Bittersweet Goodbyes: Heart and Hand
Disclaimer: No for the last time I don't own Bleach. NOOOOO! 0o0
A/N: I haven't written this kind of pairing before and though I don't fully support it I'm gonna try something new because I couldn't help but feel sympathetic to Ulquiorra when he reached out for Orihime's hand in the end heck Orihime for the most part annoys me…but sometimes I see some of myself in her and the times when she's weakest I can say with honesty that I'd probably be the same…and well there is almost personal flow with this story. Personally I really like IshiHime better than Ulquihime but it's not a bad pairing! Just IchiRuki is the best in my world. This was gonna be a 1-shot but now idk…Also I know that Ulquiorra prefers to kill with his bare hands…I don't think that will help add with the barely realism tone here. ANNNDD idk the exact eye color of Orihime…it's sometimes a close shade of brown to Ichigo and sometimes a kind of grey-brown. But grey is what I will say so don't get too upset with meh~! Also YOU MAY ONLY THINK YOU KNOW HOW THIS IS GOING. Yea some stuff sounds like Bleach butttttt you can't guess what will happen next or how this will end.
Song of the Moment: So Contagious by Acceptance and This River is Wild by The Killers (please listen to these songs because as I wrote this story they just fit so much and the melody were perfect all the time)
Chapter One: What Is Bloodshed…
What was he going to do now? What in the world-no universe-was he possibly going to do now? With an emotion-filled sigh, he sank back on his heels watching the winter air swirl leaves in sorrowful gusts, the shadows of the park's firs grow long and elderly before his green eyes. Now…not too long ago these things meant nothing to him. The shadows creeping closer meant nothing to him those days behind, those days before…they only meant that darkness is what should rightfully ensnare what it could, that light was never bright enough to deter. But now…
Feeling reminiscent, he shifted his scarf to let his breath curl, tasting the ice that often seemed to be emitted whenever he spoke. The park was quiet, no one would dare be out so long in the cold when they could be snug at home laughing with loved ones. Lonely mourning doves reflected his memories and their wingbeats echoed his heartbeats, slowly closing his eyes to try and turn away from feeling. But they plagued him.
What happened…that made me become this entity of emotion? His eyes went back in time…reliving all the blood, emptiness, and realizations. And those brown-grey eyes…
Last year (yeas this is a flashback):
SHRIK! SLOSH! SLAM! SHIRK SHIRK! Crimson rain blossomed forth, warm and unfeeling down his arms, his eyes empty and hollow like a devil, emotionless mask never shattering as the gunshots hailed all around. The red liquid was not his own but he had no care, the rain swept it away as callously as he tossed his now lifeless victim toward the dumpsters in the maze of alleyways. "Go where you belong." SLOSH! SLICE! More angry footsteps, more red to fall from his heartless knife, more bodies to fall.
A voice called out in the grey downpour up on the rooftops. "Ulquiorra! Fall back orders! We have what we wanted!" Gunshots in the distance, became muted in comparison to the sloshing footfalls of the lightning quick, green eyed demon-in-flesh Ulquiorra Cifer as he dashed up and away from icy death. No regrets crossed his mind because what was there to regret in this world? The voice from before whined out from above him again. "Damn look at all these guys you got!" With a thud, Ulquiorra was 'honored' with the presence of his fellow gang-member who took on the street name Yammy Riyalgo, landing ungracefully from above and into a puddle getting more water everywhere. Both orphans by feuding gangs bullets and inhumane initiation rituals from those other gangs, they only had that thing in common. Ulquiorra shifted his terrible, empty eyes toward his 'comrade' till the other brutish giant of a youth gulped. "…they were uninteresting. Merely disposing of the garbage as Aizen wished."
Yammy blinked as they caught up with other of their gang the Arrancars in the downpour of metal and sweet merciless water. "Eh well…yeah!" He smirked.
Ulquiorra stared right on ahead, dodging and striking an outsider gangster with his crimson blade till that man too dropped to the ground without another breath. "Yammy…try not to bore me…" The addressed man took another gulp tasting the warning in the dark-haired boy's voice.
Some black cliché unmarked vans screeched to a soggy halt before them, doors slamming open and voices bellowing in to the chaos as the fighter ants flooded toward their home mound to retreat in victory.
"Get in bitch." Snarled a blue haired, wildcat of a man at the wheel, toward his rival with the green eyes. Those same green eyes soaked in everything including the blood oozing from the man's arm. The man growled.
No response satisfied him as Yammy and Ulquiorra piled into the van only to be thrust violently forward by wild flicks of the steering wheel, the driver who called himself Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, smirked and revved the engine till it snarled like a panther into the dreary night.
"Hey man! Cut the shit!" Yammy protested as Grimmjow cackled at Yammy's inability to brace himself for every wicked turn he took. Grimmjow didn't listen but instead hit the gas as flashing lights appeared way behind them. "Anyways what was it that Aizen wanted anyhow? I know we got whatever it was but-"
Grimmjow jerked a thumb to the trunk where something kept crashing with every turn as well. "Back there."
Yammy's eyes lit up, excitedly as Ulquiorra folded his arms staring at the slick road ahead. "What! Really the load is with us?"
"Che. Don't start shitting yourself dumbass. This isn't the usual load." The blue-head growled darkly, almost disappointed. "Go back there and make sure it isn't destroyed will ya?"
