If Kana was considered a savage before, training with Grimmjow daily would have brought her to a level one would consider a barbarian. Fighting for her life brought out an animalistic side of her she hadn't realized was so strong, that combined with practice in using Arashi in his blade form versus the whip broadened her abilities. She trained with Grimmjow on a daily basis, and after a few weeks of this Aizen seemed to decide she was 'advanced enough' to start training with himself instead.

What an experience that was. Towards the ends of her training with Grimmjow, she was been routinely defeating him with minimal damage to herself. If was incredible advancement considering what it had been like when she started, and every time she made a show of arrogance, cackling wildly and shocking Grimmjow's battered form as he growled and uttered death threats.

Training with Aizen, was a whole different manner. With Grimmjow it has been all brute force and a manner of life and death. Aizen, in comparison, was playing a mind game. He would never straight up tell her how to do anything, he would simply show a single demonstration and then sit there with a mocking smirk as he watched her. It was a thousand times as frustrating as being beaten by someone of such a low rank as Grimmjow was, but it also felt twice as rewarding when the day came that Aizen drew his blade against her.

'Pay attention.'

Arashi's voice rumbled in her head, and Kana brought herself to focus just in time to leap back from Harribel's blade as it sliced through the air where she had stood, the tip catching the fabric of her pant leg and tearing. Sharp teal eyes locked with greyish purple for a moment before, with a nod in unison, they sheathed their blades.

"Your training with Aizen-sama has paid off immensely. As you are currently, I'd say even I couldn't defeat you if you went full out." Harribel admitted softly. Kana's eyes widened, lips falling open briefly in surprise.

"I...Thank you. I'm not really sure if I could," She started, awkwardly shuffling in place and shifting her gaze away as she caught a strand of hair from her ponytail between her fingers. Harribel and Kana had taken to each other immensely throughout the time she had spent here, quickly being adopted into the tight-knit group of women. Harribel rose a thin eyebrow, shifting her weight to one leg as she placed her hands on her hips as the door to the far side slipped open. Both women turned slightly at the approach of Ulquiorra, exchanging a glance with each other. Kana hadn't spoken more than a dozen words with him, most of the time being curt greetings when he came to meet with Sosuke.

Which was another problem. Kana spent a lot of afternoons training with Aizen, followed by dinner together, a fantastic fuck and then the thing Kana had an issue with.

Cuddling.

She didn't remember when it started, she was just are that one night she found herself and Sosuke sinking into each other's embrace. Her fingers would often trail across his chest, his own stroking her hair or running lightly across her back. It was hard for her to tell what was worse, the comfort and natural feeling of being close like that, or the conversations that happened during it.

His past, her past, the Arrancar, Gin and Tosen, the Shinigami, Urahara, her powers, his abilities, what they wanted from the future. It was intense and she could feel herself growing more fond of him. It appeared as though he was in the same emotional situation she was, but he was fucking IMPOSSIBLE to read so she couldn't tell, and that was just as frustrating as what she realized her feelings were indicating. Most of her dreams consisted of laughing widely, feeling a surge of power unlike anything before as she watched Sosuke's eyes widen in fear, falling to his knees before her. Her nightmares consisted of sitting on the arm of a throne in the Royal Palace as Aizen had described it to her, her hand on his shoulder and his on her knee as they exchanged competitive, but fond glances.

"Aizen-sama's woman."

Harribel scoffed lightly as Kana whipped head around in rage, a jolt of purple lightning sparking forwards and cracking harshly against Ulquiorra's helm of bone. He just stared at her nonchalantly, angering her further until Harribel put a hand on her shoulder.

"Aizen-sama is awaiting the presence of both of you in the throne room."

Message delivered, the emo-wannabe fuck turned on his heel and left with an effortless burst of sonido.

"What a fuckin' dildo." Kana mumbled, shaking her head with a scowl as they left the training room at a more relaxed pace, though sonido/flash step likely wouldn't be considered 'relaxed' to most people.

