Tamashi no Kiri
Prologue: Shapes in the Fog
Life is covered in fog
Death is covered in fog
Both are shrouded in uncertainty
With only vague shapes
Reaching out to us
Rain fell from the grey heavens and a lone figure staggered among the dead. Banners of rags waved dreamily in the soft wind while stiff, gnarled hands reached up to the iron heavens in prayer of salvation that would never come. The lone figure staggered as his foot caught one of these supplicant hands. He and the crows and the wild dogs were the only living things. While he went hungry the crows and dogs feasted on flesh.
The lone figure stopped and leaned on his cane. Its golden head resembled a human skull on one side and a youth's head on the other. His grip tightened on it to keep from falling in exhaustion. He looked around trying to find any of the others like him, those who belonged to neither the World of the Living or the Dead. But they were gone.
The War of the Three Kings had broken out and his tribe had been caught in the middle. The powers unleashed upon the nation came without warning. His tribe had tried to defend itself only to become a sacrifice on the altar for the Three's ambition. The one in the East, a being that dared to call itself the "Spirit King", tried to eradicate those it deemed to be "Impure". The one in the West simply wanted power. The third, the one called "The King of Carrion", wanted chaos and death.
"I'm alone," he muttered.
The wind rose and he thought he could feel the hands of his kind caressing his face. He closed his eyes hoping that he would be taken as well. He did not want to be the only one of his kind, having no one who he could relate to. He would be vulnerable to their foes. They would hunt him down until he joined the mound of corpses on the altar of the status-quo.
"Do you wish to die?"
His eyes flew opened and he turned. The man behind him was clad in a long black coat. His neatly-cut blonde hair was combed back. His eyes were like twin pits of darkness with a pale white flame in their depths.
"Who are you?" he asked as he pulled on the top of his cane. The blade revealed shone like silver and tendrils of mist radiated from it.
"Put your blade away. It won't do you any good against me," the man said and smiled. The man sighed as he sheathed his sword. "As for who I am, that depends on you. I can be your bane or your salvation."
The man's eyes narrowed. Thoughts whirled through his mind.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"I've been known by many names," he said as he pulled out a pack of cards from his black coat. He shuffled the cards with the skill of a professional card shark. "You can just call me Revendeur. And you…shall I call you Voyageur?" He held up one of the cards. It showed a man walking along the shore with the moon looking down on him and eight golden chalices shone in the sky like stars.
"What do you want of me?"
The man didn't say anything, but instead sat among the corpses. He gestured for the other to do the same. His eyes blazed like white icy fire in darkness.
"I have a proposition for you. I want you to listen and then decide if I am to be your bane or your salvation."
3000 Years Later
Coyote Starrk found himself surrounded by fog. The last thing he remembered feeling was the cold blade biting into the flesh of his chest and him falling. The last thing he saw was the Shinigami Captain looking at him, his eyes filled with pity and, for some reason, hope. Then all became black.
He felt himself floating in the darkness as though he was a feather on a gentle breeze.
Is this the Second Death? It's actually not that bad. I feel as if I could sleep forever here and not have to worry.
The darkness began to give way to grey. Fog began to surround him and he felt something soft and wet beneath his feet. It was as though he was standing in a field. The early morning fog hung over all like a shroud.
"Where am I?" he whispered.
"Starrk, is that you?" a young girl's voice asked.
He turned and saw a figure sitting on the grass. He approached the figure and smiled when he recognized Lilynette. He saw that she no longer had the helmet-like mask fragment on her head and she no longer had a hollow hole. She was clad in a grey cassock that was the same shade as the fog around them.
He touched his own chest and did not feel either mask fragment or hollow hole. He was no longer clad in his Arrancar clothing, but in a long grey cassock of the same hue.
"Lilynette, are you alright?"
"I think so…. Wait… THAT FUCKING BASTARD KILLED ME!"
"If it's any consolation he killed me too." He grabbed Lilynette and held her in an embrace. "Still, at least we're not alone. If this is the Second Death then we won't have to endure it alone."
"I know, but Starrk. We won't be with the others."
Starrk's head bowed. He had not considered that, but she had a point.
"Good, they're awake," someone said.
