Disclaimer: Don't own, hear that silly folks? Someone (phantom105) advised me to separate it and re-proofread it. So, separated and proofread!
Part Two-
Orihime paced nervously, back in her cell. Ulquiorra's plan was in action, but so much could go wrong, and all of them would die. Szayel had wiped out all traces of their gathering, but it was still eerie the way everyone expected Aizen to know anyway. They could only hope Szayel had deleted the recordings in time. Right now, she knew there were staged fights going in between all of her friends and her Espada family. Kenpachi and Byakuya were fighting a released Yammy in the dome. Uryu and Renji were in Szayel's domain, being 'experimented' on. Chad and Nnoitora were duking it out alongside Grimmjow and Ichigo. Rukia was being pulverized by Tia, and Barragan and Starrk and Lilynette were resting. However, Ulquiorra was on his way to Aizen's throne right now. If he failed, they were doomed.
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"Lord Aizen, forgive my impudence, but I have an idea." Aizen smirked down at the bowing Ulquiorra, intrigued. Ulquiorra was his favorite Espada. He knew that Ulquiorra's loyalty was absolute, unlike some of his other Espada. "I noticed you interacting with some of the other Espada earlier," Aizen said, completely ignoring Ulquiorra's earlier statement. Ulquiorra didn't make a single move. The same blank face looked up at him as the Cuarta replied, "The pathetic trash refused to stop pestering me. Perhaps by refusing to acknowledge their inferior presence but with insults, they'll leave me be." Aizen smiled. "You truly are a delight, my dear Cuarta. Tell me about this idea of yours."
"The woman can reject anything correct?" Ulquiorra stated more than asked. Aizen nodded. "Perhaps it is simply a mistake on my part, but I am under the illusion that Kyoka Suigetsu has been weakening," Ulquiorra noted, looking at Aizen's zanpakuto. Aizen chuckled. "Nothing escapes your eye, Ulquiorra." Ulquiorra didn't answer. He could sense Aizen's displeasure. Ulquiorra went on. "I believe I could take your zanpakuto to the woman and have her restore it to full power." Aizen laughed fully. It had taken Ulquiorra long enough to suggest it. Aizen had been toying with that idea for a while now, and Ulquiorra just confirmed it, although he did wish his subordinate hadn't noticed. "Only you would I trust to leave with my beloved Kyoka Suigetsu. Be careful, my Cuarta Espada. Should anything happen to it, Murcielago might find a similar fate."
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"Woman." Orihime stiffened, not turning to look. Now was the moment of truth. If Ulquiorra said anything he wasn't supposed to, it meant the true Ulquiorra was dead and Aizen was onto them. She felt him stand directly behind her. "Aizen has a task for you, my heart," he whispered. Orihime collapsed against his chest, trembling as the adrenaline in her veins slowly ebbed. Hyperventilating crazily, tears leaking out of her closed eyes, she demanded, "Do you know how terrified I was? Knowing at any time, you could die, and this time, I wouldn't wake up?" "Woman, calm yourself. It went perfectly, and I'm not leaving you anymore," he promised.
Orihime found she didn't, couldn't, believe he was real. Not yet. Reaching up, she dragged Ulquiorra's dual colored lips to hers, leaning farther against his back. He stiffened, but instead of letting him go, she opened her mouth, coaxing him to do the same. His hands moved from her arms to her hips, holding her firmly against him, and he returned the kiss. Rocking slightly as they battled for dominance, Orihime turned, pressing her breasts against his chest, smiling when his breath quickened. His response was to slam her against the wall, one of his legs between hers. His tongue inside of her mouth was melting her brain, and she sagged against him, head spinning. He slowly moved his hands up her sides to take her wrists and pin them above her head.
Orihime moaned slightly as he kissed lower, nipping at her neck. "Ulquiorra," she breathed. Suddenly he pulled away sharply. She looked at him quizzically, red-faced and propped against the wall. "I forgot Szayel is watching on the security cameras," he said bluntly. She went white. "You're kidding." He shook his head slowly. Orihime shrugged, standing shakily. "Oh, well. We all know he's gay, right? So he probably doesn't care. Where's the damn Kyoka Suigetsu?" She gasped as she realized she had sworn, and stuttered, "I-I mean..." Ulquiorra shook his head and reached for a bundle on the couch. "It doesn't matter," he told her. "I agree. Now, close your eyes."
