Tsukiro barely stood on shaking legs. Blood dripped from his temple, arm and leg and stained the white snow below him. His vision swirled as he gazed on at Kotaishi, who wasn’t scratched in the least. He couldn’t believe it. He had used every single tactic he remembered on Kotaishi and then some. And he had swatted away most of them; even of the ones that did make it through they only make him blink or flinch at the most. More so, Tsukiro’s strength and spiritual energy were at their limits. He didn’t have much fight left in him.
My zanpakuto… Kotaishi no Kori… Is he really this this strong? A zanpakuto is only as strong as its master… so… am I this strong? Is it possible for me to be this undefeatable?
“Kotaishi…” Tsukiro huffed. “If I don’t defeat you here… what will happen?”
“You will wake up. However, I will not put the seal back in place. You will suffer through your emotions until you defeat me.”
“And what happens after I defeat you?”
“Your emotions will become manageable. They will be there, uncontained, and you will feel them within you. However, they will not cloud your mind or judgement. They will only be there to serve you one purpose.”
“Giving me strength and power?”
“That’s right.”
Tsukiro tried to nod but even that hurt to do so.
“Also, you should know this.” Tsukiro looked Kotaishi in the eye as he spoke his next words. “On the outside, Yoruichi Shihoin and Kita Miyamoto are defending themselves against you, who are manifested in your Yukihyo no Ikari form, raging from your dark emotions.”
Tsukiro’s eyes widened. “What!?”
“If this fight doesn’t end soon, your friends will die. They can barely contain you.”
Tsukiro’s body shook in horror. Kotaishi got back into his fighting stance.
“Now, Master… it is time to decide this fight. Will you gain the ability to endure, or will you continue to be a pawn to your own emotions?”
As Kotaishi launched his lithe body at Tsukiro once more, Tsukiro’s mind worked its gears.
Pawn…
Kotaishi slammed into Tsukiro, digging his claws into his chest and sending them tumbling over. He threw Tsukiro back and into a rocky cliff. Tsukiro fell to the ground.
I’m a pawn… to my own emotions?
Kotaishi lifted up Tsukiro by his hair and struck his face with his icy fist, leaving scratch marks on his cheek.
“Well, have you decided yet?”
Tsukiro was silent. Kotaishi sighed and shook his head sadly. He grabbed his haori and tossed him aside.
Then if I’m a pawn in a game of chess, playing against my emotions…
Kotaishi stalked forward to him. “Time to end this, Master. I won’t keep beating you up like this. It pains me enough as it is.”
And if my friends are the other pieces, suffering because of my weakness…
Tsukiro lifted himself to his feet and stood tall, gazing forward at Kotaishi. The leopard growled in warning. “Stay down, Master. I was wrong. You obviously aren’t ready for this yet.”
And if I’m unable to reach the other side of the board…
Kotaishi summoned up an ice sword and lifted it up, clutching it in both hands. “You are welcome to try again next time we meet here.”
Kotaishi flashed forward to Tsukiro. In the blink of an eye, Tsukiro was impaled and nailed to a nearby tree. “I am sorry, Master. Forgive me. I should not have awoke this ability quite yet.”
Tsukiro finished his thoughts aloud, “The least I can do… is sacrifice myself for them…”
“What?” Kotaishi raised one slim, white eyebrow. “What are you--?”
He looked down to see Tsukiro’s own sword impaling him as well. He looked back up in shock. Tsukiro smiled; slowly that smile turned into a grin, then a smirk.
“Hey, Kotaishi… Gotcha,” he recited their usual winning word of triumph. “Toketsu Nemuri.” (“Frozen Slumber”)
Kotaishi’s expression of shock turned into one of pride. “Well done… Master.”
The zanpakuto spirit slowly froze over, turning into a statue of solid ice before cracking and falling to the snow in pieces. Tsukiro fell to the snow as well in a heaping pile of exhaustion.
“I hate you Kotaishi no Kori.”
