29

Of All The Paths

Ukitake knocked on the door to the Tenth Division office. It opened fairly quickly. On the other side, there was only Toshiro and Ulquiorra, both with a single eyebrow raised. Ukitake had to smile at the identical expression. "Hello," he said. "You two were hiding."

"More so discussing certain details," Ulquiorra answered.

"That's partially what I came here to talk to you two about," Ukitake announced, taking a seat next to his oldest "nephew." "Katashi, Toshiro," he continued, "What story have you two decided on?"

"Why must there be a story?" Ulquiorra asked. "Most souls do not remember their pasts. Neither shall we."

"We think," Toshiro continued, "it would be best to place Katashi in the Shinigami Academy under his actual name and pretend that he is just in from Rukongai. In time, people may draw their own conclusions about us, but we don't have admit to remembering each other in any prior capacity. This way, we can ignore the entire Hollow issue. No one but the captains will know."

"I see," Ukitake said. "Alright, then, as long as you are sure."

"We are," Katashi confirmed. "Is that all?"

"Well, not quite," Ukitake laughed sheepishly. "It seems Ichigo, Orihime, Rukia, and Urahara wish to visit. I volunteered to come first and make sure that that would be alright."

"Actually," Ulquiorra said, "I need to talk to Kurosaki."

"Oh?"

Ulquiorra nodded. He could see in Ukitake's eyes that the man knew what this was about. Reflexively, Ulquiorra's pale hand darted toward his zanpakuto. Yes, there was definitely something he needed to speak with Ichigo about.

"I'll go call them, then," Ukitake said. He turned around and opened the door…only to find that the group was waiting not ten feet from it. He sighed and waved them in. At least they hadn't been pressed up against it, eavesdropping.

As the four glided in, Ulquiorra stood and walked toward them. In one fluid motion, he grabbed Ichigo and dragged him back out into the hall, away from the group. The orange-haired teen sputtered in confusion. Ulquiorra closed the door behind them.

"What the h—, Ulquiorra?" Ichigo demanded.

"We need to talk," Ulquiorra announced. His hand fled toward his zanpakuto again. Ichigo noted the motion. "But first, we need to go somewhere that no one will hear us."

Two minutes later, the two had relocated to the forest nearest the training ground. After concluding that there were no wandering Shinigami with sharp ears, Ulquiorra settled himself on a tree branch, Ichigo following the lead.

"You Hitsugayas really do like heights, don't you?" Ichigo said. He wondered if it had anything to do with why both their bankai/release forms had wings.

"It provides a better vantage point," Ulquiorra supplied. He shifted to make direct eye contact with Ichigo. This was a serious matter. It needed serious attention. "Kurosaki, I know you saw something during the fight."

"When I was fighting your Holow, you mean?" Ichigo asked. Although Ulquiorra was able to stare directly at him, Ichigo initially found a little trouble doing the same. His gaze darted to the scenery and back. "Our zanpakuto resonated."

"I know," Ulquiorra answered. "A connection between two souls. What did you see?"

Ichigo paused, now focused on his swinging feet. "You. Toshiro. Ukitake." His eyes squinted. "You promised not to leave Toshiro, even though you knew you were dead, even though Ukitake told you it would be better in Soul Society. You wanted to protect him."

"Yes." Ulquiorra continued to analyze Ichigo. "As you did with your sisters."

Ichigo's head shot up.

"The connection goes both ways," Ulquiorra explained. "You saw into my mind, but I also saw into yours. You would have died to save them. You would be dead right now if not for Rukia transferring her powers to you."

"But you know what kills me the most?" Ichigo released a sad little laugh. "It could have so easily been the other way around."

"No, it couldn't have."

"Yes, it could!" Ichigo protested.

"Is that why you are so eager to reconcile with me?" Ulquiorra retorted. "Because it could have been you?"

"I'm just saying that I understand…and that I'm sorry."

Ulquiorra had to turn away at that. He knew Ichigo was right. It could have been him. He hadn't been much younger than Ichigo when he was killed, only fourteen. Given that extra year, he could have become a Shinigami representative. He could have been Ichigo. Then again, Ichigo could have been him as well. If Rukia was a little later and Ichigo had died protecting his sisters; if he had refused to leave them; if he had become a Hollow and fled to Hueco Mundo, as strong as Ulquiorra had been on his entrance; if he had become an Arrancar and then fought for Aizen; if he had come back during the war only to see his sisters, having aged, perhaps if one or both of them had become Shinigami in his absence; if he'd wound up sitting here right now, on this tree branch, still talking to Ulquiorra.

