HI all!

*hides*

Long time no write!

I'm sorry for the delay. Who else can believe its been MONTHS since this was updated? I bet you can! Well, as you can probably tell, I had a bit of a loss of faith in bleach but these past two weeks of HitsuHina goodness in the Manga just made me inspired!

So what do I need to mention in the tribute world?

Well Darkmeadow has rocked out an incredibly awesome Ostara HitsuHina banner that you should all use the links on my profile page (its labeled fanart) to check out/tell her how freakin AWESOME she is.

Katonge2 totally knocked my freakin socks off when she told me she enjoyed this story enough to make an AMV tribute to it! That's right people. In addition to the complete awesomeness of her Toro Nagashi tribute, she's rocked out another bangin one for Ostara specifically. This one's not on youtube because of copyrights on the song but my profile page has a download link to it which you should all use to check it out!

Um yeah, I think that's it!

Back to the story!

The sound of her feet on the ground sent chills racing down Hinamori's spine.

Jasmine hung heavy in the air, the smell threatening every one of her senses. Though the hall she walked down was dark, illuminated only by candles, Hinamori could make out the shadowed shapes of doors, curtained only by beads. Beyond those she could see more candles and more people moving around, all dressed in white. The man in front of her said nothing. He, in contrast, was dressed in black. She knew she had not seen him before but all the same her senses were on high alert. He led her to one of the rooms and reached out, his hand sliding smoothly between the curtains to part them. Hinamori glanced at him but his eyes were on a far spot in the darkened corridor. With no choice she stepped through the beaded curtains and into the room.

The jasmine was heavier here, laced with a spice she could not identify. Her feet recognized the change in the texture of the floor and she did not need to look down to see the carpets that blanketed the ground. The room was massive and the carpets were exquisite, both in color and texture. It was like standing on the edge of some fantastical ocean, illuminated only by the thick gold candles she could see surrounding the space. They laced the walls as well, pushed into honeycomb slots and balanced on wrought candelabras. Even with all of them most of the room was lost to the shadows. Hinamori barely heard the curtain of beads come together behind her, separating her from the rest of the world. Slowly Hinamori took a step forward, her weight shifting automatically to keep her steps as quiet as possible. She dared not speak, dared not inquire if there was another in the room.

She could already sense them.

Their power curled and twisted, pulsing both as light and dark without the two mixing. Her mind instantly catalogued the powers as those of a Vizard, like Hitsugaya was now. They had forced him to wait outside. But while Hitsugaya's powers seemed to hum with a constant note, this was a far more delicate touch. It was like a whisper, sometimes so soft you could barely hear it. But you always always knew it was there. Hinamori inhaled, her tongue darting out and touching her lips. But they were not try. None of her was dry or parched or even uncomfortable. She felt almost languid, the sense of worry she had fading as the smell of jasmine filled her, ushering the strange power that whispered through her. She knew it was wrong. She tried to focus on what Gin had taught her--on what her training had taught her but it was like trying to hold water in her hand when her fingers were open. Her mind told her to be afraid but the rest of her did not listen and even her mind was not struggling all that hard.

"Thank you for accepting my invitation."

"You sound surprised," Hinamori found her voice, "didn't think I would come?"

"No," the reply came as Kouchou stepped into the light of the candles, "people like you, they always come," her lips curved fuller at the pun.

The heat that filled Hinamori was not relaxing, it was embarrassing. The woman was dressed in gossamer with nothing underneath. Every inch of her porcelain skin was revealed through the sheer fabric. There were no marks on skin but, then again, why would there be? Kouchu had not been a solider in a very long time. It showed in her movements, all of which Hinamori realized were seductive, not practical. She had not been trained to the point where the fight was in everything she did. Though there was no doubt in Hinamori's mind that the woman in front of her had, at one time, been a part of Soul Society, she had not risen very high or been a part of it for very long.

"What do you want from me?" Hinamori asked, finding her voice.

"I want you to go to Soul Society and find where they have hidden Kousai."

"Soul Society wouldn't just take your friend--" Hinamori began to protest.

"Why not?" Kouchu asked, "they have already taken yours," Hinamori's eyes narrowed suspiciously, "the sunset haired woman and her green eyed companion. They were supposed to be here to help your friend, were they not? Unless there has been a serious power degradation in Soul Society they should have been here quickly. At least, as quickly as the black haired, tattooed man."

"Lieutenant Hisagi's here?" Hinamori demanded, her senses snapping into alertness, "I didn't--"

"Didn't know?" Kouchu asked, "yes, I can tell. He was supposed to travel as an escort with the sunset haired woman and her green eyed companion, to bring them here in an attempt to heal the blond haired little girl," Kouchu smiled faintly, no warmth in the gesture, "from your surprised face I take it you have not felt the good Lieutenant's Spiritual Power."

