Chapter Two

Author's Note: man.

I dream of butterflies and fireflies almost every night.

Fireflies, it's what my name means. I can't help but wonder if I'm that narcissistic and egotistical to dream about my name sake, which I'm pretty sure that I'm not.

Fireflies, an embarrassing thing really… what with it being a metaphor for passionate love… thanks to that stupid love poem. My dad told me when I was eleven that I was the proof and symbol of his true passionate love for my mother, along with my younger sisters of course. It's rather embarrassing…

The other meaning is a little sadder; these tiny beautiful little green glowing bugs are actually the souls of soldiers that died in the war.

I can't help but accept both meanings.

Butterflies, they can be used to symbolize many things… metamorphosis, love, innocence, death or freedom. I don't know why they show up in my dreams… they're always black. Aren't butterflies supposed to be brightly colored and beautiful to look at?

I once dreamt of this white and purple butterfly, unlike the black ones.

I really don't know what's normal any more.

And since when did I give a crap about this sort of thing?

xxx

"You! Tell me what the hell you are and how the fuck you did that to me!" Hotaru screamed out, wobbling as she got onto her feet. She continued to glare up at this ghost-shinigami-devil-whatever, who seemed to be clicking his tongue; the look in those gray eyes seemed to tell her that he was judging her so hard from the décor.

"I told you, I am a Shinigami and I used Kido, Bakudo #1. Sai to be exact."

"W-what?"

Byakuya sighed heavily, "What's so hard to understand, child?"

"I-it's just… why are you here?"

The man shrugged, "Because of him," he sighed as he pulled out his sword and pointed at the old man that was standing beside Hotaru. "Among other things as well."

Hotaru turned, jumping at the sight, when did this guy start following her?

"I-I… don't want to go to hell!" the old man cried, getting on his hands and knees, begging and pleading Byakuya not to take him.

The girl could have sworn that Byakuya's lips almost curled into a reassuring smile, but with a blink it was gone and his cold expression was back on his face. "You won't be going to hell; you'll be going to Soul Society."

"W-what is… where is?"

"It's a peaceful place, "another smile spread across the raven haired man, and with those words he placed the blunt end of the sword on the soul's forehead.

A blue-white light engulfed the man, making Hotaru tremble slightly as she watched this soul disappear. A black butterfly appeared and gently flapped it's dark wings out of the window, Hotaru felt something stir inside of her.

She saw those butterflies before, she just didn't know where.

Hotaru sat down, a chill running through her body, what was happening?

"Don't look like that, I sent him to what you humans call 'heaven'. It's one of a Shinigami's duties," he sighed, his voice sounding tired and annoyed as if he had given this speech many, many times. He stared at Hotaru, taking note of how her lips were trembling and how those well manicured nails were digging into nearly flawless peachy skin.

"…Explain to me what a Shinigami's duties are, Byakuya-san," her voice was shaking as she spoke.

Byakuya smirked before sitting across from the teenager, and began to explain, "There are two kinds of spirits…"

Hotaru snorted, her brown eyes staring at the pathetic drawings; there was two 'cloud' shaped creatures with skinny limbs and simplistic faces. The one that the man was currently pointing at, the good one had a halo and a happy expression.

Byakuya pretended not to notice, "This, the most common spirit is called a probably know them better as ghosts."

Hotaru bit her lip hard at the other, her clenched fists shaking as her nails dug into her palms; the drawing had a cheesy 'evil expression with overly bushy eyebrows. She snorted again, her eyes watering up from trying to hold in her laughter.

"This is a Hollow, these spirits cause destruction as they attack humans and eat their souls," Byakuya sighed, closing his slate grey eyes, "Is there any questions, Kurosaki?"

Hotaru shut her eyes, sucking in a long and deep breath before flinging her hand and pointing at the sketchbook, "I only have one."

"And what is that?"

"Why do your drawings look like pieces of shit?" Hotaru was knocked over again, her arms being locked behind her and her wrists being bounded tightly. Byakuya stood up and made his way to her, kicking her in the side. "I-it was a joke! Please let me go!"

