Chapter 23 : Kind Hearts

"I'm sorry, Kaze." Selena cried as she brought her dagger down upon the stunned Soul Reaper. Kaze Akurei reacted, drawing his Zanpaku-to in defense. He blocked the attack, and jumped backwards.

"Why are you doing this!?" He cried out to her. "Why!?" Selena just stood there. She didn't say a word. The tears never faded, but she didn't speak. She rushed him, ready for a full out assault. She slashed at him, and he defended. He barely managed to block each attack. The gash that was first delivered bothered him severely. He was loosing a lot of blood, and fast. He didn't fight back. He just continued to defend himself, mind racing hopelessly.

Kaze Flash Stepped a good distance away, but was too slow. She followed him easily, and proceeded with the attack. "Stop!" Kaze called out to her, but she paid no attention to his words. "Please, Selena! I'm begging you, stop this!" Kaze stopped all motion, and stood still, arms open. He felt the blade of the dagger drive into his stomach, but he didn't react. He wrapped his arms around Selena, holding her tight. He trembled, crying, still holding his Zanpaku-to. "Selena... Please don't do this." he whispered through tears. "I'm begging you, please stop this..." They remained in the same spot, motionless for some time. "I'm a Sould Reaper, but you don't have to hate me... I'm your friend. I... I thought I could have been more..."

"I'm a Hollow."

"I don't care! Don't you understand!?"

"No..." she frowned, turning the dagger that was still stuck into his gut. He winced from pain, eyes widening. She ripped the dagger sideways, out of his body. He gasped as he slowly plummeted downward, slowly gaining speed. He no longer had a hold of his Zanpaku-to. It fell with him, into the night. He hit the ground, sending dust and debris into the air.

He coughed. He was still alive, but barely able to move. His vision had gotten very blurry, he had lost too much blood. He examined his surroundings as closely as he could. "Haiyaitanin..." he whispered, reaching out to his blade. It was just in front of him. He could see it. He reached out, his hand just barely making it to the blade of the sword. He pulled on it, but felt something heavy. Something weighing it down. He managed to look up. Selena stood there, on the blade of his Zanpaku-to.

"You had your chance to fight back..." she whispered. She wore an expression of sadness, but glared at him. "You had your chance. You could have killed me if you fought back. Why... Why didn't you?"

"Because..." Kaze started, coughing up a bit of blood. "I love you, Selena. I don't want to hurt you. I NEVER wanted to hurt you."

"Killing Hollows, just because we feed on human Souls. Do you think we can help having that emptiness? It's not our fault..."

"As long as I've been a Soul Reaper..." Kaze began, sitting up the best he could. "...I can honestly say. I have never killed a Hollow because of what it did."

"That's a lie." Selena sobbed.

"This is the truth." Kaze smiled, the tears not fading. "I don't kill Hollows because of what they've done, or who they've killed. I do it because of what they are. Can you honestly say that you enjoy living like this? Continuously eating souls,just to fill that emptiness, only to have that emptiness keep coming back. No matter what you do, you can't seem to stop that empty feeling." He looked her in the eyes and smiled.

"You would have killed me if you knew, just like the rest of us..." she said.

"No..." Kaze cried, shaking his head. "I know that pain too well... That hollow feeling in your heart. Longing to belong, and wanting to finally meet someone who I can truly care about. After I met you, that pain... That pain I had felt for so long. It vanished. I no longer felt that emptiness inside my soul." He smiled, slowly grabbing her hand that was clutching the dagger. He held on to her hand tightly, looking into her eyes. She placed the dagger into his hands and grabbed a hold of them, facing the dagger in her direction. She pulled the blade up, so it was pointing at her neck.

"If what you say is true, then do it." she cried. "Please, kill me."

"No."

"Just do it... You've justified your reasons for killing us... It's mercy killing... But you can't kill me..."

"No, I can't."

"You're lying..." She said, removing the dagger from his hand, and standing up. He lay on the ground, trying to look up. But he couldn't find the strength. "You can try to justify your motives for killing us however you want." she sobbed. "I didn't feel any different when I met you. You're... Just like the rest of them." She brought the dagger down fast, and Kaze closed his eyes, waiting for death to consume him. But nothing happened.

He opened his eyes, and blinked. He couldn't see. Everything was so bright. A bright orange glow was emitted from all around him. He heard a familiar voice and realized what was happening. The warmth of the orange glow, the flames... They felt so warm in the cold night. Kaze passed out in the grass, quickly loosing blood.

"Incinerate, Sanatama Karyu" a female's voice spoke as the flames sprung up around them. The two long, golden ribbons at the end of the hilt burst into flame. They floated into the air, letting out a growl. Now, two small flamming dragons took the place of the two ribbons.

"Aya." Kaze spoke.

"Shoosh." She smiled at him, worriedly. "I'll protect you." With that said, she Flash Stepped into the air. She brought her sword down, and Selena defended. Both of the dragons quickly sprung to life, attacking Selena. One bit down on her neck leaving a nasty burn. Selena gasped in pain, and jumped back. Aya wasted no time in continueing the attack. She sprung forward, swinging. Both dragons attacked once more, repeatedly. Selena tried to dodge, over and over again. She was successful each time, but couldn't keep it up much longer. Selena stopped, and stepped back.

"Very well..." Selena spoke softly. "I have no choice..." She twirled her dagger between her fingers, and it glowed, changing shape quickly. The dagger had become a flute. She put the flute to her lips and spoke. "Chime, Princesa de Belces." She began to play a song on the flute, and her spirit pressure erupted. Aya found it very difficult just to stay airborn. Not long passed, and Selena stopped, clutching her forehead. She growled, glaring at Aya. A small portal ripped open in the sky behind her, and she stepped through.

"Running away already?" Aya asked, grinning, but still startled by the sudden explosive Spirit Pressure.

Selena stared at Aya angrily. She took one last glance at Kaze, and let out a soft sob. The portal closed, but she never took her eyes off of him. "I'm sorry..." she whispered, one last time.