So this is what it means to be on a roll. :P

And because I'm on a roll, you have to be on a roll too. In reviewing my works, that is. I apologize for the long wait. But here I am, focusing all my energies on The Front Act and Bloody Banquet. I want to finish these two within the week. Don't worry. I'm not rushing. It's all planned out in my head as I repeatedly stated in my previous works. I just never got around to putting them on paper.

Rant: I am severely crushing on this new and improved Abarai Renji in the manga. :D Rukia, you lucky gal!

Chapter 10

The Calling

The day has come.

December 1st of the present year.

This was the moment that four eligible bachelorettes prepare themselves for the day that could change their lives forever.

This was the moment that the most eligible bachelor in the entire vampire world is going to find out who he was destined for since the day he was born.

But to say that the differences of the reactions of these five people to this particular day were not so hard to discern is a lie.

In the Tunda household, Hinamori was still in bed. Today, all members of the Lilith were asked to go back to their respective homes while the rest of their classmates were still in the dormitories. It was a weekend and everyone would be attending one of the biggest events in their generation – the day the Bloody Diamond Rose picks the mate of Aizen Ichigo, the future leader of the most powerful vampire clan in existence.

But unlike the others who were so busy gossiping or betting about who will be picked, Hinamori was idly flipping through the pages of her book. She decided to spend the day doing some advanced reading on some of the subjects in class. There was no use trying to prepare something that had almost absolutely nothing to do with you.

Yes, she was a Lilith, and yes, she was of age. However, she was no longer eligible. She already had the connection of Bloodlust with someone else. And that was with Highgate Toushirou.

Early on, she had already informed her father and mother of the fact. Ichimaru was not surprised, noting that his daughter had always failed to be of use to him. Rangiku failed to scold her husband about his behavior as usual. Hinamori was so used to this that she did not feel anything at all. So today, she merely went holed herself up in her room, deigning to dress just two hours before the scheduled event.

There was no need to rush and to fuss. She knew who she was destined with. There's no need to make a big deal out of anything.

All that she knew and all that she wished for was that the person who gets to be Ichigo's wife was the girl she liked the most.

In the Adze household, a certain young lady was having a lot of fun playing dress up.

Everyone said that Yuzu was immature and that she didn't really take anything seriously. That was not the case. One of her main missions in her very long, potentially immortal life, was to be wed to the best man possible. And right now, she had the chance to be wed to that said man. Everyone knew that Aizen Ichigo was the best man to possibly marry anyone on this planet.

But she wasn't that desperate either. If she wasn't picked, then she would gladly accept that fact. There were still many male members of the Lilith who haven't found their mates yet. One simply had to be patient. What she feared the most was that she was one of the few that won't ever get to find their mate.

That was the thing with having a limited number of choices. Not everyone gets paired up with someone. If the current generation has more males than females, then one of those males won't end up with anyone and vice versa. The only one with an assured partner is the Aizen heir. And only males are born into the Aizen clan. Aizen Shinryuuji was one of the people who aren't matched up with anyone since he is the younger child in the Aizen clan and he has never experienced Bloodlust for anyone.

She realized that she might not be the top candidate for the spot of Ichigo's wife, but she would sure as hell look ravishing in the ceremonies. She wouldn't want to look drab next to the other women. If rumors were true about the Kuchiki girl, then it would seem that Yuzu had to step up her game in the looks department. In hindsight, she was excited to see what the newcomer looked like. Only the students of Azulith Academy know her. She won't be going to entering the school until next year since she just turned 160.

She surveyed the silver dress that was prepared for her. It was enough.

In the Xiao Yu estate, everything was abuzz.

Generations of Xiao Yu women have been selected as brides of the Aizen heir. Xiao Yu Chien was the first, all the way to Masaki. All in all, a total of five females became part of the most powerful vampire clan, endowed with riches and fame. They were also blessed with the clan secrets and abilities.

And now, they were preparing for the sixth Xiao Yu to become the Aizen lady.

Jen was feeling exceedingly confident.

