Yo everybody!
Vashkoda: Thanks! Coming up with an idea is easy. Creating the outline of a story is easy. It's coming up with the meat of the story that I can have a hard time with at times. I actually have most of this story mapped out and I'm even thinking up of a sequel that will take place after the war. I wanna see how Hueco Mundo arc ends first though. I have my theory on how it's gonna end, which will likely be how the Hueco Mundo arc ends in my story. Unless it really different and I really like it, then I may alter it to fit my story.
Though I do have a list of arrancar that will not be killed in my story regardless of what happens in Bleach. I have plans for them.
Disclaimer: Don't own Bleach otherwise this would be canon.
Chapter Ten
Las Noches
Saturday 8:35 am.
A large bear-like hollow let out a tremendous roar. Only to have a fist slam into it's face mid-roar. It fell to the ground in a twitching heap.
Tatsuki sighed as another hollow lunged at her. A roundhouse kick later, it too was on the ground.
She was annoyed. Her defeat, capture and rescue had left a bad taste in her mouth. She knew that she hadn't stood a chance against both Urahara and Yoruichi, especially right after her battle against Ichigo. It could have been worse, she could have been killed or the soul reapers could have successfully brought them them to the Soul Society.
Though her pride had been seriously damaged by the affair. It wasn't however, what truly annoyed her.
It wasn't that Ichigo had held back during their fight either. It had annoyed her greatly that Ichigo thought so little of her that he had to hold back against. But she had shown him his error. Next time he won't make that mistake or he will die.
She glanced at her right hand, still wrapped in bandages. She had broken her hand hitting Urahara's shield but she had created hair-line fractures in it. Another blow or two and it would have collapsed. The medics had repaired the damage to it but had told her to keep her hand wrapped and not to use it for twenty-four hours.
Nor was her broken hand the source of her annoyance.
After she had returned to Los Noches and the medics fully healed her and made sure that Urahara didn't leave anything on her, she had returned to room and slept for a couple of hours.
When she woke up, she felt something, the source of her annoyance. A small bit of guilt over what she did the night before. That wretched human emotion called guilt. She hated feeling like that. It meant there was a part of her that was still human. Still weak. And that was the one she hated above all else, being weak. Which was why she discarded her humanity in the first place. Or at least all of it save that one little piece that was permanently lodged in her. One little piece that she just couldn't get rid of, no matter how hard she tried.
So Tatsuki decided to wonder into the hollow pits located on the outskirts of the Forest of Menos. So she could blow off some steam by fighting a bunch of hollows.
Suddenly, a pair of hands erupted from the ground and grabbed her ankles. While this happened, a flying hollow that looked like a cross between a lizard and a bat dive bombed her. Tatsuki pushed off the ground and did a back flip, causing the hollow holding her to erupt out through the ground. The hollow went flying up and collided with the flying hollow. A dull pain shot through her right hand as she landed on her hands before flipping back onto her feet. While the hollows landed in a pile on top of each other.
Before either hollow could get up, she kicked them like a soccer ball, sending them flying.
Tatsuki continued walking deeper into the pits, beating every hollow that attacked her. It was too easy. She wanted a challenge. Maybe she'd go to the Forest of Menos. She didn't actually feel like dealing with all the menos but she had heard rumors that a lone soul reaper was hiding out there. Maybe she could find him. If the rumors were true then he'd probably prove a decent challenge.
A large tongue shot out and wrapped around her legs and waist. A giant lizard hollow crawled out the shadows.
'Finally, a bit of a challenge.'
It was a giant hollow. Likely one that had gorged itself on souls and hollows and was close to menos grande transformation.
"Heh heh heh. A tasty tasty little half-breed. And a little girl as well. Heh heh heh. I wonder does she taste like a soul reaper or a hollow or does she taste like a little girl. Tell me half-breed, do which do you taste like? Heh heh heh. I can't wait to find out." the hollow said in a rather creepy voice.
Great. It looks like she bumped into a hollow of at best, a dead prevent. At worst...well either way, she was gonna kill this one.