Orihime complied, blushing slightly as it reminded her of what had just occurred. "Hold out your hands and don't open your eyes. We can't take ANY chances." She took the sword, ignoring the goosebumps that rose on her arms as she felt its malevolence and whispered, "Ayame, Shun'o, Lily, Hinabaku, Baigon, Tsubaki. I reject all." Ulquiorra watched as the sword grew brighter and brighter underneath the golden shield. He watched hit its power limit, and keep going. The power of Orihime's shield increased, the power of the sword decreased, and Ulquiorra watched with slightly widened eyes as the sword simply ceased to exist. Orihime swayed slightly from fatigue and Ulquiorra scooped her up, whispering, "You can open your eyes now." She looked at him, silver eyes shining, and said, "I did it. I destroyed Kyoka Suigetsu. I erased it from existence."
Szayel smirked as he watched Orihime attack Ulquiorra with her lips over and over again, happy laughter burbling out from her smiling mouth. Carefully, he deleted the evidence of what happened after Ulquiorra entered the room, the zanpakuto vanishing, and the celebrating afterwards. The rest he left for viewing. Then, he opened the door to where Uryu and Renji were and said both to them and everyone else in on the plan, "Go." They nodded and raced off, their zanpakutos filled with new devices. Szayel turned back into his lab, looking at the three glowing tubes and said to the occupants, smiling sardonically, "I gave you life, now watch me take it."
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Yammy laughed in anticipation as he heard Szayel say, "Go," through synchronization that had been extended to the intruders. He got up and started lumbering through the halls, destroying the walls with his huge form. He heard a sound and looked down to see the Quincy following him. "You might need my help against Kaname Tousen," Uryu explained. "Yammy snorted. "I doubt it. But you can come watch."
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Starrk sighed as Szayel's voice woke him up. Sighing again, he took Lilynette's hand and said, "Come on. Remember what we gotta do?" Lilynette nodded, pink eye shining. "We've gotta wipe out any Arrancar that might side with Aizen, and then we gotta kill those execution people. Last, we go tell the scary braid-lady and her friends to get ready to heal lotsa injuries, and then we wait for the signal to attack Aizen." Starrk nodded and said, "And remember. We gotta do it fast-" "-and without mercy. I remember."
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Tia frowned as she sonidoed down the hall, her fraccion for once entirely serious. "Are we really going to kill Aizen?" she heard Sun-sun ask. Tia started to answer, but then Barragan appeared, along with his fraccion and Grimmjow. "Yes," Barragan said simply. "It's kill or be killed." "And also," Grimmjow added, sneering. "Someone needs to beat that megalomaniac's ego down. I mean, seriously, standing on the sky?" Tia sighed and handed a small object to Apache, still running. "Remember, take the Hougyokou straight to that scientist, Mayuri. We're just really lucky Aizen entrusted me to hold the true Hougyokou."
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Ichigo, Chad, Rukia, and Renji ran down the white corridors, following Nnoitora and Tesla. "Are you sure we're going the right way?" Renji panted. Tesla sniffed, "Of course we are. We'll get to where we need to be in time, if not exactly when we are supposed to." "That's great," Rukia grunted. "But are we going the right way?" "Shut the hell up, all of you!" Nnoitora yelled. "Yes, master!" Tesla replied immediately. Everyone else simply glanced at one another in despair.
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Orihime was quiet as she, Byakuya, Kenpachi, and Ulquiorra walked down the hall. Everyone but Ulquiorra, Grimmjow, and Rukia had wanted her to stay with Unohana, Yachiru, and the rest. She'd been allowed to come on the grounds the last time she'd been told to stay out of a battle, it had resulted in her kidnapping. She'd also promised to take no unnecessary risks. "Ulquiorra?" she asked, making sure the captains couldn't hear. "Will you use Segunda Etapa?" "If I must," he answered. "But I would truly prefer not to, as it would hinder everybody else's abilities. They would be unable to battle well under it's spiritual pressure." Orihime nodded vigorously. "I remember." Ulquiorra looked at her curiously. "Are you scared?" She chuckled slightly. "Not for me."
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Aizen frowned. Tousen should have been here by now, as well as his Espada. He had called for a meeting ten minutes ago. He reached out for Tousen's spiritual pressure right as it flared and vanished. His brown eyes widened. He knew that select members of the Espada would rebel, but already? Aizen's thoughts raced. Who would have rebelled? Who was strong enough to defeat Tousen? Slowly, his thoughts slowed as it became clear. Of course Barragan would rebel, and he would defeat Tousen. Nnoitora, he loved to fight. Grimmjow, he had authority issues. Szayel, he loved a challenge. Tia was too aloof, Starrk too lazy, Ulquiorra too devoted, the good little Hinamori. Aizen smirked. Yes, Ulquiorra was definitely his favorite, so useful, and so blind. Yammy, though... Yammy would follow Ulquiorra.
Aizen leaned back in his chair, ready to watch the carnage that would ensue of Ulquiorra, Tia, Starrk, and Yammy against Nnoitora, Grimmjow, Barragan, and Szayel. "Grimmjow will finally get the round with Ulquiorra he's itching for, eh, Gin?" ... "Gin?"
