Author's Note:
Hey everybody! Happy Friday! I hope you're all ready for some action, and suspense, because everything's about to come to a head! I really enjoyed writing this chapter, and I hope you enjoy reading it. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on what you think will happen next! I can't say any more here, because I don't want to spoil the chapter for you, so take a look at the bottom of the page for an additional Author's Note section with more ;-)
Alright, on with chapter 13!
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. All credit goes to Tite Kubo.
Toshiro woke at 6:00 the next morning with his wife still sleeping soundly in his arms. Smiling affectionately down at her, he kissed her forehead, and gently extricated himself from her embrace; deciding to pass the next couple of hours reading the latest reports sitting on his bedside table. He'd neglected to look at his post from yesterday, and he wanted to see if any information had been extracted yet from the other Fraccion that the kingdoms of Bara, Sakuranohanabira, Rika, and Odoru Yuki had in custody. He was also hoping that there might be some news about the four missing Espada, but he wasn't excessively optimistic. 'After all, they disappeared for a reason. They wouldn't be stupid enough to show themselves until it's time for them to execute whatever it is that they're planning' he thought, as he got himself into a sitting position on the bed.
Taking his stack of letters from various rulers of the thirteen kingdoms, Toshiro opened one after another; reading their contents carefully before moving on to the next. After nothing of note to report from any of the other kingdoms, outside of mentioning that their western prisoners seemed a little more jumpy than usual, he finally reached the last letter, and opened it; recognizing Shunsui's handwriting.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To His Royal Highness, King Toshiro.
So far, we have not been able to glean any useful intelligence from any of the captured Fraccion. While it is disappointing, it's not wholly unexpected. We knew that the likelihood of us learning anything of use from them was slim going into their captures, and it appears that our fears were correct: they're all too loyal to become turncoats; regardless of whatever methods we employ to extract information from them. We still have yet to interrogate the most newly captured ones, courtesy of princess Karin, but I anticipate the same result. So, until all of the rulers reconvene to decide next steps, we're back to strategic guesses; which isn't a position I relish. The bright side is that all of the Fraccion are now in custody, and unable to be of use on the battlefield; so, that's at least a small consolation prize.
On a separate but related note, Aizen's captured soldiers have been evenly distributed throughout the thirteen kingdoms' prisons; and, so far, they appear to be relatively calm and compliant. We have them all under increased surveillance, and they are being held in the most secure prisons the kingdoms they reside in have to offer. As of now, I would estimate that Aizen has only a quarter of his original army remaining at his disposal, and that's a generous estimate; though, that doesn't account for the Espada that are still missing in action, or our masked terrorist. As of now, the Onmitsukido have not been successful in tracking any of them down, and there's no trace of them anywhere. I have a sinking feeling that their purpose for remaining hidden will be revealed soon, as things cannot continue for Aizen as they are.
One good thing that I can report is that queen Sui-Feng has estimated that our forces have re-taken approximately 75% of Hueco Mundo's territory. We've managed to spread our forces out enough to have active-duty soldiers in every part of the captured lands, and Aizen won't be able to get anywhere close to the western border kingdoms without being spotted. It's stretched our resources thin within the kingdoms, and left us with only a fraction of our usual security; but we feel it's worth it to keep the territory confidently in our control, and primed to make our final push into Las Noches.
I'm sorry that I couldn't give a better report, but unfortunately, we've hit a dead end for the time being. Now, we all need to re-convene, and re-evaluate our strategy moving forward.
I will close with a word of caution: be on your guard, Toshiro. While I said above that Aizen's soldiers have seemed relatively calm and compliant, I've noticed a certain atmosphere brewing amongst the ones in Saikyo over the last week or so; and, even though I can't tell exactly what it is, I don't believe it's good. They seem tense, and anxious; almost as if they're waiting for something to happen. I've issued similar warnings to all of the other kingdoms who are holding Aizen's soldiers, so that they can keep them under observation. Stay close to your family, Toshiro, and make sure that the gates which act as the divider between my land and yours are as secure as possible, just as a precaution. I have a gut feeling that something is about to happen, but I don't know what.
Good luck, my friend, and we will talk soon.
Sincerely,
His Royal Highness, King Shunsui
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Reading the letter, Toshiro sighed dejectedly as worry creeped into his mind. "That's not good. When Shunsui has a gut reaction, it's almost never wrong…unfortunately for us, this time." he mumbled; massaging his temple with his free hand as he looked over the letter again.
"Well, that's not a good sentence to wake up to. What's wrong, Toshiro?"
Looking over at his formerly-sleeping wife, the young king saw Karin's big stormy grey eyes staring at him with concern; searching his face for answers. He gave her a sad smile, and passed her the letter from Shunsui; the raven-haired queen taking it, reading it over carefully, sitting up, and looking back at him. Her face contorted with worry as she handed him the letter back. "So, what do you think? Do you trust Shunsui's instincts?" she asked; a serious look on her face.
