Reign Over Me
Chapter 7: Hoodwinked
For a moment, Grimmjow and Soi Fon stared at one another. Then Grimmjow pulled Soi Fon closer to him. They kept dancing. Soi Fon put her head against his chest. It was unlike her not to immediately go for the kill in such a situation. Why could she not do it? She was pretty sure he could easily get out of this as well. What was holding them back?
"So... do we just kill each other right here?" Soi Fon asked quietly. Grimmjow smirked.
"We have two options," he said. He looked down at her. "We could find a bathroom and find a stall and..."
"What's the second option?" Soi Fon asked, suddenly wishing that she had disregarded Yoruichi's command at not placing weapons in her dress.
"We could go out back and have it out like two trained assassins would," Grimmjow said more seriously. Soi Fon stared at him, her eyes narrowing.
"You're one of the Espada. You could easily kill me right now and no one would even notice."
"You could do the same. You are a captain of the Second Authority, right? The position of your left hand could easily do some damage at the moment," Grimmjow said. "Just like I could easily break your back or sever your spine."
"But you haven't."
"Just like you won't."
"What makes you say that?" Soi Fon asked, looking into his fake green eyes. Grimmjow smirked.
"You're a killer, little bee. When you see prey, you go for the kill. You don't hesitate." Grimmjow brought her chin up. "You've hesitated for far too long," he said. Soi Fon stared at him for a moment.
"I think I liked you better with blue eyes," she whispered.
An explosion rocked the ballroom.
"Grimmjow, let's go!" Nel yelled in his ear.
Grimmjow blinked. He looked down at Soi Fon, who was removing herself from his grasp. He pulled her back to him. Soi Fon's eyes widened.
"What do you thi..." She was hushed as Grimmjow kissed her fast and hard. When he broke away, she was dizzy. She was about to reprimand Grimmjow, but her vision began to blur. "Wha..."
"I'm sorry, bee." Those were the last words she heard before passing out.
Wonderweiss sat on the floor of the 11th Tower. There was a moth flying around. He smiled and got up to follow it. He did not notice the three authority members come in, looking for some extra weapons.
"What's a kid doing in here?" one of them asked.
"Dunno. How did he get in here is the better question. Hey, little guy! Where's your parents?" He approached Wonderweiss. Wonderweiss turned his head to look at the other guys.
Apache was turning a corner when she heard noise. She sped up; they'd left Wonderweiss downstairs alone. When she got there, Wonderweiss was there. So was a moth. There were also three bodies. One had a hole through his abdomen. The second had his right arm broken in three places and his left arm wrapped painfully around his neck. The third's head looked like had been spun around on his shoulders so many times that it had broken from his spine altogether and was just... there.
Wonderweiss turned and looked at Apache. He gave her a smile. Apache smiled slowly and held out her hand to him.
"Come on, Wondy. It's time to go," she said slowly. Mila-Rose and Sun-Sun came around the corner.
"Apache we heard noise. What ha... Oh my god!" Mila-Rose yelled when she saw the carnage. "Did you do that?" Apache pointed at Wonderweiss. They all looked at the child. He looked totally oblivious to everything.
"Let's just go before I lose my dinner," Sun-Sun said. They ran out and started climbing buildings.
Yoruichi jumped across buildings. She had seen someone with red hair with Soi Fon. Then they were gone. Everyone was making their way out of the 6th Tower. How could she have been wrong? Were they really going to blow up the tower?
They seemed serious by blowing a chunk of a wall out to make their point. Aizen didn't seem too worried, as usual. Does anything ever frighten that man? Yoruichi thought. She knew she should be more concerned about the tower, but she could not find Soi Fon.
Then it happened.
An explosion not too far from her. It was not the 6th Tower as everyone, including the entire 11th Authority, was being led to believe. It was the 11th Tower. She braced herself for the aftershock. Yoruichi had been right, but everyone had definitely been duped.
Where the hell is Shaolin? she thought angrily. She knew that guy with the red hair was the culprit. If only she had not forced her to dance with someone. Then she saw it. A black... van? Yoruichi got up. She gave chase.
