Chapter 11 - You Turn To Dust
Aira collapsed next to Nova, her eyes filled with tears.
"Nova! Nova! Wake up!" She begged.
His body was still.
She brought her hand up to wipe away the tears that were clouding her eyes, and found blood.
"Oh, my..." She breathed.
She turned Nova over, seeing the rather large, sharp rock lodged into his back. She held back the tears well as she pulled him up and got the rock out of his back. But when she did, even more blood came, and she couldn't help but cry.
"Nova..." She breathed."No...No..."
She laid him face-down on the tile so she could get a better look at his wound. It was deep, blood gushing from it faster than it should.
Aira held her hands over iｔ, watching as they glowed a faint green. She felt her tears pouring over silently.
"Come on." She pleaded. "Please work."
She focused all her energy into her hands, pressing all her spiritual power into healing him.
When she opened her eyes five minutes later, the wound hadn't changed at all.
She cried out in anger before collapsing next to Nova. She had focused everything she had into healing him, and it was no use.
Her Nova was gone...
She sobbed as she held onto him tightly. She hadn't been able to protect him...She was weak. She should've protected him.
She fell asleep with him in her arms and tears pouring down her face as the worst of nightmares invaded her mind.
"(^.^)"
"Captain! Captain!" The voice called her out of her dreaming instantly. "Captain! You have to wake up!"
Aira woke up without Nova in her arms. She jumped up, pushing poor Hanataro sideways in an attempt to find him.
"Captain!" Hanataro touched her arm. "He's right here. Calm down please..."
Aira collapsed when she realized Isane, the 4th Division's Lieutenant was healing Nova now. Hanataro was beside her instantly.
"Captain, are you hurt?" He asked. "Do you need me to heal you?"
"No, no." She shook her head. "I'm fine. Fine-ish. Okay, deep breaths..."
She tried to calm herself from her panic attack.
"What happened?" Hanataro asked.
"A...A Privaron Espada attacked." Aira muttered.
"You beat it?" Hanataro asked expectantly.
"Well, duh." She smiled at him, her resolve coming back to her.
"Did he fight?" Hanataro motioned to Nova.
"No. Well, yes. He tried to a couple times and I did my best to stop him..." Her eyes grew sad again.
She sighed, and then a light bulb went off in her head.
"Hey, wait." She glanced back at Hanataro. "What the hell are you doing here?"
Hanataro blushed. "Actually, we're here with four of the Captains..."
"What? Wait."
Aira closed her eyes and concentrated on the reiatsu around her. When she had gathered them all, she gasped.
"Rukia!" She nearly yelled.
"Rukia-san's fine." Hanataro assured her. "Captain Kuchiki went after her."
Aira smiled to herself. "What? Is he going to kill her himself?"
"No, he's going to save her." Hanataro said confidently.
"Yeah." She scoffed. "He better. What's Kurosuchi doing here? I sense Unohana, too. And...oh, my God, who brough Zaraki?"
"He wanted to see Ichigo for some reason." Hanataro shrugged.
"I hope Ichigo's okay..." Aira bit her lip. "Is Orihime with him?"
"I'm not sure."
"I sense her somewhere near him. Around him." Aira bit her lip. "Oh! She's healing him. Thank God."
Just then, Nova stirred under Isane's healing as she drew her power back into her hands.
"Aira?" He muttered.
Aira's head whipped towards him. She was instantly at his side, holding his hands.
"I'm right here." She told him.
He tried to sit up but she pushed him back down.
"You need to rest." She told him. "You took a pretty hard hit."
"Please." He pushed her arm off his shoulder and sat up, wrapping his arms around her. "I'm so sorry."
She hugged him back, a small smile playing on her lips. "For what? I'm the one who didn't protect you."
"Don't you dare, Airashii." He demanded.
She giggled. "Well, aren't we the blunt one."
He blushed before looking around the torn up hall. Aira smirked and held her hand up.
"Looking for this?" She asked, dangling his mask in his face.
He grabbed for it, but she was much faster than him, across the hall instantly.
"Aira, give it back!" He whined when his face turned even redder.
She giggled and turned to skip down the hall after Hanataro and Isane.
"Where you guys goin'?" She asked as she popped up behind them.
Nova grabbed Aira from behind, reaching for the mask, which she held out of reach.
"We're going to Captain Unohana." Isane told her. "We have to get back to the world of the living and quick."
"Why?" Aira asked.
"Aizen is getting ready to leave for Karakura Town." Hanataro told her.
"No." She muttered, and then she was gone.
She ran at top speed towards the building in the distance. She pushed her feet off the ground and flew towards the reiatsu that she found too familiar.
She burst through the wall, breathing heavily as Aizen, Gin and Tosen stood alone in the huge room, with the gate opening behind them.
"Ah, Airashii Shikyo." Aizen smiled at her. "Welcome. We were just about to leave, though-"
"Over my dead body!" She screamed, her body glowing with reiatsu.
"That can be arranged..." Aizen smirked.
Aira's eyes flashed to Gin and Tosen. She shook her head.
"You guys are pathetic." She muttered.
Gin looked at her, his eyes still closed, still smiling like he always did. She'd love to just wipe that smirk right off his face...
And Tosen. He was looking just as emo as ever. He was half-turned away from her, but his blind eyes still stared at her as if seeing straight through her soul. Just like they used too...
