Inner Conflict -- VI
Rukia knew exactly what the hollow was thinking without me telling her. How did she know though? What was she thinking? And why did she ask to begin with? God damn it that girl confuses me sometimes…
Ichigo's thoughts were a muddled mess. He was finding it almost impossible to focus on the meeting. Every thought he had was directed towards a certain raven-haired girl, trying to figure out her latest strange behavior.
Across the hall from him, another captain was wrapped up in his own thoughts about another vice-captain.
Where did that come from all of a sudden? Is she worried about Aizen coming after her? Does she…oh God, does she know? Did Kurosaki let something slip? I'll kill him! How could he let her find out, he swore he wouldn't! Or maybe it's my fault. Ugh…I have a headache.
Toushirou scowled at the ground. The scene yesterday with Hinamori was still stuck in his mind. He doubted he'd ever be able to forget it. She'd seemed so…so small at that moment, so scared. It was a hard thing to forget.
Aizen…you bastard. You broke her. I'm going to break you when I get my hands on you, just wait.
"So they've got no plans to come in anytime soon?" Ichimaru sounded disappointed. Rukia bit her tongue hard to keep from shouting out the insults that were floating around in her head.
"No." Hinamori was the one doing all the talking. "Where they just sent some people out on a recon mission, I doubt they'll be sending anymore any time soon. They try to wait awhile before sending more out."
"Ah well, that makes sense." Ichimaru sighed. "So who's stationed in the living world at the moment? I know Hisagi was there…but alas, he's with us at the moment."
Rukia bit down harder, tasting blood now. "Matsumoto Rangiku. She was deployed today."
"Ooo, Rangiku eh? Maybe I'll drop in and visit her, it's been too long since we saw each other…"
"What about the other people you've taken?" Rukia asked suddenly, surprising Hinamori, Ichimaru, and herself. "Vice-Captain Ise, Ikkaku, Kiyone, and all the others that are missing, are they still alive?"
"Of course they are." Ichimaru waved Rukia off. Rukia felt a wave of relief for the third seat of her squad. Sentarou had been heartbroken when she had disappeared. "We haven't killed anybody…anybody we've captured." He added when Rukia opened her mouth to protest this fact. "Not something you Shinigami can say, I'm sure."
Rukia bit her lip. It was true that any Arrancar they had captured had been sent right to the twelfth division. What was done with them after that was something only the members of the research and development division would know. Rukia doubted they were dead, though. Kurotshuchi would never pass up such valuable lab rats.
"I doubt Captain Kurotshuchi has killed any of them." Hinamori gave voice to Rukia's thoughts.
"Maybe not, but they certainly wouldn't be of use to us were we to try and take them back." Ichimaru shook his head. "I've seen what he does to his subjects, it's not pretty."
Hinamori and Rukia offered no arguments. They had no arguments. Because everything Ichimaru had said was completely true. "Oh well." Ichimaru clapped his hands together uncaringly. "Nothing else I need to know, is there?"
Both vice-captains shook their heads. "No one's suspicious of you?"
"No."
"Good, good. Aizen will be pleased." Hinamori flinched upon hearing the name. "Oh, sorry Momo-san, you're still sensitive about him, aren't you?"
Hinamori didn't answer. Rukia knew she should try and comfort the girl, but now just wasn't the time. "Well then, I'll be back tomorrow night, same time. Try to stay out of trouble until then."
He turned to walk away. "Is this all you're going to use us for?" Rukia asked his retreating back. "Information, spying?"
"No, eventually we plan on using you to fight as well." Ichimaru said casually, raising a hand and waving over his shoulder. "But until that time comes, you might as well be useful for something else."
He left the clearing without another word. "I don't know how long I can do this Rukia-san." Hinamori whispered, leaning against a tree. "I'm not good at deception, I can't tell a lie to save my life. What should I do?"
"Leave the lying to me." Rukia said. "That's not a problem. In fact it's second nature to me. What I'm worried about is the fighting part."
"Why's that? You don't think we're strong enough?"
"If that were the only thing on my mind, I wouldn't be worried. I'll gladly let them kill me, save me the trouble of doing it myself later." Momo didn't have time to ask what she meant by that. "But that's just the problem. They won't kill us. Or…most of them won't anyway. Not the people that really know us, people like Ichigo and Captain Hitsugaya. They won't fight. And that's what makes this so hard. We'll fight. But they won't fight back."
Momo hated to admit it, but Rukia was right. No one would fight them. This was a no-win situation.
"We're as bad as him." Rukia muttered suddenly, surprising Momo. "We're sacrificing everybody for the sake of what we want."
Momo decided she was better off just not asking.
"What the hell was I thinking asking you?" Toushirou murmured, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at his vice-captain. It had been a good idea at the time, making a trip to Karakura to talk to Rangiku, who was currently stationed there. They were sitting at a park, talking. Toushirou was regretting coming.
"I just think it's so cute that you're concerned for her—"
"Matsumoto…please shut up."
" I knew you cared about her—"
"I'm leaving." Toushirou stood up and started to walk away.
"No wait, wait!" Rangiku stood up hurriedly and ran after him. "Sorry, I'll stop. I know you just want to help her. I'll behave."
"You're capable of doing that?"
"…More or less." Toushirou sighed and shook his head. "So, where were we?"
"Hinamori…"
"Right!" Rangiku clapped her hands together. "You're worried that Aizen may have already gotten to her. Tell me why that is again."
"Just…the way she's been acting. I told you what she said to me the other day, right?" Rangiku nodded. "And…I don't know, there's a lot. And Kurosaki was telling me Kuchiki's been acting a little strange too. If Aizen's gotten to them—"
"Rukia-san and Momo-san would never let themselves be used by the enemy." Rangiku said firmly. "I know them, they're not the type to just lay down and take what's given to them, especially not Rukia-san. And she'll watch out for Momo-san; we all know how she gets when it comes to Aizen. Momo-san has plenty of people looking out for her, she's more than safe."
