Chapter 20
Memories
"A white tower, huh?" remarked Aaron.
"Yeah, yeah! Over there!" replied Mayu, pointing a finger at the Repentance Tower. "Don't you think it looks really suspicious?"
Now that she mentioned it, Aaron agreed that it stood out from the other structures in the Seireitei. Some investigating was an order, yet the spire was well off from their current location. He estimated it would take a number of days to reach it.
"Ow!" he hollered as Mayu dressed another of his various injuries. "C-Can't you do that more gently?"
"Shut up, Stupid Shinigami! Unless you wanna die, quit squirming around!"
Aaron, cringing even harder, answered, "I-I don't think I'm that hurt. Thanks anyway though for helping me out. Good thing you brought some supplies with you."
Mayu finished applying ointment and then bandages on the huge gash on his chest before determining that her work was done. The pain remained, though Aaron figured he could bear it for the time being. At the very least, he wouldn't have to worry about bleeding out.
"Would you mind me asking why you're so good at this?" he asked.
"My big bro often comes home roughed up. You can probably tell by looking at him, but he's the type to get into a lot of fights, so I'm usually the one who patches him up."
"Makes sense."
"Alright, Stupid Shinigami! Time to move!"
She slapped him right in the ribcage, delivering a surge of pain through his entire being.
"GA-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-AH!"
Mayu, shielding her ears, said, "I-I'm sorry! I forgot! Are you alright?!"
"Y-Yeah. No...problem," he lied, convinced he would die. "A-Anyway, it might be a wild goose chase, but I say we head for that white tower you were talking about before. It's our only lead when it comes to trying to find Kana and Rukia."
"Can you even make it there in your condition?"
Aaron, with some difficulty, stood. "What's this? You almost sound like you're concerned about me."
"H-Huh?! N-No way, dumb Shinigami!" Mayu's cheeks became rosy. "I-I already told you that I can't have you dying on me! I need you to take care of the other stupid Shinigami here! That's all!"
"Heh. Sure. Let's get a move on."
The two did so, thankful to find no more enemies impeding their path.
"Hmm. Maybe everyone's taking a break from hunting us down," muttered Aaron to himself.
"Uh...y-you said something about a Kana, right?" asked Mayu timidly. "Is that the name of the Shinigami you're trying to save?"
"One of them, yeah. Why?"
"Um...n-no reason."
"Alright then."
As they made their way down a narrow corridor, Aaron could tell Mayu was struggling to get something off of her chest.
"What's wrong?" he inquired.
"N-Nothing!" she snapped back. "Q-Quit bothering me, dumb Shinigami!"
"Fine with me. We don't have to talk if you don't want to."
"Fine! Who'd wanna talk with you anyway, pervert?!"
Aaron sighed. He had no interest in arguing, so he took his own advice and zipped his lips. Things descended into awkward silence.
Eventually, Mayu said, "...I don't get it."
"Huh? What are you talking about now?"
"I'm saying that I don't get it! You're from the Human World, right? Why then are you going out of your way to save a Shinigami from Soul Society?"
"Why?" Aaron put his finger on his chin. "Well, now that you mention it, that's a pretty good question."
Mayu's jaw hit the floor. "Huh?!"
"I'm saying that I don't really have a good reason. Lots of people have asked me the same thing. They've even told me that all of this is none of my business. Maybe they've got a point, but I'm just doing what I think is right. I was...sorta just going through the motions before I met Kana. Even though she's a total pain in the ass and acts like a spoiled brat despite being well over a hundred years old, I...just can't imagine living without her anymore. In my town, there isn't much to do, so when someone like her comes around, things can't help but become interesting. So, I came here to save her. Even if Soul Society's affairs go way over the head of a kid like me, I don't care. Maybe I'll die, but I've at least gotta try, don't I? I'll try to save her, even if it kills me."
"Wow!" Mayu stood in astonishment with her eyes were dazzling like diamonds. "Y-You're in love with her, aren't you?!"
Aaron gagged on his tongue. "W-What?! Where'd you get that from?!"
He might have been denying it, yet he couldn't ignore the fact his heart was now pounding like a drum. On top of that, his skin was the same tint as a ripe tomato. Mayu picked up on this and gazed at him attentively.
"I-I misjudged you, stupid Shinigami! Looks like you aren't so bad after all!"
"Y-You're still calling me that though..."
"I thought you were just some idiot doing what you were doing to look cool, but if you're really going this far to save your girlfriend, I'll do everything in my power to help! Only someone truly heartless would stand by and let you do all this on your own!"
"You're...not really listening to me, are you? Kana isn't my..." Aaron gathered that no matter how he explained things, nothing would get Mayu to comprehend his actual motives. "You know what? It's fine. I appreciate you being so willing to help, so I'll happily take it. Are you sure you wanna do this though? We're trying to rescue two Shinigami, you know. On top of that, you'll have to work with one like me to do it."
Mayu got that he was alluding to the situation with her oldest brother. This soured her temperament.
"...Yeah, I know. I'm still upset at what happened to him, but is it okay for me to act like such a kid?"
Aaron replied, "What do you mean?"
"Ganju was right! I didn't even know my other brother! By the time I was old enough to think for myself, he was already dead! Big sis and Ganju have a right to be mad, but I don't, so...maybe I just sound like an immature brat wherever I get upset about him!"
She began tearing up, but the moment she saw how Aaron was leering at her, she hastily dried her eyes.
"H-Hey! I wasn't asking for your pity, stupid Shinigami!"
"I-I didn't even say anything that time!"
"Shut up!" she barked. Like always, Aaron merely threw his hands up and didn't bother to protest. "Alright! Fine! Maybe I didn't know Kaien, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't care! He was still family!"
"Kaien? So that was his name..."
Aaron wasn't sure why she was debating with herself so fiercely. Perhaps like him, she too was striving to justify her reasons for coming to the Seireitei. Witnessing her dilemma strangely prompted him to laugh.
"Hey, what's so funny?!" she said. "I-I'm serious, you know! It's not cool to make fun of a little kid, you jerk!"