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Grimmjow sauntered into the throne room, Nnoitora slinking in behind him. Grinning ferally, Grimmjow threw himself into his chair, listening to Nnoitora snicker in his creepy voice, "Well, well, looks like we're the first ones here, yes, LORD Aizen?" Aizen smiled. "Yes, Quinta. Although, I must admit I expected Octava and Segunda to be with you." Nnoitora looked around, an over-dramatic frown on his thin face. "Huh? They're late, it seems." Grimmjow glared at Aizen, massive grin widening. "Guess we'll have to get started without them."
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Grimmjow hit the wall next to the column Barragan was behind, a contraption from Szayel hiding his presence. Grimmjow nodded to Barragan, then raced at Aizen again, snarling in his released state. Barragan walked out, saying, "There's my sig-" His words were cut off and his Fraccion stared in horror. Aizen had shot Hado 88 (Flying Dragon-Striking Heaven-Shaking Thunder Cannon) at Grimmjow, who dodged the Kido attack from the past Captain of the Kido Corps. Barragan hadn't. Aizen noticed the old man and finished him off quickly, wondering where Ulquiorra was. Kido was tiring.
Orihime gasped and looked at Ulquiorra. "How did he kill Barragan so easily?" "I'm not sure," he replied, still hiding his presence from Aizen, who was finishing off Barragan's enraged fraccion. "Where's Szayel and the Kido-weakening substance?"
Nnoitora dodged yet again, frustrated beyond belief. Aizen was wearing him down bit-by-bit, and he had yet to mark Aizen! Barragan was dead, his fraccion were dead, and Tesla was unconscious and out of harm's way. He hated to admit it, but it was time for help. Reciting the signal Tia had written, he started, "From the Court of Purest Souls-" "Comes the darkest blight-" Tia continued, slashing down out of nowhere. "To destroy the order always kept in the Hollow World," Starrk finished, firing at Aizen. "Tercera! Primera! I expected more from you," Aizen chided.
Just then, Yammy's fist came crashing down. "You don't understand, Aizen," Yammy laughed. "For hollows, self-preservation overcomes all." Aizen glared viciously at the bloody Grimmjow, exhausted Nnoitora, angry Tia, disgusted Starrk, and amused Yammy. All were released. He opened his mouth, but was forced to dodge as Senbonzakura flew forward and Kenpachi's sword flew out of nowhere.
"We realized," Tia took over the dialogue. "You're on the losing side, Aizen. We're safer with these Shinigami than we are with you." Ichigo came down from above, calling out in his harsh, hollowfied voice, "So, united, we'll CRUSH YOU!" As Aizen avoided the furious attacks raining from all directions, he noticed Ulquiorra standing motionless by the door. "Cuarta! Where is my zanpakuto?" he asked calmly. Everyone halted, waiting to see Aizen's reaction to Ulquiorra's betrayal. "I do not have it," Ulquiorra stated blandly. Aizen smiled. "Where is it?" "The woman rejected it," he explained as Orihime walked out to stand by him.
Everyone was out on the battlefield now. Everyone watched as Aizen laughed. Small, entirely too-amused chuckles as he he said, "Oh, Ulquiorra. I did not expect your betrayal, but I did expect Orihime to reject my Zanpakuto. So I gave you a fake, but all the power went to the real Kyoka Suigetsu of course. I must thank you, Hime. I could not have beaten everyone had you not restored my zanpakuto." Aizen was suddenly directly in Orihime's horrified face, his hair brushing her cheek. Before Orihime could do anything, Aizen suddenly reeled back, surprise written across his bloody face. He laughed.
"Temper, temper, Cifer. There was a time you wouldn't have minded, and if you did, you would have used a bala, or a cero. A fist would have been beneath you." I did what you would least expect, knowing it was what you would not dodge," Ulquiorra refuted calmly. Aizen smiled. "Well, then. You're first." "Don't open your eyes, Orihime," Ulquiorra whispered. "No matter what." Orihime closed her eyes right as Aizen said, "Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu."
The effects were instantaneous. Each death was painfully obvious as she smelled the blood, felt the warm droplets splash and fleck her skin, heard each person's dying screams and curses, tasted the fear in the room. To her horror, she was paralyzed by shock. She couldn't move. Not when she heard Ichigo scream "Rukia!", just to have it cut off with a gurgle. Not when she heard Yachiru's distant scream of, "KENNY!" Not when Byakuya whispered, "Damn you..." or when Nel's childish scream was cut off abruptly and Nnoitora's roar of rage was gone seconds later. Then, the worst. Ulquiorra suddenly stumbled in front of her; she could feel him even with her eyes. He was still in first release, she could tell, but now he hadn't the strength to go in Segunda Etapa.
