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Didn't mean to go so long without an update but kinda gotten hooked on FF14...
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Chapter 5: Her Wavering Resolve
Kirara woke with a start, her eyes opening as in her disorientation, she looked around, not able to remember where she was. When she did, she gave a small laugh, shaking her head. She slid down to lie on her side against the wall, looking out at the same wooden walls she'd been looking at for the fortnight. To say she was bored was an understatement.
"You know," Kirara started softly, giving a quiet chuckle. Her Zanpakuto Spirit hummed to show that he was listening. "I'm even starting to miss Keigo. I think I've been in here too long," she sighed in her amusement.
'Not to mention that you got very attached,' Kokoro no Kage replied.
"Well..." Kirara smiled slightly. "You're not wrong," she admitted. In the few months that she had attended Karakura High School, she'd found herself becoming friends with some of her class. "Friends...yeah, till they know what I really am," she muttered, throwing an arm over her eyes.
'Aw, are you ashamed of me?' the warped voice laughed. Immediately Kirara gave an exasperated sigh.
"You say that like it's a shock. Shut up before I make you," she snapped. The laughter echoed louder.
'And just how do you think you'll do that without causing a fuss out there?' Kirara frowned, before a pulse of pain shot through her head. Before she could stop herself, she let out a cry of pain, and put her hands to her head, clutching it as the pain grew.
"Stop it..." Kirara growled, managing to sit up. "I mean it. You're not in charge here," she hissed, and whimpered when another jolt of pain pulsed through her head. The Hollow's laughter grew as she squealed in delight.
"What's up with you?" Renji raised an eyebrow when he walked in to see the prisoner holding her head as if afraid it would burst open.
"It's nothing," Kirara snapped at him without looking up. 'You will gain nothing trying this...I'm in charge and I'm not about to give it up,' she warned her Hollow, who squealed again in her laughter.
'Oh please, your resolve has been wavering since these idiots locked us up. The old man might not believe it, but part of you wants to let them kill ya. And I ain't about to let ya do that,' the Hollow pushed back as Kirara whimpered.
"I'm getting Squad 4 in here," Renji sighed as he heard the noise, turning to leave.
"I said it's nothing," Kirara's heart pounded at the idea. If her control slipped, she could hurt whoever they sent to look at her. Or worse, their examination could reveal her for the monster she really was.
'There's one way to stop him,' the Hollow whispered. 'Rip his head from his shoulders, that should stop the idiot. They think they got us trapped in here? Idiots! They've just sealed their fate when they try to kill us!" she laughed loudly.
'I won't do what you say. You're not in charge. You never will be,' Kirara told her firmly.
'Keep calm Kirara, show no weakness and she cannot win,' Kokoro no Kage reminded her gently. Kirara took a deep breath, calling on her resolve. She'd evaded the Soul Society for a century. She wasn't going to die now. Not when so much was at stake.
Finally the pain receded, and Kirara was able to catch her breath, letting her hands fall to her sides.
'Urgh, you're such a killjoy,' her Hollow complained. Kirara just sighed, letting her head fall back.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Abarai?" she asked as she glanced at him from the corner of her eye. Renji rolled his eyes at her attitude. Though from what he'd heard from Natsuki, she'd always had a bit of an attitude problem. That was an understatement.
"I heard the commotion and came to see what was going on," he told her shortly.
"Commotion?" he looked around sharply at his Captain's soft words. Kirara just smirked and lay back down.
"Wow, the Captain as well. I am lucky today," she drawled.
"Hey! Show the Captain a little respect!" Renji snapped at her. Kirara just yawned widely and closed her eyes. Byakuya raised a hand to quieten his Lieutenant.
"I have come to provide an update on your sentence, Yamada," he announced. Renji turned to the Captain, curious. It had only been a few days since the decision had been made.
"Do enlighten me," Kirara didn't sound remotely interested in what he had to say about her fate.
