After a few hours, Toushirou and Yuuki arrived to the hidden village where she used to live. The Shinigamis erected some kind of a barrier around the village to keep the humans out. They didn't waste any time and started to search for anything that may be able to restore her memories.
It took a while but Yuuki finally saw something that piqued her interest. It was a large house, a traditional Japanese mansion in shambles that was located a bit far from the main village.
A wave of nostalgia swept over her upon walking through its gates. "I'm home....", Yuuki mumbled.
Toushirou silently trails behind as she enters the main house. Vivid memories came back as she walks through the hallway. There were fond memories with her family. Then her expression suddenly turns grim as she remembers the day tragedy struck. Chills ran down her spine as she saw people running and screaming. A gasp escaped her lips when she felt a sudden intense pain in her head. Toushirou was the last person she saw before blackness swallowed her vision. Luckily, Toushirou caught her in time just as she was about to hit the ground.
*******
Men, women and children alike were ruthlessly being slaughtered right in front on her eyes. They were being attacked by Hollows and the one leading them was Shinjo. Yuuki was in a trance until her mother suddenly grabbed her and carries her back to their house.
As Haruka runs back, she saw her husband fighting against a few Hollows. "Riku!!!", she called.
After finishing off the last of them, Riku rushes towards them engulfing them in a hug. "Haruka!! Are you two alright?!", he checks on them for any injuries and sighs in relief upon finding none.
Haruka looks around frantically in search for her son. "Where's Haru?!", she asked Riku.
"I don't know, he's not back yet. I'm getting worried..... I'll go look for him. You take Yuuki to our room and barricade the door. Take this with you.", Riku said as he hands her a dagger.
Haruka takes the dagger from his hand. "Okay, please be careful."
Riku gave a soft kiss on his wife's lips and another kiss on top of Yuuki's head before running off to find his son.
It wasn't easy fighting against Hollows while carrying a terrified five-year-old but Hakura did it somehow. Upon arriving to their bedroom, she turns her attention to her daughter and puts her inside a small room that is concealed beside the bed. It was more like a small cabinet that has enough room to fit a small child like Yuuki.
Haruka places her hands over her daughter's trembling shoulders. "We're safe for now but I want you to stay here and hide. Mommy will be back as soon as possible."
Yuuki latched onto her mother's sleeve with trembling hands as tears stream down her face "Mom, please don't go... don't leave me.", she pleaded.
"I'll be back for you I promise.", Haruka said and plants a kiss on her forehead. "Don't come out until I call for you."
Before Yuuki can even protest, Haruka unhooked her tiny fingers and closed the secret door.
Silence fell into the room as Yuuki anxiously wait for her mother's return. An unknown amount of time passed before she heard the door slowly open. Remembering her mother's words, she didn't come out. Footsteps were heard around the room. Then it stopped in front of the secret door as if they know it was there. Yuuki choked back a sob.
"Ohh Yuukiiiiii... I know you're there, come out now there's no use hiding.", a familiar voice said.
Yuuki didn't respond now that she knows Shinjo is on the other side of the door. The person leading the attack.
A sword suddenly pierced through the door.
The frightened little girl screamed and dashes out of the secret room towards the door. But her tiny feet could only get her so far as Shinjo blocks her way. He slowly approaches her with an evil grin on his face. As he steps forward, she steps back until she got cornered by the wall.
"Shinjo-nii... why are you doing this?", Yuuki asked, voice trembling in fear.
Shinjo didn't respond and with a cold look on his face he raises his sword and ruthlessly struck Yuuki. The last thing she saw was the wicked grin on his face.
The next thing Yuuki knew when she woke up was that her mother is lying by her side. The other thing she noticed was a bloody dagger in her hands. Yuuki dropped the dagger as if she suddenly got burned. Remembering what happened earlier, she searched her entire body for any kind of injury but found none, even her ripped clothes were unscathed. Was it all a dream? While she was lost in thought, Haruka moved her fingers and slowly gets up.
"Mom! When did you get back?! What happened?!", Yuuki asked.
Haruka didn't respond and turns her attention to Yuuki upon hearing her voice.
It was then when Yuuki noticed that something is wrong with her. "Mom?", she anxiously called.
