December 15th, 2009, 9:43 P.M.
Secrets.
Everybody has one. From stealing the last cookie in the jar to having an affair with your best friend's wife, to hiding the massacre right under the police's noses. And the thing is, no matter how much we want to tell our friends and family, we just can't bare the embarrassment. The humiliation. The pity. The look in their eyes that reads, "Oh, you poor thing"; or even our own death.
And no matter how big or small it may be, we all have that slight pang of fear strike us once our mind senses that there's a chance that secret might be exposed, and the only one left to blame is our own self. We don't want to cross that line that separates the black from white. But when we're hoarding a secret, it's as if we're carrying the Titanic, Eiffel Tower, and the Statue of Liberty on our backs. So, do we tell and face the judgment and gossip people will spread or bare the burden and hope that with time, the pain will ease away?
Although things weren't under their "normal" circumstances tonight, the club seemed just as busy, with or without certain people missing. Who are the missing, you ask? Well, no one really important, just Boss, and a few people, you know. Despite the head honcho not being available, he placed his trust in to take charge. After all, with no authority, there'd be sex and chaos all over the place. The ivy-haired female that filled in for Boss that night accepted it without hesitation, since she knew Boss' personal life tended to make some conflicts, but in the inside, she was a basket case. Once you think about it, it's not like the club-goers had any idea what was going on anyway. They couldn't tell if the very people serving them were convicts or if they were just petty thieves. However, that's irrelevant—the important thing was that everything was running smoothly, even without the Chief in charge.
Although most of the TR crew wasn't there that night, there were still enough people to have the club open. However, what had happened that night, remained between those select few workers: Nelliel, Grimmjow, Shuhei, Rangiku, Mashiro, Renji, and Yoruichi. These seven kept a secret that threatened their very existence; but was it worth to save their own lives instead of protect the people they loved from the fore-coming danger?
At the bar, there was a dark-skinned woman with a mane of violet with raven streaks dyed through it and her golden cat-like eyes kept a close watch on those close to the point where they could no longer stand up on their legs. Occasionally, she'd scan the room in hopes that a certain someone would walk in, but they had yet to come; but her hope didn't falter with time. She knew that they had a habit of arriving tardy to the party. Always.
In the very back of the discothèque, there was the theatre stage full of curves and womanly legs galore as they strutted what they had to offer in clothing that barely managed to cover their bits. But it made their patrons wave $20's, $50's, and even an occasional Benjamin in the air. Directing all of this was no other than Rangiku, who considered the grace and sheer beauty of the woman artists, a modern-day 'geisha', if you will. She didn't think of the women on stage as "slutty", or "whorish" as people might imply.
Why, you ask? Well, it's because she grew up living that kind of life, and now that she was older, she changed it for the better (in her thinking). Instead of loathing herself for not following the rules of "Society & Culture for Dummies" Guide, she put her past experiences to better use as "teaching" these women the art of dance and seduction, all while staying classy. She knew it was hard to make a buck underground, so she pushed her pupils to the limit, as if they had to dance for their lives. Whatever happened between a broad and a patron was strictly their business. If they didn't have their act ready by the time they had to work, they'd have issues. But if said patron dared to harm or threaten the broad, then shit was going to go down like the Titanic. Boss was very protective over the girls, since he knew just how rowdy the men could get at times. Rangiku knew all too well how that road went, since she often ventured it when she was young(er) and more naïve.
Reminiscing about her past only brought back memories and experiences of regret, in which she shrugged off quickly so she could stay focused. As the song came to an end, she signaled the next group of females to perform to stand behind the curtains and enter from stage right while the lights dimmed, she turned on her headset. "Good job, ladies. Amber, Jess, and Nicki, get ready to take your places."
The three new girls immediately transitioned from the sides to their positions onstage, wasting no time. After one more hour, the director could finally take her break. But that hour couldn't pass by any slower.
All in all, things were alright. And the woman in charge let out a sigh of relief, content that there was no fights, no arguments, no spilled drinks, nothing. In fact, she was actually surprised that people were behaving themselves.
Despite her optimistic attitude, inside, she was a worried wreck. She couldn't stop thinking of her petite friend that had fallen from a rooftop not too long ago; and with a couple of wounds at that. But Nel knew that her friend hadn't just had too much to drink and mysteriously got up to the top of the building. She knew the real cause of this "incident"—Orihime.
Confronting Rukia was out of the question because of the bloodbath she was bathed in, and Nel's haemophobia didn't really help. She didn't want her friend to think that she was terrified of her, but when it came to blood, she was rendered useless. Nel wanted to help the girl, but her body was paralyzed with fear of the crimson liquid. The woman had to crawl and hide in an alley to recover from her erratic phobia, and watch Rukia be carried away by strangers, which made her feel like the decomposing rubbish below dirt. Not to mention that the figures that were talking to the girl earlier looked beyond suspicious. One was an elderly man with a rather long, grey beard who was there at the scene. Probably just a gramps being a good ol' Samaritan, she thought.
But when she looked at the man who actually carried the unconscious woman, Nel knew something wasn't right with him. There was a certain presence he gave off, but she couldn't pinpoint what exactly it was. Ominous, yet hidden under the radar, like a snake ready to strike from the underbrush at any moment. The aura was so strange and powerful, it made Nelliel apprehensive and hesitant to make a move, so she watched from the sidelines and watched as he tended to her wounds. Nel decided that this was the time to try to "scan" him to figure out what he was while he was occupied.
Focusing all of her energy into both her self and fingertips, she blocked everything out and stopped breathing so she could hear the strange man's "pulse" that he gave off. Closing her eyes, the world had morphed into its inverse. The once grey, gloomy buildings towering over her were now black, with a thick white outline, and the windows of it were bright white too. Now that she looked at it, everything was black with white outlines, except for the sky, which was a dark, murky grey of some sort.
But then, she could see the dark blue, almost cerulean, rings beat in the atmosphere, and her own light teal aura was visible as well, but just barely. Trying to sync the two beats together so she could figure just what this man was, and if he was of any danger to Rukia, Nel had some difficulty with it, since her beat was about the pace of a turtle's walk, this guy's pulse was that of a hummingbird's heartbeat. With such diverse speeds, it was tedious to try to join the two beats. Think of it like jumping rope. You have to jump at a certain time in order to jump over the rope. In this case, this was quintuple-dutch.
Right as she was about to give up, she decided a change of plans. Clearing her throat subtly, she let out a high-pitched scream and just by listening, she could tell the man dropped everything he was doing and was now curious and even a bit paranoid, and Nel could sense that his beats dramatically slowed to a pace that she could keep up with. Now was the time to strike, and Nel successfully synched the two pulses, but before she could finish, a light blue apparition of a dragon's head with a bared jaw and overgrown canines snapped shut in Nel's mind, terminating her from the sync.
"Who's there?" The man demanded to the air. Nel covered her mouth with both of her hands and stopped breathing again and halted her pulse, so there was no detectable trace of her.
"Speak now, before I come and find you."
Sweet Lord, if you love me, don't let me die today, Nel silently prayed as she bowed her head and made a cross over her chest.
"Doctor Milović?" A firm, but weary voice asked.
Nel swallowed her anxiety as she slowly crept to the edge of the wall, seeing just a peek of the scene that was happening. Both of the men's faces were cut off by the wall, but she was able to see only a bit of the older man.
Almost instantly, the man lost all of his tension and acted as if nothing was out of sorts. "Yes, Mr…?"
"Kuchiki."
"Ah, yes, the sudden grandfather who decided to show up and "discover" his long-lost granddaughter."
"You have no right sticking your nose in places where it doesn't belong, doctor."
"When it involves my patients, yes it does. So I will do whatever I need to do to heal them and keep them stable. Even if that means keeping them from their family."
"What kind of doctor is that?" The elderly man snarled.
"One of a kind," The man stated, standing his ground. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to treat Rukia as soon as possible. We'll pick this discussion up later. As for now, she needs her rest. Let's go."
"Agreed."
As the sound of footsteps slowly faded, one pair stopped, as another went on, but that one shortly stopped as well.
"Aren't you coming?" The voice of the grandfather asked.
"Yeah, I'll be there in a minute, I just need to ponder on something for a bit."
"Suit yourself."
When the footsteps were gone, the other pair only moved a step, and Nel quickly, but slyly, put her back to the wall so she wouldn't be detected.
"I don't know what you are, or your purpose for trying to pick at my brain, but if you try to follow me, I won't hesitate to kill you next time."
