I had to update soon after seeing those reviews. It encouraged me. I was a bit unsure at first whether I should go on with this 'dark and bad' fic, so I challenged myself to post one chapter to check it out. Hey, I got 4 reviews and the Sweety 8587 liked it Dark, so I'm doing this for her. (laughs). But I'm also doing this for all those who reviewed.
Thanks JiraJeffyrra for reading my work again and appreciating it. Thanks, thanks…
And to I-love-shiro-chan, I love Toushirou too. Hehe.
And to Jaredhimself31. Thanks.
Here it is, the second chap of 'The Dark Side'…
Chapter 2
Unbecoming
Inoue Orihime, the new 'princess' of Hueco Mundo sat in her quarters silently. Actually, it was a brand new room – larger and more elegant. Perhaps it was what people would call as a 'suite.'
She looked at the familiar view of the moon. Her window was more spacious now. She could now get additional pieces of the scenery. She could now see the white sand and the lifeless plants made from crystal. Black and white.
Black and white. A beautiful color, she thought.
She never appreciated those colors before. She was all bright and cheery, like her naïve self.
"Inoue Orihime-sama," Ulquiorra said from the doorway.
Orihime turned, cold gray eyes clashing with expressionless green ones. Ulquiorra was accompanied by Aaroniero (in his Shiba Kaien form) and Zommari.
"What is it, Ulquiorra?" she said, in a strangely demanding voice.
She's truly become one of us, Aaroniero thought, smiling at this. What exactly did Aizen-sama do to turn this human into something near a hollow's thinking?
Wonderful, Zommari mused. The fruits of Aizen-sama's love.
"Aizen-sama wants to see you," Ulquiorra said.
"Why did he send three people to fetch me?" Orihime asked again, voice harder than before.
She's like ice-cold fire now, Aaroniero thought. Damn witty.
"He wanted you to be guarded everywhere you go, every hour of everyday."
Orihime frowned. "I would never do anything to betray Aizen-sama."
"It's not that, Orihime-sama. Loyalty is something you have proven for the ten years you were here," Ulquiorra assured her. "He wants you to be protected until you reach the full potential of your power."
"Full potential of my power?" Orihime asked again, sarcastic. "Shun Shun Rikka? The weak defense system I had?"
"That and something else," Aaroniero said.
"What is it?"
"Aizen-sama asks you to go to his chambers so that he could discuss those things with you," Zommari added.
Orihime nodded and went out of her room. No use asking. Aizen-sama answers everything.
Ulquiorra, Aaroniero and Zommari quickly followed.
White walls, white hallways… bright but gloomy. Echoing footsteps of the espada walking within Las Noches' perpetual chambers.
She swore it was the only thing embedded in her mind and eyes right then. Something in the spell her 'father' pierced through her heart.
Yes. It was drilled in her mind for the past few days that Aizen Sousuke was to be her father. She just wondered, why her?
Piercing shouts came out from a room a couple of paces away from hers. It was Loly's.
Orihime's stagnant gaze flicked to the entrance and caught a glimpse of Loly being whipped by Barragan.
The old geezer must have been sent to punish the bitchy arrancar.
"Why is she being punished?" Orihime asked, stopping in front of Loly's room and observing torrents of blood and flesh flowing from every fresh wound. The female arrancar seemed to notice her arrival and flashed Orihime a weak look, with those once-defiant eyes pleading and half-closed.
"She caused a fight and nearly killed Cirucci," Barragan answered, throwing another attack.
Loly screamed.
Orihime didn't know why, but she didn't flinch at the gory sight before her. It was like the stench of dirt and blood were a commonplace to her senses. She looked at Loly with disregard, something that the female arrancar was shocked in, remembering the time when she and Menoly nearly killed Lady Orihime and yet, the human healed them back.
She was filled with warmth and compassion back then. But not now…
"I am sorry that I have interrupted your work," Orihime said, turning her back to Loly and moving towards her three escorts, who stopped to wait for her. "Continue."
