A/N: Okay! It's back! Ahhhhhhhhhhhh don't kill me, please. There will be no more story if you do…
You know the drill! Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit's THANK-YOU TIME!
Full Shadow Alchemist, KnowledgeandImagination, yozo, Ulqy-chan, Maya-chan2007, Harpylove1, Sageheart, Tomoshibi-chan, Kazeek, Judgement Zero, TheLittleStar --- thank you times infinity!!! Let it be known that you rock! :3 Please tell me if I missed anyone….with so long between updates, I'm afraid it may happen….
Okay! After this….five chapters to go! I'm thinking this will be finished before Bleach itself is over…not that that will be difficult….the battle of Karakura has been going for like, what, a year now? XD
Oh! I also changed the ninth Espada! I didn't like Kubo's version much…so he belongs to me, as do all other Arrancar that appear in this chapter with the exception of Grimmjow. Also, my Spanish is non-existent, so sorry .
Anyway! You've waited long enough, enough blabbering from me! Here we go:
Chapter Twenty – For Whom the Bell Tolls
"Ask not for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee." --- John Donne
"Where the angels that lonely?/Couldn't they suffice for anybody else?/Why can't everyone just lie to me?" --- "Yellow Butterfly", Meg&Dia
Kurosaki Ichigo
Can anyone be called crazy for wanting to protect someone? 'Cuz, apparently, that's what that white-haired kid for going after --- what's-her-name, Momo. I'd never even seen this girl, and Orihime was the first to recognize this as a problem.
"How will we – that is, Kurosaki-kun and I – know Hinamori-san if we do find her?" She spoke quickly, for we were travelling between dimensions, and the plan was to split up and begin searching immediately once we landed.
"You will realize that the two shinigami reiatsu that do not belong to Aizen, Tōsen, Ichimaru, or any among us can only belong to Hitsugaya-taichō and Hinamori-fukutaichō," said Byakuya. "Bear in mind, however, that Hinamori-fukutaichō is not a priority."
"With all intended respect – she is for me," said Izuru firmly.
Byakuya replied simply, "We were given our orders."
"A long-standing friendship will not be so easily swayed," said Rangiku.
"We are bringing Hinamori out alive, no matter what the sōtaichō says," said Renji.
"I believe Yamamoto-sōtaichō was only taking into account the very real likelihood of Hinamori-fukutaichō not being in an ideal state of mental stability," said Yoruichi. "That is assuming she is still alive to begin with. But after all she's been through --- he may even see death as a mercy."
Jeez. I felt sorry for this Momo girl, and I didn't even know her. Just another reason to hate Aizen – as if we needed any more.
I couldn't blame Tōshirō for going after her. I'd've done the same. Heck, I had done it, for Rukia, and I'd do it again, too.
"So long as you don't put yourselves at any additional risk, you may do what you feel is necessary to bring Hinamori-fukutaichō back with us," Byakuya conceded. He added, more quietly, "Only a small part of all of this is her fault."
"Quickly, we must affirm how we are going to split up," Yoruichi interrupted.
I felt a hand grasp the sleeve of my shihakushō; I looked to see Orihime, who pulled her hand away quickly, turning red.
Someone punched me in the shoulder, and I saw Rukia grinning at me.
"It's been awhile, eh?" she said.
"Sure has," I agreed.
Renji joined us, too, placing a protective hand on Rukia's shoulder.
Hey…wait a second…are they--?
Nah…
I looked around, seeing Yoruichi and Soi Fong had paired off, and Rangiku, Izuru, and Shuuhei were a team. Byakuya remained alone. Having fought the guy, I was pretty sure it was safe to say he wouldn't need help.
With that, I felt sand under my feet and sun on my back, with hot desert wind blowing in my ears. In the distance was the castle, Las Noches.
"Let's go," said Rangiku, strangely grim.
We were off and running.
Soi Fong
Yoruichi-sama and I reached the castle's outer wall before encountering our first opponents. I was relieved – it would have been folly to not expect to meet resistance, and a barren path could only mean a trap.
There were two of them, and they leapt off the wall, somersaulted in the air, and landed before us in perfect unison, revealing themselves to be identical twins, female. Both had short black hair and icy-blue eyes and wore short, fitted white dresses slit up the thighs. Delicate threads of bone formed a diadem on each of their brows. They carried their zanpaku-tō strapped across their backs. They were tall, slender, and fit; at a glance I could tell that their field was hand-to-hand combat.
