"I just don't believe in helping people who are going to torture me. Though I don't see any bamboo slivers. How can you possibly torture someone without bamboo slivers?"
-Anita Blake (Circus of the Damned)
From behind Grimmjow, Ciara took inventory of every single hallway they passed and how many steps it took to get there from the room they'd left. That way, when she decided to make her escape attempt, she knew exactly where she was going. As they walked though, she noticed that there were others who looked similar to both Grimmjow and the pale dark-haired male who'd come to get them. None of them looked exactly alike, but they all shared certain aspects of their appearances. Including that odd hole.
Some of the occupants looked at her with obvious curiosity, while others either looked at her with contempt, or didn't give her a single glance. Ciara couldn't help but wonder what exactly she'd done to piss these guys off.
The walk to their destination was shorter than Ciara thought it would be and before she knew it, Grimmjow was opening a door for her to enter. Though she was curious about the man who'd had her brought here, she wasn't thrilled with entering into a dark, cold room. When she hesitated at the doorway, Grimmjow gave a short growl of frustration and pushed her inside.
Stumbling forward, she nearly falls into the room. Thankfully, someone was there to grab her arm, keeping her from face planting the tile floor. When she looked up, she found a man staring back at her. Though, she couldn't really tell if he was looking at her or not, because his eyes were practically closed. He had short gray hair, and wore the same white and black outfit that everyone else did here.
"You should be more careful." He said, his voice soft and kind. Immediately Ciara began to relax around him.
Once she was back on her feet and she was thoroughly embarrassed, Ciara stood up to face a long table. Towards the end were two empty chairs on either side of the table, and sitting at the head, was another man. His hair was a dark brown, and was pushed back away from his forehead, and his brown eyes watched her closely. He didn't say anything, but his eyes told her he knew everything about her, could even see into her very soul. Unease returned, and goosebumps broke out along her arms. This man was dangerous.
At his left side, another man stood. Unlike everyone else around here, his complexion was a caramel color, and long dreaded hair hung down around his shoulders. Judging by the dark glasses he wore and the straight ahead stare, Ciara figured he was blind. But the katana at his side said he was anything but defenseless.
To the right stood a woman. Ciara wasn't at all attracted to women, but even she had to admit that this female was beyond stunning. Long purple hair hung well past the middle of her back, and from beneath the strands were a pair of pointed fae-like ears. Which made sense, because this woman had to be part elf to be that gorgeous. Even her eyes were a beautiful shade of violet, and as Ciara approached, she almost thought she saw them swirling. Shorter than the men around her, this female looked delicate, but the power Ciara felt coming from the woman, only intensified her unease.
Out of the four of them, Ciara felt like she was the safest around the gray-haired man who'd saved her from total embarrassment. And even he reminded her somewhat of a snake. At least she liked snakes.
"Welcome Miss. Daniels," the man sitting at the head of the table, who she assumed had to be "Lord Aizen", drew her attention to him. "I do hope our dear Grimmjow is treating you well." He smirked and Ciara took an involuntary step back. "I wouldn't want our new guest to be unhappy here."
Glancing over her shoulder, Ciara looked back at Grimmjow standing in the doorway. His arms were crossed and there was an obvious look of displeasure on his face. He met her gaze in an almost challenging way. Like he was saying "Go ahead, tell him." Turning away from her jailer, she met the man's stare with her chin raised. "The food could be a little better. And I'm not overly fond of being kidnapped either. Are you the one they call 'Aizen'?"
His gaze briefly landed on the man at the door, before returning to her. "I am." He said, placing his chin against his hand. "And I'll be sure to have a proper meal brought to your quarters this evening."
She nods her head, looking between the four of them. "I appreciate that, but would much rather be allowed to return home."
"I'm afraid that's not possible." Aizen said nonchalantly.
Ciara didn't think he would agree right away to send her home, but she still looked at him with confusion. "Why the hell not?"
"I had you brought here for a purpose, and since you have not yet fulfilled your purpose, I can not send you home."
Ciara could feel herself becoming more and more irritated. She continued to remind herself to watch what she said, but knew it wouldn't last much longer. "I don't know what purpose you think I could have here." She waves her hand back towards Grimmjow. "From what I can see everyone here is something more than human and I'm just that; human. I couldn't possibly help you in any way."
He was silent for a moment, before he pushed the chair back and stood up. "You have a very interesting ability that I'd like to exploit against my enemies."
She tried to hide her surprise. How did he know about her powers? Did Grimmjow mention something to him after she'd frozen his hand? Straightening her shoulders, she played dumb. "I don't know what you're talking about. Like I told you, I'm human. No powers."
