The Fallen Series: Part I - Victory Falls

by Seth's Kiss

Canon Divergent: 'They made the biggest mistake of their lives. They forgot Aizen always had a back-up plan, with it usually being far worse than the first'. DARK Fic. Rated M (violence, horror, torture, non-con), also has MxM, MxF, FxF and many unstable pairings (for now). Warnings in each chapter for safety. Proceed with caution. BEING EDITED: Chapters may vanish till completion.

6. Part One: Chapter 4

The Fallen Series (a Bleach Fanfiction) by Seth's Kiss:

A/N: Hello! And let's begin with a very enthusiastic note on my part: If I don't post anything during three full consecutive months, that'll probably mean I'm dead (sighs apologetically). I felt that I should warn you at least. I mean, a month or two late maybe but more than that, I will try to avoid it because I know what it's like to wait for an upcoming chapter...and then it doesn't come (like when you're following a Manga series and suddenly its Manga-ka falls very ill or dies...Sighs. Tragic really...) Well, hope that was not too gloomy for you (I'm like that, you'll get use to it...or not) and I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!

To Guest 1: Thank you for your review! I'm glad you like it and sincerely hope that I can carry on until the very end of this fic in the same way! Thanks again!

To Enjali: Thank you for your review! I am COMPLETELY in agreement with your opinion: evil begets evil after all. Most villains are like that in fact, with the Freudian excuse and all, but still, past tragedy can lead to depravity. So you feeling bad for Aizen, is understandable; however, not all Aizen's actions can be excused or justified because of that: he has and will do something pretty dreadful things (if you're ready to stomach that) to Ichigo and Co. There's another thing I agree with you on though: the Soul Society, or more specifically the Seireitei and even more the Gotei, are incredibly narrow-minded: just look at the banishment the Vizards had to endure, or the short-sightedness of the great Byakuya Kuchiki that nearly cost him the life of the person he had sworn to his own wife he'd cherish and protect. You can't get anymore thicker than that. So...yeah, I'm not that much of a Byakuya fan: he's too stuck-up for me (pulls tongue). Again, thank you for your review and I'd be pleased to hear more from you! Bye!

To ChizomenoHime: So nice to hear from you again! And thank you for pointing out on the four horsemen (more for my own cultural knowledge): I apparently confused conquest with discord so that's why I just avoided mentioning it in the end. Thanks! And Aizen's four horsemen won't represent the real thing, so no worries: I just found the concept befitting since he wishes for the Seireitei to crumble and what better way to have its destruction come from the inside? I'm a bit nasty, aren't I? Anyways, nice guesses by the way: you're really good at this! I hope I'm not spoiling anything but I really wanted to tell you that you're halfway on the right track (thumbs up). As for the chapter's length, sorry about that: I write the chapters as long as possible because I don't know when I'll be able to post the following ones. Speaking of a deaths/survivals plot (which is the main aspect of the next chapters to come, the 2nd part giving us a revelation of what the survivors will endure), are you considering anyone? I mean, I already have a few characters in mind but I'm open to suggestions, if you want (there will be very few survivors for the plot to flow more easily for the 2nd and the 3rd parts, but I can squeeze a couple of more characters in). I hope you'll enjoy this chapter and that I'll hear from you again! Until next time!

To Yue: Thank you for your review! I'm sincerely thrilled that you enjoy my fic, especially since it's my first try and all: I'm so enthusiastic about this experience that I'm already planning future fics (though for now I'll concentrate on this one mostly). Also, thank you for pointing out on Tetsuya because I had no idea that that pretty face belonged in fact to someone from Hakuouki (I've heard of it, as one of my friends loves Otome games, but I never saw its characters): ever since you mentioned it, I've been trying to imagine him speaking with Szayel's Seiyuu...I have to admit that it gets a little weird now that I know. I still feel bad for using another person's O.C but I maintain that I was ignorant to whom he truly belonged (thinking he was a Bleach game-play character) and as I promised I won't be using him much... It's nice to hear that you're concerned about the characters in this fic: they'll need sympathy...a lot...given how I write (Grimaces). Thank you again for reviewing and good luck on making your own account! Hope to hear from you soon!

To Guest 2: Thank you for your review! And thank you for liking this fic and being interested in it: that means a lot! I'm pretty open up to any critique you might have as it can only help writers improve, especially since this is my first fic: so again thank you. And I am SO sorry about the chapters' length: as I told a few other reviewers before you, I lack time to write in order to have any regular updates, so I make them long and besides the chapter's plot is whole (the only part I broke up in two was the prologue, because yikes! It was freaking' long). However, I do agree with you: when rereading the chapters here, I realized that some scenes didn't hold enough spaces, making it look all scrunched up...which is odd 'cause I write with a lot of spaces on my computer. I honestly don't know how that happened but I'll try and fix it as soon as I can, I promise. Again thank you for reviewing and reading. I hope to hear from you soon! Bye!

Rating for this chapter: Mid-way safe: the cuss words here and there, plus a few insinuations of violence and non-con but nothing really too graphic in this chapter (a little respite before the horrors that are to come)...

Part One: Victory Falls:

Chapter 4: Begin The Lock-up:

In the Seireitei, within the Assembly Room:

"This is bad" muttered Jushiro with a deep frown marring his otherwise usually carefree features.

"'Bad' doesn't begin to define it" Shunsui sighed with exhaustion "Wheredo we even start?"

As soon as Byakuya had fled from Muken, he headed straight for the Captain Commander in order to hold an emergency meeting, despite it being the latter middle half of the night, which resulted in drawing awake many from an already difficultly attained slumber: it wasn't easy to fall asleep at ease when you knew that a monster was bound to break free at any moment.

And now, with the knowledge that some of their own would be amongst the ones to abet Aizen, it only alleviated their collective apprehension further...

"How about this?" suggested Unohana accommodatingly "How do we even know that Sosuke Aizen's telling the truth? He's known to be manipulative, so this is probably just another one of his many schemes to keep us busy whilst something a lot more tragic is in play."

"I agree, but ignoring his words is just as risky" grimaced Kensei before he yawned, still not fully awake "After all, even the Arrancar Jeagerjaques mentioned that Aizen had allies amongst us."

"Do any of you suspect anyone?" inquired Yamamoto as he cautiously regarded the captains and lieutenants present.

"I do" declared Shinji loudly as he raised a hand which he then used to point at the 3rd Division's captain "Ichimaru. I'm bettin' that he's one of these four horsemen thingies."

"Shinji" reprimanded Rose with a disapproving frown, whilst Gin simply lowered his eyes and smiled small.

Stomping his foot, the 5th Division's captain snapped irately: "Come on! Don't tell me none of ya'll don't think so?!"

Crossing his arms, Toshiro closed his eyes and sighed deeply: "Well..."

"Taichou?!" exclaimed Rangiku as she regarded her captain with an expression mixing both shock and dismay.

"I...uh...I also agree with Hirako-taichou" whispered Momo tentatively before she shied her eyes away when the 10th Division's lieutenant shot her with an aggrieved look.

"See?!" stated Shinji before he regarded the silver-haired captain with an accusing eye "Even if it ain't everyone, with just a few doubtin' ya, it makes ya moot."

Clearing his throat commandingly in order to impose much needed silence, the old Captain Commander locked eyes with Gin: "Ichimaru-taichou, anything you wish to say in your defence?"

"Um..." the 3rd Division's captain hummed thoughtfully before smiling broadly "Nope. Not really. Nothin' to say."

"GIN!" cried out a horrified childhood friend of his as she stared at him with shocked crystal blue eyes.

Shrugging at her with a rueful smile, the silver-haired captain raised an eyebrow at everyone else whilst he reasoned calmly: "Let's be honest for a minute, shall we? Even if I did say anythin', will you still believe me? I haven't done much to earn your trust and I know that. I've escaped bein' condemned but I won't escape your accusations if it makes you feel better."

"Ya're takin' this remarkably well, ain't ya?" deadpanned the blonde Vizard captain with a stunned tone of voice.

Frowning in what seemed to be confusion, Gin tilted his head: "Should there be a reason for me not to?"

A vein throbbed upon Shinji's forehead at the other's apparent lack of concern but before he could enter a vocal fit of rage, Byakuya spoke up evenly: "These are mere speculations. No need for any dramatics."

This time, Gin smirked knowingly: "Of course...though we can all agree that you've already made your choice, neh?"

When a brief silence fell over them, Rangiku broke it with a voice of desperation: "I...I object! Don't any of you think that we're being a little too hasty? What if we're wrong? What if...?"

"Matsumoto-fukutaichou" cut off the 3rd Division's captain gently "It's very thoughtful of you to be concerned, but if you could please stop and not make this any harder than it already is...that'd be appreciated as well."

As his childhood friend bit her lip and looked away, the Kuchiki noble spoke up once more: "Again, these are mere speculations. We have no guarantee that Aizen Sosuke's four aids might even be members of the Gotei itself or alone. He said 'within the Seireitei's walls', meaning it can be anyone currently within it."

Eyeing the 6th Division's captain who seemed to have something particular in mind, Yamamoto inquired: "Are you thinking of someone specific, Kuchiki-taichou?"

Glancing towards Rukia before lowering his eyes instantly after that, Byakuya stated firmly: "Captain Commander, I suspect Inoue Orihime."

At least half of the occupants of the room, which were those who were very close to Ichigo and Co, stared at the Kuchiki clan's leader as if he had gone mad: "WHAT?!"

"K...Kuchiki-taichou?!" stammered Renji with wide eyes before he caught sight of Rukia's reaction: this was going to end badly between the two Kuchiki siblings.

"NII-SAMA?!" cried out Rukia with a shaken expression: out of all the people she had expected to bring up Orihime, she hadn't envisioned it coming from her brother, even with all the doubts he held against her. Just how was she going to explain this to Ichigo and his friends? Knowing the orange-haired teen, he was going to hold a vivid grudge against Byakuya for a long time...

"This again?" sighed Yoruichi jadedly as she rolled her eyes "And wait...Now you're the one accusing her? Won't you ever leave that poor kid alone?"

"I have my reasons for suspecting her" asserted the noble unwaveringly, whilst trying and failing to ignore the looks he was receiving from his lieutenant and sister.

"Which are?" demanded Shinji icily through tightly clenched teeth "Cause if ya're accusin' her just like that out of the blue, I'm not lettin' ya, prince..."

"Calm down, Hirako Shinji" ordered Byakuya strongly, rather than requested, as he a raised eyebrow "I'm not the only one to think this."

"Yeah, well, ya're the only one voicin' it" pointed out angrily the 5th Division's captain, though he knew that the noble was unfortunately right: Yamamoto, Gin, Soifon, Rose, Love, Mayuri, Lisa, Izuru, Iba, Momo and even Kisuke had all called out, at least once, on Orihime's behaviour ever since the end of the war, leading some of them to question whose side she really was on. Even he had found her to be acting far too weird, but he was very unwilling to accuse her of a thing such as betrayal, not with what he knew of her: that girl was far too devoted to friendship for even thinking about that...

"Very well then..." the Kuchiki relented before he began to enumerate what he had been a witness to "She forgets herself and calls him 'Aizen-sama'. She's been disappearing for awhile without a trace, only to come back and run from everyone. She's hiding things from us and even from her closest friends. Need I go on?"

"And..." hesitated Jushiro uncertainly when everyone else remained in a furious and rather awkward silence "Are we still speculating or...?"

"Not with her" declared Byakuya steadfastly with hint of hostility in his voice that stunned a few who could only stare at him with widened eyes.

"Apparently not" Shunsui sighed sorrowfully with a shake of his head before he spoke in all seriousness "Remember that Inoue-chan has been coerced to join Aizen and that no one - not even her friends - knows what she's endured or has been made to do whilst she was held captive. She could be emotionally hurt beyond our understanding and she's simply trying to cope...All on her own. So right now, you're being awfully biased. That's unlike you."

"I am merely saying that Inoue Orihime has definitely changed and not in a good way. That alone gives us a reason to suspect her" argued the 6th Division's captain defensively before he highlighted a rather accurate yet terrifying possibility which shocked everyone else into a startling silence "Besides, whilst she might not betray her friends, she may betray us for her friends."

"Leave her out of this, Kuchiki" warned threateningly a deep voice all of a sudden, startling a few as they had forgotten about that person's presence...for usually, he wouldn't say anything.

Eyes widening a fraction whilst his eyebrows flew upwards, the noble eyed the 11th Division's captain whilst speaking condescendingly: "How odd for you to stand up for someone, Zaraki. Do you have a reason?"

"Yeah, I have my reasons" retorted Kenpachi assertively as he glowered at the 6th Division's captain "Fuckin' back off, Kuchiki, or I'll make you."

