OMG chapter 40! that's 40 CHAPTERS! I never thought this story would get to be this long! I can't believe it! And the way it's going, we'll probably still have another 10 chapters to go ! thats a total of 50 CHAPTERS! OMG! **passes out**
Despite his glee, Grimmjow was forced to wear a serious expression as Ichigo's zangetsu collided with his zanpaktou. The teenager was scowling fiercely as another grin swept across the Espada's mouth.
The small white haired soul reaper who so got on Grimmjow's nerves continued to scream from beyond the barrier , and, while brought extreme pleasure to the sixth espada, Ichigo was struggling to contain himself. It wasn't just the fact that Aizen had probably defeated Toshiro and was now torturing him, it was the smirk of satisfaction that belonged to Grimmjow that set Ichigo off. He would never forgive anyone sadist enough to take pleasure in the horrendous shrieks that pierced the silence like a blade through flesh.
If Ichigo were to take his eyes off of Grimmjow, he would see that he wasn't the only one becoming distraught. Both Rangiku and Momo, while fighting random fraccion, looked as though they were on the brink of tears. Ukitake, who had already defeated the other present Espada, was staring in direction of Aizen's battle. His eyes were somewhat wide and he looked very worried. Even Hisagi, whose anger and Toshiro had not subsided, but only softened, seemed to be at least a little sympathetic. However, Byakuya, after already haven massacred several Arrancar, continued to be impassive, his face as uncaring as ever.
"That boy will die."
Ichigo turned at the sound of Grimmjow's voice.
"Though," he chuckled. "Not until Lord Aizen has torturing him into doing his will, which will probably also lead to insanity. And after he has done Aizen's bidding, if he survives it, he will be disposed of. There's nothing you can do to save him."
Ichigo scowled deeper. "Toshiro isn't like that. He'd never let himself lose to Aizen."
"Fool." Grimmjow grinned, "He's already lost!"
The Espada brought out his zanpaktou and charged. Ichigo, a bitter rage churning in him, met the blade.
Toshiro gasped for breath as Aizen withdrew. His chest rose and fell heavily, while his breath came short and weak.
With a smirk, Aizen released the silver hair that was interlaced in his fingers. Toshiro could still feel his spiritual pressure was at a high level, but he felt as though the energy had been drained from his limbs. Finally freed from Aizen's grip, the boy crumpled to the ground by his enemy's foot, unable to move in his shock.
"Hitsugaya, I would rather not weaken you an further by continuing. Do as I ordered you."
Toshiro shuddered, and though he tried to think, his mind was clouded by a wall of pain and fear. The only thing that remained was a single thought. It's Aizen. Don't ever do his will again.
"I won't." Somehow, Toshiro lifted his head to glare into Aizen's eyes. "Never again."
It was stupid. Irrational. Toshiro knew it. Even as his mind rushed with fear and the frustration of not even being able to save himself, some part of him still found the ability to defy Aizen. He knew that, at this point, trying to defeat him was impossible. Being unable to anything, even back away, against a force he suddenly had no choice but to accept as being much more powerful than himself tore his heart with frustration.
Still, the fact that he could hold on to his free will, the mere gift of defiance, gave him the slightest but of satisfaction over Aizen. Even as the effects of the horrid weapon still sped through Toshiro's body, the presence of everyone who had come to aid him, and especially the words and actions of Ichigo, gave him the perseverance to, at the very least, keep from succumbing to Aizen's will.
"You truly are naive."
Aizen reached two fingers down at the shuddering boy, who immediately was turned onto his back by an unseen force. With a whispered incantation, two silvery-blue rods erupted from the man's fingers.
As if Toshiro could even move in the first place, the two rods embedded themselves into his shoulders, and the very force of the blow pushed him back against a rock, propping him up on his back. The boy struggled, but his exhausted body refused to move.
"Don't think you will be able to deny me for long."
Aizen leaned forward, holding his device almost lovingly in his hands.
"This can still do much worse."
As Toshiro panted quicker and quicker in horror, the man fingered open the blood encrusted remains of Toshiro's shirt, revealing the boy's battered and bruised chest. With a wicked smile, Aizen brought the device forward, and Toshiro's eyes were wide with terror. With only a flick of his hand, Aizen dug the weapon into Toshiro's skin, right over his heart.
A horrific cry tore from the soul reaper's throat, reaching a height level of excruciation. The world disappeared in a blur of black and red behind Toshiro's eyelids that were shut in pain. No thought was capable of coming into his head, only a sudden wish for its end, any solution that would save him, even his own death.
It was only after several moments that Toshiro realized Aizen had pulled away. By then, even the bakudo Aizen had placed upon him couldn't stop his trembling. The pain that still ran through his body, though much lessened now that Aizen had withdrawn the weapon, was enough to keep suicidal thoughts coursing through him as though they had a mind of their own. When Toshiro finally regained the slightest bit of control, he had to remind himself several times that death would solve nothing.
"Now, Hitsugaya," Aizen's voice brought Toshiro the need to open his eyes as the man took the device near Toshiro's neck. "What do you think happens when I do it here?"
Fear took control. Toshiro tried to back away further into the rock he was cornered onto, his eyes panic-stricken and frantic.
"No! No! Please!"
A wretched smile growing, Aizen took hold of Toshiro's silver hair once more and tugged his head to the side, holding the wretched boy in place.
"I'm begging you, PLEASE! Stop! No! DON'T!"
