Do you love him?
By: Kaira Somomo
I was running, running away from sure death. Tears streamed down my face. How could I be so useless? I left them, flat out ran away, away from the person I loved, the people I cared for.
A crash came from the clearing behind me. Screams of pain rang through the air and then... then there was that laugh. The laugh of the demon I left me friends to deal with. My love had been consumed by him, and when that happened I ran away. I couldn't stand to look in those pitch black eyes, look at his evil grin.
So I ran into the forest, trying to block out my friends desperate cries. Blood trickled down from my head where I had been thrown after the demon had been released. As I ran I had my zanpaktoe in my hand, just incase my will to live was against me.
Then in a gust of wind was a voice. The voice was old and ancient and it broke into me, southing my insanity. The owner of the voice was my beloved's zanpaktoe, Zengetsu.
The voice asked me a simple and forward question, a question I didn't suspect to be asked.
"Do you love him?" Zengetsu's voice was calm and focused.
The question surprised me; I stood there, motionless, as the question rang through my ears.
He asked again, more firmly than before.
I nodded, not being able to do anything more.
"Then why do you run?" on his last word he appeared in front of me.
I backed away with uncertainty.
Zengetsu was old and worn; his long black hair flowed in the immobile night. His image fascinated me, nut this was no time to be gawking.
I answered his question stubbornly, "Because, there's nothing that I can do." Instead of sounding real about my decision, my words came out unsure and shaky.
Tears started to stream down my face as my words were repeated in my head. "Nothing I can do, nothing I can do..."
"You will never know until you try..." his voice trailed off as he gazed off into the distance where yet another explosion occurred.
I heard my friends' screams and cries. My face turned helplessly to Zengetsu and asked desperately, "What can I do? What can I do?!" My tears stung my face.
He turned back to me, his face holding no expression. "Try," those words were his last and he vanished.
"What do you mean 'try'?!" I yelled into the still night, hoping for an answer. Unable to hold up my weight in my distress I fell to my knees. I sobbed; I wiped away the tears with my muddy arms. Then I cried out, "I'm so weak my try would seem pitiful."
In that moment, like an answer to my desperation I heard his voice.
If saving you or anyone calls me to break the rules then that's what I'll do, cause' sometimes you gotta just go with your instincts. And theirs is definitely nothing that would stop me from rescuing you guys. After all, you and the others would do the same. I'm not going to hold back, when I know you guys wouldn't either.
It was like he was there, repeating those words of courage. The thought of never seeing him or hearing him again made my body cringe with pain; I shook it off and I stood. I turned back to the explosions, No more, I'm not going to accept this anymore! With my energy returning I raced back to the battle. I'm coming, please wait just a little longer.
He jumped into the air, robe whistling through the air as he went down on his next target. His eyes were black, pupil's almond. He grinned widely, so evilly. Then he yelled out, "Getsuga Tenshou!!!!" A crescent of black light went flying downward, heading toward a man who stood motionless, with sherry blossoms surrounding him.
"Zenbon Zakura," his voice was calm, but on an obvious edge. The cherry blossoms, razor sharp, protected him from the lethal blow and went after the no named hollow.
The hollow laughed a treacherous laugh and disappeared, reappearing behind the man.
The mans eyes widened in horror.
"A terrible way to end a life so noble, don't ya think, Byakuya-Taichou?" the hollows voice was icy and echoed through out the clearing they fought in. He raised Zengetsu to end the noble's life.
I burst out of the bushes into the clearing and saw a horrible sight. Divisions six, seven, ten, and thirteen, lay still on the ground. The tears were coming back. I looked over and saw Byakuya's situation and yelled out, "No!!!!!" I raced forward. The hollow looked at me.
Someone grabbed my foot at that instant; I looked down horrified to find Renji.
"Kaira," his voice was raspy, "You have to stop him.
I bent down to Renji, "I'm so sorr-"
He cut me off, "Don't be, just finish this, if anyone can it's you," he closed his eyes and breathed deeply. "Hurry."
The tears flowed harder now, Why was everyone telling me this?!" I had no time to think, the hollow was at my side, he left Byakuya, and lifted me into the air. "What are you doing here?" his voice was cold.
I summoned with strength and released myself from his grip. After I yelled, "Give him back!"
The hollow's face twisted, but only for a second, then it went back to his evil glare. "Who?" he began to lift my face, closing in on me.
I backed away. "Ichigo, give Ichigo back!!!!" My feelings were bottling inside me, I wanted Ichigo, and if I didn't get him back, I felt as though I would explode.
The hollows expression contorted. The he looked at me with his deadly glare. "He's gone, forget him."
