Chapter: 29
Only a fraction of the Seireitei was in a panic. The rest were either oblivious to what was happening or were on the ground in crumpled heaps. Much of the Seireitei was quiet, which was how Yaku liked it. The constant shouting from men barking orders and those who obeyed them gave him a headache. To him, it was all a pointless show. With his mirror, those men were silenced in a matter of seconds. Whether they came at him or not, the outcome would be the same.
"Halt! Stop right there, you!"
"Negative Image." Yaku pointed the mirror at the Soul Reaper at his side.
His mirror made up for his lack of depth perception. No matter how far or close they were, as long as the mirror found them, it would always be a direct hit. With this mirror's power, he was unstoppable. No one could touch him.
"Look. It's another one."
Kira looked at the Soul Reaper on the ground, moaning a lament to his own weakness. "Do you think this Quincy is stopping them now and coming back for them later? These guys seem to want us all dead, so for him to leave them alive is strange."
"I think he is going to circle back and finish the job," answered Hisagi. "He probably wants to immobilize them first. He might waste time killing them and get himself caught by those who haven't been effected yet. That's why he's doing it this way. Once everyone is in this state, no one will be able to stop him and he can finish us off as he pleases."
Kira gulped. Not only was the enemy smart, he possessed an incredible power. One he had never faced before. "Captain Hitsugaya spoke about this guy and his power. He faced him before."
"Yeah. It's a good thing he shared what he had learned when he faced this guy on the off chance we would also run into him."
"He said it was the mirror that did it. That's what we have to look out for. We can't risk getting caught in that mirror. Otherwise..."
"We'll end up like these guys. I know." Hisagi was fearful of the enemy as well. After seeing what it did, he knew the dangers of getting hit with such a simple and deadly weapon. "Stay alert, Kira. Keep on your toes."
"Not a problem."
They sprinted to the enemy, knowing exactly where he was heading.
Yaku looked around at his new surroundings. He was no longer in the streets of the Seireitei. This was an open field. "I shouldn't have expected the whole place to be a city," he said to himself. "Not everything in the Seireitei can be paved in stone."
He walked for a short distance and turned back to look at the white walls and buildings making up much of the Soul Reapers' home. He didn't expect to find many Soul Reapers out this far and doubted he would run into any if he kept going in this direction. It was certainly quieter, but that also meant fewer people to attack. Perhaps if he stayed here long enough, Soul Reapers would come to him. Being in such an open area, he would easily spot them. With no walls or buildings, there was very little cover for them. They wouldn't be able to hide. Yaku didn't want to wait around so heading back into the main dwelling area where most of the Soul Reapers were located seemed to be his best option when it came to taking out as many as possible.
Unlike Zalya, Yaku liked thinking of a plan ahead of time rather than wing it as the blood-user commonly did. That way, he would not get painted into a corner. He tried to map out his location and compare it to the most populated locations in the Seireitei. He didn't want to rush into something he couldn't finish. Targeting a Captain was both wise and foolish. Taking down a Captain was something they had to do and it was an excellent strategic move. However, a Captain would be strong. No doubt the one he fought before had already spread the word about his abilities to other Captains, so they would all be very cautious.
Should he remain where he was or should he move to a more populated location? Over time, Soul Reapers would come to him. If he traveled to where they were, he wouldn't have to wait as long but he could get overwhelmed if he ran into too many or into a powerful Captain.
Around the corner, Hisagi and Kira crouched down to hide behind the wall separating the paved streets with the natural soil. On the other side of this wall was a wide open area and their enemy. Moving to such a location was extremely risky with such an enemy. There would be nowhere to hide from that mirror. Staying here wasn't an option either. Their weapons weren't long-range so they wouldn't be able to attack from such a distance.
"If we spring out real quick, maybe we can get the jump on him while his back is turned."
"But if we do that, we risk him using that mirror of his. And there will be nowhere to hide."
Hisagi and Kira tried to think of a plan.
"I've got an idea," said Hisagi. "We can use Kido to bind him. We'll restrain him and while he can't move, we'll jump out and attack."
"I thought that Kido didn't work on these guys..."
"No, that's just the blood-user. Thank God we're not fighting him."
Kira nodded. "Sounds like a good plan. Once he's retained, we'll have a better chance. Let's do this."
