Faced with the lack of response for the last 3 updates, I'm not sure how to react. First, I no longer have the same job I've had for the last 3+ yrs, and given my age (31 in August), how long I've been doing this (13 yrs in Nov), and the fact that my writing just doesn't seem to be popular anymore...

Well, I don't know what to do. This story will probably end up running about 100 chapters- and that's a lot of work- especially for something so few people are enjoying (based on the review count). The story views and the follows are saying one thing, but only a few people are still posting reviews on a regular basis... However, that said, I'd like to thank Twillygriff and Kain101 for their reviews. At the same time, Ayase Reincarnated, TemariFire, ulquihim7980, and everyone else seem to have vanished from the site (which concerns me for a number of reasons).

I don't know for how much longer I can keep the story going like this, before I end up burning out... At this rate, Chapter 28 might be the last (if I even get that far)... Right now I'm looking at about 75 more chapters worth of storytelling (depending on how much material I cut).

TO FORGE A
BETTER TOMORROW

Chapter XIII:
"The Rogues Gallery"

Huecco Mundo...

Renji deftly rolled sideways just as some kind of glowing strand uncoiled itself and lashed across the ground, sending a flurry of white sand into the air. He scrambled to his feet, hand gripping the hilt of Zabimaru, before the sand had finished falling, while the glowing line snapped back- recalled through the veil of white. As the haze cleared, he was taken aback by what he saw before him...

The figure of a woman stood before him- about 5'10", with wan skin, sleek flowing black hair and inhuman crimson eyes. Her bangs hung evenly just above her slender eyebrows, with two locks in the front framing either side of her face, while the rest spilled gloriously down her back. Bone protrusions began above her ears, and adorned the edges of her delicate jawline- tapering off midway toward her chin- faintly resembling the mandibles of some insect. Her hand was outstretched, glowing with the same blue energy as the cord he'd dodged now returned to her.

Her long dark cape fluttered in the breeze as she appeared to regard him. At the present, she made no move to reach for the sword at her side. A Hollow Hole was visible high on her abdomen, below the swell of her breasts. "A rouge Arrancar!" Renji thought to himself, hand still firmly gripping the handle of his Zanpakuto, maintaining his defensive posture as he regarded her.

Her ruby lips curved into a smile, dark lashes fluttering. "Well now, what would bring a tall handsome man like yourself out to a place like this?" She intoned, her voice low and sultry. Her slightly elongated canines were visible as she spoke. The purple tassel hanging from the end of the handle of her sword shifted, while the hand guard clattered lightly against the sheath.

"And who's this?" Another, deeper voice asked.

Renji turned to see a man standing over the entrance to the ruins. "Shit, another one..." He muttered under his breath as his gaze shifted between the two of them.

The man had a wild main of spiky, fiery red hair- brighter that Renji's- that hung messily about his face and down his back. He was clean-shaven, with a fair complexion, uncanny icy blue eyes and thick dark eyebrows. Two bone-white protrusions jutted out from his bright crimson main- at the 2 and 10 o'clock positions- resembling a pair of horns, angled back slightly. He brought up a traditional Japanese kiseru pipe- made from lacquered wood and brass- to his lips and inhaled deeply. He leapt down from the old stone archway and exhaled, letting out a small puff of darkly sweet smoke.

"Well, he's no Hollow, that's for certain." He commented. "This one feels more like a... Shinigami!" He exclaimed in a tone that would normally have implied surprise, if not for the wild smile and wide-eyed abandon adorning his face as he looked at him.

He was clad in a full-length black kimono (no hakama), with a motif of bright red flame adorning the cuffs and along the collar and lining. Renji couldn't see his Hollow Hole in the gap of his robe, though he guessed it was covered by the sarashi wrapped over his midsection. He reached up and rubbed the heavy wooden prayer beads around his neck as he looked the Soul Reaper over.

Three full-length katanas were tucked into the red sash around his waist (on either side), with two more tucked in the back at low angles (eight in total). Still holding his pipe in one hand, he silently advanced, exchanging a small knowing smile with the female Arrancar, before his free hand came to rest on the handle of one his swords.

