Hello, everybody! It's me again. Sorry it took so long… but two days ago we went on a day trip and then on Monday I was at my dad's house, which didn't have the story on the computer, and next week I'm going up north to my uncle's so… yeah… these next chapters will be coming out slower. But to make it up, this one's eight pages long! Hooray for long epic chapters!
Also, a word of help: Rabaeth is pronounced "RUH-byth." Just to help you guys along…
Chapter Twenty Five:
Pet
Seren stood, braced, gripping Fuerda tightly. The room around her was destroyed- the furniture were overturned, burn marks and holes were on the walls, and several cuts and slashes sliced across the room. Smoke streamed from several still-burning fires.
Nnoitra, to her gratitude, at least looked winded. His clothes were torn, and he was bleeding from several gashes. But instead of being intimidated, he only smiled wider and wider.
I only feel alive when I'm gurgling my own blood!" He laughed. "You're fun, little pet."
Seren felt terror spreading through her body. Again, the ice cold poison flooded her veins, and her heart skipped beats, pumping erratically.
Impossible. There was no way to stop him.
"Don't tell me you're done already?" Nnoitra tipped his head to the side. "Really? I thought you'd be stronger."
Seren shook. She gripped Fuerda tighter, praying only that sh'chi would open. Why wouldn't it work? Stupid necklace, stupid necklace. She had to break the binding, she had to!
"Well, are you done yet?"
Seren opened her mouth, and instead screamed. "SH'CHI! SH'CHI! SH'CHI!" She jammed her sword into the ground, praying, begging, entreating it to work. Instead, the necklace shocked her viciously, and she was in searing pain.
She dropped to her knees, yelling as blood gurgled in her throat. "SH'CHI! SH'CHI!" Her palms started bleeding as she gripped the hilt even tighter.
"Aww, you can't open your little portal, honey?" Nnoitra was right next to her, bending over so he could face her. His tilted fox eyes winked at her. "How sad. But feel the blood gurgling in your throat! Isn't it great?"
He was crazy. He was mad. Utterly mad.
Seren tried to speak. All she did was cough more.
"What? What was that, honey? You having fun?" Nnoitra put his hand behind his ear, mocking her.
Seren swallowed, and said one thing: "Damn you."
"That won't do, pet."
Kimi was flying along the halls. She knew something was wrong. The familiar nagging in the back of her head wasn't just nagging anymore, it was tearing, the way it used to. Kimi cursed silently.
She thought she'd gotten rid of this ability. But just this once she would let it warn her, just this once.
She pulled down the corridor, as Grimmjow and D-Roy and Illforte raced behind him.
"Are you sure something's wrong?" Grimmjow called from behind her.
"YES!" Kimi shrieked. She cursed under breath at how large the castle was.
All Seren knew was pain. She closed her eyes tightly, only screaming and gurgling. She was blindly waving her sword around as she slashed at Nnoitra, who only laughed as he dodged easily. Blood cascaded down her throat and chest. She felt pain at her legs, back, arms. Her wounds, the necklace shocking her mercilessly; after a while, it all just blended together.
"All right, that's enough, pet. This is boring, and you clearly have no fight left in you," Nnoitra mocked.
In an instant he had grabbed her, knocking Fuerda out of her hands. Seren's body gave way and collapsed.
Seren still fought. But there was no strength left in her. All she could do was keep screaming.
"SH'CHI! SH'CHI!"
Ulquiorra walked in Aizen's quarters quaintly. "I'm back." He intoned.
"Good. So everything went alright then?" Aizen asked.
"Yes."
"Well, I think you should check on your wayward captive," Aizen said. Ulquiorra blinked, surprised.
"Why?"
"The necklace is reacting. She's trying to escape."
Ulquiorra's eyes widened. Damn her. He thought she'd given that up.
"Right away, Aizen-sama." He turned and flash stepped away.
Shawlong knocked on the door. It creaked open slowly as Mila Rose moaned.
"Uuh, it's the middle of the night, what now?" She looked up, surprised.
"What are you doing here?"
Shawlong only blinked. "Kimi requests that you come with her to Ulquiorra's rooms. She says it's about Seren."
Mila Rose's eyes widened. "What is it?"
"She didn't specify."
Mila Rose turned around and yelled behind her. "Wake up, Apache, Sunsun!" There were resounding groans from inside the room. "It's Seren, and that Kimi girl she saved needs us or something."
Seren closed her eyes, trying to block the nightmare out.
She'd stopped screaming, but whispered it, one more time:
"SH'CHI."
The necklace broke apart into a thousand pieces, the pearls rolling around on the floor.
When Kimi burst into the room, it was even worse than she'd feared. The room was destroyed, and Nnoitra was on Seren.
