A/N: Decided to do something fun and challenging, so I took the 100 theme challenge. But decided to try my wits at it and use it for only ONE couple. Yes, very dangerous and there's a good chance I may come out of it hating the couple instead but you know, totally worth the risk. Not going to lie, I've gotten some done ahead of time just to test my ability to stick with it and not all of them are masterpieces. Not all of them are really even chapters, some of them range from just 300 words while others are triple that. But you know what, I took the theme and went with the first impulsive idea and some of them weren't meant to be that long. That's just how they ended up. I don't even expect really anyone to read this but it's a nice little trophy for myself. That is, if I complete all 100 themes.

I.

Introduction

The flood of consciousness that struck her settled deep in her chest and brought a sharp inhale from her lips as the coma-like state her body had been hibernating in slipped away. Her memory was fuzzy and filled with black spots as the environment around was foreign and exotic to her eyes. It was like no facility she had ever been a witness too; the stark whiteness of the walls almost seemed to burn her vision as the dim lights from above only heightened the temporary pain. There was a crippling numbness throughout her body that hindered her movements and yet, she fought through them as best she could.

Weak hands pushed her away from the medical cot that had harbored her body for an unknown period of time; trembling legs were barely able to support her at first glance but slowly seemed to strength with each slow, unsteady step. Fingers were somewhat quick to gather the white sheet that had been laid over her; carefully holding it around her bare form as the absence of her uniform was suddenly noticed. Her strength was waning back and forth but she felt her body slowly beginning to overcome these obstacles. She had never felt this… weak before and strangely enough, it confused and almost frightened her at the same time. Why did she feel like this? And what exactly happened? Where was she?

The questions weren't easy to answer when she had no hints to go off of.

Perhaps a further investigation of this strange facility would give her something to work with; or at least hopefully give her a clue to this place. The atmosphere to it felt familiar or at least it felt like something she could relate to but she was almost certain she had never seen this place before in her life- and her perfect memory would agree with her; or at least, it used to be perfect.

Fingers touched at the open doorframe as she slowly peeked out into the open room that expanded in all directions around her. The walls changed from white to a mix of dark blue and green before they faded back to white; a very odd design but not the strangest she had seen as of yet. There was a stark cleanliness to the open room, something about it just didn't feel right but she had no means of judging it yet. Slowly, she entered the room for closer observations but made sure to keep a keen eye for any movement. But with such wide, empty space, it would feel as though the smallest of movements would be the instant attraction of attention.

Much like she was at the moment, she supposed.

The temperature was cool but not entirely freezing; even with her bare skin, she didn't shiver the least bit underneath the soft cold winds that circulated back and forth throughout the room. Its atmosphere radiated with the same familiarity she had felt back in the Division Twelve labs but this… this was far different than those. There was a different air to it, she just couldn't seem to put it into words. It was an indescribable location that was far out of her reach of identification.

What had once been a move to gather answers only seemed to collect more questions instead.

Fingers tightened lightly in the soft sheets as she sub-consciously pulled them closer around her; the openness of the area, mixed with the pure silence and absolute solitude left her feeling… vulnerable almost. The same questions revolved constantly through her mind as she found herself wondering deeper and deeper into the facility and yet the fear of becoming lost was not a thought for her.

Why was she here?

And where exactly was 'here?'

What could she remember?

Nothing.

It felt like she couldn't remember a thing about any future events. The last thing in her memory was… preparing to leave Soul Society. Captain Mayuri had been summoned to fight in Hueco Mundo and he had ordered her to follow along with him. She remembered being curious about the trip and wondering what would hold for them on the other side, in the neighboring dimension… Was this it? Was this what had been waiting for them? Every answer only brought more questions.

She paused in mid-step as she listened to the faint echo of footsteps in the distance. They were too far to recognize the direction but- no, wait… they were coming in towards her. It was a steady gait, as though the owner was in no rush to get to his or her destination. There wasn't a single energy reading she could net into; she would just have to rely on visible sight to identify the carrier. So she waited; waiting and listening as those footsteps drew closer and closer.

Closer and closer.

And like that, she watched as a figure slowly stepped from the shadows of a branching corridor. His path continued on for a few more steps before it stopped; his eyes finally meeting her own as his body slowly came to a stop at the sudden, unsuspected contact.

It was a collection of silence as they both appeared struck speechless by the other's appearance; she felt as though hers was more expected though.

"What's your name?" he questioned.

His voice was oddly smooth and calm as those amber eyes of his never once left her own.

Some part of her felt as though he already knew the answer to that question.

"Kurotsuchi."

Fingertips carefully came up and readjusted his glasses as he seemed to study her with that name echoing in the back of his mind; the name somewhere lost on the tip of his tongue.

"Who are you?"

"Granz."

A/N: Oddly enough, this was one of my least favorites to do.