Chapter 10: Forgiveness

Squad Five - Aco's POV

I starred at Hinamori, in silence. She looked weary, like she had been crying for hours. A relived expression was all I could see in her face. I slowly sat up, the pain jolting in my back. "Aco-chan, you need to stay still. Your back is still badly injured." She reached out her hand, to make me lay down again, but I brushed it away, finally sitting up. "Why?" I said slowly, looking down at my hands. She tilted her head, not understanding what I meant. I panted heavily, the pain in my back barely easing away. "Why did you help me? I left you and Torshiro alone like that. This whole time I never even talked to you guys. Why are you helping me, after the pain you two must have suffered because of me."

Hinamori said nothing as she got up. She went into a small kitchen and soon came back with a tray of tea. She poured a cup for me and herself, handing me a steaming cup of green tea. "Hinamori?" She looked down at the her cup of tea, not answering me at all."Hinamori, answer me. Why didn't you just turn me in? Answer me! I don't know whether to consider you an enemy or an ally right now!" She still said nothing, she didn't even flinch when I raised my voice. My usually shy friend would have said something by now, but nothing came from her lips.

"Hina-"

"You have no idea what we went through do you!?" She screamed, standing up and her tea spilled onto the floor. "For days we waited for you to come back or something like that! Shiro-chan told me that you said 'this was the only way' when you escaped! We thought you were going to come back soon and clear your name some how!" My eyes were widened in surprise at Hinamori's actions. She never usual screamed like this. I stifled a quiet gasp as a choked cry escaped her lips. "Days went by without a sign of you! Months, then years! You never showed up! We got through you being gone after a year and we went back to our normal lives. You have no idea how much you disappointed us do you!? And after thirty years you finally showed up. Right after we needed you the most. Right after the winter war with Aizen. We needed you through those times, yet you still never showed up! At the time Shiro-chan needed his older sister, you never came back."

She yells finally calmed and tears slowly fell off her cheek. I felt my eyes start to burn as some tears threatened to fall from my own eyes. I knew they missed me or even needed me, but... I never expected that they suffered this much from me being gone. "Why...? Why did you leave for thirty years?" More tears started to burst from her eyes as Hinamori fell onto her knees, crying.

I slowly and carefully slipped out of the bed. Pain aching in all areas of my body. Stupid, bitchy, pink, flowers! I thought as I got down on the floor next to Hinamori. I placed a bandaged hand on her back, rubbing her back in small comforting circles. "I'm sorry," I spoke after a couple awkward seconds. "I'm sorry I left like that and for that long. I didn't realize how long I would be gone or how much I hurt you two. I'm sorry that I couldn't be there when you fought Aizen. I'm sorry for being scared."

She lifted up her head, the tears coming to a stop. I smiled warmly at her, tears falling off my cheek. "I'm sorry for being scared." I repeated, choking on my own words. "I was too afraid to come back. The whole time I was gone, I thought I would be captured again and then never see you two again. It took me thirty years to stop being a coward. Through those years I didn't even speak to anyone I was just afraid of never being to see you or Shiro-chan. Torshiro and I lost our parents, our grandpa, and I didn't want to leave him so horribly like they did."

"I'm sorry Hinamori. I didn't mean to hurt you two." I wiped away the tears from my cheek, panting a little and a warm feeling spreading across my chest. Hinamori and I, starred at each other for what seemed like hours. She smiled at me, brushing away her tears and she hugged me. I was surprised when she hugged me. My expression softened and I hugged her back.

"I forgive you, Aco-chan."

XXXXX

Unknown Area - Hunter's POV

I groaned in pain, rolling onto my side. My mind was muddy and I couldn't think at the moment. Pain ached my body from head to toe. Where the hell am I? I thought, my mind finally clearing up. What happened? The memories quickly shot through my mind painfully.

The mans insane laughter broke me out of my haze as our swords clashed. Sparks flew everywhere, scattering across the area. "I won't let you win," I said angrily, pushing him back. "I'll clear Aco's name if it's the last thing I do!" I used Kurai's power again, passing through the great sword and pass the man's body. Before he could turn around I shot a blast of kido, the fiery red ball exploding his back. Silence, shook the area for a couple brief seconds, but his laughter filled the air again. "I have to admit your strong, but you can't go on if we keep clashing like this. How about this, I'll get you out of the way now, but don't worry I'm not going to kill you."

A figure jumped out of the smoke and the man's sword was back to the handle with no blade. "Look at my blade," He said calmly lifting it for me to see. I don't know what he was doing, but looked at it anyway. Since it was kinda unavoidable. He smiled widened in a scary way. "Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu."

