Response to reviews!
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Elex88: Welcome to you too! Don't worry; you feel just as bad as the other people reading this story! ^_^
BeanBitz: No, I just find him to be that kind of person. He's a loyal friend, and worries about Ichigo in his own way!
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Mylittlehollow: Enough till I'm satisfied.
Ok, I'm gonna get evil again! This chapter is gonna be angst filled, evil and harsh! But soon, we shall leave the past, and after that, the story will soon end. I think I have about…4 chapters at most. So…enjoy Chapter 18! My 300th review belongs to Elex88! *gives cookies and chocolate milk* Enjoy~!
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Chapter 18: Betrayal
Dion's POV
7 days ago…
My blood froze at the closeness of the 6th Espada. "M-Master Grimmj-jow?" I stammered.
"What exactly are you doing?" he asked, standing in front of me, his cold hand on my shoulder. I shivered from the touch as I looked past his head.
"I need t-to get cleaning material for the Soul R-Reaper. If his e-eyes get worse, the liquid used could b-burn through his eyes and seep into his b-brain, k-k-killing him." I said. The entire room felt cold because of his presence. I was also hoping that my excuse would please him and let me past. He did let me go, but his eyes bore into me, trying to read my soul.
"Where's you're usual tongue, Novia?" he asked me. Good question, maybe I was too worried about Ichigo to bite back. "This isn't like you."
"Excuse me Master Grimmjow." I said and briskly walked away. I didn't hear what he yelled at me, and I would later regret that…
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Ichigo's POV
5 days ago…
Everything burned…my body, my throat…it all felt hot and sticky. My eyes ached, my vision blurry. I could barely see Shiro as he placed his cool hand on my forehead. It felt good and I moaned, it was really all I could do. I didn't want him to move his hand, but when the door clicked open he did just that. I reached out for it, my arms aching as I stretched them. I manage to grab his hand and he looked at me. "No…so cold…" was all I could say as I tried to pull his hand near me. Suddenly my vision began to fade, I could no longer hold my eyes open…
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Shiro's POV
Things weren't looking good from where I was standing. Ichigo had a high fever, and it only seemed to get worse. Not to mention his eyes seemed to be getting worse, but maybe that was just the fever. Dion walked in carrying in fresh washcloths. He put them under cold water and sighed. As I moved my hand from his searing forehead, he grabbed it and placed it against his head again. "No…so cold…" he murmured before his fever claimed him and he passed out.
This isn't good at all…I thought.
"How's he doing?" Dion asked as he carried some damp washcloths over and handed them to me.
"Thanks." I said and placed one on Ichigo's flushed face. "Not good I'm afraid. He's getting worse. Maybe if we can get him something to eat, maybe that'll help some." It could too. He was so skinny; his ribs could be seen clearly through his skin, as well as his hip bones. It hurt to see this…and I was practically helpless. Dion put a hand on my shoulder.
"I'll see what I can get for him. Although, all I'll be able to sneak is soup…not like he can eat anything else…" he said. The fact that he was willing to do this made me feel better.
"That's fine. Thank you Dion." I said. He left the room and I stroked Ichigo's head, his dull hair sticking to his forehead due to his sweat. Suddenly, he began coughing harshly and I shook him. "Ichigo? Beloved, are you ok?" I asked. His foggy eyes snapped open and he bent over, his chest heaving. Before I could get up, he got sick all over his blankets. What I saw horrified me; it was mostly blood mixed with whatever the hell his stomach could sick up. He really was out of things to puke up. As he slumped backwards, I caught him, wrapping my arms around his skinny waist.
"Sh…Shiro…" he whispered my name so quietly, I felt shivers travel my spine. "Everything…it hurts…"
"Shh…I know Ichigo. Don't worry, you'll be ok." I whispered into his ear softly, but even I wasn't so sure. Gladly he didn't pick up on that as he grabbed my hand and held it to his face again.
"You're…c-cold Sh-Shiro…" he said, closing his eyes.
"Ichigo-" I was cut off as Dion hurried in with a bowl of some fouls smelling liquid. "What is that?" I asked.
"Soup for all purposes." He said, placing the tray on his chair. He noticed the sick on the blankets and sighed. "New sheets already?" he asked. I just nodded as I lifted Ichigo's too light body into my arms. He let out another cough and he winced as he clutched his chest.
"Hurts…" he whispered. I rubbed his chest with my hand and he sighed. Dion tore the sheets off and I placed Ichigo on the mattress.
"I'll be back shortly with some more blankets." He said. "Until I get back, try feeding Ichigo." I nodded as I watched him leave the room again. I really am glad Dion is on our side…I have no clue how long we would've lasted without him.
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Normal POV
Dion raced down the halls carrying fresh blankets. Gotta hurry…he told himself. As he ran something tripped him and he fell over, the blankets flying out in front of him. Aww shit… As he got up, his arm was grabbed harshly and he was lifted in the air. His dark eyes widened as they made contact with teal ones.