"The execution date has been moved up. In fourteen days from now, you are to be executed on Sogyoku Hill," the last few words had more of an effect on Kirara, who sat up.
"The Sogyoku?" she blinked at Byakuya as Renji started, shocked by his words. "As in, the punishment that's usually reserved for the greatest of criminals, never below the level of Captain?" Kirara asked slowly, getting to her feet.
"Do you really want me to clarify that?" Byakuya asked impatiently, looking irritated.
"No, it's fine," Kirara chuckled, leaning on the bars of her cell. "But tell me this, Captain Rich Boy," her eyes were gleaming despite what she had just heard. "Does it really fit the crime of passing my powers to a human?" Renji's eyes widened at her question. Byakuya's eyes narrowed.
"It is not up to you or I to decide such things," Byakuya replied curtly, turning away.
"Exactly why you Shinigami are blind puppets," Renji's eyes went even wider at Kirara's low comment.
"Perhaps it is to do with your mysterious disappearance for a hundred years," Byakuya replied coldly, his back to her. Kirara gave a dark chuckle.
"If it was, I'd be dead already. Like I said. Blind," Kirara stepped away from the bars. "So, when is my big move?" she asked with a pleasant smile, returning to her usual attitude as if she hadn't just been told she was to die in a fortnight.
"Tomorrow," Byakuya answered, leaving before anything more could be said on the matter.
"Of course, no time for the little commoner criminal," Kirara snorted, taking a seat.
"What do you mean by 'big move'?" Renji asked, still struggling to wrap his head around the conversation. Kirara glanced up, her eyebrow raised.
"You know, to the Tower of Penitence?" she asked slowly. "I was once a Shinigami, I do remember some things," she shrugged, slumping down and putting her hands behind her head. Renji watched her for a moment longer, before turning and leaving too. Kirara then sighed heavily. "14 days...there's more at play here...but what?" she wondered quietly.
"I can't believe my injuries are already gone," Ichigo commented as he touched his forehead.
"Kidos are pretty handy. And you're almost as bad as me for getting hurt," Kirara chuckled as she leaned against the railings. She yawned widely. They'd been up late fighting Orihime's brother, who had become a Hollow. In the end, he'd regained control long enough to destroy himself, to stop himself hurting Orihime again. Ichigo had been injured in the battle, but now didn't look any different than the previous day.
"Yeah, your friend is pretty good," Ichigo commented idly. Kirara rolled her eyes.
"He's not my friend," her amusement gone as Ichigo mentioned Shinji, who had stuck with them to make sure neither she nor Ichigo got themselves killed fighting the Hollow.
"Yeah yeah, whatever," Ichigo dismissed it quickly, having witnessed how they were together himself, fighting even when the Hollow had been there.
"So, you're together again?" Mizuiro teased as he walked over, and they glanced at him.
"Yep," Kirara grinned.
"You shut up, you're only encouraging him," Ichigo snapped at her.
"Aw Ichigo, you're gonna hurt my feelings," Kirara pouted at him. He just glared back at her.
"Well you do seem to be getting pretty close," Mizuiro grinned. "But people are gonna talk, and if they talk enough, everyone will think that you're an item," the dark haired boy warned them. Kirara just laughed, taking a drink of her juice.
"Whatever," Ichigo rolled his eyes. "If I really cared about what people think, then I would have dyed my hair black a long time ago," he pointed out. Mizuiro laughed, nodding.
"Fair point," he accepted.
"I dunno, you do get pretty annoyed when I comment on it," Kirara commented. Ichigo shot her another irritated look.
"Because I keep telling you to leave me alone, delinquent," he growled.
"I still think it's reverse-psychology," Kirara shrugged.
"What's this? Kirara's hanging out with you guys?" Keigo's demand made them all look around. "How did that happen?" he yelled as he stormed over.
