…Peaceful Green Love…

Chapter 14: Aotsuki Tsukibakudan

The pink reiatsu of Hinamori and the blue reiatsu of Aotsuki clash and then a smoke like mixture of the two reiatsu forms. Swirls of reiatsu engulf Hinamori, Aotsuki and Kunogi. The atmosphere weights heavier as the two girls stares each other.

A red leaf falls… clashes of zanpaktou sparks in the battleground. Swirls of pink and blue reiatsu mix as the two vice-captains move swiftly. To finish the clashing swords stage, Hinamori blast ume petals kidou from her zanpaktou to Aotsuki. Aotsuki evades the attack while blocking some drifted petals with her zanpaktou, burning the petals in process.

Power and speed of the two vice-captains are equal but the difference is their expression; Aotsuki devilishly smiles, like she has a plan. Hinamori didn't show a spec of hatred but just only pure seriousness. Some parts of their black kimono are torn by each other's blades but not a drop of blood is shed yet.

Hinamori's straw sandals slide over the ume petal covered stone ground. Her sword upright, ready to defend or attack whatever the condition is. "Let's go, Tobiume…" she whispered. She directs a plum attack to Aotsuki.

Aotsuki evades it; however, Hinamori continuously sends plum kidous. Aotsuki evades all of the previous kidous but cornered to mid-air where she couldn't evade easily. Hinamori makes her final blast, Aotsuki have no choice but to defend with her zanpaktou. Aotsuki manages to deflect the pink kidou but the accompanied ume petals slices her kimono to her skin.

Aotsuki wouldn't let herself loose to Hinamori; she starts a huge fire around them, creating a ring. "See if you can survive without getting burned, Hinamori." She hissed. With a swing of her blue flaming zanpaktou, blue flames from the fire ring shoots to Hinamori. Hinamori defends the shooting flames with her collection of kidous.

Aotsuki continues to shoot blue flames on Hinamori while Hinamori evades and uses kidou to defend. Hinamori finally arrives beside Aotsuki, which is Aotsuki's miscalculation. Hinamori creates a huge plum blast, blowing the blue flames away. Aotsuki made it to defend herself from the blast however, with the strong wind Hinamori's ume blast created, sends Aotsuki off her balance.

"Fighting with an equal level… not bad but I want to end this quick." Said Aotsuki as she stabilizes her stand. She starts to chant as she runs towards Hinamori, "Hakai no chikara yo, waga Aotsuki no chi ni nagareru tsuki yo, waga ni ataerare wag no teki wo shi to zetsubo ni obore! (O the power of destruction, O that moon that runs through the Aotsuki blood, give me the power to drown my enemy into blood and despair!)" Aotsuki moves as quickly as possible to get in contact with Hinamori.

At first, Hinamori blocks Aotsuki's kicks. Aotsuki uses her palm to attack Hinamori; an inverted blue moon mark is shown. Being chased off the ground, Hinamori couldn't evade Aotsuki's palm in mid-air. Aotsuki thrusts her palm into Hinamori's left upper chest just below the neck base. "Aotsuki tsukibakudan! (Aotsuki moon bomb!)" Aotsuki's thrust burns Hinamori's kimono and feels her skin burning.

Both vice-captains land on the ground firm. Aotsuki smiles this time the most devilish smile she made in the entire battle. Hinamori, on the other hand, grins in pain from the attack of Aotsuki. She takes off the hand over her burn. Aotsuki's thrust made a moon shaped burn in Hinamori's kimono. Aotsuki's palm no longer had the inverted blue moon mark but it is now carved in Hinamori's skin.

"Momo!!!" shouted a boy's voice.

Aotsuki devilishly laughs, "I won this battle. Toushirou-chan is mine."

Hitsugaya dashes towards Hinamori. Hinamori's knees collapses, her hand firmly place back to her burn. "Aotsuki… I'm not yet done…" muttered Hinamori.

"It's done, Hinamori-chan. That blue moon… I can let it explode anytime. Your life is on my hand, Hinamori-chan." She shows the back of her left hand; the same blue moon mark is tattooed.

Hitsugaya and Hianmori grasps. Aotsuki can burn Hinamori anytime she wants, thus she holds Hinamoris life.

Kunogi's eyes widen; she pledged herself to protect Hinamori… she was there in the battlefield, watching her fight alone. Why didn't she help her cousin at that time? She was there, watching her fight to death. Kunogi's knees tremble as she watches Hinamori agonizes from the pain of the burn.

"I will spare your life if you will give me Toushirou-chan." Aotsuki smiles devilish.

Hitsugaya, Hinamori and Kunogi simply stare at Aotsuki, fear of letting the explosion occur.

Aotsuki snaps, "Oh yes. Another thing," she looks at Kunogi with pure evil smiles. "I want you to marry Matsutake. I will spare Hinamori-chan's life if you do."

Behind a nearby tree, Matsutake reveals himself. He slowly walks towards Kunogi. Kunogi didn't move but just stare at Aotsuki fearfully. Matsutake finally claims Kunogi; he kneels beside Kunogi then gently whispers to her ear, "Come with me so Aotsuki would spare Hinamori's life." Matsutake helps Kunogi stand then he guides her to his home.

"Midori-chan obeyed well…" Aotsuki changes her expression back to her evil sweetness. "Toushirou-channn! Let's eat lunch together!!!" she grabs Hitsugaya then leaves the poor Hinamori alone.

