Hi everyone! I hope you all missed me! Haha.

I was a little sad that the last chapter was not very popular. Can someone explain to me why? I really want to make my story and my writing appealing to my readers.

Thank you for to all those who reviewed, favorited, and alerted this story. It means a lot to me.

IMPORTANT: RiriaKazeKage recently informed me that this story was no longer receiving as many reviews, because many of you have already reviewed for a Chapter 14. The site will not allow you to review that same chapter. It also turns out that due to my condensing of this story into fewer chapters, my followers have not been alerted to newly written chapters. As a result, I am returning "Let the Night Rise and Fall" to its original format. Gosh, took me a look time to set all the chapters as they used to be! I promise this will be the last time I'm making these changes. Thank you for putting up with my confusing behavior haha. Thank you to RiriaKazeKage for telling me!

-O-

Chapter 24:

White and Whirling Sands

"You need to hold your weapon higher," Grimmjow instructed.

Sayuri gripped the wakizashi, courtesy of Urahara, tighter in her slender fingers and followed his orders. The katana had been too heavy for her to wield, so the smaller blade of the wakizashi suited her perfectly. She supposed she owed the blonde for providing her a weapon that was manufactured for fighting a hollow.

"Good," he praised, "but now we have to work on your stance."

He guided her legs so that her balance was optimized.

"When you fight," he informed her, "make sure that you have your blind spots protected. You don't want to give your opponent any advantage."

She nodded, her eyes still holding the determination that made them gleam even in the dull morning. This was her first day training with Grimmjow. She had arrived at the forest clearing at ten in the morning, as instructed by her teacher and only thirty minutes after she had asked him to train her. She had been ecstatic that she would could start training so soon. It was now mid day and the sun's light, masked by the thick clouds, rained weakly directly atop of them.

"Remember Sayuri, in a battle there are no second chances - only living or dying," his icy orbs gazing at her directly in a rare moment of seriousness.

She replied without hesitance. "I understand."

"Good," he stated, "Now, go eat lunch. Come back in an hour."

Sayuri blinked, confused at his kind gesture.

"I don't mind training a bit more. I'm not that hungry. Besides, I thought you weren't going to go easy on me Sensei," she teased.

Grimmjow dismissed her words with a wave of his hand. "Go on kid. Don't make me regret being nice to you."

The young maiden laughed. "Alright. I'll be right back. Go, er, get food, too," she suggested as she turned around and left.

As her petite figure retreated, he observed the crisp snow laying comfortably on the frozen ground. It was not the best time to learn how to fight, but he doubted that she would have liked having to wait until spring or summer arrived. He had to make sure that nothing too serious happened to her during their training else a certain stoic Espada or boisterous Soul Reaper would have his head. Heck, it even surprised him that neither of them have found out about this whole training business yet. He had half expected one of the two to interrupt them that morning.

'They'll find out soon enough,' he thought, 'if they don't already know that is.'

A sudden presence behind him gave the answer.

"Hn," he smirked, "I figured you were somewhere around here."

The dark haired hollow stood in his gigai, hands in his pockets. By the look on his face, he had not come for a friendly chat.

"What are you up to Grimmjow?"

"What does it look like? I'm teaching your human woman how to fight," the panther responded.

The black bat glared due to his statement. "If you have ulterior motives, erase them, or I will make sure to erase your existence."

A wide grin broke the other arrancar's face in half. Getting a response from Ulquiorra was entertaining enough as it is. Getting him angry, on the other hand, was suicidal but exhilarating.

"I don't think your woman would be too happy if you killed me."

When his superior did not so much as flinch from the teasing comment, Grimmjow continued, "You can relax. I have no intention of harming that woman. Hn. I never thought I would see the day when the great Ulquiorra would fall for the charms of a mere human."

"Explain why you were present at the waterfall during the camping excursion," the paler man demanded, further ignoring the taunts of his subordinate.

The taller man shrugged in nonchalance. "I was bored."

Ulquiorra's dark brows lowered as his eyes grew more slanted.

"It was you who had broken that human heating contraption," he stated, "Extrapolating from that conclusion, I would assume that it was you, as well, who had stolen the two additional tents."

The cat snickered, "I guess you have me all figured out then, huh, Cuatro? But guess what, I have you figured out too."

Ulquiorra retained his emotionless expression, aware that the blue-haired male would undoubtedly continue speaking.

"Given what I know," Grimmjow began, "you should thank me for giving you such a great opportunity at the campsite."

"Your statements have no merits and are merely the ramblings of a fool," the ashen man retorted.

Ulquiorra's expression continued to portray a cool aloofness, but the thinness of his voice was evidence of his abating patience.

The Sixth Espada cackled again.

When his joyous release subsided, he spoke, "From the short time I have been here, I have seen two types of men: men like Ichigo and men like you. Men like Ichigo know what they what and act on them. Then, there are men like you, who repress their desires and pretend that what they want does not exist."

The raven-headed male's orbs turned into a molten sea of emerald. Grimmjow knew that he was pushing the limits of the Cuatro's graciousness. Yet, unable to resist the temptation of teasing the apathetic Espada, the panther stepped towards him until their sides were touching.

In a low and serious tone, he muttered, "Better make up your mind soon Cuatro, or the Soul Reaper might just beat you to her."

Then, leaning low, Grimmjow whispered in his ear, "Or maybe she will choose me, and I will get to have her for myself."

