Interlude

The blue-haired Arrancar screamed his fury at the sky, trying to release all his pain and anger to the darkness of their desert home. It had been hard enough, standing in that cursed Shinigami's presence and trying to maintain the lie, having to lie inside the lie that it was loyalty to Aizen that had led him to take his men to the World of the Living. It was Aizen's fault Shawlong and the others had died! It was his fault the Arrancar were trapped in this existence of military servitude, that they had to put on this stupid charade just in order to survive!

His hand was clutching the open wound Tōsen's sword had left, the place where his left arm should be. The pain was excruciating, only made worse by the vicious burn on his lower back where his ranking had once been shown. The Shinigami thought they owned the Arrancar, that they could do what they wanted and the Espada would have to go along with it because Aizen was 'all-powerful'. It was more then Grimmjow could stand. His Fraccions were all dead, his arm and ranking had been taken from him, and Aizen was merely smiling down on everything as if it were all part of his plan.

"I'm going to kill you," he snarled into the desert wind, breathing heavily as his blood dripped to the ground. "Tōsen Kaname… I am going to kill you!"

The blind Shinigami had stopped him in the middle of his fight, accused him, attacked him, and Grimmjow had had no choice but to stand down because Aizen said so. Tōsen would die… and that purple-eyed Shinigami girl that had killed D-Roy. And the white-haired captain who had killed Shawlong. And those two lieutenants… and that third-seat and fifth seat… and…

Kurosaki Ichigo.

Kurosaki Ichigo. Grimmjow's teeth bared in a feral grin. Of all the people he wanted to kill, Kurosaki was actually just on his list for satisfaction's sake. Tōsen and Aizen had trampled on his pride as a Vasto Lorde, the Shinigami had slaughtered his Fraccions, even after Shawlong had called the retreat. But Kurosaki? Grimmjow had no feud with him, and yet…

"Grimmjow."

Grimmjow stiffened. "What do you want, Ulquiorra?"

The Fourth Espada said nothing for a moment, then sighed lightly and stepped forward until he was standing next to (but several feet away from) Grimmjow.

"Szayelaporro says he may be able to regenerate your arm, but that it would take some time."

Grimmjow hissed through his teeth. "I know. Go away."

Ulquiorra looked at him for a moment, then turned away, apparently perfectly willing to comply. Grimmjow half expected him to say something more, but the only sound was that of Ulquiorra's footsteps as he walked back to Las Noches.

Grimmjow growled, completely unsatisfied with the result of Szayelaporro's plan so far, and took his hand away from his bleeding shoulder. His blood covered his hand, dripped onto the ground. With an angry snarl he broke into a sprint, out into the wild plains of Hueco Mundo. He let himself merely act, losing himself in instinct to escape harsh reality. He was no longer Espada, it didn't matter any more. His Fraccions were gone, it didn't matter any more.

A Hollow roared in the distance, and Grimmjow swerved towards it. His eyes narrowed, his teeth were clenched together. Szayelaporro's plan… Aizen's plan… the Shinigami's plan… none of it mattered anymore. He climbed to the top of a dune and saw a hunting adjuchas below. With a scream of pure rage he pounced, wrapping his remaining arm around the dog-like neck, biting down with human teeth. The adjuchas screamed and thrashed beneath him, trying to defend itself, but Grimmjow was stronger, even with only one arm. A minute later he rose from his victim, chin stained with adjuchas blood, but he had no appetite, not like when he had been adjuchas. No, not adjuchas. When he had been Hollow. Before he even known about the existence of Arrancar.

The kill didn't satisfy.

He threw his head back and howled, all his frustration, all his pain, all his loss. He would never be satisfied until Aizen was dead or gone, until the Shinigami were out of his life forever.

Do whatever you need to do, Szayelaporro! And if you need another subject, call on me. Anything to escape this Shinigami nightmare!