Of Blood and Friendship [P]

[Lilith]

My breaths were deep and heavy. Though I had carried a man larger than myself over my shoulder to the hospital I sat in, I realized that my breaths were mainly heavy from my own anger. My abhorrence of that damn Hollow was something I couldn't explain--he hurt one of the people I tried so hard to protect. For this, I blamed myself as well, fueling my anger and worsening my condition.

But I had gotten the Quincy to the hospital and in for immediate treatment, which gave me a bit of relief. Even after it had been so long since our fight, it was only then that my breaths were beginning to slow and return to normal as I sat with the unconscious Quincy in that lonely room. The window was closed, but the blinds were open and allowed for a bit of pale light to flood into the room. I glanced over at his unconscious state and my golden orbs fell to the ground. I leaned forward, my pale hair falling over my head and masking my face, as I pressed my hands to my eyes. I couldn't believe I let this happen . . . I couldn't believe that he was injured, and I was there. I let it happen.

I wasn't strong enough.

Something came over me, then. An understanding I hadn't had before. When I had encountered that first Hollow, which was still so much stronger than that dragon Hollow, I had thought I understood why I had to become stronger. I thought I understood my own ambition, my own goals. But I didn't. Then, I had succeeded in allowing for my ally to escape with little injury--I thought that injury I allowed was my fuel. Now I realized, I didn't know true ambition. I didn't know true ambition until I was forced to take the comrade I had fought alongside to the hospital in an unconscious state, all the while knowing I had failed.

I continued to sit there with my face in my hands and my pale blue hair cascaded about the entirety of my head as I spoke, "Damnit, I'm sorry . . ."

[Naka]

I remained unconscious for some time, completely unaware of the events that transpired during the darkness that clouded my mind. As the Quincy woman carried me bodily to the hospital, and I was treated there for my injuries, my mind and my body were separate. Being unconscious is significantly different from sleeping, or even being knocked out. Your mind shuts down almost completely, only leaving running the functions needed to survive, functions that are aptly named subconsious. So while your heartbeat remains constant, and your breathing is regular, the thought and processing centers of the brain are shut down.

Some may wonder why it is that people coming back to consciousness are always surprised to find themselves in a different location. The reason is because not only does that person have no memories or recollection of any kind as to how they may have arrived at that location, but also because the brain itself does not fully function during that time, the person has no concept of the passage of time. In fact, when a person regains consciousness, their brain feels as if only moments have passed since it shut down. As you might imagine, this adds to the confusion.

Slowly I awoke from my deep sleep, the world wavering as if under water as my eyes struggled to come back into focus. The first thing I noticed was the absence of my normal clothing. Before I had even fully awoken I was surprised to find that I wearing a thin slip of some kind, whereas what had seemed only moments before I was in full battle dress. The next thing I noticed was the stark white ceiling not far above me, coming into focus just now. My eyebrows furrowed as I blinked a few times, trying to come to terms with what had happened. I had to squint to see, as for some reason the room seemed to be lit so very brightly.

Instead of questioning those nearby in the stereotypical fashion to find out my whereabouts, I choose instead to engage in deductive reasoning to try and determine on my own what had happened. It was not terribly difficult to realize that I had fallen unconscious, as it had happened before a couple of times, and the symptoms were quite distinctive. After deducing that fact, it was a reasonable assumption to think that I was probably in a hospital or similar care facility, given my last memories were from passing out during a battle.

With this new information I was able to examine the room in a bit of a different perspective. I saw now that this was most certainly a hospital, and there seemed to be someone sitting at my bedside. Looking at her hair, I recognized her! She was the Quincy that I had been assisting in the fight against those hollow. As I looked on, my head slightly turned, she murmured something, although I could not hear it. She held her face in her hands, her head bowed.

My voice would sound weak and raspy, my throat dry from lack of liquids. But even so I would manage a bit of a smile as I spoke.

"....h-hey..."

[Lilith]

A voice brought me to pull my hands away from my face. I was in a daze of sorts--I didn't reply immediately. Instead, I was content to simply stare at my hands; my palms were caked with dry blood and open cuts, I hadn't realized I had squeezed my fists so hard until now. The pain wasn't there, ever. It still wasn't.

