"Sealed in Mt. Tenkou"
By Majah
Disclaimer:
I don't own Bleach but I do own the story in this fic and things that are non-Bleach. All the name of places, historical events and other things mentioned which you don't seem to know IRL, are products of my imagination. Any similarities with the actual thing are purely coincidental.
Summary:
Genre: Mystery/Spiritual/Romance
'A wish in exchange for your soul.'
…was something overly used in movies and novels. But was that…as simple as it sounded to be?
Hinamori Momo was a quiet and sweet girl living with her sickly grandmother near an old shrine at the foot of Mt. Tenkou; a mountain rumored to have taken many lives of people who had gotten lost and weren't able to return. Even so, much was yet to be proven and everything was reduced to nothing more than folklore and urban legend.
Until one day…in this girl's life…something happened which altered her psyche and enabled her to see things she wasn't supposed to see…
…in this mysterious mountain...where winged beings sometimes fall from the sky…
…in this mysterious mountain…where cloaked creatures sometimes emerged from the earth…
…in this mysterious mountain…where her view shall be changed as to what truly awaits a person after death.
Curiosity took over which lead her into accidentally summoning a high-ranked devil amongst those who came from deep the ground and was granted a rare contract.
A rare contract in result of her unexpected wish as a bargain for her soul…
'I want to be you! My wish is to be at your side for as long you live!'
Thus, turning things upside down which earned her a pass to enter the gates of hell, not as a tormented soul, but as a companion of a certain white-haired devil named Hitsugaya Toushirou who turned out to be a colored officer in hell's fearsome army.
Chapter One: "A Mysterious Cat"
"Momo-chan! Where are you?" An elderly voice called out. "It is almost night time. I don't want us to stay this long in this path."
"Hai! I'm here, Obasan." A little girl with dark hair answered as she skipped on the rocks to catch up with her grandmother.
The old lady smiled. "Come here, child." She extended her arms at her granddaughter. "You know very well that it is not safe to wander about in these woods."
The little girl dived into the frail woman's arms and made a pouting face. "But, Obasan…we lived here all our life, and nothing ever happened to us."
"Ma…ma…" She stroked her granddaughter's hair. "…nothing happened to us because we made sure not to cross over that fence." She pointed at the old rickety structure at the side of the narrow dirt road which lead into an abandoned shrine at the foot of the mountain.
"Those old legends are just bedtime stories and nothing more." The bright child pointed out. "I don't see anything out of the ordinary whenever we pass by that shrine, nor do I see strange things in Mt. Tenkou's forest. The villagers ought to stop spreading lies that scare people away from our town."
As always, her grandmother would only smile. "Fortunate are we, who cannot see…for we won't be burden with the truth behind what was meant to be hidden."
And as usual, the little girl would only glance up at her grandmother with a confused look. "No matter how many times you say that, Obasan…I will never understand."
The elderly gave a light chuckle. "Maybe someday, child…maybe someday. Now…let's go. If you won't accept my reason about staying out here in the dark, then perhaps a delicious dinner will tempt you to go straight home."
At the mention of the word, 'dinner', the little girl's face lit up. "Hai!" She replied cheerfully.
Both elderly and child continued in the dirt path. But soon after, a few steps before the dirt road ended, the hand little Momo was holding suddenly disappeared.
"A-ra?" The child looked back only to see her frail grandmother on the ground. "Obasan!" She gasped and ran towards the old woman who was currently holding her chest and grasping for air. "Obasan!" She cried but she didn't get any answer from the elderly. "Obasan!" She hugged her grandmother who was starting to lose consciousness. "Obasan!" With a tear-stricken face, panic overcame the little girl as she looked around her for someone who can help them.
But no one was there.
"Obasan! Obasan!" She kept calling out endlessly.
Until…
'Beep! Beep!...Beep! Beep!..Beep!Beep!'
The sound of the small alarm clock filled Hinamori's ears which made her groan and bury herself under her covers. It was six o'clock in the morning and her wake-up call was being persistent.
'BEEP BEEP BEEEEEEEEP! BEEP BEEP BEEEEEEEEEEP!'
The alarm continued, this time with evenly long and louder tune which was starting to ring inside Hinamori's head.
'BE-BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP'
"Wai! Alright, already!" She exclaimed as she grabbed the disturbing mechanism and crushed it under her pillow.
Silence overcame her room once more. She slumped back against the comfort of her bed and let her sleepy eyes focus on the cream ceiling above her.
"It's that dream again…" She murmured. "…how many times must it keep rewinding back to that day?"
She closed her eyes and tried to search her memories which only made her frown. "If I am to dream about this everyday then the very least it can do is to go forward as to what happened after Obasan lost consciousness." She pouted with irritation while she hauled herself up into sitting position.
It was true that the beginning part of that reoccurring dream was as clear as day. Unfortunately, the next scenes in the latter part were all blank to her. Even though, it did happen when she was around eight years old, she couldn't remember the exact details of that incident. Maybe her mind wanted her to remember it which eventually caused its manifestation in her dreams. But still, up to this day…a whole solid eight years had passed and she was no longer a child, that incident was still inconclusive.
It was a hot summer's day back then, much like now. She and her grandmother decided to take a walk under the shades of the trees outside. Their small town was located in a remote area near a thick-forested mountain. It was not exactly the most prosperous place but life was quiet and peaceful…
…well, most of the time.
Why say so?
It wasn't the locals fault, or maybe it was…in a way. For rumors don't start from nowhere. When there was smoke, there must be fire. Hence, their little town, despite of being remote, earned many unsure and uneasy thoughts in the hearts of the residents. But what type of rumors were these to gain much reaction from the public?
They were rumors about Mt. Tenkou…utterly disturbing and scary tales about the mysterious mountain. Ever since the old days, it was said that many people who dared to travel inside Mt. Tenkou never returned. Although the mountain was not that big compared to the others in the country, the entwining branches of its huge trees and greenery was something out of the ordinary. Even the thick mist, which surrounded it half way up to the top, was too dense to consider trekking. Still, it was these traits which attracted hobbyist to climb this mountain near their town.
