Chapter 36: Cultivation of Emotion

Kanna awaits quietly much like her power, for her guest to appear, silent and omnipresent — unnoticed. Her creator does not know her location, no one does unless she lets them but for some reason, she does not let anyone know. She did not want to be found, she wondered briefly if this was the freedom that Kagura had in her last moments, silence all around and serene. But was this not the 'loneliness' that Kagura told her of?

She doesn't know. She cannot understand. Kanna removes one of her hands from her lap to her breast, where one's heart should have been. It was strange, how much Kagura yearned for freedom, to be out of their creator's hands in both literal and figurative connotation; but Kanna felt… if one could argue that she felt… no such need, not even when he too held her heart. It was not the loyalty that she had seen of Hitsugaya when he had pushed his lieutenant aside to save her — her eyes never glowed with such drive and fierceness. What was it then that tied herself to Naraku, she questioned — what did humans call it?

She wishes it. She is patient. She does not wait long.

A ripple of speed formed into a figure in the morning fog over the rock shore she rested at, standing over her as she looked up at him with a blank face. He had finally arrived. Reflecting the same expression back at her, he was nearly as tall as Kohaku now, lanky but taut with muscle. He had his hair down, but unlike her shoulder length, his dangled dangerously into the black water when he seated himself. His white hakama matched hers, monochrome, leaving the only contrasting color to be only their eyes — ebony and teal.

It is another meeting, that began in Soul Society. Like this one, they were alone.

Kanna. He spoke to her, his voice rich and cold.

Hitsugaya-taicho. She replied, hers soft and dead. I have a question. Will you answer it for me, as a former human soul?

Hitsugaya consents, hearing her questions with full attention.

She voices them — what is it that humans call loneliness, happiness, love and fear — as a being who knows of nothing and only that. Hitsugaya is silent when she finishes, for a moment, she thinks he will not — cannot — answer her, just like she and all the others. But instead, he tilts his head, eyes stirring with thought before he holds out a hand to reveal a pink glow.

A shard of the Shikon no Tama. She identifies. She should give it to her creator. She is supposed to give it to her creator. She waits instead.

He shakes his head, correcting but does not explain. He already did, when he gives her the real one in Soul Society. The answer you seek, Kanna, are not answerable by none but yourself. No amount words shall answer fully nor suffice. Hitsugaya answers her. But it does not mean that it is not answerable — see for yourself and answer your questions for yourself.

With a hand extended and weeks ago in Soul Society, the captain had removed the real shard from his neck before incanting softly under his breath, ebony eyes watching him with close observation. With a flash of electric blue that blinded them both for a moment, the incarnation blinked slowly to see the shard unchanged other than a small glint of blue on the shard. Handing it to her, the captain explained how the shard would respond to her wish for answers and none but himself would sense the shard when she was near, not even the four souls of the jewel, him alone — allowing her the freedom to find her answers while he played his card of misdirection with his fake shard. There was that word again.

Eyes meeting, he answered a question she did not realize she had.

"No life deserves to end without experiencing something. Not even one such as yours." And with a soft push, the jewel was inserted into her throat. Nothing happened. As she wished it. But now, at this very moment, she wished.

With a sudden lurch, her hands — w-was that shaking? Was she shaking? — curled into fists involuntarily over her chest as she felt like all of her yoki was spent, the air was strangling and hard to breathe. She did not need to breathe — she was nothing. So, why? Eyes burning with something falling from them and her breast heavy, she opened her mouth to speak but found no words, failing her. Why was it so painful? Why was it so hard to breathe, to move, and to even think?Her lips spasmed into a silent scream as she found herself gripping her hair, desiring to tear it out in a fit of rage. How did she know what rage was? Was she 'angry'? She did not know. It was too much.

Breathe, Kanna. Breathe. Focus on just that. A voice soothed her, as hands only slightly larger than her own took hers from her head, as the throbbing subsided with the cold touch, as she focused on her respiratory system, imploring and consciously commanding her chest to rise and fall slowly. Once she felt as if the world was no longer just her breaths, she opened her watery eyes, not even realizing that she had closed them in the first place, her face sticky with drying tears. Hitsugaya-taicho hovered over her, her head on his lap as white filled her vision, the fog blocking the sky above them.

What was that? She asked after a small silence, hands resting outspread by her sides, exhausted. What did I… just feel?

