Hands in the air if you hate writers block! Cos I sure as hell do! It's been a nightmare! I have totally been unable to write a new update! I mean, I know what I want to put, but they just won't come out! Any strategies? Well, anyway, I'll just let you read this already. You've waited long enough. Enjoy!
Chapter 21
Severing Bonds
"Yes."
Success. Epona thought. She knew that Ren was the toughest human she had to deal with, but planting doubt into her mind was the easiest thing she had ever done. She was just so gullible and trusting. Speaking of trust, Epona decided to do something about the foolish trust Ren placed in the people she had just met and move it to her.
"Now that I have your attention, there is something you should know."
"What is it?" Ren asked. Her voice sounded surprised and curious, yet her face was expressionless as the shadows danced in her eyes.
"I'm with White Raven. My name is Epona." After this, Epona heard a shard gasp from Ren. Naturally, she would be surprised.
"That makes you an enemy." Although the expression Ren wore did not change, Epona saw how the shadows in Ren's eyes were slowly starting to vanish. This was bad.
"Does it?"
"Eh?"
"Sometimes, our enemies aren't who we expect them to be. I may be with an organisation that is trying to kill that boy, but I am not your enemy. I am not trying to hurt you. If anything, I'm helping you. In this life, you shouldn't fear the enemy that attacks you, but the fake friend that hugs you."
"Are you saying my friends are my enemies?"
"Perhaps. I have no way of knowing. But you do. Are they keeping secrets from you? Have they ever done anything bad to you?"
"Well…you did say that they have been lying to me…I can't believe it…"
"I know it is hard to accept at first…" Epona released some more black smoke from her hands. Again, it circled around Ren, and her eyes became even darker. "…but trust is for the weak and foolish. If they lie to you, then you have no reason to place your loyalty in them. Don't you agree?" There was a short silence until Ren nodded her head. "Very good. But, I'm not like that. I'm on your side. You can trust me, Ren Conner. Do you know that?" Another nod. If Epona could ever feel happiness, she would be smiling now, pleased with how well her plan was going. "Now, I must leave you. But, fear not. I will never truly be gone. I shall return to you, and we can continue this discussion. Alright?"
"Yes."
"Good. Remember what I said."
"I will."
"Ren! Are you here?"
Damn! He's here. I must leave now before he finds me! Epona thought, and she slipped away inside her shadow, sliding through the darkness away from Ren and Toshiro, until seconds later, she rose up out of the ground and around a corner from the pair. She was close enough to hear their conversation, yet far enough to remain unseen.
"Ren? There you are!"
"Shiro?"
"What are you doing over here? I thought you were taking out the trash."
"I guess I spaced out. Silly me!" Epona saw Ren hit her head with her knuckle from behind. At the same time, she felt both disgust and disappointment. Disgust because of the cheerful attitude Ren still had, and disappointment from the fact that her darkness hadn't affected Ren's personality. For a moment, Epona thought her plan had failed.
"Who were you talking to?"
"Eh?"
He heard?! Epona thought, shocked. But that's impossible! No human should be able to hear me while I'm in the shadows. Then again…Epona narrowed her eyes a little. He isn't an ordinary human, but a Cielvian.
"You were talking to somebody. Who was it?" A pause. Epona found herself holding her breath at what Ren would say. If her plan had failed, then Ren would just blurt out who she was speaking to without a moment's hesitation.
"Nobody. I wasn't talking to anybody."
"!" Epona let out a small gasp. Ren had lied. That means her spell worked!
"Huh? But I heard another voice."
"You must have been hearing things. Now, let's go get your amanattō and head home. Renji can take care of the dishes." Ren walked past the baffled Toshiro, who didn't, or couldn't, say anything in response to what had happened. This worried Epona slightly. He had noticed Ren's lies. But, Epona decided to put that aside for now. She knew that her spell had worked. Besides, even if the boy did figure out her plan, it's not like he would be able to do anything to stop her. No light could dispel her darkness. Satisfied, Epona turned around and walked away from the scene. She had a lot of work ahead of her. She had dealt with Ren's honesty and her trust, but there was much more to do.
"This is only the beginning." She said to herself. "It's easy to get into the darkness. A lie. An insult. A selfish act. Once you taste the darkness, it's hard to stop yourself from tasting it again. The more you taste it, the more difficult it is to leave. Everyone turns to the darkness. And soon, so will you...Ren."
…
10 days later, 24th February
"Well, Epona?" A man in a hooded cloak asked. It was a forest clearing on the edge of the village Ren lived in, along with her other friends. The man kept his face hidden by the cloak bearing the symbol of White Raven. Epona, however, had no such disguise.
"My plan is progressing as planned. Ren is slipping further and further into the darkness. She is at the point where she can lead herself to the darkness without the need of my shadows. All I have to do is instil some doubt in her, and the shadows already inside her do the rest."
"How long until it is complete?"
"Three days, assuming circumstances don't change."
"Good. That girl will no longer be in the way of that white haired boy. If all goes well, then she could prove useful."
"Sir?" Epona said, confused by the leader's cryptic words. The leader turned his back on Epona and looked through a gap in the branches at the late morning sun.
"That girl is incredibly powerful for a human. I have no doubt that she is linked to Zena in some way, and her power would be a problem for our goal. But, what if we were to have the power of a Cielvian princess on our side?"
"I'd say that would be impossible, Leader."
"I understand why you would say that. However, you have gained that girl's trust, have you not?" Epona nodded. "So, if her darkness is complete, then she will be a valuable ally to White Raven."
"The Master of Knowledge would not agree with you."
"He is not the leader." The leader calmly retorted. "This is why I make the decisions. As I said, if her darkness completely overcomes her, she will make a great contribution to our cause."
"Yes." Epona agreed. "Except there is one problem, Leader."
"What would that be?"
"You said "if the darkness overcomes her". It's not "if", but "when"."
"Are you that confident in your skills?"
"Have I ever failed you?"
"Fair point. Alright. I will count on you. I trust that you will do your task with no hesitation."
"Of course."
"That's a good girl. My ruthless, cunning and deceptive Epona. That I why you are the Master of Darkness."
"I know." Epona said simply. Without another word, the leader vanished from the spot he stood on. Epona was left alone. That was how she liked it. She started off life alone, so it was only fitting that she would live her life alone. Now that her task was almost complete, she would not have to work alone any longer. If Ren really did become an ally, she would be partnered with Ren by the leader. She hoped it would not come to that. If it did, then she would no longer have the solitude that she desired. Honestly, she had never had the company of other people before. It saddened and scared her at the same time. Epona shrugged off her thoughts of solitude and focused on her task at hand. She was almost done, and she was not going to let anybody get in the way of that. If she completes her work on Ren, then she would be that much closer to her goal of a perfect world. Anybody who tries to put an end to her happiness is better off dead. She had dirtied her hands plenty of times before, so this time would be no different. Even if it was the blood of that white haired human.
