Welcome to the final entry in the Death and the Trickster series, A Heart of Rain and Snow. As you can probably gather, this is a sequel, and will not make any sense without reading the prior instalments.
This fic is going to be notably bleaker in tone than the previous entries. All canon-typical warnings apply, such as violence, mental health issues, domestic abuse, and major character death. There are also a couple of moments where the violence is a bit beyond typical Persona 5/Bleach levels, but that will only happen very sparingly. ... Of course, that means we're starting off with one of those moments.
Cws for this chapter include: consensual but unethical medical experiments, character death, graphic violence, emetophobia and cannibalism. If needed, this chapter can be skipped.
Isshiki Wakaba's Cognitive Psience Research Facility was about an hour's drive out of Tokyo. Akechi Goro fiddled with his seatbelt as he idly watched trees blur past the windows. He wasn't used to driving in cars – his mother had never been rich enough to own one, and most of his various foster families had no desire to take the bastard child in their midst anywhere.
Suffice to say, he certainly wasn't used to driving in cars as luxurious as this. The black sedan had glistened menacingly in the morning light as several men in dark suits fetched Goro from his run-down flat, so early in the morning the dawn sun hadn't even finished creeping above the horizon. When he entered the vehicle – one of the silent guards joining him in the back seat – the fifteen-year-old's brows rose when he saw the front of the car had been cordoned off with a dark plane of glass. He thought things like that only existed in movies. But then again, the brunet was volunteering as a test subject for a highly classified government research trial, wasn't he? The whole concept was straight from the cinemas.
As he lounged in the plush leather seat, finally accepting the fact that the seatbelt was going to bite into his neck and there was nothing he could do about it, Goro's thoughts wandered. Once he'd finally received his long-desired emancipation, Goro had unsurprisingly found himself low on cash. Daily shifts at the beef bowl restaurant weren't enough to pay the rent even if he lived in the shittiest part of town. That was why he'd fallen down the medical trials rabbit hole. The pay was good, the time investment low, and with his level of Reiryoku he could easily recover from toxins and ailments that would wipe an average human out for weeks.
Today was a bit different, however. For once, he actually interested in it for reasons entirely unrelated to money. The language was all wrong – the papers had rabbited on about 'psionic energy' and similar nonsense – but the principles were sound. Isshiki Wakaba was unintentionally researching how to increase a person's Reiatsu, and Goro had chomped at the bit to sign up. He'd finally started to hear whispers from his mother's Asauchi – the one she'd carried with her every single day even after she'd lost her powers, and had never spoken to even once – but it wasn't enough. Shido knew all about Shinigami and their abilities, after all – a mere child with a barely cognizant Zanpakutō spirit who hadn't fought a Hollow in their life would never catch his eye. If Goro could become stronger and faster, however? He could finally be of use to his father, and his lifelong goal of tearing the bastard down would at last be within his reach.
Several weeks of filling out form after form and one psychiatric evaluation he'd lied his way through later, Goro's application had finally been approved. As his eyes devoured the letter, the brunet's hopes had soared until they hit the ceiling - he hadn't felt that giddy in years. Even now, when he thought about what was lying ahead, Goro's lips automatically curled up into a smile and excitement bubbled in his chest. His good mood remained as the sedan rolled to a halt by a chain link fence topped with viciously jagged barbed wire. After a moment's delay, the security barrier rose, and the car rumbled back to life. The final stretch of their journey was utterly excruciating, but the brunet managed to wear his patient mask until the car stopped for good.
As the guards ushered him out of the vehicle, the teenager scanned his surroundings. On the outside, the Research Facility resembled a mashup between an old factory and a concrete block. As the boy and his escorts walked through the automatic doors, however, Goro's brows rose. The facility's interior could have been plucked straight out of a sci-fi film. The twisting hallway walls were made from opaque glass, and shiny, midnight blue titles donned the floor, making his every step echo. The only light came from blue-tinged strip lighting lining the corridors, but as it reflected off the white ceiling it somehow managed to negate most of the facility's darkness.
