#( prelude ; a rift between siblings )

[fushichoumomo-arch]

"I don't know who you are anymore." Toshiro when he sees Momo with Aizen in the big reveal in C46 living quarters.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 , 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐑 , 𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐇𝐈𝐌 , 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐘 𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐎𝐈𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓    ━━   paying no mind to the decaying bodies around her , nor to her MASTER and the snake next to him , for her choice had already been made . 

❝ Don't you , or were you simply not paying attention ? ❞  she retorted ; there was something harsh in the way she spoke , something cold and menacing . 

❝ Because I assure you ------ my loyalty is far from the only thing you're clueless about . ❞

[fushichoumomo-arch]

❝ 𝐌𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓���𝐑 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐌 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐍𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐒 . ❞    ━━    affirmed the Lieutenant resolutely , her eyes shining with zeal and determination , fists curling and shaking .  ❝ I always knew something was OFF here , from the start . The plot itself , was … insidious , yes … but Lord Aizen didn't make it difficult to figure out … for those of us with EYES TO SEE . ❞

The cold , harsh TRUTH remained , thus : everyone that went along with the faulty decree , was guilty of A FAR GREATER BETRAYAL .

This was something neither Tōshirō , nor any Captain , could refute . And for Momo , it was the LAST STRAW . She wanted to barf , she wanted to rant about it , now that her brother was finally , FINALLY beginning to see reason . 

❝ Lord Aizen may have given the order … but he had no power to make nearly everyone else go along with it . They did that entirely on their own .   [ … ]    They chose to throw away a comrade , put one of their prized nobles on the chopping block for a crime that wasn't even worthy of death … no , ANNIHILATION . ❞

Though she could not see it , Momo knew that Aizen must be SMILING behind her , now , for she had figured it out .

In hindsight , the whole plot was LAUGHABLE ; the fact that Kuchiki Rukia had faced a life-or-death situation , should ALONE have moved the Central 46 to leniency . Pleading her case , as Momo was certain that Captain Ukitake of the Thirteenth had done , shouldn't have been necessary . The surrounding factors , ones that CAPTAIN AIZEN himself had voiced before his “death” , should , thus , have given everyone PAUSE . The esteemed Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads were many things … yet STUPIDITY was not among those traits . 

So that only left two answers : misguided comformity … or MALICE .

❝ You're missing the point , Tōshirō . This isn't about whether or not I'd commit a crime … but about who would stop the sages from killing innocent people . Miss Kuchiki had her Captain on her side . I'm asking you … if it was me instead … who would advocate for me … ? And if it was you … who would move to stop them … ? ❞

Momo already knew the answer to that latter question . SHE WOULD RAISE HELL TO SAVE HER BROTHER . She didn't know how , but she would . Somehow . She HAD to .

The way he looked at her … the pain in his eyes , the uncertainty , the hesitation , the way he was grappling between his duty to her [ the way he assured her that he of all people could change the Soul Society , all by himself … FUTILE , and naive ] and his duty to the Court Guards … 

… Tōshirō was already SLIPPING AWAY FROM THEM . 

Momo gulped . He looked to her for GUIDANCE . And as his sister … guidance is what he'll receive from her .

❝ You can't serve two masters , brother , as can't I . If you raise your blade against me … then you're saying that the promise we made to each other means NOTHING to you , anymore .  [ … ]   And if I raise my blade against you … then I have FAILED , as an elder sister . ❞

This was the coup-de-grace . Gaze softened , voice quieted down to a whisper , for she could not be indignant as Tōshirō was looking to her for SAFETY . A child like him … never should have had to join the Court Guards . 

DAMN THEM ALL .

❝Not everyone. ❞

There were faint whispers the Captains Kyoraku and Ukitake were planning something ----- a rescue of Kuchiki surely. Ukitake in particular was a kind spirit and there was no way he'd let her be sentenced to death. However, his pleas fell upon deaf ears ----- went unheard by everyone.

❝The only reason Rukia was being executed is because AIzen ordered it so. Aizen wanted to KILL her to obtain the Sokyoku. Why do you not point your blade at your master? Or have you lost your reasoning and become his thoughtless lap dog, Hinamori? ❞

His inner world is fields of ice. As far as his eyes could see ----- ice stretched out endlessly. The bright blue sky vast. It felt as if that very sky, and those fields of ice might swallow his soul whole and envelop hm. Hyorinmaru's voice echoed, reverberates throughout his entire being. His voice, his decision to lend Toshiro strength stands. Toshiro was the mast of that world Afterall ---- a winterscape, unnatural, just like his silver - white hair and blue-green eyes.

