Author's Note: Hello guys! Chapter 25 in the house!

A huge thank you to Carolare Scarletus for beta-reading this chapter :)

Disclaimer: Bleach is not mine T-T

Word count: 5,569

Chapter 25

Dreams and Thoughts

Blood.

It was raining blood. His vision was obscured by the thick, metallic liquid covering his face and he wanted nothing more than to have something to wipe it off him. There was so much of it he could taste it every time he would swallow.

"Toushiro"

Toushiro swiftly turned his head to the direction of the familiar voice calling him. There is no mistaking it; it is the voice of his dear father. His heart started hammering against his chest at the sudden worry and agitation he felt at the tone of his father's voice. He must be in pain to call after him like a child in desperate need of attention.

"Otou-san!"

He walked briskly and then ran as fast as he could toward the sound as different situations start to flickered hauntingly inside his head. The damp floor stained with blood made it difficult for him to get to Takeshi's location. His teal eyes continuously roamed, searching for a bit of light that could help him toward the end of the narrow road. Perhaps his father was at the end of this track.

His feet slipped against something hard and he almost stumbled if not for his quick reflexes. Almost by instinct, he gave a glance at the object that caused his almost trip and Toushiro could only gape at the decapitated arm lying on the ground.

He muttered a curse at the ghastly sight and slowly kneeled to inspect the said body part. It was still a bit warm; the sleeves of the owner were also removed and is now draping the arm as if to make it look more presentable. With the minuscule amount of light that his eyes could use to keenly observe it, he tried to decipher any detail that he might find.

The nails were trimmed and finely shaped but what caught his attention was the crack on the nail of the thumb. His heart again pounded against his chest; he knew only one person who had this kind of thumb.

His father.

"Otou-san!" tossing the arm aside, he continued his path towards the tunnel's end, the light that looked like a dot from afar seemed bigger and bigger as he ran towards the exit. His heart never pounded as hard as it is at the moment. The additional strain of running did not help him at his body's response in immediate paranoia. He closed his eyes and willed himself to relax even if just a little. His father might be hurt but he must be alive. He must be and he should be.

Finally, he reached the tunnel's end. He stopped at his tracks and the sound of his sandals soaked in blood squishing against the ground was replaced with his blood curling scream.

Hitsuagaya Takeshi was hanged on a tree. His head abnormally angled at the right with a thick rope tied on his neck. His right arm was missing and he was filled with bruises and cuts all over his body.

Tears fell from his eyes and he could only scream continuously at the horrendous sight before him.

"OTOU-SAN!"

"Toushiro!" Sato's blue eyes glazed in worry as he shook his friend to consciousness.

The loud thunder made him wince inwardly and the heavy downpour of the rain made him shiver uncontrollably. However, he made himself ready, rather they made themselves ready for all the discomforts and hassles that they might encounter along the way. They are already on the third week of their tracking and so far, everything seems to be going as they planned.

"Shiro, wake up!" shouting the nickname of his friend and giving him a bruising punch on the arm, Toushiro finally woke up and immediately sat on the makeshift bed they were using. The thin cloth covering the mat of hay was far from comfortable but their tired bodies and stressed minds willed them to sleep immediately as soon as their back hit the hay.

"I-I am good Sato. I just had a bad dream" Toushiro gave his friend a weak, supposed to be playful tap at the arm but Sato could tell that he has not recovered from his nightmare. His friend's eyes were glossy and worry was still evident in them. Whatever he dreamed must be so terrible since it made someone like Toushiro feel anxious, and the likes of Toushiro barely showed any emotion including anxiousness.

"Yes, a bad dream. You had it for the third time this week" he glanced at his companion to give him a few seconds to contemplate about where he is getting at.

"You have them for almost every day now. Are you sure you are fine?"

"Yes" Toushiro got up from his makeshift bed and focused on folding the thin cloth that shielded his back against the itchy hay all throughout the night. His hands were still shaking and he was sure it was not because of the cold air brought about by the rain. Why is he having nightmares revolving around death? What's worse is that it is usually around the death of people very close to him.

Could this be a warning for him? The mere thought made him want to vomit.

"What did you dream about?" Sato asked as he folded his cloth.

