Bleach- Akira
*Chapter 1- Betrayal*
(Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, but Akira and her lovely companion Hikaru are mine =))
*Karakura*
Akira didn't think she'd ever curse the rain that fell, but she did as she made her way to the meeting place her best friend relayed to her before the captains meeting held by the head captain. Her elegantly placed lips were set in a frown as she remembered why she was even here.
"Aizen? What's the matter?" Akira made her way over to her best friend and comrade, Souske Aizen. Her bright blue eyes relayed concern over his disposition. "Don't you have the captain's meeting soon? Shouldn't you be on your way?" She questioned, absently running a hand through her long ebony hair. Aizen looked down and nodded, adjusting his glasses. "Meet me in the world of the living this time tomorrow. I need to talk to you about something." Akira's eyebrows creased in concern. When Aizen's tone was serious, he wasn't joking around.
Concerned, she put a delicately manicured hand on his arm. Nodding, she replied, "Yeah, no problem Aizen. You can count on it." Aizen's face was grim. "I cannot say much more, but you need to tell nobody we are meeting. I'll send you details later." He looked around, as if he was suspicious of anyone listening. He continued, quieter then before. "I have to go to the meeting, but I will see you tomorrow Akira." His face was grim as he turned around and walked away as Akira watched after Aizen's retreating form. Little did she know that he was smirking. Akira's Zanpakutou didn't like it one bit.
"And I still don't like it, Akira." A deep and almost relaxing voice held a tinge of disappointment. "That man is never up to any good." Akira snorted. "You just over analyze Hikaru." She whispered to her Zanpakutou, her feet sloshing through the rain that made splashes upon the ground. She took a deep breath, savoring the smell of the rain, and to calm her nerves. Humming to pass the time, she arrived at Aizen's meeting spot. Looking around and seeing that Aizen wasn't there yet, she took her place against the nearby wall and waited for her friend's arrival. "Be careful Akira." Her zanpakutou was wary. Akira felt wary too. "Yeah, yeah." She whispered as she tucked a piece of her long hair behind her ear and kicked a nearby box. With a sickening squish it landed in a nearby water puddle.
She could feel his presence when Aizen arrived in a flash across from her. "Aizen." Akira spoke as she pulled away from the grimy wall that she was leaning on. Aizen sighed. "Forgive me Akira. I wanted someplace away from the soul society to talk. You know how they are." Akira smiled as she adjusted her Shihakusho. "Of course I know how they are. What brings you to drag us out into the world of the living for? Especially in this run down alleyway that just looks something awful." She wrinkled her nose and looked around with disgust. "Honestly wouldn't you think that people would get murdered here?" She chuckled. "Yeah great joke Akira." Akira snorted. "Shut it Hikaru."
He went straight to the point. "I will overthrow the king of soul society." Akira froze, not believing what she was hearing. A couple of seconds passed before she snapped out of her stupor. Shocked, she walked over to Aizen and grabbed his arms, looking into his eyes. "You... Want to overthrow the king of soul society! That would require the key! It's not possible!" Her eyes widened in shock as Her hands tightened around his Shihakusho. "Please tell me you're joking!"
To her displeasure he merely smiled. "I can create it." His tone was so deadly serious and so unlike him that it made her back up, unbelieving. "So." She got quieter. "You're saying you want to create the kings key?" She whispered, placing her hand absent mindedly on her chest over her heart. "That's impossible!" She looked at the ground, biting her lip in anxiety. "Careful what you say here Akira. Every action will be calculated by him. And whatever you do prepare for the worst and don't hesitate to call upon my aid. Remember what I tell you Akira! You can't ignore me this time about him!"
His eyes looked crazed. "I can create it." Akira looked back up at Aizen, even more unbelieving at what she was hearing. "And what will happen to create the king's key? It requires vast power!" Aizen only sighed and pointed at the sky. "100,000 souls should suffice. They are only sacrifices needed to build the new world with me as its leader." He smirked.
Akira put a hand on Hikaru. "You're right Hikaru. This isn't the man I know that is standing before me. This is someone else entirely." Her Zanpakutou was silent, as if brooding over what would happen next. Her voice was shaky, even to her. "Karakura... That's what you're after?"
His eyes she noticed, were no longer the kind and warm eyes that she knew so well. "Momo would be displeased." She thought with a sigh. "She probably won't believe me anyway, seeing as he has her wrapped around her little finger."
