I wanted to get this chapter in before I left for Florida on Saturday. Additionally, I always find it interesting to see what forms people come up with for the other zanpakuto spirits, and I like to pick unusual ones myself that other people might not have thought of.

-Nir

--

Outside Hanatarou's temperature-controlled room the weather had grown warm. Normally he disliked this time of year, for it was during the summer months that outdoor labor was most commonly assigned. This time around he would be spared from slaving away in the hot sun, repainting and retiling and repairing. Ironic, as he missed the sunlight terribly…

--

"What do you want…?"

"To help."

"Nobody asked for your help… We do not need you."

"Even so, I wish to speak with you. You can only benefit from listening."

The immense snake shifted, its petal-colored scales rasping like dried leaves, stirring the peach blossoms that had built up against the side of its thick body. The wind dispersed them, laying some of them to rest on the surface of the shallow, crystal-clear pool that surrounded the rocky islet. This realm had many similarities to Hisagomaru's, but it exuded life and beauty while Hisa's was one of despondency.

"Ahh, of course… Tobiume-chan has experience with this sort of thing, so there is no reason we shouldn't aaall handle it the same waaaay…"

"You know that is not what I meant." The snake, specifically a basilisk with her deadly eyes hidden behind a blindfold of white cloth, leaned her blunt head closer to the small green spirit. "Tell me of your master's condition, Hisagomaru-san."

"A zanpakuto's spirit cares for one thing only, and that is its master… You have no reason to do this."

"But I do. Hinamori requested that I visit you and see if you were in need of guidance. Times like these are trying for both beings involved…"

"I will not say it again. We do not need your help. I am perfectly capable of taking care of Hana."

"You are anxious…" Tobiume's forked tongue flicked the air. "I do not believe you are telling me the truth."

Hisa snarled. "You do not think I am capable…"

The great snake was quiet for a moment. In the background the wind tossed the peach trees, scattering ever more petals about the crystal pool. Before she could reply, Hisa spoke again.

"Yes, yes… as I suspected… You think you know more about Hana than I do? He is not the same as your fragile little girl... All it took to incapacitate her was shock!" It hissed and scrambled backwards as Tombiume lashed out with her enormous tail, slamming it into the rock and scattering the white blossoms.

"I will not have you talk about Hinamori that way!" She roared, rearing high into the air. "What she went through was far more traumatizing than any physical injury. Do not make judgments about things you know nothing of!" She slithered closer to Hisa, pink flames wafting from her jaws. "Is this what you do, Hisagomaru? Lash out at those who wish to help your master for fear that your own influence will be undermined? No relationship between wielder and zanpakuto can survive that way…" Scales scraped rock as the snake lowered herself down again, though she still loomed high over the tiny green spirit. "I should leave you both to your fate, as I know many others would do. But my master sympathizes with your situation, and it would be wrong of me not to do her this small favor. My offer still stands, Hisagomaru-san, if you ever wish to take advantage of it…"

But Hisa would have no more, and it had already begun to retreat back to its own realm. Despite Tobiume's accusations, there had been no rain since the drizzle that had fallen on the second day. Hanatarou was still miserable, there was no doubt about that, but he was not hopeless.

--

Said Shinigami was on the same island he had started out on, his knees drawn up to his chest, looking as gray-on-gray as the surroundings. He hardly acknowledged Hisa as it climbed up onto his back and settled its plump body around his bony shoulders, except to shudder slightly at its touch. This was an improvement. Before, Hisa had been limited to light stroking with its tail or paws, touches that it intended to comfort but only seemed to upset him. Now it could drape itself on him in any way it pleased.

"It was no one, Hana." The spirit said, twining its tail around his linked fingers, though he hadn't said a word. "Nothing, and noooobody…"

Hanatarou nodded, his eyes on the ground in front of his feet. "Maybe next time they could come here…" He said quietly.

"No, nooo…" Six sharp, painful pricks as Hisa dug its claws into his shoulders. "It would only make you sadder to be reminded of what you are missing outside… I do not want you to be sad, Hanaaa… That is why I do not let you see them…"

"I think I'd like to anyway, even if it did make me feel sad later. I really…" He hesitated. Hisa shifted itself a bit, trying to find a position where it wasn't being poked in the belly by his shoulder bones. Hana seemed to be much thinner lately. Perhaps the nurses were getting lazy with refilling the nutrient solution given to him through the IV in his arm, or it could simply be an effect of prolonged stay in his zanpakuto's miserable inner realm. "I miss everyone…"

"I know you do... But, I am here… I am enough, aren't I, Hana…?"

Hanatarou was quiet, like the cold stone underneath him.

"Aren't I, Hanaaaa?" The claws again, digging into him, almost desperately.

"Yes, Hisa. You're enough."

--

"Hisa would not listen."

"Mm… well, Hisagomaru-san is like that…"

It was cold between the realms of Tobiume and Itegumo. Snowflakes mixed with the petals scattered about the boulders, making an oddly-textured patchwork of white.

"You have spoken to it?"

"Well… I have seen it. It watches her while she cares for him…"

"It watches...?" Tobiume was not bothered by the chill, despite her reptilian form. She was welcome in Itegumo's realm, and the wind was refreshing rather than biting.

"Yes, yes. It watches her, with those scary eyes..." Itegumo shifted his wings, disturbing the light dusting of snow that had fallen on them. The spirit of Isane's zanpakuto took the form of a slender, majestic white griffin with striking silver claws and eyes. Its fierce appearance was rather at odds with its timid demeanor.

Tobiume waited for him to continue. He didn't. "She really does care for him, your master. His own mother would not have done a better job."

Itegumo did not seem to have heard the compliment. "It hates her. It hates everyone, because it thinks they will take him away from it. It wants to be the only one he cares about…" He anxiously kneaded the snow with his paws. "I've seen it, sitting beside him and watching her as she… She cares so much for him. I do not know why it cannot be happy that he has people who love him."

"Hisagomaru-san is a strange zanpakuto."

Again, the icy spirit gave no acknowledgement to Tobiume's words. "If it… if it could make itself physical, I think it would kill her… I've heard the things it says to her. It speaks with such venom, that I have no doubt…"

"Itegumo-san." The basilisk's voice was soft but strong, breaking the griffin out of his panicked monologue. "I agree that Hisa is possessive, but there is no reason you should worry yourself sick over it. Isane-san is in no danger. She cannot hear its threats, and you would do well to turn a deaf ear to them too."

Itegumo nodded, composing himself. "Yes, you're right. Of course… But you know, no matter how desperate its gets, it will not come to us. If what you said is true, it has made up its mind to let its master suffer through the coming days so that we will not have the satisfaction of proving it wrong…"