Chapter 12
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Renji had asked Orihime what she and Ichigo had spoken about and she had told him everything. As well as the part where he had confessed to loving someone and how he had described her.
Renji was beyond pissed by then. He knew he was talking about Orihime. When he had arrived he noticed how he had been holding her chin, and the way he looked at her. Not to mention that he went to visit her the next day without telling him!
What the hell was Ichigo playing at? He had his chance with her and he blew it. Now was not the time for him to start any shit.
Renji's mind was filled with worrying thoughts as he carried out his Captains duties for the day.
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Orihime did not know what to think about Kurosaki-kun. When she had first met him, there was this undeniable feeling that she had known him. His spiritual pressure overwhelmed her. It was different compared to what she had felt with Renji and his friends. There was more of a 'connection' with Kurosaki-kun.
She felt as if she knew him, as if she knew his soul. When they spoke it was as if they had done it before. And when he had touched her and looked at her with those amber eyes, she felt as if he was feeling the same. She could see the recognition in his eyes as well as the heartfelt emotions in them.
She really didn't know what it all meant… Had she known him in her past life? Or maybe someone that resembled him? His scowl looked so familiar to her, and even his smile… She had even asked him if they knew each other the next day he came to visit but he said no.
He had just showed up unannounced. She thought that Renji sent him over but he said that he wanted to come on his own. She found that a bit weird but let it pass. He spent most of the day with her and Akio.
She showed him around Inuzuri and they all had lunch together. They made small talk but she noticed that he wasn't that big of a talker. However, Akio and him argued and bickered over the silliest things as if they were the same age. She couldn't help but smile at the thought.
Even though Ichigo acted like he was annoyed by the boy at times, she could see that it was just an act he was trying to put on. It felt so familiar to her, like it had happened before…
The one thing she noticed was that she would always catch him looking at her and when he noticed her eyes on him, he would turn away and a red hue would dust his cheeks. She had asked if him what was wrong but he just stuttered that he was fine.
She had watched him after that, she looked at the way he walked with confidence, his overly large Zanpakuto strapped to his back, the frown that always adorned his face which might have scared some people off but looked funny to her, the grin he showed off when he felt he bested Akio at a muffin eating contest and that soft smile he showed her which reduced his frown and softened his eyes.
Why did it all feel so familiar to her? Why did it feel like it had been a part of her life at one stage? She had felt silly looking at him like that, and even more irritated at the way she was feeling. She wanted to ask Ichigo if they had known each other before but she thought he might think she's crazy, and anyway, if he did know her, he would have told her by now, right?
Orihime decided to let it lie for now. There was no use thinking about something that she knew she wouldn't get the answer to. So she pushed it to the back of her mind and got ready. Renji was going to take them on a tour of Seireitei and she was excited, so was Akio.
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Renji took them to all the wonderful sights within Seireitei and both Orihime and Akio were in awe. They had the best of foods, clothes, trinkets, in general, everything! They were really enjoying themselves when they were interrupted when Renji felt an odd spiritual pressure towards the direction of the squads.
In that same moment Rikichi appeared, out of breath and a little worse for weather.
"Taicho! There's been some sort of invasion! A group of hollow were found near the 13th squad barracks as well as different points in Seireitei. They don't seem like ordinary hollows…" the boy said in haste as he tried to catch his breath.
Renji was shocked, what the hell were hollows doing around here, and did their extermination really call for a Captain? If his subordinate came looking for him, he had to go.
"Rikichi, take Orihime and Akio back to my quarters and stay with them until I return" Renji said to the boy sternly.
The boy nodded and waited for Renji to say a quick farewell.
Renji gave Orihime a chaste kiss and promised to be back soon.
"Come back safely Renji-kun, be careful okay…" she said worriedly, with a concerned expression on her face.
"I will Hime…" he gave her one last look and flash stepped away.
Rikichi took both Orihime and Akio back to Renji's quarters and proceeded to watch guard over them.
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When Renji arrived, the 13th squad was a mess. Rubble was deposited everywhere and there were a few bodies that were also strewn about as members from the 4th squad tried to attend to them all.
He flash stepped to where he could hear and feel the unwanted spiritual pressure. When he got there, he found Hisagi and Rukia battling two overly large hollow. However, they didn't look like ordinary hollow, more like they were in the first stage of becoming an Arrancar.
Hisagi looked as if he was on top of things although still getting a few hits. Rukia however was not doing so well. She was pretty banged up, with scratches on her face, a cut on her hand as well as blood dripping from her abdomen. It also looked like she was leaning heavily on her left leg.