Nodding, Toshiro took the letter from her, and put it on his bedside table. "Completely. I've only known his gut instincts to have been wrong a handful of times in his thirty-plus year career. I'll ride down to the gates with your brother and father when they leave, and tell captain Yukari to increase security." he said, before bringing his hand up to rest on Karin's still-flat stomach; a small, reassuring smile on his face. "I know you can take care of yourself, but I promise I'll keep you both safe." he said; the love he had for her, and their unborn child, reflecting in his eyes.
Karin smiled lovingly back at him before leaning over, and kissing him; smirking when they broke apart, and her eyes found his. "I know you will, but don't forget that you married a soldier. If you think I'm going to turn into a daffodil just because I'm carrying precious cargo, you have another thing coming." she said; her smirk growing as she watched his smile morph into a smirk, as well.
Toshiro chuckled, and shook his head in amusement. "And that's one of the things that I love most about you. Just remember what you promised me: you'll stay out of the fray as much as possible." he replied; the worry on his face evident.
Nodding her head in response, Karin smiled lovingly at him, ran her hand through his disheveled hair, and slid closer to him. "I know, and I intend to keep that promise." she replied, before kissing him one more time; feeling him relax with her words of reassurance.
When they separated, the young king looked at the pocket watch that was resting on top of his bedside table near his letters, and pulled himself away from his wife; climbing out of bed, and walking over to his closet. "If you want to see your brother and father off, we need to get up; it's eight o'clock already, and they're leaving in a half an hour." he said; fishing around until he found his old turquoise tunic, and pulled it out.
He heard Karin groan in protest behind him, and he smirked in amusement as she begrudgingly got out from under the covers, herself. "Ugh, what the hell? They know I'm tired, and pregnant; why can't they leave later in the day, and let me sleep?" she asked disgruntledly as she made her way over to her dresser, and started looking for a suitable pair of warm socks.
"Because their schedule can't be determined by your sleeping habits?" Toshiro replied sarcastically; chuckling to himself when he heard his wife growl in frustration behind him. Karin threw a pair of balled-up wool socks at her husband's head, which he dodged on reflex; a smirk firmly in place on his face. "That's not the most compelling threat I've ever received from you." he said, while watching in amusement as his irritated queen scowled back at him. "Shut up, Toshiro. All I'm saying is that they could be a little more considerate." she replied, before walking over to her closet to find her outfit for the day.
The young king just shook his head in reply; a playful smile on his face. "This brings back memories from when Momo had major mood swings while she was pregnant…I can already tell that yours are going to be a much bigger pain in the ass than hers ever were."
While the socks she'd thrown at his head had missed their mark, the shoes that she threw at him next did not.
EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F
Arriving downstairs, the young couple found Ichigo and Isshin dressed for their long journey back; swords strapped to their waists, and horses already tacked up. As soon as Isshin saw his daughter, he wrapped her up in his arms, and she struggled to get free. "Oh, my dear, sweet, baby girl! How I will miss you so!" he wailed, as Ichigo shook his head in exasperation. "Shut up, old man; It's not like we won't be back soon, anyway." the strawberry said to his father, before prying him off of his annoyed sister.
"Thanks for the save, Ichi." Karin said; giving him a small smile, and walking over to him with her arms outstretched for a hug. The carrot-top welcomed the rare display of affection from his sister, and held her close as the realization dawned on him that, the next time he would probably see his beloved little sister, she would be ready to give birth to her own child. 'My god, where did the time go?' he thought with a mixture of pride, and sorrow; thinking back to when she was just a little girl, and wondering where the young woman in his arms had come from.
Letting her go a few moments later, Ichigo smiled down at her. "We'll see you soon, Karin. Be careful, and don't take any unnecessary risks. Toshiro," he said, looking to the white-haired man next, and finding the ruler's gaze with his own, "look after her." he said; staring intently at the young king.
Toshiro nodded in reply, and Ichigo offered his brother-in-law a small smile while Karin stepped back; taking her husband's hand in hers. "Have a safe journey back, both of you. Tell Yuzu I'm sorry that I won't be able to make it to her wedding." the raven-haired queen said; sorrow in her eyes at having to say those words.
Isshin walked over to his daughter, and put a hand on her shoulder. "She'll understand, Karin. You shouldn't be travelling such a long distance in your condition. Just remember, she knows how you feel; it won't be held against you." he said reassuringly, with a sympathetic look on his face.
Karin nodded, and smiled appreciatively up at her father; grateful for his words. "Thanks, Dad…I needed to hear that."
The Karakura ruler smiled lovingly back at her, before removing his hand from her shoulder, and holding it out to Toshiro. "Thank you for all of the hospitality, Toshiro; it was nice to be able to spend some time with you, and your family. We'll see you in a few months." he said; giving the young man a wink, as Toshiro nodded, and shook Isshin's hand.
With that, the young king gave Karin's hand a light squeeze before letting go, securing his family sword on the chain around his shoulders, and walking out with the two foreign rulers; him heading for the stables, while Ichigo and Isshin mounted their horses. A moment later, Toshiro emerged on his white stallion, and the three men started off down the long road towards the gates of the kingdom.
