I bet some of you thought your email was playing tricks on you when this update appeared. A new chapter within the same month as the last one? WHAT IS THIS?!
I had a completely unavoidable urge to write, and so I did a power session. My fingers may fall off at any moment, but you all get an update, so it is worth it. Nothing a little ice can't fix. And look how long this one is! It's a little later to put up than I was originally planning (school always gets in the way), but it is still older than my "norm" for updates.
BIG THANK YOU to Rose Attack for beta-ing this chapter. I greatly appreciate her help with catching the mistakes!
Thanks for the reviews, and a huge thanks everyone who is sticking with me as I slowly (a snail could type faster) work through this story! Even you silent readers. I see you, and I love you as well.
Disclaimer: My New Year's Resolution to "become the new owner of Bleach" is an unlikely goal, but a girl can dream right? Until I figure out how to make that a reality, this disclaimer is here to make sure I don't get sued.
(Obviously, I am kidding. Bleach will never be mine to own. Please recognize this as the bad joke it is and move on to the story.)
Enjoy!
Chapter 7
Rukia was driven to pace the small waiting area once again, ignoring the sense of familiarity that tickled her mind. She'd been here just a few days ago, that time with her brother's persistent objection to her striding back and forth across the room. The loud, guttural screams were new, however, and they were a feature Rukia wished were missing from the situation. The sound had followed Rukia as a handful of healers practically dragged her down the hallway, ignoring her protests. She wanted to get back to him, to see what was going on, to see what they were doing to him. He was in so much pain, and Rukia was convinced that his yells were the absolute worse sound she had ever heard.
At least, she was convinced of that until the Fourth fell silent.
Her heart jumped into her throat as she halted in her pacing, eyes trained on the end of the hall where Renji was kept. A part of her wanted someone; anyone to come out of that room and explain to her what was going on, while the other part was completely petrified at the idea. Her thoughts flirted around the possible reasons for the redhead's sudden silence, why pained screams would suddenly die off into nothing so quickly. The answers she came up with were none too comforting.
So when Unohana did appear at the end of that long corridor, her gaze seeking out the small Lieutenant before she started forward, Rukia was ready to throw up. The fact that Unohana hadn't met her gaze again was enough to have the contents of her stomach churning in rebellion.
This can't be happening, she thought with a growing sense of panic. She waited for herself to wake up, to prove that all of this – the hollow, the loss of memory, the sudden collapse in the academy – was just a bad dream, but as Unohana came to stop in front of her she knew it was a futile wish.
"Kuchiki-Fukutaichou?" Unohana started, and Rukia had to remind herself that she was expected to respond. She skipped the greeting she had planned, instead blurting out the only question that refused to leave her mind.
"Is he dead?"
Unohana looked a little taken aback by the blunt words, but shook her head. "No. Abarai-Fukutaichou is still alive. We've given him a sedative to allow his body and his mind a chance to rest."
A sedative, she thought, that explained the silence. The relief struck the dark-haired noble hard, her knees nearly giving up their attempts to keep her upright as she released the breath she had been holding.
Unohana reached out a hand to steady her, concern filling her eyes as she watched the shorter woman sway. "Let us sit," she said, gesturing to the chairs against the wall, and Rukia nodded. Pacing would be impossible now, anyways.
She hadn't realized how exhausted she was until she slipped into the empty chair, her body slumping forward until her elbow rested on her knees. "Sedated?" she repeated, looking up at Retsu with a heavy gaze.
"Yes, as well as some medication to suppress his fever. Normally I wouldn't sedate a patient who is battling a poison, as there is always the slight chance that the sedative will react negatively with the venom." She continued before Rukia could completely give in to the impending heart attack, "But we've studied the venom enough that I feel confident in doing so. To be frank, I am surprised the pain hadn't already rendered him unconscious by the time you arrived."
"Renji's far too stubborn for that," Rukia said with a dark chuckle. Unohana only offered a sad smile before continuing.
"Yes, it would seem so."
"When will he wake up?" Rukia asked, looking up at the woman with a concerned expression.
Unohana's gaze faltered slightly before she shook her head. "For now, he will be kept in a state of unconsciousness to prevent him from suffering. I have him under observation, with healers ready to keep him under. Medically, his mind has been…suspended, in a way." The healer was struggling for the best description, something Rukia couldn't recall ever happening to the woman.
"Suspended?" Rukia parroted, the word squeaking out as she looked up with fear. "Like a coma?"
