Hikone tilted their head in confusion. Hisagi chose his words carefully. “Just think for yourself for a minute. That Tokinada guy could be wrong about some things, right? Because there isn’t a completely perfect person who exists in the world.”
What he actually wanted to say was, “That Tokinada guy’s a crook, so don’t listen to him.” But if he said that, Hikone likely wouldn’t have even given him a chance to explain and surely wouldn’t believe him.
Kaname Tosen, who had edited the Seireitei Bulletin in the past, hadn’t shied away from concluding that evil was simply evil. On the other hand, he also hadn’t written off as fools those who had been tricked by evil. But in many senses, Hisagi still didn’t have as much experience as Tosen and so ended up sounding rather crude.
“Wrong? What is it that’s wrong with Lord Tokinada?”
“Well, that’s…”
“From whose perspective does it seem like he’s wrong?”
“Huh?”
Hikone had asked that not out of sarcasm but out of genuine curiosity. Hisagi hadn’t expected such an answer from a child who still seemed full of youthful innocence, so he hesitated.
“Well, you know…I can’t say that it’s the whole world, but in the Soul Society and the world of the living, well, in each of the societies of those places, it would look that way to them.”
“I see… In that case, I don’t think he’s wrong to me.”
“What?”
“For me, my whole world is what Lord Tokinada gave me.” Hikone spoke only the truth, matter-of-factly. “I don’t know any other worlds. But there’s no reason I need to know about them.”
“But, that’s…!” Hisagi swallowed his words.
Up until then, Hikone’s eyes had seemed to convey placid innocence, though they also gave the impression of a profound, cavernous vacancy. However, after the words Hikone had just uttered, Hisagi felt with certainty that they contained within them the light of a strong will.
Looking at those eyes, Hisagi thought for a moment. Hikone wasn’t just being swept along by circumstance, but was planting their own roots into the world with their own childlike, yet determined volition.
But…
Hisagi felt that there was something missing. Just looking at Hikone’s face, which Hisagi now saw conveyed strong will, he couldn’t help but see Hikone also as the bearer of a serious deficiency. As Hisagi’s thoughts churned over this conundrum, Hikone continued, “Even if Lord Tokinada was doing something that everyone in the world thought was wrong, it wouldn’t be wrong to me.”
“Just…stop.”
“For example, even if everyone else says Lord Tokinada is a bad person…to me, Lord Tokinada is justice! Yes, indeed!”
“Stop that!”
Justice.
The moment the word entered Hisagi’s ears, he unintentionally raised his voice.
Hikone’s eyes went wide as though with surprise, then they immediately bowed their head to Hisagi.
“I’m sorry. Did I do something to upset you, Mr. Hisagi?”
Hikone seemed genuinely apologetic, and Hisagi felt guilty and averted his eyes.
“No… Sorry for shouting.”
Then he turned his eyes toward Hikone, realizing he couldn’t run from this. The face of his blind Soul Reaper teacher flashed into his mind as his hand gripped into a tight fist.
“You should not speak about justice…so lightly.”
“Huh? Why not? Lord Tokinada told me that all the Soul Reapers in the Soul Society are principled people who fight for the sake of justice. Oh, but of course, I’m not one of the Court Guard’s Soul Reapers. So is that why I’m not allowed to talk about justice?”
“That’s not the issue… There isn’t just one kind of justice. You can’t assume that the justice that Tokinada speaks of is the same one the Soul Reapers mean.”
Although Hikone appeared childlike, there were some aspects about their knowledge that were more adult. Hisagi felt troubled, not knowing how to break things down and explain them to Hikone. However, Hikone grasped Hisagi’s intentions and even said the words that Hisagi was hoping he would not: “Yes, sir! Lord Tokinada did say that! That’s why Lord Tokinada and I might fight against all of the Soul Reapers soon!”
“What did you say?”
