Let's see... I procrastinated through... two updates... shame on me. Well not really. I kinda had to take a break, Cuz I really feel like my writing is getting worse and I wanted to know why, and also in order to figure out want the heck is gonna happen in the upcoming chapters. Now I'm happy to say I've got 99% of it all figured out. And I have to say we are nearing the end.

Oh and I haven't really mentioned my one-shot in a while, so far though, IT'S SO CUTE!!! but also sad... I love it and I just need to find time to finish it. I'll probably do that after I finish this story and before I start the sequel.

I still haven't found my t-shirt, and there wasn't any thunderstorms. The world hates me.

Anyway, since I spent so much time off, I'm making this chapter extra long and extra eventful HOORAY

Toshiro had never found himself as grateful for healing as he was now. As he ran alongside the other soul reapers, the relief of not having every bone in his body aching like hell was the best feeling he had had in a long time. If he wasn't in such a foul situation, that feeling could've led to some kind of contentedness. Yet at the pit of his heart, he could still feel the anger and hatred boiling inside, just waiting for the right moment to be released, keeping his expression tight and his resolution firm.

He knew very well that Aizen wouldn't let him leave. Toshiro's mind went wild, searching for ideas, looking for away to make it possible to defeat his enemy. But the young soul reaper chose to stop trying to be smart about it. He would kill Aizen. That was it. No matter what, he would find a way, and destroy Aizen.

Protect Momo. Kill Aizen. That's all that mattered.

The small group came to an abrupt halt as Captain Ukitake pulled to a stop. The man glanced around concernedly. He had felt the slightest change in spiritual pressure, and he had to stay on his guard. Attack was not only probable, but undoubtedly inevitable.

"What is it, Captain?" Hisagi asked from behind him, his intense eyes scanning the room for any sign of danger.

The man took a deep breath, standing straight and glaring ahead.

"We have company."

Hisagi gave a start, looking around in surprise. He had sensed no one, and he still couldn't.

"I sense him, too." Toshiro stepped forward. Behind him, Byakuya also showed that he felt the change. Giving each other a small nod, each rested a hand on their zanpaktou.

"It's just like you to sneak in the shadows," Toshiro said, raising his voice in no particular direction, "Ichimaru."

Chuckling slowly, Aizen flipped off the surveillance.

"Gin, you're really taking this far, aren't you?" A small smile played around his mouth. "To cut off all of my connections and prevent me from watching you. Smart, I suppose."

He turned and began walking away from the screens that had become only static until Aizen had shut them off completely. His subordinate's actions didn't concern him much. Ichimaru could do what he liked now, Aizen could punish him later. Even though he's grown in power, any attack he may try on his leader would be fruitless. It was the same as when he was that little child.

The master of Las Noches chuckled again as the memory flashed through his head. The pathetic child begging for mercy, curled in a ball, choking on his own sobs as he whispered the name of the strawberry blonde girl he missed. Aizen had merely watched, interested, as the sobs turned into laughter, and creepy grin began appearing across the child's face every time he saw someone in pain.

Gin had undoubtedly become a perfect subordinate for Aizen, but the empowered leader was not satisfied. After seeing Hitsugaya's entrance into the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, he couldn't help himself. The possibility of having a soul reaper as strong and obedient as Ichimaru was very delightful to Aizen, and he had planned his actions from the moment he had met the captain of squad ten.

Taking a seat on the other side of the dark room, Aizen glanced over at Momo, who had taken to standing by the wall across from him, and her eyes were unreadable behind her bangs.

"Toshiro will escape." She spoke softly, noticing the enemy's gaze on her. "No matter what, he'll find a way."

Brushing a hand through his slick hair, Aizen's smile widened. "How foolish. You still ave some hope in him?"

"Show yourself, Ichimaru!" Ukitake yelled, projecting his voice throughout the entire area.

There was silence, until a man man stepped out from behind a corner in front of the group. Ichimaru's smile was wide, as creepy as ever.

Toshiro looked the soul reaper over. Gin Ichimaru seemed no different from the days that he had been a captain at the Seireitei. A sinister smile. Evil, slanted looked eyes. But for some reason, Toshiro felt as though that smile was fake. In all the years that he had known Ichimaru, he had never thought that smile could be hiding any pain. The petite soul reaper could barely remember anything from the past week, but now, he had the notion that he was seeing a different, more solemn side of Gin behind the smile.

"Aw, you found me." Was what he had said as Aizen's subordinate stepped forward.

"Ichimaru," Toshiro began, "What are you doing here, what do you want?" His voice came a little unsteadily, still unsure of Gin's motives, and trying to fight off the part of him that told him to trust Gin.

Hisagi fingered his zanpaktou. "Answer quickly, Ichimaru." He spoke bitterly, remembering the look of sorrow on both Izuru's and Rangiku's faces when ever Gin's name was heard.

"Now, now. Ya don't need to get so excited." Ichimaru smiled with feigned innocence. "I only came here because there's somebody I thought ya might wanna see."

He stepped aside gleefully.

Toshiro's breath caught in his throat. Moments passed before anything happened, but the sudden presence of spiritual pressure that had previously been so annoyingly familiar to him caused Toshiro to freeze in shock. He trembled slightly as he slowly turned his gaze away from Gin, and onto the person who had stepped out from behind him.

The lieutenant of squad nine too was taken aback. He had been told of the possibility that she was still alive, but he had not dared to hope. But now...

