That hesitation was all she needed. She shunpoed in closer, not to stand in the way, but to speak. "You can't, Hitsugaya-kun! It's Frau. We know him. And this... isn't him."

"He's fighting it; I just know it." She looked at Frau, listening to the growl of the scythe. "You hear it too, right? Please, we—we can't." She struggled for the words, to convince herself and Hitsugaya-kun that this was the right thing to do. "Gi-give him a chance to fight it. He deserves that much, doesn't he? Whatever this is, doesn't he at least deserve the chance to try? He's not a threat anymore—we can keep him safe, locked up. If—if we kill him, then... then... whatever it is that's eating at him wins."