a good idea to tell her about how he had seen him, and how Jushirou had told him to keep watch. Above all, he didn't want to upset her (because underneath his icy shell, he did actually have feelings).
She tilted her head to the side, "Taichou?"
He gave a frustrated sigh, deciding that she would find out eventually. "The other day… I saw Gin Ichimaru…"
There was a long silence. Matsumoto wanted not to believe the name that had slipped past her Taichou's lips, but at the same time, she knew he wouldn't lie to her. "I see…" her normally happy, light expression had faded to one of sorrow.
She slipped on a cheerful smile before looking back up at the white haired boy before her. "So, why do you think they're down here on Earth already, Taichou?"
He glanced at her, "Hard to say… Knowing Gin, It's probably no good." His gaze remained on the setting sun through the window.
Her stomach was making her feel ill. "Um… Taichou…" he looked at her. Matsumoto felt uneasy. "What if I told you that I doubted Gin had any malicious intent when he joined Aizen?"
The boy looked confused. "I'd ask you why." He stated flatly.
She could tell Toshirou didn't trust Gin, with what happened with Aizen and all. "I just don't think he's in it for the evil-ness of the whole situation…" she diverted her gaze.
The boy couldn't tell if she was defending him because of how he helped her in the past, or if she actually trusted him.
Toshirou sighed, not knowing how he should answer.
Gin peered down from his apartment window to the scene unfolding on the street. His adorable little Izuru shocked to see his buddy's second spirit. He gave an amused giggle. "It sorta reminds me of some of the romance novels I read…"
Grimmjow snorted. "Aren't we supposed to be searching for some special spirit or somethin'?"
Gin sighed. "Grimmy, you ain't been payin' attention have ya'?"
Grimmjow shook his head. "No. Not really." He said bluntly.
The silver haired man giggled a bit. "Grimmy, I found our wondergirl a while ago." He turned to Grimmjow, that never fading smile playing his face. "In fact, she's down there…" he pointed to the window.
The other man's face sparked with interest as he stood up and dragged himself to the window. "If that's her, then what're we waitin' for?" he eyed Gin.
He smiled more. "I wanna tease her a bit. And I'll get to have some fun with my Izuru-chan too."
Grimmjow sighed. "You're a freak." He said plopping down on the couch again.
Toshirou sighed, thankful Matsumoto had been so understanding to let him leave and take a walk.
"I hope that woman knows that I wouldn't hesitate to kill that…" he sighed, somehow losing the will rant.
His hand left his pocket only to fiddle with his mobile phone. "Nothing out of the usual…" he gave a sigh, ashamed of the fact that he actually wanted a hollow or something to come out.
He remembered once back in the Seireitei:
"Hitsugaya-kun! How are you this fine day?" Said Sousuke Aizen, captain of the fifth division.
The small boy looked up at the taller man. His lieutenant, Gin Ichimaru, was standing on the other side of him. "Aizen-taichou, is there something you need?"
He heard the silver haired man giggle. "So cold." He said in an amused voice.
Aizen smiled. "Hush, Gin." He looked back at Toshirou. "I wanted to share some advice with you… Seeing how you're new to this whole captain business."
He nodded in the captain's direction.
Sousuke smiled, adjusting his rectangular glasses. "You see… there are going to be villains and such out there who will try to break you." He paused, giving the boy a look that sent shivers down his spine. "You will lose battles. You will lose loved ones. It's all inevitable." Sousuke's normally bright presents had faded. "You will doubt yourself, and your abilities to protect those around you."
Toshirou's expression never faltered, but he felt like a deer that had been thrown into a highway.
"This has led some Shinigami to insanity." There was an awkward silence.
"Taichou, maybe you should get to the point?" Gin interjected, his snake like smile never leaving his face.
Aizen nodded. "My point is this. The first step to disproving your own insanity is accepting the fact that you have problems." He smiled his charming smile.
Toshirou stopped, staring at the two men as they walked away.
He sighed. "No morals, not happy theme, not even a heartwarming story to back that stupid piece of advice up…" he said to himself.
After the new evil tri had left the Seireitei, Toshirou had asked himself over and over again why he had trusted that man after that day.
The answer was evident though, because Hinamori trusted him.
It was stupid, he knew that, but she was the closest thing to a family he had. He couldn't have driven her away by repeating what Sousuke had said to him. He could only shake his head a bit and nod along with Hinamori every time the man got brought up in conversation.
Toshirou sighed. "Reality sucks…" he muttered, situating himself on the bank on the river.
The buildings across the river made a perfect frame around the setting sun. He sat there and watched for a few minutes before his attention turned to something on the street.
Kira, Abarai… and that girl from the beach…But who's that? He asked himself, spotting another read headed girl standing behind the one from the beach.
He decided to stay out of the situation until it got out of hand. Instead he would just sit back and watch.
Matsumoto sighed, staring at the ceiling. "Taichou wouldn't lie to me…" she though out loud. "But I just can't believe it…"
They had been such good friends. Granted she, despite the years of knowing him, still knew very little about him.
She would always look at other friends and think about how she could almost know what they were thinking. But not with Gin. He was truly a mystery to everyone.
Except Aizen, of course… Because that royal bastard knew a little bit more about everyone.
He saw Hinamori's weakness; used it. Saw Toshirou's feelings about Hinamori; used them. And she didn't doubt that he had used Tousen's sense of justice Urhara's stupid regrets to his own advantage either.
But was he using Gin too?
The very thought made her feel strangely sick. Gin had always come off as one of those clever guys that played innocent until the time came. There had to be something else behind it.
Blackmail?
What could he be hiding? Gin didn't seem like the type who would have skeletons in the closet.
Maybe he was in it for the sake of it. Maybe Gin actually was evil…
Matsumoto shuddered. She didn't want to let her mind wonder like this. But it bothered her so much. She almost wished that Toshirou hadn't told her that.
His fingers skimped over the keyboard, his eyes scanning over the information on the screen.
Jushirou had been lying when he told the tenth division captain he would inform Yamamoto about Ichimaru. It was too early on. He didn't have the least bit of an idea what they were planning. To tell the truth, he wasn't even sure if he could believe the boy.
The white haired man gave an exasperated sigh. "I need to get more information…" he messaged his temples. "I suppose I'll just have to wait for Hitsugaya-san to get back to me…"
"Get back to you on what?" came Shinsui from right behind him.
Jushirou jumped a bit. "Kyoraku-san… What are you doing here?"
The dark haired man furrowed his brows. "I came to check up on you… You've been locked up here for almost two days, Jushirou."
Jushirou chuckled. "Kyoraku…can you keep a secret?"
Hoped you liked that. I felt the need to throw 'Shirou and Rangiku into the mix. And we couldn't forget that little peek into Grimmy and Gin's life, could we?
(That sounds like a bad sitcom…)
Remember, I loves me my reviews .
