DISCLAIMER: I don't own BLEACH. BLEACH is a property of Tite Kubo, and is not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only. This fanfiction story is inspired by a real life event. Any resemblance to any real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

DISCLAIMER PART 2:More like an excuse. I'm not a native speaker, so please forgive any grammatical errors. Thank you very much for reading, in advance.

DISCLAIMER PART 3:The Japanese words that I used here in this fic were translated using Google Translate. If there are any wrong grammars, I apologize. I just thought that it would be more effective if those lines were delivered in Japanese.

Again, I welcome criticism and corrections. Please don't hesitate to tell me.

...

Angels

...

It's a total chaos.

Dust filled the air around town, people are slowly flooding the street with their face filled with fear.

Well, you can practically smell fear around town.

I tried my best to maintain my mask and avoid the frown that's slowly creeping on my face.

These people are innocent. Even a three year old kid could tell that. What the fuck is Starrk thinking continuing the attack when the people are obviously fight less?

I looked around. My team were the first ones to enter this town. Asking them to remain calm, and to take out their papers proving their identity. They were very calm at first. But the sight that I am seeing now, is very far from the first time I entered this place.

The order that was given to me, is to just stand here in the town square , until the houses where cleared of people, and then burn the houses down to make sure that there's no one hiding inside.

Fuck, this is so sick. I came here to stop a rebellion to stop these people from disturbing peace, but no matter where I look at, we're the one that's disturbing peace in this town.

"Hey hey! Watch it! This guy is sick, you don't have to push him like that!"

My attention was pulled by a man with brown hair not too far from where I am. He's currently shouting at Nnoitra for dragging an old man out of his house.

I can't help but smirk. This guy's asking for it.

"Watch it? Watch it?!"

I heard Nnoitra laughed so hard. His soldiers following. But the just looked at them like they're a bunch of crazy people before he kneeled on the ground to help the old guy up.

The man was about to stand up again with the old guy when he was hit by the handle of Nnoitra's rifle. Power Tripping at its finest.

"Otousan!"

Then, out of nowhere, a small boy came running to help. He has orange hair, and is very small. I think he's around 9 or 8 years old. My mask shattered, being replaced by the frown that I've been trying so hard to hide.

He kneeled in front of the man, and started talking in a different language.

Japanese.

How did I know? It's because Starrk made me learn the languages that Aizen speaks. He said, it was so Aizen won't be able to fool me.

"Otousan! Otousan, daijobu-ka?!"

The boy continued. What are these Japanese doing here?

For a moment, I thought of going to Starrk to ask about this, but then, Aizen would know if his men are in a certain place or not.

These poor guys are just in a wrong place, at the wrong time.

"Shut the fuck up boy!"

Nnoitra was about to hit the boy too but the man shielded his son making Nnoitra hit him instead.

The boy's eyes went wide as he watches his father's back be hit continuously, a woman stood not so far from them, crying and pleading for Nnoitra to stop.

She's hugging her stomach in a very protective way.

My frown deepened.

Tsk. She's pregnant.

I felt a light squeeze on the part of my chest where my heart is supposed to be located. This is bad.

After a few more hits, Nnoitra stopped, satisfied with his handy work. A very evil smile plastered on his face.

"Stand up you lowly piece of shit and go to that barn immediately!"

I watch as the boy, still surprised, helped his father stand up, together with the old man.

"Oi oi, where do you think you're going pipsqueak?"

Nnoitra grabbed the boy's hair to pull him away from his father.

I heard the woman screamed.

"NO! No please!"

But, despite the pain, the boy's eyes went hard. Like you just awaken something inside him.

"To the barn." He said instead in French, but I know that look. He's technically saying Keep your hands off me you motherfucker!

Heh, I like this kid.

"Oh yeah? Didn't you hear the announcement you filthy cockroach? We said "Woman and children, to the church." You understand?!"

The boy was about to say something but his father interrupted him. So he let go of his father and walked towards his mother instead, who's now being pushed by other soldiers.

