"What Best Friends are for."
A Bleach Fan Fiction.
Written by trekkiexb5.
Hitsugaya/K. Kurosaki friendship. Rated T for language.
DISCLAIMER: If Bleach was mine, I would make a chart of ages of everyone, in human AND Soul Society. So tired of the slide rule.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
I use How Toushirou addresses people as away how he feels about that person. Most of the Gotei 13 and other are addressed by their last names. With Rangiku, he uses both, depending on the mood. Momo is Momo, unless in an official capacity. For Rukia and Ichigo, I spell it out for the reader by first and last name, due to the siblings. The fact he addresses Karin by her first name, and allows her to do so with him speaks to Karin's pull she has with our little captain.
CHAPTER 6:
SOKYOKU HILL
"Toushirou," Karin whispered, terror seeping into her voice. "Where are we?"
"We are on Sokyoku Hill," I answered, awe in my voice. I looked at her frightened face.
"We are in the Soul Society."
Lightning flared from Kusaka as the dust was blown out. Sokyoku Hill. It seems lately all the important events happen here.
"Correct, we are in the Soul Society," Kusaka's voice held a flavour of bitter irony. "Welcome to the Sokyoku Hill, little human girlfriend. An appropriate place, don't you think, Toushirou?"
Damn. Execution Hill with entire Gotei 13 looking for my head. Yeah, very appropriate.
"How? How did we get here Toushirou?" Karin asked, releasing my hand and looking around in amazement. "I thought I had to be…am I…?"
"Dead? No little girlfriend," Kusaka answered her question before I could. "At least, not yet. The day is young, though. No, what you just witnessed was the power of the Ouin. Whomever masters the Ouin is empowered with the ability to transport any type of matter to other dimensions, regardless of space and time."
Wow. Why does such an powerful artifact exist, and why did the Royal Family think that one squad and the Kido corps was enough to guard it as it was being transported?
Kusaka was still talking. That strikes me as having an inflated ego. Smart despots just do it, instead of revealing their plans to their not so dead enemies. Then again, Karin would have been dead long before this if Kusaka had any type of wisdom.
His lecture continued. "With the Ouin's power, not only can I transport through space to different physical locations, but I can also move attacks to another dimension. And I can reverse any of my wounds to a time before I was injured."
Like Inoue, but on a massive scale. Gods, if Aizen got a hold of it… "I see, that's how you are still alive." I stated.
"Yes, somehow my fading soul was bathed in the light of the Ouin," He remarked. "Transporting it to Hueco Mundo and resurrecting me there."
Perhaps the Ouin was being transported on the day of the duel in Central 46.
"Ever since that faithful day, I have spent every waking moment searching for the Ouin. Now, finally I'll have my revenge on the Seireitei!"
I wanted to tell him that the ones that order us to duel were all dead, courtesy of a power-hungry Aizen. But he said Seireitei, which makes me wonder if he already knew that.
"Toushirou!" His voice broke my train of thought. "Cut the Ouin in two! I know your Bankai has the power."
Huh? "Cut the Ouin? Kusaka…why?" I really needed to know the reason, and I had still too many questions to ask.
"Because, once you cut the Ouin, everything will be purified." He laughed a rather evil maniacal laugh.
Karin tugged on my sleeve. I tore my eyes off of Kusaka to glance at her. "What does he mean purified, Toushirou?" she asked me.
I had no clue. But I was very sure it would be unpleasant for a great number of people. "Stay behind me, Karin," I whispered. "I have no idea what he will do next."
"Okay."
Suddenly, the inevitable happened. The first three of soon to be many shinigami flash stepped above us. Madarame, Ayasegawa, and Abarai. I nudged Karin to the side where the sixth division Lieutenant landed. He was the most reasonable of the three and probably closer to Ichigo and his family than anyone in the Soul Society, excepting Rukia Kuchiki. He would not try to hurt her.
But, I still have to deal with the Squad Eleven's dynamic duo. Damn it! I just wanted to give Kusaka the chance he never had!
"It certainly looks like we are the first ones to arrive," Madarame drooled, smirking.
"It certainly seems that way, Ikkaku," the Fifth Seat, and partner in crime replied.
"Captain Hitsugaya, what are you trying to prove?" I spared a glance to Abarai. "Why did you kidnap Ichigo's sister? I don't understand."
"He didn't kidnap me, you idiot!" Karin snapped back at him, stomping her foot in anger. Of course, this just confused the man and he opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by Madarame.
