"Shiroi Hane"

Written by Calis

Chapter Five: Dance with Shadows

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Everything was coming back to her in an instant. The missing pieces falling into place in the gaps of her memory. She now understood the reason behind the absence of a father all her life. Hane was brought into the world not because she was wanted as a daughter to be cherished. She was conceived out of a woman's madness and desire for vengeance for a husband's faithlessness.

But her mother saw her as a toy, the prefect addition to her collection of dolls. Hane remembered how her mother loved to dress her up and cuddle her when the notion took her. She was then cast aside to be forgotten when her mother got tired of her. All the while, she remembered the boy who watched her with silver eyes so much like her own yet he never spoke to her.

It was only after her mother's death that she was removed from the Muraki household. Hane lived with an old servant as a companion in a small apartment in Tokyo until she was fourteen before she was left all alone to live on her own. She was given enough money to live comfortably and it was during her high school years that she came to known the half-brother who like her resembled their mother. She had been overjoyed to know that she had an elder sibling, welcoming him without any reservations totally unaware of just what he had planned for her.

Hane was bait he would use to tempt Saki - the other half-brother that had no blood ties with her. Muraki played the protective elder brother to her merely to give the impression that she could be used against him. He had anticipated correctly for Saki rose quickly to the occasion. All the more because Hane was not related to Saki by blood, the treatment she received under his hand would be more brutal and cruel.

The half-brother she had loved; set her up to be gang raped.

It took her years to get over the trauma and the nightmares that plagued her. Hane lived in fear and insecurity, shutting herself off from human contact. She would have killed herself but he stopped her. He gave her encouragement and support until she was strong enough to face the world once more. Muraki was merely picking her up to another fall.

Hane choose to study veterinary medicine because she believed that animals were kinder than humans were. A dog might bite her but it would be because of pain or instinct for self-preservation and not because of the genuine intent to hurt. It was in veterinary college where she met the man who dared to venture into her heart to make it whole.

He took everything away.

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It was pouring; torrents of cold unfeeling rain falling down from dark heavens but a lone woman trudged on. Her coat was drenched, an extra weight that dragged at her as she took each step. The rain plastered her long pale hair against her skull but she did not even lift a hand to brush away the heavy tresses that had fallen across her eyes.

She did not need to see where she was going for her feet knew the way for they would take her to the labyrinth once again. The maze shaped by the fastidiously tended rose hedges seemed dismal in the rainy night. The once radiant blooms battered by the merciless rain lost their beauty too soon as they paved for her a path of dark red velvet. The fragile petals crushed beneath her foot, their pungent perfume permeating in the humid atmosphere.

Silver eyes were a shade darker, their luminance now dulled to a stormy pewter as if reflecting the turmoil within. She came to heart of the maze as she had but a few nights ago but the one she had hoped to see was not there. He had not honored the request she had made through Oriya.

He had told her, a not so subtle warning that she would only suffer more by going against her half-brother. Oriya's expression told her that he pitied her when he had shown her out of his establishment. She was not safe even as a shinigami for he would use her. Use her to bring Tsuzuki Asato to him just as he had used Kurosaki Hisoka.

" Who are you, Kimura Hane? "

The question was spoken from the shadows and the voice was cold but Hane could sense the hidden anger beneath. She closed her eyes and answered wearily.

" Why ask when you already have the answer. "

The secretary of the Shoukan Division stepped forth from his cloak of shadows and his cerulean blue eyes were unforgiving as he regarded her. His animosity was so apparent that it almost hit her like a tangible force. Tatsumi's fierce protectiveness touched her yet at the same time it only saddened her.

" As you already know by now I am Muraki Kazutaka's half-sister. Perhaps what you should ask is what is my purpose here, Tatsumi. "

" I know very well what Muraki wants. What that surprises me however is that you would risk dying and becoming a shinigami to help him. " Tatsumi raised a hand to his face, adjusting his glasses.

" Yes, Shadow Summoner. He wants the shinigami with the amethyst eyes and who else is in a better position to help him as his sister. " Her smile was feral, openly goading.

" If Muraki thinks he can get to Tsuzuki through you, he's making a big mistake. I will not allow anyone to hurt him! "

Pieces of the night gathered around him as Tatsumi called his shadows. They swirled and danced about him like hungry wolves waiting for his command. The once gloomy night was now tense with quiet anticipation even as they faced each other. Restrained energy pulsed about Tatsumi and Hane knew he would not hold back once he attacked.

" Traitor! "

Living darkness lunged, heading straight for where she stood and was bounced off as Hane cast a kekkai. Leaping backwards with boneless grace, she effortlessly dodged his successive strikes to land upon the pedestal.

" Impressive, Tatsumi. Now it's my turn. "

Raising her arms, Hane became a conduit for raw lightning as she channeled the elemental power through her own body. She retaliated in equal measure with arcs of lightning. Opposing forces crashed and separated as they battled in the rain. Tatsumi gave her no quarter, ruthlessly driving her back with his offensive. Shadows belonged in darkness giving a natural advantage to the shadow summoner.

Hane fell back, the lunging shadows missing her by sheer inches taking a few strands of her hair. She went into a defensive stance even as liquid ebony shapes assembled again around their master. Hane gripped two pieces of fuda between her fingers. Her breath was growing increasingly short as Tatsumi slowly wore her down. She was aware she would not last much longer. Hane muttered a series of incantations and power gathered about her creating a nimbus that spanned outward from her crossed hands. Tatsumi moved, his shadows surging for her driven by his cold fury.

" Arigatou... Tatsumi-san. "

Hane whispered as the shield of light around her dissipated like a mirage.