Yay! A new chapter! I had lots of fun writing this one, so I hope you enjoy it!
Kumiko hid herself behind Ganju.
"Oh no, oh no, oh no..." she whispered.
"Eh? What's wrong? Aren't you going to watch the fight?" Ganju asked, moving out of the way so she could see.
"Eek!" she squealed, retreating to the cover of Ganju's back.
"Seriously, what's up?" Ganju demanded.
"If Renji-chan see's me he'll tell Bya-kun and-" Kumiko bit her lip.
Ichigo went flying into the wall next to them and he hit it hard.
"Ichi-chan!" Kumiko cried out.
Ichi-chan? Kumiko wondered, Where did that come from? I've never called him that before...
Luckily Renji didn't hear her, or at least he didn't take notice to who might've been speak, either way, he didn't look over at her. Instead, Renji rambled on about how powerful he was.
"No matter how strong you are," Renji concluded, "It's almost impossible for you to beat me."
"So you're saying... that right now this is your real strength? To me, right now, your attacks are totally ineffective," Ichigo stood, his face a bloodied mess, but alive, "Thank-you very much for the information! If there's eleven more guys like you, then I think I should be able to handle them."
"You bastard..." Renji chuckled, his shock still visible.
He's so... Kumiko stared at the blood pooling at Ichigo's feet. Even though he's bleeding so much, he's not even fazed! Ichigo is so cool!
She couldn't stop staring at the blood, something was so familiar. Kumiko froze, the smell of blood wafting up her nostrils, she could taste it in her mouth. Her breathing stopped, she coughed, trying to suck in but the air didn't make it to her lungs. The blood... so much blood! Why does it seem so familiar? I've only ever had small cuts and scrapes, nothing serious. So why does it feel like...
Ichigo's voice broke through Kumiko's delusions. "That's why I have to save her!"
When Kumiko finally forced her eyes open Renji was falling to the ground, a gash in his shoulder; it looked fatal. Despite his wound, Renji took a few steps towards toward Ichigo, he must've been saying something, but Kumiko couldn't make it out. Next thing she knew, Renji was on the ground, Ichigo shortly followed him.
"Renji!" Kumiko cried, receiving a stare from Hanatarou and Ganju, "Oh, yeah, and Ichigo too! Heheh..."
Kumiko ran over to Ichigo and Renji along with Ganju.
"Oi! Are you okay Ichigo? Answer me!" Ganju yelled.
"Hanatarou! You need to take care of their wounds!" Kumiko ordered.
"It seems like like someone's coming! Three people... no four, maybe even five!" Hanatarou told them.
"Damn!" Kumiko hissed.
"Let's go! Hurry up and take us somewhere deserted!" Ganju demanded.
Kumiko tried to pick up Renji.
"Kumiko! You've got to leave him!" Ganju barked.
"I'm sorry..." Kumiko whispered, dropping the unconscious lieutenant and following Ganju and Hanatarou.
"Ah... so many stairs... I think I think I'm going to die..." Kumiko huffed, "Can't... take... another... step..."
"Oh, poor baby! Would you like someone to carry you princess?" Ganju mocked.
"Here," Ichigo stopped, "Get on my back."
"Really? Okay!" Kumiko hopped on, wrapping her arms around Ichigo's neck for safety reasons.
"Ha..." Ichigo laughed to himself.
"What? What is it?" Kumiko asked.
"It's just... you used to give me piggy backs." Ichigo explained.
"Haha! I don't see how that would work!" Kumiko giggled.
"Ha, I guess you wouldn't now." Ichigo sighed.
"Ichigo?"
"Huh?"
"Is it okay if I call you Ichi-chan?"
"Of course." Ichigo smiled.
"Yeah we made it!" Ganju celebrated.
"Nobody's here too, no guards or anything! Good, We'll charge straight in there..."
Everyone froze.
"What's wrong? Why'd you stop?" Kumiko demanded, climbing off of Ichigo's back.
"What! Where is this spiritual pressure coming from...?"
"What the heck is this...!"
"Guh... damn it!" Ichigo cussed, "Run! I can't figure out what exactly is going on but I'm sure that someone very strong is nearby! Before they find us, let's run as far as we can!"
"I don't get it. What are you talking about?" Kumiko wondered.
"Just run!" Ichigo called back to her.
"You mean... you really can't feel this spiritual pressure?" Hanatarou asked, jogging beside her.
"Huh? Whta do you mean?" Kumiko asked.
All of sudden, Hanatarou disappeared. Kumiko stopped and looked back to see that he'd tripped.
"C'mon! Get up!" Kumiko encouraged.
"What are you doing?" Ganju demanded, running back for him.
"S-sorry... I'm out of energy." Hanatarou apologized.
"What a troublesome guy...!" Ganju gripped one of Hanatarou's tiny wrists and tossed over his shoulders, grabbing one of his legs with his other hand; he returned to running.
"Ah! It's Kenpachi-san!" Kumiko commented pointing at a nearby roof.
Kenpachi didn't seem to notice her, he was too concentrated on Ichigo. "What's wrong with you? Don't just stand there and stare."
Oh god... Kenpachi-san is serious. The realization suddenly hit Kumiko.
"Ichigo, RUN!" Kumiko screamed, her voice cracking.
Too late... she thought, There's nowhere to run. Ichi-chan is... he's going to... he'll-he'll... oh my god, no! He can't! But he's going... I can't even think about it!
"He's going to die." Hanatarou rasped.
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