JC: I had this done like three days ago but couldn't update it since there were problems with my Net and FF. Now with the problems fixed, I present you Chapter 04. We met the Mad Hatter in the previous chapter and got some info about the races of the world. Orihime is an Angelice, a child born from a Soulence (ordinary being) and a Metherlance (god-like being), and she's been hailed as the Princess of Hibiscus Shield. In this chapter, you're gonna get a bit of UlquiHime moment and training session with Urahara and Ururu.
Additional Note: I've updated another Promotional Art for Angelice. The link is in my profile or you could just directly visit my DeviantArt page. My username there is jczala. The art is UlquiHime centric.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Bleach. Tite Kubo has that right. Various themes in this story is inspired by fairy tales and Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.
Angelice
Chapter 04: You've lost your Muchness
Orihime clutched onto Ulquiorra as Ururu almost struck her down with a deadly drop kick from above. She was completely torn between feeling awed and frightened by Ururu's strength. Who would have guessed that a young and sad-looking girl like Ururu could be so insanely strong? And why was she forced to fight Ururu anyway? She specifically remembered not agreeing to this, but sadly her pleas were ignored and Urahara was all enthusiastic about training her. Why must she undergo all of this? Were they truly sure she was their savior? She could just laugh at the thought of her holding a katana.
Ulquiorra was reprimanding her about her uselessness, making her feel worse than she already was. He was brutally frank with her, not once sparing a word of encouragement.
He carefully shoved her away from him, looking into her eyes with a gaze that can kill.
Orihime lowered her head and fidgeted with her skirt. "I'm sorry…" she said.
"Orihime-san, you have to put your heart into this," Urahara said, sitting casually on top of a huge boulder while fanning himself.
It was not like her to be pessimistic, but she could not possible meet their expectations. It was too much for an inexperienced girl like her. "I'm not fighting anyone," she said, looking up at Urahara. "I don't fight. So, please..."
Urahara grimaced. "You don't say?" he said, jumping off the rock. He landed in front of Orihime and kept his head low. "I guess this world has no hope after all." He sighed and walked away.
Astonished, Orihime ran after him. "Please wait, Urahara-san!" she called. "Please understand that I am unfit to be this world's hope."
The man whirled around and stared at her. "Orihime-san, I don't think you understand the position you're in right now." His voice sounded dangerous.
"I could not fight even if I wanted to," she muttered with a guilty look on her face.
"Where is the brave little girl I once knew?" Urahara said in a disappointed and mocking tone. "Your eyes don't have the same shimmer as before. Oh well… Come on, Ururu." He walked away again, with Ururu following suit.
She was speechless. Just what did Urahara mean? Did he once meet her when she was a child? She could not be certain.
Urahara and Ururu were long gone when she decided she had to apologize for letting him down. But can he really blame her for refusing? Everything was so puzzling. Now even her own identity was questionable. It was strange how Urahara and the cat seemed familiar with her, and Ulquiorra was certain that she was the owner of the Shun Shun Rikka.
"This is a burden you must shoulder," Ulquiorra told her.
She turned around to face him. "A burden that was forced upon me," she said. "Ulquiorra-san, if I must really do this, then I must learn more about the history of this farce. Please tell me what the Hollow King has done."
He lifted a hand to his left eye and pulled out his eyeball.
Orihime gasped in surprise, involuntary stepping back in fear. But Ulquiorra's free hand shot out and took hold of hers. "Be still," he told her. "I will show you everything." With that, he crushed his eyeball.
Small glittering particles scattered around Orihime. At that moment, her surroundings started to change. Before she knew it, she found herself in a large town with lively people celebrating a festival. Children and adults, warriors and merchants—all were in such a festive mood. Then she saw men clad in black robes underneath a white haori, riding horses as they paraded through the streets. Amongst these men was a woman of peerless beauty, riding on a pure white horse. Her long elegant kimono flowed behind her. She had such kind, gentle blue eyes, and long black hair that seemed so smooth.
In the center of the town square, she saw a dark-skinned woman with short dark hair, clad in black robes and a haori, kneeling down to honor the woman on the white horse. At this point, Orihime realized she was the Divine Queen.
