"Inoue... Are you being serious?" Ichigo couldn't believe it.
"Totally. You and Nel became Wholes, which is the highest aspiration a Hollow can have according to you so... I want to give Ulqui-kun that joy as well, but I know that such thing won't happen for as long as I am a Human..."
"But, Inoue, have you thought on the impact this would have on your life?" Ulquiorra didn't want her to make such an important decision in a rash manner. "There are things, people... A whole life you'd have to leave behind if you become a Hollow"
"So now you think about those things, huh?" Ichigo thought pissed as he remembered how he didn't take his own feelings into consideration before.
"I know what it means, but I don't have anything to worry about. I have no direct family left, no great future in the Human World... And most of my closest friends are all able to come to visit us! There's no problem!" She happily concluded, just worried about Tatsuki, though she knew she'd find a way to keep seeing her.
"I have to admit she's right about that" Ichigo thought. "Then... Inoue, are you 100% sure that this is what you want? Cause, I won't say there's no turning back as Urahara always has an ace up his sleeve, but it is not something sure either..." Ichigo replied.
"Ichigo. I love Ulquiorra. I'm sure that you perfectly understand what it means to truly love someone now, so... I believe you get it"
"Yeah... By the way, I'm not sure I can turn you into an Arrancar with just the Heart of Tsukoyomi"
"I heard you were able to do so as Ashido was under the proces of Hollowfication" Orihime recalled, as she had asked Rukia.
"Yes. So... I'll see what I can do" He wore off the black chain necklace to point the tesseract at her, transmitting his will to turn her into an Arrancar.
The artifact shined in the same way as it had done before, but nothing seemed to change in Orihime.
"How do you feel?"
"The same. It seems that you cannot turn a Human into an Arrancar directly. I must be a Hollow previously..." She muttered, a bit disappointed.
"I thought so. I'm sorry, Inoue" He legitimately wanted to fulfill her wish now that he understood how she felt, so he was displeased with the result as well. "I swear that I wanted to help you"
"Don't worry... I can see in your eyes that you're not lying. I appreciate that you tried, Ichigo" She replied, not hiding the sadness in her voice.
But that made him remember something.
"The true power of Las Noches, is not an enormous force of destruction, but the ability to transform all incomplete beings into Hollows(...)" The words of Mugetsu resonated in his head.
"Maybe it's not impossible after all... But I gotta learn to control that power before saying anything to Orihime, as well as making sure that I can do such thing" He thought, concluding that there was something he could try.
"Inoue... It's okay. You don't have to be an Arrancar for me to love you" Ulquiorra stood up and embraced her. "I fell in love with that heart of yours before anything else. That is something that won't change, no matter what"
"Thank you... Ulquiorra" She held him tightly as she let out her frustration in the form of tears in his chest.
Ichigo walked out of the room slowly, not looking back.
"Take care of her, Ulquiorra" He concluded, finally accepting that the Espada had been trying to protect the same things as he.
~~~~X~~~~
After their nap, Ichigo had asked Nel to check on Nageki's progress, so she had gone by herself to the immortal's lab.
"Nageki!" She called his name.
"Nelliel, what a surprise! Is King Ichigo in there as well?" He asked from upstairs.
"No. He's busy with Ulquiorra. How are you going with that thing you were working on? The one that protects us from any Kimon opening?"
"Ah, it's almost done. In half an hour it should be ready" He carelessly replied, as he adjusted a strange device.
"Good, I'll tell Ichigo..." She replied in an unconclusive way, leaving clear that there was more she wanted to talk about. "But, there's also something else" She decided to say what was bothering her.
"Ah, what else do you need, then?" Nageki paid attention, noticing the tone in her voice.
"You see, I just wanted to make sure... That you're not gonna tell him or anyone else about my past"
Nageki grinned as he came down.
"I mean... I covered for you earlier, didn't I? Fufufu" He laughed.
"Yeah, I remember you did. Look... Don't get me wrong. I really... Like, REALLY, love Ichigo. To become a Whole with him and all... Is the best thing that could happen in my life. But even so... There are things about my past I just, don't feel comfortable sharing. As a matter of fact, I'd like to forget such things myself"
"I thought as much, and I don't judge you, Nelliel. I know that you're a very different Hollow now. Talking about that past self right now must be pretty... Disgusting" Nageki's choice of words was strong, but spot on.
