Chapter Two
Vengeful Heart Break
The winds picks up
The scent of blood thick in the air.
The only being the warrior trust most
At his side, ready to fight
Even if it is to the death.
They have fought
Long and hard
For their Freedom to re realized.
But as more of them come
Eager to slice their blades into the warrior's body
He realizes that the only way to survive
Is to use his curse as his power…
Zack crossed his arms, smiling under his scarf as he enjoyed the feeling of all of his powers flowing back through him. And did he ever miss it…
"What? Cat got your tongue, Rukia? I asked "Did you miss me, Rukia?'"
Rukia stepped back, her eyes still shaking as something which she so believed couldn't ever come back… did.
"You… you can't be…"
"Can't be what? Alive?"
Zack spread open his arms.
"In my Shinigami form? Right here, in front of you after all these years? With my powers unlocked?"
He gave a wide grin, showing his teeth, a sort of pain in his eyes…
"Well, I'm here! 80 f***ing long years, and I'm back!"
He quickly raised his right hand, catching a sword in his hand, one which Rukia and tried to swing at him, which could have cut off his head.
"And still… after all these years, your beauty and venom has not lessened…"
Rukia gave a blush, glaring up at him.
"Let GO!"
She reached up and kicked Zack in his stomach so she could get back… the kick did not even phase him. Instead, he just gave a chuckle, rubbing his stomach.
"You still try to use physical strength in battle? Come now, I know you've been trained better then that! You know you're best in Kido and speed."
Rukia gave him another glare, standing in position for a fight, which made Zack smirk again at.
"Like I said, your beauty and venom has not altered in the last 80 years…"
He held out his hand and muttered.
"Kido Number 62; Hyapporankan."
A light blue rod appeared in his hand, grabbing it. He then flung it at Rukia as a blinding speed. It reflected off of her sword as she barely blocked it, being knocked back a few feet. As soon as she looked up, Zack was an inch from her face, just looking in her eyes.
"And you still fall for the simplest distraction."
Her sword was knocked out of her hand as it spun in the air, stabbing into the ground, too far away for her to retrieve safely. She held her wrist, which was numb from the unseen strike from Zack. Then she quickly chanted…
"Kido Number 61; Rikujōkōrō!"
Six wide and thin beams of light surrounded Zack and struck him around his waist. He glanced down, trying to move his legs.
"Hmm… not bad. At least this has gotten better."
He gave a grunt as his right leg began to move to a step. The beams of light then shattered, letting Zack walk toward Rukia, who was backing away.
"Im… impossible… you broke it…"
"With sheer strength? Yeah, I did… pretty rare to see that, isn-"
He side-steped to his left, a large sword crashing down next to him. He grunted as he jumped in the air to avoid another sweep from the sword, Ichigo right were Zack was. He then raised his large sword and cried out.
"Getsuga Tensho!"
He slashed out, a wave of blue energy coming right at Zack in the air, who gawked.
"Wh-what the-!"
It hit him, causing an explosion in the air, a cloud of smoke around where Zack was. Ichigo and Rukia watched the cloud, seeing no movement inside it… until that changed.
Spiritual Pressure rushed out, making an orb of swirling winds while pushing away. Zack was in the middle of it with his hands out, giving a battle cry as he glared down at them.
"You want in on this too, carrot top! Fine!"
He gave a blood lustful grin as he slowly took his sword out, holding it at his side. The blade gave a beautiful shine, but on one side was a scratch that started from the tip of the blade down to the hilt, barely missing a skull imprint near where the blade and handle met. He pointed the tip at them, keeping his grin.
"The demon has been released ONCE AGAIN!"
He flew down on them, his blade ready to strike. Ichigo held his sword behind him and flew at Zack, giving a loudening battle cry as they grew closer. Closer and closer they got, until their blades met, sparks flying. Ichigo swung his sword across toward Zack, who spun around the strike with ease, but as he spun, his feet stayed in the air, keeping him upside down, staying eye level to Ichigo. He watched as Ichigo's eyes grew wide with the oddity of the sight before him as Zack reach back, then gave a special attack of his…
"Demon's Flurry!"
As he struck out, the blade seemed to have disappeared, but the handle stayed in his hand. Before anything else happened, there was a cry…
"ICHIGO! LOOK OUT!"Rukia had cried out for Ichigo… but it was too late. Zack's arm seemed to be moving in a circle while striking out in a circle. The actual attack was different. Past the handle of his sword was a thin circle of red energy, which Zack's arm followed around and around, and after the energy was like a gust, purely made of countless swords, striking out at every point, cutting at every point and angle on Ichigo's body. After a few seconds, the strikes stopped as Zack lifted his sword in the air and slammed the hilt of his sword directly on Ichigo's forehead, sending him crashing down into the ground.
Ichigo grunted with his eyes tightly closed, feeling the cuts all over his body, as his blood ran out of them. He then heard a clink, opening his eyes to the point on Zack's zanpakuto. He glared at Zack, who was just giving him a harsh, blank stare. After a moment, Zack lowered his weapon, closing his eyes.
"You're not the one I want… just get out of here, will ya?"
He then turned around… and started to head for Rukia, his left hand holding his sheath while his sword was barely off of the ground at his side, the light from the shining moon reflecting down the scratch on it. He stopped as he saw the same orange haired woman stand in front of Rukia. She looked into Zack's eyes as he felt like she was looking into his very soul with just her eyes, which made him turn away.
