DISCLAIMER - see chapter one
Ulquiorra's breathing gradually grew stronger as he returned to a wakeful state, his mind slowly waking up before his body. Where am I? I can't move…He thought, his new body slowly catching up to his thoughts. He opened his heavy eyes and looked around, not recognising the room, but knowing it wasn't Hueco Mundo by the sun streaming in through the window.
The room was small and cluttered, the walls were made of wood and the sliding paper door to the left was closed. As Ulquiorra turned his head something felt different. In fact everything felt different, disturbingly different. Everything seemed more than it was before somehow, and it wasn't a particularly pleasant feeling.
As he woke up even more he gradually became aware of various aches and pains, particularly in his shoulder. He tried to shift, deciding it was better to remain still for the time being as pain shot through his whole body. What is this? My body feels like lead! Ulquiorra thought in annoyance, pausing in shock, annoyance? That's a…human emotion…He thought, somewhere between fear and anger.
He tried once more to lift his hand, his whole arm shaking at the impossible strain it caused, only his stubbornness allowing him to gradually raise his hand to the level of his face, his eyes widening as he looked at it. The hand was not his. What's happening? He wondered, his heart pounding as he rolled onto his knees and forced himself up, forcing his body to move. A heartbeat?
He staggered across to the sliding door, ripping it open and gripping the frame as he looked around for a reflective surface. The room he had stumbled into seemed to be a living area of some sort, but no one was in sight as he lurched through, knocking pictures and stock off the various shelves and bookcases in his quest to reach the open door across the room.
He reached the doorway, which opened into a small toilet with a sink, medicine cabinet and toilet, but what caught his attention was the small mirror above the sink, where he could see himself panting in the doorway. A young human teen with deep green eyes and untidy black hair. He released the wall and walked closer to the mirror, gradually getting used to his new legs and the extra weight of the Gigai. He held his hands up to his face, watching in the mirror,
"It's not my face…" He said, glad that at least it was his voice as he took his new hands away and leaned forward to look at the face staring back at him. This isn't me…He thought as his hands gripped the sink, his knuckles turning white. He gritted his teeth and glared at the face staring back at him, his fist going through the reflective glass before he could rein in his anger. Ulquiorra fell to his knees in exhaustion, surrounded by the fragments of glass. He reached out and grabbed one, the sharp edges cutting into his human flesh painfully as he looked at the sharp pointed shard of glass.
"Hey! Urahara-san!" Renji called as he walked through the shop, once again back inside his Gigai wearing flared jeans and a tight white T-shirt, his hands in his pockets. He looked around with a sigh, Where the hell is everybody? He wondered as he walked through the seemingly deserted shop. He froze as he entered the living area, stock knocked all over the floor, ornaments smashed and turned over, "Urahara?" Renji called louder, pausing as he heard a smash coming from the bathroom.
He sneaked through the mess and edged closer to the partially open door. As he looked inside he saw someone that he hadn't met before, a boy with scruffy black hair wearing cotton boxers and nothing else, his pale skin bare as he knelt on the floor. Has he taken in another kid? Renji wondered as he peered through the door, noticing a scattering of shiny fragments, which had come from the smashed mirror over the sink, blood seeping from the boys knees and onto the white tiled floor. He was about to go inside to check on the boy when he heard small pained gasps coming from him, noticing he was doing something to his face,
"Hey! Stop!" Renji shouted in alarm as he burst in and grabbed the boy, recognising him immediately as he looked into those haunting green eyes, only they were different now. They were frantic and full of emotions that the boy clearly didn't know how to deal with. "What the hell are you doing?" The red head demanded as he looked at the two tear tracks of blood, the bloodied fragment of mirror still clutched in his lacerated hand.
"It's not my face!" The boy replied frantically, his green eyes wide as he clutched Renji's shirt, the Shinigami too stunned to do anything other than hold him, unsure of what to do to calm Ulquiorra down. What were they thinking, going off and leaving him like this? He thought incredulously, Ulquiorra's hand trembling as it clutched his shirt, the boy suddenly falling unconscious.