Starrk and Lilynette started and stood. Even if they didn't have steel weapons they could still use their hands and teeth if need be. They turned and saw two women standing before them.
One of them was short and clad in a hip-long purple coat fastened by a dark purple sash. Her violet hair reached down to her chin and was styled to where only her right turquoise eye was visible and decorated with a skull. Her lower face was covered by the neck of a black shirt.
The other woman was taller, but with the same violet hair that was styled to have two corkscrew pigtails. The bangs framed her heart-shaped face. Her left turquoise eye seemed distant in thought while the right was covered by a black eye patch bordered with gold. Her golden bone headdress seemed to reflect sunlight that was not there. Her long dark dress seemed to be struggling to keep her large breasts from being fully exposed.
Starrk recognized the Reiatsu that they radiated. He remembered the name that Shunsui Kyoraku called out just as he was going into Los Lobos.
"Are you, perhaps, Katen Kyōkotsu?" Starrk asked.
"You are a sharp one," the taller woman said and smiled. "Yes, we are Katen Kyōkotsu."
"Why are we here?" Lilynette demanded. "You killed us right, so why not just let us rest in peace in the Second Death?"
"The Zanpakuto of a Soul Reaper has the power to purify a Hollow's spirit and send them to the Soul Society, send them to Hell, or to scatter their Spiritual Energy into existence. This is the In-Between. Here, all judgments are made."
"I see. So, how do you judge?" Starrk asked.
"The Zanpakuto's Spirit looks at the past life of a Hollow. However, since you are an Arrancar, it will be different. We will look at your past from after you became a Gillian to the present. As this occurs, Shunsui will also judge. Of course, we already know that he wants you to be saved, but it's not his decision to make. It's our decision."
"But what if that bastard needs to continue fighting?" Lilynette asked. "Suppose that he gets killed just because he's bothering with us." Starrk could tell from Lilynette's voice that she was hoping for such a thing to happen.
"I don't think time means anything here, Lilynette," Starrk said.
"That's right. Here, it may feel as though days pass, while in the Outside, only a fraction of a moment would have passed. Now then, it's time to see what there is to see."
The False Karakura Town
Harribel saw Starrk fall. She could not believe it. Starrk had been the strongest of them and the kindest. It wasn't right for him to fall in battle. She felt the tears come into her eyes.
"Starrk," she whispered.
She looked up and saw Aizen standing before her.
"Lord Aizen?" Harribel then felt the blade cut across her torso. Blood flowed from the open wound and her eyes widened in surprise. "What…?"
"I no longer have any use for you," he said. "No matter how many sacrifices I require you to make, none of them will bring me victory."
Harribel felt rage build up inside her. Starrk had died for him, out of gratitude for finding him a pack that he could belong to. This was how Aizen thanked him for his service…his sacrifice…her sacrifice. She rushed at him and used her broad pata to run the ungrateful Usurper through.
You lied to us, you bastard. You have no right to the Throne. You have no right to my service anymore.
"Please," Aizen said, beginning to fade. "Don't make me raise my sword twice to the likes of you," Aizen said from behind her. She looked down and saw his sword's blade sticking out of her chest.
There's no such thing as a world without sacrifice, she thought as she fell.
Darkness began to seep over her vision. But it wasn't completely dark. There were cold dark stars laughing at her from their height. All was cold and she could see silvery light seep into the corner of her vision. She could make out shadowy figures in that light with eyes that blazed like colored flames trapped inside ice.
She felt their cold gaze on her. Voices filled her mind, calling to her to join them. Promising her visions of realms that she could only dream of and power unlimited. All that she had to do was go to them and they would give her all that she desired.
NO! NO! NOT THERE! I WILL NOT GO TO THEM!
She felt her body strike the ground. It cleared her mind and that cold world of silvery light and dark stars seemed like a nightmare. She moaned and tried to sit up, but found that she could not move. Pain ran through her entire body, a blessed sign that she was still alive. But she knew that death was near. She wanted to see Starrk one last time before she went to the Second Death.
"I'm glad you're still alive." A figure came into Harribel's view and she knew that it was the Captain who killed Starrk.
"You…killed…"
"Don't worry. I'm here to make it up to both of you," he said and ran her through with the longer blade that still had some of Starrk's blood on it. "You'll see him again. I promise."
