So, Valentine's Day just happened. And, once again, I got no Valentine's cards. Well, there was a chocolate rose tapped to my door, but pretty much everyone in my block got one, too, so that ain't really something special. Wait, why do I care about that?! Gah, here's the next chapter! *grumble*
Chapter 22
Come Back To Me
"Okay…let's get this straight…" Tom said slowly, pacing from one side of the common room kitchen to another, while Toshiro was sat on a chair watching him pace. He felt like a prisoner being interrogated by a policeman. The other Soul Reapers, back in their Gigai's, were watching the scene from the side lines "Ren has turned evil."
"It's likely."
"And you say she tortured Rukia when she questioned Ren on her treatment of the Feathers?"
"I saw it with my own eyes. We all did."
"Oh my goodness! Are you okay, Rukia?" Steph asked Rukia, concerned.
"I'm fine…I'm still a little shaky, but I'm fine."
"And she tried to kill you." Tom continued.
"This isn't paint!" Toshiro pointed at the red stain on his shirt, standing up. "Look, why are you asking me this? I already told you all what happened today."
"I know, I know." Tom almost snapped back, stopping his pacing. "I just find it hard to believe, is all."
"You think I'm not finding this difficult?"
"But, if you think about it, Ren has been acting weird for a good few days." Nathan quipped in. "Just a few days ago, a kid from Oakworth Primary came up to her, I think he was from the pre-school, and she told him to get lost."
"That doesn't sound like Ren."
"Then she trashed the bike that kid was riding on."
"That definitely isn't something Ren would do."
"We get it! Ren is bad!" Toshiro snapped, baffled at the simple minds of Ren's two human friends. "The point is I have no idea what is making Ren change."
"Maybe it's a-"
"Yes, a clone, I was getting to that, Stephanie. That's one of the theories we've come up with."
"Oh, she could be-"
"Nathan, there is no way Ren could be a robot. That's stupid."
"Actually I was going to say-"
"It would be impossible for a member of White Raven to be disguised as her. An imposter wouldn't be able to use Ren's powers, even if they were Cielvian. Again, you're wrong."
"Wha…" Nathan said, baffled. He didn't even say anything, and Toshiro was acting like he already said it. Plus, he was only thinking about Ren being a robot. He wasn't really going to say it out loud. Or did he say it without realising it? That aside, he wished Toshiro would stop belittling him all the time.
"Anyway, whatever is happening, I'll make sure Ren is back with us."
"What if-" Ichigo started.
"If she's kidnapped, then we'll save her. I'll do whatever it takes to bring back our Ren. And it's Captain Hitsugaya."
"But I didn't even…" Ichigo trailed off. Rukia and Ichigo looked at one another. They were starting to notice Toshiro's behaviour, too. But, Rangiku had picked up on it earlier, being by his side a lot longer as his subordinate.
"Captain, you've been through a rough day. We all have." Rangiku said. "Maybe you-"
"Yeah, you're right, Rangiku. I should get some fresh air. Excuse me." With that, Toshiro briskly left the room, and the rest of the gang took a moment to exchange confused looks.
"What just happened?" Renji asked out loud.
…
Toshiro let out a loud sigh as soon as he sat on one of the benches outside the common room, leaning his arm on the armrest and resting his head on the palm of his hand. So, Ren wasn't an imposter, which left the possibility of her being a clone. Yeah. That would make sense. That behaviour Nathan described wasn't like her at all. It would fit Nathan more than Ren. Now, the only thing left to do is figure out how to bring the real Ren back. But, he didn't even know what was going on. He thought back to what was said in the common room, thinking that something may be useful.
"Wait…" Toshiro sat up straight. "What was said in the common room?" It seemed like there was more of him interrupting and less of them talking. But, it sounded like they were talking. Only when he thought about what Rangiku said (or what he thought she said) did he realise they never said anything. "What happened in there?"
"I might have an idea."
"Zena?" Toshiro looked up, and sure enough, Zena had appeared sat next to him.
"It seems to me like you've developed another Cielvian ability. In this case, telepathy."
"Telepathy?"
"It means you can read other people's thoughts."
"I know what it means." Toshiro said briskly. "So, you're saying that just now, I read their thoughts."
"Exactly. But, since you were not used to it, you thought they were saying those things out loud."
"Damn, I must have looked like a fool." Toshiro sighed, burying his face in his hand.
"Don't worry. I made that mistake, too. I was soooo embarrassed."
"I appreciate the effort, but it's not making me feel better."
"Well…you could use it to your advantage."
"How so?" Toshiro asked, glancing back at Zena through his fingers.
"You're investigating this weird anniversary in the villages, right? Now you can find out if anyone is lying to you by reading their mind."
"Hey, yeah." Toshiro sat up straight again, seeing the benefits of his new power.
"Plus, if you get telepathy now, then telekinesis will be sure to follow."
"How do you know that?"
"Let me explain. In Cielvia, everybody has powers. Some may be blessed with the Shackles, but everyone has the three basic Cielvian powers. Telepathy, telekinesis and the Cielvian wings. Some Cielvians are naturally gifted in one, and struggle with another, or they're equally good at each of them. Take Ryuki, for example. He was a natural with mental powers, since his power to see into the future was also mental, but when it came to flying, he was totally clumsy. It took him forever to get it right." Zena giggled a little at the memory going through her mind. "And it seems to be the opposite for you. You're a master when it comes to flying, but your abilities of the mind might take some time to perfect. After all, you only just discovered your telepathy."
"I see… That's one way we're different, then."
"No worries. Ren is brilliant when it comes to telekinesis. Maybe she can teach you a thing or two!" Zena said brightly. But, her smile turned into a frown when Toshiro looked away from her. "Toshiro?" No response. "So you're still having problems with her?"
"Calling it a 'problem' is an understatement. You're in Ren's necklace, aren't you? You should be able to see all this. She tortured the Feathers and one of my teammates! And in case you haven't noticed, there's blood on my shirt and a cut on my neck!"
"My god, what happened?" Zena placed her hand on the stain and his neck, the healing glow returning. "Well, the cut has partially healed already, so it's nothing serious. But, what happened to you?"
"Ren tried to kill me when I stepped between her and some Feathers. You should have seen it. You were there, weren't you?"
"You'd think so, but no."
"Care to enlighten me?"
"I've had some difficulty observing recently. Ren's soul is becoming corrupted, and if she stays this way for too long, I may be corrupted, too." Zena removed her hand from Toshiro, the cut fully healed and the blood gone, but Toshiro was too distracted to notice.
"It's worse than I thought…" He stood up, a new determination inside him. "I have to find her and put an end to this."
"You won't have to look far."
"!" Toshiro turned in the direction of the voice. It was Ren, and Zena promptly disappeared, fearing that Ren might be able to see her.
