Thanks to all those who have added this to alerts/faves etc. I've changed my mind about certain aspects of this story (those coming up, not pre-existing ones), so updates DEFINITELY won't be very quick.
Feedback would be VERY welcome! I'm not sure how I'm doing writing Grimmjow (or any of it tbh). How do you feel about the characters so far? I know there's not a lot to go on, but any advice you have will be warmly received... apologies for gr/sp as per.
A/N: It's possible some may get confused at the when this story is set. It doesn't really fall into a specific chapter, but it's after Grimmjow and Ichigo's first encounter, and before Inoue's capture.
Disclaimer as per. I own nothing but the ideas in my head. All characters etc are property of Tite Kubo.
"Nobody ever did, or ever will, escape the consequences of his choices." - Alfred Montapert.
"Tsk tsk, Grimmjow-san! Have patience!" Szayel scolded as he sidled up to Grimmjow.
"Che. Whatever. Do something with the Shinigami. He passed out in his own vomit." Grimmjow pulled a disgusted face.
"Dear me. Lay him on that table whilst I fetch some things, if you please."
Dropping the prone body on top of a long silver topped examination table, Grimmjow crossed his arms with annoyance.
Szayel returned with some weird looking tabs and wires, which were electrodes, but had long thin black needle like protrusions poking out of the upper side. Pulling back the black hakama, Szayel fixed them over Ichigo's chest, and went over to a large computer screen. The black needles glowed at their ends and the light connected faintly between each point. He clicked away silently for a few moments, muttering to himself.
"Hmm. Peculiar. Has he sustained any serious injuries recently?" Szayel quizzed the sexta.
Rolling his eyes, Grimmjow detailed the brief encounter with the two humans before Kurosaki was taken through the garganta.
"It's possible that the blow to the back of the head is the culprit. Being separated from his body, any sort of aggravation to it could be causing his incapacitation. I shall report this to Aizen-sama."
Clicking his fingers, Szayel summoned one of his fraccion, relaying a message to Aizen. After the fraccion left, Szayel turned his cruel gaze onto Grimmjow.
"I find it odd that you have yet to be punished by Aizen-sama for damaging the boy. Perhaps he doesn't know what you did, ne?"
Grimmjow scoffed. As if he cared what Aizen would do. Besides, there's no way that the arse-licking Ulquiorra hadn't gone crying to the bastard as soon as they got back. Although, if he was perfectly honest with himself, Grimmjow didn't understand why he wasn't being pushed under Aizen's reiatsu-thumb right now. Scowling at the orange haired boy on the table, Grimmjow reconsidered his excitement. This was boring, and pathetic. There's no way that the Shinigami was this weak the first time they had encountered one another. No way.
A few minutes later, after Grimmjow had slid down a wall in boredom, the doors to Szayel's lab swung open, and in walked the big dick himself. Aizen glanced at Grimmjow who had refrained from getting to his feet.
Ignoring him he spoke to Szayel beside the teen, who was now covered up to his midriff by white sheet.
"He doesn't show any signs of physical damage, but his reiatsu output is a little erratic. I think that it's causing re-percussive physical effects, but the pain is of a strictly spiritually manifested problem. The spiritual form itself is sound."
"What can be done?" Aizen asked calmly, silently intrigued at the news.
"Placing him back in his human body for a short period might allow his reiatsu to stabilise, but it's no guarantee. It could be being caused by his body's inability to heal whilst he remains out of it, and the damage is being sympathetically passed on to his spiritual form. But as I say, I can't promise anything. This is merely hypothesising." Szayel adjusted his glasses, watching Aizen as he rested his fingertips on the Shinigami's brow.
"Placing him in his human body will be troublesome. It will make him vulnerable. However, I'm certain that something can be arranged. Make the arrangements, Szayel, and contact me when you are ready to reunite our guest with his body." Aizen turned, and walked to the door. Turning his head back slightly, he met Grimmjow's eyes. "Grimmjow. Come with me."
Grimmjow trailed behind, hands stuffed in pockets, still projecting smouldering arrogance. The pair arrived at the throne room where Aizen like to lord over his Espada. Grimmjow briefly wondered where the Cuarta was – usually he was about, ready to bask in the radiance of Aizen punishing the Sexta.
Aizen sat on his pretentious throne, rested his cheek on a hand, and watched Grimmjow silently. It set Grimmjow on edge and his gritted his teeth in annoyance.