The In-Between
Harribel found herself in a grassy field covered in fog. The cool grass felt good on her feet and the grey cassock on her felt comfortable on her skin. She saw a hill and a gnarled and ancient tree at the top. Two figures stood under the tree and waved at her. She smiled as she recognized them.
"I'm coming," she said and began to run.
As she made it to the top of the hill the fog that surrounded them brightened. As they were reunited the world became a white light.
The Soul Society
The two Soul Reapers rushed through the forest. The sun shone through the branches, casting shadows on the green grass. They made their way to where the three figures lay. One was a little girl with light green hair and another was a woman with darkly-tanned skin and blonde hair. The third, lying between them, was a man with shoulder-length brown hair and a faded goatee.
"Are these the ones?" one of the Shinigami asked.
"Yeah, they match the descriptions that Captain Kyoraku gave us," the other replied.
"I better inform Captain Unohana."
"You do that. I'll stay here with them in case they wake up."
As his partner went to fetch Captain Unohana and the healers from Squad Four, the other man sat on the ground. He pulled out a deck of playing cards he got from the World of the Living during his last tour. He was on his third game of Solitaire when he saw that the man was beginning to stir.
"Where…am I?" the man asked, his eyes barely open.
The Soul Reaper knelt beside him.
"You're in the Soul Society now," he said.
Karakura Town: One Month after Aizen's Defeat
Ichigo Kurosaki lay on his bed. He gripped the Soul Reaper Badge in his right hand, his thumb traced the skull engraved on it. He did not know for sure how much longer he could continue being a Soul Reaper, but he knew that his time would soon come to an end. It was the price he was willing to pay to ensure that Aizen was defeated, but it was still difficult to accept.
He thought of his friends who followed him to Hueco Mundo to help rescue Orihime Inoue from Aizen's fortress, Las Noches. Chad, Uryuu, Rukia, and Renji had mostly recovered, but there was a noticeable change in Orihime. He remembered how she was before Ulquiorra Schiffer took her away and how she was now. She was quieter than usual, more contemplative.
She was with the Arrancar longer than any of the rest of us. We merely viewed them as enemy, but I wonder if she came to view some of them as friends.
Even though the war was over and Aizen was defeated, he could still feel the impact it had. He tried to re-enter Zangetsu's world, but was unable to. His dad, who turned out to have been a Captain in the Gotei, wasn't as talkative or as annoying as he used to be. His sisters, on the other hand, were still the way they used to be. Of course they had been unconscious throughout the whole thing and so they continued to know nothing about the Soul Reapers. But they weren't blind or stupid. They noticed the change in their father's and brother's behaviors.
Ichigo heard a knock on the door and he placed his badge under his pillow.
"Come in," he said.
"Hey, your daid said that I would find you here," Rukia said as she entered his room.
"Rukia…what are you doing here?"
"Are you really that big of an idiot? I came to see how you're doing. Why else would I come here?"
"I don't know," Ichigo said. "I thought that maybe you saw ole Hat-n'-Clogs and that maybe he found a way to help me keep my abilities."
"Sheesh, is that why you're here? Your dad did tell me that you wouldn't come out of your room, but I never thought it would be over something as trivial as your powers."
"It's not fair. I helped to defeat Aizen and my reward is having my powers taken from me. Once they're gone I won't be able to see you or Renji again."
"You knew the risks, Ichigo. Didn't Zangetsu tell you that it would happen?"
"He did. But I hate feeling useless. When my powers are gone, how can I possibly defend my friends?"
"Ichigo, you need to know that you'll never really be powerless. Even when your Shinigami powers fade, you'll still be able to fight for your friends. You managed before I came along. Besides, you never know what will happen. You might actually find a way to bring them back."
"How would you know?"
"I have faith in you, Ichigo. Ever since you came to rescue me from execution, I always believed that you would find a way to help protect your friends. I didn't realize just how much your friends meant to you until that moment when I saw you facing my fiery executioner."
"Thanks," Ichigo said.
"So, should I tell your dad that you'll actually eat dinner at the table?"
"Sure."
The Streets of Karakura Town
The Hollow was on the hunt. It sniffed the air for any souls it could devour. It had stayed away from the area while the Soul Reapers were cleansing the area that was transferred to the Soul Society, but now their patrols were dwindling again. Since the Soul Society was returning to a state of normalcy the Hollows would once again be able to feed in Karakura Town.
