Pale Fire: A Bleach Fanfiction

Chapter Thirty-six: Perhaps my last goodbye *End of Part 1*

Chapter thirty-five: Perhaps my last goodbye *End of Part One*

Fang heaved me into a nearby building. I destroyed the wall, crushing it to pieces. I brought my hands up to prevent the rubble from harming me. I jumped up and out of the building. Fang used Sonido and appeared behind me, faster than a heartbeat. She picked me up by the throat, looking me in the eyes. She tightened her grip. I tried to wriggle out of her grasp but it was impossible.

I summoned my reiatsu, burning myself. Fang gasped and let go. I landed on the ground, glaring at her. She glanced at her hand; it was scalded but slowly reducing and healing. As fast as lightning with her sword, she reeled it at me. I blocked it with my hand then a burst of fire escaped it. Fang waved her sword to block it.

Fang used Sonido, appearing behind me with her sword. Without mercy, she plunged it in my back. My eyes widened as I screamed. She held her sword back, and kicked me, launching me into the air.

Abruptly, I felt hands beneath me, cradling me and saving me from hitting the ground. I gazed at the figure next to me. Byakuya was holding me, his face scarred with burns and a bleeding lip. He didn’t smile as he gently lowered me to the ground. I felt for some absurd reason, my wounds slowly reducing. I stood up. He stole a glance at my slightly visible strands of red hair and averting his eyes, looking down.

“Don’t you think you’re taking a while with this battle?” he asked me. I didn’t answer. He looked up, into my eyes for a split second. “You seem surprised to see me standing here,” he noted. I looked behind him to see that Fang was about to pierce him with her sword. Faster than a bullet, I rushed to her, throwing my hands forward and causing waves of fire to erupt. Byakuya appeared beside me, and using his bankai, both waves of energy were exploded on Fang. As the smoke cleared up, Fang stood unscathed although her garments were ripped.

I scowled. “This is taking too long; I’m running out of time.” And indeed I was. I was meant to be with Gin and Aizen in Karakura town by now. I glanced at Byakuya. Reina, use my ultimate power, Hotaru’s voice rang in my ears. The most formidable form of my power, the greatest height of your bankai…you know what to say. I gulped.

“It’s time Fang,” I called out to her. “Byakuya,” I turned to him. “Get out of here, take everyone with you, you won’t survive this, no one will. Believe me.” Fang scoffed.

Byakuya’s eyes widened very slightly that it would go unnoticed by others. “Your voice,” he began but stopped.

“We don’t have time, leave,” I demanded. “The whole of Las Noches is coming down.”

“You really think you are that strong?” Fang sneered.

“Very well,” Byakuya said ignoring Fang’s question. He sheathed his sword and flash-stepped.

I knelt down and touched the ground. Suddenly a loud rumble was created. The fake sky above started cracking everywhere. Gusts of wind circled around me. I looked up at Fang. She glowered at me.

I summoned up all my reiatsu, letting it out. Loud rumblings thundered all around us. I panted heavily.

“Burn your flames of death upon these grounds, Hogoshaka!” I screamed. I rose into the air, with colossal waves of inferno circling around me. My arms were outstretched and my eyes flew open. The waves of fire grew bigger and bigger, almost as big Las Noches itself, wiping everything out of it way. I screamed as it blasted, annihilating everything in its path. Fang was somewhere among the fire. The fake sky finally gave away, burning to pieces. The buildings and the palace of Las Noches scorched in my scalding hot fire. Everything my fire touched was reduced to ashes instantly.

The flames slowly started to disappear but one large explosion of fire erupted from me, doing one last wipeout. I collapsed to the ground, on my knees. The fake blue sky was no longer there, instead there was the black sky of Hueco Mundo. Ashes were floating in the air. There was some rubble on the ground but not much. No building was in sight. It didn’t look like Las Noches any longer. It looked like the rest of Hueco Mundo, no different. If Aizen were to return, he wouldn’t be happy at all.

Amidst all this, Fang was lying on the ground. I was astounded to see her not in ashes. Fang’s eyes were wide open, and empty of expression. But she was breathing. Her eyes made their way into mine. Fang opened her mouth but only air escaped through her lips. My sword slowly formed in my hand.

I towered above her and crouched so that a few of my red strands of hair was touching her cheeks. “I never got to know you, Fang. Even after all of this, I can’t help but regret. I’m sorry, I must do this. Fang, you are no longer my enemy or opponent. You are now my mother. ” With that, I held my sword and plunged it through her.

She couldn’t scream. Her eyes flew wide open. She was writhing for a few seconds, and then she stopped moving.

I drew my blade out of her, and closed her wide open eyes shut. Fang dissolved into the wind, along with the ashes.

I stood up and turned around to see Byakuya looking at me.

“I told you to leave, didn’t I?” I asked him.

He looked around. “You did this? Your name is Aojirohonō Akari?”

I couldn’t answer that question, not anymore. “Byakuya.” That was all I could say. I was ready to free myself.

“Your voice.” He glanced at the strands of red hair falling from my hood. He didn’t say anything, his expression was empty and emotionless but I knew he was trying to figure everything out.

This was the fate that awaited me and my closest friends in the wider world. This was it, everything I sacraficed for Ulquiorra and Byakuya was about to be revealed. I sheathed my sword, lifted my hood and untied my mask. Byakuya's eyes widened in horror.

"Aren't you supposed t-t-to be-?"

"Dead?" I finished for him.

“Impossible,” he breathed.

“I’m sorry, everything will be explained as soon as I can. I love you?” It wasn’t a statement. I said it in a way to ask him whether the love for me was still there. I had no choice but to leave. If I were to continue with my plan, to aid Gin with his destiny and promise, I had to leave.

I opened the senkaimon, and stepped instead. Byakuya had no clue what to do or how to react. I had to leave. If there was one thing to regret through all I have endured, it would be not having a chance to say goodbye to him after I left, supposedly to be dead.

Fate was always so cruel, we are always so stubborn. I gently closed my eyes. The only thing I would never entrust to oblivion was the memories I held. So many pure memories, which could destroy me. Attachment, the one word has the capabilities of tearing you apart.  The door which I wished could’ve stayed open forever started closing.

“I’m coming back to you, I swear,” I muttered under my breath. A single tear, sliding down my cheek, burning and agonising. As the doors were closing, I saw a figure standing next to a perplexed Byakuya. Ulquiorra was smiling at me, the same smile he gave me moments above his death. I knew I was imagining, Ulquiorra is so much more than just a memory now. I froze that image in my mind. I looked down. “To both of you.”

The doors closed with a thud and I turned my back and started walking. I’m now back, as Reina. And nothing is going to stand in my way.

A/N: Well, there you go guys, there's part 1 finished finally. don't worry part 2 is coming up but i'm still thinking whether it should be as long as part 1 was. lol, thanks so much every one for reading. You won't know how much it means to me and I hope you will support me as I continue on to Part 2. Thanks for all the lovely comments, I don't think I've ever gotten a negative comment, and all the votes. Thank you ever so much, guys everyone of you xD this chapter is dedicated to everyone who ave stuck with Reina until this moment.