Omakes

[Merc]

There's a few writing contests going on over in Hawk's fanfic forum that I'm participating in. Mentioned I was doing this writing and so posting here for the plushie a collection of some of the things I've been writing. Mostly bleach, and one naruto.

[Merc]

It was a tragedy that no one had a camera to capture Byakuya's expression. They'd probably never see that again.

Byakuya is a cold reserved man, and few have seen the full range emotions he can truly express. To everyone, he is a prince and yet a snob. Few have ever wished to truly consider what it'd be like to be close to this noble man.

He has been looked upon with admiration and disdain alike more than any other way, and he accepts this without care. After all, who are they to judge him?

He is not an expressive person, he knows this. Sometimes, he wishes he were so. But it does nothing to wish what cannot be changed, and this is something that has been deeply ingrained in his core. Even with those close to him, few that they be, he finds it difficult to do so.

When he was a child, he did not understand the concept of 'play'. He knew rules, obligations, honor. There were no others near his age, except perhaps the child of the Shihouin family, but she was rarely allowed outside of the Shihouin compound, and they met even more rarely. Their two families were allies, but not 'friends'.

Humor and play were two things he learned from that girl though, he admits. He never quite did more than give a small smile at a few of the antics of the hyperactive Yoruichi, and he rarely gave jokes from his own part. The older girl would give a wide smile and smack him on his back whenever he did, and release a boisterous laugh, no matter how unfunny his joke was. She at least recognized the attempt.

He would tell no one, but he's always felt a bit awkward around her, and he hid it so very well. Even as they aged, their bodies growing, maturing, he hid it even as they danced another dance of the game named 'Tag', and he restrained himself from touching the body of the beautiful carefree young goddess with more than a lingering caress.

He'd had a crush on Shihouin Yoruichi.

In hindsight, he believes that she probably knew, sensed that barrier between them, and simply didn't comment on it. It was a self-imposed barrier that he himself had placed on himself, so he would be the one to break it if he wanted something more. It sounds, in his head, much the sort of thing she would do.

He never asked, and never really cared to. If she was his first and last crush, Hisana was his first and last love.

Their love, it was something that simply wasn't meant to be, to exist. He was the noble scion of the house of Kuchiki, she a mere commoner.

And yet it did. She was like a flame, wild and free, and yet contained, as if within a glass lamp, so as to not burn those whose lives she'd shed light on.

And he broke that glass lamp. The flame, eventually went out.

Their meeting began simply enough. It was the beginning of something new that followed the ending of something else.

Three shinigami captains. Rogue. It was unthinkable. Unprecedented. Frightening.

To all others, he seemed to take the news as if any other. Despite his acquaintance of one of the traitors, he did not break down like her subordinate, he merely nodded, and moved on his way.

Inside, he had been a mess.

He'd left that evening to take a walk through the dead of night, a random path that led him to where the Shihouin household gates were tightly shut. He stared up at the gigantic gates, and stood there for what seemed hours, closing his eyes and remembering.

"Emotions are a weakness, boy," his grandfather's raspy voice had once told him as a youth. "They can be used against you, and break you when you least expect it."

He had thought he lived by those words before, but...his heart was so heavy.

He knew he wasn't truly a close friend or confidant of the former head of the 2nd division. He understood that position definitely belonged to the man she aided in escaping, the fugitive genius, Urahara Kisuke.

And still he felt betrayed.

So he stood, senseless to the world. Until another came.

Something heavy began to wrap around his back, and in a flash, he was facing about, sword drawn, his face firm, thoughts of Yoruichi thrown to the back, for the moment at least.

"Eek!" his attacker exclaimed, with a jump before tripping or landing badly, simply falling onto their back, a heavy coat covering their body.

His eyebrow raised, and the tip of his sword dug into an edge of the coat, and raised upwards, pulling the coat off, revealing a girl in dirtied white rags (to his appraising eyes, at least) shivering, her hands crossed over her chest and face in a warding gesture, her eyes scrunched tightly and her lips clenched.

"...you are?"

He waited paitiently for the girl to open one of her eyes and stare at him. Her eye dashed towards his sword, and the shaking seemed to intensify.

He put away his sword. He could quickly draw it again if need be, although he doubted it. "You will not be hurt."

She still seemed so hesitant, but he did not offer much in the way of comfort. It's not his way. He simply stood there, towering over her.

Still, his lack of reaction, simply waiting patiently had the desired effect, somehow. She slowly rose, standing just a half-head shorter than he. Her fingers played nervously around that thick coat, twisting and turning it between her fingers.

"Uhm, I apologize for the intrusion, my lord." She bowed deeply and sharply, uncertainty and a healthy amount of fear present.

"Noted." It was all he had answered with, well that and a small nod of his head was given, but he continued to stand there, as if waiting for more.

Remembering his earlier question, she eventually bowed again. "I...my name is Hisana, Kuchiki-sama."

"Ah."

He paused, and then gave his own bow to the surprised girl, though his bow was smooth and confident. "My own apologies for startling you, Hisana-san," he offered, remembering his manners.

"Oh...oh no, it was my fault. I...I was the one who surprised you with my coat."

"I am a seated officer and heir to the Kuchiki house. I am not one who should have been surprised."

"But you were?"

He gave her a penetrating look, and whatever confidence and comfort she might have gained through their conversation seemed to vanish. He gave a brisk nod. "I was...immersed in my thoughts."

It looked like she understood that he did not wish to speak of his error, and gave another bow. Nothing else was said, on either part, and she turned to leave, slowly walking away.

Whim or fate, he called out to her when she was but ten steps away. "Why did you approach me?"

Her cheeks flushed red. "You looked cold. I...I thought you needed it more than me."

He nodded, in that cold manner of his, and turned away. The girl left soon after, when he did not say anything else. She did not hear his whispered "Thank you, Hisana-san."

They'd had other encounters after. Many thought they were staged by the girl, regardless of how flustered she appeared whenever he spoke to her. It did not seem to occur to anyone that the cold young noble was the one that saw something interesting in the girl.

At some point, that something became love, even if it wasn't easy to tell on his part. Hisana once told him before she died, that she fell in love with him the moment she saw him melancholy looking up those gates. He never once said why he'd been looking up at them. She never asked. However weak her body might have been, he would always envy the strength of her spirit, even after hearing her secret shame.

Many things happened since then, and almost ended quite badly.

His conscience was at war within him at that time. He had set himself up in an impossible place, obligation at odds with duty, and his sorrow and trust tainting his perceptions of how to act.

The girl he promised to protect with his life he was bound to execute. The girl he had begun to love like a sister, that child whom his wife had entrusted the life of to him...would die because of him. Why did he find her and that boy? He almost wished he'd failed.

He felt such relief when that boy appeared, and weak that he was, found triumph after triumph over their forces, until he became his near equal, in combat if not in station. Still, his pride warred within him, his cold face betraying nothing, as he fought with his utmost and almost set himself back in the position of executioner when the boy seemed to falter.

