Ch. 10
She looked around the crowded cafeteria for a free table. Spotting one, she maneuvered around people, her tray nearly hitting someone on the head, and sat down. Her stomach growled loudly, but she already had a fork in her hands.
Orihime found herself stopped, however, by a voice. "What are you doing?"
She paused, her fork dangling just before her lips with bits of rice already falling off of it, to look across the table where the sound had emanated.
Her eyes widened. "Oh!" Across from her was an annoyed looking girl. Orihime had not noticed her due to her short stature. "I'm sorry!"
The girl blinked before narrowing her pink eyes towards Orihime. "And who are you? I've never seen you before," she said suspiciously.
"I'm Orihime Inoue. I'm…fairly new I suppose," she answered with a smile that only served to make the girl more suspicious. "Uh maybe I should just…"
"So you're the one from Karakura," she supplied, finally sitting back as Orihime nodded. She pointed a thumb towards herself and said, "I'm Lilynette."
"N-nice to meet you."
"Starrk is my brother. Do you know him? He's one of the Espada."
Orihime looked thoughtful a moment. "No, I don't think I've met him before. Though, when I first came here, they were all in a room together."
The girl grinned. "He was probably the one barely awake. He is pretty lazy. Right now he is in a meeting."
Orihime leaned forward at this bit of information. "A meeting? That's where Ulquiorra went too…" She remembered seeing the white moth and feeling it had been too soon since the last summons. Only a day had progressed since Ulquiorra had taken his mission and returned barely alive.
"I guess it must be a full meeting," she guessed with a shrug.
"So you're here because your brother works here too?" Orihime asked, curious. It seemed strange such a young girl would be part of a company like HM Global.
"Yep," Lilynette replied, pulling at a strand of her green hair. "We only have each other now, so I live here too."
Orihime felt her heartstrings pull at the answer. Their circumstances reminded her so much of Sora and herself.
"I understand," she told her, brown eyes softening. "I know what that is like, to have a brother who is so important to you."
Lilynette looked at her like she had grown another head. "You do?"
She nodded. "I had an older brother named Sora who was pretty much my only family."
The girl's eyebrows furrowed. "Had?"
Suddenly Orihime realized that she had started a fairly sad conversation with someone she barely knew. The young girl looked somewhat horrified now, and it was too late to fix her mistake.
"W-well, he died. B-but its ok! I didn't want Sora to worry, so I've always kept walking forward. I want him to rest in peace knowing that I'm ok."
"So you were left alone?" Lilynette wasn't looking at her anymore, but was staring glumly at the table. "That's…pretty sad."
Orihime slumped down in her chair, feeling distressed she had caused such a dreary mood. "Ah…"
Suddenly the girl looked up at her. "So why is it that you seem so happy? I don't see how anyone who was left alone could be…"
She understood what the girl meant, because she had wrestled with such feelings many times before. Loneliness was a great fear of hers and had been ever since Sora was no longer in her life. Having another person to listen to you, talk to you, understand you, really meant a lot.
"I didn't want Sora to worry. I wanted to prove to him that he had helped raise me to be a strong person that could find happiness." She placed a hand against her heart. "Because Sora loved me I would always have a piece of him with me. Even if I felt lonely, I would remember that and feel better. It would have been a disservice to his memory to just give up."
For a moment, Lilynette was silent, watching her carefully. "But…aren't you lonely here? I know a little bit about you, that you are being forced to work for Aizen-sama. Don't you feel alone?"
She glanced to the side a moment, wondering if she felt that way. It was true that she had felt that way at first. How wouldn't she? She was cut off completely from her friends, the people that were her entire world. But wasn't she still moving forward? She had not yet completely lost hope of seeing them and being with them again. And in the meantime…did she feel alone?
"No, I don't feel alone. I did at first but…" she gave a small shrug. "I don't think people here are really that different than the people there."
"You're strange," Lilynette told her bluntly. "But I guess you might fit in with us after all." Then she shot Orihime a wide grin. "Don't worry - we watch out for anyone we consider our comrade. I'll make sure Starrk gets off his lazy ass and helps you if you need it."
Orihime blinked. "Th-thank you?"
"You said Ulquiorra left. So you stay in his section?"
Orihime nodded to confirm her suspicions.
"He's a really quiet guy, but Starrk says he's alright." Lilynette shrugged, getting up from the table. "I'll see you around. Come visit the 1st section if you are free. It gets lonely there sometimes."