Rustle
"Damn. Where am I?"
"Speak of the devil…" Epona muttered to herself. Without making a sound, she sunk into her own shadow and disappeared. Her shadow moved into the trees, just as Toshiro parted another group of branches and entered the clearing.
"I wanted to think in solitude, but…this is too solitary." Toshiro looked around at his surroundings. Unlike the lush tress that surrounded the villages, this clearing was no bigger than the back garden of Ren's house, and the grass was coloured a pale brown. Among the grass was bits of litter scattered here and there, such as a carried bag of some shop called Morrisons, and a few empty cans of soda, beer or Red Bull. Toshiro could clearly tell that this area had been untouched for a while. He could also tell that he was, by any definition, lost. Great. With a sigh, Toshiro collapsed into a sitting position on the ground. He leaned back on his hands and stared at the sky.
It's been almost two weeks, and I still haven't found out anything about this anniversary. Toshiro thought. Just mentioning the date of March 7th makes people act strangely. On top of that, the villagers are acting different than usual. It would be safe to assume something happened in that fortnight that they'd want to keep under wraps. But what? If it were six years ago, then we've already started it. What if their behaviour and the blank fortnight are related? Maybe Ren knows something.
"That is, unless I can actually talk to her." Groaning with frustration, Toshiro stood up again. He looked around his surroundings again. Just a few metres away, he saw the corner of a house behind a row of hedges, with a gap leading to said house. Toshiro recognised the hanging basket of green leaves and pink flowers by the door. This was Ren's house. At least he wasn't lost anymore. "If Ren is home, then she won't want to talk to me. I have no idea why, but she's been acting strange ever since what happened at the arcade. I'm sure it's nothing, but was it something I did? Ah!" Toshiro started to walk towards the house, scratching his head as he went. But, he did not notice how his footsteps were different. They sounded like he was stepping on wood, not grass. "This is getting rid-YAAAAAAAAA!" Without warning, the ground underneath his feet suddenly collapsed, and Toshiro found himself falling through the darkness until he landed moments later with a heavy thud. Planks fell around him, along with some clumps of dirt and plumes of dust. The hole was dark besides the rays of sunshine that flooded in, although it seemed like this place had not seen a speck of sunlight in a long time. Toshiro painfully sat up, moving aside planks and coughing from the dust.
"Ow…" He moaned, rubbing the stinging dust out of his eyes. His body ached all over after that fall. Toshiro just about managed to stand up again, but winced as soon as he put weight on his left foot. "Fantastic." Toshiro muttered. Although it didn't feel like it was a broken ankle, it seemed pretty obvious to Toshiro that he wouldn't be able to climb out of this pit by himself. And the last time he checked, there wasn't a person for miles around. This day just kept getting better and better for Toshiro. What he would give for Cielvian regeneration right now!
Where am I? Toshiro thought, looking around the dank and dusty surroundings. He felt the walls around him to check how sturdy they were in case somebody were to climb up. The walls weren't that far apart; he could stretch his arms out without any problems, but it would be difficult to fit more than three people in this pit. On the plus side, it didn't look that far up. It was just his own bad luck that he landed feet first and made a messy landing. He felt more walls, more dirt, and…nothing. Where there was supposed to be another wall, there was a gap. Toshiro peered through it. Nothing but darkness. A tunnel. But to where? Letting his curiosity get the better of him, Toshiro limped along the corridor, keeping one hand on the wall as support. The ceiling was low, but high enough for Toshiro to stand upright in. Toshiro noticed how the wall he leaned on went from dirt to brick. This thing was manmade. And judging by the ragged and chipped appearance of the bricks, it was here for a while. Toshiro stopped limping after a few metres. It was getting so dark he couldn't even see where he was going anymore. At this point, he could tell that this tunnel went on for a while. But for how long? And where did it lead to? Toshiro made a mental note to return here as soon as he had a method of climbing in and out of it without crippling himself and a torch to see where he was going.
"All that's left to do is wait for the sun to set." Toshiro said to nobody in particular, trailing himself back to the small patch of sunlight that was the exit. He slid down on the ground, his back leaning against the muddy wall. Looking up at the hole, Toshiro noticed that there were planks of wood attached to the wall thick enough to step on. A ladder. Of course, a ladder would be helpful if his foot wasn't injured, but at least there was a way for him to enter it when he returned again.
"Perhaps you need some help."
"Hm?" Toshiro looked in the direction of the voice. It was the spirit of Zena. "Zena. It's been a while." Toshiro said, voicing what both of them thought.
"I know. How did you get down here?"
"I fell. I have no idea where that tunnel leads, though." Toshiro looked in the direction of the tunnel to show Zena where it is.
"Interesting…" Zena said thoughtfully. "It is not that high up. Why don't you climb out?"
"Weren't you watching? I've injured my ankle. I couldn't climb out even if I tried."
"Right. My mistake." Zena said with a sheepish smile. She bent down on one knee. "Which ankle is it?"
"The left…No, my left." Toshiro corrected himself quickly when Zena reached out to his right foot. Her transparent hand touched his left ankle. To Toshiro's surprise, he could actually feel her hand. As if she weren't a spirit and an actual human being. He could even feel the warmth from her skin.
"It doesn't seem too serious." Zena said. "It's just a sprain. If you had more access to Ryuki's powers, then you could have this healed in no time at all."
"How long would that be?"
"About five minutes is the average Cielvian regeneration time for a sprained ankle. However, you have only ever used Ryuki's abilities once, so it will take longer. I'd say it would take three hours. If you used Ryuki's powers more frequently, this would be different."
"Um…" Toshiro trailed off, shifting his eyes away from Zena.
"Toshiro?"
"Actually…that's not entirely true…"
"What do you mean?"
"I've been having premonitions." Toshiro muttered. A pause.
"How long for?" Zena asked.
"Uh…a month?" Toshiro answered, puzzled. He thought Zena would be mad for keeping this a secret. Zena was surprisingly rational, just like Ren. Toshiro quickly shrugged off his thoughts of Ren, not wanting to think about what was happening with her right now. "I haven't had any for a while, though. They come and go whenever they please."
"Yes, that's usually how they work. Premonitions are difficult to control. It took Ryuki months to master them and be able to have visions of the future at will."
"You're taking this rather well."
"Why would I take it another way?" Zena asked, an innocent look on her face that Toshiro knew all too well.
