As Zaraki was battling with Nnoitora and Ichigo was being healed, Orihime couldn't help but glance at the negacion cage, the prison of the biggest monster of them all. The arrancar cold as ice, egoistic, loyal, but only to Aizen, 4th Espada Ulquiorra Schiffer. The one, who brought her to this hell, made her leave her home, her friends, her life, so she can be a slave to the Devil himself. She despised him with every fiber of her body. He was like the evil wizard that stole the fair princess from her castle to do his bidding, and then close her in the dungeon. Then the princess was supposed to just stay there and wait for the beautiful prince to come rescue her. When he came, she would aid him, so the evil wizard would die and the prince and she would live happily ever after. The prince she saw in the brave, handsome compassionate man, who never hesitated to come save her. Kurosaki Ichigo. The complete opposite of Devil's right hand, the one that made Orihime suffer so much... Not physical damage, not with things he did, but the way he was. Cold. Cruel. Sadistic.And then again, why was she thinking about him? Instead, she focused on the shinigami she was healing. Orihime stared at his handsome face and blushed. He had just woken up and was opening his eyes.
"Kurosaki-kun! Are you okay?"
"Inoue! Do you know if Rukia is alive?"
Oh, but of course. Orihime felt the reality fall on her. Of course he will think about Rukia first. The irony of it all. Oh well, she would just pretend nothing happened, like always…
"I'm sorry Kurosaki-kun, I don't know. But I hope she is okay! And I'm sure she is! So don't worry!" she was crying. She just couldn't pretend anymore. That wasn't fair! The prince was now supposed to take her back to his castle and not to worry about some other girl...
"Hey! What's the matter? Did anyone do something to you while you were here?"
Orihime shook her head in "no".
"What about that bastard?" Ichigo glanced at the negacion.
"You mean... Ulquiorra-san?" And now why was she referring to him in such a familiar manner? "Ahem…I mean Ulquiorra… Well he… he threatened me that he will force feed me if I didn't eat and... " Orihime realized this sounded idiotic. Come to think of it, Ulquiorra never did her anything bad. His coldness was so much better than Aizen's fake smiles, Grimmjow's maniacal laughter, Nnoitora's suggestive grin. With that realization, she hated Ulquiorra a little less. Then she focused back on Ichigo.
"Those bastards... how dare they... first they kidnap you, then they kill Chad, and then Rukia. They will pay for this! I swear!" Kurosaki was furious. "Zaraki, step b…"
"Shut up, Ichigo! This is the best fight I've had ever! Even better than fighting with you!" shouted Kenpachi.
Ichigo and Orihime sweatdropped.
The girl looked at the negacion once again. She remembered the day Ulquiorra told her she had to go to Hueco Mundo. She was so angry and scared. And then, she visited Ichigo. She promised him five lifetimes with her, she almost kissed him. Almost… but he was asleep. And then, Orihime loved Ichigo a little less. So she did really change a little. Maybe... maybe it was better if she just stopped torturing herself with this pointless one-sided love. One day, she knew, her heart would break and disappear, if she would go on like this. True, she wanted Ichigo to love her so badly, but she preferred to be just friends with him, than nothing. And then, she would fall in love with someone, who loved her in return. And she would live happily ever after. She hoped…
And then, she loved Ichigo a little less…
She thought that someone in the future. He was brave, powerful, handsome, he understood her, and loved her, and as long she was with him, she felt safe, never worried about anything. He always comforted her when she was sad, and shared her happiness.
'And such a man never will exist…' she thought.
Some unearthly power made her look at where Ulquiorra was closed. The cage was cracking, and big pieces of it had fallen off, revealing Ulquiorra in a sitting position with closed eyes. They slowly opened, and the cold piercing gaze of the 4th Espada pierced her heart. She could see – he looked accusing and disappointed. With her? Or maybe...
"You bastard!" Ichigo stood up in fighting pose. "You will pay for all you did!"
Ulquiorra ignored him and turned to the 5th Espada.
"Nnoitora, what are you doing here?"
"Heh, I killed the traitor Grimmjow and now I'm fighting! In other words, I'm doing your job." snickered Nnoitora. But then, he sobered up as Ulquiorra's sword pierced him.
"Fucker! What are you doing!?"
"My job, obviously." The 4th Espada pulled his weapon out of Nnoitora, as the later fell on the ground.
