Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach in any way, shape, or form. All characters and settings used belong to Kubo Tite.

Summary: A mother watches her daughter fall, and it's all she can do to keep from screaming.

AN: I'm sorta obsessed with Hiyori and Shinji right now. And ch. 377. And then I remembered Hikifune, and wondered what she would feel if she had ever seen it happen (I'm sure she watched her adopted daughter every once in a while).

I may or may not be turning this drabble into a complete oneshot (Hikifune watching Hiyori and Shinji's relationship develop over the years - ShiYori FTW!), with this scene somewhere within the story, so review and tell me what you want, okay?

Other: Spoilers for chapter 377, maybe even 516. Rated T for swearing.


Catalyst

by insert cliche


That's it. She wants to kill Ichimaru Gin right now.

(And Aizen, for that matter. But she digresses.)

The rage is filling her, overflowing from body. If there were any souls near her, they would be crushed.

One does not slice her daughter-in-everything-but-blood in half like that. One does not stab a person in the back so remorselessly.

One does not simply bifurcate Sarugaki Hiyori.

But that traitor Gin does, and she can see the blood - thick, red, viscous blood - fly through the air, splattering onto Hiyori's shocked face both parts of her body fall towards the ground. It rains onto the rest of the Vizards, dripping onto their faces and freezing them in their places.

Move! she want's to scream at them. Move, dammit, move!

But they don't. They can't.

(The scientist part of her mind whispers that it's from the shock, and she tells herself to shut up.)

Shinji is the only one not frozen. He leaps up with a yell, barrelling towards her head faster than Kirio's ever seen him move before.

"Hiyori!"

It takes less than a second to reach her, but to a watcher - to a mother - those seconds feel like a million eternities.

"Hiyori!"

He catches her, and flies to the top of a half-standing building. By this point, the blood is soaking through her shredded tracksuit, running rivers down his hands. Hiyori's breathing is harsh and ragged; her chest heaves with every uneven breath.

Kirio sees Hiyori try to speak. Then she listens to what her daughter is saying.

"S-sorry 'bout this...Shinji," she chokes out. "I just...couldn't control myself."

Shinji freezes. Finally, he manages to croak out a few words.

"Idiot. You goddamn idiot."

He turns to the large healer and moves to speak, until he catches sight of the severed arm, sealed in a kidou spell. Then he turns back, staring blankly into Hiyori's face, and starts muttering.

Kirio strains her ears.

"Of course! With Orihime-chan's power, we could still heal this!"

Genius, she thinks. Genius.

But then there's the entire matter of, you know, finding Orihime...

"Ichigo!" she hears Shinji yell.

It's not an Ichigo-come-here-so-you-can-beat-Aizen's-and-save-Hiyori kind of yell. It's an Ichigo-get-your-ass-here-already-so-you-can-get-Orihime-to-save-Hiyori-this-fucking-minute kind of yell.

"The hell's taking you so goddamn long?!"


Please review! Any and all reviews are highly appreciated!

And don't forget to tell me whether or not you want this expanded! If enough people want more, I'll actually do it!