Here's another chapter. Don't expect regular updates but I will try and do at least one a week at this point.

20. To be a god

LAS NOCHES

MARIA:

YAWN. This is getting boring very fast. I hate lazing around this throne if I'm not doing anything.

"Hey Aoi."

"Yes Miss Maria?"

"What's taking those guys so long? I only sent them over there to find the Witchblade woman. How hard can it be?"

"Sorry for our late return Maria-sama." Ulquiorra pants as he stands at the doorway carrying three girls.

"What happened to them?" I ask though I really don't care if they die. They are only really in the way of my true goals.

"Masane attacked them...She...is...strong."

"So what about the Witchblade?"

"She doesn't have it."

"What?" But she is the blade bearer.

"When we arrived in Soul Society she was in the later stages of hollowfication. Perhaps her Witchblade powers have been replaced by that of a hollow."

"NO SHE HAS TO HAVE IT! I WANT THE WITCHBLADE!!!"

"My my, your replacement leader is quite noisy…" A croaky voice appears from a nearby Garganta. A freak of a man in a white coat steps out flexing his bony fingers. Szayel is beside him.

"What is the meaning of this? Who are you and..." Addressing my subordinate. "When did I ask you to leave here?"

"Mayuri insisted on paying us a visit. I wanted to find information about...uh...the Oken."

Everyone seemed to light up as Szayel mentioned the word – I only did because I had no idea what it was.

"Ah you creatures are eager to continue Aizen's legacy and find the Oken eh?" Mayuri paces towards my throne and Aoi steps forward.

"Don't come any closer clown." Aoi is about to sheath her sword but I grab her hand.

"It's alright Aoi; please tell us about this Oken then."

"Aizen mustn't have told you about the key to the royal palace."

"Royal palace...like a king and queen?"

"No...More of a god or goddess."

To be a god...That would be the ultimate power...

"Do you have the key?" I ask with strong desire for the Oken.

He puts up his palm. "Tut-tut-tut-tut it is not that simple. The Oken requires 100,000 souls within a 2 Reiri radius for it to be created."

"I already knew that." Szayel plays 'who's the smarter (or crazier) genius'

"So just kill some people and we have it right?"

Mayuri continues his rant. "Well you can't just find 100,000 people and randomly kill them then expect the Oken to show up; it only works in a special area in the world – the Jureichi."

I cross my arms indicating my impatience.

"Okay so you Shinigami wannabes wanna know where this Jureichi is then?"

"That would be great Mayuri." Szayel wraps his arms around the other scientists shoulder. I really worry about that guy.

"The current Jureichi is located in...*****"

"Why are you telling me this?"

Mayuri inspects his fingernails as he cunningly sneers. I notice he has one larger than the rest, it looks like a claw. "Oh I have my reasons."

"Then I shall send Stark and Reina as envoys to this Jureichi and obtain data about the area."

"Hmm...I can see why you were able to topple Aizen." He continues to sneer. "You seem to have the nature of a true leader, or at least a very ambitious one. Though you only appear to be a girl I underestimated your intelligence and spiritual levels. I would love to study your characteristics in more detail sometime."

"Piss off you creep."

"I'm devastated. Oh well I'm sure your loyal scientist will supply me with more specimens."

"We'll see about that..." And the two mad scientists finally dismissed themselves. Ulquiorra brought out the third girl. She had long chestnut hair and no mask so she wasn't one of my subordinates.

"Who is she?"

"Her name is Orihime Inoue, a Shinigami...and a rejecter of reality."

"So you brought her here thinking she would pose as a new henchman." I wave my hand. "I don't need her take her back or just kill her."

"Please Maria-sama, she could be very useful."

"Then why doesn't she reject this 'thing' stuck on my head." Pointing to my grossly large mask. I originally enjoyed it and thought it was cool but knowing that it associates with that man, it bothers me now.

Ulquiorra gently shook the girl in an attempt to rouse her. "Hey Orihime." She slowly opened her eyes. They look soft yet sad.

"Where am I?"

"Come forward little girl."

She looks dazed and confused at her situation. She turns her head to Ulquiorra, her hair dropping as it weaves through his arms. "You brought me back here again didn't you?"

"I had to Orihime."

"But why?"

"To serve my new master...and myowndesires." He mumbles something as he averts his gaze but I can't decipher his words.

"Ulquiorra told me about your rejecting power and I want you to test it on myself."

She pouts as she stands up. "You Arrancar just use me. Everyone just uses me."

I tap my white mask. "Please remove this abomination from my head."

She continues to murmur. "Funny how you say please, it makes you sound like you're asking me to. But if I refused to you would just hit me or kill me anyway."

I want to sheathe my sword and cleave her at this point but just looking at her smooth face and soft eyes; her draping hair. I must not think of it!

She flattens her hands around my head. They start to glow golden as she chants something. "Sotten Kasshun I reject." She says with anything but enthusiasm. Two sparks fly from her hands and form an orange haze around my vision.