My heart wouldn't believe him. On instinct my head shook in defiance and lifted my zanpaktoe, ready to put it in its released state, but something told me that, that wouldn't help. I looked around me and saw Hitsugaya, Renji, Uryuu, and everyone else was on the ground and to my surprise, they were all still alive.
My focus went back to the hollow, "Why didn't you kill them?" Though everyone was still alive, my heart kept breaking. They had fought so hard and reached now where.
The hollow's facial expression twisted again, turning angry, but showed no sign of answering my question. He started to close the space between us again. "Just forget them." His expression surprised me; he looked like he wanted to cry. "Just forget about them and come back to me.
My mind raced as the memories of me and him came back to me. I didn't want to remember, but they all kept coming. The week we had spent together was a mistake. The hollow had taken over Ichigo and ran away from Soul Society. On his term away, he met me. I took care of him, not knowing anything about his past. I had grown exceptionally close to him and I think him to me as well. Though, I was always alert around him. Something about that boy scared me, it wasn't his black eyes or his pale skin, it wasn't his voice either, but there was always something that kept me on edge. There was no way to locate it and it wasn't until he left did I figure out what it was. After the week was up, he left, no note, no good-bye. And it wasn't until a week later did I meet Ichigo. What had scared me about the boy was the killing intent that constantly spewed out of him, no matter how tender he seemed to have sometimes been.
The hollow saw the defiance in my eyes and turned away. Back up was coming, Zaraki's division. The hollow would have to flee soon, his reitsu was running low.
I thought for a moment, my next statement came muffled. "...ove me... en... back."
"What?" his voice was rushed.
"I said," my voice went back down, "If you love me, then change back.
He looked at me, surprised then to hide what he was feeling he turned bewildered. "I am no idiot woman! I need no love, nor do I love!" he laughed and it rang through out there area.
"But the pain in your eyes," I reached up to his face and wiped away a stray tear. In my next line I used the name I had called him before, "Ogichi, please... I love him," my voice was low when I said the hollows name. My hand started to leave his face, but Ogichi held it in place.
My heart froze, then skipped two beat. I felt my chest swell and it became hard to breath. Ogichi led my hand from his cheek to his nose, then to his mouth. He kissed my hand.
"But you met me first," he grabbed my other hand and pulled me closer.
Why couldn't I move? How did it turn out like this? I'm supposed to be saving Ichigo, not being seduced by his hollow.
Zaraki's division was coming closer and if I didn't do something then, with his last bit of reitsu, Ogichi would kill them all. But I was mesmerized, my hearts told me no, but my body wanted other wise.
"Ogichi, stop," my body was limp in his arms as he went for my neck.
"Tell me why," as he spoke, his breath tickled against my neck. My legs gave way and I started to fall, Ogichi lifted me into his arms.
I felt like a child, a useless child.
Voices broke into the clearing.
"He has Kaira!" it was Ikakku's voice I heard first.
"Give it up!" the second voice was Yumichika's.
My eyes almost popped out of my head, were they trying to get killed?!
I concentrated back on Ogichi, who was beginning to set me down and turned to Zaraki's group.
"Ogichi no!" I screamed loudly as if he was far away.
Ogichi stopped again, "I'll finish this fast and return soon. I promise their deaths will be fast and painless."
No, no! I yelled to myself. My legs were still limp, my hearts raced. If this goes on any longer, Ogichi would win everything, including my heart. With my last bust of hope, I jumped up using shumpo to stop him. I was in front of him and driving only on instinct, I wrapped my arms around Ogichi. "Ichigo, if you can here me come back!"
"You fool!" Ogichi went to grab me, "He's gone, I told you!" Ogichi gripped my kimono and flung me aside. "Now just be good and wait for me."
What could I do? I was out of options. What could I do to save everyone and get Ichigo back?
Zengetsu's words came back to me.
"Do you love him?" I had said it earlier, but so faintly. Was I ashamed? Was it only half hearted? Of did I love Ogichi more? NO! I love Ichigo. As I debated with myself, Ogichi closed in on Zaraki.
Instinct started to kick in again and my words at first were muffled. "... ve... m" I couldn't even hear myself speak. Louder, "I... love him." Who? "Ichigo." My faint whispers seemed to have reached Ogichi, because his ear flickered, but he did not stop. "I love him!" I screamed louder. "I love Ichigo!" Ogichi stopped in his tracks for the third time.
Then it dawned on me that I was directing the fact that I loved Ichigo to Ogichi, not Ichigo. Could he not hear my in his slumber?
A memory wavered through my mind.