Hisagi was going to make the first move. From this distance, he was certain Kido would work. He could easily use it and duck down behind the wall again for cover. "Bakudo 62, Hyapporankan!"
He threw the rod of light at Yaku's back which then split into multiple other rods. They flew at Yaku with precision and speed.
"Reflect." Yaku held up the mirror, having it face behind him.
The rods were absorbed by the mirror and shot back at the caster. Hisagi ducked behind the wall as his own attack came back at him.
"Crap!" Kido may have effected this Quincy, but with that mirror, the enemy made sure no attacks would reach him.
"It's just as Ikkaku described," said Kira. "It wasn't that Kido didn't effect the Quincy. It was that his powers could still move without him doing anything. That other guy used the blood to free himself from the Kido attack. This guy's just using the mirror to make sure he won't get hit. It's basically the same thing."
"And now he knows we're here. What do we do now?"
"Might as well come out," called Yaku. "I don't have all day and I'd rather get the hell out of here before Ichigo shows up to rampage."
Kira and Hisagi looked at each other. Was that why Yaku had left all those people on the ground rather than kill them? Was he planning to have Ichigo do the work for him? They weren't sure, but they couldn't let this Quincy go. They couldn't let the enemy do whatever they wanted. This had to stop.
For a moment, Kira and Hisagi were cast in shadow. They looked up to see several Soul Reapers rushing to Yaku. They jumped over the two Lieutenants to get at the enemy.
"Wait! Don't!" Hisagi knew rushing the enemy wouldn't do any good. It was just making Yaku's job easier.
"Prepare yourself, Quincy! This is for our fallen comrades!"
Yaku calmly raised his mirror. "Negative Image."
Every Soul Reaper fell out of the sky and landed on the ground in defeat. Yaku stood above them unscathed.
Kira watched the whole thing happen and swallowed hard. He had the urge to run. He couldn't face such an enemy and expect to win. Everyone who got close to Yaku ended up on the ground. There was no hope to defeat such an enemy. Attacking at a distance was something he couldn't do with his Zanpakuto and Kido would just be bounced back at him. Yaku couldn't be hit. With that mirror, he would send people running or collapsing on the ground.
Kira shook himself, trying to get those thoughts out of his head. He was a Lieutenant. He was stronger than he gave himself credit for and he had faced powerful enemies before and won. Yaku was no different. He had to face this enemy and take him down.
If they didn't, Yaku would continue to use that mirror and before long everyone would be unable to move. The entire Seireitei would fall. Kira couldn't let that happen. He had to fight. He had to shove down those thoughts and be brave.
Hisagi looked around the corner, trying to organize a plan of attack. If they left this spot, there would be nowhere to hide. Yaku was out in the open. If they did nothing, Yaku would continue using that power to take down everyone. They had to defeat him here before anyone else was effected. Despite the lack of cover, being in such a location had some benefits for them and shortcomings for Yaku. Being out here meant fewer Soul Reapers to attack. It would buy them some time before other Soul Reapers came to this area. The way Hisagi saw it, it meant that Yaku wouldn't be able to take down the Seireitei as quickly as he had intended. They had some time.
"I have another idea," said Hisagi. "Kira, use Kido on the ground and give us some cover. A blast on the dry soil should stir up a dust cloud. When that happens, we move. You go right and I'll go left."
"But a direct attack won't work," warned Kira.
Hisagi shook his head. "I noticed something. He has to point that mirror in the direction he wishes to use it. He can't attack multiple directions at once. If we each go a different way and attack from different sides, he can't get us both."
"So you want one to act as bait and the other to attack?" Kira was very worried. If that was Hisagi's plan then that meant one of them would be sacrificed. That was a frightening thought.
"It might be enough to confuse him. As long as we get in one good attack, it will all be worth it. We just have to get close enough to land a hit. He can't point that mirror in two directions at once. I'll draw his attention and you attack. How about that?"
"We don't even know how fast this guy is. What if he's able to hit us both but at different times? Bam, you. Bam, me. All over in two seconds."
"Would it kill you to look at the bright side for once, Kira?"
"It might if it means getting hit by that mirror."
Yaku waited, knowing there were others. He kept his mirror in front of his chest and waited.
