Ichigo and Nel waved goodbye at three friends as they walked away.
"I don't think there could've been a better outcome" Nel said.
"Yeah... I didn't think I'd get that chance, and even then, I thought it would be more awkward than anything. But, I'm glad I could bid them farewell" Ichigo replied with a smile.
"Then... Ichi-nii..." Yuzu muttered sadly. "It's time for you to go now, right?"
"Yuzu..." Ichigo hugged her. "We'll see each other sooner than you expect, okay?"
"But... I don't know what to do. Suddenly, it's like my whole world has changed. I see ghosts and monsters all over the place... And to make it worse, you are leaving me"
"For now, you gotta be strong. Things won't be any easier for you now that you awakened your Quincy powers, but it's a part of you as well. You must learn to live with change, cause it's something we are never ready to face, but that we must overcome when it presents itself" Ichigo replied sensibly.
"Okay... I'll do my best. I love you, Ichi-nii" She cried.
"I love you too, Yuzu" He replied, giving a glance towards his other sister, who despite crossing her arms and looking away, he knew she was about to cry as well. "Hey, Karin. I have two small sisters, don't I?"
Karin understood the meaning of that phrase and ran towards Ichigo, hugging him and crying just like her sister.
"I can't take this anymore!" Isshin said as he started crying as well and embraced his whole family, Nel included.
Ichigo did not cry, although he almost let a tear out as he saw his whole family in tears. On the other hand, Nelliel couldn't withstand it and was exploding in tears as well.
"I'll miss you all" Ichigo thought as he left his family, his house and his old life behind.
Once they went back to Urahara's shop, they were greeted by Jinta and Ururu.
"Long time no see" Ichigo told them.
"It's funny to hear you say that after we took care of you two while you were unconscious" Jinta spat back.
"Don't sound so high and mighty. Orihime-chan basically did all the work" Ururu corrected.
"Hmph" Jinta crossed his arms impolitely, only to be hit in the head a second later. "Gha! What the...?!"
"Tessai!" Ichigo hadn't seen him in a while as well.
"Good to see you, Ichigo. I already saw you when you arrived so, I'm not shocked to see that appearance. More importantly... It looks like Kisuke's invention really works" The Kidou Master said.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Ichigo looked at him, wondering what he meant.
"Did you really thing you could've stayed unnoticed with your current Reiatsu?" Tessai asked him. "Look at your foot"
"What?" He looked at his right foot, to realize that there was a black band around it.
"It looks like my armband" Nel commented.
"What does this thing do? Hide my Reiatsu?" Ichigo asked.
"It would be impossible to hide a pressure of such magnitude. That thing strictly limits your power"
"You mean that I..."
"Yes. All this time, your Reiryoku remains untouched, but the Reiatsu you release is at your past level at most. Strong, but not a reading that would alarm the Seireitei. Although... You're probably off the charts, in which case you won't even appear on their radar"
"Is that... True?" He couldn't believe it.
"Yes. Kisuke worked really hard to create that device. I helped him all night"
"Damn, he didn't mention anything though" Ichigo frowned.
"Well, you know how he is at times. Probably he didn't want to alarm you when you had just woken up with such a statement. But now, I think it's important that you take your power seriously"
"I understand" He nodded. "Thanks, Tessai"
"Come in, your friends came over to see you" He invited the two into the shop while Jinta and Ururu ran outside the house.
He guided them to the training grounds, where he instantly recognized the friends he hadn't seen.
"Ichigo..." Rukia and Renji mumbled.
"Rukia, Renji. It's good to see you're well. I heard Central 46 had put you two through quite some trouble"
They felt uptight at first, but hearing him speak like always, made them feel more comfortable. After all, his appearance changed, but they knew the friend they loved was the same as always.
"Yeah, some of those geezers wanted to take us to the Maggot's Nest as a preventive measure. Hopefully, most of them thought that was disproportionate, and a couple others even defended us, saying that we protected Soul Society by stopping the Oni's advancement" Renji replied.
"I was surprised to see how understanding many of them were" Rukia commented. "In the end, there has been no punishment, and since my brother was very pleased by my general improvement, I couldn't be happier!" She smiled radiant.
"Glad to hear that" He replied, walking towards the person he wanted to see ever since they entered Hueco Mundo to fight the Demons. "Inoue!"
"Kurosaki-kun!" She yelled, running towards him.
Orihime hugged Ichigo strongly, rushing him. Just like Nel said, while holding him, she knew that it was none other than Ichigo. Even as a human, his Hollow would always be a part of him, so it didn't matter wether he was an Arrancar or a human. He was her friend, and that would never change.