The hollow was about to endure a fatal blow, when Renji stepped in front of Rukia, Zabimaru protecting the both of them. He pushed the hollow back a few yards and then turned to Rukia.
"You think you can get yourself to squad four while I finish it off?"
"Thanks, but I'm sticking this one out. I'm not that injured and I can finish this one on my own Renji." She looked up at him determinedly.
"Look at you Rukia! You're bleeding excessively and you look like you're about to collapse!" he hollered, patience wearing thin.
"I suggest you forget your ranting for now, coz here he comes!" she replied hurriedly and took off to slice the hollow but it saw the intended attack and made to swipe at her. A second before it could connect, Zabimaru intercepted, slashing through its arm.
Renji moved to Rukia, who was now on the grass, kneeling on one leg. "Stop trying to be a hero! You're not a hundred percent, you didn't even see that coming! Now stay back Rukia"
Before Rukia could reply, they were interrupted by a loud voice.
"Abarai Taicho! You need to come quickly! There has been an attack at your quarters!"
Renji felt all the blood drain from his body as he stared at his squad member. He looked at Rukia and then screamed to Hisagi.
"Hisagi! You have to handle them both. I'm needed elsewhere! Watch out for this baka over here" Renji hollered, pointing over at Rukia.
"Hai!" Hisagi replied, finishing off with the hollow he was fighting.
Renji gave Rukia one last glance, knowing now that his job of protecting her was over… there was someone else that needed him more.
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Orihime and Akio were sitting on the couch quietly in Renji's living area, waiting for him patiently. Rikichi was pacing around in distress.
"Rikichi-kun. It's okay if you help Renji-kun, we'll be fine here." Orihime said to the boy softly
"Thanks Inoue-san but I'm following orders. Abarai Taicho ordered me to stay with you and protect you and I will." He said, not faltering in the least.
"Hai, arigatou Rikichi-kun."
They fell into silence once again and as Orihime was to speak up they all gasped and widened their eyes in shock as they all felt the repressive spiritual pressure that was forced upon them.
All three broke out into a sweat and in the next moment the wall adjoining the door flew in as Orihime screamed. She looked up to see a large man, dressed in white with a heavy sword in his right hand.
He turned to look at her and grinned hideously. What scared her most was the skull like fragments he had covering his right eye, all the way around the right side of his face. He had a perfect hole through his throat and long blond hair.
"Ha! I've finally found you woman! Now I'll be able to reach my goal" he snickered at her.
Orihime was terrified, she had never seen a person this hideous before and she had no idea what he wanted with her. She gripped onto Akio's small form tightly so no harm would come to him. The 'man' began walking towards her when Rikichi intercepted and drew his Zanpakuto.
"Stop right there! I won't let you harm Inoue-san!" The brave boy yelled
"Tch…" the man sniggered and punched Rikichi through the wall.
"Rikichi-kun!" she screamed, tears streaming down her face. He was so fast that Orihime hadn't even seen him move!
"Now where were we…" the offending man said as he walked towards her.
Orihime tried shuffling backwards but her back met the wall. She watched as the man reached out his hand to grab her and then her vision was blocked by black.
"Don't you fucking dare touch her you bastard."
Orihime looked up and she saw bright orange in her view.
"Inoue… Are you okay?" the man in front of her said in a calm voice, not turning around.
"Kurosaki-kun…?"
"Hai…"
"I'm fine…" she replied softly.
"Good, I need you to take the boy and go somewhere safe. Can you manage that?" He asked her, all while not turning around once.
"Hai… Will you be okay Kurosaki-kun?"
"Yeah, I'm good."
Orihime made to leave and moved a good distance from Ichigo when the intruder screamed in an angry voice.
"She isn't going anywhere! And as for you! Kurosaki Ichigo! I will be the one that finally finishes you off!"
"Tch… well that's not right… you know who I am but I don't know who the fuck you are." Ichigo replied cockily.
"The name's Ravenez Jiruga" he said grinning.
"Why does that sound familiar…?"
"You may remember my brother, that piece of shit 5th Espada."
"Brothers? Tch, I can see the fucked up looks run in the family… I thought all you arrancar were dead" Ichigo sniggered.
"We're just the remainder of Aizen's experiments. We were going to be his next batch of Espada, thus demoting the rest. I guess he didn't get that far but our powers are far superior. Now enough with this fucking bullshit! I want the girl! She can help me attain my full power with those sprites of hers!" the arrancar bellowed, becoming frustrated.
"No can do. Here I come, BANKAI!" And with that Ichigo began to fight the arrancar. Matching him move for move.
