It was late at night when Kon arrived at an abandoned industrial site in Karakura Town, still looking for the mysterious girl.
"How did she get so far in such a short period of time?" He wondered, exhausted as he had been running and jumping all day.
A dull sound picked his interest, as he thought the place was desolate at first.
He ran towards it without a single moment to waste.
"Finally!" He said, going to the girl who was in the floor, probably due to tripping. "Need some help?"
"Ungh... Why do you insist so much?" She asked back rashly, but her look clearly gave out a feeling of worry and fear.
"Because you're in trouble, and I won't ever leave a girl in peril" He replied in a cool manner as he extended his hand, though it was clearly an act. His words, however, were true. He could be a pervert, but he would never allow a woman to suffer on his watch. "Even if I can't be of much help..."
"*sigh* Kon, wasn't it?" She took his hand and stood up. "Look, I'm glad that you're trying to help, but I really don't want you or anyone to be in danger because of me"
"I thought you'd say something like that, but really, here in Karakura Town, we're more than used to danger, believe me!" He didn't seem to convinced.
"And what do you plan to do?" She asked back.
"Well, I don't know! If you told me what's going on in the first place, I would be able to come up with something" He shrugged, as it was true. "For instance, what's your name?"
She seemed doubtful about involving Kon any more in her issue, but despite that, she knew that it was a too complicated matter to continue alone, so she accepted.
"I'm Nozomi. Kujou Nozomi" She revealed, her purplish-red eyes staring right into Kon's, although that was Ichigo's body.
"Good. So... What's going on here?" He questioned.
"I... I'm escaping" She started. "There's a man who's looking for me, and who's currently taken over Soul Society from the shadows"
"Is it... That man in the yellow jacket?" Kon remembered him.
"Yeah... His name is, Kagerouza Inaba. He used to work in the 12th Division, but that was just a façade. His true objective was gathering data and traces of Reishi from different Shinigami, so that he could later create replicas of them. They are known as... Reigai"
"And you're saying, this guy is currently in control of the Soul Society?" He asked surprised.
"Well, I didn't stay too long to confirm that, but due to the Reigai he created and the way in which he cautiously inserted them into the Seireitei... It is the most likely development"
"What does he want from you...?" That was what puzzled him the most.
"He..." She stammered for a moment, as it was the most complicated part for her to reveal, for both technical and personal reasons.
"There you are!" The voice of the man exclaimed, joyful as he found the girl. "You've given me quite some trouble, Nozomi, but in the end, you cannot escape. It is our destiny! The reason why we were born!" He pointed a silver cane at them.
Kon quickly called Ishida, in an attempt to call for help, but left the call unattended as things got worse really fast.
"No, I won't accept that!" Nozomi ran for her life.
Kagerouza went after her, but Kon stood in the way.
"Hey idiot, quit it! She doesn't wanna go with you!" He jumped as he prepared a punch.
"Get out of my way!" Kagerouza replied as he binded Kon with Bakudou 30: Shitotsu Sansen.
"Argh!" Kon was embedded against a wall with the rods of light, feeling helpless as he couldn't escape the spell for as much as he struggled. "Why you...?"
Kagerouza grinned as he already had Nozomi in the palm of his hand. Without wasting another moment, he chased after her, with the Reigai Kira and Nanao by his side.
However, before he could claim victory, another obstacle appeared on his path.
A rain of Quincy arrows pierced the two Reigai, defeating them in an instant.
At the same time, Inaba felt a shiver down his spine as a brutal punch almost destroyed him, just barely dodging it.
"Good work, Kon" Ishida praised. "Thanks to you, now we can stop whoever this guy is"
Chad blocked the path from the other side, ready to deal him multiple other hits of the same magnitude as the last.
"Who are you and what do you want?"
Kagerouza quickly thought about his chances at the monent.
"These people are at another level... What is going on? I had studied Kurosaki Ichigo and the other Ryoka with the data on the Research Department, and I can tell it was way different. They are at a completely new level..."
"Hey, start talking, we don't have all day" Ishida ordered as he pointed his bow.
"Kgh... Dammit!" He quickly opened a Senkaimon and escaped in the last possible moment.
Chad and Ishida were amazed that he could do so in such a carefree manner.
"I never thought someone could do something like that..." Ishida said.
"If I had known, I would've stopped him earlier" Chad added.
Kon fell to the floor as the binding spell disappeared.
"Ow!" He complained as he hit the ground, getting up with Chad's help. "Just what is that guy?"
"I don't know... But he seemed to be quite astonished when we arrived" Uryuu replied.
"That's right...! Nozomi!" He called her.
From behind a rusty container, Nozomi shyly approached them.
"Is he... Is he gone?" She asked in fear.