The image of his father hanging on a tree gave him goose bumps. He wanted to forget that just for now. It is the early morning and they have more things to do. Getting distracted is definitely not an option.

"Death" he stood up and motioned for Sato to follow. Perhaps eating breakfast would make him forget his dream.

"Come Hyourinmaru, we have a long day ahead" he called to his personal guard who was sitting at the entrance of the door who followed him without any questions.

The sun slowly peaked from its blanket of dark clouds and it made moving easier. Mamoru moved his arm to lose his seemingly tangled strand of muscles. While flexing it a little, he could not help but grimace at the sudden jolt of pain he felt. Sleeping at the cold floor and not worrying at the position he might end up with gave him a tight sleep compared now that he should be extremely mindful of his sleeping position. Since the beginning of their journey, they started giving him silk clothes for everyday use. Even his sleeping robes were made of the finest silk; the kind that he had ever seen.

"Mamoru-san?" the voice of his master made him jumpy in an instant.

Not giving a heed about his disheveled state he bowed down to Toushiro and greeted him with the loudest 'Ohayou gozaimasu'.

The white haired lad laughed at his silly antics, "Ohayou Gozaimasu"

He surveyed the room that they have provided Mamoru. The space is more than adequate and the painting on the shoji door of blue and green hummingbirds was definitely impressive. The whole group decided to put Mamoru in an impressive inn where rich merchants would usually stay for a few days whenever they move from one place to another to do business. The food that he is eating must also be that of the highest grade. The seafood, meat and vegetables served must be as fresh as it could get, the rice that goes with his every meal should not only be long grained but should be sticky and absolutely cooked to perfection. Keeping him well-groomed was also something that they are focusing on since for some unknown reason, his hair and beard kept on getting longer even if with every day of trimming and shaving.

Toushiro gave a closer look at Mamoru's built which is bulky and muscular. One glance was all it would take to make him seem like he was a noble who underwent a difficult training on Japanese martial arts.

Breakfast was then served to Mamoru by four servants who came with different trays of dishes. The humble man child blushed in delight and Toushiro could not help but grin.

"Oh so much for breakfast, but Mamoru will finish everything!" he muttered a boisterous 'itadakimasu' and proceeded to dig in. Toushiro immediately called upon him to put his eating into a halt. He was eating so fast it's almost as if he inhaled the food. His long loose locks that managed to free itself from his neat braided hair is now wet since he unconsciously dipped the strands on the miso soup as he brought it closer to his mouth.

"You should learn how to eat properly Mamoru-san" he scolded him gently, since he knew that the bulky man before him was very much prone to be overwhelmed at Toushiro's slightest display of emotion. Sitting before Mamoru, he folded his sleeves and asked for the servant to bring another set of chopsticks. In all honesty, if things would only go his way he would not mind much if people do not adhere to very strict table etiquettes. For him, the sincere appreciation of the meal prepared is the sole way to show gratitude and respect to the person responsible for the meal. However, since Mamoru will act as a rich merchant selling a very expensive fruit, it would only be fitting that he will act at his supposed to be money's worth.

"Whenever you eat, you must remember that the food must come closer to your mouth,.." he picked a piece of folded egg and gracefully popped the food inside his mouth while Mamoru's eyes glistened in admiration.

"…not the other way around"

The older man before him tried to imitate his movements, albeit stiffly and without any trace of elegance.

"You are doing great. Remember my words every time" Toushiro put down the chopsticks and keenly observed Mamoru. His hands were shaking as he forced himself to practice. A little push is all what he needed to be a very convincing noble.

He was about to point out that he dropped a grain of rice on his kimono when a knock was heard. With Toushiro's instruction for the person to enter, one of Ginrei Kuchiki's servants bowed in greeting.

"Important news Hitsugaya-sama. One of our men saw Aizen Sosuke go east"

Toushiro cannot help but be thrilled at the news. Standing up from his tatami mat, he smiled at the servant in joy and gave him a light tap on the shoulder.

"Go east? Are you sure about this?" his eyes were shining in anticipation and the servant cannot help but be proud that his news, the very news that came out of his mouth, made the young master's mood.

