I'm sorry that it's taken so long to actually update. Thank you for your review XKyuubiDatenshiX. ^.^ I'm glad that you love the story. Thank you to those of you who have put it on your favorites or on your Alert list. Please be patient for the next update. :) I'll try to get it out quicker. Enjoy!
Fearless
Chapter 9 – Captive and Making Friends
Asami stares out through the cold, metal bars at the young woman before her. The woman was thin, and her skin was a sickly pale color. She had dark circles under her eyes. It seemed like she was suffering from the lack of sleep. It was obvious to the Arrancar that the Soul Reaper was sick. Her hair was pulled back into a bun at the top of her head, and her eyes were slightly glazed. She'd appeared several times over the course of the month that Asami had spent inside the cage. She only came at night, so Asami assumed she wasn't allowed in here. Never once had the woman even spoke to Asami. Asami was beginning to wonder if the Soul Reaper was a mute.
Asami cautiously approaches the bars. Her hands circle around the cold, thick metal. The first night Asami had politely asked the Soul Reaper her name. She hadn't responded; she just seemed to disappear before Asami's eyes. The woman steps back when Asami steps up to the bars and her glazed eyes widen a fraction. It looks like she's about to flee. Asami feels panic lifts its ugly head once again. The only person she saw was this woman, and a timid, black-haired youth who would stutter that he had her food and retreat away from the "dreaded" Arrancar's cage. Asami decides to take a gentle approach to see if she can convince the woman to actually talk this time.
"Hey there. My name is Akatsuki, Asami. What's yours?" She keeps her tone soft, so she doesn't frighten the young woman. The woman retreats another two steps. This brings her against the wall. Her eyes are so wide now that Asami silently wonders if her eyeballs are going to pop out of her head. For a moment, the two women just stare at each other.
"D-did you s-see Aizen-taichou?" The voice was almost a squeak. That's all she gets out of the small stuttered question. Asami was surprised that someone could sound so intimidated by someone else, even if that other person is trapped inside a large, cold, metal cage without a single weapon. It takes a moment for the Soul Reapers words to sink into Asami's conscious. She must be asking about Aizen-sama. Asami slowly nods. A relieved look replaces the look of fear on the Soul Reapers face. "Oh, is he eating well? How is he doing? He was forced by that….." She pauses to find the right words. Apparently, they escape her as she finishes lamely, "…that Gin, wasn't he?" She looks as if she needs to explain herself, so she adds quickly, "No one believes me that he wouldn't do such a thing. I know that he wouldn't do it of his own free will."
Asami was startled by the fact that after each question, the woman moved forward a step. She was now half way back to the bars. Asami blinks blankly at her. It clicks in her mind after a moment. Gin-sama had told her about the Soul Society on one of the rare nights he'd felt talkative. This must be the girl he called "Momo". She was supposedly very loyal to Aizen-sama, despite the pain he put her through. It seemed like she was still loyal to the man. Asami couldn't quite figure out why she's loyal to him, but she doesn't think this is the time to question her motive. Asami inspects the woman closer. She looked ready to fall apart at a careless word. Because of that, Asami thinks over her words for a moment before she cautiously replies.
"He's doing very well. I think he's happy. He eats whenever he wants." She thought it was wisest to leave the last part unspoken. She wasn't even sure what any of the ex-Soul Reapers thought about the Soul Society, other than they wanted it out of their way. All Asami knew was that some Arrancars idolized Aizen, while others hated him.
Asami notices that almost immediately following her assurances, the Soul Reaper visibly relaxes. A small, sad smile adorns her tired face. Asami thinks that she could be very pretty if the dark purple circles weren't under her glazed eyes. If the woman smiled more, she'd have no trouble at all finding a man.
"That's good to know. I'm Hinamori, Momo. It's nice to meet you." Her voice has improved more since her first couple of sentences. It's soft and timid, but it was pleasant to listen to. Though the gesture is polite, she doesn't offer to shake hands or show any other sign of acknowledgement. Still, Asami can't help but feel that she's got some sort of a companion. "Oh, I should bring Izuru-kun tomorrow. I'm sure that he'd like to hear about.." she pauses. A look of disgust flashes across her face, but it's gone as soon as it comes. "...Gin."
