A/N: First and foremost, allow me to apologize for the delay in putting up this chapter. I've been distracted by stuff I really shouldn't have, and this should have been finished awhile back. So, I hope you all enjoy despite the wait. Rest assured this will not happen with the next chapter since I'm about 75% done with it.
Chapter 22
The Monster Within
A trio of a snickering middle school girls shoved Konoka Mitsumi into the dirt, sullying her uniform. Her teachers and Jives would yell at her for this, though being punished was the farthest thing from her mind at the moment. Her eyes watered, and her clenched fists shook with ire. Even so, she refused to give her bullies the satisfaction of seeing her cry today. She had done so in the past, but this time would be different.
"L-Leave me alone already! I haven't even done anything!" she mumbled. "Go bother someone else!"
"How about you go home first to that big mansion of yours?!" said one of her antagonizers, smacking on a stick of gum. "We're tired of having a spoiled, rich brat like you at our school!"
"You really are nothing but a nuisance!" remarked another.
The third added, "Aw! Look at her! She's trying really hard not to cry!"
The three enjoyed some laughter yet became as quiet as mice when Konoka abruptly stood. She normally sat back and took whatever they dished out, so the anger etched into every crease on her face admittedly startled them. The idea of running appealed to the young Red-Haired Beast, though she knew it would only cause the three before her to pull another stunt like this. With that in mind, she raised her fists.
"Come on. If you want me to go so damn badly, you'll have to make me! Come on! I'll take all three of you on if you want!"
"W-What the…?! She's crazy!" declared the gum chewing girl.
"Hey, we should probably get outta here before one of the teachers sees us!" suggested one of her cohorts.
The other added, "Good idea! This snob isn't worth getting suspended over."
They began walking away but gasped in unison upon sighting Konoka hot on their tail. She refused to let them off the hook so easily, charging like a bull spotting red. This prompted her would-be bullies to move in the same frantic manner. However, the Red-Haired Beast closed the gap in no time.
"G-Go away already, you freak!" shouted the girl with the gum as she half near choked on it. "W-What the hell is your deal today?!"
"Hey, you idiots started this! I'm just giving you what you want!" replied Konoka, flashing a smile. Exhilaration coursed through her very being. How she longed to do something like this the moment she stepped foot at her new school but could not thanks to Jives strictly informing her to stay out of trouble. So, she feigned the guise of an innocent, helpless girl when in reality, her troublemaking was the reason she was presently attending her third school in the year alone. She never considered it her fault though. Trouble found her, not the other way around, she would often explain. "Get back here already! I'm only gonna pound your faces in a little!"
#
By the end of the day, Konoka found herself sitting outside of the Principal's office covered in cuts and bruises. Although she was in pain, she continued to smirk as she held her swollen cheek, thinking her anguish well worth it.
Someone stepped out into the hallway with her, someone that made her gulp. Jives, her faithful butler, leered down at her sharply and shook his head. He need not say a word; she understood loud and clear how disappointed he was with her.
"I-I wasn't the one who started that fight, Jives! Honest!" she quickly stated.
"It does not matter who initiated it, Miss Mitsumi," he said, crouching down to her. "The fact that you escalated it is what I take issue with! You cannot keep doing this! My word, you're going to give this old man a heart attack at this rate!"
The man kept rambling, though Konoka mostly drowned it out, having heard the speech he was giving more times that she could count. She really did not see what the big deal was. All she did was defend herself. All she ever did was defend herself from criticism she could hardly understand. Yes, it was true that she was the heir of the Mitsumi fortune and well off, yet she never got why people gave her such a hard time about it. She was born into luxury; she never asked for it.
"Lastly, people are bound to have a problem with you because of your status, Miss Mitsumi," Jives said matter-of-factually. Not once did he notice the young girl in his care was nodding off during his speech. "You must be strong though. You have to be able to drown out any nasty remarks, mistress."
Yes, even this part was not new to her. Nevertheless, it struck her especially hard today. Unable to hold back any longer, warm tears rolled out of her eyes and trickled onto her clasped hands.
"I-Is something else the matter, Miss Mitsumi?" asked Jives, puzzled.
"Those...girls from earlier. T-They...they said my parents were better off dead because...because they wouldn't have to deal with someone like me," she quietly muttered. "W-Why? Why would they say something like that? Why would anyone say something like that?!"
"That...is a very good question, mistress."
Other than this, Jives was truthfully unsure what else he could say.
#
"...A dream about the past? Seriously? What a pain."
A groggy Konoka opened her eyelids and was greeted by the glare of the setting sun. She was back in the Seireitei and away from her painful past, something she was grateful for.
"...Everything hurts. Yeah, this is real alright."
With her body wracked in pain, walking was not an option. Fortunately, it was also one she did not have to worry about since she was being carried. She adjusted her weary head up to the person, who smiled at her.
"It's good to see you up, Mitsumi," said Chad. "How are you feeling?"
"...Like shit," she grumbled. Shutting her eyes again, she added, "W-Where are we? What's going on?"
She answered her own inquisitions when she absorbed the situation. Chad was presently dashing his way through the Seireitei.
"L-Lemme down already, Sado. I can walk just fine on my own," she murmured.
"I don't think so. You lost a lot of blood during that last fight, so take it easy for the time being."
"T-There's no time. We've still got some people to save, don't we? I can...still fight!"
Chad could not help but doubt her. She could barely breathe, let alone break an individual's teeth in.
"No," he told her. "I don't plan on us fighting anymore today anyway. I'm going to find a place so we can lay low for the night. You should use the chance to get some rest."
"Tsk! I would pick the most stubborn guy to get stuck here with. Whatever. Have it your way, Sado."
Sleep beckoned Konoka, and she did not bother to argue.
"I wonder...if my folks can see me from...where they are."
"Did you say something, Mitsumi? ...Mitsumi?"
Chad, for a moment, feared death had at last taken the Red-Haired Beast when her head and limbs went limp. However, she was merely resting, garnering a sigh of relief out of him.
"She really is one tough girl. ...Even she has her limits though. She really will die if I don't find her a doctor. Where in the world could I get one in Soul Society?"
He nodded and worried not. If there was someone who could treat Konoka, he would seek them out without fail. With this in mind, he ran like a man possessed down another pathway.