She backed up, wary. Aizen noticed her disposition and frowned. "Out of all the people in this world Akira, I thought you would understand. You out of every forsaken fool out here!" He motioned with a wave of his hand Karakura and to the sky where the soul society was. Akira backed away slowly, frowning. "Hikaru, this isn't the Aizen I once knew. When did he change? When!" Her Zanpakutou seethed in her head. "Release me Akira! Do it now! He will not hesitate to kill you now! He is past no return!"
"No Hikaru! I will not give up on my friends, I don't plan on starting now!" "Aizen? This isn't like you! Please, listen to me! I care about you I really do, but what you're saying is wrong! The kind Aizen I know wouldn't speak of such things! He would want to help! He would believe in what was right!" Her voice was breaking up as tears started to build up, blurring her vision. A breeze picked up, blowing around her already soaked hair. He chuckled, causing her to step back further. "Isn't like me?" He drew his Zanpakutou. "Since when did you ever know who I was? Who are you to judge me! You insignificant bug!"
Akira's blood ran colder if that was even possible in her opinion. Akira drew her Zanpakutou, her blade seeming to reflect the brilliance of the sun only for a second despite the dreary day. "We grew up together Aizen! How can you draw your blade against me? I thought that-"
"No Akira, you don't think." She never saw the blade coming. Her eyes widened in shock as she dropped Hikaru and her hands flew to her chest. Struggling to stand for a couple of seconds took up more strength then she realized and she fell to her knees. "Ai...zen... No..." She coughed up blood and whimpered. "He... Actually did it Hikaru.."
Hikaru was screaming in her head. "I'll kill that bastard Aizen for even laying a finger on you! I'LL KILL HIM!"
Aizen chuckled and walked past the wounded shinigami, already sheathing his zanpakutou. "Farewell Akira. We will not meet again." He disappeared, not even leaving a trace of himself behind. Akira cried out in agony as she held her wounded chest which blood seemed to pour out with every breath. She fought consciousness as her blood poured down her fingers in rivulets and dripped to the ground mixing in the rain that fell in sheets. She fell backwards, unable to support herself any longer, and with a splash she crashed to the ground gasping with every breath as tears slowly leaked down her face. Akira was trying to grab much needed oxygen into her lungs as darkness stole her vision and robbed her of her breath. The last thing before she was swallowed up was the dreary sky.
"I'm sorry."
*Somewhere near Akira*
He could feel the spiritual pressure fluctuate, then disappear altogether. Ichigo; The substitute soul reaper, ran through the back streets of Karakura town with Rukia, whom was looking for the mysterious spiritual pressure that he did not recognize. Rukia looked worried. "Hurry Ichigo, we have to find her!" He noted the her. "You know her Rukia?" She nodded, her eyes narrowed in concentration and remembrance. "Yeah, She's and old friend. She helped to teach me at the academy and even afterwards." Rukia smiled. "She's one of my good friends Ichigo."
He could only nod. "Right." They turned the corner and froze in their spots. Rukia cringed and ran to the crumpled figure on the ground, whose blood pooling around her and running down the nearby gutter drain. her long black hair was floating around her, mixing in with the blood. A long gash from her collarbone down to her waist decorated her body. Rukia knelt down next to her friend and hurriedly checked her pulse. She breathed a sigh of relief upon discovering she was still alive. Rukia looked at Ichigo, who was frozen in place. "Idiot! Help me carry her!"
"G...Got it!" Ichigo ran over to Akira and gently picked her up cradling her in his arms. Rukia looked around, noting their location. Her voice wavered. "It's a good thing that we are so close to Urahara's shop!" Rukia's violet eyes landed on Akira's form in Ichigo's arms or a moment before looking away. "We should hurry!" After picking up Akira's sword that Akira dropped earlier, they took off in the direction of Urahara's shop, with Ichigo gently carrying Akira as he ran after Rukia. He couldn't help seeing what was in Rukia's eyes the moment they landed on her friend. "Lets hope we get there in time to save her." His eyes shone with determination. No, they would get there in time to save her. He would make sure of it.
After a couple of minutes of running in silence, they arrived at Urahara's shop. Not wasting any time, they threw open the door and ran inside. "OY! HAT AND CLOGS! SOMEONE'S INJURED AND NEEDS YOUR HELP!" Smiling, Urahara met Ichigo and Rukia. "Ah another customer? Follow me." He led them to the back room in the shop and opened the door. "Set her down here, I have a bed ready for her."