"You're an awful long way from home, aren't you?" He remarked coolly, prompting the female to chuckle slightly. "But why are you here, what business could you have?"

"From the look of you, you're clearly a warrior." The Arrancar continued. "I can tell by the way you hold your sword, and by your markings... Only a warrior decorates himself like that."

"Who... who are you two?" Renji asked, unease creeping into his voice.

The female advanced towards him with a confident smile. "My name is Arachne Van Gewindes," she began as she approached. "And he is Katsuro Onigiri." Arachne continued seductively, pausing beside him and looking into his eyes. "And you are?" She asked teasingly, smiling as she ran a finger up along his chest, tracing the lines his musculature through the fabric of his robes.

Flummoxed by her advances, Renji swallowed nervously. "R- Renji, Renji Abarai." He managed, stumbling slightly over his words as he spoke.

She smiled. "Hmm, I like the sound of it." Arachne replied. "Tell me, Renji, do these markings of yours cover the rest of your body?" She asked, leaning into him. "Because if so," she continued, running her hand down his chest... "Then I'd love to see just. how. far. they. go." She emphasized each word, until her hand stopped at the knot in the sash around his waist.

He blushed darkly. "W-wait! What are you... What are you playing at?!" He sputtered, having trouble focusing his sentences with the softness and warmth of her body pressed against him.

While Renji's brain attempted to reboot itself, a cackling Onigiri turned away from the display to cast his gaze into the distance. "Hey, Arachne." He began, smiling. "Sorry to interrupt you, but it looks like we've got company." He observed, holding a telescope up to his eyes. "Hmm, it looks like lover boy's friends are on their way..." He observed, one eyes shut as he gazed through the brass object.

"There's two of 'em: a young male, practically a kid, with white hair... And a woman, with long blond hair and... Goddamn! Look at the size of size of those-" He turned back to her. "Hey, look sharp over there, Arachne, here they come!"

. . . ...o.o.o... . . .

The Living Realm, Karakura Town...

Orihime frowned mildly as she fiddled with her bangs, unsure what do with the red-gold tresses as they grew longer. Despite all the work it took to maintain, she took great pride in keeping her hair long.

Once, when she'd asked Ulquiorra what he thought about her getting a shorter haircut, he'd frowned at first. Then, after a moment, he set down his textbook and replied with a killer line that she would never forget: "I was under the impression that a princess was supposed to have long hair." He deadpanned back to her. Even now, she wasn't sure if he realized just how much it meant to her...

Her face flushed pink at the simple declaration, followed by a girlish squeal of delight from the buxom redhead as she happily threw herself at him and delivered an enthusiastic kiss to his lips, declaring what a good boyfriend he was, her body soft and warm against him as she held onto him.

At first surprising, Ulquiorra found the sudden warmth of their proximity pleasant. In fact, he decided that he could quickly get used to such open displays of affection from his mate.

Orihime finished braiding her long main of red-gold hair into a ponytail and fixed the end with a black rubber band. She paused, looking down at the small box that held her precious Shun Shun Rikka- the aquamarine and gold hair pins being the key to manifesting her powers and summoning her fairies, as well as a precious gift from her late older brother.

She leaned forward, looking at her reflection in the small vanity mirror over her dresser, adjusting the collar of her white uniform blouse. Orihime had recently gotten a part-time job, working after school at a local bakery, to supplement the income she received from her aunt and uncle. She then picked up her purse that lay at the foot of the dresser and exited the bedroom.

Orihime passed Ulquiorra- seated on the living room's couch- on the way to the front door, where she retrieved her work shoes (the ones with the special anti-slip treading). He was currently looking over a series of documents in one hand, while silently jotting things down in a notepad with the other hand.

