Ding...Dong... you're gonna die... Ding...Dong...your world is crashing down... Dong...Ding...without you the world is in flames... Dong...Ding...he's coming to take you away...
The bells outside were loud when I finally woke up, the pain in my back too much to ignore anymore. Every part of my body was in pain actually, since I fell asleep leaning against the door. The sun was bright and obnoxious with it's light as it shone through the crack, the birds chirped gaily beside me. I tried to brush my hair to take the anxiety away, but it kept coming back to me.
"Kyōfū... are you there? That wasn't you singing that song was it?"
Song...? What song Hikari? I didn't hear a song, are you alright? How's your back, can you move at all?
"Whoa, easy on the questions there Kyōfū. Let's see; my back is fine, it just needs to crack. And second, someone was singing a song to me in my head. I thought it was you, but now that you say that... maybe it was hollow-me."
I heard her groan out in anger, but she didn't seem to phase through me as usual. My eyes were stinging from last night tears, my neck was still drenched in a bit of that cold sweat. Without even trying to get up, I rolled away from the wall so my back could get limber again before I stretched. As everything slowly got back to it's original state, the song kept repeating in the back of my head... but instead of freaking me out it actually got me thinking.
"Ding dong, you're gonna die. Ding dong, your world is crashing down. Dong ding, without you the world is in flames. Dong ding... he's coming to take you away."
That's an awful song, what does it mean anyway?
"I-I don't know... is she trying... to warn me-"
KABOOM!
The entire room shook dangerously as I jumped to my feet before it knocked me to the ground. Blood was wafting in the air, but it wasn't mine... My hands cradled my head as the shaking came to a eerie stop, the sound of something creaking filled the air. Seconds later, I heard the door crash violently against the ground and the sun's warm rays touched my skin at last. Before I could even think I looked up and got half-blinded by the sun.
"Ow!" I cried softly, hiding my eyes so they could adjust to the harsh light outside waiting for me.
Both Kyōfū and I were quiet, expecting someone to come out of nowhere and just end my life then and there. But to my surprise, no one came to check out what happened, it felt like no one even heard it. I wanted to run out and feel the wind through my hair again, but I was wary of what could be waiting there.
"K-Kyōfū...should we... go outside?"
Shouldn't we wait? After all, this is very suspicious and dangerous. If we just go out willy-nilly then someone would think this is our doing. Of course it's not, but who knows what's out there. Maybe we should just wait...
"But I... I wanna go outside." I said in a child's voice, so soft and innocent that even she had nothing to say back to me.
My first few steps were cautious, but by the time I came to the edge I jumped right out and gasped. The air was so much cleaner and fresh, better than inside the tower itself. No one was there, I couldn't tell that everyone was still in their buildings and hadn't noticed it at all. It was strange to be here again, so open when you were a criminal set to be executed in about another hour or two.
"H-Hello?" I stuttered as I took a few more steps, but my foot touched something sticky and warm so I screamed a little in shock.
My body froze immediately as I raised my foot away from the puddle of blood, the same blood I smelt a little bit ago. The inside of my stomach was churning the wrong way as I glanced around until I saw him. It was no one I knew, but the fact he was dead with his own sword stuck between his larynx got to me. I gagged into my hand and crumbled down to my knees, my emotions all out of whack at the sight of the dead person.
Hikari, get a hold of yourself! He's dead, there's nothing you can do about it. Besides, in the future you'll see more-
"What future!?" I screamed out of anger at Kyōfū, who stammered a bit as I stood up and started pacing in my spot out of reflex.
"There is no future, not here at least. I'm a freak of nature, even my own uncle thinks that of me. I just wanted to know what happened that day, all I remember is someone showed up and the next thing I know I'm bleeding! How hard is it for someone to tell me what happened that day? What the hell is inside me? What is it!"
I wanted to hit something again, but since I knew it was wrong to punch a wall again I just screamed and fell to my knees again. My hands bashed lightly against the floor, but it wasn't enough for me to get my emotions out. Tears stung the back of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall while I was out in the open. Something started coming my way, but I was too distressed to really focus on it.