"Forget it, Renji. What difference does it make; none of that matters. An executive order from the Head Captain has been issued. Our orders are to execute Captain Hitsugaya and the Ouin thief on sight and if possible, capture the Kurosaki girl for questioning." I heard Karin gasp at the word execution.
Oh good. Karin has a chance.
"Ikkaku Madarame," Kusaka spoke slowly, like he was reciting from memory. "Your immense physical power and your expert swordsmanship make you one of the most outstanding Shinigami of the 13 Court Guard Squads."
"Flattery is nice but it isn't going to save you." Madarame grinned.
"Even so, you are no match for me!" Kusaka announced.
"Oh, yeah?"
Madarame's response was predictable.
Mine was not. I flashed stepped away from Karin, now that I knew she would be fairly safe, and blocked Madarame. Fool. With the Ouin, Kusaka could easily killed him without lifting a finger.
And besides, that fight was mine alone.
Madarame's blow was strong, and I was glad that I tied my hand to my hilt. Even so, I could not stop a gasp of pain running across my lips. I stumbled a bit, but held my ground. I knew something like this would happen. I had untapped reserves of Reiryoku within me. I had saved for this eventually.
"TOUSHIROU!" Karin screamed and took two steps towards me. Then she stopped, not sure why. Hopefully it was common sense coming into play.
Of course, the three shinigami took my actions the wrong way.
"Even with those wounds," Madarame muttered, slightly surprised. "You must wanna really save this guy."
"Captain Hitsugaya, what the hell were you thinking?" Abarai's angry shout. He still called me captain.
Still, they didn't know who or what they were dealing with and none of them had the ability to survive a fight with Kusaka. He simply didn't care about them. He had an interest in me. I had a chance.
Besides, even if I didn't survive against him, I HAD to fight him, they didn't. My responsibility, my choice. Again, I decided on an ambiguous response to keep people guessing and to keep Kusaka from destroying everything in sight. "You are in my way," I panted out.
All three dropped into stances. Now the dance began. A quick check on Karin showed her clutching her net full of soccer balls and looking very scared, but away from the fight. I marked her position and prayed she wouldn't move. I glanced back to see Madarame attacking again, this time me, I parried and pushed him back with reiatsu. I could hear Abarai and Ayasegawa go into Shikai mode. I did the same, just in time to parry the 5th Seat and sending him behind his partner.
Madarame attacked again, using his halberd-like Shikai. I could hear Abarai approaching. Unlike me, they had intent to hurt and kill. I wanted them away from here, away from danger, even if I have to kick their asses to do it, and with the 11th Division, that may be the only choice.
I jumped up on Madarame's blade, doing the infamous 'sword walk' maneuver that I rarely perform due to its difficulty. Madarame's Zanpakuto made it easy. I aimed for a kick to his head, which he dodged, flinching backwards and dragging his weapon, blade now inbedded into the ground, from underneath me. Abarai extended his whip like blade towards me, I countered with the sickle and chain on Hyorinmaru. When he retracted it, the chain remained entangled, effectually stopping Abarai and unfortunately opening me to attacks due to my now limited maneuverability. He knew this because he pulled the chain taunt to the point I had to dig my heels into the ground, in the effort not to be pulled down.
We all paused for a second; the incoming reiatsu signaled that the calvary arrived. As the shinigami of various divisions showed up, Soifon appeared and ordered "That's far enough!"
If Abarai WAS my enemy, he would been encased in ice by now. I think the two 11th Squad seats knew that. All three served under me and knew Kurosaki pretty well. Our trading of blows had been slow and deliberate. Whether if it was for a concern for Karin's safety or respect for me, I realize now they did not attack me with killing intent.
Soifon, on the other hand, could teach blind loyalty and letter of the law lessons to Captain Kuchiki. Nor would she care about Karin's safety. She probably branded her a traitor already. So I stopped and waited to see what she would do.
Komamura and Kuchiki walked with her to stand in front of Abarai, who was my current opponent, causing the lieutenant to gasp in surprise. He released his stance, relaxing, and I retracted the chain. Behind them, in the crowd, I noticed Unohana, Ukitake and Kurotsuchi. Karin, who wasn't near any of us, looked at the crowd and the captains, and then ran to me, the soccer ball net banging on her back. Should have told her to drop everything.
"Throw down your weapon, Hitsugaya!" Soifon commanded with Komamura adding to Kusaka, "You, too, whomever you are."