#
"Ugh! My feet are killing me!" whined Sasune Ishida, trudging along like he was stuck in quick stand. Unable to plod along any longer, he paused, clasped his knees, and wheezed for fresh oxygen. "Man, we've been going on forever and have gotten no closer to that white tower Miss Inoue mentioned! C-Can we just take a quick break? I feel like I'm stepping on a bed of cacti!"
Uryuu, sweating just as hard as his brother, replied, "Quit your complaining already! If you want to get to that tower, just shut up and keep moving. You must have some energy left if you can still run your mouth to that extent."
"Y-You tyrant! How am I supposed to work under these stressful conditions?!"
"How am I supposed to get anything done having to listen to your drivel all the time?!"
"Um...I-I don't mean to interrupt, but I'm getting pretty tired too," said Orihime Inoue meekly as she brushed some perspiration off her forehead. "Maybe we should take a break. It looks like it'll be night here soon."
"Night, huh?" Uryuu leered up at the blackening sky. "Well, it would be much easier to sneak around in pitch darkness, but we may end up getting lost in the process. Alright. We'll find some place to hole ourselves up and rest for the time being. There doesn't seem to be many Shinigami around here, so perhaps one of these buildings will be empty."
"Now you're speaking my language!" exclaimed Sasune. "Since that's decided, how about you go and find some place to sleep for the night on your own, Uryuu!"
"What for? I see no point in us splitting up."
"Oh, we're not splitting up! I'll stay with Miss Inoue and make sure no thugs attack her while she's getting her beauty rest! You can uh...keep watch from another vantage point! Yeah, that's it!"
Uryuu's face reddened. "Like I'd fall for that! There isn't a chance in hell I'd leave you alone with Inoue for even five seconds, you pervert! As much as it pains me to say this, we're all staying together!"
"Y-You lousy spoilsport! Can't you take a hint?! We don't want you around! Right, Miss Inoue?"
The Quincies faced her, yet she was more focused on other things.
"B-Be quiet for a sec, you two!" she whispered. She then cupped her hands over her ears. "Do you guys hear that?"
"Hear what?" asked Sasune.
"Yes, is something the matter, Inoue?" added Uryuu. "If it's about Sasune here..."
"Now wait just a finger licking second! If she's got any reason to be upset, it's because of you, jerk!"
"W-What in the world are you going on about now?! You're the only one here causing trouble, idiot! Please be quiet before you attract some unwanted attention!"
Orihime stated, "Um...I-I think it's a little too late for that."
A pack of Shinigami bursted onto the scene from around a corner, clearing up her comment.
"There they are! It's the Ryoka!" one of the Shinigami shouted. "Don't let them escape!"
"...God dammit." Uryuu palmed his hand across his visibly disturbed features. "Do you see the kind of trouble your loose lips get us into, Sasune?!"
"M-Me?! What about you?! You were just as loud! We're equally to blame here!"
"It really doesn't matter who's right! Let's just get out of here!" suggested Orihime. Nodding, Uryuu and Sasune hurried after her.
"Here we go again!" grumbled Sasune. He gazed back at the Shinigami hot on his and his companions tail's and mused if they would ever give up. "This is a total pain in the ass, but at least all this running away is slimming my already flawless physique!"
#
Elsewhere in the Seireitei, the Hollow known simply as Sharpscale was having a much quieter evening. Indeed, it was truthfully surprised by the lack of adversaries blocking its path. Then again, it had wiped out any and all Shinigami unfortunate enough to cross its path, so perhaps there was simply no one left to stand in its way.
"Hmm? What's this?"
Perhaps it had spoken too soon. It picked up on the spiritual pressure of an entity close-by, one that had been trailing it for quite some time.
Sharpscale stopped in its tracks, faced the other way, and said, "You can come out now. I have no intention of fleeing."
"Oh? Aren't you the brave one?" said the black cat named Yoruichi as it hopped out of the shadows. "Fortunately, I'm not in the mood for a needless squabble either."
"Yoruichi? You are certainly a sight for sore eyes."
"I could say the same for you. I must say that I'm impressed you managed to get this far on your own."
"It is even more noteworthy for you to have done so, Yoruichi, with that body."
"Staying out of trouble is simple for me so long as I hide my spiritual pressure and remain out of sight. Judging from all those cuts and scrapes you have, I garner the same can't be said for you. After all, a Hollow has a tendency to stick out like a sore thumb here in Soul Society."
Although Sharpscale felt slightly offended, there was nothing it could say to argue the feline's point.
"We may as well travel together since we've stumbled upon each other like this," added the cat.
The Hollow nodded. "We should be able to make it to that white tower with ease using our combined might."
"Oh? You've figured out where the two we're trying to rescue are on your own? You're quite astute."
"Not at all. I could feel Aaron Higuchi and his allies heading in that direction, so I simply chose to follow."
"Yes, Ichigo is going that way as well. He and that Higuchi fellow seem to have been caught up in some trouble. I can feel Vice-Captain level spiritual pressures near them. Yes, I must have been a fool to think they would run after I instructed them to avoid any battles with powerful opponents."
"You needn't worry about them, Yoruichi. Those humans will come out on top no matter how much hardship they face."
Yoruichi raised an eyebrow. "...You seem to have some confidence in their abilities."
"...I believe humans refer to it as 'intuition.'"
"Heh. This is no doubt the first time a Hollow has sung such high praise about a Shinigami. Funnily enough, I more or less had the same hunch. If they can't even take down the obstacles before them, they never had a shot at rescuing their friends."
#
Aaron's massive Seigetsu met Akira Akiyama's razor-sharp Tatsumaki head-on a bevy of times, creating a display of sparks. Aaron could sense that his foe's Zanpakutou had gotten stronger after being released. Still, it was nothing he felt he could not handle, leading him to smile.
"Don't get too happy with yourself, punk!" voiced Akira. "Do you really still think you've got a shot at beating me? How about I finally get it through that thick skull of yours on how outclassed you are?!"
Her idea of showing him up, galloping at him for a frontal assault, was not all that impressive to Aaron, who held his Seigetsu out to defend himself. Nonetheless, he was left unsure what to think once she abruptly vanished into thin air. Literally seconds after he reacted to this, his pupils dilated; Akira's scythe was hovering in front of his neck. She wrenched back on it, but he bent his neck in the nick of time and avoided decapitation. He then swiped his sword at her but got nothing but an afterimage.
"Dammit! Get back here!" he said, paying no heed to the many buildings he had unintentionally chopped in half. "That's Flash Step, right? Then I should be able to keep up with her!"