"I'm sorry. I'm not laughing at you. I've just never seen you so worked up. You don't have to convince me how serious you are, Mayu." Aaron crouched down to her, startling her, and affectionately patted her black hair. "Looks like the two of us have a lot of hard work ahead of us. Let's get it done together, alright?"
Mayu, becoming even more flustered, retorted, "S-Stop acting so weird, dumb Shinigami! If we're gonna rescue your girlfriend, we...better keep moving!"
"Right!"
Aaron wheeled back to the Repentance Tower. If Kana really was there, all he asked was for her to wait for him a little while longer. He knew her as having no patience, so he didn't put much stock in this.
"Heh. She really is a spoiled brat."
#
"Seriously? He's gone?"
Akira Akiyama, standing before Izuru Kira and Momo Hinamori, couldn't believe what her fellow Vice-Captains had just finished filling her in on.
"It's true," said Momo somberly. "Abarai suddenly took off!"
"How the hell did he do that? Didn't they tell all the Vice-Captains to come back here to the meeting room to regroup so we could figure out how we're gonna deal with these Ryoka?" replied Akira. "Speaking of which, I don't get what the big deal is. Everyone's having a hissy fit. There aren't that many intruders, right? Things can't be that bad."
"You're wrong, Akiyama," said Izuru sternly. "Both Third Seat Madarame and Fifth Seat Ayasegawa of the Eleventh Division were gravely injured by the Ryoka and had to be pulled from the battlefield. In fact, the Eleventh Division as a whole has taken massive casualties."
"While all the others squads aren't nearly as incapacitated, the mere fact these Ryoka have been able to cause so much damage in such a short amount of time is really troubling!" added Momo, who was biting her fingernails. She wasn't the sole one anxious.
"I-If all that is true, then this is becoming a nightmare..." Akira shook her head. "Wait, just how many Ryoka are there? They're tough bastards if they managed to beat those lunatics from the Eleventh Division!"
"The numbers haven't been confirmed, but we believe at least eight," said Izuru.
"There are even reports of one of them being a Hollow!" stated Momo.
Akira was on the brink of speechlessness. "T-There's no way something like that could be true! ...R-Right?!"
#
A group of cowering Shinigami held their Zanpakutou out threateningly while they backpedaled from the tall Hollow closing in.
"Move aside," said Sharpscale. "I would like to avoid more violence if possible."
There was already an abundance of groaning bodies dispersed around it. The rest of the Shinigami, not craving to fight the creature themselves, nonetheless stood their ground. They had their orders to take down any Ryoka they came across. That likely included Hollows.
"H-How'd this bastard even infiltrate the Seireitei?!" one of them snarled.
"Who cares about that?!" said a guy beside him. "That guy is a total monster! There's dozens of us here, but it's swatting us aside like flies!"
A third added, "But...it hasn't killed anyone yet."
Taking a life was out of the question. Sharpscale had promised Aaron it would stay its hand when it came to that. Restraining itself was difficult however when so many enemies were throwing themselves at it.
"Look! We can't just stand here shakig in our boots! Taking out Hollows is our job, right?! Well, let's do this! There are way more of us than there are of him! We can do this!" exclaimed a fourth Shinigami. His speech roused his allies in action. With reckless abandon, they charged for Sharpscale.
"My, my. You all still want to fight?" Sharpscale kicked a foe into a wall before dodging the blade of another and slamming his knuckles into the Shinigami's stomach, knocking him out cold. Fending off the rest, he added, "This really is a waste of time. I just hope Aaron Higuchi isn't have this much trouble."
#
Akira began to walk away but halted in her tracks when Izuru called out to her.
"Just where do you think you're going, Akiyama?! With Abarai gone, we don't need you going off and disappearing too!"
"You think I'm just gonna stand around after hearing all that?!" she replied.
"That's exactly was I expect! All the Vice-Captains were ordered to remain here for further orders! That came straight from the Captain-Commander! Do you intend to defy his orders, Akiyama?!"
His words had a paralyzing effect. Even she wasn't stupid enough to pull a stunt like that. It seemed Renji Abarai was though. The more she weighed his abrupt departure, the more she craved to spring into action herself.
"You said you found Abarai's Vice-Captain badge in his office, right? Sounds to me like he's not planning on coming back." Akira removed her own emblem, holding it out to a bewildered Izuru. "Here. I don't need this thing anymore either."
"Huh?! W-What are you going to do?!" questioned Momo.
"Are you trying to get yourself exiled from the Gotei 13, Akiyama?! This is madness!" added Izuru. "At this rate, you and Abarai…!"
"I don't give a rats ass about that guy or my position!" Akira proclaimed, surprising the hell out of the other two. "All I care about is what that bastard is up to! He's friends with that Rukia Kuchiki, right?"
"...Yes, and I'm certain now I know what you're thinking, Akiyama. It's precisely why I'm asking you to remain put! I know all about your animosity toward the other prisoner of the Repentance Tower!"
"Y-You're talking about Kana Mitarashi, right?" asked Momo.
"Right. Akiyama here is liable to take advantage of this situation and do something she's going to regret."
Akira smirked. "...You make it sound like I'm plotting an assassination."
Momo gasped. "Y-You wouldn't!"
"Calm your tits. I don't plan on doing anything of the sort. Don't let Kira here spook you. As much as I'd like to wrap my fingers around Kana's neck, there's no point in doing anything to her if it's only going to get me killed alongside her."
"If you go off and do whatever it is you're planning, you'll be killed all the same!" shouted Izuru, quickly losing what meager patience he had left. "Now then, put your badge back on and…!"
Akira shoved the item in question into his chest. "Like I said, I don't want it anymore. Besides, all I'm gonna is do is my goddamn job. I don't need that stupid badge or a promotio to do it. If I can't get to Kana herself, I'll just have to hurt her another way."
"W-What are you…?"
"Try not to work yourself up so much, Kira. You'll shorten your lifespan."
With that, Akira vanished into thin air with Flash Step. Izuru lunged at the space she once stood but was far too late.
"Goddammit!" he proclaimed.
"S-She's gone!" muttered Momo. "W-What are we supposed to tell the others?! Now there are two Vice-Captains that have gone AWOL!"
