The air was so hot it nearly burned just to breath. Everything was drenched in a haze of red and yellow; distorted by wave after wave of heat the further down they descend. You could feel it long before you ever reached anything; hate and insanity as thick as cold butter. The hideous cries that makes ones blood turn thick with fear frozen in place by the sheer insanity of it; surrounded Orihime as she struggled to remain conscious.
Something told Orihime that if she thought Hueco Mundo was evil she was wrong; Orihime was about to be taught the true meaning of what evil really is. Orihime felt a fear unlike any she d felt before.
Still wrapped in thick chains Orihime was dragged through thick dense clouds of putrid smoke that permeated the very air around her; it was nearly suffocating. The stench wasn t one of decay or rotting flesh but of pure hatred toward all things.
There were actual dwellings below Orihime where these beings lived and a huge vast river that ran right through the center of it all. The dwellings looked as if they were missing half of their walls and roofs leaving them open to the ever present red and yellow glow. As Orihime descended further that red and yellow glow became an almost blinding bright white and pinkish orange.
Wailings and screams became more pronounced mixed with moans and actual crying. It was a disgustingly eerie sound that filled every corner of the place, bemoaning terrifying and sinister occupants; mixed with deep seeded hatred, regrets, hurts and sorrows all at the same time. They echoed through out nonstop.
Out of it all the hatred was the most terrifying while the regrets, hurts and sorrows were oppressive. These feelings came crashing down on Orihime like a ball of led as they landed on the top of what might have been a tall skyscraper pent house once upon a time. It sat centered and overlooked the entire city surrounding it.
Orihime tried to maintain positive thoughts even with all of the oppressive feelings surrounding her. "I must have faith in my friends; they will come for me" She told herself. Kurosaki-kun; Orihime began to think then a vision of Ichigo s painful expression during his fight with Ulquiorra filled her mind.
A familiar voice of the not to distant past echoed around her head" Your friends Orihime Inoue are the reason you are here. I left many clues as to whom I wanted and was coming for. I couldn t have made it any clearer without going there myself and taking you."
The voice was as soft as silk and as smooth as honey "Aizen" she said with a shaky voice. Orihime couldn t see him but she could feel his caress; it was the same as the one he d given her just before departing to destroy Karakura Town to make the King s key in Hueco Mundo.
Aizen continued" Your friends in the Soul Society put you in a place where you couldn t escape me and they knew I could get to with ease. You were their sacrifice in order to keep their world safe from my wrath."
Orihime argued" Ichigo tried..." But was interrupted by Aizen once more"It is easy for someone to act brave when they know you won t permit them to fight for you Orihime Inoue. None of your other friends; Ishida Uryuu, Chad Yasutora or even Rukia Kuchiki offered a voice against the Captain Commander Yamamoto s decision did they?" Aizen said calmly" That s because they were all offering you to me in order to save their worlds."
who would believe Ichigo would sacrifice a friend" Ichigo isn t like that!" Orihime stated emphatically." Ichigo would never"
Aizen interrupted again laughing just before speaking" Act brave knowing he wouldn t have to follow through? Oh you are naive aren t you Orihime Inoue? "He laughed again" Ichigo Kurosaki is human regardless of his appearance, he is human. As humans go, he like any other human trying to hide the truth would resort to doing anything to make others think they are above reproach. The Shinigami do and act the same way just as the Arrancars in Hueco Mundo Orihime Inoue; the Shinigami believe themselves to be better then all others just as the Arrancars do; it is a vicious cycle that never ends."
Aizen continues but this time all humor is gone from his tone of voice and the sound is deadly. "The worse of those just like the ones you call friends live here Orihime Inoue. Welcome to your new home."
Orihime overwhelmed with fear turned and ran. She could barely see a foot in front of her with the blinding light all around. Orihime felt someone reach out and grab at her shoulders. The material ripped leaving her arms and most of her shoulders bare making her stumble as she continued her head long momentum. Too late Orihime realized she couldn t stop before falling over the edge.
