Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, the Wizard of Oz, or any other copyrighted material.
Oz
By: Princess Kitty1
All Out War
Ulquiorra had been expecting to find the Emerald City in the same jovial state as when he had left it behind. So when he came upon the gates and discovered the metropolis a ghost town – all party decorations left in their places, games that remained unfinished, food standing out in the breeze and growing colder by the second – he felt slightly unnerved. It was as if all the soldiers, guards, and magicians had been mysteriously spirited away.
He paused in the middle of the Yellow Brick Road, realizing that he could not even sense Grimmjow or Nelliel. Impossible. As a higher ranking Espada, the only way he wouldn't be able to sense them was if they were being cloaked by magic.
In the blink of an eye, Ulquiorra had been rather abruptly thrown to the ground. He caught himself easily with both hands, and was ready to whirl around and face his attacker when he felt a crushing impact in the center of his spine that caused a searing pain to jolt through him. His hands gave under the pressure and he hit the yellow pavement hard, knocking the wind out of his lungs. What is this? He got to his feet a lot slower than he would have normally, and it wasn't until he saw his opponent that he understood why.
Nelliel stood before him, her normally cheerful face devoid of expression, sword drawn. Nelliel outranked him, but why was she attacking him? "What is the meaning of this?" he asked her, keeping his pockets unoccupied in the event that he would have to make another hasty dodge.
The green-haired woman did not answer. She lifted her blade and charged at him without so much as a battle cry, her party dress fluttering in the wind.
Ulquiorra took several hurried steps backwards, managing to evade every jab she made into the empty air where his head had once been. He leapt past her, coattails flapping behind him, and pointed a finger at her, gathering energy for a cero. But before he could attack her, before he could even remember that a cero would be ineffective against his superior officer, a clawed hand clamped down on his shoulder and, using the momentum of his own attempted escape, threw him full-speed into a building. The force of his body hitting the wall caused the whole thing to cave in, rock and brick flying in all directions. Ulquiorra planted his feet into the ground, skidding to a halt in the middle of what appeared to be a hotel lobby, the heat of the friction burning the soles of his shoes. "Tch."
Standing in the gaping hole that had been ripped into the side of the building was Grimmjow, in his release form. He crouched low, his canines bared at Ulquiorra. "I will ask again," the black-haired Espada dusted off his clothing, "what is the meaning of this?"
"Like you don't fucking know!" Grimmjow cried, rushing forward at a blinding speed. Ulquiorra side-stepped him just as his claw demolished the other wall, and the building groaned with the strain of having its lowest level of support gone. But Ulquiorra had no time to consider getting away, as Nelliel had been waiting outside, and immediately attacked once Grimmjow had passed. Plaster and debris were beginning to fall, a huge crack appearing in the ceiling above them as Ulquiorra continued to block each strike of her sword. When he saw that a significant hole had opened up, he caught himself on the floor and leapt through it, firing a cero above to clear the way through the remaining five stories.
He burst into the night sky, glancing below him. The building had collapsed on Nelliel. Like that would stop her. As he plummeted back towards the earth, two wings split from his back, catching the air and slowing his descent.
No sooner had his feet touched the ground than he felt someone grab him and found himself face down in the pavement again, a weight made more dense by a surge of magical energy keeping him in place. This time, it was General Yoruichi Shihoin who held him restrained with one arm behind his back. "Where is Orihime?" she demanded, and though he could not see her face, Ulquiorra was sure that the woman was enraged by the venomous tone of her voice.
He lifted his head marginally for the sake of speech. "How should I know?" This was, apparently the wrong answer. The woman forced his head into the ground.
"You have the nerve to make off with her in front of the entire city, then play dumb when we ask you a simple question?" Yoruichi snarled.
The situation was slowly beginning to dawn on Ulquiorra. The woman was… missing? No, that wasn't possible. He had seen her less than an hour before. She'd been fine.
"I'll miss you."
His eyes closed against the memory, keeping his thought train on its intended path. How in the world did they think that he'd kidnapped her when he hadn't even been in the vicinity? What the hell was going on? Ignoring Yoruichi's subsequent demands, the advancing Nelliel and Grimmjow, and the crumbling of the building they had unintentionally demolished in their argument, he listened to his surroundings. Finally he picked up the sound of armor clattering, of soldiers being prepared for battle.
