A/N: This chapter just suddenly came at me. Well, I wrote the first part like... two days ago? And I was stuck. But I chilled out all day at my pool, and I just had one of those beautiful moments where everything is clear. Not really. But here you go, chapter twenty-seven.

Thanks, guys:

LogicOfFire, Shadowgouf, Eradona, Hitorijinsei3, Animelover1993, WeesnawMcGee, Shadow of a Broken Angel, Nightcat102, GaarasMyBoyzz, Nicky Eira, Mute Thoughts.

You lot are truly inspiring.

Oh: And just, you know. A little btdubs. We're at 101 reviews. Seriously? I just may have a brain aneurysm. You know, no big deal. Just thought I'd tell you. BECAUSE I'M SO HAPPY!


Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor its character. Just the ones made up in this labyrinth called my mind.


x Fractured Hesitation x

Bleach © Tite Kubo

Fractured Hesitation © Dia de Luz

Veintisiete:

"Bête Noire"


Live the glory;

Kill the pain


Her complexion was slowly returning to normal.

The skin on her face was that rosy peach color again, and the dark bags under her eyes were slowly fading. Her face was no longer marred with burns or scratches.

It was Hazumi again.

Or, almost. The skin on her forearms was slowly making progress. No more blisters, and not as ravaged, but they were still missing skin. Still pink and raw. The hole in her chest was, too, taking time to close, but it was closing.

So slowly.

The blood coating her all over had dissipated under Inoue's Sōten Kisshun, and the tears in her clothing had been patched up under the shield, as well. But Ichigo wouldn't tear his gaze away from her until he saw the first movements of her chest rising and falling; the sign of a normal, rhythmic breath. It took time, but when he first saw her chest move up in an inhalation, he let go of that breath he hadn't known he was holding. For those first few minutes under the shield, she hadn't been breathing. She'd truly looked finished.

He didn't even have to guess as to where she acquired such injuries; he knew she had fought Ulquiorra.

Even before Inoue mentioned it, and Grimmjow mocked her intelligence- her lack thereof, actually. He wanted to shake the girl by her shoulders and knock the stupidity right outa her skull. What had gone through her mind- something so horrible to force herself to engage Ulquiorra? But Inoue had answered that question, her soft voice shaking as she stared down at Hazumi's too still body.

"She saw your defeat."

It only took a few seconds for the teenager to comprehend this; that Hazumi had picked up where he had failed. She had to clean up behind him. And look where she ended up- because he wasn't strong enough.

She had a fucking hole in her chest.

She wasn't moving.

She was barely breathing.

It struck him then- he could have really lost her. She could have really died. Died, as in gone for good. Swallowing, tawny eyes glanced at the girl one last time before turning, gripping the hilt of his zanpakutou. Already having reassured both Nel and Inoue, Ichigo addressed the sexta Espada, expression hardening.

"We should settle this somewhere else, Grimmjow."

Blue eyes only stared at him before taking off, Ichigo following not far behind. One persistent thought haunting his mind, his one purpose for his taking part in this fight.

Protect them both.

Yet Hazumi's face was the one that kept appearing in his mind.


"Shihoin-san… Urahara-san…"

Mon's coral eyes blinked as her mouth formed a little 'O' in surprise. Her hand was on the back of Barry's wooden chair, and she had turned to face her two seniors, quite shocked that they of all people would show up. But Barry just rubbed the back of her head, messing up her hair like always before heaving herself up lethargically, discarding her stubbed cigarette.

Turning slowly, "I wasn't expecting you two so soon."

Urahara stepped closer to the lazy woman, while Yoruichi glanced around, noting with a wry smile nothing other than Barry's explosives. Of course they would be in plain sight, and of course they would all be complete. Her place was a mess, too. This was also expected from the artisan. But Yoruichi's lips slipped as she remembered why they were there, and to whom they were speaking.

Thirty lives…

Urahara slightly tipped his hat, "It seems the situation has expedited exponentially, Nguyen-san."

Barry nodded absently, moving towards her workplace to grab another cigarette, plucking it from the pack and stuffing it in her mouth, lighting up in a smooth movement.