But something else is happening...The black in the corner of my vision fades and I see clearly now. My head feels lighter as the weight is finally reduced.

"There we are..." She says with apathy. Why can't she lighten up? Sure she's being he'd here against her will but no need to be so melancholy.

"Couldn't you finish the whole mask?" Ulquiorra says in a more soothing voice. Ever since that girl came he's changed.

"I'm sorry but I need more strength. I think she looks nice anyway."

Really.

Aoi cocks her head towards so I can see her. "Well Miss Maria she has removed a lot of your mask so I think she has passed the test."

"Yes I believe so...Ulquiorra, find her a room to stay in, preferably a comfortable one, let her feel at home."

"As you wish master." He bows and escorts the enchanting girl away.

What is with that girl? Why does she make me feel this way? She is just a ditzy girl with healing powers. And yet, her simplicity seems to only further emphasize my...no I won't say it...for her. Her eyes, her hair, her sad face, her voice, her...body...

"Miss Maria!"

I stammer as I slip in my chair. "Huh-oh-uh-I must have daydreamt for a moment there."

"Stark and Reina have left for the World of the Living. Shiori and Asagi are being tended to. Would you like to see your new look?"

"Oh that's right. The girl fixed my face; I haven't seen my true face for so long I might have forgotten what I look like."

Aoi chuckles like an innocent schoolgirl. "Ok I'll pass you the mirror...so what do you think."

My face is finally clear. I can see my eyes, my nose, my ears, everything that makes me – well – me. The only parts of the mask that remain are the two drooping horns; they still remain as a reminder of what I am, an Arrancar, and a demon.

"I just love it! ~"

*****

ULQUIORRA:

"You will sleep here. These are your new clothes. Please see me if you have any problems."

"Thanks..."

"Orihime..."

"Yes?"

"Please don't hate me over this...I promise things will work out here."

"I don't hate you Ulquiorra..."

"I know."

-----

Orihime is now settling in her new abode. I must head to Szayel's lab to check out this Shinigami visitor. But all I can think about now is her. I told my master I brought Orihime to service her but in reality, it is all part of my selfish desire to have her around. I can't let that boy have her, nor can I truly let master have her.

I peer into the door way and see the two scientist idly chatting about body tissue and dissecting specimens. Ironic...those two were once sworn enemies, now they seem to be benefiting from each other's knowledge. Perhaps Mayuri will join us; after all, he did reveal the Oken's whereabouts.

I find my room. Its dark with only one slit of light from the small window. The light pierces my bed and table. I collapse onto my bed and place my hands behind my head in rest. I dream of Orihime for the remainder of the eternal night...she will never leave my sights for as long as I live.

*****

WORLD OF THE LIVING

REINA SOHO:

"The current Jureichi is located in..."

I can't believe it is here. Of all the places in the world. Stark scratches his mopped hair. He seems to hate doing jobs, he hates doing anything though. But this is more pressing. Why do we have to be here to obtain the Oken? I have so many memories here. This was my home.

"The current Jureichi is located in...Tokyo Japan."

We step down onto the street. There are so many people. If they saw me like this they would laugh and stare. But noone is looking – in fact noone seems to acknowledge my existence.

"The humans cannot see us." Stark tells me before he bumps into a man that looms somewhat similar to him. So they can feel us though.

The human looks confused as he rubs his head. Stark also peers into his eyes but the human is looking at noone.

"Dammit something just hit me outta nowhere." The human sounds very informal as he addresses a group of stranger looking people. Maybe I don't need to worry about standing out in this crowd.

One man is very fat and wears an orange Hawaiian shirt; another person, a petite young gothic woman, waves a fan; there's also an old man who seems to dress like a teenager and an overweight woman in a red nightgown.

Wait a minute...these people...have I seen them before?

"You ape-head, you're just feeling things that aren't there." The woman yells.

The old man looks around in concern. "Hey we lost the other two. Hey where are you guys?"

I wonder what he could mean.

"Come on Reina, let's move on.

We weave through the crowd, though it's pointless since they can't see us. Stark grabs my hand as we navigate the sea of people. If Maria needed 100,000 souls it would not be hard to find 100,000 here.

"Ow! Daddy something hit me." The sound of a young girl. I look around and see an unkempt man kneel over to pick up a fallen child. The child is a small girl with medium navy hair. She has two red bows and a blue dress with white shirt. Her shoes are pink. And her face tells me this person is someone very close to me.

Stark stands in front of me but my gaze is still focused on the girl. "Hey Reina why are you spacing out over a little girl?"

"She is not just a little girl...She is Rihoko...She is my daughter..."

Maria has discovered her sexuality, Ulquiorra is haviing relationship problems, Mayuri and Szayel are best of friends and Reina has encountered her (biological) daughter! What can possibly come out of all of this? Rihoko's gaurdian angel is not around this time. Stay tuned for the next dramatic chapter!!!