So that's where everybody had gone. Something had happened in his absence. The woman was missing, the forces of Oz were on the move, and for whatever reason, they thought that he was responsible for the disappearance of the Promised Child, which could only mean…
His blood ran cold. Aizen.
Ulquiorra managed to get his legs working, pushed up onto his knees and bent backwards, slamming General Shihoin headfirst into the pavement. The woman's grip on his arm loosened and he tore free, charging towards the Emerald Castle. He could sense Grimmjow and Nel hot on his heels, but he had no time to fight them now. Without his sword, he couldn't access his full power, which was something that he would need to get back to Aizen's fortress as quickly as possible.
How could he have been so stupidly self-assured? Of course the warlock would take matters into his own hands eventually. After his soldiers' repeated failures, he must have been getting tired of sitting on his hands. And now the woman was in danger. If Aizen decided that he didn't want a queen after all, she would be killed in the blink of an eye, her kind heart ripped to pieces.
Boom.
Ulquiorra slowed to a stop. "Damn it."
Boom.
Grimmjow and Nel had frozen as well, their eyes widening in disbelief. The ground beneath them was shaking, an eerie silence falling over the entire city before a massive explosion demolished one of its walls, magical seals crumbling like sand. And there stood the behemoth Yammy Riyalgo, almost as tall as the Emerald Castle itself, the weight of his footsteps causing miniature earthquakes that sent soldiers stumbling. He let out a bellow of laughter, swatting one enormous arm and taking out a chunk of the army gathered on the yellow brick road. "Fools!" he cried as Rukia's magic bounced off of him harmlessly. "How dare you celebrate such a small victory in Lord Aizen's presence?"
Yoruichi, just coming back to her senses after the blow to the head, saw the intruder and swore colorfully. She looked for Grimmjow and Nel and found them a short distance away. "Don't get distracted!" she ordered them. "Find…!" Her sentence trailed off.
Ulquiorra was nowhere to be found.
"Shit!" She scrambled to her feet. Whether she wanted to or not, she would have to redirect her attention to the bigger opponent for the time being. They would undoubtedly find the fourth Espada somewhere in the midst of the mayhem. And if kidnapping Orihime, then sending Yammy in so that he could escape in the confusion had been his original plan, then she would just have to make his death even slower and more painful than she'd already been considering.
A bright light burst across their vision, causing everyone to wince collectively. It was Kisuke, on the roof of a nearby building, writing an enormous magical symbol that he promptly threw into the sky. Anyone in the country would be able to see it, and Yoruichi knew exactly what it was and who it was directed to: a signal to the Tenth and Eleventh Divisions in the mountains to attack Aizen's fortress.
Oz's rules were forgotten. It was an all out war.
…
Luckily for Ulquiorra, the castle guards had left their posts to fight the city's intruder. He ran through the halls unopposed, wondering where his sword had been placed. If he stopped long enough to pinpoint the magical energy surrounding the blade, then he could –
Ulquiorra dove to the floor mere seconds before Yammy's thick tail slammed into the castle, cutting through it like a warm knife through butter. The top portion of the structure began to sway unsteadily. Ulquiorra brought forth his wings again, folding them over his body to shield himself from the falling stones, steel and furniture. He had to bear it all. If he used a cero to destroy everything coming at him, he would be discovered and attacked.
Looks like Yammy was trying to do away with him as well. Figures. Aizen couldn't trust him anymore; his last actions had labeled him a traitor. He was fair game, just like the Oz soldiers attempting to fight off the giant monster laying waste to their city.
Once he was certain that the castle had finished collapsing, Ulquiorra used his wings to sweep aside everything that had fallen around him. Great. How was he supposed to find his sword now? He could always call it to his side, but that would require magic, which would alert everyone to his exact position. But it was a risk that he realized he would have to take. Once the weapon was in his hand, he could leave the city without anymore delay. He could return to the icy fortress and…
…and what? Try to convince Aizen of his innocence? No. That was the farthest thing from his rational mind at the moment. Extending his hand towards the wreckage of the Emerald Castle, he motioned with his fingers and, on cue, the sword flew out of the rubble and landed straight in his palm.
Perfect. Now all he needed to do was get away.
His wings extended and he pushed off into the air, managing to just barely avoid a cero fired at him by Yammy, who was simultaneously warding off Grimmjow and Nelliel's attacks. Ulquiorra's eyes narrowed in irritation. If he wasn't in such a hurry, he'd deal with Yammy himself.