Something was amiss. Akira sneaking up and leaving a gash on his shoulder in the blink of an eye left him assured of this. He directed his blade at her a second time, but like earlier, she employed Shunpo to veer out of harm's way.
"You're slow. How could you hope to beat anyone being this slow, kid?" said Akira. "Can't keep up with me, can you? I'm right here!"
Aaron's head whipped behind him, though it was too late. Akira brought her scythe upward and dealt her opponent a heavy slash on his back. As blood loosed from the wound like a water fountain, Aaron stumbled forward, his mind clouded by both anguish and confusion.
"N-No way! What the hell is going on?! W-Wait! Where'd she go this time?!"
Akira was no longer at his rear but above him with her Tatsumaki at the ready. This time, Aaron managed to repel her scythe by holding his Seigetsu over his head. Shoving her away with it, he backflipped to gain some distance and a breather.
Akira roared, "You ain't getting away, punk! I already gave you a chance to run!"
She tossed her Tatsumaki at him, using the weapon like a flail thanks to the chain attached to its hilt. Aaron, caught totally off guard, did the sole thing he could: putting Seigetsu between himself and the scythe barreling his way. It successfully protected him, yet Tatsumaki's momentum still sent him careening into and through the side of an edifice. The remains of the structure caved in around him, whereas Akira yanked her Zanpakutou back into her grasp.
"Tsk. Amateur," she remarked. "Being able to release your sword doesn't mean jack shit if all you can do is use it as a shield, kid!"
Meanwhile, Mayu Shiba and Arashi Mitarshi kept on observing from the sidelines. Neither one of them wanted to admit it, but things were starting to look bleak for the fighter they were rooting for.
"W-What's going on?! Ever since her sword transformed, she's been wiping the floor with that dumb Shinigami! They looked so evenly matched in the beginning too!" cried Mayu.
"No. There's no doubt in my mind Akira was holding back before," replied Arashi, snarling under his breath. "Dammit! Even if she went all out, I didn't think Aaron would have this much trouble with her!"
"D-Don't give up on him now! As long as he has that big sword of his, he'll…!"
"Win? I wonder about that."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Arashi chewed the matter over. "...Well, so far, the only thing Aaron has done with his Shikai is attack and defend. If it has any special abilities to speak of, he hasn't displayed them yet. He has no reason to not fight with everything he has, so I'm beginning to believe that other than changing shape and gaining an increase in strength, his Seigetsu doesn't gain any extra attributes."
Mayu, perplexed, turned her head. "Huh? I don't get it at all! W-Why do you dumb Shinigami have to use such confusing weapons?!"
"Er...sorry?"
"I don't care what that lady uses! That stupid Shinigami will win! He has to win! Besides, it's not like her scythe-thingy has given her any extra powers either!"
"...That's where you're wrong."
Mayu blinked. "Eh? W-What do you mean by that?!"
Arashi chose not to elucidate, far more intrigued by Aaron getting to his feet.
"Well, that hurt like hell," the dark-skin teen mumbled, dusting some debris off his black robes. Although was playing it cool, he had to admit Akira's last blow left him shaken up. He was using his Seigetsu as a crutch. "Now then, where did she get off to this time?"
His fight with Akira was quickly becoming a game of hide and seek.
"Her speed is unreal. Is that what her Shikai does? Increase her speed?"
"Wrong," said a voice in the distance. Akira, coming back into view, added, "My Tatsumaki doesn't increase my speed or my strength or anything of the sort. Maybe you've forgotten that I mentioned I'm a Vice-Captain! This is just the difference in strength between us, kid! We're light years apart in that regard! You can't keep up with me not because of some dumb gimmick but because I'm just that much better than you!"
Aaron was visibly stunned by her proclamation. "...You're bluffing. I can sense your spiritual pressure right now, and it's not that much higher than mine! You aren't the only Vice-Captain I've managed to hold my own against either!"
"What? You're talking about Hisagi, right? Yeah, I heard about that! If you're comparing me to him, kid, you're even dumber than I thought! Unlike him, I have no intention of taking it easy on you!"
This time, Aaron was left lost for words. He did get the feeling that Shuuhei Hisagi was not giving it everything he had when the two went up against one another. In fact, the Vice-Captain of the Ninth Division had not even bothered to release his Zanpakutou and had specifically stated he was going to take Aaron in alive. Akira, on the other hand, was intending to kill him the first opportunity she got. Unsettled, he took his attention off his foe, something that ended up being a mistake.
"S-She's gone again! Shit! Where…?!"
"I really hate stubborn guys like you," she stated, getting close enough to hear his bated breathing. "The only way you learn anything is if I beat it into you!"
She drove her knuckles into his jaw, sending him rolling back against the ground. She was not done there. Twirling her Tatsumaki caused a gentle breeze to kick up, one that soon became a howling gale. Aaron thought this no coincidence.
"She's just full of tricks, isn't she?" he mumbled.
"Yikes! She's really not holding back!" blurted Arashi. He hurried to strengthen the Kidou barrier protecting himself and Mayu.
"Wait, what's wrong?! What's happening?!" questioned the young Shiba. "I-Is a storm coming in or something?!"
"Well, something like that, yeah!"
"W-What?! Would you please explain things in a way that makes sense for once?!"
Visible air swirled around the blade of Akira's Tatsumaki as she swung it horizontally and decried, "Setsudanki!"
Aaron was sure he was imagining things. Certainly, a miniature tornado was not ripping its way toward him, he thought. The closer it got, the more he realized the thing in question was real. So was the danger it presented. Alongside a shriek, he rolled out of its path.
"I ain't through yet, kid!" said Akira, hurling a barrage of cyclones.
"Tsk! J-Just try me!" Aaron shouted back. Baffled by the turn of events, he opted to stay to stay on the defensive for the time being and Flash Stepped his way over, around, and between the vortexes.
"Whoa! I-I'm getting dizzy over here!" groaned Mayu, struggling to keep track of him.
"Incredible. To think a human like him has mastered Shunpo to such an extent," mumbled Arashi to himself. "He's better at it than most seated officers. Who in the world could have taught him?"
Another Setsudanki whizzed past Aaron, who hid behind a building for safety. He afterward gasped for air and figured his legs would fall off if he used Flash Step again.
"T-This is nuts! So, her Zanpakutou lets her control wind? What the hell?! How come my sword can't do anything like that?!"
