Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck & Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, Grimmjow Jaegerjaques & Tier Harribel.
I don't own Bleach nor the characters here presented, they belong to Tite Kubo.
Characters: Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck, Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, Tier Harribel, Urahara Kisuke.
Summary: Grimmjow comes back to his senses, and is ready to fight against Kurosaki once more, so he heads to Karakura Town, accompanied by a small Arrancar. But by the end of it, what's left? Harribel told him what Aizen had done, and boy, does he wants revenge. But on Aizen's absence, there should be a new ruler of Hueco Mundo.
BY THE END OF IT
There was an unusual wetness on his cheek, as if droplets were constantly falling against his skin, urging him to come back to consciousness. But could that truly be? Last he knew, Hueco Mundo was a desertic land, bare of any sign of water. So Rain couldn't be the reason for such wetness against his skin.
There was a small pressure on his shoulder, and he felt his clothes being pulled. He frowned, bothered by such things. Opening his eyes slowly, he could see the blue up above, white patches blurred by the fact he wasn't on all his senses. He tried to speak, cuss the way his body felt so heavy, but his throat felt dry, and his voice didn't leave him.
Small, erratic sobs accompanied by hiccups caught his attention, and he looked to his left to see who was the one making such sounds. He saw big hazel eyes looking down on him, and he recognized the source of the wet droplets, noticing the tear tracks that fell from the child's face down her cheeks. It was obvious the child was crying, but he didn't see any reason for it. Another fat tear fell against his cheek, and Grimmjow was just about done of having his face covered in tears.
He grunted, and used his elbows to push himself to a sitting position. The child's small hands only moved from his shoulders to the cloth of his hakama. His blue eyes moved in front of him, searching for anything that could force him out of this damn haze his mind seemed to be wrapped around. His fingers dug into the sand, and he gritted his teeth.
"Oi, kiddo… where's Kurosaki Ichigo?" His eyes focused into the child's watery ones, waiting for an answer to where that damned Shinigami had gone to. He had a score to settle with him.
The child's lips trembled, and at the mention of the orange-haired Shinigami, her tears fell with even more force. Grimmjow growled at the unwanted reaction, and roughly grabbed the kid's green gown, pulling her in front of him, her small body hanging from his grip. He didn't show pity, nor did he relented at the fact she was a small, crying child.
"Where is that damn Shinigami? You know, don't ya? You were with him, so you're his friend."
Nel babbled incoherent words, and her small fingers pulled her hood over her face, the cloth covering most of her face. "Itsygo!" She bawled, sucking her snot back up her nose. Grimmjow grimaced at the disgusting action, but patiently waited for the kid to speak. "He-He went to da… Human World to fight Aitsen-sama!" A loud hiccup escaped her, which she tried to keep controlled by biting her upper lip. That only made the snot she had sucked up burst out of her nose again.
Grimmjow couldn't help the disgust, and let her fall to his side, a startled cry coming out of the kid. He rose, and dusted off the sand from his clothes. So all he had to do was go to the Human World, that stupid town the Shinigami served for, Karakura Town, and settle things there. A tug on his leg made him turn to face the crying kid once again. He felt like kicking her far away, get rid of the nuisance she had become in his little time had come back to his senses. With a wide grin, he bent down to pick her up again.
"Ya wanna go see yer dear Ichigo?" Round eyes looked at him in distrust, before she nodded furiously. Grimmjow huffed in amusement, and placed her under his arm. "'Kay then, we'll go see Kurosaki. Just stop your fucking crying, it's so damn annoying, Nelliel."
The tears seemed to stop as soon as he spoke her name, and her eyes shone with something he couldn't quite place, something mingled with surprise. He didn't give it more thought to it, opening a Garganta and quickly stepping into the darkness of it. His grin didn't leave him, finding delight in the idea that, if Kurosaki refused to fight him again, he could always use the small Arrancar to aid his desires. Surely the Shinigami would not refuse a fight in exchange of the green-haired Arrancar's well being.
"O-Oi… how d'ya know Nel-sama's name?"
