Snippet #2551993

It hurt....

Reika's body was stiff as a board and it felt like she had been hit by a large boulder. W-what happened? Why am I- The only thing she could remember was the excruciating pain that tore at her insides over and over and the grotesque figure of a mask. With extreme effort, the dazed girl lifted her right arm and winced. It hurt to even move. In her gradually awaking mind, Reika could hear familiar voices all around her. Her vision cleared a bit and she could make out figures standing near her, clearly the figures of whom the voices belonged too.

"R-Ryuu?... Guys?" Reika managed to finally move her mouth to speak and Ryuu's red hair was the first thing she recognized as her eyes scanned her surroundings with great effort. Finally drawing her gaze back onto herself, Reika looked down and found that her middle, right arm and legs wrapped with clean bandages. As her mind began to fully awaken, the memories of that night flooded back to her. The hollows, drinking, forest, fighting. It all came back to her. "Is everyone.... Okay?" The girl's strength by this time had replenished enough that she decided to try and sit up. She needed to see if everyone was here and safe. With a labored grunt followed with a whimper of pain, Reika managed to lift her head then her back from the bed she was laying on. How long had she been out? Questions ran in uncontrollable circles in her head but she needed to first confirm that her dear friends were alright. "Ow ow ow! Bad idea...." Only able to lift her self just barely off the bed, Reika slowly set herself back down as the pain that shot through her body slowly subsided.

"Aren't I a sorry sight?" The blonde Shinigami chuckled softly. "I took quite the beating but it looks like everyone is in better shape than I am. Thank goodness...."

Reika's nose picked up the strong wafting smell of noodles and her gaze instantly shifted to the source. She was STARVING. The last time she ate was before she headed over to the bar that night. Reika's stomach growled loudly to confirm her thoughts and her face turned a bit red. "Ummm.... Could I have some of that? My stomach feels like it's been gouged clean of everything that was in it."

Though she was overjoyed that her friends were all safe and that she was actually alive, the realization of what actually happened still lingered at the back of her mind. The pain and embarrassment of being defeated and almost brutally murdered began to gnaw at her. No.... now is not the time. Attempting to push the negative thoughts away to no avail, Reika managed to put a plastic smile on her face. Had everyone else defeated their hollows? Was she really the only who didn't? What a failure.... Failure...

Before she knew it, her body began shaking uncontrollably as the humiliating thoughts broke out from her tight hold in her mind. All those months of training.... All that time spent... All of it just for her to be severely wounded on the battlefield. She couldn't do this now. Not in front of everyone. But she couldn't take it anymore. She barely remembered what happened that night but Reika knew that her friends probably had put themselves in harms way to save her. The thought of being responsible for the injuries of her comrades dug into Reika's heart like the sharp spikes that pierced her stomach that night. How would she be able to live with herself? Once again, her eyes darted around the room. One... Two... Three... Four... Four..... Where was Joel? No..... He couldn't have.... Was he okay? Reika knew that he was probably all and well wandering around Soul Society attending to something but she couldn't help but worry that he... That possibly...

"Guys... Where's... Joel?" It couldn't be.... Was he the one who saved her? Reika instantly remembered that it was his voice that spoke to her the last time she was conscious. With the possibility of him being dead, the shaken girl snapped.

"I-I'm sorry...." She whispered with a quivering voice. "I'm sorry.... I'm sorry.... I couldn't do anything..."