Hello readers, I hope you all have been safe and healthy, considering the Coronavirus thing and all these riots and protests. Fortunately, I'm in an area where nothing bad has happened yet, but still need to keep a watch out.
Been over a month since my last posting, and I apologize for that. School may be over for the summer, but with summer comes chores and such, so time is still limited. But, like I said before, this story is not going to become a dead one, it will be finished, just not in the timeframe I wanted.
Got no reviews or questions since the last posting, so we'll just head straight into the next chapter that you all have been waiting on. Enjoy.
(I DO NOT OWN BLEACH; ITS CHARACTORS, NAMES, LOCATIONS, OR STORY! THAT HONOR BELONGS SOLELY TO TITE KUBO AND HIS TEAM! ONLY THE OC, AND RANDOM NAMES NOT MENTIONED IN THE BOOKS OR ANIME ARE MY OWN!)
Chapter 47
(Out of the Shadows)
Las Noches, Palace of the Séptima Espada, Mid-morning, Day 5
The cloaked figure of Aizen's newest subordinate strode calmly and quietly through the lower halls of the Séptima Espada, Zommari's, palace. As it had been during the being's introduction, the hood of its cloak concealed its entire face, for the exception of its mouth.
Not being a member of the Espada, although the Espada themselves were later instructed to regard the being as one of their own, the being was assigned one of the better, and more elaborate, spare rooms within the seventh palace.
Zommari, of course, didn't mind, kindly showing the being to its room and giving it a brief layout of the palace. The being didn't think much of the arrangement either, quickly discovering that Zommari was one of the more respectful and honorable Espada of the bunch; a respect modestly returned.
Dinner was brought shortly afterward, but the being ate very little of it before turning in for the night. And now, it found itself closely exploring its surroundings, quietly thinking to itself and enjoying the peace and quiet.
But it was not to last.
"Hey, you." A mocking voice called out.
The being stopped, not turning to face its addresser. "Is there something I can help you with, Nnoitra?" it asked in its deep voice.
The lanky Quinto Espada scoffed dismissively at the being, placing one hand on his hip while holding his double crescent-shaped scythe resting on his shoulder. The man eyed the being up and down from the back, clearly not impressed with its small stature.
"Heh, yeah, there is. Lord Aizen seems to make you out to be some kind of tough guy, or something. I want you to prove it." He demanded with an evil grin.
The being remained motionless. "What makes you think you're worth my time, Nnoitra?"
The Espada rose a questioning brow. "What was that?" he demanded.
Again, the being made no movement. "Did you not hear me? Alright then, I asked you why you think you are worth my time to bother fighting? Or…better yet…" The being slowly turned its body and head to look at the tall man in a side-glance. "Why do you feel the need to fight me to prove my abilities? Is Lord Aizen's word not good enough for you?" it challenged.
Nnoitra's grin grew wider with a cackle. "It makes no difference if you're good enough for Lord Aizen or not; all I care about is if you're good enough for me. So how bout it? Let's have ourselves a little duel, to see who's better." He taunted.
The being continued to stare at him for a moment longer before turning back and sighing. "You are hopeless." It said in a low voice.
The grin fell from Nnoitra's face and into a snarl. "The hell did you just say to me?!" he nearly yelled.
"I wonder if you are deaf, or perhaps stupid. Who knows; it could be both, or it could be neither. Either way, you clearly have a hard time understanding things I tell you. So, let me put this in terms that are easy to understand, and in a tone that is hard to miss." The being turned to face him fully, its mouth in a displeased frown. "I have no need to fight you, Quinto Espada, Nnoitra Gilga, unless I have the intention to actually kill you. And don't take that the wrong way; from what I have seem of your demeaner so far, I 'do' have the intention to kill you. The only reason I have not acted upon that intention is because Lord Aizen has forbidden it."
Nnoitra gritted his teeth in fury, but the being was not finished. "To be honest, I really don't understand how Lord Aizen can tolerate such a disrespectful, and clearly psychopathic, being such as yourself. If it were me, you would have been disposed of a long time ago. How you even came to be an Espada in the first place eludes me. I'm sure there are plenty of others who could easily take your place."
The top crescent blade of the Espada's scythe striking the floor silenced the being, who simply stared down at it. "You think you can take my place?! Is that what you're getting at?! Well then, come prove it! Show me what you've got, bastard!" he challenged.
The being raised its head to meet his furious gaze. "You think I'm interested in the title 'Espada'?" it asked in a surprised sort of tone.
He scoffed in dismissal. "What, you saying you ain't? Don't sell me that crap. I can tell from your spiritual pressure that you're strong, I'll give ya that, but the only reason you ain't an Espada is cause you ain't 'strong enough'. Even if you were, the only way you'd be able to become an Espada is if you kill one; and fat chance of that, weakling!"
The being's lips pulled back into a wide, malicious smile, exposing a full set of slightly jagged teeth. Its shoulders bobbled as it let out a low and sinister chuckle, steadily growing in intensity until the halls were filled with the being's laughter.
Nnoitra raised a brow as the being raised its head to the sky, laughing loudly in cold amusement. The Espada was beginning to think that the man…woman…whatever it was, was stark mad as the sound of its laughter slightly unnerved him.
Suddenly, the laughter stopped and the being stared directly into the Espada's eyes with its coldblooded own. "How pathetic. You honestly think that, just because you're an 'Espada', that you're better than me? That that little, numbered tattoo on your tongue makes you stronger? Ha! Here's a little news flash for you, Nnoitra; that tattoo, that title…" The being spread its arms out wide, gesturing to the empty hallway. "…these palaces… Do you really think they mean anything?"
Nnoitra growled lowly while the being let out another low chuckle after dropping its arms. "Sorry, buddy, but those don't mean shit. I could care less, if at all, about 'becoming an Espada'. Even the Primera, it 'still' means nothing to me. Sure, it makes others fear and regard you with caution and such, but in the end, all that matters is killing your opponent; being the one still standing after a fight; 'giving' those around you a reason to fear you. You think the other Arrancars and the soul reapers fear you? Ha! They don't fear 'you', Nnoitra, they fear the rank you hold, and nothing else. And until you can prove to anyone that you are strong, they'll never fear you. You're just a tall and skinny dog that does nothing but bark."
That did it. The Espada let out a loud yell before pointing at the being. "Is that right?! How bout I 'show' you how strong I am!"
Returning his arm to the side, he opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue, the tip of it pointing towards the being. An orb of golden energy rapidly grew at the tip of the man's tongue, quickly growing to the size of a baseball.
With a yell, the Espada released the compressed energy; a dull, scratchy sound filling the halls as the orb left his tongue in a beam of powerful energy. The beam collided with the being, exploding upon contact, and filling the immediate area with smoke and dust.
"Ha! Take that, you bastard! Who's the strong one now?! Ain't so tough after all that yapping, are ya?!" Nnoitra yelled out in sadistic glee as he pointed where the being's corpse likely laid.
Sadistic laughter sounded out as the Espada relished in his quick victory.
"You really are hopeless." A calm voice spoke out.
Nnoitra's laughter instantly stopped, and, despite his tall stature, suddenly found the sharp side of a zanpakutō pressed up against the side of his neck. Slowly, he turned his head and eyes to the side and was shocked to see that the being was now latched onto his back and shoulder, its, now drawn, zanpakutō threatening his neck.
His eyes went wide in shock, not because of the predicament he was currently in, seeing as no one could get past his Hierro, but because, even with the being holding onto him, he still couldn't feel, or even detect it. He could 'see' the being, but it felt like it wasn't even there.
"H… How did… How did you…" he choked out.
That same smile from before came back to the being's lips. "Do you mean, 'how am I alive'? Or perhaps, 'how did I get here without you noticing'?" the being mocked with a sneer.
Nnoitra glared out the side of his head with malice. "You bastard. Who do you think you are? Get the fuck off me, or not even Aizen will save you." He warned.
The being's grin grew. "Trust me, if I was to get serious, 'you' would be the one need saving, Nnoitra."