"Never mind."
"Well, in that case, it will take an hour and a half for this to heal."
"Well, it's better than three hours." Toshiro said half-heartedly, dejected that he'd be stuck down here for that long.
"But, you have me here."
"Are you saying you can get me out of here?"
"Precisely." Zena said with a smile. "Ren isn't the only one with a healing ability."
"…" Toshiro looked away after hearing Ren's name.
"Is something wrong?" Zena asked, noticing Toshiro's behaviour.
"It's…nothing…I'll explain later." Toshiro stood up, keeping one hand against the wall. "Just help me out of here."
"I think you'll be fine."
"Um, hello. Sprained ankle."
"What sprained ankle?" Zena said with a smirk.
"Wha…?" Toshiro looked down, and realised that, sure enough, he was standing on both feet. And he was in no pain. Zena had healed him without his realising it. She was fast. "I'll um…I'll just be climbing up, then." Toshiro said sheepishly.
"You're welcome." Zena said with a smile as Toshiro climbed up the makeshift ladder, which was surprisingly sturdy considering how un-kept this place was, and was back in the light in less than ten seconds. Zena disappeared for a second, and she reappeared beside Toshiro. "Now, I believe you have something you need to explain to me. About Ren, that is."
"It's nothing." Toshiro insisted, brushing the dirt off his clothes. Zena folded her arms. "Okay, it's more than nothing. It's just…Ren's been acting odd. No, more than odd. It's like she's not…herself."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know. She seems different, and I don't know why." Toshiro shook his head. "But, I'm sure she'll get over it soon. Changing the subject, I have something I want to ask you."
"What is it?"
"Do you know anything about the date March 7th in the year 2006?"
"Um…no, I can't say I do." Zena answered.
"Damn…" Toshiro muttered.
"But…I can tell you one thing."
"What's that?"
"Well, it's hard to describe. I wasn't able to see anything that happened on that date. However, for a few days, I felt as though my powers were being forced to act before their time. In fact, that person wasn't even sure what was happening."
"Was it Ren?"
"Maybe."
"So she might be linked to this after all." Toshiro thought out loud. "I have to…hang on a second."
"What?"
"Why are you in Ren's uniform?" Toshiro asked, pointing at Zena. It was difficult to see in the tunnel, but now that they were in the light, Toshiro could clearly see what Zena was wearing. It was the long black skirt and striped blouse of Ren's sixth form uniform at her school.
"Well, um…As a spirit in Ren's necklace, I am a part of her. Therefore, I wear what she wears." Zena said nervously, not liking the tone in Toshiro's voice.
"But she wouldn't be wearing her school uniform unless…" Silence. "Unless school opened up again! Damn it, why didn't she say anything!?"
…
A hasty clothes change and a bus ride later
"Well, here we are again." Steph said with a sigh, collapsing back on a blue chair in the common room, where she, Tom and Nathan were the only ones inside.
"It feels like forever since we were last here." Tom said, looking around the room as if he stepped into it for the first time.
"Yeah, but it still looks exactly the same." Nathan moaned, shoving his hands in his pockets as he leaned on the wall.
"You mean besides that new paint smell?" Steph asked.
"Look, Nathan, you need to avoid talking about the fire for now. We're lucky the village leaders bought that story about the gas leak. If they found out about you causing it, then we're screwed." Tom said, looking directly at Nathan.
"Yeah, yeah." Nathan said dismissively. "Even if they found out, they'd still cover for me."
"Why?" Steph asked, curious.
"You know why."
"Oh…right." Steph trailed off, remembering something from the past.
"Look, I'll be fine, so stop worrying about me."
"Nathan, I couldn't care less about you, but Ren wants to make sure you're safe, so I'll hold my tongue about what happened. If they knew what was really going on-"
"That's just the thing." Nathan interrupted. "They do know what's going on."
"What are you talking about?" Tom asked.
"Like I said, you both know what I'm talking about."
Meanwhile, outside the common room, Toshiro was rushing to the door, and reached for the handle. He had some serious bones to pick with Ren's friends and the Soul Reapers.
"We all know what I'm talking about."
"Hm?" Toshiro paused for a moment, wondering what Nathan was going on about. Not that he cared much.
"Nathan, don't bring that up here." Steph's concerned voice said.
"No. I have a right to talk. I've been silent for six years, but I'm getting sick of it. Everything I've done has been for one purpose, and I just don't want to do it anymore."
"You don't?" Tom said, confused.
"Of course I don't! Why else do you think I've had my friends do the dirty work?! Why do you think I've been giving Ren a hard time?!"
"Nathan." Tom said in a low voice, clearly showing that he was angry. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?"
"Yes, but what about me?"
"What about Ren!?"
"Guys, calm down." Steph stepped between the boys, gently moving them apart. "I understand how both of you are feeling, but we have to do what we have to do. Tom, you and I are Ren's friends. We stick together, no matter what."
"…" Tom said nothing, glancing away from Steph.
"And Nathan…" Steph looked at Nathan, who wore a scowl on his face. "Like it or not, you have a role, and it needs to be fulfilled."
"Fine." Nathan scoffed. "But, I'm not getting my hands any dirtier than they already are. My boys will do the rest. I'm staying out of it. That's all I want."
"As long as it's linked to you, it's fine."
"Yeah."
"…" Toshiro was silent, thinking about what he'd just heard. What were they talking about? A role? What role would that be? But, what surprised him the most was the fact that Nathan had genuine remorse for his past actions. But, he still felt like he couldn't forgive Nathan for what he did to Ren. But, what reason did he have to provoke Ren? He had to find out. But, he could tell just by listening to that conversation that they would never tell him, an outsider, something so secretive at the drop of a hat. He'd have to find it out himself. For now, he had an explanation to dig out of them, so without further hesitation, Toshiro entered the common room.
"Oh, hey, Toshiro." Tom said with a smile, completely disregarding the previous conversation.
"Oh, you look a mess. There's dirt on your face. Here, let me get that." Steph licked her fingers and rubbed off the dirt on Toshiro's cheek.
"I've got it, I've got it." Toshiro brushed off her hand and rubbed the rest of the filth off his face, embarrassed. He certainly wasn't going to tell them about his little misadventure inside a tunnel.
"Yo." Nathan said. But, Toshiro didn't even consider acknowledging the greeting, although it didn't stop him from noticing a sting of hurt in Nathan's eyes, but he didn't care.
"Why are you late?" Tom asked.
"That's what I want to know. How come I didn't know school was back on?"
"Eh?" Steph blinked, surprised.
"Well, you should have known." Tom said, puzzled. "We all got the letter."
"What letter?"