"There he is!" a voice cried, and that was the last thing Ulquiorra heard before he was hit by something that sent fire through his insides. Eyes widening, he felt himself descending towards the dark forest outside of the city and tried desperately to get his wings to work, but the bat-like appendages dissolved into black ash. He snapped several tree branches on his way down, sending up a cloud of dirt when he finally hit the ground at near full speed.
What the hell had happened? He lifted his right arm and saw it: Rukia's magical insignia burned into his hand. The stupid witch had sealed his power.
Getting to his feet again, he felt every bruise on his body throb. This wasn't good. He felt so weak, so disgustingly human. But from what he knew of magic, he could see that this was a temporary seal. If he kept forcing his own energy against it, the seal would fail. It'd take at least twenty minutes of time that he didn't have, though.
Looking towards the snowy mountain range in the distance, he decided to keep moving, as pained as he was. He should be able to run, though not nearly as fast as he could have flown to the fortress. But until the seal was destroyed, he wouldn't be able to use his wings.
Damn it. He felt fury rising up in him at the thought of the circumstances, of what was at stake. He let the anger propel him forward, leaving the burning city behind. What did he care? His allegiance was not with Oz, nor was it with Aizen anymore; the warlock had made his opinion of Ulquiorra very clear. He had but one goal, a mission that had merely been implied:
Protect the Promised Child, no matter what it cost him.
…
"Hey…"
Orihime, slowly coming out of her magic-induced sleep, began to feel several things at once. First of all, wherever she was, it was freezing. A party dress was totally inappropriate for what seemed to be subzero temperatures. Secondly, there was a hand on her shoulder, and someone was shaking her rather insistently. "Oh, please wake up. Please…" she heard a feminine voice whimper.
Her eyes flew open and she bolted upright with a gasp, startling her companion. Were those iron bars that she saw through the darkness? Was she in jail? Allowing her eyes to get adjusted to the minimal lighting, she then sat back on her bottom and drew her knees up to her chest, tucking her arms between as shivers began tearing through her body. "S-So cold!"
"Here," the female voice caught her attention again, and she found that she was sharing the cell with a short, sick-looking black-haired girl who was holding a blanket out to her. "I think the Promised Child needs this more than I do."
Orihime took the offered blanket cautiously, examining her companion. She was small, quite pale with bruise-colored circles beneath her eyes, and incredibly thin. Clothing-wise she didn't seem much better off than Orihime was, and there were scars around her ankles and wrists, as if from shackles. "Thanks…"
The girl smiled. "We've been waiting for you," she sat back as Orihime wrapped the blanket around her body. "I'm so happy that I got to see you before…" her voice trailed off, tears gathering in her eyes.
"Before what?" Orihime implored her to keep going.
She shook her head. "Oh, don't mind me. I'm not the most optimistic person in the world," she wiped her cheeks with shaking hands. "I've been here a long time, hoping for someone to come rescue me, but I don't think-!" She broke off with a sudden coughing fit that made her thin shoulders jerk, and when she got control of her breathing, it sounded raspy and shallow. "I don't think they'll get to me in time." She gave Orihime a watery smile. "You're much better off than I am."
Orihime swallowed the lump in her throat. "Who are you?" she whispered, concern for the girl's health taking hold of her.
"M-My name is Momo Hinamori. I'm a native of the Spindle region, but I haven't seen the outside of this fortress in years." The girl dabbed at her eyes with the sleeve of her own dress. "I am Warlock Aizen's wife."
"Wife?"
"My parents didn't know what they were sending me to," Momo sobbed, giving up and burying her face in her hands. "We all th-thought that he was a nice, respectable s-sorcerer, and then…"
Orihime gazed at the crying girl with an overwhelming sense of pity. Did she know that Aizen was looking to replace her as well, that he was bent on making the Promised Child his new wife? She was about to ask her when she felt the floor shake, which was followed by the delayed report of an explosion. Her heart stuttered with panic. "Momo, what's going on?" she asked, coming closer to her.
Momo had lifted her head, eyes wide. "C-Could it be?" She looked up at Orihime. "Of course, if you're here, then that means…"
Boom!
"They've come to rescue you." She allowed herself a small smile. "You're going to be saved, Promised Child."
