Chapter 19

I tapped my foot impatiently on the ground of Kisuke’s training room. Tsume stood beside me, his features set with determination. He and I had been training for a week, bettering our skills. Thankfully, Kisuke had fully agreed with the idea of Tsume joining us. There was strength in numbers. Chad, Orihime, Uryuu, Ichigo, Renji, Rukia, Tsume and I were all going to Hueco Mundo to retrieve my brother at all costs. Kisuke had warned us of the dangers involved and instructed us to run straight through the gate once it opened.

 

“Be ready for anything,” Ichigo warned. In the week past, I’d learned to focus my shockwave, forcing all my released energy on a focal point. Despite that, I’d been told I was extremely vulnerable to attack in Hueco Mundo.

 

“Someone is approaching the gate,” Tessai said, catching us by surprise.

 

“Can you tell what it is?” Uryuu asked. Tessai shook his head.

 

“Only that they’re extremely powerful. There are two of them.”

 

My hands began trembling in anticipation. Had Aizen known of us coming? Did he send someone to take us out before we could save my brother? Ichigo took his zanpakuto from his back while Rukia, Renji and Rangiku all unsheathed theirs. The gate opened on its own, revealing two figures. As soon as I saw them, tears welled in my eyes and my body began trembling.

 

“Shiro-chan!” I cried and ran forward, throwing my arms around my little brother. I couldn’t stop my tears, or my shockwave, as I kissed his cheeks and forehead countless times. Toshiro’s arms were wrapped tightly around me as I kissed away his tears. “I was so afraid I’d lost you.”

 

“I told you, Mina-chan. You’ll never really lose me,” he answered.

 

“Ichigo!” a woman exclaimed and I heard the aforementioned Soul Reaper grunt before a thud.

 

I pulled away from Toshiro just enough to see the woman who’d escorted him hugging Ichigo tightly. I also saw the other Soul Reapers standing back up after being knocked to the ground from the shockwave I’d emitted. The woman hugging Ichigo was a beauty with long green hair and I could tell she was an Arrancar by the ram’s skull attached to the top of her head. Ichigo had explained that there were some Arrancar that weren’t evil and were, in fact, trying to help the Soul Society from Hueco Mundo. He’d said he knew a few of them personally.

 

“That’s Nel-chan. She found me after I escaped from Las Noches. She was the one who helped me get back,” Toshiro explained. I slowly stood, keeping one arm around my brother to hold him close.

 

“Nel?” I asked, hoping she wouldn’t be offended by my use of my brother’s nickname for her. She looked up from hugging Ichigo with a questioning expression. It gave her a more child-like appearance.

 

“Hmmm?” she inquired.

 

“I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for my brother.”

 

“My pleasure.”

 

“Hey, Toshiro!” Tsume greeted, kneeling in front of my brother and ruffling his hair. I could see tears forming in the young man’s eyes. He wasn’t overly emotional, and I knew how happy he was just by looking at his eyes.

 

“Captain,” Rangiku whispered, stepping forward.

 

“Tsume! Matsumoto!” Toshiro exclaimed and I stared at him in shock.

 

“How do you know her?” I asked.

 

“She was my lieutenant, Rangiku Matsumoto. Mina-chan, I’m the reincarnation-”

 

“-of a Gotei 13 captain. I know. They told me. How do you know?”

 

“I’ve always remembered, but in my sleep. Aizen told me my dreams were memories. I remember a lot of when I was a Soul Reaper.”

 

“Are you okay?” My brother nodded and then turned to look at Kisuke.

 

“Mr. Urahara, is there any way I can be a Soul Reaper again?” he asked. I could only stare at him in shock.

 

“Shiro-chan…”

 

“There is a way,” Kisuke answered, “but I don’t think any of you will like it.”

 

“What do I have to do?” Toshiro asked firmly. There was a new determination in his voice that I’d only heard an inkling of when he’d decided he wanted to fight.

 

“You’ll have to die.”