Author's Note: The following is a small teaser for the next fanfic I plan to write, titled "Fight or Die: The Hollow Within."

Since the next story with my original character, Miyako Ichinose, will take place during the Arrancar / Hueco Mundo Arc, the updates will probably be extremely slow and it'll be awhile before you see the first chapter come out. The Hueco Mundo episodes are still being aired in Japan and it's hard to get ahold of the translated manga, so this might have to wait awhile since I'm from the U.S. However, if you've seen or read some of the Arrancar episodes/manga, you might recognize the scene below.

With that being said, I'm glad you stuck with my story and I hope you'll be around to read the next one:)

Miyako sprinted towards the other side of the Sentai gate, with two other members from squad 13 in tow. She hadn’t volunteered to escort Orihime through the gate, but since she was on errands delivering messages to Captain Ukitake, she was in the right place at the right time. The Captain had asked her, very politely, since she was in 11th squad, if she would be so good as to help two of his other squad members protect Orihime along the way, as she was transferred back to the human world.

Pssh, Miyako groaned silently. I’m wasting time here. Orihime Inoue wasn’t even supposed to be in Soul Society in the first place. What was she doing with 13th squad, and why? Seireitei already had their hands full in preparing for the coming war with Aizen. It was inevitable. He was building up his forces in Hueco Mundo, and Soul Society was doing the same. It wasn’t going to be an easy battle. A lot of humans, and a lot of dwellers in Soul Society, were going to die. It was just a matter of when. Instead, Ukitake is wasting his Goddamn time training a human, Miyako thought bitterly. If it continues like this, we’re all doomed.

They all ran in silence, Miyako leading the way with the two squad men flanking Orihime in the rear. Suddenly, there was a jolt in the atmosphere. The spirit force had been unstable. They all skidded to a stop in the near darkness. They had all felt the strange pressure.

Something’s here, she thought.

Miyako gasped and gripped the left side of her chest. Tiny knives sliced and pounded, then the pain was gone. Miyako took a breath and whirled around. Orihime was staring at her with a frightened look on her face. The two other Death Gods looked wary as they watched Miyako. She narrowed her eyes and her hand instinctively went to her soul slayer.

“Miyako, what’s wrong?” Orihime asked timidly.

“Only three Death Gods?” a deep, sinister voice echoed out into the darkness. “I must say, I’m quite disappointed.”

Suddenly, there was a loud rip in the atmosphere. The sound was haunting and it sounded like something being torn, unnaturally and forcefully. The two other Death Gods swiftly turned around to face the torn void, and stepped in front of Orihime, soul slayers ready. Miyako clenched her teeth.

No…it can’t be.

A body clothed in a long white coat stepped out of the void. It was a male, but his skin tone was deathly pale white and his eyes were green. It wasn’t a healthy green, however. They looked deadened. Thin, black hash marks cut down his cheeks like black tears. Black hair poked out from the partial Hollow mask across his left forehead, which covered half his head, and he stared at them with an empty gaze.

An Arrancar?

His eyes darted to the three Death Gods, and then finally looked at Orihime. She took a step back and drew a scared breath.

“You will come with me, woman,” he spoke to Orihime.

The two Death Gods braced themselves, ready to fight, but they hadn’t even gotten a chance to say anything. Miyako hardly had the time to react. He was too fast. There wasn’t anything they could’ve done. It was all over before she even realized how immense his spirit force had become. Blood was splattered everywhere as both Death Gods fell to their knees, nearly cut in half. Miyako hadn’t even seen him move. Orihime screamed.

God, no…it can’t be…is he an Espada?

“I am not asking you to come with me,” the creature narrowed his eyes. “I am ordering you. Come with me now, woman.”

Orihime hadn’t replied. Instead, she immediately brought out her healing barrier and put it over the two fallen Death Gods. Miyako stepped up next to Orihime, soul slayer unsheathed, and stared at the Espada in front of her. He glared back with dead eyes.

I’m going to die in here, Miyako thought. I don’t even stand a chance. What a hell of a way to go. Son of a bitch.

“You try my patience, woman,” he said to Orihime. Orihime looked at him, frightened.

