Chapter 10: So We Meet Again
Slowly, I sat up, my head swimming a bit. Crap. I had forgotten that I was supposed to see Unohana this morning. I hope that there weren't any fresh marks on my skin. I didn't want to do it last night but...... here I am laying in Izuru's bed. Speaking of Izuru.....
He wasn't even laying beside me. He must have forgotten that I was supposed to be somewhere this morning. I can't imagine Captain Unohana being mad over something like that. Yet again, I don't want to see her get mad. So, I got out of bed and took a quick shower (in Izuru's shower) then I was on my way.
"Oy, I'm sorry Captain! Am I too late?" Goodness, please don't rip my head off!
"It's all right... Please, have a seat."
"Um... Sure." I sat by her and she pulls out a needle. Hm, I had a feeling that she was going to use that today---
"Ow." I insticntly said.
"I am terribly sorry."
"It's fine..... So, what are you going to do?"
"I'll run a few tests on your blood. There should be some sort of explanation as to why your bite changed."
Yeah, it was odd. What kind of bite mark would change colors? It didn't look that bad as it did yesterday though. I mean, Izuru wasn't paying any mind to it when we were---
"Ahem! So..... Is that all?"
"For now. It shouldn't take long for me to have the results. I'll contact you when the results are complete."
For a second, I thought she was going to have me wired up to some computer and shock me. Or something like that. Whatever. After my (VERY QUICK) examination, I wanted to take a walk.
It's so boring around here. There wasn't a thing to do. Not a damn thing. Even my thoughts ran out of..... well, thoughts.
"Wow. You look bored. How about I spice up your morning?"
I stopped dead in my footsteps. I knew that voice. Haven't heard that voice in a while but... I knew that I would hear it again someday.
"Are you going to turn around or what?" That voice said again. Slowly, I turned around and there she was.
Rin.
"Just when my life was getting a little bit better... you come right back."
"Oh, sorry. Did you miss me, Hitomi?"
"You little brat. What do you want? You tricked me."
Rin frowned a bit. "Actually... No one said that you had to listen to me. You believed what you wanted to believe. I guess they're right when they say "Love is blind"."
"You little bitch... Stop screwing around with me." I'm just sick and tired of this girl. I grabbed her by her collar and she grins widely at me.
"Why? It's too fun!"
"But what do you want from me?"
"Honestly.... I'm just a decoy." Decoy? Decoy of what?
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"I wish I could tell you but..... I'm not supposed to." I let go of her. What the hell did I do to deserve this?
"But! Only because your not trying to kill me today... I'll help you just a little bit..."
I wasn't liking the sound of this. The first time I believed her, I got in trouble.
"I will remove your bite mark. OK??"
"Huh? What?"
"I admit, I lied to you a lot. First off, this bite of yours doesn't mean a thing. Second, your old lover is alive..... just not that same guy that you used to love."
"Say what you want to say, I'm going to fall into your little traps anymore."
"But I'm not lying this time."
This was really getting old. I turned away from her and began to walk off. "Keiichi told me to give you a message."
"I'm sure this is another one of your tricks but I'll listen..."
"He said that he can't wait to see you again. And he wants to know if you still wear the necklace."
The necklace? How did Rin know about it? Instantly, I panicked. I was falling into her lies again. But I couldn't help it right now. How could she know about his necklace? Could she be telling the truth this time? Either way, I didn't wear the necklace anymore.
"You tell Keiichi... That I don't wear it anymore.... only because I found someone else. And I love him very much. Tell him I'm sorry."
I heard Rin sigh. "Okay, then. Well, I guess my time is up for now. I'm shocked that no one noticed that I'm here."
I turned my head to see if she was still behind me. No, she wasn't. I'm glad that she was gone. Just seeing her made me want to punch something.
"Hey, Hitomi."
Great, now who is it? I turned around and I saw Renji walking over to me. He has this huge grin on his face. I didn't know what it was for but I didn't like it.
"What's with that face?" I asked him once he got close enough.
"What did you do to Izuru?"
"Um... What did I do? I'm confused."
"It's pretty obvious now... Izuru's pretty easy to bruise you know." I blushed, remembering what mark I left on him. I think I left one on his ear.... one or two on his neck... oh my goodness! I'm a monster!
"I-I don't know what your talking about, Renji. Now stop bothering me!"
"Lie all you want, Hitomi! But Izuru is walking proof!"
