Mayuri and Kenpachi both walked forward, following the blue haired Epsada through the Garganta. Like a vacuum, the rift in the dimension closed behind them, sealing the two captains inside the dark void.
"Now this brings back some memories!" Kenpachi smiled.
Mayuri chose not to comment on the brute's nostalgia, instead, he pulled his spiritual pressure forward, creating a pathway for him to walk on as he followed the Espada down the long black tunnel. On the other end would be the dark sands of Hueco Mundo, a baron wasteland highlighted by the light of an endless moon.
"So how are you gonna collect this sample of yours?" Kenpachi continued.
Mayuri let out a frustrated breath before rolling his eyes.
"The same way I would collect any other, I simply need either a blood sample or a biopsy of tissue, assuming there is still either of those two options still available." Mayuri explained.
"So what was the point of Linake and Aizen going through all that trouble if we're just gonna walk right into this virus anyway?" Kenpachi countered.
Mayuri's lips lifted into a wide grin.
"We will not…if the Espada wants our help so badly, then he can do the collecting." Mayuri replied.
"Tch. This running around collecting seems pretty stupid to me, does it matter if this is the same thing? All we're doing is dragging a nice trail of shit right back into the Soul Society." Kenpachi continued.
"Yes, it would seem for once I actually agree with you." Mayuri replied.
"Is that woman of yours gonna be able to find something to help?" Kenpachi asked.
Mayuri's shoulders stiffened at the mention of Ayumi, he had hoped not to be reminded of her while on his mission.
"Ayumi is more than capable, why, it wouldn't surprise me at all if she were to find something." Mayuri admitted.
"Have you told her yet?" Kenpachi asked.
Mayuri paused on his pathway and narrowed his gaze at the Squad 11 captain.
Kenpachi stopped, too, turning to stare down at him, the sides of his mouth lifting into a sly grin.
"Just what is it that you are insinuating?" Mayuri asked.
"Tch…for someone so smart, you sure act pretty fucking dumb sometimes, Kurotsuchi." Kenpachi retorted.
"What the hell are you going on about now? I swear, it's never ending with you." Mayuri scoffed.
"That woman…She's in love with you." Kenpachi stated.
"Ugh…and how the hell would you know? Just because you're married now you think you can just stick your nose into others affairs?" Mayuri snapped.
"I guess you really are dumb…" Kenpachi continued, his expression now one of complete boredom.
Mayuri's lips lifted into a sneer as he met the brute's gaze.
"And just what am I so oblivious to? Tell me, Zaraki, how is it that you have come up with this conclusion?" Mayuri demanded.
"Hey! Are the two of you just going to stand there measuring dicks?" Grimmjow yelled from his position.
The two captain's turned their heads, both glaring at the Espada.
"What was that?" Kenpachi growled.
"Ugh! Here we go…not even five minutes into the investigation…" Mayuri shook his head.
"You heard me! Hueco Mundo is this way…the longer you two stand there talking about your bullshit, the higher the risk of being sealed in becomes." Grimmjow yelled back.
"He's starting to piss me off…" Kenpachi growled lowly.
"Yes, well, if you kill the beast I won't have anyone to collect my sample." Mayuri countered as he reluctantly began to follow the Espada again.
Kenpachi squared his shoulders and turned forward once again walking by Mayuri's side.
"Ayumi looks at you the same way Linake looks at me." Kenpachi continued.
Mayuri sighed, deciding it would be better to just humor the brute and get it over with.
"And how would that be, precisely?" Mayuri asked.
Kenpachi smiled.
"Like you shit rainbows."
Mayuri blinked at the man's colorful explanation.
"Ah, well, leave it to you to come up with such an eloquent allegory." Mayuri replied sarcastically.
Kenpachi chuckled.
"Don't play dumb…you know as well as I do, we both look at them the same way." Kenpachi stated.
"Duly noted, Zaraki, now, if you wouldn't mind concentrating on the task at hand…we are about to enter enemy territory…" Mayuri countered.
Kenpachi turned his attention forward deciding to drop the subject of women as the two captains stepped out of the Garganta and onto the white sands of Hueco Mundo. Grimmjow walked a few feet ahead of them, his head tipped back as if he were smelling the air.
Mayuri and Kenpachi trudged forward, following the Espada, their feet creating divots in the smooth sand as they walked.
"It's quiet…maybe a little too quiet." Kenpachi stated as he looked over at Mayuri.
