Retracing old paths

Instead of going to deal with the problem Ren instead decided to take an unofficial leave of absence. "You know, I did try." He said, gripping his sword as the seinkaimon closed behind him. "But I'm a soloist, it's everything that makes me the Red Wolf." He said, but didn't get a response from his other half. "Oi, can you hear me Hiru, where did you go off to?" He asked, concerned about his brother who usually spoke to him all the time." Seriously, if you're pulling the silent treatment act because of the whole leaving thing then I'm telling you right now, it won't work." He said, only growing ever so angrier as time went by without a response. "Alright Hiru, I'll play your game." He said, finding a place to hide before he sat to meditate until he found himself in the zan world. "You know what, we should really see about fixing the place." He looked around at his world that was always engulfed in in all forms of fire and heat. "Seriously, this place is a furnace..." He remembered why he was here, then went searching for his brother Hiru."Hiruuuuu!?... Where are you man?" The world around him created a sky blue path that he knew lead to Hiru. "Something.... Isn't right." He kept walking until he eventually found what was his brother. There Hiru sat in black, lava like, goo that had a sicking vibe to it. "Brother, are you alright!?" No response."Akuma!" His zanpaktou's spirit form appeared next to him, folding his arms as he looked at the two.

"Before you ask, your brother is being absorbed. Soon you will too and once that happens you'll become one. Just let it happen."

"Just let it... Happen??? What.. The.. Hell??" He tried his best to stay calm in spite of how much he wanted to kill him."This is my brother you're talking about and you want me to just let it happen?" Aku rubbed his chin, sighed then went to explain his choice of words.

"You'll disappear too, so don't worry about it." He placed a hand on Ren's shoulder."It's been a long run, but it's about that time for your body to fix itself but don't worry, I'll take care of the new you."

"You son of aaaaa!" He threw a straight punch that was instantly caught and stopped in place."I don't care what happens to me but he has to survive!" He said, going to pull his other half from the goo, but a force of fire stopped him in his place.

"Stay back, I don't want you to end up like this." He said cautiously and in fear of what might happen if he came in contact with it.

"I don't think so, if you go then I go with you." He pushed through the flames, grabbing a hold of him; as he went to snatch his brother from the goo he too was absorbed slowly into it. "What.. Is this?" He said in a weak voice as both he and his brother slowly vanished into the substance. A few hours later and the goo merged into a short guy with purple hair.

Ren's body changed form as he started to look more like his fifteen year old self. He looked different compared to his middle self from a few seconds ago; his hair even changed from a silky silver to a dark purple. For a moment he was confused as to where he was or why he was in the current place but knew that he wasn't supposed to there. Suddenly a butterfly of sorts showed up requesting him to be in the hall. Instinctively, his body moved on its own, opening a senkaimon to the Soul Society.

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