"A letter was sent to our homes telling us that school was back on. Ren got it, and she said that she told you."
"Ren told me?" Toshiro repeated, knowing full well that it wasn't true. Something was wrong.
"Yes. She said to us that she'd tell you." Tom reaffirmed what Steph just said. "She told all of us. The Soul Reapers. Katelyn."
"Even me." Nathan said, pointing at himself.
"That doesn't make any sense." Steph protested. "If Ren told Toshiro, then he'd be here on time."
"Yeah, he'd probably have walked in here with Ren and Ichigo and all the others."
"Yet here he is, late and confused. Which means…" Nathan trailed off.
"She lied?" Nathan, Tom and Steph said at the same time.
"Rrrr! That's it!" Toshiro growled in frustration, turning on his heel and marching back to the door.
"Toshiro, where are you going?" Steph asked.
"To find Ren. I'm getting an explanation out of her." Toshiro answered, pausing in the open door.
"What's the big deal? It's not like it was a big lie. It was convincing." Nathan protested.
"Exactly!" Toshiro exclaimed, and he left the common room, slamming the door behind him. The three humans exchanged some confused looks. Toshiro wasn't the only one who was getting suspicious.
…
"Ren! Ren, where are you?!"
"Huh?" Rukia poked her head out of the computer room by the common room, and was met with Toshiro, who did not look very happy. "Is something wrong, Captain Hitsugaya?"
"Kuchiki, where's Ren?"
"She went that way." Rukia pointed down the corridor to her left. "I think she's in a private lesson right now."
"Right!" Toshiro, without another word, left Rukia and went in the direction she pointed in, leaving her looking bewildered and confused. She saw Ichigo leave one of the classrooms, and she hoped that he might be able to stop Toshiro from bursting a blood vessel.
"Toshiro? Why are you in so late? Didn't Ren tell you school was back on? If you're looking for her she's in that room there. Hey, what's going on? Why do you look so mad, Toshiro?" Ichigo said without pause as Toshiro kept ignoring him.
"Not now, Ichigo!" Toshiro snapped, marching past Ichigo without a backwards glance. He was seriously not in the mood to correct Ichigo on how to address him. Not that he paid attention to it.
"What's eating him up?" Ichigo asked Rukia, pointing after Toshiro.
"I'm not sure. Lieutenant Matsumoto, Renji, what's wrong with the captain?" Rukia called in the computer room.
"Hell if I know. But whatever it is, Ren's definitely pissed him off more than usual."
"Hmmmm?" Rangiku peered around the door frame after her captain, who was checking all the classrooms one by one, all while calling out Ren's name. She leaned forward to get a better look while shielding her eyes, obviously not noticing how her large breasts were directly on top of Rukia's head. And it took Renji moving Rukia out the way to prevent her from suffocating.
"Hey, have you seen Toshiro?" Steph asked, coming out of the common room with Nathan and Tom. The Soul Reapers all pointed at Toshiro. He had finally found the right classroom.
"What the hell, Ren?!" Toshiro yelled as he entered the classroom, slamming the door behind him. Silence.
"We should probably leave him alone." Rangiku said out loud.
"Yeah, we probably should." Nathan agreed, having learnt the hard way what Toshiro was like when he was really angry. His cheek hurt just thinking about it. The humans and the Soul Reapers slowly looked at each other. In one second, they had all dashed to the classroom Toshiro just entered, and they were all pressing their ears to the door, trying to listen in.
…
"What the hell, Ren?!" Toshiro yelled, slamming the door behind him. Ren was sat all alone in the empty classroom, reading a book about Shakespeare. But, when Toshiro entered the room, she didn't put the book down. She didn't greet him. She didn't even blink. She simply turned the page of her book and carried on reading. And that only infuriated Toshiro even more. "Hey! I need to talk to you! Didn't you hear me calling?!"
"Yes." Ren answered simply.
"Then why didn't you say "I'm in here." Or something?!"
"Because I was ignoring you. Now kindly leave. I'm busy."
"Wha-" Toshiro was bewildered at what Ren was saying. She would never talk back at him. Well, she would, but not like this. She was never this…rude. "Ren, I said I need to talk to you." Toshiro said, lowering his voice after being stunned by Ren's attitude.
"And I said I'm busy. Also, I requested for you to leave."
"Look, I just need to know why you didn't tell me school was back on. I almost missed it."
"But you're here, aren't you?"
"…" Toshiro looked away, frustrated. At least Ren's trait of pointing out the obvious wasn't gone.
"Besides, since when do you care about showing up to school?"
"That's not important. What's important is that you told the others you'd let me know, and you didn't." Ren said nothing, merely turning a page in her book. With a growl, Toshiro marched over to Ren and slammed his hand on the back of the book so that the cover was face up. Now, he had Ren's full attention, although she didn't really react to what he just did, either. "You lied, Ren. And they believed you."
"So?" Ren said without looking up.
"What I'm saying is something is going on with you. And I don't think I like it. You've been acting like this ever since the arcade. I've been holding my tongue, but now I've had enough. What's going on? Why are you lying? Why are you pushing your friends away? And what's making you change?" In response, Ren stood up. She pried her book away from Toshiro's hand and without another word, moved away from the table and went to the door. But, Toshiro was having none of it. "Stop ignoring me!" Toshiro yelled, grabbing Ren's arm. Ren stopped walking and looked over her shoulder at Toshiro.
"I don't know what you're talking about." She said harshly. "It was your own fault for not knowing in the first place. So stop pointing fingers at others to hide your own flaws. Now let go." Toshiro said and did nothing. As soon as Ren looked at him, he had completely forgotten what he was going to say. He had never noticed it in these last few days, but Ren had changed on the outside as well as the inside. Before all this started, Ren had the brightest and happiest eyes he had ever seen, and she had a smile to match. But, now that he knew something was wrong, and now that he was finally able to have some form of conversation with her, he could see that something was clearly different. There was barely any light in Ren's eyes, and her expression was unsmiling, with hints of anger, resentment, hate and a little bit of sadness. That wasn't Ren. That wasn't the Ren he knew at all.
"I said let go!" Ren snapped. A sharp pulse came out of Ren's eyes, and Toshiro found himself flung to the other side of the room, crashing into a few desks and chairs. Ren turned and went to the door, and as soon as she opened it, a group of people fell inside with yells of surprise. Ren stared at them for a few seconds, before she stepped over them and walked out of the room, down the corridor and out of sight.
"What's up with her?" Tom thought out loud, knowing full well that's what everyone else was thinking. They had heard every word and every action, and now, everybody's suspicions were high, especially Toshiro's, who had managed to pick himself up out of the tables and chairs and was miraculously unharmed. Now, there could be no doubt. Toshiro knew something was happening to Ren, and he was going to find out what.
