The Secret Forest

[Sapphire]

She opened her eyes, unsure of how long she has been unconscious. Getting up, she looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings that sprawled around her. The breeze was softly caressing the many trees that stretched out towards the sky, and the leaves were dotted with the first touches of dew drops. The first thing she felt around for to check if she had it was her Zanpakuto- and it was still there, to her relief. She picked it up and put it back onto its place on her shihakusho. She tried to walk around, but she simply couldn't stop gazing at the area around her- the shadowy trees, the soft grass, the tranquil sky, the softly glowing moon whose light seemed to calm her to her soul- everything. She could hear the soft trickling of water far away somewhere, and it was almost like she could hear the calmness in the wind blowing around her. She leaned back against a tree and thought about what had just happened, as she relaxed and thought about how she was going to return to Seireitei. She was worried, but at the same time, this place seemed like an escape to her. She sighed, not knowing what to do next. 'If I move from here, will I be lost here forever? If I stay, what will become of me? Will the portal open back up again?' Thoughts racing through her head, she waited until she felt comfortable enough to look around. She took a few steps forward, but then stopped. 'What if I'm going too far? What if I'm walking to my death? What if...' Her spirit couldn't relax because of this new place... almost like a Paradise... but at the same time, she wondered if she would ever be able to get back to where she was before. She wondered, at this point, if she even wanted to...

[Xeon Hubaru]

"Shinigami..."

The voice had rung softly through the air of the woods. A pair of pale legs had hung from a single tree branch while sandals had clipped together as the red eyes of the young female set on the other female below. Her expression was straight forward and not seeming to drift remaining focused. Most likely this wasn't an expression some ordinary little girl would have.

"Shinigami, yes?"

She had voice gently once more from where she had sat perched up on the branch. Her delicate little fingers sliding along the branch's smooth bark that was like that of a Cherry Blossom and a sheathed sword that had laid across from the base of the branch along the tree's side. Her hair aligned with some plates that ran her hair through one direction in a sleek manner, but in reality these "plates" were structure of bone and the madness that went with those had sat in her red eyes. With the inverted uniform of Shinigami brethren, it was obvious enough what she was; an Arrancer.

"Are you, or are you not a Shinigami?"

The girl had said gently once more before narrowing her eyes from the back to back questions. Her patience growing thin from not a sudden reaction nor a word since in reality she was confused and worried. This place called "paradise" had shown her a bad side, a side that she wasn't too keen to get to know. She wanted out of this place and into the deserts of Hueco Mundo, but her curiosity was aroused...

What was "their" kind, Shinigami, doing in such a horrid place?

[Sapphire]

Looking up suddenly, and embarrassed that she had not noticed anyone around before, she saw the Arrancar. 'An... arrancar? Here? ....' she thought quickly. 'I've never met an arrancar in my life, and already, there is one here?' She seemed more frightened than she wanted to be, so she tried to relax herself. 'Maybe she's not a strong one, but then, I have to be careful... I don't want to make any mistakes here. I have to be stronger than this.' She couldn't understand her own shaky reaction, but maybe it was because they were always depicted as being very powerful and dangerous. She didn't like the fact that she was feeling so intensely about this, so she breathed in and out very deeply. 'I have to relax... whether or not she's a strong one, or even if she wants to fight at all, I have to be calm. She, like me, is also stuck in this place. She also seems to be alone, just like me...' She felt herself relaxing a little. She's always had that way of feeling unsure of herself, but she had to get over it, and quickly.

"Yes, I am a Shinigami. I can see that you are an Arrancar... how did you get here?"

Her voice seemed small amongst the vast surroundings that calmly swayed as far as the eye could see. She tried to strike up a conversation about a common topic in order to feel the Arrancar's personality out. 'If I can talk with her, maybe we can work something out...' It was a small possibility, but none the less, she attempted it.

[Xeon Hubaru]

Quite keen she was. One would often mistake her for a little girl in robes. Her twisted reitsu must’ve given her away nonetheless. Still, she only kept her dull and uninterested eyes sitting on this shinigami as if plunging into her very soul. A deep breath? A hesitant manner? Surely this shinigami wasn’t afraid of her? In this place known as “Paradise” that Xian had known of for maybe a good hour or so, fear wasn’t a very good trait if one were to survive.

A question was asked by the Shinigami, but yet it was answered as the young arrancer simply turned away revealing her pale skin and heavenly white hair that flowed to her shoulders. It was as if with the answer of that question, she had lost her interest in the young shinigami. If for what purpose was she here for an exploration which was foolish choice by soul society or by accident, it didn’t matter to the young one.

”Why did you not draw your blade?” she simply asked going around the young girl's question.

