The killer is unmasked! Now Toshiro runs to save both Ichigo and Momo before it's too late!
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Chapter Eleven Into the Fires
Kurosaki Ichigo looked up as his cell door swung open, a figure standing in the doorway, the sunlight shooting past them. He squinted and lifted a hand up to his brow, narrowing his eyes.
'To…shiro?' he asked, unsure. The small boy walked closer, coming into view, his haori flowing out behind him, a look of worry stricken across his face.
'Gonna kill me now huh?' Ichigo said quietly, looking at the captain's unsheathed blade. 'Do it quick…' Ichigo sighed, hanging his head. The captain placed his hand on Ichigo's shoulder and dropped his zanpaktou into his lap, the blood cleaned from the now sparkling blade.
'Ichigo…' he said, his eyes closed. 'Im so sorry…for everything…but…' he grimaced. 'I know you probably wont help me…but please…we have to save Momo!' he cried, his eyes wide open now. Ichigo looked into the boy's eyes and then back down at his zanpaktou. He gripped the hilt and stood up, Toshiro turning away to leave.
'Hey, Toshiro!' came a voice and he turned slowly as Ichigo stood, clicking his neck. 'It gets pretty stuffy in here after a while.' he said, grinning. Toshiro smiled and nodded.
The 5th Division Captain's Quarters were burning. The fires erupted out of the shattered windows, the smoke billowing out of the roof, a large hole crumbling in the ceiling, flames licking the sky. The 5th Squad were all gathered around outside, gasping. Kyoraku arrived on the scene with Ukitake, their haori's swinging round them elegantly, Shunsui's hat pulled down over his eyes. Quickly, the Head Captain Yamamoto was behind them, Orihime, Uryuu and the others rushing onto the scene.
'Lieutenant Hinamori is in there!' someone from the squad cried and Komamura grabbed his blade, ready to go on. Someone placed their hand on his however and he stopped, bringing down his arm.
'Kyoraku…Shunsui?' he growled. 'We have to go in there-!'
'Please, stay out. This is Toshiro's fight.' said the captain quietly and Komamura nodded reluctantly, standing down. Yamamoto grunted and a fierce wind blew past them, their haori's billowing. People stopped and turned as Ichigo and Toshiro walked down the middle of them towards the flaming building.
'Ichigo…' came Orihime's voice. He looked at her, her face beaming with happiness at seeing free, but worried for his safety. Sensing this he smiled back.
'Inoue…I'll be fine.' he smiled. Toshiro walked forwards but a woman called out to him from the crowd and he turned round to see his lieutenant, Rangiku Matsumoto standing at the side.
'Matsumoto!' Toshiro exclaimed, his white hair flowing in the wind.
'Captain, are you going to be alright?' she asked and he closed his eyes, facing the building.
'It's for Momo…I have to be alright.' he said sternly and she understood, nodding stiffly. Ichigo placed his hand on the small captains shoulder.
'You ready?' he asked and Toshiro nodded. Turning back to face the building, Ichigo unleashed his shining Zangetsu, holding it in front of him.
'Bankai!' he cried and a black power surged around him, engulfing him in it's darkness. The wind erupted around them even more and then he was standing there, proud in his new black cloak, his blade now thin and dark, a gleam reflecting from the fire. With one last look at Orihime, Ichigo, and Toshiro vanished with a thud, disappearing from sight.
'Do you think they will be alright?' Ukitake asked, concerned.
'I'm sure they will.' grinned Kyoraku, lifting his hat up and taking a quick look at the moon. It was a half moon and he narrowed his eyes. 'One can hope anyway…' he thought to himself. 'Good luck…Kurosaki Ichigo, Toshiro Hitsugaya…'
They landed with a crack inside the burning building, choking and spluttering. The air was thick with sickly smoke and the ground was blackened, the wood burning away quickly. The flames were eating away at the walls and the roof, planks of wood splintering and falling in. They could hear a creaking sound as they slowly made their way into the fire.
'Momo!' Toshiro choked, his eyes watering. He dropped to the ground, his sword slipping from his fingers. Ichigo ran up to him, coughing and placing a hand on his back.
