14. Tune
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BLEACH does not belong to me.
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Crackling The Air
Muting A World In A Cloak
Unseen, But Quite Felt
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One thing Orihime concluded about Apacci and Mila-Rose in her observations; the two tend to argue - a lot.
"No, Mila-Rose! Alligators are cooler than crocodiles!"
"Idiot! Crocodiles are larger and more powerful than alligators, thereby cooler!"
From there, Orihime lost track of the argument in between the loud tones varying over verbal abuse and just plain noise. What confused her the most about the two women were their topics. This one had to be topic number twenty six so far in twenty minutes, but then again, with all the screaming taking place, she couldn't be sure.
She felt sort of rude for analyzing them the way she was, but lack of attention and entertainment left the girl's sluggish mind to wander. As much as it could in the environment she was in, of course.
Like the rest of Las Noches (that she's seen so far, anyway), the room was white. However, on closer inspection, Orihime felt a sort of warm impression to the space.
It was feminine, a lighting she hadn't noticed before glistening against the pale furniture in a soft glow. The room felt enriched, much more than her own room. Her head spun from constantly turning as she sought the origin of the translucent light.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
Orihime blinked, trying to rid of the dizziness as she unsteadily looked at the Arrancar Mila-Rose. Both she and Apacci were turned her way, their eyes slightly wide as they took in the mess of a girl before them.
"She looks like Mila-Rose when she had just woken up." Sun-Sung giggled behind her sleeve.
"The daze eyes, wrinkled clothes, and ruffled hair - it's all there." Apacci ended the comment with a smirk. Due in part to her dark skin, Mila-Rose's blush couldn't compare to Orihime's, fidgeting in embarrassment on the bed. Mila-Rose didn't fidget.
"How do you guys do that - switching targets so easily?" The brunette gritted out.
"I don't know; maybe it's because you're an amusement." Apacci offered, snickering, pinkie sticking into her ear in a offhanded manner. A moment late, she sprinted over to the bed, landing with a plomp! by the human girl's side. A gloved finger twirled around a loose auburn strand laying on her shoulder. "You're an easier target girl, but it's like you're dead. We can't get a reaction out of ya."
Hands brushing down her hair, Orihime tiredly turned her paling face towards the blue-hair gal beside her. 'Why is every one of my movements draining me out?' She thought, settling her hands. "I don't feel really well, actually." she answered, eyes glancing to the lower part of Apacci's uniform. "I feel so tired, even though I don't want to sleep or lie down. I-"
GRROWLLLLLL
All movement and activity halted. Three pairs of eyes locked on to the center of the bed, hazes of amusement clouding them.
"S-sorry," Orihime mumbled out, color returning to her face. "Seems like I'm pretty hungry, too."
"Damn right you are!" Apacci barked in laughter, her fellow Fracciones joining in with her. Her arm was lifted in the air, suggestively posed to slap her back. Orihime winced, body tensed for the hit. When a few seconds went by, and no blow came along however, she turned and watched the limb lower back down. Her face dropped a little in confusion.
"Oi, Rose bud! Lets go get some grub!" she bellowed at the Amazon warrior, who scowled heavily at the nickname.
"Quit ordering me around, bitch!" With a turn of her head that sent her wavy locks flying, she stomp over to the door in a huff.
"Anything in particular you want, girl?" Apacci threw over her shoulder, as she followed the retreating Arrancar.
With everything moving along the way they were, Orihime could only blink in reaction at first, her face clearly showing her bewilderment. "Um, hold on~!" She jumped to her feet wobbling slightly at the sudden move, but she urged herself to take at least a step towards the blue-head. "Can I at least come with you?"
"No." Apacci answered automatically, her face turning serious. From behind, Mila-Rose approached them.
"Halibel-sama's orders were for you to stay in this room, girl. We're gonna make sure to carry them out." She lean forward in a threatening manner, her face overcome by a sudden shadow. "You have no problems with that, right?"
The sudden lethal aura the two Fracciones gave off, left the atmosphere feeling tense. Orihime inched away from the doorway, turning around and plopping herself back onto the bed. With her silent surrender, she heard the shuffling of their retreat.
A coolness loosen out her tear ducts, and Orihime remained caught between feeling ashamed of breaking so easily or happy her tears had returned. She burrowed her head into the bed sheet, intend on keeping her dilemma to herself, even when her body protested and demanded movement.
How long she remained there, she didn't know, but considering the two sound-bringers were out and gone, the time grazer that was their conversations was absent with them. The silence stilled her awareness. Determined to break it, she began to hum a tuneless sound. It wasn't off-key or anything, but she just begun to hum what came out of her first. She picked up the lifeless sounds and nearly cringed, but it was so faint, she easily heard another tune playing along with her.
She didn't question its existence even for a moment; the sound was too harmonious to be fake. Turning her head to the side, she watched the slim Arrancar Sun-Sung seated on the bed's edge, sleeve ridden arms before her face holding a purple rod with a fork end. The stump end was grasped between her lips, her cheeks puffed up slightly as she breathed into the staff, small fingers filling over camouflaged holes she had only just now seen.
The light melody rang smoothly. Orihime noticed, as it became more pronounced. Hisses singed along the chime, deepening it, clearing it and delivering it.
"His name is Theo," the olive-haired Arrancar answered, reading her thoughts. Orihime watched the snake appear from the front, resting its tiny white head on Sun-Sung's shoulder.
Sleepily, Orihme rose up a little, moving a bit to her left. Eyes falling on the shoulder, she reached a forward and stroked the white scales.
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A/N: Still got nothing to say except the usual; forgive me for the late chapter. I'm seriously trying to arrange a schedule for myself.:D I'm working on it. Oh, also, about the weirdness of this chapter...
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...it will be explained in future chapters.:3 Just wanted to reassure you guys. Trust me; if I don't otherwisely say something along the lines of "This chapter is choppy.", you'll know it's screwed up.;3
Oh, yeah, now I remember what I wanted to say. Fun fact: Theo the Snake was a last edition added to the chapter.:3 If I hadn't done so, the last part of the chapter would've been... choppy.X3
StormGoddess101: Thank you for both compliments. I'm trying.:D
ShelbyQueen25: :D That's really wonderful to here. *bows* Lilynette is like the Rukia of Hueco Mundo in my eyes. Stupidty will not be tolerated in her presence..XD
Thank you all for taking the time to read the fanfic!