"No," Hinamori said, refusing to elaborate, "why do you think Soul Society has any of these people?" Kouchu was quiet, "if you want me to go there and sneak around, I need a reason and a good one."

"And the rest of your friends dying isn't a good enough one?" she asked.

"I don't know that sneaking into Soul Society will save them," Hinamori told her.

"Very well," Kouchu said walking forward.

Hinamori forced herself to stay still as the older woman advanced. Her hand slipped into the ebony locks of her hair. She drew her hand as she stopped in front of Hinamori, extending her hand fully. There was no sense of dramatics in her movements and yet Hinamori felt a thrill all the same as she turned her hand, wrist up, and opened her palm to reveal what was inside.

It was a piece of metal.

Small, it fit easily in the center of her palm. Slowly Hinamori reached out and picked the circle of metal up. It was warm from where she had hid it. Turning it over in her hand Hinamori realized that it was a chip of something, something that had been broken with a fair amount of force if the sharp edges were any indication. It was only when she turned it back to the front that Hinamori saw what was done in relief on one side of the metal. It was the head of a unicorn, bowed angrily with the horn extended in a fashion that could not have been mistaken as sign of piece. She imagined the body was on whatever the metal had come off of. Holding it closer to her face, Hinamori looked at the horn. Something seemed to be wrapped around it, something that looked like a sash. Hinamori raised her head and looked at Kouchu.

"Before she was taken, Kousai was able to knock that off her kidnappers and leave it for us to find," Kouchu said, "the Unicorn is the symbol of purity. Its the mark of a Royal Guardsman."

"How do you know that?" Hinamori demanded.

"You do not have to believe me," Kouchu said, "go ask your friend, Lady Kuchiki. She will confirm what I say."

"But if the Guard has your friend, they have to have a reason for it," Hinamori said.

"I have no doubt," Kouchu said, "I also have no doubt they have a reason for taking your friend, the one who could have saved the blond girl."

Hinamori felt her fingers curl around the piece of metal.

"If I do confirm what this is, what then?"

"Then you go to Soul Society. Find out if they are holding here there or if they have taken her to the Royal Realm," Kouchu said, "then more will not have to die."

"I'm not promising anything," Hinamori said turning around.

"Tell me something," Kouchu said, stopping her in her tracks, "do you still think of him, your Captain?" Hinamori said nothing but that seemed to be answer enough for Kouchu, "of course you do. Its terribly hard, isn't it?"

"Isn't what?" Hinamori asked.

"Forgetting someone when you're reminded of them everywhere you look."

Hisana stepped onto the roof, a sinking feeling already in her stomach.

She had searched the hotel as thoroughly as she could, she had even sent tendrils of Spiritual Power out searching for her but she had felt nothing. Nothing substantial anyway. Kirio was the first Shinigami she had encountered, the first she had felt Spiritual Power from. Hisana had always found her easily. But now she was nowhere to be found. If she was a betting woman, Hisana would have bet that the Guardsman was not even in this world. Not anymore. She had not gone onto the roof to look for her. Rather, Hisana had gone onto the roof to look for the remnants of Kirio Hikifune. She had to have left something behind. Especially if she was in a rush. Rushing made you sloppy, it all but guaranteed that you would make mistakes. Letting the door close behind her, Hisana could only hope against hope that Kirio had made such a mistake.

The breeze lapped at her cheeks and hair, pushing the oddly longer locks around. Brushing them aside, Hisana looked around. Slate grey greeted her in everything from the stones beneath her feet to the overcast sky. It looked like it was going to rain, but Hisana paid that no thought. She moved forward, her steps slow and calculated. Even through the soles of her shoes Hisana could feel the sharp coldness of the tiles. It had been hours, at least, since anyone had stood on the roof and yet the vacuum of power was enough to make it difficult to breathe properly. But she needed more than that, she needed something solid. Something tangible. She almost did not want to look at the satellite dish on the roof but somehow she forced herself to look. To face what she prayed she would not have to face.

But the pale skirt tangled in the support silence her half hearted prayers.