Haruka slowly reaches her hands towards Yuuki's neck and squeezed. As soon she realized that she was being strangled, Yuuki grabbed the dagger and swung it panic. Her mother's grip around her neck loosed and she took that opportunity to escape. When she turned her attention back to Haruka, she noticed the huge gash on her arm. Her eyes widen in shock, that was her doing, she hurt her own mother. Haruka didn't even flinch from the wound and instead continues to approach her. That's when Yuuki finally noticed that her mother's once beautiful jade colored eyes were now red and lifeless. Realization dawned in on her, she was gone, her beloved mother, possessed by a Shadow. As mixed feelings of despair, grief and distraught plagued her mind, Haruka lunged forward with the intent to kill. But at the same time, Yuuki squeezed her eyes shut and unknowingly pointed the dagger at Haruka which stabbed her in the chest as a result. Haruka removes the dagger without feeling any ounce of pain. Despite the stab wound bleeding profusely, she still continues to strangle Yuuki. Trapped underneath Haruka, she was unable to move. Yuuki's lungs started to burn as her air supply was cut, black spots appear on her vision but she can also see her mother's emotionless face. Just as Yuuki was about to pass out, Haruka's grip loosened and fell on top of Yuuki. It turns out that the dagger has a poison with paralyzing effects. It spreads further into her system, Haruka was already unable to move until it reached her heart and finally stopped beating. Green light enveloped Yuuki thus sealing away all of her memories. Finally, she succumbs into unconsciousness.
*******
Slowly opening her eyes, Yuuki immediately saw Toushirou with a worried expression on his face. Wordlessly, she wraps her arms around his torso and buries her face against his shoulder. With trembling hands, she latched onto the back of his clothes like a lifeline. When the first sob escaped, tears followed as if the dam had broke. This mourning has been held back for years and it hit her like a train. Toushirou somehow felt her pain so intense that it was almost tangible. So he does the thing any person would do, he reciprocates the hug. No words were needed. They stayed like that for a while until she finally calmed down.
Yuuki pulls away. "I'm sorry....", her voice sounded raspy.
"For what?", Toushirou asked.
"For crying so suddenly like that...", Yuuki clarrified. "It must've freaked you out."
"That's okay. I was more confused than anything.", Toushirou assured. "More importantly... are you okay?"
Does Toushirou even freak-out?
Yuuki shrugs noncommittally. "Yeah... I guess..."
Toushirou frowns in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know........", Yuuki said and clenched her fists.
Seeing this, Toushirou lays a hand on top of hers. ".... have you perhaps.... regained your memories?"
Yuuki's eyes widen upon remembering something so suddenly she jolted into standing position. "the goddess of the sun....", she mumbled.
Toushirou rose to his feet as well. "What?"
Suddenly, Yuuki began chanting a spell. "Oun sona, veliz, asai, lei'la mi lei'lu vierra tzuli resha vro as'na velum sana e rekri ato oh nai a ora to luz!!! ..... descend in a pillar of hope... Ouhirume no muchi no kami!!!"
The moment she finished the incantation, a pillar of golden light suddenly appeared around her.
"Shiro!", Yuuki stretched her hand towards him.
Despite his confusion, Toushirou took her outstretched hand and they hold hands with their fingers interlocked. Acknowledged by the light, the mark of bond on their wrists started to glow. Toushirou can feel the enormous power flowing in him.
Yuuki continued chanting. "Hu'i'sas ji'i deu go mo no vira hii son tijso melivra tzuli ora hara velem o fenorei!!!..... I, Hitsugaya Yuuki will thee, Hitsugaya Toushirou my powers...", she presses her lips against Toushirou's and the pillar of light slowly fades.
Toushirou was blushing heavily, mouth hung agape as she pulls away. His brain kind of short circuited due to the sudden kiss.
Yuuki was still glowing in golden light, eyes closed in concentration. Then she snapped her eyes open and the air around them shook. "Arawareru!! Amaterasu!!"
A sudden gust of wind blew upwards. Something glowing was hovering above them. It slowly takes a form of human as it descends. When it landed, a beautiful woman with long blonde hair that hung below her waist with golden eyes stood before them.
"Welcome back.... Amaterasu.", Yuuki said.
"I'm back..... you....", Amaterasu mumbled.
Yuuki tilts her head in confusion. "Huh? What?"
An irk mark appeared on Amaterasu's head. "... you ugly little brat!! What the hell took you so long?!! Any moment later then I might have been trapped in that void forever!!", she said while grinding her knuckles against Yuuki's head.
Yuuki flailed. "I'm sorryyyy!! oww!! oww! oww!! M-My skull's gonna craaack!!!!"
Toushirou clears his throat to gain their attention.
"Oh! That's right! She's my Guardian Deity, Amaterasu-oumikami. Amaterasu he's Shiro my hu-..... good friend.", Yuuki said as blushes lightly. "Guardian Deities are powerful ethereal beings that can only be summoned by the members of the Shinohara main house. Their purpose is to aid us in protecting the balance between dimensions.", she explained.
".....friend?? I thought he's your husb---", Amaterasu's words were suddenly cut short when Yuuki suddenly slapped a hand over her mouth.
This prompted her to once again grind her knuckles against Yuuki's head.
"Ow! ow! ow! But you see... Shiro isn't from our clan so their ways and beliefs are different from ours that's why we're just friends.", Yuuki explained.
