A/N: I'm freeeee! The semester's over! And lookie, another long chapter. I had so much trouble with this one... I'm just glad I managed to finish it.
I'm glad you guys thought everyone—Orihime, in particular—was in character. XD ... After all, my friends say I'm like her in real life. The original AIM conversation went—and I quote:
FRIEND 1: THAT'S IT. YOU'RE ORIHIME.
FRIEND 2: Lololol. Yessss.
FRIEND 1: FUCKIN' EMO DITZ.
ME: :(
I love my friends. T.T ... But yeah, so that might attribute to why my Orihime is on-point. Lol.
Special thanks to my friend Yukimu, who helped me create names... you'll see what I mean. :D The meanings will also be explained after the chapter. Oh, and I should point out that the story, as of this chapter takes place, I guess, within the first half February. Why? Well... you'll see in an upcoming chapter. :D
Okay, Document Manager is pissing me off. There's even more shit I can't do in regards to punctuation/formatting. Sometimes it looks better when you use a ? and a ! next to each other when someone is screaming an inquiry or something. WTF.
. .
DISCLAIMER: Bleach and its characters belong to Tite Kubo, Shounen Jump, etc. Songs involved belong to those who rightfully apply; not me. Everything is only used for non-commercial purposes.
Listen while you read: "T'en Vas Pas" by Elsa; "Be Still" by Kaskade
[04] T'en Vas Pas
- { don't go away } -
The day finally came.
A few days after the humans were sent back home, Renji, Toushiro, and Rangiku all returned to Soul Society from the humans' world, bearing news that Urahara had quickly and efficiently prepared gigai for the three new exiles. Nothing was challenging for the infamous researcher (according to him, of course).
Without a moment to spare, Ulquiorra, Grimmjow, and Tia (now dubbed the Resurrected Three) were sent to the gateway with no more than the clothes on their backs. It wasn't like they had any belongings to begin with, anyway.
Two members of the Eleventh Division familiar with the living world were to escort them through the Dangai. After noting the necessary precautions and risks of the gateway, it was time to head to Earth.
Madarame Ikkaku looked toward the three former Espadas. "Ready?" he asked them.
Ulquiorra merely looked at him, his gaze as hard as ever. The hairless shinigami rolled his eyes and took that as a yes.
Tia actually responded, nodding in the affirmative.
Grimmjow, meanwhile, folded his hands behind his head, smirking. "Che. Bring it on, Baldy."
Ikkaku gritted his teeth. "Madarame Ikkaku!" he yelled, practically screeching. "My name is Madarame Ikkaku!"
Ayasegawa Yumichika chuckled gracefully. Not a day went by without his fellow Eleventh Division member getting teased about his baldness. "Madarame-kun, if you please. We're pressed for time."
"The blue monster started it!"
"Hey! Not my fault Baldy took it so personal!"
"Because I'm not fucking bald!"
"Then what do you call your shiny-ass marble head?"
"Shaven, damn it! SHAVEN!"
Yumichika had to nearly shove the both of the hotheaded men into the entryway, using the sheathed, flat side of his zanpankutou.
Touch people less beautiful than he? Dear god, no.
- { - } -
"So, how was seeing Inoue, Rukia?" Ichigo asked, leaning back in his desk chair as the petite girl swung her legs back and forth on his bed.
Rukia raised an eyebrow at him, her legs frozen in mid-swing. "You would know better than me. I've been at home with 'Nii-sama the entire time."
"No, I mean... didn't she visit you?"
"Visit me?" she repeated bewilderedly. "Since when was she in Soul Society?"
It was his turn to be bewildered. She didn't even know? "B-But Inoue told me... that she really wanted to see you for some reason, so she went with me."
"And you believed her?" The shorter shinigami glared at him. "Baka." She sighed. "Tell me, Ichigo, why would she want to tag along if it wasn't to see me?"
"I don't know! She mentioned some shit about Unohana and ran off with Hanatarou!"
Rukia shot a wide-eyed stare at him, remembering something. "... She... went to see the Fourth Squad?" She seemed too bothered for Ichigo's taste.
The substitute shinigami stared back at her troubled expression, helplessly confused. "What does that mean?" he asked in a lowered voice, cautious.
Perhaps he shouldn't have asked. In fact, he began to absolutely regret it, because all of a sudden, he found himself face-to-face with Rukia's handy-dandy sketchbook of chicken scratches.
He felt a vein pop near his forehead. "Did you really need drawings for this story!" Ichigo yelled.
She whacked him over the head with her sketchbook. "I already prepared this ahead of time!"
He bit back a groan as he rubbed his head.
"So, 'Nii-sama came in from a captain's meeting and told me about an interesting situation. He told me this in confidentiality because of Orihime, but you told me earlier that Renji came here and said something."
"Yeah, but he snuck over here based on something he eavesdropped on..."
"Anyway." She turned the page, revealing a bear with a green yukata, kneeling before a group of thirteen other bears, who were dressed in—Ichigo guessed—shinigami garb with captain vests. He had to appreciate the detail, at least. He could somehow make out which captain was which. "Ulquiorra Cifer was found outside the Dangai and was immediately brought to Yamamoto-soutaichou's attention, namely because we are still recovering from the Central 46 massacre," Rukia explained. "Turned out Cifer had amnesia."
Ichigo grunted in understanding, leaning forward in his chair with his elbows on his knees. For the moment, he had to look like he was engrossed in Rukia's stories... crappy pictures and all.
She turned to the next page.
He swallowed, leaning his head back to create distance between himself and her next drawing. It was a giant bear head with large, green, semi-circle eyes with two tear streaks running down either side of his face. The round head of this "Ulquiorra" critter was drawn so heavily and angrily that for a minute, he thought he was seeing a drawn picture of the well from the American version of Ringu.
Rukia paid him no heed. "Apparently, Cifer only remembered one thing. He spoke up in the midst of an argument among the captains, hoping that he could see-"
Next drawing. It was a bunny (at least, what he thought was a bunny) with dark orange hair and blue asterisks for pins. Again, the head was drawn with sloppy, angry black rings.
Was she PMS-ing when she drew these or what? He wondered to himself.
"-Orihime," the waifish shinigami finished. "'Nii-sama told me that Hitsugaya-taichou was assigned to inform her. And if she wanted, go see Cifer, who was staying with the Fourth Division under Unohana-taichou's care." She frowned in thought. "I guess she agreed to go, then."
"And didn't tell me," Ichigo reasoned, recalling the way the redheaded healer acted at Urahara's shop. Afterward, the fact that Orihime went to Soul Society to specifically see Ulquiorra sank in. "Damn..."
"She lied to you?" Rukia asked, and then blinked. "Oh! By telling you she was going to see me, I take it. She probably thought you'd disapprove and make her stay here."
"Which I would've done, by the way," Ichigo muttered sourly, crossing his arms. "Inoue has no business fiddling with Espada-related things. Especially after the Winter War."
Rukia closed her sketchbook. "How did she seem to you, Ichigo?" she asked. "Was she anxious? Happy? Sad?"
"She was nervous," Ichigo sighed. "But she didn't look like she was dreading the trip to Soul Society." His eyebrow twitched. "In fact, as soon as we got to the other side, she sprinted off with Hanatarou, who was waiting for her, Rukia. Waiting. He was expecting her. Tsk."
"How about after that?"
"Inoue defended them, telling Yamamoto that they were redeemed!" Ichigo exclaimed, dismayed. "Fuck, it was implied that Orihime was the one who brought them back, and Old-Man-and-the-Sea almost didn't keep his mouth shut about everything else!"
"You mean about...?" she interjected inquiringly, purposely not finishing her sentence.
"Yes," he replied in a quieter tone.
A silence befell the pair.