She screamed and rushed behind him, grabbed his hair, and yanked as hard as she could.
Nnoitra looked up at her, his eyes black pits.
Kimi froze.
Damn.
In an instant, something hurtled into the both of them, slamming Nnoitra against a wall as Kimi let go and crashed into the door.
Grimmjow was there, standing over Seren, growling. His reiatsu prickled the air, and he grabbed his sword.
"You…. bastard!" He roared and rushed at Nnoitra. A resounding clashing of swords echoed around the room as they engaged in a battle too fast to see.
D-Roy and Ilforte only stared at the scene, too shocked to do anything.
Kimi got up and rushed over to Seren.
She was passed out, thankfully. Kimi closed her eyes, ignoring the blood that slicked her hands as she lifted Seren up.
"Shit," she said. "We need a healer!"
The was a sudden crash in the doorway as Mila Rose, Apache, Sunsun, and Shawlong arrived.
Mila Rose looked at the scene once, and knew.
"Oh, damn." She rushed over. "Quick. We have to stop this bleeding. Sunsun, get some rags. Apache, you're the fastest, run and get a healer."
Apache nodded once, grabbed D-Roy, and ran out of the room.
CRASH. A loud cero crashed into the wall behind Kimi. Everyone turned around and stared as Nnoitra broke apart from Grimmjow.
"Why," he panted. "Are you all here? She's my prey!"
Kimi perked up, her eyes burning. "Because Seren-"
"Is not your prey!" Grimmjow hissed. He pulled out his sword. "You'd better ready yourself, Nnoitra. HOWL, PANTERAS!" There was burst of light as he released his zanpakutoh. Air swirled around the room, blowing wildly as Kimi and Mila Rose shielded their eyes. A brilliant flash of light, and-
"What are you doing here?"
The voice chilled the air. Everyone froze and turned around.
Ulquiorra's silhouette was framed in the doorway; only his glowing green eyes could be seen.
"I said, what are you doing here?"
No one could speak. Kimi swallowed a large lump blocking her windpipe. Her throat would make no sound.
Everyone was silent. Time seemed to hang on a string.
The only sound was the quiet stepping of Ulquiorra's shoes on the tiled floor as he walked across the room. His hands were in his pockets as usual.
He stopped in front of Kimi.
"You."
Kimi couldn't speak. Her heart was in her throat, battering her thoughts. Ulquiorra narrowed his eyes, impatient with her. He looked at Seren.
His eyes widened. He looked at her torn clothes, wounds, and knew.
He turned around to face Nnoitra.
Nnoitra stood frozen as he slowly approached him. Ulquiorra looked him up and down, and his eyes burned with fury.
In that instant, he lost his control for a moment.
SCRATCH. There was a resounding tear as he raked at Nnoitra's face. It echoed in the room, again, again, again.
"ACK!" Nnoitra yelped, clutching at his face. There were four deep gashes across his face where Ulquiorra had hit him. His eye patch fluttered to the ground, revealing the hole in his head.
No one moved. The only sound was Nnoitra's howling. "WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR, ULQUIORRA-"
Ulquiorra kicked Nnoitra into the wall. Nnoitra bent around his foot as easily as a doll. The wall cracked and groaned as his body hit it. Then Ulquiorra grabbed Nnoitra by his neck and lifted him so he could face him.
"If you, ever, EVER so much as dare to show yourself in my area of Las Noches again," Ulquiorra hissed. "I will kill you. And if you ever so much as glance at Seren again-" his fist tightened around Nnoitra's neck- "I will destroy you. Understood?"
Nnoitra only stared, terrified.
"Good." Ulquiorra threw him back into the wall. Nnoitra struggled up and sonidoed away, without even another breath. Ulquiorra's head turned to watch him leave.
Then he looked at Grimmjow, who only growled at him.
"Go, Grimmjow. Take your fraccion with you."
"Like hell." Grimmjow was going to put up a fight.
"There is nothing you can do for her. Leave."
Grimmjow's eyes burned, then they fell dull again. "Panteras." He returned to his normal form. His zanpakutoh collapsed into a sword and clattered to the floor. "Shawlong, D-Roy," Grimmjow said, his eyes never leaving Ulquiorra's, "we're leaving. Where's Illforte?"
"We're back!" Apache and Illforte appeared, with a healer at their side.
"Whoa." Apache stood and looked around the room, shocked. "Where's Nnoitra-"
"That's not important. You brought a healer?" Ulquiorra gestured to Seren. "Get to it." The healer blinked twice, then scampered to Seren's side.
"Umm…" he murmured, "this could take a while."
"Take as long as necessary." Ulquiorra stood behind him, watching Seren.