"Ah?" Grimmjow's gaze moved to the small kid, but his concentration on gathering the spirit particles before him to form a road didn't diminish.
"Could… could it be… you were following Nel?! You are a stalker?! Ya've been stalking Nel-sama?!"
Grimmjow felt his blood turn cold at such foolish claims, and for a split second, his concentration deviated. He grunted and used his free hand to keep himself from falling. His foot had went right through the road he had made, and he turned unbelieving eyes to the child.
"Where wouldya get such a dumb idea, ah?" He yelled in anger, before huffing and standing up, making the road more stable. "Just be quiet, until we reach Karakura Town."
"Karakura Town…?"
Sharp eyes focused on the kid, who shut her mouth, gulping at the intimidating look. "Are ya dumb? It's were Kurosaki lives. Now stay quiet."
Nel pouted her discomfort, but she'd rather not fall into the endless black of the Garganta.
There was debris everywhere, and the only Reiatsu Grimmjow could make out, out of the ones of all the damn Shinigamis —none of which belonged to Kurosaki Ichigo, mind you, such a waste this trip had been— was the one of Harribel, although it was faint. So he went to where he had located the Reiatsu, uncaring he might run into some dauntless soul who would try to take him down.
Nothing like that happened, and from this distance up in the sky, he could see why. There were many bodies scattered around, an obvious sign there had been a fight where both parties, Arrancars and Shinigamis, had received deep damages. None of which he cared about. All he wanted right now, was to know what had happened to the Shinigami Substitute. Harribel wasn't alone, that much he could make out by the silhouettes. He could make out the Tercera's Fracción, but there was one silhouette he couldn't recognize, and the Reiatsu he identified was one that made his alarm go on. It wasn't a presence to be afraid of, and the Spiritual Pressure it let off wasn't anything big. But, if the silhouette was there, standing besides the Tres and her Fracción, it only could mean one thing: he had enough to still be standing after everyone else had been beaten hard.
He landed with a loud huff, Nel letting out an undignifying gasp at the apparent sudden action.
"Who are you?" Grimmjow asked, wary of this unknown person. He recognized the clothes, though, a vague memory from time ago. The green colors and dusty blond hair was a tell-tale of who this person was, in a sense. He remembered long ago, when Ulquiorra had showed them his first experience in the Human World, and the encounter with the Shinigami Substitute.
The man turned to face him, offering a tired smile. His blond hair was messy, and two strands framed his face, one fell over his nose, spliting in two by the middle. Grimmjow noticed he was lacking a very distinctive hat with a pattern in white and green stripes.
"Grimmjow-san, I must assume?"
Grimmjow didn't bother answering that, and instead, he asked a question of his own, "What did ya do to 'em?"
The man's gray eyes went to the Tercera, and a sigh left his lips. "Just finished patching them up. I tried to take care of the most important wounds. They should be fine with some rest."
"You... healed them?" It came as confused, because honestly he was confused. Why would a stranger heal an Espada and her Fracción? Was there any logical reason behind it, considering this man had stood in Yammy's way long ago, to protect Ichigo? He growled, and put Nel down carefully, fingers closing around Pantera's hilt. "So I'm s'possed ta' fall for that?"
The man's lips opened in a smile, and he laughed a bit at that, rubbing his neck. "I don't think you have to, no. But… I'd mean a lot to me if you could take them back to Hueco Mundo." And his carefree attitude died out suddenly, lips falling into a flat line, gray eyes staring at Grimmjow. "I mean it, Jaegerjaques-san. These four have barely made it through. But the moment Kurosaki-kun's done with his job, Soul Society will be on the move again, and it could mean big trouble for them."
Grimmjow grew perplexed. What was this man even asking from him? To take his comrades back to Hueco Mundo, and let them heal back to full health? What purpose could that serve? Furthermore, where did this man stood between all this mess? He obviously was on Kurosaki's side, so then, why would he go so far as to heal the Espada and her Fracción?
"Oi, what happened? You say Kurosaki has a job to do, right? Does it have anything to do with that jerk Aizen?" The small smile he got was enough answer, and he huffed at that, letting his hand leave Pantera and instead he slipped it inside his pocket. "So… what the hell happened to 'em?"