I snapped out of my daze suddenly and slowly brought my vision to meet the only possible source of another voice in the room. My golden eyes were wide open as I stared at him, shocked and ashamed. I couldn't bear to meet his gaze, and immediately pulled mine away from his, finding a new object of my sight--the lowering sun in the sky. Any other time, I would have been infatuated with its pastels, its pinks, purples, yellows and oranges that spread out over the sky like a blanket, with the golden rays which dwindled to tiny streaks of majesty as the great fiery ball fell down beneath the horizon.

But not, my mind was elsewhere. I didn't truly see the magnificence of the sun at dusk. For a moment I didn't speak, but finally my gaze lowered even more, to stare down at the white tiled floor.

I spoke through the dryness of my mouth, "I'm sorry. I wasn't strong enough to protect you, or to defeat those Hollows, or . . . " I trailed off, thinking about how those Hollows might be let loose on the city, about how I let them go.

[Naka]

She did not respond at first, pulling her face away from her hands just far enough to stare at them. I thought it was odd that she did not look at me or respond, but maybe there was something going on here that I was not aware of? Who can know. Suddenly she seemed to come back to reality or something, slowing bringing her gaze up to meet mine as her hands were lowered. Emotion danced in her golden brown eyes, conveying more then words ever could. Those eyes penetrated my very soul, tearing away at my heart.

I could bear it no more, and as her eyes flitted from mine to examine the scene outside the window, I spoke what I hoped would be comforting words.

"Hey... don't be like that.... its my own fault really. I chuckled a bit, the laughter hurting deep within my chest, although I would not allow such pain to show through to my face. My words would be filled with compassion and understanding.

She continued to look out the window for another moment, but did not seem to truly see what she was looking at. Her mind was elsewhere. Her gaze fell suddenly from the plastic panes, skipping right past my clear face to stare at the floor tiles.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't strong enough to protect you, or to defeat those Hollows, or . . . "

Her voice broke, and she stopped. This poor girl was all torn up about the whole situation. I hoped to help resolve her of some guilt with my next words.

"Strong enough?" My voice carried a certain tone of authority, and a sort of just but gentle anger. "You are stronger than me! And whats this about not being able to protect me? I came to assist you in the first place, its not you who should be responsible for me, but rather the other way around. Heh, look at me now though, so much for protecting you." I sent her a winning smile. Hopefully I could cheer her up. "Besides, I got myself hurt really, its no fault of yours."

[Lilith]

I turned and gave him a weak smile. He was trying to cheer me up? I looked down at my hands, musing over what he had said. I didn't buy any of it, I trusted myself with guarding the lives of other people.

But . . .

I chuckled weakly, "I'm sorry, I'm acting silly. Wallowing in self-pity gets me no where." Again, I brought my golden orbs up with the intention of meeting his, only this time my smile was genuine and strong, and my gaze was one of determination, "Sitting and wallowing gets me no where--if I really want to get stronger, I need to train!" I stood up from my seat and brought my fist up near my face. I remembered a conversation I had with a certain Shinigami where my enthusiasm over training came out . . .

"Anyways, we're not here to talk about me," I sat down, realizing I got a bit too excited at the thought of training, "You're the one in the hospital. How do you feel?"

I was concerned for his health. During the fight, his reiatsu had dwindled more to little more than nothing--and he had fallen unconscious. It seemed he was doing fine, from how he had been talking, but I couldn't be certain. Especially with him trying to make me feel better, he probably knew that giving into pain and letting it show wouldn't help.

I was being selfish, and I felt terrible.

[Naka]

She turned towards me and give me a sort of smile, a bit timid perhaps, but certainly an improvement over her gloomy mood. It seemed that perhaps my efforts to help cheer her up had been successful, at least on some level. Her gaze faltered again, and her thoughts seemed to become focused inward, contemplating what I had said. Just as suddenly as she had faded, she snapped out of it, looking back at me and chuckling a bit.

"I'm sorry, I'm acting silly. Wallowing in self-pity gets me no where."

Her smile was solid, and no longer faltered with the gloom of her earlier expressions. I gazed back into her smiling face and smiled back, witnessing a new sort of resolve implanted there.

"Sitting and wallowing gets me no where--if I really want to get stronger, I need to train!"