There was a flash of red light and the ground exploded. A huge dust cloud spread into the air, blocking his view of the Seireitei walls fencing in the many streets. He knew they were using this as a cover so they could change locations. He stared straight ahead. Behind the cloud, he could see shadows moving. One Soul Reaper was heading to his left. Yaku raised his mirror to attack.
He heard footsteps behind him. "Ah?" He turned around and saw Hisagi at his back. His mirror was pointed the wrong direction. He couldn't attack in time. Yaku dashed forward to avoid getting hit. Hisagi's weapon scratched the earth where he had been standing.
Yaku turned the mirror around and took aim. At the same time he sensed someone behind him. He dove to the side as Kira attacked. As he flipped the mirror around, he saw Hisagi aiming an attack at his left shoulder. Kira was still on his right.
"Damn." Yaku backed away, trying to escape the attack. His head whipped from left to right. When he aimed at one, the other would attack from another location. He couldn't attack and defend at the same time. If he used his mirror on one, then he would end up taking the hit is partner was attempting to inflect. He was forced to retreat.
Kira and Hisagi were in perfect sync. Sometimes they would attack at exactly the same time. Sometimes they would switch roles, having one attack and when the mirror was turned on them the other one would attack to distract Yaku. So far this method was working. Yaku couldn't use his mirror.
It was a good plan but so far neither of them were able to land a hit. They could only prevent Yaku from using his mirror. Nothing was actually getting done. It was a stalemate.
Yaku flashed away and attempted to use his mirror now that he had some distance between them. Kira and Hisagi were too far away from each other. No doubt they were doing that on purpose to prevent him from using his mirror on both of them at once.
Hisagi saw that there was no way out of this. This fight would continue to be a stalemate if he didn't do something to change the battle. He didn't want to but he had little choice. It would give him an edge and extend his reach. "Reap..."
Yaku turned and saw Hisagi's weapon change. He took one look at the double scythes connected by a long chain and was able to assess the danger. This new weapon gave Hisagi a longer reach and doubled his power. Now he had to watch from three directions instead of only two. He had to keep an eye on Kira, Hisagi and this deadly weapon.
"Oh, how depressing..."
Hisagi threw his weapon at Yaku who jumped. The scythe spun like a disk under his body. Yaku aimed the mirror at Hisagi's body, hoping to render him powerless quickly. As soon as he adjusted his mirror, he felt a sharp pain in his right hip. He cried out in pain and saw blood spray from the wound in his side. The scythe followed the trail of blood back to Hisagi who caught it with ease. He had his weapon return to him by pulling the chain it was connected to, cutting Yaku in the process.
"Dammit, I was careless. I knew to watch out for that weapon but I took a reckless chance. How depressing." He pressed a hand to his wound to see how deep it was. This wasn't a fatal injury by any means but he might need a few stitches. It wasn't too deep and all his organs were missed. He got off lucky. Just another inch would have had different results.
Kira swung at Yaku's head and he ducked. He squatted down and spun, kicking Kira's legs out from under him. Kira fell onto his side and Yaku turned the mirror on him. Before he could use it, he heard the shrill sound of a spinning blade cutting the air behind him. Yaku jumped, hoping the weapon would miss him and hit Kira instead.
Yaku escaped but his wish to see Kira implaed did not come true. At the last moment before impact, Hisagi yanked the chain and called his weapon back to his hand. Kira was not harmed.
"How depressing."
Kira got to his feet and moved away from Hisagi to make sure Yaku could not attack them both. So far things were going better than he expected. Kira was hopeful that if things kept going the way they were, they might end up winning.
After running another test on a potential cure for Ichigo's condition and failing, Mayuri had to admit defeat. He had every intention of trying again but he had promised Victor that he would contact Kisuke for help. It wasn't something he would normally agree to but time was running out and Mayuri was smart enough to know he didn't stand a chance against Victor in a battle of any sort. He was also tired of the glares and the verbal warnings from the man in the white suit.
With little choice, Mayuri contacted Kisuke. A screen lit up on one of the monitors and warbled. Nothing but static and a high pitched whining sound. Then an image appeared on the screen. Mayuri stepped in front of the monitor and waited, his expression anything but pleasant.
"Hello? Hello?" came Kisuke's voice. "Someone contacting me? Hello? Yoo-hoo!"
