Here's the next chapter. We're in the last third now.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Chapter Eleven

Power

Desert, Hueco Mundo

Holly was getting nervous. They hadn't been attacked by Hollows since arriving on the surface. She found it hard to believe they were just lucky. "Where are all the Hollows?" she finally asked Ishida.

"I don't think many that are not Arrancars come near Las Noches. Some Arrancars are so powerful that just being exposed to their reiatsu can kill a lesser Hollow," Ishida explained.

"Why doesn't that make me feel better?" Holly muttered.

"Don't worry, I've fought Arrancars before. If it comes to that let me handle them and just focus on getting Inoue and Fowl out," Ishida spoke with the same confidence Artemis did when he was sure a plan would work.

"You don't know Koboi. She's crazy, but she's a genius. She knows I'm coming for Artemis, she'll have a plan ready. We've beaten her before, but not like this; we were working together, and we nearly lost Artemis last time."

"She sounds a lot like Aizen. I know she's dangerous or she couldn't have become an Arrancar in just a year, but does she know anything about Quincy?"

"I don't know. I wouldn't be surprised if she did. She probably found out everything she could about who would come after your friend before she took her. If there are still records in there from when Aizen ran the place she would have read them."

Ishida nodded, "I see what you mean. We'll have to assume she knows."

"So what's the plan once we get in? Just wander around until we find them and hope we don't get caught?"

"Unless you can think of something better," the Quincy sounded as superior as Artemis with less reason. The former criminal mastermind would never charge in without information he could craft a plot out of.

Finally they came to Las Noches. The blank, white wall stretched for miles in either direction. "How do we get in, exactly?" Holly asked.

Ishida looked up, "How likely is it that Koboi would have repaired all the damage from the battle?"

"She wouldn't have done it herself, but if she could get someone else to she would have."

"There were at least two holes blown in the roof during one of the last battles. If we can get in through one of them it might attract less attention." Maybe he wasn't as stupid as she had thought.

"Same as we got up here then?"

Ishida nodded, "That would be best. In case we do attract attention."

Holly found controlling the reiatsu platform easier this time, and they made it to the top of the dome without incident. The landing wasn't so smooth. The reiatsu up there hit Holly hard, causing her to lose her concentration. The platform disappeared and they fell the last few feet to the roof.

"What in Frond's name happened here?" Holly gasped. All the reiatsu in Hueco Mundo had a dark feel to it, but this went beyond that. Something truly evil had tainted the reiatsu up here.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize it would still be this bad!" Ishida exclaimed, rising to his feet and offering her a hand to help her up.

"Never mind, let's just find one of those holes and get away from here," she took his hand and stood, not sure she even wanted to hear the answer to her question.

They didn't have to look long before they found a large hole about where the reiatsu was at its worst. Holly took a deep breath to steady herself and made a platform she and Ishida could ride down on.

"So who's Frond? Ishida asked as they began their descent.

"The first Elf king. We use his name like that a lot." They were silent the rest of the way and this landing was much better. Or so they thought, until they saw that Koboi was waiting for them.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Abandoned Caves, Hueco Mundo

Orihime's eyes flew open. It seemed the nightmares wouldn't stop even when she was living one. She sat up and looked around the cave. Artemis was a few feet from her. He seemed to be dreaming, but at least he was asleep. Two of the Visoreds sat at opposite ends of the cave's entrance, on watch. Kasai and the other Visored were asleep just a few feet away from them. Unable to get back to sleep Orihime took the time to redo her hair. It wasn't as good as it would have been if she had the use of a comb and a mirror, but it was better than the tangled mess it had become over the last few days, if a place with no sun could have days.

She huddled against the cave wall, staring at the entrance. She didn't like being stuck in here with them guarding. It was too much like being a prisoner. Would they stop her if she tried to walk out? She remembered how someone had passed her and Artemis without seeing them when they escaped. Could she slip past these two just as easily?

She closed her eyes to concentrate. Don't see me, she thought repeatedly. Opening her eyes she stood and quietly walked towards the entrance, continuing the chant in her mind. The Visoreds didn't look up. She paused between them, waved a hand in front of each of their faces. They didn't react. She stepped out of the cave and, without meaning to, started running.

Had she really just done that? Could she keep people from seeing her just by not wanting them to? Surely if they had seen her they would have at least asked what she was doing. If she could do that could she do other things? Could this be a clue to her past?

She stopped outside the valley at a point where she could see most of it. Her mind was racing too much to enjoy the view and she didn't bother wondering why she had come here. Maybe she didn't need to be so worried after all. If Kasai and the Visoreds turned out to be the tricksters she feared she would be able to get herself and Artemis away from them easily.

She started walking around the edge of the valley, too excited to stay still. The discovery didn't really give her any answers except perhaps a hint of why someone would want to take her memories. Whatever it was she could do must have made her some enemies, but of who? Would the Arrancars or Shinigami have the ability to mind wipe her? Had she been mixed up with Artemis' Fairies somehow? If it had really been an accident why hadn't anyone come looking for her? Even if she had no family left, surely she had had friends. If not why would she have nightmares about being so desperate to save someone? Who was she so worried about anyway? She still had so many questions, but maybe she was just a little closer to finding answers.

She stopped walking, seeing something moving towards her. It only took her a few seconds to realize a Hollow was charging her. She knew she should be afraid, but she wasn't. She stood her ground as it drew closer, feeling energy build inside her that she knew was no adrenaline rush. The Hollow reared as it came closer, then pulled up short within arm's reach. It studied her in confusion for a few moments before slowly lowering its head exposing its mask to her. Without knowing how she knew what to do Orihime reached out and laid a hand on its mask. It didn't move until she removed her hand, then it turned and ran away. Before she could process the fact that she had just sent a Hollow running she heard a monotone voice behind her.

"Well done, Onna."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Society of the Evening Star Base

Granz finished injecting his serum into the last test subject. "You'll stay here for observation. I'll let you know when you can leave," he instructed. The human nodded, rubbing his arm where the needle had pierced his skin.

Granz left without another word and started to head to his quarters. He enjoyed his experiments, but it was so annoying to have to wear a gigai while performing these tests. He could have let someone else give the injections as he supervised, but he preferred to do it himself. He peeled out of the gigai as soon as the door to his room closed behind him, leaving it on the floor like dirty laundry.

"Ah, now that's better," he sighed, running his fingers through his hair. He didn't even have a chance to sit down before there was a demanding knock on his door.

Aggravated he opened the door and looked down to see Rowan Long wearing the most smug smile he had ever seen. "What do you want?" he snapped. "You know you don't get to use it until I have that girl."

"Oh, you'll have her soon enough," the elf replied, his smile not wavering.

"Tell me when she gets here," Granz said and started to close the door.

"This is about your first test subject."

"What about it?"

"He's dead."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Ok, so the idea with Orihime being, well I guess I have call it invisible, is that the bracelet that supposedly hid her before she was taken to Hueco Mundo before was a "magic feather". Aizen figured she'd be able to do something like that, but didn't want her to know so that's what he came up with so she could leave the evidence he needed her to without getting caught. Telling her the Arrancars could see her when she used it would have been a way to keep her from escaping since she wouldn't think she could hide from them. All of which I pretty much came up with just because I thought it would be fun if she could still do that. Anyway, let me know what you thought of the chapter.

Thanks and prayer,

RAHbooks.