Quin-tessential Disobedience [Minori/Yumiko]

ZYUrahara · Bleach-Creeping Shadows (Quincy Remix)

02:16AM. Gozen niji juuroppun. The time on the clock perched on Minori's nightstand stared back at her. She laid atop her bed, restless and unable to sleep. She always awoke at this time - not entirely sure as to why - with a lingering feeling of unease. Every night it was the same. Sweat clung to her, clumping her pink hair to the sides of her face and neck. Once Minori was awake, that was it. She couldn't just drift back into a blissful slumber. With a sigh, the teen swung her legs over the side of her bed - her bare feet landing with a gentle pat against the hardwood.

The girl rose to her feet and crossed the room with slight grace to gaze out the window. The curtains were drawn, illuminating the window arch and frame in the moonlight, scrawling an image into the floor. It was a clear night. The moon was full, and stars were alight. As she peered through the glass, a fluttering shape moved into her peripheral field of view. It was a butterfly. A black butterfly with purple wings. The insect was cutting through the air as if it were following an invisible path, too straight and precise to be that of a normal butterfly.

Minori shuddered. It wasn't a normal butterfly. Her gut told her something was amiss, so, instead of running - she decided to follow it.

She didn't even bother changing from her nightgown into clothes. She pivoted swiftly on her heel, treading carefully to ensure the sound of her movements were not amplified through the floor and walls. She crept across the threshold of her room and into the hallway, pulling the door shut behind her with a click that echoed throughout the house. Minori cursed silently under her breath, and continued down the hall. She reached the top of the stairs thus far. Thankfully, her slippers were waiting to pad each step as she continued to the lower level of the Tanabata home. Directly across from the stairwell was the genkan, where Minori's tennis shoes were faithfully stationed in close vicinity to the door to ensure a quick escape.

The girl virtually leaped into them, ditching her slippers atop the genkan step. Hurriedly, she moved to the door and pulled it open. The cool morning air assaulted her, further jarring her sense of unease. She steeled herself, twisting to close the door behind her quietly as she had done upstairs. The last thing Minori needed was to get caught sneaking out again. Her parents didn't understand her burning need to know who - no - what she really was. They refused to divulge why they hid their Quincy heritage from her for the entirety of her existence.

The butterfly crossed into her line of sight again, moving past the other houses on Minori's block with haste. Its pace quickened. Minori kicked up her heels and took off running after the insect. Where was it going? Why?

It was then that the girl heard it. The delicate pink hairs on the back of Minori's neck rose. It was the cry of a Hollow in the distance, somewhere beyond the barriers of the city.

Truth be told, Yumiko hadn't come to Karakura for any other purpose than a chance to spend her brief time off work on something for herself. Given the nature of her drive, and what she was looking for, the young Quincy ended up staying out quite late indeed. To put it simply, she was looking for something that would only be offered at stores in the night. Nothing illicit, but simply items of interest to Yumiko. Modifications for her bike, her personal devices, and even a few figures from anime and media that she simply MUST have!

What the Quincy wasn't looking for was trouble. Karakura wasn't exactly a threatening place for individuals, and Yumiko knew a few Quincy lived in this city in the past and perhaps still in the present. However, Yumiko still felt a particular sense of unease. Not that she was being watched, but more like... more like something would happen. Be it hollow or some other threat, Yumiko had an odd feeling in her gut that something would take a turn this night.

She may not be having the issues of knowledge as to what she was, much like another girl that resides within Karakura and its jumble of reishi, reiatsu, and traces of energy. However, what caught Yumiko's attention was the faint cry of a hollow, pouring over the barriers of the city. Given the singular cry, it was perhaps only one... But even then, one hollow was still capable of causing mass destruction. A sigh escaped the small woman's lips as she considered her vast amount of items she had obtained, all of which rest within the storage of her motorcycle. As much as Yumiko should fight that hollow, she also remembered the importance of her mothers teachings... To not kill hollow unless absolutely necessary. Quincy, after all, couldn't purify souls like Shinigami could.

After some indecisive-ness plagued her, Yumiko decided to ride her motorcycle around the town, find some place to perch upon that would give her a view of the hollow's general direction and... wait. If something was to happen this night, Yumiko might at least be able to help. If anyone were to come to danger... She knew she could do something where others couldn't. Waiting atop a building tall enough to look over Karakura's wall, Yumiko's spiritual weapon manifested as if digistructed from the surrounded reishi. Atop the building, Yumiko did her best to scout for what hollow is wailing away at Karakura's outskirts. Otherwise, she simply monitored the situation.

