Chapter Fifteen
I have no idea where this sneakiness came from. I'm impressed. Hyōrinmaru commented as Hitsugaya took a glance at the roster for how divisions will be conducted security sweeps. Tomorrow at noon would be the ninth's turn and due to the high profile security breech they were in, he was a hundred percent sure that captains would be expected on the ground as well. While there would be Shinigami left behind at the division, he is sure they would leave low ranking seated ones; strong enough to ward off an intruder, weak enough to be of any actual benefit to the situation at hand but valuable enough not to count as body bags or body shields as the unranked officers would be.
So in other words, the ninth would be open for about two hours.
What if they find her during that two hour span?
I doubt it. Hitsugaya said as he walked back towards his division which was not far from the ninth. They want to be looked for.
They?
Angetsu. Hitsugaya clarified. They have taken over her and now they are completely capable of taking down anyone who stands in their way. Why disappear from the twelfth after making such a scene?
Hyōrinmaru hummed in understanding. I have a strong intuition that Angetsu could possibly be looking for something... or creating a diversion to distract from something bigger happening. How else could you explain the pandemonium?
I see your point. Hyōrinmaru agreed.
Remember that this isn't an isolated incident. Hitsugaya continued. Aizen is still out there... somewhere.
But hypothetically speaking, if they do find her while you are here, what will you do?
Tōshirō sighed. I just have to trust that Angetsu is too powerful for them to detain to buy me some time... or hope that they correctly detain her and don't take any drastic measures.
I hate to be that person but the sōtaichō seems to be a little kill happy these days.Hyōrinmaru growled. Remember when he ordered Rukia to be executed?
That had always rubbed me the wrong way. Tōshirō admitted, remembering how distrustful he was of former sanbantai captain, Ichimaru Gin and how he was determined to find the truth. While his suspicions were correct... he failed to find the biggest piece of the puzzle. Even now... he fears that he is missing the bigger picture altogether. I just find it hypocritical that for people like Rukia and Karin, it's torture and possible execution and for people like Urahara and everyone involved in that saga, it was banishment but when it's Aizen, after all that he had done... it was imprisonment.
Are you accusing the sōtaichō of something?
No. Hitsugaya shook his head. But I'm starting to question his intentions and where his interests lie.
Yuzu woke up early the next morning and immediately, decided upon jinzen to connect with her zanpakutō. She had no idea why this time it happened as it did not as soon as she closed her eyes, she opened them the next and she was in the spirit world. The white room with mirrors everywhere was just as familiar. The silver haired woman stood before her and wore a look of amusement on her face.
"I'm impressed. You made it here in record time." Yuzu said nothing in reply. "Oh?" The woman questioned mockingly. "Is the kitten angry today?"
"Could you cut the bullshit and just tell me how to use you!" Yuzu huffed and Kyōgetsu smirked.
"Kurosaki Yuzu, child and descendant of the Shiba Clan. You have tickled me amused but... I will grant your wish on one condition." She smiled. "Complete three trials I have in store. Should you fail a single one, I will deny you access and hibernate for you will have proven not to be worthy of my time."
"I accept."
"Good. Now let's begin." She smirked before disappearing, confusing Yuzu. Yuzu was shocked to find herself in a room filled with mirrors everywhere like a maze. "Find me in the correct mirror, and destroy it."
There is a first time for everything... But never had Hitsugaya imagined that he would be called to or invited over to the Kuchiki manor that morning immediately after breakfast. And even if in turn of unlikely events that were to happen, never would he have anticipated that Kuchiki-taicho get him by himself. Hitsugaya never really ate breakfast in the barracks with the rest of his officers and would make himself food in his own home. Each division was different in how Captains stayed in the division; neither Byakuya nor Jūshirō stay in the barracks so their rooms are occupied by their fūkūtaichos, or in Jūshirō's case, the room is always empty. In some squads, their captains have a bigger room within the barracks, others stay in the same quarters as their soldiers. Hitsugaya preferred being away from the barracks. When he lived there, they constantly bothered him and since he was only a child, sleep was incredibly vital for him so he requested that he live somewhere near the barracks instead. Heck, even now, he would much rather not deal with his drunken division and Matsumoto banging on his door to annoy him. They had allowed him the liberty to do so provided he lived with his grandma since he couldn't live alone as a child.
