IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ: This is not a new chapter for all of you who have alerted my story! I just merely added a few things I left out in the announcements and fixed some errors I found. I will attempt to minimize updating already posted chapters so those who are following my story do not receive emails about a chapter that you have already read. Thank you and sorry for the hassle.
-O-
Happy 2013 to all of my readers!
I have realized that I have not recently expressed my gratitude to all those who read, review, and follow my story, so I will take this time to do just that. Thank you to all of you!
I appreciate everyone for their continued interest in "Let the Night Rise and Fall."
One reader has asked me to include a section using Ichigo's POV. I am trying not to use POVs throughout the story to keep it more realistic, allowing you, my awesome readers, to extrapolate each character's thoughts and emotions through my descriptions. I am sorry to let you down, but I tried to incorporate a bit of Ichigo's thoughts in this chapter.
By the way, congratulations to TaintedSnow2009 for being my 100th review! I am so happy to reach the triple digits, and that's all thanks to you all!
I hope you all continue reading and reviewing!
-O-
Chapter 18:
Savior
"Ulquiorra!" the young boy called out.
He had sensed the intruder minutes ago, but he had no idea what a child like Shin would be doing in the middle of the forest -much less looking for him.
Cupping his hands around his mouth to amplify his sore voice, Sayuri's brother shouted once more, "Where are you!?"
The Espada descended from the high branch that he had observed on, revealing his presence to the obviously distressed young man.
"What is it that you need with me?" he blandly inquired.
At the sight of his sister's savior, Shin threw himself onto Ulquiorra's pant legs, clinging to the cloth in desperation.
"Please, you have to find her!" he cried out, tears lightly decorating the corners of his expressive eyes.
Ulquiorra found himself furrowing his dark brows at his words.
Oddly enough, he found himself curious. "What happened to her?"
"I-I don't know," the brown eyed child sniffed, "She hasn't been h-home for two days. I had to lie to my parents; I told them she went on a school trip for a few selected students at her school. I knew that they w-w-wouldn't have believed me if I had told them everything."
"Where did you last see her?" Ulquiorra asked, his face portraying a deep frown.
"When she left for school the day she disappeared," Shin answered, his voice lightly cracking.
Releasing his grip on Ulquiorra's pants, Shin rubbed his reddening eyes. He had been so stressed during the past few days, and this strange man was his only chance at finding his sister.
Ulquiorra closed his eyes, utilizing all of his heightened senses to try and locate the troublesome woman. After several moments, his piercing emerald gaze glared at the scene before him; he could not sense her anywhere.
'Could she have been...' his orbs widened lightly.
"Go back home and wait there," the hollow ordered the child.
"You'll bring her back right?" Shin hicupped.
With a quick nod of his head, Ulquiorra took to the skies, Shin's tiny form becoming all the more miniscule.
He will find her.
At the memory, Ulquiorra suppressed a sigh. He did not know that she would be reentering his life quite so soon. He had scourged the skies, in quick flashes, for any signs that may lead him to the missing female. It had been hours since he had seen Shin earlier that day. The sun was now at its peak, its heat cascading down Ulquiorra's exposed, cool porcelain skin.
He could not find her anywhere, which means that she was either killed or taken elsewhere.
A hollow attack was not plausible or else he surely would have felt it. He, however, did sense strong spiritual pressures some time ago. They were strong enough to be just about the level of a captain.
It was obvious where he should go. Now, he merely needed to find a pawn to get there.
As Sayuri's bright blue orbs shined in his mind, he persevered with his search with one silent thought.
'Troublesome.'
-O-
The large bang of the enormous double doors as they collided with the walls resounded throughout the hall. A petite figure emerged from the grand meeting room of the thirteen captains, her face blank.
As the young female stepped out of the opened entrance and into the sunny ray of light just beyond the dark room, she felt herself relax and a sigh escaped her rosy lips.
"Scared weren't you?" a masculine voice rhetorically questioned.
Sayuri let out a sheepish laugh. "It isn't over yet," she weakly stated, her face graced with the sure signs of exhaustion.
Renji and Rangiku followed their ward into the sunny hall. Awaiting them was a duo, one extremely tall emphasizing the shortness if his partner.
"She was not found guilty of anything," the red-head announced, "But the captains are still skeptical about her involvement in the Hitamura incidents."
"Which mean she will be kept in the Soul Society until they no longer deem her a threat," Rangiku interrupted.
With great flourish towards the center of attention, Ichigo bluntly said, "They think she is a threat? What the hell are the captains thinking? What about her family who is probably worried over her disappearance?"