His breath appearing like soft whisps of air before him. The cold caressing his very being like an old friend. However, he didn't want to answer her question or draw his blade against his elder sister.

The sting of her question cutting deep, momentarily shaking his resolve. His reitsu wavers but regains its strength.

❝You'd never commit a crime. We both know you'd never do anything to get yourself executed -----❞ He paused. ❝--------Not until now. You realize you will be put to death if you go through with this. ❞

His hand falls from Hyorinmaru. Lands at his side. ❝You don't have to leave to change things. I'm a captain now. I can change things for us both right here. Besides, this mess would've never happened if AIzen never slaughtered all of Central 46 and issued orders in their place. He's the reason Kuchiki was sentenced to death and even you must acknowledge how messed up that is all to obtain that Hogyoku. ❞

Still, even he must admit she's right. No one questioned it and that is why AIzen got away with it for so long. His hands ball into fists as he considered the ugly truth of the matter. Still . . .

He was a captain. If he turned a blind eye to Momo, he'd be considered an accomplice as well, wouldn't he? He has to stop her here but drawing a blade against her meant breaking their promise to protect each other.

The blood of his sibling trumped that of his station.

A look of uncertainty settled upon the younger sibling's face. For all his prodigy, for his captaincy . . . he was a child. He eventually gazed up towards her just like he'd done all those years ago when she used to ruffle his hair and call him ❛Shiro-chan.❜

❝Do you understand the position you've put me in? I'm duty bound to capture or kill you and my promise to protect you goes against that very order. ❞

[wildwoodmage]

Starlight Symphony - Deity AU Part I

Prelude. The tale of the Queen and King of the gods, their endless war, and the newborn Earth that hangs in the balance.

I meant to briefly summarize the lore of this universe. It turned into a fic. Since this whole story is centered around religious themes, I feel the need to add a disclaimer: this is not meant to be an exact analogy for my beliefs concerning religion and morality. Obviously my beliefs will have a substantial influence, but my first goal is not to write a parable or a fable, but a compelling fantasy. Some things are a commentary on religion and human nature, some things are just for fun. Even I don’t know which is which. Enjoy!

Tags: Sally/Scourge (it’s complicated), fantasy, religion, creation myth

The story begins with the Queen and King. Immortals tend to be born in pairs, siblings, lovers, or enemies; equals in power and force of will. All that is good in the universe arises from balance between these pairs. The firstborn, ancient as atoms and stardust, are the Queen and King. Sally, the Goddess of Order, draws power from physics and foresight; every chemical reaction in the newborn universe an intricate dance, familiar to those who know the steps. Scourge, the God of Chaos, draws power from supernovas and entropy; the breathless expansion of matter toward infinity, the steady march toward inevitable decay. Equal only to each other, their first and greatest desire is to reign unchallenged over the heavens.

The possibility that one could permanently defeat the other is unlikely. The fact that either would be miserable without the other is irrelevant. In the recklessness of youth they stopped at nothing in their crusade to destroy their enemy. Their battles laid waste to time and space. The universe, destroyed and recreated in glorious displays of power and rage, wears scars to this day--so the story goes (sages whisper of rifts at the edges of infinity where the brave or foolish might venture into a realm beyond even the reach of the gods).

While their rivalry will never end, time and wisdom soothed their fury. Hatred was tempered by grudging respect, which in time would resemble love. Love, like many of humans’ noblest desires, is expressed differently by a god than a mortal. While Sally and even Scourge would grow to admire the love of humans, it does not come naturally to them, and it will take some time for them to understand it. In the early morning of the universe, the Queen and King learned that endless destruction would serve neither of them. There was no official truce, no agreement made, but nevertheless their conversations turned toward cooperation, then creation. They could fill the universe with life that would grow and change. Instead of the Queen and King’s duet, a chorus would resound until the stars winked out and all fell into silence.

