:D HI THERE! sry it's been foreverrrr! and i am truly and sincerely sorry. I had the worst writer's block ever and then things happened and got complicated...but anyway! i'm back! and continuing directly from the previous chap when Mizu and Yura started their final battle. ^^ enjoy
Their swords clashed together, sparks flying from the impact of metal on metal. Yura and Mizu both pushed with equal force. Yura pushed forward then pushed herself back, out of range of the Arrancar. Mizu pushed herself forward, going straight for Yura. Yura blocked Mizu's zanpakuto as it came striking down at her. The force pushed her back. Mizu let up on her strength, falling back as Yura flipped backwards and landed in the water. Her eyes widened as she looked down at the water. It was too easy.
"You're wide open, Soul Reaper!" Yura snapped her head up in time to hear Mizu's movements behind her.
She swerved around and stood up. Just before Mizu's blade reached Yura, the latter arched her back backwards. She flattened her hands and reached her arms out, giving her support as she did a back flip. Her feet made contact with Mizu, hooking under her arms and bringing her down into the water.
Yura quickly turned to face Mizu and watched as the latter stood up, slightly stumbling back. Yura's smirk went unnoticed by the Arrancar. She was completely oblivious. Mizu was then positioning herself to go in for another attack when Yura held her arm out and leaned forward until only her right arm was supporting her. Mizu's eyes widened in realization, but she wasn't quick enough. Yura's hand sparked and electricity crackled all around. The current traveled throughout the water and to Mizu. Mizu screamed as the electrical current traveled through her body. Still twitching violently and uncontrollably, Mizu jumped out of the water and on to a nearby tree. She narrowed her eyes at Yura who was smirking.
"You're underestimating me, Arrancar."
Mizu scoffed. "Keep dreaming, Soul Reaper. I'm just warming up. Don't tell me you're already going all out?" It was Mizu's turn to smirk.
Yura narrowed her eyes. "You should already know I'm holding back. I haven't even used the full abilities of my Shikai, let alone release my Bankai yet. And yet you're already growing weak."
Mizu glared, her hand tightening around the hilt of her sword. A deep growl rumbled from within her chest. "Don't get cocky, Soul Reaper!"
Yura's eyes widened when she could no longer see Mizu. But she took a small step backwards and raised her sword to deflect Mizu's attack. "Don't be reckless. I can read your movements."
Mizu pushed down harder, making Yura's knees buckle beneath the force. "Read this!"
Mizu kicked up her right leg, going for the left side of Yura's face. Yura blocked the kick with her left arm, but just as quickly, Mizu brought up her left leg, kneeing Yura directly in her stomach. Yura shut her eyes and clenched her teeth as she went flying. Her back made contact with a tree and she groaned in pain. She draped her arm around one of the branches to keep herself from falling. Yura quickly looked up when she noticed Mizu. Mizu was coming at her head on. Yura didn't have time to move before Mizu plunged the tip of her sword into Yura's shoulder. Yura cried out in pain. With a grin on her face, Mizu snatched her sword out of Yura's shoulder, making the latter cry out again.
She could feel the blood pouring out of the wound, the sticky, red liquid making her shihakusho stick to her skin. Mizu was about to strike again, going for Yura's abdomen, but Yura used what strength she had to kick her legs up and flip back, putting herself higher up on the tree. Mizu's zanpakuto got stuck in the artificial tree.
"Tch. Nice dodge." She muttered, pulling the blade from out of the tree.
Yura held her right hand over the wound on her left shoulder. Her eyes were narrowed on the Arrancar below. Yura took a deep breath. "Tensou." Yura's shoulder tingled at the sensation of being filled with energy. Though the wound was still open and bleeding, she no longer felt pain.
Mizu rolled her eyes when she noticed what Yura had done. "Why won't you just give up and die already?"
"Because I fight to win. Giving up is not an option."
Mizu smirked. "We'll see."
With narrowed eyes, Yura pushed herself away from the tree and straight at Mizu. Mizu blocked Yura's attack and the both of them were on the offensive, cutting each other at every open opportunity. Yura brought her sword across, but Mizu swung hers at the same time causing their swords to clash and releasing spirit energy. Neither one of them let back on their strength. Make the wrong move and they'll be cut. Then as if reading each other's mind, they kicked up their right leg and kicked the other in their stomach.