"Calm down, Hinamori." Izuru felt like a hypocrite. He was scolding her while he himself was trembling in a blind rage. Leering down at Akira's Vice-Captain badge, he added, "...Akiyama is a bit of a handful, but that woman can handle herself. I'm not sure what she has in mind anymore, but for now, let's just worry about taking care of these intruders."
Momo nodded yet garnered there wasn't much other they could do anyway. Being a Vice-Captain didn't mean much when she felt so powerless to stop all this mayhem.
#
Akira traversed through the Seireitei with one goal in mind: tracking down Aaron Higuchi. If she couldn't destroy Kana, she would have to settle for a person she cared deeply for. The teenager fit the bill, and she could sense his burning resolve to save her former friend. It made her sick to her stomach.
"...That bitch isn't even worth coming all the way here for. Still, it's a good thing that punk came! Just like when Kana took someone near and dear from me, I'm gonna take someone like that from her. She can count on it!"
She bit her lower lip, so much so that blood flowed from a fresh wound. Thinking about Kana always dragged up memories from the depths of her soul. It seemed like just yesterday the two had come to know one another.
#
A much younger and disheveled Akira Akiyama sluggishly opened her eyes to the sound of her rumbling stomach. How she longed to sate it. Unfortunately, she couldn't move. Lying in the middle of a Rukongai street, her hunger sapped the strength from her very being.
"...Food. So hungry..."
Every day, she craved for even a morsel to eat, and every day, she gave up on such a worthless dream, settling on remaining nothing more than an insignificant husk in the eyes of those that passed her by. This was simply how her existence, if she could even refer to it as that, was. She couldn't even say how long this had been. It felt like an eternity. If she had a family, they had long since abandoned her like a piece of garbage. This suited her just fine; it wasn't as if she could picture any of their faces, so she felt no longing to hunt them down. Truly, she was the epitome of being alone.
Although she was usually ignored, today was different. She took heed of someone kneeling down to her through her hazy vision, a handsome, middle aged man with jet black hair tied into a ponytail. There was something different about him. Unlike the other residents of the 77th district of Rukongai, there was life in his dark eyes. Unlike her, he hadn't given up yet.
"You poor thing," she heard him say. If he was pitying her, he could save his breath. She might have come off as pathetic, but she still had her pride. She didn't need nor want anyone weeping over her. However, the man wasn't crying. In fact, he was grinning from ear to ear. "Can you hear me, little one?"
"F-Food..." she instinctively murmured through heavy breaths.
"Eh? Food? Ah!" The man snapped his fingers. "If that's what you're hurting for, I've got plenty of that back at my place! Come on. Can you stand?"
He realized she couldn't, so he placed her snuggly on his back before pressing forward. Even if she wanted to resist, she lacked the vigor to do so.
"Haha! I thought it was strange you looked so weak! So, what's your name?"
The strange man kept on hamming it up. Akira noted he wasn't mocking her though. The clamor of his voice was comforting, reassuring even. She may not have known this man, yet she just knew she could trust him implicitly. The warmth from his body lulled her to sleep, though it wasn't as if she could keep her heavy eyelids ajar any longer.
#
As was often the case, Akira's growling stomach roused her back into consciousness. What was different however was her waking up in a toasty bed. Groggy, she sat up and tried to get her bearings about her. Before that though, a girl with brown, curly hair around her age stuck her face up close to hers, scaring the living daylights out of her.
"Whoa! Y-You're awake!" the girl exclaimed. She then backed away and turned to the tiny room's door. "Heishiro! Heishiro! She's awake!"
Akira, still in a daze, said, "W-Who…?"
"I-I know you're excited, Kana, but don't you think you should calm down some? I think you're scaring her," tepidly stated a boy that greatly resembled this Kana. They even had the same hair and amber eye color.
"Oh, shut up, Arashi! I'm doing nothing of the sort! I'm just glad she's awake!"
"Who...are you two?" asked Akira. This was the first she could recall bumping into kids like her.
"Oh! My name is Kana! Nice to meet you!"
She elbowed Arashi to get him introduce himself too.
Rubbing his shoulder, he sheepishly said, "I-I'm Arashi. It's...nice to meet you."
"I'm...Akira." Akira paused. Her name was all she had, and she couldn't even remember who gave it to her. She supposed it was irrelevant now. "Where am I?"
"Heishiro's house!" answered Kana.
"She's...not going to understand just from that, sis," said Arashi.
Calling the cramped, dusty space around them a 'home' seemed a bit much to Akira. Even so, it wasn't as if she was wont to luxury. The edifice might have been somewhat damp and musty, yet it was also warm, warmer than sleeping out in the middle of the street.
"Say, how are you feeling? Huh? Huh?!" Kana invaded Akira's personal space yet again. "Do you want something to eat? Are you hungry?"
Arashi pulled her back. "Calm down already, Kana! You're probably scaring her!"
Akira was unnerved alright. However, she felt this a rather rude thing to say out loud. This Kana or whoever seemed to have an endless reservoir of energy. Coming from the desolate streets of Rukongai, she frankly wasn't used to anyone acting like this.
"Oh? What's this?" said someone entering the room just then. Akira identified him as the man who had saved her. Holding a tray of piping hot food, he made his way over to the two hovering around Akira. "Kana! Arashi! Give her some space, alright? She just woke up, so she probably doesn't like all of you crowding her like that."
"See? I told you, Kana," remarked Arashi matter-of-factually.
Wanting to sock her brother in the mouth, Kana instead told the man, "O-Okay..."
With a clear path, the man inched over to Akira and placed the plate containing a bowl of warm soup, a bowl of white rice, and a piece of bread on her lap. Hungrily, she eyed the the cuisine, practically itching to shove it down her throat.
"It's alright. Go ahead and eat!" said the man. "You must be starving, right?"
Apprehensively, Akira nodded before diving into the meal ferociously. She had to stop herself from consuming the dishes as well.
"Whoa! I guess she really was hungry, Heishiro!" exclaimed Kana.
"Maybe...you should've brought her more," said Arashi, grimacing when Akira tore into her bread like a lion rending its fangs into fresh meat.
