Disclaimer; I don't own Bleach. Nuff said.
Spirit glanced at spirit, not wanting to break the silence that held them. Two had tried and failed, Wabisuke shivered.
Tobiume had not returned.
I will go.
Four spirits watched, slightly amused by the defeated tone the words had gained.
She clung to the girl, the onset of a cold wind only making her tighten her grip. He was coming closer.
A roar, a thud, and then there was something there, guarding the small shinigami against the shard of light that threatened to destroy her.
Leave now, Kyouka Suigetsu.
Angry. He was angry, and the light looked at the dragon in amusement. "You should have died too. I really made a mess of that day! To think you both survived and continue to struggle against this... But I suppose that makes today even better for me!" A low chuckle, matched by a low growl, and the tail came up to brush aside the form. Hinamori shook as trees threatened to give way, clinging to the sprite in return.
The light remained though, grinning, laughing at the dragons' attempt. "You. You have always surprised me. Choosing a weak hearted boy like that, standing in my way... I would rather you than Shinsou, you know. But no matter. You sold yourself to the lowest bidder, a boy with no real potential because he wastes it all."
Enough! He wastes nothing.
Anger rolled off him in waves, more impressive than his reiatsu in force, the form actually wavering where it stood. Tobiume soothed, watching ice gather on the ground. It was dangerous for him to be here, only speeding up the process from his nature alone. And yet he was needed, the only force that seemed able to stand against the light. See him, my little one? You have done this. And you think things cannot be changed? Hushed, simple words, meaning clear. Hyourinmaru moved for no one and yet he was here, a shield, just like his wielder had been. Can you not accept this?
She shook against Kyouka Suigetsu's assertion, a booming "He wastes it all! To protect this, a girl so easily used and thrown away? She has no worth either. You're both meaningless, girl, insignificant. Be glad I care to kill you myself." And then Tobiume and dragon roared. The sprite glaring fiercely in opposition. You will lay no hand on her! She is mine, and I will not allow this.
Go through me, and I swear you will cease to exist.
More laughter, somehow standing against the two combined. "Oh? You can do nothing as long as she wants me here. And she does, because I was there before she knew your name, and I was there while your boy pushed her aside to obtain his captaincy. She came to me, cried over how cold he had become after you appeared. It is impossible." Hinamori shook again, clinging desperately to the sprite because it was the truth, because she knew it was, because she couldn't fight the base need to be with her captain, something so ingrained into her.
But the dragon roared and she stopped shaking, calmed by the noise as the tail swished dangerously again.
Cowards who do nothing but talk deserve nothing. They have all tried to show her what she means to those out there, and yet she remains. Not because she wants to be with you, but because she fears.
A rumble.
She fears a life without you because you never gave her a chance to see it.
Ground shaking, ice cracking, a whimper.
I have broken your illusion once.
You go no further.
Tobiume will not suffer under you.
Momo will not suffer this any longer.
I will rip that shard of you out of her, and you shall see what my wielder can do.
Dangerous ground, the area around them surrounded by blue flame, ice, light. But he waved, shook against the combined force of dragon and sprite, and she touched his snout affectionately as she passed, hands full of cold flame. Even if she suffers darkness until she sees again, it is better than being blinded by lies. And then the flame was gone, the light was gone, everything was just gone.
A small whimper, gasping for breath, for life, and ice cracking.
Muffled sounds echoed across the fourth division, shouts incoherent, orders issued by everyone and no one at once, everyone running everywhere. Chaos, and he stood still, unable to move beyond the threshold. But it was clear what was going on, what had stirred them into a flurry at such an hour - such darkness, a fitting night, and he sneered in contempt of the world that seemed determined to rip everything from him. He caught sight of a nervous looking familiar face and cut past healers, forcing them aside, in no mood to play games.
They moved willingly, and Kira glanced at the ground quickly. "She's still... It hasn't closed. They've been trying to get her breathing properly again for the past ten minutes, it's, it's horrible. It's like she's barely there." The first two words had been enough, but he waited for the older man to finish. He'd never been blind to the blondes' affection, not like the oblivious vice captain he'd chased, and he nodded, thankful. He had already expected the worst, but that was slightly better than that. She was still alive.
Hisagi came next, a glance, nothing more, moving to Kira's side where his own vice joined them. "Abarai?"