In the crowd outside of the 6th Tower, everyone turned as they heard and felt the 11th Tower go up in flames. Rangiku Matsumoto was standing between Gin and Toshiro, holding a glass of wine. For a moment, all that was heard was the gasps of the partygoers as they watched the grand explosion from afar. Rangiku, drunk as she was, held her mouth open for a moment.
Then she laughed.
It was not just any laugh, either. It was a loud cackle that caused everyone to jump out of their trances and look around to find the cause of the distraction. Gin and Toshiro looked at the woman between them as she held a hand to her bare chest, laughing.
"Somethin' funny, Ran?" Gin asked. Rangiku nodded. "D'ya mind sharin' it with the rest of us?" She looked at Gin with heavy eyes.
"You should see the looks on y'all's faces." She downed the rest of her wine as Shunsui Kyoraku and Nanao Ise walked up. They were both of the 8th Authority and Kyoraku was known for being just as laid back as Rangiku. Rangiku noticed him and they slapped five, laughing.
"Don't we feel like a bunch of asses, eh, Ran?" Kyoraku said through his laughter. Rangiku giggled.
"They played us like some fucking saps!" she said loudly. They continued to cackle drunkenly. Toshiro and Gin just looked over at Nanao, the second scariest female in the authorities. She removed her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose. Toshiro and Gin stepped back. Rangiku and Kyoraku hadn't even noticed.
Nnoitra watched Nel climbed in the front seat. She started throwing off items of clothing and getting dressed again. Then Nnoitra noticed that Grimmjow had also got in the car.
With an extra body.
"What the fuck, Sexta Alpha? What the FUCK? Who's the broad?" Nnoitra yelled as he drove. It took all his will not to just scream Grimmjow's name. Grimmjow glared at him.
"She's the captain of the Second Authority," he mumbled.
"What the FUCK is wrong with you?" Nnoitra yelled again. "Toss her out!" he yelled. Grimmjow glared at Nnoitra as if he'd said something offensive.
"No!"
"Toss the bitch out!"
"No!"
"Shut up and drive, Quinta! We're not tossing anyone out. Sexta Alpha, the excuse had better be GOOD," Nel said. She rolled down the window and climbed out. Nnoitra and Grimmjow listened to her walk on the hood of the van.
"I love when she pulls rank," Nnoitra said.
Nel looked around. She saw Stark's team coming up, Lilynette and Luppi being pulled along by Stark. She beat on the top of the van. Grimmjow threw the door open. They landed safely inside. Nel continued searching for the last four of their team. When she saw Mila-Rose, Sun-Sun, Apache, and Wonderweiss coming up, she also noticed that they had a tail. Nel caught Apache's eye and stood up.
Yoruichi noticed that she had been spotted. She also took note of the girl who was standing on top of the van. Her posture was familiar.
The girl who helped kidnap Inoue, she thought. Yoruichi watched as the four she was tailing disappeared completely from her sight. Confused as to what was going on, Yoruichi raised an eyebrow and then noticed the girl was pointing something at her. It was blue and it looked like it would hurt if it hit her.
Oh shit, she thought. Yoruichi was not about to take it lying down.
Nel watched as the captain she had fought before made a series of hand movements while mumbling something. A light formed and before she knew it, it was flying towards her. Nel released her own attack. She knew that if she dodged, the oncoming attack would hit the van, so she closed her eyes and took it full on.
And it really, really hurt.
Yoruichi managed to dodge the blue light, but she hit a flagpole in the process. Ironically, that knocked her out completely and she fell to the ground.
Nel was stood up shakily on the van as Yoruichi fell. She watched a man catch her right before she hit the ground. He winked at her as the van kept going. Raising an eyebrow, Nel climbed back into the van. She glared at Grimmjow. Then she winced. Her entire left side was covered in blood and she was trying to hide the pain.
"We've got to get her back. Nnoitra, drive and drive fast," Sun-Sun said.
Ulquiorra had thought it would make her happy. It just made her sad. It had just made her run to her room and cry her eyes out. When he asked her what was wrong, she had just told him nothing. Something was obviously wrong.