I was at Ichigo's window, tapping on it to wake him up. It was like Ichigo was deaf, because he wouldn't budge. I became angry and yelled his name. Ichigo woke up and smiled. When I asked him why he wouldn't get up he said, "For all I know that could have been a bug. I'm not just going to wake up unless I know for sure that someone is calling me."
I almost laughed at my own stupidity, but I couldn't, I was too weak, so instead I yelled literally screaming, "Ichigo! Ichigo come back!" I was bent over, hands in fists, tears streaming down my face.
"Please come back, Ichigo!" When was the last time I screamed you name? When was the last time I lost sleep thinking of you? When was the last time I told you "I love you! Please come back! I'm calling you so come back!"
Ogichi was snaring, it looked like he was saying something, but I wouldn't allow myself to hear it.
"It's time to wake up, do you not hear her calling you? Zengetsu stood over what seemed like a pile of rags.
The pile rustled, "Who?"
"Her."
"Who's her?" a head started to become visible.
"..." Zengetsu was talking, but his voice did not reach the boy.
"I can't hear you," the boy started to submerge to listen to the man.
"Listen, don't you hear her mournful cries?" Zengetsu looked up. "Listen, listen Ichigo."
Ichigo looked up and saw through Ogichi's eyes.
"Kaira?! What's wrong with her? Why is she-?"
"Listen," was the only thing that came from Zengetsu mouth at first, then he continued, "Focus your ears, close your eyes."
Ichigo obeyed as he worked on taking back his ears. He first heard Yumichika and Zaraki. It sounded like they were yelling after Kaira. Then like a muffled whisper, came Kaira.
"What-?" Ichigo squinted trying hard to make out what she was saying.
"Ichigo!" her words rang vibrantly though his ears. "Come back! Please, I love you!"
Then there was a scream, Ogichi was attacking Kaira.
"No!" Ichigo yelled and fought subconsciously. "Leave her alone, no-name!"
On the outside my screams were blood curdling. Ogichi was holding me by the neck.
"Don't make me do this Kaira! Keep that pretty little mouth of yours shut!"
"Ichi... Ichigo!" I fought for air.
Ogichi raised his fist.
"NO!" Ichigo's voice tore through Ogichi's thoughts. "Leave her alone!" Ogichi dropped me and held his head.
I watched light headed as Ichigo fought for control. Behind Ogichi were divisions two and four.
The last thing I remember was a burst of massive reitsu and being held by loving arms. I started drifting off knowing that my try was successful. I would be overjoyed, if it wasn't for the last words that Ogichi spoke before he disappeared.
I was warm and more importantly I was safe.
I wasn't sure if I should open my eyes or wait for someone to call my name, but I wanted to see Ichigo. My eyes opened and I was in a room with a few other beds like mine.
"You're awake?" I was hoping it was Ichigo's voice I heard, but it was too feminine.
"Isane-san?!" Lieutenant Isane?" I went to sit up to show my respect, but my head pinged with pain. Isane gently pushed me back.
"You should continue resting," Isane smiled.
"But... but Ichigo?" I pouted like a child.
"He won't be able to see you anymore today, visiting hours are over."
"Anymore?"
"Yes, 'anymore,' ever since you blacked out Ichigo had been in here as long as possible, waiting for you to awake."
"How long was I out?" I was afraid of the answer.
"Seven day," Isane almost whispered, obviously realizing it could be bad to answer.
Tears whelmed in my eyes. "Seven days?!" I dragged out the last word. "So long with out Ichigo? I wanna see him"
Now, Kaira-chan, let's be reasonable-"
I cut her off with my raving, "I ... WANNA... SEE!!"
"Kaira-chan," Isane looked annoyed.
The there was a crash outside, then yelling.
"Don't give me that crap! I just heard her scream for me! Let go!"
"Kurosaki-san, please, visiting hours are over!"
"She's awake though, let me see her!" Let go Izuru, Momo!"
My head perked up at his voice and like a baby bird, I cried out his name, "Ichigo!"
There was another crash and soon after the door swung open, almost off its hinges and Ichigo came puffing in.
"Kaira..."
I was surprised, then I smiled. "Ichigo-kun!"
Ichigo looked at Isane and Isane stood sighing, "You have 10 minutes." She left without another word.
I lifted my arms up to the ceiling and wriggled my fingers, looking at Ichigo.
"I'm coming," he padded over and bent over to me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he eased me into his arms. "How do you feel?"
"Okay now," I snuggled in his chest.
He was warm and his robe soft. Ichigo smelt clean, unlike me, who smelled of hospital. He cradled me in his arms and I was happy, it's just that the last words of Ogichi spoke to me left me uneasy.
"I love you," were his words and they pained my heart, because he sounded like he meant it
The end