Shout-out to EternalDream for doing the beta!
Standard Disclaimers Apply
The Ties That Binds
Chapter 18
The moment Toshirou Hitsugaya entered the Sixth Division compound; he was immediately greeted by a lower seated Shinigami who escorted him straight into Byakuya Kuchiki's office. He simply acknowledged the presence of the Shinigami and entered the room, not surprised to see Shinji Hirako already in there.
"What took you so long? I expected you to get here before me," Shinji said with a smirk as the white haired Shinigami ignored him and looked straight at Byakuya.
"You were the one that requested Hinamori to be present at the interrogation. Why?"
Byakuya returned Toshirou's icy glare with a look of indifference. "Her proficiency in kidou and her knowledge about the kidou wielded by the Taira Clan would have been an asset to us, and not even you can deny that her presence there has saved us all." At his silence, Byakuya continued. "It was never my intention to have her relationship with Aizen be discovered. Had I any suspicion they knew, I would have proceeded differently. I am assuming that Hinamori-fukotaichou has confirmed Hideyoshi's insinuations?"
Shinji clenched his fists upon seeing Toshirou nod stiffly. There was always something about Aizen that he did not like and had never trusted. But not even he could have suspected that Aizen would form a relationship with his lieutenant, regardless if it was romantic or simply for pleasure. He'd known Aizen long enough that he knew it was the latter, and that the pleasure with the knowledge that he could twist a person's mind, heart, and soul to his desire had led him to seduce Momo.
"Has Hinamori deciphered everything in the book?" Toshirou inquired abruptly, to shift the focus of the conversation, and Byakuya shook his head.
"She is close. With the disc we have recovered from Hideyoshi's Zanpakuto, it should not take long for her to complete her task. Hisagi-fukotaichou has been tracking and reporting her progress since they began."
Toshirou's eyes narrowed. "He was sent to spy on Hinamori?"
"Hinamori-fukotaichou is well aware of why Hisagi-fukotaichou is with her. The presence of another high-seated Shinigami was required to be with her at all times. I would have assumed you would be pleased that the assignment was taken up by someone Hinamori-fukotaichou calls a friend."
"Will Hinamori be allowed to continue to decipher the book with Hideyoshi's revelation?"
"There is not much of a choice, whether people are unhappy knowing of her past discretions or not. Even if Hinamori-fukotaichou has written down everything she has discovered, there is no one who comes close to her technical expertise. Her defensive actions during Hideyoshi's attack is proof of that. To relieve her of this task would be pure foolishness. If she can fully uncover all the kidou in that book, and the Quincy's hypothesis is correct, we can find a cure for the Soul Poison."
"Yet you have doubts," Toshirou observed. Byakuya may seem like a stoic, cold man to most, but Toshirou had been around him long enough to decipher his moods and mannerisms.
"It is no secret that even to this day, Hinamori-fukotaichou's loyalty has been in question by certain members of the council. By now, they will have been informed of what Hideyoshi revealed, and they will use this to their advantage. It is more than likely that they will simply choose another Shinigami to finish what Hinamori-fukotaichou has started."
"I am assuming you have her safely hidden away in your division?" Shinji asked. In his mind, he was already plotting what their next step would be. He knew he hadn't been wrong in his assumption that Seireitei had not changed a bit since he was first exiled.
Toshirou nodded his head. "I have instructed Matsumoto so stay close to Hinamori. Every Shinigami in my division will be in the lookout for any hint or presence of the Onmitsukido."
"Well, they're gonna have to find me if they want to speak with her again," Shinji said in an almost lazy manner as he stretched his arms behind him. "Better go and make things a little more difficult, ne? I still have a lot of work to do."
The two captains watched the blond Vizard walk out of the room. Toshirou returned his attention to Byakuya. "Do you know what they have planned for Hinamori?"
"No, I do not," Byakuya replied truthfully. "But we both have our own suspicions of what could happen next."
"They already tried. Had it not been for Hirako-taichou's intervention…"
"I was under the impression that it was your intervention that stopped them from taking Hinamori-fukotaichou."
Toushiro scowled. "Hinamori would've just walked straight back with them."
"She would not have you jeopardize your position, Hitsugaya-taichou, regardless of how unnecessary it would have been."
Toushiro looked at Byakuya, one eyebrow raised in question at the other man's words.