"So," Rukia spoke up, filling in the silence, "I heard that the Espadas will be sent here on exile." She didn't seem to like that idea, and Ichigo understood why. What Genryuusai "sentenced" the former Hollows with was pretty light, especially for the Gotei 13. "I imagine Orihime must be happy for them, especially Cifer."
The orange-haired boy chuckled bitterly. "She practically danced out of the First Division barracks."
Her violet orbs widened with interest. "That only proves the attachment theory."
"Mm..." he grumbled in affirmation. This was great. The group's healer―no, the group's heart and humanity―was off making friends with the enemies.
He wouldn't allow it. He normally appreciated her kindness and generosity, but not this time. Not with these people. Neither he nor Rukia were too sure of the exact relationship between her and Ulquiorra, but Orihime didn't deserve such a heartless man, whether he was stripped of his powers or not.
"Also," he said, something else occurring to him, "remember the shit Yamamoto tried to instigate from the Winter War?"
She nodded.
"Well, after Inoue wound down during our walk back home," he continued, "she started asking me about it..."
. .
"Kurosaki-kun..." Orihime sighed as they walked home from Kisuke's shop, on the night they came back from that makeshift hearing with Genryuusai and the others. Her energy finally died down after the events in Soul Society. She was now in a pensive mood, unfortunately. "... is there something you're keeping from me?"
Ichigo frowned. "No," he lied. He scoffed. "You know that old man. He just likes to make people quiver at his feet. Don't take what he said to heart."
"I see..."
He could tell from her facial expression that she didn't believe him, but he didn't argue. Ichigo didn't know what else to say to her. He was afraid to tell her everything about the war. He didn't want to go back on the agreement between him and their group. Her getting rid of the Hougyoku was no mystery, but he just knew he wouldn't know how to answer if she asked more questions, especially when she figured out that there were indeed missing links in important parts of her memory.
It wasn't like he could tell her about what happened after.
Ichigo unconsciously rubbed his arms, as if cold. He could still feel the piercing burn all over his body-
"So how did I... redeem them?"
The orange-haired shinigami gulped discreetly. "Redeem who?" he asked her.
"You know," she said, her cheeks tainted with a faint pink color, "Ulquiorra-san and the others."
He snorted, not looking at her as he retorted, "Hell if I know, Inoue. What happened, happened."
"Oh."
At her dismal tone, he shot a look at her, struggling to find facial expression that didn't betray his more troublesome musings.
It could be a predicament if she didn't let it go...
. .
"-Nothing direct, but yeah," he finished, after explaining what happened. He looked away. None of them liked lying to Orihime, but in the end... it was probably the best course of action. He exhaled tiredly. "I don't know if she believed me..."
The dark-haired shinigami frowned. "Well, hopefully their arrival will distract her from thinking about it."
Ichigo gave her a long look before swiveling around in his chair, facing his desk where his abandoned homework sat. "At this point, I really don't know what the lesser evil is," he muttered.
- { - } -
"Ah, yes. Your gigai will definitely suit you fine! All thanks to me!" a voice rang out as soon as the Resurrected's party made it through the other side of the Dangai. It was first voice they and the shinigami chaperones heard. It was sprightly, with an undertone of something calculating. It reminded Ulquiorra of Szayel Aporro Granz, but without his eerie madness; something that was also seen in the black-and-white-faced Gotei 13 captain, whose name Ulquiorra didn't care to find out.
Sitting crosslegged and fanning himself idly as he examined each of the former Espada was Urahara Kisuke himself. The raccoon-like shadows from his hat brim made his eyes look mysteriously cunning as a smile slowly spread across his stubbled features. "Welcome to Earth, mina-san."
- { - } -
Ulquiorra looked at himself in the full-length mirror in his new room, a cramped space that could only fit so much. His futon took more than half of it. There was also a large window, which he was sure would be great in the mornings when the sun rays peeks in, annoyingly bright and warm once this winter weather passed.
It was their first day on Earth, and while Tia and Grimmjow were getting better acquainted with the other, more colorful residents of the shop (quite noisily, at that), he chose to keep to himself.
It was odd wearing human clothing. He vaguely wondered what that little vibrant-haired woman would say once she saw him in his black, form-fitting long-sleeve and this thick, somewhat restricting pair of dark pants called jeans. He never gave much regard to the weather before, but judging from the layers of clothing and scarves he would need to wear outside at "this time of year," according to Kisuke, he would have to now.
He laid a hand flat against his reflection, somewhat lost in thought. But the more he stared at his more human-like features, the more he felt like he was missing something. He ran a hand through his dark, shaggy locks. He was quite used to having his bone fragments on one side of his head. Seeing his hair so plainly black felt... unfinished. The gears in his head began to turn as he tried to solve this dilemma.
And then, Ulquiorra's door slid open. At that, he scowled, interrupted of his thoughts. Did people not knock in this world?
"Ulqui-san!" melodically called that voice.
He was already irritated. "Yes?" he managed in a low tone. "Urahara Kisuke?"
"Urahara-san suits just fine," the sandy-haired scientist corrected lightly. "But anyway, I know how impatient you are about seeing Orihime-chan-"
"I never said that."
"-so she will come over after school today." He tapped his closed fan against his chin thoughtfully. "Remember what we talked about earlier today? Tia-san doesn't have room here to sleep, but Orihime-chan has agreed to let her stay over at her home! So, she has to retrieve Tia-san!"
Ulquiorra registered the information, nodding slowly in understanding.
"So don't forget," the ex-captain added brightly.
. .
"Uwaaa, you look cool!"
Those were the first words out of Orihime's mouth as soon as she saw him. Ulquiorra had been in the dining room, drinking tea by the time she arrived to pick up Tia.
"I look what?"
"Cool!" Orihime exclaimed. "Like, well... it suits you!"
"I see... I was able to choose this outfit to the approval of the others. It felt..." He could not find a word to describe the feeling.
"Right?" she supplied cheerfully.
He nodded, calmly satisfied with the term, as he found himself exchanging a peaceful glance with her. "Yes. That must be it."
For some reason, their eyes tended to automatically meet. As if it was a natural thing to do.
Tia, who was standing near the doorway, darted her eyes from one to the other, suspiciously observant. "I will wait outside. Don't take long."
At the blonde's abrupt leave, Ulquiorra suddenly broke his emerald gaze from the girl, feeling—what was it? Self-conscious? It was a petty human emotion, but it was there; he had learned it all the same. Damn Tia...
"Is something wrong?" Orihime asked him.
"I'm fine," he replied easily. He stepped past her, back into his room where his black and jade scarves and green blazer (did he really need this many things in order to walk outside?) awaited. "Tia is irritating sometimes. That's all."
But even as he hurried away, she followed. The compassionate young woman never failed to concern herself with him.
Why? He didn't know. After all, he was the one who psychologically messed with her and took violent measures against her comrades; especially Kurosaki Ichigo, someone who undoubtedly meant a lot to her. He had made her miserable, to the point where she actually clung to hope as if it was a deity or god on its own.
The thought rendered him still.
Another new emotion began to take over as the weight of his past set in: guilt. And the more he ruminated over it, the more unsettled he felt. He has never forgotten anything had done, despite her encouragement to do the opposite. Did most of the past really not matter?
Even though she forgave him, he still needed a reason to forgive himself.
"Onna," he spoke up in a soft voice, not sure if the word came out at all.
"Hm? What is it, Ulquiorra-san?" Even if his back was to her, he could envision a look of worry on her unassuming little face, the sullen quiver in her pools of gray. These eyes of his have memorized her every feature.
"I did... horrific things." A tad shamefaced, his eyes bored into the tatami floor, examining the ridges as if they fascinated him. "Did I not?"
"What? Where did that... come from...?" Her voice trailed off, not knowing where he was going with this, or how she should approach his words.
"Would it mean anything if I apologized to you?" he asked her. Although with the faint volume, it seemed more like a rhetorical question to himself than one aimed at her.
