Suspicions.
A single girl, no, a young adult; hides behind a pillar. She watches as Ulquiorra's body turns into spirit particles and floats peacefully into oblivion. The end to his life, mundane in contrast to how he lived. Said female watched as the person Ulquiorra so commonly called, "woman," stared at the specks of dust in shock. Of course, even she would be in shock over the vague last words of the cuatro; which reverberated through the air. The surprising words directly suggest that he learned to love. A feat no one thought possible for the nihilist.
The observer noted that the orange haired boy made his way over to the other girl slowly and gingerly. He placed a hand on her shoulder in a comforting manner, his most common idiosyncrasy. Expecting the girl to accept that the fight is over and go with the him, he stood up and offered a hand to the girl, waiting for her to take it. The girl did quite the opposite. She turned and managed to muster up a glare. Compared to Hitsugaya's glares, it is no match; but such an act startled the boy. He was expecting the caring response of the girl he came to know; came to save.
Now it is the boys turn to take on a shocked disposition. The auburn haired girl stood up form her kneeling position, and turned on her heel. This time, the orange haired boy's hand is left extended in mid air towards the female.
"Where are you going?" He calls to her.
"Uryu was fighting, I'm going to heal him."
It truly is as simple as that.
"It appears that she became attached to the cold man." The observer said while stepping out from behind the aforementioned pillar.
"Who are you?" The boy asked.
He drew his sword and took on a defensive stance. The girl laughed at his actions which unsettled the boy even further.
"I could have asked you the same thing."
"Answer me," the boy demanded.
Fully stepping out of the shadows the girl strode gracefully to the him.
"Do not demand anything from me. I could have killed you by now, but I have not. Doesn't that tell you anything on how I stand?"
The boy asked another question, "what do you want?"
"I merely wish to help. I detest that man Aizen with the entirety of my being. To calm the worries your face displays, he has no idea that I am even alive and breathing. Never has he met, seen or sensed me."
The boy sheathed his sword and dropped his defensive stance. His body language, however, suggests that he still is not convinced of her claims.
"Also, I know Las Noches like the back of my hand. Including," she raised her voice slightly to make sure the boy knows that what she is about to say is of extreme importance for him and his friends, "the fact that I know where all of the exits out of this fortress lie, I have even created a few myself. So can I be of assistance?" She asked thrusting her hand out to act as a middle man between the two teens.
He grabbed her hand and shook it, albeit still unsure about how his decision will play in the long run.
"Follow me, we will meet up with the girl and other people you came with, then head out."
"How do you know all of this?"
She smirked, "I merely observe."
He mentally shrugged, not fully understanding nor aware of the tone behind her statement.
She led him to a clearing, though the name is now misleading after the events that have occurred here priorly. The large room is anything but 'clear'.
Off towards the left three people sat huddled together. An ominous orange glow came from the boy with glasses, on further inspection she observes that the girl from before is the origin of said glow.
"Ah I almost didn't recognize the room," she said somewhat placidly.
The other four humans turned their heads to her, only one caught onto her condescending tone.
"Who is she?" The same boy to notice asked.
"I would appreciate being addressed to since I am standing right in front of you. Secondly, I am merely here to help."
"What kind of help could you possibly give us, arrancar?" He sneered sarcastically.
Her eyes widened, though quickly returned back to normal as the tension in the room rose.
"Do not deem me invaluable to your cause until you have heard my case."
"Oh, what could that possibly be?" The boy said arrogantly.
'It's funny,' the girl's mind began to reel, 'it appears arrogance is always partners with ignorance.'
"For starters, there is an exit right behind your back."
The four others in the room looked to be having a pulmonary embolism, their faces held that much astonishment. Without further ado; the girl moved to the wall behind the four-eyes back. She looked around for a few seconds until she discovered the small mark previously scratched upon the smooth surface.
The mark, although small, exhibits the characteristics of complexity. With multiple swirls and dips, twists and hidden letters; it is a wonder she even managed to carve it.
Pressing her palm to the mark, she sent a small wave of her spiritual energy through her hand and into the mark. Stepping back, she let the wall fold in on itself until a passage way took place of the strange mark.
Turning her head slightly; she looked at the faces of those who surround her.
Awe.
Bewilderment.
Even a glimpse of dread coming from the other girl.
It truly is remarkable she managed to make the 'escape routes' without bringing notice to herself. Of course it has always been the plan; for her to find a way out.
To escape.
Those ideals were installed in her head since she could first hold conversation. All thanks to her father, the rightful king of Las Noches; of Hueco Mundo.
"We don't have all day now do we?" Her voice cut through the silence like an expert blade.
When she began to stride through the opening, the others scrambled up and followed behind her. Metaphorically, they are ducklings to their mother.
After walking for a few minutes and most of the humans following behind her nearly falling down the unexpected decline, they made it to a wall. In the darkness the girl who made the original doorway sent a small pulse of her reiatsu. If it was interrupted by anything, it surely would be the small mark.
"She's probably going to kill us now that she got us into the dark," the skeptic called under his breath.
The girl from before took a sharp intake of breath in fear of the other girl her age.
Silently seething, she managed a, "not quite."
'There it is.' A small clicking noise reverberated throughout the small space, echoing out to the other doorway and the messy clearing. As a result from the sound waves, the other doorway closed and the one in front of the girl in question; opened.
"Finally I can go back home." The auburn haired female called in relief.
"Put your faith in the desert sand," the girl called out vaguely, "it will lead you to where you desire."
The larger male with shaggy hair seemed to get her message when the others simple stared at her blankly. Thanks to the, quite literally, wishful thinking; the group arrived at the garganta.
"Thank you for helping us."
The strange girl shot them a quizzical look, "do not dismiss me. I am leaving along with you."
