Summary: In an attempt to confront Aizen, Hinamori Momo's memory is stolen from her… Except her memories of Hitsugaya Toshiro. It's difficult not knowing who you are. "Shiro-chan, I can't remember… I don't know who I am, but I know that I must have loved you."
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. Tite Kubo does.
A Quick Word From Me: I must admit I'm surprised so many people are upset with Momo (I actually think it's kind of sweet that she's gone off alone because she thinks she's saving Shiro-chan). Sure, she's misguided a little, and quite naïve, but still… Her intentions aren't Aizen-serving this time. Thank you for reading this far and a special thanks to KnowledgeandImagination, Aiedail's Scepter, Harpylove1, kRyStAlt3aRz, Soni758, nifty nutter butter, and SoullessReaper for reviewing. A lot of you have stuck through it with me this far, and that means the world to me. We're roughly half-way there to the end give or take, so… for now, enjoy!
Memories of Shiro-chan
Chapter 11: Alone
The letter crumpled in his hands as they clenched tightly into fists. Hitsugaya Toshiro was angry. Not just angry, but furious. Was that how she saw him? Did she think that he wouldn't willingly die for her? After what they had just shared the night before, that letter was almost like a slap in the face. It hurt him more than even having her point Tobiume in his direction and seeing the confused hatred in her eyes. "Hinamori…" The temperature dropped significantly in the area surrounding him, and outside the wind howled, bringing in clouds from the distance. "Baka! What in the hell makes you think that I won't come after you?" He growled.
"Taicho! What's the matter?" Matsumoto had sensed his reiatsu and was knocking on the door. She entered the room, cringing at the tension in the air.
"Matsumoto, get online with Unohana right away and meet me at Urahara's after. Hinamori has done something incredibly stupid." His normally icy teal eyes flashed at his vice-captain dangerously, a raging sea now visible in their depths.
"H-hai, Taicho." His lieutenant knew better than to argue. Her captain was livid right now. In fact, she hadn't seen him this upset before, even when he'd broken down in front of her that on that evening those many weeks before. Not wasting another moment, she nearly tripped over herself scrambling to get out of the room and online with the 4th Squad captain.
Taking in a deep breath, the boy closed his eyes and calmed himself. Finally, he stepped out, the icy mask back in place. It didn't change the way he felt, however. Not one bit. I just might push to have her rank taken away for good if this keeps up. She is not fit to be a vice-captain pulling stunts like this. He decided that abandoning his gigai was best, and used Shunpo, arriving at Urahara's shop. He knocked on the door, impatiently waiting for an answer.
The door opened, and the shopkeeper frowned upon seeing him. Instead of the usual greeting, he stepped aside and said, "Time is of the essence. She came by here about an hour and a half ago. She left with Tobiume, and headed north-west. I'm certain that if you were to contact Soul Society, based on the amount of reiatsu given off, they could tell you exactly where she went."
"I know where she went. She left for Hueco Mundo. Aizen manipulated her into going back so he could finish whatever it was that we'd interrupted before." Toshiro's voice was flat, totally devoid of emotion.
After a long pause, Urahara noticed the blank expression on the captain's face, and realized that the boy was lost in thought. No doubt this turn of events had shaken him quite a bit. Urahara could see how much that girl meant to the boy captain. "Perhaps you would like to notify the rest of the Gotei 13 of your discoveries here," he supplied helpfully, breaking the silence. "Afterward, come back here, and decide on what you're going to do. You know I can help you get into Hueco Mundo, even in the unstable state it's in right now."
Nodding slowly, Hitsugaya turned and left, mumbling a quiet thank you. He bolted out the door and used his Shunpo to get back to Matsumoto. He burst into the living room just in time to see her end the transmission with Unohana. "Matsumoto, what did she have to say?"
"They know the last location where Hinamori-chan was," she answered. "But they can't determine what caused the distortion, and so she suggested that we talk with Urahara Kisuke, and see if there isn't a way that he can help us from over here to find a way to Hueco Mundo."
"There's a way," Toshiro said softly. "He said so himself. I need to get a hold of the head-captain before we do anything on our own."
She folded her arms. "Always so calm and collected, Taicho. Even now, when you're worried sick about her and you know it."