"It is not as functionally inactive as a coma, but more like a very deep sleep. Until we can administer the antidote, being awake would be too much for his body to handle," Unohana responded with a look of sympathy. Rukia didn't want her sympathy, though. She wanted Renji. A completely healthy Renji who wasn't a ticking time bomb waiting for the right moment to blow.
"But won't this pain pass?" she demanded, her voice rising a little in volume. A few healers walking past jumped at the sudden noise, but were quickly shooed by Unohana with a single glance.
"I believe I miscalculated the venom," she started slowly, waiting until Rukia acknowledged the admission with a nod before she continued. "I had thought regaining a few memories would help battle the effects, buy us more time in finding the hollow and creating an antidote." The words were accompanied by a bitter smile as she looked away with an almost wistful expression that turned cold almost as quickly as it had appeared. "But I am forced to consider the possibility that it held the opposite effect on his body.
"We will know much more when the blood work returns from the lab, but it appears that the poison has spread to the final stage. It has already began to affect his nerves and motor skills, if the tingling in his arms and legs are any indication, and the pain he was experiencing today was internal, starting in his mind and spreading like a fire."
Rukia could have burned a hole through the floor with how intently she stared at her feet, refusing to look up at the older woman. "So the memories he's regained are now killing him," she stated softly, surprised when her voice did not shake like she thought it would.
"It is not definite, but the increased brain activity may have been a catalyst instead of a defense like I had first thought," Unohana said, and Rukia could hear the graveness of the situation in her voice. "The trigger for the attack could have been anything from earning a small detail from a seemingly insignificant memory to something with more emotional investment, though trauma would be the more likely culprit in this case."
Suddenly the room was much too hot. Rukia felt as if her heart had exploded in her chest and had to ball her hands into fists in her lap to keep from reaching up to check for damage. She managed a deep breath before looking up. "You're saying if Renji had gained something big from his past, something that might have hurt him emotionally, it could have been the reason he –" she couldn't finish the thought, not with how her throat was threatening to close up.
Unohana must have realized Rukia's distress, for she hesitated in her response. It wasn't until Rukia had looked up, her breathing much less erratic than it had been prior, that the Captain nodded. "It is possible, yes."
Rukia dropped her head into her hands. Now she was really going to throw up. This was her doing. If that memory in the Academy hadn't been enough of an emotional impact to the redhead, than the kiss afterwards would pick up the remaining slack.
God, she had barely had any time to even think of the kiss or what it meant. Renji had caught her by surprise with the sudden embrace and the passion it held, and she had melted into his touch without any struggle. Rukia hadn't realized just how much she craved his touch until she was surrounded by it, consumed by it. She could still vaguely feel the sensation of his mouth on her lips, the way he had tasted. She could still feel the slow burn of his hands on her lower back, pushing and pulling her until she had been flush against him. It was everything she wanted and more, everything she had ever dreamt of in her wildest fantasies about confronting the man with her feelings; but the image, rose-colored as it was, shattered when he pulled away and collapsed in a heap of agony.
I did that. Again, it is my fault he's hurting. Rukia's mind replayed the words like a chant, squashing any form of confidence she had. If he died now, she would never forgive herself. Her chest burned as she struggled to breathe, hot tears pricking at the back of her eyes as she clenched her eyes shut.
"But, Rukia-san, you must not lose hope," Unohana started, resting a gentle hand on Rukia's shoulder, unaware of the extent of turmoil within the girl. "We must keep in mind –"
Rukia was done listening to the Captain seated next to her. She did not want to hear about how this was out of their hands, how it had been an unexpected tragedy. She didn't want to hear about how Renji might not live through this, nor did she want to hear the woman's words of comfort.
She pushed herself up from the wooden chair and started towards the exit, ignoring the way Unohana called after her. Any other time she would have been horrified at herself for ignoring such a powerful Captain, but manners and hierarchy were the last things that mattered to her at the moment. She needed a moment away from this place before the antiseptic spell that clung to the halls had her spewing her guts into the nearest trash can. She needed to find some fresh air, to clear her head before it imploded.
She needed, more than anything else, to fix what she had done.
X
Byakuya didn't take to following Rukia most days. Following others for the sake of finding out what they were up to was beneath him. If he wanted answers, he was not against confronting the person. After all, nobility and the highly sought after rank of Captain had its perks. Only a handful of brave souls had ever flat out lied to him, and he took great pride in that fact, knowing his reputation was intimidating to most Shinigami, or at least those of a lower rank.