Unfortunately, all of them either had gotten lost or had eventually ended up in some sort of accident which prevented most to return…alive.
Of course, this brought much fear to the residents of the town that different kinds of theories started to rise which earned Mt. Tenkou a reputation of being a 'life taker'. It was said that the mountain was cursed. Some even thought of it as a monster itself in a certain degree. But again, nothing was proven and all was just considered as folklore. The incidents which happened to those who entered the mountain were considered as faulty judgment on the travelers' part since technically, the difficulty of Mt. Tenkou's nature and air pressure was something even expert climbers found to be dangerous.
Hence, the mountain was proclaimed 'off-limits' and a fence was built around its foot to prevent tourists or daredevils to disturb the natural habitat. The tales which surrounded it was reduced to nothing more than urban legend.
So logically, there was nothing supernatural about Mt. Tenkou. It was merely another dangerous place which nature built.
Hinamori had this kind of reasoning about the mysterious mountain ever since she was small and often argued about it with her grandmother.
But…
…that was before that day happened.
That day…in her dream…which changed her perception about the mountain altogether.
She still couldn't remember what exactly took place. All she knew that whatever it was, it made her eyes see.
Yes, see…what she couldn't before—things within the mountain's closed world which a normal person would never dream of seeing. They were things that she doesn't have any knowledge of and often asked herself whether they were actually real or not.
They were things she could definitely assume didn't belong in the living world.
Hinamori's hazel eyes flickered as her hand started clutching her sheets hard. "That day…" She whispered. "…Obasan somehow lived..." True, enough. The next thing she could remember was waking up on a chair with her grandmother resting on a hospital bed. Apparently, one of the villagers, a middle-aged farmer with his son who took a shortcut via the mountain path to carry his goods home, found them and carried them to the town to get proper aide. It saved her grandmother that day, but the elderly was initially weak and suffered from constant illness. Her beloved Obasan was only able to stay with her for two more years. After that, the frail old woman eventually passed away. Both of her parents were no longer with her and she doesn't have any other living relative, hence, she was finally alone in this world.
Hinamori sighed and started to get out of her bed. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes stared back at her with the same hollow expression as it did at her grandmother's funeral. She was ten back then and she was sixteen now. Six years had past but her usual spirit never actually came back. She smiled every now and then but it wasn't her usual cheer. Slowly, her hand went up to touch the cold mirror. Once again, her grandmother's word came back to her.
'Fortunate are we, who cannot see…for we won't be burden with the truth behind what was meant to be hidden.'
"What was meant to be hidden…" She murmured then glanced at the open window near her bed. It was a direct view of Mt. Tenkou. Amongst all villagers, their house was the one nearest to the mountain. Somewhat detached from the town with their closest neighbor about fifteen kilometers away, she grew up in a world with the mysterious mountain as her playground. As a child, she would sneak out of the house and go up to the abandoned shrine at the foot of the mountain beyond the fenced boundary. Yes, these were the times she disobeyed both her grandmother and their mayor's rule secretly. It was one of her strong proofs that the tales which surrounded the mountain were nothing more than folklore, because all this time that she had spent her lazy afternoons at the old shrine, nothing bad ever happened to her. She was able to go back safely and in one piece. But then again, she never did venture beyond the shrine and into the woods. Even so, her reasons were strong when she was small. It was enough for her.
It was enough for her back then. She could never think of the same thing after that day when her grandmother fell on the ground.
That day whose events wouldn't show up in her memory.
With heavy eyes, Hinamori paced towards her window and let her hand slide down its sill.
"After that day…" Her words were soft as she stared at the vast view of Mt. Tenkou from the second floor of their humble house. "…I can see everything beyond the thick mist of that mountain. I can see as clear as day what the villagers couldn't." She stared at the fast moving shadows on top of the trees of the mountain. "That mountain…" She followed the movements with her unblinking eyes. "…is not as peaceful as it looks." She bent forward and rested her chin on her palms. "I wonder which creatures it is this time." She said with a smile.
"Oi! Hinamori!" Someone called out below which broke her attention away from the mountain. "You're spacing out again!"
She looked down blinking. "Eh? Tatsuki-chan, how long have you been standing there?"
"Quite a while, you know." The high school girl replied. "Are you seriously going to make me wait out here?"
"Oh, I'm sorry." Hinamori bowed her apologetically. "I'll be down there in a minute." And with that she disappeared from the other girl's view.
"That girl…" Tatsuki scratched the back of her head. "…I don't understand why she loves staring at the creepy mountain, anyway." She said to herself and glanced at her back to look at the vast view. What met her eyes were the same as any morning. Mt. Tenkou was quiet with its luscious green nature. The huge trees were visible from its foot but would be lost in view once it reached the thick mist which curled around the mountain's waist up to its top. Every now and then, a group of bird could be seen flying around it. The air smelled clean and fresh as the wind carried its scent towards where her classmate lived. She grew up in that town all her life same as Hinamori and she couldn't find anything great or interesting out of the famed mountain aside from the creepy atmosphere it seemed to be projecting. But those were only due to urban legends which had been a part of their town's history.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting, Tatsuki-chan." Hinamori burst out of the front door…in her pajamas.
Tatsuki sighed. "I can't believe that you are still in your sleeping clothes. You don't actually expect in reporting to school this early if you are still dressed like that. I might as well do our art project alone."
"Weh!" Hinamori exclaimed. "You don't have to do that, Tatsuki-chan. This is only the third time I woke up late." Then, she went on ahead in explaining things in a fast recap. "Actually, my alarm rang an hour earlier but I somehow pushed the snooze button which lead it to alarm again just now."
"What kind of alarm clock allows you to snooze an hour after? Wasn't a snooze supposedly go off five or ten minutes after?" The other girl pointed out.
