Sorry it took me longer than planned to get this chapter posted. I'd actually finished writing chapter 12 last week, when I discovered that somehow it had failed so save and that I'd lost the whole thing. Sill, I'm well ahead in terms of story progress, and this is intended to be a much longer story than anything I've written prior to this. I'm glad that you guys seem to be enjoying the story so far, and I look forward to hearing what you think of it.
In response to your reviews, I'd like to say thanks to Ulquihime7980, and to the person who posted simply under the name "Guest". Briefly, to clarify, Nemu didn't so much rebel against Mayuri- she's no where near that point yet- but she'd lost faith in him, and had no reason to resent his death after everything he'd said and done to her, especially right at the end. Also, thanks to JoltCola and TheReallyBadWriter (love the name), and to Raechyl. I like Stark and Lilinette both a lot, and it's fun writing their characters- since they're the yin and yang to each other.
TO FORGE A
BETTER TOMORROW
Chapter III:
"Damage Control"
Hanataro had just finished healing Soifon's injured arm and leg, giving her a small smile as he went to check on some of the other injured. The slender female captain was at a loss, part of her having trouble accepting that the young officer before her- scouring the cots full of injured and diligently treating their wounds while running a field hospital- could have ever been the Fourth's timid 7th Seat Officer.
Maybe it was the strain finally effecting her, or some side effect of the healing kido that he's performed on her, but she couldn't help but smile at his new-found confidence. Still, that left her to consider the other irregularity among them- a certain Ggio Vega. The Arrancar had had her dead-to-rights, and given her injured state in that moment it wouldn't have been impossible to kill her... Yet he'd chosen to help her. Again, she was confident that he wasn't harboring any deeper motives in doing so- mainly because he didn't strike her as clever enough.
Soifon's revery was interrupted by the sudden arrival of a half-dozen individuals, all of varying strength and styles. Her eyes widened at the sight of the tall, well-endowed female Espada, the larger of her three follower held under one arm and lesser two under the other. Even more shocking was that she was accompanied by Captain Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Matsumoto of the Eleventh Division.
Hitsugaya stepped forward. "Who's in charge here," the young Captain began. "I'd like to speak with the Officer in charge of this treatment center."
"Captain Hitsugaya," Hanataro began. "I am, sir." He continued. "More than half of the Fourth's Seated Officers were among the casualties." The young Officer explained, anticipating what the Captain's next question would be. "By direct order of Captain Unohana, I have assumed the duties of the 3rd Seat and the management of this center." He finished, wiping his hands with a wash cloth.
"I see..." Hitsugaya replied after a moment. "We located and rescued Tia Halibell's injured Fraccions." He explained, gesturing over his shoulder to the female Espada and her followers. "We brought the three of them here to have their injuries treated- please consider them no different from our injured."
"Of course, sir." Hanataro replied. "The 4th Division does not discriminate when it comes to fulfilling our duties to treat the injured." He explained with a note of pride as he spoke. "I'll see to them personally... Though, before you leave, Captain, is there anything you can tell me?" The youth asked. "I've been busy, and with communications down, I don't know what's going on outside of the camp... Can you tell me anything?"
"Not much, I'm afraid." The white-haired Captain admitted. "After that explosion, we haven't been able to detect Aizen..." He paused. "Even using the Hell's Butterflies, communication between divisions is proving extremely difficult." Hitsugaya continued. "However, it seems the Primera Espada has issued orders to the Arrancar to stand down." He explained. "I'm attempting to spread similar instruction to our people- as of now, enforcing the ceasefire and re-establishing communications are our priority."
The young Captain continued. "As a medical facility, the ongoing safety of this place and the medical technicians is crucial." Hitsugaya remarked. "Normally, I would provide a detachment to ensure the safety of the camp... However, given our current predicament, I have no way of communicating with either my Division or any of the others. I-"
"I will remain," Halibell spoke up, her even tone drawing everyone's attention. "As the Tercera Espada, I will remain to ensure the safety of the wounded and the medical personnel." The bronzed, blond Arrancar declared coolly, her hands resting on the black sash around her hips. "Is this acceptable, Captain?"
Hitsugaya was silent for a moment, before exchanging a quick glance with Matsumoto, then turned back to the towering figure of the Espada. "Then, on behalf of the Gotei 13, I accept your offer." He then turned to Hantaro. "Officer Yamada, is this arrangement acceptable to you?"
