Grimmjow couldn't remember, if he had ever been so furious.
"I'm not going to wear it," he growled, looking with disgust at the cornflower garland in Ulquiorra's hands.
Ulquiorra regarded him ever patient. "It is Aizen-sama's order," he said impassively.
"I don't take orders from that Shinigami," Grimmjow announced in a rebellious manner, looking at Ulquiorra provocatively.
He was a proud warrior and his self-confidence helped him control the feeling of madness. He examined Cuatro Espada and almost burst in laughter. Ulquiorra stood with a martyr's look on his face, his hair and helmet decorated with a bit skew wreath of forget-me-nots. Save that, Ulquiorra looked as boring as ever.
"Is he fucked in his head to organize a picnic here?" Grimmjow couldn't remain calm for long. "What next? A festival? Before you realize Hueco Mundo will resemble the Real World. Or, even worse, that damned Soul Society," he snorted like an angry cat.
Ulquiorra kept quiet and merely looked at him. Grimmjow would love to tear that cornflower plait to pieces, but he was aware it wouldn't escape Ulquiorra's watchful eyes - and that meant Aizen's attention as well. Last time Sexta Espada had made Aizen discontent a bit too often, and even though Aizen didn't react in any way, Grimmjow had no illusions about it. Had it served his goals, Aizen would dispose of "his dear Espada" in a flash. But Grimmjow would be damned if he intended to go round Las Noches wearing flowers! He wasn't a pussy in a rut! He indulged himself in a cautious thought that the cornflowers matched him much better than the forget-me-nots Ulquiorra. But then again, that wimp lacked an aesthetic sense. After all, what can you expect of a bat?
No, it was very evil thought. He didn't plan to put that damned wreath on, either now or later. The problem was Ulquiorra still stood motionless and held a plait in his stretched hand, giving him an order.
That deadlock situation was solved by a sudden appearance of Szayel Aporro. Grimmjow cast a glance at newly-arrived... and groaned. Szayel Aporro practically flew into the room, decorated with the rose garlands of a shade only a bit darker than his hair. The scent that emanated from Octava Espada was unbearable, and Grimmjow started to sneeze.
"Aizen-sama brought a lot of good to Hueco Mundo," Szayel Aporro announced in an airy voice and regarded his Espada comrades with a look of a person residing in a totally different realm. Grimmjow had always known that Szayel Aporro was nuts. Then he suddenly realized where all the damned flowers had to come from and his aversion towards the scientist grew up rapidly. Apparently unaware of that Szayel Aporro continued, "Aizen-sama instructed me to create a garden. It wasn't any problem, of course. After all, my laboratory is unparalleled in whole Hueco Mundo..."
"Imbecile," Grimmjow snarled, but Szayel Aporro didn't react.
"Flowers! Just think of it: flowers!"
"I bet till now you saw them only in books", Grimmjow threw ironically. "No wonder they look artificial and smell like perfume." Unfortunately, an impact of that statement was lessened by another sneeze, so it was ignored again.
"Aizen-sama used to celebrate the shortest night of the year, and plaiting the wreaths belongs to the tradition," Szayel Aporro explained.
"It's always night here," Grimmjow pointed out, not sure if he wanted to strangle Szayel Aporro more than Aizen.
"The shortest night of the year passed already," Ulquiorra informed, though no-one asked him. "It's exactly an autumnal equinox in the Real World."
"I don't care!" Grimmjow yelled, once again coming to a conclusion he was surrounded by the idiots. "It doesn't matter! Do you really want to play the lap-dogs of that Shinigami? Blast you..!"
"If you don't like the cornflowers, you can choose something else from my garden," Szayel Aporro offered with an angelic smile. "Though I admit I designed them specially for you. The elevated concentration of copper sulfate provides the deeper shade of blue, and taking into consideration the colour of your eyes you should only benefit..."
Grimmjow groaned again and fled to the corridor. He heard the words Szayel Aporro directed at Ulquiorra, "And you just had to put on something blue, even though it doesn't match you at all. Will you ever start to listen to the aesthete?"
Las Noches was a truly pitiful sight, at least such was Grimmjow's opinion. Terribly perfect flowers were everywhere! Szayel Aporro didn't confine himself to the garden, just the opposite - he decorated all the long corridors and spacious rooms. Grimmjow felt like teaching him what he thought of such an eagerness in fulfilling Aizen's orders. Especially that he was sneezing all the time. Granz, being ranked only eighth in Espada, had to fawn on Aizen to win his favour - not like Grimmjow himself.
Grimmjow was passed by Lilynette, followed by sleepy Starrk, who probably didn't even notice the lavender garland on his own had. Sweet dreams, Grimmjow thought ironically. Shortly after he came across Barragan with red poppies in his hair. Grimmjow decided not only Starrk would sleep like a log that night. Barragan's Fracción was decorated with so many sorts of flowers Grimmjow didn't even try to distinguish. The whole group more than ever resembled the happy zoo on wheels. Grimmjow ostentatiously looked away, but unfortunately he didn't fail to notice the coquettish look that Charlotte cast at him. The man tried to turn all the encountered Arrancar's head with his imaginary beauty. Well, that wouldn't affect this time. Grimmjow was pure male and didn't intend to bother himself with the individuals who had hair of seaweed, especially that he didn't like dampness.