"Exactly..." She bitterly agreed. "So please... Try not to say anything. While I may not be completely honest with him, believe me when I say that I am doing everything I can to make him happy, not only to make up for those lies... But because I want to see him happy"
"*sigh* How complicated indeed. Wholes are supposed to have no secrets, but then again, I only knew other two of them. Believe it or not, even after everything Mugetsu did, it's not easy to find a partner and building a relationship, and then finally deciding to become a Whole"
"I can imagine that was the case"
"Now that I think about it, getting to Segunda Etapa is not easy either. But it seems, that you and your inner beast are not so distant as it appears. After all, you had betrayed Ichigo from the start"
Nel raised her Zanpakutou at him as she frowned.
"Don't you ever say I'm in any way close to that bitch again..." She threatened him with the most menacing tone she had.
"Woah, easy there. Did you forget that it was I who fixed the monster you were?"
"Tch..." She put the blade back in the green sheath. "No. I haven't forgotten, and you don't know how much I appreciate that"
"Good. I know the kind of person you are now, and I couldn't be happier to see that change. However, you cannot pretend you can hide something so crucial eternally"
"What do you mean? The only ones who know are you and me. I haven't told anyone, not even Pesche and Dondochakka. It's more than sealed"
"Oh, really? I wouldn't be so sure... After all this time, I can tell with almost complete certainty, that the Demons have been watching us for a lot longer than we think. If by any chance, Yama knows of your past... Who knows what he could possibly do?"
"So you are saying... That I should tell him as soon as possible" She stared at the floor with an uncomfortable feeling.
"You could take your time... But eventually, yes" He replied affirmatively. "In fact, I don't think Ichigo would have much trouble with it, as long as you're completely honest for the first time. On the other hand, the one who is more breakable right now, is you"
"What, you think he'll be able to manipulate me at this point?" Nel mocked in disbelief.
"Yama can be very convincing. He has worked on his manipulative abilities for longer than any of us have been alive (which given my case is saying A LOT), so I wouldn't be so careless"
"*sigh* I'll see what I can do... But, are you sure that Ichigo won't hate me?"
"Well, I am not him to say for sure! But, something tells me that no. Despite everything, you are his other half. He might just be a little disappointed that you lied to him at the beginning. That was a pretty stupid thing to do if you ask me"
"Hrngh... It's frightening to hear you say that as if you had seen my confession with your own eyes" She groaned.
"It's simple because I know you, Nelliel, and you're very predictable as well. You hate your past-self more than anything else in this world. In your head, admitting you were once like that, is the same as saying that such being is still alive somewhere inside you..." Nageki could read her like a book, although he had just seen her again after such a long time. "Though personally, I don't believe that is the case, but fearing such possibility can make it more real than you imagine"
"Never again! I won't be like that... I'd rather die!" She declared. "Gamuza wishes I went back to my dark roots... But I refuse to even get close to that. Now that my heart is filled with love, there's no room for that bloody harlot" She could see a clear image inside her mind. A beautiful Vasto Lorde bathed in the blood of a group of Adjuchas with a sadistic grin on her face.
"What did you tell him exactly?" Nageki inquired.
"That I just... Scavenged the bodies of Hollows that showed animosity towards me..."
"Damn... Sweet lies, right? But I hit right on spot. I did say that I found you as an Adjuchas... And while that is no lie, I only truly reformed you after you became a Vasto Lorde. I would never forget that betrayal..." Nageki seemed more serious as he remembered that. "It's even ironic. Different from your current self, the old Nelliel was totally unpredictable. If it wasn't for the fact that I sensed Yukari's Reiatsu in you, I would've had no remorse ending your life back then..."
"Enough. You know how much I hate this topic so can you call it off? All I'm asking is that you don't say anything to Ichigo. I'll... See when it's best" She said the last part in a pretty unconvincing way, but only time wouod tell how she would act.
"Okay, okay..." He chuckled. "But I can't help but wonder... How would that Nelliel look as one of Aizen's Espada? Or even better... What would she had done if she'd come across Ichi-"
He stopped as soon as her sword was in his throat, leaving a tiny drop of blood running through his neck.
"I. Said. Enough..." She almost whispered, her skull covering her hazel eyes in the shadows.
"Sorry. I went over the line" He admitted, as his body trembled a bit.
Due to her speed, she could've killed him before he could alter his body. Sure, she wasn't that Hollow anymore. She couldn't possibly do that to him now. But she wanted him to remember what she was capable of and leave clear that the current her, despite being on a completely different level of power, was a just warrior who tried her best not to stain her soul with any death, if possible.
"Okay..." She sighed, once again putring back her Zanpakutou. "I'm heading back now. Keep doing your best for Ichigo and Las Noches..." She started walking towards the exit of the red tower when she stopped for a moment. "Hey, Nageki..."
