It took way longer than I expected to reread the story, and quit frankly I didn't read everything, so there could be some things that don't add up. The biggest problem when you suddenly disappear and forget your story...
chapter 27: Rescue
The traumas Ryuu had endured in Seireitei came back to him. Panicking when he regained conscious, he was able to stand up. He was still in the cave, no lab, no arms tied. And so he fell down again as his brain caught up with the reality of his injuries.
"You done passing out yet?" His heart skipped a beat at the sound.
"Sophie. Why," he whispered.
He could see her standing there, leaning against the wall. The smile on her face was twisted. He could barely recognize her.
"My mother died so you could live, did you know that?"
Ryuu managed to sit up straight. But he couldn't understand why his friend would knock him out. Or even drag him down here. Hadn't she told him she trusted him explicitly? Why did he trust her again?
"Actually no." She paused before pointing at him. "My entire family died so yours could live. Did you know that?" Her voice was raw. It looked like she wanted him dead.
"What?"
"My mother was trapped with yours, only, yours survived and mine died. Did you know that?"
"Well,"
"Did you?!"
"No. No, okay. It's not like mom talks to me about her past. Heck, it hasn't been that long since my mom told me about how I'm an experiment and that is only because this Yin yang is hunting me apparently." Sophie scoffed.
"She should have told you more. Murderer. Chaos is what your mother created. She ruined everything! You ruined everything." Ryuu rolled his eyes.
"I wasn't even born at the time."
"Many year ago, I was born out of a union that seemed perfect. I was supposed to be the next captain of the Seireitei. Well, at least that is what he said. I would be so powerful. On a new level even. Can you imagine growing up with that expectation? Only for him do tell you you are worthless because of you."
"Who is "he"? Yin Yang," cut Ryuu in.
"Shut up. I am talking." She kicked him in the ribs which made him see stars. "When he found your mother, mine became disposable. My mother was killed when yours should have been. I deserved the power that you have."
"Okay stop, I don't understand what that has to do with this situation."
She had a sickening smile.
"You're a murderer, did you know that ?" At that Ryuu was confused.
"What has this to do with anything?"
Her laugh made him shiver.
"I told you you're like me. And if that is true, you killed your twin."
"My twin?" Wait what? "I don't have a twin."
"You sure? As if you would even know. Why do you even think you have two abilities? You killed your brother or sister and absorbed its abilities. You are a murderer. A sick twisted murderer. I guess your mother doesn't even know why your sibling was born dead."
He couldn't have. It couldn't be possible. His mother would have told him, right?
"And?" Finally Ryuu spoke. "Why are you telling me this."
"He asked us to fight. I have one last chance to prove that I am better than you."
There was no chance she wasn't talking about Yin yang by now and to think she was his lackey. Did that mean he had been monitoring him since he arrived in soul society?
"So you killed your twin as well," he asked.
"In the womb." She was happy to elaborate. As if this was a big deed. "I took all his energy. I was strong. So strong so he took me in. He cared for me and told me I could meet my mother when I was strong enough to beat her."
"He wanted you to kill her?"
"But right before I could meet my mother, you killed her." He might as well be talking to a wall.
She lashed out on him. Anticipating it this time, he let her hit the wall. Breathing heavily he stood up on shaky legs.
"My mother always thought she only had one child, and I was going to prove her wrong. I was going to prove to her that the child she cried over was dead anyway so I should get all her love."
Sophie ran toward him, zanpakuto in hand and missed. Ryuu could see his own at the opening of the cave.
"And I would be able to save her. Live with her. I had to live without my mother because you killed her!"
Ryuu escaped the blast again by moving toward the sword.
"Exactly how am I responsible for your mother's death?" She looked at him with bloodshot eyes. And ran. In a moment he launched himself on the ground and grabbed the hilt of his zanpakuto.
"I've been training to fight for a very long time and you think your methods of evading will work?" It was as if the head didn't sit quite right on her shoulders.
Reptile, dragon, whatever, screamed Ryuu internally. If any days you decide to show your face again, now is the perfect opportunity.
"You will die by my hand," snickered Sophie. "Now that you have your rope, shall we start fighting seriously?"
Panic was a good word. Of course the odds would be a lot better if the constant noise would stop. And his ribs still hurts. He blocked the first blow, and the next and the next. His arms were heavy and reptile remained silent.
The touch of the hilt was cold as if dead. Could they die? And as she forced her elbow in his chest the cold spot cracked. It was probably only his imagination, but he could feel it breaking. He hit the wall. She never gave him time to think about a plan as he had to jump out of the way of another blast.
