Chapter 9- Truth, Soul Society & Gotei 13
"Kuchiki-taichou, it's so nice of you to drop by. What brought you here?" Mayuri questioned Byakuya who arrived with Renji at the Research Bureau.
"What do you know about a man named Kusaka Soujirou and Hyourinmaru?" Byakuya asked him bluntly.
"Ahh, I already have information about Hyourinmaru. Although, I don't know who searched it and left it here on my computer. When I arrived, the data about the zanpakutou of ice and water was already present." Mayuri faced the computer and showed Byakuya and Renji the data he was talking about.
"Hyourinmaru is a special type of zanpakutou and the only zanpakutou that has a twin. It isn't anything like Sougyou no Kotowari and Katen Kyoukotsu because the said zanpakutou have different identity and ability in its forms. Hyourinmaru is the type of zanpakutou that has a twin in terms of ability and appearance. Although, there can be some differences depending on the owner. The stronger the owner is, the more powerful the zanpakutou becomes." Mayuri explained while scrolling down the monitor.
"The ice that the zanpakutou formed were different. The ice on Kira and Hisagi as well as the other Shinigami on their team on the day of the pursuit was difficult to shatter. From Unohana-taichou's report, when they were able to take the ice off the injured Shinigami, it took a couple of more hours before it shattered. Still, there were some fragments of the ice." Byakuya stated while Renji was nodding behind him.
"Oh. Do you have a sample of this ice?"
"Here it is." Renji showed Mayuri a piece of ice and the mad scientist placed it on a weird looking microscope on the table. He examined it and found it amusing.
"Ho. The ice looks like a piece of diamond. Based from the faint reiatsu it emits, it's from Hitsugaya-taichou, am I right?" Mayuri said as he faced the 6th Squad Captain again.
"Correct. That's from Hitsugaya-taichou's Hyourinmaru. From the alley where Kyouraku was attacked, we found a frozen part of his coat that shattered when I touched it. Also, on the ground, the name Kusaka Sourjirou was written with Kyouraku's blood." Byakuya said.
"That's interesting. Then, shall we look for that man's data?" Mayuri said with a creepy smile that sent shivers down Renji's spine.
"Hitsugaya-taichou?" Momo said while trying to catch Toushirou's gaze. In his eyes, she saw suffering, pain and regret. It made her worry since she doesn't know what to tell him or how to let him know that she'll be beside him no matter what. She knows that she still can't reach the part of him that he hid from the rest of the world. It was the only part within him that she can't melt.
Even after a few more minutes, Toushirou still hasn't said a word after they arrived in Soul Society and after seeing Kusaka having the luxury to fly around.
"Hitsugaya-kun? Hora, Shirou-chan!" Momo said as she shook Toushirou by grabbing his shoulders.
"What is it?" Toushirou asked as he looked at Momo who stopped shaking him.
"In case you didn't notice, you spaced out for about more than five minutes and you didn't respond to anything I said. What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
Momo sighed and dropped her arms to the side. She nodded while looking down at Kusaka.
"Sorry. I forgot that... if you want to tell me something, you will tell me even without being asked to do so."
"Hinamori..."
"What are we going to do now?" Momo asked, trying to change the topic.
"The Gotei 13 will soon arrive here since Kusaka's pretty much having a great time flying around. We have to stop that black ball from growing and changing Seireitei into something ridiculous."
"I'll do something about it."
Momo jumped down a bit and surrounded the black ball with the pillars of Gochūtekkan (Quintet of 1 kan Iron Pillars). Her kidou was different from Tessai which bound Ichigo to the ground when he changed into a Hollow. Momo's kidou was surrounding the ball while stopping it from growing. the blizzard also started.
While standing on mid-air, Toushirou felt his vision swirl a bit. He closed his eyes and shook his head lightly.
'This isn't the time to suffer from reiatsu loss.' He told himself as he opened his eyes.
"Souten ni saze, Hyourinmaru!" the dragon that emerged from the tip of his zanpakutou was a lot larger than the usual ones that appear. It dove to the ground and circled the pillars cast by Momo and froze.
"I knew you were going to betray me, Toushirou."
"My, my. This is interesting. Kusaka Soujirou, a former student of the Shinigami Academy who never got the chance to finish his studies to become a Shinigami because he was killed after owning the zanpakutou, Hyourinmaru. It seems like that the order for a fight to death was passed by the Central Room 46. Hitsugaya-taichou who was still a student that time was the first one to own Hyourinmaru and was forced into the fight when Kusaka attacked him. The S. M. C. Shinigami decided that it was Toushirou who'll stay because of his skills, abilities and genius mind. They killed Kusaka after that." Mayuri said.
"Then, Hitsugaya-taichou's really innocent." Renji said.
"He is."
A Jigokuchou flew by and stayed on Nemu's hand.
"To all the Shinigami, you are to go to the Soukyouku Hill. Prepare yourselves for a battle." The girl said.
"Well then, shall we clear the mess up?" Mayuri said and got a silent agreement from Byakuya and a nod from Renji.
"Dammit! That stupid Kusaka's blaming Toushirou for something he didn't do. Toushirou wasn't the one who killed him. It was those S. M. C. Shinigami." Ichigo said while running inside the Senkaimon.
"How'd you know?" Rukia asked while running beside Ichigo.
"I saw his memories when our zanpakutou were clashing. Kusaka was the one who attacked Toushirou even though Toushirou didn't want to fight him."
"Hitsugaya-taichou probably blamed himself for letting his friend die just because they had the same zanpakutou."
"Yeah, that's what he did. In the memories, Toushirou wanted to abandon Hyourinmaru in order for Kusaka to live but that guy didn't think with his brain and attacked Toushirou."
"That must've been terrible for Hitsugaya-taichou."
"The worst. Geez! Toushirou has friends who are willing to help him! We're here for him! Why doesn't he know that!"
"He probably wanted to settle this by himself."
"But he can't do it alone! He needs help every once in a while!"
"Save it for later, Ichigo. We're here."
They reached the end of the path and ended up standing in mid-air. They saw all the members of the Gotei 13 standing on the Soukyouku Hill. Not far from them, they saw Toushirou standing while looking at a dragon-like creature flying while the blond Shinigami that Ichigo last saw in the Gensei was stopping the black ball.
"Ah! That's the Shinigami who knocked me out!" Ichigo said as he pointed to the Shinigami.
"Ichigo, Hitsugaya-taichou's there." Rukia said.
"Toushirou!" Ichigo shouted after Toushirou jumped down while facing the members of the Gotei 13.
"You traitor! What's your plan with that dragon and that girl!" Soi Fon said while glaring at Toushirou.
"Taichou!" Rangiku said as she looked at Toushirou who turned to look at her but didn't say anything.
"Everyone's here except for Yamamoto and two other captains." Kusaka said as he settled on a building and froze it afterwards.
"You bastard! State your name!" Soi Fon demanded.
"He is Kusaka Soujirou, the former classmate of Hitsugaya-taichou at the Shinigami Academy a hundred years ago." Mayuri said as he arrived with Byakuya, Renji and Nemu.
"Kusaka Soujirou, you mean..." Ukitake trailed off when he felt a familiar reiatsu approaching. He looked back and saw Kyouraku walking towards him with the help of Nanao.
"Yeah. Central 46's first victim for the violation of the twin zanpakutou rule." Kyouraku said with a small smile.
"Kyouraku, are you alright?"
"I'm alright but I can't let an innocent man die because of the sin made by another, Ukitake."
"I'm with you in that." Ukitake said with a smile.
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