Shortly after she'd started working, Ulquiorra had- in turn- insisted on doing his part to chip in with the household expenses, as there were now two people to account for in the household expenses. Given his background as a high-level Arrancar (and eventual Espada) and his unique abilities, he'd begrudgingly agreed to do some work for Kisuke Urahara- mostly using his empathic language skills to translate obscure texts for use in the former Shinigami's research.

Not that it was just the two of them living in the apartment...

One of the other tenants on their floor was a retired biology teacher, Jun Fujiyama. The older woman had graduated from the Japan Veterinary & Life Science University, in Musashina District during the mid 1960s, with her senior dissertation in Avian Behavioral Studies- specifically, all the small invasive grain-eating birds (the finches) that had been exported across the world, only to go on to devastate both crops and native bird populations everywhere. After getting her teaching certification, she'd taught biology in secondary school and high schools, until her retirement in the late 90s.

After her husband had passed away in 2005, Jun decided to move out of the old three bedroom house where they'd raised their kids in, and into a more manageable apartment. She now lived in one of the two-bedroom apartments, and raised finches (in the other room) as a hobby. They'd never spoken much in the past, until a chance run-in one day with Orihime, which had lead to the woman latching onto her- regularly inviting her for visits over tea. And of course, the younger woman was simply far too polite to decline the invitations when offered. And so, it was that she often found herself listening as the woman talked- usually about something from her days as a teacher, her experiences in raising her children, and even talking about what her various birds were getting up to...

One day, while visiting with her over tea, the older woman presented Orihime with cage- containing a pair of little birds, which Jun identified as Indonesian "Zebra Finches". Both of them were dark sandy-gray in color, with white bellies, white and black striped tails, and orange beaks and feat. Though the male had a black throat, with brown on the sides of his front- below his wings- with white spots.

Normally, she might have been hesitant to accept them, but she became instantly enamored with the two of them when she noticed the male had dark black stripes running from his eyes down the sides of his face. After that, Orihime happily accepted the two, and brought them back to the apartment to show them to Ulquiorra- and to inform him that she'd named the male finch "Ulqui".

The Cuatro Espada had been less than pleased with this...

. . . ...o.o.o... . . .

To Renji's relief and horror, Captain Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Matsumoto arrived at the ruins in time find the Lieutenant of the Sixth Division- red-faced, with a female Arrancar draped seductively against him and idly tracing the contours of his muscles through his robes.

Hitsugaya turned to the other Arrancar, while Rangiku continued to regard Renji and Arachne- pressed firmly against his side and holding onto his arm- amusement visible on her face. "Well now, Lieutenant Abarai, aren't you going to introduce me to your new friend?"

The crimson-haired Shinigami blanched, suddenly unable to speak, allowing the female Arrancar to seize the opportunity. "I'm Arachne Van Gewindes," she began. "I look forward to getting to know the you and the rest of Renji's friends." She added with a smile

"H-hey, what are you talking about," Renji blurted out. "Don't I get a say in this?!"

The Arrancar turned to him, with a smile. "Oh don't be like that." She replied in a low sultry tone, as she gently brushed the back of her fingers down his cheek. "Surely a strapping young man like yourself would be up for a bit of fun- once we get things wrapped up here?" Arachne asked teasingly.

Renji's face turned almost as red as his hair at the lurid offer, once again robbed of the power of speech by the potent combination of her suggestive tone and the sensation of her warm body, pressed snugly against him- as is she were about meld into the contours of his broad frame. Hope of escape was dashed by the arm she had draped across his chest, holding onto his shoulder.

Rangiku started chuckling at this. "Well now, I think I'm going to like her." She remarked with a smile as Renji glanced between the two women, with a helpless look on his face.

For his part, Onigiri just smiled to himself as the scene unfolded, his arms crossed as he took another leisurely draw from his pipe, smiling as he expelled a fine stream of dusky smoke that smelled faintly of dried fruit and exotic spices. He lowered his pipe, his aloof demeanor seamlessly giving way as he deduced that the younger- and surprisingly higher ranking- of the two Soul Reapers seemed more interested in speaking to him, watching as the white-haired youth approached.

