A/N: To Soi Yo, I'm glad the last chapter helped clarify things a bit. I hope all these tidbits finally make sense to the reader close to the end and he will have a moment of realization saying "Oh my god, that's what happened, that's how it's all connected." You guys may even have your theory, I don't mind.
But all in all that chapter was all about what it means to work for the soul king. The two organizations don't work the same and don't have precisely the same goal even if they do have the same boss. I also took a risk by giving a bit more characterization to Jūshirō and Retsu. I had that scene in my mind for a while.
Being a shinigami. It's work. A vocation. It's something important to these people. I like having fun with them, letting them party, have relationships and stuffs. But I also want to get gritty and real, that these people are soldiers, fighters, and sometimes they do questionable stuff. That the stakes are real to them... It's not a videogame... Because war is not always good and evil. It's not always civil. Sometimes the frontlines are blurred.
I really like the fact that Retsu was revealed to be somewhat two-faced in the manga. I mean we all knew she was badass from the get-go. I just regretted not having spent enough time with Dark Retsu before she gets to train Zaraki in the manga. So, she is warm maternal and wise most of the time, but in the past, she was the beast Kenpachi, a force to be reckoned with. So a part of her is cold, calculating, ruthless, bloodthirsty. A true Soldier. It's still there here. I had fun letting her be herself in front of Jūshirō because they have a somewhat intimate friendship in my mind.
I also think of the duo Shunsui and Jushiro, I tend to distrust Jushiro the most because he shows a lot of resolve. He is the more serious of the two. I think he also has a shady side too. He was the guy who gave the shinigami substitute badge to Ichigo without explaining what it was in the manga. I appreciate that they always do what they think is right in the manga even though they have to fight Yamamoto on it. But I also decided to play with that a little bit. I don't like that a lot of stories portrayed Shinigami as clueless disorganized people as if they were not fighting the good fight way before Ichigo was born. As if they are no background to them... Imagine living for so long, it's almost impossible not to get tangled in certain situations. Doesn't mean they are evil... That's for you readers to decide. You said something about me humanizing the characters a lot. I was really happy about that statement. So thank you so much!
-41-
The hundred years war
Hitsugaya Tōshirō
Captain of the 10th division
Young prodigy
Matsumoto put him on the road to his own destiny, and he rewarded her with death. A hundred years of rivalry to get here, really?
Why was he fighting?
He thought he knew.
While the valley was strangely quiet. Tōshirō thought he knew.
"(...) I know it's a difficult decision to make."
Difficult was just an understatement. Tōshirō considered Genryūsai Yamamoto carefully. This wasn't just difficult, it was an impossible decision. It was the kind of choice he had to make.
"We discussed it earlier. Matsumoto's health is degrading day after day. "
"Yes, but…"
" There is nothing more we can do, Hitsugaya-Taicho. We lost Matsumoto fukutaicho on the battlefield in the line of duty three months ago. We must cut our losses..."
The old man told Toshiro with finality. His tone was almost casual but firm as if he was saying some ineluctable truths, no worst as if he just enounced a generality, something written in a book, something inevitable. A quick grimace was the only sign of his embarrassment. He held his cane with both hands and looked ahead with eyes that could predict the future.
With a nod, Sasakibe left his side to go make preparations.
"She was a good element, and she shall receive the proper honors as a consequence. That's natural."
" But..."
That's all Tōshirō could say. He just couldn't fathom what was being said about his lieutenant. It couldn't be the end. He swallowed hard, noticing for the first time Sasakibe's absence. They were really alone in this room. What was asked of him… That was still too much.
"Sotaicho, you realize what you're asking me."
"The situation is critical. I would not have discussed it with you if I did not believe you were the only one suitable for this task."
Tōshirō lowered his head, nodding meekly.
"It's the best course of action. From a strategic point of view, it's the best course of action. I would have given orders to the second division. But not knowing how far corruption goes…"
Yamamoto paused with a sneer, like an afterthought.
"Well, there is also the matter of that man clearly being out of their league."
"Well, Sotaicho, forgive me for even asking, but what makes you think I'm in his league."
" You're not as it is."
His quick retort was enough to startle Tōshirō. He frowned. It was the kind of blunt truths he could live without.
"You don't stand much of a chance physically, it's true."
Yamamoto said with a shrug, shifting position in his chair. He scratched his beard absentmindedly.
"Ichimaru always had incredible potential."
"Well, and it means…"
"That he may be one of them."
"One of them? You're talking in riddle. No, you're talking like Dengeki."
"Oh! A passionate this one. She loves a good competition. I really like her."
"But you said..."
"Something like personal opinions are not meant to be shared in casual circles. What I'm about to tell you is something most people do not have proper knowledge of. It's all for the better."
"Yamamoto Sotaicho..."
"We don't see much of them these days, so that's why I can't be too sure. When I was about your age, we used to see them all the time, they would come here, wreak havoc, then leave. That's why most people of my time thought they were gods. They were celebrated like gods here… They could do anything they wanted. People will call them Kaiju, transient Gods. It was a really long time ago."
"Kaiju…"
"Beasts, really…A species of strong hybrids wielding the oldest form of raw spirit energy. We considered them royalty because we didn't understand what they were. It is always very human to put the unknown on a pedestal. It's a mortal thing to do. But let me tell you a secret, mostly they are monsters, who could slaughter an entire village in a heartbeat. Nowadays, isn't it odd, we don't even teach children about them anymore as if they're nothing but a legend. As if the Soul king wasn't the greatest of all."
Toshiro frowned.
"You think Gin is one of them."
"I honestly don't know. Like I told Dengeki, he never showed any signs before. Like you, he was a remarkable student: kido, hakuda, shunpo, Zanjutsu… He excelled in every area that matters. But at that time, it was his knowledge of the world that was so striking. I remembered his teachers being in awe over the way he assimilated all concepts. He would constantly try to hide his amazing progression behind a smirk. He would conceal even how powerful he truly was. I started to notice when he passed the test for captaincy, you see. He clearly wasn't giving it his all. I knew something was up with him. I was fascinated."
