Don't own Bleach
The Boy Captain...
Gin stood alone in the hallway for a moment, contemplating the order Aizen had given him. It would be hard to get rid of her now, especially after he'd saved her and had been the one to bring her here in the first place. He frowned and figured that he'd either ditch her when she went to the academy or allow another shinigami to kill her depending on Central 46's answer. His smile never wavered as he turned and began to walk down the hall, towards his office. His smile fell, however, when he opened the door to find his office empty. Tsukiko wasn't there. His hesitated in the doorway, considering where she could have gone. His eyes scanned the room, searching for any clue as to where she might have gone.
A hell butterfly caught his attention. It fluttered daintily onto his outstretched finger and issued the captain-commander's order for an emergency meeting.
He wondered briefly if Tsukiko would be able to cause a ruckus so soon after her disappearance. An amused grin crept over his lips before he left.
--
Gin walked through the door into the large room. He hid his surprise when he was met with Kira who was holding a thrashing Kouhei.
"Ichimaru-taicho, what's going on?" he asked confused and Kouhei spluttered an intangible string of words.
"I dunno," Gin drawled lazily and let his gaze drift over the room. Every Captain and Vice-captain had been called.
"Gin," Yamamoto's voice vibrated through the air, "stand in line."
Gin regarded him coolly and stepped into line, Kira standing behind him.
"Bring the girl in," Yamamoto ordered bluntly.
The doors creaked open and Tsukiko stumbled in, looking around, slightly bewildered. She could feel heavy spirit power forcing her body towards the ground but she fought to stand straight. Cautiously she eyed the captains that stood in two lines on either side. She saw a boy, which caught her surprise, but she had a feeling that he was much stronger than he appeared. His teal eyes were fixated directly on her with such intensity it was making her nervous. She shifted her gaze away and saw Gin watching her coolly. He didn't seem too concerned but she'd had a feeling from the day she'd met him that she wasn't really of any importance to her. And then she saw Aizen and it took all her control not to lunge at him. He was a danger, her body argued, he needed to be destroyed but her mind would have none of that. She'd get in serious trouble if she attacked him and she knew it. She turned her eyes to the old shinigami in front. He regarded her solemnly.
"You've all been informed of the current situation," he said and all eyes turned to him, "Central 46 has made it's decision."
Her breath caught in her throat and she clenched her hands, ignoring the pain as her nails dug into the soft flesh of her palm.
"Central 46," he continued slowly, "has decided that you are a danger to Soul Society and must be eliminated."
Her eyes widened as a sudden weight struck her shoulders and her breath was sucked out of her like a blow to her stomach. The room had fallen into silence and the captains seemed unsure of what to do.
"Hitsugaya Toshiro," Yamamoto said and the boy stepped forward, "you're in charge of the elimination."
The boy's eyes widened slightly and his heavy gaze shifted to her. She flinched and instinctively stepped back.
"Yamamoto-sensei! Isn't there something we can do?" a man with long white hair cried and stepped forward.
"Central 46 has made it's decision," Yamamoto said grimly.
Tsukiko's eyes flickered from the boy known as Toshiro to Yamamoto before finally resting on Toshiro. He was staring at the ground, his teeth grit, but his hand slowly reached for the hilt of his katana. She could tell his was hard for him and her fists tightened. He was hesitating; trying to delay it for as long as possible and she could tell it was because he didn't want to do it. She could hear Kouhei sobbing in the background and her heart cracked. There was the soft sound as Toshiro drew his sword. But he didn't move. She glanced at him before drawing a heavy breath.
"This is hard for you, isn't it?" she asked and forced a tearful smile.
"Shiro-chan," there was a pained, barely audible whispered from the girl standing behind Aizen.
The white-haired boy's eyes focused on her suddenly, surprised to hear the softness of her tone. Shouldn't she be angry? He knew if he was in her position he'd be angry, furious even, but she stood there with a wobbly smile as a tear slid down her cheek. She stepped forward, tentatively, and he tensed. She shook her head, motioning she meant no harm, and walked up to him. The room fell dead silent as she lifted the blade of his sword and directed the tip to her chest.
Gin watched silently, unaware that the smile had disappeared from his face, and unknowingly held his breath. She was trying to make it easier for the captain and he couldn't believe it. She should be begging with all her heart instead of trying to make her death easier for her enemy. He couldn't help but marvel at her but he kept his amazement from showing on his face.
Toshiro closed his eyes. "I can't," he muttered. Eyes flashing, he looked to Yamamoto. "I won't do it," he growled. "Don't worry so much, Kouhei," he heard her say and the boy let out a sob. He whirled around just as he felt her grasp his sword's blade and pull it forward. His eyes widened as the blade slid into her chest. "You idiot," he growled and a drop of blood trickled down her chin.
Gin froze. He'd figured that there would be some form of rebellion but he hadn't expected her to kill herself.
No one moved. No one dared to breath.
Tsukiko could faintly hear a girl crying. Probably the same one who'd called out to the small captain. She met the angry teal eyes with a sad grin. The Hollow, who'd been pushed into dormancy so that she'd better her chance of becoming a shinigami, awakened immediately when she felt the cold steel inside Tsukiko's chest.
YOU IDIOT! Chi screeched and thrashed violently inside Tsukiko's mind.