"Ren…" Toshiro started. "I don't know what is happening to you. But, whatever it is, I'm going to bring you back."
"What are you talking about?"
"Toshiro?" Steph said quietly, peering outside. But, as soon as she spotted Ren and Toshiro staring at each other, she thought better of interfering. "Guys, Ren's here." She called in, and the gang instantly crowded around the open door, watching from afar. Toshiro heard their whispers, but focused on Ren. She was his top priority right now.
"You're changing, Ren. And not in a good way. I…We want you back."
"Has it ever occurred to you that I don't want saving?" Ren asked calmly. Toshiro said nothing, although he did look a little alarmed, if not confused. "You're always the same. You butt into the business of other people without asking, claiming you're helping them. But, have you ever noticed how your help makes things worse?"
"I…" Toshiro glanced away, at a loss for words.
"I don't want your help. I don't need your help. And…" Ren's heels clicked together once, bringing out her Fire Shackles, and she walked closer to Toshiro, holding up a fist surrounded by flames. "I certainly don't need you."
"Alright, that does it!" Renji suddenly darted out of the common room in his Soul Reaper guise, his hand on Zabimaru.
"Renji!" Tom called out.
"What?"
"Eh?" Tom looked up, and Renji was staring back at him. Tom glanced from one Renji to another. "Wait… How are you…You're meant to be-Oh, yeah, that's right." Tom cut himself off, remembering the Ambers and how they work.
"Don't you dare!" Renji stepped between Toshiro and Ren, glaring at Ren fiercely.
"Renji?" Toshiro said, surprised at his appearance.
"Oh, it's you." Ren said matter-of-factly, her fireball disappearing.
"If you want to pick a fight, then I'm your man. But we're a team. We can't afford to fall apart." Renji reached into his kimono sleeve and took out the bag of Feather cores, holding them up in front of Ren. "You can have this back."
"He has a point, Ren. Whatever is happening right now, it's getting in the way of fighting White Raven. We need you."
"Is that right?" Ren said coolly. "I thought I made it clear that I had no intention of helping you."
"What do you mean?" Toshiro asked.
"Look, you're the one they're after, right?"
"Yes, but-"
"Exactly." Ren interrupted, stepping closer to Toshiro. "White Raven is your problem." To place emphasis on the 'your', Ren jabbed a finger on Toshiro's chest. "Not mine." Ren then pointed at herself. She stepped back from Toshiro. "It does not matter to me whether any of you fools lives or dies. You scum are all just fresh meat for the Feathers."
"Don't speak to the captain like that!" Renji snapped. "Now, take back what you said…" Renji drew his zanpakuto and held it up to Ren's throat, but she didn't react. "Or I'll kill you where you stand."
"Renji, what do you think you're doing?!" Toshiro demanded.
"This is no time to let personal feelings cloud your judgment, Captain Hitsugaya." Renji responded. "She said so herself. She's an enemy."
"Lieutenant Abarai, as the Captain of Squad Ten, I order you to lower your sword!"
"This isn't Ren. She's just another opponent."
"…" Ren raised a hand up and lightly gripped the blade, bringing the attention of Toshiro and Renji back to her. Slowly, she pushed the blade away from her gently. Renji's eyes widened slightly. Ren had deliberately made a cut on her neck, and it was slowly starting to trickle beads of blood. Ren hadn't even blinked at the incision she inflicted on herself.
"If you're going to threaten me…" Ren started. "You should cut me first. Why didn't you cut me, I wonder? Is it because I'm a woman? Is it because I'm supposedly your friend? Or is it because you're afraid? Are you afraid of me? Are you afraid of the consequences? Are you afraid of harming a woman? That should not stop you. Fear is not something a man such as you should experience. What's stopping you? Doubt? Bonds? Fear? Whatever the reason, you should not hesitate, whether fighting or threatening, as you have demonstrated to me rather pathetically. A man should have no reason to hesitate." Ren narrowed her eyes at Renji. "If you cannot threaten somebody, are you really a man?"
"Why you…" Renji growled, but stopped himself from continuing. Ren had a point. If he cut Ren, Toshiro would freeze his butt off. And, no matter how annoying Ren was, he still felt like she was a comrade. Renji closed his eyes, and without another word, he sheathed his sword.
"That's what I thought." Ren glanced at the door. "You should be able to hear this from there." She called out to them. The other Soul Reapers and humans looked at one another, murmuring things like "Hear what?" and "What's she talking about?" Ren stared straight ahead of her, not looking anybody in the face. "I am here to make my announcement from an hour ago official. My ties to all of you are severed. Consider what used to be our friendship and partnership over."
"What?!" Ichigo gasped.
"Is she serious?!" Tom exclaimed in disbelief. The others were in a state of shock too, especially Toshiro. He briefly glanced down at his pocket, where Ren's bracelet was safely tucked away. Suddenly, Ren throwing it away, and the fact she almost killed him, made sense.
"You may keep the Feather cores, but you will not see me save you from any other encounters. If a Feather bites your head off, that's your problem." Ren turned around and began to walk away. "That is all."
"Wait a second, Ren. Are you saying you won't help us anymore?" Toshiro asked, still unable to comprehend what was going on. "What about us? What about the promise? Did all that mean nothing to you?" Ren said nothing, and Toshiro briskly walked towards Ren. "Ren, I'm not letting you leave until you tel-" Ren spun around and with a swift motion of her arm, she created a line of fire on the ground, cutting Toshiro off from her. Toshiro gave off a small yell, stepping back from the heat. Ren glared at everybody through the flames.
"You are all to leave me alone. I don't want anything to do with any of you."
"But-" Renji started, and Ren glared at him, stopping him from finishing.
"Listen, moron…" Ren brought up a hand glowing with her blue healing glow, only there were occasional spikes in it. She walked up to Renji, holding it up to his face. "I was the one who restored the powers of you and your comrades, and I can take them away just as easily. Only this time, it will be permanent." The threatening glow vanished. "Is that what you want?"
"…" Renji backed away from Ren, knowing that she was serious. Likewise, the other Soul Reapers were silent, clearly hearing the threat. They didn't want to go back to being helpless. None of them did. Ren turned her back to her former friends, but before she left, she looked over her shoulder at Toshiro, who was still a little bewildered at what Ren was saying.
"The next time we meet, we are enemies." She said coldly.
"!" Toshiro recoiled back a little after this statement, wide eyed. Ren turned around, her dark blonde hair flipping around, and she walked away. But, nobody did or said anything to stop her. They were too busy processing their minds over what had just taken place.
"Alright, I'm just gonna come out and say it. That's not Ren." Nathan said, finally breaking the silence.