"Mmh. What happened, I wonder? Why not try asking them by yourself, once you're all back in home?"
"Tch, who do you think you are, bossing me around like that?"
"Ah-haha, I'm not doing such thing!" His hands waved in front of him, an act meant to put Grimmjow's possible aggression back on check. "But, Grimmjow-san. If it's Kurosaki-kun you're after, I would rather have you wait for him to finish his business with Aizen, if it's not a bother to you? I'm sure you two could have more fun once Kurosaki-kun comes back. He'll definitely grow stronger in his fight. Is that a good deal?"
Grimmjow sneered at the words. Was he really asking him to forget about that damn Shinigami? He couldn't care less Ichigo had gone after Aizen. Matter of fact, he wondered if Ichigo was up to such feat. Sure, he had somehow, by some sort of miracle, managed to finish Ulquiorra. But even he knew, Ulquiorra and Aizen were worlds apart. He didn't comment on the matter, though. His eyes fell on the Tercera, and he saw the dried blood covering her body. He couldn't quite fathom what had caused such wounds, but if Starrk and Barragan had fallen, then they had all underestimated the Shinigamis. He cussed inwardly.
"Whatever. Guess her words are far more reliable than a Shinigami's."
"Ahh~. What gives such thought? I'm nothing but a candy-shop owner. At your service for any sweet tooth need!"
He couldn't help but notice the man's mood swings. One minute he was serious, speaking as if he knew everything about anything, then the next he was babbling about stupid things. He walked towards the four Arrancars, and wondered how would he carry them all back.
"Ah, and who might you be, small child?" Urahara questioned, crouching down to the kid's height and smiling goofily. "Are you Kurosaki's friend?"
Nodding with uncertainty, Nel shoved a finger inside her mouth, nibbling at it. "Itsygo… will Itsygo be okay? Aitzen-sama's strong… its Itsygo gunna be fine?"
The man standing before him nodded, bright smile in place. "I'm sure he'll make it through. But, I wonder, aren't you a bit too small for an Arrancar? I had never seen someone like you."
"Nelliel's true form is not that, if that's what you ask." Grimmjow supplied, and Urahara turned to look over his shoulder. The Sexta held two of the smaller girls under one arm, while Harribel was placed on his back, her arms and voluptuous chest hanging over his right shoulder to balance her; his right arm supported another of the Fracción, the dark skinned one with wavy brown hair, and it curled to hold her in place, his hand placed firmly over her back. "There were circumstances that forced her to take that form."
"Talkative, are you not, Grimmjow-san?"
Grimmjow rolled his eyes, "Does it matters? You helped 'em, seems fair to tell you that much. And it ain't like I've told you 'bout me." He stepped forward, looking at Nelliel. "Oi, kiddo. Open up a Garganta for me. And lead the way, will ya?" The tone used didn't sound much like a petition, not as much as it seemed like an order. "I'm pretty sure you know how to do it… right?"
Nel gulped at the look, and turned on her spot, hands covering her broken mask as her eyes closed, brows furrowing in concentration. "N-Nel-sama will try!"
Grimmjow huffed in annoyance, his desire to fight already death by now. If Ichigo was not here, there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. He doubted this man would tell him of his whereabouts, anyway. So all he could do for now was bide some time and come back when Ichigo had finished with Aizen. "One more thing. What's your name and what are your intentions?"
The nameless man's smile came back to place, and a small laugh escaped him, "Urahara Kisuke, at your service. And my intentions are no other than doing a small favor, which, if it isn't much of a problem to you, I'd like to ask for it to be returned if the occasion calls for it."
The sound of something ripping made Grimmjow's gaze turn to the Garganta slowly forming. "Well, whatever. It's not like it's my damn business now."
Grimmjow wanted to punch a hole in the wall, or rather, punch a hole in that bastard's head. This was… He didn't like him at all, but to hear he had been capable of such things, it made his blood boil. How dared he turn his sword to those who had fought for him? It made his vision blur and his teeth be bared in anger.