She was still unconscious, eyes closed. Her face was smeared with blood and her uniform was stained a bloody scarlet. Her hair was a tangled mess, and she had scars where he didn't even want to think. Her breathing was erratic, labored.
The healer started his work, and a light shield of energy descended and covered Seren's body, and it started to heal. The blood and burns started to smooth away gently, and fluttered away into the air, like butterflies. Seren began breathing easier.
Mila Rose, Apache, Sunsun, Grimmjow, D-Roy, Illforte, Shawlong, and Kimi formed a concerned circle around the scene, watching grimly. There was no sound, only the soft humming of the healing.
Ulquiorra stood inside the circle. His face was calm and pristine as it always was.
But inside there was turmoil. It was like the great up heaving of the mountains, the feeling in his chest. He wanted to destroy Nnoitra.
He wanted him dead.
For invading his territory, for violating Aizen-sama's orders and property, and-
His fist clenched in his pocket.
Nnoitra would pay.
Seren opened her eyes. She felt… nothing. She felt light as air, and unreal. She couldn't feel any pain, ache, or even a heartbeat. She looked around. She was in a simple white dress, in an empty field full of long grass with bordering trees.
Was she dead?
"No, Valencia, you're not dead. Or, oh yes. You go by Seren now, right?"
It was a voice she hadn't heard in a very long time, and one she missed very badly.
"Rabaeth."
It was her zanpakutoh, striding towards her. He smiled, blue eyes shining. He had a shinigami robe on, but it was pure white.
"It's been a long time, no? It's all your fault for turning into a hollow, Valencia." Rabaeth walked towards her and wrapped her up in a hug.
"Why am I here? Where am I?" Seren looked around, surprised.
"You're in limbo, Valencia. There was nothing else I could do, and you wouldn't stop calling me. I was restricted, and this was all there was."
"Limbo?"
"Your body is still there, but your soul is with me, in your internal world. You should remember from Soul Society, no?"
Seren looked around. She did remember, after all. In her training, she'd met Rabaeth to release her powers.
"I missed this place."
"Me too. When you turned into a hollow, I couldn't speak to you. Your heart was a barren desert, twice as blank as Hueco Mundo and just as lonely. But now that you're back, it is a flowering garden once again." Rabaeth gestured merrily around the clearing. "I missed it."
"Rabaeth, why don't I remember everything? I can't… remember my past life, only bits and pieces."
Rabaeth turned around. "Ah, see, I did that for you. I didn't want you to have to face that until you were ready. But no time like the present, right?"
"You blocked my memories?"
"So did the one who sealed your powers away."
"That's probably a good thing. My life is already screwed up enough." Seren sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Why don't I feel any pain?"
"I'm blocking that for you also. It would destroy you."
Rabaeth paused.
"But you do need to remember now, Valencia. I will give you your memories back."
"How do you know?"
"Did you really forget that? The one thing that you cannot do with your time and space bending, is touch the future. You can't see it, right, Valencia?"
"I can't."
"Exactly. You can only access that in bankai. And only I can let you do that. But I can see it."
"So are you going to let me remember?"
"Yes. It's past time."
The healing shield over Seren condensed and then disappeared.
"This is all I can do for her," the healer explained.
Kimi knelt down and lifted Seren into her arms. "Seren? Seren?" Seren didn't even blink or show any signs of life. Only her soft, steady breathing assured them that she wasn't dead.
Grimmjow growled softly. "Seren. Seren!" No answer. Desperation crept into his voice. "Seren, wake up, dammit!" He grabbed her by her shoulders and shook her fiercely. "SEREN! SEREN!"
"What the hell are you doing?!" Mila Rose yelled, pushing him away.
"Why isn't she waking up?" Grimmjow roared. "Why?!"
Kimi shook her head, eyes tearing up. "I don't know."
There was silence, and there was only the soft sobbing of Kimi.
The healer started. "Um, I-"
"Leave." Ulquiorra ordered. His eyes never left Seren. The healer nodded and disappeared. Grimmjow whirled around.
"Why the hell did you tell him to leave?!" He snarled.
"There is nothing he can do. And it is best if he knows as little as possible." Ulquiorra replied smoothly.
"Damn you and your logic. It's not helping us now, Ulquiorra!"
Ulquiorra blinked. "I know what it is."
Kimi looked up. "What is it?"
Ulquiorra walked over, and picked up Fuerda. It felt light in his hands, and it flashed fiercely in the moonlight. "This."
"?" Kimi shook her head. "What?"
"I don't know all of her abilities, but she can bend space and time. Perhaps this had something to do with it. I know she was trying to open sh'chi."
"That's ridiculous. She's right here!" Grimmjow retorted.
