Chapter 21
Flashback
The sound of her feet pattering against the wet ground stopped, and she turned around to look towards the direction she was coming from. The rain hit her head violently and trailed down her chin, accompanied by tears she was trying her best not to let out. I can go back. I can try to save him. She began walking towards the cabin, but suddenly stopped when a strong breeze passed by. Her hair whipped against her face, and she closed her eyes. To do what is right. Put aside feelings and do what is right. Kurotsuchi Hiaru, he went against the law. I can't help him. Not a child to disobey. I will leave him. With that, Soi-Fong ran, following her instincts. Not bothering to look back, and only running.
End of Flashback
Leaving his sword implanted in the ground nearby, Hiaru slowly approached Kuchiki Rukia, who was on the ground holding her head. Once he was two steps away from her, she looked up, letting out a low growl from her throat. Carefully, Hiaru backed away, and the shinigami stood, her hand on the handle of her sword. "I want to help you," Hiaru said, before she sped at him. Her sword clashed against his wrist and he tried to knee her, but she used her free hand to block his knee. She backed away and swung again, with much more force and anger.
"You harmed Nii-Sama," she sneered, and Hiaru kicked her. The girl's back crashed against the ground, and the cement below her crumbled with the force used. Hiaru opened the vile, but before he could force her to swallow it, she moved and stood up. Hiaru kicked her in her shin, causing her to curl to the ground and picked her up by her hair. Rukia kneed him in his stomach, and punched his chest as he dropped her down. "Ban-"
Hiaru covered her mouth and tried pouring in the medicine, but she bit the palm of his hand. "Shit." Rukia swung her fist and it connected with his cheek. The vile in his hands slipped and crashed into the ground, dropping all the liquid. "I'm out of patience," he said before grabbing her by her neck. "I was going to try to let you live, but you refuse to." He walked to his sword and ripped it out of the ground. Rukia bit his fist, but instead of letting her go, he slammed her body into the ground. He lifted his sword, so that she knew what was coming.
"Don't do it!" yelled Kurosaki Ichigo as he sped towards Hiaru, his zanpakto in his hand.
Hiaru turned slightly, and Rukia took the opportunity to kick him in his stomach. She dodged the blade that crushed into the place that Hiaru had aimed at, and sliced the side of his body. Before she could fully escape from his shadow, Hiaru grabbed her by the top of her hair. Bringing her closer to him, he put his sword against her neck.
"Don't!" Ichigo yelled as he swung his sword. Hiaru's blade clashed against his, and the reiatsu Rukia was leaking out made it harder to stand.
"She'll freeze the damn Soul Society!" Hiaru leaned all of his weight towards Ichigo, but the shinigami leaned even more.
From behind, Genryuusai Seras smile. "My turn." She sped at Hiaru, ready to slash the man in half, but instead her sword clashed against Soi-Fong's blade. "Aww. You protected him." Soi-Fong attempted to kick Seras in the side of her head, but the black-haired woman caught her ankle. "Idiot," Seras mocked before crushing her foot into Soi-Fong's chest. Releasing the female taicho, Seras fired a Hado 63. Soi-Fong barely had time to dodge, and the yellow energy shot through her left shoulder. Seras ran at her, and their swords clashed together. "Hari Satsujin!" she yelled, before jumping into the air and tossing her zanpakto to the ground at the same time. The ring on her finger glowed and encased her in a shield. As Soi-Fong turned around, more than a few needles inserted themselves in her back. She shunpoed behind Seras's shield. "Fukki." All of the pieces of metal ripped out of her back and went back to Seras's sword. "Did I hurt you?" she inquired as the shield around her disappeared.
Shihoin Yoruichi appeared behind Seras, holding her in a headlock position. "I will hurt you." Seras chuckled and flipped backwards, thinking she could bring Yoruichi to fall to the ground. Instead, the former Second Division Taicho shunpoed to Soi-Fong's side, leaving Seras enraged that she had missed her target. "Can you still fight?"
"Of course," responded Soi-Fong as she ran at Seras once again. Before their swords could clash, Seras jumped to the sky. She pushed Soi-Fong frontwards by using the heel of her feet to hit the nape of the blue haired woman's neck. She landed elegantly, and spun around, sticking out her foot so that Soi-Fong would fall. Instead, Soi-Fong jammed her foot into Seras's ankle and sliced her across her back.
"Oh f-"
Soi-Fong swung her sword again, and Seras twisted her body so that she could use her sword to clash against the assault. Smirking, the bloody Soi-Fong backed her sword away and swung it again, using as much force as she possibly could. Seras's arm began giving in, and she was forced to scream as Soi-Fong leaned more weight into her ankle. Soi-Fong smiled and removed her foot from the now broken ankle. She raised her sword, ready to deliver the last blow, but was stopped when her legs began trembling. "What the?" She fell to the ground, her sword impaling the ground that was right next to Seras's body. She turned and her eyes found Hiaru, who was standing about a foot from Rukia.
