Disclaimer - I do not own Bleach nor any of the characters
Chapter Ten - Reunion
Shiro gazed at the young man as he slowly walked toward the spot where he and Kasumi were standing. He knew the man's identity but even so he was finding it hard to believe that this was the boy that he had gone to school with. Heikichi had undergone such a complete transformation that he was completely unrecognizable as the boy that he had been. The only reason that Shiro could identify him was because of the fact that he looked so eerily similar to Aizen.
He even had the man's zanpaktou.
His brown eyes focused squarely on the two youths who were standing mere feet away from him the Aizen look alike slowly walked toward them. The blade of his sword was held parallel to the ground and he gave no indication as to whether he was going to attack.
Kasumi held her bow at the ready however Shiro refused to believe that his friend would attack him. With a smirk on his face as though daring Heikichi to prove him wrong Shiro sheathed Hyourinmaru and then began to walk toward the older boy.
The two boys came to stand toe to toe and for a moment all Kasumi could do was hold her breath and wait to see what happened. Then, after a few tense moments, Heikichi sheathed his sword and placed a hand on Shiro's shoulder, a smile spreading across his face. "You always were an arrogant little brat Toushirou."
"Che," Shiro scoffed, knocking Heikichi's hand away. "And you've always been incompetent." His teal eyes focused on the now sheathed zanpaktou. "So what exactly happened to you Heikichi?"
"I discovered my Shinigami side," the boy replied in a calm and collected voice. He even sounded like Aizen, which sent a shiver down Shiro's spine. His memories threatened to flash back to the traitor captain but the boy managed to keep them in check. He was much better at controlling Hitsugaya's memories now and he could keep them at bay where as before he had been powerless when confronted by something that reminded him of his previous incarnation's past.
"How exactly did that happen?" Shiro wanted to know.
"I'll tell you everything," Heikichi said, his gaze leaving the young boy and coming to rest on Kasumi. She hadn't moved from her spot and was still gazing at the older boy with a wary look in her blue eyes. "But not before Kasumi comes over and says hi."
This request seemed to snap Kasumi's mind back to the present and, with a small smile, she walked over to the spot where the two boys were standing. "Welcome back Heikichi. So why exactly didn't you tell us goodbye before you left Karakura? We didn't know what had happened to you."
"Sorry," Heikichi said, his voice quiet. "Circumstances beyond my control and all that. But fear not because I intend to return to Karakura now."
"We don't live there anymore," Shiro said, a smirk on his face.
It was then that Heikichi really noticed that both Shiro and Kasumi were dressed in shihaksho and that Shiro had a captain's haori over the top of his. "I see. So which of you was the first to die?"
"We died on the same day," Shiro said, still somewhat bitter over the cause of their untimely demise. "There was an earthquake and we just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. And all because Kasumi wanted to go to some damn school dance."
Heikichi burst into uncontrollable laughter upon hearing this rant. "I always knew that school was going to kill you Toushirou. I just didn't expect it to be like that."
"Shut up!" Shiro snapped, glaring at the older boy. "Never mind about our untimely deaths. Tell me what exactly happened to you."
"Well," Heikichi said, a thoughtful expression in his brown eyes. "The Hollow have always targeted me, you already know that. When my family decided to move to a new town they virtually sealed my threat since I had never really mastered using the powers that I possessed. One day the Hollow came for me en mass and for once no one came to save me. I just knew that I was going to die but then I heard this strange voice. It sounded like it was inside my head and it kept telling me to call out to it."
"Your zanpaktou..." Shiro said.
"Aizen's zanpaktou," Heikichi corrected, gazing down at the sheathed sword that he still held.
Shiro and Kasumi both gasped. The young Captain of Squad Ten gazed at Heikichi as though seeing him in a new light. "You know about Aizen?"
Heikichi bowed his head and nodded his head in the affirmative. The look on his face told the two teens as plain as words would have that the older boy wasn't happy about this fact. "I regained his memories when I gained possession of his zanpaktou. Plus the Hollow have been attempting to get me to join their side since the day that I ascended to my powers. They want me to lead another rebellion against Soul Society."
"And..." Kasumi said.
"And I've been fighting against them ever since," Heikichi said, his brown eyes snapping fire. "I have his memories, I know what he did." His gaze shifted to Shiro and it was as though he was seeing his friend in a completely different light. "How could you be friends with me? After everything that I did to you?"
