CHAPTER 18: THE FIRST ECLIPSE

Akiho floated in darkness. When she fluttered her eyes open, she saw her reflection below the darkened ground. Her feet landed on it and ripples appeared. She then realized that it was like water. Far away from the usual blue ocean, this one is an embodiment of a liquefied shadow.

Purple streaks floated around Akiho as if chiming her to explore her surroundings. Though, as she surveyed her eyes around the place, there was nothing but pitch black. Only, a tiny speck of what seemed to be a dark clump of violet lay untouched far from her.

She walked closer to it. But no matter how long she walked she couldn't reach the speck. So, Akiho broke to a run. The more she approaches it, the more it distances itself from her.

"Stop!" Akiho screamed, but no voice sounded from her. "Who are you!?" The purple streaks around her still stayed close despite her running.

Akiho has no recollection of how she ended up in that dark place. And maybe the orb from a distance could answer her inquiry. Ripples erupted beneath her feet as if she were walking above water.

"Don't leave me alone," Akiho begged onto the distant violet dot.

When she ran again, it didn't move anymore. Her feet halted when she came face to face with a brown-haired boy surrounded with similar streaks of purple like the ones around her. But, the boy seems to have more of them roaming around his body that at a distance he looked like a big dot of glowing purple.

The boy was on his back. He wore the black shinigami uniform. How could someone as young as him be qualified to be a shinigami?

The boy turned towards Akiho and she gasped for breath.

The brown hair parted in the center and deep brown eyes stared up at her.

"Sosuke..." Akiho muttered. Questions fluttered her mind; she didn't know where to start.

The young Aizen pointed at a far distance. Akiho followed his finger.

On the pitch-black air, the light started to appear, and suddenly Akiho was seeing a familiar place. The slums of poverty are drenched in mud and hunger in the faces of the citizens of Rukongai.

Akiho swallowed as she watched from what seemed like a screen.

"Hey kid, care to spare food?" said a rugged man. They inched on the projection as if they could see Akiho.

Only then did she realize that she had been seeing the things playing out in the eyes of someone.

The projection in front of Akiho shook, indicating that the person behind had also done the same. Then, in a flash, more men came and they began to mock.

Suddenly, the projection fell to the ground as kicks erupted, beating the person behind the projection.

"No..." Akiho whispered. Her eyes lingered on the boy and he didn't move.

Scenes continued flashing. Books scattered, papers, writing, studying, observing, and more mocking from people was all Akiho had seen. No one listened, believed, or understood the person behind the scenes. He was laughed at. But he showed resolve and still polished his talent.

Her breath hitched a breath when the next one she saw in the projection was the shinigami academy. A lingering feeling erupted in Akiho's chest. The person behind entered the academy, and he signed the papers for enrollment. Akiho saw the familiar hand.

"This is...your memories.." Akiho muttered in disbelief at the young Aizen beside her. The latter didn't speak a word.

Then, she froze and kept her eyes glued to the screen. This day before the first eclipse when the older captains were appointed. Akiho saw herself standing on a board of papers pinned on them. She wore the standard white and red uniform of the academy and her hair was tied in a ponytail.

Akiho was looking from the point of view of Aizen and she saw how he walked towards her. She didn't know but there happened to be a slight tug on her heart as her younger teenage self turned to face Aizen.

"Excuse me," teenage Aizen approached with a smile towards her. "I noticed, you've been here for a while. Do you want me to find your name? I'm also here to look for mine,"

Younger Akiho's face was blank. "Why do you care?"

Aizen paused for a moment. "I apologize for disturbing you, however-"

"I found my name on the list already. I hope yours isn't there" Akiho cut him short. The younger Akiho has a knack for rudeness. Every adult goes to a phase after all.

The next memories played. It is now when Aizen and Akiho first had a proper conversation. They were paired for a project. And it's a project that needs the expertise of the brains. And Akiho's knowledge is not even near the topic.

So, she pretended she knew what Aizen was saying throughout their discussion. His recommendations about the assignment included numbers, sciences, and statistics. When Aizen asked her about her own suggestions she just simply said she needed to use the bathroom.

When she came back, Aizen's eyes were filled with conviction on achieving the highest possible grade for the project. He ordered Akiho that they should start as early as they could. And so, he set a schedule that they must meet somewhere at least three times a week.

The memory projection shifted again, this time showing how the two grew comfortable with each other's presence as they progressed through the project. They finished in less than a month.

After the success they had created. Akiho came to Aizen one time, privately thanking him most indirectly: she offered him a succulent she cared for in her garden. Before Aizen could say something she strode off.

The projection shifted again, this time they were on their next level in the academy. Combat highlighted their lessons. Since then, Aizen had a high reserve of reiatsu but he still struggled with a sword.

So, he came to Akiho for assistance. Akiho felt indebted and had agreed to train with him. They would slip out of their dormitories and secretly clash with each other's wooden swords in the nearby woods.

Then one time they were caught by one of the guards. They ran for their lives. Aizen was a top student in kido and hado and so he pulled Akiho towards him and hid their presence using one of the spells he muttered.

After the incident, they still never feared and met each other in secret to train. Until they had grown to banter and tease each other about certain subjects. Akiho found herself laughing heartily at whatever Aizen said. And Aizen on the other side showed a smile at her.

The scene shifted again, this time Akiho found Aizen in an unfamiliar chamber far from their dormitories. Her feet brought her to the place as she heard a faint explosion from it. When she walked through, Aizen was there, the floor scattered with papers and vials filled with foul-smelling liquids were on the table.

Aizen took her to the balcony to explain about his research. A research on how a product of two races could positively change something. Akiho had believed Aizen that it was just all about inclusivity in Soul Society when it comes to skin color, gender, and the like. She didn't know that Aizen was referring to a product of a Shinigami and hollow.

The same night in the balcony is where things have started. They bet on each other — truth from one another. Akiho admitted to Aizen she wanted more to life, something worth the thrill and excitement. Aizen confessed that he might also start to want something similar.

Then, it happened. The first kiss. The first night they spent in each other's bodies.

The projection memory flashed faster this time, rummaging through the events that followed when Aizen was already captain until his betrayal.

Akiho didn't notice it but a tear stained her cheeks. She felt the boy's hand on her. She looked at the younger Aizen. Emotions didn't dampen his handsome face.

But, Akiho felt it. A tight clenching on her chest. Her heart pounded hard enough as if it was beginning to break free. She felt nothing but the desire to reach and hold someone. The want was too strong it could drive her into madness. She wants the person to only be by her side yet she also can't. Something was holding her back. Akiho clamped her neck, she felt her breath constricting and drowning from the emotions she never felt before.

Her body, her mind, her heart, and especially her soul craved this someone.

The boy's hand left Akiho and the intensity of the emotions left her.

The boy finally opened his mouth, "Aizen...Aizen threw those away. Before they disappear, I want you to feel them at least."