Prisoner of the Bount

Healing

Urahara had managed to acquire a car so Renji climbed into the back with Toshiro. Rangiku and Momo told them that they would plan to meet up with them back at Urahara's place. Momo's face was downcast and Rangiku did her best to cheer her up as they jumped through the air. Despite her efforts Momo didn't seem to be any happier. When they arrived at Urahara Shoten the car had disappeared. Both of them entered to find Urahara sitting at the front.

"Hanataro is attending to him."

"May we see him?" Momo asked, her hands clasped in front of her chest.

"Not yet," Renji said walking into the room.

"Renji. How is he?" Rangiku asked.

Renji shook his head. "Not good, his spiritual pressure was deeply drained causing his Konpaku to become unstable. That's why we could see through him. Hanataro is doing his best to stabilize him by setting up a force field to help him gather spiritual pressure. It's in his hands now."

They were all surprised by the door opening down the hallway. Hanataro walked out and nearly fell. Renji was quick enough to catch the exhausted member of squad four. "Hanataro!"

"I-I'm alright."

"How is Captain Hitsugaya?"

"He'll live. He just needs rest." Rangiku could see that Momo desperately wanted to go and see her adopted brother. She placed her hand on Momo's shoulder and smiled when the lieutenant turned to her.

"Go to him," she said. Momo smiled her thanks before slipping past Hanataro into the room. Rangiku helped Renji carry Hanataro to a bed where he too could rest, before going into the room herself. She slid the door closed quietly once she was inside. Then she stepped over to his bed side and knelt down. She laid Hyourinmaru inside the barrier next to his master. Momo was sitting on the other side of Toshiro's bed holding his hand. Rangiku was encouraged by how much stronger Toshiro's breathing sounded, as if some of his strength had returned.

For days he lay in the barrier, his strength returning bit by bit. Momo never left his side during that time. Rangiku left knowing that Toshiro would be well cared for. She spoke with Renji and Urahara keeping posted on the progress of the battle against the bounts. Kenpachi had practically sent the bounts packing. Kariya, it seemed had found some dark place to hide in and was staying put. As long as Toshiro stayed inside the Reishi gathering barrier he would recover fairly swiftly, but Rangiku knew that Toshiro had a lot of spiritual energy and that it wouldn't come back over night. They would be lucky if he was back on his feet in a week.

It took four days for Toshiro's konpaku to stabilize enough that they could no longer see through him. Both Rangiku and Momo stayed by his side unwilling to leave. Renji tried halfheartedly to coerce them to leave, but it didn't work and he swiftly gave up trying. Everyone else continued the search for where the bounts had disappeared to eventually watching as they invaded the Soul Society. Rangiku knew that their men in squad 10 would soon be within the line of fire and she wanted to be there to help them. What would her captain have her do? Torn between her duty to the squad and her desire to protect her captain she found it a difficult decision.