tampered | Log: Ongoing

Log: Ongoing

When; May 5, 2007, sunset
Rating; PGish?
Characters; Tomoe Hotaru

silence_bringer, Matsumoto Rangiku

revelations9x6
Summary; Ran and Xulchibara try to break through the brainwashing and return Hotaru to her normal self.
Log;

She shivered slightly in the breeze, watching as the brilliant orange ball of the sun dropped slowly into the City over the horizon. Drawing the heavy black wool of the cloak around her shoulders, Hotaru allowed fingertips to trace over the embroidered red and white fan that rested in faded colour over the lapel of the cloak, soft chiming bell hanging on red cord next to it.

The female shinigami had seemed nice, and she hadn't appeared to wish any harm to the girl. But...Itachi-niisama had told her the shinigami weren't to be trusted, that they were his enemies, and so they were her enemies. That they would take advantage of her the way the other ninja, the ones from Konoha would do.

But...she didn't feel afraid of the blond woman. If anything...the woman -- Ran, she'd said her name was -- seemed..sincere. And maybe, at least, she could talk the shinigami into making the man with the burning eyes leave her alone.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ran knew she was going to be chastised at best when her Consort found out that she'd left the protection of the manor, but there was a good reason. On silent feet, she sped along the rooftops, glad she had at least enough energy to manage a decent shunpyo. It wouldn't do to be caught away from safety.

The odd power she'd felt through her bond with Xulchibara stirred off to her left, and she veered to meet it. Dropping from the blurred motion, she came to rest on the edge of the rooftop of the Opera. Blue eyes peered around, stopping on a curled in figure among the odd stonework that littered the roof.

Making enough noise to keep from frightening her, she paced to a spot just inside her field of vision, then settled in a careful crouch, careful to keep her balance.

"Thank you for letting me come..."

Her training with the Red God and Alessa, though she didn't really remember it, had been good for more things then just keeping her powers from running rampant. She'd learned to sense things, to sense people. That being the case, she felt the shinigami's approach before the woman alighted on the roof.

Not moving from her spot, huge violet eyes in a small pale face framed by cropped black hair stared up from the hollow of the thick cloak, studying the new arrival.

"Welcome.."

In her mind, she can't help but think that she was looking at what Rukia must've looked like when she was much younger. A smile shifted her lips a little, making the sometimes harsh stare a bit more relaxed. "So you're Hotaru... It's good to finally meet you in person."

She didn't want to alarm her and have her retreat, so she didn't move closer. Instead, arms settled around knees as she tilted her head a little.

A nod as she studied the older woman. Long blond hair, clear blue eyes, a figure of the sort Hotaru had dreamed about as a little girl. Watching as the shinigami settled herself on the roof, she stretched out slightly with her own power, curious about the different feel of the woman, the strangely similar and yet entirely alien feel of her power.

"Nice to meet you too..."

Ran wasn't moving closer, and Hotaru was...glad for that, she supposed. At least, she was more comfortable at the moment, knowing there wasn't going to be any attempt at grabbing her. Not that she wouldn't have been able to protect herself should said attempt come. But it was just...relieving to know she didn't have to.

Her own reiatsu stirred a little at the taste of an untried power. An eyebrow raised a little as she allowed her own power to meet Hotaru's; a touch, careful and slow. The new power in her system was something she was still growing accustomed to, but the constant reminder of the Red One's mark was something welcome.

"... quite a way to introduce yourself."

There was no disapproval in Ran's voice.

"....... did you have something you wished to ask me?"

"Wasn't really an introduction. I just wanted to see. You're different."

The strange power felt different then hers, tempered and restrained, unlike the roiling surge that crackled in restless waves behind the leashes she kept on hers.

Sitting back against the carved stone, she stared out at the setting sun.

"Why won't he leave me alone....?"

A low chuckle sounded in the air between them.

Different, indeed.

With control born of centuries of practice, she pulled the power back and under wraps, where she kept at her call. After Hotaru's quesiton, she sat in silence for several moments.

"He cares. For all innocents, really, but for the ones he knows, especially. He means you no harm." Her voice remained even and soft; just enough to carry over the breeze.

"But I DON'T know him."

