Masked| Ichigo Kurosaki x Reader (cancelled)

[14] Dreary Garden, Broken Castle

"Why do you want me here? I—I don't want to be here," my voice quivered.

I hate this park.

I hate it with a passion, I always avoid it when I can.

This place means a lot to you, this is where everything began.

"Why do you have me here?!"

It's silent for a moment.

It's essential to be here if you want to grow. This can either be the place that allows you to surpass your past or drown in it. The choice is yours.

"I can't even look at this place without seeing..."

I crack open my eyes which were wrenched shut.

I'm greeted with the sight of blood.

In the grass.

On the pavement.

On the flowers.

Splattered on the trees...

On my skin...the red clashing against my skin.

On my hands...their blood on my hands.

I can't breathe, I can't—I can't.

This is your weakness, I see—

"—Weakness? My parents died!" I try to rub the blood off my hands but it doesn't go away.

You misunderstand due to cutting me off. I need you to listen, [Y/n].

"You brought me here. You—You brought me here!"

Hey! Shut up for a sec, will ya'?!

The rough voice was back.

"I...I can't conquer this. I buried it for a reason."

I lower my arm, hearing that familiar clinking. I ignore it, I'm used to the chains.

Buryin' it doesn't do anythin' but hurt ya' more. That doesn't save ya'.

"I know. But it lets me keep going for a little while."

But it's still there. Buryin' your past ends up buryin' you after a while. Ties ya' down. That's what those chains are for.

"It's not that easy to forgive myself. I didn't do anything. I let them die—Gah!"

An image flashes across my vision, that Shinigami from all those years ago. They held two lengthy daggers, pitch black. Their form was blurry, but I could tell they were short. Like a child or something.

I never forgot about that Shinigami who killed the Hollow, they didn't save my parents, but they had the bravery to kill what killed them.

You're rememberin' more details.

"What?"

The only reason it's been takin' this long is cause of your love of buryin' things, you didn't care to find out anythin'.

"People keep saying that. What did I forget?"

A lot.

"That's...not helpful at all."

I'm not here to give ya' shortcuts.

"So what are we doing exactly?"

For the next 72 hours...your mind is gonna be tested. Because that's really where ya' need help right now, not your powers.