After a few years into Captaincy, his grandma moved back to West Rukongai when she was convinced he could take good care of himself. Years later, he still lived in the same, quaint minka and was comfortable with the peace he had. He was always only bothered when there was an emergency... which is why Kuchiki-taichō's visit was one of surprise.
"Kuchiki-taichō." Hitsugaya announced wide eyed after answering the door.
"Hitsugaya-taichō." The Rokubantai captain nodded at him. Hitsugaya could not say him and the noble were close but the fact that Byakuya was acknowledging him just by his last name and title said a lot... normally, it would be his full name and title. "Apologies for interrupting but are you busy?"
"I was just about to leave for work. May I help you with something?" He asked.
"There is someone who would like to meet you." He vaguely announced and Hitsugaya sighed before turning his head to catch a glimpse of the clock behind him. He had to be at the ninth at noon.
"I'm... on a tight schedule today so how long will this take?" Tōshirō sighed.
"Not too long, I hope but I believe it is of utmost importance that you speak with him." Another vague answer and Hitsugaya did not have the patience for it.
"May I ask who this is?"
"Shiba Isshin-dono." Hitsugaya's eyes widened.
"Taichō? He's here?" It's not like Hitsugaya had not seen him before. He had met him on several occasions when he was spending time with Karin and on one of those days when he had nothing to do and she was in school, he had a long conversation with his former captain. He appreciated it because he often felt as though Isshin abandoned him and his division and was a traitor to his solemn duty but now that Tōshirō was older and had a better understanding of life's complexity, he was questioning himself. Isshin made it clear that he would never return but the circumstances must mean a lot.
"Would you make time?" Hitsugaya was a little conflicted but he couldn't leave him hanging.
"Let's be quick about it." Hitsugaya gave in as he stepped out and locked the door of his home. "But... why are you the one doing this? Do you not have servants?"
"I was hoping to have a discussion with you on the way back about this whole conundrum." Now he was making sense. Hitsugaya nodded. "We obviously cannot discuss efficiently using shunpo but since you are in a hurry, I suggest we walk quickly."
"Very well." Tōshirō agreed and followed him. "But why me?"
"You seem to be very... invested in Kurosaki Karin." He said.
"That's the very reason why people will not discuss it with me."
"I don't doubt that the attachment alone will cause you to have an implicit bias on the matter but the more important reason as to why I chose you to discuss this with is because of how vigilant you were when Aizen fooled us the first time." He said. "People around here seem to lose their heads when things start to break out of control."
"Were you not the one who followed orders to get Kuchiki-fukutaichō in the first place?"
"Precisely." He said. "Silently following orders when people are barely thinking against my own self interest was the most logical option at the time but of course, that was against my better judgement. My duty is to uphold law and order in Soul Society irregardless of what my personal stance was but sometimes, I do fail to see the full picture. But you seemed to be the only one who acted in the most logical way possible which is expected of the prodigy that Yamamoto sōutaichō seems to value so. So am I correct to assume that you have been digging for information in my absence?"
"Very much so." Hitsugaya nodded. "But I have been led to a dead end."
"How so?"
"I'm not sure if that is something I would like to mention in public but once it happens, you will know."
"Fair enough." Kuchiki-taichō shrugged. "Kurosaki Yuzu was hard at work, trying to find more. It seems as though they kidnapped a lot of people."
"What for?"
"I wish I had time to look into before I was called back." Kuchiki-taichō said. "You can thank Kurosaki Yuzu for that nugget of information. I had contacted Kurosaki Ichigo to speak to the person who was investigating this. Only his sister returned... the others are still missing." Kuchiki-taichō said. "What could they be using humans for?"
"How many are we talking?"
"Hundreds, apparently." Hitsugaya hissed in annoyance.
"That's dangerous." Hitsugaya sighed. "And humans are not resilient... especially if they were being tortured. Imagine the amount of death that could occur under their hands... that could cause an imbalance of how many souls need to come here." Kuchiki-taichō blinked in complete surprise because he never realised that danger. "Did I say something wrong?"
