Chapter 10

"I don't know what I was expecting."

Silence meets my words as Ulquiorra leads me into the honesty decent-sized kitchen. The room holds a fair amount of tables and counters and cabinets. Though what the cabinets actually house is anyone's guess. When it comes to size and works space the kitchen is almost above average.

Though, when it comes to kitchen gadgets such as stoves and fridges and anything that requires electricity and gas to run of…well, there are none within sight. Which I really shouldn't be surprised over because, of course, there's no electricity here. So, now the question becomes, well, where the hell are they storing their perishables?

If they've even bought any, of course.

Cabinets and counters line one of the walls, while in the middle of the room sits a well above standard-sized kitchen island. One with a pit in the middle that holds the old ashes of burnt wood and that I'm only just beginning to realize is a fire pit.

The antique cooking station is enough for me to get the gist of the whole layout of the kitchen. And it makes sense, really. If the Soul Society has a feudalistic way about it, why wouldn't Las Noches? For all that it looks way more advance in the way of architecture and running water, there's really not much Aizen can do about the lack of electricity and gas.

This means my best bet for finding any perishables will be an icebox. If they've thought about keeping perishables, of course. If not, then lunch might just consist of nothing but grains and whatever has managed not to rot.

"Is there an icebox?" I ask Ulquiorra as I begin to rummage through the cabinets. He lets me, moving only to lean against the kitchen island as I go through each cabinet, leaving them open as I go. Though this more on accident more than purposefully.

That they're mostly bare is the least surprising thing of the whole kitchen. Each cabinet holds two or three open packages of something probably way past the expiration date. With nothing for it, I gather them together as I go. I'm prepared to take full stock of the kitchen as I'll be spending my days, numbered as they might be, in this damned castle.

"Yes," Ulquiorra answers, nodding towards a waist-high chest that sits against one of the other walls. "Though there is not much in it."

Not that there's much anywhere. The icebox turns out to be just as empty as the cabinet. Other than two potatoes, a bag of carrots, and what was probably once a tomato, the icebox is empty and nowhere near as cold as it probably should be. Still, I leave them there since there's nowhere else to put them.

"We're going to need more ice," I tell Ulquiorra as I close the lid so that the last of the cold won't seep out. Icebox checked, I turn and begin to search the drawers in the kitchen island in search of cooking equipment. "And more food too."

"Is that not enough?" Ulquiorra asks, nodding to the meager pile of food I've pulled from the cabinets. Whatever their plans for Orihime might have been, feeding her had obviously not been one of their top priorities from the looks of it.

"There's not enough here to feed Orihime for more than a day, let alone the both of us," I tell him when my search reveals a decent amount of pots, pans, and utensils. Not that there's much of it, but you really don't need more than one pot, a pan or two, a fork, a spoon, and a decent knife to cook well enough to scrape by. "We're going to need more."

"How much more?" he asks, voice lacking curiosity or even trepidation, I would expect from anyone else. Had it been someone else, there would be doubt in every each of their voice. There's only one place to get human food, after all.

Someone smarter and with a bigger will to live than mine would already be plotting how to turn this into an escape attempt.

"A lot more, honestly," I tell him, no escape attempt in mind. Escaping hasn't even crossed my mind, especially when I have nothing to escape to. As much as I would like it, I highly doubt I'll find any semblance of my life here, in this universe. "I can't even safely eat any of this."

Though maybe there might be something…

What are the possibilities that I might some version of my life here? In their human world that is no more different than my own? Sure, this universe is that of a manga where Shinigami and Hollows exist, but there aren't many other differences, right? So, what if some version of my life is here?

There's only one way to find out…

The expiration dates on all but a package of crackers have come and gone. Some even by years. Not that the crackers themselves are even appetizing. They've been left opened to go stale and allow any roaming critters there might be to feast on them.

"You're going to have to take me to the store," I tell him as I dump all the food into the trash bin.

"I hope you don't think me foolish enough to take you to Karakura Town," he says, not stopping me as I toss it all. Even the open crackers and effectively leaving me and Orihime without food. Where he'll take me for more or let me starve is now in his hands.

"I would beg you not too if you were going to," I tell him, honesty in my every word as I turn to look expectantly at him. Aizen ordered him to feed me so, even if he doesn't want to, he has no choice but to take me to find food. "I'm an extremely picky eater and something tells me I won't find much I would want to eat in a Japanese market."

"Where should I take you then?" He asks, finally pushing away the kitchen island to lead the way out of the kitchen. I follow after him, reaching out to link my arm with his when I realize he's walking faster than before.

"America would be nice," I tell him, lengthening my strides to keep up. This is no longer the leisurely stroll of before. We're on a mission now. Even as insignificant as that mission might be, Ulquiorra seems to be in a rush to get it done as soon as possible. "A Walmart in America would be even nicer, especially if it's one I already know."

