The darkness within
"What's with you Kari-chan?"
"You might want to back off Kisuke. Now is definitely not a good time to get on her bad side."
"Mind telling me what's wrong with her today?"
"Tell me Kari, were you delivering packages the last time?" asked Yoruichi.
"Yeah. Why is it that Urahara can't figure out the truth?"
"He's a guy…what did you expect?"
"True."
"I give up on you two… I'm going back to watching the store."
XxXxX
Yoruichi and Kari waited until he was out of earshot before bursting into laughter. It took them 15 minutes before they could calm down enough to talk.
"I can't believe he doesn't know!" laughed Kari.
"I can…guys don't understand the hell we go through every month. And since you were out of the store delivering the last time, he still has no clue!"
"I'm soooo glad you're a girl, Yoruichi."
"So what do you want to do now? It's too early for bed."
"Maybe we can spar each other?"
"Think you can handle fighting against a former Special Forces commander?" said Yoruichi with a cat-like grin.
"Yup…on one condition though," said Kari.
"What?"
"No Shun-Po! Only hand-to-hand."
"Fair enough…just let me switch into my human form and get some clothes on," said Yoruichi before she took her original form. After getting dressed, they faced each other and began going all out! Kari was all grins…she was actually having fun.
"So tell me, Yoruichi, do you really think it's possible that I do have the same powers as you guys?" asked Kari.
"With such an open mind like yours…I have little doubt that you do. How else could you have heard Kisuke's Zanpaku-to?"
"Good point…but what happens if I can't become one? What if I turn into a Hollow? I don't want to hurt you guys…"
"If you can't do it before you begin to turn, I'll try jumpstarting your abilities by giving you my own powers. That should do the trick."
"Is it possible to return to your body if the chain is severed?"
"Sometimes…if it is still connected, it is possible to return the chain back to its original state."
"Then if this doesn't work, there's still a chance that you can prevent me from turning?"
"Yup…so why do you ask?"
"If there's even a small chance that I can become a Soul Reaper and not turn into a Hollow, then I'm willing to try it."
"So you want to proceed to lesson two?"
"Yeah…"
"I'll return to cat form. I think it'll be more fun if we don't let Kisuke in on this," said Yoruichi.
"So what do we tell him?"
"I'm going to train you for three days nonstop alone. Kisuke's not the only one who can create a shattered shaft!" said Yoruichi as she turned back into a cat. They went back up and talked to Urahara. (He was just glad that he wouldn't have to deal with Kari in such a cranky mood!)
XxXxX
Yoruichi found the perfect secluded spot to train; it was dark, hard to find, and it had an uncanny knack for disguising spiritual pressures. After Yoruichi made the shaft, they went down and hid the entrance; they were completely alone…in a dark shaft that held only silence.
"Ready?" said Yoruichi before she knocked Kari's soul out and bound her. She severed the chain and waited for the first encroachment. It came ten minutes later. Much to her surprise, Kari didn't scream from the pain; the girl simply withstood it and merely whimpered.
"Wow… Kari, you don't have to prevent yourself from screaming. I can understand how painful it may be."
"The last time I crashed my bike by accident, I ended up with a really nasty scrape on my right kneecap. My mom was surprised that I didn't curse when she put the peroxide on it!" said Kari quietly.
"So you know how to withstand a lot of pain. But you know it is okay to scream if it hurts."
"You wanna hear something strange?"
"What?"
"I know that the encroachments are very painful to experience…that's why Demi-Hollows let out such a bone-chilling howl before they turn. But there's something strange…for some reason, I don't really feel that much pain at all."
"What do you mean?"
"It feels like something or someone is dampening the pain to bearable levels. I can't think of any other way to describe it."
"Maybe our surroundings have something to do with it."
"Huh?"
"You said once before that you're used to silent darkness, right? Well we're in a dark shaft where the only noise that we hear is the sound of our own voices."
"So what you're saying is…?"
"The fact that you're in familiar territory might be calming you down enough that you don't even feel it."