Minori's hair whipped behind her as she ran, leaving a pink streak in the darkness. Her yellow gaze remained transfixed on the peculiar butterfly, ignoring all else of her surroundings until she realized she left Karakura Central behind. She skidded to a halt as the city's barrier lay before her, narrowly missing running smack dab into the middle of the wall. She placed her hands on her knees, gasping to increase the flow of oxygen into her lungs and catch her breath for a moment.

She scanned the surface, searching for a way beyond the structure. She found her exit in one of the city's checkpoints. It was manned by a solitary guard, well... he looked more like an attendant. And there was only one? In the middle of the night? She thought it would be more heavily patrolled at night due to activity like tonight's, but maybe not after all.

Minori parted her lips to say something, but didn't. Instead, she twisted in the man's direction and resumed her path. The butterfly flew over his head, and Minori dashed past him as quickly as her legs could carry her slight frame. The man attempted to question her, however, she didn't have time to hear it. His voice trailed off into the distance behind her, and she was thrust into a clearing lined by Karakura's forest.

The butterfly stopped moving forward and began to flutter in a stationary position. The unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach intensified. She stared at the butterfly questioningly. Why did it stop all of a sudden?

As if the universe answered, an explosion like phenomenon occurred. The cry of the Hollow blared in her ears at point blank range. She stood there, paralysed by fear and the sound that engulfed her. The Hollow appeared, its foot leaving a large crater-like footprint in the earth mere feet from Minori. The Hollow's spiritual pressure, paired with the explosion, knocked her away from it. The force was enough to send her hurtling through the air several feet before the city's wall stopped her - not gently, at that. It splintered beneath her as she slammed into it.

The impact knocked the wind out of Minori, and she let out a cry of agony before crumpling to the ground. She could feel that several of her bones were now broken, and was pretty sure she was bleeding from several places. This encounter with a Hollow was not like the brief one she had before. This one had its sights set on her, and that petrified her. She was alone now. The butterfly disappeared, leaving only Minori and the Hollow about.

A stellar light began to radiate around her, and momentarily blind her in its wake. Tiny stars shimmered and danced in untraceable patterns above her head, accompanied by spirals of pink and blue that revolved around a spherical ring-like manifestation of.. Energy? What is this? Minori attempted to raise her hand to shield her eyes from the light, but didn't have the strength to do so. Through the gaps in the stars, she could see the Hollow moving in to attack - or kill - in her case. This time, it wouldn't miss.

Yumiko's prudence appeared to be warranted. While the Quincy heard nothing of the shouts of a gate guard, she did happen to spot a small-looking individual chasing after an obsidian butterfly; no doubt one of the Shinigami's in the vicinity. It was puzzling... Why would someone be chasing one of those, and especially one who looked so young? Then again, it's not like Yumiko looked much older either... She watched the girl until she nearly smacked into the wall around Karakura, and then dashed towards the gate nearest to where the approximate location of the hollow's cry had come from.

The Quincy's last sight of the woman was when she rushed past the gate and out of sight. Whoever this girl was, she was in danger. If she could see that butterfly, she was in a heap of danger. Hollow didn't often bother with humans that had little spiritual pressure, and especially the few rarities that have none. But, she had enough... just enough to be considered a tasty morsel. There was no time to waste. Yumiko cast her gun aside as she leaped from the top of the building, the gun breaking back into Reishi and being deconstructed in a similar way that it was reconstructed. Pointing herself downwards with the expertise of a professional skydiver, Yumiko plunged to the ground at a break-neck pace. Right before she hit the ground...! She vanished in a well performed Hirenkyaku intended to both soften her impact and allow her to continue moving.

Landing atop her motorcycle, Yumiko caused the monstrous bike to roar to life, its tires screaming as she immediately poured on the gas. She had no time to lose, none at all. She wasn't that far from the girl, but every second wasted was a potential for that girl to be killed; to be eaten by the hollow that was assuredly there. While Yumiko broke every speed limit, and made it so her bike could exceed its normal speeds, the Quincy flew through Karakura. She bore through the same gate that the small girl had dashed through, causing the guard a surprise and further unintelligible yells as Yumiko's bike carved a line into the road, dirt, and grass as she ground it to a halt while turning.