He pulls up short at those words, dragging me to a stop so suddenly I can't help but trip. Not that I ever get to meet the floor. His hand shoots out to wrap around my arm before that, yanking back towards him until I'm pressed up against his chest.

"You won't escape," he promises. His voice lacks that anger that should be there. The one that should promise unimaginable pain if I even attempt to run from him. But there's a spark in his eyes, a glint of something dangerous that is gone before I can ever really see what it is.

"I don't want to," I tell him, pushing as much honesty as I can into my words. "I just don't want to spend hours fumbling around a store I don't know when I'm already starving. Especially since I'll probably still have to come back here and cook. The sooner we get back, the better."

I don't know if he believes my words or if he's just trying to see if I'll do him the favor of actually attempting to escape so that he can get rid of me. But, despite his dangerous, unsaid promise, I soon find myself in America. Specifically, at a Walmart in my hometown with Ulquiorra at my side and watching my every move.

"How are we going to pay for everything?" I ask him, stopping before we can actually enter the store. He pauses beside me, considering it only long enough to shrug. "This is a serious question. I don't have money."

"I don't either," he helpfully adds as he turns to watch the people rushing past us. It's only then that I realize no one is watching him back.

Ulquiorra hadn't bothered to don a Gigai before leaving Las Noches. Nor had he bothered to change into something less…well less odd-looking, and neither was something I had even noticed until now. It's a small miracle he'd even bothered to lend me a pair of boots to make this shopping trip possible.

No shoes, no service.

Without a Gigai, Ulquiorra is as visible as a ghost and just as permeable, so no one notices the oddly dressed man standing next to me. But boy do they noticed the oddly dressed girl, talking to herself in front of the store.

"I have an idea," I whisper to him, nodding to him to follow me inside as discreetly as possible. For all that Ulquiorra is as invisible as a ghost, I'm still pretty darn visible if the look the greeter gives me as I step through the doors is any indication. "See those people in the blue vest taking money from people?"

"Yes."

"Be a dear and swipe some money from their registers," I whisper to him, saying words I thought I would never say as I grab a cart and start heading towards the produce section. Who would have thought I would ask a ghost to help me rob a store? "I'll wait over there."

He doesn't reply to me, he's gone too quick for that. In the blink of an eye, he disappears from my side with the help of his sonido. The only evidence of his departure is a strong gust of wind. Not that he takes long to reappear. He's back at my side before I can even make it to the produce, a wad of cash clenched tightly in his hands.

The only evidence of his heist comes from the shocked cashier who suddenly finds her drawer empty.

"Is that enough," he asks, holding out the bills for me to take. There's way more than I had expected if I'm being honest. Twice as much, which is explained when a second shocked cashier starts panicking when he opens the drawer to find it just as empty.

"Yes," I tell him as I stuff the bills into my pocket without even properly counting them. A brief thrill of panic shoots down my spine, as the shouts from cashiers suddenly begin to get louder. "I think we should leave."

No sooner have I said the words than a security guard walks through the entrance. Real panic hits then. Well, shit, maybe robbing the store we're trying to shop at wasn't the best idea. Not that they can actually connect the crime to me, right?

Nah, they can't.

With a shrug, I decide I'll deal with it if it becomes an issue and turn back to the produce. Somewhere in the mess of disgruntled cashiers, curses begin as the robbed cashiers are led away by the security guard.

"Let's see, I think I'll make sandwiches for a quick lunch," I tell Ulquiorra as I grab lettuce, tomatoes, and onions from the produce section. I won't be able to survive on only sandwiches though. At least not without getting completely sick of them soon enough. So, I begin to grab other veggies as I go through the produce, planning out future meals as I go. "And some chicken enchiladas for dinner."

If Ulquiorra has an opinion on my choice of meals, he doesn't make them known as he follows me. Tossing the ingredients, both dry and fresh, for every dish I know how to cook—which, admittingly aren't that many— as I go. It's all too soon before I find myself in the frozen foods section.

"Ah, Ice cream, I definitely need ice cream," I mutter as I toss a tub of butter pecan into the cart. "What's your favorite, Ulquiorra?"

"I do not eat human food," he answers, eyes going over the cart distastefully as he does. Or at least it would be distastefully if he would just allow his emotions to shine through his mask of complete indifference.

"Shame," I tell him even as I throw in a tub of vanilla ice cream for him. I'll figure out how to get him to try it later. With one quick pass through the drink aisle for water and sodas and some wine bottles for the heck of it, my food shopping is done.

But there's still more I could use from Walmart. Specifically, toiletries and makeup, all of which I find easily enough. Passing by a display of intimates, I figure I might as well grab a few since my bra has been destroyed by one vindictive, purple-haired Arrancar. I also grab a few undies to go with the bras I pick out and since I'm already here, I throw in some socks for good measure. Plus, because it would be stupid not too, I grab some more modest shirts along the way. All in white, of course.

