Sorry for the late update... My Thursday, was a bit too... eventful... for me to update. Plus I just got back from California last Saturday, but I have to go again because of certain circumstances, and I won't be back until next Friday, so I don't know if I can update all next week or not. On the bright side, I get to miss school all week next week and leave this freezing pit of hell they call New York for the nice California!
I'm sure my twin is just sooo thrilled to be rid of me again.
Toshiro's head spun as he stared wide-eyed at the shinigami on her knees before him. He turned to Aizen, and his voice barely came at all.
"You... can't be serious..."
The arrogant smile on the Arrancar's master grew wider. "Of course I am, Hitsugaya-kun."
Toshiro had to remind himself to breathe. Returning his gaze to his lieutenant, he felt his heart beating too heavily in his chest, and his stomach churned in horror. "No...no... I could never..."
There was no way he could kill his own lieutenant, not ever. Toshiro's teal eyes flickered to Gin in the corner, and hatred boiled in his chest. The man was grinning once more, and his eyes slanted and unreadable. Gin... Do something, Gin... I thought you cared about her... Gin... The thoughts flooded Toshiro's head, and he shook them away. Gin was a monster. He deserted Rangiku, and he didn't care about her anymore.
The shinigami looked back into the woman's eyes. Light blue flickered in shock, seeing her captain there, his face so pained. Though she tried, no sound came out of the band over her mouth. The words she desperately wanted to say could not come.
Refusing to show any of the dread and sorrow in his heart, Toshiro turned back to Aizen, his eyes glistening with hatred. "No! I won't kill her! NEVER!"
Aizen's smile didn't waver, and if it could've grown even more, it would've. Speaking calmly, he addressed the small shinigami. "I thought you might refuse. So it seems I need to remind you,"
Ulquiorra stepped in, a small, thin girl behind him, and Aizen continued. "Hinamori's life is still in my hands."
Wide teal eyes flickered with shock as a bright light shot from Aizen's arm and towards the other girl.
"No! Don't!" Toshiro screamed, leaning forward in fear.
The bright light, pointed and deadly, stopped inches in front of Momo's throat.
Aizen smiled warmly. "Well, Hitsugaya-kun, you should know what I want.
Kill Rangiku Matsumoto, or our contract has come to an end, and Momo Hinamori's life will be ended."
Several trembles shook through the young shinigami's body, even as Aizen spoke more.
"Well? I don't have all day. You have until the count of ten."
Toshiro's teal eyes were impossible to see as his head hung, gazing at the floor.
"Ten"
The marble floor wasn't what the shinigami saw, only blackness, and images of everything he cared for flashed before him.
"Nine"
When Rangiku helped him to become a soul reaper.
"Eight"
Her never-ending smile, her constant care for him...
"Seven"
Toshiro?
The boy felt something inside of his soul awaken as a voice echoed through his head, this time soft instead of the constant thunder.
Hyourinmaru? Hyourinmaru, what am I supposed to do? How can I choose between these two?
You must choose one.
"Six"
And the one you choose, hold on to your care for that person. Let that be your light.
...Hyourinmaru...
"Five"
Hold on to it, and don't let it go.
The ice dragon was gone, back into the depths of Toshiro's soul.
The shinigami stared at his feet.
Momo... or Rangiku?
"Three"
Momo... Rangiku... Momo... Rangiku... Momo.... Rangiku...
Momo, wrapping her arms around him after Aizen's brutal beatings, shedding tears into his white hair... Momo... Holding him tight, taking care of him, helping through the pain... Momo... She was there his whole life... The only one... Even she couldn't completely understand him, she was there... When the villagers where mean to him... when he felt alone... there was Momo... If he just thought of her smiling face, all the tears went away.
"Two"
Momo...
Momo..
A long katana unsheathed and rose into the air. And Toshiro's shook in fear, his eyes wide and dreading what he was about to do.
Momo...
Momo...
Momo...
"One"
The katana whisked down as the word left Aizen's lips, and blood spilled just in time.
The body of a female crashed to the ground with a thump, crimson liquid spreading across the floor from the place where the sword impacted with her body.
The shock of feeling his lieutenant's spiritual pressure disappear completely came harder at him than Toshiro expected. He lost control as his heart raced. Icy blue reiatsu flowed through him, and the bow fell unsteadily to his knees. Without warning, he collapsed forward onto the floor, and screamed. What he had just done, what Aizen had just made him do, was beyond anything like he expected. He had prepared himself for any physical pain, strengthened by the hope given to him by Ukitake, but this... this wasn't...
"Very good Hitsugaya-kun. Ulquiorra, you can return Hinamori to her chambers, she seems too shocked to be of much use right now." Aizen spoke as Toshiro's screams died down to quiet gasps for breath.
Ulquiorra pulled Momo, who was shaking just as badly as Toshiro, out of the room and away.
"Now, get up, Hitsugaya-kun."
The boy didn't move, his eyes staring in front of him widely, seeing only the blood across the floor.
"Hitsugaya-kun..."
Then there was Grimmjow again. The hot-headed Espada grabbed the shinigami's silver hair and yanked him up. "Aizen-sama gave you an order, you piece of shit!"
Aizen smiled again as Toshiro came to his feet. "Now, bow before me, and then you ay be excused."
Toshiro didn't have the heart to disobey. Slowly and painfully, he fell to his knees. As he bent forward and pressed his nose to the floor, Hyourinmaru's words echoed through his head.
Choose one, and cling to your care for her.
Cling to it... cling to my care for Momo... If it's what keeps from falling into darkness, I must hold on to it.. and I will..
FEAR NOT!! I haven't forgotten about the GinXRangiku thing. I don't want to spoil anything, but there'll be more... please don't stop reading the story just cus Rangiku died... trust me you'll be missing out on a lot...
well, considering I have Manga class tomorrow, I should do some art and then go to sleep.. so goodnight everybody!! Oh and review me!! trust me, these past few days haven't been that great... And I could use some support!