Chapter 5: Encounters and Propositions

With the harsh sunlight bearing down on the small company, Hitsugaya, Hitto, and Matsumoto were beginning to lose speed in their seemingly endless investigation. "Captain. Don't you think we should call it a day already?" Matsumoto complained, raising her hand to her brow in order to clearly observe the surrounding areas. The golden field, though serene in the glow of the slow sunset, had the reflective properties of a slated mirror, and was reflecting waves of brilliant light in her eyes. Hitto, following close behind Matsumoto, rested his hand gently on her shoulder, nodding in agreement.

"Don't get me wrong captain, but we've been out here for hours. Is there much left to find?" Hitto sarcastically remarked, while still retaining a polite amount of respect in his tone. Hitto lifted his free hand to the side of his head and tried to remove an irritant from the inside of his ear, "Maybe we've hit a dead end ya know?"

Geez. He's just as bad as Matsumoto sometimes. Hitsugaya continued walking through the thick hay-like grass. Unlike his two subordinates, he had felt something since the minute they came to the field several hours prior. There is a strange spiritual pressure here for sure. It's not nearly as strong as when the Hollow attacked us, but I have a feeling if we remain here just a little bit longer...that hollow or something like it will most definitely show again. Looking around at the edges of his vision, Hitsugaya could only see the flare of the grass in the blurry sunset, and the glistening silhouette of the far off Seireitei. Sighing, he twiddled a piece of loose grass in between his fingers, searching for the answer. Suddenly, Matsumoto appeared in front of him, startling the unsuspecting Captain.

"What's wrong Captain. You look intense, " Matsumoto asked, a minute smile still fighting the seriousness beginning to overtake her.

"I'm not sure." Hitsugaya replied, scanning his surroundings, "It just feels like there is a residual pressure here in this field. I have a feeling that Hollow or something like it is going to return. Can't you feel it Matsumoto?" he inquired, looking up at his lieutenant.

A lump building in the back of his throat, Hitsugaya heard himself make a small sound, unable to hold back his gaze. Matsumoto's hair resembled a shimmering bronze, woven into the smoothest silk. She ran her hands through it, letting it fall gently between her fingertips and closing her eyes as she relished the touch. Hitsugaya felt his heartbeat begin to quicken again. She looked like a pristine porcelain doll with both her gorgeous long hair and pink scarf ever so gently blowing in the breeze, the loose folds of her kosode also blowing tight against her figure and outlining her godly curvature. The blue in her eyes had turned to a glimmering hazel in the dim light of the sunset.

Breaking the gaze from his lieutenant, Hitsugaya turned to see Hitto doing exactly what Toshiro had been doing moments prior; jaw practically dropped, staring intently at Matsumoto. Hitsugaya recognized the look on Hitto's mesmerized face as the same one plastered all over his own the previous night. As the tug on his lungs began to reform, a sweet-like scent picked up with the breeze, blowing across Hitsugaya's face.

"Matsumoto!" Hitsugaya shouted, recognizing the scent from the previous day, "Something's coming!"

Suddenly on alert, Matsumoto drew her blade quickly, pushing herself back to back up against the Captain. "Where Taichou?" she questioned, trying to ignore the intoxication of having her entire body pressed against her captain's.

Now is not the time to lose your head idiot. Focus Rangiku!

The two began to breathe synonymously as they each scanned the area for visual distortions or spikes in spiritual pressure. "Hitto!" Hitsugaya yelled in a commanding tone, "Go out into the distance! If this thing shows up and tries to escape, I want you to be the one to inercept it!"

Hitto smiled, running a hand across his Zampaku-to as he drew it slowly from his waist, "But of course Captain." Hitsugaya broke his concentration on the surroundings to catch a glimpse of his subordinate. Standing next to the two other officers, Hitto had a slight grin like that of a snake slithering across his face. Nodding his head as he broke into a sprint, Hitto's figure quickly shrank with the distance until he was nothing more than a small speck. A cold sweat beginning to trickle down Hitsugaya's forehead as he returned to surveying the area.

"Soon...captain?" Matsumoto asked, matching the unease in Hitsugaya with her voice.

The captain felt the scent and pressure grow in depth "Yeah." he replied simply, trying desperately to pin point the location most dense with the pressure as it swirled around them. Matsumoto could feel the muscles in her captain tensing up, preparing for battle. Reaching just behind her back, she used the slow movement of time to seize an opportunity, and placed her captain's hand within hers. The touch sent a wave paralysis tearing through the bodies of both her and Hitsugaya. Grabbing on tight and wrapping her fingers around his small but powerful hand, Matsumoto whispered gently, "I won't let you down this time...Taichou."

Hitsugaya, enveloped in the feeling of Matsumoto's tender but firm grip on his hand, nodded, lifting his gaze up straight ahead once more. "Geez," he chuckled, "That's my line."