"Ichigo..." Sayuri tugged at the hem of his hakama, effectively stopping his incoming rampage, "I just...want to rest."
Her entire body felt like it was splitting, as though she was being torn into two beings.
Ichigo's furious gaze left Renji and Rangiku and softened as they focused on Sayuri's rather pale face. It was obvious to him that she was distressed.
Rangiku, her voice deep with sympathy, advised, "You should take her hack to her cell. She must be worn out from having to withstanding the captains' spiritual pressures."
"Listen to Rangiku, Ichigo. It is difficult for a mere human to maintain their strength in the Soul Society. Their spiritual pressure just isn't strong enough, so they usually become exhausted within hours. She is even in her physical form rather than her spirit one, so I am willing to bet that her body is in pain."
"Next time, don't put her through this crap then!," the muscular teen scolded, his tone slightly threatening.
Renji began to feel his temper flare. "We were just following orders Ichigo," he yelled.
"Do you always follow orders even when you now it's wrong?" the other man retorted.
"Why you little punk!"
"I'm nearly as tall as you bastard!"
"You're at least half a feet shorter!"
"I'm not done growing!"
Sayuri stepped away from Ichigo and watched as the two began to pull out their swords. Her eyelids felt heavy.
"I'll stop you from growing," Renji continued on with the argument, "if I kill you now!"
"I w-want..." she whispered.
Her voice remained unheard as the orange haired lad, his giant sword in hand, countered with, "You couldn't even beat me the first time!"
The sight of the bickering Soul Reapers began to seem clouded to her. Sayuri could not stop her eyes from closing. Before feeling herself slipping from the conscious world, she said quietly, "...to see Ulquiorra."
"Ichigo!" Rukia called out, snapping the two immature males from their equally immature argument.
"Wha-" Ichigo could not finish his question, his windows catching Sayuri's falling form in their sights.
Quickly, he flash stepped towards the unconscious girl, catching her in his arms.
The teen gently repositioned the dark haired human's fragile body into a bridal position.
Without much warning, Ichigo turned around and simply announced, "I'm going to take her to her cell. It's the one where they had kept Rukia right?"
"Yeah," the voluptuous woman answered shortly. "She's probably feeling the impact of being surrounded by spiritual energy. Poor girl. I'm actually amazed that she managed to hold on til now."
Renji, his temper still quite unstable, screamed, "What about our argume-"
His words were cut off, however, when he felt Rukia's familiar petite hands touch his arm.
"Let it go Renji," she said, her bubbly eyes staring intently at her partner's retreating figure, "He's gone."
-O-
A familiar feeling caught Ulquiorra off guard from his rapid pace.
'It's one of them.'
From its rather weak spiritual pressure, he could tell that it was a low subordinate- a mere fly in his presence.
With great agility and speed, he set off towards the location.
He arrived at Hitamura's city limit as the Japanese doors that acted as the portal to the Soul Society opened and a male with the familiar uniform dashed out. The ashen man flashed through to the portal just as it began to close. It was the easiest way to get into the place of souls without causing too much of a commotion.
Opening a Garganta would be far too obvious. It would be like drawing bees to honey.
He knew that he should be able to find her there.
-O-
It was easy enough to enter the Soul Society. The problem now is getting to the prisoner cell undetected.
He scanned the vast rows of almost identical buildings that housed the Soul Society's guardians. To hollows, this military location would mean an inevitable death. To Ulquiorra, it was a mere nuisance to his goal of locating the raven haired maiden.
Ulquiorra had learned much about locations in the Soul Society from Aizen. He knew that the woman he has been searching for would be held at the white tower in the distance.
Suppressing his spiritual pressure, he flash stepped towards the tall building. Eventually, the Soul Society would detect him. He had to get to her before that happens.
The Espada watched as the building grew larger as he grew near. When he was finally at its base, he scaled its walls and headed towards the tall, thin window on the highest floor. Aizen had mentioned that Kuchiki's sister was held within that very cell when she was condemned to death. It was the most likely place where they would keep a human; it was secluded and well-guarded.
However, a sudden sight from his peripheral vision stopped him in his tracks.
What he saw on that bridge connecting the tower to the outside engraved into his mind. Sayuri's limp form was held rather intimately by the man that had killed him.
He felt something snap. His hands immediately unsheathed Murciélago, and he felt his legs dash towards the unguarded figure.
Just as his sharp steel was about to slash the orange teen's head off, a soft voice stopped his tracks.
"Ulquiorra..." she mumbled, almost inaudibly in her slumber.
"What the hell!" Ichigo grandly blurted out as he stared at the undead before him.
