The world seemed to be spinning... What was going on? She hadn't noticed until just a moment ago she was following a tall, lanky figure, his shoulders and body caped in white garments but it was utterly shredded down his arms and sides.. Was it...? No... but he looked so familiar.. How? How could it be.....?
"Uryu!" Orihime called, running after his form before a thick cloud of smoke masked him from view. She stopped, one hand on her ornate pin.
"Uryu...?"
"RUN ORIHIME. YOU HAVE TO RUN."
The voice was hoarse and frantic, but she found herself unable to even take a single step.. Cold sweat formed a sheen over Orihime's roseate cheeks, the smoke dissolving as the familiar figure limped out, but it wasn't him.... His face was gaunt and pale, his dark circles standing out against the alabaster surface. But that wasn't what frughtened Orihime...
His eyes were the color of charcoal, and he was covered in a massive amount of blood. So. Much. Blood....
She couldn't stand it anymore, fear consuming every aspect of her being and she shrieked at the top of her lungs.
Orihime woke with a start, her eyes wide with lingering fright. Was it really just a nightmare? What were they doing to him? It wasn't as though they'd play house with a boy from the world of the living. A Quincy, of all things.
A frown formed on her cherubic face, grey irises hazed with worry. It was dark in the Soul Society still, not even the moon moving from the dark clouds that shielded its light.
Now, what will I do? How can I save you, Uryu?
Ganju and Ichigo slumbered in the corner opposite of Orihime. Ganju was snoring obnoxiously loud it was surprising that Ichigo didn't so much as move or flinch
as he slept, his face peaceful with sleep. Orihime couldn't help but gaze at the stubborn soul reaper with admiration, his handsome features seemingly more evident without the angry look on his face. She wished it would always remain that way.. Maybe one day..
"R-rukia... I'll.." Ichigo whispered, his eyebrows knitting together before he sighed contently, a hint of a smile on his lips.
Orihime's heart jumped, then ached dully at those words, but she felt no flames of jealousy. Rukia was the kindest, most amazing person she had ever met and she helped Ichigo become so strong.. But it still hurt. It hurt how she would never be that person to him..
I would do anything, Ichigo. Anything to have you look at me the way you look at her.
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It was finally completed, The captain thought as he gave the vile a good swish around, the silvery contents shimmering within the small vile. The captain withdrew a syringe from his coat, dipping the needle into the contents and extracting it into the hollow plastic form. Once full, he capped it in made his way down the hall for some rest. Tomorrow was going to be an exciting day.
------ 5 hours later --------
Sunlight streamed into the abandoned house, causing Ichigo and Ganju to rise from thier stiff positions in a slow and dazed manner.
"Orihime?" Ichigo called, yawning as he tousled his already messy orange colored hair.
No answer. Psh. She must still be asleep then. May as well wake her up before we depart.
He squinted into the dark half of the room where he was certain Orihime was sleeping just a few hours prior. Instead, a small pink note was pinned to the wall, just above the broken mirror. Ichigo stood up straight, stretching his protesting joints as he made his way over and rubbed his eyes.
The note read:
"Dear Ichigo and Ganju,
Please don't worry or come after me. It's my fault Uryu is in danger and I'm going to find Chad so we can being him back safely. Rescue Rukia, and hurry! She's only got a limited nimber of days left and we didn't come all this way for our friends to die!
~ Orihime
P.s. Please Ichigo... Please be careful. I don't want you to get hurt. You as well, Ganju."
Ichigo felt as though the wind was knocked out of him. What if Orihime didn't return? She wasn't as tough as Uryu or Chad, and her power wasn't too strong as a shield yet. However, she had made a good point.
"Okay.. Orihime...Be careful."
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Mayuri was almost giddy with glee.
His new experimental drug was perfect. It controlled every part of its host body, and it shut down all his mental awareness. That, and it also caused the subject an immense amount of pain, which, in any case, was to be triggered if the subject disobeyed its control. He strolled down the corridor, to where Nemu was probably still asleep.
Such a useless girl, He thought irritably as he pounded on her door.
"Nemu! Get up, you useless girl!" He growled, his tawny eyes fixed on the door.
No answer...
Having had waited for several minutes, he kicked the door with enough force to shatter it entirely, his feet treading over the broken shards.
Nemu Kurotsuchi wasn't in the room at all. Instead, it was a normal and tidy room, no pictures of anything but Mayuri and the Captain's hanging on the walls. He huffed, turning and walking out as quickly as he came.
He hadn't the patience this morning. If he didn't act now, then he wouldn't get the chance to catch the brat of a Quincy offguard. He had counted on waking earlier then most to administer his new creation, and with very little time left, he decided to go on ahead without Nemu for now. She'd come anyway, once the screaming began.
-----------------------------
Uryu's pen glided smoothly over the surface of the papers Nemu had grudgingly provided, his intelligent eyes reading the words he wrote so far. They illustrated almost every aspect of him, even his internal conflicts over his crush on Orihime... Maybe if he could convince them, he'd ask them to give them to her when they no longer found him useful.
I'm glad I got to know you, Orihime Inoue. I'm glad I had friends, even if one was a soul reaper... I'm grateful for my grandfather, who taught me to be strong and use the power of a Quincy.. I already know I won't make it out of here so I just want everyone to know that you were all very special to me. There was so much I wanted to say, but maybe I'll end this with a confession.....
I'm in love with you, Orihime Inoue. And I know you feel for Ichigo, so in a way; this is the universe deciding our fate prematurely.
- Uryu
[[Well that's the end for this chapter! Thanks for reading!]]
