Masahiko took Yuuki back to her home while he heads back to their base. While on the way, he ponders for a while.
(This is bad... they no longer need the black mist to leave and return to the Abyss.), he thought.
A few hours later, Toushiro decides to go on patrol like always to keep his mind off things.
(What's wrong with me? I can't stop thinking about her... (*sigh*)..... I really should focus... let's see... that Antumbra mentioned about taking something from me. What does it want? Was Shinohara Shinjo involved? If what the Head Captain said was right, I have to find out what that is. Maybe it's not something that we know but something we have.), Toushiro thought.
Then his head throbs as another vague memory came to his mind.
He saw a girl was handing him something saying,
[I promise to return so please take care of this while I'm gone].
The pain suddenly became intense and Toushiro faints on the spot when he tried to look at what she just handed him.
".... shiro..", a familiar voice called.
Toushiro opens his eyes feeling lightheaded. When he was fully awake, Toushiro saw Ichigo in his Shinigami uniform.
"Hey Toushiro? You okay?", Ichigo asked.
"Yeah... I'm fine..."
"Sleeping in the middle of the park is 'fine' to you?", Ichigo said. "Let's just go back, you need to rest... you look pale."
Meanwhile at the Kurosaki Clinic, Yuuki woke up feeling revitalized.
(*yawn*) "A good sleep was all I needed.", Yuuki said as she streches her arms. (My head hurts a bit though..... oh well...), she thought and shrugs.
She steps out from her room and senses Ichigo's Reiatsu. Then Kon in Ichigo's body opens the door. Yuuki peeks on them as Ichigo and Kon assists Toushiro to his room.
(Shiro?!! What happened to him?!), she thought with a concerned look on her face.
Ichigo places his palm on Toushiro's forehead.
(As I thought.... he's burning up. I better call someone.), Ichigo thought. "Kon, look after him for a while.", Ichigo said.
Since Ichigo has no other means to contact Seireitei aside from Rukia and Kisuke, he decided to inform them first.
"Sure.", Kon said.
Ichigo leaves to inform Kisuke since Rukia and the rest of the Shinigamis are busy patrolling Karakura Town so they could be anywhere.
At the Kurosaki residence, Yuuki knocks on the door.
"Ichi-nii, it's me."
"S-Sorry my ang-.... Yuuki but I'm busy right now.", Kon said, trying his best to act like Ichigo.
"Oh... it's just that... my head hurts a little, I was only going to ask if you could buy me some medicine, pretty please? I don't want to use the ones at the clinic since it's for emergency and we're low on supply anyway.
(*sigh*) "Alright...", Kon said. (If I run then I can get back in no time.), he thought.
Shortly after Kon left Yuuki summons a Shikigami.
"Keep him busy for a bit.", she ordered.
The Shikigami nods and leaves while Yuuki went to check on Toushiro. She sits at the edge of Ichigo's bed where Toushiro lays and gently places her palm on his forehead.
"You're overworking yourself...", Yuuki mumbled with a concerned look on her face as she gazes at his sleeping form.
(I don't thinks it's simple as that.), Amaterasu telepathically said.
"What do you mean?"
(I can sense a strong magic from him. It may be the effect of Farah's spell, I've seen her work a few times already. It is at its strongest when people starts to remember about the Sacred Jewel of Soul. Normally they would only fall asleep and forget about it when they wake up. In his case, it seems he's pushing himself to the limit just to remember.)
"What will happen if this continues?", Yuuki nervously asked.
(I've encountered cases like these for only a few times. If he keeps this up I don't know if he'll wake up again.)
"Oh no!! What should we do?"
(We only have two options: first, wipe out his memories again.)
"No! We can't do that! What if something bad happens to him if we wipe out his memories over and over again?!"
(There's also the second option, tell him everything.)
"That's a no go either.... I trust Shiro, but I don't want to put his life on the line again."
(You decide.... what is more important... think about it carefully.)
Yuuki ponders on what is the best thing to do.
(If we erase his memories again, he'll only search for them and will end up in an endless cycle.), she thought.
Amaterasu returns to Yuuki's inner world to let her think about it carefully.
(For now, I should take him to our secret base. Grandma Farah might drop by there again. She'll know what to do.), Yuuki thought.
Yuuki summons two Shikigamis, one is to stand in for her and the other is to help her take Toushiro to their secret base.
By the time Kon returned, they were already gone while Yuuki's double is already asleep. Yuuki informed Masahiko and the rest beforehand and prepares a room for him. She explained the situation to them and told that she won't leave until Toushiro gets better.