His image appeared on the screen. Kisuke was wearing his hat and his green coat. He was hunched over peering at the screen. It seemed the device he was using was close to the ground. The monitor Mayuri was using was up higher so he and Victor had to look up. From this position, it really did look like Kisuke was looking down at them from the perspective of a giant.
"Oh, hey!" Kisuke greeted them with a smile. "What's up? I didn't expect to see you guys. Oh, and you, too, Mayuri. How have you been? Long time, no see. You're the last person I expected to contact me."
Mayuri's disposition did not change in the slightest, even in the presence of Kisuke's cheerful tone. His happy and bubbly tone and smiling face only soured Mayuri further.
"There's good reason for that. If I had my choice I wouldn't have called you at all," Mayuri said through his teeth. He took a deep breath and growled out the words, "I need your help."
Kisuke put a hand to his ear. "What's that? You mumbled."
"Screw you and the-"
"Mayuri," Victor said in a warning tone. He was giving him a stern look.
The Captain sighed again. "I said... I need your... your help..."
"Oh?" Kisuke's expression became more serious. He was no longer smiling, but his eyes were filled with a child-like wonder. He was curious. "What sort of help?"
"For the sake of time, allow me to explain," said Victor, stepping forward. He knew Mayuri would be less than willing and he would take far too long to explain the situation. "There's an enemy here who stole my Hollow serum and altered it into a deadly poison and injected Ichigo with it. Now he's running amok, attacking anyone in his path. Not only that, but he's running out of time. The serum is a poison, as I explained. It's sucking the life out of Ichigo. He will die if we do not come up with a cure."
Kisuke frowned, now looking completely serious. He understood how dire the situation was. "I see."
"What's this about Ichigo?" came a voice.
"Is there someone with you?" asked Victor. He knew there was someone else in the room but he could not see them. He was hoping to be introduced by calling attention to the second voice.
"Oh, yeah. Uryu is with me." Kisuke looked over his shoulder at the person with him. The side of Uryu's head came into view but he kept himself hidden as much as possible. It seemed he didn't want to be on screen. "Yeah, he stopped by today because Ichigo was not in class. He wanted to know if there was some sort of business going on and why he wasn't informed."
"I only stopped by to ask because Orihime was concerned," Uryu insisted. "And if there is Hollow business going on, I have a right to know. I want to be informed."
Kisuke turned back to the screen. "Anyway... How's Ichigo's condition?"
"Not good," said Victor. "He's in a bad way and getting worse. I haven't seen him recently, but according to those who have seen him, he's on his last legs. Linnette cannot calm him down. She tried, and the Quincy told us that he was too advanced to control at this point. He made sure of that."
"Wait. What Quincy?"
"Oh, of course. You do not know. The enemy is a Quincy. He injected Ichigo with the poisonous serum in order to kill him slowly. He also did it so Ichigo would rampage and kill as many people as possible."
"He what?" Kisuke leaned closer to the screen.
"Yes. The enemy Quincy said that his intention was to not only kill Ichigo by use of this serum, but to have him kill his friends and many innocent people. This way we would be left with two options. Either the Soul Reapers let Ichigo kill them or they have to kill him or order to protect themselves and others. The serum is killing him anyway. Very slowly and painfully. The more time we take, the closer he comes to death. Soon, we may not have a choice but to kill him. He's getting closer to where people live. The Head Captain said that he will give us some time to come up with a cure, but we don't have long."
"Have you come up with anything yet?" asked Kisuke.
"No. That is why we need your help. Not only are we running out of time before the Head Captain gives the order to kill him, but Ichigo's time is short. If something isn't done soon, it could be the end of him." Victor sighed. "We also learned that the more Ichigo resists the Hollow transformation, the faster it will kill him. The more fight he puts up, the weaker he becomes. He doesn't have long."
"By my calculations," said Mayuri, "he'll be dead before morning. He'll be lucky if he makes it to this evening."
"Way to stay positive." Kisuke turned away, thinking. After a moment, he nodded and faced the screen again. "Can I see what you've done so far? Show me your notes and any progress you've made."
"No way!" Mayuri covered a second monitor with his arm. "Get your own data! These are mine and if you think for one second that you-"
"Mayuri!" Victor snapped.