Urahara continued, "How is Hosyu-san?"

"Alive."

"Awake?"

A long exhale, followed by an even longer inhale. "I'd imagine you would know without asking."

The blonde's shoes clacked against the concrete flooring as he moved, stopping in front of one of Barry's many arched windows. He took a long look before sighing, "This is quite the sight of the city, Nguyen—"

"Let's not pretend, Kisuke."

At this, dark blues shut slowly, while olives stared straight at him. Yoruichi had busied herself by one of the tables which had been buried under all sorts of explosives, and Mon had seated herself at the bar, silent. It slowly became tense in the dull warehouse. They were all more or less thinking the same thing.

Noticing Urahara wouldn't speak first, Barry did. "I get that allying yourself with a murderer is a little sickening in some cases, but let's try to be mature adults here. I'm aware of your discomfort, but let's just make this as painless as possible."

Over at the bar, Mon winced at her harsh words.

"Is that what you think?" It was Yoruichi who stepped in, arms crossed, mouth a taut line.

Barry turned her head towards the dark-skinned woman, expression clean.

Yoruichi narrowed her golden eyes, "You should know us better than that, Barry."

Said artisan plucked her cigarette from her lips, holding it between her fingers.

Exhaling a cloud of noxious smoke, "I do not mistake respect for friendliness, Shihoin. It's you who needs to rethink things."

Yoruichi stayed silent, gazing at Barry as she tapped the ashes away from her cancer stick. Sighing, the navy-haired Einstein tossed the still-burning cigarette over her should, rubbing her eyes with her palms. From the counter, Mon gripped a scotch glass tightly in her hand, narrowing her pink eyes. She hated the static in the air. Barry was never this tense; she hadn't felt this pressured in a long while.

And everyone was going to be like this.

Voicing her thoughts, "Was it really a smart idea, letting Hazumi wander into Hueco Mundo rather than staying here to back the artificial Karakura AND Barry and me…?"

Mon's question caused a rather stunned silence from her three seniors, each one reacting differently. Barry just turned her head, Yoruichi frowning, and Urahara sighing. Now spoken, it seemed like a better idea for Hazumi to have just stayed put. It would have provided more defense in Karakura, and a buffer between Soul Society and Barry- a criminal, and Mon, exiled.

"We can all agree there was no stopping her from leaving."

Yoruichi nodded at the explosives whiz, while Urahara stayed silent.

Mon, however, did not see this. "Why?"

"Simple, Egao-san. Kurosaki is in Hueco Mundo. Hazumi would have followed him anywhere. If I did not lend her my assistance, she would have found a way." Urahara had turned to Mon, not only explaining, but even addressing her by her official title. The one she went by in Seireitei, which was written on records.

Egao Monaco had been exiled from Seireitei when she joined Barry Nguyen.

Mon had abandoned that name along with any connection she felt towards Seireitei.

She hated it. And she hated this situation.

From across the room, Barry sighed, tired.

But Mon wasn't out yet, "We could have kept her here if we really wanted to- which we should have."

"Are you afraid of Soul Society's militants, Monaco?"

Coral cut to gold, narrowing in anger.

The small girl didn't like the sound of that. "What are you implying, Yoruichi? Of course I'm not. I'm just saying it probably would have been a lot smoother if Hazumi stayed."

"Unfortunately, not everything in life is easy, Egao-san."

"Would you stop calling me that, Urahara?"

"Shut the fuck up, all of you. Chrissake, you're giving me a fucking migraine with your shouting, Mon."

Blinking, Mon quickly shut her mouth, eyes finding Barry, who was pinching the bridge of her nose in annoyance. She had moved again, standing with her back to everyone, watching the rain come down at the window. Yoruichi and Urahara complied with her wish, closing their mouths. It was, after all, her warehouse.

Her house.

The only sounds that could be heard were the splats against glass, the harsh rain beating everything.

After a long silence, "Everything's so fucking tense. But in times of crisis, we don't need to act like unorganized toddlers, now do we?"