"You call him that, yet I doubt he could get it up." Harribel muttered to her surprise. Kana was still cackling when they entered the throne room, Aizen raising an eyebrow at her in curiosity. She just flashed him a toothy grin and rocked on her heels as she came to a stop beside Harribel. Whatever smile she had dropped from her face as she realized Ulquiorra wasn't here, though his reiatsu signature was rapidly approaching, along with Orihime's. Harribel remained stoic as Aizen started to make his way down the stairs from his throne, looking every bit like the dramatic villain he, and about a thousand Shinigami, considered him to be. He and Kana moved in unison, his arm reaching out to wrap around her waist as she turned to face the door with him, leaning comfortably into his side. She could feel the warm hum of their reiatsu thrumming in contentment, and although she had long given up fighting the strange attraction she was still pissed off that the Pepto Bismal nightmare couldn't figure out why the source of power that was supposedly the very essence of their soul. Her cheeks flushed slightly as Sosuke's finger's trailed along the expose skin above her hip, as she realized how sappy things sounded in her mind. Like, holy fuck, she was basically comparing her attraction to the fairy tale idea of soulmates.

'How cute.'

'I will fucking end you, Arashi, I swear.'

His laughter just rumbled throughout her mind as she scowled to herself, the scowl strengthening as Ulquiorra entered with Orihime slightly behind him, the poor girl looking a bit haggard. Her hair was messier than usual, her eyes had dark circles underneath, and her hands were clutched in front of her as she slowly moved into the room, her eyes locking onto Kana with an almost pleading glance. Kana bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from just grabbing Orihime and making a run for it, instead making a show of rolling her eyes and swallowing at the harsh flinch from the auburn haired girl.

She hadn't seen Orihime since the day she first met Harribel and the girls, and she did not look like she was holding up well. Kana had shown her more than enough that she was sure Orihime was bitter and hateful towards her and her betrayal, though she was glad she had dealt with Orihime before the other's got here to rescue her. If Ichigo and the other's arrived, and beat down a few of Aizen's Espada, because let's be honest, Ichigo would probably win a few battles just through sheer willpower, then one hopeful gaze from Orihime and a 'Let's go home, Kana-chan!' would have caused her to snap and run.

She couldn't afford to do it. She wasn't ready yet. She still wasn't strong enough to beat Aizen. So until the day she could cause him to draw his final breath and curse the worlds he wanted to rule over, she couldn't leave and just...just enjoy life and her friends. Not that they considered her their friend anymore.

"Sosuke, ya asshole. I wanted to continue training. Why the fuck am I here?" Kana asked, her nails digging into his back through his clothing, sending a frustrated shockwave to show him how much she didn't want to be here right now. Orihime's sad puppy-dog eyes were going to drive her crazy with guilt. Aizen's smirk twitched slightly and his heavy gaze captured her own in a moment in amusement before he tilted his head slightly, his smirk softening every so slightly towards a smile. His eyes left her to fall on Orihime again, Kana following the sweeping movement of his eyes with a frown.

"Orihime? Would you like to tell the girls here what you told Ulquiorra?" Kana blinked, her brow furrowing in confusion and back straightening. Orihime seemed to fall into herself more at the combined weight of the stares of Aizen, Kana, Harribel, and Ulquiorra combined, but after a couple of beats mustered up the strength to take two tiny step forwards. Soft, dulled grey eyes slid over Ulquiorra's blank gaze, Kana's demanding stare, hovered briefly on Aizen's own mocking face and finally settled on Harribel, who rose a thin eyebrow in curiosity.

"I would like to go with Kana today to meet...Harribel's...fraccion..." Her voice was soft and ended at barely a whisper but it was heard by the small group none the less. Kana looked at Aizen again, scowling with a demanding look but he only smiled and gave the tiniest shrug of his shoulders. His eyes glimmered in amusement while Kana's own flared in frustration. Scoffing, the dark haired woman broke away from the arrogant dick and approached Orihime.

"Are ya sure, hime?" Was all she asked, though realistically she wanted to shake the girl by the shoulders and tell her to just sit quietly in her room...her prison cell until she could bring Aizen down. Orihime would never forgive her for everything she did, and everything she was likely going to do, but giving the girl back her freedom and sending her home would have to be good enough. All Orihime had to do until then is stay alive. Kana's angry look dropped when Orihime's eyes flew back to Kana, no longer dull and sad looking, but sharp and angry and hurt and confused.

"I know what I want." It was the firmest she had ever heard the soft hearted girl be, taking Kana by surprise.

"Very well. Follow me then, Orihime-san...Kana." Kana's hair fluttered around her as her head whipped to Harribel, ready to fight to not have to deal with what was likely to be a very very uncomfortable situation. But Harribel was already walking from the room at an easy pace, Orihime a few short steps behind her.

"Enjoy your time with your...friends."

"Fuck off, Aizen. Guess who's not getting laid tonight?"