I smiled, knowing Yoruichi-sama was doing the same.
Perfect.
Kurosaki Ichigo
We didn't make it all that far before we ran into an Arrancar. He seemed to appear out of nowhere; one second there was no one, the next, there he was. It surprised me, though, how small he was – only Rukia was shorter than him. But even with his height and somewhat skinny build, he didn't look like a kid. His hair was a dark gold colour, his eyes were bright yellow, and his clothes were white. He smiled when he saw us, showing teeth that were black and shiny, with two fangs almost as long as my thumbs.
"Four of you," he noted. "Well –" he corrected, "three – and a half." At this, he glanced at Orihime.
Ha! He doesn't have a clue what he's talking about! Orihime's ability to turn back time in an isolated area was way more powerful than anything I'd ever be able to do.
"It's perfect," the Arrancar continued. "Enough to present just enough of a challenge for this to be fun. Although," he sighed, 'I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this right away…but I simply can't kill you all in this form; I'll admit it. One of you, certainly, perhaps even two. But like this –" he shook his head regretfully. "Ah, perhaps it's just as well. I'll still have all my strength in my resurreccion."
He drew his zanpaku-tō and smiled again. "I am Yazlin Grohmecca, and it would be wise to fear me."
Raising the blade to the sky, he cried, "Seize, Predador [predator]!"
The transformation was instant – not to mention friggin' scary. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Orihime's eyes go wide; she pressed a hand over her mouth to hold back a scream.
'Holy shit," said Renji.
Yeah, that about summed it up.
Kuchiki Byakuya
The attack came from behind, and I only just turned in time to block the blow and back-step away.
The sun was behind me, therefore my shadow was in front. Only a slight difference in its shape, indicating a movement not my own, had alerted me to another presence. I had heard and sensed nothing, and this was alarming.
I found myself regarding a female Arrancar of rather small stature, with long hair of bright blue and glittering black eyes. A perfectly round hole lay in between her collarbones, which in turn were covered in a layer of bone. She grasped her zanpaku-tō in one long-nailed hand, and she was smiling.
"Your physical reflexes are impressive, even after I tampered with your senses. I believe I have found myself a worthy adversary. I despise a boring fight. I think that I shall enjoy crossing blades with you, Kuchiki Byakuya."
The fact that she knew my name was odd, but unimportant. Only four of her words were of any value.
"tampered with your senses"?
Matsumoto Rangiku
We made considerable progress before an Arrancar appeared before us. He was tall and muscular, with stringy rust-red hair and poisonous-looking green eyes. He wore a horned bone helmet and his tanned skin was covered in painted designs. When I looked again, they all seemed to be faces, forming various grotesque expressions.
"What is this, now?" he exclaimed with a grin. "Shinigami? And I'm outnumbered three to one? Ah, that settles it, then – I suppose I'd better surrender." He never lost his jovial smile that made sarcasm unnecessary.
"I don't suppose there's any way you would simply let us pass?" said Izuru grimly, knowing the answer.
"Now why would I show my face if that were my intention?" said the Arrancar.
"In that case," I said, unsheathing Haineko, "we don't have any time to spare. So draw your sword and we shall pass, nonetheless."
"Now just one minute," said the Arrancar. "Pleasantries must not be forsaken. Introductions, please!"
"I am Matsumoto Rangiku, lieutenant of the tenth company of the Gotei 13 Companies."
"I am Kira Izuru, lieutenant of the third company."
"Hisagi Shuuhei, ninth company's lieutenant."
"That's better, don't you agree?" said the Arrancar. "I don't get a chance to fight very often, and I prefer to be able to remember who I do fight. My own name is Draxonis Pollany, nueve Espada."
An Espada --!
"Since I don't get to fight much," he continued, "I don't like to miss a chance to show off my resurreccion. It would truly be a pity if you all died before you got a chance to see it. So – let's cut to the chase, shall we?"
Winking, he drew his zanpaku-tō and intoned, "Return, Hidra [Hydra]!"
Then, before us crouched a hideous pale creature. Emerging from a massive shapeless body, which appeared to have no feet, were a dozen arms ending in bone scythes, and, balancing precariously, on snake-like necks six identical fanged heads, facing from all directions, where they attached to the roughly spherical body.