[Sapphire]

At that question, she felt something come over her- a feeling like she hadn't felt before. It was a mixture of calmness and assurance. 'I didn't expect anything from here, and that was a big mistake. I see now that I must be more careful and prepared here...' She found herself calming down, and not as tense at the sight of the Arrancar. Her eyes came down from a wide, surprised state to a normal, calmer state. Although she was still a bit excited inside, she felt that slowly leaving as well, with every minute she was here furthering her adaptations to this new place.

"I did not draw my blade because I did not want to fight you. I know you are an Arrancar, and I am a Shinigami, and that our races are generally enemies, however, unless you know where this place is, I would think we both have something bigger than our differences at this moment."

She could feel upon arrival that this place was different from any hollow or Shinigami reiatsu, and that the reiatsu here was heavier and more mysterious... as if it was being exuded from another race of beings entirely. She didn't feel that this was something that their race- in Hueco Mundo- could create, because the reiatsu was completely different and not even similar to theirs, plus the fact that it was extremely powerful. Although she knew that it may be possible, she decided to let the Arrancar's response answer her question.

[Xeon Hubaru]

The girl was quiet as her hair majestically had blown in the wind. Turning her head back staring down at the Shinigami, she hadn't expressed anything as usual. It was obvious enough, for an arrancar, she was an enigma. One could ask by nature was she foe or ask by lack of hostility if she was a friend. In reality, Nature and her lifestyle wasn't clear and was tossed out the window. It was obvious from this point one couldn't keep her to close, nor too far. A silent person was usually unpredictable, but Xian was not only quiet, but wise.

"Foolish...."

Her eyes turning away from the Shinigami once more as she looked around them to the vast endless amount of trees and foilage. It was beautiful to most, but not for Xian. Not matter how beautiful is could be, it was corrupt if they were there for another purpose as to hide something ugly as what she had saw earlier.

"An eyes of a warrior have only a vast amount of time to take this in, and only a second to draw their sword. You know this land is not your own and you let beauty sway your decision to draw your blade and you let a faint hope between for a nemesis secure that feeling. I can see that because of this...you're probably desperate to have your questions be answered."

Xian's red eyes capturing the girl as she turned her head once more.

"People die that way."

In one's shoes, they could gaze into those eyes and know this was said from experience rather than simple conjunction. Did Xian die this way? Did she become an Arrancar like this by letting her guard down? Who knows. Her warning stood however as she gazed down towards the Shinigami as if waiting for a reply. It didn't take long as from the perch of her branch, she had let her body sway until she stood on her feet letting the sandals press into the bark while her delicate robes that was like a dress upon her had went along her body so well, that one would barely notice her short sword that was equipped.

"I know that this place...is a beautiful hell.."

At that moment's mention, the arrancar had vanished quickly from a noise that filled the air and reappeed in another distant tree. I repeated as if she was phasing in and out from sight. The skill she was using was mostly likely "static" and obviously, she was running away to somewhere.

[Sapphire]

She stood for a good while, letting the Arrancar's words sink in, as she watched the female disappear and reappear from tree to tree in the distance. 'A beautiful hell? What could have gone on here that could have possibly made her say that...?' She thought for a moment whether or not to follow the Arrancar, and eventually came to a conclusion. She had two perfectly good reasons, as she Shunpoed from tree to tree, following the exact path of the Arrancar. What in the world happened here, and why was she alone? Did she have others come with her that died, too? Something deep inside her truly felt that this was foolish, following a normally mortal enemy to wherever she felt like going, but she knew from the way that the Arrancar had talked that she had had a terrible past, in some way. She felt herself become a bit more reactive to things, now knowing that this could well wear the Arrancar's patience if she followed, and that she might have to defend herself before leaving the Arrancar alone. But she had questions, and she wanted answers. The first way to escape this place would be to learn everything about it...

[Xeon Hubaru]

It was just as she planned…

The lone Arrancar child continued to make movements so fluid and movement with the constant static that her little body almost seemed like it vanished out of a distortion rather than untold speed and control. Eventually her movements became quicker, her phase from one tree branch to another becoming faster to the point that it seemed like she was trying to shake the Shinigami from her trail, but suddenly after a last ear splitting static…she simply vanished.

One would think perhaps she was further ahead or perhaps she had grown tired of the chase. With her small body, the potential speed was of course possible, but that wasn’t the case as she made a set of movements in a quick motion that described why the last static was so noisy. A simple tree that the Shinigami would pass by would be a pick up point as the Arrancar had appeared so suddenly right by her side with another close burst of static to keep a constant speed as they moved.

”…in this Paradise…people die.”

She had said it simply as her eyes that were staring ahead and shifted to catch the Shinigami in her sight once more.

