Chapter 9: Arrival of the Arrancars
The morning sun rose up above Karakura Town slowly, brightening over any dark space and holes, once again awakening up the people to a new day. In Uryu's room, Ashley tossed and turned in bed, while the sunlight leaked through the closed window and curtains, as she started to wake up. "Ugh," She mumbled underneath the pillows, and slowly rose her head up with messy, tousled hair, "Mornin'...already...?" Drowsily, Ashley pushed her way out of the covers and sat at the end of the bed. Ashley looked around the room, just then noticing it wasn't her room, "This is...Uryu's room? What am I doing here?" Ashley looked over at the drawer, which was beside the bed, and there layed the three Silver Ginto tubes that Uryu gave to Ashley last night; they shined brilliantly from the sunlight. Immediately, the memories of last night swarmed over Ashley.
"Uryu gave these to me," Ashley mumbled to herself, as she picked up the Silver Gintos from the drawer; she studied them closely. Ashley heaved out a sigh, as she slapped her hand over her forehead, "Oh, great. I can not believe I fell asleep! I wonder why he didn't wake me?" Ashley stared down at the Silver Gintos resting in her hands once more, before she walked out of the room; she placed the Silver Gintos safe in her pant pocket. She slowly made her way down the stairs, toward the kitchen, from which many delightful smells entered her nostrils; it smelled similar to eggs being scrambled to her.
When she walked inside the kitchen, Ashley saw Uryu infront of the stove, fully dressed: white fastener shirt, black pants, and plain white socks. Uryu sensed Ashley behind him, as he turned around and gave Ashley a charming smile, "Oh. Good morning, Ashley." Ashley blushed a dark pink from Uryu's infatuating demeanor, as she managed to choke out, "G-G' morning." Uryu turned his back to Ashley again, continuing on his cooking; while he was, Ashley went over to the refrigerator and pulled out a small juice box. "So, did you sleep well?" Uryu asked Ashley, as she sat herself at the small, round table in the middle of the kitchen, as she replied, "Uhm, good. I slept good, thank you." From the sound of his voice, Ashley could tell he was enjoyed about it, "That's great."
"So, what are you cooking?" Ashley asked, wanting to break the arkwardness. "Your favorite, as you told me before." Uryu explained, a smirk rising on his lips. Ashley smiled also, as she and Uryu said together, "Scrambled eggs." It was silent once again, as Ashley blushed a light pink color from what just happened, but Uryu just let out a soft chuckle. "You know," Uryu began, as he started to pour the ready scrambled eggs on one white plate; Ashley looked over at Uryu, curiously. "I never had these kind of eggs before. Actually, I've really never had a decent breakfast in a long time." When Uryu finished, he placed the plate infront of Ashley.
He never had a real kind of breakfast before? Ashley thought to herself, as Uryu sat beside her, at her right side. She never knew how alone he really was. Ashley soon snapped out of her recurring thoughts as she noticed the scramble eggs filled plate infront of her, and that Uryu didn't have any. "Uryu, aren't you gonna have any?" Ashley asked, as Uryu smiled sweetly at her, "No, that's okay. I made those eggs just for you." Ashley heaved out a sigh, annoyed by Uryu's ignorance, as she scooped up pieces of eggs with the fork. "Thank you very much for that, Uryu, but you should really eat; even if it's just alittle bit. Here," Ashley held up the silvery fork, positioning her free hand, palm up, under the fork, being careful so that none of the egg chunks fall off. "Please, just one bite." Uryu looked down at Ashley's smiling, gleaming face, dumbfoundedly, as she pushed the fork closer to his lips. Slowly, Uryu parted his lips, as he engulfed all the eggs that were stabbed by the fork; he chewed slowly, as Ashley took in a few small bites of the food infront of her.