No, he did not stoop to stalking on most occasions, but he had done quite a lot of peculiar things since Renji had been injured. In his defense, the Noble had not planned to tail his sister when he had greeted the day that morning. He hadn't even planned on stepping foot out of his office, elbow-deep in paper work that had piled up over the past few hectic days and hell-bent on making at least a dent in the tedious busywork, until the urgent healer had come stumbling into his division to explain what had befallen his ever-unlucky Lieutenant, whose misfortunes seemed to grow by the day. He had rushed over with all of the intentions of learning every detail of what had happened to his second in command.
But here he was, a few yards behind the girl as she walked with purpose. She had rushed out of the Fourth just as he arrived, and his curiosity had him turning to fall in step behind her. From afar, she looked composed, if not a little pushy on her pursuit of her self-imposed mission. But the sharp eyes of Byakuya caught the sweep of her hand under her eyes, the falter in her step, the way her shoulders hunched as she desperately tried to walk with the rigid posture expected of a noble woman. She was upset, understandably so, considering the state of Renji, but there was something more than that.
She was determined about something, pushing forward for some purpose he had yet to learn. But each step towards the Soul Society Senkaimon helped clear the Noble's confusion. She was planning on joining the fight in Karakura Town.
Byakuya couldn't allow that to happen.
Only when they turned down the street that lead to the Soul Society's passage into the human world, gratefully deserted, did he stop her, quickly closing the distance between them and setting his feet firmly in front of the girl.
"Rukia, accompany me to the Fourth." The statement wasn't quite a command, but it left no room for argument.
To the girl's credit, she didn't even flinch at the man's sudden appearance. Then again, he hadn't attempted to hide his reiatsu. As much as he relished the look of utter shock on Renji's face when he suppressed his energy and popped up unexpectedly – and he enjoyed that much more than any noble clan leader should – he doubted the girl would appreciate such an entrance at present time. And, if he was being honest, he had never been successful in hiding his energy from the girl. She had the uncanny ability of sensing him, even when he tried.
"Nii-sama, please move," she stated calmly. As hard as she tried, she couldn't hide the slight tremble in her voice. It only made Byakuya's frown deepen. "If I don't go now, I may not make it before the fight starts."
"Which is exactly what I intend to keep you from," Byakuya said, his gaze not wavering. "This has gone on long enough. You will follow me back to the Fourth, where we will await the arrival of the venom's antidote."
"No." Rukia seemed more shocked at her words than her brother did, but she powered through that momentary surprise, riding her boldness for all it was worth. "I'm going to help Ichigo."
"You are going to stay here, in the Soul Society, and wait."
"I'm tired of waiting," she spat, shaking her head almost violently. "All I've done for the past couple of days is wait, and it has gotten me nowhere. Now let me through."
She went to push past, but Byakuya only stepped in her way once more. The small movement irritated the man more than he was willing to admit. He had not dismissed her, and even if she was his sister, she was of a lower rank and of a younger age. He would not have her being disrespectful, no matter how upset she was.
"Do you really think storming into the human world will benefit anyone in the battle that will soon begin?" Byakuya asked. "Do you think you are in any mental state, or emotional state for that matter, to fight? You are being reckless." The words were harsh, granted, but they were true. With how distraught she was, she would do the fighting party no good. Her technique would be lost in her emotions, and she would hinder the team, possibly adding another injury to the ever growing list.
"I'd rather be reckless than sit here and wait for others to help the situation," she hissed through clenched teeth. Now she was being unreasonable, her logic long overshadowed by her own frustrations.
"You're being a child," Byakuya continued, his eyebrows furrowed as his own frustration grew. "You are not stable enough to fight, and I will not have you rushing into battle, trying to get yourself killed by the very hollow Abarai kept from destroying you in the first place. Or have you forgotten his sacrifice for your safety?"
He hadn't meant to throw that in her face, knowing Renji's situation was difficult for the girl to swallow, but it was still a valid concern. If she left now and got herself killed, Renji would have suffered for nothing, and Byakuya was not okay with the idea of adding another potential casualty to the mess they have found themselves in. It was already too much with Renji's life hanging in the balance. But still, he hated the look that passed Rukia's face at his words.
"I didn't ask him to do that," she began after regaining her bearings, but he cut her off.
"But he did, and you will make it all for naught if you throw your life away so easily."
"I'm not incompetent," she fired back, all but shaking in anger.
"I never said you were," he insisted.