Smirking wildly, the blue cat began to walk out of the clearing when Ulquiorra's malicious voice stopped him.

With their backs still turned to each other, the ashen man threatened, "Touch her and you die Number Six."

Grimmjow spun and faced Ulquiorra's back.

"We're in the human world bastard. Ever heard of their phrase: all's fair in love and war?" he retaliated, his smirk still plastered on.

The paler male did not swerve around to face his rival. Instead, he simply looked at the panther from the corner of his eyes, the action making him more intimidating despite his slightly shorter stature.

In a thin voice that oozed anger and foreshadowed a slow and torturous death, Ulquiorra promised, "The war will not matter if you die before hand."

With that said, the bat of the night strolled casually out of the clearing. Grimmjow, however, could see the tense poise of Ulquiorra's body. He knew that if he had provoked the Fourth one more time, he would have guaranteed his own death.

'Tsk,' the panther reflected, 'I'm risking my life to pay my debt to you woman.'

When Sayuri returned, Grimmjow resumed his instructions prior to his near death experience. Hours later, when the sky became a glorious flame, he stopped. Sayuri remained standing even after the rather arduous work out he had forced her to endure. She was tiny compared to the hollows. What she lacked in size, she need to compensate with skill and strength. The young panther knew that her body was probably at its limits with the hell she had just gone through. Her hair, which had initially been in a neat bun high on her head, was now a tumbling, curly mess crowning her. Her clothes had become stained from the dirt. Her hands were dotted with opaque spots, the tell-tale signs of blisters. Her legs were shaking. He had her exercise every necessary muscle in her body repeatedly. Yet, she remained standing.

Silently, he commended her strength of will.

"Go home," he told her, "Rest up for a few hours. Meet me at Urahara's shop at midnight."

She nodded once. She was tired, but by no means was she done trying.

Grimmjow saw her struggling to even move her body. In her condition, he knew that she would be an easy victim to a stray hollow or even some sadistic human. Instead of following her, however, he set off for the apartment with a grin. He knew she was in good hands.

Sayuri stumbled out of the clearing, the sheathed wakizashi acting as a necessary cane. She could not entirely feel her legs; they had gone numb from overuse. There was no doubt in her mind that she would be walking awkwardly until her muscles grew accustomed to the brutal exercise.

Momentarily, her arms ceased functioning and she felt her hold on her cane slacken. It was enough to force her to lose her little balance and land knees first on the frigid ground. She gritted her teeth at the pain that shot from all the muscles in her body; the sudden fall had been like a shock to her otherwise weary bones. Jaws clamped to prevent any cries of misery from escaping her sealed lips, she made the long endeavor to stand up again. Every single movement became endless as second after second, sharp stings rocked her appendages. Finally, she was able to regain her footing.

Amidst all the pain, one thought chanted in her mind, 'I will not be so easily broken anymore.'

The training was meant to insure that she became protected physically and mentally, whether it be hollows, betrayals, or matters of the heart. The shocking torture that she was enduring was a testament to her resolve. Sayuri Kimura will no longer crumble.

Slowly and unsteadily, she walked on, unaware of the gleaming jewels watching over her.

He saw that she was in agony, but the effort she made to better herself prevented him from helping her. He could just easily carry her back to the white abode where she can have her much needed rest, but that would render her struggles worthless. He did not understand her desire for power. In fact, he did not understand her much at all. She was this enormous enigma packaged in the form of a human woman with sapphire orbs and black, unruly curly locks.

He clenched his jaw when she fell again, a small yelp managing to leave her mouth this time.

He commanded himself to stay still.

At a little past an hour of the most tormenting walk of her life, Sayuri reached her room. Stiffly, she laid on her bed after setting at alarm for eleven o'clock that night. Within seconds after closing her eyes, she entered a blissful sleep in which the ache of her body did not bother her.

Ulquiorra landed inside the window just as she drifted to the realm of dreams. Her blanket remained folded at the end of her bed. She had probably been too tired and too sore to bother covering herself with it. The night was a cold one, so without thinking, the handsome Espada draped the thick cloth over her worn form. He noticed the newly formed blisters on her fingers, and sauntered to the bathroom to find the salve that she had initially used on his wounds. He squeezed the tiny bottle to expel some of the medicinal gel to cover the reddened areas. Then, using a gauze, wrapped her abused hands.

The woman needed to take better care of herself. That, or Grimmjow needed to learn a lesson about the fragility of humans.

He scrutinized the short sword leaning against her wall. He would have to interrogate her later as to why she was pursuing such a reckless pastime that was detrimental to her physical body. He knew she had long wanted to be stronger, but he was here. He would protect her. Is that not what he had done since he had arrived?

Naturally, he took his place by the foot of her bed. It was his new home after all. He did not fall asleep. He contented himself to checking on her unmoving albeit peaceful figure.

When the alarm began to blare its irritating noise, Sayuri peeled her eyes open. He body would not obey her commands, too tired to perform the orders of the brain. Sighing in annoyance, she propelled herself to the side so that she fell off the bed and landed on her hands and knees. It hurt, but at least she got herself moving. The lily woman used her bed and nightstand to push herself upright. Switching the alarm off, she limped to her closet to change clothes. She had been too tired earlier to replace her dirty attire in exchange for cleaner ones. Given the fact that it now takes her far longer to walk, it was unlikely that she had time to take a warm shower. Thus, she settled for simply finding a fresh set of clothes.

