A Flower in Snow [Yuki/Open]

It’d been three months since Reika had arrived in the human world. The adjustment period had been more than harsh. She had to give up everything in order to escape the turmoil and chaos that had spread to the Soul Society just from one singular event. An event that she had caused herself.

Despite how much time had passed, she could still smell the smoke that lingered in her mind. It didn’t matter how many times she had washed her Shihakusho or if she was in her gigai, she could still smell the smoke, she could still smell the blood that lingered in the air around her. Was it guilt that caused it to stay? Was it the forlorn hope she had in her heart to kill Yuki?

It didn’t matter. The past was the past. Reika had to push forward and become stronger. She had to kill the one who caused all of this, Yuki. That damned wolf pup that eased their way into her heart, pretending to be her friend in order to toy with her emotions - in order to play her game of nobles.

The mere thought of it still sickened little Reika to her core. Nobles, so bored with their lives, loved nothing more than to toy with the mere commoners who joined the Gotei in order to advance their placement in the afterlife. They chose their pawns with purpose, for entertainment. It was unfortunate that Reika was being moved by two players that she had once considered friends, both Yuki and Zenji.

The young shinigami clinched at her chest with her right hand, trying to fight away the tears as she thought of Zenji and Yuki. Both of them had been so kind; both of them had been there. Trying to advance her and make her so much more than she was. It was as if she had playing a video game on easy difficulty.

It hurt so much that she had easily believed that they had really believed in her and hoped for a better future. Watari taught her the truth though. He pointed out the flaws in their malcontent - it was as if the veil of lies was lifted from her vision. Now Reika only sought one thing - revenge.

Snow fell silently over Karakura Town as Reika looked over the lights that showed like beacons in the night. Abandoning her gigai in her home, the young shinigami stalked the night, seeking any reiatsu she could possibly sense in order to find either Meili or Yuki. Sure, in this town hollows seemed to run rampant and Reika did her job to send them peacefully to the afterlife, but those two remained at the forefront of her mindset.

Standing on the Karakura Hospital, she pressed her mind away from the howls of the Pluses who lamented their lives. “Where are you, pup?”

The human world is far bigger than the Gotei. Boreas chuckled as his voice broke the silence. The Onmitsukidō would have an easier time finding her than you out here. And that’s if they’re lucky. A soft chuckle emitted in the corners of her mind.

“Thanks, old man.” Reika scoffed. “There is one thing I could do though…” Concentrating, the young woman focused her spiritual pressure, Summoning her strength to the zenith, as if to light a beacon in the night to draw Yuki if she was nearby. The only drawback being that it would summon hollow and any other spiritual creature nearby as well. “Come on, Yuki! You know you want to ‘talk’.” Reika couldn’t help but smile.

It had been done.

Reika’s spiritual energy abated into the air as she sighed. The whole town would now know that she was here. Whether it was just Yuki who responded was up to chance. What was known is that the damn hollow would most likely come and sow chaos in their wake. Hell, even members of the Soul Society could possibly come. It’d be odd for a dead woman to be standing in the center of all this commotion. Though a common shinigami wouldn’t know a thing about her.

The town was quiet, it seemed like the snow falling muffled all, bringing purity to the world that surrounded them. With her hand held out before her, the woman watched as the flakes hit her hand disappearing as fast as they came.

I wish it was the way it was before. I wish I was just that little girl Rukongai.

It was a selfish thought. The conflict that happened, it still pained her heart. When she joined the Gotei, her world was filled with fun and laughter. She was given the world only for it to crumble around her when Watari showed her the truth. Anger blinded her, fear propelled her. Now, now all that she knew was ripped away. Reika had been alone for several months, cast to a foreign world with no recourse.

I need answers.

You need to kill her.

As the redhead closed her eyes, she felt something - something that called out to her. Reaching out, Reika tried to sense, but it was too late.

A burst of white flourished behind a small figure, Yuki.

So she had felt her, heeding her call. The two always seemed to be drawn to one another - a yin to a yang. Reika felt a bit of relief, seeing her former friend still alive, but couldn’t help but to feel on edge as her once friend gripped their blade.

“Yuki Kameko.” Her words came cooly as she looked down at the little pup.

Without a word, Reika tossed Boreas into the snow before Yuki. He clattered softly as it cast a bit of snow on impact, skidding to a stop at Yuki’s feet.