The hollow started to pull it's tongue back, dragging closer her to it's large maw. She let it drag her a few feet before she put her foot down and stop him. The hollow began to pull back harder, even tried to take steps away from her. Only to fail.
"What?! Impossible! How can a puny puny little half-breed like you, out muscle me?!" the hollow shrieked.
Tatsuki snickered and replied, "Size has nothing to do with strength. Here let me show you!"
She grabbed the tongue and pulled. The hollow howled as she ripped it's tongue out.
It screamed out what sounded like, "My tongue! My tongue! You ripped out my precious precious tongue, you little half-breed bitch! I'LL KILL YOU!!!"
Tatsuki discarded the severed tongue. She was getting annoyed at being called a half-breed. Most hollows didn't like arrancar, especially strong hollows with big egos. They considered arrancars too much like soul reapers. In fact, some arrancar, like those creeps Iceringer and Demora, that purposely kept a form similar to that of a hollow over a human form. Those arrancar claimed they were stronger for not retaining a human form after they became arrancar. They were idiots. If that was true, then why did all of the Espada have human forms? Well expect for maybe Yammy and possibly that masked guy, Aaroniero.
True, those arrancar that were hollow-like in their appearance, had some superior abilities when compared to the actual levels of their spiritual power. Unfortunately, they were more like wild dogs then anything else. Vicious, violent and stupid. But they had their purpose. They were the guard dogs of Los Noches.
The hollow jumped into the air, hoping to crush her with his bulk. Of course, for that to work, she would have to be either immobilized, or slower or stupider then him.
She sonidoed out of the way and it crashed into ground.
"Heh heh heh heh. Not so strong now, tasty tasty little half-breed." it said in triumph.
"Oh really?" she said, now standing behind the lizard.
She grabbed it's tail and with a grunt, slowly started to spin it by it's tail, picking up more and more speed and momentum as she went. After several rotations, Tatsuki found herself starting to get a bit dizzy. So she let go of the hollow's tail. It flew into a cave wall and slid to the ground in a rather comical fashion. Tatsuki laughed at it.
"DON'T YOU DARE LAUGH AT ME HALF-BREED!! I'LL PEEL THE FLESH OFF YOUR BONES!!!" it shouted as it picked itself up and turned to face her.
Tatsuki sighed. "I'm bored. I think it's time to see how you taste."
Uncertainly crossed it's masked face. "What?! I thought you half-breeds didn't feast on other tasty tasty souls."
"That's a common misconception. We don't have the endless hunger and constant need to feed like hollows like you do. In fact, we can go years without feeding. We merely grow physically weaker and mentally unstable until we feed, but that takes several months for it to even start happening. Longer if we stay here in Hueco Mundo as we naturally consume the spiritual energy in the air, tiding us over for a time. But enough about that. It's time to end this."
"YOU CAN'T BEAT ME HALF-BREED!" it screamed as it swung a paw her.
She raised her left arm and fired a cero, destroying it's paw and most of it's forearm.
It howled and swung it's remaining paw at her. Tatsuki pulled out her sword and dodged the strike. She leap onto the back of it's paw and stabbed it. She started running up it's arm, pulling the sword up it's arm, cutting the limb along it's center. The hollow howled even louder then before. Tatsuki stopped at the shoulder and hacked it off. She leap off the hollow as it screamed in agony.
"Mercy mercy arrancar-sama." it pleaded as tried to back away.
"I don't think so. I'm feeling a little hungry. And lizard's on the menu." she replied before she devoured the hollow.
As soon as she finished it, the sound of clapping filled the cavern. "Picking on a bunch of weak hollows? That's not like you Tatsuki. You prefer a challenge over pointlessly crushing the weak." a voice with a Spanish accent said from behind her.
She turned around and saw Arturo Plateado standing behind her.
Arturo was one of the Privaron Espada. And one of the strongest of arrancar in Los Noches as well. Before Aizen began creating arrancar and the replacing the existing Espada with the arrancar he created, Arturo had held the number one position among the Espada. Though he wasn't as strong as the current First Espada, he was easily still in the top four.