The lazy craftswoman turned to her three companions, her pale face blank.

"These strained vibes I'm getting from you lot tells me this might be the end. And I say, 'Okay. It's the end.'"

Silence.

She turned back around.

"If we're going down, we all might as well go down together."


When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was a glowing orange shield right above my nose.

Second, I felt like I was being suffocated. Like I was being smothered with a paper bag over my head or some sadistic crap like that.

So I was a little scared.

My hands automatically flew up, palms against the glowing barrier, my black eyes scrunching. I felt like I was in a tiny box, and it was just getting smaller and smaller. My expression pinched from the uncomfortable and threatening feeling, but next thing I know, there's this small shattering sound, and then the barrier's gone.

"Oh!"

Free. I inhaled a big gulp of oxygen, my chest heaving up and down really fast, my eyes flying open. Inoue kneeling just beside me, her hands outstretched like… they were above the barrier?

"Hazumi-san?"

I blinked, slowly gathering myself.

Finding my voice, "I-Inoue…?"

Her big grey eyes were staring back down at me, worried.

And then I remembered.

"This ables me to kill you."

The crushing feeling inside of me, the inexplicable crunch of bones snapping, systems suddenly failing. The sight of a sword piercing my chest; the feeling of dying.

"Trash…"

Ichigo's face right there, hand gripping mine.

Darkness.

"I'm alive…?" My voice sounded unsure and quite confused, reflecting exactly how I felt. I mean, I would think I had the right to be a little confused. There I was, having been stabbed for the umpteenth- really third, I'm pretty sure- time in my life, and suddenly I'm breathing again? Either I was really lucky, or I had someone upstairs lookin' after me, havin' a full time job up there.

I saw Inoue nod above me, over and over, a shaky smile gracing her lips. Her eyes started to water, and that had my eyes widening. I shot up, waving my hands in front of me, frantic. "No no no! Don't cry! See? I'm fine! Really! You did awesome!"

She ran a finger under her eye, coughing a watery chuckle at my panic.

I just exhaled in relief as I saw the water abate, until her eyes were just shining.

Shooting her a cautious smile, "Thanks, Inoue. I guess I owe you a big one."

The girl just blinked at me before rubbing the back of her head, "Oh! No, you don't. Really. It's okay! I mean… you were… dying. It was instinct."

Nodding, my hands went to my face, rubbing it

-and feeling nothing.

I froze, my hands stilling on my face. Smooth face.

"Is something wrong, Hazumi-san…?"

Slowly, I brought my hands back, shaking. Glancing around, I saw my zanpakutou lying just feet away, and I reached for it, bringing the blade right in front of my face. Using the shining metal as a mirror. I didn't know what to say when I saw my reflection. I didn't know what to think. Obviously Inoue had healed me, but it didn't even cross my mind that… my burns would disappear as well. But as I stared back at the girl in the reflection, I felt a shaky smile curl my lips, and I looked at Inoue.

My palm back on my cheek, "You…"

She seemed to catch on. She smiled.

I just offered an incredulous grin, swallowing. "Incredible…"

"Oh Hazumi-san…"

"Thank you…" She waved it off as no big deal. But it was a big deal to me.

But then something struck me. "Where's Kurosaki?"

She blinked at my sudden change of topic, but then her expression fell, just a bit.

And in that moment, she didn't have to say it.

"ZUMMMIII!"

"UHCGH!"

"Zumi I thoughts dat you were a goner!"

"Mmmf!"

"I was so sads, Zumi!"

"MMMMMFF!"

"Why won'ts you answer Nel, Zumi?"

That's right. Nel had tackled me, and was now residing on my face. Of course I couldn't answer her. But finally I gripped her arms, lifting her off of me so I could breathe. Gasping, I shot her a look. She just grinned, all childlike and innocent.

"Hazumi-san…" I heard the sounds of swords clanging not too far off. The sound of a building crumbling under impact, and more raved speaking. With a small frown, I pushed myself into a standing position, wincing.

Inoue was fluttering at my side. "You shouldn't be standing just yet! I haven't finished…!"