"When I'm reintroduced into Soul Society," Ulquiorra said, "we are going to tell everyone that I am a normal soul from Rukongai. I'll act as if I don't remember my human life and only the captains and your friends will ever know that I do. I am going to enter under the name Katashi Hitsugaya. If others draw their own conclusions about my relation to Toshiro, let them, but in public, we will act as if we have never met before."

"Okay…"

"So you can pretend that I never did become a Hollow," Ulquiorra explained. "As far as you are aware, our story had the ending it was supposed to. I was killed and sent to Soul Society. Toshiro followed soon after. We do not remember each other and were raised in separate parts of Rukongai. Anyone I meet from now on, I will be meeting for the first time."

"I think I get it," Ichigo said. His mouth lifted into a smile and he held out his hand. "Hello, my name is Ichigo Kurosaki, Substitute Shinigami."

"There's no need to go that far."

Ichigo only kept staring until Ulquiorra played along. The black-haired man sighed and shook Ichigo's hand. "I am Katashi Hitsugaya, a student at the Academy."

"Hitsugaya, huh?" Ichigo asked. "You know, we have a captain named Hitsugaya."

"Must be a coincidence."

Then Ichigo began to laugh and, if he wasn't mistaken, Katashi's lips twitched upwards into a smirk. Then they just sat there for a second, up in the tree, looking outward, until at last Ichigo said, "So, the Academy. You're going to stay here."

"It is what's best," Katashi replied. "We have reached an agreement."

"Will you come back to visit?" Ichigo wondered. "I mean, the Academy does Living World missions and stuff, doesn't it? And once you become a Shinigami, they'll probably send you in."

"That is not within the terms of the agreement," Katashi said. "I am to stay in Soul Society under constant supervision, locked into the form you see now." He touched the pendant around his neck—the one helping him to keep his Hollow in check. "I completely relinquish my ability to access any and all of my Arrancar powers, as well as accept having a limiter surgically implanted that will prevent me from reaching bankai and will restrict my reiatsu to lower levels unless permission grants otherwise. They are assuring that I will not have the capability of causing any sort of harm."

"Oh," Ichigo said.

"In the long run, it will be better than my other options."

"Which were?"

Katashi let Ichigo's words hang in the air. "We should get back," he insisted. "The others may be wondering if I have made an attempt on your life yet."

"Katashi!" Ichigo called. The older man froze in place, yet did not look at him. Ichigo cleared his throat and continued. "I'll visit," he said. "We all will."

"…Thank you."

It was two days after this conversation that Katashi Hitsugaya woke up with a heavy feeling in his stomach and knew that today was the day. Ukitake came by shortly after to collect him and Toshiro. The meeting was unnervingly quiet.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Ukitake asked. "This is your last chance to back out."

"It's either this or Rukongai," Katashi said, "and I would really rather not lose my memory again, even if it means being rid of my Hollow."

"You forgot about the World of the Living," Toshiro answered.

"I would be as good as human," Katashi answered. "Helpless and growing older while you and Mr. Ukitake and possibly Ichigo and Orihime stay the same. No."

"Alright, then," Ukitake said. He rang the door buzzer of the twelfth division, not missing the irony that this is where they were supposed to send Katashi back when he had first been resurrected and, now that everything was said and done, he was back here again, although under more pleasant circumstances. Regardless, Katashi went a little paler.

"Good luck," Toshiro said, his tone edged.

"I'll be fine," Katashi insured. "Remember, this is for the better. We can lock the Hollow away and I can be a normal Shinigami." I'm doing this for you, too.

"I just don't like the idea of Kurotsuchi being anywhere near you," Toshiro admitted.

"That makes two of us," Katashi answered. He made an attempt at a reassuring smile. The effect left a lot to be desired, especially when compared to the smile of his more human self so many years back. He reached down and gave his younger brother an awkward, one-armed hug.

Then the door opened and Katashi was whisked away.

It was another three months before the new year at the Academy started. Toshiro had stood by with the other captains and had pretended not to recognize his brother during the opening ceremony. Although, when the name "Katashi Hitsugaya" was announced and a teal-eyed young man stepped up to the platform, there were very few heads that didn't turn toward the Tenth Division captain. Both could tell that this would be a long few years already.

"Do you think we attracted some attention?" Katashi asked afterward.

Toshiro snorted. "It would have been worse if your hair was still white."

Katashi subconsciously reached up to touch the black fringe. "Agreed."