She scoffed at the words, a bitter smile crossing her features. "You don't have to say anything when it is clear in your actions," she started, the smile falling slowly the more she spoke. "I know you are disappointed and trust me, I know this is my fault. But this is my chance to fix it."
"Your fault?" Byakuya repeated, a frown gracing his features as his frustration melted away into confusion. He ran through the last few days in his mind, the silent dinners, the quiet nights. He had thought the girl needed her space as he collected his thoughts, devising a plan of action for breaching the subject of Renji's fate carefully, to prepare her for the worst and hope for the best. Looking back, he hadn't realized that she would take his lack of communication as anger or disappointment on his part.
This had turned into quite the mess.
"If I go now, I can kill the hollow and make up for it," she insisted, clearly not hearing the question in his tone.
"Rukia," he started, shaking his head. "You will not go. You are not needed in Karakura Town."
The pain that flashed in her eyes was enough to have Byakuya amending his words. "You are more needed here, by Renji's side when he is healed."
Stepping forward, he laid an awkward hand on her shoulder, unsure of how to comfort the girl. Rukia flinched under the touch, but remained still otherwise. For a moment, he was uncertain what he could say to change her mind, but he had to try to make her see.
"What you are doing is selfish," he stated softly, ignoring the look of shocked hurt that clouded her expression as she dropped her gaze. "Well-intended, but selfish. What are you trying to prove? No one blames you for what happened, no one except yourself. The Soul Society knows you are a superb Shinigami."
"Do you know that?" she questioned suddenly, her eyes still not meeting his.
He forced her to look up, his gaze softening at the look in her eyes. She was nearly lost in her fear and sadness and self-blame, and her need to be assured of her worth was nearly tangible. He couldn't let her slip away, couldn't let her give in. Not when Renji wasn't dead yet. He still had a chance, as slim as it was, and Byakuya was determined to keep his sister clinging to that hope for as long as possible. If his Lieutenant died, they would cross that bridge together, but for now, she would need to be strong. And if that took his support for her to see, he would give it.
He wasn't usually one for praise, but he would provide it for his sister if it meant the light would return to her eyes.
"Of course I know," he said with a small smile – the best he could muster – as he patted the girl's shoulder and refusing to recognize the uncertainty in his gesture. He'd never get better at comforting another person if he didn't practice. "But Renji will need your strength here, not with Ichigo. I am sure when he is awoken, newly cured, the first person he will look for will be you. You must not disappoint him."
The last of Rukia's determination slipped from her grasp at those words, and she lowered her face once more, this time to hide her tears. "I've already hurt him so much, Nii-sama," she whispered, shaking her head. "I've done this to him, all of it, and if he has any common sense at all he will never forgive me."
Byakuya released a small sigh as he turned the two of them back towards the Fourth. He knew despite his best efforts, she could not help but worry, considering her feelings for the redhead. He knew this was not going to be an easy fix, but would take time. Regardless, the steps they were taking back towards the Infirmary gave him a small sense of accomplishment. At least she would be safe.
Byakuya was aware of how his own actions were selfish, and that he was a hypocrite for declaring her motives as such when his reasons for keeping her here were also driven by his desire to keep her from danger, but he brushed that thought aside easily. He would allow himself to be a little selfish this time, knowing it was for the best if Rukia was not involved in the fight.
He had not been mistaken in his judgment of her wellbeing, seeing as how the girl was nearly asleep on her feet, exhausted from the day's events and her overwhelming emotions. He made a note to request a sleep aid for the girl once they arrived at the Fourth. She would need to rest. It would make the wait easier.
"Well," he started, eyes facing forward as they walked. "It's a good thing common sense is not in Abarai's repertoire of skills."
X
Calm nights had always been a blessing for Ichigo. With all of the many directions his life had gone in within the past few years, a night with little to no activity was a welcome change. Usually, he'd spend the time with Orihime, or with the boys, or his family. He'd allow his body to relax, if only for a little while, and catch up on sleep that had evaded him in his hectic schedule.
But tonight, Ichigo was not up for calm. The blood in his veins hummed with barely suppressed anxiety, his fingers twitching impatiently as he stood in the calm night air. The others had just arrived, joining Ishida and himself at the open field just outside of the city, close enough to be considered local but far enough away that no random pedestrians would stumble into the mix. Here, they wouldn't have to worry about the destruction of buildings, unexplained gashes in paved streets and sidewalks.
