Sorry this is a bit late. Hope y'all like it!
Chapter Eleven
Departure
Orihime woke up on the couch pulling the blanket closer around her. She must have fallen asleep after reading. Wait a minute. She didn't remember having a blanket. She sat up to see Ulquiorra sitting on the other end of the couch, eyes closed. Was he asleep?
She got up to put the blanket away in the bedroom. When she got back, she noticed Ulquiorra was twitching a bit. Was he having a nightmare? Should she wake him up? She knew waking up a soldier could be dangerous; he might attack her before he knew what was going on. She went around to approach him from behind, thinking that might give her more time to jump back if she startled him. He woke up before she reached.
"Wah! You scared me! I was going to wake you up, but you're awake, you surprised me. But I was relieved to know you could actually sleep, Ulquiorra-kun," she used the "-kun" suffix without thinking about it.
"It's Ulquiorra. Don't refer to me as you would a human. When you call me 'Ulquiorra' call me only that."
Orihime looked down, unsure how to respond to that. He called Aizen "sama" so he probably understood that leaving off an honorific usually meant an intimate relationship, but she knew that wasn't how he meant it. Still it felt strange. Before she could decide what else to say, the Arrancar server arrived with her breakfast. He paused in the doorway when he saw Ulquiorra was there already and Orihime blushed, realizing what it looked like.
"I need to speak with Aizen-sama," Ulquiorra announced and stepped out the door.
Orihime tried to eat despite the lead ball in her stomach as she wondered what Aizen would do about the previous night's events. As slow as she ate it still seemed like a long wait before Ulquiorra returned. She stood, ready to go to her usual training, hoping he wouldn't take her to Aizen instead.
"We're not training today." That lead weight in her stomach dropped. "You are coming with me on a mission."
"A mission?" was Aizen going to force her to watch her friends be attacked?
"I'm being sent to deal with a Shinigami expedition unit."
"And Aizen wants me to go with you?"
"He told me I could bring whoever I choose."
"Should I bring anything?"
"The Shun Shun Rikka should be enough. We Shouldn't delay."
"Okay," she followed him out of the room. As they trudged out of Las Noches, she noticed some of the other Arrancars they passed either staring at or looking way from them. Hallibel was the only one who openly acknowledged them and even that was just a nod.
Once they were out Orihime looked up for her first sight of Hueco Mundo's sky unobstructed by bars.
"You can look later; we need to keep moving." Orihime sighed and picked up her pace.
She wasn't sure how long they kept going without Las Noches seeming to grow any smaller behind them. She started counting to higher and higher numbers between glances back, hoping that the longer she waited the more difference she would see, but it didn't seem to be helping.
Suddenly Ulquiorra stopped, "We are being followed." When they turned around Lilynette jumped out from behind a boulder. "It's me!" she announced unabashedly.
"What are you doing here?"
"Like you said, I'm following you."
"Children do not belong on missions. Return to Las Noches at once."
Lilynette crossed her arms. "You'll have to drag me back yourself. And then you'll have to explain to Aizen-sama why you brought her along," she pointed her chin at Orihime.
There was silence for a moment before Ulquiorra grumbled, "Fine," and turned to continue the march away from Las Noches.
Having Lilynette along made the trip livelier as she chattered incessantly, explaining that the trees were really made of crystal and pointing out tiny animals with Hollow masks. Orihime was surprised when she finally looked back and could no longer see Las Noches. Even Ulquiorra seemed more relaxed with the city out of sight.
Eventually a giant tree came into view ahead of them it reminded Orihime of pictures she had seen of the giant Baobab trees, but with bare, white branches. "Wow! It's huge!"
Lilynette nodded, "I've been all over Hueco Mundo and this is still the biggest one I've ever seen." She ran ahead.
"That's where we'll stay," Ulquiorra informed Orihime.
"How did you find it?" she asked.
"I simply happened across it. This is where I became an Arrancar.
"I though Aizen used the HÅgyoku to make the Arrancars."
"Not all of us." He didn't elaborate and she didn't ask.
Short chapter, but the next one's longer.
Thanks, and prayers,
RAHbooks
