Grimmjow grumbled as he felt his feet sink into the sand, staring up at the false sky of Las Noches. He wasn't angry about the random small Hollows and Arrancar that had tried to bar their entrance into Las Noches, nor was he pissed that it almost seemed far too empty in the fortress. No, he was upset that, despite Keigo being far skinnier and shorter than he was, the kid was very heavy when unconscious. That, and he just hated Las Noches.
"Who knew a twig like Keigo could be so damn heavy," Grimmjow mumbled, shifting Keigo's form on his back. "The hell does this kid eat?"
Chad, overhearing the Espada's grumbling, offered, "I could take him if he's getting too much for you."
Shooting the human a scathing glance, Grimmjow scoffed. "It's fine," he said, waving off Chad's concern. He didn't want this human to think he was weak. He started walking faster, saying, "I got 'im."
Orihime laughed silently, shaking her head. Despite being an Espada again, she figured he was still getting used to his powerful form again, plus he must be a bit exhausted. To be honest, she felt a little haggard herself. She'd used up a lot of spiritual energy healing and fighting. But, for the first time in a long time, she felt like she had contributed in a fight. No, she wasn't the one to finish off Aaronierro – even if he had used Sora's image in such a disgusting way – but she had been able to hold her own. A small smile crossed her face as she trudged through the sand.
"What's got you so happy, Orihime?" Tatsuki asked, trudging alongside her. Her body felt a little sore after all the fighting in the tunnel and wiping out a few Arrancar along the way. She was fairly certain that Orihime was feeling the strain as well, but she was surprised to see her friend smiling.
Blushing, Orihime touched her face. "O-oh," she said, "well, I guess I'm just happy that… I was useful this time."
"Useful?" Chad asked, turning his head back slightly.
Tatsuki seemed confused as well, adding, "Yeah, what do you mean by useful?"
"Well, I was actually… able to fight this time around," Orihime said, letting her hands fall to her sides. "No one had to come save me and I was able to fend off an opponent." Her eyes lit up a little, her smile widening. "An Espada, no less."
Chad and Tatsuki looked at each other, realizing what she meant. "B-but Orihime," Tatsuki said, her brown eyes slightly pained, "you were never useless. What made you think you were?" Chad nodded, agreeing with Tatsuki.
Orihime turned red, not used to being complimented – or admonished – like this. "I was only a healer," she replied. "I-I couldn't really do much be-!"
"ORIHIME!"
The terrible, squeaky voice of an indignant plush lion grated against their ears as Kon crawled out of Tatsuki's bag, shaking his paw at Orihime. "Now you listen here, young lady!" he shouted, waving his free arms furiously. His body was still in the confines of the bag, so he looked both crazy and ridiculous at the same time. "Don't you go undervaluing yourself like that! You're strong as hell! Healing is a powerful thing! You don't need to wave around a sword to be powerful, ya know!"
Surprised by Kon's sudden outburst, Orihime slowed her pace, listening. "Without you," Kon continued, "many of us would be out of commission in a fight! So don't EVER say that you didn't really do much!" He folded his arms, huffing. "Your usefulness doesn't rest on you being able to fight!"
Tatsuki seemed taken aback, glancing up at Orihime. "I can't believe I'm about to say this," she said, "but Kon's absolutely right. Without you, I would have died several months ago." She thought back to the Hollow that had tried to kill her around the time Rukia had arrived in Karakura Town. Sure, the memory had been initially wiped, but Yoruichi had told her about the story a little while back. Her face had gone a bright red when Yoruichi had told her how brave Orihime had been…
"Please, don't degrade yourself like that, Orihime," Chad said, his voice low. "No matter what, we value you as our friend. Don't ever feel like you have to prove your worth to us."
Nearly in tears, Orihime let out a small giggle. "Th-thank you guys," she stammered, hiding her face behind her hands. "I-I-I appreciate y-you guys."
Grimmjow glanced back, hearing their conversation. He rolled his eyes, focusing on the way forward. He remembered how terrifying she had looked when going against Aaronierro. She had been terrified too – which was normal, he supposed – but for her to think of herself as weak… He couldn't understand humans and their issues with self-confidence. But he kept that to himself, not wanting to see her cry. For some reason, that just made him very uncomfortable.
