There's plenty of action in this chapter, so be prepared.

I'm starting to feel as if this is some sort of Naruto fanfic, having Eve refer to her old mentor as a 'sensei' and eat ramen now xD

Anyways, here is the fourth chapter. I think it's the longest chapter yet. But the more to read the better, I guess.

.I.

"Lesson two. You must learn to refer to me as sensei, for I am your new teacher."

"Yes, Ulquiorra sensei."

"Good."

.II.

"First rule of entering Lord Aizen's hall," the guard began, setting tempered dagger eyes of steel on me, "never cause a disturbance. You do what he says, when he sa-"

"Give it a fucking rest," barked Grimmjow. "I'm sure the girl knows how to act in a damn hall."

The guard shuffled nervously under the Espada's yelling. "But she's never-"

"I said shut it."

I nearly cowered at Grimmjow's hostility today. The Espada was habitually an aggressive one, but today he was being more belligerent than usual. He was on edge, and that set me on edge too.

To make things worse, the whole bastion was connected by guards everywhere. It seemed that the assembly of the Assassins had vindicated the palace on highest security. I didn't like being surrounded by so many of them. They marched ceaselessly around us, judging us, waiting for me or Grimmjow to make a move.

Somewhere in the distance I could see a strawberry head, encircled by a red pineapple shaped one and two others, and I came to the conclusion that it was Ichigo and his accomplices watching from afar. The shorter one, Toshiro, was giving out orders to some of the adjacent Samurai.

It was still fairly early in the morning, and I was under the impression that the Assassins would have preferred to visit during the night. Well, Ulquiorra at least. The leader of the Assassins had always held summits during the evening, often leading me to believe that he was some kind of nocturnal being. Clearly, this wasn't the case.

"You may enter now," the guard announced.

I glanced sideways at Grimmjow for some kind of reassurance, but the bluenette was looking insecure himself. He just strode alongside me, face grave, head downcast.

I don't want to do this.

The impressively sized doors fissured open, and when we entered the hall, the Samurai fell silent behind us. Inside was much colder, the air thin as a sheet of ice. We were enclosed by the imminent dimness as the doors shut behind us, sealing us in. I already felt like this was an execution, and it hadn't even been declared yet.

Stretched across the hall was a river of red carpet, and the walls were carved of marble, giving the fixtures a royal feel. To further justify the kingly touch, there was a throne at the other end of the hall, where Aizen was seated. Then fear struck me.

To the left of Aizen was a shady, menacing figure. An ominous aura bordered around him, and I knew straight away who it was.

Apparently Grimmjow did too, because I heard a low rumble flare from him, and I prayed that today he had a shred of sanity, or else there would be a lot of loud mouthing from him. His fist scrunched up, as if he was restraining himself from a violent outburst.

Just control yourself Grimmjow. We don't want to repeat history, thanks to your temper.

To the side of Aizen were two Samurai, presumably bodyguards. One I recognised as Gin, a Samurai I had seen before. Opposite Aizen, I saw, for the first time in what seemed like weeks, two of the Assassins.

One of them had jet black hair, short cut with two decorative braids. She had her usual uncompromising expression, and when she saw me, I averted my eyes shamefully. It seemed she had taken my place by Ulquiorra's side, now being the uppermost assassin among the ranks. She always had been secondary to me when it came to Ulquiorra, but now to see Sui Feng as his newest favourite, it could only fill me with resentment.

Aside from Sui Feng, there was Byakuya, who stood nobly next to my former sensei. Byakuya declined to even accept my existence, the sombre assassin not even batting an eyelid to me or Grimmjow.

"Ah, so you have come, Grimmjow, Eve. It appears that everyone is present," Sosuke affirmed, his imposing voice reverberating throughout the hall.

I felt almost disgraced to be here, present in front of my old comrades, in such a rueful state. I was still bandaged up and weak, while my old sensei stood beside Aizen, unscathed after our fight. Worse yet, he had a new favourite, one that substituted me. Sui Feng.

"Yes, it's good to see you, Eve, and Grimmjow."

I craned my attention over to the shadowy figure emerging from the other end of the hall. He looked like a ghost, a pale shape rolling out of the gloom.

It is certainly not good to see each other again. Not like this, I thought.