It wasn't even that she minded if some stranger cared. But for some reason...whenever she got near the dark man with the burning eyes, a sense of overwhelming dread mixed with a piercing headache always threatened to overwhelm her.

"You're not like the other shinigami I met...she didn't like me."

"And as I said, your memories might've been disrupted." The urge to reach out and touch the child made her hands twitch, but she restrained herself. It wouldn't do to make her defensive so soon.

"... who didn't like you? You seem to be quite likeable."

Reaching around beside her, she carefully picked up a small nest of twigs and branches, soft chirping sounds coming from within it. Scooping the baby bird out of the nest, she studied it for a moment.

"Don't remember her name. She's tall, heals people. She doesn't like me because the ninja healer doesn't like me."

Tracing one finger along the little bird's wing, she frowned.

"I think a crow was after this one. It's got a broken wing."

Placing fingertip over the injured appendage, her finger glowed with a soft warm light for a moment before she cupped her hands around the little bird with a smile. Holding it for a moment, she tossed it into the air, laughing as wings caught updrafts, sending it wheeling on it's way.

"That's better."

"Ahh... Isane. She's a friend of mine, actually. She's taking care of me right now..." Her eyes followed Hotaru's motions, the smile growing when she felt her power surge. Her gaze followed the path of the bird for a moment, then swung back down to the girl.

"You have amazing gifts, you know... Some would want to use them, if you're not careful."

The boy was smart.
He had not only played with Hotaru's mind...but smothered something about her that had traditionally made it quite easy for Xulchilbara to find her wherever she might wander.
Most frustrating when the Red God had been unable to 'hear' her as he had before.

But....the girl had agreed to meet with Rangiku.
Yes, the dark man with flame eyes was cross with His Consort for leaving again...but it was far easier to simply follow her to Hotaru than risk injuring the girls mind by pressing too hard in the search.

He had kept His presence carefully hidden from both as He watched their conversation from an oblidging shadowed overhang. Hotaru's distress....only made Him angrier.
Oh, yes. Itachi would be recieving a visit in person quite soon.

Hotaru seemed to be calming now, and so the God-turned-mortal allowed the stranglehold He kept over His essence to relax slightly. Ran would be cross with Him for following her, one assumes, but after Hotaru was safely ensconced in the Manor and remembering herself, hopefully His Mistress would understand.

Slowly, moving as one would with a skittish animal, Xulchilbara let Himself be seen...though most would percieve seeing a dark man seeming to coalesce from the very shadows themselves.

A whisper of thought through the connection ( however repressed) from His own, to Hotaru's mind;

'HuSh mY liTTlE OnE', He 'whispered' through her mind, subliminally reaching out to set her at ease with familiarity.
He remained partially hidden, however....only crouching quietly in the back of her mind as He looked at Itatchi's tampering with a practised eye.
A warmth in His 'voice' evoked old songs...things cooed to children in their cradles. .....Things half-remembered.....

She was starting to relax, to actually enjoy herself. Ran didn't seem threatening, and the woman actually seemed...impressed with her abilities. Hotaru nodded at Ran's words.

"I know. That's why Itachi-niisama takes care of me. He protects me from those sorts of people."

Out of the corner of her eye she glimpsed the slight quiver of air, the changing of atmosphere as the Red God appeared, felt the soft whisper of eerily-familiar voice in her mind. Eyes widened, she recoiled, backing up against the stone, frantically looking for an escape. Violet eyes turned accusingly towards Ran, angry tears of betrayal forming at the corners.

"You tricked me! You pretended to be my friend, but you're just working for him!"

Just as she was growing comfortable with her new companion, she felt a very well known presence. Bolting upright, her head snapped to the side just in time to see her lover coalesce. A stab of anger flooded their bond, letting her displeasure be known to Him, before she turned back to Hotaru.

"I'm bonded to Him, but I had no idea He was planning on following me...." The last few words were growled out, obviously aimed at the newcomer.

Flame wreathed eyes flicked momentarily to Ran, and Hegave back an expression and brief feeling of frustration.
When Hotaru remembered Him, this would all be moot...why the anger?

But, first things first. Hotaru was one ofthe few mortals Hhad ever encountered with the level of power that one often found in His own children....His biological children, that is, and she was farmore dangerous than most when frightened.