She was sure that there was no one else for Ichigo other than herself. Hinamori already had Toushirou. Adze Yuzu was a long shot, since she has just reached the proper marriageable age and she hasn't even started at Azulith Academy yet. She doesn't know Ichigo on a personal level unlike Jen. Anyone can forget about Orihime being a possible selection since Kuchikis never get chosen as Aizen brides. There was too much bad blood between the families. Besides, even with Ichigo being nice to the woman for several months, it doesn't mean that he liked her that way. No. Ichigo was just being himself – looking after and protecting people. It just so happened that the Kuchiki heiress needed more protecting thatn anyone else.

Jen clicked her tongue at the thought. Everyone was so entranced by that woman just because she was new. There was nothing special about her. Although some were whispering that she was the most beautiful vampire of their generation, and possibly in existence, she won't be the choice of the Bloody Diamond Rose. Even though people thought that Orihime had the same coloring as Masaki herself and seemed most ideal for Ichigo, she had no special bond with Ichigo. Jen was adamant that she looked way more fascinating too with her dark looks and unique eye color.

"You're sure to be the one. Who else is there?" her father told her the night before.

"Of course I'm the one. Everyone else thinks so too."

"Is that so?"

Her mother always ruined everything. Nothing she ever did was good enough.

"You don't know for sure if you are the one who will be picked. There's still that Adze and the Kuchiki girl."

"But Kuchikis never get picked," Jen argued.

"And that is why you never learn," Soi Fong said in a bored tone. "You always think of the obvious. You always think you understand everything. You're as stupid as your father."

Jen watched her father bristle at the insult but he did not say a word. No one argued with Soi Fong. She made a point. She always made a point.

"Don't go crying if the Kuchiki girl gets picked."

In exasperation, Jen threw her hairbrush at the full-length mirror, smashing it to pieces. In an instant, her assistant Haruka was at her side.

"What's wrong, mistress?" Haruka asked, worry evident in her voice.

Jen stared at her smashed reflection wildly. "What if I don't get chosen? What if it's that Kuchiki girl?!"

Haruka could understand Jen's worries. There was a lot of pressure riding on to the Xiao-Yu name in continuing the tradition of producing Aizen brides. Jen must have felt like she was on a losing battle here, having been upstaged by the Kuchiki heiress in every way. Their unspoken showdown in Azulith Academy has created a stir of rumors all around the vampire community if she was indeed the best candidate for Ichigo. And it was natural that the doubt itself crept into Xiao-Yu Jen's once impenetrably confident mind.

"Don't worry, Jen-sama," Haruka said. "The Rose will read your heart and it will see how much you love Ichigo-sama. It will see that you are the best person for him."

"But the Rose does not look at hearts alone, Haruka. It looks at your entire being. It calls to our souls who are lost."

"Lost?" Haruka asked, confused.

"You know that vampires have no souls. Once they are born, each and every one of our souls are trapped within the Rose, the most ancient artifact of all time and the thing the Aizen clan used to create vampires," Jen explained. "The Rose then knows the destined soul mate for each and every vampire in existence. However, all the other vampires don't need it in order to find their mates. They experience Bloodlust for their partners as indication. However, the Aizens have a price to pay for being the ones who spearheaded the creation of vampires."

Haruka listened intently, never knowing this piece of information before.

"They lost their sense of Bloodlust," Jen continued. "Each Aizen heir doesn't know who they're destined to, making them doomed to wander this world alone forever. If it weren't for the Founder who discovered the capability of the Bloody Diamond Rose of choosing their mates, there would be no Aizens today. Their bloodline would go extinct."

"So is that the reason why Aizens don't experience Bloodlust before the choosing?"

"Yes."

"What happens if the Rose is destroyed?" Haruka then questioned out of nowhere.

"I do not know. It could mean that the Aizens would never be able to find their one, true mate," Jen replied.

"Love is the projection of a soul to another, isn't it?" Haruka stated. "Then the Rose will surely see how much your soul desires Ichigo-sama. It will see that you are the only one for him."

"But does Ichigo-sama's soul desire me?" Jen wondered alone, her voice taking on a hushed tone.

