Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Bleach.
Thanks for everyone who has reviewed!
Notes:
Hou Gyoku - Mechanism created by Urahara Kisuke that could instantaneously transform a hollow into a shinigami
and vice versa.
Hajike - Hinamori's command for her shikai, Tobiume
Kyouka Suigetsu - Aizen's shikai (complete hypnosis)
Part Four – Illusions
Captain meetings are so boring, thought Hitsugaya-taichou. Although the Gotei-13 were three captains short now, the meetings were still long and winded. It was Unohana's turn to give her oral report of the fourth division, then Byakuya's. However, in the middle of seventh division report by Captain Sajin Komamura, the intruder alert went off. A few seconds later, a shinigami suddenly burst through the doors. He was panting but nonetheless bowed.
"Forgive me, intrusion at the fifth division headquarters…"
Fifth division headquarter! Hinamori! Hitsugaya left straight away.
"Aizen-taichou is back and he has erected a large barrier around him and Hinamori fuku-taichou!" At the mention of the traitor's name, all the captains rushed forth towards his supposed destination. Byakuya, on the other hand, was deep in thought. Why His fuku-taichou? Aizen, what are you planning now?
"Captain…Aizen!" Her voice barely above a whisper from shock. Suddenly anger over took her, this was the man who played her, took her trust and adoration and then blatantly turned around and betrayed her. Not only had he hurt her, he had also hurt Hitsugaya. For that, she will never forgive him. Her hands fell on the tilt of her zanpakuto instinctively and she pulled it out in one violent wrench.
"I trusted you and looked up to you - you were like a father to me. And then you betrayed me." She raised her sword and positioned herself for her shikai, tobiume. "For what you did to the Gotei-13, to Hitsugaya-kun and to me, I will never forgive you. HAJIKE!"
"STOP HINAMORI!" yelled Hitsugaya. "Mask of spirit and fortitude, all Creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Truth and Temperance, unleash upon this wall of dreams." He chanted furiously. "Way of dissolution, number 62, DISPEL!"
The barrier dissolved and Hitsugaya rushed in and pushed Hinamori out of the way. He was just in time. Aizen had suddenly released an attack aimed at Hinamori which had pierced Hitsugaya on the arm when he intervened. Hinamori's eyes widened at the wound. "Hitsugaya kun!"
By this time, most of the captains and vice-captains had gathered around.
"You shouldn't have returned Aizen, your time is now up" said Master Yamamotogenryusai.
Aizen smiled at this.
"Do you really believe that I will risk everything just for this slip of a girl." He ran a hand through his hair. "If so, you are sadly mistaken."
He turned to Hinamori, "I always knew you were useful for something. You made an excellent diversion Hinamori-san. Well done." At that Hinamori ran forward and took a slash at Aizen.
"No!" yelled Hitsugaya, among some other shinigamis. However, the sword sliced straight through Aizen, as if he was an apparition.
"Damn! We were fooled by his Kyouka Suigetsu! " cried Soi Fong.
"This is troubling, we do not know his real intent." Master Yamamotogenryusai remarked. "Everyone, return to your stations at once!"
"Unohana-taichou, wait! Hitsugaya kun is hurt!" exclaimed Hinamori.
"Tell everyone to be at their stations, Isane, I will be there shortly after attending Hitsugaya-taichou" instructed Unohana to her vice captain.
I wonder what Ichigo and the others are doing now. Thought Rukia as she sat on the bridge leading to the thirteenth division headquarters. She looked at the sky. It's peculiar that we're so far apart even though we're under the same sky. She was so into her thoughts that she did not see someone behind her until he spoke.
"Hello Rukia, It's been a long time." Rukia's head spun around to look at the speaker. Her face paled when she saw who it was.
"Aizen." She gasped.
"Too bad you weren't executed, things would be a hundred times easier for me." Aizen sighed. "But since I was forced to use the second method of extracting the Hou Gyoku…" He sighed again, but this time a smile slowly formed on his face. "Oh well, this will take longer but I guess it'd have to do." He looked at her, "We have to go now, it seems that my illusion has just been discovered."