"You did nothing to me," Shiro said, gazing at the older boy with a serious expression in his teal eyes. "Except amuse me with your complete ineptitude. You aren't Aizen, just like I'm not Hitsugaya. You can't help who you were in a past life."
"Thank you Toushirou," Heikichi said in a quiet voice.
Shiro nodded his head. "So, still alive and in possession of a zanpaktou. Yet another freak has been born into the world."
"What are you talking about?" Kasumi asked, gazing at her best friend. "Heikichi was a freak long before he got a zanpaktou."
"Hey!" Heikichi shouted, his gaze shifting to the young girl. "Like you're one to talk. I thought you were a Quincy, isn't dressing up like a Shinigami against the rules or something?"
"As my siblings so like to point out Kasumi's special," Shiro said with a smile. "Apparently she's both a Quincy and a Shinigami."
"I see," Heikichi said, a smile spreading across his face. "That should make it interesting when the two of you have children."
"WHAT?!" Kasumi and Shiro exclaimed together, gaping at their friend.
Heikichi roared with laughter, enjoying the shocked expressions that had appeared on the faces of the friends that he hadn't seen in years. He had missed them more than even he had thought possible and now that they had been reunited the young man was determined not to lose their friendship again. "So you guys will come to visit when I move back to Karakura right?"
"Of course," Shiro said. "After all, we'll have to keep an eye on you and make sure that you don't get yourself killed. You've always been hopeless after all."
Heikichi's hand went to the hilt of his zanpaktou. "I've gotten better you know."
"Perhaps," Shiro said, a smug expression on his face as he gazed over at the young man that he had gone to school with. "But it won't be enough."
Heikichi made a move to draw his sword however he stopped when he felt a familiar presence approaching. "Hold that thought shorty. We have more pressing matters to attend to."
Shiro could also feel the reiatsu of the approaching group of Hollow and he nodded as he once again pulled Hyourinmaru from the sheath that he wore secured across his back. The approaching enemy was large in numbers, he could tell by their reiatsu, and the boy had to admit that he was actually looking forward to watching Heikichi fight. He hadn't seen him in years and was curious about how much his skills had improved during that span of time.
Mere seconds passed and then the group of Hollow appeared in the clearing.
"Aizen-sama!"
"Uh no," Heikichi said as he swung his blade and made short work of a couple of the Hollow who were close to him. "I'm not your leader and I have no interest in taking on Soul Society. So leave me the hell alone already."
As Shiro battled the Hollow he gazed at Heikichi out of the corner of his eye and he had to admit to himself, even if he didn't want to, that Heikichi's skills were on a whole new level now. He was able to do away with the Hollow with ease which was a completely new development. "Scary," he thought to himself as he swung the blade of his zanpaktou.
"Hey Shiro-chan," Kasumi called out as she rapidly fired several arrows toward her enemy. "I think he might be able to give you a run for your money now."
"Who asked you?" Shiro snapped as he released the ice dragon and directed it toward a cluster of about ten Hollow. Frozen in place by the ice dragon the enemies fell to the ground shattered into tiny pieces. Turning around Shiro's gaze sought out someone else to fight but it appeared as thought between the three of them they had managed to get rid of all of them.
"Wow Toushirou," Heikichi said as the three friends once again came to stand beside one another. "I wouldn't have thought it possible but your skills have actually improved. But then again, since you're a captain now I guess you had to get better."
"I didn't want to be a captain," Shiro muttered as he sheathed his sword.
"Sure," Heikichi said, not sounding convinced.
"He really didn't," Kasumi said as she allowed her bow to revert back to it's sealed form. "The position was kinda forced on him. Three days after we died I might add."
"Oh," Heikichi said. "Sorry Toushirou."
"It doesn't matter," the young captain said. "Anyway we should probably get out of here before more company shows up. Would you like to come back with us Heikichi?"
The brown haired youth shook his head. "No thanks. I still have a few things that I have to do before I'm ready to move. But hey, I'll try to get in touch with you guys when I arrive in Karakura."
Shiro nodded. "Just send word via my dad, he always knows where to find us."
Heikichi nodded. "I'll do that."
And with those words the three youths parted ways. Having completed their mission Shiro and Kasumi made their way back to Soul Society while Heikichi made his way back to the apartment complex that he currently called home.
"I didn't expect to see them again," the youth thought to himself as he made his way toward home, his zanpaktou disappearing as he walked. It was true that he couldn't assume the form of a Shinigami but he could summon his sword and will it away which was a useful trick.
A/N - and there's another chapter. Hope you guys enjoyed, please leave a review and tell me what you thought.