How happy he was when his body fell to the ground, broken, and he knew he was defeated. 'He'll protect her. This boy....he'll protect her.'

An undisguised smile decorates the face of an old man as he participates in a tradition from the human world, starting a murmur of chatter amongst guests.

"Did you see it? The commander-general smiled!" was what most statements revolved around.

He took a deep breath, and blew out the candles on his cake, his family laughing and patting him on the back. Rukia's granddaughter, his relative in name and spirit, moved closer to him looking rather nervous. Her husband held her hand tightly, and motioned her closer to him. "Tell him the news, Masaki-chan..."

"News?"

The girl smiled and grasped the general's hand, placing it on her stomach, surprising him. There was a vibrant feeling of life coming from there.

"...twins," the old man murmured.

She nodded brightly, a dazzling smile that reminded him so much of Hisana that he almost broke in tears.

"Yes, two girls. Yoruichi and Hisana, we were thinking of calling them, grandfather," the girl said with a small proud, hopeful smile, wanting the approval of their house of head.

The commander-general rubbed his granddaughter's stomach gently, feeling the pulse of strong energy coming from the still unborn children within, and then pulled back his hand, stared at it, and slapped it to his forehead, throwing his head back and giving a deep, strong, loud laugh. The 28th head of the noble Kuchiki clan said with a wide smile that surprised many from the normally cold general, especially given the tears that they could see streaming down those wrinkled cheeks. "Those are good names! We can expect much from them!"

When two girls enter the shinigami academy, some many years after, they do so with determined looks, to do the Kuchiki name proud.

[Merc]

Hanatarou can't deny he's Soul Society's bitch, but there were days like this that made it all worth it.

Things, you see, did not get easier for him once the drifters, Ichigo and the rest of his friends, took off back to the real world.

To be fair, it was mostly due to Rikichi's good intentions. And Renji's too. And, he supposed, he could also blame himself for not getting the hell away while Renji was trying to help, before his help turned into a vicious declaration of doom. His body's instincts betraying him didn't help -one- bit. Nor did Ikakku or Yumichika.

This happened just a very short time after the drifters took off. Things weren't quite back to normal yet in Soul Society, but they were close enough that the members of the 11th were back to picking on the members of the 4th. It hadn't taken them long to take up that 'hobby' again once there was no one left to fight, really.

That particular day, he'd been the lucky guy to be meet someone from the 11th. He'd have said he was lucky it was only one, but then another showed up. And another. And another

Soon, he was surrounded by a small mob of Zaraki's men. To be more specific, the ones that had first surrounded Ichigo and that friend of his, Gangyu. And that had already made clear their opinion of him when he'd stumbled onto that scene back then.

He had thought that it was going to hurt. He'd -resigned- himself to the fact that it was going to hurt.

Except his friend Rikichi had seen what was going to happen and had rushed to his idol, the vice-captain of the 6th division, Renji Abarai. And once the situation was explained, Renji rushed towards the poor hapless Hanataro to help, likely feeling a debt was due for having saved his life such a short time ago.

So there was Renji, standing behind him, his sword released, and his aura blasting out from him as he stared down his former comrades, the segments of his blade surrounding the pair leaving gouging holes on the ground between them and the mob.

"Just -what- do you people think you're doing?"

The aura of the red-headed shinigami must have been asphyxiating to them, because while it didn't quite match the intensity that their own captain could put out, none of those guys were particularly high up in the hiearchy of the 11th division. And Renji had gotten really really strong in the past few days as a result of his fights with Ichigo and his own training to defeat his captain.

"W-w-why do care?" one of the braver shinigami asked, although even he was cowering, and stepping back.

"If it wasn't for him, I'd be dead," Renji answered with cold precise steel. "So you will -show- some damn respect to him."

Hanatarou almost felt like this could have ended well, even hoped and dreamed that he'd be left alone. He really should have known better.

As the mob began to mutter amongst themselves, and slowly edge away, Renji put away his blade, and clapped Hanatarou in the shoulder. "There, those pussies shouldn't bother ya anymore!"

Everyone outside of the man that just spoke froze then, including Hanatarou. He just -knew- that insult of Renji's was going to cost him.

"PUSSIES?!?"

"Yeah. Pussies."

Renji was grinning at them, taunting them. Hanatarou's pleading expression was ignored by all. All those from the 11th started to move closer again, but Renji forced his aura out again to envelop everyone, causing them to flinch under the pressure of his spirit.

Renji's grin went wider, and he uttered a phrase that has made Hanatarou's life -hell- since then, sincerely cementing his position as Soul Society's bitch.

"C'mon, you guys are so afraid of me, and look here, Hanatarou is much closer to me and he's not a quivering mass of chicken."

"Yo-You're on his side! O-Of course he won't be!"

"...ooooh?"

Renji's eyes settled on Hanatarou, whose eyes went wide as suddenly all the pressure was on him, not just Renji's, but that of all the angered mob's.

Hanatarou, however, had the unfortunate luck of having been in the presence of many strong people recently. This wasn't near as terrifying or sufficating as being within Kenpachi Zaraki's space. And he wasn't tired or drained this time, nor did he have no place to run. And he'd been wanting to be brave like Ichigo ever since meeting the boy. This screwed his instincts entirely for the worst.

His instincts of fleeing were instead replaced by instincts to fight, and as he pulled back away from Renji, his sword arm went towards where his scabbard was supposed to be, before realizing he'd left his sword at home again.

Panic was just about to settle in when Renji's aura blinked out and he smiled at the medic shinigami. "I knew you weren't like these pathetic idiots."

"WHAT?!?" All those from the 11th in there were -furious-, and Hanatarou wanted so badly to shrink into a little ball and die. "THE COWARD TOOK A STEP BACK, SAME AS US!!!"

"Ah, but it seems he went for his sword, even if he doesn't appear to have it. You guys? You guys only thought of fleeing, didn't you? How ugly..."

"Very unbefitting, yes."

A pair of new voices.

Everyone looked up, and all those from the 11th that were still there turned pasty white.

"Yo!" Renji greeted Yumichika and Ikkaku, who were sitting atop the roof of one of the buildings at the side of the little gathering. "Came to join in, you two?"

"Well, Ikakku wanted to fight when we sensed your aura," Yumichika explained.

Ikakku hopped down, calling out his release phrase as he pulled his sword. When he landed, the sword was now a staff resting on his shoulder. "...Yeah. But right now I think I want to clean up some trash and explain what it means to be in the 11th."

His eyes seemed focused on a select few, probably those from his particular squad. The mob just looked as resigned as Hanatarou had back when he was surrounded.

Except as Ikakku went through them, their eyes often settled on Hanatarou before going unconscious from the beating, glaring with rage, blaming him for everything.