Hitsugaya said nothing, only activating the giant monitor in Orihime's living room.
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The pain within her was back with a vengeance this time. Momo raced through the barren deserts that were Hueco Mundo, and winced as another pain tore through her. My… memories… She knew that it was from her memories. She was remembering much more, now. If I survive, I have so many people that I need to apologize to, she thought. Rangiku-san, Kira-kun, but most of all… Hitsugaya-kun. Tears stung her eyes at the thought of her beloved friend. She knew that she'd no doubt hurt him. But she was afraid for him. She remembered those visions that she'd kept having of him lying there, bleeding out on the floor. Aizen had said that no harm would come to him, if Momo obeyed. So, even if it meant dying, or suffering with this pain for the rest of her life, she was willing to do it.
She stopped for a moment, catching her breath, and looked around at the barren terrain around her. Hinamori glanced up at the Hueco Mundo moon and shivered. "I hate this place," she whispered to herself. It was so cold there; so lonely. She squeezed her eyes shut, but pressed on. The memories became more vivid with each step; clearer with each passing second, but the pain grew more intense. Her left hand clutched at her chest in an attempt to ease the pain she was feeling in her heart, but to no avail. Momo was far too preoccupied to realize that the ground beneath her was giving way. She cried out as it collapsed and she found herself falling… down… deeper… further… Then, nothing, but darkness.
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"Speaking frankly, Hitsugaya-taicho, if it didn't seem that Hinamori was so vital to Aizen's plans, I would have called you back here to the Soul Society," Yamamoto said.
The 10th Division captain bit back a retort. After a long pause for deliberation on his words, Hitsugaya finally spoke. "What is it that you wish for me to do, Head Captain? Are you certain that we can risk allowing Hinamori to fall into Aizen's hands?"
"No. We cannot run that risk. If he does indeed have plans, it could very well mean the end of the Soul Society. Which is why you are to go to Hueco Mundo to retrieve Hinamori. I am sending along Abarai-fukutaicho with you. You are also to ask for the assistance of Kurosaki Ichigo, the substitute shinigami for this matter as well. Matsumoto-fukutaicho will take over the supervision of your squad in your absence. In addition to finding Hinamori, you must also try and investigate just what Aizen is truly plotting. Understood?"
"Hai," Hitsugaya responded shortly with a bow. "I will take my leave now," he said briskly.
"Good luck, Hitsugaya-taicho."
"Arigato." He ended the transmission and looked to Matsumoto. "You're going to have to leave. Send Abarai over to Kurosaki's house when he gets to the world of the living, got it? I'll meet him there, and we'll leave."
Orihime stepped in. "Oh! Matsumoto-san! Were you leaving? Toshiro-kun, where is Hinamori-san?"
Toshiro stood. "Gomen ne, Inoue, there's no time!" He pushed past her. "I'm off to Kurosaki's!" He was gone in an instant.
"Matsumoto-san?"
"I'm sorry, Inoue-chan. If you want to know more, go to Ichigo's place. Hinamori-chan is missing, and we are all in a hurry to find her. If we waste anymore time…"
"Right, I understand," she interrupted, pushing Rangiku out the door. "You're in a hurry, right? I'm going over to Kurosaki-kun's house and see if there isn't something I can do to help as well." She bolted out the door and raced down the block, following Toshiro to Ichigo's place. It took only a matter of a few minutes and she was at his front door, breathless. She knocked softly, trying to catch her breath.
One of Ichigo's sisters answered the door. "Hey, Ichigo's upstairs with Toshiro right now. Did you need them for something?"
"Oh, good. They haven't left yet! Please, may I go up there?" Orihime asked, knowing that she must have sounded pretty rude, but right now that wasn't important.
Karin stepped aside. "Go for it."
Thanking the girl, Orihime rushed up the stairs and knocked on the door. "Kurosaki-kun!" She called, knocking on his door.
Ichigo opened the door, a wide-eyed expression at seeing Orihime there. "Inoue, what are you doing here?"
She took a moment to survey his room. Renji stood, arms folded leaning against the wall. Rukia sat on Ichigo's bed with Kon on her lap. Toshiro was perched on the windowsill, looking incredibly anxious. "Um, Kurosaki-kun, I want to help you," she said softly. "What is going on?"
