"How are you feeling, Tamotsu?" Isane walked into the room holding a fresh set of black robes for Tamotsu, closing the door behind her.

"Much better," Tamotsu responded as he sat on the side of the bed. "Thank you, Isane."

Placing the robes on the bed for him, Isane began to look over paperwork concerning Tamotsu's recovery. Everything seemed to be going well for him and he showed no ill effects to the overload of power. As was the case, Captain Unohana had commissioned that he be released.

"This has to be one of your shortest times in a coma," Isane said.

"You've been keeping track?"

Isane smiled. "Such an incident is rare here. And you tend to have a habit of blowing up on occasion."

The two shared a laugh. Isane had been the one who treated him most during his last lifetime as a Shinigami and more than once had to help him with reiatsu overloads.

Tamotsu opened the fresh robes and began to dress over the white under robes. As he did so, the robes immediately began to change from black to a medium gray in color. Watching the sleeve change, he watched with interest.

"Huh, would you look at that," he said, almost nonchalantly. "Can't say I've seen that happen before."

"Well, you are unique," Isane said, trying to hide her emotions and recompose herself.

"Where's Hinohebi?" Tamotsu asked, his eyes suddenly worried. "I haven't been able to sense her since I woke up."

Isane looked away, trying to form words but unable to bring them past her throat.

"What happened?"

"Hinohebi..." Isane said, her voice almost cracking. "She hasn't changed since that day. She is still broken. I'm sorry."

Tamotsu looked at the table. Hinohebi's sword form lay on top of a white cloth, the blade broken into several pieces. The hilt and tsuba remained intact, but it seemed that the spirit within was missing. Walking over to the table, Tamotsu moved his hand over the pieces of steel as if to somehow sense something he missed. It was faint, very faint, and he wasn't sure if it was due to his own sensitivity or if it were merely residual reiatsu.

"She's still in there," Tamotsu said without turning around. "Its faint, but she's still in there. I don't know for how long."

Picking up the pieces of Hinohebi in the cloth Tamotsu took the zanpakuto Masamune with him and began walking out the door.

"Tamotsu, wait," Isane interrupted. "You should still be careful, you may not be fully recovered yet. And your robes-"

Tamotsu stopped and tilted his head backward, though without meeting Isane's gaze. "You said I was to be released today, isn't that correct? Also, this is important."

"But- You already have a zanpakuto. Why do you need both of them?"

"You wouldn't understand." With that, Tamotsu walked briskly out of the infirmary. He ignored the looks people gave him as he threw on his yellow-lined Captain Haori which seemed to blend in to the graying robes. He didn't care about the robes, however. Didn't care about the now shoulder-length hair which was slowly becoming more silver than brown. There was only one thing he cared about right now, and only one person he could think of to assist him.

"Can you fix her?" Tamotsu stood before Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi in the Division Twelve laboratory with the broken remains of Hinohebi with him.

"If by her you mean your zanpakuto," Mayuri said, "then there are some issues that need to be brought up with you."

"What do you mean?"

"I find it unusual that the regular sealed form of your zanpakuto, Hinohebi, has not healed on its own. But as far as your Bankai is concerned..."

Tamotsu leaned forward expectantly, hoping to hear good news.

"I'm afraid that its impossible. A broken Bankai cannot be repaired. Some have been reforged, but their original strength is greatly diminished. I'm sorry, but this is something even I cannot do."

Tamotsu slumped into a nearby chair. Hinohebi could not be fixed? It didn't seem possible.

"You do have your alternative zanpakuto, Masamune," Mayuri continued. "Could you not continue your Shinigami duties with that one?"

Tamotsu looked at the purple sheathed zanpakuto Masamune. It was the first time he had truly laid eyes on it, the sheath with golden ropes draped around it and the tsuba being square with an inlaid circular design. It was true that Masamune was indeed a powerful zanpakuto but it just was not the same as having Hinohebi's whip form wrapped around him.

"Masamune has served me well in my past lifetime. I appreciate all of who he is and what he stands for. But I can't think of Hinohebi being anything less than another soul. She isn't some object for me to use. I allowed her to become broken. I just want her to be whole again."

Mayuri paced for a moment, tapping his chin with his elongated middle fingernail. "Many zanpakuto were broken two years ago during the zanpakuto rebellion," he said, still pacing. "I was able to restore them. Your Bankai might be able to be reforged, but it will not be the same. I believe its power would not exceed your Shikai's ability."