As fearsome as he may have appeared, I was unconcerned. Izuru's and Shuuhei's zanpaku-tō were designed for opponents such as this one. For this reason, I hung back while they sprang forward, calling their blades into shikai.
"Reap, Kazeshini!"
"Raise your head, Wabisuke!"
They leapt at the leering heads, about three feet above their own. In a flash, fountains of blood spurted from two necks, and a pair of heads fell to the ground and turned immediately into sand.
But, the remaining heads kept grinning; Shuuhei and Izuru, their feet on the ground, looked up to see all four pairs of green eyes seeming to glow.
Then each of the headless necks reared up; to my shock, two bubbles were expanding on each severed end. These bubbles quickly blossomed into new, complete heads. With a sickening ripping sound, the necks split in two, and the heads all swayed comfortably upon their own extensions.
"No way," breathed Shuuhei.
Draxonis laughed, one sound that emerged from eight mouths.
"We have to get them all!" cried Izuru.
As swiftly as we could, we moved around the creature, slashing at any part that moved. Though we certainly had removed all of its heads and most of its arms, within seconds they all grew back. For a few moments more, we continued with the same results, before I realized that Draxonis didn't seem to even be attempting to dodge our blows…
"Stop!" I cried, backing away, and the other two followed suit. We found ourselves staring at a beast with forty-six heads and sixty-seven arms, and we had all but created it ourselves.
We were greeting by smiles and forty-six voices proclaiming, "Now you understand! I am the Hydra of Grecian legend! I am invincible – the more you hurt me, the stronger I become!"
"There has to be some way to kill this thing," hissed Shuuhei.
"The body!" exclaimed Izuru under his breath. "We have to attack the body!"
But the unspoken question was, how could we get past all those limbs?
Just then, the air was rent by a sound that came from behind the opposite wall of Las Noches: a piercing scream that I knew immediately belonged to Momo.
She's alive!
I was so relieved by this that it took me a moment to realize what she was crying out.
"Tōshiroooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!"
For a full second, my heart stopped, and I froze.
Captain---!!!
That second was enough for one of Draxonis' scythe-arms the flash forward and enter between my ribs on my lower right side and exit out the left side. Just as quickly, he yanked it out, and I suddenly felt paralyzed from the wounds down; my knees shook and I collapsed, struggling to breathe through the haze of shock and pain.
Kuchiki Byakuya
The Arrancar struck at me again, almost casually; I easily deflected the bow but it occurred to me that I still could not detect her presence with anything aside from my eyes. As well, I was strangely unable to become aware of my surroundings.
It seems that all of my perception abilities have been lost, somehow…
"You figured it out quickly," said the Arrancar. "I'm rather impressed. But, you are a captain, so maybe I shouldn't be."
"So you read thoughts, as well…"
"Meh—I'd rather I didn't," she shrugged. "It's a rather irritating side effect of my abilities. Most minds are all the same, and I get so bored…although it is useful to know the name of one's enemy. And, I must say, listening to the sound of a mind makes in its fear sometimes makes it all worthwhile." She smiled. "Let's get started on yours then, shall we?"
It's a trick. She's trying to provoke me into attacking first, an elementary tactic.
Her smile grew. "Ah, I see your mind is more complex than most…I haven't been able to find where you keep your common sense. Yet," she added flippantly. "My name is Maeyestral Psychereine. That's all I'm going to tell you about myself, for now. The rest, Kuchiki Byakuya, you will find out soon enough."
Shihoin Yoruichi
It appeared our adversaries possessed the rather eerie ability of speaking in unison.
"We are La Fuega." Their voices were an identical, languid monotone. "United, in perfect harmony, we cannot be defeated."
"We'll just see about that," said Soi Fong casually, then almost lazily lashed out at the nearest twin. They both spun away, in opposite directions, before rapidly moving forward again.
I raised my arms in an "x" to block a jab. The strength behind the blow and the speed with which it had been delivered confirmed that the pair would indeed be a match for us.
Soi Fong
They were fast.
My opponent and I were matched on a basis of strength, but her speed was fairly remarkable. I was pushing myself nearly to my limit to be able to block her strikes, much less retaliate. Only a few glancing blows even made contact. In my peripheral vision I saw that Yoruichi-sama, while in no danger, was faring no better.