"I'm with Nathan. That has to be some kind of imposter." Tom agreed, even though it secretly made him rather disgusted.
"But, if that's not Ren, then where's the real one?" Rukia asked.
"Well, we have no way of finding out now." Rangiku said. "She's gone."
"Not for long." Toshiro said in response. "She can't have gone far." Toshiro ran around the fire and out of the courtyard, towards the direction he thought Ren might go in. Renji just watched the captain go, still processing the words Ren said to him. Without another word, he walked back to the group, ready to go back inside his Gigai.
…
"Ren!" Toshiro called out, even though part of him knew Ren wouldn't respond to him. He slowed down a little until he was briskly walking through the grounds, looking for any signs that Ren was here. He just couldn't believe that Ren would denounce their partnership, their friendship, so easily. He had now fully accepted the fact that this Ren that tried to hurt them all is not their Ren. She was a fake. And she was going to lead them to the real Ren.
Tap
"Hm?" Toshiro stopped wandering and looked up at the sound. There was a silhouette of a girl standing on the roof, her hair blowing in the wind.
Ren… Toshiro thought, recognising the figure. No! He shook his head a little. That's not Ren! That's not her! Toshiro looked back up at her. But how can I get the information I need out of her? Wait… Toshiro started to recall the conversation he had with Zena. He could use telepathy. Maybe if I try using that power now… Toshiro narrowed his eyes a little, concentrating on the thought of seeing into her mind. He felt a slightly warm sensation on his back. Was it working?
"It's done."
Yes! Toshiro thought to himself as soon as he heard Ren's voice in his head. It worked!
"Very good. You have reached the end of the path. Now, you may come to the darkness. Come to me."
"Yes"
"You will find me tomorrow in the park. Be there at eleven. Come alone."
"I assure you, there will be nobody to disturb us. I've made sure of that."
"Alright."
Who is that other voice? Toshiro thought, raising one eyebrow. And where have I heard it before? No sooner had Toshiro thought this, Ren vanished from the rooftop faster than he could blink.
"Well, whatever. I'll find out tomorrow. And, I will bring back Ren."
…
The next day, 11am, the park
"Captain, we're ready for your orders."
"Alright." Toshiro responded, speaking into his phone. "Stick with the plan, and if anything happens, you know what to do."
"Yes, sir."
"Right. I'm going in, Rangiku."
"Good luck, Captain."
"Thanks." Toshiro hung up the phone, pocketing it in his jacket. "I'm gonna need it." He looked ahead of him at the black iron gates of the park. Somewhere, Ren, or what looked like Ren, was there. It was up to him to end this once and for all. Taking a deep breath, Toshiro walked into the park, his hands in the pockets of his white trousers, trying to make himself appear to be calm. While he walked, he started to think about what strategies he should use. What would he do? What should he say? And, then there's that voice he heard. He heard it before. He just couldn't pinpoint where or when.
"Hmph. Stupid Rangiku…" He muttered to himself. "If she hadn't slipped and pushed me... That idiot lieutenant…" (Meanwhile, several kilometres away, Rangiku sneezed.) "No. This isn't her fault." Toshiro quickly said, tapping himself on the head with his fist a few times. "Although this did start when those…things attacked. They hate sunlight and fire, so maybe they're made of some kind of dark magic. The question is…whose magic was it? It's not Sentaro; he's back in Cielvia. Dixie doesn't have that power. Caleb and Lina don't have it, either. Although…Lina did say something…" Toshiro held his chin in thought. "There was this black cloud around Ren that day…and that looked familiar, too. And Lina warned us about someone, too. Who was it?"
"Toshiro, is that you?"
"Damn it…" Toshiro grumbled, losing his train of thought. He turned around, and Tom and Steph were right there. "What are you two doing here?"
"Don't worry, Nathan's covering for us." Steph reassured.
"No, I mean, why are you here? I thought I told you to stay at the school."
"I know. But, this is Ren we're talking about here. She's our friend."
"Tom, if you two stay here, you could get seriously hurt of worse."
"Then why are you here?" Tom asked. "You're in as much danger as me, maybe even more. After all, there is a giant targeted painted on your back."
"Yes, but at least I can defend myself if something like that does happen. I you get caught in a battle, you're dead."
"That may be true…" Steph started, looking away. "But, we can't go back to school knowing what you're all getting into."
"Besides, maybe we can help save Ren. We've been with her for years, after all."
"…" Toshiro closed his eyes. There was just no talking to them. "Alright" Toshiro opened his eyes again. "But I can't be held responsible for anything that happens to you."
"Don't worry. We'll be as quiet as mice!" Steph said brightly.
"Where is Ren?" Tom asked.
"She should be in the park at eleven."
"That was two minutes ago." Steph said, looking at her watch.
"Wait, how did you know that?" Tom asked, suspicious that Toshiro would know about a specific time and they didn't.
"I'll explain later. Just-"
"Hey, there she is!" Steph pointed ahead of her. Toshiro turned around. Sure enough, Ren was walking down another path a few feet away, not noticing their presence. But, she quickly vanished when she went through some trees.
"Come on." Tom immediately ran after Ren, Steph close behind, and Toshiro followed them, still questioning himself on why he is letting the two humans tag along.
"Don't get too close to her. She might attack." Toshiro said.
"Right." Tom stopped to hide behind a tree, noticing how Ren had stopped walking when she reached a statue of a man in the middle of the park, where four paths met together around it. Quickly, Toshiro dialled his phone and brought it to his ear.
"Rangiku, I have Ren in my sights. Remember the plan."
"Yes, sir."
"I don't think you filled us in on your plan." Tom said.
"Also, the two humans followed me here."
"Well, they're not doing any harm."
"No, but they could get hurt. They're just dinner to the Feathers."
Hey, we're right here…Tom and Steph thought, sweat dropping.
"Look, get Kuchiki here to protect them should anything go wrong. Ichigo is more than enough to cover both his and Kuchiki's areas."
"Understood."
"So, what's your plan?" Tom asked again. Toshiro hung up his phone.
"I have the others patrolling the town in case any Feathers or members of White Raven decide to show up."
"And what about you?" Steph asked. Toshiro didn't reply, instead looking at Ren, who was staring at the statue with her back turned to them.
"I'm going to deal with Ren."
"Bring back our friend, okay?" Steph asked quietly.
"She's not just your friend." Toshiro said, his hand going to the snowflake key ring hanging from his belt loop. "She's mine, too."
"Good luck." Tom said.
"I'm going in. You two stay here." Toshiro walked out of the trees, approaching Ren. On the outside, he looked calm, but on the inside, he was secretly freaking out all over again.
Alright, stay calm… Toshiro thought. Remember, this isn't Ren. As far as we're concerned, she's just another enemy.