Mayuri turned his head and looked behind him, making sure to take in all directions of his surroundings, even if the head captain had been placated by Amaya Aizen's internal spying, it didn't mean that other enemies didn't lurk in the shadows.
"We'll have to stay on guard here, Zaraki, although I'm sure there is nothing that lives within this dimension that could not be destroyed quite easily." Mayuri replied.
Kenpachi snorted.
"That's an understatement."
Mayuri sighed.
While it wasn't the most appealing scenario for him to be placed in, he guessed it could have always been worse. Mayuri pushed himself forward through the white sugar sand at his feet and the two captain's caught up to the Espada who seemed to be in the process of leading them to the burial site of Hollows.
Mayuri kept his eyes peeled seeking out anything that looked out of place, anything that may be able to lead him to something more. He'd already had to leave the Soul Society, he may as well try and gather as much information as he could for the cause, and if he could spot a lower level hollow wondering around he wouldn't hesitate to take a sample from it as well.
Grimmjow came to a stop and seemed to be using his sense of smell to keep guiding him, watching the beast made Mayuri lift his own head and smell the air himself. He couldn't place what the Espada was smelling, but that didn't mean it wasn't there-he was after all an evolved version of a hollow himself, with his own attributes and release form, in many terms he was just as much animal as he was man.
"We're getting closer…" Grimmjow turned and addressed the two soul reapers.
The Espada turned his gaze and took in a deep breath and sighed. He figured it would be a possibility that the soul reapers could be targeted by some of the Hollows. After the overtaking of the Quincy, Hueco Mundo had gone through its own version of suffering, many of the lower level hollows had started to get desperate in order to feed, coming together forming a kind of hive to take down larger prey, and two very high spiritual pressures had just appeared out of thin air ringing the dinner bell.
"We might have some visitors in the next couple minutes..." Grimmjow felt the need to warn the two soul reapers even though it was against his first instinct-He shouldn't care if they lived or died.
Kenpachi rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck from side to side.
"I've been needing some practice…" The Squad 11 captain grinned as his hand clasped the hilt of his Zanpakuto.
Mayuri rolled his eyes at the brute before addressing the Espada.
"How far are we from the burial site? I am not concerned with this folly of so called visitors." Mayuri stated.
Grimmjow snorted.
"Fine…you two want to get swarmed, it's on you. The burial site is on the other side of that sand dune with about thirty to sixty hollows looking for something to feed on." Grimmjow countered.
"I see. So the behaviors of the lower life forms have seemed to change, becoming like a hive…how quaint …parasites working together…" Mayuri grinned, knowing his taunt would frustrate the Espada.
"I don't give a fuck if it's two-hundred hollows, what the hell are we just standing here for?" Zaraki chided as he pulled his Zanpakuto free from its sheath and took off running.
"Zaraki! I need one of them alive!" Mayuri yelled after the brute.
"Oh for the love of-"Mayuri paused.
"I guess there is no stopping him now." Mayuri sighed as he, too, broke out into a sprint in the same direction following the 11th division captain.
Grimmjow sighed deeply as he watched the two soul reapers run across the top of the sand dune, both searching for blood, but in two very different ways. It wasn't that Grimmjow didn't want them to kill the hollows, he knew as well as anyone else the squad 12 captain's jab wasn't too far from the truth. He was just lucky enough to have evolved into something a little less mindless-fuck it, I'll go help.
Deciding, Grimmjow broke out into a run, easily catching up with the Squad 12 Captain at the top of the dune. Mayuri and Grimmjow both came to a stop as they witnessed the scene. The Squad 11 captain stood being swarmed by what looked like over a hundred hollows of varying sizes and strengths and the bastard was laughing and he slashed away at them with his zanpakuto.
Grimmjow stepped forward to enter the fray, to give the squad 11 captain some assistance but was stopped by the squad 12 captain's thin white hand clamping down on his shoulder. Grimmjow shrugged his hand away and turned to face him.
"What!?" He spat.
"If you value your limbs and bodily function I would not step one foot off this dune." Mayuri warned him.
"Tch. You're saying he'll cut me down just for helping him?" Grimmjow countered his lips lifting in a sneer.
"If you get in his way, yes. Zaraki has a one track mind and that track is simple when it comes to battle, let him be, or pay the price. Besides, it doesn't look like he needs your help anyway." Mayuri replied.