Ulquiorra's attention grazed over to Grimmjow, and I could see the hatred blaze between them, Grimmjow tensing up as the cool emerald eyes met with his cerulean.

Then my old sensei turned to me. I was entangled by his stare, unable to turn away even if I wanted to. It was excruciating to look at him.

"You earned a scar from Grimmjow, I see," he said, observing my sword wound across my abdomen.

An awkward silence drifted between us, and both the Samurai and the Assassins studied my bandaged lower torso. I could only let them, humiliated.

"Yeah, well you'll have yer own fair share of scars to talk 'bout, soon enough," Grimmjow muttered under his breath.

I fixed Grimmjow a warning glance, knowing that the slightest comment towards Ulquiorra could have disastrous results. Me and Grimmjow were in no position to cause further conflict. Of course, Grimmjow didn't care. He never had.

"So then," Aizen interrupted the tension, "let us discuss the terms in regard to Eve's being here."

We all obliged.

In the centre of the hall was a wide table, to which we all congregated. Ulquiorra and his two Assassins took up seating first, sitting on the left side. Aizen and his Samurai accommodated the right, and myself and Grimmjow occupied the end. Everything fell under pressure. A room full of homicidal killers. What could go wrong?

Aizen, the one being most at home in this wretched hall, was the first to inspire discussion. He smiled, almost in a fake gesture, at the rest of us. "I am under the impression that you came here to deliberate one of your former assassins, Ulquiorra?"

The melancholic assassin sat erect in his chair, all courtesy focused on his counterpart. "Yes I did, though let me remind you Aizen, I am here purely to propose an exchange for Eve. Nothing else."

"Why would I have any reason to believe otherwise?" Sosuke enunciated.

"Because the Assassins have never been known for straight up agreements," cut in one of Aizen's bodyguards, who I recognised to be the blind man. "They do not always justify what they promise."

"Now Tousen, I'm sure the Assassins are not like that," Gin crooned.

Flouting the two Samurai and their banter, Ulquiorra dived straight to the point.

"I would like Eve to return for execution."

Somehow, hearing those words come from Ulquiorra's mouth made it seem much more disturbing. Whatever this man sought, he achieved – and if it was my death he desired, it was my death he would accomplish.

My eyes suddenly interlocked with my sensei, and a chill clawed down my spine. His gaze was like stone, an icy void of evil. There was no feeling, no emotion, just piercing hatred. It stabbed a chord of terror in me.

He really wants me dead after all.

Once Ulquiorra relieved me of his stare, I felt as though a weight had been lifted from me. But not for long.

"What can you offer in return?" Aizen questioned, raising the one request everybody in the hall was awaiting.

Unexpectedly, the leader of the Assassins hadn't given it much thought. Either that or he was acting as though he hadn't. I never quite knew with Ulquiorra. He was illusory. "What do you want from us?"

It didn't take long for Sosuke to reply. "If Eve is wanted for execution, that defines her as a criminal, and so what is equal in value to a criminal?"

"I see. You are saying criminals have no worth?"

"Perhaps so."

"Then wouldn't you want to get rid of something so worthless, by giving her to us?"

Aizen was visibly enjoying this. The two of them were both playing with words, bouncing answers off each other. I had forgotten how eerily compatible these two were, even if they did despise each other.

"No answer? I will take that as a no." A hint of displeasure lodged in the assassin's tone. "Then… we are done here."

"Your 'criminal' belongs to us now," Aizen professed, his imposing voice making his words final.

I didn't know whether to be thankful or petrified, now with my life falling firmly into the hands of the Samurai. In any case, I'm safer here than in the World of the Living… better than an execution.

With the arrangement having reached its end, we all discharged ourselves from our seats. I still couldn't believe it had ended so quickly, and that no outbursts had broken out from Grimmjow, or even that the meeting had gone, to some degree, quite well, all things considered.

Aizen, Gin and Tousen hovered in the hall amongst themselves, while the Assassins took their leave.

I thought I saw Ulquiorra fixate one last glare with Aizen. It was a fiery gaze, one that read one thing; this wasn't over.

Grimmjow shadowed after the Assassins, and I tagged along with him, not wanting to stay behind with the intimidating Samurai.

We had just exited the obscurity of Aizen's hall, when I noticed that the bluenette was heading directly for Ulquiorra, and I could already see what was going to happen here.