"There's one way to find out," said Kari.
"What's that?"
The only answer Yoruichi received was silence. At first it was eerily quiet…then she heard a malevolent growl nearby. She immediately went on alert and tried to find her way through the darkness. Her eyes were blinded as light suddenly surrounded her. When they adjusted, the first thing she noticed was that there was something dark and angry nearby.
"Kari? Where are…?" said Yoruichi before she turned and found herself standing in front of a caged door sealed with a sutra.
(Come closer…)
"Who's there?!" said Yoruichi worriedly. She was starting to like the place less and less already.
(Come closer to the door…)
"Who said that?! Where are you?!"
(Come and see for yourself… The closer you get to the door, the sooner you'll get your answers…)
"Kyuubi-sama, she knows not of the jutsu that imprisons you…" said a familiar voice.
"Kari! What's going on?!"
(Interesting…one knows the truth while the other remains ignorant. Who are you, little mortal?)
"I am one who refuses to fear things I do not understand. My mind is not clouded by the fear that is born of ignorance. I embrace that which is unknown, unlike most."
(You do not fear the unknown… What makes you different than the mortal who imprisoned me in this accursed place?)
"The Fourth Hokage and the villagers suffer from a common ailment among humans. They suffer from a fear born out of ignorance. I refuse to conform to such ideas. My name is…Kari."
"Kari, what the hell is going on?"
(You still do not understand? She cannot hear you now. The only reality she can comprehend is this prison.)
"I believe you were shut inside the village idiot for the wrong reason, Kyuubi no Kitsune."
(If you free me, then I shall be in your debt. If you cannot, then leave before I loose what little patience I had.)
"I can't fully free you, Lord Kyuubi. The seal was invoked through a live sacrifice to the Death Gods. What I can do is allow you a chance to experience the outside world once more…however you will not be able to take your true form until the seal is removed."
(Come to me…)
"Kari, don't get any closer! The creature within is a demon, and a powerful one at that!" warned Yoruichi.
"I know…he is a nine tailed kitsune who was imprisoned inside an idiot. He is the most powerful of the nine tailed beasts…he may be a demon to you, but to me he is an ally."
(…)
"Kari, think about what you're doing! If you let this Fox Demon out, then the outside world will suffer!"
"He will not attack the others. He has been shut inside here for so long…"
(What is the true reason you approached me and not a Summoned Beast?)
"I prefer an evil demon to some goody-two-shoes angel any day. Demons have more fun!" said Kari with a fox-like grin.
"Kari…!"
(Very well…Kari. I will allow you to use my power as your own in exchange for even a small piece of freedom from this damn place. You do know what is needed in order for the agreement to become binding, I assume?)
"Yes. It requires a blood-contract…" said Kari as she quickly bit her finger and caused blood to flow freely; she approached the bars and waited until the Fox extended a bloody claw. She willingly gave the Fox lord her blood and was granted power. The blood-contract was complete. Right as the Fox-Lord's claw returned behind the seal, Kari felt a surge of pain rack throughout her body; the second encroachment had begun.
XxXxX
"Kari, what the hell were you thinking?!" said Yoruichi upset.
"It was the only way I could test whether or not this was indeed the dark silence. By entering an agreement with the Kyuubi no Kitsune, I have only proven where we are."
"What's next?! Are you going to do that again until you become a Hollow?" said Yoruichi angrily.
"No…there is only one more I must choose. Kyuubi is the Darkness…now I must find the Light."
"Kari…? Kari!" said Yoruichi in concern as the girl blacked out. She would not regain consciousness until the fifth encroachment.
"So you finally wake up!" said Yoruichi surprised.
"How…how long was I out?!"
"Around 54 hours…give or take. So what now? Are you going to go Hollow or what?"
"Nope…now you get to see who the Light is!" said Kari with a weak grin.
"What is this Darkness and Light crap?"
"You'll see soon enough."