"Ah, well." Aizen said finally. "We'll just be going."
Aira growled. "Don't you dare."
"And what are you going to do to stop me?" Aizen said lightly.
She flashstepped in front of him, Denkihime already drawn. She slammed the sword down on his arm, and he just smiled.
He grabbed her by the neck and threw her back.
She slid across the room, her back crumbling the floor beneath her. When she finally stopped, she was able to stand.
Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tosen were walking through the gate. She glared at them, and then followed with flashstep.
(^.^)
"Looks like we got here just in time." Yamamoto said as Aizen, Gin and Tosen all emerged from the gate.
"I know this isn't the real Karakura Town." Aizen said.
He looked back and then three more gates opening. The first, second and third Espada all emerged from them with thier Fraccions.
And just as Aizen's gate was about to close, Aira slipped through the last sliver of the gate. All the Captain's gasped and Aizen turned in suprise.
She was about to strike Gin, when he turned around and blocked her.
She glared at him. "You will die, Ichimaru."
He frowned. "We'll see about that."
She drew back before striking from below. She kicked him from behind causing him to slam right into one of Barragan Luisenbarn's Fraccion, sending them both back towards where Soifon and her Lieutenant eased out of the way.
Gin threw the Espada off him before flying back towards Aira.
"Shoot to kill, Shinso!" He called.
His sword expanded as it glowed. Aira easily dodged it.
"Oh, so we're going to release our Zanpaktou's?" She smirked. "Well, then...I guess I should, too."
She raised her Zankpaktou.
"Hidoi Shi, Denkihime!" She called.
Denkihime glowed light blue, almost blinding Gin as he covered his face.
"Sutoraki, Denkihime!" She yelled.
A level two shock erupted from her katana, hitting Gin right in the chest and sending him barrelling down to the ground.
Aira flipped her head back to Tosen. "You're next."
He turned away, not speaking.
She smiled at the other Captains as she walked across the air. "Be done in a bit! Don't have too much fun without me!"
At that, she flew down to the ground, landing on a nearby building as she looked down at Gin.
"Hey! Squinty! You down there?" She called.
"Here."
She swirlled around and caught his attack before he could carry it through.
"How did I know you were gonna do that?" She smirked. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. It's cowardly to attack from behind, baka."
He pushed forward. "Why did you have to come, Airashii?"
"It's Captain Shikyo, thank you very much." She spat before gliding out and striking from the back, Gin blocking her.
"Captain?" He glanced at her haori. "Which Division?"
"Why would you care!?" She screamed, striking again with more force.
"Answer the question!" He ordered before pushing her back.
"9th Division!" She yelled. "Why are you so interested?"
"I was wondering..." He muttered.
"If I had taken over the 3rd Division for you?" She sneered. "I'm afraid I refuse to clean up your mess, though I did help out with Kira. Do you know what you did to him, Gin? He was loyal and you just dumped him!"
She filled the next blow with her rage forcing him into a wall, cracking it a little bit.
"It's funny how you do that, Ichimaru." She said quietly as she walked up to him. "Dump people like that. Leave them there without saying a word."
"I was going to tell you." He said as he tried to stand. "But I...I didn't want you involved."
"Really? Why is that?" She demanded for striking him again.
He blocked weakly, causing her to slam him against the wall again.
"Because Aizen is dangerous." He whispered. "I made a mistake when I was younger, joining up with him. But he would kill me if I tried to escape his plan. I didn't want to hurt you, too..."
Aira glared at him. "You liar."
He sighed before looking away. "Fine."
He stood up.
But he didn't expect what was going to happen next. He shouldn't have allowed her to get so close. He had his Zanpaktou at his side, resting there lightly. And she took the chance.
She shoved her Zanpaktou into his stomach then.
He cried out in pain, grabbing her shoulder and shoving her back. But she didn't move.
"Feel all the pain you caused me, Gin." She said, a tear falling.
She pulled Denkihime out and slammed it right through his heart and into the wall.
He still held her shoulder.
"Thank you." He muttered. "At least I died by your hand...and not his."
He reached up and held her shocked face in his hands. He ran his hand through her hair then, and then his arm went limp. His eyes rolled into the back of his head.
He drew in a shakey breath before taking Denkihime out of him. She knew he was still alive, but she didn't care. She looked up at where Aizen and Tosen looked down at her. Tosen's face was surprised, Aizen's angry.
She sighed. She sure did miss Nova. She felt bad for leaving him behind. But she could handle this on her own. And she didn't want him getting hurt again...
She looked back up at Tosen, glaring. And then pushed off the ground.
It was time to finish this.
Comments:
Wellz...: I couldn't remember exactly what Aizen and Yamamoto said when they arrived, or when the Espada came along, but I had to make it quick so I could get Aira through in time!
SHE LEFT NOVA?!?!?!!?!: Yes, yes, yes. This all works into de storay. be calmz, Nova luvers. :) Twil all work out in the end, neh?
WHAT DID GIN SAY?: We all know Gin is a cold-hearted ass, but let's pretend he has a heart for just a moment!!!!
she still killed him???: no, she has not killed him YET. also working into the story. I shall not tell how. cause I am an eval author like that. :P but she did still stab him. because she's Aira. and you don't wanna piss Aira off. :)