I was trained by Starrk to be emotionless during these times. To avoid feeling remorse and pity towards our victims. I say victims because they never fought back whenever we engage them. They would just stand there and cower in fear pleading for their lives, because they were innocent. But we would still shoot them. It doesn't matter if they're men, women, or children, we would still kill them.

Sounds awful I know. To tell you the truth, I was unable to sleep for two fucking weeks during my first time. I remember them whenever I try to close my eyes, I remember them whenever I hear someone shout, they, they're haunting me.

But I have no choice. It's either kill, or be killed.

...

And I don't wanna die yet.

I didn't notice that my eyes are following the boy. Not until they were returned by those burning chocolate brown eyes that are telling me to fucking stop staring at him.

I blinked, then frowned. This guy's crazy. Instead of accompanying his mother, he would rather stand there to stare back at me.

I looked at Nnoitra to make sure that he's far enough before I returned my eyes to the boy and spoke.

"Gaki, ike."

It was his turn to frown, but not surprised. Not even an ounce of being curious.

But then he turned and ran towards his mom.

"You shouldn't do that Grimmjow, that's dangerous."

I heard Shawlong whisper behind me, but enough for me to hear.

"I know. "

Yes. Of course I know that. If ever any of Nnoitra's men would hear me speaking in Japanese, They would think that I'm plotting something, and it would be a good ground for Nnoitra to kill me on the spot. That asshole's just looking for a good reason to do that.

I don't really know what happened but, something inside me forced me to communicate to that child.

Maybe because I was his age when I lost my parents. I feel sympathy.

Oh fuck, this is bad...

"Do we really have to do these?"

I heard D Roy whispered.

"Shut up D Roy." Nakeem exclaimed.

"But Nakeem, look at them, they're... they're- "

"Enough. Do you want to die D Roy?"

Shawlong's voice got an octave higher. This made me sigh. Sometimes I wonder if Shawlong would have been a better leader for this group. He's much more matured and reliable. Unlike me who's always rebellious.

"Just be thankful that we're not the one who's going to kill them. Forget about other people's task and focus on what was given to us. And that is to burn down all of these houses. Got it?"

I faced them, trying to read their emotions. I know that they're having doubts right now. But like what I said, it's to kill, or be killed. And as their leader, I have to make sure that they're all safe. I think they managed to understand our situation. Because their masks returned.

"Yes Sir."

They all answered after a few moments.

I nodded and faced the town square once more. I let out a sigh before looking around the place. This town is so beautiful. But in a few minutes, this town will be covered with fire and smoke that will take away its beauty. Such a waste.

I think the Nazis should stop ruining towns like this. Specially towns like this. Makes me wanna wrangle the neck of whoever said that this town is planning a coup.

As I watch our soldiers push the people, and forcefully gather them in the middle of town like sheep, I can't help but feel bad. I feel like a robot. Like I'm just following the orders that was given to me like a mindless machine. But what am I supposed to do? If I do something, I'm sure, I'm sure that Aizen is going to kill my men, or worst, he would kill Starrk.

I don't want that to happen. Not to these people that followed me through my craziness, not to Starrk.

Then I remembered the boy. His face, though looked very young, looked very intellectual. You can say that he knows what he was doing. And during that moment, those eyes that are fiery against Nnoitra, shows fear and hopelessness towards me.

He knows.

He looked at me, straight to my eyes and said those words that shook my legs.

"Tasukete..."

Then he turned and ran towards his mom.

...

XXXooooXXX

...

It's getting hard to breathe.

It feels like my lungs just shrunk and is now not enough to supply air all around my body.

I remember trying to play soccer with Buzz B before. We agreed to play until we can't play anymore. Until tiredness overcomes us. The twins even left us, saying that we're crazy.

We ran, and ran across the field, chasing the ball and kicking each other, and laughing. Mostly laughing. The burn on my lungs, the thirst, those are very far away from what I am feeling right now.

