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Wa…was that an explosion?

Staring at the wall in front of him, Toshiro weakly blinked. He tried to string two thoughts together as to figure out what was happening outside, but he was too weak. He was too tired.  If only he can sleep right now…

No, you can't sleep. Not after all of this time.  Wait for a few moments. Hope. Don't sleep, Toshiro.

As he fought the urge to shut his eyes, his vision slightly blurred. He had to fight. He had to keep himself up, even though it was only for a few moments. They had to find him. If there was anyone out there, which he expects, they would eventually find him and rescue him from the hell he was in.

With every minute passing by, his vision became blurrier, his breathes were almost none existent and he couldn't move any part of his body. He was getting weaker. He certainly did feel weaker.

So this is how he was going to die? Pitiful. He would've wanted to die in a war and not in a cell. He would've wanted to die with honor. Instead, he was here held captive by his enemies who laughed and enjoyed tormenting the young Taicho.

Taicho…

He wasn't a Taicho. Foolish, Toshiro.  They must've hit his head so hard that he forgot he had lost that title about three years ago.

Three years ago…

He lost everything three years ago.

Hinamori.

He always thought about her every day in this place. Sometimes, he thought it was that mere thought that kept him going. He needed to survive for her. Even though she had passed, she would've wanted him to live. Even though it ached him, he knew that was her wish for her Shiro-chan. She had sacrificed her life to protect his.  She had sacrificed it for him to continue living in Seireitei as a Taicho.

He wasn't a Taicho, though. He was considered as a dead Taicho. They thought he was dead and he was sure about it. Toshiro heard it. He heard Matsumoto's cries, her screams, her shouts. They were all for her Taicho.

Matsumoto…

Suddenly, the cold, icy ground beneath him violently shook. Although Hitsugaya didn't feel the ground violently shake. To him it was as though someone had nudged him into waking up. It annoyed him, but he couldn't do anything and he had been lying on the ground for quite sometimes, bleeding.

Blood…

He didn't know how long it had been since he was thrown back into this cell after the surprise Aizen had for him. But he knew that he had been bleeding for some time, which may explain the blurriness in his vision. At first it had pained him, it had agonized him, but now it was numb.

How had he gotten that wound? How did he get injured?

Oh, that's right, the game the Espada played with him.

Run while you can, Lil' taicho.

"Run," he murmured, shutting his eyes for a few seconds. No! He had to get up. He had to have hope. He had to stay awake for Hinamori, for Matsumoto, and for Seireitei.

The game…

He was sure, he never wanted to play it again. Grimmjow, the number six Espada (which Hitsugaya could only remember at the moment) and the others decided to play a little tag with Toshiro. But there was a small twist in the rules. They used their zunpakutos, while he ran away from each and everyone. Until the final blow which was given by the Grimmjow, making him victorious, and making Toshiro getting closer to his death bed.

They hadn't mended his wound like they did with the others. That's what Aizen's surprise was, letting him bleed himself to death. He had mentioned that his "friends" where coming to Hueco Mundo, and it would be very exciting to see the looks on their faces as they see that the Taicho had been indeed alive for the past three years and dead in front of them all.

Aizen…

Suddenly, the wall he had been staring at was shattered, making the dust fill the room. Coughing, Toshiro winced at the pain that had stung on his side. He blinked in front of him after the pain had gone numb and stared at what made that wall shatter.

"Toshiro?!" A familiar voice called as his saw the young's man face. It's been long since he's heard that voice. Three years since he's heard it. Seeing that it had been indeed Toshiro, the man ran towards him and crouched beside him. "God, Toshiro…"

Feeling himself fading away, he tried to smile at the orange haired boy that was beside him. He was safe. He didn't care if he died at that moment, but he was safe.

"Toshiro, can you hear me?" No. He couldn't hear him well, it was like he was murmuring his words. "Toshiro, stay with me! Hitsugaya-Taicho!" Why was the man frantic? His voice seemed afraid, but why should be afraid? "Renji! Come and help me get him out now! We don't have time. He's bleeding!"

Those were about the last words he'd heard. From that point on Hitsugaya Toshiro let the darkness wrap around him as it had been trying for quite some time.