"Hmm," he muttered, turning towards the female to his right. Lifting a hand, he gently caressed her cheek, saying, "My dear Izumi, please introduce yourself to our guest."
Ciara watched as she leaned into his touch, and quickly assumed the two of them were lovers. Izumi turned those eerie violet eyes up to him with admiration and smirked. "As you wish, My King." She said, her voice soft and sweet.
The moment she turned towards Ciara, her eyes flashed a deep shade of crimson and yes they were swirling. Ciara takes several steps back as the woman bagan to approach. Holding her hands out to ward her off, Ciara fought back the fear building inside her. "Stay back." She said, voice wavering. "I seriously don't have anything to give to you people."
Aizen ignored her, going on to say, "Izumi has a special power as well. She can make those around her see their worst nightmares. Making them seem as real as you and I."
Ciara's eyes widened as they bounced back and forth between Aizen and the woman. "I-I can't control it!" She cried, the entire room plunged several degrees; fear getting the better of her. "My emotions control my powers! I'd be useless to you!"
The female, Izumi, stopped mere feet away from her. As she looked into the woman's swirling crimson eyes, her heart skipped a beat and without her meaning to, the floor beneath their feet was covered in a thin layer of ice; their breath misting in front of them. Izumi's lips pulled into a sinister smirk and she turned away to stand at Aizen's side once more.
Shaking uncontrollably, Ciara falls to her butt, her back pressed against the wall. Never had she been as scared as she was looking into those female's swirling blood-red eyes. She hadn't even used an ounce of her powers on her, but she would have and that was the most terrifying thing. That woman had no remorse in her eyes, and Ciara feared what she would've shown her. Her father's death? Or maybe the deep fear she had of losing every single person in her family and being left completely alone in this world.
A shadow fell over her and Ciara looked up into Aizen's soulless brown eyes. When he knelt down in front of her and lifted a hand to touch her cheek, she flinched away from him. His touch was cold and caused a shiver to go through her. She couldn't see how that woman was able to lean into it when Ciara wanted to slap it away and make a run for safety.
He pulled his hand away, and Ciara felt comfortable enough to look at him once more. He was standing now and had his hand held out to her, offering to help her stand. She hesitated a moment, but was ultimately too scared to refuse his offer. Reaching out, she placed her hand into his and allowed him to help her to feet. Aizen led her around the table to the empty chair to his left. When he pulled it out for her to sit, she was overwhelmed by his "gentlemanly" actions, after he'd so coldly sicked his elf-bitch on her.
Still, she took the seat without making a fuss.
"Now, will you please explain the range of your abilities?" He asked as he sat back in his own seat.
Grimmjow watched from the doorway as Aizen's female slowly approached Ciara. Ever since Aizen brought her to Las Noches, he's allowed her to do whatever she pleases. Spending most of her time with Aizen himself, or the squinty-eyed bastard, Gin, she walked around like she owned the place. His fists had clenched so tightly when she referred to Aizen as "king" that his claws had dug into the centers of his palms.
But the way Ciara shrank back in fear, made him see red. Not because she was visibly scared or anything, but because he'd been placed in charge of her "care". And because he'd claimed her as his alone to torment.
When ice quickly began to spread out along the floor, Grimmjow's eyes went wide, and he instinctively took a step back so as not to become trapped. He locked onto the little human back up against the wall with awe. He'd known she could freeze his hand, but didn't realize it was as powerful as all this. What more was she capable of?
Looking over at Aizen, he saw the interest in the Shinigami's eyes, and when his pet backed away, he took her place; approaching Ciara. On the ground now, Grimmjow could see her shaking from his place by the door. Her eyes were wide and she reeked of fear. He hadn't realized he'd taken a step towards her, until Gin's hand came down on his shoulder.
Glancing over his shoulder, Grimmjow just held back an insult, when the man shook his head; smile gone. Returning his attention to Ciara, he watched as Aizen helped the human to her feet and led her to the table, where he offered her the empty seat to his left.
Stepping back into the doorway, Grimmjow cast a glare at Gin, but said nothing. Remaining silent as Aizen spoke to his charge.
"Now, will you please explain the range of your abilities?" He asked, sitting once more and lifting a cup of what Grimmjow could only assume was tea.
Ciara hesitated, her hands clasped tightly in her lap with her head down. She looked utterly defeated and not the spitfire of a human he'd been introduced to. Just what had that elf-bitch shown her?
"I can control the weather and natural weather-like phenomena." Her voice was low, and he had to lean forward to hear her. "But my power is too strong for me, so instead of having control over them, my emotions do."