Toushirou knew Rangiku was right. But he couldn't stop himself from being worried. And he felt guilty. Guilty because he knew Kuchiki Rukia was in just as much danger as Momo, and yet he couldn't bring himself to spare more than one thought for the raven-haired Shinigami. Maybe it was because she had proven just how strong she really was, or maybe it was just because he didn't know her or care about her the way he did Momo. It didn't matter though. Momo was his main concern at the moment.
A sudden surge of familiar spiritual pressure ran through Toushirou. He stiffened, and his mind's eyes was taken over by the image of a silver-haired, smiling, sadistic man. He jumped up, his hand flying to the hilt of his Zanpakatou.
"Ichimaru." He growled. Rangiku, who had stood up as well, tensed. And then the sickeningly familiar voice spoke.
"Ah, Hitsugaya-kun, what a surprise to see you here. And a pleasure as always to see you, Rangiku."
And then he stepped out from behind a tree. "Gin." Rangiku breathed, sounding as if someone had just knocked the breath out of her. Toushirou did his best not to groan. What was it with people making connections to the enemy? Aizen and Hinamori, Ichimaru and Matsumoto…
"What the hell do you want?"
"Now, now Hitsugaya-kun, that's not nice." Ichimaru frowned mockingly. "I just came to see Rangiku, I don't want a fight."
"How did you know she was here?" Rangiku had only been there for a day, after all. And according to her there had been no attacks, nothing strange had happened. So who had told Ichimaru that Rangiku was in Karakura?
"I have my ways of finding stuff out. Now then, Hitsugaya-kun. I'm not here to cause trouble, so why don't you just run along back to Soul Society and let Rangiku and I…talk."
"Go to hell."
Ichimaru sighed and looked past Toushirou, towards Rangiku. "What do you say, Rangiku? You're the one I'm here for, after all, and Hitsugaya-kun doesn't have a say in what you do—"
"Like hell I—!"
"No, Gin."
Rangiku's voice was low but final. Her face darkened as she glared at Gin. "I gave you plenty of chances." She continued. "Hundreds of them. I'm not going with you now because it's convenient for you. I'm done giving you chances."
Gin actually looked a little disappointed. "I suppose I understand. It's hard to gain your trust back once one loses it. But how can one try when you won't give them a chance?"
Toushirou growled under his breath, his grip on the hilt of his Zanpakatou tightening. What he wouldn't have given to run Ichimaru through with it, to make him hurt, bleed, suffer—
"Why are you here, Gin? And I know it can't just be to talk to me."
Ichimaru thought for a second, looking around, his face mildly interested. "Karakura's an interesting place, innit? Lots of people around just oozing spiritual pressure and they don't even realize it. That's why this place is top priority for you Shinigami, am I right?"
"That doesn't exactly answer my question." Rangiku thought for a minute before adding, "Not that that's any surprise, considering it's coming from you."
But Toushirou was reading between the lines. "What does Aizen have planned for this place that's so important he'd send you instead of one of the Arrancar like he normally does?"
"And who said Aizen has anything planned?" Ichimaru asked casually. "You shouldn't jump to conclusions like that, Hitsugaya-kun. Well I'm off. Places to be, you know. So long."
And he was gone. Rangiku sighed heavily, dropping back onto the bench, looking suddenly exhausted. Toushirou sighed as well. They were going to have to keep a closer eye on Karakura from now on. Like they weren't stretched out enough already…
Aizen had said not to go looking for Rangiku. But Gin just hadn't been able to help himself. It had been over fifteen years, after all, since he had laid eyes on his old comrade. And though she was hard to forget, Gin still felt the need to refresh his memory a little. Plus, it had been fun, an unexpected but very much enjoyed bonus, taunting Hitsugaya.
The tenth squad captain was right, of course. Aizen had plans for Karakura Town. Just one of his many reasons for wanting Kuchiki and Hinamori, who both knew the small place well. It was going to be too impossibly easy. Gin's smile tightened into a smirk. Soul Society wouldn't be able to stop this time.
"So Ichimaru was in the living world?" Ichigo asked. Hitsugaya had just returned from said place. He had gone to talk to his vice-captain about something.
"It worries me. And what's more is that he deliberately went looking for Matsumoto. He already knew she was there, she was his goal. But how could he have found out?"
Ichigo thought for a minute. "You're thinking it's a spy, aren't you?"
Hitsugaya nodded. He looked a little troubled. "It bothers me, and I hate suspecting anyone, but what else is there? Matsumoto was only there for a day and she said it was the most boring day of her life. Nothing happened, nothing attacked her, she didn't even sense anything. And yet Ichimaru went straight to her when he got there. How did he know?"
Ichigo didn't have an answer. "That's all very valid, and I believe you, but there are holes in your theory. Not everyone will buy it, and accusing someone of being a spy is pretty serious, you'd better have actual proof before you throw it out. And at any rate, who are you thinking?"
"When did you become so rational?" Hitsugaya grumbled. "I didn't say I definitely think there's a spy, like you said, it's just a theory. There are other explanations."
"But you believe there is?"
He didn't answer. This is funny, the hollow spoke up suddenly. Funny listening to you two walk around in circles.
Oh, so you're saying you know what's going on?
Maybe I do.
You wouldn't tell me if you did.
Nope.
Ichigo groaned. "What?" Hitsugaya raised an eyebrow at him. The orange-haired captain shook his head.
"Nothing. Never-mind."
Author's Note: I like writing about Ichimaru. He creeps me out more than you could imagine, but he's funny. I just...wish he wouldn't smile like that...anyways, review please? -- Sam