"Yes Hitsugaya-sama. Towards the east. Our men who are spying on them brought us the news. Their last letter said that he plans on continuously traveling towards the eastern part of Kyoto to meet Hatase Mamoru-san"

Toushiro smirked in victory. He took the bait. He took the bait and he didn't have the slightest clue on what was coming for him. Toushiro gave the servant's shoulder a light tap once more and came out of Mamoru's spacious room. With his green kimono flowing after his every step he could not help but make haste, all the effort that they have given for this to materialize, and all the time and money they have invested for him to be caught will be rewarded in within a month's time.

He was sure of it.

"Yui-san" he called at his friend who was currently tending at his horse, his kimono already soaked in mud and dirt. His golden locks shining underneath the righteous sun.

"Ohayou Toushiro-san" he put the pail down just for the horse to have a fill of it's much needed water. "Your horse is eating much more than usual; it looked like it was in a good mood for today" he slowly caressed the horse's back while the strong mare continuously drank from the wooden pail.

"Really? You are really the person to approach when it comes to horses" he ruffled the man's hair and gave him a small push. He trusted Yui when it comes to taking care of his favourite mares.

"And you seem to have your horse's mood as well" he laughed as Toushiro made face at his statement.

"He will meet us within a week's time and he is planning to get here as soon as he can" Ginrei Kuchiki explained after their morning meal. The small, cramped room became their meeting quarters for a few weeks now. Old tatami mats cushioned them against the coldness of the wooden floor and as they gingerly sipped their tea a nameless mood that set a sudden cast, making the atmosphere lighter. They were feasting over tea and bread for breakfast ever since they started the mission, but for this morning there was something celebratory as they continued to eat the old bread that they were keeping for weeks. It was far from the kind of breakfast that they were used to have at their respective homes but they learned how to live with it. Besides, it was Hatase Mamoru who should be showcased as the noble, not them.

"The timing can never be better. I got a letter from my father saying that the head of the palace soldiers is also very much eager to get Aizen Sousuke" Yousuke unconsciously scratched his chin, his stubble starting to grow longer with each passing day.

"Why is that?" Sato asked after swallowing a mouthful of bread. The old bread was getting harder to chew with each day. The batch that they had for this morning needed a lot of tea for washing down.

"Aizen Sousuke started to use his opium sticks on some pleasure quarters, to disguise them as incense sticks" Yousuke raised his brows while narrating the story. He was pretty sure everyone in their group remembered this information. His newest venture in business is not beyond their knowledge.

"Well, the second eldest son of the head fell in love with a maiko" and with those words Toushiro choked on his lukewarm tea and stale bread. The story stirred something inside him, it sounds so familiar yet he did not want to show any kind of emotion. Knowing this small group before him, any hint of interest toward anything would lead them to conclude things and most of the time those 'things' are correct.

Ginrei Kuchiki patted his back and he bowed in gratitude at the gesture of the old man.

"Because of Aizen's god forsaken opium sticks, the days went by and the maiko got repeatedly exposed to opium. One day some patrons were able to take advantage of her because of it and I could imagine that it might have been extremely easy to do" Toushiro cannot help but feel empathy towards the lovers. The possibility of Hinamori replacing the young maiko in an alternate version of the story is very much possible since they are living in the same environment. Both of them were trying to get by each day with the same job. If he did not meet her, would she be a victim of Aizen's opium sticks? Would Naga-san be naïve enough to buy some of those?

"Yes, opium alters the consciousness. She might not be even aware of what the other patrons were doing to her" Ginrei added and all of them nodded in understanding.

"His son loved that woman and he swore that he would take revenge for what happened, which I think works to our advantage" Yousuke tried to smile amidst the very serious mood of the room.

"What is the plan of the palace head?" Yui asked. He could not help but wince inwardly at the dull pain he felt on his jaw as he talked. He was extremely thankful that they have rice for lunch and dinner; his poor jaw can rest for a bit.

"According to my father's letter about twenty of his people are also on their way towards our location" a collective murmur of approval was heard aside from the gentle swaying of the wind coming from the outside.

"I hope they have the common sense of not travelling altogether at the same time. That would certainly get some unwanted attention" Byakuya said in his low baritone voice and Yousuke had to lean a little to get his whole sentence.