Karin watched them go with a soft smile on her face, and a hand resting gently on her stomach. 'The three men that I love the most; all very different, with a ton of ways to drive me crazy, but I really don't know what I'd do without any of them' she thought, as they slowly disappeared into the distance.
"I know you'll miss them, but did you enjoy the visit?"
Turning towards the familiar voice, the young queen's smile grew as she came face-to-face with her cheerful sister-in-law. "Yeah, I did. It was good to see them again, despite their ridiculous antics." she said; her smile morphing into a sarcastic smirk.
Momo chuckled, and nodded her head. "They are quite entertaining, I have to admit, and that makes me even more excited to meet your sisters. Are they anything like your father, and brother?" the dark-haired princess asked; curiosity in her eyes.
Karin shook her head amusedly in reply. "No, not at all. Well, I guess Yuzu can be nosey, at times, but over-all they're nothing like Ichi and goat-chin. Yuzu and Orihime are actually a lot like you; cheerful, beautiful, and almost always happy and soft-spoken." the young queen said; an affectionate smile on her face as she thought of her sisters.
Momo's eyes lit up, and her smile broadened. "Awe, thank you, Karin; that's sweet of you to say. It'll be great to finally meet them when they come for the baby's birth." she replied; just barely catching the flash of fear that ran over her sister-in-law's face at the mention of the birth.
Letting her smile soften, the Ororan princess took Karin's hands in her own, and gave them a light squeeze as their eyes met. "I know the idea of labor, and parenthood, is scary; but I promise you it will all be worth it once you hold that baby in your arms. There really is no other happiness to compare it to. You'll be just fine, Karin; you'll have your sisters, and me there with you, and Toshiro can even be in there with you, too, if you want him to be. I know you grew up without a mother, but I could tell from watching you play with Ryu that you would be a great one yourself one day. Trust me; everything will be just fine." the young mother said, as she gave her sister-in-law a reassuring smile.
The young queen gave the Ororan princess a grateful smile in return, and hugged her. "Thanks, Momo…for everything. You, Yuzu, and Toshiro always seem to know what I need to hear, when I need to hear it." she replied; letting the older woman go, before the two shared warm smiles, and walked back into the castle.
EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F
"So, Toshiro, have you heard anything from Shunsui recently?" Ichigo asked his brother-in-law curiously; with the young king turning to face the strawberry, and nodding in confirmation. "Yeah, I read a letter from him this morning. Since you're asking, I take it you received one, too?" he asked; giving the crown prince a questioning look.
Ichigo nodded, and glanced over at his father; the two of them sharing concerned expressions, before bringing their attention back to the white-haired king. "We did. You know Shunsui better than we do, so tell us; should we take it seriously, or is he being a little too paranoid?" he asked; studying the ruler closely.
Toshiro was quiet for a moment; observing them, as well, before he nodded in reply. "Yes, you should. In all my years of knowing him, and fighting alongside him, I've only known his instincts to be wrong a handful of times. You can rely on his gut; it's gotten him to where he is now over the course of a thirty-plus year career. You and I may be powerhouses on the battlefield, Ichigo, but Shunsui could take us both down easily with his intellect, insight, and decades of experience; the man's almost never wrong when it comes to stuff like this."
Ichigo nodded, and took in the information as he returned his gaze back to the road in front of him; admiring the view from their current elevation. "I have to say, Toshiro; I'm envious of the view you have. I can see Saikyo, Kenka, Kiryu, and Sakkaku from here…what a vantagepoint." the crown prince said; marveling at the vast amount of land that he could see from atop the mountain road.
Toshiro thanked him for the compliment, quietly reveling in the praise of his beloved kingdom, and the next several minutes of the ride were passed in silence…that is, until the three men heard a loud sound in the distance, and noticed a large cloud of smoke suddenly appear in Kiryu's land.
If they didn't know any better, it almost look like an explosive to them.
Just after that, another cloud of smoke rose up in the distance in Sakkaku, then Kenka, then finally Saikyo; multiple ones appearing one after another in rapid succession, and the clear sound of bombs going off ringing through the air as the ground shook beneath them.
The three rulers looked at each other; serious expressions on their faces, before a messenger falcon called above them, and landed on Toshiro's saddle. Looking at the bird that bore Saikyo's crest, Toshiro quickly extracted the message from the tube, and read it; his eyes widening slightly in shock.
"Toshiro?" Isshin said; his face stony, and his tight grip on the reigns turning his knuckles white.
Toshiro finished reading the message before handing it to Ichigo; his face hard, and his eyes flashing with rage. "Dammit!" he muttered angrily, as Ichigo read the message with his father; the two royals' faces blanching. "Every single kingdom is under attack from within? How is that possible?" the crown prince asked; looking to his brother-in-law.
The young king thought for a moment, and went down his mental list of all the possible explanations, until realization dawned; his eyes going wide as he growled in frustration. "Of course; the missing Espada!" he said; putting all of the pieces together in his mind.
