Pale Fire: A Bleach Fanfiction

Chapter nineteen: Parting Of Ways

Chapter nineteen: Parting Of Ways

About five years after the day I met Byakuya as Hisana, Byakuya and I married. He entered me into the Kuchiki-clan and I was now known as Kuchiki-Hisana. But something wasn’t right. I was finally happy. Or I thought I was. On some nights, I’d return as Reina and I would visit Aizen, Gin or Tosen. I would chat and tell them that I was travelling around. They had plans too.

I would have bad and good days as Hisana. Byakuya would tell me that the reason he married me was that I reminded him greatly of someone that would never come back to him. This made me content and gave me a sense of achievement. But Byakuya wouldn’t show Hisana as much compassion as he gave to Reina. This feeling was entirely different. Byakuya would tell me that I was different from everyone else, and that he fell for me instantly. Those were my good days. My bad days however were filled with regret and torment that I would fear I wouldn’t survive the end of the day, when the sun sets. About five years and not once did Byakuya mention Reina.

I would look into the mirror on occasions and just stare. I looked remarkably a lot like Rukia. Me returning as Hisana made me suffer and regret the day I left her. I would see her sometimes with Renji but I didn’t have the courage to show myself as I was now.

It was the morning of spring. As I was strolling along the garden of the Kuchiki manor, a sudden convulsion was released through my body. I fell to my knees, shaking violently and panting at the same time. I struggled to get up and I clutched my chest. A few coughs escaped my mouth.

“Hisana,” Byakuya appeared behind me and held me.

“Byakuya-sama,” I began but was interrupted by coughs.

“Are you all right? You are as pale as ever,” Byakuya said, his voice sounding serious. My head stung as I tried to take a few steps. My mind was spinning and I was uncontrollably nauseous.

“Don’t talk. I’ll take you to your room.”

He led me to my room. We made our way to my bed and I collapsed on it. I whimpered slightly. Byakuya didn’t say anything as he left the room quietly.

“What do you think you were doing?” Hotaru said sternly.

“I-I don’t know,” I said softly.

I was in the world of my zanpakuto and he didn’t look pleased at all. I returned as my normal self, not as Hisana.

“Hisana’s body is getting weak. You shouldn’t think about Rukia so much, it’s affecting my power. Anyway, Hisana’s time was coming soon. Over five years of you constantly using my power isn’t helping me focus. There’s a force here that puts me off,” Hotaru said, looking down.

“Well, what am I supposed to do? It bothers me that I’m in a body that is strikingly similar to Rukia’s.”

“Well, you shouldn’t have let her go then,” Hotaru retorted.

“Like you said, I had no choice. Why do you even have this ability? It’s not helping at all.”

“Well then, don’t use it!” This was the first time Hotaru ever raised his voice to me. He always seemed to cool and calm all the time. The twilight sky around flared up and turned bright orange as though it was on fire.

“Don’t raise your voice to me, Hotaru,” I said calmly.

“I apologize. Hisana’s body is in so much pain that it’s throwing me off.”

I gasped and opened my eyes. Byakuya was beside me, gazing at me with his slate grey eyes. A nurse from squad four came in and placed a tray of food next to Byakuya.

My body seemed to be shutting down slowing. The past few days, I haven’t eaten or drank much and I seemed to feel this unusual sickness taking over my body. Somehow, I had a feeling as though Hisana’s body was coming to a rest.

I felt as though I was using Byakuya, to distract me from all the sufferings. I wanted him to find Rukia. I decided to lie to him, to tell him that Rukia was my sister. Hisana looked so much like her that I felt related to her somehow. Unohana slowly stepped in and smiled at me. I slowly closed my eyes, and a soft breath divulged from my mouth.

“Hisana, how are you feeling?” Unohana asked. I didn’t answer. I opened my eyes and looked at Byakuya. Somehow, he knew that this was my time. Tears threatened to spill from my eyes but I no longer had energy to even cry.

“Byakuya, I’m sorry, can I speak to you privately?”Unohana asked.

“Of course,” he said. I didn’t realise that Byakuya was holding my hand, which he let go and stepped outside with Unohana. I lay there and felt miserable.

Byakuya walked in without Unohana. He didn’t say a word and walked straight to me and held my hand. I could see tears welling up in his eyes without spilling them.

I gathered up all my energy to say this to him.

“Byakuya-sama, please find my sister. Then after you find her, please do not tell her that I am her sister. Without telling her anything, please Byakuya-sama, please protect my sister no matter what. I abandoned her, so I don't deserve to be her sister, so I hope that she can be Byakuya-sama's sister,” I groaned. Byakuya held my hand and looked into my eyes. I smiled encouragingly.

“Even at the end, I am still asking more of you. I am very sorry I couldn't return Byakuya-sama's love. I am sorry. Being with Byakuya-sama for the past five years was like a dream come true for me, Byakuya-sama.” There was a mocking silence. Everything halted and I blacked out. My fake heart stopped beating.