Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.
"Inoue-san...?"
He does not look up, ignoring the timid calling of the shy maid. She remains standing in the doorway, a little hesitant to say more when she takes notice of his defeated posture; he is seated at the edge of his bed, slouched over with his head in his hands. Biting her lip, she strains her ears, and is relieved that she hears no sobs. This has been hard on all of them.
"Inoue-san," she says again, a little more evenly. "The police station just called."
He stirs slighlty at this news, peeking out from his fingers. His eyes, sullen and dead, send chills through her, and she fights back the urge to squeak.
"Th-they said they've contacted the defense department, and that Orihime-sama's capture is being discussed right now. They haven't agreed on a decision yet, but -"
"Get me when they have," he rasps harshly, making her jump. "If the good for nothing police think I'm just going to sit idly by..." With a scowl planted on his usually kind face, he finally stands, his face set in determination. "You may go now," he orders the maid, and she bows hastily before departing.
Stiffly, he marches to his dresser, where his discarded cell phone rests on top. Flipping it open, he briefs through his contact list, his eyes flying left and right as he reads the names. When he reaches his desired number, he places the phone to his ears, waiting impatiently. It picks up after the third ring.
"'lo?" a feminine voice grunts thickly on the other end.
"Shiba-san," he replies crisply, his eyes hardening.
"Inoue?" she grumbles. "What's this about, so early? I was eating my breakfast -"
"Your newspaper," he interrupts her. "When does your latest edition come out?"
"Huh?" She pauses for a minute, and he hears her hum in thought. "This week's is going to the printers tomorrow," she remembers. "Why?"
"Something's happened," he almost growls. "The police are idiots who don't know what they're doing, and I think the public should know...For their own safety, of course." He hopes that with the spread of this horrendous tradegy, he can perhaps rally supporters to demand more action for his baby sister's safe return. "Can you add another piece in?"
"It'll be tough..." she mumbles. "But for an old friend? Sure. What's up?"
"It's Orihime," he chokes out.
.. ღ ..
"There seems to be nothing we can do presently," Kira announces, sighing heavily in defeat. "It is regrettable that Miss Orihime comes from such a wealthy and influential family back on her home planet. The news of her disappearance has spread, and the human newspapers are already speculating that her vanishing has everything to do with us."
Karin makes a noise of aggravation, burying her head in her hands for a moment.
"I knew there would be trouble," she mumbles. "How are we to make peace now? With the power of her brother, it seems almost impossible that word of our kidnapping has not already spread throughout the entire Scandinavian area. All of our efforts, wasted."
Her husband reaches out a hand to place on her back, rubbing it soothingly in an attempt to placate her. However, he does not add any of his own commentary to the discussion, choosing instead to gaze off absentmindedly, thinking only of the sorrow tomorrow will bring for him.
The other council members gaze at one another helplessly, attempting to find a solution to the problem, yet not succeeding. Some stroke their chins in thought, still determined to have an epiphany, but others face the less than ideal facts.
"We have only the hope that they consider listening to our story and apologies," Ukitake, an important member of their war council, adds on. "But that seems unlikely. Returning her is not possible, not with our promise to keep their land free of Leoans until the next course of action can be decided. Breaking our official oath will only cause more reason for distrust."
"So, presently, there is no way to send her back home and fix the dilemma," Kyoraku, another valuable member, concludes.
"Could we not simply allow the human to communicate with her brother?" Kurotsuchi suggests, his painted face fixed in a creepy smile. "I'm sure a simple spell on her can -"
"Absolutely not," Karin interrupts sharply. She has seen too clearly what dark magic can do to humans. There is no chance of her allowing any spells to be cast around Orihime, in case one go awry and disfigure the girl forever.
"Besides," Nanao, ever the careful thinker, offers her two cents worth, "the communication spell requires the receiving party to receive the message with their own spell. Last I checked, humans have no talent for our demon magic."
"That's my Nanao-chan," Kyoraku coos, gazing at her lovingly from under his large straw hat. "As brainy as she is beautiful." She simply looks away, her nose in the air, and he chuckles, used to her snubs and finding them endearing.
Karin nods thankfully in her direction, though her lips thin at her last statement, thinking of one obvious objection. Toushiro notices her expression, and pats her back reassuringly, momentarily forgetting his own troubles after catching sight of her subtle distress at the reminder.
.. ღ ..
"I should congratulate you on making it this far," Aizen's voice echoed throughout the almost empty throne room. "A victory over my guards is a very note-worthy acheivement, Karin-chan, my son."
