Mikari131: I would like to say that this is hands down the longest fight scene I have ever written, so I hope you all like it. I did my best to get it up earlier before the weekened as it was meant to be planned, but hey better for you all. Also for this chapter there is no omake since this was a serious fight.
(Bleach) Awake and Alive - Chapter 35: Clash of Partners
Both shinigami and zanpakuto took their stances, reiatsu flaring up. Their gazes stayed on the other, watching every movement and breath they took. Both of them tensed their muscles. Amaterasu tightened the grip on her paintbrush, while Mikari clenched her fists. Their gazes turned into hard glares. Every technique between the two was known by the other. There were no secrets between the ex-partners. This fight would be determined by how well they use their techniques. And neither female okami would hold back. The begging was over. Here was the moment...no turning back.
Mikari's pupil turned into slits and her reiatsu concentrated around her fist. She quickly shunpo'd above Amaterasu. The zanpakuto's eyes shrunk as Mikari's fist inched closer to her face. There was a quick flash and dust flew in the air. Mikari began to growl when she noticed that her fist made contact with the roof. And Amaterasu was not even near the crater her fist made. Without a second thought, Mikari got on her feet and turned to the sky. She knew fully well not to have her back to Amaterasu, whom she sensed above. And she was right. Amaterasu already had her blades of thunder ready to go.
"Strike her down!" Amaterasu's pupils slits mimicked Mikari's. "Blades of Thunder!"
The blades soared through the skies, crackles of electricity reigned in the sky. Mikari moved off the roof and into the air. She easily dodged left, right, down, and up, no blades got near her. But then her eyes widened when she saw the blades redirect and charge at her again. Wouldn't be easy to dodge now. As she thought of a plan, Amaterasu stood a good distance away. Watching the blades get closer to Mikari got her to smirk. There was no way she could avoid the attack. They were locked onto her reiatsu.
"Way of Destruction # 58: Tenran!" Amaterasu watched in curiosity as Mikari moved her arms in circular motions, releasing a giant tornado blast. The tornado flew to the blades and halted their movements. Mikari didn't stop the kido there though. She then moved the tornado blast around so that it went for Amaterasu. And in the tornado was Amaterasu's Blades of Thunder. Amaterasu moved quick to defense. She spun her paintbrush in front of her, moving her reiatsu around to form a barrier. The tornado and blades made contact with the barrier and an explosion went off. All the while, Amaterasu stayed calm in the situation.
The smoke from the explosion was blown away by the air and Amaterasu's barrier went down. She had no time to react as a chain of energy flew through the air and circled Amaterasu. The chain tightened around Amaterasu and her arms were bound to her side. Amaterasu growled and struggled against her binds. Her reiatsu clashed with the chain, sparks flying all around. But all her struggling did nothing to loosen the chains, only have them tightened. She glared up to see Mikari holding the end of the chain.
"You're really into kido's today. Way of Binding # 63: Sajo Sabaku. Nice touch." Amaterasu said smugly.
Mikari tightened her grip on the chain. "Well kido is one of the only ways I can fight you." 'And it reminds me of working alongside you.' She shook that thought away. This was not the time for remorse or such.
"Lets see how far kido's get you." Amaterasu said darkly, a shadow looming over her eyes. Lightning surrounded her body and began to flow over the chains around her body. The current then followed the chain, towards Mikari. She didn't wanna risk letting Amaterasu free after she finally got her. So a quick idea came to mind.
"Way of Destruction # 11: Tsuzuri Raiden!" She yelled out. Lightning formed on her hands before flowing through the chain like the current Amaterasu sent. The two currents raced towards each other and met in the middle, releasing an explosion. Mikari held on tightly to the chain. The force of the explosion was going against her, making it difficult for her to hold on. She grinded her teeth to hold back from yelling out in pain at the force pushing against her and the cuts on her body from the extreme winds of the blast. Something then smacked her hard in the back and she fell to the ground.
