17 Ways of Erase and Rewind
Disclaimer: Bleach does not belong to me.
Special thanks to my Beta Chancewriter who makes my crazy ideas understandable and readable. You're THE best!
Warning: SPOILER ALERT! This story is up to date with manga 423: Farewall swords. A/N at the bottom, italics are for thoughts, and some cursing but nothing major.
I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly.
I'll do what it takes till I touch the sky.
Out of the darkness and into the sun.
But I won't forget all the ones that I love.
I'll take a risk, take a chance,
Make a change.
Chapter 10: Breakaway
"Hirako Shinji." The Sou Taichou said solemnly, looking from his 1st Division desk at the blonde leader of the Vizards who was standing in front of him. "What you are asking me is preposterous and unheard of."
"I'm fully aware of that." The ex-Taichou answered with a light tone in his voice, but looking his former superior right in the eyes.
Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni was having a very bad day. First he had to endure –and lecture– those three brats who didn't appreciate the meaning of the Captain's haori, and now this. The leader of the 1st squad sighed.
Maybe I'm getting too old for this he thought closing his eyes.
But remembering the importance of the meeting with the Vizard he reopened his eyes, massaged his temple with his only hand, and said, "You have 24 hours and not a minute more."
.
The eight Vizards had made the 8th Division squad, their home away from home, taking advantage of the amicability of Kyoraku Shunshui and Lisa's power of persuasion. Although each of them came and went as they pleased, they came back to sleep to that barracks. It was not the only division that had approached them to offer a place to stay in Seireitei while they were recovering. The 5th Division that was lead by the lieutenant Hinamori Momo, at the moment, had respectfully proposed to the former Captain, Hirako Shinji, to sleep there, but he had declined because at the time he was sleeping in the 4th Division and taking care of Hiyori. Also Ukitake on the 13th, had told them he had a lot of space due to the extensive grounds that Division owned, but the Vizards had denied that offer as well. The last one to try to give them a place to stay was the Fukutaichou of the 9th Division, a serious, tall man with dark gray eyes and short black hair and three scars straight over his eye that led down to his right cheek. Apparently this Shinigami was a complete Kensei fanboy due a rescue the Vizard had done in the past when he was a Captain. The lieutenant was so obsessed with Kensei that he had even tattooed "69" on his left cheek. Of course Mashiro being the smart cookie that she was had made the poor Shinigami her personal maid, but all the other Vizards including Kensei had preferred to keep their distance.
But at that moment, after a month after the fight with Aizen had passed and all the injuries had been successfully healed, seven of the Vizards had stayed together in a boardroom while Shinji had agreed to have a meeting with the Sou Taichou. But being the great host that Kyoraku-Taichou was, he was there chatting with some of them, and being the strict lieutenant that she was, Ise Nanao was there too trying to drag, in vain, his Captain to his office.
"So like I was saying to Ukitake the other day, haoris should be made of colors that would make them more stylish and harder to lose."
Mashiro, Rose and Hachi were truly invested in the conversation, while Lisa was doing echoes of Nanao complaints and remarks about the curly haired man's laziness. Love was reading manga ignoring everyone's presence. Kensei was taking off and putting on his hand bands to relieve his boredom. And Hiyori was sitting on the frame of the window with one leg falling to the side and the other one close to her chest, her eyes and mind completely lost in the view of the Seireitei.
"I bet it hasn't changed that much since you were here last time" A female voice woke the blonde girl from her thoughts.
"Rangiku." Hiyori acknowledged the presence of the woman, and the girl chuckled. "No it hasn't change at all."
The lieutenant smiled and said in a much enjoyable tone, "I heard you all were having a party and I thought about inviting myself! Kyoraku-Taichou's parties are THE best," and began laughing.
The blonde Vizard stuck her left fang to her lips and sweat dropped.
"And besides," the beautiful woman ruffled her glossy orange-blonde hair and spoke seriously again, "I could use the distraction."
