(A/N Sorry if any information is inaccurate, like I don't know if shinigami can open gargantuas or if that is just arrancars.)
For The Heart
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The group set off early in the morning. It had been decided that Ichigo would be the head of the patrol. They gathered outside of the fifth division barracks and waited for everyone to show up. Finally, they were all present except for Yumichika and Ikkaku. Needless to say, Ichigo was getting impatient.
"Where are those two?" Ichigo asked. Tatsuki shrugged.
"I didn't see them when I left." Tatsuki said, as she strained her eyes towards the eleventh division. Then, two figures were seen walking towards the group. Ikkaku made it there first.
"Sorry we're late, Yumichika was brushing his feathers." Ikkaku said, with an amused look at his pleased friend.
"Well, if we are going to die, it is always better to look beautiful." Yumichika said. The group groaned, except for Ikkaku and Rangiku. Ikkaku was used to his friends antics and Rangiku was nodding seriously.
"Whatever, lets just go." Ichigo said impatiently. Then he opened a gargantua and everyone stepped in, except for Orihime who paused, then went through. They emerged in the vacant desert of Hueco Mundo. The group looked around for any hints of where Las Noches was.
"Everyone, make a circle, then face outwards, Orihime, you stand in the middle." Ichigo said. The group did so, with questioning looks at Ichigo.
"And the point of this is?" Hitsugaya asked sarcastically.
"We need to find Las Noches, so everyone, walk in a completely straight line, until you count 1000 steps. At that point, do a 180 and walk back. Orihime will stay here so we'll know when we're back. Then, we'll share information on what we've seen and decide the next course of action. If you are attacked by a hollow, go ahead and fight back, but if you get lost, surge your spirit energy three times. Any questions?" Ichigo said. Yumichika raised his hand.
"No, ok, get going." Ichigo ignored Yumichika who sighed and started walking, and soon enough, Orihime was alone. Orihime hummed to herself, trying to ignore the feeling in her heart that pointed in a certain direction. Then, she materialized her Shun Shun Rikka. Which she had kept through death.
"I think that that feeling is pointing you towards something." Lily said.
"But what would it point me to?" Orihime said.
"It's pointing you to Ulquiorra. You should tell Ichigo to follow it. He'll trust you." Ayame said.
"But what if I'm wrong, and we end up lost." Orihime worried.
"You just have to trust yourself." Tsubaki spoke up. Orihime thought about it, biting her lip.
"I guess you're right, I'll tell him when he gets back." Orihime concluded. "I wonder who will get back first." Orihime said.
"Obviously Captain Hitsugaya or Rukia." Shun'o said.
"Why do you think that?" Lily asked.
"Because they has the shortest legs, so when they get to their 1000, they'll be first to come back cause they're the closest. Probably Captain Hitsugaya cause he walks fast to make up for being short." Shun'o said.
"No way, I think Yumichika will get back first, he won't want to get dusty so he won't do all the 1000." Ayame said.
"I think it'll be either Ichigo, Chad, Renji, or Kira, because they have the longest legs, so they'll be faster. Well, maybe not Chad, because he walks slow. " Baigon decided. Orihime waited for what seemed like days until the first person returned.
"Captain Hitsugaya!" Orihime said excitedly. "Shun'o knew you would be back first." Hitsugaya looked at Shun'o.
"Why's that?" He asked. Orihime looked away.
"Because you're short." Lily chirped. Hitsugaya's eye started twitching as Orihime sweat dropped. Thankfully, another figure distracted Hitsugaya.
"Whew, those 1000 steps are dusty. I even did some extra, just to be helpful." Yumichika said, while watching Orihime and Hitsugaya from the corner of his eye to see if they bought his story. They didn't.
"Oh well, I tried." Yumichika said while flipping his hair magnificently. Orihime smiled, Hitsugaya didn't. Ichigo came next, followed by Ishida, and Rukia. Then came Kira, Renji, Rangiku, and Chad. Followed by Ikkaku and Tatsuki. When everyone was there, the talking started.
"I got nothing." Ichigo said.
"Same, here."
"Ditto."
"Nada." The list went on as every member said that they found nothing.
"Umm, Ichigo?" Orihime spoke up with encouragement from Lily. Ichigo looked at Orihime. "I have a feeling that we should go that way." Orihime said as she pointed to the north-east.