Sally hung a tapestry of stars, weaving constellations into a map that could mark distance and time to those who only knew how to read it. Around her most beloved star, she set planets in orbit. Nine planets, all unique, all designed with care by the ancestor of artisans. The third planet was her masterpiece, the first note in the chorus. Bathed in the light of the sun, cloaked by the sky, the Earth would serve as the cradle of life.

Scourge would not allow Sally to have sole dominion over this grand chorus. He too blessed the newborn Earth. The first gift was luck, the promise that no living creature was immune to twists of chance. The inhabitants of Earth, although at the time no more than a cluster of cells, would evolve in ways that not even the Queen could foresee. Scourge bestowed upon these future creations heroes, those whose force of will could change fate. And through each atom he wove magic, such that those who learned its secrets could defy even the laws of physics.

The Queen and King, their powers combined, also created something that they did not expect. On Earth, a soul was born; simple, weak, but echoing across the heavens. And it was not the last. Rivers and stones and green leaves took on new life, docile but as real as the gods. New gods were born from stars and mountains and trees, crying out to the Firstborn to be acknowledged and celebrated. Gods and spirits and wild beasts multiplied and flourished, adding their own melodies to the chorus. Earth was a beacon of song in a quiet universe, and even the Queen and King could spend an eternity listening to the strange, wondrous hymn.

Ages passed, marked by Earth’s dance in the dark. She and her siblings chased the sun through space. A soul cried out, daring the gods not to hear it. A human stood with feet planted on rich black soil, a torch chasing away the night, and the universe listened to a new melody.

[fushichoumomo-arch]

❝ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃-𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐍 ... ? ❞ 𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐁𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐘 .   ━━     ❝ You mean the one that just … bent over BACKWARDS to fulfil the decree , regardless of the fact that it went against EVERY practice in the Court Guards …? ❞ 

A crystalised layer of ice began to spread throughout the chamber , chill biting at Hinamori Momo's skin , burning the cells with Hyōrinmaru's bitter cold . IT HURT . It hurt so much . The tremor in her legs was proof that Tōshirō's [ or rather , Hyōrinmaru's ] affront could no longer be ignored .

She could not , would not , relent to her brother , here . Not because he was clearly the stronger of them … but because the path she was determined to follow , was THE RIGHT ONE .

AND INSIDE HER VERY BLADE , TOBIUME WEPT .

Momo could hear it … the weeping , gnashing of teeth of Tobiume , drowning out everything else in this room . How her inner world became one of FLAMES , ashes raining down from blood orange skies , burning down the lush flower fields the spirit in the likeness of the Goddess Benzaiten had cultivated . And at this rate … EVERYTHING would be gone . Flames spread , and burn , and DESTROY , even the bonds between SIBLINGS …

              … bonds that HITSUGAYA MOMO held most dear .

              … How was she supposed to face Granny , at this rate … ?

❝ You cling so much to your position , to the Soul Society    [ … ]    but would you be saying these same things … if I was the one being executed … ? ❞ 

Lashes downcast , she still refused to draw Tobiume , still opting to , rather , ENDURE Tōshirō's bitter cold .

Momo never wanted to have to ask Tōshirō this question ; because from the way he talked … she wouldn't know his answer . Of whether he would side with the Soul Society , over HIS OWN SISTER . Of whether he would allow his sister to be executed by the Sokyoku ; his sister , who had even LESS standing than a Kuchiki , one of the Four Great Noble Houses . 

❝ Everyone went along with executing a Kuchiki , under the pretext of UPHOLDING THE LAW … but what they really did … was throw away a comrade , knowing her soul will be destroyed . ❞ 

The way her words seem to bite into him ----- into his very soul. The sting of her calling him ❛Captain Hitsugaya ❜ burrows into his very bones. Her tone reminiscent of when she led the family. The way she would talk to him when he was upset at her leaving when he was younger ----- a brat in fact. Eventually he'd grown accustomed to her leaving for periods of time. That's why, he was not surprised when she left to become a shinigami. She'd come back to him ------- she always did.

His hand still rested 'pon Hyorinmaru He felt his reitsu, felt Hyorinmaru's will. He knew his zanpakuto was willing to fight, to put it all on the line ------ even against the phoenix despite the fact that both of them worked to keep balance upon the heavens. As long as Toshiro's will was firm, their powers could not fail.

