Title: Much Like Falling
Pairing: None yet.
Summary: It's so easy to fall to the temptation of power. Arrancar!Keigo!Mizuiro, and Mentions of Arrancar!Tatsuki. Very, Very AU.Rating: PG-13 for safety ;o
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Warning: Char Death. [mentioned
Notes: Yeah, the idea stuck with me, and that's why I wrote it. Comments are loved on this and…here we go.
Sunset drew, a curtain shielding the world slowly creeping down—night was on its way, you know.
An eerie tune whistled its way down the street, the area surprisingly empty for this time in Karakura town.
The body slid out of the shadows of the alleyway with ease, the quickly darkening sky and the street lights (the lights were set on around half an hour ago, preparing for night) highlighting the piece of what looked like bone tracing just above Kojima Mizuiro's ear, sliding along the side of his hair—a picture of elegance, as always. The tune became louder, now, not only etched in the others' mind, but also hummed, the motion soothing the other unintentionally. The melody had been something his mother had always hummed to him when he was little, before, well, it happened, and she was kind of gone for the most part from his life. But he really didn't want to think about that now. So, he didn't.
Now, this was quite a sight. I'm sure you would admit. Nobody expected this—this sudden change of Mizuiro. Then again…People forget how easily power is corrupted.
"With great power comes great responsibility."
…Wasn't that a quote stated somewhere? Well, as painful as it is, this quote hits it right on the spot. Mizuiro's power was his intelligence, and oh so quickly did the other fall.
Tempted…taunted by power. However, the sad thing is that in the beginning, his actions had been noble—had been for the good.
"I'll… tell you. Anything—Everything. Just…Just fix them. Please…Fix them." Said Mizuiro, pathetic and groveling on the floor. His voice was quiet, as usual, despite his obvious sorrow—shown by the tears rushing down his cheeks.
Keigo—dead.Tatsuki—dying.
Mizuiro knew that this man—that this Aizen was strong. He could feel it in the air, see it in how he was treated (in how the other reacted to him, things like that) and it was just…obvious. With a person such as Aizen, the strength emanating from him mentally was…crushing. The other had come down here with the intent of hurting Ichigo—but Mizuiro just…he wouldn't let that happen. As long as he could, he would prevent that from happening. He had to, after all.
"Oh?" Asked the voice, clearly amused with Mizuiro's so-far futile actions. "And, boy, what exactly could you possibly tell me that I don't already know myself?" Aizen had asked, and, honestly, at first, Mizuiro didn't want to tell him. He was frightened—hardly happy to admit this to himself. But, you know, it had to be done. He'd…he'd tell it as long as it saved Keigo and Tatsuki. He would. Despite his appearances, he loved his friends. Keigo and Tatsuki really meant something to him. He knew it, and—"Well?"
"I can…see things." He said, after a moment, still thinking it over and wondering if it was too soon to take back his words. Unfortunately or not, it wasn't. He'd said it, it was out already. "Things will happen and…I'll know. I can put things together, fast, and I just know how things work—"
Aizen held out a hand, instructing the other to stop. Mizuiro flinched, and his head dipped down, staring at Keigo's hand which he was holding close with his own. He squeezed the cold boy's hand, tightly, wishing for Keigo's slight courage to help him here. He was shaking, that much was obvious to whoever was looking.
"Now, Now, Mizuiro. No need to be ashamed…you intrigue me, if what you've said is true, I'll give you that much." Even so, Aizen could see right then and now that at least partly of what Mizuiro said was true—the other was, obviously, smart. He was young…but even so, all the more room to blossom under the skilled hands of a gardener, no?
"I'll fix them." He said, leaning down and grasping the other boy's chin tightly and making him look up, away from the dead body of his friend. "And you—you will come with me."
And so it had been. However, "fixing" had not been Mizuiro's idea of it all. "Fixing" Keigo had been turning the other into an Arrancar—yet, Keigo, having been dead so long, had forgotten who he was, empty minded, nearly brainwashed. Like a newborn Arrancar, by all means. Tatsuki, the same. Died and turned into an Arrancar. That was how it was. Yet…Tatsuki had kept her…everything. But she had been…too rebellious, according to Aizen, and had to be taken care of—discipline, apparently, just hadn't been working on the teen.
As slightly shameful and embarrassing as it was, that was how things came to be, how Mizuiro had ended up here, walking once more in Karakura town—a flicker in the air, and suddenly, a figure melted into the air right beside him, going into step.
"Mizuiro-sama?" The once goofy voice of Asano Keigo greeted him, and Mizuiro halted his steps, the tune dying so quickly—as if a bad note had been played, someone had interrupted his quiet song. His smile sank slightly, but he didn't let it show too much, as he listed to the other. He didn't even have to turn to see the new face of Asano Keigo, having practically memorized the new look. A bone-like structure falling up the side of his jaw, running over hair and making a half-helmet for the boy, going past the part in his hair, was most of his new look. Besides the traditional Arrancar uniform. But that was something he didn't want to dwell on, at the moment.
"Yes?" He questioned, voice quiet, as always.
"You left—without me. You should have been more careful, Mizuiro-sama." Keigo replied, stepping closer to the other, hand gripping light on the hilt of his sword, wary of this 'unfamiliar' land. "Not to doubt you, of course, but if it's really Kurosaki that you say is coming…" He trailed off, unsure if he was stepping too far over his boundaries.
Mizuiro just let out a small sigh, giving Keigo a sad smile. "Yes…I just needed to get away, and be by myself, Keigo." He felt saddened, truly, he did. Mizuiro missed the other Keigo, the one who was…well. A bit of a fool. But…It's not as if he could do anything about it. And, truthfully, he'd much prefer an empty-headed Keigo to a dead Keigo. "Anyway…Kurosaki should be arriving here any moment…so be ready, Keigo."
"Yes, Mizuiro-sama."
So that was it, then. Everything was set into place, the dice was rolled, the cards were set, and now all they had to do was, well…wait.