A/N: Okay. My chapters are progressively becoming shorter. Blame it on the fact that I can't look into a crystal ball and know what twist Tite Kubo is going to add next. Hah. Oh how I wish. But yeah, his genius is still appreciated. Anyway, so here's an outlook of the next few weeks. I've got family coming into town for the next two weeks, and then I have Scuba Camp, and then I'm going to Philly, and I've got a summer project. So. Yeah. Chapters will slowly start getting to be less updated, but not drastically so.

Anyway, thanks for bearing with me this long, guys. I love you so much, readers and reviewers and favoriters and alerters.

I can't express my gratitude towards ya'll.

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

Treinta y seis:

"Barry's Vices, My Stupefaction II"

Feeling short of

Stable?

It all falls on

Me.

I want

Reality to

Escape

Me.

Let's break it.

"Monster, Monster."

A loud clang resonated from the core of the sleek blade, reverberating steel against ornamental pistols. Her slim figure was twisted as she forced the Espada down in the air, her toned arms flexing as she added force behind her sword.

"You're not fightin' back at all, Starrk-san." Barry said this quietly as she bared down on the man, maneuvering her sword to swipe his cheekbone, barely nicking him with the sharp tip. Upon this assertion, the Primera frowned slightly, aiming his gun for the woman's head and firing a few blinding, half-assed shots. She dodged these with little effort, settling to stand before him with a hand casually placed on her hip, the other dangling at her side with the Scimitar in hand.

"Look," she brought up her hand to the back of her head, scratching it with her sword precariously leaning for her neck.

Starrk spoke before she could, "You should release your Bankai."

Her lips quirked, "Yeah?"

He only stared at her, unblinking. He was curious about this woman, that was it. That loud silence from within her was plaguing- she was aware of it just as he was. She was a different type of shinigami. She had the attributes of a hollow, almost. But she had intelligence and a sense of right and wrong. But so much agony and emptiness-

"You can stop analyzing, Starrk-san," she murmured, twirling the hilt of her sword, "there's nothin' you're gonna find that's pretty. It's one hundred percent ugliness trapped inside of me." She stopped twirling her sword, glancing around. "But it looks like your companions ain't doin' so hot. So can we stop talking now? There's nothing more I want to say."

But Starrk didn't want her to stop. She was intriguing and anything she said was interesting. He actions were spontaneous and her words were like ice, showering him with a fresh breeze each time her mouth opened. But the woman was right. The Primera sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah. I guess it is... time to get serious."

"Good, because this is really, really heavy."

Starrk watched Barry bring out her Scimitar, running a hand over the sleek steel.

"I guess I'll release it, if you're willing to give it your all as well?"

A small nod of assent was her answer.

"Alright then," was her quiet response. Glancing down, she caught the shapes of two Vizard standing below, ready to bring assistance when necessary. Love and Rose. Bringing olive orbs up, Barry locked gazes with Starrk.

A ghost of a smile flitted at the corner of her lips, "It's been nice chattin' with you, Starrk-san."

And then a raw sort of power started to ooze from her blade, leaking in profuse amounts. Her hand was still connected with the steel. Her lips didn't move as she muttered the name of a spirit she hadn't made contact with in centuries.

"Why don't you come and play, Monstruosidad Despreciable." (1)

-X-

A new sort of heat was in the air, originating from the spot where Barry had just been.

But now- Barry had stepped forward and lain down the line.

"Bankai. It's not pleasant." A ripped, sleeveless Haori brushed her back as it caught the wind, revealing a ragged Kanji on the back.

Ten.

She was still wearing her spandex shorts and simple tank, and the estranged tattoo was still visible- but she was different with that Haori. Starrk could see the underside as dark green, and then his eyes strayed to her weapons. Two tantō were casually held in her small hands- which now were adorned with metal hand-guards.

She absentmindedly twirled the daggers as she gazed at Starrk. She wished she had gone for another opponent. She didn't want to fight Starrk Coyote. She could sense he didn't want to fight either. But they both had to.

Then, a reiatsu fell from their left.

An Espada had fallen.

Barry's grip on her dagger's tightened as she listened to Starrk's bland voice, "Number two dies... and no one says a word? How depressing."

He glanced back to the bombs artisan, stepping forward with his guns in hand.

"But we aren't the type to avenge each other."

And they were both gone in a staggering series of flashes.

