Title: Courting Darkness
Authorial Notice:
Okay, not five months. That was an extremely tasteless attempt at sarcasm. Sadly, that has been my norm lately, so no one got it :(
Ah… Oh, well. Update!
Chapter Fourteen
On a rainy night in Rukongai, a cart drawn by a boney, black horse clattered slowly down Cutthroat Road by Rukia's tavern. The sign over the tavern door was askew, its paint peeling to reveal cracked gray wood. Tattered curtains blocked out the light inside, but nothing could subdue the noise of a drunken brawl that spilled into the street. The driver of the cart paid no attention to the fight or to the two whores in muddy silk. He drove on, passing the blond woman with heavy, golden lashes surrounded by a group of thieves, past the two scrawny dark-haired men watching the fight, huddled down against the chill.
Nearing an abandoned warehouse with grimy windows, its shutters and awning surrounded by crumbling brick, the carriage turned down the back alley and drew to a stop, wheels creaking, the only sound in the thick night air.
The warehouse was littered with vegetable crates, old grain sacks and straw baskets. Debris had been clumsily shoved aside to make room for a cage. The enclosure had a wooden top and bottom and iron bars on the sides, and it had one occupant—Ichigo Kurosaki.
Ichigo squeezed his eyes tighter, trying to shut out the fierce pounding that was filling the space behind them as he slid into consciousness. There was a garbled noise somewhere, buzzing into his awareness and he tried to push it back until he recognized it as Grimmjow's irritated growl.
By the sound, he could guess the identity of the other man. It was Slayzel Aporro, who liked to be called Doctor Aporro, although Slayzel was only an alchemist, and a corrupt one at that.
"No, you stupid shit." Grimmjow snarled through clenched teeth, pounding his fist on what sounded like a crate. "I want him to die slow and hard, real hard. I thought about setting fire to the place, but he tends to disappear just then…" He snarled again. "And if I hang him, his neck might break right off. I want it messy."
"I won't quarrel with you, but these matters are quite delicate. They depend on a man's size and constitution and the type of poison and dosage, and various other factors that you've yet to take into consideration. What are you doing?"
"Fuckin' little brat bit me!"
"It looks infected."
Ichigo's pressed his lips at how much pleasure the man seemed to be taking in the conversation. He could hear the nasty smile on the man's face.
"Nevermind that, what have you got?"
"Mercy me. Let me think. There are so many, you see. There are chemicals such as boric acid or camphor... Quite unpleasant. Then there's quinine and antimony, or mercury, or phosphorus."
"Those sound good."
"But then, you might consider the plant poisons such as hemlock, lily of the valley... There is always foxglove, or the poisonous mushrooms such as amanitas, which is known as death's cap."
Ichigo heard a soft familiar sound. Grimmjow was neading the muscles of his neck.
"Of course, there are also the animal toxins. Scorpion's venom, or arachnid, and there is—"
"Stop! You're making my fuckin' head hurt! Just tell me what's worst."
Ichigo risked peering at the two through his lashes.
Grimmjow had drawn closer to the pink-haired alchemist in the white waistcoat.
"I like that death cap thing. What is it like?"
"My dear Grimmjow, most unpleasant indeed… Delirium, hallucinations, fever, convulsions."
"Lots of pain?"
"Indeed, but it may take a while to work."
"And he'd suffer?"
"Yes, but if you're looking for something unpleasant, perhaps you should consider boric acid, to produce vomiting and flux. I need some notice, though. So that I have time to prepare. When will you need it?"
"I won't be through with him until a certain package arrives, and that won't be until tomorrow night or the night after..."
The two continued their morbid conversation. Their voices faded from Ichigo's notice as his head began to ache worse than before. The last thing he remembered was being hit from behind, then waking in pain only to be beaten and thrown into his cage. And someone must have handled him rough while he was unconscious. His ribs were bruised, probably cracked. He had a cut on his temple and there were several lumps on his head.
Not that it would do any good thinking on it. Grimmjow was going to draw Orihime to this place by dangling him as bait. Stupid, selfless Orihime. Then he was going to kill them both and Ichigo had to do something before that could happen.
He hadn't thought about this risk. The idea of her coming within a league of bloody Jaegerjaquez Grimmjow made him want to vomit. He had to get away, but he couldn't work on the problem until he was left alone. He didn't want them to know he had regained consciousness so he could gain the upper hand.