She stood up abruptly, the chair skidding back a bit, but luckily did not fall over. There was a fire in her eyes now, a deep, slow burn that smoldered within those miniature suns. Her hands bundled into fists and shot up in front of her face, as if she was squaring off for a fight. But just as suddenly, her enthusiasm passed, or maybe it was just condensed inside of her, ready to be re-awakened at a different time. And with that decline she sat down again, her hands relaxed.

"Anyways, we're not here to talk about me, you're the one in the hospital. How do you feel?"

This girl was a curious case. Vulnerable to fast and dramatic mood swings, but not in a bad way really. I continued to smile at her as I answered.

"Well I feel a lot better already really, its seems my reiatsu is returning pretty quickly. With just a bit more rest I could probably leave here, and just take it easy for a while. I don't think I broke anything, do you know if the nurses said anything about my condition at all?"

[Lilith]

I was happy when he smiled back at me, with my first genuine smile to him. It gave me a good feeling--like it was okay to feel fine, even after my failure. Like it was okay to feel good, knowing I would get stronger, because I had to.

I just shook my head at his inquiry, "Nothing really--they said you weren't in too bad of condition, and that you would recover soon. I had to tell them you crashed a bike." I laughed at this, as it was a bit far from the truth. I could only imagine their faces if I had told them what really happened--right before I was sent to a psychiatric ward.

"But, yeah, basically what you just told me. That little Hollow sure did mess things up . . ." I scowled as I said this, remembering back to the fight, "I woulda kicked that big Hollow's ass if I had the chance!" My fist was brought up again, palm facing towards me, as I tightened it in enthusiasm.

"Anyways, I'm going to stay here with you. Who knows what would come after you if they felt your reiatsu, and in this condition, I simply couldn't leave you with that thought in my mind. I hope you don't mind," I usually didn't act like this--I wasn't asking, I was telling. Regardless of whether he wanted me there or not, I was going to protect him from anything that might attack. Normally I'd give people a choice, but not when it came to their safety. Still, I desperately hoped that he didn't mind my company.

[Naka]

Surprisingly, I found my words to be true for the most part. Although I had originally intended for them to simply encourage the girl before me, pairing them with an internal self-examination it seemed that I was indeed recovered for the most part already. Actually, I would not be surprised if I was well enough to leave before too long. I asked about the nurses, not overly concerned, but wanting to make sure I had my bases covered.

"Nothing really--they said you weren't in too bad of condition, and that you would recover soon. I had to tell them you crashed a bike."

I chuckled a bit at this lie that she had managed to concoct without too much trouble. My laughter hurt a lot less than it had a few minutes ago, which was an additional testament to my speedy recovery.

"But, yeah, basically what you just told me. That little Hollow sure did mess things up . . ." A dark look crossed over her face for a moment but swiftly changed into excitement. "I woulda kicked that big Hollow's ass if I had the chance!"

Mood swing alert! But it was fine. I watched with fascination as shook her fist at the air, as if the hollow could see her threat. I think I'm going to enjoy getting to know this one... she is rather interesting. It was at this point that I got my first real chance to look over her figure. Her frame was just a bit large for one so short, but I could see that the majority of that came from a highly developed muscular structure. She was probably a few years younger than me, but not by much. Her light blue hair and golden brown eyes accented a pretty face, that I now noticed was staring at me.

Blushing and embarrassed, I quickly turned to start down at my toes through the sheets. She continued to speak as if nothing had happened, but she could not have helped but notice me admiring her features.

"Anyways, I'm going to stay here with you. Who knows what would come after you if they felt your reiatsu, and in this condition, I simply couldn't leave you with that thought in my mind. I hope you don't mind."

"Oh.... o-oh course." I managed to stutter. What was wrong with me? I was a dignified man, and dignified men do not stutter. "What I mean is.... Thanks. I appreciate it. Hopefully I can make it up to you sometime."

[Lilith]

I looked at him blankly as he stuttered, having noticed him looking at me. He looked away rather quickly, shying away a bit as I spoke.

Was there something on my face? I pressed my hands to my cheeks and to my forehead, and finally to my nose and chin, but found nothing. I looked away, as well--if there was something on my face, I surely didn't want it there.

"I'll be right back," I said as I got up and moved into the small restroom attached to his hospital room, examining my features in the mirror. I leaned in close, turning my face this way and that, but still found nothing. Deciding it must have been my imagination, I made my way back into his room and sat down again.