"Ok, ok! Just shut up, ok??" I shook him by his shoulders a bit. He was still smiling at me.
"Wow... I can't imagine Izuru and you...... He's lucky."
"Oh? Really?" I wonder if everyone else knows about me and my captain.
"Yeah, I mean it."
Wow. I think this a little tiny bit to much for today.
~*~*~*~*~
"I'm sorry, Hitomi. I guess you can I'm not that good of a liar."
"It's all right, Captain Kira. As long as everyone didn't see what I have done to you." I said, taking a light sip from my tea. The room was nice and quiet. And surprisingly, I wasn't thinking dirty thoughts. As a matter of fact....
"I saw Rin this morning, Captain."
Izuru's calm expression immediately stiffened. He angrily, but calmly, placed his cup down and looked at me. "What did she want?"
"Nothing, really. She was just there to confuse me some more."
"What did she say to you?"
"Um, I think she said something about my old friend still being alive.... and she said that she's going to remove the bite from me."
It sounded so stupid but.... It wouldn't hurt to check, right? Slowly, I took a little peek at my left shoulder. And....
"Oh my goodness. She wasn't lying, Izuru. Look?" He looked at my shoulder and touched it. Even he looked shocked. Who would expect Rin to be telling the truth?
"So, do you believe her when she told you that Keiichi is still alive?"
"No... and yes." I'm going to have to explain myself.
"You see, Izuru... When we went to the academy together, he gave me a gift..... It was a necklace. He said that was a symbol of us being together. I still have it but I don't wear it anymore..... But Rin said something that made me believe her that he was still alive."
My eyes looked into Izuru's. "She knew about my necklace. She said that he wants to see me again....." For some reason, I felt uncomfortable talking about this to Izuru. Maybe because I used to love Keiichi. I don't know.
""You're not going ot run off again, are you?" He suddenly asks. There was a hint of worry in his tone.
"No! Why would I?"
"Good," He grabs a hold of my left hand and holds it tightly, " I wouldn't know what to do if you were ran off again."
Eventually, a smile appears on my face. And once again, I wonder how did I manage to grab a hold of someone so...... special.
"I promise that I won't run off again. But...... I'm going to kill Rin and her beast. Even if it kills me." I mean it. If she's able to control me like a puppet, I'm sure she can do it anybody else. But my comments only made Izuru worry even more.
"When that time comes, I'll make sure you will survive."
Izuru pulled me close to him. I believed him. I really did. Could it be that he loves me as much as I love him? Asking him is something that I can't do. For sure, he cares about me but.... I am just a lieutenant to him.....
That night, I was tired. I didn't do ANYTHING today. So, why am I so sleepy? For one, I am terrible at fighting my sleep. I had fallen alseep ten minutes after I rested my head on my pillow. But.... For some really starnge reason, I was already thinking up a dream. I haven't had a dream for a while. Hopefully, it would be a good one. Well, guess what??
My dream was beginning to look VERY familiar. My eyes opened to a white and frigid climate. I wasn't scared. Just bothered. Having another run in with Rin in one day, was too much. Seriously.
Slowly, I stood up from the freezing ground and I looked at my surroundings. Only white snow blinded my eyes. But the snow eventually stopped falling and I could finally see clearly. Still, no Rin in sight.
"Rin isn't here... Hitomi."
What?
That voice......I know that voice but..... why is he here? I tured my head to my right and there, I saw him. He was walking towards me but he looked confused as me.
"What are you doing here? Izuru?"
"I-I don't know.... I was sleeping just a moment ago--"
"I Don't like this, Izuru."
"Don't worry, Hitomi. I'll protect you."
"I don't know, Captain. I have a feeling you're the target." Quickly, I pulled out my zampakuto before me. For sure, something's coming this way. I just know it.
"No need to look so hostile, Hitomi Misori."
That voice! Just hearing it had made my palms drench in perspiration. In the distance, I saw a tall figure walking towards us.
"Is that... Who I think it is?" I heard Izuru say in a low tone. Even his voice carried shock.
"Yes....... That's......" I was scared to say his name. Maybe because the look in his eyes were different. They seemed anrgy.
"That's Keiichi Obata, Izuru. That's him." I finally said. I didn't want to believe what I was seeing. My eyes could be decieving me but.... that's not the case. Closer he walked towards us. There was slight smile on his face. Once he was close enough, he takes a deep sigh and takes a look at the both of us.