"Is somebody there?" Ren said suddenly, making Toshiro stop in his tracks. Ren looked over her shoulder, and saw Toshiro standing there, just a few metres away from her. "You again."
"…" Toshiro said nothing, although it did sting a little when Ren gave him that cold greeting.
"What do you want?" Ren asked, turning around to face him. Toshiro then noticed that Ren wasn't the only one who was different. Her outfit was different, too. It was a black sleeveless turtleneck with matching black ankle boots and a short black skirt with thin red lines; the only bright colour besides the red embroidered heart shape on the chest of the turtleneck, the red headband in Ren's hair and her trademark necklace.
"I'm not here to fight." Toshiro said. "I just came here to talk."
"About what?"
"Just…" Toshiro paused, trying to think of the right words to say. "I want to know who you are."
"Why, I'm Ren Conner."
"You couldn't possibly be Ren."
"…" Ren was a little taken aback at this statement.
"You're a fake. You're not the real Ren. I'm here to find out who you are and what you've done with the real Ren." Toshiro showed Ren his hand, and it briefly glowed red. "And I'll beat it out of you if you won't talk."
"I don't know what you're talking about. I am no imposter."
"Would Ren insult the people she cares about? Would she cast her friends aside like they were nothing?" Toshiro asked, starting to get angry.
"She does now. What you are looking at is the real Ren you seek."
"That's a lie! I know Ren, and you are not her! Ren is the kindest most forgiving person I know! And she certainly isn't a cold hearted monster like you!"
"Is that right? The way I see it, you can be just as cold-hearted as I am."
"What?" Toshiro said, stunned by this statement.
"You never referred to me by my name. You saw me as a nuisance, a partner in battle simply because I happened to be linked to some monsters you were investigating. Given the chance, you would have ditched me without a second thought. Not only that, but you also kept so many secrets from me." Ren narrowed her eyes. "You think I don't see your lies?"
"Oh, my lies?! What about yours?!" Toshiro exclaimed, amazed at the hypocrisy Ren was displaying.
"You fool. A man believing every word a girl tells them is even worse. Get it into your head; everyone lies."
"You didn't."
"What?"
"You…Ren never told lies." Toshiro looked directly in Ren's blank eyes. "The truth may hurt for a while, but a lie hurts forever."
"…" Ren's eyes widened a little at that statement.
"That's something Ren always said. But then again, you do look like her, so I guess you know that."
"Of course I do. I am Ren." Ren said again.
"You're lying!" Toshiro yelled. "And you are going to tell me where the real Ren is!"
"And I keep telling you I am the real Ren. Now, if you'll excuse me…" Ren turned around.
"Hold it!" Toshiro called out, stopping Ren, although she did not turn back around. "Just answer me this. Those words you said earlier…about friendship…about teamwork…did you really mean it?"
"…" Ren said nothing. Toshiro looked away, a little saddened by Ren's lack of response. He was starting to doubt his theories even more. What if this really was Ren?
Wait a second… Toshiro thought, remembering what he was thinking about earlier before the humans interrupted him. The black smoke…the voice…Lina's warning…It didn't take long for Toshiro to finally put the pieces together. He turned back to Ren, who was starting to walk away, and Toshiro said the one word that he knew would solve this crisis.
"Epona."
"!" Ren stopped walking with a little gasp. He was right after all.
"She's behind all of this. She attacked Ren in this very park, and it didn't work. She also sent those figures to attack me in the arcade. It was all her doing, wasn't it? In fact…" Toshiro narrowed his eyes. "She's here right now, isn't she?" Toshiro looked in all directions. "Come out and show yourself!"
"You're quite smart." A voice said. Toshiro immediately recognised it, and it only confirmed his discovery even more. "Ren was right about you." Toshiro then felt a burning sensation on his back.
What the… Toshiro glanced behind him at his back. It shouldn't be burning. Ren wasn't using her powers, and he wasn't using any power that belonged to Ryuki, either.
"However…" Toshiro's attention was drawn to the shadow of the statue, which was starting to ripple, and another shadow rose up out of it. The shadows fell away when it stopped rising, revealing Epona, who had a look of determination in her eyes. "You were too late in figuring it out."
That's Epona? Toshiro thought. Toshiro thought back to the moment he first saw her sad face underneath her hood. She seems so…different.
"So…You're Epona."
"Yes. I am a member of the Twelve Masters. The Master of Darkness, Epona."
"So you're the one who made this Ren." Toshiro said, indicating Ren.
"'This'? That's awfully cold of you. She's standing right here."
"Why should I be considerate to an imposter?"
"She is no imposter."
"What?" Toshiro said quietly.
"That's right. This Ren before you is the Ren you know. She is not an imposter. She is exactly the same person, save a few differences I made."
"…" Toshiro didn't, or couldn't, believe Epona. He tried reading her mind, hoping that would reveal the truth.
"Why won't this stubborn fool believe this Ren is no fake?"
"…" Toshiro looked down at the ground, feeling foolish. He was wrong, after all. But, if this was the real Ren, then maybe he could bring back the Ren he knew.
"Alright, so she's the real Ren." Toshiro glared at Epona. "Now, change her back." Epona closed her eyes.
"That would be difficult."
"There's nothing difficult about it. Undo what you've done to her."
"I can't."
"What do you mean?" Toshiro demanded, his eyes widening.
"My magic is not something that can be easily undone. Once the cloud of darkness has been cast, there is no light that could dispel it."
"No…" Toshiro whispered, his eyes shining.
"Yes. There is nothing that can be done. Get used to this Ren, because the one you want is gone forever."
"NO!" Toshiro yelled, shaking his head. "Ren is not gone! I can't believe that! I won't!"
"You stubborn fool." Ren said. She walked up to Toshiro. "Even after hearing the truth with your own ears…Even after seeing it with your own eyes…You still refuse to believe or accept it. How pitiful."
"…" Toshiro looked up at Ren after the last word. He was met with the cold gaze of Ren looking down at him, both figuratively and literally.
"That is one of the things I absolutely despise about you. You refuse to believe anybody but your own desires and beliefs. That's how that incident with Nathan occurred in the first place. I refused your help, and yet you persisted. In the end, all you did was hurt the one you were trying to protect. All because you were too stubborn to accept no for an answer. You wanted to keep your selfish desire to protect me, and you failed spectacularly."
"No, I…" Toshiro started, but found himself unable to finish.