Not a moment later, a dark blast appeared in the high point of the sunset, collecting in size as it plummeted like a meteor straight into the earth, right in front of Matsumoto. Wheeling around, Hitsugaya stood next to his Lieutenant and stared into the growing black mass in front of them. The two backed away slowly as it began to stand erect, pushing it's large dark wings out as if to stretch.

"Taichou." Matsumoto softly spoke as Hitsugaya drew Hyōrinmaru, "Please let me handle this." Hitsugaya broke his stare from the billowing dark Hollow in front of him to look desperately up at Matsumoto. She had a stern look of determination frozen on her face. He knew she was aware of what he'd said to her the night prior; that he wished her out of harm's way. "Please Taichou." Matsumoto begged, "I don't think I can lose this time."

Toshiro let out a sigh, knowing she had made up her mind. Sheathing his Zampaku-to, Hitsugaya placed his hand on Matsumoto's forearm, "Okay. Be careful, Matsumoto," he whispered. Cringing, he flash stepped back to a safe distance. Surveying his surroundings, Hitsugaya tried to lay out strategic placement of back up for Matsumoto if needed.

Where is Hitto?

Matsumoto could tell that this was the same hollow she'd faced in the field yesterday. It's cursed black feathers catching the breeze, she recognized the same white mask, sharply curved from the tip of it's beak and firmly molded to the top of it's skull, stretching outward into spikes at it's top. The intense glow of it's eyes sparked with not hunger...but revenge.

What's with this dark chilling feeling?

Without delay, the giant hollow shrieked, crunching the ground it stood on between it's massive bloody talons and dove towards the lieutenant. Flash stepping out of the way, Matsumoto flickered back into view above the winged nightmare thrusting her Zampaku-to straight downward in an aerial attack. "Like you could kill me with that!" Matsumoto screamed, about to land the stab straight through the beast's back. But before the tip could slice even one feather, the giant bird swiveled around, leaving a trail of swirling shadow as it moved.

SCHLUNK!

Matsumoto's Zampaku-to had plunged deep into the dirt of the field. She struggled to pull it from the earth with no avail, looking up to see the massive hollow had taken flight.

This Hollow...it doesn't act like a normal hollow...and it doesn't smell like one either...

ungh! Come on! Free yourself Haineko!

Looking up into the sky once more, Matsumoto could see the bird preparing the formation to dive bomb, as if she was a lowly salmon out in the ocean of souls to snatch up in it's claws. She lifted one hand and aimed carefully at the dark movement, outlined in the shine of the now red sunset.

"Hado no Yon! Byakurai!" Matsumoto chanted as a brilliant streak of blue light shot from her fingertips out towards the hollow.

Hitsugaya stood out a few meters from the heat of the battle, intently watching not only the movements of his subordinate, but that of the hollow.

How is this possible. We've already destroyed this Hollow once, but now it's appeared again. Not only that, but it seems to be completely ignoring myself and Hitto. It's only attacking Matsumoto. And it's attacks are something to consider as well...

Hitsugaya watched as the brilliant light of Matsumoto's kido was being dodged every time, the giant bird soaring around the bolts before it could graze even one of it's dark feathers.

It's fighting with strategy, almost like a trained animal.

A look of shock overtook Matsumoto's face. "It missed!" The bird was still circling overhead, planning it's next attack as Rangiku again tried to free the blade of her Zampaku-to.

It's no use! I can't attack it with Kido.

"Roar! Haineko!" Matsumoto shouted, her Zampaku-to disappearing into a cloud of dust. The giant bird shot down from it's circle with immeasurable speed, intent to pierce Matsumoto, now standing up and facing the hollow. Matsumoto gasped as the bird dove straight through the cloud of dust she'd placed between herself and danger. Flash stepping just in time, she watched the bird's giant beak drill into the soft soil.

"Matsumoto!" Toshiro shouted from where he stood, unable to see through the thick cloud of dust composed of the loose earth brought up by the Hollow and Matsumoto's Zampaku-to.

"I'm alright Captain! Please wait a bit longer!" Matsumoto shouted back. Looking down at the black mess of struggling feathers as it broke free of it's dirt choke-hold. "No more games," Matsumoto calmly stated, "I won't go down...That easy! Haineko!" Lifting her hand, she pointed her palm at the cloud over towards the hollow once more, charging towards it as she watched the shimmering sword particles charge above her. The bird began flapping it's giant wings, creating strong gusts of wind in the direction of the cloud, attempting to blow it back as it blitzed toward the hollow's mask. Matsumoto smiled, "I have you now!"

The dust began to reform gently at the hilt of Matsumoto's Zampaku-to as she continued to run towards the breast of the giant bird. With one shout and a draining thrust, Haineko plunged deep into the bird's flesh, blood bursting out as Matsumoto pulled her Zampaku-to back. The bird let out a blood curdling shriek as it flapped spastically up into the air to retreat. Matsumoto let out a small yelp, one of the hollow's talons having grazed her shoulder as it blasted up into the air before fading gently into the sky.