"Yeah, you're safe now" Ishida answered. "But in return, there's some explaining you have to do"
~~~~X~~~~
Kagerouza cursed his luck as he came back to the Seireitei, thinking of a way to get Nozomi back even with the threat those two posed.
Before he could continue digressing over his future plans, however, sounds of growls and footsteps interrupted him.
"What the...?" He stared in disbelief, as hundreds of pale Shinigami with a drowsy yet malicious expression approached him. "What's going on?"
To add up to his current problems, Kagerouza had been in the Human Worlds as the Four Horsemen took over the Seireitei, so he had no idea such a thing had happened.
He ran from the blood-seeking Ghouls, trying to find a place to hide.
For as much as he ran though, despair was all he found. Every possible route he could think of was blocked by the pale skinned Shinigami.
Even above ground, on top of the walls and buildings, Ghoul Lieutenants and Captains were watching over, so trying to use that way was simply out of the question.
As he ran into a mob of the evil beings, bathed in cold sweat, a prideful voice spoke:
"Oh my... This has been a dangerous night walk" The man said calmly yet scornfully, as if it was something trivial.
"W-Who's there?" Kagerouza asked.
"No need to fear, Inaba-san. I'm here to protect you" The mysterious man replied. "You see, I'm actually aware of the plan you designed and carried out, and in spite of your failure due to this unpredictable development, I think you can be quite of great use to me"
He had a slender body and was wearing fine-looking clothes, different from Shinigami yet way more refined than the usual citizen of the Seireitei. He had to be a noble.
His green eyes lazily gazed upon the horde of Ghouls that were upon them as he smirked.
"This might seem like a time of crisis... But don't you worry, I know how to use moments like these in my favour" The man chuckled, showing how his arm had been previously wounded. "Sip from the four seas, the heavenly shores entwine. Equally duplicate ten thousands, and sharpen...
...Enrakyouten"
~~~~X~~~~
Meanwhile, in an underground establishment, Three Captains and two Lieutenants evaluated the situation.
"...As I was saying, this alleged Demon's ability seems to be able to easily possess the bodies of those with weaker Reiatsu. We could call ourselves lucky that Inaba had taken over when all of this happened. Thanks to this, only these fake officers have been controlled by this power" Mayuri explained.
"You're wrong about one thing" Another individual joined them. "It is not a Demon. It is a Fallen Angel, just like me" Arikado refuted, his long blood red hair covering one of his blue eyes.
"I didn't give you permission to enter here, OR to correct me!" Mayuri protested.
"I don't need your authorization for anything. The only one I have to answer to is Kurosaki Ichigo, the man who spared my life" Arikado simply replied. "More importantly, I can tell you about the enemy we're facing, if you believe me, that is"
"On other times, I would've been more sceptical. However... With things as they are, we have no choice but to believe in you" The Captain Commander declared.
"First of all, is there any way to turn the other Shinigami back to normal?" Unohana inquired.
"Yes, and it's pretty simple. We must either force Seku to deactivate the spell, or kill him" Arikado answered. "For that, we must get to their base..." He looked at a monitor. "We must reach that Castle in the Sky"
"What other things do you know about these enemies?" Chojiro wanted to know more.
"They are known as "The Four Horsemen". Four Fallen Angels with a tremendous power and even more fearsome abilities. Seku, Plague. Mitsuyo, Famine. Kento, War and... Ren, Death"
"Wait..." Yamamoto stopped him. "Is by any chance that Ren...?"
"Yes" Arikado nodded. "As you might be thinking, he is also the most dangerous of the four, as he's the only one who wields a Kamibuki instead of a Tenshibuki, given to him after obtaining the title of God of Death"
"So not only are we facing the King of Hell and a group of monstrously powerful Fallen Angels..." Unohana noted. "...But the legendary Ren, 'The First Shinigami'. This might be the greatest crisis in Soul Society's history..."
"So that was not merely a legend... How fascinating..." Mayuri daydreamed. "Nemu, take note of that. I'd be more than ecstatic to study such a unique specimen"
"Yes, Mayuri-sama"
"Indeed. As much as I hate to admit it... We need help" Yamamoto concluded, omitting Kurotsuchi's interference. "Do you have any way of contacting the others?"
"Not at the moment. But everything's already set" Mayuri replied. "Once they arrive, we'll reach the surface and fight. For what I researched, Inaba was unable to create copies of any Vizard, probably due to his lack of data on the field of Hollows"
"So at least we have a numerical superiority over the Ghoul officers" Chojiro deduced.
"But then, who will take care of the Four Horsemen?" Unohana wondered.
