Chapter 295: With Rin

Chapter 295: With Rin

(Rin's pov)

I was sitting in dogeza and meditating with my Zanpakuto on my lap. I wouldn't be much help in healing my children. I may have learned the basics from Isane and Captain Unohana, but with these types of injuries, I would be useless. Even Inoue-chan, who apparently didn't have her powers for even a year, is a better healer than me, but they are just strange like that. Using my Bankai would greatly help, but since their condition stabilized, it wouldn't be necessary.

'Not that I would have minded saving your children and all, but I would rather you use Bankai on Ryoto. A girl can dream.'

My Zanpakuto, Tsunagari, was talking to me as I was trying to gather my thoughts. I am obviously worried about Ryoto.

'Girl, you need to relax. We both know how strong he is. And he has the stamina to boot. You should know it best~.'

I rolled my eyes at this teasing comment. After years of Tsunagari teasing, I barely acknowledge it.

'Yeah, yeah, Ryoto and I have sex. Tell me more about it. I didn't notice. We must have found Masaru in a giant peach or something.' I sarcastically answered.

'...I think Ryoto's sass rubbed off on you a bit.'

'It would be strange if it didn't. We spent over 250 years together. Now, can we talk about what we should be doing when Ryoto gets back? '

'What do you mean?' Tsunagari asked. How the hell is this clueless Zanpakuto mine, to begin with?

'I mean, he'll come back injured, and apparently, there's still a Quincy group that is still against Shinigami. He also wants us to be at full strength. Either he expects a follow-up attack after he returns, or, and I believe it's more likely, soon the climax of all past events is going to happen. I also worry about how wounded Ryoto will be. He promised to come back alive, but we both know that he didn't promise to be back safe. He very well may return and die seconds later, and he wouldn't break the promise.' I said.

'You are underestimating how strong Ryoto is. Didn't he say that he'll go full Hollow? In that form, he's crazy strong! I mean, he even can regenerate! How cool is that!?' Tsunagari tried to ease my worries, but it didn't help much.

'Even the strongest of enemies can be killed by an unexpected attack, and from what Yukima has said, there will be multiple.' I countered.

'You're overthinking it. We can't do anything with the information we have, so why bother. As long as Ryoto gets back alive, all is good. And what's going to happen is going to happen. Together, there's nothing we can't overcome. We'll cut through every plan that the enemy makes, and we'll stitch together everything that will allow us the future we want. And if everything goes to shit and Ryoto really will be at death's door, there's also the Bankai route.'

I smiled at my Zanpakuto answer.

'...Your optimism and confidence are really something else... but I don't hate it. It helps me not go full paranoid.'

'That's what I'm here for. We are partners for life, and I can't let you die before you try my style at least once. I promise you that you won't want to go back once you try it.'

I decided to ignore her last comment just like I ignored it for the last two centuries. I'm not going to try Gyaru's style even if she pays me. That's not for me, and I'm sure if I do it even once, Ryoto or someone else will find out, and they'll never let me forget it.

I then suddenly felt a foot on the side of my face kicking me, sending me to fly and breaking my meditation state. Because I knew that there wasn't any way for an enemy to be here, I wasn't on guard.

Looking for the culprit of the kick wasn't hard. It was Yoruichi, and I gave her an annoying glare and demanded from her why she kicked me.

"You had the same look when Ryoto is overthinking things, which is okay but annoying in big amounts, and we don't need a second Ryoto, do we?" Yoruichi said smugly, but I was still annoyed.

"I just resolved it with my Zanpakuto. Actually, seconds before you unceremoniously decided to forcefully change my location." I replied dryly.

"Oops. Sorry then."

She wasn't sorry at all... Sigh I won't reprimand Yoruichi. I gave up on changing her behavior years ago. Yoruichi is... Yoruichi, for better or worse, is a domesticated cat, or, as Ryoto likes to say, a cat who didn't realize that she was tamed. That thought put a smile on my face.

Yoruichi used my short moment of reflection to get closer to me and poke my cheek as she hung around my neck.

I was ready to walk away, not expecting any answer, but the unexpected happened.

"The moment Ryoto fulfilled his promise and made Rangiku happy and full of smiles... I considered him my father."

I smiled gently.

"Then you'll need to tell him that later on. It will definitely make him happy."

(Ryoto's pov)

I was gently put down next to Unohana. Nearby were Masaru and Akio, with Isane and Inoue treating them, but they were still unconscious and full of wounds, but they look slightly better than before I left.

"How... are they..."

It still hurts to talk, but I needed to know their conditions before anything else.

"Both of them have stabilized already, and their life is no longer in danger, but they'll need a lot of time to recover... is what I would say if not for Ryouka's help. Akio and Masaru are healing at an incredible rate, but it still will take some time before they wake up. You should prioritize your own health at the moment." She chastised me lightly as she started using healing Kaido

"This... is just a flesh wound..."

I couldn't stop myself from saying that, but it earned me a light smack on my head. It wasn't even strong enough to feel it... or I just lost a sense of touch. Either is possible.

As she was treating me, she carefully observed my missing arm, and she slowly narrowed her eyes.

"You used forbidden Kido. Your arm was not cut but destroyed from within. Not to mention that your Reiatsu is still leaking unnaturally from it."

I nodded with some difficulty.

"Didn't have... much choice... It was... the only way to return... alive... and... keep my promise..."

The Captain of Squad 4 looked solemnly as she asked. "That bad..." Then her eyes became a bit sharper, and her usual 'smiling expression' wasn't anywhere to be seen. "You'll explain everything after you can talk without any lingering pain."

I once again nodded. Not that I planned to hide what happened today. The plot went out of the rails at this point, and there are two possible outcomes to today's events.

One, the Quincies hide again and recover their strength until Yhwach is sure he can defeat us.

Two, they attack very soon before we can prepare for them.

I would prefer the first option, but knowing my luck, it will be the second.

But at the moment, I guess I can close my eyes for a second... I'm tired.

And just like that, I doze off.

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END

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