A/N: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! This is taking forever, and I apologize once again before hand for how short this chapter is. Like, it's SHORT. But you don't need me to tell you that. Just go forth and read and hate on me later. Ready, GO!
The ever-glowing moon looked down upon the wasted desert that stretched out for eternity, possible with a mix of sadness from hearing the recent news. A certain blue-haired fiend strolled across the grainy landscape smirking. Anger and excitement swirled as he remembered... that incident from not too long ago.
"Revenge," he laughed, "is going to be so sweet. Just you wait, you little shit. I'm coming for ya!" As the demon's laughs echoed into the night, rolling across the desert like a devilishly taunting wind, a sudden air of threat landed itself upon the lands of Hueco Mundo.
...
Tatsuki roamed the makeshift camp, feeling unsettled.
"Ichigo..." she called softly, looking at the back of the orange-haired outcast. He kept his back to her and said nothing. "Ichigo," she said again, stepping closer to him. Still, he did nothing in response.
What have I done? she thought once more. Guilt racked Tatsuki's mind, thinking about all the trouble she'd caused Ichigo. It wasn't just him, either. How does Masaya feel, now that his supposed girlfriend has run off with a crazy research department detainee? How does Kishi feel, left alone at the Academy that would never be the same without her friend that had gotten her in? How does Soul Society feel, now that their big threat-of-an-ex-captain has escaped once again, this time with the help of a lowly school girl? And the consequences, oh, the consequences. If – no, let's be realistic – when they find Ichigo, would he be put to death? Most likely. Tatsuki? She'd probably follow right behind him. Would anybody stand to listen to Ichigo? Would anyone stand up and defend him other than Tatsuki? Probably not. To Soul Society and the Gotei, he was a threat. A very substantial, very dangerous, very real threat. No one would stand for reason, only safety.
It was thoughts like these that have been plaguing Tatsuki for the past two days. She spent most of her time crying, Ichigo spent his sulking. Neither really spoke to one another. They just sat and wasted away, waiting for the end that would inevitably come.
Tatsuki sat, her back against Ichigo's.
"What now?" she asked quietly, her words barely audible.
A long silence followed before Ichigo answered. "I think we should move on. It's better not to stay in one spot for too long."
Tatsuki nodded, not wanting to say another word. Hesitating, she stood and began to pack what little they had in their camp. Ichigo, also sullen, soon joined her. They worked in silence, neither one feeling up to challenge of speaking, not even thinking for that matter, each too swallowed in their muddled feelings to so much as form a single thought.
Tatsuki barely registered even the noises she was making while packing: the flapping of canvas as their stolen tent came down, the echoes of the rocks she kicked haphazardly while doing her work, the rustling of leaves in the bushes behind her-
Leaves? she thought. Tatsuki looked to her left. Ichigo was busy putting out the fire, no where near close to any bush. There was no breeze that night, either. Tatsuki looked behind her, and as she stared at the bush in anticipation, the still air was almost suffocating. Once more, the leaves rustled.
Getting Ichigo's attention (by throwing a small rock at his back), Tatsuki motioned towards the bush. Then, silently, she bent down to pick up another rock, this one larger and more rugged. Pulling her arm back, she let it whistle through the air, through the bushes, where it landed, shortly followed by a loud and annoyed, "OW!"
Ichigo ran right, Tatsuki left, as they moved to contain their discoverer. Before they could take any action, however, a figure appeared through the bushes and stumbled into camp. Small, lean, with long dark hair, and bright green eyes that looked around the camp sheepishly, as though embarrassed of being caught.
Ichigo looked at Tatsuki, who looked at Ichigo. How had this person come to find their camp? Ichigo, who had been trained in kido arts for decades, couldn't have put up a barrier like he had and still be detected. There was no way! And yet... Here she was, a girl who was able to find them through that very barrier that was supposed to have made them undetectable. Focusing back on the intruder, neither Ichigo nor Tatsuki could believe what they were staring at.
Rubbing the back of her head, Kishi mumbled shyly, "Surprise?"
A/N: ANNNNDDDDD, there we go. Yeah, it's short, I know. Actually, this chapter, except for the last few paragraphs, has been sitting in my computer for months. Shoot me now, for I am horrible at making frequent updates! Anyway. But if you're wondering about why it is that it's taking me so long to update each time, no, it's not that I have writer's block anymore. (Well, sorta.) I have the ending of this sucker already planned, I just need to find a way to get from here to there. And it might take a while, especially with all that I have going on.
Anyway. But if you have ideas for separate fics, or any little scenes or something you want in this one, feel free to let me know. It may take a while to develop, but I will most definitely make it work.
And for my quote? Here's a little something I cooked up myself. "Impossible isn't just a word, it's a challenge to do better than anyone before you."
-PixieTitan-Uchiha X3