He did not understand this "Valentine's Day" thing.
So now Ulquiorra sat in her sitting room, listening to her weep in her bedroom. They had watched the Valentine's Ball through Nel and Grimmjow's footage. Nel's footage had been infinitely better and they had stayed on her for most of the time. Halfway through, Orihime had seen Aizen with someone called Momo Hinamori. The girl had looked absolutely lovestruck. Aizen had paraded her around like... he had paraded Orihime around. It was understandable why she would be angry or sad.
SHE was supposed to be his Valentine. SHE was supposed to be wearing a beautiful white dress and dancing the night away carelessly. Instead, Aizen had thrown out that notion and taken some other girl, seemingly not giving Orihime another thought.
The door opened and finally Orihime came out. She was a red mess, but at least she had stopped crying. She moved over to Ulquiorra and sat next to him.
"Sorry. I normally don't get so..." She started to cry again.
Tears were quite foreign in Las Noches. No one ever cried. Ulquiorra could not even remember crying as a child. He was probably sure if he scraped his knee as a kid, he would have probably stared at it in awe of the blood against his skin before tears ever came. So, it came as no surprise when he closed the gap between them, reached up and touched her cheek, wiping a tear away. Orihime looked up at him in shock, but did not say anything. She just sniffed.
"Why do you cry?" he asked, still sitting only inches away from her. Orihime just swallowed; obviously he did not mind invading her personal bubble at this moment. Her tears had seemingly grasped his interest.
"Didn't you ask that before?"
"No. I asked what was wrong. I'm asking why do you cry at this moment. For what reason do you shed tears?" Ulquiorra asked. Orihime stopped crying. He always made a simple question seem so hard to answer.
"Like... period?"
"Yes."
"Well, I cry because I'm sad or happy..."
"Why would you cry because you are happy?"
"I... don't know really." They heard the doors open to the front. Ulquiorra wiped the tears away from the other side of her face. Orihime just sat still, not knowing what to do.
"I do not like to see you cry. Do not do it anymore," he said firmly. Orihime nodded slowly.
"Um, okay. Can we go see the others now?"
"Yes." Ulquiorra leaned back away from her and she released a breath. He stood and helped her up.
When they got to the front, it was mayhem. Nel was a bloody mess in Nnoitra's arms. Halibel was shaking her head in dismay. Szayel was trying to get Nnoitra to put Nel down somewhere. Stark was heading off to bed with Lilynette. Mila-Rose, Sun-Sun, and Apache were standing around nervously, worried about Nel. Luppi was just now realizing that Wonderweiss was covered in someone else's blood.
And Grimmjow was holding the captain of the 2nd Authority. When Halibel noticed that, her eyes promised all kinds of death.
"Take her to your room and tie her up. Szayel, search her and any taps and tracking devices you find on her you get rid of," Halibel said sternly.
"The full package, my queen?" Szayel asked. Halibel nodded. Everyone who knew what that meant shuddered. Szayel looked down at Nel next. "My poor Nel Tu. What have they done to you? Second Authority bastards..."
"I can help her," Orihime said, stepping forward. "It'll only take a moment." Ulquiorra blinked; she was going to use her power? Szayel was looking at her oddly.
"Nel Tu's missing half her left side, sweetie. Unless you can rebuild tissue, I don't see how you can help her. She's going to need a lot help," he said. Orihime just moved past him.
"Lay her down somewhere," she said to Nnoitra.
"Anything for you, Pet-sama." He put Nel on the dining room table. She groaned in pain. Orihime looked at Nel's side.
Did she take the blast head-on or something? She's lucky to still be alive. What is she made of exactly? she thought. She held her hands out over Nel's side. Everyone was watching her.
"Soten Kisshun... I reject," Orihime said. The orange light appeared and with it Shun'o and Ayame.
In less than five minutes, all of Nel's injuries were healed. The orange light disappeared. Ayame flew over to Ulquiorra and winked. Then they disappeared. Nel's eyes fluttered open. She sat up and looked around. She looked down at her side. It was just like new.