"That is a matter I leave to you..." Yamamoto stated. "Cause I will go straight for the head"
~~~~X~~~~
Urahara and Nageki were in the latter's lab, investigating the mysterious girl the Shinigami had found with Shinji. She was asleep in a capsule that was as comfortable as a bed.
"Taking into account everything Ulquiorra said... It is possible that this girl is the true body Neberu was supposed to have" Urahara said.
"If that's the case, we could be witnessing a being of a godly potential at this very moment" Nageki added.
"Y... Yo..."
"She... She's waking up!" Nageki went to check on her.
"Careful, she could have a disastrous response if you scare her or make her feel threatened" Urahara warned.
"Right... Err... Hi?" Nageki smiled as he waved his hand, trying to appear friendly in the girl's eyes.
"Mii?" She made a sound of confusion as she stared at him with big eyes of honey irises.
"Let me try" Urahara approached her as well. "Ehto... What's your name?"
"Mii?" The same response.
"I... I am" He didn't give up, slowly trying to communicate, accompanying his words with gestures. "...Urahara Kisuke. Now, you... Are...?"
"Yo...mi" She slowly replied. "I... Am... Yomi"
"No way... She learned!" Nageki was astonished.
"It's just like Ulquiorra said. The incomplete Neberu was a genius, right? So it's only natural that the true being is equally as smart, if not smarter"
"But... If she doesn't have the Dark Core, then there's no reason why she...!"
"Exactly. She is not evil" He smiled, already grasping the possibilities. "As long as she's raised correctly, we have an incredibly capable ally in progress..."
"Mii?" She looked at him more carefully. "Mii!" She giggled, as she seemed to like him.
"You're scary, Urahara-san..." Nageki commented, as he would never be able to be liked while saying something so selfish.
"I could say the same about you, Nakagawa-san... I heard you are able to alter the atoms of the world around you"
"Well, yes, it is one of my feats" He admitted. "But I wasn't talking about abilities, but about how cunning you are"
"Ouch" He pretended to be hurt by the comment. "Ahahahaha, don't worry, some say that about me quite often, so I'm not bothered. In fact, I think it's true, but in my selfish way of seeing the World... I try to do my best"
"Yeah... I know what you mean" Nageki could relate.
"Mii... Mean..." She repeated, learning a new world.
"We need someone to take care of her while we find a way to get Nel-chan back" Urahara proposed.
"Hm... Maybe Pesche and Dondochakka would be willing to do it. I don't know if it works that way... But it might be good for them to improve their mood after those awful news"
"I'll go look for them, so use this time for brainstorming and we'll go from there"
"Right. Thanks for your cooperation!" He bowed.
"No need to be so formal. We are both scientists, aren't we?" Urahara chuckled. "Well, see you later"
Nageki sighed as he was immersed in thought, analyzing every possibility that could develop into a plausible solution.
~~~~X~~~~
Harribel was leading the training of the Espada and the Tres Bestias.
"...And remember, your strength will become Ashido-san's strength as well, so you must give it your all"
"Harribel" Ulquiorra called her.
"Oh, Ulquiorra!" She was stopped for a moment. "What happened to... Nel-sama?"
The rest also lowered their rythm, trying to catch the conversation.
"It's... Complicated. But she's alive" He sighed. "Though, if you happen to see her in the battlefield, I wouldn't recommend approaching her"
"W-Why...?" She was really puzzled.
"Because, she's not the same person we used to know. A Dark Energy tried to possess her and... As a result, she's now some kind of evil persona. For instance... Did you ever hear about, Scar Queen?"
"Yeah... She told me about it once, but I thought it was just a matter of the past"
"Well, it turns out that a fragment of that being was still inside her, and with the aid of the Negative Energy, it took over her being"
"You... You must be lying...!" She clenched her fists.
"Think whatever you want... I'm not trying to pull something out here"
"Hey, Tier, is this dumbass bothering you?" Grimmjow went with her, looking at Ulquiorra with pure contempt.
This made them all stop completely, not content with just getting the idea. Whatever was going on, was serious and would explain what had actually happened.
"Look, I'm sorry if the choices I made in the past upset you two, but right now, there's something greater than any of that at stake. Our Queen is now a vicious blood-thirsty Arrancar with a power comparable to Ichigo's. I'm just trying to avoid you a meaningless death" The Primera replied seriously.
"Nelliel is... Back?!" Bryssling muttered to himself, not actually sure of how that made him feel.
"Kgh..." Tier was at the border of tears, but forced herself not to cry. She had to look strong in front of the others.
"So you came to warn us? Is that all?" Grimmjow spat.
"No. I actually came to give you Ichigo's instructions while he's away" He denied.
"Away?" The two inquired.
