CONQUISTADOR
Foreword: Hello, welcome to my story: Conquistador. I've been planning to write this story for a very long time since I finished rereading the manga, but plotting it was a bit of a challenge. Mercifully, we're finally here. You might be wondering why I've chosen to write an AiHime fic, instead of going for the canon pairings. It's because I simply have a thing for handsome as hell villains. And, besides, there was definitely something there that Kubo-sama generously left to the imagination. I'm not going to write a simple wham-bam-thank you ma'am story. No, that's not my style. I've got so many things that I want to do with Orihime's character and it's not just to make her orgasm. C'mon. Thank you for showing interest, and I hope you stay with me until the very end. I'd love to read your thoughts and comments as we move forward.
#1
The Sun Comes to Hueco Mundo
She wandered through the town with footsteps lighter than a flower petal drifting together with the wind, lost in thought. Karakura Town's streets were empty now at this late hour. There were some houses that had at least one window lit. I can only say goodbye to one person… just one… Her heart was thudding heavily in her chest. The time's almost up…I don't think I'll be able to ever come back here… Inoue paused and bit her lower lip as she tried to blink back her tears. I won't ever see anyone again. But if it'd mean keeping everyone safe… it won't be such a bad choice, will it?
When she looked up, she found herself standing in front of the Kurosaki Clinic. If it means protecting you, I'd gladly do it. She bounded up to the second floor with easy grace, and slipped inside through the wall. "There… we… go!" she exclaimed, admiring her ghostly skill. A quiet, nervous giggle escaped her lips as she scratched the back of her head as if she had just been scolded and now needed to explain her sudden appearance. "I ended up here," she breathed, "to tell the truth… Tatsuki-chan, Sado-kun, Ishida-kun, Kuchiki-san… there were so many people I would have liked to say goodbye to…" Her gentle gaze landed on Ichigo's sleeping form, causing a faint flush to spread across her face. Suddenly, she heard a gentle drowsy groan coming from the other side of Ichigo's bed. Inoue found herself staring at the two girls Ichigo undoubtedly would die for, asleep on the floor, surrounded by dirty dishes. Yuzu had fallen asleep while leaning onto her big brother's bed. "I see. Yuzu-chan and Karin-chan ate dinner here today… I understand," she smiled, "you guys were sad because Kurosaki-kun was away for a long time. You guys wanted to eat with him in his room, right?" It was only then that she truly realized where she'd gone. Her blush darkened. "In Kurosaki-kun's… r-room," she repeated, letting her eyes sweep across the modest and neatly-kept bedroom. Come to think of it, it's my first time coming into Kurosaki-kun's room… she took a deep breath, and his unique scent flooded her olfactory system. It calmed her, somehow, his scent... I can smell Kurosaki-kun here… She could recognize the crisp scent of his cologne, his hair gel, his clothes, then there was one that she could never put into words, the scent that truly made his scent distinctive to her senses.
The tips of her fingers touched his hand, traced the shape of his thumb. His hands… how many times had he saved her and everyone with his hands that were still deftly learning how to master his zanpakutō? His hand was always ready to help anyone who needed it. His hand… she wanted it to encase hers. How many times had she daydreamed of the day their fingers would interlace as they walked, side by side? Too many times, she hated to admit. The auburn-haired girl leaned down towards the sleeping orange-haired boy, with her heart racing and aching as she began to feel the warmth that he radiated. She was so close to him that she could feel the gentle rhythm of his breathing. The tip of her nose erupted with prickles and tears sprang out of her eyes. "I can't," she cried apologetically with a wobbly smile, "I just can't." Pulling back away from him, she wiped her tears with her sweater sleeve. "I'm so terrible. This is the last time I'm ever going to see him, and I… I try something like this!" Her chest felt as though it were being squeezed to the point that she could not breathe.
"Kurosaki-kun, you know I… had a lot of things I wanted to do," she murmured as she leaned against his window, still sniffling. "I want to be a school teacher. I also want to become an astronaut, and also… open my own cake shop... I want to go to Mister Doughnut and say, 'I'll have them all!', and then I'll go to Baskin Robbins and say, 'I'll have them all!'… Oh, I wish I could live life five times over!" Inoue averted her gaze upwards, as she tried to organize her muddled thoughts. "Then, I'd be born in five different cities. I'd stuff myself with delicious things five times each. I'd have five different jobs. And then, for those five times…" she cast him a gentle gaze as her voice softened to a mere whisper, "I'd fall in love with the same person."
Having said her true feelings for him, Inoue felt a great weight lift from her. "Thank you, Kurosaki-kun," she said with a firmer voice now. She looked at him more intently, determined to commit every detail of his handsome face into her memory – his sharp Greecian nose that would scrunch up when he was mad, his full lips that made the most infectious grins, his smooth and chiseled cheeks and jaws, his trim brows that seemed to be knitted together because he always had a lot of things in his mind, his long, thick lashes that fanned out across his cheeks. A fresh batch of tears streamed down her face as she struggled to speak. "Goodbye."