As she was about to lift her shirt above her head, a husky voice boomed in the silence of the room.

"You sure have a habit of stripping before me woman," he commented, face and tone unreadable despite the teasing message in his sentence.

Sayuri squeaked in surprise and quickly lowered her shirt. She slapped her face in embarrassment, but he could still see the scarlet rising up from her neck.

"Y-You scared me!" she exclaimed.

Ulquiorra quirked at eyebrow at her reaction. "I beg to differ. It should be I who ought to be complaining especially since I have caught you nearly nude innumerable times," he said matter-of-factly while remaining monotonic. "Considering that anyone would be scarred from being sexually harassed repeatedly, I therefore have a monopoly over complaining."

Sayuri sputtered at his explanation, more crimson staining her cheeks. "I-I-I, w-w... I was not sexually harass-"

Her words were cut off when she stomped her foot, a searing electricity flowing up her leg. Ulquiorra noticed her wince and quickly gritted her teeth to prevent any sound from rising up her throat.

He waited til the tormented expression on her face ceased, before asking, "Why are you about at such late hours?"

As though reminded of her purpose, Sayuri gathered her clothes and exited the bedroom as she answered, "I have to meet Grimmjow."

Ulquiorra involuntarily clenched his jaws as the doors to the room clicked to a close.

'If she adores being with him so much,' he thought menacingly, 'Then there is no need for me to continually watch over her.'

As though a child of the night, the darkness engulfed his face as he brooded over the situation.

Sayuri did not return to the room after changing in the bathroom. She was already short on time, and she hated being late. As quickly as her limping allowed, she rushed out of the house quietly.

-O-

She eyed the piece of cloth held before her by Grimmjow.

"What in all the worlds is that?" she hollered, one of her eyebrows lifted in confusion.

"This, Sayuri," the Espada responded proudly, "is your battle outfit. You can thank Urahara for making it for you."

As if to display the outfit more, he held it by the shoulders using the tips of his fingers.

With a smirk, he spoke, "Now, be a good student, obey your teacher, and put this on."

Sayuri traced her index finger along the white fabric of the sleeveless tunic. It was short. However, shorts made of the same cloth were underneath to ensure that any private spaces of her body would remain hidden. She then quickly retracted her curious finger as if repulsed by the feminine clothing.

"Are you trying to kill me Grimmjow? Because if you are, there are more elegant ways of doing so besides forcing me to wear such skimpy clothes in snowy weather. Thank you for your considerate thoughts, but I would rather not die of hypothermia," she sarcastically declared while holding her hand to her chest.

The panther lightly glared at her. "I'm taking you to Hueco Mundo you idiot. Time passes faster there, so we can squeeze almost three days worth of training into one night in the human world," he countered. "As for killing you, I would prefer to slice you up. Freezing you to death would be a waste of my skill."

The lily maiden laughed, sarcasm still dripping from the noise. "You are so funny Grimmjow, but I won't waste my time talking about your murderous tendencies. There is a more serious question that deserves an answer: why the skimpy outfit?"

To add to the effect of her accusing words, she pointed directly to the source of her recent torture.

Grimmjow rolled his eyes. "The hollow world is a desert. It isn't hot, just cool enough for decent training without the need for thick clothes. Besides, Urahara designed this outfit specifically for you and your fragile human body. It is strong enough material to provide some protection, but light enough to move without hindered."

"It doesn't look like it has enough fabric to protect most of me," Sayuri deadpanned.

"Go put it on," he barked at her, shaking the tunic for emphasis.

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

He sighed. "Well, since you seem to enjoy not listening to me, you should find yourself a new teacher. I do hate dealing with delinquent students."

Livid blue orbs gawked at him, his threat very much real.

Grimmjow watched with barely concealed amusement as Sayuri closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The hint of a smile tugged suspiciously at the corners of his lips.

When she opened her eyes to look at him, the animosity disappeared completely from her demeanor. In its stead was a bright grin and carefree guise.

"Grimmjow, you shouldn't have," she began gleefully, her smile still glued on, "Christmas was days ago, but I do love presents."

With that, she snatched the clothing from his hold and held it dearly to her chest.

The Sixth smirked widely. "That's what I thought."

It was entertaining watching her maintain the false euphoria on her face.

"Now, go get changed," he instructed, "We will be leaving when you get back."

The Kimura teen gave a quick nod before twisting herself to face the exit to the vast underground area under Urahara's shop. Climbing up, her face became hidden as a satanic scowl supplanted her cheery face.

'You are going to pay for this Grimmjow,' she made a silent oath.

He did not doubt that she wanted nothing more than to murder him at that moment. It was true that the outfit increased her defense from minor wounds, but he had asked Urahara to design it to specifically enhance her feminine charms. In other words, it was all part of his plot to have her seduce the apathetic Cuatro. No man could resist a woman that is gift wrapped in such a formfitting and inviting clothing.

'Belated Merry Christmas Ulquiorra,' he secretly howled in his mind.

Sayuri quickly changed into the abomination before she had the opportunity to second guess her choice of teacher. The only bright side to the situation was that her sore muscles and bruised skin were all healed much thanks to Tessai's powers. He called it kido, a term that she had never heard before. She made a mental note to acquire more information about it later. Her vocabulary had expanded to include supernatural creatures and strange powers, that much was sure. She had only wished that she had arrived at an earlier time so that her body was not subjected to the miserable muscle spasms for as long as it did. Grimmjow had thankfully ran into her on her way to the train station and carried her the rest of the way, stating that she was moving far too slow for his patience.