"No, you'll stay that way until I finish explaining," Byakuya was once again in his spot, "Shinigami have two duties…" he said coolly as he flipped another page with had another 'good' cloud-turd creature in a black space and there was squiggly lines that read SOUL BURIAL and a space that read SOUL SOCIETY with stars in the background. "To guide Pluses into Soul Society like you just saw a moment ago."

Hotaru bit her lip again, snorting as another page was flipped and revealed to her. There was another 'evil' turd with a giant red X over it's face, "And the other is to exterminate Hollows, and that was what my current mission is."

"Soo… why are you still here? G-go get it! Why are you loitering around here!"

Byakuya twitched, kicking Hotaru in the side again, "Because I had to explain myself to an idiot like you. And I can't feel its presence anymore. It's like an even greater spiritual pressure is blocking it…"

As if on cue, a loud roar rang throughout the area and Hotaru felt a great pressure building on her, another chill running through her soft body. "Did you not hear that?" she nearly screamed, her voice cracking.

"Hear what?"

"That huge voice? How couldn't you have heard it?"

Another roar was heard which was followed by a young girl's deafening scream. Hotaru instantly recongised that voice, it was her younger sister. Hearing it caused her to flop around on the floor in desperation to get out and save her sister, "Yuzu! W-what are you doing! W-was that a Hollow!" she screamed as she watched Byakuya run out of the room.

"Yes it was! Now stay here and I'll rid of it."

A dull thud was heard outside of Hotaru's room, the sight shocking the teen; a bloody Karin that was crawling towards her.

"G-good… it… didn't get you Hotaru."

"Karin! What happened?"

Karin tried to force a strong smile onto her face, but it just made the sight more painful for Hotaru, "Something attacked dad… a giant gash showed up on his back and he bled… Yuzu screamed…"

"Karin…"

"Then something… we couldn't see it… attacked us… I'm just so glad that you're okay."

Hotaru squirmed more, pulling harder and harder at her invisible bonds. She wanted to rush to Karin, and hold her and… She wanted to take that baseball bat and smash that Hollow's face in. "LET ME OUT!" she screamed until her voice was hoarse.

Byakuya looked over, seeing that Hotaru was managing to pull her arms apart, "What are you doing? You can't release yourself! Only a Shinigami can…" His eyes widened to see Hotaru rip through the bonds, "H-how? Y-your soul should have…"

Hotaru bolted towards Karin, knocking the man over; tears welled up in her harsh brown eyes as she gently brushed a now unconscious Karin's black hair out of her face. She winced as she saw a gash on the young girl's forehead, her fingers shaking violently as she ran them through Karin's hair which was sticky with blood.

The girl kissed her sister on the forehead before grabbing the baseball bat and bolting down the stairs. She ignored Byakuya's screaming, not caring if she was just a human, it wasn't her job, her power has nothing on the Hollow and she'd kill herself.

She needed to save her family, and she would die in the process if she had to; as long as her father and sisters would be okay.

xxx

FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK!

HOW COULD I HAVE LET THIS HAPPEN!

OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD

Dad is knocked out, oh god… the blood… his coat is filthy with blood and…

Oh god Yuzu is screaming so loud…

I'LL KILL THAT FUCKER.

xxx

Hotaru skidded into the kitchen, seeing her younger sister in the claws of a monster. Her body was shaking with fear and rage; her blood was boiling yet freezing, her hands were gripping her bat so tightly that her knuckles were turning white; her heart was pounding so hard that she was surprised that it wasn't popping out of her chest.

She ran towards the beast, about to smash the aluminum bat into this Hollow's face. She wanted its brains to splatter on the wall, she wanted to kick those teeth in so hard that they'd shatter like glass; she was going to tear its limbs off.

She wanted to kill that motherfucker.

The Hollow simply swatted her away, a loud crack was heard through the air and a pain shot through Hotaru's chest (She didn't know that her one of her ribs had been broken). The wind was knocked out of her, and her head smacked hard against the wall. She shook as she tried to stand up, and started to run towards the Hollow again.

Suddenly Byakuya was in the air, his sword out once again and he slashed the Hollow's arm off, a deafening screech rang through the air as its black blood splashed everywhere like a geyser. Yuzu fell and Hotaru screamed before catching her.