What did you wish to feel? He asked her instead, his palms cool on her temples. His teal eyes met hers once more — one more cold than the other. The shard responds to your wishes alone. Therefore, your question should be what did you wish to feel?

I… I wished to feel. She replied after a small silence. Feel how one would have felt after Kagura… The feeling threatened resurgence as she felt a lump in her throat grow, but with an increase of pressure to her temples and a slight decrease of the surrounding temperatures, it stopped. Gazes met, one imploring as the other held the answer.

Those teal eyes explained slowly and quietly as they drowned out the world around, he teaching her of what she felt and her giving him refuge from his dawning choice, it was only a day from when her sister had passed — until the day dawned, the fog fading as they remained unmoved to the world's time. She recovered slowly as she looked at her reflection in the waters, seeing only the same dead eyes staring back at her. Hitsugaya joined her, looking at his own reflection too only to see stoic nothingness. She was like this from birth and he a result of time, lost the two of them were — but perhaps, with one push after another, they could have one spark of life in their dead eyes. Her thoughts trailed back to the past, the last day she spent with her brother.

Kanna stood with Hakudoshi eyeing the midnight moon, when Hitsugaya-taicho's voice sounded in her empty mind. I will awaken in an island called Horai Island, the shard you hold is truly the jewel's but I have created a near perfect replica to hold to distract your creator. Do not long for the midnight moon that gleams ruby, Kanna.

At the time, Kanna did not understand. Then Hakudoshi was killed; followed by Kagura, Moryomaru, the Infant — and her creator made Byakuya, who was to be superior to all but herself. An unpleasant feeling washed over her every time she thought of her creator now — as if she was in the presence of a human that insisted to live or a youkai who was persistent to continue existence. In private, she veiled a hand over her right eye, to reveal a light blue glow that replaced her ebony iris. Miles away, Hitsugaya opened his own right eye to reveal the same before they both closed it once more.

What is this feeling, Hitsugaya-taicho? She asks.

It is hatred, Kanna. The desire to kill another without remorse. She remembers when she held Kagura's fan, preserved and protected by a Kido barrier so that it rested undisturbed that she knew what it was that tied herself to her creator. The desire to end him. For creating her — nothingness was not to be, after all. How dare he create being of nothingness.

Kohaku stared into the skies in a hazy daze, the antidote administered to him by the captain before doing the same to Jaken even though it was after some suffering in the kappa's part as punishment for being so idiotic to touch the boy covered in snakes. But the boy paid it no heed, he needed to get to Lady Kikyo and help her use his shard to kill Naraku. For revenge. For his sister.

"Do not be stupid." Kohaku's gaze snapped to meet Toushirou's, cold. "The soul that you seek is not long for this world."

"You and I are in no position to say otherwise, Hitsugaya-taicho."

"Then you should know better than to move your body and shard to Kikyo. Allow her the time she deserves in her last moments. Your life should be worth more to yourself." Hitsugaya removed his hair ribbon, hair unfurling down his back as he lowered into the waters. Kohaku bit back the welling of his eyes and the hateful lump in his throat that grew when he wanted to cry, silently tearing. If his company heard, the youkai made no acknowledgement, allowing the mortal to mourn. Sesshomaru granted his wish to pause their training for a night and had left with Jaken, leaving A-Un guarding the two of them nearby. Pouring the scented oils over his hair and thinly clothed form, the captain submerged under the depths with a soft inhale. Unmoved, he held his hands out as a soul finished her journey to him, her warmth still radiant in the cold waters. With a soft gesture, the soul drifted into his zanpakuto.

With Kikyo's death, the percussions of this will not be small. Toushirou sighed into the water, a small trail of bubbles escaping his lips. Inuyasha. Kagome. Naraku. Kohaku. To be frank, it is a headache, but a necessary one.

Why didn't you just save her like the time you did on Mt. Hakurei? Sounga shrugged. If it's that troublesome of a headache?

Because I need Kikyo's soul to join Kano's in the jewel. Toushirou gripped his throat, the fake shard pulsing in his throat. Commissioned to Urahara to forge him a fake, the blonde former shinigami warned him that the Shikon no Tama was a severely weakened version of the Hogyoku, though the object of their time was a more original thought to the scientists' credit. In any case, the more souls on the side of Naohi and his subordinate, the better — but that meant that Naraku's life… needed to wait. Even with all the reiryoku of Kikyo and Kano, they will be no match for Naraku and Magatsuhi, resulting in a defiled jewel that will continue existence.