"The truth is you're just a child. A selfish, ignorant little brat who does not deserve the rank of captain. I can't believe the others loyally follow you when you don't have a single good deed to your name. You're just a pathetic little joke that everyone laughs at. The very thing I hate. Even now, you refuse the truth because it is not what you want. Selfishness at its finest. Accept the fact that not everybody gets what they want. If you do, then maybe you will still be able to keep what's left of your dignity. And about your last question; did I mean what I said in town? The answer is yes. Why would I want to be friends with somebody so weak? The only thing you'd be good for is a meat shield. Relying on others is just something to hold you back, and having them in your presence is even worse. It would make sense, considering how weak ad helpless you are now. Why, given the chance, I would kill you without even batting an eyelid. Your friendship, no, your existence, means absolutely nothing to me."
"…" Toshiro was silent, looking down and away from Ren's merciless eyes.
"I believe I have made my point." Ren said. "Now, leave this place." Toshiro said nothing in response again, and his hands curled into fists.
"How dare you…"
"Hm?" Ren blinked. Toshiro's fists clenched so hard, the knuckles turned white.
"With Ren's voice…With Ren's face…" Toshiro looked up, his eyes and face filled with rage. "How dare you say those words!" He yelled, and Ren stood back from him, intimidated by this sudden outburst of rage.
"What's going on?" Steph whispered to Tom.
"I don't know." He responded. "It's hard to hear from this far away."
"Who gave you the right to call people out on their shortcomings?! I'm stubborn! I know that! But you don't have to point it out like I don't know! And as for you, you're no better than I am! If you want honesty, here it is! You're a weird human girl who cannot take anything seriously, and you are in a special place that is beyond annoying! There, I said it! The truth hurts, doesn't it?! But, that's not true anymore! I can look past your bad traits, so why can't you look past mine?!" Toshiro didn't notice this, but the ground around his feet was starting to crack little by little the longer his rage lasted. "That's what friends do! They accept one another for who they are! And what's wrong with relying on others?! What's wrong with admitting your weaknesses?! If you can see your weaknesses, then it can help you to get stronger! If not, then you have your friends do what you can't! You used to think like that, even though you never asked for help when you needed it! Don't you remember what you said to me?! You said you would stay by my side no matter what!" Toshiro thought back to when he and Ren spoke on the roof after finding out about his connections to Ryuki, and the words Ren spoke rang through his mind.
"When thing get scary, you want someone who you know will be with you until the very end. Someone who will not leave your side, no matter what. Well, I'm that someone. I made a promise with you, and I am never going to break it. I'm not saying this because we're going to be comrades in battle, but because we're friends. And friends help each other out. They stick together through good times and bad. They listen to their problems. They comfort them when they are sad or scared. So, you can count on Ichigo and on me. Tell us what is on your mind to lighten your burden. Through thick and thin, I swear that we will always be there for you."
"You said it was okay to rely on others! And now you're saying that friendship is just a useless burden?! Do you have any idea how hypocritical that is?!" At this point, some dust was starting to rise up out of the cracks around Toshiro, and he still didn't notice. "So what if I'm selfish! I'm not the only one! Your friends want you back! They want the Ren they know! And so do I! I WANT MY FRIEND BACK!" Immediately after Toshiro yelled this, a shockwave burst out, uprooting some of the ground around him a little way and making the cracks spread about six feet, bringing some dust along with it. Epona and Ren stepped back from some of the cracks cautiously. The only sounds that could be heard afterwards were Toshiro's panting breaths as he calmed down after his outburst, and tiny grits of dirt falling back to the earth. Nobody noticed, but a little light had returned to Ren's eyes. However, some dark smoke appeared in her eyes, and the light was quickly snuffed out.
"Did Toshiro just break the ground?!" Tom exclaimed.
"Shhh. Keep it down." Steph whispered.
"Sorry." Tom whispered back. Rukia then dropped down out of the trees, landing on one knee with her hand on the hilt of her sword.
"I came as quickly as I could. What did I miss?"
"Over there." Tom pointed ahead of him. Rukia turned around to look, and saw the destroyed ground around Toshiro as well as Ren and some girl she has never seen before.
"That's not very much to go by."
"We can't hear much from here. Sorry." Steph apologised.
"I can get us closer. Come on." Rukia swiftly waked through the trees, barely making a sound and not letting her guard down for even a second. Tom and Steph looked at each other before they followed the Soul Reaper.
"Huh?" Toshiro noticed the rising dust and looked down, finally seeing the cracked ground. "Whoops." Toshiro said breathlessly, his fists unclenching. "I need to get these powers under control."
"I knew it."
"Eh?" Toshiro looked back at Epona, who was staring intently at him.
"You really are one of them. Cielvian telekinesis is easy to control, but when their emotions reach their peak, it tends to burst out just like that." Epona indicated the cracks.
"Telekinesis?" Toshiro repeated, surveying the damage. Zena was right. He really could use telekinesis. But then it hit him. "Wait, how do you know that?" He asked.
"Because you are the reincarnation of a denizen from Cielvia; a world that co-exists with ours. His name is Ryuki, and he is the bodyguard of Princess Zena, whom Ren resembles." Epona shifted a glance at Ren upon mentioning her name, but Ren kept staring ahead of her at Toshiro, who didn't really show much of a reaction to this news. "Nothing? I was expecting something bigger."
"Well, I've received bigger shocks before." Toshiro said, using that excuse to hide the fact he already knew about this.
"A Cielvian reincarnation right here on Earth. It's unbelievable. Then again, you wouldn't be the first one."
"The first one? What are you talking about?" Toshiro asked, confused at the cryptic statement from Epona. Epona closed her piercing green eyes.
"Very well." Epona turned around so her back faced Toshiro. She raised her hand up and reached behind her head. Toshiro watched, bracing himself for anything that might come, his hand glowing a faint red for good measure. "Look closely." Epona grabbed her hair and shifted it to the side, exposing her back. Toshiro was at a loss for words. On Epona's back, plain as day, were two brown, teardrop shaped markings where her shoulder blades would be.
"Those markings…" Tom muttered, shocked. "They're the same…"
"…as Ren's." Steph finished. Rukia said nothing, staring at the birthmarks.
So those are the markings Captain Hitsugaya mentioned. Rukia thought. Why does she have them?
"These are the markings that all Cielvians bear." Epona explained. She released her black hair from her grip, letting it tumble back, covering her markings again. Epona turned back around. "You would have obtained them too if you hadn't come here. Once you hit the same age as Ryuki, his powers would appear to you naturally, along with the markings.
Early? Toshiro thought. I see. Ren's presence when I got here brought out Ryuki's abilities, just like Caleb said. Of course! But then… Toshiro looked over his shoulder at his back. Could that be why my back keeps burning whenever a Cielvian uses their powers?
"Wait a minute…" Toshiro suddenly realised something. He looked back at Epona. "How do you know about reincarnations? And what you said doesn't answer my question. What do you mean I'm not the first one?"
"It's because you and I are the same." Epona answered simply.