"I didn't know the Shinigami allowed children to serve as Captains." The Arrancar calmly remarked, his piercing blue eyes following him as he stepped forward.

Hitsugaya brushed off the comment, his professionalism compelling him to stay focused on the matter at hand. In this case, it was discerning the Hollows' intents, as well as their true numbers. The Captain was certain that there were more than the two before them- but how many, and how close by?

"I'm not as young as I look," he began coolly. "And I didn't come here just to trade quips with the first civil Arrancar that I happened to encounter..." Hitsugaya continued, tucking his hands into the pockets of his haori. "And my instincts tell me that you didn't either."

Onigiri smirked. "And what else do they tell you?" He asked, his free hand coming to rest on his hip, near the hilts of the bundled-up katanas.

The white-haired youth cocked his head slightly. "That the two of you," he began, gesturing towards the female Arrancar- still clinging against Renji- as he spoke. "either sensed our presence and came to investigate for yourselves, or that you were sent here- on someone else's instructions."

The Arrancar chuckled faintly. "Impressive... But then, I expect one has to be clever to get to the point that you have- perhaps, dangerously clever." He offered. "We've been discreetly observing the activity around the dome since Aizen lead his forces to attack your realm." He explained. "Arachne and myself came to investigate you, while news of your movements was relayed to the others."

"What others?" Hitsugaya asked.

He took another draw from his pipe, and exhaled after a moment. "Unaligned Arrancar, and escapees from Las Noches- defectors mainly, who would have been terminated otherwise, or who simply didn't share the others' lust for conquest." Onigiri explained. "Aizen and the Arrancar forces he created were too powerful and numerous to actively resist... And we had other consideration."

Hitsugaya remained silent as he continued. "To survive is to grow strong in the face of adversity and hardship... And this place, this endless desolation, has forced us to grow strong." Onigiri explained in a serious tone. "But the young, and those who were unable... Their welfare had to be considered in our plans, it was all we could do to keep moving and avoid detection." The Arrancar remarked, his myriad swords rustling slightly against the fabric of his robe and the sash holding them.

"I'm sure you're wondering why we're here." Hitsugaya began. "A lot has happened since the end of the war with Aizen... We came here as part of Soul Society's efforts to establish an open dialogue with your kind, the Arrancar- to prevent further conflict, and to make clear our good intentions."

The red-haired Hollow seemed to regard him for a moment. "The Shinigami desire peace?" He asked, getting a nod from the young captain. "Then... With who's voice do you speak?"

"The Commanders of the Elite Court Guard," Toshiro replied. "And the Primera Espada, Coyote Stark, as well as both of the Tercera- Lady Tia Halibell and Lady Nelliel-Tu Obberschank." Hitsugaya replied calmly. "We also have the support of the Cuatro and the Octavio Espada, Ulquiorra Schiffer and Szayel Alporro Grantz." The snow-haired Captain finished.

"Indeed, impressive." Onigiri replied coolly. "Very well then, perhaps we can add to those voices." The Arrancar continued. "There is one among us, who I believe might be interested in hearing this."

"Who would that be?" Captain Hitsugaya asked cautiously.

"The Sexta Espada, Grimmjow Yaegerjacquez." He replied. "Among others."

. . . ...o.o.o... . . .

On the matter of the naming of the finch, there had been some 'negotiating'... Rather, Orihime had fixed him with a look that he could only later describe as "overpowering". The usually unshakable Arrancar had been unprepared for the look- her eyes wide (and sparkling?), her lower lip out slightly, as she gave a devastatingly endearing mock-pout, the effect on him being something that only this one human woman could achieve... He'd relented.

Though, he'd done so with the caveat, if he was to acknowledge that the male of the pair was indeed to be addressed as "Ulqui", then he would do so only on the condition that the female was to henceforth be named and addressed as "Hime". The young woman faltered at this, and her face flashed red, then after a moment of thought- in which Ulquiorra said nothing- she agreed to his conditions. And so, with the terms finalized, the cage was set up in the corner of the living room, next to the window.