Fear and anxiety had built up so much in Nel's system that a tear trickled down the side of her face, all while covering up her mouth and hearing the footsteps of the devil gradually fade away into the distance and shortly after, a car starting up and driving away. It was then that she let everything that she had been bottling up just explode. She almost got killed, and now, her friend might face that same fate because Nel was too weak to do anything.
"Aw, are you having a bad night? I'm not. Actually, I had a lot of fun tonight, to be honest," A sinister voice cackled, but then quickly quieted down as the eyes of the ginger staring down at Nel analyzed her and gave her a look of pity. "You've gotten weak."
Nel's eyelashes flicked up and saw two grey eyes staring stoically at her as two hands fidgeted and twirled the long, ginger bangs that surrounded her oval face. This was the face of the woman who pushed Rukia off the roof. This was the face of Nelliel's ex-best friend. This was the face of Ichigo's past love.
"You shut your mouth, you witch!" The ivy-haired woman hissed as her body took in heavy, uncontrollable breaths. "Why? Why are you here? Why can't you just leave us alone? You betrayed us, stole from us, lied to us, but most of all, you practically broke Ichigo. So tell me why you're here!"
"Now, now, that's not the thing I was expecting out of your mouth. I was looking for something more like, 'Omigosh, Orihime! How have you been?' or 'Jeez, you only get prettier by the years!'"
"Go to hell, you monster," Nel growled as she stood up, her fear now replaced with rage, and Orihime only laughed even harder at this.
"Well, boo, to answer your question, I'm here for a number of reasons."
"Which are?"
"Don't rush me. All in time, my good friend. Obviously, I came here to congratulate King on his event or award, or whatever it is he threw a party this time. He seems to be in the party mood lately. Like, I'm not even joking, it can be over the smallest of things and-"
"So you had other intentions."
"Obviously. I talked with my past love, and," The ginger giggled like a schoolgirl. "We caught up quite a bit. It was nice seeing him again."
"You're lying," Nel scowled. "He cringes at the very sound of your name. Why would he even want to talk to you in the first place? That's a bunch of bullshit."
"Is it?" The woman cocked an eyebrow at her former best friend. "How long has it been since he has fed? Much less, had sex?"
"I wouldn't know about his sex life! And he's handling himself just fine, he hasn't been hungry. He wouldn't feed on you even if you were the last source of food alive."
"Oh, the irony," Orihime chuckled. "You can't just accept the fact that he still has feelings for me. But what's your problem, Nel? You aren't the same woman I met in South Carolina that day-"
"You take your filthy hands off of me," The woman growled as she slapped Orihime's hands away from her shoulders. "And I could say the same for you."
"True, true. I'd say that I'd grew a pair and realized how cruel the world was, that's what happened. You should know that more than anyone, Nelliel."
"Don't you dare speak to me about what's cruel!"
"Aw, why do you have to break my heart like that?"
"What heart? You don't have one, you evil, malicious, bitch!"
"Why are you like this? Why do you keep rejecting me, like you never want to see me again?"
"Because I don't!"
"Why?"
"Because you destroyed everything, Orihime!"
There was only the sound of Nel's heavy breathing and the cars passing by between the two's null void of silence. Nelliel had hit a spot on the woman, she could tell. Nel's fiery hazel eyes didn't back down for a second from glaring at the ginger, but all Orihime did was look at her sympathetically, but with a weakness in her eyes.
"You…ruined everything. You betrayed everybody's trust, and now, you're an outcast. But what really bugs me is now you think after all that's happened, you think you can just waltz on in and act as if everything's just peaches and cream and in fact, it's not! Wake up, Orihime! We hate you because of what you've done, but most of all, you've hurt Ichigo. I don't think you realize just how much you hurt him. Did you know he tried to kill himself? But the thing is, he can't die, because he's immortal.
"He drank himself into a sea of alcohol. Although he pushed everybody away, including me, and said things that would only come out of Satan's mouth, I knew that wasn't the Ichigo I grew up with. Everybody else left him. TR was practically gone. But me and Grimmjow were the only ones who didn't give up on him. Two years. Two whole years that he suffered in loneliness, agony, and self-loathing. That's how long it took for him to recover.
"You broke him, Orihime. Broke him like a toy. You see, I don't think you quite realize how badly you hurt him. When you two were together, it was like he was on a high everyday. He'd do anything for you—most men groan and complain about doing the slightest things for their women, but he, no. He was happy because he had you. He was so proud to call you the love of his life, and you know as well as I do that if anyone even dared to look in your direction, he'd beat their tails until they were red as a pulp. This man bent down on one knee for you, and yet, you've managed to hurt him as if he was your arch rival. And now, you're trying to mess up an actual healthy relationship he has with this sweet, innocent, girl who did you absolutely no harm? Just how evil can you get, Orihime?"
"I did it because I had to! You think it didn't hurt me too?" The ginger broke down, sobbing. "I still love that man, believe it or not! And if I have to break a bone or snap a neck to get him back, then so be it. You, of all people, know he can't be in a normal relationship with that human. She'll never accept what he is, because she doesn't know who 'John' really is—a daemon. He is a daemon who can't control himself, and if she catches him at the wrong time, he's going to wolf her down like Thanksgiving dinner."
"There's no chance of that happening."
"Ugh, humans," The ginger sighed as she changed the subject and composed herself, wiping off any stray tears. "One little thing, and they're like splat, dead. Too friggin' fragile."
"Orihime, why are you lying to me?"
"What are you talking abo-"
"You and I both know that she's not human."
There was yet, another wall of silence dividing the two, but this time, it wasn't as long, and Orihime acknowledged her.
"I was wondering whether or not you were going to bring this up."
"What is she?" Nel ignored her remark.
"I dunno."
"Stop lying to me."
"Honestly, I don't! If I did, don't you think I'd kill her with her weakness by now?"
"Then what is she, if not human?"
"Nothing I've seen before," The ginger shrugged.
"Does King know?"
"Eh, he's opting to 'bump' into her in the future."
"I see…but, Orihime?"
"Hmm?" She turned back.
"Are you serious about trying to get Ichigo back? And did you two really have…?"
"Hun, why do you think I'm trying so hard? And if you don't believe me, why don't you bug him about it? I may have jumbled up some of the details, mixed them around, taken some out and put some new ones in, but all I can say is that me and him…shared some good memories."
"That's all I need to know then. Go on, you disgust me. Shoo already."
The ginger laughed, and for once, it was genuine. "You know, I wasn't kidding about being friends again, Nelliel."
"Come see me when you're not evil. Then we'll talk."
"I'll see you in hell, then?"
"No chance."
Orihime smiled as she quickly climbed the side of the building and over the roof, leaving Nel by her lonesome once more.
Exhaling a deep sigh through her nostrils, she knew that if she thought about that night any more, it'd distract her from her job. But, on the other hand, everything seemed to be holding well on its own, so there really were no worries or work to be concerned about.
Feeling thirsty, she called out to Yoruichi and ordered the first thing she saw on the specials and plopped down on the barstool and the bartender swiftly handed her the drink. "There ya go."
"Thanks, Yoru," Nel nodded as she raised the shot glass slightly, but all she did was stare in the core of the alcohol, as if it was some kind of hypnotic.
"Um…is something wrong, Nel?"
"Oh, nothing, just thinking about some stuff."
"You sure?" The black woman questioned skeptically with a raised eyebrow. "Something's troubling you."
"Don't worry about it, I'm just a bit tired, that's all."
"You know, if something's itching at you, I can lend an ear."
"Thank you Yoruichi," Nel nodded as she took a small sip from her glass. "But I just need some alone time to think about some things."
"Alright then. Now, time for my break," She said as she hung her waist-apron on the hook behind the bar.
"Sure thing. Be back by 11 or I'm docking your pay."
"Uh-huh," The black woman nodded as she slipped out.
Nel gulped the rest of her alcohol, feeling the strong aftertaste burn her throat, after swallowing it, she shook her head and started to pour herself another glass.
"You an alcoholic now?" A deep, familiar voice queried. She turned around and saw a tan, toned, and tattooed man standing in front of her with an innocent smile, but even he had signs of worry indented on his face, but seeing her friend did make Nel slightly happier. In the dim light, his crimson mane looked almost chestnut-ish, which is why Nel hesitated for a moment before greeting him.
