Reaching for the Sky

Disclaimer: BLEACH and assorted characters belong to Kubo Tite.

published 03-22-2016

by C.S.Y. Shadows

Not beta-ed

Ch. 3: Let It Die [twice down]

Waking up hurt. (It hurt like giant bone-jaws clamping down on her, grinding against her ribs until she couldn't breathe.)

I can't...

It was as if her insides had been scorched out and then scoured with sand paper. Only it wasn't, because it had been her soul that'd been burned and abraded and shattered and you could never put fractured glass together again so why would it be different with something infinitely more precious than glass, than crystal, than diamond?

(Who would try to put her back together again?)

...can't breathe...

She kept her eyes closed and stayed unmoving. If she didn't see, she wouldn't have to look at the cracks running through her, all over and so deep the darkness came spilling out like ink. If she didn't move, she wouldn't hear the noise of broken crystal shards grinding against each other, scratching and splintering at the edges.

If she pretended, maybe it wasn't real. (Breath in her lungs and it was easy to play pretend because you just need to pretendpretendpretend enough and it becomes real.)

i can't breathe

(But there's nothing in her heart - nothing nothing nothing - and the Void is threatening to swallow her from the inside, rising tide-like through the soot-stained, fire-scarred emptiness in her chest, drowning her useless, burned out lungs- )

( -she feels so h o l l o w)

Orihime opened her eyes and couldn't weep.

The world was washed-out and too bright in contradiction, the mechanical beeping beside her at once piercing and muted.

(they're gone they're gone they'regone)

In the background, the sound of people shuffling around was quiet, and yet too loud.

(they're gonethey'regonetheyregone)

Her every breath felt as if she should be burning, drowning, struggling to draw air - but she wasn't. Her soul was broken, rent asunder, and her lungs just kept working; in and out and in and out, defiant as she swallowed fire and glass and choked on poisoned ash.

He was still beside her, but he belonged there, didn't he?

Ulquiorra was still there even though They weren't and he shouldn't have been. Was that the price, then? Them for Him? The future for the past?

(they're gone they'regonetheyregone-)

But I can still save You

She had to believe her Heart hadn't been scraped out of her ribcage (would he find it empty if he cracked them open now, she wondered, the soul displaying the nature?), because she was so, so often powerless, what was once again?

(except she hadn't known back then, except she was alone now and it was unbearable)

Listlessly she turned her unfocused attention on the commotion as the pink-haired Arrancar strode through the frantic bustle and snapped for them to deliver their results. Among the equipment the Fraccion scurried about, amassing sheets of graphs in their arms, until one of them was ushered forward, shaking and squeaking.

"Szayel-sama, it- it appears that the girl h-has had all her channels burned out. There is no detectable reiatsu left, but the cause for- for the burns could not be determin- grhk!"

"WORTHLESS!"

The Fraccion was sent crashing into a bank of equipment.

"You're all useless! Incompetent! Brainless idiots, incapable of the simplest of tasks!" Heaving breaths shook his hunched shoulders. His raised hand sunk back to his side. "I have... a better use for you."

A heeled boot dug into the ribs of the Fraccion who'd since tumbled to the floor, making them shriek. One flailing arm was caught in a vice grip. The Espada smiled down at the limb he'd caught as it warped and bent under the pressure. Then he put his weight on his foot.

"Aren't you glad?" he crooned, splinter-sharpness glinting outward from his voice. The trapped Fraccion whimpered as their arm was steadily wrenched upwards. "You will nourish my perfection. What better use could there be for something as worthless as you?"

Thin, bloodless lips pulled back further and caught, half between a sneer and a savage grin. He ripped.

The Fraccion's howl of agony rang high-pitched over the splatter of blood.

In reflex, she dove for her powers.

But Orihime had forgotten - though the wounds inside her might have been cauterised, the pull still made the scabs and scars crack and bleed anew. In shock at the sudden pain, her diaphragm failed to contract. For three heart-beats she kept scrambling for that which should have come nigh effortlessly anyway.

I-!

She couldn't move; watching as the bright-haired, poison-eyed Arrancar gorged himself on his subordinate. (unable to grasp, to react, to help-)

I can't breathe...!

"Tsk. Your blood ruined my uniform. I'll need to change."

Turning, sulphur caught her gaze and held it, even through the dark spots greedily swallowing her vision. His voice was a hiss.

"Oh. How fascinating."

Her eyes couldn't focus on the white shadow stalking toward her. In vain she struggled against the encroaching blackness.

The implacable form beside her kept watching, motionless, as she succumbed.

A/N: Hahahaha, will you look at that? Not quite a whole year! Getting better, huh?

I actually don't know how it happened, but Szayel is much more prominent character than I had planned for? He just... kinda snuck in. In any case, I know that Orihime spends an inordinate amount of time unconscious, but, that's because of her health right now - reality manipulation's not exactly a cake walk. It'll get better, I promise.

Anyway, I might tweak the chapter later but I wanted to get it out first. 'til next time.