Bleach fic, Chapter 14
The Shinigamis raced towards the crater where Ichigo was already carrying Sakura's limp body. Her white hair trailed over his shoulder and arm as she rested her head against him. All she could hear was the sound of his breathing, and the beating of her heart. And then her normal senses returned, colour and noise rushing in, and she watched as her friends ran towards her.
Cool hands touched her face, which was feverishly hot. Even stronger arms than Ichigo's encircled her, and she looked up into Renji's scowling face, lined with worry. Rukia was standing with an arm around Orihime, a relieved smile on both their faces. Uryu's sombre face came into view, and Sakura smiled at him.
"I couldn't do it."
Ichigo frowned. "You did it, Sakura. You controlled the blast!"
But that wasn't what she was referring to and only Uryu and Renji knew her true intent; that what she really meant was that, in the end, she couldn't justify destroying so much in vengeance for what had passed. The young Quincy bowed his head formally before returning her weak smile.
"Ahh, Sakura, I am glad you are unharmed."
Sakura looked up into the face of Captain Kyoraku, noting the trademark pink haori and straw hat. She frowned.
"You. But I. . .," and then her eyes glanced over his shoulder and hardened. She was gazing at Captain Ukitake.
Disengaging her self as best she could from Renji's protective grip, Sakura stood, pleased to note that her legs barely trembled despite the pain that kept rushing up and down her spine.
"I think," she began, eyes fixed on the snowy-haired captain's face, "that Kariya was a monster, but he was oddly honest." She stepped away from Renji, staggered a little, and then straightened, sheer pride supporting her.
"Before he died, he told me that you are my father. That's true, isn't it?" This she addressed to Kyoraku who, warily, nodded his assent.
Sakura smiled. It lit up her face and made the fatigue and pain apparent in her features vanish.
"Oh. Good."
She drew her swords, hands barely even trembling.
"Are you insane?!" Renji yelled. "You can barely even stand! Think about what you're doing, Sakura!"
"Shut up!" She snapped, not even looking at him. "Don't interfere." And it was clear she was directing this at everyone who stood watching her owlishly.
"You idiot!" Renji raged. "You're not strong enough!"
She smiled that odd smile again, and when she spoke next, her voice was calm and steady.
"Bankai."
The air around her seemed to explode outward like a hurricane, pushing the Shinigami back, their hands coming up to protect their faces from the dust that spiralled upwards.
Renji stared in shock as Sakura's two swords, which he'd never suspected to be Zanpakuto (and why would he? She was technically human, after all) shimmered and faded, moving as a fine mist over her arms and wrists, finally coalescing into two delicate gauntlets. They gleamed silver in the natural light, and had a fluidity to them that made them appear to move like a second skin. They were oddly delicate as if they could never possibly withstand a simple sword blow.
"Descend, Heaven's Cloud of Doom!" Sakura yelled above the rushing wind, and the clearing was filled with the sound of giant waves roaring and crashing against a non-existence shore.
"A duel Zanpakuto? And one that harnesses the power of water?" Kyoraku muttered to himself, surprise on his face. "She really is her father's daughter." He lowered his head briefly before drawing his own swords and stepping beside Ukitake.
Sakura glared at him. "Stand aside, Kyoraku. This is not your fight."
The tall captain shook his head. "Nor is it yours. Sakura, you do not know the true story."
"You said yourself that he is my father!"
"I did not know." Ukitake, who had been silent throughout, said gently, shock in his pleasantly soft voice.
"Liar!" Sakura screamed, launching an attack. She clapped her palms together, the sound ringing out around the clearing, and then pushed them forwards as if pressing against an invisible wall. The sound of roaring waves increased until it was deafening, and the power of a sea enduring a storm slammed into the two captains. Kyoraku raised his own duel Zanpakuto to shield them from the attack, whilst Ukitake raised his arm across his face, unwilling to draw his own weapons.
When the attack finally ended, Kyoraku stepped forwards.
"He is telling the truth, Sakura. He thought your mother was dead, and was unaware of her presence in Soul Society, or her pregnancy."
Tears streamed down Sakura's flushed cheeks, though she seemed unaware of them.
"Stop lying to me!"
She sliced at the air, sending another shockwave toward the pair. They dodged the attack, and Kyoraku took the opportunity to flash-step forwards and grab Sakura's wrists. She was trembling, gazing up into his face as if helpless.