"Yet, you allowed him to join…"
Yamamoto shrugged, almost full of pride.
"He was made to be captain. I'm never going back on my word. He was the whole package, just like you. So, I knew…"
"So you don't regret it? Closing your eyes? You don't regret it one bit?"
"He followed orders for years. I am actually quite proud."
Toshiro stared the old man down.
"Do you know what it takes to tame a beast?"
"You mean to tell me you knew all along he wanted revenge, Sotaicho."
Yamamoto simply stood up and made a couple of steps toward the balcony. He went back to his chair after a quick pause.
" Hitsugaya-taicho, do you know what it really takes to tame a beast?"
"Sotaicho… He almost beat me the last time we fought. Like you said he wasn't even trying. I can't be the one you're sending. If that guy is really who you think he is, knowing in what state of mind he is going to be, you should send an army. Damn it! You should go yourself!"
Yamamoto stroked his cane, his face closed. Toshiro felt blood suffusing his cheek, biting his lower lip nervously. He was a bit ashamed of having lost his temper in front of his commander. Even more so, when he was afraid, his gesture could have been assimilated with a form of cowardice. It didn't really sit well with him. He was surprised by what Yamamoto said next.
"This is not an option. Gin Ichimaru is a snake that no prison or cage can hold. That much is clear. He is someone no army can destroy. Sure, coming in numbers could slow him down, but I'm talking about a real chimera. I know our strengths and weaknesses. In the state of chaos in which the Seireitei is, we cannot afford to make mistakes."
The old man slowly got up and went to his cupboards. He searched through the drawers with one hand.
" No, you're the best course of action. We could add 50 and 200 more men in front of him, it wouldn't stop him. You know as well as I do that if Gin Ichimaru wanted out of his cell, he'd be out. The question is not whether he can ... But when ... Listen, I asked myself many times. Why had Aizen entrusted him with his plan? Gin Ichimaru does not know loyalty. Everyone knows that. That's when I realized Aizen was just like me, he knew what it takes to tame a beast."
"Rangiku… We don't have Rangiku anymore. You think she is dead."
"Imagine what he will do when he learned the love of his life had been kidnapped ? has died?"
"He will probably burn this place to the ground. He'd be justified. But Rangiku is not dead…not yet…"
"Well, in the hand of those monsters, she'd better be. When the third seat of the Fifth Division died in the hands of Gin Ichimaru fresh out of the academy, he wasn't the only casualties that night. Two unseated officers died shortly before him. They were on an unsanctioned mission at the time for vice-captain Aizen Sousuke. So, we only noted their disappearance much later... I had asked then for an investigation to be opened, but the central 46 refused my request. Maybe Aizen had something to do with it, maybe not… I just couldn't get to the bottom of it. So I conducted my own research on Gin's past. It was impossible to go back to his origins. It was impossible to know by what means he arrived in Soul Society… "
Yamamoto handed him a file with a wrinkled shaky hand. He stroked his beard as he walked away. Tōshirō flipped through the document quickly. He opened his eyes.
"This is a census of all the people who met a suspicious death in Inuzuri at the time when Gin was nearby. Inuzuri has always been a dangerous neighborhood, but it seems that the death rate has never reached such a level since. But that's not the interesting part of the story… I went there and asked questions in the neighborhood about a boy with silver hair. And you know what was so interesting? Nobody would tell me about this boy without telling me first about the girl he lived with.
"So you knew about Matsumoto long before you even ask me in front of everyone in the council room?"
"Knowing is in my job description, boy. Assessing what my underlings know is also part of that job. Turning knowledge into weapons is my duty as your commander."
"Okay… But I don't see how their love story will help in this situation."
"You won't defeat Ichimaru with brute force. You will defeat him by doing something he doesn't expect you to do. You will defeat him by doing something no one ever did, not Aizen, not even Matsumoto, no one."
"What's that?"
"Knowing him. Getting into his head is the key, and trust me, you're the only one who can do that!"
"Sotaicho…"
"Read on…"
Toshiro turned a few pages quickly. He stumbled on a drawing of a blond girl with blue eyes. Matsumoto. He read the following report with attention. The unspeakable horror that was narrated with military precision made him want to vomit.
"Kisama! That son of a bitch!"
"I'm sure Aizen knew Gin was gonna come for him one day. But I'm unsure he knew exactly why. You know why now. This is your weapon. This is your blade. Use it well."
Toshiro remained speechless for long minutes.
" I don't need to tell you that this piece of information has never been and will never be disclosed again. Am I clear?"
" Why? Why are you telling me now?"
"I wanted you to know the deep motivations of Ichimaru. Only then will you succeed in defeating him. Remember, If he had to... stay alive ... You know that not even Matsumoto could live with that.
He heard nothing more of his superior's warnings. He left the office, armed with a new mission and a new resolution.
Kill Ichimaru Gin to save the world.
Mind Heist – Zack Hemsey
He thought he had a perfectly good reason for putting an end to the life of this treacherous serpent. He thought he had thousands, the hand clenching around Hyourinmaru's hilt was not shaking. His reiatsu left snow crystals in the air. He flew into the air, propelled in his tracks. Parry. Thrust. Parry. Hyourinmaru followed Gin Ichimaru, leaving him no chance at escaping its wrath. With a grim grin, Gin counter-attacked with Shinsō. The shock between the two propelled them both back. Gin leaned against rocks while Tōshirō landed on the trunk of one... two ... three ... four trees.
One after the other, the beeches fell to the ground in a deafening noise.
They started running again, neither one of them ready to yield. It was way too early for that. It was just the beginning. Gin's murderous aura manifested itself for a few seconds in the form of a belligerent snake. Halfway, Gin released Shinsō's with a swift motion of his wrist. The advantage of his zanpakutō had always been its incredible reach. He was difficult to approach. Thus, even though he was at first the aggressor, Tōshirō found himself minutes later, a victim. Zigzagging and leaning on a tree, he tried to dodge Shinsō's claws. Twice, however, the zanpakutō caught up with him, showing his flexibility and speed.
