CE: Something like Tanabata

In the world of the living it is July 7th, human celebrating a wonderful thing, while in the deserted silvery sands of Hueco Mundo nothing stirred or made a sound, not even the smallest hollow moved in this empty world. The crescent bright moon sat in the sky as it beamed down at the dark world under it, creating shadows in its light. A cool breeze picked up the silver sands, swirling and twisting it in the air, as if it was dancing as it shined in the light of the moon. It pushed and pulled the sand drifting it over the empty lands, swishing around the dead white trees that held up by themselves. Nothing in this world seemed to seem joyful or even alive. All wouldn't believe anything lived there, but threw the silence in the large sandy desert waste lands something broke the silence, a laughter of a child.

A small skinny girl that looked about the age of 11 stood over a younger male about the same age appearance. she held a look of victory, holding her foot on the males chest. "Ha! Pinned you!" she cried, her smile simply growing larger. The breeze tugged at the pale grayish brown cloak that was around her neck, as well as the short blonde-greenish hair. Her right eye was visible, brightly shining in the moon. She looked down at the pale boy with violet hair and bright green eyes that seem to be staring wide up at her. A scowl was set upon his face, "All right, then get off me then!" He complained as he watched her, when the female moved her foot a bit. The small girl's pink eye widen in shock as the male wiggled out from her foot and slammed into her sending both tumbling down the sand hill they were in. Tumbling and twisting, rolling and falling, sand was kicked up and was lifted away by the soft breeze. With an light thud the girl had captured the male under her again, "Pinned you again!" She declared with a large smile on her face, lightly moved a gloved hand up and tugging on the poor males animal like ear.

"What are you doing Lilynette...?"

A low but slightly rough voice that was glazed over by sleep spoke out. This made the girl, Lilynette glared up from staring at her friend towards a much taller man then the two of them. His dark brown, almost black hair tugged in the breeze along with his own cloak. He pushed a bandaged up hand threw his dark hair, keeping it out of his face. Shadows showed under the blue-gray eyes he had. "What do you mean what are we doing dumb ass?!" Lilynette snapped back at him, "What does it look like?" She snorted.

Lilynette Gingerback was the counter part of the Primera. She wore under her cloak a sleeveless top, with a thick round collar that was around her neck and went up to her chin. It was black to the rest of her outfit that was white. There a slight opening of the shirt on her chest and it only went just a bit under her chest. It had black fabric loosely hanging on it, though it was torn to her left side, revealing her hollow hole in the centre of her stomach. She wore for bottoms white hakama pant. that were held up by a black sash and were tucked into white arrancar boots with black fluff around the rims. She had white long gloves with black fluff also around the rim of the gloves. The remainder of her Hollow mask is the form of a helmet with two horns on the top of her head. The left horn looks as if it has been cut off, and the left half of the mask covers her left eye. Her right eye was a light pink colour that at the moment was narrowed and filled with annoyance.

"It looks like you're acting like a pain in the ass..."

Coyote Starrk, the Primera Espada of once Sosuke Aizen's arrancar army. Under his cloak he wore a slightly long jacket that had a high colour and was open, showing off his toned torso. The sleeves were ripped off showing his slightly muscular arms, which his forearms held bandages that were wrapped around it carefully and even wrapped around his fingers to the joints keeping part of his fingers showing. The end of his jacket was torn and  and ripped. His jacket stayed well on his body with a strap that held to pieces of the jacket so it wouldn't fall off. He wore normal hakama pants that flooded over his arrancar boots and held up by a black sash with the end that fell on his left side was torn at the tip. His wavy dark brown hair stayed just at the base of his neck. The remains of his Hollow mask consist of a fanged bottom jaw that is position along his neck as if it were a necklace. His Hollow hole is on his sternum, right below the tip of his mask. Moving across his hollow hole and down to his left side was a ragged and large scar from his battle in the war.

"I am not you lazy ass! What do you know anyway?!" Lilynette growled at the lazy man.

"It looks like you are flattening Dracul." Starrk stated flatly.

