((AN: Big cliffhanger last time, but I'm resolving it tonight. And it's official; the pairing for this is set, and the poll is closed. Couldn't you just feel the love in the last chapter?))
I closed my eyes as the bright light of this blue bastard's attack blinded me, even through the lids.
"Fuck off, pound-me-in-the-ass blue hair."
___
Right as I felt the white-hot feeling of the attack begin to sear my skin, the world went off kilter and I slammed into the ground, the building behind me getting a new blast hole through it. I stared down to my shoulder; oh wonder-fucking-ful, there was a hole in my shoulder. I didn't particularly care right now, instead watching Kurosaki and the bastard square off over me. Apparently, Kurosaki attacked and forced the bastard to let go of me, but the attack didn't miss as completely as I'd have liked. I just watched, watched Kurosaki get his ass handed to him almost as completely as I did.
Right as Bastard was about to draw his sword, and after Kurosaki did a stunning (I'd be more stunned if I wasn't woozy from blood loss by now) attack, some weird black thingie, a new guy with techno rave or Star Trek glasses, dreadlocks, and what looked like a skirt uniform thing showed up out of nowhere and apparently reigned in Bastard. I couldn't hear what was said from way down on the ground, and as far back as I was. They turned to go, and Kurosaki yelled at them. I rolled onto my stomach, staring up at it all. I heard the name; I heard it well. I heard Bastard start talking shit again, and look down to Kurosaki and I. That man the most insane grin as he spoke his name, barked it out to the both of us. I know he must have looked at me at least once, because I got that feeling of a white-hot glare on my face.
"Grimmjow Jeagerjaques!"
He had a name other than Bastard. Dammit, I'd have to call him by name now.
"Remember my name, because the next time you hear it, you're dead meat, shinigami! And your fuckin' whore, too!"
I heard my nickname and spat, growling at him as he left.
"FUCK YOU!!!" I managed to shout, seeing one last glance to me as the gap in the sky closed like jaws. He was gone, and Abarai came staggering up to Kurosaki. Was I ignored? I think so. Dammit. They talked about something, Kurosaki seemed to get all emo, and then he seemed to remember that I existed. Right about then, I was halfway through passing out from blood loss again. Please, whatever God could possibly exist, don't let them take me to the Shoten.
The environment flickered out of view and I laid my head on my forearms, closing my eyes. Die or not, I wanted to sleep now.
"…What?!" I heard someone yell, as I woke up on something soft. Something musty, that smelled familiar. FUCKING DAMMIT THEY TOOK ME TO THE SHOTEN. I reached up to my head; someone had healed my injuries. I was just supposed to be sleeping now. And from the tone of voice outside my door, someone was pissed.
"I told you, she ran out on my gigai and Orihime to go fight the Arrancar-" Matsumoto's voice spoke in an attempt to soothe a bad situation. Oh great, it was about me. A hand was laid to my face, as a musty cover was jerked over my head. Damn Urahara should have made the walls thicker.
"She's a moron! We could barely take them, and some human kid thinks she's bad enough to go toe-to-toe with the one that-" I could hear Madarame right through the wall. The mudslinging was ignored, albeit pissily. I was damn tired.
"Shut up! Alright, we know she's a moron, but next time one of us is gonna keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't go and get killed." Oh, damn these people. Damn them to hell. Especially you, Rukia.
"…Alright." Urahara's voice sounded, and the room fell silent.
"She won't leave the Shoten from now on, unless there's a guard with her. Inju is from a rough background; she thinks she can handle anything. Well, she can't. We're going to have to remind her that she's not going to run the show and put herself and us in danger."
FUCK. THAT. SHIT. I was already getting dressed silently, seeing that Orihime's nice shirt was ruined and that all I had was some of Yoruichi's clothes, I got changed into that and looked around for an escape route. A small window was up, above me. It would be a tight squeeze, but I'd be able to make it if I tried. With the smallest of 'Hup!'s, I jumped up towards the window and succeeded in getting a good hold on it. Working my repaired fingers under it, I opened it but with a loud squeak. Damn old windows. I pushed it open hurried, now ignoring the sound note as footsteps came quickly to the door. As I threw it open with haste and pulled myself through, I heard the door open and a cry of me running off or something. I ignored it, kicking through the window and gripping the few things I had in their trash bag. I think someone almost got my ankle as I pushed through, but they must have lost hold because I was free and running my ass off. Someone yelled about being overheard, but I didn't pay attention and kept on running.