It was a rich feeding ground, made richer by the amount of Energy released during the battle.
The Hollow made its way through the deserted streets. So far it did not sense any Soul Reapers around. It let out a low chuckle as it continued hunting for prey. It then heard a soft whimpering sound coming from one of the side streets. It slunk towards the noise and saw the spirit of a young girl crying under a street lamp. It licked its teeth and made its way toward her, making sure not to frighten it until it was well in its jaws.
Hell
Szayel Aporro opened his eyes. He sat up and saw Aaroniero lying nearby. He remembered that the bastard had tried to devour him. Then…
Then that bastard showed up. What did he say his name was again? Oh, that's right. His name was Shuren and he…
Szayel Aporro did not want to think about being defeated a third time. The first two times were against Mayuri Kurotsuchi who not only allowed his Banka to devour him, but then dared to suggest that he wasn't even a real scientist while slowly pushing his Zanpakuto towards his heart.
Szayel Aporro looked at Aaroniero and smiled to himself. This was the perfect opportunity to find out exactly what the fluid inside his tank was made of. He could just leave the two heads lying around for all eternity and not have to worry about getting devoured. The thought filled him with ecstasy.
Now then, how do I get that damn tank open?
Darkness
"I see…Now, I see…Her heart was always there…"
"…In my hand," Ulquiorra said as he floated in the darkness. Cold dark stars laughed at him as he floated in their midst. Below him he could make out the silvery light cast from the ruins of a once great and glorious city.
I've seen this place before, he thought.
He saw that he was drifting downwards now and could now hear the sound of shuffling cards. He closed his eyes, wondering if this was all a dream or a delusion cast by his dying mind. The cold felt real to him and he opened his eyes. He saw that he was approaching a great palace that lay at the heart of the city. Its dome was in ruins and he floated down through the gaping hole. He saw statues of glorious figures lining the rotunda. At its center was a cenotaph that seemed to be made of ice. Inside the tomb was a figure clad in white and silver armor, clutching a sword.
Ulquiorra could hear the shuffling sound become louder and he looked around the chamber. He saw a man, clad completely in black, sitting on the ground. His legs were crossed in the lotus position and his blonde hair fluttered softly in the breeze.
"So, you've come, Ulquiorra Schiffer. I had hoped to talk to the female Espada, but she fought against the summoning."
"How do you know my name?"
"I know much about you," the man said as he ceased his shuffling. He looked up and Ulquiorra saw that his eyes were twin pits of darkness with pinpoints of white light at the center. He smiled a reassuring and alluring smile.
"I do not know you."
"You can call me Revendeur, even though it's not my true name. My true name, well even I have forgotten it."
"Where am I?"
"You are in the Tomb of the Lord of Winter," Revendeur said. He looked at the block of ice and smiled. "Of course, 'Tomb' isn't the right word for it. 'That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even death may die.' Am I not correct?"
"I do not know."
"I suppose not, since you're dead."
"Am I?"
"Your body became so much dust in the wind thanks to the boy. The girl did nothing help even though she could have reversed it. However, while they were your bane I can be your salvation."
"Why would I agree to live again?"
"That is your decision. You may tell yourself that your life is meaningless, but I know that you don't really believe that. You being here is all that I need to know what you truly want."
"Are you suggesting that I want to live?"
"I'm not suggesting it. I know it and I know why. There are so many things that you want to know, to comprehend. And, I can make your desire come true. I'm not like Aizen. He was a charlatan at best."
"Then it stands to reason that you could also be a charlatan."
"Isn't that always a chance when dealing with gods and devils? You may find that a god is a charlatan while a devil is the one who's honest. You may find that there is a man behind the curtain for all things deemed 'supernatural', pulling to strings to deceive the populace.
"I, however, have seen much in my time. I have seen the World of the Living being formed from the corpses of stars. I have seen societies that were ancient while the Arrancars and Reapers were still evolving from their primitive ancestors. I have seen powers come and go and come again.
"Past, present, and future are all one in my eyes and in my cards."
