Would You Love me If You Knew What I Was?
Chapter twenty-eight: Comprehension Skills
Disclaimer: I don't own bleach nor do I claim to. It pretty much sovereigns over meh, but I call dibs on Yumi, Archer, and my other OC's! So, ha!
Listening to: Hear Me (Kelly Clarkson)
Reviewers:
Traitor-Hero: -nods nods- I didn't want that to happen to Hina-chan either. Sure, she can be a little weak in the beginning b/c of Aizen but later she pretty much saves Ran-chan's butt in the anime! lol. Thanks for your opinions! You'll find out about Kanako-chan soon (But not this chappy. Gomen)
Jibun no Omoi: Hyuu~ It's definitely gore season. -grin- Hitsugaya is going to be mad at us for what we make our OC's go through. -sweat drop-
Warning: This chapter isn't as bloody as the last but it's still there. Not so bad though.
I think we left off with you guys getting really mad at me…yeah. –grin-
This chapter is more of a wrap up. The next chapter occurs when everything had quieted down a little in Soul Society with more explanations. There's probably only two or three more chapters before the Soul society arc ends, too. –sigh- and I'm beat. Sorry about the last few filler chapters, too. But I promise that next chapter, there going to be actual INTERACTION between Hitsu and my OC that doens't involve swords or dying...I think. lol.
But when the sequel actually starts depends on my mood and the swish of my tail. :3
Feeling a sudden pain in his chest, Hitsugaya went faster than ever to get back to that murder scene. Multiple possibilities flashed through his head as he finally got inside of the residence area of the central office of Forty-six.
"Hey, Hitsugaya-kun." A kind voice greeted.
Out of breath, he looked up and made contact with another pair of eyes and froze in disbelief. "Aizen!?" Everything spun out of control. He was supposed to be dead. Even Unohana-Taicho checked the body over! "What's going on!? Are you really Aizen?"
"But of course. As you can see, I'm here in flesh and blood," he said, "Although, I wasn't expecting you to be here so soon, Hitsugaya-Taicho." He looked over his shoulder and out came a little girl with blonde hair and violet eyes beside Ichimaru. She looked about five or six but her eyes lacked the childish innocence in her strikingly familiar purple eyes.
"It looks like we couldn't clean up all the mess in time. Pity…"
"Aizen, what are you talking about? And who is she!?"
"Oh nothing at all," Aizen spoke easily, "Just the finer points of strategy. And this little one is simply a pawn in my game…just like someone else here."
Hitsugaya looked around almost frantically and growled at Aizen.
"Where's Hinamori?"
The captain of the Fifth Division tilted his head, "I wonder…" He stroked the little girl's hair with his hand but she made no motion whatsoever. She just stood there, studying Hitsugaya with quiet eyes. After a moment, she pointed behind her without turning her gaze away. Hitsugaya also noted that her hands were covered with fresh blood.
"Inside," was all she said and Hitsugaya immediately flash-stepped past the three of them and froze as he saw a large blood trail leading deeper in, almost as if something was dragged inside.
There was one thing that came out the most though. On the blood-stained floor was an unmoving body: Yumi's body, soaking in her own blood.
Her once bright violet eyes were blank and lifeless. Hitsugaya forgot how to breathe in that moment and went down on one knee in plain shock. Her skin was deathly pale in contrast to the crimson puddle of blood that she lay in. Shakily, his hand wandered to her cheek to find it cold. His eyes widened in disbelief as he pulled her in, not caring if her blood was staining his haori and held her close.
"Miyamoto…" he whispered and lowered his head and letting their foreheads touch. "God damn it…if your joking with me it isn't funny! Don't do this to me so Wake up!!!" He couldn't believe this. It had to be some sick joke—a bad dream! Anything but this…!
This wasn't supposed to happen…
He was supposed to be there for her
He was supposed to protect her
"Worthless." A small voice spoke up and he turned around to meet the little girl, standing right before him. In her hand, she held the hand of a limp puppet that trailed carelessly on the floor as she walked past him. He watched her; cautious to make sure she didn't make any sudden movements. Her eyes showed no interest as she then knelt down in front of the shadowy area of the room and took something. She then turned around and threw something at him. "Catch."
Flinching for a second, he caught it in his hand and it felt surprisingly soft. Opening his fist, his eyes widened and he began to shake.
In his hands was the cloth that Hinamori wore in her hair.
"Kanako-chan. That wasn't very nice." Aizen spoke in a light scolding tone as something inside of Hitsugaya began to stir. 'Kanako' simply stared at Hitsugaya and the body he held with unwavering eyes. Behind Aizen's gentle voice, the meaning behind them was horrible. "Now he'll definitely know we did away with both Yumiko-chan and Hinamori-kun."
"What…did you say?" the Tenth Division captain began as Aizen chuckled.
"I'm sorry about that. I should have disposed of the bodies before you got here so that you wouldn't have to see this unsightly turn of events."
Hitsugaya stood back up and clenched his fists so tight that his knuckled turned white.
"Aizen…how long? Since when have you two been accomplices? Since before you faked your death!?"
"From the beginning, of course." He answered, his glasses glinting in the light, "Since I became captain, I never once considered anyone but him as my Fukutaicho."
At the memory of Hinamori, turned around with a bewildered expression on his face. "Hinamori… Hinamori looked up to you. She loved you," His voice began to tremble as he recalled the hard work she did to get into the academy. He remembered the happiness she had when she was appointed to Aizen's squad and her promotion to vice-captain. He remembered the heartbroken cry of pain when they found Aizen's body, pinned down on the wall and supposedly murdered with his own zanpakto. "She worked herself to death, just so she wouldn't be a burden to you…and yet…and yet…!"