After twisting and turning through half a dozen halls, occasionally passing men in white coats that lugged around all sorts of machinery, the security guards brought him into a room. A long white metal desk with several built-in monitors was perched in front of a transparent window showing the lab in all its glory. Office chairs were parked by each screen, but they were all currently unoccupied. Instead, several far comfier-looking sofas and beanbags were spread out across the room. The sole occupant of the room was sitting on one of the aforementioned couches, furiously scrutinising some documents in her hands.
"The test subject has arrived, Isshiki-san." One of the security escorts announced.
The three men then retreated through the doors, leaving Goro all alone with the psientist. As she scanned him up and down, Isshiki's brow furrowed, and a concerned grimace crossed her lips. As she approached him, the worry in her eyes was apparent, and his heart skipped a beat. She couldn't bail on him now – he had to do this.
"Isshiki Wakaba." She announced, offering her hand in an oddly Western manner. "I assume you're Akechi Goro."
"Yes ma'am." He smiled, channelling the charm he'd spent hours in front of the mirror honing. As he returned her shake, Isshiki's grip was firm – it was clear she was not a woman who would let herself be easily cowed. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
"Look, I'll cut to the chase." Isshiki sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I'm not happy about this. Even though legally speaking you're an adult, mentally and physically, you're still a kid. I've got a daughter around your age, you know."
Goro felt his smile grow more plastic. "Like you said, however, I am a legal adult. It's within my rights to apply for this program."
The 'and there's nothing you can do to stop me' went unsaid.
"Yes, you're unfortunately right." Isshiki conceded bitterly. "It would be irresponsible of me, however, if I didn't make it clear how dangerous this is. The last several experiments ended with fatalities – it's reaching the point where some of my sponsors want to restrict testing to incarcerated citizens only. This is your last chance to back out – the money is not worth your life."
"I'm not doing this for the money." Goro responded truthfully. "I find your research very interesting, Isshiki-san, and would like to contribute to your next breakthrough." As the psientist's expression grew increasingly uncomfortable, his grin widened. "And don't worry – I'm confident I'll be fine."
That didn't mollify Isshiki at all, though Goro didn't expect that it would. His words would sound like nothing but unfounded bravado to her ears, after all. However, the brunet was genuinely confident her little experiment wasn't going to kill him, and even if it did, it wouldn't be a big deal. He wasn't some spiritually blind schlub who couldn't fathom what a Hollow was even if it bit off his head – he was half-Shinigami. Death was his to control.
"Very well." She sighed, adjusting her glasses. "Let's go."
Isshiki escorted him into the lab. There was an assembly line of sorts at its far end, robotic arms dangling silently above a motionless conveyor belt. To the side, large steel boxes with glowing purple antennae on their tops hummed menacingly. A huge swath of the room was dedicated to various giant monitors displaying green-hued maps of Tokyo, interspersed with the occasional red dot. Men and women in coats hurried around, hissing whispers to each other – it seemed Isshiki wasn't the only person feeling agitated today. The psientist ignored all that, however, and took him to the far west end of the lab, where a padded chair rested under a large spotlight. Numerous machines surrounded it, mechanical lights flickering in an unreadable pattern, and the contraption was covered with various safety restraints. Several men stood by its side, eyes glued to a nearby computer screen as the duo arrived.
"Take off your shirt and remove any belongings you don't want damaged." Isshiki ordered. "Arataka-san will make sure they're safe."
Nodding, Goro obeyed her commands. In addition to his shirt, he passed over his wallet and phone to the bespectacled assistant Isshiki had called. Not that it would really matter if anything happened to them – the teenager didn't exactly have much in the way of cash, and his mobile was so old it didn't even have a touchscreen.
"Sit down." The woman instructed, and after Goro gingerly lowered himself into the chair, she started to strap him in. Isshiki must have noticed the way he froze, as she met his eyes, expression sympathetic. "I'm sorry, but it's for everyone's safety – yours included."
"Okay." He nodded, swallowing his apprehension. While a part of Goro's mind recoiled at the thought of being restrained, it wasn't like he couldn't break out if needed. Even if he wasn't powerful enough to hunt Hollow safely yet, the brunet still possessed enough physical strength to snap mere fabric belts.
Once she finally finished strapping him in place, Isshiki nodded to herself and pulled out a jar of Vaseline. Scooping up the goop with her fingers, the scientist proceeded to slather it on the teenager's chest, and Goro shuddered at the unexpected cold. She proceeded to tape several electrodes in place, before moving away and joining her colleagues by a mechanical dashboard which was covered in so many buttons and switches it gave even Goro a headache.
