Author's note ; Here is the new chapter and I'm warning you next one is the last one.
Disclaimer: I have forgoten of it lately but I don't own Bleach.
11. Evil plans from Yama-ji?
Ukitake throw a glance in the dandle loomed room. A few minutes ago he had received a note for an urgent meeting from general captain Yamamoto himself. So he had left his room without delay and dashed to the place the note told him to go. He had probably left behind two panicked 3rd seats and a vice-captain who was sleeping in her office due to paperwork and now what did he found? An empty room. He wasn't notified that today was the 1st day of April.
"Thank toy for waiting captain Ukitake now let us start this meeting." said the voice of old wise man from the shadows. The long white-haired captain approached him with hesitation since his old tutor had never done something like that before.
"I'm sure you are curious why I called you so suddenly captain Ukitake." started the general as he watched his old pupil sit in a pillow.
"You got that right."
"Well I'm worried about some certain fellow captains and vice-captains and you're the only one I can trust to help me in this difficult task I've decided to take." he continued seriously.
"What do you mean sou-taichou? Do you plan to send someone to a dangerous mission or have you spotted with the same desires as Aizen?" asked the man as sweat ran from his face.
"No it's nothing like that. I'm concerned about something even more serious."
"Please stop playing with my patient and tell what's torturing you!" exclaimed Ukitake angrily; he was considered a patient man but the situation seemed gravely serious and if the sou-taichou believed that he was the only one who could help he wanted to know immediately what he had to do.
The experienced officer gazed at him with a seriously and said
"Ok since you seem to be willing to cooperate I'll reveal you my late worries. Everybody knows the feelings of Shunsui and Ise fuku-taichou but still they don't do a thing for their happiness. Also Hitsugaya-taichou and your own vice-captain seem to be having problems because Hinamori Momo is avoiding him since Valentine's Day."
"Huh? Are those the reasons you called me here?" asked the sick captain surprised. If they had told him that Zaraki had managed to find his way he wouldn't be more surprised.
"Why you look so surprised Ukitake? Aren't you worried about the happiness of two of your closest friends and of your own vice-captain?" asked the old man throwing a look of disbelief to him.
"It's not like I'm not worried but I never expected to hear that you are concerned too." said he trying to explain himself.
"Oh no! General Yamamoto had been reading too much shoujo manga lately. I must tell Byakouya to stop giving them to him."
"So what do you need me to do?"
"It's simple you will suggest to the captains next meeting a spring festival. Leave the rest to me I'll arrange the cooperation of the 10th and 13th division since your divisions lucks members this time of the year."
"Now that you mention it many members of my division are sent to missions…Don't tell me that you have been planning this all this time?" shouted once again a surprised Ukitake.
The old man took a sip of his tea and smiled a smile that Ukitake hasn't seen for a long time.
"Ok! Note to myself go talk to the 4th oldest captain about Yamamoto is starting to go nuts. Next station 4th division."
"Ukitake-taichou where on soul-society have you been?" exclaimed a worried Hinamori.
"Sentarou-kun and Kiyone-san waked me up telling me that you had disappeared and the last week you ended up in 4th division." She continued
"I'm sorry Hinamori-san I didn't know that I would worry you that much." he said feeling like a child who had gone outside without his mother's permission.
The girl's looked turned from a worrisome to a relieved one.
"You know taichou that everyone loves you and that we're just worried about your health."
"I know that. But I also know that I'm not the only one who doesn't take care of his health. Hinamori-san I can see black circles around your eyes. Poor child have you been working all night?" he asked her with the interest of a father.
"Well I had to finish all that remaining paperwork." protested the girl.
"Hay Hay. Listen what you're gonna do now. You'll go to take some rest and when you wake up we'll talk about something I've been thinking while we have a nice cup of tea. Ok?"
"Are?"
"Taichou Taichou! Have you heard it? There's gonna be a spring festival!" exclaimed an overexcited Matsumoto who started dancing around the office.