I'm having a hard time giving orders to my legs, like my body is now not my own. And my mind is screaming at me. Screaming for me to run.

Run, run, run, RUN!

But my body just won't listen. Because I'm still walking. Because running is no longer an option.

I can't help but chuckle as I look around before we entered this church. I think that they chose the best place.

I exhaled.

Before, I was always excited to go to the church. I love it here. The sounds that the echoes are making, the dampness, the statues, the windows that are decorated by stained glass arts, the high ceiling, practically everything. They're all making me feel relaxed. That's why I usually go here when my friends are too busy to play soccer.

But now, as I walk towards the altar, I can't help but notice how dark it is in here, how scary the eyes of those statues are, even the light that the stained glass windows are casting is making me feel sick.

And the cries of children, and the lack of oxygen are suffocating me.

I'm scared.

I gripped my mom's hand as we walk. As I looked around, I noticed that most of the women are praying. And their children, crying. We already stopped singing. Those filthy Nazis forced us to sing as we walked. And now that the singing is no longer masking the cries that people all around me is doing, those sounds are making me anxious. And it's making me wanna cry too.

But I can't. Not because I'm already too old for crying, but because I need to be strong for my mom.

I know that she's scared too. Maybe much much more than I am.

Her hand that's gripping mine is shaking, and her free hand is now on her belly. Like she's protecting it from potential harm.

My future sibling.

I think that I wanted to have a sister. I know that this is not the right time to think about that but...

Sighs.

I want to have a sister. Someone who's very sweet and caring, but also have a very hard and firm personality. I want to protect her, but at the same time, I wanted her to be able to protect herself. Contradicting right?

But, b-but I think that's... Sighs.

I'm losing my hope.

One look. One look is all that it took for me to figure out what's happening. I know.

My father was scared too. He doesn't show it on his face but it shows, through his actions.

He hit himself to the sofa twice on our way out of the house, and forgot to tie his shoelaces. But he was still smiling. Even after that demon soldier hit him using the handle of his gun, he still smiled at me, and told me to protect my mom.

I wanted to see my dad. I want to apologize for not being a good son. I gave him a lot of headaches. I even talked back at him for so many times. But he was never angry at me.

Fuck, what's happening to me? Why am I thinking about these things?

Isn't it obvious? Because we're going to die here.

I just realized that everything's unfair. I was so happy this morning. Everything's perfect, like a dream. Funny how that happiness disappeared like a cloud of smoke. My dreams, my future, vanished just like that.

Now, the only thing that I have is fear. But I have to mask that fear. So now, I have to hate everything.

I hate this church. I hate those soldiers. I hate the children that are now crying around me. I hate the smell of this place, I hate the stained glass art of Jesus that's now looking down on us as if he was saying "It's okay, I'm here."

"I-Ichigo!"

I turned to see a crying Giselle, running towards me.

In the past, I would've started panicking with just the sight of her running towards me. Well today, I-I, I feel nothing.

She hugged me. Hugged me tight as she cry on my shoulder.

"I-Ichigo! They killed Papa! They killed my Papa! Ichigo Papa is dead!"

She kept on repeating the same thing as my mom patted her head. I saw her mother by the now closed doors of the church. She's also crying.

Then for a few seconds, I thought about Buzz B and the twins. They were the same age as me. Where are they?

I looked around once more, and all that I saw were kids and women.

Those soldiers must have thought that I'm a kid too, because of my height.

What was Giselle saying again?

Right, she was saying that her father is dead.

I frowned.

I can't seem to figure out how I'm supposed to react on that. Should I cry too? Should I be angry?

I don't know.

I can't even hug her back. Because maybe, in a few minutes my father... My father would also be...

Gun shots.

Those loud crackling sounds suddenly filled the air. Lots of them. Then, it was followed by screams. Screams of agony. For a moment, I thought I was in hell.

My hands automatically flew around Giselle, and hugged her as I felt my mom's arms wounds around us. She kneeled behind me, she smells like cinnamon.

