Hey, guys!! Been a long while since I posted anyting right? But thank God I finally finished this freakin' chapter! I've worked soooo long on this! It was, like, probably ten pages front and back, in my notebook! Gahhhh!!!!! D: Anyway, this chapter seems to me, alittle disturbing and sweet all at the same time. I duuno, that's just me.
Uhm, well anyways enjoy!!! And reviews would be very nice! :D
Chapter 15: This is Not Protection
Everywhere around Karakura Town, everything and everyone was silent; silent to the point where it was abnormal. There was no wind flowing around the trees, or the bushes, or even the light-green grass below. Not one person was outside on the streets, either: the window lights were off on every single house on the street, and as were the street lights.
Down the street nearby Uryu's house, both Ashley and Uryu walked around on the sidewalk side of the street, in hopes of finding any Espada or arrancar. It was right after they left the house when the spiritual pressure finally disappeared; but Ashley and Uryu went searching out for them anyway.
"It's really quiet," Ashley stated out, while she walked closely beside Uryu. "That's just fine," Uryu replied, as he wrapped a warm and strong arm around Ashley's shoulders, "There's nothing to fear; I'll be beside you, I swear." Ashley could not help herself but smile absolutely sheepishly, leaning her head against his chest, and wrapping her arms around his waist tightly, and walking all at the same time. Uryu smiled so beautifully, and chuckled to himself, as he slid his hand down to Ashley's exposed forearm, only to feel an ice-cold chill all over her arm.
"Hmm," Uryu hummed in a quizically tone as he rubbed his palm over Ashley's arm, in hopes to get her warm again. Even though she loved the feeling of Uryu's warm hand rubbing over her arm, Ashley still felt a bit of curiosity on why he was doing such a thing. But before Ashley could even let out a word, Uryu explained, "Oh my...you feel absolutely freezing, darling; you poor thing..." Suddenly, and surprisingly to Ashley, Uryu unlatched his cape and swished it off of him, and curled it around Ashley's shoulders, snapping it on her. Before Ashley had the time to refuse Uryu's kind offer, she finally realized it as if it didn't happen five minutes ago: she was now wearing one of Uryu Ishida's famous snow-white capes. Ashley smiled brightly to herself, ignoring that Uryu was right infront of her, as she hugged and gripped Uryu's cape more closer to her.
"I see that you like it," Uryu mentioned then, as Ashley looked up at Uryu with confused brown eyes, now just realizing Uryu was watching her getting excited over such a small detail, "Oh, u-uhm...I," Ashley was about to say something, but again, she soon found herself lost in Uryu's magnificent, mesmerizing blue eyes; Ashley actually had to remind herself where she was in her mind. But all Uryu did was keep a rising chuckle in his throat by covering his mouth with the back of his hand. Uryu then placed his firm hands on Ashley's shoulders, gently pushing her into a loving embrace. Ashley never even wondered why on Uryu's sudden act, while she slowly closed her eyes and sunk her head into his chest. "They will not hurt you...not ever again..."
And right at that time, two explosions rocketed around them; but before she had time to blink, Ashley soon found herself tightly secured around Uryu's arms, with Uryu's whole front hovering over her, creating a shield for her. The wind picked up instantly, dust and dirt mixing in with it. And just as they felt back at the house, that same spiritual pressure relentlessly pounded down on both Ashley and Uryu.
"Well, well," Ulquiorra Schiffer stepped out from the dust and smoke, one deadly pale hand in his pocket, "If it isn't the Quincy and his piece of trash of a lover." While Uryu scratched his fingernails into the cold concrete, which were on either side of Ashley's head, he grounded down his teeth together in absolute anger. "Do not call her that." Uryu simply stated through his gritted teeth, his nails close to breaking off from digging into the concrete as hard as he could; his nails actually did start to crack. "U-Uryu..." Ashley whimpered, unable to see Uryu's facial expression, since his onyx-black bangs covered most of his face.