"I could've sworn I had a hole ripped in me," she said absentmindedly. Orihime smiled.
"You did. But I fixed it," she said. Nel looked up at her.
Halibel stepped up next to Ulquiorra.
"That is why Aizen wants her? Her healing technique?" she asked quietly. Ulquiorra turned and started to walk. Halibel followed.
"It is not healing. It is rejection," he said.
"I don't follow."
"She is rejecting what has already happened. She is making it so that it has never happened."
"So if I destroyed a glass, she could return it to the state it was before, so to say?"
"I suppose. She also has a defensive technique that is only as powerful as how much she wants to do the other person harm. She is not a naturally... violent person, so it really doesn't do her much good. Although I made her angry and she almost took my arm off," Ulquiorra said. Halibel crossed her arms.
"Is that so?"
"Yes, it is. Her offensive technique is a shield. That explains how she survived that explosion."
"That and you saved her," Halibel mumbled. Ulquiorra looked at her, his eyes wider than usual. Halibel had a twinkle in her eye. "Oh yes, Cuarta. I am Tia Halibel, the Tercera Alpha. It's in the name: ALPHA. I am omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent." She turned around. "Keep watch over princess. I have an ass to chew out."
Soi Fon woke up. Her vision was blurry at first. Then she noticed a pink-haired man with glasses. Next to him was a pan. In the pan were what appeared to be little white marbles of some sort.
Those aren't marbles. Those are...
"My transmitters! How did..." Soi Fon flinched as pain seared up her neck. Three of the transmitters had been lodged in her spine. How had this man found them?
"I'd just relax if I were you. I had not expected the anesthesia to wear off so soon. Tough little cookie, aren't you? I'm finished, though. Guess I'll get your babysitter now. You can have your little temper tantrum with him." The pink-haired man left.
Soi Fon took in her surroundings. Everything was either black or blue; a refreshing change from the white she was used to. Still, she stuck out like a sore thumb. Luckily, they had been able to get to her transmitters without taking off her dress. But her shoes were gone. Her arms were tied to one corner of the bed, as was one foot.
Could this position get any more awkward? she thought blandly.
Then the last face she saw entered. She did not move. She could not. All the anger in her would not allow her. He sat in a chair a few feet from the bed and looked at her.
"Now, I know you're mad, little bee..."
"Do not call me that," Soi Fon hissed.
"There's that hiss again. I prefer the buzz," he said with a smirk. Soi Fon rolled her eyes. "If I untie you, will you be nice?" he asked. Soi Fon gave him a look that could melt glaciers. "I suppose not."
"Let me go, you bastard!" Soi Fon tried to kick him.
Grimmjow watched her struggle. She was making herself red in the face. One side of him wanted to let her go and let her take her frustration out on him. She would not beat him. Even if she did, there were far too many people in Las Noches for her to take down alone. And she would never get past Halibel.
NO ONE got past Halibel. The woman was a beast in terms of hand-to-hand combat.
"Bee, I know you really don't like to be in that dress, do you?" he asked. Soi Fon stopped moving. Grimmjow blinked. He really had not thought that THAT would get her attention. "I tell you what. I'll free one of your hands so that you don't have to sleep so awkwardly. When I come back in the morning, if you're nicer, I'll unlock you from the bed."
"Why won't you let me go?" Soi Fon mumbled.
"You're a captain, bee. You can give me a run for my money, and I'm pretty damn good. So..."
"I hate you." Soi Fon watched as Grimmjow made his way over to her. He unlocked her right hand. She immediately socked him in the gut. He laughed and turned away from her.
"I like you too, my little bee," he said. He walked over to the bedroom door. "Nighty-night." He shut off the light and closed the door, locking it behind him. He turned only to face an angry Tercera Alpha. For the second time in two minutes, a female punched him.
Halibel watched as Grimmjow wiped the blood away from his lip, smiling. She suddenly wished she had aimed for his nose, but she liked the way he looked too much. She placed her hands on her hips and glared bloody murder at him. Grimmjow looked back up at her, ready to take his punishment.
"Explain yourself," she said simply.