”but…that‘s only a thesis gathered from my stay here.”

Her interest still unclear to why she led this simple natural rival on, but it was most likely because she had a use, a jigsaw that was to be placed in her overall puzzle. It couldn’t be seen in her eyes. Not while she kept that emotionless express, not when she spoke with a voice so calm and uncaring, and certainly not at the speeds she was moving that was unreasonable which would be another questionable action. This so called “Arrancar” didn’t have a nature like one that seeped of a hunger for souls and destruction as others would claim.

How could one read a book with a faded cover?

"My name...is Xian Mitoko."

This name...nothing but a title without a belonging to a series. A lost one.

[Sapphire]

As the Arrancar suddenly appeared next to her, she couldn't help but feel that reiatsu... although twisted, it wasn't filled with the unquenchable thirst for souls and pure mindless hate like most other hollow races were. It was filled with the experience of something mysterious... something that she couldn't quite figure out. Either way, she found herself relaxing instead of tensing when around the Arrancar. It was almost unexplainable... the reiatsu was so different from hers, yet in a way, the same...

Her voice now took on a sort of familiarity instead of an annoying questioning tone.

"I see... My name is Sapphire. That is what people call me, and that is what I go by. What has happened in your stay here? Do you know the source of that pure, unknown reiatsu that's been plaguing me ever since I got here? I'm sorry if I'm asking so much, but it's something that I need to know in order to better survive here."

When she stated how Sapphire is what people call her, her eyes seemed to deepen... but as she asked her questions, her eyes returned to their normal size...

"But also, one more thing....

What have you experienced that has made you who you are?"

[Xeon Hubaru]

Her eyes narrowed…wait…they did? It was only a minor narrow as if out of aggravation. Those red eyes becoming nothing more than thin slits as her lids had closed in tightly around the color showing something. Maybe it was a sharp pain at the thought of that last question, or maybe it was out of aggravation. At this point it was unknown while she was silent, but it was probably best not to ask as she kept her vision set ahead of her.

”It‘s not safe to converse here.”

The applied response wasn’t sudden, as if given time to thought about. Here memories had flooded past in mind like a stream. That was all it took to decide that she wasn’t to speak a word of experience of herself or this world. So far, she already had gotten her to do at her whim, and that was to run north where she could feel it. She could feel faint reitsu signature that was opposite to her own. Usually she wouldn’t approach such a signature since it was obvious what that energy would be. However, she had a plan, and so far the steps were falling in one by one with this young Shinigami following.

It was time to run along with the script and see how the characters would act. The static getting louder, her movements fluidly running through the trees until she sped ahead of the Shinigami only to cut her path off. The moon bathe woods had reached it’s edge as there was a moon hanging over a nearby field of the Forest’s exit, but she blocked this path. She was silent as she stood there letting her reitsu that was once calm and civilized raise slightly in an alarming way. This was done by simply placing her right hand on her Zanpaktou that concealed her natural form.

”Your apology isn‘t necessary because of your curiosity…” Xian had begun as her blade slowly rung while being drawn, ”…it‘s natural, just as our opposing existences and our destiny to fight each other. The justice versus the barbaric nature of my kind that disrupt your peace. Because of that…”

The blade’s tip sliding from the tip of it’s sheath as it shined brilliantly. It was decorated around the hilt in a beautiful display while being short to accustom her size, but it’s form being slightly twisted and jagged at the hilt as if to cause pain from the touch, let alone the sight.

”Nature takes it‘s course.” she had hinted with her emotionless eyes sitting on the female shinigami surely with intention unknown, but by her words, it seemed like she was planning to kill her as their natures intended.

[Sapphire]

As the Arrancar sped ahead of her and suddenly cut off the path before them out of the woods, her suspicion arose out of the back of her mind. She only had a hint of the nearby reiatsu that was so familiar to her before the Arrancar raised hers, making it impossible to detect anything above it. She barely had time to think about the hint, as the Arrancar's next actions required all of her attention. Although she was surprised by the Arrancar's sudden movements, she watched with disbelief as the Arrancar slowly drew her blade.

'I didn't think it would come to this... this is exactly what I was trying to avoid, but... at this point, I guess it can't be helped...' She also drew her blade, as it reflected the moon's glowing light along the edge of its silver side. The golden rim of the dragon designed tsuba glimmered, even in the dim moonlight. She stood with a waiting stance, anticipating the Arrancar's next movements. She also raised her reiatsu a little, in order to be able to move more quickly should she need to.

"... I'm not sure what your plan is, but as I said before, we don't have to fight. These circumstances that we are currently in would be better if others worked together, instead of fighting simply because of the fact that we are different. However, if you must insist... I will defend myself."

