Author's Note: I guess I've been really bored lately if I've been having the urges to update more and more...this is the second update I've done for one day! Maybe we'll be able to get to the end without me getting bored and abandoning this fic again after all! Well, anyway, here's chapter twelve for you, my good readers. Hopefully it'll be to your liking. Read and review, you know the drill.


Ichigo couldn't move his eyes away from the screen.

Hitsugaya's image stared back at him, eyes dull but wide, and pleading. The subsitute shinigami clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging painfully into his palms. He had promised to get him out of Hueco Mundo, and he had failed. He couldn't imagine what Hitsugaya was going through or thinking about now.

Guiltily, he adverted his gaze.

"Well then, sotaichou," Aizen began with mock respect, "What can I do for you today?"

"I'm sure you've figured by now that the purpose of me calling this video conference is to negotiate the release of Hitsugaya Toshiro," Yamamoto answered calmly. Hitsugaya looked a little surprised at these words, and even Aizen seemed as if he hadn't been expecting it. It seemed like the sotaichou was the only person who was not afraid of Aizen.

"Oh? I was under the impression that you were going to confer for peace with me."

"There is no such thing as peace anymore," Yamamoto replied, quite truthfully, "State your terms for the release of the tenth-division captain."

Aizen only smiled.

His smile was so calm, so self-assured. It was as if he had everything in his control, and he knew it. It infuriated Ichigo like nothing else.

"Let him go!" the strawberry snarled hatefully, "Aizen, you bastard..."

"Gentlemen," the traitor spoke smoothly in an even, velvety tone like poisoned chocolate, "Power is a very rare commodity in people nowadays, as is beauty...let alone both." One of his hands was resting on Hitsugaya's shoulder now, and Ichigo wanted with all his heart to lunge forward and strangle the fucker - he had to remind himself that it was only an image of them on the screen.

"Get to the point, Aizen," he muttered angrily.

"I'm not going to pretend to keep any secrets from you fine gentlemen," Aizen announced, "Because I'm sure you know of Hitsugaya-kun's true identity."

"True identity?" Yamamoto repeated, "And you are referring to the legend of the...heavenly guardian?"

"Precisely. I'm sure it's obvious by now that I plan to release - and use - the power of the guardian. How do you suppose I do that if I am to return him to you? Now, it's only a matter of time...isn't it, Hitsugaya-kun?"

Hitsugaya looked at Aizen with wide eyes, before hastily turning back to the screen's front.

"S-Sotaichou...Kurosaki...I would never..."

He was abruptly cut off as with an annoyed grunt, the Arrancar clamped a hand over his mouth, silencing him. Hitsugaya made a muffled protest and wriggled feebly as Aizen watched coldly. Ichigo could feel the anger in his veins like a plague now.

"Don't touch him!" he burst out furiously, "Let go of him!"

Aizen gave Ichigo the coldest look he had ever seen, and he felt himself shiver involuntarily.

"I believe this discussion is now over," Aizen spoke. "If you'll excuse us, sotaichou...Ichigo-kun."

Ichigo was about to turn away when he saw Hitsugaya squirm out of the Arrancar's grasp, stumbling forward, and, Ichigo noted with a sharp pang of guilt, almost losing balance as he staggered forward.

"Kurosaki, I'm so sorry," he blurted, "I...I love-"

Before he could finish the sentence, Aizen, with a sour look on his face, gave the boy a stinging slap across the face. It was almost enough to knock Hitsugaya completely off what little balance he had left, and Ichigo was clenching his fists so hard that he was positive his fingernails were cutting into his palms and making him bleed now.

"I don't remember giving you permission to speak, Hitsugaya-kun," the traitor spoke in a soft, cold voice.

"Aizen, you...you son of a bitch!" Ichigo shouted. He couldn't contain himself anymore. "I swear, Aizen...next time we meet, I will kill you!"

"Just try, Ichigo-kun," he chuckled, and Ichigo could see the Arrancar dragging Hitsugaya away now, whose gaze seemed to be locked with the strawberry's, despite the fact that he was being pulled away from the screen.

"Toshiro! I...I'll save you! I'll get you away from Aizen as soon as I can!" Ichigo cried frantically, "I promise!"

The last thing he saw was Hitsugaya's painfully sad smile before the image on the screen faded to blurred static.


If there was one advantage of being chained up in Aizen's throne room, Hitsugaya figured that it was the fact that he heard everything the traitor said to his accomplices and the Arrancar. Including his plans.

Aizen seemed confident that no one would try to save him again, so he had no problem laying out plans and strategies while he was there.

At the moment, Hitsugaya knew two things.

Number one. Aizen was planning to mount a full-scale attack on Soul Society. It would involve all his Arrancar, all his Espada, both of his right-hand men, and himself. It was clear that it was the real deal: take no prisoners, leave no survivors. This was it.

Number two. He planned to take this plan in action the following morning.

"Hitsugaya-kun."

Slightly startled at hearing his name, Hitsugaya reluctantly lifted his head to show Aizen he was listening. "What is it?" he muttered.

"You will be joining us tomorrow on the front lines as well," Aizen announced, as if it was some kind of privilege. Privilege be damned, the prodigy would rather kill himself than help the bastard. And how would he be expected to fight? He had been deprived of proper sustainance for the whole time he was in Hueco Mundo; by now he was almost a living skeleton, slowly wasting away.

He laughed dryly.

"That's lovely, Aizen," he answered, "One problem, though...how do you expect me to fight like this?"

"Oh, you won't be fighting," Aizen answered evenly, still smiling. "You'll be doing something a little different. I know what you were going to say to Kurosaki-kun yesterday afternoon during the video conference."

Hitsugaya was silent.

"So, if indeed, your heart belongs to Kurosaki Ichigo, then I cannot change that, unfortunately. What I can do, however, is have you find Kurosaki Ichigo, and have him release your guardian power."

"And what will that do for you?" Hitsugaya demanded, suddenly angered that Aizen would dare include Ichigo in his plans.

"He will have your power temporarily, yes," the traitor nodded, "But if I kill him, it will be passed on to me. And that will not be a difficult task to accomplish, seeing as how weak and powerless Ichigo-kun is compared to myself." He laughed darkly, and Ichimaru next to him chuckled as if this was some kind of hilarious joke. Tosen, as usual, made no noise.

Hitsugaya stared at Aizen in disbelief.

"You wouldn't," he whispered, "You wouldn't dare."

"Oh, I would," the former captain of the fifth division beamed. He rose from his throne, and Hitsugaya looked away, feeling sick to his stomach.

"Gentlemen, if you please. It's getting late, and tomorrow is a big day for us."

The three men got up and walked towards the exit, their footsteps echoing throughout the eerie room.

"I trust that you will make me proud tomorrow, Hitsugaya-kun," Aizen smiled, running his hands through Hitsugaya's silvery locks in mock affection as he passed by. Hitsugaya merely gave him a look of sheer hatred, jerking his head away from the man's reach as the three traitors finally left the room, closing the door behind them.


Author's Note: Ah, I wasn't really fond of this chapter. As I was re-reading it, I realized, Man, this sounds so cheesy. I hope that you can all find it within yourselves to forgive me for that. Anyway, thanks for reading, and I'll update again as soon as I can!