Ichigo cleared his throat. "Hinamori is missing. She left for Hueco Mundo, but, Inoue, this is a very dangerous mission. And, well, we're leaving right away. Time is of the essence. So, I think it'd be better if you stayed behind this time."
"O-oh, I-I see…" Orihime said, tears welling up in her eyes. She glanced over at Rukia. Of course she was going. Everyone in that room, Ichigo saw fit to help him… except for her. She turned around. "G-good luck, everyone! Hurry back, all right?" She hurried out the door, praying that Ichigo wouldn't see those tears of hurt.
"Inoue!" Ichigo made a move to go after her, and stopped her. "Look, I'm only saying this, because of what happened before… with Aizen. And, naturally, we can run faster than you. Would you stay at Urahara's, Inoue? Stay there, because, I know that we'll need someone there to wait. It's going to be a hard battle, and…"
"I'll be there, to help heal everyone when you all return," Orihime finished quietly. She gave him a watery smile. "I'll be there, Kurosaki-kun. I promise."
"Oy, Ichigo! Hurry up! Hitsugaya-taicho is getting impatient!" Renji called from inside his room.
"I hear you, I hear you!" Ichigo snapped.
Orihime gave him a small smile. "You'd best be going, Kurosaki-kun. Hinamori-san needs you all right now. I'll be waiting." Even if I'm not the one, I'll be waiting. She glanced one more time into the room at Rukia, before taking her leave.
Watching her retreating back for a moment, Ichigo returned to everyone else in the room. "Are we ready to do this or what?" He used his substitute shinigami badge and jumped out of his body. "Kon, you stay here with my body in case something happens." He ordered.
"You know, Ichigo, you can't just boss me around," the stuffed animal barked back. "And you couldn't have let Orihime-chan stay here and keep me company?!"
Ichigo chose to ignore Kon, and said to everyone else, "I'll meet you all at Urahara's. Let's get going."
Hitsugaya wordlessly leapt out of the window, with Rukia, Renji, and Ichigo following him. He raced on ahead, making it to Urahara's first. He knocked, and then crossed his arms. When the door opened, he nodded to Jinta. "The others are coming," he said to the boy.
True enough, Renji, Ichigo, and Rukia appeared at the door moments after Hitsugaya had stepped inside.
Once everyone was gathered in the back room, Urahara Kisuke turned to them. "All right. Everyone, downstairs." He led the way and turned to them. "Now, before, I had sent Ichigo here to Hueco Mundo when Inoue disappeared. It was deadly enough. Now, however, it's going to be even worse, with the unstable condition that it is in. You will have to completely concentrate your reiatsu together, as one person's will not be enough to sustain a path alone. I will not be able to secure a path back home. So it will be a one-way journey there until you are able to locate Hinamori. However, if my hypothesis is correct, she is directly connected with Hueco Mundo, and by using her, you will be able to secure a path back home."
Ichigo raised a brow. "So you're saying that Hinamori may be able to get us back home? What if she can't?"
Urahara shrugged. "Then I was wrong and she can't."
"And we're stuck there," Ichigo finished.
Hitsugaya spoke up. "I'm going. I'm willing to take the chance. If all of you are not, it's all right. But I need to go, alone if I must."
"Toshiro! You'd never make it!" Ichigo protested.
"That's Hitsugaya-taicho to you. And it isn't your business if you're not coming along," Hitsugaya replied harshly.
"Well, I'm going," Renji spoke up. "Hitsugaya-taicho was ordered to go to Hueco Mundo, and I was ordered to accompany him. But more than that, Hinamori was his childhood friend. If Rukia were in that situation, I wouldn't hesitate to go. If it were me, I would appreciate that others were helping me. Hinamori is also my friend. So I'm going. Ichigo, you can be a chicken if you want, but I'm going to help Hitsugaya-taicho."
"Renji…" Rukia said, touched by his words.
"Hey! I'm not a chicken, and I never said I wasn't going!" Ichigo shouted at Renji.
Renji shot back, "Then why were you just complaining about 'what-if's'? So what if Hinamori can't send us back. Let's cross that bridge when we get to it!"