"Alright!" Orihime promised, waving to her as she sauntered off. She smiled to herself, feeling glad she had made another friend. And she would need to remember to visit the girl; she didn't want anyone to feel lonely…especially a child.
Her stomach grumbled loudly, reminding her of the task at hand, and she once again turned her attention to her meal.
"Time to eat!"
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
"I must commend you, my Espada, for being so patient."
Brown eyes swept across the table, looking at each of them.
"I'm sure you are all eager to move forward. I promised you a war, after all, and I am pleased to say we are nearly there."
Some could not contain their looks of glee at the thought of finally starting battle. Killing, destroying - these were the things that they cared about. But in this, Ulquiorra was more interested in the looks of discomfort. Glancing across the table, he was surprised to find Grimmjow staring down with a serious expression. He did not seem happy in the slightest.
"Thanks to recent efforts, we are able to move forward." Here he looked up at Aizen, knowing his eyes were upon him. "Ulquiorra, because you were essential in this, and because you handled your task extremely well, I am putting you in charge of creating a team to infiltrate Karakura Inc."
He closed his eyes, nodding humbly. The tension in the room, however, had skyrocketed.
"Karakura again?" Barragan ground out, obviously annoyed. "What great power do they hold?"
Aizen smiled and Barragan's scowl deepened. "I assure you they do have a power. It will be what decides the end of this war."
Szayel looked up, intrigued, perhaps against his own desires. Many others simply looked confused or indifferent.
"What is this power, Aizen-sama?" Szayel asked, leaning forward in his chair. "I'm surprised to hear that they have anything that would be so influential. What is it?"
"I understand your confusion, Szayel. But it is a great secret of Kisuke Urahara's. Something of which I learned, even as he tried to seal it away forever. But he is just a man tempted by power, like any other man, and I am sure he did not remove it entirely. No, what I seek will lie amongst his files, hidden perhaps, but still there."
"You are looking for a file?" Ulquiorra surmised, looking up to see Aizen nod.
"Yes, a file. Something so simple, yet there is nothing more important."
"This file," Harribel spoke, her voice careful. "You will use it to defeat them?"
"Yes. We will use it to defeat Soul Systems," Aizen confirmed, impressing on them the importance of what he sought. "Once you get this file, Karakura Inc. will be of no further use. Soul Systems will fall to our superior technology."
Aizen allowed the information to sink in and sipped his tea calmly. They were itching for battle. They had been created for it, after all.
"Ulquiorra, it is up to you to create a team and, in two days time, enter Karakura Inc. to retrieve the file. I think Orihime-san will be of use in this, for she certainly will know the building well." He placed his head on his folded fingers and continued his instruction. "I do not want Soul Systems to interfere. They have pulled out their forces due to the attacks on their property. This is the moment I have been waiting for, when Karakura will be left bare. You will also need to handle whoever Karakura utilizes to protect themselves if they discover you. This task is important enough that I will allow you to remove your restraints, but only under risk of complete failure of the mission. Anything less will not be tolerated. I trust that you are all skilled enough to do this task without using your full capabilities, as I have seen to it that the target is as weak as possible."
His eyes were sharp as he looked at them, making sure they understood the seriousness of his request. What he desired was extremely important, and they would face death if they did not do as told.
"Finally, Orihime-san must be the one retrieving the file." Ulquiorra's eyes shot towards his leader. "Their system will recognize your signatures as foreign. That I am sure of."
Ulquiorra's mind reeled. He had not thought of involving her further than the initial planning stage. Now it would seem she was to join them on the mission. An extremely dangerous one, none the less. But he could not argue. The tone in which Aizen spoke told him of the danger of speaking out. They all knew it, felt that enormous pressure upon them, suffocating them. It was nearly unbearable.
"Ulquiorra, I trust your judgment on this. You cannot afford to make any mistakes."
He nodded slowly, glancing again to Grimmjow, who was staring intensely at him. Oddly, it was not a look of jealousy or annoyance, but instead a look of purpose.
"Yes, Aizen-sama."
"Now, the file."
A great hush fell across the room. Even Yammy, who was not in any way bright, knew to be completely silent, his oversized mouth hanging open in suspense.
"It is called 'hogyoku'."
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
She sat at the top of the stairs, performing the latest activity she could come up with to entertain herself. A black blur shot in her direction, and she caught it tightly in her grip. Swinging her arm back, she released the tiny ball, which flew across the room while emitting a high pitched squeak. Then, as before, it zoomed back in her direction to be caught up again.