Ulquiorra was flanked either side by Byakuya and Sui Feng, who belted round dangerously fast the moment Grimmjow approached them.

"Hey Ulquiorra! Fucking turn 'round, so I can speak to you."

Sui Feng stood protectively in front of her sensei. I could see her seedy dark eyes measuring up Grimmjow, ready to strike him down should he get too close. "How dare you refer to him that way," she hissed. "What business do you have with Lord Ulquiorra?"

Jaegerjaques ignored her.

"It's quite fine, Sui Feng," the Espada spoke, whirling round to face Grimmjow. His black upper lip secured into his usual deep frown, divulging no emotion to his voice. "What is it, Grimmjow?"

"What're you playin' at?"

The white skinned assassin did not seem to understand. He just held teal eyes, which narrowed into the form of slits, on the taller Espada. "I'm not clear on what you mean. I'm not playing at anything."

A strong hand flew to Ulquiorra's collar, and before I knew it, Grimmjow was attempting to lift him by the neck. The bluenette was raging. "You know exactly what I mean. First you go to kill us, then you caused all that shit back in the World of the Living, and now you're here."

Sui Feng went to hit Grimmjow, which was understandable – the Espada was laying a hand on Ulquiorra, her sensei and leader, and not in the friendliest of ways.

But I leapt to Grimmjow's defence, meeting Sui Feng's clamped fist with my hand, detaining her blow. There was no way I was going to let Ulquiorra's new favourite get the upper hand on Grimmjow, let alone allow anyone to harm him.

"So he's got you shielding him now? Tch." Sui Feng wrinkled her face at me in disgust. "Pathetic, Eve."

I didn't reply to Sui Feng, instead I turned to Grimmjow, who now had Byakuya's blade at his throat.

"Let go, Grimmjow!" I pleaded.

Ulquiorra just permitted everything to happen. He didn't seem to be bothered by the fact Grimmjow was gripping his collar, or even affected by the strains of those around him. He just waited for Grimmjow to loosen his hands from his neckline. It unnerved me how calm he was, as if this was all customary to him. As if he was almost relishing it.

At my plea, Grimmjow released his hold on the leader of the Assassins.

Thank God.

Sui Feng and I lowered our hands, and trod back from each other. The five of us withdrew a little, though Grimmjow was still infuriated.

"Don't think any of this is over. Don't think it for a damn second, Ulquiorra," Grimmjow remarked.

I honestly had thought that Grimmjow may have ripped Ulquiorra's throat out right there, if that were possible. I didn't know if it was my appeal to him that had made him release his grasp, or whether it was something else. One thing at this moment I did know for sure, however, was that Ulquiorra was revelling in this.

As if nothing at all had arisen, Ulquiorra turned away, rudely blanking us. I hated it when he did that, as if his superiority meant he could just disregard us. It didn't help that he was always so detached, either, giving no implication of his inner feelings.

Byakuya and Sui Feng tailed him, loyally escorting their leader from the hallway of Los Noches.

At that moment, I realised that just about all of the Samurai had grouped along the hallways. They had seen the whole thing. Many faces were peering at us, primarily Grimmjow, judging us and the Assassins.

Aizen, Gin and Tousen were now standing attentively in the doorway of Aizen's hall. I wondered if they had witnessed what had just happened. Would they have anything to say?

Meanwhile, Ichigo, Renji, Toshiro and Rangiku had clustered to the side of us. I knew that the four of them had seen what had just happened, because they were astounded. Renji was shaking his head, and Ichigo just gawked distantly.

I looked at the bluenette, who was scowling with sullen wrath.

"Grimmjow… what the hell were you thinking?"

"Don't you fucking start!" He bellowed. "This is all happening because of you!"

I shied away from him then. It wasn't often Grimmjow bawled at me, but when he did, I truly felt it.

I ran off down the corridors.

.III.

"Lesson three. If you happen upon a weak spot, resume hitting that weak spot."

"What does that do?"

"It quickens the kill."

.IIII.

That evening, the halls were bustling with immeasurable gossip. It seemed the anticipated appearance of the Assassins had not only caused hysteria to me and Grimmjow, but anarchy amongst everyone. The Samurai weren't calming down about it, either. This wouldn't just blow over.

