Inner Conflict — XI

—:—:—Rukongai, 110 Years Earlier—:—:—

"Momo-san?"

Momo looked up from the picture she was drawing. "What is it Baa-chan?" She pushed herself up, clasping her hands behind her back. Then she saw something strange behind her Baa-chan — a white fuzz ball. "Baa-chan what's that?"

The old woman smiled as she moved to reveal that the fuzz ball actually had a body. A very small boy — maybe two or three years younger than Momo —was glaring Momo down. He had emerald green eyes and white hair that was beginning to grow out into spikes. He folded his arms, his face twisted into a scowl. Momo stared at him for a moment, then squealed with delight.

"He's soooo cute!" She ran over to him, automatically reaching a hand to pat his hair. It was fuzzy…

"I'm not cute!" The boy protested, knocking Momo's hand away with surprising strength. "Boys aren't supposed to be cute!"

"Well I think you're cute." Momo declared, putting her hands on her hips. "So there."

Baa-chan laughed. "Momo-san this is Toushirou-kun. I found him outside. He's going to be staying with us from now on."

Momo liked this. "Shirou-chan!" She said happily, bouncing and clapping her hands. Toushirou's eyes nearly fell out of his head.

"Don't call me that!"

Momo giggled. "Why not? You're a Shirou aren't you?" She thought for a moment. "You're my Shirou-chan."

"Not on your life." Toushirou argued, his voice sounding choked now. "I am nobody's Shirou-chan — certainly not yours."

Momo giggled again. "Well, whatever. So do you like watermelon?"

The sudden topic change threw Toushirou off for a moment. He blinked, a little surprised. "Um…m-maybe." He stuttered finally, sounding as if he were confessing to some terrible crime. Momo grinned.

"Great, we have lots of watermelon outside. Ya want some?"

Toushirou didn't get past, "I guess—" before Momo grabbed his hand and dragged him away.

"We're gonna be great friends Shirou-chan. You'll see."

—:—:—Present Day—:—:—

"Momo-san?"

Momo snapped out of her broodings and looked up at Rukia, who was standing next to her, staring straight ahead, as Momo had been, looking out into the desert of Hueco Mundo. Momo tried to smile, just failing. Rukia had been very quiet since the fight in the living world. Momo knew there was nothing she could do to cheer her friend up, but she had to try.

"Hey Rukia-san. What's up?"

"You've been out here for awhile. I was worried." Rukia sat down next to Momo, pulling her knees up under her chin and looping her thin arms around her legs. "You all right?"

"I'm fine." Momo tried to sound reassuring. Even she could hear the lie in her voice.

"What were you thinking about before? You looked pretty deep in thought." Momo thought for a moment. No use in lying.

"I was thinking about…before. When Shirou-chan and I were little. When we lived together." Rukia nodded absently.

"You miss him." It wasn't a question. Momo sighed and looked back at the desert.

"I do. And I'm…worried. What if when all this is over, he hates me?" Rukia didn't answer for a moment.

"I don't think he could ever hate you." Her words were slow and deliberate now.

"You don't know that."

"Yes I do." Her voice took on it's usual, stubborn tone. "I saw it in the way he looked at you before. All he wants is to understand why you're doing what you're doing — and to try and save you." Momo considered those words. They seemed too good to be true.

"Since when do you know so much about Shirou-chan?"

"I don't." Rukia admitted. "But I'm good at understanding people — most people anyway. It was easy, the way he looked at you when he saw last, to tell what he was thinking. He was upset, confused. But it doesn't matter to him that you're a…traitor—" Momo winced slightly. The word was harsh. "He just wants to save you."

Momo sighed and looked over at Rukia. Dark brown eyes met violet. "I hope you're right, Rukia-san. I couldn't stand it if he hated me."

Rukia, to Momo's great surprise, smiled just a little as she stood up. "Trust me. I'm hardly ever wrong."

Momo couldn't help but smile as Rukia walked away. She knew, if it hadn't been for her raven-haired friend, she'd have already lost her mind here.

—:—:—Rukongai, 92 Years Earlier—:—:—

"You don't want to become a Shinigami Shirou-chan?"

Toushirou snorted as he gnawed his way through another piece of watermelon. "Why the hell would I?" He asked as he tossed the remains of the watermelon to the side. Momo frowned.

"I wish you wouldn't use language like that Shirou-chan."

"And I wish you wouldn't call me Shirou-chan. But we both have to live with something we don't like, don't we?"

Momo rolled her eyes as she grabbed another piece of watermelon, nibbling it thoughtfully. "So how come you don't want to become a Shinigami?"

"Are we going to keep having this conversation?" Toushirou demanded, starting to stand. "Because I'm going inside if we are."

