Previously on "When Dreams Become Real"
It was a normal sunny day until intruders managed their way into seireitei! That morning, after waking up from a terrible dream, Hinamori sees her former captain during the alarm and promptly faints after attacking him in disbelief. Meanwhile, Hitsugaya searches for her during the alarm eventually finding her in the arms of traitor, Aizen. In a sudden rage he attacks unsuccessfully, ending up in the fourth division medical house. Hinamori wakes up in Aizen's company and decides to make a resolve: to become more independent so she doesn't cause Shirou-chan any trouble. The said Shirou-chan wakes up the next morning finding out that Hinamori has returned, but what he doesn't know is that Aizen has come back as well. Plaguing his mind now is concern over Hinamori's state after calling him 'Hitsugaya-taichou' instead of 'Shirou-chan.' Why is this? He'll find out soon…
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Chapter V – Chapter Six Is Next
Hitsugaya tried to concentrate on his work. Tried. It wasn't working. Normally stacks of papers would be ok; tiring, but doable. But no matter what he did he just couldn't get himself to work out what he had to write. His vice captain wasn't helping very much either.
'Oh, taichooooooou!!!! You really do work too much. Come on, there's enough space for two on this couch you know.'
Yep, she was drunk.
Hitsugaya started to turn red; he was still a kid after all. 'Urusai! You, on the other hand, don't do enough work.'
He found himself staring at the paper but as much as he willed it, could not see the words.
'Oh, come on taichou, haven't you heard that too much work is bad for your health?' She continued whining.
He grumbled in an attempt to ignore his vice-captain.
There was a moment's silence, until it was broken. Three guesses as to who this was.
'Taichou?'
'Hmm?'
'You should get out more.'
Hitsugaya mumbled something about having to finish his papers when Matsumoto piped up again.
'I know! I've got the most brilliant idea!'
Hitsugaya felt that awful sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.
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Hinamori took a few hesitant steps forward before stopping yet again.
Was this right?
But soon after she shook her head violently.
Of course this was right.
Thoughts of her former captain strengthening her, she took another quiet step forward and peered around the corner. It was very dark out this night but she could still make out what she was seeing.
No one there, so far so good.
She flung around the corner got as close to the wall as she could, hoping her movements weren't seen, nor detected. Listening for a few seconds and deciding that it was safe, she continued forwards, still remaining glued to the wall. Her footsteps were light, barely making a sound. Her concentration was all focused to her ears, listening out for anything that would betray another shinigami's presence. Her eyes darted from one place to another, looking for something, anything.
She then saw the door. It looked ordinary enough. Wooden, with an ornate silver handle that had a crimson ribbon tied to it, but that was the only thing that gave it away as the door she was searching for.
Exactly like his instructions.
Regardless of the door's deceptive appearance however, she knew just opening it would be unwise. Her former captain had to teach her the correct method of opening it in a short amount of time. It was lucky that she was so good at kidou.
Sure enough, it worked. The door swung open easily minus all of the locks and spells placed on it earlier and Hinamori breathed a deep sigh of relief. Now for the hard part.
She crept in quietly, still wary of her surroundings. Where could it be?
The shadows of this room made it difficult to make out anything so she pressed onwards. Actually, that night Hinamori passed many interesting things but it was one in particular that she was after. She kept creeping along for what seemed like an age, until she finally reached it. It looked ordinary enough, however that was what she was after. Hinamori extended her arm to reach for the object…
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Histugaya grumbled. Why did he have to come to this stupid thing? He had better things to do, like worrying himself silly over Hinamori.
The party was hosted by the eleventh division, who were currently in a circle trying to see who could keep a pencil stuffed up their nose the longest. Kenpachi kept calling out for drink after drink and Yachiru bounced around the room as she generally does. Currently, Ikkaku was winning the pencil-stuffing competition. Although, Yumichika was commenting on how the shade of blue he was turning 'didn't really suit him.'
Matsumoto quickly found her spot amongst the ruckus. She was sitting on a couch with Kira and Renji who were facing an opposing couch, home to Iba and Shunsui, between them, a coffee table covered with half-empty sake bottles and the surrounding floorspace littered with many more.
Hitsugaya didn't really know what to do. Seeing his comrades so irresponsible was disconcerting, yes, but there was nothing he could really do about it, so he resigned himself to leaning against a doorframe, just observing.