"Why are you doing this? Why are you attacking us?"
Zack turned back to Orihime, giving a strong stance and face.
"I did not want to attack that orange haired guy, and I won't attack him again as long-"
"No! Why are you attacking Rukia!"
He spun his sword in his fingers, then placed the back of the blade across his shoulders, staying silent. Orihime softened, seeing it, something Ichigo or Rukia saw.
"Why is there… so much sorrow in your eyes, Zack…?"
Zack started, turning away again. Memories of his past rushing forward again…
A man, sitting under a tree on a hill,
Watching the Soul Society from above,
As the tree's cheery blossoms fall around him.
A beautiful woman comes into view,
Her strong eyes shining in the moonlight.
She sat beside him,
Their Shinigami robes matching them perfectly,
As the man takes off his red scarf,
And puts it around the woman,
Giving her warmth on this chilly night.
She looks up to him,
Giving him a very happy smile,
As her hand slowly lays on top of the man's.
He turns his hand around,
And weaves his fingers through her's.
He was happy, just to be with her,
And her feelings just as strong.
They drew closer,
And closer
Until, under the moonlight
They kiss
Just as lovers do…
Zack's hand began to shake, his grip getting tighter on the handle of his sword as he took it off his shoulders. He looked directly at Orihime and Rukia.
"Why…? Why there is so much pain in my heart? Why am I after her? Why am I…?"
He pointed his sword at them, his Spiritual Pressure filling the air, making it heavy.
"You try having the person you love most in the world betray you! YOU try having that person as your only hope for you to get out of trouble for something you did not do, and have her betray you! You try having your powers locked up inside you for 80 years, forced to see the friends you make in the human world grow old and die while you watch! You try hearing Hollows at night, their howling echoing at night, knowing you can't do shit for the poor victims that are eaten, each and every damn night!"
Zack hung his head, his Spiritual Pressure lessening in the air. He then looked up, tears in his eyes as he looked directly at Rukia.
"Rukia… I loved you… and I still do, and always will… but that betrayal you did to me… I know now you are a trickster, a woman who uses men and gets rid of them as soon as there's any sight of a possible problem for you!"
He raised his sword at her as he wiped a tear from his eye.
"That is why… as a lover that you betrayed… I have to kill you, so your venom won't hurt another person like it has me…"
Orihime and Ichigo were dead silent from his words, turning to Rukia, who's eyes were wide and shaking.
"Zack… you betrayed-"
He swung his sword in the air.
"NO! Don't say any more of your lies! They have already cost me my powers, my rank, my whole damn LIFE!"
He then dashed toward Rukia, his arms spread behind him, his sights directly set on her. He drew closer and closer, his sword raised, ready to strike as Orihime raised her arms.
"Baigon! Hinagiku! Lily! I Reject!"
Zack's sword came down on a triangular shield, blocking his strike completely. His eyes grew wide with shock, never seeing anything like this before.
"What the… what type of power is th-"
He stopped, quickly turning his head around… and saw a massive beam of Spiritual Energy heading toward him. He could say only one thing…
"Oh, shit!"
He used his Shunpo, his Flash Step, to get away, appearing about 15 feet away from Rukia and Orihime, a large trail in the ground in front of him and the girls. Zack looked down, eyes wide as he gave a blink.
"That… would have hurt…"
"If you think that would hurt, try this!"
He turned and saw a massive barrage of blue energy arrows flying toward him. Zack, bent back, avoiding some arrows as he flipped into the air to avoid the rest, then used Shunpo again to get high in the air. He looked around then to see who had thrown those attacks. Below, he quickly saw two guys… a very large and buff Spanish man with a black and red right arm, and a smaller, paler guy with glasses, holding an energy bow in his right hand as he fixed his glasses with his left, speaking again.
"I suggest that you leave, before we really try to hit you…"
Zack scowled, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. He knew he could beat them, but he needed to get used to his powers again, being so long, so that he would come out without any injuries… he turned and saw Ichigo, starting to get up, which made him scowl even more. Not knowing what he was fighting against would be the worse thing he could do, so he had to do the only thing he could, which he hated…
He turned and looked at Rukia, who was watching him with soft eyes, eyes which Zack had missed so much… he looked up, holding out his hand in front of him.
"The moonlight… it's much like that night we spent together, isn't it, Rukia…?"
He then disappeared completely, leaving them all alone…
Zack reappeared at the park, standing on top of the swing set. He needed to think, needed to get used to the feeling of his energy flowing through him again, to be able to judge correctly how much energy he had left… and that needed time; time he did not have much of. If he were to kill Rukia, he needed to get used to himself again… but seeing her again, even though she betrayed him… he had missed her and her soft eyes… her gentle hands…
"Is he here?"
Zack gave a blink, being startled by a young girl's voice. He looked down… and saw Yuzu and Karin Kurosaki at the side of the park, on the sidewalk. Karin began to look around in the park.
"I don't see him here, Yuzu… but I'll check here some more, why don't you search at another place for him?"
Yuzu sighed, placing her hands on her hips., her face puffed up.
"Really! Where is he? Dad's been going crazy since an hour ago…"
She then began to walk down the sidewalk, leaving Karin alone in the park. She looked around, seeing her chance, and went over to the swing set, then looked up.
"Excuse me? Could you help me for a second?"
Zack blinked, looking around to see who she was talking to… and saw no one. He gave another blink, looking down at the girl.
"You… can see me?"
End of Chapter Two…