"Oh come on." Momo grabbed Toushirou's hand, holding him back. "I'm curious. Why don't you want to be a Shinigami?"

"Because do you know what Shinigami do, Hinamori?" He sat down again, scowling now. "They send the souls from the other world here. Maybe we don't have it so bad in the Rukongai, but there are souls just like us in the higher districts, and the struggle just to survive. It's hell. Why would I want the responsibility of knowing I condemned so poor kid — a kid just like me — to live in a place like that for the rest of eternity?" He could tell Momo was impressed by his argument. "'Sides, it's way too much responsibility. Why would I want to bother?"

"Because you could help a lot of people." Toushirou snorted.

"Yeah right."

"It's true." Momo insisted. What was with her sudden obsession with the Shinigami, anyway? She hadn't shut up about them the last month and a half.

"The only people I'd help are those idiots in the Seireitei. I don't want to help them." He grabbed another piece of watermelon. "Drop it Hinamori, all right? I'm not in the mood to listen to this."

Momo sighed, letting it go. "Shirou-chan…"

—:—:—Present Day—:—:—

"Whatcha up to Captain?"

Toushirou looked over his shoulder at Matsumoto. He had been staring out the window, brooding. But of course his vice-captain would come to ruin it. Her expression was happy, almost carefree. Lucky her. "I was thinking." He emphasized the past tense. "But of course, you had to interrupt it."

"Sorry. What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing important." He wasn't about to tell her the truth. She'd have a field day with it.

"Momo-san?"

Damn her…when had she become so smart anyway?

"Matsumoto go home." He turned away from her, then scowled as his desk creaked. She had sat down on it.

"No. I want to talk to you."

"That's great. Get it over with and leave."

Matsumoto sighed. Toushirou knew he was being rude. Matsumoto had been very cooperative the last few weeks, after all. He should have been grateful. But she could just be so annoying…

"When are you going to realize I'm right?"

"You're never right." Toushirou shot back. "But pray-tell, what could you possibly be referring to?"

"Momo-san." Toushirou's scowl deepened. "For everything she is, I don't think she's a traitor. You seem hell-bent on thinking just the opposite though."

"Because Kuchiki Byakuya was right!" Toushirou snapped, jumping up and whirling around to face Matsumoto, who looked a little surprised. "Hinamori can't be objective when it comes to Aizen, she has no limits! Even after he almost killed her, she still believed he was truly good, that he was just being controlled…or manipulated…Momo doesn't see clearly when Aizen is involved. I know it's not her fault, but that doesn't change the fact that it's true."

Matsumoto was surprisingly silent through the entire rant. Toushirou vented until he had exhausted himself, finally dropping back into his chair, resting his elbow on the desk and his head in his hand. Matsumoto touched his shoulder lightly.

"You're right. Reason goes out the window for Momo-san when Aizen gets thrown into the mix. I was there the day she found him, after he was supposedly murdered." Toushirou had forgotten that. "But that doesn't mean she's not capable of changing. And she wants to change, Captain. She tried so hard before. She tried to see Aizen in the right light, tried to see him as the enemy. She even tried to fight him once — that time we went to Hueco Mundo to save Ichigo, Rukia-san told me about it. She couldn't, of course. Rukia-san ended up having to take over. But she tried. She was willing. Doesn't she get any credit for that?"

Toushirou hadn't heard this story before. He had to admit, it kind of surprised him. He could never imagine Hinamori even considering fighting Aizen. He kind of liked it though. Leave it to Momo to get in way over her head.

"Don't give up on her yet Captain. She needs you to believe in her now. There are very few people right now that believe Hinamori Momo and Kuchiki Rukia aren't traitors. Momo-san needs you to be on her side, Captain."

Toushirou thought about this for a moment. He couldn't believe how much sense Matsumoto was making. She was starting to scare him. "When'd you get so smart?"

Matsumoto jumped off the desk. Toushirou could tell she was smiling when she answered. "I've always been smart Captain. You just never noticed it before."

"Is something wrong, Momo-san?"

Momo jumped up quickly, surprised at the sudden interruption, at the quiet, almost caring tone of the voice. "N-No Aizen-sama." She stuttered, dipping into a quick bow. "It's nothing. I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" The concern in his voice was contradicted by the always-superior look in his eyes. Momo squinted at the ground next to Aizen's feet. "You seem upset about something."

"She's fine." Rukia declared loudly from behind Aizen. The raven-haired Shinigami rarely left her friend alone with him — she didn't trust Aizen. Which was smart, of course. She also didn't trust Momo, though. And with good reason.

"I worry about my subordinates—"

"She's not your subordinate, she's your slave." Rukia moved forward, putting herself between Momo and Aizen.

"You're very protective, aren't you Rukia-san?"