"I'm just... a kid. I just wanted to remember, that's all. I wanted a family and friends who would like me... even if I wasn't as bright anymore. But now I've come to terms that... no one likes me."
"Hikari!"
The bones in my body stiffened at the sound of his voice, his reiatsu filled my insides with warmth and familiarity. Even before I looked up there was a smile on my face, the tears from before were now happy tears. My cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling to much as I finally stood up so I could see him. His familiar dark blue hair, his hazel eyes that shone even bright behind his glasses that needed to be pushed up a little.
I started to run, run as fast as I could without so much as a glance to the dead body behind me. I knew there was a trail of blood from where I stood, but none of that mattered to me. We met in the middle of the red bridge, kinda like in those cheesy movies Miyu liked. He picked me up from under my arms and twirled me all around in our spot before he just held onto me. I felt warm and safe in his arms, the sense of home filled my heart to the point of breaking. As I pulled away he suddenly kissed me with so much force that my lips felt bruised and beaten. But I was so happy that I just kissed back just as hard, which made him smile even more. His hands ran through my hair and down my back until we pulled apart to give each other a moment's breath. We just stared at each other and laughed until there was nothing to laugh about, even though there was nothing to begin with.
"Hikari..."
"K-Kouhei."
He smiled my favorite crooked grin before leaning down to kiss the top of my forehead in a gentle way. As I brushed my fingers through his hair he kissed almost every inch of my face with such careful movements it was cute to laugh at. My lips curled up into a smile but froze when he pulled back and looked at me with a quizzical look. Then all of a sudden he started to brush my cheeks with his thumb, sometimes with a little spit at the tip.
"Ew, what the heck are you doing?" I groaned as he stopped midway down my chin and stared deeply into my eyes.
"You look like a hot mess." He stated as a matter of fact with his familiar bored look in his eyes like when we were younger.
I was about to say something back, but then my eyes glanced down and saw that he was right. The white hakama I wore was practically brown with the dust from the tower. My hair, from the look of my shadow, was up on one side thanks to sleeping against the door. But when I looked back to him, it was clear he was a little worse than me. The shirt he wore was a bit tattered from climbing through Yachiru's tunnels, the wound across his chest was still a bit red but not as bad. And his eyes, despite the light in them, they were tired and worn out like he refused to sleep properly these past days of solitude.
"I can't believe I kissed your face... it tasted like dust."
"I can't believe that..."
"Believe what?"
"That you're alright...and so am I." My voice was a little shaky with relief as I grabbed onto his sleeve out of reflex with a sheepish smile.
He seemed a bit confused until it hit him, how worried I had been all these days alone in the tower with the path of death in front of me. He knew that my own death didn't matter to me as much as my friends' safety in my own home. I saw that he was slowly realizing that I would have gladly given my life to let my friends go, even though I hadn't done anything wrong.
"Hikari..." I heard him sigh apathetically into my hair as he pulled me back in for a few more seconds, mostly so he could feel my warmth in his arms again.
"I'm sorry... s'not what you expected after five days?"
"No... it's actually the exact thing I expected." This time he chuckled softly with a small grin as I pulled away for a moment to stare up at his big hazel eyes.
"Where are the others? They're not-"
"Relax Hikari, they're find. Yachiru and them are trying to find a way out, but I wanted to see you first."
"Where were you? Did you get her to help out?"
"No, Ciel did. I met your mother, she's a very lovely person. No wonder you couldn't forget about her." His voice faltered at the end when he saw me start to cry just hearing about my mother doing well.
"I-I'm sorry, it's just that I haven't seen her yet... so I kinda got worried."
"It's alright, you're safe with me. I won't let them take you away again, I promise you that."
"Kouhei..."
"Yes, Hikari?"
"You promise not to freak out?"
"...Okay? What is it?"
"I... I just wanted to tell you... I love you."