"Oh, er- yes of course Kuchiki-san. I uh, I was about to actually say that…that is what they were doing now. They split into four groups and is now traveling towards our location using different routes" Yousuke cannot help but fidget at the younger Kuchiki's antics. Really, Hisana-san must have an iron backbone not to quiver at the mere sound of his voice.

"For now I think it would be best to anticipate for anything that might come unplanned" Sato suggested and Toushiro could not agree more. However, the sole thought of it made him very uncomfortable. With their limited supplies and manpower there is no room for any mistake or for any occurrence that could change the situation as they have planned. They will use a bait, he will come to them willingly, he will give the list of the hanamachis he had sold his opium sticks into and he will be arrested. End of story.

At least that is what he is wholeheartedly hoping for.

"What if he does something out of the blue? This is Aizen Sousuke after all" Toushiro asked Sato and his friend blushed. It seems that he doesn't have any back up plans as well.

"I-I am not really certain…" his voice was reduced into a whisper and Toushiro was a bit relieved that somehow they were able to anticipate something like this before hand. Utter silence enveloped the air; it seemed that no one thought of that possibility until now. The sudden idea seemed very enormous and overwhelming that an immediate arrangement that everyone would agree seemed impossible.

"Do not worry, we will figure something out" with everyone pouring their effort in, Toushiro was sure that they will work out a plan to help them during an event of sudden chaos.

She was trapped in a trance for a couple of minutes now and she did not mind. It was late night and the little balls of energy also known as Soma and Sosuke were already fast asleep that's why she had all the time in the world now to do what she desired albeit her hours of sleep will surely be lessened. Her fingers were still holding on the best fude that she had, the rice paper she prepared still lying before her, ready for any word that she might think to write.

Another firefly flew slowly on the window in circles, mocking her to dive into the deeper depths of distraction. Would it be rude to write a letter for him? Hinamori Momo was again trapped into a whirlwind of self-doubt.

She sighed; he had been gone for two weeks now and she wanted nothing more but to have a glimpse of him, or any sign of him that would assure her that he is in a good condition. Her brown orbs again focused on the fude she is holding; maybe a short letter would just be appropriate. Nodding to herself, she made a draft of what she would write.

Hitsugaya-sama

She swallowed hard. She should not feel this nervous. She is just writing a short letter for goodness sake!

I hope you are in a good condition. Your cousins are missing you terribly, there is not a day that they did not approach your father asking for you

A tear cascaded down her cheek. The truth is that his cousins were not the only ones longing for his presence. His father tried to sleep earlier than usual, the giggling of the females servants lessened, and his little cousins were not eating as much. These were only few things that she noticed without the calming and assuring presence of Takeshi's only son. Something was amiss and all of them were hoping that he will come back soon.

Her hand started to shake as more tears started to fall. She wanted to write everything in this paper so badly. To let him know that he is always in her thoughts, in her prayers and in her heart. The memories she shared with him were the things that she kept on playing inside her head to relieve her off her sheer moments of misery. Just like a play that she would never get tired from watching again and again.

You do not have to worry. I am doing my best to take good care of them while you are gone.

With his absence she made a definitive conclusion; her feelings for him were now so deep she cannot save herself even if she wanted to.

I hope everything goes just as what you have planned. We will patiently wait for your safe return.

She cannot help but wonder how she will survive the upcoming days, or the upcoming weeks without him. The news about their mission was so sporadic it increased her worry tenfold. She wiped the wet trails of her tears she tried to compose herself. Even though she was howling like a child at the moment, she knew deep down that she needed to be strong. Just like what she did when her dear grandmother died unexpectedly. It was not easy, but she needed to fight. She needed to live each day believing in his words and in his capabilities that he will be successful in his mission.

He believed in her and she doesn't have any reason not to feel the same. He needed her to make sure that his loved ones were in good condition while he was away.

Fighting back a hiccup she tried to finish the letter.

We have faith in you Hitsugaya-sama

She then signed the letter with the kanji of her name. She wanted to fill the paper with words conveying of her emotions, how she wanted to kiss him, envelope him in her arms and to slowly stroke his scalp while she sharing her little adventures around the manor. However, the possibility of someone reading it made the hairs of her neck stand in embarrassment.

