Hollow Moon: A Lost Shadow

Chapter 7: Tables Turned

Silas finally arrived to Kisuke's shop. He stood high in the air, menacingly gazing down. His eyes glowed with bloodlust, eager to slay the Soul Reaper. Upon sensing the vicinity, he furrowed his brows.

Kisuke was the only one inside!

'Where are the others?' Silas thought to himself. 'Unless...'

Before he knew it, he felt the cold steel of a sword resting on his neck. Behind him was Kisuke! The Kisuke he had sensed in the shop was a fake, a Gigai.

"Don't move," he said with a serious expression. Silas remained calm, analyzing the situation to determine how much danger he was actually in.

Kisuke's Zanpakutō, Benihime, was released. That meant escape wasn't really an option. If he tried to perform a kidō spell now, Kisuke wouldn't hesitate to impair him. That being said, Silas was truly captured.

"Ichigo, you're probably wondering how I knew you'd come. But before I get into that, I have a lot of questions to ask."

Silas didn't say anything. His expression gave a clear indication of how relaxed he was. So Kisuke asked in a subtle tone, "What are your real objectives?"

"As if I'd tell you that..."

"You're not in the position to be acting tough like you always do. If you don't answer, Benihime might not be so caring."

At those words, the blade's sharp edge dug into Silas's neck, causing blood to leak. He hadn't flinched. Only amused. "It should be obvious. I have a mission to accomplish, a goal, if you will. And for me to reach that goal, I need as little attention on me as possible."

"Is that why you hid with Ms. Kuchiki?"

Silas hadn't answered. Either the shopkeeper would press on or he would take his silence as a yes. And just like he assumed, Kisuke chose the latter. So Silas asked, "How long have you known about me?"

This was a reasonable question. After all, not once had he believed he had completely fooled Kisuke. If Yoruichi had uncertainties, no doubt Kisuke, this world's smartest character, was suspicious. The only thing Silas needed to understand was how much he knew about him.

"Honestly, Ichigo, I was worried about you since you first arrived at my shop."

Kisuke further explained that he had even known about the time Silas had taken out Acidwire. The only reason he hadn't confronted him at the time was because he thought he was too inexperienced. Perhaps even frightened since Silas chose to keep his powers a secret.

"You didn't do a soul funeral at the time, so I didn't find you too suspicious. That's accounting for the fact that you were still in high school."

Silas could hardly believe what he was hearing. Then something hit him. Much like Ichigo, Kisuke's only reason for siding with him in the first place was to use him to stop Aizen. Those things hadn't changed even after awakening his Soul Reaper powers early on.

"Ichigo... In case I was wrong about you, I chose not to tell anyone. Not even Yoruichi. Sōsuke Aizen was more of a threat."

The shopkeeper continued to state that he needed to use Silas to save Rukia. Although he never thought Aizen would be defeated, he was still appreciative upon hearing the news. And because of how he saw Silas treat Rukia, he thought it was out of infatuation for her.

And who was it that revealed all these things to him? Uryū Ishida.

"Mr. Ishida told me how much you cared for her and how hard you trained just to rescue her. I greatly apologize for having kept you in the dark, but... that didn't explain why you didn't come to see me first; that didn't explain why you ran with Rukia; that didn't explain how Yoruichi died..."

Kisuke was right. None of Silas's actions added up. Was he good, or was he an enemy? Was he righteous, or was he wicked? But there was one thing Kisuke understood: Silas knew about the Hōgyoku!

"That's what you're after, am I right?"

Silas closed his eyes. He was thinking about what Askin Nakk Le Var once said. So he answered, "No matter how devious one's plans are, he always outwits you. His schemes are always fluid and flexible." He was referring to Kisuke's intellect.

When Silas thought he was as good as dead, Kisuke released his hold! The shopkeeper then backed away, stating that he didn't want to resort to violence. Rather, he believed there was still some good in Silas.

'I see... He thinks he can persuade me; he thinks he can change me. How... foolish.'

The two stared at one another, their eyes glimmering in the moonlight. It was the perfect moment for Silas to let out an evil laugh, but he wasn't that type of person. Instead, he scoffed and said, "It seems I was wrong about you... You're not as smart as people believed."

How could he not be disappointed? Not every day could someone from this world manage to out-strategize him. And it was to the point that he honestly could have died.

Wind blew past between them, causing the strands in Silas's hair to gently flow over his face. They were like orange feathers swirling vibrantly in the night. The air became ominous with his spiritual pressure as sweat dripped on Kisuke's face. Each second that passed sent a chilling sensation down his spine.

Silas closed his eyes to gracefully weave his fingers across his face, adjusting his flowing hair. When he looked at Kisuke, there wasn't a shadow of a doubt about what his answer to him was.

There was no one who could change Silas. No matter if they were well-favoured characters or strong ones that could bend the earth, they could never persuade him into helping the world. For Silas was not Ichigo Kurosaki; he was a man that had been living in Ichigo's body with his own destiny to forge.

"Kisuke Urahara, you came closer than most to ending me." His eyes became midnight black as if they were empty wells of fury. "You'll pay for that with your last breath."