The shining tears hurt Xulchilbara far deeper than hurled words...they were filled with such pain. Pain He never wished to see in Hotaru's eyes.
....But, there was a good chance she would be angrier with Him before this was over.

Like a frightened rabbit, Hotaru was searching for escape.
....The Red God denied it to her as with a negligent wave of hand, and substantial wave of power, He formed tangible cords out of the lengthening shadows themselves.
Where He walked, rusted decay spread out...as though His very touch could corrode. The tendrils of darkness spread likewise outward to wrap around the Bringer of Silence. Thick cords made of something far stronger than meer metal oozed their ways from her legs to her wrists, binding her, yet gently.
The writhing nests of shadowy bonds held her fast as Xulchilbara advanced, but took carenot to hurt her. However much she might struggle.

When He was close enough, He leaned down and captured her violet eyes with His burning one.
'StOp FiGhTiNg Me, FoOliSh GiRl.', He 'said', His voice like a hot wind through the mind.
'YoU ArE sTrOnGeR ThAn ThIs....FiGhT iT, noT mE'

Darkness held her fast, and through darkness would He undo what had been done.

"ComE", He spoke aloud to Rangiku, but took care to never lose eye contact. To never let Hotaru's mind shy away.
"ThIs EnDs NoW. We WiLl ReTuRn HomE", He finished rather pointedly before letting the roiling cauldron of darkness break like a wave over both Himself and Hotaru, spiriting both of them back to the Manor.

Both mind and power fought him, frantically trying to release the hold he'd trapped her in, panic-stricken eyes widening even further as she fought against the bonds, the Saturn power writhing and crackling around her, pouring out of her mind in response to her distress, electric coils ripping at her bonds, trying to free herself as her mind scrambled back away from him, trying to wrest itself from his grip.

"No, let me GO! Itachi-niisama!"

His eyes were like flaming embers, holding her gaze with an iron grip, fanning the fear that fluttered up like a wild thing, lashing out against him in dangerous waves as the sign of Saturn blazed into being around her, conscious mind joining her subconscious in it's panic, shattering the barriers she had erected and unleashing restrained energy to surge through her small form.

Ran followed them closely, disappearing from the rooftop of the Opera as she flash-stepped away. A few moments had her back at the manor house and past the wards, power reaching out for His. A tug pulled her to where they were; even though it was someplace she'd never been before.

She flickered back to sight in the catacombs, landing sure-footed in the open area. Immediately, she spotted them and crossed to them, ice in her eyes.

"You're scaring her," she murmured, voice low, but she was sure He could hear her.

The Silence hit Him like a lash. A literal cut blossomed across one cheek as though some unseen blade had sliced it open.
Xulchilbara reacted no more than to frown at Hotaru's panic, and Rangiku's comment.

"StAy OuTsIdE oF tHe CiRclE. ShE MaY iNvOlUnTaRiLy KiLl yOu OthErWiSe", He replied, the anger tinging His voice rooted in the sting that He was frightening Hotaru.

Still, His power lay with fear, with pain, with truth.
Itachi's tampering had forced a lie onto Hotaru.

......It would be rectified.....

On His knees before the bound child, the seal on Xulchilbara's back started to smoulder and burn it's way through the very cloth of His shirt as His own power rose to meet hers.
Violet tinged electric arcs encountered black edged fire as the cloth of His shirt started to catch.

Undaunted, Xulchilbara reached out, one hand under each side of her jaw, to hold her steady and force her to meet the chaos in His eyes.

A probing connection that had, up to this point, hinted at a dark madness that now penetrated the layers of confusion, hypnosis, and scarring Itachi had inflicted and seemed to spread outward.
A Stygian wave of thought-made-solid invaded, scathed, and tore down the blocks that kept Hotaru confused, amde her fear her friends.

Raw chaos, horror unleashed; a true taste of the touch of a God.
The fire of rebirth hones into the points of fingertips where they made contact with her skin.
In this madness there lay a tiny speck of sanity, a core of calm...of stillness.
In blood and darkness we are born, in blood and darkness we die; Yet Hotaru was not reborn...she was only repaired.