"Ummm…" Hinamori shifted from one foot to another. "…mine?" She chuckled nervously.
Tatsuki's shoulder slumped forward. "Third time, Hinamori. This is the third time. If I didn't decide to actually fetch you every morning, my eyes would have turned white by the time you arrive in school. How do you expect for us to finish this project if you keep missing out on our allotted time to use the school's art studio?"
"I'm so sorry, Tatsuki-chan." She kept bowing. "I'm so sorry."
The other girl sighed again. "Seriously, we could have just gotten the schedule after class. I don't know why you strongly objected when Sensei offered that slot to us. Do you have a part time job after school?"
"Ummm…not really."
"Not really? What kind of answer is that?"
"Umm…a-no…" She looked at Tatsuki hesitantly. "…I only do part time jobs during weekends."
"Eh?" The other girl arched a brow.
"Umm…" Hinamori placed her hand on her back and started to make circles under her foot. "…I'm doing volunteer work."
"Volunteer work?" Tatsuki blinked. "What volunteer work? I don't think I see you in any public day care or health center in the village. And those are the only places you can do volunteer work around here. It's not like we have a large town not to be aware of each other's whereabouts."
Hinamori fidgeted and looked away. "I'm cleaning the shrine."
Tatsuki was silent for a moment. She thought she didn't hear that right. "Come again?"
"I'm cleaning the shrine."
The other girl searched her mind for a near temple. "The shrine? The one in the next town? That's far! You go there every afternoon?"
But Hinamori shook her head. "Not in that temple."
"Huh?" Tatsuki blinked in confusion.
"The shrine located here in our town." Hinamori remarked; still avoiding the other girl's eyes.
"But our town doesn't have a shrine." Tatsuki replied.
"Yes, we do." She slowly raised a finger and pointed beyond where her classmate stood. "The one in there."
Tatsuki followed the direction Hinamori was referring to, and then it finally dawned at her. "You've got to be kidding me! The old abandoned shrine at the foot of Mt. Tenkou!"
"H—hai." The meek girl nodded.
Tatsuki's mouth dropped open. "You are not trying to bail out on me now, are you?"
"No!" Hinamori shook her head and finally met Tatsuki's eyes with much strength. "I seriously do that every day…after school."
"God! You're really serious!" The other girl exclaimed. "But that shrine is beyond the restricted fence. No one is supposed to go there!"
"I know." Hinamori replied, this time, weakly. "So please…don't tell anyone."
"I can't believe this." Tatsuki shook her head. "All this time, people often say that you're weird, Hinamori, but I've always kept an open mind. Then here you are…telling me something like this..." She gaped at the hazel-eyed girl. "Aren't you afraid that those urban legends might be true, after all?"
"I thought you never really believe those tales?"
"Not that wholeheartedly…yes, but the mountain itself is creepy. I wouldn't want to even step a single foot at its dirt road. " Tatsuki pointed out. "Same with spending the whole afternoon in that old shrine."
"Mt. Tenkou isn't creepy!" Hinamori suddenly said as she placed her fist in front of her chest with much display of defense for the mountain. "Mt. Tenkou is…for me…Mt. Tenkou is…is very beautiful."
Tatsuki was taken aback at her classmate's display of strong emotion. She didn't speak a word for a minute as she looked straight at Hinamori's intense eyes. Until finally, she shook her head. "Fine. Whatever you say." She turned around and started walking towards the road which lead to town.
"Tatsuki-chan?"
But the other girl just waved with her back against her. "There is no point in arguing with you. You're not exactly my friend, Hinamori. You can go risk your life inside that mountain all you want. I just hope that you won't end up with the same faith as those people in those horrible stories in connection with Mt. Tenkou. As for our project…please do try to keep our morning schedule. If you can do that so-called 'volunteer work' in that rundown shrine, I'm sure you won't have any problem working on real things that matters." With that, she started trotting briskly away from the Hinamori's house.
Now alone, Hinamori casted a glance towards the enormous structure of nature before her. "But it does matter to me…that shrine…it matters the most to me." She murmured as her eyes fell on the mountain once more. The other girl probably merely saw a thick mist surrounding the area, but to Hinamori's eyes, the ambiance of the mountain was actually getting intense. The place was getting populated. Though, she could only see shadows since her house was still a few kilometers away from the actual base of the mountain, she could tell that more and more 'things' were materializing from thin air.
"It seems like this is another busy day for Mt. Tenkou." She said to herself and went back inside to get ready for school.
The 3 o'clock bell chimed all throughout the school as it indicated the end of all classes for that day. Hinamori packed her things and stepped outside the classroom. She was anxious to leave the premises. All throughout that day, her mind was wandering off. It was either that or she would be caught by their teacher looking out of the window. Her classmates would laugh at her but she couldn't help it. Something big was going on today in Mt. Tenkou. She thought it was another busy day for the mountain, but somehow, ever since she arrived at school that morning, flashes of light illuminated from the top of the mountain. It started out with long minute intervals but after noontime, the blinding flashes became frequent that it eventually resulted to seconds' interval. Their school was located at the heart of the town. The mountain could still be seen from this range but not as clear as when she was at home. The clouds on its peak kept turning from the white cottony fluff as it was in a normal person's eye into dark clouds with lightning dancing inside it. Thunder roared from Mt. Tenkou and only she could hear it. In her ears, they were intense which made her cringed on her seat only to recieve weird glances from her classmates. Once in a while, she would catch Tatsuki looking at her with a deep frown etched on her forehead, but nevertheless, it only lasted a few seconds before she was again back to her solitary world.
As if on cue, someone tapped her shoulders while she was walking in the hallway. "Hinamori."
"Hai, Tatsuki-chan." She replied to her classmate.
"About this morning…" The other girl started to say.