The grin grew even further as Aizen spoke only a few words back to the boy.
"You will learn to obey."
The man brought the device to the side of the boy's neck, just below the chin. His wail of dread suddenly stopping, Toshiro's eyes could only stare into Aizen's, wide and bloodshot with horror. His voice failed, and only tiny whimpers escaped the boy's gaping mouth, unable to take in the air it desired. Every muscle in his body tensed.
MASTER!
Hyourinmaru's scream rang out in Toshiro's soul, the distraught zanpaktou giving his all to reach his master. For a while, the boy had been completely unresponsive, but now, almost every barrier and blockage was broken in a world of unimaginable anguish. After a second, Hyourinmaru finally found his master, standing erect, with his eyes and mouth open wide, uttering a silent scream that was unable to come.
The fear of losing his master had almost entirely driven Hyourinmaru into grief, but, with a rush of relief, the zanpaktou brought the soul reaper close to him, embracing him lovingly. The boy gave no response still, sheerly out of his inability to feel anything other than the hurt that still rendered him horrified.
Master... master...
Something changed, outside of Toshiro's soul, Aizen must've retracted the device, and the incarnation of the boy that was in Hyourinmaru's arms collapsed. The boy only shook, his teal eyes big.
Taking short, quick breaths, he finally recognized his place in his zanpaktou's arms.
"Hy-Hyourinmaru...?"
Hyourinmaru's heart flowed with a soft happiness as his master whispered his name. He gave a nod and the boy buried himself in his companion's cool clothing, shivering as he knew that Aizen would only strike him again, and it would never end.
"I don't know what to do... I don't know what to do..."
He remembered himself begging his enemy to not hurt him, and how pathetic he was brought shame into the boy's heart.
You were desperate, beyond reason. It's nothing to be ashamed of, Aizen forced you into it.
Hyourinmaru's words offered only a little comfort to the boy, and he spoke again sullenly, trying to block away the knowledge that he only had very little time before Aizen would take the weapon and... and...
"I can't defeat him, Hyouinmaru, I can't. It's impossible, he's too strong. And this pain... I just... I can't... I..."
The boy choked on his words, unable to take his face out of Hyourinmaru's garb.
Master... Hyourinmaru's eyes were soft with sympathy, and he could only bring himself to give Toshiro some advice. It's impossible for someone to be invincible. Even the strongest have weaknesses, it is inevitable.
"But... no, Aizen doesn't. He's way too strong for me, I can't... And whenever I think about fighting him, I get this feeling... I can't shake it off, and I don't like it. It feels like... it feels like what he must feel. Evil. Hatred. A lust for more power."
So Toshiro knew about it. He knew about the darkness that had been slowly taking him over, and if it wasn't for the fear that overtook everything, he may have fallen beyond hope. To that extent, Hyourinmaru had to thank Aizen.
Master, I know you hate him, and I know that your scared. But, now of all times, you need to remember the skill you've mastered over the past years.
"Skill?"
Your ability to bury your emotions. Being able to hide them so well, even from yourself, is going to be crucial in this battle.
"But... everyone gets angry at me for hiding what I feel, even you."
We can make an exception this once. But you have to use your head, Toshiro, and you can't let your hatred and anger get in the way of reason. He must have a weakness, he must. And if you think clearly, I'm sure you can find it.
Hyourinmaru's words were only half of what he felt. In truth he was almost as deeply buried in hopelessness as Toshiro was, but telling him that wouldn't help the situation.
"A weakness..."
Yes, Master. You still want to defeat Aizen don't you? Please, master, I will help, but you have to figure it out. You have to win, and the only way your going to think clearly enough to do that is by not fighting with you hate, but with the intent to protect your friends.
Toshiro was quiet. Trying to take in the words his zanpaktou had spoken, the boy hadn't realized how much his fear and pain had subsided. He had truly forgotten how much of a comfort Hyourinmaru was to him.
As he opened his eyes into the real world, Toshiro was reminded of the state his body was in. With a lurch in his stomach, the boy leaned forward and coughed mightily, shaking as he chocked on a thick substance in his throat. After coughing several times, a dense black liquid spewed from the boy's mouth, staining the ground a pitch black. Still trembling, Toshiro noticed warily that the rods that had bound him to a rock were gone, and Aizen was sitting on a similar boulder a few yards away, staring at him intently.
"You bastard..." Toshiro spoke bitterly as he wiped the black substance that was brought on from the weapon Aizen had used from his chin.
Aizen looked vaguely surprised at this.
"Well," The man gave a malicious smirk. "You've calmed down quite a bit, and that fear in you eyes seems to be less now. How disappointing, I was rather enjoying myself. Did you have a nice conversation with Hyourinmaru?"
Trying his best to ignore the shaking in both his body and his heart, Toshiro pushed himself off the floor and carefully found his footing. Aizen too stood, and took the weapon by his side from his robes.
"So, Hitsugaya, have you finally accepted your only course of action?" He fingered the black device eagerly. "Or shall we continue?"
Toshiro's mind raced with frustration and anger, as he had not yet decided whether or not to follow his zanpaktou's advice. But one thing rang in his head for certain. He would not let Aizen disgrace him any further.
Woopdeedoo... I'm kinda rushed right now so all I can say is PLEASE review me! PLEAASSSEEEEE! And I might not update monday or thursday next week because I'll have major studying to do for the biology SATs I HATE BIOLOGY! And I might be to busy. That almost adds to the suspense, so it's all good:) TEEHEE