Existence. Sounga stated more than questioned. You thinking the same then?

Toushirou nodded. A medium of such a chaotic aspects has no place in any world — Aizen and Naraku are enough evidence for that. Without the medium, you eliminate the need and means to have the need.

But that means the removal of Kanna's shard. Hyorinmaru reminded. Will you deprive her of the feelings that she has just begun to learn?

It was a pipe dream to begin with. Toushirou replied, eyes catching the shadows moving above him. Our overruling of the shard could only work for so long before the jewel dismisses Kanna's wishes like the others, if unchecked, she could defile it. Eventually, befalling into Naraku's hands.

Isn't it going there anyway? Sounga pointed out. Why not just let her deal with it?

Because you underestimate Kanna. Toushirou replied, twisting to make his way to the surface. A being of nothingness, perhaps. But when you give it a will, form and the power of experience herself; what does every being created do to their creator? Hate them. Resent them for creation. She will do anything and everything in her power to have him dead for creating her. Even in the cost of her new found emotions.

The lengths one would go for foolish vengeance. Sounga breathed with mirth as Toushirou resurfaced, droplets dripping from his visage and hair. Not commenting, he shifted the conversation as he changed into clean robes.

Where is Naohi?

She has not returned to your Inner World since we had last conversed regarding the jewel. Hyorinmaru reported. Her view on her master has not changed but it could be with Kikyo's passing, her master's strengthening power has called her back to her side.

Humming like he expected as much before running an oiled hand through his hair, he found Kohaku unmoved from his place, asleep in A-Un's guarding form. Glancing at Sounga, he replaced Hyorinmaru beside the blade before turning to the skies — gaze almost transfixed by the bright stars of the night. Before he fell asleep, the white youkai wondered when it would be his turn to return to the Netherworld as well. Whether he would help them with his return or break them, only to huff, blatantly ignoring the thought of leaving his routine here. He would be back where he belonged. What was the point in questioning when his fate was already decided for him?

Master.

Toushirou sent an inquisitive brow at his hollow. Sounga?

With a deep breath, the hollow spoke.

The next morning, Kohaku was clearer-headed as Hitsugaya nodded to the spring for him to wash up, unmoving from his stationary place before the lord who brushed the captain's hair — a morning habit that developed sometime after he had returned from Soul Society. It was tranquil and quiet, relaxing before it was promptly broken by a question.

"Will Kohaku be joining us now?" Jaken voiced, a hand with A-Un's reins.

With closed eyes, Toushirou hummed in agreement. "It is not like Kohaku has Kikyo to trail after anymore. But it will be likely as of now, that he will have to remain in our company. Accommodate for him, Jaken."

Leaving the kappa to his new duties (grumbling and annoyed), the captain opened his gaze to the lord, finished. Will you finally inform me of your plans? Who is it that plagues your mind — or rather should I ask who is it that you are considering to see to improve Tenseiga? If I were to assume your visit to Totosai was profitable?

There are only a handful of beings that are alive to speak of Tenseiga. Sesshomaru began, before his eyes gestured to the skies. My mother is one of them.

I see. Toushirou nodded. If there was to be someone to leave information on your blade with Totosai, it would be your daiyoukai mother. As she is the one who has the most to lose other than yourself. No matter how cold, she is still your mother.

Hm. Sesshomaru hummed mentally as Toushirou left at that. He could not speak for the love of a mother or father — since he lacked either. Not that it was particularly bothering, they existed, that was for sure for him to have existed. But that did not mean he had a need to meet them or know them. Love, affection or care for the people that created him; it was all lacking, not because of anything they had done, it was just because they were not present — whether or not it be by choice, the cold truth was that they were not. Perhaps, yes. He could have wished to have, wanted or desired it, once upon a time in his youth but over time; it was just now mere words that he was unfamiliar with. The words of 'Mother' and 'Father' — they were foreign in his mouth, not bitter or sad, but unused. He was indifferent, almost in a consistent state of tundra — unfeeling.

Shaken from his thoughts, the captain continued his doze as they made their way through the lands to the palace that Sesshomaru's mother dwelled. As a lady of high standing, the matriarch of the Inu no Taisho was properly accomplished in her own power, as expected since her spouse was a daiyoukai that ruled over most of the lands and her son to do the same over the lands as she took a backseat, watching from the heavens. She had to be, to be wife of the lord, and was fearsome in her own right. If the words of Myoga were to be believed — a lady of beauty that rivaled no other daiyoukai, to which Sesshomaru inherited his cold looks and personality; the lady of the estate was not merciful and it was properly inherited to the child — Toushirou did not argue. It was obvious that the child would be a reflection of their upbringing, when trying to discern the true nature of the parents, one merely needed to see the children.

