Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach
A/N: I apologize to all my readers for the long and horrible wait. Unfortunately, my computer has decided to go into early retirement and so until I get a new computer updates will be slow (even more than usual) for all of my stories. No, I haven't stopped writing or anything of the sort. In fact, I'm fill with a bunch of new ideas. Sadly, though, my computer doesn't give a shit.
Thanks for all the reviews and story alerts. Here is the second chapter
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Szayel gave a tuttering sound of sympathy at the sight of Nora's bruised face. "Did it again, didn't he?" he asked with sweet concern, cupping his hand over a purple cheek. "What a cruel master you have."
"It's no more than I deserved, Szayel-sama," Nora said quietly in defense of her master's actions. "I shouldn't have gotten in Ichigo-sama's way."
It was true; what she had done deserved more than the brutal smack to her face. Ichigo, after accomplishing his mission which involved killing a certain soul who knew too much, was assaulted by a patrolling Shiningami and his weaker partner. Her master had sought out to wipe out the two, but Nora intervene just as he was about to deliver the final blow.
The shriek of metal meeting metal brought surprise to Ichigo's golden eyes, as his fraccion held her zanpakutou against him. Behind the mask, he gave a fearsome scowl as he harshly demanded a reason for her interference.
"The man is already dying," she explained. "I suspect his partner has already called for assistance. Let us use this time to return, Ichigo-sama."
The brute force of his fist sent her flying several meters away, her body scraping against the ground before she came to a rough stop. She laid there, coughing, obediently waiting for more. Ichigo, instead, sheathed his sword in disgust.
"We're leaving," he said and without another look at her broken form or the Shinigami he had spared, Ichigo opened the Garganta and disappeared.
Nora jumped as Szayel slathered a cool lotion over her bruises. Already she could feel her skin tingle as the properties in the lotion began to speed the process of healing. It had been pure luck that she got off easy, that Ichigo's control had not given her a broken jaw instead.
"There," the pink haired Espada said, placing a large band-aid over the worst area on her cheek. "Leave that for about a day. The bruising should fade by then."
She bowed deeply. "Thank you, Szayel-sama."
La Octava waved away her gratitude with disinterest. "Just remind your master that I am a scientist, not a healer. I do expect a repercussion for this."
"Of course." Nora took the scalpel from the tray nearby and prepared herself. "Will a blood sample suffice?"
Szayel took away the scalpel before the blade could pierce her flesh. "Yes, but allow me to obtain it in another way that would cause less injury to yourself. Mustn't allow you to go back to Ichigo looking as if I'd butchered you."
He took out a needle and vial and tied a rubber band tightly around her arm, the tight pressure pushing out her vein. Then he pressed in the needle and together, they watched her blood fill the vial that was attached.
Hollow blood was fascinating in its varieties of colors. Nora has seen them bleed red blood, blue blood, and even green. But the higher arrancars, those with human forms like the Espada, bled a dark red color, almost black. That horrid color filled the vial to the brink when Szayel took the needle out, having her press the puncture it made to stop the flow of blood.
He held up the sample in the air, admiring the swishing liquid with a queer smile as La Octava grew excited about this new specimen. After all, he was the most curious about La Cero's fraccion. Perhaps finding out what her blood held would sate that curiosity.
Nora bowed to him once more before making her leave. The scientist didn't notice, already calling for his own fraccion to prepare test tubes and other supplies she did not hear. She hurried out in case Szayel changed his mind, asking for more than she was prepared to give.
She entered the exiting hallway out of La Octava's palace, the ceiling breaking way to Aizen's artificial sky. The fake sunlight touched her face, illuminating her pale features and making her brown eyes shine gold, similar to Ichigo's.
Like most of the other fraccion (excluding Szayel's custom made minions), Nora shared an unreal attractiveness. Her beauty was focused more on her innocence, her desire to please her master as well as her need to exclude herself from dire situations. With feathery black hair that had shocking blonde highlights, she had large brown eyes that held a sad expression. Her outfit matched her master's, being the only ones in all of Las Noches to wear a black uniform; a black slim fitting hakama that ended in shorts. Her zanpakutou laid on her left hip in a plain black sheathe that masked her sword's beauty. On her feet, she wore the traditional white sandals, with knee-high black socks.
Nora was considered to be average height, reaching almost to the collarbone of her master. However, under his fierce glare and hot gold eyes, she felt a lot smaller. She was fiercely intimidated by her master, by his strength and by his unpredictability. He would be kind and gentle to her one moment and the next she would be staring into his Hollow mask, wondering if she was breathing her last. His insanity was dangerous, at times though convenient when he was in a fierce battle. More often than not, though, Nora would find herself trying to convince him that she was not the enemy he was fighting.
She sighed at her gloomy thoughts, as she entered the main corridor into the main building of Las Noches. La Cero did not have a palace and was stationed nearby Aizen's own quarters. It was as close as any one would get to their leader's personal space, though Nora had the suspicion that Aizen enjoyed having it in this way. Possibly to be able to keep a close reign on the chaotic Espada.
However, this only led to jealousy, as there were many arrancar who envy their closeness. Nora couldn't count all the times she had been attacked by the lesser arrancar, those above one level of the servants, due to being considered "special" to their lord. Of course, her master was spared from such trivial matters; every one were afraid of him and his strange powers, and no one would blame him if a few arrancars went missing. Aizen, of course, would only make more.