"No... you just made me realise something. When I was in the land of the living, the air was strange."
"Strange?" Hitsugaya echoed.
"There was a strong hollow presence but... the town was as calm as ever. There wasn't even a single sighting the whole time we were there."
The young captain was confused. "That's impossible. Are you sure the Shinigami who was assigned to—"
"I spoke with him. Even he had no idea as to why this was so. He assumed that he was finding souls to perform konsō on immediately but that's highly unlikely especially when there is a lack of pluses." Byakuya said.
"You cannot detect every plus. That's merely impossible. Even if it's just Karakura town. That would mean one of two things; people are dying less or something is blocking us from finding more pluses and hollows." Hitsugaya hummed. "That... really puts things into perspective on what they could be doing."
"Indeed." Byakuya nodded and they continued on in silence.
"... There's one thing that doesn't make sense." Hitsugaya brought up and Byakuya looked at him in expectancy. "... I figured out how Aizen got out."
"Did you report it?"
"No." Byakuya was dumbfounded by this.
"Well... why not?"
"Karin did it." Hitsugaya turned to look at him and just as he thought... the man looked just as confused as he was.
This must be a trap. Yuzu thought as she slowly walked around the room, observing every mirror. "How many attempts do I get?"
"One." Every Kyōgetsu responded and Yuzu winced. Even that didn't help her deduce the fakes. "If you fail, you have no chance at controlling me." Yuzu saw a figure move and turned but all the figures in the mirror moved. Yuzu needed to stay focused. If she didn't, then it would be bad for Karin.
Karin... what would she do? Karin was the smart one. Karin was the strong one. If she was in Karin's position, Karin would have saved her by now. She was the beautiful one. She was the talented one. She was the likable one. Karin this... Karin that... what about me?
"You always fight yourself. It's hilarious." Kyōgetsu's voice echoed through the mirrors.
"Shut up." Yuzu hissed.
"What makes you pathetic isn't the fact that you aren't your sister. It's that you think striving to be her is the right way to live." Yuzu paused before looking at the reflection and seeing Karin staring at her. "You don't really want to save me... you want to prove something." The reflection said.
"That isn't true." Yuzu huffed.
"You're jealous of me, Yuu." Karin said.
"I am not." Yuzu said.
"Then why is it always about me?" She asked. "You're not even angry that I went missing... you're angry that you can't do anything about me going missing."
"What are you—"
"You were angrier about the package than you were about the missing people." She said. Yuzu froze as she remembered the day she was walking home from Kei's house and was on the phone with Tatsuki. The package she found in the mail; addressed to Kurosaki Karin from Duke University in the United States. Yuzu had already received a notice from them that she was rejected a week before they found Karin. She had gotten several other offers but she wasn't really interested in them... she just applied so that application money wouldn't go to waste. Karin may have received her decision around the same time too but with her resurfacing from disappearing, university was probably the last thing on her mind. The package in the mail just cemented that Karin will always be better than her.
Why is she the second rate twin?
Their grades were almost identical. She was as athletic as Karin and accomplished just as much in track as she did in soccer. She was the one who wanted to go to Duke in the first place so why accept Karin instead? She was more approachable and accepting yet people levitated towards Karin more. People always said she was prettier than Karin yet people never found her attractive the way they found Karin attractive: She was cute while Karin was mature and sultry, that's what many had said. To many, Karin was capable of taking care of her self. To those same people, she needed to be protected.
Maybe if she saved her...
"See? You are selfish." Kyōgetsu laughed. "This isn't about your sister. This is about you."
"I—"
"If you are two-faced to the only person you trust... then how can I trust you to handle me?" She asked. "You are the bearer of the truth yet you have darkness in your heart."
Yuzu felt herself moving towards the verge of tears as she realised that this isn't a trap... it's a test. And her biggest enemy is herself. "Hadō 32: Ōkasen!" She chanted, creating a large yellow wave that spun in a circle and destroyed all the mirrors.
Kyōgetsu came back and appeared before her in the middle of the broken glass everywhere. "Interesting choice. Why?"
"A zanpakutō is an extension of myself. Meaning that I appeared in every mirror. Me destroying the correct mirror wasn't the aim... me rejecting what I see of myself was the aim." She explained.