I aimed at the Arrancar's throat, but my hand only slashed through empty air. Then her foot caught me in a sharp blow to the ribs; I hissed through my teeth as I felt them crack. My balance had been thrown off as well; she feigned a jab to my injured side, then swung a high kick that struck my temple, and I went sprawling.
I saw Yoruichi-sama hit the ground a short distance away, then scramble to her feet again, with blood trickling down the left side of her face. As I sprang up, I touched my fingers to the wound, on the right side, and they came away stained red.
The Arrancar came forward, drawing their zanpaku-tō as one, but – strangely, it seemed to me – they held them in opposite hands.
That, with Yoruichi-sama falling at the same time I did – and the opposite placements of our injuries…
With that, I realized how simple it was going to be to defeat La Fuega.
Matsumoto Rangiku
As though from a distance, I heard Draxonis chuckle.
"Matsumoto-san!" cried Izuru, and I felt a pair of arms lift me halfways and rapidly drag me backwards, as I sensed the impact of another scythe-limb striking the sand.
I was carefully laid down on the ground, and Haineko was placed beside me.
"Matsumoto-san, can you hear me?" said Izuru urgently. "Please, open your eyes."
I managed to lift my lids partially and tried to sit up, still breathing erratically. Izuru put an arm lightly across my back, gently easing me up. Suddenly, a white-hot spear of pain shot through me like a lightening bolt, and I gasped and arched my back involuntarily. Izuru, startled, nearly dropped me, and instead quickly set me back down.
"Did I mention the venom?" Draxonis crowed in his forty-six voices. "I suppose not. Now, you can let it bleed out of you, but the blood loss will end your life. You can try and stop the bleeding, but I'm afraid the venom will remain trapped in your veins. So it's your choice how you'd like to die."
My heart began to race. No – not this easily…
"Our fight was over far too soon, Matsumoto Rangiku. Goodbye…"
Will I – be seeing you again soon, Tōshirō…?
Kurosaki Ichigo
It was basically a giant scorpion – absolutely huge, with black armour and serrated claws five times my size. Yellow eyes peered over fangs that glistened with venom, and a stinger four feet long ended the tail that curled over its back.
"We'll attack it from different sides," hissed Rukia. "Aim for the spaces between the armour plates."
"You stay back, Orihime," I said.
She nodded, looking miserable.
She had this tendency to beat herself up over being "useless" and "never any help". It was true that, while her abilities weren't really suited for combat, but she was far from useless. She had some truly amazing gifts that were, in some ways, beyond my understanding. Certainly unusual, different – and not to be underestimated.
It was fitting, really, since her powers were so much like Orihime herself.
"Be careful," she said to all of us. Her eyes scanned Renji, Rukia and me. I may have been imagining that they stayed on me a second longer…?
She ducked her head quickly. "Be careful," she repeated, softer.
"Don't worry," I said, my voice coming out more quietly than I'd meant it to.
"Come on now, little shinigami," said Yazlin, in a hissing voice that wasn't as loud as you'd've expected from his size. "Let's play."
Kuchiki Byakuya
I was able to adapt quickly enough to my lack of perception. Though I was forced to rely solely on sight and rudimentary hearing, I was able to defend myself from Maeyestral with little effort. Attacking, however, was awkward: I could not plan ahead, for she would anticipate my movements in advance and react accordingly. Also, my feet seemed to be unable to "remember" the ground on which they stood, forcing me to step with an amateurish over-caution, for a stumble would mean death. Even in this state, however, this Arrancar was barely a match for me, and it was becoming evident that we were merely perpetuating a stalemate.
"This is no fun," Maeyestral whined. "I want to hear your fear---! Chant, Mentecanto [Mindsong]!"
There was no outward change in her appearance, though her reiatsu became noticeably stronger. Considering my handicaps, perhaps using my shikai would be wise.
As I moved forward again, my head suddenly felt heavy and I swayed on the spot. The tip of Maeyestral's zanpaku-tō slashed like a needle across my chest; a thin line of blood began to seep through my robes.
She smiled. "Found your equilibrium," she said insolently.
If I do nothing, this brat is going to best me…
Raising my blade, I intoned, "Shatter, Senbonzakura."
