Toshiro and Uryu were just reviving from the stunning spell when Grimmjow drug Orihime in. She'd been crying and she trembled slightly in his grip. Toshiro heard the angry grunt from Uryu behind him and he too felt a stir of emotion but he swallowed it and settled his eyes on the true enemy in the room, Aizen. He jerked in Uluqiorra's grip but could do nothing to reach his foe. Uryu beside him was also struggling in Ichimaru's grasp but to no avail.
"You know how this is going to play out." Aizen smiled at Toshiro and Ichimaru shoved Uryu to the floor in the centre of the room. He looked to Grimmjow expectantly.
"Grimmjow."
"I thought–"
"You thought you would just drop her off and walk away while someone else got to do the dirty work. Its been a while since you've proven your worth to me Grimmjow. Do it."
There was the slightest hesitation before he shoved Orihime to the ground as well. Uryu instantly grabbed her and pulled her into his arms even though he knew it would not protect her.
Ichimaru raised a hand pointed in their direction. A momement later Grimmjow did too.
"What will it be Toshiro? Will you let the humans suffer just to keep your secrets?"
Toshiro shook with rage and somehow managed to break from the small arrancar's grasp. Uluqiorra didn't pursure the little captain though when Aizen raised his hand.
"So much anger, but you know you are the one who can end this."
Toshiro's hands were in fists, he was shaking from head to toe but at the same time paralysed by his decision.
"I won't wait forever." Aizen smiled and nodded to Grimmjow. He began to build a cero, a weak one, not enough to kill a human but it would cause a lot of pain.
"Decide Toshiro."
Grimmjow's eyes locked onto Orihime's. She stared bravely into the light of his cero. He clenched his jaw and tried to keep his arm from shaking.
"DECIDE!"
The explosion whizzed past Toshiro and struck the far wall. Chunks of stone crashed to the floor and filled the room with dust.
"What the Hell was that Grimmjow?" Aizen growled.
"Sorry my lord, I lost control, it would have killed them." Grimmjow averted his eyes from his master.
Aizen turned from him in anger.
"Gin."
"Yes Captain." He smiled even wider and Uryu and Orhime flinched in anticipation.
"WAIT!"
The room went still. Toshiro finally stopped shaking and met the eyes of the traitor.
"Wait." he repeated more softly.
"You've decided then?"
"I have."
"Excellent."
"Let them go first."
"Not a chance."
Toshiro looked between Aizen and the prisoners. He really had no choice.
"Fine." He took one last look at the humans. Orihime was hugging Uryu tightly, looking in the opposite direction at Grimmjow but the Quincy's eyes were locked on his. He just barely nodded, the light flashing off his glasses, and Toshiro knew he understood.
He wished he could give them hope, give them a chance, but instead he could only hope to spare them a painful death while protecting the rest of the world from Aizen. He looked back to Aizen and raised his hands to his temples.
The Lord of Los Noches watched the white haired captain concentrate deeply. His already pale face grew taught with the strain and fatigue. It didn't matter. As soon as the memories were his he would have no use for the boy.
"Be careful Toshiro. Don't try any tricks or I will finish what I started."
Toshiro did not answer. Instead he flinched and a small cry escaped his lips as he fell to his knees.
"Hitsugaya!" Aizen let Gin go first to inspect him. Toshiro remained with his eyes closed, hands clutched tight to his temples.
"I don't know what he's doing my lord."
Aizen strode forward and heard the faintest whisper of a kido incantation under the boy's breath. He only needed to hear a few words to recognize the same incantation Yamamoto had been using just before he'd captured Toshiro.
"No. Hitsugaya!" Aizen grabbed Toshiro's wrists and yanked them away from his head but it was at that very same second that the young captain had finished his spell.
For one brief moment Aizen and Toshiro looked at each other, then the spell erupted in the room.
In being interrupted, the spell did not stay contained within Toshiro's own mind as he had intended. It spread through the room like a shock wave. Toshiro and Aizen fell next to one another, Gin and Uluqiorra right behind them. Grimmjow slumped against the wall and Orihime felt Uryu's weight relax against her.
She blinked. For some reason she was the only one still awake in the room.
Orihime are you alright? It was the voice of Lily, one of her six shun shun rika.
"What happened Lily?"
We were only able to form the Santen Kesshun around your mind before the spell rebounded.
"Rebounded?"
Captain Hitsugaya attempted to erase his own memory but when Aizen interrupted him it rebounded on the rest of the room. You must escape now while you can.
"Okay."
Orihime shook Uryu, still in her arms.
"Uryu, please wake up. Please."
The violent motion was enough and Uryu's eyes fluttered open behind his glasses.
"Who– who are you?"
"Oh Uryu tell me you remember me."
"O-Orihime?"
"Yes its me! You remember?"