Silence hung in the air, the moment frozen; as if her response was required for time to move along, but she didn't say anything. He was aware that she might be thinking about what he asked, but why would she have to think about it? Did she have second thoughts? Did she want to take back the heart she had offered him? Or...?
Ulquiorra heard Orihime circle around, to stand in front of him so that they stood face-to-face. He found that once again, their gazes habitually locked.
And then, her arms moved. They slipped around his shoulders, pulling him close to her. He felt the delicate angles of her face at the base of his neck and collarbone. He could smell her, a fresh mixture of earthen things he didn't know but wished he did. Her heart beat strongly but steadily against his own. Her body was warm and soothing against his; so much so that he wanted to remain still and let her melt into him. He felt safe.
However, Ulquiorra didn't allow himself to close his eyes in complacent security, nor return the odd but heartfelt gesture. He didn't deserve this. Any of it. Even if he returned everything he owed for mentally torturing her, for everything he ever did to hurt her, it would still not be enough. Not to him.
His hands reached for her waist, and he pushed her off of him. But when he saw her eyes again, he realized what her answer to his question was.
It does.
"But it doesn't matter anymore," she spoke up with a smile and a blush, as if adding to the words she didn't say (without her, of course, being aware of that fact). "We're friends now. Not enemies!"
"Friends," he echoed, unsure. The word was strange to hear in his ear and to feel on his lips now that it had to do with him; now that he was no longer an outsider to the concept.
He liked it.
- { - } -
It had been a couple of days since they had arrived, and one day before the three ex-Espadas were to start school at Karakura High School. Urahara Kisuke didn't want the three to simply bum around throughout their entire exile. While the ex-captain and Tsukabishi Tessai were making proper arrangements (including creating fake, more inconspicuous Japanese identities), it was insisted the three former Espadas started doing something, like keeping up with some form of self-defense.
Despite the gigais' influence on the former Espadas' spiritual pressure, hindering any potential powers to almost nil, Ulquiorra, Grimmjow, and Tia still had their sword skills intact. But with their shinigami-like Espada powers gone, they were left to use wooden practice swords, the bokken kind. They were also not as swift as they had been as Hollows, but Kisuke had done what Genryuusai had asked of him, creating heavier-than-usual gigai for the three that not only muffled their reiatsu from detection and prevented them from simply coming out of the bodies unless the ex-captain "unlocked" them, but created a barrier from whatever enabled them to have any kind of power the shinigami had. However, Yoruichi hinted that they might still be able to use shunpo (or more familiarly to them, sonido), but would have to re-learn it from scratch.
On this particular day, the two males of the Resurrected Three, on Grimmjow's insistence, sparred together in the underground training facility.
"Hey! Are you getting slower or am I getting faster?" Grimmjow yelled, laughing as he parried one of Ulquiorra's attacks. "Or do you just suck?"
"Nonsense," Ulquiorra grunted, jumping back after the sword clash. "Our skills have not changed. We are just-" Another clash, another sliding step to the side, "-hindered by these bodies."
Grimmjow took the verbal distraction as an opening, charging quickly at the ex-Cuatro. "Then you better not be holding back on me!" he exclaimed wildly, and took a sideways swing, which was easily dodged. "Aw, shit."
Ulquiorra tsked, standing from atop a rock structure. How he even got there, Grimmjow had no idea. Perhaps the raven-haired Plus's speed was still there. "Your offensive movements are far too predictable," the thinner male said, as if bored. "And your attempts to provoke me are not working." He hopped back down.
Quite contrarily, it was the blue-haired man who lost his cool, muttering long strings of swear words under his breath. In an act of impulse, Grimmjow rushed at him again, grinning snidely. What was he doing just throwing a bokken around? He was bigger and physically stronger than this twig of a guy! "I'll fuckin' show you, Ulqui-san!" He swung from overhead, aiming to simply use brute strength to beat Ulquiorra.
... Who effortlessly dodged to avoid the attack.
"You never give my words any consideration, do you, Grimmjow?" Ulquiorra asked smoothly.
"Get your hand out of your damn pocket and quit acting so fucking pompous!" Grimmjow snarled. Ulquiorra had not once fought two-handedly in this battle.
"Or else what?"
Grimmjow blinked, not expecting to be asked that, but then devilishly smiled from ear to ear, eyebrows wiggling suggestively. "I'll take La Princesa off your hands, if you know wh—OW!"
He suddenly found himself slammed into the same rock structure Ulquiorra had been standing upon. The black-haired man had swiftly poked the end of the wooden sword at his sparring partner's chest, scowling with vehement disapproval.
Damn. A lot stronger than I thought. "Hey!" Grimmjow protested with a perplexed laugh, the degree of Ulquiorra's reaction unforeseen by the ex-Sexta. "I didn't even say anything yet!"
Fuck... I think he drew blood.
"You already implied it," Ulquiorra said through gritted teeth, his voice even. "You will respect Inoue Orihime. After what she has done for us—to redeem us—we owe her our lives. I owe her everything."
"I wasn't—god, you're taking me way too ser-"
"You will not objectify that woman," he continued dangerously, his piercing, fiery gaze against Grimmjow's cool blue one. "Do you understand, Grimmjow?"
As if he let anyone like Ulquiorra get to him. He let out a mocking huff of breath. "Damn. So protective. I'll back off if you've got claim on her."
"Do not misconstrue my relationship with her," Ulquiorra responded. "I am paying my dues. You should already know about that."
He smirked. He did not miss the brief flash of confusion in those serpentine green eyes. "Sure, you are," Grimmjow drawled teasingly.
Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow.
Grimmjow shrugged casually, wrapping his fingers around Ulquiorra's wooden sword and forcing it away from his chest. "I'm not knocking on ya, Ulquiorra, if you give a shit about her. I just thought she was hot, that's all. You do think she's hot, right?"
"..."
"Oh, come on!" Grimmjow felt like facepalming. Ulquiorra could not be this oblivious. "You honestly don't see how attractive that woman is? Ya seen these?" The blue-haired man cupped his hands in front of his chest, imitating Orihime's most notable assets.
That earned him another hard thrust in the chest, smack in-between where his hands were situated.
"Shit! Okay, okay!" Grimmjow cried out, rubbing his sternum tenderly. He had to admit that Ulquiorra had a talent for hitting the same place twice in a row. "For fuck's sake..." At least he knows what they are, he thought to himself, rolling his eyes.
"And for your information," Ulquiorra spoke up, letting his armed hand fall to his side. He turned his face away, looking somewhat reluctant of his next words. "... I am well aware of Inoue Orihime's allure." The sentence came out with such a straight edge that Grimmjow wasn't sure if he actually was, until: "I just do not feel that it should be simplified to a degrading degree."
Well, maybe the dark-haired boy wasn't such a frigid robot, after all. Grimmjow couldn't help but chuckle. "So you do have an eye for pretty women. Knew you had it in you, Ulquiorra."
"I see you two are getting along."
The sudden sound of a third voice cause the blue-haired boy whip his head around in utter surprise. He found a serenely amused Tia standing not too far away, in the company of—well, speak of the devil—Orihime, who was smiling somewhat shyly with her hands clasped in front of her, something he noticed she did frequently whenever he saw her at Hueco Mundo.
Grimmjow wondered if the two females heard their conversation. Orihime looked as timid as ever, but wasn't red in the face like he would have expected. If Ulquiorra was embarrassed about it, it didn't show.
However, first things first... "Damn it, bitch!" Grimmjow flared at Tia. "Quit doing that!"
"I apologize if I always manage to scare you, Grimmjow."
"Scare me? I'm no pussy! You just pop outta nowhere like those fucking worms in the sand!"
"Then you should probably learn to smell my reiatsu from a distance so you don't always get surprised." Tia could not stop the smirk from forming on her face.