He didn't admit to Toshiro that sometimes when he delved into his mind, he would see a white-haired figure flitting around in the background. The creature remained elusive. Katashi had stopped attempting to bother it. That was one part of his mind that he wasn't prepared to reach yet.

Distracting himself from that vision, Katashi instead slid his hand along the sheath of Murciélago. His fingers lingered on the small pendant wrapped around it. It was the one Urahara had given him. He didn't need it anymore, not since the limiter had been implanted, keeping his Hollow subdued. (And he'd met with it since. It had been chained to a tall pillar within his mental realm. The white-haired figure had stood at the top of the pillar, just out of sight.)

"Has anyone asked yet?" Toshiro wondered.

"No, they only stare," Katashi answered. "They seem…cautious. Are we certain they would not know I was previously an Espada?"

"We didn't release that information to the public."

"That is good, then."

"Oh, you two!" Matsumoto boomed from around the corner. She stepped in, a hand on her hip and a smirk on her face. "So worried. You're too paranoid. No one will notice. Sure you may look similar…and act alike…and have the same last name, but Soul Society is a big place. They'll pass it off as a coincidence."

"Unless you get drunk again and tell everyone."

"Captain! I would never!"

Laughing, she walked over and gave them both a massive hug, to which the Hitsugayas protested. She then leant back and ruffled their hair before leaving the room. Identical expressions of irritation chased after her.

"Is that something I will have to become accustomed to?" Katashi asked.

"Just be glad she doesn't do that in public."

Katashi hummed in agreement. Toshiro picked up the note of contemplation in his eyes. He'd come to associate it with times when Katashi was remembering something. Though Toshiro's human memories had poked through on occasion, he knew Katashi's were more present. At last, he spoke. "I am…relieved," Katashi said, "that she was the one who found you."

Toshiro's eyes drifted toward the floor. To be honest, he was also glad it had been Matsumoto to find him. She had offered the kind of support he had needed. However, Toshiro also realized that Katashi felt guilty. While Matsumoto had been helping to raise him, Katashi had been off in Hueco Mundo, busy becoming a monster.

"You know," Toshiro said, "even if we'd both gone to Soul Society the first time around, the chance that we would actually have met up again would have been low and, if we eventually had, neither one of us would have remembered much. In a way, this worked out."

"I suppose so."

A knock sounding on the door interrupted. "Hi?" a tiny voice sounded. "Shiro, it's me. Is this a bad time?"

Toshiro glanced over to Katashi and then back at the door. Momo had been avoiding his older brother since he arrived and probably assumed he wasn't here now. By no means did Toshiro forsee this going well.

"Come in," he called.

Momo's head poked in around the door. Seconds later she froze. Katashi's appearence had alarmed her. "Oh," she squeaked, "I can come back later, if you want?"

"Momo, it's fine," Toshiro assured. Roped in now, she had no choice but to close the door behind her and compromise by looking everywhere but the eldest Hitsugaya. Awkward. Toshiro held back a smirk at this. He watched as Katashi raised an eyebrow. Thankfully, he soon decided to end the poor girl's misery.

"You look as if I will hurt you," Katashi pointed out, capturing her attention. "I can assure you that is not the case." Anymore.

"Momo," Toshiro said, "this is Katashi, my older brother from before I came to Soul Society."

"Hello," she muttered, bowing quickly. She was surprised when he nodded his head in return. "I'm…um…"

"Toshiro has already told me," Katashi informed her.

The girl turned to said white-haired boy. "You did?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Toshiro asked. "My older brother should know who my older sister is."

She smiled then as her cheeks went pink and her eyes gained a joyful shine. It was her Shiro's way of really apologizing to her. He may have had a larger family now, but it was nice to know that she was still included. Family. She giggled.

"You two look so much alike," she admitted. "It's kind of strange."

"We looked more alike when Toshiro's hair was black," Katashi told her.

"That's kind of hard to imagine. Shiro, I bet it was so cute!"

The fact that Toshiro began to scowl at that remark only made it funnier. Katashi felt that tickle of laughter in his throat again. Of course, Momo breaking out sealed the deal. He chuckled. The sound was so low, he could barely be heard, but he knew they both noticed.

"We'll have to go visit Gran some time," Momo said. "It's been a while and I'm sure she'd love to meet you, Katashi."

Yes, Toshiro thought, and then we can blame him for my affinity towards rooftops. She would never let him live it down. He could already hear her voice now. Perhaps this wouldn't turn out so badly after all.