Lady Suzumei’s heart skipped a beat. What in the Nine Hells had she just done? Casting aside her most powerful asset when it came to fighting against a foe. Sure she could attempt to fight hand-to-hand, but it’d be pointless against the beast that was Yuki.

“I…” Reika sighed. “I want to talk - but not here. I’ll let you choose where.” The woman scanned their surroundings. “I have a feeling that we’ll have company and I’d rather not deal with Hollow or the Onmitsukidō. That I’m sure we can both agree on.”

This was a fool's errand.

Hesitance.

It was more than clear that Yuki didn’t know how to deal with the current situation. Reika was the same. Fight or flight, her senses were in overdrive. The voice within was screaming to attack, to kill the person who had wronged her - who had used her. It was sickening. But a small voice within kept wanting to know why, why her off all people?

Reika watched in silence as Yuki slid her foot beneath the blade and kicked it into the air, catching it with her tail. The little shinigami gave a small nod and without a word, lead the way. It came to the redhead with great relief. Finally, she was getting somewhere. Perhaps she’d even get some closure from all this.

Strike her now.

Boreas seemed to howl as Yuki began hopping from rooftop to rooftop. The spirit kept goading her on and on. How easy it would be to catch the shinigami before her unaware, just like that night. That feeling, how natural it felt as the zanpakuto slid into the back of her enemy. How invigorating it was to drive all of that hate into one fell strike and hand over the head of an innocent victim.

No. No. No! I need answers. Not another fight.

That internal conflict between shinigami quickly came to an end as Yuki led the two of them into a cramped and dismal gardening shed at the back of a small school. It wasn’t much, but it was far enough away from where Reika had unleashed that energy. Maybe now she could get the answers she sought.

Before the redhead could even speak, she found Yuki with her arms crossed already asking her a simple question. ‘Why?’ Immediately that question made her feel indignant. That was her question, not Yuki’s! It was the entire reason she was here!

“Why?” Reika huffed as she crossed her arms. “Why indeed, Yuki.” Her eyes narrowed, looking down at the woman. “You know damn well, why it happened.”

---

“Tell me, when you met Yuki did it seem convenient? Like she wanted you to meet her? How about Zenji? I’m sure Yuki was intoxicating . . . wasn't she? her vision of a better Soul Society! Down with the nobility! Up with truth” Bill took a long sip of his whiskey and let that fire down his throat.

“Reika, dear sister, if Yuki is so determined to get rid of the nobility - why is she still a noble? Why at the most important noble party in recent noble history was she one of the select few left alive?” Bill pointed to one of the numerous portraits on the walls, it was a painting done of the moment when they’d joined forces - the Suzumei, the Baozhai, the Shimazu and the Akimoto but there in the back was a wolf girl - smiling.

---

Reika could still see it all as clear as day, how Watari, her brother, revealed the truth. How he pulled the wool from her eyes to see the true Yuki. Already she could taste the vile venom on the back of her tongue as Yuki stood there, demanding she tell her why it was all done.

“Watari told me everything. He told me about you and Zenji.” She raised her voice as she took a step toward Yuki. “How you two used me for your sick games. You wanted to toy with me for your twisted ‘noble’ pursuits!”

She wanted to scream. She wanted to yell. She wanted to tear down this building and destroy the one who caused her this anguish. Oh, how her heart ached as she tried to fight back her tears. Even as she looked at her former friend, Reika could hear Watari’s whispers.


“I should be the one asking…” Reika paused for a minute. This was the moment she had been waiting for since she managed to escape it all. Pressing the anger, and the tears aside, the young woman asked coldly, “Why me, Yuki? Why choose me to toy with? I- I thought you were my friend.”

Reika closed her eyes as the tears welled up, trying to hide them the best she could. They seemed to burn as the liquid pooled against her tear ducts. Try as she might, a single tear ran down her left cheek, prompting the young woman to quickly turned away as if to try and save her hubris from this emotion.

Even as she fought against herself, Yuki’s tone of voice when she said her brother’s name stirred the poison within her blood. She wanted to lash out at Yuki - to hear such vile lies from someone that was once considered a friend. Her heart was in a whirlwind, as it hammered in her chest. Indecisiveness seemed to paralyze her as she listened to Yuki’s words.

