"Ulquiorra is... Alive?!" Ichigo was in shock.
"No... No... No..." Nelliel muttered as her eyes darkened and the idea of her dream becoming a reality assaulted her. "Are you sure, Grimmjow?"
"I'm sure. It's true, I didn't fight him. But I hated that guy with my guts, so I can perfectly tell that it was him" He said with a bitter look.
"Who fought him then?" Ichigo asked.
"That was why I asked you guys to come here..." He answered, looking at the sleeping queen of Hueco Mundo. "I secured the escape of the weaker Arrancar under her orders. I believe Vasto Lorde and Adjuchas level Hollows escaped on their own, but in the end, it doesn't matter. What's important is that I went back to the same spot where I left her and found her bruised, bleeding and with burns clearly produced by a Cero"
"How horrible!" Nel said with anger and a hint of fear.
"Yeah... But strangely enough, he missed all vital points. Of course, if you take a look at her neck, it's clear that Ulquiorra didn't leave his trademark" He said as he made a sign for them to get closer and check that she didn't have a hole in Ulquiorra's favorite area.
"That's good. She hasn't been able to tell you about it?" Ichigo asked.
"Nah. She has only been awake for a couple seconds. I've never seen her so weak before actually. Taking care of her wasn't as much of a hassle as I thought it would be at first though, so it's fine"
Ichigo had a better look at her. Despite the collar of mask fragments, he thought that she was indeed beautiful, as he remembered Nel's description.
"She's gorgeous" Nelliel said, revealing she was doing and thinking the same as Ichigo.
"Y-Yeah... And I'm sure that she must be hella strong as well" He added, to not be misunderstood.
"Well, she is my successor. Knowing Aizen, she was probably stronger than me when he encountered her as a Vasto Lorde" Nelliel replied immersed in her thoughts.
"I wonder how everything was for her before becoming an Espada" Ichigo thought as he looked at Nel.
"In any case, until she wakes up, there's not much we can do" Grimmjow concluded.
"That's right. For the time being, let's just keep getting stronger and prepare for the worse" Ichigo replied.
"And for that I need to fight you two! I don't care about anything now. There is a level above Resurrección. Like... Fuck me! I NEED to get there!" Grimmjow said anxious.
"*sigh* I guess I'll help you, but only because it will help us in our quest. Forget about fighting to the death" Nelliel said in reply.
"And who are you to order me around?" He asked back fiercely.
"Your superior. Tercera Espada, remember?"
"Ha! As if those numbers meant anything now that Aizen's gone" He spat back.
She gave Grimmjow a simple, yet very intimidating look in reply.
"Alright, alright, I get it. No need to give me death glares..." Grimmjow cooled down.
A typical Japanese school bell sounded, as if it was telling students there was a break.
"What the hell is that?" Grimmjow asked.
"For the look of things, it must be lunch" Ichigo replied, surprised by the sound as well.
"Lunch? I think Aizen had something like that..." The Espada recalled.
"Arrancar don't need to eat, right?" Ichigo asked.
"Not really. Until the stage of Vasto Lorde, Hollows eat each other constantly. If you don't eat others, you regress to a previous stage of evolution, losing more and more of your consciousness and individuality in the process. I believe that not having the need to eat is a reward of becoming an Arrancar and it makes me really happy it is that way, though it is easier to gain Reiatsu by eating other souls in this form as well" Nelliel explained.
"It's the best way indeed..." Grimmjow chuckled, showing he had no problem doing that.
"Hollows sure have it rough..." Ichigo muttered in reply, empathizing with Nel.
"Yet you seem to enjoy hunting us down, Shinigami!" Grimmjow reminded.
"It's not like that... It's just... I'm just doing my job and protecting those I love" Ichigo replied with a sense of duty, but he felt that it wasn't a completely valid statement at this point.
"Oh, really? Then why don't you do your job and dispose of the three of us at once?!" Grimmjow dared him.
"Stop, Grimmjow! You know the damage Hollows cause in the Human World" Nelliel defended him.
"Heh, that's funny. You sound as if you weren't a Hollow!" Grimmjow didn't stop.
"I AM a Hollow, but I gained consciousness by evolving. Stop bothering Ichigo! Like he said, he's only protecting what's precious to him. Besides, you know he wouldn't want to do us any harm"
"Tch... Whatever. If you believe yourself to be so damn superior and hate being one of us so much, why don't you go and feast with the Shingami?" Grimmjow spat carelessly.
A red mark in the shape of a hand immediately appeared on his right cheek.
"You're impossible, Grimmjow...!" She had tears in her eyes, but they were a type Ichigo had never seen in her. They weren't tears of sadness, neither tears of joy. They were tears of anger.
After that, Nelliel exited the tent without even waiting for Ichigo to go with her.
Ichigo gave a dread look at Grimmjow, who had just received his punishment, and threatened him.
"You ever make her cry again... And I'll fucking kill you" He said with a calm voice. However, this calm was the most menacing aspect about his expression. For Grimmjow, who was hot-headed as well, it meant Ichigo was being dead serious.
The Espada didn't say a word. Instead, he gave two trembling nods in reply.
Without a single moment to waste, Ichigo left the tent and went to Nel's side.
He had no idea as to why he felt so outraged by that situation. She always cried. It wasn't an event that occurred once in a blue moon as to feel that way. However, this time his words came out on their own, he couldn't explain why, but he just felt that what Grimmjow had damaged her, and he wouldn't allow that. Not with any of his friends.
She was a couple meters away, by the side of the Kouryuu, sitting down while hugging her knees. He knew she was crying.
"Nel... Are you alright?" He asked her as he put his hand on her shoulder.
"No... I'm not. Actually... Would you mind leaving me alone? You need to eat and I... I don't want to bother you with my problems" Her voice was sorrowful, broken and her eyes were sore due to the salty tears.
"Don't worry, I'm not hungry. Not when you are like this" He refused. "Also... Sorry for not telling you this morning that I once became a Vasto Lorde. It's just... I really don't like remembering that fight in general..."
"I know. I'm not upset for that at all" She made clear. "I would hate remembering the time I was a mindless Hollow too. And to say the truth... That's what bothered me the most about Grimmjow's words. They were true to an extent" She looked at Ichigo with a harmony of despair and sorrow.
"What do you mean?" Ichigo inquired.
"I don't like being a Hollow. I hate it. Hollows are violent, stupid and hateful. Needless to say, it's such a lonely existence..."
"But you are not like that, Nel. You are calm, smart and kind. And you do have friends, friends that care for you and stand by your side no matter what" He hugged her as he told her that.
She held him tightly and weeped in his chest.
Ichigo was glad he could comfort her. Most of the time she was cheerful and sweet... But as all Arrancar, and as all beings to tell the truth, it was clear that there was darkness inside her too. Now more than ever, he completely forgot of the kid he knew when he first arrived in Hueco Mundo.
Nelliel was a complex being. Intelligent, mature, strong, beautiful, and mysterious even. Why was she so different from the other Arrancar he had met across his journey? Why was she so... Human?
"I'm not like that..." She repeated inside her head. "I'm not... Hollow"
She couldn't have asked for anyone else to cheer her up in that moment. Having Ichigo's arms around her was a proof of her true feelings. She could feel his touch cleansing her soul, filling it. Making her forget about the void sensation she carried like a cross on her back, while his soothing voice reminded her of who she was now, cause that's what matters, right?
After letting it all out, she looked at him with a friendly smile.
"Thank you, Ichigo. You truly are the best friend I've ever had" She said as she dried her tears off.
Her confession made him blush a little, but he smiled afterwards.
"You can always count on me" He couldn't reply alike, cause looking back, he wasn't sure about how he felt about her.
Was she a friend? His best friend? Or was she... Something else? Whatever the answer was, by now the idea of her being a little sister was completely discarded from his mind.
"I know. For that reason is that I also got so angry with that idiot. He was talking shit about you, spouting stupid nonsense..." Her tone indicated how pissed that made her.
"Don't let it bother you. You know I would never hurt you"
"Right. You even said you would protect me" She remembered.
"No" He denied.
"Huh?" She muttered confused.
"I swore I would protect you. I'd rather die than see you suffer, Nel" He answered, clearly not calculating the weight of his words in that moment.
That reply made her feel the same way she felt that morning. A burning desire she could not explain nor understand, yet she somehow knew that she needed to fulfill it.
She had felt his arms, his touch, not nearly comprehending why, and yet she wanted more...
But unfortunately for her, before she could try anything, Ichigo's stomach growled in sign of starvation.
"Well... It looks like I was hungry after all. It was to be expected though, we left without any breakfast" He said embarrassed.
"R-Right! Let's go grab something to eat!" She strongly pulled his arm and dragged him around again, all to forget her previous wish.
"Woah!" He didn't expect that sudden impulse.
In the center of their improvised camp was a table. Everyone else was sitting and eating cup Ramen. Even Pesche and Dondochakka were there, talking to Uryuu and qthe rest of his group.
"How do you even eat?" Renji asked Pesche.
"How rude! Of course I have a mouth under this mask!" Pesche replied offended, to later sorb a great amount of soup and noodles.
"Hey guys, what do we have to eat?" Ichigo asked as he sat with them on the table with Nelliel by his side.
"Cup ramen!" Yoruichi replied as she left a portion of meat flavour in front of him and one of curry in front of Nel.
"Don't we have... You know... Like, real food?" Ichigo impolitely asked.
"Look, Ichigo. What kind of food did you think we could bring here? Of course all we have is cup ramen and a variety of canned food. However, if you want to miss weeks- No. Months of training! Just to get 'real' food? you're free to do it..." She replied annoyed.
"Okay, then I'll go home for a moment and-"
"Like I would let you!" She punched his head.
"Hey! You said I was free to do it!"
"It was just a manner of speaking. Now grab those chopsticks and start chugging noodles down like there's no tomorrow!"
Ichigo started eating it. Despite its simple nature, it was undeniable that cup Ramen was one of the best foods ever created in human history, so it wasn't like he didn't enjoy it.
Only to prove that point, Nel, who had never tasted Ramen, devoured her portion after having the first taste.
"This is really good, Ichigo!" She was really glad that she tried it.
"See? She likes it" Yoruichi said proudly.
"And I like it too! It's just... Not a homemade meal, you know? But whatever, you're right"
"They don't seem to have a problem with that though" Uryuu pointed out, as the three Arrancar were having a blast as they ate.
"I had never seen Hollows eating actually... Amusing" Rukia said.
"We don't really need it, but later we can use these nutrients to form Reiatsu as well" Nelliel explained. "Although the quantity of food we'd have to eat to use Reiatsu as we normally do would have to be a lot bigger..."
"Say no more!" Yoruichi replied as she gave Nel three more cups. "Eat to your hearts content. I brought enough of these to feed you for a decade, so don't sweat it!"
"Thanks, Yoruichi-san!" She showed her gratitude by eating.
And so with that meal, started the first year of training.
By the next day, Grimmjow woke both Ichigo and Nel before the rest woke up.
"Hey, sorry for yesterday... But I need you to come. She... Harribel's awake" He informed.
Ichigo was about to yawn until he heard that. The idea of knowing more information about the enemy knocked out any amount of drowzyness produced by sleep.
"Really? Alright. Nel, are you-?" He looked to the side.
"I'm ready" She replied with a smile, getting up.
"Great. Let's go"
As they arrived at the tent, Grimmjow stopped them for a moment.
"I explained her the situation more or less. She accepted it, though she might still be a little hostile because of everything that's happened, so bear with me" He warned.
"Understood. Is it alright if we enter?"
"Yeah. I told her that you wanted to know about Ulquiorra. She said she had no problem. It seems that she woke up during night-time since I found her recognizing the place after falling asleep a couple times..." He admitted.
"Okay. Excuse us" Ichigo said politely as he entered.
"Kurosaki Ichigo" She recognized him immediately. "Though I never met you in person, we knew about your existence since you invaded Las Noches" She clarified due to his face of astonishment.
"Ah, that's it..." He sighed in relief.
"And you must be... My predecessor. Grimmjow told me about you, and I've also heard a couple rumors" She added referring to Nelliel.
"Yes. It is a pleasure to meet you, Harribel-sama" She referred in a respectful way, since she was the de-facto queen of Hueco Mundo.
"No need for formalities. In fact, if someone should be formal, it should be me" The blonde replied.
"Really? But after everything you did for everyone and the sacrifice you made... I don't think I can treat you as an equal after such display of your actions as Queen of all Hollows"
"It's what any leader would do. I know you'd have done the same if you were in my place"
"I don't know... But if you want me to call you by your name, it's fine by me"
"Very well, then. Grimmjow and you two wanted to know about the fight with Ulquiorra... Honestly, there's not much I can tell you that you don't know, apart from the fact that he increased his powers to monstrous levels. I used my Resurrección, and not even then was I able to defeat him in his normal state. It was... Really frustrating"
"He didn't say anything about the Oni? Use new attacks? Anything...?" Ichigo asked, trying to get more information.
"Nothing we don't know already. The only thing he said to me, was that it was not personal, before firing a Cero at me. I didn't feel any murderous intent from him though. I have no idea what his motives are... But that's something I'd really like to know" She said with a look more of interest than of anger.
"Who cares about his motives? He was always a piece of shit! The only thing I want is for him to drop dead..." Grimmjow growled.
Everyone rolled their eyes at the Sexta's predictable basic behaviour.
"In any case, all we can do is train to get stronger. Try to gain strength by improving your powers or learning new techniques. Please show her the place and explain how things are around here, Grimmjow" Ichigo said in reply. "Oh and... Tell her about...Segunda Etapa"He added to finish.
Grimmjow's eyes seemed to dilate when he was reminded of such a possibility.
"I-I will"
With Harribel joining the team, they were ready to train to their full potential.
Everyone made their best efforts day after day, to either surpass their own limits or to learn new powers. In the end, everyone had become stronger in different ways.
Over the first year, the various improvements and changes were:
Yoruichi increased her stamina by training the hand to hand combat group. Inaddition to that, she also trained Kidou with Hachigen to improve her Bakudou and Hadou.
Uryuu became faster and stronger, while developing his Quincy abilities to a new level. In the physical, he grew a few centimeters taller and his hair grew a bit longer.
Chad continued experimenting with both of his arms. He didn't show a new form, but he was definitely more powerful than when he started training. He showed up at a good number of trainings with Yoruichi as well, which improved his speed and reflexes, which he lacked in comparison to the rest of his abilities. His aspect didn't change much though.
Renji became stronger in general aspects, but he still wanted to improve something else. Yoruichi taught him a way to meditate in order to speak with the spirits inside his Zanpakuto, but he hasn't achieved that step yet. His hair grew a bit longer and he changed his hair style a bit, though Ichigo still calls him pineapple head.
Rukia increased the destructive ability of her Hadou and the sealing prowess of her Bakudou. Aside from that, she started training hard to achieve Bankai. Her body is the same as always.
Pesche and Dondochakka looked no different from how they knew them, but they did get better at many things.
Pesche trained his swordsmanship and became really good at surprise attacks, though his greatest improvement was achieving the true infinity of the Infinite Slick.
Dondochakka on his part, focused on training his Hierro, which Nel compared to Nnoitra's the last time she saw him. His face is as hard as ever, but he's now looking to improve the strength and the amount of attack beasts he can summon, like Bawabawa.
The Vizards were stronger in general terms and they remained looking the same way as always. The biggest improvement they did though, was an increase in the time they could use their masks. They all got to 12 hours of transformation.
Moving on to the Espada, they became really strong, but couldn't find the answer to achieve Segunda Etapa yet.
Harribel improved her stamina and speed, as well as her swordsmanship, which she trained with Nel every day. Turns out that the previous 3rd Espada was in fact stronger than her, so she wanted to learn the most she could from her, and even ended up treating her as Nel-sama.
Grimmjow became much better at hand to hand combat, though he couldn't beat Yoruichi yet. He fought the Arrancar and Ichigo almost on a daily basis, so the ability with his Zanpakuto became greater as well. He would not give up on achieving a second transformation though, and he was really struggling to understand how to obtain it. He even trained during the night when everyone was asleep, though no one else knew about this. It could be said, that he was the one doing the most effort.
Nelliel on her part, learned Kidou and Hakuda to develop her Shunkou, and although she couldn't control it very well, Yoruichi was helping her to maintain her power. It came as a surprise that the Reiatsu aura created by her Shunkou was of fire nature, which made the catwoman chuckle, as it reminded her of someone very close to her. Aside from that, though she wasn't supposed to do it due to her broken skull and the bracelet's limitations, she was going through a secret special training, motivated by her desire to protect Ichigo, who had become incredibly strong.
Finally, the substitute Shinigami had gained total control over his masked form (15 hours of transformation under normal conditions, just like Mashiro) and went through the ritual of learning the Final Getsuga Tenshou, once more, so he could regain the power he had when he faced Aizen. When he used Bankai, a chain appeared from his Zanpakuto and tied itself around his arm. Due to a year passing, he was a bit taller and muscular, and his hair had become longer, covering both of his eyes if he didn't comb it a little. Nel thought he looked really good, though she didn't have the guts to say it, and blushed instead when she looked at him for too long. Back to Ichigo, his new challenge was learning Kidou and practicing how to use his masked form along with this new level of Bankai.
Back to the present, after a long day of training, Nelliel noticed that his Hollow Reiatsu was abysmal. That reminded her of the fact that she never knew about the origin of that. She wanted to know more about him, and even during that year of training, she would ask him to tell her about his adventures, so Ichigo would tell her a part while the two laid in their respective sleeping bags at night.
She would always look at him with adoration as he told her about his life. He told her everything. Ever since he was a kid, protecting her sisters from Hollows and other evil spirits (despite not having Shinigami powers at the time) to his final battle with Aizen. The only thing he kept secret from her was information about his Hollow.
That night though, Ichigo asked Nel about her life in return.
"Well, Hollows don't retain memories from before their evolution into an Adjuchas, but I'll do my best"
"Please. I'd really like to know" He said, convincing her.
"I used to be an animal type of Adjuchas, a large chamois to be exact [more similar to a great Kudu in size]. Ever since then, I hated fighting, so I had a self-imposed rule to only feed on those who attacked me first, but since Hollows tend to be violent... Well, you'll imagine that I ended up eating quite a lot" She admitted with a mixture of laugh and embarrassment.
"And how was it once you became a Vasto Lorde?" He asked her.
"It was strange, haha. After feeding upon countless Adjuchas, I became smaller, but gained the upper humanoid part of my body. For the first time, I had a human face, though only my mouth and nose could be seen as my skull actually covered my eyes in that form. Despite that, I could see through these two holes" She said pointing at her skull and continued. "I also used to have only one human arm, cause the other was a sharp lance-like weapon that was perfect for rapid and strong attacks"
"I see. So... What did you use to do during that time?"
"I don't really like to remember the times I fed on other Hollows to keep my form, but I did my best to protect weaker Adjuchas to redeem myself. Most of the time, the Hollows I saved from being killed ran after I saved them because they were scared of my strong aura and appearance as a Vasto Lorde, but that was until I met them" She smiled with nostalgia as she remembered one of the happiest encounters in her life.
"Them? By any chance you mean..." Ichigo predicted.
"Yes! Pesche and Dondochakka were only little Adjuchas being pursued by a giant Hollow I cannot even recall. The only thing I remember is that I saw an insect and a weird statue-looking Adjuchas running for their lives. I stood in front of them, stabbed the creature until it died and turned my back, expecting them to have been long gone... But instead, they got on the floor as they bowed and thanked me"
"As expected from them" Ichigo pointed out.
"Since then, we started travelling together. Even if I had to protect them from numerous hazards, I felt much better having company, so I didn't care"
"How was it that you became an Espada then? If it's not a bother"
"No, not at all. I like that you're interested in knowing about me as well. It makes me feel like I'm not the only one, haha" She replied, relieved to see that the interest was not one-sided.
Ichigo chuckled in reply. "Of course I wanna know about you" He confessed and got his characteristic strawberry tone.
Blushing as well, she continued: "So... After a long time minding our business through the endless desert of Hueco Mundo, we came across a pair of weird looking Hollows. I couldn't understand why they didn't have masks, but the answer came moments later. They were Arrancar"
"Were they part of Aizen's army?"
"Yes. They were the first members he recruited to create the Espada. They had the task to find Vasto Lorde level Hollows, and although they were currently Espada, many of them became Números after he encountered more powerful Hollows"
"And you were one of those"
"Exactly. The Arrancar wanted to bring me to their master, but I refused. Because of that, they decided to take me by force. I was surprised to find that they were stronger than I was, but despite that, I managed to put up a good fight. In the end, the result was the same though. They took the three of us to the palace of Las Noches"
"Dammit" He muttered.
"Yeah... Once I was thrown to the floor of the palace as some kind of bounty, I looked up to understand what was going on. Then I noticed that something was very wrong. There wasn't a Hollow sitting at the throne. It was a Shinigami, I could tell that he perfectly matched the description I had heard from other Hollows during my endless journey. Aizen was sitting in the throne of Las Noches, with an army of Arrancar at his feet"
"What did you do?"
"At first, my reaction was to stand up and point my lance-like arm at him. This made him chuckle, which angered me even more, so I decided to attack him in front of everyone. I didn't care about the others, cause I knew that if I defeated their leader they would cower in fear"
"A smart assumption..."
"Thanks, but... However, he easily blocked my lance with his bare hand. I was in shock... And it gets worse. My actions made one of the other Arrancar angry, so he shot a Cero at me. I don't know what got into me, but I turned around in the last possible moment and somehow started swallowing the attack. It was a reaction purely driven by instinct, I was probably just as scared as they were, but after I swallowed the Cero, I felt as if I mixed my own with it to spit a devastating attack at the Arrancar"
"So that's how you learned about your Cero Doble"
"Right. I disintegrated the Arrancar since he was a weaker being, possibly one of the first Aizen transformed merely for experimentation... Anyway, I thought that display of power would at least scare Aizen, but after seeing that, a delighted smile was drawn upon his arrogant face"
"That bastard..."
"That power was the last proof he needed to want to turn me not only into an Arrancar, but into an Espada as well. He gave the sign to the other Arrancar to stand by. After that, he offered me a greater power. Up to then, I was completely denying his offer, but you know how he is... He read me like a book and intuited that I would comply if he put the lives of Pesche and Dondochakka on the line..."
"Damned Aizen!" Ichigo was enraged upon hearing that.
"But not everything was bad. By becoming an Arrancar, I indeed became more powerful. At the same time, by becoming an Espada, I earned the right to ask for my friends to be turned into Arrancar and become my Fracción. The only thing I had to do in return was looking for other Vasto Lordes. A while after, Nnoitra came along, although he clearly came from an Adjuchas, but the rest is history"
"I liked knowing more about you. Though by hearing your story, I can't pretend like I'm not angry at Aizen for everything he did"
"That's true... But what's done is done and gone. Besides, maybe we wouldn't have met if all that didn't happen" She said while looking at the bright side of things.
"You're right. There's no point in lamenting about the past. It's better to focus on enjoying the present and hoping for a brighter future" Ichigo complied, smiling at her.
Nel thought it was the right moment to clear her major doubt about him.
"Hey, Ichigo. There is something I've been wanting to ask you" She said as she got half of her body up from the bag to have a better look at him.
"Yeah? What is it?" He did the same and gave a good look at her beautiful eyes.
"How is it that you have Hollow powers?" She went straight to the core.
"Um... You see, it's not something I really like telling other people..."
"You don't have to reply if it troubles you..." She said with a sad yet sweet voice.
Her tender tone ended up convincing him.
"What the hell... Like I have to worry about telling you. Normally it's troublesome because most people I interact with are Shinigami, but you are a Hollow and one of my best friends... So as long as you don't become afraid of me, I don't really mind"
"I would never be afraid of you"
That sentence, seemed so natural, so simple... Yet it was defining for him.
His Hollow side had always been a delicate matter, even in the presence of his friends. However, Nel was probably the first one who said it in such a convincing manner, but such a thing was possible, because it was true.
"R-Really...?" Hope glistened in his brown eyes. "If that's the case, guess here goes nothing...
Ever since I was born, there has been a Hollow inside me. I didn't really know about his existence until I came across Zangetsu. After obtainingBankai, I felt how he spoke to me and tried to possess my body for the first time when I was fighting Rukia's brother, Byakuya. I don't know if you remember when I told you"
"Rukia is the girl with black raven-like hair, right?" Nel tried to confirm.
"Yeah" He simply replied, although he thought that her description was the best he had eved heard.
"I guessed right!" She clapped her hands as if she had won some kind of guessing game.
"Haha. Anyway..." He got serious and Nel paid attention to him once again. "After that, the encounters with him became more and more frequent and I felt that his powers became greater as time passed.
Once it became too strong, I asked Shinji, a previous member of the Vizards, to help me tame it. They trained me to conquer my inner Hollow and to use the power of the mask, similar to how they did now, but more intense and less rewarding, but that's not important.
Everything was alright until my fight with Ulquiorra, but you know what happened already. After turning into a Vasto Lorde for the first time, there were some irregular aspects about my Hollow mask and transformation, but after learning the Final Getsuga Tenshou, I gained total control over both of my Zanpakuto spirits, Tensa Zangetsu and... Well, Zangetsu. That's the name he gave me, though I don't think that's his real name.
Long story short, I fought Aizen and gradually lost my powers, so it basically ends there. I don't know much about him to say the truth, but despite the little knowledge I have, I feel that he's really dangerous if left alone"
"It sounds like trouble. Just think about it, what kind of Vasto Lorde could defeat an Espada? And even worse, an Espada that achieved a second transformation" Nelliel concluded.
"Yeah, I know. You don't seem afraid of it though, which makes me glad"
"How could I? You've only done good to me... Ichi" She shortened his name in a cute way.
"Ichi?" A certain pink haired Lieutenant appeared on his mind upon hearing that.
"I really like the shortened Nel, so I thought that it would be nice to have a special way to call you as well" She replied innocently.
"Is that so?"
"You dislike it?"
"Not really, just a little cute for my taste, but coming from you it doesn't bother me. In fact, I think it sounds good when you say it" He smiled.
"I'm happy that you think that way. I always remember that time you said I was dear to you... It makes me feel strange, but in a good way! I... I don't know how to describe it..."
"You know, Nel? I think I can relate. For some reason, I feel like I can talk about anything when I'm with you. You make me laugh a lot and you stand by my side no matter what. I really appreciate your company. I... I don't know if you feel the same..." Ichigo decided to let it all out at once.
After hearing his confession, Nel just wanted to hug him and tell him how she would stay by his side for evermore.
However, there was something on her mind that she needed to clear before anything else. Ichigo's trust reminded her that she hadn't been completely honest with him. As she remembered Grimmjow's acid words at the beginning of their training, she decided to let him know her most inner secret.
"Ichigo... There's something I need to tell you" She decided to exit her bag and sit by his side to tell him.
"W-What is it Nel?" He was all uptight by her action.
"Although you didn't tell me at first, you trusted me enough in the end to share something so personal"
"I mean... It's not like a secret or something of sorts. It's just not pleasant to describe or explain"
"Despite that, you've always been honest with me, so I think it's only fair if I am the same way with you"
"Is there something you've been hiding from me in the first place?" Ichigo asked a bit worried due ti her serious tone.
"Not just from you. From everybody. The only ones who know are Pesche and Dondochakka because... Well, they are my Fracción"
"What is it about?"
"It has to do with my aspect of death"
"Huh? What is that?"
"You don't know what that is?"
"Maybe I heard it somewhere, but I'm not sure"
"One of the most common Hollow beliefs is that only a select few are meant to become Vasto Lordes. Normally, Arrancars would only be born from them, as they are the most evolved form of Hollow. The powers of a Vasto Lorde go far beyond those of other Hollows, because of the link between them and the aspect of death the being represents. I'm not sure Nnoitra was a good example, since he was originally an Adjuchas, but his aspect of death was Despair. You could interpret that in many ways, like the hardness of his Hierro and the despair that would provoke in the souls of most that fought him"
"And how do you know which is your aspect?"
"It's hard to explain... But it is some kind of voice that resonates inside your head when you turn into an Arrancar for the first time, the voice of the beast inside our sword... Cause our Zanpakutous do have spirits as well, but I haven't interacted with mine for a really long time. If you deny its wishes, you'll be reminded of it in your dreams, each one worse than the last, though some say this leads to having premonitions as well. As if accepting that form of suffering rewarded you with a new power... But I prefer thinking that's not the case" She said, remembering the nightmare that haunted her every day since that morning.
"Scary... But, I guess, these aspects of death should somehow relate to your powers, right?" He deduced.
"Exactly. Please understand, that though it does have a lot to do with your personality, it doesn't mean that the aspect defines what we truly are" She clarified, worried that Ichigo might get the wrong idea.
"I understand. But why are you so uncomfortable?"
"Because my aspect of death is not something nice. It's not something I like telling other people. The previous group of Espada knew, but only because Aizen made us share it, but I really dislike mentioning it. Please... Promise me that you won't hate me for it, Ichigo!" She requested with worried puppy eyes.
"Nel. I would never be able to hate you, even if I tried. No matter what you say, I know you. You are not evil in any way" He smiled at her and pat her head.
"You really mean it, Ichi? Then I guess I shouldn't worry about it..." She felt relieved and ready to reveal the truth: "I hate it because, my aspect of death... is Betrayal"
Ichigo looked at her seriously for a moment. "And does that have anything to do with who you are?"
"It does. I was betrayed by Nnoitra when he cracked my skull. I betrayed the Espada by helping you before. My Cero Doble betrays the attacker by sending his Cero back at him with even more power. And finally..." She stopped for a moment, black and red memories flashing through her mind. "...I betray my very being by wishing I was born something other than a Hollow"
"Do you really feel that way about yourself?"
"Sometimes" She admitted, remembering a long forgotten past, even older than her days with her brothers. "I think the worst part of it all, is the loneliness we're bound to. I don't know why... But, despite having Pesche and Dondochakka, they just don't fill this strange void inside of me"
Ichigo suddenly had a wave of intuition wash over him. He wasn't sure about how he felt about her until that very moment. That was when he realised, that he had to say something. He had to show her how much she meant for him. With that in mind, he made a decision, and one that would change his life at that.
"Then... How would it make you feel... If I was a Hollow like you?"
Her hazel eyes opened wide and became clearer as she heard him. Ichigo continued, in spite of her silent attention.
"Do you think... I would possibly be able... To fill that void... Nel?"
Thinking about it. She remembered how that void was closed when she saw him again. She could feel as the world became brighter. As her own existence became lighter. Lighter than the flesh and bones that contained her. Lighter than her Hollow Reiatsu. Lighter than the words that came out from her mouth. It was then that she understood that the void in fact had one single solution. Only one special person could fill that hollow, and that unique person was... Kurosaki Ichigo.
With that sorted out, her mind didn't even process her thoughts this time. Her hands simply moved by themselves as she grabbed Ichigo's face tightly and wildly connected her mouth to his. She felt like her tongue had a life of its own as it ventured inside the mouth of the Shinigami.
The moist and warm inside only invited her to stay that way, embracing Ichigo's tongue with hers and inhaling his breath like it was the only air she needed.
Nothing mattered anymore. There was no space. There was no time. All there was in her tiny little world, was her Ichigo.
The only thing that filled her void.
The only thing that made her truly happy...
THE ONLY THING SHE NEEDED TO EXIST
Ichigo was surprised at first, but his reaction was the same. He simply loved everything about her. Not even in his wildest dreams would he encounter such a perfect match for him. A girl that was very cute, incredibly funny, tremendously smart, hella strong and above it all, someone who accepted him for what he was entirely. Human, Hollow, Shinigami. It didn't matter to Nel, and that was what he loved the most about her.
They broke the kiss when the need for air forced them to. The two looked at each other like they never had before. They were both panting, yet rejoicing in the most exihilarating moment they had had in their whole lives.
"Ichigo..." She panted his name with difficulty, but with a cute voice.
"Yes... Nel...?"
"What... Is that called...?"
"What?"
"That thing... With the lips... I... I wanted to do it... Many times before... I don't know why... But... I thought... I thought it would be weird... If I asked you"
"Oh that...? That is a kiss" He panted.
"Kiss...?" She giggled. "I like how it sounds... But..."
"Hm?"
"What is this feeling called, Ichi? I need... I need to know the name of this feeling in my chest...! I need to know this emotion that drives me insane just by thinking about you!" She desperately requested.
Of course. How foolish he had been.
What Nel had been trying to say the whole time...
What Hollows lacked but she didn't know how to describe...
It was simply... Love.
Hollows had such a lonely existence, that they didn't know about such a thing as love. The ones who managed to create bonds of friendship, never really got to the point where they could establish a deeper relationship such as becoming a couple.
But Ichigo taught her how to love, even if he or she didn't notice. The affinity they shared was enough to make the feeling flourish between the two, so before they knew it, they had fallen for each other.
"This, Nel. This is love" He replied and kissed her passionately again.
愛
"I see... So this is that so called love..." She related, having heard the term but not nearly understanding its deep meaning.
"Yeah..." He panted, blushing, their noses touching as their eyes gazed upon the other.
"Then I must know..." She held Ichigo and pinned his body to the sleeping bag, becoming serious.
"N-Nel?" He was surprised by her behaviour, and a tad afraid due to her change of mood.
"...Do you love me, Ichigo?" She asked him with a tender voice, despite the strength with which she was holding him.
That was it. No more running off. No more hesitation. The moment of truth had arrived, and he had no other choice but to either accept or decline. The adrenaline was rising to a point in which it became difficult to breath, his heart beating faster and faster as her hazel eyes seemed to stare right into his soul.
However, even in the heat of the moment, deep inside, he knew that there was only one possible answer. Hell, he had already gone that far... How could he be so scared to admit that fact?
"Nel... I..." The words started escaping on their own, not from his brain, but from his heart. "I love you, Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck. I've loved you for a long time, but I wasn't completely sure 'bout what I felt and... I'm sorry for only having the courage now to tell you that..." He answered, his tone indicating how disappointed he was in himself.
"It doesn't matter, Ichi. As long as you love me, I'll be happy. I don't care about anything else" She replied as she bent over him and kissed him again.
They cuddled and rolled around the tent for about an hour. They didn't care about anything as long as they had each other.
"I don't want to face... The void alone" She thought as she embraced the feeling of being loved. "The warmth in me... Swallowed whole" She wrapped her tongue around his. "Your fearless eyes... Your powerful soul..." She could feel his unparalleled Reiatsu accepting hers protectively. "Speak to me... So gracefully..."
As she embraced him tightly, intensely kissing him, Ichigo sweated a cold drop as he realized his inexperience in the field. He knew how men and women relationships worked, biologically speaking, but he had never been in such a risqué situation before.
"Can I... go through with this? Will I be able to make her happy if...?" His mind raced and went in circles trying to find the right answer but...
Despite his anxiety, not sure if he'd be ready to continue any further, Nel simply embraced him and whispered:
"Good night, Ichi. I love you"
"Huh?" He muttered as she swiftly drifted into slumber, resting her head right on top of his chest. "Well... I guess this is for the better" He thought as he embraced her too, cuddling her hair.
The two slept together in his sleeping bag, believing that they would never be alone again.
Celebrating, that they had found their other half.
Rejoicing in the fact that the missing fragments in their lives had finally started to fill the void inside of them.
The restless hollow that lived inside the two...
Disclaimer: I. Don't. Write. PWP.
(At most, Lemon/Limes, but I'll elaborate on this).
Just saying it in case you were gonna ask. If there is something I write, it is limes, because the feelings are more important than needless over-the-top sex. This fic is rated M cause, there will be limes, there will be gore and I've touched topics that I think are adult suited.
I have nothing against sexual intercourse, actually I think it is a great opportunity to exploit the relationship of characters and show how much it has developed, but I don't put sexual content over the meaning behind sex. If there's something I hate, it's the deliberate destruction the personality of characters suffer in fanfics that commit the mistake I mentioned before.
Also regarding this chapter, I decided to summarize the events that occurred during the year of training and go straight to the important stuff. I might be creative and all, but there is no way in Hell I'm writing a whole year of events through separate chapters.
With that said, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'm looking forward to see your reviews.
Reviews:
Antex-The Legendary Zoroark: Interesting! This was a good chapter! Simply amazing! And yes. I tend to digress quite a bit. Lol.
But anyway, I look forward to more of this soon! I'm glad to see Orihime vowing to help Ulquiorra understand the "Heart" better. Good to see!
I'm also looking forward to Neliel possibly learning Shunko! That'd be cool to witness. Not only that, Yoruichi was truly a riot in this chapter! Lol. Her shenanigans made me laugh.
Looking forward to the next chapter! Please update again soon okay?
Reply: Always happy to reply your reviews.
No Orihime and Ulquiorra in this chapter, but they'll be back soon, I promise.
As you probably saw, Nel has learned Shunkou, though she still has to master it. Happy that Yoruichi's moments made you laugh. She's such a badass but a smug at the same time, so I exploited that in the best way I could think of.
I updated as soon as I could, and I'll keep trying my best. Thanks for your time and kind words.
midnightscar17: What happened to ichigos quincy side. Hes a 4 part hybrid. Human Quincy shinigami hollow.
Reply: He doesn't know that yet, lol. I'll get to that eventually, either here or in a future sequel (in case there is). By the way I like your name, I used to call myself Darkmatter17, haha.
See you next chapter! Evhron out.
PD: If you want to think of some kind of Anime Opening for this story, listen to 'Gianizm Hachi' by Nightmare. In case of an Ending... I think it would be 'Lazy Mind' by Showtaro Morikubo. Needless to say, if someone made an AMV trying to capture this story it'd be awesome.