"Hmph. Fine." Yammy reached back with a greedy hand as the van had to come to a complete stop before hitting an innocent car at a stoplight, the motion made the 'load' come slamming into the seat and right into Yammy's grip before Grimmjow snapped the van back into road rage. "What the hell?"
Sensing something interesting by the surprise in the big man's voice, Ulquiorra peered back to see…
Wide, frightened and tearful brown- grey eyes pleading as she screamed out muffled from behind a kerchief gagging her mouth. Her slender, curved body paralyzed from tight rib-crunching bindings, hands tied brutally behind her back. She squeezed her eyes closed as she sobbed silently, biting the gag in her mouth. Long chestnut colored hair splayed around her miserably like her soaked clothes.
"Grimmjow are ya tellin' me that the load is just a stupid bitch!"
Grimmjow grit his teeth. "Shut the hell up will ya it's not my idea! Take it up with Aizen!"He lowered his voice. "I will anyways."
When the girl opened her eyes again, fresh tears strayed, her chest heaving with racking fear. Suddenly she stared straight into green oblivion. "Trash." Ulquiorra said. Then turned back around not impressed with the sight. Yammy grew irritated with the girl and tossed her back down out of sight in the trunk.
"She's not just any dumb bitch." Grimmjow swerved around a big rig in his way. "She's the daughter of the head man in Sordid." He spat the rival gang's name with spite. "We've got his daughter, we got him under Aizen's thumb."
"Ohhh!" Yammy smirked. "Why didn't we do this before?"
"He's grown weaker it was only a matter of time before Aizen decided to make some major death blows." Grimmjow muttered. They were almost to their hideout. "Hey is she still alive or what Aizen will have our heads if she's harmed."
Uncaring, Yammy looked back briefly. "Well she's still breathing…"
"What's the big idea Aizen!" Grimmjow stood boldly before his leader, dumping the weeping girl unceremoniously at his feet. "You almost got us killed for this? I don't care if it's a good move in this game of yours and I don't mind killing a few bastards but I'd rather not sacrifice myself for a crying wench! Why didn't you send Ulquiorra to fetch the brat! I'd rather see him get his arm nearly shot off." He raised his heavily bandaged arm, successfully hiding his pain.
"Very well Grimmjow." A shadow murmured gently from behind the back of a broad chair in the contrasting brightness of a white-painted room.
"How dare you question Aizen!" A higher up named Tosen chastised angrily, stepping out of shadow in his sharply dressed attire. "Do what you are told and everything will be peaceful!"
"Che!" Grimmjow snorted, obnoxiously resting his foot on the bound girl as if she were just a stone to step upon. "Peace huh? From what I've heard Ulquiorra here didn't mind killing more than a few-"
"Maybe he is just more powerful." Another higher up joined in, striding up with his creepy fox-faced grin, straightening his cobalt blue tie coyly. "Hmm Grimmjow?" Said man seethed in anger, taking in his rival with the green eyes who had yet to speak on his own behalf.
"Well now..." Suddenly the chair swiveled slowly around, revealing their powerful boss in all his mysterious splendor. "How fares the prisoner?" The girl stopped squirming at her tethers as a handsome yet eerie wavy haired man with plain brown frames and expensive attire came out from behind his desk. She shivered at the friendly seeming smile contrasting monstrously with the orbs of hiding brown venom that sliced painfully into her innocent ones. With gentle hand, he cupped her chin to catch her in his hypnotic smiling yet sinister eyes. "Miss Inoue welcome." Tugging the cloth from her mouth she finally choked in deep distrustful air with zest, body rising and falling heavily, spittle around her chin. Grimmjow stepped back, arms in pockets, face twitching in annoyance.
"W-Where am I?" She panted terrified. "What is going on?" And what kind of strange and nicely dressed gang is this? Why me?
Aizen paced back towards his window, hands clasped thoughtfully behind his back. "Well it would seem Miss Inoue, that your father has been a very careless man." He tilted his head to the side just enough to see her out of the corners of his gaze. Miss Inoue struggled to remain calm. "We found his weakness. And…" He paced back to his desk. "…he left it poorly guarded."
"M-Me?" She breathed. Father…
"Yes." Aizen tilted the hot contents from a fine oriental teapot into two teacups. "Would you like some tea? You must've been through a lot today." The too kind smile returned to his handsome features and Miss Inoue blinked in bewilderment. "Please…you must have been treated quite roughly." She didn't respond. "Someone please undo the bindings. Loly." He motioned at a scandally clad woman with long black pigtails peeking around the doorframe that had been spying, her reaction was disgust but she did as she was told. Miss Inoue rubbed her arms trying to get the feeling back into them, whimpering when the spying woman dug her nails into her skin on purpose as she took off the ropes.
"Here." Aizen held out the teacup. Arms able to move once more, Miss Inoue only had one choice but to take what she was offered and pretend to drink it. Eyes watched her from all angles. "Hmm…you don't trust me." Gin smirked when she flicked her eyes about the room desperately searching for an escape route. "What can we do to make you trust us in this ordeal?"