He held up a card. The image on it showed an angel blowing a trumpet over land and sea. The waves of the sea convulsed in a storm and the lands seemed to heave. Small figures seemed to run as skeletons and corpses rose into the heavens. A figure clad in black on a pale horse rode over the land with scythe in hand, reaping the living in a harvest of death beneath cold stars that seemed to reach down to feast on the souls.
"Le Jugement," Revendeur said. "It can be you if you choose it."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm putting a choice before you, as I've done with so many others in the past and with more in the future. You can chose to become a Child and wait here until the time comes for you to herald The Advent with the others. You can chose to be restored in Hueco Mundo. You can chose to be renewed in the Soul Society. Or, you can become nothing."
"You already know how I am going to choose."
"Perhaps I do and perhaps your choice is dark to me. Perhaps I'm speaking truth or perhaps I'm a charlatan. Regardless, I cannot choose for you. Free-will and all that," he said and smiled as he caused the card to dance along his fingers. "There is another to whom I can give this card, but you got here first. If you choose to become one of us then you will be granted unlimited power. Ichigo Kurosaki will be as an ant is to a god. Orihime Inoue could belong to you and worship you if you so desired. The Soul Reapers and the Arrancars will bow to you and Aizen will be brought low in your sight.
"You will gaze in awe at those who dwell behind the Cold Stars and you will sit at the table when the King of Midnight and the Queen of the Cold Stars return.
"All that you have to do is take the card from my hand," he said and held the card out for him.
"What if I choose not to take the card? What if I chose another option?"
Revendeur smiled.
"It is your choice. I'm not like the pathetic gods of the World of the Living that demand obedience and unconditional worship in exchange for their favor. You're not going to be damned for eternity just for refusing my offer nor am I going to demand some worthless holy war against you. I find such demands to be the characteristics of petty tyrants.
"As far as I'm concerned, I don't care what you choose. There is no right or wrong answer. There is only the ability to choose your fate and accepting whatever consequences your choice has. Make no mistake, even though there is no right or wrong choice there are still consequences."
"I see. In that case, I have made my decision."
Squad Four Barracks, Seireitei
Starrk yawned and turned on his side. The bed and pillow felt good and the blanket felt even better. His bed in Las Noches had been a large pile of pillows, which he sometimes found himself missing, but an actual bed was a pleasant difference. He felt the heat of genuine sunlight on his face and he smiled.
"I could lay here all day," he muttered and began to hum a tune he remembered from when he was a young cub. He could hear his mother's soft voice, cradling him as she sang:
The Huntress's aim is ever true
Her bow gleams with the moon
With wolf ever at her side
She provides for the little children
The Huntress had always been his favorite of the Faith's deities. She was a remnant of an even older religion that still held sway in various parts of Hueco Mundo, especially near the forests in the North. Even before he divided himself he found himself missing the silvery forests and hunting with his brethren as his parents watched.
That was before the affliction fell upon him. Unlike other afflictions that made their victims weaker, this one only made him stronger. It became apparent that the servants would die if they got too close and so he was driven out without undergoing the Arrancarization in the sacred grove.
I guess I don't have to worry about that anymore, he thought.
He was about to go back to sleep when the door to his room opened.
"STARRK!"
He felt something land on top of him with such force that it knocked the air out of him. He sat up and saw a small girl with light green hair dressed in a white hospital gown. Her teeth were gritted and her hands were balled in fists.
"Ugh…Lilynette…what…?"
"THAT BASTARD WHO KILLED US WAS IN MY ROOM! I CAME TO GETCHA SO THAT WE CAN FINISH THE JOB!"
"Ugh…Lilynette, can't it wait? I want to sleep."
"OF COURSE IT CAN'T WAIT! HE'S RIGHT HERE AND UNARMED! LET'S RELEASE AND KICK HIS ASS!"
"I don't think we can do that, Lilynette."
"Huh? What are you saying? What kind of bullshit is that? Starrk, if this is your way of getting out of a fight again…"
"Just look at yourself, Lilynette, and look at me. We're not Arrancars anymore."
Lilynette paused. She looked at Starrk and then felt along the top of her head. Her pink eyes widened and then she felt at her torso.
"See. We're not Arrancars anymore."
"This…this…THIS IS BULLSHIT!"
"What's all of this noise I'm hearing?"