The door was shut closed when she reached it. Inside, Nora could feel the subtle reiatsu of her master, being in a better mood than the one he had return in. Inwardly, she was struggling, whether or not to go inside. Sure she had went to heal the bruises, but would he still want to see her face, after raising her blade against him? Even now, despite her brash explanation, she could not say what prompted her to interfere. Only that there was a helpless feeling she got, whenever she saw Ichigo slay a Shinigami.
She thought about it. Her master wore the same outfit as their enemies, only his were ragged and torn by years of battle, unlike the white pristine robes the other arrancar wore. It gave her the conclusion that he was possibly like Aizen and his men, former Shinigami. But Ichigo could also be consider a Hollow, and his power was so great that he was given the title of La Cero.
It was confusing and she decided to ignore her conclusions. Whatever her master was, it was known of her business. It didn't matter. Her duty was always and will be to serve him as his fraccion. It was her fate and she had long ago accepted, possibly since the first moment she awoke in Ichigo's arms.
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Dinnertime.
Nora rolled the cart of food into her master's quarters, mindful of the things carelessly thrown on the floor. "I have brought you your meal, Ichigo-sama," she said, closing the door behind her.
No response. A look and he was sitting in her chair once again, looking over the barren land of Huenco Mundo. The grinning skull mask laid on a small wooden desk beside him, turned in a direction that made her think that it was leering at her.
Nora held back her fear as best as she could, berating herself for such betraying feelings. It was not in her nature to fear her master, only to serve him.
She walked to his side, standing a safe distance away as to not fully disturb him. "Would you not taste your meal, Ichigo-sama?" she asked him.
He sat quietly observing the wasteland, without any flicker in his expression that he heard her. His brown eyes were dark with the disquiet of his thoughts. He kept a brooding expression, different from his scowl, but no less devastating on her. When he appeared like this, Nora was not sure what to think. It was like Ichigo was a mixture of different personas, a hurt soul that gave human expressions, and a cruel killer that had no heart.
She was about to retreat, so sure that he was not going to respond, when his hand gripped hers.
"How is your face?" he asked quietly.
Nora gave a quiet intake of breath, her hand automatically shifting towards her cheek. "It's better, Szayel-sama did me the honor of treating it for me," she replied, just as quietly. Then she tried to smile reassuringly. "It isn't as bad as you are making it to be, Ichigo-sama. Szayel-sama has assured me that it will heal in a day."
She dared to place her hand over his, squeezing it tightly in assurance. "Please, do not worry so much over my well being. I wish not to be a hindrance to you," she said.
Ichigo turned his head, giving her a side glance filled with mirth. "You are not a hindrance," he told her. "You are my fraccion. That alone means that you are weaker, and therefore should be protected by me. I apologize. You spoke wisely and I did nothing but punish you for your wisdom."
"I-it's alright, Ichigo-sama. Like you said, I am your fraccion. It is my job to serve and follow you, not to act against you. You handled my insubordination well."
He raised a swift hand towards her and Nora flinched, unable to contain her reaction. After being hurt so recently, her emotions were still troubled.
Ichigo patted her head, surprising her greatly. "Stop kissing my ass," he scolded her. "It's annoying." He stood up from his chair and walked softly to the cart, leaving a shocked Nora behind.
"D-demo, Ichigo-sama," she stammered. "I obligated-"
"To tell me your opinions, no matter the situation," he finished for her, lifting a spoonful of food into his mouth.
Nora continued to stare, than gave a soft smile. "Arigatou, Ichigo-sama," she whispered quietly.
The room shook as a flare of reiatsu passed through them, the foundation trembling in its wake. It took a moment before she was able to steady herself, panting faintly with the exertion.
"Th-that was Ulquiorra-sama's reiatsu just now," she said out loud. "Did he leave after the meeting? Ah! Ichi…go…sama."
The cart fell over, throwing the plates of food all over the place, as Ichigo sonido-ed out of the room. A wind of power nearly threw Nora back into the wall. She struggled to keep her balance and followed after her master.
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"So good for you to join us, Ichigo-san, Nora-chan," Aizen greeted them from his throat, his gentle voice resounding throughout the room. It served like amplifiers in that matter.
"Go-gomenasai, my master and I weren't aware there was a meeting," Nora apologized for them both, catching her breath.
"There wasn't. However, I do appreciate the two of you coming." Aizen stood and descended his throne.
It was then that Nora noticed the others; Espada scattered about to welcome back their brother. Possibly they had been told beforehand. However, she realized there were some missing; La Quinta, La Sexta and La Octava weren't in attendance.
Aizen reached the bottom, standing beside Ulquiorra who had a warning glance turned towards her master, as though he felt Ichigo was going to attack.
She shared that sentiment, feeling his reiatsu press on her and the others angrily, as he stalked towards their leader. She followed, nearly running to catch up with his faster stride.
"May I introduce you to our newest member," Aizen said, bringing her attention to the girl with the suppressed reiatsu. "Inoue Orihime. Our princesa."
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A/N: Never though this story would be so popular. Thanks to all!