"There is a chance... We don't know how to reach. But, we believe there might still be a way to get Nelliel back, and for that, Ichigo is the key. However, he's gonna have to unlock a new level of power in order for her to appear. Those are the conditions Dark Nelliel set, and Ichigo didn't doubt for a moment when he decided that he would do exactly that. He will not even breathe until he fulfills that task, I can assure you that"
"Dark... Nelliel...?" Harribel muttered hopelessly.
"It is the term we decided to give her, as she's a different being from both our Nelliel and Scar Queen. But... Don't let that distract you from our current goal. We must stop Yama and the Four Horsemen, that's our role, and I believe it's pretty clear what we must do. Leave Nelliel to Ichigo, he'll know what to do, and despite her being this Dark-self... In her own twisted way... She loves him" He wanted her to snap. "I know I'm being harsh, but as Primera Espada, it is my duty to make sure that Ichigo's orders are fulfilled, and right now, he needs YOU to be in charge, at least until he returns"
"Like you said, you're Primera! Why don't you do it, yourself?" Grimmjow just wanted to bother him.
"Please... You know I'm not fit for actual leadership. All I can do is make other people fear me, but Harribel is different. She was the previous Queen and she's actually liked by the other Arrancar. That's why Ichigo chose her and not me, Grimmjow" Ulquiorra clarifed.
"Tch..." Grimmjow had to admit that was the case.
"I understand..." Harribel accepted in the end. "I'll do it, but if he fails to bring Nel-sama back to us... I will relinquish my position as Espada"
"Do as you wish. He'd rather be dead than let that happen anyways" He noted. "I'll go see how Orihime is doing, good luck" He left.
"*sigh* It looks like things can't get more complicated at this moment" Harribel facepalmed. "I know that Ichigo thought I'd be the best option, and under other circumstances, I would've agreed without further thought but..."
"Nelliel's betrayal is too-"
"Don't you dare say it was betrayal!" Harribel became pissed in an instant, making a scene that didn't pass inadvertently.
"Damn... I'm... Sorry..." Grimmjow said, shocked to see her that way. "I should... I should've picked a better..."
"Yes, you should have" Harribel agreed, not backing down. "She was- She IS my best friend, Grimmjow. I won't accept you or anyone saying something like that. She hated that more than anyone else... She would never betray us! She would... Never...!" Tears started appearing on her eyes.
"Harribel-sama..." The Tres Bestias were at a loss of words, but decided to approach her, trying to comfort their master.
The always calm and level-headed Harribel was completely devastated. She simply couldn't believe that what Ulquiorra was saying was the truth. The sweet Nel who always supported her with everything and made her best to cheer her up... Was apparently corrupted by some Dark force she couldn't completely understand, probably in an irreversible way.
She had done her best trying to withstand it all, but she simply couldn't anymore, not after hearing that word.
"Tier..." Grimmjow looked at her, not sure about trying to comfort her as he still felt that her sudden breakdown was his fault, but in reality, all he did was trigger it by accident. She just couldn't pretend that it didn't affect her so much anymore.
"How in the world did this happen...?" She muttered sadly as salty tears fell down her cheeks.
The trio of Fracciones hugged her.
"I'm sorry, Harribel-sama..." Apacci told her.
"But, there's no need for you to worry" Mila Rose added.
"If there's anyone able to save her, it's Ichigo-sama" Sung-Sun completed.
"That's true... But still... The thought of losing her forever is...!" She closed her eyes and washed the tears away, escaping her Fracciones embrace. "I... I need some time. Don't worry about me... You'll do well on your own, I'm sure..."
Everyone looked at her worried as she left. It was a strange situation if they thought about it. In theory, they had won. They had fulfilled their objective. They had gone to Hell and back and yet... The only thing they could grasp was that of a great loss.
"Now, you heard her" Grimmjow took the position. "There's no time to worry about stuff you cannot change. Like that Shinigami said, all we can do is get as strong as possible in order to win it all in this last stand. As some of you might suspect, Ichigo is not here. He is far away... And to any of you who might think he's lamenting or blaming himself for what happened (cause I know you heard), let me tell you... You're completely fucking wrong. Right now, he abandoned this whole area so that he could train to the fullest without doing us any harm, since no one knows what kind of power will he attain when he goes to the next level... So don't you dare give up! At least for us... Times have always been rough. It's only thanks to Tier and Ichigo that we had this illusion of safety, but if you think carefully, nothing has changed. It's true, I'm not the most friendly or the most ethical Hollow around to be telling you this. I was eating others only a while before all this shit started, but I've been willing to change ever since Ichigo taught me what true strength is like and, more importantly, where does it come from..." He concluded.
"I have to agree with you, Grimmjow" Ashido supported him. "I despised Hollows for way longer than anyone here... And seeing myself as not only one of them but an Espada at that... I have to admit how wrong I was..."