"You look surprised, Hitomi. You shouldn't be."
"How is this possible? You're supposed to be dead."
His brow goes up. "I thought you wanted me alive. Or were you just pretending?"
"Pretending? No! I'm just... shocked."
"So... You're glad to see me?"
I wasn't sure if I should say yes or no. I am glad to see my old friend but... is this really him?
"Rin did tell you I'm a changed person, right?"
"Yes..... Did she bring you back to life or something?"
At that moment, a slight smile tugged at his lips. It was a new expression to me. It was a look that I wasn't comfortable seeing him use.
"Oh... I guess Rin didn't tell you what exactly is going on........ Now that you mention it, I knew Rin the same night I killed myself."
*Flashback*
"What are you doing?" Her eyes watched him as Keiichi stepped upon the chair to hang himself. There were the tiniest sounds of sobs coming form him.
"I'm going to kill myself. I don't know who you are but... you're not gonna stop me!"
Rin's eyes closed and a smile appears. "What can you achieve by killing yourself? Why would you want to do something like that?"
"Because....... Because Hitomi hates me."
"Who's Hitomi?"
Keiichi sighs, slipping his head in the rope. "She's my friend.... she's graduation really soon and she's going to leave without me."
"You're going this because of some girl? Killing yourself is only going ot make things worse."
"Then what am I suposed TO DO?!" Keiichi screamed.
"You can come with me."
Keiichi stops his sobbing and looks at the little girl. "I.... I-I don't understand--"
"Already, I hate this Hitomi girl. All of this pain she's putting you through..... I can set you free, Keiichi Obata."
His eyes widened in awe.
"The decision is yours....." Rin finally says.
For moments, he stood there debating with himself. Go with her? Or hang himself to a meaningless death? And finally.....
Keiichi removes his head from the rope and steps down to the floor. "Okay.... I'll go." He finally says.
*Flashback End*
"She saved my life, Hitomi. From that moment on..... I loved her."
I was hurt. He hated me. All this time..... he always hated me. Because I left him..... I had no idea.
"I don't understand. What do you want?" Izuru says behind me, his hand grabbing a hol of my shoulder. Keiichi's eyes looked sharply at Izuru. His eyes had no sign of happinyess. Just sheer anger and hatred.
"You must be Izuru Kira. Captain of Squad 3. It's nice to finally meet you. Rin told me that you're in Hitomi's interest. You are very lucky to have her...... BUT. There is ONE thing I need to do before I go....."
"And that is?" I asked.
"To spill the blood of Hitomi Misori." Someone said out loud. It wasn't Keiichi who said it. Slowly, my eyes turned to the right of me. Rin was standing there. Only this time, she didn't look like a little girl anymore. Instead, she looked old as me. It scared me a bit. What in the world is she?? But something just hit me. She said the one thing he need to do before he left was to... kill me.
He's trying to kill me? My eyes began filling with tears. It shouldn't be though. "Is this true, Keiichi? You want to kill me?"
Keiichi looked guilty when I looked at him. It was like he didn't want to admit the truth to me. But that look had disappeared as fast as it had came. "Yes. It's true."
My zampakuto suddenly felt heavy in my hand. Everything felt heavy, even the air I was breathing. I closed my eyes for a moment, hoping that this terrible dream would end. I want it to end now! But when I opened my eyes, Izuru was standing in front of me. Protecting me.
"Izuru--"
"It's all right, Hitomi. I"m not going to let anyone hurt you." I wanted to believe him. I really did. Still, I had a really bad feeling that one of us was going to get hurt.
"Oh? But this is Hitomi's destiny. It's best for her to die. For the sake of Keiichi's happiness." Rin said grinning. Just looking at that stupid grin made me sick. The grip on my zampakuto tighened and I felt my legs move.
Was I...... running towards her? I WAS! Even she looked shocked.
"Seethe, Riten!!" I didn't hesitate attacking her. And surprisingly, I cut her.
"That actually hurts!" She says, dashing away from me. Of course, I chased her. I suddenly wanted to kill her. Why wouldn't I want to kill her? She ruined my life. In my heart, I believe that I need to kill Rin. She even turned my closest friend against me.
With ease, I swung Riten at Rin, trying to cut her again. This time, the blow will be fatal. My hands even burned weilding my zampakuto. Closer the sword came to her. For a quick moment, I thought I got her but I didn't. Instead, I was stopped.
