My first English-only shunnao story, proofreaded by Lily (thank you SO MUCH!) and written as a birthday gift for Akai Miko.
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Shunnao
Words: 3 126 (completed)
Genre: romance, bitter-sweet ending
Notes: Happy Birthday, Akai =^.^=
…
There were hundreds of them. Filling every part of the open field - a mass of white and blue. To say that Shinigami's were at disadvantage would be the understatement of century. There were no more than forty Shinigami, only the strongest, since new Captain Commander didn't want any unnecessary deaths. Ichigo was horrified but at the same time determined to do whatever was necessary. There was no way he was going to let any of Juha Bach's minions free.
"I don't think we'll get alive out of this" muttered Soi Fong, grimacing. "Tch, we should do it another way."
"There is still possibility of winning if we're going to attack together." Love - newly appointed captain of 8th Division - said seriously, but his tone… There was doubt that all of them felt that. Well, almost all.
"Lemme' go and fight with those suckers! Oh, what a fun it will be!"
"Shut up, Zaraki." sneered Soi Fong, but was ignored. Kenpachi was just too happy for the oncoming fight.
"We can always try to kill them from distance." said Hacchi. He was not only completely serious but also sweating. So even he was nervous.
"There is too many of them." Ukitake commented, he was seriously disturbed by number of Quincy. He knew that they were losing in the numbers but he didn't knew just how much.
"Well, just go and try our best!" Ichigo took his sword. He was ready to pounce when Ishida held him back by his elbow.
"Stop it, Kurosaki. They'll kill you with arrows before you'll be even in half of the way to get them."
When Captain Commander shook his head everyone fell silent. Kyoraku-san looked down at his female lieutenant and said simply:
"No."
Vice Captain Ise adjusted her glasses, looking pretty calm, and then said in a strong voice,
"That's the only reasonable option, Captain."
So… apparently everyone gathered somehow missed something. Ichigo was sure he would hear everything they said - he was standing whisper away from them - but there was no word exchanged between those two.
"That would help, but…" Kyoraku sighed and shook his head. "No. We need more time. We have to have more time."
Well whatever he had meant, he succeeded only in pissing her off. Nanao looked him in the face and her tone got more demanding and even scolding.
"You're no longer just a Captain, sir. You're a Captain Commander and it's your duty to make hard decisions. The life of one is nothing if it can save hundreds. And you know it."
"Oi, Ise! Watch your…" started Iba but when she glared at him he immediately shut up. Good choice, if you asked Ichigo.
For a moment Kyoraku was completely stiff, then he whirled around and spoke loudly, "Everyone raise a barrier, let it be as strong as you can make it! Try to make it big and take in as many people as possible!"
"That would too make many layers…" Hacchi started, but was interrupted.
"That's the idea. Make it as strong as possible!" Kyoraku looked at Nanao and nodded. "Vice Captain Ise, proceed."
Ichigo couldn't believe it. She smiled. Smiled and even was… giddy. To his shock, she then stepped out before all of them and took out her sword. Ichigo jerked forward, trying to catch her - was she stupid, or what?! - but the thick and strong barrier stopped him. He touched it and felt sparkles of Kyoraku's energy.
He opened his mouth but before he could say anything Lisa said it first,
"What the fuck are you doing, Kyoraku?! She'll get killed in a matter of seconds!"
His back got stiff and face hardened.
"Vice Captain Ise knows what she's doing."
"Vice… what?! That's Nanao-chan we're talking about! Are you nuts? I'm going to her, I won't let her…"
Before she could move Kyoraku looked at her. Just looked. Ichigo couldn't see his face but whatever it looked like it stopped Lisa mid-step. Her face got ashed and her mouth were agape, then she took two steps back.
"Vice Captain Yadomaru." His voice was helluva creepy. It made Ichigo's skin crawl and his breath hitched. There was threat in that calm voice, a promise of painful death. "Know. Your. Place."
