Kushira Harribel drew her zanpakuto against an Arrancar with short dark hair, different colored eyes and what looked like a unicorn horn on the top of her head. The Arrancar drew her sword and retreated to a battle stance. As Kushira lunged the Arrancar dodged. They battled for a little while before a garganta portal opened up.
They paused in their fight to observe a figure coming towards them. When the Arrancar looked relived, Kushira braced her zanpakuto in front of her. A tall, curvy female Arrancar stepped in her line of sight "I told you, Emilou" she said "not to engage in combat"
She turned to Kushira and both women stumbled backwards in complete shock, green eyes met green eyes and Kushira studied the dark-skinned female Arrancar in front of her, dark skin, green eyes and short blonde hair.
"Tier" she whispered in shock "Kushira?" the Arrancar whispered back "you know her Harribel-sama?" the first Arrancar said. Tier didn't say anything; she simply stepped over to Kushira who was rooted to the ground in shock.
She lifted a hand up to brush Kushira's cheek. The redhaired Shinigami burst into tears and embraced the Arrancar who returned it. The first Arrancar gasped in shock "Harribel-sama!" she said but it went ignored. "I'm so sorry!" Kushira sobbed "I'm so sorry Tier, this is all my fault" she held Tier close.
A tear slipped out of Tier's eyes "it's not your fault…I chose this path" "to save me!" Kushira said vehemently "I should be the Hollow not you" she sniffed "it was going for me" Tier shrugged "it's not a big deal" Tier said reassuringly "I'm one of the elite now…I'm Espada number three"
Kushira's eyes widened "an Espada?" she said dismayed "I found you…after all this time we're together again. But it's in battle…on opposite sides. You know what? I refuse, I refuse to fight you. I love you" she said and Tier nodded "we may be on opposing sides but we're not enemies" Kushira held onto her sister "oh Tier, I wish I could bring you back with me" she sobbed "why did it have to end up this way?"
Tier rested her forehead against her sister's "it just did…there's nothing any of us could have done to stop it" she brushed away Kushira's tears with her thumb "don't cry sister, at least we know each other is alive and well" Kushira nodded "I just wish things had turned out differently" she said devastated.
Tier nodded "I do too" she said. Kushira looked up "someone's coming…a Shinigami" she said "a captain" she paled "go…I won't fight you but that doesn't mean someone else won't" Tier nodded and kissed Kushira on the forehead, Kushira kissed Tiers' cheek
"Stay safe sister" Tier raised a hand in farewell "you too little sister" Kushira said watching with sad eyes as Tier beckoned to the other Arrancar who had watched the exchange with shock "I love you sister" Kushira whispered once they had left.
"Lieutenant Hikamara?" Kushira hastily wiped her eyes and turned "yes Captain Ukitake?" Jushiro Ukitake went to her and glanced at the spot where Tier and the other Arrancar had disappeared "you let her go" he said and Kushira gasped "let…who?" she stuttered, pretending to be confused. Jushiro fixed her with green eyes "your sister"
Kushira looked away fighting back tears "I don't know what you're talking about" she whispered "yes you do…I saw your encounter" Kushira couldn't fight the tears anymore "it's my fault" she sobbed "I should be the Arrancar not her…I thought she had been killed!" "why don't you tell me the story from the beginning?" Jushiro asked gently
"When my family was killed, my little sister, Tier and I were sent to the 79th district of Rukongai together…I don't know what happened to our other four siblings and parents but at least Tier and I were together. We were wandering around when a Hollow showed up and…" she bit her lip and closed her eyes "the Hollow grabbed for me but Tier pushed me out of the way" she whispered "I watched as it pulled her into Hueco Mundo and I never saw her again. I was terrified and hadn't fully processed everything. I was found when Captain-Commander Yamamoto went to investigate a Hollow sighting, and he took me in and raised me"
Jushiro was silent through the confession and when he finished he put his arm around her "you did the right thing in letting her go" he said and she looked up at him in shock "I won't say anything to anyone else…this will be between you and I" Kushira wiped her eyes "thank you Jushiro" she whispered to her best friend, gently resting her head on his shoulder "thank you…"