"Ichigo!"
"Shit, what just happened?"
"I don't know! Someone, go grab-"
I blinked slowly. The Reapers words faded in and out, muffled as though coming in through static. Absently I stood, unnoticed in the sudden chaos. Brushed off the dirt from my skirt and legs. I walked to the ladder and began to climb up. Cold, unfeeling. Static. I didn't even feel the splinters as my fingers dug into the old wood and ripped away. No, wait… I actually felt that. But again, muffled. Barely there.
I reached the top and flung open the trap door, ignoring the red handprint I left there. The two kids watched from their spot by the door. I wonder how much of a monster I resembled as I walked past them, through the shop and out the door. Their protests didn't even make a blip on my radar.
One foot after another. The sun was making its descent, though still spread a little warmth on the town. I didn't really feel it. Fuck, what was wrong with me? It was like I was stuck inside my head, pounding on the invisible doors that led to… something. I don't know. Still nothing.
I hope I'm not stuck like this. That would suck.
A familiar one story building loomed in the distance, the windows reflecting the light to make strange shapes on the ground. Girls in tights and leotards cradling duffle bags left in groups of two or three from the double doors, waving goodbye to the tall english woman against the wall. When they saw me they stared, whispered, and edged around me. I just looked at their feet as they departed.
The woman raised an eyebrow as I walked towards her. "Can I- Hey, what happened to your hands?" I stared at her blankly before raising my arms, palms up for her inspection. It was kinda gross, to be honest, so I just looked at the ground between my feet. She gasped and cursed in english. "Come on in and I'll take a look at 'em." She grabbed my wrist and tugged me inside. It was all I could do not to stumble.
Erica Morgan. My dance teacher. She had been coaching me in the art for as long as I could remember. It would make sense that I would go to her in a time of great distress. She'd always helped me before when I needed it.
Erica led me through familiar halls of pale blue. Stray ballet shoes littered the floor as well as leg wrappings discarded for new ones. I noted that her office, messy and disorganized, was still in the same place as she left me outside the door to grab an even more familiar first aid kit. Again she grabbed my wrist and led me into a mirrored room. "My office is a bit too cluttered," she explained. "Just take a seat here. I'm going to get a rag."
I didn't sit as she left the room. Instead I walked alongside the mirror, careful not to touch it with my hands. My reflection stared back at me, drowning in Ichigo's jacket with just an inch of my school skirt visible beneath it. When I reached the far wall I turned and started back. My hair looked clean and neat, a little longer. My fingers went up to play with the strands, only to frown as red stained the ends. My eyes were probably the only clue to my state. Clouded, angry, sad, desperate. It amazes me how much emotion a single gaze could contain still today. In the mirror was a girl who in the span of a few months lost everything.
Erica came back in, a bowl and a white rag in her hands. "Hey, come sit over here." I obeyed, again careful not to touch anything. I'd cleaned this room too many times to even think about it. She took one of my hands and tutted, twisting it this way and that. "What did you do, girl? Molest a tree?" My lips twitched.
Dabbing the end of the rag in the water she began to softly stroke my palms. They had stopped bleeding, mostly, and the cloth quickly turned maroon. When the lines of my hand were visible she opened the first aid kit and took out a pair of tweezers. "This is gonna hurt," she warned. Then she went to work, pulling out slivers of wood ranging from a few centimeters to the size of a toothpick. Again she wiped down my hand, careful, careful. Then she started on my other palm, washing and rinsing. Then picking and tweezing. Not a word was said all the while.
Out came the tube of disinfectant and she smothered it generously on my hands and fingers. Then she took the gauze and started by wrapping my wrist a few times and going up. When my whole hand was covered, she cut a length of gauze into strips and wrapped my abused fingers. Erica repeated the process on my other hand. I watched with a growing sense of doom in my belly. The invisible doors in my mind started to crack.
"There!" Erica sighed, looking extremely pleased with herself. I lifted my hands for examination, twisting this way and that. Pretty good job, considering she usually bandaged ankles. The instructor stood and stretched, popping her back before grabbing her supplies. "I'll be right back." Again she departed.