"What is it?" He noticed her voice had become a lot softer.
"Back then... Were we really friends? Or was that a mere device to make me change?" She really needed to know that.
"Nelliel..." He sighed bitterly. "I've always had trouble to establish social relationships myself. While I considered Mugetsu my friend, I'm not sure that I ever connected with his feelings, you know? It was just... A feeling of safety and commitment. Because of that, I don't think..."
"I understand. You just decieved me into thinking that..." She concluded.
"No, I wouldn't say that either. Look, I tried really hard to open my heart to you, Nelliel, cause I wanted you to see that there was so much more than just killing and surviving. Those values I taught you, are something you treasure even today, and that is proof of my great efforts to connect with you. But you have to understand that even if I try... My heart is empty. I am a sociopath"
"What is that?" She asked confused.
"It means that I lack empathy. I cannot feel what you feel, only my own thoughts and feelings have value" He explained. "You may think that is common in Hollows but, the truth is that most just never get in touch with said feelings because of the environment they grow, like you at first, only knowing violence and bloodlust. Of course, I learned how to work with that and how to understand others' feelings from a rational point of view, but it would be unfair of me to say we were friends when I never really felt you, Nelliel" He looked at the floor in shame.
"Oh... I see" She started feeling sorry for him. Regardless of his actions, she had to take into account that he did change her, and she couldn't be more graceful thanks to that change. "In that case... It's left for me to decide"
"Excuse me?"
"Yeah. Since you are not qualified to make that choice, I will have to do it" Nel walked to him.
"Wh-What...?" He couldn't get what she was doing.
"What I'm trying to say, Nageki, is that you will always be my friend" She smiled at him. "Thanks to you, I am who I am today. Thanks to you, I can kiss Ichigo every morning and feel truly alive without harming anybody. Thanks to you... I can finally say I'm happy. That is something so special that I can't help but leave a space in my heart for you, my first friend"
"Nelliel...!" He looked at her with a mixed expression of confusion and hope. "You... You really mean it? Even if I... Can never..."
"Yes, and I'm sure Mugetsu and all the others back then must've thought the same. Ichigo is naturally sociable so it wouldn't be rare that he considers you a friend as well"
"Heh..." He smiled in a way she had never seen before. It wasn't his typical empty smile. This one reflected true emotion. "It seems I made a monster... But a lovely one at that, haha!"
"You're not alone, Nageki. If you still want to die... That's up to you. But you can always count on the fact that we will be here for you" Nel hugged him strongly. "You helped me before... So I'm gonna do my best to help you now"
"So... This is how it feels" Nageki's fuchsia eyes shined with hope. "This is what it means... To have a friend..."
"I think it's even hilarious how you taught me the value of something you couldn't even see yourself" She let him go of the embrace. "But yeah, this is what it means to have friends. They are the reason I don't want to go back... I want to be someone they can rely on... Despite my deepest secret..."
"I see... Well, guess for the first time I'm gonna try working for something greater than myself" He replied motivated as he went back to work. "I'll be thinking of you all as I continue to struggle in order to protect your future"
"Thank you, for making the effort. I can't imagine how it must be for you... But I'll be supporting you, and so will everyone else!" She waved her hand in sign of goodbye. "You can count on it. See ya!"
"Bye. And thank you... Even if I don't understand you in my heart, I know that you are making a tremendous effort. That is something I really appreciate, Nelliel" He thought, seeing her silhouette disappear in the horizon. "Maybe, you are my first friend as well"
~~~~X~~~~
After a couple hours, Ichigo was sitting on the Espadas' table along with Nel, Renji, Ulquiorra and Orihime, while the rest had just arrived. Pesche and Dondochakka stood by as well.
"Welcome back everyone!" Orihime cheerfully greeted them.
"Hi! It wasn't easy, but we brought him back!" Rukia proudly said.
"I can see by Ashido's expression that he's a lot better, am I wrong?" Ichigo said.
"I'm sorry for making everyone worry... But yes, I think I finally started enjoying this new chance you gave me. Thanks, Ichigo" He bowed.
"Wow, I wasn't expecting you to be that happy about it. I was really worried that you would hate me for choosing that fate for you... But I'm glad that it was not a mistake in the end"
"And even if it was... It would be the best mistake ever..." Sung-Sun muttered blushing as she looked at Ashido.
"I can't say anything against that" Apacci agreed.
"Actually... Ashido found something really interesting on his walk" Rukia said.