"I couldn't be happier to see you alive" He said, holding her as well. "It makes all of this worth it..."
"I knew you would come to my aid, although that makes me feel as a bother" Orihime smiled sadly as she let go of the embrace, only putting her hands on his shoulders.
"Don't say that. You are our friend, Inoue. We would never let anything bad happen to you"
"I know, and it makes me so happy as well. At first, I thought I was in grave danger. However..." She took a bit of distance. "...I'm sure Cifer-kun never intended to do any harm" She wanted to make clear.
Ichigo's expression turned darker.
"You mean, Ulquiorra? Are you really going to defend him, after everything he did?" He couldn't believe it.
"He never intended for anything bad to happen. Although I know he was wrong to act that way in the first place..."
"Inoue, he put us all in danger. Someone could've died"
"But in the end, we're alright. Please, I know how you must feel... But believe me when I tell you that he's full of regret"
"Well it suits him well. It's the minimum I would expect, although I never imagined he would have any feelings to begin with" He spouted.
"That's mean, Kurosaki-kun. Cifer-kun is... More sensitive than you can even imagine" She murmured.
"Inoue... Sorry but, what the heck is wrong with you?! He took you prisoner, for the second time! He sent an army of Demons to eliminate us all and yet you tell me he's sensitive? I really can't begin comprehend how in the world...?" He was out of words and at his limit.
"I'm sorry that you feel that way... But I've decided, to be his friend. Cifer-kun is just lost. He doesn't know what friendship is. He doesn't know what love is! You can't expect me to ignore him"
"*sigh* I don't know if you're being too kind or too foolish... But I certainly cannot forgive him after all he's done"
"I know he can be better. I know he can change. Kurosaki-kun... Right now, you're his brightest hope. He needs you"
"Huh?" He suddenly remembered how Ulquiorra acted towards him once he had turned into an Arrancar.
Indeed, he didn't seem to understand the wrong in his actions. He just tried to solve a problem by connecting dots, without taking into account any feelings or dangers involved, like a machine calculating a result.
"For Cifer-kun... You are the moon that shines above Las Noches. That's what he told me. I don't understand everything, and neither does him... But it seems you are really important for the Hollows. They need you, Kurosaki-kun" She looked at Ulquiorra, who was hiding in the shadow of a large rock, trying not to be spotted by Ichigo as it shamed him.
Ichigo directed his look towards said spot, realizing that the Espada was there as well.
"Ulquiorra... Show yourself" He ordered, knowing that the Hollow would not deny his wishes.
The Espada flashed through the surface withSonido,appearing in front of them, speechless.
"I'll allow you to speak in order to reply this question. Is what Inoue told me true? You... Are you really sorry about your actions to this point?"
"I am indeed. I'm especially regretful of the fact that you hate me. I never intended to do anything to make you feel miserable or to inflict pain. I just, looked for a solution to all this mess, and since I am too weak myself, I sought for an answer in your inner power"
"I see. I trust your word and, even unsderstand why you acted the way you have so far. To tell the truth... Although I was turned into an Arrancar against my will, as long as my friends and family are not scared of what I've become, I don't really care. In fact, I can only imagine the power I have attained thanks to your scheme" Ichigo said, looking at his new Zanpakutou. "The real problem is, Ulquiorra, that you put the lives of my friends at risk. You put the life of Nel in the line...Thatis something I really doubt I can forgive" He said with a cold expression, only more prominent now that he was an Arrancar.
"I understand. I... Don't expect to be forgiven, my King" Ulquiorra replied, bowing to him. "The only thing I ask, is that you allow me to fight by your side and protect you in this and all the wars that we are destined to face. I know, it must be impossible to trust me in this situation, but I insist, there is no dark intent behind these words. My purpose is to protect you, I am the Moonshield"
"What does that mean?" Ichigo asked intrigued.
"It is what the night told me when I died" He got one of his eyes out and crashed it, allowing them all to see what happened.
In a deep pitch black void, the only thing visible was the moon.
"You are the Moonshield. And the moon is... Kurosaki Ichigo"A ghostly voice said.
The vision ended, and Ulquiorra's eye regenerated.
"So that's why..." Ichigo finally got it. "Why didn't you show me that last time?"
"I thought, it was too much for you in that point. You needed to get more used to your new existence, in order to start to comprehend the meaning of your being. You are our only hope, Kurosaki Ichigo" The Espada answered.
"Very well then. I will allow you to fight by my side, but not because I trust you" He looked at his friend. "It's because Inoue trusts you, and that is enough of a reason for me"
Ulquiorra looked at him with the most hopeful eyes.
"I want you to tell me though, what is that which you treasure the most in the WORLD?" Ichigo asked.