His shoulder was bleeding profusely, and a shard of a tree was embedded in his stomach. Gasping for air, Tōshirō Hitsugaya paused behind a millennium-old sequoia. A few seconds later, the time to catch his breath, the tree was sliced clean by Gin. He ducked to avoid being on the path of the fallen tree. The ground shook under their feet. He threw an arc of ice back with Hyourinmaru. Gin easily dodged. He retracted Shinsō for a split second before relaunching it in pursuit of Tōshirō. Hyourinmaru was a thin barrier of ice that the Snake pulverized without mercy. Gin Ichimaru's Zanpakutō was like his master, lethal and deceitful. He was behind Tōshirō, and before he had time to realize, Shinsō's solid blade was grazing his neck. He narrowly avoided decapitation.
It was nothing like their first duel.
The air was sizzling with electricity.
The first half-hour had just been a warm-up. They were just trying to exhaust each other to minimize the scope of their bankai in the end.
The second-hour blood had started to be spilled on both sides. A stream of blood flowed uninterrupted from Gin's left eyebrow. His nostrils began bleeding again, and he wouldn't be caught dead admitting it, but he was blind from the left side. On the other hand, Tōshirō bore traces of the snake's bite on his neck, and his left shoulder was out of commission. He discarded the shard in his stomach earlier and started healing there, that was the good news.
All in all, they both were still standing. Never mind the pain, Hyourinmaru roared before freezing everything on its path. Several ice shards, sharp like blades, moved towards Gin. Contorting quickly, he avoided the bulk of it. But several small peaks of ice pierced him here and there. Tōshirō closed his eyes. The trees remained crystallized under a thin coat of ice.
A squirt of blood sprinkled the ground. Gin slipped back, the sleeve of his shihakusho in tatters, his arm bleeding. The nightmare had no end! They were both exhausted beyond beliefs, burning through resources they no longer possess. And if it started once with Aizen Sousuke, today, they both had to end whatever this was here. Tōshirō watched Gin take a deep heavy breath before he let Shinsō go after his target again. How to avoid the impact when he was getting out of breath? He needed to use the shunpo. He disappeared to sneak behind Gin, thinking he had managed to gain an advantage.
Gin only smirked cruelly in answer. Toshiro was doomed. Gin completely misled him. Now, he was leaning back, easily folding his body like a gymnast, changing the hand that held his sword nimbly, allowing Shinsō to change direction in a heartbeat. There was no way Toshiro could avoid it in time. There was no way to avoid it. Tōshirō jumped away with all his might and landed on the one hand in the air, in an explosion of reiatsu. It was time to end this. Really end this. Flipping back, he jumped further to gain some altitude. All right, it was time to get down to business. He had gained five-tenths of a second. He raised Hyourinmaru and conjured his bankai.
"Bankai. Daiguren Hyourinmaru."
The Ice Dragon obeyed the wish of his master, raising his head with a roar before rushing into Shinsō. Gin's eyes widened. He had just lost the advantage. Particles of dirt rose vertically toward him. Black ink spilled in his blind eye. With a grunt, Tōshirō gathered all his energy in this assault. The air became toxic around them.
Daiguren Hyourinmaru quickly engulfed Shinsō and froze the endless nodachi blade to the hilt before imprisoning Gin's wrist. Gin tried to retreat, but he knew if he pulled too much on this frozen bind, there was a chance he'd lose an arm. So, he anticipated the damage. Closing his eyes as Hyourinmaru bit into him mercilessly, propelling back and forth like a rag doll, before he sent Gin hitting the slopes of the mountain. The floor vibrated again, growling low. The collision of reiatsu caused the snowy cap of Mt Miroku to collapse on itself. At full speed, the snow rolled down the slope. The avalanche took everything in its path ... The trees ... The rocks ... Gin ...
Gin had just enough time to turn his head before being buried under 80 meters of snow, the equivalent of a twenty-four story building.
For long minutes, Tōshirō scanned the mountain anxiously. He no longer felt Gin's reiatsu. Surely, it was not going to stop there. With this attack, he could not have already said goodbye to Gin Ichimaru.
Rangiku.
He slowly found his breath. A shiver ran down his neck. Rangiku ...
He won. Gin was gone. Did he really wipe out all the hopes of getting her back safe and sound? He shook his head imperceptibly. The doubt crept into him, diffusing inside like poison. Sneaky, like a thief in the night, he began to imagine all the means he could have used to prevent this from happening. She could not die like that, no. Whatever Yamamoto had said earlier, he could not have co-signed on her death so quickly. Whatever he could say about Gin, he fought for her. He was supposed to obey orders. He was supposed to ...
"What's with this expression, Tōshirō Hitsugaya? Don't tell me you missed me already."
Tōshirō froze for a moment before turning to the man who stubbornly refused to die. He did not answer. His face crossed by several furrows of blood; Gin continued in the same teasing tone.
" If that's all you have in your stomach ..."
Gin spit blood in the air before continuing.
"Now, I have to make an admission. You probably don't know it…"
The man opened his eyes for a moment.
"But I can't stand winter. I can't… It's not even the cold. It's the dull landscape. All this boring white… Although I'm done playing nice. I can't stand you! Thinking you're so special! Why did Rangiku spend her time mothering you instead of doing her goddamn job? I never understood! Last but not least, you're a weird kid! You suck in every possible way!"
" Have you finished Ichimaru?" Tōshirō retorted, unimpressed.
Gin smiled calmly.
"No ! PS: You're going to die now! Bankai Kamishininoyari!"
Gin Ichimaru
Former captain of the third division
Former Commander of the Armies of Aizen Sousuke
Ex-Prisoner of the Senzaikyū
Lover of Matsumoto Rangiku
He freed himself from everything and everyone even of the words "if, how, and maybe.", but to get rid of Rangiku he never could.