It hurt Xulchilbara far deeper than he could express to any save Rangiku, and Hotaru herself, to hurt the child....but she resisted. In fear and panic she fought His invasion.
Yet on the heels of that invasion came sensation; Safety. Love. Strong arms wrapping around her, shielding her from all the world....
...A memory...a memory of sitting curled under His arm while Alessa and Xulchilbara taught Xulchilbara's newest foster daughter how to control herself. How to be not let her power control her.

'ReMeMbEr...

Her power lashed at him as he went, frantic fear and panic magnifying and exploding outward. And there was pain. So much pain.

Crying, fighting him, sigil of Saturn flashing wildly on her forehead, small face contorted in pain as she fought him tooth and nail.

Within her subconscious, a small spark of light burned faintly, recoiling from the faint brushes of sensation and memory. Memory? Were those....hers?

Her tears hit him like a physical pain, and his flame-lit eyes brightened to shine with brilliant light.
A light that for all it's brilliance....wavered.
Wavered, as he wavered when as He pushed through those barriers, the flood of memories rushing in to fill the voids.

A memory....
Alessa hugging Hotaru as they realized the kinship between them
Then another....
Hotaru smiling at Rue and Mytho.
And another....
The first time she called Him Rossu-Papa...

And it was just too much to keep the hard resolve, and the Red God...the Crimson Atrocity's features contorted into a look of such pain as, with one shaking arm, He pulled Hotaru into an embrace.
Agonized features looking into her eyes with a deep well of sadness.

The wavering light in his eyes intensified......and showed itself to be tears. Red, bloody tears.
Tears for Hotaru's pain. Tears for His own weakness in not protecting her. Tears for the anger at losing so much in the desire to keep His loved ones...His family safe.

Her violet light warred with the rising flames, fire literally erupting across His skin as it fought with the panic-driven power of Saturn.
Darkness to Darkness, they fought, Xulchilbara, however, didnot give up when she started to feel the first threads of recognition. For all that it hurt Him so deeply to do so, He pushed harder, forcing the cracks in Itachi's tampering wider....letting the memories in.
Inhuman strength held her fast, keeping her arms pinned to her sides; one hand still holding her face imobile, keeping her eyes locked on His.

Struggling against him, her own face tear-streaked, she could feel herself drowning in the memories and the pain they brought with them, rending through her subconscious like the claws of a hungry beast, bringing with them the light and the pain, lancing through the blackness that seemed to shroud her mind.

Something deep within her mind cracked, and Hotaru screamed, a scream of anguish and pain, the sort of pain that stretched far beyond the physical agony the clashing of power was subjecting her to. And then....silence. The frail girl slumped against the Red God, black hair lank and sweat-soaked, breathing heavily as conscious struggled to overcome subconscious.

Arms....Arms were holding her. It was warm, and...familiar.

"P...Poppa?"

They became a circle of soul and body, of magic given and received, of life and small death, of His strength holding them above the waves of flame and darkness, of her fear bearing them down. It was almost as if one magic were trying to keep them afloat, and the other sought to drown them.

In the midst of life, death; in the midst of joy, danger; in the midst of ocean, land. The earth itself called to in response to the rippling destruction that was the silence, but Darkness held it back.
The blood and darkness that made the chained sigils now glowing like captive stars from one stone pillar to the next; a shell of protection....a shell that wasquickly filling with power that had nowhere to go.

He felt the wave of power coming up from around and within Hotaru, like some huge, dark creature, swimming up fast and faster, sleek and dark and deadly. ready to hit Him in a wave of power that threw the flames into towering waves, and boiled the land underneath us so that steam filled the air. Spirals of crackling violet, and deepest crimson pushed into the air, glistening like crystal, and glittering with bits of burning rock, like melting fire.

But even in the eye of that contained maelstrom, even though the wards strained...strained....and held, keeping the manor, Rangiku, and all the other inhabitants safe from the void in Hotaru, Xulchilbara used the one weapon Itachi could not make Hotaru forget;

Love.

Simple, and whole. A love for a father for a child. He would not fail her. He would not let her become a slave to the sort of wickedness that He had been made to destroy.

And then......She Screamed Long, and loud and anguished.
In that scream came the breaking point to both her own outpouring of power, and Itachi's hold over her.