"Sorry about that," I said, "Anyways, you don't have to pay me back at all. Like I said, all of this is my fault, so this is the least I can do." I grinned at him as I said this, to assure him that I wasn't wallowing in self-pity, but owning up to my own mistakes and attempting to make up for them.

I looked around his room suddenly, curiously. There was a big open space between my chair, his bed, and the window. I grinned, and rose to shut the door leading into the room. If I got caught doing what I was going to do, I wasn't sure if they'd let me stay . . .

Excitedly, I moved to the open space and stood there for a moment. I glanced at my friend and just before beginning, realized I hadn't introduced myself, "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. I'm Lilith, I never introduced myself." I winked and stuck my tongue out at him, listening in case he gave me his own name.

Then I turned and immediately threw a kick directly upwards into the air, following by two more as the leg fell. Stepping forward, I threw a flurry of punches into the nothing with my right arm--I was going to train, no matter where I was.

[Naka]

She looked at me curiously as I blushed, and I thought she might laugh at me. But it appeared that she was not quite as.... shall we say, astute, as I had first given her credit for. Or maybe she was just really self-conscious.

"I'll be right back,"

She left quite abruptly, excusing herself, to the bathroom apparently. Odd behavior.... Was it something I said, something I did? Weird. After a few moments she moved back into the room and apologized, sitting back down.

"Sorry about that. Anyways, you don't have to pay me back at all. Like I said, all of this is my fault, so this is the least I can do."

She grinned at me, showing that she was out of her funk. I was thinking how I might respond when her focus suddenly shifted. She grinned while looking around the room, and somehow it was unsettling a bit. Like I could sense she was up to no good. Rising again from her chair, she closed the door. I raised an eyebrow. What was she doing? She moved over on the other side of my bed, facing the open window. She seemed about to do something when suddenly she spun around on her heels and introduced herself.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. I'm Lilith, I never introduced myself."

"Oh of course, nice to meet you I'm Naka....

My voice trailed off as she stuck her toungue out for some reason? She also winked at me. What did this behavior mean? I was so confused... Abruptly she spun back around almost as quickly as she had in the first place, and threw a kick... at the window? What was going on?

Luckily it was open, and so it flew into the open air rather then shattering through, but it was risky nonetheless. Her skills were amazing however, as I watched the one kick turn into three even as the leg dropped. The moment it hit the floor she lunged forward, peppering the open space with quick jabs from her right hand.

I started as I heard some noise outside my door, which was now shut. Hissing at her in a whisper, I urged her to to stop.

"Hey! Cut it out! Someone's coming!"

[Lilith]

I stopped suddenly at Naka's voice, having not paid much attention to the noise outside. I turned and pouted, my lower lip stuck out and my posture slouched with my arms dangling down, "But I wanna train!"

I turned my face in mock anger from his, my bottom lip still stuck out and my arms crossed, with a "Hmph." Something was coming from the other side of the door--I suspected a nurse or something.

As I waited it seemed to come across my mind for the first time that Naka was a Quincy. I had known it earlier, yes, but I hadn't really thought about it--I hadn't realized what it meant. First, it was my first encounter with a spiritually aware being other than a Shinigami or Hollow--and second, he was a Quincy. Like me. I had been wanting to meet someone like myself, yet I could find none. Now I had gone off and gotten one hurt, and didn't even realize he was a Quincy.

My thoughts raced through my head, but my face still showed mock anger. As the door opened I set my arms on my thighs as I sat down, my face finally back to normal.

I realized that I almost burst out, asking him about his Quincy knowledge and such, but I refrained.

[Naka]

She stopped as I whispered urgently in her direction, luckily. I could hear the nursing staff approaching nearer to my location with every passing section. Her motions paused immediately, and she turned to pout. And pout she did, her facial features screwing together like a child.

"But I wanna train!"

Was this a child or a woman? It seemed that somehow her mind had not quite kept up with her body. Whining and carrying on did not become someone of her age and stature. She was simply..... silly. Maybe she was doing it on purpose, like it was some sort of test, or game, but I did not get that feeling. Finally she seemed to notice the noise of the approaching nurses, almost as they entered the room.

"Hmph."