Even as I was saying the words, I realized something was wrong. But it still came as an unpleasant shock when nothing happened.
Inoue Orihime
How could this be happening?
Only moments before, it had been all three battling the monster, dodging its strikes, creating cracks in its plates with their zanpaku-tō.
Then it had seized Rukia-san in one of its claws and squeezed. Her spine made an awful sound when it shattered into pieces and blood spilled from her mouth; surely all her organs had been crushed --! The Arrancar had dropped her and Abarai-kun and Kurosaki-kun had yelled and tried to run to her. Kurosaki-kun had been sent flying backwards and Abarai-kun – the Arrancar struck out with his tail, piercing him through stomach with the long stinger, but the bulb at its base, nearly as big as a soccer ball, had punched right through him as well. There was an enormous hole in him, and so much blood!
Kurosaki-kun had told me to stay back, but I had to help! I ran forward to Rukia-san first, because I wouldn't be able to pull Abarai-kun to safety; he would be too heavy for me. I reached out to take Rukia-san by the shoulders –
Yazlin's stinger came down again, piercing through the palm of my hand and withdrawing quickly; the pain came so quickly and as suck a surprise that I couldn't help but scream.
"Orihime!" I heard Kurosaki-kun call.
"I'm all right!" I quickly called back. But then the giant claw swung forward and knocked me away, knocking my breath from my lungs.
"There's no reason to kill something so helpless," hissed Yazlin. "If you run away, little girl, I'll let you live."
"Orihime, go!" hollered Kurosaki-kun. "I'll catch up later!"
"No! I-I'm not leaving you!"
"We're gonna be okay! You can help Rukia and Renji after! They've been through worse; they can hang on a few – more – minutes," he grunted as he jammed his zanpaku-tō into a crack in the scorpion's armour, then pulled down hard to widen it.
'But—"
"Orihi—" his voice was drowned out as Yazlin released a cero attack that Kurosaki-kun was forced to dodge. "Go!"
I believed that Kurosaki-kun could do anything.
I knew he could beat that Arrancar, one way or another.
But this time, he was going to need some help to do it. And I was the only one left to give that help.
Matsumoto Rangiku
Izuru uttered a few words as he untied his obi and used his teeth to tear it into two long strips.
"B-bandages?" I managed. 'Won't that –?"
"I used a healing kidō to counteract some of the poison and to slow the effects of the rest, If I stop the bleeding now and bind your wounds, and I trade places with Hisagi-kun, he can take you back to the Seireitei and you will be all right until you can receive an antidote. It's all I can do…"
I'd forgotten Izuru used to be in the fourth division. "But—what – about you?"
"I'm staying," he replied, "because Hinamori-kun is still here." Then his face fell. "Matsumoto-san…I'm very sorry."
I shouldn't have wasted time. I should have come alone. If I'd gotten here sooner, maybe I could have saved him…
Oh, god, Tōshirō…out of everyone, in all this time…why did he have to be the one to die?
My vision blurred; my throat burned; I found myself shaking, only to realize I was crying.
"I'm so sorry," whispered Izuru again, then he left my side to fetch Shuuhei.
All I could do was cry. Tears poured down my face faster than I would have thought possible. Yet, I wouldn't have thought it to be possible that I would ever lose both of the people I loved the most.
Soi Fong
"They fight in mirror images of one another!"
Yoruichi-sama needed nothing more than that. The two of us kept our eyes on the other's opponent, reacting to what we saw, on the opposite side. With this, the fight quickly turned in our favour.
It seemed, however, that La Fuega had one last hand to play.
"Flicker, Espejodanza [Mirrordance]!" they cried. Then they began to fight, independently of each other, and their strength increased.
As she aimed a punch at me, the head of the twin I was fighting snapped back, suddenly. Yet, I hadn't touched her. For a moment, I was confused, but when I realized why, I could nearly have laughed... This was likely the most pitiful of resurreccions possible.
Inoue Orihime
Would he be angry if I didn't listen?
But –
Yazlin's stinger struck at him, gashing his shoulder.
No! Kurosaki-kun needs my help, whether he wants it or not! And that's just going to have to be okay!
I reached up behind my ears and pulled out my rikka pins.
"Tsubaki! Koten zanshun!"
Right away, he appeared, but said, "Look – are you sure? Absolutely sure?"