Momo folded the letter and used a small figurine to serve as a paper weight. Tomorrow she will wake up early to give her letter to the messenger working under Hitsugaya Takeshi-sama. It might take a few days before her letter would reach him. Nonetheless, with her simple gesture she wanted to make him feel that he was well loved and a lot of people cared about his welfare. A good man like him deserved that.

"Come back to me" she whispered the words as if she was praying. She tucked the blanket snuggly around Soma and Sosuke before lying on her futon to catch some sleep.

Toushiro got up earlier than usual. For the first time in weeks he had a peaceful sleep, free from any kind of nightmare that may gnaw him alive even during periods of consciousness. He stretched his sore back and decided to have an early stroll around the area where they decided to camp. They rented two simple houses not too far from the luxurious inn where Mamoru was staying together with some of their guards and servants. Even some of the personal guards of his friends stayed at the inn so that they would not attract too much attention.

He slowly packed his makeshift futon as not to wake Sato up. Closing the door ever so gently, he wore his geta and observed the community where they were temporarily staying. It was far from the bustling environment where stalls, shops and manors of prominent families are usually situated. Though there are small shops where they could buy their supplies whenever they ran out of something, it was less developed and somewhat bare compared to their place. The inn where Mamoru was staying seemed like a rose among the thorns. The impressive infrastructure would surely make heads turn if one would have a walk around the quint neighborhood.

'I hope this will impress him' he mused as he observed the huge doors of the inn. The plants and flowers were meticulously arranged to give the place a refreshing and relaxing aura. Whoever owned the place must have really kept in mind even the minute details.

He continued his early stroll whilst he laughter of the children played around a tree caught his attention. His feet brought him to their playing area and each step felt very light, as if he wanted to see the children so bad since he missed the little ones he left at home. Toushiro's heart started to pound at his chest in worry and excitement. How are his dear cousins now?

"Ohayo" he greeted in the friendliest tone that he could muster. The three children, all of them boys about the age of four to six stopped at their tracks ad shyly hid behind the trunk of the tree. Toushiro cannot help but smile, they were really adorable.

"You guys are full of energy. It is still very early to play yet here you are" he gestured at the place where they were playing tag and the boys could help but blush even more. He could tell that they are smiling even if they are trying to hide their face behind the tree. His cousins do the same sometimes when they wanted him to play with them.

The youngest boy wearing a faded and patched up kimono was the first to walk toward him. With his hands behind him and his eyes barely looking toward his direction gave Toushiro the clear signs that he worked up a lot of courage just to talk to him.

"Ohayo nii-san" the boy smiled at him bashfully and he smiled in return. Toushiro immediately noticed the broken strap of the boy's sandals and he cannot help but say something about it. It is dangerous to use broken sandals for walking for using such it is not only a hassle; it also can put one into the grim dangers of tripping.

"Your sandals need mending"

The boy is now as red as a beet and the tip of his ears were so pink from embarrassment Toushiro almost felt sorry. Sometimes he just could help but speak about what he is thinking of.

The young man tried to stoop a little lower, "Have you eaten something already? You and your friends sure are up very early"

The two boys who were previously hiding behind the tree also took slow, small steps toward Toushiro. Their curiosity grew even more as the minutes went by while they were staring and observing at the tan skinned man with cool white hair. He stood and walked so elegantly they were certain he belongs to the higher class of the society.

"Ohayo nii-san. We usually play at this time of the day" the older boy with long unkempt hair said as he started scratching his scalp, from days without taking a bath or a habit out of embarrassment Toushiro could not tell.

"You do?"

"Hai nii-san. Later our parents will call us and then we will help them in the woods and in the farm" the third boy with a huge hole on the sleeves of his kimono pointed at the direction of the vast rice paddies not too far from them. "We usually finish our duties at late afternoon so we play at time like this" he then grinned and the gap where his two front teeth should have been were exposed for everyone to see.