The Espada twisted his body, reaching around to grab the being by the neck; but the being was much faster, kicking off his back with a flip and landing several feet away. Nnoitra turned to face the being as it slowly sheathed its weapon.
"Consider that a warning, Nnoitra. I know all about your 'impenetrable' Hierro, but I doubt even that can save you from the abilities I possess. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll continue my little walk." It said, turning and starting to walk away.
Nnoitra snarled and threw a hand to the side. "Hey! Don't turn your back on me, bastard! Come back here and let's settle this! Or are you afraid?!"
The being didn't stop as it responded. "There's nothing to settle, Quinto Espada. And there is only one thing in this world that I fear, and that is Lord Aizen. You, Nnoitra, can't even cause a single goosebump to appear on my arm. So, instead of standing there and trying to taunt me into a fight, which, by the way, isn't working, why not make yourself useful and hide in a corner; like the bitch you are."
The Espada let out another roar of anger and prepared to charge after the being, but a dark-skinned body suddenly stepped out from around the corner and blocked his path.
"I cannot allow you to continue to demolish my abode, Nnoitra." The newcomer stated.
Nnoitra clenched his fist tightly. "Zommari." He seethed.
The Séptima Espada returned Nnoitra's harsh glare with a calm one of his own. "If you wish to fight one another, do so outside the comfort of my palace. And, secondly, I suggest you avoid getting into a fight with our new companion. In case you have forgotten, Nnoitra, even though our new companion does not hold the rank of Espada, Lord Aizen has instructed for him to be treated as such. I doubt Lord Aizen would be very compassionate if you were to kill the new companion." He warned.
The Quinto growled at the Séptima loudly. "You'd best watch your tongue, Zommari. Don't forget, I'm the Quinto, and you're only the Séptima. I can easily kill you."
Zommari was unfazed by the threat. "Perhaps… or perhaps not. It doesn't matter who is stronger, only that we obey Lord Aizen's wishes. It would be best if you remember that, Nnoitra. Now, if you do not have anything to discuss with me, I ask that you leave."
Nnoitra scoffed heavily and turned to the, now empty, hallway. "This ain't over, you bastard! You hear me?! You better watch your back!" he yelled out, knowing the being would likely hear him.
No response followed, so Nnoitra turned with a final scoff and walked away in anger. Zommari watched as the man left, waiting until he was no longer in sight, before turning back the other way to see the being standing close by in a calm manner.
"I do not have a problem sharing my abode with you, new companion; but, I do ask that you try to avoid bringing trouble into it." He said calmly.
The being gave a hint of a nod back. "And I will try to abide by that request, Zommari Rureaux. However, I'm sure you can understand that, with certain people like Nnoitra involved, trouble cannot always be avoided." It pointed out.
Zommari nodded in return. "Sadly, I must agree. That is also why I ask you try to keep your distance from Nnoitra. As you can see, it is not uncommon for him to go looking for a fight."
A smile appeared on the being's lips. "I detected that the moment I first saw him. He's nothing more than a typical bully; slinging names and titles around like they were owed to him. One day though, he'll learn his place. If you'll excuse me, I believe I will return to my room and relax for a while. I apologize about the damage to your floor, Zommari."
The Espada held a palm up to her. "Do not think heavily about it, new companion. Things like this occur more frequently than you may believe. I simply wanted to prevent any major damage that actually takes time to repair. I bid you good day, companion. Call upon me or one of the servants if there is something you require." He offered.
The two gave each other a slight bow before turning and going their separate ways.
Las Noches Tunnels, 6 Hours Later
"How are you feeling, Ichigo?" Rukia asked, watching as the orange-haired teen flexed his neck and rotated his left arm.
A few audible pops could be heard from the teen's neck as he finished his stretching. "Eh, it'll do for now. Hell of a lot better than it was, that's for certain."
The woman nodded before turning to her other 'patient'. "And what about you, Tim?" she furthered.
Said Lieutenant grunted as he stretched an arm across his body. "Like he said, better than before. Still sore as a bitch, though." He mumbled.
Nel let out a small sigh and looked at him with worry. "It could have been a lot worse, Tim. We're lucky the fight ended when it did. Another second or two and all three of us would have been done for." She pointed out.
Renji nodded with crossed arms. "She's right, you know. Those two were a lot stronger than we thought. If it hadn't been for Uryū turning the brother's abilities against him like he did, I doubt 'any' of us would have made it out alive."
Timothy sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I guess I owe you my thanks, Uryū." He said, now looking at the Quincy.
The teen pushed his glasses up his nose, a sly smirk on his face. "Think nothing of it. I simply cannot stand people like those two. That man made Kurotsuchi look like a saint." He commented.
Ichigo shook his head slowly. "No arguments here. So… what's the plan, now that those two are gone?" he asked the group as a whole.
Timothy stretched his other arms out as he answered. "Simple, we've spent way too much time screwing around down here, and now it's time to make our move and rescue Orihime."
"You still intend to split up into three teams?" Uryū asked carefully.
The Lieutenant sighed with a nod. "I've been thinking about that, and if we want to have the highest chance of success, we'll need to split into the smallest groups possible. So, I was planning on Nel, Ichigo, and I for one team, Chad and Rukia for the second, then Renji and Uryū for the third."
Renji hummed in thought for a moment. "Still don't like to be split up like this, but being in a large group would make us easier for the Arrancars to find. So, what do we do once one of us finds Orihime?"
Nel stepped in. "Once we've found Orihime, we'll need to get back together as soon as possible. Like I said a few days ago, the problem is going to be getting everyone home. I can't take everyone at the same time in my garganta, so we'll have to make two trips. During that time, the ones left behind will have to hide until I can make it back." She advised.
The group all nodded. "And just how long would it take before you would be able to pick the rest up?" Uryū questioned.
Nel shrugged her shoulder. "Thirty minutes at the most."
Ichigo raised a brow at her. "Can't we just come back down here and wait?" he asked.
The former Espada shook her head slowly. "It's not possible to open a garganta down here. The special walls that make up the tunnels would interfere with the garganta's opening. I would have to open it in the palace."
"So, who would be staying behind while you make the first trip?" the Quincy asked in a low tone.
"Ichigo will have to go back on the first trip, along with Uryū and Chad. You three aren't even supposed to be here, so it's best if you three get back as soon as possible. Nel would be the one making the trips, so that leaves Renji, Rukia, and myself. I'm sure the three of us can hold things down until Nel gets back." Timothy informed calmly.
Renji and Rukia both nodded. "No complaints here." The woman responded.
Timothy nodded back, glad to see they agreed with him. "As we talked about before, don't go 'looking' for trouble. We need to keep ourselves as hidden as possible still. If you can't avoid a fight, handle it quickly and move on. If it looks like you can't handle it, or it'll take too long to finish the fight, just run. It's a rescue, not an attack." He said sternly.
Uryū scoffed lightly. "What kind of fools do you take us for? Do you honestly believe we would be so foolish as to go looking for a fight?" he mocked.
The Lieutenant gave him a glare. "Obviously the stupid one in your case. Ichigo's the only one who trumps you." He sneered.
"Hey!" the substitute hissed; fists balled at his sides.
A harsh smack to the back of the Lieutenant's head had him moaning in pain. "Don't make me undo all of the healing Rukia did for you, Tim." Nel warned with a dangerous voice.
He glared at the Arrancar for a second before turning away in a growl. Uryū couldn't stop the hint of a grin from coming to his face; pleased that the man got what he deserved. He wouldn't admit it, but he was a bit glad for the Arrancar at that moment.
"So…" Renji interrupted before it could get worse. "We all ready to head up and look for Orihime?" he asked.
Rubbing the back of his head, Timothy nodded. "Yeah, I guess we're as ready as we're gonna get. However, I do think we should stick with the six-hour check-ins. That way we can get an idea of where others have looked." He advised.
Nel nodded firmly. "I agree. Now that we have everything planned out, we should get going. Orihime has already been here for nearly a week now, and I don't want to even imagine what could have happened to her in that time."
