Author's Note: Finally, an update! This one was kind of rushed to just get one up, so excuse any unusual failure-ness or anything of that nature. My aunt and uncle were over last week, so it was kind of really busy, and now with all the back-to-school craze and all that summer work that I had to do, I couldn't really find time to do this! But that's all over. I'm going to try to establish a regular updating schedule for this next school year. I hope you enjoy, sorry for the short chapter, long notes, and especially the wait!
General Note: Please excuse any grammar mistakes, I have proofread this chapter and attempted to fix up any mistakes. Also, please excuse any other mistakes you may find. I appreciate any comments. Thank you so much for reading this! Please enjoy!
Chapter 11: The Frozen Cave
"So, did you guys find any new leads?" Izuru asked his partners over the breakfast table while Matsumoto was busy slurping up Granny's Miso Soup.
"Quite unfortunately, I haven't." Hinamori admitted, though her answer was slightly muffled by a strange distorted garble Matsumoto was attempting to communicate through a mouthful of soup.
"I haven't either." Matsumoto sighed out after she swallowed the soup. "What about you, Kira? Did you find anything work looking for?"
"It's the same as you guys. But if none of us have any leads, where should we go? It's not like we can search the whole 1st District of Rukongai, let alone all of Rukongai in its entirety!" Izuru exclaimed, pacing back and forth. "But we can't go back to Seireitei either until we have Captain Hitsugaya!"
"Then may I suggest that you visit the Frozen Cave? Tōshirō's grandmother advised the trio out of the blue. "Tōshirō often visited the cave when he was young, so perhaps he may have returned there after all these years. Maybe it meant something to him."
"Good thinking, Granny! But where exactly is this Frozen Cave?" Matsumoto agreed, though she seemed rather confused at the same time.
"It is beyond a small lake not to far west from here, a large cave struck into the mountainside. It is called the Frozen Cave simply because of the strange weather patterns there, causing it to be filled with ice year round. Tōshirō never liked the heat. Anyway, Hinamori-san knows where the lake is, Tōshirō-san has taken her there many times before." Granny chuckled, evidently happy for Hinamori's newfound (or re-found) love.
"I guess we're going to the Frozen Cave, then. We've got no other leads anyways." Izuru settled, seemingly fitting in very awkwardly into the situation, causing Matsumoto to slap him on the back.
"Ah, lighten up, Kira! We'll find Captain Hitsugaya and be on our way soon enough!" Matsumoto grinned, her mood incredibly positive after they finally found another lead.
"Thank you, Granny! We'll come back with Shirō-chan, we promise!" Hinamori promised again, and the threesome set out from Tōshirō's old house for the Frozen Cave. Upon arrival at the lake, Hinamori let out a reminiscent sigh.
"I remember the good-old days. It was before this Shinigami nonsense tore all of our lives up. Rukongai was simple and easy. Shirō-chan was so cute!" Hinamori recalled, remembering the old days where life was just a bucket full of delicious watermelon.
"Let's hurry and get Captain Hitsugaya back!" Matsumoto cheered, to which Izuru raised his fist in the air in an appreciative fist-pump. "After all, I can't take all this paperwork." She muttered afterwards, though a bit too loud which raised Izuru's eyebrows.
"I'm here because Soul Society can't go on without a captain. We have to save Captain Hitsugaya!" Izuru explained.
"It doesn't matter what the reason is, as long as we're here, saving Shirō-chan. He's always trying to save me, and now he's disappeared! I have to save him!" Hinamori swatted down the both of them. "For his grandmother, and for me!"