Orihime stood up, letting the blanket fall back onto the sick girl. There was a barred window through which snow was coming in, and she shifted her weight onto her toes, trying to get a look out of it. When that didn't work, she hopped up and down until she caught a glimpse of a magical exchange in the darkness. "You're right!" she cried. "It must be the Tenth and Eleventh Divisions!"
Momo drew the blanket around her tightly. "Sh-Shiro-chan is…?" She was cut off by another series of painful coughs.
Orihime stooped down, rubbing the girl's back soothingly. "Hey, save your strength. You look really sick," she said. Momo drew her hand away from her mouth, and Orihime saw blood staining her small palm. "Oh no… here, sit against the wall! Don't try to support yourself, okay? Just rest!"
This was bad. She was stuck in a freezing cold cell with Aizen's ill and possibly dying wife while the fortress came under siege. How many of the warlock's soldiers stood between Oz's forces and the dungeon? Would they get to them in time? Would they get to them at all?
Click.
Orihime gasped and turned to face the cell door, putting herself in front of Momo to shield her. Someone was coming. She could see light approaching from the left, growing steadily brighter. Was it Aizen? Had he arrived to finish them both off? Would he just kill Momo and drag Orihime off to be 'made an example of?' The footsteps drew closer still, and Orihime briefly considered hiding in the shadows to spring on the attacker when they opened the cell door, but it was too late. The lamp swung into view and…
"Gin?" she breathed in surprise.
The silver-haired sorcerer grinned. "Yup! Nice t'see ya, Promised Child!" He reached into his sleeve for his wand and tapped the lock on the cell door once. It came open, falling to the ground with a clatter. "Allow me to be of service to ya again. It looks like the cavalry's arrived anyway." He threw open the door and motioned for Orihime to move aside. Placing a hand on Momo's forehead, he cringed as the barely responsive girl gave him a glassy-eyed look. "Damn. We need to get her out of here."
"Will she be okay?" Orihime helped Momo onto Gin's back and kept the blanket wrapped securely around her, despite the fact that she herself was numbing from the cold.
"The others have medicine, I'm sure," Gin smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. General Hitsugaya would fight the warlock alone before letting her die."
"Shiro-chan," Momo murmured weakly against Gin's back.
"Come on." He grabbed the lamp and led Orihime out of the dungeon. There was an enormous, winding staircase leading further up into the fortress or farther down into an abyss. Some of the steps were slick with ice, while others appeared dilapidated to the point of crumbling. It didn't seem very safe either way. "Watch your step," he warned Orihime.
"Wait!" She stopped him dead in his tracks. "No, I can't leave." Another explosion went through the bottom of the fortress, causing the entire structure to shake, icicles plummeting into the darkness below. "I have to destroy the hougyoku!" And find Ulquiorra, she neglected to add. "Where is it?"
Gin shook his head. "You can't; not without the rest of us there to protect you. Warlock Aizen is up in his viewing chamber now, keeping an eye on both battles."
"Both battles?"
He nodded. "The Emerald City is under attack as well."
Several floors above them, Aizen sat on his throne, overseeing the skirmishes that he was currently winning. But suddenly he felt a disturbance in his magical energy and frowned. Someone had freed the women in the dungeon. "Hmm," he stood, "they won't get far." And even though he would have preferred to stay where he was, he began making his way towards the stairs, regretting having sent out all of his servants. Oh well. If he wanted something done right, he would just have to do it himself.
…
It was no use. Whatever spells were on Yammy were so intricately layered that Kisuke and Rukia, switching back and forth from offensive to defensive magic, were having a hard time getting through them. Meanwhile the giant was wreaking havoc on the Emerald City and its occupying soldiers. Bodies were being tossed around like weightless sacks, buildings demolished left and right. Even Grimmjow and Nel, both in their release forms, were barely scratching Yammy's skin. He was like a speeding cannonball, completely unstoppable.
Yoruichi found the wizard protecting a group of injured soldiers while simultaneously healing their wounds. "Kisuke!" she yelled, taking her place next to him. "What are we going to do?"
"That's a very good question, my dear," he forced a smile to his face, "one that I unfortunately lack an answer to."
She scowled at him. "Don't tell me you didn't have a plan of action in the event that something like this happened."
"Of course I did!" He grinned. "It was called Run for Your Lives."
"So you're saying that we should retreat, then?"
"We aren't making any progress here." Kisuke sent a glance towards the mountains. "Besides, our main concern is helping the Tenth and Eleventh Divisions take down Aizen. If we can get him out of the way, the spells on Yammy should fall apart and then he'll be much easier to deal with."
