An arrancar-girl in Seireitei

I've got much to do in the next months, so I don't know when the next chapter will be up. But there will be more, I promise.

LavenderSkies: A new member in our worship-Nell-circle! Welcome! I guess Ichigo won't return in the next chapters, right now I want Nell to explore Seireitei on her own. But he'll be back.

Kubo Tite owns Bleach, otherwise Nell would blow Ulquiorra away.

Friends and Fulminations

When Nemu awakened she didn't feel very much injured, which perplexed her. Sadly enough she was well used to extreme pain through being Mayuri-samas daughter, so she had learned to deal with aches and to even analyze how badly she was hurt. And right now her body told her that she wasn't severely injured. She just felt kinda… wet? Nemu opened her eyes. Maybe she had taken so much damage that she wasn't able to feel pain anymore, but that wasn't important. She just wanted to know how much blood she had lost.

Her eyes widened when she saw herself being covered in… drool! Of course she had sometimes seen male shinigami in Seireitei drooling slightly after she had walked into a building. Although no one had ever dared to even become friends with her, cause they didn't want to wake up on an operation table one time, these shinigami were still men – and her body created by Mayuri-sama was physically flawless. But THIS sight was so unbelievable that even unemotional Nemu suddenly felt hot anger burning in her stomach.

"Nell!" she cried out. "What are you… AAH!"

Nemu grimaced in pain. She had tried to stand up and wipe the drool off her body – she wasn't quite sure what she would have done to the former owner of the fluid after that – but despite feeling not bad, her body was still injured. But why couldn't she measure the amount of damage? Something was definitely wrong here.

"Ah, Nemu-nee is already awake?"

Nemu didn't dare to lift her head again, but that wasn't even necessary since in the next moment the little arrancar-girl's face appeared right in front of hers. This time Nell didn't seem to be happy, on the contrary, she seemed to be quite worried. But right as the anger in Nemu had begun to decrease, Nell opened her mouth – and covered Nemus face with drool again!

"What the hell are you doing, you little…" Nemu shouted, completely shoving her reticent nature aside for a moment , but then a little hand was pressed on her mouth.

"Don't move, Nemu-nee" Nell interrupted her with a very serious voice. "My sneeze ripped you open like a frickin Espada-Cero. I was so worried that I had roasted you and otou-chan Kuro…"

"Mayuri-sama!" Again Nemu tried to at least sit up, but Nell held her down. "Is he…"

"I don't know where he is" Nell said with a sad face. "After my sneeze I only saw your bloody body and some icky goo that moved away from you." She looked at Nemu with watering eyes. "I was so worried about you, Nemu-nee!"

Nemu allowed herself to relax a bit. So Mayuri-sama had been able to turn into his liquid form thanks to her. He was safe. But then Nell spoke on, her voice quavering.

"Nemu-nee, my ability has never been so strong. But suddenly there was so much energy floating into my mouth, and then you and otou-can Kuro came in, and I really didn't want to hurt you Nemu-nee, but I…"

"Nell!" Nemu interrupted the little arrancar firmly. Her anger finally subsided when seeing that Nell really was on the verge of tears. "I know it was an accident. Mayuri-sama is safe and I won't die so easily, don't worry. But I want to know immediately why" she grimaced "I am covered in your drool!"

"Oh that" Nell said like she had realized Nemus condition just now. "No worries, Nemu-nee! My drool has some healing powers, so I got you all wet to remove the deep wounds." She grinned.

Nemu blinked. "Healing powers?" she asked incredulously. "So you just wanted to… safe my life?"

Nemu was completely bewildered. No one had ever cared about her well-being. Mayuri-sama had told her many times that she was very tough, so there was no reason to be cautious around her. Even after battles against Hollows he hadn't allowed her to visit 4th division cause he didn't like Unohana-taichou and Nemu wouldn't die anyway. Of course the members of the Shinigami Women's Association had sometimes been worried about her, but no one had ever tried to help her. Just like… she wasn't able to feel.

So why was this little arrancar, a member of an enemy race, different?

"Of course I do" Nell answered and shot Nemu a baffled look. "Why wouldn't I? You are my onee-san!"

Onee-san… onee-san… the word echoed in her soul and somehow opened doors which Nemu hadn't even known that existed. Her analytical mind didn't know how to describe the strange reactions this word caused inside of her. What was this warm feeling in her stomach? Why had she never felt it before? And why did she have the urge to cry although she wasn't feeling any pain right now?

"Does it still hurt, Nemu-nee?" she heard Nells voice. "I'm sorry, but my spit can't heal all of your wounds. But you can't just stand up and walk, that'd hurt like fucking hell. Aahh, that's all my fault! Nell, you stupid, careless bitch!"