She placed her hands on the full length mirror reflecting her new appearance. The blanc tunic was fitted enough to accentuate her curves and modest bosom, but it was loose enough to remain comfortable. The short sleeves and mid thigh length emphasized her long arms and legs. White boots that reached her calves completed the look.

Her face turned red. This was something that she would rather not wear in public, but Grimmjow had unfortunately taken his teaching authority to new heights. She sighed. As long as it would allow her to become stronger she would have to grin and bear it.

She made her way back down to Urahara's secret training ground with her borrowed wakizashi in hand. When she caught a glimpse of Grimmjow, who was now in his hollow form, and the shop's owner ahead, she wiped the glare from her face and plastered on her jovial expression. Her arms, however, crossed in front of her chest, a last attempt to shield herself from the panther's corrupt orders.

"Well, well, well," the gruff voice said, "Don't you look fit for battle."

Sayuri thought she looked fit for some high end strip club but kept the comment to herself. The outfit was not that revealing. Exaggeration comes easier to her when she was in a foul mood. She kept her gaze downcast, not wanting to meet the satisfied smirk on her mentor's face.

"Don't worry Sayuri. Rest assured that it will take someone with decent power to scratch that fabric. It will keep you somewhat protected despite its appearance," Urahara tried to placate her.

"Uh, thanks...I guess."

The platinum blonde gave her a kind but knowing smile.

Grimmjow, on the other hand, felt the need to interrupt their conversation. His impatient nature overruling everything else.

"You're sure that the Soul Society won't detect the opening of this passage to Hueco Mundo?"

Urahara grinned. "I guarantee it."

The hollow nodded before giving them his infamous smirk. "Let's get going then."

"I inputted the coordinates you desired in the Garganta," the former Soul Reaper informed them, "so have fun training."

Sayuri stared in awe as a black void, in the shape of an eye, opened. Grimmjow confidently stepped into the darkness, a large backpack with supplies strapped to his shoulder. She quickly pursued him; the last thing she heard was Urahara saying, "Bring her back in one piece Grimmjow or you will have a very pissed off Soul Reaper and Espada hunting you."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever," the panther called back, annoyed.

Before Sayuri could ask Urahara what he had meant, the eye closed, leaving her to be engulfed in sheer darkness. All around her was a whirling abyss of black. The odd thing, however, was she could still see. She guessed that it was probably one of those odd supernatural qualities again that she did not yet fully comprehend. Grimmjow walked in front of her, a path forming beneath his feet. She trailed closely behind him and made sure that she did not stray from the road he created. Minutes later, the Garganta opened again and she was met with a sight of pure monotony.

Her feet were caressed by soft white sand. The black sky was pierced with the white luminosity of a crescent moon. Brittle minerals that took the shape of leafless plants protruded from the whirling ground. As far she her view allowed was an endless pattern of identical hills.

"Sayuri," Grimmjow spoke as he looked upon the glorious sea of black and white, glitters of familiarity in his pale windows, "welcome to Hueco Mundo, the world of the hollows."

He led her to a tall dune that overlooked a white ocean. She beamed at the fascinating sight. As she was about to take a step, her legs suddenly collapsed and her knees collided with the coarse sand as the gravity around her increased dramatically.

'This spiritual pressure was immense,' she noted, scanning her surroundings for the hollow it belonged to.

It was nothing compared to Ulquiorra or Grimmjow's power, but the random shock of it had caused her to lose her balance. She stood upright once more, her head still turning to find the beast. Finally, she spotted the humanoid below them to the far left, partially concealed by a tiny hill.

"I see," she realized, "You brought be here to get used to the random spikes of spiritual pressure whenever a hollow comes."

Grimmjow did not remark on her astute observation. Rather, he commented, "I also brought you here to help you train and enhance your ability to locate hollows based on their spiritual pressures. During the time we are here, we will definitely be interrupted by hollows roaming the area. Be alert at all times."

"Ok!" his student exclaimed.

"Ok, we have three days here. Let's begin your training."

The Sixth spent part of the day instructing her to repeat the basic stance and sword grip. Afterwards, he taught her how to properly swing the wakizashi through various directions. It was like a dance - a very deadly but beautiful dance. Dancing had never come easy to her, but for some inexplicable reason, her body learned the fluid movements easily.

Several times, she felt the pressure around her increased as she practiced the footwork. Yet, she persisted on, never halting her. The hollows must have sensed Grimmjow's presence and instinctively knew to keep away. Their training was never interrupted by an attack.

Sayuri wiped the sweat dripping down her cheek. Grimmjow was right; Hueco Mundo was the perfect place to go training. The temperature was just impeccable.

"That's good," he praised her, a look of approval on his usually grimacing face. "Now, let's have you fight a hollow."

Sayuri's orbs widened at his utterance, but seconds later, a willful fire filled her glittering jewels. It would seem that she was still just as determined as before even after the torture her body had to deal with.

"Ok!" she said, her voice strong, her voice unshakeable.

It did not take them long to find a hollow wandering nearby. Within minutes, they ran into one that resembled a crab. It had a round body, two pairs of legs, and two large pinchers; it was a foot taller than herself.

The panther inspected the lower evolved hollow. "Perfect," he concluded, "Try to kill it before it kills you."

He retreated to take a seat in one of the dunes. Sitting with his elbows propped up on his knees and his chin resting on the back of his hands, he regarded the opponents below him.