"No way! We barely have any food as it is!"
"Yeah. That's true..."
Hearing this, Akira froze on the spot and let go of her chopsticks.
"Kana! Arashi! Didn't I tell you not to worry about that?!" Heishiro, momentarily infuriated, calmed once he caught a glimpse of Akira gazing at him guiltily. "...Don't worry about a thing, little one. There's plenty of food here for everyone. Please, keep eating."
"A-Are you…?"
"Yes, I'm sure! Haha! Like I said, there's no need to worry!"
"Y-Yeah! We're sorry! We didn't mean it!" said Kana, on the verge of tears.
Arashi added, "Y-Yeah. You can...eat as much as you want, Akira."
"You can even have our dinner!"
Heishiro chuckled again. "You two don't have to go that far!"
As Kana and Arashi joined him in a round of laughter, Akira looked at them all like they were insane. There was absolutely nothing funny about the situation to her. These people were total strangers. Why then were they going so far out of their way for her? If they really didn't have that much to eat, why were they sharing their meager rations with the likes of her? Never before had she been so utterly baffled.
"Hey, a-are you alright?! You're crying!" shouted Kana.
"W-Was it something we said?! We're sorry! W-We didn't mean it!" said a distressed Arashi.
Akira hadn't the slightest idea what they were babbling about until she felt warm tears streaming down her cheeks. Embarrassed, she hastened to wipe them away, yet they just wouldn't cease.
"W-Why…?"
"Oh! Is your food too hot?! Did you burn your tongue?!" Kana blew on the steaming soup. "You gotta wait until it cools down next time!"
"Um...I don't think that's why she's crying, sis," surmised Arashi.
Akira scarfed down what was left of her meal in due time. Her eyes then widened. She had forgotten the sensation of a full stomach, the feeling of her being bursting with vigor.
"T-Thank you for your hospitality..." she sheepishly said. She thought it might be inconsiderate to say so, but she asked, "I-Is there...more?"
"Whoa! You're still hungry after all that?!" said an awed Kana.
"Haha! We certainly do, little one! You can eat as much as you want!" said Heishiro. "Arashi, do me a favor and grab her another plate."
With a nod, Arashi went on his way but not prior to leering back at Akira in silence for a moment. She caught his curious gaze, compelling her cheeks to swell with blood. Kana picked up on this as well. Giggling, she chose not to say anything on the matter.
Instead, she remarked, "You were lucky Heishiro found you when he did! Judging from the way you looked when he brought you here, I don't think you would've lasted much longer! Everything's okay now! This is the only place around here that has any food, so eat as much as you can while you have the chance!"
Akira knew that better than anyone. Most spirits in the Rukongai didn't need sustenance, leaving those like her that did out of luck for the most part.
"Where is this? Am I...still in Rukongai?" she inquired.
"Yes. This is the 77th district known as Mitarashi," replied Heishiro. "Oh, you've probably already heard from these brats here, but I'm Heishiro! Welcome to my home, little one! Kana and her younger brother, Arashi, live here with me. Like you, I found them out on the streets a number of years ago. They've been here with me ever since."
"They were...alone?"
Hearing this pulled at one of Akira's strings. She could without a doubt relate to their plight. Grasping her covers forcefully, she didn't get why this had to be. It didn't seem fair.
"Unfortunately, since we're so far out from the first district, crime here is rampant. It's...rather rough out on those streets," stated Heishiro somberly. That was something Akira was more than used to as well. Her only saving grace had been she had nothing of value for anyone to steal, so most just let her be. "Ah, but you don't need to worry about that anymore, little one. You're safe here."
Akira mouthed this quietly, pondering if such a thing could be true. No matter where she was and who she was with, it was still Rukongai. There was only one, true, and safe place in all of Soul Society, and it was far out of her reach.
"This is great! There's finally a girl around here to talk to! All I had before is Heishiro and my stupid brother, and they're no fun at all!" said Kana. She took Akira's hands and added, "Let's be friends, alright?"
"Um...a-alright."
Akira wasn't sure what else to say. The term 'friend' was such a foreign concept for her.
"Well excuse me, princess, for being nothing more than a boring, old man!" said a beaming Heishiro. Akira observed him, finding his happiness contagious to someone like her who had grown content with despair. Although he didn't notice, she cracked a smile.
"Well, it looks like someone has finally cheered up!" stated Heishiro.
"Yeah! She looks good like that!" added Kana. Akira was rather keen on her new look as well.
"Um...did I miss something?" asked Arashi as he reentered the room with more food. Noting the hunger in Akira's eyes, he hurriedly handed her what she craved. He then stood by in horror as she basically inhaled the warm grains of rice. "I-I guess you were still hungry."
Akira, chewing too hard and too furiously, hadn't heard his remark.
"Wow! She's like a human food compactor!" said Kana.
Heishiro, also amazed, scratched his head. "Well, this is gonna be tough. Guess I'll have to figure out how I'm gonna feed three brats from now on. It'll be tough, but I think I'll manage!"
Akira had without a doubt heard this, choking on her meal before wiping her mouth and leering up at Heishiro like he were a madman. Honestly, she figured he must have been to say what he had so nonchalantly.
"Don't give me that look!" he told her. "You know as well as I do that a kid like you can't live on the streets by herself forever! It'll be a lot safer if you stay here with us. Just...try not to let Kana or Arashi bug you too much! They can be quite a handful!"
"Hey!" cried Arashi.
"W-What's that supposed to mean?!" added Kana, pouting her lips. "You cause way more trouble than us, Heishiro! You're like a kid in a grown man's body!"
"Heh! Guess I can't deny that," replied Heishiro coyly. He then faced Akira again. "So, do we have a deal or not, little one?"
So stunned was she by his generous offer, it took several moments for Akira to compose herself enough to mull things over. The fact that Kana and Arashi were gazing at her intently wasn't helping.
"I-I wouldn't want to impose," she eventually stated. "You already said you were running short on food. Besides, I'm...nothing more than a piece of trash. Someone like me isn't even worth helping."