With that question hanging in the air, Jen walked to her bed and sat there, letting Haruka stroke her dark locks.

The Kuchiki household was the same as usual. Unlike the other Lilith families with eligible daughters who were killing themselves in feverish preparation, the Kuchikis were in various states of relaxation.

Kuchiki Byakuya was lounging in his study, leafing through a book that Orihime gave him as a present. When his daughter came home wearing that bright smile, it was hard to resist any gift that she would bring him, even though that present seemed like a big joke now. The book she gave him was a teenage novel about a human girl falling in love with a vampire. The title was Twilight and he had never come across a piece of literature so poorly written that he was sorely tempted to burn it. He should have taken the hint when Orihime was looking at him a little too brightly when she handed the book to him.

For one thing, vampires would never fall in love with humans and not in the way that they would experience primal Bloodlust for them. And vampires are not statues made of glitter and diamonds!

He massaged the bridge of his nose. Reading the book was like unwillingly finding your daughter's diary and said daughter was on the verge of puberty. He put the offending book down, vowing never to open it again.

He stood up and perused his bookshelves, not caring that in a few hours' time, they would have to go to the Aizen residence for a very important event.

Meanwhile, Kuchiki Yuriko was personally cooking afternoon snacks for her family. She often did that as a method of calming down herself. She needed it badly after the events of three days ago.

She followed Byakuya's suggestion and actually talked to her siblings. The first person she visited was Masaki.

It was evident on Masaki's face that she was surprised in seeing her younger sister. They had met during the welcoming ceremonies of Azulith Academy after years of being apart. But since Masaki and Shin's family effectively disowned Yuriko after being married to the Kuchiki clan, they acted as if she were a stranger. It was a strange and painful practice, but one they followed nonetheless.

"Yuriko," Masaki said, her voice shaking with emotion. She loved her sister, but she couldn't very well go against their father. She felt indescribably guilty for what she had done to Yuriko and was surprised to say the least in finding her sibling in the Aizen home.

"Masaki," Yuriko greeted, unable to disguise the coolness in her tone.

Masaki winced at that, as if hit by an invisible whip. "What brings you here?" she asked kindly.

"I wanted to make sure that you tell your son to look after my daughter carefully," Yuriko said. "I know what happened between Orihime and that Xiao-Yu girl. And it was all because of him."

"Come now, Yuriko. You can't very well blame Ichigo for Jen's feelings for him."

"He could stop leading her on. The Rose hasn't picked his mate yet. He should stay away from female vampires who could fall in love with him," Yuriko snapped, her usual gentle façade melting at the face of the past. "I will not have Orihime in the middle of their lover's misunderstanding."

"Very well," Masaki consented, a bit saddened. "How did you know about what happened with Jen and Orihime?"

"I have gifts that you do not know of, Masaki," Yuriko stated. "It was bestowed on me when I married into the Kuchiki family."

The obvious edge in Yuriko's voice when she mentioned her current family did not go unmissed by Masaki.

"Yuriko," Masaki said, looking a bit hesitant. "Did Orihime inform you about anything else?"

"What? That Aizen Ichigo asked her to be his partner for the ball?"

"No."

Yuriko was just about to conceal her suspicion when a flash of an image went before her mind. It was a picture of Ichigo unleashing his power on Orihime, his eyes glowing. She was seeing it in Ichigo's perspective. She could feel the young one's indescribable Bloodlust towards her only child.

Then it was over.

She stared at Masaki with incredulity. It seemed that her older sister sensed that she had a rush of power and was looking at her questioningly. Out of nowhere, Masaki asked, "What did you see?"

"Your son has Bloodlust for my daughter," she stated, shaken.

Masaki nodded slowly. "This was what I wanted to tell you too. Ichigo wrote to me immediately after the event. I didn't know if I should tell you. Sousuke was alarmed at the news but he didn't know if I should inform you."

Yuriko looked ashen. "Byakuya will not believe this. Aizens do not have Bloodlust before the Rose chooses. Your souls are cursed!"

Masaki frowned. "But it already happened. And it's unmistakable. It is Bloodlust."

