I would like to say that all the reviews I have gotten for this story far exceed my expectations, and I am very glad that so many of you are continuing to read despite some of the larger gaps between chapters.
Anyhow I don't own Bleach or any of the characters therein except for my OCs.
To my readers: If any of you who enjoy my story are Beta Readers I'd like to know, cause I'm searching for a Beta reader in order to help me out with developing Ami and what's going within the story. So if anyone would like to be my Beta Reader message me. Thank you for reading and I hope that you continue to stay with the story.
-SighingWinter
This is for Safuuru, Moonlight's Shadow Warrior, TheBeginingsEnd, ThablueGRRL, and EmeraldMelodyZz. Thank you everyone who has messaged and reviewed.
Fire snapped at my ankle, licking it in a desperate cry for something to feed on, in order to further its' short life. Ignoring the biteing heat, I slunk further into the dancing shadows. Images of demons and evil creatures danced along the walls of the burning building. The faint sound of bells jingling gave me just enough warning in order to avoid the flames that roared towards me. The wall collapsed and I barely managed to doge the rainfall of burning ceiling.
"You are so much more fun than some of the other Shinigmai I have killed." A young girl said holding onto a long pink silk ribbon that held two large bells on each end.
"Face me!" I flipped away from two large fists as they attempted to crush my body, "Tch. Speak for yourself Tobiume, this little pipsqueak aint any fun." The huge, ape like zanpakto stood up, fixing the large white cloth that kept his lower half covered from the world.
"Yare yare! I'm you opponent this round!" Ikkaku yelled, slamming down his spear, almost catching his oversized zanpakto in the foot. Hozukimaru grinned and a brutal fight began. Buildings fell before the two fighters and I scowled.
"Ikakku! The idea was to keep them from-WAH!" I stumbbled back as Tobiume blasted more of her ridiculous flames at me, falling into my butt.
"You should pay attention to your opponent." She said, her face flat and unemotional.
I rolled my eyes and stood, dusting myself off, "No thanks. You're not worth it." Needless to say, my goal worked and the young zanpakto frowned and launched herself into the air, "In that case then I refuse to appologize for your death." At the right moment I flash stepped and reappeared behind the girl, my katana at her throat. Even though they all deny it, they are still similar to their shinigami. "Where is Kuroryu?"
She was silent, stiff with shock, for a brief moment before she snapped out of it and tried to swing her bells. I pressed my blade into her neck, "I will cut- I dont cares whose zanpakto you are. Now answer the question."
"I dont know. He's rarely ever around us- so disrespectful to Muramasa, the one who saved him from the likes of you!" I stepped back, removing the katana from her neck, and she hurriedly moved out of range, eyes wary as she regarded me. Looking past her to see yet another building fall I sighed and sheathed my katana.
"Enjoy you freedom." I said, before disappearing from Tobiume's sight. It wont last forever. Quickly I rushed from roof to roof, easily side stepping various renegade zanpakto and shinigami. They were not my concern. The sudden rise of a familiar reiastu stopped me in my tracks. "Kenpachi..." I breathed in shock, looking towards the direction of his reiastu. Automatically I stepped towards that direction only to stop as another reiastu flared.
"You should have chosen me."
His voice was soft, gentle, and caring, just like his embrace. He slowly pulled away, and I stumbled until my back hit the white wall behind me. My legs could hold me up and I slid limply to the ground, as I looked at the wound that was right above my right hip and a little to the left. Instinctively I attempted to cover it up, stem the bleeding, as my eyes searched out and found the gazed of Kuro.
"You shoud have chosen me."
"I was first!" His voice growled, low and dangerous and then he laughed lowly, "And now I will be the last person you ever see. First and last and there's nothing that man can do..." His lips were against mine again and then he was walking away.
"You should have chosen me! I was first!"
Recalling those words that had been burned into my memory, like an brand burns into flesh. I stepped away from Zaraki's reiastu and stepped towards the other reiastu. It disappeared as I exited the Seirretti and ran through the streets of Roukongai. Skidding to a halt I looked around, furiously trying to catch a glimpse of the red cloth thta wsa as familiar to me as my own hand. There! I rushed down an alley, chaseing after the shadows of red that had haunted me for the past week and a half.
A sharp left, then right. A few yards straight, followed by yet another sharp turn. Abruptly the alley ended and I stubbled into a crowded street. Swearing I looked around wildly. Nothing. More elegant words swept past my lips, swearing the air with their frustration. a scream pierced through the thick air and I rushed towards the sound. A young woman laid on the dirt ground, blood swelling into a pool around her body. A dagger, attached to a chain lingered at the bottom of her stomach. Just seeing the wound from afar I knew I couldn't save her.
