It was a dubious honor.

She was let go reluctantly by the group of Arrancars with a chorus of we'll miss you, following her escape out the door with Stark. He shut it with a definite bang after Lilinette's cry of, "Staaarrrkkiiieeeee!"

Again with the nickname!

"Is-is she always like that?" Rukia asked wide-eyed.

He thought a moment before answering, "yeah."

The door thudded ominously as if someone had just thrown themselves upon it. "I hear you out there, Starkie!!" came from the other side.

"Uh—maybe we should get going?"

"I agree," he said, eyeing the door like it was going to suddenly come alive and glomp him. Which was entirely what Lilinette wanted to do.

~~~*~~~

"Who is…who are we to dine with?" it was phrased as an innocent question but Rukia's motives were entirely selfish. If she could just find out the strengths and names of Aizen's army…

"Okay…there are ten of us present. Aizen won't join us neither director general Tosen or Ichimaru. Creep…" Stark muttered, never breaking his easy stride and most importantly not seeming to realize her ulterior motives weren't based on idle curiosity. He continued, "don't talk to Barragan. He's been trying to supplant me for years and he's a crotchety old man besides. Halibel-eh," he shrugged noncommittally, "-she's pretty quiet. Doesn't say much beyond speaking with her three fraccion, Mila-rose, Sun-Sun and Apache. You probably saw them," he paused and she nodded; so Halibel was the third Arrancar with three little helpers. Just great. Soul society is doomed. Especially with Apache's horrid fashion sense! Ick!

"Is something the matter?" Stark peered into her face, she had stopped walking and had been standing in the hallway with her eyes closed, grimacing at the plethora of thoughts being primarily of…Apache and the SWA getting together. Ye Gods.

"Uh—" startled by his sudden proximity-height difference notwithstanding-Rukia twisted back and found herself falling. "Whoa easy there…" he had vanished and reappeared behind her, catching her by the shoulders and breaking her fall.

"Are you okay?" he was looking down into her face, his gray eyes looking straight into hers.

"Uh—um—yeah. Thanks I guess," the minute the words left her mouth, the voice that was her pride snarled at her. You sound like a blabbering idiot! Stuttering just because his—

'I did not!'

--eyes are a lovely shade of gray before a storm.

Rukia stepped away. "It's alright," he shrugged, finding himself a little surprised at being thanked at all. "Shall we go?" he asked when she made no move. "Yeah. Continue on with what you were saying before," she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, shyly glancing at him to see him scratching in-a-not-so-polite area.

She looked away quickly; that was something she hadn't needed to see.

"Ulquiorra is emo," he said flatly, "Nnoitra a perv, Grimmjow a psychotic…kitty."

That's…six…? Wait…Kitty?!

"Zommari is…another quiet creep, also Szayel is a mad scientist. So stay away from him unless you want to hear about dissecting Hollows throughout dinner." Seeing her vigorously shake her head, he was relieved; she didn't have a morbid fetish. Losing his train of thought briefly, Stark wondered a little at why he was so curious about aspects with her personality. It wasn't like him!

"Um…and Aaroniero usually looks like a fish tank normally, so don't stare, it's not polite."

Who was he to warn her about manners?

Scratching at his *bleep* in front of a lady!

And keep doing it!

"And just…Yammy. He's brainless but hangs around Ulquiorra a lot. I'm not sure why he puts up with him. Considering how many times he's called him trash, before. Oh! And her."

"Who's her?"

"Neliel Tu Oderschvank. She was formerly the Tercera Espada until Nnoitra and Szayel played a trick on her and reverted her back to a child-like form. Only recently she was brought back to Las Noches. Szayel managed to change her into her adult-form as reconciliation. They're kind of friends now but Nnoitra, she despises and the feeling's mutual. Unofficially she's a member of the Espada, but otherwise she sort of has to earn her way in again. She's the one who cooks for us."

Interesting…as long as she wasn't another Orihime.

But still…what DID Hollows eat?

~~~*~~~

All too soon they arrived at the door leading to dining hall B. Yawning, Stark looked down at her, "we should have gotten you changed before coming. Oh well…" he opened the door, letting her go in first as Lilinette had done. Instantly she regretted being allowed this courtesy.

"Hey, Nel Tu, is Shinigami on the menu tonight?" called an old man-Arrancar seated at the second chair on the left of the empty head. "She wasn't brought here to be eaten, Barragan." Answered the green-eyed from before. Barragan snarled into his water glass, "I don't remember asking you anything, Schiffer. And I didn't hear you address me by my proper rank, now did I, Cuatro?"

