Chapter 9
Tasogare (黄昏)

The young captain stared at his opponent. They were probably around the same age, and they had about the same stature. It was a rare occasion for the tiny captain.

"So you value the strong, and step on the weak," Hitsugaya said, as he was getting to fight.

The boy laughed madly, then stared back at Toshiro with same coldness. "The weak flies are always devour by the strong. It's the food chain, don't cha get it."

Both were in battle stance contemplating the other. Then, at the same time, they launched. Their katana clashed, and they started to get serious. For a moment, they were even. There was not one in a full-time defensive mode. Hitsugaya was impressed that he was evenly matched. That meant that the only way he could win this fight was by wits. They swung their swords with vigor, and strength.

As for Hayato, he did not like it. They were not moving. He needed to find a way to get the upper hand. Revealing his shikai, he thought, no t was too soon. There was the other solution, but he hated that cowardly solution. Using Kido in the a battle was for the weak. That's what he thought. Besides, he loved the feeling of slashing, shredding, cutting and impaling his enemy. It made him happy. He needed to find the moment to strike. All of a sudden, he almost got touch by the other's blade. Was he opened?

Yes, he was. The moment Hitsugaya noticed that Nobuyuki was paying less attention and thinking to much, he found the opportunity to shift the tables. However his opponent had good reflexes, and he avoided the blow. Hayato jumped away, and blinked. He should not lower his guard down. That's when he saw how he could hit.

"Taicho," Nobuyuki said. "That was a close one."

Hitsugaya shunponed behind him, and was about to strike, when he was the one striked. Hayato saw through him, and was able to inflict him a minor injury, cut on the his arm. Hitsugaya noticed that Nobuyuki was grinning. How did he managed?

"Attacking as soon as the opponent lowers his guard," the boy pointed out. "Basic. Typical."

Just like Hitsugaya thought; it was all about the wits. Viewing him as a fun fighter like the members of the 11th, Toshiro had underestimate the other a little.

"Basic, eh?" said Toshiro, staring at the enemy's stained katana.

"You won't get to me with those petty attacks," Hayato exclaimed. "En garde!"

Hayato launched on the other, and they resumed the battle. It was a game of wits, the slyest was going to be the winner. However, Hayato did not have to fully think, so he had to improvise. As the battle extended, he had no choice. He broke the attack spree, and sighed.

"I can't believe it," he muttered. "It is the power of a captain, I believe."

Hitsugaya stopped, and wondered what he was referring to to.

The boy shove his sword into the ground. "I guess that, I have to go into this mode." He repressed a sigh. "Overcloud, Tsukiyomi [Kumoraseru, Tsukiyomi]."

The captain's eyes widened a little, showing his surprise. It made the boy laughed, as he revealed his shikai.

"Still surprised by non-Shinigami to be able to use all your tricks?" Hayato scoffed.

His shikai was similar to a cutlass, but the blade was a longer, little more croissant shape, and large. One side of the blade was silver, and the other side was chrome. The hilt was like any cutlass, which covered the top of his hand, was golden. He held his blade with his left hand.

"Time to get serious capt'," he said as he attacked Toshiro with strength.

Hitsugaya noted that the other was fighting with ever more vigor. Because he could not match up with the powerful blows, he had become more defensive. Was it his shikai's special ability?, thought Toshiro. He did not think so.

Nobuyuki started to feel bored. It seemed that the captain was no longer the same by changing strategy. Perhaps he was trying to find a breakthrough. That was not going to happen. At every blow, he would add a bit more strength. The captain could maybe block them, but this would change soon. He did not reveal his shikai for the fun of it.

"Taicho," he called. "Didn't I just say, to get serious? If you can't level up, than I'll force you to ya savvy?" It seem he had to use his shikai ability. He held his cutlass in front of him, only showing the chrome part. "Shingestu."

Hitsugaya looked everywhere. The boy had disappeared from his sight.

"Invisibility." Hitsugaya was impressed, but did not show it.

Hayato explained. "It's just me playing with your eyes. Tsukiyomi is the Moon god. Just like the new moon, I'm deceiving you by making you think that I'm not there." He laughed. "Will that make you get serious now? Not that you can do anything now. It was a game of wits, and you failed, taicho."

Mockery was going to get him nowhere. Hitsugaya just stayed there, and waited. He could not use his hearing, because of all the commotion surrounding him. They were not the only one fighting in the Seireitei. He had to find a new way to see. All of sudden, he was struck from behind. Hayato left a nasty scar on his back. The boy attacked him again, leaving another laceration on his back. He heard the boy's signature laughter behind him.

"My treasure has been marked. That will be were I stab," Hayato warned.

So, the boy had made an 'x' on his back. Hitsugaya had to think fast. He was in complete disadvantage here. Then he had a idea.

"Sit upon the frozen heavens," Hitsugaya started to Nobuyuki's delight. "Hyorinmaru." Now both them were in shikai. He had to act fast, so he did not lose time to use its ability. "Tenso Jurin." Controlling the weather, Toshiro decided to use snow as a way to see. He was not sure if it was going to work, but he still give it a shot. It was snowing in near storm force. He looked around him, and he saw 'him'. Where Hayato was standing, some snow was remained in the "air". Hitsugaya shunponed at that direction, and stabbed. It shocked Nobuyuki, who moved away. Injured, he reappeared. He had this grin on his face.

"I see," Hayato said, covering his wound. "You outwitted me, taicho."

He was about to strike, when he was called back. That pissed him off, but he had no choice, but to obey. Anyways, if the fight was to continue, that stab in the lower abdomen would have fail him. Hitsugaya was not going to let him run away, so he substitute his place with one of the Militare near him as soon as the captain striked.

A/N: This concludes fight uno~ with Hayato-chan [character hits his creator]. It is somewhat a "draw", but it would have been a loss for Nobu'. (Never underestimate Hitsugaya, bro! Then again, it was a nice fight.)

*tasogare: twilight

Let's talk about Nobu' (/Gin magically appears for a Mascherti Jukyokage Encyclopedia lol)

Nobuyuki Hayato, the pirate: [link: private/60370154488/tumblr_msnwrhSGvM1shbskd]