Aletta: Okay. Hyper time is gone, somewhat.
Artemis: REVIEW!!
I opened my eyes, I was still in the grove, and it was late at night. The moon shone a small amount of light to see the vague shape of trees around me. I didn't see anyone near me, but suddenly I felt reaitsu, and it was fairly close to me. I summoned the energy to shout, hoping to catch their attention. As soon as the sound escaped my mouth, a cough followed it, and I tasted blood. Maybe I came back here to finally die. What a shame it would be for someone to appear simply to watch me die. It was getting hard to breathe.
"Miura-san?" Someone said. It's the person I sensed earlier, "Miura-san, 4th Division is on its way. Miura-san, stay with me."
"Call me Ava." I croaked. No sense in being unfriendly with someone who's going to watch you die. I heard the incantations for a healing spell, and bandages being wrapped around my waist, "Hey, watch it." I said, trying to move away from the stranger's hands.
"Don't make me bind you. Just lie still." He ordered, carefully but firmly holding my arms down until I stopped squirming. I blearily realized the other person was a guy. Well, Orihime wants me to be with a guy. I wonder if this counts in her book. My eyes were getting heavy, maybe I should just sleep right now. It'd be easier than the constant stinging of these cuts, being cleaned by the stranger, and the feeling of someone sitting on my chest, making it hard to breathe.
"Get off." I groaned, thinking he was sitting on my chest.
"Ava.. They're almost here. Just concentrate." He said.
"Who are you?" I asked, considering I didn't know who it was. How rude of me.
"Hitsugaya Toshiro. Who else would it be?"
"I was yelling your name, and you didn't show." I said. It was a little easier to talk, until I thought about it. I coughed, and the taste of blood was back in my mouth. He put a hand on my shoulder, like keeping me on the ground was the best thing for me when I was coughing.
"I couldn't find you. There was a barrier around the area you were in." He explained, "What happened?"
"Gin attacked again. He was disguised as Omaeda." Hitsugaya nodded, "I think I killed him." Hitsugaya's blinked, and didn't say anything for a long time.
"What makes you think that?" He said eventually.
"Um, I shot him through the chest with what you could consider a Bankai. Quincy Final Form, extremely powerful. He fell through to Hueco Mundo, so I can't be sure." Hitsugaya was quiet again. I'm sure this is alot for him to digest.
I looked around, the sun was starting to shine through the trees. The trees hadn't seemed to change. I glanced down at the bandage wrapped around me, and as a reaction to the sight, I felt a burning in my chest. I ground my teeth together, and glanced up at Hitsugaya. He seemed genuinely concerned, and I think he's also a little proud of me.
"You did place a bet on me." I said, grinning a bit. Hitsugaya turned a little red.
"I did not!" He snapped, glaring at me. My grin just got even bigger.
"Where did you think I would be placed?"
"I just said, I did not place any bet on you!" He said, folding his arms over his chest.
"I bet it was 5th Division. You know, there are rumors you and Hinamori-san have a thing going. It would also explain why you hang around me so much. You want to make sure she has a good Captain." Hitsugaya just got redder.
"Why would you think Momo and I are romantically involved?"
"Well, for one thing, you just called her Momo. For another, you haven't tried to prove me wrong."
"Momo is my close friend. I have no kind of feelings for her, other than as my friend and comrade."
"Okay. So, where did you bet I'd be in?" Just then, branches snapped, and 4th Division officers came. Hitsugaya stood up, out of the way of a stretcher and two officers picking me up and placing me on it.
"Just concentrate on getting better." Hitsugaya said, and turned to Captain Unohana.
"Hey," I said as loudly as I could. Hitsugaya turned around, "You still didn't answer my question." I saw a small smile curling up on his lips, the smile I saw when he came to my cell that one time. His private smile, except this time, he shared it with me. I couldn't help but grin back.
--
The minute I reached the hospital, people were crowding around me, asking what had happened, and in the crowd, Orihime managed to elbow through and make her way to my side.
"Miura-san! Are you alright?" She asked, and someone bumped her, knocking her face until it was inches away from my own.
"Everyone!" Vice-Captain Isane yelled, "The limit is five visitors. Those of you trying to get details about Gin's death are to leave immediately." A few people left out of the room, "Now!" She yelled fiercely, and the crowd shoved its way out of the door. The only people left were Orihime, Uryu, Kurosaki, and Chad. Vice-Captain Isane stood at the doorway for a moment, content the number of people is under the limit, and left.