Tsukiko flinched at the Hollow's violent attacks. But she smiled kindly at the wide-eyed captain and backed up. The sword slid painfully out of her body with a sickening sound and fell limply to the ground. Her body pulsed as she felt the Hollow's anger slowly taking over her body and the full mask forming over her face. "Now you have a reason to fight me and I have a chance to fight back," she said and the wound in her chest stitched itself up.
The boy glared venomously. "You idiot, you had a chance to fight before," he snarled.
She shrugged.
Gin snapped out of his stupor when he felt a sudden weight disappear from his side. Tsukiko's sword had literally melted from his obi and reformed in her outstretched hand. The entire room tensed and everyone's hand went to the hilt of their sword.
"No one move," Yamamoto growled, "this is a fight between Hitsugaya Toshiro and Matsuyaki Tsukiko."
Reluctantly the shinigami forced their hands from their hilts.
Toshiro stared at the hollow mask intently and silently wondered if she had a death wish. "Reign over the frozen heavens, Hyourinmaru," he muttered reluctantly.
Tsukiko backed up as the large ice dragon charged at her.
Suddenly the world around her disappeared and she was sitting comfortably in Mugetsu's room. The garden was deathly silent and there was a heavy rain and black clouds churned ominously.
"Are you outta yer fuckin' mind?" Chi growled and hauled her up by the front of her kimono.
"Calm down, Chi," Mugetsu said calmly and sipped her tea, "she tried to call you. It was my fault. I buried you a little too deeply."
Chi directed her angry gaze to the beautiful woman. Dismissing it, as there were more pressing matters, she gave an angry huff and dropped Tsukiko who fell back into a sitting position. With a small glare, Chi lay on her back and rested her head on Tsukiko's lap. Tsukiko looked down surprised, but the Hollow had closed her eyes and refused to look at her.
Mugetsu sighed and took another sip of tea. When Tsukiko said nothing, she motioned to the steaming cup in front of Tsukiko. She blinked and cautiously took a sip from it.
"Its green tea," Mugetsu murmured. Tsukiko nodded silently. She couldn't be sure if time had stopped in her inner world or the outside world but the ice dragon was a frozen image in her mind. She chewed delicately on her bottom lip as she wondered if there was any possible way to defeat the dragon.
"There is a way," Mugetsu murmured, reading the look of worry on Tsukiko's face.
Tsukiko looked up, surprised. "There is?"
"Of course," Mugetsu said and set her cup down, "just because we haven't talked about doesn't mean your sword doesn't have another form also."
Tsukiko's face wrinkled into a look of confusion. She didn't understand. A sword had other forms?
Mugetsu smiled reassuringly and folded her slender hands in her lap. A quiet snore resounded from Chi and she rolled over in Tsukiko's lap and buried her face in Tsukiko's tummy. Mugetsu smiled affectionately before drawing Tsukiko's attention by speaking, "there are two released forms of a zanpakutou. Shikai and bankai. Currently you're not physically or mentally prepared for bankai-"
"Mugetsu, are you going to teach me shikai?" Tsukiko asked excitedly.
Mugetsu grinned. "Only if you're willing to learn from me," she replied pleasantly.
Tsukiko blinked in surprise. "Of course," she said confused, "why wouldn't I?"
Mugetsu smiled gently and rested her delicate cheek in her hand and looked out the open door to the garden. "A shinigami's power depends on their relation with their Zanpakutou," she murmured in a musing tone, "if you can't get along with your zanpakutou, let alone communicate with it, their power is restrained. For a shinigami to reach their full potential they need to work together with their zanpakutou. Full power is a combined effort."
Tsukiko smiled and admired the beautiful woman in front of her. "It's your power though," she argued gently, "its not me."
Mugetsu looked towards her with a cat-like smile, "but you're the one wielding it. Without you, I would not exist and without me, you wouldn't have power. It's an even deal." She said the last part softly, like she didn't like the word 'deal' but couldn't think of another term. It seemed to cling to her lips like bad sake.
Tsukiko felt a pang of guilt in her chest. She looked down at the sleeping Hollow and frowned slightly. "Is there anything…I can do for you…Mugetsu?"
Mugetsu looked towards her, surprised, but smiled. "You can make the rain stop," she whispered.
Tsukiko glanced outside to the heavy rain. "Rain is good, though," she said.
"Not this rain," Mugetsu replied solemnly, "when you are sad, distressed…scared…the sky goes black. When you're daydreaming it rains sometimes and it's a beautiful rain." She smiled wistfully. "But this rain," her face darkened, "is not. It's a pained rain." She looked back to Tsukiko. "I will help you make this rain stop and then I'll be happy," she said firmly.
Tsukiko leaned forward, careful not to smother Chi, "but isn't there a way for you to come out?"
"From where?" Mugetsu asked, confused.
Tsukiko tapped the side of her head, "my mind. Don't you want to be free?" She was starting to feel panicked. There was no possible way for Mugetsu to be content, living in someone else's mind, never to be free of her own will.
Mugetsu cracked a smile. "You have a vast imagination. This world is big enough for me," she said warmly. It didn't satisfy Tsukiko but she figured that she would find another way to free Mugetsu after she got out of the mess she was in. Her mind flashed back to the ice dragon, awaiting her return, and shivered. Chi murmured something in her sleep and a mischievous look flashed in Mugetsu's eyes.
"We should hurry. We must start your training immediately."