He stood an inch or two taller then Ichigo, with gray eyes and spiked short black hair. He had aristocratic features. His mask fragment consisted of a piece running along the center of the top of his head and a piece covering his entire left cheek, including most of the left side of his mouth. Though oddly, that piece had no teeth, but rather a number of rectangular openings. Kinda like a piece of a Medieval helmet. He wore the standard white hakama and sandals and the black socks ad sash that most arrancar wore. He wore a coat similar to the ones Ulquiorra wore. His zanpaku-to rested on the left side of his belt. It was a western style double-edged sword with a gold handle and a blue sheath. He also wore a silver necklace with a silver icon hanging from it. The icon was a small book on top of pair of swords criss-crossing each other. (Basically the skull and cross bones but with swords in place of the bones and a book replacing the skull.)
"A trinket." he had told her once. "From when I was a human and a symbol of my belief. Knowledge is power."
He craved knowledge more then hollows craved souls. It was one of the reasons he had held the title of First Espada. He learned everything about the rest of the Espada, his followers, rivals, enemies and anyone else he encountered. And he used that knowledge to defeat his opponents before they even knew were beaten.
In fact, he was wanted alive by the 13 Court Guard Squads because he had repeatedly raided their libraries and had stolen a number of ancient scrolls and tomes from them. Scrolls and tomes they wanted back badly. Even Aizen would love to get his hands on those tomes and scrolls but Arturo had hid them well.
Perhaps that was why he was demoted from the Espada. He wouldn't share his knowledge with Aizen. And as a result, Aizen didn't trust him.
It didn't really matter to her. Arturo had been one the arrancar that had regularly help train them after they had been made into arrancar. And she liked him.
"So have you come to give me challenge then Arturo?" she asked.
He pondered her question for a moment before replying, "Nah. Wouldn't be fair. I actually came to tell you that Aizen-sama wants to speak to with you, Mizuiro in a couple of hours."
Tatsuki raised an eyebrow. "What about?"
"Your next mission I believe."
"Really? Any idea what it is?"
"The rumor is that Aizen-sama's sending you back to Karakura for a while. Supposedly, he wants you three to help retrieve something of great value."
A grin spread across her lips at the prospect of returning to Karakura. A chance to repair her damaged pride.
"Really?" Tatsuki chuckled. "Now that will be fun tearing that place apart."
"Actually, it sounds like you'll be in your gigais most of the time."
Tatsuki groaned. Gigais again! She hated those things.
"Oh and by the way." Arturo added. "Aizen-sama wanted me to give you this back."
Arturo pulled out a small, round green pill and handed it to her. It was her mod soul.
"I'm surprised Aizen had Granz keep it after they returned and we were recovered." she said as she inspected the pill.
"I believe Aizen-sama felt they were too well made to simply discard after that one mission. So he decided to give them back to you three to do with as you please."
"Hn. I assume you've told Mizuiro and Keigo already."
"Actually, I figured you'd be looking for something to beat up, so I send Hisiki to tell them while I searched here for you. I'm kinda surprised you weren't searching for that lone soul reaper hiding out in the Forest of Menos."
"I didn't feel like messing with all the Menos Grande."
"True, they can be a hassle. Besides, you wouldn't be able to find that soul reaper, much less beat him anyway."
Tatsuki's eyes widened. He had hit the chink in her armor, her pride. "Oh, I'll find him and I'll kill him."
"Well then, let's see it."
Elsewhere
Keigo sighed as he tossed an apple up into the air, he caught and bit into it, then tossed it up again, starting the process all over again. He was sitting by himself on one of many buildings that made up Los Noches, staring out at the horizon. There something he found beautiful about Hueco Mundo's sky. True, the ground was a barren wasteland, devoid of anything save sand, dead trees and the occasional hollow. But the sky was a thing of beauty and if you stared at it at the right angle, even the desert of Hueco Mundo could look beautiful. Not at all like the rather plain skies of Earth and the Soul Society which was basically the same sky. Who ever created Hueco Mundo clearly put all their attention into the sky.