Mayuri and Kisuke both flinched. Victor's voice was usually so calm and pleasant. Even when he was angry, his voice had a charismatic lilt to it. Hearing him snap like that was something no one had heard before. It was enough to frighten even Mayuri.
Victor held Mayuri in his gaze. That blue-eyed glare had Mayuri paralyzed. He would not back down. He was as unmovable as a mountain.
Rolling his eyes, Mayuri lowered his arm, grumbling to himself. He allowed Kisuke to view his notes.
"Fine, fine... It's the only way to get this done. I know, I know... Here, I'll send you the rest." Mayuri brushed Victor on his way and glared at him. "Brat," he growled as he passed him by.
Victor did not take action against the insult. He would be a gentleman. Now was neither the time nor the place anyway. They had to save Ichigo. That was their top priority.
Whatever history Kisuke and Mayuri had was not important. They put aside their differences and set to work on saving Ichigo's life. Together, they would do this. They had to.
Kira and Hisagi struck with their weapons, Yaku caught in the middle. He quickly ducked and their swords clanged together. The sound of metal grating on metal rang out. They sprang apart to look for the enemy.
Yaku was running away. They both chased after him but made sure they were not close to each other. That way if Yaku turned around to use his mirror, the both of them would not be hit at the same time. They both knew that was why he was running away. It wasn't to escape. It was to gain some distance so he could use his weapon. The further he was, the more targets he could capture in his mirror's surface.
Just as they predicted, Yaku turned around and pointed the mirror at them. They were too close to him and too far from each other. He could only catch one of them in his mirror at a time. Yaku aimed at Kira. Taking out one was good enough. He could always go after the second one after taking out the first. One at a time wasn't quick, but it was easy.
Kira dashed to the side as he saw the mirror glint. He would not get caught in that attack. No matter what, he couldn't let that happen.
Yaku sensed something at his side and jumped to avoid a scythe. The ground shattered where he had been standing. Another scythe came his way and passed over his head. He knew that Hisagi was behind him and he also knew that the scythe was in front of him connected to a chain. Hisagi could pull it back at any moment.
Sure enough, with a simple yank of the chain, the scythe came back. Yaku could either use his mirror on Hisagi and take the hit, or he could deal with the weapon flying at his chest. He chose the most pressing danger.
"Reflect."
The scythe bounced against the mirror's surface and was sent backwards. Yaku then turned around to deal with Hisagi but he was gone. Hisagi swung his second scythe from above, dropping down from over Yaku's head.
"Reflect."
The scythe made contact with the mirror and was thrown back with powerful force. Hisagi could feel his whole arm vibrate, right down to his bones. The force threw his arm back, causing Hisagi to hit himself in the face with his forearm. He flipped over backwards and dove out of the way before the mirror could find him.
"That's freaking nuts..." he said to himself. "That force... It was like my weapon struck a bomb. Such power..."
Yaku looked around to see where the enemy was positioned. Kira was to his left and Hisagi to his right. He knew exactly what they were trying to do. If he aimed his mirror at one, the other would attack before he could use it. They were keeping their distance from each other to make sure they weren't both caught in the mirror at the same time. They were attacking from different sides to make sure they wouldn't both be hit or if one was being targeted, the other one could help his partner. These men were smart, but Yaku thought he had them figured out. He had a plan.
Kira came at him with his sword drawn and ready. Yaku pointed his mirror at Kira. Then just as quickly, turned it around and pointed it at Hisagi. If that was their plan, then he would use it against them. If they thought they had it all figured out, they were sorely mistaken.
Hisagi saw the mirror and fled. At the same time, Kira saw that his friend was in trouble and got distracted. Yaku pointed the mirror back at Kira now that he was looking the other way. "Neg-"
"Hyah!" Hisagi slammed his weapon into Yaku's back.
"Gah!"
As Hisagi raised his second scythe, Yaku fled. Hisagi and Kira chased him. They flanked him, Kira on the right and Hisagi on the left. Yaku saw them both and held his mirror close to his body. He could only target one at a time.
They each took their weapons and struck. Hisagi aimed for Yaku's head and Kira went for his legs.
"Reflect."
The mirror bounced Kira's weapon back the way it came and Yaku ducked to avid Hisagi's weapon. The very tip of the scythe barely grazed the top of his head. No blood was drawn. Hisagi's other weapon came at Yaku's stomach. Yaku flipped through the air and landed on one knee. He pointed his weapon at them. Now Kira and Hisagi were both close enough to be targeted at the same time.
Hisagi pulled a chain.
"Crap." Yaku rolled out of the way as the scythe came at him from behind. He had almost forgotten about that. It was a good thing he was alert.
The Soul Reapers sprang apart. They had to keep their distance. Without a word, they put their next plan into action. Hisagi disappeared and Kira dashed forward. Yaku didn't know what to expect. Was Kira the distraction or was Hisagi? Without being able to see them both at the same time, he didn't know who to target. Which was the diversion? He had to keep his eye on both but they made sure that was an impossibility. They were making this very difficult for him.
Kira raised his weapon to strike. Yaku hesitated, thinking if he used his mirror on Kira then Hisagi would show up and attack from a different angle. That could cause him a serious if not fatal injury. Taking a chance, he aimed his mirror at Kira. Just as he feared, as soon as he did so, Hisagi appeared, but not his scythe.
"Uh-oh." Yaku turned and saw the scythe coming at him from another angle. He deflected the weapon to save himself from being sliced open. In doing so, he left himself wide open to be tackled by Hisagi. Both slammed into the ground, Hisagi on top. He grabbed onto Yaku's mirror and tried to pry it out of his hands. However, Yaku would not give it up. He had a firm grip on it. "Negative-"
Hisagi dove out of the way before anything could happen. Yaku got to his feet and looked around for the other one. He spotted Kira and aimed his mirror. When he sensed Hisagi at his back, he turned. Yaku rotated in a circle, scanning the area for the two Soul Reapers, hoping one of them would get caught in his mirror.
They came at him from different angles. Kira was coming at him from the front. Yaku couldn't tell how close Kira was to him so he ran backwards to avoid him. He tripped and fell backwards. Kira jumped and soured over Yaku's falling body. He pointed the mirror at him. In midair, Kira could not avoid the mirror's attack. Thankfully Hisagi tackled him out of the way in time. They rolled over each other and broke apart. They were both safe. Yaku stood and pointed his mirror in their direction but they were already gone.
Hisagi had an idea. As long as Kira could keep Yaku distracted, it could work. All he had to do was get that mirror away from its owner. If Yaku did not have a weapon, he could not fight.
Yaku waited for them to make a move. He knew they were coming. One would go one way and the other would go somewhere else. They wanted to confuse him and make sure he couldn't target them both at the same time. They were smart. That much he established. However, he wasn't sure if they knew the exact extent of his power or his limitations. Keeping what he knew in mind, Yaku was certain they would continue with the plan they had set into motion. If they were doing what he believed they were, then there was a trap they were heading right for and weren't even aware of it. Depending on how the next attack would go, he would get his answer.
Sure enough, here they came. Kira first. Yaku ran to the side and pointed his mirror at him. From the other side, Hisagi appeared with his weapon in hand. He threw one scythe, then the other. Yaku knew the idea was that if one missed, the other would not. If they both missed. Then he could pull them both back for another try. He would have four chances to hit Yaku.
One grazed his ear and the other was deflected by the mirror. The scythe that passed by his head was yanked back and Yaku ducked to avoid getting hit from behind. As he did, the other scythe was thrown at his chest. He deflected it again and the second scythe was thrown at him after being thrown by Hisagi again. Yaku struggled to keep up with their movements and speed. Whenever he deflected one, the second was following in its path. It was a barrage of attacks.
Hisagi started to get closer to him. He swung his arms, scythe in each hand, spinning as he switched between the two. Left and right, the blades came at Yaku constantly. Hisagi had timed it well. Like this, Yaku could not deflect them both at the same time so one was always coming at him. He was constantly under attack. He couldn't keep this up for much longer. It was too overwhelming. Too fast.
Now was his chance. Hisagi swung his right arm to the side, scraping the air with his scythe. Yaku threw his head back to avoid the hit. That was when Hisagi used his other scythe to attack the mirror. The blade hooked behind the mirror and with one powerful yank, Hisagi pulled it from Yaku's grip.
