13. The lost
"Matsumoto-san, do calm down." Unohana asked or more like ordered in a very polite and gentle manner. Matsumoto had in fact panicked and ran all around Soul Society looking for her beloved subordinate and ignoring whoever she came across. She disregarded everyone and threw everyone in to such a mess that Unohana, the 4th Squad taichou had no choice but to handle this matter with her own hands.
"Kaida! Kaida is real! I didn't imagine it… I really didn't. And she's missing! Unohana-san, how am I supposed to calm down when one of my subordinate is missing?" Matsumoto wailed with tears streaming down her cheek.
"Now. Now, Matsumoto-san. I think it's best that you go back and rest. Even if she really is missing, you can't expect yourself to find her in this state of you, can you? Plus I believe Kaida wouldn't want you to be in this state. Maybe she's just off somewhere doing something trivial?" Unohana answered, giving Matsumoto a pat on the head.
Matsumoto somehow managed to come back to her sense, answered, "Yes, Unohana-san. I'll return to my quarters to rest. Sorry for the trouble."
Perhaps she was really just paranoid. Perhaps it's just a misunderstanding. At least that's what she convinced herself.
Unohana glanced at the shadow of the 10th Squad taichou as she disappeared from her vision.
Hitsugaya Toushirou, you really are something… First Hinamori-san and now Matsumoto-san… The 4th Squad taichou gave a huge sigh before walking back to her own barrack.
What curse… When? Sigh… I think I will have to confront 3rd seat Hanabusa again…
Hitsugaya scowled in much frustration as he lay down onto his futon. He has tried to ask 3rd seat Narumi about curses that exist. Of course, not without a scolding from said person for inquiring on such dark things, 3rd seat Narumi has named out all the curses she knew. However, Hitsugaya has experienced none of the symptoms of the curses mentioned, forcing Hitsugaya to rule out them.
Master, have you considered the possibility that she doesn't want to tell you.
Yes, but what can I do about it? It's not a trivial matter that I can just throw out of my mind. 3rd seat Hanabusa is far too mature and intelligent to be pranking me about this. When she says something it must be important.
Suddenly, Hitsugaya froze in his twisting and turning in his futon.
His voice laced with suppressed horror as realization hits him.
Hyourinmaru…
Yes Master. I understand now, the gravity of the situation… This is indeed very worrying. No one, not even yourself have notice that you have a curse on you. In addition to that 3rd seat Narumi who's more knowledgeable than most does not even know the curse…. It means… the wielder is much much stronger than you are and much stronger than she is. It is only possible…
Yes, Hyourinmaru… It is only possible that it is placed by one of the higher seated members in Squad 0.
In addition to that… Master, do you remember what Atsuko fukutaichou said the night she came to visit you?
Yes… Hitsugaya cursed under his breath.
The fukutaichou had mentioned before leaving , "I believe you would want to know, Kurotaki is manipulated."
Kurotaki is manipulated… Hyourinmaru… I'm targeted aren't I? Hitsugaya asked softly. His tone despite being calm and quiet brought about a sense of dread and hopelessness.
Unfortunately, yes Master. It seems like the case.
When is this ever going to end? I'm… I'm really tired already.
He starred out of his window, his gaze distant, filled with sorrow.
Matsumoto was in her room curved up into a ball. Tears were rolling down her cheeks, her shoulders shaking.
"Gone... Gone… Why? Why does everyone leave me behind?" She whispered in despair.
Despite the contradiction of what she thinks and what the people around her thinks, she held on to her belief. Kaida existed. Deep in her heart, she knows it's true. But that was not her concern. What devastated her was that… Kaida… she… she too… has left her behind.
"Gone… Gone… GONE!" She screamed and banged her head against the wall hard.
Clutching her swollen head and crumpling to the ground she started sobbing quietly.
Then she heard this voice. A warm and soothing voice.
"Matsumoto… Rangiku~"
Her crying crease, as she drank in the voice. A feeling of warmth and peace seems to flow into her heart.
"Matsumoto Rangiku~ Everything, everything is alright~"
"Everything… is okay?" She repeated with some hesitant.
"Yes, Matsumoto Rangiku. Everything is alright." The voice replied gently. It sounded like Ukitake taichou but yet it doesn't.
"Everything is really okay?" Matsumoto questioned but her doubt was diminishing.
"Yes. Everything is okay. Sleep child. Sleep." The voice answered.
Everything around her was quiet and peaceful. She felt… great. Oddly.
"Okay." She answered obediently, a wave of exhaustion suddenly overwhelmed.
She slowly closed her eyes.
A smile crept across her face.
She slept peacefully.
"That bastard…" A low growl sounded in the room as a certain fukutaichou received her report.
"Fukutaichou…" Her 3rd seat glanced at her fukutaichou with much concern.
"That is… utterly… immoral…" She continued, her eyes filled with deep hatred.
"Fukutaichou, perhaps it's for the best… Matsumoto taichou really did need it… I guess." The 3rd seat answered softly, feeling a pang of guilt.
"Rima-chan… Have any idea why he did?"
"N-no, b-"
"Rima-chan, he has no sympathy or empathy regarding human. He only cares about himself. He threw you into that project… that-that mess was because he just felt like it. He can't be bothered about the consequences. The reason why he asked Sakihara that idiot to participate in his so-called project was because he can't be bothered to clean up his own mess. Had Sakihara's power not been able to clean up the mess, he would just leave it be. He is that kind of person." The fukutaichou finished with pure hatred evident in her voice.
"I'm sorry fukutaichou… I didn't know…" Hanabusa started, her voice trailing off.
Atsuko fukutaichou turned to her subordinate and patted her head lightly. "Rima, it's okay. It's really okay. I wasn't myself then. I'm sorry too."
"Come on Rima. We have work to do." The fukutaichou returned to her old cold and calm self.
"Hai, fukutaichou." Her subordinate looked up, smiling. Her usual cheerfulness is back. That's good.
"I've told you not to call me fukutaichou!"
To that her subordinate just struck out her tougue before disappearing out of the door.
The fukutaichou sighed, not of despair or sorrow but of relief.
At least you are still here with me, still safe. At least you are still innocent and pure.
A rare smile appeared on her face.
Author's note: I have a confession to make. I have totally forgotten my original plot(In fact I think I've deviated from it...) and I've lost all the notes for this story. What I'm writing is pure divine inspiration and how I'm still writing is purely divine intervention. I'm just going by the flow, writing whatever that comes to mind, with constant seeking of help from God. I can't assure good quality or even quantity. More often than not, I'm writing purely based on my feelings then and there and also daily occurrences in my life or others.I'm writing to de-stress as well as to express my suppressed feelings that I don't even understand. Please forgive me. God bless.