"Her body is," Ulquiorra sighed, as if trying to talk to a particularly bratty child. "But she isn't waking up. Perhaps it's her spirit…?"
"I… I think he's right." Apache muttered.
"It makes sense," Shawlong nodded.
Sunsun and Mila Rose just stared emptily at Seren's body. Grimmjow only growled, escalating into a roar.
"So what do we do now?!"
"Calm down. You can go back to your quarters with your fraccion." Ulquiorra ordered.
"What? Like hell I'm leaving!" Grimmjow strode over and grabbed Ulquiorra by the collar.
"There is nothing you can do for her. Leave, Grimmjow." Ulquiorra was heartless. His eyes were like emerald, cold stone with no warmth or light. His words were just as cold, and Grimmjow's eyes contorted like he had just been struck in the stomach.
"Che," he hissed. He dropped Ulquiorra and strode out of the room, hands in pockets, jacket flapping. Shawlong, D-Roy, and Illforte scampered after him.
Mila Rose, Apache, and Sunsun flinched when Ulquiorra's gaze lit upon them, as if expecting an attack. Kimi just glared at him.
"I'm not leaving." She pronounced.
Again, those cold eyes. Somewhere inside, Kimi shivered. But she held her ground. "I won't. Seren needs me!"
Ulquiorra opened his lips to retort, but stopped. The spark in her gold eyes was so much like Seren's…
"Very well. Apache, Mila Rose, and Sunsun, you may stay also. Watch her while I go report this to Aizen. Clean her up also." He turned his back on the surprised quartet, and strode out the door, coattails fluttering as his back receded into the shadows of Las Noches.
"Wait up!" Valencia huffed, racing after her friend with a bag full of books. "Seriously!" She had on red hakatama pants and a white top, the shinigami academy uniform. Her bag swung wildly from her shoulder as she ran.
"It's your own dang fault for being so late!" He retorted, as she caught up to him. He had on the boys' uniform, in blue. His bag was hanging from his arm; he had his hands in his pockets. Valencia paused at his side, panting.
"You jerk," Valencia muttered. "I wanted to look nice for the first day of shinigami school."
"You take too much time. Why are girls always like this? Worrying about something so stupid."
Valencia's eyebrow twitched. "Blame men for being so shallow. And besides, at least I put some effort into looking nice. Did you even brush your hair this morning?" She ruffled his messy blonde hair. "Really. It looks shady."
He pulled a strand of hair down to observe it. "It does not."
"Sha-dy!" Valencia pronounced. "Ooh! Look! There it is!"
The Shinigami Academy roared over the next hill, dominating Seireitei. It had beautiful white walls, and black robed shinigami mixed with red and blue students. The bustling activity added life to the place. Tall, graceful arches and soaring columns marked the place for what it was; a proud banner announcing "Shinigami Academy" was displayed in the huge doorway to celebrate opening day. It was huge.
"Whoo-whee! That's a doozy," her friend announced.
"No kidding!" Seren watched, impressed. "It's amazing. Everything I dreamed about and more."
"Time to wake up," her friend muttered, flicking her in the head. "Class is about to start."
"Why are you always such a killjoy?" Valencia scolded. "Honestly."
He looked up. "Yeah, yeah, Valencia."
"I told you. Call me Seren. I don't like Valencia."
"It means strength. I'd've thought you'd have liked it." He explained.
"Huh. Well, I liked Seren better. Sounds cooler."
"Is that so?" He laughed. "Well, what about mine?"
"I guess your name's okay- Kisuke Urahara."
Rabaeth smiled. "I liked that kid, Kisuke. He was a good guy. Mad, but a good guy."
Seren frowned. Her heart started throbbing, as she remembered the old, familiar feelings towards Kisuke. He'd been a good friend, from when they were just kids. However, he had betrayed her…
She had been born to a middle class working family, in the 13th Rukongai. Her family had been pretty regular; she'd had a mother, father, and younger sister.
However, they had been surrounded by greedy people. The 13th Rukongai was a place for wealthy, powerful, and self-centered people. The wealthy had only cared for themselves and their nice clothes; how they could have helped the lower Rukongai mattered nothing to them; they had been born wealthy, and no one else mattered.
They were trash.
Valencia's family, although middling, had been considered below average in Rukongai; Valencia and her sister had been teased by the other children.
However, Valencia discovered something that she had something that the others did not: reiatsu. She had the gift of the ability to become a shinigami.
"Hide it," her father warned. "Or they'll do something to you. The people here are jealous. If they knew about your power, they would try to sabotage you. Hide it. But remember, Valencia: you have something none of them do. You are special."
And so she had hidden her ability, attempting to mask her reiatsu.
It hadn't worked.