Orihime sighed, standing behind the front counter of the bakery. She was nearly seventeen now, and it seemed as if her life had finally settled into something approaching what could be called "normal", at least by her standards. When you could see various otherworldly beings and manifest fairies from your hairpins, what constituted as as normal was all rather relative.

Still, things had been going well at school. With the exception of Ichigo, she still had her established circle of friends, as well as a boyfriend. It was funny actually, whenever she thought about the two of them as a couple. Even within his gigai, he was still quite arresting- the combination of his slender, elegant body, dark voluminous hair, and piercing green eyes, set against his fair complexion...

Well, he'd quickly drawn a fair amount of attention (including from some of the girls), as he coolly went about introducing himself- speaking the practiced lines of his fabricated back story. Given his looks, it was obvious that they would have to register him as a "foreign transfer". With a little input from Urahara-san, they'd settled on that he'd come from Spain.

As she'd half anticipated, Ulquiorra's actions- while not blatant- where obvious enough so as to make it immediately clear that there was something between them. Thankfully, he maintained proper decorum between them, with no overt displays of affection (or 'possessiveness', as Tatsuki called it). Though the fact that he primarily associated with her, was enough to draw a few envious looks now and again.

She chuckled inwardly, thinking about how the dark, attractive, mysterious "transfer student" they were pining over... Well, he also happened to be a destructively powerful, otherworldly being from a domain of lost spirits, that had evolved by consuming others of his kind. Then there was the whole business of him kidnapping her on Aizen's orders... It was far from the most charming back story on paper, or the best circumstances in which one might hope for a relationship.

Orihime almost burst out laughing, as she made her way to work. And yet, the entire result of the whole ordeal- as traumatic as much of it had been- now, it seemed almost darkly comical. By any logical point of view, she should have hated Ulquiorra for his considerable role in the conflict. Just as he should have found her presence intolerable, given his regular comments about her kind. Instead, the two of the them had been inexplicably drawn to the other. At first, neither had been aware of the strange attraction that the other held over them, though both would come to realize the gravity of their situation...

That something, some part of them, had changed, and there was no way that either of them could hope to return to their previous existence. The unsettling captivation she had felt for the Espada was as close to a narcotic as (she guessed) was possible for her. And as the end drew near, she'd discovered that the same powerful desires and longings existed in Ulquiorra, and were just as hopelessly and inescapably human as hers were. He had grown to want both herself and her company- even needed it- and he was more than prepared to fight for her if it came down to it.

A potent statement to be sure. And it sent a shiver through her. Even now, Orihime realized, there was something to their relationship that both frightened and thrilled her. And, if she was honest with herself, she didn't find the first sensation to be totally unwelcome... After all, fear was a hell of an emotion, and even Ulquiorra seemed to have realized the value of the emotions she'd awoken in him.

. . . ...o.o.o... . . .

Soul Society, Division Thirteen HQ...

Unohana had her hand pressed gently against Ukitake's chest, the white-haired man waiting calmly as his fellow captain used her medical kido to examine him. Her delicate hand had a greenish glow about it from her spiritual energy, as she used the jutsu to check the state of his internal organs.

She was in his office, in the heart of the Thirteenth. And her visit to him was merely the latest, of many over the course of more years than either of them cared to count.

In past, his lungs has always fared the poorest... At his worst, before she and her team had formulated a means of effectively treating him, the tissue had looked horribly frayed and darkened. Given that there was no president for poor health in his family, she could only guess that whatever triggered the ailment was recessive in nature, and that there was something in his genetics that brought it to the forefront.

Though, at the moment, she was relieved to see the damage was visibly fading as the tissue slowly regenerated itself. She'd adjusted his medicine to promote the production of leukocytes- to combat the damage caused by sickness, in particular his stress-induced attacks. Satisfied with his condition, she ceased the medical jutsu, giving him a small smile as she lowered her hand.

"You're doing much better, Jushiro." Unohana began. "In fact, I'd say that this is the healthiest that I've seen you in a number of years... And given that the last time you experienced an attack was over eight months ago, well, it's beyond my ability to explain... at least, medically." She finished.