The young male under Lilynette was Damien Dracul a Delegar. Back many years ago he use to be fraccion 46 until his mask was torn off making his become a Delegar arrancar. He was basically stuck between arrancar and hollow. He had long paler violet furred ears, that matched the fur on the small bat-like wings, on his feet that looked more like hind legs of an animal and the long thin tail he had with a long fur tip at the end. He wore a high collar jacket that was undone showing his hollow hole just under his neck. He had baggy sleeves that were T-shirt like and thinner sleeves under it that hugged his arms. His jacket on either side of him had black to mach his shoulder patches. His hakama pants were held up by a reddish-brown sash and had black legging that let his animal like feet stick out. The remains of his Hollow mask consist of a upper jaw across his forehead that goes up the middle of his head with three spikes on it, as well as going down his chin of a bottom jaw. Over his left eye his hollow mask has a large crack in it letting part of his hair fall out, as well around his right eye he has a red ring around his animal-like eyes with three dots under it on his cheek. His left eye was a smokey blue-ish gray with a scar that ran down his face ending just a bit on his cheek. That eye was blind. His right ear has some tares in it as well.

"I am not flattening him, right Dracul?" Lilynette growled down at the smaller male, who sniffed in replay, "No, just I rather not be used as a couch." He replayed. Lilynette snorted and got up off the male before stalking towards Starrk, "So why are you here and not sleeping like normal?Huh?" Lilynette said towards Starrk, glaring up at him.

Dracul sighed heavily as he slowly sat up and rubbed his hand over his blind eye as he watched the two, "Here we go again..." He was use to these two bickering like well children.

"How can I sleep with you yelling all around?" He asked flatly.

"I wasn't yelling!"

"Well you sure as hell were yapping pretty load"

"Oh shut up Starrk! Go crawl back in bed where you belong!"

A snort came from Starrk before he asked, "Well why are you out here?"

"We were waiting for her to return home." Lilynette replayed her light pink eye darkening at the thought. "It has been days and she said she would return in one!"

A heavy sigh came from the Primera as he turned away, "Maybe she found something better to do?"

"Or the Quincy got her!" Lilynette yelled towards her counter part that was walking away. "Like they did to Dracul....but far worse!"

"Lilynette...I'm sure she's fine..." Dracul mumbled from where he was sitting turning his gaze out in the horizon. The Delegar sighed heavily as he slowly stood up, "Come on Lilynette lets not pester him and let him get some rest...."

Lilynette glanced over her shoulder towards Dracul and nodded slowly, "Okay..." She turned away from her counter part and walked towards Dracul as they headed up the hill. She looked at his scared face that once held no wounds at all on it.

Starrk let the darkness of the cave swallow him as the two younger arrancars left to wait for her return. The slight flickers of the torches on the wall gave him some lighting. This was were they stayed now since the Quincy had taken control over Las Noches. He walked passed the glowing bed of herbs that had been created long ago by a Vosta Lordes. A hollow husky puppy was curled up sleeping. As Starrk passed the husky lifted his head and let out a yawn, watching Starrk through the slits of its hollow mask. Starrk didn't stay long to give any attention to the dog as he walked down the made flight of stone stares, going to the area under the cave entrance where there was a wall with a curtain as a door separating the two areas. He walked to the bed mattress and sat down. A heavy sigh escaped his lips, he hadn't been sleeping well since they had to retreat here and stay away from the Quincy that could sense them.
Where was she? Was she okay? Or did something happen to her? His gaze darkened as the questioned fluttered around his mind. He leaned back onto the mattress and closed his eyes hopefully sleep would carry him away for a while.

Not long after Lilynette's voice yelled down to the room, "Starrk! Get out here! Hurry!" The urgency in her voice snapped the Primera's eyes opened as he stood up and grabbed his Zanpakuto that was leaning against the wall. Questions raising in his mind all over again. What was it? Are we being attacked? Have the Quincy found us finally? Was she captured and told where we are? Don't be stupid, she wouldn't dare tell where we are you idiot, she would rather be killed then tell!
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Whistling threw the trunks of trees were arrows, hundreds of them. Hollows in the way got shot and Instamatic died, turning into spirit particles. A young woman ran between trees trying to get away from the fire. She was there for collecting some herbs encase any of her loved ones got injured. She could hear the blood roaring in her ears as she ran, dodging the arrows that whisked by her just barely missing. She ran and ran but they out numbered her. What am I going to do?

Her name was Akuma Chishio, she had chestnut brown hair that went to about the mid of her shoulders. Her light teal eyes glanced around standing out against her pale flesh was purple markings that curved slightly on her cheeks. Her clothing was that of a jacket that had the sleeves rest off her shoulders. It was very low cut but hugged her torso as it frilled out the bottom first in white and then black. Her sleeves were black and she wore white fingerless gloves. Her hakama pants had slits down the sides to show her hips and holding them up was a purple sash. The remains of her Hollow mask fragments was that of a bottom jaw around her neck, looking like that of a large felines jaw to be exact. Her hollow hole is located on her chest just below her mask fragment. A scar ran from her left shoulder all the way across her body to her right hip. This was all hidden by the grayish-brown cloak she was wearing.