I wasn't surprised, but I wish the crowd was a lot smaller or not here at all. Kusaka was unstable and would react unpredictably, I felt it. I stood there watching the crowd, wishing, hoping that Karin would be all right. Again, Soifon would not care about her and she was running the show here. Adding to that fact, the majority of the captains observing were the 'go with the flow' type or anal retentive. All typical adults. Idiots.
"Ridiculous," Kusaka bellowed out a laugh. He was going to make a move. I had to make sure that as few people as possible were hurt from his madness.
"That's enough!" Komamura barked. "You are under arrest." So the canine-headed captain didn't like execution orders either? Hmmm… Kuchiki was unusually passive and did not show up his underling.
"Toushirou, haven't you endured enough?" Here comes Kusaka's play and reasoning. I guess he needs me, that's why Karin was still alive. He didn't want to piss me off by killing my 'girlfriend.' I was right, she was going to be used as leverage and even if I chased her off the first day, their would have grabbed her anyways. I'd even bet Ichigo was their first choice. It was instinct, but I was glad I attacked him. He is better off being the wild card.
"Now is the time to teach these arrogant fools a lesson!" Kusaka's voice rose to a crescendo. "For all the hatred and all the suffering we have endured."
"The Ouin is glowing, Toushirou," Karin, who finally dropped the tote and soccer balls, whispered.
I was facing the crowd, so I whirled just as he said, "This is our revenge! Cut the Ouin! Do it Toushirou!"
"Seize them immediately!" Soifon's orders echoed. Damn! What to do? How can I keep everyone safe and do what I need to do? Think Toushirou!
"Getsuga Tensho!"
My eyes widened as the shout and the insane source of reiatsu appeared above me. Ichigo Kurosaki. With Rukia Kuchiki, of course. Karin gasped; I could feel her grip on my cloak tightened. While I wasn't sure that he knew that his sister was with me, I somehow knew he would not aim at me or any of the shinigami unless he was attacked. He is extremely predictable.
The hill shivered as the wave of energy carved the rock behind me. His actions stopped the advance.
"Stop!" he shouted. "You are so smart but the only way you can solve a problem is to fight!" I mentally directed Kurosaki's comment to Soifon. "There is not one among you that really wants to kill Toushirou, right?"
Again, for some reason, Soifon's name pops up.
"And even if it is an order, shouldn't you think twice before you draw your weapon against your friend?"
Karin whispered, "Brother."
And Soifon again reacts predictably. "Stay out of this! It doesn't involve you," The girl's name, I am sure never bothered to learn Soifon, is Karin KUROSAKI. So yeah, he does have a right to be involved. "We are under the Head Captain's orders and we are sworn to carry out the orders of our superiors, no matter what! It is our duty as Shinigami!"
For the record, this is a stunning example of blind loyalty, and she doesn't even have Momo's love struck excuse.
"And I am telling you your orders don't make any sense!" Kurosaki retorted.
"You're just wasting our time!" Soifon shouted back. "If you keep resisting us you will have to die as well!" Apparently, she forgot the Aizen incident already. While I wasn't directly involved with the Kurosaki part of the story, but I do remember being briefed that he took out several Captains and lieutenants with only a Shikai and nearly got Aizen.
Knowing Kuchiki, Komamura and the others would not pick a fight with Kurosaki due to the fact they probably agreed with him in principle, Soifon would be on her own.
As the humans would say, Kurosaki would 'own' her.
"Hold it!"
No way. No way did the Old Man came here for me. Or for the Kurosaki's. Obviously it's the Ouin. I heard the sounds of Zanpakutos being sheathed and rustling of clothing.
Lovely. Fire and ice. He is the strongest of the Captains, and I, while my power is pretty incredible, haven't matured yet. In fact, most of my power is sealed until my body can handle it. At this point, I am the weakest of the captains. Add injuries and illness to it, no chance in hell.
"It's Head Captain Shigekuni Genryusai Yamamoto!" Rukia Kuchiki breathed.
Karin, facing the shinigami, looked at awe. "Toushirou, some old guy is coming and everyone is kneeling. He must be wicked important!"
Understatement of the year.
Kusaka smirked. He had been standing here the whole time, waiting for me to cut the Ouin. The Old Man was an observer during that fateful duel 45 years ago. Just another knife that Kusaka could twist.
"Shunshei, you're back on your feet!" Ukitake's voice was soft, but audible in the silence.
"Yeah, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I let an innocent man be executed." Kyoraku's response was hoarse with pain.