"Hey there, Novia. What are ya up to now?" he asked.
"M-Master Grimmjow?" he stuttered ad was slammed harshly into the ground.
"Oh do not give me that act! It's a load of bullshit!" he snapped angrily. Dion chocked as he was lifted by his throat.
"Fine then, fuck you. I ain't telling you what I'm doing!" he snapped angrily. Grimmjow grinned and slammed Dion into a wall, causing it to crack by the force he used to shove him against it.
"Oh, I think I know exactly what you're doing; what you were told not to do. You're helping out our prisoner's correct?" he asked. Dion glared at him.
"So what? The person who told me not to is dead." He retorted.
"He's also the person who told me not to kill you." Dion's eyes narrowed. "So tell me what I want to know, or I'll kill you."
"Go ahead, cause I don't know shit." He hissed.
"Their relation or that thing's name?" Grimmjow raised an eyebrow. Dion shook his head.
"Nope. So go ahead and kill me." He said. He was scared that he actually will kill him. I'm their one chance right now! He thought. He was practically gambling against a demon, with his life, as well as Shiro's and Ichigo's, as his best chips. Grimmjow slammed him against the wall one more time before letting him drop to the floor. He rubbed his bruised neck.
"Aww, what fun would that be?" he sighed. "Well, guess I'll tell Ulquiorra to go through with plan b." Dion stopped rubbing his neck.
"P…plan b?" he asked. Grimmjow's eyes shined deviously.
"Oh, we didn't tell you? We have a new way of preserving the hollow for an hour if the human dies, so…we're throwing them both in the Kurai Heya for about two hours." He explained. Dion could feel his heart stop and freeze over.
"They'll…they'll kill each other!" he gasped. A sick feeling was welling in his chest at the memory of Ichigo's first time in that room. "If not one will die and the other will be mentally unstable!" Grimmjow shrugged.
"Too fucking bad I guess." He said. "This is what happens when no one can do the task assign to them." As he walked away, Dion felt horrified. Completely scared for his only friends and uncertain of what to do, he screamed at the Espada.
"W-wait! I know their relationship with-" He instantly covered his mouth, stunned at what he had said. Oh no…no, no, no!
"What was that?" His eyes snapped up as Grimmjow stood in front of him again. "I didn't quite catch that." Dion wasn't sure what to do; if he didn't say, they could both wind up dead. If he did say it…they may survive.
"Th…they're lovers…" he said weakly. "They…they're also intimate…" Grimmjow's eyebrow raised at that fact.
"You know of this?" he asked and Dion nodded weakly.
"I…I came in o-one night…the smell and clothes…they were on the floor…that's all I…I needed to know…" he admitted. Grimmjow grinned and reached for Dion. He flinched as he patted his head.
"Good little arrancar. That's what I wanted to hear." As he walked away, he turned back and grinned. "Oh, by the way, I lied about the Kurai Heya." As he walked off, Dion could feel the hole in chest widening, and he prayed for it to swallow him whole.
What…what have I done? He thought. Oh god…what have I done?
XxxxxX
Dion walked in slowly to see Shiro feeding Ichigo the soup he had brought earlier. "H-how is h-he?" he asked.
"Well, he's eating it. But I don't think he likes it much." Shiro chuckled. When he looked at Dion, his golden eyes filled with worry. "You ok Dion? What happened to you?" he asked. Dion gulped.
"L-look, can you…c-carry Ichigo?" he asked. He had to act fast; very fast.
"Yes, why?" he asked, beginning to feel worried by Dion's quiet, yet hurried tone.
"We need to go…I'm busting y-" Before he could finish, Ulquiorra came in the room.
"You two are coming with me." He said. Shiro held Ichigo closer to him.
"M-master Ulquiorra, he's sick! Please wait until he's a little better." Dion almost begged, but the 4th Espada ignored him. Well, almost.
"Excellent work, Dion Novia." He grabbed Dion's hand and burned the number 24 away, causing him to cringe. He held his hand over the wound and it was healed, but with something else; a number 7.
N-no way in hell…he thought, glaring at his hand like it was the most evil thing on the planet. He then watched as both Ichigo and Shiro were being dragged from the room. All he could do was follow…follow and see what hell he had put them in.
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Dion's POV
I felt sick with myself. Hell, I didn't want to see this…it was all my fault. I really thought that he was going to throw them in that room…I was so damned stupid! And now…now god knows what the hell is going to happen. Shiro was giving me the most confused look I've ever seen. "What's going on Dion?" he asked me quietly. I didn't look at him, just continued to follow the 4th Espada. He shoved me slightly as I carried Ichigo's burning body. "Dion?" his voice grew more urgent. "What did he do to your hand?" I could feel my skin tickle where the new 7 was now and my stomach dropped thirty feet. "Dion?"