"Howdy stranger," The female smile as she gave her friend a quick bear hug. "It's been a month and Sunday since I've seen you around here, Renji. How have you been? And are you growing out a beard? You got them pricklies around your mouth, and lots of it."
"I've had better days. And I've just gotten lazy recently. How are things holding up over here?"
"Honestly," Nel paused for a moment, choosing her words carefully. "I'm questioning every little thing I do. It's," She laughed, not believing the words that she had just said. "It's almost as if I don't know myself, or even why I'm here, or-"
Right then, the hanging jungle of small, bloody vines swished towards Nelliel. She looked up, seeing a huge hand hover right above her eyes, with a callous knuckle or two of his hand touching her forehead.
"No, you're not sick," The man concluded as he took his hand off of her forehead. "What's wrong?"
"That's the thing! Everything's going just dandy, and I'm over here sulking in a corner and I don't know why."
"Is it 'cause of Ol' Blue? Grimm hasn't been around in a while, has he?"
"A bit of distance is good for a relationship. I'm not worried about him. I'm worried about the very people I'm around everyday. The secrets they don't know, the danger that's ready to pounce on them if they make a single mistake, and the fact that these very people are my friends and family—I can't help but worry. They say ignorance is bliss, but in this world, it's the very thing that could lead to your death."
"Which is why I tend not to get involved with TR," Renji stared off at the people dancing and the entire scene behind his and Nel's backs, but he could care less about the drunken slaves to the bass of the music. "So, where's Rukia? Isn't she supposed to be working tonight?"
The ivy-maned female hesitated for a moment, feeling an instant gulp of poison sting inside her throat, for she didn't know all that well either where Rukia went either. But she couldn't tell Renji that she had been "abducted" either. Now that her mind was in a state of loss, she didn't know what was real and what part was the web of lies that these innocent people were so ignorantly tangled up in. Those invisible lines of silk would eventually coil and wrap around one until they get tighter, and tighter, and finally until they break in half, succumbing to the spider's lair.
We're all just tiny, stupid gnats stuck in this huge unseen web that's unbeknownst to us, The woman thought before clearing her throat to speak. "You see, there's been an…incident."
"What kind of incident?" He growled.
"Rangiku!"
The woman blinked profusely at the sound of her name being called, as if she had been in a trance of some sort. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and turned towards the direction of the caller, seeing that it was no other than Dylan, a newbie in the TR business. Despite being old enough to make his own decisions, he had the naïveté and impulses of a teenager.
"Hey Rangiku," The boy muttered as he crossed through the crowed to the small, elevated booth that was directly hovering over the stage. "Why aren't you enjoying yourself? You look like somebody just punched you in the gut."
'I'll punch you in the gut if you don't shut up', The woman wanted to say. But instead, she went with "Oh, I'm just watching over the girls, in case anything goes wrong.," Her voice faded as her eyes glanced towards the stage once more, just to be sure she didn't jinx anything, and then turned back to the employee. "So, why are you here, Blondie?"
"Actually, Yumichika sent me to tell you he can't make it later."
"Dammit Yumichika," She groaned as she put both hands through her hair. You could just tell by the way that she sighed that Rangiku already had enough on her plate. She stared at the ground, as if the answers to her problems were encrypted right there on the spot; and then, the bright reflection of the golden and azure of the boy's Nike's gave her a brilliant idea. "Say, Blondie," She started off coyly as the trap was slowly set in motion. "Is it just me or has Boss been cheaping out on our payments?"
"I knew I wasn't the only one!" He agreed with enthusiasm. "I tried to talk to him, but the people at the office said that he was out-of-state handling some affairs."
Just how many more secrets do you have to keep to yourself, Boss? Rangiku pondered, but then jumped back to the present. "Well, I wasn't aware of that. But, if it's money you're looking for, why don't you fill in for Yumichika instead? I'm real close with the financing guy, so-"
"Hold on a sec," The man shook his head as he stared intently at Rangiku, not sure where she was going with this. "Why me?"
"You said you need the extra cash, didn't you? But if you don't want the job, I'll offer it to someone else then," The blonde pouted for exactly two seconds before walking away glumly. It may have been a full minute or two that she walked, and she was lingering the counting of each second that passed. 'If it comes down to it', She thought, 'I'll have to beguile him. Hopefully, if won't be any more than just playful flirting But-"
"Wait!"
"Oui?" Rangiku turned around curtly with an oh-so-piqued face.
"Say I accept this job…how much will I get paid?" Dylan asked with crossed arms. A sign of insecurity, She noted. I need to convince him that he needs this job.
"Well, it depends on how good of a job you do. Plus, you get tips."
"And just what exactly is this job?"
"Rangiku!" A shrill voice cried, making both of them turn around. The frequency of the pitch was so high, you could even hear it among the deafening bass shaking the club.
Emerging from the crowd was a petite, youthful female whose lime green bob and unique choice of clothing might make people label her as something of a Harajuku girl, with her hot pink and neon green polka dot tunic with sky blue legging and 6-inch ebony laced heels. Not to mention the unusual shades of eyeshadow she donned. The girl's wardrobe was far from normal, but she had that sweet and adorable air about her. But instead of her usual cheerfulness, she wore an anxious, even somber expression on her face.
"What is it, Mashiro?"
"There's someone on the phone…" She barely managed to squeak out, and her reddened eyes were glued to the floor. She was disturbed, that was for sure.
Rangiku could tell by the girl's worried look that this was no normal "someone" that Mashiro was talking about. This person could make a woman tremble simply by talking to them—this had "sketchy" written all over it.
"Lead me to where the phone is, Mashiro. Dylan, go talk to Shinji, he'll explain everything to you," The blonde nodded as she went to the lobby with the girl.
"Ms. Matsumoto," The girl began, "The sir on the phone…"
"Yes?" The blonde nodded her head, telling her to continue. "What about him?"
"I'll just give the phone for you to decide for yourself, I just can't talk about it, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," She looked away as she held out the cell before quickly walking away.
"Wait, come with me," The blonde said before the girl had a chance to escape.
They walked out of the discotheque and entered Rangiku's private office. She closed the door behind her and spoke, silently instructing Mashiro to get the device for tracking the call inside her desk.
"Hello?" She asked.
"'Bout damn time someone answered. Ya ain't gonna crumble like that bitch earlier, right? Because if ya are, yer just one more whore Imma kill once I bomb yer little "clubhouse"."
"Obviously, you need to visit a mental hospital, because you don't know who I am or what I will do to you. Now, I don't know how the hell you got this number, but if you're wise, you won't call back again."
"You think I'm fuckin' around, dontcha?"
"Oh, I dunno, maybe, yes," The woman laughed at how "hard" the man was trying to act over the phone.
"It's Matsumoto, right?"
And so her laughter ended right there. She stared at Mashiro setting up the final touches on the machine, but before she could even get the first syllable out, the harsh and discordant sound of the man's voice spoke again.
"Before you go glarin' and pointin' fingers, that bitch earlier didn't say shit. She couldn't even get a word out because she was whimpering like a dog. Fuckin' idiot. Now, back to you," He cackled, making the woman gulp. "Rangiku Matsumoto—blonde, stacked, blue eyes. Born in Albany, New York on May 15th, 1981."
"You don't know anything about me," Rangiku sniped.
"Oh, but in fact, I do. 1987—yer parents didn't want ya, so they dropped you off at a whorehouse. You grew up with whores, and you were forced to become one to survive."
"Shut up," She growled, louder this time.
"That's around the time you fell head-'ver-heels fer a fella by the name of Gin Ichimaru. You were 19 then, and at the time, Gin was trying to convince you to run away, but you refused, so he left ya. You then entered a state of depression and lost nearly half your body weight. 17 times you tried to commit suicide, but you failed in each attempt, thinking that 'he'd come back one day'. You failed 17 times. That's whatcha are—a failure."
"You don't know anything about me, you creep!" The blonde yelled, making Mashiro jump in her seat. Her lip slightly dropped at the sight of the woman losing her cool—Rangiku rarely got emotional. Or angry for that matter. Whoever this man was, he had a silver tongue and enough wit to unnerve even the calmest of people, that much was certain.
But then, the dawn of mirth shattered the silence.
"Ahahah, you mad? That's the point. So, I think what I told you is evidence enough that I do know about you, your past, and your future. Now then, unless you want to lose your job at TR and then get killed, or get killed and then lose your job—I don't know how my "Strawberry" friend does it over there—you're going to make a deal with me."
"So you mean to tell me that you have no idea where she is at this moment?"
