Author's note:Here we are! There's one more chapter to go before finishing this story. The next chapter will be releashed sometime during April for sure. Until then enjoy!
Chapter 11
Of visiting graves and discovering truths
Yachiru was bumbling cheerfully but Hinamori was not paying any attention to her. Her mind was engaged to her new hobby. Repeating her conversation with Hyourinmaru in her mind and trying to analyze it. She was particularly bothered by the dragon's last words. It seemed to her that this ice dragon knew her and Hitsugaya way too well and had tried to give them advise to make up with each other. That seemed surreal to Hinamori. She may have been childhood friends with Hitsugaya but they didn't have talked to each other under that light for years. They were almost strangers now.
Even if he had came to see her when he had returned, it was more like a warning than a friendly reunion. As for her feelings toward him, she was sure still angry about all the staff he had said about her in front of all those fellow shinigami of him. At the same time somewhere deep inside her she was worried about him. That's why she had tried to found out the truth about the rumored ice curse. Since he was a child he didn't make an effort to make friends and even now his behavior turned people away.
However Hyourinmaru had spoken as if there was something more to his actions back then. And that was what she was trying to figure out the past weeks. Unfortunately she was too busy with her work with Aizen-sensei to reach any conclusion.
At this point her thoughts were violently interrupted by Yachiru who have understood that Hinamori wasn't listening to her and tried to catch her attention.
"Peach-girl what are you thinking? Today is Happy-girl's day, please focus".
"Oh I'm sorry! Don't worry from now on my mind is fixed on Senna", replied Hinamori apologetically.
"It better be!", said Yachiru and started dashing between the lines of gravestones.
That day was the death anniversary of a witch friend who was taking care of Yachiru before Hinamori, Senna. Every year Yachiru and Hinamori would visit her grave to pay their respects.
"Happy-girl we are hereeee!",exclaimed Yachiru happily before the tombstone. At the same time Hinamori was preparing the cleaning utensils.
Yachiru rarely talked about Senna and if she did it she never did it to compare the two girls. Hinamori often thought of Senna. They weren't best of friends but they did hang out. Senna was the kind of person who accepted anyone, she was always cheerful, energetic and ready to do the most unusual and crazy things. Her death was a great shock. All the evidence showed that she was attacked by a hollow but once or twice Yachiru had expressed her disbelief about that.
When Hinamori finished with the cleaning, placed flowers in a vase and burned incense Yachiru started hopping saying it was time for launch.
"It's too bad that we are alone again this year", said Hinamori.
"I know Happy-girl would love it if there were a lot of people being noisy in her death anniversary. She wouldn't have it any other way", replied Yachiru.
"Next time let's make a fuss and force everyone to come!", said Hinamori with a rare evil smirk.
"Yes let's have them here and throw a huge memorial party!" agreed Yachiru who then started bumbling more about what they should do in that party.
After she finished a speech about fireworks she concentrated back to her lunch box. However Yachiru was not the sort of person to remain silent therefore she spoke again.
"Oh I almost forgot. I haven't said the saying of the day. Peach-girl you must be careful. You never know who may be after you because of your connection with me". Those words were said in the most serious expression she could master. Her warnings weren't something new. Ever since Hinamori had started taking care of her the girl would utter those words to raise her sense of danger. Hinamori concluded that those words originated from her belief that Senna's death was planned by some unknown party and that it would be possible for her to be their target too. She was alarmed of that but so far she hadn't spotted anyone who would want to get to Yachiru so that they would have to get rid of her.
The day of grave visiting eventually came to an end and Hinamori had to go back to her daily routine. And that daily routine included meetings with Aizen. After class Hinamori was to go to Aizen's office and she had instructed Yachiru not to wait for her. Dutiful, as she was, Hinamori finished arranging her staff in the teacher's room and then hurried to the headmaster's office. She knocked on the door but no one answered. She repeated the same action but she still didn't get an answer. She turned the doorknob and she found that the door wasn't locked.
Thinking that they would meet there anyway she decided to wait for Aizen in his office. She chose a nice comfortable chair to sit down and started starring at the empty room to relieve her boredom. A sense of tranquility overwhelmed her. The weather was good and the sun rays who penetrated the transparent glass warmed her body. The temptation to sleep suddenly arose but she brushed it of with a smile. But sleep suddenly besieged her violently along with dizziness. She tried to to fight it but they were more powerful. She tried to get up to find some water to splash her face but she only managed to collapse in the floor. For some unknown reason she placed her hand on her stomach as if someone had his struck her there with his hand. Alarmed she tried to call for help but she couldn't master any strength to shout. Any power she had left vanished and she unwillingly surrendered to sleep.
Yachiru was worried. It was almost dinnertime and Peach-girl hadn't returned yet. It was like her to be late sometimes but it was definitely not like her not to call and tell her she was going to be late. She had waited patiently but now it was time for her to do something. She approached the phoned and dialed a number, she waited for the lines to connect. After the distinct beebs of the phone a voice answered.
"Hi, it's me Yachiru. I need your help. Peach-girl hasn't been back from school yet but what worries me the most is that she hasn't called to say that she was going to be late...Don't act like a tsundere, I know that now you're worried about her. Wanna know something else? She was supposed to meet with Glasses-sensei right after class... Yes him, I know you don't believe me but I don't trust him. Please do me a favor and search for Peach-girl while I go check for her in the school... Yeah, thank you! If you find her or anything suspicious come and find me".
She then hanged up the phone and started getting ready to go out. Hinamori usually insisted that she would accompany her to school because there was a high possibility she was not going to find it. Yachiru didn't really know if she was that bad with directions but now she had to find her way to school no matter what.