"The same?" Toshiro glanced around, trying to figure it out. When he did, his eyes slowly widened. "You mean…"
"That's right." Epona narrowed her eyes at Toshiro. "I am also a Cielvian reincarnation."
"Another one?!" Tom gasped, recoiling back from the hedges.
"White Raven has one too? Who is she reincarnated from?" Steph wondered. Rukia, Tom and Steph looked at each other, and huddled closer to the gap in the shrubs, listening in.
"However, unlike you, my Cielvian self is nobody exceptional. Nobody significant. I was a little girl. A peasant, if you will. When I reached her age, what few memories she had appeared to me along with most of her abilities. She is a five year old girl named Uma. Like Ryuki, she is frozen in Cielvia, and her powers and memories are within me. She has never acted through me like Ryuki has for you, probably because I am now far older than she is." Epona looked at her left hand, and she deliberately made black smoke float around it. "And far more powerful." The smoke disappeared, and Epona turned back to Toshiro, and he couldn't help but notice how the sad look from before was back. "But, with power comes a price. My powers manifested when I turned five. I didn't see it as a big deal, and would use them without a second thought. I was too young to realise that my power and my being different would create consequences. They were the worst two years of my life. I was tormented. I was a laughing stock. And…I was alone. Except for my parents. They stuck by me. But one day, they couldn't take it anymore. And…" Epona's hands clenched as the sounds of screeching tyres and the crashing of metal ringing through her head. "They tried to drive off a cliff. But, that was when Uma's other power awoke. It saved me. Before I knew what happened, I was back on the road. My parents were already dead. I was alone. So, I wandered. Everywhere I went, I faced more of what I was running away from. And everywhere I went, I saw people who had not seen the darkness as I had. So, when White Raven came to me and trained me, I made my decision." The black smoke appeared again around her hands, but this time, they were around her feet, too, until the smoke shrank in bracelets floating around her wrists and ankles. Epona looked at her hand. "I decided that if people refused to see the darkness, I shall show them the darkness myself."
"Are those…" Toshiro started, pointing at the smoke.
"Yes. The only power that is almost as exclusive as your Ice Shackles." Epona opened her palm out, and some black smoke in the shape of a fireball appeared, flickering as though it were actually made of fire. "I give you the Shadow Shackles."
"I see… So your power is the darkness."
"Yes. And with it, I have helped people to see the darkness of the world."
"Like you did to Ren?" Toshiro indicated Ren.
"You finally understand the nature of my work."
"Yes. And I also understand how what you're doing isn't helping at all. Do you even know what's happened to anybody else you've twisted? You haven't improved anything or anyone! How much of your life have you spent on this evil path?"
"Not enough. Ren would have been a triumph. Still, she's cast out her friends. My work is done. She has me to thank for helping her see the darkness."
"You call it helping, but I call it hindering. I will ask you one last time; reverse your magic on Ren."
"And I will say this one last time; it's impossible. What's done is done."
"You're wrong!"
"That black smoke you saw today and yesterday? It's hers. If her magic succeeds on you, then there is no way to undo the damage. Just be careful."
"…" Toshiro looked down at the ground, remembering the words Lina spoke.
I guess… Toshiro thought. There's nothing I can do. Ren is gone. Toshiro closed his eyes, fighting back the tears that weren't coming. Forever… Toshiro's mind automatically flashed back to the moments he shared with Ren, both the good and the bad. Ren yelling that she wasn't short, but average. Ren beating him at a video game. Ren crying. The last thing Toshiro saw was the smile Ren gave him when they first met.
"Shiro…"
"I believe we are done here." Ren said. She turned to Epona. "Release the Feathers."
"Alright." Epona turned around, hiding the bitter expression on her face at the fact somebody besides the Leader was giving her orders. She fired a white flare into the sky from her finger, and it exploded like a firework, scattering and falling all over the city. It wasn't long before the roars of Feathers could be heard.
"Feathers?!" Tom exclaimed. "Aw, man, they just had to release them!"
"What do we do now?" Steph said fearfully, glancing around as if a Feather was going to pounce on them at any second.
"It's alright. Captain Hitsugaya prepared for this." Rukia reassured Tom and Steph. "The others are stationed around the city in case any Feathers attacked. And if any Feathers attack you, I'm here to fight them."
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Steph asked.
"Don't worry." Rukia said with a confident smile, a hand on her sword. "I'm tougher than I look."
"There. I'm going to meet with Etheline in the city." Epona said.
"Right." Epona and Ren started to leave.
"No!"
"Huh?" Ren looked over her shoulder. That yell came from Toshiro, who looked a lot more determined than before.
"I'm not leaving here until I have the Ren I know back!"
"I'll deal with this. You go ahead." Ren said.
"Alright." Epona walked into the shadows and disappeared, leaving Ren and Toshiro alone, aside from the Soul Reaper and the humans hiding in the trees.
"How many times do you have to be told that nothing can be done?"
"You and Epona can tell me that as many times as you want, but I'm still not going to accept it. I'm not going to give up on you, just like you never gave up on me!"
"Eh?" Ren took a step back, surprised.
"I don't know you as well as your friends do, but I know that you always have endless patience for everybody you meet. Nathan, the other Soul Reapers, even me! If you never gave up on them, then I'm never letting you slip away from me!"
"Why won't you let me go?!" Ren exclaimed, losing her temper.
"Because it's just like you used to say." Toshiro smiled at Ren a sad smile. "If I abandon a friend in need, then I have no right to call myself their friend."
"…" Ren's eyes widened a little at that statement, which echoed through her head. She had said that so many times before. To hear it being spoken to her, by Toshiro of all people, was quite strange. But, she couldn't help but feel touched at those words. Toshiro noticed this change in Ren, and when he looked at Ren's face, he saw that some light was returning to Ren's eyes.
What is that? Toshiro thought. Her eyes…Could it be…Epona's spell is breaking?
"Ugh." Ren closed her eyes and shook her head. "No! I won't let you trick me!" Ren yelled, crossing her arms in front of her. The Wind Shackles appeared, and when Ren thrust her arms out to her side, a twister appeared around her that was so strong, leaves from trees several metres away began to fly off. The twister itself was only a little more than twenty feet high, but it was still quite powerful.
"Ah!" Tom, Rukia and Steph shielded their eyes from the twigs and dust flying through the air. Rukia placed a hand on a tree trunk and used that to move forward and navigate the wind. Steph and Tom followed her.
"You stay here!" Rukia yelled over the wind. "And hold onto something!" Steph and Tom wrapped their arms around one tree trunk each without asking any questions. "Stay there until this is over!" Rukia walked through the wind towards Toshiro, staggering around occasionally from the force of the wind. Toshiro, meanwhile, was still looking at the twister that Ren was inside, trying to think of a way to get closer without getting swept away.