He had no counter for that. He roughly stuck the tip of his bokken into the ground instead and leaned against it, still rather irked. "So, what're you doing here, anyway?"
"Urahara-san called me to the shop, and naturally-" she motioned toward the redhead with a shift of her vibrant green irises, "-this one came along."
"Naturally," Grimmjow echoed with a mischievous upturn of his lips, sneaking a meaningful glance at Ulquiorra, who ignored him.
"Urahara-san is done making arrangements," the ample-chested teenager piped up. "He sent us down here to retrieve you two."
"Arrangements for this school business?" the Ulquiorra guessed. He let out a huff of breath. "About time." Without hesitation, he began to leave, with Tia trailing after.
Orihime was about to follow suit, but the strong grip of Grimmjow's hand around her upper arm halted her. "Oi," he hissed.
She turned to give him a puzzled look. She was not yet acquainted with Grimmjow beyond what happened in Hueco Mundo and now, so she was still a little wary of him.
Grimmjow lifted his shirt and pointed to the middle of his chest, where she could make out a gross-looking puncture wound with bruising around it. Interestingly, he no longer had that angry scar across his chest. It was not from masking it with the gigai; Kisuke emulated their Plus appearances to a T. "Can you get rid of this real quick?" he asked her.
Orihime's eyes averted downward. "Kurosaki-kun told me not to use my powers for now..."
"Woman," Ulquiorra called from a distance, interrupting the conversation. "What are you doing?"
"Ah," she gasped, turning to him and Tia briefly. "We'll catch up, Ulquiorra-san! Go on without us!" After he unwillingly did so, the redhead transferred her gaze back to a confused Grimmjow.
"So, why can't you?" he interrogated. "Is that little asshole nuts?"
"H-He said that I can after I've fully recov-"
"Tch, he ain't here," Grimmjow dismissed quickly. With his bokken-occupied hand, he gestured around the training facility, not too much careful about where was pointing it, unfortunately. Orihime was very lucky. "Look where we are!"
She wasn't reassured, but complied anyway. "... Okay..." She lifted her hands, as if to summon her Shun Shun Rikka, but then hesitated, her brows furrowed with inner conflict.
What was the problem? "Well, get on with it, already!" Grimmjow snapped at her, causing the girl to flinch. "Not like I'm gonna snitch."
"S-Sorry..." Taking a deep breath, like she was mentally preparing herself, the red-haired woman started. "Souten Kisshun. I reject."
Where the golden-yellow dome should be was nothing but the air the two of them were breathing.
Grimmjow, overall dismayed, was ready to call the girl out on the failure. But when he swiveled his head to her, he found that she didn't look quite horrified, per se, but with her face blanched and eyes far away, she still seemed unpleasantly stunned. She also looked disappointed; with herself or her fairies, he speculated.
Nonetheless, she decided not to give up. "Souten Kisshun," she recited again. "I reject!"
Nada.
Her hands, which had been hovering over Grimmjow's wound, began to tremble. His sky-hued eyes rose to her troubled expression. Oh, boy. "Uh, hey," he said awkwardly. He didn't have the heart to yell at someone who had such a pathetic expression, a girl on the verge of frantics. Great, I must be getting soft...
"It won't—" she mumbled, more to herself than to him. She stared at her hands so pitifully that Grimmjow must have felt his hard, arrogant heart soften by about a thousand notches. "Why—they always listen—I—" she stammered.
He lowered his shirt, covering up the wound that was meant to be rejected. The tiny little thing wasn't worth all that trouble. He only wanted a quick-fix. She didn't need to freak out about it, he thought. Grimmjow heaved a sigh, giving her a rough, but solacing pat on the back as he finally began making his way out. "Whatever. I'll live," he said over his shoulder. "I'm a man, after all."
She was about to follow him out the training grounds, but stopped abruptly, as if she realized something. "Don't tell anyone that I can't heal, Grimmjow-san."
He twisted around and give her an odd look. "Huh...?" Her tone was very strange. It was depressing, weak, and distant. For someone who had enough power to supposedly reject the existence of the Hougyoku, he had expected more pride in her voice, something more defensive in order to argue against her inability to heal him. Hell, he expected an actual excuse, but she didn't even do that.
Orihime wrung her hands together anxiously. "Just don't tell, okay? Not even Ulquiorra-san or Tia-san. Or Urahara-san."
Was he missing something? He didn't understand why she was so secretive. He wasn't going to beat her up over it. No one was, especially when she just informed him that Ichigo wasn't letting her use her powers to begin with. In fact, Grimmjow was starting to regret the fact that he even asked her to heal one tiny cut.
He scoffed as his eyes drifted to the side. Remembering Ulquiorra's angry words about respect and dues from earlier, he nodded. Quite begrudgingly, at that. "All right," he said, slightly wary. "You have my word."
She smiled gratefully. "Thank you."
He began to notice that now, her gaze on him was different. Rather than skepticism with a speck of fearsome precaution, her ash-colored eyes held a bright, unadulterated... something he couldn't fully define. He had trouble squelching the airy feeling bubbling up from within. I guess she's a bit charming... Grimmjow mused.
"We should go before Ulquiorra-san gets mad," she spoke up, desolate mood forgotten-or supressed, depending on how one looked at it.
Speaking of... "By the way," he began curiously, "did you happen to hear what me and Ulquiorra were talking about earlier?"
"Hm? Just something about pretty women," she answered with a blink, and then blushed hotly, gray eyes looking away. Like something else had begun to process in her mind.
Grimmjow smirked at her. She heard more than that, after all.
- { - } -
"You agreed to what?"
Orihime bit her lip, flinching as Ichigo's tone went sharp.
She and Tia met Ichigo, Rukia, Uryuu, and Yasutora in front of the school gates the next morning. And as if she was an ambassador of sorts between the two groups, she finally told her comrades what had been going on with the Resurrected Three, since they wondered why they heard nothing from Urahara Kisuke about the situation since their arrival. Not that the heroes cared much about their well-being; it was just that they didn't want to be completely unaware.
She had just finished telling them that Tia was staying at her place. And that they would be joining her and everyone else at Karakura High as second-years, upperclassmen to the group.
"Tia Harribel—no, Haribe Chie-senpai—is probably the least of our worries," Yasutora said sensibly. "And from what Inoue-san says, Urahara-san seems to have everything under control."
"Those Espadas don't have powers anymore, right?" Uryuu chimed in inquiringly, his index finger tapping against the bridge of his glasses.
"Urahara knows how to fix and customize gigai to fit any situation," Rukia commented, "so I don't think we'll run into anything... unusual."
Ichigo tsked, shoving his hands in his pockets as he turned to Orihime. "Inoue, if they ever lay a finger on you, don't hesitate to tell us. I'll beat their asses to the ground."
She smiled uneasily, nodding at him obediently. If she told them that she found the Resurrected to actually be good company, she wouldn't hear the end of it, her nakamas' spiels about evil Hollows and stories of the war overloading her already overfilled brain.
"Are you done talking about me as if I wasn't here?" Tia finally spoke up, her voice defensively harsh. She crossed her arms over her chest. Ichigo and the others had conveniently forgotten that one of the Arrancars had been standing right beside Orihime.
Ichigo scowled. "Well... at least you're not Grimmjow or Ulquiorra. I'm sure I'd say a lot worse."
"Did I just hear you say my name... Highlighter Hair?" seeped in a dangerous voice, as a muscular figure snuck up behind Ichigo and his group.
The shinigami wasted no time in whirling around; ready to let him have it. "What did you call me, Grimmjow? Do you even know what a highlighter is!"
"It's Jougaimu Kurijou to you, kouhai."
"Really! So your name is 'hollow-shaped potato!'"
"NOT JAGAIMO, DUMBASS! JOU! GA! I! MU!"