"Ah!" Yaku watched his mirror fling into the air. His hands were empty.
"Yes!" Kira cheered. Yaku could not fight anymore. He had nothing.
"It's over now." Hisagi drew one arm back and pointed the other at Yaku's neck. If Yaku managed to dodge one blade, he would not be able to dodge the second.
Yaku looked at his beloved mirror spin through the air over Hisagi's head. The surface was facing down and he could see Hisagi's image reflected in its surface. He smiled. He had his answer. This was what he was waiting for. This was the trap they were falling into. "Negative Image."
"Ah?!" Hisagi jumped aside just in time. "That thing can still work if he's not touching it?"
"Of course it can," said Yaku.
The mirror was getting closer to the ground. It wasn't enough just to take it from him. Hisagi had to destroy it. That was the only way. Hisagi went after the mirror with his weapon.
"Reflect."
As Hisagi struck the mirror, it repelled his weapon, forcing it back into him. Hisagi flipped backwards through the air and landed on both feet. When he looked up, he saw Yaku holding the mirror with one hand. Hisagi ran as fast as he could.
"Negative Image."
Hisagi was caught mid-stride. His legs stopped working and he fell. His body slid for a short distance in the dirt before coming to a stop.
"Hisagi!" Kira came rushing over without thinking of the danger. All he could think of was his friend. "Hisagi! Are you ok? Talk to me!"
Hisagi gave a pathetic whimper and moaned out a response. "It's no use. We're never going to win against this guy. Or any of them. What's the point?"
"Don't talk like that. We'll beat him. You'll see."
"I don't see how. We're both too weak. I can't even get Rangiku to look at me! She pays more attention to a Captain half my size. He's a bigger man than I am. Why would she want a loser like me? I can't even beat a guy without a single weapon. I was beat by a guy with a mirror. How lame is that? I suck!"
Kira hated to admit it, but maybe it was more than just the mirror making him say such things. Maybe it was the truth. Two Lieutenants couldn't take down one man holding a mirror. Yaku didn't have an actual weapon. It was pathetic. To get beaten so easily by a man like him was shameful. It really was pathetic. All these Soul Reapers couldn't take down one man holding a mirror? Yaku was making them look so weak. Maybe they were weak.
"Hisagi, we have to get out of here before he gets us." Kira tried to shake him but Hisagi wasn't willing to do anything anymore.
"What's the point?"
"He'll kill us!"
"So what? We're all going to die anyway. Might as well get it over with. I don't care anymore."
"What about everyone else? They're counting on us, Hisagi."
"They put their faith in the wrong people. We suck. I suck. They're all doomed. We all were from the start. If the Quincy guys don't kill us then something else will. Only a matter of time. Let's just get it over with. I lost to a man with a mirror. Maybe I deserve it. I hate my life. Everything is so fleeting. It's so depressing and awful. I'm so weak... I'll never get a girlfriend. I'll never get anything... I suck. I suck so hard... I'm a loser. My life sucks... Let him do whatever. I don't care anymore... Might be better off..."
Kira hated seeing Hisagi like this. It was awful. He felt sorry for him. He wanted to smack him, too.
He had lost the will to fight. To do anything.
Hisagi wouldn't try to defend himself. He wouldn't stop Yaku from killing him.
If this happened to Kira...
Kira looked up and saw the mirror reflecting the terrified look on his face. He could see just how frightened he was.
"Time for you to join your friend and feel that same depressing way," said Yaku. "Negative Image."
"No!" Kira couldn't get out of the way in time. He threw his arms over his head to protect himself but it was all pointless. Even he knew that.
He knew this fight would be unlike anything they had faced before. Yaku was just too different. He was on a level Kira never knew existed. His weapon was so simple but so powerful. How could a simple mirror cause all this damage? How could it even be considered a weapon? It really was pathetic that such a thing would be their downfall.
What made matters worse was that now no one would be able to warn anyone else of Yaku being here or about his powers. They had tried to stop Yaku here before he could get to anyone else. Now that both of them were taken down, there was no one to stop him from getting to anyone else. It was all over. Nothing could stop Yaku now. Why did he ever think they had a chance?
Kira opened his eyes one at a time. He was still standing. "Hm?" He didn't feel any different.
He lowered his arms and looked at Yaku.