His hiding spot being cut apart right above him, and slicing off a few of his black hairs too, distracted him from his complaining. He sat blank-faced and still while the two halves slammed into the ground.
"Just what in the hell do you think you're doing down there?" asked Akira, standing over him. "You've got some nerve taking a break in the middle of our fight!"
"What am I doing, you asked?" Aaron smirked out of the blue. "Nothing much. Just letting you come to me rather than having to chase you down!"
He lunged at her before pinning her down.
"You might be fast, but it doesn't amount to much if you can't move!" he said. "You did me a favor by being overconfident and coming right up to me! Now I don't have to worry about those weird tornadoes!"
"Tsk! You've got a lot of nerve putting your hands on me, you son of a…!"
Akira's sentence trailed off, mostly because of the orb of red energy gathered in Aaron's free hand.
"Way of Destruction Number 31: Red Fire Cannon!"
Akira never fathomed him using a destructive spell at point blank range. Neither did Arashi as he braced himself from the cloud of scarlet smoke scouring the battlefield from the tremendous explosion.
"T-That was awesome!" said Mayu.
"It was suicidal if you ask me!" said Arashi. "Still, color me impressed! He can even use Kidou without an incantation! Now I really want to know who it was that taught him all this! It must be a Shinigami without peer!"
#
Without warning, Kisuke Urahara sneezed.
"Gesundheit," said Izumi Higuchi.
"Thank you!" replied the humble shopkeeper. "Well, whaddya know? There must be some beautiful lady out there speaking about me!"
"Yeah, Iseriously doubt that. Come on. Let's keep going."
"Oh! You seem to be getting fired up all of a sudden, Miss Izumi!"
Izumi growled. "I mean, you dragged me all the way here to Karakura Town, so I might as well try to do whatever it is you want so I can go back home as soon as possible. By the way, what the hell do you want me to do?"
The dilapidated warehouse standing before she and Urahara did not help her determine the riddle. Neither did his idiotic grinning.
"Let's just say I'm following a hunch!" he replied.
Izumi, skeptical, said, "Yeah, okay. You sure you aren't just wasting my time?"
"My! Aren't you impatient? You're almost as bad as Mister Higuchi. Anywho, if it makes you feel better, we have arrived at our destination! Tell me now, do you sense anything peculiar within that warehouse?"
"Inside? Uh...give me a sec."
Taking a deep breath, Izumi concentrated on the numerous energies emanating from the building. By her estimation, there were at least seven or eight of them, yet that was not nearly as startling as the next revelation.
She gasped, saying, "I-It's a bunch of Hollows!"
"Are you certain, Miss Higuchi?" asked Urahara.
"Of course I am! What else could it…?"
She paused. The longer she sensed the energy, the more it felt like something else were intertwined in it. It reminded her of Shinigami's spiritual pressure.
"It's...both? How? That can't be. Urahara, does this have something to do with our investigation?"
"Perhaps! How about we go inside so we can find out for sure, Miss Higuchi?"
"...You don't know either, do you? Are you sure you aren't leading me on some wild goose chase? Sheesh. Why did I agree to follow your crazy ass again?"
Urahara was not listening, having already headed for the warehouse's entrance.
"By the way, Miss Higuchi, the people inside aren't that fond of guests, so do take care not to upset them! Then again, they may very well kill us on the spot!"
"W-What the hell?! How can he say something like that so casually?!" pondered a pale Izumi. "Alright, Izumi, next time a crazy man flies in on a piece of paper and offers you some candy in exchange for you help, just say no!"
Reluctantly, she followed after the shop owner and into the unknown.
#
The billowing, crimson smoke from Aaron's Kidou concealed his opponent . He did not have to wait long however to learn her fat; Akira burst from the miasma without warning and half near carved his head off with her Tatsumaki. He ducked and then gained some space with Flash Step.
"Tsk! You crazy kid! What the hell was that back there?!" shouted Akira, still smoldering from the Red Fire Cannon. "You could've blown both of us up! You got a death wish or something?!"
Tight-lipped, Aaron came in all of a sudden and swung his Seigetsu.
"This again?" Akira fended him off without much trouble. "Didn't I already tell you that coming right at me would pointless? If all you can do is make your Zanpakutou bigger, you ain't a real Shinigami! Let me show you what a real Zanpakutou can do!"
She parried another one of his attacks, causing his arms to lurch upward. Wind gathered around her Tatsumaki again, and she swung at his exposed torso.
"Taifuu!"
His flesh was torn apart by the powerful air, and a torrent of blood erupted from the devastating wound. His legs buckled, and although he tried to prevent it, he fell face first into the dirt. He could not move. He could not think straight. Worse of all, he could not stop the world around him from fading into nothingness.
"D-Dammit…!"
All of this transpired in slow motion to Mayu, hence why it took her so long to react.
"H-Hey, dumb Shinigami! G-Get up already! What are you lying down for?!" she proclaimed. Despite her words, Aaron remained motionless. "N-No…! It can't be! Arashi, what should we do?! We have to do something!"
Arashi, in a trance-like state as he witnessed a steadily growing pool of blood spread from underneath Aaron, snapped back into reality at the sound of Mayu's voice. "Huh?! Oh! O-Of course!"
He struggled to come up with a plan, afraid the dark-skinned teenager was already dead. Guilt swept over him. He felt he should have stopped Aaron from fighting Akira in the first place. He of all people understood how strong she was and should have tried harder to convince Aaron that he was walking into his own demise. Now, the young Shinigami's blood was on his hands. He dropped to his knees and drove his fist into the ground out of frustration.
"Kana...I'm so sorry! I-I never meant for any of this to happen!"
It was clear to Mayu he would be of no use to her. If she was going to assist Aaron, she was going to have to do so on her own. Leaving the safety of the Kidou barrier, she rushed over to him and proceeded to shake him like crazy, hoping for some sort of reaction.
"Come on! Get up already! Hey, dumb Shinigami! You can't just die like this! Y-You said you were going to save your girlfriend! You're the only one who can do it, so you have to get up! She's counting on you!"
Her tears stained Aaron's brown skin, but even then, he did not come to. He no longer breathing.
"Give it up, kid," said Akira coldly. "He ain't getting up anymore. Not in this world anyway."
"S-Shut up! What do you know, stupid Shinigami?!" Mayu stuck her tongue out at Akira before focusing back on Aaron. "Come on already! Y-You made me a promise that you wouldn't die! You said you wouldn't break it either! That's why you have to get up! Answer me already, dumb Shinigami! Dumb Shinigami!"