"I'm certainly not about to leave her alone with you." The disgust in Rukia's voice was easy to hear. Aizen smiled. It was a mockery of the smile Momo had known. The one she had loved…

"Well then. If you need anything Momo, you know you can tell me." He left without another word. Rukia's scowl stayed firm even after he was gone. She turned to face Momo, still furious.

"I wish you wouldn't argue with him." Momo muttered. "You're just going to make him angry."

"I can't help it. He makes me want to argue with him." Momo smiled despite herself.

"Well figure out a way to stop. I don't like it."

Rukia sighed. "All right, I'll stop arguing with him. Happy?"

Momo shook her head, smiling still. "No you won't."

"No, I probably won't. But you know I'm not going to say anything that's going to screw this up. I'm not stupid Momo-san."

No, you're not, Momo agreed silently, her mind going back to Aizen once more. And to top it off you're in a much healthier place than I am. I wish I could argue with him the way you do.

"Let's go inside. The desert scene must be starting to get boring."

Momo followed Rukia silently, her thoughts shifting back to a slightly healthier mental course.

Toushirou…

—:—:—Rukongai, 67 Years Earlier—:—:—

Even the lower districts of the Rukongai had their scum. It wasn't nearly as bad as the higher districts, of course. But they were out there.

"Oof!"

Momo grunted as she was thrown to the ground. Standing over her were three older boys, maybe in their late teens. All three were smirking with expectation.

"Aren't you a pretty one." One of the three commented, sounding amused.

"Pretty girls like you shouldn't be out this late, cutie." His companion commented. Momo knew that. Toushirou had tried to stop her, but she was thirsty, and they were out of juice. Baa-chan had been asleep, and the stand was close by…

One of them grabbed Momo's wrist, pulling her up. She struggled against him. He was hurting her…

"Lemme go!" She squirmed, but he was much stronger than she was.

"C'mon girlie, we ain't gonna hurtcha…much." His friends laughed at that. Momo bit her lip, her breath quickening.

"No—"

"Let her go!"

Everyone turned to the new voice. The three older boys nearly died laughing. Momo's heart almost stopped.

"Shirou-chan go home!" She shouted at him, surprised that she was actually angry at him. What was he doing?

Toushirou moved closer to them, his eyes narrowed in dislike. The difference in height between the three boys and him was almost comical. "I said let her go." His voice was amazingly calm. The first boy guffawed, stepping towards Toushirou, raising his hand, which was already clenched in a fist.

"Please—"

He swung his fist. Toushirou, to Momo's surprise, ducked around him, his elbow flying into the boy's gut. The boy coughed as the air was knocked out of him, and he went down.

"Let her go." Now it sounded like was advising the two remaining boys. Both looked a little surprised.

"Please." The one that wasn't holding Momo scoffed. "A sucker punch doesn't prove anything. You're still just a dumb kid—"

He moved faster than Momo could follow, grabbing Toushirou's arm. The white-haired boy responded by kicking him in the shin. Hard.

"Ow! You son of a—"

Toushirou jerked out of the boy's grip and ran forward, grabbing Momo's free wrist. At the same time his foot shot out, nailing the last boy directly in the stomach. "Come on!" He yanked at Momo, and they both took off. Neither stopped running until they were safely back in their house. They fell to the floor, gasping for breath, their eyes closed. "Are…you…stupid?" Toushirou finally managed to say, glaring at Momo, who got defensive at once.

"What about you? What were you thinking, trying to fight them?!"

"Well someone had to do it!" He shot back.

"They were at least three feet taller than you!"

"It's not my fault! I told you not to leave, didn't I?!"

The anger drained out of Momo. She sighed, looking down at the floor. "You're right." She murmured, defeated. "You did. I'm sorry."

Toushirou groaned loudly, but when he spoke his voice was surprisingly gentle. "Look, it doesn't matter. You're okay, that's what counts. Just…don't do that again, okay? I don't care how thirsty you are, wait until morning to go buy juice."

Momo smiled slightly. They both stood up, Toushirou scowling now. "Don't worry. This won't happen again." Without warning she swooped in, kissing the top of Toushirou's spiky head. "Thank you, Shirou-chan. Good night."

She went into one of the rooms off the living room, luckily not sparing Toushirou a second glance. The boy in question was now an interesting red. It contrasted wildly with his hair.

"Stupid Hinamori." He mumbled finally, his voice breaking weirdly. "She wouldn't survive here on her own." He rolled his eyes. "Fine. Looks like I'm going to have to protect her. Idiot."

He continued to grumble as he stormed off to bed as well.

Author's Note: HitsuHina completely undiluted by any IchiRuki. I'm proud of myself. Next chapter will be Ichigo's and Rukia's turn. And Ichi's hollow. After that I think I'm going to go back to something I started in the beginning of the story…see if you can guess what it is. Review please! — Sam