That was when a man darted into the room. "Sir! Our hideout's been found! Cops are swarming the place!" Everyone looked up in alarm….all that is but Aizen and his comrades Tosen and Gin. "Hmm…it would seem that we have to take a new route." Calmly he glanced about the surprisingly fancy room for a little known gang operation, at the few gathered. Almost twenty of his strongest were in his presence, the police would find the King's Quarters in no time in this abandoned factory, a façade of the wealth gained from mysterious and much more complex within secrets and he had plans for a glorious future. His eyes stopped on Miss Inoue. "Since Grimmjow has generously suggested that Ulquiorra take his place in this mission…I will ask that he take Miss Inoue to our base in the mountains...and refrain from killing her until I say. Grimmjow and Yammy will join up later whereas the rest of us will scatter on my mark. No doubt our underlings will be killed or captured. But it is up to the strongest to survive." There was a loud explosion coming from the west part of the old factory. "Go." And as if by magic his minions departed like phantoms or melded shadows on toward the oblivion of night. Alone with Gin and Tosen…Aizen cracked his grin into a confident smile as he heard gunfire down the hall. "All is going exactly according to plan." The other two men smirked. "Everything I want will fall into place. Now…we must wait."
"MMPHHFFTTT!" Icy hands, nails painted black clamped over her mouth and wouldn't let the air come in. With a swirl of chestnut hair and black cloth, green eyes peered into the realm of chaos once again…always at ease whereas the unwanted, uninteresting companion in his arms was on the verge of serious distress. "Quiet woman." He lowered his voice as police passed by their hiding place in a secret passage Aizen had littered the hideout with. There were dozens upon dozens of uniformed, angry, yelling, firing men and women out there and Ulquiorra wasn't in the mood to be cowering in the shadows with a pathetic girl. There was too much garbage and it filled his mind with impatient thoughts, analytical were the blurbs of his narrowed mind, regretful of his past he could never be. Moving like a ghost he carried the hostage girl through a maze of tunnels, a network of guise that masked the escape of so many Arrancar as the doom above ensued in tremors and power and weaponry.
Reaching a final exit like a fox in its den of many openings, Ulquiorra dashed safely into dismal rainy nights waiting arms, boredom sliding past his head like his hair in the wind. His legs could dash forward almost inhumanly, breath even and neat with each batwing whisper of a footstep, he never tired as he ran through the slumbering city. But before long he had to stop, the woman's squirming had increased tenfold and he was on the verge of tossing her over the bridge they were now on. He had no idea what Aizen's plans truly were nor did he entirely care. His purpose in life was to have no purpose and it did not bother him in the slightest. There was no definite credo in his 'gang' if that was what one wanted to call his organization of the underground hellhole.
Now paused, the emo-ish gangster let his hostage down, finally releasing his grip over her mouth.
"GEH!" She gasped greedily again, tear stains glittering somewhat in the dim glow of a streetlamp. "W-Wha-"
"No questions." Ulquiorra ordered in his cold way. The girl blinked at how robotic he seemed, how pale his skin seemed in the darkness, how blocked his eyes remained like a horrible phantasm conjured from her nightmares.
"B-But…"
"You bore me." There was something sinister in his words but she didn't get it.
"Please!" She suddenly pleaded, eyes watering. "P-Please tell me what in the world is going on! One moment I was talking to my best friend Tatsuki on the phone in my apartment and the next I had a blue haired man pointing a gun at me! Now all of this! What's happening!" Her voice became high with desperation and confusion, eyes trembling, hand gripping tightly to his shirt. "Please! J-Just!" Her voice wavered and she fell to her knees in shivers of utter puzzlement and terror. Ulquiorra had nothing to say, and he pushed her hands away. He started to walk away, waiting for her to follow as she was far from home anyways. But…
In anxiety she tried to bolt while his back was turned, digging in her heels to anywhere away, eyes blurred…AH! He snagged her roughly by the neck, so very easily. "You foolish girl. You are pathetic." She gasped out, crying, shuddering, weak, body turning limp in fear. He turned her about face, snatching her arm instead and with that she tried to pull away but his grip was death. He leaned closer to her, eyes blank, hers too lively with fear. "I should just kill you worthless trash. What is the point of all your needless emotion? Will it free you? Will it make you stronger? No. You will always fall."
SLAP! The rainy crisp air rang silent with the echoes of her never-before -committed action. Miss Inoue's hand hung in midair, eyes squeezed shut, afraid and wishing that she could wake up from the nightmarish hell she was somehow stuck in. Ulquiorra's face was still tilted to the side, eyes flickering for just the briefest of moments in surprise, but no one witnessed it. What…was that?
"Oh." Was all he managed to say. He analyzed the situation in quiet interest. "There must have been emotion in that. Your hand." Miss Inoue took a step back, weary.
"Come." He turned, the handprint still obvious on his cheek. "It's time to continue. You've had your rest now keep up or I will be forced to carry you with your mouth gagged again or will have to knock you unconscious until we get to our destination." Hmm…that was sort of interesting. But…I still know she is garbage.
Uttering never a word more, Miss Inoue was dragged along into the brilliant colors of the morning sky, leaving the city behind and taking discrete paths up the mountains that lined the twinkling lights below, tripping over flora that in the daylight wouldn't look quite as vile and ferocious as it snatched at her and bit and scratched into her flesh. The day was eating into her nightmare when would she ever wake up! Not even the birds called with cheerful chorus, but with haunting, cautious chirps. Her legs screamed for rest, miles had been long since crossed and not another soul had been around to call out to because the green-eyed man had an uncanny knack of avoiding all life. He floated through the forest so easily it was if he was a mere wisp of the shadows, melding with them, merging with them and gliding so perfectly like a Luna moth toward some unknown destination. Higher and higher into eerie thickly suffocating lonely forest they journeyed, Miss Inoue breaking down in her mind, dying to know what was going on and what she had to do with anything, the possible ways to escape, the possible things they might do to her. Fear was her phantom taking over. I can't escape him…he's too…powerful seeming…
"Why me?" Her voice was timid and sweet, breathless with exhaustion both mental and physical, it echoed dully in the dense mist.