She spun around as arrows sprang from their wielders weapon. She dodged just in time, but as soon as she moved the arrows flew once more. She tried to run for it, she no way could fight back so many enemies that hid here.

Scarlet liquid splattered the sand as the arrows had struck hard Akuma's body sending her face down in the sand. She could taste the iron taste of blood.

Is this it for me...? Is this how I am meant to die? How pathetic I have turned...

As she was lost in thought her gaze fell into darkness as the sand lifted around her, she was going to die...and she was late for returning back to them... No she had to return to them no matter what! This snapped her gaze open and forced herself to stand and sonido out of the range of Quincy. If she used Sonido all the way back the Quincy could fallow she would have to walk and keep her spirit pressure low. She willed herself forward, the wounds weren't that bad if she took her time...

***
Akuma walked slowly threw the sands of Hueco Mundo, the breeze washing away her foot prints and blood that dripped. She held the hood over her head as she walked against the breeze as the sand picked up. She could see the lone dead tree that stood on the hill outside of the cave they had made home a couple months ago. Akuma tugged the bag she had up more before she let her hands fall to her side.

Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot again. Each step seemed to be taking forever as she slowly walked towards the dead tree As she gained closer she saw a figure side down the hill to the cave, though she was still too far to hear anything or recognize who was who.

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Lilynette had sat beside Dracul on top of the small hill in front of the cave, actually the sand covered the entrance to be seen from the outside. She glanced towards Dracul every so often as they sat in silence. "I shouldn't have been so hard on him..." Lilynette had broken the silence.

Dracul twitched his torn ear a bit as he glanced towards her, "why do you say that? or more like why do you think that since you are so use to it?"

"Akuma hasn't returned for a good week, and she went to get herbs since we didn't have a lot from when we were dealing with your wounds and when Starrk's wound reopened...but she said one day..."

"Yes...but what is really bothering you?"

"I can some what sense feelings from him, but lately he had blocked anything away. Its like...like he has given up already...and now that I think of it I wouldn't know what to do without you if you had gone missing or were killed!" She had raised her voice slightly.

Dracul sighed to himself, "Lilynette...that's what mates do. Starrk is dealing with this as if everything is on his shoulders. As if we wouldn't understand. And is this really about Starrk or more about whats going threw your mind when you think back when we were escaping from Las Noches?"

Lilynette winced slightly as she forced herself to look him dead in both his eyes, "You lost your eye sight in one of your eyes and hold a scar, and I was the reason why when mouthing off to that Quincy..." She mumbled glancing away.

Dracul stayed close to her his tail lightly wrapping around her waist, "Oh Lilynette...that's who you are I cant be mad, I'm lucky I'm alive, and still here with you. Hopefully everything sooner or later will return to normal. I'm sure there are still arrancars around. You don't need to start caring any blame, none of us do. You should just relax and act like a kid, after all we both look like children and as I don't want to admit it we act a lot like children."

A huff came from Lilynette which made Dracul smirk, this was before he twitched his ear and took in a breath. He moved his gaze towards the waste land before them.

"I am not a child Dracul and you know th-"

"Shhh."

"What is it...?" Lilynette's voice had lowered from her normal loudness to a hushed whispered.

"Get Starrk...someone's coming...see there!" He pointed out towards a figure walking towards them.

Lilynette let took in a long breath, "I'll get him..." She said quickly jumping to her feet and skidding down the hill as fast as she can before running into the small cave's entrance stopping at the top of the steps. "Starrk! Get out here! Hurry!" She yelled down the steps, hopefully he didn't go back to sleep. She was already starting back towards the entrance.

"Whats going on Lilynette?" Starrk's tense tone made Lilynette stop in her tracks as she spun around to face the Primera, "Someones heading straight towards us!" Her visible right eye wide as she watched him, "You think it's Akuma?!"

"Pipe down." Starrk muttered as he came up to the top steps, Zanpakuto in one hand. This made Lilynette scowl towards Starrk but rush outside meeting Dracul half way as he skidded down the sand. He almost fell still not use to no site on his side as Lilynette supported him so he didn't fall. "Do you think its Akuma?" Dracul murmured against Lilynette's ear. She stayed silent as she looked closer at the small woman figure that was just a bit away now. "It is Akuma!" Lilynette then left Dracul standing as she ran towards the woman.

Dracul blinked his eyes, "H-hey Lilynette!" He called. A frown on his face, what if it wasn't Akuma?