'Toshiro!' he cried. 'Maybe you should go back…' Ichigo suggested but the small captain shot up, sweat running down his face. 'Of course…he takes his power from the water in the air…there certainly isn't a lot of that here…' Ichigo remembered.
'I cant leave…I cant leave her here…' he breathed deeply, squinting through the ever growing flames. Ichigo cursed. He helped the captain up and pulled him into another room, the flaming roof collapsing behind them.
'Damn it…' Ichigo growled. Suddenly his eyes widened as he felt a new spiritual pressure in the air.
'Well well…what do we have here?' came a sinister voice and he turned around to see someone standing in the middle of the room, the flames all around him. He was cloaked in black and was wearing a metal mask, identical to Tanno. Ichigo snarled at him.
'You bastard! Fight me outside this place!' he coughed, recoiling backwards as the smoke crept into his lungs.
'I'm sorry, but I'm afraid she wants to die here. Closest to her 'dear' Aizen…' sniggered the figure. Toshiro wiped his mouth and opened his bloodshot eyes, looking around.
'W…where is…she?' he spluttered.
'Here of course.' said the man darkly, the metal tone in his voice harsh.
'We…know who you are…' continued Toshiro, standing up off of Ichigo and holding his sword in front of himself. The figure did not reply. Toshiro's eyes were hidden by his hair as he hung his head. 'Where is she?' he asked again. Once again, no reply. A wind swept in through a hole in the roof, blowing the flames across the room and Toshiro's head shot up, his eyes a deep red from the heat.
'WHERE IS SHE!!??' he roared and he lunged at the man. Ichigo held out his hand.
'Toshiro, wait!' he cried.
'My, my…' mocked the man who held out his blade, the sword gleaming in the flickering light. Toshiro slammed down onto it, pressing against the villain.
'Why do you want her back? Soul Society will simply brutally murder her after what she's done…' chuckled the man and Toshiro pushed off of him, his hair becoming wild. The man leapt backwards, skidding along the ground. He stood up, throwing his cloak around from in front of him.
'Surely you'd rather she died here than at the hands of those monsters?' he asked. Toshiro swung his sword round in front of him, icy sparkles shooting off of it.
'It was you who did everything!' the small captain shouted, his voice becoming hoarse. He threw himself at the man again who knocked him aside with his own blade, the captain crashing down onto the floor beside Ichigo.
'Toshiro!' he cried, kneeling down beside him. He looked up at the figure.
'We know who you are now!' he snapped. 'Kiriobi Shintatsi…' Ichigo snarled darkly. There was silence as they stared each other down. Then, the man lifted his hand to his face.
'I suppose then, there is no need to hide anymore.' he said and he removed the mask. It was Kiriobi, his dark eyes as solemn as ever, his black hair free to spike outwards, his hood now down. He had a slight sneer curling up at the end of his mouth and his eyes were narrowed.
'Why did you do it!?' Ichigo snapped. Kiriobi ran a hand through his hair, sighing.
'Together, you, Kurosaki Ichigo, and the 5th Division destroyed my life.' he whispered and Ichigo's eyes shot open.
'What?' said the boy, confused. Kiriobi opened his eyes and tilted his head to the side.
'I doubt you would have any recollection of events that happened last week besides Aizen's little escapade?' asked the student, a more saddened expression now striking his face as he turned his head to the side. Ichigo stood there, dumbfounded, the smoke coiling round his legs.
'I…Ichigo…' he heard Toshiro wheeze. 'Just finish him…' but Ichigo stood, waiting to hear him out.
'Of course you wouldn't…' Kiriobi sighed. 'That's all you Shinigami could care about. My family died that week. They were all murdered by a merciless Hollow.' he said nastily, looking up at them, his fist clenched. Toshiro's eyes widened.
'Sheesh…this is even worse than that house raid last week…' he sighed, shaking his head.
'House raid?' Toshiro asked.
'Yeah, Ukitake and me were sent to deal with it, but the whole family had been killed by Hollows before we got there. They say they had a son in the Shinigami too…' he sighed again.
'Why did you get there late?' Toshiro asked.
'Aizen. He was making his betrayal known, it was more important.' then he held up his hands. 'I know how that sounds!'