"Nell-chan, don't…"

"Silk tree-girl! (1) Scarecrow-guy! Where are you?"

Nemu became silent. That couldn't be…

"Yachiru-chan?" she shouted cautiously. "We are here."

A few seconds later a pink-haired head with a bright smile plastered on it peered into the room. "Found you!" Kusajishi Yachiru, 11th division's fukutaichou (and scourge according to some division members), announced cheerfully. The little girl looked around curiously. "Where is Scarecrow-guy?"

"Mayuri-sama isn't here."

"Ooooh…" Yachiru pouted. "Not fair! 11th division is boring right now and Ken-chan told me that Scarecrow-guy is playing with an arrancar. I wanted to play too!" Then she riveted on Nell who was looking at the young shinigami pryingly. "Who's that? Is that a friend of you, Silk tree-girl?"

"That's Nell" Nemu answered, slowly lifting her hand and pointing at the young arrancar. It didn't hurt much anymore. "She's…" At the last moment she stopped herself from telling the 11th division's fukutaichou that Nell was the arrancar. The little girl wanted to "play" and Nemu knew what she meant with that. Playing with Yachiru was one of the few things that was as dangerous as gaining Nemus fathers interest. "She's my imouto-chan" she finished the sentence.

"Really?" Yachiru beamed at Nell. "I haven't seen you before. Did Scarecrow-guy build you too?"

"No" Nemu quickly interjected. No need to tell the dangerous girl where Nell really came from. "She is not from Seireitei."

Yachiru looked down at her and her eyes widened. She poked Nemu who groaned slightly. "Silk tree-girl, why are you all wet?"

"That's… difficult to explain" Nemu mumbled evasively. "Please, Yachiru-chan, I'm quite hurt. Please tell Unohana-taichou to send me a healer."

"Huh? Why? I can carry you to Braid-auntie, no problem!"

"Wait" Nell said as Yachiru prepared to lift Nemu from the ground. "Isn't Nemu-nee too heavy for you?"

"Nah, I'm strong" Yachiru replied happily. "Ken-chan trained me. Uuhh, you're slippery, Silk tree-girl. I'll have to force Featherface to wash my shihakushou (2) later." She turned her head and looked at Nell eagerly. "Do you wanna walk with us, Skull-chan?"

Nell was puzzled cause of Yachirus nickname at first, but then the young girl's grin rubbed off on her. "Okay" she said and flashed a smile.

While the two little girls walked through 12th division with Nemu on Yachirus back, Nell took the opportunity to watch Yachiru. The pink-haired girl was approximately as old as Nell and just a little taller than her – if you didn't count Nells skull mask. She had a cheerful baby face much like Nells and seemingly liked to laugh very much. And she wore…

"Yachiru-chan" Nell gasped. "Are you a shinigami too?"

"Of course" the little girl squealed. "I'm the youngest fukutaichou ever! Ken-chan was so proud of me, when I only needed 10 seconds to beat up the first guy who still treated me like a child! He even said ,Not bad, brat'!"

"Aren't there any other shinigami at your age?"

"Well, Freezy-boy is little too, but he's no fun" Yachiru pouted. "He's always working and never laughs." Then she looked at Nell and grinned again. "But now you're here, Skull-chan. We'll have much fun together!"

Nell giggled. "Otou-san Kuro said the same. Seireitei is a funny place."

"Yeah, isn't it?"

"Yachiru-chan" they suddenly heard Nemus faint voice from Yachirus back. "Please pay attention. We must turn left."

"Really?" Yachiru asked surprised. "I could have sworn that was a dead end."

"Do you know this place well, Yachiru-chan?" Nell asked.

"Of course!" the girl claimed. "I can find anything in Seireitei."

Nemu didn't dare to say something against that. "Please, Yachiru-chan" she begged. "Just trust me. If we don't find 4th division, then Nell sees more of Seireitei at least."

"That's true" Yachiru agreed. "Come on, Skull-chan. Let's turn left. By the way, what happened to your division, Silk tree-girl? Did the arrancar cause that?"

"Somehow" Nemu muttered. No matter if Nell had tried to heal her, she still felt every step Yachiru made.

"What are you talking about, Nemu-nee?" Nell asked confused. "Of course I…"

"Now look at that!" she was interrupted by Yachiru. "You were right, Silk tree-girl! That is the 4th division, Skull-chan. We'll look for Braid-auntie, she's got the best candy in Soul Society."

Nells eyes widened. "Candy? What's that?"

Yachirus jaw dropped. "You don't know candy?" she shrieked. "How can a child live without candy?"