"I know," he replied, "There's no one so easy to control as someone who admires you, don't you agree Hitsugaya-Taicho?" His brown eyes trailed down to the limp body of Yumi and Hitsugaya glared at him while holding an arm out as if to block any passage, any movement towards his subordinate.
"Don't you dare bring Miyamoto into this!" he threatened as his eyes began to glow silver from the build of up pent up anger.
"Not comprehending another's actions. Not making an effort to return such feelings. Not even realizing what is being conveyed to you right before your very eyes," Aizen grinned at the sudden surprise in Hitsugaya's eyes, "You're no better than me, Hitsugaya-kun."
In a burst of rage, Hitsugaya drew his blade in such a manner that all of his reiatsu exploded around him, demolishing the walls of the building and those around it. Aizen, Ichimaru, and Kanako jumped back from the blast a few feet away and waited for the raging captain to make his next move.
Hitsugaya took in a deep breath and looked behind him from the corner of his eyes. Both Hinamori and Yumi were sprawled on the ground but he felt just a faint pulse in both. His eyes glowered at the now congealing blood on the ground from both bodies and he felt Hyourinmaru roar in pain.
"Bankai." He said and felt ice climb up the arm that held his zanpakto. "Daiguren, Hyourinmaru!"
All at once, the stage then covered itself in an icy plain. Hitsugaya donned an armor of hard ice, and large dragon wings formed on his back as well as a large tail.
His eyes met Aizen's and a deep-set hatred threatened to boil over. In his fury, he did not notice Unohana-Taicho or her vice-captain Isane run inside. All that was on his mind was killing Aizen once and for all.
"Aizen… For what you did…" his eyes narrowed and his voice felt hoarse with anger, "I'm going to kill you."
"Don't promise such strong words when you're so weak," Aizen smiled, a maniacal glint in his once kind eyes, "After all, you've already failed at protecting her."
Hitsugaya's eyes flared briefly before he pushed his blade forward, impaling Aizen and encasing him into a coffin of ice. He simply laughed and disappeared. It took no more than ten seconds when Hitsugaya saw blood shoot upwards, splashing on his right cheek in the process.
"What…?"
In an instant his Bankai released, shattering like pristine glass as more blood escaped from the dreadful wound in his right shoulder.
"Impossible…" he managed to mutter before falling forward onto the icy ground he created just moments ago. Just ahead of him, he saw Yumi's hand beside his. Despite the hurt that spread from any movement, he managed to drag his hand towards hers and touched her hand. At that moment of contact, her fingers twitched and a light of hope lit in his heart.
She was alright. Barely, but that eased his heart, if only a little. Warm hands were placed on his shoulder to turn him on his back as he winced.
"Hitsugaya-Taicho," it was the voice of Unohana. "Calm down… I'm just going to heal you."
He groaned, not being able to speak at first and then spoke in a hoarse whisper, "Heal…Miyamoto and Hinamori…"
"They're fine. Isane already started working on Hinamori-Fukutaicho first since her injuries are worse than your subordinate's. Now you have to let me—"
With the last reserves of his energy, he let out a pulse that rejected Unohana's healing kido completely. In shock, she gave him a light glare. Hitsugaya groaned again and shook his head, turning his head to Yumi's prone body. Her eyes were still blank, but ice began forming near the wound and staunched the flow slightly. Unohana saw that he grasped the reality of his choice. There were only two healers available and three people with grave injuries…so the one that didn't get treatment was more likely to…
The fourth division captain shook her head quickly and sadly went over to Yumi to begin the procedure. Hitsugaya murmured a word of thanks.
Despite his attempts to keep Unohana busy with the girls first, his body burned from the pain. Slowly and thankfully, he felt himself slipping into unconsciousness. He knew it was just asking for a death wish but he couldn't help it as his dull turquoise eyes began to close. A small smirk curved on his lips anyway and he inwardly chuckled.
'As long as she's safe', he thought and his eyes closed, 'then I have no regrets.'
'Baka.'
Hitsugaya's eyes snapped open and he looked to his side, seeing Yumi being treated. Her eyes were closed this time, but her skin tone had begun to come back. Her chest rose and fell unevenly but it was a start. Her head then turned towards him and her eyes opened ever so slightly. There was a dim light in her eyes that showed her will to live as she smiled lightly before they closed and a strained look reappeared on her face due to her wounds.
'You're not supposed to die yet,'
The moment I miss you, I start to move
I'll cross carefully and run to you
I want to be more…
More than someone hidden in your eyes
I cry…
Don't look so sad
Smile for me…
That's all I ask for
Maybe I'll tell you how I feel this time,
Before I decide that I can't.
-Miyamoto Yumiko
Sorry. No Omake this time. It's not that I don't want to. It's just that my actors are tired as hell. :p
Q&A
1. How was the chapter? Were there any parts that you really liked/disliked? Explain.
2. The little girl told Hitsugaya where to find the bodies of both Yumi and Hinamori. She even went so far as to bring Hinamori's body inside. Was it an act of kindness or cruelty?
3. Aizen said, "Not comprehending another's actions. Not making an effort to return such feelings. Not even realizing what is being conveyed to you right before your very eyes. You're no better than me, Hitsugaya-kun." What did he mean by that?