Hinamori eyes are filled with sorrowful tears. The tears fall down to her chin then drops down to her kimono. The pain of the burn stop but the pain in her heart agonizes her mind. She stays in the same place for hours, her muscles couldn't move. She has been thinking, 'I lost… I lost everything. If I were strong, I wouldn't let Midori-chan go to Matsutake… Toushirou-kun, sorry… I… I…'

Footsteps come closer, then that same footsteps become faster and louder. " Momo!!!" a shout from the 9th division captain shocks Hinamori back to reality. Rokuda carries Hinamori to the 4th division. "Momo! What happened?"

Hinamori tries to speak but not a sound of her voice come out. Instead, she cries on Rokuda's kimono, making it drench in tears. Rokuda increases her speed so they could arrive faster to the 4th division building.

Rain starts to fall. The Matsutake mansion is not far. Soon, Matsutake and Kunogi arrive at the mansion. The mansion is as big and elegant as Kuchiki Byakuya's. As they enter the mansion, maids greet their young master.

"Midori-san, I will introduce to my family. Come in." she openly invites her in.

Kunogi follows Matsutake into the living room. Matsutake opens the shouji door (sliding door made of washi paper and wood) for her. Each of Matsutake family members is already sitting neatly on a cushion. A maid prepares the two cushions to sit. The other maids prepare tea for everyone.

After Matsutake and Kunogi sit down comfortably, Matsutake's father speaks. "Welcome to the Matsutake family's humble home. Make yourself comfortable, young captain."

"Arigatou gozaimas. My name is Kunogi Midori, Gotei 13 5th division captain." Said Kunogi in an emotionless tone.

"Honorable position indeed. I'm Matsutake Kiichiro, president of the Soul Society's greatest rice producer company. My wife, Shizuna, is the sister of the president of the company Choppy.

Sitting beside Kiichiro is his wife Shizuna. Her eyes are deep violet and her hair is jet black. She gives Kunogi a quick bow.

"Then my first daughter Suzuki, my second daughter Yukiko, and my third daughter Sakura" Kiichiro pointed out his daughters with his right hand.

Sitting beside Shizuna is Suzuki. She has deep violet eyes and dark brown hair. She wears an elegant autumn themed kimono. Sitting beside Suzuki is Yukiko. She has deep violet eyes, nearly white fair skin and jet-black hair as her mother. Her kimono is winter themed. Lastly, sitting beside Yukiko is Sakura. She is the only family member that has pink eyes, said that she has the same eye color of Shizuna's sister. Her hair is black like her mother and her skin is fair. Like her name, Sakura wears a pink kimono with pink sakura and red ume petals pattern. The three sisters bow to their soon-to-be sister.

Matsutake Matsukichi is third among the siblings. For long at last, the description of Matsukichi, he has violet eyes just like his parents and his older sisters and his hair is dark drown like his father.

"We will prepare a room for you tonight. Pack your things so you could move in tomorrow." Said Shizuna as she smiles at Kunogi.

Hinamori sleeps uncomfortably at the 4th division white bed. Rokuda sits beside Hinamori, thinking about Kunogi's late arrival. She thought Kunogi would come visit Hinamori as soon as she knew the news. Hitsugaya as well didn't come. This makes Rokuda worry. She feels like she wants Hinamori to wake up and speak. But it seems Hinamori falls into another coma. Rokuda finally decides to visit Kunogi in her room.

When Rokuda arrives at Kunogi's room, the lights are on. She enters the room without a knock. Kunogi's room is partly empty. Rokuda looks at the room, shocked. Beside the window Kunogi sits, feeling the soft cold breeze touching her skin.

Rokuda approaches her cousin. "Midori… what have been doing? Momo is in the 4th division! Why didn't you come? Hey, what are you doing with your room? You should have redecorate your room after visiting Momo." Rokuda fake smiled.

Kunogi didn't answer, she curls her body to cover her face. Rokuda lightly shakes Kunogi, "Midori… what happened?" Kunogi still didn't answer. Rokuda keeps on shaking Kunogi but Kunogi suddenly sobs.

"Mu-Murasaki-chan…" Kunogi's voice is shaky. "I failed to protect Momo-chan…"

"Midori… It's not your fault. There must be a condition then." Rokuda comforts Kunogi.

"No… I was there, watching her fighting alone. I should have helped her." Kunogi continues to sob. Then she raises her head, "Murasaki-chan… I will be marrying Matsutake Matsukichi." She stands up and fixes her room. Rokuda didn't move, shocked to hear her sister saying she will marry someone she doesn't love.

This night, Hitsugaya pounds on his desk, thinking about the recent happenings. His desk is full of piles of paper works, which is unusual for him leave such pile by nightfall.

Matsumoto enters the room. "Taichou, why didn't you visit Momo-chan?" she asked.

Hitsugaya didn't answer. He tries to bury himself into the piles of paper works but no use, his mind is completely couldn't concentrate.

"Taichou…" Matsumoto places a cup of hot green tea on Hitsugaya's desk then she takes her leave.

"Momo…"

-Flashback-

"Shiro-chan too?"

"Yes. We already passed the entrance exam." Said the little Kunogi.

"Why did you two suddenly change your minds?" asked Hinamori.

"Because we want to protect Momo-chan. Right, Chibi-Shiro?" Kunogi looks at the little Hitsugaya.

Hitsugaya lightly blush.

-End of flashback-

Any wild reactions? What do you think about Aotsuki's deal? She angry at Midori so she decided to punish her. I hate her... why did I made her? Anyway, the next chapter is about the situation's settlement... Midori is going to marry Matsutake?!?!?! OTANOSHIMINI!!!