“Since it seems like everyone is finally here, I think that Lord Tokinada will be calling me. I’m very sorry I wasn’t able to give you a proper reception, Mr. Hisagi.”
After saying that, Hikone once again bowed their head and tried to leave. Hisagi was taken aback for a moment, then he tried to stop the child’s retreat.
“Wait! Why have you got to fight? The Soul Reapers aren’t your enemies! You don’t have a reason to fight!”
Hikone turned around when he called out to them and looked at Hisagi with natural curiosity in their eyes.
“If Lord Tokinada says that all the Soul Reapers are enemies, then I have lots of reasons to fight. Isn’t it enough of a reason to fight if our justices are different?”
“Killing each other isn’t the only answer. To begin with, Kenpachi Zaraki is one of the people you’re saying you want to fight—he’s a ranking captain. He doesn’t care if you’re a little kid. He’s not the type of guy to hold back against a strong opponent. It’s just my impression here, but I think you’re probably pretty strong. Still, if you do fight him, you’ll end up dead.”
“Will I?”
“You will, so…”
He wasn’t intending this to sound like a threat, but Hisagi was desperately attempting to stop Hikone. However, Hikone broke into a gentle smile that seemed to indicate acceptance. “Then I will fight until I die for Lord Tokinada. Because no matter what happens, if I can’t live up to Lord Tokinada’s expectations, then there isn’t any value in my being alive.”
Hikone wore the expression of a child who was innocently looking forward to picnic plans for the next day.
“You idiot! You don’t just say you’re going to die, or that your life doesn’t have any value, so easily!”
Hisagi raised his voice again, and Hikone bowed their head somewhat sorrowfully.
“I’m very sorry. It seems that I really do just make people angry.”
“Don’t apologize, damn it… It’s not your fault. I know that.” After Hisagi’s frustrated reply, he started to recite a kido chant: “Bakudo number sixty-three. Sajosabaku.”
“Huh!”
Chains of light created from reishi wrapped around Hikone and restrained them.
“Sorry. I think I’m Tokinada Tsunayashiro’s enemy, but that doesn’t make you my enemy,” Hisagi declared. “You wait here. I’m going to have a talk with this Tokinada guy…even if it means I have to get rough with him.”
Hikone didn’t appear angered or saddened by this and replied almost awkwardly, “I’m sorry…this is hard to say, but I think that’s impossible.”
“What?”
Pling! The Bakudo chains broke into pieces and were sent flying. But Hisagi had already assumed that might happen. Based on his perception of Hikone’s spiritual pressure, he hadn’t assumed the child would be restrained so easily.
However, he was still dealing with a child. He thought he might have been able to successfully tie the child up if he exploited the difference in their levels of experience. Needing to get another plan into motion right away, Hisagi started to put together his next kido, but…
In the blink of an eye, Hikone disappeared.
“Wha…?”
Hisagi’s eyes opened wide with surprise as he felt something near his solar plexus. It was the palm of Hikone’s hand—the child had come right up to his chest before he’d realized it.
Thunk. There was a light press on his solar plexus, and at the same time, an enormous amount of spiritual pressure flowed into him, vehemently shaking Hisagi’s Saketsu and Hakusui.
“Guh!”
Though he didn’t feel any pain or suffering, a deep, chilling darkness began to erode away his consciousness.
“Mr. Shuhei Hisagi. You won’t be able to win against me, Lord Tokinada, or Ms. Aura. It’s impossible for you to sway anyone with brute force.”
As Hisagi’s consciousness faded, that voice, which was sincerely apologetic, reverberated in Hisagi’s mind.
Wait.
You’re not going out there to die. I finally understand. I know what you’re lacking.
Hey, wait, just wait…
Though Hisagi tried to shout, he could no longer make a sound. Hikone, who had turned their back to him, was of course smiling as they uttered the next words, which Hisagi heard as his consciousness dropped fully into the darkness.
“So please, please don’t push yourself. Please take a rest here! Yes, indeed!”
≡