Hence, when the matriarch appeared in her humanoid form, facing her son — Toushirou was unsurprised to see her face a near exact replica of Sesshomaru. Her complexion was mere shade lighter, lips painted a bold orchid and cheeks matching with a small bolt over the curvature of the bones, the same cold eyes that her son inherited colored with a hint of playfulness as they danced under white bangs and a blue crescent moon. Over her form, she wore silken robes fitting of her status, white and purple with green-yellow butterfly-patterns over the expensive threads as an outer wrap of dark blue finished the outfit of usual daiyoukai form of a fur pelt around her form. Toushirou lacked the fur of his elders due to his age, not to present until another few decades.

While Jaken gaped appearance of the woman who bore his lord (not that he knew that yet), Toushirou bowed to the lady — giving her the respect that was given for her status as she rose an eyebrow at his appearance, making her way to the child captain.

"And you must be the little Hitsugaya that I have been hearing about." Golden eyes observed him, searching as he met her gaze — mildly annoyed at her address of his age, but it was arguably… appropriate, no matter how much he did not like it. "How sweet of you, Sesshomaru. To find such a rare child with our species on the verge of extinction."

"Ironic that you of all are speaking of extinction, Mother."

"Nonsense." She smirked ever so wider, a hand trailing Toushirou's face. Soft but stained with blood, those hands. Oh how she reminded him of Unohana. "Those lesser… specimens were not worth keeping. After all, you did not protest as you watched by my side, my son."

Sesshomaru did not humor her with an answer.

"So, tell me. How far have you come to helping my son, Hitsugaya-kun, in developing his Meido?" Eyes moving to her son with a teasing lit of her deceptively saccharine voice. "Otherwise, what other reason do you have to be visiting your dear mother?"

One relocation for conversation later, Jaken fidgeted on his knees as he watched his lord, all of them before the said lord's mother, who was seated in a comfortable sedan couch — golden eyes glowing with mirth, like one would view an interesting insect as they appeared in her palace. Honestly, the resemblance of mother and child was truly uncanny — the indifference when she quoted her late husband when using the stone, her son would be in danger; she did not look particularly bothered.

Hence, her nonchalance at the sudden appearance of the hellhound that came from the said stone. Kami-sama, this family. The hellhound hovered over them as Sesshomaru slashed his new technique at the dog, only to be unharmed and whole. Eyes now serious and cold, the mother rested her visage over red pointed claws, criticizing. "So, this is Sesshomaru's Meido? It's nowhere close to a full circle."

"Ah! Sesshomaru-sama's blade couldn't cut it down?!"

"That is a hellhound." She explained, hinted with no small amount of condescend. "Sesshomaru, no matter what you do, your sword will neither harm or heal it."

Shunpoing away with Kohaku in one arm, the captain reappeared overhead, only to be tackled into the Meido by the hound to taken into the Underworld. Landing on a shadowed flooring, Toushirou took in the darkness of the pre-Precipice World with small attention as he cracked his knuckles in attempt to do away with the hellhound with a slash of his claws. Eyeing the unconscious human under his arm, the captain felt his vision blur, missing the hound in his assault. Growling above him as the dim road was demolished under his claws, Hitsugaya scowled as his vision was completely shot, the reiatsu in his body dangerously low — it must have been from the hound, something of it must have made the souls of the living die almost instantly. Or… it could have been…

One of his senses was taken, it did not mean he was powerless. Using his ears and radar of reiatsu to navigate, the captain lowered Kohaku before summoning his whip, slicing at his right. A loud whine confirmed his hit, as he quickly disposed of it by grabbing the other end to tighten his hold over the beast's neck. Instead of blood, the hound disintegrated as Toushirou landed lightly, sensing Kohaku stirring a few feet away.

Twitching, the teen sat up, the shard restoring the damage to his body. Hitsugaya was next to him, form tense with lidded eyes. "Hitsugaya-taicho? What's wrong?"

"I can't see." Hitsugaya stated bluntly, acknowledging Sesshomaru's appearance behind him with a small nod. Kohaku watched with him as the eyelids twitched open, revealing dim copies of teal, milky with blindness. "The hellhound's reiatsu must have some kind of poisonous effect to my vision."