Ulquiorra closed his eyes for an instant. "This is the day when darkness loomed over the land."
Tremor struck the hearts of people as black, insect wings blocked out the sun. It was a creature of grotesque proportions, like a large insect with a white mask, bulging eyes, sharp teeth, and menacing claws. This creature was built for destruction and killing.
The queen's bodyguards fought to defend the people. Large amount of spirit energy from the beast blazed over them, taking innocent lives in the process. Screams broke out as everyone ran in panic. The Queen engaged into battle, fighting lesser creatures that stormed the town. It was chaos everywhere.
"Aizen will appear…" Ulquiorra said.
Just then, Sousuke Aizen descended upon the queen and knocked her off the horse. Orihime was perplexed. The man known as the enemy of this world had such a kind-looking eyes behind the glasses. He wore a black robe, the same attire as the bodyguards were wearing, and had wavy brown hair.
Using a binding spell, he locked the queen in place, immobilizing her. Before the final strike was done, the dark-skinned woman blocked Aizen's sword with small sword and used a powerful blast of spiritual pressure to blow the man away. However, Aizen simply blocked the warrior's attack and knocked her up with one swing of the blade.
Orihime clamped her mouth in response. "No…"
Aizen then proceeded in slashing her shoulder and threw her to the wall.
Orihime wasn't so sure if she could keep watching. The man was cruel and vicious, not once did he show any mercy towards his opponents. And this was the man she was supposed to fight?
Snapping back into reality, Orihime suddenly felt weak on her knees and leaned on Ulquiorra for support. "For such a thing to happen…to the people and to that town…" She pulled away from him and lowered her gaze to the ground. "I'm truly sorry."
"The story is far from over, woman," Ulquiorra said, and she simply shook her head. "I see…You cannot bear seeing such turmoil and bloodshed, am I right?"
Orihime bit her lower lip and nodded. "I'm not used to seeing such violence." She balled her trembling hands into fists and looked straight into his green eyes. "But Aizen must be stopped! I'm going to lend you whatever help I can give. I have to admit that I'm still afraid, but I have to swallow my fears. If such a man is allowed to roam this world, then there will be no end to the suffering. It's not in my nature to fight, but I cannot stand people getting hurt."
"Will you stay true to your words?" Ulquiorra questioned.
"I can't guarantee anything, but I will help," she replied firmly.
"That's so great!" Urahara exclaimed who instantly appeared behind her back, making her jump towards Ulquiorra in fright. "Now those are the eyes I was talking about! You really are the Orihime-san I once knew."
Orihime was still holding a hand to her chest due to the earlier shock. "Um…About that…I've been meaning to ask you—"
"Ururu, you may start the training now!" Urahara called out, and Orihime paled immediately.
In no less than a second, Ururu came down from the sky. "Wait, I'm not prepared yet!" She yelped as she jumped out of the way. "Please, you don't have to be so brutal. I'm a complete beginner!" Ururu started assaulting her with punches and kicks, and Orihime, for some reason, was doing well evading the attacks.
Urahara chuckled as he crossed his arms. "Looks like it's coming back to her little by little," he said cheerfully. "You know, I have to thank you for this. You brought back her confidence."
Ulquiorra shrugged. "I merely showed her a bit of the past. There was nothing special about it."
Orihime almost tripped after dodging another one of Ururu's lethal punches. I'm not sure how, but I can somehow read her movements. She ducked to avoid a roundhouse kick and jumped over a rock. I can't dodge her forever. I need to attack. But can I really fight such a little girl? She leaped away before Ururu destroyed the rock behind her. What is the purpose of this training anyway? Is it to improve my combat abilities? Or is it something else?
Finally catching her off guard, Ururu kicked her on the side, sending her flying across the field. Orihime landed roughly on the ground, scraping both her knees and elbows.
"Oh, that's gotta hurt," Urahara said.
"Do you find pleasure in the pain of others?" Ulquiorra said, prompting the happy-go-lucky man to feign innocence with a smile. "Do not patronize me, Urahara Kisuke, and I cannot have you disrespect the princess."