"Are you ready?" Isshiki asked, barely waiting for a confirmation before she moved on. "All systems are operational – we'll begin the psionic injection in 3, 2, 1…"
Isshiki pulled a lever down. She really shouldn't have. A mechanical throbbing pulsed through the air, and sparks fell to the ground as vivid currents of purple electricity crackled around the machine. The wires attached to Goro's chest glowed for a split second before a wave of agony so profound he felt like he was being torn in two ripped through his chest.
– Mum help me it hurts it hurts it hurts it HURTS –
As Goro's soul imploded, a wave of dark and heavy Reiatsu exploded from the boy's husk. The straps restraining him disintegrated as Goro's limbs elongated, fingertips morphing into wicked claws. The chair he was sitting on crumpled like alfoil, and the devices and monitoring equipment surrounding him were sent flying through the air. Some of the machinery crashed into the wall, gouging large dents in the iron before shattering into pieces. Others smashed into the nearby psientists with enough force to reduce their bodies to paste.
Isshiki Wakaba and two of her compatriots died on impact. It was only Isshiki, however - who put two-and-two together and came up with oh shit - who had the foresight to immediately flee. She would be one of less than a dozen Wholes to escape the laboratory that night.
The Cognitive Psience Research Facility rumbled in the wake of the blast, employees falling to their knees. The light fixtures hanging from the lab's ceiling fell, shattering on the tiled floor and scattering sparks that quickly morphed into flames in their wake. Smoke and debris drifted through the air as people coughed and spluttered, lungs heaving for air.
At the eye of the storm, a lanky figure rose to its feet.
It was not Akechi Goro. While the monster was still humanoid, it was nearing twelve feet tall and was covered in chitinous scales that oscillated between midnight blue and ebon black. A long, hooked tail swept out from its back, and a pair of small wings - too small to be anything but vestigial - burst out from its shoulders in an explosion of dark plumage. The Hollow's head hung limply, but when its yellow-slit eyes fluttered open, it crooned its neck, revealing a stark white, avian mask for the world to see.
A fleshy, meaty gargle then echoed through the air, and the Hollow snapped to attention as the scent of blood hit its nostrils. Its stomach gurgled, and tentatively - unused to how its limbs worked - it stepped towards the noise. It was Arataka. The man had been far enough away from the impact site to avoid instant death, but considering half his torso was crushed under a metal cabinet, that wasn't a blessing. The Hollow approached the man curiously, instincts waning in favour of a moment's clarity. It knew this man. As the monster loomed over the dying Arataka, however, the man's eyes widened in horror, and skin paling, he increased his futile efforts to escape from under the cabinet.
The Hollow recoiled, a spear of hurt piercing its chest at the rejection. He doesn't want me. He doesn't love me. Please, love me – don't leave me alone, don't leave me alone, don't leave me alone! As Arataka desperately increased his efforts, the Hollow's grief morphed into a deep, primal rage. Fine. If Arataka didn't want to stay, it would keep him here by force. Leaning forward, the Hollow opened its scraggly-toothed maw and ripped into the man's flesh. While it tore into him again, again, and again, it wasn't enough - it wanted more.
It was so, so hungry.
Arataka's soul floated out from his body, and the Hollow was upon it in seconds. Unfortunately, Arakata's meagre Reiatsu had done nothing to quench the empty pit in its stomach, and it was still unbearably, horrifically lonely.
"Mother… please…" The Hollow rasped, scanning the ruined lab in desperation. Its mother could make this all better. If only it could just find her…
The beast might have ignored the survivors, human and soul alike, if it wasn't snapped out of its stupor by a scream. On cue, panicked cries and horrified wails began to fill the air. Even those who couldn't see the monster had noticed the way Arataka had been torn into pieces, after all. A woman scrambled to her feet and began to run, and the Hollow blinked, startled. When a chorus of other scientists quickly joined her, however, the monster's vision went red. How dare they run away from me! A golden light glowed in its mouth before it fired a Cero, reducing the fleeing scientists into chunks. The Hollow then dashed forward at speeds no mere human could perceive, and in a flurry of tooth and claw, devoured each and every one of their Wholes in a matter of moments.