Kenpachi, Ichigo and Orihime just stood there, shocked.
"Come, woman. I will think about not telling Aizen-sama what you did."
Orihime couldn't move. Her head was spinning, her heart was going to fly out, her eyes blurred...
Orihime fainted. Ichigo just stood there for a second, and then he put on his Hollow mask.
"Prepare to die, Espada!"
"Oh, please. We both saw what happened last time you tried to kill me. But, well, I will play with you."
They had fought for a while, when Orihime woke up. She didn't want do get up, thou. She didn't want to see what was happening, she just wanted to lay down, never return to harsh reality...
"Woman, I see you have awakened."
She sat up, and saw Ulquiorra was fighting with both Ichigo and Zaraki. And she could see that he had difficulty defending from both. He had been worn out from both Ichigo's Getsuga Tensho's and Zaraki's sword attacks. He dodged a couple of Ichigo's attacks, then he turned around and blocked Zaraki's sword. Behind him, Ichigo put on his Hollow mask once again and raised his sword.
"Getsuga..."
"Ulquiorra!" screamed Orihime and some unknown to her power, she ran to him. But she was late.
"…Tensho!"
The Espada heard Orihime's scream and turned around to see Ichigo's blast flying at him. But he was only able to half-dodge it. The powerful attack did him much damage. He dropped on the ground. In that moment Orihime reached him. A little part of her mind screamed at her to wake up, God, this was the man she hated most in all of worlds, but was quickly smothered by that part, which made her feel happiness, misery, fear, realization, loneliness, love...
"…Inoue?" Ichigo couldn't say anything. He just watched as the girl fell on her knees and screamed.
Orihime let all the emotions she felt all that time let go. She screamed, laughed, cried. She hugged the unconscious body of the man that changed her, the man she hated, the man she loved, the one who she needed more than anything right now…
Ichigo tried to pull her away from him, but she screamed at him.
"Leave me alone! Go find Rukia or something! I don't want to see you, you murder! Go away!"
Ichigo was shocked at her behavior, but let go of her.
"Let's go, Ichigo." said Zaraki, as he perfectly understood what happened to Orihime. 'Poor girl, found love just to lose it...' and he turned away.
"Woman..." the girl jumped up and looked at Ulquiorra's face. He was breathing hard, and blood flowed from his mouth."…Orihime. What are you doing?"
"I... I... " fresh tears fell on the Espada's face. "I realized that... I...want to stay here..."
"I'm glad... Orihime..." Ulquiorra raised his hand to caress the girl's face. He coughed up some blood. Then he caught a strand of Orihime's hair. "So beautiful..."
"What are you doing, Ulquiorra?" Orihime chocked on her tears.
"Taking back beautiful pictures to Hell..." he closed his eyes. "…for this is where I will go."
"Wait! Hold on! I will…"
"Don't. Just... leave me as I am. You don't really need me…" his hand fell down. "See you…in next life…" his mask crumbled, his tear-marks were washed out by Orihime's own tears. She put her head on his chest. The one, which was not supposed to have a heart. She hugged the limp body, and then the darkness embraced her…
She woke up in a bed. Not really caring where she was, she stood up. Seeing her bloody skirt, made her recall the latest events. She collapsed on her knees, and sobbed, praying for it to be just a nightmare, a bad dream, a lie…
Someone rushed to her side and hugged her.
"Inoue!" it was Rukia. Orihime felt guilty for saying those things to Ichigo. Remembering that moment, she cried even harder.
"Shush... don't cry, it's okay… you're home now…" looks like no one told her what really happened.
"It doesn't' even matter now…"
When she felt a bit better, Orihime saw she was in Urahara's shop. She questioned Rukia about what happened.
"Well, I was healed by Unohana… just when I woke up, Ichigo and Zaraki came. But they wouldn't say a word about you. Then came Renji and Ishida and Mayuri with his Vice-Capitan. Ichigo, Renji and Ishida talked about something, I couldn't hear what, and then Zaraki shouted at them. After that, Renji and Ishida went somewhere and when they returned, they brought you with them, but you were unconscious and all bloody... I feared of the worst, but then Unohana examined you and said that you had absolutely no injuries. What happened? No one wanted to tell me…"
Orihime couldn't open her mouth. She felt awful, like a traitor, at that moment, and was sure that Rukia would hate her if she knew what really happened. Then the door slid and Tatsuki ran in, glomping Orihime.