The noble glared straight back: "Should we test that theory?"

"Cut it out" commanded abruptly the purple-haired Shihoin princess with an unyielding tone that left no room to debate "The both of you. And let's stop accusing everyone just for the heck of it. Let's go through this rationally instead, and attempt to decipher Sosuke's riddle. What were his exact words, Byakuya-boy?"

Nodding once consentingly, the Kuchiki clan's leader repeated exactly what Aizen had told him so everyone to hear: "'One is pretending to be someone their not; the second, despite all I've put them through, stays unconditionally devoted to me; the third, resents me but has been conditioned to fight for me when the time is right; and the fourth holds the undisputable ability to free me, yet will not do so willingly'."

"Right" acknowledged Yoruichi with a contemplative frown "So on a logical plane, if I understand correctly, this is how we should see things. The first is putting on an act, being someone they're not; the second is completely devoted to Sosuke even though they suffered at his hand, meaning that his will shall go before their own desires; the third, is against Sosuke but will have no choice but to fight for him because they have been conditioned to; and the forth, apparently, is the only one who can free him from Muken and will not do so willingly, so since Byakuya-boy will be one to bring this particular person to Sosuke, the Kuchiki kid will probably be blackmailed to do it..."

"So the first one's obviously Ichimaru, fakin' to be on our side and..."

"Hirako-taichou" articulated Unohana soundly, with narrowed eyes "That's enough."

"And the second one's Inoue Orihime due to all the..."

The 4th Division's captain narrowed her eyes even further: "You too, Kuchiki-taichou. That. Is. ENOUGH."

Furrowing her brow lower, the new 2nd Division's captain bit her lip anxiously as a sudden realization hit her: "That aside, I have a very bad feeling about who the fourth one could be...Kisuke?"

The one in question slowly nodded as he regarded her just as uneasily: "I'm afraid that I'm thinking along the same lines as you are, Yoruichi."

"What do you two mean?" questioned Kensei, inquiring upon what everyone wanted to know.

"Well, and this is all just hypothetically, I'm the one who is behind the seal maintaining Aizen in Muken...hence only I can undo it. I might be the one he's insinuating..." explained the new 12th Division's captain before he glanced over towards the Kuchiki noble "And since you're the one who will bring him his freedom, Kuchiki-san, which would probably mean that he'll blackmail you into taking me there, since I will never free him willingly."

Although he still didn't see how Aizen would or even could blackmail him, Byakuya could only agree: "It horrifyingly makes sense. What will you do, Urahara Kisuke?"

"Well, we are to lock anyone potentially suspect, right? So..."

"I see. You have no objections?"

The sandy blonde simply smiled: "I don't really think I have a choice even if I did have any, do I?"

"My apologies" stated the noble softly for that was the only thing he felt allowed to offer the other.

"The quicker we sort this out, the better" responded Kisuke, easily waving off the other's apology, before he glanced over at the sunrise "Whatever Aizen has planned for us is seemingly very close to completion and according to him, we have only until tomorrow night."

"Indeed" murmured Rose with lowered eyes before he sighed "So...who's next?"

"Wait a minute" spoke up the 4th Division's captain "You do realize that if we're willing to consider both Urahara-taichou and Ichimaru-taichou, we'll be once again two captains short. Make that three since Hitsugaya-taichou is going with a small team to Karakura in order to supervise the deserter Arrancars. Are you willing to risk our defences over a few words from Aizen that aren't even inclined to be true?"

Yamamoto nodded at her words before declaring: "Let's not hastily draw any sudden biased conclusions. We have to consider every possible liability: our very salvation depends on it."

Hours later, near the gates of the Senkaimon:

"We're finally going home!" cheered Tatsuki loudly, smiling happily when they stood before the Senkaimon that had been opened for their departure "Oh God, it was about time."

Glancing at her with faint confusion, Uryuu said: "I thought you said that you liked this place."

"I do like this place" acknowledged the tomboy eagerly before she resorted to a small pout as she admitted reluctantly "And I honestly never thought I'd say this, but I really, really miss technology."

Ichigo laughed along with friends at Tatsuki's words, before casting a glance at the very quite Orihime in their company, expecting to see her giggle with them...only she wasn't, completely lost behind the securely closed doors of her own thoughts...

She had come out of hiding this morning and approached them with a wide smile on her face, offering them a copious self-made breakfast, stunning her friends. First of all because the food was terrible: she still didn't know how to make 'normal' food, a peculiarity she hadn't yet lost apparently.

But the most notable thing to consider was that she was acting as if nothing happened, as if she had never at all been within the clutches of another world completely... And her friends didn't know what to say, not daring to question her attitude lest it brought out another unexpected and inexplicable withdrawal. They were itching to ask her questions, but wisely though half-heartedly let it go for now, mostly content to have their bubbly friend back. She stayed with them all throughout the morning, smiling merrily and giggling with her friends.

Now however, as they all stood in front of the Senkaimon, getting ready to go home at last, her smile had disappeared, leaving room for a downcast face, and she went quiet again.

Ichigo was tempted to ask her what was wrong but Chad discreetly shook his head at him: Orihime wasn't ready yet. It was still too soon for her.

Having noticed the interaction between the two boys, Tatsuki and Uryuu glanced at each other before turning towards Orihime who had lingered a few steps behind, her eyes lowered to the ground.

"Coming, Orihime?" called out the dark-haired tomboy with a tentative smile.

Grey eyes flickering momentarily to her each of friends' own before lowering them once again, the orange-haired girl slowly took a step back from her friends: "Um, no. No, I'm not."

Along with the others, Chad stared at her with a concerned frown: "What? What do you mean you're not?"

"Don't you want to come home?" asked the Quincy as he absentmindedly gestured to their own world that lied beyond the Senkaimon.

"Of course, I do, silly" giggled Orihime mirthlessly before shaking her head as she offered them a sheepish expression "I just...I'm not coming home just yet."

"Why?" inquired Tatsuki insistently, wondering why on earth her best friend would want to delay her return of all things, given how long she spent away from home.

"I...I want to become...I mean, it be nice to...I think..." she struggled, wondering for the best way for to word it before giving up and eventually tossing it out as it was "When I die I want to become a member of the 4th Division."

All her friends did a double-take, far too taken aback for any coherent words: "HUH?!"

"With my powers and all, it makes perfect sense: no need to react like that..." she mumbled before she cleared her throat "Yeah, so...uh...I thought...well...Since I'm still here...I'd go get lessons from Unohana-san or something."

"Uh...That's...That's a good idea" offered a very hesitant Uryuu, utterly unsure of where their friend's sudden decision came from "But...um...Do you...Do you have to do this now?"

"I...uh...Ano..."

"What about school?" pointed out Tatsuki with raised eyebrows "Do you have any idea how far behind we are? Not mention you - as you've been captured - and Ichigo - with his coma: good luck to both of you with that, by the way."

"Etto..."

"Guys, guys...It's ok. If that's what she wants..." stated suddenly Ichigo in a placating tone before he raised an eyebrow at Orihime, who was ogling at him with surprised awe "That is what you want, right? Inoue?"

"Y...Yes. I want to. I really want to" nodded the orange-haired girl enthusiastically, smiling softly towards the former Shinigami Substitute with gratitude: she didn't expect him to be the one to accept her choice that easily.

"Ok then. But..."

Well, one can only hope. Keeping her smile, she tilted her head expectantly: "But?"

"Do know what the Gotei are thinking about you right now?" inquired the orange-haired teen carefully before cringing faintly when he saw her smile fall again.

Nodding solemnly, Orihime said aloud what everyone knew: "They think I'm loyal to Aizen."

Her friends all lowered their eyes: they hadn't wished for her to know about but apparently she was already aware. Well, to be honest, that wouldn't be hard to find out when nearly half of the Seireitei would stare at you in suspicion, waiting for the least slip-up on your part...

"And with that...You're still staying?" questioned Tatsuki in a whisper whilst being inwardly furious at every other Shinigami apart from Rukia, Renji, Yumichika and the others close to Ichigo.

Remaining quiet for a moment, the orange-haired girl straightened up determinedly: "I...I was hoping to prove them that I wasn't. Because if I leave, they may think I'm running away."

"Ah...We didn't think about that" voiced Uryuu in realization before declaring resolutely "Well, if you're staying, then so will we."

"NO!" cried out Orihime in utter horror, startling her friends and leading them to stare at her with wide eyes.

Realizing the way she was being gawked at, the orange-haired girl quickly composed herself as that sweet smile of hers found its way back to her face, only this time it was obviously forced: "I mean...Ha...um... Everyone should go back home or the others will worry about you. Besides, Kurosaki-kun can't stay here too long without his powers, neh?"

The four other glanced at each other in silence before casting worried eyes upon their friend whose smile turned softer in order to comfort them: "I'll be fine!"

"What about you? Aren't you worried that no one back there's going to ask about you?" the Quincy asked sceptically with a raised eyebrow which he quickly lowered when he saw Ichigo wince and Tatsuki face-palm.

Though she still smiled, her eyes shone with bittersweet melancholy: "I have no one waiting for me, Ishida-kun. Don't worry about me."

As the others glared at him, the bespectacled teen flushed apologetically: "I'm sorry."

Shaking her head and waving her hands in front of her, the orange-haired laughed nervously: "Don't be! I didn't mean to make this conversation gloomy...Sorry! Tee-hee! Besides, I have you guys, don't I? So, wait for me, ok? I'll be back home soon!"

Glancing at each other once again, her friends finally relented to her words and unwillingly made their way to the Senkaimon without her, as she seemed rather set to stay behind.

"Ok, Inoue" conceded Chad with an uncertain nod "If you say so."

"Just...Just be careful, ok? Take care of yourself" suggested Uryuu with concern in his eyes.

"Yeah" agreed Tatsuki unenthusiastically before warning her in a serious tone "And don't let anyone boss or bother you? I'll bash them up if they dare."

Orihime giggled at that before she waved at her three friends as they took off through the white light before she lowered her hand and shyly locked her eyes with Ichigo's as he stayed behind to stare at her with concern, leading her to murmur softly: "Kurosaki-kun... I'm fine."

"Then why don't I believe you?" he whispered back, observing her attentively with a scrutinizing eye, as if he hoped to decipher the puzzle his friend had become.

Maintaining his stare for awhile, she eventually closed her eyes and sighed: "Ok...I'm not fine. Not with all that's happened but..."

Before he would question her or ask her to elaborate, she shone him the most dazzling and brightest smile he had ever seen upon her face, whilst her eyes softened completely: "But I'll be alright. I promise you that."

A little dazed by her smile, he reluctantly let the issue go with a sigh: "I'll take your word for it then. Remember Inoue: You're our friend and that will never change, no matter what."

She knew, of course she knew, but it felt nice to hear it anyway: "Thank you, Kurosaki-kun."

"Later, Inoue" smiled the orange-haired teen faintly as he waved at her before he turned and walked through the Senkaimon.

As it closed behind him, a lone tear fell down her cheek, caressing her sad smile as she whispered softly: "Goodbye, Kurosaki-kun."

000000000000000000000000000000000000

Once the assembly had come to an end and a rather objectionable decision, Yamamoto had assigned Byakuya with the lock-up of those who they logically presumed to be the key pieces to Aizen's liberation...and the results had given: Urahara Kisuke, Ichimaru Gin...and Inoue Orihime, three out of four, since for the time being, they had no idea who the 3rd horseman may be, without directly accusing the Arrancars, notably Jeagerjaques Grimmjow with his powerful for the immortal...but like Aizen had so helpfully supplied, condemning the Arrancars would be too easy.

Whilst Urahara and Ichimaru easily approved of the findings much to the chagrin of some, many were utterly furiously livid when Inoue was also drawn in. Even the 3rd and 12th Division's captains protested it amongst the others, despite they too having pointed out on her recent behaviour, along with near half of the Gotei.

The Captain Commander tried to placate them by reminding them that this was mere precaution and on top of that temporary since they merely had to hold onto them until the deadline, but his words fell on deaf ears...

Byakuya Kuchiki had noticed that the 11th Division's captain dashed out of the assembly Room as soon as the meeting came to a closure, but paid no mind to it as he went about his task, escorting already Ichimaru Gin and Urahara Kisuke to the 6th Division's barracks, whilst he wondered how to approach the issue with Inoue Orihime.

When he had felt Kurosaki Ichigo and his friends' presence wane, he had frowned: if they had all gone home, they would certainly find it odd if Inoue's presence suddenly disappeared from their town and they undoubtedly would search for her...thus find out what was at play and Byakuya didn't want them involved - something nearly everyone in the Gotei had agreed to - Kurosaki the least, with his altruistic meddling personality, always needing to fly to everyone's rescue, would simply not let the issue go...