The dagger was pulled away in a flash of silver, and my eyes were too slow to follow the blur. Knealing beside the woman's body I winced at the horrible wound. Fury cooled my blood and I stood, as an elder woman rushed forwards, screaming in agony at her loss. Tuneing out her keening I concentrated on that place within, searching for the remnants of Kuro's reiastu. I grabbed the white cloth that appeared before my eyes, and followed the path that it directed.
The wind wistled in my ears, tearing apart my braid and then through my loose strands of hair. Ignoring the tug of the wind as it tried to coax me away from my goal, I sped on the fury thrumming through my veins becomming so cold that I burned. Clenching trembbling fists I pushed myself faster and faster, only to come to a halt as the ribbon led me into an ancient temple, run down from age and raids. Red paint peeling from burnished wood, and decorations hung loose and forgotten.
Stepping through the doors I waited, there at the entrance. Unmoving and silent. Sure enough, a man far too beautiful to be human walked almost silently into sight. "Ami." Silken strands of ebony fell over a shoulder as he inclined his head in my direction.
"Kuro."
"I've been waiting."
"Not for long."
His lips twitched in a smirk before returning to a neautral expression. "My, how you've changed. It's barely been two weeks and already your different."
"You left me."
"You left first, " His reply was quick, as though he knew every statement I was going to make. And perhapse he did, I was certain I hadn't been the only one who'd gone through possible variations of our meeting in my head. He thought himself prepared, i did too. Well, we'll be seeing the truth of that though soon.
"You're wrong, Kuro. I never left." Blood eyes glared at me bringing to mind the phrase, 'if looks could kill'.
"You did. The more time you spent with them the less important I became. And then when that bastard sed-" I lept into the air, swinging my zanpakto down at his head. Kuro barely had the time to block with the dagger he gripped in his left hand.
"That would be where you're wrong." I said smoothly, as he pushed me back. Landing silently I regarded the surprised expression turn to suspicion then become hate in a quick sucession.
"I should've killed you when I had the chance!" He yelled, throwing the sythe end at me. Three steps back and I was out of range. The scythe disappeared and Kuroryu appeared behind me, swinging his katana at my back. I blocked, grimacing as my feet slid on the polished floors. Unable to grip the ground I was shoved backwards into the air. The next thing I knew, Kuro was in front of me and lashed out with a strong kick. A cry of pain slipped from my mouth as I was sent hurtleing towards the floor. The floor broke and I felt through, into the darkness of the basement. Knowing Kuro would follow after, I rolled out from the debri and hid in the darkness behind a crate, conveiniantly close by.A quick mental check of my inguries made me wince, at least two broken ribs, but neither had pierced the lung.
"Come out, come out." A mocking voice murmured, followed by the dim sound of footsteps comming down the stairs. I held my breath on instinct, waiting as Kuro began to knock over things. Flashes of red swirlled through the room, telling me he was useing his own power to decimate everything that lived or hid in the shadowed underbelly on the temple.
"You cant hide forever."
Abruptly I stood and shouted out a kido, and as Kuroryu turned around a red pulseing ball of power hit him in his chest. He flew into the opposite wall and before he could recover i shouted out yet another kido, binding him to the wall with 5 large, yellow-white bars of power. Burning eyes locked onto mine as I slowly moved foreward. Please hold on long enough. Please hold on. I mentally chanted.
"I never left you Kuro."
His face contorted into a silent snarl, but not even that face looked terrible on him. "This isn't you Kuro- no matter what you or any of the other zanpakto say, this isn't you. Muramasa is useing your abilities to further his own ends, not to help you."
He didn't appear to be listening to me, as he continued to struggle out of the bindings that had him pinned down, and in his eyes- at the mercy of my blade. "I know right now you dont care what it is I have to say, but I'm telling you right now, I will not kill you."
That stopped his struggle. Red eyes looked up at me in shock before swiftly narrowing once more to hide whatever emotion he desired to keep hidden.
"You're my zanpakto, someone who understands me- or is supposed to understand me- better than anyone else. I shouldn't have to explain my actions to you. We used to- no- we are friends, Kuro. You are my teacher, my friend, and my protecter. I would have givven anything up to have you like this, " I stepped closer, gently reaching to touch his face, "To have you standing solid and in the flesh, all those years ago- I would've givven anything for that."
"And now?"
"I don't." I said, stepping away from him, slowly drawing my katana once more. Kuro's eyes locked onto mine and then the binds broke and he rushed towards me, every muscle in his body intent on death. I watched, my katana bared in the starting position of a kendo match.
Blood splattered onto the floor.