"Tatsuki-chan!"
"Orihime! How are you!?"
"I… I'm okay… Tatsuki-chan, I think I owe you an explanation…"
"No, you don't. That sandal-hat man explained everything to me. I'm just glad that you are here and okay." Tatsuki smiled. Orihime smiled too, feeling her heart getting lighter. Her friends – that's all she had now.
Orihime went home. She slid the key, and opened the door.
'I bet there is tons of dust that I have to clean…' she thought. Then, a blond flash glomped her.
"Orihime-chaaaaaaaaaan! Welcome baaaack!" shouted an all-smiley Matsumoto.
"Rangiku-san..."
"We made you a dinner! Right, Capitan?" Mastumoto laughed and winked at Hitsugaya.
"Die." He just didn't want to remember the hell called "cooking with Matsumoto".
"Here, come, come, see! Look, I made some ramen with honey, and some baked turkey with chocolate sauce and stuffed with apples… and…"
"Wow, Rangiku-san, this all seems so delicious! Come, Toushiro-kun! Let's eat!" Orihime was her old self again. She did her best to ignore the memories of her last day in Hueco Mundo.
Hitsugaya sweatdropped. "Uuhhh… I have some work outside... you guys just eat without me!" with those words the Capitan opened the door and rushed out of it.
"Sheesh, the Capitan is such a workaholic! Well, his loss. Now we have more gorgeous food to ourselves!" Matsumoto was happy that Orihime looked so carefree. Zaraki had told her what happened and she tried not to mention Hueco Mundo.
As they started eating, Renji barged in.
"Renji, you idiot, what are you doing?"
"Urahara calls a special meeting at his shop!" he shouted.
"Okay, okay, you didn't have to shout." Matsumoto stood up. "Come, Orihime, let's not make the idiot wait. Goodbye, food! I will come back, so don't get cold please!"
"Now she's talking to the food…" Renji murmured. Orihime giggled.
Orihime stood on the floor in Urahara's shop. Everyone was whispering, and watching her. She felt uncomfortable. And where was Urahara? Everyone was here, and waiting for him. Then she heard what Ichigo whispered to Renji.
"To fall in love with that bastard… I still can't believe it…"
Then something inside her snapped. She was filled with boiling anger, which wanted to go out. And she let him.
"Just who the fuck are you calling a bastard? Aren't you the real bastard? I'm sorry but if you don't know, but I went there, because if I didn't you would all have been killed! But no, after I sacrifice for you, you still insist on risking your life! And didn't you ever think that went there of my free will? I went there, because I didn't want to be a burden to you! But you didn't know that, did you? And now, you say that Ulquiorra is a bastard! Well, he isn't. He respected me, understood me, and protected me more than you ever could! And yes, I loved him! And yes, he loved me. And yes, you killed him! And yes, I hate you!"
Orihime slid the door and ran away. Out of the shop, crying. On the exit, she bumped into someone.
"Urahara-san! Hello!"
"Inoue-san, I'm glad to see you are okay. But, why are you crying?"
"Urahara-san…I'm an awful person… I just shouted at Kurosaki-kun and called him bastard…"
"Well, he really is an idiot, this Kurosaki-san. Don't worry. He needs to learn to respect one's feelings."
Orihime smiled sadly. Right now, at this moment, she wished she was sleeping peacefully in her room in Hueco Mundo, waiting for Ulquiorra to bring her food…
"Oi, woman. What are you doing?" she felt someone pulling on her hair.
"Ouch! Grimmjow-san? How did you…?" Orihime was shocked to see the former 6th Espada.
He was the same as ever, but he had no mask or hollow hole.
"When I woke up, I was in the basement of this shop. That Urahara has brought me here. Who is this man? He annoys the shit out of me!" Urahara snickered.
"So... what happened to your mask and hole...?" asked Orihime.
"When an arrancar dies, he doesn't go to Hell or Soul Society like normal Hollows, but becomes a human soul once again…" explained Urahara.
"Yeah, even we didn't know that!" grumbled Grimmjow.
Orihime gasped.
"So then... Ulquiorra..." Orihime started crying again. If he was still in Hueco Mundo, then he was dead for sure!
A pair of hands enveloped her from behind. Orihime's heart stopped. She turned around, meeting a pair of emerald eyes. That's all she needed.