John had never been good at making decisions quickly.
He thought about them.
Too much.
But there was one decision he had already made.
He found Thorne after class.
“We need to talk.”
Thorne looked at him.
“If this is about the competition—”
“It isn't.”
John took a breath.
“I won't be working with you anymore.”
Zack stared.
Thorne didn't move.
“What?”
“I've joined Hitake's group.”
Thorne laughed.
“You're serious?”
“Yes.”
“You're abandoning us?”
“No.”
John looked directly at him.
“I'm choosing where I belong.”
Thorne's smile disappeared.
“You think Hitake is better than me?”
John shook his head.
“No.”
“Then why?”
“Because when things went wrong in Sector 7, Hitake didn't abandon anyone.”
Thorne's jaw tightened.
“He got lucky.”
“So did all of us.”
John paused.
“But he made decisions.”
Thorne looked away.
John continued.
“You used to be someone I respected.”
Thorne looked back.
“You're saying I lost that?”
“Yes.”
Silence.
Then John walked away.
Thorne remained where he was.
Zack slowly approached.
“Boss?”
“Don't.”
Zack stopped.
Thorne looked at the training field.
“He chose Hitake.”
“Yeah.”
“Then I'll prove he made the wrong choice.”
Meanwhile, Hitake's group was training together.
John stood behind his shield.
Hitake watched him.
“Again.”
John raised an eyebrow.
“I've already done twenty.”
“Twenty-one.”
John sighed.
“You're enjoying this.”
“A little.”
Zena smiled.
“He needs it.”
John groaned.
“You two are terrifying.”
Vicky laughed from the side.
“Welcome to the group.”
John looked at Hitake.
“Why do you want me here?”
Hitake's answer was simple.
“Because you stood between a monster and a healer when you were afraid.”
John went quiet.
“You think that makes me strong?”
“No.”
Hitake smiled.
“I think choosing to stand there does.”
Something inside John loosened.
For two years, he had carried the memory of Lily.
Every failure had become evidence that he wasn't strong enough.
But Hitake wasn't asking him to forget.
He was asking him to keep moving.
John raised his shield.
“Again.”
Hitake smiled.
“Again.”
Across the training field, Renji watched.
He noticed the change.
John had become more confident.
Zena trusted Hitake.
Vicky was beginning to follow him.
And Hitake was becoming a leader without realizing it.
Renji's eyes narrowed.
That was dangerous.
Not because Hitake was strong.
Because people were beginning to believe in him.
Renji turned away.
A strange voice whispered from somewhere behind him.
“You're afraid of him.”
Renji stopped.
“No.”
“You should be.”
He looked around.
Nothing.
The voice disappeared.
Renji clenched his fist.
He hated the feeling.
Not fear.
Doubt.
And he had never tolerated doubt well.