I sat there for a minute, resisting the urge to play with my cloth wrapped hands. When she returned I was still in the same spot, staring at my fingers. Her gaze was kind and soft. "So…" She began, leaning against the door jam. When I didn't respond, she decided to try a different tactic. "You dance, don't you?" My head twisted to her in surprise. Erica just laughed. "I can tell. Dancers got a look about them." Her head tilted to the side as she observed me. I didn't want to know what she saw.
"... I'll tell you what." She dug her hand into her pocket and tossed something at me. I barely managed to catch it, and opened my hand up to see a key. I looked back into her smiling face. "I'm heading home. Musics by the stereo, shoes in the hall. Just lock up when you're done."
Fuck.
What?
My expression must not have looked confused enough, because she didn't explain. Just… walked out the door to her office. Erica only popped her head in once more with a firm, 'don't steal anything' before she walked out. The door gave a jingle as she slid out into the dim evening.
Then I was alone.
My cheek met my shoulder as I sighed. Erica had always been a strange one. But… if I really thought about it, I wasn't surprised. She was always doing kind things like this. Stupid but kind. Which was Erica in a nutshell.
I slid off my shoes and stood, making my way obediently to the stereo. I flipped through countless CDs, some I recognized, others I didn't. However, I finally settled on a set that I remembered from one of my very first dance recitals. The moves were still ingrained into my brain, and I stepped to the center of the room as the piano chords began to ring.
Then I moved.
Simple moves, one that a young girl could easily memorize and perform. But a soothing ritual nonetheless. A little bit of warmth swelled back up inside of me, thawing out the ice I was trapped in. Song after song played and I didn't stop. It was a peaceful retreat that I didn't realized I needed. The sun disappeared and the blackness seeped into the sky, but I was safe here in my little bubble. At least for now.
Elsewhere
He sighed, gazed narrowed dangerously at his companions. Well, he wouldn't call them that. Something a lot less than such a friendly term as companion. "I assume no one was detected, right?"
"Of course not," Shawlong snorted. If Grimmjow didn't know any better, he would have thought the Numero was offended. "Anyway, there seems to be several entities in the area that are showing noticeable reiatsu that were not included in Ulquiorra's report."
Fuck it all. "Damn!" He growled, standing. Of course. Just their fucking luck. Why was he even surprised? "Let's do our Pesquisa." Everyone gave a nod and as one they all closed their eyes. A kaleidoscope of colors in the form of little balls of flame lit up the darkness and Grimmjow counted them out with a growing sense of annoyance. "Just as I thought," he drawled. "There are more now! The chances of them having reinforcements are high… Be careful." Blue eyes focused on his five fraccion. "This operation might get complicated."
But that only seemed to excite them. The feeling hit him as well, and the smile that crawled onto his face couldn't be considered human. "Dei Roi, Shawlong, Edorado, Ilfort, Nakim… it's time." He turned, hands in his pockets, the distinct color of his own reiatsu fluctuating with his mood. "I don't care who they are, if they show even a bit of reiatsu, we just kill 'em." The air was thick with tension, excitement, lethal intent. "Kill 'em all." With a nod they shot off like rockets, each to a different location. Grimmjow just grinned. It was time to find a little thing of his own-
Wait.
A little blinking light in his mind turned him eastward. Grimmjow sniffed, suddenly hesitant. However, as soon as he recognized the caution, he barked a laugh. Him? Cautious? Ulquiorra would actually crack a smile! He danced on the balls of his heels before also disappearing with a single crack. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe it was everything. But there was a little ball of light that didn't belong, and the sexta espada was determined to investigate.
After all, he had a few hours to kill.
Back With Kaede
The floor was surprisingly comfortable. So comfortable that I didn't even notice the jingle of the front door. Or the soft, barely there footsteps. With closed eyes and arms spread wide, I just basked in the ringing silence that came after the music finished. The CD still hummed as it twirled in the stereo. It reminded me of bees swarming, hugging close to each other as they prepared to fly off into the unknown.
I wouldn't mind flying off into the unknown right about now. A nagging voice in the back of my head reminded me of how selfish I was being - Tensa was gone, Ichigo wasn't Ichigo, and Hichigo was totally unconscious after flying out of his brothers mouth. And I was here. Doing nothing.
"Huh. Didn' think this was what I was seeing."