Lifting a fan over his mouth, Urahara chuckled. "You act so coldly in front of her, yet when she's not around, you're very protective. It seems like old feelings are hard to get rid of." He patted Ulquiorra's shoulder. "It's such a shame that the princess does not remember you."
Green eyes glared straight into the man's soul. "May I remind you that her memories are as vague as the mists that haunt the forests at night? Her spiritual pressure has yet to be completely unsealed. However, her fighting prowess is returning and she herself is wondering how she came to possess it." He brushed the hand off his shoulder and took a few steps forward. "It's been far too long. The people of this world wishes to experience the joys of peace once more."
The woman got back up on her feet once more, and Ururu proceeded to attack. This time, however, the woman was able to block the punch with her own hand. It was a rather impressive display, and Ulquiorra could see the determination in her silver orbs. She was not afraid to take challenge now. Little by little, she was returning.
"Sorry for doing this, Ururu-chan," Orihime said, launching a straight punch at the girl's face, whipping her head back.
Ururu's hands quickly shot to the side of her face as she staggered backward. Her whole body froze in a state of shock.
"Uh-oh…" Urahara muttered. "This isn't good. Better get in there, Ulquiorra-san, or else the princess is going to have a cracked skull."
Ulquiorra raised a brow. "And what good will it bring to put a halt to her training now?"
"Ururu is no ordinary girl and now that she's been hit, well…Let's just say that things are going to get real ugly," Urahara explained in a sing-song manner.
Orihime stared questionably at Ururu, who seemed to have stopped moving. Did she punch the girl so hard to leave her in such a state? "Um…Ururu-chan, I'm really sorry for hitting you," she said. "Ururu-chan?" She was worried. What if she really hurt the little girl?
Ururu raised her head, and Orihime saw the blank expression on her face. It was like she was possessed or something. Worried as she was, Orihime felt the need to fear the girl more. She was sensing a dangerous aura flowing. Then in a blink of an eye, Ururu disappeared and reappeared behind her, swinging her leg straight at her back. She was sent wide across the field, straight towards a boulder. Before she hit the mark, Ururu appeared to kick her like a ball. Closing her eyes, Orihime prepared for the worse. She could see it now—broken bones, scrapes, injuries, and the redness of blood. It was going to come. However, in a heartbeat's moment, she felt strange warmth enveloping her body. She opened her eyes once more and found herself staring into cold, green eyes. She then realized she was being carried by Ulquiorra.
"We made it just in time." It was Urahara's voice.
Confused and utterly surprised, Orihime took a moment to look at the current situation and understood what happened. Ururu's attack never came because Urahara intercepted the kick with his hand. And her mid-flight had ceased because Ulquiorra caught her. It was rather unbelievable how Urahara and Ulquiorra were able to react so quickly.
"I-I…I must eliminate target," Ururu muttered, pressing her strength forward. "Eliminate…Eliminate." She was chanting like some kind of mechanical robot.
Urahara sighed and pressed her leg down. "It's all right now. You don't need to eliminate anyone." There was a negative response from Ururu, so quickly he pulled her into his embrace. "There's no need to fight. Your job is done."
"W-What is the matter with her, Urahara-san?" Orihime asked.
"Tessai-san," Urahara called, and the bearded muscled-man appeared right beside him. "Please take Ururu inside. She needs some rest." There was mild sadness noted in his tone.
"Right away, sir," Tessai responded, gathering Ururu into his strong arms. The girl's expression remained blank.
When Tessai went away, Urahara faced Orihime, tipped off his hat, and bowed down. "My sincerest apology, Orihime-san," he said, "I never expected you to be able to activate Ururu's Genocide Mode. As you have just witnessed, Ururu is not your average little girl. She possesses abilities which far exceed that of that a Soulence. She becomes a savage killing machine whenever she feels a threat to her life, especially if her opponents possess immense Spiritual Pressure."
Orihime swallowed. "And how did I become a threat to her? All I did was punch the girl."