On the up side, she didn't use her zanpakuto. Wait, that wasn't her zanpakuto.
...
On one hand it was a good idea to split up so to cover more ground, on the other Toshiro probably wouldn't be running into all sorts of problems had Ise been with him. Three times he had nearly been spotted by his cursed colleagues.
Toshiro was trying to find Rangiku. To be franc, he had no idea where she would be. He hoped that Matsumoto was with Ryuu but with the walls down, he also hoped the boy was outside. He made his way to the last blast: the third.
It was a mess to be sure. Everything was in ruins. Some were still walking around in the open. They seemed to be completely clueless as to their environment.
"Don't go inside the squad," screamed a person behind him. Looking in the corner was a young soul reaper with his weapon drawn. "Unless you're crazy as well, then go on. Please," he added at the end.
The captain's response was postponed as he felt the presence of Zakarie. Running, he pushed the boy inside the building.
"Captain Hitsugaya, it's nice to know that some of you aren't trying to kill every living creature. You aren't trying to kill me right?"
"If I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead." And that wasn't a joke.
"Captain," said a hoarse voice. In the corner was Matsumoto resting against a wall. Even if her cloth were only some black and white rages, she looked well. Some blood, but that seemed to be the extent of it. Looking around fast, he felt a pit in his stomach when he realized Ryuu wasn't there.
"Lieutenant Matsumoto, what happened to you?"
"Oh, you know, just a fun encounter with captain Kuchiki."
"I suppose hoping Ryuu is with you, is a waste of time." Her eyes were caste down. He knew the boy meant a lot to her as well. She would know if he really was his father or not. As fast as the thought hit him he shook his head.
"Are you feeling alright captain?"
"Yes. Ryuu?"
"I lost him. But captain," she looked very concerned, "he is in danger. I lost him after the last burst. He knocked me out."
"What? That shouldn't be possible." The silent confirmation was not what he was hoping for.
Another young man came from the entrance.
"Captain Hitsugaya!" His posture was stoic like ice and fear was plastered on his face.
"I'm not possessed." He crossed his arms, turning back to his lieutenant. "Do you have any idea where Ryuu might be?"
"Sadly no, like I said, I lost him. That was before the third exploded."
"Do you know a place where he might feel safe and flee to?"
"His mother." He gave her a grunt.
"The walls are down. Do you know if he is outside of them?"
"I'm sorry captain, but I really don't know."
Where could he be? Deciding it was worth a try, he dove into his inner world. To his surprise Hyorinmaru was waiting for him.
"You once found Ryuu, I need you to do it again."
Hyorinmaru just stood there looking at the small form in front of him. Finally after a staring contest, he answered.
"I cannot reach him."
As he stopped talking, a crippling sound pierced through the space, rendering the man incapable of standing.
"What was that?" Toshiro had to cover his ears again as the noise began anew.
He could feel someone trying to reach him in the real world.
"What is that," he asked again.
"It appears," - Hyorinmaru tilted his head- "it appears Sutāraito (*) is here."
He never got to ask what he meant by that as someone forced him out of his inner world.
"What," he snapped. He realized shaking his head had absolutely no effect of the buzzing sound that was occupying his mind. In fact, it might have just done things worse.
"Captain Hitsugaya," asked one of the soul reapers. "Are you being affected by the curse?" Toshiro pushed him away, trying to get back up. The noise got stronger making him fall again.
"It's not a curse, it is a gas or a kido. Stop. Stop calling it a curse."
Despite the protest, he tried to get back into his inner world.
"You're bleeding," noticed Toshiro immediately. "Is this Yin Yang's doing?"
Coughing, the zanpaktou answered: "In a way. I told you: Sutāraito is here."
Toshiro was bleeding as well. Something wasn't quite right that was fact, but this was different from the mind trapp the rest of that captains were under.
"It appears she cannot find Ryuu either," continued the dragon. The sound stopped. Toshiro fell, again. There was an emptiness there suddenly.
Snapping out of it, he was greeted by three pair of eyes.
"I am fine." He looked towards his subordinate. "You wouldn't happen to know a place where no zanpakuto can reach do you?" But he only got a confused look back. Standing up, he dusted of his pants before reaching out to Matsumoto.
"Healed?" This atmosphere was making him restless.
She took his hand and nodding. "Good." He was preparing to leave.
"What about us," asked the one Toshiro saw first. "What can we do to help?" Surprised, he looked at the two of them.