"Catch is more fun with two people," she told the eye, making it blink repeatedly up at her. The eye roamed restlessly, as if dizzy from its experiences. Her arm launched back again and it went flying.
It was unusual for Ulquiorra not to be back by the end of the work day. He always accompanied her back to the apartment; she knew that had partly to do with her being unable to enter without him. Of course, it had been surprising to find the eye leading her back without him, but somehow the door had opened for them.
She knew there was something bothering him, ever since the night she had healed him. His eyes had been so wide, yet his face so still. It was as if he could contain all emotion in his eyes alone. But she had felt it too, the anger boiling just below the surface. It had been the first time she had felt any strong emotion from him. With it, she had caught a glimpse of the power neatly contained in his small, willowy frame.
Had he gotten the power he wanted? Was that what Aizen had given him?
Whatever Aizen had done, it did not seem to make him happy. Orihime was fairly certain anything Aizen did could not make someone happy, not when the man only did things that served his own purpose and no other.
Her eyebrows knitted together, and she caught the eye before promptly throwing it back. It was then that the door opened, and her attention shifted to the figure entering.
"Welcome back!" she called, attempting to stand, but something solid and black collided with her forehead and she fell back upon the stairs. "Owww.." She rubbed at the red mark as the eye spun dizzily on the ground nearby.
His hands were in his pockets as he stared straight ahead. It appeared he hadn't heard her and instead had a far off look to him. His fingers loosened the neck of his jacket absentmindedly. Ulquiorra walked until he stood before his drawn curtains across the room from the doorway. Pulling them aside, he revealed a wall of windows and through them the night sky with its sliver of a moon. It was the sky he chose to see.
Getting up, she left the stairs and moved to stand by him. His head moved discretely, and she knew it was an acknowledgment of her presence. Normally, she would have tried to say something, ask him a question, talk, fill the void with sound. But this time she stayed silent. She watched him, looking up through her lashes so he wouldn't see. He was looking steadily out the window at the moon, and his features, to her surprise, seemed relaxed. An overwhelming feeling of fondness rushed over her suddenly, and she felt a sudden desire to reach out and touch him. Perhaps his arm, or his hand, anything that would tell her he was there, and not something as distant as the fake moon outside.
She blinked at her strange feelings. Why did she want to do such a thing? Of course he was there. He was ordered to be.
His head turned, and her vision was filled with vivid green as his eyes fell upon her. Suddenly, she felt too hot for reasons she did not understand. She had stood too close, their faces were right next to each other. She could see clearly that though the tear streaks running down his cheeks were teal, his eyes held specks of a darker, lush green. Her lips parted in surprise, but the movement was not missed by him as his gaze flickered down for the briefest of moments.
Would he…
Her breath caught. What was she doing? They both stood there, transfixed, and mutely she realized she didn't want him to look away. His eyes somehow seemed softer, open, in a way she had never seen. Not even a moment ago when he had seemed at peace at the window.
Then, he blinked, and when his lids opened again everything had changed. Things fell back into place as he straightened, pulling his frame away from her, his head turning to look at the floor. Her lips closed, cold, and she too looked down.
Why did she insist on destroying herself? Did she not love Ichigo? Had a few weeks locked away made her forget who she was?
"We have a mission." His voice seemed distant in the small space between them. As if he wished to detach himself from his own words.
"We?"
"Yes, you will be part of it."
She could almost sense the words he would soon say, but still she asked, "What is it?"
"We are infiltrating Karakura Inc."
Orihime squeezed her eyes shut. Of course. Of …
"Aizen-sama desires a file. We must get it."
He so coldly delivered this message, knowing how she would feel. Were they not beyond such indifferences?
"And if we get it," he went on, his voice filling with new meaning, and she found herself opening her eyes to look up at him. "Karakura Inc. will no longer be of interest to him."
Her brown eyes went wide in understanding. "I…"
Yes, he knew. He knew what her reactions would be, and because he knew, he also would know what to say. There was an insistent look in his eyes, and she knew what he meant by it.
"I'll do it," she said, her eyes turning determined. "I'll get that file. I'll do whatever it takes to keep them safe."
He nodded, his feathery black hair brushing against his nose. "I know."
His words were not mocking, merely truthful, but she felt stronger because of them. It told her he was going to be there. He had said 'we' because he was not going to leave her to it alone. She did not need to touch him to know he was there. His silent company was enough.