Mikari pushed herself lightly off the ground, coughing up some blood in the process. She got on her knees and felt a sharp pain flow through her back. That blow did a number to her. Flexing her muscles though got her spine to crack and she felt a bit better. Her back didn't hurt much anymore so she got to her feet and turned around to see Amaterasu standing on the ground, a good distance away. Looking over Amaterasu's body, she saw a couple of cuts on her, probably from the explosion. Mikari then took a guess that the blast loosened the chains grip on Amaterasu, giving her the chance to get behind her and smash her to the ground. Though Amaterasu still got slightly hurt from the blast she saw.
They both took a breather, gazes still on the other. Their chests went up and down, breaths short and rasp. It didn't seem like much went on so far in the fight, but they could tell that their reiatsu's were quickly leaving them, along with the strength in their bodies. Though at the moment, they could careless about the state of themselves.
Mikari then ran towards Amaterasu with a loud cry. When she got in front of Amaterasu, she began to throw a fury of punches at her. Amaterasu began taking steps back, dodging the fists aimed for her. She moved left and right as quickly as she could. But she did take some blows to the stomach, and then her face when she bent over in pain. Mikari wasn't gonna stop after one good hit or two. She kept going, staying focused. Her fist then moved for an uppercut to Amaterasu's chin, but it collided with something else. The glare on Mikari's face hardened at the sight of Amaterasu's paintbrush, holding her fist back. The skin on her fist went red and was bruised. Mikari then took the chance to flip her body around to have her hands on the ground, holding her up. Then her legs swiped up to kick Amaterasu's paintbrush to the side and follow around with the other leg to get her vulnerable stomach. Amaterasu flew back into one of the Compound walls and gasped for air. She held herself up by the wall, but had a hand clutching her stomach. A trail of blood seeped out of her mouth. Mikari got back on her feet and took in breaths. She smirked in triumph at the damage, it was payback for her back. Good thing Amaterasu did not specialize in hakuda like her.
"Don't think you're close to winning!" Amaterasu yelled out, seeing the smirk on Mikari's face. Her paintbrush reappeared in her hand and the flames on the mirror behind her head began to flare up in anger. Part of the flames separated and formed a giant ball of fire in front of her. She brought her paintbrush back and smashed it against the fire ball. It was pushed forwatf and spun to Mikari.
'No point dodging, it might be locked on me like the blades were.' Mikari thought quickly.
She held her hand out in front of her, gathering her reiatsu. "Way of Binding # 39: Enkosen!" Her reiatsu formed a disk shape and took the fire ball head on. The mini shield held up strong against the giant attack. Fire blew past her as the ball of fire began to disintegrate slowly. Mikari then heard the sound of thunder crackling behind her. She turned around with her eyes wide. Amaterasu was charging at her with lightning covering her paintbrush in the shape of a katana's tip. The paintbrush-sword went down upon Mikari in a slashing motion. Mikari grunted in pain of the blow, her blood dripped down.
Amaterasu's eyes slightly widened in shock. Her paintbrush did make contact with Mikari, but not in the way she thought. Mikari's hand was covered by reiatsu in a claw shape, and it was gripping the lightning tip of the brush. The blood dripping was from her hand was part of the lightning dug into her flesh. Mikari tried to keep her balance, holding Amaterasu back and the shield that was holding the fireball back in the other. Amaterasu kept pushing forward, seeing Mikari's heavy breathing, indicating her strength wouldn't hold out long. Finally the fire dimmed down against the shield and Mikari could focus on Amaterasu. She dropped the shield and made her hand into a wolf claw as well. Then she took the chance and swiped her claw around. What she made contact with was the air. Amaterasu had quickly jumped into the air when she saw Mikari form her other claw. And now she prepared her favorite attack.
"Thunder Rage!" She yelled out, firing a beam of electricity from the tip of the katana tip. The beam shined in Mikari's eyes. Her body shook, remembering the pain of the attack from last time. If she took the full blow of the lightning again, she could be completely paralyzed...and much more.