With a sigh Renji got to his feet and hefted the unconscious boy over his shoulder, feeling slightly awkward as he thought about the soul hiding within this false human body. The soul of an Arrancar, the last of the Espada, the strongest Hollow in existence, was hung like a doll over his shoulder and all he could see was the human shell. I'm getting soft…Renji thought as he found the mussed up futon that had been his own while he had stayed in the shop.
The Shinigami deposited the sleeping figure onto the futon before going in search of bandages and a bowl of hot water. He spent the next hour cleaning the blood from Ulquiorra's body, starting with his cut up knees and shins before moving up to his badly lacerated hand and purposely sliced open cheeks. He couldn't believe what the boy had done to himself as he cleaned the blood away from the two long cuts, taping two long strips of gauze over them, unsure of what else to do. The cuts on his knees and legs were light and shallow, so he left those open to the breeze to heal, but his hand needed to be bandaged since the cuts were so deep.
"Oh, Renji-kun, what brings you here?" Urahara asked politely as he entered the bedroom, his eyes shifting around to look at all the bandages lying around Renji's feet as he stood, the Shinigami's white T-shirt stained with blood.
"What the hell were you thinking? He's an Espada! He can't be trusted! How could you leave him alone like that?" Renji demanded harshly as he got to his feet, unsure exactly what he was angry about, the young boy being left alone to deal with his predicament or the fact that he was an enemy and not to be trusted. The shop keeper pulled his hat down over his eyes gravely as he turned away from the red head,
"Gomenasai Renji, there was business to attend to." He apologised as he called out boisterously to Ururu, who came running with a small smile, the shop keeper petting her head apologetically as he looked around the living area, "Gomen Ururu, looks like I let your cleaning go to waste. Please set things right again." He said pleadingly, the small girl nodding before running off to find her cleaning equipment, her work slightly slower due to her injured hands.
"You know, this is your mistake, you should be the one cleaning it up." Renji said accusingly as he watched the small girl rummaging in her cupboard, Jinta joining her with a sigh, bopping her playfully on the head as he called her an idiot, though Renji knew it wasn't serious.
"What happened in here?" Yoruichi asked in surprise as she looked around the living area. It looked like someone had ransacked the place. Urahara turned to the open doorway to look at the sleeping figure of Ulquiorra, taking in the few bandages.
"It seems Ulquiorra-san woke up briefly while we were away, is that correct Renji-kun?" Urahara asked, his face hidden behind his paper fan, his light hazel eyes still fixed on the sleeping boy. Yoruichi joined him at the door, her amber eyes shifting to Renji, who nodded,
"That's right. I found him slicing his face open in the bathroom." The Shinigami confirmed, Urahara snapping his fan shut almost in satisfaction as he turned away from the room, pausing as Ururu ran past with a dustpan and brush before going to sit at the small table, Yoruichi and Renji following,
"I had a feeling the tears were significant." The shopkeeper mused, Yoruichi nodding her agreement as Renji looked puzzled, "Ah! Gomen Renji! With Hollow, you see, I had always theorised that some characteristic or reminder of their past lives was kept with them and reflected in their physical form, none more obvious that Ulquiorra's tears. It seems to me that he suffered so much grief that his Hollow form cut off all ties with feelings to protect him from harm and blocked out the memories of his former existence, the tears that never ceased to flow leaving their mark as a final reminder." Urahara explained, Renji nodding his understanding at the older man's explanation. What he said made perfect sense, as usual.
