Disclaimer: I do NOT own Bleach in any way! All copyrights go to Tite Kubo.
Author's Note: OMG, the final chapter is posted on fanfiction. net and it's also an early update! It's time to celebrate with joys and sadness! Gah...anyway, special thanks goes to my beloved reviewers: Neko-cheung, tlg, BLEACHISAWESOMEANDIMAWESOME XP, KnowledgeandImagination, i-is-animefreak, AznInvasionGirl, becomeafan, divprince, Anonymous2 aka Pieps XD (Yes, I know it's you who typed that review for me. LOL), athfdrizzle, applestoapples, WhitePrincessOfHope, Samantha, The Sweet Peach. Thank you everyone for your support. Now, it's time for me to shut up and let you read the last installment to The Greatest Treasure. What are Hitsugaya, Hinamori, Matsumoto, Ichimaru, Renji, Kira, and Hisagi are doing? Find out in chapter twenty-five! Enjoy!
LEGEND
"Talking." "Thinking."
The Greatest Treasure
Chapter Twenty-Five: The Greatest Treasure
There were so many things that needed to be done after the battle in the Hinamori Palace. Despite these circumstances, everyone who is involved in the incident did their best to work together and rebuild Seireitei and West Rukongai. In the first month, everything has been just hectic. The young princess has been going back and forth between the two lands, tending to their respected matters. Luckily, Toshiro, Rangiku, and her companions from Seireitei are there to make her life a little easier.
While Ichimaru, the Trio Knights, and the rest of the Royal Guard had their attention to rebuilding the palace, Hinamori has been around Seireitei, returning all the stolen items that Aisu no Ryu has taken back to their respected owners. She also explained the whole situation that has happened in the past. Even though she said that, the princess knew it is going to take a while before they could forgive the young white haired Rukongai Citizen and also accept him in the future times to come.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the gate, Hitsugaya and Matsumoto have been focusing on bringing order back to their homeland. Everyday, they would help out the residents build homes and bring money or food from Seireitei to feed them. From time to time, people from the Royal Guard come to assist them. It has been hard work, but they somehow managed. Before long, three months have passed by and the rebuilding has been complete.
In the fourth month, Momo concentrated on changing the laws in the land. Before she was not able to do it, but considering what happened to the judicial members of Central Chambers 46, she is given all the power needed to run her kingdom. To start things off, the princess has ordered the walls bordering between Rukongai and Seireitei to be demolished. This is the kind of world she wants to build; a world where people are united. It is going to take a very long time before her dream becomes a reality, but this is a good start. Next, she jailed the tax collectors of their jobs after finding out that they have been working with the deceased villain. She cannot afford to let them do whatever they want any further. To make sure they don't cause any trouble, the former West Gatekeeper, Jidanbo has been hired to look after them.
By the time the fifth month came around, preparations for a special ceremony are complete and is about to take place. Invited guests from Seireitei and Rukongai have come to the Hinamori Palace to witness this highlight in history, the Royal Proclamation. The Princess of Seireitei stood in front of her parents' throne. Walking down a few steps, she approached the two people that stand there before her.
Momo gave them a sweet and content smile and then commenced ceremony. "We are gathered here today to honour and recognize these two great people who have done great things in the past half year. They have helped their people from going into poverty and they have protected me from the dangers that could possibly happen to me during my stay in Rukongai. They have also helped prevent the former General Aizen Sosuke from taking over my kingdom. On my personal behalf, I dearly thank you both," she said.
She then turned to the side to see Kira Izuru, holding a large cushion in his hands. Resting on it is her family sword. Taking the weapon by the hilt, the kimono dressed Hinamori held it and resumed her attention to Hitsugaya and Matsumoto. Both of them too are dressed in their new attires.
"May you both please kneel down and lower your heads."
Listening to the princess' orders, they did as they were told. Momo first approached the strawberry orange haired woman and said, "For your skills in swordsmanship and your act of bravery..."
She raised her sword and tapped the tip of her blade on both her shoulders. "I declare you, Matsumoto Rangiku, the first woman in Seireitei to become swordsma--I mean woman and a proud member of the Royal Guard."
Matsumoto raised her head and smiled. The peach princess then walked up to Toshiro. He is expecting her to say something, but it hasn't happened. He slowly raised his head to see Momo looking down at him. She gave him a sincere smile and said, "For years, you were known to people from both lands as the notorious thief, Aisu no Ryu. You stole many valuables from Seireitei including one of my own and traded them for money to save your people in Rukongai. Even though it is only an accident, you have also taken me away from my home and got me to experience the life as a regular person. In my opinion, I'm glad such a thing happened or else I would have no become the princess I am now. There are so many other things I want to thank you for that I don't believe giving you these benefits are enough. Regardless, you have accepted my offer. So, I, Princess Hinamori Momo, am very proud to declare you..."