Closing her eyes, Hisana balled her fists and ignored Mizu no Kamisama's voice. She sternly told herself that she knew--some part of her knew--but the rest of her howled at the latest in a long line of disagreements. Opening her eyes, she walked over to the supports and untangled the skirt that blew in the wind. She did not need to lift it to her nose to recognize the faint plastic smell that went with all gigai's, including her own, but she did it anyway. Lowering her hand with the skirt, Hisana took a breath and told herself firmly that the trembling she felt was from anger, not fear. Balling the skirt up, Hisana wrapped her hand completely around it. Something inside her thought that she should obliterate it. Her power would not be noticed in the vacuum Kirio had created. Destroy it and have that be the end of it, no-one needed to be any wiser for the fact. But the words of kido she wold need did not come to her lips as she stood there with the skirt in her hand.

"Hisana?"

Hisana turned around, surprised that she had not heard the door open. Hinamori stood there, her eyes anxious. She was shifting her weight as well, all signs Hisana had learned to interpret as worry and guilt in the younger woman. Hinamori slowly moved forward before she stopped. Hisana waited, patiently. She had learned this about dealing with Hinamori. She'd get there eventually, but the easy path was not one she took very often. After a moment she pushed forward, crossing the remaining distance very quickly and coming to stand in front of Hisana.

"I went to the others," she said.

"What happened?" Hisana asked.

"They gave me this," Hinamori said extending her hand.

Stomach now somewhere around her ankles, Hisana reached out and picked up the silver fragment in her hand. The sharp edges dug into her hand, despite how carefully Hisana handled the metal fragment. With almost clinical coolness, her mind told her that this hadn't been broken with precision but with brute force. Probably a shot that was lucky--lucky and desperate. The small size of the fragment betrayed the lack of experience and capability of the fighter who'd broken it off. But she had had the sense at least to break off a piece that would give them a clue. Hisana turned the silver over, revealing the image pressed to the other side. She ran her thumb over the familiar outline, though her thumb had long since committed the image to memory. The detail was still exquisite though, even with the breaks the image bore no cracks. It was the work of a masterful smith.

"Did they say who broke this off?" Hisana asked.

"They just said that they found it when someone took their friend--the first of the Vizards who was going to get whatever is killing Hiyori--and killed Hachi."

"What are they asking you to do?" Hisana asked, her eyes meeting Hinamori's.

Hinamori felt her own widen. How did Hisana know they were asking her to do something? Hisana kept her eyes on Hinamori's, the metal in one hand and the skirt in the other. Hinamori was about to tell her, to reveal what Kouchu had asked of her but she stopper herself. Having people know everything before she did, it was getting old. Hinamori acknowledged that she had made mistakes in the past but she was getting tired of being pushed around Especially by people who seemed convinced that she was incapable of doing anything without shattering into a million itty bitty pieces. Instead of telling her everything, she looked at Hisana and asked a question of her own.

"Why?" she asked.

"Why do I want to know what these people are asking of you?" Hisana asked. Hinamori nodded, "they are Vizards," Hisana said.

"So?" Hinamori said, "the other Vizards--"

"They are Vizards," Hisana repeated, her voice taking on an edge, "they have Hollow powers."

"But Shinji and Lisa and all of them--they helped us--"

"Yes," Hisana cut her off, "they helped us," she looked at her, "these people, however, have been hiding out for the better part of two centuries. They had sat out two of the greatest wars Soul Society will ever now and have nothing to warrent any kind of loyalty," she stuffed the edge of the skirt into her back pocket, "this," Hisana continued, "came off of Guardsman. A member of the Royal Guard. Which means that now these Vizards are trying to convince you that the Royal Guard is part of a conspiracy. So I will ask you again. What do they want from you?"

"They want to know who took their friend," Hinamori said, "they said that was the only thing they found there. She was supposed to be the first one to get sick."

"Sick?" Hisana said, "Hinamori these people are not--" she shook her head, "these people are not people. They are Vizards. What's happening to them is not them getting sick, its an effect of their powers."

"But its not happening to every one of them," Hinamori said with a shake of her head, "it didn't happen to her! That's why they took her."

"You don't know that!" Hisana cut in angrily, looking away with a deep breath before looking at the younger Shinigami again, "Hinamori I know you want to trust them but its not that simple. You have to accept that not everything is as clearly black and white."

"I know!" Hinamori said angrily before stopping herself, "I know," she repeated slower, "I know about people being grey--"

"No," Hisana said shaking her head, "no because you are the type of person who will always focus on the light. On that glimmer of good, that spark of kindness no matter how insignificant. Sometimes its not worth it. Some people are not worth fighting for."

"These people are," Hinamori said, "Hiyori doesn't have much time. If this woman, if she's the exception than maybe she can save Hiyori,"

Hisana's eyes clearly said she did not believe Hinamori but hope had flooded the younger Shinigami's senses. The sinking in Hisana's stomach increased tenfold as she looked at her. She had seen that look before and every time that she did, it ended very badly.

