Preparation for the next Pale

It was fairly easy to forget that Toshiro was very much still the Shinigami equivalent of a teenager, mature for his age or not, the fact was he was still very young. He could already tell that this partnership was going to be full of coy teasing, like some kind of deliciously twisted Rangiku with more tact. Sheesh, Toshiro can never get a break can he? Women love to tease him in one fashion or another. Like some cute little animal that clearly doesn't want the attention, but you hug it affectionately and see it makes a super cute squeak sound while obviously trying to get away. You love the sound! So you hug it again and again and again. It's sort of like that. It's maddening! But, inner Toshiro digresses. Her words traveled to him, but it came off as if she was mocking him or at the very least teasing him with semi-sincerity. Still, it wouldn't be Hitsugaya without some manner of composure. Besides the fact he was a lieutenant now, in comparison to normal divisions he still held equivalent power to a captain. He was equivalent to the normal captain and his captain was over such, answering directly to the commander. It was like some sort of zero division, except it answered solely to the Soul Society as opposed to the actual zero division who answers only to the Soul King.

"I see... Thank you.." he responded, his eyes casting away slightly in an almost seemingly semi-embarrassed gesture. He felt it was clearly mostly teasing, possibly; but it was still something quite nice to hear. It wasn't often in the slightest, but Hitsugaya did have small instances of seemingly emotion like responses. Which is something, if it is to be considered his usual icy persona. Seriously, you'd normally have better luck making an attempt to have a legitimately continuous conversation with Byakuya Kuchiki than to get a rise out of Toshiro. He has the emotional consistency of a popsicle unless it has to do with certain people or subjects. Otherwise, aside from those, you'd practically be talking to an ice cream cone and get the same 'wtf do I care?' response. Ugh', this is why we're not a people person. Emotions, social BS; all of it. Too complicated. Life should be simple. Like... Er'.. Stuff.. Shut it. -_-; Hitsugaya is a surprisingly complicated character, isn't that right inner Toshiro? ...Dude.. Y'er making us sound crazy. I'm not crazy, you're crazy. Toshiro simply sighed as a result of his realization that he needs to work more on his social skills.

Then it happened, Tsubasa and Unohana had slammed their fists into Toshiro's biggest two no-no buttons. Momo and Aizen. Toshiro didn't respond for a moment, almost as if the male was in shock. As if it had to sink in what they were speaking of. Aizen being spotted? Not a chance..? Something involving the Quincy? The hell is this, the Twilight Zone? Momo alive? Was kidnapped.. Oh no... You pushed the button. You don't do that. You shouldn't'a did that. "I have two questions." Hitsugaya replied, his voice shaking with every syllable he uttered; the male taking careful care to control the flexion in his tone. Every fiber of his being was begging for aggression, it took everything the man had to keep it in reigns. And he was barely doing that. Without even realizing he was doing it, committing the following act entirely unconsciously the temperature in the surrounding vicinity dropped well into the negatives in terms of the Fahrenheit scale via his Reiatsu leaking out as a result of his more recent emotional turbulence which further displayed and emphasizing the sheer will power he had to utilize in order to cage his urges that was boiling to the surface.

"Where is Momo?" he asked, desperately trying to control himself. As he spoke, his hot breathe met the cold air which made the cloud that formulates when people speak in cold weather. He said this, leering at Tsubasa maliciously. But any veteran would notice that it wasn't Tsubasa he was aiming this at, he didn't even see Tsubasa at this point; he saw through him. Seeing only those who were at fault for Momo's condition. Those who took her, and his very self. "And where are they?" it was very, very clear to whom he was referring to in regards to 'they'. Saying this through clenched teeth, heck, at this point his whole body was tense. If this was the old Toshiro, he would've already lashed out. Now he was controlling it, however small amount off control it was it was still an improvement in regards to how he used to be. In a way, it was sort of impressive. He kept trying as hard as he could to keep his composure. But it was proving more and more difficult by the second. It was an easy concept to consider... Never come between a dragon and that which he lives to protect.

He had spent so much time looking for her, so many years lost. What could they've done to her in that time? WHY DIDN'T HE FIND HER!? The fuck was he thinking?!?! He let them kidnap her and do god knows what to her. Rape? Torture? It was like the incident with Aizen all over again. A cluster of emotions were simmering inside him, climbing over each other to scratch at what little surface of composure was left. It wasn't clear what was worse. The fact his heart was breaking due to the guilt or his actions he was currently enacting despite himself. It was a touchy subject to begin with, but Tsubasa struck a nerve with a lightning bolt in this instance. To make matters worse, Unohana callously cast off Momo without any regard. It was horrible. Part of him understood her reasoning, but another part of him wanted to give her a piece of his mind. If words could kill, right? What's worse is he understood her disposition, which made himself more angry at himself. In regard to her words and her leaving, he bit his lower lip in a physical manifestation of his growingly feeble attempt at holding it in.

His lip began to bleed a little as his aqua hued optics cast themselves directly into the eyes of Tsubasa, his eyes betraying him via displaying his inner turmoil; the blood creating a small trickle of the crimson liquid down to his chin. This is how messed up he was at the moment, he almost never displays much emotion and now his very eyes are giving away his inner most secrets. "Please... I need to know..." he remarked, bowing his head. He was ashamed at his actions, but he couldn't help it. That's what this meant to him. Can you breathe without air? It's the same thing. He'd never willingly admit it, but she had become an irreplaceable existence to him. Someone essential, someone he....