Her next stop was Shin, who at first pretended to be absent from his home. But Yuriko knew better. Instead, she was faced with his mad wife, Soi Fong.

"What do you want?" the petite woman inquired, her face devoid from any emotion.

"I'll make this brief. Tell your daughter to stop being such a child and treat Orihime with respect," Yuriko declared threateningly. "Do not underestimate my family. We are far more powerful than yours."

To her surprise, Soi Fong smirked. "Don't worry. I've already told my daughter off. She was being stupid and reckless, just like her father. I assure you that there will be no repeat of what happened."

Yuriko absentmindedly stirred her cake batter. She still has not informed Byakuya, knowing how the Kuchiki head will react. No Kuchiki has ever been chosen to be the Aizen mate. And it seems that Orihime was more of an anomaly now since her blood and soul beckoned Ichigo's. Is this the price to pay if a Kuchiki is to be chosen for an Aizen? That all traditions and all magic shall be broken?

And if a Kuchiki and an Aizen marry, wouldn't that produce the most powerful vampire offspring alive?

With the fact that the selection was only hours away, she knew that the relaxed mood in the mansion was merely a hoax on her part. She was the one who insisted that they need not prepare for anything because Orihime was sure not to be selected. The family agreed since it was true. But all Yuriko wanted was a sense of normalcy before the inevitable.

She was not ready to lose her little girl. Even with more than a century spent with her, she didn't want her to be married to an Aizen. The obligations were more than any other responsibilities of a pureblood wife. Given that it would take another few years before they get married, but still, being chosen by the Rose was nearly a wedding ceremony itself.

She could only image Byakuya's reaction if Orihime is chosen. Aizen Ichigo might cease to exist altogether.

At that mental picture, Yuriko resisted the urge to laugh. The good side of this dilemma was that no one would dare mock their family ever again. No one made fun of the Aizens and in extension, Orihime would live more comfortably. That is, if no one challenged her claim.

But there was a deep part of her who really didn't want Orihime to be chosen. She wished that Ichigo's surge of Bloodlust was a fluke – a mistake.

Rukia and Orihime were both at the estate's swimming pool. The cool air of the afternoon did not affect them a single bit as they swam in their tight-fitting swimsuits.

Rukia was currently practicing her backstrokes while Orihime was floating on a pool bed, jokingly stating that she was trying to get a 'tan'.

When the petite woman stopped swimming, she sat near the pool's ledge and called out to Orihime who was at the middle of the pool, "When are you going to get ready? We barely have three hours."

Orihime removed her sunglasses and looked at her aunt. "That's more than enough time! Mou, we don't have to hurry."

Rukia laughed. "Just because you won't be chosen, doesn't mean we don't have to attend."

"Do we really have to?" Orihime asked with a pout. She really didn't want to go. After the events of the ball, she really didn't want to see a rose object pick out Ichigo's future wife.

She would never admit that she developed a little bit of an attraction or let's say, a crush, towards the Aizen heir. She also would never admit that she would feel a slight twinge of something if she ever witnessed the choosing of the Aizen bride.

It seemed that her aunt could read her mind because Kuchiki Rukia sent her a smirk that would have done Byakuya proud. "What if you get picked, Orihime? Even if it's virtually an impossibility, there's still a slight chance."

At this, Orihime fell down from her floating bed and splashed into the pool, earning a stream of laughter from her aunt. Flabbergasted and with her auburn hair covering her face, Orihime spluttered, "W-what?! I – "

"Oh stop it, Hime. I know you more than anyone. And don't worry, I won't tell nii-sama."

Orihime frowned and swam towards her aunt, who had laid out a chocolate parfait for her to eat. The Kuchiki heiress took a scoop and moaned, "Delicious…"

Rukia rolled her eyes. "I swear, with all the appreciation you have for human food, I could swear you're not a vampire."

"But it's delicious!" Orihime exclaimed, taking another scoop.

"Not as delicious as blood," Rukia countered.

"Yeah, but nearly there," Orihime said. "Blood is our sustenance while food is our luxury! I'm glad that we didn't lose our stomach for it when our race was created."

"Good for you then," Rukia said, patting her head.