"Gahck!" Ikkaku had started spluttering, coughing and snorting, much to the amusement of the rest of the division. A loud roar went up over who was to pencil-stuff next and the process repeated.
Renji sprawled over his couch in a drunken stupor, much to Kira's discomfort. Why was there a reason for him not to be content? The crimson haired vice's authoritarian captain was spending the evening at the Kuchiki manor dutifully collating the guard's daily reports, which left Renji without duties for the next two days. Therefore, he had all evening to spend drunk with his former squad, but surely enough, there was a threat posed to this – Matsumoto was seemingly going to catch up in blood alcohol content. 'He couldn't let this happen!' the redhead thought and he snatched up another green bottle.
Yumichika's feather adorned eyes cast a lazy glance around the room. He had almost gotten bored at the gracelessness of the pencil-stuffers and was standing arms crossed next to Ikkaku's spluttering form. Then something caught his eye, which normally wouldn't have in this ruckus, except this thing was never usually a part of the ruckus.
"Hitsugaya-taichou!" he called across the room.
The boy returned a steely glare which would have silenced most sane people. Unfortunately for him, most of the 11th division wasn't sane. Yumichika's call had attracted the attention of many of the room's occupants and they were all now aware of the seething tensai in the corner.
"Hitsugaya-chan," called one intoxicated participant, too delirious to know any better. "Come join in!" he yelled, holding up a long mucous coated writing instrument that had been in goodness knows how many peoples nostrils.
Hitsugaya's eyes widened slightly at the sight before narrowing dangerously, however before he could respond two shinigami had dragged him over to the grotesque circle of figures and pencils.
"Get your hands off me" he warned, but in their stupor they paid no heed. One already had the now unusable pencil precariously close to his face. He was about to wrestle himself free before he realized that two grown men had his arms pinned to his sides, laughing merrily. What he would do to them if he were free… how the hell did he get into this predicament anyway? He doesn't normally go to these kinds of things. Oh, that's right…
"Matsumoto!" the boy yelled, temper reaching boiling point. "Help me!"
The well endowed vice rolled over on the couch, sake bottle in hand and peered over the back. A cheery laugh escaped her lips. "I can't help you in a competition like that, taichou!"
Hitsugaya was about to retort rather nastily when a presence of grace swept in through the ricepaper door. Hitsugaya looked over to the newcomer that slowly silenced the room. His captains haori disturbed the dirt on the floor as a slight breeze followed him in. He stood, shoulders broad, upright and proud, his robes perfectly pressed, not a crease in sight. Every hair remained in place in stark contrast to the room's ruffled occupants, a slight scent of cherry blossoms cut through the reek of alcohol however his face remained impassive showing nothing, not even disgust at what he saw. He just remained indifferent.
Renji choked at the sight of his captain.
Kuchiki Byakuya's eyes roamed the sight, most of which he would have expected, however Hitsugaya participating here? The boy mustn't be able to handle stress as well as he had thought.
The said boy wrenched himself out of the other men's grip and dusted off his robes just as Renji stumbled to attention. Byakuya cleared his throat before proceeding.
"I have come to inform you," his deep voice clearly stated, "that fifth squad fukutaichou Hinamori Momo is under the custody of the second division secret guard on the grounds of unlawful possession."
Hitsugaya was immediately alert. "Hinamori was caught stealing?"
Byakuya made his way to exit. "Correct," he confirmed, glancing back.
"She's with the second division?" Hitsugaya briskly walked towards the entrance. He had more pressing concerns now than the eleventh division and his fukutaichou's idiocy.
Byakuya nodded in reply before slowly whirling back around and stepping out of the alcohol seething room.
The short, disgruntled, grumpy and slightly shocked captain followed him. It was quite a combination, but what pressed his mind now was what his childhood friend had been up to, if it was her. The thought still hadn't escaped that she could be an impostor. She had acted so unlike herself earlier, still traumatized perhaps? It had to be. The mannerisms, expressions even the scent he sensed earlier, they were all hers.
To be continued
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It's been over a year since I've updated this, how time flies. Thank you to all the random reviewers between then and now, you're what motivated me, I suppose. I almost forgot how interesting writing can be. Please inform me of any errors though.