"Yeah, Orihime," said Ash, tying her hair back into a ponytail. "I don't understand how you could even say that. Your powers are nothing short of incredible."
Orihime couldn't say a word, wiping away tears. But Tatsuki turned to Ash, her eyes filled with suspicion. Ever since they had left the tunnel, Tatsuki hadn't been sure how to bring up what they had seen when Ash was fighting Tosen. Nothing about this girl made any sense, and the more they had her around, the weirder things became. "Speaking of powers," Tatsuki said, "what the hell did you do back in the tunnel? What was that weird… crystal-like power thing you were doing?"
Now this caught Grimmjow's attention, eavesdropping in on their conversation. He had stayed at a distance from Ash, studying her as they made their way through the fortress. Her spiritual energy was insane, not way too high or anything, but it was flowing out of her like a pot boiling over. Something had awakened in her, and she seemed incredibly unaware of it.
Ash's eyes flickered, dropping down to the sand beneath her feet. "W-well, like I said, it's a bit complicated," she replied. "But, on my world, we called it Vinse tu Vile – Throw to the Void." Her word were slow and deliberate, thinking hard on how to explain it.
"Wait… on your world?" Chad asked, staring at her. "What world are you talking about?" He wasn't exactly sure where she was going with this, but he had a feeling it was exactly how he think it sounded.
"Are you trying to say that you're from a different dimension?" Uryu asked, finally paying attention to his team members behind him. The sun caught the surface of his glasses, turning them pure white.
"No," Ash said, shaking her head. Her words were caught in her throat, as if she were terrified to even say it. "I-I'm from a different… planet."
Everyone stopped, staring at her. The only thing that could be heard was the sudden gust of wind that kicked up around them.
"I'm sorry," Tatsuki said, raising her hands, "would you mind repeating that?" She was flabbergasted, unsure what to even make of this.
"I am from a d-different planet," Ash said again, sheepishly. She sounded terrified, looking around a little as if she were being watched. "I'm not from Earth. I'm… an extraterrestrial. An alien. Whatever you humans want to call it, I'm not from this world."
"Why didn't you tell us this sooner?" Uryu said, clearly taken aback by this information. "This seems like something you'd tell us about in the beginning… don't you think?"
Ash paused, her face suddenly dark and shadowy. Her eyes seemed heavy and tired, like her sleepless nights, anxieties and fears had finally caught up with her, weighing her down. Swimming in her aquamarine eyes was fear so raw and terrible that it made Uryu even more worried. "There are several reasons why I couldn't divulge that to you all," she said quietly. "Even Ichigo demanded that I tell him, but if I said anything… I couldn't be sure that I would be putting anyone in danger."
Grimmjow growled, turning to her fully. "Danger?" he demanded. "Bitch, the fuck kinda danger are ya talkin' about here?" He was beyond tired of the secrets, his curiosity eating away at him.
"Let's just say," Ash said, her eyes lifting, meeting Grimmjow's, "that there are very few places in this world that aren't being watched. Anything I tell you all could be monitored. Here -" she looked around again, glancing at the horizon – "I'm not sure they're listening, but if I told you all anything more than I had… they'd find us."
A new look of confusion and disgust crept over Grimmjow's face. "I'm not sure what the hell yer talking about, girl," he said in a low tone, "but if ya don't start makin' sense in a few seconds, I'm gonna-!"
The air trembled, the sand shifting around their feet. The sky darkened, with a large, yellow burst of energy shooting up into the air. A large burst of spiritual pressure pressed down on the rescue party, nearly flattening them against the desert floor. Grimmjow pressed his hands down in the sand, watching as it went up past his wrist. His blue eyes seemed strained, his teeth exposed as he struggled.
Tatsuki reached for Orihime, feeling the energy force them towards the ground. Chad felt his knees shake, bending down to outlast the strain. Ash found herself pressed to the sand as well, letting out a soundless scream as she felt the strain in her bones. Uryu managed to stay somewhat upright, but he noticed a crack forming in his glasses.
"WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?!" Kon screamed, clinging to Tatsuki and Orihime in confusion.
And just as quickly as it came, the pressure mostly receded, the sky becoming blue again.
