Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Ascension ❯ Chapter 1

Title: Ascension

Summary: Momo overcomes Aizen’s betrayal and faces her worst enemy. Kind of depressing.
No pairings.
Disclaimer: I do not make any claim to Bleach and its characters. They belong to Tite Kubo.


Everything was cold and dark. Not a single ray of light penetrated the inky darkness. There was no sound just an oppressive silence. There was nothing to touch and nothing to smell. This place was a void. For the first time Momo was totally alone.

Aizen.

Just the mention of his name sent pain lancing through Momo’s body. Her Captain was a wise and kind man who would never ever betray his comrades. He cared for her. That was what her heart told her.

Her mind said otherwise. Her last memory of him was of him stabbing her and as blood poured from her body he turned his back on her quickly walking away. Before Momo lost consciousness she could hear Toshiro, and Aizen taunting him. Would someone who truly cared for her do that?

Her heart refused to accept what her mind showed her and her mind rejected what her heart claimed to be true. It was a continuous battle that Momo watched from the side unable to accept reality. Because she couldn’t do that, she retreated into a tiny corner of her mind and hid.

Toshiro used to come see her every day, always careful to never mention Aizen. From her hiding place Momo could see the misery, guilt, and pain in his eyes. He tried so hard to reach her but as long as she remained in her hiding place she couldn’t be hurt. She was completely safe.

Then one day he stopped coming. Time passed and no word from him.

Her zanpakuto tried to help. However, in her desire to hide, Momo pushed her dearest friend away. No matter how loud her zanpakuto cried, Momo ignored the screams.

In the end, her zanpakuto gave up and disappeared from her awareness.

The members of squad five visited her and offered their encouragement for her recovery. Eventually, though, they stopped coming to see her when none of them could reach her.

Everyone abandoned her to face this darkness. They left her alone.

Now Momo was afraid. This terrible darkness frightened her. She was no longer safe, the darkness would consume her like a hollow consumed souls.

‘Wait.’

‘Wait a minute’ the tiny part of her rational mind told Momo. ‘If she was a soul and a hollow tried to kill her, would she flee?’

No, she would face it.

The rational part of her took that thought one step further. ‘If the darkness was a hollow and if it attacked those she cared for, would she flee?’

No, she would stand her ground and fight. Because..because there were too many people who relied upon her, who looked up to her, who cared for her.

This darkness surrounding her was like a hollow.

‘And what are you?’ her mind asked.

I’m a soul reaper, she answered.

I am a soul reaper, she repeated wonderingly, as the meaning of those words sunk in.

I am Squad 5 Lieutenant Momo Hinamori, she stated more firmly with conviction. With those words running through her mind, Momo slowly pushed, clawed, and pulled her way out of the false sanctuary she had created. The very idea of letting an enemy like a hollow beat her went against all her training and her beliefs.

I will not run away anymore, she swore. It seemed like an eternity passed before she was completely out of her self-inflicted prison and as soon as she left it Momo was assaulted by the painful memories that she had run from. Familiar waves of pain washed over her, trying to consume her. However, they faded quickly as a warm embrace shielded and anchored her. ‘I’m here,’ cried her zanpakuto, her friend. ‘I’m here. As long as you let me, I will stay by you side forever.’ With their bond renewed Momo turned to face the enemy, herself.

With her zanpakuto’s encouragement, Momo faced cold, harsh reality. She saw what she had done to herself, and what she did to those who tried to help. Tears of healing fell from her eyes as she picked apart and faced what she had refused to accept.

The Captain Aizen she knew had never existed. He was nothing more than a carefully crafted illusion. But Toshiro, Rangiku, Renji, and Izuru were real, and they were waiting for her to wake up. Even though she had hurt them, they were waiting for her. Thoughts of them enabled her to lay the false Captain to rest. It had been hard to say goodbye to such a sweet dream, but now with clear eyes and heart, Momo could see the truth.

There was still much work to be done. She had hurt so many people, including her squad, which was still in bad shape. However, for the first time in a long time Momo felt good. She had defeated her enemy and never again would she fall victim to the false security of the darkness.

Never again would she run away.