He didn't talk the next day.

Karin had thought it was cute, waking up with his arms around her, still asleep. She had waited for him to wake up, hoping to maybe talk to him and cheer him up before she left. But, all he did was ignore her 'good morning' and kiss her on the forehead before leaving. Confused, she had tried to get something out of him, but he wouldn't say a word, and it was starting to irritate her. He didn't leave the kingdom, but she somewhat wished he had, as then she could excuse him for wanting to visit his father, but no he wouldn't leave, he just wouldn't talk to her either.

With her brother already starting his last trial and Toshiro ignoring her, she huffed and went to find her dragon. Dyrilæn would always talk to her.

Toshiro watched her leave before letting out a sigh and hitting his head to the table.

'Well…she hates me.'

'That's your fault.' Hyorinmaru huffed.

'I don't want to say something wrong. I couldn't keep my mouth shut last night and I'm not going to be the reason she abandons her family.'

'I'm sure there are better ways than ignoring her.'

'I don't trust my words, right now.'

'It's because of your habit of speaking your mind before thinking about the consequences.'

'Shut up, I know that. That's why I'm not talking…at least she'll be safe with her family.'

'You made a promise to protect her, Master. Are you really going to let her walk away?'

Toshiro lifted his head up a bit, teal gaze full of sadness and pain.

'She still has the bracelet…I saw her wearing it again. She'll be fine….she'll be fine…'

The inner ice dragon said no more, understanding his master was in a tough position right now. Keeping Karin here would be to his liking, but she was adamant about returning home, and keeping her from that would only cause her unhappiness. It was painful to watch, but it had to happen.

The air warmed and he turned to look outside, spotting the crimson dragoness letting off a jet of flame into the air. That's right; the dragon had her powers now, a fierce scarlet flame that lit up her scales. He heard Karin give out a laugh at her dragon's display and smiled. He would let Dyrilæn go to the Soul Society with her. After all, there was no telling when she'd come back, and a dragon partner didn't want to be separated for long, especially when this closely bonded.

For most of the day he remained inside, his mood keeping whatever room he was in colder than the rest, not speaking to anyone and doing his best not to beg Karin to stay whenever she came inside to try and get a word out of him. Sometimes he'd bite his lip; it took far too much effort to keep silent. And though she was obviously hurt by it, he knew the first thing out of his mouth would be a desperate plea for her to stay, and he didn't want that. He wouldn't do that to her.

Finally she gave up trying to talk to him and just sat down next to him. While he didn't speak he at least hadn't tried to avoid her yet, so she had some hope that his silence was just him being upset about her leaving. If that was all then she could get over it.

"Even though you're being kind of an ass right now," She huffed, looking at him accusingly, "I can kind of guess why. I'll be fine, okay? We're going to stop these demons and then I'll be back to visit."

He wanted to reply, he really did, but he didn't trust himself to keep what he wanted to tell her inside, couldn't trust himself not to imprison her with words.

"I'm sorry about your dad." She continued in a soft tone. "I wish I could stay-"

"You should." The words were out before he could stop them.

"Toshiro, I can't." She sighed. "Just like you can't come with me. I need to help Ichigo and Yuzu and my dad."

Leaning forward cautiously, she left a lingering kiss on his cheek. Then she stood and walked away without another word, hesitating at the door. His hands were balled into fists as he restrained himself from grabbing onto her and refusing to let go.

"You'll be a great king." Karin said to him with a small smile.

Then she was gone.

"I promise to be." He replied in a whisper, knowing she wouldn't hear him but wanting it to be said.

With his hands on the table before him he caught onto the bright flash that lit up the mark on his hand, carving into it the Kanji for Eternity on the East branch without actually hurting him. It was only a slight tickle, as if his hand had fallen asleep. Once the mark was made it returned to its transparent teal glow.

He had all four marks.

