We're still alive! My apologies everyone for the late update. I forgot to tell Chev it was her turn for a week and then we both got really busy and had some really bad cases of writer's block. Then again... it's really hard to write stuff when your character is bed-ridden! No miraculous recovery for Airi-chan. (We both write both of the girls' parts, but I wonder if anyone can tell when we switch writers?) Anyways, without further delay, here is chapter 17! -Airumel (10/13/12)
-Chapter 17-
Zezuri continued to sneak through the streets of the Soul Society, but it was proving very difficult with the slight limp she maintained after her fall.
Suddenly she heard two Shinigami approaching. She scurried around, trying to find a place to hide, but the streets were completely empty of any obvious hiding places.
"Hey, who are you?" one of the Shinigami asked.
"I-I um... well..." Zezuri stuttered.
"Aren't you that girl the 6th squad has been keeping? Trying to escape back to Aizen?" the other questioned eagerly.
"N-no..." she had almost fallen backwards trying to escape, but had bumped into the 6th squad lieutenant.
"Sorry, I forgot where I left you," he said, putting a hand on Zezuri's shoulder.
"A-Abarai Fuku-taicho!" the two Shinigami bowed in respect to their superior.
"Don't you two have some work to do?" the lieutenant asked sternly.
"Yes Sir!" they abruptly excused themselves.
Zezuri looked up at the lieutenant with relief and found him looking down at her with disappointment and irritation.
"What do you think you are doing out here? If you wanted to go somewhere, you could've ask..." he scolded.
"S-sorry... I don't know what I was thinking..." the brunette looked away sadly, "I just wanted to see Airi."
"Don't get all depressed on me again. I'm sure you'll see her again soon. Now c'mon, I have to get you back before I get into trouble," Renji took her by the hand and guided her gently before she stumbled to the ground, "W-what's the matter?"
"M-my ankle..." she muttered, no longer able to hold back the tears. "I sprained it trying to get over the wall..."
"You mean you climbed over the wall!?" Renji said surprised as she nodded in pain, "Couldn't you take care of that yourself?"
"I was so scared that I didn't think about that..." she remembered she had more painful experiences back in Hueco Mundo, but that still didn't stop the throbbing in her ankle.
"Well we better not do it here. You almost caused a scene in public already," he carefully picked up the brunette girl in his arms.
Zezuri's face proceeded to turn bright red, "I-I can walk, don't worry about me..." she said, turning her head away. "Just flash step us back already," she said when Renji made no move to put her down.
"I don't get you; you wanted out and now you're in a hurry to get back? It's not like you're heavy or anything. I can walk so you can enjoy being out for a while," he tried to restrain the now struggling girl.
Zezuri gave up and let Renji carry her down the street. He moved at a slow pace, careful not to jostle the injured girl too much. As the squad six barracks came into view, Zezuri realized just how short her journey had been.
Someone was coming.
Airi's eyes fluttered open. Taking in her surroundings, or more of recognizing the ceiling, she remembered where she was.
A familiar presence was growing nearer slowly.
Fighting with all her might, Airi struggled to push herself up. Try as she would, she couldn't muster enough strength to do more than clench her fists. At least that was an improvement.
With a sigh, Airi relaxed her muscles and focused on the presence she was sensing. It felt familiar, but she was confused why all of a sudden she could sense other people around. Zezuri? She wondered sensing her friend nearby. Again, she forced herself to rise. This time she found herself sitting up, briefly before a wave of nausea overtook her.
"H-hey! D-don't push yourself!" a nervous voice yelled urgently from within the room.
Airi looked over to the speaker; it was Hanataro, who had been seated in a chair by the door.
"P-please, j-just don't move too much, your wounds still haven't healed fully!" he pleaded the arrancar. Fear was written across his face; the arrancar's presence unnerved him.
Shakely, Airi put a hand to her forehead, ignoring Hanataro's advice. Silently, she wondered if this was what a hangover felt like, and then chuckled inwardly for having such an outrageous thought. The moment of mirth was short lived as her fingers brushed the mask fragments in her hair.