Yoruichi shook her head. "We can't abandon the Emerald City! What would happen if – "
"It's impossible," Kisuke interrupted her. "I'm the only one who can open the gate to the royal city from this side. They'll be fine. We need to worry about our own." He searched the surrounding chaos. "Look, here's what we'll do. You take the survivors and get to the mountains as fast as possible. Use Rukia's magic if you have to. I'll stay here and distract the Espada."
"No way! You're going to get yourself killed!" Yoruichi cried.
Kisuke looked at her. "Better for you, right? Then no one will be standing between you and General Kuchiki." His words caused her to flinch and avert her gaze. He reached out and tilted her chin up, offering her a gentle smile. "Don't worry about me, Yoruichi. Your duty as a general comes first."
She nodded slowly. "Be careful," she whispered, then turned to run. "Retreat!" she yelled to the soldiers of the Sixth and Second Divisions. "Head towards the mountains! The Emerald City is a lost cause!"
Grimmjow landed nearby and caught her order. He had half a mind to keep fighting, but knew that the general was right. They had to get to Aizen's fortress, to save Orihime before their only remaining hope was killed. Not to mention, he was dying to sink his claws into Ulquiorra. He ran and joined Nel, pulling her away from the battle to follow Yoruichi and the surviving soldiers through the destroyed wall of the city.
Rukia was flying overhead, looking out towards the forest. She could sense the spell that she had placed on Ulquiorra wearing off, losing his location as he went deeper into the woods. They wouldn't be able to catch him until they reached the fortress, probably. If only she'd been stronger! She could have permanently sealed his powers, rendering him useless to the enemy. Now the Tenth and Eleventh Divisions were in danger of having one of the most fearsome Espada fighting against them.
But before the retreating army could get much further, a flash of lightning in a cloudless sky startled them all to an abrupt halt. Rukia felt a chill go down her spine as waves of magical energy emanated from the Emerald Castle, the air behind its fallen spire rippling like a disturbed pond. Yoruichi felt it too, attempting to smooth down the goosebumps covering her arms.
"What is that?" Grimmjow asked as the rippling grew faster still. It was giving him a headache, whatever it was. Nel grabbed his arm, pointing into the center of the ripples.
"Look!"
The very air seemed to be tearing open, revealing a sunny forest in the center of the night surrounding them; a whole other world coming into view for the astonished soldiers to see. And even from that distance they could make out two figures emerging from that other world, clad in armor, one carrying a large sword on their shoulders while the other kept their hands pocketed.
Yoruichi paled. "Oh dear."
Grimmjow turned to her, jabbing a finger in the direction of the mysterious warriors. "Hey, lady! I thought you said that Coyote Starrk and Tia Harribel were dead!"
Yoruichi's palm came up to meet her forehead. "We're in trouble."
"Answers, cat woman! Right now!"
She spared him a troubled glance. "The Espada's Coyote Starrk and Tia Harribel are dead," she agreed, turning to watch the scruffy brunette man and bored-looking blond woman approach the battleground. "The legendary warriors Coyote Starrk and Tia Harribel of the Royal Guard are not."
The blond woman brought her sword down from her shoulders and pointed it at the Wizard, who held his hands up in a sheepish greeting. "Kisuke Urahara," she declared in a husky voice, "we are here to clean up your mess. Don't think it will happen again."
"What's going on?" Yammy roared, shocked at the sight of his revived superiors. "What are you two doing wearing Oz's emblem on your uniforms?"
"Tch," Starrk withdrew a large gun from his pocket. "Clones should keep their mouths shut." And with one squeeze of the trigger, a surge of magical energy exploded from the gun, shot forward, and blew a clean hole through Yammy's head, slicing through Aizen's magic as if it were paper. The enormous body staggered back, then pitched forward, demolishing what was left of the Emerald City.
Starrk blew the smoke from his gun. Tia arched an eyebrow in Kisuke's direction. Yoruichi shook her head sadly. Kisuke let out a nervous laugh. "Uh… it's nice to see that you two are as strong as ever!"
…
Ulquiorra had reached the foot of the mountains, and was now looking forward to a very daunting climb. But he had to do it. He had to keep going, no matter what. That woman would probably run around the fortress searching for him like an idiot, putting herself at risk of being attacked by the other Espada, or worse. He tried not to think about it as he ignored the winding paths heading up the mountains in favor of scaling the cliff walls – it was much faster that way.
