"You are now at a crossroads. This is your opportunity to make the most important decision you will ever make. Forget your past. Who are you now? Who have you decided you really are now? Don't think about who you have been. Who are you now? Who have you decided to become? Make this decision consciously. Make it carefully. Make it powerfully." ~Anthony Robbin
9. Remembering
He felt his limbs hanging limply at the side and worse he was hurting all over. He peeped open his eyes.
Where am I?
A loud laughter echoed in the room.
Alarmed, he glanced down and saw the man's hand had somewhat dissolved into his chest.
"Well, my power…" The man wiped off the tears of laughter from his eyes with his other hand and then continued with a grin, "It's to be able to touch only whatever I wish to touch."
"For example, you heart." The man closed his fist closed his heart.
He gasped in shock.
"Mind if I crush it? Hmm… I wonder how long you could live without your heart?" The man asked curiously and tightened his hold on his heart.
The boy gritted his teeth, his hands tightened into a fist to stop himself from crying out.
"There goes." The man said with a smile and ripped out his heart.
He felt his vision burring. He blinked hard, trying to get a clear view but his vision kept darkening. He could see red, crimson red all around. He could see an unfocused figure holding something red.
He heard laughter echoing around him. He felt weak. He was hurting all over.
I failed…
"They are here, Atsuko fukutaichou." A cold voice sounded from the door. The man in front of him swung around, his eyes widen.
"How did… The defense squad, I should have known…" The man cursed as two girls approached him. One with copper brown hair and the other long black hair.
The girl with copper brown hair command, her voice clear but cold, "3rd seat Kurotaki Hika, please hand over Hitsugaya Toushirou. You have three seconds."
Kurotaki…
"What are you going to do to me?" The man taunted, his voice shrill. But after he finished, he found his robe torn, his left sleeve gone.
In shock, he glanced up and found the two defense department members still in their original position, the only different being that his missing left sleeve was lying on the floor next the black haired fukutaichou.
Screaming, he unsheathed his sword and charged at the fukutaichou. But right when he about to reach the fukutaichou who still stood, unmoving, a flash of light beamed partially blinding him which was followed by a loud clash of metal hitting against metal. The light faded and revealed the serious face of the copper haired 3rd seat. They stood still with their sword crossed.
You weakling. Her cold green eyes seem to say.
"Strike…"
He tensed, he tried to open his mouth to warn the 3rd seat what Kurotaki's powers were. He wanted to tell her to escape but only to find nothing coming out of his mouth.
Don't…
A voice interrupted the man's incantation, "Shini no ban."
He saw the two sword clashed.
His zanpakutou is…
The 3rd seat's eyes lit up, a red reiatsu wrapped around her sword then Kurotaki with his eyes empty, collapsed.
A shadow blocked his view then a face appeared in front of him, a gentle smile on the figure's face.
"Stay still for now."
With one stroke she sliced off the bind. Then he felt himself sliding down to the floor without the support of the two binds.
The girl laid him on his back. Then he felt a warm, comforting light on his chest.
"Rima, you shouldn't have used it against a mere weakling like him." The girl next to him spoke.
"But fukutaichou, it's the fastest way to stop him and plus, I feel like making him suffer a while. You can use your power on the two of them later on anyway." The brown haired girl protested.
"I really don't know how you're going to survive without me around. And please stop calling me fukutaichou. Atsuko-sama, Atsuko-san, Haruka even, anything will do. Just not fukutaichou! You know how much I hate it." His healer complained.
"But, fukutaichou!"
"You did it again!"
With a quiet voice the 3rd seat continued, "Are you doing it, fukutaichou?"
"Yes, no one should know your power."
"What about the 3rd seat?"
"Just leave him there." The fukutaichou answered.
"He'll die."
"I know."
"The taichou and fukutaichou will question."
"Fine. Use your other power on him. We'll make it look like you have subdued him with the other power." The fuktuichou answered impatiently.
"Hai, fukutaichou."
"You did it again… And I told you that you shouldn't have used it on him."
The 3rd seat stuck her tougue out at her fukutaichou before turning to the crumpled body of Kurotaki and released her zanpakutou. "Swirl from beyond, break from within. Toumeina Kokoro, Shini no ban"
With a sweet smile the 3rd seat kneeled down on the floor, the tip of her zanpakutou's blade touching Kurotaki's back, the ribbon turned red.
Kurotaki woke up and sat on the floor blinking his eyes, trying to sense the surrounding.
Still healing him, his healer called, "Rima, just finish him off."
"Hai." The other girl raised her sword, the ribbon turned blue and a gush of water rushed out of the tip hitting Hika's face full force. Instead of splattering on the ground like what physics dictated, the water stayed in place, right in front of Hika's face, preventing him from breathing. After a minute of struggling, trying to get the water off his face, Hika fainted.
A click of the door and a voice boomed, "So you found them."
The brown haired girl appeared next to her fukutaichou and kept quiet.
"Hai, taichou." The fukutaichou replied still healing the victim.
"Come in Sakihara." The taichou ordered. The fukutaichou immediately appeared at his side.
The boy's eyes snapped open and pushed himself into a sitting position while gapsing for breath. His hands clutching his chest to assure him of his heart.
"You finally woke up." A voice sounded from beside him.
Hanabusa…
He turned around to face the two visitor, his eyes still wide open.
"Did you remember all of it, Hitsugaya Toushirou?" Another voice, a colder one.
"H-Hai…"
Hitsu… Hitsugaya Toushirou? Right, that was my name…
"Tell no one about it." The 3rd seat continued.
"Hai." He answered, finally calmed down.
Hanabusa then handed him a piece of paper and told him, "Keep it with you."
He opened the paper.
A familiar handwriting… Matsu…moto
Dear Hitsugaya Toushirou,
Hitsu… Hitsugaya Toushirou? Right… That's my name…
Haha, I can finally call you by that name. Yay. I think you'll leave without telling me so I passed it to Ichigo to pass it to you when you leave. I hope this would remind you of us. I really hope so. I just wanted to bid farewell to you because I know I wouldn't able to say it on the day itself. I know I won't so I'll say it here, Goodbye taichou. And I want you to know, I'll be waiting for you. No matter how long you take. (:
ps. Taichou, come back soon.
A tear slipped down his cheek.
After a moment of silence, Hitsugaya spoke quietly, "Thank you."
The two defense member turned their heels and walked to the door. Suddenly, the fukutaichou stopped, "I believe you would want to know, Kurotaki is manipulated."
Then the two left without another word.
Author's note: SORRY! I apologize for the long wait. A long range of events came crashing into my supposedly organized schedule, rendering the time for writing fanfic as NIL. It's only now which is a term break I'm finally free from the clutches of em... So please please forgive me!