Hiyori only looked at the lieutenant with her usual frown trying to read her expression. The girl didn't know what to tell her. Was Hiyori sad that Ichimaru was gone? Not really, but she understood, or tried to, the inner turmoil of the woman in front of her. The blond Vizard even got the fact that she was trying to cover her suffering with humor, after all Hiyori had covered hers with anger.
Because the human inside of us does what is needed to continue living Hiyori thought, looking at her without blinking.
In a second after muttering those words, Rangiku had recovered her usual cheeriness. "But I tried to drag my Taichou too, and he didn't want to come. I want him to get to know you Hiyori. I bet you two can make a cute couple one day."
A deathly silence had appeared in the room and everyone was able to listen to the last part of Rangiku's speech, and almost everyone in the room grinned.
Hiyori's blush covered her face, ears and neck. "W-what did you say?" Maybe the blonde girl had misunderstood the 10th Division Fukutaichou's words.
"Ah? What's the problem?" Matsumoto blinked a couple of times and had a mischievous look in her eyes. "I thought I saw a spark there in your fight against the Espada"
"Weren't you unconscious by that time?" Nanao as a normal victim of Rangiku's teasing felt bad for the girl in the window.
"Nanao-chan be quiet I want to hear this." Kyoraku intervened placing a finger to her mouth to silence her. The aforementioned woman scowled and slapped his finger away.
Lisa's own playful smile was painted on her lips "I was there, I saw that undeniable chemistry and exchange of touches." And she readjusted her glasses.
The blond Vizard's color in her face had gone beyond crimson and she jumped to the floor "WHAT? YOU SAW WHAT?" If looks could kill, Hiyori would have the same amount of victims of Aizen or even more.
Rangiku got close to the girl and started elbowing her. "There's no need to deny it, love that strong can conquer all. Or do you have a different secret suitor?"
Suddenly the door flew open and Shinji's lean form entered the room. The feeling of the place changed in an instant and without a word Kyoraku, Nanao and Rangiku were practically out the door in a flash step. Hiyori decided to re-take her position in the window but facing the people inside instead of the Soul Society view; forgetting her embarrassment and scowling deeply. Shinji's face doesn't look like good news to us the girl thought.
All other activities forgotten, the seven Vizards awaited, not so patiently, the outcome of the talk between the blond and the Sou Taichou. Shinji grabbed a chair and moved to take a seat in a sideway of the furniture.
He sighed.
He moved some bangs out of his eyes.
Took a deep breath…
And he was punched by a red sandal in the face.
"Stop playing drama king! Tell us already!" Hiyori screamed at him.
"Stupid! You ruined my dramatic effect!" and he directed a glare to her, but in a moment he exchanged his expression for a more serious one. "So all the charges are dropped just like in Kisuke's, Tessai's and Yoruichi's case."
Some smiles could be seen and Shinji continued without letting anyone (namely Hiyori) interrupt. "There is more. They want us back, reinstalled with full tittles to fill the gaps and reorganize the squads."
"What did you answer?" Love inquired.
"I said that I couldn't." Shinji's brown orbs traveled the room. "This decision is a personal one that each of us has to make for ourselves, so the Sou Taichou wants to see us in..." and he checked his black wrist watch "… 23 hours, 39 minutes and 8, not 7, not 6 seconds..."
"Che. Act like nothing had happened. That is such a Shinigami thing to do." Kensei muttered with an annoyed expression.
"I really believe this decision has to be made by everyone of us independently, so take your time and evaluate the pros and the cons." Shinji voiced.
"What happens if we decline the offer?"Rose was the one who talked next. "We would be considered rogue Shinigamis?"
"No. They would make an exception with us for all the trouble they had put us through. His words not mine, so don't give me that look Lisa."
Some other unimportant questions were asked to Shinji by the other Vizards, but not even a strong sigh was coming from the loudest of them, the pigtailed girl in the window that had shifted her gaze to look at the sunset in the Seireitei.