"I know that pressure," Grimmjow hissed, brushing long blue strands of hair away from his face. "That's the release of a Resurrección." He could also tell it was from Nnoitra, but he kept that bit to himself. The last thing he wanted was to face off against another Espada while carting around Keigo's body. Forgetting his frustration with Ash, he turned to Uryu. "What's yer plan, Quincy boy?" he asked gruffly.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves here," Uryu said. He mildly impressed that Grimmjow actually asked what the plan was instead of rushing off like a crazed maniac. "I doubt many of us are in the right condition for another large-scale fight." His eyes searched, noting the faint but undeniable form of structures in the distance. It was far enough that he felt safe in assuming they hadn't been spotted, but that blast of energy made him incredibly nervous.
"D-do you think Amelia is over there?" Ash asked, her eyes filled with hope now. She peered over Uryu, noticing the increasing wind and crackling of energy that sparked near the structures. A part of her knew that Amelia was close, although she wasn't sure how she knew that. It was one of those gut feelings, her heart starting to race.
Uryu could tell she was thinking of running. "Don't separate from the group," he said, glancing at her. "We don't know what's going on just yet."
"Do ya just want us to hang around here?" Grimmjow challenged. "The longer we stay put, the more likely we are to get noticed."
"Well, do you have any better ideas?" Uryu said, an edge to his voice. "If so, let's hear them."
"Don't get testy with me, kid," Grimmjow said, glaring at Uryu. "I'm as aware as ya are that we're not in the best of shape. But standin' here ain't gonna help us."
"H-hey! Ash, wait!"
Orihime's voice caught them off-guard, realizing that Ash had bolted. Her white hair reflected in the sunlight, a glaring white spot intertwining with the dunes.
"DAMMIT!" Uryu shouted, running reluctantly. "WHY WILL NO ONE LISTEN TO ME?!"
"ASH!" Orihime called out, eyes wide. "ASH, COME BACK!"
Of course, Ash was long gone, running as fast as she could. Her feet seemed to glide across the sand as she made her way towards the ruins. The sounds of the rescue party shouting at her, telling her to stop were mixed with the sound of her heart beating wildly. She knew she should have listened, but after all those months, worrying about her little sister, wondering if she was even alive…
The thought of seeing Amelia's face fueled her, her adrenaline kicking in and her legs running faster. Her ponytail whipped back and forth, hitting her in the eyes as she ran, but she didn't care.
It felt like an eternity before the ruins started to come into full view. During her run over, the spiritual pressure around her fluctuated several times, making it incredibly difficult at times. There were periods that it had become so intense that she had been knocked forward, getting a mouthful of sand. She could feel her group getting closer, but she knew she couldn't stop now. They were going to be pissed, but at this point, that didn't matter to her too much.
To her surprise, after standing up once again, she could make out dark forms in the haze that distorted the horizon. At first, she paused, unsure if she should continue forward. What if they were hostile? She couldn't tell who was there, making their way slowly towards her. She wasn't even sure if she should make her presence known.
But, on the wind, she could hear the familiar voice, weaving between the sand and the wind. Ash had thought she might be hearing things that weren't there, her brain fueled by wishful thinking. With each passing second, however, she realized that she could hear Amelia. Her form was making her way towards her, and she felt a familiar presence wash over her. It was subtle, as it always was, but it was strong.
"AMELIA!" Ash shouted, tears falling down her face.
She booked it, making her way over the sand dunes that separated her from Amelia. The figures stopped moving, their heads facing her now. There were eight figures, waiting there, watching Ash as she descended. One of them took a few steps forward, tentatively.
"AMELIA!"
"ASH?!"
There was no denying it now, that was Amelia. Ash and Amelia closed the gap quickly, nearly knocking one another in the sand. Arms wrapped around each other, the two sisters embracing for the first time in months. Amelia's grip was tight around Ash's shoulders, her green eyes brimming with tears. Ash was sobbing loudly, unable to contain herself.
"Amelia, I'm so… so glad to see you!" Ash said, gripping onto Amelia's tattered black shirt. She didn't notice as both groups surrounded them, watching on silently. Amelia couldn't say anything, her throat closing as a million emotions rushed through her. This felt like a dream, unsure what she should say.