Akuma lifted her head towards her name, it had taken her some time to walk all the way here. She saw Lilynette running towards her as Dracul followed her more slowly his eyes narrowed towards Akuma. Akuma watched as Lilynette made it closer a smile moving onto her face finally she was home, but her gaze was taken away from Akuma when Starrk walked out of the cave entrance and walked above the sand pile, zanpakuto in hand.

"Lilynette." He called as he half skidded half walked down the slope, handing his zanpakuto to Dracul as he passed. His face darkened as he came closer to Akuma, walking passed Lilynette as his eyes scanned Akuma. The shadows under his eyes hadn't left his face yet.

Akuma had reached Starrk as he came closer she smiled weakly, "...H-hi..." She stuttered a bit from his facial expression.

"Where have you been?" His voice was still tense, as if ready for battle, Akuma figured so as she sighed heavily before feeling him pull her close to him, "Sorry...I kind off got distracted..." She said slowly taking in his scent.

Starrk had pulled her close holding her as he pushed his lips carefully against her forehead before taking in her scent. His Ami had returned. As he pulled away and scanned her slightly she seemed much paler then before she left, had she fallen ill? No...its rare for arrancars to fall ill most of the time. He nodded slowly towards what she said.

"She's bleeding..."

Dracul's voice cut threw Starrk's thoughts as he glanced over his shoulder at Dracul who nodded towards Akuma, which Starrk followed towards the droplets of scarlet that was starting to stain the ground under her. He pushed her cloak back to revealed the bloody mess on her side from arrows that had pierced her. "..What happened...?" He asked moving to Akuma's side.

"Quincy were out hunting I guess, I got caught up in it and they got me when I tried to make an escape from them..." Akuma mumbled her eyes half closed. "That's also why I'm late..sorry about that."

"Don't be sorry..." Starrk said emotionlessly as he started to help her walk until her feet started to drag, he didn't think the wounds were that bad, it must of been the blood lose. He scooped her up in his arms and walked towards the cave, "Come on you two." He said over his shoulder. He made it to the room they made under the cave's entrance, putting her down on the bed before grabbing bandages, from watching Akuma he now knew how to at least bandage up wounds, still a pain in his ass...

***
Akuma was laying on her stomach half asleep as she pressed her face against the pillow. She felt something sink beside her on the mattress making her open her eye somewhat to see the back of Starrk, why wasn't he sleeping...? Slowly she drifted back to sleep though, she was too tired to try and stay awake.

Starrk was facing Lilynette and Dracul as Dracul brought up the question, "So the Quincy are taking Menos Forest too now?"

"What the hell?!" Lilynette snarled.

Starrk sighed heavily resting his elbows on his knees, "It seems like it." He muttered, "As long as they don't come as far out here then we should be fine."

"We are just going to hide?"

"No....we are just staying in hiding for now. Do you really want to be hit by a ton of arrows? They out number us." Starrk said with a heavy sigh before arching his back in a stretch. "At this point all I care about is that you guys stay safe."

"But you haven't been sleeping Starrk!" Lilynette's voice snapped at him.

"Yeah, and what of it? It doesn't matter. I might haven't been sleeping as fine as I normally do which I rather have that, but right now things are all messed up. Thankfully we have Akuma back and shes not as badly wounded to what those Quincy can do."

Dracul nodded from his spot, "Yeah he's right Lilynette. Right now we must worry for ourselves, its selfish, but four arrancars and a hollow cannot take Las Noches back. They sent any arrancar running or they killed them. We already lost the war against soul reapers and lost great amounts of comrades, we need to stay low. We are far enough they cant find us or sense us." Dracul pointed out as his tail twitched, "Its not good...but what can we do? We cant expect Akuma and Starrk to go and fight a whole army without being killed. I rather stay hidden till we know whats going on fully." He said with a heavy sigh, "I rather be in Las Noches then here but right now we need to stay put."

Starrk nodded towards the younger male before letting out a yawn by mistake, man he was tired. Dracul twitched his tail again before grabbing Lilynette's hand, "Come on, let leave him be and get some rest so at least you are rested so you can beat me at another game."

Lilynette nodded slowly after sighing, "Yeah okay, I think sleep would help every one right now." She said as she followed the shorter male into the room right next door walking behind the curtain.

Starrk watched them leave to the other part, before leaning and flopping on his side, looking at the wall in the dim light before he slowly rolled over onto his other side to face Akuma a normal frown set on his face. This was his fault he should of told her to stay put or should of went with him, he brushed some hair out of her face before closing his eyes, listening to his mates slow and heavy breathing.