"What can you do? Are you not supposed to watch over this place?"
"There not that many left here sir, and well, we want to help."
He started walking back and forth. No one needed to know that it was because his knee seemed to be stuck.
"Go find as many high seated officers and try to lure them to the hills. If we can figure out a way to trap the ones possessed we might have a chance to free them from the bind."
The two saluted and left.
He stopped Matsumoto before leaving.
"Do you have any information about Ryuu that can help us understand what Yin yang wants with him?"
Her eyes soften and he let go of her arm.
"None that you already know. However, are there something you want to tell me?" He hesitated asking, but he could hear her laugh already. He decided to just go along.
"No."
Now, how to get to the hills before the maniacs that were tracing them.
…
Ise was glad for everyone she found that wasn't under the spell. She had met Chad on her way to the central. He had put three squads under quarantine. His reason: if no one left and no one came in the chances of being possessed would diminish. It was a good theory. He was also worried about lieutenant Hinamori that had apparently disappeared, probably taken as well. The central was closed off and inside utter chaos. They were running around hitting each other. At that very moment, Ise was glad that none of them seemed to know how to actually kill someone.
"There has to be a meaning behind all this." It was too easy. They could walk in there and everyone would just ignore them.
"Gas," asked Chad. "Lieutenant Hinamori said something about the third being filled with gas so they forgot information they were supposed to know."
"And this gas makes them insane?" The idea just seemed so strange. Realizing it seemed to be the only explanation they could find, she created two masks made with some kido that would seal out the toxine. As Chad waited for her to finish he couldn't come up for a reason for Renji and Lieutenant Hinamori being taken.
"Done."
No one seemed to pay attention to them. Their eyes were red and the pupil extremely dilated. That didn't mean they took any chances. Inside the building, Ise had just the time to hide behind a wall as someone walked passed, two corridors down. Still their voices resonated.
"... there now. Remember to lift the walls and take them down as fast as possible after that. Make sure not to fail me now."
"Of course not sir. Your wish is my command," the voice of an elderly man was heard. They stopped.
"I'll make sure to give my heir a welcome he deserve."
She could hear them separating. One coming their way. They just had the time to place themselves in a dark corner before the destroyed form of a man walked by. He might have been strong before, but there was nothing left but a rotting corpse.
The two soul reapers waited for an extra minute before walking on. Having a good memory was practical in these situations. Ise led them straight to the holding cells. No guards, no one there.
"Stay outside," told Ise. They could here the voices inside.
"...juge me more than I deserve." She definitely knew that voice. The door was slightly opened.
"Captain." At the word all four of them looked towards her. They were on their feet in a second. Taking the keys of the wall she still checked if it wasn't wired by something. As easy as a desk job they were out of their cells. It was too easy.
"I had no doubt you would find me," smiled the head captain. She just huffed before walking out the door. It was too easy.
As he Chad saw them he simply said "Masques."
True they wouldn't make it out without it. The masques where done in a hurry and not a moment too soon they were all out of the central.
"Why are you the only ones taken hostage," demanded Ise as they were away from the place and still hiding from the other captains.
"Beats me," smiled the head captain.
"I think they stole something from my division but that is all I know," said Renji.
"What happened for you to get there," she asked again.
"Oh you know." He never got to explain as a loud cry reached their ears.
"Hitsugaya is at the hills!"
Looking, two soul reapers were running in the middle of the streets screaming.
"I guess we are going to the hills then," stated Renji.
…
Ryuu could feel that the fight was lost. He had no way of contacting the dragon and truth be told, he was terrorized that if he did he would freeze to death. The longer this was going on the more the spot was growing. To be fair, he didn't want to hurt Sophie. She wanted to kill him, that was sure.
He had even called on the doll so many times it was disturbing. He should have learned her name. Crap. Dogging again, it was the only thing he managed to do. His leg was giving under and dying started to seem like a good way to end this ridiculous unfair fight.
All of him was cold, everything was cold. He was shivering from it. It didn't seem like Sophie was affected though. She just lashed again.
Why couldn't he think?
What is my name?
The sudden voice made him scream. Sophie stopped for a second. Seeing an opening, he took it. To late, she nearly cut his arm of.
My name, said the reptile again. Ryuu felt frustrated but in the same time the familiar voice was very welcome.
"How am I supposed to know?"
"Are you trying to distract me." Only as she said it did he realize he said that out loud.