What was truly odd however, was that Inoue's presence remained, surprising the noble. He didn't let it deter him for long though as he swiftly headed over to where he sensed her, a disheartened Renji and incensed Rukia in his company, the latter who still hadn't uttered a single word to her brother...and yet Byakuya was fully aware that her rage was directed at him.

And it was only when the three reached the Senkaimon and found more than half of the 11th Division's barracks waiting for them and standing protectively around Inoue Orihime with their weapons drawn, did Byakuya comprehend Zaraki Kenpachi's aforementioned hurry.

And to say that the Kuchiki noble was peeved would be a major understatement: "Let us pass."

"Hell no" was the 11th Division's captain undaunted response, as he resolutely stared down at the noble he easily towered over with his height alone.

"Zaraki Kenpachi, don't try my patience" warned the Kuchiki clan's leader frostily, hand already resting upon the hilt of his zanpaktou "I won't repeat myself again."

Kenpachi's face split into a wide grin as he taunted the other: "Don't bother then, Kuchiki."

The beast from the Zaraki district could only smirk even broader in sheer excitement when he witnessed the other slowly drawing out Senbonzakura, leading him to eagerly respond in turn by unsheathing his own sword.

At first, neither moved, both sizing each other up - one with a cold irritated glare, the other with a large thrilled smile - when their zanpaktou abruptly and fiercely clashed against each other only seconds later.

His grin never leaving his face, Kenpachi swung his blade, aiming for the noble's neck only to have the latter casually block seconds before impact.

Using shunpo, the 11th Division's captain lunged at the other from the side, but with a simple swift sidestep, Byakuya evaded the attack...only he didn't expect the mass of a man to lash out at him with his free hand, scraping the noble's arm with his abnormally sharpened nails.

As the Kuchiki's blood slowly dripped to the ground, Kenpachi cackled joyously, licking his lips with exhilaration when he saw the noble's eyes narrow dangerously: he had made Byakuya angry...Good.

One minute, they staring each other down, the next minute, they were nothing but a blur of black and white charging at each other, the reverberations of their swords furiously resounding within the air, as Byakuya attempted to end this as quickly as possible, whilst Kenpachi sought to drag it out as long as he could, whilst the others present mutely watched...

As the battle drew longer and Byakuya was beginning to see no end to this, he drew Renji's attention: "Abarai. Get Inoue Orihime."

The red-haired lieutenant wanted to protest but a hardened glare from his captain made him sigh dejectedly, resigning himself to do as he was ordered before turning towards Orihime to eye her apologetically, which she accepted with a small smile.

Pushing against the growing guilt, Renji took a step forward towards the Shinigami guarding the orange-haired girl, and before his next step, he found himself with a blade upon his throat.

Eyes going wide and hand flying to his zanpaktou, he focused on the owner only to groan in exasperation: "Damn it, Madarame-san! I don't want to do this."

"Neither do I" Ikkaku admitted ruefully with a deep frown, before he readjusted his weapon in order not to injure the other "Yet here we are..."

"I don't want to do this" confessed the red-haired sincerely as he lowered his eyes.

"Then don't" replied simply the 3rd Seat of the 11th Division with a shrug, smirking faintly when Renji nodded and retrieved his hand from his zanpaktou.

Clenching his teeth in annoyance upon viewing his lieutenant's disinclination to comply with his command, Byakuya forcefully kicked away his opponent before the backup he had previously though discreetly summoned via Hell Butterflies made their sudden appearance in large numbers and promptly bound the unsuspecting 11th Division's members with kido spells, leaving Orihime wide open and unprotected.

As enraged curses rang loudly in the air, the noble sheathed his zanpaktou before declaring loudly for all to hear: "The decision has already been taken. You were simply delaying it."

"Delaying what decision? What's going on here?" inquired Yumichika, abruptly appearing and frowning with worry at the sight before him.

"This is none of your concern" replied the Kuchiki coldly, frustrated by the waste of time they had just endured as he walked towards the orange-haired human girl.

"Yumi, they wanna lock up Inoue!" warned Ikkaku as he lividly struggled against his bonds.

In an instant, the 5th Seat was at the girl's side, holding her protectively in his arms and glaring dangerously at the approaching noble: "What?! Why would you?!"

"The entire Seireitei will be in jeopardy if Aizen Sosuke gets out. Given that fact, I am more than willing to do anything to prevent that from happening. And it so happens..."

"More than willing?!" echoed Yumichika in utter horror, holding onto the now trembling girl even tighter as she buried her face in his chest "You're more than willing to drag someone who's innocent in this bloody mess?!"

"She's not as innocent as you th..."

"I DON'T CARE! AND YOU SHOULDN'T EITHER!"

Utterly fed up of being cut off by the 5th Seat, Byakuya closed his eyes in irritation: "You're right. I don't. Hold him down. We don't have time for this."

Upon seeing his friend wince as he was violently seized and restrained by the men of the 6th Division, Ikkaku thrashed about even harder: "Hey! Leave him alone! And get these fuckin' things off me!"

"Like hell we're letting you lock her up!" declared Yumichika angrily as he too fought back "We promised Ichigo that we'd protect her!"

When Kenpachi saw Byakuya resume walking towards the human girl, he yelled menacingly at the stop of his lungs: "GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HER, KUCHIKI!"

"NII-SAMA!" cried out Rukia no longer able to stay hushed, horrified by the events unfolding before her.

"Enough!" shouted Orihime all of a sudden, stunning everyone into stillness.

"In...Inoue..." stammered the petite Kuchiki, regarding her friend with astonishment, whilst her brother looked completely taken aback by the expression the human girl wore: it seemed torn somewhere between pained, guilty, fed-up and outright furious.

"Inoue-chan?" whispered Yumichika with wide eyes as he witnessed along with the others Orihime reign in her emotions with great difficulty, replacing them with a mask of casualness before she walked up to the silent Kuchiki noble.

Stopping once she was near enough, she tilted her head slightly as she questioned in an uncharacteristically solemn tone: "You believe that I'm worthy of betrayal, Kuchiki-san?"

"Unfortunately for you, yes, I do" asserted Byakuya as he overcame his initial shock, regarding her with a raised eyebrow as if daring her to contradict him.

Much to the utter bewilderment of everyone, including him...she didn't, resorting to only nod absentmindedly as she spoke softly: "Do what you must then."

Alarmed by her easy acceptance, Yumichika's jaw dropped: "Inoue-chan?!"

"I do have however a request" informed the human with extreme politeness, obliviously ignoring the stock still stares upon her.

Though everything had gone way beyond weird, the Kuchiki noble still managed to frown: "You're in no position to..."

"Hold up, Kuchiki-taichou. No need to be so harsh" placated Shunsui gently who placed a hand on the noble's shoulder as he made his appearance before he smile at the human girl "We're listening, my sweet princess."

Oddly enough, instead of being putting at ease by the 8th Division's captain's soothing tone, she seemed to be even more on edge than before, even taking an apprehensive step back as she whispered unkindly with hard eyes: "Please don't call me that."

When she noticed that everyone was staring at her in puzzlement, she quickly amended her expression to something softer as she continued to whisper: "Uh...sorry..." she then locked eyes with Rukia "Kuchiki-san, if...If it's ok with you, can you not tell Kurosaki-kun and the others?"

The petite Kuchiki's eyes doubled in size: "Inou...?!"

"Because if you do, they'll come to try and free me and I..." Orihime quickly explained before her eyes dimmed as she murmured "I don't...I don't want them to be in trouble because of me."

Though Rukia understood the other girl's words, she felt the need to say something, anything: "Inoue, I..."

"Please" begged the orange-haired girl desperately, gazing the petite Shinigami with pleading eyes "Please, Kuchiki-san."

The petite Shinigami melted as she relented with a deep sigh: "I guess I can do that for you. But they'll find it strange if you don't go back home anytime soon."

Acknowledging the other's words with a small smile, the human girl closed her eyes: "I'll be fine...as long as they don't get involved."

"Are you implying something, Inoue Orihime?" inquired Byakuya firmly as he stared at the human girl, not liking her easily compliance: it felt...fishy and way too good to be true.

"Nothing you would understand, Kuchiki-san" retorted Orihime resolutely, not even bothering to cast the other a glance.

"Why you..."

"Nii-sama, please" chided Rukia beseechingly as she held onto her incensed brother's arm before focusing back on the orange-haired girl "I won't tell them, Inoue. I promise."

Sweet relief flooded Orihime's entire being at the petite Kuchiki's words: her friends would not know of this. She couldn't have asked for anything else...

As two of the 6th Division approached her to take hold of her, the human girl smiled softly at a guiltily-ridden Rukia: "Thank you."

A sudden flare of violent reiatsu swirled in the air and with the sound of a sonido, Orihime found herself staring into narrowed blue eyes: "What do you think you're doing, woman?!"

"Grimmjow-sama" uttered the human girl in a stunned whisper as she took in the other with widened eyes and, whilst the others present tensed at the fierce energy emanating from the Arrancar, Orihime didn't seem affected by it...she seemed more alarmed by his question.

Having obtained the right for sanctuary and exclusion from the upcoming battle, Grimmjow and the other Arrancars were readying their departure for Karakura, where there already were a few Shinigami stationed there waiting for them. And the 8th Division's captain and two lieutenants were supposed to escort them until their arrival.

But on their way to the Senkaimon, they felt the fluctuations of reiatsu so they rushed over to see what was wrong, arriving at the same time as Yumichika.

As things began to turn sour, Shunsui had asked everyone to stay put until he sorted things out before heading out to appease the conflict between the 6th and 11th Divisions, whilst Stark asked Nanao what all the fuss was about.

Reluctant at first, she then chose to answer him, telling them of their dilemma, of Aizen's horsemen, of how many suspected Orihime to be one...and Grimmjow saw blood red...

"You're not answering me" snarled Grimmjow quietly whilst baring his teeth as he drew nearer to Orihime's pale face "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

Wide panicked eyes never leaving his, she addressed the Shinigami, seeking permission: "Can...Can I talk to him alone?"

"Of course" accepted the 8th Division's captain easily as he grabbed hold of a stunned Byakuya to draw back a little whilst indicating to everyone present to follow his lead.

"Kyoraku Shunsui, what are you...?" protested the Kuchiki noble as wrenched himself from the other's hold and glared at his nonchalant colleague.

"Leave them be" smiled Shunsui with a shrug as he eyed the human and the Arrancar talking "What harm can it do?"

Despite their distance covering the discretion of their talk, their conversation was done in hushed whispers, his angry and anxious, hers placating and pleading.

The others watched on as Orihime softly said something that led Grimmjow's eyes to go wide, prompting him to grab at her as she had began to walk away from him.

Pulling her against him, he whispered in ear whilst she listened attentively with sad eyes, before she eventually shook her head and gave the other a half-smile, effectively freeing herself from his hold this time...

Jogging back towards the Shinigami, Orihime cleared her throat with a determined nod: "You can take me away now."

"Then let us go" announced the Kuchiki noble firmly as he started to walk away, leading the way as he was closely followed by the men of his Division - with the exception of Renji who stayed behind to comfort Rukia who had burst in tears - and an extremely quiet Inoue Orihime.

"Inoue-chan!" called out Yumichika, running after them now that he was free but stopped in his tracks as Kenpachi held him back, shaking his head: there was nothing they could do now.

As she walked away, Orihime didn't meet any of the eyes fixated upon her, despite how much they wished for it, as they watched her turn her back on them and follow the guards that had come to take her away...whilst the very few who noticed, could see out of the corner of their eye, the feline blue-haired Arrancar's shoulders shaking in silent rage...

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Right after the recent assembly, the distraught 5th Division's lieutenant had taken refuge in the kitchen of the division's barracks, cooking to keep her mind busy when she heard a couple rather loud voices gossiping under the window.

"Did you hear?" an animated voice asked noisily, unmindful of anyone who may overhear.

"Yes, yes" acknowledged another, slightly calmer yet maintained the same volume as his colleague "Aizen has inside men at his service, from within the Seireitei itself."

"That's not very reassuring, is it?" inquired a third voice nervously in a quasi-whisper.

"It sure as hell ain't" the first one huffed angrily before he questioned "Did the higher-ups figure out who it was?"

"Aizen mentioned four. So far they put their hands on three" informed the second voice casually, not really that perturbed by the situation like the other two.

"Who?" wondered the third, his voice thick with unease.

The second answered: "Kisuke Urahara, Ichimaru Gin and Inoue Orihime."