Grimmjow's brow rose as he turned his blue gaze back to the fray. Kenpachi had already whittled the numbers down from what looked like a hundred to maybe twenty, and the bastard was grinning from ear to ear while doing it.
"Is this a common occurrence now, this many of them coming together to feed in such a way?" Mayuri asked.
Grimmjow raised his right eyebrow at the squad 12 captain.
"What difference does it make?"
Mayuri sighed.
"Yes, well, I guess you would be right. It really doesn't make any bit of difference to me." He smiled before stepping down the side of the dune.
"Jackass…" Grimmjow breathed as he watched the squad 12 captain walk over to his comrade.
The two men argued like they hated each other but the Espada knew better, there was a bond between the two underneath all the hostility and dick measuring. It seemed that the Quincy war had only succeeded in bringing the soul reapers closer together.
"Did you manage to leave one alive enough for me to collect a sample?" Mayuri asked as he stepped over varying detached limbs and cracked masked faces.
"Fuck if I know…" Kenpachi replied as he smiled.
"Did you succeed in getting this out of your system?" Mayuri asked.
"Tch. That was nothing more than a cock tease!" Kenpachi boasted.
"Hmm…yes, as eloquent as always." Mayuri replied with another dose of sarcasm.
"That one over there is still twitching …you might get lucky." Kenpachi replied tilting his head to his left.
Mayuri looked over at the pathetic creature and his shoulders slumped.
"Really, I don't see how hard it is to hold back long enough for me to get a live sample…but I guess that's just asking too much of a brute like you." Mayuri jabbed as he stepped over to the twitching hollow.
"The beast is on its last leg. I guess I'll just collect a sample from the wound." Mayuri stated as he pulled a vile from the inner pocket of his Captain's Haori.
"What do you need a live sample for anyway? Aren't we here to collect ones from dead hollows?" Kenpachi asked.
"That would be the mission, but while I am here, I don't see the problem in crossing my T's and dotting my I's. I am interested to see if anything shows up in the blood work for this particular live hollow verses the sample from one that has perished." Mayuri explained.
"Oh…so I guess there is a method to your madness then." Kenpachi replied.
Mayuri scowled as he bent down in front of the small masked creature and tipped the vile against the blood that spilled freely.
"Yes…as much of a method as there is to your own." Mayuri countered before standing up and placing a blue cap over the vile.
Grimmjow stepped forward, his gaze down, looking at the blood stained sand at his feet. Parts of lower level hollows sprawled out in different directions. He was left with a newfound understanding of the squad 11 captain-The man was dangerous, more lethal than he ever would have imagined and the squad 12 captain had the gull to call him the beast.
It wasn't that Grimmjow felt sorry for the hollows, he would be lying if he said he hadn't been in the same position a few times himself. Hollows had always had the mindset of survival enriched into their minds, not unlike the soul reapers-and now he was being forced to ask for the soul reapers aid in order to ensure that survival.
Grimmjow lifted his right hand and ran it through his light blue hair as he sighed.
"Well, now that this is over with, where is this burial site?" Mayuri asked as he placed his newfound blood sample into the pocket of his haori.
Grimmjow lifted his gaze, his hand now resting on the back off his neck.
"It's about ten feet ahead, next to a couple of trees." He answered.
"Very well, let us continue then, the sooner we get this situation handled the sooner I can get back to my research." Mayuri replied.
"Grimmjow!?" a soft feminine voice called out from the shadows.
The blue haired Espada dropped his arm and turned to face the aqua haired female who had just emerged from across the sand dune.
"Nelliel…what are you doing out here?" Grimmjow asked.
"I was sent to keep guard in your absence. I see that you were able to bring us help." Nelliel replied, her voice soft spoken.
"Yeah…we have an agreement." Grimmjow replied.
Nelliel's gaze dropped to the blood covered ground at the three men's feet.
"I see." She answered, her face stricken with what looked like a sense of empathy.
"Who is this woman?" Mayuri spoke up.
Grimmjow turned and met the squad 12 captain's gaze.
"She is my comrade, an Espada, her name is Nelliel." Grimmjow answered.
"You look familiar to me…I think I've seen you before…" Kenpachi stated, still holding the hilt of his blood stained Zanpakuto.
Nelliel lifted her gaze to the giant captain of Squad 11.
