CHAPTER 1 | His Copy
It was already 4 o'clock in the afternoon and chimes from the nearby school were heard. Kids ran across the streets, holding their bags and lunch boxes with them while a few adults followed while exchanging conversations and gossips. It was the time of the day where the corner bakeshop was filled with hungry little kids and parents who were both tired from school and work. As the sun began to set, the crowd got thinner and thinner and the bright reddish lights of the sunset illuminated across the wood-adorned furnishings of the bakeshop. The attendant behind the counter glowed with happiness pasted on her face as her auburn hair gleamed with the rays of the sunset.
"Thank you! Enjoy your doughnuts!" she waved to the mother and child in front of her. The child smiled back at her waved his tiny arms goodbye. She looked at the old man who was last in line and gave him her signature smile. "What will it be, oji-san?"
"The usual, Inoue-san, four croissants and a bagel, sugar-free." The old man removed his hat as he answered. Orihime Inoue, the shop owner took the thongs from the hook and placed the old man's orders in a paper bag. She suddenly noticed that her regular customer was holding a small bouquet of white and lavender flowers. The old man took notice of the young girl admiring the bouquet in his hands.
"They're for milady. She was brought to the hospital early this morning. She said she was feeling dizzy and unwell. But just about earlier this afternoon, the doctor said she was going to be fine and it was just an over fatigue."
"I am glad to hear that." Orihime replied with a warm growing smile. "Here's four more pieces of blueberry muffins for you and granny. I pray for her speedy recovery. Don't worry, it's on the house." Orihime winked and handed the bag over to the elder man. He thanked her and left the store.
Stretching her arms up and high, the auburn-haired girl sharply inhaled and gave out a relieving sigh seeing that it was already 6 o'clock in the afternoon and no one was at the shop anymore. She untied the apron's ribbon behind her and threw it to the small bin near the room behind the counter and removed her hair from a bun.
"That's it for today then, another fine day for Karakura Town's best baker!" she cheered to herself, pleased with the regular high sales of her bakeshop but before she could put the closed sign on the counter, the bell that hung over the door called her attention. Entering the shop was a boy; around six years old, holding a drawing of a house with people on it, his unusually large backpack that hung over his back and he was wearing a gloomy expression on his face.
"Hello there little boy. I was almost closing but don't worry, what will you have for today?"
"Strawberry and red-bean paste bread." He said in a low voice.
"Did your mother allow you to eat sweets, little boy?" Orihime leaned at the counter, teasing the boy.
"My mother likes them too so I think it's okay." He replied, still in a low voice.
"Well then, tell your mom I said no. Little boys like you should eat vegetables to grow, not sweets."
The boy said nothing but simply lowered his head and reached into the pocket of his bag. He began searching for something and made Orihime curious. She leaned more and peered at what the boy was looking for, finally, the kid pulled his hand from his bag and showed her a few coins.
"My mother said that if I want something, I got to pay for it." He stated monotonously.
This made Orihime chuckle and closed the boy's hand. "Not everything is worth money." She smiled. The boy looked at his hand enclosed in hers and pulled it away, blushing. He placed the coins back into is bag and neatly returned the other items he took out as he looked for his coins. As soon as he was able to repack his bag, Orihime was already handing him a piece of strawberry and red-bean paste bread. He took the bread from her hands and handed her the drawing he was previously holding.
"Our teacher told us to give it to our favorite person."
"Is it for me then?" Orihime blushed. The little boy just nodded as he took a bite from the bread.
"Your mom won't mind then if you give it to me?"
"I like you and the bread that you make." He replied bluntly.
Orihime blushed and watched the little boy make his way towards the table beside the window to silently stare at the streets front of the bakery. She then diverted her attention to the drawing in front of her. There was a small house, some trees and clouds. Beside the house was a small boy holding the hand of what seems to be his mother and on the other side of the house was a taller man. Below the house was written 'Family'. Orihime bit her lip, her hands were slightly trembling but shrugging it off, she pinned the drawing on the cork board.
"Saki-kun." Orihime called out, her head faced down. The little boy looked at her in daze.
"What would you like for dinner?" Orihime forced a smile, fighting back tears that may come rolling down. "Would you like to eat out or do you want me to cook instead?"
"We can stay at home." He briefly stated before turning his head back to the streets.
"Well then. Wait for me okay? I'll just be changing and Uryu-kun might be here any minute to pick us up."
Saki nodded and proceeded to watch the streets again. It was already half past six and the street lanterns and lamps lit. The ramen shops started their cooking, smoke filled the streets and the sake stalls were filled with employees who were all tired from a hard day's work. After five minutes, Orihime came out of the changing room and locked the cabinets. She swiped up her phone only to frown at the message. Uryu will not be able to pick them up. Orihime sighed and smiled at the small boy who intently watched her as she finished locking the cabinets.
"Beef stew with spring onions sounds good, Saki-kun?" Orihime asked, wiping the powdered sugar on the boy's face. Saki nodded and pulled his bag on the table and swung it to his back before reaching for Orihime's extended hand.
"We'll be walking for a bit, Saki. I need to buy fresh meat on the nearby shop."
"It's okay." He replied with his ever monotonous and low voice.
Orihime and Saki paced through the busy sidewalks filled with merchants, restaurants, teenagers, older people and other various bystanders. Approaching them from a distant was a mother holding her child's hand as they window-shopped for clothes. The sight was heart-warming scenery and it was easily assumed that it was the child's birthday.
"I'm sorry I couldn't pick you up from school, Saki-kun." Orihime stated.
"It's okay." Saki whispered. Still sighting the mother and child at the nearby store with his blank stares.