Hinamori shook her head. "No…it's alright. I appreciate that you always fetch me every morning, but you don't need to do that. My house is far from yours, after all." She smiled. "I promise from now on...I would be punctual so we can finish our project. I'm so sorry to bother you." With that she bowed and walked away; halting whatever words Tatsuki was about to say to her.
Once outside their school, Hinamori took a deep breath as she stared at the far view of the mountain. Whatever gloomy feeling she had that morning was slowly evaporating. Her eyes twinkled as another flash of lightning became visible on its peak. Hinamori had been going to the abandoned shrine for years that she knew by now what to expect to materialize after some certain signals and atmosphere conditions. And with this kind of change in the mountain's aura, it could only mean one thing.
"I'm going to see it again…that white dragon…" She whispered excitedly as she started to run towards home with people looking at her strangely.
A few more minutes, Hinamori was panting as she stopped to catch her breath. She was already standing in front of the rundown fence at the end of the dirt road. All she has to do was to squirm underneath the small opening in order to go the stone steps which lead to the old shrine. She couldn't help but to get disappointed as soon as she reached the foot of the mountain. Whatever it was that she saw back in school, it was gone. The forest was quiet once more as if nothing happened. For a moment she thought that she could have dreamed the whole thing, but she knew that it would be unlikely.
She heaved a deep sigh as she made her way to the stone steps. The path wasn't something innovative. It was a mere excuse to be called as stairs with its cracked steps which was chipped off in many areas. Nevertheless, it provided the way towards her destination.
"Oh well…I could just do my homework over there like what I always do." Hinamori said to herself while skipping from one steep step to another.
Finally, she arrived at the old shrine. Musty air greeted her as she leaned against a faded red pillar. Around her, the wind blew softly and rustled the leaves of the nearby trees. Hinamori closed her eyes for a moment and inhaled.
"This really feels like home." She murmured. A smile crept back on her face as she entered her little hideout.
When she first peered inside this abandoned shrine, what met her were endless lace of cobwebs, raised wooden floors and chipped off walls. Now, she made sure no cobwebs invaded the shelter and even tried fixing some of the rotten tiles. But since the whole shrine was surrounded by a thick forest, it was inevitable that dried leaves was blown inside.
"Time to clean again." She said cheerfully as she laid her school bag on the floor and took a broom out from one of the creaky cabinets and began to sweep.
Every now and then, she would glance up at the shadowy forest beyond her, only to be met by silence. Everything looked normal, from the untouched nature up to the forest melodies made by the animal inhabitants. It was all very comforting.
Then suddenly…
- meow -
Hinamori blinked. "A-ra?" A cat sound filled the air. She turned her head towards it. "A neko?"
Indeed, a black cat sat at the sliding door of the shrine with its eyes fixed on her.
"Eh? Where did you come from?" She approached the cat slowly to avoid spooking it away.
But the cat didn't budge nor displayed any nervous reaction which gave Hinamori the chance to even squat in front of it at arms length.
"This is the first time I saw you around here. Are you lost?" She asked.
Still, the cat merely stared at her. She looked for a collar that might tell who its owner was, but she couldn't find anything; only silky-looking black fur and pale eyes gazed back at her unblinkingly.
"Hmmm…Are you hungry?" She smiled sweetly. "I know…I'll give you some milk. Good thing I saved that carton from lunch today. Hold on. Just wait here." She stood and padded towards her bag. She opened a small milk carton and placed its contents on the lid of her bento box. All this time, the black cat's eyes followed her movements vigilantly, but still, it stayed on its position.
"Here you go." Hinamori returned with the milk and left it in front of the cat. "I'm sorry. I don't have much and I don't have a proper bowl either. I wasn't expecting to come across a neko today so…ahehe" She gave a small laugh.
But the black cat still kept its gaze on her.
"A-no…" She shifted from pne foot to another. Somehow, it felt like she was being studied from head to toe by the cat. "Well, then…I shall leave you with your milk." With that she squirmed away towards the back of the shrine. She clutched the end of her broom for a second before eventually laughing. "This is silly. I can't believe I am thinking something like that about that cat. It's good that I now have a new companion." With that, she resumed sweeping.
Time passed while she hummed. Before her, the sun was beginning to set in the West which thickened the shadows made by the surrounding trees. She was lost with her own thoughts when someone suddenly spoke.
"Why do you keep doing that?" A male voice sliced through the air which startled Hinamori.
"Huh?" She looked around her. "Who's there?"
But the voice ignored her question. "Aren't you afraid to be here? This mountain is not for mortals, you know."
Hinamori turned her head but couldn't pinpoint the speaker. "Where are you? Come out!"
"What a weird person." The male voice remarked. "You already met me yet you still ask questions like that."
"?, I don't understand."
"Look here." The voice said.
"Where?"
"Down here...from where you were earlier."
So, the girl faced the shrine once again and blinked when she saw the black cat which now sat in front of the shrine's back door.
"It can't be…" Her words came out in almost a whisper.
"Believe it." The black cat replied.
Hinamori stared at the cat; wide-eyed and with her mouth open.
"Boo." The cat briskly said.
"Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Hinamori jumped and then pointed straight at the cat. "You're the one talking!"
"Who else?" It casually said to her.
"Is…is this even possible?" She stuttered.
"Eh?" The cat tilted its head. "You've seen things far more unexplainable than I am yet you give me that kind of response."
"Seen…things…" Hinamori gasped. "You…you know about…?"
The cat smirked. "Of course, I do. I'm a frequent visitor of this shrine. And I see how you've looked beyond the fence towards the mountain every time there's some kind of 'event' happening."
Still wide-eyed, Hinamori let herself slide beside the talking cat. "You can see them, too?"
The cat gave a small laugh. "I've seen more than those, little girl."
"Eeeeeeeh?" A mixture of confusion and excitement filled Hinamori's heart. "More?"
"Hey…I'm the one who was asking you first. How come you ended up asking me?" The cat pointed out.
"Well, it's not everyday I meet a talking cat. Are you real? Can I touch you, neko-chan?" Her eyes started to light up as she raised her hand and reached towards the animal.
