I won't be updating for the next week because my summer school trip is at Seattle and my teacher is banning any computerized gadgets.T_T But I'll try my hardest to write in secret, but enough of this. Enjoy!
"I haven't seen you for a while, Hitsuguya-taicho." Toshiro spun around and almost collided with a tall woman. He looked up and the first thing he noticed was her pale rose colored hair. This woman was none other than Kurohime's zanpaktou, Shirobarakaze.
She pulled him to a flower tree and beckoned him to sit down. "I hope my mistress didn't cause you any injury . . ." Her eyes slowly drifted to his cheek, where he sported a large bruise when Kurohime had slapped him. "Oh dear . . ."
Hitsuguya tried not to flinch when he felt Shirobarakaze's fingers brush over his cheek. There was a burning sensation, then nothing. "There, when you wake up, there should be nothing on your cheek." Hitsuguya looked up at the woman, her gentle smile putting him at ease, but he knew that that smile was forced.
"Thank you, Shirobarakaze-san," he said. For a second, that smile faltered and he saw sorrow, then it was covered up again. "Shirobarakaze-san, may I ask you a question?" She nodded slowly, the trinklets on her headpiece tinkling gently. "I want to know what Hinamoto-chan was hiding? I want to know the reason why she tries to keep everyone out of her life."
Shirobarakaze backed away one step and sighed. "Even her zanpaktou doesn't know the full answer to that question. She doesn't like to talk much anymore, except when she is in a good mood and even then, she can be brought down quickly."
I guess that's why Shirobarakaze is so depressed, Hitsuguya thought. It must be frustrating to be talking to a wall. Maybe that's what Momo thought half of the times she had attempted talking to him. He had been ignoring the company of his friend for the company of paperwork. "But when she is sad or bored, we would play games together. It's really nice seeing her smile, but she's been frowning ever since she went back to the Soul Society," said Shirobarakaze.
Hitsuguya nodded to her and she sat down next to him before continuing. "Hitsuguya-taicho, I recall some of my memories of her time in the Soul Society, most of them including you, of course. So why do you think she hit you when you had asked her to come back to the Soul Society?" Toshiro thought about it. There was anger and defiance when she shrieked her answer, but nothing else. "I guess I offended her. Whatever it was, I would not like to see it again," he replied.
Shirobarakaze let out a low chuckle and whispered, "Is that what you thought it was? Don't you think there is something more?" Something in Toshiro's mind reared its forgotten head and it took a few seconds for him to realize that it was his curiosity.
"She is scared of you, Hitsuguya-taicho." Hitsuguya noticed that she emphasized on the phrase, Hitsuguya-taicho. "She uses distancing language when she is not talking to Yoruichi Shihion and Kisuke Urahara."
"Greetings to you, Soi Fon-taicho. It is an honor to see you again."
"Is that your way of insulting me, Hitsuguya-taicho?"
"My mistress only thinks that by addressing the person in a formal, polite way will intimidate the person because she is scared of bonding with him. She believes that all emotional, personal ties will bring sorrow, but she still cares about her friends, only from afar. There are still some undecided emotion concerning you that she hasn't decided on."
By now, Toshiro was intrigued by the woman. He wondered what kind of "undecided" emotion it could be. Either way, his blasted curiosity would not be satisfied until he got an answer. "So, where is she now," asked Hitsuguya.
Shirobarakaze snorted and laughed. "Do you really think I can tell you that? My mistress is unconscious for the time being and the only thing that's keeping me from rampaging is the fact that she is with Yoruichi and Kisuke right now."
Damn, Hitsuguya thought. But what Shirobarakaze told him is true, then he had almost no chance to bring her back to the Soul Society. Some part of Hitsuguya was relieved that she won't have to suffer under whatever task the Sou-taicho was going to issue, but he felt dread for failing the old man.
"Your thoughts are somewhat beautiful, Hitsuguya-taicho," snickered Shirobara. "I never knew you thought of my mistress in that way." On command, that lucid fantasy that Hitsuguya dreamt from before wormed its way to the center of his mind. He flushed and exclaimed, "You- what-how did you do that?"
"Oh, so what I saw was true, right Hitsuguya-taicho," teased Shirobarakaze. Hitsuguya flushed harder and mentally cursed his thoughts and for his coming here. "Don't worry, Hitsuguya-taicho. I won't tell her, even if I did, she'll never believe me. Believe it or not, Hime-chan was always in denial about these things. You would have to be a very special person to make her confess about these things."