He remembered the lessons from an old master. Never fight openly. But at that moment, Gin Ichimaru was doing exactly the opposite. He was fighting in the open. He was half rendered delirious by the dramatic drop in his reiatsu. He was compensating for his blood loss by pumping in his spiritual resources. He needed to feed again. But feeding meant losing control. It was everything he despised. It's like admitting that stupid kid got one on him. So he pushed back the need deep in his stomach, gritted his teeth, and gave everything he had.
Fallen army- GRV Music
His blue eyes reflected the gray and black of the clouds above while the two men engaged in a fierce aerial battle. A new explosion of reiatsu pushed them away from each other. Shinsō struck hard, assaulting his enemy, splitting the air like lightning, shearing the ice. Shinsō traced imaginary lines in the sky and on earth, cutting oaks and beeches, cherry trees, in half in his path, digging a furrow, breaking the ice carpet that covered the stream. The snake cut into the earth and the air ... taking no prisoner. But Hyourinmaru was not left out. Freed from all restraint, several arches of ice appeared in the sky. The forest was covered with snow, and the cottage, a tiny black dot below, had disappeared under the remains of the avalanche. Lightning flashed in the gray sky over and over, electricity coursing in the air. Thunder rolled for a few seconds as both captains marched toward their doom.
Shinsō grazed Hitsugaya's ankle, and a stream of blood sprinkled the pillar of ice on which the boy chose to lean. The problem laid in the immense reach of their respective zanpakutō. Both men had no need to work their opponent in hand-to-hand combat. And that only postponed the final outcome of this fight indefinitely. Gin quickly wiped the net of blood that was moistening his brow bone with an already soiled hand. Gin floated away warily, observing his adversary.
Toshiro was also currently breathless, leaning on an ice pillar. Fuck this! He never fought against such a formidable opponent. There seems to be no end to their fight. Gin was bleeding to a pulp. Yet, he could parry, thrust, direct, and redirect his attacks. He still got enough speed to duck his most direct attacks. Every time Toshiro thought he was gonna get him, he would shunpo out of reach again or contort his body in such a way he would avoid impact. Who the fuck was he? Toshiro was scared. Hyourinmaru was almost down to its last petal. After that, it was the realm of the unknown. He tasted blood on his tongue and realized Gin had grazed his face with that fucking war machine that is Shinso. He had a gash running on his chin to his ear. He could practically hear Rangiku yelled: "that'd better not leave a scar, Captain!"
That's when he was reminded of Yamamoto's words.
" She barged into my house, into my life uninvited. I lived with my sick grandma back then. She had followed me from the market, and she knew. She told me I needed to go. She was always so intuitive, so wise as if she lives a hundred lives already. She just knew what I had to do to make it better. My grandma is better. She is enjoying her days making jams that she would send to me in the tenth division. When it was time to get a new captain for the tenth division, she barged into my room at the academy. Told me I had to take it. That was my chance. When I'd get scared or nervous, she would tell me she'd always be there, and that was enough to fill me with determination. Ran, she saved me. "
Gin pretended to remain focus on his healing. This little impromptu confession allowed Toshiro to catch his breath without showing anything. Awesome! Simply amazing, this kid! He was going to rest too.
It was a shame, really a pity that things must stop here! True, until now, Gin never had anything against Tōshirō Hitsugaya. Well, what he meant by that was that he had never felt the urgent need to erase him from this plane of existence. People had always compared them because weak people had nothing to do but compare the elite. The place he occupied in Matsumoto's life had never worried Gin. He knew his girl well. Her heart was big enough to shelter a nation. He recognized the genius in Hitsugaya without ever feeling his own power questioned. Gin Ichimaru was light years away from this kid. No, Hitsugaya had never been a threat even when Aizen was ranting over and over about the fact that he had to kill the boy to weaken the shinigami ranks while waiting for Rukia Kuchiki's execution. He had never been a threat until now. Now, he was being a pain in his ass.
Today, things were different. Hitsugaya had made a mistake: that of getting in his way. No matter what the price was, he would meet Rangiku again tonight. No matter the price…
Nevertheless, right now, Gin was in trouble. He had made a tactical mistake. Although he made sure to develop his talents to excel in all subjects like a good little soldier, so he'd pass for a shinigami long enough to find a way to end Aizen's life, Shinsō's defense against long-range weapons had always left something to be desired. Are you kidding me, master? You have exhausted our energy with trivia. Enkeikuryo, my ass! How could you be so dumb! All for a woman! All for that, bitch Haineko! Well, true, there was that too! There were days, however, when he would willingly let his zanpakutō freeze his imaginary balls under the ice of Tōshirō Hitsugaya. Gin smirked. Not a very nice thing to say, master! We could always eat him! Use… Gin shook his head. Not that. He wouldn't give him that satisfaction. He wanted to win. He wanted his victory to be undisputable. He was stronger than that kid. He was going to show it to the world.
Looking suspiciously quiet, Tōshirō was catching his breath as well, his right ankle bleeding. Gin observed the slightest of his movements, trying to focus on stopping his blood loss.
Shinsō was right on one point nonetheless. If he had known that he would have to fight against regiments of men, vice-captains, and captains, less than four days later, he would never have used Enkeikuroryu. It had been a miscalculation on his part. He used up a lot of energy. He almost had no strength left to maintain his bankai. Eat. He couldn't. Wouldn't. His pride, something he didn't think he even had, wouldn't allow him to use an old technique. Shinsō vibrated between his fingers as if to tease him even more.
If he had to win, it was now or never.
If the snake was to bite.
It was now or never.
The image of Rangiku lying on her bed in the fourth division came back to him in an angry flash. Thinking about it, it was not a miscalculation on his part. It was the fault of the brat before him. Typically, in an almost perfect world, Hitsugaya was supposed to watch over his fucking subordinate and prevent such a thing from happening. He should have watched over Ran-chan! Gin would not have gone out to play if Rangiku had been warm where she needed to be. He opened his eyes suddenly.
A wave of reiatsu struck him. That brat was not catching his breath. The runt was busy preparing for his new attack. How?