"Uh...I've had lunch with you guys several times?" Kirara reminded him with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, us, as in me and Mizuiro! Now you're hanging out with Ichigo!"Keigo whined. "Are you pitying him?" he demanded. Kirara laughed as Ichigo rolled his eyes.
"Just shut up," he muttered as he took a seat.
"I totally understand if you are, I mean-" in his flailing, Keigo bumped into Chad, who had come up behind him silently. Kirara had almost not even noticed the gentle giant.
"Hey Chad," Ichigo greeted him. Chad wordlessly raised a hand in greeting.
"Whoa big guy, what happened to you?" Kirara noticed the bandages around him.
"I had a mishap. A steel beam feel on my head," he explained calmly. Kirara arched an eyebrow at him. He was the only person she knew who could sound so casual about it. "My hand got hurt when a motorcycle ran into me. The rider that hit me got banged up pretty bad," he added. "The force of the collision knocked the guy out, so I picked him up, and carried him to the hospital," he said.
"Standard," Kirara spoke slowly.
"My only question is what exactly is your body made of?" Ichigo frowned. When Chad set down the cage in his hand, they noticed the tiny bird inside.
"Hey, so where'd you get the bird?" Keigo asked curiously.
"My name is Yuuichi Shibata. It's nice to meet you," the bird greeted, making Ichigo and Kirara stiffen. "What's your name?" he asked.
"That is amazing! I mean the way this bird can talk is phenomenal!" Keigo exclaimed in amazement. Kirara stared at the bird, too stunned to hide her reaction.
"Is that...it's a soulinside the bird," Kirara thought to herself.
'Yes it is...how peculiar,' Kokoro no Kage spoke, just as fascinated.
"I've never heard of such a thing...I never thought it was possible," Kirara was fascinated by the tiny creature, that housed the soul of a young boy.
"So Chad, where did you get this bird?" Ichigo asked, trying to sound nonchalant.
"Someone..." Chad went quiet for a solid minute. "Gave me him," he finished.
"Hold it! There you go again, getting lazy and cutting your story short!" Keigo yelled as Chad took a seat in front of the bird. "Come on! That's a bad habit you have Chad, now explain! Spill it!" he ordered.
"That was the whole story," Chad told him.
"Kirara...what-"
"It's a soul inside the bird," Kirara whispered to Ichigo. "I've never heard of such a thing happening...but I know for certain that there is a human soul in there," she told him. Ichigo leaned back, his eyes wide. Kirara got to her feet, dusting herself off.
"Where are you going?" Keigo asked as Kirara walked away. "You haven't even eaten yet," he pointed out.
"I just realised I have an assignment due, I need to get it finished," Kirara shrugged.
"What? You not having your work done?" Ichigo asked her. "That's unlike you," he commented with narrowed eyes.
"I guess I'm really starting to get into the role of delinquent," Kirara replied. He rolled his eyes at her words, and Kirara disappeared back inside, grabbing her phone to make a call, glancing back.
Natsuki sighed as she watched Ikkaku knocking around new recruits again, barely paying attention as her mind was far away from where she was. She didn't even blink when the Shinigami slammed into the wall beside her, sinking to the ground with a groan.
"Still zoned out huh?" Ikkaku asked as he approached Yumichika. The dark haired 5th seat rolled his eyes and nodded, glancing to Natsuki.
"She's been like this since she heard her friend's execution date was moved up," he told his friend.
"Great," Ikkaku huffed. "Oi, Natsuki," when she didn't respond, he grabbed her shoulder and shook her slightly. Natsuki blinked and glanced up at him. "Go home. Your head ain't in it. You're just gonna be dead weight against these idiots," he told her roughly. Natsuki opened her mouth to speak, and for a moment they thought she'd stand up for herself. She never let the third seat speak to her like that.
"Right," her eyes became unfocused again, and she turned away, pulling from his grip and walking off. The two men exchanged looks, before Yumichika gave an exasperated sigh and followed her. He fell into step beside her, watching from the corner of his eye without saying a word. When it became evident that she was just aimlessly walking, he sighed, grabbing her arm and forcing her to stop. "What?" her voice was hard, but just a glimmer of the fight she could give.