The blast hit her body head on, there was no time to dodge. Amaterasu looked down as the smoke of the explosion blocked her view of Mikari. What was bugging her was that she didn't even hear a scream of pain from the girl. The cloud then disappeared and Amaterasu looked on in shock, but she was also impressed. Mikari was on her knees, sparks around her body here and there, yet she wasn't burned as much as last time. This was so because she brought her sealed zanpakuto out and stabbed it into the ground when the beam hit her.
"Impressive..." Mikari looked up at Amaterasu with a tired look. The zanpakuto continued, "you used your katana as a lightning rod of sorts. That way my attack didn't harm you as much since it was redirected to the ground where it has no effect."
A small laugh came from Mikari. "I'm glad to get a compliment from you."
She smiled up at Amaterasu during the quiet break. Seeing the young girl smile made Amaterasu smile slightly. Then she noticed what she was doing and went back to a frown and a hard glare.
"You have been lucky so far in this fight," Amaterasu said darkly to Mikari. She gulped at her tone. "but your small kido's cannot help you forever! They are nothing compared to my abilities! I can do so much with my ability to control lightning and fire! My techniques are endless!"
"I know what you are capable of!" Mikari yelled back, getting on her feet. "And I've always admired your powers!"
"Then you know that my powers are my own! A small girl like you should never be able to use them just to grow stronger!"
Her words made Mikari step back slightly in shock. But also, it sparked a memory in her:
"Why can't I call you Ammy?"
"Because I do not wish for you to Mistress."
"Then don't call me Mistress, just Mikari is what I want."
"But that is dishonorable Mistress."
Mikari sighed in aggravation and laid back on the grass in her Inner World. Amaterasu walked up beside the shinigami student and laid down beside her.
"Why bring this up Mistress?" The wolf licked the girls cheek and she giggled.
"We're equals." She said. "So you shouldn't have to address me as a higher person. I'm only a shinigami borrowing your powers."
"But I'm allowing you to use my powers because I want you too. They may be mine, yet in a way they are yours since you and I are one."
"If that's alright with you, but that doesn't mean you have to call me Mistress."
"Please Mistress Mikari, I don't want to get into this again."
'That's right.' Mikari grabbed the katana and took it out of the ground. She took slow breaths and listened around her. Other fights were going on by the explosions in the air. Then she looked over herself, cuts and burns all over her body, and blood falling from her mouth, hands, and some cuts. Amaterasu stared on in confusion at Mikari. She was acting so calm as she checked over the situation. But she shouldn't be calm, she should be worried. Then she saw Mikari raise up the katana into the air.
"...shine from heaven's light..." Amaterasu's pupil went to normal, but her whole eye contracted at those words. Mikari looked up to Amaterasu with a determined look on her face. "...AMATERASU!"
The katana began to glow bright and a burst of energy was released. Mikari's reiatsu was raised up drastically as the katana's shape morphed slowly. All the energy was able to push Amaterasu slightly back in the air. She watched in amazement as her familiar shikai form was released by Mikari. Sparks and flames danced around her body with the reiatsu. The golden staff was finally materialized and Mikari took it in her hands, spinning it around before taking her stance.
"You did say long ago that your power was mine..." Mikari tightened her grip on the staff, more sparks began to fly around it. "Now let me show you how well I can use it!"
The sparks gathered together at the sun cross and formed a lightning sword cover as Amaterasu did earlier with her paintbrush. Left over sparks also formed into her Blades of Thunder. Mikari then jumped at Amaterasu with a yell, staff held up above her head, and blades flying at the zanpakuto. Amaterasu growled loudly at the turn of events. Her paintbrush got covered in flames in the same shape as Mikari's, and she created many fireballs by her side. Then she jumped at Mikari too. Their weapons clashed; sparks, flames and reiatsu flew around, and many explosions occurred as the blades and balls met. The two element swords slid across each other, being driven against each other by the holders. Mikari and Amaterasu glared at each other, looking past the swords. They both then pushed each other apart and stepped away in the air.