How could he have seen nothing? Gin tried to move away from the area where he was standing a few minutes earlier when Hyourinmaru opens his mouth. Like lightning, he countered his charge by taking Shinsō with both hands.
"Butorenjin."
Butorenjin separated the sky horizontally, Kamishininoyari contracting and retracting 145 times faster than the speed of light, giving the appearance of a single wave of reiatsu as sharp as a thousand zanpakutō. The dragon roared before disintegrating, leaving behind only a cloud of steam in the sky. Controlled by the thought of his master, Shinsō resumed his original form. Meanwhile, Tōshirō took the opportunity to leave his field of vision, choosing Gin's blindspot. When had he noticed? But Gin was quick to spot him despite his disability, sensing his spiritual pressure, barely concealed behind a thick cloud of steam.
"Buto."
A new wave rushed at Tōshirō, and he countered quickly with Hyourinmaru. The boy glanced over his shoulder, quite proud of his handy work, as he escaped. Forming a mortal prison, one by one, the ice pillars rose to the sky around their victim. Gin froze and looked around him. What was this?
"You have become too careless, Ichimaru. How many times did your carelessness leave Matsumoto dead on the roadside?!" Toshiro yelled.
An image of Rangiku lying down in the middle of the road flashed in his mind. Gin's eyes widened momentarily with surprise. What did he just say?
"Watch your language, Chibi-chan!"
"You heard me! You killed her then! You were not there! She needed you!"
Gin squeezed Shinsō in one hand, wiping his face with the other.
"Do you want to die, little genius?"
" You were her protector. She believed in you. You were not there when they stole everything from her, including her innocence. They took everything. How could you let that happen?"
Gin blinked twice.
" Instead of helping her, repairing her heart, you broke her heart even more ..."
Gin stared Tōshirō down hard.
"The fuck you think you know?!"
"Every time you gave up on her! Whenever you left her unprotected! Did you think it would help her get back the pieces of the soul she's missing?"
Gin. It was her voice he heard now. His hand shook on the hilt of his zanpakuto. He was fidgeting now. Gin! Where are you going? Gin! For the first time in his life, Gin felt the mastery of his bankai escape him.
" It's wondering if you've ever loved her ... If you've ever loved someone in your whole life ... Other than yourself… Like when you really love someone… Like what I'm about to do now… when it's killing me to obey her wishes, to do not only what's good, but to abide by her moral code, to what she believes in. She believes in her duty as a shinigami. She believes in life. She believes in helping others."
The furrows of blood multiplied on the ex-captain of the third division's face.
"I think in the end, she is better where she is. She will always be better without you. You made that true. She will at least keep what's left of her soul intact."
As if it was enough to press the button that made the monster ticked in him, Gin launched Shinsō with a roar, glowing with rage, the hybrid in him so close to the surface. Kamishininoyari in its purest form ... in its most lethal form ... The dissolved blade cracked the air at the speed of light. Hitsugaya manipulated his zanpakutō by a few degrees.
" Sennen Hyōrō."
Gin didn't even try to dodge this new attack. His gleaming eyes, his suffocating aura, he was going to slay this kid even if he died trying. It had all been a trap. Whatever one says about Tōshirō Hitsugaya, that boy was an excellent strategist! What a finish!
The ice pillars moved towards Gin Ichimaru, enveloping and crushing him. In his ice prison, Gin was still forcing against this natural barrier, fighting to get free. Shinsō only slowed down momentarily. The snake crushed ice one last time. With the strength of a thousand swords, Kamishinoyari had his last meal.
Tōshirō did not have time to understand what had happened. He looked down slowly. Shinsō had penetrated his torso, cutting through vital organs and artery included. The boy remained in shock, just like his prisoner in front of him. In a game of macabre musical chairs, from the executioner, he became the victim of his prisoner. By all means! Stop Gin Ichimaru by all means! The order had been clear! Tears blinded him suddenly.
He felt Shinsō move in his body slowly, infinitely slowly. He had a perforated lung, and it was collapsing on him. That, he knew just by listening to the annoying whistle that made his bronchi. He Tōshirō lost all color. Shinsō retracted slowly, its blade gleaming with blood. A spurt of hemoglobin came out of Toshiro like a fountain.
Gin Ichimaru was not doing better. The ice sheared his flesh, and he could not feel his right arm. Shinsō vibrated weakly in his hand. There was no way he could die there, like that… Like an animal. One could not go from Aizen, the magnificent Trickster to Hitsugaya, the prodigy. There was just an air of regression in the air. The ice contracted again, increasing the pressure, cutting off his air supply. Gin let out a sordid sneer. Well, well ... At the same time, you know this kid was something!
Gin made the mistake of thinking Toshiro was hesitant and weak. In their first fight, he had not shown so much determination. For Hinamori's honor, he may not have put so much heart. Gin was thinking...
He thought he could live with that.
He also thought he could die with this idea.
The idea that Rangiku had bound them forever.
Shinsō retracted completely. Hiding behind a cloud of mist, Tōshirō inhaled and exhaled suddenly, spitting bloody mucus in the air.
Eyes wide, face contorted by the pain, Tōshirō focused on the massive cylinder of ice. Normally, Gin Ichimaru should have already turned to dust. Being prisoner of Sennen Hyoro's hell was like being crushed in a gear of several tons. But he was still fighting against Toshiro's will. There was a drop of sweat on his forehead.
" Ichimaru. Abandon."
A nervous and distant sneer was his only answer.
"Give up. For her… It will be better for everyone."
Still, in the air, Tōshirō began to vomit again. At the same time, the two silver-haired shinigami got a bitter metallic taste of the blood on their tongue. However, Gin kept smirking, blood dripping on his chin.
" Who told you that story?"
Tōshirō took a deep breath before answering. Hands holding his left flank, he vainly tried to catch his breath.
" Is it important ?"
Gin chuckled, amused. True. That was a stupid question.
"No, indeed."
The ice gained some ground around him again. His spiritual pressure did not seem to be able to slow his progress. Gin was so exhausted. He smirked his mouth so bloody.