Ulquiorra snapped his jade gaze from Sayuri's face and glared at Ichigo's vibrant and bewildered earthy ones.
"What have you done with her?" he spoke, his fury barely hidden.
"What the hell are you doing here!?" Ichigo asked.
Digging Murciélago's blade onto the surface of the Soul Reaper's neck to draw just a small trail of blood, the hollow persisted, "Answer me human." Ulquiorra had to concentrate deeply so that his spiritual pressure would not seep out.
"She fainted," Ichigo answered after a long pause, "I think she's sick from exhaustion from having been forced to stay in the Soul Society for such an extended period of time."
As if to prove Ichigo's statement, Sayuri whimpered in her sleep, beads of perspiration coating her forehead. Ulquiorra did not lower his menacing blade from Ichigo's neck, but he did lower his gaze to quickly examine the female's frowning and snowy face.
"If you don't mind, I think it would be best if we continue this after I get her to her cell," the young man stated rather nonchalantly considering the animosity being portrayed by the 4th.
For some reason, Ichigo had a tugging feeling that the strong hollow before him was not after his life. It was apparent to Ichigo that all the ashen man cares for at the moment was the safety of the girl in his arms. This was already proven by Ulquiorra's enraged reaction to Sayuri's condition. To prove Ichigo's suspicions even more, the Espada hesitantly sheathed his sword back into its scabbard.
"She needs to be taken back to the human world," Ulquiorra monotonically commented.
The young teen, though aware that there was some sort of relationship between the human and the hollow, could not hide the surprise in his face at the unexpectedness of it all. "I agree, but why do you, of all people, care?"
Ichigo could feel Ulquiorra's glare practically pierce the back of his skull.
Sighing, Ichigo stated, "I agree with you, but the Soul Society will not let her leave just yet until they no longer suspect her for the Hitamura incidents."
"You Soul Reapers are such fools for believing that a mere human girl could conspire in such a crime."
"Do not sell us humans too short Ulquiorra," Ichigo retorted, venom thick in his voice, "It was a human who killed you, and it was a human, out of kindness, who resurrected you. Not to mention, by coming here, you're endangering Orihime if the Soul Society catches you and discover that she brought a hollow- an Espada no less- back to life."
The Cuatro's face did not change in the slightest. "I do not deny the fact that some humans have inhuman abilities, and that I myself was a benefactor of such an ability. However, I am confident that the human in your arms has no such powers."
"I am aware that she is not a threat," the orange haired teen whispered almost inaudibly. "But if she is caught leaving, she will be suspected all the more. In the worst case scenario, she will be executed."
"She will die regardless if she stays here for much longer. Soul Reapers, I believe, are informed that humans cannot survive in a place with vast amounts of spiritual energy for extended periods of time, especially in their physical form. If you will not take her back, I shall take her from you and bring her to the human world myself," Ichigo heard him say.
Though Ulquiorra maintained a calm facade, the substitute Soul Reaper could easily see the anger in his vibrant emerald orbs.
Ichigo contemplated the Espada's words, and knew that what he said was true.
"I will help you."
Knowing that Ulquiorra was not going to attack him as soon as his back is turned, the substitute Soul Reaper was about to dash towards a nearby portal location, but an adamant voice prevented him from doing so.
"I will carry her."
Silently but quickly, the fourth took the warm bundle from Ichigo's hands and the human male, shocked as he was, could do nothing but comply.
Ulquiorra took off from the bridge, and Ichigo could merely follow.
"You better not get caught you bastard," Ichigo intimidated. "You've been here for a while, so you're bound to be discovered soon."
'What the heck is going on here?' the teen could only cogitate to himself as he watched the interaction between the beastly hollow and the sleeping human woman.
It was like the beauty and the beast made a reality. However, for some reason, Ichigo did not like it one bit.
He hated this fairy tale.
-O-
If you guys don't mind me asking, does it seem like Sayuri is acting yet again like a damsel in distress for getting sick from being in the Soul Society even though any human without any special power will experience the same illness?
It is really irritating to me that she keeps getting saved, but I needed to include those moments to show Ulquiorra's relationship and attitude towards her.
I am so sorry if you are all getting sick of all the damsel in distress moments. I just really want to keep her human. Do not worry though! I think this is the last time I am making her a damsel in distress.
By the way, whoever answers the following question correctly will have a sneak peak of Chapter 19 sent to them! If you are curious, yes, I have already written Chapter 19. I just have a few things to fix.
Question: Has Ulquiorra called Sayuri by her name yet? If no, tell me what he calls her. If yes, tell me what chapter it is.
I will only take the first five correct answers. Good luck!