Heart
Chapter 2 – Losing You
"I feel there's only one thing left
To do
I'd sooner take my life away
Than live
With losing you" – Beyond This Life by Dream Theater
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He lay beside her, his breathing haggard, his body near-broken, but his soul completely intact.
His eyes were half closed in exhaustion, but he forced them to stay open. He just didn't want to miss any sign of movement the girl might make.
What if she doesn't move at all? A voice inside him said. You're fucked then, Shiba!!
Shut UP!! He screamed in his mind, although he knew that no matter how hard he tried, Aaroniero Alulueri's voice wouldn't be silenced. Kaien Shiba might be back in control of his own body, but Alulueri's voice would not be drowned out; much like Kaien's when Aaroniero had been the one in control.
But look at her, you stupid bastard!! She's dead!! The voice laughed manically, but then seemed to take on the air of someone who had just realized what they were saying. She's dead…
She is NOT DEAD!! He traced her mouth with his fingers softly, staring at her closed eyelids. C'mon…you just showed me how strong you were, Kuchiki!! I actually doubted you, but I was wrong! Look how damn strong you got; you can't die now and leave it to waste!
More like "can't leave US to waste".
Us?! You're not included in this, you psychotic motherfucking asshole!! What the fuck would YOU care that she's gone?! You're the one who FUCKING KILLED HER!!
Alulueri seemed to contemplate it. Don't forget Shiba; I've seen every single one of your memories. She was in all the ones that shined the brightest. I care as much as you do.
What's that supposed to mean? You say it as if I loved her or something.
There was a few seconds of silence before the voice replied. You must love her.
And why do you say that, you fuckin' failed psychiatrist?
You must love her, because I do.
Kaien's fists automatically clenched. Don't you DARE say that!!
Why not? It's true.
Don't talk about her as if you ever knew her!! Because you didn't!!
I know her through you.
Exactly, through ME!! She doesn't know YOU, she knows her totally awesome Vice Captain Kaien!!
It's rather unbelievable. Even when someone you love so much can't open her eyes, you can still talk in that egotistical manner.
Kaien kept tracing her lips, but continued to much more slowly. What can I say? Would Kuchiki really want to see me break down and cry, and cling to a corpse? Although that was what he felt like doing. He tried so hard not to let the memories run from his eyes, but they built up and splashed onto the dusty, cracked floor, some in her hair, some on her neck.
Kuchiki…am I losing you?
In retrospect, Kaien didn't know what made him pass out at that moment in time. Whether it was from grief, exhaustion, or the major suppression of his soul or a combination of all three, he didn't know. All he knew was, the last thought in his head as he cradled the small, broken girl in his arms was: You still have my heart.
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She had to run to keep up with the white haired, hollow-sided Ichigo. He marched what felt like miles ahead of her, resilient in his uncharacteristic rescue attempt.
When she was completely honest with herself, Orihime saw no use in trying to rescue Rukia Kuchiki. It tore her apart, but the fact of the matter was that Rukia's reiatsu just didn't exist anymore. With every single step, tears hit the floor she walked on, until the Ogihci spun around and grabbed her by the throat.
"Stop your fucking crying!" He shouted at her, his face twisted in anger and pain.
What the fuck are you doing?! Ichigo screamed at the hollow from inside. Let her go you fucking asshole!!
Let her go?! Ogihci laughed back at him, but it was an angry, cold laugh. Let her go?! What good is she?! Why would we care about this stupid girl when she's dying somewhere?!
That's not how it fucking works, you dick!! She didn't do anything, let her go!!
Ogihci ignored him. "I SAID, stop your crying!!"
"G-gomen!" But she was so afraid that she kept crying, tears falling on his white hand.
"I SAID STOP IT!!"
"I CAN'T HELP IT!!" Orihime screamed at him, and his eyebrows shot up at the out of character-ness, but a split second later his angry expression was back.
"Don't talk to ME like that!" He began to laugh manically. "I'M the one that has your throat in his hands!"
Orihime looked in his eyes, searching for any remnant of Ichigo that could be just beneath the surface. "Kurosaki-kun…"
His face seemed to twist into pain once again, and his eyes widened in anger. "Ichigo this, Ichigo that! Kurosaki-kun this, Kurosaki-kun that! I am NOT-" he tightened his grip on her neck "-THAT BASTARD!!"