One by one all the Vizards gave flunky excuses to leave the room. The decision they had to make was a hard one and time alone would help figure the situation out. They all left except for two: the blond on the window and the blond in the seat sideway.
He thought she was completely focused on her thoughts, so the sound of her voice asking him a question surprised him. "What are you going to choose Shinji?"
Simple, direct and blunt. Classic Hiyori.
He stood up and started walking until he reached the window and moved his arms around her petit frame. "Dunno yet."
"Liar." She still didn't look at him. Her eyes fixed in an imaginary point in the already black sky.
Shinji moved his face to the side and placed a kiss on her cheek. "So, you and Hitsugaya are a couple, how sweet. I wish you crazy kids happin-"
One blow from her elbow to his stomach made him drop to the floor. "Dumbass."
She jumped again to get down from the window and sat in the floor in a butterfly position facing his fallen form. "You'll have the 5th again..."
He sat too, still touching his bruise stomach. "Probably. The Sou Taichou didn't say in which Division we would be assigned."
"… and I'll be cleaning the Alien's toilets."
Shinji rolled his eyes. "Didn't you listen? Reinstalled with full tittles, dummy. Did Kisuke made you do that? Because you didn't tell me that. I'm sure it would've been a great story."
"He hates me Shinji. HATES ME!" Even if he had tried to distract her, Hiyori kept talking about the current Taichou of the 12th Division, Kurotsuchi Mayuri.
"You hate him too." Another roll of the eyes.
"Well, that's true." And she sighed. "You're not telling me what you are going to do, aren´t you?"
"I already told you I don't know." Idiot it has to be your decision and if I tell you mine you just copy it to be with me. I want you to be happy Hiyori. And he put one hand on the top of her head. "I'm starving. Make me something to eat."
Hiyori's left eye twitched. "Make you something to eat?" and she removed his hand from her head with a hit. "Make it yourself, lazy moron!"
He grinned and pulled her to his lap. The girl's initial reaction was to push his invasive hands off of her, but she finally gave in to his wishes.
"You keep pulling me like I'm your rag doll, Shinji. For once can you ask me to sit down in between your legs?" She said scowling.
"And you'll do it, dutifully, right?"
"Yes I will." She said sarcastically.
He chuckled. "If you do not want to make my dinner, I will have to do yours."
Hiyori eyes panicked. "Okay, okay you do not have to resort to those horrible threats. I'll do it and I'll do it fast."
"C'mon my food is not that bad." The tall Vizard said with a reproachful expression.
The girl started to count with her fingers. "There was the salty rice, the raw tonkatsu, the rotten fish cakes, the burned chicken, the black Misoshiru. Do you want me to go on because I can remember more?" He didn't answer; instead he got up, unceremoniously throwing her into the ground. "Let's go brat." She got up ignoring his rude gesture only because she was talking about one of her favorite topics: Things that Hirako 'I'm always perfect' Shinji did wrong. "Honestly Baldy I would like to know how you made a soup go black. It's quite an accomplishment on the history of crappy food."
They started walking toward the direction of the kitchen of the 8th Division and the bickering could be heard throughout the entire barracks.
.
Hours passed and the discovery of empty space on the bed woke him up. Shinji opened his eyes to look for the occupant of the other side of his mattress and he realized she was gone. Her pillow was cold so she had been gone for some time now.
Like many things in their relationship their sleeping arrangements were peculiar. Since the Hollowfication happened, the nightmares that hunted their dreams were constant and vicious. Both of them had learned that the only thing that gave them some peace of mind were each other, especially to her. So yes, they did sleep together most of the nights, but nothing else besides kisses and touches in "normal" places happened. After all they had been through Hiyori didn't have many dreams, and being a virgin bride was one of those he could still make happen for her. Shinji loved her that much to respect her wishes. Although he had to recognize, she was making it difficult for him lately, with her flirtatious looks and long kisses when they were alone in his borrowed bedroom.