"Toshiro, what the hell are you talking about?! What's going on?!" Ichigo yelled angrily, as the white-haired man turned his horse to face them; glaring at his brother-in-law. "Think, Ichigo; why would Aizen let so many of his soldiers be captured? He planted them. The Espada disappeared so that they could infiltrate every prison, and set up the prisoners' escape before striking with them. All of our victories over the last several months have been deliberate losses in order to set up an internal attack." the young king said angrily, as his anxiety started to build.
A look of revelation overtook Ichigo's face, then, and he looked toward Hueco Mundo with a ferocious glare. "And most of everyone's soldiers are out in Hueco Mundo guarding the captured land. Dammit! He manipulated us into stretching out our resources too much, and weakening our internal defenses!" the crown prince yelled; a raging fire in his eyes that Toshiro had never seen before.
The young king nodded, before looking to the lands in the horizon. "Exactly. Ichigo, you need to get to Saikyo, and help Shunsui; I'm positive that's where Aizen will go. If he takes that kingdom, we lose this war. Go help Kyoraku finish this, and I'll join you as soon as I secure Orora."
Ichigo nodded, and turned his horse towards Saikyo; ready to take off at a full gallop with his father.
Before he could, though, another explosion went off; this time at the border wall, and the gates that guarded Orora's entrance. The explosion rocked the ground, and their horses reared in fright; all three rulers looking on in horror as the smoke cleared to reveal the gates completely blown off their hinges, and a large army of Aizen's soldiers charging towards them up the long road.
"Oh no." Toshiro breathed, before two more large explosions went off, and shook the earth again; this time behind them. The young ruler felt his stomach drop, as he spun his horse around…seeing that one explosion was at the armory, and the other one was near the castle.
"KARIN!" Ichigo screamed; preparing to head back up to the castle, before is brother-in-law got in front of him, and blocked his way. "WHAT THE HELL, TOSHIRO?! GET OUT OF MY WAY!" he hollered; glaring at the white-haired man, as Toshiro held his gaze. "Ichigo, don't be an idiot! you're needed at Saikyo. I'll stay here, and protect my family." the young ruler said; giving the strawberry a challenging look.
The crown prince looked from Toshiro, to the army of soldiers making their way up the mountain, and back again; his glare intensifying. "What the hell are you thinking?! there's no bloody way I'll be able to make it through that mass of soldiers alive! It would be a suicide mission!" he yelled angrily, before his face adopted a confused look when the young king shook his head in reply. "No, it won't be; I'll make sure of that." Toshiro replied, before looking back towards the mountain range, and whistling long, and loud.
Ichigo stared at him for a minute, thinking he'd lost his mind, before a number of deafening roars were heard in the distance. Ichigo looked to Isshin, and the two men stood completely still with fear at the monstrous noise; Ichigo glancing back at his brother-in-law with a skeptical look on his face. "Toshiro, what the hell was that?" he asked; his voice strained, and eyes wide.
"Help." the young king replied; Ichigo and Isshin watching in shock and awe as, not a minute later, twelve enormous serpent-like creatures flew in their direction from the mountain range, and landed behind the Ororan leader; Toshiro getting down off of his horse, running over to them, and rubbing the light blue one's nose.
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE THOSE THINGS?!" Ichigo freaked out; making to grab his sword, until the white-haired man gave him a dangerous look; his glare strong enough to burn a hole through steel. "You raise that sword to my partners, Ichigo, and I'll have your head." he said; his voice hard, and cutting.
"P-P-P-PARTNERS?!" the orange-haired man stammered in reply; his arm going slack in an instant as he watched his brother-in-law pet the beasts like they were old friends.
Toshiro nodded, then; his facial features softening slightly. "Yes, partners. The dragons have been the royal family's pets, and partners, since the kingdom's founding. This is how I've managed to keep the Dragon's Pass secure all this time. I'll answer questions later, but right now, we need to move." he replied; looking to a pair of orange, and purple dragons. "Naruto, Yuki; Kiryu and Saikyo." he said; pointing to the lands with his family's sword, and the dragons immediately taking off to their assigned kingdoms.
Looking next at a pair of pink, and yellow dragons, Toshiro pointed further east. "Sakura, Minato; Sakuranohanabira, and Odoru yuki." the king said again, as both dragon's roared at the command of their master, and took off towards their targets; quickly disappearing out of sight.
Next, his gaze traveled to a pair of black, and grey dragons, and pointed west. "Hak, Ryuji; Kenka, and Chujitsuna."
The pair growled, and took off into the sky; disappearing into the distance, as the young ruler turned next to a set of brown, and green dragons; pointing first west, and then east. "Hiryū, Kashi; Suterusu, and Bara."
The two let out a roar, and followed their master's direction, as Toshiro turned his attention next to a pair of white, and turquoise dragons; pointing towards the south. "Yue, Takaya; Haiburiddo, and Sakkaku."
The dragons obeyed, and launched into the air; leaving just the blueish-white, and red dragons remaining. Toshiro looked to the red dragon, and patted her nose, before pointing out towards the south. "Taiga; Iyashi."
The large creature nuzzled her master's hand, and then pressed her head against the bluish-white dragon's, before taking off for the south.