I… I don’t know what to do. She says one thing, he another.

Reika felt as if there was a tug of war going on and she was the rope. Yuki pulled one way, Watari the other. The once innocent heart was now torn between two worlds. She was too easily manipulated, too easily torn by words and actions that seemed to spur her this way or that.

She wanted to believe Yuki, the kind soul who had been there by chance. The one who opened their heart despite their past. Who showed them kindness and caring without being asked, without anything in return. Then there was Watari. Yes, he had his moments, his flaws like everyone else. But, he showed true kindness and virtue when he brought her into his house, adopting her into his family and revealing the world for what it was, making sense of all the ambiguity that seemed to linger in the Gotei like a heavy fog.

See how she faltered with her words? Boreas’ voice, stern, and cold interrupted Reika’s internal turmoil. Can you really trust her?

I…

Reika stopped in midthought as Yuki stepped forward, unsure what the little shinigami was going to do. Was she going to strike out? Drop the ruse completely and let the other shoe drop, finishing the job that was supposed to be done when the attack started. No, she spoke her peace to some relief. Reika stood there quietly, unsure of what to do or what to say.

“Yuki…” Her voice trailed off in almost a whisper.

She wanted to cry. She wanted to forget that this had all happened. She wanted to go back to being that proud little girl that seemed to have won the lottery, being surrounded by her friends and comrades. Ignorance was bliss when she lived in her world of naivety.

The young shinigami reached out and gently ruffled the top of Yuki’s head like she used to do in a time that seemed like eons ago. A soft smile played on the young woman’s cheeks as tears streamed down her face. The world seemed to briefly feel at peace as a flood of old memories came to mind. All the smiles, all the laughter. It was beautiful - it was surreal.

“Am I… am I a fool?” Her voice came as a whisper, choked with tears as Boreas seemed to look down upon her with disgust that only she could see. Reika broke down, falling to her knees as she sobbed hard into her hands. She didn’t know what to do - she didn’t know how to feel. Such was the way of someone wrapped in their own storm.

As she sobbed, she felt as if the whole world around her seemed to be collapsing - as if the foundation of her life were suddenly eroded away by her internal conflicts. It was as if she were back at the Suzumei estate when Watari told her the ‘truth’ about everything. The young woman didn’t know what to believe anymore.
She couldn’t do this anymore.

Reika wanted nothing more than to feel, to forget about this encounter. Why in the world had she been so stupid to force something like this to even happen? Doubt ate away at her little heart as the ache began to wrap her extremities. Then the warmth came; a soft touch.

Yuki wrapped her arms around the sobbing fool, speaking kind words that seemed to come from the dark. Tear-stained eyes looked up at Yuki, red with ache as those kind words seemed to reach into the young shinigami’s soul. She wasn’t a fool, no. She was just easily taken advantage of by those who knew her weakness - her heart.

This hug was bliss.

It had been so many months since she was last touched, so long ago that she had been wrapped in the warm embrace of another. This made her feel as if she were wrapped in a hug by her mother when she was but a child. It was peaceful, it was bliss. Reika couldn’t help but get to her knees, wrapping her arms around the little shinigami.

“I’m sorry.” Her voice came muffled as she buried her face into the crook of Yuki’s neck, ashamed of all that had happened.

Even so, Watari’s voice seemed to whisper its poison in the back of her mind. Like an ill-gotten spell or song, it called for the wolf’s death, crooning that the vile person was using her moment of weakness to try and get her under her control again. Reika was trapped.

“I missed… you too.”

CRASH. THUD. THUD.

In the distance, something grave had happened. It sounded as if an explosion in the distance had gone off. Then it came, that unmistakable sound of a hollow crying in the distance.

Reality had come back. Reika realized what she had done. How she let her emotions take hold of her - how Yuki tried to kill her that night. Watari’s whispers seemed to get louder and louder as her training started to take over. She was in Yuki’s arms, so close. Lunging for her zanpakuto, Lady Suzumei pulled it free from Yuki’s tail and wrest herself out of the grasp of her friend.

As she went to exit, something in her called out. That faint hope of friendship and love seemed to twinge within Reika’s heart. “I’m truly sorry.” She said with sadness in her eyes as she held her zanpakuto close to her chest. With that, she was gone.

///Thread exit