Your Fate is Mine [Ginjiro/Iko]

Never before had Kasumi thought that a conversation with someone you were supposed to hate was capable of giving such a boost in one's confidence. The woman hadn't quite complimented her, but did seem to imply that one had their fate in their own hands – something that Kasumi had started to slowly figure out during her brief encounter with the honey-eyed Arrancar. The thought of Cheshire almost caused the young Shinigami to trip over one of the broken, wooden bars that covered the ground in front of her. With some effort she managed to jump over the little barrier instead of kicking it to pieces and proceeded to follow the road towards the Fifth. It was there that she had to be now. With Nagisa in the Second and her Lieutenant glued to her things could turn dire for the Fifth should an enemy of their calibre appear. Of course, stopping someone so strong on her own wouldn't work, but it would certainly get other's attention -

'You might be capable, if you believe in what you're doing. Just..try.'

During the last couple of hours Vör had been oddly quiet, something Kasumi wasn't sure how to feel about. The soothing voice laced with cold had always kept her chin high when things got rough, and now.. now she knew that the Spirit had her back, but at the same time she thought that this wordless communication was slightly unnerving.. would she grow used to this?

That question would have to be answered on another time because the signature of a friend popped up at the edge of her reiatsu sensing field. Like a tiny flame it fluttered there before moving, and she knew that Ginjiro was somewhere in the Rukongai. Only know did she remember that she had thought to sense him cross the Seireitei streets before her conversation with Hazuki, but.. Ah, of course. The prisoner had been on Kasumi's leash back then, and the girl hadn't had the time to trace down her old friend. If she was honest with herself, she didn't have the time for it now either, but the lack of threatening energy from the Fifths direction won from her paranoia and soon Kasumi was speeding towards her former squad member.

Vör? What's happening? Can you feel it?

Like a mad bull slamming into the bars of its cage Kasumi's heart hammered against the inside of her chest. Slowly but certainly she could feel Ginjiro reiatsu grow thinner, lighter, vaguer. Unable to properly swallow she felt her mouth grow as dry as a desert. Something was completely wrong and she could run quicker, couldn't be any faster because her Shunpo didn't allow her to move the way Nagisa did.

'Calm down, we aren't there yet.'

No, that was the whole problem. The realization that someone was hurting her friend and she wasn't fast enough slowly strangled any confidence she had been previously feeling. With a last burst of energy Kasumi landed on the ground where the presence of her friend called out to her. With knees hitting the dust she tried to grab what was left of Ginjiro, tried to hold onto the fading, badly burnt body that was covered in a mix of Hollow reishi and something else – something foreign yet familiar. She ignored it for now, concentrating on the barely recognizable features of the man whose presence had been growing into a big brother's direction.

“I'm here, it's alright. It's going to be alright!” The words were filled with terror when she mumbled them while clinging to the man's shoulder. Overridden by panic she extended her Kaidō but the green glow flickered either too strong or too weak. The spell dug its claws into the dying Shinigami but the bits that were left were already breaking apart. She tried to hold onto them, tried to mimic the energy flows she knew one needed to survive, but couldn't. Something was blocking her healing, something was messing with the stream of the spell and her efforts seemed to be futile.

“No, no. You can't go. Ginjiro! Wake up!” Tears stung her eyes as she desperately shook at the man. His shoulder was starting to crumble; what the hell was going on?!

“Stay! Ginjiro! We'll get you to the Third! We'll get you to Kohara!” Watching the small drops fall towards his closed eyelids Kasumi soon realized that it was too late. Nothing could be changed. Her Kaidō mattered not, even Kohara's skilled hands didn't matter because they would never be in time.

“N-no.” Her insides burned, she clutched the dust that remained. More tears hit the sand as she tried to ignore the fact that her friend had fallen. If only she had been faster, if only she had been better at healing. If, if, if. There were so many if's that she couldn't help but to press her palms against her temples and scream. The sound that came from her lips was a loud wail, then changed into an angry growl. Never had she let out anything more animalistic than this.

“I'm going to.. I'm goint to..”

All these mindless beasts had to die. All these filthy creatures that had invaded her home and had dared to touch her people, her squad members, her friends, they all had to vanish. She would hunt them down and rip them apart with her bare hands. She wou-

Jerking to the side with tears still running down her cheeks Kasumi felt her fury burn only harder when the second presence fell into place. Not a Hollow. The other lingering signature belonged to a Quincy. Of all beings it had been a Quincy.. It had been-

“FREYLEIF!”


Words: 949 – 18GP – Thread End
Ooc: Thanks guys!