I was about to kill someone. My stomach twisted up at the thought.
But Abarai-kun, Rukia-san, and Kurosaki-kun would all die if I didn't. Even Hinamori-san and Hitsugaya-kun might die because of me if I didn't do anything.
I nodded firmly. "Ye—"
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kurosaki-kun fall. Yazlin had stabbed him through his thigh with that terrible stinger, pinning him to the ground and reaching toward his throat with a claw.
"Yes!! I reject!" I cried, and Tsubaki flew towards the monster.
Hang on, Ichigo!!!
He swung his zanpaku-tō between the Arrancar's pinchers, keeping them from closing on his neck, trying to push them back –
I stood there, fists clenched at my sides, using all the determination and focus I could to help Tsubaki be strong enough.
Yazlin reared back suddenly, drawing his stinger out, and Kurosaki-kun pulled himself away. The Arrancar was thrashing and twitching on the sand. It was awful to watch, so I closed my eyes but did not stop focusing. Tsubaki had found what he'd been looking for – a crack in Yazlin's armour wide enough for him to slip into. Now I had to help him to attack from the inside.
But I could still hear, and Yazlin's screeches and wails made my limbs shake, and I thought I could taste vomit in the back of my throat.
Tsubaki – just – just – don't make him suffer, please.
But it seemed to go on forever, and all I could do was stand there and tremble, trying not to cry, trying to block it out, and refusing to back down…
Then came an "Orihime—" and a hand on my shoulder. I started and cried out, but realized, an instant before I opened my eyes, that it was Kurosaki-kun. I took a shuddering breath an let out a sigh of relief.
"Kurosaki-kun – you're all right…and you can walk…"
"Well enough, and it looks like he's not poisonous…thank you, Orihime."
"…W-what are you thanking me for?"
"You saved my life," he said simply.
I shook my head. "I don't want you to thank me, Kurosaki-kun. I could never let anything bad happen to you, if I could help it."
He seemed to be thinking for a moment, and his bright hair shone golden in the sun.
"Okay," he said finally. "But if you won't let me thank you, you have to promise me something. Promise – you will never call yourself 'useless' again. Because you're not."
I had to smile, though I couldn't look him in the eyes. "Okay."
"Okay," he said, surprisingly gently. Something in his voice made me look up, in time to see the corners of his mouth lift slightly. For a moment, his eyes sparkled.
I looked away, blushing, my heart pounding wildly, trying not to gasp – but filled with a wonderful bubbly happiness beyond words.
Kurosaki-kun just smiled.
At me.
I felt so light with joy, I thought I might float away. But as much as I didn't want to, I had to return to the moment. "M-maybe I should heal your leg?"
"No, Renji and Rukia first."
"Ah! O-of course!" Even my thoughts had gotten all mixed up. But I could be happy later. Right now, my help was still needed.
I took a step towards them –
But the sand under my feet suddenly gave way, and I was falling into a hole. I cried out in surprise, and Kurosaki-kun leaped forward and managed to grab my uninjured hand, but the sand at the edge of the hole where he stood crumbled away and we both fell.
We landed in some kind of tunnel, with the only light coming from the hole above our heads. However, there was enough so we could see quite well.
"I'll bet this goes to the castle," said Kurosaki-kun. "If we follow it – we might even get there without ---"
'Heeeeeey," drawled a new voice. "Long time, no see Kurosaki."
We both turned. I didn't recognize the Arrancar approaching us, but Kurosaki-kun glared at him.
"Grimmjow," I hissed.
Kuchiki Byakuya
Clearly, she'd gotten control of whatever part of my mind was connected to my zanpaku-tō and nullified it. As long as I could not communicate with it, Senbonzakura was rendered an ordinary katana sword. I'd previously discovered that kidō were useless as well. No matter what attack I chose, even without reciting the incantation, she was infallibly able to read my intentions and utilize her elite agility to dodge. She was stripping me of my powers one by one. This had to end before I lost any more.
"Your heart is beating faster," said Maeyestral. "Are you scared yet?"
"I'm sorry that you believe I would succumb so easily."
"Suit yourself."
The muscles in my arm seized; my movements faltered. Laughing, Maeyestral tore a deep gash down my arm, from shoulder to elbow.
Damn her --!
"Mm, frustration. That's a start."
There has to be a way to defeat this.
"Does there, now?"