The 3rd Seat Officer nodded. "Of course," he replied with a smile. "Thank you, Halibell-sama, I would be honored." He finished, addressing the Espada.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Orihime looked at the Cuatro Espada. The pale-skinned Arrancar had an almost unreadable look on his face, his jet black hair fluttering slightly in the breeze. The damage to his uniform left his distinctive Hollow Hole visible, along with the frayed collar and coattails. He looked so calm, his hands tucked into the pockets of his hakama, green eyes looking off into the distance...
Orihime looked up, the door to her cell opening, as Ulquiorra and the servitor Arrancar who always brought her meals entered. The lesser Arrancar quickly placed her food on the small diner table and then left the room, leaving the two of them alone. Ulquiorra watched intently, the silent understanding between them of what would happen if she refused to eat.
It wasn't until she sat down to eat that she noticed a small cup and kettle, in addition to her own, set down on the table. Orihime watched as Ulquiorra wordlessly took the seat across from her and poured himself a cup of tea. As if anticipating her question, he spoke up. "It has come to my attention that certain needs of yours have not been met." He explained. "Humans are social creatures, and will deteriorate if left alone..." He paused, taking a sip of tea.
"As such," Ulquiorra continued calmly. "I have cleared my schedule so that I will be able to keep you company during your meals." This revelation was enough to earn a small, surprised smile from the young woman seated across from him. "I cannot converse with you as another human would..." He paused briefly, setting the tea cup down. "But, you may speak freely, and I will listen."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Lilinette glared at the lesser Arrancar before her. "Oi, listen up you lot," the small female half of the Primera Espada began. "Aizen's out of the picture... So Stark sent me and Nanao-san here to spread the word to both sides that the war is over." She frowned when the Arrancar grumbled in reaction to her blunt declaration. "All of you, SHUT UP!" She yelled.
"You want to know the real reason that we're out here?" Lilinette asked. "Well, I'll tell you- it's to make sure that the thickos on both sides don't get any funny ideas and try anything." She explained haughtily, her arms crossed in a display of confidence as she glared at them with her visible eye. "Like I said, Aizen's dead, and as I see it, that leaves me an' Stark as the Strongest!"
Nanao cleared her throat. "Lilinette-san is correct," She began, turning to face the motley gathering of Shinigami before her. "That is to say, that the war is over- and so to is the fighting." The Lieutenant coolly elaborated, adjusting her glasses. "I wouldn't want to have to report to your captains that any of you endangered Soul Society by indulging your petty vendettas, now would I?"
"You heard the lady," Lilinette chimed in. "Right now, you guys can do the smart thing and take my word for it..." The small female paused. "Or, you can do it the hard way, and wait for Stark to come after you guys and beat it into your thick skulls!"
"I understand your apprehension, and even your anger." The Lieutenant offered, her tone softening slightly as she went on. "Now, we've all lost friends and loved ones in this despicable war, but so too have the Arrancar." She continued, her tone calm and steady. "The man who led them- the man you know as Sosuke Aizen- didn't simply betray us, he used the Arrancar as disposable fodder to ware us down and pave the way for his own personal ambitions..."
"I think far too many people have died- Shinigami and Arrancar." Nanao paused, removing her glasses and rubbing the bridge of her nose, before looking back to the Shinigami standing before her, only now minus the the wire-frame spectacles. "As it is, no one's coming out of this without scars, and as much as we might be hurting right now... we have to let go, so we can find the time to heal and move forward in a positive way- our absent friends don't need to be avenged, they should remembered."
Lilinette watched the taller woman as she donned her glasses. "Well, after that, it wouldn't do if I didn't put in a final word of my own- I am the mouthpiece of the Primera after all." The little female remarked with a confident smile. "Now, Stark won't likely say this- probably because he won't be able to stay awake long enough to- but I can." She began. "I am Lilinette Gingerback, and I've chosen not to fight... Because I'm more than just a mindless monster. I decide what I am- because I have free will, we all do- and I believe that the Arrancar are stronger than the sum of what makes us!"
She took a deep breath and exhaled. "So, how was I, Nanao-san?" Lilinette asked her discreetly.
Nanao smiled warmly. "You did great, Lily-san." This made the Arrancar blush, unaccustomed to being addressed in such a cute and feminine manner.
