Explosion of fury.
Kuchiki Byakuya was working in his office of the 6th squad signing papers and writing memos of missions already concluded by the members under his supervisions, for hours, when he decides to give his fingers a rest from all the work that they did since the morning. The captain gets up from his chair and drinks the tea that his servant left on the table for him. He goes to the window and looks at the horizon. Something was bothering him, the dream he had with Rukia last night.
- What did that mean... - He whispers.
Byakuya closes his eyes and thinks about the dream he had, bringing him nostalgic feelings of those scenes, so alive that couldn't even be called dreams.
Flash
The captain of the 6th squad came home tired that day, and he wouldn't let show his hurry and relief of coming home.
- Good night, Byakuya-sama. - Greet some of his servants, opening the gate of the mansion for him. Byakuya greets them back and enters the house.
- Good night, Byakuya-sama. - Seike Nobutsune, his most trusted servant, bows to him.
- Are they already here? - Asks the captain.
- Yes, sir. They arrived at the beginning of the afternoon, but only Rukia-sama and the young master have stayed.
- I see. And where are they now?
- Rukia-sama is waiting for you at the guest lounge and the young master hasn't stopped running and playing all over the place. - Answers the servant with a smile.
Byakuya goes to the guest lounge and sees a woman in a black kimono sitting waiting for him. She hears the door opening and looks at it.
- Nii-sama! I missed you. - Rukia grins from ear to ear by seeing her brother after a month.
- Rukia...- Says Byakuya, relieved for seeing his sister.
- How are you Nii-sama? - She asks gently.
- I'm fine. - Says the captain that learned to smile naturally to his sister after many years.
- Nii-sama, Ichigo sends his greetings, but he couldn't stay because of his work. He said he would be very happy if our daughter could spend the weekend here with you. She wouldn't stop talking of you, so we decided to bring her here and ask for you to take care of her, just for the weekend.
- Yes, she can stay. I won't have so much work this weekend and I can ask my lieutenant to do my work, if I need to.
- Hisana will be very happy to hear that.
- Oh, and by the way, where is she?
- Good question, Nii-sama... She's been running throughout the mansion playing with the servants since we arrived and I haven't seen her since then. - Rukia says, worried, looking around for Hisana.
- Let's look for her then. - Byakuya offers his hand to Rukia as a gentleman.
- Okay. But if we're talking about Hisana, there is no need to worry, Nii-sama. - She says, amused, holding her brother's hand.
- My concern is my servants, not her...
His sister laughs.
It was true, Rukia have already forgotten that her daughter must be a lot of work for the servants. She lost count on how many of them had given up taking care of Hisana because they had no energy enough. In that aspect, she was just like her father.
Byakuya and Rukia were walking calmly through the halls of the mansion, asking about Hisana while they were talking about their routines, when suddenly they hear a loud noise and desperate voices.
- Wait, young master! Don't go there! - Screams a woman, hoarse.
- Please, young master! Rukia-sama will kill us! - Screams another, clearly tired.
Byakuya could hear a sound like horses trotting toward him. That was the signal. He looks back...
- UUUNNCLE! - a five year-old child looking just like Rukia, except for the brown eyes, dressed in a blue kimono jumps to Byakuya's chest, like a little monkey.
Byakuya couldn't see where the girl came from and that scared him sometimes.
- Young master...- The two servant run to them, breathless, and bow to them, almost strenghtless.
- My daughter, when will you learn to greet your uncle the correct way, at least once? – she rebukes Rukia.
- Sorry mommy... - The little girl pouts.
- There's no problem, I'm already used to that kind of greetings, since she wakes me up like that every morning she sleeps here.- comments Byakuya, naturally.
Rukia feels a little ashamed, even that her brother seemed not to care.
- So, seems like you'll sleep here, aren't you? - Says the uncle to his niece.
- Mommy said that I need to ask you first. - Says Hisana trying to sound like a good child.
- Your uncle is right in front of you, I believe it's the proper time to ask him, my daughter. - Her mother remembers.
- Uncle, can I sleep here? - Asks Hisana with a strategic expression, making it impossible for Byakuya to deny it.