"Don't call me that!" was the harsh reply from the bloodied white-haired soldier. Aizen chuckled at the look of disgust on his face.
"As you wish, Toushiro-kun," he answered simply. "I never much conidered you a son, anyway. More of a hindrance."
"The feeling is mutual," Toushiro spat out. Karin grabbed his hand for a moment, giving it a reassuring squeeze before returning to glaring at the hated king.
"Give it up, Aizen," she sneered, rubbing at her face to smudge off some of the blood running down her forehead. "Your palace guards have been defeated, our allies are all taking care of the rest, even the maids are on our side. Everyone within the palace knows of your evil and your shady crimes. Your plans and your title have both been jeopardized."
"Oh, it seems you are right," Aizen agreed in a flat tone, looking as one does when they pick at their nails in an uncaring fashion. And then his face twisted into a devilosh grin, one not fitting for his misleading kind face. "But submission is not so hard to gain. I certainly had you on a leash for a moment, did I not, Karin-chan?"
She snarled at him, resisting the urge to spit in his direction.
"And do you really think your pathetic attempts can do anything to save your planet?" Aizen asked, his perfect smile widening on his face, now dripping with amused malice. He looked completely uneffected by the dangerous scowls in his direction, all occupants in the room baring their teeth at him. "My plan is already in motion, and with the information I have on your planet, victory is assured for me."
"Not if I kill you first," Karin growled, tightening her hold on the sword in her hand and bending into a fighting stance. She was sweaty and grimy, dirt and blood outlining her hair line, a large gash going down her cheek as she panted heavily. Toushiro hovered beside her protectively, looking just as beaten and with his own knuckles turning white as they clenched around the hilt of his weapon.
Aizen chuckled, his face relaxed as he eyed her.
"Please, go ahead," he goaded. "You can try, but I know your weaknesses, Hikaru-kun." His eyes twinkled as he said the name of her alias – he had always found her story very humorous. "Kaneko-kun was definitely a very valuable asset."
Her breath caught in her throat, her eyes widening. Toushiro eyed her warily.
"Are you alright, Karin?" he asked worriedly, but she didn't even look his way, too transfixed with Aizen and his smirk. The man himself suddenly looked pleased, watching her reaction with interest.
"You mean, K-Kaneko," – she gulped as she steered herself – "Ryou-sempai?" she whispered.
"Oh, so you know of him," Aizen said, though it was obvious from the expression on his face that he had known all along she knew of him and what it would do to her to mention him. "He certainly was my most dependable spy, and so perfectly expendable. It's too bad he had to die, but sadly, he was of no use to me any longer after he gave me all the information he could have, so I had to dispose of him."
Toushiro crouched beside her. He remembered Ryou, the dear freind of his lover who had died courageously, or so she had once told him. Blessed with intelligence, he could easily decipher the meanings behind their words, and as he watched her face twist in pain, he held back a growl of anger, instead narrowing his eyes towards their enemy, prepared for any sudden attacks during her moment of weakness.
"You're lying," she hissed, spreading her legs and preparing for battle once again, just like her ally beside her. Her jaw set in defience. "Ryou-sempai died because of an attack in battle -"
"And who do you think ordered the attack?" Aizen countered lazily, waving a hand carelessly through the air as if exasperated by her desperate attempts to negate his comments. "Who do you think ordered the soldiers to ensure that the battle not end without his fatal injury? Of course, the betrayal wasn't very voluntary on his part, but we have some very talented soldiers amongst the midst of our army. His free will had to be compromised from time to time, but I was willing to take that horrible hit to my morale. He never once even realized he was betraying his beloved planet. Perhaps some would say that makes me very humane, don't you think?"
"You're lying," she insisted once again, ignoring his teasing question.
"Am I?" he asked airily."Tell me, Hikaru-kun, is it not true that although you are left-handed, you handle a sword with your right, because it was your right-handed big brother who taught you to fight?"
"Karin..." Toushiro said slowly, not taking his wary eyes off of Aizen as he side-stepped closer to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't fall for his tricks."
"But...it's not a trick, Toushiro," she whispered, a look of horror on her face. "That was something I told Ryou-sempai. How could he have known if Ryou-sempai hadn't told him?" Her face contorted in pain.
"Look, you cannot let his words manipulate you now," he warned. "Don't you see? Aizen uses his words to control an opponent before battle. He is trying to get into your head. We've come this far, and killed so many. Do not let one foolish decision ruin our battle after we've finally reached our opponent."