Starrk's ammunition was unlimited, and Barry's speed was impeccable. It wasn't a match of strength or ferocity. It was a battle of the wits. They would have to outsmart one another. Starrk watched her move and bend like it was nothing- like she didn't even have to think. As if she were reacting on pure reflex. But he knew that wasn't the case. He quickly came to know that Barry Nguyen was a woman of brilliance.

That her sole weapon was her mind. It was odd that-

"Don't lose your head, Starrk-san."

Flesh ripping had the artisan feeling a tad victorious-

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Barry-san."

Blue light engulfed her.

It was searing and wretched and just what she knew a Cero felt like. With a small sound uttered from the back of her throat, Barry steeled her grip on her knives. Slashing through air, she cut with a small sense of fear that had started formulating in her gut.

A sudden, rugged hacking noise made way from the center of the Primera's Ceros, and Starrk watched as the energy he had fired was ripped apart from the inside out. And a figure emerged with speed, appearing before him with contrived breathing.

He blocked daggers with guns.

"Not bad, for the Primera." Her breathless taunt caused the man to roll his eyes, maneuvering his way out of her grasp. She didn't follow him as he landed feet away, only slightly winded. He had a good gash running across his arm, similar to where hers was from earlier.

He noted this with a straight face.

"You have an odd sense of humor."

"Only returning the favor, I suppose."

And then it started to burn.

White, hot pain. Searing his arm. Coursing through his veins, setting his blood afire. His skin was bubbling with the heat, blistering.

What the...!

"What... is...!"

He was burning to death. He was boiling, blistering, seething.

The flames were licking relentlessly!

Small footsteps approached Starrk's hunched, strangled build. He could barely hear them echoing over the pain. And then they stopped right at his side. A small hand on his shoulder, and then the fire immediately abated.

His chest was heaving-

Barry caught his arm as he swung the butt of his gun down on her neck, and she tapped his wrist with a firm swing.

His pistol fell to the ground.

"Do not make me end it this way."

His breathing was contrived as he knelt there, his knees touching air.

What... was that...!

And then her voice resounded throughout the walls of his mind. "I was the Jūbantai Taicho at one point."

"Prime duty... Interrogation... Torture."

"I'm a murderer... Insanity... fucks you up..."

"I know you're all there, Starrk-san. I know the Primera is stronger than that."

"Monstruosidad Despreciable."

"I was a nut. I cracked."

She thought of herself as a monster.

Despicable Monstrosity.

He still had his other gun in his grip.

"Starrk-san... Please do not force me to kill-"

Another searing Cero cut the woman's sentence short as she attempted to dodge the energy blast hurled her way, barely skimming the surface of the heat. When she had enough sense to gather herself, Starrk had moved right there-

Cutting her off. Her small wrists were in his grasp, and he was looking down at her with a neutral expression. She grimaced as she tugged her wrists- to no avail. His grasp was iron tight.

"You choose to be alone. You think you don't deserve the company."

Grey eyes locked olives. He knew his deduction was correct by the sudden tightening of her eyes, her lips thinning.

A foot slammed into his ribcage- Barry effectively freed herself from his grasp, grating her two daggers together before pushing off air, going straight for him. Her movements were suddenly cutthroat- sharp and edgy. Quick.

He had hit home.

"I used to torture for a living, Espada," she had spat his title, "what the fuck do you think?"

She brought her hand up, attempting to flat-hand his face and send fragments of bone into his brain-

And she shifted at the last second, bringing her dagger across his torso in a quick slash. But don't think the favored wasn't returned. Starrk had gone for her torso at that time, pulling the trigger as his gun hit the hollow of her shoulder-

Staggering impact.

Barry- falling, a sudden hole in flesh. Blood falling with her.

Starrk- Withering pain. Crippling fire was engulfing the Espada.

Fire.

So agonizing. Slow. It was all so slow-

Gone.

The Espada heard a dull crash from below, followed by smoke. The woman had fallen. He didn't sense her. But that power...

His sun-kissed hand grazed the surface of his stomach, grimacing. Sticky. A flesh wound. But the fire. That was inside.

That was no flesh wound.

"Torture, huh." He didn't turn around as he addressed her. His hand was on his stomach again, staunching the blood-

There was none.

Scorched skin. The gash was suddenly burned shut.

Now he turned, frowning as he locked olives. "You seal the wound... so the victim doesn't pass out from loss of blood."