"Ashido..." The Tres Bestias muttered, moved by his words.
"But even so, I can't pretend to escape this conflict out of self-hatred or guilt when there's people who are sacrificing it all. To do so would be a fallacy when I regonize the error of my own ways! And I too, am to be held accountable..."
"Aren't we all?" Bryssling wondered. "I lived my whole life like a Hollow was supposed to. Ruthlessly hunting and scavenging my own brothers in order to reach for greater heights in terms of power and respect... And look where it got me. All my life I was nothing but a grunt for others to use and abuse. I could never truly create something on my own, and now... I should be more than happy to know that Nelliel is back to her old ways, or possibly even more brutal but... That didn't happen. After seeing her and Ichigo... It's all just so confusing and... Now it's honestly, sad thinking that something like this could happen"
"Aum. Nelliel-san was always there for everyone. It was strange seeing a Hollow act that way at first, but now, surrounded by more who think and act the same way... I think I've finally found peace. Even under my special conditions... I can smile knowing that there's people I can rely in"
"That's right, Satya-kun. If it wasn't for everyone's efforts, this would not exist. I can finally feel that everyone in the Espada are not only my allies, but my friends as well!" Lilynette smiled. "In order to protect that... Starrk and I'll do whatever it takes!"
"Well done, Grimmjow" Gin clapped his hands. "It looks like you do have a bit of a King in you, or at least enough to bring everyone's spirits up" He clarified. "To tell the truth, I don't care what happens to this place or the Soul Society, I just... Don't. But as bleak as that may sound, I still have something to protect, and Nelliel is someone who made me understand that better than anyone else. Just for that single reason... I'll go to the same lengths as you all"
"In that case, let's not waste another second. Someone tell Ulquiorra to bring his and his girlfriend's ass back here, cause we're gonna need an unspeakable amount of healing if we wanna get results in these whatever hours or, hopefully, days remain"
"We'll do it" Loly said and Menoly nodded, wanting to get stronger as well. "Princess is the only one capable of that"
"So with all that said and done... Everyone..." Grimmjow grinned as he went into Segunda Etapa. "Come at me like there's no tomorrow!"
~~~~X~~~~
Ichigo stood astonished in front of the mountain he'd been guided to, finally understanding what his Zanpakutou's spirit meant when he said he was already seeing it, reaching the final destination of his odyssey to the west.
A colossal mountain, probably 20 kilometers tall, stood in all its might and glory. Restless sandstorms raging through its desert-like terrain, replaced in the tallest parts by hail and snow.
As the original Hollow, the only thing one could conquer aside from oneself, was nature itself. That was the lesson Mugetsu learned once, and the same he was going to teach Ichigo, as the next heir to Tsukoyomi's powers.
"So... Here we find ourselves again" Mugetsu sighed in Ichigo's mind.
"I've never been here before" Ichigo refuted.
"I wasn't talking about you" He chuckled. "I referred to me... And to Tsukoyomi"
"Then... Is it time for me to finally see the sealed power of this Zanpakutou?" Ichigo inquired.
"Correct. If only you had seen yourself in a mirror back then..." Mugetsu remembered the Final Getsuga Tenshou. "You would probably be shocked... But anyways, it will be an interesting encounter. However, you must first conquer the Holy Mountain. Only at its top, must you face the original spirit that gave power to Las Noches, a fragment of Tsukoyomi himself"
"I understand..." Ichigo accepted, entering the dangerous sands of the Holy Mountain.
He didn't care what was in his way, he would do it. He would do that and everything else it took to get Nel back. He felt like he could die trying, and then continue in his next life as if nothing had changed. Not even death would rip him away from the memories of his love. He would become Death itself to make sure of that.
Using both his Shinigami and his Hollow powers, he battled against the very weather that stroke him in his path towards the top.
Sometimes, blinded by the sand. Others, torn asunder and dashed against the rocks, forcing his body to regenerate before his very life came to an end.
Not even being in his Resurrección made his path easier. Each of the natural disasters that he had to face in his voyage was possibly as strong as the abilities of an Arrancar's Final Weapon or even a Majin's most powerful attack in some cases.
As soon as he escaped the last sandstorm, he entered the frozen chills of the highest portion of the mountain. Hail was as dangerous as a barrage of Quincy arrows, his Hierro barely withstanding the wounds it created as he forced his organism to heal the bruised skin.
Conquering the mountain, in essence, was conquering himself. His own power and body had to be completely under his control in order to reach the summit, in spite of the various adversities the Holy Mountain presented one after the other.
"Gha!" He yelled as he was thrown away by an icy wind as strong as one of Ulquiorra's tornadoes when he used Chauve-Souris.
