An Espada/Fraccion Christmas
The Espada looked upon the bulletin once again. It was decorated with holly and wreaths that were green and not gray. The Espada groaned. It seemed Aizen was serious about celebrating a new human holiday called Christmas. Apparently, it was a season of giving and care. A season of family…and egg nog. Most of the Espada groaned at the giving season, but as they all knew, what Aizen said goes. Barragan humphed and grumped.
"Just read the note, Ulquiorra…" He put his hand on his head. Ulquiorra closed his eyes.
"I refuse."
"It's an order from Aizen that we read it, and none of us are going to, so you might as well just do it."
Silence filled the tiny area. Ulquiorra turned his head away making Barragan gruff. Halibel sighed.
"Are all men grumps like you all?" She complained shoving to the front. "It says:"
My dearest Espada, it is December 24 meaning it is Christmas Eve. Tomorrow will be Christmas. I wish for all of you to make preparations for the grand day. Decorations and presents and egg nog are essential.
Aaroniero's high voiced head yelled. He was not being left with decorations again. Everyone shushed the bubble-boxed helmeted duo. Halibel turned around.
"I am not going down to the World of the Living for supplies again."
Grimmjow looked away from the bulletin board.
"Actually, we all have to get gifts for everyone. And, they need to be under the tree by midnight tonight."
"MIDNIGHT!?" Nnoitra yelled. "Do you know how soon that'll be?"
"Nnoitra, it's only ten thirty." Szayel said flipping his bubblegum pink hair. Nnoitra sneered.
"Do you have any idea how packed and crowded malls and other shopping centers are this time of year? The odds of us finishing our shopping, getting them wrapped, and back under a tree we don't have by midnight is approximately three hundred million to…two."
All of the Espada stared incredulously at Nnoitra. Nnoitra stared back at them. This was awkward. Nnoitra shrugged.
"I could be wrong."
They shook their heads.
"Whatever. We need to get going." Zommari said.
"Should we team up?" Starrk asked.
"Well…I don't know…"
Grimmjow grabbed Ulquiorra.
"We'll team up because I wanna' show this grumpy glum how to have fun."
"Fun? Grimmjow, the last thing I want to do it have fun."
Grimmjow shook his head. Halibel crossed her arms and shook her head.
"We're going." Yammy said exiting the dome with a Hollow dog none of them had seen before. "Oh, this is my dog. He's gonna' sniff out some good deals." He waved them off and left with the dog…They watched him go. Halibel walked out of the door with Apache at her side. Fraccion were good to complain to after all. Starrk left after. Then Aaroniero and Szayel (Aaroniero didn't want to be left alone). Nnoitra was by himself until Tesla joined him. Barragan was off with an axe to get a tree. Zommari left quickly with the help of his sonido. Grimmjow grinned at Ulquiorra.
"Grimmjow. I am not buying gifts with you."
"Who you gonna' go with then? No one's here."
"I'll go by myself."
"You don't know your way around the World of the Living like I do."
Ulquiorra looked at Grimmjow then at the floor.
"I really hate you."
"Yeah, yeah."
They left post-haste.
Meanwhile with Halibel and Apache. Halibel was already in the World of the Living with looking for gifts for her Fraccion. They were currently in a perfume shop. Apache smiled and looked at a perfume.
"We should get Mila-Rose this one." She pointed at it. Halibel looked at it and sighed.
"Apache, we are not letting Mila-Rose walk around Las Noches smelling like Fine Horse Mess."
"But it's a soothing scent!" Apache argued.
"No."
Apache sighed. Halibel rolled her eyes.
"Get it for Sun-Sun."
Apache smiled widely and grabbed the lotion, shower gel, and body spray. They packed it up and left.
Aw, glad to see their so considerate. What could Nnoitra be doing?
"TESLA!! THAT'S ALL WRONG!!" Nnoitra yelled.
"What's wrong Master?"
"Look at this! What do you think you're doing!?"
"You wanted a gift for Miss Halibel. I was just picking out…"
"No! A bouquet of chocolate Christmas flowers is not a good gift."
"It's not?" Tesla wondered holding the package of chocolate.
"No, it's not."
"But I was led to believe that all women loved chocolate…"
"Do you want me to look like a sexist?!"
Tesla shifted his eyes. He had always thought his master was sexist.
"Er…no…?"
"I need a gift that will truly express my feelings for her."
"You love her, Sire?"
"Of course not!! What could lead you to believe such a thing!?"
"Uh…you…implied…it?"