"Grimmjow," Aizen finally spoke, "I distinctly asked you to bring the substitute Shinigami back undamaged. And yet, he is now lying on a table in Szayel's lab. Would you care to explain yourself?"
Grimmjow glared at the floor. "He was struggling."
Aizen sat silently. Grimmjow felt compelled to defend himself. "He brought it on himself, he would've been a problem bringing back through the garganta." He clenched and unclenched his fists.
Standing, and descending the dais towards Grimmjow, with his hands clasped behind his back, Aizen approached with predatory steps.
"Perhaps you are right Grimmjow. However, I am disappointed with you. Our poor guest is injured, and it is of your doing." He stopped before Grimmjow. "Perhaps there is a way to repay your poor behaviour? Ichigo Kurosaki will have to spend what could be some considerable time in his human body – unable to draw a zampaktou. He will be vulnerable. There are other arrancar who may wish him harm, despite my orders. I want you to stop him from getting into trouble. Keep an eye on him. I would hate to see any further harm come to him."
Aizen swept around his annoyed Sexta Espada and left the room. Grimmjow scowled gritting his teeth.
What a pain in the ass! Dealing with a pathetic weak human.
He itched for a rematch, to see the horror of those hazel eyes being unleashed. He could wait a little while for that. Just a very little. He'd humiliate that Shingami everyday until Grimmjow got what he wanted from him, make him pay for Grimmjow babysitting. Kurosaki had better mend quickly, or Grimmjow wouldn't wait around before beating the shit out of him properly.
A minor fraccion had been sent to Grimmjow, telling him that the octava espada was ready to revive the subsitute Shinigami. Grimmjow took his time getting to the lab. When he got there, he slumped over some equipment in Szayel's lab. Szayel had reunited the two bodies, and he lay as one on the silver table in the clothes he had been wearing when he was stolen away from the human world. Ichigo's face was pale, but a flush was high on his cheeks.
"Why's he so red?" Grimmjow barked.
"It's a side effect of his fluctuating reiatsu. It should go down when he's conscious and able to exert some control on it." Szayel explained. "Take this."
Szayel pressed an inscribed hexagonal fatalism into Grimmjow's upturned palm, where it sat neatly.
"Aizen-sama wants you to use that to separate the boy from his human body in the lab. Nowhere else. Leave the body on table in here, and I will attend to it. I believe Aizen-sama has arranged chambers for his guest."
"I'm not a fuckin' servant." But that was all Grimmjow said in complaint. Aizen had made it quite clear that Kurosaki's well being was his responsibility, for now.
Szayel finished fiddling with his equipment, and took a small vial of a clear liquid, tipped it into the mouth of the Shinigami, and stroked his throat.
Ichigo's eyes flickered beneath his eyelids, and his breathing grew more frequent. He groaned slightly and opened his eyes slowly, blinking at the bright lights.
Taken one look at the room about him and its occupants, he closed his eyes and sighed heavily.
"Shit."
Grimmjow laughed. "Thought you were dreaming, eh, Kurosaki? Get your ass up, we're leaving."
Grimmjow grabbed Ichigo's arm and pulled him swiftly to his feet, and out the lab. Ichigo wobbled unsteadily as he was tugged along by the Sexta.
"Fucking hell, slow down you asshole!" Ichigo yelled as he tripped.
Grimmjow turned, letting go of his new ward. Ichigo stumbled and nearly fell. He leant against the wall for support.
"What the HELL is going on?"
Glaring in annoyance, Grimmjow crossed his arms.
"I gotta make sure you don't get yourself killed in Las Noches while you're in your human body. 'Cause you're weak."
"I'll wipe the floor with you any time you like Grimmjow!" Ichigo spat.
"Ahahaha! As if Shinigami! You're weak in that fragile body of yours, and you've got no weapon. So you're at my mercy. You'll be doing everything I tell ya."
Ichigo snorted. "Yeah right. I can still beat you like this." He pushed off the wall and stood in fighting stance.
Grimmjow pushed him lightly on the chest and Ichigo stumbled back, glaring.
"Save it til your worth killing."
Gomen, it's short I know, but I'm still juggling how long chapters should be related to time between updates. I'm going to aim for at least twice as many words next time (this chapter only being 1500 or so). R&R!