"That... I... I don't know. Like, I'm sorry but... I don't seem to-"
"Then answer me this simple question. What is the thing you wish to protect the most?" Ichigo was dead serious.
Ulquiorra's eyes widened once more. He finally understood what made Kurosaki Ichigo so strong. At last, he could comprehend the value of that mythical artifact called heart.
Nothing makes you stronger than having something to protect. And, the only way to obtain such thing, is by loving something. By filling your heart.
He finally understood that his transformation into Etapa Final wasn't a coincidence. It wasn't some kind of miracle.
At first sight, Resurrección is just releasing the raw Hollow power dormant inside of an Arrancar.
To achieve a higher state, however, a requirement had to be met. The Arrancar had to truly accept the nature of its power, the root of all. By doing such, it was possible to unlock the next level,Segunda Etapa.
In the end, however, to truly awaken the power dormant within itself, the Arrancar must do something totally contrary. Instead of accepting its nature, the Arrancar must defy its own being.
When he evolved into Etapa Final, he no longer saw life as a pointless waste of time. For the first time, he valued the life he had and wished to keep it. Such action, went against Nihilism. Against Murciélago. Against...
Ulquiorra.
"I... Never cared about anything. Never felt anything. Never dreamed about anything..." He started saying. "But that's the same reason why... I ended up being the most intrigued about the Heart. What it was... What it meant... What it felt like..." He put his hand on his upper chest, covering his Hollow Hole with it. "The fact that I could finally grasp what the enigmatic Heart was... Because of her" He looked at Inoue.
"Cifer-kun..." She blushed.
"What I want to protect, even more than my being. Even more than you, my Lord... Is the Heart that gave life to mine. I want to protect... Inoue Orihime"
The rest was silent as they looked in shock at the Espada's confession. For the first time, they realized that the Arrancar that used to be their enemy had feelings.
Orihime, a human girl, had turned him against his own nature.
"Now, this is something you don't see everyday" Urahara, who had been watching from the distance, muttered as he tilted his hat upwards to see it better.
"Indeed... Do you remember the first time we encountered that guy?" Yoruichi, as a cat, reminded him the time they faced Ulquiorra and Yammy. "I think I've never seen such a lifeless being in my entire life"
"Yeah. Even Arrancar seem to have a hint of emotion. This guy had none though. Scary... But it seems he's not that way anymore" He pointed out.
Ichigo walked towards Ulquiorra, expressionless.
Everyone had their eyes fixed on him as he got close to the Espada. No one knew what to expect. Would he be angry at his reply? Or would he act differently?
Once the two were close to each other, Ichigo offered him his hand.
"If what you say is true, then I'll show no more contempt for you. I must ask you to apologize to everyone for everything though"
Ulquiorra looked as Ichigo as if he was the most compassionate being he had ever seen.
"Thank you, my King" He shook his hand. "I will proceed to offer an apology"
Ulquiorra went down on his knees and bowed in front of everyone present.
"I'm deeply sorry for taking Inoue Orihime away and putting your lives in danger as a result. I will understand if you don't feel like forgiving me, but I hope you understand that I never wished for you to be harmed in any way. I will fight as an ally of yours from now on, under the orders of Kurosaki Ichigo, promising to risk my life in order to protect both my and your world from the remaining Oni"
Everyone looked at the Arrancar, unable to mutter a word. They never expected him to show any feelings towards them, but there he was, showing his regret and hoping to atone for his sins.
"Ulquiorra. You can stand up now" Ichigo ordered him. "I don't have anything else to tell you. We're leaving in a moment"
"Yes, my Lord"
"And please, drop those unnecessary formalities. I'm no one's King, and even if I was, I'd prefer to be called by my name"
"Ichigo...Sama?" He tried his best.
"Good enough, I guess" Ichigo felt better. "So, I think this is goodbye, at least for a while..." He sighed.
"Wait, Ichigo" Uryuu had to give them something. "I fixed Nel's uniform and... Took the liberty of making you one as well. It has the same specs as Nel's" He passed the clothes in a bag.
"That's so sweet of you, Ishida-san, thank you!" Nel hugged the bag.
"You didn't have to do that much" Ichigo said in reply.
"It's better this way. You gotta be prepared for the time the Oni show themselves again" Uryuu said as he touched his glasses.
"Well, thanks. Once the Demons make their move, we'll be back. I'll see you guys again as soon as possible" Ichigo felt awkward bidding everyone farewell, so he tried to leave as soon as possible, using Descorrer to open a Garganta.
"Wait, Ichigo!" Rukia stopped him.
"What is it, Rukia?" He was surprised.