Ichigo set Akira down on the bed, and Urahara checked her vitals. "Not good. I'll do what I can, but we need Orihime." He frowned as he got some bandages and medicine from hidden stashes in the cupboards. "But she's not here!" Ichigo looked down at the delicate pale face of Akira, who was looking worse every second that passed. Rukia stood up after kneeling next to Akira. "I'll get her." Rukia looked at Urahara and he nodded, signaling her departure. Ichigo paced the room, watching Urahara tend to Akira. "Damnit! What can I do?"
Darkness. That was all that was around her, eating up her mind and swarming into her soul. Akira panicked and struggled to move, but it felt as if she were being held down by something invisible. "Hikaru! Hikaru, where are you! Answer me!" Silence answered her pleas for help. "HIKARU! Damnit! I need your help! HIKARRUUU!" There was still no answer as she still struggled against the darkness. Akira vaguely wondered if she was dead. "Akira..." A voice called out to her. As she was wondering who it was, Akira was suddenly grabbed and thrust into another world.
Akira opened her light blue eyes to a stormy world that she recognized so well by now. "My... Inner world." She thought as she stood up and looked around. A vast meadow surrounded her, but instead of it being peaceful like it should of been, it was instead a dreary dark world. She shivered, it was drizzling. Even the plants and the grass looked pathetic. Akira frowned and crossed her arms. "You can come out now, Hikaru. Unless of course you like to see me this way." She snorted. "Sadist."
"Hey, hey! You don't have to put it like that you know." A figure materialized in front of her. His tone of voice changed. It sounded disappointed. "I told you not to trust him Akira." He ran a hand through his short brown hair as he glared at her through his sharp indigo eyes. He adjusted his outfit, which consisted as orange undershirt with a black vest, black dress pants, and lastly black dress shoes. He slowly walked over to her. He sighed as she looked up at him because he towered over her, with him being about 5'9'' and she was only 5'3''. "I'm trying to keep you alive Akira. You're lucky to have such a caring Zanpakutou."
She snorted. "Yeah, sure you are." Her eyes softened as she looked at the ground, her mood suddenly changing. The scene with Aizen kept playing over and over in her head, her mind still reeling over his betrayal. "Aizen he..." She trailed off and started to sniffle. Hikaru's eyes softened when he saw what was happening. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey-"
He didn't get a chance to continue as she started to cry into his shoulder. He just put his arms around her and sighed. "Alright, I forgive you. Just be careful next time okay? I don't want you to get hurt because of that bastard again." The wind picked up even more as she sobbed even harder. "Why! Why did he do that Hikaru! I thought he cared after all we have been through? He talks about killing thousands of people as if it were nothing!"
"That's just it Akira, he doesn't care! He might seem kind on the outside, but on the inside he is a cruel, calculating man with an oversized ego and an I will become god complex!" After a while of crying and Akira mumbling hundreds of he's not like this, he grabbed her chin and tilted her head up to look at him. Akira's eyes were red and puffy from crying so hard. "No more tears." His voice was soft. "You're better than this Akira." He smiled his trademark smile all full of warmth and she slowly nodded back at him, sniffling.
"Okay." She said after a moments silence occasionally interrupted by her sniffling. "I promise. Thank you for always being there for me Hikaru." she looked up at him as he smiled his trademark smile that was all full of his warmth and kindness. Akira nodded and slowly faded away to reality, leaving Hikaru alone in her head. "I promise Akira, he will pay." He whispered, clenching his fist. "He will atone for what he has done to you, that I will assure you of." He then faded away, returning to the back of her mind, concentrating on keeping her sane and alive.
Akira opened her mouth, and all that came out was a wheeze. She cracked one eye open, and all she got was blurry vision. "She's coming back now that Orihime is healing her." Urahara nodded. "You're doing great Orihime." "Th..Thanks Urahara. I'm trying." Orihime wouldn't admit that it took a large amount of concentration on her part, or the fact that she has had very little understanding or training in her powers because she was too kind for that. Orihime turned her concentration back to healing the female shinigami. "She will be safe now right?" Ichigo questioned as his concerned brown eyes landed on Akira.