"Well, what do you think?" Ashley finally asked, as she saw Uryu wipe his mouth with a napkin. Uryu placed the napkin back down on the table, as he flashed Ashley one of his gorgeous smiles, "Delicious. I wonder to myself why hadn't had these kind of eggs yet." Ashley smiled, relieved and glad that Uryu actually liked the food that came from her world, and giggled perkily, "Oh, I'm so glad! Would you like some more?" Uryu nodded by Ashley's question, as he stood up from where he was, "I would be delighted; to eat this marvelous food, and to share it with you." Ashley smiled by Uryu's sweet compliment, blushing a light pink from the second part of it, as she watched Uryu walk over to the cabinet above the stove, taking out another white plate. He also took out another fork from the drawer beside the counter, as he walked back over to where he originally sat. He took only about half of what was on Ashley's plate, but Ashley had enough left that would be able to fill her up. Together, since she's arrived in his world, Ashley and Uryu ate breakfast talking non-stop about stupid, senseless things.
After breakfast was finished, Ashley went back upstairs to her room, while Uryu stayed downstairs and started to wash the dishes that was piled up in the sink. In her room, Ashley rummaged through her closet of clothes for something to wear. Ashley was about to put her school uniform on before she came in, but Uryu had told her it was Sunday; there is no school on Sunday. Schools here are much more different in this world, than in hers, Ashley began to wonder, as she still scruffled in her closet. In her world, she had a two-day weekend at her school, but here, it was just one. Ashley knew some things about Japanese schools, but she never knew how different they were from hers. But she knew that she will survive; as long as Uryu is beside her, then she will survive.
"Oh, this one's cute," Ashley said to herself, as she pulled out a light purple colored short-sleeved blouse, with two clear white rosettes, at the bottom at each end. Along with that, she found a long purple and white skirt with a vertical design on it. Ashley admired it's beauty for a while, before she set it gently on her bed. "So pretty!" Ashley squealed as she quickly slipped into the skirt and blouse with ease. After Ashley was able to put on the skirt without accidentally ripping it, she jumped up from her bed, and twirled around in a clockwise rotation, the skirt flowing up and down from the spin. Ashley stopped spinning when she started to get dizzy, as she picked up her pajamas she once wore and placed them on her dresser.
When she did, though, Ashley heard a clacking sound of metal hitting the floor. Ashley looked down to where she heard the sound, and saw the three Silver Gintos Uryu gave her, resting on the ground. "Oh, that's right," Ashley mumbled to herself, as she picked up the tubes in her hand; she studied them closely. They shined brilliantly from the sunlight leaking through the window, but that wasn't why Ashley started to stare at them so intently. She felt something deep inside of her, something lying dormant, that suddenly made her finally feel for it, by just looking down at the silver tubes that lie on the palm of her hand. Wh-What is this...-
"Ashley! Are you in there?!" Ashley heard Uryu shout and knock repeatedly at her door, from outside of her room. Ashley wasn't expecting Uryu to come by, which made her jump back, also making her drop the Silver Gintos on her bed with a light thud. "Ashley!" Uryu called once again. "Um, yeah!" Ashley shouted, her heart pounding hard in her chest. "You can come in!" Ashley saw the door knob rotate, the door opening with a creaking sound, and Uryu slowly stepping in. "Ashley, are you okay? You've been up here for a while; I was worried." Ashley smiled sheepishly from Uryu's worriment, as she said, "Oh, yes! Yes, I'm fine. It's nothing to worry about. I was just getting dressed, and I was going to wash my pajamas, and um..."
"Oh, you're wearing one of the outfits I made you?" Uryu asked her, which should have been quite obvious since she had nothing else to wear. Ashley smiled once again, gripping her skirt in her fists. "Yeah, of course! I really love this one alot, Uryu! Thank you so much!" A smirk rose on Uryu's lips, as he pushed his glasses back up to his nose, with a hint of a blush. "W-Well, I...I'm glad you like it." Uryu said in a studdery tone, which was oblivious to Ashley. "Yes!" Ashley giggled softly, as she entwined her fingers behind her back; she looked up at Uryu, with a slight blush, "So, how do I look?"