Under any other circumstance he probably would have smiled, or at least felt accomplished. But with everything that was happening it only felt like another test grade, another simple mission. Nothing to be concerned about. His father was dying, his friends were leaving, possibly to their deaths, and he still had to earn the mark of the King in order to set things right, to be able to fight Kamai Dethmaiyn on even ground. During that time when he had been near Karin he had learned for himself how powerful Kamai was. Though Karin couldn't feel it herself, he could, and the amount that man had was terrifying.

At the mountain, a portal opened at the bottom. It was nearing dinner time by now. Ichigo stepped tiredly out of the portal.

"What the hell was that thing, anyway?" He grumbled to himself, Zangetsu still in hand. "It looked like…like a humanoid cat or something."

He scratched the back of his neck before putting his zanpaktou at his back. In any case, he'd finally finished, which meant he could return to the Soul Society and kill some demons. He was a full-time Soul Reaper now, which meant he had to help protect the Soul Society. Plus, he wanted to check up on Yuzu. The honey-blonde twin had been left alone with their dad for an entire seven weeks, and they were both probably worried sick.

"Oh, now you're done?" He heard his other sister snicker.

"Shut up, you took the entire day, too!" He growled back and Karin laughed. But, having been around her since she was tiny, he could tell there was a strain to it that made it sound fake. He stiffened.

"Did the snowball talk?" He crossed his arms with a huff.

Karin went silent, frowning. The change in mood was so quick it made Ichigo worry even more.

"Leave him alone, Ichi, he's losing his dad." She snapped. "He's probably not talking because he's worried sick about him. And I'm…kinda up and leaving him here."

"Oh…" Ichigo could see what she was getting at. "Not much to do there."

"I know, but he's still upset." She let out a heavy sigh. "I just wish he wasn't ignoring me like that."

Ichigo didn't comment; he could tell immediately what the young prince was doing. It was something he himself would have done.

"Come on; let's get ready to head back." He told his sister, making his way back to the mansion.

"Wait."

They turned, spotting Ruala standing at the base of the mountain with Sofia in her arms. She had her hood down, to their surprise, and looked worried about something.

She moved over to Karin, grasping the wrist where the bracelet was placed.

"Don't ever take this off." She said in a sincere tone.

"What, why?" The teen scowled. "If I'm fighting those demons I'm not gonna wear it, it'll hurt Toshiro."

"It will warn him of the danger and he can act accordingly."

"We'll be fine; he doesn't have to step in every time I'm fighting a demon."

"If not to me then promise for him that you won't take it off. It will give him peace of mind."

Karin clearly wanted to argue against it, tempted to take it off right in front of her, but was cut off by her brother before she could say anything back at the guardian.

"Just keep it on, Karin." He said.

"You just want me to be safe." She growled and he flinched back as she turned to Ruala. "Peace of mind? It hurts him, dammit, and even though he's being an ass right now I'm not going to make him shoulder the Fear for me. I can do this myself."

The grip on her wrist tightened and Karin looked at the guardian in surprise.

"If you worry for his health then come back for him." She said quietly. "My light cannot remove all darkness."

"What and you think I can?" Karin snapped. "My power is Fire and Wind. Ichi's probably got more light then me."

"Actually I have Darkness and Lightning, or so that weird opponent of mine said." Ichigo cut in. Karin shot him a glare to shut him up.

"There is more to dispelling Fear than Hope," Ruala caught their attention once more, "a stronger magic that cannot be contained within an element as I wield."

She said no more, just squeezed her wrist gently and backed off.

"For the sake of his sanity, keep that bracelet on and do not stray from him for long."

"Why are you so worried about him?" Ichigo questioned.

"It is my sworn duty to protect him. It has taken me a long time to get him to trust me as his father does, and that trust is essential to what I do." Ruala let Sofia climb onto her shoulder. "I will not betray that trust. I ask this of you, Lady Karin, do not take this off, and do not leave his side for long."