"Fascinating," Aizen says, giving her his full attention. "Please continue."
She lifted her head and glanced over at him. Grimmjow was shocked to see the pleading look she was giving him. Like she was begging him to help her escape from this meeting. Without meaning to, he gave a single shake of his head. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't save her from this.
Swallowing hard, her shoulders dropped and she continued to explain her powers. "If I was able to gain full control over my powers, I could create some of the most devastating storms. When I first got them, I nearly destroyed a neighborhood with a tornado, and all because I'd gotten upset with my mother over an outfit choice."
"And how long would it take you to learn to control these powers?" Gin asked, slinking up beside Aizen and Izumi.
Ciara looked up at Gin, and Grimmjow noticed how she seemed to relax under the man's gaze. "Decades. Abilities as strong as mine tend to take longer to learn control over than others."
"Are you saying there are others like you?" Izumi asked, glancing down at Aizen who didn't look back at her.
Ciara didn't answer her, just remained silent. But she didn't need to, because her silence was all the answer they needed. A smile curled Aizen's lips, and Grimmjow knew his interest had spiked. His brown eyes turned away from Ciara, dismissing the girl, to look back at Grimmjow.
"Be sure she's fed properly this time." He says, tone was cold as he stood, leaving the room with his four lackeys trailing behind him.
When they were gone, Grimmjow sighed heavily, rolling his shoulders to loosen the tension between them. "Come on." He said, nodding towards the door.
Without a word, Ciara stood and walked to him, her head down. She looked paler than normal, her eyes glued to the floor, and the scent of her fear made his nose burn. Curling his lips in disgust, he leads the way out of Aizen's tea room and back into the hallway.
They turned right down the hallway that would lead back to her room, when an Espda stepped into their path. Grimmjow bared his fangs at the pink-haired Espada known as Szayelaporro Granz. The one who'd kidnapped her.
"Get out of our way, Granz." He growled.
He ignored Grimmjow and instead looked down at the girl standing just behind him; her head still down. His golden eyes studied her like she was one of his lab experiments, and Grimmjow hated it. "I'm happy to see that my drug didn't cause you any ill effects." He said, tone mocking.
Ciara quickly lifted her head and took in the Espada standing in front of her. The instant her eyes narrowed into dangerous slits, was the moment the air around them shot up to suffocating temperatures. "It's you!" She yelled, pointing a finger at him. "You're the reason I'm here! You kidnapped me from my apartment building!"
In a flash of blonde hair, she lunged forward in an attack; any lingering fear vanishing. Quicker than her, Grimmjow wrapped an arm around her waist and held her back against his chest. She weighed less than a feather to him, but in order to avoid her kicking legs, he had to twist his waist to the side.
"Let me go!" She screamed, fighting helpless against his hold. "I'm going to kill him with my bare hands!"
Grimmjow rolled his eyes and Szayel laughed. "Oh do let her go, Grimmjow. I would love to see her attempts." He said, eyes glittering with amusement. "In fact, leave her with me for a few hours and allow me to see what makes her tick."
"Not happening." Grimmjow places Ciara on her feet once more, leaving a hand on her upper arm. "Come on, girl." He pulls her along, forcing her around the Eighth Espada.
As they came around Szayel, Ciara all but growled at the male. Grimmjow had to fight back the urge to smirk, but when she lifted her hand and sweat began to pour down his forehead and back, he knew she was using her powers to raise the temperature more. Sighing in frustration, he lifts the girl and throws her over his shoulder. With a burst of his own Spiritual Power, he hurried them through the hallway and back to her room. He was dropping her on the bed before she realized what had happened.
Her eyes were unfocused as she blinked up at him. "What the hell?" She yelled, lowering her head into her hands. "Why'd you stop me? He's the whole reason I'm here!"
"No, he's not." Crossing his arms, he looked down at her. "That bastard Aizen is the reason you're here. Like everyone else here, he was given orders and was expected to carry them out."
Glaring up at him from under her bangs, she said, "Sounds like you hate him."
"He's the enemy."
"Well, if you hate him so much, why don't you gather up your friends and revolt against him?"
"Doesn't work that way, pet." Turning towards the door, he stopped in the hallway. "I'll have more food brought. When I return, I expect you to have it eaten."
"Wait!" He felt her hand wrap around his wrist. When he looked down, he noticed just how small her hand was. "When will you be back?"
Not anytime soon. He thought to himself. Pulling out of her hold, he ignores her question and closes the door. From the otherside, he could hear her cursing him, and smirked.