Still, he couldn't help but question his own motives. Why was this suddenly so important to him? He'd been willing to part with her, so long as she was safe? That made no sense. Then again, he'd practically had to force his feet to move the farther he had gotten from the Emerald City with that sad smile haunting his conscience. So he… he hadn't been willing to part with her?
Had he known somehow that all that waited for him at the fortress was execution at the hands of his creator? Did he really prefer execution over whatever that woman had to offer him?
What did she have to offer him? She was spacey, naïve, troublesome. She wasn't even from this world. Sure she was the only person in any world who could destroy Aizen and the hougyoku, but what would freedom from the man mean to Ulquiorra? His existence would become meaningless. He would wander Oz aimlessly for the rest of his life, however long it might have been.
There was no hope of him fitting in anywhere; he didn't have a heart. He would never understand humans and the emotions that motivated them to fight for their friends and families, to fight for their worlds, or to even shed mercy on their enemies. He would never understand why the woman was so sad to see him go, why she'd given in to the hope that he would change his mind about them.
These things were beyond his comprehension, and yet, he couldn't let it go. He wanted to understand. He wanted to know why the woman had treated him the same as everyone else, why she had been so motivated to find him whenever he'd gone off on his own, why she continued to get close to him no matter how much he'd tried to push her away.
There had to be a reason for this madness, for the desperation he felt with each passing minute, for the longing he had to correct the wrong he had committed by making the woman look at him so sadly. He had to get to her. He had to find her, had to rescue her because he…
Ulquiorra froze. It was beginning to snow around him; he had climbed so fast without even realizing it. He looked at his hand, where Rukia's magical seal had just finished fading away. And turning his eyes skyward, sensing Aizen's power so far above him, he pushed away from the rocky cliff. His wings separated from his back. In a burst of anger-fueled magic, he tore through the air, concentrating on Aizen's aura.
The warlock was going to pay for putting the woman in danger.
…
"Tell me where the hougyoku chamber is!" Orihime hissed, grabbing Gin by the front of the shirt and bringing him forward.
"I can't allow you to go up there by yourself!"
"So come with me!"
"We have to get Momo to safety!"
"I-I can walk…"
"No you can't!" the two yelled at her, and she cowered behind Gin's shoulders. Orihime let out a frustrated cry and let him go.
"There's no time for this! Please, Gin! I'll be careful, I promise!"
The silver-haired magician hesitated. He knew that if he let her go and she got herself killed, it would be more than just Rangiku out for his blood. He'd have to flee the country – possibly the world, because if Aizen was in control, then he was screwed as a traitor anyway. Momo coughed into his back, and he remembered that they really didn't have time to argue. "Alright!" he hovered at the top of the staircase anxiously. "The floor beneath Aizen's viewing chamber houses the dining hall. If you go to the end of it, you'll see a wall there that should have a patch of ice surrounding one of its bricks. Get rid of the ice, push the brick in and the wall will open into another corridor that should lead to the hougyoku chamber."
Orihime made mental notes of everything and smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Gin. Now get Momo to…"
A ripple of magical energy went through the room. Without warning, Aizen appeared between them, a leisurely smile on his otherwise emotionless face. Momo screamed in horror. Gin took a step back and nearly fell down the stairs. Orihime staggered away from the warlock, her hands flying up to her chest as if it would shield her heart from whatever terrifying magic he could use to crush it.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" Aizen looked at Orihime, then at Gin and Momo. "I had a feeling I'd find a rat among my ranks."
Gin let Momo down, trusting her ability to walk. "Run!" he ordered her. "Get downstairs as fast as-!" His sentence was cut off as a bolt of magical energy struck him in the side, leaving a gaping, bleeding wound in its wake. Orihime and Momo both shrieked as Gin lost his footing and fell, plunging into the abyss below.
Aizen's smile widened. "That's a shame," he said as calmly as ever. "Now then, who will…?" Blinking once, he realized that he was now alone; both girls had taken off in opposite directions. He sighed. "Women these days." He cast a look towards where Momo had disappeared to. Oh well. He didn't need her anymore, and as sick as she was, her lungs would probably give out before she made it to safety. His principal concern was the Promised Child, who seemed to be heading towards the hougyoku chamber. "Such a shame, Orihime Inoue. You would have made a lovely bride."