Orihime walked away as the shouts of 'Orihime-sama!' continued. She was deaf to those pleadings. Who knew how much she screamed for help back then, knowing no one would ever come?
She reached Aizen's chamber and the doors opened.
"My dear, welcome," Aizen said. "Ulquiorra, you may go out now. I need time alone with Orihime-chan."
"Hai, Aizen-sama," the three answered.
When the three espada left, Orihime proceeded closer to the base of the staircase connecting Aizen's abode to the lower ground.
Aizen-sama is like a god.
Aizen regarded her with those unsettling eyes. Those were the eyes that always left Orihime bothered and afraid. But not now. Inoue Orihime was the new lady of this realm. Ten years of living in a secluded world of murderous soul-eaters taught her to fend for herself, shutting down all of her emotions. She had to endure the forbidding sights around her.
Aizen Sousuke's eyes? They were just the same as the rest of those things around her for a decade. His eyes were actually a welcoming sight now.
Her mind was unlocked to the truth by the very captors assigned to lock her whole being in.
"Ulquiorra said you wanted to see me?" Orihime asked.
"I shall give you your power," Aizen said, coming down the stairs, approaching her.
"What power, Aizen-sama?" she added, staring him in the eye.
"You can call me father now," he said eerily. "That was my purpose for making you officially one of us. I need someone to train – someone I can completely trust."
"Why me? I was once –" she said, pausing a moment, "- one of them."
"That's exactly it," Aizen countered. "It's because you are the only one aside from Tousen and Gin who have other intentions in joining me."
"Aren't intentions the reasons for one's suspicions?" she asked.
Aizen smiled at this. "You truly are amazing. After a few days, you sound and think just like me."
Orihime felt pride in this statement coming from a man like Aizen-sama. "What do my intentions have that sets me apart?"
"The arrancars aim for greater power, Tousen wants peace, Gin wants savagery, but you? My child, you have something much more," Aizen said, touching her face with his cold fingers.
"What is it?"
Aizen moved closer to her, until his mouth was only inches away from her right ear. "The intention to get revenge."
Orihime stiffened at this one. It was true. Her intentions were purely vengeful.
"I know, above all of their intentions, yours is the strongest and the most useful," he said, moving away and taking something from a box near the Hougyoku. "I know you want to prove yourself. They deserted you and we saved you from loneliness. You deserve revenge; I can feel your desire seeping through your soul right now."
"So, I'm asking you now to sit on my throne," he added.
Orihime could only stare and obey.
Aizen followed her as she sat down, his eyes never leaving her face.
Not that he would find any signs of treachery. Orihime's eyes were blank and unreadable.
"I'm giving you the power of the dark fire," he whispered.
He touched a gem made of pure black and pressed it against Orihime's forehead.
She hissed in pain. It was scorching hot.
"Hold it," Aizen said. "Don't worry my daughter. It will only take five minutes and you'll gain extraordinary power."
Orihime held the gem. Suddenly, the whole throne burst into black and blue flames, engulfing her body.
Aizen moved away as he smiled. Orihime's yells, pants, screams and groans filled the whole chamber for five minutes.
Hot… painful… five minutes? Can I hold on that long? I can't…
NO! I must do this for Aizen-sama… and for my revenge.
After five minutes that seemed like an eternity, she emerged from the ashes, her clothes burned and a black flame scar grazing her left forearm.
Orihime – eyes filled with bloodlust, anger and malice. Beautiful face still the same, but murder and evil coming through.
Look what pain and madness did to her, Aizen thought. But I will heal her.
"Now, you truly become my daughter," Aizen said.
Ugh. That was shocking of me. Like it? Love it? Hate it? Tell me…
That was so not Orihime. Well, that's the point of my whole story, a whole change in setting and CHARACTERIZATION. (laughs) bye...