His warm hands gripped her waist and he kissed her, soft and nice. Her eyes flew open at last to see his emerald orbs. "Don't look," he warned. He was beaten and bloody and Orihime tried to call on her fairies, but Ulquiorra kissed her again, harder this time. Trying to distract her from what was about to happen. She held his viridian gaze as he whispered, "Thank you, my heart. Don't look away from my eyes." "Wha...?" she started, but then the harsh sound of metal entering Hierro broke her off. Orihime's dove-grey eyes didn't leave his jade eyes as the shine that had just barely appeared in them slowly faded. Orihime's eyes widened before squeezing shut, and she shrieked at the top of her lungs, "I REJECT! I REFUSE! I RENOUNCE!"
Nothing happened. Orihime frowned. Nothing happened. Slowly, she opened her eyes. And met Aizen's frozen stare. She screamed. Lily appeared and kicked Aizen's stone face. "Wow. You did it. You refused to let time flow." "That's not all," Tsubaki growled, appearing next to Lily. "You rejected the death and injuries of everyone in this room. Good job, woman. Now that time is conveniently waiting for us, what do you want to do?" "Wait," Shun'o said, materializing. "You forgot to tell her what she renounced." Orihime's bewildered ash eyes moved to the blonde fairy. "You renounced all the illusions Aizen has made," the fairy said proudly. "So, now what?"
Orihime's face hardened. "Tsubaki, destroy Kyoka Suigetsu. But don't look at it." Tsubaki flew forward and pierced the blade. None of them looked, but nothing shattered. "Did it work?" Orihime asked. Tsubaki nodded. "Just wait." Orihime kneeled down and brushed the blood off of the corner of Ulquiorra's still mouth, and then stood, slowly releasing her hold on the temporal flow. Simultaneously, three things happened. One, there was the tinkling noise of thousands of pieces of metal hitting the floor. Two, everyone in the room stood and advanced on Aizen. Last, Aizen lost it.
He pointed at Orihime and shouted hysterically, "Reverse, Hado 91! Thousand Hand Dark Heaven Culling Spear!" Twin shafts of darkness flew forward and pinned Orihime to a wall, one in her throat and the other in her abdomen. Shock rounded her silver eyes as the two foreign objects entered her body with a flash of dark violet. Her eyes fluttered shut and her heart slowed. What happened next was truly horrifying.
Suddenly, everyone was flat on their bellies as immense spiritual pressure pounded them mercilessly into the ground. Even Unohana, who was miles away, felt suddenly weak. Kenpachi was on his knees, along with Aizen, both resisting the power pouring out of the demon in front of them.
"Segunda Etapa," Tia breathed. "What?" Uryu forced out. "Form... of bankai," she gasped, struggling to breathe. "Virtually... impossible to reach... heavily influenced by... emotion." Aizen was now being held in the air by a thin, powerful tail wrapped around his neck. While Ulquiorra's facial expression was utterly blank, violent intention poured thickly out of his every pore, smothering everything in sight. Ulquiorra gazed up at Aizen, his face unreadable while Aizen choked and scrabbled at the tail around his neck. Aizen's zanpakuto was crushed, his fingernails didn't seem to be affecting Ulquiorra, and any Kido he tried was swallowed by the loose black energy around Ulquiorra.
Then, Ulquiorra smiled. His eyes were cold, his nose wrinkled with dislike, and he smiled, big and broad. For the first time, people realized Ulquiorra had really big fangs. Really big, really sharp fangs. "You know, Aizen," Ulquiorra said in a conversational tone. "I should be congratulating you. After all, you've made me damn pissed. Me! An emotionless FUCKING being! That takes some shitty people skills, Aizen." Aizen was blue, and Ulquiorra loosened his tail slightly, still grinning. "Oops. Can't kill you yet. I want to make this torturous. Szayel won't be happy with me. When I'm done, we might be able to use your pieces as a paper weight. Only maybe. Anyway, there won't be much left to study. Let's start with your toes."
(A.N. WEAK STOMACHED PEOPLE AND AIZEN LOVERS: LOOK AWAY! THIS IS M FOR A REASON. IF YOU CAN'T HANDLE TORTURE, SKIP TO THE NEXT BIG, BOLD LETTERS. SORRY. I'M A TWISTED, SICK CHILD.)
Still smiling, Ulquiorra reached up, and, one by one, he twisted off Aizen's toes. Aizen screamed once. Reaching up further, he slowly crushed Aizen's shins to dust, mangling flesh and muscle. Carefully, he bit Aizen's toeless foot and explained, "Like a bat, my canines carry a blood clotting substance. Can't let you bleed to death, now." With that, he dug in his claws and yanked out Aizen's kneecaps, tossing them carelessly to the side. Aizen screamed again, and Ulquiorra asked in amusement, "Did that hurt? That's sad. I'm hardly even started." His smirk grew.