"Flare Blitz!" Amaterasu held her paintbrush to the side and allowed her whole body to be covered in flames as a fiery aura.
"Volt Charge!" Mikari called out, being surrounded by electricity in her own sparkling aura.
They both let out a cry and shot at each other like missiles, a trail of their elements following behind. They both slammed into each other at high speeds before bouncing off the other. Mikari flew up then turned around for Amaterasu again. They collided and the force pushed them apart into different buildings of the Compound. With no time to think of recovering, Amaterasu jumped out of her hole and flew at Mikari, still covered by flames. She brought her paintbrush in front of her to have the flames at their strongest at the tip. She saw Mikari doing the same with lightning to her staff before shooting like a rocket at Amaterasu. The tip of their weapons slid right beside the others, as did their bodies. The two girls landed back to back on either side of the backyard. A giant cut appeared on both of their left shoulders, sliding down to their chests, the side closest to each other when they charged. Blood gushed out of both of their wounds, but only Mikari fell to her knees. She had lost the most energy and obtained the most damage so far in the battle. Unlike her, Amaterasu still looked well enough to keep going for a long time.
"...why?" Mikari spoke out in the silence. Amaterasu turned around still having Mikari's back to her. "Why what?" She softly asked back.
Mikari kept her head down, hiding her tears from Amaterasu's view. "WHY ARE WE DOING THIS! EVERYTHING'S JUST SO CONFUSING!" She cried out in a loud weep. Amaterasu stood frozen at the sounds of crying coming from Mikari.
"I DON'T GET WHY WE'RE FIGHTING! OR HOW I COULD USE SHIKAI!" She continued to cry out. All the emotions held back were being released. It didn't matter anymore that they were still not done the fight.
Amaterasu looked down from all the cries. She didn't wanna answer those questions. They fought because of the rebellion. That was it. Zanpakuto's fighting for their reasons of freedom. To show individuality outside of the shinigami's Inner World. All thanks to Muramasa. Then Mikari released shikai...because Amaterasu allowed it, and Mikari's willpower got to her. But mostly, Amaterasu wanted to see in person how she used her power. She wanted to fight Mikari that way. And still, she would not answer outloud.
Figuring out that Amaterasu would not answer, Mikari slowly got to her feet with her staff as support. "If you don't wanna answer that's fine...but answer this atleast."
Amaterasu listened intentfully as Mikari spoke: "Why did you leave me?"
The zanpakuto's eyes widened at the question and when Mikari turned around with a tear stained face. She lost composure, stumbling back and shaking all over. Could she answer? Mikari stared on hopefully. The question bugged her the most of everything that has happened.
"...you wanna know why..." Amaterasu whispered in a shaking voice. Mikari watched as Amaterasu's flared up again and she glared at Mikari viciously. "BECAUSE I FELT WORTHLESS!" She cried out like Mikari did, but with more anger in her voice.
Mikari then noticed balls of fire and blades of thunder surround her. She had no escape. But she had one small idea as she watched Amaterasu's reiatsu and fire behind her rage around.
"Hyoga Seiran." She whispered to herself, placing her fingertips down as close as she could to the ground. A wave of ice then formed and went straight for Amaterasu, stopping below her feet. This was a special kido she learned from Toshiro, for a little variety in her attacks. Thankfully Amaterasu did not see. But she continued to yell angrily.
"I felt worthless because you hardly used me as a zanpakuto! You mostly used hakuda and other techniques! The only times you needed me was for high kido's! You never respected me!"
That caught Mikari's attention. All she ever did was respect Amaterasu as her own self. So why was she yelling out lies like that? And also, she was the one who told Mikari to grow strong and get her own techniques aside from her zanpakuto:
"You're gonna grow strong Mistress. I know your style of fighting is more than my abilities. So go learn more styles that suit you."
"I will learn more! But you will still always stay by my side!"
So then...
"Stop lying!" Mikari yelled out, catching Amaterasu's attention. The two met the others eye. Shock in Amaterasu and tears in Mikari's. "Stop lying about us! None of it is true!"