Ichigo tried getting closer to her, but quickly took two steps back when a new wave of reiatsu was released. The ground below her began to freeze, and her hand, that wasn't holding her sword, was clenched so tight that blood was seeping from the palm. "Rukia!" She turned slightly to his voice. "You're still you. I know it, but your reiatsu is leaking. Try to control it."
The shinigami closed her lost eyes, and tried to understand. This voice. I remember this voice and I understand what it's saying but I- I can't trust.
"Helpless, Kurosaki. Everything she hears is repeated various times in her head. We have to kill her," said Hiaru, glancing at Genryuusai Yamamoto. "Don't you think?"
The Sou-Taicho nodded. "She is disrupting the Soul Society and since she destroyed the antidote, there is no other way."
"No!" yelled Ichigo getting closer to Rukia, who had dropped her sword and covered her ears.
"Kurosaki! You're gonna freeze!" yelled Hiaru.
"Sou-Taicho," said Zaraki Kenpachi tilting his head to the side. "Can I kill 'er?"
Komomura Sajin glanced at his Sou-Taicho. "Your orders?"
Tossing his sword, Ichigo knelt to her side, not even noticing that the ice was beginning to crawl up his feet. He placed his hands on her freezing ones, which probably had no feel to it. "Oi." Her eyes snapped open and she tried to back away, but he held her hands tightly. Pieces of ice began forming on the side of his face, and Rukia shook her head. "Can you see me?"
"Wait," Yamamoto demanded, closely observing how Ichigo's facial expressions were changing.
His voice. This is Ichigo's. I'm freezing him. I'm killing him. Rukia tried to release his hands, but they were already frozen with hers. Shaking her head again, she felt the world disappear. All the shinigamis, taichos, Hiaru, Seras, and her Sou-Taicho vanished into the air. It was only her and Ichigo in a black area. The ground below her was frozen. Her body was planted to the ground and Ichigo was slowly freezing as well. Let me go. Leave. I never asked to be saved or for help. Why can't I talk? Why won't the words come out of my mouth? She turned her head slightly to the left and saw Kuchiki Byakuya appear, the front of his body oozing blood continuously. Nii-Sama... Nii-Sama... Nii-Sama... She shut her eyes again, and tears traveled down her frozen cheeks.
Unohana Retsu glanced at Byakuya, whose eyes were closed. He was still breathing, as if waiting for something to happen before passing on. "Kuchiki Taicho." An eye opened and he began coughing up blood. "It seems we have to kill her." He shook his head slowly, his face twisting into a deeper agony.
Ichigo felt anger surge through his veins as Rukia's tears traveled down her face. A low growl came from his throat and to everyone's dismay, he broke the ice that had his hand and Rukia's binded. Once he broke it, she yelled, letting out more reiatsu. Yamamoto found himself leaning against his cane for support. Hiaru watched in surprise as Rukia grabbed her sword and swung it at Ichigo. Ichigo's sword clashed against hers and he watched as their blades froze against each other. Rukia kicked him in his shin and he tried to move, but his feet were frozen to the ground. "Rukia!"
No, it's not Ichigo. He doesn't look like him. Rukia swung her sword at him again, and now he took it. The sword ran across his chest and stomach. Her eye's widened as her vision slowly started adjusting. My mind is playing tricks on me. That's not Ichigo. Pain seared in her brain and she yelled.
Ichigo looked down at the blood pouring from his chest. This wound. I don't feel it. It doesn't hurt. He looked up at Rukia and tears blurred his vision. Seeing her like this... This is hurting me.
"Kurosaki Ichigo, you must kill her," said Unohana. "The wound in your chest is enough to prove to you that she is lost."
Kenpachi looked away, his eyes closed. He was a captain who craved the sight of blood, but he knew what was coming next. The grip on the handle of his sword tightened, but before he could stand up and enter the battlefield, Unohana placed her hand on his shoulder. "What the hell?" he sneered.
"You will stay put," she demanded her eyes meeting his. "In the future, you might have to do the same."
Rukia swung her sword again, and this time Ichigo clashed his sword against her's with plenty of force. "They want me to kill you, Rukia!"
Then kill me, Ichigo. I can't control myself. Kill me. She kneed him and continued to slice his shoulder. She swung her sword again, and this time their swords clashed. Please, kill me. She backed away and swung again. Clash. "WRAAH!" She lifted her sword above her head and brought it down. Ichigo had no idea what took over him or when it happened for all he could feel was Rukia's body against his. He looked down to see his sword sticking out of her chest, and her hair against his chin. A strong wind passed and the ice holding him in his place broke. Both shinigamis fell to the ground at the same time, and now they were leveled. He could feel her breathing slowing down against his neck. "Thank you, Ichigo," she wheezed into his ear. "I'm sorry," her breathing fastened, as if she was trying to take in air that wasn't there, "for doing this to you."
