Chapter 10 More Strength
Jaden stood between the Hollow and Tatsuki who was already hurt. Jaden remembered that he almost tries to hurt her again, so she won't let that happen.
"I've seen this guy. I know he would never willing do any of this." Jaden thought, slightly gritting her teeth. She also saw Orihime now cowering in the corner, also in her soul form. Jaden knows Orihime is terrified right now and that she's trying to understand why she's in that state.
"Jaden!? What's happening!? What's going on!?" Tatsuki exclaimed, to shocked and scared to understand what's happening.
"Both of you have to calm! Trust me, this'll all be fine!" Jaden called out, not looking directly at either of them, focusing only on the Hollow.
Jaden could feel Tatsuki and Orihime giving her weird looks, but just as she said that and before anything else could be said or done, the Hollow lunged forward so fast that Jaden couldn't see and that ended up with her being slammed against the wall by the neck, just barely above Tatsuki.
"Jaden!" Tatsuki exclaimed.
"Jaden. I can't just sit here, I've got to do something." Orihime said.
She got up onto her feet and she ran up to and slammed her body against the Hollow, moving it just enough to make it lose its' grip on Jaden's neck. Orihime shortly fell onto her side, but she quickly got back onto her feet and moved towards Jaden, who is now coughing and hacking from lack of air. Once Orihime was near Jaden, she got onto her knees beside her.
"Jaden! Are you ok?" Orihime asked, lightly grabbing Jaden's arm that was covered by her sleeve of her black long sleeved shirt. Jaden looked down at her sleeve, not at Orihime. Tatsuki saw Jaden's sleeve being grabbed by something she couldn't see and she quickly back away from Jaden while letting out a small scream.
"Gah! What is that!? What's happening!?" Tatsuki exclaimed. Orihime looked at her friend and moved towards her.
"Tatsuki, what are you screaming about? Tatsuki, it's just me, what's wrong!?" Orihime said.
"It's useless talking to her now, Orihime. She can't hear us. She can't even see us." the Hollow said. Orihime looked up at the Hollow she heard that. Jaden quickly realized what would be coming next, so she got back onto her feet and once again got between the girl and the Hollow.
"Jaden!" Tatsuki and Orihime exclaimed.
"Both of you, just stay calm and don't move away from me." Jaden ordered.
"So, you are actually able to see and hear us." the Hollows said. Tatsuki soon ended up passing out from shock and exhaustion.
"Tatsuki!" Orihime exclaimed. Orihime quickly put her attention back onto the Hollow.
"Why can't she see us? And how do you know my name?" Orihime asked.
"That makes me sad Orihime. Have you forgotten my voice, how could you? It's me, can't you tell?" the Hollow asked trying to move closer to Orihime, but Jaden kept backing up making Orihime move back as well.
"What are you talking about?" Orihime asked, grabbing Jaden's shoulder.
"It makes me sad Orihime. Very very sad!" the Hollow said, trying to attack them.
Jaden was quick enough to get completely in front of Orihime to take the blow herself. She tightly closed her eyes to prepare for it, but when the attack never hit, Jaden remembered who stopped it in the first place and snapped her eyes open.
"Ichigo!" Jaden exclaimed, seeing the orange Soul Reaper in front of her.
"I am the one you're really after! Leave them alone and fight me!" Ichigo exclaimed, pushing the Hollow back. The Hollow then disappeared again.
"Damn, Tatsuki. How'd you get caught up in all this?" Ichigo thought.
"Ichigo, Jaden, thank you for rescuing us from that thing." Orihime said. Jaden and Ichigo looked back at the girl after hearing that.
"Whoa, hold on a minute. How in the hell can you see me?" Ichigo asked.
"Why shouldn't I?" Orihime asked.
"She's in soul form, you idiot! That Hollow did it to her!" Jaden said. Ichigo's eyes widened after hearing that.
"That's right. She's a spirit being now." the Hollow's voice said. All three of them looked up at where the Hollow was gonna appear from.
"In other words, Orihime is dead!" the Hollow said, only revealing its' head. Ichigo charged at the Hollow when he saw it.
"No Ichigo! Wait!" Jaden shouted, but it was too late. She knew what would happen next, so pulled Orihime close to her by wrapping her arm around Orihime's shoulders.
"Jaden, what are-" Orihime began to question.
"Orihime, what ever happens, don't let go of me." Jaden said, looking Orihime straight in the eye. Orihime hesitated, but did what Jaden said and tightly gripped Jaden's arm. Luckily, just as the Hollow grabbed Orihime's Soul Chain and making Ichigo fly through the wall.
"Stay back." the Hollow said, holding up Orihime and Jaden in his hand. Jaden was luckily still able to use her hands, but the Hollow still had a tight grip. The Hollow then attacked Ichigo with its' long tail.
"Ichigo!" Jaden exclaimed. She also paid attention to Orihime and her brother, how Orihime finally realized. But, Jaden was still worried about Ichigo.
"Dammit, dammit, dammit! This is the exact reason why I wanted to help, and what am I doing!?" Jaden thought angrily. Jaden's locket suddenly started to emit a bright white light. Jaden saw this and looked down.
"My mom's locket." Jaden mumbled, holding it close to her chest, light still coming through. It was soon when Jaden realized the Hollow set her and Orihime down. Jaden quickly stood beside Orihime.
"Are you really Sora? My brother?" Orihime asked.
"Yes Orihime. It's me." Sora said.
"You're lying. My brother was gentle. He would never do these things you're doing." Orihime said.
"I was so lonely. You were beginning to forget about me, sister. A little more each day." Sora said.
"After I died, you prayed for me everyday. I watched you. It was your prayers and your thoughts that gave me peace. It relieved me of my loneliness." Sora said.
