Would You Love Me If You Knew What I was?-Chapter Twelve: Resolve of the Heart
Number twelve. Ya know, I just noticed that this is my longest story lol. Now that's what I call weird... ;-; Well, I'd be updating Broken Thread but I'm getting so much more love on this Fic
Disclaimer: No, I don't own Bleach OR the Characters in this...Well, except Archer, Yumi, and a few other OC's I might add.
Beta: None so far. Personally, I really dunno what the beta is all about. lol who wants to be first? I'll make ya some brownies! -grins-
Sorry, this chapter is kind of like a...filler, if you would like to put it that way. There isn't much detail so, yeahh...-sweatdrop- I had to rush it since I gots more reviews that I love AND school is next month. Bummer. Well, I'm off to take a shower! My dog slobbered all over me :P
Reviewers:
haruhi kurokami- Gods thanks for the review. As for the thing you were asking about, I'd love to...If you'd send it to my email (Since I don't know it and stuffs. -sweatdrops-) My email is on my homepage!
Kouyan- Kya Rukia fan, ne? I wonder what I should do with the Kuchiki...(I'll be nice lols)
It's warm
That's weird...
Just a minute ago my whole body hurt
Did I die?
Heh, what a morbid thought
I wonder what happens when a Shinigami dies.
Come to think of it
Is it supposed to feel like this?
I actually kind of...like it
Nah, that's probably my imagination
Yumi's eyes opened to meet with a certain pair of amber orbs. After only a second of silence, Yumi literally screamed and sat up, hitting her head against his.
"Oww, what the hell was that for?" demanded Archer, rubbing his forehead gingerly.
"W-What the hell were you doing hovering over me so close!?" she shouted.
He rolled his eyes," What did you think I was going to do, kiss you!? Please."
"Why you..." Yumi was about to beat the living heck out of him for his remark. Unfortunately, her wounds began to pound again as she placed a hand to her left shoulder. Realization hit her like a ton of bricks and she stared at her hands," Wait...I'm still alive?"
"Yes, you're still very much alive; although, if you move too much then the poison will spread even further in your system. Luckily, most of it was washed out when you were practically bleeding to death," he repeated matter-of-factly," By the way, your robe is slipping."
Looking at herself, she saw a white robe that had already slipped down her shoulders because of moving too much. Her stomach was wrapped again. On her shoulders were also patches of cloth, securing the gashes from before. The good thing is that there were some wrappings around her chest (Like how swordswomen, excluding Matsumoto, do it), but that still didn't stave off the fact that the robe was slipping.
"PERVERT!" she screamed and turned her body swiftly away while crossing her arms over her chest. It was quiet before Yumi heard a sigh and the sound of Archer getting up. The warm feeling of a jacket being draped over her shoulders caused her to turn around to look at him.
"There, at least you have something to cover yourself up with..." he said, scratching the back of his head as if embarrassed.
She smiled and slightly blushed, surprising herself," Thanks..."
"Sorry for being such a jerk. It's just that you remind me so much of—" Noticing where this was going, he stopped and shut up.
Yumi tilted her head curiously," Reminded you of who?"
Archer shook his head and stood to go to the door," It's nothing. Forget what I said..."
"Tell me!"
"No, I won't."
"Yes, you will."
"No."
"Please?"
"No!"
"Archer--"
"Will you shut up? It's none of your damn business, got it!?"
When he shouted, his breathing was heavy and he turned around to face Yumi.
His eyes were narrowed and flashed an angry gold. Yumi's eyes widened, in both fear from the look in his eyes and from the impact of what she had just heard. Her body slightly trembled, despite being frozen in place at the moment. Heck, she didn't even hear the ear shattering scream of Ichigo in the nearby room. All that mattered to her right now was Archer--or should I say, what he just said.
He frowned and his eyes reverted to that of a hurt kitten ridden with something akin to the guilt of scratching its owner by accident. Looking down to the floor, he continued after slapping his forehead.
"Oh crap..."
Hitsugaya's hand moved at a steady pace, writing and filling out forms that he was entrusted with. A knock was then heard at the door, however, interrupting his work," Come in."