The human woman stepped forward, sword tightly in her grasp. She was afraid, but that would not stop her. The all to nightmarish and blank dots stared at her, hunger that only emotion it contained. She waited for it to attack. The idea of blindly rushing into a battle was not a tactic she wished to try. She would rather gather knowledge first and act upon it.

She dodged to the right when it suddenly struck with its right pincher, but she did not move fast enough. The weapon grazed her side, most likely leaving a large bruise. When she quickly glimpsed at the wound, she became aware that the white tunic she was wearing had not ripped.

'Hn,' she thought amused, 'Seems Grimmjow was actually honest about this outfit.'

She looked at the crab, which about to strike with its right claw again. Again, she was able to barely avoided the dangerous assault. This violent dance continued for a few moments. Knowing that she was sustaining more and more injuries as the battle prolonged, Sayuri began to force her mind to work. Dodging and strategizing proved to be more demanding that it looked.

'I doubt that I can scratch the bone on that claw. The head is far too tall for me to reach, which leaves...the belly,' she deduced, eying the unguarded piece of black skin underneath the massive body.

As the hollow thrust its weapon, Sayuri evaded by jumping forward with her blade to the side. When she was within reach of her target, she swung diagonally upwards. Black liquid squirted from the slash after an eternal delay. A deep bellow followed until the black figure faded.

Breathing hard, Sayuri sheathed her sword and used it for support. She steadied her labored breathing and controlled the exhaustion in her legs. The quick movements began to take their toll as the adrenaline drained from her blood.

Grimmjow gave a sharp whistle behind her. "You did better than I thought," he confessed. "I actually thought I would have had to rescue you the first time you fought a hollow."

Sayuri turned to her mentor. "Correction: this would be the sixth time I had faced a hollow," she informed him.

"Ah, Ichigo mentioned that you had been a hollow magnet and still is," he said.

"Yes, I was," she agreed, "but I won't be the hunted anymore."

-O-

It was almost 2:30 in the morning - two hours and twenty four minutes - since Sayuri had left the residence.

Ulquiorra glared at the clock that incessantly ticked to inform him of the time that had passed.

'Where is that troublesome woman?' he muttered in his mind.

When another five minutes elapsed, he abruptly stood and jumped out the window. He sprinted in the direction of his former apartment, making note to murder his fellow Espada. However, upon reaching his destination, he discovered that the blue haired cat was not present.

"He said he was going to Urahara's for some training," Orihime told him.

The two orange haired students watched as the Cuatro's eyes grew more slanted.

"What do you need with Grimmjow anyway?" the strawberry lad wondered.

Ulquiorra's head snapped a little to the side to face him. Darkly, he stated, "Grimmjow is training the woman how to fight."

It was an understatement to describe Ichigo's reaction as simple anger. Fury was a far more descriptive and accurate word. After a minute of calming him and another for deliberation, it was agreed that Ulquiorra and Orhime would chase after them to Urahara, while Ichigo must remain in Hitamura to deal with any hollows. The emerald jeweled arrancar had reasoned that Sayuri was his responsibility since they lived together. Orihime was needed in case Sixth had caused her any injuries during the training. Having no choice, the Kurosaki male stood by the door as the Cuatro, in his gigai, carried the siren on his back all the way to mischievous blonde's shop.

For some reason, the two ginger haired teens knew that if Grimmjow had done anything to Sayuri, the bat that reigned over the night would decapitate him.

-O-

Sayuri sat at just the right distance so that the water would not reach her. She looked out to calm blanc sea. She plopped another of the delicious meat that Tessai had packed for her into her mouth. She masticated the food steadily, relishing the wondrous flavor that seeped out of it. Having woken up after sleeping to replenish her energy, she saw that Grimmjow had set food next to her. As for Grimmjow himself, he was nowhere to be seen. Thus, she settled herself for her breakfast, because her teacher would certainly have another rigorous routine for her to consummate.

"Finally awake?" she heard him call to her. "Did you have enough beauty sleep?"

The young lily ignored the sarcasm in his tone. Instead, she played along, feeling far too rejuvenated to be cranky. "Why yes, I did. Thanks for asking."

Her body still felt sore, but not to the extent that it had been the first time around. It had something to do with a kido that Tessai had placed on her. Again, he was grateful for his help.

Grimmjow made a sour expression at her answer. "Well aren't you in a cheery mood today."

Sayuri laughed off the irritation that laced his sentence.

"So what's in the agenda today teacher?"

She settle on her feet and dusted the sand from her tunic. She was ready for another day of exercises, sword technique, footwork, and all the works that comes with learning how to battle.

"Beach fun," he beamed at her.

She knew her faced dropped at his unexpected answer. "P-Pardon?"

He began to take of his jacket, forcing Sayuri to look at the ground.

'He seriously has no sense of decency,' she deduced.

As he slid his white hakama from his legs, he explained, "You have to allow your body to heal and adjust first before you continue your training. Overexerting yourself will just be a step in the wrong direction. So as you teacher, I order you to relax for the day."

Grimmjow stood before her in swim trunks, both his hands on his hips and his overused smirk on his lips. Sayuri gawked at him - not at his body but at his words.

"Are you serious?" the oceanic female blurted out, dumfounded.

The panther roared at her facial expression. He clarified, "Of course. Why else would I have stolen Ichigo's swim clothes by wearing it under my pants."