"Really, what would that be?" Renji asked surprised.
"Oi, come here! No need to be shy" Mila Rose called her.
Lilynette shyly entered the Throne Room, taking a look at her new acquaintances.
"Who is that...?" Nel was curious.
"Hello... For those of you who don't know me, my name is Lilynette Gingerbuck. I used to be the Fracción of Coyote Starrk, but he was defeated and killed in the battle of Karakura" She explained with a hint of sadness. "I lost my memory after he saved me, so I missed a lot of things. I've been told that there is a new king, for the record"
"Ho? This is an interesting finding..." Ulquiorra commented. "Why isn't she the brat I remember though?" He thought to himself.
"Welcome, Lilynette. I am Kurosaki Ichigo, new king of Hueco Mundo. I don't know if you've heard of me"
"Well, I remember you were the one who came here to rescue that girl" She pointed at Orihime. "I must say I was astonished to hear that not only did you become an Arrancar, but the king as well!" Lilynette replied.
"Yeah, it is crazy..." Ichigo agreed. "But, I assure you, I'm gonna try my best to make Hueco Mundo grow and become a more suitable place to live in. I understand that the very essence of Hollows is something that cannot easily change, but I want to ensure peace at least among Arrancar, who have evolved enough to gain intelligence and have no need to feed upon other pairs"
"I think it is a wonderful idea, and I'd be really happy to help you out! Could I become an Espada?"
"Damn, that's straightforward if I've seen it" Pesche commented, while Dondochakka nodded with his head.
"Hahahaha" Ichigo laughed at her surprising motivation. "Of course... If you're up to the task, I don't see why not. However, we are still under the process of searching possible candidates to fill all 10 ranks"
"Also, Ichigo" Ashido thought it was worth mentioning. "I released my Hollow Zanpakutou for the first time. And I... Have an aspect of death"
"What? Ashido, you didn't tell us!!!" The Tres Bestias snapped.
"Sorry, I had forgotten with all that had happened. My aspect of death is... Guilt" He revealed.
"I see... Then I imagine you are a suitable candidate as well. Once we gather the missing links, we can test your powers and define you rank" Ichigo replied, amazed at how smoothly everything was going.
"With Lilynette and Ashido, only three more Arrancar are needed" Nel pointed out. "Pesche, Dondochakka"
"Yes, Nel-sama?" The two asked.
"You two are able to do Resurrección, right?"
"Yes, indeed. However, I don't have an aspect of death, so I don't think I'm fit for this. What about you, Dondochakka?" Pesche replied.
"Same here. I'm afraid we were just not made to become Espadas, Nel-sama... But, we will always be more than happy of being your Fracción!" Dondochakka said.
"Really? As long as you're happy with that, it's okay. But I can't help but wonder, should it really be a requirement to have an aspect of death anymore?" Nel asked.
"I wouldn't say it's strictly necessary, but it definitely is a key factor in their power's development" Ulquiorra explained. "That's the reason Espadas have only been Arrancar with an aspect of death so far"
"I see... Then we have no choice but to start the search formally... Which reminds me, what did Nageki say, Nel?"
"That it was almost ready. Actually, it should be operating now..." She remembered that he was supposed to finish it in half an hour since she was there, so they were long past the timer.
"Is that so? Then there should be no problem with us heading out" Ichigo concluded. "Nel will come with me. We're going south"
"I wonder what we'll find..." She muttered, uptight. "Is there a special reason you want to head there?"
"I wouldn't say it is a 'reason', it's more like a hunch" He replied, a bit embarrassed that he didn't have something better.
"Oh, I see" She faked a smile. That direction was the last she wanted to go now, especially that day.
"I'll leave Harribel and Grimmjow in charge while I'm out, so if you guys could put them up to date with everything it would be great" He told his Shinigami and human friends. "Also, Ulquiorra"
"Yes?"
"I need you to check the surroundings of Las Noches while I'm out. I'm asking you cause your wings should make it easier and, if anything were to happen, I believe you are strong enough to handle it" Ichigo was putting his trust in his Primera Espada, despite their previous differences.
"Absolutely, Ichigo-s... Ichigo" Orihime had given him a 'different' look, which was replaced by a smile as soon as he called the Arrancar king by his name. "You can count on me"
"Very well then. Shall we go, Nel?" He asked his lover.
Nel was really distracted with other thoughts at the moment.