"Matsumoto stop skipping your job and start doing it. I don't see the reason why we have to participate in It." said the white haired captain who was already informed about the festival in the last captain meeting.
"But taichou all divisions are obliged to take part. Look the task of every division is already decided. And look we are cooperating with 13th division! It's the perfect opportunity to strengthen your bond with Hinamori-san."
"I don't think that this is gonna work." said the man sitting up from his chair and heading towards the window.
"Why not? I thought that everything was going smoothly?" said Matsumoto confused.
The big-bosomed woman started numerate all of her captain's successes since his old childhood's return but the white haired captain was not listening to her. In his mind the night of the Valentine's Day was being replayed. The events of the night were reassuring themselves; Hinamori hadn't shown any signs that she was indifferent in him. However after that night she was avoiding him with amazing skills. Every time they were about to meet by accident in the Seireitei's street she would easily escape thanks to her small height. If he was entering his office and finding her there in five minutes she would excuse herself out saying she had work to do. He didn't like that situation she had raised his hopes and now she was taking them down. He had to find the raison and she better a good one. He was informed by Ukitake that some girls from his division had sent a threatening letter to her earlier the same day. He hadn't talk to the president of his fun-club yet since she was send to a mission in the real world but he was going to do it. He had to do it a long time ago but before Hinamori's arrival he simply didn't care for many things.
Hinamori had to be the most unlucky girl in the Seireitei that time of the year. She was going to work with the man she wanted to avoid the most. Not that she suddenly had a change of heart but she was feeling guilty. She couldn't help but feel that way. Once she exited the 10th division's office she was unexpectedly thrown to the seas' of despair. She tried to relax but it didn't actually work. She tried to understand what was wrong with her but after a lot of hours of reflections the conclusion she reached was that for a reason she couldn't remember she felt the way she felt. For as long as she was in the office with him there was no problem with her feelings she was actually on seventh heaven. It was him who made the first move and tried to kiss her. He liked her too. But when she set her foot out of his protective presence she found herself in that situation. She had noticed that a long time ago that she was calming when he was around. There were many days that she was going to her office after another restless night filled with nightmares of that unknown man. Then she would find him there talking with her captain and immediately she would feel a lot better knowing he was there.
Sometimes she felt terrified from the influence he was starting to have over her, but then she knew that he wasn't the kind of man to take advantage of that influence.
Somewhere else an angry and stressed Ise Nanao was looking for her captain. Soon she spotted his spiritual pressure in a local roof and rushed there.
"Taichou, I can't believe that you're lying around doing nothing when we've got to prepare for the upcoming spring festival." The never-stressed captain raised his hat to look at his trust-worthy and beautiful vice-captain and asked.
"Why so much rashness Nanao-chan? It's only a festival. A happy feast that its preparation must be pleasant too."
"Perhaps but since our division is assigned to find the place where the festival will be held and take care of the decorations around, so we must go ask the divisions their plans so that we can find quickly the appropriate place and let the others start their work. I advice you to get up and help me arrange squads which will go and take the information we need."
"So we're going to work together in order to turn reality the upcoming festival." said Matsumoto with a smirk on her face looking Ukitake, the two third seat officers behind him, her bored-looking captain and Hinamori whose face was glowing but was seeming nervous at the same time. The older woman thought that this was connected to her captain's words a few days before but decided not to take notice of it right then.
"It seems so." commented Ukitake who was thinking of Yamamoto Sou-taichou.
"So I think that in this first meeting we must discuss the most important things considering our café/restaurant. And the first thing we have to discuss is which division we're going to exploit and place our little café/restaurant next to." said Matsumoto cheerfully wanting to spread her good spirits.
"You're saying that if we choose a certain division for our neighbors we'll have bigger profit."
"Exactly taichou. For example if second division really opens a stuffed animal exhibition it's not a good idea to be next to us. Stuff animals are rare to Soul Society so everyone will choose them."
"But aren't café/restaurants usually popular in those situations?" asked Hinamori.
