Nemu and Mayuri appeared at the top of the dome, the Captain holding a strange instrument in front of him.
"These readings are so unusual." He said. "They contain elements of Shinigami and Hollow reiatsu but at levels and variations the likes of which we have never recorded."
"Mayuri-sama," Nemu said. "Look."
He looked up from his device to where his daughter pointed just in time to see in the distance an arrancar appear to dissolve into a cloud of ash.
"Hueco Mundo is truly a researcher's delight!" He exclaimed. "We'll gather enough data here to study for centuries. Quickly Nemu, we must obtain a sample!"
A flashstep brought them instantly to the scene.
"Hand me the specimen bottles Nemu." He said while holding out his hand.
"Yes Mayuri-sama. Do you need me to assist you?" she asked.
He looked at her with contempt. "No stupid girl, just get out of the way. This is too important for me to allow you to contaminate a sample with your clumsiness."
"Yes Mayuri-sama." Nemu quickly stepped back with eyes downcast. She quietly took in her surroundings. There was Inoue Orihime, the girl they had come to rescue. She was standing in shock over the pile of ashes left by the disintegrating Arrancar. Why? Wasn't she glad her enemy was destroyed? There was Kurosaki Ichigo, the substitute shinigami standing behind her with a strange look on his face. She couldn't define it. Both people were on Mayuri-sama's list as 'persons of interest'. And off in a corner formed by the rubble….Ishida Uryuu. And he was hurt. Her pulse quickened and her eyes grew wide. She had sent him off not more than an hour ago well and whole and he was once again reduced to a bloody, torn rag doll. And his hand? Where was his hand?
Inoue Orihime recoiled in horror as Mayuri-sama approached, but boldly stepped forward as the Captain began to collect the dust into the bottles with a spatula.
"What are you doing?" she cried. "You must stop!"
Mayuri looked up in irritation. "Eh? What are you talking about foolish girl? Who knows what information these samples will yield? Be off with you!"
He turned back to his sample gathering. Ichigo stepped forward to place his hand on the girls shoulder. He turned her to face him. "Inoue, there's nothing more you can do." He said. "You should see about healing Ishida now."
Orihime still seemed to be in a daze. "Yes. Healing Ishida-kun. Yes, of course." She said absentmindedly. She began to walk over to the prone Quincy only to have Nemu flash-step before her.
"That will not be necessary." She said. "I will heal him."
"Kurotsuchi Nemu is it?" Orihime asked. "Please stand aside. I can heal him quickly with my Shun Shun Rikka."
"Mayuri-sama has altered and enhanced certain aspects of his physiology." Nemu said. "It would be dangerous of you to tamper with him. It could cost him his life."
Nemu wasn't certain of that at all, but seeing the girl ignore her friend to mourn over an arrancar, however briefly, made her …feel something. Was it anger? She wasn't sure. She had so little experience at feeling. But she would not allow Inoue to heal the Quincy. As Orihime looked at the Vice Captain's face it seemed as placid and emotionless as always. So why did she feel a bit threatened?
"Of course Kurotsuchi-san." She said. "Please do what you can."
Nemu knelt down beside the stricken archer and laid out medicines and tools from her sleeve. "How do you feel Ishida-san?" she asked. "How badly does it hurt?"
"Ishida-kun took something for the pain and bleeding after he lost his hand fighting." Orihime said.
Nemu's fingers were finely tuned analytical sensors. Temperature, blood pressure, pulse rate, galvanic skin response and a dozen other indicators were revealed to her with a touch. They told a very different story. Ishida had taken no medications and was in an excruciating amount of pain. She couldn't believe he wasn't screaming in agony or passed out. And any idiot could see he was still bleeding profusely. She looked in his face and saw a look in his eyes. A pleading look. He didn't want Inoue to know. She selected a syringe and extracted a dose from one of the vials from the kit.
"This will ease your…symptoms, Ishida-san." She said. The look of relief on the young man's face as the drug took effect was a relief to her as well. Besides the obvious abdominal wound, she could detect a broken scapula, several fractures and a concussion. He had lost a lot of blood. He had lost his hand fighting an Espada. Fighting to save Inoue Orihime. How could she leave him lying here? She turned to the girl.
"Inoue-san." She said.
"Yes Kurotsuchi-san?" Orihime replied.
"While I can regenerate Ishida-san's hand if necessary, it will be much easier if you bring me the one he lost." Nemu suggested.
Orihime looked shocked. "You mean…you want me to find his severed hand and bring it to you?"
Nemu looked deep into the girl's eyes. "Yes," she said in a flat monotone, "that is exactly what I want."
"It might take a while." Orihime said.
Nemu turned back to Ishida and selected more tools. "Don't take too long. Even here, time is of the essence when healing a wounded comrade."
"Yes Kurotsuchi-san, I'll be as quick as I can." With a small, hurried bow, she began her search.
As Orihime left to find Ishida's hand, Nemu looked over to see what her father was doing. He was finished taking samples of the ashes. Now he was trying for samples of a different kind. Kurosaki Ichigo was wrestling a syringe away from him as Mayuri-sama tried to make him see reason.
"Instrument readings are not enough." Mayuri declared. "We must have physical samples to examine!"
"For the last time NO!" Ichigo shouted.
"At least consider my offer." Mayuri wheedled. "I'll limit experimental drug therapies to eight times a day and mechanical experimentation to five hours a day. I'll even do my utmost to refrain from performing surgeries that may be life-threatening. I don't make this offer to everyone."
"Yeah, right!" Ichigo sneered.
Yes, her father would be busy for quite some time. She would not be disturbed as she worked.
She spread a white powder across Ishida's wounds.
"This will encourage coagulation and allow me to begin affecting repairs." She explained. "It will take a minute to dissolve"
"You're not going to have to smother me with your chest again are you?" he said with a weak smile.
"Do you want me to?" Nemu asked
"NO!" Ishida said emphatically.
She looked him in the eye. "Do you mean to say you didn't find the experience even a little bit enjoyable?"
He looked away as a blush spread across his cheeks. "Well. Maybe a little."
A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. The bleeding stopped as the powder finished dissolving. She could begin. As she turned to her suture kit, Ishida touched her arm with his remaining hand.
"Nemu-san." He said. "Thank you."
She did not reply. She looked away. She removed a suture from its packaging and began to close the gash in his stomach. But her lips curved into a real smile. She had been designed to be a tool, and had been abused by her father as long as she could remember. She never understood most of her life what feelings were for. But Ishida made her feel warm inside. It was good to hear his thanks. It felt good to be appreciated.