Karin looked down at the thin bracelet, the dragon curling around the ice crystal that glowed faintly. It still had Toshiro's Spirit Energy attached to it, a constant reminder of him, and she could still remember when he had given it to her. Despite what it was used for she couldn't bring herself to throw it away, not when it was also his gift to her as a friend.

"Alright, I won't take it off." She huffed. "But I don't know when I can come back."

"If you cannot come back he will come to you." Ruala smiled softly, surprising them. She was clearly set on making sure they weren't separated for long when before it wasn't such a big deal.

'Why is she so determined?' Karin mused as she nodded in reply, walking with her brother back to the mansion, Ruala staying put at the base of the mountain.

'I'm wondering why she thinks you're some kind of cure for him.' Homuratei rumbled. 'Are you secretly some kind of carrier of Hope?'

'I would think you would know something like that.'

'Good point, and I don't, so I guess you're not.'

'She must be pretty worried about him…I am, too.' She stayed outside with Dyrilæn as Ichigo went inside to get the others. 'I hope he'll be okay when his dad passes. He's got a lot riding on his shoulder now.' She looked down once more at the bracelet. 'Which is why I'm not going to wear this thing in a fight.'

'You said you would.'

'I change my mind quickly, and just now I decided I'm not going to wear it during a fight.'

One by one the other three Reapers came out, ready to go. Sylfie followed after to say her goodbyes, as did her daughters. The head of house made sure to pass along to Dyrilæn that she was allowed to go to the Soul Society with Karin, which the dragoness was VERY happy about, letting off a shot of fire in joy. They all laughed.

But Toshiro did not come out.

Myndræl sat off to the side, depressed, but his partner did not come out.

"He wishes you all luck." The ice drake rumbled softly. "Stop the demons' advance as quickly as you can."

"You bet we will." Renji smirked, hoping to bring the dragon out of his depression. It did not work; the only thing to fix a depressed dragon partner would be to fix the depressed human partner. Said partner currently wasn't in the mood for talking, so nothing could be done.

More than a little frustrated now, Karin simply huffed and ignored any mention of Toshiro. So now he was avoiding her, just great. She'd gotten two words out of him all day and now he wouldn't even see her.

"Let's just go, Yuzu's probably worried sick." Karin said with a growl to her tone, sitting atop her dragon and heading quickly for the Tenchuren to leave, the others having to take the longer route down, unless they wanted to be chucked there by catapults. They'd tried that; wasn't fun.

"Oh joy, she's gonna be cranky the whole way back." Ichigo sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Tell the snowball he better have a good reason for pissing her off or I'll be back to Bankai his ass."

Though she frowned, Sylfie said nothing against it and simply watched the carrot top leave with the others, Rangiku lagging behind a bit. Whatever was on the blonde's mind she seemed to decide against talking about and moved on.

"Well, nephew, you have a talent for causing trouble." Sylfie said, turning towards the door where Toshiro stood in the shadows, having watched everything.

Teal eyes glanced at her but no words followed.

"You best get back to the palace." Ralæn walked past him inside. "We noticed you've got the four marks…you don't have much time left to get the fifth."

A scowl crossed his face at how bored she sounded talking about the approaching death of his father.

"Læn, watch yourself." Sylfie snapped, also offended by it.

The older twin paid them no heed and walked away, grabbing her zanpaktou as she passed and most likely going off to train. She'd been very vocal about joining the fight whether they let her or not.

Moving outside the house the young prince moved away from the girls and towards the edge of the kingdom. There he sat, Myndræl moving to sit beside him, and watched the tiny figures of his friends and the larger figure of the dragoness step inside the Tenchuren. The doors closed and the tower shifted, ready to depart.

Toshiro reached a hand up to his cheek just as the Tenchuren left the realm.

"Goodbye."

Just a short little chapter where everyone else leaves and Shiro's depressed goodbye. We all know he speaks without thinking sometimes and for something like this I can imagine he wouldn't have a filter either, so he forced himself quiet. Made ME depressed writing it T^T Enjoy! (If you're not wanting to just crawl in a hole like I am)