I know you know it. You have used it before. And now that I am finally in my sealed form you can call me without harm of destroying hsifhijs.
"Didn't get that," he said out loud again, running upward to the fourth cave. There was no way out of this thing.
What do I do?
"You freeze stuff."
"I don't freeze, I burn," came the loud cry behind him. At that Ryuu stopped. Turning around the katana touched his arm leaving a big gash.
So what was your name again?
I have said it enough times. You should know it by now.
"Are you serious."
"Very much so," laughed Sophie. He was cornered. He hadn't been paying attention.
Do you want us both to die?
Ryuu could hear the laugh and suddenly he could see the reptile laying there.
"Are you crazy," uttered Ryuu. "We are about to die."
"Time doesn't work the same way in here. Now look around."
To stressed, he vaguely turned around. He had to turn back.
"What happened?" He just realized he was actually in the inner world, something he hadn't done for a very long time. The place was still a white desert though. But no grave. Was that a good thing?
"What I am wondering is what you are so afraid of."
"Death." Panic was a mild word. "We are about to die. I am a bit stressed right now yes, because. We. Are. About. To. Die!"
"No." The dragon just placed his head on his arm.
Tossing his arms in the air he asked. "What is your name?"
"Had you been paying attention to me instead of finding your father, we wouldn't be in this position, now would we?"
"I have been training with you, a lot. And my father." He paused, tasting the word. It was thrilling. It was short lived. "You are stubborn that is all."
The dragon lifted his head and placed it right in front of the boy.
"I am not the one that wanted to leave after an hour because you had to clean the caves of others. I am the not the one avoiding my problems." Rising to his full height he stared down at the little form. "I am not the one that keeps on doing the same mistakes over and over and pretending it don't matter because once you now the truth everything will fall to place. And I will not take the fault for your predicament when you never listen to me."
"It will, make sense that is," shouted Ryuu back. "My father will be able to tell me why this is."
"Your mother already has."
"And you only talk in riddles so I never understand." The dragon turned and flew off.
"Is he. Are you serious?" The boy could only blink at the dragon. "You told me I would die if I didn't change my ways! That is on you."
Ryuu didn't know if he should be happy or terrorized that the dragon came flying back. Sending a mountain of snow on the boy in the process."
"That was my fault. I thought you were more mature to realize you are already dead!"
There was a pause. A very long one, before a small nasal sound could be heard.
Calmer this time the dragon started talking again.
"If I remember correctly I also said that I am frozen yet alive. Because I am death. Yet I am still here are am I not? And still you cannot understand that you are not alive. I am the cold of death and as long as you are terrorized of your own existence how do you intend to be able to use me?"
"If I am dead it is your fault," Ryuu didn't know how to really wrap his head around, anything. "You dragged me in here and let me die."
The disapproving growl made the ground shake. The reptile came as close as he could as if to tell a secret.
"You have never been alive!" The volume made him fall backward and his ears bleed.
"Are you crazy?" And finally: "Of course I am alive. Just a freezing spot."
The dragon walked around himself, turning and making odd noises.
"How can you possibly understand if you don't listen! You are a soul and per that definition you have never been human thus never. Alive! I was trying to make you come to that conclusion on your own. If you keep on fighting what you are you will kill yourself. You are a walking corps with a breath of life."
"That makes no sense," came the final reply. The dragon just fell on the ground.
"I give up."
As Ryuu could feel the reality blurring.
"No, stop. I need your help. What's your name?"
In the back of his head he only heard a disapproving noise.
His eyes flew open as the zanpakuto went right through the ice patch. For a second he thought he was done for. And then the smile on Sophie's face turned to a grimace. She was wincing.
"Let go," she whined. He realized her hands were stuck to the handle. And he couldn't feel the panic of dying. On the contrary he was laughing at the result. As the pain was written on her face the more at peace he felt. Her body was starting to disintegrate under his watch.
"Ryuu, help." He could see the lovely girl he believed to be his friend again.
Little by little her body turned to dust until the only thing left was the zanpaktou. And so he waited. Waited for the same to happen to him. But it never did.
The warmth was welcoming though.
Ryuu?
Like voices in the back of his mind singing.
Ryuu! I am home.
So he fell asleep.
Thank you for reading even though I can imagine it is hard with all the chaos and grammar mistakes. On that note, if any one want to help make the story better by helping me with said grammar I would love the help :D
Hope you all have a wonderful week
(*)So as far as my knowlegde in foreign languages goes Sutāraito apparently means "starlight". If anyone knows better, please informe me.