Chapter 3: The Pain and the Surprise
Ulquiorra was in the World of the Living, sitting down on a bench, talking to Tatsuki in the school courtyard.
"So, how is Orihime doing?" she asked.
"She's doing fine. Onna should be playing with Wonderweiss by now," Ulquiorra confirmed.
Tatsuki nodded understandingly. "So," Tatsuki said. Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow and waited. "When is Orihime…...getting her seal?" she asked. He lifted one finger in the air and replied, "In one month. Why?" "I want to be there, in the room, with her," Tatsuki explained. Ulquiorra just stared at her with confusion, anger, and sadness.
"Hey Tatsuki, when is my Hime coming back?" asked Chizuru. Tatsuki sighed and shake her head in disgust at the hormone overflowing teen girl. Ulquiorra never really liked the red haired girl. Because 1) she is weird 2) too loud 3) gropes the same sex and 4) she keeps asking for his women (Ulquiorra hits author in the back of the head)….I mean charge. (Author's head is patted by Ulquiorra XD).
"Hey Ulquiorra, Aizen needs you," said Nnitora.
Ulquiorra looked at the Cinco Espada with indifference. He stood up from his seat and said, "Stay here and get the Onna's homework." Nnitora scoffed at his superior. Ulquiorra left and Tatsuki was dragging Chizuru away by the hair because she almost followed him to Hueco Mundo.
Orihime and Wonderweiss were playing Lost City of Uno. The game is quite simple. You have a city that you can get lost in and you have the Uno cards and set down whatever card you choose on the ground and there is a big screen that shows the other players your card. Whoever wins gets candy. The game ended in a tie. Wonderweiss 6 to Orihime 6. They tried playing other games but ties don't give up so easily.
"Okay Wonderweiss, what do you want to do now?" asked Orihime. Wonderweiss looked around the toy room and found a book. "Butterfly lady," he said showing her the book. She looked at the title and smiled.
"Eragon. Okay come sit on my lap and we'll read it," Orihime said. Wonderweiss squealed with delight and sat on her lap.
With Aizen…
Aizen was in his throne room. Drinking his jasmine ginger tea, and looking down at Ulquiorra. "I heard that Orihime is doing fine," Aizen complemented. Ulquiorra nodded. Silence. The silence was prolonging at the moment nothing but an awkward silence and the annoying sound of Aizen sipping his tea.
"Lord Aizen….," Ulquiorra said but nothing else came out. Aizen understood. He sighed and directed his eyes to the ceiling.
"Do what you think is right but make sure you speak it to me and that blasted old man," he said.
Ulquiorra nodded confirming that he understands. Aizen watched his favorite soldier with worry. "Ulquiorra seems different. I wonder why?" Aizen thought. Then it hit him. "He hasn't been the same since Orihime got that seal and became a Truce contract."
Flashback
Aizen went inside Orihime's room and saw Ulquiorra. "We have a meeting with the general," he said. Ulquiorra looked at him and turned his attention back to Orihime. "4th Espada, we have to go attend this meeting so we will come to an agreement with this Truce," he seethed.
"Why, can't I stay here?" Ulquiorra asked. Aizen didn't say anything. He stared at his Espada and to Orihime, who was like a daughter to him, still unconscious.
He sighed and said, "Fine, you can stay but if she wakes up tell me and we'll leave. Understood?" Ulquiorra nodded and went back to looking over Orihime. Aizen left the room and went on his way to the general's office.
Ulquiorra was just staring at his charge sleeping peacefully. He sighed and closed his eyes. He was breathing in and out, trying to calm himself down. But he was seeing images of her screaming and her blood flying everywhere. He opened his eyes and looked at Orihime.
"Onna, I'm sorry. I should have done something to save you from this ordeal," he said. Ulquiorra diverted his eyes to the window, watching the activity that was going on the outside.
"Uulquiorra?" asked a waking Orihime shakily. He turned to her and sighed with relief.
"Onna, are you alright?" asked Ulquiorra.
"I i think so," she answered. She was about to sit up until a searing pain shot up from her pelvis to her spine. She slightly hissed; Ulquiorra gently pushed her down and said, "Be more considerate about your wellbeing. Lay back down." She did as she was told and laid back down. "What happened while I was unconscious?" she asked. Ulquiorra shrugged and turned his attention back outside.
Orihime was looking around the room that she was in. "This room is enormous," she thought.
"Onna," said Ulquiorra. Orihime looked his way. "We need to get you ready for to go back to Hueco Mundo."