As soon as the words came out from my lips I immediately pulled away and walked down the bridge as quick as I could. My cheeks were burning hot red and there was nothing he could say to make them go away. I couldn't just stand there while my friends were aimlessly wandering with Yachiru, even if Kouhei was with me. I felt more at peace now that it got off my chest, the nagging feeling that for so long I told myself was impossible. Tears from before streamed down my face for only a second before something grabbed onto my hand and roughly pulled me back.
"What did you say, Kurosaki?" Kouhei's voice was deep and demanding as he stared down at me with his intense hazel eyes, something that I couldn't look at at first.
"I-I said I-I love you. Now let me go, they're gonna be killed if I don't do something!"
"How can I let you go when you just confessed to me. There's no way in hell I'll let them take you now!" He shouted so furiously as his arms wrapped around my body to render me immobile.
"K-Kouhei?! What are you saying?" My voice came out weak as he brushed the messy side of my hair from my face with a gentle hand and kissed the tip of my nose without warning.
"I wanted to say it first, not the other way around."
"What?"
He laughed as loud as he possible could before I looked up to him with a confused look on my face. When we caught each other's gaze, he simply brushed my cheek and kissed the top of my forehead before leaning in to me. His head was so gentle and warm that it sent chills down the back of my neck before I could stop him. We stood there with interlocked hands for a minute before he whispered softly,
"I love you too, you little idiot."
As he ruffled the top of my head I sort of felt a little angry, but as he pulled away I started to laugh. He was a bit dumb-struck at my sudden laughter, especially when I doubled-over and fell on my knees. It was only because my stomach was hurting from so much laughter, but he was freaking out so it made it worse for me. Once that went away, I grasped onto his shirt and rested my head against his chest with the biggest smile I ever had. His hand grazed against my back for a second before we both pulled away from one another.
"Hello?" I asked into the air as he gripped my wrist tightly, just in case the person we were sensing was trying to take me away.
"I have to admit it, that was the cutest laugh I've ever heard in my life...sweetheart." His voice echoed down the bridge thanks to the wind, so it was hard to tell where he was.
"N-Nezu! You're alright!" I happily exclaimed, the churning from my stomach long gone now that I knew he was safe and not harmed.
"Of course I'm alright sweetheart, but I can't say the same for you." He laughed in a weird voice, the sound of it traveling as if he was hopping around. "You might need this for later."
I was confused before he threw my sword down right in front of me, mere inches from hitting me in the face. The hilt felt comfortable in my hands, and almost instantly Kyōfū felt normal again. Kouhei's grip around my wrist lightened up, but he was still wary about the fact there was a soul reaper he didn't know around us. I tried to calm him down, but Nezu appeared out of thin air which prompted him to cover me with her body.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Nezu, your little girlfriend's body guard when she was still in the tower. You were supposed to stay there, sweetheart... not wander out and start to make out with your boyfriend."
"We were not making out, for your information. And so what, no one tried to tie me up and the air's a lot fresher out here."
"True true, you do have some points. But none of that matters, it's time for you to go."
"Go? Go where? Where's the procession?"
"Pardon me?"
"The other guards, surely with my power you wouldn't take me up the hill alone, would you?" I asked out of pure honesty, but if must have sounded sarcastic because Nezu laughed until I became furious.
"I'm not joking Nezu, where is everyone?"
"Can't you tell, no one's noticed that there was an explosion. No one had a clue that you're even out here!"
"What?!" Kouhei and I both exclaimed together as Nezu smirked in a completely different way, the light in his eyes much darker than before.
"It's all part of the plan, little lady."
"Plan? What plan?" Kouhei insisted as his hand grabbed me again, but Nezu shook his finger and tsked towards him like a disappointed parent or something.
"No no no, little boys are not part of the plan. Aizen's plans."
"A-Aizen? Who's Aizen?" I mumbled to myself as Kouhei was literally ripped from me and thrown back towards the tower within a moment.
"Kouhei!" I screamed out of confusion, but before I could take a step, Nezu easily slipped me and threw my body over his shoulder like a sack of flour.