"It is no secret that you are believed to be the reincarnation of the Heavenly Guardian." Byakuya raised his hands when Toushiro opened his mouth to protest. "Whether you believe it or not is not important. What is important is what theybelieve. Hinamori-fukotaichou, as unjust as it may be, is seen as expendable despite her expertise in kidou. But you are not. You hold more power than you think, Hitsugaya-taichou. Use it well."
Not knowing how to respond to that, Toushiro simply bowed his head respectfully as he took in the extent and weight of Byakuya's words. "I need to speak to the council. Will you help me get an audience with them, Byakuya-taichou?"
Byakuya waved his hand elegantly as if gaining an audience was nothing. "I will send word to you once it is arranged."
Toushiro again bowed his head to Byakuya. "Arigato, Byakuya-taichou."
-0-0-0-0-
Ichigo opened the shoji as quietly as he could and stepped in the room he shared with his family, courtesy of Byakuya. He stepped inside and slid the shoji shut and watched as his son slept underneath Orihime's shield. He looked at Orihime in concerned, but she smiled at him to ease his worries.
"He's okay, Ichigo-kun. Byakuya-san explained that all the reiatsu that Sora-chan can sense is making him uneasy. Hinagiku and Lily are just blocking all the other reiatsu."
"He can sense that much already?" Ichigo asked in awe. His heart melted for their son.
Orihime grinned in response. He sat next to her and welcomed her chaste kiss. "Have you seen your father?"
"Unohana-taicho won't let me see him until tomorrow. Ishida said it was too soon to tell."
Orihime wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled her cheek to his broad chest. "I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful."
"Don't do this to yourself, Hime," Ichigo whispered as he returned the embrace and rested his cheek on her head. "It's not your fault, and you stopped it from spreading. You gave my dad a chance, and because of that we have a chance at finding a cure."
"Has Urahara-san said anything," she hesitated for a split second, "about getting Yuzu-chan back?"
"No. Not yet," he responded gruffly. "He thinks the disc on the Zanpakuto can act as a compass as well. He's been looking for Hinamori to see if she can activate it or something, but no one can seem to find her."
"Is she alright?"
He scowled. "No one would say anything. Last time people saw her she was on her way to the Fourth Division with Toushiro. No one has seen her since."
"I'm sure Hitsugaya-kun would know where she is then, or even Hirako-kun."
"Renji has offered to look for them in the mean time. I just wanted to see how you both were. Karin is already sleeping next door."
"Don't worry about us, Ichigo-kun. We're fine. I'll look after Karin. As soon as Rukia comes back, I'll visit your father again and maybe Ayame and Shun-o can do more."
Ichigo moved a little further away and ran his hands through Orihime's hair as he kissed her lips before pressing his forehead against hers, his hands cradling her head. "I just need…I just need to be with you, even for a short moment."
Orihime looked at Ichigo. She saw in his his eyes that he was conflicted at wanting to seek comfort when his father's life was hanging by a thread and his sister abducted. She guided him to rest next to Sora as she lay down next to his stretched out body.
"Everything will be okay, Ichigo-kun. We will find a way. Just rest for a moment," she whispered. She settled his head against her shoulders as she wrapped her arms around him. "Just rest."
She felt his hands settle against her waist as he kissed her neck. They didn't speak or move, but when she felt Ichigo's breathing became a steady rhythm, she expanded her shield to cover Ichigo. She stood up, careful not to wake either of her boys from their slumber. She may not have been able to help in finding Yuzu, but she'd do everything she could to find a way to help Isshin. Taking another look at the sleeping father and son, Orihime could not help but smile at the picture they presented.
"Look after them, Hinagaku, Lily—please?"
The shield blinked in agreement, and Orihime whispered her thanks before she walked out of the room.
-0-0-0-0-
Inside his room, Mamoru watched as Yuzu slept on his bed, with Phobos and Deimos perched on the headboard. He could feel their interest in the girl, and he had always wondered about how quickly his two guardians formed an attachment to her. When his grandfather first gave him Phobos and Deimos, it took more than a year for the crows to acknowledge him as their master. And yet, in a space of a few weeks, his crows had shown Yuzu their respect, affection, and their protection—something that he had had to earn through time.
He knew that her memories were now gone, and it would be a miracle to get them all back intact. He could still remember when he looked through her mind, and found a family that loved and protected her. The family in her memories now were distant; there was no laughter or spending time with her father playing around the park. Her memories now consisted of calligraphy, music and etiquette lessons, all intended to prepare her for her for the life of a Taira.
His hands slowly drifted towards her and brushed the strands of her hair obstructing her face.
