"It's a trial all right! Times three! Three ways for me to fail!" Yes, three people made it there, but they were people with magic or fighting skills.

"It starts out with really thick fog that separates you and makes you find each other again. But like that wasn't hard enough, there are other voices trying to keep you away! After that, you have to climb up a cliff." That's the one he truly feels is impossible for him. And where did that cliff come from, anyway?

"If you can make it that far, the last one isn't hard, but it's still messed up. You have to give up a memory or relationship from Chroma."

See? Even a super strong sword spirit thinks the trials are bad! How was he ever supposed to have a chance?

But of course Tonbokiri isn't just giving up because they're difficult. It's reassuring, but Keigo isn't quite ready to commit to being reassured yet.

"You'd really carry me?" The fog and giving up a memory are difficult and scary, but it's the cliff that really feels impossible to Keigo if he has to pick between them.

"What if that makes you fall?"

There's no reason to doubt Tonbokiri - although Keigo is certainly trying to think of reasons why this is a bad idea - in either strength or resolve.

"What would I need to do?" He's willing to hear more.

"That's a really big responsibility!"

It's not just holding on to someone's sword for them. Like he said, Tonbokiri's spear is him. Ichigo would never let him hold his sword and a zanpakutou is just deeply connected to the person, not literally them.

The alternative, though, is never getting a chance to return home. He's already lucky enough to have Tonbokiri offering to help him through the challenges. He shouldn't let it slip away because he's nervous about holding on to the spear.

"I'll do it."

Keigo's preparations are less steeling and more quietly freaking out. Perhaps it's an accomplishment that it's quiet because he wants to allow Tonbokiri to focus on his task before they set off. That spear is going to have to take care of fighting off trees for the both of them.

Is there anything they can do to get ready? If only these were trials they could study for! He would be happy to study for once.

"Can you think of anything you'd never say so I know the fog is trying to mess with me and I should walk the other way?"

"The name one is a good one! I know you never call me Keigo, but I'm used to other people doing it. I might not have noticed!"

But what would a fake Keigo do to try to trick a friend?

"The real me would never say they're happy to be in a world without video games and music and movies." Still a sore spot after all this time. "Or talk about being excited to do something dangerous!"

Like going into the woods to face three almost impossible tests.

Keigo braces himself and stays close to Tonbokiri as they enter the forest. He's true to his word, slicing through any attacking branches. Keigo's grateful for the protection, but the trees feel more menacing the deeper into the woods they go. It's almost enough to make him wish for the fog to hurry up and come.

He wants the fog to come right up until the moment a tendril rolls across his feet and the air in front of him grows dense.

"It's starting!" Keigo turns around in a full circle to look at the fog creeping in on them and by the time he's back where he started, he can't see Tonbokiri.

"Are you still there?"

Several voices, all sounding like the sword spirit, reply affirmatively. He doesn't want to do this anymore.

Keigo knows he isn't getting anywhere just standing in the fog, so his choices are walk randomly in the fog - not a great choice by any means - or try to engage the multiple Tonbokiris in conversation to figure out which one is the right one. That is...also not a great choice, but the one this trial is set up for.

"Are you really there?"

"I'm right here, Keigo! Just walk this way." Ha! They were too prepared for an easy trick like that! Keigo purposefully walks in the opposite direction of that completely wrong voice.

"We should press onward." That one sounds all right. Tonbokiri would want to keep going. It's not quite enough to go on, though.

"Please hurry this way. I'm worried about you." Tonbokiri does look out for him a lot. Maybe this one?

He looks back and forth between the general area where each of the last two voices came from before deciding on the "please hurry" one. Keigo heads the wrong direction, not realizing that the trick was the lack of confidence this version showed in him.

The encouragement to move forward continues in bits and pieces as he walks, each new statement only subtly wrong, never enough to inspire second thoughts. It takes him right out of woods.

Keigo doesn't have to wait to be found because he emerges only a few steps away from their starting point. There's no seeking out Tonbokiri anymore because he's right there. And the fog isn't.

"This is where we started!" He looks utterly betrayed as he takes in their surroundings.

"There was one I knew was wrong right away because he called me Keigo, just like you reminded me you wouldn't do."

Another pat on the back to them both for sorting that out ahead of time.

"That left me with two other voices. One said we should keep going forward and the other one told me to come his way because he was worried. I started walking toward the worried one and I think I kept following him the whole time until I was here."

Not entirely wrong was still wrong enough, and Keigo hates their fairy tale life a little more.

"I'm not eager. I'm only doing this because I have to! That other part wasn't fair, though. I might sound like that. I'll be excited when we pass this test."

If they pass this test. But Keigo leaves that unsaid and wishes for some of Tonbokiri's optimism as he follows him back into the woods. Now that he knows just how tricky this is, he's going to listen carefully and think extra hard before he makes a single move in the fog.

When the fog descends again, the voice calling him Keigo is gone this time, like whoever is doing this doesn't bother when he's proven he won't fall for it. It's still hard to decide between the two other voices.

Think, he tells himself. What was wrong the first time? Tonbokiri said he wouldn't say he was worried so easily. He always tries to encourage him and makes him feel like he's capable, even if he isn't a super strong sword. Could it be that they're trying to trick him with a Tonbokiri that doesn't trust in his abilities? That sounds right! Keigo judges each thing he hears against this standard, making his way out of the fog bit by bit.

He's the first one out this time, almost wanting to kiss a location for the first time in his life when he realizes it's not the edge of Chroma. Tonbokiri appears before he even has time to worry too much.

He worries. But just a normal amount.

"I'm here!" They're not back where they started!