And with that he once more looked at tiny figure of his lieutenant who was now chanting something under her nose. The Quincy were laughing at her, but Juha Bach was just looking, slightly amused. Ichigo wanted to wipe off that smirk off of his bearded face. But when Ise's hand started making some strange moves that smirk disappeared and Quincy leader flash-stepped and stabbed tiny woman, making her blood splash over barrier.
"You won't play the same trick twice with me, Shunsui" said Juha Bach, pulling his sword out of Ise's stomach. Ichigo felt… enraged. Horrified. He wanted to kill, wanted to… People around him were probably feeling the same and only complete - and eerie - calmness on Kyoraku's face was keeping them in a place. "I survived first time and I'll survive…"
He stopped and looked down with interest. Ichigo gasped. Ise moved and without problem she started to get up; her hands and uniform full in blood; hair messed; glasses askew; face soothed with dirt.
"Too late, Quincy…" It was her voice… but there was something off. "Way too late for that… Don't you remember?"
The earth started trembling. At first it was subtle, Ichigo was even sure he just stumbled, but then it started shaking violently. The wind rose and there were screams from Quincy ranks. Why were they screaming, what was hap… And then he heard.
"Blood… flesh… let us eat, let us feast… human flesh, human blood… let us feast, sister…"
"I-I don't want to, you know, sound mental but…" Kira was barely standing on his feet, his face was white with terror. "Am I the only one hearing creepy sounds?"
"No, you're not." Kyoraku's eye was fixed on his lieutenant who was starting to smile. "But do not worry. Those voices won't hurt any of you."
"It's a demon magic," muttered Ishida. "I don't know how but it has that feeling!"
"Remember what?" Juha Bach sneered at the woman standing before him. Ichigo could see what was going through his head. She should be dead. Hell, it was coming through his own head.
Ise closed her eyes and spread arms. Her zanpakuto fell to the ground, completely forgotten. Thunder roared. Sky was getting darker and darker with clouds. Bolts of lightning were more often and bright day suddenly looked like a deep night.
"On the South there is a cave filled with evil." Ise's voice so was powerful it hurt Ichigo's ears. He tried to cover them, but he still heard her. And still saw what was rising behind her. "Evil always hungry, always ready to kill. Demon's blood is the key. Demon's blood spilled on the ground that does not belong to Hell. The more blood, the more starved they get." She smirked and Juha Bach moved back, with wide eyes looking at the Gates of Hell that were standing behind her.
"That chant…" He looked at her and shook his head. "The aura is different, the face is different…"
"Soul is what matters. And the soul is the same." Ise whirled around, splashing her blood on the Hell Gate. "Rise up, brothers and sisters. Rise up and avenge demon's blood that was drawn at the hand of the enemies."
Hell Gate opened and then huge mass of… something crashed into Quincy army, devouring it completely. Ichigo was looking at it with fear. There were part of bodies flying around, screams of pain and terror were piercing his ears and he could swear among bloody massacre he saw Ise as she was tearing with bare hands someone's hand of its corpse and then… eating it.
"What… the fuck?" choked out Oomaeda, almost tripping when long-fingered hand with sharp nails scratched barrier he was leaning on. "What the fuck is happening?!"
"They're demons" calmly explained Kyoraku. Despite screams of horror and slaughter, his voice was clearly heard inside barriers. "That's why I ordered you to make barriers, so they won't get in. They don't realize who's their opponent, they're hungry and thirsty. And the only thing that is tasty for them is human flesh and blood. The more powerful blood, the better."
Ichigo jumped up with fear when very tall woman with long hair and scales on her body scratched on the barrier beside him, because barrier gave up.
"They're very powerful, but even they have their limit. They'll kill off Quincy, almost all of them, but those who'll survive…" Kyoraku frowned. "It would mean they're even more powerful than we imagined."
"But how… Nanao…" Rangiku was looking around, trembling a little.
Kyoraku looked at her and smiled a little.
"Because my Nanao-chan is a demon." Ichigo felt his jaw getting slack. There were gasps heard around.
