Chapter 2

On the Defense

I kicked the door to room open and walked in with my hands in my pockets. One of the lower levels was cleaning it up.

"Oi, get outta' my room!" I yelled. The lower level hurried out like his life depended on it. I jumped onto the bed. I was tired from doing nothing all day. Sleeping may have been a mistake though. I closed my eyes and drifted off until I think I was sleep. There was darkness all around me. I could see nothing not even my hand. Did I have a hand? This was annoying, I decided. But wait! What was that? A voice? It grew closer. I couldn't make out the words it was saying, but I definitely recognized the voice that belonged to him. I sat up on the bed quickly in a cold sweat. What the hell??? I put my hand on my head. What was going on? I got up from my bed. I needed to walk around and get that damned image out of my head. Just as I reached my bedroom door, the meeting bell went off. What did we have to meet about? Oh right, the upcoming war. I sighed and headed to the meeting hall. Unfortunately, I bumped into him on the way out of my room. He looked at me with a glare that froze me solid in my steps. We just stared at each other. He finally took it upon himself to greet me.

"Grimmjow." He nodded and kept walking. Now, how would I respond? No words could form. I stuttered and slurred like a fool. He looked back at me puzzled.

"Was that supposed to mean something?" He said. "I knew you weren't very smart but being incapable of the simplest speech is a new stupidity for you, Grimmjow."

The insult went through me like a dagger. I smiled at the threat. Of all the things I had to do, but I was happy that he had threatened me. I think I was starting to scare him because he walked away again. I had to defend myself. I was the Las Noches badass! If I wasn't, who would be? Nnoitra? That guy wasn't worth the weapon he wielded.

"You always say the nicest things, Ulquiorra." I spit his name but it sent a chill down my spine. A good chill. "If you were truly superior to me, you would have no problem saying that to my face."

"I will not play these childish games with you. Know your place, Sexta Espada Grimmjow Jaegerjaques." He kept walking. I cringed at the harsh tone in Ulquiorra's voice and smiled….again. There was just a certain joy inside me from hearing him speak badly to me. I shook it off and gave up my meaningless argument with him. I wasn't going to win. He knew far too many big words.

We entered the meeting room where Aizen was sitting. Aizen had brown hair that was always neat except for one strand of hair that was always on his face. He had brown eyes he always narrowed or were they just naturally narrow? He wore all black with a long, white jacket that went almost to his feet. His sash was red. He sat with his creepy, calm smile. Gripped in his left hand was the handle of a cup that was filled with tea, no doubt. He was leaning his head on his right hand. When we sat down, he took his head off of his hand and sat straight. I tried to look at him because who else would have to be seated across from me but him. I tried not to clench my teeth in anger.

"My arrancar," He started, "as you know, we are preparing for an upcoming war, but this morning, Gin presented an interesting thought. Gin?"

Gin, the silver-haired demon of Las Noches stepped forward. He kept his eyes closed all the time, so that they were crescent shaped. His smile was just as bad as Aizen's but wider and more evil. He kept his hands in his sleeves which were too long for him. His uniform was similar to Aizen's except his sash was a frosty blue or green. He was much younger than Aizen, but I think they were dating. He smiled at all of the Espada, wider I mean.

"Heya' everybody!"

No answer. We Espada weren't too fond of the man. This didn't faze him.

"I was talkin' to Lord Aizen earlier today, and we were talking 'bout the war. I asked him why we were worried. I asked, 'why so serious'?"

"I thought this was a great question." Aizen said taking back over. "My arrancar, why must we be so worried about the war? We should just relax."

"Relax!?" I heard myself say. Oh shit.

"Something the matter, Grimmjow?" Aizen said his smile slowly turning upside down. I had to say something now. Damn this big mouth of mine.

"Why would we relax if we know there's a war coming up? It doesn't seem smart, I mean…tactful."

"Do you doubt our strength? The Espada's strength? Your strength?"

I was quieted, burned, and humiliated. I could even start to feel my cheeks warm up with embarrassment and shame.

"Anything else to add, Grimmjow?"

"I, uh, no, Lord Aizen…" I said quietly.

"I think he's correct in a way, Lord Aizen."

I looked at the person who spoke up to defend me. It was Ulquiorra.