So outrageously beautiful. Uryu thought in his mind, but there was no way he could tell Ashley that. Uryu, himself, couldn't believe what he just thought. He could not comprend on what he was feeling at this moment. But, in the end, Uryu smiled sweetly and said, "It looks wonderful on you." Ashley blushed by Uryu's kind compliment, "Thanks, Uryu. So, um, is there something you want to do today?" Uryu looked down at Ashley with curious blue eyes, as he wondered if she was bored or something. "Um, well," Uryu began, as he scratched the back of his neck, "I was thinking of starting up on my training after breakfast was done; It's been awhile since I went back. But, you don't have to come with me if you don't want to. I know how boring it sounds."
"Oh, not at all. It sounds real exciting to me." Ashley said with a quirky smile, not even thinking why Uryu would insinuate his training as 'boring.' But Ashley knew, full well, that Uryu wanted to become stronger for her and for himself. Stronger to be able to protect her and his friends, stronger to defeat any upcoming enemies, and stronger to show Ashley and everyone around him that he's not a burden. Ashley wished that he would stop insisting that he is burden, for Ashley knew he wasn't. But, how can Ashley tell him what he's not without shedding in more pain? Ashley wanted nothing but for Uryu to be happy, and if telling him what she felt was going to cause him even more pain, then Ashley would do what she does best: keeping her mouth shut, and staying the hell away.
"Ashley?" Uryu called out to her once again; he called out to her a few times before, when he noticed how frozen she looked. Ashley locked away her hidden thoughts, returning back to Earth, looking up at Uryu with a puzzled, yet cherubic face. "Uhm, yes, Uryu? What is it?" Uryu looked down at Ashley with his magical night-blue eyes for a few seconds, until he swifted them to the wall. Uryu scratched the back of his onyx-black head, while his other hand rested inside his pant pocket, "Well, I was just wondering--I mean, if you want to--I was, I was wondering if you'd want to come with me and watch me train...or something?" Uryu blushed a light cotton candy-pink, but Ashley didn't notice, since it seemed the blush faded in perfectly with his fluorescent pale skin. "You mean it, Uryu?" Ashley asked in a low voice, but she knew Uryu could hear her, "I can really watch you train for more than five minutes?"
"I...I do." Uryu nervously said, for reasons he knew not of, but he wondered what she meant by 'more than five minutes.' Maybe it was something from her world that he probably wouldn't want to know of, Uryu wondered. "I mean, well," Uryu continued, while Ashley looked up at him curiously. "I was thinking that maybe seeing me train might just wake up your inner power. It's just a theory, I don't know if it'll work." Ashley nodded to Uryu's brilliant idea, placing her hands on her hips, "Yeah, that's a good idea. Might as well try it out; it might just work, you never know." Uryu smiled half-heartedly by Ashley's statement, as he made his way out in the hallway; Ashley followed behind him.
When they made their way toward the front door, Uryu stopped, along with Ashley beside him. Uryu looked down at Ashley with a serious look about him, scrutinizing her face, "Ashley, if this really does work, and well--I don't know--your power suddenly goes haywire on you or something, then...then I'll do whatever I can to save you. Anything that it takes, even the cost of my life, then I will do it. I'll assure you." Ashley stared up at Uryu, with big, sparkling chocolate-brown eyes. If her newfound power takes over her, then he'll save her even if he dies trying? No. Ashley wouldn't ever let that happen to him. She would rather let her power consume her than Uryu dying from trying to save her from it. But she didn't want Uryu to be disappointed from her idiotic decline, so, she once again shuted herself up. "Thanks, Uryu." Was all Ashley could think of saying at this moment.