"What the hell does imply mean? I mean…go back to Hueco Mundo Tesla."
"B-b-but I wanna' stay here with you!"
"Fine. Go look over there. I'll look over here." Nnoitra pushed Tesla in the opposite direction and went off by himself.
"Phew, I never thought I'd get rid of that guy…."
Rough patches between Fraccion and Espada. Rough. But how do two Espada get along? Let's see. Szayel and Aaroniero?
The two walked through the mall unseen by the last minute shoppers that pushed and shoved. Aaroniero's deep voiced head laughed.
"Never have I seen so much brutality in the human world."
"Can you go one second without lusting blood?"
"Do you even know what you're saying??"
Silence.
"Stop bickering you two! We need to find the perfect gift for Aizen, Gin, and Tousen."
"We know, but we don't need you ordering us around…"
"I'm just trying to be the mature one."
"Whatever…"
They walked into a furniture store. Szayel rubbed his chin.
"Maybe he would like a massage chair." He eyed the beautiful machinery. Aaroniero rolled all four of his eyes.
"Of course Szayel would be swayed by…a piece of machinery."
Szayel hugged the chair.
"I say we wrap it up!"
"We'll carry it out."
Aaroniero grabbed the chair. Then proceeded to using his Garganta to get back to Las Noches where he put the chair in his room. Szayel flipped his hair.
"Now, a gift for Gin!"
They'll be looking for awhile. Starrk the lonesome looks for gifts too.
"ZZZZZZZZ…snore! Snore! ZZZZZZZZZZ…" Starrk snored in a pile of snow. A Garganta opened up next to him. A little girl stepped out of the Garganta and looked at Starrk's sleeping body. She sneered, opened his mouth, and stuck her finger down deep in his throat. He sat up instantly throwing up his breakfast.
"Lilinette!!!!" He yelled. She smiled and gave him her favorite pose of her right hand on her hip and her left hand making the peace sign. Starrk wiped his mouth.
"Heya' Starrk!"
"Lilinette…why are you here?"
"Aizen thought you might drift off…"
"What? I would never!"
"What were you just doing?"
Starrk coughed into his gloved hand and turned his back on the annoying little girl.
"Who asked you?"
"Aizen. Come one. We have gifts to buy!"
Lilinette grabbed Starrk by his collar and dragged him on the ground.
"Lilinette! I can walk by myself!!!"
"We're going!" She yelled.
"Noooooooo!!!!"
She kept dragging him nonetheless.
Poor Starrk. Now, he's buying presents. He should've been doing but…has Barragan got a tree yet!? OH MY!
Barragan held his mighty axe proudly. He looked at the forest in front of him with a smug smirk on his face. This would be easy he decided. He had to find the perfect tree though. If he wasn't giving, he would certainly need to take the best tree ever. He walked into the forest humming a tune. He looked at tree after tree but saw nothing that impressed him but then…he saw an odd tree. It was tall and white. Barragan shrugged. It was probably just covered with snow. He lifted his mighty axe and swung.
"OWCH! WHO THE HELL!?" the tree yelled falling down. Barragan jumped back and looked at his tree. That was no tree! It was…Nnoitra!?
"What are you doing out here?" Barragan said through clenched teeth. Nnoitra rubbed his leg. Lucky, he had his Hierro.
"I was looking for Tesla…" Nnoitra mumbled.
"What? Could you say that louder?" Barragan teased knowing Nnoitra hated showing the slightest bit of sympathy for Tesla.
"I'm looking for Tesla!" Nnoitra yelled. "He ran in here after I yelled at him…again."
"Maybe he's gone for good this time." Barragan teased. Nnoitra stood up and pushed Barragan back.
"Not funny. If he's gone, no one will do stuff for me."
"How about you help me chop down some trees? He could be hiding in one of them."
Nnoitra tilted his head to the side. He had never at all teamed up with Barragan. He smiled his smile.
"Sure. Why not?" He drew his scythe-like weapon.
TEAMWORK!!!! Speaking of teamwork, I wonder how Ulquiorra's doing with Grimmjow. Let's see…
Grimmjow was pulling on Ulquiorra's sleeve. No matter, he couldn't budge him. His strength wasn't helping him today.
"C'mon, Ulquiorra! Ungh! Just…erngh! Come on!!" Grimmjow pulled harder. Ulquiorra didn't budge.
"No, I refuse to go in that store."
"But we have to give her a gift!"
"Not from there."
"WHYYYYYYYY!!!!?!?!? It'll suit her!"
"That is sexually immoral…even for you."