"...Still in there," came the meek response, watching everyone pause as he stormed past, intent on reaching her. Kira chuckled nervously, a rue smile gracing his features. "I figured I wasn't the only one but... I'd hoped I wouldn't have such competition."
Hisagi rolled his eyes, Matsumoto moving to ruffle the mans hair. "Come now, you honestly never noticed? When it comes too little Momo, taichou's always been like this. If she goes to the living world, we never get any paperwork done until she's back! Childhood friends, sure is nice to know it works for some." Her sad smile served to remind Kira that she'd been Ichimaru's friend, before all this, and he sighed, hanging his head in defeat.
"Let's get back in there before he does something stupid, then."
The redhead hadn't moved from window, watching Unohana and Isane work, other faces coming and going. But no noise, not in here. Outside was all shouting, hectic, frantic, people running. In here it was just her, occasionally whimpering, shaking, gasping for air, the healers removing bloody cloths and replacing them with fresh, white ones. How the frail girl before him was still alive, he did not know. Zabimaru had returned to him, bitter and devoid of hope, but he'd waited, trusting. She'd been the first girl aside from Rukia to put up with him in the academy, and as hard as it was to admit that he gave a damn about anyone, he couldn't deny that the dark haired girl before him would always be special to him. So he ignored Zabimaru's pessimistic attitude, waiting, fists clenched.
The arrival of the captain in the doorway didn't help his mood any, however, shock registering at how much paler she seemed, how much smaller, weaker, not there. He pushed past healers, glare fixed in place as soon as he realized it had slipped, but betrayed himself, hand reaching out to hold hers, mask once again slipping at the coldness of it. She was forcing each breath, each one a rasping noise that contrasted with the rest of the noise around them. Hitsugayas frown came back but deepened into a glare as his eyes fell on the gathered blades. "They did nothing at all?" he spat, not bothering to hide his anger, aware of the way Isane flinched at his words, at how even Unohana paused, startled. They didn't answer, and he pressed on instead of allowing them to sink back into silence. "If she dies, I will not forgive you. Aizen will die at my hands for this."
The force, venom in his words was enough to send the supplementary healers rushing from the room, desperate to find replacements and Abarai stared, speechless at this side of the normally calm captain.
It occurred to the three of them that he was only calm because she had made him so, and none offered him any comforting words as they switched out more bandages.
Hyourinmaru was there in an instant though, sensing his anger, his inability to hold his emotions back, and the dragon calmed him gradually, informing him of everything he knew. Weakened, defeated, blood stained, the sprite shook as she freed her wielders hand from the captains, voice shaking in turn, echoed for him and him alone, all the strength she had. A piece remains and cannot be removed. We could not find it.
He snarled in response, not even the dragon enough to hold him back. "Move. I will tear it out myself." The sprite acquiesced, watching him as his eyes fell on her wielder once more. It is buried deep within, ice wielder. Do you really think you can find it? Will you do what she cannot? Another snarl, another glare, and then he advanced on the shaky materialized blade. "Take me to her."
Although she shook her head, trees surrounded him instantly, the broken, ice littered ground meeting him as he scrambled to keep his footing. This... yet another snarl as he moved forward, past shattered, dying trees, past lingering flames. The dragon tried to call him back but he pushed onwards, seeking out what he knew he would find. Her, that thing over her, that was what was doing this, tearing his world, tearing everyone apart. His own roar this time, another push and the light was scattered and he grabbed for her, held her tight, clinging to Hinamori like she was the only real thing there, ignoring stinging cuts that flashed across his skin as the light that was a shard attacked him, echoed his roar, fought back against the little captain.
But with Hinamori in his arms he didn't care, and Hitsugaya caught the fragment in his hand, blood pouring from the deepest cut yet, the shard threatening to tear right through his palm. But, "Hyourinmaru!" And he was on the hospital floor, metal clasped tight in his hand even as he was aware of muffled shouts to see to him, hazy vision trying hard to focus up, on the bed. Pushing aside someone who was trying to lift him he staggered to his feet, clinging all the tighter to the metal, turning icy eyes to the other captain. Breathless, shaking himself, fear, pain, worry, "Hinamori?"
A/N: Internet is good, especially when you haven't had it in a while. Cliff hangers make you wonder if you're secretly really evil.