Lilynette stiffened as two hands were placed on her shoulders. Starrk looked at the tall woman standing behind Lilynette. Her long black hair hung over her shoulders and was braided together down the front. Starrk looked at the white coat she wore and his eyes narrowed.
"Patients should be in bed, resting," she said.
"I'm not tired, Miss Unohana," Lilynette said, pouting.
"That may be, but your my patient. And my patients must be polite to other patients and not disturb them."
"Perhaps you should tell that bastard in my room not to disturb me," Lilynette said. "He's the one who needs to learn manners."
"I'm sure that Captain Kyoraku got lost and wondered into your room by mistake. I'll make sure that he finds his way," she said and looked at Starrk.
She's definitely someone not to be trifled with, he thought.
"Now, come along, and let's get you back to your own room, Miss Gingerback."
With that Captain Unohana led Lilynette out of the room. Starrk settled back into his bed and looked at the wooden ceiling. He wondered why Captain Kyoraku would be here and thought that he had a pretty good idea.
Karakura Town
The spirit ran and the Hollow gave chase.
The Hollow had been careless. It had given out a soft chuckle as it approached its prey and the girl heard it. When she saw the Hollow the girl became afraid and began to run. While the Hollow enjoyed a good chase it was growing impatient. If this continued too long then it might run into a squad of Soul Reapers on patrol.
"Come here. I promise to make it quick," it snarled.
The girl only ran faster, trying to gain ground. Then, for a reason that the Hollow did not know or care about, she stopped. The Hollow thought that she might have finally accepted the inevitable. It knew that it had to be quick. Its presence was most likely spotted and the Soul Reapers would get in the way. It launched at her, maw open to expose rows of sharp teeth.
The girl also didn't know what made her stop. It was as though some other deeper instinct had taken over at that moment. She felt like a marionette on strings, unable to control her own body. She turned and saw the Hollow jump at her. She smiled and she launched herself at the creature. The creature's eyes widened in surprise and she opened her mouth as she grabbed hold of its head. She straddled herself on the creature's back and bit into its mask.
The Hollow screamed in horror and pain.
This wasn't supposed to happen! This isn't how it's supposed to go!
Hollows were supposed to devour souls, not the other way around. But the girl didn't seem to care about this supposed law of nature. She only felt the need to devour this creature. She took another bite and this time dark blood oozed from the Hollow's wound.
"GET OFF ME, YOU BITCH!" it shrieked.
The girl did not seem to hear as she continued her feeding. The Hollow felt its strength and energy flowing out of him and into her. The Hollow whimpered and shuddered as it died. With its death an orb of light came out of its body and the spirit consumed it. The girl stood over the corpse. Blood stained her lips and chin and clothes, but she didn't mind it. She smiled as she licked her fingers.
She heard footsteps behind her and turned. She could see someone standing in the shadows, but couldn't see his face. She could only see a pair of black shoes, khaki pants, a dark blue shirt, and a long black coat. The man was thin and slightly above average height. He held a walking stick with a golden head with one side resembling a human skull and the other resembling a youth's face.
The sight of him caused the girl to sway as whatever had taken permitted her to regain control of her body. Her hands went to her chest.
"Did you do this?" he asked.
"I…I don't know…"
"It's alright. It's perfectly normal for you not to understand what's happened. Ah, I see that your Chain of Fate is gone."
She looked at her chest where the broken chain once dangled. She saw that it was gone and not even the chain's anchor was where it had been. She looked at the man standing before her. He held out a hand towards her and she backed away in fear. She had been taught from a young age that strangers were not to be trusted and that if they held out a hand to her then she was to run.
She wanted to run, but found that she couldn't. Her legs would not obey her command. The man approached her and she fell to her knees.
"It's alright. You're like me now. There are others who are like us and I'm sure that you'll like them."
"Am I…am I a monster?"
"No. You are merely a leap forward in Soul Evolution. Tell me, do you remember your name?"
"I…I can't remember…" He nodded as though understanding her plight. He knelt in front of her, getting on her level. His smile was warm and gentle.
"It's a sad thing losing who you once were, but it is one of the consequences of evolving. Everyone should have a name. A name gives them a sense of self, a sense of having a purpose. Don't you think so?"