"Taicho!" greeted Matsumoto excitedly," How was that meeting?"
"It was fine. Now, what?" he asked, not taking his eyes off the papers on his desk. Matsumoto sent him a confused look before shaking her head and coming in slowly.
"Oh, nothing. Just dropping off some files on your desk..." she then went to her desk and purposely pulled out two sake bottles from beneath the table," I'll just take these to the third division, then!"
The captain sighed and took a small sip from his tea before continuing on with his work," Whatever; just put them over there. I'll get to them later." he answered, stopping her in her tracks. Now that never happened before. Usually, he would yell at her and say,' Matsumoto, don't leave your paperwork here!' or 'Stop slacking and drinking sake all the time!' Something was definitely wrong with him and Matsumoto wouldn't stop until it was fixed. The question was how she was going to do it without getting frozen first...
A thought came to her though as she smiled and left one bottle of sake on the protégé's desk with a grin," Well, if you're going to stay here doing work forever, then at least have something other than tea to drink! Besides, I need to get more tea tomorrow. Bye, Taicho!" Matsumoto then left quickly before he could reject the alcohol. He rubbed his temple in irritation but then took a glance at the bottle.
Rolling his eyes, Hitsugaya stood up to get a cup. One cup wouldn't hurt. It's not like anyone is watching anyway.
"...The only one that can save Kuchiki-san is him and him alone." finished Urahara, looking at the orange tuft of hair staring up at him with a shocked gaze. He had just begun to explain what had happened to him as well as Ishida.
Ichigo gave off a pained and forced smirk," Only me, huh? What's that supposed to mean!?" his face turned to an angry scowl and his hazel eyes darkened," What can I do? Rukia has gone back to the Soul Society! How the hell am I supposed to go after her!? How am I supposed to save her!?"
Urahara fell silent as he kept his eyes on the teen beating himself up with blame. It was a pretty sad site, he had to admit...
"I can't..." he trailed off quietly. The fading image of Rukia disappearing appeared in his mind and his voice boomed," I can't damn it!"
"You really think there isn't a way?" asked Urahara, surprising Ichigo and caused him to jump up.
"Is there? Please tell me! We have to save Rukia now!"
"Of course I'll tell you! But I have one condition." he chirped, pointing his finger towards him.
"Condition?"
"Yes, for ten days starting now, study fighting with me."
"St-Study!? What the hell!? We don't have any time for that! We don't even know when Rukia will be killed!" Ichigo's eyes narrowed, focused on the easygoing Urahara," Forget that, we gotta get to Soul Society now and save Ruki--"
The shop keeper scoffed," How naive." Within a second, Ichigo found himself on the ground with Urahara's cane at his forehead. For a moment he thought he had seen the point of a blade dangerously close to his face. "I'm trying to tell you. The way you are now, you won't do any good there in Soul Society." His eyes were no longer kind nor held its usual joking manner," I at least thought that you would understand my point by letting you fight them. You're weak. Going into enemy territory like that is called suicide."
"For once, he's damn right on speaking information." added a voice from the doorway. Both men turned to see Yumi already up with a black jacket draped on her shoulders with her hands pulling it close," You wouldn't last a second there with the way you are now."
"So what do you suggest? I'm telling you, Rukia could be executed any time--"
"Actually..." Yumi trailed off," They give each soul a grace period of about...A month, right Urahara?"
"Exactly! Just train with me, and I'll have you there. It takes a while to open the gate, so about ten days of torturing you, and thirteen days to get there and back. Simple, yes?" answered Urahara with his grin growing dangerously sadistic.
Ichigo narrowed his eyes," Will I be stronger in ten days?"
"But of course! If you want to save Kuchiki-san with all your heart. The strength of your feelings and the resolve of the heart is stronger than iron. Throw away all of your doubts," he said," For ten days can you play a game of life and death with me?"
Ichigo closed his eyes and took a deep breath before reopening them," Do you need to ask?"
Urahara nodded and turned to Yumi," Well, Miyamoto?"