Catching the hint of a smile on his ward's face, Hanataro relaxed his guard a little. "H-how are you feeling?"
A dark eyebrow shot up underneath Airi's blonde bangs, "Hard to say, better, I suppose."
"T-that's a relief. Y-you've been out for most of the week."
"A week!?" exclaimed Airi, she was still wearing her bloodstained and battle torn outfit after all, "And I still feel this bad? Just what happened to me? I remember telling Zezuri to run... and fighting that other Shinigami, but that's it before I woke up here."
"I can tell you," a stern voice came from the doorway, "But I'm not sure you want to hear it."
"Hitsugaya-taicho!" Hanataro rose to his feet and gave a short bow to the captain.
"There's no need for that Yamada. You've been here all week, after all."
"Y-yes, sir!" the healer gave another bow, instantly forgetting his instructions to be less formal.
The captain entered the room and stood at the foot of the arrancar's bed. His turquoise gaze was intense and strangely familiar, yet no matter how hard she thought about it, Airi could not place where she'd seen him before.
"The woman you fought, Matsumoto, is my vice captain," he began, "She had been wounded her quite badly by the time I stepped in. An arrancar with a release resembling a bird attacked both of us. That, if I'm not mistaken, was you."
Airi listened silently; although she couldn't remember any of this personally, strange memories of an overwhelming power were bubbling to the surface of her mind.
"You managed to take out Matsumoto and despite any wounds we inflicted, showed no signs of stopping. My plan at that point was to let you burn yourself out, but another arrancar stepped in."
A shiver went down Airi's back knowing who he meant.
"I have no doubt this was an Espada. His power dwarfed everyone else's. I was sure it was over for me, even if you had followed his orders to retreat I couldn't hope to match his power. I only survived because you turned your blade on him."
"I did what!?" the words burst from the girl's mouth before she could stop them. Was it just her imagination, or had she sounded just slightly indignant about attacking her master?
"Yes, you attacked him full on."
"But... how?"
A puzzled look crossed the captain's face, "I'm afraid I don't follow; you were manic, I don't think you knew what you were doing at all."
"No, I didn't," Airi admitted, "But I shouldn't have been able to attack him, let alone ignore his orders," she massaged her forehead with her fingers; this was making her headache even worse.
"Why would that be?"
"I'm Ulquiorra's fraccion."
Eyes wide with surprise, Hitsugaya managed to keep his jaw from dropping, unlike the terrified healer sitting in the doorway, mouth agape. This was certainly news.
"What happened when I attacked him?" eagerness pushed its way into Airi's tone. She had to know.
"You landed your attack and he cut you down in one attack."
The arrancar was silent. She'd defied her master. Attacked him even. How? She felt sicker than ever and laid back down. What was going on? Wasn't she bound to follow all orders without questioning them? What had changed?
Grimmjow sat in his musty cell with nothing on his mind. He wasn't one to ponder very often, but he couldn't deny how unbelievably bored he was. Every time the cell block gaurd wandered by, he would imagine taking his chances and blowing the shinigami to smithereens. As he was know fool, Grimmjow realize that since he was held in the Soul Society, he had little options of surviving if he managed to escape. He was powerful, but not even Ulquiorra could fight his way out of this operation.
His thoughts of escape turned into thoughts of the other two captives. Staring at the floor where he'd last seen her, the Espada wondered how Ulquiorra's fraccion holding up; last he'd seen her she was in horrible shape. Then his thoughts shifted to the subject he had on lockdown: the brunette, he wouldn't even let himself think her name. Something about how she made him feel scared him; but then again he didn't know what to think of that one. He wondered what caused him to do what he did to save her from losing control. Grimmjow was sure that if it came down to it, he could destroy her, but the thought of losing her as well was unbearable.