Ichigo was listening to Aporro expound on the misery of death when Yami crashed into the room, slamming the doors open with his large arms.
"She's here."
Ichigo stopped breathing and Grimmjow growled.
"Who's here? What the hell are you on about?"
"The Inoue girl, she's here."
"Fucking hell, already?" Grimmjow turned to Aporro. "Get out. I'll send for you later."
With the alchemist gone, Grimmjow said, "She's at Rukia's?"
"She's sitting at a table right now."
Grimmjow called out, "Nnorita, get your boys!"
Ichigo turned his head. Men appeared in the doorway and Grimmjow handed Nnorita a key. "Watch the bastard, and don't get close to him. I'll be up the road."
Never had Ichigo felt so helpless. He watched Grimmjow and Yami leave. When he was certain that Grimmjow was out of hearing, he began to groan.
"S'that…?" Nnorita turned. He was a tall man with a grin like a crescent moon, and much less pleasant.
"It's him." One of them jerked his head in Ichigo's direction. "He's waking up."
Nnorita lumbered over to the cage and leered at Ichigo, who was dragging himself to an upright position.
"So this is Hichigo? Just another pretty boy."
"I wouldn't. Grimmjow said we shouldn't get near him."
"Shut up." He pulled a sickle shaped blade from his pocket. "I don't like his look."
Nnorita kicked the cage door.
Ichigo managed to get to his knees. Under the pretense of dizziness, he squinted at the key to his cage on Nnorita's thick leather belt. Nnorita drifted nearer, and he was about to lunge for the key when his quarry turned away.
"What was that?"
"What?" The tall man curled his lip one last time at Ichigo. "Stark's at the back door, ain't he?"
A sudden crash made both men jump. A rock sailed through the room's only window, spraying glass around the cage. With both men's attention on the cause of the crash, only Ichigo saw the shadows dart into the room. One raced to the shorter man, who was bending to pick up the rock.
A long staff struck with a whack, and the man dropped.
Nnorita turned with a snarl, stalking toward the invaders. Ichigo threw himself at the cage door and tried to tear the bars apart. The first shadow retreated. The second passed the only lamp in the room, something long and black strapped across its back.
"Orihime, run!"
Orihime didn't look at him, but continued to flee, passing over the threshold and into the dark corridor. Nnorita barreled after her. As he rushed out the door, she whirled, eyes determined. A sword appeared in her hands out of the nowhere and Nnorita tried to stop, shocked face contorting. She lifted the sword and bashed him on the head with it, sheathe and all.
Nnorita hit the ground as if she had dropped a boulder on him. Orihime blinked and gasped, looking at the weapon in her hands, and again Ichigo yelled for her to run, but she wasn't listening.
"I-I'm sorry!"
What the hell did she think she was doing!
His voice broke out of his throat without thought, echoing in his ears. "Don't stop, run!"
Nnorita stumbled up, staggering a bit before lunging to grab her, and Orihime squeaked, whacking him another time, but he was prepared.
"Bitch! I don't care who wants you alive, I'll fucking kill you!"
Struggling, the two fell back into the room. Ichigo shouted, but Nnorita slammed the lighter woman to the floor and fastened his hands around her throat. Orihime's eyes popped open, mouth gasping for air she couldn't get, and Ichigo tried to topple the cage onto Nnorita.
He slammed into cold steel bars, but the effort only brought on a wave of vertigo. Darkness tugged at him, threatening to drag him under. As he sank to his knees, Ichigo glimpsed Orihime. Her small hands clawed at the snake like fingers squeezing her neck.
Only pure willpower kept him awake, but his vision blurred. He heard a cracking sound and shook his head. Gripping the bars of his cage, Ichigo wrenched himself up as Ikkaku stood and Nnorita fell over on the floor. Blood seeped around his head, pooling like a crimson halo.
Ichigo blinked, then there was red-gold wisps of light drifting into his vision and teal-ringed grey eyes surrounded by smooth, pale skin. She trembled, forcing a smile, looking slightly pained, but triumphant, and something in his chest twisted and erupted with relief.
"Hime…" He swallowed, trying to push his thoughts into order. "He has the key."
"I know." She held it up and Ichigo blinked at her in disbelief as she stuck it in the lock and opened the cage door.