"I'm going after her." Toshiro said, climbing over the bodies of his subordinates and the humans. "If any Feathers attack let me know."
"Um, is that really a good idea?" Nathan said, flexing his shoulder back after standing up. "I mean, she did kind of fling you across the room." But, Toshiro ignored him, which was nothing new, and walked at a brisk pace down the corridor. "He ignored me. Great." Nathan said sarcastically.
"One more thing." Toshiro said, coming around the corner again. "You address me as Captain Hitsugaya, Ichigo." Toshiro vanished around the corner after Ren, and Ichigo felt relieved that Toshiro corrected him again for some reason.
"Seriously!" Nathan exclaimed, throwing his arms up in the air. "Why is he ignoring me!?"
…
"So he is suspicious." Epona said calmly, although inside, she was almost panicking.
"Yes." Ren said in response. "But we both knew this would happen. He's smart. It would be unusual if he didn't realise it."
"True. But, what he doesn't know is my involvement. If it took him this long to realise something is wrong, knowing his need to investigate, it won't be long before he realises I am in White Raven."
"For all we know, he could be eavesdropping right now."
"What?" Epona looked sharply over her shoulder.
"I said he might. You are far too trusting, Epona."
"Tch." Epona hissed quietly so that Ren wouldn't hear. She had said that to Ren not too long ago, and she had the nerve to criticise her. She just couldn't understand why the leader was so interested in her. Thinking about her leader, Epona remembered that she had a task to complete; finish bringing Ren to the darkness and bring her to their side. Her face immediately lost all signs of hatred and resentment and she turned back to Ren. "Ren, you should know that you are almost on the right path."
"What do you mean "almost"?"
"I mean that there are still a few things that I, we must do." Epona quickly corrected herself. "You have proven yourself to be on the correct path, but you are not at the end of it yet. You are ruthless, cunning and deceptive. But, you have yet to eliminate another obstacle."
"What's that?" Ren asked.
"Your bonds."
"Bonds?" Ren repeated.
"Yes. You still associate yourself with those people. I already told you that you can't trust them. And then there's that." Epona pointed to the ridiculous bracelet on Ren's arm that was made of metal frog and crystal flowers. "Why do you still wear that?"
"Well…" Ren said, shifting her gaze away from Epona. Epona narrowed her eyes.
She's hesitating. Epona thought. Not good. A little black smoke floated discreetly around her right hand. Should I assist her?
"You have to sever your bonds with those weaklings. They fight for the wrong cause, and make battles quick. However, mercy is a mistake that you correct."
"Yes it is." Ren said, and Epona saw a few shadows dancing in the whites of Ren's eyes.
"You have many traits of a great warrior. A warrior that we could use."
"We?"
"Yes. Our leader wishes to see you. If he likes what he sees, then you may assist us in our goals. Your power will never be taken for granted, and you will become greater than you can imagine. You are so close to that goal…" Epona eyed how the shadows were filling up in Ren's eyes. Reassured, Epona made the smoke around her hand disappear. "…and even now, you are almost at the point where we can consider you one of us."
"…" Ren said nothing, but Epona could clearly tell she was thinking about it.
"So? What do you say?" Epona asked, half hoping she would say no.
"Okay."
"Right." Epona said briskly, hiding her surprise. She turned around, ready to walk away. "I must leave you now. Remember; you do not need bonds. Friends are for those who sincerely wish to be held back by their goals. Sever the ties you have made, and my work will be done."
"Yes." Ren nodded.
"I shall return tomorrow at the same spot." Epona started to walk away, and as soon as she walked several paces into the shadows of the school building, she disappeared, leaving Ren alone. She looked at the bracelet on her arm and pulled it off, letting it sit on her palm. She didn't know herself why she kept it. It just seemed like, for some reason, this was important to her. Like somebody precious gave it as a gift. But now that she had spoken with Epona, she felt different. She clenched the bracelet. It was now nothing more than a bit of metal on elastic.
"I don't need bonds." Ren muttered to herself. "I don't need them!" She yelled, and with a mighty swing of her arm, she threw the bracelet away, where the crystals caught the sunlight briefly, and then it vanished over the rooftop. The bracelet was gone, and with it, all feelings of friendship and love. Ren stood there, watching the place she threw the bracelet, as shadows filled the whites of her eyes.
…
"Ren!" Toshiro called out. "Ren, are you here?!" No response. He was at the front of the school building, and there was nobody around. No cars. No pedestrians. And no Ren. "Damn. Where did she go?"
Clink!
"Hm?" Toshiro stopped walking after hearing that sound. It sounded like metal. And it sounded close. That was when Toshiro saw something lying on the ground gleaming brightly, just a few inches from his feet. Toshiro got down on one knee for a closer looked. His eyes widened. It was a bracelet. And not just any bracelet. It was one he recognised.
"This is…" Toshiro started, picking it up. He was right. It was the same bracelet he got for Ren just a few weeks ago. And it was lying here on the ground. Did Ren…throw it? Toshiro checked the bracelet for any damage. No marks. No missing crystals. No chips in the paint. It was a little dirty, but fine. But still…
"Why is this here?" Toshiro asked nobody. He looked around the area, half thinking that Ren dropped it without realising it. Although, things being what they are, he thought that the idea of Ren throwing it away was more believable, even though he hated the idea of Ren doing that. "At any rate, I have to find her." Toshiro decided, standing up again. He heard footsteps come his way. He looked to his left. It was Ren. She was walking towards him, but her expression was unsmiling, and she showed no signs of stopping.
"Ren. I was just going to look for you, but now that you're here, there's something you need to know. I think something might be causing what's happening to you." Ren continued to walk towards Toshiro, and was mere feet away from him. "I'm not sure what it is, but maybe you can fill me in on a few details. Oh, yeah. And, I found this on the ground." Toshiro was about to produce the bracelet, but stopped himself. Ren was still walking towards him, and if she didn't stop, she could very well walk past him. "Ren, are you listening?" Toshiro asked, raising a hand ready to stop her. But, Ren was already right next to him.
"Get lost, you annoying brat." Ren said coldly, and with that, she walked past Toshiro, out of the school gate and out of sight. Toshiro, on the other hand, didn't do anything. He was still standing there, his hand raised to stop somebody who was already gone. Ren had called him a brat? And annoying? It was like she was treating him as though he were a stranger, even though they have known each other for so long. But, what hurt more was the way Ren addressed him. It wasn't by his name, or his rank. She didn't even call him Shiro like she usually would. Now he understood a little of how Ren felt when he wouldn't call her by her name. But this wasn't the time for regret. Toshiro had to go after Ren. He pocketed the bracelet, turned around…and stopped himself. The streets looked incredibly empty. No cars. No citizens. Nothing. Immediately, Toshiro knew what this meant.