All the obvious necessities grabbed, I decided I'm done shopping. Heading towards the cash registers, I pause when I spot a display full of shoes.

"One sec."

It's moments like this that I truly love Walmart. It's your one-stop-shop for literally everything. Something I'm insanely grateful for right now. Especially when I find a pair of knock-off vans in my size. That they're black and white is a godsend. I don't think Aizen would be too happy if I showed up in anything but.

Now, truly done, I get in line to pay for my admittedly full cart. That the line is long and slow going is well within the norm.

"Take those," I tell Ulquiorra, pointing to the two bottles of red Stella Rosa Wine, the only items in the whole cart I can't get away with buying. Selling alcohol to anyone under twenty-one is illegal in America, after all. "And wait for me outside."

"Why don't you use the money to purchase them?" he asks, not moving to grab the wine out of the cart. Instead, he watches me with those hard, blank, yet calculating eyes of his.

"I don't have identification," I tell him, not bothering to tell him they wouldn't sell them to me even if I did. "Because I don't have some, they won't sell those to me."

"Why?"

"It's illegal?" I tell him, my answer coming out like a question because, really, anyone should know that. Expect him, of course, because he isn't human and doesn't drink wine or any other type of human drinks—or even eat human food. "You can't buy wine without an ID."

"Then you should not be buying it."

"Well, you shouldn't have robbed the store either, but here we are?" I whisper, voice going low enough that it would be impossible for anyone else to overhear. The register line moves as we talk. Quicker than I would have expected, we're getting closer to being the next in line to pay. "Hurry, before it's too late. Just wait for me outside."

With a 'tsk' he disappears, sonido-ing away with the bottles just as it's time for me to load my groceries onto the conveyor belt. Slowly, I do so, mind racing as I finally realize that I'm more or less alone. Or, at least, alone from anyone looking for an excuse to kill me.

"Excuse me miss," I call to the cashier, words strained and nervous as I try to gain her attention just as she begins to scan my items. She turns to look at me warily, brown eyes taking me in from head to toe. "I lost my phone. Do you think I can borrow the store's phone to call it?"

"Sure," the cashier says, eyes still wary even as she turns to pick up her radio. She mumbles into it, words going too fast for me to really comprehend as my heart begins to race at the possibility of being caught.

What if Ulquiorra walks back in cause I'm taking too long?

"Here," she suddenly says, startling me as my nerves slowly begin to peek. She reaches into her back pocket then. She stops scanning my items long enough to fish out her phone and hand it to me. "I got the okay from my manager for you to use my phone so you won't have to go all the way to the service department."

"Thank you so much."

I waste no time taking the phone and typing in the only number I've ever bothered to remember. I know it's a long shot, but Luz's number is the first one on my mind and typing it in is almost second nature. I keep a close eye on the door even though I know Ulquiorra can flash back to my side without me even seeing him.

"Please pick up, please pick up," I beg, voice low even as the cashier keeps watching me with her worried gaze. She probably hears me but I ignore her, breathing a sigh of relief when the call is answered, "Oh thank god, Luz, I know this may be confusing but—"

"Sorry, I think you have the wrong number."

The voice that cuts me off is that of a man, deep and uninterested in anything I have to say as he cuts the call then and there. With a beep, the call disconnects and I'm left to stare dumbly at the phone as my only hope to get to Luz is quickly and viciously snuffed out.

It was a long shot anyway.

"Voicemail," I tell the cashier as a way of explanation when she shoots me a curious look as I hand her phone back. Taking notice of the total I stuff my hand into my pocket and pull out the correct amount. "Maybe I left it in the car."

"Maybe."

Still wary, she takes her phone and the money. Taking my change, I pause long enough to wish her a good day before heading to the exit, thoughts clouded by the death of my one false hope.

I'm an idiot.

Even if Luz had existed in this universe, there's no guarantee she would have known me much less anything about Shinigami and Hollows and the war they're preparing to fight. Hell, even if she had existed, it didn't mean that I did.

Lost in thought, I don't realize I've cleared the exit until, my cart rattles, groceries bouncing as I pass over the caution bumps lining the exit. Pausing before I can clear them and cross into the parking lot, I search for Ulquiorra. That I find him already next to me, slipping the bottles into the bags, is less surprising than it should be.

"Are you finished?"

His words hold no suspicion or accusation, but in that moment that's what they sound like. As the last of my hope of reaching Luz dies a horrible, painful death, I can't help but wonder if he knows. If maybe he heard me calling for help only to be forced to swallow a bitter pill. One almost too hard to swallow.

There is no Luz.

"Yeah."