"It's Halibel! Just slip in and get her some lingerie. It'll be fine."
"If I am forced to shop with you, I will not get gifts that are so…."
"Awesome and well fit?"
Ulquiorra twisted and pulled out of Grimmjow's grip. Grimmjow sighed.
"FINE! What do you want to give Halibel?"
"Something she really needs."
A light bulb flashed over Grimmjow's head. He grabbed Ulquiorra by surprise and ran off with him into a store. He released Ulquiorra and pointed to an item.
"She could really use that."
"…This I can live with."
Everyone's getting gifts and teaming up. It's really wonderful. Szayel! Where are you?
"Szayel? Szayel? Where did you go?"
"Where could he have gone?"
Aaroniero looked left and right but could not see Szayel or his bubblegum hair anywhere. Aaroniero played with is fingers.
"I hate being alone…"
"What!? I'm right here!"
"You don't count. You're a part of me."
"Hey guys!" Szayel walked up with a gift wrapped box in his hands. Aaroniero tilted his jar-covered head to the side.
"What is that Szayel?"
"It's a gift for Tousen! And this one, this is Gin's gift."
"Why didn't you let us help? I thought we were a team!!"
"Whoa, whoa, calm down. Let's put these away and start buying for the Espada and their Fraccion."
"Are we even buying? People can't see us, so this more like stealing…"
Szayel raised a brow.
"What's the difference?"
At least they're getting work done. Well, maybe Halibel and Apache are doing work?
"HALIBEL-SAMA!!!!!"
"What now, Apache?" Halibel sighed. She wished she had brought Sun-Sun instead. At least Sun-Sun was quiet. Apache, besides Mila-Rose, was the most loud-mouthed person she'd ever seen and known. She walked over to Apache. Apache pointed at a pillow in a store.
"Look! See how awesomely comfortable that pillow looks?"
Halibel stared at the super fluffy pillow sitting in the window.
"What about it?"
"Halibel-sama…" Apache rolled her eyes. "Let's get it for Starrk."
Halibel nodded. She looked at the window. A pair of hands took the pillow and handed it to another pair of hands.
"I think you'll love this pillow ma'am."
"Why thank you. My old bones certainly could use this."
Halibel and Apache ran into the store to see their grand pillow being carted off by an old lady. Apache smiled and pounded her fist into her hand.
"Heh! Taking that pillow from that old bag won't be hard!" Apache took a step forward, but Halibel put a firm hand on her shoulder.
"No, Apache."
"What!? Why?"
"Look at the 'old bag' you're about to attack."
Apache looked at the withered lady. She took the pillow to a dirt boy hiding under the mall Christmas tree. Apache gasped; Halibel looked at Apache.
"Do you understand?"
"She bought that pillow for that little homeless boy?" Apache asked with widened eyes. Halibel nodded. Apache hmphed and walked deeper into the store.
"Apache!" Halibel called. She came out of the store with a comforter and put it by the tree. The little boy saw it and took it. He looked up where Apache was.
"Thank you whoever left this." He said ducking back under the tree. Apache nodded. Halibel smiled and her eyes softened.
That's so sweet. Now, let's see if Grimmjow and Ulquiorra are doing any better.
"SIGH…"
Grimmjow looked at his sighing companion with a skeptical look. He shook his head angrily.
"Why can't you just accept the fact that we're stealing together?"
"Because I never actually wanted to come out with you." Ulquiorra admitted. Grimmjow grabbed where his heart was.
"You know, that hurt me. Right here." He fake sobbed. Ulquiorra stood up from where they were sitting in the food court. Grimmjow sneered and slammed his fist on the table.
"CAN YOU NOT BE A TOTAL BASTARD!??!"
"You first." Ulquiorra said standing up. Grimmjow clenched his teeth and stood up as well.
"Why do you always have to be the uppity bitch?"
"Uppity? Never. Honorable. Yes."
"Honorable nothing! It's the holidays and you're so sour!!!! Why can't you be happy!?"
Ulquiorra was shocked. Never in all of his many years had Ulquiorra heard someone talked to him like this. He blinked and looked at the pouting Grimmjow.
"Grimmjow."
"Are you…implying that I'm never happy?"
Grimmjow looked at Ulquiorra.
"I'm happy even when it seems I'm not."
"Huh?"
"I don't smile. It's overrated. I don't laugh. That's ridiculous. I do however get happy. I just don't express it like you all."
Grimmjow blinked. Grimmjow smiled. He knew Ulquiorra wasn't such a bad guy…now.
"Ulquiorra! We've got all of our gifts. Why don't we go home and celebrate your happiness?"
"I'm not happy now. Besides, we still need the egg nog."
"How much should we get?"
"Twenty cartons."
Grimmjow's eye twitched.
"That should do it…"
Aw, they're getting along. What's up Nnoitra and Barragan?
Barragan swung his might axe. He and Nnoitra watched yet another grand tree fall. But, yet again, there was no Tesla. Nnoitra sighed. Barragan hmphed. Barragan chopped down another tree. Still no Tesla. Nnoitra sat down in the snow.
"Ugh…I never should have yelled at him!" He buried his face in his hands. Barragan looked at the melancholy Nnoitra. Barragan scratched his head carefully with the axe.
"I'm gonna' hate myself later…" He sat down next to Nnoitra.
"It's okay Nnoitra. We'll find Tesla. I'm pretty sure you're not the reason he's gone either."
Nnoitra looked at Barragan.
"Are you comforting me?" He asked. Barragan looked away embarrassed and angry.
"I don't have to, ya' know!"
"No, no, comforting is good. I'm pretty sad."
"We will find Tesla. Okay? Stop being sad."
Nnoitra stood up quickly.
"You're right Old Man! Let's keep looking!"
Barragan actually smiled. He was actually glad he could help Nnoitra. Nnoitra chopped more trees down quicker than ever. He stopped. Barragan looked at him.
"What?"
"I think I found him." Nnoitra looked down into the pile of evergreen. Tesla sat there dizzy and confused. He shook his head.
"M-Master!"
"Tesla…" Nnoitra growled. Barragan raised an eyebrow. Tesla covered his face. Nnoitra picked Tesla up and dusted him off.
"Why did you come out here Tesla? I was worried sick about you!"
"W-What?" Tesla awed. Nnoitra blushed and coughed into his hand.
"I said nothing! No, I said. You fool! How could you come out here!? I couldn't find you at all!!"
Tesla smiled. He very well heard what his Master said.
"I was getting that special gift you wanted…" He held up a heart that was made of evergreen needles that had been twisted expertly. There was holly and mistletoe in the middle. Nnoitra was taken aback. Tesla had come all the way out here for him? He smiled and pat Nnoitra on his back.
"You did good."
Tesla smiled. Barragan stood up.
"Alright. Let's get home."
"What about your perfect tree?"
"Any tree's good if it's decorated right." Barragan picked up the first tree he saw on the ground. Nnoitra nodded.
"Take us home, Tesla. Just like I taught you."
Tesla nodded.
"Yes Master!" He opened the Garganta which they all stepped through.
That meant, Nnoitra, Barragan, Tesla, Aaroniero, and Szayel were home. So, what were the others doing? Well, what was Starrk up to?
Starrk was carrying all of the gifts he and Lilinette had bought. He stumbled.
"We didn't have to get all of this…"
"What do you mean? It's Christmas! Giving is a good thing!"
Starrk stopped upon hearing those words.
"What did you say?"
"Giving is a good thing, Starrk. Don't you dare be upset if you didn't get something cool and flashy! It's the thought that counts!"
Starrk smiled softly.
"That's good, Lilinette." Starrk said. A present started to fall. Lilinette grabbed it.
"Why don't I help you with these?" Lilinette took some of the gifts and carried them alongside Starrk.
"Let's go home."
AWWWWW…how touching. Have Grimmjow and Ulquiorra finished bickering once and for all?
Grimmjow grabbed another carton of egg nog. He put it in Ulquiorra's full heads.
"Is this enough?" Grimmjow asked. Ulquiorra looked at him.
"Yes, this should be enough." Ulquiorra answered. Grimmjow eyed him.
"You sure?" He asked.
"Positive."
"Okay then." Grimmjow and Ulquiorra made their way out of the store with the egg nog intact. They also had their gifts. Their hands were full.
"Open the Garganta Grimmjow." Ulquiorra said when they were out of the store.
"I can't…my hands are full."
"Just drop the gifts."
"I don't want them to get dirty."
"GRIMMJOW!! It's eleven thirty!"
"WHAT!?That late already!?"
"Put the gifts down."
"I can't."
PROBLEMATIC! Oh well. Hey Apache and Halibel!!!
Halibel couldn't believe how giving Apache had become. She had took some gifts from the mall and taken them to an orphanage. Apache was like a Santa Claus of the World of the Living. Halibel followed her all around. Apache gave her final gift away and came back to Halibel.
"Wow, Halibel. Giving feels great."
"Giving itself is a gift. You've learned a new lesson Apache."