"Than why she didn't call them before everything even started?" Hitsugaya was annoyed, but that wasn't anything new. Kyoraku fixed his eyes on Ise, who was now close to them and everyone could see her claws and horns. Ichigo had to rub his eyes, to believe this. He wasn't joking.
"That's because where demons are concerned, there is always high price to pay…" he said sadly and then looked curiously at youngest Captain. "You know that my powers are demon-based, right?"
"It's hard to not know when you're so proud of it."
"That's because controlling demons is highly dangerous and almost impossible task. As for my demons…" Despite massacre going around Kyoraku suddenly started sounding almost cheerful. "They never were mine. First time I got into my inner world, I almost didn't make it out alive. That's because my inner world is actually a… I think it's some kind of place between Soul Society and Hell. It's a place where sometimes demons are wandering and I met there not only Katen Kyokotsu, but also every demon I made contract with."
"Contract?"
"Yes. Like I said, where are demons concerned, there is always high price to pay, they never give you anything for free. Kekkai-oni, that first demon I met, was very angry with me and she almost killed me, alongside with Katen Kyokotsu. I had to win with my sword spirits and then made contract with Kekkai-oni. It took me over century to make contracts with more demons and I must say that Iro-oni still doesn't like me much, she prefers playing with me and serving whenever it suits her."
Ichigo scraped his neck. Somehow that was getting complicated.
"So… you pay them for their work, Kyoraku-san?"
The older man nodded, "Yes. With my reiatsu. They feed on it when I don't need it much. But when I really need them they never fail me, even if I can't use their powers to maximum."
"And why is that?"
"Because I don't have any protection against their actions." Kyoraku smiled and stroked handle of one of his swords. "When I was protected, my demons were doing what I wanted them to do but now… they would attack anyone, myself included." Seeing Ichigo's curious gaze he shrugged. "I broke the law… I mean not a law-like law, but law that's not written but obvious. I fell in love with one of my demons. Kekkai-oni and I…" His smile got sad and he sighed. "That was a very long time ago, hundreds of years. She was the most stunning and enjoyable woman I ever knew and I was still very young at that time. Reckless, spoiled… Well, Kekkai-oni wasn't much better, to be truthful. She always had a temper and demons are just like that - they grasp what they want. We made a spell that combined demon magic and my reiatsu to free her out of my inner world and Hell. And it worked."
"But like it's always with demons, there was price to pay" said Ukitake, looking very sad. Kyoraku, on the other hand, was calm. But there was something… unsettling and Ichigo could swear the man was still grieving. "They tore their way out, making Devil's and Soul King's places be moved. It was a crime and they got punished for that."
"Kekkai-oni was my barrier, she was protecting me from other demons, making me safe to use all of their powers, but not letting them go loose. So now I can't…"
"What? You're telling that sappy story once again?"
They all looked at the source of voice and found Ise leaning onto barrier. Her hair were pinned up, but her clothes were torn and she was almost completely covered in blood.
"Are you hurt?" asked Kyoraku.
"No, sir. That's Quincy blood." She touched her small horns and hissed. "But they tried to take them off, probably thinking it's an illusion. Well, not like their hands were intact with their body for long…" She looked around and sighed. Ichigo saw that demons were slowly coming back to the Gate, leaving almost no one alive. "I apologize for the mess. They would like to take food with them but it's prohibited. The mission is completed, Captain Commander." She kneeled down in respect, but Kyoraku waved his hand.
"Stand up, Nanao-chan." He tried to take down his barrier but she shook her head, while standing up.
"Don't. They're still on hunt and…" She grimaced. "I can't say I'm controlling myself now. I'm still thirsty… and your blood tastes the best" she whispered, smirking. Now that was someone Ichigo didn't recognize. She looked almost… seductive and with obvious effort she schooled her features back to Vice Captain's one. "I apologize. It was… some time since I was able to eat to my hearts content."
Sky was still dark but it got red tint to it. Ise looked up and tone of her voice was no-nonsense.
"Time to go."
Kyoraku lowered his wards and stepped outside, not looking at any of them.
"How many more times you have?"
"Two, I think." She smiled sadly and looked at her captain with… was that affection? "Close your eyes."