"I should, while I was in another form at the time, I was present the day you defeated Nnoitra Gilga." She replied.
Kenpachi's brow rose as he tilted his head.
"That's right…you're the little one that Yachiru tried to help, before you took off after Ichigo…" Kenpachi stated.
"Yes. That was me." She answered softly.
"While I hate to interrupt the nostalgic reunion, could we bring our focus back to the matter at hand?" Mayuri snapped.
Kenpachi shrugged his wide shoulders before flicking the blood clean from his Zanpakuto and placing it back in his sheath at his side.
"I'm taking them to the burial site so that Kurotsuchi can collect a sample. Some soul reapers are sick and I think it's the same thing." Grimmjow explained.
"Did it have the same scent then?" Nelliel asked him as she stepped forward.
Grimmjow looked down at her, meeting her gaze.
"Yeah…" He answered.
"This is the first time I am hearing of a scent of any kind, tell me, have you been withholding information from me, Espada?" Mayuri snapped.
Grimmjow lifted his gaze and met the man's agitated glare.
"Would you have taken my word for it if I'd told you I could smell it?" He countered.
"Not in the slightest, but now that I have this information it's all the more reason to have you collect the sample for me." Mayuri grinned.
"Tch…yeah, I figured it would be something like that." Grimmjow replied.
Kenpachi turned his head to the west seeming to pick up on something in the distance.
"While you two get this sample you need so baldy, I think I'll stick around here…it looks like I have some more fun coming my way." Kenpachi smirked.
Mayuri turned his gaze in the same direction and noticed another swarm heading in their direction.
"I'll stay and assist you." Nelliel offered.
Kenpachi chuckled.
"Your assistance isn't needed, you'd only get in my way." Kenpachi growled walking away from the group heading out to meet the desperate horde of hollows head on.
"Come with us if you must, either way it really doesn't matter." Mayuri replied before stepping over a severed arm that littered his path.
Grimmjow sighed heavily and Nelliel glanced up at him, meeting his gaze.
"We don't have any other choice, it's either accept their help, or die." Grimmjow spoke lowly.
"I understand. You made the right decision." Nelliel replied as both Espada's followed the squad 12 captain.
As the group trudged forward to their destination the sounds of the squad 11 captains chaotic laughter erupted once more sending a chill throughout the moonlit night as more white sand was painted crimson.
Ayumi stood next to Akon's side as he leaned down and stared into the lenses of the microscope in front of him. After seeing Mayuri off, Linake had walked with her back to the Squad 12 barracks and after saying a quick goodbye to her new friend, Ayumi made her way back into the lab. She and Akon had wasted no time in setting in on the task Mayuri had left them. To study the blood samples from the deceased men. So far they had concentrated on only one sample, which man it had belonged to would remain a mystery due to the circumstances of its collection.
"What's the verdict?" Ayumi asked as she watched Akon raise his head.
He frowned down at her before he answered.
"Positive."
Ayumi sighed as she nodded her head.
"I figured this would be the case, it only makes sense. I am also certain that the other two samples will come out the same, but still, we should test them to make sure." She replied as she stepped over to the blood analyzer and with gloved hands she pressed the button sending all three samples through.
"The read out should give us more information on how their body chemistry reacted before their demise." Ayumi stated as she turned back to Akon.
He had already placed the second test slide under the microscope. Ayumi had not felt comfortable in collecting the small drops of blood needed from each vile in order to test, so she had allowed her Lieutenant to take the reins earlier and had just watched him. The two had made the decision together to allow Nemuri another day to herself while the two of them worked. The thought of some clumsy action happening and the child being subjected to the virus did not sit well with either of them.
"Slide two is the same, positive." Akon stated as he backed away and pulled the second slide free from the metal plate at the bottom of the microscope.
Ayumi lifted her gloved hand to her face, adjusting the white mask she was wearing as a preventative measure. She could see the drops of sweat that clung to her Lieutenants forehead as he slid the third slide into the metal and leaned back in for another look, he, too, was wearing a mask and the two had placed a curtain around the work station. A rather weak barrier, but, all they could manage at the time.
"Positive." Akon sighed as he leaned back again.
Ayumi nodded, her anxiousness increasing. She hadn't been able to relax since Mayuri had crossed over into Hueco Mundo. Even though she tried to calm herself and had also been reassured by both the head captain and Linake that Mayuri would be fine, she still felt a deep sense of unease-Like the other night when Grimmjow came through the Garganta.