"A Feather." Toshiro narrowed his eyes a little. He got out his phone, activated the speed dial and brought it to his ear. "Rangiku, get the others ready. I think Feathers are going to attack the city. Spread out and if you find any Feathers, destroy them. And don't forget to collect their cores.
"Understood, Captain." Rangiku's voice said.
"Alright. You search the north. Kuchiki can check the south. Ichigo takes the east, and Renji will have the west of the city. I'll deal with the centre. If you don't find any Feathers in 20 minutes, meet me at King's Square. Is that clear?"
"Clear as mud, Captain!" Rangiku said cheerfully.
"What?" Toshiro raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, it's just something Steph said. See you later!"
"Honestly…" Toshiro muttered, hanging up. Putting the phone away, he dashed out of the school gates towards the city centre. Maybe he'd be able to find Ren while he was at it.
…
20 minutes later, King's Square
Toshiro stood in the middle of King's Square with his hands in his pocket, but alert for the first signs of trouble and for his comrades to get back. This place brought back the memory of when Ren saved his life, albeit accidentally. Just what was going on to make her change?
"Captain!"
"Rangiku." Toshiro said, looking to his left, and spotting Rangiku running towards her. "Did you find anything?"
"No. Nothing."
"Same in my area." Renji said, jumping down from the roof of a nearby building and landing squarely beside Toshiro. He straightened, and Toshiro noticed how he was in his Soul Reaper guise.
"Renji, why are you a Soul Reaper?" Toshiro asked, puzzled.
"Oh, this?" Renji tugged at the sleeve of his kimono. "Ren gave us our powers back, right? Well, thanks to those Amber things Dixie gave us, I can leave my Gigai with a replica of my soul inside it, so nobody knows I'm gone."
"Oh!" Rangiku tapped a fist on her palm. "So THAT'S what those are for!"
"Rangiku, weren't you listening?" Renji asked with a sigh, shaking his head.
"That doesn't matter right now. Where are Rukia and Ichigo?" Toshiro asked.
"Here!" Ichigo flash stepped behind Toshiro, and Rukia wasn't too far behind, flash stepping beside Renji.
"Did you find anything?"
"Nothing, sir."
"Yeah, there's not a single Feather in sight."
"Eeeeh? That's odd. Where did the Feathers go?" Rangiku said thoughtfully, tapping her chin and starring up at the sky.
"But I know they're here somewhere. There's not a single human being for miles. Speaking of human beings, none of you happened to see Ren, did you?"
"…" All the Soul Reapers shook their heads.
"I thought she was with you, Toshiro."
"Well, she's not. Anyway, did any of you see anybody else in the city?" Toshiro asked, quickly changing the subject. If Ren wasn't here when Feathers were going to attack any minute, then it was likely that she won't come at all. So, they would have to deal with the Feather's themselves. If they showed up.
"Yeah. I saw lots of them." Renji said.
"Me too."
"And me."
"I saw some people as well."
"So that means…they're here in the centre somewhere." Toshiro glanced around him. "But where?"
"Look, let's just call Ren. She'll know what to do. Toshiro, you have her number, right?"
"Yeah, I have it." Toshiro got out his phone, and prepared to activate the speed dial.
"Get lost, you annoying brat."
"…" Toshiro hesitated, staring at the screen of his phone. If Ren was that dismissive over him, then maybe she wouldn't even pick up her phone if she knew it was him calling.
"Well? Aren't you going to call her Captain?" Rangiku asked, noticing how her captain was deep in thought. Toshiro responded by pocketing the phone.
"Listen, there's something you need to know." Toshiro said. He had to tell them about Ren's behaviour. Maybe they could make some form of sense out of it, because he sure as hell couldn't.
"What is it, Captain Hitsugaya?" Rukia asked. However, nobody noticed when a charm dropped down behind Rangiku. Almost as soon as it made contact with the ground, it glowed white and started to change shape, getting bigger with each second.
"I'm not sure how to put this, but something strange is going on with Ren."
"Hmmm, I have noticed something is a little off with that girl. So, what's the problem?"
"Well…" Toshiro started, turning to face Rangiku, and that's when he saw the Feather. A blue one with black stripes and a forked tail. It opened its mouth slowly, and Rangiku pulled a face of disgust at the strange yet disgusting smell she caught a whiff of. "Rangiku, watch out!"
"Huh?" Rangiku looked over her shoulder, and spotted the Feather that was so close to her, if it had a nose, it would be touching hers. Rangiku could only stand there in shock as the Feather's mouth went over her head.
SLASH!
The Feather was motionless, making occasional grunts. Instinctively, Rangiku backed away slowly just in case she might provoke it. No sooner had she moved away, there was a gush of grey blood from the Feather's neck, and its head fell to the ground, followed shortly by the body, before it glowed and turned to ashes.
"What was that?" Rukia wondered, looking around for a saviour. Then, her eyes fell upon Ren. She was standing just in front of Rangiku, her Lightning Shackles shining on her wrists and ankles, and her katana dripping with grey blood.
"Ren! Thanks a bunch! You saved me!" Rangiku said happily. "Wow, that was a close one!"
"Be quiet."
"Eh?" Rangiku stopped cheering, taken aback.
"I did not save you for any personal feelings. I simply went for a walk, and that Feather got in my way. Don't get the wrong idea."
"Um…okay." Rangiku said slowly, not sure how to react, although she did side step towards Toshiro.
"Are you alright?" Toshiro asked. He was surprised that Ren actually showed up, but as he thought, it was a coincidence. Although, if it wasn't for her, Rangiku would surely be dead, since he was too distracted to notice the Feather. He had to thank Ren for that much, even if she didn't mean to save Rangiku.
"I'm fine."
Clink! Clink! Clink clink clink!
"What?" Toshiro heard the sound of metal, and immediately dreaded what was to come. The sound of metal hitting the ground where a feather just was can never be good. And he was right. They all morphed into Feathers, each one more different than the last.
"Feathers!" Renji placed her hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to fight, as did Rukia and Ichigo.
"Stay right where you are." Ren said loudly before the other Soul Reapers had a chance to do anything. Ren raised her sword up and pointed them at the Feathers. "I can handle them myself."
"Well, you have dealt with much bigger before." Ichigo reasoned, letting go of Zangetsu. "And it's only about thirty. Alright, I'll let you have them, Ren."
"…" Ren said nothing, and slowly and calmly walked towards the Feathers, who growled and roared at her.