Keigo sighed again. He was bored. He had half expect Ichigo and the others to try to barge into Los Noches to 'rescue' them. Of course, it was stupid to think that would happen. There were only two ways for them to enter Hueco Mundo. Either they jump into an arrancar's Garganta before it closed or see if Urahara or the soul reapers had a means to enter Hueco Mundo. Of course, even if the latter was possible, it was unlikely that they would let Ichigo and the others walk into the lion's den for a trio of enemies.
The thought of Ichigo and the others 'rescuing' Mizuiro, Tatsuki and himself was a joke. They weren't prisoners being held against their will. They joined Aizen's army of their own free will. But Ichigo and the others couldn't seem to understand that.
And even if they did go with them, what then? They were arrancar. They won't be welcomed in the Soul Society. They'd be locked up, tortured for information, executed, then dissected. And if they were lucky, in that order.
There certainly wasn't anything for them in the living world either. Well, he had an older sister to kill, but other then that nothing.
He certainly no longer considered Ichigo and the others his friends any more.
'Sorry Keigo. But you are too weak to be of any help, so we'll keep you in the dark everything and abandon you. Because you can't do anything helpful and will only get in the way. Like the clumsy idiot you are.'
The clumsy idiot he had been before was dead. He had certainly proved that last night.
Beating the crap out of tattoo face had be gratifying. Though he wished he could have fought Ichigo or Chad, so he could show them how strong he had become. So he could show them that the weak, clumsy idiot they knew was dead. So he could show them that the bonds of friendship they had once shared were gone.
'Ah well. There will still be other opportunities to show them. There's still a few months before Hogyoku is ready. Plenty of time to show them.'
At this point, he had finished the apple. He threw the core as far as he could and pulled out one of his kamas and flung it at the apple core. The kama chased after the apple core and sliced it into little pieces before even came close to hitting the ground.
Keigo laid back and stared at the perpetual nighttime sky of Hueco Mundo. He kinda wished he had someone to talk to. Tatsuki wasn't in her room. She was probably looking for someone to fight. Mizuiro, on the other hand...well he knew where he was. He was having breakfast with Halibel. But he wasn't just having breakfast with her, but with her three equally hot Fraccion too.
'It figures. In life, Mizuiro was attracted to older women and attracted older women. In death, half the female population of Los Noches is attracted to him. What makes him so special?'
Perhaps, he'd see what Stark and Lilinette were doing, or maybe he'd check on Gantebainne and Dordonii or see if Wonderweiss wasn't with Tosen at the moment. He liked the childish arrancar, though he couldn't understand why he would spend almost all of his time with such an up tight guy like Tosen. Tosen said that Wonderweiss was a 'pure being' like himself and that pure beings tend to stick together.
'What the hell's a pure being anyway?'
Though Tosen didn't seem to like that Wonderweiss had started to spend more time with him before he and the others left for that recent mission. But then again, Tosen didn't particularly like him, Mizuiro or Tatsuki for that matter. Why? He didn't really know and honestly, he didn't care what Aizen's enforcer thought of him.
He heard a nearby static buzz. Keigo sat up and turned around. Standing a few feet away from him was Loly and Menoly.
He wasn't all that fond of those two, they could be really annoying at times. They were in love with Mizuiro, though Mizuiro didn't feel the same way. Mizuiro said that they were too 'childish' for his liking.
"Aww...Mizuiro isn't here." Loly said in disappointment.
"Nah. He's right now at Halibel's headquarters." he replied.
"Really?" Menoly asked.
"Yep. Though he's probably leaving there pretty soon, so you better hurry." he lied.
He'd let Mizuiro and Halibel deal with those two annoyances.
"Thanks!" the sisters shouted before sonidoing away.
He laid back down and closed his eyes. Only to where another static buzz. He sighed in annoyance and sat back up. This time it was Arturo's Fraccion, or rather ex-Fraccion as Privaron Epsada couldn't have Fraccion. Though she was extremely loyal to him and followed him anyway.
"Hey Hisiki." he greeted the female arrancar.
There was something familiar about light brown haired arrancar's face. But for the life of him, he couldn't figure figure out why.
"Arturo-sama and I were looking for you, Tatsuki and Mizuiro. Aizen-sama would like to talk to the three of you in a few hours. And we were asked to give you this." she answered as she handed him a green pill.