"Renji, I'm so sorry-"
"What if she gets hurt?" He stood up, glaring at the woman. She stared right back at him, and she could tell the alcohol was starting to get to him because of that glassy look in his eyes and sharp temper. That, plus his coordination was starting to fade too. "Answer me, Nul," He mumbled over his words, but his seriousness was still unwavering, despite the alcohol getting to him "What. If she. Gets Hurt."
"I don't know, Renji, but I know that she'll be safe."
"And why is that?"
"I got a feeling-"
"Hahaha! You got a feeling?" Renji stared at her with a mock smile, laughing in disbelief as he turned around, shaking his head.
"I know that she's safe-"
Before she could even finish her sentence, shards of glass flew everywhere, making the entire place come to complete stop. Nel shrieked, and everything, the music, the people, even the broads on stage stopped and stared at the scene. Even Shuhei and the boys from the poker room poked their heads out the door.
"Don't you dare say another word," He heaved, with bloodshot eyes narrowing down at her.
At that moment, Nel realized she no longer knew this man. Something dark and malicious inside of him had taken root, and it changed the man she once knew.
"Or what? What are you gonna-"
Renji lifted a hand, ready to make contact with Nel's face, but in the moment it was raised, something had gripped the arm by the wrist, not allowing it to move. The drunken redhead turned around and the first thing that he saw was head of azure before looking down at the phlegmatic, stony face that looked down on him. Cerulean-jade eyes studied the man for a moment or two before looking across to the woman, whose lip slightly dropped in surprise, and then looked back to the drunk.
"Don't you dare lay a hand on her. Do it, and I'll rip out your throat with my own teeth."
"Well, well!" Renji hooted as he turned to Nel. "I told ya Ol' Blue'd be back soon!"
"Grimmjow," Nel swallowed the mix of anxiety, alcohol, and slight giddiness (that quickly faded away). "Don't waste your time. He's not worth it."
"Oh, but someone needs to put him in his place. I don't care who it is, he needs-"
"I'll tell ya what I need," The drunk mumbled as he shrugged his arm free from Grimmjow, barely being able to stand up on his own two legs. "I need ya to shut the hell up!"
A punch was made to Grimmjow, but at Renji's level of coordination, it easily kissed the air and a new fist hit him in the side of his face, knocking the redhead and the barstools over. Women screamed and more people gathered to the scene, getting even more intrigued by what was happening now.
The backdoor clicked open and Yoruichi slipped inside from the wintry air, but her mouth dropped the second she turned her head and saw her bar in disarray. She was about to yell at the top of her lungs, demanding who had wrecked it, but after seeing the two men go at it, she decided to scurry into the crowd and get some info instead of meddling.
By now, the two were having an all-out brawl, and blood (mostly Renji's) was splattered all over the floor. His hand tried to sneak up to the bar to grab the beer bottle and hit it over Grimmjow's head, but he was too slow. The azure-haired man knocked it right out of his hands and pinned him down.
"Boy, you made the wrong decision crossing my path," Grimmjow hissed, and within an instant, four feline fangs were bared in front of Renji's face, which was now full of shock, fear, and utter confusion. Renji didn't even see how or when those four teeth morphed into saber-like fangs. And he was pretty sure that he could rip out his throat with those kind of teeth.
"Grimmjow! That's enough!" Nel yelled in a loud kind of whisper. She turned to the crowd, who was just as petrified as Renji was, and looked for help.
"He almost hit you, Nel," The azure-headed man hissed as he tightened his grip on the drunk, and Renji yelped out in agony.
"My arms! What the hell did you do to them, Grimmjow?"
"Oh, it seems my temper got the best of me," He said as he lifted up a hand to the drunk's face, which made him freak out even more. Not only was Grimmjow's hand bloodied from digging into what little flesh there was on Renji's wrist, but his nails had now elongated into claws jagged enough to poke a couple of holes through the man.
"Grimmjow!" Nel shouted as she tried to restrain him from killing Renji. "What has gotten into you?" She bent down to whisper in his ear. "I don't know if you've noticed, but there are living, breathing, humans watching you right now. And if you kill Renji, God knows what's gonna happen to you! Stop now before you get into any more trouble!"
The man gradually shut his mouth as he took a look at Renji, then the crowd, and then to his girlfriend, who was keeping him back by wrapping both arms around his neck. Truth was, he couldn't answer Nel's question. He really didn't know what had gotten into him. The consequences of what he did rang as clear as bell, and he understood them perfectly, but it was almost as if the thing that would normally stop him from going too far had completely dissolved.
"Just let it go," The woman whispered, and within seconds, Grimmjow retracted his fangs and claws and swiftly got off of Renji. However, that didn't change the fact that he was still glaring daggers at the man; but now, there was the problem of dealing with the crowd, who had just witnessed the entire scene.
"Shit, what do we do?" He whispered to Nel, but before the female could respond, the sound of clapping broke the silence, and people's stares were now looking at the violet-haired woman who was nodding at the three, as if she was a star-struck spectator.
"Marvelous, simply marvelous!" Yoruichi clapped grandly as she took a couple of steps forward, with the crowd retreating away from the woman. "That little skit had me biting my nails the entire time! I felt the blood pumping through my veins, my hands shaking, the occasional sweat drop of anxiety—this was so dramatic, I was nearly about to stroke out right there and then. When I was informed you all would be performing, I must admit, I was skeptical, but you all pulled it off. Fooled the rest of the audience, I call tell you that much. And thrown glass, good on your part, Michael."
"The hell is Michael?" Renji murmured to Nelliel, staring blankly at Yoruichi.
"She's talking to you, dumbass," Grimmjow sniped.
For a brief moment, there was a moment of silence. Renji couldn't put two and two together, due to the fact he was as drunk as a skunk. But miraculously, he managed to grasp the fact that Yoruichi was improving and he needed to play along.
"Oh, yeah, I almost forgot my lines for a, um, sec," The redhead agreed.
"But wait, what about those fangs that came outta that guy's mouth?" A voice from the crowd shouted. "You gonna tell me that was just an act too?"
Yoruichi turned around with a plastered-on smile on her face. "Why yes, actually. In fact, it's a prop. They're tucked up against the roof of his mouth. And as for the claws, they're a whole different story."
While the woman was busy tangling the crowd into the web that would soon be their cover, Grimm, Nel, and Renji took this opportunity to slyly slip away to the door near the bar. Yoruichi seemed to be enjoying herself as she enticed the audience into whatever tricks she had up her sleeves, and soon, things were back to normal at The Rendezvous. Nel was the last of the three to go through the door, and looked around and double-checked before closing the door behind her.
Sighing, she put her back to the door as the three of them stood there, out in the wintry air with the sound of subways zooming on the floor above them. As she opened her eyes, the woman looked at her boyfriend first, and then the drunk before shaking her head and scoffing in disbelief. The tension between the three was like a fog, so thick and so heavy, it made the mere feet between them feel like miles. She couldn't stand to look at either of them, so she closed her eyes.
"Look Nel," Renji started, but his mouth didn't really have a plan as to what he would say. All that he could think of would be 'I'm sorry. I let my temper get the best of me. Forgive me?', but he knew that that wouldn't cut it. "Just lay it on me. Just let out all your anger and-"
"Renji Abarai," The female cut him off, eyes still closed, teeth clenched. "I am connecting with Jesus. He and I don't talk much—we've had somewhat of a strained relationship, you know. I need to take the time to apologize for my mistakes every now and then and ask for forgiveness, maybe even some back-up from him if he hears me all the way down here for the nasty situation you done got us all in," She heaved. "So, God help me, if I can't have a simple moment of silence to connect to the Messiah, I scrape out each and every one of your teeth with my own ten nails and then shove it down your throat," Nel hissed.
The two men were as quiet as mice, and they didn't even dare to make a move that would make even the slightest noise. However, their moods were completely polar. While Renji was more apprehensive than a pregnant woman carrying a stack of her best China, Grimmjow knew his girlfriend like the back of his hand—he knew that when Nel was having one of her "religious" moments, that it'd be wise not to disturb her. Hell hath no fury like a frustrated devoted Christian woman.
Grimm decided this was the time for a smoking break, so he walked around the corner of the building to light up one. Renji felt uncomfortable being around the same woman he had a feud with earlier, but it's not like he could go chit-chat with Grimmjow. At least, not anymore. After that stunt he pulled at the bar, he knew for sure he wasn't on good terms with the couple. And only the birds know what'll happen once the others hear of this. Not to mention Boss. And Rukia, of course. He may have been drunk, but he wasn't stupid. Just slow.