"We don't have any candy in…"

"What's going on here?" Three heads turned to the entrance of 4th division and met the glance of Kotetsu Isane, the 4th division's fukutaichou. When the silver-haired woman saw in what state Nemu was, her glance immediately turned to Nell and became a scowl. Her hand wandered to the hilt of her zanpakatou.

"Don't" Nemu managed to say. She was nearly unconscious now. She needed to rest, badly. "It was an accident. Not Nell-chans fault."

Isane looked sceptical. "But Nemu-san…"

"Shouldn't you rather help Silk tree-girl than threatening Skull-chan?" Yachiru scolded the older woman. "Besides, Silk tree-girl is Skull-chans onee-san."

"Fuckin' right" Nell announced and nodded. "I'd never want to hurt my onee-san. It just happened."

"Alright" Isane said reluctantly. "Bring Nemu-san in. But Yachiru-chan, you stay with them and keep an eye on your friend."

"Of course" Yachiru agreed grinning. "Will you get me some candy?"

Isane sighed. "Yes, you'll be paid with candy."

"YAY!" two childish voices announced.

A few hours later Nemu was feeling a whole lot better. Isane-san had patched her up and sealed her pain away. Though she wasn't allowed to stand up right now, she felt that she would be okay tomorrow. And she had to be, 12th division probably was utter chaos right now. She needed to go back and coordinate the clearing work. But right now she just enjoyed lying in a soft 4th-division-sickbed and listening to the two little girls on the floor yack endlessly. First she had been worried that Nell would blunder out that she was an arrancar, but she had underestimated Yachiru. The little fukutaichou was delighted that she was now able to talk to someone who was as childish as she was, and so she had been talking for hours about her adventures in Seireitei with "Ken-chan, Baldy and Featherface". And Nell-chan was eager to learn more about her new home, so she listened to all of these stories and amused both Nemu and Yachiru with her R-rated comments. Nemu was hurt and 12th division was a mess, but still life was… good.

Then she suddenly felt it. An angry, all-covering, overwhelming energy that flared up and made the two girls shut up immediately. A reiratsu that was searching for someone… and telling everyone better not to be that someone. Nemu heard Isane talking to the approaching human disaster outside the door, but without success. Oh no, please…

The door was pushed open and Soul Society's demon entered the sickroom. Nemu had never seen Zaraki Kenpachi that enraged. She had seen him angry more often than she could count, but this time the room was downright drenched with his determination to cut his enemy. His nameless zanpakatou was in his hand, screaming for death.

"Ken-chan?" Yachiru asked startled. She hadn't seen her foster-father that enraged in years. "What's wrong?"

Zaraki glanced at her and for a second his reiratsu decreased a little. But when he realized who was sitting right next to his ward, he clenched his teeth. His reiratsu increased tenfold and the earth started shaking.

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM YACHIRU, YOU LITTLE FREAK!" he roared.

Nell shrieked out loud and ran to Nemu who was sitting up with some difficulty. Nemu put her arms around her. The little arrancar was scared to death.

"Zaraki-taichou!" Nemu yelled with all the strength left in her body and glared at the giant in front of her. "What is the meaning of this?"

Zaraki breathed noisily. "I don't care if that little monster destroys your division" he growled, not taking his eyes off Nell. The little girl whimpered. "But anyone who endangers Yachiru DIES!" With that he lifted his zanpakatou and Nell shrieked in fear. Nemu pressed her tighter to herself. This girl was the only person that had ever helped her. If it had to be, Nemu would die together with her – even if she was barely able to stand upright.

Then suddenly she felt a strange energy rising. Nell began to glow in a bright red light, and as Zarakis zanpakatou was about to hit them, a Cero hit him in the midriff and hurled the huge man against the opposite wall. For a second everyone was stunned, but one Cero wasn't enough to stop Zaraki Kenpachi. The 11th division's taichou got up and walked towards his prey again, bloodlust in his eyes. Then suddenly two small arms embraced his neck.

"Ken-chan, are you nuts?" Yachiru yelled angrily as she tried to stop the raging giant. "Why do you wanna hurt Skull-chan?"

Much to Nemus relief, Zaraki stopped and turned his head to glare at Yachiru. "The hell, brat" he snarled. "Don'tcha know what this kid is?"

"She's my friend!" Yachiru hissed and glared back. "I won't let you hurt her!"

"Your FRIEND?" Zaraki yelled. "She's an ARRANCAR, you baka!"

That revelation shocked Yachiru, but before she could reply anything, a stern, female voice interrupted the father/daughter-talk.

"Zaraki-taichou!"