Urahara straightened and put on his hat again. "That all it took to activate her Genocide Mode. When you punched her, you also released a little amount of Spiritual Pressure. The spiritual power lying dormant inside you is slowly reviving. As the Angelice, your Spiritual Pressure is uniquely different from the rest of us and can be considered as dangerous."
Silver eyes grew as wide as saucers. "Dangerous? But that's—" Pain lurched from her chest. She brought a hand immediately to her mouth as she coughed violently. Then when she felt something warm and fresh in the palm of her hand, she gazed at it only to see her own blood. "W-What…?"
"You've taken damage," Ulquiorra stated. "You need to rest."
"Ururu really kicked you hard," Urahara commented.
Tension ripped through the air the instant Ulquiorra's grip on her shoulder became tighter. She winced slightly at this but did not make any sound. She could somehow felt anger coming from Ulquiorra, though his face remained emotionless. Was he really angry? Or just irritated? But for what reason? Ignoring the pain of her body, she glanced back at the blonde man who had nothing but regret in his eyes. Yet the regret was hidden under his happy-go-lucky smile. Orihime had to wonder why these people were putting so much effort in masking their true feelings and emotions as if it was normal to them.
Ulquiorra spun on one heel, pressing Orihime much firmly against his chest. It felt like he never wanted to let her go. "Urahara Kisuke, you were aware of that girl's Genocide Mode, yet you put her against the princess, who has yet to recover her spiritual powers completely. Be grateful the damage was minimal or else I would have been forced to kill that girl. You swore never to commit any mistakes again and I expect you to live up to that promise." With that, he used his speed technique to disappear from sight, along with Orihime in his arms.
When she was healed and escorted to her room, Orihime finally released the long, pent-up breath she didn't know she was holding. Her room was a simple traditional Japanese bedroom, though it was much smaller than her room back in the real world. She wondered if every single day would be as nerve-wrecking like today. Her hair felt like string, her mouth like cotton, and her heart like lead. She closed her eyes and sat down on the futon.
"What have I gotten myself into?" she said, heaving a big sigh.
She had been instructed to wash up and changed into her night clothes before dinner. It was a relief to know that a bath was prepared for her. She dressed into a white robe and gathered the needed toiletries before proceeding to the bathroom. The warm water was almost to the edge of the tub and it felt good as she dipped her hand.
"A nice bath would help clear my mind."
She took off her robe and let it fall to the floor around her feet. She let herself slowly into the tub and closed her eyes as she lay there. It didn't take long until sleep took over.
She was completely unaware of how beautiful she was, how long and slender her legs, how graceful her hips, or how tempting her breasts were. She saw none of it. She just lay there, sleeping so soundly, as her mind drifted in dreams.
Ulquiorra knew she'd been there for a long time when the water had grown cold. How careless she was to leave the door unlocked while she bathed. Does she not realize how vulnerable she was?
Walking with the soundless grace of a cat, he reached out to her and touched the side of her face. He traced a finger down to her neck. She had very soft and smooth skin, and he could feel the warmth coming from her.
He withdrew his hand as soon as she stirred in her sleep. A soft moan escaped from her slightly parted lips. How long was she going to sleep? There was a probability that she could drown in the tub, and she was his responsibility.
Gripping her upper arm, he dug his fingernails into her skin until the pain jarred her eyes wide open. Before she could even look at him, he pulled her out of the water forcefully yet careful enough not to harm her.
"Ul-Ulquiorra-san?" she gasped, looking into his green eyes. She now stood before him, cold, confused, and naked. Naked? Her eyes grew as wide as saucers. "Don't look at me!" She struggled to pull away from his grasp, trying her best to cover herself up with her arms. His grip was tight around her arm. His nails were grazing her skin. But she did not care if it would leave a mark.
"Cease this useless struggle, woman." His voice was monotone, his eyes distant. "I have no interest in your body." No interest? He was clearly mocking himself.
But she continued to squirm under his eyes. "Let me go! Please!" When he finally released her, her clumsiness made her slip backward.
"What a foolish woman." His voice was calm and cold as he caught her and held her up.
"I-I'm sorry…" she said dizzily. Her cheeks were flushed pink, giving her delicate face more distinction.