"Are you two about done?" the said opponent called out to them, completely relaxed. "This is turning out to be a rather disappointing fight. I had thought you two had more skill than this."
"Shut up, Aizen," Toushiro spit out with venom. "If it's a fight you want, we are both warmed up and ready."
"But our dear Hikaru-kun seems to be a bit preoccupied," he mocked them, inclining his head towards the frozen soldier. "Was the shock a bit much for you, sweetheart?"
She snapped out of it almost immediately, glaring up at him at the word.
"Don't call me sweetheart," she growled.
"Oh, my apologies," he answered, putting a hand over his mouth with a fake ashamed look on his face. His eyes were cruel almost immediately after. "Would you rather I call you 'little man?'"
Growling frighteningly and with a glint of savage anger in her eyes, she lunged.
.. ღ ..
"Well, then," Unohana speaks up softly, "I suggest we wait for our human correspondents to make a move. There is hardly any use makng plans with no firm foundation to them."
Toushiro inclines his head respectfully in her direction before taking her advice and dismissing the meeting for the evening.
As the meeting room empties, Karin finally turns to her husband, placing her hands on his shoulders and peering into his eyes.
"Are you feeling alright?" she asks. He simply stares back blankly, not answering.
"I'm sorry," she apologizes, which snaps him out of his daze, in order to gaze at her in confusion. "You certainly don't need all this extra stress, not with tomorrow approaching so quickly." He winces slightly, but gently cups her cheek.
"There is no need to be so concerned, my love. This is important to you -"
"And tomorrow is important to you," she cuts in firmly. "Come. I suggest we head to bed early tonight. You will need your strength to face tomorrow, and if I am to be your support, then we both need to rest."
He allows her to slip her hands into his and pull him up, and then lead him out.
.. ღ ..
"Hello, Okaa-sama," he mutters softly, clapping his hands together as he kneels in front of the grave. "It is so difficult to believe that it has already been a year since I have visited you last."
Karin stands beside him, gazing down at him sadly, but not interrupting; it is enough for her that he has chosen to speak aloud, because she knows this is his display of trust in her – by making his true and vulnerable feelings apparent.
"Karin is here to visit you with me again," he continues, "though she has no need to worry about gaining her in-laws' approval. I'm confident you would have liked her, anyway."
She smiles at this and, unable to help herself, bends down behind him, wraps her arms tightly around his waist, and lays her head against his broad back.
"We're trying for a baby, although nothing has resulted from our nights as of yet. But we have hope. Karin tells me her family has a history of birthing strong, healthy babies, so that quells some of our fears. I never once thought when younger that I would ever want one, but Karin and I are sure now that starting a family is something we both desire greatly."
She lightly kisses the back of his neck as he tells his mother their news. He racks his brain for something else to tell the marker.
"Recently, one of our soldiers picked up a human woman from Earth," he remembers. "This causes a problem for us, because we have been trying to negotiate peace. But we have been keeping her in comfort during her stay, so hopefully the repercussions will not be as bad as we think they might be."
He pauses then, unsure of what else to say. They sit in silence, until Karin breaks it with a command she has wanted to say for a long time, and knows will help him now.
"Tell me about her."
For years she has been afraid to ask because she can see the distress it causes him, but she has always been curious about her unknown mother-in-law, whom even the maids seem to have admired. The mention of her name always brings sadness to a conversation, so she does not talk to him about her. But on this day, she feels that it is the right time, because remembering cannot be evaded.
More silence follows her request, but he sighs soon after.
"She was very young," he starts. "Heartbroken after losing her husband and my father, she chose to adopt back her maiden name, Hinamori, to dull the pain. However, she gave me Hitsugaya as a surname, in memory of him. Aizen attempted to change it after their marriage, but I refused – it was the one time she fought against him with me." He smiles ruefully at the memory, and she waits, fascinated. "She was always too trusting. Aizen only courted her for half a year before they married; I had turned three by this time, and I still did not like the man."
"For good reason," she growls with malice, unable to keep quiet at the memory of him. He smiles bitterly.
"But she could not see that; she thought he was perfect. Despite the gullibility, however, she did make a very good queen. There was no wars doing her reign, which perhaps might be the reason her subjects allowed her to rule even after the marriage. Though Aizen took over as rightful owner of the throne after she...passed."
"Tell me about her death," she urges, when she realizes he plans on glossing over the details of this. Bottling up the despair is not good for him.
He grits his teeth, unsure of how to get the words out. She waits with uncharacteristic patience, something she reserves only for him.
"I was eight," he tells her finally, still staring straight at the grave marker, "and she was all I had left."