"What are you doing, Nezu? Put me down! Kouhei!"
"Hikari!" He shouted back, but someone's reiatsu suddenly soared tremendously, knocking the air from my lungs and sent him down to the ground.
"He's here... let's go greet him, shall we?"
"K-Kouhei!"
"Hikari no!" His voice was shaking from the sudden reiatsu, but nevertheless he tried with all his might to grab onto me again.
But as his warmth reached my fingertips, Nezu leaned forward and jumped as high as he could into the air. The rush nearly knocked me unconscious but I pulled through, gripping my sheath as tight as possible. I would have used my zanbaktou to do something, but I was afraid and slightly curious to see where we were going. After a while, it became clear that no one was able to notice us in the air, we were being blocked by something... or someone.
"What's the matter? The wind took your breath away, sweetheart? You're not struggling anymore."
"Stop calling me that! Tell me where were going this instance!"
"Sheesh, you're such a demanding kid aren't you?"
I tried to bash against his body with my fists and sword, but nothing I did seemed to bother him. It only made him laugh and touch me in very inappropriate places which got me riled up. He was moving very slowly through the sky, as if he knew that if we were fast, someone would notice us. Then, at the last second as we passed the tenth squad he went into overdrive and dashed through the air. We landed in some grassy part of the Rukongai, if I had to I would say somewhere west.
Without a word, he simply dropped me onto the ground and walked as far away from me as possible. I sat on the floor for a second before something rustled in the trees nearby, the sounds of something coming closer and closer. My hands were shaking as they came up to hold the last bit of warmth inside of me, but even that couldn't help the fear that settled inside. The name from earlier sent me into a terrified state of mind, something that couldn't just go away.
"N-Nezu... can I ask you something?"
"What the heck? Where's the bravado from earlier? What's with the cutesy voice, Hikari?"
"I'm not trying to be cutesy, it's just that name you said earlier. Where have I heard it, you must know too, right?"
"I don't follow, stop with the innocent act. It's getting on my nerves."
"I'm not trying to sound innocent, really I'm not."
"Trust me on this, her innocence just comes out like the early morning sunshine." Someone's voice laughed as their arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me back.
Oh shit, are you serious! How the hell did he get here? What the hell is wrong with this world?! Hikari!
"S-Shinose!" I said with slight relief but more with anger as he squeezed onto me tighter and tighter.
"Hey there Sugar-Pie, long time no see, huh? You're looking good, short hair really suits you better doesn't it?"
"W-What are you doing here! How did you get here in the first place?!"
"I'm curious, did it leave a scar? Come on, tell me... did it?" He whispered in a teasing voice right into my ear, his breath ticked the back of my neck as he spoke.
My hands clenched tightly as if I wanted to punch him square in the jaw, but his hold was too hard to move in. It slowly went away as I grabbed onto my front and tightly grasped the part across my chest. As a matter of fact, it left a humongous scar right at the halfway point between my chest and stomach. Every now and then it would hurt, but Tessai's treatment healed it the best he could.
"Now now Shinose, it's not the time for questions. You can badger her as much as you want later, we have business to take care of." A male's baritone voice came from behind both of us, which sent Shinose in a panic.
He quickly let me go and dug his arms under my armpits, forcing me down to the ground with his body weight. I struggled the best I could, but he was so heavy and the reiatsu in the air made it impossible to move the right way. When he felt my body relax, he eased up just enough for me to look back to him with anger. But it quickly washed away as I saw the deep, deep fear and regret in the back of his bright green eyes.
"It's so nice to see you after all these years, Hikari. Remember me?" His voice was closer as something grasped my chin and forced me to stare into dark brown eyes.
They seemed familiar, but they were so far in the back of my head that it took me a minute to remember. Then it hit me: his familiar glare, the dark pushed back brown hair and his reiatsu all came back. The day in the park, before everything became fuzzy and black, he was there right in front of me. Something happened at that moment... he did it... but what was it... what did he do?
"Aizen. I-I remember you, from the stories about almost killing my mother and father."