It was very faint, but I can hear her calling my father's name. She knows too.

And I swear I heard Buzz B's voice amidst those screams for help. Screams for the soldiers to stop whatever they were doing.

I clenched my fists, I want to do something. Why can't I do anything?

My friends are out there, my father is also out there. But me? I just here, standing, listening as they were killed by those demons one by one.

I gasped to hold the tears that are on their way out of my eyes. I gasped as fear kick in.

People around me started panicking. They were shouting, and pushing the great main door of the church. They were desperate to get out. They were afraid.

Personally, I don't think that they would be able to open those doors. They won't be able to push that door open from the inside because that door only opens by pulling it from the inside. But I doubt that they would even remember that. They're now out of their mind because of fear. So I remained by the altar with my mom and Giselle. Partly because we know that there's nothing that we could do, and also, because we were too scared to move.

There's this voice inside my head that kept on saying the same thing over and over again.

We're next. We're next we're next we're next!

I tried to tune it out. But then it happened.

Some of the stained-glass windows broke, and something was thrown from the outside.

I'm no scientist, but by the way those small round things emits smokes, there's only one thing that I could think of.

Gas.

"Ichigo! Let's go!"

I heard my mom shouted, then she started pulling me and Giselle towards the back of the church.

I mindlessly followed. Even though I know that there's no exit there. I've been here for so many times.

I know.

But mom didn't go all the way back. She stopped a few feet from the altar, and started pulling off the carpet.

"M-Mom? W-What are you doing?"

I asked.

I was surprised that my voice sounded very calm. I looked around once more. People are now trying to open the windows. Then something happened that made my eyes grow wide.

There were gunshots again. But this time it was too loud. Too loud.

Then I saw people falling down from the windows. They fell down to the ground, and never stood up again. The screams grew louder.

I don't even know which one is louder. The guns, or the people's screams?

"ICHIGO! DON'T LOOK!"

I heard my mom shouted at me, pulling me away from the sight and hiding behind the altar.

I swallowed.

They were shooting us.

THEY WERE SHOOTING US!

"M-MOM-"

"GET IN HERE!"

I felt my body fell down. My heart beating fast. Too fast. The smoke adding up with my fear, making it hard for me to breathe. I can't breathe.

I don't know what to do, I can't move.

I stared at my mom with my wide eyes. Behind her, I saw the paintings on the ceiling of the church.

I tried to move once more, but the space is too narrow.

"I'm so sorry Giselle, but only one can fit in."

I heard my mom said. She was crying, but there's something with her voice. Like... like she already know that I'm safe.

Her voice. It was very calm.

"It's okay Ms. Masaki. Ichigo deserves to live."

Giselle answered. I turned my head to look at her, and I saw that she's looking at me too.

She's also smiling.

What?! WHAT THE FUCK-

"Ichigo, son, I love you so much. I'm sorry that this happened to you."

She gasped.

"I'm s-sorry that this happened t-to us. I'm sorry that I was not able to give birth to your sister. I know that you w-want to have a sister. Right?"

She swallowed as tears started to fall from her eyes, to my cheeks.

"You have to always remember that your father and I loves you. We love you so much. You're the best son there is..." She croaked. I saw Giselle crying too. She was rubbing her eyes like a small child. Something inside my chest started to hurt.

I saw a bullet grazed the altar nearby Giselle's side.

"Mom, no, don't do this..."

I managed to say. But she just wiped her eyes, then leaned forward to kiss me, for the last time.

"I love you Ichigo." She whispered before sitting again to reach for something to cover me.

"MOM WAIT!"

Then everything went dark. I can't see anything. There's nothing in here.

The sounds were muffled, she must have covered the hole with the carpet again.

But I can still hear them.

I heard more gunshots, and more screams. I swallowed the bile that's now building up behind my throat.

Gas is sipping in through the holes around me.

At this rate, I too, am going to die because of suffocation.