Awkwardly settling in between the gap of space between the two, he leaned against the brick wall, with only the night and trail of smoke in the air to comfort him. It was at this time that the man looked over the things he had done in the past year, and he wasn't too proud of it. His past was haunting him, and something was eating him up alive inside.
Around the corner, a certain azure-haired gent wasn't too pleased either. On one hand, there was a filthy, malodorous, drunk that Grimm wanted to choke 10 ways 'til Sunday that almost placed his hands on his girlfriend, who, in fact, was just at mad at Grimm for nearly shifting in front of everybody. Revealing a secret like that would not only endanger his relationship, but his career too, as well as his life.
He put his hand in front of him with the palm facing towards him, and his fingers curled. Swiftly, his nails elongated into claws, and teal-blue eyes couldn't help but stare at the grey, lustrous hooks. A couple of years ago, he hated himself for this "hell-hex", as he called it, that he was. A couple of years ago, he was just a teenager who ran away from his home in Louisiana. A couple of years ago, he was normal.
With his eyes still analyzing the claws, he was able to see a smidge of his reflection and he realized then that nothing was normal. His life wasn't normal—it was living on a whole different universe. He couldn't help what he was, that much was fact; but he couldn't help but have the tiniest morsel of self-detestation, even after all this years. His reflection told him that. It told him much more as well. The face looking back at Grimmjow was a present reminder of what he was. The stubs around his mouth, the scar down his cheekbone, the tattoo he got once he got "inducted" into the TR business—they were all reminders of the things he'd done, the ruts he got into, and the people who helped him get out.
He could've stared at his reflection for hours and hours and reminisce about the ups and downs he faced in the past, but that wouldn't solve anything in the present. Right now, he needed to put up the album of memories in the attic, lock it, and focus on the now.
Christ, listen to my plea: I know I've committed a lot of sins in the past couple of years, but they were all for a good reason. I know I may sound selfish, but I'm asking for your help right about now. It's bad enough lying to these innocent people everyday, but I need a miracle now. I'm asking for you to watch over me and my family. Amen.
Nel opened her eyes gradually and felt the hairs on her skin prick up as the wind picked up and blew in her direction, but she didn't feel the icy gust. She was as stoic as can be, and she felt nothing. No anger, no joy, just sheer emptiness. Looking to her right, she saw Renji sitting down, slumped against the wall with the spell of slumber about to overtake him. It was at this moment that Nelliel remembered that Renji was just a kid (sort of). He had yet to live, and the incident that had happened earlier was a mix of his naïveté and drunkenness. True, he had nearly hit her, but Nel knew better than to provoke the intoxicated.
Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Grimmjow walking towards her. She didn't look his way, but she didn't look the other way either. Nel had just remained the same—calm, cool, and motionless. He knelt down beside her and stared at her. The woman could feel Grimm's eyes on her and she couldn't resist the urge to turn her head and stare back at him.
"How did your chat with Jesus go?" He queried, not sure where to begin the conversation.
"It was good, we got to catch up," Nelliel nodded.
"So now that you're free, we need to have a chat of our own."
"About?"
"I think it's very obvious what we need to talk about."
Nel averted her gaze to the ground, not wanting to spark the "talk" right away. Past Grimm's shoulder was Renji, but he had drank enough liquor to make an elephant pass out, so she had nothing to worry about, even though apprehension was pulsing through her veins. Now, she really needed a drink.
"Where we do start?" She looked up with a sigh, her eyes full of fret.
"Let's start with the jackass first," Grimm pointed his head in the direction of the sleeping drunk. "What made him angry in the first place?"
"You're awfully calm, considering you're the one who nearly tore out his throat out. Why the sudden change?"
"Don't get me wrong, I still want to kill him, but his death would only make complications. And I figured that the last thing you need to clean up tonight."
"Well thanks for being considerate," Nel muttered. "But to answer your question, it started out perfectly normal. We were just talking. And then, we got talking about Rukia, and with each minute, he seemed a little bit more angry, and then…bang."
"Bang?"
"Yes, bang. Things exploded, people screamed, you ready to slit his throat with your claws, that ring a bell?"
"No, not at all. In fact, I don't know what the hell you're talking about. I'm completely innocent," He chuckled, trying to mask that same worry that Nelliel was wearing on her face. Truth was, he was just as scared of what would happened, but he didn't want to think about the future or face the consequences just yet.
"This is not funny, so why are you laughing?" She glared, but her seriousness only made her boyfriend laugh even more, making her even more frustrated. "Dammit Grimmjow, I'm serious!" She pounded his chest.
"I'm laughing because of you. You're not even at fault and here you are, with a red face and fists ready," He snickered, then extending an arm. "Come here."
Nelliel didn't resist and scooted over to the man with her head on his chest and his arm around her. The closure relaxed her, if only a little. Grimm caught a glance downwards and noticed she didn't share in his humor.
"Nel, I know you're upset and worried about how Ichigo and Aizen will react, but don't worry. Once I explain things, they'll realize you did nothing wrong. It's just between me and Renji. I did something wrong, I admit that, so I'll take my punishment. That's all there is to it. You got nothing to worry about. We'll-"
She jerked up her head, eyes wide open. "Nothing to worry about? Nothing to worry about? All I've done tonight is worry! Ever since Ichigo left me in charge of the club, I've wanted to puke my guts out just from the fear of a disaster. And boy, did I get one. No, actually, I take that back," Nel held up her index finger, swallowing a gulp of anxiety. "I didn't start worrying tonight. I started worrying the second I left South Carolina. I've been in fear of that man following me and hurting my friends because of the past I've had. I was afraid of him hurting us. But I stopped worrying about him because I swore to myself I wouldn't let my past affect my future. Oh, and then, this whole TR business comes up and suddenly, we have to be as discreet as the fucking CIA because we can't afford to reveal who we really are. And to top it all off, you're off going on dangerous assassinations every month and I'm sitting there at home, with my phone next to me, fearing a call from Aizen saying "I'm sorry to say, but Grimmjow Jeagerjaquez is no longer with us. His funeral is first thing tomorrow morning." So yeah, I-I'm worried, and upset, and scared-"
"Nelliel," Grimmjow began, but he wasn't so sure himself as what to say since this was the first time he's ever heard something like this from his girlfriend's mouth. This took him by total and complete surprise, that he himself feared that she was changing. Instead, he just comforted her by pulling her towards him and held her in his arms. The alley wasn't the most romantic of places, but it was private and quiet, and that's exactly what they needed right now.
Unfortunately, that moment was short-lived.
The door from the club clicked open and Yoruichi and Shuhei stood at the doorway, looking at all three of the people. Grimm and Nel met their glances and gave them solid, stoic stares.
"Shuhei, go get the drunk," Yoruichi said, and then turned to the couple. "The people have gone home, and now we need to clean up."
"Can you give us five minutes, Yoruichi?" Nel rubbed her face free of tears. "We need to-"
"Nelliel," She cut her off as she walked towards the two, but she only paid attention to the woman. "Now you are most certainly not alright. You done lied to me. I don't like being lied to. Honey, it's okay to ask for help. You can't run TR by yourself, especially on the first go. Now, come on, we only gotta clean up and then you can go home and sleep and forget this horrible night ever done happened."
"But what about the people? Were they still suspicious of what happened?" Grimmjow asked as he helped Nel off her feet.
"Don't you worry about that, I took care of them. All you need to know is that they won't remember a thing in the morning."
"And that's all we need to know. Thanks Yoruichi, I owe you a huge one," Nel smiled, but it was a fragile one at that.
"No worries. Now, come help me sweep up the place and we'll be out of this sticky situation as long as no one mentions a word of this to the Boss or King," She said, speaking in general.
"Ms. Nelliel!" A muffled voice cried from inside. The door swiftly opened and revealed the petite Mashiro, her big beige eyes wide with alertness and fear. "Rangiku needs you, all of you, right away, it's important!"
Yoruichi thought that the girl was simply over-exaggerating and the only reason that the situation was as "important" as she said was because Rangiku was breathing down her neck. "Mashiro, I'm sure Rangiku can handle her own affairs, she doesn't need us-"
"She said it's code black."