They both went flying back, but stopped themselves on a tree and repelled forward. Yura narrowed her eyes and held out her hand. A bolt of lightning shot out of her hand and toward Mizu. Mizu's eyes widened and she used Sonido to avoid the attack. Mizu reappeared on top of a tree and her gaze fell on Yura who was grinning.
Mizu glared at her. "A bit of lightning won't do you any good."
"Don't be so sure. You've seen what happens when electricity mixes with water. Why don't we kick it up a notch?" Yura's grin widened as she held out her hand.
"What're you….You wouldn't!" Mizu gritted her teeth together.
"Kyuu Isei." The lightning shot directly toward the water, causing a huge reaction. Yura could feel the electricity in the air and water and smiled. She had the upper hand. "Let's see if you can avoid the water." Yura said, staring down at her reflection. She looked up when Mizu scoffed.
"I hope you know that doesn't mean much. You're in my territory. I still have the upper hand here."
"Don't be so sure. There's a huge difference in our powers, Mizu. Maybe one of us has the upper hand, or maybe we're both at equal strengths here."
Mizu narrowed her eyes. "You're joking right? There's nothing similar about our powers," Then Mizu grinned. "Unless there's something off about yours."
"What's that supposed to mean?" But Mizu ignored her and was on the offensive, going for an attack. Yura blocked her, but was pushed against the tree she was in.
Mizu pushed with more force, causing the tree to dig into Yura's back. Yura gritted her teeth in pain, holding in her cry. With her eyes tightly shut, Yura attempted to ignore the pain in her back and concentrated on her power as she imagined an electric current traveling through her blade to Mizu's. In response, Mizu yelped and jumped back in surprise, releasing Yura from her hold against the tree and also dropping her zanpakuto in the process. Eyes narrowed, Mizu watched her zanpakuto fall into the electrified water. Yura's hand tightened around the hilt of her sword.
The Espada took a deep breath and glared at the Soul Reaper. "You're just begging to die." Yura's eyes widened when Mizu disappeared from her sight.
Yura positioned herself, ready for an attack. She could still feel Mizu's presence, but it was faint. Where is she? Above? The sides? Behind me? I can't seem to find her direct presence. Yura's gaze flickered around, focusing at every angle. She was on edge. Mizu was hiding her spirit energy so well. The large room was quiet, not even the distant melody was playing. The only sound Yura could make out was the hum of the electrified water and her breathing. She was becoming anxious. How Mizu could keep this up, she had no idea. There was nothing she could do. For all she knew, one wrong move and she'd have lost a limb.
That's when she felt it. A disturbance in the atmosphere. It had to be Mizu, there was no other explanation. Yura was waiting for the attack to come from behind. She felt the presence get closer at a faster pace, and she was just about to turn around to block the attack when a smirking Mizu suddenly appeared just inches in front of Yura. Yura barely had time to react before Mizu charged a cero. Yura's hand met with Mizu's and released a bolt of lightning the same exact time that Mizu released her cero. The explosion between the two caused both of them to fly back and away from each other.
Yura's eyes were shut tight and she clenched her teeth as she flew back. She hit the top of the trees, ripping her shihakusho in the process. She finally caught on to the top of the tree, but slipped and fell in the water. She sat up and coughed up water and cringed as she clenched her abdomen in pain. She looked down at the water to notice the deep red liquid swirling around. Her sides were bleeding as was her head. "Damn…" Her vision was slightly blurry as she tried to make out her surroundings. Where was Mizu now? Yura attempted to stand up, but she only fell back over.
Get up, Yura.
Yura shut her eyes. "I can't…"
Yura!
Yura snapped her head up in time to see a flash of purple and white.
Suddenly, Mizu had Yura by her throat against the wall which had cracked from the impact. Yura gasped for air as she struggled to release herself from Mizu's grip. Mizu's eyes were full of anger as blood trickled down the side of her face. Her clothes were just as battered as Yura's. "Who do you think you are? You think you can just counter my attack like that?!" Mizu's grip tightened around Yura's throat. "You…God, you get on my nerves! You think just because you're a Soul Reaper that you're better than me. Tch. I despise people like you. And now…you'll finally get what was coming."