"Where are we?" Kohaku looked around, shivering. "The Netherworld?"

"Not exactly." Hitsugaya felt a familiar hand stroke his cheek before something fluffy replaced it. Sesshomaru's tail. The small captain winced, knowing that it was not a dismissal but a gesture to be aware that he was at a disadvantage. Grasping the fluff, the three of them continued forward. "Think of this place as the realm between the Netherworld and the World of the Living. It is called the Precipice World."

Kohaku frowned, confused. "Why would Tenseiga send enemies here, instead of the Netherworld?"

"Because unlike the Netherworld, the Precipice World does not flow with the cycle of reincarnation. Souls lost to this world are destroyed or lost to wander forever in it without a chance to enter the cycle like in the Netherworld. Therefore, it could be argued to be an underlying purgatory, the perfect place to put your enemies to ensure that they do not escape in any form." Hitsugaya explained calmly, from behind. Kohaku's silent gait was beside him, Sesshomaru at the front.

"…I see." Kohaku sweat dropped at the nonchalance. "Then do you have a way to exit the Precipice World, Hitsugaya-taicho?"

Eyes open yet unseeing, they stared at Kohaku. "When a soul has mistakenly — or not — entered the Precipice World, they might as well be forgotten. However, exiting is not the problem, our task here is."

Making their exit a rather annoying task if not for his dimension-ripping claws, but the captain made no move to any action. Instead, his hold remained on the tail. Kohaku noted this before following after them as it did make sense. There was a reason that Sesshomaru's Mother had sent them here, and it was to strengthen the lord's blade, which would hardly be accomplished with the taicho clawing their way out. No, blades with demonic ones in particular, required their master to go through a trial of sorts. Kohaku had an inkling that Hitsugaya's was no different.

Meanwhile, in the World of the Living with Jaken mourning the demise of the rest of his party outside of the dragon, Sesshomaru's Mother watched their way through the Meido Stone. At the young captain's blindness, she frowned. "Small youkai. — It's Jaken, my lady. — Was young Hitsugaya-kun, perchance, revived by Tenseiga?"

"Yes, my lady. When we first met."

A part of her grimaced, not that it showed. "He cannot be revived if he loses his life once more."

Jaken flinched. "But what of Tenseiga, my lady? Surely, it can save his life once again—" Not that it has ever gotten that bad.

Yet. A traitorous voice whispered in his head.

Golden eyes thundered. "My son is no god. Neither was my husband. And he wielded all three of his fangs upon his death. The master of Tenseiga is not a compassionate heart nor a ruthless tyrant to his own means, he is a soul that knows of tragic loss and crippling hope. Aware of the grief and anguish of a lost loved one and the desperate hope to have that lost one back. The power of that blade is not resurrection, it is a chance." Painted nails scratched the stone around her neck as blood trickled down her lip. "A chance that many do not dare to covet and my son, like his father, must learn what it means to be the master of his father's blood like that hanyou."

Jaken recalled the initial months. There were moments. Small insignificant moments that made the captain smile — writing and telling Jaken of his world, rare teasing between his lord, soft smiles in the afternoon light — how easily they slipped through his claws like water when Hitsugaya disappeared from his lord's side. The days were different then. They were no longer a calm silence but a growing tension. Heavy yet so fragile.

Jaken had no intention to relive that experience. In likewise, neither had his lord. "Toushirou."

"Sesshomaru." The teen echoed back as he smiled softly, noting as they stopped. They must have come to the end of the Dangai. "As expected of the master of Tenseiga." You are correct, Sesshomaru. I am not supposed to leave this realm with my soul. This is Tenseiga's test for you. Which shall you choose, your blade or my life?

For the progression of my father's Bankai?

Yes. Toushirou half-smiled. My life is not worth the full capacity of it, however.

Ridiculous.

Toushirou smirked mirthlessly. "It may not your choice to make."

With a silent utter, the blind captain was almost serene in expression as golden deity chains grew from his arms, immobilizing both of his company. Adding a few more bindings to the lord and due to presence of realm of the dead, the captain stood over them with ease. Kohaku laid on his side in shock, while the lord was dignified even when immobile, on his knees and lips sealed. Toushirou. Release me.

