28. Wahre Farben

WITHIN BYAKUYA'S BANKAI

Byakuya spat the orange haired boy's name in disgust. It was an insult to his pride as the 28th head of the Kuchiki clan. Byakuya now questioned why he ever trusted the Diclonii in the first place.

Meanwhile Ichigo had not trained his sight on either Byakuya or Lucy. He also was not particularly happy, rather an expression of disappointment.

Lucy too was surprised of the boy's appearance. She seemed to have reverted back to her old ways and had a killer look on her face even towards Ichigo.

Ichigo stood up and brought down his arm; his back turned away from them. He spoke softly and with heart.

"Lucy. All this time I protected you because I was worried about you. I even thought you would change. But now I see you have hurt many people I care about. And yet. I still can't let Byakuya, or anyone kill you."

He turned back to face Lucy. A tear dangling from both eyes. "Why do I still protect you knowing the kind of person you are!?"

Lucy sighed. She had messed things up in Soul society and here on earth. Was she destined all along to be a killer?

"I have to go somewhere. I don't want to fight with you anymore." She shrugged off and tried to leave the Senkei.

As she walked towards the cage of swords several of them fell down towards her head. She blocked all of them and escaped through the opening where the swords fell from.

"Wait!" Ichigo decided to chase after her but another flying sword zipped passed his body from behind. "Byakuya. What are you doing?"

"I cannot forgive you for interrupting this fight. If I can't kill her I will kill you." Byakuya angled two more swords ready to be released.

"Please be reasonable Byakuya. I don't want to fight you."

"Silence!" The swords flew towards Ichigo as he just dodged them.

"I must stop her. She may try to kill more people. Please Byakuya. More will die unless I stop her myself."

Byakuya looked down knowing he was acting a bit irrational. "Fine. You may go. But don't expect my help after what you did."

As soon as Byakuya removed the cage Ichigo flashed away in an attempt to find Lucy.

Byakuya assessed the terrain of the now flattened town.

~Mariko, Lucy. You Diclonii are all the same~

BOTTOM OF STAIRWAY TOWARDS MAPLE INN

Lucy was close to the only place she knew she belonged. After all the atrocities she knew Kouta, Yuka and Mayu would forgive her. As she travelled up the many stairs she briefly reflected the moments she and Kouta had together. The fun times as children, and of course one fateful night where she killed his father and sister. Then she remembered last year when she escaped the Kakuzawa facility and sought refuge here as Nyu. Life was better when she was Nyu.

But now there was no going back...

~Just open the door.~

A jet black blade stopped her hand from touching the door. She was so close and she still wouldn't be left alone.

"Lucy. I cannot let you go in there." Ichigo spoke with a stern voice as he meant business.

"Please leave me now. I can't go back after what I did."

"If I don't stop your killer instincts now you will only cause more pain to those who care about you."

Lucy fought back tears and vented air instead. "Just move Ichigo."

"I'm sorry Lucy but I-" before he could finish a vector slashed passed his left arm. The next one was heading for his heart.

Ichigo brought up his sword just in time to block the attack. He was pushed into the door, breaking it apart, and flying down the hallway.

Yuka and Mayu were meanwhile in the dining area and could see the boy in strange clothing fall to the ground – a sword in his hand.

"Agh! Who are you? What do you want?"

Ichigo was distracted by the two and turned his head away from the oncoming strike. He managed to duck as the vectors started destroying parts of the house.

Mayu stood behind Yuka for protection. She picked up a nearby vase as a weapon but as she went into the hallway it shattered without the boy doing anything. She turned right to see the culprit.

"Is that...Nyu?"

Lucy pushed Yuka aside making her hit her back on the wall hard. She was now unconscious.

"Dammit Lucy stop this!" Ichigo ran across the hallway his sword pointed towards her. Lucy grabbed the running Ichigo and threw him aside to another wall. Ichigo wouldn't fall down from such moves. He recovered his stance and managed to get within close combat range. Lucy used all her vectors to hold back the sword which was arcing down towards her. They both released and Ichigo's momentum sent him back to the other end of the hallway.

Mayu now found the courage to enter the hallway but was instantly shocked by the carnage. She also was shocked to see Nyu again.

"Nyu."

"No girl get ba-" Ichigo shielded the girl and absorbed the attack.

"What's going on? I'm scared."

Ichigo managed to smile past the pain in his lower back. "Lucy – I mean Nyu is a little upset right now, I'm going to control her bad behaviour."