I coughed a laugh, "It's okay, Inoue. You've done enough for me."

Something in my voice had her stopping, staring at me. Quieting down.

I quirked my lips, "I came here to save you, after all. But you ended up saving my ass. So thanks. But," I paused, rubbing a particularly sore part of my abdomen, "I think it's time to do my job."

She just stared at me, her grey eyes slightly wider now.

And I felt something in the background. And I heard it.

"Wait, Grimmjow!"

"Gran Rey Cero!"

And then I saw it coming straight for us. My black eyes expanding, reacting as fast as I could. Grabbing hold of Inoue, stabbing my zanpakutou into the stone at our feet, making sure Nel was right beside us. It all happened so fast. I was so sure the attack was right there

-and then it just stopped. Not even a few yards before us. The strong gust of wind blew my hair, had me grunting with the strain of standing and erecting a barrier in such short notice. But it was all unnecessary.

Because Ichigo was right there, having fended it off for us.

The cobalt barrier I made around us shook, and then it fell when I canceled the flow of energy.

Hurt like a bitch, too.

"Kuro…Kurosaki…kun…?"

I grabbed the hilt of my sword, gritting my teeth as I wedged it out of the cement ground, stumbling back as it came free.

"Freakin' zanpakutou…" I jammed Kuria-Dei in her sheath, which had also been lying on the ground, conveniently enough. And when my gaze lifted to see what was goin' down, my hand froze on the sheath.

That fucking mask again.

Inoue was frozen in front of me. My reaction was mild compared to hers. After all, I had seen it before. I had been there when he trained. But I still didn't like it. Then, he was apologizing. "Sorry. Are you scared?"

I didn't know what to do.

"I suppose telling you to be at ease in this shape would be a bit difficult."

I found this statement false. Because with that mask, he was stronger. Wouldn't being stronger put us at ease…?

"But please allow me to say it. Be at ease. Because… I'm going to end this as soon as possible."

I felt a multitude of things at that moment. The emotions just flew right at me, so freely, too. I felt Inoue's fear and anxiety, Nel's fear for Ichigo, Grimmjow's insanity and lust for blood. And Ichigo's concern.

Releasing me comes with its own repercussions, Hazumi.

Well great. Was I more sensitive now than before?

Groaning, I pinched the bridge of my nose, falling back on a piece of rubble behind me. I just needed to sit for a few moments. Leaning forward, I put my face in my hands, ignoring my surroundings. Just trying to gather myself. After all, I almost died. You would think I would be granted at least some time to fix my thoughts.

But no, someone upstairs most likely thought that idea as ludicrous, because the next words I heard had me going rigid.

"Grind, Pantera!"

The power emitting from Grimmjow was colossal. I was glad I was sitting, because my legs probably wouldn't have held me up.

Let me finish Inoue's job.

Kuria-Dei wanted to heal me, and that seemed like a pretty okay idea. It had me wondering why Inoue didn't finish, and why did I feel as if I were suffocating under her power?

"Okay, Dei. Chalk this up to desperation, okay? You're not always gonna get to heal me."

I didn't notice Inoue looking back at me, and Ichigo just glancing. I just concentrated on grabbing my genial zanpakutou and laying her across my lap, hands hovering over her thin blade. My arms were still pink from the burns. Tangible navy reiatsu emitted from my hands, swirling around Dei's blade. I bit my lip in concentration, furrowing my brows.

In front of me, Ichigo addressed Inoue. "Inoue… right now, surround yourself, Nel, and Hazumi with Santen Kesshun. Don't lower it for a moment."

Yeah, I didn't hear any of this. So when the fight picked up again, I felt something approaching me, stopping right at my feet. Diverting its course, and wrapping around, effectively cutting me off.

"Hazumi-san!"

Blinking, I lifted my gaze to see Inoue's orange shield again, except I was on the outside.

Right on the outside, actually.

Huh.

"Uhm…"

I don't like her power.

"I don't know what's happening…"

Inoue was giving me a weird look, but I could only shrug.

Reaching my hand towards her barrier, I flinched as I made contact, jerking back.

