Hitsugaya Toushirou's Frozen Royal Wings

Chapter 13: Resolution

I resolve to fight for what?

At the Soukyouku Hill…

The reigai-Hitsugaya blocks Kusaka's sword, with his Hyourinmaru, which is supposed to stab Hinamori at the back. "I never thought you will attack someone at his back. When did you become such a coward, Kusaka?"

"Talking as if you're the real one," responds Kusaka.

"Does it matter if I am real or not?"

"It doesn't. It really doesn't," says Kusaka, generating ice towards the reigai but the reigai converts it to water after striking his sword with it.

With his right hand holding his sword, the reigai-Hitsugaya fires "Hadou no 21: Shakkaho" with his left palm at Kusaka which blows Kusaka away.

"That's a strong one, Hitsugaya-kun. Surely, a strong one," compliments Gin.

"Now, we can proceed, right?" asks the reigai-Hitsugaya

At Junrinyan…

A Garganta opens from the sky. From it, Hitsugaya Toushirou comes out unconsciously. When he lands on a ground, he falls. Luckily, he is found by an old woman and brings him at her house.

When he wakes up, he notices that he is "at home" once again. He has one question: "How?" The old woman approaches him who is at that time is watching at him as he wakes up.

"Toushirou-chan, are you okay now?" the old woman asks, giving him his sweet fermented beans.

"Obaa-chan, what am I doing here?" confused Toushirou asks.

"You fell from heaven, Toushirou-chan."

Toushirou doesn't know what to say. It has been a long time since he last saw his 'adoptive' grandmother. He is so confused of what is happening. The last thing he remembers is falling unconsciously towards Aizen. Then, he wakes up – seeing himself on his old room. Just what the hell is happening?

"It seems that you're still tired. You may stay here as long as you want. Why don't you take some of your favorite sweet fermented beans?"

"Obaa-chan… I…"

"I will be worried if you go now at that condition of yours. It seems that you're confused… What is it? Why don't you tell me, Toushirou-chan?"

"Obaa-chan… I… I really… I really can't say it now."

"It's alright. I can wait."

At the roofs of the 10th squad barracks…

"So he's back. I wonder what path he'll choose. Now that the other him, the prince of Hueco Mundo is awakened inside of him," the lady with the 10th squad captain's robe says. "Is he still going to be my little brother Shirou-chan?" she cries.

At the 1st squad hall…

All captains and vice captains are present. The meeting includes Ichigo and Yoruichi. "Will you start explaining the things happening here?" says the captain commander commanding the reigai-Hitsugaya to talk.

"Few weeks ago, you are approached by my original asking the meaning of the suspension notice he handed to you."

"And then, what is the problem with the suspension notice? What would a simple document do with all the things happening?" asks Ichigo.

"It's a suspension notice for a captain of the 10th squad bearing the name of Hitsugaya Taikirou," answers Soi Fon.

"How did you…"

"Yoruichi-sama tells us what Kurosutchi-taicho says to her."

"Then, I must just explain what do I meant from the statement I said earlier."

"Proceed," says the captain commander.

"It was very long time ago that the head of Kuchiki clan is forced to give an order to persecute the whole clan of Hitsugaya because of Hitsugaya clan's mutiny for unrevealed reasons. All members of the clan were killed except for the prince of that clan. He was saved by an unknown person. Though he was saved, he suffered from a trauma causing him to have partial amnesia."

"Partial amnesia? I remember. The first time I met Hitsugaya-kun, he didn't know why he is lying under a tree," says Hinamori

"Ah. And when he found that suspension notice, he suddenly remembers his clan but doesn't remember about that name. When he is assigned to guard the King's Seal, he seems to show some connection with it but he can't explain."

"Wait a minute. Why is it of all noble families, our clan – the Kuchiki clan is the one who is given this force order?" asks Byakuya.

"Nii-sama?" Rukia mutters.

"It's because the one closest in terms of power to Hitsugaya clan is the Kuchiki clan."

"What the point of telling us these things, reigai?" asks Byakuya.

The reigai remains silent. Everyone is confused on what Byakuya said. "Kuchiki Byakuya, what do you mean? You are the one who asks for the details, right?"

"That's not what I mean, Toushirou. What I mean is… You're no ordinary reigai, are you?"

"I see. You have known."

"Nii-sama," mutters Rukia.

"Oi, oi. What do you mean, Byakuya? Just tell us," says Ichigo.

"You're right, Kuchiki. I am not really a reigai."

Suddenly, the reigai changes his form into ice. As ice shatters, it reveals Hyorinmaru in his materialized state.

"What the…? What the hell is going on here?" everyone says confused.

At the Junrinyan…

The old woman approaches Toushirou who is still in his confused state. "It has been a long while since Hinamori-chan visited me. Would you mind if I ask about her condition?"

Toushirou looks at the old woman and turns his eyes away upon seeing her worried state. "She is still recuperating from the wounds she got from our last battle," he says trying his best to hide any emotion that will show Hinamori's kidnapping, not to cause more worries to the old woman.

"Toushirou-chan. You still don't change. You still isolate yourself from everyone."

"Obaa-chan, I just don't know how to deal with my own coldness. The only two who don't show fear against my cold personality are you and Hinamori."

"Then let the others feel it too."

"Huh?"

"Let your friends, us, feel that coldness of yours."