"Oh? What about?" he asked as he examined his mod soul.
"Your next mission." she replied.
Keigo nodded and said, "Mizuiro's with Halibel if you don't know."
She nodded. "Thank you."
Hisiki left to find Mizuiro and Keigo once again laid back and closed his eyes.
Someone was poking his face.
Keigo opened his eyes.
He grinned. It was Wonderweiss.
"Yay! Keigo's awake!" the childish arrancar said.
"Hey Wonderweiss. Did you miss me?" he said as he sat up and messed up Wonderweiss hair.
Wonderweiss nodded. "Yep yep. I like being around Tosen but I have more fun with you."
"Yeah. Tosen's kinda dull and up tight."
An entertaining idea entered Keigo's head.
"Hey Wonderweiss you wanna see something funny?"
He nodded his excitedly. "Yeah yeah!"
"C'mon. Loly and Menoly will soon be arriving at Halibel headquarters. But the two of us are faster then they are, so will get there just after they arrived."
The two of them sonidoed as fast as they could to Halibel's headquarters.
Later
Mizuiro, Keigo, Tatsuki and Ulquiorra stood patiently in Aizen's throne, waiting for him to arrive. Naturally, as Ulquiorra's Fraccion, they stood behind him.
Mizuiro was curious about what Aizen wanted to them now. The rumors were that it was to retrieve something important and powerful that Aizen wanted.
Mizuiro had good morning. A nice breakfast Halibel and her Fraccion. Until Loly and Menoly showed up.
He was starting to get very annoyed at those two. They were infatuated with him. He had tried repeatedly to politely tell them that he wasn't interested. But they seemed completely oblivious to that fact and repeatedly hit on him and tried to ask him out. Fan girls were like a very irritating rash.
No. Fan girls were worse than a rash.
He tried to get them to leave, but they didn't listen to him and continued to annoy everyone present.
Then Halibel got mad. That settled things pretty quickly.
After seeing that, Mizuiro found himself pitying anyone who got on her bad side.
Though afterwards, he swore he heard laughing nearby.
Aizen, flanked by Gin and Tosen, entered the room. As they entered, all four arrancar knelt down before the throne. When Aizen took his seat, he waved them up.
"I have a new mission for the four of you." Aizen said to them. "In fact, this mission is tailor made for you three. To retrieve something of great value from Karakura."
Now Mizuiro was really curious. Their last mission had been important, but this one sounded vital to Aizen's plans.
"What is it you want us to retrieve Aizen-sama?" he asked.
"I have found someone with an ability that violates the realm of gods."
"What?" both he and Keigo said.
What kind of power could violate the realm of gods?
"Basically, this person can reject an event happened. Say something like what happened to Grimmjow happens to you. This person could reject that you ever lost your arm, restoring completely. This person can even reverse death. This power could further be used to reject that something even existed."
Now Mizuiro understood what Aizen was after. This power could reverse death. If Aizen had someone that could that. His army would be unstoppable. If an arrancar fell in battle, this person could restore them to life to fight again. Creating as close as one could get to an unkillable army.
Then another thought entered his mind. This person was quite possibly the greatest risk to Aizen and his plans. They could use their power to destroy the Hogyoku. To reject that it had been created.
'So Aizen wants a power that is both helpful and dangerous to him.'
"Who is the one that possess this power Aizen-sama?" he asked.
A grin spread across his lips. "She is Miss Orihime Inoue."
"What?!" Tatsuki shouted. "That weakling has that powerful ability?!"
Which was Mizuiro sentiments exactly. He couldn't believe that a weakling like Orihime had such a power. A quick glance at Keigo showed that he too didn't believe it.
"Yes, she does possess that amazing ability." Aizen replied. "And I have a plan to bring her to Los Noches."
"What are your orders Aizen-sama?" Ulquiorrra asked.
"Tatsuki, Keigo, Mizuiro, you three are to..."
A Few Minutes Later (Aren't I evil. lol.)
"You three may leave. I wish to speak with Ulquiorra alone." Aizen said to his subordinates.