Meanwhile at the Kurosaki Clinic, Kon informs Ichigo about Toushiro. He and the rest searches for him for a while until they eventually reported to Seireitei that he's currently missing.
*******
Yuuki spent the next twenty-four hours taking care of Toushiro.
"Yuu-chan... you should rest too.", Shino said.
"I aready did, I just woke up a couple of minutes ago."
Yuuki checks on his temperature again.
"His fever has gone down a bit.", Yuuki said, slightly relieved.
"I see... then I'll change the water."
"Thanks Shino."
As Shino leaves the room, Yuuki stands up and turns her back to face Toushiro. She takes out her phone to call on Masahiko who was out trying to look for Grandma Farah.
"Hello, Ma-kun? Any news?"
"None yet so far, we know nothing about her... she suddenly just pops out of nowhere. I'll try looking at the Shinohara village maybe I'll find some clues there.", Masahiko said on the other line.
"Better than nothing I guess.... okay, be careful."
"Yuuki...?", Masahiko suddenly called again.
Then Toushiro wakes up which Yuuki failed to notice since she's busy talking to Masahiko.
(Where am I?), he thought, his head still throbs a little.
"Yes?", Yuuki asked.
Toushiro immediately shuts his eyes when he heard a voice to listen in.
"If we don't find Grandma Farah... then what would you do?" , Masahiko asked.
"We'll tell him everything. That's the only option I've considered...", Yuuki said.
(This voice..... sounds very familiar..... Yuuki?), Toushiro thought.
"..... and besides.....", Yuuki said.
She returns to her seat beside the bed and places her hand on Toushiro's forehead to check on his temperature.
"It seems he's getting better so we still have time."
Her touch somehow soothes him.
(Are they talking about me? Tell me everything? I knew it, these guys might be the people with masks and they know something.), Toushiro thought.
"Well you were taking care of him for the last twenty-four hours so it wouldn't be that surprising.", Shino said carrying a basin of water.
"I'll call you back then, bye.", Yuuki said and ends the call.
She stands up from her seat again and approaches Shino.
"I'll take it from here, thanks.", she said and takes the basin of water from her hands.
"If you need something else then don't hesitate to call me.", Shino said.
"Okay."
Yuuki places the basin of water and dips a cloth onto it. Then she replaces the cloth on Toushiro's forehead unaware that he's already awake. Toushiro thought that if he pretends to sleep for a bit longer then he might find out more about them.
"Now I'm a bit hungry... I should get some snacks.", Yuuki mumbled.
Hearing the door shut, Toushiro opens his eyes and scans the room.
"As I thought.... this isn't Kurosaki's place. This might be those guys lair. Why did they take me here?", Toushiro mumbled.
A few minutes later, Shino suddenly came in, she didn't know that Toushiro is awake and Yuuki was out.
"I forgot to tell you that should put on your mas-", Shino said.
She was cut mid-sentence upon seeing Toushiro awake and quickly shuts the door upon making eye contact with him.
(Oh no! He saw me!), she frantically thought.
"Shino? What are you doing?", Yuuki, who just got back asked.
"He's awake. Hurry and put your mask on."
"He saw you?!"
"Yeah, it's no big deal since he doesn't know me. Besides, I rarely leave our base so they won't find me. Here I brought your mask."
Shino hands her the mask and leaves.
"Thanks."
Yuuki knocks on the door.
"Shiro, I'm coming in.", she said and opens the door. "How are you feeling? Are you hungry? I brought some food."
"Yuuki.", Toushiro said.
She stiffens upon his call. Toushiro is smart and she knows it, he must've figured things out somehow.
"E-Eh? What?", Yuuki nervously asked.
"Tell me..... is that really you?"
Yuuki couldn't answer and after a long silence her phone rings. She answers it but Toushiro doesn't take his eyes off her.
"He-Hello?", Yuuki nervously answered.
"Yuuki it's me, I found Grandma Farah... more like she found me.", Masahiko said.
"I-I see... what did she say?"
"It seems there's nothing she can do about it but erase his memories again."
"No we can't do that!"
"Then you're going to tell him everything?"
"Yes. That's what I said earlier. You can head back now, thanks for your hardwork.", Yuuki said and ends the call.
Yuuki turns her attention back to Toushiro who's still staring at her.
(*sigh*) "Even if you find out my identity it won't bring your memories back.", Yuuki calmly said.
"But you know everything right?", Toushiro asked.
"That's right..."