His eyes looked around the group, flicking between Chad and Ishida before sliding to Orihime, standing just to his right side. He had been against her involvement, but she had all but glared at the suggestion of her staying back in town. She could handle herself, had proven her abilities. At the very least, she was determined to be present to provide her healing abilities, but he knew she would be joining the offense as well. There was little he could do to turn her away, so he had accepted the girl's presence for the fight, especially when the idea of using her barriers as a box for the hollow they needed was presented as a possibility.
The orange-haired man sighed, shifting his body weight from foot to foot. "Is everyone ready?"
Only when the gang nodded, one by one, did Ishida speak up. "When the bait is crushed, we will have seconds, minutes at most, to prepare ourselves." As he addressed the others, he reached into his bag and pulled out the small white capsule.
Ichigo's gut tightened at the sight of it, aware of what was about to come. He still didn't like it, didn't like what they were about to do. They would open the town up to a multitude of hollows, leaving any spirits open for the taking if they couldn't contain the overflow of the beasts. After the last time they had done such a thing, they had nearly been overwhelmed, what with both Ichigo and Ishida younger and less developed. Though they now were much stronger, and Orihime and Chad would both be in the mix, he couldn't shake the feeling of dread that accompanied that little white pill.
But what else could they do at this point? Renji had run out of time, and the need to find the hollow was now too great to ignore. The damn thing had been hiding, but a youngster like it would not be able to resist the call of the bait. It would come to the clearing, teeth bared and ready, and they would somehow have to get a sample without being killed by the other hollows that would no doubt come as well.
It irritated Ichigo that they couldn't just kill the stupid thing and be done with it. He'd never been the best with holding back, restraining himself to injuring the hollow instead of delivering a fatal blow. But if he killed the hollow, and their source of the venom disappeared with the kill, it would sentence Renji to death and all of this would be for nothing.
"Ichigo," Ishida spoke sharply, drawing the visored's eyes from the pill in his hand to the cool gaze of the Quincy. "You are the only one who has seen this thing, having faced it before. While the others and I know a little of what we are looking for, your identification of the hollow will be crucial. Keep your focus on the fight, but be on the lookout for the hollow we need."
Ichigo nodded as he returned to the present. "If you see anything with quills, get my attention," he stated slowly, ignoring the worried look Orihime was giving him as he tried to control the way his jaw muscle was clenching and unclenching. She knew him better than anyone here, knew that he was at war with himself over the use of the bait, that he was worried out of his mind for his friend who could die without their help, and he appreciated the silent support she provided, but right now he just wanted to get this fight underway. The sooner they found the hollow, the better it would be.
"Let's get this over with," Ishida stated softly, closing his eyes briefly before focusing his attention to the bait held between his fingers. With a small exhale, the bait was crushed, and the group waited silently.
The first hollow materialized within seconds, appearing a hundred yards behind Chad, directly in Ichigo's line of sight. A threatening snarl left it, drool seeping from his jaw as hungry eyes looked over the group of fighters. "First contender," the visored says with a growl, his fingers flexing around the handle of Zangetsu.
"Second," Ishida muttered, looking past Ichigo's shoulder as the hairs stood up on the back of Ichigo's neck. He loaded his bow, his eyes never leaving his targeted hollow.
"Third," Chad chimed in, widening his stance as his eyes trained on the hollow to his left.
"Fourth," Orihime added as she watched a hollow circling behind Ishida.
For a second, it seemed like they were in a standstill, none of the hollows moving. But the moment of stillness was gone seconds later, and the fight began.
Ichigo didn't bother keeping count as he cut through a multitude of hollows, his eyes sweeping the field as he moved. He dodged the blow of a large arm, body hunkered down low before bringing his zanpakuto up through the hollow in front of him with substantial force, slicing through it cleanly and watching as it disappeared with a blue glow. Another attempted to catch him unaware, attacking from above. Zangetsu was pulled cleanly through his skull as he fell somewhere to the side of the visored.
He could hear the whistle of an arrow before it found purchase with a solid thud as it pierced an unprepared hollow. He could feel the ground shake with the power Chad had put into a particularly hard punch. He could even sense the power of Orihime's barrier as she kept the hollows at bay behind him, releasing a few offensive blows of her own when the monsters threatened to overwhelm them in numbers. All the while, Ichigo looked for the hollow that mattered.
All of these hollows were inexperienced, barely worth their attention, and as more and more came, he grew more and more frustrated with the lack of the quilled bastard they were looking for.
A roar to his left, and then another dead hollow from a deep blow to the neck and lower jaw that drug through the lower half of the monster's head. The sound of footfalls behind his, and he sidestepped to avoid the attack, swiping his zanpakuto with ease to decapitate the hollow. No quills, no poison, no reason for them to live for any longer than they needed.