He sat down on the bed letting the covers slip to his hips, rubbed his eyes and mentally cursed the bad habit the little midget had of leaving without saying anything. But when he opened his eyes and fixed his glance he saw a tray with 2 plates and a note. He grabbed the note and read:
Baldy:
I'm listening to you (take note on it, asshole) and thinking it through. I'll see ya with the old guy in a couple of hours.
Hiyori
P.S. I made a favor to Womanizer-Taichou and avoided that you burned his kitchen, so eat your freaking sandwich!
P.S. 2 don't be a lazy ass and take my dirty plate when you take yours.
"She is such a pain" and he took a bite of the sandwich. "but I have to admit her food is the best I had ever tried." And he grinned.
.
There was no other place in Soul Society that could help Hiyori decide what she was going to do beside her North Gate tree. It was like the cold air of the top of the branches gave her some strange sensation of calmness that no other place had. So it was only natural that she went there to make one of the more transcendental decisions of her life.
She could stay and be Shinji's Fukutaichou, because she was sure after all they had been through that this time the stupid blond would choose her instead of a freaky brunette. Or she could go and return to her 'human' life filled with Shinji's strange music, instant onigiri, underground training grounds, stores dedicated only to sell chocolate and with the sensation of having a big family that surrounded her.
It was being a Shinigami vs. being a Human. She hated both for different reasons. Hiyori was a Vizard, and she had taken a liking on being one –minus the hollow inside her-. They didn't have that choice?
And there was another matter. What if her 'family' decided to leave and she was staying? Or vice versa. Would she be all alone? And what if everyone left, but Shinji? It was undeniable that taking back the 5th Division was something he would like.
The little Vizard sighed and with a rough movement took her bangs out of her eyes.
It was obvious that Shinji wanted that she would make this decision for herself. The dumbass is probably thinking something like 'she has to take the road that makes her happy'. Imbecile! He doesn't understand that I would not be happy if he's not with me. Who am I going to pest if he is not there?
"Grrr…it annoys me!" She yelled, making her pigtails even more disheveled. "Apparently there is no other choice. I would have to go with my gut feeling." And she nodded resolutely.
Looking at the sun she started to wonder what time it was, so she took a pocket watch out of the inside of her shihakushō. "Oh crap! I'm late."
And she started to run in the direction of the headquarters of the 1st Division moving through the Sereitei with reiatsu on her feet to make her steps faster. She finally arrived at the Squad and passed, without glancing at the troubled lieutenant that was holding a big amount of paper duty.
She took a deep breath and opened the big doors of the office of the Sou Taichou and could see that every other Vizard was already there, and the voice of the Captain of 1st Division woke her up from her glance.
"Sarugaki Hiyori, you're late."
Shinji grinned his usual wicked smile at the determination on her face.
.
.
"I HATE THESE CLOTHES!" The little blonde girl was shouting behind the bathroom door.
Shinji was sitting on the bed and he narrowed his eyes as a reply to her comment. "Shut up! It's your fault for being so small."
A red sandal flew in the air, but because she was half dress and could not open the door in enough time, the aim was off and it hit a lamp on the night stand instead.
"I hate these clothes!"
He was rearranging the fallen lamp. "I tell you, shut up. Rukia was nice enough to let you borrow them. So stop with the yapping. Nothing else came close to fitting you." He was starting to lose his patience with the little blonde who had been complaining for the entire day. "You said so yourself."
"I still hate them. They keep sticking to my body and they are so – "
"Made for a girl." Shinji's wide smirk could be seen from outside the room.
"So that explains a lot of your closet." Her comment cleared the previous grin.
"That's the last time I'll tell you Hiyori. Stop the complaining and get out of there or you're staying."
She pouted, but complied with his words and opened the door of the bathroom that guarded her from the outside world. Hiyori was wearing a black blouse with a circular wide neck making it easy that the fabric could slide to her shoulders and a torn blue short that showed most of her thighs.