He knew he had a very limited time in finding a way to keep her safe, as well as keep his word to Seishiro. He had already pushed Seishiro to the limits, and he knew his brother well enough that if he did not keep his end of the bargain, Yuzu would pay for his mistake.
Deimos fluttered next to him, and he shook his head at his guardian's suggestion.
"She loved you then, and she can love you now. Your brother may have manipulated her memories, but not even he can manipulate her heart."
"I have acted dishonestly in claiming that love. I will not do so again. If she will love me, it will be because she knows who I really am; I will not allow her to feel any affection towards me when her memory has been manipulated into believing that she belongs to me."
Phobos nodded his head in agreement with Mamoru's words. Deimos simply walked next to Yuzu and gently rubbed his wings against her cheeks.
"I want her to stay."
Before Phobos or Mamoru could respond, they all felt another presence just outside the barrier Mamoru had erected. His shoulders tensed as he felt the presence hover just outside his room. He quickly stood up and grabbed his Zanpakuto to face the intruder. His eyes narrowed as he saw Nadeshiko standing outside with a scowl on her face as he left his room and faced the angry woman.
"You are wasting your reiatsu erecting a barrier to protect that human."
"What do you want, Nadeshiko?"
Nadeshiko's scowl deepened as she looked behind the closed door. "Why are you protecting her? How could you choose someone over your own people?"
Mamoru, tired of repeating the same words over and over again, sighed and said a mental mantra to keep from snapping at her. "I am protecting her because she never should have been brought here. I have said this more than once, Nadeshiko. I have never supported the war against Soul Society."
"You were willing to risk exposing our location for that human!" Nadeshiko accused.
"I heard how you threatened Seishiro-sama!"
"And what would you have me do, Nadeshiko? Allow her to be used as a pawn when she should never have been involved in the first place?"
"You involved her!" Nadeshiko snapped at Mamoru. "If you stayed away from her, she would never have gotten involved. She is not even of any significance in this war! She has barely any reiatsu. She was never of any interest to us until you became interested in her!" Mamoru froze and tightened his hold on his Zanpakuto. At his silence, Nadeshiko knew she'd spoke the truth. "Are you really joining the attack against Soul Society?" She looked at him with suspicion.
"I gave my word to Seishiro," Mamoru responded neutrally as Nadeshiko continued to glare at him.
"I will never understand why Masurao-ousama could ever choose you over Seishiro-sama. You are not fit to lead this clan back to glory! That throne belongs to our clan! Our lineage! Have you no respect for the history of our people?"
"I respect the lives of our people. What good is it to respect the history of our people if their lives are needlessly lost?"
"We have the Soul Poison, we can win this war!"
"That poison was not invented to be used in such a manner!"
Any words Nadeshiko was going to say was cut off as they both heard a squawk inside the room.
"Is there anything else you wish to say to me, Nadeshiko?"
The woman glared hatefully at the youngest Taira brother. "You had better keep your word Mamoru, or else…"
"Or else what?" Mamoru challenged when Nadeshiko left her words hanging. "Do not threaten me, Nadeshiko."
"I am not threatening you. I will finish that human off if you do not hold your end of the bargain. You cannot protect her at every second."
"And then what, Nadeshiko? You will run to Ichigo Kurosaki and tell him what you've done?" Mamoru asked and watched as her face paled. "Do you think that your actions will earn his affections?"
"What…I have no idea what you are saying," she denied, surprised that he had noticed.
"You were a fool to allow yourself be compromised when you were sent on that seduction mission, Nadeshiko. I know of your failure, and your inability to accept Ichigo's loyalty to the woman he left behind. You never acknowledged that Ichigo's heart had already been given and that not even time or distance away from Orihime-san could have ever tempted him."
"You don't know what you are talking about!" Nadeshiko snapped. She felt the nape of her neck burn in anger.
"I don't? Although you were correct in your earlier assumption, Nadeshiko—I cannot protect Yuzu every second—but one slip from me is all it that will take for you to get your second chance. I will, however, ask you this, Nadeshiko. What will Ichigo Kurosaki do to you when he discovers what you have done?"
"He will not hurt me—" she tried.
"And his hollow?" Mamoru interrupted. "You know full well that no matter what he has done, his hollow has always managed to escape from whatever bonds Ichigo has tried to control it with. And this is years into the future. What will this timeline's Ichigo do? This Ichigo has not reached the same level of training the Ichigo we know has. You have read all the reports about Ichigo Kurosaki. You tell me what he will do to the one that harms his sister."