"…" Her companion for the millionth time of her same questioning unsurprisingly did not answer her. Instead he stopped in front of a massive looking tree, it was lone, the other trees standing apart from it like it was way more mighty than the others. Ulquiorra reached up to a small knothole and placed his thumb against it. "Ulquiorra Cifer." He said crisply and evenly while Orihime gaped. A hidden door opened right below and a robotic voice chirped in response. "Welcome Espada Four." Miss Inoue's eyes grew to the size of melons. "What…is this place?"
Finally Ulquiorra answered her. "Welcome Miss Inoue…to Las Noches." He dialed some sort of keypad inside the door and then gave her an expression that expected her to follow. In absolute wonder and confusion, she complied but wearily. "W-Why didn't you blindfold me or something…Mr. erm…Cifer? Now I know where your hideout is…"
They strode down a dimly lit staircase until…dazzling chandeliers lit up, glittering in the dead center of a wide commons area, decorated with fine art and expensive ornaments and rugs in a Spanish style. The wide expanse of the layout seemed endless, chambers echoing. Ulquiorra, with his hand on a handle to one of the many doors, turned to face her in his stoic way. "It matters not. Why? Do you think you will ever leave? And even if you did manage to escape there are hidden traps all along the mountain, you could get lost. Without me you would never be able to find your way back." She stared down at her feet feeling like a meal taken into the ant's hill. The possibility of escaping back to the light…slim to none.
The side chamber they were in was rather sparsely decorated, the main colors monochromatic with black and white. There were six incredibly enormous rooms and a grand bathroom. Ulquiorra motioned to the far room, then closed the door they had just came through and placed his thumb on a scanner, whispering some words till the door responded 'Door Locked'. Miss Inoue took a shaky foot forward, noticing a gargantuan pantry with food enough to last a year or more, shelves endless. Another room was closed off but as they passed the bathroom she couldn't help but be amazed at the elegant wealth that seeped from the marble floors, diamonds and candles, lusciously soft looking towels and cloth peeked from a closet way behind a lone wide soaking tub and an underground pool fed most likely from the cave itself took up a good chunk of the wide room, its crystalline yet not stagnant blue water appeared heavenly. She felt as if the whole day was a nightmare slowly showing some innocent fantastic dream only to viciously return to a nightmare again. Another room closed off and then they were at a bedroom. Worry flashed into her expression. Was he leading me to his room to…?
"Trash." A voice murmured from behind her so suddenly she jumped, clutching her racing heart. "Why do people always expect the worst?" He pushed past her and opened the door. "Your room."
She blinked, caught off guard but relieved. "Umm…" Taking in her surroundings it was blindingly white, an enormous white bed with dozens of soft white and black pillows that smelled and felt like no one had ever been inside it, and very surprisingly there was a window giving a glorious view of a misty valley. She could only assume the cave they were in was near a cliff-face.
He turned his back to her, walking back to the bathroom only to reappear with some soft white fabric. "You will wear this, use the bathroom." It was then she noticed how bloody and wet and torn her appearance was.
Miss Inoue stood there awkwardly, utterly left speechless of what to do, dumbstruck to all that had happened to her thus far. "What…kind of 'gang' is this? Are you…drug lords? How can you afford all of this?"
Ulquiorra just stuffed his hands in his pocket. "Hardly." She gripped the cloud-quality cloth in her hands as he moved silently back into the hallway. "Let's just say that Aizen is the man that controls the entire world from strings below. 'Gang' is a loose term here. He promotes…crime and chaos…in order to distract the world from what he really has in store."
His footsteps echoed on the cold black marble floor but she had millions of questions more. "And what is in store for me? What does it have to do with my father?"
"You are a prisoner of Aizen…it matters not why."
"But…this…Aizen man is wrong." She watched her own hands clench. "My father…he…has never cared about me…I am not his weakness."
Ulquiorra stopped, feeling curious. "Then Aizen has other plans for you."
Miss Inoue threw down her new clothes in sudden anger, eyes flashing. "He is wrong! My father has never once cared about me!" Ulquiorra turned around again without much expression as she clenched her pretty face into conflicting contortions. "My father beat me! He was a drug dealer! A lowlife! I haven't seen him since my brother ran away with me when I was three!" Tears began to flow again in her eyes. "I don't understand this…Why me? Why am I involved in something that has nothing to do with me?"
The raven-haired man glanced at her shaking hands. "Again…emotion will get you nowhere. Your story does not sway me. Aizen must have something else in store for you. Now…" He pointed his head at the bathroom. "…do as I say Miss Inoue. It is Aizen's wish that you remain under my care. You will obey me or you may never leave if Aizen says so."
The girl balled her hands into pathetic fists, miserable appearance all the more laughable at her wanting to retaliate. "No! Just take me home I don't belong here!"