The others nodded back. "Alright then, let's head out." Renji answered, taking lead towards the stairs that led up to the Quatro's palace.
As they walked, Uryū spared a quick glance behind him to see Timothy and Nel holding hands. It didn't escape his notice that the Lieutenant and Arrancar were steadily showing more and more affection towards one another.
He couldn't help but scrunch his nose a bit in disgust. Having the former Espada as an ally was one thing, but to develop any form of romantic feelings for the thing? That was just something else of its own.
"I don't get it." He mumbled.
The Lieutenant had heard him, as he was now giving the teen his full attention. "Get what?" he asked back.
Uryū scoffed snidely. "The two of you." The teen answered.
Timothy narrowed his eyes. "What about 'us'?" Timothy challenged.
The Quincy scoffed once more and returned to the front. "How can you care for her in such a way? Frankly, I find it to be quite upsetting."
The older man rose a questioning brow. "Haven't we been over this like… two times now?" he questioned.
"No, we haven't. And besides, even if we did, it still wouldn't change my view on the matter." The Quincy scorned.
The Lieutenant let out a breathy sigh and shook his head as Nel gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "Look man… We've already established that we don't like each other. We've also established that you hate Nel. With those two… disturbing facts in mind, tell me…" He paused to look back up at the teen. "How, exactly, does me and Nel's relationship affect you? Is the world gonna end just because she and I are together?"
The Quincy huffed in indifference. "It doesn't affect me. But that doesn't mean I should ignore crimes against nature."
Ichigo raised his head over Timothy's shoulder, glaring at his friend. "Hey man, what the hell is your problem? Like he said, what they do doesn't affect you, so don't worry about what the hell they do. Why do ya gotta act like such a pompous ass?" the substitute questioned.
Nel turned her eyes to him with a warm smile, mouthing the words 'Thank you." to him. The teen shrugged a shoulder and returned to his friend.
"Look man, the two of you already agreed to just ignore each other, so just ignore it and focus on saving Orihime." Ichigo pleaded.
"I, personally, couldn't agree more." Rukia said in affirmation.
"Ditto." Renji added.
The Quincy growled under his breath and let the matter go, but not before giving Timothy and Nel one last look of disgust. Nel turned her head away from him while Timothy returned the look with an agitated glare.
Over the next hour while walking towards the stairs to the Quatro's palace, no one said a word; some because of differences, the others because they were keeping their ears open for anymore 'surprises' that could appear.
But finally, after nearly a week in complete darkness being stalked endlessly, the team arrived at the stairwell that would lead up to the Quatro's palace. Just like the other two they had found leading to the surface, the stairwell leading up was placed out of the way, and could easily be missed if you didn't know to look for it.
Taking a momentary pause, Renji turned around and eyed each member closely. "Alright. Except for those lunatic twins, we've had it pretty easy since we've gotten here. But, this is where the shit hits the fan. I doubt we'll be able to remain hidden for much longer; and if they don't know we're coming yet, they will very soon. Be smart, pick your battles, find Orihime, and meet back up with the others as quickly as you can." He encouraged.
When everyone nodded in understanding, he turned to Nel. "Got any last-minute advice, or words of caution, Nel?" he asked.
The woman thought it over for a moment, but shook her head. "Not that I can think of. We've already covered all of the most important things to worry about as far as I know. Just avoid any Espada if possible."
Renji nodded and turned back to the group. "If you happen to run into Aizen, get outta there. Don't try to be a hero and take him on. The guy took on Captain Komamura and basically reduced him to shreds with just one kidō spell. So, if you see him, just run." He warned.
Rukia gave her teenage friend a smirk. "I think Ichigo's the only who would be dumb enough to try it." She teased.
Timothy and Nel chuckled while the substitute glared at the short woman with a growl. "Shut up, damn midget!"
Renji held a placating hand up. "Alright alright. Let's save the fighting for the Arrancars. So, like we discussed before; Ichigo, Tim, and Nel in one team, myself and Uryū in the second, then Rukia and Chad in the third. Once you've found Orihime, come up with some way to get the other teams' attentions so we can meet back up. Agreed?" he asked.
The group nodded again. "No complaints here." Ichigo remarked.
"Alright then, let's get moving then. Good luck everyone." Timothy said, turning to lead the group up the stairs.
Las Noches Throne Room
Gin entered the throne room by one of the side doors, his signature, foxlike grin cemented to his face. Coming around to the front of the dais that held Aizen's large stone chair, he saw the former Squad 5 Captain sitting upon it in a relaxed posture.
Deciding to have some fun, the former Captain walked up the stairs, coming to a stop just at the top. Aizen opened his eyes a bit to look upon his silver-haired comrade, waiting for him open up the conversation that he no doubt wanted to start.
But Gin only stood there, looking past Aizen and out the balcony behind the dais at the artificial sky of Las Noches. The intelligent former Captain waited patiently, silence filling the room, for the other former Captain to begin. But Gin never spoke.
This was entirely unlike the silver-haired man. Normally, Gin would jump at the chance to get some words in on a conversation, regardless of what it was about. But this time, the man was as quiet as a mouse in a cat-filled house.
Minutes passed, and still the sly Captain refused to speak. And frankly, where Aizen normally preferred the man kept his mouth shut, he oddly found himself almost begging internally for the man to say anything, as long as he wasn't being stone silent like he was at that moment.
Gin being silent? It just didn't work. And it unnerved Aizen more than his talking did. But after several minutes of silence, Aizen had had enough and opened the conversation himself.
"Is there something you need, Gin?" he inquired.
Gin turned to him with his grin. "Oh no, I'm just enjoying the view, Captain Aizen. It's so peaceful and tranquil. Wouldn't you agree?" he asked.
Aizen narrowed his eyes at the man. It was obvious now that the former Squad 3 Captain was trying to annoy him by playing innocent.
"Yes, it is quite peaceful. To be perfectly honest, it almost causes a part of me to want to return to the Soul Society." He returned calmly, baiting the man.
The grin on Gin's face grew a bit. "Oh? Miss it already, do you? Well… I guess the place did have its own little charm in certain ways."
The baiting failed, and Aizen was starting to become agitated with the man. "I don't believe now is the best time to attempt to entertain me with your word games, Gin." He warned.
Gin tilted his head, hid grin only growing larger. "Whatever could you mean, Captain Aizen? I only came for the view. I saw you sitting there oh so peacefully, that I thought I would avoid disturbing that peace."
A growl almost escaped Aizen's throat. "If you have nothing for me, then I ask that you leave, Gin." He said, his voice growing dangerous.
The grin turned into a full-blown smile. "Well now, I didn't say 'that', Captain Aizen. I actually do have something that you might find interesting." He assured.
Silence filled the room again as the two men stared each other off; Aizen's patience running dangerously low, and Gin's enjoyment ever increasing. After a few more moments, Aizen's patience had run out.
"Well?" he asked in a threatening manner.
Gin's amusement was at an all-time high now, and he wanted so badly to laugh at that moment. "Oh, I'm sorry, Captain Aizen; I wasn't aware you 'wanted' me to tell you." He teased.
Aizen narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Gin…" he warned.
Knowing he was at the limit of what Aizen would allow without serious punishment, Gin was forced to relent. "I just thought you would be pleased to know that our guests have arrived. They should be entering Ulquiorra's palace any minute now." He informed.
Aizen smiled at the information. "Thank you, Gin. Yes, I was already aware of our visitors. But I believe we should wait on greeting them. Have some of the Arrancars entertain them, of course, but I would like to hold off on officially greeting them until a later time."
Gin gave him a pouting look. "Aw… Now where's the fun in that, Captain Aizen?" he whined.
The man chuckled. "You do not need to worry, Gin. Rest assured, things will soon become very… entertaining for you in the near future. Please remain patient for now." He insisted.
The pout fell from Gin's face, but he was still a bit upset. "I guess I have no choice then. I hope that you will at least let me have other fun instead; won't you, Captain Aizen?" he pleaded.
Aizen thought it over for only a moment. "I don't see why you cannot entertain yourself by making things a 'little' more interesting for our guests, provided it does not interfere with my plans for them." he relented.
