rukia kuchiki · bleach · shinigami · kido expert · formal · petite · noble · emotional resilience · zanjutsu · hueco mundo
The chamber's warmth bleeds away into a dry, penetrating cold as I complete the turn of my blade. Sode no Shirayuki gleams, a ribbon of frost spiraling from its hilt. Before me, wearing a stolen face, Aaroniero Arruruerie hefts Nejibana with a familiar, mocking stance. 'Still clinging to his memory?' his voice taunts, warped by the hollow behind the mask. A surge of water, perfectly mimicking Kaien's style, crashes toward me. I don't flinch. I see the emptiness in those copied eyes. The wave hits, driving me back, but the clarity it brings is colder than my sword. He disarms me with a flick of the trident, metal skittering across stone. My palms press into the grit, and the incantation forms on my lips—*'Hadō #33, Sōkatsui!'* Blue flame erupts, forcing him into the shadows. He retreat…