"Do as I say or else I will tie you up and bathe you myself or half drown you in that pool." Those eyes were bitter emeralds of nothingness to her, the pupils the center of oblivion, unreachable and unattainable.
"I-I thought you said I'd be unharmed." The gray in her angry beautiful eyes, flecked with too much emotion irritated him.
"As long as you remain alive Aizen will approve." Then with that lovely ending note, the devil retreated coolly to his own den, hands in pockets, slipping away bored as could be.
Miss Inoue clenched her teeth, eyes tiredly watering. "I just want to go home…"
"This is the police! Keep your hands up!" Back at the abandoned factory turned secret hive of mysterious crime, Aizen, Gin, and Tosen stood passively in the room, the picture of powerful elegance as an armed woman stood before them but her gun was not raised as she peeked into the room. Seeing the head honchos inside she turned to speak behind her as well as into her mic. "Not here either. They must've gone down the west wing. Okay…roger!" Then as footsteps turned around the corner in the hallway, she stepped inside closing the door behind her. "Aizen."
"Ah yes Miss Momo Hinamori." Aizen smiled so brilliantly the woman, more like a teenager fresh out of police academy blushed. She took off her helmet, double checking her mic was turned off and smiled shyly. "My insider man. You have done well."
"You told me that what you were doing was the right thing Aizen…so that's why I'm doing this for you. Because I trust you. And I know that you have always been kind and honest to me. You're the one who helped get me into the Academy." She blushed happily, the picture of innocence in a policeman's garb. "I'd do anything for you Aizen."
Said man, the man who created the shadow over the world with his own hands and attracted all to his side with his trustworthy façade and promise of power, Sosuke Aizen, wanted something and he wanted it so badly he was willing to spend endless years almost his entire lifetime plotting every part of his plan meticulously until it grew to fruitation. He was willing to build a network entirely of lies, a web of crimes to ensnare an entire populous and deceive as many people as he would gain trust with then…use them all as stair-steps to rise above the limitless skies. What was his goal exactly? Well that was the secret as to why he'd hired some gangsters of the Arrancar and Hollow groups, built up a corporation called the Soul Society that made millions, helped in the drug ring and every illegal dealing that could ever sully a man's hands there was to gain money and with it eager followers and power.
"And I'd do anything for you Momo. You are doing a great job." He came up to her and patted her brown tresses gently until her cheeks became rosy like her name. "What you are doing is helping to weed out the corruption I've found within your organization."
"Huh?" Momo blinked in shock, face so innocent and pure. "What do you mean?"
Aizen gently leaned down, placing both hands on Hinamori's shoulders. "There is a secret agenda in the Police Academy."
Her eyes widened, wavering.
"Beware of Toshiro Hitsuguya…" And as her eyes widened to capacity, her smirked above her head and where she could not see, he felt a satisfying click as one more lock coming undone.
"B-But-!" Hinamori shook beneath his hands and she couldn't ever know how his smile widened. "Shiro is my…childhood friend!"
"I don't want to tell you this…" Aizen murmured in sympathy. "…but I feel it fair to warn you…that…he is going to try and kill…" He whispered the last part and when she took a step back in horror, clasping her mouth in her hands, shuddering.
"N-No….No..NOOO!" Clamping her eyes shut, she cried out, violently shaking her head.
"Shh." Aizen stroked her hair. "Don't call attention to this area…and yourself. I know you are a strong woman Momo Hinamori. You can play the part of an insider as well." She was trying not to cry, disbelief strongly turmoiling her eyes. "I need you to keep out of his way so you don't get hurt. But continue to feed me the vital information that will protect those involved. I know this is too much to take…but I believe in you Momo."
"I'll…" Her eyes became suddenly hard, determined. "…try my best Aizen." Voices called out into the hallway.
"Hinamori! We heard you yell are you okay? Your mics turned off!" She ran to the door, glancing back then nodding at Aizen before dashing back to her job. "Yeah Izuru, Renji! I…ehehe! Tripped! Fell right on my face and hit the mic off!"
"Ahhahah! Are you okay? Be more careful alright!" "Aw Izuru let's hurry and sweep the area so I can go get a drink! Sake sake Izuru!" "Matsumoto you shouldn't say that we are on duty!" "M-Matsumoto!" "Oh shut up Hisagi." "Would you all quiet down! This is a mission!" "Ah Shiro you are such a fuddy-duddy!" "Call me Captain Hitsugaya! Show me some respect as your superior!" "But you're so much younger than us!" "Ohh you shouldn't have said that~!"
The banter faded and Gin leaned against the wall, deep in thought. Hmm so Matsumoto joined the Police Academy…
As Aizen picked up a briefcase containing the only things he needed, he set a timer to a bomb to destroy all remaining evidence. This day had been planned. And as he led the other two crooks in tow down a secret passage, the boom and cackle of the explosion behind them whipping their hair and clothes, there were three secret plans that wanted to use the others. Only one would come on top. Only one would rule the world and only one would…remain alive in the end. Blood ruled rampant in this terrible world.
For the young and baffled Orihime Inoue, the day ended strangely uneventfully. She cautiously walked into the bathroom, and after thoroughly checking that there wasn't any creeper cameras anywhere…soaked thankfully in the tub, making sure to scrub all the blood and tears off of her, noting every scratch and bruise. But she could never relax…not even in the most luxurious of relaxing bathrooms…she kept her eyes peeled, almost expecting the man to appear out of nowhere, hands in his pocket, emotionless. Wincing she sunk further into the water…
Knock knock. She started, splashing water everywhere, looking about frantically. Knock knock. A voice on the other side of the door. "You haven't drowned yourself have you." He didn't sound particularly interested.