"Ah, that's what I like to hear. Tell me, is it my eyes? I must say, you're scowl is so much like Ichigo's after all these years. Must have had a lot of practice?"
Hikari, don't fall for his teasing. We can't let this guy under our skin, we need to distract him long enough for them to find us.
"I know, I'm trying to Kyōfū... I'm trying."
"You have something of mine, and I want it back."
"Did you ask my mother for the Hogyoku the same way?"
He stopped glaring at me and slowly pulled back, a bit frazzled at my sudden accusation. Shinose squeezed me tighter, as if he was trying to tell me to shut up or something. But I just stared back at the older man, until he grinned and chuckled at me. His laughter sent chills down everyone's spin, that's how creepy and uncomfortable it was. After he finished, he merely brushed his hair back and stared down at me again.
"Aren't you a cute child?"
"I'm not cute, don't you dare call me that with your mouth."
"A very interesting child too, I respect that. But once the Hogyoku is out, that's going to have to change."
His eyes quickly glanced towards Shino, who instantly released me and pulled back away. As I got up, something flashed under my eyes and pinned my body in the air. It was frozen, and no movement whatsoever could get me away from it. As Aizen stepped forward I started to hear my own heart beating louder and louder with each step. Shinose saw this and out of instinct came to comfort me, but Nezu slipped in from and forced him to stop.
"I thought they stopped you... you should be in jail... not here..."
"Oh my child, don't you realize that things are better left unexplained."
He grasped my neck like it was a stick and raised me high so my feet were not touching the ground anymore. My hands feebly tried to push him away, but nothing that I did seemed to be working. Then out of the blue, something pushed itself through my body and came right out as quick as possible. The light from underneath disappeared as he let me go and turned his back to me. Shinose caught me right before I hit the ground, his hand gently smoothed my back to help me breath better.
"At last, I have it again..." He said to himself as the purple orb from my dream shone brightly in his hand at the last second, concealed in his grip.
"It's so much more powerful than I expected it to be, thanks to you, Hikari."
"Well, glad to be of service then... I guess."
"Now then..." He said out loud to everyone as he eyed up towards the sky before settling back to Shinose. "Shall we depart?"
I sort of sat there until I realized he was expecting me to come along with him. My body got up, but walked away from him in a discrete manner for the most part. It wasn't until he turned back to stare at me when I stopped and tried to remain calm.
"Oh, you were talking to me too? Why should I go with you?"
"Because I need you, I'm not capable of harnessing the full potential of the hogyoku anymore... but you are."
"What?!"
What indeed, let me at him! I'm going to kick his ass so freaking hard you won't be able to save him!
"Easy Kyōfū, we don't need to explode right now. I feel really weird now that the hogyoku is out of me... it's so empty."
You're right, but if he tries to do something shady I'm not holding back!
"I'm not going with you." I tried to say in the best confident voice I had, but his glare was so threatening it slowly turned into a squeak.
"Did I give you a choice?"
Before I could deflect his hand, he grasped my neck again and lifted me off the ground in one swift move. From the corner of my eye, I saw Shinose try to come and help, but Nezu stepped in between again with his sword. It got tighter and tighter as I clawed against his hands, leaving a few scratches that hardly affected him. His glare was so dark and terrifying I was starting to fear for my life again.
"Did I give you a say in this? Who said that you were able to make your own decision? I gave you life... I... it's the least you can do for me, Hikari Kurosaki. I'm the only one who can help you now, since the hogyoku affected you as it did. Look at your power, your zanbaktou, everything about you is because of it. Look what your family did... the one that for so long you wanted to be apart of again... once you finally return home they lock you up and sent you to your death! I'm the only one that actually wants you, everyone else thinks you're a monster and wants you dead. And they're right... you're a monster. So we must stick together... right?"
"She's not a monster."