"You need to snap out of this now," Yumichika told her firmly, forcing her to look at him. "If the Captain saw you now, you think he'd keep you in the Squad? As a seated officer?" Natsuki just looked away, and he inhaled slowly. "What about your friend? Would she want you to be moping around like this?" he asked. Her brow furrowed. Finally, a reaction.
"Shut up. You don't know anything," she growled, finally meeting his gaze. "I don't care what you or the others think. I just got my best friend back, and I'm going to lose her in two weeks again. This time for good. And she won't even talk to me," Natsuki pulled out of his group and walked away. "Just leave me alone to mope Yumi," she told him in a weak voice. The fifth seat sighed, shaking his head as he watched her leave.
Kirara was singing a tune to herself quietly when Renji returned, this time accompanied by four others. Kirara's back was to them as she clasped her hands behind her back, seeming to be studying the wall.
"Ki...rara..." one of the Onmitsukido members whispered when he saw her.
"Oi, Satoru," another hissed, reminding him of their impartiality. Kirara's humming stopped abruptly at the name, but she didn't move.
"Moved to the Detention Corps then I see Satoru," her voice was soft. "Working with...Tetsuo...Kenzaki... and Michi," the four jolted as she named them without turning around.
"Do I need to get someone else in here?" Renji asked impatiently. The four composed themselves quickly, and Renji opened the cell. Kirara didn't move as they attached a collar around her neck, using a kido to tie restraints around her wrists to bind them behind her back.
"So, let's get moving," Kirara turned to them with a cheerful smile. Satoru watched her sadly, grateful for his mask, as they guided her from the cell and moved her to the large white tower that overlooked all of the Seireitei. Kirara closed her eyes, enjoying the wind that blew her hair around. Nobody made an attempt to speak, and after a while Kirara began humming the same tune again, a soft, bright tune that echoed around them and put Renji on edge.
They walked along the bridge that led to the cells of the Tower, and the wind picked up again. Kirara looked around, taking in the sights that she hadn't seen in a century. Renji watched as he saw the first real emotions cross her expression since she'd requested that the Squad 4 boy not know her name. There was a sadness to her smile, but something else to it as well.
When they finally reached the Shrine of Penitence, to Renji's relief, the four guards released her binds, and Kirara shook out her arms, looking out the small, thin window. "Hey, Abarai," she spoke as he went to leave.
"What?" the red-haired Lieutenant asked gruffly.
"You know why this window's here?" she asked him, as casually as if asking the time. He frowned at her question.
"Of course I do," he scoffed. "It's so you can look at the Sogyoku and repent," he told her.
"Yup," Kirara confirmed with a nod. "Too bad that won't happen. All it's doing is giving me something new to look at for now," she told him pleasantly.
"Lieutenant Abarai," Kenzaki spoke up as Renji frowned at her comment. Even now, she made no sense. She was about to die, and she didn't have a single regret about breaking the law. "We should leave," the guard spoke when Renji didn't react to him. "Lieutenant," he cleared his throat. Instead of following him, Renji walked over to Kirara.
"There was a report, came in yesterday, of a group of would-be intruders," Kirara didn't react to his words. "The report included mention of an orange-haired Shinigami with a massive Zanpakuto," her eyes widened before she could stop herself. Without another word, Renji turned and walked off as Kirara sank to her knees, her breathing uneven. When she heard the doors shut behind her, she couldn't help but give a shaky laugh.
"Ichigo...you idiot, how the hell did you manage it?" she wondered alive, and shifted to lie on her back, staring up at the massive cell she now occupied. "At least it was only a would-be intrusion...just go home Ichigo," Kirara shook her head, and closed her eyes.
The storyline will start to slow down eventually, I swear!
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