Kyōgetsu looked at her before a smile crinkled on her lips. "Correct."
"Yo! Shirō-chan!" While Tōshirō always had a slight annoyance to anyone calling him that, it was always different when only three people called him that, Ukitake being one, ōbachan being the second and Isshin being the last.
"Taichō." Hitsugaya bowed respectfully.
"Hey! I'm not your captain anymore." Isshin smiled. "It's been long. Grab a seat." He looked up at Kuchiki-taichō who was standing by the door. "Kuchiki-taichō, would you like to sit with us?"
"I think it would be best to work from my office." He said.
"But we are about to discuss security matters regarding Seireitei." Isshin insisted.
"Hitsugaya-taichō can inform me briefly. I doubt the two of you will discuss that theme primarily." With that, he left the room.
"Ah... such a stuck in the mud. He wasn't always like that." He then turned back to Hitsugaya. "So... all these times you've been sneaking off to the world of the living to see my daughter and not once you thought of popping downstairs to say hi?"
Hitsugaya's eyes widened in surprise. "But..." His former captain simply laughed.
"I don't blame you. I used to do the same thing with her mother." He said. "It's... almost surprising how history repeats itself. It's funny even." He chuckled. Hitsugaya avoided eye contact. He felt like a child again who had done something wrong. "Have you been keeping an eye on her?"
"... I tried." Hitsugaya then bowed his head. "I'm very sorry for letting you down."
"Tōshirō, raise your head." He looked up and his former captain was smiling at him. "You did the best you could considering the restrictions that may have been under. I appreciate it. But it is my fault. I'm her father and I wasn't responsible enough."
"Is there... something you fear will happen to her?"
"That's why I'm here." He said. "Her zanpakutō is Angetsu, correct?" He nodded. "My father was the holder of that."
"Really?" He nodded.
"Old noble families have familial spirits: the Shiba Clan, the Tachibana Clan, the Tsunayashiro clan, Ryodoji Clan and the Shihoin Clan."
"What about Kuchiki and Fujiwara Clan? Aren't they the strongest?"
"But they are new." Isshin said. "They rose to prominence around six centuries ago where as the for oldest clans were chosen by the soul king to protect his realm which is why our powers are specific and related to one another. You noticed that it seems that everyone in my family has a zanpakutō ending in -getsu."
"Kūkakū told me that her zanpakutō name is Mangetsu as well so I noticed a trend."
"That is correct." Isshin said. "That makes us the Celestial clan. There are 30 zanpakutōs in our family line: 15-getsu zanpakutōs and 15-tsuki zanpakutōs. Each of the old clans has a similar structure. We began the Goseijūsantai and the first sōtaichō was from the Tsunayashiro clan. They are the strongest one and most influential. But soon, the noble status became more and more about prestige as more and more Shinigami joined the ranks."
"Leading to the system we have today." Tōshirō concluded and he nodded. "So... why did your clan call from prestige?"
"We didn't fall... we withdrew from Seireitei." He explained. "We're still responsible for overseeing majority of Soul Society's governance in Rukongai. Old Noble house families never change... it's the Great Ones that change because it has become an elitists club. People rise through the ranks and acquire wealth all the time."
"So... it had nothing to do with the death of Kaien Shiba?" He asked.
"No... my cousin's death was just unfortunate." Isshin said. "But because of politics, they spun out around to tie him to hollowfication as they were still trying to find ways to keep it under wraps. Kaien was in discussion with the elders about abdicating from Seireitei for months prior to his death."
"I see..." Tōshirō said. "So they played dirty politics, leaving behind the four we know today: Tachibana, Fujiwara, Ise, Shihōin and Kuchiki." Isshin nodded.
"That is correct." He nodded. "Otherwise, I don't think the history of nobles has anything to do with you right now. Right now, it's about Karin and Angetsu."
"Does it have a weakness?" Tōshirō asked.
"Yes... sadly it hasn't been seen in centuries after my great uncle passed." Isshin said. "Until now at least. It makes sense why they are resurfacing now."
"What do you mean until now?"
"Angetsu is a twin spirit." He said.