"C'mon Kingy, you're not even halfway there" Mugetsu wanted to provoke him. "Get yourself together. Otherwise, you'll never-"
"Shut up" Ichigo ordered as he carved Zangetsu in the hard snow, not letting the wind push him away any further. "There's no need for you to mention it. I said I'd... No... I SWORE I WOULD SAVE HER!"
With a superior strength as before, Ichigo continued through the snow storm, advancing further through the path towards his true power.
~~~~X~~~~
After an exhausting yet very exhilarating training day, Grimmjow went back to his palace.
It was the usual thing for the Espada, but something was still bothering him.
"Maybe... I should go see how she's doing" He thought about Tier. "I wouldn't normally get worried over an Arrancar, much less 'bout an Espada but... I know how she is. This time it was more for her to handle and... It was my fault"
He took a detour and decided to check up on his friend.
As expected of him, his manners weren't so that he would knock on a door before entering.
"Hey, Tier... Y'know I... Still have the feelin' that it was kind of my fault that-" He casually barged in, though he was way more nervous than he actually showed.
He stopped right on his tracks as he stared at Harribel in shock, widening his lightblue eyes.
Harribel was hugging one of her uniforms as she stared back at him, probably even more shocked than he was, blushing more and more as every second went through.
"Is... Everything... Okay...?" He started sweating and instinctively looked away.
"Ghrrrr" She left the uniform on top of her bed and pointed her blade at him. "GRRRIIIMJOWWW!!!"
Countless stabs came his way with a strength and speed that matched Nel's Campeador, Grimmjow barely able to dodge them as he tried his best to survive.
The last stab cut a bit of his right cheek, embedding Harribel's sword on the wall just by his face, as her emerald eyes burned with rage.
"Never! You should NEVER enter a lady's room without asking!" She spouted, her fist punching the wall on the opposite side of where her blade was, enclosing Grimmjow.
"Sorry! I didn't see anything alrite? Chill, woman..." He tried to excuse himself.
"Chill? Are you kidding me?! Oh no... You won't be leaving here alive, I'll tell you that" Her Reiatsu rose to dangerous levels.
"*gulp* Look, I don't care what you were doing! Maybe it's normal for girls to seek comfort in their clothes... Hell if I know! I just came to apologize about earlier, if I wanted you to kill me there are countless other ways I could've gotten that, but really, I'm trying to be a nice guy for once!"
"Nice guy, huh?" She repeated, calming a bit. "*sigh* Now it's not... A good moment. I appreciate that you tried to make me feel better but... There are some basic manners you cannot ignore around a lady..." Such manner of speaking was clearly a part of Nelliel's teachings.
"Isn't that something... Nelliel would've said?" He could tell.
Harribel carved her blade out and turned her back on him as she went back into her room.
"Yes... Nel-sama taught me basically all it means to be a lady... Despite her not knowing everything perfectly. But regardless of that detail, I owe her that and a lot more..." She stared at the uniform on top of the bed.
"Wait... Don't tell me that...!"
"Whatever... You already saw" She sat in the bed with a loud sigh. "She asked me to lend her one of these... And I happened to find it when I was going to have my own cleaned" She explained. "However... I thought it'd be nice to leave it as it was, cause I didn't know if I'd ever get the chance to see her again wearing that so... I decided to keep it as some kind of souvenir. It even has her scent embedded on it..."
"Um... I... I see" Grimmjow chuckled nervously as he didn't know how to reply.
"You think I'm weird, don't you?" She asked back, closing her eyes in disappointment. "It's to be expected, after all, it's what a regular stalker would do. But thanks to that... At least I have something to remember her in case we... Never see each other again" She sadly concluded.
"Tier..." He decided to hug her from the back, out of pure impulse, caressing her hair as he put his other hand on her shoulder. "I can't tell you everything's gonna be fine... Cause I have no idea. But I can tell you, that whatever happens, the ideals she stood for and everything you learned from her will always be a part of ya"
"That's... True" She agreed, blushing again, as she didn't expect him to react that way, but she couldn't deny that it was a pretty enjoyable moment.
"And you're not alone. Those three girls are always there to back you up and... I'd dare say that I'm here to help as well" He scratched the back of his head. "I can't pretend I'm too good with feelings and stuff, but at the very least, I'll always be willing to raise my claws and fists for you"
"It's so you to say something of that kind..." She smiled behind her mask. "Thanks, Grimmjow. And... Sorry for acting that way back in the desert. I was just... Surpassed by those bad news. It never even crossed my mind that such a thing could happen. Like... I knew she could die, for example. It would've been really hard to accept that, but... It's a possibility that actually existed. On the other hand, this is just... Some kind of horrible nightmare. Something so dreadful yet so... Unreal"
"I know what you mean, and I have yet to completely get it myself..." His hand gently advanced from her shoulder to her arm, rubbing it gently. "But, look at the bright side. At least y'took out your frustration on me and not on someone you actually cared-"
Harribel suddenly pinned him to the bed, one of her hands on the wall and the other one on his chest, forcing him into submission.