Akira, sighing, turned her back on the scene, finding Mayu's pleading both annoying and depressing.
"This is why I hate snot nosed kids..."
#
Aaron came to and sat up, stroking his aching skull. He then got his wits about him and was startled to find himself in a familiar locale: a moonlit, grassy plain. The blue light from the celestial object stung his eyes, prompting him to move his hand over his face as he took a better look around.
"This is Seigetsu's world, isn't it? How did I end up here? Wasn't I fighting Akira?"
Suddenly, the moon's illumination became more piercing, bathing everything a deep blue. Afterward, it changed into a bone chilling red.
"Well, that's...new. Alright, what the hell is going on?" He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, "Mayu? Arashi? You guys around here somewhere? If you are, could you please tell me what's up?!"
Dead silence.
"Alright. Plan B then."
The sole individual who could shed some light on the situation—figuratively speaking anyway—was not present. Aaron could not pick up on Seigetsu's presence nearby either. He was moments away from yelling for the girl when he heard a voice behind him.
"Pst! Hey, over here!"
Pleased that he was no longer alone, Aaron veered toward the voice. He at first mistook the smiling girl for Seigetsu; indeed, the two were practically identical. She had some differences though, possessing red hair instead of blue, pale skin instead of tan, and a black, tattered cloak instead of a brown one. Finally, her eyes were yellow, and where there should have been white was only black. Unnerved by them, Aaron felt they greatly resembled a Hollow's.
"Well, well, well! We meet at last!" she said.
Aaron's eyebrow heightened. "...Come again? Did you bump your head or something and forget me? And how come you look like that? I mean, I'm not saying I dislike your makeover, but..."
The girl cut him off, saying, "Looks like you're having a tough time of it out there! Helping someone as pathetic as you seems like a pain, but you dying on me would be even worse, so I guess I have no choice!"
Aaron, baffled beyond belief, replied, "J-Just hold on a second! Who…?"
The clamor of someone else speaking just then made him falter. The person in question was screaming for him to 'get up', sounding rather upset.
"Mayu?"
He had no doubt it was the young Shiba calling out to him from somewhere. Her voice reminded him of the dire situation on the outside world, one he needed to get back to in a hurry. However, as he went to go, the girl he presumed was Seigetsu reached out and grabbed his arm.
"Hold on there, cowboy! You sure about that?"
"Of course I am! I have to help my friends!"
"How cute! You can't even help yourself, but you think you can save someone else? There's only one thing here that's certain: if you go back out there, you'll die for sure!"
"So what do you suggest I do?! Stand back and do nothing?!"
"Nah! You're too much of a goody-two-shoes to do something like that! You dying on me would be problematic. That's why I'm gonna offer to help you out for the time being! What do you say, partner? Deal?"
She held out her hand and continued to smirk. Aaron, meanwhile, stared at her limb and had an increasing urge to run as fast and as far as he could.
"You're...not Seigetsu are you?"
The girl replied, "If you've got time to ask dumb shit like that, you're better off accepting my aid. Come on now! What'll it be? Your precious 'friends' are waiting for you!"
As much as he was beginning to loathe the idea of her helping him, he also acknowledged her words were true. He really did not have any time to waste.
"A-Alright already! Just what do you plan to do?" he said, taking the girl's hand. "And...who are you? Who are you really?"
"You should know better than to ask a girl silly things like that! Who I am isn't important. All you need to know is that I'm going to be...borrowing your body for the time being! Hope you don't mind!"
Judging from the way Aaron's eyes widened like saucers, he did. It was too late to voice his complaints about it though. An all consuming flash filled the moonlit plain.
#
"Well, if he's dead. There's no point in me sticking around."
Akira stepped away from Aaron yet halted upon being confronted by Arashi. Glowering a hole into her, his fierce expression said exactly what was on his mind.
"What? Are you mad, Arashi? What for? You barely even knew this punk! Besides, he was a Ryoka. All I did was my job as a member of the Gotei 13! If anyone is in the wrong here, it's you for trying to help these guys! You're just lucky I'm on your side! I won't tell anyone about your betrayal so long as you..."
"Be quiet, Akira! I don't want to hear another word out of you!" roared Arashi out of the blue, surprising the hell out of Akira. His statement reverberated through the area. "You aren't fooling me! You're nothing but a selfish, egotistical person! Not once were you thinking of your duty as a Shinigami when you killed this boy here! All you cared about is petty revenge! And for what?! Was it worth it, Akira?! Well, was it?! If you want to be mad at Kana for what happened, that's one thing, but to take it out on an innocent person is another!"
He inched closer to the object of his ire and drew his Zanpakutou.
"H-Hold on a sec! What are you planning to do?!" inquired Mayu.
"...You can't be serious." Akira shook her head. "You wanna fight me then? Quit screwing around!"
"I'm dead serious, Akira! While I truly have no wish to do you any harm, you've left me with no other choice! Aaron may no longer be with us, but I will save my sister! If it means I have to go through you, then so be it!" boomed Arashi. "I know firsthand how stubborn you can be! If I don't stop you here and now, you'll just keep going after Kana and anyone that stands in your way! The cycle of hatred stops here, Akira! I'll stop it with my own hands!"
Never before had Akira seen him so determined, so focused. Even though she could hardly fathom the idea of him taking her on seriously, she figured she would die if she did not prepare to defend herself.
"...Idiot," she snarled. "You're a complete dumbass doing all this for the likes of her! If you want to die so badly, then fine! I know all the strengths and weaknesses of your Zanpakutou, so you don't have a chance in hell at beating me! If you know what's good for you, you'd get the hell outta here while I'm still in a good mood!"
Her tongue was as sharp as a dagger, yet Arashi held firm.
"...I'm aware of that, Akira. I also know that I don't have a shot of winning with you as my opponent," he somberly stated, peering at the ground. He shot his head up and added, "But unlike you, I still have someone I'm fighting for! Regardless of what my sister did, I still have to protect her, even if it's from the likes of you! That's my job as her brother!"
His passionate speech left Akira dumbstruck. It also left her craving for answers to a puzzle she could not solve. First it was Aaron, and now even Arashi of all people was putting his life at stake for Kana Mitarashi. They were placing her before themselves, whereas Akira was the bad guy here for doing only what she felt was right. It was incomprehensible. Quivering in rage, she suddenly shrieked at the top of her lungs, permeating the air with her anguish.