My heart stopped. I kept my eyes closed. Didn't move. Oh my god, I was being pretty cool about this, wasn't I? Must have something do with not really caring.
I heard the footsteps then as he (whoever he was) stepped farther into the room, going behind my head. It came closer and closer until they stopped right next to me. I couldn't stop myself. I opened my eyes.
And screamed.
The man with the blue hair gave a hiss (a hiss? Really?) and leapt away from me, teeth bared. "Fuckin' bitch! What the hell's wrong with ya?!" He demanded.
"What's wrong with me?! What's wrong with you? Did you know it's super creepy to be standing over a person like that? God dammit!"
"You think somethings wrong with me? You wanna go, bitch?!"
"Stop calling me that, you crazy psycho bastard!"
"Ya have no right to tell me to stop callin' ya bitch when ya keep callin' me bastard!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
I stared at him. He stared at me. In hindsight, he was really attractive. Considering how I couldn't hold a conversation with any handsome shirtless man, I was a bit pleased. He was strangely dressed, but I wouldn't complain seeing how it showed off his fantastic 12 pac. Okay, not 12, but it was so… so… I needed a bucket to contain my drool.
However, the expression of confusion and anger on his face only marred his handsome features… which was partly covered in bone. My eyebrows drew together in confusion. What the fuck? "Why aren't I killin' ya?" He demanded.
I blinked. "Wha?" I really wasn't in any mental state to be answering questions.
"I should be guttin' you right about now! But I'm not. What did you do to me?"
I guwaffed. "Why would you be killing me? Why!?" I fell back to the floor. "Why does everyone seem to be planning my imminent doom?" My head lifted up. "Do you normally kill people you've just met?"
It was his turn to blink. "Usually, ya."
"Ah. So you're that kind of person."
His blue eyes narrowed into a vicious stare. "Excuse me?" He stalked towards me, figure menacing, and I watched with wide eyes as his fist descended towards my face at a rapid velocity.
And stopped.
Centimeters from my nose his fist trembled. The man's face was a mixture of shock and a boiling anger that made me want to cry in fear. He lurched forward, putting all his weight into the outstretched limb, but it wouldn't move any closer. When he realized this, he pulled back with a snarl. "What the hell is wrong with you?" He demanded. I didn't answer. I was stuck. He began to pace back and forth like an angry wolf, shoulders hunched and gaze piercing. My silence continued and he scoffed. "Fine," he snarled. "I'll just-"
He stopped mid sentence and jerked, head twisting to look behind him. I followed his gaze but only saw the wall. Though I was dying to know what he was looking at, I didn't dare speak. Please ignore me, I'm not here. The man gave another snarl and started to leave. I curled up into a ball, hoping he would forget about me.
However, I think we all know by now I'm not that lucky.
I screamed as he gripped me by the hoodie, jerking me close to him. "Fucking Dei Roi," He seethed, mumbling under his breathe. I only had a moment to grab onto his wrist when he was running. Like… walking on air, leaping through trees, full on Tarzan shit. And I screamed all the while, legs kicking, fingernails scraping at his wrist.
"Let me go! Let me go!"
"Do you want me to drop you and watch ya splatter on the pavement? Cause I will, curious or no," he growled, shaking me. When I didn't answer, he started moving again. "Good. I got questions, and you got answers, and hell I'm gonna figure this out."
I shut up and closed my eyes.
When the wind stopped rushing and everything seemed to slow, I hesitantly opened my eyes. Unlike my kidnapper (Not Toshiro), I couldn't stand on fucking air, so I was hanging limply by the hood of Ichigo's jacket. My legs tucked into my chest as I dangled like a kitten in his grasp.
Below me was Ichigo and Rukia.
"What?" My kidnapper drawled. My eyes again shut as I withheld a whimper. I swear to God, if he dropped me I was going to go batshit on his ass. "Dei Roi's killers still here and waitin' around? You won't get out of this. I'll kill both of you!" My cry was drowned out by his next, loud declaration. "I'm the sexta Espada, Grimmjow! Remember that, Soul Reapers!"
"You touch a hair on his head and I will fucking beat you! I'll rip you apart! Don't even-"
He lifted me up to eye level and gave me an evil stare. "You'll what, little girl?"