"I-I wh-ww uh b-but what about our training?" the confused woman sputtered, making random hand gestures in the air.

"I said we are taking a break today. We will train again tomorrow."

"I didn't even bring a swim suit!" she exclaimed.

Another grin broke through Grimmjow's face as he wagged his index finger by her face. "You are mistaken there."

He sauntered to his bag and rummaged through it. Sayuri stared as he found what he was searching for. When he was before her once more, he presented her with his find.

"That's not mine!" she shouted.

"You're correct there," he chuckled, "This belongs to Orihime."

-O-

The Garganta opened to reveal the land of his former home. Silent but deadly footsteps landed on the soft ground.

Orihime glanced at her partner. The inhabitants of Urahara's shop were nearly killed earlier. The former Soul Reaper had informed them of Grimmjow and Sayuri's destination. The Fourth Espada did not take it lightly and nearly stabbed the blonde with his hands. Thankfully, the dark haired male restrained himself, justifying that he will allow the blonde to live so that another portal can be generated to allow them through.

They walked through the sands until coming upon a high dune. They soon heard a ruckus, the familiar cries of Sayuri and Grimmjow floating in the air.

"I can't!" came the female voice.

Next, a male began to talk. "Mm your boobs are pretty small."

Gray and green orbs enlarged upon hearing and comprehending the statement.

"Grimmjow stop looking!" she nearly shrieked.

Orihime heard a growl rise from Ulquiorra's throat. Before she could ask him anything, she felt a wind pass her, blowing her locks into her face.

Ulquiorra was gone.

"U-Ul-Ulquiorra," she heard Sayuri speak.

She ran up the dune and saw the Cuatro holding a half naked Sixth above the ground by the neck with one hand.

"What were you doing?" he threatened venomously. "Choose your words carefully if you value your life, cat."

Grimmjow, though struggling to breath, managed a confident smile. He whispered, "I wasn't doing anything you bastard. If anything, I should be asking you what the hell took you so long to come?"

Sayuri could not hear what her teacher was saying to Ulquiorra, but she was sure that it did not make the ashen man any less angry. She had no idea why he was so temperamental to begin with.

Still holding his subordinate by the neck, he changed the course of his glare and focused it on her. "Woma-"

He stopped as he finally absorbed her appearance. His eyes widened just a fraction that it was difficult to tell if it had even increased in size. At the sudden absence of his composure, he dropped the irritating male in his clutches. This was the most revealing outfit he had ever seen her wear - excluding the moments when she was accidentally changing before him of course. The white fabric accented the innocence about her, but the fabric hugged humble figure her well. It was a sublime combination of angel and seductress.

Grimmjow smirked knowingly. "You're welcome Ulquiorra."

The said man, however, ignored him completely.

"What in the world are you wearing?" he asked after quickly regaining his composure.

"U-Uh..."

"Urahara made it. It's a durable outfit that could withstand battle," Grimmow thankfully interrupted.

The bat glared at the panther. "We're you harassing her during this so-called training Grimmjow?"

"No!" Sayuri exclaimed, "Grimmjow's a pervert yes, but he has been a terrific teacher to me."

She pretended not to notice the scowl that momentarily graced the blue haired man's facade.

"Then what were you two doing just now?"

Sayuri saw the anarchic whirling within Ulquiorra's eyes. As she was about to give her honest answer, Orihime came running and set herself by the ashen man's side.

"Orihime?" she dumbly named, perplexed.

The pale man replied to her unspoken inquiry. "I brought her with me."

"Oh," was the only thing that she managed to say. She looked at the ground and then forced herself to look directly at the couple standing in front of her.

In an attempt to changed the subject, the blacked haired woman questioned, "What are you both here anyway?"

"We're here to bring you back silly," the siren explained.

"But I don't want to go back just yet."

The words made Ulquiorra's emerald jewels grow brighter. "Do you have any idea of the danger that lurks here in Hueco Mundo? Did you even clearly and thoroughly think through your plans of training in such a dangerous place?"

"I'm not in any danger though," she retorted, "Grimmjow is here with me."

The ashen man pierced her and the Espada by her side with a hard expression . Bitterly, he expressed, "Suit yourself."

As he was about to swivel around to travel back to the site of the portal, Orihime noticed the piece of clothing on the ground. "Why is my bikini here?"

Sayuri metamorphosed into a bright carmine while Grimmjow released a loud and exuberant laugh.

"I was telling Sayuri to have a beach day today and relax, but she wouldn't wear your bikini. She said her modest chest would not fit into you-"

He was halted from his minor speech by an irate punch on his upper arm.

"I think you've explained enough Grimmjow."

"Beach?" Orihime repeated to herself, "That sounds like fun! Can we stay for a little bit Ulquiorra?"

The said male continued his scowl towards the couple standing far too close to each other.

"It would be convenient for us if you stay here anyway Cuatro," the panther hinted.

"Is that so weakling?" he retorted, "It would just disgust me to watch the both of you frolicking about with no sense of decency."

Grimmjow's grin broke his face further in half. "You haven't seen indecent yet."

Everyone felt Ulquiorra's fury intensify as the blue haired male made his way behind Sayuri and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

As he did so, he muttered, "Since Sayuri refuses to wear Orhime's bikini, I was hoping you would take her to Las Noches to find her something suitable to wear. Surely one of the female arrancars that used to live there with us had something."

"What if I refuse to participate in this pathetic pastime?" the bat inquired.