"Y-You all think you're so smart, don't you?!" she blurted. "What the hell do you know?! What right have you to criticize me when you're doing all this to protect some murderer?! If anyone is fighting for someone else's sake, it's me! Me!"
"A-A murderer? Wait, what is she talking about? Who killed somebody?"
Mayu, leering at both Akira and Arashi, frowned when her question went unheeded.
She forgot all about it thanks to an explosion of dark spirit energy unleashing itself from Aaron's body. She, Arashi, and Akira were drawn to him, each appearing more perplexed than the next.
#
"W-What in the world is going on out there now?!" cried Kana as she peered out of the Repentance Tower's sole window. Despite being nowhere near the battlefield, she could view the pillar of black energy towering into the heavens as clear as day. "What is that?! It's making my skin crawl!"
Rukia came over and became just as awed. "I-Incredible! Whatever it is must be truly powerful if we can sense it here in this tower! The walls are made up of Sekkiseki."
Kana shifted her head in confusion. "'Sekkiseki?'"
"Y-You don't know? It is the same stuff that constitutes the barrier around the Seireitei. It blocks spiritual energy and the ability to perceive it. That is why I was saying the energy outside must be truly amazing if we can actually sense it despite this. Wait, how could you possibly not know what Sekkiseki is? Didn't they teach you that at the academy?"
"Uh...I must've skipped that class!"
Rukia sighed but was not all that shocked by the brunette's claim.
"Well, whatever is going on is giving me a real bad feeling!" Kana added. Although she did not notice it, she was shivering like she was standing in the middle of a blizzard. "I sure hope Aaron doesn't have anything to do with this..."
#
In spite of his grievous injuries, Aaron stood, coated in the same shadowy aura. While the sight of this spooked Arashi and Mayu something fierce, Akira merely smacked her lips.
"Aren't you a glutton for punishment?" she remarked. "You know, I like beating you up and all, but I'm sorta on a busy schedule. I can't waste all day dealing with you, so I guess I'm gonna have to make it so you can't get up anymore, kid!"
His silence was the last thing she was anticipating. So was him slowly reaching for his fallen Zanpakutou.
"C-Could it be…?" muttered Arashi.
Mayu not only overheard him, but caught wind of the slight look of intrigue painting his visage. It compelled her to ask, "Hey, do you know something about this? Is this an ability of that dumb Shinigami's Zanpakutou?"
"I highly doubt it."
"Hey, say something already, Higuchi!" exclaimed Akira. "Quit ignoring me, bastard!"
"'Higuchi?' Oh, so that's his name! I see!" said Aaron, or at least, the others presumed it him. The voice that had moments before spoken was definitely coming from him, yet it was his normal tone intertwined with a female's. "I was wondering why everyone kept yammering on about it here on the outside!"
He put his head in a position to give the others a clear look at the white mask forming on his face. Its 'mouth' was more like a collection of menacing teeth, whereas a single horn protruded from the forehead. Polishing off the design were three blue stripes adoring the right side.
"Man, it feels good to be on the outside for once!" he said in the same, bizarre manner of talking. He then trained his yellow eyes on the three absentmindedly staring back at him and added, "Well, I'd better use the time I got wisely! So, who wants to die first?!"
A bead of sweat rolled down Akira's head, and she instinctively took a step back. "N-No way! This can't be happening! Is this some kind of joke?! Well, I ain't laughing, you son of a bitch! Just who the hell are you?!"
"Eh? Me? I don't have a name! No one bothered to give me one! Wait a second! You're that loudmouth that's been giving this poor asshole trouble, right? Hahaha! Good! Now I don't have to go looking for ya!"
"W-Why you!"
"H-Hold on a minute! I-Is that still that dumb Shinigami?! What's with that mask?!" asked Mayu. "Ugh! I don't think I've ever been this confused in my entire life! Nothing about any of this makes an ounce of sense!"
She would have ripped her black hair out in frustration if it were not for Arashi stopping her.
"S-Settle down there!" he said as she flailed her arms all over. "Look, you're not wrong, but you're not exactly right either!"
"W-Would you just speak in a language I can understand already?!"
"Alright, alright! I can't say with one hundred percent certainty if what's going on is the same thing, but years ago, I witnessed someone undergo a similar transformation."
"Seriously? What happened back then?"
Her innocent question dug up painful memories for Arashi. Sour faced, he hesitated to say anything on the subject.
#
All she could do in her elated state was run as fast as the wind would carry her. Rain pounded the Mitarashi district, but Akira paid the icy droplets no mind. With a smile, she neared Heishiro's home and could not wait to tell him the good news.
"Oh, he's gonna get a kick out of hearing I've finally managed to get myself into a squad and become a seated officer! He always said I could do it, but I never believed him until now!"
Her outstanding skills displayed on the field of combat had at last been rewarded, but it paled in comparison to whatever Heishiro would say to her. She could already envision his hearty chuckles and warm disposition.
"Eh? What's going on?"
A crowd had gathered outside of her caregiver's abode. The second they laid eyes on her, they ran for the hills. She scratched her head but shrugged and chose not to dwell on the matter for too long.
"Hello? Heishiro? Are you home?" she said, opening the sliding doors and taking a step inside. It was quiet, too quiet for her liking. Heishiro was the sort of person the whooped and hollered whenever he had guests, so for him to be so hushed at her arrival immediately raised a red flag. "I'm back! ...Is he even here?"
He might not have been, but someone else was. She knew because of the sobbing coming from down the hall. Alarmed, she put her hand on the hilt of her Zanpakutou and crept her way toward Heishiro's room and the source of the crying.
"Heishiro? Heishiro! Heishiro, where are you?!"
Her concern was quickly changing into panic, and her walk became a sprint.
"What the hell is going on?!"
She calmed her tense muscles and figured she was simply overreacting. For all she knew, Heishiro had just stepped out to take care of some business. However, the crowd from earlier flashed through her scattered thoughts, particularly how aghast they all seemed. Even if she did not want to admit it, something was wrong.
"Goddammit!"
When the door to Heishiro's room refused to budge, she slammed her shoulder into, knocking it over. With her sword in hand, she readied herself for anything. The sight she stumbled upon though was something she never saw coming. Her whole face grew white in response to a sword plunged through the heart of the man she had so desperately wanted to see again. His dead body rested on his killer's shoulder, and a teary eyed Kana Mitarashi slowly leered back at Akira. Astonished, she opened her mouth to say something, anything to justify the circumstances but nothing came out. Unable to talk either, Akira loosened the grip on her Zanpakutou, enabling it to hit the floor. The deafening thud it made brought both of them back to their senses.