"Will he remember what happened in his past life?" Renji asked curiously, the shop keeper playing with his paper fan thoughtfully, opening and closing it as he looked off at the far wall,
"It's difficult to say…It's always possible that being in a Gigai will trigger his human memories to resurface as he regains his emotions and such…" Urahara thought aloud, Yoruichi nodding in firm agreement. "But enough of that, what was it that you came for?" The shop keeper asked politely as he looked up at Renji, who waved a hand somewhat dismissively,
"I was posted in the area for a while, so I was hoping to crash here again, but I won't impose, you're pretty full right now." Renji replied as he got to his feet, Urahara quite literally fanning his objections aside,
"Nonsense Renji-kun! There's plenty of room upstairs! Please stay as long as you like." Urahara insisted, getting to his feet to lead the way. The puzzled redhead followed the older man through a door that he had always assumed to be a closet tucked away at the side of the room, "You didn't think we all slept down here did you?" Urahara asked in amusement as Renji followed him with a sheepish look,
"I must admit I wondered." The Shinigami admitted as they reached the top of the wooden steps and stepped into a thin landing with six doors. "So, whose rooms are these?" He asked curiously, Urahara snapping his fan shut and pointing left and right,
"Well, Tessai is here, next to him are Jinta, then Ururu, and on this side is my room. The centre is the bathroom and the end is the guest room. I'll have you stay here for now, but once Ulquiorra has healed enough I would like it to become his room for as long as he remains here." Urahara directed as he led the way to the end room on the left, pushing it open to reveal a small room with a futon, small table and a cushion with some draws and a wardrobe built into the wall. Out of the window was the small sloping roof at the front of the store.
"Wait, isn't Yoruichi staying here?" Renji asked, turning to see Urahara with the fan open across his face, his hazel eyes peering over the top mischievously,
"Whatever gave you that idea? I thought it would be obvious…Yoruichi sleeps in my room." The older man said as he left the room, leaving the stunned Shinigami watching after him.
Ulquiorra felt himself returning to a wakeful state once more, his mind somewhat clearer this time, having processed the situation in his sleep. As he looked around, his body feeling much lighter now, he saw the woman called Yoruichi sitting cross legged beside him, her purple hair tied up in a high pony tail as it had been the last time they met.
He raised his hand and looked at it, a bandage now covering the pale human coloured skin. He slowly untied the once white binding, which was now stained dark red with dried blood, but the skin beneath was healed. He balled his hand into a fist and opened it again, watching the muscles contract beneath the skin.
Curiously he sat up, the dark skinned woman watching him silently as he raised a hand to his collar bone, feeling his chest where his hollow hole used to be. He then looked down at his well toned chest, running his fingers over the left side, where his number four had once been branded in black. This truly is not my body…He thought as he looked down at it in distaste. He felt so human, and that was another problem. He felt.
"Well, I see you're awake." The woman at his side said in a neutral tone. It was clear that she was unsure how to respond to him, just as he was unsure how to respond to her. Was she his captor? Or was he allowed to leave this place freely? Though he had nowhere else to go for the moment it seemed. He could already feel that his powers had been drained in some way, and he could sense some sort of inhibiter in place to stop him opening a doorway to Hueco Mundo. I am stranded…Ulquiorra thought curiously,
"Ah, Ulquiorra-san my apologies. I had wanted to be here when you awakened but some business cropped up." Urahara said in a cheerful tone as he entered the room and looked down at the Espada, who glared up at him, his stare no less intimidating in a human body that it had been in his own, in fact it was worse now because the Arrancar could feel the anger and project it. "Yes, I expected this reaction…Why don't we try to make settling in easier?" The shopkeeper suggested as he knelt before Ulquiorra in a bow, "I am…so sorry! For better or worse I have forced you into this role. I had no right in doing so, and I have no right to ask your forgiveness, however I stand by my judgement." He said humbly and apologetically.
He looked up at Ulquiorra, the boy puzzling over something. It was clear that Ulquiorra was nowhere near being adjusted to humanity, though he at least seemed to have more control over his body. Ulquiorra stared off into space as he tried to analyse what it was he had just felt as Urahara bowed. He had expected satisfaction, or at least something akin to it, but what he felt confused him. I feel somewhat…awkward? He thought, finally figuring it out. In truth it made him uncomfortable to see the blonde man bowed down before him.
"My-my, this is interesting…" The shopkeeper observed as he looked at Ulquiorra's hand, "May I?" He asked as he held his hand out. Ulquiorra looked somewhat confused as he held out his hand. Urahara turned it over in his grasp before reaching up to strips on the Espada's face, gently pulling them away to reveal the pale skin beneath. There was no sign that he had been cut at all. "Your soul must have bound to this body very quickly…and it seems the Hollow's power to heal is unaffected by the Gigai…" The man observed as he got to his feet.