He smirked at that. "The combination of medication I've been taking and your own efforts has greatly helped to combat the sickness." Ukitake replied, brushing a hand through his white main as he smiled handsomely at her. "Well, that and having people like you, and Shunsui, as well as Stark, and Lily has done wonders for this ragged old body of mine." He added with a slight chuckle.

He became silent, a thoughtful look on his face, as his hand moved to cover hers, his deep brown eyes looking into her dark orbs. "Though, personally... I've always attributed any upturns in my condition to your continued presence in my life." Ukitake offered. "And to know that such a beautiful, intelligent, and strong woman- such as you- would return my feeling, it's more than I could ever hope for."

Not prone to sudden outbursts of emotion, and well known for her unrivaled ability to maintain her composure and professional demeanor at all times, Unohana's eyes widened and her face flushed. With the sudden rush of warmth she experienced as her cheeks turned a dark shade of pink, she felt strangely vulnerable- enough so that she averted her gaze, away from the man before her.

"You... You always say these things, Jushiro." The dark-haired woman replied bashfully, her voice now unsteady as she spoke. "I'm a Captain, and yet- even at my age- you effortlessly say these things to me, and I might as well be some young girl." Unohana replied, looking at him. "Really, I think we're both far too old for you be saying these sort of things to me- I'm not some maiden to be courted, especially not by the man with whom I already share a bed with."

Ukitake only smiled at her 'protest', then held her hand aloft in his. "Retsu, you're a stunning woman, worthy of the highest praise, and..." He paused for an instant. "I'm sorry to say that you'll never be too old for me to give voice to my feelings- not that I could ever stop, regardless." He finished, before he brought her hand up to his lips- his lips brushing against the soft skin of the back of her palm.

Captain Ukitake watched, with some amusement, as the woman rose to her feet, taking a long breath as she appeared to be composing herself before him.

She was still quite flustered, and could feel the blush on her face. As such, she wasn't really paying full attention to him as he stood up and approached her...

"Retsu," Ukitake began warmly. "Have you ever given any thought to starting a family of your own?"

. . . ...o.o.o... . . .

"Yes, while it's minor, there's tangible difference in this spot." Szayel observed, looking at the display from the device in his hand. "The distortion's has manifested in a spherical area of effect, roughly half a meter in diameter..." The Espada paused. "As of yet, there are no measurable effects, beyond the minor electromagnetic disturbance and a temperature drop of 2 degrees."

The pink-haired Arrancar wore the white Captain's robe of the Twelfth, over an inverted version of the usual Shinigami robes- a white kimono and hakama, with a black sash and tabi- and set of white gloves on his hands. His Captain's badge hung from his waist. "I suppose we might as well relay these results back to headquarters, if nothing else then to establish a time line. Nemu, I-"

The Octavio was cut off when his instrument suddenly sounded off, alerting him with a rapid series of electronic beeps. "Hello, what's this...?" Szayel mused under his breath, golden eyes narrowing as he watch as the readings on the device spiked, giving him an "ERROR" on the main screen.

"Captain Grantz, the instruments are all registering faults." Andou, a pale-skinned researcher with short dark hair, from the Twelfth Division announced. "I- it's over... Whatever happened, it just stopped." He finished as he double checked the device in his hands.

"Szayel-sama?" Nemu began tentatively. "...Is something the matter?" The purple-haired Lieutenant asked, her even tone masking the small twinge of uncertainty she felt.

"That depends, my dear..." Szayel replied, turning to her. "Something just happened, something to do with the anomaly." He explained to her, adjusting his glasses. "But with no information of the nature of the event, I'm totally in the dark as to explain the significance, if any."

(- End of Chapter XIII -)

This chapter ended up being just a little shorter than I would have liked. Though this is mostly because it would have gone on for far too long if I tried to include everything that was originally planned in the outline I drafted. And anyway, this point seemed like a good enough place to end for the moment.