Toshiro sighed in relief and mumured his thanks to Shirobarakaze. "How did you know what I thought, Shirobarakaze-san?" She frowned for moment and replied, "As Kurohime's zanpaktou, I share the same abilities with her. Although mine are weaker, it is still capable to do as much damage as her abilities. But her powers are much, much more dangerous."
A long time ago, Hitsuguya had seen firsthand what Shirobarakaze had mentioned. It was like Hinamoto had lost part of herself . . . and replaced it with a stifling rage. "You are partially correct. But no, that is not how it is. You see, Kurohime has these psychic abilities that allow her to do what she wills. But she will also run the risk of losing her sanity if she overexerts herself."
It took only a few seconds for Hitsuguya's mind to process what he heard, but he was still confused. "Then why would she even consider using these abilities," he asked. "Normally, Hinamoto wouldn't dare dream useing them, but if she thinks it is required, then she will. She know how tiring it can be, so those occasions are very limited."
Then she stopped talking and closed her eyes. "I am sorry, Hitsuguya-taicho. But my mistress is waking up and I can't have her knowing you were here. Especially how she reacted the last time I tried talking to you." With a wave of her hand, Hitsuguya was pulled back into his world.
Every single one of my muscles hurt and there was a metallic aftertaste in my mouth. "Well, our little Hime-chan woke up!" Seeing Kisuke Urahara's face was not what I wanted to see when I first woke up. "Kisuke, is she okay," asked someone I knew very well. Yoruichi Shihion leaned against the doorframe with a smirk on her face. "Yoruichi-sama, Urahara-san, where am I," I asked.
Kisuke's grin grew bigger. "You shouldn't worry about that, we're gonna patch you up good as new!" So it was that bad. I didn't know how much trouble I was in or what I would have to do for Kisuke as punishment.
"What's wrong, Hinamoto-chan? Did something happen," asked Yoruichi. But I was confused by what was going on. Yoruichi had just called me by my name and not that insufferable nickname. Suddenly, Kisuke and Yoruichi exchanged looks and started whispering.
"Do you think she's ready?"
"Of course, she is, Kisuke! She's been ready since she came here."
"But I don't think this is such a good idea, Yoruichi. You know how hard bankai is."
Their conversation screeched towards a halt and they turned back to me. The expression on my face said it all. It was a mix of anticipation and annoyance. "Well, it appears you would like me to achieve my bankai. . ." There was nothing but a mirthless laugh from Kisuke and Yoruichi.
When Hitsuguya woke up early in the morning, he got an unpleasant surprise from Yamamoto-soutaicho. The elderly man was clearly displeased when he heard Soi Fon's report on the day before, especially about the section where Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihion intervened. "I want Hitsuguya-taicho and Matsumoto-fukutaicho to search her hideout for any clues to where they might have taken her. The Soul Society is closing in at war and we'll need as much help as we can get."
Toshiro nodded and the Sou-taicho dismissed them both. When he got Matsumoto to finally wake up, they both shunpoed to the Senkeimon Gate waiting for them. "What did the Sou-taicho mean by 'hideout', Taicho," asked Matsumoto. Hitsuguya exhaled sharply and snapped, "I don't know. But the closest place to a hideout is probably her house." Matsumoto nodded as she sliced through the chains on the front gate.
Matsumoto stayed silent after that, but someone from Hinamoto's house that Hitsuguya never wanted to see again had made her appearance again. Someone who was standing before the double door entrance of the manor. "Why it's Hitsuguya-taicho. I am truly surprised that you dare show your face here again." Sunade bowed deeply to Matsumoto and said, "Please to see you again, Matsumoto-fukutaicho."
"May I ask why you are here, Hitsuguya-taicho," Sunade asked through her teeth. Toshiro thought how she could still keep up that charade when Kurohime was not present. No bothering to give an explanation to Sunade, he stormed up the marble staircase, into the manor, and down a random corridor.
Hitsuguya roughly turned the door handle to the room closest to him, but there was nothing. "Oh, you're going to have some trouble finding what you're looking for, Hitsuguya-taicho." Without a word, Sunade shunpoed from Matsumoto's side to Hitsuguya. Something thin and sharp was held at his throat before Toshiro could react.
"If you were not one of Hinamoto-sama's acquaintances, I would have slit your throat the first moment I met you and left your corpse to rot," she hissed into his ear. A small glint of light shone from a nearby window and Hitsuguya caught a glimpse of what was being held to this neck. It was a hairpin, the ruby charm reflecting the sunlight dully.