Hanatarou gulped as he received glare after glare until Ikakku finished up and his friend clapped for him.

"Well, looks like our work here is done!" Renji commented cheerfully. "Want to go get some beer, guys?"

The 3rd and 5th seat had looked over at the groaning mob and then at Renji and shrugged, before agreeing. As the trio left laughing it up, Hanatarou's knees buckled and he fell to the ground, horrified beyond belief.

"I...am...going...t-t-to...d-d-d-d-diiiiiiieeeeeee!!!! IIIEEEEEEEGGGGHHHHHH!!!!"

He didn't die, of course. He wouldn't be here, in his bed today, if he -were- dead of course. Well, dead-dead, not shinigami-dead, mind you.

But the past few days leading up to today weren't pretty.

First, and worst of all, he'd officially become -the- guy from the 4th to attack. None ofthe other members were getting attacked almost at all, as everyone was hunting for him. All his companions were treating him nicely, but kept giving him pitying looks accompanied with the easily recognizable feeling of 'Better him than me...'

Second, he'd been forced to start bringing his zanpakuto with him, the sword's healing properties essential to his continued well-being, having to dodge around the members of the 11th, ducking into alleyways with exits into the sewer even when he wasn't scheduled to do cleaning there, and his home was often vandalized.

Third, he made the mistake of fighting back. Against the wrong guy. He still wasn't sure why Zaraki came up behind him, but the dulled killing intent from -that- man, felt like the normal killing intent from his division members trying to hunt him down. And Hisagomaru's gauge was full. Frustrated, as he turned, he'd released his blade, and stabbed with it, not thinking of the consequences or that he was about to kill someone. Unfortunately, it had been Zaraki. On the one hand, he hadn't committed any murders that day.

On the other, Zaraki was now interested in the little medic that was making fools of his division what with his right arm having been rendered nigh but useless lump of flesh when he dodged what would surely have been a fatal blow on anyone else.

That lunatic had considered it yet another handicap to fight with as he switch to his left hand and began to attempt to skewer Hanatarou, often coming -very- close to doing so. The only saving grace was how much faster he'd become from dodging others, and his improvement in hiding and moving silently was unbelievable. Well, that and Hisagomaru allowing him to heal himself whenever he had the chance to do so.

He'd still ended up in the hospital, but it took Zaraki a good ten minutes to truly take him down. And that was mostly because his gauge had filled up again, and he figured if he made a good hit to a nerve clump to knock that lunatic unconscious or something, he could go get some rest. He was sure he hit, but he felt something hit him harder before everything went black.

When he'd woken up wrapped up like a mummy, Zaraki was sitting in the same room, and said, "Oh, you're awake? Good to see ya aren't dead, you persistant little cockroach. We can definitely finish business now." He made a face, as if remembering something, and was rubbing his ear, then muttered. "Or when you're healed up. That'll work fine too."

Hanatarou wasn't sure if that cockroach comment was a compliment or what, the 11th division's captain shambled out after that, muttering about devil women, though his vice-captain stayed for a second,and patted him on his bandaged forehead. "Thanks for playing with Ken-chan! He seems to like you now!"

As anyone with half a brain could tell, being liked by 'Ken-chan' when it involved 'unfinished business'? Not a good thing. Okay, sure, no one else actually messed with him now, not with Kenpachi essentially staking a claim on his ass, but really, he'd rather be running for his life from the rest of Kenpachi's men than from Kenpachi himself. About the only good thing to come out of all this was how Isane seemed to take pity on him and was trying to make his last moments on earth pleasant.

When three days later he was healed enough to go back home, Isane helping him there, he was resting in bed, when an...epiphany came to him. He was going to die. He was going to take them down with him then.

He'd grabbed his sword, and begun to heal his wounds as best he could, in spite of his captain's advice that he didn't. She apparently felt he'd survive longer if he left his body to heal naturally. Or maybe she thought she could think of something to dissuade Zaraki in that time.

Who knows?

What he knew was that he had a plan.

He had access to everywhere. He could do anything, and no one could stop him. Not when no one knew what he was planning.

He slid into the shadows as he left his domicile, grabbing certain items from around the hospital and various other places. Silently he crept onto the compound of the 11th division, and setting down the large sack he carried with him, dug into his keyring for the appropriate key to allow him access.

He began his work.

Soon.

Soon the 11th division would be no more.

Zaraki would survive, surely, but his hunt would be delayed certainly, even if he knew who was to blame.

If he was going to go, he'd go with a bang.

He almost giggled to himself, but restrained himself. Now wasn't the time.

Wait till you're back home, he'd told himself.

A thought came to him then. Why was he pointing the blame at himself? Why not just divert the attention? If the survivors were kept busy, maybe they'd forget him?

He worked a bit longer into the night, before going back home and flopping in bed, his bandages dirtied.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Night turned into day.

*BOOOOOM*

"ABARAI!!!! KUCHIKI!!!"

Explosions rang outside for the rest of the day, and Hanataro simply sighed happily while hugging his pillow. It sounded divine outside. Then Isane came by, and caught him up on what was going on after seeing that he was still fine and no one had attacked him while he was 'helpless'. No one died so far ('Drats,' a part of Hanatarou' dark mind thought), but it was a warzone outside between the 6th and 11th division.

Isane, worried for his wellbeing, had come to ensure he stayed out of the battlefield, a thought that warmed his heart. And when she admonished him for sitting up and wincing due to a pain in his shoulder, and forced him to lie back, offering to give him a back rub to help him, it was so very difficult to avoid moaning in happiness as those hands of her worked magic onto his tired bandaged back.

Yes. Today was going to be a good day. He just hoped the little war between the 6th and 11th lasted a while. And that Isane didn't think to change his bandages and find his body already mostly healed.

If he could keep her rubbing his back forever and ever, by god he'd find some way to do it.

Especially with those lovely sounds of screams and explosions ringing outside his home, and knowing he was nowhere in the middle of it.

[Merc]

"Okay, before anything else, I want you to know: This wasn't my idea."

Yoruichi stopped with one foot half outside the door, frozen. 'This can't be good.'

An impatient growl almost left her lips, but she reigned it in. Taking a deep breath, she turned around, planning on telling off that fool. He wasn't supposed to be seen here, certainly not this night of all nights.

"Isshin..." she started to say, when the sight in front of her made her stop. Her eyes darted away from the man's neck, and higher up to his apologetic looking face. "...oh, tell me you didn't."

Isshin, captain of the 10th division, would have shrugged if he could. As it was, Yoruichi has a clear idea of what had happened if not the how of it. It was hard not to tell, what with his arms high up in the air, the lack of zanpakuto at his side, the sweat on his brow, and in particular, the butterfly symbol on his neck, and the arm draped over his shoulder, the hand near the man's neck with a distinct gold and black item stretching out of the middle finger and resting on his chest, not to mention the easy to make out shape behind him, shaking much more than the man currently being held at essentially 'gunpoint'.