In a situation like this, the only strategy --- was to not have one.
Very well; so be it.
Inoue Orihime
A small shape dropped into the hole.
"Tsubaki! Ko—"
"No, Orihime," said Kurosaki-kun. "This is something I need to do myself."
"Yep, me and Strawberry here, we got some unfinished business," said Grimmjow. "So run along, girl. I don't got any interest in you – and I'd hate to see a pretty girl cry when I kill her friend."
"I've fought this guy before," said Kurosaki-kun. 'I've got this."
I know you have…and you lost.
"I'm not going anywhere," I said as firmly as I could.
"Looks like you've got yourself a second, Kurosaki," laughed Grimmjow. "If you're staying, girl, you might wanna put away your insect," he went on, glancing at Tsubaki. "If that's all the weapons you got, you're gonna wanna save 'em."
He was right. If I needed to help again, it would be best to save my strength. I called Tsubaki back, then, out of habit, replaced my pins behind my ears.
Another voice cut through the semi-dark.
"How, now? If the half-shinigami is allowed a second, should you not be as well, Grimmjow-san? It would only be fair, now, don't you think?"
"Oh—it's you," said Grimmjow carelessly. "I won't be needing one. If you really wanna, I guess you can stay. Just keep outta my way."
"Of course, of course." I could see him now, this new Arrancar, and even in the poor light, I was struck by the fact that he was very handsome, with large eyes the dark blue of night sky, and shining with something like stars.
"Come, girl, we shall watch from the side," he said gently, ushering me over with a slender hand, not touching me, but hovering over my back. "Don't worry," he went on in a soft, smooth, almost musical voice. "I don't want to fight. No need for such things. A little pleasant conversation never hurt anyone, and passes the time quite effectively, wouldn't you agree? Names are always a good place to start, I find. If you will, then, allow me to introduce myself – my name is Mariioqa Mareilai."
Shihoin Yoruichi
So…they truly did "fight as one". The they became stronger with their resurreccion, they also became even more closely linked, to the point where, if one was injured, the other took the blow as well. I stepped back from my opponent, who recoiled and clutched at her bleeding chest as though she, too, had just been impaled upon Soi Fong's zanpaku-tō.
Perhaps it was for the best that they died at the same time, being as closely linked as they were. In that way, one twin was not forced to live a moment without the other.
Soi Fong wiped the blade on her robes and sheathed it. "Ready to go find round two?" she said.
"You'll have to go ahead without me; I'll catch up," I replied.
"But – you're not hurt?"
"No, I'm fine." But someone else isn't…
Matsumoto Rangiku
My eyes were burning with the tears, but the searing pain in my ribs seemed to be fading, oddly enough.
"You can let it bleed out of you," Draxonis had said about the poison.
But it was escaping now--! Through my tears…
I found, when I tried, I was able to get to my feet, a bit unsteadily. I allowed the tears to keep coming. It wasn't difficult to do.
Shuuhei came towards me. He bore no serious injuries, only a few scratches; those bled freely, releasing any dose of venom he may have received.
"Ma-Matsumoto-san," he exclaimed, surprised to see me standing.
"There's been a change of plans," I said, my voice somehow remaining level. Slowly, I stooped down and picked up my zanpaku-tō. Raising it to eye level, I pointed it at Draxonis and hissed, "Growl, Haineko."
Kuchiki Byakuya
I hadn't fought like this for a long time – with complete abandon. It was a very foolish, not to mention childish, way to fight, and this was not a style I had used since before becoming a shinigami. In this instance, "style" was a very loose term.
It seemed to be working, however. I focused only on one move at a time, refusing to be thrown whenever Maeyestral attacked my muscles or knocked me off balance. I received only minor injuries, for I would immediately adapt to the impediment and react to the nest of my increasingly limited ability.
My head felt heavy again, and Maeyestral lashed out at my ribs. As I stumbled back, I twisted away slightly and threw out my arm, slashing her across the base of her neck.
She staggered back, gasping. My blade had not cut her deeply enough to cause sufficient damage, but it was more than simply a scratch.
Suddenly, with a strange sprawling motion, she came forward again, and I instinctively raised Senbonzakura, which pierced her throat. Maeyestral's eyes widened, then their glistening black dimmed and lost all their lustre. I withdrew my blade, and she collapsed inelegantly; the widening bloodstains around her changed more of the sand at my feet to crimson.