Both she, Kana, and Arashi were scared out of their wits when Heishiro abruptly marched over to Akira, crouched down to her, and seemed ready to erupt like a volcano as he shook. Never before had the Mitarashi siblings seen him so livid.
"I don't want to ever hear you saying something like that again!" he blared. He then took heed of how much he was frightening the children. With some effort, he composed himself, forcing a smile even as he tenderly placed his hand on Akira's head. "Listen, you are not a piece of trash. Don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise, little one. Each and every person in this world is valuable in their own way, including you. Some just need a bit more time to find their place versus the rest. Never lose heart. Do you hear me?"
Blushing slightly, Akira nodded. Even now, she couldn't comprehend why this man was treating her like an old, beloved friend. Nevertheless, she rested her head into his chest, enabling her to heart to tranquil sound of his heart beating. Per his claim, she really did feel safe now.
"Make sure you finish every bite of your food!" he proclaimed. "You need to grow up to be big and strong! Kana and Arashi here already have a head start on you, so you have some work to do, Akira!"
"O-Okay!" she voiced. His enthusiasm truly was infectious, hyping even a person like her up. "T-Thank you again for your hospitality! I'll...I'll find a way to repay you one day!"
"Bah! Like I'd want something from a punk kid like you!"
"Nah uh, Heishiro! I'll pay you back too!" said Kana. "Once I become a Shinigami, I'll make sure you and everyone else here that lives in the slums have a better life!"
"Huh? Do you really want to become a Shinigami?" inquired Akira.
"It's impossible," muttered Arashi. "There's no way something like that could happen."
Kana crossed her arms. "Y-You keep saying that, but my mind's made up! I'll go to the Seireitei one day and maybe even become a Captain!"
"If it were as easy as you say, sis, everyone here in the Mitarashi district would be Shinigami by now. It's too hard and dangerous, don't you think?"
Kana refused to let her brother's words get her down. "Y-You'll see! You'll all see!"
"Haha! Alright, alright already! We heard you the first time!" Heishiro ruffled her brown hair, making her giggle. "You certainly are ambitious though! Well, good luck to you, Kana! You should try to become a Shinigami too, Arashi! It might be fun!"
"I-I guess..." the boy meekly responded. He still thought the whole subject was ludicrous.
Akira, meanwhile, debated Kana's dream. It really might have been nothing more than wishful thinking, yet it was also the sole escape from a life of misery in Rukongai. That alone was enough to spur Akira. While she hadn't given the matter much thought beforehand, she too wished to become a Shinigami with all of her heart.
"Alright then! I guess it's settled! Akira here is staying with us from now on!" announced Heishiro.
"Huh? B-But wait, I still haven't..."
"No buts!" shouted Kana, cutting Akira off.
"It'll be nice having someone around here other than my sister here. If there's anyone that's gonna bug you, Akira, it's gonna be her," said Arashi.
"W-What was that?!" Kana threw an arm around his neck and squeezed down as hard as she could. "Y-You're only saying that to impress the new girl, aren't you?!"
"C-Could you please let me go, sis? You're hurting me..."
"That's the idea!"
"Knock it off, you two! You're going to scare Akira away at this rate!" said Heishiro. However, he couldn't have been farther from the truth. Enveloped by such overwhelming generosity, Akira began to cry again and couldn't even fathom the idea of leaving the place she could now call home.
"Aw! Look! She's doing it again! It's all your fault, Arashi!" boomed Kana.
"No way! She's only crying because of you, sis!" replied Arashi without hesitation.
#
"Mitarashi? Mitarashi. Mitarashi!"
Yelping at the height of her voice, Kana shot up and turned to the person repeatedly calling out to her: Rukia Kuchiki. Though she wasn't sure when or how, she had dozed off into a land of dreams, one that was hell bent on reminding her of the past.
"Are you alright, Mitarashi?" asked Rukia. "You looked like you were about ready to cry."
"Well, s-something like that. Guess I was just thinking about the good old days."
"Yes, so was I. At least that's something the two of us can do to pass the time."
Rukia jumped a bit when Kana inched closer to her out of the blue.
"Wait, did something happen in your past too, Rukia? You gotta tell me! Come on! I hate not knowing stuff about people!"
"I-I'm not sure what you mean..."
"Hey, you can't fool me! Now I'm sure there's something you aren't telling me! I have a sixth sense about this kinda stuff!"
"Is that so?"
Kana nodded. "I'm not trying to be nosy, I swear! I can just tell there's something bothering you, so if you wanna get it off your chest right now, don't hesitate to let me know!"
Rukia seriously wasn't sure what to say. "T-That's okay, Mitarashi. I'm fine. I assure you."
Since the topic was getting nowhere, Kana reluctantly opted to talk about something else.
"What do you think's been going on outside? Sounds like a lot of commotion!"
"Yes. There have been Shinigami moving about for hours now," replied Rukia. She bit down on her thumb in deep thought. "Still, they haven't told us anything. I suppose it's only normal for prisoners such as ourselves to be kept in the dark."
"This totally sucks! I hate not knowing stuff!"
Rukia weakly chortled. "Yes, you've said so. There's nothing more we can do but wait however."
Kana had other plans. She got up close and personal with Rukia a second time, causing the latter to perspire.
"Y-Yes? Is there something else you wanted to ask, Mitarashi?"
"Nope! I was just actually thinking that now would be a perfect time to escape!"
"...You can't be serious. D-Didn't I already make it clear that such a thing would be an impossibility?"
"Huh?! Why not?! Come on! No one's paying us much attention anyway! It'll be easy!"
Rukia shook her head. "Even if that's the case, there is bound to be someone guarding us. How do you expect to get past them in our conditions? We don't even have our powers!"
"Oh! You're probably right about that!"
Rukia nearly fell on her head. Just when she presumed the brunette could get any denser, Kana seemed to go out of her way to prove her wrong.
"Ugh! This is so annoying!" Kana conked herself upside the head. "Every time we come up with something, we just run into another dead end!"
"I'm...not really sure what you mean when you say 'we.'"
The large entrance to the Repentance Tower creaked open just then.
"Oh man! W-What if they heard us plotting and are here to punish us?!" feared Kana.