"Dry yourself and get dressed," he said, turning on his heel and starting toward the door. "Your dinner is ready." After that he left her alone in the bathroom.
She surged to her feet, drowning her face in the water, feeling disgusted with herself for being so defenseless. She lifted her head to take a breath of air. Ulquiorra had seen her body. He was the first man to ever do so, and she felt so ashamed that it had to be someone she barely knew.
She dried herself off, and put on the attire that was hanging in the closet of her room. It was a beautiful nightdress made of fine silk, designed with laces, spaghetti straps, and a flowing skirt that failed to cover her legs up to her knees. The length was surely inconvenient for her. Still she had no choice. When she was all dressed, she turned around and gasped. He was standing there, looking at her with those cold eyes.
"Your meal is ready. Now eat."
"When did you get here?" Her voice staggered. "Ah! Don't tell me you were watching me dress? First the bathroom and now this?" Her face was red all over. Her emotions were a mix of anger and embarrassment.
"You jump to conclusions so quickly," he told her. "I arrived here when you had finished dressing. And if you'd rather not have eyes looking at you, I'd suggest you lock the door next time."
She puffed up her cheeks in a childish way. "Ulquiorra-san, I'm starting to wonder if you are a per—"
"It's time for dinner. I suggest you stop talking and start eating, woman."
The tray of food was on the table situated in one corner of the room.
She was in no mood to eat. She'd normally enjoy eating more than her own weight, but the entire situation simply crossed out her appetite. However, she knew too well that she was in no position to refuse.
"Do not make me repeat myself, woman."
She looked away, not daring to challenge him with her own eyes. She still couldn't get use to his coldness, and she wondered if she ever will.
The next day, an hour after breakfast, Orihime resumed her combat training. This time her sparring partner was none other than Kisuke Urahara himself. Indeed the man was agile and fierce. He executed his moves and swung his sword with unbelievable precision. Orihime could sense it in her blood that this man was made to kill. He may appear laid back and cheerful, but there were instances she could see the killing intent in his eyes. She found it more amazing that she was able to dodge every single one of his attacks. For some reason she could predict his movements.
"Is dodging the only thing you can do, Orihime-san?" Urahara told her, swinging his blade from above.
Orihime dodged it swiftly and jumped far away. "I have no means of attacking you," she said, and Urahara used his speed to move up close and attempted to slash her arm. But Orihime simply dodged it and ran as far as she could.
Urahara sighed and tapped the back of the sword on this shoulder. "Remember, this training isn't about combat strength," he explained. "This is all about using your powers. I'll keep on attacking you unless you use the Shun Shun Rikka."
From the very beginning she had tried so hard to use her powers again. She had called out the names of her fairies and chanted the kotodama. But not one of them came to her aid. She can't help but wonder why. Maybe she wasn't the Princess of the Hibiscus Shield after all? What happened before may be just a fluke.
"You're hesitating again, Orihime-san," Urahara said. "I thought you've already decided upon this. Why are you still questioning yourself?"
Her inability to summon her fairy-like creatures was taking a toll on her confidence. She recited the kotodama correctly, but they just won't appear. "I want to help this world… I want to learn more about my power, if it really is my power. I don't know why I can't summon them anymore."
"While your wasting time here, a lot of people are dying," Ulquiorra said, walking up to her, hands inside the pockets of his hakama as usual. Refusing to make eye contact, Orihime kept her head low. "You are the only one who can save this world, Inoue Orihime. You have the power to make a difference. Get rid of those questions in your mind and put your abilities to use. We have little time, including the time to think this over."
Orihime clenched her hands. "It's not that I want to fight…but I do want to protect the people of this world." She remembered the atrocity of the past Ulquiorra showed her and felt a pang of sadness and despair for the people who died. It was strange how she felt overwhelming compassion towards people who were not even of the same world as her. Her heart felt their pain. She closed her eyes and brought a hand to her chest. In order to protect the people, I must fight. It was my careless actions that brought upon my brother's demise. He protected me because he had the strength to do so and died an honorable death. Now that I have powers, it's my turn to protect.
Both hairpins gave out a remarkable sparkle for an instant that didn't go unnoticed by Urahara and Ulquiorra.