The voice wasn't loud, it didn't even sound very angry, but somehow everyone became silent and turned his head. Nemu had never seen Unohana-taichou angry, and if she thought about it, the female taichou didn't seem to be really tense right now either. But there was steel in her voice and her gaze was more intense than any Nemu had ever seen.

"Zaraki-taichou" the 4th division's taichou repeated "would you please tell me why you entered a sickroom and tried to hurt one of my patients?"

Even Zaraki seemed to be surprised. But he wasn't someone to simply give in. He growled. "The hell, woman! And why did you leave Yachiru alone with an arrancar? An arrancar who destroyed half of the 12th division?"

"Kurotsuchi-fukutaichou assured me that it was an accident" Unohana answered icily. "And I'm willing to believe her. And now answer my question, Zaraki-taichou: Why did you try to hurt my patient and her guest?"

"I was just trying to save Yachiru" Zaraki growled, but his voice didn't sound very convincing anymore. "What do you think I should have done? Suddenly 12th division is blown to pieces and then I find out Yachiru's missing. And then someone tells me she's with this arrancar kid Ichigo brought here."

"Do you really think I would allow ANYONE to hurt anyone else inside of my division, Zaraki-taichou?" Unohana asked, but her voice sounded gentler this time, soothing. "Your fukutaichou has never been in danger since the moment she walked into my division. And would you please sheath your zanpakatou now?"

"Silly Ken-chan" Yachiru added and slapped him upside the head lightly. "Did you really think someone like Skull-chan could hurt me?"

"She's an arrancar, brat" Zaraki grumbled. "Sides, look what she did to ME!" He pointed at several bruises on his stomach.

"Ahh, that's true" Unohana stepped in. "These bruises should be treated immediately. You come with me, Zaraki-taichou. No arguments."

"What…?" Zaraki uttered when Unohana seized his hand. "Damn, woman! That isn't even worth thinking about! What if that arrancar tries to hurt Yachiru when we're gone?"

"She has been alone in a room with Kusajishi-fukutaichou for hours, and nothing has happened" Unohana told him patiently. "So why should she hurt her now? Now come with me, Zaraki-taichou!"

"Just go with her, Ken-chan" Yachiru agreed and jumped off of his back. "I'll meet you in a few minutes."

"Wha…? Hey, you definitely won't stay here with this…"

Yachiru pushed the tall man out of the room with Unohanas help. "I'll be fine, Ken-chan, I just wanna talk to her for a minute. So just go with Braid-auntie now, okay?" She quickly closed the door before he could answer. Then she turned around and looked at Nell.

"So… you really are an arrancar?"

Nell nodded. She wasn't able to talk right now.

"And you really blew up the 12th division?"

Nell nodded again. Nemu wanted to argue again that it was an accident, but suddenly Yachiru started to grin, shunpo-ed in front of them, took Nells small hands and skipped excitedly.

"I wanna see" she exclaimed. "You have to show me tomorrow when I visit you!"

Suddenly they could hear some noises in the next room, but a sharp "Zaraki-taichou!" ended them.

"But I don't know how I did it" Nell tried to object. "I…"

"I'm so glad you came to Seireitei" Yachiru cheered. "Now I won't be bored anymore! Let's meet tomorrow and you show me what you can do, okay? Pleeeeeeeease?"

Nell was still a little overwhelmed, but Yachirus joyousness seemed to be contagious. She looked at Nemu who was just lying down again. "Nemu-nee?"

Nemu smiled at her weakly. "Yachiru wants to be your friend, Nell-chan" she said. "Do you want to be her friend too?"

Nell looked at Yachiru again. She began to smile. "Okay, let's meet tomorrow, Yachiru-chan" she said.

"YAY!" Yachiru shouted out. "I must go and tell Baldy and Featherface about you immediately. See you tomorrow, Skull-chan!"

"LIKE HELL YOU…" they heard Zarakis voice through the wall, but it was interrupted by Unohanas: "Zaraki-taichou, sit down! Do you want me to get angry?"

Meanwhile Yachiru had left the room and Nemu had finally fallen asleep from exhaustion. Nell rubbed her head. Soul Society was a really crazy place. It nearly felt like home.

"Damn, now will ya TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF ME, WOMAN?"

"I told you that no one leaves my division injured, Zaraki-taichou! And now sit down, or do you want me to sedate you?"

That caused Nell to grin. Yep, just like home

(1) I read somewhere that "Nemu" is a homonym for "Silk tree". Well, I guess it's better than being called "Big boobies" – or is it?

(2) Shinigami robe

I don't know, but the charas seem to be a little OOC, Nemu with so many emotions, Unohana threatening people – is it bad?