Yoruichi sighed and lowered her head, as she raised her hand and began rubbing her forehead in exasperation as the large man did his best attempt at a sheepish shrug with what movement he was allowed by the person on his back.

"Soi Fon, get off Isshin."

"No! I...he...is it true, Yoruichi-sama?" Soi Fon seemed desperate to stay hidden in the shadows.

Yoruichi looked over to her friend, their eyes meeting, and Isshin nodded. He'd told Soi Fon essentially everything that mattered, at least to the girl alone.

She sighed again. "Kisuke doesn't deserve to die over this, Soi Fon. I'm not going to let him die when I can save him."

"He's a criminal, Yoruichi-sama! The thing he invented should not exist!" The girl hiding in the shadows countered. "I can't let you throw everything you have here for that man! You can't possibly think they won't catch you and punish you too!"

Now, Yoruichi just looked plain crossed. "Who the hell do you think I am?"

She could feel a bit of shame from her young prodigy. "They aren't going to catch us, you know."

"I did."

The tone of voice is just a bit smug.

"Technically, all you've got is Isshin."

"Don't put it like that, Yoruichi!!!" the large man cried out, big fake tears, as if his life didn't depend on the whims of a devastated teenager. Ah well, nobody ever claimed the captain of the 10th was renown for his brains. "It makes me feel like I'm not special!"

The girl on his back didn't seem to know how to take his behaviour, so she just kicked him from behind. "Stand still, or I might accidently pierce you, you oaf!"

"Ow! You brat!" Isshin started shaking, before he felt a sharp poke on his shoulder, and remembered his situation. "Ah!!! That's right! I forgot about that!"

He turned to look at Yoruichi, tears still streaming from his eyes. "What are you teaching your kids, Yoruichi? Huh? Huh?"

Yoruichi meanwhile, had gone back to rubbing her forehead, muttering, "Noooo, don't tell Isshin, I said. He'll let something slip, I said. We'll never get away if he knows, I said. Fuck you, Kisuke. I should leave you to rot..."

"That's the spirit, Yoruichi-sama! Forget about that criminal!"

"Stop yelling in my ear, you brat!"

"I'm not a brat, you oaf! You take that back!"

"If you can't respect a captain and not treat him as anything but a hostage, then you aren't anything but a brat in my eyes, you brat!"

"Yeah, well if you're too stupid to get caught by a brat, then you don't deserve to be a captain, you oaf!"

"Brat!"

"Oaf!"

"Brat!"

"Oaf!"

"QUIET!!!"

Yoruichi glared at the two, her hazel eyes shining like glinting amber stones, her voice wasn't much louder than theirs, but it was loud enough to get their attention before they went louder and got someone -else- curious to what was going on. "Soi Fon. Stop threatening Isshin now."

"No! You won't listen to me if I do!"

"She has a point, Yoruichi."

"Do you -want- to die, you idiot?"

"Hey, now don't you go getting in on the insults. One brat's enough to deal with."

"Don't call Yoruichi-sama a brat, you oaf!"

"Ow! You kicked me again! Do that again and I'm ripping your head off the rest of your body even if it kills me!"

"You just try it!"

"Oh for the love of..." Yoruichi started to say before she suddenly vanished from her spot, and next thing Soi Fon knew, she was being held in mid air, her hand being grasped by Yoruichi who was staring down at her. "Were you -trying- to wake up everyone?" she hissed at her little apprentice, who looked like she was musing a new idea over after hearing that.

"Well..." was all Soi Fon said before she quickly drew in a breath of air, which was quickly knocked out of her as her leader delivered a sharp chop to the back of the girl's neck, knocking her out unconscious before she could give off a sharp yell.

The two butterfly figures on Isshin's neck and shoulder vanished, and Isshin grinned. "You couldn't do that as soon as you saw her holding me hostage?"

The woman grunted as she wrapped an arm around the girl dangling off her other arm, and laid her down on the wooden floor of the building. Closing the door, she glared at Isshin. "Do you want to explain now, or is this where I rip you apart for involving Soi Fon?"

"Technically speaking, she involved herself, and like I said, this wasn't -my- idea."

"Oh? Then whose was it. Soi Fon's? She's good, I'll allow that. Very, very good, even. But she's not good enough that she should have recognized anything out of the ordinary with you."

"Well, see that? That's the thing. She didn't recognize anything out of the ordinary with me. You on the other hand..."

"...Are you insinuating that the commander of the special forces can't hide her emotions, Isshin?"

"Oh, I'm not insinuating anything, darling," Isshin said, his face serious. "Your brat really looks up to you, and she seems to know you very well, it seems. She could tell something was wrong. She apparently spied on our meeting earlier tonight. We didn't say anything that would make sense to her, but we said enough."

Yoruichi scowled. "I must have been really preoccupied to not have noticed her."

"Well, we're both worried about Kisuke more than our own reputations here. If it wasn't for his request that I stay and keep an eye on things, I'd have been joining you guys too...Then again, it looks like I might have to now, thanks to your brat."

"How did she catch -you- anyhow? You're obviously not drunk."

"Let's say she caught me with my pants down and leave it at that, okay?"

"Ah, toilet attack."

"Huh? How'd you know?"

Yoruichi looked uncomfortable, and Isshin grinned widely. "Oh, this should be good."

"Well, let's just say it's not the first time she's done it, okay?"

"Oh c'mon, you know you want to share..." Isshin was almost pleading.

"Don't we have other more important concerns?"

"Well fine, but let it be noted that I'm letting the matter drop only under the strongest of reservations."

"Noted," was the dry remark.

"So back to the brat and Kisuke then?"

"Please don't refer to Soi Fon like that, would you?"

"She -is- a brat, you know. She's what, not even close to over a century old?"

"She's very mature for her age."

Isshin just rolled his eyes.

"Tonight doesn't count. You bring out the worst in everyone."

"I won't deny that accusation. But if you respect her, shouldn't you listen to what she has to say?"

"She already made it pretty clear, don't you think?"

"Did she?" The current leader of the 2nd division stared at the leader of the 10th, before her eyes settled on Soi Fon and softened slightly.

"Unngh...Y-yo-ru-i-chi-sa-ma..." Soi Fon began to mutter as she began to move slightly in the floor, coming out of the chop she was hit with earlier.

Both captains quickly shared a look and Yoruichi nodded, before they called upon the power of the 47th bakudo, "Sixteen Great Trees of the True Night's Forest." Each cast the spell, Isshin a few seconds slower than Yoruichi, both binding spells intertwining and wrapping around the room, encasing it in the silence spell.

With both spells up together to support one another, it'd be rather difficult for Soi Fon to get anyone's attention without them being able to stop her.

"Yoruichi-sama?" Soi Fon looked at the two captains, confusion in her eyes. She looked around. Why hadn't they left yet?