She jumped into the garganta when the others showed no signs of doing so themselves.
The others shot unsure glances at each other, but in the end jumped in after her.
Back in the underground training arena at Urahara Shoten, the shop owner, Urahara Kisuke walked around the girl in a tight circle. Scrutinizing everything visible to him.
Not wanting to seem hostile, she help her hand out to the blond haired man.
"I'm Tsukiko," the others filtered through the garganta to hear Tsukiko's name.
"I am Urahara Kisuke." He said while grabbing her hand to shake, "I am also the owner of this shop."
Tsukiko raised her eye brows, in no way did the underground training facility look like a shop.
"Ah, you shall see. Let's go," Urahara beckoned for her to follow.
She took only two steps before the orange haired kid interrupted, "you don't know if she's trustworthy! She's an arrancar, she could kill us at any moment."
Tsukiko spun around on her heel to glare at the boy, "if I wanted to kill you, would I have helped you leave unnoticed?"
The boy stammered over his words trying to make out a clear response. Tsukiko merely lifted her chin a little higher in a smug manner and followed Urahara to the set of stairs leading to the actual shop itself.
"You own a… candy shop?" Tsukiko asked while walking past the merchandise. Urahara simply nodded as he led her to the back room, that so often served as a place to meet and discuss certain topics.
Tea was placed on the large round table, which lays close to the ground, only seconds after the two took their seats. When a little black cat rubbed against Tsukiko's leg asking for attention; Urahara deadpanned. Sometimes, Shihoin Yoruichi proved to be too much for the shop keeper.
Tsukiko pet the cat and scratched behind it's ears, during which; the four teens she helped walked into the room. Though surprisingly, no tea was placed at their seats.
'Perhaps the man from before already knew that they do not like tea.' Unknowingly to her, her thought is truth.
"So your name is Tsukiko?" The arrogant boy from before asked, well; more like stated the obvious.
"You are correct, but I find it rude how I know none of your names."
An awkward tension echoed throughout the room, one that went over Tsukiko's head. The others minds were reeling, 'Should I tell her?'
Finally, the other girl piped up, "I'm Inoue Orihime."
"It's nice to know your name, Inoue," Tsukiko replied with a courteous smile.
The other boys, raised an eye brow at her behavior. They figured that all arrancar were brute and forceful. Not kind and polite. The fact that Tsukiko had manners unnerved and scared them a little subconsciously. This subconscious fear became the reason they were so hesitant to offer their names.
"Sado Yasutora, though you can call me Chad."
"Good to know."
Ichigo, being the kind hearted person he is, was the next the give in, "Kurosaki Ichigo."
"Can I call you strawberry?" Tsukiko retaliated with a slight giggle. She though it to be hilarious that a guys name was a type of fruit.
"No!" Ichigo yelled.
Sighing exasperatedly, Tsukiko let it go.
Throughout the dialogue, Urahara drew his fan. Behind it, no one noticed his eyes flicking back and forth between the two noting every similarity he saw.
'Hm.. similar jaw line structure and facial characteristics. Tsukiko seems to have orange highlights the color of Ichigo's hair, if not brighter. They appear to be the same age, and even looked about the same height when they stood near each other.'
His thoughts were interrupted when the quincy finally gave up.
"Although I would rather not, my name is Ishida Uryu."
"Well I'm relieved that you finally surrendered you name to me," Tsukiko said with a slight smile.
"Now you guys all look tired, go home and rest," Urahara said bluntly from behind his fan.
Too tired to argue, the four removed themselves from the room. Though one boy in particular looked back upon the shop keeper and the arrancar, his suspicions never did falter and break like the others.
"Tsukiko, I have an extra room in my shop upstairs, you are welcome to stay here."
His tone, on the surface, was light an airy, as if offering a room to a stranger was no big deal. He hid his ulterior motive well, for his reasons to offer the room were more for a chance to observe the strange girl.
A look of shock made itself present on Tsukiko's, he had to admit, beautiful face, "are you sure?"
"Positive. Now if you will just follow me I can lead you to your room."
"Arigato! Arigato! Oh thank you so much!"
Quickly, Tsukiko scurried behind the shopkeeper and followed him so an average sized room. Its walls a pale purple, with a full sized bed mattress lying on the floor across from the door with black sheets and a multicolored duvet covering it. Three pillows adorned the bed, one a solid purple darker then the room, the other two had the same pattern as the duvet stitched onto it. A patter of swirls that were not too dainty, but fierce thanks to the bold stitching and contrast of the light purple and pure black. Diagonally across the room stood a large black dresser, on the adjacent wall; a full sized mirror with black trim.
Three windows will let in a perfect amount of light during the day, but this time at night, the few visible stars shone through. One window is above the bed, across from the door. The second is further down that wall, behind the dresser. The third and last is located on the wall right above where her head would be as she slept.
All in all, the room seemed to be made especially for Tsukiko. It fit her personality, her likes and even involved her favorite color; purple.
Too stunned for words, she didn't notice Urahara walk out of the room and slide the door closed.
When she turned around to thank the kind man yet again, he was gone. She shrugged and opted to make the room more her own by rearranging it just the smallest bit.
When she was done, the bed ended up in the corner of the walls where the dresser and mirror previously were. Since the room's dimensions made it more long than it is wide, the dresser was placed along the wall opposite the door. The mirror stood catty cornered between the two windows.
Even though the room still seemed rather empty, it was late and Tsukiko needed her rest. She took off the white vest that covered her black tank top and thought about different things to put in the room, should she have the chance to get some furnishings. Hopping into the, surprisingly, soft bed; unconsciousness claimed her in a matter of minutes and dispersed all former thoughts of room décor.
For a picture of what Tsukiko looks like, head over to my profile. It's the web: homepage thing.
July 25th 2:27 am.