"No. It's my duty."
Suddenly huge, sharp sword came from Hell Gate and stabbed Ise-san. Ichigo didn't even had time to gasp when blood came out of her mouth.
"TIME TO PAY THE PRICE" came low, sadistic voice that was laughing from the Gate. "BLOOD FOR BLOOD, BONE FOR BONE, DEATH FOR DEATH."
Ise looked up at Kyoraku and without warning her hand pierced his chest. But there was not even a drop of blood and he looked like it was nothing new to him.
"Your heart belongs to me, Shinigami" she said in deadly tone.
Her captain touched her wrist with genuine smile.
"Just as yours belongs to me, Demon".
And then she was gone, taken inside of the Gate, not even for a moment breaking eye-contact with tall man, who stood there, alone. Well, not for long.
"Such a lousy protector you are…" Ichigo shivered when he saw tiny woman with rainbow-colored scales all over her body that touched Kyoraku's cheek, drawing blood with one of her long, sharp fingernails. "Two more times and your souls will be merged so much you'll go with her. And when she'll be resurrected you'll stay in Hell. So… have fun… while you still can…"
"Such a bad sense of humor, Iro-oni" he replied curtly. "And better move faster or you'll stay here."
She huffed and left him, but not without smacking his face with long, thick tail.
"I'm starting to appreciate Hyorinmaru more and more…" muttered Hitsugaya.
The Hell Gate closed and only then Kyoraku whirled around and clapped his hands.
"Okay, guys. You can take your barriers down. Now we'll have to worry about those who stayed alive."
There wasn't many of them, but they were still there and Ishida was muttering that it was much bigger problem than they thought. The Quincy pride was still intact, it seemed.
"Wait, what will now happen to Nanao-chan?" Lisa asked her ex-captain, once more looking indifferent, but he looked at her strangely.
"Nanao-chan? That's a really nice name. Some friend of yours, Lisa-chan? Is she pretty?" When no one replied him and Hitsugaya only stuttered something close to 'what the hell' out, Kyoraku-san got serious. "Whoever it is, she needs to wait. Now we have much bigger problems on our hands. My demons made what they could but now we have to work it out by ourselves."
"Oi, are you…" started Lisa, but shut up when Ukitake touched her shoulder and said in hushed tone so his friend wouldn't hear him.
"He's not joking, Yadomaru-san." His voice was full of regret and deep, deep sadness. "He doesn't know who are you talking about."
Ichigo felt shocked, his heart contracted with uneasiness and pain. It was wrong. So, so wrong.
"How?" he asked, feeling that he had to knew. He didn't knew Ise much, but those time he saw her interacting with Kyoraku there was something special to be felt. Special, unique and happening once in the life-time. Or that was the feeling he got.
"It's their punishment. Different names, different faces, but the same fate." Looking at Kyoraku-san's back he smiled sadly. "First time I got to know about Is-san her name still was Kekkai-oni and she died in Kyoraku's arms minutes after they got out of his inner world. And he immediatly forgot about her. There was only that feeling that he was forgetting something very important, like there was a huge hole inside of him. Almost century later, we met Amei-san. When we encountered her she was still a child, but felt somehow familiar to me and only to me. But the moment Kyoraku started falling in love with her, some fifty years later, he remembered. They both remembered who she was. That's when I understood, we all understood, what's their punishment. She's always bound to die on him and he forgets all about her, about them seconds after she's out of his sight."
"That's so…" Lisa was looking for words, with tears in eyes. "So stupid! So it may take another century after I get to see Nanao-chan and then she'll die ONCE AGAIN?!"
"On the bright side you'll be able to see her again," Ukitake sighed and shook his head. "But that's not the time for such discussion."
Ichigo agreed on him with that statment, he had people to avenge, to protect. And - looking at Kyoraku's pink-clad back he felt that the man was actually blessed with his lack of memories.
At least he didn't have to grieve over the fact that he wasn't able to protect the person who he loved the most.
…
.
A/N: Reviews will be greatly appreciated ^.^