"Ulquiorra, get dressed. I'm taking you out." Yoruichi announced as she handed him a small pile of clothes that were too big for him. She left the room as he got dressed, finding himself in clothes that matched Urahara's, much to his distaste. His chest was bare to the breeze as he stepped into the living area, the breeze coming from the front of the shop. He heard a small gasp and looked across the room to see Ururu by one of the book cases, her eyes terrified as he looked down at her with an emotionless stare, determined to hide as much of his vulnerable state as possible.
"Hey you! We've had to clear up all the mess you made! The least you can do is apologise to Ururu!" Jinta snapped as he caught sight of the youth, unable to find him intimidating in Urahara's clothes. Ulquiorra turned his head to look at the young boy, who was currently sweeping the wooden floor of the shop,
"Now-now! I'm sure it was an accident! Ulquiorra-san, please come here." Urahara said invitingly as he sat at the small wooden table, Yoruichi waiting patiently leaning on the wall. Ulquiorra approached warily and knelt opposite Urahara, his back perfectly straight although his Gigai objected to it. "I made this up for you…I strongly suggest you read it once you get back. Yoruichi has some money, she'll take you around the town and help you find some…more suitable attire. She'll have you back in time for tea." The shop keeper instructed as he pushed a large book across the table, neatly hand written with the title 'The Various Functions of a Gigai.' Ulquiorra took the book wordlessly, Yoruichi's hand lightly slapping the back of the boy's head.
"When someone gives you something it's polite to say 'arigatou.'" The woman said impatiently, Urahara waving it aside as Ulquiorra looked up at the woman incredulously,
"It's all new to him Yoruichi-san, perhaps you could also find some books on culture to ease him into human life." Urahara suggested, the woman grinning her approval as she pulled Ulquiorra up by the sleeve of his open haori, the boy's green eyes wide in shock. He had never been handled in this way before. Her handling wasn't harsh, she didn't hurt him, she seemed fairly gentle, but he couldn't quite understand it all the same. Once they were outside the shop Yoruichi released him and led the way into the street,
"Well, first let's get you out of those clothes and into something else. Traditional clothes really don't suit you." The woman said with a grin as she led the way, Ulquiorra following silently behind her, his hands hidden in the fabric of the short trousers. Yoruichi turned to him with a loud sigh, the boy stopping to look up at her, "Cheer up damnit! Everyone's trying to help you fit in here!" She snapped as she walked back to Ulquiorra,
"I didn't ask for this." Ulquiorra replied darkly as he glared somewhere over Yoruichi's shoulder, unwilling to direct his anger at her alone. Although she had played a part in his capture he only truly blamed Urahara, and maybe Soul Society too, "To be trapped in this weak body…It is worse than death." He stated as he looked down at his human hand, his eyes widening as Yoruichi slapped him hard across the face,
"Deal with it! Urahara didn't take your life away, he gave you a chance at something new! Would you really have preferred to stay as you were? Alone in Hueco Mundo with no friends or equals?" The fiery woman demanded with a stern look, Ulquiorra gasping suddenly, his chest heaving and his throat catching as tears stung his eyes. What's happening? He wondered fearfully as tears ran down his cheeks. It was hard to breathe as his chest heaved. Yoruichi watched as the boy put a hand over his chest, raising a hand to his teary eyes, small sobs escaping him as he looked at the tears in confusion and fear.
Ulquiorra watched as Yoruichi stepped forward with a sigh, her arms wrapping around him gently as she pulled him to her chest, her hand stroking his hair softly, and for some reason Ulquiorra felt…something. He wasn't sure what it was, but he grabbed her sweater and buried his face in her shoulder, unable to figure out why he was…crying?
"It's okay…I know it's a shock to be asked to adjust so quickly…But the sooner you accept that you're stuck here the sooner you can make a new life for yourself…Urahara would like to see that…He may not show it, but the decision he made tortures him…He wants you to fit in here, he wants to help you…and so do I. We all do, so don't think you're alone here okay?" The woman asked as she looked down at the boy, who finally seemed to get a hold of himself and pulled back, his eyes still streaming. Yoruichi smiled and stepped forward, taking a tissue from her small handbag, "You look terrible." She said in a motherly voice as she gently wiped the tears away, Ulquiorra watching with wide eyes. No one had touched him like that before, no one had held him before, no one had spoken so softly to him. What is this feeling? He wondered as he watched a grin break out across Yoruichi's face, "Come on, these clothes won't buy themselves!" She added as she led the way, Ulquiorra following her somewhat dazed.