❝I am a captain, and it is my duty to stop any threat to the Soul Society. ❞ He challenged her reasoning with his own. Finding it appalling that she'd throw away the career she worked so hard for for Aizen's delusions. Toshiro still believed that she was being lured in or tricked in some fashion by the man standing there, smiling behind her with that deceptive smile of his.

A thin layer of ice began to crystalize over the surface of everything in the chamber. He still held out hope that he would not need to draw his blade against his elder sister. However, the fury, the bite of winter was still in the air in response to his emotions. Further proof that he was [ blessed ] cursed by Hyorinmaru.

❝If you continue down this path, I may be unable to beg for your pardon from the Head Captain. ❞ But at this point, was that what she even wanted? Momo seemed committed to die for this cause.

❝If you do not see reason, we will have to cross swords, and I cannot guarantee your safety. ❞ Despite being a captain, there was a reason he always warned his subordinates to stay back. Even if he was a prodigy, he still had yet to fully learn to control his own powers. ❝I am giving you one last chance to come back to me, Hinamori. ❞

[fushichoumomo-arch]

𝐀 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐎𝐍 .   ━━     Momo flinched , her gaze darting at the Tenth Division Captain's hand , resting 'pon Hyōrinmaru ; his eyes shook with fury ; his teeth bared at his own flesh and blood . Momo chose not to draw Tobiume . Her lips tensed instead . 

Tōshirō did very little to rein in his massive reiatsu , his bitter cold biting at her skin . Momo struggled not to cower before such immense power [ a Captain's reiatsu was not something to trifle with ] , yet she knew , oh , she knew that Aizen was watching her like a HAWK . He stood right behind her , relinquishing the STAGE to her . And though he said nothing , the young woman could almost feel him lean close , whispering in her ear :    ❛ prove your worth , girl . ❜  

Whether such was truly his sentiment or merely extrapolated from her imagination … was impossible for her to know . 

❝ Stop and think . ❞ Momo commanded , her stern tone reminiscent of herself as family leader in bygone times , ❝ Lord Aizen's influence has nothing to do with my decision .      [ … ]       I have always done what benefits us both ; you of all people should know . ❞

[ She purposely omitted any mention of Ichimaru ; to her , he was simply irrelevant . ]

The elder sister narrowed her eyes ; her hands started to tremble  , partly from the icy atmosphere that has managed to overshadow the shocking revelation of Aizen playing the Court Guards like a fiddle , and partly from the terrible RAGE that was overtaking Hinamori Momo when considering the implications of it all . Scorching her lungs , scorching her bones , scorching her soul . Her breath burned white-hot , just like it did when her reiatsu had manifested itself for the very first time , back in the Rukon . 

❝ If you paid any attention and read between the lines of these … bizarre events ; you'd agree with me . Wholeheartedly , in fact . ❞

❝ The Seireitei … is a place COMPLETELY devoid of empathy . Have you become so attached to your position that you view any threat to the Court Guards as a threat to yourself , Captain Hitsugaya ? ❞ 

His hand is on Hyorinmaru. It's weight familiar 'pon his back. He grips it, feeling the presence of him. Cold. For the first time, Toshiro feels the cold. His reitsu raising and yet, he's never been phased by the chill in the air until now. A shiver spreads up his spine. Goosebumps 'pon his skin. His sister's gaze devoid of light making his skin crawl in unease.

Teal orbs shift from her to Aizen and Gin standing back. Smiling like snakes. Toshiro once more shivers ever so slightly. His hand grips the hilt of his zanpakuto once more, almost hard enough to bruise, to draw blood. Teeth grit together, fury behind those eyes upon hearing Momo's words.

❝I refuse to believe you'd ever consider such a thing. Aizen and Gin's influence must be the cause. I'll kill them both and wake you from this nightmare. ❞ His voice a low growl. His instinct to protect her driving him to such lengths. Ears deafened to the words Momo has hurled at him. He refused to believe this system he worked so hard in was crooked.

A system he never wanted to partake him. He never wanted to become a shinigami in the first place. Yet the alternative was to be sent to the MAGGOTS NEST instead. He had no choice. It was serve or kill everyone in their district and be thrown in prison even though he committed no crime.

His reitsu flares, spikes once more. ❝Hinamori, come back to my side now where you belong. You belong with me your brother. These two must answer for their crimes. I don't want to draw my sword against you. ❞

@fushichoumomo / continued from here.