The forked prongs of yellow lightning twirled in the sky outside. It was storming. I didn't even know it could storm in Hueco Mundo, but apparently so. I spent the majority of the evening watching as the thunderstorm festooned outside my window, the storm mirroring my mix of sentiments right now. Roars of deafening thunder and dances of lightning streaked the clouds, splaying onto the bleak plains.

Knock knock.

Someone was at the door.

I leapt up, trying to hide my saddened expression, calling out for the visitor to enter.

"Hello Eve!"

It was one of the maids, Orihime Inoue. I had only briefly spoken to her, but she seemed like the pleasant type, despite being a Samurai.

"Orihime."

"How are you?" She chimed.

I couldn't exactly answer that, not really knowing how to convey my current feelings into words. Besides, I wasn't going to tell a maid about my problems, even if it was a seemingly kind one.

"Well, I'm alive and breathing," I replied, a hint of cynicism there. "You?"

"I'm alright. I heard about your incident today, I'm sorry about the way things ended-"

"I don't want to talk about it."

She seemed disappointed at my dismissive tone, perhaps having hoped to talk about it. But it didn't matter to me, as I wasn't in the mood for discussion, particularly when it involved Grimmjow. More so when I was talking to someone I barely knew.

"O-Okay," Inoue stuttered. "Well, I'll just leave your ramen here, then."

I didn't answer. I just let her set the bowl on the floor, listening to the clatter of the plate clanking against the tray, while she left, the door shepherding behind her.

Tonight I wasn't even sure if I should eat. The anxiety that had been inherent within me last night and all morning was recurring again, and I didn't feel the need to accede to hunger. I knew that I should eat if I could though, so I persuaded myself that some morsels of ramen wouldn't hurt.

Picking up the bowl, I crossed my legs and sat tersely on the floor, continuing to look out the window as I spiralled back into my thoughts. I alleged back to the Assassins, and the Samurai, and the contrast we shared.

The life of the Assassins and Samurai were completely different existences. Assassins were taught to slay without compassion, revealing no emotion, being rendered as lethal killers. The Samurai on the other hand, were infatuated with honour and edict, fighting to protect and defend, killing only if it was moral.

I had always thought that the Assassins were the supreme ones, that our way of life was better, was righteous. At least, Ulquiorra had always deemed it so. "The Samurai are filth, pitiful, letting their emotions betray them," he would say to me. Being his student, I agreed. But now I could see that the Samurai were in fact tolerant, and their laws far surpassed the Assassins. It was because of the Samurai that I was still alive, and not in an execution right now. It was also because of one of the Samurai, Grimmjow, that I had survived this long.

Just then, there was another knock at the door.

"Eve?"

Ugh, why am I so popular today? I bobbed my head up. "Who is it?"

"Hey." A certain redhead skulked out from behind the door. "Aizen says someone has to keep tabs on you."

"So let me guess… he asked you."

Ichigo came in coolly, but his face was knotted with what looked like pity. I knew then that this was going to be about the incident today in the hall. He sat down beside me, and I could tell he felt sorry for me. "I figured you should talk to someone about today."

"Why should I?"

"Oh I don't know, maybe because everyone saw you sprinting down the corridors to your room, looking upset."

"I'm not upset," I argued.

He was disbelieving. "Then why did Orihime say you were?"

"I…"

He locked those russet eyes on me. "You're a bad liar, for an assassin."

"I told you," I snapped, feeling the angst rush back to me, which caused me to feel agitated. "I'm not an assassin any more, Ichigo."

He sighed, crossing his arms while leaning against the wall. "Suppose not. But what caused you to run off today, anyway? I thought you and Grimmjow were close."

Unease speared through me at the mention of Grimmjow. I quivered, thinking back to the way the Espada had roared at me. He was always a little hostile, but not generally with me. Today was an exception. "We are."

"What did he mean by 'it all happened because of you'?" The orangette enquired, though the question probably sounded more intrusive to me than he intended.

"It's a long story." I lowered my head, setting the bowl on the floor. "Why are you so interested?"

"No rea…" he stopped himself, and I raised my head when I came to the awareness that something was wrong. The redhead had frozen, and I traced his gaze to the window.

Thud. Crunch.

We both eavesdropped in quiet, listening to the muffled sounds coming from outside the glass.

Something was happening outside.

