Continued from comments in: The Cure
Kita did not think Tsukiro was going to stop running. Finally, when he did they were deep within the confines of Las Noches. Gently Tsukiro put Kita down after he put Orihime down. Laying back on the cold floor Kita looked up to Tsukiro.
“You came.” Her smile was weak, but her eyes showed how pleased she was to see him in person for the first time.
"Of course I came," Tsukiro said, stroking her hair. "I promised you that you weren't alone, didn't I?"
Kita nodded slowly as she saw Orihime move toward her.
“I need to finish healing her.” Orihime moved between them putting Kita back under her healing force. She looked down at Kita and smiled. “I am happy to see you awake. If you would not have woke up we would have been in real trouble.”
“I am sorry I was late in waking up.” Kita raised her right hand and pointed to the mark on Orihime’s face. “A few minutes sooner and that would not have happened.”
Orihime touched her own cheek and smiled warmly. “This is nothing. I have had much worse.”
Tsukiro turned to the young woman healing kita. "Will she be ok?"
Orihime nodded with one of her bright smiles she is known for as she looked to Tsukiro. “Of course she will. Kita is strong. My powers will bring her back to near perfect, then a good rest. I am Inoue Orihime and you are?”
Tsukiro bowed politely. "Ashimitsu Tsukiro. Thank you for your help."
Then he turned to Kita. "What happened? What was going on?"
Kita shook her head. “Before or after the dream I was in with you?”
"Whatever helps me understand what has Aizen on this kick of beating you senseless."
Kita closed her eyes. “A lot has happened since Toshiro took me from Las Noches. One of the things was the gods gave me a heart. It seems my master found it a hindrance and wanted Aizen to remove it.
"When Aizen found out he could not remove my heart he told me; ‘If I can not remove your heart then I will beat you into submission.’”
Kita opened her eyes as a single tear rolled down her cheek. She cringed as she lifted her left hand to wipe it away.
“After that, I don’t remember what happen. I just remember waking up to Aizen striking Orihime in my cell.”
Tsukiro placed his hand on Kita's cheek, wiping away her tears with his thumb. "It's alright. I'm here and I won't let anything happen to you." He turned to Orihime. "To either of you. Aizen won't get his hands on you again."
“We can’t stay hid here forever. I don’t even know how we are going to get you out of here. Hell! I don’t even know how I got you here as weak as I am.” Kita tried to raise up as she looked between them both. “Aizen is not going to stop until he has us found and brought to him.” Kita’s right hand found Tsukiro’s close as she gripped it tight cringing in pain.
Tsukiro took her hand in his and rested it at her side, holding on to it gently. "I have to get you out of here. I have to get you somewhere safe."
But where can we go where Aizen won't find us?
Shaking her head she bit at her bottom lip.
“Kita. Lay still. You still have a lot of injuries that are not healed. The more you move the more of a chance you have of re-injuring yourself.” Orihime scolded her.
“I have to get up. I have to find my master. He can help us. I know he will.” Her tone held an urgency to it.
"Kita, why do you trust him so unwaveringly? You said yourself that he wanted your heart removed! How can you trust him after this? And what is to stop Aizen from hurting you again if you go back?"
“He is my master. I don’t believe master would request such a thing from Aizen. He would have done it himself if he wanted it done that badly.” Kita informed him.
“She is right. Ulquiorra doesn't go to Aizen for things like that. He would do it himself if it displeased him that much. Especially since it has to do with his fraccion.” Orihime added. “I wonder if Lord Ulquiorra even knows Kita is in this mess.”
Tsukiro gave Orihime a small look that said "not you too" then turned back to Kita.
"And what if you're wrong. Don't misunderstand me. I hope as much as you that he can help, but I don't trust him. He's an espada, a vasto lordes. I wouldn't trust him as far as I can explore the Shihoin palace without getting caught."
He sighed heavily. "But if you need me to, I can hide you somewhere then sneak into Las Noches and bring him to you."