Something blue came in between us, slicing his hand as he let me go. With the sudden rush of air, it took me a moment to see his other hand release the hogyoku out of reflex. Without thinking about it, I reached out and felt the small orb fall right into my grasp. For a moment, it felt warm and relaxing like I just got back the one thing I needed. But then Aizen tried to grab it from me again and yanked it hard so it was in the air. My hand touched it first again, and then it was gone, it evaporated and sent me down.
"Ouch." I gasped heavily as this burning sensation formed in the pit of my stomach, the hand that grabbed it was tingling like it was numb and in pain at the same time.
"No! That wasn't supposed to happen, what did you do?" Aizen demanded me to answer as I stared up at him with huge eyes before I gathered my breath again.
"I-I don't know, what the hell was that!"
"Give it to me now!"
"Get your hands off my sister!" Takashi's voice shouted from above as he came right between us with his sword against Aizen's chest.
He backed off and jumped beside Shinose, who was glaring right at Takashi with an evil look. I looked down for a moment and nearly screamed at the strange mark that grew around the back of my hand from the hogyoku but didn't go past my pain from earlier vanished, but the numb feeling was still there as I stood behind Takashi.
"Give it to me, child."
"Not a chance." Takashi answered for me in a curt voice as soft, gentle hands grasped my shoulders and started to pull me away from them.
"M-Mother..." I said softly as I turned to stare into her kind, gentle eyes after all these years without her, which were slowing gathering tears of her own.
"Listen to your elders, girl."
"Don't you dare talk to my daughter." Rukia said in a cold voice for me as well, which made me smile a little despite the tense atmosphere in the air.
"Damn Light, you sure do know how to pull in a crowd don't ya?" Shinose said out loud under his breath, completely unaware of C.J right beside him.
"Piss off, Shinose." Ciel growled angrily as his hand glowed a bright red, until the cero shot off right against Shino's hip with a sudden burst.
It's unclear how Shinose got away before the cero shot off, but man was he pissed one the dust cleared up. He used his resurrecion at the last minute, but even that couldn't stop it from the deep gash it left behind. The wings he had on his back were razor sharp, to me they looked fake and unusable. His bright green eyes were staring right at Ciel, quickly flashing back to me before he set them on his "brother".
"What are you waiting for, Ciel? Aren't you going to save your little girlfriend?" He taunted him easily with a monotone voice behind his infamous smile, his claw ran itself down his own cheek.
Ciel took a step forward, but stopped and swiftly glanced over to me as if he was asking permission. I would have instantly said yes, but then my mother stopped me from saying much. She glanced down and nodded, but took it back as she turned her head towards Ichigo, who nodded back. Once I could see her eyes again, I couldn't help but smile and nod to him.
"Go for it, Tiger." I couldn't help but say towards him, but that only made his smile even more psychotic and sadistic.
"With pleasure."
He relaxed his entire body, the energy inside of him was rustling the wind around us. His sword was raised in front of his body, the grip around it tight as if he was about to throw it. Then with a sudden jab he had it down towards the ground as he said
"Growl."
A minute later as the dust cleared again... there he was... just like the first time in middle school and in my dreams. His clothes were a lot tighter than anticipated, but that was what made him move easier. The sword was gone, replaced by jagged blades on his forearm and claws. He had stripes running down his body, the tail he had swished side-to-side in excitement. You could see his power in his eyes, clouding him and somewhat making him drunk, but he was forcing it back for me.
Incredible, I've never seen anything like him before. A tiger, I presume?
"You're correct, he's my litte tigre..."
Both him and Shinose were probably murdering each other in their minds before jumping at each other. Rukia grabbed my hand and pulled me away from the excitement but was blocked by Aizen. He tried to grab both of us this time, but his spiritual pressure was too much so we jumped apart from each other.
Byakuya appeared out of thin air and grabbed mother while I landed on the ground and skidded against my arm. He kept coming closer and closer, so i instinctively scooted back until something hit against me. Without warning I grabbed to throw it away, but the familiar cloth around the hilt stopped me. Right when Aizen was towering over me I pulled my sword and pressed it hard against his chest.
"What's this? You think you can stop me?" He laughed in the worst possible way as I slowly got up from the ground with the sword still against him.