I moaned again, grabbing my head. Whose Shikai was that? I've never seen a zanpakuto like that. Oh wait. Dammit! I forgot that's Aizen's real shikai. Dang it, now I'm stuck under the stupid illusion until I kill this guy. I want to wrap my hands around his neck and snap it so badly right now! I opened my eyes, trying to take in the room I was in. Everything was blurry at first, but my eyes cleared up.

I was in a stone room. A few torches lit the place, but it looked like I was a prison. Some of the walls looked like they had crumbled. The stones were old and it scared me, seeing the rusty chains everywhere. I soon realized I was on my stomach and my legs were bound in chains. I couldn't sense my zanpakuto's spirit nor could I feel any reiatsu inside me. I slowly sat up, my body annoyingly sore.

I sat up, my back against the stone wall. I felt something tight around my throat. I reached up and something metal was clamped around my throat. Dammit! Now my powers are sealed. I let myself be captured by that insane freak! "I see your awake now." I quickly looked up and saw a familiar person in front of me. "Ryūkō?" I said, wondering why he was here. "W-wait! I thought you were the one doing this!?" I screamed pointing a finger at the green haired man. Like me, his legs were bound in chains.

"Well, I'm not." He said in a hurt voice. "I can't believe he's doing this and I thought he was dead after all these years. Oh yeah, don't worry Hunter he won't kill you. He'll probably let you go after Aco's dead." I tilted my head in confusion, but soon knew what he was talking about. "Why are you here and why won't he kill me?" I finally said. "Because, he doesn't think of you a sinner. I have a feeling after he's done hunting down Aco Hitsugaya and killing her, he'll finally try to kill me. After all these years, he's going to kill me."

I felt my eye twitch. My mind filled with questions. Pieces, had I a feeling were not going to be easy to put together. "WAIT!? Why would he try to kill you!? Your his older tw-"

"Not to him." He interrupted me, looking up at the ceiling. "He hates me for what I've done. I don't blame him either. I guess I deserve it. All I did was shun him." I felt anger burning inside me. I wanted to blast this guy into space. "Don't you want to stop him!? After what all he's doing? He framed an innocent person and went crazy sixty years ago! He killed twenty soul reapers, before anyone could catch him back then! AND your okay with him killing YOU!"

It was a couple awkward seconds between us. He said nothing, other than just stare at me. After what seemed like forever he finally gave me his answer.

"Yes. I haven't been the best older brother to Hidari."

Tenth Division - Torshiro Hitsugaya - 10:00 pm

"None of these records tell me anything!" The white haired boy shouted loudly. He placed his elbows on the desk, putting down his head and groaning in annoyance. He rubbed his temples slowly. The boy captain was tired, annoyed, and stressed at the moment. Trying to put the pieces together of his sister actually doing these crimes. Someone else is doing this, but who? I can't figure this out!

"Captain?" Torshiro looked up to see Matsumoto, starring at him funny. "What?" He groaned, falling back onto his chair. The ginger haired lady stepped in, holding a file of reports. "Here, you said you needed these." She said, plopping the small stack onto his desk. "Also I have news from squad four. It looks like captain Kuchiki is going to be okay. Squad Two is is doing all they can to find Aco and a boy named Hunter."

At the name Torshiro, instantly sat up straight. Hunter's here too? He's been with Aco this whole time... "Oh and another thing." She said, realizing she had almost forgot someting. "One of our non-seated members, Ryūkō Superu has gone missing."

Illustrated guide to soul reapers

Kon passes by flying with a rainbow behind him and a cape.

Random person: GOLDEN!

Aco, Hunter, and Ichigo are in one room.

Hunter: "Time for a nap..."

Aco: *Pulls his hair* "Idiot, we have another chapter to be in. You can't rest until after this one."

Hunter: "But I'm tired! And aren't you the main character in this story!? Speaking of which, strawberry over there is the REAL main character. Why was he only featured in one chapter!?"

Aco: *Lets go of his hair and Hunter falls painfully to the floor* "Your the main side character. Besides, I think Ichigo's coming in like the last chapters... Oh well I can't remember."

Ichigo: *Sitting depressingly in the corner*

Aco: "Baby..."

An: How did you like Aco and Momo's little fight? Sorry if this was a little boring. I slowly started to lose ideas for this chapter.

hailey-shiro: I decided to get Hunter out of the way for a few chapters and the best way to capture someone is by using Aizen's shikai! Happy you enjoyed the HitsuHina part. I plan to have more for the HitsuHina fans.

Nalael: I didn't know Ichigo's zanpakuto was forbidden for some people. I haven't been on the internet long enough. And don't worry about Hidari! I have an epic battle prepared for the end! Plus, There's a gap to his zanpakuto's power. Probably shouldn't have said that...