"Did you pass? Did you pass? Did you pass? Did you pass? Did you pass? Did you pass? Did you pass? Did you pass? Did you pass? Did you pass-"

"Rue, say that one more time and I'll sew your mouth shut."

"But did you pass?" Rue asked with excited eyes. I groaned and sat up from the couch I was laying on. Yoruichi's couch's are really comfortable.

"I'm waiting," I answered. Rue tilted her head to the side in confusion.

"What are you waiting for?" I smiled like a madman. I pointed to the door.

"Him." On que, Byakuya burst through the door with a huge smile on his face and his ego blowing up like a swollen water balloon.

"I passed! I'm the best! I'm valedictorian! I'm a Shinigami! Suck on that Agito!" He pointed his finger at me. I stood up from my seat and slapped his finger away.

"Don't get too ahead of yourself Byakuya brat! I passed too with flying colors! What scores did you get?" Earlier today every single student who had taken the shinigami exam got their scores by letter.

"Zanjutsu, eight out of ten. Kido, perfect score. Hohou, one-fourty-two our of two-hundred. Zanpuktou release, nine out of ten. What did you get?" Byakuya said with an arrogant air around him.

"Zanjutsu, nine out of ten. Kido, nine out of twelve. Hohou, one-fifty-six out of two hundred. Zanpuktou release, perfect score. Ha! I'm better than you in zanjutsu and hohou!" Byakuya got a tick mark over his head at our scores.

"I can still kick your butt to next week! And I got better kido than you!" I scoffed while shrugging my shoulders.

"I'd rather get my hands dirty then hide behind kido!" Byakuya clenched his fists and another irk mark appeared.

"Are you calling me a coward?"

"You're the one coming to the conclusion," I said with a mocking tone. Byakuya grit his teeth but before he could retort, Rue cut in with a whine.

"Awww, you both pass but I didn't! Jeez now I have to take another year of the Academy!" It was obvious that Rue was trying to stop our bickering before Byakuya and I start a fist fight like they've done many times before. Byakuya and I took the hint and didn't even look at each other to start another fight.

"Another year isn't gonna hurt. Besides, you now got three months of training ahead of you," Byakuya reminded.

"You two are monsters if you can graduate for the academy in three years," Rue whinned.

Something flashed before my eyes.

A frozen picture ... a memory(???) ...

It came up and my blood ran cold.

There man, no, it wasn't a man. It could barely be classified as human, laying at me feet in a bloody mess, looking more like ground beef than a living being. My hands and the snow around me was covered by the color red and I couldn't help but think how beautiful it was. Along with the memory was a mantre I could hear in my head.

Kill ... Kill ... Kill ... Kill!

"Agito!" I blinked out of my thoughts. Rue was waving a hand in my face. She looked extremely concerned and Byakuya looked a bit worried too.

"I'm sorry. I spaced out there..."

"You didn't space out Agito. Something happened now what is it!?" I held my head, suddenly feeling the effects the memory did to me. My body was freezing but I could feel a light sheen of sweat on my forehead and neck. Honestly, I felt sick.

"I-I think I gained a memory..."

"Memory? That's impossible. Once you pass into Soul Society, you get cleansed of all your memories. It's extremely rare that a soul were to remember anything but their name and age," Byakuya explained to us.

"Yeah? Well I'm not exactly normal Byakuya. Even in the Rukongai, I remembered Rue's name and went looking for her." Byakuya scratched the back of his head, clearly stumped.

"Maybe it's because you're twins? I don't know! Why do you think I have all the answers?!"

"Pft. Pathetic." I wiped around to see one of Yoruichi's assassins. Except she was entirely different. Her black mask was off, which is forbidden to do unless Yoruichi herself ordered it so. She had short, chin length, black hair with bangs to her eyebrows. She was petite and slightly shorter than Rue. Her face had a sneer and I disliked her instantly.

"What do you want, Soi Fon?" Byakuya said coldly. Soi Fon leaned against the door, obviously basking in the fact that she could tick off the heir of the Kuchiki Noble House. Or is that just me talking? Sure, I'm a bit pissed that someone else other than me could grate on Byakuya-brat's nerves.

"I was just passing by when I heard a bunch of childish bickering going on. To say that I'm surprised that the great Byakuya Kuchiki could ever lower himself to fight against street rats is an underestimate." Now I have reasons to hate her.

"I didn't know that Yoruichi surrounded herself with such incompentant arrogence such as yourself, Soi Fon," I say flatly. Rue put a hand on my shoulder but I brushed it off.

"Did you just talk to me, street rat?"

"Are you stupid, girl? Of course I was talking to you! What good is an assassin if she can't hear her enemy?" Soi Fon glared at me and I grew cocky.

"Agito, don't fight against her. She-"

"Needs to be taught a lesson. She insulted both Rue and I and I will not stand for any of it." I walked towards Soi Fon and a cocky smirk grew on my face.

"So, what do you have against street rats, you pampered pooch?"