It burned…

Don't make the flames return. I don't like it.

Dei…?

Our power and hers are somewhat alike, Hazumi.

Uhh…

"Hazumi-san… I can't… reach out to you…" The teenager's face was pinched, her hands fisting in effort. But her barrier wasn't moving any. I was still on the outside. And I wanted it to stay that way, too. God knows why; Kuria-Dei's influence, no doubt. Closing my eyes, I put my face in my hands again, sighing. "You can stop, Inoue. It's okay."

"I don't… understand." Her voice was shaking, confused and scared.

"Kuria-Dei doesn't like your power, apparently."

I know that confused the fuck out of her. It did for me, too.

Her power is rejecting occurrences. Ours is neutralizing, more or less. The two don't mix well.

Oh. Okay.

That made a little more sense.

"Kuria… Dei?"

Raising inky orbs, I looked beyond her, towards the conflict between Ichigo and Grimmjow. It was escalating, very quickly.

"My zanpakutou. She tells me our powers don't mix well. I'm not really sure what the deal is. But you can stop trying; it's not going to work. I'll be fine."

I actually didn't know if this statement was true. But it wasn't like this was the first time I told a little white lie.

Slowly the girl nodded, pulling her shield back so it surrounded just her and Nel. My gaze was on the fight again, though. And so was Inoue's. She was scared again. Her fear was rising with each clang in the distance.

Until the sounds weren't in the distance at all.

They were right there.

Thunk!

"HOLY MOTHER OF PEARL!"

Cursing up a storm, I breathed out of my nose, gritting my teeth. Wrenching something out of my shoulder, I shuddered in a breath, coughing. The spear-like object evaporated into the air, and I realized it was just a shot of energy.

A blue shot of energy.

Like an explosive dart or something.

"Fuckin Grimmjow!" Hand gripping the hollow of my shoulder, my gaze snapped up, practically breathing fire.

My hard eyes connected with yellow irises.

A white mask. A skeletal, white mask. There was blood on it. And he was breathing heavily. I saw smoke behind him, and I realized Ichigo had been hit by several more spears than I had. One just happened to slip by him and pierce me.

His yellow eyes looked at me, no expression. Muttering under my breath, I decided to take the high road, shooting the boy a thumbs up, giving him the okay.

And he was gone.

Feeling Kuria-Dei's restlessness, I shot her a glare, "Shut up, you."

So what if I sounded crazy? I bet everyone at some point in their life has spoken to an inanimate object.

"Kurosaki-kun…"

Inoue's faintheartedness was overwhelming. Her soft voice was ringing in my ears, throwing off my composure. Not like I had much to begin with, though. But her trembling hands and shrunken form had me sighing, shaking off my annoyance and wounds.

"It's okay to fear it, you know."

There was a sizzling sound coming from my shoulder, telling me my zanpakutou was working her magic. This enabled me to slowly make my way to my feet, only wincing. Sheathing Dei, I took a few steps forward, around Inoue's shield, walking past her.

I stopped at the edge of the pillar, seating myself so my legs were hanging off the edge. I folded my hands over my lap, talking just to talk. "Just don't forget who he is."

I didn't see the girl's eyes widen from behind me, nor did I see her face slowly soften. Her eyes looking down, her hands folding. I didn't know her thoughts, either. I just felt her emotions. Yes, fear. But also there was sorrow and helplessness. That I could relate to. I felt helpless as I watched Ichigo down there.

"You ever heard the Serenity Prayer, Inoue?"

"N-no…"

Slowly closing my eyes, I played back to my days in rehab. Father Eli would recite all this stuff- I would think it as bullshit if he were alive today to tell me, but back then I believed it.

Maybe I could still believe. My mouth was forming the words, only from memory, "God grant me the serenity to accept things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference."

I didn't feel any different. I covered my face with my hands, leaning forward.

Expression falling, I swallowed thickly. "Just don't forget who he is. It's just Ichigo. He's here fighting for you. Don't go doubting him now."