"A ceasefire, you say?" A voice asked in an even tone.
Everyone turned to watch as Byakuya appeared, Renji at his side.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
"Tell me more about the labs in the 12th Division bunkers?" Szayel asked Nemu, as the dark-haired Lieutenant led them across the devastated landscape.
She nodded. "As the Scientific Research and Development Division, both Captain Kurotsuchi- as well Urahara-san before him- commissioned the construction of significant underground facilities, beneath the barracks of the 12th Division." Nemu explained. "In the event that the central power-grid were to ever go offline, the sub-levels will draw power from a special back-up generator."
"Do you know if any of the other Divisions have one of these back-ups?" Rukia asked.
"Yes," she replied. "In a crisis, the Fourth doubles as a hospital, so a back-up power-source would ensure the continued functioning of the critical equipment." She paused. "Beyond that, the Second and Sixth Divisions may have their own generators or independent power sources- as both Lieutenant Omaeda and Captain Kuchiki are quite wealthy." She reasoned.
Orihime was riding on Ulquiorra's back (a la piggyback) to conserve her energy. She blushed, thinking how this was the compromise they'd come to when she was too embarrassed to agree to him carting her around in his arm like a princess! As the redhead glanced to her friend, she couldn't help but catch the brief blush that graced her cheeks at the mention of her brother.
"Tell me something," Chad began. "It there a proper medical facility down there?"
Nemu nodded calmly. "Yes, it should prove little trouble to analyze the substance that was injected into the Quincy and create an anti-toxin for it." She explained. "Though, knowing Mayuri, it's just as likely that the Captain created a counter-agent along with it."
Rukia silently noted the change in her tone as she spoke, as well as the fact that she'd dropped any sense of reverence when she spoke of her late captain. She wondered what had happened to so turn her against the man she'd once all but worshiped, not to mention what had lead her to become so enamored with the Espada in whom they were now keeping company.
"It'll also give us a chance to treat that arm of yours," Szayel remarked, looking over his shoulder to give her- what he likely assumed was- a reassuring smile. "After all, can't do to let you keep going around your with abilities halved." The pink-haired Arrancar reasoned.
They made their way through the darkened mess that was the 12th Division Barracks, until Nemu located a panel on the ground and lifted it up to reveal a key-coder. She quickly entered in a long stream of numbers, then a "hiss" came as a large trap door opened.
Everyone quickly made their way down, into the darkened corridor below, only to wince and shield their eyes when a beam of light him them all.
"Lieutenant...?" Akon asked, lowering the high-powered flashlight in his hand.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Near the Medical Center...
"Let me get this strait," Kenpachi began. "After this big explosion up in the sky, the survivors are calling for a ceasefire, and the Fourth set up this field hospital as a no-combat zone?"
"You got it, Ken-chan!" Yachiru exclaimed, perched on the large man's shoulder. "Pachinko and Hair are already there..." The pink-haired girl explained. "There's a bunch a Arrancar there too, including this tall 'Spada lady with a funny-lookin' sword and a really big chest!" The girl explained to him, holding out her hands to emphasize the last bit of information.
"Hahaha! Well, at least I know that some my top officers survived this mess." The towering swordsman remarked with a wild smile. "Better see how things are going... I need to get patched up, plus, I can't let those two use this whole situation as an excuse to slack off."
When Kenpachi arrived, Halibell instantly zeroed in on him. The Third's eyes narrowed as she watched him enter the camp- the man stunk of blood and radiated violence. She passingly recalled the equally brutal nature of the Fifth, only to detect a faint hint of his reiatsu- coming from the dried blood crusted on the battered blade of the long sword the man carried with him.
After conversing with the two shorter men, he seemed to notice her. If necessary, she was prepared to fight this brute to keep him away from her Fraccions (hell, she'd intervene for Ggio- she wasn't about to begrudge him simply his loyalty to her dead rival). It has been her experience that any male with strength enough to dominate others would not hesitate to use it. And females were particularly vulnerable to being exploited by a powerful (and usually cruel) male, hence why she'd extended her protection to her three companions centuries ago- the males of Huecco Mundo were not to be trusted!
Halibell briefly flared her reiatsu as a silent warning to the man- a gesture she felt made clear that she would not tolerate any violence- but he only seemed to laugh in response, before going about his business with his subordinates in the camp.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
"Captain Kurotsuchi is dead," Nemu explained in a matter-of-fact tone. "For now, I will serve as the acting Captain of this Division." She finished.