"I-I'm sorry," she whispered as she looked down at the floor, her eyes swimming with tears.
He looked at her downcast face for a few seconds, then unexpectedly dropped her.
You can't just drop her!! Ichigo roared.
Heh, count yourself lucky that I let her go at all!!
Orihime looked up at the hollow with a puzzled expression on her face. "Why did you-"
"You're no fun to torment. You just take it, y'know? Besides, I need you to save Rukia, so that I can torment her." The hollow looked away, a scowl on his face, as though he was thinking of a strategy.
Inoue smiled slightly in spite of herself. He looks just like Kurosaki-kun.
Let. Me. Out. OF HERE!! Ichigo growled.
Not a chance. I'm gonna win this time, King. Hey, I guess I'm the King now. Heheh.Win what, you psychotic bastard?
Ah, thanks, but psychotic is too nice a word.
"K-Kurosaki-kun-" she earned a glare from the hollow "-ah, sorry, uhm…can you please just send Ichigo back out here? Please?"
"Ahahah!! And why in the hell would I do that, you stupid girl?"
"Because he'll listen to reason!" she suddenly snarled. "Let him out!! If you don't, you'll be dragging us around looking for Kuchiki-san forever, and you won't listen to a word I tell you about how – about how she's - dead!" Her eyes glistened again as tears poured from her cheeks, and the hollow just stared at her. "Kuchiki-san is dead, and only Ichigo will listen to that-"
"You think you know him so well, don't you?"
Inoue frowned slightly. "Ex-excuse me?"
"You really do think he'd just accept her death? You don't think he'd go running down every single passage, crashing down every single door, and annihilating every single hollow, arrancar and espada until he found confirmation?"
"Of course he would! That's just who he is, but he'd at least realize that her reiatsu doesn't exist anymore!!" Inoue cried harder. "She's dead! She's dead! We couldn't-"
"Maybe her body's dead." Inoue stared up at him, and he looked right back at her. "Maybe she doesn't have any fight left in her. But while Sode No Shirayuki is intact, Rukia isn't dead!"
Inoue felt her heart begin to soar, but tried not to get her hopes up. "Kuchiki-san's zanpakuto? But how do you know if it's not broken?
"Because right before I took over Kurosaki, when I was in Zangetsu's world, I saw her. She's alive, and that means Rukia's alive. And I will find her!"
As he marched ahead, renewed vigor flowing from him like reiatsu, Inoue watched his form.
Kurosaki-kun…am I losing you?---------------h-e-a-r-t----------------------
"Hn? What's this?" a silver haired man spoke to himself, walking towards the two motionless bodies of a well-built man and a small woman. The stone floor that their bodies lay on was cold, and was stained red by the wounds from the woman.
The man brought his right hand up to his face, in a pondering sort of gesture. He was clad in his old shinigami hakama, which was covered in a long, white robe. The hilt of his zanpakuto was barely visible.
"Ah, Rukia-chan. I'm impressed that ya even managed to suppress Alulueri," he smirked as he looked down at the young shinigami, who was lying beside the man. He turned his attention to the man's face. "And you, Alulueri…I'm damn disappointed, ya know? Aizen had high hopes for ya. But…" he looked at the both of them.
The raven haired girl was dead. It was obvious to anyone who would lay their eyes on her that she was unlikely to wake up again.
As for the man, he seemed to be unconscious, the fingers on his right hand resting on the girls lips, and her head fitting into his neck.
"Aizen had high hopes for ya, Alulueri…but now, he has even higher hopes for the both of ya!"
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Eey, that was fun to write!! I hope you all liked that ;)
It's so much fun to write Ogichi. Idk why, it's just fun.
I can't believe the tiny, tiny number of us IchiRukiKaien fans out there!!
It's nice to believe I might convert people.
Review??
Ohoho, there's a BIG twist for the next chapter.
And SORRY for the inconsistency in this; when I wrote the first chapter, Nell hadn't turned into her espada form and proceeded to kick the shit out of Noitra, at the time the most recent manga chapter was when Noitra wanted to kick Ichi's ass.
Well!! Bye-cha.