Chapter 377 - Whispers part 2

"However, we can't stop at that... Aika... Don you Hollow mask..." Yoruichi gave her the next instruction.

"The Hollow mask...?"

"You know how to put it on, right?"

Aika nodded at her as after learning from Kisuke and the full extent of her powers, she instinctively knew how to release her Hollow powers. However, she had never released it before aside for the first time since Kisuke warned her against it, "Is that going to be fine?"

"It's fine... You're with me... And let me tell you this, a Zanpakuto can't erase their owner's will as they're connected to them. They're a part of you not the other way around. And even if they're able to trap your consciousness, I can do something about it."

Aika nodded again and took another deep breath. She put her right hand over her face and with her index finger and middle finger, she taps her forehead. Hollowfied Reiatsu-Ki started gushing out from her and from her forehead, a white bone skull mask with two tiny horns on its forehead materialized over her face. Aside from the blackening of the sclera of her eyes, a thumb-size red scale on her right hand and black scale on her left hand appeared.

However, Aika couldn't dwell on these changes as the whispers in her head became much worse. She tried to ignore it as Yoruichi told her but those voices aren't just some sound now as her body wants to move according to those whispers, "No no no! I can't do this!" Aika cried out with her mixed voice and tried to remove her mask but failed.

As Aika is panicking how to revert herself back, a warm embrace suddenly enveloped her making Aika stop moving, "Y-Yoruichi...?"

"I told you, right? It'll be fine..." Yoruichi whispered to her ear.

Through that, Aika was able to calm down. Even if the voices were ever so clear, the compelling feeling behind them isn't as strong as before.

Discerning that she was able to settle down, Yoruichi separated for a bit but didn't remove her hands on her shoulders, "For now... Take some deep breaths and get used to this state. Close your eyes and meditate. I'll give you a whole hour for you to endure this."

Nodding, Aika sat in a cross-legged position and proceeded to empty her mind. However, she can't do it.

"Don't try to ignore those voices. You'll only think about those more. Instead, just think about your breathing. Inhale and Exhale manually. Time it as best as you could."

Obeying Yoruichi, Aika focused on her breathing. Thanks to that, her focus on the voices disappeared.

This went on for a full hour with Yoruichi killing all the monsters that are spawning around, "Good work... That has been an hour."

Aika slowly opened her eyes and there's obvious clarity in it. Thanks to this exercise that Yoruichi gave her, most of her fear is gone along with the compelling feeling that the voices give. Aika finally understood that it's her fears that gives birth to this situation and now has an idea of how to proceed from here on.

Yoruichi smiled and said, "I don't need to say what you should do next, right?"

"If you did... I'd really be too useless... Thank you." Aika smiled and expressed her gratitude, 'Really... I've been too stupid... They're dragons, alright?'

Aika closed her eyes again, but instead of ignoring the voices in her head, she chose to face it head-on. As she focuses on the voices, the destructive impulses threaten to consume her again, however, she didn't stop and continued listening to these voices. A few seconds later, Aika opened her eyes and saw the world around her change. A space similar to that of the Dimensional Gap, but she knew exactly where she is, 'My inner world...'

Aika looked around but couldn't find the figures that she's looking for. However, she didn't give up and started floating aimlessly in her kaleidoscopic world. Aika wasn't able to find them, instead, they 'found' her, " "What are you doing here, mother?" "

Two distinctive voices called out from behind. Aika immediately turned around and saw the figures she has been looking for all this while, "Akane... Kaguya...?"

Behind her appeared Akane, a little girl around ten years old with a red pixie cut hair, a pair of short crimson horns pointed backward, and blood-red eyes and golden slitted pupils that are full of vigor and energy. And Kaguya, also little girl, shorter than the previous one with waist-length black hair, a pair of obsidian horns similar to the first girl, and jet-black eyes and golden slitted pupils that give a lethargic and apathetic feeling.

They are as Aika remembered, but with one small difference. The sclera of their eyes is blackened which reminded her of her own eyes when in using her Hollow powers, "W-what happened to you two?"

The little girls looked at each other before turning back to Aika while tilting their heads, "Nothing?"

"Nothing...?" Aika muttered, 'But... They've been whispering their destructive impulses on me... And those eyes... Did the Hollow powers do this?... What should I do?'

While Aika is pondering, however, Akane and Kaguya jumped to each of her sides and happily said, "But wow~! Mother is finally here! You heard our voices!"

"Ah..." At that point, Aika's eyes widened as realization dawned her, 'I messed up...' She's confused why would the dragons who originated from both Great Red and Ophis would be affected by the Hollow or if the Hollow is just that powerful. But now, she finally understood that is not the case of which is stronger, 'They took in the Hollow to send their voices outside... to me...'

Regretting her inaction and fear, Aika embraced her 'daughters' in her arms, 'I've been neglecting them...'

Since they're calling Aika their mother, they would want her attention as children and since Aika doesn't really put on effort in conversing with them, both of them decided to use the Hollow to talk to her at any cost... Even if their mindset is affected, "I'm sorry... Mom is late."

" "Mom?" " Akane and Kaguya looked at each again before shouting that word again, " "Mom!" "

Tightening her hug on then, Aika repeated herself, "I'm sorry, Mom is late." She then started patting their head, "You don't have to this anymore... I won't forget the two of you anymore."

.

.

.

Two hours later, Yoruichi finally noticed a change in Aika's aura as her Hollowfied Rieatsu-Ki started receding. Along with it is her Hollow mask disintegrating into the air and her Shihakushou replacing her Adventurer attire. A few seconds later, Aika opened her eye and a smile crept up to her face, "I see that you succeeded."

Aika stood up and shook her head, "I didn't succeed... I just resolved something important... It shouldn't have come to this if I did something early on, after all."

"I see..." Yoruichi then patted her head, "Good work. Now let's do what we're supposed to do here. Kill some Minotaurs."