"Any sign of it?" Ishida called out, burring four arrows in four awaiting hollows as they leapt through the air towards the Quincy.
"Not yet," Ichigo called back, sweeping the field once more as he ripped his zanpakuto from where it had stuck in the eye socket of a hollow, ignoring the blood splattering his uniform as he did so. Uryuu released an arrow in his direction, missing Ichigo's shoulder by mere inches before finding the hollow behind him. The visored flinched, glaring at the man with the bow.
"A little warning next time, you asshole!"
"I wouldn't have to save you if you paid attention!" Ishida chided half-heartedly, smugly smiling at the man as he moved around him.
"You're the one distracting me!" Ichigo called back with an annoyed tone, though he couldn't stop the smirk in return. It felt like old times, falling into a familiar dance as they fought, protecting each other as they faced their own opponents.
"Maybe if you flare that obnoxious energy of yours you'll draw in the hollow we need," Ishida said with a mocking tone as he released another series of shots, one after the other. "What do you think Chad?"
"Might help," the man said after a moment, crushing the skull of a small hollow as he spoke.
"See," Ishida stated, drawing another arrow. "Even Chad thinks you are obnoxious."
"At least I don't sew my own costume," Ichigo said in a grunt, fending off the jaws of one hollow with the flat of his blade before twisting it up to slice through the bone it found there. But even if there was a "friendly" insult in the comment about his reiastu, Ichigo knew it was a god idea. The hollow had faced him before. Perhaps it would be drawn in by the familiar energy.
"Brace yourselves," he called as a warning before flooding the area with as much energy as he could spare without affecting his fighting ability.
"Jesus," Ishida muttered, shaking his head as the wave of power washed over him. "It's a wonder the little shit hasn't come before now with you around. You practically have a neon sign around your neck saying 'dinner'."
"Jealousy doesn't suit you, Ishida," Ichigo said with a laugh, ignoring the scoff from the other man and turning to face an approaching hollow.
"Ichigo, we might have a winner," Orihime called out as the visored disposed of yet another beast. With wide eyes, Ichigo turned towards the girl, noting the hollow that stood in front of her.
It had its shoulders squared towards the girl who had called out, its body built like some sort of primate as it snapped its jaw loudly. But what caught Ichigo's attention were the quills that extended from its back.
Finally, Ichigo thought with a sneer.
"That's the one. Keep it contained, 'Hime," he roared as he turned his attention to the others. "We've got to kill the rest of these little shits before we can deal with it."
"Right," Orihime shouted back, immediately forming barriers on all sides of the hollow, trapping it within the glow of yellow.
"Chad, go protect Orihime while she holds that thing in place," Ishida hollered, and the big man only made a sound of acknowledgement before shifting to stand by the girl, ready to take on any hollow that tried to get near.
"Let's end this quickly and get that venom," Ichigo called to the Quincy. The hollows were coming in fewer numbers now. If they could just hold out for a few more minutes, he was sure there would be no hollows left to fight, and they could focus on the one they needed the most.
"I couldn't agree more," Uryuu said as he closed the distance between them, bow at the ready.
As he had thought, the flow of hollows drawn to the bait lessened, and within minutes the group was alone in the field, save the one hollow that seemed to be trying to fight its way out of the yellow box Orihime had placed him in.
"Someone's been feeding," Ichigo said under his breath, eyeing the way the hollow threw itself at the force that kept him contained. It had gotten bigger since he had last faced it, its shoulders more broad and the quills longer if that was possible.
"How are we going to get the poison?" Orihime asked, her focus on keeping her force fields steady even as she posed the question.
"I'm assuming asking it nicely would not work," Ishida said sarcastically.
"And we can't very well take it to the Soul Society as is," Ichigo added with a snort, a frown falling into place as Chad hummed in agreement.
"We will have to act fast," Ishida said with a sigh, eying the quills on the back as he thought. "It looks like the poison is only on the tips, probably from a gland imbedded in the quill itself." With a thoughtful expression, he reached into his bag once more to pull out a vile. "If we can just isolate a quill, I'm sure we can get the sample we need."
"But how do we isolate it?" Ichigo asked, shaking his head. He was shaking with anger at the very sight of the hollow, the urge to kill the damn beast rising with every passing second. He wanted it dead, but he wanted the poison more.