She inclined her head, placing a pale hand over her shoulder. There was a hole- through and through.

"You could have killed me in that shot, Starrk."

"Likewise, Barry."

She had stopped the pain. She controlled it. She put an end to his physical suffering. She had caused it, and yet she had stopped it.

She had hesitated.

"You don't seem like the type to torture." She looked merciful, he thought, as she stood there. Her complexion had paled, and she had those daggers in two small sheaths. Her hand was still covering the bloody hole in her shoulder.

"I killed thirty innocent shinigami when I blew up a prison ward. I wanted to butcher the filth in there. They were going to get off scot-free. So I decided to blow up the joint."

"I'm a murderer."

"Why does it seem like you're unwelcome here?"

"Are you here as atonement for your wrong doings?"

"No... that's for trash..."

"What'd they do?" Plausible question. But the ex-shinigami was quiet, grimacing as she felt the pain wrack her frame.

Swallowing thickly, "Scum shinigami who needed to die. They were thieves. They stole from me."

Loneliness. Death. Torture.

Spiteful anger lodged into her eyes.

Emptiness.

Barry had something in her hand now. A classic, black bomb.

Bombs Artist. She is an Artisan. Quick and brilliant.

An atomic bomb was in her hand.

She doesn't need a remote.

Barry Nguyen is the epitome of destruction. Just a difference in her reiatsu levels can set it off.

"Sorry, Starrk. But I'm not feelin' this fight anymore. It'll be quick."

Everything was taken from her.

Her reiatsu sky-rocketed. So the Primera followed in suit, summoning one of his deadly techniques. Barry watched with a wary eye as dozens of wolves appeared at the Espada's side. Ceros.

They came at her- swift, lethal, mindless.

She did not move.

This is a woman who truly has nothing left to lose.

Explosions rocked the sky of Karakura. The wolves hadn't just gone for Barry, but for Rose and Love down below as well. Barry had sensed their fight, their releases and their masks, but... they were engulfed in explosions. Barry had been in the middle of the violence. Torn to shreds. And from inside the smoke, where her body was presumed to be in pieces-

BOOM!

"Fuckin' A. That stung."

She was behind him-!

Clang. Her daggers against his guns.

When had he had the time to retrieve the other...?

"You escaped the explosions."

But not unscathed. Blood dripped from her chest, a gash over brow, her arms. Her lips quirked slightly, "I am an explosives expert, Starrk-san."

The Atomic bomb was suddenly in her hand, right by his face-!

"And here we go!"

Her expression lighting up with glee-!

Body tissue and muscle tearing.

Ripping.

A shadowed sword protruded from Starrk Coyote's chest.

"Wha..."

Barry relented, slowly stepping back. Her face was passive again.

"What the hell... is this?"

The Espada's head slowly turned, catching sight of-

"Nice, Shunsui," Barry's quiet voice floated to the Primera's ears. Shunsui Kyōraku stood with his swords drawn, a small, guilty smile curving his lips.

"Nice distraction, Barry-chan."

Starrk glanced back at the artisan, frowning and irritable.

Distraction...?

Clink!

The navy-haired woman unscrewed the top to the black bomb, lifting it to her lips-

Drinking? She eagerly drank the soothing liquid, sighing as she downed the rest. Eyes landing on the Primera, she blinked.

He was staring at her like...

"What," she lifted the black sphere it a nonchalant motion, "it's just water..."

A bluff.

"Hott damn Barry! You're fuckin' nuts!" She glanced down, catching sight of Love and Rose, beaten and mangled and burned. She called back down to them, "You honestly thought I would set off a fuckin' Atomic Bomb with all these people around? I mean really, guys. Thanks for the fucking faith."

Shaking her head with an irritated sigh, Barry glanced back at the Primera, seeing that he was still staring at her.

"An act." His deep voice rumbled his chest, a note of curiosity infecting his statement. His rugged features were pulled, his brows drawn. Blood was coating his front from both her and Kyōraku's inflictions.

Tossing the empty, spherical canteen to the ground, Barry shrugged. She winced as the hole in her shoulder reminded her that this was still dangerous. "Think what you wish, Gunslinger. I'm done."

She was. He could tell she was physically spent. And mentally. She hadn't been lying. A strange rush of relief had crashed into him like a wave at that thought, and he could only brush it aside.

