Continued from Objective?
“Where did he go? And what did he do with Kita?” Kisuke’s words came out as an order not a request for information.
Gin cocked his head to one side, maintaining his appearance of nonchalance, even as he wondered the same question. What had happened in the last seconds? No doubt he would learn soon enough. It was, after all, unlikely that the change had gone unnoticed by Aizen.
"Wouldn't it be boring if I gave you all the answers, Urahara?" the silver fox asked the shopkeeper directly. He pointed Shinsou between his eyes, liking how both reapers' eyes narrowed at that blatant move. He smirked. This was how he had kept the two of them in their place as long as he had. "Look around. I'm sure you'll find some clues around. That is one of the only things you're good at, isn't it?" he continued in a more usual mocking tone. Still grinning, he shunpoed backwards, then over to Nori and Nnoitra.
With a friendly wave at Nori, he pulled the espada back from his fun and Nnoitra opened a new garguanta. "Have fun doing damage control and staying alive 'til we meet again,” Gin called out in a friendly-sing song voice. With both of the denizens of darkness smiling eerily, the gate closed.
Nori shook her head narrowing her eyes at Gin as they vanished. "Bastards!" Nori replied under her breath.
Kisuke growled under his breath as Gin and Nnoitra disappeared into the gate. His eyes then drifting over the remains of the battle. A heavy sigh escaped him as he lifted his hand to his hat and pulled it down over his eyes.
"We have to find them both before it is too late."
He brushed past Juushiro to the spot Toshiro and Kita where last seen. Stopping, his eyes quickly surveyed the location.
"She is alive and with Toshiro,” he spoke more to himself than to anyone that might be listening, "I know it. But for how long with the frame of mind Toshiro is in?" His eyes rested on Tsukiro.
Juushiro set his once more wounded arm in the arm of his kimono. If he had been just slightly slower or Gin, more serious, Shinsou's strike would have severed the tendons in that arm. Had his position been to distract them or had part of his quips been truth?
Kneeling down beside him, the shopkeeper lifted the kid in his arms. "You're such an idiot. You should have seen this coming with the stunt you pulled." Kisuke walked in the shop to lay Tsukiro to rest.
Nori watched Kisuke walk the ground of the battlefield wondering what he was looking for. When he turned to walk in the shop she followed behind.
Sighing, Juushiro turned, watching Kisuke take Tsukiro inside.
Fortunately, he'd wager that, like Toshiro before him, the kid had been sealed not destroyed by Kita. At least there was that small ray of hope of life after the macabre play Sousuke had set up for them. He clenched his healthy hand.
Just how many clones had been created just to play with their hearts? Was Kita alive? Could Toshiro be saved?
As Captain Nori passed him, Juushiro closed his eyes. He needed to talk to his Sensei again, but first he needed to talk to Suisenro and Nori, who had come here looking for something before Aizen's game. He glanced upwards at the serene blue sky. Calm was settling in again, but at what price and for what purpose? The war was far from over.