"That cute human girl?" stated the first in surprise before he clicked his tongue in sympathy "Poor thing, accusing her like that. And two captains? Then again, Ichimaru was Aizen's right-hand man, no? And we know nothing of that Urahara guy. Where did he even come from anyway?"

"Rumour has it that this Urahara is the one who sealed him" replied the second voice, seemingly having the answers to all his two colleagues' questions.

"Ah..." uttered the first in understanding "Then he's good, no? Good riddance for that fuckin' shitty Aizen bastard. So long as he's kept that way."

Momo closed her eyes in frustration as she sighed deep and loud, jaded of hearing others defame Aizen-taichou: she couldn't stand it when they did. Hearing things like that made her want to violently throttle the ones uttering such words...no matter how close they were to her...

Shaking her away her dark thoughts, she sighed: she was painfully aware of what he has done to everyone - including to her - and knew that he now planned for their downfall...only she couldn't hate him for it all. She just...didn't want to. As plain and as simple as that.

Don't get her wrong, she had tried to convince herself that she should, that she had to, that she needed to...but in the end she just wasn't able to. Her reality as a Shinigami had clung on tightly to Aizen-taichou's existence and without him...she was nothing. She cared not of his betrayal, of his supposed wickedness, neither of all his manipulations and dark misdeeds. She cared about him, only him.

She couldn't fight it, she couldn't deny it, she could only question it. And dear me, how did she question it: why did she feel that way towards him? Like, without him, she would never ever belong?

She sighed again as her eyes flickered down to the cookies she had baked, regarding them with mild amusement and heavy sadness. Initially, she had baked them for her new captain to make him feel a little more welcome.

She grimaced slightly at their first few interactions when she accidently called him 'Aizen-taichou', earning various reactions from the blonde captain: shocked, disturbed, repulsed, angry...but not at her. He was in fact very kind towards her and was quite droll in a way.

The only thing that could be considered as a negative trait was his incredible laziness. Though he had warned her about it, she had not expected it to be to this extent: at times, he was even worse than Kyoraku-taichou and that was saying something. Yet, all in all, he was a nice person...only he was not Aizen-taichou.

She fiddled with the cookies on which she wrote the initials 'A.S' instead of 'H.S', wondering if she could fix her mistake when a thought struck her: why didn't she just go give them to Aizen-taichou instead?

Even if he was fed in prison, she doubted it was any good. Besides, having heard of the immortal's mistreatment for the sake of interrogation, maybe her baking skills could be put to good use and raise his spirits?

Convinced that she had just come up with the idea of the century and was quite proud with herself, Momo dashed out as fast as she could whilst holding the onto the plate as if it were a lifeline, making a beeline to where Muken was rumoured to be situated for, as it was off-limits to anyone who wasn't a captain, it's exact location was unknown to everyone else...

She was nearly there and was beginning to mentally consider her options to find and enter the prison furtively when a voice called out to her making her freeze mid-run: "Excuse me there, young miss."

She pivoted towards that voice and her eyes fell upon a rather handsome young dark-haired man observing her with enigmatic emerald eyes, who smiled at her the moment her eyes met his.

Blushing slightly whilst wondering who he was as she had never seen him around before, Momo smiled back politely: "Can I help you?"

"If you would be so kind to" replied the mysterious man just as courteously, his smile never leaving his face "I'm looking for a young girl."

"A young girl?" the 5th Division's lieutenant frowned uneasily, not liking the way the other's sentence sounded.

"Oh dear" uttered the man with a chuckle...that sounded oddly familiar to her, only she couldn't place it "Please don't find this odd. She's in fact a relative of mine."

Momo flushed in embarrassment at her own hasty presumptions: "Oh, I see. Sorry."

Not changing his pleasant his expression, he shook his head gently: "I should be the one to apologize. I should have worded it differently."

"No, it's ok" smiled the young lieutenant with a wave of her hand before she inquired curiously "So...do you know who you're looking for?"

"Yes, I do actually" asserted the man smilingly as he took a step closer to her and whispered in a darker tone "I'm looking at her right now."

Doing a double-take and not at all expecting that answer, Momo's eyes doubled in size as she stuttered and unconsciously took a step back: "Excuse me?"

It was the man's turn to regard her with incredulity: "Don't tell me this surprises you?" before his smile returned as he tilted his head at her "It does, doesn't it?"

Frowning with confused fear, she took another step back, her hand gradually reaching for her sword: "I...I think you're mistaken, sir. My name is Momo Hinamori and..."

The man's hand swiftly slammed over the hilt of her zanpaktou to prevent her from drawing it, startling her with his rapidity. He then reached out with the other hand to place it behind her back, pulling her against him, as he continued to speak, his voice darker with each sentence: "That's what you think your name is...but do you believe that?"

Losing her voice, she shuddered at the man's proximity but couldn't bring herself to pull away, as the mysterious menacing man continued: "Let me ask you this: haven't you ever felt like you never belonged, wherever you went?"

This time, she tried to speak, to deny his words despite having felt exactly that way, her voice coming out in a quiet shaky, breathy whisper: "But I..."

Only the man didn't let her utter a word, pulling her even closer, as she somehow slowly went limp in his hold, her uneven breathing the only proof that she was still conscious. She clutched at his robes as she tried to maintain grip on reality, but the man's entire presence was clogging her mind: her very existence was swallowed by this man...and instead of feeling afraid, she felt drawn...like a moth to a flame...even if the outcome in the end was to be burned to her very core. She knew this feeling. She felt it before...with...

"Did you ever wonder why it was only around Sosuke Aizen that you felt that you existence held any real meaning?" asked the man softly, his lips to her ear, his voice a velvet poisonous caress, before abruptly pulling away, allowing the fog that permeated Momo's being to depart from her, leaving her a confused, struggling, panting mess...who reached out for him as he backed away before she realized what she was doing.

Snatching her hand back and clutching at her chest, feeling her wildly beating heart as she did so, she stared, half in fear, half in awe, at the calmly smiling man before her: "Who...who are you?"

"The real question, child" chose to respond the other as he held out a hand towards her, a gorgeous purple coloured butterfly rested in the middle of his palm "Is who are you?"

By now, Momo was shaking but she couldn't understand why she was so disconcerted, so unsettled, so overwhelmed, as her eyes fell on the small butterfly and she found herself unable to look away, with the man eyeing her reaction with dark unconcealed mirth.

Nearing the butterfly to her face instead and letting it flutter gently against her parted lips, he whispered darkly: "Ready to wake up, my dear Hinamori...?"

She didn't get to hear the rest as an intake of her breath through her mouth caused her to swallow the little butterfly whole, leading her world completely faded to black...yet, as she did so, she felt a strong sense of subdual yet also delightful dark deliverance wash over her entire being...

Somewhere in Karakura Town, within a remote yet deluxe residence:

The door gently creaked open, causing Toshiro, dressed in casual wear, to interrupt his paper work in favour of focusing his attention upon the source of disturbance. He was rather taken aback to see it was one of the Arrancars under surveillance, unaccompanied by his lieutenant somehow, who had her head poking from behind the door and was now curiously peering inside. He withheld the urge to roll his eyes: out of Renji, Rukia, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Misaki, his lieutenant and himself who were responsible over guarding the Arrancars in the residence Urahara had pointed out for them, leave it to Matsumoto Rangiku to be the one to mess up miserably any simple task given out to her...

He stared as her searching eyes inquisitively looked over the room before they come to halt and widen as they met his, before she lowered them respectfully and spoke up apologetically: "Please do forgive my interruption: I had no intention to intrude. I shall take my leave."

Toshiro raised an eyebrow at her politeness, a trait that was certainly not shared with the other Deserter Arrancars, before he enquired: "Might I ask then, what was your intention, roaming around without my lieutenant?"

His question stopped her in her movements of retreat, while causing a small smile to grace her lips which she hastily hid with her long sleeve - even though everyone had been given Gigai and a large choice of attires, most of the Arrancars chose clothes that reflected their former uniforms as soldiers under Aizen's reign, unable to escape the habit: "I do apologize, however sitting idly and pinning my ears back for a drunkard woman endlessly recounting me her entire life isn't exactly my cup of tea. Therefore, tedious with my circumstances, as she fell into a slumber, I had decided upon searching for a pleasant book to read, but have yet to find any."

"In other words, you were bored" stated Toshiro, slightly amused by the way she had formulated her situation whilst being utterly annoyed by Rangiku, before he asked with noticeable surprise in his voice "Do you enjoy reading, Arrancar?

"Indeed I do: Aizen Sosuke had brought on a few when he vacated to our world and I've really taking a liking to it" she answered while closing her eyes pleasantly "After all, in a world of desolation and monotony such as the Hueco Mundo, there is only little of which one can do to occupy oneself, besides hollow butchery between ourselves..."

Scrunching up her nose distastefully as she said that, she then giggled out emptily: "Oh my, such a quaint choice of words... Beings such as us are indeed hollow to begin with..."

Toshiro remained silent as he realized that Orihime may have been right when she had mentioned that they knew nothing about these Arrancars in particular: there was a lot more to them to what the Shinigami had previously thought...

He then shifted his attention back to his work while informing the female Arrancar: "We do not have a large choice in literature here, unfortunately, however if there is something that interests you, help yourself."

"How very kind of you, Hitsugaya-sama" eulogized the Arrancar, before speedily walking over to the book case the young captain had casually gestured to with his free hand, letting her wide eager eyes flit from title to title as her pale slender fingers reached out, ready for the taking but not exactly yet touching. Upon finding a title which appealed to her, she daintily took hold of it and stared as it silently for awhile.

Glancing over towards the diligently occupied 10th Division's captain, she contemplated on whether or not to raise her voice to thank him and risk interrupting him yet again: it was not in her manners to just take off like that without uttering some words of gratitude yet it also wasn't like her to trouble another repeatedly...

Noticing a couch in the room, she decides to go seat herself there to read quietly. As she sat down, she glanced over towards the white-haired captain to check if her presence bothered him. When he didn't protest and merely carried on his work, Sun-Sung finally opened the book and began reading...

Moments later, the room's door suddenly flung open, disturbing its owner for the second time today, as Rangiku rushed inside panicking and panting, as if she had ran a marathon all over town: "It's terrible! One of the Arrancars is g..."

The 10th Division's lieutenant paused in her outburst as her annoyed captain, who didn't even bother to raise his head from his papers, just lifted his free hand and pointed over to a corner of the room, causing her eyes to follow...only to see that in that very corner, comfortably upon a couch, calmly sat the Arrancar reading a book. She let her eyes go up to the lieutenant's stunned face, waved at her with a cheerful expression, before turning her rapt attention back to her book in her hands.

"What the...?" began Rangiku, still taken aback before a vein throbbed upon her forehead "You were here?! And I went and searched half the town for you! Wanna tell me why..."

"Matsumoto" interrupted the captain's tight voice, making his lieutenant turn back towards him and wince when she saw irritation in his eyes "I am busy, if you don't mind..."

Embarrassed, she flushed before glaring at the dark olive-haired girl when she heard her snicker quietly at her discomfort, only to meet gentle mischief in her eyes and nothing but.

"How are the other Arrancars settling in?" inquired Toshiro lightly, his eyes still glued to his work.

"I thought you said you were busy" muttered Rangiku petulantly before she cleared her throat to answer him when he raised an eyebrow at her without looking "They're fine."

"Good" accepted the white-haired captain with a nod before asking again "And what are they doing?"

"Well, there's Stark and Lilynette snoring away on the couch upstairs. Ggio, Findor, Illfort and Eduardo are playing a board game whilst Mila Rose and Appacci are playing darts, using each other as dartboards, all of them in the lounge downstairs. Reniji's with them yet isn't able to do much to stop them. Hallibel is on the roof, meditating she said, and Misaki's up there with her. Grimmjow and Nell-chan went over with Rukia-chan to go visit Ichigo. Luppi, Cirucci and Abirama are in the back garden, the latter sparing with Madarame. No idea where Yumichika is though..."

As Sun-Sung stifled a laugh after hearing what some of her companions were doing, Toshiro sweat-dropped when Rangiku mentioned what those in the garden were up to: "I see... Those two better not break anything."

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"Pfft..." Cirucci huffed heatedly as she glared at Abirama and Ikkaku brawling like blissful batty brutes, turning the peaceful atmosphere of the lush garden into a battlefield just for entertainment.

"Is fighting all he thinks about?" she muttered under breath, causing Luppi to snicker at her before he sauntered off back inside the house to see what the others were doing, leaving the purple-haired female behind on her own...though not for long.

"I just ran into Antenor-san. Were you talking about the 3rd Seat or...?" a rich and refined dainty voice questioned from behind her.