The next thing Rukia realised was that Aizen was behind her, then there was darkness.
"Things are so simple these days, I feel like there's no challenge in the world anymore" remarked Aizen as he swung the now unconscious Rukia over her shoulders. He was about to return to the kingdom of hollows when he sensed someone behind him.
"Looks like some people are very reluctant to let you go, Kuchiki Rukia. Boy, you are troublesome. Don't you agree? " he asked, without facing the person whom he was speaking to, "Kuchiki Byakuya-sama."
"Release her." Byakuya demanded. His face remained emotionless but his eyes held contempt, fury and … was that a trace of worry?
"You have grown soft, captain of the sixth division." Byakuya continued to glare at him.
"May I ask, by the way, what you are staring so intently at?" Aizen asked, his voice coated with travesty. The image of Aizen holding Rukia suddenly vanished, only a voice seem to remain.
"You forget, Byakuya-sama, I am a master of illusions." Soon the laughter faded as well.
Damn it! Byakuya stared into the sky where the voice disappeared, his face still expressionless. Aizen you surreptitious bastard. His eyes narrowed. Rukia.
"Does your arm still hurt?" asked Hinamori. Hitsugaya grunted.
"This is nothing to me." He retorted, his voice coming out harsher then he wished it.
"Are you mad at me?" Mad? Of course I'm mad. She had put herself in unnecessary danger. As a master of kidou arts, dissipating that barrier would have been nothing to her. Instead, she had intentionally left the barrier to fight Aizen herself.
"You shouldn't have tried to fight Aizen yourself." Hinamori was taken aback, so he was mad at her. Despite the gratification she felt for him for protecting her, again, she felt the low drum of anger building up in her.
"Considering the situation, I didn't exactly have a choice did I?" She argued.
"You could have used the dissolution spell to dispel the barrier!"
"Aizen was right there! I was angry, I wanted to get him back…hell, I wanted to kill him!"
"He would have killed you in an instant!"
"Well, thank you, now I know how much faith you have in me." Hinamori retorted sarcastically.
"You know what I mean, he's defeated many captains before."
"Yeah, including you!" Hinamori's hands snapped back to cover her mouth. Looking at his expression right now, she would give anything to take that back. He looked so…defeated.
"I didn't mean…that." Hitsugaya scoffed.
"Why, it's true." He looked away. "I'm kinda tired now, I'm going to have a rest." He said as he stood up, walking in the direction of his room.
"Shiro-chan…" Hinamori tried.
"It's Hitsugaya-taichou." He reminded her coldly. Hinamori was on the verge of tears.
"Now if you don't mind, I will be retiring to my quarters, Hinamori fuku-taichou." With that he stepped out of the room, sliding the door shut behind him.
"What did you say, Byakuya?" asked Master Yamamotogenryusai at the emergency captain meeting.
"A request for the ban of Urahara Kisuke to be temporarily lifted. He would prove to be an enormous advantage, being the one who created the Hou Gyoku" repeated Byakuya. He was getting tired of this repetitive process, he sole concern was only Rukia at this moment, though he showed it to no one.
"Sir, there has also been reports of hollows such as Hamen reappearing frequently in the living world. This is conceivably a result of Aizen attempting to activate the Hou Gyoku? Perhaps lifting the ban and bringing Urahara Kisuke here would be a good idea" said Ukitake. A few other captains nodded in agreement.
"So be it then. Soi Fong, remove the ban on Urahara Kisuke. Ukitake, bring Urahara Kisuke back with you" commanded Master Yamamotogenryusai.
"You say there has been more hollows in the living world?" The captains nodded in confirmation.
"We need to lay out a tougher defence system there. Kenpachi, I want your division to devise a defence layout for the living world. The ryokas are helping still you say? Good, we need as much help on this as we can. Keep them in your plans. You will also need to send someone over there to inform them of what is happening and ask them for their further cooperation." Master Yamamotogenryusai sighed then stated firmly,
"this is war."
END OF PART FOUR
To be continued…