Kita looked at Tsukiro. Her heart sank. She could not send him out into the hords of arrancar that now lerk the halls looking for them. Even if there were not search groups out looking for them the second Ulquiorra laid eyes on him he would be dead. She laid there just looking at Tsukiro as tears started streaming down her cheeks in silence. Her hand firmly but gently gripped his.
“What have I gotten you into? I tell you I don’t want you hurt or dead and then I call you right in the middle of the lions den. I am such a fool.” She closed her eyes.
Exasperated, Tsukiro scoffed and released Kita's hand. He stood and walked off a short distance from the two girls. He pinched the bridge of his nose with one hand and placed the other hand on his waist.
He whipped around. "What is it with you? I promised you that you weren't alone. I meant that. You brought me here to help you and I'm trying to do just that. I want to take you somewhere safe, but you won't even think about leaving Las Noches. I agree to get Ulquiorra's help, but you won't even let me do that!"
He pointed at himself. "I could have died back there when I saved you! But I didn't! Hell, I could have died the day that my mother and brother were murdered! Yet they're dead and I'm still alive! I've been living on borrowed time for a century with nothing to live for except revenge! Well I'm sick of it! I have two things to live for now! Keeping you safe and supporting the Shihoin clan! And I'm going to do just that whether you like it or not! So either you tell me how to keep you safe, or I'll decide myself!"
Orihime blinked a few times as she looked on at Tsukiro. “Well you can start by sitting down and relaxing. Kita is not going anywhere right now. And if you don’t lower your voice we are going to be found before I can get her to the point of even moving her without hurting her.” She then looked to Kita. “Tell your boyfriend to calm down.”
Kita quickly looked at Tsukiro then back at Orihime. “He is not my boyfriend, Hime.”
“Pft, ok if you say so.” She went back to what she was doing.
Why do women always drive me up the wall? Tsukiro huffed to himself.
None the less, he calmed down. "Kita, you brought me here to help, so let me. I can't help if you don't let me try."
He walked back over to Kita's side. He took up her hand again. "I know you're afraid of me getting hurt or killed. But please try to understand that I feel that way about you. When I saw you beaten so badly, it scared the hell out of me. So believe me when I say that I understand."
He gently placed his hands on her face. "I promise you that I will not get myself killed. I've survived this far, haven't I?"
She gave Tsukiro a nod, nuzzling her bruised cheek into his hand. “But now you wait. At least until things calm down here.”
Orihime nodded quickly. “By the time things calm down Kita should be able to be moved.”
Tsukiro nodded, although he was still angsty. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "You're the most stubborn, iron willed girl I've ever met, you know that?" He couldn't help but grin at her. "And I'm glad you called me here to help."
Kita gave him a half smile as her eyes started going closed. “I blame that, on the god in me.” She was out again before she could say another word.
Orihime looked over to Tsukiro. “She really cares about you.”
Tsukiro leaned back and sighed. "I know. I feel the same, though I don't know why."
He turned to Orihime. "Thank you again. And, if you don't mind me asking, miss Orihime was it? Who exactly are you and what are you doing in a place like this? You're human aren't you?"
Orihime smiled with a soft giggle and nodded. “What do you mean you don’t know why? Kita is a very loving sweet girl. If it was not for her I am sure I would have been killed a few times since I was brought here by Aizen’s order.”
She looked back to Kita. “I am Inoue Orihime. Friend of Ichigo Kurosaki and resident of Karakura Town. I was brought here for the same reason Kita was. To be used until I was no longer useful.” Her voice drifted off becoming saddened.
Tsukiro nodded, understanding. "Then you have the same promise I gave Kita. I'll protect you from Aizen with my life. I won't let him hurt either of you."
He stood up and stretched. "I'll keep watch until Kita is well enough to move, then we'll decide what to do next."
Orihime nodded as she watched him walk slowly away from them. She looked back to Kita and smiled. “What a nice guy he is.”
Continued To: You're Coming With ME!; Part One