In the dark of the night the usually friendly and bursting with life streets were emitting an aura of hostility and bad premonitions. Thankfully after a few rounds Yachiru reached her destination. The school complex looked eerie as if it wanted to confirm Yachiru's fears. Despite those the little girl embraced herself and set for to find out if there were any answers inside. Her footsteps were echoing in the empty building. Checking several classrooms didn't do any good.
"Maybe I should check the headmaster's office. I think that's where their meetings are being held".
With that thought the little girl headed running to the said office. She grabbed the doorknob and found the door unlocked. She entered without closing the door and proceeded to examine the room but it proved unnecessary.
"Hello Yachiru! I appreciate you decided to show up. I waited long enough for this", said Aizen with his velvet voice. He was occupying his armchair and looking at her with great interest behind his square glasses.
"Where is Peach-girl? I also waited long enough for her to come back!",said she sternly.
"I'm afraid she's not here", he answered calmly without sitting up.
"Is she okay?"
"That will depend on you. If you give me the answers I want without wasting any time".
"It seems to me that you did do something to her. But what could you possibly want from me? I'm just a kid".
"You have remained a kid for too long my dear and I want to know the secret behind that", said Aizen as he finally got up and approached her. Yachiru stepped back with caution but made no attempt to flee.
"I still don't get what you mean".
"You know very well what I mean. Your previous caretaker Senna did a good job protecting your secret but one time of carelessness was enough for me to discover your curious case".
"My curious case?"
"Don't play the fool with me Yachiru. I know you are not growing up normally. You repeat the third grade every single year. Senna and now Hinamori-kun are responsible of hiding all evidence but a few years before I found a photo of you with the kids of fourth grade while you were registered in the third grade. After that I patiently tried to unlock the truth. I kept more photos and notes of my discoveries since those good girls erased everyone's memories of you year after year. And now I would like you to share your secrets with me. You see the only thing I wasn't able to find out is why you are the only one to enjoy such a privilege", he concluded.
"Then are you the one who killed Happy-girl?" asked Yachiru who had listen silently all this time without betraying any emotion.
"Yes it was me. I wanted her to reveal me your secrets but she was a tough nut to crack. I didn't get what I wanted from her and in the end I had to dispose of her to cover my tracks. But my capturing her wasn't a total failure. Even though I was very careful you still suspected me and you were sensitive about Hinamori-kun's safety".
"I knew there was something wrong with your way of doing things. For someone who wanted to strengthen the bonds between witches and shinigami you involved way too few people. Now tell me what did you do to Peach-girl?"
"I drugged her with a certain poison we shinigami use. It acts slowly bu it can prove lethal"
"I s there an antidote?"
"Of course but I'm going to give it to you only when you answer my questions".
"Why do you want to know about my case"
"The quest for immortality is temporal for humans. Isn't it normal that I too would wish for it so that I put in good use my abilities"
"There's no such thing as immortality".
"I can settle for longevity. Moreover are you sure you want to chit chat like that? Hinamori-kun's life is in danger. Every minute that passes her life might end".
"There's no need to worry about that. I already took care of Hinamori", said a third voice from the door.
The two of them turned surprised only to see Hitsugaya standing there with his usual scowling face. However Yachiru thought she spotted his eyebrows twitching dangerously.
"What are you doing here Hitsugaya-taichou?" asked Aizen who if he was surprised he didn't show it.
"I was dragged to this situation by the pink hairball here. I already found Hinamori and provided her with the antidote".
"How did you find her. I hid her pretty well".
"It wasn't long ago that she summoned my Hyourinmaru. He managed to find some traces of her magic and that's how we spotted her. Now Aizen-taichou I suggest you give up and go home. It's not like our side will accuse you of anything unless you prove more ambitious than the Elders like".
"I'm afraid I do not wish to comply with your suggestions Hitsugaya-taichou. I'm sorry such a promising young man had to get involved in this story", said Aizen as his hand moved towards his sword but suddenly stopped.
"Don't forget Glasses-guy I'm still here. I won't let you do whatever you want anymore. Now stay petrified until we see what to do with you", said Yachiru.
Hitsugaya who had reached for his own zanpakouto stared surprised at the motionless comrade who didn't even have the time to change expression.
"Will he stay like that until you break the spell?" he finally asked.
"Yes, he had me worried for a long time but now I can relax. He can finally get punishment".
"I'm sorry but he will not receive punishment for killing a witch from our side and I'm afraid that if your side decides to seek revenge things will get ugly", stated Hitsugaya.
"But he seems dangerous to me. Will you really let him do whatever he wants? He sought a way to live longer" said Yachiru distressed.
"I didn't hear all of your conversation but if that's the case then my side will investigate his intentions but that means you guys have to cooperate with us and you will have to reveal your secrets if you want him punished".
Yachiru remained silent for a few moments thinking and then said.
"Can we let him in that state for a few days until I contact my people? You see there are more people involved in this situation and I can't take all the decisions alone". Hitsugaya sighed but nodded, the two of them hid the petrified Aizen and then left the school building.
"By the way how's Peach girl? Where did you left her?"
"She was still unconscious when I left her with Ukitake but she's going to be fine. I wasn't too late in giving her the antidote".
"Will she be okay with him?"
"No worries. Once we let her stay with us for the night. Ukitake is very lax with things like that". He assured her.
"Good, let's hurry then. She might have woken up and wonder what have happened".
Hitsugaya nodded lifted Yachiru all of a sudden and started using the flash steps to the direction of Ukitake's house.