"It's not okay." She sighed. "I promise you that when I'm able to leave the bakery to our employees, I'll be the one to pick you up from school and walk you home and we'll be able to shop for your toys and clothes together!" Orihime enthusiastically cheered.
"It's okay. Otto-san walks me from school to the bakery anyway. And sometimes, we sit at the park."
Despite being alarmed by Saki's words, Orihime decided to take the statement as a positive one and turn it into a conversation.
"Really now? So how does your otto-san look?" she asked curiously as they both continuously walked towards the nearby meat shop.
"I don't know."
Orihime frowned and decided to give it another try. "Does he talk to you?"
"No, he doesn't. But sometimes I can see his mouth move, I just can't understand him."
"Well, I'm jealous that you can spend time with your otto-san. I wanted to see him as well."
"He told me to keep it a secret but I like you so I'm telling you."
Orihime blushed and smiled at her son. She gave his hand a soft squeeze before pushing the door to enter the meat shop.
"Captain." a young shinigami approached his snow-haired captain and handed over a few documents concealed in an envelope. Opening the said envelope, Jūshirō Ukitake's eyes scanned the document and his brows furrowed. He placed the papers in his desk and told the young shinigami to ask the Captain Commander if they could talk privately. A few minutes have passed and the messenger returned and informed Ukitake that the Captain Commander was free.
"Yamamoto-san." Ukitake knocked at the large doors leading to the highest division office. Without waiting long, the large doors opened and led him to the Captain Commander's desk where he took a sit. Immediately, a female shinigami poured the men tea and dismissed herself.
"Ukitake-san, I believe you have something important to tell me." the old captain asked before tasting the tea.
"Indeed, Yamamoto-san. It's a report regarding Karakura town." Ukitake replied, handing over the papers.
"Karakura? There hasn't been any report since the end of Winter War."
"We have cleansed the area six years ago and placed a few threats on surveillance."
"Go on." Yamamoto replied, curious with the information the captain has brought him.
"One of the quarantined 'threats' have started producing an unusually large amount of reiatsu in a span of three years. An energy resembling to an arrancar. To be specific, if the build-up of the reiatsu continues in another four years span, the force may be equal to an Espada's." Ukitake replied, his eyes full of fear. Yamamoto sat up straight, knowing that this was no trivial matter.
"Who exactly are we talking about, Ukitake-san?"
Ukitake handed over set of documents to the 1st division captain in front of him containing various details about the target. Yamamoto raised a brow, surprised with whom the target was.
"I see. Send someone to Karakura Town. It's best if we can monitor the reiatsu in a close proximity."
"Shall I send Rukia?"
"No, send a new seated officer from the 2nd division, someone who knows nothing about the previous war."
"I understand, Yamamoto-san. I shall send someone right away. If I may ask, what will be our plan of action when we retrieve the target?"
"Hollow purification."
Ukitake's eyes grew wide and surprise, immediately forcing himself to stand up and spill the tea towards the reports on the table.
"Yamamoto-san, is there another way? We have to consider that the target is no other than Inoue Orihime's son, Saki. There will be no way that Inoue-san will freely give Saki to us! We must not interfere with their normal way of living as much as possible!"
"Ukitake, calm yourself. If we do not eradicate such entities, there is no doubt another war might be waiting for us around the corner. Such threats should be eliminated to ensure peace among the land of the living and here in Soul Society. Now, go assign an investigator to proceed to Karakura town. Make sure her friends do not interfere."
Ukitake clenched his hands and half heartedly gave his debate up. "I am sorry for my actions, Yamamoto-san. I will be dismissing myself." the captain exclaimed as he bowed his head and left the room. Somehow regretting the information he reported. What pictured in his mind was the image of Orihime, losing her one and only son.
"Chojiro." Yamamoto called out. The lieutenant entered the room together with another shinigami who went straight to clean the spilled tea. The lieutenant bowed to his captain and handed another set of paper works to the Captain Commander.
"The arrancars seemed to be unsettled." the white-haired lieutenant stated. "This report is from the watchmen to the only portal left leading to Hueco Mundo."
"As I thought, there is something up. Sousuke Aizen must have planned something up in his sleeves. Are there any abnormalities in terms of the reiatsu of the arrancars?"
"There is none, Captain Commander. It is only recorded that the arrancars have been in a stir recently. It's as if a force has been driving them mad and confused."
"Well then, tell the watchmen to keep a lookout on the portal. I need the guards to be tripled in number, just in case we are facing an uprising in the arrancars."
"Understood, Captain Commander. I shall disburse the imperatives right away."
As soon as his lieutenant left, Yamamoto massaged his temples, somehow confused and threatened with the rising possibility of a hollow attack, or worse, another arrancar war. It has been 7 years since the Winter War ended and they have successfully placed Hueco Mundo under their control, they have cleansed Karakura town and have removed all threats that may agitate the Soul Society. He picked up Saki Inoue's picture from the table and a debate formed in the old Captain Commander's mind.
"Why did I let such thing happen." he told himself. "A human and an arrancar hybrid. There is no doubt that Saki Inoue is no other than the Espada's child. Ulquiorra Schiffer's child."
A/N: Hello everyone! This is my fourth Ulquihime fan fiction entitled "Disintegration of Dreams". This one will be a slightly dark fic compared to my previous three. You can check my previous works in this FanFiction account and I hope you'll take time in reading them while I brew up chapter 2 of this story.
This is just a simple and brief beginning to give you an idea on how the fiction will flow. Please do note that this fiction is labeled as "M" so do expect a scene or two and please do note that this will be a dark fiction and I may or may not twist your emotions so bad, you might feel the urge to find me and kill me. Anyway, READ, RATE and REVIEW!