"Alright, look. You talk to the brat and hear her out. I'll wait outside, okay?" Isshin said abruptly.

"I'm not a brat!" Soi Fon muttered.

"Soi Fon. If you want me to listen, don't start that again."

She nodded tersely, glaring at Isshin. She was beginning to hate that man.

"Heh, guess you're right. I do bring out the worst in everyone. Don't go screaming once I'm gone...brat."

Isshin left.

Silence fell on the room as the young shinigami stared at her mentor and leader, scrumpling her outfit dreadfully into a mess, not sure where to start.

"You didn't leave," she finally said.

"Not yet."

"So you will."

"Yes."

"Because of Captain Urahara?"

"Just because he's labelled a criminal doesn't mean he deserves to be executed."

Soi Fon looked down.

"You can't just run," she muttered.

"We probably could. But we've made arrangements already for something much simpler."

"Why do you have to leave? I...you...it's not like you can't make it look like he escapes on his own?"

"Who'd keep him out of trouble then?"

"Captain Idiot?"

Yoruichi just looked at her, and Soi Fon began to sniffle. "I...I...I don't -want- you to leave, Yoruichi-sama. I -need- you!"

"No you don't. You're a big girl. I bet they'll even give you my job, don't you think?"

"I don't care about that! I just want to be with you!"

Soi Fon threw herself into Yoruichi's chest and hugged the other woman, who stroke her head gently.

"If...if you can't stay, at least take me with you, Yoruichi-sama!"

Yoruichi closed her eyes. Could she take this child with her and Kisuke to the human world?

"You'd resent me and Kisuke if we did."

"It'd be worse if you left me alone. I don't have anyone but Yoruichi-sama," Soi Fon whispered.

"That's because you only ever look at me, instead of at everyone that wants to be your friend," Yoruichi admonished, but Soi Fon just hugged her tighter.

"No one else treats me like you do."

"I was going to just leave, without even saying good bye."

"That...that's because you knew I'd end up coming if you did!" she insisted, so certain of herself once she made that assumption.

Yoruichi considered this, but didn't comment on her assumption. They simply kept talking.

***

Isshin turned his head to look at the door as it opened silently and his friend and the brat...no, two young women, left. The brat seemed to carry herself a bit more certainly. More confident. Didn't look half bad like that, not that he'd say anything. He just turned his head back up to the stars above. "Worked out everything with the brat, Yoruichi?"

"I think so."

"Time to mount a rescue for Kisuke then?"

"...Probably. We've left him waiting long enough."

"Do I need to pack my stuff?"

"...No. Don't worry about it. Soi Fon might need to do some packing though."

"I'll be fine."

"Heh. You're a big softie."

"You're one to talk."

"Yeah, yeah. Just remember...warn Kisuke to protect the toilet room. Wouldn't want him caught unaware, rig...OW! BRAT!"

"OAF!"

"QUIET!"

[Merc]

"Okay, before anything else, I want you to know: This wasn't my idea."

Aizen awoke with a groan, and moved to rub his forehead, only to find his arms restrained. He tried to pull all of his limbs only to find every part of his body was tied up. Worse, he couldn't find comfortable weight of his zanpakuto by his side, and with how his arms were restrained, none of the kido known to him would aid him. His heart began to race, and he twisted his head to try and find who had just spoken to him.

He was covered in the shrouds of shadows, but what lighting was available made it easy to tell who was there. No one had a distinct mask quite like the head of the 12th division.

"If it was up to me, I would like nothing more than to examine your memories, to try and understand exactly how you manipulated that girl into becoming what she has. It's frighteningly beyond my comprehension...and I have been ordered...no, FORCED...to destroy you, Sousuke Aizen, former captain of the 5th division. Such a pity."

Aizen's head swam. How did he get HERE? He should still be in Hueco Mundo, seated at the throne of his new empire, giving commands to his created minions, the Arrancar espadas! What...had...happened? Perspiration fell down his brow as he looked at the needle in the hands of the surely insane director of the medical institute. The man was too much of a loose cannon for him to recruit into his army, but this man was now the one who held his life at his fingertips, all because he hadn't planned for this, because he hadn't secured his loyalty.

"Little Hinamori...no one really understood what you did to her. I, myself, had thought it just a simple brainwashing, quite rough, if I must add. But that wouldn't explain anything that followed, now would it?"

...What? Hinamori? Aizen looked confused. What on earth could his former little mouse of a vice-captain have to do with anything?

No...he was letting himself get distracted. He needed to escape. To regroup and figure out what had happened.

His head hurt.

Where were his minions?

"What...are you...talking...about?" he rasped out.

The figure paused, and moved closer to him. Aizen looked surprised at the sight. Mayuri's body and face...they looked so ravaged by time and scars. That moronic mask he remembered was ripped everywhere, and seemed stitched to the man's head. The worst part of it was how dead the man's eyes looked.

"Ah. You seem lucid today, Sousuke-kun. How are you today?"

Aizen looked confused, and opened his mouth to rasp something out again, but Mayuri laughed. "Why do I ask? I already know, I have you hooked up to too many machines not to. Nemu, anesthetic, please."

A large shape covered the light above him, as it descended down, blunt pain impacting upon his face. Trails of blood burst from his face as he heard dazedly a quiet "Again."

Then everything went black.

"The subject seems to be coming along nicely. My daughter had to be a bit rough with him, but regression seems to be going as expected, my lady."

Aizen's eyes blearily opened. Everything looked fuzzy. He tried to move. Chains rustled. He was tied up? What was going on? He couldn't feel Kyouka Suigetsu at his side... Panic set in.

Had his plans been discovered?

"Oh? Sou-chan seems awake," a melodic...yet -bitter- female voice commented.

His head turned to look over in that direction, but...he couldn't see. She was too far, hidden in the darkness. He could barely make out her shape, and only the voice made him certain it was a female.

"Yes, he awakens every now and then. I don't think he quite understands what is happening to him, but that's understandable."

"Good. When I have my revenge, I want it to be just like it was then. That day...I'll forever remember."

Aizen fought against the chains restricting him, but his body wasn't very responsive. He felt so weak.

"Of course, my lady. He'll be ready soon, don't worry."

"I am the captain of the 5th shinigami division in Soul Society. Who are you people?" Aizen demanded. Had Tousen betrayed him and Gin? He seemed to agree with the plan, damn him.

The female laughed again darkly. "Don't worry, my little captain," she said, as she strode over to him. He saw her briefly, as her fingers slipped within his hair, combing it in his normal style while he was hard at work. She looked...familiar? He eyed the zanpakuto at her side. A shinigami? "Soon, none of this will matter to you."

Aizen felt cold fear as another shape made itself visible, and he tried to pull away as he saw the needle spurting liquid approaching him. He tensed and began to fight against the chains before sharp electricity coursed through his body, a loud scream escaping his lips as his body shook, his head held down against the table his body was tied to, red lightning coursing away from those fingertips that had been caressing his hair.

