1Cloud 9
Chapter 4
-...I Am Waiting For You...-
By: Melis
Rukia was at the cometary now, still in her gigai form. She scanned the area, stepping forward some holding her head, suddenly dizzy.
..not now... she thought, wincing some.
She composed herself, jogging further into the area, glancing around. She knew the Hollow was close, mainly because she could sense it so clearly, however, it was still eluding her.
She sighed, frustrated, her left temple throbbing some. Apparently she wasn't as strong as she thought, at least not at the moment, realizing her powers were actually very low at the moment.
...forget it... she thought, knowing full well why she had come alone to begin with.
...I can't let him fight... she continued, noting his injuries from earlier, closing her eyes, her heart hurting to see him in pain.
...besides, I still have some power left in this thing...I can handle this... she said, more convincing then assuring.
She stepped forward, glancing around, the area empty as always, not even a bird, just a slight breeze, causing her hair to fan out some around her.
And then there were cherry blossom petals, hundreds of them, beautiful, pink, cheery blossoms...
And then pain. Lots of it.
"Aaaa!" she cried, tumbling forward now, rolling with it as much as she could, kneeling in a crouch, glaring at the perpetrator.
And then she blinked, eyes wide.
It was huge, easily 30 feet. It was beast like to an extent, however, had a very insect like face, though most of it was hidden behind its large white mask. It had numerous arms that resembled worms and two large sickle like hands. It's eyes was black and hollow, a huge hole over it's heart. As if the beast itself weren't intimidating enough, it's wings were huge, double it's body size and pink.
Rukia winced then, feeling dizzy, the air smelling sickeningly sweet.
"Ugh..." she managed, slumping over some, clutching her stomach.
"Oh? What; wrong?" asked the Hollow, slithering closer to her, looking more like a cross between a centipede and a butterfly.
"Don't you like the cherry blossoms?" it asked motioning with its razor like claws to the sky.
Rukia just winced, then forced her head up, glaring.
"Mmm, how sad." it sang.
Rukia's eyes were wide as she flew, had somehow amazingly dodged the blow, but the power of the wind had sent her flying back and into a large brick wall that crumbled about her.
...damn it... she thought, forcing herself to her feet, moving her hands so fast, they blurred, a large fire ball shooting from before her, the beast slicing it easily with its blades.
...shoot... she thought, glancing around some, quickly leaping away as the beast crushed the ground beneath her.
She landed, running now, knowing she needed to put some distance between them or else she was doomed.
She pushed herself, zigging and zagging along the rows of headstones, feeling bad for disturbing the spirits so, though knew she need to get away and yet, as fast as she was running, she felt slow, sluggish, almost like she wasn't running at all, but more or less just running in place.
...ah... I..can't ...breath.. She thought, slumped over, her hands on her knees as she breathed deeply.
She gagged some, coving her mouth and nose with her hands, wincing again.
...that awful smell... she thought, noted it was apparently the work of the Hollow.
"There you are!" it roared, flying in at her, Rukia diving to the ground below rolling along as it passed her over head, skidding to a stop not too far away.
Quickly, Rukia used the moment to create another fire ball, smaller then last time but faster, it easily colliding with the monster's eyes and Hollow roaring out in pain.
Graaah! You bitch!" it screeched, its claw racing at her, Rukia side stepping it, running now...
And then everything froze.
Everything had indeed stopped. Time, space, sight, sound. Everything. Frozen, but for only a moment. And then it was slow motion, Rukia's leg's moving ever so slowly back and then forward, her steps nothing more then a centimeter or two. Her eyes were wide now, something burning in her back, something warm tricking down her side, soaking her shirt. And then the ground was rushing up to meet her, hard, knocking the wind out of her some as she screamed, blood spraying the area before her.
"Aaaaaaaaa!!!" she cried, on her stomach.
She lay there a moment, wincing, slowly opening her eyes, gripping the grass and dirt.
"D-damn it..." she moaned, slowly forcing herself to sit up.
"Oh, did it hurt?" asked the Hollow, slithering about behind her, closing in.
Rukia gasped, tunring her attention to him, glaring.