"Don't compare me to a pooch, you mutt. I believe the correct term for you would be slum dog." She smirked at her word choice.

"Is your brain that small that you would use such old insults? Byakuya could think of better! That must mean you're lower than him. You're not a brat like he is. You're a fucking pest." Soi Fon was slightly startled by my word choice.

"Watch your tongue. I'm a part of an elite-"

"I don't care jackshit about what you're a part of. We were trained by the same sensei. I don't know who shoved that stick up your ass but at least have the decency to act like it's not there."

"Yoruichi-sama shouldn't have to give charity to you, you piece of filth!"

"Thata girl, finally using your brain power other than fantasying about Yoruichi. But let's stop this game of charades and finally get down to the business of pouring dirt over each other," I said as I walked even closer to her. She took a hesitant step back but I don't stop until I am about a foot away from her.

"You're so pitiful really, latching yourself to Yoruichi like a leech and being obsessed with your host like the parasite you are. That's why you'll always be pathetic. So easily swayed by everything Yoruichi says. No backbone whatsoever it's a wonder why you even have the title of assassin if you're so pliant to whatever she says without a single doubt."

"If you don't know like the uneducated scum you are, assassins are supposed to do that," she said fighting back.

"But humans don't. It makes me wonder if you're really a parasite hidden in human skin. A parasitic assassin, with no feelings, no past, and no future other than blood. If you sum it up a bit, you're nothing but a virus carrying, blood sucking tick that thinks herself better than anyone. You are nothing compared to me, a slum dog."

"A slum dog like you will never be better than me!"

"You're so stupid. You might have been born on the back of a royal cat but you have to fear the rabid dog from the slums," I snarled, baring my teeth down at her. Her gray eyes widened from fear and I felt the urge to snap my teeth at her to install fear.

"Agito! Back off!" I turned my head towards the window where Yoruichi was perched on the pane. Her face was one of both anger and concern.

"Awww, you ruined my fun," I pouted a bit and stepped back. Yoruichi shunpo'd forward and true to her nickname, The Flashstep Goddess, she slapped my cheek before I could see her. I could hear Rue faintly gasp in the background but it was easily drowned out by the rush of boiling blood racing in my head. I was angry. Soi Fon overstepped her boundaries so I overstepped mine. Is it so much to ask that I can fight back? An eye for an eye right?

"You idiot! Learn to guard that sharp tongue of yours Agito! Do you have any idea what you can do?"

"I can destroy anyone's will, do you think I'm so stupid as not know what type of curse I have? And you gave me permission to speak in your house any way you want. If you don't like it, tell me so you will never hear of it again," I said darkly, looking up at her through my bangs.

"I give you permission to speak, don't abuse the priviledge by saying whatever you want!"

"You know how I am Yoruichi. I'm cruel and I'm blunt. I'll tell it to you straight and don't give a fuck if your damn feelings are hurt. I am not going to give you lip service and if you can't handle it, then tell me so I don't break your precious pride," I cross my arms over my chest and glare at her. Her cat yellow eyes narrow at me dangerously.

"I believe this is what you would call a Mexican standoff but we should be going now," Rue says before I'm being lugged by the back of my yukata and thrown out the window. I flip before landing on the ground. Rue and Byakuya follow after me.

"Why did you do that Rue?! You know I don't like it when-"

SLAP!!!

"Will you shut up and think for a second? Yoruichi-san is letting us stay at her house, free of charge and training you in hand-to-hand combat. Be at least a little grateful and comply to whatever Yoruichi asks of you till you can move to whatever Company's barracks you're in!"

Okay, when I woke up this morning, I did NOT want to get slapped twice. But here I am, getting slapped for just being myself. Of course I'm going to challenge any and all authority. Of course I'll downgrade someone who speaks bad against Rue and I in front of me. I tell it as it is, I call people out, what's so hard to accept? Sure, I might say something to the wrong person but they either gave me permission or totally deserve it.

"What else was I supposed to do? Let Soi Fon walk all over us like the trash she thinks we are becuase of our class status? Fucking hell no. Yoruichi knows this so why the fuck is she yelling at me for being myself?!"

"Grow up Agito! You're too old to be told to watch your mouth! Yoruichi told you to shut up cause you're making it a habit to rip people apart. You're going to become a Shinigami soon so now you need to act like one! We're not in the slums anymore so stop acting like it!!!" Rue yelled at me.

I'm surprised.

Sure, Rue and I fight verbally, it's a given that sisters who have so different personalities would fight. But never, in our all our years of being together did Rue tell ME to grow up. It's usually me telling her to stop acting like a baby. To tell you the truth, I was unprepared for this. I would have always thought that I would always be the older, more mature one out of both of us. But here we are, fighting and then she drops the bomb that I have to become more mature and hold my tongue.

"Fuck..fuck...fuck...fuck..Fuck, Fuck, Fuck, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!!!" I shunpo away to clear my head. Okay, sure, I'm being a coward in front of Rue and Byakuya-brat but you can't really expect me to all of a sudden soak that all in and turn more mature with a snap of my fingers. I needed to get away for a moment.

