The Blood Prince
Chapter 13: Three of a Kind
Hitsugaya slowly made it back from his peaceful and for once uninjured sleep. He was snuggled into something warm and he really didn't register until he opened his crimson eyes to see Matsumoto. He was about to make a jump for it but realised she was also asleep. He quietly sighed slipping out carefully from her arms and getting to his feet. Looking round he shook his head. It seemed the squad had a little camp out in the bottom floors of the shop.
"Mortals." He muttered.
The creatures never ceased to surprise him. It was Ikkaku and Yumichika that surprised him the most really but then again they probably wouldn't hear the end of it from Yachiru if they let something happen to him. What do you think happened to all those sweets he was given?
He changed his form back the captain they were used to seeing, though had the fun idea of changing to look like Yamamoto or something and give them a heart attack. He didn't though when he realised how much like his old self that sounded like. Very toned down but too much like the demon he was for his comfort.
With a shake of his head to throw the thoughts out he headed up to the small shop seeing the glowing light of a computer screen in the darkness. He slid to door open to see Urahara seemingly deep into whatever he was working on. Figures flashed on the screen faster than the demon could register what they were as he tried and failed to get a jist on what he was doing.
"Prefer this form, Daygon?"
Taking his eyes off the screen he looked to the blond man his teal eyes back.
"Not sure to be honest," He replied with a sigh, "You really like saying my name don't you?"
"Well it's not every day I get to converse with a demon," Urahara chuckled, "Well at least when I'm aware of them."
A silence fell upon them and as Hitsugaya finally opening his mouth to thank the shopkeeper what when he had done for him so far he was beaten to it.
"The Soul Society contacted us while you were asleep."
The boy looked up at the grim sound in his voice.
"What is it?" He asked cautiously.
"The collar's gone missing." It was put bluntly.
It seemed to hit Daygon harder than a ton of bricks. He literally stumbled where he stood and struggled to regain his expression.
"W-What?"
"From the demon reatsu the picked up I would assume it was that Terial you were talking about." Urahara explained.
Toushiro took a breath and gathered himself, "What exactly happened to it?"
"Well the report's here," He handed the paper to the captain.
His teal eyes skimmed over it. Apparently it was night and in a safe at the time. A fog had spread around the area, a demon's reatsu was picked up but other than that nothing. No evidence of forced entry or of anything really. It was just gone.
"That's not Terial's powers…" He muttered and worried look on his young face.
"Then who?" Urahara peaked from under his hand.
I wanted to keep my promise to you…but…I can't let that thing go round my neck.
"Well done Ichimaru." Terial took the collar from him, "This may help to make up for those years you've known the whereabouts of our young prince and done nothing."
Her violet eyes narrowed on the smiling man. Gin was unfazed by the threat in his fellow demon's words.
"I weren't ordered to go after him so I didn't," He replied.
"Yes, but do you really think he's going to let you off for that excuse." She pointed out with a smirk on her full red lips.
Letting his eyes open his human bright blue turned into the snake-like eyes of a demon.
"I see you were successful Miss. Terial." Aizen came down one of the white halls from behind Gin as the male demon closed his eyes and turned round with his usual smile.
"We were just on our way to you Captain Aizen."
"Of course Gin," he walked straight passed him to Terial who handed over the collar.
He looked over the devise with fascination with his eyes, "Now just for the boy."
The demoness nodded, "Oh and don't try it on anyone else." She told him, "It might kill them."
"I'll keep that in mind." He turned and walked away, "Come Gin."
"Yes, Captain." He followed after him.
"Be a good boy now, Ichimaru!" Terial yelled after them.
"Gin," Toushiro replied to the shopkeeper, "We both promised not to tell anyone about each other but…with the collar now with Aizen…"
Troubled, Urahara leaned forward in his chair.
"So Terial had Aizen's help to get to this world and you have your own abilities." He stated, "How did Ichimaru mange to get through the seal?"
"A test of my power," The boy answered, "It wasn't too long after I was created and to be honest I barely managed it at the time."
Urahara sat back in his chair with a deep frown before another though came to his head.
"Oh yes another thing,"
"Yeah?" Hitsugaya looked up just hoping there wasn't any more bad news.
"In light of the demons they're sending another captain as back up,"
"Oh god," He took it as bad news, "Who?"
A certain masculine giggle caught his ears and he looked up to the window to see the familiar black cat. Yourichi lifted her head and told him,
"Soi Fon."
Was that a bad thing? The white haired boy thought it was unless…
"Could you get this all passed her?" He looked to the cat.
"Oh she'll break the rules if I ask her too," Yourichi answered with a smug tone, "You'll have no worry about her."
"That's a relief." He sighed.
He was about to go back to the other before someone woke up and wondered where he was but a thought hit him.
I've been on and off unconscious for the past few days… "What's the date?" He asked looking over his shoulder.
"September 27th," Urahara told him, "Why?"
"I have a favour to ask you Yoruichi," He turned back to the room.
"Hmm?" The cat jumped down blinking her large yellow eyes curiously.
"It's Matsumoto's birthday in two days," He told her looking away, "With everything that's happening the likelihood of me being able to see her on that day is getting thin so…" He took a breath at the very strange and un-demon-like thing he had done, "I hid her present under one of the cupboards in Orihime's apartment."
Yoruichi giggled, "I'll make sure she gets it."
"Thank you." He nodded and went to leave before they can out with a comment about him being nice for a demon or something.
Hitsugaya slipped back down to the lower level before any of them woke so they didn't start worrying about him going missing. Eventually when it got further into the morning they began to wake up and comment on his appearance change.
"So...could you look like other people too?" Renji asked as they sat in a circle on the dust ground with teal supplied by Ururu.
"There are a number of different spells I've grown used to maintaining to keep this disguise but yes. I could look like anyone as long as I know what they look like." He answered looking back at the last one left asleep.
Typically it was Matsumoto.
"You missed out on a good opportunity to scare the hell out of us." Ikkaku smiled at the thought of being able to do that himself.
"I thought about it," He admitted.
"Captain?" he looked round to the sleepy Matsumoto who rubbed one of her bright blue eyes, "Where'd you cute little wings go?"
She pouted coming over to sit by him smiling at how he looked more relaxed than before. He didn't answer and just enjoyed his tea. A small bit of happiness in what was likely to be a rough journey ahead.
Although the moment was interrupted by the world darkening because of the light of the senkimon. The group got to their feet to greet the captain except for Ichigo who didn't feel he had to since he wasn't a part of the Gotie 13. The small raven haired captain strode through the portal looking over the group as the doors faded and the world's light went back to normal.
"Advanced team," She greeted, "Subsitute,"
"Hey," Ichigo said with his usual scowl
She looked down to the young captain last, "You look a little run down, Captain Hitsugaya," She observed, "Maybe some reports have not made it though."
He went to open his mouth to talk but instead a female voice sounded.
"Soi Fon!"
The dark skinned woman strode over Soi Fon's suspicions forgotten.
"Lady Yoruichi." She addressed.
"Come with me," She put an arm over the younger's shoulder, "We have things to discuss."
"Y-Yes Lady Yoruichi," She said with a sight blush at the contact.
The watched them go up to the ground level and Ichigo laughed.
"Yeah. You've got no need to worry about her."
"It seems so," He replied sitting back down.
Author's note: I do not own bleach
Soi Fon! I like Soi Fon. Soi Fon is here :p anyway Gin is also a demon, not gd huh? The collar is in the posetion of the bad guys. Very bad for our toushi :(
Thanks to all reviews and with the discintinuing well... we'll wait until after I've had the collar on him and see how i feel after that