Grimmjow carefully observed his superior as he worded his response precisely.

"Then I guess I'll just order Sayuri to go in the water...naked," he said, ignoring the gasp that escaped from the woman in question's lips. He brought his face next to her blushing cheeks until they were side by side, effectively taking advantage of Sayuri's disorientation. "I am her teacher after all. She has sworn to obey my every command."

Ulquiorra let out an almost inaudible growl. Suddenly, he pivoted on his foot and began to make his way out of the beach. Craning his neck to the side, he set his gaze directly at Sayuri, who was still in the panther's embrace.

"Hurry woman," he called to her, "I would like to get this mundane chore over with."

His command, like a splash of cold water, broke through Sayuri's shock. She grabbed her weapon that had laid forsaken by the ground and jogged up to him, still feeling the surreal moment that had just occurred. As they climbed up the tall dune, he heard Orihime ask, "Wait, what am I going to wear?"

"That's your bikini on the ground isn't it?" Grimmjow responded.

"Oh. Right."

When they had gone over the sand that barred the view of the beach, the feminine and masculine voices became inaudible.

She stared at the back of Ulquiorra's head, imagining the blank look of his face and the light of pure annoyance in his eyes.

"How angry are you?" she found herself asking.

He turned his head to look at her but continued walking. "Is my mood that obvious?" he sarcastically replied.

"I'm sorry."

She twisted her hands in front of her. It was unbearable knowing that he hated her. She had promised to hide her emotions, but it would always hurt to know that the man, er hollow, you loved was angry with you.

With his head looking straight again, he spoke with poison intertwining his words, "You have been giving me, as you humans call it, the cold shoulder for several weeks. Please do tell why there is this sudden change in your obvious desire to distance yourself from me."

"You noticed..." she stated disbelievingly, stopping in her tracks.

Ulquiorra heard her pause and, too, halted to swerved and survey her. His hands remained in his pockets. Even in his gigai, she admired the supernatural quality that his eyes conveyed. It was like looking at some faraway star that burned brightly regardless of its distance. In his hollow form, as he was right then, he burned much brighter that it was almost enough to set anything near him aflame.

"I am not naive enough to not realize the message behind your recent behavior towards me," he pointed out before proceeding to walk with his back towards her.

She felt her hands reach for the fabric of his coat, but his next comment paralyzed her. "Save your apologies for moments when you displease Grimmjow. I am not interested in becoming hindered by you random human emotions."

"Ah. Is that so?" she whispered, "I assure you that you will not be a part of my emotional issues anymore. Any hindrances that my humanity has caused you will be rectified soon enough."

Ulquiorra ignored her tone. Keeping his steeled spheres on the enormous dome before them, he said, "That would be agreeable."

They walked towards the building that was further than it appeared. However, it was not as though they did not have time. Rather, an awkward silence had fallen between them, and both were two angry to make an effort to end it. Within an hour, they reached the entrance. The lily woman wondered how she had missed the great dome when she had first entered Hueco Mundo. It was incredibly close to the beach.

Ulquiorra confidently strolled through the white and empty halls. Signs of dust began to take hold of the shiny floor. It was evident that those who had once lived here before had now vacated the large abode. She was curious about the history of this Las Noches, but she did not dare break the silence between herself and the ashen man. She will not be the first to cave. She, on the other hand, did not expect him to doing anything either. It was a stalemate that would never reach its end.

He stopped by a door that led to the quarters of a female arrancar that he recalled to have resembled the woman's physical attributes. He opened the door and allowed the human to enter. He would wait outside while she completed her business. He needed to find a new set of clothes anyway, and his room was nearby. Once the entrance closed, he dashed to his chamber and changed into the white clothing he had once adorned. Shin's clothes were not exactly fit for battle. In less than a minute, he was back.

Sayuri sighed at the solitude. It was simultaneously relaxing and disconcerting. She suddenly missed his presence but immediately shook the thought from her head. She did not need the lock on her chest to break again. Taking a sweep of the room, she surveyed the large bed at the center before setting her attention to the cabinets lining the far side of the wall.

As she opened the cool doors, she failed to notice the comforter of the bed stir. She dug through the neatly folded white clothes to find the bikini that her teacher demanded.

'If he wasn't my teacher,' she thought, 'I would have ran away from his perverted fantasies."

Alas, she was aware that Grimmjow would be the only fighter she knew who would willingly teach her.

'Grin and bear it,' she repeated in her mind.

With a sudden glint in her otherwise downcast eyes, she lifted the ivory, halter-top bikini. She shuddered at having to wear such showy material, but suppressed the desire to escape to the human world. There was no way a bikini would scare her away from being able to defend herself.

She shed her battle outfit and began to tie the strings of the bikini around her hip and her neck. Just as she secured the final knot, she looked at herself in the mirror and blushed. She was practically naked in her eyes. The lily woman was about to gather her discarded clothes when she saw the shadow flicker by the mirror. Instinctively, she ran to her wakizashi.

A loud roar echoed through the empty halls. Ulquiorra's dark head snapped at the noise, and in less than a second, he tore through the bedroom door and entered. His jaded jewels scanned the perimeter purposefully until he found what he sought. Sayuri stood by the broken mirror where a small hollow was pinned by the neck with a blade. He took in her back and saw the up and down movement of her shoulders; she was breathing hard.

He strolled to her, placed a hand on her shoulder, and use his strong arms to pivot her around.

