Orihime had always wondered what lay beyond Las Noches, what was outside this dark world of hollowed souls. She had seen some arrancar make gargantas, rifts created to cross between Hueco Mundo and the other worlds. It was an incessant mystery to the young, red-haired woman, a mystery that most of her winged companions at Las Noches feared and avoided, but one that fascinated Orihime, and filled her mind with curiosity and excitement.
She sighed as her large, grey eyes gazed up at the crescent moon shining through the window of the magnificent fortress of ivory and obscurity. The moon that never phased, never revolved around her world, but remained stationary, like a celestial body frozen in space, and time. She should know, for she often looked up at the lunar beauty whenever her mind drifted off, and it was always there, just like the demon-like shadow that followed her and protected her; the shadow of Murciélago, the ruler of Hueco Mundo, the King of Las Noches.
Even though Orihime was a human, she had lived in Murciélago's palace for most of her life, although she never really understood why. Deep down Orihime knew she came from another world, a world of beings like her. A vague memory of sunshine, roads, and grass flashed across her mind, a world strikingly different from Hueco Mundo, which seemed like an eternity of sand, night, and silence.
Orihime never asked too many questions, for although her days were dark in appearance, they were bright and enjoyable in the adventures she had. She was happy here, and besides, most of the kind, winged creatures she acquainted with in Las Noches only had limited answers to her sincere inquiries anyway.
One day Orihime asked her young hollow friends why the sky was blue and bright within the perimeter of the fortress, and was told that it was an eternal enchantment cast upon Las Noches by a former King who ruled long ago. Orihime hoped that one day the current king would reveal himself in the light...
She saw Murciélago, faintly, from time to time; an obscure figure in the shadows with striking, golden eyes. She remembered his shadow ever since she was a child – the mysterious silhouette with curved horns, the dark presence that always stood close, the distant king who was always nearby. One day she walked into the king's room, where Murciélago sat on the throne, grim and entirely covered in shadow. Orihime stood before him, and hesitated a moment before approaching him, but she stopped when Murciélago raised his clawed hand to her.
"Come no further, woman," he commanded. Orihime was surprised to finally hear what his voice sounded like. She wanted to hear it again.
"My king, I have some questions for you, may I come forward?" Orihime asked.
"No, my appearance will frighten you," Murciélago told her, his golden eyes regarding her from the darkness.
"I am not afraid," she stated. Why would she be? His shadow had watched over Orihime her entire life.
Murciélago lowered his hand, intrigued by Orihime's response. All the hollows feared him, but why didn't this human?
Orihime gasped slightly as Murciélago suddenly summoned the Lanza del Relámpago. She could feel the intense energy emanating from it. Although it was blinding in its light, it only casted a faint green glow, so she still couldn't really see him. Murciélago slowly stood from his throne, and walked down the royal steps, using the Lanza as his staff. As he emerged from the darkness, she finally saw his full form.
Murciélago's skin was as white as the robes she wore. Black fur covered his arms and his entire lower body from the waist down, and two patches of fur were on his bare back. She recognized the bony horns that arose from his skull, and his curious yet haunting brows that were set low above his familiar, melancholic eyes, filled with devastation and power. Orihime saw the obsidian streams running down his face and abdomen, his ribs visible on his sides. She noted that he was very slender, but in no way frail, for his muscles were well-toned and moved his hollowed body with grace and strength.
"Well, woman?" he asked, his long tail slowly moving behind him as he solemnly waited for her reaction.
"I think you look beautiful," Orihime said, almost breathlessly. Murciélago's eyes widened in astonishment – no one had ever told him that before. For most hollows, seeing Murciélago was not a pleasant and welcoming prospect. He would either kill you or ignore you.
Murciélago had no intention of doing either to the young woman standing before him.
From that moment on, Murciélago and Orihime often walked together and talked about many things. Murciélago told her that he was the one who brought her to Las Noches many years ago, to protect her from a great evil in her world, and to right a certain wrong. He was not yet ready to answer all the questions she innocently asked.
Orihime curiously glanced again at the patches of fur on his back.
"Murciélago, don't all arrancar have wings?" she asked, following closely by his side.
"…Most do," he corrected her, in his soft, despondent tone.
"Why don't you?" she inquired further.
