Chapter 22. Midnight Reunion

I do not own Bleach.

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The large, dark circle was slowly converging into a small black dot now.

Interested, Hitsugaya circled lower, trying to see why they were so dazzled. They were screeching and surrounding something like vultures.

Then, two words echoed through the barren wasteland. "Sennen Hyourou!"

Seconds later, there was a blue smudge of ice on the water-colored desert scene.

Ice froze every single centimeter of each and every Hollow, icicles hung off of Hyorinmaru's cold blade. Fury mixed with fear inside Hitsugaya's chest as he perched on the sand in the center of the circle of Hollow beneath him. As fast as the ice had covered the creatures, it had broken apart into millions of pieces of like shattered glass. The sword made contact with the last block of ice, and soon all of the frozen Hollow that had stood there only seconds before, were deceased.

Along with the rest of the ice, Hitsugaya's wings, tail, and claws melted back into the sword, which was swiftly placed back in its sheath.

A jumbled mass of sand was half concealing the black cloth that made up a shihakushou.

Night had already overcome them now, and shadows clouded her features.

"Hinamori, Hinamori get up." He pleaded, pulling her limp body to him once again. The whole scene seemed far too familiar as he listened for her heartbeat and felt for her pulse. However, this time, she did have a heartbeat and a pulse, but they were un-naturally weak and slow.

Truth be told, he expected that this time, she really would be dead. But weak and slow pulses were better than none at all.

He knew that he could misuse no more time, and that they needed to get back to Rukongai, very soon. But then he foolishly overlooked the fact that his left arm was lame and that he would not be able to carry her more than 5 feet without injuring either one or both of them quite seriously.

As her head rested in his lap, he could see that she was breathing shallowly, as she had been when put under the Arrancar's spell.

He un-sheathed his sword once again, and gently lifted Hinamori's frail, almost weightless body from his lap. He stood to his feet but before he did anything more, he re-enforced his aching arm with a fresh layer of cold ice. Then, he lifted his Zanpakutou above his head and called out, "Hyorinmaru!"

The ice dragon formed before his eyes, the wings, tail, and talons that he had once shared with Hitsugaya were once again his own. Sensing his master's emotions, he patiently waited for the boy to voice his command.

Hitsugaya knelt down beside her again, and, ignoring the intense pain and protest screaming in his broken arm, he gently began to lift her up.

And so suddenly was her movement, that he almost had the two of them come crashing down onto the sand. She had jerked awake so suddenly, her eyes full of fear and suffering as she glanced up at him. But he had been startled by how fast she had yanked herself awake, that he wound up leaning backwards and almost falling.

He wound up dropping her fragile form painfully on the hard minerals of rock. She winced and gritted her teeth, whimpering agonizingly as her broken bones collide with solid materials and the air was knocked out of her. Hitsugaya sat up and leaned towards her.

"Hinamori!" He said her name helplessly, knowing that there was no way to apologize for causing her so much pain. Her eyes were squeezed closed in hurt, but as they opened to look at him, he saw only love, and the complete opposite of blame and fault.

She shyly shook her head and gave him the finest smile that she could possibly manage in such a condition. "

Gomen…" He tried to go on, but she did not allow him to finish. She shook her head again and whispered faintly to him.

"No…no it's not your fault. I don't blame you, and I could never hate you…for anything…I love you…Hitsugaya-kun…"

Alarm shot through him at the sound of her voice, it was as if her life was draining from her with every breath she took.

Panic and grief flooded over him as her eyes closed frailly, and her breathing slowed dramatically. She was frighteningly quiet afterwards, and Hitsugaya worriedly picked her up again, now completely ignoring the pain in his own arm.

Hyorinmaru flattened himself to the ground on his master's unspoken command. His ruby eyes glistened with his wings spread out as Hitsugaya carried Hinamori onto his back.

"Let's go." He told the mighty beast.

Willingly, the ice dragon lifted himself from the wasteland and into the sky above. Hitsugaya had faith in his loyal companion to lead them in the right direction and get them all to the location where the portal had first opened, so that they might return there. This was probably the last stretch of Hyorinmaru's strength for a while, if they ever made it back, Hitsugaya silently promised the ice dragon a long and much deserved rest.

As Hyorinmaru soared through dry, hot air, Hitsugaya tended to Hinamori's wounds, as best as he could, while at the same time coping with his own. He gently let his fingers dance over the sleeves of her shihakushou, trying to pinpoint anything that seemed fractured or broken.

He ran his hands over each arm, her right arm looked more fragile and crumpled than the left. As his touch made contact with her skin, he saw her eyebrows twitch uncomfortably and pulled back. Her right arm was definitely broken, and the skin on her left shoulder was raw and encrusted with dried blood from where the Hollow had attacked her.

His own wound on the other hand, had almost healed completely from the ice he had frozen over it. But the ice he had spread on her wound prior had done little to mend the injury. He re-applied the ice to her shoulder and encircled her right arm in an ice cast as well.

He did not fail to keep lookout for a familiar sign, but nothing seemed recognizable. But he trusted Hyorinmaru's instincts and had faith that he was taking them in the direction from which they had come.

Cold emitted from the mighty dragon, cooling down the dry, barren desert air. And as they flew, the air pushed against them, allowing them to feel a comforting breeze, which Hitsugaya was very grateful for.

He had been re-united with his best friend once again, and he swore that he would never loose her again, and that he would make sure that she did not die.

After all that they had been through together, there was no way that he would let her die.

Now, it was probably around midnight, and they were so far up in the night sky, and so far out of rang of any enemies.

Hyorinmaru would keep them safe, and Hitsugaya saw no harm in glancing dreamily up at the stars and letting his guard down, if only for a moment.

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A/N: Sumimasen, I rushed the last chapter a bit and forgot to put an Author's Note. Well, I hope you guys enjoyed those chapters. Please review!!