"I'm fine," she informed him, looking straight into his eyes.

She broke free from his firm hold and took the wakizashi from its embedded position. The weak hollow had already withered away.

Sheathing her blade, she muttered, "I don't need you to come to my rescue anymore."

"Would you rather be protected by Grimmjow then?" he voiced menacingly.

She felt herself freeze at his coldness.

"No," she began, her sentences coming in a gentle whisper, "I don't want to be saved by anyone anymore. I don't want to always be the damsel in distress - the human woman always in need of saving, the human woman who can't save herself. I don't want you to waste your precious energy on me. Just focus on protecting Orihime."

"You think you can protect yourself?" he mocked her.

Sayuri opened her mouth to respond but was suddenly turned around by the wrist and embraced by cool and protective arms. Her cheek pressed against his chest. She struggled to break free - not that she was ever successful during any of her past attempts. Yet, she felt the need to try.

"You are foolish to believe that you can defend yourself," she heard his voice gradually increase in volume as he held her. She stopped struggling and felt herself flinch. "Yes, I will admit that the weakling subordinate of mine has taught you some self-defense, but do not think that you can withstand against a fully evolved hollow or a Soul Reaper. You are not strong enough as you believe. I can kill you right now if I wanted to. "

"You're right. I'm not strong enough to fight you," she conceded, "but I am strong enough to escape you."

The young teen did not give him a chance to thoroughly cogitate on her meaning. Still in the embrace, she allowed her blade's sheath to fall to the ground. The sharp steel glistened.

"That will not harm me," his undeniable declaration came.

She whispered, their reflection flickering on the blade of her sword, "I know. It isn't meant for you."

Ulquiorra watched in mild shock as she plunged the sword and aimed it at her side. He immediately released her, took the wakizashi from her hold, and dashed a small distance from where they had stood. He gripped the handle of the sword to the point where his knuckles began to grow translucent.

The Cuatro snarled, "Have you lost your head woman?"

Her impulsive and reckless behavior seem to know no bounds. That fact alone infuriated him. Worst yet, she was selfless as proven by her history of helping injured Espadas. She would assuredly place her life at risk without contemplating her actions.

Sayuri merely looked at him and smiled. "I told you I'm strong enough to escape you."

His eyes grew noticeable larger, something that seemed to have happened to him far too many times that day. He observed as she walked over to him and repossessed her wakizashi. Sheathing it, she started to take her leave from the room clad in the atrocious and vile clothing. His observant orbs did not fail to see the odd colors dotting her skin.

"Woman," he started.

She gazed at him. Unable to control herself, she discovered too late that she found his new appearance pleasing. His blanc attire was mysterious and alluring. The long coat emphasized his lean posture. The pure color of the fabric, on the other hand, heightened the darkness of his hair and the vividness of his eyes. She fixed her attention on the ground, aware that if she did not, she would be helplessly gawking at his appeal.

He elaborated, "Where did you get those bruises?"

She shrugged. "Grimmjow told me to fight a hollow. I got bruised up, but it's nothing serious."

The ashen man hid his revulsion. The panther had definitely been abusing his power over her and even endangered her life. Fighting a hollow is supposed to be the final step once the rest of her skills have become the epitome of perfection, ensuring that she did not die while hunting her prey. Grimmjow should thank whatever heavens are out there that several bruises was all the woman had sustained during her battle.

When all Ulquiorra did was respond with a blank and unreadable expression, she thought he was done talking to her. His voice calling to her again, on the hand, proved her wrong.

"Woman..."

She waited for him to finish.

"Rid yourself of those disgusting clothes and redress yourself properly."

He would be damned if he admitted to being outsmarted by a mere human dressed in nothing more than tiny pieces of thin cloth. However, in his mind, he preferred to be damned rather than have that perverse panther set eyes on her flesh - something that Kurosaki had already dared to do.

"Grimmjow said-" she commenced her argument, but Ulquiorra interrupted.

"Leave him to me. Now get yourself dressed," he ordered, leaving the room.

As soon as Ulquiorra had closed the door, Sayuri collapsed to the ground. She felt incredibly tired. Trained or not, a regular human body was not made for dealing with hollows. Killing that hollow had required a great deal of her strength, but she did not want to show Ulquiorra her weakness.

The said man leaned against the wall outside the room. He had known that she was using the last sources of her energy to remain standing in front of him. Her eyes hid it well, but he had learned to read any minute signs on her face. He should not have tested her, but she had managed to prove herself to him. For that, he was proud of her.

-O-

Grimmjow glowered at her as soon as he saw them return and noted her dressed state.

"I thought I told you to change into a bikini," he uttered.

"I-"

"She no longer needs to obey your ridiculous commands cat," the ashen man intervened.

Grimmjow cackled surely. "As her teacher, she has no choice but to follow my orders."

The bat of the night stared down his subordinate. He muttered, "You no longer have that power over her."

"Yeah?" the taller male challenged, "What makes you say that?'

"Because as of now, I will be her mentor in the art of battles," the Cuatro answered.

Sayuri swore that she could almost see the makings of a smirk forming on Ulquiorra's lips. Her concentration inevitably failed her, however, as the meaning of his words blossomed brightly in her mind.

"What!?"

-O-

I really hope you all review and let me know what you think.

Here are my concerns for this chapter: Was Ulquiorra still in character? Did the exchange between Sayuri and him seem believable?

Thank you for reading!

Until next time...