Slowly, he skinned Aizen's thighs, peeling the skin off like you would an animal, the blood pumping out sluggishly. Aizen whimpered. Ulquiorra smoothly castrated Aizen with a lance he summoned, and then casually forced it into Aizen's mouth, making him chew and swallow. Ulquiorra, smiling, whispered, "That's for every time you forced me to feed her." Aizen's usually piercing eyes were hazy and unfocused, but dry and full of hatred as he spat, "She deserved it, the bitch." Ulquiorra smiled wider and arched an eyebrow. Using his black talons, he sliced open Aizen's stomach.
By now, almost all the spectators, Espada, shinigami, Quincy, and human alike, we're sick. Kenpachi manfully wasn't. Until Ulquiorra pulled out Aizen's intestines to decorate Aizen's wrists and ankles. Kenpachi turned a nasty shade of green when Ulquiorra grabbed Aizen's stomach and fashioned a hat to cover his brown curls. "So pretty," Ulquiorra snickered. Byakuya swallowed hard. Rukia threw up. Everyone else was watching with horrified fascination.
Using the tip of a lance, he carefully carved elaborate designs into Aizen's torso, ignoring the inhuman sounds, except to chuckle. Creating a cero and holding it like a blowtorch, he burned off Aizen's arms and hair, replacing the stomach-hat immediately afterwards. Finally, Ulquiorra whispered, "Sayonara, Aizen," and shoved his hand through Aizen's heart. As Aizen let out his last breath, Ulquiorra's tail slowly uncoiled. The whole gruesome affair had taken less than ten minutes.
(WE'RE DONE. IF YOU READ, CONGRATULATIONS. PLEASE DON'T JUDGE ME. I WAS IN A VIOLENT MOOD WHEN I WROTE THAT.)
Everyone watched Aizen's mangled, desecrated body fell to the ground. Just then, there was a familiar chuckling. They looked up to see the entire Gotei Thirteen standing there, along with Gin, who was in chains. He was standing by Rangiku, so he didn't look too upset. Yamamoto looked on at the scene with disgust and wide eyes as Gin laughed. "Wow, Aizen, think ya made poor Ulqui mad enough?" he teased the corpse. Ulquiorra finally lost the manic grin and stared bleakly at Gin. Gin's face softened, and he asked, "Wha'd he do ta ya, anyway?"
Ulquiorra's tears fit too well on his face as he shifted back to his normal form and finally realized Las Noches was in pieces around him, torn apart by his spiritual pressure. He walked over slowly to one of the few walls still standing in a four mile radius and tapped the two spears still pinning Orihime to the wall, catching her body. The newcomers' gasped as they saw what he was holding. Orihime's brilliant orange hair splayed across his white uniform as he gazed gently down at her, holding her as softly as if she was glass. Gin's smile vanished and he whispered, "Aizen, ya rotten bastard. Ya got what was comin'. I hope you had time ta regret killin' tha' poor girl."
Everyone was devastated at what had happened, but it was Orihime's closest friends and her Espada family who's reaction was the most heartbreaking. Chad stood slowly, tears pouring down his brown face. Uryu was staring with a horrible blankness at the two bleeding holes in Orihime's light body. Rangiku was bawling into a crying Gin's shoulders, the tears slowly trailing out of his slitted eyes and dripping off his pointed chin into her golden hair. Renji was whispering, "We failed. We came so far, and we failed." Rukia was sobbing as she tugged futilely at an unresponsive Ichigo's arm, trying to get him to rise. He just laid there, tears pouring out of his closed eyes. Byakuya was shaking his head over and over and Kenpachi wouldn't move from his kneeling position.
Nnoitora was sitting in a corner, his head in his shaking hands. Grimmjow was yelling hoarsely and attacking clumps of debris savagely. Tia and Starrk were staring at the ground with moist eyes, holding a screaming Lilynette. Yammy was laying on the ground, staring at Ulquiorra's emotionless face. His eyes were dead as he looked down at the soft girl in his arms. Suddenly, a soft hand cupped his cheek. She couldn't speak; her vocal cords had been torn. Otherwise, she would have healed herself. "Orihime," he whispered, then looked up and called desperately, "Help! She's still alive!" Soi Fon gasped, and being the fastest, shunpoed off to get Unohana.
Orihime brushed Ulquiorra's teartracks with her thumb, smiling weakly. He gazed down at her helplessly. 'No time,' she mouthed to him. Ulquiorra kissed her forehead and soothed, "Don't worry. We'll save you. Like you saved us, we'll save you." Yamamoto appeared at Ulquiorra's shoulder and said sadly, "I apologize for interrupting your moment, but I have been told all the proceedings, and when you are reborn, Orihime, we cannot give you your memories, but the second you are born, you will see shinigami, and all you have to do is call and we'll talk and help you." Ulquiorra was looking at Yamamoto violently as he hissed, "What are you talking about? She WILL make it!" Yamamoto stared at him with more compassion than any would have thought possible.