"Hell yeah, and there's nothing you can say to make me disbelieve."
"I'm impressed that you have such confidence in you, but do you honestly believe in yourself? What about the hogyoku?"
"I don't care about it, I'll let it stay in me as long as you don't get it."
"But don't you remember what happened last time you did that? What it did to you?"
His words got to me, I didn't really remember because there was so much pain and no one would tell me. Did it do something to me? Was the hogyoku the reason I was sent to live with my aunts? Whatever the cause may have been, as long as Aizen didn't get it, I would gladly give my life up a second time.
"No, I don't remember what happened... but as long as it stays away from you, then I'll live with the consequences." I laughed a little at his angry face, but for a second because it quickly changed to a deadly glare.
He lunged towards me with his hand out, but both Byakuya and Ichigo stepped in and swung at him. I jumped back into a open space where I could think to myself for a moment, to really believe that this was happening to me again. The air swirled around me, but this time I knew that I caused it to happen. My hand griped the sword tightly as I raised it up in the air, the wind pushed against me even harder than before.
You ready for this? Once you say my name, it's all over.
"I'll live, I'm not a weak child anymore. Can you handle her, Kyōfū?"
Maybe not alone, but with you, anything is possible. Ready?
"Ready as I'll ever be."
Then let's show them how much you've changed, Hikari.
"Swirl through the heavens, Hageshī Kyōfū!" My voice was loud as I felt my reiatsu surge through my hands and into my sword.
The world itself seemed to glow in a white light as my sword changed formed from its normal katana to a smaller blade with three jagged ends to it. The blue ribbon around the hilt wrapped itself around my wrist and covered the mark from the hogyoku completely. Everyone saw the wind blow even harder as I swished the sword to the side, which made me smile for a second. Then my head suddenly thumped loudly, the scar from Shinose's attack throbbed even worse than when he gave it to me. I instantly fell to my knees, thrusting the sword into the ground so it was easier to stand later.
"What's so funny, old man?" I asked curtly as Aizen began to laugh out loud to everyone's surprise, his glare a little softer than before.
"Nothing, it just looks like you're in a little pain. The hogyoku giving you a hard time?"
"Mind your own business, s'not nothing I can't handle."
"It's funny how you're still normal, the last time you allowed it to enter your soul you-"
"Getsuga Tenshou!" Ichigo screamed without warning and interrupted Aizen before he could finish, barely missing him by an inch.
Both Aizen and I were hit, but he took the most damage and retreated back to Nezu. I couldn't help but pity the older man as he cowered in fear because of Aizen's presence. He was glaring deeply at him, and then turned back to me without a word. We stared at one another until Ichigo stepped in front of me with one hand out to hold me back. That made him even more upset by the worsening look in his eyes.
"I've had enough of these games, all I want is the hogyoku. And I'm not leaving," He said in a low voice as he disappeared just as my body was lifted and thrown against the floor without warning.
"Without it." He finished as he stood above me and thrusted his sword straight down right where Shinose stuck his hand in me.
I couldn't hold back my blood-curdling scream if my life had depended on it, which it kinda did. Even Shinose and Ciel had to stop and see what just occurred during their fist-fight, somewhat appalled at the sight of me. The pain was excruciating, what made it even worse was when he pulled it out and stuck it through my hand. This time I bit down on my lip so the scream wasn't as loud, but it couldn't numb the pain. I heard many voices shout my name, but none of them stuck quite like Shinose's.
"I won't ask you again, give me the hogyoku. Or die."
"...Over... my... dead... body!" I replied in the loudest voice I could shout as I swung my sword and grazed his face.
He pulled back the sword so I could roll against the floor away from him, far enough to get up on my own before he attacked me again. My sword clanged loudly against his, but since he was partially blind now, I kicked his shin and swung the sword from above to blow him away. He hit the trees hard, cracking and pushing each one he hit down to the ground like nothing. The wound on my hand was starting to numb itself when he stood up and nearly cut my throat.