"Obaa-chan, I…"

The old woman suddenly smiles at her adoptive grandson which gives a surprising emotion to Toushirou. "Obaa-chan…"

"Toushirou-chan, could you make me a promise?"

"Huh?"

"Please believe yourself. Whatever the thing that troubles you, fight on what you believe in, Toushirou-chan."

Toushirou suddenly woke up from his senses. The day he become shinigami is the day he also promised his Obaa-chan to protect Hinamori. Now what he is doing? Just because he remembers something from his past, or his former friend suddenly shows up, he forgets his resolution.

"That's it. That's what my reigai, no… It is Hyorinmaru telling me or making me remember what I want to protect. Thanks, Obaa-chan," Toushirou says gladly to stand and go. "May I now go?"

"Of course. Until next time, Toushirou-chan."

"Until next time, Obaa-chan."

Toushirou takes flash steps, going to the first squad hall. "I can feel her at that place. Not only her. Everyone is there, and also it seems Hyorinmaru has revealed his form. I must not waste my time."

Toushirou suddenly stops when hollows appeared in front of him. They are going to give him blasts of Cero.

"I don't have time with you. Bankai, Daiguren Hyorinmaru!" Toushirou activates Bankai. "Ryusenka!"

At the 1st squad Hall…

"This reiatsu… It's Shi… I mean, Hitsugaya-kun! He's back."

Turning to Hyorinmaru, Hinamori waits for a respond but the latter gives no reaction.

"Before we ever forget, Yama-jii. Didn't you previously give an execution order against Hitsugaya Toushirou for kidnapping the vice captain of the fifth squad? Isn't it the right time to disallow your execution order?"

"Kyoraku-taicho," says Hinamori.

"Alright. The execution order against Hitsugaya Toushirou is now then lifted. The members of the tenth squad will also be freed. More so, when you see Hitsugaya Toushirou, tell him is entitled to return to his position as the captain of the tenth squad."

"Soutaicho, we're forgetting something aren't we?" asks Yoruichi.

"That's right. The suspension order against this Hitsugaya Taikirou will only last for two days. Isn't it the best if Hitsugaya Toushirou will not return to his position?" Soi Fon adds.

"There is no assurance that Hitsugaya Taikirou is still alive," responds the captain commander.

"There is no assurance of her death," says Yoruichi.

"Even if she's still alive, I will resume my position," Toushirou says appearing in front of every eyes looking at the hall's door.

"That's so fast, Hitsugaya-taicho," Kyoraku says.

"Master…" asks Hyorinmaru.

"Sorry for the trouble, I've caused. Hyorinmaru, return. Thanks for everything."

Commanding Hyorinmaru, Toushirou unsheathes his katana absorbing the shattered ice particles from Hyorinmaru's body.

"Hitsugaya-kun!"

"Hinamori, how did you…"

Approaching her childhood friend and hugging him, she answers, "Ichimaru-san saved me."

"Ichimaru?" Looking at his back, he says, "Well, thanks."

"Thanks is all you're going to say. After all, you're…"

Hinamori doesn't continue anymore. Remembering the previous enemy they had faced, she asks, "Shirou-chan,…"

"What?"

"Who is this 'Kusaka Soujirou'? Why does he have the same zanpakutou as yours?"

Toushirou remains silent and Momo continues to her speech. "Aren't you going to say something?"

Toushirou still ignores Momo.

"Just at this time, Shirou-chan, tell us the truth. Tell us what you feel."

Hinamori's shoulders were suddenly tapped by Yoruichi and Ichigo approaches Toushirou. He punches Toushirou all of a sudden.

"We are your friends. Let us bear also those hardships of yours. That's why we're here, Toushirou."

Toushirou stands and wipes the blood caused by Ichigo's punch. "You'll soon know. It would be better if I just show you."

"Show? What do you mean?"

Approaching Toushirou, Byakuya, together with Rukia, asks, "It seems that you don't hold any grudge against our clan even remembering the truth."

"Grudge? The only people I'll hate are the ones who hurt Hinamori," grasping his sword so tightly, Toushirou says.

Momo notices this and thinks, "Shirou-chan, it's Aizen-taicho, isn't it? Why can't you forgive him? Wishing death for those people who'll hurt me, could it possible, Shirou-chan, you… No, it's impossible… You always isolate yourself from others. It could never me."

Suddenly, a shinigami appears and reports, "Soutaicho, the tenth division is being attacked."

"What?" Toushirou says.

"Hitsugaya-taicho?"

"Just what is happening to my division?"

"Someone appears and he has the same zanpakutou as yours. He attacks us, and…"

Toushirou suddenly flashed steps going out of the 1st squad hall. "Kusaka," he mutters.

"Oi, wait for us!" shouts Ichigo also flashing steps with Yoruichi following after.

The other captains and vice captains wait for the command of the captain commander. "All of you follow Hitsugaya Toushirou. Whatever is going on, if it poses a threat, stop it all costs!"

At the roofs of the 5th squad barracks…

It's sunrise. But she loves sunset more. She is reminiscing the last sunset she had with…

"Shirou-chan," the lady with the 10th squad captain's robe says. "One day left, you'll fall to Otou-sama's hands and it'll be my entire fault if you kill those who you loved, especially that pure and innocent girl," she cries. "Can I really attain to kill you even if it's what destined to me, Shirou-chan?"

CHAPTER END….

A/N: Jaran! Hope you didn't get bored.