With only a short glance at each other, they sprinted to the office and saw the blonde pacing back and forth in the office. Once she caught sight of them, Rangiku motioned with her hand for them to enter. The seven of them were standing around in the tiny space that was available, but it felt as if kilometers were between them with the dank fog of silence slithering around their very bodies. With the exception of Yoruichi and Mashiro, everybody was somber. Worry, hopelessness, and primal fear was scrawled on each and every one of their faces. All of the angst and tension from the 'incident' prior were mere grains of sand in the desert compared to the current crisis. Some seemed to be handling it fairly well, like Grimmjow or Rangiku, who wore stoic masks; as for the others, they looked ready to crumble to pieces. Yoruichi scanned each person's face, but she didn't know exactly what was going on, or even where the danger was at, something was wrong, she knew that much. Turning to Rangiku, she asked, "Why'd you call a code black? Have you got everyone out?"
"We're the only ones left here," Shuhei butted in. "We checked the cams and everything."
"And the code? Why did you-"
"Just listen," Rangiku piped as she slammed her thumb down on the voicemail button of her office phone, leaning against the wall as she stared at the ground, listening the eerie voice of the message speak.
In the corner across from her, there was Renji and Shuhei, all listening attentively to the voice, trying to pick up anything that they said that might be helpful. But a certain doe-eyed, curious lime-haired girl was in the dark. She looked to her left, she saw Nel with her knees pulled up to her chest and her head buried in her lap; and next to her, was the azure-maned man discreetly holding her hand by her side. Mashiro looked to her right and saw Shuhei swallow his anxiety, but his nervousness wasn't as bad as Nel's. Renji seemed somewhat calm about the situation, so she decided to ask the big question.
"What's code black?"
Most, but not all, stares were shot in her direction, but the girl's curiosity was unwavering—she wanted to know what was going on. A "ssh" was hissed towards her, but she paid no mind to it.
"Code black is…" The redhead started, but his attention was more diverted towards the voicemail. After the speaker stopped speaking, he swiftly whispered,
"A bomb threat."
A silence fell over the hushed crowd, but it was not one of eeriness, but hopelessness. Only the sound of breaths being sucked in and released was heard. As if it was banned, no eye contact was made whatsoever, but that didn't stop the young girl from looking to see how everybody was taking the news. It seemed as if she was immune to the horror and fear that the voicemail caused. If anything was going to happen, she knew she'd have to break the silence.
"So, what do we do now?"
"Nothing," a weak, unfamiliar voice muttered.
Heads turned at the source of the sound and noticed Nelliel with her head raised, but her eyes had already spoken of defeat. "We give in to his demands and he'll leave us alone."
"That's it?" Renji gaped with disbelief. "Can't we send someone to kill him? Just kill him and get it over with."
"Think about it rationally," Yoruichi said. "He managed to get a hold of Rangiku's office number, which is only known by someone with TR intel, then not only would we have to "eradicate" him, but the snitch as well. Not to mention each and every person in TR would have to be interrogated and the culprit would be killed too."
"That's even worse," Rangiku grumbled.
"And why is that? If I recall, you were the one trembling on the phone earlier," The violet-haired woman sniped, causing all eyes to be on the blonde. "Would you not want him to be killed?"
"You're asking me if I want a man killed because he mentioned my past. If that's what you're asking, then no. We should get some information on this guy and what he's got against TR."
"Maybe he's just hired as a do-er. Like to just do the job." Shuhei mumbled.
"Ughh," Nel groaned as she hid away from the world, digging her head into her lap once more.
"What's wrong?" Grimmjow asked softly as the other people discussed among themselves.
"I feel like I'm going to throw up."
"How much did you drink?"
"Three shots."
"But that's nothing. I'll go get ya some water. Maybe it's something you ate?" He asked as he got up and left the room.
A new wave of aches came, and Nel was back to her default position, only being able to hope that her pain will ease and that the argument the other people were having would soon cease.
"There's gotta be a better way than that!" Renji hissed, his eyes narrowed down at Yoruichi. "I refuse to let assassins track us, let alone watch my every move! That's fucking ridiculous!"
"You got a better idea? And keep in mind who's actually handled these kinds of situations. You ain't been here for at least a year whereas I've been here for a decade. Don't start with me, boy," The black woman glared.
"Why do we have to kill someone?" Mashiro cried, tears at the edge of her eyes. Her shriek caused the entire room to come to an abrupt hush. "Why? We don't even know if this guy is for real or not!"
As if on cue, the sound of maniacal laughter filled the air, but nobody's mouth was moving. Nel knew that voice all too well that it was karma knocking at her door with an unexpected visitor. Raising her head, she saw that nobody else recognized the voice, and that she was the only one in the
"You all are such dumbasses. Killing you shits off will be a favor to the world. Just listening to your bickering has me cracking up. I couldn't even hold it in."
Rangiku zoomed in on the phone like a hawk, ready to tear it to shreds. "You're just a pathetic excuse for a being, feeding off of people's fears like that. Once we get rid of you-"
"And that's where yer wrong, dear. I'll get to y'all first. Maybe I'll blow the place up, maybe not. But I'm definitely planning on giggling like a newborn once I slit each and every one of yous throats."
"I'd like to see you try," Shuhei dryly snipped.
"Especially yours, Nelliel."
"I got you your water, Nel," Grimmjow popped in as he opened the door, being welcomed by a mob of stares. Stares that weren't so welcoming. "What? Why are y'all staring at me like that?" Looking at Nel, he gave her the water. "Drink up."
"Ah, is that the little fucker, uhm, whathisface, Blueberry! Yeah, that's right! Ya miss me?"
"Who the hell is that?" He looked at Nel, who simply shrugged as she chugged the water down.
"Aw, come on! Ya gotta remember shooting me in the leg!"
"I shoot a lot of people. You're going to have more specific than that."
"How about the fact that I called your fiancée a cunt?"
Grimmjow instantly scowled, but as for everbody else, they got lost around the time 'fiancée' popped up.
"What fiancée?" Nel asked, paranoid about what was really going and just how exactly the two knew each other.
"Goddammit, how many times you gotta piss me off? You just fucked up my proposal."
"That's just the beginning of it, sonny. I'm gonna fuck up your lives so bad, you're gonna be begging for me to kill ya."
"Sorry to disappoint, but that's not happening."
"Hey Grimm," Nel piped as she held her water in front of her, seeing slight traces of crimson in there. "What kind of backwater did you give me?"
"I just got whatever was in the fridge. Now, as for you," He looked back to the phone. "I'm gonna track you down and do what I should've done a month ago."
"Don't you mean a couple of years ago?"
"…What are you getting at?"
"Oh, you didn't tell him, Nel? I thought you at least told him about me. Tsk, tsk, tsk, and I thought you were a good girl."
The azure-haired man turned around, looking at his girlfriend for an explanation. "What's he talking about, Nel?"
"I'm going to be sick."
"I know he's a real jackass, but I need to know the truth."
"No, I'm really sick. Get me a bucket before I puke on your shoes," She barely managed to utter right before she covered her mouth with a hand, but some residue slipped out between her fingers.
"Nel, what's that on your hand?" Renji asked with wide eyes, but as she opened her mouth, a dump of murky, mucus-looking crimson liquid poured from her mouth, and the second she saw her own her blood in front of her, Nel's hands began trembling and she screwed her eyes shut from the horror.
"What are you waiting for? Help me get her to the hospital!" Grimmjow barked as he picked up the choking Nel. "Don't you dare die on me, Nelliel."
"I'm not dying, you idiot," She barely managed to chuckle. "I'm just really tired all of the sudden. Just lemme sleep for a sec."
"You can sleep when we get to the hospital, just stay awake, baby. Just keep your eyes open."
"Grimmjow, come on, I got the lift ready, let's go!" Rangiku urged as she held the door open for the two. She looked towards the rest of the lot. "Yoruichi, you mind cleaning up?"
"Not at all. Just go," She nodded.
"Hold that door."
Before she could even look to see who said it, Renji was in the elevator right as the doors closed.
"The hell you doing here?" Grimm hissed. Renji could've sworn to himself he saw a flicker of amber in his eyes, but he shrugged it off.
"I already caused one situation today, I don't want to make another one."
"Oh, but I can."
"I just need to see if Nel's gonna be alright."
"Someone'll call you. It'll save us the time of carrying extra luggage." He turned to Rangiku. "Go ahead and call an ambulance and tell 'em to wait at the entrance of the subway."
His eyes looked down for a sec, seeing that his soon-to-be fiancée barely had the strength to talk, much less keep her eyes open. "Stay with me, Nel. Stay with me."