"I had wings once… but they were stolen from me, and that's all I wish to say about it," Murciélago said to her, running a hand through his black, shoulder-length hair.
Orihime gently put a hand on his arm. Although he did not reject her consolation, Murciélago looked away, off into the distance, as the unwelcoming memory flashed across his mind – the memory of the battle that cost him his ability to fly…
Murciélago remembered very clearly the day he lost his wings. He had been defeated by a powerful cero blast from Vasto Lorde Ichigo. Murciélago awoke several hours later in excruciating pain. He looked behind himself to find that his wings, the very wings that carried him above the clouds, that soared him through the night sky of Hueco Mundo, were obliterated to ashes. In horror, Murciélago screamed and screamed, looking up at the moon that he now could never even hope to reach. He cried emerald and ebony tears that left permanent marks on his face, ghastly symbols of the eternal sadness and endless despair to which he had been condemned.
He had been severely weakened from that battle, and Vasto Lorde Ichigo swore he would return to claim kingship over Hueco Mundo. Without his black wings, Murciélago worried that his reign would soon come to an end.
Orihime gazed at Murciélago, who was lost in deep thought. She looked at his thin, black lips, which seemed to be permanently fixed in a frown. Orihime wondered what it would take to see her king smile.
Without his knowledge, Orihime consulted with various hollows to find some way to help Murciélago, some way to heal his woes.
One day, she discovered an odd, yet undeniably useful and new power: the ability to heal, to rejuvenate, to restore things lost.
"I reject," she whispered, just as she was taught, and warm light surrounded Murciélago. His eyes widened as his large, black appendages emerged from the fur on his back. He flapped his mighty wings and flew several meters into the air.
He thought he'd never be able to reach these heights again.
He looked down at the woman below him, whose long red hair blew behind her from the wind made by the beating of his powerful wings. He lowered himself down and gently landed, and looked directly at her, astounded at how this human could attain such power. However, Murciélago asked a more pressing question.
"Why did you do this for me?"
She smiled and let out a shy laugh, a bit hesitant to admit the meaning behind her gesture.
"It was just something important to you… something your heart yearned for."
Murciélago dismissed her notion of the 'heart', for he lost his 'heart' many centuries ago, and he couldn't even remember how or why. There was a void where emotions had resided – where his heart used to be, now only lay emptiness.
[Lana del Rey – Once Upon a Dream]
Murciélago took Orihime and carried her in his arms. He flew her over Hueco Mundo to see what the land of hollows looked like from high above. He wanted her to experience that with him. He flew her across his vast empire, the rocky formations, the sand dunes, and the trees. Orihime smiled at him. An unfamiliar feeling stirred within Murciélago – a feeling long forgotten, a fragmented drive reemerging, faintly, from the companionship of this human woman.
Suddenly the peaceful, nightly heavens roughly split above them, ripping open with thunderous noise, abruptly ending their midnight voyage. Murciélago landed and put Orihime down, and saw Vasto Lorde Ichigo descending from the black sky, roaring with rage-filled anger and pure wrath. Without a word, Murciélago accepted the long-awaited rematch, and this time, he would not, and could not, lose his wings – they were a gift after all.
He battled Vasto Lorde Ichigo again, and if the enemy got the upper hand, Orihime would call out to Murciélago. But then, out of nowhere, Vasto Lorde Ichigo struck Orihime, knocking her out. He was about to finish her off with a blazing red cero, but Murciélago used his Lanza del Relámpago to cut off his horns, and the cero self-detonated on Vasto Lorde Ichigo, finally putting an end to him.
Murciélago flew back down to Orihime, whose unconscious form lay motionless in the sand. He picked her up and held her, his black, claw-like hand stroking her delicate face.
"Woman?" he whispered, concern etched on his usually stoic face.
"Orihime…" he called again. He didn't know why, but he was moved by her kindness and affection. He didn't know what this feeling, this emotion, was, but it was strong, and undeniable. He kissed her, realizing that she stole the heart he never knew he had.
Orihime woke up upon the sensation of his kiss. She smiled up at him, and for the first time, Murciélago returned the smile. His was a small smile, but one that was eons overdue, one that could only be returned to his face from true love's kiss.
…..
Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo, Maleficent is owned by Disney.