Finally, Toshiro looked at the last dragon remaining, before turning, and pointing his sword at the approaching army. "Hyorinmaru: Sókn!" he yelled, as the beast let out a bone-chilling roar, and shot up into the sky; flying towards the soldiers, unleashing a huge blast of icy breath, and freezing a portion of the men while it dodged arrow after arrow.
Toshiro got back on his horse, and looked over at a flabbergasted Ichigo, who was watching his dragon with the same amazement that he'd seen on Karin's face the first day she'd met his pet. "Hyorinmaru will give you an opening to get to Saikyo, and Yuki will provide backup once you're there; now go!" he said; watching as the strawberry jolted out of his stunned stupor, and nodded; taking off after the dragon, as Toshiro glanced over at his father-in-law; a pleading look on his face. "Isshin, Hyorinmaru won't be able to keep that entire army back. Would you ride into every village, and the town, and get everyone ready to fight? Every person in my kingdom has been trained in swordsmanship, so let whoever wants to fight participate, aside from the young children; take them somewhere safe. I'll send as many soldiers down from the barracks as I can to help you, after I secure the castle."
The Karakura ruler nodded, and took off towards the nearest village without saying a word; understanding that time was of the essence.
Seeing his father-in-law head off to gather his citizens, Toshiro turned back, and galloped up the mountain as fast as he could; feeling a bone-numbing fear settle into every ounce of his being once he saw the grounds around the castle. They were blown to pieces, and the barracks near his home were burning to the ground. There was debris everywhere, and he could hear the cries of wounded men in the distance.
'Damn!' he thought angrily, as he saw what remained of his soldiers, and base; everyone that was still able to move either trying to save their injured colleagues, or heading down the mountain to help fight, while a few remained to secure the castle.
Once he got to the entry arch, he practically leaped off his horse, and ran into the castle; relieved to see that at least this one building still looked secure…or so he thought. He ran through every corridor, and checked every room looking for his family; desperate to ensure that they were all safe.
After several minutes of scanning almost the entirety of the castle, but finding no one, he finally saw his sister kneeling on the floor at the back of the castle near his study; holding an unconscious, and injured Rangiku in her arms.
Seeing the woman whom he considered both a big sister, and mother-figure, laying on the ground in pain, and stained with crimson, Toshiro felt like he might be sick; a burning anger settling in his gut as he ran towards them. His normally bubbly general was covered in blood, and had a large gash just above her collarbone. She didn't appear to have sustained any fatal injuries, but she was very badly cut up. What was more dangerous than anything else to her, at this point, was blood loss.
The young king kneeled down opposite his sister, and Momo's eyes flooded with tears. "Oh Shiro…" she said; choking up as she attempted to speak.
Toshiro put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, and looked her in the eyes; his steadiness calming her down slightly. "Momo, what happened here? Where's Karin, Izuru, and Ryu?" he asked; watching in suppressed horror as the princess finally let her tears flow down her cheeks in rivers. "Shiro, they took him…an Espada broke in, and took Ryu! Rangiku went after him, because Izuru was over at the destroyed barracks, trying to save as my soldiers as he could. I found her like this, and just before she passed out, she told me that Karin was tracking them down."
The white-haired man's eyes went wide as his face tensed, and blanched. 'Oh god, no' he thought, panicked, as he held his sister's gaze. "What direction were they headed in?" he asked; watching intently as his sister pointed to behind the castle…in the direction that led to the Dragon's Pass.
Toshiro nodded, before getting up, and watching as his brother-in-law came running in from the corridor. "Toshiro, what the hell happened here?!" the young general asked; panic in his eyes, and his face stony as he came to a stop beside them. The young king got up, and looked between Izuru, and sister, before settling his focus back on his brother-in-law. "Izuru, look after Momo and Rangiku; I'm going after Karin, Ryu, and the Espada." he said; his voice hard, and suppressed rage flashing in his eyes.
While the blonde man didn't know what was going on, the look on his brother-in-law's face booked no argument: he was staying here to look after the castle, and his wife. Nodding, he scooped up Rangiku, and the couple hurried to the medical wing with the general while Momo told him what had happened; the three of them disappearing down the hall, and Toshiro running as fast as he could in the direction his sister had indicated.
EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F
It took him about fifteen minutes, but he finally caught up with his wife, nephew, and their assailant; stopping dead in his tracks, and unsheathing his family sword when he saw Karin and Ryu backed up against the mountain range by two figures; one of them definitely being the 4th Espada, Ulquiorra Cifer. Toshiro didn't recognize the other figure, but he really didn't care who it was, at this point; all he wanted was these men dead, and his wife, nephew, and unborn child out of harm's way.
"Reign over the Frosted Heavens, Hyorinmaru!" he shouted, as his sword glowed an icy blue; sending a huge blast of ice at the two enemies, and forcing them to get out of the line of fire. This gave Karin an opening to pull Ryu along with her towards him, and out of immediate danger. He could see the relief in her eyes, and he checked her over quickly for any injuries; thanking God that she appeared to be fine, aside from a minor cut on her cheek.
