Bleach: The Captain, Toshiro Hitsugaya x OC

Chapter 23: A New Assignment

"It's a rare day to see the captain smiling, you should do that more often!" Momo grinned.

"I'll try and remember that Momo. Go and get lieutenant Watanabe and meet me at the First Division."

She clutched the hilt of her zanpakuto and bowed deeply, "yes ma'am, Captain Urahara, ma'am!" She ducked a swat from my hand and beat a hasty retreat back to the squadron.

"I run a Division of doorknobs I swear," I murmured to no one in particular, still smiling.

***

Surprisingly all captains and lieutenants were in attendance for this meeting. Unsurprisingly Captain Hitsugaya kept his gaze firmly not in my direction. Put on your tough face Akira, it's not worth it, I reminded myself. 

The Head Captain called the meeting to order and all chatter in the room ceased. 

"You have all recieved copies of the report Captain Akira Urahara submitted to me one week ago, which details her account of the events that transpired the night she killed the espada. I would like all of you to take note that her encounter is a reflection of what we will all face if we do not prepare ourselves for the battle ahead. It has come to my attention that Aizen has control of ten espadas--," I could see the lieutenants around us tensing up, "--so we'd best up our defences. With the help of Captain Uraharas brother, Kisuke Urahara, we will build a defence around Karakura Town; his intended target. To this end Kisuke has requested the help of one division to aid in the construction of towers that he has designed to give us an edge in our fight against Aizen."

Before I could make a move to volunteer Captain Hitsugaya stepped forward. 

"The tenth division will volunteer its members to assist Mr. Urahara, Head Captain."

I felt an invisible punch to the gut followed by the desire to burst into flames. Kensei must have noticed as well, I could almost hear him searching for a bucket of water.

How could he do this to me? He took away my chance to reconnect with my only living brother who I hadn't seen in over a century! I glared at him with all the pent up anger and hurt I had felt  over the past week. Who was he to make me feel this way? 

 "Thank you for your eagerness, Captain Hitsugaya. Is anyone opposed to this?"

With all the will in my body, I resisted the urge to protest. I had no proper reason to oppose it and I sincerely doubted the Head Captain would listen intently to my personal tale of woe. I bit my tongue, clenched my fists and fantasized about carving up dummies with white wigs glued to their heads.

"So it will be then, I will send word to Kisuke Urahara of your arrival. There is one more piece of business I have to discuss as this is a decision I have arrived at after reading the reports of Captain Hitsugaya and Captain Urahara. Both reports agreed that more soul reapers were necessary for the assignment to be a proper success. With Kisuke Urahara utilizing the Tenth Division to build these towers, it leaves a sizable gap in their defences. I am requesting one more division accompany Captain Hitsugaya as a security detail to take care of the hollows that will undoubtedly be attracted by the soul reapers.

I bit the inside of my cheek to stop from smiling like an idiot and stepped forward. Steeling myself as a reminder that I was addressing the Head Captain I bowed to him.

"The Fifth Division is more than capable of taking on this task. We have been running drill every day for the past week in preparation for such an event Head Captain."

I didn't need to look to know Captain Hitsugaya was boring a hole into my head with his eyes.

Score one for team Urahara.

"Impressive. Recovering well from your battle I see, Captain Urahara?"

I straightened my back and nodded simply. "If I need to fight, I'll fight sir."

Somewhere in the room, a man with bright white hair was fuming.

Somewhere in the room a girl who had felt heartbroken was now feeling devishly happy. 

I really needed to get a grip on myself.

"Then that's settled. The two of you discuss amongst yourselves your plans for security detail and prepare your divisions to move out in three days. That is all." He rapped his staff on the floor and exited the room.

A neat bundle of knots replaced the bravado that I felt only a felt minutes before. The reality settled in uncomfortably as I turned around, expecting to see an extremely pissed young captain but he had already left the building. Great.

Score one for team Hitsugaya.

Kensei cleared his throat rather loudly, pulling my attention away from the nightmare that was now awaiting me at some point today. Was it too late to book a spa date with Hiroto?

"I'm saying this as a friend and not as your lieutenant but I really hope you didn't just volunteer us out of personal gain Akira."

Shit. Was that really what I just did? 

I took a minute for the hall to clear before I answered him. After watching Momo exit I turned to answer him. 

"Kensei I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit selfish. But I didn't start in this division with selfish reasons in mind, I really do want to see the Fifth Division succeed and this is their chance, I mean, our chance to show the entire Soul Society what we can accomplish together."

He nodded, knowing this to be true, "It's a nice speech but we both know you have ulterior motives for this assignment." He held my soul phone out, with the continuously flashing little dot in the centre of the screen reminding me of my other reason for going.

I resigned myself to admit it, grabbing the phone and holding it like a life line, "you know as well as I do that I have do this."

"No."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

"What you meant to say is that we are going to do this together, right?"

I tucked the phone safely back in the pocket of my haori and smiled at him, my stubborn lieutenant.

"Right!"

********

The following chapter is the first part of The Captain Part Two, enjoy!