" You… That was sly… very sly… I was distracted. It was well... played. But I can tell you… It won't kill me, not like you think, at least... Let me tell you what happens now. I die maybe… She dies without a doubt. In my next life, I'm still gonna hunt her down… And I'm going to hunt you down…"
"Ichimaru…"
"Fuck this, if it's really all you got, Hitsugaya !"
"If you like her, you should have…"
" You want to know what I am?! Where I come from?! You are not ready, kid? What do you know of love ?"
He roared with all that was left of air.
"Do you think that what you felt for little Hinamori can even compare to my story with Rangiku, brat? It's a five hundred years old tale! Do not make me laugh! You think it's about sharing and making concessions…Kissing goodnight… Sharing bed… Being intimate… Confessing our deep darkest secrets… You think it's a story of sacrifice for the greater good? You think it's about honor and justice? Kid, you've read too many corny books. There's no greater good. It's all about selfish desires. Everyone got them. That one wish that turned into purpose. Every soul in the world clawed their way through lives like vermins. They cling to whatever just to get that one wish fulfilled. And the cycle continues over and over again. Rangiku's mine. She belongs to me. Her soul was mine from the minute I saw her! She looked like she fell from the sky just like me. She looked like an angel. She was alone, just like me. She had no one just like me. We found each other. She was my reward after so many years... She taught me how to talk. She taught me how to smile. I smile for her. That's the first thing I did. I smile for her…"
Gin paused to catch his breath.
"Her… My reward… My person…My family… And you know what they did, they took pieces of my soul with hers. Those petty thieves! Shinigami or not! Working for Aizen or not! The wound I felt then never healed! You want to know where I was when they violated what is mine, I was writhing in pain for the first time in centuries, vowing to kill whatever makes me feel that way. So you see, there's no way this will magically end the way you want it to end. There's no way it will! I don't care what you think. I don't even care what she thinks. That she loves me with the same ardor is not important at all I can tell you! It never did matter. She was made to walk this earth with me. When I had nothing, I wish her into existence, and she was there. So there's no way I will give up on what is mine… If you sentence her to death, you better kill me first ... because there is no way I can forget her. Even there is no way that I die resigned ... and obedient… I will come back eventually. I will burn this place…That's for sure… Everything you got… Everything you cherish… I will take it back from you… When I'm finished with you, I will hunt down those that made you… The ones pulling strings… I will slay them in a heartbeat… If she dies this time… You better not let her die because even your soul king won't be able to help you then! If I have to destroy this world to make sure she never has to cry anymore, in this life or in the next! I'll do it. I swear on my soul. That's my sole purpose in life. You get it now?! I never gave a fuck about you tiny people, tiny souls, wandering souls, weak souls, mortal souls going through lives as if it has meaning. As if you matter to the universe…Baits, that's all you are… Rangiku was unique. I was just so far from home. She took me home again. You wanna know who I am? The truth I don't even fucking know who I am. And it never mattered! I was just Gin for her. I am Ichimaru Gin. We were so happy. Really happy here! Do you know what that means? Love? We had nothing but each other and it was sheer perfection and he took that away from me. My Rangiku ... has been in limbo for a long time. She forgot half of our lives together. Knowing that she can forget me at any moment now, it's killing me. She can live without me ... without the Memories ... A part of her soul ... it's gone forever... But as long as I am me, I will not let this go. So what do you think you can do here? You want to make me die of boredom! If you want to kill me, It's now or never! You will not have another chance, little genius! It's just ... here..."
He did not finish his sentence, the ice gaining ground. Gin remained frozen in the heart of the icy pillar. Tōshirō looked down, hearing the ice crack and crack, his heart contracting painfully in his chest as the massive cylinder fractured like glass.
He sighed, and his feet touched the snowy ground again. Planting Hyourinmaru in the snow, Tōshirō leaned on his sword to catch his breath. He picked up Rangiku's sword. He could hardly feel it pulsing under his fingers. He gasped, blood dripping in the snow from his mouth, suddenly overwhelmed by an acrid wave of grief and disgust. In the sky, snowflakes moistened the air. He stared at the gray sky, letting his tears crystallize in the air. The pieces of the cylinder fell to the ground behind him. For a moment, he squeezed Hyourinmaru very hard, remaining on his guard. But Gin's body hit the ground with such violence that a large crater formed around him. Tōshirō did not cancel his bankai. He did not feel Gin's reiatsu anymore. But after this attack, Gin should not even have a human form anymore. He moved closer to the crater. Facedown, Gin gave no sign of life. His lips still stretched in a cruel smile, Gin Ichimaru held on his zanpakutō. Limping closer, Toshiro stood above his sword at the ready.
Eyes open to infinity, Gin navigated in between dreams and memories. Falling. He was falling.
"I bet you will chicken out, little brother?"
The tall girl simply turned to him.
"It's really high."
"So what? "
"I don't know… Did you do it?"
"Yes, falling is a piece of cake in addition to being wonderful. It's like flying. We're like birds being free. But don't you tell Mother? That woman hates to see us happy."
Gin closed his eyes. He opened them again slowly. He was falling amid a sea of clouds. He was falling, and there was nothing to slow down his fall.
"Where are you going? Why are you not at your post? Where are the other soldiers? Where are the Espadas?"
"I have to leave, Lady. The enemy has breached the gates of the castle. They will be here shortly. I must take the children to safety. Master's order."
"What?! No!"
"Lady! Stop!"
"We're losing this fight, and he is protecting them like always! Who's protecting me? It's his fault. He's just gonna save himself. That selfish monster. He is gonna try and save his legacy. Give me that sword. Watch what I do to his legacy."
"Stop, Madam!"
Gin blinked. The clouds were getting closer and closer like a neat comfy mattress. He used to go cloud riding with…He doesn't remember who. Does it matter now?
He crashed hard on the ground, digging an immense crater in the middle of the desert. Pain shooting in every nerve ending, he was convulsing on the ground.
