flameandpassion | 48 [Text]

[Raven notices and frowns a bit.]

What is it?

It's nothing.

[Rei used to have that skill, to sense the spirits around her. And then Aizen Sousuke took his sword to her.]

... have you told Toushirou, that you can do that?

[Raven can tell it's not "nothing" but she senses that it's painful memories for Rei. So she won't push any further.]

[She's a bit startled by her question.] Tell him what?

That you can sense the spirits here.

Hitsugaya knows that I can sense people's auras from a far, though not from as far as he can it seems. [Except in the case for the mind bond she has with Horst but nobody knows about this except them.] He also knows that I can tell what the nature of their auras is.

...As for the Animus, you're the first person I've told that to.

Tell him.

[He'll know why Rei asked her to, at any rate.]

...Right. I will.

He'll understand.

[And, finally, a small smile.]

It might even make his day.

Really? [Raven is a bit puzzled but it's nice to see Rei smile. She just nods.] It's good enough a reason to tell him.

[The ability to sense spirits will help their goals greatly. Rei used to be able to fill that position, but now... well.]

He needs something else to focus on, anyway.

[Hitsugaya's problems are far easier to deal with than her own.]

Because of what happened to Sasuke, you mean?

Just a lot of things, I guess. It's been a long year.

Oh. I see. [She's only been here for three months, so she wouldn't know.]

How long have you been here Hitsugaya and you?

I've been here since July. Nine months.

Toushirou has been here much longer.

That's a long time... But I reckon people told me they've been here for several years.

I think the longest is Unohana-san.

[That sounds entirely possible to Raven.] I would say the same myself.

But... mm. It doesn't feel like nine months to me.

Does it feel longer or shorter to you?

[To Raven, those three months here feel like years. So much has happened within such a short time frame.]

Both, sometimes. It depends.

I wonder... what was the worst event you had to go through since you arrived here?

[Rei is silent at the question.

There have been so many terrible ones -- so many. There are obvious answers and not so obvious answers. The event where she and Hitsugaya were tricked into thinking they were together -- that threatened their entire friendship. The event where Usagi was apathetic, where she didn't care, where she gave up -- that was probably the worst, if Rei were being totally honest.

But there is one obvious answer, and Rei glances away.]

There was an event where we all received memories -- and we grew older or younger to match them. That was... probably the worst. A lot of people were hurt that week, because we weren't ready to deal with what happened.

[She had spent the first night of that event making sure Hitsugaya didn't bleed to death.]

Memories of the future for example? [Raven's eyes widen a bit. This event sounds quite dreadful to her indeed. She's not sure yet that she can face hers.]

What do you mean people were hurt? There were fights then?

... there was man, named Aizen Sousuke, from Toushirou's world. He was a powerful shinigami, very dangerous -- and that event pushed him to his future, where he lost control of his powers.

I was on my way to rescue Negi, who had lost control of his own powers. I ran into Aizen instead.

[Her tone is very neutral and level.]

[That name... She heard it before. It's the name of the man who killed Killua.]

Did he... kill you?

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