8-2 The Lost

We're returning to the Soul Society.

Huh?

Have you forgotten, Rukia? We came here to see what Ichigo would decide when this was over.

The Soul Society was aware that once the next Substitute Soul Reaper appeared, he would be a target. Ginjo would set his sights on that Soul Reaper and make contact.

We planned to use this Substitute Soul Reaper to locate Ginjo, and when that eventually happened...

...we would then eliminate both of them at an appropriate time. A vast majority of the captains shared this view of using Ichigo in that way.

But when the Soul Society came in contact with him, our opinions of what to do with him changed.

Instead of killing him like we had discussed, we found ourselves sharing our powers with this substitute. Captains were dispatched to watch his actions rather than stick to the plan of eliminating him.

Rukia, I'm sure you remember how vehemently you objected to the orders you were given to keep watch on Ichigo.

Impossible! That can't be! Ichigo wouldn't. He would never succumb to the temptation of the enemy!

You were right about him. Now that Ichigo has learned the truth, he's made his choice.

The Ichigo Kurosaki that we knew decided to make the same choice that the Ichigo Kurosaki you believed in made. Despite all that has happened, he has remained the same person. Someone who fights to protect, not destroy.

Our job here is done. From here on, I'm sure he can take care of the rest.

I can't tell you how glad I am that the Substitute Soul Reaper who appeared after Ginjo was Ichigo.

I agree.

From the very beginning, he has never wavered.

It's so amazing that the Soul Society's centuries of inflexibility, as well as mine and everyone else's fixed ideas...

...were literally transformed by the iron-willed determination of just one man.

Ichigo.

............

(I don't understand.)

(You should know by now that my goal is to crush the Soul Reapers who betrayed me. I expected you to oppose me in the process.)

(And yet, you're not doing that. This makes no sense! Why wouldn't you?!)

(That look in your eyes is the look of someone who's trying to understand me.)

(Trying to see matters from my perspective by putting yourself in my place.)

(So then, are you telling me that you plan to consider my position, even though you reject everything that I am?) Ichigo!!!

............

(Ichigo...)

(Would our roles have been switched if you'd been the one who appeared first? Would you have become like me?)

(Would something as simple as timing have changed our destinies completely?)

(Ichigo, if you'd been the first Substitute Soul Reaper instead, things might have been...)

(...very different.)

............

............

............

Riruka!

Are you stupid, idiot? This isn't an attack to slide yourself into the past. You were really going for the kill, weren't you?!

Outta my way!

Don't die! Don't die, Ginjo!

He's dead!

Face the facts. We couldn't have stopped this. We couldn't save Ginjo, no matter what.

He was the one who saved us. But the person who saved Ginjo...

...was Ichigo.