"I didn't quite hear you," Ulquiorra taunted Uryu in his monotone voice, as he continued on, "Maybe if you stand up and face me, then I could probably hear you." Uryu was as frozen as a statue at first, his midnight blue eyes just staring down at Ashley's fear-stricken face, but then he soon stood up quickly, his back facing Ashley and with tightly clenched fists. But before he could take a step, Ashley quickly and desperately grabbed at the hem of Uryu's pure white uniform; Ashley shouted, "No, Uryu! Please don't do this!! Just...just leave me here! Please!!!" Once again, Uryu was frozen from behind Ashley, but Uryu's face showed such a painful, remorseful look.
From behind him, Uryu took hold of Ashley's hand gripped on him, and then quickly spun around and squatted down infront of Ashley, all in one motion. He gently and softly caressed Ashley's cheek, while his other hand was still tightly gripping hers. "Don't say such a thing, darling; you should know better," Uryu had his thumb underneath Ashley's jawline, just rubbing it tenderly underneath it. Smiling absolutely sweetly, Uryu stated, "I made a promise long ago that I will never, ever leave you."
With such a romantic statement said, and a kiss on Ashley's forehead to seal the deal, Uryu was about to standup once again to face Ulquiorra, but Ashley suddenly shouted, "Uryu! Behind you!!" But, fortunately, Uryu knew that Ulquiorra had jumped forth, for a sneak attack, before Ashley did. Quick in his motions, Uryu hastily scooped Ashley up in his arms and used Hirenkyaku the second Ulquiorra's attack hit the pavement. Through all the dust and smoke, Uryu appeared just a few feet away from where Ulquiorra's attack hit, Ashley still held in his arms, who had her eyes shut tight and her shoulders shaking slightly; Uryu felt her shaking, which was why he had such a hard look on his face.
When the wind finally blew away all the debris and smoke, Uryu could clearly see Ulquiorra infront of him, unscathed, with that same cold look he had before. "That was a quick move," Ulquiorra stated, as he stepped forward. "It seems you've improved, but not by much." Uryu huffed, smirking, "Complimenting your enemy? Sounds pretty weak to me." Ulquiorra's face seemed frozen as a statue, for he kept that same cold-hearted expression, "Don't think much of it, Quincy. It won't be long until you won't be thinking much of anything at all." Uryu tightened his grip on Ashley's shoulders and underneath her knees also, as he soon felt Ashley stir in his arms. "Ashley...are you alright?" Uryu asked in such a sweet, kind-hearted voice, while Ashley finally opened her eyes to see Uryu looking down at her, with such a worried and yet kind-looking face. "Uryu...I, uhm, I..." Ashley blushed a lightish cotton candy pink, as she swallowed a lump in her throat. And through all that was happening, Uryu smiled absolutely tenderful to her; Ulquiorra never even took his chance to attack them, when they were this vulnerable to him. "Everything's alright, love. You'll be just fine, now," Uryu soothingly whispered in Ashley's ear, as he gently set her back down on her feet, "You just need to stay here, and I promise you that I'll be back here before you know it." As he said this, Uryu placed his hands on Ashley's shoulders, looking for a hint of understanding. Ashley wanted to understand, but she couldn't; why would he make such a promise when that promise might get shattered in just moments? But Ashley knew that there was not one thing that she could say to stop Uryu; knowing this, Ashley nodded her head, with a sad smile, "Yeah, okay. It's a promise." Uryu smiled and sighed in relief, from knowing that Ashley did understand.
"I won't be long, don't worry." Uryu reassured, lifting Ashley's chin up with his thumb and index finger, as he planted such a soft and sweet kiss upon her forehead; and then he was gone. Clutching Uryu's cape close to her, Ashley whispered quietly, "You better...you better come back to me, Uryu...I swear..." Uryu then reappeared infront of Ulquiorra, who still stood still as he was before. "Are you finally done saying your goodbyes to that piece of trash?" Uryu shifted his eyes at Ulquiorra then, glaring coldly at him, with grounded teeth, "I told you before, don't you dare call Ashley that!!!" Ulquiorra didn't reply to him, so Uryu took that chance for a first attack.