Twitching, her eyes flew wide open as she covered her mouth again, looking at the man for a second and then to the floor.
"Go ahead and puke."
She did as he said, and although it wasn't in the least bit romantic, she had to avert her eyes, so she looked up at her boyfriend, bloody mouth and all. He glared at Renji for a second. "Take your shirt off."
"What?"
"You heard me. Nel will have a heart attack if she sees blood. Take off your shirt and cover the damn blood up."
Normally, Renji would bicker on and on with the man about how much his shirt cost ($76.99—Element), but given the circumstances, he had no choice in the matter.
Quickly, he stripped himself free of the tee and threw it over the bloody vomit, and then waited uncomfortably with three people in the elevator. Rangiku's eyes wasn't complaining, however.
When the elevator pulled up, they rushed to the subway entrance, where the siren of the ambulance could be heard and within minutes, the truck came. The crew helped Nelliel into the vehicle and Grimmjow accompanied them, leaving Rangiku and Renji behind.
He ordered them before the truck left. "Rangiku, go help the crew downstairs. And bring that dumbass with you too."
"Sure thing," She nodded as the doctors closed the truck's doors.
Opening her eyes, she saw a room completely decked out in white and the beeping of the heart monitor echoed in her ears. Still drowsy from the drugs she was put on, she thought she was in an asylum or some sort. She recalled working in TR, and then her boyfriend/apparent fiancé getting into a fight with her friend, crying in an alley, listening to a bomb threat from the man who tortured her in South Carolina, and then coughing up blood and passing out. That was it, right?
Her eyes slowly moved from the left to right, seeing all kinds of tubes inside her arms and little wires all about; but she saw no people.
"Hello?" She called. "I don't remember going to a hospital, so if anyone can help me.."
Suddenly thinking she sounded like a complete idiot, she stopped speaking before even more idiocracy came out. The ray of sunshine was now beating down on the bedsheet covering the lower half of her body, making her look towards the window. Despite it being one of the worst days of her life, the sun still managed to shine on, as if nothing had happened.
A knock at the door was heard, followed immediately by a voice. "Miss? Are you awake?"
"Yeah, come on in."
Stretching her arms for a sec, Nel closed her eyes as she let out a yawn. But as she opened her eyes, the person in front of was somebody she didn't want to meet.
In front of her, was a man, blue-eyed, dark-haired, tall and tan, who looked rather attractive for a doctor. Must've just got outta school, Nel thought. But then it hit her—those footsteps were familiar. It wasn't until she put two and two together that she finally realized who this man was. The infamous Dr. Milovic.
"You son of a bitch!" She gasped as she threw a pillow at the doctor, who avoided the throws. "You're the monster that kidnapped my friend and who threatened to kill me! Get outta my room! I'm calling security!"
"Don't bother. I'm a doctor."
"Yeah, and an evil one at that," Nel laughed sarcastically as she reached for the phone, but a cold hand grabbed her wrist before she could.
"Were you the one who was picking at my brain?" He scrunched his eyebrows together in confusion.
"Were you the one who kidnapped my friend?" She glared daggers.
"…I think we need to have a little chit-chat," The doctor shrugged his shoulders, sitting at the edge of her bed.
"Hmph," Nel turned over in her bed, her back towards the doctor.
"I'll tell you about your friend if you just explain what happened that night," He bargained.
"I don't have to tell you anything. You, sir, are the one who committed a crime!"
"Yeah, but people like us usually get away with it if we cover our tracks."
Sitting straight up, the ivy-maned woman stared at him long and hard for a good moment. "What do you mean 'people like us'?"
"They label us 'monsters', but if we're just one of them, then we really can't be monsters, now can we?"
"Just what the hell are you?"
"Tell me what you are, I'll tell you what I am."
"I'm a garden gnome. Now, what did you do to my friend?"
"You're awfully stubborn for a patient. I may not be human, be remember who's treating you."
"I don't need your treatment, I'm just fine," Nel sneered as she ripped out the tubes in her arms one by one so that she could get out of the hospital bed. The doctor was amused, but made no attempt to stop the patient from getting away.
"You're weak. You're going to lose consciousness if you don't get back into-"
"I said I'm just-"
Before she could complete her sentence, the woman's legs immediately failed her the second she tried to gather up the stamina to even turn the doorknob of her room, and there she was, sitting there on there with her bare bottom kissing the freezing hospital floor. She didn't even need to glance up at the doctor to see that "I told you so" look since it was already playing in her head, but instead, he offered her a hand up and she took it.
"Now, which news should I tell you first?"
"There are no good or bad news?" Nel cocked an eyebrow as she sat on the bed, letting the doctor quickly plug back in the tubes.
"On the contrary, there's plenty of that. I just don't seem them as being "good" or "bad". I lost my emotions when I was human, but in the end, they're more of a hassle than an asset. I would think that you'd agree with me."
"Where's my friend?" The patient demanded, not wanting to make small-talk with the man at all. "And what are you?"
"I'm not "good", that's all I'm saying. And she's just fine, don't worry. She's coming back to New York this week. Don't get so anxious. You keep worrying like that, and your body's going to fail you. Where will you hide yourself then?"
"That's none of your concern," She piped. "And I should be worried, when she comes into contact with the likes of you. Why are you even curious in a human like that, anyway? Just find some other bite to eat, you beast."
"Oh, "beast" is understating it," He chuckled. "But all matters aside, I suddenly come to a realization," The dark-haired man looked up from his charts, and then extended a hand. "Damir Milovic. Pleased to meet you, Nel."
After brusquely shaking his hand, she wiped it on her blanket and then asked, "Did you become a doctor to feed off of people?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Dr. Milovic laughed as he went back to his charts. "Most of these people are sick."
"Ah-ha!" Nel exclaimed, pulling the Phoenix Wright finger on him. "So if they were healthy, you'd totally take advantage, wouldn't you!"
"You know, I'm kind of tired having to justify my actions. I'm going to explain myself, and after that, you can ask no more questions. I'll tell you what happened that night, your friend, and then the news I need to tell you and that'll be it, do you understand?"
"Before that, I have a request."
"Hmm?"
"Prove you're not human. I know you're not, but I need to see it with my eyes," Nel muttered subtly.
"I'm kinda in disguise as a human working as a doctor right now, in case you haven't noticed."
"Don't do a full transformation or morph or whatever it is you do, just show something that'll convince me."
"Fair enough," Damir nodded as he put his papers down on the bed, rolling up the sleeves of his doctor's coat up to his shoulder before holding it in front of the patient. "Now it's human," He said as he extended all five digits of his hand. Microscopic, ebony matter started to coat the skin from nail to elbow until in no time, the once bare, tan arm was now the appendage of something that looked like came out of Freddy Krueger's mouth. His nails or claws, to be exact, were at least a couple of inches long, and were just as thick. Curved horns were now sticking out of the somewhat lustrous dark indigo pelt, starting from the knuckles and went as far as an inch below his rolled-up sleeve. "And now it's not. Proof enough for you?"
"Do you mind?" Nel said as she grabbed the hand by one nail and placed her hand over it, closing her eyes for a brief moment before opening them and looking at the doctor. "You're evil, but you're not bad," She nodded as she let go of the hand, looking down at the ground guiltily before speaking again. "I'm sorry for misjudging you, Doctor. I didn't know you were that kind of person."
"Glad you see it my way," He rolled down his sleeve. "Think of it like this: not all angels are good. Some can be evil too. I know, because I've met more than enough of my fair share of evil angels."
"Oh, you have no idea," She chuckled to herself for a bit. "So, you gonna tell me the story or not?"
"You're in no rush."
"What do you mean? I should be out by today, right?" Nel queried, but the expression on the doctor's face didn't quite agree with that.
"I'll tell you the "good" news first," He started, clearing his throat. "Your friend is perfectly safe. No harm came to her when she was away. I know, because I was treating her from her fall the night of that party. The night that you tried to pick my brain, in case you forgot already. I was already treating her brother, and we had met once, but we were talking strictly about her brother's condition."
"How come she never told me she had a br-"
"Ah!" Damir interrupted. "No questions! Yes, she has a brother, but I don't know why she didn't tell you. At the party, I was about to leave to catch up on a report I filed for a meeting, but then, she, er, Rukia, fell from the sky. Literally. And no, I don't know how, but she kept talking about a crazy woman who pushed her off. I haven't a chance to ask her, but does she do drugs?"