No, she had not forgotten who she was. She was still Orihime Inoue, a foolish girl who blindly agreed to whatever pretty words seemed safest. She was still the girl who fell in love with a guy she might not ever tell. She was still the girl forced to work for a company she didn't agree with. She was still the girl realizing she might have been put where she needed to be.
And…she was still the girl finding herself drawn more and more to the person standing in front of her.
A/N: I realize this is a shorter chapter, but next chapter is longer. It just happened to be a good break for me to end it here. Please review! Next week, Orihime and Ulquiorra do some planning and then the team mobilizes. Should be interesting...it's another favorite chapter of mine.
Beta'd by a pizza eating chu.
Straightforward Dude: Oh, I feel like I know you from somewhere…
Sasusakuislovelyy: Glad I can brighten your day, if just a little, with this story :) Thank you for reading and reviewing!
Ulquihime7980: About your question… Aizen is a very charismatic man. He tends to say things in a certain way that veils the truth while still making others believe he is being open with them. This would be the case with Ulquiorra. He knows Aizen is looking out for himself, yet he can't help but put trust in him. I don't think Ulquiorra could have followed Aizen if he did not think, at least a little, that Aizen had some positive intent for him. So when Aizen tells him you will heal yourself better than most, but it is imperfect, he would not immediately doubt it. After all, Aizen was not admitting his power being perfect. It was an experiment, that is what it was always called. Ulquiorra therefore wouldn't be as worried about its short-comings. And the mechanics of his ability might not be something he looked much into. This is the thinking behind why Ulquiorra did not notice something that might seem obvious. Orihime, however, is an outsider and has no prior motivations to think a certain way about it. She just says what makes sense, and Ulquiorra has his 'ah ha!' moment that she is probably right.
I hope that makes sense! Thank you for reading!
99vampiress: Haha, well, as Ulquiorra said, he wouldn't have had such a difficult time if he wasn't under such restraints. For one he simply had to be seen, and another, he couldn't use his greatest power. I also considered poison to be a weakness that would be more difficult to Ulquiorra, in his position, to protect against. Luckily, he is such a quick thinking guy! Thank you for reading and telling me your thoughts on this :)
Nypsy: I'm glad you really liked the chapter! I think that moment where Ulquiorra realizes that Orihime would be upset if something happened to him is huge. No one has ever cared for him on that level without there being something in it for themselves (as shown by his life under his previous name). It's too bad right when he discovers this he also discovers that Aizen has such a grip on him.
Thank you, as always, for supporting this story and reviewing!
RAHbooks: Mwaha, yes, someone else controlling that aspect about you would be…very chilling. Unfortunately, it's hard to beat Aizen at his own game, especially such lost souls as the Espada. Of course, now Orihime, at least, is looking after his well-being in her own way. That will mean a lot. Glad you are enjoying the story progression :)
Pardon the Insanity: Haha, I've been trying to figure out how I would feel while reading a story like this. I realize it is pretty cruel to keep things going along without that huge moment where romance occurs without a doubt. I'd probably be fairly crazed by now, waiting for that moment. I'm glad though, that the more intimate moment of the healing was satisfying. It is a small thing in the realm of romance, but for them it should be monumental.
I think Orihime is someone who, once they decide they have forgiven any ill-will towards someone, will stand by that conviction. She showed as much with the twins, in that whatever harm they threw at her she still attempted to defend them. After deciding he was not her enemy, and even admitting she thought him a good person, she could not, at least, completely abandon him.
I'm glad you liked how I handled the action! I know a lot of writers have a lot of anxiety over action scenes and may feel uncomfortable with writing them at all. I try not to go into too much detail, just enough to paint a good enough picture that the reader can fill in some of the blank spots with their own imagination. It's always good to hear you are handling these scenes well :)
You are completely correct in saying I enjoyed writing that healing scene! It was a scene I had planned from fairly early on. It was one of those scenes that I imagined could really progress them further, and I've always liked the connection between Orihime being able to heal and Ulquiorra having an ability that can do so as well. I also love the idea of Orihime being strong for him, and it was the perfect opportunity to show that she could and would act if he needed her.
I'm sorry to hear your semester has been rough, and I really appreciate even in the business that you take the time to read this fic and send me your thoughts. Just as others get excited about seeing a new chapter, I get giddy about seeing people's thoughts and opinions on it. So thank you again for your kind words and encouragement!
Until next chapter!
-Miss Soupy