Orihime knew that she needed to leave but she couldn't help but watch. It all seemed so familiar to her… His reiatsu felt so familiar, so known… She couldn't make out their movements, not only were they too fast but her sight wasn't a hundred percent and night had fallen upon them.
Somehow something was wrong, it looked like Kurosaki-kun was receiving more hits than he gave as she watched him fly into a nearby wall. She gasped, praying he was okay.
"Orihime!"
"Renji-kun!"
Renji darted to her as she ran to him and gripped him around the waist. He pulled both Akio and her closer to him, thanking Kami that they were okay.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" he asked hurriedly.
"No Renji-kun, we're oaky, but you need to help Kurosaki-kun fast! That man is hurting him!"
Renji furrowed his eyebrows and watched as indeed, Ichigo was getting the tar beaten out of him. He couldn't understand why. Ichigo would have wiped the floor with this low level arrancar even though he was in his released form. Ichigo didn't even have his mask on.
"Hai, let me get you to safety first and-"
He was cut short as Orihime screamed pleadingly. "No Renji-kun, you need to go now!"
He felt a bit disheartened that she was being so protective over Ichigo but let it go. This was Orihime. She would feel that way about everybody.
"Hai, but hide yourselves!"
He made sure they were well hidden, looked over to the fourth who was attending to Rikichi and went after the two who were in battle.
He intercepted one of the hits meant for Ichigo and landed on his feet next to the orange haired shinigami.
"I can fight this one on my own Renji, back the fuck off."
"It looks to me as if you're having a hard time Ichigo" Renji replied, as he released his Bankai.
"Gah, I'm just playing with him. So fuck off." And he leapt in the air to attack again.
Renji followed, getting a few shots in himself. "Why the fuck are you even here? It's not like you would help Soul Society willingly" Renji screamed in between hits.
"I'm not here to help Soul Society, I'm here to protect Inoue, seeing as you're doing a fucked up job!" Ichigo retaliated
"Fuck!" Renji screamed as he took a hit to the ribs, blood pouring out.
The two soul reapers stood side by side once again, eyeing their opponent.
"Let me tell you this Ichigo, listen carefully." Renji said, not taking his eyes off the arrancar who was also breathing heavily. "Protecting Orihime isn't your job anymore, it's mine. She isn't yours to save anymore Ichigo. With that said, fuck off and go back to the world of the living!" Renji hissed as he ran to attack once again.
"Like hell I'm leaving! This conversation isn't over Renji!" Ichigo said, following the red haired Captain.
"It is for now! Fuck Ichigo! Why the fuck is he so strong and why the fuck haven't you put your damn mask on!" Renji bellowed as he took another slash to his right arm.
"I don't want Inoue getting scared, I know if I put the mask on she's gonna tense up. I don't wanna put her through that again…" Ichigo said slowly, breathing heavily.
"And as for why this bastard is so strong, I don't fucking know! He doesn't look like he's got a scratch on him but we're bearing all the bruises!" he hollered now.
The arrancar laughed, "Just like you two fucking shinigami to not know what's going on. That's my power, every hit you land on me goes straight back to you. You might not get the cuts but you'll certainly get the bruises. It just drains you off your energy and stamina. Not to mention the hits I've actually gotten in. The both of you are as good as dead."
The two shinigami's were stunned. How could they defeat someone like this…? However, they simultaneously went back into battle mood, figuring they'd have to push forward until they found a weak spot.
Orihime watched in fear and worry as the two men took the beatings. She could see that they weren't winning, the fact of that was the arrancar was still standing. She felt so helpless at that moment. She was just sitting there and she couldn't even help.
Right now she wished that those 'powers' she and Renji were talking about would surface so she could help them. As she held on to Akio tightly and prayed that they would be okay, the ground near her was uplifted and a loud sickening thud was heard.
Orihime looked to her side and noticed Renji had been the one to be thrown to the ground.
She ran to him, crying out his name as she hovered over him. "Renji-kun!"
"O-Orihime… What are you doing h-here…?" he said in a strained voice.
Before she could reply, she was forcefully pulled back. An arm held her tight around her waist and a blade was held to her throat.
"Orihime!" Renji screamed, trying to get up.
"Ha! Now I have the princess and if you so much as move Shinigami I'll slit her throat and take her down with me."
Orihime looked wide eyed to Renji as he woke up on shaking legs, pushing Akio behind him. She noticed that Kurosaki-kun was also standing before her. Their faces marred with worry and anger. She noticed that the blade at her throat was actually part of the arrancar's arm, so if they were to attack him he would definitely decapitate her in the same move.