These people, they'd tried to cage me too. Call me selfish…fuck, call me a self-absorbed thug who won't let anyone else close, but I…that was the one thing I wouldn't let anyone do anymore. I know what happens to people that get caught in something way too big for themselves; they get cut out of the plan. Nixed. Killed. I knew so much already; it was only a matter of time until they decided I was too much of a risk and decided to kill me. I mean, they were all trained killers. They wouldn't have a problem taking me down, would they? Just another brat who knows too much for her own good. That's Inju Zetsumei. That's me. Someone who just got in too deep, and got in too much for her own sake.
I kept running, my few possessions on my back as I did. Where could I possibly go? Not Falling Apartments; they evicted me. Not the Urahara Shoten; they were going to kill me, I was sure of it. Call it paranoia. I've got a good enough reason to have it too. HE got involved with something bigger than him, and where is HE now? Six fucking feet under, that's where. Not Orihime's house; she'd take me back once she found out, if she wasn't chasing me down right now. I didn't have a home anymore. Nowhere. And I didn't even have a gang to crash with, like when Mom decided to get too rough for my tastes back in Kyoto. I was alone here.
I came to a slow stop, right in front of the crash scene from earlier. Where I'd gotten my ass kicked, and lost my hands. Glad enough to have them back; I wished I could have thanked Orihime. I turned and kept walking, eventually finding my way to the school. It must have been four or five in the morning, but I didn't care. From the back of the building, I used the window ledges to climb up to the roof, some help from trees as well. Tomorrow…today was Saturday, that meant I had the weekend to crash on the roof and then maybe go rot in a sewer somewhere. It didn't matter; anywhere that I could sleep. Anywhere they wouldn't find me, at least for a little while. If my reiatsu was so completely restricted, then they couldn't find me all that easily as long as I didn't let it out in any kind of burst. That'd depend on if a hollow could get to the roof or not.
Dropping onto the roof, I curled in a corner of the railing, away from prying eyes but where I could watch the sunrise. I laid there for a long time, I think, because when I was done watching the sun rise, the sky was tinged with tendrils of deep pink and purples and blues. How long had it been since I was awake at this hour, just staring at the sky? I don't know. Too long. Entirely too long.
The cold chill of six A.M. air bit at my face as I dug into the trash bag, grabbing at a pack of smokes. I did both chew and smokes, one or the other. Depends on if I felt like sucking on something tasteless or felt like spearmint. I just wanted to get rid of the headache right now, and I knew that smoking would calm my nerves. Even for a moment. I lit up and took the longest drag of my life, leaning against the railing and staring off at the dawn. At the beautiful sunrise painting the sky.
"The talk of the town is she's goin' down. I'm sorry but the party's over." I stated to myself in a slight musical tone, smoke blowing out with my words. A part from one of the songs I liked. A moment of continued staring, another puff of smoke.
"Is there anywhere more down than where I am?" I queried nobody at all, rubbing out my smoke and getting a new one. Oh well, if I got lung cancer and died, now I know what to look forward to after I die. A new, hard life just like this one. Maybe I can get into Zaraki's company and kick asses for fun. If Aizen doesn't nuke everything before I get the chance, of course.
"Hsss…" I blew out the smoke, between my teeth before taking another drag and speaking with the smoke in my words.
"Nah. I don't think we ever had a party to end."
The silence stretched on for an eternity, it felt like. I loved it, the serenity. Now that I look back on it, I think that was some sort of odd precognition. Somehow, I knew that I wouldn't have a moment like this for a very long time, if at all. And with one word, it all shattered like glass.
"Onna."
A chilling voice cut behind me. What the fuck, I didn't hear anyone coming up. Turning around, I met the eyes of something I immediately knew was possibly the worst thing to see. I could just feel it.
Short black hair, and bright emerald eyes were the first things I saw. That, and the two green tear streaks going down his cheeks from his eyes. His skin was pale white, and the remnants of what looked like a helmet sat on top of his head. By the outfit and what little reiatsu I could sense. This was another Arrancar. And his next words made the cigarette drop from my mouth like a cement block.
"Onna. Woman, if you prefer. You will be escorted to Aizen-sama's domain, Las Noches."
_______
the cameras are gone
and nobody screams
she couldn't survive her fifteen minutes of fame
her friends are all gone,
she's going insane
she'll never survive without the money and fame
it's all going down the drain..
_______
((AN: Cliffhanger again! Yes, the Aizen kidnapping is a little cliché, but I had to. And now, I have another dilemma. We have the Inju pairing. But I need help with the Orihime pairing now. Stuck between Ulquiorra and Ichigo, and I can't pick. A little bit of help, dear readers? Next chapter out tomorrow probably, tonight if I'm feeling insanely motivated or something. By the way, I don't own Bleach and the song parts are from Hollywood Whore by Papa Roach. It fits Inju creepily, to me at least. Toodles!!))