…
Orihime was amazed at her ability to run and cry at the same time. Her path was blurred by tears that she quickly wiped away. Oh Gin… poor Gin! He had made the ultimate sacrifice for Oz! There was a chance that he could be alright; he was a magician, after all, possibly a powerful one if he had worked under Aizen for so long. He would be alright, she decided, rejecting the notion that he could die from one strike.
She had to focus. Several times she slipped on the staircase, scuffing her knees and palms on the ice that burned her skin as she hit it. Once she almost fell into the abyss herself, but managed to regain her footing and continue her climb.
All of this time and she hadn't seen Ulquiorra. Wasn't he here? Perhaps he was part of the army that was fighting the Tenth and Eleventh Divisions? No. She couldn't see him as an enemy, even though he should have been somewhere in this fortress, having returned to his master's side. Would she encounter him up above? Was he protecting the hougyoku chamber? Would she have to fight him? He wouldn't attack her, would he? Sure he had when they'd initially met, but that was a long time ago. They had history now – history that couldn't have meant much to him if he'd been willing to leave in the first place.
"No," Orihime told herself with a fierce conviction. She'd promised that she would trust him, and that promise would stand, even now. Even though the circumstances were bad, even though people were undoubtedly dying in both battle locations, even though Ulquiorra hadn't given her reason to believe otherwise, she would trust him.
The end of the staircase was ahead of her. She veered off a story before, finding the long dining hall unoccupied. Apparently they had been in the midst of a meal, as there were still food items left on the table. She took one step into the room… and bumped into Aizen's chest.
Orihime cried out and fell backwards. She gazed up at the warlock, breaking out into a cold sweat. His very presence was suffocating. Her heart was threatening to explode from the effort of her run and the influence of his fearsome power. Dragging herself around him, so that his back was facing the door and hers was pointed in the direction of the hougyoku chamber, she scrambled to her feet as he stepped towards her. "Wait!" she cried.
Aizen watched the girl curiously as she grabbed a pitcher of water off the table and, without warning, splashed him in the face with its chilly contents. He stared at her blankly.
Orihime stared at the now empty pitcher in her hand. He wasn't melting. "Huh," she muttered with a shrug, "it was worth a shot." Then she threw the pitcher at him, and it hit the warlock's forehead with a loud clang! His hands flew up to cover his offended skin, a growl rumbling in his throat as Orihime ran for the brick wall that Gin had designated.
There was the ice! She grabbed at it, trying to pull it away, but it was frozen solid. She banged her fists against it until her knuckles began to bleed, all too aware of the warlock that was slowly gaining on her. A frightened sob choked her as Aizen's shadow fell over her body and the wall ahead of her.
And then the wall to their left collapsed. Both Aizen and Orihime looked up in time to see a black blur shoot through the opening; one that got between them and, with a kick to the face like that of an enraged horse, sent Aizen flying through the opposite wall and into the snowy night, his cry echoing as he fell down the side of the mountain.
Orihime pressed her back against the wall, staring up at the wings of her savior, which then dissipated as Ulquiorra turned to look at her. His Espada uniform was dirty and tattered in places, as if he had taken quite a beating on his way there. He wore a cautious expression that deviated only slightly from his norm. She felt her heart swelling with joy, her cheeks flushing. "Ulquiorra-san," she whispered, stepping forward. "You… you came to save me."
Ulquiorra nodded once. "Did you doubt me?"
"No! No, not at all! I just… I'm so…" Orihime couldn't even finish her thought; there were so many things going through her mind.
He surprised her by taking her face into his hands. "Then that is all I needed to know." And, because he probably hadn't been thinking rationally for weeks, he gave in to the impulse and kissed her, savoring the warmth of her lips against his.
Orihime's knees went weak. She had just enough time to return the kiss as he reached past her and snapped the ice off of the brick with one bend of his wrist. Then he pulled away, and she could have sworn that his green eyes were brighter than they had ever been. "Stay safe," he told her before leaving her behind, his wings emerging once again as he went after the fallen warlock.
Her determination renewed, Orihime pushed the brick into place. The wall came open with the grating sound of stone against stone, and a dark corridor stretched out ahead of her, at the end of which she could see a very faint light. This is it, she thought, uttering a quick prayer for everyone's safety. Then she ran towards the hougyoku's glow, resolving to destroy it once and for all.
To Be Continued