- All right. - Answers the captain of the 6th squad.
- YEEAAHH! - Celebrates Hisana, hugging Byakuya.
Rukia looks at her daughter so happy and feels satisfied with herself.
- Hey uncle, can I ask you a question?
- Of course you can.
- Actually, I've asked mommy this once, but she told me that you are the only one who can answer me that question.
Rukia realised what was coming and was already panicking.
- Ahn... My daughter... - She was in a cold sweat.
Byakuya looks at Rukia curiously.
- So ask it. - Says the captain to Hisana.
- Where do babies come from? - Hisana asked very innocently.
Byakuya is surprised by that. He would never guess that that would be the question and, moreover, saying that Rukia told her that only he could answer such thing! Rukia had to give him some explanations.
The captain looks at her but she's not there anymore and he couldn't feel her reiatsu. Even his servants weren't there anymore.
He was in for a trouble, and though he wouldn't let show, he was nervous already. What would he answer for a five year old child?
- Uncle? Hello? Are you there? Uncle?! - Hisana calls Byakuya looking at nowhere. - Uncle? Uncle! Uncle!
He comes back to her.
- Well, my child... - Starts the captain. - Have you ever heard of the storks...?
End of flash.
Byakuya opens his eyes, looking at the horizon and still thinking about that dream. He never had a dream about the future, only dreams about the past and about Hisana, his dear wife, when she was alive. However, the dream he had made him feel strangely happy, a happiness that he could only feel when he dreamt about his wife. And the strangest thing is that the dream felt more like a memory than just a dream.
Rukia was in it. She was an adult, beautiful like never before, married with that "boy with orange hair that never respects me!" and she had a daughter, as beautiful as her mother, a daughter who had the same name his wife had. Byakuya smiled while he wasdreaming and that felt so strange, maybe because he didn't smile for a really long time, or because it was such an innocent andtruly happy smile.
- Hisana...
Mentioning that name brings him so many memories... He looks at his cellphone and looks for the name "Rukia" in the contacts. He wills to call her, but what would he say to her? It would be weird, because he hardly ever called her, especially at that time. So Byakuya puts the cellphone back at the table and goes back to work. Maybe he could call her later.
As the captain works, the memories kept coming across his head, and though they weren't exactly memories, they felt delightful like one.
He smiles, unaware of it.
Rukia couldn't feel anything but her soul trying desperately to leave her body. She was almost dead, and she could hear nothing more than a voice, a voice that she knew so well and a voice that could make her feel so secure... And that voice was becoming so distant and she feared she could never hear that voice again.
- Ichigo... I can hear you... Where... Where are you...? - Rukia begins to search for her dearest friend, screaming worriedly for her; and so, she sees him, lying on the floor, badly hurt. - Ichi...go... - She, with much difficulty, stretched out her hand, trying to reach him. - I'm sorry... - Rukia cries, her tears mixing with the blood. - I'm so... So... Sorry... - Rukia loses consciousness before she could see the insects flying to her, ready to kill her.
Granus laughs like a lunatic, having the time of his life.
Ichigo, watching everything closely, felt hopeless as he saw Rukia's eyes closing and her skin color fading. His life goes through his eyes. The day his mother died. The day Rukia was taken to soul society and he was down on the floor, without moving. His friends being hurt and falling in front of his eyes; somehow, only the worst memories came to his mind, sufocating him, and he does something he thought he would never do again.
He cries.
A gigantic explosion happens.
- RUUUUUKKIIIIAAA! - Screams Ichigo in horror with tears running down with the blood on his face. Because of the blood and tears on his eyes, he couldn't see what was happening. His body shivered without reacting.
Another explosion. Ichigo looks at his left, the direction where the sound came.
Another explosion, just above him, and then another, and another... Ichigo gets confused. What was happening? He looks at the two enemies.
Fisus, who was before sitting and calm, was now standing up, serious, looking at all directions, trying to find something.
Granus was making his spheres to explode everywhere, frantically, with no apparent reason. He was angry, cursing every attack he missed.