"Meanie."

"Girls."

They both turned around and saw Yuriko walking towards them carrying slices of strawberry cake. Rukia almost laughed once more at the wide-eyed look that Orihime was having, a bit of drool leaving the side of her mouth.

"You look so unrefined, Hime," Rukia said, pointing at the dribble.

Orihime blushed and wiped it off. "But mother makes the most amazing cakes!"

Yuriko smiled at her daughter and handed her a slice. "You two should really start getting ready. Two hours to go until the party."

"But mama, I'm sick," Orihime said, feigning illness.

Rukia smacked her head, earning a yell from the auburn-haired heiress. "We still have to look fabulous. We can't let the Kuchikis be upstaged."

"True," Yuriko agreed.

"Oh alright," Orihime surrendered. "I assume that I already have something to wear."

"Naturally," Yuriko and Rukia said in unison.

Orihime was wolfing down her strawberry cake but nearly choked when Rukia said, "You really like strawberries, huh?"

At this, Rukia laughed her head off as she toweled herself dry, oblivious to the worried look that Yuriko gave Orihime.

"Ichigo."

Masaki observed her son with worried eyes. He was already prepared and there was a little under an hour before the whole event started. Some Empusa-class vampire families were arriving gradually, all resplendent in their best evening attire. This gathering was another excuse to show off to one another and also to satisfy their thirst for news. It was because they would be witnessing a historic event of this generation.

This time though, Ichigo was clearly not in the mood. It was rare that he was not involved in the buzz that was going on around him. In fact, he was lying on his stomach, reading another one of those books with human authors. But Masaki could clearly see that his eyes weren't moving. It was as if he was staring at nothing.

"What's bothering you, son? Your father's been really worried," she said, walking closer towards his bed.

"I guess it's normal for anyone to feel nervous when you're going to be introduced to your future wife," he said, not bothering to look at his mother. "Even though I was taught to be prepared for this day, I can't really help but feel a bit anxious."

Masaki smiled and sat beside him. She laid a hand on his shoulder. "You can talk to me about anything, you know that, right?"

"I know, mother."

"The Bloody Diamond Rose never goes wrong. You're sure to fall for this lady," Masaki assured him.

"What if I've already fallen for someone else?" Ichigo asked, finally meeting his mother's gaze.

Masaki frowned. "You mean Kuchiki Orihime?"

Ichigo said nothing and merely looked on.

She expelled a breath. "We're still not sure Ichigo. You know that it's not normal for you to have experienced Bloodlust even before the selection. It could have been just an accident, or common hunger."

"How could it have been hunger when I've consumed blood before I saw her?" Ichigo persisted. "It wasn't ordinary, mother. It was just as I have read about Bloodlust before. Have you ever stopped to consider that this might be an exception to the rule?"

"We never had any exceptions to the rules before!" Masaki exclaimed, clearly rattled.

"But it doesn't mean that it's impossible. It must have been different since it's a Kuchiki this time," Ichigo explained.

"And just because you have experienced Bloodlust doesn't mean that you already love Orihime," Masaki pointed out.

"I didn't say that I was in love with her," Ichigo contradicted her. "It's just that… I really have strong feelings for her."

This time, Masaki was truly shaken. Her son was experiencing the phase that other vampires aside from the Aizen family were having. He knew that the reason why Aizens do not undergo the normal process of finding a mate was because they were cursed. Other members of their kind didn't know this story – the ultimate payment that the family had to pay for being the first vampires. They only released an idealized version of the story – that the Aizen family, being the most supreme and special clan, had to have a unique method of selection for the best possible candidate that could preserve the bloodline.

Ichigo having Bloodlust for another vampire meant that the curse might be fading, if that was even possible. Masaki has never heard of such a thing. She had never uttered a word to Sousuke, who was so busy in keeping everything in balance. He will be furious at being kept in the dark about this but she will take the consequences.

"If what you're saying is indeed what it is, then you should not worry," Masaki said. "Kuchiki Orihime will be chosen."