As she turned to face the man who was holding a small tray, he lifted an elegant feathered eyebrow as he finished his question: "Is this about your lover?"

Her eyelashes flutter as she regarded him quietly at first, gauging him before she sighed deeply, looking back at the battling pair and resting her face upon her propped up hands: "Is it that obvious?"

Sitting down beside her and setting the tray next to him, the man smirked knowingly: "No, not at all. You both hide it so well."

"Ha, ha...Go ahead: make fun of me" pouted Cirucci childishly making the other chuckle softly as he handed her a cup of tea which she gingerly accepted, nodding her thanks.

"Might I ask..." questioned the black-haired Shinigami inquisitively "How did you meet?"

"Curious much?" teased the purple-haired Arrancar sweetly with a smile and a bat of her long eyelashes "Or are you some hopeless romantic?"

He was quick to return her smile as he spoke mysteriously: "Maybe I'm neither...Maybe I'm both...Maybe I'm just trying to strike a conversation...Your choice..."

"Hm...I think you're the former" pondered the female bird-like Arrancar as she tapped a finger to her chin after casting him a thoughtful glance, before lifting an eyebrow "Curiosity killed the cat, you know? Didn't anyone ever tell you that?"

Though he kept his smile, his expression dimmed a little: "Oh, don't worry. I'm quite aware."

"Funny guy..." she stated with interest, having seen the change in his face before she relented to his question "Well, let's satisfy your curiosity, shall we? My little brother, Luppi (1), and I were alone in the Hueco Mundo for a very long time, struggling to survive and nearly incapable of doing so...for me anyway. See, it was rather rare - and it still is - to find female Arrancars, as it is even rarer for them to be initially present amongst Hollows, for while mankind is generally selfish, women are very often also selfless, so it was rare for them to become Hollow in the first place. Most female hollow were either those who had sacrificed themselves for others or came back to destroy those who killed them... Anyways, not only female Arrancars were rare, they were also the ones that were predominantly hunted and it was not just to be eaten: we were either preys or lays... Sometimes, I wished I had been eaten instead...but then again, that would have meant leaving my brother behind..."

"I'm sorry..." came out Yumichika's sincere and heartfelt apology as he lowered his eyes.

"Don't be. There's no point in that" she shrugged indifferently, having grown over throughout time, before she carried on her narrative "One day, after I had been spared yet again by being but a vulgar means of rutting, Grimmjow-sama's herd found and tended to us. Amongst them was Abirama, who, after what I think was love at first sight or whatever, forced Luppi to tell him the names of all the Arrancars that had ever harmed me, before going on a mad rampaging killing-spree, slaying every, single, one of them. By the time he came back, I was long healed and had been trained to be stronger by none other than Grimmjow-sama himself. It was then that Abirama confessed that he loved me and swore loud and clear that he'd let no other male lay his finger on me...A rather ostentatious and arrogant declaration that overwhelmed me just the same...We've been together since, apart at times, but we've never had a need for a closure in our relationship."

Glancing at the male Arrancar combating his friend, the 5th Seat smiled softly as focused back on the purple-haired seated beside him: "You were meant for each other."

"We were, weren't we?" grinned Cirucci with a faint blush as she absentmindedly began threading her fingers through one of her ponytails "I can't imagine being with anyone else."

"Is this feeling mutual?" inquired the black-haired Shinigami as he crossed his legs.

"Of not being with anyone else?" uttered the female Arrancar with a pondering look before she clicked her tongue "I wouldn't know. I didn't ask him. Then again, he's the one who spoke of love first."

"True" Yumichika smirked with a nod of his head, before he raised his cup to his lips.

"Well...Now you know of my love life, what of yours?" asked the purple-haired Arrancar with a playful glint in her eyes "You're a decently handsome beauty and I'm sure you've had your own share of romantic encounters. Go on and tell me: I have yet to finish my tea."

"Thank you for the compliment" accepted the other as his smirk widened before his eyes stared at the sky above them as he meditated on the subject "Let's see...Encounters, many. Romantic? None."

"None?" echoed Cirucci incredulously with wide stunned eyes before she tilted her head in bewilderment "Why is that?"

"Let's just say..." began Yumichika quietly with a tight smile before he closed his eyes and lowered his head, dark locks hiding his expression from her prying eyes "There's no romance when everything experienced...is forced."

Still within Karakura, in front of the Kurosaki Clinic:

"Ichi-nii!" cried out merrily the little brown-haired girl who rushed over and hurriedly threw herself into her brother's awaiting arms "Welcome home!"

"Yep, I'm back" uttered Ichigo with a warm smile as he ruffled affectionately at his sister's toffee brown locks, while Rukia walked over to greet Karin who grinned at her happily.

After going to greet his other sister, the orange-haired teen looked over to the two others accompanying them, within their respective Gigai, who hadn't moved from the entrance: "Ah, Yuzu, Karin, these are our friends: Nelliel and Grimmjow."

The chirpy female dashed quickly over to them to say hello, while the male Arrancar just stood there rigidly and gave an awkward wave to the two girls.

As Nelliel kept the two sisters occupied by chatting away enthusiastically with them, Grimmjow shifted his eyes to glance at Ichigo, wondering if his ears were playing tricks on him or if he had heard right: that kid...had called him, an Arrancar, previously known as an Espada who was his very enemy, who had nearly killed him, more than once, his friend?

But then again, the orange-haired probably said so since he lacked of something better to say or because it was easier for him to fool his sisters that way, yet the way the word itself rolled off the other's tongue seemed so genuine.

Now that he thought about it, he had overheard the bespectacled teen often admonishing Ichigo for considering everyone and anyone he met as his friends...

Friend...The further he thought about it, the further word seemed extremely foreign to him, having always been more familiar with terms like 'rival', 'foe', 'enemy', 'target', 'victim', 'prey', 'follower', 'subordinate', 'servant'...he abruptly closed his eyes as his thoughts darkened when the word 'slave', closely followed by 'master', both popped up in his mind.

Shaking away his dour dark thoughts of the past, Grimmjow focused back on the present and stared in wonder at the orange-haired teen's utterly relaxed expression, admiring the way he softly smiled at his younger siblings: he honestly didn't think the teen capable of any other expression then scowling or frowning...or both. Wait, was there even a difference between the two?

"Ano...Jea...um...Jeager...uh...Jea...jaques -san?"

Said person suddenly snapped himself out of his inner musings, as Yuzu timidly yet bravely approached him, smiling tentatively at him: "Pleased to meet you..."

"Same" nodded Karin briskly before she clicked her tongue in frustration "Though your name is sure as hard as hell to pronounce. You're from out of space or something?"

Instantly, Grimmjow's eyebrow twitched in annoyance as a vein throbbed viciously upon his forehead at this brat's remark...She disturbingly reminded him of Ichigo.

Locking eyes with her brother, the blue-haired raised an eyebrow as he sneered sarcastically: "She's just like you, you know? Sure she isn't your twin?"

The girls laughed, as the orange-haired teen flushed and spluttered before he crossed his arms and muttered unintelligibly under his breath, making the male Arrancar smirk triumphantly at the other's discomfort.

Shaking her head with a wide smile, Rukia giggled along with the others before she exhaled as she admitted reluctantly: "I need to go back."

"You sure?" uttered the teen as he frowned in her direction whereas the twins stared at each other knowingly, before they grabbed the two Arrancars and dragged them inside, making shushing motions as they did so, in order to give Rukia and Ichigo some privacy.

"Yeah..." nodded the petite Shinigami before she grimaced uncomfortably "Things are pretty hectic with all that's going down. Despite being in Muken, Aizen's not making it easy for us."

"I can only imagine" sighed Ichigo in understanding before he inquired on his friend "How's Inoue?"

Though it went unnoticed to the teen, Rukia's went mouth dry as Orihime's pleadings her to not tell anyone rang through her mind, prompting the black-haired to unwillingly fib to the one before her: "She's...she's fine. Don't worry about her."

"I guess" murmured the former Shinigami Substitute in an unconvinced tone: it wasn't that he saw through Rukia's lie, it was just that Orihime's cheerless expressions came to haunt him every now and then, relentlessly making him feel bad for leaving her behind, all on her own...

"Hey" called out the petite Kuchiki softly as she set a comforting hand on Ichigo's, before she spoke words that she wished she could believe in "Everything's going to be ok. We just have to have faith in her, right?"

"Right" acknowledged Ichigo with a lopsided smile, grateful that she always had away to make him better, even if it was just a little "Thanks, Rukia."

Patting his hand reassuringly with a small smile, she drew back and began walking away: "I'll see you soon."

"Yeah" waved the orange-haired teen "Say hi to everyone for me."

"Will do" she promised before she shunpo-ed away, leaving Ichigo to his muddled emotions and tangled thoughts until a voice suddenly interrupted them.

"Rukia-senpaï, huh?" chortled mirthfully the voice from above "Though personally, I think Abarai-senpaï is a much better match for her."

Ichigo glanced up as Rikichi hopped down from the high window sill of Ichigo's room upon which the 7th Division's lieutenant was seated on, before landing gracefully on his feet right beside him, looking at the orange-haired teen with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

"What are you doing here, Kichiki?"

"Rikichi" corrected the other automatically before he shrugged "I was in the neighbourhood: Had to do something for my c'ptain" he paused before the mischief returned in his expression "So...you didn't answer me...hm?"

"Well..." hesitated Ichigo with a frown and a slight blush "Uh...I... I think if Rukia liked me that way she would have said something by now. She is, after all, a very straightforward person, right?"

Rikichi blinked slowly at the other before smirking in a rather patronizing way: "You poor boy: you're entirely clueless."

Here, the orange-haired teen bristled with indignation: "Hey! Aren't you a boy yourself?!"

"Ah...But I have been a boy for years...unlike you."

"You're really something, aren't you?"

Not a single ounce of modesty in his words, Rikichi batted his eyelashes as he declared pompously: "A gem amongst many."

"And now you're being full of yourself" deadpanned the former Shinigami Substitute.

The 7th Division's lieutenant laughed giddily before he began to saunter away though not without flashing at the teen a broad cheerful smile: "Later, Kurosaki-san."

000000000000000000000000000000000000

Blood. There was too much blood. Far too much blood as the white tiles upon which he laid were now crimson instead, as he tried to breathe through excruciatingly perforated lungs.

As he took in the bloodily massacre he was responsible for, his master had clicked his tongue, himself admitted that he had gone a little too far this time.

A little? If he had been able to, Grimmjow would have laughed out long and loud: the session had quickly transformed from sadistic violent sex to terrifyingly brutal torture...and Aizen had the gall to say 'a little'?

His thoughts flew apart as a sudden scream of a young girl broke out in the room. Shifting his hazy sight, his eyes fell upon the shocked and horrified face of the orange-haired human who stared at his features...and he could only guess what she saw...

Exhaustion was etched upon his face, pain infused within his features and shame tainted his usually feral, overconfident eyes, now glazed over by dim navy, instead of being vivid blue.

She was frozen: she couldn't move, she couldn't think, she couldn't speak, she was just...frozen...She couldn't even tell what exactly was stilling her in the first place: Was it...Fear? ...Shock? ...Horror? ...Disbelief? ...Or all four at once? She didn't know.

She felt like she no longer even knew who she was. She then asked herself for the umpteenth time since she let herself be led to the Hueco Mundo: Was coming here really the right thing to do? Was it worth it? Putting her powers at the use of evil incarnate?

Remembering that her refusal to join him would have been her friends' demise, she finally began breathing again as she lost herself in a sort of mantra she had created to keep a hold of her crumbling self: her name was Orihime Inoue and the reason she was here was for the sake of all her friends...for Tatsuki-chan...for Sado-kun...for Ishida-Kun...for Kurosaki-kun...

"Ah, Orihime" voiced Aizen smilingly, his voice as cruelly calm as ever as he acknowledged her presence "Be a darling for me and heal Grimmjow, hm? You've already had an experience healing him, haven't you? It shouldn't be too difficult for you."

"The hollows in comparison to you are merely wayward beasts" uttered quietly a wide-eyed Orihime unthinkingly "You...You're the sickest, most horrid, evil, vile monster I've ever met."

"What a refreshing point of view" chuckled Aizen in amusement rather than being in any way offended by her words "Now that that's been said, come over and heal him."

"So you can do it again?!" cried out the human girl, before she shook her head vehemently "No, I won't do it."

In a flash, he was before her, staring down at her whilst his reiatsu flared ragingly, dangerously. Instantly falling down to her knees under the ominous pressure, her breath clogged within her throat as she suffocated on the imposing, smothering presence of his.