"No, she won't. But your services to us are incredible and more than we could have asked. Arrancar can survive off of hollows alone, correct?" Ulquiorra nodded, eyes dead once more. Yamamoto bowed his head. "Very well. You have the cordial thanks of Soul Society, and you and your comrades shall be considered valuable allies of Soul Society. You will be allowed to live in your current form, free of Soul Society reign, you shall not be considered enemies, and you will have full admission to travel to Soul Society and the Human world at all times under the condition you only eat hollows." Ulquiorra's emerald eyes pierced and sent shivers down the Captain-Commander's spine as he said, "You are doing this for your own benefit. I do not mind. I accept, but I cannot decide for the other Espada." Each of them nodded.
Orihime let out a strangled gasp, and Ulquiorra's full attention zoomed to her. Somehow, she completed the impossible as she choked out, "Ulquiorra... I... love you... Ulquiorra." She lived just long enough to hear him whisper, "And I love you, Orihime, my heart, my life."
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After Orihime died, Ulquiorra went into a state of shock. He just stood there, looking tenderly at her face. When anyone came near them, he attacked blindly and savagely. Soi Fon, who felt strangely close to him, worried over this while Soul Society finished anything the Espada and Orihime's friends hadn't. Finally, Grimmjow came up to her and said, "Don't worry. We'll take care of him." Soi Fon nodded, biting her lip, and then impulsively hugged the blue-haired Espada, feeling protected. Grimmjow was surprised, but hugged her back, murmuring soft words of comfort. It was odd, but it seemed Orihime had given these Arrancar the ability to care, and they had created a family.
When Yamamoto moved to dispose of Aizen's body and clean the throne room, the Espada stopped him. "Leave it," Starrk said, rubbing red eyes. "Leave it exactly as it is, including the body." Grimmjow looked away, strangely sober as he finished, "Let this be a reminder to never, ever, ever, get Ulquiorra angry again." "It'll be a bitter reminder," Yamamoto warned. Grimmjow laughed humorlessly. "Old man, if you can tell me a single goddamn good thing that came out of Princesa's death, please, tell me. This reminder should be bitter. No one should ever forget this." Yamamoto bowed his head, and then siad, "Her death made you a family with an unbreakable bond." Nnoitora said in a low voice, holding Adult-Nel's hand, "That will never be a fair trade."
Ichigo looked at Rukia. "I-isn't it st-strange how af-affected the Espada a-are?" he asked in a stuffy voice. Rukia shook her head. "No. Ai-Aizen gave them l-life, and s-sh-she gave them a-a reason to l-live. She w-was they're l-light, a-and now sh-she's gone!" she wailed. Just then, a bloody Szayel appeared. "Where the FUCK have you been!" Nnoitora shouted. "Killing Aizen's clones, thank you very much," he sniffed haughtily, and then looked around.
"What happened?" he asked, golden eyes furrowing behind their glasses. "Pet died," Nnoitora said shortly. Szayel sat down, hard. "Died?" he asked incredulously. "Like, gone? Forever?" Nnoitora gestured to Ulquiorra. Szayel shook his head. "Princesa, gone?" he repeated dazedly.
Tia walked up to Ulquiorra, who snarled with the fury of an untamed beast. She kept coming and he shot a cero at her. She took it. He shot again. Once more, she let it hit. By now, she was right next to him. Slowly, she embraced him, Orihime's body pressed between their bodies. And Ulquiorra cried. Not gentle sobs, but body-racking, soul-tearing, heart-breaking heaves of pure anguish and pain. It was pure despair, the despair of having nothing, and not knowing it, only to be given everything, but by the time he reached for it, having it torn from his desperately clutching fingers. Finally, people understood what he was choking out.
"Why? Why her, Tia? Why not me? Why not any of us? Why didn't I die, too? Why did she leave me? Why can't I come?" He froze, then said with painful clarity that everyone heard; "I want to die." Tia just hugged him tighter and said, "Us too, Ulquiorra. Every single one of us, too."
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Tatsuki would never forget the look on Ichigo's face when he stumbled into Urahara's shop, Orihime's broken body in his arms. He had said it was muggers. Tatsuki didn't believe him. Now, it was Orihime's funeral, and dozens of people Tatsuki didn't know showed up. A bunch of weird people showed up with Shinji. Rangiku came with a tall, silver-haired man and a short, white-haired kid. A dark-skinned woman with golden eyes stood next to Kisuke, along with a tiny hornet-like girl. Next to Rukia and Renji stood a regal looking man with silver hair clips. There was a delicate, sickly looking girl with her black hair in a cap next to a scary man with a 69 tattoo.