Ichigo takes off his hollow mask and cleans his face with his clothes, trying to see better and to understand what was going on, but he can only see the explosions everywhere. He looks at Rukia and she was no longer there.
- Rukia! - Screams Ichigo, even more confused. He concentrates and with the help of the little amount of energy that was left, he sees a shadow flying fast through the skies, stepping on the insects and exploding them, one by one, three by three. But what really caught Ichigo's attention was not just the speed of the shadow, but the fact that the shadow was carrying something...
- RUKIA!- Screams Ichigo surprised to see the silhouette of her friend in the shadow's arm.
Granus was boiling with hate. No matter how many insects he created, none could hit the thing running everywhere, jumping through the buildings and flying like an eagle in low flight. His precious insects exploded against each other. - Bitch! Stand still so I can kill you! - Screams Granus.
Fisus looks serious at the battlefield.
- Finnaly, she's here... My child.
The young Hisana, wearing a black hood, runs with absurd speed through the battlefield as the insects fly toward her and her mother, but she dodges all of them, making them to explode each other.
Hisana, with a quick move, goes down to center of the domain. Many insects come to her, she dodges them one by one and she jumps out of that place; but there was one insect left. That caughts her by surprise and she gives her back to the insect to protect Rukia.
The insect explode and they disappear inside the tick and hot smoke.
Granus laughs.
- Fisus! I think I killed your toy! Sorry!
Fisus wasn't paying attention at Granus.
- Rukia! - Ichigo chokes, trying to get up.
The smoke dissipates and the silhouette of a perfectly well Hisana appears.
Granus's face was of astonishment.
- That's impossible! She doesn't even have a scratch! - He screams with hate.
Hisana's back was turned, in order to protect Rukia from the explosion. She looks with anguish at her mother, who was still breathing, thanks to Hisana, who could save her. But it was a close one.
Really close...
5 minutes before.
Hisana looks at her clock. Time was passing and Urahara wouldn't contact her; she was getting really nervous. Suddenly, she feels Inoue's reiatsu decreasing and a few minutes after, Ichigo's and Rukia's.
- Oh no! No! No! No!
Beep, beep, beep...
As soon as the communicator starts to transmit a message, Hisana runs.
- Hisana! The preparations are ready! But I could only release the seal with 30%.
- 30%?! You took thirty minutes to release only 30%?! You got to be joking me!
- I don't have time to explain what happened, Hisana, now try to save our friends!
- You don't need to tell me what I know I have to do!
- We'll talk latter.
The communication ends.
Hisana runs toward the great black dome. She produces a spell with her right hand and his kimono slowly vanishes, revealing her dark clothes. She runs so fast through the streets that the persons who she passes by are felled.
- Oh my god! What was that? Did you feel that? - Says a woman, surprised, looking at a man that felt the same instant she did.
- Yeah, feels like the wind blew too hard... - Answers the man, confused.
Hisana runs and when she reaches the black dome, she dives under it and gets into the battlefield. She sees the situation they were in and she sees Rukia on her knees, with lots of insects flying to her at full speed and Ichigo screaming desperately completely strengthless.
Hisana flies to Rukia before the insects could hit her. She holds Rukia in her arms and runs away, hearing an explosion behind her. She sees Granus smiling at her and producing more insects.
Hisana sucessfully dodges all of them and stops in front of Granus, and then, she disappears, making the insects go directly to Granus. He refutes one and jumps away from the others, exploding them.
Angry, Granus creates more insects to fly after the youngster.
Fisus, who were sitting, was now standing up, observing.
This instant, Ichigo hears a lot of explosions and wonders what was going on.
Now
Hisana looks at the battlefield and analyses the situation of her friends. She sees Ishida and Sado unconscious, Ichigo looking surprised at her and Inoue opening her eyes. Hisana turns her attention back at her mother.
Rukia bleeds in her daughter's arms, her blood running through Hisana's fingers, bringing her sad memories and, most of all, bringing her hate. Her heart boils with hate as she feels Rukia's precious blood leaving her body. Her eyes, once brown, were now red of anger as she stares at Granus and Fisus.
