The Gillians stayed back, stalking the shadows beyond the strange stone columns of the Forest of Menos, like some sort of towering ghosts, skimming the floor in a swaying and restless dance, just at the edge of Rangiku's vision.
They seemed to recognize Gin. They had drawn back immediately and left a wide circle clear around the two shinigami, silently watching, looming, threatening but never daring to attack. Rangiku could feel their hunger but also their fear as they drew back with every step Gin took forward. They had learned to allow Aizen's men to pass unharassed.
It was frightening, even seeing they were safe didn't help. The place was eerie, millenia of anger and sadness and so many dark emotions had soaked into every molecule of this world. All the human pain that had created the hollows that haunted Hueco Mundo had left a shadow over the world, and Rangiku could feel the hunger of the hollows as they struggled to fill the holes left by their lost hearts like it was a physical thing.
Gin's smile and cheerful voice as he reminisced about previous visits to the Forest was the very strangest part of the walk. "--Tosen must have knocked out a dozen Gillians, and they all started tumbling over, just like dominoes--"
His grin grew even larger when he glanced at her. He sounded perfectly happy and comfortable, like he didn't have a care in the world, but he had an iron grip on her hand. She couldn't remember him holding onto her that tightly in years and years. The whole thing was reminding her of the rare times they'd found themselves walking past groups of rough-looking men in the worst parts of the Rukon. He'd always seemed very happy to her then; it had taken her quite a while to realize how often his smile was fake. Now she wondered how much danger they'd been in back then and how much they were in now.
Then she could feel more and stronger reiatsu, multiple hollows moving through the Forest of Menos toward them, quickly weaving through the Gillians. They were coming to meet them.
Gin stopped and his silver hand rested on Shinso's hilt, but he continued to smile.
Seven Adjuchas appeared before them. Much smaller than the Gillians, only a couple were even taller than Gin. They had the forms of animals turned humanoid, a beetle, a snake, something that might have been an anteater, and others that were less clear. Their reiatsu was much higher than the surrounding Gillians but still nothing like the Arrancar Rangiku had fought in the past.
Gin's hand left Shinso and he smiled pleasantly. "Hello."
A collective shiver seemed to run through them. A couple tried to smile and one even waved back, but most were wary.
The one closer than the others, bigger and bulkier and even more human looking than the others, seemed to be the leader, and he spoke. "Ichimaru? We heard you were dead."
"Oh, no, not me," Gin said. "Tosen is, but he never was much fun anyway. Aizen's locked up which is too bad. The shinigami've got a prison even he won't be breaking out of anytime soon, so it's just me. I've come back, and I thought I might try my hand at running things."
"Arabelleria-sama's running things now," the hollow answered, looking uncomfortable.
"What's this female?" The snake asked, stretching its neck out until its face was only inches from Rangiku's.
It's tongue flicked out--and its head fell to the floor before it burst into a million flickering lights that quickly faded into nothing.
"She's mine. No touching," Gin said, still smiling as he sheathed Shinso. "Now, I suppose the rest of you would be kind enough to take us to Bella?"
"Yes, sir."
"Right away, sir."
"Just follow us, sir."
They led the way nervously, glancing back every few seconds, and it was obvious the snake wasn't the only one who wondered about Rangiku. She didn't like it. She especially didn't like the way Gin had jumped in to protect her. She could take care of herself. He was the one who had nearly died, who until two days ago had needed help just to walk down a hall. He had to be careful. They didn't know how hard he could push himself. He couldn't risk these hollows seeing him show any sign of weakness. It was only their fear of him that would keep him alive.
And they couldn't think she was too important to him. It could make her a liability. He'd already nearly died once trying to protect her. She would have to make it clear he didn't need to and wasn't going to protect her. She would have to convince them she was just as dangerous as he was. It was the only way to keep him safe.
The presence of reiatsu continued to grow. It felt like walking into Seireitei when the divisions were gathered, only hollows did nothing to suppress their reiatsu. She couldn't smile like Gin could, but she worked hard to keep her expression neutral. It was hard not to flinch, knowing they were walking into a death trap, and all that would keep them alive was Gin's ability to bluff. At least he was good at it.
The crowds of Gillians ended, and she could finally see the beings she had felt. In a wide chamber beneath the ground were hundreds and hundreds of Arrancar. They must be the Otros Gin had talked about. She could feel their individual reiatsu was weaker than her own, but together--she wondered how quickly they could get the Gotei here.
"Hello," Gin called out again. And he waved and called out greetings to individuals as they crossed through the crowd along an empty path. He called to them by name and had various inane pleasantries for them. He was doing a very impressive job exuding absolute confidence and indifference the strength or position of anyone around him--pretty much exactly like he had in Soul Society. He'd always been more than capable of being exceedingly polite to everyone, even captains, while making it clear he didn't give a shit about them beyond their ability to amuse him.
It hadn't had the best affect there, but here, she could see fear spreading through the gathered hoard, it was perfect.
They finally came to the wall that marked the edge of the Forest of Menos. There was a platform of stone and beyond it a wide cave leading somewhere Rangiku couldn't begin to guess. On the platform stood a dark-haired woman in white with a round hole in the center of her chest. She was a fraccion, possibly equal in power to the ones Rangiku had fought before, and surrounding her were a dozen more, mostly women, all much stronger than the Otros that spread out across the Forest floor.
"Hello, Bella, long time no see."
The woman's eyes widened only slightly at Gin's words. Then she said, "Kill him!"
Rangiku jerked her hand free of Gin's and drew Haineko as the fracciones flew at them.
"Haineko--