Quickly, Uryu jumped in the air, and his Ginrei Kojaku immediately formed when he outstretched his right arm. Pulling out Ginrei Kojaku infront of him and pulling his left arm, Uryu screamed, "Licht Rengen!!" And in just seconds, over a thousand shining arrows came pouring down on Ulquiorra, like rain. From far off, all Ashley could see was a long line of rays of lights falling down from where she knew Ulquiorra was at. "Uryu..." Ashley stared at the scene in amazement, even from the distance she was at. When each and every thousand arrows finally made it to their target, Uryu landed back down on the ground, gracefully. Uryu then heaved out tiredly, sweat trinkling down his forehead, while he heard Ashley shout behind him, "Uryu!!" Whenever he knew Ashley was close enough, Uryu put up his right arm, stopping Ashley behind him. Feeling Ashley's confused look, Uryu simply said, "He's not dead yet." Ashley raised her eyebrows at Uryu's statement then, "What? No, that can't be; after you used that attack? Speaking of it, I don't think I've ever seen that attack before. What was that?"
"Licht Rengen." Uryu said, more sweat running down his face, dripping down to his neck; Ashley wondered about that, if maybe that attack he used was too much for him. "I concentrate reiryoku in my left arm and that reiryoku comes into a thousand arrows and pours down on the enemy, like rain. Hence the name, Licht Rengen." After he was done explaining, Uryu took in a huge amount of breath, leaning over to the ground. "Uryu," Ashley began, placing her hands on his shoulders gently, "I don't know much about that attack, but I think it takes a huge toll on your body. Are you alright?" Uryu, through his heaving, nodded his head and looked at Ashley from the corner of his eye, "Yes, you're right. A huge toll...on my...left arm." When Uryu finally spoke out, Ashley very soon feared for the worst; a fear to see what kind of toll it was on his arm. "What in the world are you talking about? I'm sure it's not--" Ashley had chuckled at first, just thinking that there was just a few bruises and cuts over his arm, but Ashley reached over for Uryu's left hand to reassure him nothing was wrong, but instead, she felt a warm and liquid-like feeling from where his hand is supposed to be. Slowly, Ashley pulled back her hand to see her palm completely red with blood, as it started to drip off the edge of her fingers.
She was just dreaming again, Ashley thought through her mind endlessly; to reconfirm she actually was dreaming, Ashley ran her fingers through her stained palm, once again feeling that same warm, gooey feeling from the blood. "Oh, no," Ashley whimpered, and, fearing for what had truly happened to his left arm, Ashley wrapped her trembling arms around Uryu's neck, and layed her head down on his shoulder. With his only hand, Uryu took a grip on one of Ashley's arms that tightly held him, as Uryu slowly sunk down to his knees, along with Ashley.
"Pitiful, very pitiful." Ulquiorra intrigued, as he stepped forward, pale hands in pockets, practically unscathed. Quietly, Ulquiorra brushed off his shoulder, "A very impressive attack, yes, but such an attack should be saved for a last resort. And look at you now: already on your knees, sweating like a pig, and I never even laid a finger on you. How pathetic, Quincy. Truly, truly, pathetic." And this time Ashley had had enough of Ulquiorra verbally abusing Uryu. Slowly, Ashley released her grip on Uryu, while she stood back up on her feet, hands clutched into fists, as she turned to Ulquiorra, "I...I've had enough, Ulquiorra! Don't you dare speak to Uryu in such a way!!" Ashley's voice was weak at first, but it soon got stronger, as her anger had rosen.
"Oh? And what of it? Do you intend to fight me as well, woman?" Ulquiorra's cold, hard, green eyes nearly pierced through into Ashley, as she clenched her fists even tighter. Ashley wanted to say yes, but she could only imagine the look on Uryu's face. But, immediately, Ashley remembered the promise Uryu gave her not too long ago; Ashley could never, ever, forgive herself if she were to ever break such a promise. "A-Ashley..." Uryu whispered haughtily, sweat still trinkling down his forehead, as he shakily pulled back on the hem of her shirt, "Ashley...pl-please...n-no..."
Feeling Uryu's grip from behind her, Ashley just simply said, "No, I won't." Ashley's reply shocked Uryu so, that he released his grip on her and just stared up at her; Ulquiorra was shocked also, but he barely showed it, "Oh? Then what do you plan on doing, woman?" Ashley stared blankly at Ulquiorra for a while, but she soon turned around in Uryu's direction, squatted down, and pulled his right arm around her shoulder, and helped him up to his feet. Uryu couldn't help but squinch in pain when he had rosen, as droplets of blood spilled from where his left arm should have been.