"But how can it be? You're so old!"
"What?"
Uryu pulled out of her grasp.
"What happened to you?"
"Uryu, calm down." His usually calm face was full of emotion, and confusion. He reached up to adjust his glasses and seemed startled by his own hand. He looked down at himself.
"Ah, I'm old too!" He looked at his uniform. "In highschool?"
"Uryu, how old do you think you are?"
"I'm eleven."
"Oh." She stared at him quietly unsure of what to say to that.
"Orihime what happened to us?" his voice was quiet, timid.
"I'm not exactly sure, but we've got to get out of here okay?"
He nodded and took her hand when she offered hers.
"What the Hell is going on?"
A gruff voice from the corner made them both jump.
"Gr-Grimmjow." The arrancar rubbed his head, running sharp fingers through blue hair, then settled his eyes on the girl.
"Do I know you?"
"Yes."
"Okay. Let me rephrase. Who are you?"
"My name is Orihime." She let go of Uryu's hand and nodded to him to stay put while she carefully came to Grimmjow's side. "Do you remember me?"
"No." He looked around at the other bodies and then down at himself.
"What the hell am I wearing?" He pulled at the jacket and noticed the six tattoo on his back. He craned his neck over his shoulder to see it better. "Okay, I want some answers, now."
"Please try to stay calm. We have to get out of here. Its...dangerous."
He stared up at her for a moment, considering the situation.
"I don't trust you. Those guys over there are dressed like me. You're dressed different. Seems to me something went wrong in this room and you're trying to take advantage of the situation. Who are you? What's going on?"
Ichimaru stirred behind them, Orihime knew they had to leave soon.
"Grimmjow please help me."
He couldn't help but get drawn into those watery eyes for an instant. Something reacted deep inside him, he felt an inkling of recognition.
Then there was a deafening noise followed by a blinding explosion. Grimmjow opened his eyes to see a shimmering golden shield protecting him.
Orihime stood behind her shield and spotted the attacker. Uluqiorra. He was already in his resurrection form. He stared unseeing at her and the others in the room.
"That guy's lost it."
"Grimmjow please, we need to leave. Help me!"
Uluqiorra directed a black cero at them. His expression was completely void when he unleashed it. It hit Orihime's shield after only travelling a few feet. The impact was too much for the girl, her shield shattered and she collapsed unconscious into Grimmjow's arms.
"Orhime!" A soot covered teen crawled his way toward the girl and gasped her hand. Grimmjow looked from him to the girl and then to the monster attacking. There wasn't much choice.
"Time to get out of here. Hold on kid." Uryu clutched tight to Orihime's hand and Grimmjow in turn held the girl firmly against his chest. He Sodinoed out of the chamber, though a network of caves until they found themselves in the forest beyond.
...
Two men and a boy awoke to the feeling of intense heat. Toshiro saw a figure among the flames, just a dark outline but he thought he saw horns. What the Hell is that?"
He pushed himself to his knees and noticed two others stirring.
"What happened?" one had white hair and small eyes. The second was hard to tell through the soot and smoke but looked to have brown hair. Toshiro coughed in the smoke and the others noticed him for the first time.
Everyone was confused but there was no questioning they had to get out of this place now. The white haired man crawled to the door and shoved it open. Toshiro tried to follow but his eyes were streaming with tears and he could hardly see anything.
"This way." He felt a strong arm on his shoulder and followed its guidance. It seemed like miles they crawled by the time they hit open air. They looked back to see the entrance to a cave nearly completely lost in smoke.
"Where are we Captain?" The one with white hair– now practically black– asked the one with brown but he didn't respond.
"Captain Aizen?"
"Me?"
"Yes. What's happened?"
"I don't know. I have no memory."
"I know. Last thing I remember is training with the squad and then bam, we're here."
"No." said the other firmly. "I mean I have no memories at all. I have no idea who I am."
The white haired man's narrow eyes parted and his mouth opened in shock.
"Nor me." Toshiro added quietly, looking at neither men.
The only man with memories collected himself quickly. "I'm Gin Ichimaru, third seat of the fifth division."
"Division of what?" the boy asked.
"Are you kidding me–" his eye narrowed, if possible and he moved closer to the boy, wiping the dirt off his back. He uncovered a white hiori with the number ten on it.
"No way. This is the squad ten uniform. But you aren't the captain I know."
"It seems something has tampered with our memories." Aizen said. He looked to the boy.
"What do you remember?"
"Nothing. Just...a name."
"What?"
"Toshiro Hitsugaya. I think that's me."
"Toshiro." Aizen said the name slowly and looked to Gin but the other did not recognize it. "Well no matter what we do or do not remember, I think we should get a little further from this fire."
The two younger men nodded.
"Agreed."
The three struggled unsteadily to their feet and disappeared into the trees.