Would you love me if you knew what I was?
Chapter Seventeen: That which is Pure and Tainted
Damn…Only three more chapters till twenty. Definitely my longest story, but I'm happy!
Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Bleach. If I did, I'd probably know more about the third movie
Listening to: There is life, by: Alison Krauss (Or was it Krause?)/ Suteki da ne english
Alright action time! Finally, eh? Here's all the action pact-ness that I've deprived you of! lol
Yumi hummed a tune in her head while letting her fingertips trace the petals of a nearby wild garden of stargazer lilies and such. Surprisingly, they were found in a small corner of Urahara's backyard of the shop. It was another one of her breaks, but luckily Archer was out doing an errand so she was able to relax a bit. Something about him made her uncomfortable now and she only guessed it to be yesterday.
"It looks like you cheered up a bit."
She looked up to see a smug look on Ichigo's face while she shrugged nonchalantly," I did."
"Oh? What brought that up?" he asked and sat down beside her," Just a while ago, you were as quiet as a mouse."
"Yeah?" she grinned and met his curious gaze," Well, it's a little hard to stay quiet with someone looking like a cat with catnip around me."
He raised a brow and crossed his arms," Archer?"
"Mm," Yumi nodded in a satisfied way.
"You know that he's going to smack you if he heard you talking like that," Ichigo chuckled.
"I'm hurt," she gasped with a surprised look at an attempt to hide that grin," You don't have any confidence in me!"
"Nope," Ichigo got a hit in the arm after his blunt statement as he glared," You hit hard!"
"Wimp," Yumi sighed but then got up and went to the front door of the store," You coming?"
"Alright," he stood up as well. A soft smile played on her lips before going inside. Ichigo only caught a glimpse of it but he managed to see one fleeting emotion coming from her face. The same emotion that was mirrored in Rukia's eyes before…
"Again!" Urahara ordered as Yumi and Ichigo nodded and clashed blades once more. Sparks flew and garbs were tattered and torn from hours of battling. Yumi feinted twice before making a thrust to his side. Ichigo retaliated by reading the first feint and dodged the second. With the thrust, he let his sword slid against it while getting in close. She growled and hesitated before twisting her blade and slashed upwards, pushing the carrot head up as well. With this opportunity, she jumped up and collided with his sword again but downwards and let gravity finish. The result?
"Gah!" Ichigo grimaced and fell to the ground. Yumi put a hand to her lips and muttered an 'oops' before landing on her feet.
"Ichigo?"
She heard a groan and when the dust cleared, there lay Ichigo sprawled on top of Tessai who had caught him.
Yumi sighed again and helped the boy up, ignoring Tessai's comments about 'broken glasses' and the 'twentieth pair used this month.' You have to wonder where he got those, though…
"You alright? Sorry I hit hard."
He scratched the back of his head," Nah, it's alright. If that's how it is in the Soul Society then it shouldn't be too bad."
At a single word, her gaze hardened and that smile faded. 'There it is again… Yumi, what the hell is going on?' Violet orbs softened and his curious and worried gaze as she sent him a sheepish grin.
"Well if you're that happy, I guess you might not need my help then!"
"Oi!"
"Are you two arguing again? Jeez,"
Ah, the other bastard.
"Hey Archer," she greeted with a tired smile and a wave. Archer sent her a strange look as he duly noted that her hair was tied up in a messy bun with the same ribbon he gave her. In response, he sighed. Ichigo quirked a brow when he noticed something. Why the hell was everyone sighing today?
"Whatever." And he walked away with his hands in his pockets. Yumi frowned and slowly lowered the hand she was waving with. Something was wrong with Archer and it wasn't good. He was just fine yesterday, so…
"Yumi?"
"Gah!" Yumi jumped up and nearly beat Ichigo up with her still broken blade. At least it was three quarters of the way done now," Ichigo, don't scare me like that!"