She stood with an unmoving stance, both unwilling to fight but at the same time unhesitant to defend.

[Xeon Hubaru]

"You didn't hesitate..."

She had said that softly as she turned her handle in her grasp and then dropped her arm to her side. Her eyes cast that same stare as she glared towards her temporary traveling companion that was now her target. Her plan? She couldn't go no further with this girl, but she wouldn't understand this. For once, some problems could be solved simply through fighting as it would seem. It was sort of ironic how this would have to be.

"Hesitation to fight me or anything in this paradise will lead to disaster. Just as I seem to be a civilized girl doesn't mean I am, and just because this realm seems peaceful and filled with beauty, surely it is not."

Xian's eyes gazed towards a nearby smash bushel that had grown a rose. Her eyes setting upon it in an empty, yet sad display of her posture.

"That rose casts a shadow too."

She had said as she let her eyes avert back to the shinigami quickly.

"...and now, we fight."

Her reitsu raised to an alarming level as she bound forward with a swift kick off the branch she stood on. Her right hand grasping her handle as she closed the range between her and the Shinigami and she simply swung downward with a swift and quick slash. A simple attack, but her movement was so elegant as she aimed to strike and her white hoksho robes had fluttered in the air freely as she almost seemed like a dove. That expression retained as if her flight was as normal as a bird's.

[Sapphire]

As the Arrancar said that, the expression on her face relaxed a bit.

"Yes, I didn't hesitate. When a blade is drawn, that is when the battle has most of its potential. That is when it is nearly imperative that one should prepare to defend or run."

At the Arrancar's words about this Paradise, she seemed to understand what she was talking about. Her expression wavered as she listened...

'That rose casts a shadow too...' She wanted to close her eyes and ponder fully about this and its even deeper meaning, but she remembered where she was and returned her attention to the Arrancar. She understood what it meant, though...

As the Arrancar's reiatsu jumped, she had to elevate her own so as to be able to keep up with the Arrancar's power. Her reiatsu is very strong.... but even so.... When the Arrancar's graceful slash landed, the sharp clash of metal against metal could be heard through the swaying trees. She raised her Zanpakuto up just in time to block the attack, having to use both hands to grasp the Zanpakuto, and was moved off balance from the attack as the wind behind the Arrancar rushed forward past both of them. She shunpoed to a tree branch further to the right of the Arrancar and stood. Pondering on whether or not she should release her Zanpakuto at this point or not, she again took a stance as the wind softly blew through her hair and robes as she waited for her next move...

"Why is it that you wish to fight me now? Just because it's nature that we are enemies doesn't mean that we must, as a result, fight each other. I hesitate because I see no need to fight you for the simple reason that you are a different being than I am, or that you are not civilized or that you disrupt the peace. The fact that we are here now in a place that is unfamiliar to both of us is grounds enough to cooperate, in my opinion... That is why I haven't taken this fight seriously."

[Xeon Hubaru]

The words were unheard, or perhaps not. It couldn't be said. It was only about that time as the Shinigami had tried to keep distance between them, Xian refused to have that space between them. She kept her energy in constant flow and even in her hang time, she found time to quickly recover and lash forward to attack once more as her blade was lifted and her right palm was at the hilt's base.

"It's for your own good."

Her words were just that answer, or perhaps not. They were unclear, but they were only for Xian to know. Even at that moment's delay to simply say that, she didn't forget the fight, she pressed her palm with the hilt in grasp to deliver a powerful thrust aiming to pierce her enemy's shoulder.

"Some words are left unsaid and some paths are meant never to cross. This is why it has to be this way."

Xian had thought this to herself as she attacked. Her actions however weren't what one to expect to be. Hesitant? No...holding back. She just needed some time, a little time for this fight to be over and to get the result that she wanted.

[Sapphire]

As the words left Xian's mouth, her eyes widened, as if realizing something that she had been blinded to this whole time.

'For... my own... good?'

For some reason, that was all it took....

She could see now.

She then raised her reiatsu as she prepared to fight... seriously this time. The flash of the blade flying towards her shoulder was the immediate focus, as she barely managed to stray the blade from its course, prying the blade upwards and to the other side of her shoulder as the blades collided with a shower of sparks. She shunpoed down to the ground as to get a better footing as she stood, a narrow line of blood slowly trickling down her shoulder...

"Toorinukeru unjou..... Aoirakurai!"

The blade that was once thin and simple now grew to a larger size, and the edge on the Zanpakuto grew larger and sharper on one side. The tsuba disappeared as the diamond shaped tsuba now took form, and immediately her reiatsu was much different than before- no longer simply defensive and observant, but also offensive and heavy. ( i38.tinypic.com/idyyki.jpg )

"Then... if that's what you say...

Let's go."