"I see you have remembered our small chat before Hinamoto-sama interrupted us. And if you recall my request at you being an inconvenience to Hinamoto-sama's well being, you will realize in a few seconds that you have indeed been an inconvenience to both my mistress and me," she said.
When Hitsuguya sensed Sunade had release her hold on the pin for the slightest moment, he kicked her from behind and as he expected, she had dodged the blow. But Hitsuguya slammed her to the wall as hard as he could, damaging the ancient wall and creating a small blizzard of drywall. "D-do what you will, but I will n-never tell y-you anything," she gasped.
Hitusguya pushed her further into the wall and he saw that her face was getting paler with each second. "G-go a-ahead and kill me then, Hitsuguya-taicho," she wheezed. There was a faint smirk on her face, like she knew something he didn't. That same smirk was one Kurohime that night, like she was begging him to do it. Horrified at his rash actions, he backed away from Sunade and stormed arcoss the corridor.
"Taicho, where are you going," called Matsumoto. Hitsuguya reached for the first door handle he saw and entered the room. But when he saw there was nothing, he backed out quickly and headed for the other side of the corridor. Matsumoto and Sunade heard the sound of doors being slammed roughly into the wall.
"She's not here, Matsumoto," shouted Hitsuguya. Then he turned to Sunade and yelled, "Where is she, damnit?" Something flew through the air and embedded itself in the wall. It was a hairpin, the charm tinkling softly like a bell. "Ahh, Hitsuguya-taicho, there is such thing as patience in this world and as for your question, I am afraid I can't answer it even if I could."
Sunade pick herself of the floor amd dusted off all the white stains on her skirt. Hitsuguya saw this as an oppurtunity to leave as soon as possible. "Matsumoto, we're going now." The perky blond ran past him down the stairs as Toshiro strolled leisurely. "If I were you, Taicho, I would try to keep my anger within myself. Otherwise who knows what could happen," whispered Sunade.
She stretched her hand out towards the hairpin and the ruby charm suddenly glowed and pulled itself out from the wall. Sunade caught it and began pulling at her hair. "You may leave now, Hitsuguya-taicho."
After the double doors closed, Sunade sighed. "I wondered what could have happened those two? Oh well, it's not my business anyway, but this could get interesting."
"That was scary, Taicho. I thought she would have got you with needle of hers," said Matsumoto. She was trying to start a conversation with her young captain as a futile attempt to ease the tension between them two, but it seemed she was irritating him even further.
Somehow it unnerved the woman to see the boy like this. He always kept a calm, commanding atmosphere that made sure everything was done in the correct order, but suddenly snapping at everyone in sight, that was weird even for him. "Can you sense anything, Matsumoto?" Rangiku glanced at Hitsuguya, who was seemed to be staring at the mountains on the outskirts of Karakura.
"No, I can't, Taicho," replied Matsumoto. Hitsuguya exhaled sharply and started running. "Matsumoto, come. I have an idea." Matsumoto nodded and followed him, but she had some uncertainties about where he was going.
In a matter of few seconds, they stopped in front of an abandoned warehouse. "Taicho, there's a barrier around here. How are we going to get in," whined Matsumoto. Hitsuguya growled at Matsumoto. Then he turned around and unsheathed Hyorinamru.
*** Yoruichi helped me up from the futon at the same time, I heard a loud commotion outside the room. "Hachi, Baldy, there are shinigami outside! I thought your barrier was undetectable!"
Ahh Hiyori, I haven't seen her since she tried using Shirobarakaze to whack Shinji. It wasn't like I was annoyed, but she was a rude and outlandish girl who sometimes scared me with her odd threats. "Well, aren't you going to do something about it, Baldy?" I heard loud snapping sounds outside the door and shouts of pain.
Yoruichi helped me outside and suddenly, everything froze. Hiyori dropped her flip flop and smirked. "Well, what do we have here? It's Miss Priss! What are you doing here, I thought this place was too "dirty" for you." Hiyori smack Shinji one more time and walked towards me. "Kisuke, Yoruichi, what are you going to do?
They looked at me and Kisuke walked towards Hiyori and whispered something in her ear that made Hiyori smack him. "We can't do that, Baldy! What happened to your shop?" Kisuke whispered something else that made Hiyori freeze. "Y-you wouldn't." Kisuke smiled and said, "I'm glad we have a deal, Hiyori-chan."
Kisuke went over to me and patted my back. "As soon as we get you all patched up, you'll have a lot on your hands, Hime-chan."
The whole Kisuke and Hiyori scene was random and so was some of the stuff in here. The next chapter will probably be the beginning of the Arrancar Arc. Review! :)