"Um...Please sir...don't kill her. I know she has two personalities but I like her as Nyu."

Ichigo smiled as he also remembered the brief but quality time he and Nyu had together.

Lucy was standing over Ichigo with the eyes of a demon. "You don't belong here Ichigo. Get out!" As she said that she literally grabbed all of Ichigo's limbs and tossed him out the front door. She was about to continue fighting when...

"Please return one day...Nyu."

Lucy knew if she dwelled too much on the side of compassion she may go back to Nyu. She couldn't afford to do that right now so she slapped Mayu with her vector knocking her out as well.

~Dammit I hated to do that to them. But I need to end this now.~

Lucy crept outside and looked around for Ichigo. Left, right, nowhere.

He was above.

Lucy had no time to use her vectors so rolled to the side as Ichigo formed a small crater. As his head was revealed a white mask with red markings was visible. The last time she fought the mask was only brief but she was undoubtedly defeated.

~No. Not the mask.~

Ichigo's sword made friction with the ground and as he let go a red charge of spiritual energy was released. He let out a raspy grunt as he threw the heavy energy crescent at her.

The kimono was burnt away at the left leg and sleeve. Her vectors could only take tha majority of the impact. Fed up with the appearance of a Shinigami, she tore off the rest of the kimono leaving herself bare.

Ichigo drew back his sword for another swipe. Lucy flipped over him and tried to sweep at his legs. Ichigo jumped with his sword holding him up. Unfortunately the end of the sword broke off as Lucy's vectors swept under.

Ichigo would now have to fight with a broken sword. But as he went for another strike his sword was taken off him and thrown metres away down the stairs. Could Ichigo possibly fend off vectors with his bare hands. He had try.

As he focused more he could make out the shimmering effect the vectors made. He clasped one with each hand and was dug into the earth as Lucy advanced.

Ichigo was slowly being buried as Lucy now hovered above. He may have held off two invisible arms but she still had two more to use. And they formed an S, ready to end the battle of Kamakura.

Ichigo was fearing for his life, but then something even more sinister hovered above.

"Look out!"

Lucy slightly turned her head as she got a glance of the peril above. The purple menace had returned – with significantly fewer vectors. Lucy managed to dodge the hooking vectors enough so only her left horn was sliced.

Mariko landed on the ground. She reared up for another strike.

"DIE LUCY!" The demonic Mariko had a craving for revenge. She would stop at no costs to recieve the crown.

But she would now not achieve that goal.

A pure, radiating bright white sword pierced through from Mariko's back. She arced back and gurgled as blood drooled from her mouth. She turned her back to see the awesome blade. Bright white bird wings and a halo surrounded the handle of the blade. The face of the wielder peered passed the ornamental weapon.

"Gurgh...you...you...urk..." Mariko was now close to death as the power of a thousand blades concentrated in one awesome blade had pierced her.

~~~~Goodbye Mariko. You are no longer fit for my power~~~~~

~Wait. I need you to heal me!!!~

As Byakuya wrenched the blade out Mariko's purple markings disappeared; so too her many vectors. As the wounds were reopened it was now clear that Mariko, the third generation Silpelit, was no more.

Lucy stood back from the scene. Ichigo looked at an exhausted Byakuya as his sword retuned to its normal katana appearance.

"I didn't think you would help." Ichigo noted.

"I said I wouldn't help you fight this girl." Pointing his blade at Lucy. "But I still needed to defeat Mariko."

Byakuya turned his attention to Lucy, observing the lost horn. "I see the horns are your source of telekinetic power. You are weakened, I shall end this Diclonius virus once and for all."

Lucy remained in her stance, knowing a blade was approaching. Ichigo was still confused about Byakuya's words. Was he...going to?

"NO! STOP FIGHTING!"

Byakuya normally wouldn't consider a person's pleas but he had caught the eye of the person shouting running up the stairs. He better have had a good reason to interrupt this battle.

The man crouched as he panted. He looked like he had run a marathon.

"Lu...cy...please...stop...this...for...me..."

Lucy managed to smile past the devastation she and Mariko caused.

~Kouta. I get a chance to see you...one last time...~


The next chapter may be the last. I have spent a lot of time over the last few weeks working on this story. I hope you have still mangaed to catch on to the dynamic plot. I know a lot of you are a bit confused right now but it will all be wrapped up in the next chapter.