"I told him she was dead." Kyoraku's voice was soft, but everyone in the clearing could hear him. There was a soft gasp of shock from Orihime, making Rukia pull her close.
"It was almost a hundred years ago when Ukitake first met your mother whilst on a mission to the human world. He'd been sent to investigate the large number of Hollow attacks in the area; they'd been drawn to her immense spiritual pressure." His dark eyes held her own, and Sakura didn't even try to pull away.
"They fell in love, and he wanted to bring her here, but the elders frowned upon such a union. When they discovered that your mother, Akane, was pregnant, they decided it was best if Ukitake believed she had died in a hollow attack. I was instructed to bring her to Soul Society myself, where she could be watched."
Ukitake, a soft breeze blowing his pale hair across his face, stared at his oldest friend, tumultuous emotions flashing in his eyes.
"When you were born, displaying uncontrollable powers, their worst suspicions were confirmed. You were not the first to be born this way, the laws were laxer then, but it was finally decided that your kind posed a risk to Soul Society, and it was decreed that all adults would be eradicated, whilst all children should be brought to Seireitei to be studied."
He shook his head, eyes clouded and dark. "I raced to Rukongai when I heard the news but was too late to save your mother. I managed to recover you, however, and left you in the human world, hoping that a human foster family would allow you to have a normal life. You have to understand that I thought I was doing what was best."
Even though his eyes never left her face, Sakura felt that this last line was directed at the pale man who stood watching the scene in numb shock. Sakura trembled, tears still pouring down her face, feeling like a little girl again, and then she shook herself free of the older man.
"No! You're lying! If this happened so long ago, how is it that I'm only twenty-four years old? It doesn't make sense!"
Kyoraku shook his head. "Time does not pass at the same speed here in Soul Society as it does in the human world. You lived here for a long time before I took you back."
Sakura shook her head, hair flying out around her shoulders, eyes burning with rage and hate.
"No! I don't believe you. He knew about us, and he chose to abandon us!"
Ukitake stepped forwards, an expression in his eyes that was utterly unreadable to the furious Sakura.
"I swear to you that I knew nothing about this. I mourned for your mother. If I had known she lived, I would have stayed with her."
"Liar." She whispered, head down as she trembled, the gauntlets glistening on her hands.
"You have her eyes." Ukitake murmured, as if to him self.
"Shut up!" She howled, lunging at him, hands out as she readied her attack.
Kyoraku grabbed her, and the two of them struggled. He held her wrists tightly so that she could not unleash her unique bankai attack. To her great surprise, they were pulled apart by Ukitake, who pushed Sakura behind him and glared at his friend.
"Haven't you done enough?"
Kyoraku hung his head in a sad bow. "I believed I was doing what was best for everyone. I regret my actions deeply, and apologise, Jushiro."
Sakura, unmoved by this display, yanked herself free of her father's grip, pulled back her right arm and lunged at his chest, hand out to put the full force of her attack behind the move. Ukitake did not even attempt to avoid the blow.
Before she could unleash the attack, however, the air before her blurred, there was a crash of steel on steel. Renji stood before her, his Zanpakuto forcing her hand back. She gazed into his eyes, betrayal and rage clear on her face.
"That is enough."
A loud, booming male voice filled the clearing, and everyone turned to see Yamamato, Captain of the first division, and the eldest and most respected Shinigami in Seireitei walking towards them, flanked by the guard squad.
"Seize the girl." The guards, dressed all in black, faces covered like ninjas, jogged forwards and took hold of Sakura, whose gauntlets began to shimmer and fade. Her duel Zanpakuto, now in its original form, clattered to the ground at her feet.
Ukitake moved as if to rebuff the guards, but Kyoraku touched his arm, shaking his head.
Yamamato took in the scene thoughtfully, noting the captains standing close by, before approaching Sakura.
"You have caused a great deal of trouble, young lady."
She turned her face away, and Renji saw her lip tremble though her long white hair obscured her face.
"Take her away." Yamamato waved one wrinkled, bony hand.
Before the guards pulled her away, Renji reached out and squeezed Sakura's hand. Her cold fingers slipped from his as she was escorted to the Seireitei prison.
Ichigo and the others stood by tensely. Yamamato turned to them, a shrewd expression on his ancient face.
"We have a lot to discuss."