Ichigo approached the makeshift cage as the hollow's eyes locked on him. A low growl erupted from its chest as it threw itself towards him, slamming into the side of the barrier with such a forced that it creaked under the pressure, its jaws opening wide and snapping shut repeatedly as it tried to tear its way through to get to the visored.
A low whistle escaped Ishida as he crossed his arms. "It's hatred for you is pretty noticeable," he said with a small chuckle. "Perhaps we can use that to our advantage."
"What is with you and using bait?" Ichigo stated teasingly, following the Quincy's thoughts easily. They would give the hollow a target to fire at – aka himself – and isolate the quills once they are launched. It seemed simple enough.
"I'm old-fashioned, and bait is just a tried and true method," Uryuu replied with a shrug, stepping back as he looked around the field. "Orihime, do you think you can hold that box from a distance?"
"I think so," the girl responded with a nod, backing away as well.
The four spread out along the edges of the field, Ichigo in line with the back of the hollow. Even as he moved, the hollow's eyes never left him, giving Ichigo confidence that if the hollow attacked anyone, it would be him. But something unnerved him. The hollow had acted strategically the last time they had faced it. He doubted getting it to fire at him would be as easy as it seemed.
"When you are ready, Orihime, drop the barriers," Uryuu called, and a moment later the hollow was freed.
Ichigo braced himself for the hollow's attack, only to watch as the hollow remained still. Its narrowed eyes still lingered on Ichigo, but his body didn't move an inch. It was waiting for something.
"What's it doing?" Ishida called, bow drawn and ready to strike.
"How should I know?" the visored shot back, shaking his head as he kept his eyes trained for any small movement the hollow made.
"It's calculating something," Chad said with a low tone, and Ichigo was positive that the giant of a man was right. The hollow was going through its options, ignoring the hatred it held for Ichigo and developing a plan of attack. The very thought sent dread running through his frame, his eyes narrowing in challenge.
"Come on you stupid hollow, what are you waiting for?" he shouted, trying to antagonize it into attacking him, but the hollow didn't budge. In a moment of panic, Ichigo allowed his gaze to slip to Orihime, absent-mindedly thinking she was much too close for his liking. She wasn't paying him any attention, her eyes fixed on the hollow with her hands up defensively, and Ichigo's attention only lingered for a moment before returning to the beast in front of them.
That small glance seemed to be what the hollow was waiting for.
With a wicked grin, the hollow turned its attention to Orihime and charged. The girl dodged the open jaws as the hollow barreled towards her, placing a shield between herself and the monster as it continued its attack, her eyes wide as she nearly stumbled in the effort to get away. The others froze, unprepared for the hollow's actions against the girl, before jumping into action.
"Orihime!" Ichigo yelled, sprinting towards the hollow as it tried desperately to attack the smaller girl. So that was its plan. It was waiting to see who Ichigo was most concerned about, a weak spot for the visored. It didn't help that Orihime was the least battle trained of them all, overwhelmingly a defensive fighter as opposed to offensive. Ichigo mentally cursed himself for allowing the slip. He knew the plan was too simple, that the hollow would be unpredictable, and he had allowed it an opening.
As he moved, the hollow's eyes followed, and suddenly the monster's back was quivering and shifting. Ichigo recognized the sign, remembering how the hollow had fired the quills the last time when he had targeted Rukia, and knew what was coming. But even as its back shook, the hollow kept attacking Orihime. She couldn't drop her shield, not with the way the hollow was advancing, and if she divided her attention to block Ichigo, her barrier would lose to the hollow's strength.
He would have to dodge.
"Ichigo, don't," Orihime started as she looked over at the man, the shield dropping for only a second before it was replaced with another one. Her worry for him was going to get her injured, and Ichigo watched as the hollow's eyes narrowed in the small victory. Another opening like that and he'd be one step closer to getting the girl between its teeth.
"Orihime, don't lose focus," the visored warned, drawing Zangetsu in front of him. "Just keep the shield up!" He was going to kill this thing just as soon as they could get the poison. He was still a good distance away, but he was in range of the quills now.
"Chad, catch!" Ishida called, loud enough to be heard over the hollow's roars, tossing the vile to the man who caught it easily with one hand. "Get the venom when the hollow fires!"
Chad did as the Quincy said, circling the hollow as it continued to bring its jaw down on the shield, the quills rocking in a threatening display before releasing from the hollows back. Ichigo watched as the quills rose, peaking slightly before starting their decent, heading straight for him. He ducked his head and pressed forward, weaving in between the large projectiles as they impaled the ground around him, his steps quick as he cut right and left.