"I care about you, Grimmjow" She said with a hurt tone, a tear falling on top of his face. "I really do"
"Tier... I never-"
"You're not the only one with trouble expressing his feelings. All my life... I suppressed my emotions to become a model soldier. No more, no more... Will I make the same mistake"
The next instant, the Hollow Mask that always covered her mouth was opened, revealing her dark lips while still being on her base form, for the first time.
Grimmjow was unable to emmit another sound as she sank into his lips, making sure that every breath was poured into that action, so that no matter what the result was, she would have no regrets.
His eyes glowed as he still tried to comprehend how he had gotten himself in that situation. Only moments before, she was ready to obliterate him without further thought. Now, he was tasting the blonde's tongue after it had been forcefully inserted in his mouth.
Despite the unpredictable development, his instincts easily guided him into accepting the Arrancar's feelings.
As Harribel let go of him, panting, she couldn't help but become red, only realizing in that moment the rash way in which she confessed her love.
"I-I'm sorry I... I don't know how I could-" She was about to leave the position, but he stopped her.
"Tch... It's too damn late to act like that" He grabbed her by the chin. "You're strong, Tier, and you seize what you want with your own hands. If there's a woman I can gladly accept as my Queen, that can be no other but you"
"Grimmjow" She sighed in relief, kissing him again, biting his lips in between, just like Nel had told her.
These two were way too wilder in comparison to the previous couples, roughly pulling and scratching the other. It was some kind of rough foreplay that resembled more a fight than a romantic encounter.
Even so, the two gladly continued the ritual of love, accepting the other's most primal nature in a totally consensual way.
As Grimmjow licked her neck, Harribel panted out of lust, only for her to feel a sudden urge to slap him, disgusted by his bestial behaviour.
"Heheheh... You're gonna have to do better than that if you wanna stop me. In fact, I think the only way now is completely knocking me out!" He spat as he strongly kissed her again, pulling her hair in a painful yet arousing way.
Harribel carved her nails onto his toned back, sweating bullets as she headed into a dead end she knew, neither would be able to escape.
As soon as Grimmjow started pulling her white pants down, his eyes stared right at the void under her stomach.
"Now that's something I haven't seen in a while..." He chuckled.
"A while...? When did you...?"
"Back when you made me totally nuts, Tier" He confessed. "That time when you reached Etapa Final"
"Oh, really...?" She blushed a bit, and then she smiled. "I was also a bit impressed by you at that moment... So how about you make me go nuts this time?"
Grimmjow bit her ear as he passed his fingers through her belly and chest, tearing away the mask pieces that covered her nipples and going straight for them.
"~Ah~" She moaned. "N-Not... There...!"
"That only makes me wanna do it more!" He growled, sucking on the red pieces of flesh, that only got erect with his frenzy stimulation.
His hands reached for her lower part as he continued shamelessly playing with her breasts, pulling the rest of her pants down with a single kick, ripping them in two.
"Nrgh..." She didn't seem to like that detail, but decided to get her payback in the best way possible at the moment. "Two can play at this game!"
The woman ripped his jacket out and pulled down his pants, her mate fighting back just to give her a harder time.
"I'll make you regret that..." He grinned, roughly forcing his way inside her as she was in misionary style.
"Ahh... Ohhh, FUCK... Grimmm...! Jowww...!" She moaned as her eyes became teary in a mixed feeling of pain and pleasure.
She reached for his head, pulling his long hair to get a better grip, and pulling him into a wet kiss of both saliva and blood.
"~Mmhh~ Ah... C'mon Grimmjow, give me more!"
"As you wish... Tier" He accepted, forcing her to get down on all fours to continue.
He superficially scratched her back from her shoulders and down as he prepared her for the true moment.
Reaching her ass, he started pounding her dark skin relentlessly, giving her a twisted expression of madness, drunk by the rough love he gave her.
Harribel could now surely say she loved him. Cause even after her complicated way of mating, he knew what she really wanted and wasn't scared of delivering it.
"Grimm...jow...! Hit me...!" She drooled as she requested.
"Fuck...!" The other Espada panted. "Who would've thought you were this kinky..."
He started slapping her, guided by the sounds of the louder moans she gave him, indicating if she was ready for more or if he had to slow down a little bit.