Eventually she pulled away, wiping her eyes frantically. "H-h-hey sis," Amelia managed, both laughing and weeping all at once. She tried to pull herself together, sniffling and shaking her head. "I'm so happy to see you, too. I missed you."
"Well, you better have!" Ash said, playfully punching Amelia in the shoulder. "You were gone for months!"
"S-s-sorry," Amelia said, her voice wavering badly. "I'm so… so, so sorry, Ash."
A small hand pulled on Ash's pants, turning the sisters' attention to a small, wide-eyed Nel. "Awe you Amewia's sisther?" she asked, tilting her small head.
Pesche came over, kneeling next to Nel. "Maybe we should leave them alone for a moment, Miss Nel," he whispered, glancing at Amelia.
"No, it's fine," Ash said gently, kneeling. A serene smile filled her face, contrasting with her bright red, tear-stained face. "I am her sister," she said, patting Nel on the head. "And who might you be, little one?"
"I'm Nel Tu!" Nel exclaimed happily, smiling widely. "It's nice to meet you!"
"They don't even remotely look the same," Cirucci said under her breath, unsure if she should continue watching. Emotions were gross and made her feel uncomfortable, especially coming from Amelia. She crossed her arms, glancing at them awkwardly.
Amelia laughed between her tears, hiding her face. She was embarrassed by emotional she had gotten, her face a deep red as well. She felt the familiar hand of Dordoni on her shoulder, gently getting her attention. "Here, niña," he said quietly. Amelia looked to see a white cloth in his hand, believing it to be a handkerchief of sorts.
"Th-thanks, Dordoni," Amelia choked out, wiping her face and blowing her nose.
Cleaning up a bit, Amelia turned her attention to the rescue party, clearing her throat. "Hey there," she called out weakly, making her way towards them. Unsurprisingly, she felt her gut tighten, unsure what to say. Of course, her sister had come with them, but she still felt a small bit of distrust form in her mind. "I… assume you're friends of Ichigo Kurosaki."
Uryu looked at Amelia in surprise, adjusting his glasses. "You know Ichigo?" he asked.
"In a way," Amelia said, smiling a little. "It's a bit of a story."
"You really don't look like Ash at all!" Orihime said, approaching Amelia with a smile. "It's nice to meet you, Amelia!" She extended her hand to Amelia.
Taken aback by the odd observation, Amelia slowly took Orihime's hand in hers, shaking it once. "I-it's good to meet you as well…" she said, cracking a small, awkward smile.
"My name's Orihime Inoue," Orihime said, bowing a little. "Sorry, I didn't mean for that to sound rude! It just struck me odd."
"Th-that is an odd thing to just come out and say, Orihime," Tatsuki noted, laughing a little. Turning her attention to Amelia, she said, "And I'm Tatsuki Arisawa. Sorry we're meeting under such weird circumstances." She also wondered if Amelia was an alien as well, but this definitely wasn't the time for questions like that.
"Nice to meet you both," Amelia said in a low tone. She felt ashamed that she could only offer such a mediocre greeting. She felt so emotionally drained that it was almost like she were a floating balloon, devoid of emotion. "Thank you for taking care of Ash."
From the corner of her eye, she could see a man with long, blue hair glaring at her, blue eyes watching her like a hawk. Amelia met his gaze, her smile fading. The energy spilling off this guy was intense, definitely comparable to an Espada. Then it clicked in her mind, and she realized exactly who this was.
"Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez."
The name slipped off her lips like lead, weighing down the mood in an instant. All eyes focused on the Espada, watching to see what would happen between the two former Sexta Espada.
"Ah, so ya know my name," Grimmjow said, a cocky grin on his face. It barely masked his intense disgust and fury that bubbled beneath the surface. "I'm surprised. Once an Espada gets the boot, we're usually treated like we never really existed." He adjusted Keigo's body again, approaching Amelia with his head held high, staring her down. "So, I take it yer my fuckin' replacement."
"Was," Amelia replied, standing her ground. Her eyes went hard, unsure if this was going to turn into a fight or not. "I was the Sexta Espada but have since turned human again."
"How?"
"The same way you became an Espada again."
The air filled with silence again, Grimmjow's face changing a little. He flinched, thinking back to the dark figure of the Hogyoku, standing over him, bringing him back to life. "So, ya met that thing, too?" he asked, his voice strained.