There were the hums and echoes of hurtling and extreme battering out there. I couldn't work out what was entailing outside, but it didn't sound good.

At first, it could have been mistaken for the booming of thunder, or the vehemence of lightning. But it wasn't the storm that was responsible. Something was definitely amiss. Those noises were not natural.

I got to my feet and inched closer to the window, peering out to investigate. I could hear a low swish as Kurosaki sashayed over too, spying from next to me.

A shady horde of people were assembled outside, standing in a circle. It took a few moments to settle in, then I gasped. I knew them. All of them.

The sounds of crunching and thwacking were coming from the apparent bodies on the floor. Corpses, many in number, were scattered piteously on the ground; their swords resting by their dismembered sides. Every body was mutilated, sliced and torn, in ways that only the Assassins could do. I couldn't believe what I was seeing – a pile of lifeless Samurai bodies, and Assassins standing around them.

One of the figures from the circle strode forward, footsteps cascading through pools of crimson liquid.

I gulped.

She stood on one of the carcasses, finishing off the last target. "Weakling."

I twisted away from the window. The group of Assassins were fairly distant from the window where myself and Ichigo had been watching, but I didn't like being close to the scene of slaughter. An unsettling numbness triggered through my body, and my heart skipped a beat. I was afraid.

Questions raced through my mind. Why were Assassins here? Only Byakuya, Sui Feng and Ulquiorra had shown today. Had they secretly brought a squad here with them? Were they planning an assault? An assassination?

No, there are too many assassins for a single assassination, I thought. Something big is happening.

When I raked my attention back to the scene outside the window, I saw that the gang of Assassins were beginning to disperse. They were sheltered by the blackness of the shadows looming from the palace of Los Noches, which was why none of the Samurai had probably detected them yet. Well, other than the unfortunate souls lying dead.

"We need to alert everyone," Ichigo breathed, ducking his head from the window so as not to be seen.

I thought about the bodies lying in puddles of red back there. There was going to be a lot more of them, if we didn't do something.

"Is Renji on night patrol still? You can go alert him," I suggested, trying to think of something rational.

Ichigo gave a nod. He was about to hurry off.

Then what came next was like a shockwave. It came as a bombshell to both of us, swiping us off our feet.

There was an explosion, venting from the wall where the window was. The whistling of shattered glass sang through the air, piercing my ears, drowning out everything else. The force of the blast charged the air with gusts of ruthless wind, splintering the furniture into innumerable fragments, parts of window pane and dismantled brick smashing into my face. I lost sight of Ichigo.

After the wave of demolition, the room was nothing more than a ruin. Dust and debris circulated the air, muddying my vision. I could only see wreckage.

As if the first explosion wasn't enough, there then came another one, though this one wasn't aimed at us. I heard it from further away, somewhere in the corridors skirting my room, or where the corridors would have been. The detonation blustered more wreckage my way, most of which was heavy bricks and crystals of bloodied glass.

I cried out as shards of glass rutted into my skin, cutting my flesh like clamours of tiny teeth. Fuck that hurts. Bracing myself, I rallied up the strength to pull myself up, but only just.

From where the doorway would have been, I saw someone surface, which seemed to be Ichigo. He was smothered in glass, blood stained, clothes tattered. He wasn't recognisable if not for the orange hair, though that was tarnished red too.

Then someone else appeared, soaring into Ichigo and pummelling him back into the rubble again. It all happened so fast.

Ichigo coughed up crimson, squirming there. "What're you…"

His speech seemed to invite her temper, because then she punched him a second time, inducing a brusque groan from him. "Where is Eve?" she demanded.

I struggled desperately to retain balance. My whole body was throbbing. How I was standing, I didn't know.

The assassin seized Ichigo by the scruff, murderous intent rampant in her grey predator eyes. For a petite woman, she was one hell of a threatening foe. She had her other fist aimed at Ichigo's dripping face, ready to employ a third clout.

"Don't!" I shouted. "Don't touch him."

The woman lashed round to face me. It was Sui Feng. She dropped Ichigo, who gripped his bleeding face, or what was left of it. The moment she began walking over, it plucked terror in me. I was going to end up worse than the redhead when she was done.

"So you finally show your worthless little face," she taunted, glaring at me in distaste.