The sun rose perfectly above the clear blue waterfall, the sky a light blue with puffy white clouds rolling on by. The trees were in perfect growth, with dark and light leaves growing on the thin branches, with big and small stone rocks all around them. The stream, that the waterfall made on the rocky ground, ran unending, like an endless night. It was the perfect place to train, the perfect place to awaken new powers. "Here we are." Uryu declared, as he and Ashley stood on top of the rocky hill that would lead them down to the waterfall and that one big open space. "It's beautiful," Ashley awed, seeing the water glistening so brightly from the sunlight. "I thought I knew how great this place was, but wow. I was so wrong. I guess you gotta see it in person to really know how beautiful it really is."
The wind started to pick up, as the leaves in the trees rustled rhythemically with it; Ashley's long brown hair and Uryu's long black bangs whipped past them from the howling wind. "Yes, I know. It's the same place where Sensei teached me, and the exact spot. I'm glad I can finally show you this place, Ashley." Uryu looked down at Ashley, strands of his hair waving in his face from the wind; he smiled down at her, sweetly. Ashley repeated his action and smiled back up at him, "And I'm glad I can finally see this place."
A smirk suddenly played on Uryu's lips, from hearing Ashley's words. "But," Ashley continued, gazing down at the rocky surface below her. "How are we gonna get down from here? Climbing down this rocky hill doesn't look safe." Uryu laughed inside by Ashley's worriment over something so small, as he out-stretched his hand for Ashley to grab; Ashley looked down at his hand, curiously. "Take my hand. We'll be down there in no time." Ashley grinned sheepishly up at Uryu then, knowing full well what he meant: Hirenkyaku. To Ashley, Hirenkyaku was the best of all the other speeds. Better than Shunpo, and most certainly better than Sonido. It was the greatest of them all, more faster, and very much more graceful and elegant. Ashley always wanted, ever since she even knew what Hirenkyaku stood for, (Flying Bamboo Leg), wanted to use such dominant speed; even if it was just for one time only.
Snapping out of her thoughts before Uryu could notice, Ashley nodded eagerly and took a tight hold on Uryu's hand; she squeezed it gently. "Don't forget to close your eyes." Uryu warned Ashley, before he sent her on the most exciting adrenline ride of her life; Ashley didn't even have time to think over closing her eyes. And in a quick second, both of them were safe on the ground, the rocky hill just a few feet away from behind them. Ashley was dizzy for a moment or two, as she leaned against Uryu's shoulder for support. Uryu looked down at Ashley, curiously, "Are you okay, Ashley? Are you dizzy again?" Ashley stepped slowy back, away from Uryu's shoulder, but Uryu held her shoulders just in case she fell from dizziness. Ashley smiled gleefully up at Uryu, as she said, "Y-Yeah. Don't worry, I'm fine, Uryu."
Slowly, Ashley started to walk over toward a tall, medium sized rock, where she decided to sit. "I just need to sit down for a few minutes." Ashley almost lost her balance from everything spinning around her, but Uryu was beside her in an instant, helping her to sit. "Are you sure you're okay?" Uryu asked worriedly, as he watched Ashley grip chunks of her hair, in her fists, on her head. "I should've listened to you, Uryu," Ashley smirked jokingly, looking up at Uryu. "I should've closed my eyes like you said." Uryu chuckled along with Ashley, staring down at her with wonderous blue eyes. "I told you to. But, I guess I should've said sooner." Ashley shook her head, shaking away the remaining dizziness. "Forget it. Anyway, you go on and train yourself. I can watch from here. I'll be fine, I swear."
Uryu wanted to urge on Ashley's current state from worriment, but he knew how hard-headed Ashley was; he knew she'd say she was okay, even if she was or not. Shrugging it off, Uryu turned on his heel and performed a graceful spin, his back now facing Ashley. He walked toward the ankle-deep stream, stepping in, as Ashley watched him in curiosity. He out-stretched his right arm, his Quincy Cross dangling freely from his wrist. Slowly, his magnificent, radiant bow formed from the cross, it's illuminating blue light shining off of the water below him. He then took his other arm, slowly forming a perfect arrow. He looked over at Ashley from the corner of his eye, before he shot the arrow down the river stream; Ashley watched him with all her excitement and amazement, her eyes shining.