...gotta go... she thought, knew this was a bit out of her league. True she had her powers back but not fully and at the moment things weren't exactly going her way. She'd make another run for it, radio for back up, get the massive gash in her back fixed up, and then continue from there. With that she was on her feet...but not quite.
...ah...! she thought, blinking some, looking down at her legs that were unresponsive.
...move...chem. on...move...! her mind screamed, her legs trembling beneath her, refusing to move, to even twitch!
Something was wrong, Very, very wrong. Rukia could feel her head spinning, dizzy now, swaying slightly, somehow willing her arms to life enough to hold her head, feeling nauseated.
...ugh...what's...going on... she thought, breathing heavily now.
"Do you like it?" sang the voice from behind her, Rukia lowering her hands to look at the Hollow that swayed overhead.
"My sweet smell has that effect on people. Sweet, but deadly." it added chuckling some, Rukia staring at the beast with wide eyes, trembling and sweating.
...damn it... she thought, her arms suddenly feeling as heavy as he legs felt.
"Yes, my dear you're paralyzed. But please, continue to struggle, it does so please me!" it hissed with excitement.
...bad...this is bad... she thought, closing her eyes tight clenching her teeth as she tried to raise herself to her feet failing.
"Oh no, no, none of that." began the hollow leaning in closer.
"You see, now that I've caught my prey, it's very hard to eat you as you are." it began, its massive head even with her own.
"So, let me make you a bit easier on my stomach." it purred, leaning up, something rumbling from within it, building up, it's large insect like fangs parting.
It all happened so fast, a large blast of sticky, green colored like slime hitting her, her arms somehow rasing enough to block some of it from splatterign on her face, however she was practically coated in it.
"What...what is this stuff?!" she demanded, the sticky goo clinging to her skin and hair.
"Mm, you'll see." it sang, slithering around her some.
...damn it...have to get this off of... She began and then blinked her eyes wide as her body began to throb.
"Ahh...ahhhh!" she screamed falling onto her side now.
"Burning,..it's buring!" she cried, her once dead arms and legs suddenly moving, pulling and wiping at the liquid about her, but to no avail, the slime stuck to her still, slowly beginning to devour her clothes and flesh.
She screamed in both pain dn horror, horror because she her skin was burnign off of her, slowly not to mention she was going to die and so painfully! Her own skin would be stripped, stripped to her bones!
"Ahh yes scream Soul Reaper, it's so much nicer when you do!" chimed the Hollow laughing maniacally as it watched her eagerly.
..uhn...I'm..such a fool.. She thought, wincing and writhing on the ground some.
...if only...I could reach him... she thought, her eyes wide then closing tightly, wincing more.
...no...! she thought, her heart aching,.
...I did this to protect him...! she continued, the acid burning her further.
...I...won't cry out for you... she command, clamping down on her lower lip to prevent herself from screaming out.
It was all so much, so painful, and yet, she couldn't even begin to bear or think about Ichigo being in her place. He was so young, so kind, he deserved to be the one to live not her. She had lived a very long time, had seen so many things and had a very good life.
...but... she thought, the pain gnawing at her still.
But there was so much she still wanted to see, to do, to be a part of. Things she wanted to know, to learn, to create and she wanted to do all that with him. But it was too late, because this would be the end. She moaned some sadly, her eyes closing some.
...he's...safe... she thought, that thought alone enough to comfort her, to make her feel happy, content.
...even so... she thought, the pain starting to fade, and blur, her eyes so heavy now.
...I wish...I could have heard his voice..and seen his face..one last time...
She winced then her eyes closed tight then relaxing, the pain suddenly melting away, melting into the background, something new taking its place, someone shouting, calling her name.
...ichi...go... she thought, a single tear streaming down her reddened cheek, quickly wiped away by someone's warm and gentle hand.
I know I am soo sorry it's taking so long and that this chapter was so freakin short . I wanted to end it at 4 but damn it's gonna have to be 5 xx But I'm pretty confident Cloud 9 will indeed wrap up within the next chapter and they will be done ASAP XD So, I hope you all enjoyed the small battle and such, things are gonna get good in chappy 5, so please enjoy this chapter and the next and thank you all so much for the reviews and comments! If you have time, why not check out my Bleach lemons or my NEW Bleach fan-fiction "What I've Done".
-Melis