I was doubting him, but for all the wrong reasons. For selfish reasons. He had come running after Inoue, yet not me. But he had… kissed me. Yet he hadn't come to help me in the Hollow's Nest.

Why was I thinking about this now?

BOOM!

The sudden impact tore me out of my stupid thoughts, and my gaze flew down, where Ichigo stood, hunched over. And Grimmjow, that sick grin on his face. My eyes widened as I saw… the sub shinigami was so tired.

So thrashed.

All this time… I had been lost in my thoughts.

I hadn't even been concentrating on his struggle.

Grimmjow was flying at him-!

NO!

"Don't die…"

He couldn't… "Please…"

Grimmjow was poised to kill.

Ichigo… I had to do it.


It happened in a fast sequence. I could barely process what I did, actually. I'm sure nobody else could really see what I did until it was done, too. I remember jumping off the pillar as I unsheathed Kuria-Dei, doing something so crazy that I hadn't even thought it possible.

"Bachi no Seken!"

And in the same breath, "Bakudo 61: Rikujōkōrō!"

I landed right between the two, locking eyes with Grimmjow. Seeing him frozen by those six yellow rods from my Bakudo spell. But they wouldn't hold him; I knew that. In a swift movement, I pointed the black orb atop of my staff straight at his glowering face, my dark eyes voids, "Neutralización Oscura." (1)

Impure tendrils eagerly darted from the black orb, searching greedily for something to latch onto. Finding Grimmjow, one by one the thick helixes pierced his skin, latching on like parasites. His roars were nothing in my ears.

"Oscuridad Absoluta." (2)

He was thrown back from the force of my wrenching the tendrils out of his skin, leaking blood. A good distance away, I heard his contrived breathing, full of rage. "YOU BIT—"

He was engulfed in a black explosion.

I only watched as it set off, my black eyes reflecting the dark bomb. Just black flames, black smoke. So thick and obscured. Like my eyes. Like the source of my power.

My eyes lowered to the black orb, swallowing.

I had to tear my gaze away, grip tightening on my staff. Turning my head slightly, I met yellow irises. After my little display, after that feeling of desperation and… blackness, I didn't feel anxiety when looking at that mask. It felt familiar.

My lips were moving, my brows pulled, "Fuckin' idiot."

And I smacked him upside the head.

"Argh! What the?"

"You're an idiot, you know that? You're giving Inoue a heart attack up there! You're killing me, kid!"

He didn't say anything.

I shook my head; face scrunching, "Get your act together. You… You looked like you were going to die!"

I threw my staff into the sand, expressing with my hands, black eyes now shining with concern.

My voice was shaking, "Don't make me see that again, damnit! I can't!"

His eyes widened slightly, but I kept going. "I already saw you dead! I can't…!"

Movement.

I hit the sand with a dull thunk, the air knocked from my lungs.

Heavy breathing above me. "You… interferin… fuck."

A cero was charging right there.

I felt the heat on my face.

A fucking cero.

"I'LL KILL YER ASS!"

Clang.

And the heat was gone.

"Sorry… Grimmjow."

My heartbeat was in my ears.

"But I can't allow you to do that."

Blood was in the air. It hit the sand beside me, staining it crimson.

"Move, Hazumi."

He didn't have to tell me twice. I flashed away in a heartbeat.

"Kurosaki-kun!"

I heard the hit before I heard Inoue's scream. I heard his flesh ripping. I whirled around, black eyes expanding when I saw Ichigo holding his stomach, Grimmjow wrenching his blood-coated hand back.

"What… the hell is with your eyes…" The sexta Espada's voice was shaking with anger. "They always look like that… No matter how much I beat the shit outa you. And then that fuckin' woman," here he threw his arm in my direction, rage flowing, "always intervenes! Even after I kick the shit outa you and her! It always seems like you still think you can beat me… like you still think you're stronger than me…!"

He bolted for the teenager. "IT REALLY FUCKING PISSES ME OFF!"

"ICHIGO!"

Grimmjow was brutal with his blows. It seemed each one could end it.

"Oh my God…"

"Desgarrón."