The next scene happened in slow motion, to her eyes it did. Renji took a step forward, Zabimaru at his side. The hand at her waist left her and started forming a red orb, aiming it at Renji. Orihime's eyes widened in fright and all she could think off was that she needed to save him, she wouldn't let this creature touch him, she couldn't allow it…
The determination and motivation rang high in her head. It was more than what she felt that day at the market. Her head began to throb as she closed her eyes. She could hear a string of voices, but all not clear. When she opened her eyes she and the arrancar behind her were surrounded by an orange glow.
The light seemed to get brighter with her determination. She could faintly hear the arrancar let out a string of curses as he fell to his knees. She couldn't stop the feeling. It just kept bursting forth. She could feel the power spewing form her as she turned to look at the man on his knees.
He was changing forms, like a transformation. He now looked like a monster and she gasped but strengthened her resolve and the light grew. The creature howled out in pain and she could hear voices behind her, screaming for her. But she kept going.
Then she noticed that the creature was disappearing from the bottom up. Eventually it vanished into thin air and that's when a bright light surged from her and she fell to her knees, gasping for air.
Her head started to throb as the pain shot through it. She held her head and screamed. It wouldn't stop…
Renji ran to Orihime holding her hands and trying to soothe her as she screamed in pain. He was still in shock that she had just defeated an arrancar. He didn't know her powers were that strong and it was even harder to believe it especially seeing as she hasn't had access to them in a long while.
She continued to scream and he felt his heart lurch. He didn't know how to help her. He could feel Ichigo beside him and he looked up to see Akio's tear stained face watching her with worry.
She was bordering on hysterical now as she thrashed around. Her head hit him hard on the jaw, sending him spiraling backwards. He made to reach out for her again when he saw her thrashing subside. She was breathing heavy and she moved her hands from her head putting them on the ground.
They all watched and waited in anticipation. She looked up at all of them and that's when Renji saw it. Her eyes… They were the original silver grey he was used to seeing when she was in the living world. And as she looked at them, he could tell that she could see as clear as day…
"R-Renji-kun…K-Kurosaki-kun…" She breathed out, looking at them with a look of realization on her face.
"Orihime-sama… Are you okay…?"
She turned to see the six sprites materialized and looking at her in concern.
"Ayame, Shun'o, Lily, Baigon, Hinagiku, Tsubaki…" Orihime said in awe.
Renji noticed that she had said all of their names without missing a beat, as if she had known them forever, and that's when his heart started missing a few beats of its own.
Orihime sat on her butt, spreading her legs under her and looked at the ground as if she were realising something. Suddenly she grabbed her head and screamed out in pain again. Both Renji and Ichigo bolted to her side but were stopped by one of the sprites.
"Don't go near her you baka's! Let her be!" Tsubaki hollered.
The two males stopped in their tracks with surprised expressions as they watched the sprites console the auburn haired beauty. Just beyond Orihime, they saw Rangiku and Hinamori arrive and watch the scene.
They all watched as she stopped writhing in pain and then looked up at the both of them and in the next moment she erupted in a flood of tears. The two males once again attempted to run towards her but were stopped by Rangiku as she held onto Orihime and whispered consoling words, trying to find out what was wrong.
She uttered two words that left all of them stunned…
"I remember…" she gasped in between her tears. She pulled away from Rangiku and looked up at her. "I remember everything Rangiku-san…" She looked at both Renji and Ichigo, as the tears continued their journey down her cheeks. Her eyes reflected pain and sorrow and both men flinched when she turned back to Rangiku, whispering, "Take me home Rangiku-san please… I need to be alone…"
"Hai…" Rangiku replied.
Orihime whispered something else to her and both Ichigo and Renji watched as Orihime walked towards Akio, picked him up and went back to Rangiku.
Matsumoto glared at both males with a look of concern and irritation, flash stepping away a moment later leaving both males to reel from the scene that just took place.
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Gosh, it's been a while since I updated and I sincerely apologise….
Thank you guys for sticking with the story and thanks for the many reviews I got on the last chapter!
To all my new story favorites, author favorites and story alerts, thanks!: Red-Weasel-Chan and Spicy Curry.
Special Thanks to my wonderful reviewers! I really appreciate you guys taking the time to leave me a comment: Fantasy Obsession, war90, Boobie-Chan, Otepbunni, Hyou no joo, botskey, nypsy, rouge demon, 6, butterfliesinspring, Kat and Aeliid.
Thank you guys for sticking with me this far and just a heads up, the next chapter is the last… It was my intention from the beginning, to finish it at about 12 chapters, but I guess I got carried away… However, the last chapter is extremely long, about ±9000. I'm not sure if you guys want me to separate it into two chapters or just update as one insanely long chapter? Let me know what you think. Thanks again. :)