He might've been a beast, but he still loved her. She wasn't only a gorgeous exotic beauty, but also a proud and skilled warrior as well. He wanted his woman to be as happy as possible, so even while driven by lust and desire, he didn't lose the true motive behind this carnal act.
"Now... Grimmjow... Please..." Her tone became way softer, shifting from a horny animal into a delicate teen girl.
Grimmjow knew what that meant.
He pulled her by her chest, closer to him, and kissed her as he massaged her breasts more softly.
"I... Love you... Grimmjow... I really love you!"
"And I...!" He panted in her ear, biting it playfully again. "I fucking love you, Tier!"
"Ahhh!!!" She howled with pleasure as she heard just what she wanted to hear.
The two Espada went into a kissing frenzy afterwards, their saliva mixing to a point in which it was a completely shared fluid.
Harribel bit his shoulders and chest as she embraced him, her pointy shark-like teeth leaving marks he joyfully received.
They rolled around the bed multiple times, playing, fighting, but on top of it all, loving, to their heart's content.
All the suppressed emotions. All the feelings they couldn't explain. They all became part of the sublime experience that was becoming a Whole.
Even in the rough moments, be it Harribel jumping on top of him as she carved her teeth on to him; or Grimmjow slapping her tits as he slowly choked her, the two kept smiling, happily rejoicing in their brutal form of love.
Entwining their mouths together one last time, the two moaned as they stared into each other's eyes, their bodies coming at the same time, sealing the pact that would unite their souls for the rest of their lives
"Grimm...jow...!" She moaned his name as the saliva left a string between the two.
"Oh Tier..." He embraced her, feeling her sweet scent invade his nostrils, doping him into a lovedrunk state.
Like the feline he was, he licked Harribel's face as he purred, slowly separating their bodies to finally get some rest.
"I..." She murmured.
"What is it?" He asked, eager to find what the answer was.
"I see it now... And it's just like she said" Harribel put her hand in his Hollow Hole, seeing the golden-yellow trident marked on top. "It's beautiful, Grimmjow"
He understood what that meant, so he also decided to look at the space in her lower body.
A pair of blue knuckles with sharp needles surrounded Harribel's Hollow Hole, making the symbol of infinity.
Only in that moment could he truly ascertain what had just happened. They were no longer mere Hollows. They achieved the state of Wholes, and not even trying, they had finally gotten one of the keys to obtain the greater power they needed so much.
"Does this mean... We are now... Together?" Grimmjow asked, a bit nervous.
"I... I think so" She also shyly replied. "Is that... Okay...? With you?"
He didn't have to think another moment as he easily smiled at her and said:
"Okay? It's the best freaking thing that could ever happen to me" He kissed her again.
"Grimmjow..." She entangled her fingers with his as he put his arms around her, falling asleep as one.
Sorry for the wait, but I was camping with my family and it's pretty hard to write with so many distractions and tasks at hand.
I'll get to work immediately with the other one, so that we can proceed as swiftly as possible through this last Arc.
My only note on this Chapter is that we finally see Harribel's and Grimmjow's union becoming a reality, and to anyone who feels that this is somehow rushed, you should go way back and see all the things that happened in order to get here. The rest is just due to the fact that for the first time, we see two pure Hollows from birth releasing their most savage nature in terms of romance.
Reviews:
Antex-The Legendary Zoroark: Excellent chapter! Loved this! Hm! So that's the story of how Dark Nelliel was in a way "buried" and the dormant "cheerful" Nelliel became the dominating personality! Fascinating. And now, she's also on Yama's side, whilst also planning to betray them! Still though...Yama is no fool from what I've read about him, so it's possible that Dark Nelliel's future betrayal may become clear to him soon enough. Regardless, I look forward to more!Good to also see Ichigo's convictions haven't changed and he's more pumped to get Nel back than ever before! Good on him.
Personally, I had thought he'd be more... "moody/depressed" than he was in this chapter due to losing someone so close to him. Still, like they say, as long as there's hope, there's still a way to see things through!
P.S. My, my! Urahara...you sly fox! Liked how he used his Reiatsu Concealing Cloak and (most likely) his Squad 2 Training to get that info he needed!
Reply: More than being no fool, Yama is ready to take the risk with such a big prize at hand, and he already did the math. With or without betrayal, he has ways to get quite some benefit out of this.
At first, I thought of giving him a more 'Emo' way of looking at things, returning to the good old Teen angst fanfic readers love, but at this point, that simply would've made no sense. Sure, it was a terrible truth to uncover, but Ichigo in general is more the kind to fight for something for as long as there's a little glimpse of hope.
See you all next time! Evhron out.
P.S: Harribel's teeth are pretty much like the ones from the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist in Naruto, in case you have trouble imagining it.
R.I.P. Diego Farias. Djent won't be the same without you :'(