Her vision dimmed to black, leaving her blind to her surroundings, yet painfully aware of his existence: it was the only thing she could feel, the only thing that was there.

Her frantic gasps for air and loud rapid terrified heartbeat were the only things ringing loud within her ears.

Her hands reached out, desperately trying to hold onto something, anything to alleviate the excruciating agony, the looming sentiment of have death itself crushing her entire being, the impression that this...was her very last breath...

Abruptly as it came, the pressure desisted and sweet air filled the girl's lungs in such a rush, that she could only choke and cough at the sudden yet welcome intrusion.

She fell face first the floor as she struggled to breathe, welcoming the coolness of the tiles against her flushed skin of her cheek.

Shaking as if she had just undergone successive seizures, her eyes were wide open with shock and completely dilated in fear, whilst her panic-stricken heartbeat gradually calmed down.

And all the while, Aizen merely stared, patiently waiting for the girl to come back to reality.

When she did, by slowly lifting her frightened eyes up to the lord of the Espada, he informed her heartlessly with an ill-omened glint in his eyes that chilled her to the bone: "Don't mistake my leniency towards you for kindness, Orihime. I am not a kind man...nor am I a patient one for that matter."

Not wanting to try his patience, Orihime tried to voice her understanding but found herself incapable of saying a single word...and that only alarmed her more: she didn't want to anger him further yet was so shaken that she had lost her voice.

After a few more tries, she eventually resorted to nodding stiffly: it was the only thing she was still capable of doing...and it seemed to be enough for the brown-haired, who smirked before he leisurely made his way out. Yet did not leave without a final warning: "You don't want this to happen again, my sweet princess. Now, do as you have been told."

Orihime had never moved faster in her life. As soon as Aizen had uttered those words and closed the door behind him, she flew off to Grimmjow's side, unmindful of her own discomfort that had yet receded, which caused to her falter more than once in her steps on her way to the Arrancar who breathing with great difficulty, he too overwhelmed by Aizen's show of power...in addition to the state he was in, which led Orihime to gasp in utter horror as she took in the damage up close.

Though the blue-haired was lain naked upon his stomach, he didn't seem nude due to the sheer amount of blood that drenched his body, seeping from the wide gashes upon the male's back that went from his shoulders to his lower back.

There were many other smaller cuts here and there, as well as bruises that were coloured black and deep bite-marks, but the gashes on the Arrancar's back were the most startling in appearance: they looked like they have been left by an immense rampaging animalistic beast.

Snapping out of her initial shock, Orihime reached out shaky hands over the male's body and quickly began working on healing him, wondering if the internal damage was as bad as the one inflicted outside.

As if on cue, Grimmjow choked on his breath, blood spurting out from his mouth, before he heaved in agony as he tried to drag in air.

Hands moving fast, the human girl placed her power over his back and accelerated the healing as fast as she could, whilst she stuttered inquiringly: "It...Is it your lungs?"

Blue eyes flitting to hers, he remained silent because...well, it wasn't as if he could speak.

She seemed to realize that as she smiled sheepishly: "Sorry...You're right: you shouldn't talk. I'll talk instead...if you don't mind that is. Maybe it'll help you take your mind off the pain...unless, you know, my voice is a pain on your ears. If it is, blink once."

When he didn't and carried on to stare at her, mostly out of astonishment, her smile grew a little: "So you don't mind? Thank you. Most here would rather I shut up but it's not like I talk a lot. I mean, I hope not..."

As she continued to heal him, she chatted away, telling him of her simple life and of how she adored her friends, and in a barely half-hour of healing, Grimmjow knew more than Aizen thought he knew about this human girl: she was very, very selfless, her friends and those dear to her meaning the whole world; she was a little bit ditzy and had a very original imagination; she was excessively kind and overly generous, willing to see good in many... but amongst all that, there was also something else that the Arrancar noticed.

The girl's stay in the Las Noches was slowly ruining that bright and bubbly spirit of hers...

Having healed his entire upper body, much to Grimmjow's gratitude as he was now able to breathe, Orihime shifted to heal his lower body...it was then she came to horrific realization of something that had previously occurred in this very room...only she couldn't bring herself to word it, not even in her head.

See, she may be naive and innocent but she was in no way that ignorant: she knew the basics of sex, both heterosexual and homosexual...and she could recognize rape when she saw it...

Trembling hard, she slowly locked eyes with the Arrancar and stammered: "You...You were... I mean...Aizen-sama...He..."

"Raped me?" completed the blue-haired evenly with a raised eyebrow before he shrugged when she flinched as he said the word aloud "Don't look so shocked: it ain't my first time with that fuckin' bastard."

"YOU MEAN HE'S DONE THIS TO YOU BEFORE?!" screeched the aghast human girl before she clamped her hands upon her mouth whilst the Arrancar glared at her lightly.

"Go ahead and let the whole fuckin' Hueco Mundo know" snarled Grimmjow lowly causing her to squeak a small 'sorry' from behind her hands.

He then sighed in exhaustion as he shifted carefully before he let out a groan of pain: damn, his lower body was still a mess.

"Should I...?" hesitated the orange-haired girl in a whisper before she stopped herself when the Arrancar gave a look that could have been seen as 'what do you fuckin' think, idiot?'

Quickly complying, Grimmjow found himself completely healed moments later and was already on his feet, looking around for his clothes...not that he cared about nudity or anything, but it did seem to bother the girl, who was beetroot red and had her eyes glued to the floor.

Finding nothing as his uniform had been ripped to shreds, the Arrancar clicked his tongue in irritation before sauntering out and heading for his quarters: he'd find clothes there.

Orihime blinked as she was left alone before she too quickly dashed, not at all feeling like being there when Aizen came back, not at all wanting to be in his way: every time she thought she was afraid of him, there was always something that made her fear him more...

She stumbled in the hallways, eyes darting around her apprehensively, warily watching her surroundings and not only for the lord of the Espada. Ever since she had set foot here, she had quickly drawn of many, unwanted attention: she had the growing grudges of Loly and Menoly, she had Yammy who wished to use her as his personal punching bag, and she also had...

"Pet-sama" rang out a lecherous sing-song voice all of a sudden that left her rooted stock still on spot, shaking with unreserved terror for she that running wouldn't help her escape the wholehearted attention of Nnoitra, who was quite clear in his motives towards her...notably when she was on her own.

Strolling to her side, the Quinto Espada leered at her, his teeth stretching into a disturbingly wide smile: "I thought it was you, Pet-sama. How rare to see you all alone. You lost?"

Tears flowing freely, she was utterly petrified, unable to move or speak, so Nnoitra spoke up again: "Poor little thing. Lost and scared, huh? Dear Ulquiorra sure ain't doing his job, is he?"

Orihime's breath hitched in her throat as her back collided brutally with the wall, her hands both caught above her head in vicious grip on the Arrancar's part who leaned his face into hers as he dragged his free hand roughly over her clothed frame: "Maybe I should go on and care for you, hm?"

She couldn't help herself: she let out a shrill blood-curdling scream before she was rendered silent not a second later as Nnoitra clamped his hand over her mouth, whistling with awe: "Damn, you're pretty loud! Wonder what your pretty voice will be like when you're really in pain..."

It was too much for her, having the threat of being raped after just recently been witness of the aftermath of one...Orihime's eyes rolled in the back of head as her she fainted, though not without seeing a blur of blue and hearing a guttural growl echoing violently in the while walled halls...

Stirring, Orihime snapped awake and flew up into a sitting position, nervously taking in her surroundings in confusion and alarm, recent events rushing back at her like torrents of water.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to compose herself: She was in a white room...no surprise there. She was alone...no surprise there. She was on a bed...Now that bad news, for she never fell asleep on any bed since her stay in the forsaken place.

The human girl quickly took in her appearance and was instantly and utterly relieved that not only she was fully dressed, she wasn't in any pain, meaning that her virginity got to see another day of safety...right?

Shaking her muddled thoughts away, she let her grey eyes look around again, attempting to try to recognize the unfamiliar room for it definitely wasn't hers, nor was it Aizen's...and she was pretty sure that it wasn't Nnoitra's either: he wasn't this messy, at least not with Telsa around - she knew this because the Quinto Espada had already tried to lock her him in his quarters, only for her to be saved at the very last minute by Stark who was passing by...

Which begged the question: where exactly was she?

Shifting to stand, she moved towards the door but hesitated to leave. Whoever it was that owned these quarters, she doubted he'd be any worse than those who awaited her beyond it.

As she weighed her options, she failed to notice that the person who owned the room had came back in from the balcony soundlessly to check on her and watched her standing at the door with a contemplative frown on her face.

After a moment, he spoke up suddenly, making her jump out of her skin: "You can stay if you want."

Hand flying to her shaken heart, Orihime locked eyes with Grimmjow's and carefully parted her lips: "Why...?"

"Why what?" countered the blue-haired with a raised eyebrow as he crossed his arms "Why did I save you from Nnoitra? Reimbursement."

"Oh..." uttered the human girl in understanding before she nodded "Ok...I see. Th...Thank you... Wait. Did you say I could stay here? You mean...you'd let me?"

"Until Ulquiorra comes to get you, yeah" shrugged the blue-haired casually "Unless you want go back and risk running in bastard Nnoitra again."

"No!" let out the orange-haired in terror, before she composed herself...though she still stammered "No...I... Thank you."

He nodded curtly at her before he eyes flickered around: "Look, it ain't much, but make yourself comfortable. I'll be on the balcony if you need me."

As he went where he said he'd be, Orihime was left stunned and speechless... Wait, wait, hold up. Had an Espada just...really genuinely, saved her - as repayment but still - and told her to make herself 'comfortable'?!

If the world was somehow ending, then Karakura was probably experiencing the weirdest of events right now: raining puppies, daffodils turning blue, people speaking backwards...And that wasn't as startling as what she was going through.

Why...why was he being...well, nice? The Grimmjow she knew, or at least thought she knew, was not specifically a 'nice' person...albeit not at all: he was all about...bloody massacre.

Hesitantly, as curiosity pricked at her, she tiptoed over to the open balcony and peeped out on to it, squeaking when she found the Arrancar already staring at her, having felt her draw near.

And if she was surprised before, she was now utterly floored as the other just looked away and shrugged lazily before he gently patted at the empty space beside him upon the windowsill.

After a moment of hesitance, she cautiously ventured out on the balcony with slow, uncertain steps, before she reached said place and sat herself a little distant further than where he was, her back to the scenery Grimmjow was absently gazing at.

They remained silent for awhile, him simply looking out at the Hueco Mundo's sands and her breathing softly, steadily but inwardly screaming with endless questions, the first one being: "Aren't you...?" hesitated Orihime in a quiet tone of voice as she shifted to regard the other with wide apprehensive, expectant eyes, whilst he just stared back evenly from the corner of his eye "Aren't you going...to snarl at me and send me away? Threaten me? Shove me around?"

He raised an eyebrow incredulously before giving her a mirthless smirk, baring his teeth: "Want me to?"

As she shook her head furiously from side to side, he snorted before grimacing and looking away again: "Afraid of me?"

Staring at her hands nervously, she remained quiet for awhile before admitting softly: "A little..."

Hunching over and drawing his head in his shoulders, as if trying to curl up and make himself smaller, he whispered in a faint, almost sad tone: "I really don't blame you: You should be."

Taken aback, Orihime blinked twice before she slightly tilts her head in confusion: "What do you mean?"

Instead of answering, he eyed her ruefully: "Tomorrow, when I'll wake up, I'll be back to the way I was when you first saw me. And I'm saying sorry now for anything that I might do to you...Especially if I hurt you. I'm not aware...well, I am...It's just that can't help it or control it. So again, I'm sorry..."

Bewildered by his words yet slowly beginning to grasp his change in character, Orihime honestly didn't know how to respond, choosing to fixate him with wide sporadically blinking eyes before she stammered tentatively: "Um...Th...Thank you...for your honesty...I guess..."

"Why the fuckin' heck did you come here?" asked Grimmjow abruptly as he stared at her again, this time with curiosity and vague irritation "You ain't made for this shitty hellhole."

Taken aback by his question, she faltered a little: "I...I didn't...I didn't have a choice."

"Yeah, that I bloody know: not with Aizen, you didn't" the blue-haired snorted with a roll of his eyes "But why didn't you have a choice?"

Biting her lower lip lightly with faint nervousness, she quietly considered the Arrancar...and somehow found no reason not to trust him with her real motives, as long as she didn't reveal in depth how she felt: "I did this for the sake of my friends...and Kurosaki-kun. I couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to him."

Only the Arrancar was pretty quick to catch on the true meaning behind her words: "You're in love with him, aren't you?"