The dour-looking man initially appeared unsure as as to how to respond, perhaps taken aback by her new-found sense of authority. "Y-yes, of course Lieutenant Kurotsuchi." He eventually acquiesced, before gesturing them to follow him down the hallway.
"With the main communication grid down, we've been trying to contact the other divisions through the local lines," Akon explained, bringing them to a large room. "However, we haven't had much luck, all we've gotten is dead-air on the others ends."
"Tell me," Szayel began. "Is there any form of portable person-to-person communication systems here, something that could be used on the field?" He asked, stepping forward.
"Y-yes," Akon replied. "We have basic two-way radios, er 'walky-talkies' I believe they're also called." He explained to the Octavio Espada. "We do have more sophisticated equipment- the G3s can be used without the downed com towers, but we'd need to set up wide-band transmitter-receivers." The Third went on. "Each T-R Unit could then communicate with other T-Rs, as well as any functioning LAN systems throughout the grounds, such as ours."
"Yes, that's ideal," Szayel began. "And as we set more up, each T-R Unit can then bounce transmissions between the others, something akin to an 'Ethernet'." He reasoned. "Is there any way you could bring up some kind of overhead map of the grounds on the main monitor?"
"Yes, we used areal drones to carry out topographical surveys, and the collected data was then used to create a visual representation of Soul and the surrounding area." Nemu replied calmly as she moved to a nearby computer. The large monitor at the head of the room flickered to life and the image of a map filled the screen- showing what the (former) layout of Soul Society.
"Good..." Szayel remarked with a smile. "Continued broadcasting from this location, the Lieutenant and myself will go scout the area for key places to set up the transmitters."
Nemu turned to Akon. "Some of our guests are injured," she began. "I would like them taken to the medical wing for treatment." The Lieutenant instructed before leaving.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Once again, Byakuya Kuchiki found himself listening quietly as one of his fellow officers explained the state of affairs to him. He kept silent, any sense of relief he felt at the news of a ceasefire remained internalized as he calmly listened to the others.
"Kuchiki-sama," Nanao began, giving a polite bow. "This young lady is Lilinette Gingerback, she is one of the elite ten Espada." She explained, gesturing to the smiling girl.
"An Espada, you say?" He repeated. "Could I trouble you to know your rank?"
Lilinette's smile broadened. "Me an' Stark are the Primera- the first, and the strongest!" She boasted proudly, holding up a single finger for emphasis.
Byakuya ran a hand through his luxurious dark mane. "I killed the Seventh- Zomari Leroux- and Rukia killed the Ninth..." He recounted coolly. "Captain Zaraki killed the Fifth- Nnoitra Gilga- and a group of us brought down that lumbering oaf- Yammy Largo- the big stupid one, who's rank and power-level changed mid-way through the battle." The Kuchika Heir added.
"According to Inoue-san, the Fifth mortally wounded the Sixth Espada prior to his battle with Zaraki, but we have no way of confirming if he died." Byakuya continued. "As for the others, I can confirm that the Fourth and Eighth- Ulquiorra Schiffer and Szayal Grantz are indeed alive."
"Me and Stark, along with Halibell and Barragon, accompanied Aizen and the two Shinigami for his big attack on the heart of your HQ." Lilinette explained to the Captain. "He saved the four of us specially for that, since the four of us were his three strongest Espada."
Byakuya almost called her out on the mathematics of how four people could be three, but remained silent as she continued. "At first, it looked like we were going to win. I mean, Aizen just kept getting stronger and stronger, and we had strength on our side." She paused. "At least, that's what we thought, but then the fighting just kept dragging on... And then, Tousen and poor Wonderweiss died, and that crazy old bastard Barragon ended up getting killed by his own damn power!"
"So, Kaname Tousen is also dead..." Byakuya mused. "And what of the others, what of the other Captains, and what of Aizen and his other followers?"
"Aizen got tired of us, he declared in front of all of us that the Arrancar were a failure..." Lilinette answered him bleakly. "He stabbed Halibell and left her to die... That's when Stark and me lost interest in fighting the two Captains- the guy with the funny hat and 'Sickly'." She explained. "It stopped being fun then, people were dying for no reason and Aizen and that old Commander were causing all kinds of crazy shit to happen with their spiritual pressure!" She finished, crossing her arms dejectedly.