For the rest of the day, Ashley watched Uryu train and build up his strength with his amazing powers, no matter how the rocky surface she was sitting on hurt her bottom. Unfortunately, the theory Uryu came up with before they left, never did work. Her unknown power didn't take over her as Uryu had imagined, but Ashley did feel a strange sensation of energy deep within her; the same sensation she felt when she held the Ginto back in her room. Ashley could not comprehend on why she felt that when she did. Were her secret powers acting up on her? Was it because of being so close to Uryu's spirit energy? Many questions boggled Ashley's mind, but there were no answers. Ashley only wished that her powers were already awakened and controllable, so that she wouldn't be worried about it or nervous on what her new powers would do to her and everyone around her. Luckily, she was able to shake off these recurring thoughts, while she watched Uryu train all through the day.
Night soon crossed it's way, as both Uryu and Ashley were walking back home; a few constellations twinkled up in the dark sky. Ashley and Uryu made it back home safe and sound, not one hollow or arrancar crossing their path. Uryu closed the door behind him, as Ashley sat in one of the table chairs, cross-legged. "Wow, some day this was." Ashley laughed jokingly, while tiredly dropping her head on the hard-wood table. "You can say that again." Uryu nodded along with Ashley, letting out a light yawn behind his hand. "I think we should just go straight to bed. My arm still hurts from running into that tree." Uryu flexed his left arm out, gripping it with his right. Ashley laughed by that, as she stood up and walked toward the stairs, "Oh, yeah. I can not believe you didn't see that tree. I know you're hurting and all, but that was pretty funny." Uryu smirked playfully, glaring at Ashley, "Ha ha ha. You know that I could--"
It all happened so fast. The pounding spiritual pressures weighed down on Ashley and Uryu before they had time to react. Ashley had to grip down on the stair-rail with both of her hands, to prevent her from falling down from such dense spiritual pressure. Uryu was over by the table, gripping the top of the chair infront of him to the point his palms almost bled. "U-Uryu!!" Ashley cried; Uryu was a few feet away from where she struggled to stay standing. "Wh-What is th-this?!!" Uryu's knees shaked from the pressure, just begging to give out. "Arrancars!!" Uryu explained, feeling sticky liquid under his palms. "There's no doubt about it! Maybe even some Espadas with them!" Ashley shut her eyes tight, the powerful spirit energies pounding down endlessly on her and Uryu. "Ashley, I want you to stay here! Understand?!" Ashley popped her eyes open immediately after Uryu said that outrageous statement, "Wh-What?! No! Uryu, you can't--"
"Listen to me!!!" Uryu screamed to the top of his lungs, while Ashley looked at him with silence. "I don't know who the enemy is, arrancar or Espada; it's hard to tell from all these different spiritual pressures. I can tell one of them as Ichigo's, so I know he's out there fighting maybe one of the Espadas. The others are hard to recognize. So, I'm going out and I'll take care of the rest of them that no one else is fighting. But, Ashley, you can not come with me. That is absolutely out of the question. I won't let you go and get hurt because of my inability to protect you. I'll go, fight off the remaining enemies, and I'll come back here for you. I promise."
"B-But, Uryu, y-you--" Ashley couldn't find a way to speak or what words she can say to stop him from going. She didn't want him to go out and fight on his own, which might get him seriously hurt in the end. But Ashley knew Uryu was doing this for her: to protect her, to fight off any kind of enemies that dare to cross her path. Even if Ashley knew exactly what to say to him, no matter how persuasive she could be, she knew Uryu would go no matter what. She knew Uryu would always make sure no kind of hurt would come her way. Even if it would cost him his life. Ashley looked over at Uryu, but before she had a chance to say anything, he was gone.
"Please don't get killed, Uryu..."