Granus, not knowing of the danger he's facing, stares Hisana back, proud of what he did to her friends. Fisus looks cautiously at Hisana, with his hand on his sword. Knowing the youngster so well, he could expect anything from her.
Hisana was about to burst, she wanted to kill them in that exact minute. She swore she would never let that happen again.
" NEVERMORE! " she screams in her thoughts. - Awaken Hiryu...!
- I... chi...
Hisana stops and looks at Rukia.
- I... Chi... Go... - Rukia called for her friend.
The youngster looks tenderly at her mother and looks around for her father.
Granus and Fisus's eyes can't keep up with Hisana's velocity as she disappears and, moments after, they find her next to Ichigo.
- When did she...? - asks Granus, hoping an answer from Fisus, but Fisus just saw what Granus saw: nothing.
Hisana kneels besides Ichigo and places Rukia carefully on the ground, but still holding her head. She, with her free hand, takes off her overcoat and improvises a pillow with it, placing her mother's head on it.
Ichigo watches all that affection the young girl shows towards Rukia and many questions come to his mind.
" Who are you? Where do you come from? Are you a shinigami? Do you know those guys? Do you know us? "
Ichigo would have asked her all those questions, but his voice wouldn't come out. When he opens his mouth to try to say something, he notices a couple of scars in her back and shoulders.
She invokes a sword right before his eyes and sticks it next to him and Rukia. In this instant, Zangetsu and Sode no Shirayuki resonates. Ichigo feels something familiar, like a déjà-vu.
Hisana was looking at Rukia and was caressing her face, trying to clean her tears and blood. She had many memories of her mother coming across her mind; and not just her mother. She looks at Ichigo and sees how confused he was and that he was trying to say something. Her parents were alive right in front of her; her family reunited after such a long time...
She smiles at Ichigo and continues to clean Rukia's face.
- Well, well, well, if it's not our child, back to us after a long time. - Says the deep hollow, clapping his hands.
- That's enough, Granus. - Says Fisus cautiously.
- You should have arrived latter, so that I could have more fun...
- I said that's enough, Granus. - Insists Fisus.
Hisana continues to clean Rukia's face, but her eyes were still red.
- So, my child, since we haven't seen you in a long time, first of all, I'd like to know how you are doing. - Granus says that with a cynic smile.
Hisana stops cleaning Rukia's face and she clenches her fists.
- Granus! I already told you to stop it! - Screams Fisus.
Hisana disappears.
Granus, by instinct, looks down and sees Hisana coming with a punch in his stomach. Everything happens really fast. The deep hollow screams when he feels an enormous pressure on his stomach.
He spits a dark liquid and flies away, hitting a building. As the building collapses, the deep hollow tries desperately to dodge all the wreckage that were falling down; he feels a heavy hand grabbing his head and throwing it against the ground. When he opens his eyes, he sees Hisana's foot stepping on his head and he stares her reddish eyes full of hate.
- Does that answer your question? - States Hisana concentrating an amount of black energy at the point of her finger.
- Impossible! A cero? - Says Ichigo surprised.
Hisana unleashes the energy towards Fisus. He doesn't scream at the moment of the explosion but the expression on his face is enough to satisfy Hisana.
Granus falls to the ground and his body is slowly evaporates.
- This... Is impossible... - He says weakly. - Every lion fears my army of explosive ants...
- They might fear it. - Answers Hisana in a serious tone, while she turns her back at him and walks in the direction of Inoue. - But in the end, ants are just insects. - She glances at him. - Just like you.
- You... miserable... - Granus dies and his ashes fly out with the melancholy of the wind of his domain.
" She is different... " Thinks Fisus looking carefully at the girl walking to Inoue.
Hisana reaches her and she feels guilty when she sees how badly hurt she was.
- Hisa... San, you came... Like you promised... - Says Inoue, opening her eyes and smiling weakly.
Hisana nods and kneels beside her friend.
- Yes, I'm sorry for making you go through this.
Inoue shakes his head.
- The important thing is... you kept your promise.
Hisana listens to her quietly.
- Please, Hisa-san, save my friends...- Inoue struggled against her tears and Hisana was able to feel her fear.