The 'smile' instantly returned to Gin's face. "Oh goody! Things have been rather dull lately, and since Grimmjow has been rather moody the past few days, I've been having a hard time finding fun things to do. If you'll excuse me, Captain Aizen, I think I'm going to go have some fun."
Aizen only nodded in response. Gin then turned and left the dais the way he came, the room echoing the sound of the large door closing behind him. Aizen turned in his seat to the balcony, looking out at the artificial sky.
"It's time to see how well you have grown, Ichigo Kurosaki. And… I suppose I should pay some attention to you as well, Timothy Durn. For a failure, you have proven to be quite interesting. Perhaps there may be a place for you in my plans." The man chuckled lowly at the thought. "Only time will tell." He concluded, returning to his earlier thoughts.
Palace of the Quatro Espada, With Timothy's Team, 30 Minutes Later
Things were 'not' going as Timothy had hoped. Within minutes of exiting the tunnels and breaking off from the others, they had come across a random patrol of three Arrancars and were forced to fight them off.
Ichigo was fighting against a ragged, arachnid-looking Arrancar in its released form; Nel was taking the fight to an overweight one that looked almost pig-like, also released; and finally, Timothy was blocking attacks and shifting around a fast, feline shaped Arrancar, again, released.
The three Arrancars didn't even take the time to introduce themselves, nor did they really say anything, except addressing the group as 'Intruders!'. A few seconds afterwards, all three of them had their blades drawn and were calling out their releases.
Not that the releases helped them much against a former Espada, a teenager who literally leaked pure power, and a Lieutenant whose movements were nearly impossible to track. To put it simply: the three Arrancars were more of a nuisance than a challenge.
If Timothy had to guess, the three of them were either weak links used to fill up positions nobody wanted, such as patrolling, or were newly created and were not yet used to their new bodies. Either way, they proved to be no challenge at all for Timothy's group to subdue.
The 'battle' lasted less than five minutes, and the three Arrancars were now defeated and unconscious, lying on the floor with their hands bound. Timothy looked at his two companions and saw that neither of them had so much as a single scratch on them.
"Should we consider that a quick warmup? Cause that's honestly what that felt like." The Lieutenant remarked.
Ichigo scoffed with a roll of the eyes. "These guys were nothing. They seriously have guys like that in their ranks?" he asked the former Espada next to him.
Nel nodded and pointed to the feline-looking one. "Most hollows that are turned into Arrancars become very powerful upon transformation. However, there are some, like these three, who did not respond well to the change. In most cases, only their forms were changed, not their abilities and powers. Those Arrancars are usually assigned as palace guards or servants. They're not really supposed to defeat their opponents, only keep them busy until help arrives." She informed.
Ichigo scoffed again. "Yeah, that worked 'very' well." He mocked.
Timothy gave a quick glance down the, now empty, hallway. "Don't know about you two, but I don't really wanna find out just how well it worked. We'd be stupid to think that the ruckus we just made wasn't noticed by someone else. We should get going." He advised.
Nel and Ichigo both nodded. "I agree. I doubt it would be more than a few more minutes before another patrol comes to investigate what happened. Remembering the layout of Ulquiorra's palace, the lower and middle floors are for the servants, so I doubt Aizen would keep Orihime here. We can probably skip this floor and head up to the next one." She offered.
Ichigo shrugged a shoulder. "No complaints here."
Timothy nodded with a hum. "Alright then, let's head up a floor. You think the others have run into any trouble as well?" he asked the Arrancar.
Nel thought it over as they started walking again. "If they did, it was just like us; not against anyone powerful. Otherwise, we would feel their spiritual pressures from the fighting. What do you think, Ichi?" she asked the teen.
"Beats me. If they do get into a fight, it'll just draw the enemy off of us, wouldn't it?" he asked back.
Timothy frowned at him. "That was a bit asshole-ish, don't you think?" he mumbled.
Ichigo snapped to the Lieutenant, a fist raised at him. "Hey! That's not what I meant, and you know it!" he defended.
Nel narrowed her eyes at the two. "Boys… don't start." She warned.
The Lieutenant gave her a shocked look. "What the hell did 'I' do?!"
"You called me an asshole, asshole!" the substitute answered.
Timothy glared at him. "No the hell I didn't! I said that what you 'said' was asshole-ish!" he corrected.
A yelp came from the two men as Nel slapped them both on the backs of their heads. "Knock it off, 'both' of you!" she hissed.
Timothy turned back to her, holding the back of his head. "But…"
Nel snapped a finger to him, less than an inch from his nose. "Zip it!"
The man swallowed and nodded in affirmation before pulling the metaphorical zipper on his mouth shut, earning a nod back from Nel and a snicker from Ichigo.
"Whipped." He mocked, causing the Arrancar to slap the back of his head again. "Ow! Damn it, Nel! Cut it out!" he demanded.
A low growl from Nel made him shut up instantly. Although he wouldn't dare do it aloud, Timothy couldn't help but snicker in his head, along with Kitsune.
"On a more serious note…" he started, changing the subject. "Whereabouts do you think they would keep Orihime, Nel?" he asked.
She hummed in thought for a moment. "If it were me keeping her, I would have kept her somewhere near Ulquiorra's room. His room is near the top, so it would be nearly impossible for her to sneak out without getting caught. That, and so Ulquiorra can keep a close watch on her. But, then again, Aizen has no doubt been expecting a rescue attempt in the future; so he might keep her somewhere else in the palace. So, she could be anywhere." She informed.
"How long do you think it'll take to check each floor?" Ichigo asked.
Nel touched a finger to her chin in thought. "A little over an hour… maybe two. But since we're split up into three groups, we can check three floors in that time. And since Ulquiorra's palace is not that big with only forty-seven floors, we should be able to find Orihime within the next twenty-four hours, since we can skip most of the lower floors." She answered.
Timothy moaned with a shake of the head. "Just great. And now that they know we're here, this just got a whole lot more difficult. Wouldn't surprise me if us, or one of the others, run into an Espada within the next thirty minutes."
Nel shook her head as well. "It wouldn't surprise me either. All we can hope for is that we find her before things get out of hand." She commented.
"So, here's a question for you two…" Ichigo started, getting their attention. "Why the hell don't we check up near that Ulquiorra guy's room first and see if that bastard Aizen is keeping her there? You did say that's where he'd likely keep her, right?" he questioned.
"Because Ulquiorra is usually in his room when the Espada are not in meetings." Nel answered. "If we check there first, we'll 'very' likely run into him. And what if she isn't there? That means that we'll have Ulquiorra to deal with and 'still' have to check the palace. Even if we manage to defeat him, Aizen would have had Orihime moved by then, and we would have to start all over again. No, it's best to start low and check all we can while they don't know where we are and work our way up." She advised.
Timothy nodded in agreeance. "She's right. There's still the chance that our little battle with those three earlier didn't alert anyone else that we're here. So we don't have to give up on the sneaky part just yet."
Ichigo rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah, I guess that all makes sense. So what… we're just gonna check each floor one at a time?"
"That's the plan, yeah." Timothy confirmed. "Renji and Uryū are about five floors above us, and Chand and Rukia another five above them. Each team is checking the floors between them before we'll meet back up and plan out the next series of floors. Once we've got the middle floors done, we can search the upper floors much closer to each other. That way, the teams can help each other out in a pinch."
The teen nodded. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense."
Timothy rolled his eyes to him. "You would've known that had you been actually paying attention to the briefing." He mumbled.
"What was that?!" the teen demanded, holding a fist up.
The hallway nearly echoed with the sounds of two thumps, followed immediately by two moans of pain as Nel slapped them again.
Palace of the Quatro Espada, With Renji's Team
A birdish-looking Arrancar cried out in agony as a series of blue, spiritual arrows pierced his chest, robbing him of his life where he fell to the floor. The young man in front of him, who had fired the arrows, watched him fall in disinterest before adjusting hos glasses.