Mamoru did not wait for a response and turned around to leave Nadeshiko in her thoughts. The moment he walked inside his room, he stopped and watched Yuzu daintily get out of his bed and begin to fix her kimono.
"Yuzu."
The girl looked up in surprise and immediately bowed her head. "Mamoru-sama.
"She was never of any interest to us until you became interested in her!"
Mamoru tried to shut Nadeshiko's voice out of his head as he focused on Yuzu. She looked at him in embarrassment.
"Did you sleep well?"
"I did," Yuzu replied. "Thank you for letting me stay, Mamoru-sama. It was most kind."
"Don't," Mamoru stopped her, and she looked uncomfortable. "There is no need to address me in that manner."
"Oh, but...it would not be appropriate. And I really need to return to my own quarters. I do not want to intrude…"
"You are not intruding. This is the safest place for you to stay."
At his words, Yuzu nodded and took a deep breath before she spoke. "I do not wish to be the cause of a rift between you and your brother. I do not understand what is going on, but I feel that I am unworthy of your protection, especially when I can see that it is causing your brother to be angry with you."
Mamoru's jaw clenched. The way she spoke was wrong. The way she stood, and the way she acted, was not the Yuzu he knew, the Yuzu that he loved. But the moment her eyes met his, he felt his heart beat faster, and it brought that strange sensation back in his chest as Deimos flew above him before perching on his shoulders.
"What would be so bad in keeping her? You will keep her safe and make her happy, right? This is your second chance, Mamoru-sama."
"Deimos! Yuzu-sama has been taken away from her family! You know how much they mean to her, even that brat of a nephew! It would be dishonorable for Mamoru-sama to take advantage of her."
"Mamoru-sama?" Yuzu asked hesitantly, and tried not to back away when Mamoru approached her.
"You are not unworthy of anything, least of all my protection. But my decision will stand; you will stay here as long as it is necessary. Deimos will stay with you at all times," Mamoru told her softly as Deimos flew from his shoulders and landed on Yuzu's with a squawk.
Yuzu nodded reluctantly and Mamoru raised his hand hesitantly to gently touch her face.
"I am sorry for what has happened. Had I suspected it would come to this, I would have stayed away."
"I don't understand what you are saying, Mamoru-s—" Yuzu whispered, her words cut of as Mamoru's thumb gently touched her mouth to stop the honorific from leaving her lips.
The two of them stood silently until Mamoru reluctantly moved away from Yuzu. "Ask Deimos for anything you need. He will provide them for you. Deimos, you know what to do."
Deimos nodded, and Mamoru turned around to walk away. Hs hands itched to touch her skin again.
Hidden behind the canopy of trees, Aizen frowned. His initial plan had failed; he had underestimated the youngest Taira's resolve to protect Ichigo's sister. However, the exchange between Nadeshiko and Mamoru proved interesting. If he could plant enough seeds of doubt in Seishiro's head, it would not take long for the idea to take root. Mamoru had already angered his brother. It would not require too much effort to make Seishiro believe that Mamoru would not honor his words in attacking Soul Society. With the plan already finalized in his head, Aizen smiled as he leaped to the roof and back to his own room.
Seritae would be under his command before the end of the week, and it would be Seishiro and his people who would deliver him his victory.
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And another chapter is done! Thank you for reading! Please review and comment, they will be much appreciated!
Guest: Hope you liked the IchiHime moment in this chapter! I was aiming for shocking people in regards to Hinamori, and there are more shocks to come!
Guest2: If you doubled on the review, all good to me! I hope that I can keep you excited as more chapters come around!
OrihimeKurosakiInoue: hehehe! Surprised? ;)
melnel: I just had to use it! And glad that you liked it too!
nypsy: Shinji is a very interesting character, especially being the former Captain and his past with Aizen. Hope you like what I have in my sleeve when it comes to Shinji! And that Byakuya scene was not in the earlier version, but I'm now glad that I added it in with your comment!
RainingLight1: Ta! And I am now glad that I added that Byakuya scene since there have been some appreciation about it!
DeathBerryLover1995: Yep, Shiro is pissed, but he'll be pissed even more! You got me
Ermilus: Thanks for enjoying the fic that much! Ayame's twist will be revealed... eventually!
Though I can say that no, Momo is not pregnant. Not in this fic at least!
Xtremefairy: Thank you! I'll reveal if it worked or not shortly!
Once again, thank you all!