***
Akuma sighed heavily waking slowly, she could feel something running along her side carefully. The touch was so soft she could hardly tell what it was. She forced herself to open her eyes slowly. Blinking them a couple of times to get some sleep out. She found herself facing well nothing, darkness blocked out the dim light. At first she started to panic before hearing a heavy sigh. It was Starrk? He woke up before her? She stayed silent now knowing what was blocking her view. She was pressed against him, her face against his warm chest. She turned slowly and carefully being rather stiff as she rolled over.

Starrk was leaning on his side his hand resting as she moved lightly on her side as he raised a thin brow at her, "Took you long enough to wake up." He said lazily, his blue-gray eyes looking down at her.

Akuma let out a sleepy huff, "Well sorry you aren't sleeping for once." She grumbled groggy. She stretched slowly as she rolled fully onto her back, her chest was bandaged up and the blanket they had taken covered her mostly.

Starrk rolled his eyes just slightly, "Well I'm glad you returned..." He mumbled lifting himself up slowly to stretch out his body somewhat before returning his gaze onto Akuma, "How are you feeling anyway?"

"Just a bit stiff, nothing to worry about, how about yourself?" She asked slowly tilting her head  to the side to look at him.

"I'm fine...but I should of done something you shouldn't of gone by yo-"

Akuma let out a huff, he was worrying for once, as he was speaking about what he should of done she carefully took hold of his jacket with both hands before pulling him over her, so they were face to face. She smiled slightly up at him, "Just pipe down." She said softly using his words before kissing him on the lips without warning.

Starrk's eyes slightly widen, did he just miss something? Though he slowly returned her kiss adjusting himself a bit so he was more over her as he brushed his lips against hers. His hand staying on her side again, slowly pressing his tongue against her bottom lip before entering it, pushing the small kiss into more of a heated up kiss. His hand was slowly sliding up her side creeping its way ever so slowly as he closed his eyes, taking in a breath of her scent. Then something hit him hard against the head, before feeling something garb his hair and pull him away from Akuma slightly.

"Idiot!" Lilynette snapped, "Leaving you alone with her was a bad idea! She's resting and you're busy making moves on her!"

"Urg...Lilynette let go of my hair...ow damn it let go" Starrk complained lazily. "We weren't doing anything!"

"Yeah okay then! So says you who was busy sucking faces" Lilynette retorted back at him pulling him up more with his hair before letting go and kicking him in the rear.

"Ow..." Starrk grumbled slowly sitting up before rubbing his poor rear end from Lilynette's kick.

A small laugh came from Akuma, which made Starrk glance towards her a normal frown on his face. Lilynette scowled right at Starrk as he said, "I thought you were with that Delegar?"

"Well I was, but I wanted to come and see how Akuma was doing, not see you sucking her face off!"

Starrk sighed heavily still rubbing the back of his head now, damn that hurt, his poor hair.

Lilynette pushed Starrk away as she sat down next to Akuma smiling, "How are you? Sorry you had to deal with lazy ass" Lilynette grumbled.

Akuma smiled towards Lilynette, "Its fine really, I get use to him easily."

"You let him get away with too much stuff!" She snorted before saying, "If you're feeling better you don't have to let lazy ass get his way" She glared over at Starrk who frowned at her, "Or at least get more sleep, before you move around with anything." Another sharp death glare went to Starrk before she stood up and started to go up the stairs, Ill come and check up on you in a bit Akuma! Have a nice sleep!" She said smoothly before she took one last moment to glare at Starrk as if warning him before leaving up the passage to the outside.

Starrk sighed heavily as he slowly crawled back to the bed and flopped down on his side facing Akuma, "You did that on purpose..." He muttered towards Akuma.

Akuma turned towards him, "Of course not, I wouldn't do that to you" She mused very softly with a smile.

Starrk sighed heavily moving an arm around her carefully and bring her closer, "You know what this is like...?"

Akuma looked at him with a smile, "What's that?"

"I'll tell if you get some more rest." Starrk replayed shortly.

Akuma smiled, "I'll take that offer if you also get some rest" she replayed back before feeling him kiss her on top of her head, "Fine, fine." He mumbled against her head. "So what does this remind you of anyway?" He took in her scent again, even though it wasn't long of a time of her being gone he still didn't like the distance it was between the two, his arms tightened around her protectively before he gave her one last kiss on the lips before slowly saying in his normal tone;

"Something like Tanabata..."