She extended her hand out, holding out her sword for the people to see. Hitsugaya lowered his head and waited. She then lowered the tip of her sword and tapped it on both his shoulders. "Hitsugaya Toshiro, Captain of the Royal Guard."
Giving the sword back to Kira, she gave him a silent nod. He returned to the side where he joined the rest of his allies, the Trio Knights and Captain Ichimaru. "Will you please stand Captain Hitsugaya?"
Listening to her order, the white haired captain stood up. "There is something else I want to give you..."
Hitsugaya looked at her quizzically until a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around the back of his neck. Without any warning, Momo captured his lips with her own, shocking the crowd around them. Even Toshiro is still trying to comprehend what is going on. Everything seems to be a blur. By the time, she pulled away, the princess gave him a silly smile. "...and that is my love for you."
"S-Sugoi," Hisagi commented.
"Now that's one bold move," Renji said.
"I wonder how the people are taking this," Kira worryingly added as he watched the shocked faces of the visitors of the ceremony. "Never in the history of Seireitei there has been a princess dating or even loving a Rukongai citizen."
"Well, when you have Hinamori-chan as our princess, anything can happen," Ichimaru happily said.
Watching the whole scene before her eyes, Matsumoto got back on her feet and smiled at the lovers share a special moment together. The young newly appointed captain of the Royal Guard couldn't help, but let out a sigh of defeat and small smirk in return. He said, "You still have a lot to learn about holding a serious ceremony, princess."
Long hours after all the guests have left the Hinamori Palace, everyone has been cleaning up the throne room back into tip-top shape. "Aw, I'm so tired!" Matsumoto complained as she sat on the steps. "Doing all this is too much work!"
"Now Ran-chan, enough with your complaints," Ichimaru said. "You have to follow my orders or else you're going to get punished."
The strawberry orange haired woman gave him a stern look. "Who says you get to boss me around Gin?"
"In terms of seniority, I do..."
She suddenly pouted. "What?! Then that means Hitsugaya gets to boss me around too!"
"You got that right Matsumoto," said a voice beside her.
The strawberry orange haired woman turned her head and then jumped. "H-Hitsugaya, what are you doing here?"
He folded his arms over his chest and gave her a look. "What do you mean what I'm doing here? It's quite obvious I'm helping clean up the palace. At least be considerate because we're going to be living here from now on."
She then wrapped her arms around her belly. "Hn, I suppose you're right," she replied. "Ou, I can't to know what it feels like to be sleeping in such a luxurious bed and bathe in clean water!"
"And that's not the only benefits," Renji said, walking up to the Royal Guard members. "After the clean up is over, we'll take you to a nice expensive bar just outside the palace walls to drink at."
Her eyes suddenly lightened up. "Really?!"
Hisagi then nodded with agreement. "Yeah, consider it an early reward for your duties."
She then put up a guts pose. "Yosh! In that case, I'll work until my body's almost too numb to move!"
Without any further exchange of words, the female swordsman got back to work. Hitsugaya just sighed with defeat. "Good thing she has the proper motivation to do things now."
"Don't mind Ran-chan," Ichimaru said. "She's always like that."
He then turned to the gray haired captain and suddenly commented, "You're one sneaky fox, Ichimaru."
"Hn, now what makes you say that?"
"Don't play dumb with me; you're the one who rigged the lasso rope so that I can be spared from being hanged."
Gin turned his attention to the young captain. With a bright smile forming on his lips, the gray haired captain slightly opened to show his red eyes. "Really now?"
"There's also the fact that our plan to take down Aizen would not have been successful if it weren't for your co-operation," Toshiro explained, folding his arms over his chest. "If you were still on his side, Ikkanzaka and I would have been caught off guard. As a result, we would have never gotten the chance to sneak up on that evil bastard and save Momo."
"Well, aren't you glad that it didn't turn out to be that way?"
"I bet you did all that stuff for Matsumoto."
"Ran-chan?" Gin asked. "Now, what makes you think I share such sentiments for her?"
Hitsugaya then gave the young man a stern look. "Isn't that obvious? She told me you left her so that you can learn more about swordsmanship and that one day, you will return to teach her again."
"Hn, really?"
There is a brief moment of silence. "Well anyway, thanks for saving our futures. However, if by any chance that you dare make Matsumoto upset again, I will personally hunt you down to the ends of the Earth and kill you. The same rule applies if you try to hurt Momo."
He turned his head to the side to watch Matsumoto clean up from the other side of the room. With a grin on his face, Gin said, "Ou, how scary you can be Hitsugaya-taicho..."