"Again, who is this 'we' you're talking about, Mitarashi?!" cried Rukia.
"Ah! That's probably just Arashi coming to bring our lunch! Good! I'm starving!"
Rukia felt so too. However, both she and Kana were thrown off by the silhouette approaching. If it truly belonged to Arashi, he had shrunk a number of inches.
"I...don't believe that's your brother, Mitarashi," mouthed Rukia.
"'Brother?' Sorry to disappoint you, but it's only me," said Captain Toushirou Hitsugaya.
"C-Captain?!" Kana was positively dumbfounded. "What are you doing here?!"
"Good to see you're doing well, Mitarashi. You too, Kuchiki," he answered. "I hope my subordinate isn't driving you too crazy in here."
Rukia leered at Kana as she replied, "N-Not at all! Um...i-if you don't mind me asking, Captain, why are you here!"
"Aha! I got it!" Kana abruptly snapped her fingers. "You're finally here to bust us out, aren't you?! About time!"
She rushed over to hug him, but he sidestepped her, causing her to slam head first into the ground.
"H-Hey! Why'd you have to go and do that, Captain?!" she asked, clutching her bloody nose.
"Sorry, but I'm here to do nothing of the sort," said Hitsugaya. From how stern his expression was, Kana and Rukia could tell he wasn't lying. "I'm actually here because I need something important from you, Mitarashi."
"Eh? From me? What could it be?" Kana put her finger on her chin. "Hey, if you want me to give you your first kiss, I don't mind, but you gotta break us outta here in return! Sounds fair, right?"
"...I'm not here to kiss you either, you imbecile," he replied, mildly annoyed.
"O-Oh?" Kana couldn't help but snicker at his reaction. "Okay then. What's up then?"
"...Tell me about the Shinigami you gave your powers to."
"Huh?" The suddenness of his question threw Kana for a loop. "W-Why?"
"There have been reports of a dark-skinned Shinigami in the Seireitei. Vice-Captains Hisagi and Hinamori have already confronted him. It can't be a coincidence that one of the Ryoka is a Shinigami, so I began thinking he might have been the one that stole your Shinigami powers."
Even without her saying anything, Hitsugaya could tell his hunch was spot on from the way her face wrinkled in surprise.
"W-Wait! You're saying Aaron is here...in Soul Society?!" she exclaimed. "N-No! There's no way! There's...no way he would come for me! He…!"
"Mitarashi, as I've said, there have already been plenty of sightings of both him and his friends. There's no doubt he's here. Calm yourself. I need your help in tracking him down."
Kana remained in a state of shock. While she always thought it a possibility Aaron would end up trying to rescue her, she never allowed herself to put in faith in this, not when she was supposed to be preparing herself to be executed. Though endeavoring to suppress it, a tiny glimmer of hope flickered inside of her.
"Mitarashi!" hollered Hitsugaya, dragging her back into reality. "Focus! I'm going to try to help your friend."
"Y-You want to...help him?"
"That's right. Because he and his friends are criminals, I'll have no choice but to arrest them. However, I figure you'd find this better than them being hunted down and killed. I'll make sure nothing happens to any of them, but first, you have to help me track them down before it's too late."
The deal was less than ideal in Kana's opinion. Assuming they were captured, there was no telling what the higher ups in Soul Society would want to do with Aaron and the others. At the same time, it wasn't as if she had much choice in the matter. Even if her friends were there to save her, even she had to admit the odds were stacked against them. They would likely perish at this rate.
"Mitarashi..." began Rukia.
"A-Alright, Captain! I'll do it! I'll help you!" declared Kana. "B-But you have to promise me that Aaron and the others won't be harmed! I don't care what happens to me, just make sure nothing happens to them!"
"Like I said, I'll do everything in my power, Mitarashi," replied Hitsugaya.
Kana faintly smiled. "Thank you, Captain. That's...all I ask."
#
Aaron and Mayu stealthily made their way through the Seireitei as they drew closer and closer to the Repentance Tower, using buildings as cover while they darted between them. Neither one of them were in that much of a rush to get into another fight.
"Pst! Come on! Over here!" whispered Aaron.
"B-Be quiet over there! I'm coming!" replied Mayu. She glanced at a group of patrolling Shinigami before dashing over to where Aaron was once she figured the coast was clear. "Man, this is taking forever! We'll never get to that crummy tower at this rate!"
"I know, but this is the only way to go about if we don't want to get caught. Still, I'm really shocked we haven't run into anymore trouble."
"Ha! You can thank my expert intuition for leading us this far!"
"Eh? Is that what you call it? I'm pretty sure you're just as lost as me when it comes to navigating this place."
Mayu's features reddened. "W-Well, I'm still doing a better job of it that you!"
"...Fair enough." Arguing was another thing Aaron had no interest in. "Let's just call it a draw since we're both pretty clueless here."
As much as that suited him, the same couldn't be said for Mayu. She bopped him on the head, inducing a cry of anguish out of her victim.
"Quiet, stupid Shinigami! Shiba women are never wrong!"
Aaron imagined Kuukaku Shiba's face, responding, "Well, it's hard for you not to be when you all go around beating your point into everyone."
The two turned a corner and became as rigid as statues upon spotting a Shinigami. He caught wind of them as well, and for a few moments, no one did anything.
"I-It's them! I've found…!"
Aaron and Mayu pounced on the brown-haired Shinigami and held his mouth shut before he could finish his statement. As he squirmed around, he muffled something that sounded like a cry for help.
"T-That was too close!" Aaron wiped his sweaty forehead and exhaled. "Where the heck did this guy come from? I didn't pick up on his spiritual pressure."
"I dunno! What should we do with him?"
"That's...a good question."
The two chewed the issue over and then suddenly smirked sadistically, alarming their captive.
"Alright, you! Be quiet! We won't hurt you if you do!" said Aaron.
"That's right! We're on a very important mission of love, so we can't afford to have you slowing us down!" added Mayu passionately.
"I-I thought I told you it's nothing like that!"