"Captain Hitsugaya!" Rukia yelled, finally getting close enough for him to hear her.
"Kuchiki?!" Toshiro called out, barely hearing her voice. "What's the situation?!"
"There's Feathers in the city! Ichigo and the others should be taking care of them now! But what about Ren?! What are we going to do about her?!"
"I don't know! We can't go through that twister, and the wind's too strong to stop it directly!"
"Rukia!"
"Huh?" Rukia looked towards the sound of the voice. Renji dropped down to the ground, and almost fell over as he stood up.
"Whoa!" Renji managed to navigate the wind enough to join the pair. "I think a little context is in order here!"
"What are you doing here?! I ordered you to patrol the city!"
"I know, and I apologise, Captain Hitsugaya! But I saw the wind build up and I knew Rukia was around here, so I wanted to make sure she was okay! Speaking of which, what's going on here!?"
"Ren activated her Wind Shackles and none of us can get to her!" Toshiro explained.
"What about the Feathers?!" Rukia asked.
"There are a lot of them! I came here to get you, Rukia! We need some help!" Suddenly, the wind picked up speed for a moment, and the three of them had to stop talking and brace themselves against the wind, barely managing to stay upright. Renji's headband was wriggling a little around his head, until one particular gust of wind blew it right off his head, but nobody noticed this. Nobody except Toshiro, who watched it float towards the twister, and as soon as it was just above the centre, it suddenly dropped down and landed on the ground, not moving and barely even fluttering in the wind.
"Captain Hitsugaya!" Renji yelled. "What are your orders?!"
"Kuchiki, return to the city and help the others! Abarai, you're with me!"
"Yes, sir!" Rukia ran off as best she could through the wind.
"Abarai, that twister has no wind in the centre! If I can use that, I might be able to get to Ren!"
"Are you mad?! She's the enemy!"
"I saw it earlier! The real Ren is still there, and I was able to get through to her! I know it's a long shot, but I have to try! Now are you going to help me or not?!"
"..." Renji contemplated this situation for a moment. So, that wasn't a clone or an imposter? Well, if that were the case, then he wants that annoying human back. He hated to admit it, but life in this world was pretty dull without her. "What do you want me to do?"
Meanwhile, in the twister, Ren was rubbing her head, her eyes losing the last of their light again. For a brief moment, she felt some of the darkness fade away. Why was that? This magic was irreversible. Epona said that herself. As soon as Ren composed herself, she saw a white cloth on the ground. Was that always there? Then, she saw a flash of red hair. It was that guy with the hair that looked like a red pineapple. She could see his back turned to her as he stood an arm's length away from the wall of the twister.
What is he up to? Ren thought, suspicious.
"Are you ready?!" Toshiro yelled, walking back a few paces.
"Ready!" Renji yelled back, waving.
Hang on, Ren. Toshiro thought. I'm coming for you. With that, Toshiro broke out into a run, the wind barely even doing anything to knock him over, he was that determined.
"I'll leave this up to you…" Renji cupped his hands, and Toshiro planted one foot firmly onto it. "Captain Hitsugaya!" Renji hurled Toshiro up into the air with all his strength, and Toshiro was just high enough to see the top of the twister. Ren looked up and spotted Toshiro, just as he reached the centre of the twister and dropped down to the ground, making a perfect landing with one hand on the ground. He made it.
"I'm in. Now take care of the Feathers." Toshiro ordered, not taking his eyes away from Ren.
"Yes, sir!" Renji ran off, leaving Ren and Toshiro alone once again. Toshiro stood up, his face more focused and determined than ever. The centre of the twister may have been calm, but there was still a little breeze blowing around them, which was not strong enough to knock either of them over. Ren herself was bewildered how far Toshiro was willing to go. But, that was when she got mad, and she clenched her teeth.
"Stop this!" She yelled. "Stop being so stubborn!"
"No." Toshiro said defiantly. "I'm not leaving without you."
"I said leave me alone." Ren brought her right arm up, a miniature twister spinning around it.
"And I said NO!" Toshiro yelled, and he ran towards Ren. With a growl, Ren made the wind around her arm change form into a blade made of wind on her palm, and as soon as Toshiro was close enough to her, she thrust it towards him. There was a loud splatter sound, droplets of blood flying out into the wind. Ren knew she had hit Toshiro with it. But, he hadn't collapsed. Instead, Ren felt his shoulder hit her right hand, and before she knew it, Toshiro had wrapped his arms around her, showing no signs of letting go. Ren's wind blade had already pierced Toshiro through his left shoulder, and the blood was slowly starting to spread through his clothes, the red barely visible on the burgundy of his jacket. Toshiro could feel the pain of the wound all too well, but with clenched teeth and tightly closed eyes, he somehow managed to block out most of the pain, although it didn't stop him from giving off a few winces, which Ren heard.
"Are you insane?!" Ren exclaimed. "If you stay here, you'll die! Just let me go! You said you didn't understand me, so why are you acting like you do?!" In Ren's anger, the wind started to pick up speed, making the gap between the twister walls and the pair even smaller. A couple of times, the wind managed to make cuts on Ren and Toshiro that weren't serious, but were deep enough to draw blood. "You really will die if you stay here! Accept the fact that the person you never knew is gone and stop trying to understand me!"
"That's right!" Toshiro yelled, stunning Ren. "I don't understand you! You're the most confusing person I've ever met! You're selfless. You're modest. You're random. You always insist that you're not short. You never ask for help. You don't hold grudges. You're so honest that you say exactly what you think and can't tell a lie to save your own life. But…those are all the things that make you such an incredible person. It's true you have a little darkness inside you, but so does everybody else. It's only now that you're darkness is coming through. I don't want that! I don't want to lose the best friend I've ever had! So I'll do whatever it takes to dispel the darkness inside you. Get angry. Be selfish. You can even cry. No matter what happens, no matter what you do, I will always support you!"
"…" Ren's eyes shone as they began to show a little light, moved by Toshiro's words.
"More than that, I want to stay with you. These past few weeks with you…they were the best I've ever had. I was having fun. I was forgetting my problems. I…" Toshiro clenched the fabric of Ren's clothes. "I was happy! It's thanks to you I can say that. And I don't want to stop this feeling. I want to spend so many more happy days with you. More importantly, I want us to stay together!"
"Shiro…" Ren whispered, her eyes showing some life, and the dark shadows started to shrink away. But, Toshiro didn't notice or even hear what Ren said.
"But I can't do that without you. Not without the Ren I met. That happy-go-lucky girl…That eccentric weirdo…" Toshiro saw another image of Ren's cheerful smile flash through his mind. "That wonderfully complicated person." He felt something wet slide down his face.