"I…I guess so."
"Well, at least you're honest about your uncertainty. It's good for everyone to have a name. Let me see…what would be the right name for you? Hmm, let's see now. You're still a child. I think that the right name would be from authors who wrote about childhood. Ah-ha, I have it. Your name is Harper Bradbury."
"Harper…Bradbury?" she asked, uncertain.
"Of course. If you can't remember your name, then use names that you remember or admire. I happen to admire both Harper Lee and Ray Bradbury."
"Harper…Bradbury," she said again. This time it was as though she was tasting the name. She smiled and nodded. "I like it."
"Well then, shall we go, Harper Bradbury?"
"Well…where are we going?"
"We're going to your new family."
Orihime Inoue
Orihime took another bite of her bun cake topped with anchovy jelly as she checked her phone for missed calls and messages. She saw that Tatsuki called earlier and she was surprised to see that Uryu left a message for her. He normally didn't call her. But there were no calls from Ichigo.
Maybe he's busy, she thought while trying to ignore the ache she felt.
She put her phone down on the table and sighed as she sprawled across the couch. She picked up the remote control for the television when she heard a thud. She straightened, bun dangling in her mouth and eyes wide. The sound seemed to have come right outside her front door.
Oh God, what if somebody's hurt?
She made sure that she had her pins in her hair in case she needed to summon her Shun-Shun Rikka. Her bare feet made a soft pattering sound as she rushed across the wooden floor to the front door. She opened the door but didn't see anybody standing outside. Then she looked at the concrete walkway outside and the bun dropped from her mouth.
She couldn't say anything or breathe. There, lying unconscious at her front door was a pale naked man with jet black hair. She went to her knees and checked for a pulse. Before she could touch his neck a hand reached up and grabbed her wrist. Orihime let out a gasp in surprise as she found herself looking into a pair of emerald green eyes.
"Little…Girl," Ulquiorra said before he lost consciousness again.
End of Prologue
Omake:
Revendeur sat beneath the charred and frozen remains of a tree. His two eyes were closed while his Third Eye was open, blazing with golden light laced with midnight darkness. The landscape around him was desolate, covered in bones and flickering blue flames. In the distance, the silvery ruins of a great city seemed to radiate a deathly pallor. The sky above him swirled with cold, laughing stars. Sometimes the creatures that lurked behind those cold stars stirred, causing the sky to ripple and bulge.
He shuffled the pack of tarot cards until his Third Eye was satisfied. He put the pack down and picked up the card on top. He smiled as he looked at it.
"So it begins," he whispered and let out a soft chuckle as he put it on the ground.
The card showed a tower in the midst of a storm. Bolts of lightning struck its ornate pinnacle while the earth trembled, causing its foundations to crack. Figures at the base ran as debris fell. The occupants of the tower seemed to scream as they fell from the height or were about to be crushed under its weight. Above the image, written in gold letters, were two words: LA TOUR.
A.N.: Since I'm going to be doing a massive rewrite of "Blood on the Sand" it is necessary that I also rewrite "Tamashi no Kiri" since both stories are two parts of a larger work. There are major differences between the originals and the revised editions, but the end results will be the same. One of the major differences will be that Grimmjow, Nelliel, and Nnoitora will not be in the Soul Society, but remain in Hueco Mundo. The reason is that after giving it careful thought I realized that they would better serve the overall story if they remained in Hueco Mundo and as a result they will be relatively major characters in the revised version of "Blood on the Sand".
While "Tamashi no Kiri" and "Blood on the Sand" are part of a larger mythos and overlap in areas they can be read as two separate works.
Thank you for reading and please review.
Themes 1:
Opening Credits: "Kiri" by MONORAL
Revendeur: "TIME" by Nathan Lanier
Starrk: "Asleep" by The Smiths
Harribel: "The Only Thing Worth Fighting For" by Lera Lynn
Ichigo: "Far From Any Road" by The Handsome Family
Ulquiorra: "Epiphany" by Staind
Orihime: "Moonlit Night" by Hayashi Yuki
Harper Bradbury: "Main Title of To Kill a Mockingbird" by Elmer Bernstein
Milton Dante: "Torn" by Nathan Lanier
Closing Credits: "Utsusemi no Kage" by Kukui