The blue-haired man and Ulquiorra, who had walked to school with him, were now wearing the high school uniform. Orihime found herself eyeing the former Cuatro, favorably taking in his appearance. Seeing the official Karakura High School clothing made a sense of pride and genuine happiness well up inside of her. It was a feeling of satisfying finality; definite evidence that peace was only the beginning of something wonderful. Even under exile from Soul Society, Orihime knew that Ulquiorra and the Resurrected Three would be just fine in the living world.
"By the way," Ulquiorra said when the screaming match between the two noisy males calmed down, "Urahara Kisuke told me to give this to you, Kurosaki Ichigo." From his coat pocket, he fished out a folded piece of paper. In-between two fingers, he held it out to the boy, as if he was holding a Go gamepiece.
Ichigo unceremoniously plucked the note from his pale fingers, unfolding the paper and spreading it flat. There were five neatly written words on it, plus a chibi doodle of Kisuke inside a heart at the bottom. After skimming over it silently, he gritted his teeth in irritation. "Please take care of us?" he read out loud with contained fury.
He crumpled the paper into a tight little ball and threw it backward over his head. The paper sailed over his head to god-knows-where.
"What the hell does he think you are!" he griped loudly. "STRAY PUPPIES?"
- { - } -
Ulquiorra knew that this high school education thing would be both a breeze and a hassle. Judging from the kind of things Orihime was taught in her class, even if she was considered an underclassman, he knew he could comprehend the material at first glance. Schoolwork at the second-year level shouldn't be that much harder.
"Everyone," their new teacher, Wakao Shin, called, clapping his hands together loudly to catch the chattering seniors' attention. After a moment or two, their conversations staggered to an alert silence, but not without the odd whispers between pairs of foolish-looking girls and the wary, judgemental looks. "It seems we have three transfer students," continued the sensei. "Who are from an international school in Spain and are... all... half-Japanese, I understand?"
"Yes, Wakao-sensei," Tia said. That was the reason Kisuke had told them to use. "And we decided it was time to return home."
He nodded to the three. "Please introduce yourselves."
Tia, ever the example of how a non-human in a human world should act like, was the first to greet the class. "Hajimemashite," she said politely, bowing slightly. "I'm Haribe Chie. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
"Shihaku Uruki," Ulquiorra said monotonously, without much more than an indifferent tip of his head. He snuck a glance at Grimmjow, just hoping the former Sexta would not make an imbecile of himself, and therefore embarrass him and Tia.
"Yeah, and I'm... Jougaimu Kurijou," Grimmjow said, his tone a little on the rude side, but otherwise, nothing too impolite.
"Jagaimo?" a student in the front repeated, mishearing him. "Potato?" The docile, boyish-looking student innocently hit his fist against his open palm. "Really... your name must be 'hollowed-out potato!'"
A vein at Grimmjow's temple popped. "My name ain't fucking Potato," he spat angrily, bending down so that he was at eye level with the unfortunate student, the blue-haired Plus's face a threatening few inches from his.
"S-S-So s-s-s-sor-r-r-ryyyyy!" the poor kid apologized, flattening against the back of his chair with absolute fright. "P-P-lease don't hurt me, Jou-san..."
"'JOU-SAN? DO I LOOK LIKE A GIRL TO YOU?" Suddenly, the boy and his desk went flying as both the remaining students and teacher remained frozen in blatant shock.
"Gri—Kurijou!" Tia barked over the noise. "Stop it!"
This is definitely more of a hassle. Ulquiorra could only close his eyes and turn away from the scene, praying for the school day to hurry up and be over with.
- { - } -
Class has ended. As the clock intoned its hourly jingle, Orihime raced through the second-year students' hallway.
... And nearly crashed into Tia, who was just coming down the hallway. While the blonde was able to quickly keep herself from falling from the impact, the redhead was not so lucky. She clumsily tripped into her roommate, her hands flailing before dropping down to her rear. "Ow..."
A tan hand appeared before her vision, and gratefully, Orihime took it as Tia pulled her back to her feet. "You seem excited," the former Tres remarked nonchalantly, and offered a half-smile. "Ulquiorra is still inside the classroom."
"Got it!" Orihime cheered, and then realized something before moving on. "I mean... it's not like I was rushing to see him or anything!" she began to ramble, drawing her index fingers together self-consciously. "I was going to see all three of you and you just suddenly appeared out of no-"
"I understand," Tia said. She tilted her head to the side slightly. "However, Grimmjow got into some trouble this morning and is now paying for it by staying after. He is to clean the room by himself, I hear."
"Oh no! What did he do?"
"Acted like himself, to put it simply," she replied with a small sigh. "But that means you will be alone with Ulquiorra if you wanted give a tour around Karakura as originally planned." She gestured to her bookbag by tugging on the strap a bit. "I will return to your apartment and start on... homework."
Orihime couldn't help but giggle softly. The idea of Tia Harribel emphasizing the word homework like it was the purest of evil was just so amusing... and not so different from how most normal teenagers viewed it. "Are you sure? Ulquiorra-san seems to think-"
"Unlike him, I am not familiar with certain subjects in your world," Tia replied. "I might stumble upon problems he may not." She crossed her arms and looked toward her classroom. "I had never left Hueco Mundo until the war, so..." She shot a small smile at Orihime. "I will see you later." But before exiting, she paused, as if something occurred to her. "By the way... what is a ganguro girl?"
- { - } -
Although it didn't show on his face, Ulquiorra had been eager to leave his classroom with Orihime, mainly because he didn't want to wait around for the much louder Grimmjow, who was, at the time, surrounded by cleaning supplies.
The two ended up walking somewhat aimlessly along a shopping district in the heart of town, a moderately busy, but relaxing environment.
"I understand that you organize time by date," Ulquiorra said out of nowhere, looking up at a banner to a candy shop: Buy your chocolate kits in time for February 14th! "We did no such thing in Hueco Mundo."
Orihime smiled humorlessly, the banner suddenly reminding her of Valentine's Day. She had been so caught up in other things that she didn't even notice what that particular date signified. Ironic, in a way. She often dreamt of the holiday, at a more innocent time. She would make chocolate for Ichigo, he would accept it, and he would smile sweetly at her. With the sunset as a romantic backdrop, he would lean in and give her a chaste peck on the lips.
But now something about that fantasy felt honestly wrong, like such an image didn't belong to her. Nor did she want it in her subconscious any longer. She's become numb and unfazed by Ichigo's friendly affections and protection toward her. Perhaps there was a reason she couldn't lean down and give the sleeping Ichigo a goodbye kiss on that night. She wasn't meant to pursue him.
"Is there something the matter?" she heard a deep voice ask from beside her.
Orihime blinked out of her thoughts, discovering that they were still walking along the sidewalk, on a strip that happened to be full of candy, snack, and sweets shops and vendors. Decorations of hearts, cupids, and arrows heavily adorned the block like desperate advertisements. She turned to gaze up Ulquiorra, who, despite the unapproachable frown on his face, had an inkling of something in his eyes that wasn't hard or piercingly cold. "No, I was just... thinking," she replied.
"About February 14th?" he surmised. "That is the day after tomorrow, correct?" He noticed a wreath of red and pink flowers in the shape of a heart in front of one store entrance, and let out a soft scoff. "What is so special about it? I don't understand."
Orihime smiled fondly, finding his lack of knowledge somewhat... cute. "That's Valentine's Day," she answered. "It's a holiday meant for love. Girls give chocolate to those they care about, namely..." she averted her gaze slightly. "... someone they love."
"Love," Ulquiorra echoed, unimpressed. "I don't believe such a food should signify how a woman should feel about someone."
"Oh, no, it doesn't," she responded lightly, agreeing with him, "but it's just for fun." Should she be surprised that he knew what chocolate was? Or more so that he knew what love was? For a second, she wondered if he had ever felt it before. In a way, the thought made her slightly jealous, but she didn't know why.