"Go away!" She answered, groping for a towel to cover herself. But he never even attempted to open the door from the other side.
"Again…you always assume the worst." His voice almost sounded annoyed. "Again…trash does not interest me in the slightest. I just have a duty to maintain. So you had better not drown yourself."
His footsteps in the hall outside became distant, and only with the click of his room door did she slip guardedly back into the water.
She got into her clothes feeling refreshed on the outside but stressed within. She blinked. "So big." Holding her shirt out in front of her she realized she was merely wearing Ulquiorra's clothes. With a sigh she wringed her hair out and timidly opened the door, expecting something to pop out at her.
Nothing came. So she walked to her room, the stillness of the environment unsettling. Her stomach was aching and snarling bitterly but she paid it no mind sitting in front of the window with her knees drawn to her chest, trying not to cry. I just want to go home...I just want to go back home…and talk and laugh with my best friend Tatsuki like I have always done…I just want to be home and love struck over my crush…to worry about my homework…to worry about my future…I don't want to be stuck here in this black hole and this mysterious 'plan'…
"Eat." How was it that the man seemed to come out of nowhere? "DAHH!" Orihime jumped eyes little shocked buttons, arms flailing. There stood the grim reaper…with a tray of food.
"I-I'm not hungry." But…her stomach snarled louder than a jet engine. She could've sworn she saw a bead of sweat on Ulquiorra's face.
"Trash." He actually closed his eyes for a second. "Eat or I will tie you down and force it down your throat or connect you to an IV."
"…" She continued to look out the window.
"I'm serious."
"I…know you are."
"It isn't poisoned."
"I…know it isn't. You have to keep me alive."
He started to leave. "When I come back that food had better be gone."
She didn't want to eat. He never said I couldn't throw it away.
"As in eaten. Trash."
She gulped. Is he physic?
He turned his head one last time to glance with the corners of stone cold emerald. "I know people too well. They are mostly all the same. Uninteresting."
Then he left and she gave in to her stomachs protest. Knowing full well that she was going to have to escape tonight. She needed a plan.
Later he kept his word, checking to see that she had eaten and wordlessly left, just staring at her like 'sleep or I will knock you unconscious or give you drugs that will make you sleep'. So she clambered up on the quicksand soft bed and pretended to sleep when he checked in again. Waited for what seemed like hours and saw that every light had been turned off, all but the light of the misty moon out her curtain-less window. Then…she crept through the darkness into the hallway, almost tripping she journeyed to the pantry, found a knife…and stalked carefully into Ulquiorra's room. He carelessly left his door unlocked. His room was even more sparse, he chose to sleep on a mere cot. His shirt was folded up and placed on a small paper strewn dresser table, belt neatly rolled up beside it, shoes perfectly placed beneath it. Moonlight from the window illuminated his features, the paleness of his skin, the blackness of his inky hair, how it pooled gently about his face.
She crept forward, hand with the knife shaking. Even in slumber he looks so…blank…
With his eyes closed Orihime felt that even then he could still stare up at her, stare straight through her like she was nothing, glimpse her soul and destroy it with icy tendrils. It caused her to shiver…but other things caused that as well. All…I have to do is kill him…then…place his thumb on the scanner…no…no I can't do that…I need to…take him hostage…hold the knife to the throat and make him say the right password to open the door…I…want so badly to leave…But I…
Her hand shook further, staring down at him then squeezing her eyes tightly. …can't do this…I'm just…
Tears slid through tightened eyelids. "I'm too…weak…I can't even…save myself…" She stalked dejectedly back towards the door.
"Interesting." She jumped once again, dropping the knife and spinning about. Green eyes struck her. He was sitting up on his cot. "I was wondering when you would try to kill me in my sleep."
"!" Her eyes widened. "How did you-!" He never went to sleep.
Ulquiorra just closed his eyes, his bare muscular torso almost gleaming with paleness. "It's all too predictable." Staring without feeling once again he asked. "But…I'm curious as to why you didn't actually attempt it."
"I-I-"
"You don't have it in you, do you?" She backed up as he swung his feet over his cot edge. "You can't kill even for your own sake." He stood, still wearing his bloodstained pants from earlier. "Why?"
"I'm…pathetic." Orihime's eyes wavered, and she gripped the edge of her shirt. "I've never been able to stand up for myself."
She glanced up to see that he was intently gazing at her hands. "Your emotions don't agree with your situation…it is most unfortunate for you." Hands were unsurprisingly in his pockets. "Just so you know fool…the security system will not work if the thumb attached to the owner is not alive. It can also be set to self-destruct all of Las Noches if it detects that I am being forced to say a password. There are secrets to all of this."
Orihime appeared close to tears again and so she just chose to walk away. "Wishful thinking." He remarked. "Goodnight Miss Inoue."
"Goodnight…" Orihime muttered in defeat and sensing that she was going to be trapped for awhile began a symbolic introduction. "My name is Orihime Inoue. I am 17. I like food and… I cannot kill."