"Please be okay, please be okay," Ashley mumbled to herself, repeatedly, ever since Uryu left to fight the arrancar; Espadas, too, probably, which Ashley hoped wasn't happening. Ashley paced back and fourth all over her room, sat down on her bed for a short time then stood back up, and started pacing again; the Silver Ginto still sat quietly on her bed. "Dammit, I hate this!" Ashley shouted to herself, her hands shakingly grabbing chunks of her hair from her head. It was times like this that Ashley wished that she could be of some kind of help to Uryu; even if it's barely anything, but just enough. Time seemed as if it was ticking by at a very slow pace, almost as if it was frozen in place. What would feel like one minute to some people felt like an entire century to Ashley. Nothing mattered to her more than wishing, praying, hoping for Uryu's safety and his return back to her in one piece. Anxiety and nervousness was closing in on her in no time, when the wait grew longer, and time ticking away.
"God, I can't take this anymore!" Ashley sighed in heavily, angerily flopping down on her bed, on her back. "If only I had my powers, if only...! What in the world must I do to awake them? What?" Ashley then dropped her hand on the bed, away from her face, which landed on something that felt like metal. "Hmm?" Ashley mumbled from curiousity, tilting her head up enough to see the Gintos underneath her palm. "Oh, I forgot about these..." Ashley sat up on her bed in the cross-legged position, staring down at the Gintos resting in her palm. Again, just like what happened this morning, and watching Uryu train, Ashley felt the same sensation of energy deep inside of her. Ashley knew it was not only a coincidence this time. Ashley had an idea what it might be, but...could it really be? "If it's true, then," Ashley stared down at the Ginto, which shined from her ceiling light. "Then I know what I must do." Quickly, Ashley took out her favorite black hoodie from her closet, put it on, and stuffed the Silver Gintos in one of the pockets. Ashley zipped her hoodie all the way up to her neck, while she walked out the door. She passed by Uryu's room, when she suddenly stopped in her tracks. "Oh, that's right," Ashley mumbled to herself, as she walked inside Uryu's room. "I hope he has them somewhere in here..."
Outside on a dark, lonely street of Karakura, Uryu fought against an arrancar; not an Espada, just what Ashley hoped. The arrancar seemed like a weak one to Uryu at first, but when the fight started everything began to fall down. This arrancar was very skillful with sonido, that Uryu wasn't able to shoot him down so easily. "What's wrong?" The arrancar cackled, swinging his sword over his shoulder. "Can't hit a moving target, Quincy?" Uryu grounded his teeth down, his bow shining over anything that was around him. "It's a shame it's gotta end this way," The arrancar sighed, but he still had that smug smirk on his face. "But, I've grown tired of this cat and mouse game." The arrancar held out his sword, his free hand touching the tip of the blade. "Shine, Acorazar!!!" He cried out as the sword glowed brilliantly, suddenly causing an enormous explosion!
"Ugh!!" Uryu groaned, shielding his eyes away from the dust and debris, the explosion made, by covering them with his free arm. When he knew the smoke had cleared up, Uryu took his arm away from his face, and opened his eyes slowly. The newly transformed arrancar shocked Uryu so, that he was frozen in place. "Wh-What...the hell...?" The arrancar had on a strange suit of armor thing on, and with him, he held a big and long pure white spear; also with a sharp end, that could cut through flesh like paper. "Impressed, aren't cha Quincy?" The arrancar laughed demonically, his raging lavender eyes glowing evilly. "Well, how about this?!!!" The arrancar shouted, thrusting his spear toward Uryu's way. I can't dodge it!! Uryu thought, holding up his bow as a shield, even though he knew it wouldn't be enough to stop this attack. He waited for the spear to cut through him, but...