- It's okay, Inoue. - Says Hisana, caressing the forehead of the wounded young girl. - Don't worry about a thing. Just rest. - She stands up. - And, no matter what happens, he will never touch you again.
Hisana looks at Fisus, who were staring her for a long time.
Inoue smiles and looks at Hisana. That's when she notices how much she looked like Ichigo. The redhead closes her eyes and sleeps, carefree.
- HISA!? - Exclaims Ichigo. - The new girl? Is it really you?
Hisana looks at Ichigo and smiles, seeing that he recovered his voice. She takes off her glasses and reveals her crimson eyes.
- Yes, it's me.
- But how? Why? - Inquires Ichigo.
- That doesn't matter right now. Just know this: I will protect your future, no matter how much it costs, for that's what I promised. - She says that determined.
Ichigo feels strange looking at her.
- Those are beautiful words, my child. - Speaks Fisus, clapping his hands. - But "protect their future?" Don't you think it's cruel to lie like that?
- I didn't lie. - Hisana answers firmly.
- Have you already forgotten what happened years ago?
- I will never forget.
- So how can you affirm that?
- Because I swore in the name of my pride that I would do so.
Fisus chuckles and with one hand takes off the clothe that covered the superior part of his body, revealing lots of scars.
- Do you remember these scars, my child? - Fisus starts to snap his fingers. - You presented me with most of them. But I remember I gave you some too. - He grins, mocking her, while he starts to emanate a more aggressive energy.
- Yes, I do remember. - Hisana smiles cynically, touching her own shoulder, and emanating an aggressive energy as well.
- I promise to give you some more scars, so you can remember me. - utters Fisus, warming his body with his reiatsu.
Hisana grins, warming up her fists and moving away from her friends.
- I promise not to give you any more scars. - Says Hisana. - Because this time... - She gets in attack position. - I will finish you! - The fighter disappears.
Fisus quickly takes off the sword tied to his back just in time to defend himself from Hisana's punch. The spiritual pressure of them attacking each other is so big that a crater opens in the ground.
Hisana launches thousands of punches at the same time at Fisus. He, with much effort, manages to defend himself and then, he strikes a vertical cut. She jumps back, feeling the warm blood running down her face, and runs again towards the enemy.
Ichigo tries to see what they were doing, but they were moving too fast.
- What the hell is going on? How fast they are!
The redhead boy hears a groan next to him.
It was Rukia, moving.
- Rukia! - Screams Ichigo, worried. She was very close to him. Ichigo thought she would wake up or say something, but she had just groaned of pain and then fell unconscious again. Ichigo touches her face fondly.
- I'm sorry Rukia, I couldn't protect you... - He cries.
By his side, the sword stuck on the ground was emanating a light energy, and his wounds were healing without him noticing it.
An explosion happens and he, by instinct, covers Rukia with his body, protecting her from the projectiles.
- What was that? - Ichigo looks around, nervous.
Hisana and Fisus fly away in opposite directions, both hitting buildings inside the domain.
Hisana raises, she spits blood and takes off the pieces of the building that were over her, than she runs again at Fisus.
Fisus, instead of running, points his sword at her.
Hisana startles and, just in time, covers her face with her arms, for protection.
A monstrous gust of energy flies towards Hisana and pushes her back at the place she fell before.
Now she was really hurt.
Fisus walks calmly through the wreckages.
- You got stronger, my child. I could never imagine that you could do something like that to me.
The deep hollow was covered with black blood and one of his arms was almost off his body, hanging by a piece of muscle.
Hisana tries hard to get up.
- Oh damn, I think 30% is just not enough... - She spits blood and cleans the dust in her clothes.
- You know, there is something that intrigues me. - Fisus drags the attention of Hisana. - Why are you fighting without your zanpakutou?
Hisana doesn't answer.
- I see... - Fisus stretches his badly wounded arm and it regenerates.
- Instant regeneration... It can't be... - Ichigo is surprised by that.
- So, I think I have a theory. - Speaks Fisus checking out his regenerated arm. - And my theory tells me that you left your zanpakutou near them, to heal them, correct?
Hisana stared at him, in a cold sweat.