"Too easy." Uryū mocked before turning to his teammate, who was just finishing his fight as well. "A child could have handled this." He added.
A few yards away, Renji delivered the killing blow across the canine-looking Arrancar's back, sending it to join its friend. With a huff, the soul reaper shouldered his zanpakutō and glanced at Uryū's fallen opponent.
"Yeah, and that worries me. Either these guys just suck, or there's something that we're missing going on." He commented.
Finishing with his glasses, Uryū hummed in response. "I'd have to agree. If Orihime is so important that Aizen had her captured, I doubt he would leave such pitiful excuses for guards to watch over her. I have a feeling that we're walking into a trap."
"Yeah, I'm getting that vibe too. The question is whether we sprung it yet or not." The Lieutenant wondered.
"Considering that we have yet to run into any big problems so far, I doubt it. I'm starting to regret splitting up even more than we did in the tunnels." The Quincy announced.
Renji waved him off gently. "Nah, Rukia and Chad can handle themselves, and Ichigo, Tim, and Nel would simply wipe the floor with whoever is stupid enough to mess with em. And besides, it's not like they're on the other side of Hueco Mundo or anything. If something happens, we can get to em quick enough."
Uryū sighed and crossed his arms, looking down the hallway. "Yes, I'm aware." He mumbled.
The soul reaper raised a curious brow. "Something on your mind, Uryū?" he asked.
The teen narrowed his eyes and glanced at the man. "This whole thing still doesn't make any sense."
"You talking about the lack of security, or about Aizen kidnapping Orihime?" Renji inquired.
"The latter. Taking Orihime does make sense, when you take into consideration her unique abilities. Although she cannot do much in regards to offense, her healing powers are something to be reckoned with. So, removing her from our list of assets is a smart move for Aizen. But what has me confused is why he kidnapped her instead of killed her."
Renji crossed his arms loosely. "You think he'll have her help him instead?"
Uryū turned away and thought the question over for a moment. "No. Although she would help anyone who needs it, regardless of what side they are on, she would never do anything that could result in her friends getting hurt. She knows that the people keeping her would try to harm or kill us, so I doubt she would help them beyond healing some minor injuries. Aizen, as smart as he is, knows this. So, why kidnap her instead of simply kill her?"
The soul reaper hummed in thought before nodding. "Yeah, you do have a point there. Now that I think about it, kidnapping her is a little counterproductive for Aizen. Especially since he knows that we wouldn't just sit there and let him keep her."
Uryū nodded back and turned back to him fully. "Also, there's the removal of her soul from her body and severing her soul chain. Aizen could have easily taken her here while she was still in her living body, so why did he remove her soul and kill her body? What was the point? We all know that once a soul's chain of fate is severed, it starts to decay. If Aizen wanted her dead, why not simply kill her? And if he wanted her alive, why cut her soul chain, making her slowly die?"
Renji rested his chin in hand. "Good question. Do you think he intends to turn her into a hollow?"
"It's possible, but I don't think that's entirely it. With Orihime now in a spiritual state, all he would have to do is feed her to a group of hollows to do so. But I have a feeling that that hasn't happened. Orihime is still here, and is still a human, not a hollow."
The Lieutenant nodded in agreeance. "Yeah, I've got that feeling too. So, I guess that leaves the question on why he took her and put her in the state she's in. Any ideas?"
Uryū shook his head slowly. "None that I can think of. And personally, I'd rather not wait around to find out what his end goal is for her."
"Agreed. So, we ready to head up to the next floor?"
With a nod, Uryū uncrossed his arms and turned back to the hallway. "There's no point looking further on this floor. Orihime's not here, otherwise we would be able to at least sense her. Let's go."
"Right behind ya." Renji answered, following closely behind his teenage friend towards the staircase.
With Rukia's Team
Rukia, with Chad right beside her, walked quietly down the empty hallway, peeking into each room they passed in looking for Orihime. Being more skilled in detecting spiritual pressures, Rukia was the one who would check the rooms, while Chad kept a watchful eye out for any sentries.
Unlike the others, the two of them had so far had an uneventful time during their search. Not that they hadn't run into any Arrancars yet, as they had come across two sets of guards since leaving the tunnels, they were just more fortunate to not be spotted.
After checking another room and quietly closing the door, the small woman turned to the much larger teen. "Nothing here either." She whispered and the teen nodded.
"Let's move on." He spoke in his usual tone.
Rukia nodded back and the pair continued to the next room. Luckily, they noticed, the higher they got in the building, the less rooms were on each floor. By a quick count, Rukia could see that the floor they were on had about ten or so less rooms on it than the one below them, numbering around fifty rooms. By her guess, the highest floor likely only had two or three rooms on it, with one of them being the Quatro Espada's room.
Taking a quick peek into yet another room, and again seeing nothing, she sighed as she closed the door. "Nothing… again." She said defeatedly.
Waiting for her to rejoin his side, Chad looked down to her with a calm face. "We still have a lot of floors to search above us. I'm sure Orihime is on one of them." He reassured.
"I know. I guess I'm just worried about her." She admitted.
He nodded in understanding. "We all are."
The woman sighed once more and looked down the hallway. "Well, I guess it's on to the next room. I just hope we don't run into one that's occupied." She mumbled.
"I agree, though I'm afraid our luck may not last much longer." He warned.
She gave him a questioning glance. "So, you felt it too?" she asked.
The teen nodded once. "Only just barely. The others have already run into trouble, and I fear we may run into some of our own soon."
Rukia nodded as she glanced inside another room. "Yeah, we'd be stupid to think that they don't know we're here now. I just hope we can find Orihime and leave before any of the Espada get involved. We just barely won when they came to the world of the living, and that was eight against two. Here, the odds are reversed. If the Espada do get involved, I doubt we'll make it out of here."
He nodded once. "Sadly, I have to agree. We should hurry before that happens."
"Hey! Who the hell are you?!" a voice yelled out.
The human and soul reaper snapped their heads ahead of them to see a group of three Arrancars standing in the hallway, their hands on their weapons. Rukia sighed defeatedly and drew her own weapon while Chad raised his fists.
"Well, I guess our luck ran out faster than we thought." She commented.
He hummed in acknowledgment. "I'll take the two on the right. I'll hold them off until you finish with the last one." He proposed.
Rukia nodded as she got into a stance. "You sure you can take them both on?" she asked.
"I should be fine. Judging by their spiritual pressures, they're not that powerful." He assured.
"Alright. I'll make it quick and help you out." She concluded.
The two tensed and got ready as the Arrancars charged forward at them.
Squad 12 Research Department
A fuming Suí-Fēng paraded through the halls of Squad 12, her fists clenched tightly, and her shoulders squared in anger. This was the last place she wanted to be, unless it was to annoy the squad's Captain in some way.
But that was not why the 2nd Squad's Captain was there. No, she was there for something that made her blood boil. She was there to work 'with' the deranged Captain instead of against him, as she preferred. Not only that, but the man had the gull to summon 'her'.
She was sitting quietly in her office, finalizing some weekly reports, when one of her squad members appeared and told her one of Squad 12's members brought a message of summons from Captain Kurotsuchi.
At first, she considered ignoring the summons, but her earlier conversation with Sasaki about working with the scientist came to the forefront of her mind and she relented. Of course, she didn't come alone.
In fact, she had a half dozen of her stealthiest members following a short distance behind her, waiting for their Captain to engage with Kurotsuchi before leaving to dig up any other information they could while the Captain was distracted.
She wasn't stupid, she knew the crazy Captain would only give her the most basic of information to try and appease her, keeping the rest to himself. Well, she wasn't going to have any of that. Whatever the man discovered from his traitor of an officer, she wanted to know. And she 'will' know.
At long last, she came to the large, sealed door that led to where the man was supposed to be 'retrieving' the said information. Raising her fist, she banged it against the door twice, shouting for him to open up.
Within seconds, the door opened to reveal a very agitated Mayuri glaring down at her. "Really, must you make so much racket? Did you honestly think I didn't already know you were here?"