"Pleasure." He closed his eyes. "I am called Ulquiorra Cifer. I am 19 years of age. And all you need to know is that I have killed as often as I am required, never more, never less." Blinking she pulled her hands to her chest as if wondering if her heart would be pierced next, her blood next to stain his clothes. "Do not force me to have to kill you."
"You don't look 19…"
"My lifestyle ages all it touches."
Her eyes wondered curiously. "What-"
Suddenly his eyes snapped open to narrow slits of annoyance. "It would be wise to remember what I told you in the beginning…don't ask questions."
Twice more she stood there opening her mouth as if to speak then closing it once again. "…ahh…"
"Go." He turned away.
She obeyed ever curious to her captor and his mannerisms. He is so bizarre. And I get the feeling that whatever his past is…it has caused him to be this cold statue of a man. Sigh…how am I every going to escape? I have to be careful around him no matter what.
When she was finally gone, Ulquiorra stared up at the moon outside his window, never able to sleep. Her hands again…they…house that emotion, they show it. No. Why do I care? She is just a pathetic wench. Survival of the fittest and she didn't even try. Disgusting. He rolled over and closed his eyes, knowing that sleep was not going to be easy…it never was.
Back in Orihime Inoue's home, police had swarmed, abuzz with activity. One officer stood interviewing a sobbing girl.
"So you're saying that you were on the phone with Miss Inoue right before she disappeared?"
"How many friggan times do I have to tell you? I heard glass shatter! I heard someone else in the background! I heard her scream! Do you want me to repeat for the hundredth time the conversation I overheard! Hmm do you! I'll tell you again and I want you to write this down! 'Get up girl! Or I will shoot your brains out!' Do you want me to repeat how much she begged and pleaded? Or the sounds of violence I overheard! Do you-"
"Tatsuki!" A voice interrupted, slamming open the door and barreling through angry cops telling him to get away from the crime scene. The youth whom had orange hair and anxious amber eyes just shoved through them. "I came as soon as I heard your voicemail!"
Behind him a short, raven haired girl in a light blue dress shoved through the already distracted crowd, eyes a worried violet. "Ichigo! Don't just take off like that! What's going on!"
They both stopped in mid-argument, noting the extreme distress in their friends tear-filled eyes. "Tatsuki." Ichigo took a step closer, the cops backing off. "Your message said something happened. All you said was that it was an emergency and that it involved Orihime. What's going on?" He looked at the mayhem around him then back at his friend.
"S-Someone…took Orihime Ichigo…" Her voice cracked with a sob. "They…they…KIDNAPPED HER!" Ichigo and the girl named Rukia stood there…stock still in shock and then…
"WHAT?" Ichigo growled. "WHO DID THIS!" He bellowed angrily whipping around to the men and women in uniforms as if they knew the answers. "HOW?" Rukia put a hand on his wrist to stop his needless shouting. "Oh Tatsuki…" He looked away running a hand through his hair.
"Please…" Rukia took over and walked up to Tatsuki, taking her hands. "…tell us everything…" Tatsuki broke into angry tears but retold her story. Rukia and Ichigo bored a hole in the ground with their emotional stares. Tatsuki spun back to the officer who had been interviewing her in a snarl. "You better have all that written down!"
"Where's Sora? Does he know?" Ichigo whispered, standing beside his friend since childhood and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. She nodded. "H-He just left for a business trip in Tokyo. But I called him after I called 9-1-1. He left to come here immediately. Just got on the next flight here so give him another hour or so."
"Um excuse me everyone." A police officer with spiky black hair, three scars over his right eye and a 69 and blue tattoo on the other side of his face interrupted the distraught friends. "I'm very sorry but you will need to leave this area for now. We will commence investigation from upstairs in Miss Inoue's room to the downstairs area though it appears they went out the window. If we find out anything else we shall let you know Miss Arisawa." He spoke kindly.
"Thank you…" The threesome mumbled and proceeded to the door. Right when a car squealed into the drive and a very upset and worried Sora Inoue ran up to them.
"Have they found her?" They shook their heads and he fell to his knees in exhaustion. "Oh god…please…" He squeezed his eyes. "Please find her…OH WHY COULDN'T IT BE ME!" He screamed to the sky, anguish overpowering the teen's own. It was Sora, Sora the one who loved his sister so dearly that he had taken her away from their abusive family when he was eighteen. Sora was Orihime's dear beloved brother and father. And to Sora…Orihime his dear beloved sister and daughter.
The officer who had told them to leave came to their side. "I'm sorry Sora." The other man looked up, face still scrunched in unbearable emotion, flickering with anguish and anger and guilt for having left for his business trip.
"H-Hisagi? Is that you? Little Hisagi Shuhei from the neighborhood?" Sora sputtered in amazement.
The officer scratched the back of his head. "Yeah. That's me. It's been awhile."
Sora blinked. But Hisagi gave him a hand up to stand. "When I came to the scene and heard it was someone by the name of Orihime Inoue…well if there is anything I can do for you don't hesitate to ask."
"Please just find her please!" Sora clutched his old friend by the front of his shirt despairingly.
Hisagi nodded and pointed to his scars. "I have these scars because I wanted to get into this job. I don't minding a few more in order to find your sister Sora."
"What're we gonna do?" Tatsuki mumbled into the cold night air. "Just what're we gonna do!"
"There isn't anything we can do right now Tatsuki…but believe in the police. And pray for Orihime's safety and return." Rukia reminded her gently as they walked with Tatsuki towards her home.
