The Dark Side of the Blade

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. No, really, I don't.

Hey! Another new story. I wanted to try and write one that was a little more serious. So please don't complain if it wasn't quite what you were looking for. I worked hard on this! Please enjoy!

If you fall, I'll catch you...

I can catch myself.

If you are in danger, I will save you...

I can save myself.

If you are hurt, I will heal you...

I can do that myself.

If you die, so will I...

I will be fine on my own.

But I won't...

Lie...

The tears wouldn't stop rolling. I could feel the damp trail they left in their wake, like fading memories. I can never forget the day my brother died, nor the events that were to follow.

The day of the accident was like any other day, to me anyway. I was on my way home from school. I had chosen to walk home that day, because I couldn't afford the bus fare, and it seemed that my brother had forgotten to pick me up again. Thus, my commute home took longer then normal. This caused two things to happen. The first, my brother rushed. He had been delayed by my parents, who never liked me anyway, and ran outside in a blind panic. From what I was told, he wasn't thinking clearly when he backed out of the driveway. I'm not so sure. The second, I saw the accident with my own eyes. My brother had spotted me as I was walking around a corner, and tried to flag me down. I noticed him just as the truck plowed into him head on. The smoke billowed from the burning remains of my brother's car, filling my nose and scorching my eyes. The heat was immense, but my body was frozen to the spot, slowly turning to ice as the warmth of my world disappeared.

The tears wouldn't stop rolling. I could hear them as they fell to the ground, like droplets of blood from my hands. I watched. They pulled my brother's charred and blackened frame from the skewed wreckage and twisted metal. My parents cried when they heard of my brother's death. Not because they mourned his passing, but because they would have to deal with me on their own. My brother's funeral was more of a social gathering then a means to bury him. All of the guests were friends of my poor excuse for parents. They never even met my brother, much less cared about his death. I alone paid my respects to him as he was placed into the cold ground and the dirt was placed over him. It was I who visited his grave everyday, and placed flowers on his tombstone.

That was how it happened. I was visiting my brother's grave on my way home from school, as usual. This time was a bit different then the others, since, when I arrived there was already something there. It was the first time I ever saw a spirit. The small girl who fled for her life, chain dangling from her chest, looking like a toy before the large creature that chased her. The bulky form and strangely shaped mask on it's face, reminded me of a bear. The girl noticed my gaze, and cried out to me for help, but I simply stood there and watched as the large monstrosity took the girl in it's claws. What did she want me to do? I couldn't help her, no matter how hard she wished it. It ate her in one gulp, then turned to look at me, a crooked smile on it's face. At least, what resembled one. I knew then that this would be my fate. To die by the hand of a creature such as this. Or so I thought. Instead of eating me, it struck up a conversation.

"You are a strange human. You haven't even tried to run away from me." I looked up at it, one brow raised as it sat down in front of me and gave me that strange grin again.

"It's not like I haven't been called strange before. If you wanted to kill me, there is nothing I can do to stop you." The monster looked somewhat startled at my words, but quickly regained it's composure.

"I like you kid. What do you say to us becoming comrades?"

"Alright."

I had answered before I realized it, and ended up friends with this strange creature that called itself a "hollow". Although, it was less of a friendship as much as I was this hollow's pet. He seemed convinced that he had to watch my every movement, like I would get lost or something. I didn't really mind. It was nice to have something care for you. If it couldn't be my family, a monster would do just as well. It was also a very good reason for me to stay out of the house. My parents didn't care what I did anyway. Spending my life at the heels of a hollow wasn't so bad. In fact, it went very well. Until the day that he showed up. The sight of that broad back, the white robe that billowed in the wind, the smell of blood in the air, the Japanese number six showing clearly on his back. This feeling that raged inside of me, the slain body of the hollow I had grown attached to fading away into nothingness. Hate. I instantly hated this dark haired devil that took my only sense of being from me.

"You….are in one piece." I narrowed my eyes at the owner of this deep, cold voice as he turned to look at me with empty eyes. The blood of the hollow stained the front of his clothing, and the tears I had been trying so hard to keep in, rushed down my face.

"There is no longer any need to cry. I will send you off in peace." He raised his sword and I closed my eyes, my stomach twisting into a knot as I awaited the incoming blow. My forehead was greeted by something smooth and cold. I opened my eyes in confusion to see the hilt of his sword resting gently between my eyes. I watched as the man's brow twitched slightly and he lifted the sword to look as the hilt . He acted almost as if it was broken. After glowering at the bottom of his sword for several minutes, he tapped my forehead with it once again. Nothing happened, although I was sure he had expected it to.

"Um, what exactly are you trying to do?" I asked quietly, having calmed down enough to form a proper sentence. The man removed his sword from my face and sheathed it, crossing his arms afterwards as he gave me an inspecting stare. I stared back at him until he spoke again.

"I am trying to send you off. Why are you resisting?" I was puzzled by his words and gave him a confused look.

"Do you mean, like you would send off a dead person?"

"Of course." I drew a blank at this. I was sure that I was still alive. I hadn't thought about death in quite some time.

"I'm….not dead." He gave me an annoyed look as I spoke.

"You are in denial." I sighed at his words. I've never had to prove that I was alive before. That was when I thought of something, and pulled a knife from my pocket. His eyes grew wide, and continued to grow wider as I used the knife to cut my wrist, watching the blood flow. I wasn't quite sure if this injury hurt or not, since I had long ago forgotten what physical pain felt like. I held up my dripping wound to the man, a small smile on my lips.

"See? I'm alive. Dead people don't…."

"BAKA!!" I flinched as the man interrupted my sentence with his shout of anger. He took hold of my wrist and forced me to sit down on the ground before him as he knelt, taking a bandage from his haori. As he took care of my self inflicted injury, I couldn't help but stare at the top of his head. He was leaning forward awkwardly, since the difference in our size was rather large, and his head was bent down to better inspect his work. How could a devil who had killed my very first friend, my one and only relationship, be it a flawed one, be so kind to me?

"Why are you being so kind to me?" He looked up at me from his work, which was done quite well, and my heart skipped a beat. He had even put stitches in, even though he needn't have.

"It's my job."

"You killed my friend."

"That hollow? That was not your friend. It was a monster that would have eaten you without a second thought."

"But he didn't."

"He would have."

"No he wouldn't of."

"You are dim-witted, aren't you?" He muttered in annoyance as he stood up, crossing his arms once again.

"No, I'm just hated."

"That is ridiculous."

"Then replace my friend. Be my friend in his place, if it's so ridiculous." The man was silent, and made no move to answer me. I sighed, knowing I had always been bad at making friends. "Mina Kendo." This made the man twitch slightly as my name seemed to slip from my lips.

"Byakuya Kuchiki." I was completely taken aback by the reply, and yet relieved at the same time. I had never expected him to reply with his own name. "Now, go home, Kendo-san."

Author's note: Wow, this story won't be very long. Good thing it's meant to be short anyway. My brain can only take so much seriousness. I tried very hard on this. Let me know what you think! Stick around for the next chapter.