"Would that be a good moment to tell him? After all, we'd be alone... But, what if he despises me? No, I doubt that would happen... But, it will be a distraction Ichigo doesn't need right now. He has more than enough with all this King business. I can't be so selfish as to worry him with such a trivial matter when there's no proof that there's anyone out there who can take advantage of my past... It's pointless" She concluded, heavily thinking of the topic she had discussed with Nageki earlier.
"Nel?" Ichigo clearly saw that she was on the moon.
"Ah! sorry, Ichi. I was just lost in thought" She giggled nervously.
"You looked worried, is something bothering you?" He inquired, as her expression had been one of uneasyness.
"No, nothing important. I'm just a bit worried about you leaving everyone with all the Oni and stuff, but thinking it again, they should be just fine" She lied.
"Oh, so that's what it was. Yeah, worrying too much won't take us anywhere. I trust in their ability enough to take care of this matter myself. We shouldn't take too long, amyway"
"That's what I thought in the end, so let's go" She replied, feeling relieved that her poor excuse worked.
"Do your best!" Rukia told the two.
"Yeah. We'll make sure everything's in order" Renji added.
"Make sure to come back safely" Orihime said with a maternal tone.
"We'll supervise the Arrancar in the palace, Nel-sama! So you can rest assured" Pesche adopted a soldier's posture, and Dondochakka sloppily copied him.
"See you soon, guys. If anyone asks about the king, just say the truth and let Harribel or Grimmjow take care of the matter" Ichigo finished the meeting, standing up and heading out of the palace, with Nel following him.
"We'll try to be as quick as possible. See you!" Nel bid them farewell in a friendly way.
~~~~X~~~~
Nel galloped with Ichigo on her back, heading south as he had told her.
Despite having him ride her, which was one of the things she loved most in this world, she was unable to get her head out of her thoughts.
Two days had passed since they had started their journey, and Nel's mood only seemed to darken.
After all, they would most likely pass through a place she only wished to forget, the one the landscape in which Gamuza lived inside her mind was based in.
"Hey, Nel. Are you sure you're alright? We can stop for a bit if you're not feeling well" Ichigo proposed her after a while.
"No, I'm fine. What makes you think that?" She asked back, even though she knew what the problem was.
"I noticed that you're not as talkative or playful as you use to be, and also... My heart feels heavy, but I have no reason to feel that way. Is something else troubling you? You can talk to me about it, Nel. I am always here for you"
"Fuck... His words only make me feel worse for trying to hide this from him, which is practically impossible since our hearts are connected" She thought. "But, there's no way I can tell him! Not yet... I don't... I'm not ready for that. Maybe... I could be a bit honest though"
Ichigo kissed her cheek and caressed her animal half tenderly.
"If you don't wanna tell me... It's okay. Just... Know that you can trust me. All I want is for you to be happy"
"Ichigo..." She said as she stopped galloping for a moment. "I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you or anything, but you see... We are getting closer"
"Closer? To what?"
"To the place I came from. The woods where I spent my years as Adjuchas and Vasto Lorde" She pointed ahead, where the image of a large forest was distinguishable in the distance.
"Oh... Is that too bad?" He wanted to know more, in order to understand her attitude.
"It's a place that holds memories I don't like looking back into" She vaguely explained.
"I see. I imagine you don't wanna talk about it"
"Not really. But, it's okay. Once we find a candidate we don't have to come back" She replied, letting him understand that said memories were not something she was planning to overcome, and clearly was unable to forget.
"You really mean it? Well, if you ever feel like discussing it... I'm all ears"
"Thank you, Ichi. I'm glad you understand"
"Of course I do. I love you" He gave her a long kiss to complement his words.
Nel was crying when the kiss ended, her feeling of love clashing strongly against her guilt.
"I love you too, Ichigo... Trust me that I... I know I can trust you, but... There are a couple things... I cannot let out so easily, you know?" She sobbed.
"Shh..." He hugged her, making sure his heat reached her. "If you're not ready, then don't say anything. Even if you don't ever want to tell me, it's okay. I won't stop loving you because of that, Nel, but I don't want you to suffer all by yourself. Let me share your pain"
"Ichi..." Was all she could say as she kissed him, trying to swallow the pain of her self-proclaimed treason.
After the last tears crashed around them, they cobtinued their journey, helplessly entering the place Nel had mentioned earlier.
It was a forest of white trees with red leaves. It surprised Ichigo that there was something growing in Hueco Mundo.
Ichigo got off her back, amd she returned to her base form.
"Nel, what's with this place? I haven't seen plants like, ever since I came here!" He said in awe. "Is there water in this place?"
"No" Nel coldly replied.