"Then that won't be a problem....", Toushiro said. "Anyways, you haven't answered my question yet... is that really you, Yuuki?"
Yuuki remained silent so Toushiro gets up and approaches her. She doesn't try to get away and just stands there staring at the floor. Toushiro stands in front of her and slowly takes her mask off. Yuuki slowly looks at him on the verge of tears.
"What's wrong?", he asked.
"Now that you know who I am there's no turning back. I cannot protect you anymore...", she said with a sad look on her face.
"What do you mean?"
"I think it's time you go back... I'll explain things some other time. Everyone's still worried looking for you.", Yuuki said. "But Shiro... you must promise me not tell anyone about us or you knowing about us... I can't get everyone involved again."
"Alright... I promise. But does Kurosaki know about this?"
"No."
"Then one last question before I go..... who are you to me? When I found out about you, my vague dreams suddenly became vivid... you are the person in my dreams."
"Those weren't dreams... those were memories.... our memories."
"I see... it makes sense now....", Toushiro mumbled as he sighs in relief. "Alright then... I should get going..... but how do I get back? I don't even know how I got here."
Without warning, Yuuki suddenly presses her lips to his. Naturally, he got surprised but moments later he became drowsy and fell asleep.
The next thing he knew is that he woke up in a park near the Kurosaki Clinic and saw Yuuki's Shikigami approaching.
"Toushiro-sama it's time for us to head back, I shall explain everything to you.", Yuuki's double said.
"Yuuki? Why are you so formal all of a sudden?", Toushiro asked with a confused look on his face.
"I am Yuuki-sama's Shikigami created to stand in for her when needed.", she politely said. "Before anything else I called Ichigo-sama, he'll arrive any minute now."
She senses Ichigo approaching.
"Looks like he's here... then I'll see you at Yuuki-sama's room later."
Yuuki's Shikigami disappears and Ichigo arrives moments later with a surprised look on his face.
"Toushiro?! Where have you been all this time?! Everyone's worried looking for you! Someone called me saying that you're here. I pressume she's also a Shinigami looking for you.", he said.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to worry everyone. I was only doing my job... besides I can take care of myself so there's no need to worry about me."
"I know that but we can't help it since you were missing for almost two days and on top of that you were sick.", Ichigo said. "Let's just go back Yuuki will be really happy to see that you're back."
Arriving at the Kurosaki Clinic, Yuuki's double quickly gets to work. Toushiro was already in his gigai. Not long after the two got back, she quickly approaches them.
"Ichi-nii, may I borrow him for a minute?"
Without waiting for his reply, she drags Toushiro to Yuuki's room leaving Ichigo with a confused look on his face.
At her room, Grandma Farah was there waiting for them.
"Hello there, it's been a while.", Grandma Farah said.
"Who is she?", Toushiro asked.
"She's Grandma Farah, telling you everything in detail will take forever so she will return the rest your memories instead.", Yuuki's double said.
She shows him the ring he once retrieved from Michiru.
"Just wear thing ring and everything will come back to you."
Toushiro takes the ring and slips it in his finger. Then everything came back to him in fast forward. He was speechless for a while, and a single tear ran down his cheek.
"..... she's alive....", he mumbled with a light smile on his face.
"Yes, it wasn't easy... she was in coma for about three months. She just got back about five days ago.", Yuuki's double said.
(So it was around that time at Inoue's place, she really did saw me.), Toushiro thought. "Where is she now? I thought she would be the one to tell me?"
"She's going to the Abyss to save Shinjo.", Grandma Farah said.
"Wha-?!! Right now?!", Toushiro asked with a surprised look on his face.
"Yes. They're on their way to the Dark Gate as we speak.", Yuuki's double said.
"It's within the village where she used to live right? Can you take me there?"
"Yes, but why would you want to go there?"
"I'm going with her whether she likes it or not. I just found out that she's alive after all these times and now I might lose her again? There's no way I'll let that happen ever again."
"Toushiro-sama, the Abyss isn't that much of a dangerous place as you think. For others then yes, but for the members of the Shinohara clan its not."
"That doesn't change the fact that the Abyssal Knights are there. If the Chained Hollows evolved and are more powerful than before then there's no way they'll get left behind, right?"
"That's true but Amaterasu-sama will be there with her."
"I know she's powerful but no matter how strong she might be, she can't attack and protect Yuuki at the same time, can she? I just don't want them to take any risks no matter how small it may be."
"Alright.... I understand... if we hurry we might still catch up to them."
"Lead the way."