"I'm fine." I said, "So, did Captain Hitsugaya tell you the story?"
"He told us you may or may not have killed Gin." Kurosaki cut in, "Way to go." He said, grinning.
"He also said you used Quincy Final Form." Uryu said.
"Yeah. I can't use my Quincy abilities for a while." I said. Uryu nodded, he figured as much.
"What does that mean?" Kurosaki asked, glancing between Uryu and me.
"It means I'm just a Soul Reaper for now." I shrugged, "How are you guys?"
"Forget us. What happened between you and Hitsugaya?" Orihime said, leaning over the bed at me.
"Orihime, maybe you should leave that for another time." Uryu said, giving Orihime a look, and she pouted, but didn't push the subject further. I glanced at Uryu, giving him a mental 'Thank you'.
"So, what's new?" I asked.
"We're leaving for a few weeks, to finish up our finals." Uryu said. I nodded.
"When are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow." Uryu said. My mouth fell open, and before I could complain or anything, "You're out of trouble, and the sooner we can finish up the tests, the better. We'll be back." Uryu assured me. I made a face, and Uryu stuck the tip of his tongue out at me, so fast nobody else could have seen it except me. I grinned, and laughed a little. Finally acting his age.
"You'll be okay by yourself?" Orihime asked.
"I'll live. I spent a decade here, I have friends beside you all." I said, still grinning.
"Then I think we should go." Kurosaki said, pulling Orihime by an arm out the room. Chad put down a little boquet of wildflowers into a vase.
"Orihime said I should give you these." He said, and Orihime pouted more.
"You shouldn't tell her that!" Orihime whined, but I just grinned.
"Thanks Chad." I said. Chad nodded, and left the room, followed by Kurosaki and Orihime. I turned to Uryu.
"You know when you'll get your Quincy powers back?" Uryu asked. I shrugged.
"Only Kelchblute, now Blute, knows."
"Sorry I wasn't there."
"Hey, if I had known Hitsugaya-kun was going to break me out of the cell and use me as bait for Gin or some Heuco Mundo spy, I would've certainly told you." I said, with some sarcasm at the end, "I'm glad though, that you saved the breaking out for the Captain. I'm sure he's in alot less trouble than if you had broken me out." Uryu nodded.
"Still. I couldn't protect you."
"I can take care of myself. How many times do I have to tell you? I took on Gin, twice, and lived to tell the tale."
"The first time was with our help. The second time, you nearly died." Uryu said smugly. I made a face at him, but he was all seriousness now, "You need to be more careful."
"Please don't start thinking you can act like my father. And I'm still alive. See?" I said, spreading my arms as a way of showing my live self. Uryu softly poked my bandaged stomach, and I cringed, "That hurt." I growled.
"Sorry." He said, and there was a knock at the door, and Orihime's head appeared from the crack at the door. She was furiously motioning for Uryu to come out of the room. I had a few ideas what she had in mind and who with. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
"I'll see you later." I said, and Uryu nodded, and kissed the top of my head. I have a feeling someone saw it, and my only hope is that it's whoever Orihime is trying to set me up with before she goes.
Just then, I caught a glimpse of a bald head coming through the door and a few wilting flowers in his hands. It could have been worse, I guess. Behind Ikkaku, Yumichika walked in, with a much lovelier single orchid in his hand. I closed my eyes, and when I opened them, they were still here.
"You are quite an average girl." Yumichika said, seeming disappointed. Too bad I was bedridden, he'd be in serious trouble. I ground my teeth together.
"Hey, if she can beat Ichimaru Gin, she's alright in my book. Madarame Ikkaku."
"Ayasegawa Yumichika."
"Miura Ava." I said, beginning a probably long a torturous conversation with a narcissist and a man who'd love the chance to beat me up- once I'm better, of course. I closed my eyes again, and whispered dire threats to Orihime and Kurosaki, vowing to get back at them.
Aletta: Hi. That better for you all? I think it's longer than previous chapters. I noticed that before I had reached 3 thousand some words, and when I got back into writing after Ohio, they were around 1 thousand. Hopefully, I'm back into my long-winded chapters now.
Artemis: REVIEW!