"That's just what I was gonna say! Stop trying to steal my lines!" Ichigo growled.
"Okay, both of you, knock it off!" Rukia snapped, butting in. "We're all going, Urahara-san. It's decided."
"…Arigato," Hitsugaya murmured, turning his eyes away from them so they wouldn't see his embarrassment.
"All right, for now, everyone, stand back until I fully open the gate to Hueco Mundo," Urahara announced. The space in front of him suddenly was ripped apart by the black energy of Hueco Mundo in a blast of wind. Urahara stood firm, even when his hat was blown off in the gust. Finally, the air evened out and he turned to everyone. "All right. Everyone go on ahead now."
"Kurosaki-kun! Toshiro! Good luck! I'll be here!" Orihime called from the distance as she had just arrived on the scene to see them all off.
Hitsugaya nodded. He glanced up at Urahara. "Arigato. I will be back. With Hinamori." With that said, he disappeared into the darkness.
"Oy, Toshiro! Wait up!" Ichigo hollered, jumping in after, followed by Renji and Rukia. Once inside, they were met with that horrendous gust once again. The wind howled and the ground shook horribly. "Toshiro!"
"Shut up, I'm right ahead of you," the captain snapped. "If you're so intent on breaking my concentration, why don't you lend me some support with your own reiatsu while you're at it?" Indeed, Hitsugaya was only a few feet ahead of them, struggling, with the ground shaking at his feet. It hadn't been this difficult before when the Soul Society had secured a route to Hueco Mundo, but apparently, with Urahara it was different.
They all fell silent, each concentrating their reiatsu together to create a path. They found that the further they went into the dark tunnel, the harder it became.
Rukia cried out when she tripped and nearly fell to her doom when Ichigo caught her. "Rukia, you okay?" He asked, pulling her up. When she merely nodded, he released her arm. "We're going to need to pick up the pace. We're not gonna last much longer here," he said, springing ahead.
Renji had fallen back beside Rukia. "Let's go," he said encouragingly.
"Yes," she murmured in determination and they both caught up to Ichigo and Toshiro.
"I see something," Ichigo shouted. "It's Hueco Mundo. Come on, guys!" He urged everyone. Not a moment too soon, because the path underneath their feet was giving in, collapsing in on itself.
They all sprang ahead, adrenaline rushing through them all, and jumped out of the unstable portal, landing in the 'safety' of Hueco Mundo, just as the pathway disappeared altogether.
"That was close," Renji muttered.
"Baka, that was because you were talking the whole time with Rukia and slowing us all down," Ichigo shouted.
"Me? You were the one who wouldn't shut up the whole way there!"
Rukia stepped in between them both. "Both of you, knock it off!"
The whole time, Hitsugaya had remained silent, his eyes closed. He was searching for her. Through the static in the air, and the constant earthquakes he could feel in the distance, he began to feel something familiar… His eyes shot open. Hinamori, I found you. Hold on! He glanced back to the others and rolled his eyes at the bickering. "Hinamori is here. I can just barely feel her reiatsu, meaning that she's weakened immensely, or far away. But if we don't hurry, we're not going to find her." He spoke, cutting into the arguing. "I'm going on ahead."
"Hitsugaya-taicho, wait up!" Renji shouted, forgetting his feud with Ichigo and rushing ahead after the captain.
Rukia and Ichigo exchanged a look and followed after the two, anxious to find Hinamori as well and get out of that place.
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The first thing she felt was an immense hurting in her head. She chanced opening an eye, regretting it soon after. She moaned in agony, sitting upright. The constant pain from her memories was still there, but this new injury was just adding to it. "Ugh… I have to… get up…" She managed to stand up after a time, legs shaking and threatening to buckle beneath her. Finally steady for the moment, Momo looked around. "Where…am I…?" She was standing beside a rather large tree. Around her were more trees. It was a forest… of darkness. "Oh, no… this is the Menos Forest…" She gasped. There were much deadlier hollow down here. She sank to her knees. In the condition she was in now… well, she wasn't stupid. She could do the math. There was just no way she would survive an encounter with anything down there. But, I have to try. Or this'll have been for nothing and Aizen will kill Toshiro anyway! At that horrible thought, Momo managed to stand, and continued onward, barely aware that blood was dripping down the side of her face from a gash on her forehead. I have… to keep going… She gasped and whirled around when the trees rustled behind her, and some fierce hollow emerged. Her blood was attracting them. Shakily, Momo pulled Tobiume out. "Hajike, Tobiume!" She screamed, and unleashed all of the power she could muster in a kido blast from her Zanpakuto.