....Now, without the Silence to fight against; the fire too extinguished itself to leave Xulchilbara shaking. His skin smoked gently, though He only sported burns where the seal on His back that held Him in check as per the neutrailty agreement with the deities had nearly broken.

So much of Himself had been expended to keep her from hurting others...to keep her from hurting herself.

Bloody tracks of tears streamed down His cheeks, but He smiled at her nevertheless, a palsied hand rising to push her damp hair from her eyes.

" Yes....my...little....one..." He panted, His eyes a fading shade of burgandy, quickly turning to a washed out grey.

"....You....are........safe........" He managed before His eyes rolled back in His head, and He slumped backwards....

....Unconscious...

Ran was barely there to catch Him, them in time. She's stood outside the circle, watching as she was told to. She felt weak as well, due to His own outpouring of power, but she knew she wouldn't be hurt now. One of the odd household servants had answered her silent call, helping her to pick her lover up since she couldn't.

Bright blue eyes leveled on Hotaru for a moment before they gazed back at Xulchibara's face. Her feelings were obvious when a gentle hand reached up to brush away the bloody tears from His face.

"We'd like it if you were stay with us for now... and I'd still like to get to know you better."

"Poppa!"

Violet eyes snapped open as the familiar warmth slumped away from her, and she knelt beside he and Ran, one hand on his chest as the tears spilled over her eyelids.

"Poppa....I'm sorry....I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I didn't.....I'm sorry!"

Throwing her arms around his unconscious form, raw power seemed to seep unchecked from her small body, the soft white glow so different from the ruthless and terrible power of Saturn. Wrapping around them, bringing with it a rush of life and energy, warm healing sensation suffusing even those who weren't wounded with a tingling rush of energy.

Ran sighed under her breath as the girl's power enveloped them. The warmth made her knees shake and her own power rise, but a shinigami's power had no place mingling with such kind energy. She pulled it back and stepped away, but kept a hand on her Consort; more for her own comfort.

Her free hand slid over Hotaru's hair gently, offering as much comfort as she could.

"He'll be pleased you remember Him... but He needs a little rest first."

The glow softened, gradually fading away. Nodding, she nonetheless didnt' let go of the man. NOW she remembered. He was Rosu, her poppa. Not her real poppa, but her new Poppa. Her Poppa here in the City. He took care of her, like Itachi-niisama did. Somehow...she'd forgotten that.

She glanced up as fingers ran through her hair, head tilting slightly at the shinigami's touch.

Ran-san....?

Ran managed a small smile for Hotaru as her hand continued to card through her hair. She glanced up at the servant then dropped a quick nod. Without a word, it disappeared and Ran pulled Xulchibara's unconscious form close to her side. "Well then, shall we get you both settled in?"

She tried to keep from showing how she slumped under the weight.

Xulchilbara felt....terrible.
It took a few minutes to realize why He was so disoriented, and who the minds closest to Him were.

Tentatively He opened His eyes to slits, the flames that were as much a part of Him as His black hair were sluggish, subdued....deadened.

The angle was wrong.
Why were Ran, and Hotaru over Him, and why was Hotaru so upset?
It took another solid minute to realize what had happened.
He...He had passed out. He never passed out!

A gasp, and He moved enough to sit and support His own weight.
Not a little alarmed, and very exausted, His eyes slid away from Ran.
This weakness was becoming more and more His personal shame.

Carefully, so as not to knock him over again, thin arms wrapped around his waist, dark head pressed against his chest.

"Poppa..."

This was...wrong. He shouldn't be tired, shouldn't be weak like this. Nuzzling against him, she glanced up at his eyes, her violet ones worried.

"Poppa....what's wrong?"

While she was satisfied that He was conscious, she choked down on the slight offense she felt, hoping she'd smothered it before it was noticeable to Xulchibara.

"..... I should take my leave, then." Her eyes were everywhere but Him.

"N-.." His voice sounded like a split reed, but he sighed and tried again, reaching out to take her hand.

'No. StAy....PlEaSe He 'said' to her mentally.
Still, he couldn't bare to look at her.
How she must think Him so damnably weak now...

...He couldn't even protect His family.

" You should rest, little one" He nearly whispered to Hotaru.
" I am....fine."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Log: Ongoing

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject