"You wanted to see me, sir?"
A week had passed and still he was sure none of them suspected. Yet Aizen had still summoned him to the plain somewhat homely office of Fifth Division. The small brunette Shinigami whom was by rank Aizen's Lieutenant, smiled vaguely at him as she passed with an errand to carry out.
Stark was sure this had been arranged to give him and his Lord time to speak in privacy. About Rukia...slight worry disturbed him inside. Aizen however took his time in addressed the Arrancar, dwelling over the smooth pool of light green liquid in the tea bowl he held in large, powerful hands.
"I can sense your confusion, Stark. Whatever is the matter?"
"Nothing, Aizen-taichou." He said slowly, scratching slightly at the scant facial hair on his cheek. "I only wondered the cause of your sudden summons."
"Ah, yes." The man smiled pleasantly lacking the guile that graced the handsome looks of Hueco Mundo's Lord. "I understand that Rukia-chan went on a mission today?"
Uncomfortably Stark shifted in the straw sandals. "Er, yes. Would you like me to follow them?" He had of course been secretly wishing to trail along and been casting his mind about for an excuse. Equally appealing though was the desire to have a nap undisturbed by Rukia's complaints.
It seemed a nap wasn't to be.
"Hmm..I think that would be best." He said pensively, "I've sent Gin to prepare a small- ah how shall I say, surprise for Rukia-chan. If she doesn't let mercy steal into her heart, I doubt there will be a problem."
Stark could only feel a subtle feeling of dismay creeping into his being. "I will leave immediately, sir." As he turned to leave, Aizen's voice made him hesitate.
"Stark...curb your growing attachment to Rukia Kuchiki. Remember what you and she are."
He left without another word.
Why don't you say the same of Ulquiorra? It remained unspoken.
...Las Noches…
"So, why are you here exactly?" Szayel's voice caused him to pause before the sealed door. Within a child's voice replied in an irritated tone, "'cause, I thought maybe you'd had news of Stark. I'm worried for him being around all those Shinigami!"
Ulquiorra recalled the secret mission the Primera had been sent on, weeks back. His calculating mind seized upon the news, supplying reasons why his master would choose such a course. Only one stood out among the rest: Rukia. Darkness flashed through his emerald eyes, his countenance remained impassive.
"Pinky!" muttered the scientist, offended.
"Yeah," Lilinette said in a giggle, "like your hair!"
He chose to knock then. Raptly twice. The two occupants descended into silence then after a minute's passing, Szayel called, "come in." The door opened on some built-in mechanism. The sterile scent of antiseptic lingered in the air from the drafty confines of the massive laboratory. Szayel stood at one end of the counter, a clipboard cradled in the crook of his arm, on the edge not too far away Lilinette sat, swinging her bare legs.
"Hiya, Cuatro!" she said cheekily; Ulquiorra knew better than to be remiss in acknowledging the half of the Primera Espada, a curt nod sufficed in her direction, a subtle paling draining the animation from the Octava's face.
"I came merely to inquire on the test subjects below the Palace. The Director General ordered that I gather the progress reports and have them ready for Aizen-sama's perusal upon his return."
A notion had occurred to Szayel, the longer he was fixated upon with the unblinking stare of his superior Espada, forcing himself to remain calm. The scientist jerked a hand at the filing cabinet across the room. "In there, top drawer, everything's complete except for the middle of this week, but I can have it all assembled soon enough."
Ulquiorra kept his gaze on the visible disconcerted Arrancar a moment longer than would be deemed necessary. All this contributed to his increasing suspicions on the nature of the Primera's mission. Yet he knew he had to proceed carefully, he still trusted Aizen implicitly but began to retain a thread of something...something which disturbed him even greater.
...loathing in the cold glance he favored Lilinette with. Despise at the merest thought that even then Stark could be in Rukia's company when he could not. Keeping a certain facade, he went about and gathered the required articles, leaving with a sigh of relief audible from the Octava Espada.