His body went limp, and his eyes began to close from the pain. He felt something placed over his eyes as his eyes closed, and as he fought to try and figure out who this woman was, only one sound came from his lips before unconsciousness claimed him. "Hi..."

"Continue your experiments. I expect results soon...seeing Sou-chan again has made my blood boil with excitement again, after all this time."

"...Yes, my lady."

Aizen opened his eyes. His head hurt. He tried to move his hand to rub his forehead. Chains stopped him, and he paused, looking confused. What was going on?

He tried to remember. He had...just been found by a shinigami? He was going to be trained to be one? Where was he?

"Good morning, Sousuke Aizen. How are you this morning?"

"I...don't know?"

"Ah, you must be confused. What's the last you remember?"

"Why am I tied up?" his voice held a note of fear. What was going on? Hadn't he gotten a chance to change the world? Why was he on a table, like some sort of lab rat?

"Please answer the question."

"I...I had just been recruited to join the shinigami academy."

A pause of silence.

"Ah, good. We were testing to see your potential, when some of the drugs seemed to have reacted badly with you. It seems nothing serious has happened, though you are still in treatment."

Aizen did not believe. "Who are you?" he asked as he tried to find the person he was speaking to, looking to the right of him, where the voice came out from.

"Me? I'm nobody..."

Aizen felt a sharp pain from his left arm, and his arm tensed as he whipped to look in that direction. It wasn't anyone he recognized...was it?

His head began to hurt.

"Almost there...almost, I can be...free?" Mayuri muttered to himself.

Aizen yawned, blearily waking up. He rubbed his eyes, and looked around. His eyes hurt a bit, and he couldn't see very well. He was in an almost entirely empty room. Sitting in a chair off to the side, was a middle aged woman, looking into his eyes. He turned his head, and just looked at her. "Who are you?"

She ignored him, instead she stood up, and pressed a button on the wall.

He looked at her for a little while, before he tried to get down from the table he was on. He fell in a heap, a sting of pain coursing through his body, and a sob escaped his eye, before he reigned it in. No! He was not going to cry! He was a strong boy! They didn't cry!

A door slid open to the side, and someone entered. Aizen looked in his direction, and froze, backpedalling against the table's side. "Eep!"

"So you're awake," the old man rasped. He looked so...strange, and frightening, even with his eyes hurting like they did. "Come."

He turned and stepped back outside, and then stood there, waiting for him to come. Aizen just sat there frozen.

The old man repeated himself. "Come."

Against his better reservation, Aizen took a cautious step towards the old man, then another, careful of the pain he felt when moving, biting his lips to not cry out in pain. When he reached the man, the man began to walk down a corridor.

Aizen wasn't sure why, but his arm darted out and grasped the old man's hand. The old man stopped, and looked at him. Aizen stared back at him with curious eyes, and the old man snorted before gripping the hand, and walking again, almost dragging Aizen forward before Aizen got into the pattern of the old man's footsteps.

They walked in silence, Aizen not really certain what to say.

The place they were walking in...it was so white and barren. He didn't like it.

They walked and walked, and finally, they came upon a large set of doors.

The old man knocked. "My lady."

A pause of silence before a curt "Come." rang from inside. The doors opened on their own, startling Aizen, but he didn't look scared, instead he focused his eyes on what was beyond them, squinting his eyes to make out as much as he could.

A large table, with some clothing on the numerous chairs. At the end...a slab of a chair? A...throne? Was he going to meet a king? No...there was someone sitting there.

They moved closer. "Hello," Aizen said cautiously once the old man made him stop, and smacked his knee, forcing him to kneel.

"Hello!" said a pleasant sounding voice, before it turned scolding to the old man. "You didn't have to hit Sou-chan like that, Mayuri-san!"

Aizen thought he liked her whoever this person was. She must be the queen?

He squinted his eyes at her, and noticed she stood up and came closer to him. He felt her cup his chin, as she kneeled in front of him. "You can't see well?"

Aizen colored red, looking embarrassed, and he bit his lower lip, not wanting to agree.

The woman dug into a pocket, and pulled something...red? She opened it up and placed it on each side of his head, resting on his ears, and suddenly he could see more clearly. "How's that, Sou-chan?"

"..T-thank you!" Aizen blurted out. "You know me?"

"Of course I do, Sou-chan," the woman said with a pleasant smile. "Don't you remember me?"

Aizen shook his head, though he looked red. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. We can just start over!" she said as she clapped her hands together, and Aizen smiled. "My name is Hinamori Momo, Sou-chan. How are you?"

"I'm..fine. Uhm...My name is Sousuke Aizen?"

She nodded, before she engulfed him in a hug. She was so much bigger than him, but she was very nice...he liked her.

"Nice to meet you again, Sou-chan. Why don't you go play with Shiro-chan? Shiro-chan? Come here, introduce yourself to Sou-chan!" She said as she turned her head, and another boy his age, no, maybe a little bit older popped up from behind the throne chair. Aizen hadn't seen the boy earlier, though that was understandable given the white uniform and white spikey hair of the boy.

"Now you two play nicely, okay? I'm going to talk with Mayuri-san for a bit, okay?" the older woman said pleasantly.

Aizen nodded, and impulsively hugged the woman. "Bye bye, Hinamori-neechan!"

She patted him on the hair, and he beamed at her, although 'Shiro-chan' frowned a bit.

He liked Hinamori-neechan.

[Merc]

"We all wear our masks."

"No we don't, that's the hollows," someone said.

"The vizard too!"

"And Sajin!"

"I don't wear a mask anymore..." a voice muttered over the din of comments.

More people added their own commentary until a gnarled staff slammed against the ground, and everyone went silent.

Sounds of a throat clearing.

"I was speaking of -metaphorical- masks."

"Oooooh!"

"Like when Aizen became evil!"

"Or Soi Fon showed she wasn't a cold frozen bitch and blubbered on Yoruichi's shoulder!"

"Who said that! How do you know that? I'll kill you!"

"No, no, it'd be more like, Zaraki showing he has the soul of a poet!"

"Wait, what?"

"It could happen!"

Everyone looked at Zaraki who was smiling like some kind of loon.

"See! Look at that smile!"

Everybody started arguing, until they heard the creaking sound of wood breaking, and saw Yamamoto's gnarled staff cracked around his fist. His smile looked strained.

Everybody went silent.

"Now...as I was saying..."

The old man paused and looked around the room, before continuing. "The deep of the matter is that..."

*Psssssssssss*

He stopped and looked at the sound, his eyes settling on Byakuya sipping his tea, the loud sharp sip ringing in his ears, before Byakuya set down his tea cup.

The old man opened his mouth, as if he was going to say something, and then shook his head. This was Byakuya. It was surely just an accident. Right?

"Well, we are going to need to..."

*SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSIIIIIIIIIPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP*

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH....Delicious."