"Easy on that hand." The black cat squirmed away. "I'm not your pet, you know." But seeing Hinamori's huge twinkling eyes, "Okay, fine. Just this once."
The hazel-eyed girl was overjoyed as she touched the cat's fur. "Wow….so smooth! You are real!"
"Of course, I am."
"You say that you are a frequent visitor of this shrine. How come I never saw you till now?" She asked.
"Because I chose not to be seen." It said. "…until now. I've always wondered why you are always here."
"Oh…ummm…" Hinamori's eyes dropped down on her hands. "…I really like this place. I don't know why…but I think I've grown attached to it. I loved playing here when I was small and ever since my grandmother died…it became my sanctuary."
"Sanctuary." The cat gave an amused laugh. "That is the very least this mountain is."
"Then," She peered curiously. "what is this mountain?"
The black cat closed its eyes. "I am not allowed to tell you that."
"Wai? Why not?" Hinamori pouted.
"Because mortals aren't supposed to know." It replied plainly.
"Mortals? You seemed to have boldly classified me. Does this mean that neko-chan is an immortal?" She asked.
Again, instead of answering the girl's query, the black cat spoke of another thing. "I appreciate what you are doing for this shrine. Even though this is the first time I've actually spoken to you, I'm quite aware of your presence that is why I even bothered coming here today."
"Eh? What do you mean?"
"You're name is Hinamori Momo, correct?"
"Hai." She nodded.
"Well, Momo-chan…starting from now on, don't go near this place again." It said.
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeh? Why?"
"Let's just say that things are going to be much more dangerous that it already was." The cat explained. "You've seen the disturbance earlier, right? I bet that was the reason why you rushed all the way here."
Hinamori blinked. The cat got it right on the dot.
The black animal continued. "You are lucky. By the time, you arrived, it already subsided. But it can be unpredictable as to when it will begin again."
"What will begin?"
"It doesn't concern you, so you don't have to know it." The black cat remarked. "Anyway, this old shrine had a spiritual barrier around it."
"Spiritual barrier?"
"Yes. Though, it was abandoned for quite some time now, there was still some left from its original sacred use. Maybe that is why nothing bad happened to you for all those years that you've been spending your days here. But…" The cat glanced towards the thick forest of the mountain. "…I'm not sure if this level of barrier would be enough to keep more powerful beings out."
"Powerful beings…"
"What's with you? You keep repeating what I am saying." The cat said with a hint of annoyance. "It's not like you don't know about them. You see them everyday, after all."
"Oh…those creatures?" Hinamori's huge eyes contemplated.
"Creatures?" Again, the cat laughed. "Those are not creatures."
"They're not? But…I sometimes see huge animal/beasts materializing on thin air." She said. "Aren't those considered as creatures?"
The cat looked surprised for a minute. "You can see even 'those'? A normal person who has his third eye opened would only see shadows moving around Mt. Tenkou's perimeter. But you say…you see…'huge beasts'…how visible are they to you?"
"They are as clear as day." Hinamori answered. "But most of the time, they only last for a few seconds. Except for one incident wherein it lasted for a few minutes."
"Tell me, child." It was obvious that she got the cat's full attention. "What exactly in detail do you see inside this mountain?"
"A-no…" She placed a finger under her chin. "Like what you already said, shadows moving about…then the change in Mt. Tenkou's environment conditions, then ummm…cloaked things…I see cloaked things."
"Cloaked things..." The cat's tone wavered.
"Hai…most of the time I see them emerging from the ground." She gestured her hand about as she indicated her point. "Oh but there are some that fall from the sky as well."
"Fall from the sky…" This time, it was the cat's eyes that were getting wider.
Hinamori nodded. "They have wings."
The black animal coughed. "Wings…"
"Yes…shiny ones and then…like what I said earlier…huge animals/beasts materializes once in a while. But it rarely happens."
"What about weapons? Do you see weapons?"
The girl blinked. "Weapons?"
"Yes. Like ah…a sword?" The cat replied.
"Sword? Like a two-blade sword?" In an instant, an image of knights riding horses flashed inside Hinamori's head.
"NO. Not that kind of sword. I was referring to the ones used by samurais in the past—katana-like ones."
"Oh." She finally understood. "No…I couldn't tell if they were carrying any swords. They move so fast, I can barely keep up."
The cat looked as if it was gaping at her.
"Eh? Are you alright, neko-chan?"
Silence overcame them as the black animal just stared at her. Then finally, the cat bent its head and smiled inwardly. "I see." It said.
"Neko-chan…"
"This is quite a rare thing." It started to say. "Well then, little girl…forget about what I said earlier."
"Eh?" Hinamori blinked in puzzlement.
"Go ahead if you like to spend time in this place."
The girl's face lit up. "Really?"
"I'll tell you what. How about you skip school tomorrow and camped out here with me." The black cat said.
"Eh? Camp out. You mean actually sleep out here for the whole night?" Hinamori looked unconvinced as she glanced towards the rickety shrine. "Won't it be too cold? I know it's summer but the mist which endlessly surrounded Mt. Tenkou was thickest during night time. Won't the temperature drop down?"
The cat gave her a side smile. "There is another place up north which is much warmer than this shrine."
"Really?" Hinamori's eyes were as round as a plate.
"I will take you there. It has a better view of the forest." The black animal said mysteriously.
"But I thought you said things are getting more dangerous?"
"It never stopped you before…so why think of it now?" The cat pointed out.
Hinamori blinked. She didn't quite understand what was happening but the cat's invitation was tempting. Tatsuki's face flashed inside her mind. She still has some project to finish with her classmate. This was not the right time to skip class. Then again…
The black cat's eyes looked at her intensely. A smile danced on its face. "Come on…you know you want to…" It said in a rather eerie tone. "…it would be way better than sleeping alone in that old house of yours. Don't you like to get to know this mountain you've grown so attached with?"