Orihime nodded; she got out of the bed but she was having trouble standing without the wincing in pain. Ulquiorra watched her with amusement in his eyes. Orihime finally stood up and started putting on her clothes. She was good and ready to go.
"Follow me, Onna," Ulquiorra ordered. He held out his hand to her and she reluctantly accepted it. They walked slowly out of the room and trailed back to General Yamamoto's office. When they were close enough to the General's office Orihime stopped walking. Ulquiorra felt his being pulled and he looked at his charge to see that she was staring at the floor.
"What is wrong now Onna?" Ulquiorra asked. Orihime lifted up her head to look at him.
"Ulquiorra, can I ask a favor of you?" Orihime said. Ulquiorra nodded. "When we get to Yamamoto taichuo's office can you let me walk on my own."
He nodded again and continued walking slowly for Orihime. They finally arrived at the office and like he promised, Ulquiorra released Orihime's hand. Orihime was taking deep breaths. She finally knocked and opened the door. She peeked in and smiled.
"Hello, I hope we're not interrupting," she concluded. Yamamoto shooked his head and motioned them in. Ulquiorra stayed close to Orihime and seated right next to her. The meeting continued like before.
The meeting was over proximately 11 pm. Ulquiorra carried a now sleeping Orihime in his arms and started walking through the big garganta to Las Noches.
"Everyone, go to your rooms and get some rest," Gin ordered. "Ulquiorra, I need to talk to you in my throne room," Aizen said. Ulquiorra took Orihime to her room and gently placed her on the couch and left.
End of Flashback
Sorrow came over him. During her stay, Orihime became his daughter, which every father would be proud of. Aizen was about to dismiss Ulquiorra when Wonderweiss busted in the room. Aizen and Ulquiorra looked at the boy with confusion.
"Um, Wonderweiss are you okay?" Aizen asked. Wonderweiss nodded his head.
"Then what is it? Is Orihime alright?" Aizen asked again.
Wonderweiss shooked his head no and tears were streaming down his face. Ulquiorra quickly sonidoed out of the throne room to where Orihime was in. He barged in and he saw Orihime on the floor in a fetal position.
"Onna, what is bothering you?" Ulquiorra asked. The only thing that he heard was a pained whimpers. "Onna, tell me what's wrong?" he said, with worry seeping out in his voice.
Orihime looked up at him and managed to say, "Ulquiorra, it really hurts." Ulquiorra lifted her up gently and hurriedly went to Szayel's lab. "Szayel, Onna needs medical assistance," Ulquiorra said.
"Alright, put her down on the bed," Szayel ordered. Ulquiorra placed her on the bed, watching her to make sure she was comfortable.
"So, where does it hurt?" he asked. Orihime couldn't answer because she was trying so hard not to scream.
"Her pelvis," stated Ulquiorra. "I think her seal is causing the excruciating pain."
Szayel nodded and went to his desk to grab a small tube. He handed it to Ulquiorra who looked at strangely. "Her seal wasn't fully completed so use this on her pelvis and the pain will go way," Szayel explained. "But apply it right now, so she can get rid of the pain." Ulquiorra nodded and did what he was told.
Orihime was asleep in his arms. Ulquiorra looked down on her and let his emotion barrier fall. "Why does she always seem peaceful when she sleeps?" Ulquiorra wondered. He sighed and continued on his way to her room.
Surprise 1: Make Hime Happy
"Okay, Ulquiorra. I do have one idea," Tatsuki said. Ulquiorra perked up. "What is it?" he asked. Tatsuki smiled at smiled at him, Ulquiorra felt like he was in for it.
"Do you really think this will work?" Ulquiorra asked.
He and Tatsuki were in Wales, England. (Some believed that king Author was reigning in Wales during the dark ages).
"Look, you want to make Orihime happy right?" Tatsuki said. Ulquiorra nodded.
"So, this will defiantly make her happy." Ulquiorra sighed mentally and went to work. Tatsuki went to the forest in search of bats and other animals. Ulquiorra went to the zoo. (AN/ I don't know why). He searched for an animal that will do its job. Then he found one. A saber tooth tiger. He looked around to make sure that no one could see what he was going to do. Making sure close was clear, he went inside and silently walked towards the animal.
The saber tooth was fast asleep when Ulquiorra was next to it. Ulquiorra gently and carefully pulled five strands of hair from the beast and left the same way he came. Tatsuki was deep in the forest still trying to find her little creature, but to no avail. So, she decided to go back. It did take awhile for her to find her way back but she did after Ulquiorra found her.
"Did your search become successful or not?" Ulquiorra asked. Tatsuki said no. he looked at her and shooked his head in disappointment.