The child looked around him. There was nothing but dry land. Somehow it was comforting until he realized he had no idea where he was. The child studied his surroundings carefully. He walked for days before he realized he was truly alone.
Something cold hit his face hard. In addition to his lungs collapsing, Gin was bleeding internally. He heard Rangiku's voice, faint but distant.
He opened his eyes to see Ichigo resolutely standing there. Where was Aizen? He searched the Karakura battlefield until… he realized he was deep in the snow.
"Gin." He heard Toshiro ask.
He tried to open his eyes, his left pupil clogged with blood. He saw Hitsugaya standing above him, his sword raised.
If only he could muster enough strength to pronounce Hitsugaya's death sentence. As surely as he knew that his bankai was escaping him, he had 30 seconds left, he knew that a tiny part of Shinsō was still in the boy's chest. Korose, Kamishini no yari. That was all he had to say for Hitsugaya to join him in death. It was only a few words and if he pronounced them ...
Gin sighed heavily.
Where did this heady music come from?
Soundscape to Ardor - Shiro Sagisu
"Gin?"
The intonation of her voice when she called him was always the same. It went up easily in the treble. He was going to admit at first he finds it rather annoying. Nevertheless, over the years, he had finally gotten used to this sound. Nobody pronounced his name like Rangiku.
"Gin? What are you doing? Hurry up ?"
She kept her hands behind her back, triturating her thumbs, fidgeting nervously. It was Rangiku Matsumoto for you! She never could hold still up for more than a few minutes at a time. A bit like him. She loved surprises. But she was almost impossible to surprise.
" Gin, your hands are cold."
"Sorry."
"It does not matter. But hurry up and take off this blindfold, my nose tickles."
" Just a few minutes more, Ran."
"You're so mysterious all of a sudden.".
A breeze played in their hair. Gin slipped behind her, and she jumped when he put her hands on her eyes.
" Walk straight ahead. Then turn thirty degrees to the right, Ran."
"What are degrees?"
"It is..."
He frowned for a moment, his eyes shining.
" This is the unit that measures the amount of sunbeam that tickles Ran-chan's skin all day."
She chuckled.
"Sounds a little weird anyway? Is that even true?
"Of course, do you not believe me?"
Rangiku did not seem entirely convinced.
"It really measures sunshine? Can we do that?"
"Okay ... Not really ... But that's beside the point, come with me."
She let herself be guided reluctantly, pouting.
" Gin ..."
"Walk, or you will be stuck collecting woods until winter."
"No! Until winter! You exaggerate Gin!"
She followed Gin's lead meekly. She had learned long ago that it was useless to talk too much with Gin, who always had "logical" reasons to justify his eccentricities. Dead leaves creaked under their feet. The scent of autumn and rain was in the air. He stopped in the clearing and took off the pink scarf off her eyes. He remembered a nice old lady gave it to Ran-chan on her deathbed.
Of course, for a minute, Ran did not notice anything, especially not the surprise he had prepared for her. Ran was well known for ignoring what was under her nose. It was even worse since ... Well, it was worse today. She looked around cluelessly. She stopped in front of him, pouting even more.
" I see nothing."
"Are you sure ?" He replied with a mischievous smile.
A ceramic bowl placed in a tree trunk caught her eye suddenly. Rangiku jumped up and down happily.
"Persimmons, Gin! I love Persimmons! But we can hardly found them in this season. Did you steal them?" She said with a frown.
"No, I earned them perfectly honestly." He lied. " I don't even understand what you mean by that. And then you're losing sight of the essentials, I've won you some candied persimmons. Thank you, Gin! You're the best."
She sighed. He got a point there. After all, they were so poor, who cared for the way Gin acquired those persimmons? They were hurting who, really? She went to sit under cover of an old oak tree with her basket of treats.
" It's a great birthday present, Gin! We can share it because it's a bit like your birthday too. I could not even give you a present because of my accident the other day. I lost your gift."
"Don't worry your little head? You don't even know how to find good gifts. I'm sure I'm not missing out."
Rangiku was offended.
" It's not true."
"It's so true."
"Liar!"
"Sorry, it's true !" He chuckled.
She handed him a treat to silence him. He bit the tips of her fingers playfully.
"You won, I'm going to give you just one.."
He sat down next to her, pretending to sulk.
"Still, it's true that you know how to make a nice surprise, Gin. Touch my heart. I'm so happy!"
When she saw him run a little too eagerly, she remembered that her body had changed a little bit lately. By the end of the summer, a firm breast had replaced the two clementines that would fill her yukata last winter. With a smirk, under the pretext of looking for her heart, Gin groped and cop a feel to his heart's content. A real pervert! She pushed his hand away, her cheeks a bit pink and shiny.
"Pervert."
"You invited me!"
"Always excuses, I don't remember one day when Gin did not look for excuses ...
" I'm not sorry. My gesture was perfectly innocent."
"Gin never does anything innocent."
" That's because Rangiku loves to tempt Gin."
"Since when ?"
"Always ?"
"Always? How long has it been in Gin's mind?
- You do not remember?
She shook her head with a small, rebellious air.
- Hmm ... Hmm ... I've known Gin and his lies all my life.
He held his head in his hands silently and made a face. Her words were sometimes like a double-edged sword. He was usually ok with that. The fact that she did not remember anything of their past. Yes ... It was all too convenient that she did not remember what had happened to her after all. He had just said he found her under the hill after she made a bad fall. Ran believed him. Despite what she just said, she always believes him.
She was slow to finish that bowl, and he was dying of impatience to discover her reaction over the real surprise. He had imagined the scene in his head so many times and the sweet taste of Rangiku's lips against his even more often. She plunged her hand into the bowl. His laugh echoed in the clearing.
" One, two, three ... Let's go to the woods ... Four, five, six, pick cherries ... Seven, eight, nine in my new basket, they'll all be red..." She sang while gorging herself on the treats.
She frowned and almost yelled when she found the necklace he had hidden under the confectionery.
" It's ... It's ..."
"For you, Rangiku." He finished with a wink.
She remained speechless, waving the chain in front of her, wide-eyed.