"Uncle Toshiro!" Ryu called out, as he and his aunt ran towards the white-haired man; hugging the ruler's leg tightly when they finally reached him. Toshiro put a hand on the child's head, and pulled the boy behind him, as he and Karin assumed offensive stances; swords raised, and ready for battle.
Karin glanced quickly at her husband, before returning her attention to their enemies, who had been forced backwards a good distance from the three of them by the ice attack. "Toshiro, what the hell is going on?" she asked; her eyes never leaving her opponents.
The young king kept a close eye on the two men as he responded to his wife. "Aizen's launched a full-scale attack on every allied kingdom from within. All of his captured soldiers were set free, and everything's going to hell. Ichigo's on his way to Saikyo now to help Shunsui deal with Aizen, and your father is rounding up the citizens to prepare for invasion." he replied; his gaze fixed on the cloaked figure next to the Espada. It was definitely the man from the reports; everything about him matched the descriptions perfectly. 'His posture, and stance look familiar' Toshiro thought to himself; trying to pinpoint where he could have seen this man before.
"What do you mean by 'invasion'?" Karin asked again; bringing him back to the matter at hand. He could hear in her voice that she was now even more worried, and she wanted a better explanation; so, he looked quickly at his wife, and then back at their opponents, before speaking once more. "Aizen's army just blew a hole through our border wall, and are on their way here. Your father, the citizens, and Hyorinmaru are dealing with it, since most of our men are in Hueco Mundo, and a lot of the ones who stayed were injured in the barracks explosion. Karin, you need to get Ryu back to the castle, and help Izuru fortify the area. Leave these two to me." he replied; his face set in stony determination, and finality in his voice.
Next to him, the young queen almost dropped her sword. "What?! There's no way in hell I'm leaving you to deal with both of these guys on your own; they're too skilled!" she yelled, as Toshiro handed Rangiku's sword that he'd taken from her, and strapped to his waist, over to Ryu; looking from his nephew, to his wife, and letting his eyes soften with affection. "Remember what you promised me. You and Ryu are the future of this kingdom, and I can't lose you. Go, and get to safety; you'll be more needed defending the castle, and helping your father. Trust me, I know what I'm doing." he said; the look in his eyes telling her far more than his words ever could.
Karin wanted to protest, wanted to tell him that she couldn't lose him, either; but the way he was looking at her stopped her from arguing. She knew he wasn't just thinking of her, and Ryu; he was thinking of his family yet to come. He wanted to keep his child safe, whatever the cost, and they both knew that there was a very real risk that she would lose the baby if she stayed to fight. Suddenly, she remembered the promise he'd made to her just this morning, and the one she'd made in return, and any remaining retort she may have had died on her tongue. 'He's doing what he said he would; he's protecting our family. I guess it's time for me to honor my side of the deal, too' she thought, as she offered him a small, sorrow-filled smile, and nodded in understanding; feeling tears prickle at the edges of her eyes. In case it was the last time that she would ever be able to do so, the queen gave her husband a quick, but passionate kiss; before turning to Ryu, and grabbing his hand, while Toshiro whistled loudly in the direction of the mountains.
Just as Karin made to head back to the castle with her nephew, the two figures moved in; the Espada heading for Karin, and the cloaked man exchanging blows with Toshiro. The young king was able to push off his attacker long enough to fire an icy blast at Ulquiorra, and get the Espada away from his family, before a loud roar was heard in the distance. The elite soldier barely had time to look up before dodging two more icy blasts; this time from Hyorinmaru's two eldest children: Ryohei, and Kushina. "Good job, you two! Keep on him!" Toshiro hollered to the dragons, as he clashed swords with the mystery attacker once again; Karin and Ryu disappearing in the distance while he and his dragons held off the enemies.
Echo after echo of steel meeting steel filled the air as Toshiro met every blow, and parried every strike of his opponent; while Ryohei and Kushina kept the Espada busy, and away from both their master, and his family.
With every blow exchanged between the two, Toshiro increasingly felt a strange sense of déjà vu; his muscle memory responding to every strike as though he'd fought this man many times before already. 'Well, he's using a Damascus steel sword, which would indicate that he's from Orora. Maybe he's someone I trained with back in the day, which would make him a traitor to the kingdom' he thought angrily, as he managed to land a deep cut on his enemy's leg; while the man simultaneously sliced him along the chest, though it wasn't a deep wound.
Putting some distance between the two of them, the young king looked his opponent over carefully; sure that he'd at least seen this person before. 'I need to get that damn cloak, and mask off' he thought, as he moved back in for another strike.
EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F
It took over an hour, but after several exchanged injuries between the two men, and the fatigue from the intense fighting finally starting to settle in, Toshiro was able to get close enough to cut off the heavy cloak, and knock the mask off of his opponent with the hilt of his sword; freezing in place when his eyes finally landed on the face of a man whom he'd thought had died years ago. 'This can't be possible' he thought in shock; his mouth hanging open, and his eyes wide as he tried to process the image in front of him.