"Kaede!" Ichigo shouted up at me, brandishing a long sword. Pfft. Long sword. Oh my god, I was making a joke about penis sizes. At a time like this.
Maybe Grimmjow should have dropped me.
The Arrancar (for I am intelligent enough to connect the dots) began walking to the ground as though down a set of stairs. "Ah, you know this girl?" He drawled, shaking me back and forth. I gave my own snarl and raked my fingernails against the skin of his wrist. Fifteen feet from the ground, he let me go.
I screamed. I didn't mean it! I didn't want him to drop me! Oh god I was going to die and break my legs and- However, instead of concrete, I fell into a pair of warm, familiar arms. I wrapped my arms around Ichigo's neck as he jumped back to Rukia's side. "Are you okay?" He asked, one hand coming up to my cheek. Shivering, I pushed his searching limb away. "What's wrong with your hands? Did he hurt you?"
"Ichigo," Rukia said quietly. "Focus."
For the first time since… well, ever, I struggled to get out of Ichigo's embrace. He reluctantly released me, and I fell to the ground in a heap. Grimmjow laughed. "So, here is how it's gonna go," he said. "I'm gonna kill you both. Then I'm dragging that little girls sorry ass back with me for a little bit of questioning." His teeth gleamed as he smiled ferally. "How about that? Now." He touched down to the ground. "Which one of you is stronger?"
No answer.
"Didn't ya hear me? I'm asking you which of you two is the stronger one?!"
Rukia turned to us. "Ichigo! Get Kaede out of here and go-"
Then a fist was through her stomach.
"Hmm," the espada said disinterestedly. "Definitely not you." He shook her off as though she was nothing and she collapsed into a heap on the ground. Red blood pooled out of her mouth.
Images flooded my brain. Feelings, emotions, memories. Blade, throat, scalpel, Ah, subject 4, how delightful to see you, blood, choking, can't breathe, Kaede!
Can't breathe.
"Rukia!" Ichigo was yelling. He was so loud. So I lifted my hands to cover my ears. But I could still hear Grimmjows laughter. Sword met skin as Ichigo swung his sword. The man blocked it with his hand, looking for all the world like he didn't even notice. After only a second of what appeared to be intense, man to man eye contact, Ichigo was flung backwards into the air. Somehow he landed and skidded against the air, standing above me.
"Oi! You takin' me lightly, Shinigami?" Grimmjow drawled lazily. "I don't feel like killin' ya when you're just like that." One hand went to run through his wild blue hair. "Give it all you got and come straight for me. Let's see your bankai! If you don't, then just like that torn up shinigami over there… I'll rip a hole in you too!" He pointed a finger at me, his grin firmly back in place. "And then she's next!"
"You bastard," Ichigo seethed.
I pressed my hands harder against my ears. My reiatsu bracelet began to rattle and shake as Ichigo said one work.
"Bankai."
Then the world exploded into a flurry of movement as Ichigo attacked. I closed my eyes and pulled my knees up into my chest.
I waited for it to end.
Only two reviews…? D8 Did I do something wrong?
Gjkldf;jsakfj ds gosh guys I don't think my self esteem can take it.
Regardless, here is the long awaited chapter 10! Unfortunately I probably won't be able to update for a while, seeing how I'm participating in NaNoWriMo. However I'll try and work on it a little bit, but chances are slim for an update.
As for what happened (and this will be explained ICCly as well) is that seeing how Ichigo, Ichigo #2, Hichigo, and Tensa all technically share the same soul, when they met in one universe they were compelled to mesh together. There couldn't be two souls in the same plane.
Hence, boop! There they go.
Umm as to any other questions, ask away? As to why Grimmjow can't hurt Kaede, that seems a bit obvious to me. It has to do with her being the host for the Hogyoku. And seeing how he can't stand not knowing/understanding, he dragged her with him.
And where the fuck is Hichigo?
That will come up later as well c:
Review Responses
xxrxuxsxtxyx; Here is your update! Hope its okay ;~; I'm all nervous now cause… no reviewers… sobs
skyfire101; IS THIS A GOOD 'WHAT JUST HAPPENED' OR A BAD ONE? Either way, I hope you liked this chapter and you review again! c:
HELP WANTED - I need a beta for my story. Anyone interested? c:
Anyway, love you all ~
Calloniel