Starrk watched from the corner of his eye as Barry slowly lowered herself to the ground, stumbling once she hit the pavement.

Blood splashed beneath her feet.

Barry Nguyen.

Turning back to Shunsui Kyōraku, he prepared himself.

You are no monster.

-X-

Barry was sitting on the cool pavement of Karakura, just finishing a mediocre wrap on her shoulder. She had watched Starrk fall, she watched Aizen take down one of his own, and she watched Hiyori get herself cut in half. Gin cut her, but Aizen did this.

Can we... stop him?

She saw his figure turn and glance down.

At her.

She suddenly felt cold.

But a pull to her left had her turning, hand pressing her shoulder.

Starrk Coyote. Lying there.

She found her feet moving.

( H U E C O ) ( M U N D O )

"Inoue. Ishida. How are you holding up?"

My feet stopped at their seated forms, standing before them. Ishida had some stab wound that Inoue had taken to healing, and the two looked better than before. Earlier- a mess. Totally shaken up.

Things had calmed down now, though.

Ichigo had gone back down to Las Noches through the giant hole in the sky, while I decided to hang back for a few moments. Seeing movement, I glanced beside them to see Ito start to stand, coming by my side. "

We're okay, Hazumi-san." It was Inoue who had answered, her soft voice no longer shaking. I gave a small nod, a smile flitting the corner of my lips. Unconsciously, I had warmed up to the girl.

"Good," came my small murmur.

Adjusting Kuria-Dei horizontally across my back, I grimaced when I felt a heavy pull. My Kido obi was unharmed by Ulquiorra's blast that seemed like ages ago. Patting it in place, I started to turn, motioning for Ito to follow.

The small Arrancar obeyed, trailing beside me like a friend.

Kuria-Dei, can you hear me?

Silence. It felt like something was muffling my soul.

And the fainest response, I can hear you, Hazumi.

That's all I needed to hear. With a small smile, I addressed the Arrancar beside me.

"So Ito... have you ever done a conjunction spell before?"

I grinned as she blinked up at me, shaking her head. We were at the hole now, and I looked down.

Shit was already goin' down.

"Well, just follow my lead."

And I jumped.

Barry... You released. That must mean Karakura isn't doing so hot. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but...

Your zanpakutou always scared the shit out of me.

And Ichigo seems to be sulking down there.

I never get a fucking break.

I could see Yammy Riyalgo from here. His power was overwhelming.

I could barely concentrate over the sheer force-

-X-

Ichigo was in the Espada's grasp. He was about to die.

Yammy would butcher him.

"Now die, you piece of shit."

"Hadō 88: Hiryugekizokushintenraiho!"

A sudden exclamation!

A white plasma string had attached itself to Yammy's shoulder- so small and light it hadn't been noticed. That was, until the blue wave of power followed the string, landing a direct hit on the Cero Espada.

The blast should have been devastating, but it only weakened the Espada for a second, something Hazumi knew. She had anticipated Yammy dropping Ichigo-

Success.

She grabbed his arm as he started to fall, flashing away before Riyalgo could recover.

And as he started to gather himself, "What the hell! Get out of here dammit!"

He was aiming for the Fuku Kidōchō, a heavy swipe-

A clean cleave from an unknown blade.

Yammy's leg fell to the ground, useless.

Hazumi managed to get a good distance away, groaning as she dropped Ichigo in the hot sand. She remained standing as the sub shinigami gazed at her, tawny eyes blinking. The events hadn't caught up to him yet.

Hazumi rolled her shoulder, "Come on, Ito!"

The static of Sonído reached their ears, and then the small girl was there.

"Thanks for that. You did pretty good."

"Thank you, Hazumi-sama."

The blonde laughed nervously, "Ahh. Drop the honorific, okay? That's just weird."

"But Hazumi-sama..." Ichigo watched the two interact as if they had known each other for years- Hazumi waving her hands in front of her face, and Ito blinking with innocence. And then the girl sobered, glancing at Ichigo.

"You okay?"

He slowly nodded, looking off to where the action was.

"Seems Kuchiki and Kenpachi have got a lid on this."

"Yeah. That's right, Nagasaki. Now get your scrawny ass back. And take Kurosaki with you. You two look pitiful."

Ichigo watched as Hazumi closed her eyes in annoyance.

Her brows twitched, "Pitiful, hell!"

"Huh..."