For the remainder of the hour or so he calculated his time carefully, he acted without revealing a thing of the knowledge he had learned. To Tosen, he left the articles in care of, ignored the jibes of the trash Grimmjow in the hallway before making his way to his private quarters. There in the silence and cold white sterility of the room he had prepared for her, he came to the conclusion of what had to be done.
He had to see her again.
He wouldn't be able to function if he did not.
/../
There was a feeling deep inside her. A sort of nervousness, wary tension that made her senses alert, her eyes sweep the innocuous stretch of forest. She was among the group of five Shinigami sent out to survey a particular area of Aokigahara forest. It was more for her benefit to observe them carry out their missions than anything else. While Rukia was grateful for Ukitake trying to find her a niche in Seireitei, she had that unshakable feeling something was wrong.
"Feeling alright, Kuchiki-san?" Interrupted a distinctly male voice to her left. It belonged to one of the more friendlier officers, Toya Amakusa. She forced a smile and a shake of her head. Something about the way his long hair was tied back, the shorter ends framing his face reminded her of - Ulquiorra.
She forced that feeling away too.
It didn't do any good to dwell on the unchangeable no matter how painful it was still in her heart. Amakusa was friendly, it would be nice to welcome him as a teammate- her thoughts came to a standstill. Amakusa was standing there but why was there blood spatters dotting her cheek? Confused, she looked to the other officers all in a black-clad circle fanned out around her, faces tense, hands reaching for their Zanpaku-to hilts and then...they fell apart into many pieces.
Rukia watched Shimizu's head slide from her shoulders, face still caught forever in alertness. With effort, she turned to Amakusa again, believing in that instant he'd been spared like her. Why did he still smile so? She was on the verge of chastising his lack of gravity when his body suddenly lifted up, the huge pincer of a spider protruding from his chest.
So silent.
Rukia stumbled back, almost tripping over the pieces of another Squad member. Part of her wanted to scream, deny everything that was happening around her. It was ...was like...that time with Kaien. Her hand though shaking badly, grasped the hilt of her sword, withdrawing it as the ground shook from the weight of the huge creature dropping from the tree. Her eyes passed over it, barely seeing the hideous black streaks covering the white body, the furred underbelly, the many protuberant red eyes rolling then suddenly fixating on her as the last officer still alive.
She didn't want to fight it.
No...she knew she couldn't fight it.
Ulquiorra's voice floated through her mind then.
Hadn't he said once not to be fighting against something stronger than her? At the time she had been irritated at his lack of belief in her. Now, she swallowed her fear trying not to believe he'd been right all along.
She wasn't strong but that didn't she couldn't try.
"Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! On the wall of blue flame, inscribe a twin lotus. In the abyss of conflagration, wait at the far heavens!" Rukia chanted swiftly, energy gathering at her fingertips. At the last second she let the blue blast go in the creature's face. "Hado 73! Sōren Sōkatsui!"
She started running.
...
Why am I the one to survive? The forest wended around her, conflicted, tormented like her thoughts. A cold wind whipped the branches, snaring them in her robes, hair. Rukia swatted violently at their holds, suppressing the scream in her throat; a Hollow screeched in the not far distance.
Too close.
I have to call for help. Even as her mind formulated the sensible thought, her hand reached for the communicator looped through her sash. Her fingers closed on empty air. A wave of hopelessness crashed over her. I must've...dropped it. Every step felt labored, her legs ached already from the swift run.
I'm going to...Her last thought never finished. A shadow whiter than the darkness fell over her, a warm arm snaked around her middle, Rukia's feet left the ground. Sideways, disoriented she watched the forest slant; a familiar voice in cold earth-shattering tones came from above.
"Trash." He intoned as the Hollows burst into the clearing.
Rukia's eyes filled. Why...why are you always the one to save me, Ulquiorra?
The slaughter began.
-TBC
AN: Finally know where I'm going with this story!
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