From then onwards, it was carnage. Not a single thought passed through the Hollow's mind, all rationality consumed by sheer and utter instinct, as it rampaged through the lab. White-coated scientists attempted to scramble away from the beast, knees quivering, but the Hollow consumed them in moments. The sound of an alarm blared through the facility and the lab became awash in red light, but the Hollow paid it no heed, smashing straight through the glass walls as it continued its hunt. Men in black suits yelled at each other, guns in their hands as they attempted to shoot the beast down, but the bullets either sailed through the air, meeting nothing, or deflected harmlessly off the Hollow's scales.
The beast didn't even bat an eye at the assault, and made short work of them too. It went after every drop of Reiatsu it could find, belly rumbling, but even as the walls of the lab crashed to the ground around it as it devoured Whole after Whole after Whole, the Hollow still wasn't satisfied. It hadn't found its mother yet, after all. The beast suddenly stilled, having dropped to all-fours now, its every limb covered in gore.
Oh. That's right. Mother is dead.
With a crack, hairline fractures spread across the Hollow's porcelain mask. She was gone – reborn as a mewling infant who was probably halfway across the world. Goro would never see her again, no matter how desperately he craved her gentle touch, and it was all Shido's fault. The mask covering his face crumbled, white shards falling to the floor. Goro gasped, choking for air as his warped and twisted limbs shrunk, the dark scales coating his body peeling away. By the time his humanity fully returned to him, the teenager was shaking, curled up in the fetal position as sweat dripped down his naked chest. Slowly, Goro staggered to his feet, hair lank and stomach uncomfortably bloated. The taste of blood and something else he couldn't quite identify was on his lips.
He was quickly distracted from that, however, as he finally saw his surroundings. Slowly, Goro blinked, struggling to process the wreckage around him. The Cognitive Psience Research Facility had been utterly destroyed. The fancy dark glass was crushed into nothing but splinters, and fire slowly burned through the building's ruins. The walls and a huge chunk of the ceiling had collapsed, and the uncharacteristically cold August sun burned down onto his skin like the judgement of the gods. There were no signs of life – no scientists whispering or security guards patrolling the corridors, or even the groaning of the dying and wounded. As Goro rounded the corner and saw a pile of bodies that looked like they'd been mauled by a savage beast, he promptly remembered why.
Bile rose to the back of the boy's throat, and he proceeded to vomit all over the once-pristine floor. Retching, he gagged, trying to purge the combined taste of human flesh and his own bile from his mouth. Eventually, he ran out of things to puke up, and simply dry-heaved as he braced himself on a half-collapsed column. It was at that moment that a wild, maniacal laugh bubbled through the air. It took Goro a second to realise it was coming from himself. What the actual FUCK, Isshiki?! He wheezed hysterically. In hindsight, he should have predicted this – how else would random, worthless souls gain even a mote of Reiatsu?!
No matter how dire his mental state was, however, he couldn't have a mental breakdown forever. As time passed, his sense of horror faded into numbness. Legs trembling, the teenager staggered away from the lab's ruins. Goro didn't want to be there when the cops – or god forbid, the military – showed up. Slowly, his walk turned into a run, and before he even realised it, Goro had slipped into shunpo, closing the gap between the facility and the barbed wire fence in less than the blink of an eye.
Goro paused, shocked. He'd never actually successfully used shunpo before. Heart skipping a beat, anticipation soared in his chest as he focused on his Reiryoku. The difference was subtle, but it was there. The brunet supposed he shouldn't be so surprised - he knew Hollows gained power from eating Wholes, and while he sure as fuck wasn't going to do that again, it seemed his momentary madness had at least come with some benefits.
It was then though that he sensed something odd in his Reiryoku. A black, inky pool of immeasurable darkness that welled within him. Unless… Goro froze, excitement strangling him. He grabbed hold of unnatural energy, and a wave of Reiatsu unlike anything he'd ever felt before emanated from him with enough force to make the chain-link fence rattle.
Slowly, he began to laugh as a Hollow's mask reformed over his face. This time, there was none of the panicked hysteria he had felt before - only a dark, bloodthirsty glee. Today had been worth it after all.
Shido was certainly going to pay attention to him now.