"Err, sorry," he said," You looked like you were spacing out so I wanted to know if something was up."
'He was worried about me.' She thought and a sad expression just broke through the mask she put up a while ago. Feeling the right to do something, she turned around to seemingly go to him only to walk past him and whisper something under her breath before running to the exit. Ichigo's brown eyes widened and before he could turn, she was gone.
Yumi ran through the streets of Karakura, just like the night when Rukia was taken to Seireitei. There was something she needed to do and staying hidden would never help. Even if it was her, as long as the others were safe it would be fine.
She wasn't scared anymore
Stopping at forest near the graveyard, she stood in her Shinigami form.
"Reisha!" she called," come out!"
A 'tsk' sound was heard from the trees as a cloaked masked figure came out in front of her a couple meters away. Her mask was that of a raven but when she took it off, there stood Reisha with a smug look on her face.
"So, instead of waiting, you find death itself, eh?" she grinned and tore her cloak away. Only then did Yumi notice the number four emblazoned on her right arm, just below her shoulder.
Yumi drew her sword and pointed it to her opponent in silence.
Reisha's eyes narrowed as she grew gravely silent," So you're serious." In drawing her blade, she placed it on a 45 degree angle in front of her and placed her left palm against the blunt end of the sword," Any last words?"
"I have none," she breathed and felt the grip on her sword tighten in anticipation. Yumi knew what was coming up and murmured softly," I'm not throwing my life away just yet."
"Brave words for such a young girl," Reisha shook her head and concentrated," Reap her soul, Shitsunen (Oblivion).
"Hey, Archer?" asked Ichigo, walking up to the teen that sat on the cliff edge again. Something was bothering in the back of his mind so he decidedly needed to tell someone.
"What? Shouldn't you be training?" came the obviously curt reply from the annoyed cat. Archer didn't even turn his head to answer. "Where's the brat anyway?"
"That's what I was going to ask you."
Archer's eyes widened before fully turning his head to the soul reaper," What?"
"Last time I saw her was about three hours ago. But she never told me where she was going," Ichigo answered with a worried expression.
"Then where could she—"Archer then felt the presence of a familiar force and felt the mark on his chest burn. Realization came to him like a ton of bricks as he sprang up and began to run for the exit," Shit, that idiot is going to get herself killed!"
Meanwhile, Yumi had just fallen to her knees from the sheer rawness of Reisha's reiatsu.
Her weapon was no longer a sword but a long scythe. The curved blade at the top was shining a pale blue from the moon and around the top of the staff was a dark purple rose. Along the metal was an engraving in what seemed to be an ancient language that couldn't be read in the light remaining.
"Can you hear it, Yumiko?" asked Reisha and she spun the scythe in a wide arc," the call of my zanpakuto?"
In response, Shitsunen let out a pulse of energy that caused Yumi's own blade to resonate in defiance. Reisha beamed at this and slung the blunt staff on her shoulder.
"I can see that you're willing to fight me even with that broken stick of yours. It's a pathetic excuse for a weapon. But do you really think you can win without using your Shikai, Yumi?"
"I'm not here to win, Reisha," she growled and readied her sword that had let out an angry spark of reiatsu.
It was almost saying,' a stick…? You did not just call me that you lowly—'
'Calm down. As much as I would like to clip that damned haughty air of her, we have to focus.'
'So, the girl can think.'
'Not helping any you know…!'
Yumi ignored the banter beginning in her soul and continued," I'm here to end it." With breakneck speed, she clashed her sword against the scythe. One would call it an act of insane proportions, but Yumi thought ahead. With Reisha concentrated on her sword, she pushed up and sent a kick to her stomach.
'If I can just get her away from her scythe, I might just win…' she thought hopefully and jumped a few meters away.
Reisha growled at her attack and swung her scythe once more but this time let out a large wave of red reiatsu. Yumi wasn't expecting this and only dodged enough so that it wasn't fatal. Alas, it had just grazed her left calf and it burned with such intensity.