"Sorry. I missed." Yaku aimed the mirror again. "Negative Image."
Kira flinched but nothing happened. He could see himself in the mirror but he didn't feel any different. Nothing had changed. Kira looked at Hisagi who was in a heap on the ground, moaning sadly into the dirt. Kira wasn't acting like that at all. He didn't feel like doing that either. This struck him as strange.
Kira wasn't the only one confused. Yaku's eyes were wide with bewilderment. He couldn't understand this either.
"I don't get it. I know I hit you this time. And the time before that, I'm sure of it. But... you're still standing. Why the hell aren't you on the ground like your friend?"
Kira shrugged. He honestly hadn't a clue.
Yaku checked his mirror. It had activated. Everything was working correctly. "But why isn't he on the ground?" Yaku was getting frustrated. " I don't get it. When I use that power on people, it sucks everything positive out of them until there is nothing left but negative feelings. It amplifies the sadness and negativity making the person feel depressed and lack the will to fight back. That's the whole point. It gives the target negative feelings."
Kira tilted his head. "That's how it works?"
He looked down at Hisagi, then at his feet, then at the image of himself in the mirror. Kira started to smile. He chuckled. That chuckle built into laughter which left Yaku even more confused than before.
"What is it?"
Kira laughed. He shook his head and his laughter died away. It was an amazing thought. The very idea of it struck Kira as hilarious. It was so ironic.
"I feel like that all the time."
Yaku's eyes twitched. "Eh?"
"When I think about it, it's so pathetic, it's funny. Just the idea of it is so... My God, it's just..." He started chuckling all over again. "Just look at my life. My parents are both dead, I was always very timid and nervous. Being a student with Momo and Renji was just... I mean he kicked my ass all the time, mostly because I was always shaking. Flash forward to me being in Squad 4 and getting my ass kicked because we're thought of as weak. My self-esteem went through the roof as you can imagine. Not. Then I get transferred to a new Squad with a new Captain who passed the time by pulling pranks on everyone. I was the favorite and he encouraged everyone to do the same. He made me miserable. But I was loyal to him, even if I complained a lot. He was my Captain, after all. Then the guy betrays us all and runs off with two other Captains and we have a big war and everything. Imagine how I felt. I get pushed around by everybody, and those who don't ignore me. Whenever I get drunk, I start complaining about them and that's a story in and of itself. I mean just look at my life! Those are just the highlights and you can see how pathetic I am. Events and personality all play a part in how much my life sucks."
What made it amusing to Kira was the idea that such a thing actually gave him an edge.
"Don't you see?" he told Yaku. "What your mirror makes a person feel... I feel like that all the time. So in other words, I'm immune. It won't work on me."
Kira was so used to this feeling that he had built up a sort of immunity to the mirror's effects. He could handle these feelings of negativity because he faced such feelings almost everyday of his life. There was no difference. The mirror would not effect him because he was already in such a state almost all the time.
"I can handle it. This crippling negativity and all that stuff your mirror's supposed to do... I can't deal with it better than any of them. That's the thing about having those feelings all the time. You learn to cope with it. You can handle it so it doesn't take over your life and control you. It's not that you ignore the feelings. You deal with them. You control them rather than have them control you."
It was as if Kira were his own therapist. He had been dealing with depressing feelings for most of his life. He had grown used to it. He could handle them so they didn't take control of his life. That was why he wasn't a mess. Why he wasn't reduced to a pile on the floor like so many others caught by the mirror's power. The mirror couldn't give him something he already had. Most importantly, he knew how to deal with such feelings so it wouldn't become overwhelming.
Kira pointed at Yaku "Your mirror will not work on me. Unlike everyone else, I will not fall.
In his shock, Yaku nearly dropped his mirror. "What?!" In all this time, he had never met anyone immune to his mirror's power. If only his fellow Quincy were here to witness the expression on his face. It was one he had never made before.
Which was another reason why Kira was laughing. It wasn't such a sense of accomplishment or irony. It was realizing something else. Something very important that made him feel bigger than he was. Made him feel superhuman. The satisfaction of knowing that what could have made him weak actually made him strong. Stronger than others.
"Which means..." Kira raised his weapon. "I am the only one who can take you on. I may be the only one who can beat you."
Go, Kira!
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