"Then how...?" Ichigo was asking, until he noticed that the ground had a strange red colour, not reminiscent of any type of dirt or stone he knew. "Don't tell me this is..."
"Yes..." Nel painfully admitted. "This place is known as... The Blood Forest"
"Are you telling me that..."
"This forest is born of the blood of Hollows. Adjuchas and Vasto Lordes tend to form groups, and then they annihilate each other. This is a place of endless war, where the trees feed of the blood and bones of those who perish in battle. While it does not look as scary as Blackwater Park, this is probably the most dangerous place in Hueco Mundo. Those who want to become stronger by feeding upon the corpses of others come here at their own risk. Even if you're at the top of the chain today, there is no guarantee that you won't get killed tomorrow... I'd dare say, this is Hueco Mundo in its most brutal expression"
"Damn..." Ichigo muttered, starting to get an idea of Nel's suffering...
Or so he thought.
"Well, regardless of danger, this is a place where we are most likely to find at least one potential Espada" Nel concluded.
"After all you told me, I can see the why... But that also means the Arrancar we find will most likely be a savage, at least to our standards"
"Yes, that is probably the case"
"Well, the only thing we can do is see for ourselves. In the worst of cases... I can use my Resurrección to force it into submission, but I'd rather not do so" Ichigo remembered the fear he produced in the inhabitants of Las Noches with his special ability.
Almost an hour had passed since they entered the Forest, and by now they could easily tell that they were not alome anymore.
There was something following them, observing their every move.
"Ichigo, should we force it to come out?" Nel whispered to him.
"Not yet... And it's not alone. I want to give them the illusion of having the upper hand, so that when they attack, they will reveal their entire force"
She nodded understandingly in reply.
They continued advancing, until they reached an interesting spot without any trees.
"Wait! I think... I think I know this place..." Nel said as she looked at the surrounding area more carefully.
Her memories flashed back, showing her a great mountain of Hollow skulls and shards of scorched flesh all around it.
"Why...? Why did we have to come here...?!" She murmured with great disdain.
"Nel, what...?" Ichigo was about to ask her what was going on, but was interrupted by a sound of whiplashes that came from behind.
When he looked back, he noticed how hordes of Adjuchas and a handful of Vasto Lordes were surrounding them, not leaving a single way of escape.
He also realized that on the two opposite sides, there was a single Arrancar commanding them, each dressed in the fur and skulls of other Hollows, reminding him a bit of Ashido.
The man of the whip had a savage look. He looked middle-aged, had tanned skin, was tall and muscular, while not abhorrent in that. He had a mane of light-brown hair and brownish green eyes. Ichigo noticed that the whip he was carrying had multiple tips, looking like tentacles. He had a big scar across his left eye, which was clearly blind. His Hollow Hole was on his stomach and there was piece of Hollow mask covering his neck.
On the other end, the other Arrancar looked young and was wearing a hood, making its identity a mystery, although long lilac hair fell out of it. His Hollow Hole was on his upper chest, just like Ichigo's and Ulquiorra's. His weapon seemed to be a claymore that looked too big for him, but he carried it with a single hand and apparently, easily.
"Satya, stand by. I think we hit the jackpot" The adult man said to the youngling.
"Aum" The other one simply replied, and accepted the order. It was the voice of a teenager.
Nel looked panicked as she saw the faces of the Hollows surrounding them, many of them having scars either on their faces or their bodies.
"Kghuhuhuhu... Hahahahahahaha!" The man laughed. "I can't believe it. My eyes must be deceiving me!" He said as he approached Ichigo and Nel.
"No... This can't be happening!" Nel thought, not able to stand her terrible luck.
"Never in my entire life... Not once! Did I expect to find you again... Nelliel" The man said.
"What?!" Ichigo was shocked. He already knew where she came from, but was there an Arrancar who knew her in this day and age?
Nel was mute, holding her Zanpakutou tighter than ever before.
"Heh, did you think I wouldn't recognize you? I must say, you look different in that biped form, but that turquoise hair is most likely one of a kind... No need to mention that Reiatsu. We all know it very well" The man continued. "Except for Satya, of course. He's new in the pack, but he's an even greater monster than I am, hahaha... Though I wonder... If he's even comparable to you!"
"Shut up, Bryssling!" Nel shouted back.
"Hey, wait a minute" Ichigo spoke. "You guys know Nel?"
"Know her? Most certainly. How would we ever forget our beloved leader?" Bryssling licked his fingers and passed them through the scar on his face. "That scar looks good on you..."
Nel grinded her sharp teeth in anger.