"Please, let me go with you. Now that the Oni were erased and banished from Hueco Mundo, I can carry out my promise" She reminded him.
"Your promise...? You mean..."
"Exactly. Ashido-san should still be in the Forest of Menos"
"Ashido... That guy who helped us back then?" Ishida remembered.
"Yeah. We didn't have an opportunity before, but there must be a way now. He's been down there for far too long, fighting endlessly to no avail. He deserves to go back to the Seireitei and lead a better life"
"Rukia... I...!" Renji didn't want her to go alone. "I'll go with you!"
"Renji..." She was amazed at first, but hearing such words made her smile. "I'd be really happy if you did"
"That settles it then. I'm coming, Ichigo" Renji said with a cool attitude.
"I don't think there's really a problem, but I'm gonna have to ask you to take care. We don't know what the Oni could be planning right now"
"We know, so you don't have to worry, Ichigo" Rukia replied.
"Um... Ichigo. I know you're not gonna like this..." Orihime started saying shyly. "...But I'm... I'm coming as well!" She finished determined.
Everyone became mute. It was simply unbelievable that she wanted to return after being abducted twice.
"Inoue... W-What?!" Ichigo muttered in greater disbelief.
"What you heard. I'm not leaving Ulquiorra alone. He needs a friend, and I... I really enjoy his company..." She admitted.
Her words shook everyone present. Ishida, however, seemed to be quite calm.
"I think I understand what's going on here..." He adjusted his glasses and looked to the horizon.
Orihime didn't know why, but she blushed as Ishida was about to reveal the reason behind her actions.
"The reason why Inoue is acting in such a way is very simple..." Everyone looked at him perplexed.
"A threat?!" Chad thought with fierce eyes, still not trusting the Espada.
"L-Love...?" Nel deduced with an amused look.
"Madness?" Ichigo feared for his friend.
"Inoue has Stockholm syndrome!" Ishida pointed a finger at her.
Everyone fell backwards, as their deductions were incorrect, or... Maybe not? After all...
"Wait, what the heck is that?" Renji asked, in place of everyone.
"It is a condition in which a prisoner or hostage develops a feeling of dependence towards their kidnapper" Uryuu explained, making use of his medical knowledge.
"Wait, so that means... Inoue-san is in love with Ulquiorra?!" Rukia came to the same conclusion as Nel.
"EEEEEHHHHHHH?!" Everyone but Uryuu and the mentioned Espada yelled.
"What...?" Orihime got as red as a tomato over such an assumption.
Ulquiorra simply looked in shock.
"Well... I wouldn't say it's the same as love, though it does share some similar traits" Ishida clarified.
"Wow... It is a convincing argument I must say" Urahara joined the conversation.
"Damn, Inoue is way wilder than I thought..." Yoruichi commented as she licked one of her paws.
"I-I-I-It's not that! I swear!" She tried to defend herself.
"Don't worry, Orihime-chan, we all have our weird tastes. No one is judging you" Urahara replied with a chuckle.
Orihime's face turned into a shadowy smile, as she thought that everyone saw her as a freak now.
"Well, maybe what Urahara-san says is true..." Nel thought. "After all, I really liked when Ichigo got rougher with me... Yeah, I did tell him that I was a masochist when we first met" She blushed, looking at Ichigo.
"Is something the matter?" He asked her.
"No no! I was just... Lost inside my thoughts!" She replied.
"Anyway... This means you're going to come to Hueco Mundo as well, Inoue?" Ichigo sighed.
"Uh?" Orihime snapped back into the conversation. "Y-Yes. I won't let you go otherwise" She declared.
"Tch... There's no helping it then" Ichigo pointed Zangetsu at Ulquiorra. "You better keep your word, cause otherwise, death will seem like a pleasure in comparison to the Hell I'll put you through"
"I understand. Don't worry, I'll protect and care for her at all times. You can punish me in any way you want to otherwise" Ulquiorra vowed, with an even more serious expression than normal.
"Good" Ichigo nodded. "There's nothing left to do here then, let's go"
"Yeah" The two Shinigami replied, as Orihime and the two Arrancar were ready to follow him.
"Take care, Ichigo. You'll always be the one I throw punches for" Chad said, hugging Ichigo with great strength.
"Heh, you can always throw punches for anyone that needs it. You're a great guy, Chad, and I hope we see each other again soon"
"Aw... How heart-warming" Yoruichi mocked with a devilish grin. She had turned back into a human when no one was watching, though she was only wearing a Yukata.
"Thanks for everything, Yoruichi. Urahara. You guys have been really supportive of me and my friends... I'm really grateful" Ichigo bowed.
