~ Light Of Hope ~ (A Toushiro Hitsugaya Fanfic)

7. " Parting and Reunion "

Seeing Yuzu and Karin's red eyes sent chills down Yuuki's spine. She tries to stand but is still unable to do so. Yuzu and Karin rose to their feet and lunges at her. Haru saw them and fires an arrow at Karin's chest, she slumps to the ground and never moved again. Then he immediately unsheathes his sword and stabs Yuzu at the back, she too slumps to the ground, lifeless. Afterwards, he turns to Yuuki who was in a daze as she looks down at Yuzu and Karin's lifeless bodies. Haru raises his sword to strike her too but suddenly froze upon seeing teardrops wet the ground. People who gets possessed by a Shadow don't cry, right? He stood there frozen in place as Yuuki gently closes Yuzu's eyes with trembling hands. He lowers his weapon but not his guard. Then Yuuki looks up and glares at Haru with rage and hate. But instead of being intimidated, Haru expresses shock upon seeing her golden eyes. They're not red like he expected them to be. Not only that, he also saw the resemblance between her and his mother.

"Wh-Who are you?!", he finally asked with a confused look on his face.

While waiting for a reply, he notices the black mist have started to gather around them.

"Everyone, don't let your guards down, it's coming!", he yelled to the soldiers.

The Chained Hollow who took Yuuki back to the Abyss appears from the black mist.

"W-What is that thing?!", one of the soldiers exclaimed with a terrified look on his face.

Haru frowns.

"That thing..... it doesn't look like a Shadow but its presence seems a bit like that of a Hollow's...", Haru mumbled then his eyes widen in realization. "Don't tell me! That thing is a fusion between Hollows and Shadows?!", he exclaimed.

Then a soldier charges at the Chained Hollow.

"Wait!! Don't attack carelessly!!", Haru warned.

The Chained Hollow fights back using its sharp claws and injured the soldier at the torso. The other soldiers came to his aid but when they saw that his eyes were red they started to panic.

"Your eyes... t-they're... red!", a soldier said with trembling voice.

"W-What?!"

When he looks at his reflection at the blade of his sword, he knew that it was the end of the line for him. Then he looks at Haru with acceptance in his eyes.

"It's been an honor serving with you, Haru-same.", he said and committed seppuku with no hesitation.

Haru clenched his fists and looks away.

"As do I, my friend. You did well...", he muttered.

The Chained Hollow dashes towards Yuuki but Haru stands firmly between her and the Chained Hollow. It fires a Cero at them but Haru easily blocks it with some kind of a barrier using a paper talisman. Then he sensed a presense behind him for a split second but when he whirls around to look, Yuuki was no longer there. As well as Yuzu and Karin. He looks back to the Chained Hollow but it also disappeared. That's when he realized that it was just a decoy to divert his attention from Yuuki while another one took her back to the Abyss the moment he got distracted. Haru clenched his fists in frustration.

(Who was that girl?), he thought.

*******

Meanwhile, Yuuki is once again back at the Abyss along with Yuzu and Karin. She tries to comprehend what just happened and tries to put everything together. Based on what she just heard and saw, she came to a conclusion.

(This must be the 'Abyss' they were talking about and those things also came from here. The reason why they killed all those people and the soldier who committed suicide might mean something worse than death might happen to them if they continued to live. And that Haru person might have all the answers. But..... who is he to me? Why did he looked so surprised when he saw me? And why didn't he recognize me?! He was the very first person I saw when I lost my memories, he knew me then! But what I really want to know is what connection does all of these have to do with me?! Why do those things keep on dragging me back here?! I have a feeling that if I find out more about it then the closer I get to find out about myself. For now, getting Yuzu-san and Karin-san back home is my first priority. They've been here for far too long. I got out of here not only once, then I can get out of here again.), she thought.