"Does it hurt?" she asked with glee and let her finger graze the metal," There's still that familiar substance on this very scythe. This time, it's so concentrated that by the time it touches your skin it becomes unbearable. As added bonus, you remain awake the whole time instead of passing out."
Yumi felt her knees shake, mostly from the searing pain in her left leg. Unable to take more, she fell to the ground on one knee.
"But of course, any person that makes poison makes antidotes…" Reisha took out a small glass bottle from within the purple rose on top of the scythe. The liquid inside was almost a red black color. "So I'll make a deal with you.
"Bring him to me, and we'll call ourselves even. Simple enough, yes?" she said and clapped her hands together cheerfully.
"You disgust me to no end…" Yumi hissed in response. However, she tensed when Reisha had sealed her zanpakuto and walked up to her. She lifted her up by the collar of her garbs and sighed.
"And you're pathetic. I'm offering you a way out and you end up digging your grave even deeper! I'm hurt, actually," she feigned hurt and pouted," The amount of trust you have in me definitely wounds me, but oh well—"Reisha was cut short when she felt a sharp pain in her side. Looking down, she saw Yumi's sword right through her left side and exposed flesh from the ripped shihakusho.
Yumi struggled to smirk," Oh yeah? Allow me to help you with that." With the twist of the blade, more blood poured through and Reisha let the girl out of her grasp and held her side. She screamed in pain.
"You sneaky bitch," she jeered and almost redrew her sword before something stopped her. Yumi had only blinked and missed the entire action. Somehow, another dark clad figure stood in front of Reisha and had an iron grip on her hands. The other hand of theirs held a blade pointing at her neck.
"Now, now, Reisha. We don't want to do anything rash, do we?"
'Impossible…I didn't even hear him unsheathe his sword let alone even sense him coming.' Yumi thought. But was he friend, or foe? The black cloak that he wore was slightly different from Reisha's. His had something like a pattern normally found in horoscope maps, except this symbol was more like hands on a clock.
The figure (Presumed a man due to height, build, and voice) chuckled and let down his hood an let Yumi have a better look, although he did not turn to face her. He had dark blue hair that resembled the night sky and when he removed the mask on his face, silver eyes were seen. A scar line was just barely visible on his left cheek.
"Who are you?" asked Yumi, bringing attention to her again.
"Ah yes, I am so sorry milady. I have not introduced myself, have I?" he did a small bow and she couldn't tell if it was sincere or mockery. Something in the back of her head thought it to be the latter," I am simply a shadow. Master of the dark, if one would say."
"You flatter yourself to much," Reisha muttered. He heard this and sent her a strict stare at caused her to freeze in fear. She fell to her knees with a blank expression before snapping out of it," M-my deepest apologies, Sir. I did not wish for any harm to come to your name."
During their slight quarrel, Yumi tried getting back up on her feet but failed miserably, once again drawing attention.
"I beg your forgiveness, Yumiko-San. I seemed to have forgotten about you again." said the man who had then knelt down on one knee. He then put his hand under her chin and gently lifted it up," Mm, you definitely match the description. Vivid violet eyes and beautiful brown locks…definitely a pureblood," he moved a few strands of hair behind her left ear as she was left breathless (and not in a good way)," I can see how Archer had taken interest in you…"
At his name, Yumi tensed her muscles and tore away from his grip on her chin.
He only smirked at this," Did I hit a soft spot?"
"Go to hell," she barked and got regained strength in her legs, if only just a little.
Reisha was about to snap at her before the man laid a hand across her chest to silence her. Reluctantly, she obeyed but also kept her hand on the hilt of her zanpakuto in case.
"'Go to hell,' you say?" he repeated with something akin to curiosity but it also held a knowing look," Well, I guess all I can say is that it wasn't at all as bad as I thought I would be." Yumi's eyes widened at the statement as she used her sword to push up to her legs. While doing so, her eyes flickered to the now visible mark on the back of his left hand. In black letters was the number nine in roman numerals. What did those numbers mean…?
