Chapter sixteen:
A/N: As Sojun’s zanpakuto is unknown to every one (except maybe Tite Kubo) I’m going to have to make up a zanpakuto for him. Forgive me.
As he unsheathes his sword, he swung it at me. My kick missed as he dodged. I blocked the sword with my hand and flash-stepped away.
“Harrow, Zetsumei Shigetsutan,” he said calmly. It formed into an urumi. An urumi was a long flexible sword made of steel. He waved it and purple venom erupted from it. I quickly flash-stepped to dodge it in time as it whipped pass me. I ran, and used my reiatsu to jump high in the air. Then I zoomed down to Sojun to punch him.
As I zoomed, he swiftly waved his urumi towards me. I collided with its venom and I landed on the ground with my feet. I couldn’t move a muscle. It seemed that the venom’s ability was paralysis. As I was completely paralysed, Sojun took his chance and flash-stepped to me, cutting me deeply to my sides. Mind-numbing and bone shattering pain erupted inside of me. Blood slowly leaked from my body, drenching my white haori with crimson liquid.
I let out my reiatsu, so that I was no longer rooted to the spot. I flash-stepped. I had at least four deep and long cuts to my side. Sojun stood calmly. I drew my sword.
“Born and be untouchable, Hogoshaka,” I screamed. I swung my sword as a huge wave of flames sprung out my sword. I flash-stepped behind him as Sojun used his sword to block the fire. I swung swiftly at his back, succeeding. Blood leaked out from behind him. He turned around as the fire disappeared and whipped his urumi at me. His sword and mine collided at the same time. I flash-stepped back, only to realize that Sojun was already at my destination ready to strike. Our blades collided again, creating a huge sound of blades clashing.
“Did you know how I knew you were coming here?” he asked as our blades clashed once more.
“My zanpakuto has the ability to perceive my opponent’s intentions.” I didn’t say anything.
One technique Yoruichi taught me, was that if I were to ever face opponents who could guess what I was going to do, I flash-step everywhere as fast as I could.
I flash-stepped behind him. He knew I was going there so he swung his sword at me. As he did so, I flash-stepped in front and swung my blade as an enormous wave of fire erupted from my sword.
As the fire disappeared, I saw that Sojun was fatally injured. He was close now to dying. This was enough. He was nearly dead. This meant that I had already defeated him. I turned around, my back against him. I walked away from him, intending to leave.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he said. “This battle doesn’t end here. Don’t you think that it does.”
I turned around to see that Sojun was now barely injured.
“Your zanpakuto has regeneration?” I asked, not very much surprised.
“Isn’t it obvious?” he sneered.
“Tell me, have you achieved bankai yet?” I asked as I gripped my sword.
“No, but this isn’t my shikai.” He held his sword out in front of him, ready to strike.
“Annihilate, Zetsumei,” he said. His urumi evaporated into a humongous purple dragon. This was it.
“Burn to save peace, Hogoshaka!” My sword spilt in half and formed into two huge war fans, double the size of me, as I held them in each hand. Tiny daggers were visible in the folds. My eyes were scarlet now; burning as the Hotaru’s flames was dying to erupt inside of me.
The dragon lunged at me, opening its mouth widely as it tried to eat me. I leaped away and used my reiatsu to jump in the sky. I observed Sojun. Since this was his shikai, the dragon is his sword. So he’s controlling it. I waved my left fan at Sojun. Hundreds of daggers came out of the folds and struck at Sojun. He leaped and flash-stepped just in time to avoid the hundreds of daggers, as they dug deep in the grass. The dragon opened its mouth and the purple venom erupted from its mouth. I flash stepped on to the ground to dodge the venom.
I waved both my fans and a tremendous flood of fire was created, completely engulfing the dragon in one shot. As it disappeared, I panted heavily as the attack used up most of reiatsu. I looked down at my clothes. They were ripped and burnt.
Sojun appeared a few feet away from me. I gripped my fans, ready to strike at him if he made a move.
“Very impressive, but you know, I can create another dragon.”
“That dragon was weak and pathetic.”
“Is that so? How come you used so much of your reiatsu to defeat it?” He swung his sword at me abruptly.
I gasped as it struck me hard. I flash-stepped away, gripping my hand on to the spot that was hit, wincing in pain.
“Just end this,” he told me. I swung my fan and hundreds of daggers erupting, piercing and stabbing him all over his body. I gasped. The image was haunting and shocking.
My fans returned to my sword and I quickly sheathed it. I ran to Sojun. He struggled to hold up a hand, stopping me. Nearly every bit of Sojun’s body was stabbed with my daggers, except his face.
Sojun gasped out blood from his mouth. He wiped it with his filthy hand. “Do you know why I loathe you? It was because of your father,” he croaked. I looked in his painful eyes and I saw myself staring back. My clothes were ripped and torn, some bits of fabric even burnt. “We were the best of friends,” he continued, his hand clasped on his stomach, with the other supporting his back. “Until he betrayed me. I wish to never speak of the day he did it. He broke my heart and now all that makes my smile is my son. I heard that your father gave birth to you. Your parents begged me to take you and your brother. I denied him. What he then did was unforgivable.” A tear crept out of his eye and fell to the ground. “So all him and his wife could do was abandon you two.”
He took a sharp breath and continued. “You need to know all this , Reina. Forgiveme. I wish I could have taken you in. But because of me, your life has been nothing but pain. I wanted you to kill me so that both your father and you can forgive me. I have been relentless. I hope that you and Byakuya can now live a peaceful life together now that I am gone. Please don’t speak of this to anyone. If you need to, only tell my son.” He caught his breath and fell to the ground.
“No!” I cried, tears daring me to make them fall out of my eyes. I panted heavily. I fell to my knees. Sojun’s lifeless body was bloodied and burnt. He looked just like Byakuya. I just killed Byakuya’s father. I’ll never be able to be with him now. I slowly took out every single dagger that was in Sojun’s lifeless body. The daggers then evaporated. I folded his arms and closed his eyes. What had my father done that was so painful? I heard a shuffle of feet in front of me. I lifted my eyes to see Byakuya staring at me. He was full of shock. The place around me was in ruins.
“Did you?” he asked me. I didn’t say anything and I looked away. “No, Reina, no. You didn’t.”
“I did,” I croaked.
A tear fell from Byakuya’s eye and he quickly wiped it away. “I don’t believe you.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t go.”
“I can’t stay Byakuya. I’m going to get caught. And eventually die myself,” I panted.
“You’ve disobeyed the law greatly,” he declared.
“Help me.” I thought he was going to say no. That answer would’ve been much easier to accept. But the next words were enough to haunt me for that rest of my life.
“I can’t.”
I stood aghast to what he said. I got up and straightened my face. “Don’t ever speak to me again. I don’t deserve you. I’ll die, but not because I killed your father. But because I wasn’t good enough for you or your father. Don’t come for me. You don’t want to live the rest of your life with someone that killed your own father. Good bye Byakuya. Don’t wait up for me.” With that I turned away. I had no idea that the next time I revealed myself, another tear would fall from Byakuya’s eye.
A/N: I swear I cried while writing this. It was so sad. I hope you all enjoyed this. I might not upload until tomorrow or tonight because I want to leave you guys eager for what's coming next. Don't worry, this isn't the end of the story. There's still so much more about what happens.