The espada shook his head, who was he to feel this way, especially for a girl who was now a shinigami? Then he remembered Aizen had mentioned something and that girl seemed to be at the center of his plans. Aizen wouldn't let her sit peacefully in the Soul Society forever; he would return for her. Grimmjow knew he had to get out of this cell, eventually.
"Here, you should be able to heal yourself now," Renji sat Zezuri back down on the terrace of the 6th's barracks.
"Thanks..." her hand glowed as she sighed from the relief from pain.
"That's really amazing, how you can cast spells without chanting them. Normally, only an experienced shinigami can do that." the lieutenant was in clear awe of Zezuri.
"It's nothing really. I don't know many other spells other than healing and a few energy blasts. I am horrible at anything offensive..."
"Well hey, so you aren't bored all day, why don't I have someone come teach you a few moves?" he asked.
"Can't you teach me?" Zezuri looked up at him.
"Uh I told you already, that really isn't my forte..." he looked away embarrassed. "But Momo can... well maybe not, since your connection to Aizen might upset her..."
"Who is she?"
"Momo was Aizen's lieutenant before he betrayed us. She thought very highly of him and was heartbroken when he turned his back on her and left her for dead." Renji explained.
"Aizen seems to treat everyone that way..." she muttered smoothing out the skirt of her yukata as she recalled the friendly smile that usually adorned the traitor's face.
"He fooled us all," Renji put a hand on Zezuri's shoulder, "Every last captain."
A cool breeze blew across the courtyard.
"Tell you what, I'll see who else would have time to teach you a thing or two. I suspect we'll have a decision on your future shortly anyways," he flashed a reassuring smile to the girl seated next to him.
Zezuri looked up into Renji's smiling eyes, "Really?" she asked.
"Tomorrow morning," spoke Byakuya, suddenly standing behind them, "The General-captain wishes to speak with you then."
The initial feeling of relief that had filled Zezuri vanished suddenly and was replaced with the fear brought on by the memories of her last encounter with the head Shinigami.
The preparations were almost complete.
"Are you sure this is going to work?" Ichigo questioned the giant portal that stood before him in the basement of the Vizard's warehouse. He had just stopped by after his classes had let out for the day to train with his newfound allies.
"What are you, STUPID? Of course it'll work!" the shortest member of the group yelled, as she stopped her work to fling a sandal at the carrot top's head. Used to random attacks from his father, Ichigo caught the projectile in one quick motion.
"It's just that... last time..." Ichigo's thoughts drifted back to his rescue of Rukia. He thoughtlessly tossed Hiyori's sandal back to her.
"It should be more reliable than Kisuke's model; Hachi improved the design of the targeting spell." Shinji took a few steps back to look at the doorway his group had spent the last few days constructing, "Though, it might not be as stable... nah, we've still got a ways to go, so don't worry about that."
Ichigo sighed in frustration. He felt responsible for the two girls. Wasn't he Karakura's protector? How did Aizen slip under his radar like that?
"What's with you and saving damsels in distress? You're sure turning out to be quite the ladies' man!" the leader of the Vizards jabbed Ichigo in the ribs with his elbow.
"It's not like that!" Ichigo protested truthfully. Okay, maybe he'd had a slight interest in Rukia, "I only met them once! I just can't believe that the Sereitei didn't believe me when I reported Aizen's appearance."
Shinji gazed up to the false blue sky painted overhead. "If it's one thing those ol' windbags are good for, it's not listening..." his voice trailed off. "And it's bitten them again and again in the behind!" he laughed after a moment of silence.
Ichigo nodded in agreement. How much would it take for the Seireitei to accept that things were not always as black and white as their uniforms?
Zezuri tossed and turned in her sleep that night. Countless dreams started and stopped with no beginning and no end. Her meeting with the Shinigami council, Airi's crumpled form, Grimmjow's hopeless expression, the pain of losing control, all flew through her mind in a furious storm. Aizen extending a friendly hand with a cup of green liquid. Szayel's laboratory with all of its equipment buzzing and whirring. Would there be no end?