"Ah, running away are we?" Ulquiorra taunted, as he watched Ashley, while helping Uryu, walk away slowly. Uryu was about to say something back at him, for he tilted his head Ulquiorra's way but Ashley beat him to it, "Don't even, Ulquiorra. You can't goad me in fighting you. Besides, I'm...powerless, so I can't." Uryu's blue eyes scanned Ashley's face deeply, showing such a disappointed, saddened look; a look that made Uryu want to scream at Ashley of what she really is. Ashley continued to walk away from Ulquiorra with Uryu beside her, when she heard Ulquiorra speak again, "Ah, I see. So that garbage you're holding hasn't told you yet, hasn't he?" That one phrase Ulquiorra just said, made Ashley stop in her tracks. "What did you just say?" Ashley glared back at Ulquiorra, harder, as Ulquiorra just stood there, with no emotion, as usual. "How strange. He really hasn't told you, yet. Very unusual, especially for him." Ulquiorra closed his eyes. Ashley, very carefully, sat Uryu back down on the ground, as she faced Ulquiorra, "What are you talking about?! Uryu hasn't told me what?!!"
Ulquiorra reopened his eyes, "That you are a Quincy." But Ashley wasn't as shocked or excited as Uryu thought Ashley would be. Instead, Ashley clenched her fists tighter, crying out ravenously, "You're a liar!! There's no possible way that I'm a Quincy!!"
"It's true." Uryu declared, as he shakily and slowly, stood himself up, while Ashley quickly turned around with such a confused look, "Wh-What...? What are you talking about, Uryu? No..." Holding his dismembered arm with his only hand, for small drops of blood still leaked down, Uryu dared not to look Ashley's way; he roamed his eyes down to the concrete ground, closing them, "I'm so sorry...Ashley..." Ashley could feel tears just welling up in her eyes; she felt such betrayal, now. Uryu knew that she was a Quincy all along? How long has he been keeping this from her? And also, is there anything else Uryu knows that he's been keeping from her? "But, why?" Ashley's voice cracked abit, but she was able to ignore it, "Why didn't you tell me this in the first place? How could you..." Taking a chance, Uryu reopened his eyes and simply said, "All just to protect you."
To protect her? He kept the true reasons of her powers from her, just to protect her? But, before Ashley could ask anymore of her desperate questions, Uryu beat her to it, as he explained, "I've failed so many times at protecting you, Ashley. I wanted to make up for it, by doing this...but I guess that also failed...as well.." Uryu sighed out then, clutching his arm much more tighter, "My God, I am such a wretch!!" Uryu then slid down to his knees his hand slapped against the ground, while Ashley just stared down at him with a gaping mouth; she had hoped that he had stopped, but she had gotten her hopes up too soon, "I'm such a failure to you, Ashley, I know I am: I've failed at protecting you, being there for you...even loving you..." Uryu sighed out despairingly, before he continued; Ashley didn't think at all, if she could hear more of this, "Maybe it really is best...if you return to your world. You'll be so much safer...without me...--"
Ashley had had enough of Uryu belittling himself, in such a way. She interrupted him by racing toward him, and sitting on her knees, right infront of him; she slapped her hands on his face, "Uryu, please! Please...no more. Don't say such untrue things about yourself. How in the world can you say that you have failed in protecting me? It cannot be; without you, Uryu, I probably won't even be here, today. You saved me, when I first came here, you know. Do you remember that? If you didn't come along...I wouldn't be here, I know I wouldn't. I love you so much, Uryu, and I can't imagine my future without you in it..." Ashley stopped, but before Uryu could speak, Ashley pulled him in, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, into a tight, loving embrace. Uryu slowly closed his eyes then, as he nuzzled his nose against the base of Ashley's neck, "Ashley...yes, I love you with my entire soul..." Ashley couldn't help but smile so pleasingly by Uryu's beautiful words, while she held him even tighter.
