(Originally posted 8/11/2011.)
XxXxXxX
Ichigo stood looking down the hill from their apartment. Orihime usually walked down this street when she went shopping. The commercial district started only half a block from the front door of their building. He eyed the right side of the street. There were several chain stores: a 7-Eleven, a Big-O Tires, and a Kisuke's Kandies all in a row. He narrowed his eyes.
Then he walked down the block and turned into the Kisuke's Kandies.
He knew the founder of the chain, which had become wildly successful in a very short time, and had made the owner very rich. He had previously been a scientist who had worked with Orihime and Ichigo at their previous company, but had been forced to leave his field due to non-compete agreements with Las Noches.
He had started the candy store chain and had appeared to be completely surprised when business skyrocketed. Now he spent most of his time and money on experiments in his lab and playing with interesting new gadgets.
As Ichigo entered the store, a hologram of a blond man with a green-and-white-striped hat pulled low over his eyes crackled to life. "Hi, and welcome to Kisuke's Kandies! I'm Kisuke Urahara, and I want you to let me know personally if any of your purchases aren't totally tasty and downright delicious."
Ichigo stopped directly in front of the hologram and paused, looking into its eyes. Then he grinned at the simulation and said, "This is Worker speaking. Hello, Kisuke. Ichigo here with a priority one request."
The hologram immediately dropped its goofy grin and spoke in a different voice, indicating access to system level commands. Urahara had given Ichigo the passphrase some time ago and told him to call on him if he ever needed anything. "Systat: uptime. I have been awake for ninety-two hours, fifteen minutes, and fifty-one seconds. Maintenance mode activated. Please state your request."
"I need to speak with Kisuke directly. Can you patch me through?"
"Hold," the computer replied. "Searching…"
Ichigo waited, patiently. The tow-headed kid behind the counter was gawking at him. "Hey, mister, did you break Mr. Urahara?"
"No. I'm just a personal friend of the owner," replied Ichigo.
The hologram suddenly came to life. The kid behind the counter stared as it made a number of moves he had never seen in the programming before. The hologram smirked, adjusted its hat, and scratched the back of its neck with one hand. "Ichigo! Long time no see. What's up?"
"Something's happened to Orihime. She's disappeared," Ichigo said bluntly, "and I need your help."
The image's eyes widened. "How do you think I can help you?"
Ichigo paused. Then he tossed the open-mouthed kid a twenty and said, "Hey kid, I think you better go check the back storeroom."
The kid gulped, looked at the hologram once more, and fled to the back room.
Turning back to Urahara, Ichigo said, "The police apparently have surveillance cameras up and down this block. I think Orihime walked out here this morning and something happened to her. Actually," he continued, "I suspect foul play. Hopefully it was caught on video. Can you hack into their system and get me the surveillance video?"
"That's a pretty tall order, Ichigo," the man said. He considered for a moment. "But sure, yeah, I can do it. Why don't you go home and I'll send the data to your computer within an hour."
"Great," said Ichigo, relief flooding through him. "Thanks, Kisuke. I owe you one."
"Don't mention it. Anything for a friend. But… what do you think happened to her? Do you think our mutual acquaintances from you-know-where might have had something to do with it?"
Ichigo grimaced. "That's what I'm afraid of. Not everyone got put in jail. They still might want her, for revenge, or," he scowled and his face became deeply worried, "for something else."
He walked out of the store, his mind working rapidly, and turned toward his apartment.
Kisuke was true to his word. By the time Ichigo got home, an encrypted message was waiting for him. "Here's your video. You were right. Orihime's on it at the timestamp 10:31:22. See the man bumping into her? I identified him as Coyote Starrk, an employee of Las Noches Corporation. And it's worse than you think." There was a link to a news article announcing the release of 30,000 prisoners in California, followed by a scan of a listing of names. One was circled in red.
Sousuke Aizen.
Ichigo sucked in his breath and his eyes narrowed. If that bastard had gotten out of prison, there was no telling what he might be up to. The first thing he probably wanted was the immortality formula that Orihime had developed. He might think that she could regenerate the formula. And kidnapping her was just something Aizen would do.
Ichigo clenched his fists as he watched the dark-haired man bump into Orihime. A moment later, he was helping her into his car. It all happened so fast, it could easily have been seen as something she did of her own free will. Only knowing that Starrk worked for Aizen made it clear to him that something was terribly wrong.