"If this is the case, it is safe to assume that this virus is in fact transferable while in close contact with the infected. I mean, if these men did something as simple as say, share a bottle of sake together it could have very well been the point of contact." Ayumi rambled.
Akon raised his brow as he looked over at her.
"That would be a safe assumption." He agreed.
Ayumi felt her stomach clinch at the thought of her old roommate's meeting the same fate as the three men. While she hadn't bonded with the women during her time living with them, she still wouldn't wish them this type of fate.
"Worrying is not going to help anything, Ayumi. Try and clear your head, we need to focus on trying to get to the root of this." Akon stated, seeming to pick on her anxiousness.
"Yes, you're right…I'm sorry." She replied.
"Let's concentrate on disinfecting the area for now, once we have everything cleaned up we can do some brainstorming." Akon suggested.
"Alright then." Ayumi agreed.
Akon gathered the three slides containing the small drops of infected blood and dropped them into a metal trash can along with old scraps of paper and some cotton bandages. Ayumi stood back as he doused the trash can with alcohol and then struck a match tossing it into the metal bin.
The trash can erupted into a small controlled fire that Akon kept his eyes glued too. Ayumi knew that one false flair up, like the glass slides breaking from the heat could very well set the whole place ablaze. As Akon watched over the mini bonfire he had created Ayumi took it upon herself to meticulously spray the station down with disinfectant.
"I hate to say it but a part of me feels like we are fighting a losing battle." Ayumi lifted the bottle of disinfectant in her hand as Akon allowed his gaze to meet hers.
"I mean, do we really think this stuff is going to kill the virus?" She continued.
Akon's brow furrowed at her defeated attitude.
"I'd never let the captain hear you speak like this, Ayumi. He would be pretty disappointed to hear that you have given up so easily." Akon countered.
Ayumi met his dark gaze and couldn't help the sense of shame that washed over her. Akon was right, Mayuri would be disgusted with her if he had just heard her speak. It didn't matter that it was her fear that caused the dark thoughts to take over her mind, now was not the time to worry about what could happen, instead, she needed to focus on how to prevent it from happening altogether.
"I'm sorry…I…" Ayumi's shoulders slumped as she realized what Mayuri meant about her running out of apologies, there were only so many times someone would excuse such weak behavior.
"A minor setback, nothing more, it won't happen again." Ayumi squared her shoulders.
Akon smiled behind his mask seeing the woman's resolve come to the surface, it pleased him to see that his tactic had seemed to work in pulling her out of her anxious defeated mindset, and it also revealed to him just how much the woman cared about his captain's opinion of her. He had no doubt that Ayumi Otsuka was in love with his captain and come hell or high water Akon was determined to help her secure a future for not only them but everyone in the soul society.
Isane Kotetsu met her reflection in the mirror to the small bathing area located inside the main medical unit. Her hands shook as she wiped the steam from the glass. She tried to fight against the tremors of fever that had taken over her body. She felt weak and disoriented almost as if she'd drank too much sake. Her stomach rolled threatening to purge itself in the sink in front of her. The chilling sense of fear crept up her spine as the realization hit her-I'm infected.
Isane heard the loud knock at the door from the hallway.
"I heard that! Open the door Isane!" Amaya demanded.
"This is hopeless, Amaya. We can't fight something we can't see." Isane whispered knowing that the woman behind the door would not need her to speak to hear her words.
"Isane! Open the damn door!" Amaya yelled slamming her fist against it.
"We are all going to catch this!" Isane continued to stare at herself in the mirror as defeated tears fell down her cheeks. She was captain of squad 4 and she had not only let down herself and the memory of the captain before her, but the Soul Society itself.
"Captain, please come to the door." Isane heard her 3rd seat beg as Amaya continued to pound against the wood.
"Fuck this! If you're not going to come out and face us, I'm going to kick the fucking door down!" Amaya yelled.
Isane lifted her head and wrapped the towel around herself tighter as she forced herself to walk, her head rolled, her stomach clinched violently, but she had nothing left to purge…she'd gotten rid of everything during her shower-I'm infected.
Isane's thoughts traveled to her younger sister, Kiyone who was also her Lieutenant. She had left almost two weeks ago with the Captain of Squad 7 on an extensive training mission. Isane hadn't thought much of it when Captain Iba had requested Kiyone come along with his squad in order to gain more experience.