The woman narrowed her eyes dangerously. "If you knew I was here, then why didn't you open up, Kurotsuchi?" she questioned.
The man rolled his eyes, scoffing. "Tsk, I have more important things to do than wait on you day and night, woman. Now, quit dawdling and get in here. We have much to discuss." He said, turning and walking back deeper into the room.
With a snarl, Suí-Fēng followed the man inside, sparing the briefest of glances towards Sasaki, who was one of the men following her. He nodded in understanding before he suddenly vanished into the shadows. With the slightest of smirks, Suí-Fēng entered the room and allowed it to close behind her.
No matter where she looked in the room, all she saw were numerous jars and containers with tiny labels on them; with dates, times, specimen numbers, names if applicable, and a few notes. Wall-to-wall, these containers filled the room.
When she came around a break in the wall of shelves, her eyes went wide at the sight of Hiyosu, lying on the table, unmoving, and with a wide-eyed, horrified expression on his face. Well… what was left of it that is.
If it wasn't for prior knowledge of what was going on, she would have had no idea who the person laid out and opened up on the table really was. Even though the man was a traitor, something she absolutely despised, a very small part in the back of her mind couldn't help but feel pity for the man.
"Well, what are you waiting for?!" Mayuri snapped from behind his desk next to the operating table, snapping Suí-Fēng from her thoughts.
She glared at him in a growl. "You best watch it, Kurotsuchi. I am in no mood to deal with you tonight. Just tell me what it is you want." She demanded.
The scientist grinned wickedly at her. "Now see here, woman, if I remember correctly, I'm the one who had the information you so desperately wanted; information that you sent seven of your goons loose in my facility to find." He sneered.
Suí-Fēng clenched her teeth tightly, infuriated that, somehow, someway, the bastard scientist knew about her hidden squad members. "Damn you!" she hissed.
The man chuckled darkly. "Really. First that Sasa… whatever his name is, and now this? It seems to me that your squad has become a bit lax in their training, 'Stealth Force Commander'." He mocked, only adding to the woman's rapidly growing anger.
"What is it you wanted, Kurotsuchi?" she demanded again.
The scientist chuckled again before turning back to his monitor. "I thought I made that clear when I let that Sasa man return to you with what little information I had acquired at that time. I have something that you want…" He paused to look back up at her in a dark stare. "And you have something that I want."
Suí-Fēng stood straight and crossed her arms. "So, you want a trade. Well, what is it that you think I have that you would want, Kurotsuchi?"
Mayuri pulled a small, flat object from his computer before standing and holding it up for her to see. "I know how simplistic your puny mind is, Captain, so I'll make this plain for you to understand. What I have here in my hand is all of the data I was able to acquire from my… indisposed officer here. Sadly, it's not much. Even I must admit that Sōsuke Aizen covered his tracks far too well, and nothing in here has given me a definitive lead… so far."
She narrowed her eyes questioningly. "It's not like you to admit defeat so easily, Kurotsuchi. What are you getting at?"
He lowered his hand and matched her stare. "Why, it should be simple for you. With the vastly limited resources I have been left with, I am simply unable to continue the research needed to investigate this matter more clearly. But…" He grinned once again, making Suí-Fēng narrow her eyes even further. "Seeing as how you are the cause of these limitations, I'm willing to offer you a deal."
The woman huffed in disbelief. "A deal? From you? If I had a choice to make a deal with either you or the devil, the devil would be the safer bet. What is it?"
"Simple. You allow me full access to my Research and Communications Departments to conduct further investigations into this information. In return, any and all information I acquire will be shared with you, the moment it becomes available." He proposed.
"That's not going to happen, Kurotsuchi. In case you've forgotten, the Head Captain himself closed the department down to anyone without authorization, including you." She reminded.
The man nodded once. "True. However, I distinctly recall hearing the Head Captain stating that you were the one in charge of who goes in or out. Therefor, does the authorization to permit me entry into 'my' departments not rest with you, Squad 2 Captain?"
Suí-Fēng scoffed at him. "Do you honestly expect me to trust you on your word, Kurotsuchi? And did you really think I would allow you and a bunch of your traitorous squad members access to do more damage?"
Mayuri snickered and shook his head. "Really. Do you honestly think I need help from those welps to do something as simple as information gathering?"
She raised a brow. "You intend to look into this all by yourself?" she questioned.
"Of course, I do. Now, do we have a deal, or not?" he asked, waving the flat object in front of her.
"And just what guarantees can you possibly offer to convince me that you won't just keep the information to yourself?" she questioned further.
He only smiled at her question. "None. So, tell me, Squad 2 Captain; will you accept my proposal, allowing me access to my departments again and gain information in return, or would you rather this information remains as it is currently: useless?" he asked, slightly waving the flat object tauntingly in the air in front of her.
The female Captain gritted her teeth. "I'll…" She paused, stopping herself from answering too quickly and possibly making a mistake.
The man did have a point; the Head Captain did in fact make her solely in charge of who came and went from the Research Department, meaning that the decision of whether or not to allow the clown-faced Captain access into the department rested with her.
On one hand, she would be able to gain valuable information that she had thus far been unable to obtain. Information that could lead them closer to the root of Aizen's little spy system.
But, on the other hand, if she wanted the information that the man had, she would have to work with him, one of the few things she despised. It all basically came down to the lesser of two evils, and working with the Squad 12 Captain was steadily becoming that lesser evil.
Turning her gaze away from the Captain, she growled under her breath with balled fists. "I… accept… your proposal, Kurotsuchi." She hissed, making the scientist's grin grow even further. But she snapped back to him and held a finger out towards him. "I'll allow you to access your departments again. But, you 'will' have guards on you at all times. And, you will make sure that any, and 'all', information you acquire is sent to me the moment you get it. Am I understood, Kurotsuchi?"
The Captain rolled his eyes with a scoff, waving her off dismissively. "Yes, yes, of course. I'll be sure that you are amongst the first to know of any developments I make regarding this information. Now, unless there is something else you wish to make pointless threats on, I am a very busy man and must bid you adieu, Squad 2 Captain."
Suí-Fēng narrowed her eyes dangerously. "You think I am joking about having guards present at all times? Understand this, Kurotsuchi, you even 'think' of entering any of the restricted areas without one of my squad members present, the deal is off, and you'll find yourself right back to where that bastard, Urahara, found you; in the Maggot's Nest."
He gave her an uninterested stare. "As I had just told you, I have not the time for more of your useless threats, woman. I'll be sure to inform your pitiful excuses of 'squad members' the moment I require entry to 'my' department. Now shoo. I have far more important matters to tend to than being a target for your ranting." He said with another dismissive wave.
The short woman snarled before turning and storming out of the man's office. Had the door not been automatic and fixed into the wall, she would have slammed it shut, possibly off its hinges, on her way out. Instead, she was forced to settle with slamming a fist into the wall across from her.
"Damn that man! Just what evil, sadistic thoughts were running through Urahara's empty brain when he thought it was a good idea to let that snake out from the Maggot's Nest?! Of all the stupid things that man has done, releasing Kurotsuchi was the worst! If I ever get the chance, I'll wring his neck with my bare hands!" she fumed.
Rolling her eyes, she saw that her fist left a small indent, along with a few cracks, in the wall. Huffing, she lowered her fist and stormed down the hallway. She wasn't surprised when she noticed Sasaki appear and fall into step a few feet behind her.
"Find anything?" she questioned in a whisper.
The man shook his head in defeat. "Nothing, Captain. When we tried to go through his files in the main laboratory, we saw he had no security at all on it. We figured it was likely a trap, so we didn't look further. Besides that, we couldn't find anything of interest." He reported.
Suí-Fēng snarled through her teeth. "Smart move. That bastard, Kurotsuchi, somehow knew that you were here, so it doesn't surprise me that he would attempt to lure you into a trap. Don't worry about it. If things work out according to plan, and if the bastard keeps his end of the deal, we'll have more information shortly."
He gave her a curious look. "I take it that we're working with Captain Kurotsuchi, Captain?" he asked carefully, not wanting to piss off his Captain any further than she apparently already was.
