It's. Finally. DONE!
I'm sorry it took so long! College is a lot of work... I only had time to write this on my spare time waiting for my teachers to show up... Which could explain why my chapters are so short... Hopefully it'll get better with time!
Bleach and all of its badass characters belong to Tite Kubo
SOISHOURYU
It was dark. That much was for sure. Since she had started meditating her eyes have been closed and Lieutenant Hisagi had stopped talking. She can only assume he could be doing the same. It has been quite awhile though… how long has she sat here like this?
Hesitantly, she opened her eyes and gasped. She was no longer beside the lake but in front of shadow-like castle. In the sense that it looked like it belonged in the medieval period and it didn't look like it was made out of anything solid, she realized she was no longer in the soul society. In fact, she didn't appear to be standing on anything solid! Her feet were covered by the cloud of shadow that covered what she assumed to be the ground.
Before she could take one step to search the vast expansion of shadow, she heard something heavy land behind her. She turned around and her eyes widened in shock.
There stood a dragon; a fearful yet beautiful creature with stunning diamond-like scales and piercing green eyes like her own. Its claws and horns jutting out of the corner of his jaw, the top of its head and along his spine was a brilliant onyx. It was almost as if the dragon itself were made entirely out of gems and crystals. It gave a low, subtle growl to tell her that it meant no threat then the mighty beast opened it mouth to speak.
"Xepher Ryokutsuki…" her voice was sharp and needing. She looked down at Xepher with a look of familiarity before lowering her head down to her level. Even though she has never seen this creature before, she had a fair idea of who or what she was to her, "It's about time we meet. I've been expecting you."
"You have?" Xepher wanted to reach a hand out to her; to feel her scales against her palm. She held back however and stood still.
"Xepher I am apart of you. It was going to be sooner or later that I am going to be able to talk to you like this." She huffed and her wind blew Xepher's hair back, "I even know that you have a sudden urge to touch me right now… Why are you afraid?"
Hesitantly, she reached a hand toward her and placed her palm on the front of her nose. To her surprise, the seemingly cool creature was warm to the touch and her scales were as smooth as glass. The dragon gave a low hum of approval and a surge of power went through Xepher as her hand remained on the beast. At that moment, a single name rang in her head.
"Soishouryu…" Xepher whispered. She looked up at her and blinked, "That's your name isn't it? You're my Zanpactou."
"So you finally say it. I am the power hidden within you and I shall give you the ability to wield it. However, you must prove to me that you possess the will to do as you desire."
The dragon in her hand was replaced by a beautiful katana. The blade was shimmering silver with the blunt end black. The hilt was cover in a regular black ito braid but the rayskin was a pretty cyan color. The guard, sitting between the blade and the hilt, was silver and shaped like a long, narrow diamond.
"I grant you my power." Soishouryu's voice rang around her, "With this power, do what you wish is right. I will forever remain by your side until the very end for I am a part of you…
Xepher eyes shot open and looked around to find out she was back near the lake in the Rukongai. She gave a hefty sigh and looked down at her hands which rest on either side of her criss-crossed lap. There lay her Zanpactou, Soishouryu.
"I see you have awoken." Lieutenant Hisagi spoke making her jump. She had completely forgotten about him until now, "I presume that the sword in your lap means you have been successful in meeting your Zanpactou?"
"Yes… But I don't understand…" Xepher furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, "When I opened my eyes after some time, I was no longer near the lake… I was in a Shadowy place… a place I couldn't recognize…"
"I can't say I've ever heard or seen of a place covered in shadow… But I'm going to say out of experience that the place you've met your Zanpactou is none other than your inner world."
"Inner world?"
"I'm surprised you haven't been there sooner. You see, one's inner world is unique to each person and is affected by your emotions and how you see yourself. To say that your inner world was originally covered in shadow or not I couldn't tell you. You can try to do some more meditating and get closer to your sword. Try to get some answers."
"Right…" Xepher held up the blade in the moonlight and sighed in contemptment, getting excited about what is to come next,"So… the Academy huh?"
"Xepher?" A voice not Shuihei's called out making Xepher jump. She turned to see the familiar raven hair of Nick. Once he spotted her and Shuihei, he glared at the two of them and made a snorting noise, "What the hell is going on…"
Xepher blushed once she figured out his silent accusation and quickly stood waving her hands in denial, "I-i-i-its not what you think! He was just helping me!"
"With what exactly?!" Nick was pissed."You disappear out into the middle of the woods by the lake to meet up with some guy to help you with WHAT?!"
"It really isn't anything like that!" Shuihei spoke up, blushing. Xepher stared at him incredulously. A lieutenant the Gotei 13 was red faced with embarrassment at the thought of being with a girl, "I met her by accident tonight! We haven't done anything inappropriate!"
"Xepher, we're going home!" Nick grabbed Xepher's wrist and dragged her away from the shinigami.
"W-wait! You don't understand!" Xepher tried to fight back and successfully pulled herself away from her brother, "He's helping me become a shinigami!"
Nick's grew wide in shock and looked from her to Hisagi and back again, "No…"
"I've already met my Zanpactou!" She held out her sword to show to Nick. He merely gaped at her, "I'm going to be joining the academy as well! I'm going to become a Shinigami!"
"… no…" Nick looked at her dead in the eye, "I can't let you…"
"Why not? Why the hell not, Nick?! I have dreams and goals I wish to accomplish! I want to do all I can to become a strong Shinigami! I want to be able to protect those important to me and that includes you! I'm not that much younger than you and you can't protect me forever!"
He stood completely still. His bangs covering his eyes to hide his emotions from her as, she was sure, he was thinking of another way to convince her otherwise. After awhile, he looked up at her again looking like he could cry at any given moment, "Her name was Sakura…"
"Excuse me?" Xepher narrowed her eyes and Shuihei looked up with interest.
"My little sister before you… Her name was Sakura Konomi… she was the blood sibling of Sai Konomi… She left our family to join the Gotei 13… She was recruited into Squad Five… After several years, she disappeared on a mission and no one has seen her since…" the way he looked at her was so sincere it almost made her want to back down.
However, Xepher stood her ground, "I'm not like Sakura, Nick. I'm going to strive to be a very strong and skilled Shinigami. I want to be able to protect you and Sai as well as the entire Soul Society! You can't make my decisions for me, brother." She sarcastically spoke the last word to try to get her point across. After what seemed to be like five minutes, he closed his eyes and turned his back to her.
"I'll see you back at home…" he sighed and, finally, walked away.
Xepher watched him leave and, with a sigh, turned back to face Shuihei,"I apologize for all of the… drama…" she "tsk"ed and looked at the ground, "I had no idea he'd be this way… However… I still want to enroll in the academy… Can you help me with that?"
The lieutenant smiled and walked forward, placing a hand on her head and rubbing her hair into a mess, "Of course! I gave you my word. In the short time that I met you, I have discovered that you are very headstrong and willing to protect those who you care about… I have a feeling you will become a very strong and skilled warrior."
She looked up at him and smiled at this, "I will definitely try my hardest."
END
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