"So... Yuzu-san?" Isshin nodded. "She's the one who can stop her?"
"Either her or someone more powerful than Angetsu currently and Yuzu doesn't even know how to summon her zanpakutō so we can't involve her." Tōshirō saw the sadness in his features and frowned.
"Taichō?" He asked
"It can't be that hard... she's only a teenager." Isshin smiled sheepishly, running his hand on the back of his head.
"I fear that's how Yamamoto-sōtaichō perceived the situation in the first place." He sighed. "Karin's body is a vessel for Angetsu and Angetsu is playing to her strengths. She may be small... but she is athletic and above all, she is deadly clever."
"Angetsu always chooses those qualities." Isshin sighed. "So we just have to be smarter. Aside from what I suspect Yuzu's zanpakutō to be, Angetsu's ultimate weakness is light but there are some zanpakutōs that can slow her down. Many others are rendered useless against her so we have to be careful."
"I'm aware. It's like with Aizen." He said.
"Actually, it's worse." Isshin said. "Kyōka Suigetsu has weaknesses, Angetsu doesn't have as many." Tōshirō's eyes widened. "It's almost perfect by design and the soul king planned for it that way. You can never see the attack, feel it, smell it, hear it... it's a shadow that only the wielder and control. It can act as defense or offense so when when you think the wielder is open, they really aren't. That is why light zanpakutōs are just as rare."
"... You said almost perfect." Isshin looked at his former subordinate. "Except for light, there must be another weakness."
"Something that reveals its presence and has a long range." Isshin said. "Angetsu cannot be harmed because it is a shadowy figure... but it can be trapped."
Tōshirō heard a clock on the wall and looked to observe the time. It was 11. "Come with me." He said as he stood up and walked out of the room with Isshin in tow. They moved down the halls together and located Byakuya through his reiatsu.
"Did you forget how to knock?" He asked as they barged in.
"I only have an hour." Hitsugaya said as he sat on the tatami mat opposite to Kuchiki-taichō and Isshin stood by the door. "Listen, I need people to help detain Karin." He reached for a pen and paper and scribbled quickly down on it before placing it before me. "I need specifically everyone on this list. We'll need a formation on the inside of Seireitei; you are welcome to choose anyone else you trust... Ice, defense, melee and projectile users preferably. Even if they don't use that type, as long as we can trust them. My limit is 15 people including you, Isshin and Kuna and Shihoin."
"Kuna-san and Yoruichi... why—"
"Just trust me." Hitsugaya insisted.
"... What has gotten into you?" Kuchiki-taichō asked after blinking a few times at his demands.
"It needs to be people we can trust." Hitsugaya continued. "Angetsu will strike soon. They are causing a severe amount of unrest and with the current roster of patrolling and all Shinigami members in the floor, they are waiting for an area to be wide open to attack."
"... I can understand your point." He said. "If it was about a reckless rampage then she would have attacked by now. If it was simply about lost control then her attacks wouldn't be so... calculated like her attempt to leave the clinic in a disguise and carefully hid the nurse whom she knocked out cold."
"Exactly." Tōshiro said. "Especially considering that Karin was here to free Aizen."
"WAIT... MY DAUGHTER FREED AIZEN?!" Isshin yelled in shock and Tōshirō gritted his teeth in annoyance before hissing at him to quiet down.
"Meaning that Karin wasn't just idly kidnapped, she was indoctrinated as well." He nodded. "Okay, then what are the zanpakutō users going to do?"
"Meet me at my house in the evening. Since it's just outside the city walls, we can discuss freely there." Tōshirō said. "Only people we can trust. No Vizards except Mashiro. I don't care how skilled they are... they will only slow us down."
"I understand." He said. "I will get Abarai-Fūkūtaichō on it if that is acceptable."
"He has a long range weapon so I accept." Tōshirō nodded before standing up. "I have to leave now." He said before running out.
"What on earth—"
"MY DAUGHTER IS A FUGITIVE!" Isshin cried and Byakuya blinked emotionlessly at the crying father before hitting him on the head with his pen container, knocking him to the floor.
"Quiet." He mumbled before turning back to his work, ready to get a servant to go summon his fūkūtaichō while making a few additions of his own to the list.