"As you command Aizen-sama." Mizuiro said before they walked out of the room.
"Ulquiorra, while your primary mission is to bring Orihime to Las Noches. Your secondary objective to make sure those three return here when Orihime brought here. They are the ultimate control we have over Orihime. As long as we them, she won't try to resist or escape."
Aizen bowed his head. "Yes Aizen-sama."
"Remember Ulquiorra, although they are important, they are second to Orihime."
Ulquiorra nodded.
"Is it wise Aizen-sama to trust them with this mission? If everything they have done up to now is a deception. Then they could ruin everything Aizen-sama." Tosen said.
Aizen smirked. "Even if they are trying to deceive us, it won't change anything. If the betray us or the plan somehow fails, it wouldn't change anything."
Aizen then added, "I however, do not believe that they will betray us. Why would they betray us for those they believe betrayed them?"
"Then you used your zanpaku-to's abilities on them Aizen-sama?" Ulquiorra asked.
"You were there when I told Ichigo exactly what did Ulquiorra. They aren't under any hypnosis or mind conditioning."
"Then how can you trust them so fully Aizen-sama? They were friends to Kurosaki and the others. It's quite possible that they will betray us in the end." Tosen argued.
Aizen sighed. He was growing tried of Tosen's dislike for them. Even after the had proven their loyalty, which they had actually done before they returned to Karakura, Tosen still believe that they were a danger. They weren't. Not with their current frame of mind.
"Tosen, is that you fear that they will betray us? Or is it that you don't like them because they are the only people that, besides yourself, Wonderweiss likes?"
Tosen hesitated while Gin chuckled.
"I thought as much. You have nothing to worry about Tosen. In their current state, they won't betray us. They're more likely to bring us Ichigo Kurosaki's head on platter than betray us."
A dark grin formed on his lips as he pictured the image of Tatsuki, Mizuiro, and Keigo presenting him Ichigo's severed head. All things considering, it was a possible outcome. A favorable one at that. Ichigo and those other humans were wild cards. Along with Urahara and Yoruichi, and the Vizards.
They were biggest threats to his plans. But he already had plans to remove them in the coming weeks. He knew already that Ichigo would come once he had Orihime. Likely, the other humans would come with him. It was even possible that some of the soul reapers would also follow them into Hueco Mundo. Against Yamamoto's orders, no doubt. As the captain-general wouldn't order them to attack Hueco Mundo unless it was a strike force of at least four to five captains and twice as many lieutenants and high seated officers. It was possible however, that Yamamoto would send a smaller team to temporarily cripple his operations and take out some of the Espada. (1)
The next couple of weeks would no doubt prove to be very interesting.
And that's all for now folks.
A nice little filer chapter and the introduction of two of my major OCs. Though they won't have much importance until around the time the captains arrive the Hueco Mundo arc. You won't be seeing much of them for now. And I acknowledge that the name Arturo Plateado is the name of a character from Bleach: Shattered Blade for the Nintendo Wii. (Disclaimer: I also don't own that game, I only own a copy of it) I loved the name so much that wanted to use it for my own character.
(1) My person belief on what the goal of the strike team Yamamoto send. The team seems just too small to actually take Aizen and his army out. And if the team was going to take out Aizen, Yamamoto would have sent at least one of his two strongest captains, if not both, Shunsui and Jushiro. I think the team is there to back up Ichigo and co. in the rescue of Orihime and to disrupt Aizen's plans any way possible.
It will be another two or three chapters, then I can finally start the Hueco Mundo arc. I have wanted to write the Hueco Mundo arc since I started writing this story. For a couple of reasons, most them I can't tell you as it will spoil the story. I will tell you that I will reveal the released forms of Tatsuki, Keigo and Mizuiro during that arc.
Speaking of that arc, the latest chapter was so awesome. I have to say, Nnoitra's released form was different form from what I expected. But then, I could say the same for all of the Espada, save Grimmjow. Though I have say, it looks like Kenpachi may actually have started to or is about to communicate with his zanpaku-to. A very scary thought considering what he's done without know his zanpaku-to's name. I can't wait to see what happens next.