"But it must have been expensive, Gin. How?"
" Do not worry about that, Ran."
He took the chain in her hands and tied it around her neck while she held on her hair.
He let his fingers slide down her soft mane to the base of her neck. She touched the chain with her fingertips. Her index finger played for a moment with the ring in the center that tied the enamel in half.
" You don't like it ?"
" No, Gin, that's not it."
She lowered her head, her cheeks pink with embarrassment.
"I don't have a present for you."
"That you wear it always, it would be my gift. What do you say?"
She shook her head.
" It's a funny way of seeing things, Gin."
He frowned.
"I've always seen things in a funny way. Didn't you say once that's what you like about me?"
She looked up at him. Their eyes were almost the same shade of blue today, even if Gin's was slightly paler and grayer.
" Ran, I thought about it hard. You are my family."
"You're my family, too, Gin." She answered immediately without any hesitation.
"This chain, it is made of the hardest metal, Ran. This metal, only shinigamis use it. The necklace, I made it myself. It is impossible to break it. I linked it with a bit of my reiatsu, so believe me, it's unbreakable."
" How did you do that ?"
She watched him with great candid eyes. Of course, she would not understand even if he explained the process. What came naturally to him was out of reach for Ran despite her abilities.
"As long as you wear it, you and I will always be together. We will always be each other's family. You see this circle. It symbolizes eternity. We can hate each other in the future. But the loop will never break. We will be forever connected. As long as you wear it, we will never be separated in life or in death. I will always be able to find you.
" I could never hate you!" She said indignantly. "You are my only family, Gin. I could never hate you!"
He shrugged and sat up.
"It could happen someday. We never know. I can do something you won't like and…You will have to remember today then."
She looked straight into his eyes.
" I won't forget."
"You promise? Because if you have to lose all your memories again, It's the only one you have to keep, Ran!"
"You are stupid! I will never forget you, Gin. But if it's Gin who forgets? If Gin forget Rangiku?" She asked, crossing her arms stubbornly.
He shook his head.
" Gin will never forget Rangiku."
"Why ?"
"Because Rangiku is the only thing Gin likes in this life."
The girl looked even more dubious.
" And Persimmons? Gin loves them too."
" Gin only likes Rangiku. He loves Rangiku more than life itself."
She gave a smile of satisfaction. A few minutes passed before Rangiku broke the silence.
"Is it like we're getting married? It's forever."
Gin blushed a little. While Rangiku was adjusting the necklace around her neck since it was so long that the end of the chain was stroking her belly button. She will grow into it, he reasoned.
Gin frowned quite serious.
" Would you marry me, Ran?"
"Of course, but we cannot. We have to be taller, right?" She asked. "How old are we already?"
"It's not important here. If you want, we can get married now. Right, this minute. Right now. It will be just between the two of us. We will make vows or something."
Rangiku jumped immediately, fist in the air.
"Great! We are married! Gin and Rangiku will never leave each other because married people do not leave each other! Except when they die ... But we'll be very old by then, like the grandmother and the old grandfather ... Do you remember? The villagers had buried them together. Gin, are you crying?"
He was trying to hide his face between his knees. He wiped his face with a hurried hand. It was the first and last time he cried in front of her.
" I cannot imagine a world without Rangiku."
"I know ... and me without Gin ... I'm sorry I made you sad."
She pouted. Gin brushed her face with his left hand.
' It was Old Setsu-san who gave you the pink scarf. I worked with her husband for years. He taught me how to build a home."
"Yes, that's it! She was sweet, huh? Gin? But she was also a little sad because she did not have children. We'll have lots of children one day, say?"
He nodded. Without really knowing why he liked that idea. She looked down at the floor, drawing rosettes with a wooden stick.
" If we're married, Gin, can I kiss you sometimes?
He shrugged. That idiot!
"On the mouth too?"
He hastened to nod and closed his eyes as she leaned toward him. She laid a soft, chaste kiss on his mouth. It was his first kiss. It was perfect just like he imagined it would be.
"Are you still alive?"
Gin grabbed the ground with his hand. He spat out a sticky thread of uninterrupted blood and burst out with a hoarse sneer.
"It was not too bad. You did well, Hitsugaya Toshiro!"
Gin exhaled loudly before starting to vomit again, his forehead in the snow. His face, crisscrossed with tears of blood, tainted the snow a pink carmine colored. He tried for the first time to get up.
"If you want to kill me, it's now or never! Go ahead! Don't disappoint me? Show me what Hitsugaya Tōshirō got in his stomach!"
Hyourinmaru stroked his throat with the sharp edge of his katana.
"Without her ... It makes no sense ...Life makes no fucking sense. Do not let me live one more minute ... without her…Please…"
Tōshirō winced. He gritted his teeth to give himself some courage. He staggered forward. The fight was going to stop here. He could end it. He could. But why did he have the humiliating impression that Gin had not invested himself fully in this duel in which he had put all his heart? His hands were shaking on the guard of his katana. Regardless, the hundred-year war he had fought in the shadow of Gin Ichimaru was to end here. No one would compare them ever again. This was where their paths shall diverge.
Gin looked around for Shinsō and rolled on his back. Tōshirō had let him grab his zanpakutō. He let out a sneer and sobered quickly, noticing the tremor in Tōshirō's hands. The young captain grabbed his sword with both hands. A tear ran down his left cheek.
Gin dropped shinsō and let his hand close around Hitsugaya's left ankle.
"Go ahead ... Go ahead, kill me. It's alright! I lost! Fair and square! Target my heart…my head… Painless! We are done here! Do it! But after that, you take that zanpakutō, you go over there, and you save her! I beg you! Save Rangiku!"
A/N: Only one question? It was epic or not? Review!
Playlist of this chapter:
Mind Heist - Zack Hemsey
The birth of an idea- Zack Hemsey
Fallen Army [GRV Music Mix] - Audiomachine Most Wondrous Battle Music Ever: They Fought As Legend (youtube)
Soundscape to ardor- Shiro Sagisu