He breaks free of her grip, spins around suddenly, and pulls her into his arm. Her eyes sadden; she herself had missed her mother so terribly after her loss, yet she had had the rest of her family as support. Toushiro had had no one aside from a cruel stepfather and maids too awed by his presence to speak with him properly. She is grateful to be his confidant now, to ease his pain.
She kisses his forehead, running her hand through his hair, down his neck, and finally rests them on his shoulders, encouraging him to continue with a look.
"The healers all assured me it was simply a common case of the influenza virus," he says in a choked whisper, his face and eyes hollow and tearless. She nuzzles her nose against the crook of his neck comfortingly, remaining quiet so to allow him to speak, which she knows is what he needs right now. "They were all confident her health would be back to normal in only a few days time, that it would pass easily. But she was...dead by the next morning. I just don't undertand how it could have happened."
.. ღ ..
Queen Momo coughed loudly. Her throat felt like it was on fire and had been irritating her all morning, despite the earliness of the hour.
"More hot tea, Aizen-sama?" one of her maids suggested, holding up a small pot of herbal tea from its place on the silver tray in her lap.
"No, thank you," the queen replied, shaking her head, though she instantly stopped when she felt her head ache from the action. "I hardly think it is taking any effect at all. My neck is still scorching."
The young maid looked at her forlornly as she set the pot back down, upset that her queen was so ill. Momo noticed her frown and smiled encouragingly.
"There is no need to appear so disheartened, my dear," she assured her, going as far as to reach over and gently pat her hand reassuringly. "The healers have informed me this is nothing more but a trifling common illness. I should be in top shape by the end of this week."
The server brightened a little at this news, offering her a small smile of her own. Hinamori grinned back before leaning against the headboard of the bed she was in and sighing. She had been stuck within this room in the palace infirmary since her first cough yesterday morning, and already she really missed the fresh air and sunlight she could see through the closed window.
"No, no, no, Aizen-sama!" one of the healers had exclaimed at her once, when she caught her trying to open the window. "The air outside may be thick with germs. We must assure your perfect health before you allow yourself such great risks as opening windows."
She had not tried again.
"Is my lovely wife displeased today?"
The smooth voice made her heart begin to suddenly flutter, and her eyes snapped over to the doorway, where the handsome visage of her husband made her stomach drop in a pleasant way.
"Sosuke-sama," she breathed happily, immediately straightening from her backwards lean into a sitting position. Referring to him by his first name still gave her the pleasant chill it had since the first time he had insisted she call him more familiarly, although she still tacked on the '-sama' at the end out of respect and shyness.
"I could hear your sigh of boredom from all the way down the hall, my darling," he chuckled. She blushed slightly and couldn't help the pout that broke out as she crossed her arms across her chest in defense.
"I have been forbidden from leaving this room all day yesterday – I fear today as well – and will be for many more to come," she complained. "If the paleness of my skin is any indication, I miss the sunlight."
Aizen strode over to the bed, pulled her arms free from their rigid posture, and took one hand into his own in a comforting manner.
"I assure you, my dear," he said lightly, "that your skin looks every bit as beautiful as it has for years."
The blush on her face matched that of the young maid's, who was embarrassed at having witnessed such a private, not to mention romantic, scene between the two royals. Mumbling an excuse, she placed the tea tray on Momo's bedside table, bowed low and hastily, and ran out. Aizen chuckled in amusement as he watched her go from the corner of his eyes.
Momo was too caught up in their hand holding to notice that it had a slightly sinister ring to it.
"Sosuke-sama," she managed to gasp out, "how is my Toushiro faring? He has not been allowed to visit with me lest he catch my sickness, and I miss him dearly."
Aizen took a seat next to her bedside in the chair previously occupied by the maid and pulled it a little closer to his wife while still clasping her hand tightly within his own, and gave her a reassuring smile – his warm and genuine smiles always put her at ease.
"He is doing much better since learning of the harmless state of your condition, my dear Momo-chan. He has been fretting very much for your health."
Momo's face fell at this last bit of news, her eyes dropping to her bedsheets at the thought of her baby's sadness.
"Now, now," Aizen tutted, cupping her chin with his free hand and pulling her face back up to look at him "There is no need to look so saddened, my love – such an expression only pierces my heart. You need only to know that the most wondrous of smiles split across his face at the knowledge that you would recover in the week."
Momo's face brightened.
"You are right," she agreed. "I can hug him to myself very soon. The thought puts me at ease."
"And me?" Aizen asked, jokingly. "Do you not wish to hug me to yourself?"