Ichigo didn't respond and merely stared back at his book. There were a lot of things that could go wrong but for the first time in his life, he wanted his feeling to be right. He wanted something so badly and he never experienced this emotion before. It frustrated him to no end that he had no power over this. And this was the part of his life that he wanted to control the most.

Kuchiki Orihime indeed managed to mess up his head. He was always so calm and collected about things. He never had any doubts about his destiny. He was always so confident that he could get anything if he set his mind to it.

But one look into her stormy gray eyes and she managed to make him rethink everything that his life stood up for. She had no qualms to speak her mind yet at the same time, she knew when to be meek. She did not believe in everything the Lilith stood for. She had her own set of principles and she would fight for it if she thinks someone is stepping on them. She was eager to explore the world and she was not afraid of what everyone said about her or her family. She was a breath of fresh air for all of them and she managed to win over every single one of his friends.

Except Xiao-Yu Jen of course.

Everyone was predicting that Jen would be the one for him. Ever since they were children, they had that feeling that she would be the best selection from amongst his peers. She was a constant fixture in his life – always loving and always seeking his approval. She was there for him whenever he needed her. But it seemed as though a darker side of Jen was revealed when Orihime arrived. She became insecure and jealous. She was no longer the friend that he had come to love and respect.

But that's just it. That was the difference between Orihime and Jen. Jen was the comfortable side of everything in his life. She was what was fixed and natural. She was predictable in so many ways. She was the one thought best for him. On the other hand, Orihime was the hidden side of his life. She was exotic and ravishing. She was unpredictable to her very core. She was the one thought worst for him. She was the forbidden fruit because of her surname.

Deep inside he knew. He knew who his perfect match was.

An hour has already passed since the event officially started.

Orihime wore a metallic gray strapless gown that dipped into her breasts, showing off her bountiful assets. The upper half of the gown was accented with black crystals that travelled from the upper left part downwards. The skirt flared out in a soft, flowing cloth that trailed to the floor. Yuriko and Rukia had to fight hard to convince Byakuya to let Orihime wear this particular ensemble. The Kuchiki head almost had a heart attack when he saw how revealing the neckline was but Yuriko consisted that it wasn't 'whorish' at all, as he so unkindly put it. She then declared that it was the right mix of sexy and sophisticated. With the insistent Kuchiki women, Byakuya had no choice but to relent. Orihime just watched on in amusement, not wanting to get into the argument.

Her hair was arranged to graceful waves tamed and pinned behind her right ear. Her makeup was light, just the way she liked it. Everyone was breathless with her look, forgetting the presence of other Lilith women. Most were already beginning to doubt if Jen was the one to be picked tonight.

Orihime disliked the attention. Unlike her peers who were already huddling together with their groups, she stuck to her family's side, specifically Rukia's. She watched intently as Renji, Toushirou, Hinamori, Jen, and Ishida were talking amongst themselves. Hinamori already gestured for her to come over but she just smiled in return, making it clear that she would approach them later but not now.

"Why aren't you going over to your friends?" Yuriko asked.

"I don't really feel like it," Orihime replied. It was really because of the incessant fluttering within her stomach.

At that instant, Jen stared at her with utmost dislike. The young woman was wearing a black wrap, the skirt ending just above her toes. Her hair was arranged in a tight bun high above her head and she looked a bit more severe than ever. Orihime met her gaze evenly, not one to back down from a challenge.

"Already starting the rivalry this early in the night?" Rukia asked amusedly.

"She started it," Orihime said, turning away from the glaring pureblood.

Kuchiki Byakuya was now the one who directed the full power of his cold stare at Xiao-Yu Jen. The young woman was astonished by that and reddened instantly, not being able to hold the gaze. After a fraction of a second, she looked down, seemingly frightened.

"You scared the poor girl, darling," Yuriko said, laughing. It was clear that she wasn't really in disapproval of what her husband did.

Orihime and Rukia laughed, earning the attention of the vampires around them. They each took a glass of blood, feeling utterly refreshed.

"Welcome Kuchikis," a smooth, masculine voice said from beside them.