Toshiro continued cleaning up in the hallway along the rest of his subordinates until something tapped him on the shoulder. He stopped and turned his head to the side to see the smiling princess beside him. "Momo, is there something wrong?"
Hinamori slowly shook her head. "No, there isn't anything wrong. I just want to see how you're doing."
"I see."
As he resumed his duties, the Princess of Seireitei is looking down at her hands. She wanted to be sure that what has happened today made him happy. She raised her head up and asked, "Toshiro, are you okay with staying here? You know, you don't have to if you prefer to live in Rukongai."
Knowing what she is trying to get at, Hitsugaya stopped and turned to her. Approaching the peach give, he wrapped an arm over her shoulder and pulled her close. Placing a kiss on the top of her head, he whispered in her ear, "Even if I were to live back at my hometown, it wouldn't be happy. Life just isn't quite the same without you."
Momo cracked a smile as she glanced up at the white haired captain. Placing a hand over his chest while the other is wrapped around the back of his waist, she cuddled against him. "So, how does it feel to stop stealing for once?"
"To be honest, I find it quite awkward, but I'll be able to manage," Hitsugaya replied. "Even though I'm not going around and stealing valuable items anymore, I'm glad I got the greatest treasure in my sights."
"What would that be?" she asked.
Draping his arms over the princess' shoulders, he gently placed his forehead against hers. The two lovers looked at each other's eyes. Toshiro gave her a gentle smile. "Isn't that obvious? It's you, my princess."
Smiling back, Momo watched him close his eyes and lean closer to her. Likewise, she did the same and closed the distance by giving him an interlocking and passionate kiss. By the time they broke apart, the peach princess whispered, "I love you."
"I love you too."
They didn't say a word for a while. Being close to one another is enough for them to be content beyond the doubt. They deserved it especially after all that has happened. They were not able to spend a lot of time together. Both of them are looking forward to live their happy days together.
"Momo..."
"...Yeah?"
"It doesn't have to happen right away considering all the circumstances that are currently going on in Seireitei and Rukongai," he explained, trying to hold back the redness that are flaring up his cheeks. "But...will you be my bride someday?"
With no excuse to go against it, Hinamori gave him a tight embrace and a loving kiss. She is happy to hear those words come out of his mouth. She with her whole heart and soul, she replied with great joy, "Oh Toshiro, of course I will marry you!"
~ OWARI ~
References
Aisu no Ryu - Ice Dragon; Hitsugaya's codename as the notorious thief, Sugoi - Amazing, Taicho - Captain, Owari - The End
Author's Note: And that's all she wrote! The End! After twenty-five freaking long chapters after about three months, the story's finally complete! Seireitei and Rukongai has been saved from the evil hands of Aizen. As for our little notorious thief, he got his happy ending to be with his princess. Kyaa! There's so much HitsuHina fluffiness in the air!
Special thanks to all my reviewers who have been supporting me through their comments, starting with MoonLightView, Superanimelover1234, AznInvasionGirl, KnowledgeandImagination, cool!!!!!!!!!!!!, Neko-cheung, Samantha, Pieps XD, ScienceAngel, Mariliisa, Hyperpegasi, Amiru-chan, WhitePrincessOfHope, icyangel27, LookThroughTheGlass, BLEACHISAWESOMEANDIMAWESOME XP, feronia. wings, Kaye. Shirogane, tlg, chococat450, The Sweet Peach, Theanimegurl4ever, Onineko Hikari-chan, Angel-chan1992, Tamashi Aisuto, Supreme cookieeater NANCY, i-is-animefreak, Maya-chan2007, HeavensPheonix561, Ziya Hitsugaya, REDROSES13, Mirasu, Anonymous, applestoapples, becomeafan, divprince, and Lady Krystalyn (Phew, that was a long list.). Anyway, you guys are all just simply amazing. HitsuHina cookies, plushes, and other goods for you all! Happiness! Yay!
Anyway, plans for the future...I have two works in the making. One of them is the story I've mentioned in the last chapter of Hitsugaya's First Love (if you have read that story before). The Healing Heart is the fan fiction story that took so long to plan out and start writing and now, I'm ready to post the prologue. So, it will be posted a little later in the day. Stay tuned to my profile!
So yeah, what else is there to say? Is there going to be a sequel to this story? Well, my answer is...no. I'm just kidding! xP There IS going to be a sequel. Yay! xD Besides, I left enough details from this story that will give me a reason to continue the series. As of right now, it's in the middle of a major brainstorm. I have a main story plot to work with, but I need to "imagine" how the story is going to start and end before I can start posting The Next Greatest Treasure (Oops, I've spilled the title of the story. xD) on fanfiction. net. So, please bear with me until then.
Anyway, please leave your final comments in a review and thank you for reading my story!
~ LONG LIVE THE HITSUHINA LOVE ~