Harribel's Fracción was quite a different story. They just appeared in the corridor, all in flowers. These were chicks for him, al-right. He would comment their new looks with a decent whistling, but then Harribel appeared too, and Grimmjow put his ears back. Harribel used to regard him as a pest which made him totally furious. Grimmjow even less liked the fact that Harribel obeyed Aizen's orders with really disgusting zeal. Grimmjow had to admit, though, that the wreath of petunias matched her dark skin very nicely. Grimmjow would never say it aloud, but he wouldn't refuse a nice affair with Harribel. Just look at her... legs. Grimmjow was frustrated by the fact how easy it would be with any other female - just drag to the lair... to the bed. Unfortunately, he was painfully aware had he tried something like that with Harribel, he would end up a fertilizer of Szayel Aporro's garden. He sighed inwardly, looking round after Tres Espada and her Fracción, and this time he allowed himself the quiet whistle.
"Tesla, off!" came from behind the door ajar.
"But, Nnoitra-sama..." it was Tesla's begging voice.
"I said hands off!"
Grimmjow wasn't interested in more than shady relation that Quinto Espada shared with his Fracción, but his mood was so foul nothing could make him out of patience any more. He kicked the door open with his typical delicacy and entered Nnoitra's rooms nonchalantly, hands in pockets. Quinto Espada was sitting by the dresser and adjusted the wreath of some strange gold bindweed on his black hair. One glance at his face in mirror and Grimmjow roared with laughter. Next moment he had to dodge cero of the same colour as the flowers.
"Get lost, Grimmjow," Nnoitra said ominously. "That is, if you don't want to die yet."
"And you imagine yourself as a one who would mow me down?" Grimmjow sneered.
"Don't you even dare to speak to Nnoitra-sama that way!" Tesla shouted bravely from the corner. He must have landed there after he tried a bit too insistently to persuade Nnoitra into... Yeah, what exactly?
"By the way, what have you... squabbled about?" he used a word that would suit two girls instead. But then again, he had never considered those two the men.
"Nnoitra-sama prefers gold bindweeds, while I believe pink would match him better," Tesla let out.
"Tesla, shut up!" Nnoitra screamed, but Grimmjow's laughter had already filled the room.
Sexta Espada dodged cero again and spoke, still shaking with laughter, "It will take Aizen another century to conquer Soul Society with the ones like you." He looked at Nnoitra cross-eyed. "Indeed, pink would be better."
"I'll kill you, Grimmjow," Nnoitra hissed. "Just you wait."
But Grimmjow was already leaving, waving his hand in a gesture that more than anything implied he wasn't interested. Nnoitra's curses flew right by him. He felt a bit comforted.
He thanked, whomever Arrancar could thank, that he managed to avoid Aaroniero and Zommari. He finished his round in quite a different spirits than when he had started it, when he met Yammy. Yammy had just dealt with a servant who had tried to give him a garland of evening stock.
"I wish I had done the same with Ulquiorra," Grimmjow declared, looking at Arrancar remains and sniffing with contempt.
Yammy cast a thoughtful glance at him. "Keep on wishing."
Grimmjow didn't answer.
Gin stood by the window, regarding an unlimited desert of Hueco Mundo, its white sands gleamed in the light of the eternal moon. Aizen wondered what actually Gin was looking at. Silence that lingered in the chamber was interrupted from time to time by the sounds that Wonderweiss emitted when playing with Kaname. In garland of pink magnolias both of them looked more innocent than ever.
"I hope you liked my gift," Aizen spoke. "Something to remember old good times in Soul Society."
Gin was still facing the window. Wonderweiss squeaked and choked with a hoarse laughter before Kaname silenced him.
"Lately, you've been rather depressed. It's not like you," Aizen went on, sitting down in his chair. "If I'm correct, last time you had fun during midsummer celebration."
Gin folded his arms. "Last midsummer..." he said softly. "Flowers bloomed beyond measure in Soul Society, didn't they?"
Aizen observed his former vice-captain.
"There are no streams in Hueco Mundo we would float the wreaths on," Gin added and turned to look at him. "Could you charm them out, too?" he asked, his tone almost mischievous.
"If you wish..." Aizen started, but Gin had already turned his head and returned to contemplation of a blank landscape. Aizen waited patiently. Wonderweiss' gibberish came from the distant part of the room.
"Izuru really made me a wreath," Gin finally spoke in a voice Aizen hardly ever heard of him.
"Do you regret you didn't take him with you?"
The world stood still for a moment, and then Gin shook his head. Aizen was under impression his shoulders fell a bit, but he could be mistaken as well.
Gin turned again and looked him straight in the face. "If I'm lucky, Szayel Aporro have grown some daisies. Good night, Captain Aizen," he said with his usual smile, and left unhurriedly.
Aizen looked after him for a long time, and then he smiled.
Simple wreath was stronger than the chains of titanium steel.
He was invincible.