Damaged - Chapter 11 - Operation Mindcrime

Katrina screamed as she fell through the inky darkness.  Panic set in as she could not sense how fast she was falling or where bottom was.  She tried to use the Shunpo techniques that Yoruichi drilled into her head to halt her fall, but it failed.  Even using  Hadou 4: White Lightning to emit light failed.

Suddenly she hit the ground full force, her left side taking the brunt of the impact. The pain was searing as several ribs and her arm were broken.  She opened her eyes but the darkness was so great that she could not tell if her eyes were indeed opened or not.

As she laid there in pain, she was unaware of the black mist creeping closer and closer until it fully engulfed her, causing her to pass out.

+ + + + + + + + + + + + +

Katrina found herself in her Inner World... the Temple of Leaves. She struggled to her feet despite her injuries and came face to face with the black mist.

Katrina shakily withdrew her Zanpakuto. "Defend the realms, Highlander!" But to her dismay, her Zanpakuto did not release to its Shikai form.

"Don't make us laugh. That toy will never work again," a voice emanated from the darkness. It was that same voice she kept hearing in her mind and in her sleep. "You do not deserve our powers. You killed no one in battle. Not even that weakling Emperor."

"Who are you?!" she demanded again.

"We are the embodiment of all the Immortals that Highlander killed in battle."

"Who are you?" she repeated through gritted teeth.

"Defeat us and you'll know."

Katrina was in a serious bind.  She could barely stand as it was, much less swing her Zanpakuto. "Why? Why did you lie to me and tell me that your name was Highlander?"

Laughter surrounded her senses. "Because you are a pathetic piece of trash. You're nothing special. And yet here you are... bearer of the last Quickening. Macleod was better off sacrificing you. We were toying with you. We allowed you to use part of our powers so you can get out of that Academy.  Seeing you humiliate yourself in front of everyone brings us immense pleasure."

She slumped to the ground, more due to pain of her injuries than to the harsh words coming from the formless black mist. How was she going to defeat something so undefined and with broken ribs.  She had to keep reminding herself that she was no longer an Immortal. Her body no longer recovers from injuries within hours. There is now a limit to the amount of injuries she can sustain before she could die.

+ + + + + + + + + + + + +

Katrina found herself in her barracks room when she heard a knock on the door frame. "Yes? Come in."

Rukia came into the room. Katrina could sense that there was another person with her but remained outside. "Katrina, there's someone who would like to speak with you."

"Um, okay," Katrina replied cautiously.

Rukia turned back toward the door. "Nii-sama?"

Katrina's eyes widened. Why was he here?

Captain Kuchiki entered the room and Katrina noticed that he was not wearing that scarf. "Lau-san," he began. "I know that you are still frightened when you see me. But know that it is really this that you are scared of seeing. The very last thing you saw before you died." He held out the scarf, which was neatly folded up.

Katrina didn't know what to say or how to react. There was an obvious truth to his words, as she was able to look at him for the first time without having that paralyzing flashback.

"I want you to have it," Captain Kuchiki continued, handing her the folded scarf.

Katrina hesitantly reached out to take it. The fabric was like nothing she ever felt.  It was like the finest silk she ever touched. "Captain Kuchiki," she finally replied. "Why...?"

"One should never be frightened by something that is in your possession," he said. "Your power should be over it.  Remember that always. I'm giving you this so you can master that."

Katrina stared wide-eyed at the folded scarf in her hands then looked up at Captain Kuchiki. "I'm beginning to understand now. Thank you, Captain Kuchiki. I will remember your advice."

+ + + + + + + + + + + + +

Katrina's eyes snapped open. She was back at the Temple of Leaves, lying face up on the ground.

"Welcome back," the black mist sarcastically greeted. "Fully rested are we?"

She had no idea how long she was unconscious, but she realized that it must have been quite some time, as her ribs and arm had mostly healed. "You don't intimidate me anymore," she replied, getting up from the ground.

She picked up her Zanpakuto and pointed at the mist. "You are a part of me, and from a past that I did not control."

The laughter grew louder as the mist form advanced on her.  Katrina held her ground until it got close enough for her to slash out at it.

"Katrina," another voice faintly called out to her inside her head.  It was very familiar.

"C..Connor?" she whispered as she froze in shock.

"I've been with you all this time, inside your heart," he replied.  "You have not been able to hear me because of that thing.  Its true name is Miasma."

"Miasma," she repeated softly.

"WHAT?" The mist form shouted, as it stopped its advance. "How did you know?"

"Random guessing," she sarcastically replied.  "Your hatred of me will get you nowhere.  At this point if we don't start working together, we will die down here.  If we work together, you will still be alive within this Zanpakuto. You want to keep fighting, don't you? Redirect your energies toward those that deserve it."

Katrina's reasoning seemed to have struck a chord with some of the spirits within Miasma and it began to shrink in size.  Was it forming an actual body?

"Command it now, Katrina," Connor's voice said. "Exhale, Miasma"

Katrina set herself, pointed the Zanpakuto at the mist and shouted, "Exhale, Miasma!"

A swirl of wind surrounded her as her Zanpakuto changed and split into dual tiger head hooks. But instead of the sleek looking weapons, these look like heavy gothic iron monstrosities.

"You will still need to fight me,," Miasma replied, after the winds had settled. "For only our full power in Bankai form can free us from this place."

"Then let's go," Katrina hissed.  "I'm done with you tormenting me."  

+ + + + + + + + + + + + +

Katrina Lau © Tygerlander
Bleach characters and references © Tite Kubo
Mortal Kombat and references © Midway, Warner Brothers
Connor Macleod, Highlander, Immortals and Quickening references © Dimension Films