-----
The sixth encroachment came…the pain was becoming unbearable. Kari was surprised; she concentrated on the being she would chose as the Light, but the darkness that enveloped her refused to take her to him. She was instead forced to wait in silence until the final encroachment…which came too quickly for her taste. The entire chain began to devour itself at once…she felt pain more horrible than she could ever imagine as the hole emerged from her chest.
-----
She was falling into the abyss of nothingness…she could feel nothing, she could do nothing. She was completely and utterly alone in the desolate landscape. Then she felt something snap within her; she could move in the world again. She tried to reach the light again to no avail. That was when she saw it…the Kyuubi no Kitsune along with someone or something riding it.
"Who…who are you?" she whispered breathless.
"You know me better than anyone. I am… (she hears only silence)," said the mysterious being.
She couldn't hear what it said, but she realized that the being could be one of two things: the Light or her Zanpaku-to.
"So you still cannot hear me, even when I call out to you with everything. You must find your Soul Reaper powers, quickly! Before the darkness becomes eternal!" it said with urgency.
"How…? I have no idea where to look!"
That was when she realized it had begun to rain with feathers. She realized what she must do…only one of the feathers contained her powers; she had to find it before it was too late! She concentrated on creating reitsu, the Spirit Ribbons; she knew from instinct that the one dyed in red was the one she needed. She opened her eyes and saw…a lone white feather; the red Ribbon led directly to it! She reached for it and felt the second being fall beside her; it looked at her and said, "Quickly! The darkness will soon take over! Pull me out!"
She grabbed the feather and pulls as hard as she could…a lone Zanpaku-to emerged.
XxXxX
The light that shot out of the shaft was near-blinding to Yoruichi. She went up and watched as the figure emerged from the dust. It had a Hollow's mask and a Shihakusho…or something close enough to one. It looked like the usual Shihakusho, except that it resembled the one Yoruichi was wearing under the outfit she had on. The mask itself was odd too; it looked identical to the face of a Fox Spirit. The figure took out the Zanpaku-to from its sheath and wrecked the mask; it somehow managed to remove the mask with cool efficiency. Yoruichi grinned.
"Lesson two is finally complete. Well done, Kari!"
Kari grinned as she said, "Thanks! I still can't believe it… I had the same powers as you and Urahara and never knew!"
"I did. You are one strange girl with a very open mind. It would have shocked me if you didn't have Soul Reaper powers! Ready to begin lesson three?"
"You mean am I ready to learn the name of my Zanpaku-to?"
"Yup."
"You bet! Let's go!" said Kari. Yoruichi charged at her full speed; Kari narrowly avoided her. When the former Soul Reaper drew out her own Zanpaku-to, she knew she'd be in real trouble if Yoruichi activated the initial release. Which her friend was about to do in three seconds.
What do I do?! I can't compete with Yoruichi if she activates her initial release!
You can if you learn to listen.
I'm listening now. Where are you?
Open your eyes and you'll see for yourself.
Kari did open her eyes. What she saw was breathtaking…she was surrounded by dragons and creatures of all kinds. (Most notably foxes in particular.)
"Where am I…?"
You…are finally home. Maybe my voice will finally reach your ears… I am… (nothing but static…though that was STILL an improvement!).
"Why? Why can't I hear you?!"
Your ears are blocked by fear.
"I'm pathetic…I know. I have never had much resolve."
Shameful…a coward beyond redemption…that's you.
"So sue me. I have no resolve before…and I doubt that I'll start gaining one now."
(Turn to face her. The only thing blocking your mind is fear. Was that little talk we had in my cage nothing but air?)
"No. I guess now's the time to remember something I've forgotten from lack of use…" said Kari with a sigh.
She stopped running and replaced her Zanpaku-to in its sheath. The advice Zangetsu gave Ichigo at one point went through her mind.
Face forward. Advance. Don't give an inch. Retreat and you will age. Be afraid and you will die!
"Tell me your name…"
I am…
(Thought I'd give her Zanpaku-to's name away, did ya? I'm going to keep you in suspense until the next chapter. Watch out Urahara! Your delivery girl's got a new trick up her sleeve!)