Taking a few seconds to fully observe the kids before him, he could already tell that they were having a hard time in life. Their dishevelled appearances and their unclean clothes were clear indications of what these kids, together with their parents without any doubt, of what they prioritize in life and that is to get their basic needs to be met for each day. He had heard of stories like these. People who were having the hardest time to get by each day, living from hand to mouth with their concerns only glued on how to end the day with a decent dinner on the table. His heart aches for these little children (though he would never be vocal about it), they should be on the streets playing, making happy memories with their friends or perhaps getting themselves to learn how to write and read under the tutelage of old wise men of the community.

To him the early years of life should be spent in different ways so that it could be treasured until the end of one's days. These children before him were too young, too small and too undernourished to help their parents to work.

"Would you like some bread?" and with his offer the three boys nodded enthusiastically. He was about to tell them to wait at the exact tree since he will fetch some bread for them when he heard the boisterous voice of a man who can be heard almost one kilometer radius.

"Come here you little brat!" a bald man came charging towards their direction and Toushiro cannot help but get all worked up at his sudden intrusion. When he was close enough to reach the bald boy in front of Toushiro he grabbed at his sleeve and roughly jerked the child towards him. The small boy immediately whimpered, the repetitive memory of being dragged, scolded and sometimes being hurt hunted him so much he instantly reached for Toushiro's kimono so that he would not be carried by the old man's forceful tug.

"What are you doing here? Playing with these worthless fools!" he spat each word and small droplets of saliva escaped from the gap of his teeth. Each of his tooth had a stain of grey in between; an indication that they were about to decay.

"I said come here! You need to fill the tub for my bath!" he again dragged the poor boy and this point small child started to cry, his huge orbs now filled with tears.

"Please nii-san don't let him take me" he clung at Toushiro's kimono for dear life and the young man reached at his pocket to get a few coins.

"You do not have to do this to the child" he said, his hand still inside his pocket.

"Don't you lecture me on how to discipline my child!" their eyes met and Toushiro cannot help but notice the old man's bloodshot eyes. He was also shaking a little though his grip on the child was firm.

'What is wrong with this man?'

"Let me talk to him for a while. He will come home, I give you my word" he then gave a few coins to him and like a fire doused with cold water, he immediately shut his mouth and let go of the child's sleeve. Toushiro heard him mumble a few profanities and then turned around to go back home.

"He better be back before the sun is fully up, we have a lot of work to do" he shouted with his back on them.

The child's wailing turned into soft whimpers. Toushiro wiped his tears using his own sleeve, "Calm down, he is gone"

For now…

"Is he your father?" the child continuously sniffed and the boy with long unkempt hair answered for his friend's behalf.

"Hai nii-san. It's Kenta's father"

"Is he is always like that?" he can imagine parents being strict, sometimes even giving their children some punishment to put each lesson into an important memory that will be etched into them forever but for his own child to react so negatively at the mere sound of his voice seemed really wrong to him.

"H-h-hai-i…" he hiccupped and Toushiro could only sympathize with the child.

"Wait for me right here. I will get some bread for everyone" he said to the three of them. He cannot help but shake his head in disbelief; a few minutes ago he was happy to see a bunch of children, now he is feeling heavy and conflicted about what to do with them since he was almost certain that in some way he needed to help them. Life outside the manor is much more complicated than paperworks, business deals and clan meetings.

When he saw the carriage where they were keeping some of their supplies, he opened the small window and took three pieces of bread while making sure that he took the newest out of all that they have. He was about to get back at the place where the tree was located when Hyourinmaru suddenly called after him.

"Hitsugaya-sama, a letter for you" he bowed as Toushiro said his thanks and he was about to just place it inside his pocket when he caught a glimpse of the letter's heading.

His heart suddenly pumped faster and he felt elated again. The memory of the rude bald man with decaying teeth was replaced by Hinamori Momo's gentle features and sweet kisses.

He hurriedly walked so that he could eat some bread with his little friends. The only way to enjoy a letter is when you are resting under a tree, relaxed and free to take each written word by heart.

to be continued...

A big big thank to those great people who gave a review. A big thank you to those who also markd World's Apart as their favorite, liked story. THANK YOU FOR THE CONTINUOUS SUPPORT. YOU GUYS ARE THE REASON WHY I KEEP GOING! :*