It struck the hollow, knocking it back a few feet but otherwise did nothing.
"W-why…?" Momo asked weakly. She was done for. She knew it. She had no more strength left to fight. She'd used it all up in her already weakened state trying to kill the hollow.
It approached her, ready to swipe at her when a flash of red darted in front of her and struck it down.
Her savior stopped in front of her. He wore a hollow's mask, and had dark auburn hair. "Are you all right, Rukia?" He asked her.
He thinks I'm Kuchiki-san? "Who…?" Momo found herself asking. "Are… you…?" Everything went fuzzy and she collapsed.
The man stood over her, frowning to himself. "Wait. She isn't Rukia." He muttered. "Who is she?" He picked the girl up and took her with him, hoping to get her to a safer place. Whoever this girl was, she wasn't in very good shape. He avoided the nearby Menos and darted through the trees, jumping from branch to branch, tree to tree. Finally, a rocky cliff was visible with an entrance to a cavern. He picked up the pace and made it into the cave, setting the girl down and checking her over for injuries. He took off his mask and examined her more closely. The man then grabbed some cloths and dabbed her forehead with them, cleaning the blood off that had begun to stain her hair and wrapped her head in a bandage. Once he was done he sat and watched over the girl quietly.
After about an hour in silence, her pained moans filled the air. "Ah…" She awoke and her eyes widened in terror when she saw the hollow mask. "No!" She jumped to her feet too fast and collapsed, with the man catching her.
"It's all right. There's no hollow here," he said softly. "Lie down and rest."
"But… who are you?" Momo asked weakly, obeying him.
"My name is Ashido. What is your name? You are injured, and appear to be too weak to survive in this forest. Why are you here?" He questioned her.
"My name is Momo. Hinamori Momo," she responded softly. "I'm here to protect someone I love. I'm not strong enough, though." She turned away.
Ashido stood. "You are lucky that I was there. I actually had thought you were someone else."
"You mean Kuchiki-san?" Hinamori supplied.
He raised an eyebrow at her. "So you know Rukia?"
"Hai. She and I are both shinigami from the Gotei 13 after all."
"I suppose that's to be expected," Ashido murmured. "But you're so weak. Even your reiatsu is…"
Momo sighed. "There's… something wrong with me. That's why I'm here. The only chance I have of making anything better and protecting those I care about is by coming here and trying to stop Aizen and the rest of the arrancar."
"You don't stand a chance, Momo."
She blinked at the usage of her first name. This man obviously was not much on manners and people skills, was he? But he was right. "I know that. But… it's all I can do. Aizen stole a part of my soul," Momo explained. "He locked it away into something called… a Boundary Key, that's supposed to be able to transcend time and space…" She trailed off, and winced, straining herself to remember. "My memories are fuzzy because of this, and I'm weaker, but the only way to try and regain what I've lost is to come here."
He nodded. "I see. There have been some strange occurrences in the Menos Forest as of late. Perhaps it has to do with this 'Boundary Key' you speak of. I will assist you out of this forest, but in the shape that you are in…" He paused, suddenly aware of a new presence. "Wait! Something's coming. Several strong reiatsu are headed in this direction. Stay here and rest. I will investigate it." He ran to the entrance and disappeared, leaving Momo to her troubled thoughts.
End of chapter 11.
Author's Note: Please review me if you have a chance and tell me how you liked this chapter and the reappearance of Ashido. I wish that would happen in the anime. Probably not, but a girl can dream, right? And yes, I had to throw some IchiHime/IchiRuki drama in there. I feel so bad for Orihime. She loves Ichigo, but he seems to be leaning more toward Rukia. I really couldn't say which pairings I prefer when it comes to them. Really, I can't. I can see reasons for them both. And I like all of the characters. Well, anyway, I'll attempt to update soon. I'm nursing a monstrous headache so I'll close. 'Night!-- Hallie