As Orihime began her downward spiraling ascent the chain began unraveling at the shoulders leaving huge marks along her arms, now bare as is slid tight before releasing with each turn of her body. At one point the chain caught on the material on her back until it ripped the material free from the base of her neck to her waist.
Orihime was helpless and felt as if she would never stop spinning and falling when she came to a lurching haul. The chain caught the skirt pert of what was left of her dress she d worn since she left Hueco Mundo. Hearing the hissing sound of the winged creature that brought her here Orihime looked down.
"The ground isn t that far, maybe if I free myself I can make it and find some place to hide" Orihime thought frantically. The chain caught on the material at her right upper thigh where it was easy enough to reach with a little bit of effort.
Orihime grabbed the chain with her right hand to hold herself upward a little while taking the material with her left and yanked hard until she heard it rip; then with all her might Orihime threw her body weight downward. The material of her dress gave way ripping jaggedly all the way around as it tore away, and Orihime began the rest of her descent to the ground.
Orihime s fall was cut short as her own shield formed under her, slowing her descent until she was nearly at the bottom; then Orihime was grateful for Rukia s training as she tucked and rolled into a dead run after spotting a hiding place on her way down. Orihime ran using any and all items between to shield her location. She ran right to left and back, as she made her way through a torn up street to a place she thought might be safe to hide in for a time.
Aizen s voice rang out echoing from every direction." I really didn t think you had it in you Orihime Inoue to run like that. You won t evade me you know I will find you. During which time perhaps you will learn the truth of your friend s wickedness and evil ways. How they only truly care about themselves and think nothing of sacrificing innocents for their own gains; innocence like you."
Orihime didn t stop to listen, the shadow of the creature above was circling, searching for her; but she couldn t help but to hear his voice since it carried far and wide as it echoed from above.
A ways away another hearing Aizen s voice did stop to listen. Steal grey eyes burned into the distance and widened when Aizen said Orihime got away from him. Without further hesitation the dark figure moved quickly toward the direction Aizen s voice emanated from.
The streets were wide but broken and raised in many areas; some by feet instead of inches. Fragments of broken buildings along with garbage and waste by products littered everywhere along the streets adding to the stench of raw fear, sorrows and hate. The oppressiveness Orihime felt from above was even worse here; Orihime felt as if she would choke it was so thick.
The building Orihime sought for refuge was only a few feet away when she saw grotesque beings emerge from an open doorway. The bright white light that had been so blinding seemed to be fading and turning to a pinkish orange glow. The heat however rose and created a wavering affect over the entire area.
Upon seeing the creatures emerge from the buildings Orihime changed directions and continued heading down the street using pieces of buildings for cover. Although Orihime couldn t see the pursuing creatures shadow due to the lighting she instinctively knew he was up there; still circling and searching for her.
Orihime knew it was too much to expect her luck to hold up for too much longer when something grabbed her gruffly from behind and yanked Orihime to her back on the ground. The scrapping of her back just added to the raw open wounds she still had on her arms from the massive chain during her fall, and the force with which she hit the ground on top of the pain nearly caused Orihime to black out.
The creature bending over Orihime laughed hideously as if insane. It s head looked like raw meat with lumpy skin hanging off of the edges. It s eyes were small and beady in overly large whites surrounded by dried blood. It s nose fat with something greenish oozing from the nostrils. It s lips were huge for it s face and when it opened it s mouth it revealed beige jagged teeth and a long thick tongue. It drooled as it opened it s mouth to speak.
The creatures breath was rancid but before it could actually breath on Orihime something flashed and the top of it s head from its nose up, slid from the rest of it; and it crashed to the ground in a heap. Orihime didn t wait around to find out what killed that creature for fear something even bigger and more dangerous was coming; Orihime jumped up and ran.