The teen ignored him. Reaching for his katana, Toushirou smiled softly as he unsheathed Tenseiga. With a flash movement too swift for Kohaku to see, the human teen could only stare dumbly as the healing blade fell to the ground in two fragments, broken by the long-bladed Sounga. Seeing the slightly widened eyes of Sesshomaru, Kohaku ducked as the blade suddenly broke out in a thick blue yoki.

"Ack!" Kohaku coughed as a firm hand grabbed him from behind, feeling the bindings dissolved on his person. Looking up to see his savior, the youkai-slayer saw that the lord was as stunned as he was to see this newcomer. Where the hell did he come from?

"Apologies, Master. I did not realize that my former master would be so rough." The young man was just as tall as the lord, black locks savagely sharp at the shoulders, pallor almost sickly pale as he grimaced silently. Ebony robes wrapped over his form, held up with a red sash in an elegant flourish; poised and graceful despite the beads of sweat on his forehead. Navy stripes streaked his cheeks and blood red eyes glowed with otherworldly power that screamed a spirit that was no youkai, he ignored the existence of Kohaku almost entirely (if not, for the clawed hand over his mid-section) as he floated beside Sesshomaru, clearly deferring to his Master. "… You are Tenseiga."

The cheek of the stoic man twitched. "Yes, Master. I am."

"Am I to assume that the two of you are now acquainted?" Toushirou addressed, as Kohaku blinked. The captain stood with ease in mid-air, blade at the ready with closed eyes. But like the lord, he was not alone. Floating beside him was a young man that he was shy of a few years, dressed in bloody black and white robes that could have been pristine once upon a time. He was boyishly handsome, in comparison to Tenseiga's classic looks — his hair a messy topknot with a purple spiked hair piece. But what was most unnerving was the hollow's eyes, glowing with madness as rime-covered claws hovered over a wide smirk. Unlike Tenseiga's sickly form, Sounga appeared healthy, even if his pallor was pale. This must be… Sounga.

"You're getting nicer in your age, Master." The hell blade scoffed, glaring gold eyes at the lord. "As if I would yield time for my sibling."

Glancing at the broken shards of Tenseiga, the young human narrowed his eyes.

"… You forced Tenseiga to undertake this form?"

"Correct, Kohaku." Hitsugaya answered, blade in reverse-grip and pointed behind his person. "To wield a blade's ultimate form, one must prove themselves to the blade they wield. More often this task takes ten years to accomplish, but by breaking Tenseiga, I sped up the process."

"Not without consequences, of course." Sounga sang with a cackle. Kohaku suppressed a shiver as Tenseiga glared at him with dark eyes.

"Your proposition, little brother?"

"Oh yes~ It was my suggestion indeed, I couldn't allow you all the fun! Well done!" Sounga giggled happily, before his face lost the smile. "Your voice is truly annoying, brother, so spare us the fucking lecture."

"Enough." Toushirou silenced their argument before it could escalate, turning to the lord, who watched the interaction with stoic coolness. "Sesshomaru. You must pass Tenseiga's conditions to be worthy of wielding his Meido. And if you do not succeed, Tenseiga will never answer to your call again and the damage to your soul is irreversible — you must complete it within the hour, as the longer the blade is broken, the harder it is to fix."

Turning to the ill blade spirit, the lord glared, waiting.

Bowing, the young man summoned a copy of himself in hand, offering it to his master. "You, Master, to ascend your Bankai, must lose a person who you have resurrected with me — for I cannot do it twice."

Golden eyes widened, turning to the captain as the healing blade nodded. "Even I cannot kill the servants of the Netherworld twice, Master. Life cannot be cheated so easily — even that mortal below us, is beyond my reach and with your ward wielding one of his own… I am not a weapon of gods, Master. I am a weapon of beings that know death and that is no god."

The red-eyed male grinned sadistically, like it was a missed opportunity. "Originally, I had planned to have taken Hitsugaya's sight and slowly have taken more from your ward as you watched in despair, Master. For you to learn the suffering of the living and the salvation of death — how easy it was to die and how hard it is to live. And yet, why mortals and youkai alike wish to live. But…"

"Your ward proposed another option." He finished, air around him terse. Kohaku grew cold as he realized that Sounga was summoned to protect Hitsugaya from Tenseiga, rather than the other way around. "You must duel with me, defeat me and I will acknowledge you as master and wielder. But yield or lose… not only will Hitsugaya will never see again, I will concede my allegiance to you, Sesshomaru-sama of the Inu no Taisho."