He frowned. There was no way he could go to the police with this flimsy evidence. He would have to go after her himself.
He sat down at the computer and began a series of searches, starting by tracking the license plate on the car Starrk was driving. Simultaneously he began doing a search on Aizen's known movements and his properties. It would likely take a while. Aizen was certain to have covered himself well. But Ichigo's eyes narrowed in determination. He would find Orihime. He had to.
He flexed his fingers and prepared for a long night.
XxXxXxX
"Ulquiorra," Orihime said, her hands on her hips, "you have to bring me proper clothing if you expect me to work in a chemistry lab." She gestured at the skimpy white outfit with a frown. "This is simply unsafe. Exposing this much skin while handling chemicals is an unacceptable practice." She glared at his expressionless stare. "If Aizen wants me to do anything for him, he'll have to provide appropriate clothing." She turned her back on Ulquiorra and headed for the bathroom, slamming it in his face.
Then she sat down on the toilet to wait, her face grim. Waves of nausea were threatening to overwhelm her after her moment of bravado, but she pushed them down. She would win this small victory. There was no sound from outside the door. She sighed, and decided to run herself a bath while waiting.
Half an hour later, there was a tap on the bathroom door.
"Your new uniform is ready," came Ulquiorra's expressionless voice. "It conforms to your specifications."
She opened the door, her face neutral, and snatched the new clothes from Ulquiorra's hands, then retreated to the bathroom to put them on.
Looking at herself in the mirror, she sighed. The outfit was all white again, but at least it looked like a regular uniform and not like some kind of harem outfit. It was a regular white shirt and slacks, and a pair of close-toed white shoes. The Las Noches logo was emblazoned on the front pocket of the shirt, but she couldn't do anything about that.
She threw the door open and nodded at Ulquiorra. "All right," she said. "I'm ready to go to the lab."
But before he could open the door, it was flung open in his face. A burly man entered and stationed himself to one side of the doorway. Orihime's eyes went to the entrance. Framed in the doorway, his face calm, his large dark eyes fixed on her, stood Aizen.
XxXxXxX
Ichigo jerked awake. His neck was aching and his face was pressed into something hard. Groaning, he opened his eyes and sat up. He had fallen asleep over his keyboard after working far into the night. The morning sun was streaming in through the curtains, and there was a blinking message on his screen. He tried to get his bleary eyes to bring it into focus. When he could finally read it, he grinned in savage triumph.
"Got him!" he murmured, as he began to scan the file.
The search on Starrk's license plates had been successful. The car had been spotted making several trips to an isolated estate in northern California. When he brought up the public record on ownership of the estate, he saw it was owned by some company whose name he didn't recognize. A few more searches yielded no further information on the company, which to Ichigo's mind was a giant red flag.
He pulled up Google maps on the area and zoomed in. The satellite images showed a main house and several outbuildings. His eyes narrowed. That had to be it.
XxXxXxX
The brown-haired man smiled gently at Orihime as he walked slowly towards her. She had a moment of satisfaction as she noted that he did not dismiss either Ulquiorra or the burly man at the door.
His eyes traveled from her face to her clothing, and he nodded with satisfaction. "Good. That uniform suits you. I'm pleased to see you have decided to cooperate at least minimally." He smiled at her indrawn breath and scowl. "I also have an announcement. I'd like to inform you that you have a rescuer on the way." He paused to watch the expression on her face change.
"What do you mean?" Her eyes narrowed with suspicion.
He smirked. "I mean that Ichigo Kurosaki is on his way here, just as I planned."
Her heart lifted but she kept the scowl on her face. "From what you told me yesterday, I don't think that was a part of your plan," she scoffed. "I think you're just saying that the way you always claim that everything is part of your plan. It's a psychological game you play to make everyone think you've outsmarted them." She glared at him. "But I just think you're lying. As usual."
Aizen chuckled. "Is that what you think, my dear?" His eyes were amused. "In that case, you might be surprised as to what happens when Ichigo arrives on my property. I'll make sure to save the surveillance videos so you can properly appreciate how he falls under my control." Still smiling, he spun on his heel and turned to go.