One of the last quills to fall landed particularly close as he neared the hollow, slicing cleanly through the sleeve of his uniform before embedding in the dirt below. The poisoned tip had missed his arm fortunately, but the long quill had effectively pinned him in place where it struck the ground. He came to a halt, his body jolting as it was forced to a stop. He grabbed the material and pulled hard, but was struggling to free himself as the rest of the quills fell around him, none hitting their mark but close enough to cause the man to flinch.
"Ichigo!" Orihime screamed, her eyes wide as she watched. Ichigo heard the desperate tone in her voice, knowing she'd let up on her attention to the shield if she worried for him. He quickly whipped Zangetsu around him, slicing through the quills trapping him in place and cutting the uniform to escape. His eyes found Orihime's form as she turned back towards the hollow, who now pressed down on her shield with all of its weight and forced the girl to the ground.
In two strides, he had crossed the remaining ground and placed his zanpakuto between him and the hollow as he came to crouch over Orihime just as her shield slipped once more. Teeth slid across metal with a hiss as Ichigo locked his arms, holding the hollow off by the flat of his blade. He could feel his arms shake, every muscle in his body screaming from the strain of holding the monster at bay, but he couldn't drop his guard. Not when the warmth at his back reminded him that Orihime was behind him and in danger. He had to kill the thing.
But he couldn't get enough of a distance to use Zangetsu, the hollow never letting up long enough for him to strike. It was too close, hot breath hitting his face as it roared in its attempts to rip him apart. One knee was forced to the ground from a particularly strong blow against the flat of his blade, and Ichigo knew he wouldn't last much longer in this position. If he didn't act fast, both he and Orihime would be dead.
With a loud grunt, he clenched his eyes shut and pushed with all of his might.
The hollow stumbled, falling back far enough for Ichigo to pull Zangetsu up in a defensive stance. It lunged towards them again, angered at the visored's strength, but as the hollow neared an arrow struck it in the back of the head. The speed of the arrow had the sharp point pushing through the skull, coming to a stop once it had broken through the forehead of the monster. In moments, the hollow dissolved into blue light, breaking apart and rising before disappearing completely, leaving nothing but the sound of Ichigo's heavy breathing.
The visored looked towards the Quincy standing further off, his bow now by his side as he eyed the spot the hollowed had just occupied. His hands still shook with the adrenaline of the battle, but his arrow had been true in its path.
Ichigo let out a shaky breath as he wiped the sweat from his brow with the sleeve that was still intact. Orihime still clung to his back, her hands fisted in his uniform, and he threw a concerned look over his shoulder. She only smiled, silently assuring him that she was okay, and he turned back to the Quincy with a small smirk.
"Took you long enough, Robin Hood," Ichigo hollered out once he caught his breath. "Think you can kill the next hollow before it has its jaws around my neck?"
Uryuu rolled his eyes, noticeable even from the distance between them. "It's not my fault you couldn't push the hollow away quicker, Kurosaki. I'd much rather have a clear shot than have to worry about you getting in the way of one of my arrows, as tempting as it is to shoot you sometimes."
Ichigo chuckled, but nodded his head in appreciation. With a softer tone, he called out once more. "Thanks."
Ishida only nodded in return, the bow now put away as he turned towards Chad. "You get the venom?" he asked the large man as he straightened to his full height from where he had crouched over one of the quills. Ichigo noted that the man had broken the large projectile in half, and a sound of admiration left him. Chad's strength was monstrous.
Chad raised the vile with a small smile, showing the glass now contained an off-white liquid that glistened in the moonlight. "Got it."
Ichigo let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, his head falling back to look at the night sky as a lazy smile graced his features. But he pulled himself up to his feet, not allowing his body to rest even as exhaustion pressed in on him. The hardest part was over, but they still had to get the venom to the Soul Society where an antidote would need to be made. Renji wasn't out of the woods quite yet.
Hopefully they had gotten it in time.
Long chapter is long. Stupidly so. I mean, 15ish pages on Word is ridiculous, even for me (poor beta Rose Attack). But after all of the cliffhangers I've put y'all through, I couldn't bring myself to stop it in the middle of the battle, as tempting as that idea was (and trust me, I had originally planned to do just that).
For those wondering, this story is winding down. I'm thinking it will be maybe two more chapters at the most, much shorter than Shadows Surround Us, but then again, this story was never meant to be very long. Still, it kind of shocks me how quickly it is wrapping up.
I hope everyone enjoyed this one!
Much love,
Meg