Suddenly, the arrancar's spear stopped right infront of Uryu, just inches away from his bow; both him and the arrancar were astonished. What could have happened to make it stop? Uryu wondered. But, he already knew the answer, when he saw something familar stabbed into the spear: a Seele Schneider. A very special kind of Quincy weapon that only he and his father had a hold of. So, was it his father that helped him? But, why of all people? So many questions rattled Uryu's mind, as he looked ahead at the perpetrator. There, he saw Ashley, panting heavily, with her arm stretched out; she might've used all she could to stop the arrancar's attack. "It looks like...I made it in time...I'm so glad," Ashley smiled gleefully, sweat trinkling down her forehead. "Ashley, what are you--"
"Oh ho ho ho!! Another Quincy?! How lucky am I?!" The arrancar laughed maniacly, with that same smug look pasted on his face. "And a nice-looking Quincy at that..." Ashley let out a blehing sound, pointing her index finger to her open mouth, as if she was thowing up; which she probably wanted to do at this moment. She then pulled out the Gintos from her jacket pocket, holding each three of them inbetween her fingers. "Sorry, but your luck just ran out," Both Uryu and the arrancar watched Ashley closely, but Uryu already had an idea on what she was going to do. "Ashley, don't tell me--"
Ashley threw all three of the Gintos over to the arrancar, which made a clacking sound from hitting against his metal armor. Quickly, Ashley held her arms up: her left arm held vertically, while her right arm was in the same position, only held horizontally, touching her elbow. She chanted, "Strike, Grail Wind!!!" She lifted her left hand up to her face as she shouted as loud as she could, "Haizen!!!" The spirit energy contained inside the Gintos suddenly spilled out, forming into a large rectangular cubical formation, smashing into the arrancar, ripping half of his body apart; blood squirted madly out, like a faucet. Unable to hold the pain in, the arrancar screeched in agony, falling down on the dirt ground, which was stained with his blood. Uryu only watched the arrancar, with frozen eyes, as the arrancar swiveled back and forth, gripping his only hand at where he was mercilessly cut apart.
Ashley slowly walked toward the helpless arrancar, pulling out yet another Seele Schneider from her pocket; the shining blade formed instantly from her touch. "Ashley, what are you going to do?" Uryu asked, but he already knew what she had planned. Ashley stopped, a few inches away from the impaired arrancar, who looked up at her in disgust. "You bitch," The arrancar cursed up at Ashley, who just looked down at him with no emotion. "You also intend to kill me, when I can't even move?! You're as cold-hearted and conniving as Aizen-sama is!" Ashley grounded her teeth down from hearing the arrancar's absolutely untrue and rude comment, as she gripped the hilt of the Seele Schneider much tighter. "How dare you lay me to an equal to such scum as Aizen is!" Ashley held up the Seele Schneider, up above her head, getting ready to administer the killing blow. "I'm nothing like him!!!!" Ashley screamed, as she thrusted the Seele Schneider down toward the arrancar as fast as she could, but...
"Stop." Uryu urgely demanded. He was right beside Ashley, just in time, gripping his hand tight on her's, which gripped the Seele Schneider, stopping the attack just inches away from the arrancar's chest. Uryu could feel hot liquid under Ashley's fingers, from the cause of gripping the Seele Schneider too hard. "Stop this now, Ashley." Uryu whispered tightly in Ashley's ear, Ashley's hand shaked uncontrollably from Uryu's too tight grip on it. Uryu placed his free hand gently on Ashley's shoulder, as he whispered more kindly, "Please release your grip, Ashley. Please. I know you don't want to do this. Someone as gentle and sweet as you should not fight like this. Please..." As Uryu's wonderful words blew in her ear, she began to lighten up her grip, slowly. "Ashley, if you were to kill him, then you would be no different from them. I know you don't want it as much as I don't. Please, Ashley..."
Ashley could feel tears starting to form at the edges at her eyes, as her fingers pulled back, releasing her grip on the Seele Schneider; her fingers hurt as much as they bled. Uryu took hold of the Seele Schneider, when Ashley let go of it, as it returned to it's original state; Uryu safely placed it into his back pocket. Feeling the tears starting to fall down, Ashley turned around in Uryu's direction, and instantly pushed herself in his chest, her arms tightly wrapped around his neck. "U-Uryu..." Ashley weeped, as she felt Uryu gently wrap his arms around her waist. "Shh, it's okay," Uryu softly hushed, tenderly brushing his fingers through strands of Ashley's hair. "I just wanted to be...of some h-help...to you," Ashley wimpered, gripping her bloody fingers around Uryu's collar. "I know, I know. You don't need to worry about that, Ashley. You've been a tremendous help to me ever since you arrived here."
