The Lieutenant and the Horn

After the battle all four shinigami, Captain Hitsugaya, both lieutenants Renji Abarai and Ringiku Matsumoto, and Rukia Kuchiki sat on what was left of the destroyed construction site. Rukia kept her eye on her cell phone, in case another hollow showed up, but they were more interested in what caused the Espada to freeze, he could have easily dodge the attack and returned with one of his own, but seemed locked in place.

“It was all when you showed up Matsumoto.” Toshiro stated, the Espada had frozen in place when his lieutenant had arrived, as if her presence had some effect on him.

“Yeah, I don’t know why thought, is it something I’m wearing?” She pointed at her kimono, seemingly forgetting that her uniform deliberately showed off her breasts.

“…I don’t think it was that Rangiku.” Renji had a look of surprise on his face, at his fellow lieutenant’s forgetfulness.

“What do you think it was Renji?” Rukia was curious as to hear what Renji had in mind.

“That look he had on his face, it was the kind of look that a man has when he falls in love at first sight.” Renji had his eyes closed and smirked knowing that was the right answer. He knew it was because when he first met Rukia he had a similar look on his face.

“But Renji, why would he give that look to Rangiku?” Rukia was confused, it didn’t make any sense to her, but Renji was smiling so he must’ve had the right answer.

“Yeah, Abarai that doesn’t make sense. Hollows can’t love…can they?” Toshiro had never thought to ask that question before. He had never heard of something like this, sure the spirit that becomes a hollow may love someone but that love is what eventually turns them into a hollow.

“Well an arrancar is a different case I guess, after all they are hollows that have become shinigami. So I don’t see why they can’t regain the ability to love, after all they gain much greater intelligence when they become an arrancar.” Rukia said, knowing that all this information she had gotten from her talks with Ichigo, Urahara, and her experience in Heuco Mundo.

“Well, we can debate about this later, we have a mission to accomplish. Matsumoto, where did you tell Kurosaki and Inoue to go?”

Matsumoto placed her finger on her chin, it hadn’t been too long ago but she was sure she told them to stay at someone’s house.

“I can’t recall, but I told them to go to either Ichigo’s house, or Orihime’s.”

Toshiro’s eye twitched as he heard this, he wanted this to be simple. Just go to one location and pick them both up, then he remembered the letter he had to give to Ichigo’s father, Isshin.

“Fine, we’ll split up. Abarai and Kuchiki, you two head to Inoue’s, while Matsumoto and I head to Kurosaki’s.
Understood?”

“Yessir.”

And with that they vanished from sight.


***Las Noches***


Aizen sat on his throne, his chin resting on his palm as he looked at his now battered and injured 3rd Espada, he knew that whatever Ryoji would say was a lie. Ulquiorra had followed him and told him everything that had happened. His experiment was a failure, but Ryoji didn’t seem like he would desert anytime soon so he continued to let him live.

“You failed Ryoji.”

Ryoji was on one knee, still clutching at his destroyed left shoulder, thankful that his arm wasn’t shot off.

“I am sorry sir, but you did not tell my one of the lieutenants could also achieve bankai.” Ryoji knew that he was guessing at this point, he really didn’t know if either of the lieutenants could do bankai but he hoped this lie would work.

“Ah yes, I didn’t. I am sorry, I forgot to mention lieutenant Abarai had a bankai, I am sorry Ryoji.”

“It’s okay sir, next time I will be bettered prepared for it.” Ryoji was glad his head was down so Aizen could not see his smile because that lie was a hit or miss and it hit. So one of the lieutenants did have a bankai, but he was more interested in that strawberry blonde lieutenant.

“Yes you will Ryoji, you may go now to be healed.” Aizen dismissed him with a wave of his hand, and noticed his third in command Tosen walking in.

“Sir, if I may…”

“Yes Ryoji?”

“Could you give me some info on those four? I’d like to be fully prepared next time.”
Aizen for once couldn’t tell if he was lying or not, but smiled and went with it.

“Yes, I’ll send Ulquiorra to you, after you’re healed.”

“Thank you sir.” Ryoji stood as well as he could with his shattered body and walked out of the throne room, passing by Tosen who didn’t even follow his movements even though he could sense his spirit energy.

“Ah Kaname, I’m glad to see you’re well now.”

“Thank you Lord Aizen.”

Ryoji removed himself from the room and made his way to the healer. The image of that woman would not remove itself from his head, no matter how much he shook or hit it. She was now in him, and nothing he did would remove her. But what scared Ryoji was not that she was in his mind constantly, but the fact he actually didn’t want to remove her image from his memory.

‘She was…perfect, I have to know who she is.’ He was glad no one in Las Noches was a mind reader or he would be cast off as a traitor immediately, not that he cared much for his fellow arrancar or the shinigami who led them.
He made it to the healer’s and made a vow to himself, to now only find out who she was, but protect her from Aizen and the other arrancar.

‘It’s funny, I’m going to be protecting the woman that almost caused my death, man am I messed up in the head.’