[Byakuya's POV]

"Fuck..fuck...fuck...fuck..Fuck, Fuck, Fuck, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!!!" Agito yelled before shunpo-ing away.

I can't believe it. No, I really can't. Agito and Rue actually fought. I always thought that ... Agito and Rue were ... close, like so close that they would never fight. I never seen Agito and Rue fight like that, sure I've seen them argue from time to time but this was something different. The tension in the air was toxic and their reiatsu's were rising as their words escalated.

It was like watching a volcano and the ocean fight it out. Yin and Yang. They can't live without each other but they can't stand each other. Is that what Agito's and Rue's relationship really is?

"Stupid Agito. Stupid Yoruichi. Stupid Soi Fon. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid," I hear Rue mutter under her breath and I turn my attention to her. Her head was bowed, hair covering her eyes but her fists and tensed shoulders told me that she was still angry.

"Rue-chan?" This was worrying me slightly.

Is brimstone gonna fall from the sky? Will the apocalypse happen?

Knowing that Agito's and Rue's zanpuktous are both two very dangerous blades wasn't helping. Micheal is an expert in war but Gabriel is the perfect defense and we all know what they say, a good defense could be the best offense. Rue's fingers uncurled and she turned to me with angry tears in her eyes.

"Tell me, was I right or wrong to yell at her?" I gulped. Now the pressure's on me now. I reviewed everything that happened right in front of me before coming to a conclusion.

"I think you're both right and you're both wrong. Agito meant well to defend the both of you against Soi Fon and she was right to fight against Yoruichi about her own personality but you are also right that she needs to grow up and stop living in the past. She could have handled the whole situation differently but you could have told her differently than to slap her and yell." Rue's bottom lip quivered. I silently prayed to whatever god there was that Rue wouldn't start crying. I'm not exactly that good at consoling someone.

"Th-thank you B-Byakuya. I-I-I need to go find Agito," Rue says before she left using shunpo. I thought about following after her but decided against it.

Agito and Rue needed their personal family bonding time. Besides, if something changes between the two, I'm probably be the first to know about it since I'm their friend.

Jeez, who would have thought that I would ever have such high maintenance friends?

[Agito's POV]

I sat down in my place of isolation. The tree I found that was perfect for meditation and just getting away from everything. I leaned my back against the bark of the trunk and thought carefully.

You know what? She's right.

I've been trying to control my emotions and at the first chance of ripping into someone, I happily went ahead and did so. Gladly. Sadistically. I guess that reveals more about myself than what I'm comfortable with. And I didn't even realize I was getting angry until Rue had to slap me with the truth.

Damn, I fucked up.

I fucked up really bad.

What if I hurt someone? What if I lashed out?

No, that type of thinking will not help me. What should I have done?

Well, if I were in more control, I would have stayed silent and waited until she was done with whatever she was doing.

And then I would have crushed her.

No, not crushed her in a verbal spat as I did. I would have simply ...

Conquered her very existence. Blotted her out of context. Made my very presence so large, so all consuming that even in the future, she would be cowed to even hear my name. I should have been silent. Then I should have shown that I was simply stronger and better than her juvenile stunt.

Rue was right. I was acting immature. It shouldn't become me. No, my name is Agito Diabolos.

I am who I am without question, without validation, without consensus.

I need no one but my own soul for proof that I am the best of being me.

"Agito?"

I opened my eyes and turned my head slightly to see Rue. Her expression was apologetic and sad. I sighed before opening my arms for Rue. She instantly fell into my arms and hugs me tightly.

"I'm sorry Agito for yelling at you. You just make things so frustrating to me and I just snapped at you, I'm sorry," she whispered in my ear. I loosen my hold around her. She pulls out of the hug and sits beside me. I throw my arm around her shoulders and lean my head towards her.

"It's okay Rue-chan. I'm sorry for acting like an asshole lately. I promise to grow up at least a little bit." She turns her head at me so I lift my head up to she her expression. Concern, sadness, and confusion fills her honey gold eyes but she doesn't question it.

"I don't like it when we fight," she admits to me.

"Me neither. Well, unless I'm right," I say, trying to break the mood. Rue laughs quietly.

"Even if you're wrong you're a stubborn ass" This time I laugh. The tension leaves as Rue and I make jokes. We stay outside until the sunset had already set and fireflies begin to glow at the edges of the forest. Rue and I go back home where Yoruichi was sitting on my bed. I instantly bow to her.

"I apologize for my behavior as of late. Please forgive me," I say with a bowed head. I can hear her stand up and walk up to me.

"I forgive you but I need you to forgive me. I didn't mean to hit you." I only nod my head before we all go to bed. Now, as I lay in bed with the darkness for company, I can only wonder how it'll all turn out tomorrow.

I want to be better.

I want control.

I want to be so good that nobody questions my superiority.

No one will questions my soul.

I want to conquer the world just for who I am.

~~~

Comment. Review. Vote. Please and thank you.