His heart stopped. To him, seconds turned to minutes which turned to hours. Time slowed down and it was just him embracing the person he loved and killed. He yelled with all his might. Pain, anger, and sadness all coming out in one, long holler.
As Kurosaki Ichigo yelled, Kuchiki Byakuya's chest stopped heaving up and down. He had hoped that his sister would live so that when he would meet with Hisana, he could say that she was happy and alive along Ichigo and Renji's side. It seemed that they would both meet her sister at the same time.
A completely healed Seras jumped towards Hiaru and swung her sword. "Can't you at least wait?" he sneered.
"For what? Kurosaki and his gang to get over the death of Princess Kuchiki? No," she hissed back and kicked him in his stomach. "I want you to know that they will never let you live. Even if you defeat me, the past is still there and you are a criminal responsible for many deaths. Not even your beloved Soi-Fong will help you." Hiaru shunpoed behind her, but before he could harm her, she turned around and did a high kick. His left eye swelled where the sole of Seras's shoe had hit. He punched, but she ducked and punched him in his stomach. Hiaru took three steps back, giving space so he could swing his humongous zanpakto, but with each step back Seras would advance. "I know you want to fry me, HiaHia, and I'm not going to let you."
"Too bad," he responded now walking forward. "Then I'll have to use a different technique." He plunged his left hand into her shoulder-blade and ripped it out. She gritted her teeth and dropped her sword to the ground.
"Hari Satsujin!" Hiaru cussed as many needles inserted themselves on the front of his body. They dug themselves in until they met his ones. Seras picked up her and swung it at him. He could barely dodge for all the needles made it difficult for him to move. Her sword glided across the flesh in his back as she yelled, "Fukki!" Blood sprayed the ground, and Hiaru began coughing. Seras began laughing as her sword slightly touched his neck. "Ready, my love?"
"Don't you dare!" yelled Soi-Fong as she placed her hand around Seras's sword. Not bothering if she cut her hand, she moved the blade.
"Oh, that's a lot of blood," noted Seras as she watched it trickle down the palm of Soi-Fong's hand. Using her free hand, Soi-Fong swung her sword towards Seras's head. Seras quickly ducked, and all that was harmed was her black hair. "You want to die?"
Soi-Fong kicked her in her chest and brought her sword down so that it removed Seras's right arm. "No, you will die." She ripped it out and swung it again, but was stopped by Shinji. "What?"
"Sou-Taicho has demanded that we hand her to Central 46 to be executed," he responded as shinigamis apprehended the black-haired woman.
Soi-Fong's eyes widened and she turned to look at Hiaru. "A-and him?"
"He will also be tried and obviously will be executed."
She shook her head, sheathing her sword and Hiaru just smiled. Soi-Fong began walking to him at first, and then running to him. She stopped so that there was three steps separating them. "Th-they-"
"Want to kill me," he finished. "It serves me right, ya know." He placed his hand on her shoulder and shook her slightly. "Don't look sad, 'cause I know I did wrong. I killed many shinigamis, and betrayed the person who I had originally wanted to help."
Soi-Fong bit her lips and balled her fists. "If you knew you were wrong then why didn't you stop? You had a chance, but you didn't! Why?"
"All because of," he kissed the top of her head, "All because of revenge, Grumpy. Don't ever try avenging my death."
She shook her head. "You're not going to die by anyone's hands," the grip around her sword tightened, "not by anyone."
He shook his head. "Too late, Grumpy." He watched as shinigamis circled them. "Too late, so just hug me already." He chuckled as tears streamed down her cheeks. "You're such a crybaby," he muttered as his fingertips caressed her cheek.
"Th-This crybaby will not let you go through the torture that Central 46 will put you through," she said as she hugged him tightly.
He smiled. "Do it."
She plunged her sword into his back and it went all the way in. "I," she croaked as blood dribbled down her mouth. "I lo-," Soi-Fong could no longer finish her sentence.
"All because of revenge, ne Grumpy?" he muttered before dropping to the ground.
Thank you moopower and Crimison Shadow moon for following and favoriting this story. Thank you to everyone else who reviewed.
TomoMee: I'm glad you liked the last chapter. Hope you find this one just as cool.
Hisana Kuchiki: In the end, who did you ship more? Soiaru or Seriaru?
Karin Hitsugaya: Did you sign up for the DCL thingy in the end?
Hitsugaya Taicho: Your score in CODBO 2 left me in shock.
Kuchiki Fukotaic: I love Pandora Hearts(thanks Faa-Chan!)! Following the manga, and rereading it. In DCL they have many volumes, although I have most of 'em right now. I love Ozlice and ship Gillice. Vincent is cool. I like him better than Jack, but then again who likes Jack? Intention of Abbyss is awesome! You can't say anything against that. She's gotta be the best villain in the series!