Chapter Three

Author's Note: and thats the end of that lol

All I remember is how much my hands shook as I gripped that blade.

All I remember is how the world turned into deafening silence and a blinding white.

All I remember is the feeling of warm crimson splashing onto my skin.

All I remember is the heaviness of my own blade.

I don't remember much after that.

I don't think I need to remember anything else about that day.

xxx

"B-become a Shinigami?" Hotaru screeched, her voice cracking; what the hell was Byakuya talking about? How was she supposed to become a Shinigami! Didn't you have to be… "You're telling me to kill myself!"

"Not necessarily, if you want to save your family, you'll take my suggestion."

Hotaru swallowed, "Of course I want to save my family! Are you fucking implying that I don't?" She screamed, her nails digging into her palms so hard that every layer of skin broke under the pressure and blood dripped from her nails.

Byakuya smiled, "So what are you going to do, child?"

The ground shook underneath them; vibrations ran up Hotaru's slim yet powerful legs and racked her body. She turned towards the Hollow, whose tail thrashed against a utility pole, the sound of the wood cracking echoed throughout the intense atmosphere and the power lines tore apart, sending white-blue sparks across the street.

A wicked grin spread across Hotaru's face, "I'll do it." She reached for the blade of the sword, the blood from her hands dripping onto the sword and running down the silvery white metal. She took a deep breath, being reminded of when she first met Chad and she took a pocket knife to the shoulder.

She was sure that it would only hurt just as much as it did then.

xxx

I remember gripping that blade so tightly, that it cut into my hand, making my already bleeding hands gush out more and more blood.

I remember pulling that blade towards my heart, pushing it past the fat, the muscle, the tendons, the cartilage and the bones protecting my pounding heart.

I remember screaming as it sliced through every little nerve, every little strand of sinew and tissue and blood spurting out.

I remember wondering why it didn't seem to hurt as much as I thought it would.

I guess I was screaming because of the thought of stabbing myself with a sword is what terrified me. It's so dumb.

Warmth and light filled me up from the inside; I remember feeling tired yet enlightened and all sorts of things. A mantra began to play through my mind as I started to black out, I'm sure that I'll forget all about this. I just know it. xxx

Black creeped its way from the corners of Hotaru's eyes, her whole body trembled as the blade had been pushed through her heart. Her eyes rolled back as a choked, gurgling sound escaped her mouth, blood pooled in her mouth and dribbled down her chin as her chest and hand wounds continued to gush out blood.

She fell back, marveling at how every single moment of her short fifteen years flashed before her chocolate eyes.

White spots bloomed in the darkness; it then bled across her vision like an old pen leaking ink all over a fresh new piece of loose leaf.

Only one thought played through Hotaru's mind, "So this is death."

xxx

All I remember is how much my hands shook as I gripped that blade.

All I remember is how the world turned into deafening silence and a blinding white.

All I remember is the feeling of warm crimson splashing onto my skin.

All I remember is the heaviness of my own blade.

I don't remember much after that.

I don't think I need to remember anything else about that day.

xxx

Hotaru drifted out from her dead body, panic bubbling in her heart as she saw all the blood pooling out around her and the empty look in her rolled back eyes. Her eyes flickered towards Byakuya, who nodded at her reassuringly; it was at that exact moment that she realized how heavy her arm felt. It wasn't unbearable; it was just like carrying two jugs of milk with one hand, she could deal with it.

She looked at what her now bandaged fingers were wrapped around; a large sword that reminded her of a blonde hero from a certain long running video game series. She gripped the handle tighter, hearing the breath of the Hollow get heavier and the ground shaking beneath her as it took slow deliberate and powerful steps towards her. She grimaced at the disgusting sound of its tongue dragging across its lips and teeth; if she didn't already want to kill this beast, that sound alone would have made her shred it into slivers of flesh and bone.

The Hollow growled louder once it was just a stone's throw away from getting to sink its teeth into the soft body of the girl, she was sure to be delicious with her massive amount of spiritual energy. It felt bloated from just being around this girl, it couldn't help but wonder how full and powerful it would feel after eating her. It was going to take its time eating her, not simply swallow her whole like other Hollows. She looked delicious and it was sure that she was going to taste just as delicious as she looked and felt.

The girl suddenly twirled in the direction that the Hollow was, her sword dragging across the cement and up towards the beast's front legs; a deafening screech rang through the blade, sending powerful vibrations through Hotaru's arms and it almost made her drop the blade.

She winced at the sound and at the sickening sight and sound of her metal snapping through its bone and flesh, black blood spurting out all over her equally black robes.

The Hollow thrashed about, its tail swinging towards her. She gasped; trying to get out of the way, only to stumble onto the ground, the tail hit her body and threw her against the cement wall. She saw stars explode in her eyes, obscuring her vision as she tried to get onto her feet.

"Hotaru! The head! Attack the head!"

She nodded at no one in particular, running towards the beast before jumping into the air. She pointed the blade downwards, praying to whatever God might be watching that the blade would pierce through the thick skull of the Hollow.

Another screech rang throughout the air, sending shockwaves of pain throughout everyone in the area.

The sword cracked its way past the skull, shattering the bone before hitting what could have been the Hollow's brain; a sickening gushing and popping sound slithered its way into Hotaru's ears as her sword tore through it, more and more black fluid spurting all over her. It pushed through the Hollow's mouth, tongue and jaw and stabbed into the ground.

The Hollow's tail twitched before it fell forward, its head sinking down more past the sword.

Hotaru made a face as she place a foot on the monster's head and pulled out her sword, making a spurting sound once it was out.

xxx

All I remember is how much my hands shook as I gripped that blade.

All I remember is how the world turned into deafening silence and a blinding white.

All I remember is the feeling of warm crimson splashing onto my skin.

All I remember is the heaviness of my own blade.

I don't remember much after that.

I don't think I need to remember anything else about that day.

xxx

Hotaru's eyes opened, all she saw was the ceiling above her. Was it all just a dream? Did she really kill herself to become a Shinigami? Was her family all well?

"HOOOOOOTAAAAAAAAARUUUUUU-CHAAAAAANNN~!"

She kicked off her sheets and swung her leg out, her foot smacking into her father's face and sending him across the room.

Looks like it all was just a stupid, crazy dream after all.