Wait. 'Innocent man?' Shunshei in pain? I rapidly postulated that Kusaka attacked him for whatever reason, probably posing as me. But not only did the Captain of Squad 8 survived, he must have saw Kusaka's face. Ichigo must have passed the name Kusaka to him. With the research-happy Ise as his lieutenant, she probably squirreled information about Kusaka out. A glimmer of hope was lit. I think this is why even Captain Straight and Narrow Kuchiki hesitated.
I heard a loud thump. "So you are still alive, Sojiro Kusaka," Yamamoto said.
"You really thought you killed me off, huh? Sorry."
A pause, before the Old Man replied. "I take, it was the Ouin that brought you back to life, and you have been resurrected and given a second chance in Hueco Mundo?" Again, there was something missing I could not figure out.
"Yes, and now I'm back to stay. The Ouin gave me life. And now that I have returned, I shall use the Ouin to take my place as the King of the Soul Society!"
"You want to be the King of the Soul Society?" The Head Captain's voice graveled its retort. "Such arrogance!"
Kusaka chuckled. "Maybe you're right, for if anyone knows about arrogance its you, old man!"
The Ouin started to glow. "Karin run!" she hesitated, but headed towards he brother. I took off. King of the Soul Society, indeed.
Over my dead body.
I jumped and attacked. Kusaka parried. But I was surprised by the amount of spiritual pressure Kusaka put into his push. It sent me halfway to Ichigo. I back flipped to land on my feet. I glanced back to see Karin getting a hug from her brother. She is safe, good.
"Captain, NO!" Matsumoto's voice over the surprised murmurs.
"Stay back Rangiku!" using her first name to stop her. "This is my fight!" She stopped, but I knew that she was confused and upset.
"What is the meaning of this, Toushirou? They are the ones you should fight!"
I went into a stance and answered him. "You're evil, and it was never my intention to be on your side."
My statement sparked a murmur of conversation behind me. I could hear Karin's voice telling her brother and Rukia that she knew I wasn't bad.
Kusaka, meanwhile, finally realized what I wanted. What I thought he wanted. I mean, he focused on me instead concentrating on the King of the Soul Society stuff, right? He wants this as much as I do, I am sure of it.
I think.
"You want to fight me? Killing me once wasn't enough for you?" He screamed.
I NEVER wanted that duel. I hit him once and that was it. It was so incredibly unfair. And it was my fault. "I'm just trying to make amends for the mistakes I made."
"What mistakes are you talking about? You think killing me will purify your soul?"
Doesn't anyone understand? Doesn't everyone see? My problem, my fault.
IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT, LITTLE ONE. Hyorinmaru grumbled.
You can't see either? Damn it! I'm tired of trying to convince people. Fine, it is a time for actions. With a yell, I attacked Kusaka, ducking under his blade. He managed to swing his blade to block. The crescent on the chain flew up and I blocked. We traded blows, neither getting a hit on the other. But I could tell and I'd bet he could, that I would eventually win. I was always the better swordsman. I had to be. But it was a simple duel, that's all. That's what I wanted.
We eventually locked Zanpakutos and Kusaka spoke. "You knew all along that it would come to this?"
"Of course!"
"I see, I thought you were more intelligent than that, I guess I was wrong." The Ouin lit up and a wave of spiritual pressure pushed me back.
As I waited for his next move, he announced, "I guess I just have to do this myself! Answer to me, Ouin!"
"Don't do this!" I am giving you that chance. Please Kusaka. All I am asking is a fair fight. For you.
For me.
"Until now, I was unable to open the power of the Ouin with my Bankai. Now everything's changed. Now I can do it."
He threw the Ouin in to the air and cut it. No Bankai, No Shikai. Something was wrong, besides the obvious. If what he said was true, and all the scheming to get me to the place that I could theoretically use my Bankai to open it…
But he just slices it open with the unreleased form of his Zanpakuto?
He should have done that from the beginning if this was his goal. Twisting the knife in my gut could have waited. Why? It doesn't make any sense.
Unless, control is the issue. In Bankai, you possess and control massive amounts of spiritual pressure. It take along time to achieve for most, for your body and soul mast be able the handle it. It takes more time after that to control and use effectively. Kurosaki and I are the very rare exceptions, and even with me, they had to put seals on most of my power when I first achieved Bankai. My body couldn't handle it. I am at a quarter of what I could be.
Kusaka never achieved Bankai that I know of. In fact, he used raw power and a Shikai form from what I have gathered (albeit from a distance) from the fight with Rukia Kuchiki and Kurosaki. No finesse.
I'm betting Kusaka has no ability to CONTROL the power.