Amaterasu crosses her arms against her chest. "Hmmpf! Whatever.... listen you ugly brat I need my beauty sleep so don't disturb me unless it's absolutely necessary. It may take me awhile to fully recover my strength, got it?"
"Got it! I'm so glad to see you again.", Yuuki happily said and hugs her in her middle since Amaterasu is twice her height.
"Hmpf!", Amaterasu said but eventually smiles lightly and gave a light pat on Yuuki's head before disappearing.
Yuuki turns her attention back to Toushirou. "Thanks again for bringing me back here, I really appreciate it. If we didn't come back here a moment later then Amaterasu would've been gone forever."
"It's no big deal. I know how important this is for you.". Toushirou said. "We should head back now.", he turns to leave but Yuuki grabbed his wrist making him look at her.
"Before that... I want to show you something first.", the was hesitancy in Yuuki's voice.
"What is it?", Toushirou asked.
"You'll see, just follow me.", Yuuki tugs on his hand. "C'mon."
Toushirou follows Yuuki further into the woods. It didn't take long for them to reach a certain familiar spot.
"This place is...", Toushirou muttered while looking around recognizing the place.
Yuuki walks forwards a certain spot. "Hai, it's quite easy to remember this place because..... this is the place where we first met. Haru-nii left me here when we fled from the village.", she said, her expression is unreadable.
"So that's why we found you here all alone.", Toushirou mumbled. "Why would he leave you here alone?"
Yuuki picks up a branch. "I'm sure he went back to look for mom and dad. But then.... he got attacked by Shinjo-nii....", she draws a circle on the ground around her using the branch. "Haru-nii placed a barrier on a circle like this and told me to wait for him..... so I waited.....", she sat down in the middle of the circle.
Toushirou walks towards her and crouches down in front of her.".... you waited for him but he wasn't able to come back."
Yuuki shakes her head no. "I wasn't waiting for Haru-nii."
Toushirou frowns confusion.
Yuuki fiddle with the branch nervously. "I wasn't sure at first because I couldn't remember anything..... but I think deep down....... I was waiting to die..."
Toushirou suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders. "Why would you... say something like that?!"
"Because!!! .... I was the one who....!!!", Yuuki exclaimed. (.... killed mom... That time, my mind wasn't able to remember but my heart and my hands did.) ....", she thought as tears stream down her face. A choked sobs escaped her throat.
"Yuuki...", Toushirou mumbled, a pained expression formed his features.
"These hands.... are already soaked in blood...", Yuuki said as she stares at her trembling palms. She tried to suppress her sorrow by forcing a smile but the tears were adamant on spilling from her eyes.
Toushirou pulls her into a tight hug. "...that's enough.....you don't have to tell me what happened. If you cry like that..... I don't know what to do..... if you're sad then cry, if you're happy then smile. Don't mix it together because it looks weird."
"Pfft! Sorry the way you said it... when I imagined it... it did look weird.", Yuuki said as she wipes her tears.
Toushirou's shoulders sagged in relief. "At least you finally stopped crying."
Yuuki clenched the fabric of his shirt and rests her head on his shoulder. "Because Shiro is here that I feel like I can take on anything. You give me strength and courage. The moment we first met, not only did you saved my life but made me realize that there are things I must do and things that I can do. I was so stupid before for thinking of dying so easily like that. If it wasn't for you then I wouldn't even have the chance to meet Ichi-nii, Isshin-san, Orihime, Hina and everyone else. That's why this time, I want to be someone that can support you and even though I'm weak I want to protect you and everyone else in any way that I can. You gave me a reason to live..... I owe you my life.....", she said earnestly.
Yuuki pulls away and smiles fondly at him.
Toushirou turns fifty shades of red and avoided her eyes. "B-Baka.... any person would've done the same.... you're just thinking too much about things."
"Even so..... not everyone risk their lives to save a complete stranger.", Yuugi said.
"You were still a small kid back then.", Toushirou said.
"So you're saying that if I wasn't a little kid then you wouldn't have saved me?", Yuuki questioned.
"That's not what I--!!", Toushirou sighs in resignation. "I really can't beat you with words can I?", he said and raised the corner of his lips.
Yuuki innocently smiles at him. After a while, they suddenly heard a small noise nearby.
"Who's there?! Show yourself!", Toushirou demanded as he brandishes his sword.
A familiar figure came out from the shadows which surprised them both.
"Ichi-nii?! What are you doing here?!", Yuuki asked.
"That's what I'm supposed to be asking you. Did you guys saw that pillar of light earlier as well?", Ichigo asked.
Toushirou and Yuuki glances at each other and told Ichigo what happened but not every detail. Once they were done, Ichigo remained silent as he lets the information sink in.
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Japanese words used:
Arawareru (現れる) - appear / come in sight / become visible / come out / embody / materialize