It wasn't soon until Ulquiorra broke off Ashley and Uryu's lovely moment, "How pathetic, the both of you. Don't even think that I'll feel sorry for you just because you're too weak for words. I will not hesitate to kill the both of you, for the sake of Lord Aizen." Ashley knew, very well, that Ulquiorra wasn't speaking of her and Uryu; he was speaking of just Uryu, alone, which angered her even more. "Don't pay any attention to him, my darling," Uryu sweetly whispered in Ashley's ear, in hopes of replenishing any anger that he sensed she had. Ashley wished she could, but Uryu was way too late. Standing up and releasing her tight grip on Uryu, Ashley brung out the Seele Schneider that Uryu gave her before they left, and faced Ulquiorra, "I thought I told you not to talk about Uryu that way..." A thin line of a shining blue light then formed from the Seele Schneider, as she stomped her way, toward Ulquiorra, while Uryu desperately cried out, "No, Ashley!! Get back here, please! Don't do this, you can't take him on, on your own!!!" Ashley knew Uryu was right, absolutely, but she couldn't just stand around and let Ulquiorra talk in such a way about the man she loves so dearly; she couldn't hear Uryu anymore, since her anger just rose, and blocked out anything that even moved.
Crying out loudly, Ashley charged in for her attack, with the Seele Schneider raised up high, but Ulquiorra made no move to block it or to dodge it. And then, before the attack had hit him, Ulquiorra suddenly vanished, while Ashley had skidded down on the concrete floor, roughly scratching up a patch of her skin on one of her knees; a line of blood had formed on the ground, thanks to that. "No, Ashley!!!" Uryu screamed, desperately, as he painstakingly stood up from the ground; it was then that Ulquiorra reappeared behind Ashley. Uryu stopped from such a sight, frozen, not believing what he was witnessing. But, before Ashley had time to react, Ulquiorra grabbed her by the throat, pushing her down to the ground, his free hand now starting to form up a cero. Ashley couldn't move; she couldn't speak; she couldn't even blink. All Ashley could see was the evilish, dark green cero about to be released at her. Uryu's desperate, pleading cries could be heard from everywhere, which was the real reason for Ashley's sudden, flowing tears. But, when Ulquiorra was ready to release his cero...
A sudden, quick, thin line of a ray of blue light went straight toward Ulquiorra, but he was able to move out of the way, releasing away from Ashley, and cancelling the cero. "Wh-What the...?" Uryu seemed just as shocked and frozen as Ashley was. But, since Ashley was the closest, she saw a tall silhouette apprach, "How pathetic, the both of you." Ashley started to sit up, slowly, but then stopped when she tried to move her leg. "N-No...it can't be..." Ashley swallowed, whenever she had a good look at the perpetrator. Ryuken Ishida stepped infront of Ashley, deathly glaring down at her. Ashley gulped down from such a powerful glare, as he spoke icily to her, "Girl, go back over to Uryu. Now." Ashley dared not to look his way again, so she stood up and limply made her way toward Uryu. Making her way, and clutching Uryu's cape close to her chest, Ashley had fallen from exhaustion and loss of blood, but Uryu had caught her with his arm, thankfully; his only arm was safely wrapped around her shoulders. "U-Uryu...I...I'm..."
"Shh, darling, it's alright now...you're safe, and I'm here for you...forever, and always..." Uryu just so beautifully, and kindly whispered in Ashley's ear, in his melodic tone of a voice. "Great," Ulquiorra sighed annoyingly, with his pastey white hands stuffed in his pockets, "Another Quincy piece of garbage to take care of..." Ulquiorra then lifted his finger up, as a sudden garganta gate opened up through the air, "Well, it was fun while it lasted." Ulquiorra entered through the garganta, and took one last glance at Uryu, holding Ashley tightly, before the entire gate disappeared with him in it.