"But after a year had gone by, you became friends with that girl. And then I saw you began to pray for me less and less. Then when you entered high school, you stopped praying for me completely. That's why I was so lonely." Sora said.
Jaden just watched as the two talked. Deep down, Jaden sympathized with the Hollows. They never want to do anything wrong, but they never have a choice. Orihime's brother was perfect example of that, along with many others. Jaden snapped back into reality when she saw Sora about to go after Ichigo again.
"Leave him out of this!" Jaden shouted, taking a step closer.
"Jaden." Orihime said.
"He has nothing to do with you! He just wants to keep her safe from a Hollow like you!" Jaden shouted.
"If you're gonna stand in my way, I'll kill you first!" Sora said, lunging at Jaden. After pushing Orihime to the side, Jaden was able to jump out of the way from his hand. But just as she did, her locket began glowing again.
"Not again." Jaden thought. She became distracted, so she couldn't dodge Sora's next attack with his tail that slammed her against the ground.
"D-damn." Jaden choked out, struggling to get into a kneeling position.
"I'll kill you!" Sora declared, about bring its' arm down on top of Jaden.
"No you won't, you freak!" Ichigo shouted, stabbing Sora's tail just before it could attack Jaden. Sora let out a loud howl after being stabbed in the tail.
"Jaden!" Orihime said, running to her side. Sora was about try and attack them again, but Ichigo got in the way and cut Sora's hand off.
"Let me ask you something, Mr. Overbite. Do you know why big brothers are born? There's a reason." Ichigo said, rising to his feet.
"They're born first so that they can look out for their little brothers and sisters. And here you are ready to kill your own sister. Even a dead doesn't ever have the right to do that!" Ichigo said.
Jaden and Orihime looked up at Ichigo as he said that. Jaden, however, had a sad look on her face. She never had an older brother or sister, or had anyone like one. She only had her father and best friends she always defended.
"Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about! Orihime is mine. I was fifteen when she was born. And I raised her when our parents abandoned us. To me, she had been more like a daughter than a sister. Orihime! Come with me now. Back to when it was just you and me, happy together. If you come, then I shall spare these other souls." Sora said.
"Wait. It's a trap. You can't believe him because he doesn't have the feelings of a brother anymore." Rukia warned Orihime.
"Are sure?" Orihime asked. Jaden noticed a small glimmer on Orihime's hair pin, that meant Sora was starting to come to his senses. It was also shown when he suddenly bashed his head into the wall.
"Brother!" Orihime exclaimed. Jaden was finally able to get back onto her feet.
"What is this?" Ruki asked.
"...He's struggling." Jaden said, not paying attention to the looks they gave her after she said that.
"Orihime...is...mine!" Sora shouted, trying to attack Ichigo again. Ichigo was easily able to stop his attack by using his sword.
"Orihime doesn't belong to anyone! And least of all to you!" Ichigo stated, pushing Sora back and out of the house.
Jaden watched as Ichigo chased after Sora. She rushed to the hole that was just made and could see Ichigo about to take down Sora, but she knew he wasn't gonna do it even as Rukia called out to him. Ichigo then dropped his sword and was about to be attacked, but that was when Orihime got in the way.
"Orihime..." Ichigo muttered.
Jaden jumped down and landed beside Ichigo and watched as Orihime and Sora talked. She didn't have to pay attention to know where their conversation would lead to. Jaden partly paid attention to Rukia's explanation to Rukia as well, but she still knew what had happened to Sora. Jaden fully paid attention again after Sora's mask was broken. Before Orihime could hit the ground, Jaden caught her and got down on her knees.
"No!" Sora said.
"Orihime!" Ichigo exclaimed. Jaden let Rukia explain Orihime's situation and come to help her. At the same time, Orihime's hairpin shined again.
"These hairpins. They're from you aren't they, Sora? They've shined multiple time after you showed up." Jaden said. Jaden looked up at Sora, able to see the guilt in his eyes. That was when he moved to pick up Ichigo's sword.
"What are you doing?" Ichigo asked.
"I only have a short time before the Hollow overwhelms me again and changes me back into a monster. So while I'm sane and can still think clearly, I'll end this." Sora said, positioning the sword near his throat.
"No, wait! Don't do that!"
"Ichigo, it's alright. He's made the right decision. Once you become a Hollow, you can never go back to what you were again. Passing in is the best thing for him."
"But Rukia." Ichigo said.
"It'll be fine Ichigo." Jade said, not taking her eyes off Sora.
"She's right. You'll learn that exorcising a Hollow is not the same thing as killing it. You're cleansing its' soul, allowing it to enter the Soul Society. That's why Soul Reapers exist in the first place. To help all souls find their way and finally rest in peace." Rukia explained. Ichigo seemed to understand and he turned his attention back onto Sora, who was smiling as he placed the sword to his throat.
"Wait, I have to tell you something." Orihime said, just now opening her eyes and catching Sora's attention. Orihime explained what had happened between her and her brother about the hair pins. And after she did, Orihime was able to say what she wanted.
"My brother, have a good day." Orihime said.
"Thanks, Orihime." Sora said. And with that, he vanished. When he was gone and when Jaden saw that Rukia would deal with a crying Orihime, she began to take her leave.
"Wait, Jaden!" Ichigo called out. Jaden stopped walking when she was only a few feet away and she looked over shoulder.
"Thank you. I owe you one." Ichigo said. Jaden just smiled at him and nodded her head at him before she left to go home.
"Damn. I wasn't any help again. But, what was with my locket? Something strange is going on." Jaden thought.
(A/N: Yay! My chapters are getting longer! I'm so proud of myself!)