"Come with me," he ordered.
They were back at the zoo. They looked at the direction board to find where the bat exhibit was.
"Here," Tatsuki said.
She pointed to the direction. For some reason, the bats were next to the elephants. Tatsuki went inside the habitat and approached a bat very quietly like. When she was next to it, she lifted her hand and quickly grabbed some fur (harshly, I might add) and left before the bats started making noise. They left the zoo and went to find the last ingredient they needed. A dragon scales. Those are very hard to find now a days. Ulquiorra found a cave, which he found in his research, used to border the greatest dragons in the world. A mixed elemental dragon.
Ulquiorra who was the strongest at the moment went in first. Ulquiorra motioned Tatsuki to follow. She did and got out a flashlight from her back pocket so they could see well. While waving the flashlight back and forth on the ground the light shined on something shiny on their right. Tatsuki carefully picked up each golden scale in a plastic bag.
"Okay, our first priority is done now for the second," Tatsuki announced. Ulquiorra snapped his fingers and their ride arrived. The Garganta opened in Szayel's lab and Ulquiorra and Tatsuki walked out before it closed on them.
"Szayel, we need you to make something out of these," Ulquiorra said. Szayel looked up from his experiment to give his full attention to his superior. Ulquiorra gave him the hairs of the bat and the saber tooth tiger and the scales of the greatest dragons. Szayel looked at them very carefully.
"Come back in two hours," he said. Ulquiorra nodded and left to Orihime's room.
Ulquiorra arrived at Orihime's room with her favorite book 'Fairytales.' He went inside and saw Orihime playing hide-n-seek with her ShunShun Rikka. He watched for awhile until he got bored.
"Onna," he said. "I thought you wanted me to read you a story when I got back?" Orihime stopped and so did her ShunShun Rikka Ayame, Shun'o, Tsubaki, Baigon and Hinagiku jumped on the couch and waited for Ulquiorra to sit next to her. He did and opened the book and read.
Two hours passed and Ulquiorra was on his way back to Szayel's lab. He finished reading to Onna not so long ago. He went inside the lab to see Grimmjow getting a medical checkup.
"It's on the table Ulquiorra, "Szayel said.
Ulquiorra went over to the table got the thing and left. He came back to Orihime's room and he heard Tatsuki and Orihime's voice. He put the surprise behind his back and entered.
"Hey Ulquiorra," Orihime said. "What's behind your back?" He didn't answer. Tatsuki smiled and cover Orihime's eyes. With her eyes cover, Orihime was getting kind of confused. Ulquiorra put the surprise on her lap and Tatsuki uncovered Orihime's eyes.
"Surprise," Tatsuki yelled. Orihime down and uncovered her surprise. It was an egg. An egg? Orihime looked up at Ulquiorra and Tatsuki with more confusion.
"It'll hatch in three, two, one," he said counting down. There was a cracking noise. Orihime looked down and saw a crack forming on the egg. A little head popped out, then another one and then another one. Three hybrids were out of their shell and looking around their new surroundings. Orihime squealed and clapped her hands silently. Ulquiorra and Tatsuki sighed with relief.
Ulquiorra grabbed the little ones and placed them on a warm blanket. Orihime was hugging Tatsuki and saying thank you over and over again. That kind of made Ulquiorra quite angry when he had helped as well and Tatsuki was getting all the credit.
"I helped too," he mumbled. Then Orihime gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, this is the best surprise I ever gotten," she said. Ulquiorra was surprised and shocked. Beside the fact that she just kissed him on the cheek but…His "charge" was smiling. Really smiling. At him.
"Can I have one Orihime?" Tatsuki asked. Orihime nodded. "Even Ulquiorra can have one," she exclaimed. Ulquiorra looked at her like she was crazy. But her smile melted away his doubts.
Ulquiorra and Tatsuki took the privilege to train the three hybrids. Since, the little ones already know how to breathe fire, fly, fight and somehow turn into humans. (Thanks to Szayel the perfect scientist). So, they decided to show them pictures to harm or kill whoever. There was a picture of Ichigo, Rukia, Chad, Ishida, the scientist that put the seal on Orihime, and Yamamoto. It took two days but their accomplishment wasn't in vain. They were the strongest and smartest half-breeds in the whole world. Living or dead.
Orihime was her cheery self again. Tatsuki wants to shoot anyone who wants to come near her friend. Ulquiorra will kill anyone who takes Orihime away. And the three hybrids will protect their new parents and siblings from any sources of harm.
The End of Surprise 1