But I guess during these times of fear, your brain would start to work double time. I felt something blew on my nape, so I tried to face the other side and sure enough, there's a small hole. I can see light coming from it, as well as fresh air. It's like a small tube used to let air enter this small space where I am now.

In a normal situation, I would've wonder why there's a hole here, or even why there's a space here on the floor of our church. But now, the only thing inside of my head is live. I gotta survive this.

I placed my nose over the hole. Right when a huge explosion shook the whole church.

I closed my eyes, tight. I think I heard Giselle's voice, calling my mom's name. It was very clear. It makes me wanna kick the lid of this shithole and burst out, to save my mom. But I can't. And I will forever ask myself why I didn't.

I just lay there, gasping for air as I try to tune out the shouts and gunfire. I tried to think about other things instead. I tried to remember my mother. I tried to remember my father. I tried to remember Giselle, and Buzz B, and the Twins. Our other friends, our neighbors, the town.

I remembered Japan.

Then I asked myself why. Why is this happening? Why us? What did we do?

We don't deserve this kind of shit. We were living a peaceful life in here. Why the fuck did those soldiers have to ruin it for us?

WHY US?

Damn it.

Another huge explosion shook the church, the cries are no longer loud. I felt my eyes closing.

"Ichigo... Live..."

Are the last words that I heard before I lost my consciousness.

...

XXXOOOXXX

...

I stood and watch as Edrad lit another house. That's the last house on this side of the town. Now, we gotta march back towards the other side.

I've been itching to get out of here. The smoke is getting thick, and it's getting hard to breath. So far, we didn't encountered any people hiding inside. Everything's clear. Somehow that made me feel relieved. That means we don't have to kill anyone.

"Alright boys! Let's go back!"

Everybody took their equipment and started walking towards where we came from when D Roy called my attention.

"Ortsgruppenleite Grimmjow, Ortsgruppenleiter Grimmjow com'in"

Duty calls. Damn I hate it when they does that.

I reached out for the mouthpiece of the radio that D Roy is holding as we continued to walk away from the burning houses.

"Yeah?"

I saw Yylfordt frowned. I just rolled my eyes towards him. Probably thinking that I should be more formal when it comes to answering radios.

"Sir, you were being asked to report back here in the town's church ASAP."

I frowned

"But we're not done yet with the first task given to us."

"Don't worry sir, Sturmhauptfuhrer Nnoitra is already on his way for that."

I fought the snarl that's now building on my chest.

That asshole, trying to make his name good towards Aizen again! He can fuck Aizen for all I care!

I sighed instead, trying to even out my breathing.

"Copy that."

I answered, my eyes automatically searching for the location of that church. Then I turned to return the mouthpiece to D Roy, looking at my team's face.

"Let's go ladies, our job cooking barbecued houses is now done."

I shouted before I started heading for the now burning church.

...

XXXOOOXXX

...

It's hot, and I can't breathe.

I tried to open my eyes but the fumes that are now sipping from the holes are making it a very painful task. For a moment I panicked. Why the hell can't I move? Then I remembered.

My mom hid me here.

Which is a much dreadful memory.

I gasped and fought the cough that's now building up on my chest, placing my nose and mouth on the tube that's making me alive, for now. I must have accidentally turned my head away from it while I was unconscious.

I inhaled deeply, releasing the air after holding it in for a few seconds. Then I inhaled once more. Fresh air flooded my lungs, which made me cough a few times.

I tried to open my eyes again, fighting off the tears that are now flowing endlessly because of the smoke.

Yeah right, I'm using the smoke as an excuse. The truth is, I'm scared. The cries are no longer audible, which means that people outside are either able to escape, and that they're all safe now, or, that they're all dead.

I gasped on that last thought. Because that means me mom, and Giselle, are both...

"Damn, they looked so nasty."

My eyes grew wide.

Nazis.

How long am I out of it? Is it long enough for the fire to be extinguished? They won't be able to enter the church while it was burning isn't it? My eyes returned to the tube, and I noticed just then the light that's coming from it.

The light coming from it suggested that it is now dusk.