Kiyone had spent so many years looking after the former captain of Squad 13, Jushiro Ukitake, that she didn't have much hands on training when it came to healing wounds and the squad 7 captain still seemed to be on his own personal mission to prove his worth as captain-I'm glad she's not here.
Isane leaned her tall frame against the wall next to the locked door and reached her trembling hand out unlocking it. The door swung open and Isane was met with Amaya's agitated glare.
"What is the point in beating yourself up for this, Isane? You know as well as I do this is not something that could have ever been predicted." Amaya spoke on Isane's personal thoughts from earlier.
Hanataro stepped back into the hallway as he averted his gaze, seeming to notice the state of his captain's undress.
"Amaya is right, Captain. There really is no sense in blaming yourself." Hanataro's soft voice agreed.
"I've put you both in danger…I should have sent you all away." Isane continued.
"Then what? Who would be left to take care of you and the others?" Amaya countered.
"It's only a matter of time, Amaya, and you will get this too." Isane whispered.
"I was aware of the risks when I agreed to help you." Amaya replied as she stepped forward and allowed the door to close behind her. Isane met her gaze and silently, she spoke.
"Sosuke will never forgive me if anything happens to you."
Amaya sighed at the woman's internal worry as she reached out for a spare towel and started to help dry Isane off before helping her get dressed again.
"Let me worry about my husband, for now we need to get you in bed so that you can rest." Amaya countered as she pulled the towel covering Isane's body and helped her into a clean Shihakusho.
Once Amaya had the captain dressed decently she pushed the door back open.
"Hanataro, help me get her to a bed." Amaya demanded.
"Yes, okay." He replied as he stepped forward lifting his captain's arm up over his shoulders as Amaya took hold of her other. Isane's height made it more difficult for the two and just when Amaya thought they would make it Isane's body went limp forcing the two of them to carry dead weight as the captain of squad 4 passed out.
"Amaya! Let me in!"
Amaya turned her head looking over at the window where her husband stood looking in on them. He hadn't left the small porch since he'd come back from seeing Captain Kurotsuchi and Captain Zaraki leave for their mission. Hanataro let out a low grunt as he tried his best to pull his captain forward but Amaya knew it wasn't going to be any use.
"Let Sosuke in, Hanataro, I'll hold her up." Amaya demanded.
The 3rd seat shook his head at her, his eyes pleading.
"The captain didn't want anyone else inside, Amaya, you know that, I can't go against my captain's order." He protested.
Amaya rolled her eyes at him.
"Fine, then we will place her down gently and I will let him in." Amaya retorted.
Hanataro opened his mouth to argue but when Amaya shot him a challenging glare the 3rd seat closed his mouth. Slowly Hanataro and Amaya lowered the squad 4 captain to the floor, Hanataro went to his knees cradling Isane's head in his lap, when he pressed his palms to her forehead he realized that her fever was most likely the reason for her passing out.
Amaya walked across the room and met her husband's gaze. He stepped away from the window and even though she knew it was against Isane's wishes, she reached out, unlocking the main door to the medical unit. Sosuke pushed the door open just enough for him to enter and then closed it swiftly behind him.
He didn't hesitate now that he had been given entrance, he quickly walked across the room and stooped down on his haunches. He reached under Isane taking a hold of her under the knee and around the waist, and he hauled the captain up into his arms and headed into the back of the medical unit.
Amaya followed her husband as he carried Isane all the way into the back.
"Where do you want me to put her?" Sosuke asked aloud.
"There are only three beds in the room with the other patients, we'll have to put her in a separate room." Amaya replied.
He nodded as he continued down the hallway and found a door that was ajar. Sosuke used his foot to kick the door open and stepped inside the dark room. Amaya flipped on the light as he walked over to the raised medical bed and laid Isane down.
"I'll have to get her stabilized now. Hanataro! Bring me another IV!" Amaya yelled out to the 3rd seat.
Sosuke stepped forward and captured her in his arms, lifting her, he covered her mouth with his, stealing a selfish kiss from his wife. Amaya pressed her palms to the sides of his face and kissed back, savoring the feel of once again being in his arms.
Amaya's thoughts wondered as she thought about what was really at stake, the safety of the Soul Society rested on one man's shoulders and even though it seemed hopeless, she knew that if any man could make miraculous things happen, it would be that man-Hurry up, Mayuri, we need you!