The list went on. What caught Tatsuki's eye was a group of nine standing off to the side. The one who caught her attention first was a man with electric blue hair that alternately glared at the sky and gazed sorrowfully at the coffin. Next was a man who had to be at least seven feet tall with long black hair that was frowning hugely. There was a man with shaggy brown hair laying on the ground, tears streaking his face. Next to him was a girl with a pink eye and light hair that was bawling as she clutched her knees to her chest. An old man looked like he was praying. Hitting his head on a tree was a massive man with orange and black hair that seemed strangely familiar. A man with bubble-gum pink hair kept reaching under his glasses to wipe his eyes, and gratefully accepted a square of white cloth from a blonde woman next to him, her teal eyes glittering with unshed tears.
Last, a teenager stood away from even his group. He simply stood, a frightening blankness all around him, especially in his amazing green eyes. Everything about him screamed he was the one who belonged in the coffin. All through the funeral, Tatsuki watched them, resolved to talk to them afterwards. However, as soon as the funeral ended, they vanished. Tatsuki quickly called out to Rangiku and asked, "Who were those nine?"
Rangiku didn't even need an explanation. She sighed, wiping at her blue eyes and said, "A gang called the Espada, led by a terrible, terrible man named Aizen. They befriended Orihime, and became the family she never had. It's a long story, so let's sit on the grass. It all started when..."
Eighteen years later~
Fifteen year-old Hikaru laughed as she skipped through puddles on her way to Tatsuki's Dojo. Rain was her favorite weather because it bound two untouchable things together. As she got there, Tatsuki called, "Hime! Why are you back so soon? Class ended five minutes ago!" Hikaru blushed. "Excuse me, Tatsuki. I forgot my backpack." Tatsuki laughed. "Of course, Hime." Hikaru paused. "Tatsuki? Why is it you and all the shinigami call me Hime? I like my name, Light, but why does Hime feel... familiar?" Tatsuki shrugged. "You just remind us of a girl we used to know. As for why it feels familiar, I'm sure you'll find out someday."
Hikaru sighed, and then beamed and waved as she walked out, blue hairpins flashing. The flower hairpins had been a gift from who she personally thought was her guardian angel, although he hadn't spoken to her, ever, although she'd been seeing him and her other angels all her life. The shinigami, especially Ichigo, Chad, Renji, and Rukia, and often Hikaru's older friend, Uryu, saved her from hollows most of the time, but sometimes, one of strange nine would. It wasn't only hollows these nine saved her from, though.
On days she forgot to do her homework, the next day it would all be done correctly, all in pink pen, done by a man with pink hair who tutored her in subjects she didn't understand. He helped her all the time, but never answered any personal questions, including what his name was. Whenever she was bullied at school, a girl with green hair and a white helmet that covered one pink eye would come and beat them up. Whenever men teased her about her full figure, or complimented crudely her sunset hair, a tall, lanky man with black hair would attack them while a woman with soft grey eyes and seafoam hair would comfort her. A blue-haired man who called hair 'Princesa' taught her to summon and use six fairies that came out of the blue flower pins her favorite of the nine had given her when she was eight and her parents died.
A colossal man with a ginger ponytail would come and try her exotic foods. When her parents died in a car crash, a sleepy man with long brown hair and a dark, blonde woman adopted her, bought her a mansion, supplied her with money, and came and visited her whenever she was in need of parents, whether for school or just for a parental guidance. An old man with one eye loved to visit her and tell her all sorts of story about magical realms, and lots of stories about shinigami and Arrancar, which Hikaru had figured out they were. She didn't care. They were still her angels. These eight came and spoke with her often, calling her Princesa, and painting beautiful stories about the girl who saved them from hell. They never gave her a name, but Hikaru liked to imagine this girl was her. They made a lot of the same choices and thought the same. Her angels always smiled when she told them this and told her she could be whoever she wanted. They never answered any questions about who they were though. One of them didn't speak at all, but was always there.
He was her favorite. She was in love with him, she knew. She'd been in love with him all of her life. Ever since she was small, and woke up screaming from a nightmare, to see his emerald eyes looking at her, black lips humming comfortable lullabies, she'd loved him. Unlike the other eight, no other human could see him, so he followed her to school, helped her when she was shopping, grabbing things she couldn't reach, writing answers on her tests, he was there for her every need, yet he still made her stand on her own. Without speaking, he taught her how to fight, while Tatsuki taught her technique. He made her stand up for herself, and showed her she was strong, refusing to let the others help when she purified her first hollow. As she got older, she got him to sit by her while she slept, and now, they actually slept in the same bed. Nothing made Hikaru happier than the mornings she woke up in his strong, pale arms, tear-streaked face inches from hers. He was her first kiss, and lately, they'd been going further. Hikaru blushed as she remembered last night...