"Sure did." Amelia's eyes never wavered, but she knew that they were talking about the same thing. "It was vile."
"Turn yer hand over."
Amelia raised an eyebrow. "Huh?" she asked.
"Show me yer hand," Grimmjow demanded. "I want to see if ya still have yer marking."
"How did-?"
"SHOW ME!"
Sighing, Amelia lifted her right hand, exposing her palm. The black numeral sprawled across her palm, mocking Grimmjow. Anger spilled over Grimmjow, nearly exploding into a rage. "YER STILL AN ESPADA!" he shouted, glaring at her.
"I'm not Hollowfied anymore," Amelia insisted, narrowing her eyes. "There's no way I -!"
"If ya still have the marking," Grimmjow growled, standing over her, "yer still a fuckin' Espada!" He was seething, his hand ready to reach for his zanpakuto. "GIVE IT BACK!"
"THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN, GIVE IT BACK?!" Amelia shouted, palm still exposed. "I DON'T KNOW HOW?!"
"I'll cut that damn hand off if I fuckin' have to," Grimmjow said, hand on his hilt. "BUT I WILL BE THE SEXTA!"
Hearing Grimmjow's threat, Ash stood, ready to intervene. She wasn't about to let her sister get hurt this quickly. Her face was flush with anger.
"I'd hate to interrupt," said Coyote Starrk, his voice relatively emotionless, "but have you bothered checking to see if your marking is back, Grimmjow?"
Glaring at Starrk for a second, Grimmjow's blue eyes filled with realization. He hadn't checked that once he returned to his normal form. Setting Keigo down, he lifted his shirt and looked at his back. He could just make out the edge of the black marking on the right side of his back.
"Looks like a six to me," Lilynette said, running over to check it out. Her eyes were narrowed, glancing over at Amelia. "That's impossible."
"Maybe one of the markings is fake," Starrk said, strolling over to Amelia. "Didn't you say that most of the markings on your body are scars?" he asked her.
"Yeah," Amelia said, realizing what he was saying. And it made sense, but it didn't make her feel any better that the marking was still on her palm. She wanted nothing to do with it. Hell, if she could simply cut off the flesh and burn it away, she would. "I most likely have the fake marking." She glanced up at Grimmjow, who seemed so satisfied that he flashed her the cockiest grin.
"As it should be," Grimmjow said triumphantly. "I'm the one and only Sexta, and ain't no human bitch takin' my place."
Amelia merely glared at him but didn't push the matter. Instead, she looked at the slumped form of Keigo, her head tilting to the side. "What's up with your friend there?" she asked, approaching Keigo gingerly. She scanned his body for any physically injuries as she approached but was cut off by Grimmjow's body.
"Don't ya fuckin' touch him," he said, staring her down.
"Chill," Amelia retorted, her voice harsh this time. "I'm just seeing if there's something I can do to help him."
"Amelia," Ash said, glancing at Grimmjow, "leave it be."
"He looks like he has a concussion," Amelia said, ignoring her sister.
"He got knocked pretty hard in the head," Tatsuki piped up, pushing past Grimmjow. "Orihime healed him nicely, but she didn't quite finish."
Amelia blinked in surprise, looking at Orihime. "Oh, you healed him?" she asked her.
Blushing, Orihime nodded. "S-sure did!" she said. "I'm not sure how much I got, though."
Turning away, Amelia figured that Keigo didn't need her assistance. She did manage to shoot one last venomous look at Grimmjow, though. "We need to get moving," she said. "I'm not sure if Aizen knows if you guys made it here or not, though I'm sure he knows your in Hueco Mundo." It would be foolish to assume he wouldn't.
"Great," Uryu said, "I was just about to suggest that, but uh…" He looked back at the group of Arrancar and Espada, his eyes filled with suspicion. "Are we planning on bringing your… friends?"
Amelia looked at him, confused. "Of course," she said. "They're siding with us. Or they decided they wanted to come with me, at least."
Dordoni patted Uryu on the back, flashing his most annoying smile. "We're going to aid you in your fight against Aizen, niño," he said proudly, puffing out his chest.