The four Kuchikis looked to their left and saw Aizen Sousuke and his family approach them. It seemed that they finally decided to welcome them and they were, in fact, the last ones to be greeted. Sousuke was dressed in a finely tailored black tuxedo. Ichigo was also dressed the same way. Masaki, meanwhile, was dressed in a canary yellow gown.

"Thank you for having us," Byakuya replied.

"Where is Shinryuuji-sama?" Orihime asked out of nowhere, startling the Aizens and making her family stiffen at the discourtesy.

Ichigo suppressed a chuckle and studied the young woman before him. Undoubtedly, Orihime was the most beautiful and captivating creature in this room. He smiled at her which she returned shyly, their interaction unmissed by the people around them.

"Shinryuuji is somewhere around here," Sousuke answered, also amused. "I believe this is the first time we have met in person, Kuchiki Orihime."

Orihime's eyes widened, realizing what the Aizen patriarch has just said. She flushed and bowed respectfully. "My apologies. My name is Kuchiki Orihime. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Aizen Sousuke-sama, Aizen Masaki-sama."

Masaki smiled at the Kuchiki heiress, finally understanding what Ichigo has seen in her. She was indeed gorgeous and far more exceptional than Jen. The Aizen matriarch always prided herself in being an excellent judge of character. And all she could see from Orihime was genuine warmth and kindness. It was also obvious that her positive attitude was infectious.

"It's nice to finally meet you formally, Orihime," Masaki kindly said. "You are very beautiful."

"Indeed," Sousuke agreed. "Probably the most beautiful in her generation, if I may say so myself."

"I told you so," Ichigo said, his smile wide.

The compliments and the fact that Ichigo implied that he talked about her with his parents made Orihime's face turn to a deep scarlet color. The overprotective Byakuya had his mouth set in a thin line, eyeing the Aizen heir critically. Ichigo did not miss Byakuya's stare and merely smiled at the man. Yuriko was surprised to say the least and Rukia was fighting hard to keep her giggling under control.

"I hope you're enjoying yourselves," Sousuke then said.

"We are," Byakuya said, his expression still serious.

"The ceremony will start in a while," Masaki told them. "The eligible ladies will be called out and you will go to that platform."

Orihime followed Masaki's line of sight and saw four partially raised platforms at the very front. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She briefly associated the setup to a human reality show that she watched a while back entitled 'The Bachelor'. What the women didn't know was that the bachelor in the series was actually an Empusa-class vampire who was a friend of the Kuchiki family.

The Kuchikis nodded their understanding. The Aizens left them to their devices and they watched as they climbed up the steps to the stage.

"I don't know why, but I feel really uneasy," Rukia told her companions.

Byakuya gave her a small smile – a gesture that was just reserved for his family. "There's nothing to be worried about. We're merely spectators here."

"Somehow, I doubt it," Yuriko blurted out, making Byakuya blanch.

"Don't tell me that you suspect Orihime will be chosen?" Byakuya asked.

Orihime nearly choked on her glass. "Please stop saying that! I don't really want to."

She met her aunt's disbelieving stare, opting to ignore the smaller woman. She could feel her heart in her throat when Sousuke called the attention of everyone in the room.

"Good evening everyone," Sousuke's voice boomed across the massive hall. "First of all, my entire family is thankful that you can attend to this very special and prestigious event."

A cordial applause filled the room. Sousuke smiled graciously at them and continued, "Secondly, you all know the reason why you are here. Today is the 180th birthday of my beloved son and heir, Ichigo."

An eruption of more enthusiastic applause came from the crowd, with occasional hoots from Renji. Ichigo grinned at his friend who always knew how to lighten his mood.

His father plowed on. "Thirdly, we are all here for the selection of the Aizen bride by the Bloody Diamond Rose. It is time to know who my son will take as his mate from amongst the eligible bachelorettes from the Lilith."

No one applauded this time. It was time. Everyone waited and everyone wanted to know who the woman was.

"And now at the very start of our program, we wish to open the selection," Sousuke declared, waving his hand in an elaborate gesture.