The old man threw all the papers up into the air, and said, "The important stuff is in your handouts. Grab a copy and read it."

He took off, muttering about blasted children.

Everyone looked at each other, no one daring to say anything, until Zaraki slammed his feet on the ground, and his fist struck against the table, and he said with a manic grin. "Best. Meeting. EVER."

Sounds of agreement rang around the table, even from Byakuya.

Retsu Unohana gave a gentle giggle, and smiled at everyone. "Thank you for your help, I apologize for asking that of you all, particularly you, Kuchiki-san. I know how much you respect the general."

Byakuya shook his head politely. "It was no problem, Unohana-san. You know each and every one of us is always glad to be of assistance to you, and are aware of the importance of your time."

He paused and added,"And I do admit to finding the general's speeches...long-winded."

A resounding "Hear! Hear!" rang from the others.

"Still, thank you all. I have a lot of paperwork due, and needed to be out of here quickly," Unohana smiled at everyone again, before sniffing. "Does anyone else smell that?"

Everyone started looking around, sniffing. "It smells like something's...burning?"

Ukitake and Shunsui froze. "He wouldn't!" the exclaimed before rushing to the windows, and ripped the blinds open, to see fire blazing outside the building.

"...oh dear. That paperwork is going to be murder tonight now. Bother..." Retsu muttered crossly.

[Merc]

We all wear our masks.

Not masks like, say, a hollow wears one, but...

Actually, that's not quite true, if I think about it.

True, the hollow's is actually physical, while the rest of us tend to have to make do with how we act, what we say, what we do.

But our masks serve the same purpose. The hollow hides his pain from the real world in a mask of rage and destruction. While the rest of us don't go about raging and destroying everything we care about, we do hide who we really are inside, we project the image of someone else rather than show our own pain.

Some of us simply use a smile, others use their appearance, and others simply use their behavior, all to say that everything is fine, when their heart is really beating wildly, when all they want to do is reach out, and say you're sorry. When you want someone to hold you, and love you.

Few people have no need for masks. Some of us need them entirely too much. Some of us don't even realize the masks we're wearing.

"I hate you, momma! I hate you!"

I can still see it in my mind's eye. The face of my little boy.

Thick streaming tears leaking from his eyes as he glares at me before turning around, and running.

I...I wonder.

Why couldn't he see me? My little boy, who always saw only me. Who could see what none other could see. Why couldn't he see me?

I think, perhaps, he didn't want to see my ghost. He felt like it was all his fault. Perhaps, he was blinding himself to me, and because of that, I couldn't say good-bye.

My sweet innocent little boy.

It broke my heart to hear him say he hated me. And that he was glaring right at me...and still couldn't see me...

Tears stained my cheeks, my dress stained on the muddy slope as I just lay there, looking at the running figure of my little boy. It was all I could do after all.

I can hear footsteps as someone approches. It's my new friend. He said he was a shinigami, and came to take me to heaven. I felt like I was being ripped from it instead.

He placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, and I looked towards him with stricken eyes. He looked a few years older than my boy, with hair as white as snow. He was very mature, and comforting, not at all how a boy should be, a part of me thought. He should be more like my little boy, I wanted to think, but I was glad for his gesture.

"Are you ready to go now?" he asked gently.

"...yes. Thank you for waiting. I know you didn't have to."

"It's fine. I heard. You know he didn't mean that, right? He's just a boy."

"Speaking from experience?" I teased half-heartedly.

He huffed. "No! It's just...we're both men. I can understand. I'm a lot older than you, I told you already. Just because I look young doesn't mean I am."

I smiled. He'd explained that he'd been born in heaven. Spirits aged more slowly there than they did over on this side. "Well... I hope he grows up as good a man as you," I offered as I kissed him in the forehead, making him blush.

"Why'd you think he'd be able to see you? He seemed like he might have some amount of spiritual energy, I admit, but nothing that should let him see a spirit."

"Does it matter?" I knew he could before. Perhaps my death had left him in turmoil, but I couldn't do more for him. And Toshiro-kun explained what happened when a spirit lingered with too much remorse and pain in their heart on this world. I didn't want to risk becoming some monster like the one that killed me. Like the one that took me from my family. The thought of what I might do as one, what I might first do, was enough to push me to try and let go. I can only hope to see them again some day. Hopefully years from now, years and years.

"I'm ready, shiro-chan."

He nods, without making a face at the cute little moniker I tagged him with when I first met him, and the serious young boy gently presses the hilt of his sword against me, and I feel so light...

***

I had no name. I had no parents. If I ever existed before this life, I didn't recall it. All I could remember was the bloody color of red. I probably wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for him. He gave me a name. A family. The strength to live.

He was very important to me. I don't think anyone else could have someone as important to them like he is to me.

But I could never really help him before. He was so strong he didn't need help, to be fair. But this stranged strong orange haired boy who stood up to my Ken-chan made him want to get stronger again. To want to accept the help of others so he wouldn't tie again. Perhaps...now I'd be able to help him? Even if he didn't learn his zanpakuto's name, he had my name! I was happy.

I told him so. How we'd get stronger together. Him and me.

He was silent.

"Ken-chan?"

I moved closer.

"Ken-chan..."

He's not moving.

"Ken-chan!" I start to push at his chest. I started to have a panic attack.

Why didn't I jump in and take that strike? Did I have to lose my precious pers...

Ugh...my head, it hurt. An image of an expressionless girl, with frightening eyes. A little boy, with warm eyes. Both flashed through my head. My back suddenly ached fiercely.

I bit my lips and picked up Ken-chan, no time to think. Ken-chan taught me that. Sometimes, you just don't think. You just do. It's always worked before for him and I. No reason not to anymore.

I tried not to think about how the boy's hair looked just like Ichii, the boy who just fought Ken-chan. I had a life to save right now. Hopefully.

...I don't want to say I hate Ken-chan because he's left me all alone.

***

Ken-chan is fine now. We've made some new friends too. They're Ichii's friends! Ken-chan wants to help them find Ichii again and save their other friend. Ken-chan is so nice...Baldie is a meanie though. He says he hates it when I lead...

It's not my fault I have a bad sense of direction! I'm still young! And Ken-chan gets us places sooner or later and we see new things too!

Like just now, Ken-chan found some new playmates! He looks excited, so I grab big boobies and big bear and and wrestler guy and mustache guy. We can go find Ichii! I didn't grab the others. They looked just as excited as Ken-chan. And Ken-chan wouldn't scare me again. He won't ever lose. He won't even tie, if it was against those guys!

***

The execution was starting. I tell the others that I'll go up ahead. Ichii might be there, I needed to go help him. I smile and laugh as big boobies says something nice. Ichii is Ken-chan's friends. So I need to help him.

That's...right.

Right?

The image of a little orange haired boy flashes through my eyes again. He looks like such a crybaby. My heart hurts though. Like when I thought Ken-chan was...