They were walking past houses for a while, a few people wandering about looking at Ulquiorra and whispering together. Ulquiorra felt his cheeks heat at the attention, unsure of what he felt, but that knowing he didn't like it. As they reached the high street there was a gleeful shout, both Ulquiorra and Yoruichi turning to see a slim big breasted woman in a flowery summer dress rushing towards them, her strawberry blond hair cascading down her shoulders.
"Yoruichi-san!" She shouted with a wave, the purple haired woman grinning,
"Yo, Matsumoto, Hitsugaya-kun." She greeted casually as a young white haired boy joined them wearing black jeans and a navy blue polo top, one hand in his pocket while the other held his mobile phone, his eyes focused on the screen.
"Yoruichi-san. I thought we should let you know we'll be staying here for a while to keep an eye on him." The boy said matter-of-factly as he looked up at Ulquiorra, who looked sideways at Yoruichi, the woman sighing as she put her hands on her hips,
"It's rude to talk about someone in that manner when they're standing so close." She stated, turning to Ulquiorra with a smile, "Ulquiorra, this is Hitsugaya Toshiro-taicho and his fuku-taicho, Matsumoto Rangiku. This is Ulquiorra." Yoruichi introduced, Toshiro giving him a cold stare while Rangiku hopped forward excitedly with a bright warm smile, her breasts almost falling out of her low-cut dress,
"So, what brings you into town today?" She asked as she examined him. Urahara had done a great job. Ulquiorra's body was well toned and physically flawless. His face was handsome, and his eyes were such a deep green she could barely pull herself away. Ulquiorra looked at Yoruichi for help, unsure of what he should do. For some reason a tight knot had formed in his human throat at the woman's close proximity. Yoruichi nodded him on encouragingly, his green eyes shifting back to Rangiku's patient blue eyes.
"Yoruichi-san is taking me to find new attire." The Espada replied quickly, taking a step back as Rangiku hopped closer, apparently intent on examining his body closer than he would like.
"Clothes shopping?" She asked excitedly, Toshiro looking at the sky despairingly as she grabbed Ulquiorra's wrist and began pulling him down the street, the Arrancar helpless to stop her. He looked over his shoulder at Yoruichi, who shot him a grin before she turned to Toshiro,
"Looks like we'll be borrowing Matsumoto." She said, the younger Shinigami nodding his head in defeat, "You coming too?" Yoruichi asked as she headed up the street after her charge. The silver haired boy shook his head as he snapped his phone shut,
"I will observe from a distance." He replied before walking in the opposite direction, Yoruichi sighing as she followed Ulquiorra and Rangiku, the Shinigami still dragging the boy along by the arm.
"Not so fast Matsumoto!" Yoruichi called, the shapely woman stopping as the lithe cat-like figure caught up to them, Ulquiorra subtly pulling himself free of Rangiku's grasp. "Well? Where to Ulquiorra?" Yoruichi asked as she looked around at the shops, Ulquiorra looking truly clueless as he looked at the large glass windows. He felt a small tug on his sleeve and looked at Rangiku, who pointed to one of the shops helpfully, Ulquiorra uncertainly leading the way towards it. He paused at the door and Yoruichi nodded her encouragement,
"Ah! Rangiku-dono!" The shop keeper cried as he opened the door for them. Rangiku smiled and pushed Ulquiorra forward into the shop, the middle aged and flamboyantly dressed man watching them, "Ahhh, what is this? A new boyfriend?" He asked as he looked at Ulquiorra, Rangiku pulling him along,
"Oh no, just a friend from out of town. He's just moved here, but he's lost all of his clothes and needs a whole new wardrobe!" She replied excitedly as she pulled him across the shop and looked at all of the clothes, Yoruichi entering with a laugh,
"Slow down and let him catch his breath!" She scolded lightly, Rangiku releasing Ulquiorra and watching as he looked around seeming quite lost amongst the endless rails of modern clothing. "Just pick out anything you like and go try it on in the small room over there." Yoruichi directed as she pointed to the changing rooms, but still he seemed reluctant as he looked at all the clothes.