"Captain Kyoraku and Ukitake are being treated for injuries..." Nanao revealed. "Stark's with them, he sent me out with Lilinette so I wouldn't have to see how badly injured Shunsui-san had gotten when he protected me from that big explosion."
"The Supreme Commander, what happened to him?" Renji asked.
Nanao fidgeted, hesitating for a moment. "We... Well we haven't seen or felt any trace of him since that explosion in the sky happened."
Byakuya became silent for a moment. "We need to start gathering the remaining Captains and their Lieutenants, and the ranking Arrancar as well..." He remarked calmly. "There are of lot things that we will need to discuss... Hopefully, the Central Chamber isn't too damaged."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Orihime was tending to Rukia's arm. "Soten Kisshun!" She exclaimed, engulfing the smaller woman's left arm in the glow of her power. Soon, the petite Soul Reaper's arm was as good as new and she quickly slipped her robes back over the left half of her upper body.
Taking care of Ishida was a bit more involved. Since they didn't know what was actually wrong with him or the nature of the chemical that he'd been injected with, the minions of the 12th had actually had to take blood samples and isolate the invasive chemical in his body. The technician recognized it and explained that it would simply work its way through him and he'd eventually awaken.
With that, Szayel and Nemu retrieved a suitcase-like object and what looked like some kind of folded areal mounted on a collapsed tripod. The two then departed from the bunker...
Rukia shook her head, letting out a sigh. "Nemu... That girl, seriously, she's way too comfortable around him for my comfort." She lamented.
"You think he's planning something?" Chad asked idly.
"No, not really." Rukia replied, shaking her head. "But I still don't trust him... I mean, he was working for Aizen only a few hours ago and now we're expected to trust him based on one person's word?"
Chad exhaled. "That... sounds a bit like something I heard earlier today..."
Rukia blushed, the irony of her statement dawning on her.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Division 12's underground facility was finally contacted by Szayel, the pink-haired Arrancar explaining that they'd located Stark, Shunsui, Ukitake, and Unohana. They'd relocated the injured Shunsui to the field hospital, where they'd set up the transmitter that was now allowing them to communicate.
The Espada had gone on to say that Shunsui, while stabilized, was still badly injured and would likely endure a lengthy recovery period. He then revealed that he'd informed Unohana of Orihime's unique powers, and that the Captain had personally requested the assistance of her powers of Negation to undo the damage to the other captain's body. Despite some initial reluctance on Ulquiorra's part, Orihime insisted on going to help- and that he should accompany her.
Akon readily agreed to remain behind and monitor communications, while Rukia went with them, leaving Chad to keep an eye on Ishida until he was up and about. Nell, for her part, insisted on going with them to find out what had happened to others- she was especially worried about Ichigo, and wanted to find out what had happened to him...
Ulquiorra appeared in the flash of a Sonido, emerging with a blushing Orihime nestled in his arms and stepped down, returning the redhead to her feat. At the same time, Rukia arrived, Nell under her arm, alongside them in the flash of a Shunpo. She set the tiny Arrancar down and followed Orihime.
Ulquiorra kept his distance, while Unohana and Ukitake remained close by as the young woman cast her powers on the prone figure of the Captain Szayel had mentioned. The Cautro exchanged a glance with the Primera, before the tall man appeared to simply sit down and fall asleep. He observed that Halibell was also present, along with her three Fraccions.
He also observed, with some degree of surprise, that one of the Fraccions of the late Second Espada was present- Ggio Vega, if he recalled. He smirked inwardly at how the smallish Arrancar hovered around the equally small Captain. The cat-like Arrancar was far too simple to hide his motives, and his body language betrayed his intentions- though Ulquiorra wondered if the ex-Fraccion realized that the woman he was eying was considerably stronger than him...
But then, some males enjoyed the thrill of a challenging courtship. After all, winning the favor of a female strong enough to kill them was a feat in and of itself. And while he may have found her looks and strength appealing, Ggio was at least smart enough to know his own instincts, to recognize the value in ensuring a strong bloodline for his cubs.
But then, that was purely supposition on his part...
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Orihime silently focused herself on healing the captain. She'd used her powers multiple times now in a short period, and she was feeling the cumulative strain as she worked. She guessed that this would be the last time she could muster the strength for a full Soten Kisshun before needing to spend the next few days resting, recovering from all the exertion.