"No, I don't think so. She doesn't seem like the type."
"That's what I thought. But how long have you known her?"
"I'd say…about three months?" The woman guessed.
"Has she said anything about it in the past?"
"Not that I can remember, no. So, after you caught her, then what?"
"She was losing a lot of blood, so I decided to treat her. The bright girl thinks she's invincible and decides to go run in the freezing cold with barely anything on, and she passes out shortly after. Her grandfather orders me to go with him and treat her while she's staying at his estate. I just left the place recently. Aside from being her doctor, I can see why you'd get so attached to Rukia. She exudes that presence, you know? I can't explain it-"
Nelliel laughed softly, knowing exactly what the man was talking about. "I understand. She has that effect on me too. Did you talk to her personally?"
"What part of "no questions" do you not get? Or maybe it's the amount of drugs we're giving you. After all, it is a lot. But to answer your question, yeah I did. She's not like most humans I've met, much less women. She has a unique…taste…to her. Not the most attractive human though, I'll admit that much."
"They're ragdolls, not sirens. They're adequate, in the very least. But those that stand out, they're something. They're the kind you remember for decades, even centuries. Millennia if you loved them."
"Oh?" The doctor turned around with a curious smirk on his face. "Is that supposed to imply something?"
"No, I'm just saying from what I've seen and heard. I already have that position filled, thank you very much, and he's not human. Well, he used to be, but now he's not. Long story," She smiled, hoping he wouldn't interrogate her about it. Then, having the bright idea of changing the subject, she asked, "So, what about that other news you had to tell me about?"
That once glowing smirk on Damir Milovic's face turned into a thin solemn, almost pitiful line of worry. Exhaling a deep sigh as he grabbed Nel's charts, he sat on her bed, staring at her for a moment.
"Nelliel, how long have you been in that human body?"
Not knowing what he meant, she decided not to counter-argue with him about her past.
"I don't know. I've lived for….a long time. Probably longer than you. But it's amazing how I look so young, no?"
"Yes, you're youthful. But give me an estimate. 100 years? 500?"
"Try 2,000."
Damir gazed at the woman before him with an unmoving stare, the kind that the gargoyle statues have, but Nelliel stared right back, slightly surprised at how well he was taking it.
"I know, I'm ancient. But as for my human body, I've gotten some favors from the "people like us", so I've been able to keep this body for ages. But to be honest doc," She sighed as she stared out the window. "I know I'm weak. I've seen many of my kind die beside me, and truth is, I've lived my life. I've been holding onto this slab of skin for so long, it's nearly about to fall apart."
"Why do you hold onto such a thing for so long?"
"It's complicated to explain, especially to foreigners. It's a cultural and a bit of a religious thing for me."
"Aren't you afraid of someone recognizing you from the past?"
"No, I'm not," She shook her head, reliving the faces and memories of her past in the time it took her to take in a breath. "They're all gone. To be honest, I've lived a lot of lives. I've always paraded as someone else, as I'm sure you have too. We change our identities, so no one will recognize us. And in time, we even forget our own name and mix things up with what happened in our human lives, and what didn't. For me, I seem to be reliving a lot of my past. I have these flashbacks, and sometimes, I'm not even aware of it. Like, as if I'm stuck in the past, and I don't even know that it's 2009 and that my name is Nelliel Tu Oderschvank and that I'm living on a whole different continent. It's scary, in the very least."
"I see. Then let me ask you: why do you live as a human and not what you are? Wouldn't that be so much easier?"
"Ah, it would, but there are so many things preventing me from doing so."
"Such as?"
"My fiancé."
"Does he know about this?"
"No, Doctor," She shook her head. "He does not know I am dying."
"Who said anything about dying?" The man looked at her confusedly.
"I did. Which rises the question that I want to ask you."
"Where are you going with this?"
"I need to ask a favor."
"What kind of favor?"
"One only you can do."
"Ms. Oderschvank,-"
"Please," She pleaded, her eyes full of sorrow.
"What is with you and dying?" The doctor raised his voice this time, and the veins on his neck were starting to pop out. "I'm a doctor for Christ's sake! I'm supposed to heal you!"
"Just hear me out, Damir."
He exhaled a deep sigh, his Arctic eyes avoiding the gaze of the female's. "Fine."
"I fibbed a bit about how old I lived. It's 1954 years, to be exact. But the point is, I lived a long life. One…that needs to end. I was originally a human, you see. But certain events happened, ones that weren't supposed to happen to me, that made me supernatural. But after that, I'm suffered to live as an immortal human who never ages. People think it's a gift, to live forever. Oh, how they're wrong," She shook her head. "It's a curse. Do you know what it's like to see the very people you love die while you haven't gotten so much of a wrinkle on your forehead and you know that you've lived ten times their lifespan? My point is, I don't want to suffer anymore."
"So you want me to kill you," He muttered quietly.
"Not exactly. And I don't know anybody else who's supernatural and who can see where I'm coming from. Sorta."
"Say you die, what's your brilliant plan? If you're immortal, then human drugs and diseases won't affect you."
"What about the supernatural kind?"
"They won't work as long as you're in a human body."
"Which I can't get out of because I'm cursed to stay in it."
"So then, what kills your kind of people?"
"That's the thing—we don't die. At least, not of "natural" causes like disease and age. We're forever immortal, but there has to be something they're not immune to."
"If you told me what you were/are, maybe I could help."
"No chance," Nel sneered. "No offense, but I'd seem more like a tasty treat than a patient if I told you."
"I promise you whatever you are, I will control my instincts."
"Your word means nothing, but since I want to die anyway," She shrugged. "I'm an angel. Well, a "fallen" one."
"How is that possible?"
"I fell in love with a human. There are consequences. Mine just had to be life imprisonment in a human body. I guess I got what I deserved," She shrugged.
"Angel, huh?" The doctor laughed. "So, do you all hate devils?"
"That's a stereotypical myth. We often worked with devils, believe it or not. We get the good souls, they get the naughty ones, and we're on our jolly way. Me personally, I think angels are the true devils. They're quite malicious actually."
"Go figure. So, how do you kill an angel?"
"You can't. Big Guy up there has a lifetime warranty on us. If we get one single scratch, it's like it never happened. That sucker heals right back up instantly."
"I'm sorry, but I know nothing about killing people from that side of the realm. You said you were cursed to live inside that body, right?"
"Yeah, why?"
"What'll happen if you remove the curse?"
"I…don't know. 300 years and not once did I think of that. I truly thought that living as an immortal human was the way that my life was going to end. Then you come along and give me hope. I don't know what to say."
"So, just have someone undo the curse."
"But I don't know anyone who dabbles in witchcraft."
"Who says you have to be a witch to know magick? What about gypsies, maenads, sorcerers-"
"Who are just witches with a penis," Nel cut him off.
"But my point is made. I'll strike you a deal: If I help you find your gypsy girl, then you have to swear that you won't tell Rukia any of this supernatural stuff, got it?"
"Wasn't planning on it. Now, how fast can you find a person who knows magick?
"Now before you keel over, what'll be your cover? You need to somehow prove to others that you're not suicidal."
"Well, you're a doctor. Think of something."
"Give me a minute," He paced back and forth, often glancing down at the charts. "You're trapped in a human body, so it probably has to be something from the human world that has yet to be cured. You just recently threw up blood. There must've been something blocking the airflow and instead of air being in your lungs, there was blood. That's it!" He looked up at her. "LAMS! You have LAMS!"
"What's that?"
"LAMS, short for lymphangioleiomyomatosis, is a rare lung condition in which there's massive growth of smooth muscle lung cells, which can cause obstructions in the small airways of the lungs, and these growths lead to the buildup of bigger cysts in your lungs, so that means.."
"Lung cancer!" She squealed, getting a nod from the doctor.
"And since you've had it for about, let's say five years, it's progressed to stage 4 cancer."
"So, will you state the official diagnosis, doctor?"
"Nelliel Tu Oderschvank, you have stage 4 lung cancer."
A/N: Howdy y'all. It's been a long time since I been on here. Well, I've been busy. Anyways, back to SP. YEAH. D-R-A-M-AAAA! That's how I like it;D I will also be uploading all other story chapters either today or tomorrow, INCLUDING TWO NEWBIESS! So, if you enjoyed read this, be sure to subscribe to my writings to catch my new stories:3 And as always, reviews are always appreciated. Let's try to hit 40! And as always, I love you all for your love and support! Mwah~