Snapping her head to face him with wide, round eyes, Orihime flushed red till the tip of her fingers as she stuttered incomprehensibly: "Ah?! ...I...He...Me? No! Pfft...But I...No! I don't! I mean, I'm not!"

"You're...very convincing, you know that?"

The girl hid her beetroot face in her palms and shook her head as she curled herself up against the far side of the windowsill, trying to disappear...or hoping the ground would be kind enough and gobbled her up...whichever was the quickest...

Her reaction, a clear dead giveaway, made him click his tongue sympathetically: the poor thing was in deep...pretty deep actually.

No wonder she came here willingly. It was all for him, wasn't it? Silly girl...

"Does he know?" inquired the male Arrancar before clarifying himself at the girl's confusion "That you love him?"

As a melancholic smile fell upon her features, he was stunned to hear her answer softly: "No. No, he doesn't. And I rather he never does..."

"There you are" exclaimed Ichigo suddenly, startling the blue-haired Arrancar from his slumber as he locked wide blue eyes with the teen's brown ones of that were heading towards him.

As the girls had begun chatting away gleefully with Nelliel, Grimmjow had discreetly eclipsed himself, seeking a place to take a nap...feline instincts taking over, eventually settling for a lone room up in the attic, abundant with various old objects.

Finding a worn armchair amidst the mess and quickly relieving it of its dust, he had slumped in it and was quick to let sleep claim him...only his past would often come to haunt him during such times, especially when he was really tired.

To prove the extent of his exhaustion, the Arrancar hadn't even sensed the teen's presence until he spoke to him.

Giving Grimmjow enough time to shake awake from his drowsiness, the orange-haired carried talking as he batted at a few stray cobwebs: "I've been looking for you. Come have dinner with us."

A little taken aback by the offer, the feline Arrancar took some time to respond, regarding the other's nonchalance silently before he gave in, notably after noticing a hint of expectation in the teen's warm brown eyes: "I'll be there. Give me a sec."

Ichigo slowly nodded in acknowledgement before he hurriedly headed back down the attic's ladder and the Arrancar heard the teen yell out that they were going to be six at dinner.

Sighing and rubbing at his stiff neck, Grimmjow got up and stretched his numb limbs before he resigned himself to the upcoming socializing he was about to endure and then he too climbed down the attic's ladder.

As he wandered down the stairs, he heard loud noises, things breaking and crashing about, two males arguing loudly, one of them sounding to be Ichigo, Yuzu pleading for them to stop, Karin casually telling her to ignore them and...Nelliel's high-pitched laughter?

Curiosity getting the better of him, he hurried his pace and, as he reached the dinner table, came face with...a rather interesting to say the least.

Face to the floor, Ichigo was held in a sort of headlock whilst being pinned to the ground by a triumphantly grinning dark-haired bearded man.

"Get off me!" yelled the orange-haired furiously as he struggled in the other's hold, anger raising higher as the man responsible for his predicament merely chortled in a hilariously ridiculous tone of voice.

"Nah, Ichigo" grinned the bearded man as he wiggled a finger "This is payment for making us worry."

"Like I did it on purpose!" shouted angrily the teen as he flipped the other due to a surge of energy and threw the man into a wall, before he stomped over to the table and sat down, a vein throbbing upon his forehead "And this conversation is over!"

As Yuzu breathed out in relief and Karin expressed relief for being able to finally eat, Grimmjow's eyes darted between the man and the teen: "This...was a conversation?"

That earned him a dark glare from the orange-haired teen, whilst Karin answered instead, shrugging: "Just another crazy day in this house, starring our dear brother and lunatic of a father."

Whereas Nelliel didn't stop laughing, Ichigo scowled in annoyance as his father jumped up wailing and dashed over to a poster of an orange-haired woman and began complaining to her that his children were heartless with him when he just wished to look out for them.

Overcoming the bizarreness of it all, Grimmjow snickered softly behind the back of his hand as he understood now why the kid was so resolute on fighting: it was practically wired into him, thanks to this zany dad of his...

After an also very animated dinner, as it was getting pretty late - the twins were both abashed for yawning incessantly, so it was a rather dead giveaway - Nelliel and Grimmjow got ready to bid their goodbyes...only to have the two sisters vehemently insist, with Yuzu practically begging, for them to spend the night, both reluctant to let go of their newly acquired cyan-haired friend.

Flattered, Nelliel had cast a pair of wide puppy dog eyes towards Grimmjow who only shrugged casually in response, much to the joy of the twins who grabbed hold of the female Arrancar before they dashed upstairs to their room and slammed the door, giggling away madly, leaving Ichigo and Grimmjow blinking hard as they both came to a sudden realization: If Nelliel was going to share a room with the girls...that would mean that they would have to room with each other...and given their last conversation, they were still at odds...meaning that neither were in any way enthusiastic about it...AT ALL.

As Ichigo coughed awkwardly, Grimmjow threw a blank glance in his direction, waiting for the teen to return his stare before he spoke up: "I can go back or sleep outside if..."

"OUT IN THE COLD?!" exclaimed the orange-haired in utter horror at the Arrancar's suggestion, who startled by the teen's reaction, raised his hands in a gesture of surrender "Heck no! Why did you even think of that?!"

"Because you seem to be bothered by me being here and I don't fuckin' blame you" informed the blue-haired quietly in contrast to the other's shouting, as Grimmjow spoke through clenched teeth before took off, heading for the house's exit.

"Wha...?" began the former Shinigami Substitute with a confused frown, before he sighed and ran after the Arrancar who was already half out the door.

Catching the blue-haired's wrist and hence his attention, Ichigo whispered crossly: "Get back inside."

"Kurosaki, don't..."

Grimmjow quickly cut himself off when Ichigo hissed and shot him a dark glare, oddly reminding the Arrancar of the orange-haired's hollow-side: "I said: Get. Back. Inside."

Relenting at the teen's persistence with a loud sigh, the blue-haired feline let himself get dragged back in and up the stairs, ears perking up with interest at what Ichigo was muttering under his breath: "I have nothing against you - I never did - and I'm very grateful for you saving my life and all. So thanks, because I didn't really properly thank you for it. It's just... With the kind of life I've been through this past months and having to see my family endangered by hollows...well..."

Ah...That made sense...Still: "You don't seem troubled by Nel though."

Swirling around abruptly, Ichigo raised an eyebrow at him as he mentioned sarcastically: "She didn't try to kill me like you did, so I have the right to not hold the same judgements."

Grimmjow blinked once before he chuckled amusedly: "Ok, you win. Point taken."

They stared at each other for while, lost in their own thoughts, when Karin's voice jerked the two from them: "Holding hands, huh? Aren't you tame? Get a room before you decide to do anything else, ok?"

As she snickered on her way to the restroom, Grimmjow merely rolled his eyes at her words but Ichigo, on the other hand, blushed beetroot red and hurriedly withdrew his hand as if he'd been burned before stomping away and wrenching the door to his room open, disappearing inside.

The fact that the teen had left the door open led the Arrancar to see it as invitation so he strolled over and let himself in, before shutting the door behind him as he took in the former Shinigami Substitute's room, for he was seeing it for the first time.

"Grimmjow!" called out abruptly the teen so said Arrancar swirled around just in time to move his arm upwards and catch the pillow aimed at him, prior to lowering it and staring at it with an arched eyebrow before he shifted his slightly cautious stare towards the orange-haired teen: "And what do you want me to do with it?"

"Eh?" exclaimed Ichigo incredulously, eyes wide: "You don't know what a pillow is?!"

"Watch it, kid!" snarled the other dangerously as a vein throbbed upon his forehead as he angrily threw the head support to the wooden floor "I never said I didn't know what it was! Don't you fuckin' twist my words! I said: what do I do with it?!"

The brown-eyed teen blinked slowly as he tried to figure out why the other was asking the question in the first place, on the other hand maybe there weren't any in the Hueco Mundo.

It was then he noticed the wary guardedness within the other's usually indifferent and indolent eyes.

Frowning in confusion and faint concern, Ichigo chose to tactfully shrug and answer calmly: "You sleep with it."

"Huh?" uttered the blue-haired with a now openly baffled expression, unsure he heard well "And how do you expect me to do that?"

The teen's eyebrows flew up as he stared at the other, both now wearing similar puzzled expressions. After a moment, Ichigo sighed tiredly while looking away and rubbing the back of his neck uneasily: it appears that there was a misunderstanding, one he didn't grasp and wasn't sure he wanted to.

He then looked back towards the disorientated blue eyes: "Ok, fine. Just look."

Grunting indignantly, Grimmjow complied as he crossed his arms, focusing on his arch-rival.

His tetchy, perplexed expression quickly morphed into a blank look with a hint of sheer curiosity as he saw Ichigo gingerly climb onto his bed before dropping head first onto the pillow and sighing out contentedly.

"Ah, it really feels good to be home" smiled the teen calmly as he slipped both arms beneath the pillow and nuzzled his face into it, before opening an exhausted eye to look sluggishly at the other "This is what I meant."

"Then you should have said 'sleep on it', baka" mumbled the other awkwardly under his breath as he bent down to pick up his destined cushion (2).

"What was that?" asked Ichigo as he shifted to turn out the light, having not heard.

"Nothin'..." snapped the feline Arrancar as he neared his makeshift bed near Ichigo's own bed.

Once he reached it, he set the pillow down before lying down and crawling under the covers. He then closed his eyes, exhaling soundlessly from his nose.

Feeling sorry for the other out of his good nature, the teen eyed the floor the Arrancar was lying upon before raising his voice: "Hey, you can have my bed if..."

"Heck no..." cut off Grimmjow with a growl and a vaguely offended expression "I don't want your charity, sympathy, pity or whatever the fuckin' hell it is you're giving me right now. It's your bed, brat, you sleep on it. Not like I could anyway. I like the ground better."

"But you're of a feline-type, right?" reasoned Ichigo as he neared the edge of his own bed to try and make out the blue-haired Arrancar in the darkness "Wouldn't you like heights more? Like trees or something..."

"Oh yeah,sure..." snorted Grimmjow scornfully "Just let me sleep on top of your desk. Or one of your shelves maybe...I'll be a lot better perched up there and I'll have a full view of your lovely fuckin' room."

Propping his elbow and leaning his chin on his hand, Ichigo smirked broadly at the sarcasm: "So you're interested?"

"Zip it" grounded out the other with a sigh, with no actual bite in his threat.

He heard the teen chuckle before he shifted back underneath his covers, leaving the Arrancar to his thoughts which drifted back yet again to the girl so unwaveringly in love with the teen, recalling the words she had furtively confided to him earlier that day...

"What do you think you're doing?!" yelled Grimmjow quietly yet demandingly as he stared at the human girl with wide eyes.

"Grimmjow-sama, I'm fine. It's ok" placated Orihime softly, soothingly, with sad grey eyes.

"Is it?! 'Cause it doesn't fuckin' look like it to me! Why are you letting them treat you like you're a fuckin' criminal or something?!"

"...Because as far as they know, I'm not to be trusted..."

"As far they know? They look completely at sea!"

"They are."

"Wha...?" frowned the Arrancar in confusion before he halted briefly in awareness "You didn't say anything. To anyone..."

It was not a question, and she knew it: "You know I can't."

Closing his eyes and sighing, he inquired softly with concern: "What will happen to you? After this?"

"I don't know yet..." she admitted with a shiver before she asked slowly "Grimmjow-sama?"

"What is it, Hime?"

"Can I ask you a favour?" questioned Orihime carefully, hopefully, fearfully dreading a refusal from his part.

She breathed again with ease at his effortless indulgence: "Anything. Just name it."

"Swear to me that you'll protect Kurosaki-kun from me."

Here, the Arrancar's eyes went wide with perplexity and shock: "From you?"

"Yes, Grimmjow-sama. From me" she whispered softly before she started to walk away only to find herself held back within the blue-haired's firm yet gentle arms.

"You can't do this on your own" he whispered in her ear "I'm not saying your weak or anything, on the fuckin' contrary. But if we can help..."

It was then that she gently shook her head at him before gazing him with a sad soft smile before she eclipsed from his grasp and walked away...to her impending doom...and that made him raging mad, for the was nothing he could do stop her...nor was there anything he could do to save her from Aizen's clutches...It was too late for that...Way too late...

Back in the Seireitei, within a holding cell of the 6th Division's barracks:

"You're a wishful-thinking idiot" whispered Orihime quietly with narrowed eyes that refused to look away from the ground at her feet.