- Well, for the looks of it, I'm right. - He levitates. - So what would happen if I did this! - Screams Fisus, launching a ball of energy towards Rukia and Ichigo. He laughs loudly and looks at Hisana, willing to see her face of despair.
But she was steady and looked at him without showing feelings.
- What? Why isn't she moving?
Hisana closes her eyes, lowers her head and smile.
Ichigo sees the energy coming towards him and tightens the body of Rukia against his, in attempt to protect her.
- Rukia! - He closes his eyes preparing himself for the shock.
The sword beside them emanates a shine and its shape changes. On its handle, the head of a dragon appears and its blade darkens. The eyes of the dragon emanates a yellow shine; and an electric reiatsu is spread through the ground and from inside the sword, a huge ethereal dragon comes out, covering Rukia and Ichigo and makes a deafening roar. Ichigo gasps. The dragon flies and devours the energy of Fisus and throws it back at him.
The deep hollow, astonished with the dragon, can barely dodge the attack. He is hit and thrown kilometers away. Fisus crashes against the buildings.
The giant dragon roars again and lands carefully over Ichigo and Rukia. The same time he lands, Sode no Shirayuki and Zangetsu resonate again. The dragon stands above them like he's protecting a precious treasure; his energy flows through Ichigo and he feels strange, protected.
Fisus lost his recovered arm and now he has an extra hole in his chest. He lays his weight on his sword and gets up, looking ahead.
- How could she do that? I don't remember her doing something like that... She is much stronger.
- Thank you for the compliment, Fisus. - Says an ironic voice.
Fisus looks behind, staring her, waiting for the next move. Hisana was sitting in a piece of wreckage.
- What's with the look on your face? - Asks her, analyzing him. - Wait a second... You're not thinking that I would be so stupid to start a fight leaving my dear family and friends without protection?
- Since when can you materialize your zanpakutou? - Asks Fisus regenerating himself.
- This is none of your business.
- Spiritual DNA, am I right?
- ...
- I see. So, you learned some new tricks on the meanwhile that I haven't seem you.
- Maybe.
- I too learned some new tricks. - Says Fisus, raising his sword with his arm now completely regenerated (again) - In order to celebrate our rendezvous, I will show you the abyss of my heart.
Hisana prepares herself, standing in the position of battle.
- Show your demoniac face, Darganna!
The giant blade of Fisus starts to melt making a black mass on the ground, that climbs through the body of Fisus, like a parasite. He is completely covered and gets on his knee, in metamorphosis.
Hisana watches the theater. She never saw Fisus fighting with his full power, but she thanked the skies for being away from her parents.
The black mass slowly fades away and reveals a frightening creature with a lizard tail, black wings in the form of blades, pointed claws and teeth, horns pointed forward and yellow eyes with no iris.
- Tremble before my true power! - Screams the creature with a soft metallic voice.
- I am really trembling. - Says Hisana ironically. - But I am trembling because I fear you can get more ugly.
Fisus grins.
- Oh, keep playing, my child. - He holds the two blades of his wings. - I will show you why my master calls me the "impaler demon"!
Fisus disappears.
Hisana doesn't see him.
Pain.
Hisana feels a terrible pain on her body; two blades trespassed her chest, one right next to her heart and the other through her abdomen. Her view gets blurred.
Fisus laughs and swings her like a puppet. The young girl holds the blades, wishing the pain to end, but they slide through her body.
- How insignificant you are comparing to my power, child! But don't worry, I have orders that tell me to bring you alive to my master, I just hope you don't mind me to take you to him a little bit hurt.
Fisus continues to laugh.
Ichigo, even being kilometers away, hears the tenebrous laughing of the enemy.
- Oh my god, is the new girl okay? - He worries.
Zangetsu and Sode no Shirayuki shine.
Hiryuken roars of pain.
- What does that mean? - Ichigo, all of a sudden, feels weak. - What is... going... on... - Ichigo fights to keep his eyes open but he loses his consciousness.
At the same time, Hisana's view darkens and she falls unconscious too while she hears Fisus laughing, and feels him swinging her like a doll.
- HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
To be continued...