"What did you say?"
The man allowed a small smile that concealed a strange glint in his eyes," Aside from the occasional burns and the smell of decay, it's quite easy to move about."
"So, you're…?"
"I told you didn't I?" called another voice. Both Yumi and the man turned their gaze up to a tree branch that held the weight of one person. A smirk was on his lips and those amber pools were swimming with determination," You ask way too many questions."
"Archer," Yumi let out a breath of relief until she felt cold metal against her exposed neck. The man was behind her, his left hand keeping her close while the other held the blade that kept her life in his hands.
"It's been a while, eh?"
"Too long," replied Archer, descending down the tree with a single jump and landed in front of them," Now let her go. She's not who you're really after. Aren't I right, Reisha?"
In the back, Reisha had just finished sealing her wound with kido before truly acknowledging his presence. "Shut up, prissy stray…"
He sighed, now other people were making god awful names up for him. But that was beside the point. He took his gun and aimed it right at the man's head," Let the girl go, now." To put emphasis on the words, he stressed them more by putting even spaces between them.
The man shrugged and simply let her go as Archer had ordered. Archer held a confused stare before it dawned upon him along with a feeling with pure horror. His sword…
Archer noticed the small cut on her neck and literally screamed," Yumi, run! Get away from him—"
"Too late," he said and a few droplets of Yumi's blood trailed downward on the cruel metal and tainted it a dark red. Then, even opening the gates of hell could not match the reiatsu pouring out," Spread your dark wings, Akumu."
Hitsugaya felt a sudden chill run down his spine while doing the usual paperwork. Something was obviously wrong since he seldom ever got those (Being the master of ice and water). It almost felt like someone or something was crying out from within the frozen domain that existed in his soul.
"Hitsugaya-Taicho?" asked a sudden voice. He looked up to see one of the other newer recruits that Matsumoto had selected. Kurokami Haruhi, if memory served him. "Is there anything wrong?"
"No, that's not it." He said and tapped the papers on the desk to line them up," Just a draft."
Haruhi, obviously not believing him for a moment, nodded and took the finished paperwork," Alright then."
Once leaving, he rubbed his temples in agitation before Matsumoto burst into the room. Except this time, other than being bubbly and annoying, she put on a face of urgency and worry," Taicho!"
"Matsumoto, what is it this time?"
"It's the special force team. They found a tear between the paths from Seireitei to the human world. They also found out about a separate group acting on its own that has recently descended to Karakura, Sector 9125, 0536!"
Hitsugaya stood up from his desk quickly," that's the area Miyamoto was… Matsumoto, call Captain Soi Fon to get her special forces ready and send a hell butterfly to Captain Kurotsuchi to shut down the currents."
"Yes but," she paused," What are you going to do?"
"We are going to go with them and help retrieve Miyamoto ourselves." He answered, stressing the 'we' and didn't allow her to fix a thing before using shunpo to exit the room. Matsumoto allowed a small smile before leaving herself and readying a hell butterfly. If all went well, then maybe they could see their favorite Shinigami girl soon. The fukutaicho had only hoped that she was still alright…
It all happened so fast. One moment, she stood frozen in time. Unmoving and unable to even breath at the silence. The next, she's on the ground, rolling onto her back and letting out a cry of agony while clutching the cloth of her shikakusho. The small cut on her neck now had a black mark that looked like a pair of black wings, and it was getting larger each moment.
Archer ran over to her and lifted her back up," Yumi, are you alright?"
"I'm fine…" she groaned and struggled to stay calm," I'm alright – shit I'm not…!"