There, standing before him, was his childhood friend, Sojiro Kusaka; a vengeful, and bloodthirsty look in the man's dark eyes that the young king had never seen before. They were bottomless, and empty; and Toshiro couldn't reconcile this grown man devoid of any feelings with the cheerful little boy he knew as a child. "Sojiro?" the white-haired man asked in disbelief; stunned, and unable to form any cognitive thoughts as he breathed heavily from exhaustion.
The young soldier gave his former friend a twisted smile as he panted, and clutched his sword tighter in his hand. "Ah, so you do still remember me, Hitsugaya; I wasn't sure if you would. I'm glad, that'll make this even more fun." the dark-haired man replied; a predatory look on his face, and his eyes festering with hate.
Toshiro couldn't move; couldn't understand how, or why his old best friend was alive, and actively trying to kill him and his family. None of it made any sense to him, and he wanted answers badly. Lowering his weapon, the young king tried to force himself to speak. "What…what happened to you? Where have you been all these years, and why are you trying to kill me? I don't understand what's going on, Kusaka." he said in a confused, and hurt tone; his eyes desperately searching his old friend's for answers.
The former farm boy let out a loud, sadistic laugh in reply; finding Toshiro's gaze, and sneering at him. "I should have known that your parents didn't tell you; they always did pamper, and baby you." he said, as the young ruler looked at him in utter confusion. "Sojiro, what are you talking about? Didn't tell me what?" Toshiro asked; his eyes pleading with his friend to give him answers.
Sojiro looked at his opponent thoughtfully for a moment, before scowling, and thrusting his sword into the ground at his feet. "I suppose I should probably tell you why I'm doing this before I kill you; you deserve that much. Your father murdered my parents, Toshiro…right in front of me. You never knew, but my father and mother were the leaders of The North Star. The night they died from our house 'unexpectedly' burning down, they were hosting a group meeting in the wine cellar. Your father and his security detail raided the building, drove a sword through my father's chest, and executed my mother; along with every other member of The North Star, whom I thought of as family. After that, he burned my house to the ground in order to erase any indication of my family's involvement with the organization, and I barely escaped with my life. I was left completely alone; with no one, and nothing to my name. That night, I vowed revenge on you, and your entire family for the wrong that they did me. Even though your father gave me a place in the military afterwards as a way of taking care of me, it never erased what he'd done from my memory. You'd been a good friend to me throughout the years, Toshiro, I won't deny that…BUT I COULDN'T FORGIVE YOUR FAMILY FOR WHAT THEY DID!" he hollered, as he pulled his sword from the ground, and lunged at his former ally.
Toshiro was quick to dodge, but Sojiro kept fiercely attacking; one strike after another. "THEY ONLY," – clang! –"WANTED CHANGE!" – scrape! – "THEY DIDN'T," – crash! – "DESERVE TO DIE!" he screamed; unleashing one brutal assault after another, until Toshiro was finally able to hit the older man hard in the stomach with the hilt of his sword, and put some distance between the two of them.
Raising his family weapon, the ruler's eyes turned to steel as he watched his former friend slowly straighten back up. "Sojiro, The North Star was a terrorist organization! Their goal was the destruction of the kingdom, the death of the royal family, anarchy, and mob rule! My father did what he had to do to protect the kingdom, and its people! I'm sorry that your parents had to pay the price, but Jion did nothing wrong!" Toshiro yelled back; his eyes flashing with rage. Knowing his friend's parents as he had, he never would have guessed when he was a child that their ultimate goal was to see his, and his family's heads on spikes in the center of town. That thought grieved him in a way he never would have thought imaginable. 'They were always so kind to me' he thought; an overwhelming sadness filling his heart at the thought of those kind smiles he'd seen so many times secretly harboring a deep-seeded animosity towards him, and his family, behind them.
Finally straightening up, Sojiro sneered at his old friend in response. "Whether or not that was their goal, your father still took everything from me, and I swore I'd return the favor. Staying friends with you was beneficial for my end goal, so I pretended to be loyal to your family while I secretly worked with Aizen to plan your parents' murder." he said; watching with sick satisfaction as his old friend's face started to crumble before him.
Upon hearing those words leave his former ally's mouth, Toshiro felt like he'd been punched in the gut with a metal fist; and it must have shown on his face, because Sojiro smirked at him in reply. "That's right, Toshiro; I was the one who helped Aizen break into the palace that day, and I was the one who bribed some of your palace staff to help us keep your uncle and Rangiku at bay. Lord Aizen wanted your kingdom as a base of operations for his war, and I wanted you all dead; it seemed like a win-win for me. Naturally, I wore a disguise, so no one would recognize me. I was supposed to be the one to kill them, but your stupid sister got in the way; so, Aizen ended up taking care of your parents, and then went after you while I dealt with Momo. Unfortunately for us, we weren't able to take the kingdom because of your damn dragon, and you and Momo survived; which left me with a sense of unfinished business. I wanted you to suffer the same way I had, to watch everything you've ever cared about be ripped away from you; so, I used Aizen's resources to target the people closest to you. I was the one who killed your uncle, and your general's serpentine husband, Ichimaru…but it wasn't enough; I still wasn't satisfied. I kept my ear to the ground, and waited for years for other opportunities to punish you. Unfortunately, you captured my informants in the castle fairly early on in the war; hence cutting off my source of information about your private life within the safety of your kingdom, and also rendering me unable to find out much of what went on within Orora for quite some time. When I was finally able to infiltrate the kingdom, myself, about a year ago, and heard talk around town that you had a sweet little nephew that doted on you, as well as a very pretty southern princess living at the castle for the duration of the war, I watched you carefully; staying in the shadows, and learning everything that I possibly could about your private life within the safety of your castle's walls. Imagine my surprise, and delight, when I found out that you were happily married, and expecting a baby. How far along is she now? Nine weeks?" he asked; a cruel, sadistic smile on his face that would make even the strongest, and most emotionless men sick to their stomach.