"Leader...?" Ichigo repeated, trying to understand what was going on.
"Enough. I imagine you wish to fight. Very well, I'll give you a fight...!" Nel replied in a rash way that was not usual in her.
"Hahahahaha... That's more like it. But, it's been so long to just let it all go in one lash" Bryssling replied, continuing the conversation. "C'mon, tell me more about you. What did you do after you betrayed us, huh?"
"Stop there Bryssling, unless you want to become part of the Forest!" Nel threatened him, her anxiety growing with every word Bryssling said.
"N-Nel...?" Ichigo had never seen her behave like that. Hell, what was with women these last couple days?
"Oh, I am already part of it. Always have been. Just like you, in fact. The difference is you tried to escape, but eventually, we all go back to our roots, don't we?" Bryssling provoked her more, his grin growing even more.
"Last chance to reason" Nel gave him the final warning.
"Welcome back, Scar Queen" Bryssling knew what saying that would earn him.
A second later, Nel had leaped through the space between them and had attempted to kill him with her Zanpakutou. Her intent was foiled by Satya, however, who blocked the impact.
"Aum... This woman is really strong" The Arrancar said, as his hoodie was cut only by the slashing impact, revealing his young male face and golden eyes.
"As I told you, Satya is a monster" Bryssling chuckled. "However, he doesn't have nearly half of your experience, so in a real battle, it's easy to tell who the winner would be"
"Aum. She's no joke, Bryssling" Satya commented. "I saw her back, she's Tercera Espada"
"No way... So you became an Espada! Hell, I can't even start to imagine the power of the ones ranked further"
"What do you want, Bryssling?!" Nel asked with pure animosity.
"Heheh... That's simple. I can see by the look of that Arrancar that he has no idea of what's going on here. How long have you known him? Were you planning to betray him and eat his corpse?"
"I won't allow you to continue humiliating me" Nel declared. "Declare, Gam-"
"Nel, stop!" Ichigo shouted at her.
She looked back, realizing that Ichigo was serious.
"Ichi..."
"Come back here" He ordered her.
She didn't defy the order and went back to her loved one's side in a flash.
"Ho? Have you been domesticated? How amusing. Who is this man who's powerful enough to easily order the Queen around?" Bryssling asked.
"That would be..." Ichigo made sure his answer was heard by them all. "...The King of Hueco Mundo"
A sudden silence consumed the place. No one dared to say anything after hearing that.
A couple seconds later, the underlings could be heard saying stuff like "He can't be serious", "Hey, it's not funny", "Is he for real?", and a series of phrases of both belief and disbelief.
"Silence!" Bryssling shouted. "Look, pal. I don't care if you rule over Las Noches or something of sorts, but this forest belongs to the Legion of the Serpent!"
"Legion of the Serpent?" Nel repeated, doubtful.
"That's the name our new leader gave us" Bryssling explained. "Now he... He is a real legend. He came here about a month ago. Not only did he bring Satya, but he subjugated us all by himself"
"Aum, he is the real deal" Satya agreed. "I had never seen an Arrancar that was stronger than me, but there he is"
"We've been lost for years... After our Queen betrayed us, I served as leader but... It wasn't the same. We weren't nearly as strong without her, so many even sacrificed themselves to feed me, so that I would be able to evolve and protect the pack" Bryssling explained.
"So let me get this straight" Ichigo interrupted. "Nel used to be your leader back when she was an... Adjuchas?"
"And after she became a Vasto Lorde as well... She had evolved after pretending to be friends with a weird Arrancar who seemed lost in this forest. He turned out to be a lot stronger than we imagined, though" Bryssling remembered.
"Nel... Was that..." Ichigo deduced it. "...Nageki?"
Nelliel clenched her fist as she realized that the lying game was over. Ichigo would know one way or another. She had failed to protect her secret and, in the process, deceived Ichigo by distorting reality.
"It's... Y... Yes..." Nel finally admitted. "Nageki met me when I was an Adjuchas. He tried to change me back then, but I wasn't even slightly interested in listening. I stabbed him in the back when I had the chance and disappeared, only to come back to the Forest... Because I... I used to rule this place"
Ichigo looked at her with a mixture of pity and anger. He had been fooled all along. Sure, it wasn't something really important in their present life, but it was the meaning behind it what shocked him the most. She had never trusted entirely in him, and that was something that hurt him deeply.
"There it is... The look of disappointment in your friend's eyes... Or... Is he something more than a friend?" Bryssling laughed.
Ichigo had had enough. Of everything. He would not take any more bullshit, from anyone.
