Orihime: Pakkun doesn't own Bleach. Kurosaki-kun, Toshiro-kun, your turn!
Toshiro: *twitch* There are some things we want to clear from the previous chapter.
Ichigo: *nods* Ichi-tou for instance, It came from the word otou-san, it means father.
Toshiro: Arigatou means "thank you—"
Ichigo: Iie, douitashimashite means "No problem,"
Toshiro: BAKA-MONO! Must you always cut off everything I say?
Ichigo: *feels the temperate drop* U-Uh, let's just get back to the story.
The Snow Prince
Chapter One – Possibilities
3rd person's point of view
The soutaichou from Seireitei read the paper vigilantly. Such human request seems so impossible to approve since there has been many laws that's been passed down through centuries. And one of the laws was not to give any shinigami a chance to live on Earth, especially if it's the whole division because they died. He wouldn't mind having to send his captains for patrols on Earth every year and put them in their personal gigai that Urahara had sponsored, but – to give another chance? Is that possible? After all, he's not God; in fact, he doesn't even believe that God exists.
Yamamoto took a deep breath and looked back down to the paper. He read the last word, chance.
What could possibly be Kurosaki Ichigo's intention if he does give the 10th division to have a second chance to live on Earth? Requests like these doesn't come very often, also, these type of requests only comes every millennia; Yamamoto himself doubted that previous requests like this have been accepted. He knitted his brows together in full anxiety, unsure of what to do, until something clicked and the back of his brain.
Hitsugaya was obviously way too focused on his paper work while his vice-captain lay down on the couch with her leg across the other, half asleep. He signed documents after documents professionally and gave them a second look before he smiled slightly to himself with pride. He was about to reach for another stack of documents until a Hell Butterfly arrived from his window and rested on his finger tip to give him news.
"Soutaichou?" the captain asked himself in surprise.
"Very well." and the butterfly left.
As one of the most respected captains, Hitsugaya stood up from his chair and walked towards the couch where Matsumoto began to get drowsy. A vein popped on his forehead and the temperate dropped in the room causing the vice captain snap her eyes open and stood up immediately as she felt her captain's reiatsu raising.
"Taichou," she chirped, trying to cover the nervousness.
"I want you to take my place temporarily," he ordered. The blonde nodded and walked towards his seat, reading the first document slowly.
He studied the vice-captain as he slowly walked out of his office until his eyes widened and took a step back inside when she passed out on the table, snoring. Hitsugaya growled and crossed his arms to his chest. He tapped his feet patiently, hoping it was just another prank that Matsumoto's trying to pull, but he started realize that she wasn't joking around. He could smell the sake in the air now, and looked at the flushed girl that devoured the alcoholic beverage. Now, he was really annoyed.
"MATSUMOTO!"
The blonde sat up abruptly, shivering at the cold breeze that ran around the room, mostly her almost exposed cleavage. Afterwards, before the captain spoke, the phone started to ring. The two of them looked at each other and Rangiku raised her eyebrows as she reached for the telephone that was place at the corner of the desk.
"I-Ichigo-kun?" The vice-captain said, startled at hearing the man's voice as she answered the phone that rang. Hearing Kurosaki's name made the captain's heart skip a beat, he turned around to listen to the conversation. His teal hues glowing filled with inexplicable emotions.
"Well yes, he's been alright. Just busy with work," she said simply.
'Should I pay a visit there? I honestly do mi—'
"Please, Ichigo-kun. Keep your thoughts to yourself; I'm not the only one in the room." She heard a growl then she sweat dropped in nervousness.
'Right, so what did Yama-jii say about the request?' Ichigo asked, oblivious to what just happened.
Feeling Hitsugaya's reiatsu, Rangiku closed her eyes and spoke softly.
"I believe that conversation is confidential and will only be heard from the soutaichou, my dear."
'Shit, right. I'll talk to you later, thanks Rangiku' the line ended.
What the hell was that? That teasing voice Matsumoto used as she spoke to Kurosaki, what the hell was that? Oh no, Hitsugaya, compose yourself. She was just talking to that idiot, the captain said calming himself down. However, he came to his senses that he was starting to get jealous as his face started to get hot all over. Disturbing things started running through his brain.
Before Matsumoto looked up to the Captain to apologize, he quickly ran out of the office. He obviously did not want his lieutenant to see his flushed face. He leaned back on the door and sighed in relief as he thought about the incident that happened between him and Kusaka. Hitsugaya really was grateful for everything the substitute has done for him, but he's not going to admit that he opened up to the man that understood how he felt—losing someone he cared about.
"Thank you for everything, Ichigo," he remembered saying. He tried to recall the conversation between the orange-haired shinigami and him.
"You know what? I don't think he has any regrets," Kurosaki said seriously as he threw the King's Seal to the captain. "This time, he got a fair chance to settle things."
He remembered chuckling towards the taller man which he's never done before. He only did that in front of Rangiku who was the other person he trusted.
"Let's head back, Toshiro." There was the tempting voice that made his heart skip a beat once again.
"It's not Toshiro," The captain repeated to himself as he breathed in heavily. A smile started to form on his serious face. "It's Hitsugaya-Taichou…"
The Captain found himself knocking on the captain-commander's door. He waited for a good five minutes until the wood squeaked as both doors opened in front of him and continued walking to where the old man sat at. On Yamamoto's hand was a piece of paper, and Hitsugaya raised his brows in curiosity, opening his mouth to ask why he was summoned to his office. Reality kicked in when he bowed automatically to respect the higher rank and the commander cleared his throat.
"Hitsugaya-taichou," The old man said slowly, hesitation noticeable from his voice. "I believe you have three choices coming from this paper I have here in my hand."