As he passed through the doorway, Orihime called after him, "You're going back to jail, Sousuke! Ichigo and I are going to send you there—again."
There was no answer except for a mocking chuckle. Then Aizen was gone and his lackey had shut the door behind him.
Ulquiorra turned to her, his gaze passing neutrally over her distressed expression. "I would advise you not to spare any more emotion on Ichigo Kurosaki," he said to her. "It will only bring you grief. Your life— and his— are now in Aizen-sama's hands." He gestured at the uniform she wore. "Your wearing our uniform means that you are once again one of us. It would be best for you and for Kurosaki to accept that."
Orihime's eyes narrowed. "I'll never accept it. I'm going to get out of here, along with Ichigo, and we're going to see all of you in jail." She stared at him, a muscle in her jaw working. "Ulquiorra, I'm surprised at you. You were so careful to stay on the right side of the law before; what made you decide to go along with Sousuke's illegal actions this time?"
Ulquiorra's face remained neutral. "I have always been loyal to Aizen-sama." He paused, looking at her, and hesitated, as though he wasn't certain if he wanted to speak. Then he said, slowly, almost reluctantly, "I suppose I do owe you an explanation." He sighed. "Previously, I had believed that emotions did not exist, or at least, that I did not have any. It was you that made me understand that was not true, when we interacted in Las Noches before."
She stared at him. "I thought then… you were a decent person, underneath. Have you changed?"
"Yes, but not in the way you think." His face was still expressionless, but there was a glint of something in his eyes. "You changed me. You made me realize that I felt… emotions… for certain individuals. Yourself, for example."
She shook her head. "If you feel that way, then why are you going along with this?"
He turned and walked toward the door. "Because I realized, when Aizen-sama was put in jail, that it left a hole in my heart."
Orihime stared at his retreating figure, completely taken aback. "You have to know he has no such feelings towards you, and would betray you in an instant."
Ulquiorra spoke without looking back. "Of course. Personally, I think he's gone insane." He glanced over his shoulder. "I think loneliness has unhinged his mind. That, however, does not change my feelings one bit." He motioned her toward the corridor. "Come. Your orders are to report to the lab."
XxXxXxX
It was much later that evening, and Orihime was back in her quarters again, when her door clicked open again. She scrambled to her feet to face her visitor. She was not surprised to see Aizen again. His face was calm but there was an underlying triumph in his expression. Her heart sank. Whatever was making him so happy could not be good news.
"Greetings, Orihime." He smiled at her, and she could sense the anticipation in his smile.
She put her hands on her hips. "Have you come to let me go?" she demanded.
His smile widened. "Why should I let you go, Orihime, when I have in my possession the lever to make you do whatever I want?" He gestured behind him, and two men came forward holding a third. The man was slumped over, only a head of bright orange hair visible as he shambled into the room between the other men holding him up. Orihime gasped. It was Ichigo. As he raised his head to look at Orihime, she saw in dismay that his face was slack, his eyes unfocused, with almost fully dilated pupils.
She spun to face Aizen, fury burning in her eyes. "What have you done to him?" she spat.
Aizen smirked. "Only a slight… attitude adjustment with one of Las Noches' experimental drugs." He gazed at Ichigo with what could have passed for fondness in anyone else, and raised his voice slightly. "Ichigo, I've brought you to your wife, so that you two can have a happy reunion."
Ichigo raised his drug-dazed eyes to attempt to focus on Orihime. To her consternation, he lurched forward as the men released his arms, and half-fell onto her. She caught him in her arms and choked out a sob. "Ichigo! Do you know what they've done to you?"
"Hime—" he ground out in a thick voice. "Ah—" and then his mouth closed on hers, and he was giving her a passionate, albeit sloppy, kiss.
In shock, she began to return the kiss, until he started to deepen it and ground his hips into hers, moaning. Disturbed, she pushed him away, even as his arms tightened around her. She broke away from him to glare in outrage at Aizen, who had been watching the entire scene with avid eyes.
"How dare you?" she cried, even as Ichigo clumsily tried to kiss her again.
Aizen was smirking again. "Now, Orihime, you should be pleased to have such an… amorous… husband." His eyes were glittering with amusement. "Perhaps I should leave you two alone." He motioned to his servants and began to retreat toward the door.
Orihime stared at him in shock and horror.