It was tempting…very tempting.
"Just for one night…Hinamori Momo…" It said. "…and I promise you…it will change your life forever." A dark aura seemed to surround the animal as it laid down its word.
Common sense told Hinamori that she shouldn't jump into the water. But then again, what had she got to lose? This was the place she considered as her sanctuary. It wasn't like she had anyone to worry about her.
So without any more second thoughts, she nodded. "Okay."
The next morning, Hinamori patiently waited at the back of the old shrine where she and the black cat went their separate ways yesterday. She called her homeroom teacher as soon as the sun rose and informed the faculty member that she was not feeling well. Her teacher bought it. By this time, Tatsuki might have heard of the news of her being sick. She felt bad about not being able to keep her appointment with her classmate, but it evaporated the moment she came tumbling up the stone steps leading to the shrine. Like last night, Mt. Tenkou was immensely quiet. Not a wandering shadow could be seen. She found it really odd, but nevertheless, shrugged it off and anticipated the arrival of her new feline friend.
"You are actually early." A familiar male voice remarked.
Her face lit up. "Neko-chan!" She greeted the cat.
This time, the black animal was standing in all fours on top of a broken oil lamp at the boundary of the shrine and the woods.
"Well then, are you ready? Shall we go?" It asked her.
"Hai!" Hinamori cheerfully exclaimed.
"You look so happy." The cat commented.
"It's because I'm going on an adventure! It's like…going on a holiday." The girl said as she trotted behind the animal.
"Tush. If it's an adventure you want, then wait a few more days." It blurted out.
"Why? What's going to happen during that time?"
The cat cleared its throat. It looked like it just said something it wasn't supposed to say. "Erm…nothing. Let's go."
"Where are we going?" Hinamori followed the feline as it made its way at the farthest end of the shrine.
"It is a hidden path." The feline answered. "But I'm sure you will be delighted to see it." Then, it stopped in front of a wall of vines. "Here. We need to pass through here."
Hinamori blinked. "But, there's no way through. And the vines are all full of thorns."
The cat smirked. "One thing you need to remember, little girl, is that don't be deceived of what something looks like in the outer shell." It raised one paw and pointed something. "Down there, do you see something sticking out?" It referred to a bamboo shoot which laid on the ground. She nodded. "Pick that up and raised it slowly."
The girl did what she was told and moments later, the vines were lifted like curtain drapes sliding open. "Wow!"
"I told you." The cat remarked triumphantly.
"But it's dark." Indeed, the path which unfolded before her was thickly covered by branches of trees which made an undisturbed cylindrical walkway. Not a ray of sun passed through.
"It's alright. Let's go." The cat quickly jumped and disappeared inside the dark path.
"Wai! Wait for me." Hinamori bent her head and slid herself in. She let go of the bamboo shoot which made the entrance close behind her. "Neko-chan! Where are you? I can't see."
"Over here." The black cat answered. "Just take another step."
Again, she did what she was told. As soon as her foot touched with what seemed like another flight of stone steps, both sides of the pathway suddenly illuminated. "A-ra?" Hinamori blinked. "Paper lanterns?"
Surely enough, for every three steps, both sides of the narrow way have traditional paper lanterns hanging on them. One by one, the lanterns lit up which eventually lead to where the black cat was. "H—how?" The girl glanced from one lantern to another as she climbed up the steps. She had no idea how the candles inside the paper lanterns got lit up.
"Pretty neat, huh? Something like this is a common thing from where I came from." The black feline remarked.
"Where exactly did you come from, Neko-chan?" The girl asked as soon as she reached the top of the flight of stairs.
But again, the cat didn't answer her and went on ahead in saying something else. "We need to walk a little bit farther up through the woods." With that, the black cat ran once more towards the forested area.
"Wait!" Hinamori exclaimed as soon as she emerged from the dark walkway. This time she was met by the smell of trees and a light breeze. Different sounds of birds could be heard.
She was inside the woods.
"This is…the first time I've ventured this far." She murmured as she looked around her in awe on how big and ancient-looking the trees were.
"Hurry up, little girl." The cat's voice called out to her. "We don't want you getting lost now, do we?"
"H—Hai." She scrambled on her feet to keep up with the agile animal.
"Well? What do you think?" The feline said in a proud voice.
"Oh my God…this is…?" Hinamori gasped at what greeted her after the endless route of trees and undisturbed earth.
"God has nothing to do with it." The cat snapped.
Whatever irritation found in the cat's voice was not noticed by the hazel-eyed girl. She was too awed at the structure before her. There stood a small yet tall traditional house. Unlike the shrine, even though it looked old, it was well kept and was in good shape. It rose to the ground with three levels. Its uppermost floor was almost in par with the peak of the tall trees which surrounded it. But what looked magnificent about it was the garden in front which beckoned them. Rare-looking bonsai plants adorned the simple yet elegant landscape. There was no pond nor a small bridge but it was obvious that someone must have been living there in order to maintain such a garden.
"Who…who lives here?" Hinamori gaped.
"No one." The cat replied.
"But that's impossible!" She exclaimed. "How can something like this exists this way if no one lives here?"
"You ask too many questions." The black feline remarked. "Just think of it as one of the wonders of Mt. Tenkou." And with that the cat went straight inside the house.
"Weh? Is it okay for us to be here?" Hinamori followed behind.
"Of course. I stay her whenever I want to rest." It glanced back at her with a smile. "Make yourself at home."
Hinamori was reluctant but eventually did what the cat said. She had come too far to back out. You don't have anything to lose. She reminded herself. So, just enjoy this adventure.
The inside of the house was plain. Except for a few basic furniture like a low table, mats, pillows, kettle, lanterns and futon, there was nothing extravagant or odd in the said house.
"Drop your bag anywhere and join me up here." The black cat said.
Again, she did what she was told and started climbing up the wooden stairs. Apparently, her feline friend was at the uppermost level. It laid comfortably on the tiled roof in front of an opened third floor window.