"Void... Las Noches"
"Ichigo!" Nel yelled, feeling how unstable his heart was when he decided to do that.
The black aura dressed Ichigo once more, absorbing the Reishi of all the present Hollows, with the exception of Nel.
This time however, Ichigo had no mercy. He wouldn't stop until all those beasts were at least unconscious.
"What the...?!" Bryssling could feel how his energy was being severely drained.
"Aum... He is dangerous..." Satya said with difficulty, starting to feel weak as well.
"Ichigo, stop! You're gonna kill them all!" Nel screamed in tears. "I don't care about them... But I don't want you to stain your hands with blood!"
As soon as Ichigo understood that Nel's words were true, he decided to stop.
All the Adjuchas and Vasto Lordes were unconscious on the floor.
Bryssling was on his knees, hardly remaining conscious, while Satya was breathing heavily and sweating bullets.
Ichigo went back to his base form, not looking at anywhere but the dead ground.
"I'm sorry, Ichigo..." Nel cried, knowing she had failed him.
The heavy atmosphere was broken by the arrival of the last Arrancar that would join them that night.
"My, my... Who is this ridiculously overpowered Arrancar?" A man asked rhetorically.
Ichigo instantly recognized the voice of said man, changing his current dark mood into the greatest astonishment he had felt ever since he had become an Arrancar.
"You're joking..." He said to himself as he turned around to see the face of a ghost.
~~~~X~~~~
Trying to update as soon as possible to now focus in my finals, as I already fucked one up (though I got a chance to redo it) and I don't want that to happen again, so here you go!
Well, if you were wondering what's dark, well... This is. Up to this point, everything had been going pretty nice and easy with Ichigo and Nel's relationship, right? But no. Nothing is so simple in this world, so this is where everything falls apart. I'm sorry.
Reviews:
Antex-The Legendary Zoroark: EEEEEEE! Loved this! Great work! I had NO idea that while Ashido went for his walk to clear his mind, he'd actually find a fully revived, grown, AND more powerful Lilynette! AMAZING! I look forward to seeing what she can do later on! I'm also very pleased Ashido is feeling a LOT better. That's good to see.
In any case, wow! Orihime just did a total 180 from her usual self to becoming a righteous female of fury, and finally giving that sweet "Unohana Smile"! *shudder*. It's true what they say. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned eh?
And I knew it. I TOTALLY CALLED IT! I had a feeling Orihime would request to become an Arrancar so she may be with Ulquiorra! Awesome! Although I wonder how it'll affect her power to "reject" things? Guess I'll see soon enough.
See ya next update
Reply: Good! I managed to surprise you! Lilynette is joining the new Espada.
Writing Orihime's part was a blast as well, I love imagining that kind of character development. I hope I made it work.
And yeah, you predicted her becoming an Arrancar, but I think it was pretty easy to deduce though. Congrats, anyways!
Le-Maru: Great chapter!Orihime as an Arrancar would be interesting. How would that change her fairies though? Would they "Die" like Ashido's sword spirit or would their being part of the godly "Rejection" power keep them safe but just change them a little? If Orihime was an aspect of Death, what would it even be? Huh. Looking forward to seeing where you go with that. I imagine her becoming an Arrancar would let her and Ulquiorra become Wholes, so that would be sweet. Also solves the whole human aging thing - he would have to watch her slowly age to death otherwise and that would be sad as f*ck.Her being assertive was nice to see as well. And I'm glad Ichigo got his head out of his ass.
Reply: I'll be honest. I still have to investigate a bit about their fairies to be able to describe that process. I will explain how that works when the time comes, anyway. At least in this fic, only Espadas have aspects of death, so she doesn't necessarily need one. Will she be an Espada? Who knows? (Well, I do xD). I agree that reading about Ulquiorra seeing how Orihime ages and dies would be really sad, but don't worry, that's not happening.
thereceiv3r: Despite how you said you wanted to introduce a darker atmosphere into the story, I laughed quite a few times in here. Even the end scene. Well that was more because of surprise. So now Ulquiorra and Orihime can be together as Wholes! Also, nice come back for Lilynette. A bit sad that Stark sacrificed his power for her, but now she can join in the new kingdom.
Reply: Yeah, I laughed a lot as well while imagining that scene, but the point is, Orihime is showing a negative emotion that's practically non-existent in her character before. By now, it should be clear that things are getting darker though. Yep, kudos for Lilynette!
See you all as soon as I get out of these fucking exams AARRGGHH!
Evhron out.