"You know all too well what the effects of my zanpakuto does, don't you Archer?" he said with amusement in his tone. The sword in his hand was no longer a normal katana. It was long and curved in length, almost like a scimitar. The metal had dark red accents (No doubt made with her blood) along with ancient writing similar to Reisha's scythe and the hilt was black adorned with a red ito. The guard was slightly different though. There were two black folded wings along it. "When these two wings are spread, she will die from that mark on her neck. And all the while, you can watch her beg for death as my zanpakuto consumes her soul slowly."
"You bastard!" he yelled and took his gun in hand.
"Don't get mad at me," the man crossed his arms," It was you who broke orders and didn't finish her off with the shot."
Yumi's eyes managed to open slightly and stare at him with a look of disbelief," Archer?"
He gripped Yumi's hand tightly in something parallel to spiteful remembrance. She noticed this even with the growing pain in her neck and began to glare at the other man.
"Yumi," Archer spoke softly as her eyes were brought to his. A distant look was on his face as she tilted her head," Later, you might hear some things about me… Just know that it's not all true, got it?" Yumi gave a small nod before squeezing his hand in reflex from the shooting pains.
"Y-Yeah…"
"Alright," he said and picked her up in arms and disappeared in a flash. Reisha flinched at the speed he had used and almost went in pursuit before he came back empty handed.
She pouted, feeling left out now," Aw, you put her somewhere safe? That's no fun…"
"Don't worry, Rei," the man cooed," I want to have some fun with my old friend."
"You're no friend of mine," Archer cut in," not anymore, Dai."
"So you remember…" his eyes narrowed and glinted dangerously," but can you kill the one person you valued as family, Archer?"
Archer answered with a shake of his head," No, I might not be able to break those bonds we made back in Rukongai – back when you were your normal self," he moved his hand to his back where there was a hidden blade from within the folds of his own black trench coat," But I have to do this. Because I promised to myself, that if you were still alive after that damned war…" slowly, the cat unsheathed the long blade that had been sealed away for so long," I would kill you myself."
Daichi blinked before closing his eyes for a moment of silence. If Archer didn't know any better, he would have sworn he saw a flash of regret in those silver pools, but it quickly vanished as fast as it had surfaced. "You've grown." His own blade pulsed and sent messages to Archers unnamed one, giving the urge to cut through flesh and clash like titans," Very well. Show me. Show me that resolve that you've spent years to create as I crush it to dust."
"You fool," called a strict yet familiar voice as Yumi found she was on the plain once more. The woman reappeared in front of her, still in her noble kimono ready for battle and cowl covering up to her nose. Crimson orbs bore into her violet once before narrowing," You still haven't called upon your zanpakuto?"
"It's broken…" she answered meekly and managed to sit up from her earlier position," so I can't call its name."
"Excuses," the woman snapped and drew one blade from its scabbard," Do you know why it is taking so long for your sword to mend itself together?" when Yumi remained silent she frowned from behind the cowl," it's from your indecisiveness."
"What?" Yumi felt slightly offended and stood up from her position," I know who I am and I know the name of my zanpakuto!"
She quirked a brow and pointed the tip of the sword to the girl," Oh really? Tell me, what is your full name?"
"It's—"Yumi was just about to answer when the pain in her neck became a nuisance and distracted her for a moment," It's…"
"What is the name of your blade?"
No longer was she able to form even a single coherent thought on either question. Something seemed to block it off from her mind as she held her head in her hands,' I don't know anymore…!'
"You worry," the woman stepped forward," 'Am I really who I am?' 'Do I even know what I am?'" the tip now touched the area her heart was," 'Will I be consumed by the Demons within?'
"I can see from your shock and silence that you really have thought of these, even the last that has been concealing itself deep within your heart. There is only one answer to them!" She tossed Yumi her extra blade on her back, seeing as she had no sword herself at the moment. When drawing, they clashed in an instant.
"When you don't know then find it in your soul to keep searching!"
Another attack was to her side which she had just about blocked
"When you doubt your origins, only look ahead!"
