Sode no Shirayuki

(Death scene of Izuna was heavily inspired by It Would Be Blue by shadesofmidnightsun; chapter 9, will probably use her death scene of Izuna as mine as well)

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After Tōshirō welcomes Hyōrinmaru back after thinking that he loose him, his memories as Tobirama Senju returned to him and he lost his consciousness. 

He wakes up at the 4th division barracks with a very distraught looking Momo.

“Oh you’re awake Shiro-chan”

“It’s Hitsuyaga-Taichō, Hinamori-fukutaichō.” He reminded his friend.

“But you’re not wearing your uniform Shiro-chan, and you’re out of duty.” Momo wailed towards him. Making some memories of his past life has resurfaced, of a certain man with long brown hair which in his past life he calls as Anija. 

His silence makes Momo worried, “Shiro-chan?” 

“I think I need to rest Momo.” 

Then Momo nodded and sit in the corner chair again. 

And when he sleeps he remembers two brothers that he buries that he mourned silently because there’s no one beside him, harsh words because he defended himself, a village hidden in the leaves, children’s voices, a war where the dead was waken up to fight, and a brother who went and kneels to a man he wants as a brother while he was left unspoken of. 

He wakes up with a heavy heart and tears running down his face, he was not alone. 

“Rukia-Taichō.” 

“Toshiro-Taichō, my zanpaktu has told me that you may also remember some of your past life.”

“Ah, yes. I did.” Finally wiping the tears from his eyes. 

Rukia sensing that the young man will not open up she closes her eyes.

“When Shirayuki comes back to me too, I’ve regained some of mine.”

That caught the attention of the white-haired captain. “Oh.”

“I’ll share mine if you first share yours?”

Then the dam of emotions that his past was cracked by Tōshirō, and now there is someone willing to listen to him 

“I was a very lonely man who’s brother didn’t want, who died for a village who only remembers me as a man who hated a clan called Uchiha. I was revived twice to fight again for war I was not even part of anymore and was ridiculed that they didn’t even know I created the techniques that they have been using.” he stopped when a hand appeared on his shoulder, he didn’t notice the tears have leaked again but he continued 

“But the worst part is that the old me just accepted everything and didn’t try to fight back, didn’t defend his action. I was dismissed by my only remaining brother because I alerted my father. Why didn't my past self told him the real reason? That I'm only looking out for him when I alerted our father, what does he think will happen if we didn’t show up? He’ll be killed in an instant. That the reason why I killed on the battlefield because I was defending myself. That I didn't really kill Izuna, but my past self didn't fight to reveal the truth. I died for a village that doesn’t even see my sacrifice!” He was screaming when he stopped and added "Why can’t I stand up for myself?"

Rukia stayed with him and tried to calm him down. He calmed down after a few minutes.

“You said you’re gonna share yours.” He asked wanting to at least divert his attention from his memories.

“Well, I was a man in my past life, I was also a younger sibling in that past life, my death was used by a vengeful being to cause mistrust and chaos, and the blame was put at the hands of my rival.” Rukia then lied down beside him.

“Wait rival?” He asked

“Yeah, you see I would consider him as a friend since we really don’t kill each in the battlefield rather we just violently spar, sometimes he trained me in the battlefield too. We know what would happen if we kill each other. That’s why we have a silent truce of battling each other. We won't kill each other. He’ll help me with eye-stealers and I’ll help him with some child-hunters.” Rukia then stopped and looked at the ceiling

Rukia then continued while still eyeing the ceiling “Then a vengeful spirit who wanted to reunite with his mother has used my weakened state and made me whisper to my brother not to trust the other clan, he made sure that my brother will be alone, changed a stone tablet. He made it looked like my wound is fatal and that my body will reject my brother’s eyes. Then I died and my stupid brother started a war.”  

“Wait, Rukia-Taichō, you’re Izuna?” He sits up and looked at the lying Taichō beside him.

Then Rukia have given a peace sign “Yo!” then laughs “You’re stuck with white hair Tobi! But finally, I’m taller than you!”

“At least I’m not a girl with a flat chest!” He then answered childishly

Rukia laughed loud that they hear a medic shushed them. “Man! I thought you’re gonna be that stoic man again once you have your memories back.”

He just glared at Rukia-also-Izuna then asked “I’m trying, my memories are clashing, but my past seems like a very distant memory. But it’s not really affecting my actions. I'm just very bitter and salty.”

“Yeah, me too. My soul lingered when I died and I visited you, I hate your brother by the way.”

Tobirama chuckled “You heard our conversation then.”

Rukia just nodded. “It’s gonna be a confusing one cause I will see you both as Tobirama and Toshiro.” 

Toshiro hums his agreement “After so many adventures in this present let's just put the past behind us. Past is the past, I’m a different person now, same as you.”

“Want me to tell you a secret?” Rukia quips

He looked at Rukia and nodded. 

“What if I told you we can go back to our past?”

Toshiro blinked at Rukia “What are we gonna do with the past? It’s already written and it’s not our place anymore.” 

“Well, I just want to kick Zetsu’s ass. And it’s unfair you have a second chance to participate in the war against that freak.” Rukia pouted which makes Toshiro laugh. 

“Your brother has pinned me down and stuck so many rods in my body. I don’t think that’s fun.” 

They stayed silent but Toshiro breaks it “Is your Kuchiki-Taichō allowing you to travel to the past?” 

That makes Rukia sits up “I’m a grown woman I don’t need Oniisan's permission, and I already am a captain of my own division. Unlike you, I think you still need so-taichou’s permission”

“What? Why?”

“Well, you do know that Jūshirō-Taichō treats you like a son and you know that Shunsui-so-Taichō is also fond of you.” Then Rukia stops and puts her hands in her face in a thinking position “Funny how All of the Taichō’s are protective of you, and that includes me! I mean we all know you can hold your ground and is stronger than most of us but almost all of us have always been protective of you. Even Kenpachi!”

“Shinsui-so-Taichō is fond of me because his husband treats me like their own son, Jūshirō-san only treats me like a son because of my hair. You only feel that way cause I'm the youngest here in Gotei 13.”

“Well, true to the part of you are the youngest, but all of us are really fond of you simply because of who you are.”

Then silence takes over again. 

“If we can travel, can we choose the 'when'? And how are we going to go back?”

“Oooh~ am I spiking your interest?”

“Yes.” 

Which makes Rukia excited as she animatedly explain “We can choose the when, well we can go back to our old bodies or we can appear and guide our old selves. That’s what Renji told me, he chooses to appear as Renji in his past and take care of himself.”

“Will that change the past?” He asked

“I think so because when Renji came back he told me he has now happy memories. Why? On what timeline do you want to go back to? Cause I'm down to whatever. I just want to kick Zetsu’s back and my brother’s maybe your brother too.”

“I don’t want to change the past, because like I said it’s not our place anymore. Let the new generation build up their own. But I think of one event on where we can maybe go back and kick some ass.”

“When?” Rukia asked with a tilted head.

“The 4th war.”

Then Rukia smiled “They will be surprised when they revive you then you use your zanpaktu and just kill Kaguya on the spot. I want in!”