These thoughts came to me as he absorbed the Ouin's power. I screamed his name as the spiritual pressure got harder to withstand.
Then there was a lull. I looked into the back of Ichigo Kurosaki in Bankai.
"You have no need to suffer by yourself anymore."
Idiot! I grabbed his arm. "Out of my way Kurosaki!"
He wheeled around, yanking his arm out of my grip. We glared at each other; his passionate, my icy as he spoke. "This affects all of us! You can't shoulder this burden by yourself!" He yelled at me through the howling wind. "You are not the only one who's suffered and you are not the only one who feels pain, so you gotta let us help."
I looked down, ashamed. "I am no longer a captain, Ichigo." That HURT to say. I have nothing left. While I understood that this was bigger than me now, the core issue was still mine to bear, no one else's. Doesn't anyone underst….
Smack!
While I was musing, Ichigo Kurosaki, using all that Kurosaki charm and grace, hit me in the face. I wasn't prepared fro that, and fell backwards. I heard Karin's voice, angry at her brother, and she ran up to crouch next to me.
"You tried to endure all of this alone. Your friends want to help but you won't let them. Strong friends, who could have watched your back. Instead you dragged my sister into this, whom has no abilities; you turned your back on them. On us. Have you thought how that makes them feel?"
Yes, I did. I did it the way I did so I could keep them away from this and hurt them. Karin, I supposed she was far cleverer than everyone else. I looked back up at the upset Ichigo Kurosaki. He went on telling me how when you keep emotions to yourself, you hurt everyone else around you. And how he hurt his family doing the same thing.
I don't have a family. Just me. The closest people I have that I would consider family is Granny, Momo and Rangiku. Out of them, Rangiku was available. And because I do care about her, I made sure she wasn't burdened by this. Because I do care. Karin joined me on this because, as I stated before, she is cleverer than her brother and quite frankly, I forgot she was related to the orange-haired shinigami. Imagine that.
I looked up at Karin. She had a sad look in her eyes, as she nodded during he brother's story. It was her story, too. Perhaps that is why she risked her life to help me, as stupid as that was. Because she saw it happen once already.
Still, I could barely comprehend what he was trying to tell me, but I did know that I hurt Rangiku by not at least telling her. And I hurt Karin by allowing her to join me. I never wanted to hurt them.
"…If you keep it all inside, it just makes you weak!" He yelled.
Not sure if that was true, but apologies do need to be made, if I survive this. I slowly got back up, my stomach clenching in pain. I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth with the back of my hand.
"Captain!" "Captain Hitsugaya!"
I looked around startled. They were calling me Captain. All of them. To them, I was still a Captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and deserving of respect.
Maybe, deserving of forgiveness.
The only one I really cared about calling me captain was Rangiku. Her opinion matters the most, in the end.
"Damn it Toushirou!"
Apparently Ichigo Kurosaki was expecting a speech from me. We had wasted enough time with his speech. And unlike him, I was paying attention to the enemy even though I was thinking of this mess.
I looked at him. "Get ready to fight Kurosaki, he's coming!"
XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX
IKKAKU'S ORDERS: I was bothered by the dub that it doesn't mention the execution orders. Knowing how information is spread by the Gotei 13 and the fact Renji knew about them (he called Rukia) it didn't make sense that he would say capture.
Or, perhaps, he was trying to give Toushirou one last chance. After all, he served under him on those advanced patrols. He probably thinks that Toushirou is an ok captain at the least. Maybe some respect at the most. I suspect the latter. However, for effect, I changed it to execution orders.
GOTEI 13: I fluctuate between the English version and this. It has been remarked upon. Honestly, it is for effect but I can say that one is more formal than the other and most likely can be used interchangeably. Like Shunpo and flash step.
The battle between Ikkaku, Renji, Toushirou and Yumichika wasn't really shown, but I added it. Boy, I know now why Tolkien never wrote the battle scenes! They are hard to do! And long, for the actions of a few seconds takes up paragraphs!
I really dislike referring to Zanpakutos as "swords." While they resemble swords, they are really not. Only people not familiar with them, like Karin, would call them swords. I changed that in Ichigo's speech to the crowd. I might have missed a few spots; this chapter was a bear to type.
Finally, justification of Toushirou's abilities to figure things out. If I had to expain, you may be reading the wrong fan fiction. Toushirou is a genius. Though never really said, but hinted, his is a master strategist. He did a pretty good job of playing detective during the Souls Society arc. So I let him fill in the scenes of them movie that were not written about here.