Urahara nodded. "Yes, she should recover now that Orihime is healing her. She would still have somewhat of a scar though." Rukia stared at Akira's slowly breathing form. "Is she trying to talk?" Rukia noted, seeing as Akira's mouth was slowly moving. "Yes, but she is half conscious. She's fighting, which is a good thing." Rukia nodded. "Thanks." Urahara smiled, shielding the bottom half of his face with his fan. "It's quite all right." For a while, the only sound that could be heard was the sound of Akira's breathing and the soft sound of Orihime's Shun Shun Rikka's spell Sōten Kisshun working its effects on the shinigami.
Frowning, Ichigo took a seat next to Kisuke and was watching the injured shinigami intently. "You know Ichigo, if you stare at her long enough she might grow a third head." Rukia sniggered. Ichigo's reply was cut off by Akira's sudden coughing. Slowly opening her eyes, Akira opened her mouth to say something, but all she got was a wheeze. "Careful now Akira, you've been injured badly." She recognized the voice as Urahara's.
"Kisuke... I suppose I owe you for saving my life?" She whispered. Kisuke grinned. "You owe Orihime, Ichigo, and Rukia for saving your life Akira." Akira closed her eyes, as the glow of Orihime's powers were starting to hurt her eyes. "Thanks." She whispered as she fell back asleep. "Don't mention it." Ichigo said, frowning as he noticed Akira falling back asleep. Rukia slapped Ichigo on the arm. "Hey what was that for!" Rukia smiled. "Nothing."
Ichigo snorted. "Right, I'm suuurreee it was nothing." He rolled his eyes at her as Rukia stuck out her tongue at him. Orihime smiled as the glow faded from her powers and her hairpins returned back to normal. Muttering a small thanks, she turned to address the rest of the room. "She's just sleeping now, so she should be fine." "Thanks Orihime!" Urahara exclaimed. "Its nothing, ah hah hah hah!" Orihime laughed nervously as she was not used to Urahara giving her a thanks. "You all can go home now that she isn't in such a critical condition." Urahara said as he stood up.
Ichigo, Rukia, and Orihime walked to the door with Urahara. Orihime bowed to Kisuke. "Good night then, Urahara-San." Ichigo nodded as he left the shop with Orihime, leaving Rukia with Urahara. "Thanks for your help Kisuke. I'll be back later to check up on her." Rukia left the shop, leaving Urahara with the unconscious Akira. He sat down next to Akira with a sigh. "You sure got yourself into something else Akira."
*3 days later...*
Akira awoke to the sound of the rain. Groggily, she turned her eyes to the ceiling. She frowned as she recalled what had happened with Aizen. "He cut me down didnt he..." Her hand hit the ground in anger. "He won't get away with this. I will see for my own eyes, his reason why for why he did this. He..." She sniffled as a tear leaked down her elegantly sloped cheekbone. It didn't go unnoticed. "He will pay for what he has done!" Her mind was made up then, on that dreary day in a small room in Urahara Kisuke's shop. She would stop Aizen with her own two hands, she would ask him why. If only her heart would agree with her. A voice interrupted her from her dark thoughts. "You're awake I see."
Akira looked over to Kisuke as he entered the room, her expression unreadable. He sat down next to her and was silent. Akira looked back towards the ceiling and frowned. "How long has it been Kisuke, since I last saw your face?" Her voice was hoarse. He smiled as he hid his face behind that annoying fan of his. "Far too long, Akira." She smiled as she sat up slowly, the vertigo momentarily making her dizzy for being still for so long. "Ugh..." She groaned as she placed a delicate hand on her forehead. "How long was I out for?"
"About three days. Rukia has checked in on you every day since you've been asleep recovering from your wounds to see if you've awakened yet." Akira sighed. "Three days." "Akira." Urahara snapped her out of her thoughts. He was worried, this wasn't the shinigami he once knew. "Huh? What is it Kisuke?" Akira looked at Urahara in curiosity. "Rukia, Akira."
"Oh yeah, when will she come back?" Akira laid back down, breathing a sigh of relief. "Actually, right about now." Urahara smirked as Rukia entered the room. "Urahara, has there been any change in..." Rukia stared at Akira as she sat up again and gave a little wave. "Hey shortie. It's been a while yes?" Smiling, Rukia walked over to Akira's bedside and sat down. "Is...Is it okay if.." Akira smiled. "Yeah shortie, go ahead." Rukia gave Akira a hug. Akira chuckled. "It's good to see you again Rukia." Thus the happy reunion was interrupted by Rukia smacking Akira in the back of the head. "Ow! Rukia what was that for!"