Little did they know, but they had an entire audience just outside of Grimmjow's door. Nnoitra, Sun-Sun, Luppi, Mila-Rose, Apache, Nel, and Orihime were crowded around the door, trying to listen in. Ulquiorra just stood off to the side, watching in mild amusement as they made fools of themselves. He had to admit that he was curious as to why Grimmjow had brought home a captain of all people, though.
"Well?" Halibel said.
"She figured out who I was," Grimmjow said. Halibel stared blankly at him for a moment.
"Grimmjow, how did she figure out who you were if she'd never seen your face before?"
"Something I said, maybe?" he said while shrugging. Halibel pinched the bridge of her nose.
"This is why you and Luppi are both Sextas. You both run your mouths too damn much while on a mission."
"Don't put me in the same boat as tha..." Halibel silenced him with a hand.
"You better make sure this does not become a hindrance, Grimmjow. Or I will kill you and her myself. This mission is bigger than us and you know it." Halibel turned to leave.
Behind the door, their audience scrambled to leave as they heard Halibel's steps.
"Halibel?"
"What?" she almost yelled at him. She turned to look at him. His eyes were big and he had made them tear.
"I'm really, really sorry," he said. Halibel inhaled sharply.
"With that hair you look like a demon. I suggest you get to washing it." She turned to leave. Grimmjow frowned.
In his bedroom, Soi Fon laid on her side.
Grimmjow... So that's his name, she thought.
Yoruichi woke up to a splitting headache and a sore neck and left shoulder. The sun was shining through the blinds of a window. She sat up slowly and rotated her shoulder, looking around at her surroundings. She was in the 4th Tower, where the 4th Authority and Hospital was. Yoruichi would not call herself a frequent visitor, but a lot of her men spent time here.
It was then that she noticed she had a visitor. She almost rolled her eyes when she realized who it was.
"Good morning, Kisuke. What brings you here?" she asked.
"The strangest thing happened last night, Yoruichi," Kisuke Urahara said. He leaned forward on her bed. Yoruichi stared at him. A moment of silence passed between them. "Would you like to hear what it was?"
"Yes, idiot. What was it?"
"Oh, well, I was at the ball. Of course you know about the ball. Being a scientist, you're taught to look the other direction while everyone else looks in another. So, I noticed four people heading down Shizuki Avenue. Naturally, being a captain, I gave chase. But that's not the fun part."
"What is?"
"The black van and the little lady on top," he said. Urahara watched Yoruichi finally pay complete attention to him. "So, the four people I was initially following do some kind of disappearing act and I see the little lady on top forming this blue light. But it isn't directed at me. She didn't even see me," he said.
"She was directing it at me," Yoruichi said. "Do you know what it was? It was powerful, whatever it was," she said. Urahara nodded.
"Didn't appear to be kido... But she did take your kido blast head on. I must give her props." Yoruichi glared at Urahara. He just smiled under his hat. "Much to my surprise she stood up again and it began to rain."
"It rained?" Yoruichi raised an eyebrow.
"Yep. It was raining," he winked at Yoruichi, "sexy women. The most beautiful woman known to man fell right into my arms as that van sped off. I wonder if the little lady on the van survived..."
"You caught me, huh?" Yoruichi rubbed her head, feeling the wrapping from where she hit the pole.
"Any other day, I'd be inclined to laugh my head off at the fact that you jumped right into a pole, but since you were chasing after your best friend, I'll cut you a little slack," Urahara said from behind his white fan. Yoruichi shot him a look. "Did you notice that they were heading down Shizuki Avenue?"
"Shizuki? There's nothing at the end of Shizuki, Kisuke," Yoruichi said.
"Really now? I hadn't noticed..."
"Just the wall." She watched Urahara stand. "What now? Where are you going?"
"It is a beautiful day, Yoruichi. I'm going to have lunch with a few old friends. Perhaps I'll help with some of the wreckage at the Eleventh, too. It pays to be a good citizen, you know..."
Yoruichi watched one of closest friends leave.
I swear he gets stranger every year. Sometimes it's like he's not even... here, she thought.