What was it with them and eating HER?!

Stark ignored the rising tension, leaving her in the doorway for his chair. Rukia looked after him desperately, still feeling insecure in the room full of hungry Hollows. "I did," green eyes lied calmly, "perhaps you just didn't hear me, Segunda."

The old man's jaw clenched and he looked about ready to demand the offender's head on a silver platter. "Settle down, Barragan and be quiet like usual Ulquiorra. Oh…and sit down somewhere, Rukia." Stark ordered with somewhat less of a leader's attitude. Though it seemed to have the desired effect. Barragan kept his ill-tempered mutterings to himself, Ulquiorra stared and Rukia herself hastened to comply with her part of his order.

Except.

For one thing…

"You're welcome to sit on my lap," Stark commented, with her hesitation to leave the relative safety of the doorway.

Was he kidding?!Hell no!

She'd rather…sit over there!

Two seats were free, one between Ulquiorra and a wild teal-eyed dude with slicked back teal hair and a large piece of a jawbone on-well-his jaw. He kept smirking and stealing sips from the other's cup; probably assuming he was getting away with it. Fool. Across from them and twisting around to look at her was…a spoon. That was the first thing she associated with him.

Creeepie…

"No pressure. But. Hurry up, Rukia."

She longed to snarl shut up, but didn't know how it would go over with La Primera.

Only one other seat remained between a pink-haired guy towards the end and a pretty green-haired female who cast such a rare benevolent smile that Rukia was inclined to assume this was Neliel. She fairly flew over there, avoiding looking at the pair of males along with the perverted spoon and the rejected seat.

"Hello, you must be Rukia. I'm Neliel, as I'm sure Stark told you."

"Uh huh."

"Oh dear…your nose—it's bleeding."

What!

Instantly her hand flew up and discovered indeed a steady stream trickling out courtesy of Loly's fist. "Here," Neliel halfway rose and offered a linen napkin from a pile near her elbow. The dude with the pink hair; offered her his gloved hand when her nose had been stemmed.

"Szayel Aporro-Grantz, my dear—?"

"Um—Ru—"

"Rukia Kuchiki," Stark answered for her.

She was near to snapping when the arrival of food carts pushed by small Arrancars entered soundlessly. Immediately they began setting out plates before the members of the Espada, which some of the politer ones-few at that-complimented Neliel on her cooking but more still whispered laments about the delectable Shinigami going to waste a few chairs down.

Damn them.

Rukia glared as much as she could then turned her attention to the large white bowl of mildly steaming…soup? Stew? Given to her by a servant. The broth was a rich brown and thick like a pot of Nabe. Unidentifiable veggies floated near her spoon along with chunks of…meat?

Rukia picked up her spoon hesitantly, hearing the slurps of ruder occupants. Her eyes went up to meet Neliel's expectant gaze, a happy smile ready to shine forth. She was scared and ashamed of it. But…it didn't smell bad, she thought, sniffing it critically. In fact it…smelled rather good.

Her gut grumbled faintly, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since early morning in Seireitei.

"Try it," Neliel encouraged, "I do so hope you'll like it."

Rukia smiled a little, then lifted a spoonful of the stew to her mouth, only, pausing once at the most unattractive sound of a bone being crunched by the wide jaws of the huge Arrancar that had accompanied Ulquiorra earlier in the hallway incident.

Was that…

She watched him pick his teeth clear of bone fragments, Szayel grimacing at such poor table manners. Metal chinked against the ceramic bowl side, the spoon unearthing a tiny hooked claw that looked suspiciously familiar. The Arrancar looked excited at such a find, for he muttered something like, "que suerte!"

…a piece of Hollow?

"Um…Neliel…?"

"Yes?"

"Just what is in this stew that you made?"

The former Tercera brightened, "roasted Shrieker Hollow with a thick roux gravy surrounded by baby heartless of palms vegetables and russet potatoes from the world of the living."

One look at Szayel downing heartily and need it be said quite happily a mouthful of Hollow stew, had Rukia nearly swooning. Another look up the table and seeing Stark eating lazily as well…well…

That and:

"Eat up." Her spoon had been taken from her and rested a quarter of an inch away from its destination, a tiny bristly/hairy piece of brownish meat staring her in the face.

It was too much.

She fainted dead away.

~~~*~~~

AN: thank you and reviews are appreciated.