As Mizu continued to tighten her grip, Yura's eyes started to roll in the back of her head. Stay strong, Yura! Stay strong!
Toshiro suddenly dropped his pen as he gasped for air and held his throat. He ground his teeth together and shut his eyes, trying to focus. This isn't happening…this isn't happening. Not to me at least. Yura… He gripped the edge of his desk. She has to be stronger than this.
Toshiro could no longer think straight. He felt lightheaded. He tried to remind himself that this wasn't really happening to him, but that didn't make him feel much better. It only meant reality. The real situation was that this was happening to Yura. He had to restrain himself. The temptation to find his own way to Las Noches and help her was nearly irresistible. He hated himself for just sitting here, not doing anything.
It was his fault. He could have told her no. No, she couldn't go to Hueco Mundo. No, she couldn't risk her life for a single person. But he just couldn't. If he told her no, he'd live with guilt for as long as this war would last. She loved helping people, it was just in her nature. He had to let her go. But now…she was on the brink of death this very moment because of a simple yes.
Yura continued to struggle as Mizu's grip never faltered. Yura could feel her muscles becoming weaker as less and less amounts of oxygen reached them. She started feeling cold and her hands went cold. She used what little strength she had to look at the Arrancar. Mizu's jaw was clenched, her eyes burning with anger and pleasure at the same time. Yura tried gasping for air again, but that only gave Mizu the opportunity to tighten her grip one last time before Yura went limp. Mizu released her hold and Yura's limp body fell in the water.
Mizu stared down at her in disgust. "Dead already? Tch. Pathetic. Someone needs to come clean up this mess." Mizu turned around and walked away, not noticing the twitch of Yura's hand and the dark atmosphere surrounding her.
Yura's eyes slowly opened and she had to blink multiple times before her eyes adjusted to the brightness. She looked up and stared curiously at the white clouds. "Where am I?" She whispered, her voice echoing around her.
"You don't recognize it, do you? Don't you remember what happened? You're allowing her to win, Yura."
Yura's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Dena?"
Denakuma materialized in front of her, her blue eyes full of sorrow. "I warned you."
"Warned me? What are you talking about?" Yura held her head in her hands as it began to hurt. "I don't understand… What happened?"
"What happened doesn't matter. It's what's happening right now. You're letting her get to you, Yura."
Yura slowly lifted her head and looked at Denakuma. "Who?"
Denakuma walked closer and stood inches from Yura. "You."
"M-me?"
"Your opposite, remember?" Denakuma backed up and turned around. Yura's eyes widened when she noticed the large spot of white on Denakuma. She remembered coming here, now. Everything was wrong. Everything was the opposite. Everything was evil. Denakuma had warned her. If she were to fight Mizu, she'd be consumed by her own hand. By her vengeful self. And that's exactly what was happening.
She shook her head. "No, this is….How do I stop it?"
Denakuma turned back around to face Yura. "The process has officially begun. It may already be too late."
"I refuse to believe that."
"Refuse it if you want, but it is true. Either finish the fight quickly and hope your feelings for revenge don't catch up to you, or don't fight at all and avoid the sense of revenge."
"I have to finish this, Dena," She said, completely straight forward. Denakuma sighed and lowered her head. "Send me back." Yura whispered.
Denakuma lifted her head and stared into Yura's eyes. She was trying to protect her, but how could she if Yura only pushed her away. Denakuma sighed again and turned away as Yura was struck with black lightning and she was gone. The lone wolf dropped down and rested her head on her paws. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply as she felt the tingling sensation of the white spot spread even more.
A/N: and evil ascends from the depths of Yura's heart. will evil reveal itself or will Yura be able to tame it? Who knows? ^^ i really hope you guys liked it. i know after like...4 months it would seem i would've done better, but i literally wrote most of this just yesterday. so give me some credit, please, and review too! i like reviews. i like to know what your thoughts are on the story/situation so far. REVIEWS OPEN TO EVERYONE! YAY!