"Rangiku??"

The strawberry blonde looked healthy, Aizen had done nothing to hurt her, and relief sped through the back of Toshiro's mind. But his lieutenant seemed sad. Her eyes swept over his torn clothes, and his dirtied, messy hair.

"Captain..."

Unable to stop herself, Rangiku ran forward, and had grabbed her captain's shoulders before she knew it. Wrapping her arms around the frame of the small soul reaper, she felt small crystals of tears forming in her eyes as she unknowingly suffocated him in her chest.

"R-....Ran..." Toshiro sputtered her name incoherently from the depths of her front, struggling loose.

The lieutenant pulled back surprise, seeing his disgruntled face as he gasped for breath.

"Oh, captain, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

Toshiro was glancing to his side, were Hisagi had stepped forward.

"Rangiku, are you alright?" His expression was desperate, looking her over with genuine concern.

She nodded. "Gin's been protecting me, and when Toshiro-"

"It was only an illusion, wasn't it?" Toshiro's voice came slowly, dangerously.

Her eyes widened a little, before she nodded once more.

The small soul reaper's fist tightened, released, and then tightened again, trembling as his fingernails dug into his skin.

"That bastard... how dare he..."

Icy cold wrath seemed to radiate from Toshiro, and everyone's eyes widened as he shook with rage and hatred.

"How dare he... How dare he use your life.... like it was some kind of toy..." Toshiro bit his lip until began to bleed.

Ukitake stepped forward, placing a hand on Toshiro's shoulder. "I know you're angry, but you should calm down." The captain's gaze slid sideways at Byakuya, whose hand was near his zanpaktou. "You don't have to get carried away right now." He still spoke to Hitsugaya, but his suspicions of what the Head Captain might've said to the captain of squad six were still strong.

Still shaking a bit, Toshiro straightened up, looking around at everyone's surprised of sympathetic gaze as he tried to take Ukitake's advice.

He shook away his anger, burying it inside. He'd use it later.

"And what about you, Ichimaru?" The petite soul reaper asked, turning to the man who had been standing by, watching everyone.

Rangiku stepped forward, defending him before he could say a word. "You can trust him. I told you, he's been protecting me."

Various murmurs of disbelief and suspicion continued to crawl through the group, and Rangiku spoke again, defending Ichimaru although she would not tell them exactly what had been happening. But by this point, Toshiro finally understood. Ichimaru had been helping him, and now he knew why. The boy stared into the squinted eyes of the man, and the man gazed back at him. Their eyes locked and there was a silent understanding between them.

The moment was shattered as another blast resounded through the area. Part of the wall crumbled, leaving a gaping hole.

Inside it, an Arrancar stepped through. Toshiro glared forward as he realized, it wasn't just an Arrancar, it was an Espada, Aaroniero.

Smoke swept past everyone, and would've knocked Orihime off her feet if Chad hadn't grabbed her. Caught off guard, everyone backed away, and zanpaktous were drawn hastily.

Toshiro and Ichimaru acted at once, the same idea instantly forming in their heads. Toshiro flew up in the air with a nimble grace that he found was even more exhilarating than usual because no pain shot up his body through any wounds.

In the meantime, Ichimaru's Shinso was drawn, but as Toshiro lept over the Espada instead of landing on top of it, Gin slashed at the remainder of the wall, causing more rocks to crumble down.

Toshiro triumphantly landed in the adjacent hallway that had been opened because of the Espada's entrance. It wasn't long before Ichimaru landed beside him.

Through the wall that was falling between them, Toshiro could hear Captain Ukitake and Rangiku calling desperately, but what Gin had done caused more and more pieces of the wall and ceiling to fall into the gaping hole, until, finally, it was completely blocked, isolating Toshiro and Gin from all the others, including the Espada.

Toshiro gave a grim smile. "Good job, that was quick thinking."

"Good job for understanding." Ichimaru said, his face fallen again.

There was a strange silence, and Toshiro felt like he owed Ichimaru to say some thing.

"They'll be expecting you to continue that way," Ichimaru indicated down to the right, "And will be waiting for you there."

The grim smile returned to Toshiro's mouth, and he gave a chuckle. "I think we both know I have no intention of going that way.

Aizen's surveillance room is in the opposite direction. Am I correct in thinking that you'll join me??"

Ichimaru turned in the direction Toshiro spoke of, and, turning his head back, a sincere yet still creepy smile spread across his face.

"Yes. I won't rest until I've torn him limb from limb."

Toshiro took a step forward. "Well, I hope you won't mind sharing that honor."

"If it's with you, not at all."

Toshiro small smile, more to himself than anything, as they began to run onward, towards the one that both of they shared a hatred for.

Yes... Now more than ever, destroying him just seems so... appealing.

GOSH I think I'm turning Toshiro sadistic. SHAME ON ME!! Oh well.

I actually really liked this chapter, and I hope everyone else did.

I really want to draw, so I'm not gonna write a long author's note, I'm gonna draw this kid (He's so cool when he grows up!!!) holding a sword looking very... well... I'm gonna say sadistic again. And covered in blood. HOORAY I'M HOPELESSLY DEMENTED!!!

We are really reaching the end, and my best estimate is that this story is gonna be 40 chapters, maybe more, maybe less.

Now, I would really appreciate some reviews. I really really love getting reviews... Please, I honestly want to know what everyone thinks

AND THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO HAD REVIEWED!!! YOU'RE AMAZING!!