Okay, well I've procrastinated writing this long enough... I'm sorry, quite personally the last chapter and this chapter and the next couple chapters are gonna be hell to write, just because nothing really exciting happens to Toshiro... well.... Maybe I can do that... and then that... I don't know.... we'll see...
Hyourinmaru glared at the void of darkness in front of him, frustrated to no end. The enclosure he was in inside Toshiro's soul seemed to be only infinite blackness, but at the same time, it was made up of all different shades of black, some more ominous and sinister then others. Hyourinmaru tried desperately to pry at the blackness, trying to dig inside at his master's heart, and find where he had buried himself.
Somehow, parts of Hyourinmaru wanted to stop. When Toshiro was being tortured, Hyourinmaru had naturally sunk away from the surface of his master's soul, not wanting to feel the pain as well. But when he raised up a little, just to feel his master's condition, the pain felt unbearable. It was only a scrape off the surface of Toshiro's stronger feelings, but it was excruciating. Because of what he was going through, Toshiro pulled into himself, to protect himself from the hurt as much as possible. If hiding away was helping him against the pain, how could Hyourinmaru deny him that comfort?
Irritated by the situation, the great ice dragon seethed in rage, digging his icy tail into the darkest of areas. He had tried this already countless times, but to no avail. While there where instances where Toshiro's feelings shone through the eerie night, usually the emotions were buried much to deep for Hyourinmaru to reach.
He could never understand how it was possible. How Toshiro could be able to hide inside himself so thoroughly. The purpose of a zanpatkou is to protect and guide his master, as a being within a soul reaper's heart. But it wasn't just in physical protection that a zanpaktou acted. They were supposed to be the ones who could always understand their master and lead that soul reaper in the right direction. Whenever faced with an issue, it was instinct for a soul reaper to turn to his zanpaktou, to confide in it, and to trust it with everything.
Yet Toshiro was so stubborn. It wasn't that he always turned away from Hyourinmaru, there were countless times that he had appreciated the powerful zanpaktou's advice, but when it came to certain things, certain feelings that he tried to deny, Toshiro was unwilling to let them out, and to accept Hyourinmaru's guidance. That was the way it had always been between them. Hyourinmaru would try to talk to him about such things, and Toshiro would turn away.
His fangs clenched in rage, Hyourinmaru dug deeper, determined to find his master. Exhaustion bit at him, but the zanpaktou did all he could to push it away. He refused to give up on his master. He would find Toshiro's emotions, and bring them to the surface, no matter what it took.
Ichigo nervously fingered the edge of the table, uncomfortable in his situation. He was standing inside the squad twelve barracks, waiting once again for Ukitake. The thirteenth squad captain had agreed to meet with Captain Kurotsuchi to discuss how they would be able to get to Hueco Mundo, which, due to recent changes in the connection between dimensions, was posing a problem.
Captain Kurotsuchi himself was sitting at his over sized computer, typing away at full speed, and mumbling unintelligible nonsense to himself every so often. It was awkwardly quiet, Ichigo leaned against another table impatiently while the lieutenant, Nemu, eyed him cautiously.
He couldn't have been happier when he finally heard the door open and Ukitake stepped into the area.
"You'll have to forgive my lateness, I'm afraid I overslept a bit."
The man had been resting after a stressful day, but was now ready to see what was going on. Judging by the relieved look on Ichigo's face, the wait had been tense.
"Well, well now. Onto our issues. We'll have to make this fast, I happen to have other business to attend to." Kurotsuchi said, the words spilling out of his mouth quickly.
"Yes." Ukitake agreed. "Now what was the interference into Hueco Mundo you mentioned earlier?"
Captain Kurotsuchi spun on his chair and began to type furiously once more.
"It seems that something hinders our ability to open artificial portals to another world. Hueco Mundo to be specific."
Ichigo's eyes narrowed. "It must be Aizen."
Ukitake nodded slowly. "Hmm. And that probably means he's figured out about the Hogyoku. He is arrogant, but at least he is taking some precautions to protect Hitsugaya's life.
"Well because of this problem, I suspect it is impossible for us to travel there." the eccentric captain stated.
"What?" Ichigo slammed his hand on the table. "But there's no way Aizen will let Toshiro into the Soul Society again if he knows! Are you saying that it's impossible to rescue him? Don't you have any way to break the interference?"
Kurotsuchi's golden eyes constricted in anger. "Watch your mouth, boy. Do you think I am that useless?"
From the inner pockets of his robe, Kuortsuchi withdrew a small silver device, plain almost like a cellphone.
"If we can somehow get one person to get this into Hueco Mundo, it could stop the interference, and I would be able to open a gate. However, the problem is getting it there..."
"Well what good does that do us?!" Ichigo yelled, his temper rising. "If we can't get to there, what use is it?!"
Ukitake sighed as Kurotsuchi rebutted, outraged by Ichigo's insult.
"If you think you could do a better job, go ahead and-"
"Enough!" Ukitake shouted.
The two stopped arguing and glanced at the older shinigami who had become exasperated with them.
"If this is the only thing, then we have no choice but to wait until Captain Kurotsuchi is able to break the hinderance, which I am faithful he has the capability to do. Until then, we need to prepare ourselves and-"
"Wait?! You want us to wait?!" Ichigo yelled, this time directed at Ukitake. "You expect us to just sit around while Aizen is doing whatever he wants to Toshiro?!"
"I know it's difficult but-"
"IF WE WAIT ANY LONGER HE'LL BE DEAD!" Ichigo shouted in rage.
The other inhabitants of the room were quiet as the substitute shinigami seethed.
"Ichigo, I-"
"No, I'm sorry." Ichigo sighed heavily. "I shouldn't have gotten worked up, everyone's trying the best they can. I've just been..."
"Stressed." Ukitake finished for him. "I understand. We've all been under pressure, it's okay to be angry."
Ichigo sighed again, and turned to Kurotsuchi, changing the topic. "You're sure there's no way to get into Hueco Mundo?"
The captain nodded. "Well, if there was a way I would tell you and be onto the work I actually cared about, wouldn't I? It might be possible, but it would take weeks, if not months for me to break the transmission."
"Maybe Urahara..."
Ukitake shook his head. "Even though Urahara uses methods more convenient then ours because he doesn't have restrictions by the laws of the Soul Society, I doubt he would be able to find a way either."
Ichigo clenched his hand. "There's got to be something..."
Silence. There was no answer, nobody had any solution.
Ichigo stared at the silver device on the table. There's no way to open an artificial gate into Hueco Mundo... But we just need one person to take this there to be able to open it... it's impossible...
Suddenly a thought jolted the teenager, and he spun on his heel to face Kurotsuchi once more. "You said it was impossible for us to open an artificial gate?"
"Yes, that is what I said, have you gone deaf?"
Ichigo, his eyes wide, turned to Ukitake. "Hey, have there been any changes in hollow attacking in the real world?"
Ukitake shook his head, confused. "Um, no... why are you-"
A grin spread across Ichigo's face. Without another word, he grabbed the silver device and began to rush out of the room.
"Hey! Where are you going?!"
"I'll be taking this!" The substitute yelled. "I've got an idea!"
Hooray I know what's gonna happen next chapter... yay...
I HAVE THE HICCUPS!! ACKK
REVIEW ME TO CURE THEM!! PLZ MAKE THEM STOP!!!
sooo … i'm gonna go sharpen my axe... me and my friend (not my twin) have a certain someone we hate to TAKE CARE OF tonight... so cya all later
REVIEW ME!! PLZZ!! THESE HICCUPS ARE TORTURE!!