At that, the statue which Orihime pointed out to Rukia earlier moved. It was an ivory statue of a pretty young woman. The figure came to a stop in front of Aizen. Gasps filled the room when she suddenly opened the folds of her carved dress, exposing what seemed to be her 'heart'. But instead of finding the same ivory shaped into a heart, inside was a blood red diamond. It was glowing and pulsating.

Ichigo then stepped in front of the statue. He then placed his right hand on the heart and whispered into its ear.

Suddenly, a powerful stream of red light erupted from the statue. It engulfed Ichigo and temporarily blinded all of the witnesses. Orihime could barely compose herself when she noticed that the light dimmed a bit. She opened her eyes and was awed at the sight before her.

An extremely beautiful young woman dressed in pure, floating red robes was hovering ten feet above the air, looking down at them with a solemn expression on her face. Her red hair floated like a halo around her head as she raised her arms.

"Come forward, ladies of the Lilith," she called out in a hauntingly musical voice.

Orihime could feel her own feet move on its accord, all anxiety gone. It was as if she would do anything the woman told her. She didn't even register the fact that Hinamori, Jen, and Yuzu were also walking towards the front. In a matter of seconds, they were all on their designated platforms.

When they reached their places, the woman sang.

Her voice made the hairs of Orihime's nape stand. She could feel intense warmth surge from inside of her. Her eyes closed involuntarily, marveling in the beauty of the notes that assailed her ears. She could almost feel herself drifting off to sleep. It seemed as if everything in the world was right and peaceful.

The tune was all too familiar for her.

She didn't even register the lyrics. She was too busy listening to the melody and the voice.

And now it is time to know,

Who's the purest of them all.

And at that, gasps came from the crowd.

Orihime opened her eyes.

She nearly screamed as she realized that she was floating ten feet above the air. She looked behind and around her and saw that no one else was flying. She looked behind her and everyone was staring at her with astonishment written all over their faces. Even in the crowd, she caught sight of her father, whose face was in an inscrutable mask. Her mother had tears pouring down her eyes while her aunt was holding her for support.

Orihime raised her eyes. Directly in front of her was the spirit of the Bloody Diamond Rose.

"This lady is the Aizen bride," the spirit proclaimed. "The Aizen bride is Kuchiki Orihime."

In an instant, the young woman disappeared. Orihime slowly descended. She looked down and saw that Ichigo was waiting for her, his arms outstretched as if trying to catch her. This time, she knew. She knew that the Rose was right.

All she could see were his eyes – pools of chocolate brown smothering her in an unidentified emotion. She did not register the fact that Aizen Sousuke could barely conceal his shock at the choice and that Aizen Masaki was dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. All that mattered was this young man who was now wrapping her in a tight embrace.

"We need to seal the contract, Orihime," Ichigo said in a voice that sent shivers up Orihime's body.

She could only nod, still not recovering from the shock of the choice. The facts haven't even completely sunk in.

She was the Aizen bride.

Her. Kuchiki Orihime.

The very first Kuchiki chosen to be the Aizen bride.

Out of nowhere, she could feel the huge surge of power wrapping Ichigo. But the power didn't hurt her. It didn't scare her. In fact, she felt protected.

And in an instant, she could feel Ichigo's breath tickling the side of her neck. The next second, she could feel his fangs sinking in. At that, she felt a newfound power stream through her. It meant that she was now bestowed with the additional powers and privileges of being an Aizen. They were technically mated and married. The wedding ceremony they will have in a few years' time was merely for formality's sake.

In a few more seconds, Ichigo was done. He was looking at her with his hazy eyes and Orihime knew what to do.

He bent down so that she could access his neck more easily. She felt her throat run dry as she heard the blood rushing through Ichigo's veins. His blood now beckoned to her. She smelled it before but the appeal that it had now was nothing compared to back then. Without hesitation, she bit down.

She could feel Ichigo grip her arms in reaction. A soft groan erupted from his throat and it made her excited. When she finished, their eyes smoldered each other. They were finally complete.

Their souls have found each other.

In a sudden boom of fanfare and applause, Aizen Ichigo and Kuchiki Orihime were sealed by fate.

I thought I wouldn't be able to update today! But I managed to! :D Cookies and reviews for me!