And she was gone like a gust of wind.
The tall Arrancar was leaning against a tree when she approached. His arms were folded across his chest, and he seemed fairly inconvenienced. But she had a feeling that his expression was permanent. "You're here. Good. I thought I was going to have to track you down." Ulquiorra raised his hand and opened the Garganta using a series of fluid hand movements. Inoue couldn't help but compare his hand gestures to operating a touchscreen ordering system, like the one in McDonald's. The spiritual pathway immediately appeared and distended. He was already sauntering towards it, not even bothering to cast a backwards glance at her. "Follow me, girl. Aizen-sama is waiting."
Inoue's legs seemed to be rooted on the ground, and her heart felt as though it could leap up into her throat. She wanted to scream, to say no, to run away, to defy the Arrancar, but she knew that whatever effort she made would be futile against the Arrancar. I hold the rope to the guillotine above my friends' necks. I will... hold on to that rope as long as I can, even if the rope starts to burn... even if my hands start to bleed. I will hold on to that rope with all my strength... no matter what!
Ulquiorra's hands were both buried in his pockets as he stood inside the Descorrer, waiting for the girl. "What are you standing around there for, girl? Would you rather that I drag you by your ankle?"
"No," she said with all the courage she could muster. "I can walk fine by myself." She took a deep breath, and strode towards the waiting portal. Her heart was hammering, thudding powerfully in her ears as she took her place behind the Arrancar. It was unbelievably cold inside the Garganta, but she knew she wasn't trembling because of it. As the darkness began to close around her, Inoue began to feel as though she couldn't breathe, her lungs seemed to be seized by the nothingness that engulfed her.
Their Lord was sitting on his throne, reviewing the footage of the girl as she displayed her powers. Ulquiorra knew that his master had probably watched the scene multiple times already. There was a gleam in Aizen-sama's brown eyes that Ulquiorra knew all too well. He wanted this girl, and he was hatching up the perfect scheme to get her. "She has a very interesting ability, wouldn't you agree, Ulquiorra?" Aizen said. Ulquiorra bowed and agreed. The brunet suddenly began to chuckle softly. "Soul Society is truly foolish, not realizing what this girl can be capable of." Aizen adjusted his posture and continued, "Well, if they're going to simply waste her, I'll be more than happy to take her. And I'm going to give you this assignment, Ulquiorra."
"Yes, Aizen-sama." Ulquiorra said, not relaxing his alert stance. "What do you want me to do?"
"Ah, but Urahara is quick to catch up with me..." Aizen said thoughtfully. "He's probably going to attempt to keep her out of my reach."
Ulquiorra allowed his gaze to wander towards the frozen image of the girl. Her eyes showed determination, but he could immediately spot the doubt in her resolve. She was probably wondering if she could truly take them on, with those tiny things flying out from her hair clip as her only weapons. Had she faced a lesser Arrancar, she might have had a fighting chance. But he and Yammy were Espada. Her trinket fairies never stood a chance.
"I want you to watch this girl," his master finally commanded, "find out her whereabouts, and monitor it. When I give you the go signal..." he raised his right hand and executed a series of complicated hand gestures until a silver bangle appeared out of thin air, "take your brothers with you to divert her comrades, go to her and make her wear this bracelet." The silver bangle shot towards Ulquiorra, who caught it easily. "That bracelet will surround her with a special spiritual membrane that will mask her presence to everyone but us. It will also allow her to pass through solid objects."
The quatro Espada studied the bracelet and noted that the entire bangle bore special characters. His master truly seemed to be interested in investing on the girl.
"Give her a 12-hour grace period so that she can say goodbye to one person. Be adamant that she only says goodbye to one person."
"Why, Aizen-sama? Is the 12-hour grace period really necessary?" Ulquiorra asked.
Aizen laughed again. "Wouldn't it be more entertaining if the ones she leaves behind think that she left on her own accord?"
"What if she refuses to comply?"
"How could a young little girl possibly give you a hard time, Ulquiorra?" Aizen said with a sneering undertone. "Eliminate anyone who tries to get in your way, but bring her unscathed to me."
Ulquiorra bowed his head. "I shall await for your green light, Aizen-sama."
"You may go, Ulquiorra."
He heard Aizen laugh again as the throne room's doors swung close.
Her legs gave way the moment the Garganta re-opened. The quatro Espada turned to look at her and asked, "Ah, of course, you're still unaccustomed to the force within the Garganta. You're so frail. Get up. You're wasting time." She stared up at him as she struggled to regulate her breathing. On wobbly legs, she rose, and followed him.
"Where... are we?" she asked, staring at the vast hall that they were traversing.
"You'll know soon enough," he snapped. "Quicken your pace. He's waiting."
Postscript: Thanks for reading! I know that this introduction doesn't deviate much from the manga's structure, but that's because I don't plan on altering the timeline and the highlighted events. Please drop a review - lemme know how you found my writing style, your thoughts! Reviews just have this special way of making authors feel the love, you know? Okay. Bye bye now! - V.C.