It was absurd.
"Will you give chocolate to Kurosaki Ichigo?"
Her smile wavered. "Eh?"
"Kurosaki Ichigo." He eyed her scrutinizingly, as if he caught the unsureness in her tone. "Don't you feel that way for him?"
With such a powerful, but unreadable, look from him, what answer did he want from her? Orihime blinked quizzically at him. "I did, I think," she finally said, her tone careful, "but not anymore..."
She had never voiced it to anyone before. Now that she said it out loud for once, she felt more certain about it; dauntless. It was almost exhilarating how much peace surrounded her heart. It was like she made it official to Ulquiorra. She had let go.
I'm not in love with Kurosaki-kun. She still cared greatly, but her romantic feelings for him were far away in the past. And from this point on, they may eventually end up fading even further.
He raised an eyebrow skeptically. "I was under a different impression, from Las—" When his eyes fell on her spreading smile of content, he backtracked. "But I will not argue against it," he added. He faced away from her, breathing out what sounded like, "... You odd woman..." as a ghost of a smirk appeared on his face.
Orihime couldn't help but beam back at him and think back to the day before, when she and Tia found him and Grimmjow talking after a strenuous spar. Ulquiorra always said things with purpose, and only talked when he had something meaningful to say, but the way he wove words together felt like she was reading old-fashioned, romantic poetry, the essence of them still so clear. And now? I will not argue against it sounded more like, I'm happy for you. Although he didn't voice those words, in his eyes, that much was loud and clear to her.
Her heart unexpectedly throbbed with something softly sentimental. She put a hand to her chest curiously.
"What is wrong with you now, Woman?" Ulquiorra asked, furrowing his brows in puzzlement. He noticed her hand against her chest. "Are you sick?"
"No!" she squeaked. She really needed to stop delving into her thoughts randomly like that. She suddenly realized how much darker the sky was getting, and decided to call it a day. "Sorry," she apologized uneasily, "It's been a long day and I must've not gotten enough sleep. I keep thinking about my dream where... the mildew monsters tried to take over Soul Society!"
"What-"
"I should go; it's getting late. Sorry, Ulquiorra-san."
"..." Ulquiorra must have figured that she really didn't have enough sleep with that kind of nonsensical explanation, for he nodded in compliance, still watching her with slight confusion.
She aimed a finger in one direction; at approximately the 4 o'clock. "I live that way. Do you know how to get to Urahara-san's from here?"
"Of course," he said, already beginning to turn, "I'm not a child." After a few steps of departure, he turned back around halfway to catch her silver-gray eyes with his own, both pairs now darkening with the incoming dusk. "Onna," he muttered. "Good night."
Orihime's eyes rounded, temporarily dumbstruck. He always seemed to leave pleasant surprises for her. At that, she smiled. "Good night, Ulquiorra-san."
- { - } -
Ichigo wasn't entirely sure why he got stuck with Grimmjow.
The bright-haired shinigami and Rukia had been about to leave the school property for the day (a little later than usual due to some misadventure Asano Keigo had caught the two of them up in), when they noticed, midway through the trek, that a certain spiritual signature was constantly within range.
"He's..." Ichigo had murmured out of the side of his mouth to the petite woman walking beside him. "... following us, isn't he?"
"Yup," Rukia had answered, not bothering to lower her voice like he had.
It wasn't until they reached Ichigo's street a few moments later that he finally turned around and hollered at him to come out of the shrubbery because he was terrible at hiding his reiatsu.
Apparently, it was only simple boredom that spurred the taller, more muscular male to follow Ichigo and Rukia. He also possibly hoped for a quick, playful fistfight. Fortunately for Grimmjow,—but of course, unfortunately for Ichigo—sweet little Kurosaki Yuzu happened to be walking back from the grocery store from the opposite direction. Spotting the three teenagers ahead, she had no doubt that Grimmjow was going to join them for dinner.
And so, there the high school students sat in Ichigo's room, with Rukia lounging on the bed, Grimmjow sitting on the floor with his back against the side, and Ichigo seated at his desk. For the past fifteen minutes they had been there, waiting for dinner to be ready, the human male had given Grimmjow multiple aversive expressions, such as murderous glares and leery stares.
"You really don't have to stay," Ichigo finally spoke up in the awkward silence, his voice absolutely insistent for the blue-haired Plus to leave.
Grimmjow grinned mischievously, fully aware of how much of a pain he was to his once-enemy. "Nah. I wouldn't want to hurt your sister's feelings, ya know? She seemed real excited about making dinner tonight..."
Ichigo shook his fist at him. "You fucking-"
Before he could go on, a beeping sound from the orange-haired teenager's bag broke in, stilling all three bedroom occupants. Ichigo looked more annoyed of it than anything. "Crap," the teenager groaned as he leaned over and took out the contraption, a phone-like object that flipped open. After giving it a once-over, he turned to Rukia. "Do I have to?" he asked, even though he already knew the answer.
Rukia, on the other hand, was already slipping on a fingerless, leather glove of some sort. "That goes without saying," she replied toughly. She hopped off the bed, and lunging forward, slammed her palm into his forehead.
To Grimmjow's surprise, another Ichigo, a spirit version of him, fell backward from his body, as if it was the one who felt the impact of the hit. The true body, similar to a gigai, dropped to the ground in a heap.
"What the fuck just happened!" Grimmjow demanded, pointing frantically at the body on the ground.
Instead of answering him, Rukia stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled. "Kon!" she called. "I need you!"
Popping out from a drawer next to the bed was a stuffed yellow lion, flailing his stubby little arms at the black-haired girl. "Onee-san~!" he sang lovingly, misinterpreting her words. "What do you need~?"
"What the hell is that fucking toy doing!" Grimmjow yelled, backing away from the moving plushy.
The soul-inhabitied toy turned to him, putting his paws on his hips. "Who are you calli-" However, there was no time for Kon to say anymore as Rukia carelessly picked him up by the head, reaching into his mouth to take out a little green pill.
"Why won't anyone answer me!"
Ignoring the dumbfounded ex-Arrancar, shinigami Ichigo sauntered to his window, lifting it open. Meanwhile, Rukia went over to the soulless body and popped the pill in. Instantly, Kon, now in Ichigo's real body, sat up, blinking as he adjusted himself from being a stuffed animal to a human.
"Wha-wha-wha-!" Grimmjow stuttered, just plain confused. Too much going on for his brain to take. "I thought this kid was human! The-"
"We get it, Grimmjow!" Rukia shouted, glowering at him with annoyance.
He glared at her expectantly, waiting on those damn answers.
She shifted her violet eyes to the side. "I'll... stay and explain." She didn't seem to like the idea of being alone with him, but they were a little pressed for time. She tossed a glance at Ichigo. "I trust Ichigo to be able to do this without my help."
"I can't leave you with this bastard..." Ichigo said, his voice fading out doubtfully. He looked particularly protective.
Grimmjow suddenly turned very serious. "Why?" he asked, regarding him frostily. "You think I have the power to stick my hand through her stomach again?"
Rukia swallowed nervously, remembering how awestrikingly easily the Sexta Espada plunged his fist through her, and how excruciatingly painful that experience was. Next to her, Kon visibly shivered. He didn't know who Grimmjow was, but he was a little scared of finding out.
It wasn't like Grimmjow had any strength to do that anymore, but a threat was still a threat; even an empty one. "Watch it..." Ichigo growled, his knuckles whitening as his grip on his zanpakutou tightened.
"Watch what?" Grimmjow remarked, his eyes dancing with provocation. "Your little girlfriend here?"
"She ain't my—you—!" Ichigo heaved a frustrated, grunt of a sigh and turned. "There's no time for this."
Grimmjow watched the orange-haired teen haughtily. "Then get going; I won't do anything to her," he said, unusually quiet.
And after a moment's hesitation, the young shinigami left.