"That fucking bastard! Using us like what, his damn toys?" He roared, pushing himself away from the wall and starting to pace around the room.
"Grimmjow, forget about it." Blue eyes met with bright green, and he growled in frustration. Harribel didn't try to calm him anymore. Ever since she told him Aizen had disposed of her the moment he got bored, the moment he deemed she could no longer serve him, Grimmjow had been agitated. And it seemed that agitation wouldn't be leaving him anytime soon. "What matters now is what are we going to do."
"Well it's damn clear what we are gonna go and fucking do. We'll hunt him, and I'll slit his throat open, and gut him out. I'll fucking maul him beyond recognition."
"I'd be over the moon to see you try. See how much you last."
The growl that came from the Sexta was animalistic, primal, and it came from the back of his throat. "You think I care?! He used you! Used me! How dare he!"
Harribel hummed lowly, and propped herself on her elbows, staring dead in the eye to Grimmjow. "I'm sure you found yourself under Aizen's commands by a reason. Which was that reason, Grimmjow?"
Grimmjow felt silent, and his pacing stopped. His brows furrowed, and he pursed his lips together. "I… I wanted to be king. In order for me attain that, I sought power."
"So focus all that anger and become the king of Hueco Mundo, Grimmjow."
There was shock on his blue eyes, then disbelief, a flash of anger and then frustration. "Become the king? It's— Why would I, right now— I wanted to! Now I only want to kill that bastard with my own two hands."
The small chuckle coming from Harribel snapped him out of such hazy thoughts. "Who are you, the Décimo? That anger is way too uncharacteristic from you. I know you've got a short fuse. But this goes overboard."
"Shut up. Besides, you're Tres, wouldn't it be better choice to have you be Hueco Mundo's ruler?"
"You're relinquishing your dream?"
Grimmjow sneered at the mere idea. He was by no means giving up his "dream". His goal still stayed the same, he guessed. Behind all that blind anger he could still himself pursuing a crown for him to take. But right now…? "I'm saying I still have a long way to go to be satisfied with myself. If I were to be Hueco Mundo's king, when do I get to train m'self? 'Sides, it's not like your Fracción will be happy 'bout it, mmh?"
Sighing loudly, Harriber swung her legs to the side of the bed, and leaned forward. Yes, those three she had for a Fracción could some times become quite a handful, and they very much looked up to her. Hearing she had to step down to let someone like Grimmjow rule would be a wound to their pride most probably. "If there's no other choice."
"I'll leave ya, then. Have to keep an eye on that annoying kid. She's a damn troublemaker, running all over the place with those other two."
"Nelliel?"
"Who else if not? She should be fucking thankful her memories are not quite there yet. Otherwise I would have already obliterated her."
Harribel smiled slightly, and watched Grimmjow leave her room, before the loud hollering of the man rang in her ears, clearly calling for Nel to come out and let herself be caught so she'd be taught a lesson or two.
This is what their lives had come to, apparently. Until Aizen's return, they'd have to train themselves, and become stronger, if the need to fight arose again. In case Aizen didn't made it back… well, all the better. Not like she wanted to see his face ever again. Sacrifices had been made, because of him. And most of them had apparently been in vain, each life lost just a mean to get closer to his own personal goal. Aizen Sousuke hadn't cared about them, at all. And that was unforgivable. She didn't want to see more sacrifices be made. If it mean she'd have to stand up against the man who she owed her powers to, she'd do it. One time and another and the times necessary it took to make such senseless bloodshed stop. She'd sacrifice herself, if it meant there was a slim hope to not see any more sacrifices.
But for now, she'd take the role of ruler of Hueco Mundo.
.
I wondered... how was it that Harribel came to be Hueco Mundo's ruler, if Grimmjow had mentioned he was the king. But then again, it's not like he could go against the Tercera. But it isn't either like he seems to me the type to actually pursuit that just because...? Dunno. Also, when he and Nel show up again, they seem sort of buddy-buddy. Like there's obvious friction between them but, yeah. Whatever.
Thing is, this is my take on trying to explain some of the manga's events :p.