Kenpachi's gaze flew to Ichigo. "No. Not 'huh?'. We're tellin' you to get the hell out of the way. 'Cause you're a disgrace that gets his ass kicked everywhere he goes. Shithead."

Two reactions: Hazumi's uncontrollable laughter, and Ichigo's obliviousness.

"Huh...?"

"Shit, now you've done it, Kurosaki!"

Kenpachi swiped down with his blade, sending Ichigo and Hazumi flying. She landed with her face in the sand, sputtering. Ichigo landed at her side, freaking out. "W-w-what the hell! You really tried to slash me just now! That was close! Are you trying to kill me!"

Kenpachi's expression- priceless horror. "That's right. Cowards should die."

He was flying towards the two, ready to open up a can of whoop ass-

A giant hand sent him back, punching him through air. Kenpachi crashed into a pillar. Ichigo was calling Kenpachi's name, whilst Hazumi was attempting to tug her head from the sand.

Her muffled shouts were unheard to his ears, but Byakuya Kuchiki heard her. With a merciless kick to the side, Kuchiki sent Hazumi flying, but succeeded in freeing head in doing so. Her body was lying in the sand, and groans were escaping her lips.

"Fuckin' A..."

Byakuya held Ichigo back, "I thought I told you to fall back, Ichigo Kurosaki."

-X-

Mayuri wouldn't shut up.

I vaguely wondered why the hell he was here. I wasn't listening to his words, only the annoying drawl of his creepy voice. But then I heard footsteps by my head, and a grip on the collar of my shirt.

I was lifted into the air without any effort whatsoever.

"You two are test subjects No. 1. You don't have the right to refuse or make any decisions!"

I visibly paled, realizing with a shock of horror that it was Kurotsuchi who had a steel grasp on my shirt. I shot a stricken look at Ichigo, who was standing just a few feet away.

"What the hell have you gotten me into!"

"Do not worry, Hazumi-san. I shall go with you."

Unohana Retsu on scene.

The grasp on my shirt relented, and I landed in the sand for the umpteenth time with an ungraceful thud. Rubbing my bottom, I winced as I stood.

Shooting a crippling glare at Ichigo, "Don't you say a word."

He just blinked.

Unohana was beside me now, a gentle hand on my shoulder. We exchanged a mutual look before Kurotsuchi continued, sparking a headache on my end. I didn't want to hear his rambling.

Analyzing the Garuganta means... we can leave.

Barry...

I was in. Ichigo came up beside me, hollering and acting immature.

The Captain's shut him down in a heartbeat. I didn't take a side, I just stood there with my arms crossed, ready to get the hell out of there.

But then something struck me.

"Ito!"

Blinking, my gaze rotated around, searching for the childish Arrancar. But she wasn't there.

She was just... gone.

It may be for the best, seeing as so many high level Captains are around. She sensed this.

It is for the best.

Dei!

She sounded tired.

I'm okay. Just don't... do that again.

It took me a minute to know what she was talking about.

Releasing Bachi no Seken's power... Breaking that sphere.

Yeah. That.

Okay, Dei. It's not like I could, anyway. It's broken.

But now...

Anything for Kuria-Dei. I didn't want to hear that silence anymore.

But I did hear the rip of a Garuganta opening, and then it was there. Gaping in front of us.

The flow of conversation made its way to my ears.

"Nothing... I was just thinking that Urahara-san also stood up someplace high and talked when he sent us off."

Oh shit.

Ichigo was comparing the two scientists, oblivious to the fact that Mayuri would bust a cap in his ass. And then probably dissect him. But then I caught sight of the mischievous glimmer in Ichigo's eye, and I realized he knew exactly what he was doing.

My eyes softened, and a small smile graced my lips.

Idiot.

With a mocking bark of laughter, I glanced back at Mayuri, whose features were darkening. I stepped towards the Garuganta, listening to Ichigo taunt the poor bastard.

And then Kurotsuchi pretty much went off his rocker.

"You swine!"

I jumped into the black with a grin, Ichigo and Unohana following in suit.

I'm coming, Barry.

-X-

I know you're the

Friend.

Yeah, Kurosaki.

We'll handle this.

If you don't die,

I won't.

So don't.

Boke.

(1) Despicable Monstrosity.

Boke- idiot, fool.

So there were a lot of breaks in this one. It's just the way it worked out.

I'd love to hear from you.