"Where are you, Zezuri?" a voice came from somewhere in front of her.
It sounded so familiar, she couldn't help but be drawn to it. Running, she headed for the voice calling her.
A phone rang.
"Hello? Yes, this is the Okinami residence."
"Mom?" asked Zezuri as the living room of her childhood came into view.
"Zezuri? Yes, she's my daughter."
Zezuri crept closer, "Mom?" she called again, but the woman on the phone paid no attention. "I'm right here, Mom..."
"I'm afraid I don't understand what you are saying. She can't be- no! Not my little girl!" Zezuri's mother broke into tears.
"Mom!" the brunette choked on her own tears, "I'm not- I'm here!" Her words could not reach the weeping woman. Zezuri rushed forward at her mother as she sank to the floor, sobbing. The phone dropped from her hand.
"Hello? Ma'am?" a staticy voice on the other end called.
As Zezuri made to give her mother a hug, the scene vanished, leaving only a empty white void in its place. "N-no!" shouted the lone girl into the dead space. Tears streamed down her face and fell to the ground without a sound.
"Zezuri," a weak male voice called from behind.
"Help us..." another, higher voice pleaded.
Whirling around in her dream-state, two figures came into Zezuri's vision.
Airi and Grimmjow staggered towards their friend, both were battered and bloody, just as they had been the last time she'd seen them.
"Help us..." begged Airi reaching out toward Zezuri.
Frozen to the spot by an unknown force, Zezuri watched helplessly as her friends dissolved into dust and blew away. Horrified, she let out a scream.
"W-what's going on?!" a male voice yelled throwing open the paper door to Zezuri's room.
Zezuri stopped screaming and realized she was sitting up on her futon mattress. Clenching the sheets so tight all the blood drained from her knuckles, she tried to stop herself from shaking.
"Are you okay?" Renji, wearing only the light-weight robe he slept in, knelt beside her. His zanpaktou lay up against the wall.
"I-I-just keep seeing things... so many terrible things..." she sobbed into her sheets. "I-I'm frightened. I can't go home and I can't help anyone!"
The lieutenant gently stroked the distraught girl's hair, and gently shushed her.
Zezuri continued to cry into her sheets. "I'm so s-scared..."
Renji said nothing, having no words of comfort for a dream.
Time crept slowly as the night grew old.
At one point, no one knew what time, Zezuri finally laid back down. Renji continued to sit by her bedside as she sniffled into her pillow.
Finally, the exhausted girl shed her last tear and fell into a deep sleep.
Shifting his weight, Renji found his legs had fallen asleep from kneeling next to the girl for awhile. Sighing, he rose and picked up his zanpakuto from where it rested against the wall. Looking back at the sleeping girl, he was struck by how sad she still looked in her sleep. Like the rest of the Shinigami, he couldn't remember his past life, but imagined that was a blessing. The poor girl had been so young too, to go out and remember it... the thought made him shudder. He needed some air. Yet, he couldn't just leave Zezuri, nightmares like that didn't go away all that easily.
With his back to the hallway, he opened the door to the courtyard. As silently as he could manage, the lieutenant slid the door shut behind him.
The slightest sliver of a waning moon hung above in the starry night sky. It was a clear night and with autumn swiftly approaching, the temperature was quite chilly.
Crickets chirped a slow and soft song, being the only noise to be heard.
Stretching his arms over his head, Renji let out a yawn. It was amazing how relaxed he felt in the night air. Knowing morning would soon be arriving, he seated himself against the wall of Zezuri's room. Shutting his eyes, he too, soon slipped into a deep sleep.
Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed! Questions, comments, reviews, etc are all very much appreciated. :) Hopefully we'll have 18 up soon. It's going to be a lengthy one I think... but don't quote me on that. I'm not sure if I'll get a chance to upload it next weekend as I get to fly home for a bit. :) (I haven't been home in 3 months) Until next time! -Airumel