"Duck down Hikari!" Someone shouted at me, which I happily obliged before this blue arrow hit right against Aizen's blade.
It hit him straight in the stomach, but somehow didn't kill him like I expected it to. Aizen's cold stare was now at Kouhei, who was slightly beaten up with a big bruise on his cheek. His aura was the strongest I had ever seen around him, the deadly look on his face was no joke. The arrow he was holding was the biggest I had seen him ever create, most likely because of all the reishi in the air.
"Stay away from you, you goddamn bastard." Kouhei growled protectively towards Aizen as he clenched his hands tighter against his bow.
"There's too many people here now, not what I had in mind." The older man mumbled to himself as he snapped his fingers into the air, the black abyss opened right behind him.
Shinose stopped fighting all together and jumped right beside his master, with Nezu in the back. Without so much as a glance, he waved his hand in the air, a sign for Nezu to take the first step through. I saw Takashi sigh in pain as he watched him go through, the painful memories of his closest friend just washed through his eyes. Shinose glanced over to me and gave me a small smile, as if the fact he was bleeding hardly mattered to him at all.
"This won't be the last time I will see you, Hikari Kurosaki. Even if I have to ruin your life again, I will get my hands on the hogyoku. One way or another."
"Well I hope you like disappointment, because I will never let that happen."
Aizen glared at me for a few more seconds before he turned his back and walked through the garganta. Shinose stayed behind for a few more minutes despite the intense atmosphere in the air from the adults and friends. He looked bloodied and tired, but even so he was smiling his friendly grin that I secretly loved as a child. His bright green eyes were noticeable behind his blood-stained mask, staring straight at me in the silence.
"I like your spunk Hika, that's what made him leave so soon."
"You think? Thanks Shinose, I guess."
"You're not bad out there, although since you've never really held a sword I can't critique you fighting. Needs a little work, but knowing you, you'll get the hang of it." He laughed so calmly that you would have thought we were kids again.
"Even though I kinda suck, will you still fight me in the future?"
"Of course I will, just not when we're bloody and tired. Okay Light?"
"Okay, I can wait. My stomach is killing me anyway."
At this he sort of squirmed in his spot as Kouhei came around and tried to help me up. I hadn't realized it, but Miyu was also there, somewhat bloody as well when she came to Ciel's aid. All the grown ups were slowly making their way towards me, which was a sign to leave. He turned to walk through the garganta, but stopped midway. Although his back was to me, I could tell something was making him laugh, you could see his shoulders moving up and down.
"Hey, Quincy-Boy." He said in a loud enough voice for Kouhei to hear, who was currently trying to get me on my feet again.
"What do you want, Shinose?"
"Just wondering, you've kissed Hikari haven't you?"
"Well... what does that matter to you?"
"She's my little princess, so I was kinda wondering. And I thought you should know something, about when we were little."
"What are you getting at?"
"Oh no... oh no no no! Shinose you promised you would never tell anyone about that day! Oh shit, this isn't good. Please no, not in front of my family. Goddamn it Shinose!"
"Shino, don't say it-" I pleaded with him, but he merely laughed and turned his head so his bright green eyes were staring at me.
"I was Hikari's first kiss."
"Dammit Shinose!" I shouted angrily out of reflex as my body jumped right from Kouhei's arms to try and grab onto him.
But he only laughed even harder and allowed the garganta to close right as my fingertips brushed against his skin. There was a moment of silence before the pain from earlier suddenly got worse and bled out even more. I crumbled to my knees and groaned in pain, forcing back the urge to scream into the air like in the movies. Darkness seemed to envelop me as I fell to the ground, their voices all intermingling except for one particular person.
"K-Kouhei... I'm sorry..."
Hooray I finished the exciting chapter! This won't be the last, but thank goodness it's all over now. What will happen to Hikari once she wakes up? don't worry, there will not be so much bloodshed like this in the next couple of chapters... I think.
Thanks for reading, and sorry, school just came out of nowhere so I couldn't really finish it in time. Thanks for reading!
I hope you liked it!