What was that? Toshiro thought at the back of his mind. It feels…wet. Oh, yeah. The wind is cutting into us. It's no big deal. It's just a little blood. Toshiro had quickly dismissed the feeling, but that was not what caused the sensation. He hadn't noticed through his pain and through his determination to bring Ren back, but there were tears forming in the corners of his eyes.
"I want…" Toshiro continued, opening his eyes a little. "I need that smile of yours. I need your reckless idiocy. I need your selfless loyalty. I need your random referencing. I need YOU! So…please…" Toshiro closed his eyes again, and a single teardrop fell from his eye, dripping off his face and landing on Ren's necklace. A silence seemed to fall as soon as Toshiro whispered four final, pleading words.
"Come back to me."
With those words, everything seemed to happen at once. The wind became less violent as it died down, and a burst of black smoke surrounded Ren, becoming swept up into the twister. Toshiro didn't even noticed, holding onto Ren as if afraid of letting go, as were Steph and Tom, who stared up in awe at the black smoke swirling around the twister. Finally, the black smoke stopped coming out of Ren, her Wind Shackles disappeared, and with it the twister and smoke. Everything was calm. Toshiro finally loosened his grip on Ren.
"Ren?" He said quietly, looking up at her face. Ren, the bright light shining in her eyes, looked back down at him, blinking innocently.
"Nya!" Ren suddenly jumped back, startling Toshiro. "W-W-W-W-Why are you so cut up?!" Ren exclaimed. "Were my Wind Shackles really that dangerous?! I mean, I know I don't bring them out that often, but you got cut up from a little wind?! Wait, I'm a little cut up, too. Damn, that's one hell of a double edged sword! I have GOT to get these powers under control! And what am I wearing?! I know they're in my wardrobe and all, but I would never wear an outfit like this! Goth just ain't my style!"
"Uh…" Toshiro started, not quite sure what to make of this situation.
"Eh?" Ren looked back at Toshiro. "Hey, did some dust get in your eyes? 'Cos they're watering a little."
"Huh?" Toshiro finally realised that what he felt earlier wasn't blood. "Yeah. Dust. Let's go with that." Toshiro said briskly, wiping his eyes dry before she could figure out why they were really watering.
"Ah! Your shoulder!" Ren practically zipped to Toshiro's side, her hands hovering over his shoulder wound as if afraid to touch it. "Are you okay? Does it hurt? Uuuu, why am I asking this?! Of course you're not okay! Of course you're hurt! There's a freakin' hole in your body!" Ren finally stopped talking quickly, looking up at Toshiro's bewildered face. "Oh, I'm sorry. I've gotta stop gabbling. I'll heal this for you right away."
"What's happening?" Steph asked Tom. "Is it over?"
"I think so." Tom answered. "Let's get a closer look." Tom and Steph let go of their trees, slowly walking closer towards the pair.
"Alright, how's that?" Ren asked. Toshiro looked down at where the wound used to be, and found it had healed up completely. Even the hole was repaired.
"It's great." Toshiro shifted his eyes away, finding it hard to believe that this was Ren. Was she tricking him? "Um…Ren?"
"Hm?"
"Are you…well…you?" He asked.
"Eeeeh?! What a weird question!" Ren exclaimed cheerfully. "Of course I'm me! I may have been a complete bitch earlier, and for a few days, but I'm okay now! So stop worrying, okay, Shiro?"
"!" Toshiro gasped with wide eyes as soon as he heard what Ren said. She just called him Shiro. Her nickname for him. That confirmed it for him. This was Ren. His Ren. "It's really you!" Ignoring the fact that it was out of character for him, Toshiro embraced Ren again, overjoyed that she was back.
"Yeah, of course I am." Ren responded, a little confused. "Wow, I didn't know I was gonna be missed this much."
"Ren!" Steph and Tom broke into a run towards Ren, hearing what Toshiro said.
"Ah!" Ren beamed after seeing her friends running towards her. "Steph! Tom!" Ren wrapped her arms around the two of them in a group hug. "What are you guys doing here?!"
"We were so worried about you!" Steph answered happily, pulling away from Ren and holding her hands.
"You did it, Toshiro." Tom smiled at Toshiro. "Thanks."
"Yeah, thanks, Shiro." Ren smiled her smile at him, and Toshio barely noticed how he smiled back, relieved that things were back to normal, or what could be defined as normal in this situation.
"Hn?" Ren looked left and right, as if searching for something.
"Ren, what's wrong?" Tom asked.
"Where are the others?" Ren asked. Suddenly, there was an explosion, and when Ren turned her head in the direction of the explosion, she saw a dust cloud rise up. "Oh damn it, the Feathers, that's right!" She then spotted the white headband lying on the ground by her feet. She picked it up, recognising it as Renji's. Ren clenched it in her hand, her face becoming rather stern.
"Ren?" Steph said.
"Guys, let's save the happy ending for another time. For now…" Ren's body glowed yellow, and after a few seconds, the light dispersed into smaller particles, revealing Ren in a new ensemble that was significantly more colourful. It was a light pink tank top with smaller dark pink spots dotting it, a short sleeved blue hoodie, a peach coloured short skirt, knee high rainbow socks and grey ballet pumps and hairband. "We have some Feathers to take care of."
"You know, I get the impression that outfit references something, but I can't put my finger on it." Steph tapped her chin, deep in thought.
"I know where they went." Toshiro said, focusing on the task at hand. "I can take you to them."
"Great. Let's go." Ren started to move, but Toshiro grabbed her arm, preventing her from moving. "Eh? Shiro?"
"I just have to ask you something."
"Sure, what is it?" Ren asked, shrugging off Toshiro's grip on her arm.
"When you were…you know…did you mean what you said?" There was a brief silence.
"Dude." Ren said flatly.
"That's all I needed to hear." Toshiro said, finally reassured that Epona's magic was really gone.
"I've got it!" Steph snapped her fingers. She pointed at Ren's outfit. "It's Nyan Cat, isn't it?!"
"Ding ding ding!" Ren yelled, pretending to ring a bell in mid-air. "We have a winner!"
"Guys, Feathers!" Tom reminded.
"Oh, yeah, right." Ren quickly snapped back to attention. "Shiro, you ready for this?"
"More than ever."
"Alrighty. As they say in anime…" Toshiro, Ren, Steph and Tom began to run in the direction of the battle. "Iku ze!"
Ren's back! Yay! Toshiro did it! Man, I've been totally psyched to write this moment since, like, forever! And I am so, so glad that I finally did! Now, in the next chapter, Ren is back on the side of the good guys, and I know somebody who might not be happy Ren's darkness is gone. What's gonna happen? Be patient, and you'll find out. Until next time, guys!