It seemed she was angry, or at least that is what her expressions attested to. That seemed unreasonable, but I could not continue to focus on her at the moment. Satisfied that she would remain calm and not try anymore theatrics for the moment at least, I turned towards the door just as it opened to reveal two people.

One was a tall man, probably a doctor from his appearance, dressed in a long white lab coat over his scrubs. He was accompanied by a petite woman, much shorter than himself, dressed in the typical while attire of a nurse. The doctor was examining what appeared to be my chart as he entered into the room, and the nurse followed behind in his shadow. Flipping up the top sheet he read what was there even as he approached my bed. Stopping there he read some more as I waited expectantly, looking up at his figure.

He looked up and met my eyes for a moment. "Hmph." He looked back down at the chart as I raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'm not sure how you recovered at such a rapid pace, but even after being here for only a few hours, you are ready to be released. It would be best if you took it easy for some time, and maybe if someone can help you out for a bit..." His eyes flickered up to view Lillith for a moment before he continued. "So all I need you to do is sign here and you can be on your way"

He offered the clipboard to me, and I look it with pen in hand, signing at the line on the bottom.

"Oh, thank you!"

He nodded and walked out of the room, pausing at the doorway for a last word.

"Feel free to show yourself out when you are ready." He indicated my clothes.

[Lilith]

((Sorry it took so long))

I sat quietly as the doctor explained the situation--I grinned on the inside at his confusion. It was expected regardless--it would have been odd if he hadn't been confused--and I was simply glad that Naka was doing better. I felt a bit better about having let him get injured since he had recovered so quickly.

As the doctor left I stood, "Great!" I moved over to his clothes and picked them up. As I arrived at his bedside, I held them out for him to grab, "Want me to go into the bathroom so you can change here, or vice versa?"

I wasn't going to quite let him out on his own yet--I'd still stay with him for a bit. The doctor had recommended that, as well--even without the knowledge that Hollows could target him due to his intense spiritual pressure.

"Just so you know, I'm staying with you for a little bit still," I said, letting him know my intentions. Again, I hadn't had the intention of sounding rude--only forceful and direct. I felt it was my job to protect him during the time he took to recover, as a friend, as a fellow Quincy, and as the one responsible for allowing his injuries to happen.

[Naka]

"Feel free to show yourself out when you are ready."

The doctor left with his silent assistant, closing the door behind them quietly. I was still trying to process all that had happened. I was able to correctly assume that my greatly increased reiatsu and powerful spiritual pressure had a significant hand in my quick healing, and with signing my release form I was apparently ready to leave. At this point it was simply a matter of changing and walking out the front door. I found it a bit odd that they had not bombarded me with questions and tests in an attempt to discern the source of my quick healing, but perhaps that was simply a side affect of having so many patients with lots of reiatsu.

It seemed my companion was stirring in her seat, impatient for the doctor to leave, for the moment he shut the door she jumped to her feet.

"Great!"

She moved quickly to the place where my clothes rested, grabbing them and offering them to be grabbed. I obliged as she continued.

"Want me to go into the bathroom so you can change here, or vice versa?"

"Oh, I guess you can go into the bathroom. I will change here quickly."

Likely as not she would proceed quickly towards the bathroom, for with those words I would already be rising from the bed, the hospital gown revealing much more than I would have liked. After she was safely out of sight I would proceed to change back into my normal clothing, pleased to see that not only was it none the worse for wear, but also that the hospital staff had been considerate enough to clean and press it for me. Pulling on the pants and fastening the jacket clasps, I donned the hat, my figure cutting a dashing presence once more.

As I was dressing I heard her call out from the bathroom, a statement that brought a smile to my face.

"Just so you know, I'm staying with you for a little bit still,"

I was in no hurry to leave this dame, and it suited me just fine if she wanted to stick around. I could feel my strength quickly returning in full, and knew I would not need to remain with her for protection or assistance. But as for companionship and perhaps something more, much could be said for what development might come.

Calling forth to her, I signified I was ready to head out.

"Hey are you ready to go yet?" I smiled, as I enjoyed the tease.

[Naka]

After waiting for a while I would finally leave the hospital, hoping that she would follow me. I couldn't stay around here for too long, as a foreboding feeling had slowly began to penetrate into my psyche, one of impending doom and destruction.

[Exit]