Ashley smiled by Uryu's beautiful comment, as she started to loosen her grip on him; she looked up at him with a small smile, "Thank you, Uryu." Uryu smiled beautifully down at Ashley, as he flicked his finger under her chin, "Heh. No problem." It was silent for a few seconds after that, as suddenly to Ashley, Uryu gently placed his palm under Ashley's jawline; he started to lower himself closer to her face. "U-Uryu...?" Ashley blushed madly, just by thinking on what she thought he was about to do. Surprised by herself, and making her blush even more, she wanted him to do it for reasons she did not know of. But, when their lips were just inches apart...
It happened too sudden. It was so fast, Ashley knew she couldn't counteract it. She remembered she and Uryu were about to kiss, but then, she found herself laying on the cold concrete floor, on her stomach. "Oww..." Ashley grumbled in pain, holding her head with her hand, which began to throb in pain. "Uryu, why did you--" Ashley sat up to look over at Uryu, but what she was witnessing...made her want to scream. He saved her yet again. Ashley didn't see the attack coming from behind her, but Uryu surely did. The arrancar had an additional spear he was hiding, which he probably was waiting to use for a sneak attack. The spear was meant for Ashley, for pay back, but...
Uryu coughed out fountains of blood, the spear struck through his stomach, while he just stood there, limply. Slowly, Uryu fell down on the ground, freeing himself from the spear that leaked in his blood. The spear instantly broke into pieces, when Uryu hit the pavement that was starting to turn into a crimson red, as did his armor; it was his final, and last attack he would ever use. "URYU!!!!!!!!!" Ashley screamed as loud as her lungs would let her, as she frantically raced toward his mangled body. "Uryu, no!!!" Ashley slipped down beside Uryu, and in the puddle of his blood that she was easily to ignore. Tears sprang out of Ashley's eyes instantly, when she saw how frozen and dead Uryu looked. "Please wake up, Uryu!! Please!! I...I can't live on without you!!!" Ashley screamed, holding his bloody body close to her. "Don't leave me, Uryu!! You can't!!!" Ashley hiccuped, having a tight hold on Uryu's body; his head lay silently on her shoulder. "Don't go, don't go," Ashley repeated to herself, her tears like never ending rain.
"Ashley!! Uryu!!!" Ichigo shouted desperately, as he ran toward Ashley, in his soul reaper form, with Renji and Orihime behind him; Rukia was a few ways behind him, also. "I-Ichigo..." Ashley whimpered, unable to find her voice. "Oh no, Ishida-kun!" Orihime gasped in horror, cupping her hands over her mouth; she moved her way infront of Ashley, sitting on her knees. "I need to heal him, fast." Ashley gently sat Uryu's lifeless body on the ground, as she looked over at Orihime with a tear-stained face, "Please, Orihime. Please heal him." Orihime smiled kindly at Ashley, "Don't worry. He'll be as good as new in no time!"
"Soten Kishun, I reject!" Orihime chanted, as the healing orb instantly formed around Uryu; The bright yellow glow illuminated over everyone and everything. Slowly, the gaping hole in Uryu's stomach, made by the arrancar's attack, started to disappear. "Uryu..." Ashley whimpered, with her hands cupped over her mouth. "Ashley, what the hell happened?" Ichigo asked, who towered behind her. "I..." Ashley began, as everyone around her looked at her, curiously. "I was of no use or help here...that's all."
"Oh, Ashley-chan..." Orihime muttered under her breath, as she hovered her hands over the orb, to keep it stable; the hole in Uryu's stomach was nearly gone. Uryu's eyes slowly opened, as he looked up at Ashley, whose tears ran wildly down her rosy-red cheeks.