"...Yes." she replied after a short silence. In her violet eyes shone a resolve that was only rivaled by Ichigo's," I'll do whatever it takes to bring Rukia back."
"And I as well," interrupted a voice. Archer stood beside Yumi and smirked," Wherever the brat goes, I'll follow."
Yumi sent him a playful glare in response," You better not hold me back."
"Well then," the shopkeeper so gleefully said," Let us begin!"
"Whoa, this place is huge!" Yumi's voice echoed within the large space beneath Urahara Shoten. It was a rocky training ground with small trees, although dead.
Urahara smiled," Well someone appreciates this place. Anyway! First I'll give Miyamoto-san some pointers since Kurosaki-san needs more...hands-on help."
"Oi, I heard that!" yelled Ichigo, still out of it since Yumi 'accidentally' shoved him down the opening that was how high up? Whoops.
"Since your blade has been silenced, you'll need to get its 'voice' back."
Her head tilted," How?"
Archer raised his hand with a bored expression on his face," That's where I come in."
"Yeah? Alright how do I--" her sentence was cut short when his gun was right in front of her face with smoke already coming out from the point. The shot was already taken? So where's the bullet...? A stinging pain was felt on her left cheek and her crimson friend returned as a cut. Several meters away, a boulder was reduced to gravel behind her.
He grinned a Cheshire grin," We'll...You'll just have to find out then."
A few destroyed boulders and bullets later, Yumi fell to her knees after literally being thrown into the side of a mountain. She wiped the small line of blood away from the corner of her lip and used the sheath of her blade for support. Archer yawned a couple yards away and stretched.
Yumi growled," Is this seriously going to get my powers back?" He was silent for a moment before sighing and suddenly reappearing in front of her, his gun right near her heart.
"I told you before. Only if you don't die first."
Her eyes widened when the single shot was fired off. Letting out a scream was her first instinct but her throat went dry. Everything was getting dark and she managed to see a glimpse of a pristine white haori a familiar squad number. The persons back was fading, however. Her hand shot out towards him but to no avail.
"Baka"
'What the...'
"Looks like you need my help again, silly girl."
'I don't!'
"Think about it. You're weak and do not deny it. Without me you couldn't even hurt a fly, let alone that Abarai Renji."
'You...interfered with the fight, didn't you!?'
"Don't take it the wrong way. Besides, you need me."
'No I don't. H-Hey, I know what you're thinking and don't you dare… Stop it!'
"Too late, kit"
Yumi skid to stop, blood still dripping profusely from the wound in her chest. Her head was down and brown hair shadowed her eyes. Archer stared seriously at her and readied his gun.
"It's about time you woke up. Now I can stop holding back."
She chuckled almost darkly and met his gaze with one violet eye and the other a blood lust filled amber," Oh? You don't seem all that confident inside, boy."
A bead of sweat trailed off his brow and a reckless smile was added," Damn Daichi, you had your work cut out for you."
With the click of his gun, he began walking towards his opponent as she did the same, drawing her broken blade out from its sheath. She took a small glance at it and shrugged while continuing with her pace. Archer chuckled a little.
"Someone seems relaxed about this."
'Yumi' stopped and so did he. With a smirk, her hand covered her right eye, the one that remained violet. "I may not be able to do this for long, with this puny kit interfering, but that will be more than enough time to kick your ass into place." Once finished, something dark began to materialize over that area. The eye darkened, becoming tainted amber and threatening as its counterpart.
At this point, Archer said the only thing that deemed appropriate at the time.
"Shit."
A/N: By the word,'kit', it's not essentially the box kit. It's more like a nickname for Yumi by her subconscious. If you know some japanese, you guys know what Kitsune means, ne? Just as some foreshadowing since I've left you guys in the dark recently
Omake Theatre
Ichigo: Who the hell is Daichi?
Yumi: How should I know? -both glare at Archer-
Archer: Hey, I don't know! It was just in my script!
Mana: Yeah, if you should be killing anyone for knowing what's next, it should be me--
Everyone: ...
Mana: ...Shit
Oh dear, I stole Archer's line. Whoops? Reviews are loved!