"How— When…? What!"
She had picked it from him? While he was strangling her! Ichigo didn't even have the presence of mind to exit the cage door as he felt his eyebrow twitch. He growled, spitting curses.
"Who the in hell was stupid enough to teach you that?"
She blinked up at him and from the corner of his eye, he saw Renji attempting to slink off into the shadows. Ichigo growled.
Orihime stuck her head inside and grabbed his arm, tugging him forward.
"And what are you doing here?" he demanded. "You shouldn't have come."
"We have to go before they figure it out…" She gasped. "There's blood on your face."
Ichigo jerked back from the sting as she tried to wipe it away with the hem of her kimono. Apparently too quickly, because dizziness spun his head in circles, and he fell on Orihime as he tried to steady himself.
"Fuck."
"A-Abarai-kun! Madarame-kun! Lord—Err… Hichigo-kun is bleeding!"
Ichigo scowled as Ikkaku and Renji smirked at each other before Renji seemed to remember he was on his bad side, and sobered.
"How is it, Hich?"
Ichigo sighed, straightening and taking stock of his condition. "Just a cut. There's a man at the side door."
Orihime shook her head. "Not any more. I distracted him, and Madarame-kun hit him."
He closed his eyes and drug a hand down his face, only speaking when he was certain not to yell. "Lady Orihime, you've been learning bad things…" He reached out and undid the buckle to Zangetsu's strap, pulling it from her small shoulders. "And I want an account. Don't think you're getting out of that." He pinned her with a look as he pried the sword from her grip and fastened it into place where it belonged. "But right now, we should leave before my host returns."
Renji and Ikkaku exchanged another look at Hichigo's formal speech, but followed as he led them out of the room. Opening the back door, he stepped over Stark's prone body and motioned for Orihime to follow.
It had stopped raining, but only recently, and the roof was still dripping, the air thick with moisture. Ichigo went to the intersection of the alley and glanced up and down the road. Orihime tugged on his coat sleeve and pointed in the opposite direction.
"Abarai-kun has a carriage."
Ichigo glanced down, masking his surprise as he nodded and took her hand, setting off down the alley at the safest pace his condition would allow. Madarame and Renji went ahead, checking each turn and corner as they went. They passed a street and walked a few yards before Ichigo stopped and turned to Orihime.
"Oi! If you're here, who's at Rukia's?"
Orihime gazed back at him calmly. "Lady Arisawa."
"Lady— Tatsuki?"
"You should have told me who she was." She sniffed. "To dress her up in that disguise… When were you going to tell me she was a childhood friend?"
Ichigo set off again, pulling Orihime after him. "No time for this now."
"She has a—a gang of ruffians!"
"I know."
"And you're intimately acquainted with her..."
Ichigo noticed the accusing note in Orihime's voice and was just about to snap back that Tatsuki didn't get intimately acquainted with any man when he heard shouts behind them.
Turning, he saw Grimmjow and Yami racing toward them.
"Shit. Come on."
He turned to Orihime, but she was already tugging her kimono up, looping it into her obi. Orihime darted around a corner. Down the street, Madarame was galloping ahead. Ichigo tailed Orihime, lifting her up onto a barrel and following after up the side of the building.
He stood looking down when Grimmjow arrived below. Turning, Ichigo ran up the roof slope, pulling Orihime with him. They skittered down the other side and leaped across to the flat top of the next building. As they raced for the next one, Yami appeared, hiking a leg over the side of the wall and landing within a few yards of them. Shoving Orihime behind him, Ichigo faced the man and pulled Zangetsu free as he drew a long blade.
He was still holding Orihime's hand behind his back when he suddenly felt it pull away, giving them some space. Yami was coming at them slowly, the knife waving back and forth. Ichigo waited until he was within a yard. Then he hurled forward with a downward stroke. It hit the man's knife hand and sent the weapon flying over the side of the building. Yami cried out and pulled back what was left of his arm, screaming before rushing him.
He caught Ichigo in the stomach with his shoulder. Ichigo felt a jolt of pain in his ribs as he fell under the man. Twisting from beneath his attacker, he hit him in the jaw. Yami staggered backward, righted himself and landed a punch to Ichigo's sternum. Ichigo doubled over, more from the renewed injury to his ribs than from the blow. He coughed and managed to dive away from the next blow, but he wasn't fast enough to avoid a kick to his leg.