She squeezed that small body, praying to God or whoever was up there that little Yuzu would be okay.

"Your family's souls haven't been eaten, don't lose focus! Pay attention, child!" Byakuya shouted, his voice booming with authority which instantly made Hotaru think for a moment.

"Wh-wha? M-my family is okay?"

"Yes, their souls are still intact."

"I thought Hollows attacked people to eat their souls! W-why did…"

"I've never seen a human with such a high spiritual pressure, Hotaru."

"What… what are you saying?"

"Hollows search for souls with high spiritual concentration."

"…Y-you can't mean…"

"Maybe the target was you."

Guilt. Rage. Sorrow.

Those three emotions were burning inside of Hotaru; her hands were clenching and releasing nothing. Deep and heavy breaths fell from her mouth.

Her family was hurt because of her. "So… this is all my fault."

Images of ten years ago played through her mind; she saw her beautiful mother's face, then saw the little girl at the edge of a cliff, and her running towards it to save the girl.

Next thing she knew, her mother was dead.

Hotaru ran outside, and stopped in front of the Hollow, Byakuya immediately following after her and screaming at her to stop and that that's not what he had meant.

"THAT'S ENOUGH YOU SON OF A BITCH," she screeched, her throat burned from all the screaming but she couldn't tone it down. She took a few more deep breaths that burned her throat and chest, she licked her dry lips, "You want my soul don't you?"

The Hollow tilted its head, its long tongue falling out of its mouth. It was dripping with saliva and made disgustingly thick, slick sounds with every movement. It licked its lips, and slowly made its way towards the girl.

"Yeah, that's right. You want to eat me," Hotaru laughed softly as she looked at the ground, then suddenly her head snapped forward, "THEN FIGHT ME FACE TO FACE! MY FAMILY OR THAT SHINIGAMI HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS! COME ON! TRY TO EAT MY SOUL!"

A sick laughter filled the air as the Hollow launched itself towards Hotaru, who was grinning wildly and flung her arms out.

"Idiot girl!" Byakuya growled under his breath and flung himself in front of the two, blood splattered between the Hollow's teeth and all over Hotaru.

xxx

I used to have a phobia of blood, I couldn't handle any movies or TV shows that had blood.

Just seeing that disgusting fluid made me sick, this repulsive feeling would fill me from the tips of my hair to my toes.

I hated how it would be so runny and thin, then turn thick and sticky, and then it would become crusty and stain everything.

I hated the taste of it, I hated the smell of it, and I hated the feeling of it.

When I hit junior high, I realized how stupid this phobia was.

There's nothing like a pocket knife to the shoulder that gets you over your blood phobia.

Looks like I'm not entirely over it.

xxx

The sound of Byakuya's bones snapping under the strength of the Hollow's jaw sickened Hotaru, she shuddered at the sound of his flesh tearing and felt vomit coming up her mouth when she saw all the blood that spurted out of the man.

The Hollow laughed, spitting out the Shinigami on the ground.

"You idiot," Byakuya gasped out, "I told you. I told you that your power is nothing. Nothing compared to that of a Hollow's. Did you seriously think that sacrificing your soul to that monster would simply solve everything?"

Hotaru fell onto her knees, "I-I… I'm sorry." she stammered, more guilt filled her. She didn't ask or plan on this Shinigami to fling himself in front of her.

"You really are just a stupid child," a chuckle passed through his lips which curled into a reassuring smile, "Do not worry about it… However…"

"W-what?"

"I can't fight the Hollow in this state…"

Hotaru swallowed, panic filling her. How was this Hollow going to be destroyed! Did they have to just sit and wait around for this Hollow to eat them? She felt sick, she felt hatred, and she felt helpless and worthless with every fiber of her body.

"Hey, child," Hotaru's head snapped towards Byakuya, who was still smiling gently, "Do you want to save your family?"

"Of course I do! I-is there a way? H-how! Tell me! Tell me… please!"

"There is only one way…"

"Yes? Yes?"

Byakuya pulled out his sword, the blade facing towards Hotaru.

"Become a Shinigami."