"Don't be so formal, come 'ere!" Yoruichi said as she grabbed his head and shoved it to her chest, careful not to be hurt by his horn of course.
"Umph!" He muttered as she continued rubbing his face there, enjoying how Ichigo, even as an Arrancar, got as red as a strawberry if sexually harrassed.
She laughed frenetically until she noticed a slamming brutal Reiatsu raising a couple meters from her.
Nel looked at her with a serious yet dread face. She did not say or do anything, but just her look of wanting to reduce the cat-woman to ashes was enough for Yoruichi to stop.
"Ahahaha... Sorry, Nel, it was just a joke!" Yoruichi let go of Ichigo, who took a deep breath.
"It better be..." She replied with a voice as cold as her face and wrapped Ichigo around her arms. "He's mine!"
"H-Huge boobs!" Ichigo thought, as he was now being pressed against Nel's insead of Yoruichi's.
"Wow... I've never seen Nel-chan so angry before. It seems you won't be able to tease Ichigo that way anymore" Urahara laughed at her.
"That's how it looks... And it was so fun... But if she doesn't want it, there's nothing I can do" Yoruichi admitted defeat. She knew better than anyone how powerful she had become.
Everyone chuckled nervously as they witnessed the scene. Seeing how the ambient had become more dense, Ichigo gave Nel a kiss to calm her down.
"It's okay, Nel, no need for you to take it so seriously"
"I'm sorry, Ichi, but she really crossed the line this time!" Nelliel excused herself, frowning as she crossed her arms.
"I know, but don't worry. It doesn't seem like she'll do it again" He smiled at her. "And besides... I'm only yours"
"Ichi..."
Nel smiled and kissed him in return, instantly improving her mood. "I forgive you, Yoruichi-san... As long as you don't try to do pervy stuff to Ichigo again" She gave her a friendly yet slightly Yandere expression as she informed her of the conditional.
"Ahaha, don't worry about that!" She smiled nervously as a single drop of cold sweat fell down her cheek.
"With that settled, I wish you all the best" Urahara said. "Remember to tell me about anything interesting you find out, Kurosaki-san"
"I'll do my best. See you" He replied with a small vow. "And before I forget. Take good care of my sister, Ishida!"
"What?!" Uryuu froze when he heard that.
"Don't give it too much thought, you'll find out soon enough"
"Ooookay..." He said unsure. "Take care, Kurosaki, Inoue"
"We all will!" Orihime replied happily. "I can't wait to teach my special recipes to Arrancar all over Hueco Mundo!" She spinned in one foot out of pure joy just by imagining such a possibility.
Everyone looked at her with a fearful expression, but she was too immersed in her own thoughts to notice.
Ichigo chuckled as he opened the dark portal once again. "Let's go..."
"Bye everyone, see you soon!" Nel and Orihime waved their hand.
"It won't be too long, but please tell my brother if he gets worried, Yoruichi-san" Rukia told her.
"I will if that's the case... Even if he doesn't want to see me" She pouted.
"I'll be looking out for her in any case" Renji added.
"I don't think knowing that will put him at ease to be honest..." Yoruichi mocked.
"You little...!" Renji frowned with a violent grin.
Rukia just laughed and pulled him by the back of his Shihakusho into the dark dimension. The rest did the same, using their Reishi to create a path and making their way into the world of Hueco Mundo.
"Hm... Why do I feel like something's missing?" She stopped for a moment.
"What is it, Nel?" Ichigo noticed. "Did you forget something?"
"No, it must be my imagination. And if I forgot, it mustn't be really important!" She ran to his side, forgetting about everything else.
They continued waiting, as the Garganta was starting to close, in order for it to open at the other side.
"Wait...! Nel-sama!" Pesche and Dodochakka ran as fast as they could and entered the portal.
"You guys...!" Renji and Rukia looked back.
"What the..." Ulquiorra observed bewildered.
"Pesche! Dondochakka!" Nel noticed, not understanding how she could forget them.
"SUPER DESERT DASH!" Pesche pretended to do a special move, when in fact, it was just him using his brother as a surfboard.
"Why me?!" Dondochakka complained.
"So long, Boss!" Pesche made a cool sign with his fingers to say goodbye to Urahara, which made the shop owner chuckle.
In the last possible moment, the two Arrancar went through the gate and fell into the portal.
"Why didn't you wait for us, Nel-sama?! We would give our lives for you!" Pesche asked crying.
"I'm sorry, I somehow forgot... But why weren't you with us either? You sleep in the Training Grounds!" She pointed out.
"About that... You see, there are many reasons why warriors of our caliber could..." Pesche started making some nonsense up.
"We overslept" Dondochakka told the truth as he stood up, making Nel sigh in reply.
"Whatever... Let's go. There are many things we must do ahead" Ichigo said.
Orihime waited along Ulquiorra as the other side of the void opened.
"In the end... We could come here together" She said happily.
"Yes. I'm glad that's the case. But, please be careful and don't leave my side. I can't even imagine what Ichigo-sama would do to me if something happened to you, no to mention that I would never forgive myself if that were the case"
"Don't worry, it won't be" She chuckled and hugged him playfully.
"I hope so..." He blushed slightly in reply. "Oh, it's starting to open"
"Kurosaki-kun!" Inoue called his attention.
"I know. I imagine Hollows have returned by now...?"
"Yes, so we should be careful. If we're lucky, either Grimmjow or Tier will be around to greet us" Nel replied.
"Though that won't explain Ulquiorra's presence" Ichigo added.
"I'm ready to explain that much myself, in spite of the consequences" Ulquiorra replied.
"Here we go!" Rukia pointed out as they entered a blinding light, only to fall on the doorstep of Las Noches.
As they fell, everyone noticed the place was practically brimming with life. A large group of Arrancar they had never met was on the surroundings of the palace.
"Intruders!" A male voice was heard.
"Ah... Shit" Renji muttered.
"Here we go again" Rukia had the same energy.
They were surrounded by a group of soldiers with skeletal faces that looked exactly the same.
"Wait a minute... I know this guy!" Renji remembered. "Rukia-"
"Dammit. This is none other than that weird tree Arrancar" She remembered as if it was a drag.
"You know who we're dealing with?" Ichigo asked.
"It can only be Rudbornn" Nel and Ulquiorra said in unison.
"Well, it's not strange that you know him. After all, he is one of Aizen's oldest subordinates" The 4th Espada told her.
"Yeah, I figured you would know about him as well" She replied.
A confident laugh was heard.
"Hmph... Who dare show themselves in the palace of Queen Harribel?" Rudbornn asked from behind his Exequias.
His proud tone and attitude changed immediately as he realized who the "intruders" truly were.
"It... Can't... Be...!" He dropped on his knee immediately. "Ulquiorra-sama and... Nelliel-sama!"
It seemed that Nel's presence was far more impressive than Ulquiorra's for some reason, probably the amount of time that had passed since her disappearance.
"I see you remember me... Good" She said coldly, as she was never fond of him in any way. He was too much of a bootlicker.
"Of course. I would never forget an Espada of your level, Nelliel-sama. That goes for you as well, Ulquiorra-sama"
"Really? I'm impressed to see you alive as well, Rudbornn" Ulquiorra replied. "It seems no one else knows what I did to this place. After all... Only Grimmjow and Harribel saw me, and only she got to see me fight, even though I didn't show her anything she didn't know about already" He thought.
"But, Ulquiorra-sama... How...?" He stood up.
"I don't have time to explain silly things, we need to see Harribel" He evaded the question before even hearing it, cause he knew it was most probably about his resurrection.
"Oh, of course. May I ask why are you with Shinigami by your side? And also, who is that other Arran-?"
"Rudbornn, take us with Harribel" Nel insisted, not wanting to waste anymore time answering the questions of a mere subordinate who didn't know a thing about the war against the Oni they were fighting.
"Y-Yes, Nelliel-sama, sorry for my imprudent behaviour" Rudbornn bowed to show respect.
"Hmph! Amateur..." Pesche murmured to his brother.
The leader (and sole member) of the Exequias guided them through the hallways of Las Noches, where they came across many other Arrancar they didn't recognize, probably survivors of Aizen's Números.
Among them, were two that Orihime and Ulquiorra remembered perfectly though.
"Loly...!" The blonde one called her sister's attention. "Is that...?"
"Yes... It is princess, and Ulquiorra as well..." The black haired one replied in a whisper, waiting for them to get further away to continue the talk. "Who is...?"
As they passed, their eyes became fixated on a taller long-haired Arrancar that called their attention for his strong and yet handsome appearance, making them blush a little. Loly, as expected, also gave a look of jealousy at Nel's figure.
After a couple more corridors, they finally were arriving at the Throne Room.
Inside, Grimmjow was rolling his eyes as he leaned on the wall, while Harribel was discussing with her Fracción about something.
"But Harribel-sama! You can't be serious when naming a guy like that as your right-hand man!" Apacci spouted, not caring about the fact that he was present. "He's violent and arrogant and rude and mean...!"
"Not to mention his terrible attitude!" Mila Rose added.
"Ow, look who's talking" Sung-Sun got a growl from her fellow Fracción. "But seriously, Harribel-sama, I normally don't agree with them, but are you sure that there are no other options?"
"Just think about it, he even betrayed Aizen-sa..." She received a piercing look form Harribel, who was wearing her normal Espada uniform, covering her mouth with the zip-jacket. "I mean Aizen, but...!"
"Look..." Harribel sighed. "I know Grimmjow better than you all three do, so I perfectly know what I'm doing. End of the discussion"
Grimmjow chuckled as he heard Harribel's verdict, earning a trio of dread looks from the Tres Bestias.
"Grimmjow-sama, Queen Harribel" Rudbornn said as he entered the room, in front of everyone.
"What is it Rudbornn?" She asked, just as the Exequias exited the room so she could see the situation. "Nel-sama! Ichigo!"
"Sama?!" The Fracción couldn't believe there was someone Harribel would treat as a superior.
"I'm so glad to see you alive and well, Harri!" Nel ran to hug her.
They had become really good friends over the course of training, but only Nel had the personality to carelessly show her affection.
"I'm... Happy to see you too" She blushed, embarrassed as her Fracción and Grimmjow were there as well, but giving Nel a few pats on the back to respond to her warm embrace. "Now, I imagine you came back because of Ichigo..."
"Yeah..." Nel looked at her with a sad smile. "He said he's alright but, I know it's been difficult for him. For starters, he doesn't have a place to call home" She said in low volume.
"Don't worry, you can stay in the palace for as long as you need" Harribel replied.
"And also, Ulquiorra..." Nel said uneasy.
"I thought something like this would happen" Harribel had seen him as well. "Don't worry, just like what he said the time we fought, I don't have any personal grudge against him. I can't say the same about Grimmjow though" She looked at her friend, who was already walking menacingly towards Ulquiorra.
"And look who we have here..." Grimmjow circled around him like a wild panther with its prey.
Ulquiorra did not say anything in reply.
"What? You're just gonna ignore me like in the old times? How original..."
"I don't have any reason to talk with you, Grimmjow" Ulquiorra finally spoke.
"Oh really?" The blue-haired Espada grabbed his jacket and pushed him against the wall. "...Cause I've got a lot of things I wanted to discuss with you. Starting with... How many times can you regenerate your limbs? Endlessly...?" Grimmjow grabbed Ulquiorra's right arm and pulled it out of his body.
An explosion of blood covered the two and splattered the immaculate floor of the Throne Room. Ulquiorra did not show any sign of being in pain however.
"Cifer-kun...!" Orihime felt faint.
"What... The...?!" Everyone else was in shock, some even felt sick.
The Arrancar girls simply looked at the scene without making a sound. They were used to violence, but Grimmjow had crossed the line. This was just barbaric.
Grimmjow threw Ulquiorra's arm away, as if it was a piece of trash.
"Are you happy now?" Ulquiorra asked him without changing his expression. He would not show him an ounce of pain.
"Tch... Not really. Maybe I'll be after repeating that a couple more times!" He grabbed his left arm.
Before he could continue the grotesque demonstration, a hand grabbed him by the shoulder.
"Grimmjow, it's enough" Ichigo told him seriously.
"Ichigo, that look suits you well" Grimmjow grinned. "As an Arrancar, you should learn that the way we deal with things here is very different from how you're used to. The strong punish the weak"
"Oh really? Then you should be willing to let him go if I order you to, cause you're weaker than I am, and you're weaker than Ulquiorra as well"
"Why you...?!" Grimmjow grinded his teeth with anger as he let go of Ulquiorra. "How can you stand up for him after...!"
"I have my reasons, that's all"
"Whatever... I'm the hell outta here" Grimmjow exited with his hands on his pockets, clearly pissed and frustrated.
After his footsteps were not heard anymore, Orihime approached Ulquiorra.
"Cifer-kun, I'll heal you in no time!" She said as she created the orange energy field.
"There's no need. I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all..."
"Let her, Ulquiorra, it's an order. I know your regenerative prowess is not so great in your base form"
"But I-"
"Yes, I know you feel like you deserve this all, and maybe you're right. However, you must be in top condition to protect Inoue, understood?"
"Yes, Ichigo-sama..." He replied and let Orihime heal his lost arm.
"Ichigo-sama?!" The Tres Bestias' jaws dropped once more.
"So what you told us back then was true. You are Ichigo's guardian" Harribel said.
"It is the role the night gave me, and it is the path I've chosen to follow..." The Arrancar replied as his arm was regenerated by Orihime's powers.
Once it was fully restored, he finished his thoughts. "In fact, that's the path we should all follow if we want a brighter future"
"But... Wait a minute!" Apacci said. "Is that... Kurosaki Ichigo!?" She pointed with her finger at the orange haired Arrancar.
