Tsukiro woke up, feeling at least, mostly rested. However, the worry for his captain lingered. They still hadn't gotten any closer to making it to the cave where Hitsugaya and Sumi were. Tsukiro sat up slowly and glanced around. The cave was filled with only Kisuke and himself. No Ukitake.
He panicked.
"Kisuke, where's Captain Ukitake?" he blurted and shot to his knees, reaching for Kotaishi.
Kisuke turned his head towards Tsukiro as he grabbed his zanpakuto. "Calm down. He went to console Hyourinmaru,” he stated quietly, adjusting his hat. “We figured one of us would be less threatening to him than all three of us."
Sighing, he stood and started to pace the cave floor again. "He has been gone for awhile now and the storm is still raging out there." Kisuke shook his head. "I hope sending him in there was not a mistake."
Tsukiro stood up, Kotaishi firmly in hand. "Then we should try and go after him. If he's out there by himself, he could be in trouble."
Looking at Tsukiro, Kisuke shook his head. "We wait,” he stated. “I have faith in Juushiro. If anyone can talk some sense into that dragon he can." He paused then articulated. "Sheath your sword, sit and relax."
Despite huffing irritably, Tsukiro slumped down onto the cave floor and leaned against one of the stone walls.
After a long moment of saying nothing, Tsukiro muttered, "I hope Hitsugaya-taicho is okay. I really don't want to have to go back to the squad barracks with bad news that I can't talk about on my shoulders."
Kisuke narrowed his eyes. "Bad news or not, it needs to be talked about. Make it clear Toshiro was not a traitor. Especially if he has passed on.” His steps were pronounced with annoyance. “Old man Yama and his orders.” A growl escaped him as he adjusted his hat yet again.
Tsukiro sighed and pulled his knees to his chest, pressing his palms into his eyes. "If Captain is... dead... Gods, I don't want to see the look on the lieutenant's face, nor the other officers for that matter."
Flashes of his brother's cold, pale face covered in crimson danced before his eyes. He didn't want to go through something like that again.
"It’s a fact we need to face. Even more so if we don't know the truth right now. Prepare yourself for the worst case scenario, Tsukiro.” he advised in a lower voice. “Hyourinmaru is acting too vengeful for Toshiro to just be injured.” Kisuke drew both hands up to his face and rubbed. “WHY? If that damn portal would have worked--”
Tsukiro couldn't say anything at that point. He knew Kisuke was right, but it was too painful for him to admit it out loud.
Why do people keep getting hurt and dying around me?
Then become strong so that you won't have to watch people die. Become strong so you can protect others, Kotaishi told him in a matter-of-fact murmur.
Yes. That was what he had to do. Become strong again, so that no one around him would ever have to die again.