"So sorry about this." I looked up and Keiichi had stopped Riten dead in its tracks. I saw his hand motion towards me. Attempting to hit me, I assume. I didn't want to get hit but....
I think I deserved it. How could I not have noticed how unhappy Keiichi was? Some friend I was.... So, I'll let him hit me just once.
"What do you think you're doing?" I heard Izuru yells out, removing me from danger.
"Izuru... I don't want to be here."
His blue eyes gazed into my eyes. "I can't let them hurt you. Run from here. So they won't find you---"
"No. I can't leave you here alone." What is he, nuts? He cold barely handle me!
"You have to. Or you're going to die."
"No, I don't care. If I run and you die, I would never be able to forgive myself."
What kind of a lieutenant would I be if I had left him?
"You know... Running away won't do any good." Rin yells out from a distance. Keiichi just stood beside her. So, it was all a lie. He was never dead from the beginning. I didn't know what to do from that moment on. Maybe I should surrender so Izuru can at least be safe. He was more important than I was right now. His life rests in my hand. It's my duty to save him. Not myself.
"Fine. I won't run unless... you remove my captain from this dream."
Anyone could tell how Izuru was feeling right now. Of course, he is against my suggestion.
"Hitomi, what are you doing?"
"I'm saving my captain. That's my job before ANYTHING else, Izuru. You know that."
"I don't care! I'm not leaving you." There's no way he wil change this mind. I know that for sure. But I can't stand here and argue the whole time. I have to do something!
Once again, I go charging towards them. This time, I'll avoid coming so close. My sword can do so much more than cut. With one strike from a distance, burning white flames bursted before them, running their way. One touch with those flames, it runs through their veins like fire. I was somewhat confident that I would hit at least one of them. Quickly, they jumped away to safety. But I once again, attacked. This time the flames hitting Keiichi right in the face.
I felt bad for that moment. Rin was the one I wanted to hit. Not him. But I was in no position to be on his side.
"Hitomi, watch out!' I heard Izuru yell out. I turned my head and saw Rin charging towards me. Damn it, she's too close for me to dodge her! She's going to hit me---
"Back away. Now." Izuru was standing in front of me, Wabisuke blocking her hit. I barely blinked! How fast was he moving to protect me?
"I-Izuru. What are you doing?"
"You know I won't allow anyone to hurt you. Now be quiet." He sounded angry. At me, at them. It was a side I didn't like to see. The angry side of Izuru Kira.
Unfortunately, I didn't feel so safe anymore. A tight feeling was wrapped around my neck. Then, I was unable to breathe. Finally, I realized that Keiichi had his arm locked around my neck.
Izuru turned, seeing me locked in Keiichi's grasp. Immediatly, Izuru grabs Rin and holds the blade before her neck.
"Now... Where is this going to take us, dear?" Keiichi says to Rin. She sighs and gives him a look.
"Well you could either let Hitomi go and Izuru will probably let go of me or..... You could finish her off yourself and hope that I would survive a slit to my throat." Rin sounded like she was being sarcastic. But I highly doubt that she wasn't.
"Would you like to do the honors of killing her yourself, Rin?" Keiichi asked.
"You've got to be kidding me! You're talking about me like I'm a slab of meat. If you want to kill me, then do it!" I finally yelled out. I can't take this anymore. This fight was beginning to lok meaningless. I just want to go home!
"Fine. As you wish Hitomi Misori." Rin said, eyeing Keiichi some sort of 'signal'.
Just then, at that moment, I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder. It was a VERY familiar feeling.
"No! Move away!" Izuru yells out. What was he complaining for? Then I noticed what he was yelling about. Keiichi was sinking his teeth into my shoulder! What the hell?!
I tried to shake him off... But he didn't budge one bit. My vision grew foggy and my knees gave in. It hurts. It really did but.... Then again it didn't. I wasn't completely sure what was really going on from then on. But I knew that I wasn't myself.
What really puzzled me was why Keiichi was biting me. Unless he's that thing that always used to follow Rin all the time... Is he? Ugh, now I'm rambling to myself. I tried to open my eyes to see what's happening. No matter how hard I tried, I was out cold. Everything was dark.
VERY dark...
A/N: OMG! I'm so sorry, my lovely readers! I've been rushing on my school stuff and I had completey forgotten about writing another chapter. How could I be so irresponsible? I've got EXAMS tomorrow AND the day after that. So give me a tiny break. BTW, wish me luck [I'll be needing it]...