It's over. *sigh*

"Humph! Retreating again? Geez," Matsumoto pouted as she sheathing her Zampaku-to. Looking out over the field she could see both Hitto and her captain running towards her from the distance. She smiled at the sight of her two comrades, placing her hand on her shoulder to try and stop the shallow bleeding.

"So Taichou! How'd I do?" Matsumoto teased as he approached her, giggling at his seriousness. "I told you I could take him."

Hitsugaya smiled as he looked at his lieutenant now laughing playfully against the backdrop of the sunless sky. He could see she was cradling a small scratch on her shoulder, but she seemed to not be in pain.

"Any sign of it Hitto?" Hitsugaya asked, looking over to his other subordinate who had just arrived.

"I'm sorry Captain. It disappeared in the sky before I could do anything. My apologies," Hitto bowed as he reported, a hint of shame in his voice.

"Oh?" Matsumoto laughed, looking over at Hitto, a disappointed look in his eyes. "Like we need to worry? I got that Hollow good. There's no way it'll come back, at least not after us anyway."

Hitsugaya surveyed the area; all traces of the hollow's spiritual pressure had vanished. "It seems there's nothing more we can observe here tonight. Let's head back." Hitsugaya sighed, relived to feel Matsumoto was no longer in danger.

"Actually Taichou..." Hitto interrupted as they began to walk back towards the distant Seireitei. "I was going to see if Matsumoto wanted to go grab a bite to eat just outside Rukon...if it's alright I mean. It's been a long day for all of us, and I'd be happy if you came too."

Hitsugaya looked up at Matsumoto, who was still smiling from her victory. "Oh!" Matsumoto's voice jumped in excitement, "You mean that place that just opened up? I hear they have good food for being in Rukon. Plus..." she lifted a her arms, wrapping them around her captain playfully and spinning around in good fun, "I've heard they have lots of good Sake!"

As Matsumoto released Toshiro from her grasp, she pranced over to Hitto and laughed happily. He looked up at the two of them, now giggling and chatting about the dinner plans. They looked happier than he'd ever seen the two of them by themselves. Their energies were buoyant and synonymous. Hitsugaya felt his lungs once again weighed down by the same heavy feelings, a burden that seemed to go hand in hand with his recent dealings with Matsumoto and Hitto alike. He let out a tired sigh.

"No. It's alright. You two have worked hard today. I can write the report on what happened, so...You guys go enjoy some rest," Hitsugaya looked up at Matsumoto as he spoke.

Hitto smiled wide. "Thank you Captain!"

Matsumoto's face lessened with excitement, as her eyes caught the light of the rising moon, "You're not coming with us Captain? But..." Hitsugaya could see her thinking of something to say, "but you worked hard too! When do you ever rest?"

"It's alright Matsumoto. Go have fun. This is best," Hitsugaya crossed his arms, reaffirming his attitude.

Matsumoto swallowed the small lump that had formed in the back of her throat; somehow, she felt her captain wasn't talking about dinner plans anymore.

"I'll see you two tomorrow," Hitsugaya smiled a soft farewell, before disappearing into the night air.

Matsumoto looked back over at Hitto who was still smiling; she suddenly felt very alone. "What's wrong Rangiku-san?" Hitto asked, the smile on his face melting into a concerned grin.

Rangiku sighed, re-familiarizing herself with the same feelings of discouragement she'd felt with Hisagi and Kira at the Sake house. "Oh it's nothing," she hid her concern behind a cute smile, "Let's go get something to eat."

The two began walking in the direction of the outskirts of North Rukon, chatting about the events of the day. Every now and then, while Hitto would get lost in his banter, Matsumoto stole a gaze out towards the distant Seireitei, wishing that her captain would have joined them after all. Then she would begin fading back into the conversation,

"Don't worry Rangiku-san. You worked hard today."

Matsumoto placed her hand on her shoulder blade and began rubbing her back, grinning adorably. "Oh! Forgive me Totakki-san. I must have drifted into thought. What was it you were saying?"

Hitto laughed as he looked at his beautiful comrade, admiring her every smile and movement. "I was just saying the grouchy captain of ours can be kind of a prude every now and then. He should really try and connect better with his subordinates don't you think?"

Matsumoto shrugged off the comment about her captain, "Oh? I never noticed."

"You have always done well and he doesn't seem to really appreciate it, just yelling at you all day. I'm sure there's someone out there who would treat you better," Hitto insinuated in a flirtatious tone.

"Maybe," Matsumoto's mind began to wander again as she tried to reapply a fake smile, "Who would that someone be?"

Hitto looked directly into her eyes as he turned towards her and got close, now walking backwards toward their destination, "Who knows? He could be close."