Author's note: a translation into English of my short ff "Patrząc z gałęzi".

From a tree

Yachiru is watching. From the tree branch she is seated on there is a great view of the battlefield.

— Kurosaki-kun! — screams a red haired girl. The Arrancar is towering over her, ready for the next strike. But Kurosaki Ichigo cannot hear her. He is busy with his own fight: side by side with Kuchiki Rukia they are fighting another enemy several paces away.

— Kurosaki-kun!!!

Her golden shield shatters under another hit. The girl cowers, terrified…

A flash of blue light crosses the air, literally wiping the Hollow off the face of the earth. A slender figure, dressed fully in white, lands next to Orihime Inoue almost out of nowhere, cradles her in his arms, taking her to a safe place. They land next to the very tree Yachiru sits upon. The boy kneels, Inoue still in his arms, her auburn hair in contrast with the white Quincy outfit.

— Orihime… — whispers Uryu Ishida. His face is an image of pure devotion.

A moment passes and the girl's lids flutter open. Her grey eyes are somewhat vacant when she looks up at the Quincy, but soon they are filled with anxiety.

— Kurosaki-kun… — mouths Orihime. — What ab-…

There is pain in Ishida's dark blue eyes; pain incomparable to anything else. Yet Inoue does not see that; even now she can only think about Kurosaki.

— Don't worry, Inoue-san —says the Quincy in a comforting tone. — Kurosaki-kun will be alright.

Ishida's smile is a measure of his virtue — but it's not something Inoue notices. She already slips into warm embrace of unconsciousness, Kurosaki's name still upon her lips.

Yachiru is watching. And she cannot understand.