I exhaled, slowly, feeling all my senses returning to me. I thus realized their was someone else there before I even looked.
"You…"
"I don't think I've ever seen you fight so artlessly, even as a moody teenager."
"It wasn't as though I had a choice, under these circumstances, Shihoin Yoruichi."
She laughed. "Well I'm very curious to know what could possibly prompted that performance."
"Extenuating circumstances, I assure you."
"They'd have to be – I almost didn't recognize you!" She laughed again.
Damned if my face was slightly warm --!
"Anyway, you're welcome," she added.
"For---? Ah. You pushed her…I didn't need you to do that."
"Of course not," she replied innocently.
"You needn't say it like that."
"Hey, you don't have to get pissy because I caught you looking like a fool."
"I am certainly not –"
She laughed yet again. "Relax. I won't tell anyone. And don't pretend you're not relieved by that," she added, grinning impishly.
"A fight is a matter of survival, not outward appearance."
"You keep telling yourself that," she said, reaching out and patting me on the shoulder, as if I were a child.
'You have to audacity to –"
"It's as easy as ever to get a rise out of you, even after all these years."
"Now is hardly the time to play childish games. There are things of much greater importance at stake."
"Yes, I know," she said, her smile slipping partially. "It's simply remarkable at how little you've changed, Byakuya."
"I could say the same for you," I replied icily.
For some reason this was funny, and her copper-bell laughter sounded once more.
Matsumoto Rangiku
Fuelled as I was by my heart-rending sorrow, it had never been easier to maneuver the fragments of Haineko around Izuru and in behind all the heads and arms of Draxonis. He appeared to notice nothing, but Izuru realized what was coming and began to back away.
'What? Scared?" taunted Draxonis. "Are you afr---" his mocking tone turned into howling as I moved my zanpaku-tō's hilt in deliberate slashes. Blood exploded from the inside of his body, spilling out of his mouths, choking off his wailing into a heinous gurgling. In a few moments, he was silent and still, the swaying heads limp and twisted in the sand.
That's why he was only the ninth Espada. He seems imposing, but he is unable to run from such things.
As I summoned Haineko back into its sealed form, I was forced to wonder, Here I am, though, and I can't run, either. What does that make me…?
The tears were still flowing freely as Izuru approached. 'Matsumoto-san?"
'I'm all right now," I said. "But – perhaps you two should continue without me."
"Are you sure?" asked Shuuhei.
"Yes. I'll meet up with you again, later. I just…" I trailed off, not knowing what else to say.
Shuuhei awkwardly placed his hand on my arm for a moment. "I – I'm really sorry, Matsumoto-san," he said softly "Truly."
"As am I," said Izuru quietly, inclining his head.
"Th-thank you…now, please—just go on by yourselves."
Without another word, they turned and left.
I tilted my face to the sky; the warm sun dried my tears nearly in an instant. The light seared my eyes, but I kept searching – for what, I didn't know.
I thought I'd known true loss.
Gin.
But while Gin had simply left…Tōshirō was – gone.
I looked down at the sand again; my own gaze seemed to drag me down. I collapsed to my knees, feeling the texture of soft grains through my robes. As I took in a shuddering breath, the tears came again, each one smooth and round, a minute world of agony. I exhaled in a whisper,
"Tōshirō."
The desert wind snatched his name from my lips and carried it away; only the wind knew if it would reach him, wherever he might be now.
"I hold your casket, gently walk you to the grave/Dark clouds eclipse; the sun won't shine again." ---"White Sparrows", by Billy Talent
A/N: Whyyyyyyyyyyy did I choose to do so many battle scenes? I am truly an idiot. That would be why it took so long to write this…I hope it wasn't boring…
Ha. I love Byakuya; I really do. But putting him in awkward situations is hilarious XD
So…I can't promise another chapter soon, as I am working on an entry for a submission for a novella contest put on by a Victoria-based magazine. Prize: $500 outright plus $40 for every printed page. I also recently submitted a short story to Seventeen magazine…prize: $5000. At ten bucks a word, that's not too bad :D If I win, I will buy my own computer and will be able to update much more often :) So, wish me luck, my dear fans ;)
And catchya next chapter!
~Rylan Puroisen Nekozawa