Tamotsu shut his eyes tightly. "Stop talking as if she's nothing more than an object."

"Well, you must realize that to me even other Shinigami are nothing more than mere research subjects. If you are looking for sympathy then I suggest you search elsewhere."

Tamotsu gathered the pieces of Hinohebi and began walking away when Nemu spoke.

"Master Mayuri may not have the most kind hearted techniques," she said. "But no one has ever complained about the results."

Without looking back, Tamotsu answered. "But if those techniques are wrongful, the result will be in vain."

With that, Tamotsu left the building. He walked for several minutes aimlessly until he finally sat down on the side of a small street. Placing Hinohebi beside him, he pulled his legs up and rested his eyes on his knees.

There is another way, a soft voice sounded. Tamotsu opened his eyes to see the Tengokucho sitting on the street in front of him. Another man who cares for the zanpakuto.

"Who is it?" Tamotsu asked.

It is Oetsu Nimaiya. The creator of the zanpakuto. He lives in the Royal City above Soul Society.

"The Royal City? You mean he's a member of Zero Division? Am I even allowed to go there?"

The wings on the Tengokucho twitched. Did I not teach you a technique which allows you to travel anywhere?

Tamotsu nodded. "I understand."

The Royal Palace was grand as a lone figure looked out from a balcony. He did not move when someone appeared behind him in a kneeling position.

"I am sorry to disturb you, sir," the messenger said. "But someone has entered the Royal City without authorization. Shall we dispatch the Royal Guard?"

"There is no need," the figure said. "We have been expecting him."

"I understand." The figure stood and backed out slowly, leaving the Soul King by himself.

The light was near blinding as Tamotsu stepped through the gate. At least he thought it was a gate. There was a sensation, but he did not see anything physical. The Tengokucho flew with him as he stepped onto the grass, then spoke.

I must leave you here, Tengokucho said. But we shall soon meet again.

Tamotsu nodded and the white butterfly flew away. Looking around he could see that the Royal City seemed to be composed of several floating islands. On each island there were several buildings and each seemed impossible to tell the size. Each could be small like a segment of Rukongai or each could be as large as the Seireitei itself.

"A visitor!" someone yelled out. Tamotsu turned to see several young women dressed in simple robes.

"Is that Toshiyuki?" one asked.

Tamotsu turned to the women. They were all beautiful, but he was not distracted. He came there for a purpose. "I am looking for Oetsu Nimaiya," he said. "Please, could you take me to him?"

"Oh, straight to business," another woman said with disappointment.

"You should treat them with more respect, Tamotsu Toshiyuki," a man's voice said. Tamotsu turned to see a dark skinned man dressed in black robes with a green inner robe and what appeared to be a fluffy sleeveless jacket. He peered at Tamotsu sideways through a pair of square sunglasses.

"I am sorry, Oetsu," Tamotsu said. "I meant no disrespect."

Oetsu smiled. "Of course not. Just testing you. Now, one does not simply walk into the Royal City without purpose."

"My zanpakuto. Tengokucho said you could fix it." Tamotsu presented the broken pieces of sword to Oetsu with respect.

Looking at the shattered pieces, Oetsu frowned and shook his head. "So disrespectful," he said to Tamotsu. "Follow me and then we'll talk."

Oetsu showed Tamotsu up a hill, a small building on top. The two were alone and Oetsu opened the door and ushered Tamotsu inside. Tamotsu hadn't taken two steps when the floor disappeared from under him and he fell into blackness. He hit the floor seconds later and landed hard. He was caught off guard and was unable to prepare a sheet or reishi to slow his descent.

"What was that for?" Tamotsu shouted, looking at the lone figure inside the rectangle of light from above him.

Oetsu shook his head. "So very disrespectful you are, Tamotsu," he said. "So disrespectful. You shouldn't break things that don't belong to you."

"Oetsu, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I broke your zanpakuto."

Oetsu laughed. "Excuse me? Did you say it was my zanpakuto? Oh, dear me, no. I may have created it, but I didn't bond with it."

"What do you mean?"

"Tell me. Do you know how a zanpakuto companionship is formed? I create the Asauchi and allow them to be taken in by the Shinigami. Their bond forms and the zanpakuto becomes a part of them. They share their soul."

Tamotsu shifted and began pacing. "I know all that."

"But you never bonded with Hinohebi like that. Isn't that right?"