I scowl, I speed up. Faster. I need to be faster. So fast I can't be cut down by anything, that I won't let anyone else be cut down by anything.

Faster.

My eyes are locked on the execution rack, and the tiny figure held between it. Then on the giant birdie...I wonder if Ken-chan can get me one to play with. That one looked like it was going to go bye bye.

I noticed Ichii before anyone else did, I think. He looked so strong and bright. Like Ken-chan. Maybe better? A feeling of...pride?

The feeling surges through me, and the picture of the crybaby that looks like Ichii and this Ichii superimpose on one another. The feeling gets stronger.

"You've gotten strong, Ichii," I feel myself saying. No...it's not me? I look around. Is there an enemy? I don't feel like there's anyone to fight, but there's someone there. I can feel it.

It's...a woman? She looks very kind. I feel safe. I look at her.

"Hello, Yachiru-chan," she says brightly.

I'm confused and don't react as she places her hand on my head, running and keeping up with me. Who is she?

"I'm you, Yachiru-chan," she says. "If you need me, if Ichii needs me, if Ken-chan needs me, just call for me, and I'll always be here."

She rubs my head, and my eyes blink. Suddenly she's gone.

I'm confused, but that clears up as I look back at Ichii. The giant birdie's gone. Hey...he's breaking the rack. He looks so cool...

I start giggling as he throws that girl at crayon face. Ichii is funny and cool. I'm going to go watch him fight Bya-chan.

***

I'm looking at my sword. Ichii and his friends are gone. Throughout Ichii's and Bya-chan's fight, I wanted to interfere. It was an annoying little desire I ruthfully surpressed. It's a good thing too, I wouldn't have seen how strong Ichii and Bya-chan had gotten otherwise. I probably wouldn't have been able to help too much out either.

But I had wanted to protect Ichii...

No...I'm looking at my sword.

Words had been dancing in my head since that fight. I'm back with Ken-chan and baldie and everyone else. I'm alone. Ken-chan's reminder of how horrible it is to not have a name comes back to me. The words, I say them, just to see what happens.

"Intersect...Masaki."

*rip* *riiip* *riiip* *riip*

I giggle, my voice sounds deeper. My boobies seem bigger. My hair longer. I look like the pretty lady, except with my pink hair. I wonder why?

My sword seems to laugh with me. It's changed too. I bet Ken-chan would be impressed with our changes. But I'll keep this a secret, I think...at least until Ken-chan and his friend meet. Like Masaki and me.

[Merc]

The Naruto one:

If there was any justice in this world, they'd find it. They had to.

Konan closed her eyes, and shivered. She didn't want to think about Yahiko any longer. And...Nagato needed her. He was taking Yahiko's death far worse.

They were like brothers. Yahiko had always been the strong one. He protected Konan and Nagato from bullies, he was the one who thought up the plan for them to escape and survive when Amegakure attacked their village and no one else survived. He was the one who said they needed to find someone strong to help them. He was the one who truly convinced Jiraiya to train them.

And...

He... was the one to die.

They got stronger under Jiraiya's training. That was definitely true.

It was slow at first. Konan hadn't wanted to train. She was a girl. She just wanted to have her mommy and her daddy back. She didn't think she could be strong. All she wanted was the happy times again when she could smile.

Nagato hadn't wanted to train. He was a weakling. A coward. He didn't want to fight. He didn't want to lose anyone else. He didn't think Yahiko's dream could come true. All he wanted was to be loved. But he didn't dare dream.

Yahiko wanted to train. He was a dreamer. He was a light in the darkness. Hope. He wanted to make sure that no one else suffered like they did. He was so strong.

They were attacked.

It should have been a massacre. Nagato was frozen. Konan was panicked. Yahiko was desperate.

Still, Yahiko tried. He fought with everything he learned from Jiraiya. He used every dirty trick he knew. He pushed himself to his limits.

It wasn't enough.

He was going to die. He had fallen. The ninja picked him up by the scruff of his shirt, mania in his eyes, and a kunai in his other hand.


And...

Then...

Nagato...

Went...

Nuts...

Konan had been horrified at first. Nagato was going to die as well now. She needed to do something. Anything. She was just a weak girl. She had to get Jiraiya-sensei. Nagato and Yahiko were distracting the ninja. But how long before Nagato and Yahiko fell again? Did she have enough time?

She was so relieved. Somehow, Yahiko and Nagato had survived.

That was all that mattered.

Nagato was different after that. She was surprised to see what she did in him after he talked to Jiraiya-sensei. She wanted it too, though.

Resolve.

Konan resolved to not be a weak little girl. As long as she had Yahiko and Nagato, she could always laugh and smile. They weren't her mommy and daddy, but they were her brothers. She would never doubt again.

Nagato resolved never to doubt again. If he had a power to change the world, he'd make Yahiko's dream come true. As long as he had Yahiko and Konan, he had what he wanted. He would never freeze again.

Yahiko had his own resolve. To never falter again. To never lose again. He would never come so close to death again.

How easily it all shattered. They were supposed to be unbeatable. Their teamwork was supposed to be unstoppable. Their dream was supposed to be unbreakable...

And...

Yahiko was dead!

DEAD!

Where was justice?!?

Why him?!?

WHY?

WHY?

WHY?

Nagato was transfixed over the body of his friend's corpse, blood dripping from his hands, his eyes empty, staring down, unmoving.

Konan's eyes were closed. Unseeing. The world was black. Reality wasn't real. This was all just a dream. Yes. A frightening dream and any minute, they'd be back with Jiraiya-sensei.

Her eyes opened. Yahiko was still dead. Nagato was still frozen. She was still in doubt.

The girl who would always smile and never doubt, would never smile again. Would never make another decision again. All she could do was follow. Follow. Follow. Follow. Like a broken doll.

The boy who would always care and never freeze, would never care again. Would always be frozen in his pain. All he could do was spread his pain. Spread. Spread. Spread. Like an engine of destruction.

If there was any justice in this world, they'd find it. They had to.

Because if it existed, they'd remove it from existance. Again. Again. Again.

Just like they did in the past. Just like they do in the present. Just like they'll continue to do it in the future.

Until there was no justice in this world.

Until they die, and meet Yahiko again on the other side of the world's edge. And maybe...they'd have shown the world, what justice really was. It was a dream...that never really should be.

Justice...did not exist. Not for them. Not for anyone.

Not if they had their way.

[Dracos]

Amusing Omakes, Merc.  Thanks for sharing them.

=)

[Merc]

I posted some more on ff.net, actually. By golly, I actually updated my ff.net page after 6 years. o_O

[Dracos]

What's FFnet? =p

Post 'em here!

[Merc]

Don't wanna. I actually posted only 4 more over there, so I'll just link to that chapter, and you can read those four chapters that way. =p

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3858766/7/Stains_on_our_Hearts