- { - } -
The way back to Urahara Shouten was taking longer than Ulquiorra thought, but it didn't matter to him. It gave him time to mull over the events of the day, but instead of reflecting on his first day of school, he found his thoughts drifting back to Orihime.
Why he felt relief in knowing her heart no longer chased after Kurosaki Ichigo, he wasn't sure. But the way she confessed it to him seemed so free; like she had been harboring the afflicting secret for a while. Telling him was her catharsis. He did not know the circumstances surrounding her reasons for discontinuing her pursuit, but maybe those feelings of hers permeated into him. Thus, he felt that same peace for her.
Right?
It was the most logical solution he came up with. Although, at the same time, it irritated him because even that didn't sound logical. It made as much sense as this Valentine's Day business.
Where is that little woman when I need her to explain these things? he wondered, scowling to himself. She can make sense of these insipid—
Ulquiorra suddenly stopped thinking. In fact, he almost stopped breathing. An aura of unwanted familiarity suddenly filled his senses, making his jaw tighten with uneasiness. He had been hoping to get away from any part of his old life other than his fellow Arrancars, but he understood that while the shinigami were still around, doing what they were trained to do, he wouldn't be able to avoid it.
He felt the reiatsu of a Hollow, and it was close.
Reflexively, Ulquiorra's head snapped toward where it manifested, his detection skills still as sharp as ever. However, he knew all too well that he was powerless against a Hollow. He had nothing to fight with; no powers, no zanpakutou, and he doubted he'd be able to deflect anything with his hands anymore.
Suddenly, from behind, he heard the sounds of sprinting feet in bamboo sandals speed in, the wind of his run causing Ulquiorra's hair and overcoat to flutter briefly as he passed by. The former Cuatro caught sight of black, and most notably, orange.
Ulquiorra broke into a run, changing after Ichigo with a strange curiosity. A few blocks and corner-turns later, he stumbled upon the shinigami leaping swiftly into the air with his sword out. So easily, and with expertise, he let out a cry of determination as he vertically cut his blade down into the Hollow. It emitted a long scream as the cleansing began, returning it to wherever it belonged: Hell or Soul Society.
The way he slashed through it is merciless, Ulquiorra observed. Even with the intention of cleansing. It felt a fraction disturbing, being on the other side of the struggle. If I hadn't evolved... would this have been my fate?
After it was over, Ichigo strolled up to Ulquiorra and tossed him a gloating smirk, strapping his zanpakutou to his back. "What's wrong, Espada?" he asked airily. "Me killing a Hollow make you nervous? Scared?"
"..."
"Look," the orangeheaded boy said, a look of contempt beginning to cross his face as he changed subjects. "You better stay away from Inoue. I don't know what the hell went on between you two, but whatever it is, it'll only bring her pain."
"She came to see me in Soul Society out of her own free will, and forgave me," Ulquiorra countered, without batting an eye. "How is that pain?"
"Bullshit! You and the Espadas are walking reminders of her imprisonment!" Ichigo replied without a moment's hesitation. With each sentence, he started to step in closer to Ulquiorra, threatening him with every sputter. "You think any of us could forget what happened? Do you know what she was like when she woke up from her coma?"
"-Coma-?"
"She doesn't need to be involved with you," the underclassman went on as if he didn't hear his interjection. "Besides, she loves me!"
So, he knew. Ulquiorra couldn't say he was surprised. It was obvious enough in Hueco Mundo, even when Ichigo was slow on picking up other things. The raven-haired boy didn't know if he should let him know that Orihime didn't love him anymore, but it wasn't relevant. At least, not as much so as how the shinigami said those words. He did not know exactly what he was implying, but it did not sit right with him. Thus, he stood dignified, rarely moving as he observed the hotheaded shinigami before him. "And yet," he voiced, his tone a bit on the dark side, "you do not love her. Let me, in fact, tell you what I think you are doing by saying that."
Ichigo raised a suspicious brow. "Tell me, then."
"You are stringing her love along, now trapping her so you can keep her innocent and naive; more than that, away from people like me."
The shinigami sneered. "That's what you think, smart-ass?"
"Why would I step aside for trash like you?" Ulquiorra continued. "I thought I was the one who could not grasp the concept of the heart, but you are the one ignorant of it."
"The hell are you talking about?"
There was a long, thoughtful pause on Ulquiorra's part as he watched Ichigo with a sharp, condescending look. "I see," he murmured to himself.
"See what!" With his questions unanswered, Ichigo was growing more frustrated.
"Do you actually think you are protecting that woman by trying to keep me away?" Ulquiorra challenged, his voice like ice. He pointed to the area of his chest right below his neck. "I am no longer a servant to Aizen Sousuke. If anything, you and I are now equals."
"Tch, you wish," Ichigo retorted, crossing his arms with superiority. "You're practically human with that gigai on. You're fuckin' powerless."
"Then there is no need to guard her from me."
The orange-haired boy snorted. "Well, your forte is trapping her with your damn mind games, Espada-"
"She holds meaning to me," Ulquiorra cut in irately. "I am in her debt."
Although he caught Ichigo off guard at first, the shinigami didn't let his suspicion toward him let up. "Since when do you even care?"
Ulquiorra lowered his emerald gaze, thinking out his answer carefully. "... When she showed me redemption."
"Yeah, that's what she said back in Soul Society," Ichigo said with a scowl. His eyes fell to his feet. "Even after everything the Espadas did..." he added as an afterthought. After another pause, he shook his head, snickering to himself. "You definitely became more human," he scoffed, his voice a cross between humored and disquieted.
Before Ulquiorra could respond, the detector went off, signifying another Hollow. "Hell... what a pain in the ass," Ichigo raged in mumbled fury, squeezing the device almost to the point of breaking it. After the abuse, he flipped it open.
It was when Ulquiorra felt it. When he followed Ichigo to this spot, he didn't notice before, but now he could sense the reiatsu of Orihime from where they were standing. It wasn't close, but still detectable. Knowing that gave him a sinking, feverishly bad feeling in his stomach. Without much thought other than getting to her, he ran.
"Shit! It's near Inoue's place," Ichigo noted grimly. He looked up from the detector. "I better—what the hell?" The shinigami realized that Ulquiorra was now out of sight and earshot.
- { - } -
She shouldn't have stopped at the convenience store on the way home. She shouldn't have stayed to flip through a few magazines and ponder about the day, mainly about her conversation with Ulquiorra. Because now, she was possibly in trouble.
Orihime felt a shiver run up her spine, followed by sensation of a cold, dense reiatsu. There was a Hollow nearby.
After taking a quick look around her surroundings, she accelerated her pace into a jog, in search of the enemy.
Wait, but I can't... she realized, remembering what happened with Grimmjow. Slowing down to a walk, and then to a stop, she felt the burdens of uselessness and incompetence again, laying their weights on her shoulders with vengeful reminder. Although telling herself that Ichigo coming to her rescue in the nick of time was more than likely definite, she itched to do something; to not stand aside like a damsel in distress. She had enough of that in Hueco Mundo. But without her powers, she no longer knew what to do.
The ground rumbled, and the sound of heavy, running footfalls stampeded toward her from behind. The spiritual pressure weighed down on her, holding her in place. But she couldn't let that stop her. She forced herself to turn around, her silky head of hair flaring out as she did. All she saw were long, curved white horns, the sharp tips aimed at her as it continued to charge. Dropping her plastic grocery bag in the process, she managed to clumsily sidestep, watching in mute shock as it rushed past where she had been standing just seconds ago.
It was an Adjuchas-class Hollow. A stocky one with a bull-like bone mask, standing upright like a human, its limbs ending in hooves rather than hands and feet. It was well over six feet tall with long arms.
Orihime pursed her lips together. She took a careful step back as it pivoted around on his hoof and came forth, slowly this time, looming over her as if its mere size would intimidate her. But truthfully, she has seen bigger and scarier.