"Now don't be shy, you can touch, search and try on as much as you like." The middle aged man added as he went over to Ulquiorra, who seemed very much out of place and uncomfortable. Yoruichi began to head over, feeling Rangiku tug her sleeve,
"Don't worry, Pierre is great with people like him." She assured, the two women watching as Ulquiorra hesitantly reached out and picked up a white T-shirt, Yoruichi sighing in exasperation,
"Hey! Pierre! Make sure he picks up colours! We don't want him in white all the time! Try some black!" She instructed, Ulquiorra looking at the coloured clothes in distaste, while Pierre assured him it would look much better when worn and that the various shades would compliment his exotic eyes. Yoruichi and Rangiku joined them as they headed to the changing rooms, "Alright, I expect to see every outfit." Yoruichi said with a wink, Ulquiorra looking uncomfortable as she pulled the curtain behind him.
In the small room Ulquiorra tried on the first outfit, the rest of the clothes waiting outside with Pierre and the others. He looked at the T-shirt, the plain white one. He assumed the tag went at the back since the neck seemed to slope down at the front, so he slipped out of the large green haori and pulled the top over his head, the material lying across his chest feeling so foreign. He had only worn his coat before, nothing as tight as this. He pulled on the baggy white trousers next before pulling back the curtain to find Yoruichi, Rangiku and Pierre on a long leather sofa watching him.
"Hm, nice…Is the top meant to be that tight?" Rangiku asked, Pierre getting up and walking to Ulquiorra, wrapping an arm round the boy's shoulders,
"But of course! It is style! It is fashion! It was made for you darling!" He added as he looked down at the somewhat uncomfortable boy, who saw a larger pile of clothes beside the ones he had chosen. Yoruichi noticed his gaze and grinned,
"That's right, Rangiku and I went around and chose some stuff too." She said, picking out an outfit and forcing it into his arms, "And I'm not taking no for an answer." She added as she whipped the curtain shut, removing Urahara's clothes from the small room. Ulquiorra looked at what he had been given. There was a white long sleeved top with a black jacket and matching jeans, which he pulled on, looking in the mirror in surprise, noticing how his green eyes looked a little less obvious with the dark colour.
"Oh, that is you!" Rangiku stated as Ulquiorra pulled back the curtain. Next were two suits, one black and one white. Ulquiorra pulled on the black shirt, the white jacket going over the top with the white trousers, and for once he wasn't sure. He had always been comfortable in white, but he disliked this look intensely, though he didn't feel the black suit with white shirt looked any better. His audience, however, assured him that it did, but he still wanted the black shirt.
"Okay, let's try some more colour." Yoruichi said as she thrust some blue jeans and a brown top into his hands. The brown top was a delicate wool roll neck, which he felt quite comfortable in, and the jeans too, though he wasn't confident about the colours, feeling that they clashed with his eyes. His objections were once again waved aside as he tried on a black turtleneck top that clung to his body, wearing that with a pair of brown chords, quickly changing them for black.
"Seems he's gone from one extreme to the other." Rangiku chuckled as he opened up the curtain, Pierre draping a white scarf over his shoulders and Ulquiorra looking at it in confusion. He tried on more clothes, white tops with blue patterns, black tops with red patterns, finding more with blue or green patterns, even a purple. He got some black jeans, blue jeans, black combat trousers, white combat trousers, the black suit, the black shirt and some hooded tops. Out of the shop he wore the first outfit Yoruichi had handed him, still wearing Urahara's geta. "Oh! There's a really great shoe place just down here!" Rangiku said excitedly as they left the store, Ulquiorra laden down with bags. Rangiku led the way down the street and into a large shoe store, where once again Ulquiorra felt strangely out of place as he was left to look around the shoes,
"May I help you Sir?" A young girl with black scruffy hair asked, the name on her badge reading 'Tatsuki', her brown eyes cheerful as she walked over. Ulquiorra looked around awkwardly,
"I'm not sure…" He replied uncertainly as he looked at the various shoes, "Gomen, this is my first time doing this…I'm new in town." He added, borrowing Rangiku's excuse. Tatsuki grinned, much like Yoruichi as she winked, her chocolate eyes seeming to sparkle with life.