While the bike was still in motion, Yumiko knocked the kickstand out with ease and, with practiced motions, she launched herself off the motorcycle like a missile; while her motorcycle stopped moving with nary a scratch. Two things became lodged in Yumiko's mind right now; save the girl and kill the hollow. A glow of a Quincy's untamed powers, and the typical putrid feeling of a hollow, were all Yumiko saw before the woman's conscious thoughts ceased... And she beheld a woman on the brink of death. Bleeding, as was evident by the splotches upon her nightgown, had been slammed into the wall of the city, and appeared to be stunned in fear. Yumiko didn't think, she didn't even consider the ramifications of her actions; she simply acted.

All Minori would see was an odd flash of movement in her peripheral before Yumiko seemed to just... manifest next to the hollow. She was airborne, and appeared to be no more than any other woman, even within Minori's age group... And she slammed her foot into the hollow with damning force. Knocked off balance, the Hollow's next attack completely missed Minori and would likely not even be allowed to occur. With swift ease, Yumiko's spear manifested in her hand and she slashed upwards with one of it's threatening blades and lopped the Hollow's arm clean off. Yumiko then twisted, moving much like a dancer, as she resumed her assault; her fury disallowing the hollow to act in more than partial retaliation before Yumiko kicked the hollow in the mask. With another swift movement, the Quincy hit the Hollow just hard enough to send it flying backwards. As a follow up, Yumiko drew back her arm and hurled her spear at the hollow with deadly accuracy. With that... it was over. The hollow was gone, destroyed by Yumiko's spear. She breathed easily, the only thing that harried her breathing was rage... anger that someone had been hurt. But... now was not the time.

Yumiko turned around, her spear fading as she ran to Minori. Upon arriving, Yumiko looked over Minori with evident concern and began to do a bit of first aid, at least enough to staunch the bleeding. Within moments, Yumiko had retrieved her motorcycle and pulled out a proper first aid kit and began to at least keep Minori from bleeding out on the spot.

"Stay with me, alright? I think you have a few broken ribs, and I doubt we'll be able to get back into Karakura... If you're willing. I can take you somewhere, my family's hospital. They'll treat you. But, you won't be able to come back for a little bit... I'm Yumiko, by the way."

”Minori… I’m Minori…” was all the pink haired girl was able to choke out. She nodded at the one speaking to her - Yumiko, she tried to remember - in agreement, barely mustering the strength to do so. Her breathing was shallow and laboured.

A cough rattled her slight form, causing her to shudder. The cough sounded wet, as if her lungs were trying to stick together. Blood trickled from between her lips, dribbling down her chin and neck. She was starting to get cold. Perhaps she shouldn’t have left the house without proper clothes, she thought to herself.

She struggled to collect her thoughts for a moment, before attempting to speak, “I… Don’t care to go back.. To Karakura… Now..” That was all Minori could hiss, barely above a whisper. Air started to escape her lungs, and everything faded to black.

"Then stay awake, Minori..."

Minori... that was a cute name, and a good one too. Yumiko considered her ministrations right up until Minori coughed, blood escaping from in between her lips. Yumiko felt a tiny bit of panic creep into her being, but not enough to cripple her actions; it made her move faster instead. She did her best to stabilize Minori in the moments before she had passed out right in front of Yumiko. The young Quincy cursed under her breath as the woman sighed her way into the black abyss. She wasn't dead, but her pulse was faint, and she needed immediate medical attention. Perhaps the last thing Minori would see enter her vision before it all faded to black was a blue light; and a halo, made up of that same color.

Yumiko had once more used her vollstandig to carry someone who was in critical condition; while also carrying her motorcycle at the same time. This may only be the second time she had done so, but she felt an odd feeling of irony as the woman landed in her family's personal hospital parking lot with ease. With her bike placed in a parking spot, Yumiko rushed inside with Minori in her arms; not even bothering to jump out of her Vollstandig. Time was of the essence, and Minori wasn't going to perish from this... Something about the woman echoed an odd bit of toughness. Upon getting Minori properly into the ER, where she could be healed, operated on if needed, and otherwise taken care of, Yumiko would wait until she was released; and would also wait at the side of the woman's bed as well. She would be alright... she had to be, otherwise, what would that poor girl's family think...?