The woman nodded once. "As long as he gives us any information he discovers, we're allowing him to access the Research and Communication Departments again, under 'very' strict guard. I'll be leaving you in charge of that. That fat slob, Marechiyo, would only screw things up. I want your entire unit focused specifically on watching Kurotsuchi. If he so much as twitches the wrong way, I want to know about it. If he does something you think could be dangerous, arrest him immediately. Understood?" she questioned, glancing over her shoulder at him.
Sasaki nodded firmly. "Yes, Captain. I assume we are keeping any information he finds to ourselves?"
She nodded back, turning her gaze back to the front as the exited the building. "For now, yes. Unless it regards something dangerous, we keep all information between us and that bastard, Kurotsuchi." Stopping once they were a comfortable distance from the building, she turned to face him directly. "Don't fail me, Sasaki." She warned.
The man grinned behind his face covering. "Have I ever, Captain?" he lightly teased.
She grinned back, allowing the tease. The man had been in her squad for well over three decades now, and to her amazement, had yet to fail a single mission; she didn't consider his mishap the day before with Kurotsuchi a total failure, since he 'did' manage to gain some useful information in the end.
The officer was a bit more forward and loose-tounged with her than she would have preferred, but it never went beyond simple comments, and it was something that could be overlooked in return for his experience in stealth operations.
It actually surprised her a bit when, after almost twenty years of his occasional bouts of humor, she had accepted, and actually returned, some of the man's gestures. Though, her answers to his teasing still very rarely went beyond a gentle dismissal of his words, or an empty 'shut it'.
"No, you haven't. If it weren't for the fact that I'm stuck with Marechiyo's useless ass, I might have considered you for his position in the future. At least you get things done, unlike that fat slob. Now get going. Knowing Kurotsuchi, he's more than likely already on his way to the Research Department's restricted areas. Do 'not' let him out of your sight for even a fraction of a second. That's more than he'll ever need to attempt something. And of course, have your men do their own digging when they're not watching Kurotsuchi. I want to know 'everything'." She instructed.
Sasaki bowed deeply. "Yes, Captain. I'll report back the moment I find something." He responded, vanishing with a whisp a split second later.
Suí-Fēng turned back to the path ahead of her in a low growl. "Please, do something, anything, that gives me a reason to shove your ass right back to where it came from, Kurotsuchi. I'll be waiting." She mumbled, then vanished as well.
Las Noches Throne Room, 1 Hour Later
Ulquiorra Cifer, his hands in his pants pockets as usual, strode quietly and calmly across the empty halls of the throne room. As he came to the base of the steps leading up to the dais, he stopped before touching the first step.
Looking up at the top, he saw Aizen sitting peacefully in his large, stone chair, looking back down at him. "You wished to see me, Lord Aizen?" he asked in his quiet voice.
The former Captain smiled and hummed lowly. "Indeed. Please, step forward, Ulquiorra." He instructed.
With a nod, the Quatro Espada ascended the steps slowly, but dutifully, until he was standing at the top, only a few feet away from the powerful man. He waited as Aizen shifted himself to sit up straight and look right into the Espada's eyes.
"Thank you for coming, Ulquiorra. Before we begin, I trust you are aware of the… uninvited guests within your palace?" he asked.
The Espada nodded. "I am, Lord Aizen. And, per your instructions, I have not interfered with them at all."
Aizen smiled more and nodded back. "And I thank you for that. Allow me to offer you my deepest apologies for asking you to ignore those who have trespassed in your home, Ulquiorra. Rest assured, it is not without purpose." He assured the Espada.
"If it is what you wish, then I will continue to ignore their presence, Lord Aizen. If I may ask, what is the purpose for allowing the humans and soul reapers free access into Las Noches?" he inquired.
Aizen chuckled once, closing his eyes. "Of course. The reason is actually quite simple, my dear Espada. I wish to test their abilities; to see how much they have grown when forced to improve themselves under dire circumstances. Their friend, Orihime Inoue, was in danger. Often, when faced with a dangerous situation, one must improve themselves quickly in order to adapt to the situation."
He reopened his eyes and looked right into Ulquiorra's. "Your little visit to Karakura Town showed them all just how powerful the Arrancar and Espada are, and made them realize that they were simply not strong enough to confront you on even grounds. Clearly not strong enough to mount a feasible rescue operation for their friend. Time was of the essence for them, and they were thus forced to train rapidly to meet expectations for a possible rescue."
Aizen smiled more and relaxed, closing his eyes once again. "You are simply too powerful, even now, for them to handle, Ulquiorra. It is not my intention for their little rescue operation to end so abruptly, which would be the case if you should become involved. That is why I have asked you to remain uninvolved, leaving this for your lesser comrades to handle. Rest assured, my dear Ulquiorra, they will not be left unpunished for their intrusion of your home. Once I have successfully gauged how much they have improved, they will be dealt with, swiftly. Until then, I must ask for your patience to continue, Ulquiorra." He said, opening his eyes again.
The Espada gave his one-armed bow to the man. "As you wish, Lord Aizen. I assume that you intend to include our newest comrade in their expulsion once you have finished your observations?" he inquired.
The former Captain chuckled. "Of course. Afterall, it is not only their abilities I wish to assess, but our newest comrade's as well. But do not worry, Ulquiorra; I have instructed our newest comrade to mitigate any possible damages to your palace. If there is any lasting damage done, I will deal with it personally. You are dismissed, Ulquiorra." He concluded.
Ulquiorra raised from his bow. "Yes, Lord Aizen." He responded, turning and leaving the dais.
Aizen watched the man leave the platform, then the throne room a few moments later. When the large, double doors closed behind the Espada, the former Captain rolled his eyes to the right, narrowing them.
"And how many times must I ask you not to eavesdrop, Gin?" he questioned.
On the far wall, below the dais, Gin Ichimaru stepped out from behind one of the many tall pillars that ran from floor to ceiling. He had his hands tucked in opposing sleeves and his usual, trademark, foxlike grin on his face.
"Oh, come now, Captain Aizen. Can you really expect the curious, little, ol me not to listen in on things he shouldn't? It's rather annoying not knowing everything. And besides, it's quite fun, too." The white-haired man pleaded.
Aizen stared at the man, slightly annoyed, before closing his eyes and sighing quietly. "Yes, I suppose it would be a bit much to keep anything from you, Gin. And now that you have heard what you wished, would you mind sending Grimmjow to me? I have a… special job I am sure he would be very excited to partake in."
Gin's grin turned into a full-blown smile. "Oh, goody. It seems that we'll finally have some entertainment around here. Things have started to become quite dull recently. Would you like me to send our new friend to you as well?" he asked in a suggesting manner.
Aizen thought it over for a fraction of a second before humming. "Actually, I would. Please do so." He acknowledged. He listened as Gin turned and started heading for the door. It was when he opened it that Aizen spoke again. "And Gin, it very well may be in your best interest to not infuriate our new comrade with your… antics."
Gin gave a pouting look and pointed at himself. "Me? Infuriate our new friend? Oh, Captain Aizen, why ever would you suggest that I would do such a thing?" he teased.
The powerful man narrowed his eyes. "Yes, why ever would I do such a thing." He mumbled lowly, annoyed when Gin only smiled and left the room. "One can only wonder, Gin."
With Timothy's Team
With a swing of his released blade, Timothy fired a medium-sized fireball at the Arrancar in front of him. The Arrancar dodged to the side, allowing it to pass harmlessly, but it only proved to be a mistake. For right as he finished his move, Timothy reappeared right next to him, using one of his flames, and sliced down across his back.
The Arrancar howled in pain as he dropped to his knees, but was silenced a second later when Timothy swung the backside of his zanpakutō against the back of his head. The Arrancar fell forward onto the ground with a thump, knocked unconscious.
Swinging his blade to knock the blood off, Timothy turned to see that Nel and Ichigo both were finishing up on the second Arrancar. They had mistakenly come across the two of them when they opened a door to check one of the rooms, only to find the two Arrancars relaxing inside.