"They are indeed but the antagonism is gonna be tough since 4th division will held tea parties. I suggest choosing the 3rd division since they had decided to do a haunted house."
"Your reasoning is that Ichimaru-taichou will do pretty good job and scare the shinigamis out of their pants and then they will rush to our shop to calm down?" asked Ukitake admiring her business dexterity.
"That's right I don't see anyone disagree let's move to the next topic. The uniforms!"
It was a month in the full. The streets were filled with running shinigamis some stressed and others with happy faces. Nanao was trying her best to satisfy everyone and have everything ready on time. She couldn't get a moments rest and when Shunsui told her to relax she started hitting him with whatever she found in front of her. After some talking with Matsumoto the brown-haired man went to apologize to Nanao with a bouquet of her favorite flowers. After the incident the two of them cooperated with no other problems. Moreover the big-bosomed woman had time to observe Hinamori's behavior. It was indeed strange. She didn't talk to Hitsugaya unless it had to do with the festival's preparations. She was doing her best not to stay alone with him in the same room and was trying to avoid a meeting with him in the streets. The only think she could do was to tell her captain to do one thing.
The awaited day finally came and everyone was delighted. The area that the 8th division had chosen was literally sparkling and a feeling of happiness was overflowing. Matsumoto's idea was followed with big success. Panicked shinigamis, who had decided to test their courage against Ichimaru Gin's mind, were coming running inside their café/restaurant.
After some hours of service Hinamori had left their shop and started wondering around. The streets were full of colors since everybody was dressed with fancy kimono. Amazing scents were filling all around along with happy voices. When she finished her walk she took a path which leaded to a hill away from the shops and exhibits. The 1st division was going to light fireworks and she had decided that this place was the best to watch them. She liked fireworks very much, no-matter what the season was she would never stop gazing at them.
While she was trying to guess what kind of fireworks she would see she noticed the shadow of a man. She raised her chin and saw Hitsugaya dressed in a black kimono with an icy-blue dragon on it.
"Oh Hitsugaya-taichou what a surprise. Are you having a walk?" She asked while thinking that she wasn't going to get away easily.
"Something like that replied he without taking his eyes from her. The girl felt her cheeks turn red as she wasn't looking him face to face.
"I think I'm going to find Matsumoto-san and watch the firework display with her." Said she as she got up and got ready to use shunpo. However before she could do so he got hold of her hand and dragged her to his strong embrace.
She had him facing her back so she said to him.
"Let me go Hitsugaya-taichou."
"I'm afraid I can't do that. Matsumoto is somewhere drinking with her friends drinking sake and I have grown tired of you avoiding me." He said calmly ensuring that she wouldn't break free from him.
"Will you please tell me the reason behind your strange behavior after Valentine's Day?" he asked now in a more commanding way. The ebony-haired girl couldn't talk and she was slightly shaking.
Tell him the reasoning behind her acts? He wanted to know things connected to a darkness that haunted a part of her mind since she had come to Soul Society.
But he had to know. Maybe not everything but he deserved to get the answer to his question.
"It's because of guilt."
The white-faired man heard surprised his friend whisper those words.
"Guilt?"
"After that night my mind was filled with the idea that I have harmed you in a way that I can't remember. So I shouldn't let myself reassured at the kindness that you were showing me neither expect something more than a typical relationship between a captain and a lieutenant."
Hitsugaya remained silent and shocked at her words. He had understood that she was troubled by incidents of the past but he didn't know that she being haunted by them in that way. He gently made her turn to face him and said her.
"You shouldn't feel that way. I don't see a reason. I don't think that there is one so let yourself relax. Trust me if I ever was discontent by you would knew it."
"But"
"I promise you that everything will clear out soon so don't worry about it Ok?"
The girl nodded confused but actually happy that he understood and when he gave him a smile he relished her and they turned their eyes to a sky bursting with colors.
orry for not updating sooner but I was busy I'll explain later Bye 3