Falling as his leg gave out, he saw his opponent pull another knife and turn. Ichigo's eyes widened in horror as he glimpsed Orihime behind Yami.
"Hime!"
Even as he spoke, Ichigo was moving, bringing his arm up and back, and then down to slice cleanly through the man's neck. The severed head rolled away, tumbling over the edge of the roof.
Ichigo turned to see Orihime holding herself up against a pile of ceramic bricks. She started and recoiled when he touched her arm.
"Hey…" He tilted her head up so he could examine her face, swiping away tears with careful fingers.
There were footsteps below and his other arm moved to tighten around her shoulders.
Narrowing his eyes, Ichigo's arm dropped to take Orihime's hand and pull her after him, peering over the roof. He paused, frowning when he heard a muffled sob. Looking back, he watched as crystal tears dripped from her chin.
"Sorry, Hime, but we need to keep going. Do you think you can make it to that roof?" He pointed to the steep slopes of the next building. "It's the last one, and then we'll be at the carriage."
Orihime sniffed and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
"I-I can make it."
He nodded, feeling strangely heavy, and set off for the next roof.
In a short time, they were climbing down the side of a wall. He could see Renji sitting atop the Arisawa's carraige. Ichigo helped Orihime jump down from a windowsill, and hurried her down the sidewalk. They were just about to cross over the street when Jaegerjaquez Grimmjow stepped out of a doorway holding a gleaming blade.
In the light of the moon, the metal of the sword shone, sweating in the drenched air. "Never knew you to hide behind women, Hichigo."
"I don't." Ichigo moved Orihime behind him again, watching every stalking move forward. It was always hard to tell what Grimmjow was thinking.
"Sent that bitch to fool me…"
"What's wrong, Grimm? You're alone."
Grimmjow snarled.
"After I've finished with you, I'll find her and settle the score." He raised the sword and pointed it at Ichigo's heart with a grin. "Too bad I won't get to try any of those poisons on you."
Ichigo felt Orihime stir behind him. He squeezed her hand, then shoved her and whispered, "Go."
She moved and so did Grimmjow, but not as he had expected. Before he could stop her, she darted in front of him. Grimmjow's sword following the blur of movement. At the same time, Renji shouted and the clatter of hooves registered as the carriage horses came at the group. Ichigo sprang back with Orihime, sweeping her up in his arms and kicking Grimmjow's wrist at the same time.
Orihime struggled in his arms, and Ichigo barely regained his balance before twisting to set her on her feet.
Spotting his weapon, Grimmjow made a jump for it—directly into the path of the carriage. Ichigo shouted and tried to reach him, but he was too late. Grimmjow grabbed the blade and sprang out of the way, only to fall under the hooves of the frightened horses. Orihime cried out and yanked on Ichigo's arm. He allowed her to pull him out of the way as the carriage barreled past them. He wrapped his arms around her, watching Renji fight the horses and manage to halt them.
Over Orihime's head, he glanced at Grimmjow. The condition of his skull was enough to tell him that the man was dead and the sight made him ill for some reason.
A door slammed nearby. Ichigo jumped, and looked up and down the deserted street, keeping Orihime facing away from the mangled remains of his old rival.
"We have get out of here. Can you walk?"
"I can't breathe..."
He loosened his hold on her and peered into her pale face. She was trembling, and her eyes were glistening with tears.
Madarame came running up to them, out of breath but unhurt and she pulled back.
"I can walk."
Feeling her slump, Ichigo cursed. "Like I'll let you."
He picked her up. She was too light. Hadn't she been eating?
Ichigo held her tight against him and ignored her protests, climbing into the carriage. She was cold and trembling and tearful, and he had almost lost her.
Catching her face into his hands, he studied her face, took in every curve, every lash. Her hair fell over his hands, unbound sometime during their escape. He didn't know what he was looking for, only that he was certain it was there somewhere.
His hands tightened, crushing soft locks between strong fingers and he couldn't take it. Not another second, not another instant. He pulled her forward, kissed her like he meant it. As if he could draw enough breath for a lifetime from her mouth.
Then he pulled back, and she was shocked at the angry light in his eyes as he shook her slightly.
"Don't… Don't ever do that again."
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