"I'm not leaving dressed like this." Her scowling face and cherry lips made her look even older.
"Ok. Then you're wearing the shihakushō." He raised his yellow eyebrow.
She tensed her entire body and scowled more deeply. He didn't care and went on. "Those are the only two choices Chibi." And he approached her with his trademark grin, putting his hands on the top of her hips, bending a little to be at the height of her face and whispered softly to , "ya know Hiyori," and he enjoyed her eager questioning look, "I like ya in that clothes."
She hated when he used that tone with her because when he did something in her mind stopped working and her will vanished. "Don't even think about it lewd Baldy." Her tone didn't reflect what her words had tried to express.
He smiled and kissed her forehead placing one hand under her chin to move her face in his direction and the other hand tightened on her hip to draw her even closer to his body. His mouth was an inch from hers and the petit blonde had already closed her eyes, when the door of the room opened.
A wavy blonde and a brunette with glasses were staring from the door.
"Apparently they can't keep their hands of each other now." Rose commented amusedly. "How many times have we caught them?"
"Good," Lisa replied "With them around me in the warehouse I would not need my porn magazines."
Shinji snickered and Hiyori started rambling –very loudly- about people who butted in her business. The other three in the room just tuned her out and when she was finally done shouting Lisa announced:
"Ukitake told me to come get you, the Senkai door is almost done and the others are waiting."
The two blondes nodded and Rose and Lisa left while Shinji and Hiyori gave a last look of the room.
"Midget, are you ready to go?" And the tall Vizard offered his hand to hold.
She looked at him and placed her considerably and comparatively smaller palm in his grip.
"Let's go home, Shinji."
.
A/N: I apologize. I've disappointed you. I did think (a long, long time) about leaving the Vizards in SS, but I just could not bring myself to do it. They belong in the 'Real World' now (as Urahara) and even though the relationship with the Shinigamis has improved they are not real Shinigamis anymore than they are Vizards. Having said that, I HOPE MY ANALYSIS IS COMPLETELY WRONG and Kubo Tite surprises me (in 2 weeks) leaving everyone in Seireitei as Taichous or Fukutaichous.
So what does our lovely Shinji gave to sweet dear Hiyori? A choice.
Erase and rewind… the conviction against them. This time they left because they chose it, not because they had to.
And BTW In the second scene does Rangiku need to be there? No, not really, but I love her and I feel so sad for her, and I really want her to have a relationship with Hiyori (a bit like the one Rangiku has with Orihime), and probably that would NOT happen in the manga so I have to make it for myself, hence she would be a regular in my next chapters as all part of a big plot to have her in chapter 15 (Muajajaja *evil laugh*.) And did you catch the use of the word "gone" instead of "dead"? I'm trying to hold on to the smallest hope that Gin is not dead, even when Wikipedia says otherwise (a friend of mine tweeted it to me this morning to tell me and I swear I almost cried.)
I'm updating really close to the previous update because I probably won't until next week, with me starting my new job tomorrow and all. But do not worry nice people, I have a way to make up for your waiting, chapter 11 is already written and is with my Beta, and I can say that is awesome and the longest I've written! (Sorry I'm not being very modest, but I really liked).
Last comment; remember I was having problems with Hiyori's new clothes? Well a friend of mine reminded me that Shinigamis can't buy human clothes in Seireitei (or Rangiku would have even more clothes), so naturally she would have to wear something other people owned (No Ishida to make clothes either) and the only people that are a little close Hiyori's figure are Rukia (who is 10 cm taller and 10 kilos heavier) or Yachiru (who is 30 cm smaller and 10 kilos lighter), so I took advantage on poor Hiyori and put her in a cute Rukia outfit that I think is going to be out in the 4th Movie. Here is the link images2. wikia. / cb20100713035455/bleach/ en/images/9/ 94/Bleach_movie_ 4_ so no made out clothes, but do not worry IC people I would look for something more Hiyorish for her to wear in the next chapter.