A noise outside the door alerts both of them to the night guard. Momo casts a sympathetic look in Asami's general direction. The door opens, and a white light blinds Asami for a moment. She hears a swish and somehow knows that Momo has taken off. A shadow stands in the doorway; their back to the light makes them just a silhouette to Asami's mismatched eyes. Spiritual pressure is repressed, so it is impossible to tell the rank of the person.
"Was someone in here?" a cold voice questions. Asami represses a shiver. It was the sixth squad's captain, Kuchiki Byakuya. He had shown up once or twice to make sure that Asami was surviving. She had reason to believe that he was under orders to ensure that the rare Arrancar survived. She had learned to fear his existence. He hasn't moved from the doorway, instead Asami has backed to the furthest reaches of her cage. He had yet to lay a hand on her, but his looks could freeze boiling, hot water. "I asked a question."
"N-no," was the simple reply he got. He wasn't sure if he believed her. He had been told by the guard patrolling the door that he had heard someone, other than the Arrancar, talking inside room. He had his suspicions on who it was, yet he wouldn't report them. He had no evidence to prove it at the moment. His eyes stare past the gloom to the Arrancar's huddled form. It'd be a couple days before the Central 46 Chambers made the decision on what to do with her. Until then, she was under his care and therefore stuffed into a holding cell in the sixth squad barracks. He turns his back to the cowering woman. He'd catch the Lieutenant of the fifth division in time. He had paperwork that was in need of desperate attention at the moment.
It is a few, slow dragging days before Momo chances another meeting with Asami. This time she's brought a male around her age with her. He's got blond hair that arches up and over the left side of his face. It looked as if it was shoulder length. As usual, with the blonde hair came the blue eyes. He's tall like all the other males that Asami has known. His zanpaku-to sticks out of his belt like it is mocking the defenseless Arrancar. He has a quiet air around him, but Momo seems pleased beyond reason.
"Asami-san, this is Kira, Izuru." She seems proud of herself and seemed to be unaware of the tight atmosphere in the cool night air. Her eyes widen for a moment with a sudden realization that only she knows. "Oh, I totally forgot about that. I'll see you two later."
And like that she is gone. She didn't bother to wait for a reply from either of the two. The air seems to grow tighter. The male Soul Reaper takes in the white robe that they give prisoners. Likewise, the Arrancar takes in the standard uniform that the male is wearing. Neither knows what to say, and both are waiting for the other to speak first. This proceeds for a while before the silence begins to grate on Asami's nerves. Usually, she loved the silence.
But on those occasions, it was after being around the overly talkative Yukiko and Annikah. To Asami, this was like being around someone who regarded herr life a pathetic, non-important substance. Asami clears her throat quietly.
"So, is there anything you'd like to know?" A smile is attempted, but it is quickly abandoned when it becomes too hard to keep it up. She tries to keep her annoyance and unease out of her tone. It doesn't seem to have worked. His face becomes as still as a stone with a look in eyes to match his face. Asami shrinks back; he was fully armed while she had nothing but her hands and a few ceros. He looks off to his right. It seemed like he was just as nervous as his new companion.
"I would like to know about Ichimaru, Gin." That was it. It was said simply and so low she could barely hear him. The tone of his voice sounded flat and forced. Asami frowns at him. It didn't sound like he wanted to be here. Asami considers denying him the knowledge, but the image of Momo appears in her mind. She could almost see the hopeful look on the woman's face. Slowly, Asami starts to tell the blond-haired man about Gin.
"Well, he's nice. He's doing well. He is eating, if you are wondering that. He's a general of our army," Asami says. Her mismatched eyes are looking at where her bars connect with the ceiling with a false interested look on her face. She knows her sentences are short and choppy, but she didn't feel comfortable talking to the man. She can feel his eyes on her and figures he must have looked back her way. Her mismatched eyes drop to meet his blue ones. "He's talked about you, you know. To me, I mean. You were his Lieutenant, right? I think that he worries about you sometimes."