Silence followed by, as Uryu sighed in relief, gently rubbing Ashley's back, "It's finally over, Ashley. We're safe now." Ashley didn't answer to Uryu, but she did stir in Uryu's chest, pressing her hands against it. "Ashley? Are you alright? Darling?" Ryuken stepped toward Uryu, "The girl's lost a good amount of blood; it's no wonder she's not responding to you." Uryu only glared over at his father, not one sign of happiness in him, that he had came. But, Ryuken only ignored him, as he turned his back to Uryu, "Just come and bring her to the hospital; it's better that--" But Uryu was very eager to interrupt Ryuken, in a more calmer tone, although, "No, Ryuken. I made a promise to her, long ago, that I will never take her back there, unless she wants to. Only if I see her lips speak in acceptance, I will not take her back; I don't trust you, at all, with her alone." Ryuken was as emotionless as he usually was, as he continued to walk opposite of Uryu, "Fine, then. I'll leave that girlfriend of yours up to you. It's none of my concern what happens to neither of you, anyway."
Afterwords, Uryu decided to take himself and Ashley back home, but without using hirenkyaku. Uryu knew he could not use that, and hold Ashley with just an arm. Uryu felt more pain coming from his severed arm, but he was able to ignore it, easily. It took Uryu a long while, but he was able to make it back home.
When inside, Uryu gently placed Ashley on the couch, a few drops of blood staining the cushion, but he was able to ignore it. Just kissing the tip of her forehead, and bandaging her know as best as he could, Uryu took his phone from his room and immediately called Orihime to come over and heal Ashley and himself. She replied that she would be over as soon as possible. Fourty minutes had passed, when Uryu heard the sound of the door bell ringing; he immediately rushed to the door, opening it quickly, to see Orihime outside, with a worry-stricken look on her face, "Ishida-kun!!" Orihime rushed her way in, before letting Uryu speak, as she gasped shockingly at the sight of Ashley, "Oh, Ashley-chan!!" Without a word, Uryu stepped up, behind Orihime, while Orihime twisted around to face him, "Ishida-kun, what ha--"
"Please heal her. Please." Uryu pleaded in such a desperate way, that Orihime never questioned it again, as she removed the bandage on Ashley's hurt leg and formed her golden barrier around it, hovering her hands around it. All Uryu could do was watch with despairity. Luckily, it didn't take Orihime long to heal Ashley, for it only took her about fifteen minutes to heal her. "Okay, done," Orihime explained, as a gleam of hope shined in Uryu's blue eyes. "Oh, thank goodness." Uryu sighed in relief, as he kissed the top of Ashley's head. Orihime had to keep her utter excitement inside, from seeing such a lovable sight; she smiled very sweetly at it though, as Uryu beautifully held onto Ashley with his only arm; Orihime just then noticed this, "Oh, Ishida-kun! Yo-Your arm's..." Uryu closed his eyes for a second or so, then reopened them, with his good arm tightly wrapped around Ashley's neck. "Yes, I know, Inoue-san...I'm alright, but if you want to heal me then do it now; I won't move from this spot...I'm where I've always wanted to be in." Uryu, smiling innocently down at Ashley's sleeping figure below him, as he planted a soft and sweet kiss upon her lips; Uryu never did notice Orihime's golden barrier beside him, at all. "You really love Ashley-chan, don't you, Ishida-kun?" Orihime asked suddenly, through the silent moment. All Uryu said was, "Yes, very much. I love her with the entirety of my being." Orihime smiled, as if in approval, "I'm glad to hear that, Ishida-kun. Actually, Ashley-chan's loved you for so long, you know; even before she came here, she's been so much in love with you." Uryu had no choice but to chuckle by such a through, as he combed through Ashley's brunette hair, gently, with his slim fingers, "Heh. Can you blame her?" Orihime just giggled by Uryu's joke, "Ha, ha, yeah! You two made such a cute couple!! I'm so happy for the both of you!"
Once Orihime was done with healing Uryu, she said her goodbyes to Uryu and wished the best for Ashley whenever she awakes. Uryu nodded over to her from the couch; Uryu could not find it in him to get away from such closeness he was toward Ashley now. When Orihime had left, Uryu carefully scooped Ashley up in his arms, bridal style, making it upstairs toward his room. In his room, Uryu slowly layed Ashley down on his bed, and covered her over the dark green blanket that was folded on his bed.
Leaning over and planting a kiss upon Ashley's forehead, Uryu kindly whispered close to her, "Goodnight, my lovely princess..."