When Minori awoke from that suffocating blackness of unconsciousness, she would wake to find herself in an unfamiliar area; with the glow of the morning light pouring in. Beside her, seemingly half asleep, was the woman who had rescued Minori; Yumiko. Aside from being hooked up to a few medical devices and a nurse on duty, they were alone; and the younger Quincy wasn't dead. Oh indeed, she would be quite sore, especially with her broken ribs and other fractures, but otherwise; she was alive. Being alive, in this world, was what mattered.

Minori began to stir. Her eyelids fluttered as her consciousness returned. She could feel the adhesive pads of a heart monitor against her chest, the wires tugging on her clothes… This isn’t my night gown… Where are my shoes? She thought to herself. Her eyes opened, her yellow orbs scanning the room to get a bearing on her surroundings. A hospital. A room. Heart monitor. IV drip. Arm chair. Yumiko. Sleeping Yumiko.

But this wasn’t the hospital in Karakura Central, that’s for sure. She bent her arm at the elbow, attempting to roll onto one side and prop herself up. Minori inhaled sharply and winced. Her eyes began to water automatically. The tender flesh of her arm was being tugged on and stabbed by the cannula of an IV. Her back hurt. Her ribs hurt.

My whole body hurts.

Minori turned her attention to the slumbering Yumiko beside her. She looked to be not much older than Minori herself. She didn’t realize that she was so cute, especially sleeping. Then again, Minori could hardly remember what transpired after she had been nearly struck by the Hollow aside from Yumiko introducing herself.

Minori coughed, wheezing slightly. Her ribs must be cracked, she could feel it. She cleared her throat and began to speak, her voice hoarse and barely above a whisper.

”Thank you, Yumiko-senpai. For saving me.”

She smiled as best she could given the pain she was in, and laid back against the pillow, attempting to make herself comfortable. She watched Yumiko for a bit, taking in her features before she felt her eyelids get heavy. Sleep took hold of her. But at least it wasn’t death.

A few days had passed since Minori had been checked into the hospital of Yumiko's family. As Minori wasn't just a regular girl, and had the capability to be a Quincy, her recovery was proceeding apace. Yumiko stopped by whenever possible to check on the young girl she had saved, and also help lessen the process it was to get information out of Minori for her treatment. Otherwise, her stay at the Kamenashi clinic was perfectly amicable. Not to mention, Yumiko had begun to take a particular habit of giving Minori a gentle pat upon her head; especially after she heard, on Minori's first morning in the hospital, the young woman call her 'Yumiko-senpai'. But, it was quite evident that Yumiko was familiar with the area, as it was her family's, and that Yumiko showed up often just to make sure the younger Quincy was doing alright.

On that third day of Minori's stay, Yumiko had stopped by once again. This time, however, she was carrying a few things with her; namely, clothes! Yumiko carefully placed the small pile of clothes onto the chair next to Minori's bed before she turned to the woman and smiled warmly. Many of the life support instruments had been disconnected in the past days after it was decided that Minori didn't need them as much; but today was the last day of her stay. Of course, she'd be required to return for two more nights. Otherwise, she was free to do as she wished. After all, supernatural or not, cracked ribs were still serious. Yumiko gave Minori a warm smile and gestured to the clothes.

"Hey Minori~ This may come as a tiiiny bit of a shock, but you should be getting discharged soon; at least for the day. A nurse should be in soon to explain it all to you, and to give a final checkup. But, if everything goes fine, I was thinking... You don't have any of your clothes, right? And your nightgown was ruined..."

Yumiko sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck as she contemplated her words, looking upon Minori with gentle eyes; surprisingly penetrating despite their evident youth. Despite Yumiko's petite frame, and small stature, her eyes didn't quite look like those of a young woman like her... Regardless! Yumiko soon gave Minori a small smile and a shrug.

"I was thinking we could do some shopping, if you're up for it... You're going to need some clothes, especially if you're going to be here for a while; my mom's already decided to cover it all due to your circumstance. So, what do you think?"