I tried not to wince as I scrubbed scraps of glass from my sleeves, impaling an insolent set of blue eyes on my long-time rival. "Can't say I'm happy to see your face."

She was just inches away now. I hoped that she wouldn't strike. I was still lurching from the blast, but had I been at full strength, I could have taken her on right now.

Sui Feng scowled. "Tell me, what it is like abandoning us? Do they feel like a new family to you? I just don't get the appeal."

I didn't answer her. Surely she knew the real reason I was here. I was merely a convict. Or criminal, as I had been reckoned recently. I had abandoned the Assassins for other reasons, and she knew that.

"Not going to answer, hm?" Sui Feng extended out her hand to stab into my stomach, performing at frighteningly precise speed.

I had anticipated it, though. I was slow-moving like this, but I could read the girl like a book. After all, we were both trained under the same sensei. We knew one another's moves.

I met her wrist with my hand, snatching it decisively to halt her blow. We were in exactly the same position we had been earlier today, caught in a difficult standstill, on par with one another and intertwined.

You are fast Sui Feng, but predictable, I thought. I only had the upper hand here solely because I knew her techniques, but anything unforeseen and the tables would turn. Besides, in my encumbering condition, I was barely able to contest.

Furious that I had barred her attack, her darkening scowl deepened. "You're going to die, Eve. I'll give your regards to Ulquiorra…" she whispered, using her free hand to bash a hit into my jaw, the same jaw Nniotra had already battered.

I shrieked deafeningly. The bitch just had to hit my jaw out of everything. "Goddamn…"

Thumping my jaw once wasn't enough. I could see Sui Feng was loving this, knowing now that this was a fragile body part, and so she was going to take advantage of it. She was going to hit again. I knew this because it was the second lesson Ulquiorra had taught us – to hit the weak spot.

I slumped to the floor now, incapable of suppressing the agony. My legs buckled, and I malformed. Sui Feng was about to advance on me, but we were interrupted by approaching figures.

From the veil of hazy dust emerged four people. I knew all of them right away. At first I had feared it may be Assassins, but relief swallowed me when I saw that Grimmjow was among them, along with the superiors, Aizen and Gin, and Unohana there too. It was a bizarre group, but a group of people I most wanted to see.

Sui Feng took a pace back, now knowing that she was outmatched. I couldn't help but smirk at how her confidence shrivelled in the presence of the Samurai.

Where will you run now?

She stood there, running away being ineffective. Her frown distorted into horror. The assassin couldn't do anything. She was trapped.

Then, the man I most expected not to act came forward. He moved with an immense grace that equalled even that of the Assassins, or in fact, exceeded it. I had never seen a man move with such quickness, such precision. Aizen swooped forward like an eagle on its prey, gouging a hand through her heart, point blank.

I watched as Sui Feng's eyes dulled, and Aizen removed his hand, letting her defeated body plunge into the rubble. The assassin lay there, deadened, a splay of gory tendrils dangling from her heart, where Aizen had forked a clean hole square through her chest. She was dead. Just like that.

It was then that I had witnessed the harrowing power of the leader of the Samurai. Aizen was not to be meddled with. He had just killed Sui Feng. Sui Feng.

Aizen looked at his hand in revulsion, as if it was tainted by having blood on it. Then he looked at Sui Feng's carcass. "She is disposed of. Gin, will you take over?"

The silver haired Samurai dipped his head. "My pleasure."

Aizen coasted away down the corridors, strolling over the wreckage as if it was nothing. He vanished within seconds, his portentous aura fading with him. I was astonished.

Unohana darted over to Ichigo, who was a derisible mess in the glass and debris. Gin loomed over Sui Feng's corpse, inspecting her body as if it was a museum artefact. Meanwhile, a certain blue haired man ambled over to me, crouching down by my side.

"The bitch messed you up pretty bad," he mused. "Too bad I wasn't here."

I slinked over to Grimmjow, leaning against him for support. I couldn't stand, so I would have to sit against something, which was now going to be Grimmjow.

"Yeah, well, that's what I get for previously being Ulquiorra's student. I couldn't even breathe near him without her getting between us."

Jeagerjaques ran a hand through his mane of short blue hair, his frontal bangs flicking back into place when he withdrew his hand. "Ulquiorra didn't know she was here. Aizen says it was an independent assault."