"Her spiritual pressure…" Lips curving into a smirk, Urahara raised his sword high. "Looks like things are gonna get serious. I might as well kick it up a notch."
As Orihime opened her eyes, both her hairpins glowed in radiant golden-orange. "Urahara-san, I will do my best for the sake of this world," she uttered.
Tipping his hat down to cover his eyes, he felt proud with the warm and amazing spiritual pressure coming from her. Become stronger, Orihime-san… He looked up at her once again and narrowed his gaze. "Awaken, Benihime!" he called out to his sword. In a matter of seconds, his sword took the form of a sleek medium-sized sword. The grip had a gentle decorative bend that ended at a crimson tassel dangling from the pommel. The crossguard was replaced with a U-shaped decoration covering the first three inches of the blade, with a flower petal design. A string was wrapped thrice around the hilt, with three-loop bow on one side and a folded paper decoration on the other. The blade was straight and slim, with a tip ending in a slanted edge.
During breakfast earlier Urahara explained to her about the Zanpakutou, the primary weapons of Soul Reapers. Each Soul Reaper carries a Zanpakutou and each is unique as the swords are both reflections of a Soul Reaper's soul and power.
With all that in mind, Orihime knew their training will become more extreme.
"Do you intend to kill her, Urahara Kisuke?" Ulquiorra questioned.
"If she's not strong enough, then she might as well be dead," Urahara said in such a carefree tone. "I can't be lenient, you know, and I'm sure you agree with me. I have to forge a savior out of her. " His blade glowed crimson red. "Scream, Benihime!" Swinging his sword horizontally in front, he fired a strong crimson-colored energy blast.
"Santen Kesshun, I reject!" Orihime recited the Kotodama with authority, and then three fairies emerged and formed a triangular shield in front of her. The blade made contact with the shield and dispersed into thin air.
"Not bad at all, Orihime-san," Urahara said, who appeared right behind her. He swung his sword immediately before she could move.
But the attack didn't reach because her shield blocked his sword in time. "Urahara-san, you sure have the habit of sneaking behind someone's back," she said, peering over right shoulder to give him a smile. "And you move with excellent stealth. You're like an assassin."
Urahara lightly chuckled and sheathed his sword. "That ends our training for today," he said. "You did well, Orihime-san."
"Thank you so much, Urahara-san," Orihime said, bowing to show her respect and sincere gratitude.
Ulquiorra twitched, sensing a disturbance in the air. He whipped his head around toward the entrance. "It seems they have returned," he said.
"They had their doubts and they're back to confirm it," Urahara replied, pulling out his fan and covering half of his face. "Ulquiorra-san, let's escort the young lady out while we still can. Tessai-san and the others will buy us some time."
The loud roar of the panther echoed through the air. Ulquiorra ceased Orihime and lifted her up bridal style. She questioned the situation, and Ulquiorra quickly told her that they had unwanted guests. No further questions were asked when Ulquiorra and Urahara began to run with the speed of a cheetah. She clung to the fabric of his uniform with all her might as the world blurred around her.
Ulquiorra and Urahara jumped over a huge boulder and went inside a tunnel, running flat out. They could see the light at the end of the tunnel straight ahead. But before they reached it, Urahara quickly spun around, taking his sword out, and conjured a hexagonal-shaped blood mist shield in front of him to block the incoming blade.
"Urahara-san!" Orihime called out, looking over Ulquiorra's shoulder.
Pulling to a halt, Ulquiorra carefully set the woman down and pulled out his sword. An enemy stood in their way, his sword pointed at them.
"We're trapped," Orihime said as a drop of sweat trickled down her face.
To be continued…
JC: It'll be a while till the other main characters will appear. I'm just starting to build a story around them as well. A Soul Reaper will confront Ulquiorra in the next chapter. It's one of the captains of the Gotei 13. Feel free to guess who it is. He's gonna take the role of the hound dog (well, similar in role no doubt). An intense, bittersweet scene between Ulquiorra and Orihime will also be highlighted in the next chapter. I hope you'll look forward to it. Let me hear your reviews! No flaming.