The Arrancar's responded immediately, and the group could instantly tell that these two were a bit more powerful than the first group they ran into, with the one Ichigo and Nel were facing being the stronger one.
Actually, it wasn't really that they were more powerful, more along the lines of just more intelligent. Where the first group basically just charged in for a quick kill, this group was more observant and careful, taking their time rather than rushing.
That was why Timothy's battle lasted nearly fifteen minutes, with a few cuts and scratches as a result; unlike the previous match where his opponent failed to even touch him. The same could be said in Ichigo and Nel's case as well; both were now sporting a few minor cuts like him.
But, just like him, the duo managed to defeat the Arrancar, the teen knocking it out. After all, they weren't there to kill everyone, only save their friend. If unnecessary deaths could be avoided, they wanted to do so.
Timothy resealed his zanpakutō and sheathed it as Ichigo slung his own onto his back, the white ribbon on the hilt wrapping tightly around the blade as he did so. Nel had only used her fists, relying more on her speed than her blade.
The two of them turned back to Timothy, a worried look on Nel's face. "We need to hurry. It won't be long before the Espada start looking for us."
Timothy nodded. "I know. We still have one more floor above us before we meet with the others for the next set. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not be here when that Ulquiorra guy joins the party."
"Not gonna argue with ya on that one. Let's get going." Ichigo confirmed.
With the substitute leading the way, the group continued their search, taking quick peeks into each room they passed along the way. The more empty rooms they passed, the more questions came to Timothy's mind. By the time they finished that floor and made their way to the stairwell, Timothy couldn't keep his curiosity any longer.
"Nel… why are there so many empty rooms? Are the Arrancars just somewhere else?" he asked.
The woman shook her head. "No. I'm not sure about the entire history about Las Noches, but from what I have read, it was built almost two thousand years ago, and was the main city of Hueco Mundo. Back then, hollows were more intelligent, not as mindless as they tend to be now. This was their home." She educated.
Ichigo's interest was piqued. "So… what happened to em all? All we've seen so far are Arrancars, no regular hollows." He pointed out.
She shook her head again. "I'm not sure. There was nothing in the leftover books from the time, but it is well known amongst most hollows that there was a great war. The only one who might know for sure would be Barragan, as he was the 'assumed' God of Hueco Mundo for several centuries before Aizen came. All I can say is that there was some sort of disagreement amongst the residents of Las Noches, and there was a divide between the different views. Las Noches was split into three groups, with two of them leaving and settling somewhere else a great distance away. No one knows where these other two groups went to, only that they both returned many years later, and attempted to take Las Noches for themselves."
They came to the stairwell and began their ascent to the next floor. "The stories I've read state that it was a costly war, one that all sides lost. In the end, Las Noches was in ruins, and the survivors of the war were left to wander the dunes. It was the several hundreds of years roaming in solitude that left them the mindless beings they are now. And with every soul they consume, the resulting hollow gains a bit of that loss of sanity." She finished.
Timothy looked around and rose a brow. "So, if Las Noches was destroyed, who rebuilt it?" he asked.
"Aizen did. The city was already almost finished by the time I became an Espada, and he only recently finished it. But, by my estimates, there are only enough Arrancars under Aizen's command to fill maybe half of one of the ten palaces in Las Noches."
Both Ichigo's and Timothy's jaws dropped. "Just how many hollows lived here before the war happened?!" they asked in unison.
Nel touched a finger to her chin with a hum. "There are no records left, but my guess is it was around ten… maybe eleven million."
The two men paled at the thought. "I don't wanna even imagine that many hollows in one place." Timothy commented.
Nel glared at him over her shoulder. "And just what is that supposed to mean, Tim?" she questioned, managing to keep a smirk from coming to her face.
He quickly held up both hands. "Nothing! I'm just saying that that is 'way' too many hollows for me to be anywhere near." He defended.
"So, you're saying that you prefer that there were only a few of us?" she furthered.
"That is not what I…" He paused when the woman smirked, then growled. "You bitch. You're just as bad as Kit!" he accused.
"Hey!" the mentioned spirit yelled in his head, making him hold a hand against it.
"Shut up, Kit!" he hissed, making Nel snicker. "You corrupted her!"
"Actually, she didn't. I just wanted to tease you a bit, Tim. I know what you meant. And yes, it was quite a large number of hollows. But, back then, hollows and soul reapers were not as hostile towards each other. Again, from what I've read, hollows and soul reapers simply tried to keep their distance from each other. When it came to the souls of the deceased, it was whoever got there first. It was only within the past thousand years or so that soul reapers and hollows started to actively engage each other, and start seeking each other out."
That surprised the two men. "So… you're saying that the hollows and soul reapers used to be at peace?" he asked in shock.
She shook head. "Not a real peace, no; more along the lines of an agreed neutrality. I guess it was like a 'you don't bother me, I don't bother you' type of thing. But that was a very long time ago. So long, I doubt that any of the soul reapers living today know about it."
"I ain't never heard of it, but then I don't stay there. I've only been there like, once." Ichigo stated.
"I've been a 'resident' of the Soul Society for almost thirteen years, and I've never heard of any of this. But then, I've only known about the existence of hollows, not their history. Adds a whole new perspective to the mix, doesn't it?" Timothy remarked.
"Yeah, it does. And, now that I think about it…" The teen turned back to Nel, his head tilted. "I remember you telling us how you became an Arrancar, and then an Espada, but how did you become a hollow in the first place, Nel?"
The woman shrugged her shoulders. "I honestly don't know. I don't remember anything from before I became a hollow. It was like… I just woke up or something. I have no memory from my time being alive. From what I've heard, it's usually the same for souls that go to the Soul Society, isn't it?" she asked Timothy.
He shrugged as well. "Everyone I've ever talked to seemed that way, not remembering who they were in their past lives. Don't really know how, but I guess I'm one of those very few that does remember his past life. Guess it's just a luck of the draw. There was one person I knew who remembered his past life. His name's Albert, and he lived in Rukongai with me. Annoying bastard, but a good guy nonetheless."
"Do you ever wish you didn't remember?" Nel asked in a curious tone.
He scratched the stubble on his cheek. "Not really. Didn't have hardly any friends when I was alive, and Kit was the only person I had. Her, and her damned mother and that stupid dog." He mumbled.
"I still can't get why you hated my mother so much…" Kitsune mumbled back.
"I didn't really hate her, she was just annoying as shit." He corrected mentally.
"Dog?" Nel asked.
Timothy waved her off. "Don't worry about it. A story for another time. Anyway, it doesn't bother me one way or the other if I remember my past life. It is what it is. For now, we should get our focus back on finding Orihime."
The others nodded. "Yeah. All this searching and finding nothing is starting to get on my nerves, though." The teen stated.
Nel smiled kindly at him. "Don't worry, Ichi, we'll find her. Right Tim?"
The Lieutenant nodded firmly. "Definitely. And I ain't leaving till we do."
"Damn right. So, let's get back to work." Ichigo agreed.
"Hopefully we won't have any more problems for a while." Timothy commented as he opened the door to the next floor.
Opened the door to a hallway that was occupied by six Arrancars.
The group sweatdropped at the sight where Ichigo rolled his eyes to Timothy. "You just 'had' to open your mouth… didn't you?" he mumbled.
"Who the hell are you?! How did you get in here?!" one of the Arrancars demanded, drawing his zanpakutō.
"Shut up, Ichigo." Timothy mumbled back.
"They're soul reapers! Get em!" a second Arrancar yelled.
"Boys… save it for them." Nel instructed.
"That's easy; just have to visualize it's Ichigo I'm fighting instead of them. Though, they would probably put up a better fight." Timothy mocked with a grin.
"What'd you say?!" the teen yelled.
Nel sighed in defeat. "I give up." she said before getting into a fighting stance.
Hello again. Not much in the action department this time, mainly plot development and the usual humor; mainly Tim and Ichigo bickering like children. Not much to put out, except that things will be picking up in a couple chapters. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter and I'll try to get the next one out as soon as possible. Laters.