Hitsugaya blinked twice, "Pardon?"
Yamamoto cleared his throat again and tapped his cane. "I won't repeat myself again." He received a silent nod from the captain.
"One of the choices would be me sending you and your vice-captain to Earth to prove to me that I should give your division the chance to restore your old life as a human being," he explained carefully, aware of the captain's surprised look. "—and yes that means losing your shinigami powers. Your memories here will be erased, and you will be forbidden from seeing monsters and saving other people. Which reminds me, you have to release Hyorinmaru forever…"
This struck a short pain through Hitsugaya's heart, but he paid no attention to it and kept an unreadable expression on his face.
"The other choice will be you keeping your position as one of the Gotei, including your people and your subdivision. However, I will send you on patrols to Karakura Town every year to pay for our gratitude to Kurosaki Ichigo," this caught the captain's attention. Deep inside, butterflies started to flutter in his stomach, but once again, he kept his composure.
"The last…" he said finally. "Is for you to have a second chance to live as a human, however, you will lose your title as a captain. The good news about this choice is that you will still have your shinigami powers, and you still will be in the 10th division. The problem is you will become Vice-captain instead, and swap places with Matsumoto."
Hitsugaya's eyes glowed. "The last choice—"
"Hold up young one, I'm not done yet." Yamamoto cut him off. "You will also have to reside with Kurosaki Ichigo." Breathe, Toshiro.
"Why do I have to?" Fuck, I cracked.
"Because he's the only one I trust in the Human World. Unless of course, you wouldn't mind living with Inoue—"
"N-No!" Shit, keep your composure! "I mean, I don't mind living with Kurosaki, soutaichou."
"Well then, which do you prefer?"
"The last one, sir."
"Well then, I suggest you pack your stuff while I send a messenger to inform Matsumoto about this urgent request. Please do take your time saying goodbye; we'll be opening the gates for you soon. We'll send a notification to you once you're alright to go."
Hitsugaya looked at him in astonishment, "A-Are you serious?' he said. The old man just nodded.
"We'll see each other again, someday," Yamamoto said sending out positive vibes to relax the intense feeling that's been growing inside the captain's stomach.
Hitsugaya bowed down in respect and appreciation. "A-Arigatou, soutaichou."
"Don't thank me, Hitsugaya Toshiro. Thank Kurosaki-san."
His eyes widened as he glanced up to see if the captain-commander was joking. "Take care of yourself now. I believe in you,"
"Hai." He muttered softly as he bowed once again before he walked out of the room.
When the presence of Hitsugaya dissolved, Yamamoto turned around and sighed. "For the first time, I hope I'm doing the right thing."
Hitsugaya didn't have to pack at all; he didn't have much human clothing since Urahara was the one that fixes his gigai. He clipped his Zanpakuto and closed his eyes, not believing that he's really going to Earth as a human being. Why was Kurosaki involved? He didn't know anything, and if he did ask Yamamoto, he knew he'll end up putting himself in grave danger. That was the last thing he wanted. He looked around his office and opened his closet.
"I'm pretty sure I left it somewhere here," he mumbled to himself like a little kid. "Now where is it?"
He searched through the bookshelves when he realized that the precious thing he was looking for was nowhere in sight. Once he caught a glimpse of it, wrapped in sparkly plastic, he twitched in annoyance. Matsumoto probably did something with it to annoy him, but have forgotten all about it. Speaking of Matsumoto, where was she?
Time was running out, and Hitsugaya knew that. Where the hell could that morbid woman be? She's already taking advantage of her new position!
He unwrapped the object slowly, not wanting to rip the gift wrapper that really looked expensive. There it was, there was the book he was looking for. The Snow Prince.
In a flash, he disappeared. He knew where his destination was before he left to the Human World. Matsumoto however, was hiding her reiatsu in a distance.
"He left," she smiled sheepishly behind the couch. She looked at the walls and studied them carefully as she explained to the clueless strawberry about the whole story that the messenger had told her.
'What—are you serious?'
"Yeah, the messenger told me that he took the last choice."
'Last choice?'
"Yamamoto-soutaichou gave him three choices." Matsumoto exclaimed happily. "—and it seems like the decided to pick the one where he gets to be with you, strawberry."
A twitch from the other line was felt. 'I just wanted a chance to visit there. Yama-jii had to take things to the higher level…' Ichigo muttered.
Rangiku chuckled, "Don't worry, we can visit there whenever the Hell we want. Taichou just doesn't know that."
'Taichou? I thought you're the taichou?'
"Oh no, Yamamoto was apparently trying his best to test him. Hopefully he'll pass."
'I'm lost…'
"You'll understand soon enough, Ichigo-kun." Rangiku twirled her fingers around the telephone line. "After all, I think he wants to be with you."
'W-What makes you say that?'
"Mm, it's just a possibility. He owes you a lot anyway."
'He owes me? And just what the Hell did I do that was life changing?'
She stood up from her hiding spot and sat back on the writing chair. The blonde vice-captain looked down on the beautiful wrapper, carefully folded on the side of the desk. Snow patterns started to swirl around it.
"Let's just say you're about to melt the heart of an Ice Prince... Soon"
'Eh?'
Toshiro: Where's Pakkun?
Pakkun: *snoring*
Toshiro: O-Oi! Me ga sameru!
Pakkun: *shifts, continues snoring*
Toshiro: *grabs the bedsheets and flips Pakkun*
Pakkun: WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?
Toshiro: *kicks* Get to work!
Pakkun: Aww... But I'm sleepy... *runs* RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-CHAAAAAAAAAAAAN!