I rested my head on Grimmjow's rib, inclining into him. "She did this all herself?"

"It was her an' four others."

"Did they escape?"

"They're dead."

I shut my eyes, the soreness in my body receding as I relaxed against the bluenette. He tensed as I leant against him, but it wasn't from the contact, it was because he noticed the scar lining along my abdomen.

"You reopened it," he said.

There were crusted layers of dried blood along the blemish. It had happened during the explosion, I guessed, likely due to the glass teething into it when the window imploded. Either way, I didn't care. It was a scar now. Nothing I could do.

He outstretched a hand, and I juddered, not used to his touch. He ignored my flinching. The subtle tips of his fingers fondled over the glass wedged in the scar, outlining the damage. He burnished his fingers over my stomach, in a way that was almost soothing.

"Don't," I said, when I felt him brush one of the glass fragments. It was sensitive.

Grimmjow pulled his hand away. "Sooner or later you'll have to get it sorted, y'know. Glass an' all."

"Hmph."

I could feel the Espada's stare burn into me. He was probably feeling guilt-ridden for the way he'd affronted me this morning, and he probably felt even guiltier now looking at my scar. He wasn't showing it, though. The Espada wasn't much for enlightening his feelings to anyone.

"What I said this mornin' Eve," he spoke, voice low. "I didn't mean it."

I knew it had taken great effort for him to say that. He had probably been thinking it all day. This was the equivalent of an apology.

I rested my attention on his confound of blue hair, messed by his hands. The blue trusses were flattened down, and I hated it like that. He could never leave his damn hair alone.

Almost impulsively, I reached out my hand, compelled to rearrange the blue mess. He twitched, but allowed me to push it back into shape. "I know you didn't," I said, kneading my fingers through his blue hair. "You were right, though. This has all happened because of me."

When I finished readjusting his hair, he frowned. "It ain't because of you," he retorted, about to say something else, but then we were interposed by someone hastening over.

It was Unohana. The nurse was speckled with flecks of blood, most of which I assumed was Ichigo's, carrying a white case. She examined me in my blood-shod state, and crouched down beside me and Grimmjow, turning to the bluenette.

"I think I'll take over here, Grimmjow."

The Espada opened his mouth to say something, but then, after foraging his eyes back over my reddened abdomen, he approved and stood up. He walked away. I silently wished that he wouldn't have to leave, but I understood that Unohana needed her space.

I instead found something else to lean against, which was a layer of wreckage. The nurse went underway on concocting some sort of treatment, fumbling through a medical kit, while I just sat there, staring at the unruly scene around us.

Sui Feng's explosions had left this section of Los Noches in a terrible state. The threshold had given way completely, with stone and glass dotted everywhere, the carcasses of ill-fated Samurai strung up amongst the occasional mound of brick. The storming night skies only made it feel more frantic. Everything was in shambles. It was a nightmarish sight.

Unohana applied some sort of liquid into my wounds. I very badly wanted to yelp, but I pursed my lips shut to prevent myself from grousing, knowing that my cooperation was the only way to get this over with.

"Is Ichigo okay?" I asked.

"He should be fine."

She paused to fetch out something else now. I didn't like the look of whatever it was. Some kind of metal tweezers or prongs. It was fatally sharp, and it seemed to be more pain-inflicting than pain-curing. I didn't like it.

"Now hold absolutely still, Eve. We need to remove the glass."

The thunder wasn't the only thing echoing that night.

.IIIII.

"Now for lesson four. You must never take up any offer anyone makes you."

"An offer? Like what?"

"The enemy may offer to let you join them, for example."

.IIIIII.

I limped up to Aizen's hall. The insanely large doors were already open this time, so they were expecting me. At least the Samurai's precious hall hadn't been destroyed, which I suppose was a good thing. Not all of Los Noches had been jumbled to bricks, then.

When I reached the top end of the red carpet where the throne was, I didn't see the man I was expecting.

"Hello. You made it here, I see."

"Where's Aizen? I was told to come here so I could speak with him."

His eyelids were squinted shut, and he had that same uncanny expression he always had, as if he knew something I didn't. Gin was a peculiar man. "That would be Lord Aizen to you, don't you think?" He cleared his throat. "It appears he is busy, so he asked me to pass on a message."

"I'm listening."

"He wants you to become a Samurai."

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