Here goes nothing... "Koten Zanshun! I reject!" she yelled, praying that what happened with Grimmjow was just a fluke.
Unfortunately, nothing happened. She frowned, her anxiety rising ten-fold. But why-
A white room; large, cold, and lonely. A cylindrical structure in the middle, unfazed by the yellow-hued barrier surrounding it.
She gasped as the image fleeted violently across her mind. The Hougyoku's pillar? Why would she be thinking of that at a time like this? What did that have to do with anything? Her heart raced, a clammy, haunting feeling suddenly blanketing her. She found it hard to concentrate on the situation at hand. However, there was no way she was going to let herself be a helpless princess... But how was she going to fight?
She took a few steps back as the Hollow silently took a few forward. An orange, which had rolled out of her forgotten plastic bag, splattered underneath its heavy hoof. Tsubaki-kun... she thought cautiously. What are you doing...?
"Useless little girl," the Hollow intoned with an unearthly growl, pulling back one long arm as if winding up for a deadly swipe at her.
Useless... Orihime repeated in her head, her morale beginning to weaken. She had no choice but to run away. Swallowing what little pride she had left, she spun on her heel, so caught up in her thoughts that she moved as if she was underwater. She forced herself to run out of the arm's range, only to find that her legs felt like jelly. Why did it feel like she was resorting herself to a blob of hopelessness?
She tripped over her own feet, landing on all fours on the cold cement. She missed the arm by a hair, feeling the air of the movement whip over her head.
She sank down in front of the pillar, distraught. Incompetent.
"No!" she hissed shakily, driving the flashes away. Feeling the Hollow catch up to her, Orihime hastily pulled herself to her feet. Turn around, she ordered herself, using every amount of willpower she had to focus. Concentrate and try again. I'm strong.
The redhead turned around just in time to see the Hollow lower its head and its stance, about to ram her again.
She quickly held her hands out in front of her. "Santen Kesshun!" she recited in a rush. "I reject!" Come on, everyone...
Another feeble attempt. She had no time to lament over it, however, as it charged. With the distance much shorter, Orihime had less time to scramble away, her sudden jerk to the side knocking her off her feet. She landed hard on her bottom, the Hollow just barely missing its target.
The bull-masked being laughed as it sped past her, halting in time to catch her evasive maneuver and to crane its neck to look at her.
Orihime crawled backward, only to find herself lightly colliding into a brick wall that lined the sidewalk. What was going on? Why were her fairies doing this to her? Especially at a time like this?
"Santen Kesshun! ... Koten Zanshun!" she cried in mad desperation, watching in wide-eyed horror as her view of the nearly full moon disappeared, replaced by a shadowed bone mask. The darkness of the night further dimmed the vibrant-haired girl and her surroundings as the Hollow's large figure came closer. She could not escape.
It pulled back its long, muscular arm one way, about to backhand her in a way that was, much to her fright, reminiscent of a similar event from before the war and before her kidnapping.
She raised her hands up weakly. "S-San... t-ten-" she stuttered, the lump in her throat obstructing her speech. Her vision blurred. Why couldn't she do anything?
I'm strong...
Right?
The Hollow began to swing.
Her body stayed rooted to the concrete, her mind going blank.
No...
The dark arm of the Hollow was a nanosecond from making impact with her frail human body, when she felt someone rush in and throw his arms around her, holding her tight as he took the swinging hit from the Hollow. Orihime squeezed her eyes shut as they soared into the air. The two of them tumbled savagely down the street, bodies bouncing like ragdolls from the momentum of the hit. They finally rolled to a stop on their sides somewhere near the end of the block.
Orihime's body hurt all over, but not as much as it should have, she discovered. She opened her ash-hued eyes wide, the grip on her suddenly loosened from the final fall.
And then her face drained itself of all color. With everything happening so fast, she could not identify her savior. Not until now.
It was Ulquiorra. And he was battered, bleeding, and passed out cold.
"Ulquiorra-san," she whispered with alarm, putting a hand on his unconscious face. His head now rested against one of her arms, his own slung limply around her body. Her heart wrenched painfully as his actions sank in. He had saved her; cushioned her with his own body, as weak and fragile as it was compared to when he was Arrancar.
Orihime leaned her forehead gently against his, tears cascading freely from her eyes. She never expected he would go this far for her sake.
Behind her, the heavy footfalls of the Hollow approached ominously, cackling with sinister amusement.
Wholly defenseless, all Orihime could do was cradle Ulquiorra's head into her chest and bury her face into his mop of onyx-colored hair, shielding in the only way she was able to do as they awaited their imminent demise.
Sorry, Ulquiorra-san...
Go is a Japanese board game that some people likened to Othello. I noticed that some players in this game (and I guess, other board games?) pick up the gamepieces in-between their index fingers and middle fingers (rather than say, the thumb and the index finger), which seemed unique to me.
Ganguro is a type of alternative female fashion style signified by bleached, often platinum blonde hair and tanned skin. The makeup these girls wear is also white-ish, including lip makeup. Look it up if you want to know more. I'm not good at explaining this stuff. Lol.
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Okay, the names. My friend Yukimu helped me a lot with forming plausible, authentic Japanese names for our three Espadas (guess you could say she was the real Urahara Kisuke behind this; heh). I really wanted them to blend into Karakura High (despite, the well... obvious markings). Besides, making up names is fun. Haha
But anyway, these are the name meanings:
Shihaku Uruki: "Shi" – intention, will; "haku" - count, earl, chief official; "Uru" - intercalate; "ki" - tree.
"Shi" is an iffy syllable to use as its own compound in the front of a surname (as opposed to using characters for "shina" for a name like "Shinagawa," etc.). It's a bit of a superstitious thing. "Shi" can mean death (of course, if you use the kanji for it). I know "shi" is also "four," but in compounds, it's not usually read that way, but as "yon" or in a few cases, "yo." But well, with his name (Cifer; Shifaa), and the fact that it could be assumed as "four," I just felt I had to use "shi," anyway.
I didn't want to use the Uruki kanji from Fushigi Yuugi Genbu Kaiden—which might have been an obvious choice—because it had "woman" in it. Lol. Ulquiorra is too srs bsns for that. It would've been funny, though... And why Uruki? Because I took it from his name in katakana: Urukiora.
Haribe Chie: "Hari" - needle; "be" - area, side; "Chi" - 1000; "e" - benefit, gain.
This was pretty easy. I took her name mainly from her katakana one: Hariberu. I thought adding the "ru" would make the name too unusual. I was about to use the same "Hari" kanji as the one in Harima Kenji's (from School Rumble), but "scatter" "area" would have made even less sense...
There's no "ti" sound in Japanese; the closest to it would be "chi." and using "Chiya" is a little masculine, in my opinion (and also reminded me of Chia Pets), so I went with Chie.
Jougaimu Kurijou: "Jougai" - outside a castle; "mu" - six; "Kuri" - hollow; "jou" - shape.
Oh, Grimmjow... he got the short end of the stick with last names. Yukimu and I had the most difficulty with his. How the hell do you make Jaegerjaquez/Jagaajakku into a believable Japanese last name? We joked a LOT about it (sorry, Grimmjow), like how it sounded like "chigae" as in kimchi chigae if arranged a certain way, and that saying it out loud in a Japanese accent made the name sound like a train (lol Densha Kurijou). We also joked that his last name, in order to retain the "j" and "g" sounds I wanted, should be "jagaimo" (potato), which I ultimately could NOT pass up on. I decided that damn it, Grimmjow's last name is gonna sound like "potato."
Using "mu" at the end of his surname already made the name a little unusual (according to Yukimu), but I liked the "six" in there too much, and his last name, in the end, has a pretty appropriate meaning if you think about it.
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} - 'Jagaimo' – potato.