"My angel?" He looked at her where she was laying on the bed. He had been standing in the doorway, watching her eat in bed. She placed her plates on her bedside table and patted the bed next to her. "Come on. It's time for bed." He walked slowly over, his jade eyes not leaving her silver ones. Then, he looked quizzically at her body. She wasn't in pajamas. Taking a deep breath, she asked, "Grab my jammies for me?" He grabbed the white gown he'd picked out for her and handed it to her. He didn't turn around when she pulled off her shirt. It didn't bother Hikaru. He'd given her baths as child. It wasn't like he hadn't seen her before, although she'd noticed his eyes trace her body differently than they had then. Hikaru wanted to test that tonight.
As she tried to slide out of her skinny jeans, they got stuck on her wide, curvy hips, causing her to sigh in frustration. Her green-eyed angel moved forward and yanked on her jeans, white hands sliding down her creamy thighs. She gasped at the reaction that induced, and looked up to see his verdant eyes wide as they met hers. Experimentally, he ran his hands up her legs again, causing her to gasp and shiver. She watched, almost fearful of what would happen next (her blonde angel-mother had given her 'the talk'). A small smile curved his black lips, and he leaned down and kissed her, hands still on her thighs.
She instinctively opened her mouth and relaxed, the kissing a familiar pattern. Slowly, he pressed her back into the bed, kissing her like he was trying to devour her soul, her matching him in passion. She loved this. It was the only time her angel dropped his emotionless mask. His breathing quickened when she moaned as one of his hands glided up her stomach, resting on her white bra. Almost curious, he squeezed lightly, causing her to arch and gasp. The hand still on her thigh slid onto the inside, fingering her wet panties, lightly groping her breast, and still kissing her. Then he pulled back and gave her a smirk that said, 'Interesting.'
Hikaru smiled weakly at him and pulled on her nightgown, trembling as he laid down beside her and held her lightly to his chest, minty breath blowing in her face, the smell familiar and comforting.
"Hey, Princesa! What's with the blush?" Hikaru looked up to see her eight guardians standing in a semi-circle. "N-no reason," she stuttered, flushing more. The tall man with the big smile rolled his eyes. "C'mon. Ya know she shares a bed with him now. Who knows what they get up to at night?" "Leave her alone," the one with long green hair giggled. "It can't be worse than you or I." The pink haired one laughed. "You never know. He's shown to be quite... creative when it comes to her. Remember what he did to...?" Everyone nodded, sobering up.
The bluehaired one said suddenly, "So, Princesa, you've been wondering why everyone calls you Hime, right? You complain about it all the time." Hikaru nodded, getting slightly hopeful. "Well, I'm Grimmjow." She frowned. That name brought images. Sprawled on a couch, grinning ferally as he addressed Ichigo... "Nnoitora," the black-haired one said. Lunging at a man with slicked back hair, with six arms and crescent moon horns, snarling... "Nel," the one with pink cheeks smiled. A small child turning into an adult, swallowing a giant yellow beam and spitting it out pink... "Yammy," the one who tried her food said. Giant fist coming crashing down on the same man with greased hair... "Tia," her blonde 'mother' said. Brown hands reaching out, laughter coming out from behind her collar as she tried to catch Hikaru and her angel... "Starrk and-" "-Lilynette!" The girl who defended Hikaru winked and posed. Lilynette jumping on Starrk mercilessly as he lay, groaning, on a white, familiar couch in a crowded room, her shinigami friend Chad watching... "Barragan," the kingly one said. Blue electricity hitting Barragan full on in the chest, somehow leaving him clinging to life... "Szayel," her tutor said, smiling and flicking his pink hair. Szayel standing next to a young Uryu, chuckling happily, flipping his hair...
"Remember yet?" Grimmjow asked, grinning. "These are memories?" she asked dumbstruck. "But I can only remember pieces..." "Bring him out," Nnoitora said. And her love walked out. Stretching out a pale hand, he said, speaking for the first time, "Come with me, woman." Hikaru, no, Orihime, gasped. "Ulquiorra?" she asked, eyes watering. "Yup, she remembers," Nel smiled. Orihime lunged forward, kissing Ulquiorra. "Why haven't you spoken ONCE in the past fifteen years? she demanded. "I would have remembered everything the second you did!" "Exactly," he said simply, holding her to him. "We had to wait until you were ready." Orihime kissed him, and then leaned her head against his chest. " I understand." Hallibel, smiling in her collar, opened a garganta. Holding hands with Ulquiorra on one side and Lilynette on the other, Orihime walked in, smiling as she saw Las Noches.
"Home, sweet, home."