"Give him to me Novia." Ulquiorra's voice caused me to freeze in place. He just took Ichigo from my arms without a single struggle because I was so numb.
"Dion, what's wrong with you?" Shiro asked me again, shaking me. I looked at him and only said two words.
"Forgive me…"
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Shiro's POV
"Forgive me…" His voice sounded monotone and quite, and that alone made me nervous. I watched as they chained Ichigo to a wall and before I could blink, the 4th Espada had grasped my wrist tightly and yanked me towards another pair of chains that hanged loosely off the ceiling. I was getting tired of being chained up, but the tormentors don't listen to the complaints of their prisoners; only their screams. I could feel Ulquiorra suddenly lift the back of my shihakusho up and throwing it on the floor, exposing my pale back.
"Will you tell me what I wish to know?" he asked me. I just snickered.
"Fuck you." I said.
"No need, the Soul Reaper already has." He responded coldly. I didn't understand what he said at first.
Huh? I thought. Ulquiorra stepped in front of me, his green eyes filled with the same malice as Grimmjow's, maybe more…not a good sign.
"Oh, I never got to tell you, did I?" He waved his hand at Dion, who was looking at the floor, his fists clenched. "Novia's mission was to gain your trust and learn about you and him." He said, pointing at Ichigo, who was stirring slightly. I felt my stomach fall. "He told us about you're….relationship."
He…he what? I looked at him, hoping, no praying, that the Espada was lying, but the look on Dion's face told me he wasn't. "No…" Ulquiorra grinned and grabbed something that looked like a whip. Well, part of it was. The tip had a hook at the end.
"So you refuse us, eh? Well, if you insist. However; one of you is going to break today." He said, and he whipped my back. I could feel the hook dig deep into my back and I wanted to scream. It hooked my flesh and he yanked it out harshly. He continued these lashes for who knows how long. After awhile, I couldn't feel my limbs. The pain was too much.
But it didn't hurt nearly as much as the pain of betrayal I felt. I was so fucking stupid for trusting him! Hell, both of us trusted him, and what happened? Go figure, he blabs! But…if he told them about our relationship, why not my name? The thing I figured out was to watch us suffer. That's the only thing that he would do that for. Suddenly, the pain changed. Instead of that large hook, it was small barbed hooks ripping my flesh apart. I scream, unable to hold it back any longer, and Ichigo's eyes widen to the size of chocolate plates.
"St-stop it!" Ichigo cried out, tugging on the chains. Despite his weak state, it amazed me slightly that he had the energy to scream. "No, stop hurting him! Please!" he cried out.
Ichigo! Don't say anything! I called with my mind, but his fever was blocking me. This was bad. I felt another sharp whack from the whip as it hit a previous gash and my eyes widened and I yelled. That was when he screamed for the last time.
"No! Leave Shiro alone! Stop please!" he screamed my name and I could see Dion jolt to stare at Ichigo. He said my name….this isn't good at all…
"About time. Maybe getting you was all I needed to do after all." Ulquiorra undid the chains on my arms and I fell limply on the ground. I could barely feel the floor. Dion quickly ran to me.
"Shiro…"
"You…you b-bastard…" was all I could say. I was too weak to move, so talking was out of it too. When Ulquiorra released Ichigo, he was unconscious again, the stress too much for his sick, starved body.
"Take them back Novia. We'll proceed in two days." He said. Dion quickly lifted Ichigo in his arms and slung my arm over his shoulder. He practically dragged me back to my room. When we were in, he shut the door and gently placed Ichigo on the bed.
"Finally." I turned quickly around and punched him in the face. "I'm going to fucking kill you!"
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Normal POV
"H-hold up a sec, Shiro!" Dion said, rubbing his cheek.
"You betrayed us! You're no different than the rest of the hollows and arrancars that live here!" Shiro snapped, anger flaring in his eyes, making them seem like a molten gold.
"Do you honestly think I enjoyed what I saw? It was my torture as much as yours!" he snapped back. Shiro glared into his eyes, but said nothing as the new Espada continued. "I am you're friend Shiro…but that doesn't atone for what I've done." He said, looking down.
"I don't believe a single fucking word…" Shiro hissed as he walked, painfully slow, towards where Ichigo lay. He stared at him before returning his burning glare at Dion. "You promised you wouldn't tell him-"
"I did it to save you two!" Shiro stared. "I…Grimmjow told me he was going to throw you both in the Kurai Heya. After what had happened to Ichigo in that room…" Dion shivered. "I told him about your relationship, but I never said your name." He shook his head. "However, it still doesn't fix what I've done."
"Then how do you intend to fix this?" Shiro asked, his voice a little softer. Dion locked his eyes with the hollow's, his dark eyes determined.
"I'm going to help you two escape."
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Chapter 18 end
Ok, we're moving closer to the end of this story, but we still have a ways to go! If you review, you can has chocolate cake!