These blue claw marks just appeared out of thin air. Like his energy just solidified from the end of each of his fingers. The reiatsu was crushing. And they were just going at Ichigo, relentless, hit after hit after hit. Until Ichigo couldn't take it. He was slashed by these barbarous attacks, one after another.

"I AM THE KING!"

I was screaming now, desperate and afraid.

"ICHIGO!"

Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.

I heard Dei's voice, but it wasn't right.

It was echoing.

And by the sudden kickoff in the air, something in my heart told me Ichigo had heard Kuria-Dei's soft prayer. Because I heard his words from my spot on the ground, and I saw everything. I saw how the strength returned to him, and his words were much more threatening.

"Just like you said… I came to Hueco Mundo to fight you. I came here to defeat you, Grimmjow! I will defeat you!"

His voice was rising, his energy was escalating. "I will defeat Ulquiorra! I will defeat Aizen! And then I'll take Rukia! Chad! Ishida! Renji! Inoue! Hazumi… I'LL BRING THEM ALL BACK!"

He was right at Grimmjow, "You're just one person! I CANNOT BE BEATEN BY YOU GRIMMJOW!"

Blood was in the air. Falling like a shower.

It was over.

Grimmjow's body hit the dirt.

Ichigo was in front of Inoue, speaking.

Slowly my feet were moving towards Grimmjow's still form. My zanpakutou was beside him. I stood over him for a few seconds, my lips tipped in a deep frown. Reaching down for my zanpakutou, I grabbed the staff

-going rigid when I felt a grip on my wrist.

"You… bitch…"

I tried to shake off his grip, but to no avail. I had to resort to kicking the damn guy right in the gut, even if it was against my morals to kick a man while he was down. He was just so fucking persistent. I skidded back some, gripping Bachi no Seken as the sexta Espada slowly rose, face twisted in rage. He was about to come straight at me; he was readying himself.

But someone stepped slightly in front of me, holding out his sword.

"Ichigo…" He was all beaten up, and yet he was going to keep on. He only glanced at me through the corner of his eye, and something about the way I looked had his eyes tightening, returning to the struggling Espada. He had reverted back to his normal, preleased state.

"Grimmjow…"

The malicious man was just standing there, panting. So angry.

Spiteful.

"Like I'd lose… there's no… way in hell… I'D EVER LOSE TO SOMEONE LIKE YOU!"

Ichigo stepped forward just as Grimmjow came at us, taking charge. I watched him toss his sword aside, talking to the Espada. Grabbing his arm so his sword was frozen.

"… Stop already, Grimmjow."

But it didn't look like he was going to.

"…You've lost."

Blood was oozing from the man's wounds. Splashing onto the ground.

"I don't know whether you're a king or not… but crushing those who piss you off… and being the king by yourself… where's the enjoyment in that?"

If I didn't hate the Espada so much, this might have been difficult to watch. But I was savoring his pain.

I wanted him to hurt.

Ichigo was just being merciful.

"If I really piss you off that much, if Hazumi really pisses you off that much, I'll fight for the both of us all you want. But for now… just stop already!"

In a quick movement, Grimmjow flicked his arm away, shouting, "Fuck you! You're…!"

And we all watched in horror as a particularly brutal hit from a massive scythe shut his fucking mouth. Blood everywhere. Ichigo's gaze followed Grimmjow's body, but I wasn't concerned about him anymore.

My gaze trailed to where the colossal weapon came from, where the new arrival stood, tall and intimidating.

"What a bad loser…"

My heart stopped as I saw the man's sick grin.

His towering weapon in his hand, carelessly held with just one hand.

"Hurry up and die already."

His twisted grin.

"The shinigami are mine."


(1) Dark Neutralization

(2) Absolute Darkness

You know what to do. You click that review button. You do that, man. Stick it to the man. By reviewing my story. You're a total badass if you do. Just sayin'...

Oh and: I didn't add Inoue's little scene with Ichigo. Where she tells him to not die and all that nice stuff. Because, well, it would have hurt my feelings because I didn't have anything to write there. It wouldn't have been right, I think. So, sorry if you're disappointed.