A look of surprise crosses his face, much to Asami's own surprise. He seems to hesitate for a moment, but he does step forward. The dull, stony look in his eyes is replaced by curiosity. He didn't fully trust this newcomer, but he was surprised to hear her speak of his ex-captain like she knew him personally. He stands there watching her much like Momo had done for the first month of Asami's capture. His head snaps toward the door as it slowly creaks open.
A swish signals that the male Soul Reaper has left. Asami steps up to the bars to peer out. The timid, black-haired youth was back. He has a tray that is causing his arms to shake underneath the weight. Asami actually takes the time to look him over this time around. His hair is black and chin-length. He was short and looked like he was still a child. He looks at her nervously and stutters something about having food for her. She steps back so that he has enough room to open her cell and push the food in. After the door clanks shut, she retrieves the tray and takes it the cot to have a place to sit. She begins to eat quickly. She was starting to feel lightheaded from not eating and having a constant stream of spiritual pressure around her.
She doesn't hear the quick footsteps of him retreating, and the door shutting loudly. Her mismatched eyes drift upward, and she blinks at him. He stares back at her. She swallows her mouthful.
"I'm Akatsuki, Asami. Fraccion to the fourth Espada," she says politely. While she watches him, she takes another bite. He seems to process this information and is clearly confused on the terms she used. She tries again after she swallows. "I suppose you could say I'm sort of like you guys' lieutenants, but there are some differences."
His eyes are slightly wide. Like Momo, he seemed terrified of her. A soft clearing of a throat makes Asami's attention focus more on him than the food she is currently eating. "I'm Yamada, Hanataro. I'm also the seventh seat of the fourth division."
Asami nods her acknowledgement, but he's already gone. She knits her eyebrows together. If he was from the fourth division, why was he the one bringing her food to her? Wasn't she in the sixth division? She stares down at her food confused. Her appetite has left her. She places the tray before her door and curls up on the cot that was already in the small jail cell.
A ripping noise causes the blue-haired man to turn and look behind him. Eight Arrancars step out. He smirks at the number. It was better than he expected. He knew his fraccion wouldn't let him down, and he figured at least one of Asami's crew would show up. Though, he wasn't surprised to see both of the males who have taken to stalking him for days.
"This is all?" he asks nonchalantly. A brisk nod from his head fraccion, Shawlong, tells him what he already knew. "Alright, we are here to destroy anyone with the slightest bit of spiritual pressure. Search out your targets now. Neither gender nor age play a factor in this."
Six of the eight close their eyes. Grimmjow also closes his eyes. He automatically searches out the one with the highest amount of spiritual pressure; he opens his eyes to see the others are ready. He waves his arm in a signal to go. Those six, who chose their targets, take off without another thing having to be done. His blue eyes focus on the other two.
"You're looking for Asami, right?" growls the only male that can talk in that silly girl's crew. The name had slipped his mind, since he didn't find it interesting or important.
The other male stares at him in complete silence with an ice cold look. He was thankful that the Rottweiler one had lost his voice, if his look was anything to go by.
"You guys came just to look for her, huh?" Grimmjow scoffs. The look he gets from the two is dangerous, but they don't scare him in the least. He doesn't reply to them right away. The main point was to retrieve Asami, though he wanted to have some fun with the Soul Reapers who had come after Ulquiorra's failure. He already tried searching for her spiritual pressure; he couldn't find it here. He was now positive that she had already been taken to the Soul Society. "Do as you wish."
With a mighty kick, he heads towards the highest spiritual pressure. He could sense one of his fraccion already there, but he wasn't concerned that the prey he was targeting would get taken down by his single fraccion. The two look at each other and close their eyes. They search hopelessly for their friend's spiritual pressure.
Grimmjow chances a last look back. He grits his teeth in frustration. Those fools wouldn't find her here, but he'd let them find that out the hard way.
I tweaked when Grimmjow actually went to the World of the Living. (I think he went there the day after?) Anyway, I hope you liked it!