"K-Kana, what are you doing?" asked Akira numbly. Her friend violently shook but otherwise stayed tight-lipped. In a much more audible and irate tone, Akira repeated, "What the hell have you done, Kana?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"
Kana slumped to her knees. "I-I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I-I just…! I-I mean I…!"
Akira, no longer able to stomach the sight of her sniveling friend, shoved her aside and cradled Heishiro in her arms. The first thing that caught her attention and made her blood run cold was the disturbing, white mask adoring his face.
"A Hollow mask?! What the hell is this?!"
"I-I killed him! I actually killed him!" Lost in her own her despair, Kana emptily scrutinized her blood stained hands. "He's dead because of me!"
"C-Come on already, Heishiro! Quit kidding around!" Akira shakily laughed, truly believing her father figure was just playing some cruel joke on her. However, reality set in the more she shook him to no avail. "Get up already! Y-You can't be dead! Not you! E-Everyone else has left me, but you of all people weren't supposed to die! HEISHIRO!"
Her head sunk into his cold chest, muffling her continued cries for him to arise and show her that heartwarming smile of his one last time.
Footsteps stormed their way toward the room before Arashi entered. Soaked by the rain, he was relieved to see his sister and Akira in one piece. After catching a glimpse of the crowd outside, he feared the worst. His relief did not last for long, not after he became aware of the circumstances.
"M-My God! T-This…! What the hell happened here?!"
Even more mystifying was Heishiro's mask, an object that made him inhale sharply.
"Hollowfication..." he whispered.
#
"I asked you a question!" shouted Akira at the Hollowfied Aaron. "Who the hell are you?!"
"What, you hard of hearing or something? Like I said before, no one ever gave me a name, so I ain't got nothing to tell you!" he replied. "But since you seem like the type who won't be satisfied by that sort of answer, you can just refer to me as you destroyer!"
Cackling, he barreled at Akira and tore up the ground under him.
"I don't know what the hell you are, but I already told you a frontal attack is pointless!" said Akira, countering with a Setsudanki.
"Hahaha! What the hell is that supposed to be?!"
Aaron carved right through the tornado like it was as effortless as breathing.
"Whoa! Incredible!" said Arashi. "I've never seen anyone do that before!"
'Incredible' was not the term Akira would have used. 'Impossible' fit the bill better.
"See, Higuchi?! That's all you had to do!" said Aaron. "You're wasting Seigetsu's perfectly good defensive abilities by swinging it around like a dumbass! If you wanna use it for offense, you gotta do it like this!"
He hurled Seigetsu at Akira but kept control of it by grasping the white cloth covering the hilt. Akira responded in kind with her Tatsumaki. The two weapons became tangled, unarming both combatants.
"Hahah! Oh man! This is the life!" howled Aaron. "Fighting and killing! Killing and fighting! I could get used to this!"
"Tsk! This guy has finally lost his mind!" mumbled Akira.
"What kind of fighting style is that?!" wondered Mayu.
"Indeed. Aaron really is like a different person at the moment," said Arashi.
Akira pressed one palm on top of the other, intending to wipe Aaron off the face of the earth.
"Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! On the wall of blue flame, inscribe a twin lotus! In the abyss of conflagration, wait at the far heavens! Way of Destruction Number 73: Twin Lotus Blue Fire, Crash Down!"
A mammoth surge of blue-colored energy neared Aaron, who did not so much as flinch.
"W-What's he doing?! Hey, dumb Shinigami, get outta there before you get roasted!" warned Mayu.
Aaron not only stood his ground but snickered prior to using Seigetsu to repel the Kidou elsewhere.
"Come on now! You'll have to try much harder than that, sweetheart!" he said.
"N-No way!" stammered Akira. "That was a level seventy destructive spell! H-He would have been hard pressed to block it with a Kidou barrier, let alone his Zanpakutou!"
"That one wasn't bad, loudmouth, but since I'm out here, I might as well show you a better move! You know, Seigetsu has some cool tricks up its sleeve! Higuchi here was in too much of a hurry to save his girlfriend to learn any of 'em though! Wanna see?!"
He did not give Akira much of a choice. He stabbed Seigetsu into the pavement. In turn, the space underneath Akira began to quake and glow, causing her to lose her balance.
"W-What the hell is this?! What are you…?!"
Aaron proclaimed, "Getsuga Jigokushou!"
Akira braced herself while a deluge of blue spirit energy flared up from the earth, enveloping her and vaporizing much of the environment. The resulting shock wave almost swept Mayu away, but Arashi held onto her for dear life.
"T-This is total madness!" he decried.
"I-Is that really that dumb Shinigami fighting?!" asked Mayu. "He's not capable of something like this, is he?!"
"I guess his actions are speaking for him!"
Things calmed, and the sight of everything burning brought great delight to Aaron.
"Oh man, even I didn't know Seigetsu could kick this much ass! Sheesh, this sword is being wasted in Higuchi's hands! He's far too kindhearted to pull off shit like this!"
The abundant smoke shrouding the field of battle was abruptly cleared thanks to a surge of wind.
"Oh? She isn't dead?" asked Aaron. "Well, I'll be!"
It was Akira alright, encircled by air.
"...And here I was saving my Taifuugan technique for a rainy day," she mumbled. The winds faded alongside her vigor. She had a seat on the ground in spite of the danger she was still in.
"What a pain in the ass," she said as her chest heaved up and down.
"Wait, what was she going on about? How'd she managed to survive that?" asked Mayu.
"You're talking about the Taifuugan, right? Basically, at the cost of most of her spiritual energy, Akira can protect herself from anything using wind. She really must have been pushed to the limit. She's told me about it, but this is the first time I've ever heard of her having to resort to using it," explained Arashi.
"Y-You alright over there? You're sweating."
"Am I?" Arashi wiped his face clean. "S-Sorry. I guess I'm a little on edge here. I wanted Akira to be stopped, but at this rate, Aaron or whoever that is will end up killing her!"
Mayu gulped. "K-Kill her?"
It certainly did not sound like Aaron to go through with such a thing. Then again, he was evidently not in his right mind at the moment. There was no telling what he was capable of as such. Taking this into account, Mayu was left unsure on what to do. Akira had done nothing but impede their path thus far, yet the prospect of her being ripped to shreds made her grimace.