Although there was nothing noteworthy about the discussion to Aaron, the person in his and Mayu's mercy thought otherwise. His smothered speech became frantic, leading Aaron to believe he was trying to tell him something.
"...I'll move my hand if you promise not to shout for help. Deal?"
The Shinigami nodded.
"Alright then. Let him up, Mayu."
"You sure we can trust him?" she asked.
"Guess we'll find out soon enough."
They released the Shinigami, who gasped for air. He then scrutinized Aaron's every detail, much to the latter's confusion.
"I knew it! It's you! It's gotta be you!" proclaimed Arashi Mitarashi.
"C-Come again?" said Aaron.
"Kana!" Arashi shouted, baffling the others even further. "You've gotta be the Shinigami Kana always talks about! The one who took her powers! You're Aaron Higuchi! Oh man, this is amazing! There's no way this is just a coincidence!"
The mention of Kana's name induced Aaron to grab Arashi by his black robes and pull him close. "Y-You! How do you know about Kana?! Who are you?!"
"M-Me? I'm Arashi! I'm Kana's little brother!"
"You are?" Aaron backed off and actually chuckled. "Well, I'll be! Yeah, I can see the resemblance now. She did mention you a couple of times. What are the odds we'd run into each other like this?"
Mayu, completely out of the loop, chose not to interrupt this 'fateful meeting' of sorts.
Aaron said, "C-Can you tell me where Kana is, Arashi?! I have to know!"
In his excitement, he unintentionally reopened the wound on his torso. He cringed as blood spilled out of it, whereas Mayu palmed her hand across her face.
"I told you that would happen if you moved around too much! Ugh! I don't think I have any more bandages on me!"
"Hmm? You're hurt?" asked Arashi. Upon further inspection, he saw that Aaron was practically littered with injuries. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't even notice before! If that's all, I can heal that no problem!"
"Huh? What do you…?"
Aaron wasn't given the chance to finish his question. Arashi hovered his hands over the dark-skinned teenager's chest before they began to glow green. Within seconds, the gash was sealed shut, and the pain washed away.
"T-That's amazing!" decried Aaron. "How'd you do that?"
"That? Oh, that's nothing," said Arashi casually. He then went to attend to the rest of his patient's nicks and bruises. "I used to be a member of the Fourth Division. As the medical squad, they specialize in healing-based Kidou. I could teach you some of it if you want."
"I'd appreciate it. Sounds like that would really come in handy."
"By the way, what are you doing here in Soul Society? Did you...actually come here to save Kana?"
"That's right."
Arashi lowered his head. "...I was afraid of that."
"Hey, what's the matter? Aren't you happy we're here to save your sister?" asked Mayu.
"I-It's not that. It's just...you and your friends have really been making a mess of things around here. Most of the Eleventh Division was somehow wiped out, not to mention a number of seated officers have been taken out. The reason I'm saying all this is because the rest of the Shinigami are going to want to kill you on the spot for what you've done. It'll be hard to even get near Kana with so much heat on you. To make matters worse, everyone is in a bit of a panic thanks to the disappearance of Vice-Captain Abarai."
"'Abarai?'" The name rung a bell in Aaron's head. "Ah! T-That bastard! He's one of the guys who came and took Kana away!"
"That's right. No one has any clue where he's gone off to. Man, you and your friends sure are strong! You've even got the Vice-Captains acting all crazy!"
Mayu couldn't help but note the way Arashi was grinning. "You...sure seem happy considering we're the ones beating up all your friends!"
"Huh? N-No, it's nothing like that! I swear!" Arashi paused ahead of asking, "...Do you really think you can help my sister, Aaron? Do you really think it can be done?"
"I wouldn't have come all this way if I thought I couldn't," replied Aaron confidently. The lack of hesitation in his response came as a great astonishment to Arashi. "Just tell me where she is. We've run into a few speed bumps along the way here, so I'd rather get this over with as soon as possible."
Arashi had his doubts before meeting Aaron, but now he was certain this man could help him and his sister.
"I-I'm going to get into so much trouble with Captain Hitsugaya..."
"Huh? Who are you talking about?" wondered Aaron.
"Alright! You've got a deal! I'll help you rescue my sister!"
"Great!"
"Say, won't you get in a lot of trouble for helping us?" inquired Mayu. "What's gonna happen to you if someone finds out you've switched sides?"
"S-She's got a point. I know she's your sister, but she wouldn't want you being locked up in her place, Arashi."
Everything they were saying might have been true, yet it was also something Arashi had already come to terms with.
"I-I don't care!" he announced. "I've been an absolute wreck these past few days thinking about my sister and what I should do! I thought I didn't have a choice but to watch her die beforehand, but now that you guys are, how can I just sit by and do nothing?! What kind of brother would I be if I sat back and let her be executed for a crime whose punishment doesn't fit?! She's been watching after me ever since we grew up in Rukongai together, so now, it's time for me to return the favor! Regardless of what happens from here on out, I'm with you guys! You can count on me!"
Aaron and Mayu were taken aback by his self sacrifice.
"Kana and Miss Kuchiki are being housed in that white tower back there. We call it the Repentance Tower," explained Arashi.
"See? I told you we were going the right way!" boasted Mayu. "And you were doubting my abilities, stupid Shinigami!"
Aaron was far too elated at having found out Kana's whereabouts to care about Mayu's bragging for once.
"Let's get a move on then!" he vigorously declared.
"O-One moment," stated Arashi. "You can't just follow the path straight there. It's swarming with guards. You might be confident in your strength, Aaron, but even a guy like you would be hard pressed to take on so many opponents."
Aaron nodded. "Fair enough. Is there another way there then?"
"Yeah! Who wants to fight a bunch of stinkin' Shinigami?" added Mayu.
"You don't have to," replied Arashi. "Directly underneath us is an expansive sewer system that runs the whole of the Seireitei. Not many know of it, but I do because as stated, I was once a member of the Fourth Division. We were tasked with cleaning those tunnels out every now and then. A crap job for sure, no pun intended. Still, if we head underground, there should be a way that leads to the Repentance Tower without us having to encounter any of those guards I mentioned."
"Y-You mean we have to go through the dirty sewers?!" Mayu's face grew pale. "D-Don't you know how many diseases have to be down there?!"