"Say no more, I'll help you out. Come on, let's measure you up." She added as she led the way to a seat. Ulquiorra sat down somewhat awkwardly and waited as Tatsuki rushed into a small room and came back with a strange contraption, which she told him to place his foot in, a small bar at either end of his foot. "Size eleven, okay…did you see anything you like?" She asked as she got to her feet.
"Hey Ulquiorra, try these." Yoruichi said as she showed him a pair of plain leather shoes, Rangiku following with a pair of men's boots. Tatsuki took the shoes away and came back with the size he needed. After trying them on Ulquiorra decided he liked both, so Yoruichi paid for them at the counter while Tatsuki took the chance to talk a little longer,
"You know you seem about my age, are you at school?" She asked curiously, the name bothering her. She knew she had heard it somewhere before, but couldn't figure out where. She certainly didn't recognise him herself, but she was sure she'd heard his name.
"He will be, thank you for your help." Yoruichi replied as she walked over, helping Ulquiorra with his bags as she led the way out of the store, Ulquiorra following without a word of reply to Tatsuki.
The next stop they made on their trip was at the large sports store, where Ulquiorra tried on and bought a white tracksuit, a black track suit, some trainers and a pair of rollerblades at Yoruichi's encouragement. On the way out he paused at the bikes, examining them carefully before asking Yoruichi about their function,
"They're another form of transport here. You sit on the seat and pedal, so the bike moves and you steer with the handlebars…I think you should get one. They're fun, healthy and it'll help you get to school quicker." She added as she looked through them with him, thinking a light weight mountain bike would be best for the nimble Espada.
"What is school?" Ulquiorra asked as he looked up from a dark purple bike, his hand resting on one of the rubber handles. Yoruichi looked up with a laughed of disbelief, thinking for a moment that she had misheard, but his puzzled expression told him she had not.
"You don't know what a school is?" She asked incredulously as she knelt beside one of the bikes to get a closer look at the chain and tyres. Ulquiorra looked down at her in mild surprise, thinking that it should be obvious.
"Why would I? You forget I am a Hollow. We do not need to be taught, we live on our instincts." He replied offhandedly, Yoruichi getting to her feet with a sigh,
"There you go again. You're not a Hollow anymore, and as such you will attend school. It's a place of learning, Shinigami have them too…I guess I always assumed that Hollow would have some sort of education too." Yoruichi said as she looked at the price of the bike Ulquiorra was standing with. The clerk came over to serve them, Yoruichi sorting out delivery while Ulquiorra turned over the idea of school in his head. He didn't relish the idea of being surrounded by human trash, but at the same time he was curious about how they lived. Inoue Orihime had peaked his curiosity with her odd behaviour, and his encounter with Kurosaki Ichigo had been somewhat enlightening too, perhaps there would be more interesting humans at this school. "Now for the book shop." Yoruichi decided, pulling Ulquiorra out of his thoughts.
"Alright, I'll see you guys later, I've been called away!" Rangiku shouted as she rushed off, waving her hand over her shoulder. Ulquiorra hesitantly raised his hand like Yoruichi as a sign of farewell, still feeling somewhat awkward with these human customs. As they reached the bookshop they found that they were among the last customers, the shop near to closing.
"Why don't you look around for something interesting while I grab some useful books for you." Yoruichi suggested, leaving him among the various fictional books while she rummaged around the non-fiction, grabbing text books on every subject she could think of from basic to degree level before grabbing some books on modern Japanese culture. When she returned with a sizable pile of books she found Ulquiorra in the manga section, "Go ahead and pick a couple." Yoruichi encouraged, knowing how much Rukia and Renji loved human manga. Ulquiorra hesitated as he looked at the colourful numbered spines, picking the first volume of two different series. "That's the way! Now come on!" Yoruichi said as she led the way to the counter, handing over her credit card to pay for the books.