"All right, I trust you, but are you sure?" Ichigo asked. Orihime nodded firmly. "Well, lead the way." Ichigo said. Orihime took off, followed immediately by Ichigo, Tatsuki, Ishida, Rukia, Chad, Renji, and Rangiku. After a pause, Yumichika started walking, followed by Ikkaku. Lastly, Hitsugaya and Kira followed. They walked on and on.
Suddenly, Orihime felt a tinge of reiatsu that didn't come from the group. She stopped and looked around. Ishida, and Hitsugaya looked in the direction of the reiatsu. It slowly came closer, and as it did, it got bigger. Orihime furrowed her brow in confusion, it was familiar, but strange. Then, she recognized it and ran towards it.
"Starrk." Orihime called. The reiatsu fled, with Orihime using flash steps to follow. When she got above the hill he had been hiding behind, she saw him running, his hair was longer and was alone, with no Lilinette in sight.
"Wait Starrk, please wait, talk to me. Why are you alone, where is Lilinette?" Orihime shouted. Suddenly, Starrk turned and sonidoed to her faster than she had ever seen. He stood in front of her and looked at her curiously while her friends stayed close by.
"I'm not alone." Starrk said. "You're Ulquiorra's woman." Orihime blushed and looked down.
"No, she's not anyone's woman." Ichigo piped up as he glared at Starrk who ignored him.
"Ulquiorra didn't care about me Starrk, he thought I was trash. He told me so, when we were escaping. I didn't want to leave him." Orihime said quietly. Starrk smiled gently.
"Would you have left any other way? Do you really think that he would allow you to stay where it was dangerous? If Harribel and Lilinette wouldn't have kicked my butt for even suggesting it, I would have asked them to go." Starrk said. Orihime smiled at tears came to her eyes. Ulquiorra did care.
"Where is Lilinette, I thought she would be with you." Orihime said looking around.
"What do you mean, she's right here." Starrk said while gesturing to his right. Orihime followed his gaze and gave a start. There was nothing there. Everyone was silent but the wind. Then she looked down, with her eyes shadowed.
"There's no one there, you loony." Ikkaku said while Yumichika shook his head at Ikkaku. "What?" Ikkaku asked as Starrk looked at him curiously.
"She's been here. Harribel comes to see me sometimes. But she never stays long. Lilinette has always been here, I'm surprised you didn't hear her when she was trying to wake me up a short time ago, she screeched loud enough for Aizen to hear in hell." Starrk said.
"How often do you see the others?" Orihime asked quietly, her eyes unreadable.
"Not very often, hardly ever." Starrk said. Orihime nodded as she brought her hands up.
"It would be kinder to leave him as he is." Tatsuki spoke up, putting her hand on Orihime's shoulder. Ichigo shook his head.
"We need to know what happened. Do it." Ichigo said.
"What's most likely is that Lilinette isn't alive, or possibly Harribel. Which doesn't say much about the outcome of the battle. It's kinder to leave him in his world." Orihime decided as she lowered her hands. Starrk hadn't hear a word they said, as he was busy talking to the empty space next to him. Orihime out her hand on his shoulder and looked into his eyes.
"We'll be back Starrk, I promise. We'll be back." Orihime said. Starrk nodded and walked away, still talking to the air.
"Lilinette, don't talk like that, of course she'll be back, she promised. She needs to find Ulquiorra. Lets go see Harribel, and Lilinette, we're never alone, because I have you and you have me." Starrk said as he disappeared from view. Orihime turned back to the direction her heart was telling her and walked on.
"Is he delusional?" Kira asked. Orihime nodded.
"In a way. There is nothing physically wrong with him. It's mental. He has blocked the a devastating memory to him out. I believe that Lilinette has died, possibly Harribel also, They could have died and won the battle because no one expected defeating Aizen to be easy, or they could have failed, which means that everyone died, but if that happened, than why did Aizen leave Starrk alive." Orihime said.
"It's getting dark, we should find a place to settle down for the night." Ichigo said. Orihime nodded, her thoughts racing at train speed. She thought of several different scenarios. Lilinette could've been killed and Starrk went mad then, and the real Harribel still visited him. Or all the people he saw could be illusions. And if he was alive, where was Ulquiorra, Harribel, Barragan, Grimmjow, Szayel, Gin, and the fraccion.