Apache gasped in surprise then smiled. She and Halibel both shared in a cheerful laugh. Apache gasped again.
"We haven't done any shopping!!!!"
Halibel gasped.
"I totally forgot!" She slapped her hand to her head. Apache looked at a clock.
"It's eleven forty!" She gulped.
"We'll never make it!" Halibel groaned.
"D-do we just go home failures?"
"We have no choice…we have to be back home by midnight."
"Oh man…we're gonna' get roasted!"
Halibel sighed. Never had she disobeyed orders or gotten distracted. She was ashamed, but she was glad that Apache had learned how to give as opposed to taking. Halibel laughed as she opened the Garganta. Apache wondered how she could be laughing at a time like this, but she followed Halibel into the Garganta.
Lesson learned. Time consumed…UlquiGrimm!
Ulquiorra groaned from behind his massive pile of gifts and nog. Grimmjow grumbled. Ulquiorra sighed.
"Put the presents down! It's eleven forty two!" Ulquiorra said.
"The presents will be ruined!" Grimmjow said. Ulquiorra swore many times.
"Just put them down. They'll be fine."
"How do I know that?"
"I know it. Isn't that good enough?"
"………"
"Trust me."
"Okay…fine…" Grimmjow put the gifts down. Grimmjow opened the Garganta, but the presents slid down the hill. Ulquiorra noticed and dropped his gifts to grab the ones Grimmjow had been holding. Now Ulquiorra was falling! Grimmjow looked back.
"Ulquiorra! The gifts!" Grimmjow grabbed Ulquiorra's ankles while he held the gifts.
"The other gifts!" Ulquiorra said. The other gifts were falling down the hill. Grimmjow kicked out his leg. They were stuck. Grimmjow hummed.
"Do you want to play twenty questions?"
"Please don't talk…" Ulquiorra closed his eyes. Grimmjow growled.
"You are so grumpy!!" He yelled. Ulquiorra looked back.
"I'm not grumpy!!"
"You are."
"Am not."
"Why are you yelling?"
"……you know what, Grimmjow. Shut up."
"It's Christmas. Why can't we get along for one…two days?"
Ulquiorra looked back at Grimmjow again. He had a point. They were always bickering. Every day, every time. Ulquiorra nodded.
"Fine."
"Really?"
"Yes. I don't hate you."
"Great! But how do we get back to Hueco Mundo if we're stuck?"
Then. Just then, a harsh wind passed and blew Ulquiorra and Grimmjow and the gifts back on the hill. Grimmjow let go of Ulquiorra and cheered.
"It's a Christmas miracle Charlie Brown!!!"
"Who the hell is Charlie Brown?"
"Never mind that! Let's get back to Hueco Mundo!"
They quickly opened the Garganta and grabbed the gifts.
They made it back to Las Noches where everyone welcomed them. All of the Espada and their Fraccion wrapped gifts and poured the nog. But, they were so happy, they start giving each other their presents. Tesla left and came back with Gin, Aizen, and Tousen.
"What's this?" Aizen asked smiling at the sight.
"We're celebrating Christmas earlier!! Hope you don't mind!' They all laughed. Aizen smiled.
"I don't mind at all! This is great!"
"Pass me some nog!" Gin smiled wider. Nnoitra threw him a glass. Szayel gave Aizen a glass, and Wonderweiss came into the room and got he and Tousen both some egg nog. Everyone laughed and opened their gifts. Nnoitra and Tesla gave Halibel the heart. She gave Nnoitra a small kiss for Christmas. Everyone got something great. Everybody was happy. Everybody was happy that they could give, but when it was time for Halibel and Apache to give their gifts, they were nervous.
"We didn't get anything…"
"What? Why?" Nnoitra asked.
"We…uh…" Halibel stuttered. Apache stepped in front of Halibel.
"I was giving homeless people so many presents, I caused Halibel-sama to forget to give gifts…"
Aizen smiled.
"I didn't really care if any of you got gifts or not. But look how happy you are giving gifts. You didn't even care what you got."
The Espada and Fraccion stared incredulously and smiled.
"You're right Aizen….sama." Grimmjow said. "Me and Ulquiorra aren't fighting for the holidays."
Gin smiled and grabbed a camera.
"Group Photo!!!!" He yelled. The Espada and Fraccion all smooshed for the photo and smiled. Gin took the picture. This was a Christmas the arrancar would never forget even if it was only Christmas Eve.
I realize Yammy disappeared but oh well. Just know he was there in the end So with that being said....
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!