Chapter 21

 

I could only stare after my brother in shock, tears clouding my vision. Toshiro’s words had stung, but not nearly as much as the emotions he’d expressed. He may as well have said he hated me. I placed my hand over my mouth, trembling lightly. A soft sob escaped my lips and I dropped to my knees, trying – and failing – to hold back my tears. Toshiro and I had always been so close; we were all we had for family. Never before had he screamed at me so vehemently. It felt like a dagger through my heart and I couldn’t stop the sobs that shook my body. I could hear a few others grunt and looked up to see the Soul Reapers floored. Nel seemed surprised, but still able to keep herself up.

 

“Minako,” Tsume whispered sympathetically, placing a hand on my shoulder.

 

“Everything will be fine. You’ll see,” Orihime said, her positive attitude still remaining.

 

“How can you say that?” I asked. “How can you say that everything will be fine when my brother hates me?!”

 

“He doesn’t hate you. You’re his sister.”

 

“It doesn’t seem like he sees me that way. You saw him.”

 

“He wants to help.” I rubbed the tears from my eyes and looked away. How could I allow my brother to become a Soul Reaper? I’d promised to protect him always. What kind of sister would I be if I idly stood by and watched him die?

 

“I can’t let him,” I answered softly. By this time, the Soul Reapers were all standing again, no longer affected by my ability.

 

“You know, you probably wouldn’t be able to stop him even if you tried. He’s a stubborn kid. He’s Toshiro Hitsugaya,” Ichigo said.

 

“He’s Toshiro Kitamura!”

 

“And that only adds to it. You and your brother are stubborn people. You don’t back down and you stand for what you believe is right. Now you’re not agreeing, and you’re both too stubborn to back down.”

 

“Then what do you propose I do?”

 

“Ask yourself why it’s right to keep Toshiro as he is. Then ask yourself why he wants to be a Soul Reaper. You’ll find your answer that way.”

 

To that, I had no answer. How was I to decide what was more right? I didn’t want Toshiro to become a Soul Reaper because he would die and be placed in more danger. He still had his whole life ahead of him. Toshiro wanted to become a Soul Reaper to protect the people he cared about. Boiled down, we had the same reason. Who was more justified?

 

“I don’t know,” I murmured with a sigh.

 

“It takes time.”

 

“Time that we don’t’ have.”

 

At that moment, the strange traditional-style door reappeared. Rangiku stepped forward, carrying a sword and a folded white cloth. My heart clenched as I stared at her. She refused to meet my eyes. I shifted my gaze to the sword she carried, knowing it was Toshiro’s zanpakuto. No one spoke or moved, sensing the tense feeling in the air.

 

“Where is he?” Rangiku finally asked, her voice somber.

 

“He ran off,” Kisuke answered. “He’s up in the shop, letting off some steam.”

 

“Rangiku,” I whispered, “is… is that his zanpakuto?”

 

“Yes,” she answered. I stood and took a step towards her.

 

“Can I hold it?”

Rangiku glanced at someone behind me before nodding apprehensively. She stepped forward and I took the sword from her hands. It was relatively light for a sword and I could only guess how skilled Toshiro had once been with it. The hilt of the zanpakuto was wrapped in a beautiful lavender cloth and the black sheath was smooth to the touch. I drew the zanpakuto from its sheath and stared at my reflection in the perfectly polished, sharpened blade. Even the hand-guard was finely crafted, shaped like a four-pointed star.

 

“Wow,” I heard Tsume say, breathing out the word.

 

“What’s its name?” Rangiku looked surprised by my question, like she hadn’t expected me to know about the names. I’d learn from my time with Renji that his zanpakuto was named Zabimaru. Rukia’s was Sode no Shirayuki.

 

“It’s Hyorinmaru,” Rangiku answered and I smiled softly.

 

“Strong name. It’s such a beautiful sword.”

 

“A zanpakuto is an extension of its wielder’s soul.” I took a deep breath, contemplating what she’d said. Many times before I’d heard the others tell me that. Only now did it really mean something to me. I sighed heavily and sheathed Hyorinmaru.

 

“I think I understand now,” I murmured. Hyorinmaru was an extension of Toshiro’s Soul. It showed my brother’s strength and beauty, in his own way. The two were bonded closer than I could’ve ever been to my little brother. I was putting my faith in Hyorinmaru now. “Someone get Toshiro… I don’t think he’ll listen to me.”

 

“I’ll get him,” Rukia said and turned away, disappearing in an instant.

 

“You’re name is Mina-chan, right?” Nel asked, surprising me. I turned to face her with a small smile. It sounded like Toshiro had spoken to her about me.

 

“Yeah, it is,” I answered.

 

“What are you going to do?”

 

“I’m going to do the right thing.”