She gasped slightly when she felt a pair of hand on her shoulders. She instantly recognized the familiar presence behind her- gently supporting her- as Ulquiorra. As usual, the Arrancar didn't seem to care that his actions might draw the attention of those around them, only that he was doing something to put her at ease as she worked on healing the injured man before her. Orihime smiled in silent thanks for the simple gesture, glad for the company as she carried out her task.
She was certain that she'd been in Las Noches for over a month now. Throughout it all, Ulquiorra had been her constant companion. The fact that he was keeping her sane (well, as sane as a person could hope to be in this sort of situation) was both frightening and comforting to her.
In her relatively short time there, Orihime realized that Ulquiorra was different from the other Arrancar that populated this place. She didn't like the way some of them looked at her- the intent of the males she could guess (horrible as it might be), but the intentions of the females really scared her. And eventually, her fears bore fruit when the Arrancar sisters- Loly and Menoly- had viciously attacked and beaten her, seemingly for no other reason than to just amuse themselves...
Ulquiorra had been less than pleased by this breach of protocol- a blatant disregard for both his and Aizen's authority- and even more so by the fact that Grimmjow had been the one to come and drive off the two crazed females and see to that she got healed. Orihime had initially thought Ulquiorra was upset by the fact that he'd been "shown up" by the Sexta Espada...
But she soon realized that there was more to his outrage. It was subtle, but she knew him well enough by now to tell that he was actually... upset. The night after the attack, he appeared at the door to her room and silently approached, pausing before her. What happened next, shocked Orihime...
"I have been remiss in my duties," he began, his hand moving to casual toy with a strand of her bright red hair between his slender white fingers. "Not simply in fulfilling Aizen's orders," he paused, leaning in close enough that she felt his breath on her neck. "I have come to find you... fascinating. You are not like those who dwell here." He drew back slightly to look at her. "The others, they're like wolves, but I won't let them... taint you. I will not allow it."
"Ulquiorra..." Orihime began, slightly unsteady, looking up to meet his piercing green eyes with her soft honey brown ones. "This isn't just an assignment for you anymore, is it?"
His hand moved to gently cup her cheek, the sudden intrusion into her personal space made her heart flutter, all traces of the fear she felt the first time were now gone. Ulquiorra leaned in close, so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath on her lips. "Yes, it would appear so." He murmured, before moving in to close the gap- capturing her lips in a surprisingly gentle kiss!
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Orihime smiled, watching as the bespectacled woman threw herself at the Captain, the man having only just recovered so that he was now sitting up. "My darling Nanao-chan," he began, placing his hand on her delicate shoulders. "I'm sorry to think that I caused you such distress. I can't bare to think that I'm the reason for all these tears, Nanao-chan."
She fixed him with a watery glare. "Shunsui, you idiot!" She exclaimed, before letting her forehead fall against his chest. "You're the worst, do you have any idea how worried I was?!" Nanao yelled, clinging tightly to him, her tears soaking the front of his robes.
The redhead felt lightheaded, but Ulquiorra remained behind her, gently supporting her as she allowed herself to leaned back into him. "She... seems really happy." She remarked with a smile, pausing to take a deep breath, feeling slightly sluggish. "I'm... glad for them."
Ulquiorra regarded her for a moment. "Wo- Orihime, you're exhausted," he remarked, scooping her up into his arms and rising to his feet. "You need rest." He added, before she could offer any protest.
She quickly felt herself drifting into sleep...
Orihime was seated at her table when she heard the door open. She smiled to herself at the familiar presence and the comfort it offered, remaining with her back to the door- hearing it gently shut and the muted sound of his footsteps on the cool marble floor. She didn't flinch at all when his hands came to rest on her shoulders in a comforting gesture.
The flesh was stark white and cool, like marble, but she found the smoothness of his hands and the coolness of his touch pleasant, also like marble. She sighed, relaxing in her chair, simply enjoying the feel of his hands gently kneading her shoulders through the fabric her monochromatic gown.
"A matter of some importance has occupied my thoughts of late," he began softly, his voice the usual near-monotone as he spoke. "I now find myself... conflicted." Ulquiorra paused. "I know that I exist to serve Aizen-sama, I took satisfaction in my work... But now, this has changed." His hands withdrew from her shoulders and he stepped back, prompting her to stand up and turn to face him.