"Do not do this," Hisana said.

"Don't do what?" Hinamori asked.

"What you are about to do," Hisana's hand closed around her arm, "I am not doubting your abilities--you've done impossible things before. But this, this isn't a path you want to go down."

"I don't know what--"

"You think you're just going to look, just see if they have her or not. But what you're going to do is come out on the wrong side of a conflict that, believe me, you want no part of. This isn't a man half crazed with power, these aren't Captains who have a sense of right and wrong. You're talking about going up against people who didn't think either of these wars was worth their time."

Hinamori stared at Hisana, too shocked to conceal the look on her face. They way the elder woman was talking, it was like she was scared. But as she thought about it, Hinamori realized that Hisana had every reason to be afraid. These people, the Guard, they had taken her from her family not once but twice. Every one of her interactions with them, limited as they were, had been negative. They had done things--things that Hinamori couldn't even begin to fathom, things she was not sure she wanted to understand. Doubt began to fray at her. What if Hisana was right? She had so much more experience with the Guard and she seemed scared. True and genuinely scared. Hinamori let her eyes go to Hisana's hand, to where the metal rested.

"I have to go," she said, her voice dull to her own ears before her head flew up and her eyes locked with Hisana's.

"No," Hisana said, "i know what you're--"

"I'm sorry. Tell him--" she shook her head, "just tell him I'll be back. I promise."

"Hinamori!"

It was too late.

She was gone.

Hisana looked down at her now empty hand. She had taken the fragment with her, though Hisana would have expected nothing less. Hisana felt blood spill from the cut the metal had dealt her. Tilting her head back, Hisana closed her eyes and breathed in, trying to stem the tightness she felt around her eyes. It was a matter of breaths before the temperature dropped and the ran began. Even then the rain only lasted a few moments before it turned into snow. She heard a faint echo behind her and felt the vacuum of Kirio's power quickly becoming replaced with Hitsugaya's own incredible power. Hisana kept her eyes closed and her head towards the sky, letting the snow dot her face and draw lines to her throat. She heard Hitsugaya's harsh breathing as he strode across the roof to where she stood.

"Where is she?" he demanded his voice furious.

"She accepted the mission," Hisana said.

"No!" his angry shout echoed around the roof.

Hisana let her eyes open, looking at the sky before she let her gaze settle on Hitsugaya. He was livid and it showed. His muscles were taut, angry and the white scales she had seen were creeping up his neck as his control wavered drastically. The snow that was already falling with an unusual amount of force increased, hardening as it quickly became hail. Hisana shielded her eyes as she looked upwards. It was small hail for now but that was going to change. Soon, from the anger on Hitsugaya's face and the way his chest was heaving. Hisana quickly drew her Zanpakuto and used Shunpo to close the distance between them, pressing the dagger's blade to his neck. It only took a thought for the blade to begin to glow with heat.

"Calm down," she said, forcing herself to be in control, "this is no time for hail."

"They distracted me," he said, still shaking with emotion even as the hail slowly began to lessen, "i didn't think she would just go."

"She didn't want to see you before she left," Hisana said, "don't pretend you don't know why. Stop the snow."

Hitsugaya glared furiously down at her but Hisana had been married to a Kuchiki--twice. She had dealt with far worse glares. The knife in between them glowed brighter. Hitsugaya and Hisana kept their eyes locked together in some kind of stand off as the snow that rapidly piled around their ankles. The snow slowly lessened and the white scales that snaked up Hitsugaya's neck retreated into the black fabric of his hoodie as he reigned himself in. Hisana waited a full minute before she moved the red hot knife from his throat, letting the heat flow out of the blade as she sheathed it.

"She went to Soul Society--"

"You can't go," Hisana cut him off, "you set one foot there and you're going to be thrown in the Maggot's Nest faster than you could imagine. They're on high alert as it is. She's got one shot at this, if that."

"This---this is too reckless, even for her," Hitsugaya said, "she's got to have a reason for just charging off like this!" He bruised his hands in his hair before dropping them, looking at the black gloved appendages like he'd never seen them before.

"Its you," Hisana realized aloud, "its what you are--that's why she's agreeing to this! You're a Vizard now and that means--"

Bile crept up his throat as Hitsugaya looked at his hands, his mind seeing what his eyes could not. Hinamori was a caring girl but she was only this reckless when it came to people she really loved. People like him. People who she thought were worth dying for. His eyes rose to meet Hisana's who was thinking along the same lines.

"She thinks I'm going to die next."

Oh snap!

Betcha wanna know what happens huh?

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