What's wrong with me? Toshiro thought to himself. Ren's dealt with Feathers before, and with far bigger numbers. So, why do I get a bad feeling?
"RAWR!" One Feather, a green one with blue stripes, let out a particularly loud roar, and charged towards Ren, who still remained calm, and slowly raised her sword up as the Feather leapt up to pounce on her. Then, with one swift slash, the Feather's front legs were swiftly cut off, and gushes of blood spurted out of the stumps left behind as the legs hit the ground and burst into ashes. Some of the blood splattered onto Ren's face, but she didn't seem to care.
"Ha, nice one!" Renji yelled, impressed with Ren's strength, as were everybody else. But, Toshiro was preoccupied with something else. The Feather was squirming and crying out in pain, lying in a pool of its own blood. He expected Ren to go to it a run her sword through its head, but instead, Ren simply walked away from it, deaf to its cries. Something wasn't right. And Toshiro didn't like it one bit. However, the Feathers, ignoring their fallen Feather, went towards Ren, some running into a pounce, others slowly creeping to her. Again, Ren remained calm. Barely even blinking, Ren held her sword in both hands and slashed at any Feathers that happened to come to her, and one by one, they all collapsed behind her, crying out in pain. In no time at all, the ground was covered in grey blood. Ren turned around to face the Feathers, and she disappeared in a flash of light. In an instant, several of the Feathers roared as their tails were either split in half or cut off entirely. Ren reappeared on the other side of the Feathers, covered in fresh splatters of Feather blood. Some of the Feathers managed to stand up, having regenerated their limbs, and tried to attack her again. But, they were met with more injuries and more howls of pain. This cycle continued on for a good few minutes, and that was when the Soul Reapers started to get a little uneasy.
"Hey, shouldn't it be over by now?" Ichigo asked. He hadn't been here for as long as Toshiro, but he knew that Ren never fought Feathers for this long.
"Yeah, something seems a little…off." Renji said. "Is anyone else getting the same feeling?"
"…" Toshiro said nothing.
Flashback
"Well, that takes care of those Feathers!" Ren said brightly, tossing some Feather cores in her palm. Her sword disappeared in a flash of light, and she put the cores away in her small drawstring bag.
"That was a lot faster than usual, Ren." Toshiro said, brushing a little Feather blood off his jacket while feeling relieved that the Feather blood crumbled and made it easy to clean up.
"Well, there weren't that many." Ren reasoned, pocketing the bag. "Besides, I like to keep things short and sweet."
"I noticed. But, why?" Toshiro asked.
"'Cos I'm a busy girl. I've got other things to do, ya know."
"Yes, but…you always seem to end battles with one blow. Why? Is it because they're weak?"
"Oh, hell no!" Ren exclaimed. "These guys are hella tough! I'm just glad my powers are just as hella strong!"
"So then, why end it so quickly?"
"Because lives might be in danger, and it's best to end it quickly and save the people than drag it out and wait for innocent lives to be taken away before I can get to them."
"I guess…" Toshiro trailed.
"And besides…" Ren turned around to look at Toshiro, a flash of seriousness on her face. "They may be monsters, but Feathers feel pain, just like you and I do. I don't want them to suffer. If I'm going to kill them, then I want to do it as quickly and as painlessly as possible. It's easier on me and on them."
"…" Toshiro was struck speechless at Ren's response. It seemed so sincere, especially since it was about monsters. He had never heard of somebody showing mercy to Hollows before, and he thought it would be the same as Feathers. How wrong he was.
"It may seem a bit naïve and stupid, but that's what I think." Ren said with her usual bright smile.
"No." Toshiro shook his head. "It's not stupid. Naïve, maybe, but not stupid."
"Well, I'm glad you think that!" Ren said happily.
"This isn't right…"
"Hm?" The Soul Reapers looked at the young captain after he spoke up, albeit rather quietly. It didn't take them long to notice the look of fear with a bit of horror on his face.
"This isn't right…" Toshiro said again. "This isn't a fight…" In that instance, Ren sliced through several of the Feathers at once. Some exploded into ashes, leaving behind their cores, but others had the misfortune of remaining and experiencing even more agony, while the blood flew around Ren. Some of it landing on her face and clothes. "This is a massacre!" Toshiro finished. Ren looked towards the remaining ten Feathers, and Toshiro knew he had to do something, so he abandoned all sense of reason and ran towards Ren.
"Toshiro, wait!" Ichigo yelled. Ren, oblivious to what was going on, walked towards the Feathers, and she didn't even notice how a few of them even gave off whimpers. Ren held her sword up with both hands, her Shackles glowing.
"That's enough!" Toshiro yelled, sliding in front of Ren with his arms stretched out. Ren stopped walking, but did not lower her sword.
"…" The Soul Reapers watched their captain and the human, waiting to see how this would play out.
"That's enough." Toshiro said again. "You've won already. The Feathers have already lost their will to fight. Just kill them now and collect their cores. They've been through more than enough suffering. Anything else now is just pointless violence. So, stab their heads, get their cores, and put those Shackles and that sword away. Okay, Ren?"
"…" Ren was silent for a few seconds. She closed her eyes, and she flicked the blood off her sword, raising it up in the air afterwards. Toshiro lowered his arms, relieved that his recklessness paid off. But, that relief was short lived, as Ren lowered her sword and pointed it straight at him. The blade was just touching Toshiro's left shoulder light enough to not leave a mark, but pressed down enough for him to feel the metal through his shirt.
"What does she think she's doing?" Rukia yelled out, shocked at Ren's behaviour.
"Ren?" Toshiro said, shocked at what was happening right now. Was Ren pointing her sword at him? Her friend? This immediately brought back the memory of the time Hinamori pointed her blade at him, accusing him of murdering Captain Aizen. But, she was being deceived. This was different. This time, the girl had full awareness of what she was doing. He could tell just by looking into her eyes. The intent to kill was right there, and there were no signs of hesitating.
"You're in my way." Ren said in a low, cold voice. Toshiro's eyes widened slightly at this, and Ren raised her sword up again. "Move!" Ren quickly brought the sword down, and Toshiro barely had enough time to react. He ducked down to his right, collapsing on his hands and knees, shaken but alive, while Ren disappeared in a flash of light. Toshiro had completely drowned out the sounds of Feather cries and metal meeting flesh. He felt a warm sensation down the left side of his neck.
"Captain! Are you alright?" Rangiku immediately ran to his side, and kneeled down beside him. "You're bleeding."