"I'm just here so Aizen doesn't kill me," Cirucci added, grumbling. It wasn't entirely true, of course, but she wouldn't be caught dead admitting she was with Amelia on any level.
"We're gonna fight the waw!" Nel screeched, climbing up Dordoni's back.
Grimmjow did a double take, glancing back at all the Arrancar. "Wait," he said. "Starrk, yer in on this?"
"I am," Starrk replied, nodding slightly.
"Why the fuck would ya betray Aizen?"
Starrk was silent for a moment, glancing down at Lilynette. "It's none of your business, you blue bastard!" Lilynette shouted, glaring at him. "We're tired of Aizen and his wishy-washy bullshit and we're getting out of Las Noches."
"With this human?!" Grimmjow asked incredulously.
"Looks like it," Starrk said, patting Lilynette on the head.
Grimmjow glared at Amelia again, unsure what to say. Of all the Espada that Grimmjow knew, he hated Starrk the least. Hell, he had let the bastard sleep in his residence while he was away. Sure, he had hoped to surpass Starrk one day, but somehow, he felt… relieved that Starrk was on their side, oddly enough.
He just wasn't sure how this human girl convinced him to switch sides. Then he locked eyes with Dordoni and groaned. This fucking bastard was going to be the death of him. "And of course we have to bring the two Privaron Espadas," he said, glaring at Cirucci and Dordoni. "Fuck's sake."
"Ya got a problem, Grimmjow?" Cirucci challenged, glaring at him.
"Oh, ya gonna challenge me, ya washed-up bitch?"
Amelia and Dordoni did everything they could to hold Cirucci back, who spat and hurled insults at Grimmjow with venom. "LAST I CHECKED, AIZEN TOSSED YOUR ASS ASIDE JUST LIKE HE DID US!" she screamed, her nails digging into Amelia and Dordoni's arms. "FUCK YOU AND YOUR COCKY-ASS BULL-!"
"Cirucci!" Amelia shouted. "That's enough!"
Uryu, rubbing his face tiredly, was utterly speechless. That meant he was now going to have led a powder keg of violent and aggressive individuals back to Karakura Town and hope they don't explode. But if it meant they had more allies, he guessed it was worth it. "Alright, fine," he said at last, adjusting his glasses. "Guess we're all going to Karakura Town."
"YAY!" Nel shouted, gripping Dordoni's hair tightly.
"Please, for the love of everything," Uryu begged, "don't shout."
Chad, silent this whole time, watched as the group struggled to sort itself out. He didn't envy Uryu's position whatsoever. But he was the one to notice the large, storming cloud of sand heading their way. Turning back to his team, he said, "I think we should definitely get going right now." He pointed to the approaching cloud, wondering if he should activate his Brazos.
"What is that?" Tatsuki asked, her eyes squinting. She could feel her anxiety rise.
"Whatever the hell it is," Grimmjow said, picking up Keigo, "we're not stickin' around to see." With the quick flick of his hand, he opened a Garganta, the large black gaping maw opening wide. "Get in, everyone," he said. "We're outta here."
With haste, everyone ran through the opening, not wanting to engage in another battle. The last to go through, Amelia looked back for a mere second, wondering if she could make out the oncoming horde, but decided it was best to leave as quickly as possible. With that, she looked at Las Noches for what she hoped was the last time.
As the Garganta snapped shut, the dust cloud died down, revealing an army of skulled individuals, staring silently and blankly at the now-receding Garganta. All were identical, except for the one up front, who sported a bull-horned skull mask, presumably the leader. He remained remarkably still, dust sliding off the white armor and uniform he wore.
"How very disappointing," the leader said aloud, his voice empty of emotion. "We were unable to detain the intruders and traitors." His hand hilt of his blade, the only clear sign of his own frustration. "Lord Aizen will be displeased with our failure."
Turning to his men, the leader sighed. "I suppose we must follow our next task," he said. "To the throne room. We must ensure that Lord Aizen's fortress remains secure in his absence."
"Yes, Lord Rudbornn," came the unified reply of his subordinates.
A/N: So, I have a new chapter up earlier than I intended to, but hey! It's done! I hope you guys enjoyed it! I'll hopefully have another one up by Friday of next week, but we shall see. I'm trying to set the stage for the final showdown, so I hope you guys are as excited as I am. See you soon!