Toshiro shook his head.
'No, that's what I would have done…' he said.
'You must have been the son in the Shinigami?' Toshiro asked and Kiriobi grunted.
'So you do know of it.' he gripped his hilt. 'Disgusting. Because of Kurosaki Ichigo's pathetic rescue attempt and then Aizen's ridiculous betrayal, the Shinigami Academy had to postpone it's graduation for 'more important reasons'. That meant, that while you were all dealing with the Ryoka and Aizen, my family were slaughtered and I was unable to do anything about it.' he snarled at Ichigo, his face stricken with anger. 'If you hadn't come I could have saved them.' he said and Ichigo's heart sunk. It was his fault. Suddenly, Toshiro stepped in.
'That's enough Shintatsi!' he cried, his sword by his side. 'There was no need to bring people like Momo into this, you could have taken this up with me or any of-…'
'Ah yes, Miss Hinamori…' Kiriobi smirked. 'She was a brilliant asset.'
'You monster! You messed with her mind!' Toshiro roared, his strength returning to him.
'She was the one closest to Aizen…' snapped the student, brandishing his blade. 'Since he is not here, she must pay the most!'
'You're insane!' Ichigo snapped, the flames beginning to lick at their feet. 'Besides, why frame me by killing one of your fellow students, why not another member of the 5th Division?'
'Tch. Masabi was on my side.' he sneered and they gasped. 'That's right. What little Ryuichi heard was me telling her to retrieve Zangetsu from your house. She specialised in stealth manoeuvres and so was able to slip in and out undetected. Of course I killed her when she returned, I couldn't have anyone leaking my plans.'
'That's why you got Tanno sent to prison? So that he wouldn't reveal your schemes?' Toshiro grunted. Kiriobi smiled evilly.
'That's correct. He was getting too close. Even with his boorish attitude and layabout appearance, he was never an enemy of Soul Society. He was constantly watching me, suspecting me…' spat Kiriobi.
'What ya looking at there, Shintatsi?' he asked rudely, peering over at Kiriobi who grimaced and moved away.
'Kiriobi…' Tanno said, breathing heavily, only sections of his face visible in the moonlight.
'What are you doing out this late Tanno?' Kiriobi asked, picking up his book.
'I could ask you the same question…' replied the other student, his eyes flashing green in the darkness.
'Ah well, it doesn't matter now. All I have to do now is kill you both.' Kiriobi sighed, pointing his zanpaktou at them. 'A pity really…I wanted to see your beloved Soul Society destroy you Kurosaki but I guess I will have as much pleasure doing it myself.'
'That's easier said than done.' Ichigo remarked, grinning. Suddenly there was a blast of freezing cold air and Ichigo turned round the see the flames nearby them freeze instantly as Toshiro looked up, his eyes an icy blue, a mystical aura pulsating off of him.
'Bankai!' he cried, lifting his sword into the air, blasts of air shooting outwards, the flames going crazy. 'Daiguren Hyourinmaru!!' there was a blast of blue and shards of ice shot towards the captain, large, icy dragon wings emerging from his back, his feet freezing into talons. Ichigo noticed however that his wings were melting already and Toshiro was sweating.
'How much strength is Toshiro using to keep that Bankai going in this heat?' Ichigo thought to himself, looking at Toshiro's straining face. Toshiro darted towards Kiriobi, his sword by his side, the ice gathering on it. Kiriobi smirked. Suddenly something appeared in front of Toshiro as he brought his sword down and he flew backwards, casting off his Bankai in horror and falling down, beaten.
'Momo…' he whispered. She was standing in front of Kiriobi, her face a dead expression. Ichigo stood there, bewildered.
'So this is someone under control? I don't know what to do…' Ichigo thought to himself. He looked up at Kiriobi. 'You can't win this! Don't you dare do anything to her!'
Kiriobi didn't answer and Momo simply stood in front of him.
'Its two against one Shintatsi!' he shouted again. 'Give up!'
Kiriobi smirked and lifted up his blade.
'Correction…' he smiled, opening his eyes. 'Two against two.' he leered and a purple flash sparked out across the room.