"Now…isn't this the view? Far better than what you get from the shrine, eh?" It said to her.
"Wow. You're right." Hinamori replied as she tucked her feet beneath her and sat near the black cat.
Since they were at the top floor and within the woods itself, almost the whole perimeter of the mountain was visible. Everything looked pleasant and peaceful.
"A normal person would only get lost in that path we just took and will probably wind up in circles. Do you know that?" The cat shot her a side glance.
"Eh? Then, how come we didn't get lost?"
"Cause we are not exactly ordinary humans." It pointed out.
"Oh."
"You can see everything clearly, right? A normal person will only see a thick mist which will impair their vision of the surroundings." The cat explained to her.
"Really?" She said in a weak voice.
"But I think you already know about the mist. It was a different mist than the ones which occurs naturally during night time due to cold weather."
Hinamori just nodded.
"I'm not going to ask you on how you ended up having that kind of ability." The black cat said. "I am simply not interested with that kind of thing. What is eating my curiosity is up to what extent do you know about the 'events' which happens every now and then in this mountain."
"I could have easily answered that back in the shrine, neko-chan." She gazed up at the view before her. "I can only see, but I don't know what to exactly make out of it."
The black cat smirked. "I will find my answers in my own way. There is no need for you to explain it."
Silence overcame them as both seemed to be in deep thought.
"Neh…neko-chan…" The girl started to say.
"Hmmm?"
"You said before that 'those' aren't creatures. What exactly are they?" She asked.
"Which one? You seem to see more than one type." It said.
"There are many types?"
"Of course, it is another world out there, you know." The cat remarked.
"Well umm…" She tilted her head thoughtfully. "What about those shadows?"
"Those shadows are mixed. So it may be a little difficult to explain."
Hinamori smiled. "Looks like you don't mind giving me information now. I remember yesterday, you kept saying that there is no need for me to know."
The feline closed its eyes as it stretched its body. "I'm not going to tell you why they are here in Mt. Tenkou nor their purpose in this earth. But I think I can tell you what they are…the very least."
"So what are they? You can just enumerate them. If it is complicated, then I guess, you can cut the terms or whatever you think will make me comprehend faster." She said.
"You seriously want it simple?" The cat suddenly looked at her with a mysterious flare in its eyes.
Hinamori nodded.
"They are light and dark beings. Not creatures…but beings." It remarked.
"Light and dark beings?"
The cat's smile deepened. "Heaven and Hell."
"Eh?"
"Simply put. Those you saw with shiny feathered wings are angels. The cloaked ones are devils."
Night time befell on Mt. Tenkou and once again, things were getting intense. Hinamori watched as the same cloaked beings jumped from one tree to another. On top against the carpet of diamonds on the sky, storm clouds started to form. It looked strange considering that only that side of the mountain had this dark patch of clouds.
Hinamori covered herself with a blanket as she watched from the tiled roof of the mysterious house inside the woods. She found the cat's revelations to be slightly disturbing but she wasn't surprised. Somehow deep inside she might have a clue of what they really were. After all, she did see pointed tails sticking out of the cloaks from those who emerged from the earth. And the luminous wings of those who fell from the sky really were a good sign that they might be beings from Heaven.
But as to why beings from hell and heaven were in Mt. Tenkou was something the black cat refused to answer.
Hinamori sighed.
She should be afraid of her current situation but in contrary, she felt delighted. She found the companionship of the cat as something precious even for this little time she had known it. It was like…for the first time…she had a friend. Someone she could talk to about this strange ability of hers. Unfortunately, her feline friend told her that she could only stay there for one night.
'Your pass in these woods is only good for one night.' She recalled it saying. 'Mortals are not meant to be here.'
'Tomorrow, you need to go back home…and same with me…I also need to go back to the place where I came from.' But again, it didn't answer her when she asked where it came from.
Hinamori's shoulders slumped down. For a brief moment, she felt truly happy, but tomorrow she needed to return to her lonely world once again. With another heavy breath, she closed her eyes.
Maybe everything's just a dream. That's why it won't last once I wake up. She thought.
Then, thunder started erupting in the sky which made her eyes flew open. "Oh my…that is…" She stood up with much anticipation as she searched the peak of the mountain. She was rewarded when the atmosphere flickered and an image started materializing out of thin air.
It was an image of a long white dragon making its way around the mountain. Hinamori gasped. Everything was clearer and more realistic compared to the view back at her house. She stared as lightning followed the huge beast. For some reason, it wasn't alone. There were also other things with it which she couldn't quite make out. It looked angry and fierce as it seemed to lurch forward at something bright and sturdy.
"A-ra…it's getting bloody." Someone spoke from behind which made Hinamori jumped; startled.
"Neko-chan!"
The cat sat on a wooden foundation beside where she stood. "I seem to have a habit of startling you."
Hinamori clutched her chest. "Yes." Then, she giggled and focused her attention back to the magnificent creature at the top of the mountain. Her eyes twinkled as she watched in awe once more.
"Hmmm?" The cat's observant eyes landed on the girl's face. "You're supposed to be scared in witnessing this. But it seemed to be the opposite."
"It is so beautiful." She whispered which made the cat arched its brow. "I really like watching that dragon." She sighed lovingly. "Thank you, neko-chan for bringing me closer up here."
The cat was silent for a while as it gazed at the girl with amused eyes.
"Neh…neko-chan…that creature out there…it was neither a cloaked one nor a winged one. What exactly is it then?" She asked.
"Like I said before, there are many types. I don't know how to exactly explain it to you. If I even try doing so, then it won't be simple at all." Her feline friend pointed out. "I'm simply too lazy to even try drawing a chart for you."
"A chart?"
"Err…never mind. Just stick to the angels and devils thing."
"You're mean in a way, neko-chan. Do you know that?" She remarked, but her eyes were all focused on the beast she greatly admired for quite some time now.