“Please,” she said shakily. Her voice cracked. “Don’t hurt them. Just don’t hurt them anymore.”

Miyako's stomach twisted as she suddenly realized what was happening. Aizen's target was Karakura Town not because of Ichigo...but because of Orihime. She was in Soul Society for a reason. And now they were coming for her.

What could Aizen want with Orihime?

“Inoue,” Miyako said flatly. “Run. Get out of here, now. I’ll try to buy you some time.”

The Espada glared at Miyako. “You will come with me, now,” he said blankly to Orihime, keeping his eyes on Miyako, “Or she will die. You have no choice. Join us or more will die.”

“Inoue,” Miyako hissed through clenched teeth. “Do as I say! Run, now!”

“I…I can’t!” Orihime cried. “I can’t just leave you!”

Idiot girl. Does she not realize what is happening?

Miyako was utterly astounded that she wasn’t dead yet. The Espada looked annoyed.

“Get the hell out of here!!!” Miyako screamed at her.

Suddenly, a wave of immense, searing pain and heat washed over Miyako. She felt as if she had just been gutted. Her mind felt numb, and none of her limbs moved. Blood splashed upwards onto her face and neck, and she slowly fell forward. She felt as if she were in slow motion. She didn’t even feel her knees hit the ground. She was somehow on her back, choking and gasping for air, feeling her own blood pool around her. Somehow, she still gripped her soul slayer in her right hand. The Espada had moved so fast she hadn’t seen it. He completely ran his sword nearly all the way through her body in a vertical swipe. She heard Orihime’s echoing scream again.

“Stop!” she screamed. “Stop it! Don’t hurt them! Leave them alone!”

Warmth and light engulfed Miyako. Orihime was now using her rejection technique on all three Death Gods. They were on the brink of death. If Orihime hadn’t done it in time, they would have all been lost. Miyako struggled for breath, but the healing was already beginning to work. She was still bleeding profusely, but she could breathe easier. The pain was engulfing her senses. She felt blood bubble up her chest and drip out of the corner of her mouth, but she still forced air out of her lungs to speak.

“Inoue, forget us. Leave us. Run. Get out of here,” Miyako wheezed.

Orihime shook her head and tears fell from her face. “I can’t,” she whimpered.

The Espada took one step towards Miyako’s body and glanced down.

“How are you still able to speak?”

Miyako didn’t reply.

He continued to stare at her, his eyes darting to her left side. After an agonizing pause, he finally replied, “I see.” He glared back at Orihime.

“You wouldn’t want to jeopardize the well-being of your other friends, would you, woman?” the Espada asked flatly. Suddenly, a strange magical projection appeared out of thin air, and Miyako and Orihime watched in horror how Ikkaku, Yumichika, Lieutenant Matsumoto, Captain Hitsugaya, Renji, Rukia, and Ichigo were all fighting Arrancar. They were all struggling. Orihime’s eyes focused on Ichigo, but Miyako closed her eyes. She caught a fleeting glimpse of Renji but forced herself not to watch. The Espada wanted to manipulate them, and she wasn’t about to give in.

“I am going to tell you one last time, woman,” he said in a bored tone. “You will come with me.”

“I’ll do whatever you want,” Orihime said in a shaky voice. “Just…please…spare them.”

“Inoue, no! Soul Society is not for you to put up on a platter just for your human friends,” Miyako choked at Orihime.

The Espada glared at Miyako. He let out a “hmph,” and snapped his fingers together. Suddenly, two white, frightening Hollow creatures stepped out of the black void and floated towards her. They leaned forward, shattering Orihime’s healing barrier, and gripped Miyako by her arms.

“No!” Orihime cried. “Don’t hurt her! Leave her alone! I already told you that I would cooperate!”

“She won’t be harmed,” the Espada replied. “…for now.”

Miyako felt numb from the pain and struggled to breathe as she felt her body float backwards, into the darkness. She slowly opened her eyes to see Orihime standing next to the green-eyed Espada, looking back at her with frightened eyes, full of tears.

Inoue…you stupid girl.

Miyako’s pain slowly ebbed away as she felt herself falling. She was falling into unconsciousness…engulfed in the immense darkness…until everything was cold and black.

Renji…