The truth about the truth: it hurts, so we lie - Lying to hurt another intentionally (Hollow Ichigo)
Her sword shook in her hand as she held it at her side. In fact it felt as if her whole body had reduced to shivers at the sight before her.
Where there should have been tanned skin there was skin as white as snow, where there should have been warm brown eyes there were spine-chilling yellow ones floating in a pool of black, where there should have been his all too familiar scowl there was a large, psychotic grin.
"Have I frightened you?" His voice was higher in pitch and sounded off, another distinction between the imposter and the boy whom he pretending to be. He cocked his head to the side at an almost awkward angle as he awaited her response.
"Who are you and what have you done with Ichigo?" Her voice sounded stronger than she felt.
The pale-skinned being sighed in exasperation. He ran a hand through his equally pale hair as he regarded the girl dully. It was clear by the look he was giving her that he was quickly growing bored.
"How many times must I tell you? I am Ichigo….well the better part of him." The grin upon his lips grew at his own joke.
"Liar!" the girl roared. She gripped her sword tightly, her shaking ceasing as she raised it to point threateningly in his direction. "I have known Ichigo since I was little and you are not him! Now I will ask you only one more time: who are you and what have you done with my friend!"
The grin slowly faded from the imposter's lips until it resembled the scowl of her friend. "It's just like weak-hearted fools to only look with their eyes, to only see what they want to see and throw out the ugly parts they don't like. But those ugly parts are the parts that make up a person; those parts show us what's really worth seeing." His grin returned with a vengeance as he regarded her defensive stance. He chuckled softly.
"Do you plan on using that toy against me?"
"If it will bring Ichigo back." She crouched lower to the ground intent on springing forward if provoked.
"If you hurt me your friend gets hurt too" the imposter said. He pinned the girl with a fierce glare, "Do not raise your weapon if you don't intend to use it, I might get the wrong impression." He lifted his own sword in challenge, the tip of his black blade touching her pristine sliver one.
"I know all about you, the king thinks highly of you and from the looks of things," he looked her up and down for exaggerated emphasis, "I can see why. Don't worry I won't scratch that pretty face of yours….much."
He flash stepped and was before her instantly, leaning over so he could whisper in her ear. "What scares you more, knowing that your friend is a monster or knowing that you can do nothing to save him?"
Her sword was at his throat before she knew what she was doing. She pressed her mouth close to his ear as she whispered softly into it, "You say you know all about me but you know nothing. I will always find a way to save my friends even if it's from themselves. Pierce the skin and draw blood, Azami Hana!"
She would always remember his maniacal laughter.