"Well, if you're not going to fight anymore, I might as well finish this!" said Aaron.
Akira replied, "You took the words out of my mouth! You're dead, kid!"
"Ha! You sure talk a lot of shit for someone on her last legs! Man, killing you is gonna be fun! Since I'm pulling out all the stops anyway, there's another move I just gotta use! This one right here is gonna be a real doozy!"
Akira, hardly able to see straight, nonetheless, held her Tatsumaki closed and prayed she could handle whatever her foe was plotting to dish out.
"Aw! Isn't that cute? Hahaha!" Aaron raised Seigetsu high above his head. "Don't worry, loudmouth! This won't hurt a…!"
Without warning, he froze in place, mirroring a statue. The others naturally were confounded, but became even more so when Aaron reached up to his mask and began ripping it off.
"H-Hey! Hold on a second!" he howled. "You sure about this?! You're saying you don't want this loudmouth dead?! Aw man! You really are too soft for your own good! You would've died if it wasn't for me, Higuchi! Remember that!"
"Huh? Uh...I-I know I've been saying this all day, but..." began Mayu.
"Yeah. I...don't have a clue what's going on anymore either," interjected Arashi.
"Heh! Alright, alright already!" said Aaron, laughing it up. "Take your stinking body back! I've had enough fun for the time being anyway! Guess I'll see you all later!"
The mad laughter persisted until Aaron finally yanked away what remained of the white mask. Shattering the fragments between his fingertips, he let them fall while he hunted around for some kind of explanation.
"...Looks like I'm back," he said in his normal voice. He stretched his neck, spat out some blood, and added, "Well, that was weird. Say, are you alright over there, Akiyama?"
Akira composed herself ahead of saying, "...What?"
"I think I need to apologize. Whatever...just went down wasn't by my hand. Someone using me nearly killed you just now, so I wanna say that I'm sorry."
"You're...sorry?" Akira took a few moments to ingest his apology. "W-What the hell is that supposed to mean?! What the hell was up with that mask just now?! What in the hell are you?!"
"Yeah, I can't answer any of that. Sorry. I'm just as lost as you are to be perfectly honest."
Akira had no clue how to take that. Sighing, she shook her head, stood, and lifted her Tatsumaki threateningly.
"Whatever. I don't care anymore," she stated. "If it's really you I'm facing again, Higuchi, then I still have a score to settle with you! I don't have much energy left, so I guess I'm gonna have to finish you in one shot!"
"Yeah. I don't have much left in the tank either," retorted Aaron. "If I'm gonna win, I better make this last move something special!"
"Ha! Fool! Even after everything, you still think you have a shot here? ...I don't know whether to call you brave or stupid."
"...Maybe it's a little of both."
"Unbelievable. You know, as strange as it is to say, I think I'm starting to like you, kid! It's a shame I'm going to have to kill you."
Using the rest of her power, Akira propelled the biggest Setsudanki of the day at Aaron. He dug his heels into the dirt and concentrated in the face of adversity.
"...Wait! I know what to do!" he said. "How do I know what to do? Does it have something to do with that weird girl?"
Time was of the essence, so he opted to sort out all the details later. As the Setsudanki closed in, he did what came natural: he thrusted Seigetsu downward.
"Getsuga Tenshou!"
He spawned a crescent-shaped blast the same shade as his Zanpakutou, one that tore through Akira's Setsudanki and kept on for her.
"H-How?!" she asked as it was seconds away from impact. "Y-You're telling me I'm gonna lose to some Ryoka?! Impossible! H-He's not the only one fighting for someone! Regardless of what anyone says, I-I was doing all of this for…!"
Heishiro's smiling image passed through her thoughts as the Getsuga Tenshou obliterated everything around her. Certain she would join them, she closed her eyes and struggled not to shed any tears.
"Sorry, Heishiro. Looks like I...failed you again..."
Her limp body settled in the massive, smoldering crater formed by Aaron's attack, right next to her broken Tatsumaki.
"A-AKIRA-AAAAAAAAA-A!" screeched Arashi once everything was said and done. He half near tripped over himself in his haste to rush to her side. Lifting her up, he added, "H-Hang in there, Akira! Don't you dare die on me!"
"Y-You idiot," she mumbled, coughing raspily. "Even now...you're wasting your time fretting over me."
"Akira..."
"Heh. I wanna get mad but...I gotta admit, that's what I like...most about you..."
Arashi blushed, responding, "S-Save your strength! You're going to make it, you hear me!"
Akira touched his warm face. "Yeah, you're...a sweetheart alright. You...you might've been the only one...I..."
Her sentence trailed off, and she passed out. Arashi panicked at first though relaxed and used his expertise as a former member of the Fourth Division to determine she would live assuming she received medical treat in an expedient manner.
"T-Thank goodness. T-That's weird though. It wasn't a direct hit? She would've died for sure if it had been, so...did Aaron mostly miss her on purpose?"
The person being spoken of weakly grinned at the damage wrought by his hand. "...So, that's a Getsuga Tenshou? Mine was still nothing...compared to...Kurosaki's..."
Feeling as if he had been run over by a truck, Aaron keeled over.
"D-Dumb Shinigami! A-Are you alright?!" asked Mayu, running over to him. "Hey, wake up already, stupid!"
"A-Amazing. For a Ryoka to defeat a Vice-Captain…" mumbled Arashi. Tempted to commend Aaron's efforts, his amber eyes enlarged in a panic. "M-Mayu, don't bother trying to get him up now! I can feel multiple spiritual pressures heading this way! Dammit! It must be Shinigami drawn by the fight! We need to leave at once!"
"Huh?! But what about this guy here?!"
"Leave him to me!" Arashi hoisted Aaron onto his back. "Alright, let's go! The entrance to those underground tunnels isn't far, so if we hurry we can make it there before we're caught!"
"Y-You're just going to leave that woman over there? Is that alright?"
Arashi bit his bottom lip. "...There's no need to worry about Akira! She wouldn't die from something like this! Besides, she'll be taken to the Fourth Division for treatment once she's discovered by the others! For now, we need to worry about ourselves!"
"Uh...o-okay! Hey, wait for me!"
They fled at the speed of light, though as they did so, Mayu could not help but glance at the unconscious Aaron, terrified the strange mask from before would make another unwanted appearance.
"T-That voice from before was so creepy! I wonder what it was..."
END