Creatures were emerging from everywhere now that the bright white light was gone. Orihime knew now she had to avoid them as well as the creature chasing her and stay as far away from Aizen as she could. This light cast shadows everywhere where as the white light seemed to penetrate everywhere leaving no shadows at all.
Orihime wanted to find someplace to stop and heal her torn flesh; it was painful to move her arms and her back ached from the deep scrapping there, but finding any area where the creatures didn t already occupy was proving nearly impossible. Stopping in a shadow to catch her breath Orihime s mind began wandering.
Visions of the scene in the Captain Commander s office played back in Orihime s mind over and over. "No; Ichigo didn t know, and I ve got to believe none of my friends would do this. I must believe my friends are truly my friends." Orihime shook her head" I must stay alive until no I can t keep relying on Ichigo! I must find a way out I must do this myself."
Orihime healed her wounds as she hunched down in a shadow and thought things through. "There was a big river to my right as we came in; if I can find that river I should be able to follow it to get out again. "Having thought that through Orihime finished healing, looked around and began moving once more.
The screams and cries were louder and by far more intense in the city then from above making it hard for Orihime to think. The deep strong emotions that surrounded Orihime seemed to seep into her very bones making it difficult to even move at times, but by her sheer will Orihime continued making her way through the city, dodging this way and that; keeping to every shadow possible and avoiding the inhabitants there while looking for the river.
The inhabitants knew of Orihime s presence among them; whether by sensing it or they were somehow told Orihime didn t know, but she could hear their shouts and threats" Find the living one!" Another shouted" The living has no business here kill it!" Others screamed of the various ways they would kill her and make her pay for her arrogance of being among them; most sounded as if they would derive pleasure in the doing of the deed. The sense of pure hatred filled the air.
Orihime soon learned the buildings were nothing more then bits and pieces of what might once have been a vast city. Nothing was complete and nothing standing would give shelter from the bright light once it appears high above. Something one of the hateful voices said made Orihime pause in thought.
"Don t let the living one out of your area or I will find her and kill her myself." What did he mean? Are they bound here in specific areas for some reason? Orihime couldn t take long to think though for others began heading her way. Turning to get up Orihime ran on.
Aizen s voice echoed through the city again" Orihime Inoue, you have done well to stay alive this long and not get caught; but you know it won t last. You are alone here. There is no one coming to save you this time Orihime Inoue; your friends left you to die here."
Orihime tried to ignore Aizen as she continued running but no matter how hard she tried his voice echoed over and over; You are alone; your friends left you to die here. Out of breath and growing tired Orihime stopped running, and looked up into the strange pinkish orange sky as she remembered another place and another time; when Aizen used her cruelly to trap Ichigo and her friends in Hueco Mundo.
No Aizen I fear they will come, and it is what will happen to them if they do that I fear most. Please stay out there Ichigo, stay safe. Don t come after me this time. I can t bear your suffering anymore because of me. Tears began flowing freely from her eyes as she remembered Ichigo s loss of control in Hueco Mundo and the pain in his face while fighting Ulquiorra.
Through her tears Orihime saw a dark figure above blocking out some of the strange sky. It seemed to hover there above her. Sharply inhaling at the sight of that unknown figure Orihime began running again in the direction she figured the river to be in; refusing to look up again or back.
The closer Orihime got to the river the heaver her heart felt. As she got close to the river Orihime noticed something strangely familiar about it. So familiar she stopped and looked around. This can t be Orihime thought as visions began playing around in her mind of times she d spent in this very place with her various friends. Each vision ended with her friends crying because they couldn t find Orihime.
Orihime spun around and around seeing her friends in a circle around her. The most hurtful was when she saw Ichigo again with that same painful expression when he fought Ulquiorra to gain her freedom. Orihime s heart began pounding so heard she thought it would come out of her chest. The sorrow she felt was so devastating and overwhelming Orihime fell to her knees in tears; oblivious of the creatures grabbing at her from all directions.