"Yeah, it doesn't sound all that appealing, but what choice do we have?" said Aaron. "Alright, Arashi. Lead the way."
Arashi nodded. "Sure. An entrance to the sewers should be somewhere around here. Hopefully, we don't run into any problems getting to it."
Mayu tapped Aaron on the shoulder, making him say, "Yes? Is something the matter?"
"Uh...I think trouble might have found us, dumb Shinigami!"
"Huh? What do you…?"
"Found ya!" said a grinning Akira Akiyama. Standing in the distance, she tapped her Zanpakutou on her shoulder, just itching to put it to good use. The sight of her made Aaron's and Arashi's eyes widen like saucers. "There you are, kid! I've been looking all over for you! You wouldn't happen to remember me, would you?"
Aaron's expression stiffened. "...Yeah, I remember you, Akira Akiyama. You're the girl who likes to ditch class. It's been some time, huh? You haven't been caught in the bathroom smoking again, have you?"
"Heh. Smart ass. Don't worry. I've been on my best behavior. ...For the most part."
"Huh? T-They know each other?" asked Arashi and Mayu.
"I've got a better question, Arashi!" Akira pointed her sword right at him, causing him to flinch. "Why the hell are you helping these Ryoka?!"
He stammered but was otherwise unable to give her a proper response.
"Tsk! Save it!" she exclaimed. "You know what? I don't care! It's none of my business anyway!"
She jumped down from the building she was standing on and landed a feet away from Aaron and the others.
"D-Don't do this, Akira!" cried Arashi. "You…!"
"Didn't I tell you to can it?! I'm only here for one thing! I'm gonna kill this punk over here! Stay outta my way!"
"...You came here to kill me?" Aaron was both intrigued and disconcerted. "I see."
"Eh? Well, aren't you Mister Cool! Guess I need to tell you how outclassed you are here! I don't have the badge anymore, but I'm an honest to goodness Vice-Captain of the Gotei 13!"
Aaron turned to Arashi for clarification. He remarked, "S-She's for real alright, but I don't get it! Why are you doing this, Akira?!"
She finally silenced him by pointing her finger and launching a shot of Kidou at him. It grazed his cheek, and he stood paralyzed while blood oozed out of the cut.
"...You're not getting in my way, Arashi! Even...even if it's you, I'm not letting anyone stop me!" she said through clenched teeth. She might have been masking it with her anger, yet her heart was aching. Even if this concerned his older sister, she had no desire for Arashi to be a part of this. It was too late now though. "Come on, Higuchi! Show me what you got!"
Aaron didn't fail to act, taking a brisk step forward and drawing his sword.
"W-What are you going to do?" asked an anxious Mayu.
"Honestly, I've been wanting to go up against her ever since we crossed sword back in my world," he said. "I could tell she was hiding her true power. If she really wants to fight, she won't get any complaints from me. Besides, it sounds like she isn't going to back off even if we beg and plead. Is that alright with you, Arashi?"
The younger Mitarashi felt his question pointless. "...Just don't kill her, alright? That's all I ask."
"I'm not a murderer. I'll just...rough her up some."
"Oh! Big words! Let's see if you can back them up, kid!" roared Akira. "I dunno if you're brave or just overconfident in wanting to fight me, but I won't complain! At least you aren't running like a coward!"
"...There's nothing wrong with running if the odds are stacked against you." Aaron paced the floor as he spoke. "You must think you're some real big shot, huh? I bet you're the type of person that charges head first into danger without even thinking. You're the kind of girl that thinks it's well worth it if no one thinks you're a chicken, right?"
"...Are you trying to say something or just talk my ear off?"
"All I'm saying is that there's nothing wrong with fleeing if it looks like you're going to die. You might be labeled as a chicken, but at least you'll live to fight another day. Yeah, you might look cool if you die in a blaze of glory, but you're still dead. You can't help anyone like that."
"Tsk. You're full of shit, kid." Akira shook her head. "Running like a bitch is still running like a bitch. If you're trying to tell me you're scared, it's a little too late! I'll kill you even if you try to run!"
"You're the one full of it. There's nothing wrong with being afraid either. Someone very smart once told me that you simply can't let that fear define you. Rather than letting it control you, you have to control it."
"...You're a really weird kid, you know that? What are you, a fortune cookie? Does any of this crap have anything to do with the fact that I'm about to cut your head off? No? Didn't think so?! Quit stalling and come at me already! You wanna rescue Kana, right? I overheard you idiots talking! You're gonna have to go through me if you wanna do it!"
"I-If you know that much, you should be helping us, Akira!" pleaded Arashi.
Akira's eyelid twitched. "You...think I'd help save her?! Are you out of your mind?! You know what she did, what she did to both of us! You'd still want to help her after that?! As far as I'm concerned, Kana Mitarashi can burn to death in a pit of flames! I'd set her on fire myself if I could! I'll never understand why she has so many idiots marching to their graves in order to save her! Do you all really think she's worth it?! If so, you're even more pitiful than I thought! I'm better of killing you right here and now!"
"...Save it, Arashi," said Aaron as he gazed into the deranged eyes of Akira Akiyama. The hatred within them was indescribable. "I don't know what she's talking about, but she's serious about this. She might even kill you if you keep trying to stop her. Thanks for healing me, by the way. Your timing was perfect."
The compliment hardly made Arashi feel any better. His friend's judgement was being clouded by ideas of revenge, and he was powerless to do anything to help her right now. This fact made him sick to his stomach.
"Whoa! T-This whole thing is like some kind of soap opera!" said Mayu in awe. "There's just so many twists and turns!"
"How many times do I have to say it's nothing of the sort!" blared Aaron. His focus and ire soon shifted back to Akira. He was beginning to believe he wouldn't be able to keep his promise to Arashi of not killing her at the rate things were going. "...So, I just have to go through you, right? Even if you're a Vice-Captain, I don't see any problems with that!"
Fearlessly, he charged ahead with his Zanpakutou at the ready as he mentally prepared himself for what would likely be his bloodiest battle in Soul Society.
END
