In the Shadow of the Beast

Wai hai thar! Oh, woops! I need to do homework! Aw well. I'm enjoying this. 'Kay, so, once again, here's Farore with the disclaimer!

Farore: Bleach is copyright of Tite Kubo. All rights to the anime and manga are his and his alone. And I'm the spawn of Satan! BWAHAHAHAHA! (Does the Don Kanonji Pose.)

(AN: This takes place a few months after Chapter One.)

Farore set down the shovel and wiped her brow. Despite the fact that Hueco Mundo is trapped in eternal night, the air was dry and hot. Farore sat down and looked up at the moon. "Aah, I could really go for a drink right now. Man, I never realized how grateful I would be for water until Pa set me to work the field. Huh?" She looked behind her. "Strange, I thought I heard something. Oh well. Back to work." She stood back up and set back to digging. "I wonder what we're growing here this time."

There was a wicked howl behind Farore. She whirled around and stood face-to-face with a massive Hollow. The girl screamed. The Hollow stepped back and covered its ears. Farore swung the shovel and connected it with the Hollow's mask. It shattered. The Hollow unleashed a dying roar and crumbled to dust. No sooner did that Hollow die than another one slashed Farore's back. She dropped to her knees in pain. Five Hollows surrounded her, eying her with hungry rumbles.

This is it, she thought. I'm going to die. I'm going to die here. She closed her eyes and waited for the killing strike. It never came. She looked up. Standing over her was a red-haired woman in a white shihakushô and a dragon-like mask. She held the claws of all five Hollows with a short sword. The masked woman looked down at Farore.

"Lady Aisu-Faia, my name is Yukihi." The woman's voice was firm but warm. "I am the spirit of your Zanpaku-tô sword. Call my name and I'll aid you."

Farore gulped. "Yu-… Yukihi!"

The girl slowly blinked open her eyes. Five cracked Hollow masks lay on the ground around her. Stuck in the sand by her head was a short katana with a red-and-blue hilt. Two blue stars acted as the sword guard. Farore slowly took hold of the hilt and pulled the katana out of the sand. She held it in front of her face and looked deeply into the silver blade.

"Thank you. Yukihi. My Zanpaku-tô. My friend."

Farore woke with a start. The alarm was sounding outside. She shook her head and grabbed Yukihi before rushing out to meet Byakuya in the hall.

"Emergency, Captain?"

"A Menos was sighted in West Rukon. Squad Eleven has already been dispatched. It will be taken care of quickly."

Farore sighed and looked down. "Man, I was hoping to prove myself to the squad." She looked around. "Where's Hisana Nee-chan?"

"She's not feeling well," Byakuya replied. "Her health's been deteriorating. I'm worried." He cringed when he heard Hisana's strained cough. "She's not well at all."

"That cough sounded painful." There was another cough. "I'll fetch Captain Unohana. She might be able to help."

"I've already sent for her." Byakuya closed his eyes with a sigh. "This came on so fast. I never even saw it coming. I couldn't sleep last night for all my worrying about her. I've lost too much sleep already. I'm starting to fall apart." He sat down on the floor and leaned against the wall. "Soon the squad will fall apart as well."

Farore crouched beside her captain and put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry. I'm sure Captain Unohana can heal her soon. Just stay strong for her."

"Bya-… -kuya…" Hisana's strained voice weakly called out to her husband. "Come… please… I need to… tell you… something important…" She coughed again.

Byakuya quickly stood up and entered Hisana's room. Farore stayed in the hall and pressed her ear to the wall to listen to what Hisana had to say.

"When I came… to the Soul Society… I abandoned… my… infant sister Rukia… I… I thought I could keep her… safe if I… left her… I've spent… the last five years… looking for her… and…" She coughed. "Oh God Byakuya! There was another! There was another!"

"Another what?" Byakuya pressed.

"I'm a terrible sister! There was another child! I left her for dead! Oh God! I'm a terrible, terrible person! Kiame… Her name was Kiame… She's dead now… It's all my fault… Please, Byakuya…" Hisana coughed loudly. Farore could tell she spat up blood. "Please… Protect Rukia… She's… all that's left… of my family…"

Silence…

Did she fall asleep? Farore wondered. She heard a sound at last and gasped. Quiet sobbing came from inside the room.

"No… Hisana…" It was Byakuya. "Don't leave… Hisana… Please… Don't go… Don't leave me Hisana…"

Farore silently peered into the room. Byakuya was on his knees, slowly rocking Hisana's lifeless body. His face was buried in her black hair. His eyes were closed tight and tears streamed down his cheeks. Hisana's face was emotionless, her eyes half-open. A small trickle of blood ran from her mouth. Farore knew she was dead. The girl's mind went blank. He cousin was dead and her captain was sobbing like a child.

Farore slowly approached her captain and dropped to her knees. Her eyes spilled over. "Oh, Byakuya…" She gently put her arms around the man she knew all her life and cried loudly into his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry… Hisana… I'm sorry… I'm terribly sorry…"

"It's not your fault Byakuya… There was nothing that could've been done to help her… This wasn't your fault…"

"She won't wake up… Will she?"

"No… She's gone… I'm sorry Byakuya…" This is only the second time I've seen him cry… The first time was when his parents were killed fighting those Hollows…

'Hisana was really all he had left,' Yukihi said via mental link to Farore. 'I mean, sure he has you and Onigumo-san and Senbonzakura-san, but still, he feels alone…'

"… Farore…"

"Yes?"

"Help me… get back again… Help me recover…"

"Of course Byakuya Onii-san…" Farore closed Hisana's eyes all the way and wiped her own eyes. "Let's help each other… For Hisana's sake…" She huddled closer to Byakuya. "Let's help each other…"

Byakuya sniffled and gently lay Hisana's body on the futon. "… My beautiful wife…" He kissed her forehead. "… My dear love… I promise I will find Rukia… I swear on my heart… I will honor your last wish…" (AN: I accidentally put "last fish" instead of "last wish.") He wiped his eyes. "… Farore, do you know where Rukia might be?"

"… I last sensed spiritual pressure like Hisana's in Hanging Dog District… I haven't sensed it for several days though…"1 Farore looked at Hisana. "… She deserves a proper funeral… Let's give her one…"

1There was originally going to be a short Hollow fight here, but I decided it would take away from the story. So I scrapped it. All it was really good for was describing Yukihi's Shikai state and how Farore likes to kill Hollows. I'll demonstrate that later on. I wrote this chapter and the start of the next chapter on paper at school. I enjoy writing fanfics when I should really be doing school work. LOL.