"For being such a moron!" Rukia's face seemed to get redder by the minute. "Moron? How am I a moron?" Akira frowned as Rukia huffed. "Because you got yourself injured and almost killed if I hadn't been around to save your sorry butt!" Akira looked away, ashamed. "Yeah. Thanks for saving me Rukia." Rukia smiled. "It's okay. Just promise me I won't have to it again next time." Akira ruffled Rukia's hair. "Okay shortie, I promise."
Akira laughed. "Its okay. Help me up okay? I need a shower." Rukia stood up and offered a hand to help Akira up. "No problem." Once Akira was on her feet she looked at Urahara. "Hey Kisuke, do I have my just in case stuff here since I was last here? Seems you found my gigai too seeing as I'm in it again."
"Yeah your stuff is in the storehouse Akira, I'll go get it." Urahara got up and went to the storeroom to get her stuff. Akira placed a hand on Rukia's shoulder. "Thanks again Rukia, I owe you my life like always." Akira's eyes shone with gratitude.
"Pfft, don't mention it. You always find a way to pay me back." Rukia smiled. "Besides, you can always accompany me on patrol." She winked and Akira laughed. Urahara decided it was time to drop in. "Okay Akira, here is your clothing." He handed Akira a box of clothing. "Here you go."
Akira took the box gratefully. "Thanks Kisuke. I knew you would find them." She smiled. "Especially since I haven't been here in quite some time." The fan was in front of his face again. "You know where everything is!" Akira nodded. "Of course." Akira walked to the door leading out of the room. "Thanks for everything Kisuke." She gave a warm smile before walking out. It didn't reach her eyes.
Rukia sighed. "I just hope she will be okay." Urahara's eyes glanced over, meeting Rukia's eyes. "Me too. Oh! I just remembered." He paused, earning an 'oh'? from Rukia. "We need to talk about your transfer of powers to the boy Ichigo." Rukia sighed, it was going to be a long evening.
*With Akira*...
Akira shut the door to the bathroom and turned on the lights. She placed her stuff with the essential bath stuffs that she still had stashed in the shop. Stripping of the thin nightgown Urahara put on her gigai when he put her shinigami soul in it, she turned on the water to the bath, her thoughts swarming in her head. As the water filled the tub, she looked into the mirror on the wall, taking in her reflection.
Akira's complexion was pale from her encounter with Aizen, as her body was still trying to finish healing. Her face was elegantly shaped, her cheekbones high and her face long. Her raven colored hair was matted to her face and down her back. Akira examined her light blue eyes and she grimaced as she saw dark circles under them. "Despite being asleep for three days, I still look like I haven't slept at all."
Akira stripped the thin nightgown off of her thin frame Urahara put on her gigai when he put her shinigami soul in it. She turned on the water to the bath, her thoughts swarming in her head. As the water filled the tub, she looked into the mirror again to examine her wound. Her fingers traced the bandage that was tainted red that ran from her collarbone to her waist. Carefully, she removed the bandages and hissed. "Damn thing is so tender!"
"Don't worry Akira, he will pay." The voice from her Zanpakutou tried to comfort her. She hmphed and hissed again as she peeled more off of her bandage. "I haven't heard from you in a while Hikaru. What took you so long?"
"I was keeping you alive remember? It took me a while to recover the energy I spent. We don't do much fighting remember so im still a little weak."
"Right, sorry." Her tone was apologetic. "Thanks for the help Hikaru."
"We will get him for what he has done." His tone turned deadly. "And he will pay with his life." His voice faded away thankfully because Akira didn't want to hear anymore. She sighed and turned off the hot water in the tub. "A soak is just the thing I need." She threw away the filthy bandages and slipped in the hot water, crying out as the hot water touched her wound. "It needs to soak, it needs to soak, owie, owie, owie, owie," She repeated over and over again as she submerged fully.
The pain subsiding, she leaned her head back and sunk into peaceful relaxation. Except her thoughts kept returning to the incident that she had put back in her mind: That one incident would shatter what she thought. She was betrayed by her closest friend and supposed ally. A tear rolled down Akira's face and her Zanpakutou wasn't helping things either by staying silent in his rage at Aizen. She felt the newly made hole her heart bared, and it would never go away. "I will find him, and I will make him answer for what he has done." The tears rolled down her face anyway.
Revenge didn't seem so sweet to her, it sounded more like torture.
(A/N: Oh noes! It looks like revenge? Thanks for reading my new story Akira! I already have a couple chapters on the way! Look forward to it!)
-Becky-