This Life
Story by MigeYeFoxe on SoFurry
So this was a short story that was written as a direct result of watching too much bleach way back in 2007. I was basically binging on the show for hours a day for multiple days and a story like this is kind of what ended up as the result. Binging on things does strange things to my imagination.
Also fun fact, the dialog between Her and the Captain is actually intentionally nondescript. With the exception of the one line where it mentions "she speaks" none of the other lines between them denotes who is saying what. I did dthis because i wanted it so that you could read it one way and it'd make sense, then flip the speakers and it would still make sense but give a different perspective.
And for those wondering, if I remember correctly I was binging on the Invasion of Soul Society arc when I wrote this
I do not know how long it has been. So much time has passed in a body not my own that I no longer am able to recall when last I stood naked of this shell and existed freely as I really am. This life was given to me when they singled me out from my people when I was but little more than a child. My feet move as if thoughtless down the corridor. When they singled me out from all of my people they had promised me so much that I could not then refuse. I was such a loyal servant and they had followed through with every single one of their promises, until now.
“Captain, sir. I am under s-strict orders to not allow you to pass, sir. I-I must strongly urge you to turn around, sir,” a soldier speaks, his fear more than obvious.
It is more of a plea than it was a request, I reflect, something not intended as an actual demand or instruction but instead him begging me to not make him have to choose between betraying an order, or trying to stop something he cannot in his life hope to defeat. He is only a human, no reason for me to feel the slightest bit threatened by him. His gun isn’t raised. A gentle smile forms on my lips, startling the little boy in front of me yet his gun still doesn’t rise. He knows what would happen if he did. A short, quick step and I’m behind him, the smile still on my face. Before he can turn around to face me I tap the back of his head just hard enough to knock him out. He is, after all, a good boy.
As my hand is now in front of me I turn it over and stare at it. My human hand. A thing so familiar that it is undeniably mine and yet at the same time, completely alien. The pink flesh being completely uncovered encompassing the entirety of it. It is a very ugly, yet elegant thing in front of my eyes; a clumsy apparatus of bare flesh and un-pointed nails of precision. My hand reaches down and picks up the rifle and my feet begin moving again.
Even still, it was a life stolen from me. A life that cannot be returned no matter how many more promises they make. But if that life was to be sacrificed, then I will make sure it is for the greater good. A promise never to attack was broken and now those that broke this promise shall be held responsible.
It doesn’t take long before more stand in my way, their guns all raised at me. This time there is no smile, no words shared. Only a shot fired and one is down. A return and the gun in my arm is of no more use, it is beyond repair. My arm moves and the gun flies, knocking another out. There is much noise. My feet move by reflex, my sword comes out of its home and all are dead. The sword hides again and I move again, getting close to my goal. It was a life most cherished. I feel my arm and see the stain of red. They had not all missed but no damage was done. To toss such a life aside so casually is unacceptable. They knew it was going to happen. There is no way they could not. So much effort was spent in ensuring that things came out this way. I was happy once. That changed when I became involved in their plans, however involuntary. Everything that has happened they are responsible for. They knew that this would happen, even if I did not. But this life had given me comfort, given me peace. And now it is no more. It is a life I shall not forget how it was used. In fact I remember…
A shot is fired. I freeze and am in shock. The bullet missed but I did not expect to see her here. She was the one I had trusted completely. She was my friend all these years and she was the only one who I have ever felt comfortable showing my true form. And yet here she was, standing against me. No wound ever hurt as much.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because this is what must be done.”
“Can’t you see what’s really going on? Can’t you see this is exactly what they want you to do?”
“That doesn’t matter. It doesn’t change the fact that it still has to be done.”
“We don’t have to do this. It doesn’t have to be this way.”
“I know, but I have no other choice.”
The gun fires again. I had been willing myself not to move, not to attack and so I could not dodge. The bullet hits the amulet on my chest, destroying it. Once again I am in shock. To think that the one I trusted most was now trying to kill me. As the binding spell began to fade with the amulet holding it now destroyed my body begins to move against my will. Before a second shot is fired I am beside her. I unsheathe my sword and then drop it. I quickly grab her and help ease her to the ground before trying to close her wound with a sleeve no more belonging to a shirt.
“I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it. You did what you had to.”
Her hand raises and rests briefly over the fur on the side of my muzzle, my true form now no longer hidden. A tear falls from my eyes and she brushes it aside before her hand falls down.
“I had always felt that this form suited you better.” She speaks before moving no more.
I grieve a moment more before returning the sword to its holder. I lean down and pick her up and begin moving, my feet thankfully knowing where to go since my mind would not be able to focus enough to get there.
Finally I arrive at the control room of the ship but find a barrier of energy blocking my path. I pull my sword out and slice at the barrier with everything I have but it doesn’t even waver the slightest. I gently put her down and begin to study the barrier more closely to try and find a way through.
“That’s not going to do you any good there, Captain. Not even you can get through that barrier,” so says a voice at the controls.
“You are the one responsible for this?”
“I am only the one piloting the craft. The ones responsible are in the capitol which we are just about to cross on our way to your homeland.”
“Why?”
“The very fact that we are having this conversation is reason enough why your people should be destroyed. Your loyalty to your own race is strong enough that you are willing to kill your own friends and those who have been under you for so many years just for the chance at protecting them. Your power alone has made the Congress very uncomfortable about your people living next to this great nation.”
“But we posed no threat! We are a peaceful people!”
“Are you? They might seem to be peaceful now but how long until they decide they want to expand their borders. Not even this weapon could stop them when that happens. This weapon is using their technology, after all.”
“That’s a lie! We would never make anything as barbaric as what was built here!”
“Perhaps, but the truth remains. This weapon was built using your people’s technology. We simply found a new use for it. They are only one step away from being able to make such a weapon themselves. It’s rather ironic really. They’ll be destroyed by a thing of their own design, almost.”
“I’ll stop you. Mark my words I will see this ship destroyed.”
“Oh? I highly doubt that. But if you did somehow manage to destroy this ship, Congress could just as easily make a new one and they’ll find funding it all the easier given the motivation you’d be giving them. Fret not, for the sake of Democracy, your people will die. So be a good little fox, Captain, and watch the end of your former civilization,” he laughs.
He turns around to look at me to get a look at my reaction but when he does his eyes go wide before grasping the sword now in him and uttering one last word: “How?”
His question goes unanswered as I’m moving over to the controls and after looking over them disable the barrier and stare at the main controls. Not knowing how to use the weapon itself I do the next best thing and program the craft to crash into the capital. A very soft quickly turns me around and my heart leaps. My sword forgotten, I move quickly back to where she lies. I tear off the amulet around her neck and place one ear against her chest. I hear. It is faint but this life has not been taken after all. I give what I can before gently lifting and my feet begin to move yet again. I will protect this life that was given to me and make sure it is taken from me no more. As I move towards an exit to escape before the craft crashes, I remark. This is exactly what they wanted, after all.