"Wohoho, look at this one! This one's awful!"

My head is having a hard time processing the words that they're saying. I know that those words are something that I should be angry about, but right now, the only thing that's inside my head is that I'm scared.

What if they find this place? What if they see me? Are they also going to kill me?!

My hands are trembling as I try to cover my mouth, trying my best to not make a sound. But that gasps that are escaping my mouth are not very assuring.

The soldiers continued to bicker, shouting and then laughing every now and then. Their voices getting louder. They're getting nearer.

My breath came out as small short gasps. One of them, is already above me.

"Oi, Grimmjow is here, we should get the fuck out."

I heard one said.

"Seriously, you're going to get yourself killed one day by saying his name without his rank. "

Another one said, their voices are now getting lower. They're retreating.

I have to get out.

I have to get the fuck out of here!

I tried to kick the cover off, but it won't even move. Like something is on top of it.

Then my eyes went wide with realization.

My mom.

"Okasaaaaaan!"

I shouted, clawing the cover with all of my might, pushing, punching, wailing.

"Okasaan! Okasaaaaan!"

I repeated. I'm no longer afraid that someone might hear me.

I need to get out. I need to see my mom!

"OKAAAASAAAAAAN!"

Then I heard it.

"Grimmjow, it's coming over here!"

I think my heart just stopped beating.

I'm going to die, I'm surely going to die now. I swallowed the vile that's now building up on my throat.

But I don't care. Why should I?

Everyone's dead! My mother is dead, and I'm sure as hell that father and my friends are all dead! No one's left! I'm all alone!

I continued banging the cover of this hole, let them hear me, j-just let me see my mom at least.

"Ore o shimashou! Ore no okasan, ore no okasan miru hitsuyou ga aruuuuu!"

"Oi Gaki! Uruse! Karera wa anata o kiku tsumorida!"

I went still. My whole body is trembling as my brain processed the words that I just heard.

It's Japanese.

I stiffened as I heard movements just outside the cover. But my mind continued to wonder how the fuck did they know how to speak in Japanese.

Then I remembered him.

A different kind of relief filled my whole being as memories of those blue locks flooded my mind.

It's him. It has to be him.

After a few more moments, the lid was opened, and my eyes were flooded by too much light coming from the stained glasses. It was too bright, and it's too fucking painful to stare at it. I had to close my eyes for a few seconds to make the pain go away.

Then I forced myself to open them once more to see the man that somehow, I knew, that he's standing in front of me.

And there he was. Standing right in front of me like an angel.

Tears automatically filled my eyes. Like I'm seeing the sun for the first time in my whole life.

I forgot about everything.

I reached out, both of my hands, I reached out towards him. And without even thinking about it, he reached for me.

I let out the gasp that's building up on my chest. And that gasp, became a sob, and before I even knew about it, I was already crying my heart out.

"T-Tasukete... Tasuk-kete k-kudasai."

I mumbled, my gasps for air are making it hard for me to speak. He pulled me out of the hole and hugged me tight. His hands are warm and assuring. They're making me feel alive.

"Shhh, sore ni tsuite wa shinpaishinaide. Watashi wa anata o mamorimasu, yakusoku."

I tried to swallow the remaining sobs on my chest.

"Hnn."

I nodded, my hands clenching his uniform.

...

つづく

Otousan – Father

Otousan! Otousan, daijobu-ka? – Father! Father are you alright?

Tasukete – Help me.

Okasan – Mother.

Ore o shimashou! Ore no okasan, ore no okasan miru hitsuyou ga aru – Let me out. My mother, I need to see my mother.

Oi Gaki! Uruse! Karera wa anata o kiku tsumorida – Oi Brat, Shut up! They're going to hear you.

Tasukete, Tasukete Kudasai – Help me. Help me please..

Sore ni tsuite wa shinpaishinaide. Watashi wa anata o mamorimasu, yakusoku – Don't worry. I'm here, I will protect you. I promise.

Thanks for reading!

~ZeL