"Tatsuki are you gonna be alright?" Ichigo asked solemnly. "If you need anything just-"
"Yeah!" Rukia suddenly shouted, fist in the air. "Want to stay at Ichigo's place! Let's all just hang there for the night. Mrs. Kurosaki makes the best cookies~!"
"W-WHA!" Ichigo danced in astonishment. "Why my place?"
"I already said!"
"You guys…" Tatsuki sadly shook her head. They immediately paused in their childish arguments to glance at her. "…sure just lemme talk to my folks first. I…don't really want to be alone right now and they are in the countryside visiting my ailing grandmother…"
"Yeah no prob." Ichigo smiled gently. "We can walk you home to get your things. I don't think it's a good idea to walk by yourself right now." Poor Orihime…
SMACK! Tatsuki playfully albeit still upset punched him in the gut. "I can take care of myself Ichigo. But…thanks I appreciate it." They let her take the lead to give her privacy as she whipped out her cell and started explaining the current events to her family. They reached her door and she started packing some things in a bag.
"So you agreed to the plan after all." Rukia smirked. "You are so good to your friends."
Ichigo pretended to scowl at her. "So why not have this miserable slumber party at your place?"
"One word. Byakuya-nii."
Ichigo gulped in response to that. "I gotcha."
"He's always such a softie when it comes to Hisana and me but geez…he hates anyone else."
Tatsuki rejoined them, looking worn out. "Alright."
They walked on to the Kurosaki residence in thoughtful and worried silence. "I hope she's okay…" Rukia voiced their similar thought.
"I wonder where she is right now…" Ichigo muttered. "Ya know? I think we should look for her ourselves. I don't want the police to be too late." The others could see the gleam of stubbornness in his eyes.
And many days later…back to the present…Orihime was worming through as many escapade plans as there were rooms in Las Noches. But every single time she so much as tried to go through with them, it was either he conscience or her captor that ended it with an iron fist. The days rolled by in the same monotonous way. She woke up, was threatened to eat her breakfast, left to her own devices and explore all the rooms but Ulquiorra's, foiled escape attempt, wonder how the man could stay alone in a boring room all day, be surprised by his voice from behind her, threatened to eat lunch, foiled escape attempt, bored and homesick, threatened to eat dinner and bathe, sleep and start it all over again.
How am I going to get out of here? I'm just so pathetic! Orihime was in the study room in Ulquiorra's wing, curled up with her knees to her chest, eyes closed on the windowseat. Mist hung like gloom over the mountainside outside.
"Are you praying?" She jumped as she always did at his voice. But not as high as normal because she was starting to come to expect it's interruptions.
"Not at this moment no."
"No one can hear you you know."
"Oh but I know someone must be listening though." She sighed, looking away from his too green eyes of nothingness.
"Why is that." He sounded bored.
"Because I am still alive." She put her head down on her knees. "I'm thankful for that at least. That you are not a psycho rapist. That the sun still shines outside. That I can eat and have water and that I'm in good health."
Ulquiorra actually blinked in some sort of emotion. "You can…be thankful even such conditions as these?"
Is he surprised? Orihime blinked that he was surprised. Then she smiled despite her situation. "Yep!" Then without thinking asked him a question. "What are you thankful for Ulquiorra?"
He turned around suddenly, black hair swishing with the sigh of his clothes.
"Hmm?" Orihime cocked her head to the side. Planning quietly in her mind she decided that if she could get him to start warming up to her, he could take pity on her and release her. A new plan. She would have to understand him, make him think though in all honesty she was rather curious about the android like guy. "You must have something right?"
"What is there to be thankful for in this world? You are such garbage." His voice was uncharacteristically low and under his breath.
"Aren't you glad to be alive at least?"
"…" He glanced at her from the corners of his eyes right before he left into the hallway to his lair. "No. But I have no choice in the matter."
"B-But! That's such a horrible thing to say!" As his footsteps retreated, Orihime felt her heart skip with sympathy. Her nature couldn't help but do as she did next, no matter how wrong it was, or how strange. She didn't think about her plan as she acted out in her instinct because she could never be so fake with her emotions. Right as his hands reached for the handle of his retreating room…Orihime Inoue, girl kidnapped for mysterious reasons by a man with even more mysterious intentions…wrapped her arms against the devil...hugging her captor…the demonic, unemotional, and dark…Ulquiorra Cifer.
Thus starting the ripple effect, the waterfall and overflow of turbulence, of chaos that was to ensue, the violence and bloodshed to come. Such foreboding air in a world already so uncertain.
Somewhere in the shadows of the night, in an another well furnished secret hideout, Aizen sipped leasurly on a cup of tea, glasses off, hair slicked back, smile confident. "Phase One has been successful. Call out some of my little Arrancar. I have a few more pieces in mind for this game." The shadows cackled in sinister reply.
Welp hope you liked it! I want to go somewhere with this story don't worry! Yeas and I also felt like having Masaki Kurosaki and Sora Inoue and Hisana Kuchiki being alive and well. More to come and updates to 'Tora, Tora, Burning Bright' & 'Hollow Eyes' & 'What Not To Do' soon to be up. Don't forget new stories~ Got one about a certain pretty boy with long black hair from D. Gray-man~! Huzzah~ Will try and finally update at good intervals! Hopefully another one written by Sunday! See ya there!
REVIEW POR FAVOR!