The queen's face went completely red at the question, and she spluttered some gibberish in her panic before blushing and gazing at him lovingly.
"If my Sosuke-sama will permit it," she whispered quietly, sounding slightly mortified at her sudden courage.
Aizen smiled warmly and placed his large hand on the back of her head, guiding her forward. She relented, and when he brought her lips to his own, she clutched the front of his robes tightly, returning the sweet kiss. Her eyelids fluttered shut with her sigh of pleasure.
She did not see that Aizen's own eyes remained open, gazing down at her with a sort of disgust.
When they pulled back, red stained her cheeks, and he chuckled.
"Five years of marriage and you still redden at my touches," he teased.
"B-but, that's only b-because simply being in Aizen-sama's p-presence makes my heart beat uncontrollably!"
"Ah, ah, ah," he suddenly said, waving a finger at her in mock disapproval. "It is 'Sosuke' now, remember?"
"Ah, yes...Sosuke-sama," she corrected herself happily, beaming down at the sheets clutched in her fists.
And then the tender moment was ruined by a sneeze.
"Oh, how heartless of me to forget my own wife's illness," Aizen reprimanded himself, shaking his head. "Here, lie down, love, and I shall make you comfortable. Sleep is the best remedy, after all."
She nodded in agreement and happily obliged, nestling her head into her large, soft pillow.
Aizen stood up off his chair, and leaned over to kiss her forehead tenderly. And then, strangely enough, he reached over and grabbed the unused pillow lying beside her head. She watched the action in confusion. As he clutched the pillow in his hands and looked down at her, his face twisted suddenly with the most evil smirk she had ever seen a man possess, the gleam reaching all the way to his eyes and marring his face into that of a being no longer human. Momo felt her eyes widen and her heart lurch in fear – her Sosuke-sama never looked at her like that. When he spoke, the cruelness on his tongue caused her alarm.
"Sleep well, my dear Momo-chan."
"Sosuke-sama? Why are you – mmnph!"
There was no time to react as the man lunged forward, instantly covering her face with the large pillow.
"Mmm! Mmph?!"
Aizen watched in amusement as the frail female beneath him struggled; she kicked her legs furiously, and her hands were clutching the pillow over her face, trying with all of her weak might to pull it off.
The muffled screams and whimpers got louder, but he only smirked more widely as he pressed the pillow down harder, holding the ends flat against the bed to cut off oxygen supply from anywhere. Then, he laid down upon it, crushing and effectively smothering her.
"Mmph! Mm...hmm..."
The kicks got weaker, the screams got quieter, and soon, she was still, her chest no longer heaving, her limbs relaxing in a way that no conscious person could make them.
For assurance, the bespectacled man kept the pillow firmly in place – after all, what was the point of going through all this trouble to suffocate her if he didn't do it properly? But soon, in his excitement he was unable to wait any longer, and he pulled the pillow off.
The still and ghostly face of Queen Aizen Momo awaited him underneath. Her eyes were still open in widened shock, terror and panic still etched into the wrinkles and outlines of her face.
He placed a hand on her cheek, smoothing out her face into a more serene expression, and then placed two fingers on each eyelid, which he pulled down roughly. It looked like she had passed on peacefully in her sleep, though he had to be sure.
He reached over and placed a hand above her nose and mouth – no breaths. He grasped her dainty and still wrist in his palms and placed two fingers on the edge – no pulse. For good measure, he grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked as hard as he could – no cry of pain.
The evil smirk changed to one that was victorious.
"Gin," his deep voice cut through the silence.
"Aizen-sama?" his advisor's voice answered immediately. He waited in the doorway, where he had stood through the entire murder secretly to keep watch for maids or healers as planned. His fox-like grin was still on his face as he took in the dead body of the previous ruler. If anything, it grew wider.
Aizen didn't even bother turning around, didn't even bother lifting his triumphant gaze from the still corpse of his deceased victim.
"It seems my lovely wife has died so suddenly from her terrible illness. Go tell the maids and the brat, would you? I have a crown to inherit."
Well, I've had this one done for a long time, and now that it fits into the storyline, I can finally put it up! I wasn't really sure how I did with this one, though. I forced my sister to read this for me, and though she didn't really care, she did say that Aizen was super creepy. Which I think is a good thing, since that was what I was going for ^^'
A lot of you guessed that maybe Ryou was Leoan, and actually, that's pretty close, since he was helping them. But, he was one hundred percent human! And a good guy. I'll explain it when I get it all figured out myself :P