The last bit of Mikari's reiatsu flared up. Her last move was here.
"SHUNKO!"
Amaterasu watched with an extremely shocked expression as the technique formed. Reiatsu and kido moved around Mikari, covering her body and pushing the fire and lightning attacks away. The forceful winds pushed her haori off her outfit, but ripped apart the upper part of her uniform and parts of the bottom. All Mikari stood in was a miniskirt version of the bottom, and all the covered her upper body were bandages wrapped around her chest. Amaterasu didn't stare at the white kido covering her body, but at the bandages. They were from the last battle, but also to hide the sacrs of the experiments and the one surgery after her bankai backfired in the past. Now tears entered the zanpakuto's eyes. She was using the technique that her sister taught her, but it was only suppost to be for emergencies. It wasn't known if the strain would affect her body of past wounds or just the present. But she was still using it to stop Amaterasu.
"I'm gonna make you tell me the truth of what is happening!" Mikari wasted no more time and ran for Amaterasu. The fire balls and thunder blades swarmed in front of her. The kido on her arms pushed them aside, or she just punched them out of the way. Blood from the punches didn't bother her. She just kept her gaze on Amaterasu who continued to stare at her in shock. Amaterasu still had a worry look on her as she fired a beam of fire at Mikari. That didn't stop her though, she didn't even dodge. She just ran right through it and split it apart. Amaterasu knew it didn't matter now what she did, Mikari would just follow and slam her down. So she just stood there, ready to take a blow. But then, it came as a surprise as Mikari jumped at her, but did not attack. Instead, she hugged Amaterasu tight. The kido around her didn't even burn her, it just stayed calm.
"I'm so sorry Amaterasu...for everything. I didn't mean for you to feel worthless or anything. I just wanted to know the truth. So I'm sorry and I hope you can forgive me..." She whispered softly, tears falling. Amaterasu stood frozen on the spot, shocked at Mikari's words. No words would come out of how she truly felt. This was her chance to tell the truth, but she couldn't.
Then the sound of thunder crackling was heard. Amaterasu looked up to see dark clouds hover above them, and a beam of lightning charging up before being shot down at them. She watched in amazement, remembering that Mikari shot ice below her feet, which was now water since the flames behind her burned it in anger. Mikari had it all planned. strike her in the same way she did earlier, by having water by her, allowing the attack to be doubled. Amaterasu smiled lightly as the beam hit them both head on. The force blew debris everywhere and parts of the walls broke off. When the attack stopped, both Mikari and Amaterasu were lying down on the ground. Their bodies burned to a crisp, but both still breathing lightly. Seconds later, Amaterasu groaned in pain and slowly got to her feet. She looked down at Mikari with a sad smile.
"You won this round...so I won't finish you off..." She softly said to the unconscious girl. The only reason she wasn't unconscious was actually because Mikari's shunko protected both of them. But Mikari fainted since it was her last bit of energy and she was exhausted.
Amaterasu let a few tears escape her eyes and hit the ground. "...arigato...Mistress Mikari..." Where her last words. She then disappeared from the Compound at the same time as voices were heard in the background. Sounds of feet were running over to the spot.
"Misses Mikari! Hurry! Call a doctor!"
"Taicho! Hold on! We're gonna get Unohana-taicho! Please be alright!"
Bleach Awake and Alive Chapter Preview
Yoruichi: "That was seriously an amazing fight! But it was so horrible too!"
Urahara: "You're just emotional because it was Mikari and Amaterasu fighting, but now it's over."
Yoruichi: "Hey this is your first time here. Maybe because you haven't had much screentime."
Urahara: "Hush up."
"Next time is Chapter 36: Illuminating Light."
Yoruichi: "Well maybe now Mikari can finally relax after a fight like that, but what of Amaterasu now."
Urahara: "No breaks yet. The zanpakuto's are about to attack again."
Yoruichi: "Great. Though what i'm actually mad about is Mikari used Shunko!"
Urahara: "You're more upset about that then Amaterasu disappearing!"