The sword was knocked out of her Yumi's hands when she had become distracted by the sudden movement. By the force used, she was knocked to the ground and stayed there before pulling herself together. However, seeing how the situation was hopeless, Yumi went on her knees but did not bow. She simply…stayed there.
"When your lost and hesitant, cast aside all fear and doubt."
The woman then raised her arm for the final attack that would end it.
"If the demons of your past come back to haunt you give them no quarter, as they will give you none. Find the strength inside you to drive them away for good."
A pitying look was found on her features and she stopped the blade merely an inch before her head. Yumi didn't move either, nor did she flinch.
"Why is it that you fight, Child? Tell me and I will aid you. If you refuse to, I will end this lunacy once and for all."
Yumi lifted her gaze and locked her amethyst orbs with rubies. In them, she found the answer that the woman wanted, but was she ready for the commitment? It would be a large step and a stab in the dark, but…
Resolve finally shone through as she stood up with a defiant look. The woman nodded silently.
"So, what is your answer?"
"I have none."
Her eyes narrowed once more except it held no compassion whatsoever. They glistened as hard as diamonds," What?" Her sword pulsed with irate energy as she lifted it to actually slash down. Yumi simply closed her eyes and awaited the blow when something came to her mind. On instinct, her right hand shot up and caught the blade. Despite the stinging pain and the blood flowing down her arm, she locked eyes once more.
"I have no answer because there is none," she stated and gripped the metal harder whilst moving it away from her body with surprising force," The only way for me to know that is to move forward, that I understand. But no one but I can change it if the fates are against me."
Crimson softened into a deep cerise as she withdrew the blade slowly after using her free hand to pry the smaller hands off with a gentle touch. Feeling the blood on her skin, the woman nodded affectionately and tore a long piece of cloth off from her beautiful kimono. Yumi was about to protest when she was silenced by the woman using it as a makeshift bandage on her wound.
"This is proof that you have gone through another instinct: uncertainty," she finished quietly and moved a lock of Yumi's hair away from her face," At times, we will be given the opportunity to save one person but lose thousands in the process. When that time comes, follow your heart but heed the warnings in your head. A heart is nothing if tainted by dark thoughts of a sinister mind.
"As of now, your friend is in grave danger. If it continues, he will no longer be able to stand beside you in physical form. Not only that, but he is waging a mental war with himself, to kill his old companion to save him, or let him live another day and suffer with himself. He who has placed the curse on you, Child, is not completely tainted just yet. There is still a chance, but your friend does not know it."
"Archer…" she whispered under her breath in worry," But I—"a finger was pressed against her lips.
"Do not fret. I may not be able to do it for long, but I can force the curse down for a short time. Now go, leave this mind and I will follow."
lol, Haruhi-Chan got a present. I'm sure she knows what it is,
A/N: Sorry. It was supposed to be longer, but the file size got so big that I have to split it into two parts (Yeah, I have to delete some stuff off my USB so that there's enough room, XD). The next part is coming soon though (Maybe). Since it separated, I have to edit some vital parts. But there's a surprise at the end so you HitsuxYumi lovers will be happy for the stuff I've deprived you of once more!
Ugh, my mind went like…dead at a few points. I bet it's easy to tell where. –sigh-
Omake Theatre
Akatsu: -sigh-
Yumi: Mm? What's wrong? Plus I haven't seen you for a while Aka-Chan…
Mana: It's probably because of the book
Archer: Book?
Mana: There's this book that Akatsu-Chan really wants but she's broke and can't get it
Ichigo: What's it called?
Hitsu: Sorry, but what does this have to do with the stupid omake's after each damned chapter?
Yeah, really short omake and not really funny, but it's to compensate!
And Akatsu/I am seriously bummed about a book… -sigh- me wants to buy it… (Ranger's Apprentice, by: John Flanagan)
Review. It makes me write faster...
Seriously, I wrote a whote story in like four hours with long pages (Even my english teacher was impressed/shocked. XD)