Tamotsu stopped pacing. "What? You mean you know about that?"

"Of course I know. I know where all of my zanpakuto are. I know all who wield them. Did you think that would escape me?"

"What do you know about Hinohebi?"

"I know that you're not really her master."

"But- But she came to me!"

Oetsu squatted and looked down. "That's right. She came to you. Haven't you ever wondered why she didn't just bond with you through the Asauchi? Why she appeared to you as a full zanpakuto next to your bed? Why she was so overprotective of you? Don't you know the history of the zanpakuto you've been using all these years?"

"She- She bonded with me! She was a part of my soul! I loved her like my own sister!"

"You still don't get it, do you? She may have bonded with you in part, but you were never truly her master. You see, Hinohebi's real master died over a century ago."

Tamotsu's eyes grew wide. Her real master? Could it be true? All this time he was using someone else's zanpakuto? But why hadn't she said anything to him? "Are you saying you can't fix her then?"

"Oh, I can fix her up good as new. But I won't. You never bonded with an Asauchi, did you? The reason I ain't gonna fix her up is simply because she was never yours to begin with."

Tamotsu was about to respond when he heard growling behind him. He turned to see white figures beginning to emerge from the shadows. They were all white with featureless bodies and seemed to have mouths where their eyes would have been. "What are these?"

"Those, my dear Tamotsu, are zanpakuto who have lost their masters. Asauchi who have been driven mad. Many of them their masters never even got to learn their names. Others were so devastated after losing a bond so tight that they couldn't move on and did not die with their masters."

"Why are you doing this to me?!"

Oetsu stood and smiled. "Survive, then we'll talk more."

Tamotsu turned to see several more of the Asauchi emerging from the shadows. They opened their mouths and stepped forward with moans and growls.

"Oetsu! Oetsu!"

120 years ago

The Shinigami stood, barely able to keep himself from falling over. Blood dripped from his hand and fell to the earth in a dark crimson pool illuminated by the full moon. The Hollow before him lunged and thrust a spear-like hand that glanced off the Shinigami's blade with a shower of sparks and pierced his chest.

The Hollow stepped back as the Shinigami fell to his knees. Approaching for the kill, the Hollow suddenly stopped as the Shinigami thrust his zanpakuto forward and stabbed the Hollow in the neck just under its mask. The Hollow howled, then dissolved into a dark mist that floated away.

The Shinigami coughed, spitting blood. Touching his chest he realized that the Hollow had missed his heart but a lung had been punctured and was filling with blood. He coughed again, tripping on the ground as he spun around. He was the only survivor of his patrol. And now he was dying.

"Zanpakuto," he said, his words gurgling as blood spat from his mouth. He lifted his zanpakuto and looked at its blade. "Zanpakuto..."

The Shinigami fell backward and was caught by a pair of arms before he hit the ground. He looked up and could see a young woman with fiery red hair. "I'm here, Master," the woman said.

The Shinigami smiled and grabbed the woman's arm. "Zanpakuto... I'm so sorry... I was never worthy to wield you..."

The zanpakuto spirit held him close. "Be still," she said. I shall give you my strength and you can get to help."

"No... No, zanpakuto..." The Shinigami coughed again, spraying blood over his robes. "Please... I was unworthy of you... You have to promise me something. Do not give up. But you must find someone... Please... Find another who is worthy to wield your power..."

"You," the zanpakuto said. "I bonded with you. You are worthy."

The Shinigami shook his head, his eyes growing dark. "No, zanpakuto... I relied too much on myself. I see that now. Its over for me... But for you..."

"Don't say that, Master. I wanted so much to be there for you-"

The zanpakuto spirit stopped as the Shinigami touched her arm. He was staring off into space, his eyes unfocused. His hands grew cold and his arm slid to the ground. "Once... Just once... I wish I could have heard your name..." The breath in the last sentence came as a sigh.

"Hinohebi," the zanpakuto said. "My name is Hinohebi. Master? Master?"

Hinohebi looked at the body of her master. Only then she realized his reiatsu was gone. He had died in that final sentence. He had died without hearing her name.

Tears filled her eyes as she lowered her master's body to the ground. She touched the metal blade of the zanpakuto and it began to glow red before disappearing.

"I promise, my Master," Hinohebi said. "I promise I will find another to wield my power. I will protect them because I failed to protect you. I shall grant them all of my power. The power that you were meant to wield. I promise, my Master... I promise..."