"…" Toshiro placed his hand to the side of his neck. It felt wet and warm. He was bleeding, like Rangiku said. He didn't manage to avoid the sword after all. The cut didn't feel deep, but it confirmed something to Toshiro. In that fleeting moment, if Toshiro hadn't ducked out of the way, his head would be rolling on the ground by now. Ren had fully intended to kill him right there and then.
"Toshiro, what's happening?" Ichigo asked, now beside him, followed by Renji and Rukia.
"…" Toshiro closed his eyes and took a moment to regain his composure. "It's what I've been trying to tell you." Toshiro said, slowly and calmly. He stood up and turned to face the Soul Reapers, opening his eyes. "Something is happening to Ren, and it's changing her."
"Are you sure?" Renji asked.
"I've had my suspicions for a few days now, but this is the first time in a while I've been with Ren for more than a minute. She's been avoiding me for days ever since we went to the arcade. I'm not sure what exactly is going on, but I can only assume that White Raven is involved. We may be dealing with an imposter, or even an evil clone of some kind. Like I said, I'm not entirely sure."
"Hey…" Ichigo pointed ahead of him, and everyone turned to look. The Feathers were all gone, and all that was left of their presence was a few huge piles of blood and Ren standing in the middle of one, covered in grey blood and her sword dripping. She proceeded to flick the blood off the sword, and it disappeared in a flash of light, followed by her Lightning Shackles.
"I think I'm gonna go with evil clone." Renji said.
"Mm hm." Rangiku nodded in agreement.
"Hey, Ren." Ichigo said, secretly trying to brush off the beliefs that this was an evil Ren they were dealing with. "Thanks for defeating those Feathers."
"You have no need to thank me." Ren said. "Like I said, I was taking a walk, and they happened to be in my way." Ren held her hand out in front of her, and the Feather cores shot into her hand. She got out her drawstring bag and dropped them inside. After pulling the strings tight, she held it in her hands for a few seconds, staring at it. "Here." Ren threw the bag at the group, making Renji catch it. "It's yours."
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"I mean that it is your responsibility to defeat the Feathers and collect the cores. So, I am giving you the ones I have. Now, I'll be getting back to my walk." Ren turned around to walk away.
"Hold it!"
"!" Ren stopped and looked over her shoulder. Rukia had stood in front of the group, a fierce look in her eyes.
"Rukia…" Ichigo started.
"What do you mean it's our responsibility?!" Rukia demanded. "What happened to teamwork?! What happened to us?! And what about your goal of fighting the Feathers to protect the city?! Where did that go?!"
"Us?" Ren repeated. "Don't make me laugh." Ren turned around to face Rukia. "I have no need for such words like teamwork. Everything I do I do alone. Things like friendship and camaraderie are all pointless. Besides, I only killed the Feathers because they were in my way. If any Feathers appeared away from my path, then they are not my concern."
"That's no way to fight!" Rukia yelled. "You can't just kill the Feathers in front of you just because you happened to be there! You have a dedication and responsibility to kill the ones that appear elsewhere in the city! To do the opposite is just naïve and half-hearted!"
"…" Ichigo looked away for a brief moment. That speech rang so many bells in his head right now, and it set him on the path of a Soul Reaper. If this didn't get through to Ren, he didn't know what will.
"Ren, what is happening to you?! You used to be better than this! Just what…" Rukia stopped herself, her face softening up into one of sheer concern. "Just who…are you?" Rukia asked quietly.
"…" Ren was expressionless. Rukia closed her eyes sadly, knowing that her speech hadn't worked. But, she heard footsteps, and felt a hand on her head. She opened her eyes and looked up to see Ren in front of her. This immediately lit up a little spark of hope inside of her. She got through to her. She got through to the part of Ren they all knew! Ren slid her hand slowly down Rukia's head until her palm was touching her forehead.
"Ren?" Rukia said. She felt Ren's hand grip her head a little tighter, and as she looked into Ren's face, she saw a distinct look of malice in her eyes. Before she had time to react, Ren's hand glowed a deep purple and crackled with small sparks of electricity. In a heartbeat, the electricity grew more intense, and in another heartbeat, Rukia was screaming at the top of her lungs. She was suddenly experiencing the most intense pain she had ever felt. It was as though every single nerve in her body was being touched by a red hot needle, and it just wouldn't stop.
"Rukia!" Renji cried out. Ren glanced up at him, and let one of the lightning bolts stray from Rukia and it struck him on his chest. He yelped in pain and fell back, but regained his footing. He placed a hand on the burn mark. "Whoa. That was…painful. It was like some kind of branding iron. And it was only one hit." Renji then understood what Ren was doing to Rukia. Most importantly, he understood how much pain Rukia was in right now. But, if he, if anybody went near either of them, Ren would lash out at them the same way he just felt. All they could do was watch, horrified, as Ren continued to torture Rukia, who carried on screaming and grasping Ren's arm, trying to pull her away and make the pain stop, but she wasn't moving. Eventually, Rukia dropped down on her knees as her cries grew weaker and quieter. Ren narrowed her eyes a little, and the purple lightning disappeared. Rukia stopped screaming, and her arms collapsed by her side as her body went limp. Ren pushed Rukia away from her, and she collapsed on the ground.
"Rukia!" Renji quickly went to Rukia's side and lifted her upper body off the ground, cradling her in his arms. Rukia's eyes were squeezed shut, she was panting heavily, and her face was drenched with sweat and tears.
"If you do not wish to meet the same fate, you will leave me alone." Ren said in a loud, clear voice. Without another word, Ren turned around and walked away, and nobody made any attempts to stop her, since they were both too concerned about Rukia to bother, and also too afraid of experiencing the same thing Rukia went through.
"It's alright, Rukia. It's over." Renji said quietly. Rukia managed to open her eyes weakly to stare up at Renji.
"Renji…" She whispered. She clung to the fabric of his kimono, whimpering a little.
"Don't worry, I gotcha." Renji stood up off the ground, holding Rukia in his arms. Rukia did not protest as he expected her to.
"No…"
"…" Rukia opened her eyes again, staring at Toshiro, who had finally spoken up. His fists were clenched tightly.
"No…That's not her…" Toshiro looked up, his eyes shining with anger. "That can't be her! Ren would never do that!"
"!" This comment took Rangiku back a little, her eyes going wide.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that, Kuchiki. But I swear to you…to all of you… I will get to the bottom of this, and I will bring the real Ren back!"
So, there you have it! Ren's has gone towards the dark side! I told you it would be worth the wait. I am well aware of how late it is. But take one look at a third year uni student's workload and tell me you'll be able to find enough time to work on this chapter. I'll try and get the next chapter up much sooner, but like I said no promises, what with year three, my 21st birthday, Christmas, yada yada. Until then, have a nice Christmas!