And for the second time since they had begun to interact, she had Byakuya instantly clamp his mouth shut, regarding her in half-stunned, half-irritated awe: she had changed...A lot, for he certainly did doubt that she would have ever mouthed him off - or anyone else for that matter - like that in the past. He wondered how he or anyone else could have missed that.

Trying to get a reaction from her, the Kuchiki clan's leader had been relentlessly asking her question after question - even bringing up the furtive conversation she had had with the Arrancar Jeagerjaques Grimmjow - to which she hadn't responded at all nor did she even acknowledge his presence, much to his annoyance.

He then chose to display everyone's thoughts on the current situation in order to gauge her reactions...he hadn't expected her to react the way she did...by slighting him like that so boldly and so out of the blue.

His ego as noble felt very offended...yet he wisely forced himself to not take drastic measures with this human girl...besides it wasn't as if he could for he had no right over her, despite the fact that she had willingly let herself be taken in: what he was currently doing, holding her here for interrogation was not something he or any other Shinigami were allowed to do with humans, normally leaving interactions between the two species to a minimum. Given the circumstances however, it had been accorded temporarily: as soon as the countdown Aizen had launched was over, they were to let her go...

Whilst he carried on his inner musings as he stared at her quietly, she shook her head before she bit her lip hard: "You're doing exactly what Aizen-sama wants."

Constantly reminding himself that she was a mere human, Byakuya's eyes narrowed with irritation at that remark: "I cannot possibly guess how to counter his plans if I am not aware of them, now can I?"

"That's the problem: you just can't" countered Orihime curtly as she glared at the floor "For everything you do manage to evade, he already has another scheme, another trap waiting for you."

"I've heard that before" sighed the noble with aggravation as he straightened even further within his seat: they were both in Orihime's cell where she sat in the farthest corner of her bed whilst he was upon a stool on the opposite side, his back to the bars.

Drawing up her knees and curling up on herself, she shouted out angrily: "Yet you do nothing to avoid falling into that cycle, do you?!"

Though she wouldn't see it, he glared indignantly at her: "Do not blame me, Inoue Orihime."

She scoffed at that, muttering under her breath: "Of course not, you're innocent."

"And you are?" countered the Kuchiki clan's leader icily "You are drenched in guilt: it is all over your face. Do you realize that you're even more suspicious than Ichimaru Gin at this point? Not to mention all you are hiding, not only from the Gotei 13, but even from your own friends. Do you even consider them as such anymore?"

Reacting immediately, her head flew up revealing tear-filled eyes as she cried out: "Of course I do!"

Regaining his composure upon witnessing her distress and reminding himself yet again that she may have endured true horrors, the noble closed his eyes and breathed out: "Then why are you acting this way?"

Lowering her head back down, he heard her sob for a moment before she confessed inaudibly: "I just couldn't bare see him hurt anymore. He doesn't deserve it, any of this. That's why he's better off without his powers."

Frowning in puzzlement, the 6th Division's captain inquired: "Who are you talking about?"

Raising her head barely just so she could expose her now bloodshot eyes, Orihime glared at the noble: "Who do you think?"

"Kurosaki Ichigo..." uttered Byakuya incredulously as realization fell upon him like a ton of bricks "Wait...You...did this? You're the one who negated his Shinigami powers?" his astonishment quickly gave room to icy ire "Give them back to him this instant."

Her watery eyes hardened as she bit back defiantly with steadfast determination: "No."

"You're being unreasonable."

"You are the one being unreasonable and irrational and selfish! Your problems were never Kurosaki-kun's! Yet he was always there for you! Never once did you thank him despite all the times he has saved your precious Seireitei! You. Don't. Deserve. His help!"

"Inoue Ori..."

Clutching tightly upon her furious rant, the human girl refused to let the other interrupt her: "Do you have any idea how much he's endured?! Suffered?! How many times he was hurt, beaten and bleeding?! How many times he died?! How many times he nearly stayed dead?! At some point, even my healing was of absolutely no help! I saw him die twice...I will NOT allow him to die a third time."

He hesitated slightly at her words before he spoke up slowly: "Don't underestimate him, dear. He's...quite powerful in his own right. Only he was able to withstand a fight against Aizen."

Her anger dissipated just barely as she blinked at the other in what seemed to be disbelief: "Wow. It must have stung your ego to actually admit that. I'm not underestimating Kurosaki-kun, but you are clearly underestimating Aizen-sama."

The Kuchiki noble frowned with irritation at her words: "I'm not..."

"YOU ARE!" she screamed in desperation, not at all intimidated by the one before her - he wasn't Aizen, so why would she be? She'd never fear anyone else the way she feared Aizen...

Breathing with difficultly, she lowered her head yet again, this time allowing her hair to curtain her face completely: "I saw what he can do, what he's capable of and believe me...it is far more overwhelming and vile than anything you could ever possibly imagine! I was there for every time he hurt the Arrancars who defied him..."

Here, Byakuya could only show consideration, even if it was but a little: "Jeagerjaques Grimmjow had mentioned that you were there in the aftermath. It must have been hard for you..."

"The aftermath?" she repeated incredulously as she raised her head again to stare at him with wide eyes before she slowly shook her head "No, no, no...I was there when he punished them. He would make me watch, promising me, threatening me that should I defy or disobey him...those dear to me would endure the same...or worse. And I...The only way I could think of sparing Kurosaki-kun from this fate - because of all my friends, Aizen-sama is only interested in him - was for him to lose his powers. I feel horrible doing this to him but I had no choice. This is all because he's been brought in the line of fire by you SHINIGAMI!"

"He dragged himself in" stated the 6th Division's captain coolly with a raised eyebrow "All he did until today was his own choice. No one asked him to get involved...or to save Rukia while we're at it."

Her lips parted in shock, before she clenched her teeth and turned her head away, whispering bitterly: "You ungrateful wretched arrogant pureblood."

Both occupants paled instantaneously, Orihime for saying that out loud and Byakuya for hearing her of all people mentioning his heritage.

Standing up in a flash, the stunned Kuchiki noble stared at the girl with wide eyes as he demanded: "What did you just call me?!" when she remained mute, he insisted, louder "Inoue Orihime, what did you just call me?! How are you aware of this?!"

Shaking her head brusquely, she looked away, murmuring: "I've said too much. I'm not talking anymore."

"Oh no, you will. This is not something to be taken lightly. Tell me what you know."

As he rushed forward to seize her shoulders, she flinched and raised instantly her hands to her face as means of protection, closing her eyes and trembling in fear, as if expecting to be hit, a reaction on her part that prompted him to immediately let go.

Frowning at her as he took a step back, Byakuya questioned carefully: "Has...Has he already hit you?"

"No, not Aizen-sama..." she whispered inaudibly, still curled up on herself defensively...but the way she worded her negation led him to understand that she has been hit nevertheless.

Withdrawing completely at how fragile she seemed at the moment, Byakuya softened his tone: "Look, Inoue Orihime... I... Can't you tell me something, anything? Don't you want to keep him in Muken forever?"

"Of course I do...More than anything" muttered Orihime bitterly before she locked eyes with the noble "You're desperate. You want this to be over. I get it...but I can't help you. The price is too high to pay. I say one thing to you and..."

"He'll hear it and will eventually take it out on your friends" repeated the noble tediously as he closed his eyes, having heard Orihime time and again stating the same sentence over and over: if it was true that Aizen still had access to his powers, then her fear was totally justified.

Only the noble truly failed to comprehend why the immortal didn't just simply use them to break free...Not that he wanted for the monster to ever break free, but what was it that Aizen Sosuke waiting for?

He snapped out of his thoughts when Orihime began crying again, her hands twisting at the bed-sheets for a semblance of solace: "I can't take this anymore...I just want this to stop."

"It can. Just give me something to anticipate so I can maybe, hopefully, prevent him from escaping" promised the Kuchiki clan's leader gently before he did something he rarely albeit never did "Please...For sake of everyone in the Seireitei and also for the sake of your friends."

Two different shades of grey clashed against each other within a quiet battle of stares, until Orihime eventually lowered her eyes and sniffed quietly, thinking carefully. After a moment, she came to a decision, one she hoped she wouldn't regret.

Closing her eyes and exhaling deeply, the human girl bit her lip...hard, drawing blood seconds later, causing her to wince at the throbbing sensation that appeared in the wake of the assault.

Byakuya's eyes went wide: what on earth was she doing?

He opened his mouth but quickly stopped himself from saying anything when she shook her head at him, eyeing him with strong apprehension but also firm determination, as thin drops of blood fell from her lower lip.

Raising a hand to her mouth, she collected the blood upon her fingers and, when she had enough, she began writing on the sheets she was seated on, whilst she spoke up quietly again: "I...I'm sorry, I really am. I...I...I can't...You might think I'm being selfish and whatnot...but what can I say? I...I have different priorities than you do... I don't care that much for the Shinigami like I care for my friends... I'm not saying that I don't like the Shinigami but...my friends will always be more important... So I won't risk their safety...for anyone...Sorry..."

"What are you on about Inoue Orihime?" asked the Kuchiki noble distractedly as he peered at the bed-sheets, more interested in what she was writing than what she was saying, whilst she continued to dab at her lip when she ran out of her makeshift red ink...

"You should leave..." she whispered just as she finished the last words before locking eyes with the other and raising her bloodied finger to her lips in a silent hushing motion "I...I won't be of any use to you...Really..."

When Byakuya nodded at her in understanding and with a hint of gratitude, faint relief flooded her features before she inched away, allowing the noble to read what was destined for him...and his eyes doubled in size as a cold chilling sensation ran throughout his entire being...

At this very moment, someone dear to you is in grave danger.

Hurry back to the Kuchiki household before it's too late.

To be continued…

Whoa... This is probably the shortest chapter I've ever written (and here I was apologizing for making them too long): well, a chapter with a total of words beneath 20 000 is short for me (and on top of that, there was a part that I omitted and left for the next chapter because I didn't want to make you wait too long)... I didn't think I'd make it this far to be honest, though I still have a lot left to work on (sighs in fatigue at the thought). Your thoughts/ideas? Your questions? I'd be glad to hear the former and answer to the latter, should you have any. Please do look forward for the upcoming chapters (Aizen's liberation is very soon to come): next chapter will reveal a little of Grimmjow's past before Aizen's appearance in the Hueco Mundo and the four real horsemen will be made known as well as the 10 new Espada (well, I say 'new', but you'll see what I really mean)... Also, I apologize if I end my chapters with cliff-hangers like that but this fic has a lot of suspense (as pointed out in the genre)... Thank you for following/reading this story and putting up with me! See you next chapter!

Next Chapter: Unexpected Treachery Amidst:

(1) Luppi and Cirucci in this fic are siblings...because they really look alike on the physical plane and it just seemed to click. So their family name is Antenor (which is officially Luppi's) whilst Thunderwitch (which is officially Cirucci's) becomes Cirucci's nickname, the whole thing being: Cirucci Thunderwitch Antenor, C.T.A for short, while Luppi is L.A...Huh?

(2) Um...How do I even start? This was something I wrote a long time ago, well before this fic, for a friend who self-diagnosed herself with I quote: 'pillow phobia'...I know how weird it sounds but she is truly and utterly terrified by pillows: she didn't sleep on them, refused to participate in pillow fights and will not talk to you if there's one in the room, eyeing them warily as if they would jump on her. Ridiculousness aside, there's a reason why she's like this: she was once smothered by a burglar with a pillow until she passed out, waking up afterwards with that fear instilled in her. So in memory of my friend who deceased recently, I merged it with this fic, but no matter how much I adore my friend...I was still pretty reluctant to place this here, but once I did write it, I could no longer bring myself to remove it (so yeah, Grimmjow thinks that pillows are suffocating devices). Sorry if you hate it: I won't blame you.

A/N: I bet you're all wondering why I put Abirama with Cirucci... My first reason is, well, that everyone has their favourite pairings (canon or not) and I simply like the idea of the two together, besides they both value battle more than anything, being utterly enthusiastic about it and seeing themselves as soldiers, yet ironically enough, both fear dying. However, the real reason, well, you see, it's something my friends and I thought up: we were pairing up the Arrancars based on their animal-like appearances and since they both of a bird-type Arrancar, we put them together...and I just cannot get the pairing out of my head now... I know you might be saying: 'But they've never had a scene together?'...So what? I'd understand if you'd be wondering about a pairing between, for example, a Shinigami and an Arrancar who have never met, that's plausible. But the Arrancars have all lived in the Hueco Mundo and were bound to come across each other one way or another, right? Like the Shinigami within the Seireitei too, I mean, that's the conclusion we came to. Besides, this is the only pairing amongst the Arrancars that I truly like even though it is not canon and if someone could draw them for me, I'd love them forever 3.