"Yes. I didn't tell you everything in detail so you couldn't have known. Ichigo became an Arrancar during his battle with Ulquiorra. Though I have yet to understand why..." The actual Queen retorted.
"Believe me, Harribel, not even I know that clearly" Ichigo replied. "Ulquiorra said I'm supposed to be Gran Rey Cero's reincarnation or something of sorts, but it's impossible to tell for sure. Actually, that's why I came back here in the first place, I heard there's a man that might have answers"
"Yes. The Arrancar Nel-sama's Fracciones encountered seems to know a great deal of information, though he said he won't speak to anyone but you for some unknown reason. Maybe what Ulquiorra said is true after all"
"Who knows? In any case, I think the best would be going to the ruins and finding out"
"I'll go with you" Nel told him.
"I imagined you'd say that" He chuckled, glad to have her.
"Well, I wanna see this immortal Arrancar with my own eyes..." She admitted.
"Also, Ichigo... Sorry if I'm being inappropriate, but I couldn't help but notice that mark on your Hollow Hole" Harribel said.
"Now that you mention it, Harribel-san, I was also curious about it" Orihime revealed.
"Oh, that..." Nel blushed and looked away.
"Well... You see... We aren't really sure about what it means yet. All we know is that... It is proof of the bond we share" Ichigo replied a bit uptight.
"I'm not sure I understand you" Harribel gave them a puzzled look.
"So that means...!" Orihime got beet red as she thought of it. There was only one possible explanation.
"Don't worry, Tier. After we come back, I'll explain it in more detail" Nel whispered to her.
"Okay..." She replied, still not understanding much.
"Hey, Harribel-san" Rukia spoke. "Could you show us a way to get to the forest below Las Noches? There is a Shinigami we must find in there"
"Of course. I'm a bit busy now though, so I'll send my girls with you. Please help them" She asked her Fracción.
"But they...!" Mila Rose couldn't believe it.
"They are Shinigami!" Apacci completed.
"Oh, grow up" Sung-sun told them. "They are friends of Harribel-sama, so it's fine. She wouldn't send us if she didn't trust them in the first place"
"That's right, Sung-Sun. Actually, I wanted to invite you to stay at Las Noches while you are in Hueco Mundo. It's the least I can do... After all, we could've never gotten this place back without your help"
"Thank you, Harribel" Ichigo replied.
"Thank you very much, Harribel-san" Orihime said as well.
"Well, let's not waste any more time. Let's head to Ruinas Huecas" Ichigo declared.
"Yes" Nel started walking along him.
"What secrets does that Arrancar withhold? I guess time will tell..." Harribel thought.
~~~~X~~~~
After two weeks of lots of studying and bullshit I'm back. I'm still with tests ahead, but I still made time to write this chapter.
I'm also particularly frustrated as I didn't get Nel Parasol from the Senkaimon summons shit. Fucking KLab knows my objective, I'm sure, cause I had about 1600 orbs that I used in that banner, and got all the fucking characters from it but my Nel.
You can't win, that's a reality with fucking pay to win games.
Anyway, I'll do my best to bring the next Chapter (which will finally reveal some stuff) as soon as possible.
Reviews:
Antex-The Legendary Zoroark: Wow! This was great! I enjoyed it! So it seems Ichigo has made his goodbyes (hopefully just for now; it's possible he'll still visit). And we also see Tatsuki, Keigo, and Mizuiro! Awesome. I'm glad they were able to say goodbye as well, seeing as they were unable to when Ichigo and co. went to rescue Orihime during the Winter War. Speaking of, looks like Orihime wants to stay and go with Ulquiorra to Hueco Mundo! And Ulquiorra himself wishes to make friends! Omg! Cool. I was also surprised you had Ichigo give Kon the decision to live as him from now on too. Very generous of the guy. It's also good that Kon promised to "control" himself around the ladies too. Lol. But yea. See ya next update! This was good!
P.S. Almost forgot! Looks like Ulquiorra isn't immune to Orihime's cooking either! Poor guy. I shudder to think what Orihime will make him try later on... *brrr* That scene also reminds me of an event scenario from Bleach Brave Souls. Did you get inspiration from that?
P.S.S. Another thing, will Ichigo, Neliel, Harribel, and Grimmjow be able to make more Arrancar to help in the Oni invasion? If so, how?
Reply: Well, I never really saw that event on brave Souls tbh, I just had that idea cause Orihime cooks like shit lol.
Now, about the rest of Arrancar, the ones we know are not strong enough to face the remaining Demons of course, but that just means our dear Espada will have to go explore outside of what they know in order to get new members...
See you all next Chapter! Evhron out.