Toshiro's temper snapped, and he charged at his former friend; his blind rage fueling his actions as he swung his weapon mercilessly at the older man, and chipping Sojiro's sword as it froze over upon making contact with his own. His anger-filled gaze locked with his smirking opponent's, and his grip on his weapon tightened. "You're only getting to them over my cold, dead body, Sojiro." the young king said; practically growling with rage as his opponent pushed him off, and smirked. "That's the plan." the dark-haired man replied; watching with satisfaction as Toshiro, in his anger and haste, failed to notice Ulquiorra evade the two dragons, come up behind him, and swing his blade into the ruler's side.
Letting out a cry of pain, Toshiro thought fast; looking behind him, turning his blade backwards in his hands, and plunging it into Ulquiorra's chest. The Espada died instantly as the blade pierced his heart, and his body began to freeze from the inside out. The young king fell to his knees while he clutched his profusely bleeding wound, and Ulquiorra's dead corpse dropped into the snow behind him; his sword sliding out of Toshiro's flesh, and falling to the ground beside him.
Seeing their master fall, Ryohei and Kushina took off towards the castle, while Sojiro smirked triumphantly. Slowly, he walked up to his former friend, who was now defenseless, and bleeding out in the snow, and came to a stop before the white-haired man; bending down on one knee, grabbing a fistful of Toshiro's hair, and forcing the northern ruler to look at him as he held his blade to the younger man's throat. With a self-satisfactory smirk on his face, Sojiro leaned in, and whispered in Toshiro's ear. "I'm going to make you understand what it feels like to lose everything you've ever cared about." he said sadistically; enjoying watching his old companion suffer, and reveling in his victory…until he felt a sharp pain in his chest, and his eyes went wide as his body immediately felt like it was engulfed in flames.
Reeling back, and looking down at the ruby-adorned dagger in his chest, his insides immediately began to feel like they were being melted away by acid. Screaming in pain, Sojiro fell backwards as his limbs went numb, his body started to convulse, and Toshiro hovered over him; a grief-stricken look on the ruler's face. "Poison dagger, courtesy of my wife. The difference between you and me, Sojiro, is that I never let the darkness of my losses consume me. I almost did, after my parents died, but becoming king saved me from myself. I learned to think outside of my own pain, and fight for a better future for my people, and Ryu, instead. In the end, I wanted justice, not revenge; and that brought me the healing that you've been looking for, but never found. I'm sorry it has to end this way; you were my best friend, and I would have liked the chance to try and save you...but I won't let you threaten my family." the young king said; his voice laden with sorrow, and a single tear falling down his cheek as he watched his friend slowly die in front of him.
Sojiro, feeling the poison shutting down his organs, and barely able to keep his eyes open, glanced one last time over at his old friend. "Damn you…Hitsu..gaya." he murmured, before exhaling his last breath as his eyes glazed over, and his body relaxed completely.
Toshiro looked over his dead friend, and more tears ran down his cheeks as he closed Sojiro's eyes with his free hand; thinking back to their time together as kids, and all he'd learned from the older man. "Even after everything you've done to me, Kusaka…I still forgive you. Thank you for being my friend when I needed it." he said; feeling himself get suddenly light-headed, and his vision get increasingly blurry. 'Dammit…too much…blood loss' he thought groggily; feeling his strength leave him as his limbs shook, and he collapsed into the crimson-soaked snow beneath him.
Only one sentence ran through his mind as he slowly lost consciousness: 'I'm sorry…Karin…'
Author's Note:
AAAAAH! My goodness, what a cliff-hanger! Please don't hate me, lol. So, what did you all think?! Will Toshiro die out in the snowy landscape of his kingdom? Will the dragons' aid be enough to stop Aizen's invasion of the thirteen kingdoms? What did you all think of Sojiro's appearance, and the fact that he was behind the targeting of Toshiro from the start, instead of Aizen? What will become of Toshiro's family now that he's on death's door? Tensions are high, and a lot is at stake, but don't worry; Chapter 14 will be posted on Tuesday to answer all your questions!
Make sure to drop a review, and let me know your thoughts!
See you in a few days!
EF-F
PS: The command that Toshiro uses to sick Hyorinmaru on the enemy soldiers, "Sokn", is an old Norse word that means "Attack" (at least, according to what I could find on the internet :-D). I thought it sounded cool, so I decided to use it, haha.