"Ulquiorra...?" Orihime mouthed softly, suddenly struck be the overpowering intensity that resided within the shocking emerald gaze of the Espada before her.
"I no longer experience the satisfaction that I once did, my duties to Aizen-sama have become nothing more than tasks to complete." He took a single step towards her. "You, woman, you have changed everything. All that once seemed certain in my existence is no longer so. Because of you, I have slowly come to know what it means to desire something... Something intangible, but no less real."
He took another, lone step towards her. "And now, I find myself faced with a choice... A choice born not of fear, or survival, or from unthinking obedience." Ulquiorra revealed. "This is the first real choice I have ever had to make, to choose between either my loyalty to Aizen... or you."
She took a step toward him. "No! I can't let you do this." Orihime countered. "You told me yourself that it was pointless to defy Aizen... And you're right! I don't know him as well you, but I know he's powerful and we know the sort of things he's capable of doing... No, I- I refuse to get you killed over me!"
"You don't understand," Ulquiorra replied, taking another step towards her. "In this cold world of eternal darkness, you are... warmth, and light." He replied, the emotion visible in his deep green eyes made Orihime's heart race. "Because of you, I desire, I thirst, I crave." He reached out and captured her wrist, gently pulling her to him as he reached up to draw down the zipper of his jacket.
Orihime's eyes widened."Ulquiorra, what are you-"
Before she could continue, he pressed her hand against his chest- over his Hollow Hole, where a heart would have been were he human. She blushed at the contact. "You feel it, don't you- there is no heart in my chest to speak of. And yet, by your own words, that is not the 'true' heart. You told me yourself that the heart is not something you can see or touch."
Orihime felt her entire body smoldering under his gaze. "And while I cannot yet understand such a nebulous concept," he paused. "If you are willing, then I will remain by your side so that you might help me to understand the heart." He declared, pulling her body against his.
Blushing, she looked up, into his eyes. "I am no human, and I do not profess to fully understand the feelings that you spoke of." Ulquiorra continued. "However, if you are prepared to accept me for what I am... I will always protect you, I will never abandon you... And I will do whatever it takes to prove to you that I alone am worthy of you." He finished, bringing her hand up to kiss it.
Orihime smiled warmly at this, her experience with the Arrancar allowing her to decipher the deeper meaning in his words, meanings that she suspected he didn't fully realize. "I never realized you could be so romantic when you wanted to," she said almost teasingly. "I want to believe in you so badly... I want to be able to believe that something good will come of all this..." She continued, reaching up to cup the sides of his pale face, her thumbs tracing his tear lines. "You promise that you'll never leave me?" She asked expectantly.
"I swear." He replied, his hands coming rest on her hips.
"Then I accept." She stood up on the tips of her feet, pressing her lips against his. He emitted a noise that sounded almost like a growl, before tilting his head slightly and deepening the kiss. After a moment, they parted and she rested her head against the crux of his neck.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Lieutenant Chojiro Sasakibe of the First Division stepped back from the wreckage, not wishing to linger on the sight of the body in the rubble. The white-haired man, resembling an English Gentleman from the Victorian era, turned the towering form of Sajin Komamura.
The wolf-like Captain of the Seventh Division's brow furrowed. "It's him, isn't it?"
"I'm afraid so," Sasakibe replied bleakly. "Supreme Commander Yamamoto did not survive."
(- End of Chapter III -)
Final Word Count: 5,794!
This chapter clocked in at just over 10 ½ pages, not counting my notes at the beginning and end. That's pretty damn long by my standards, and I only covered about 85-90% of what I originally had planned to address within this chapter. With everything that was going on, there wasn't a lot of time for UlquiHime. Still, I think this chapter gave a clear insight into Ulqui's feelings. I'm not in any rush, so some of the other couples, specifically Szayel/Nemu and Ukitake/Unohana ended up getting some nice moments. Plus, we got to see Nanao being tsundere over Shunsui, which was I thought was cute. And believe me, I'm going somewhere with Ggio's plot thread. NovaAlexandra's works really got me to like the guy, and I also have something planned for Yumichika in the near future.
Anyway, please leaves some reviews to let me know what you thought of this, and what you might be looking forward to in the upcoming chapters.
-Bojack727