Depending on Minori's answer, and after A nurse had come in to explain Minori's recovery, that she needed to spend two more nights within the clinic, and to give an examination that still likely caused some lesser pain in the woman's ribs, Yumiko would wait for Minori outside of the room she had been set up in. Yumiko knew where she would need to return at night; it would be easy for Yumiko to guide her there later. For now, however, Yumiko gave the woman a small smile and allowed her to set the pace; knowing she likely needed things a bit slow thanks to her soreness. But... she was alive, and that's all one could ask for sometimes.

Minori sat up as Yumiko entered the room, smiling at the older Quincy.

”Eto… Yumiko-senpai? I’m getting discharged for the day?” She questioned innocently, blinking a few times. The only clothes she’d been wearing were soiled and ruined. What would she wear? The thought of having a little freedom excited her, however.

“Ano.. Yumi-chan.. You can call me Mino.. That’s what my friends used to call me…” She trailed off for a moment, looking a bit sad. She shook her head and discarded those thoughts, focusing on the present, and turning her attention back to Yumiko.

“I’d like to thank you, and your mother for your kindness to me… my relationship with my own parents is… Complicated. But I-I would do anything to repay my debts to y-you all!” Minori stuttered nervously, her cheeks warmed and turned pink, almost as the same shade as her hair.

She turned her body, grimacing slightly as she was still sore from the extent of her injuries, albeit she could feel her energy returning. She swung her legs to the edge of the bed and slid off, rising to stand on her bare feet. She glanced at the pile clothes beside her bed and then at Yumiko.

”I’ll change, and then shall we be off, Yumiko-senpai?” She let out a small giggle. This was the first time she laughed in a long while.

Yumiko nodded at Mino's initial question, humming as she helped the nurse set up the privacy curtain so Mino could change. Yes, just for the day. It was slightly unorthodox, and Mino would be fully released within those two nights, but for now they couldn't truly release her with the concern of her ribs still quite high. Not to mention, Yumiko knew her own mother was cooking something of relative concern to the matter; likely trying to make sure Mino had similar comfort to before she left her home behind.

"Yeah, for the day. From what I understand, they just need you back for a couple nights; to make sure your ribs are fine and nothing abnormal arises. After that, full discharge~ I'll be waiting out here for you, Mino."

Yumiko smiled and slipped behind the privacy curtain, and patiently waited for Mino to dress, and for the nurse, that had just walked in to help Mino out, to explain the situation in full. She explained to Mino, before the woman could get herself dressed, that she needed to return here for the next two nights to make sure there were no abnormalities, much like Yumiko said, but she also brought along a prescription of painkillers and a recommendation to ice the affected areas when she got out of the hospital; as that would be handled for her, and would also teach her the proper methods to ice said areas where needed.

Afterwards, the Nurse waited for Mino to remove her clothing and performed a small check on her ribs, and other areas that were injured during the hollow attack. The examination likely drew some pain from Mino, but it wasn't anything terribly invasive. Once that was all done, and the nurse pronounced Mino fit to go out for the day, as long as she took breaks when needed, the nurse assisted Mino in getting dressed. The clothes appeared to be old, and frankly speaking Mino may figure out they belonged to Yumiko; but any undergarments were clearly new and fit for Mino to wear comfortably.

Whenever Mino had finished and was in the attire Yumiko had provided her, which was actually quite a wide range of clothing so Mino could pick and choose to her desire, Yumiko smiled at the woman after she had exited. The Quincy spun a key ring around her index finger, grinning as she gestured to Mino.

"Looking good! Hope you're not too sore, I don't have a car, at least not technically. But she's still a comfortable ride nonetheless~ Follow me."

Yumiko smiled and led the way out of the hospital, taking things at a pace fit for Mino; even if the woman was excited, she was bound to be walking a bit slow thanks to her extended time in bed and her ribs. After however long it took them to traverse the hospital, they emerged out onto a humble, yet spacious, parking lot; and Yumiko walked towards a motorcycle that was parked near the front door. Yumiko straddled the motorcycle with practiced ease and begun to dig out riding gear. Leather jackets and helmets. She handed one of each to Mino and assisted her in putting them on if needed. With that, Yumiko patted the back of her motorcycle and smiled warmly.

"Hop on and hang on tight, okay? We won't crash, but it's not like we're going to be going slow anyways. Where do you want to go first? Pickup some clothes all of your own, or shall we find some place to eat? The food's not bad in there, but I can't imagine it's quite as fulfilling as other dishes."