"You like him that much?" The black suddenly asked.
"Huh? Who?" Hinamori looked confused for a minute.
The cat moved closer to her and bent down to talk on her ear. "Him." It pertained to the white dragon.
"It's a 'he'?" The girl asked with growing curiosity.
"Yes." The black feline smiled mischievously. "Would you like to know his name?"
Hinamori's eyes lit up. "It has a name!" She exclaimed.
"Hitsugaya Toushirou." The cat replied. "That white dragon's name is Hitsugaya Toushirou."
"Little girl, wake up." A voice filled Hinamori's ears as she groaned and buried herself more within her covers.
"Five more minutes…" She said.
"I don't have five more minutes." The voice said. "I need to leave right now. My master is waiting for me."
Master? Who is this person talking to me? Do I know anyone who has a master? She opened one eye only to be met by a black cat's stare.
"I need to report back now." The feline said.
"Weeeeeeeeeeeeeh!" Hinamori jolted up in sitting position.
The cat sweat-dropped. "There you go again…getting startled in seeing me. Aren't you used to me by now?"
"Go—gomen, neko-chan. I thought I was dreaming all this time." She replied in her defense.
"Well get over it. Anyway, I woke you up to say goodbye. You can go back to sleep and stay till afternoon here. But remember you need to go back before sunset. There is no barrier along the path which we took yesterday. It would be dangerous for you to wonder about." Then, the cat noticed Hinamori's face fell. "A-ra? There is no need to look so sad. It wasn't like we've known each other for that long."
"But neko-chan had been more of a friend to me than anyone else I've known since I was small!" She exclaimed.
"Oi..oi…you shouldn't be 'all-trusting', you know. You're lucky that I have a kindness streak in me." Then, to itself it murmured. Most wouldn't.
"Even so…" Her eyes started to waver. "…I don't want to be alone again. Can't I just stay here in whatever world this mountain seems to revolve in?"
"No." The cat said firmly. "There is no way a mortal can survive Mt. Tenkou's harsh surroundings. I'm sorry to say this, but all of those rumors in regards to this mountain were true. Every single person who stupidly wandered inside this mountain never returned. All of them ended up dead."
"Where they…" She stammered. "…killed by those 'beings'?"
"Yes." The cat answered flatly.
Hinamori grew silent. "I see." She said.
The black cat nodded as if to gesture a farewell and started to walk towards the door. It was about to jump outside when she suddenly spoke.
"I don't mind getting killed." The girl said with her eyes fixated on her lap.
This made the cat stop on its track. "Come again?"
"I said...I don't mind getting killed." She repeated.
"Why?" It asked her.
"Because I don't have anyone in this world. The only thing that was left precious to me was the shrine and this mountain." She remarked in a weak yet audible voice.
"Are you sure it is the mountain you seek?" The feline asked without looking at her.
"What do you mean?"
"Was it the mountain…or the mystery behind it?" The cat asked once more.
Hinamori contemplated for a while. "I don't know." She finally said.
The black animal turned its head back to her with a smile slowly getting visible. "If you are granted one wish…any kind of wish…what would you wish for?"
Hinamori stared at the cat for a moment. "I don't know." She answered.
The cat smirked. "It could be anything."
"I honestly don't know." She said. "I couldn't think of anything I would want from this world."
"From the world of the living, yes…but what about from the world of the dead?"
"Eh?" Hinamori blinked; unsure of what the cat was referring to.
"You can always wish for something from there, too." It supplemented in mysterious tone.
Time seemed to pass as neither of the two occupants of the room spoke. Finally, it was the black feline who broke the silence.
"Since, you don't mind being killed; I'm going to share yet another information. Then again, being killed doesn't necessarily mean that you are also going to lose that."
"?"
The cat faced her once again and sat on the floor. "Another folklore is true. Devils grant wishes."
"Eh?"
It continued. "You can ask for anything in exchange for you soul. I'm sure you've heard of it."
"Just like in the movies?"
The cat snorted. "One could only wonder as to where humans got that idea. Certainly, something like that doesn't merely materialize from thin air. There must always be a source."
"What are you trying to say, neko-chan?"
"What I'm trying to say is that you can always do it." It said. "You can always go under contract with one of the minions of hell in exchange of what your heart truly desires. I just thought that you seemed to have lost the spark of life that it wouldn't matter if you bet on something like your soul."
"Neko-chan…"
"Think about it. You know now that angels and devils do exist. You've seen them in your own backyard. Wouldn't you want to try it?" The cat said; this time in a tempting tone.
"I'm not sure." She replied.
"I can tell you how to summon one." The feline remarked with its pale eyes sparkling.
"How to summon…"
"Yes…how to summon a devil." The black cat answered with its eyes sparkling with excitement.
(UP Next: Chapter Two: "The Wish")
Author's Note:
This story is another product of a recent dream I had (with a dash of exaggeration, of course). Yeah…I know…kind of scary, huh? To dream about making a contract with the devil, but somehow, I wasn't scared while I was dreaming it. The devil in my dream was a kid, hence, who else will be perfect for the role in my fic? Hitsugaya's character fit the whole thing, that's why I ended up making a Bleach fic. Like 'secret of the lettermaker', it was not in the plan to write this, but I think it is an interesting plot in the usual 'one wish for your soul' deal. This is my first time to write a Bleach fic and actually uploaded it. I am more of a CCS subcat authoress. I'm not sure what kind of bleach community ff dot net has, but I'm willing to try this place out.
I wasn't expecting for this chapter to be this long. Actually, I even cut it from the original plan when I realized that I already have 27 pages considering that this is only the first chapter. Initially, I was supposed to write up to that time wherein Hitsugaya will make an official appearance in flesh and blood, but I think it would make this chapter go beyond 30 pages that I opted in including it in the next chapter instead. After all, I am yet to get opinions.
So, please tell me what you guys think. Continue or not? R & R Onegai Shimasu!
