Author's Note: Yay, finally got my train of thought back into motion on this fic! I think I know what to do for the ending, but for nows we'll just have to come up with something else to fill up the space between then, hopefully it won't get too boring, and I'm sorry if it does! I wasn't happy with the last chapter, but anyway, hopefully you'll enjoy this next installment, and as usual, read and review!
"I'm telling you, you're making a mistake!" Ichigo shouted angrily, "Send me back to Hueco Mundo!"
Since having lost Hitsugaya's trail in Hueco Mundo, he had been escorted back to Soul Society by Byakuya and several other members of the sixth division. He had protested the whole time, and sick of hearing him complain, Byakuya had grudgingly agreed to take the outraged strawberry to the first division office, where a captain's meeting had been convened.
The sotaichou was now observing the strawberry closely, listening as he shouted. The other captains watched in silence.
"Please," Ichigo implored, this time, almost begging, "Give me another chance. Let me bring Toshiro back."
"It is evident by now that Hitsugaya-taichou has no intention of betraying Soul Society," Yamamoto slowly spoke, "However, Kurosaki Ichigo, returning to Hueco Mundo would be too dangerous. If Aizen made the effort to bring Hitsugaya-taichou to Hueco Mundo, then we have to assume that he is planning to make a move soon."
"And what if his plans involve Toshiro?" Ichigo demanded angrily, "He could be hurt, or killed! We can't just wait here for that to happen!"
"It is truly regrettable," the sotaichou answered slowly, "But you must understand, Kurosaki Ichigo, that I cannot endanger you, or any other member of the Gotei 13 over a lost cause."
There was a painful silence follow these words.
Stunned, Ichigo opened and closed his mouth stupidly. Lost cause?
"Then...you plan on giving up on him, don't you?"
"If the chance arises, our priority will be Hitsugaya-taichou's retrieval. However, as of now, to do so would be out of the question."
"When?" the strawberry demanded, impatience ebbing in his voice "When will the chance arise? We can't keep sitting here and wait to get lucky. We don't have that kind of liberty, especially because Toshiro is...he's in trouble. He can't afford for us to wait-"
"Kurosaki Ichigo," Yamamoto cut him off sharply, "It will happen in due time. You must remain calm."
"How do you expect me to be calm at a time like this!?"
"That's your problem, Kurosaki Ichigo, you always must take the roughest path. We are as concerned for Hitsugaya-taichou's well-being as you are. As such, I will attempt to negotiate with Aizen for his release, but I cannot make you any promises, nor will I allow you to get yourself killed over this."
"There is no negotiating with Aizen!" Ichigo ground out through gritted teeth, "I thought you would have figured that out by now."
"I will arrange for a video conference with Aizen," Yamamoto answered evenly as if Ichigo hadn't said anything at all, "You may attend if you wish. Tomorrow at noon, in this very office. Now then, Kurosaki Ichigo, you are excused.
"A video conference? That foolish old man wants a video conference with me?" Aizen chuckled.
Hitsugaya watched him converse with Ichimaru and Tosen quietly. Being in Aizen's throne room, humiliatingly kneeling on the floor, chained to the wall by the wrists like a misbehaving dog, sometimes he found that the best thing to do was pretend to be invisible.
Every now and then, an Arrancar would jeer at him, or Ichimaru would mock him with that annoying, sing-song voice of his. Aizen himself would look at him and smile in his maddeningly self-satisfied manner, stopping every now and then to ruffle his hair or stroke his face, to which he would react with disgust and try to move himself as far away as possible. He wasn't sure what Tosen thought of this whole thing, but at least he didn't say anything about it as if Hitsugaya wasn't even there, and that proved to be a blessing.
Ichimaru looked at Aizen, his head cocked in amusement. "Is that so? They wanna talk 'ta ya or somethin'?"
He was so fake that Hitsugaya longed to grab him by the throat and throttle him to death.
But that was the law of life in Hueco Mundo: be fake, or break. Aizen's benevolent smile was so false. The Arrancar hid behind their tough exteriors, not wanting anyone to think they were scared of Aizen and what might happen if they disobeyed him. Hell, even Tosen's bullshit about justice was probably all a front. And Hitsugaya was doing his best to pretend that he was not absolutely terrified by Aizen and being in this place.
"I suppose something to that extent," Aizen smiled. "So what do you say, Gin? Kaname? Shall we give the old man his audience?"
Ichimaru merely grinned his crazy feline smile.
"We will do what is necessary for the sake of justice," Tosen answered calmly.
Hitsugaya almost laughed at the hypocrisy.
"Very well then, gentlemen," Aizen smiled, "We will meet with him via video conference at the designated time; tomorrow at noon." He paused, his cold brown eyes resting on Hitsugaya for a moment, his lips curling upwards in some kind of sick amusement. "And why don't you join us as well, Hitsugaya-kun?"
The first division office was deathly quiet as Ichigo slowly entered, pushing the door quietly closed behind him.
Besides himself, the only people present appeared to be Yamamoto and his fukutaichou, and he was quick to assume that having all the other captains present would merely result in chaos. He cleared his throat uncomfortably to make his presence known.
"Ah, Kurosaki Ichigo, so you came," Yamamoto nodded in his direction, and slowly, Ichigo approached the large screen that was set up at the room's front. Aside from the soft, crackling static coming from the monitor, there was no noise in the room.
He waited, his fists clenching and unclenching nervously. He licked his painfully dry lips, his eyes glued warily to the screen.
He blinked as the static began to fade, the images on the screen blurry at first, but as the resolution cleared, he could very clearly see Aizen smiling back at them, Tosen and Ichimaru at his sides. The strawberry clenched his teeth in hatred upon seeing Aizen and his maddening smile. The man obviously thought he was some kind of fucking saint or something.
"Where is he?" Ichigo promptly demanded, "Where's Toshiro!? What have you done to him!?"
Yamamoto gave him a disapproving look, and Aizen's smile merely became more gracious, if that was even possible.
"Ah, so you want to see Hitsugaya-kun?" Aizen asked calmly. "Very well then, since you insist on it so much, I suppose it would be the polite thing to do." He motioned to someone or something off-screen, and a few moments later, an Arrancar appeared, dragging someone along. This someone's formerly tidy black robes were torn to shreds, what remained of them hanging pitifully from the trembling body. His hands were bound behind his back, and a black veil obscured his face from view.
With an exaggerated flourish, Aizen took hold of the black veil, pulling it away with a flourish to reveal Hitsugaya's tired, scared face.
"Toshiro..." Ichigo breathed.
The beautiful snow-white locks were dissheveled and the once bright emerald eyes were now dull and exhausted. The boy's breathing was coming out in quiet, shallow gasps, and he seemed so frail and helpless that it scared Ichigo. He seemed so weak that if it were not for the Arrancar taking firm grip of his hair, he would have collapsed right on the spot.
"Now then," Aizen spoke, taking great amusement in the stunned, horrified look on Ichigo's face, "Now that Hitsugaya-kun is present, shall we begin this silly video conference?"
