A/N: OMGOMGOMG! xD Seriously, seven comments? You guys rock so hard. You guys all deserve pies! xD Without further ado, here is the sixth chapter of "Stolen." ENJOY!
Two Days Later…
Nothing was working. Every plan that formulated in the raven haired Espada's mind had a flaw. Ulquiorra wanted Orihime to be safe, to enjoy life and not share death. He wanted her to laugh and go to school, talk to her friends, fall in love, and have a family one day just like everyone else. Ulquiorra felt greedy to force Orihime to stay with him for eternity and would feel guilty if she became a hollow. Think of a plan…think, think, think.
Aizen would surely find out if he takes Orihime back to Earth, even if she had her silver bracelet that only allowed arrancar to see where she was. And the worst of it, there was a time frame. He wanted forever. Dammit Kurosaki, Ulquiorra cursed to himself. Why did he have to come so soon? They were fools for even coming. Ulquiorra sighed out loud and found himself next to Orihime's room. How long did he pace so close to her?
"Yo! 'ello, third!" the lavender-haired, ever-grinning shinigami greeted.
"What is it, Gin-sama?" Ulquiorra asked as his thoughts were quickly deferred.
"Orihime-chan is needed in the throne room. Hailbel is getting her new tats…and then you are getting yours." Gin explained before leaving into the never ending hallway.
So it's starting.
The throne room had the same moonlighted atmosphere, but the content seems out of order. The oval table was gone while three armchairs dwelled next to Aizen's throne. An arrancar sat on one of the armchairs with an ink pen in one hand while the other was finding something on the miniature metal table beside him. He wore only a white cloak with his white pants. The arrancar's mask covered his whole face and was oddly shaped into a star.
The arrancar waved to Ulquiorra and motioned Ulquiorra and Orihime toward him. Halibel as indifference as she always was, was already on the other armchair with her arms crossed right under her breasts. Her golden locks hung over her shoulder as her icy teal eyes gazed on Ulquiorra.
"Hello, brother. The prisoner is needed to reject our tattoos." Halibel nodded in Ulquiorra's direction. He responded with a nod.
"So, the third chair is for her?" Ulquiorra asked.
"Precisely. Mind standing?" Halibel asked tauntingly and revealed Orihime's hairpins from her clutched fist.
"Of course not, Sister." Ulquiorra replied and motioned Orihime to start.
Orihime was taken back by the gesture, but forced herself to sit beside the Espada and rapidly brought her beloved hairpins to her orange strands. Hailbel unzipped her high collared jacket to reveal her gothic three between her breasts. Orihime gaped at her number and wondered how strong she was. Orihime never saw any of the Espada fight, but heard that they possessed as much power as a captain.
"I reject." Orihime announced before the warm bronze light captivated the dark skinned Espada. Orihime gave a sigh of relief as the gothic lettering was slowly fading. She gave a faint smile to Ulquiorra before the tattoo had vanished completely.
"So she is of use." Halibel commented. She wiped her head toward her tattooist, "I'll have my tattoo on the same place.
The masked arrancer nodded as the pen stroked Hailbel's skin. She only gave a sigh before closing her eyes as though deep in thought and allowed the jet black ink to penetrate her flesh. The buzzing of the machine filled the air and gave chills down Orihime's back. She glanced to see Ulquiorra as his eyes met with her ingenuous grey orbs. His head jerked down as if to say that she did a good job. They continued to stare into each other's eyes searching for something. Orihime was searching for comfort as Ulquiorra was searching for a way for Orihime to get out of this Godforsaken place, away from his comrades and fellow monsters.
Suddenly the buzzing ceases and Orihime and Ulquiorra both turned to see Halibel, now raised from her chair, analyzing her official new rank. She nodded toward her tattooist and Ulquiorra before leaving the room soundlessly. Ulquiorra sat beside Orihime and elegantly removed his insipid jacket and tossed it over her chair.
"I reject." Orihime repeated. Ulquiorra was overtaken by the familiar shield. The arrancer nearby got up from his seat and announced that he needed to get more ink and would return in a few minutes, leaving Ulquiorra and Orihime alone in the impressive white room. Ulquiorra cleared his throat to break some of the silence.
"You can stop now, woman." Ulquiorra suggested. Orihime's face became flushed as she saw that his tattoo was gone and her shield was still up.
"Sorry." Orihime responded and the air swelled again by the moonlight.
"There is no reason to be." Ulquiorra said.
"Are you nervous?" Orihime asked, "Are you nervous about your new rank?"
"No. It is a privilege to be ranked so high…but you get me nervous, Inoue." Ulquiorra confessed and found his hand lying on top of hers. Orihime couldn't help but blush.
"Is it because we kissed?" Orihime asked, feeling uneasy, "I'm sorry that I asked y-"
"Why do you have to apologize too often? " Ulquiorra asked and with his other hand, stroked her silky orange hair behind her ears.
"I dunno." Orihime answered, blushing even more. Ulquiorra audibly gulped before tilting his face closer to her. He slowly closed his eyelids as his lips were drawing nearer to Orihime's.
"Ulquiorra," Orihime whispered, "what if we get caught?"
"I wouldn't let anyone hurt you, Orihime." Ulquiorra gasped, waiting for Orihime to close the burning space between them. Just then, the door swung open. Ulquiorra immediately stiffened his posture and reclined his neck to the back of his chair.
"Ulquiorra-san, the intruders have invaded the castle. You are to report to Aizen-sama after your session." A servant rang out before closing the door.
"I thought we had a week." Ulquiorra muttered before the tattooist came in to perform his task. He brought his thin pen to Ulquiorra's breast to reveal the inky substance.
"Stay in your room, Orihime. I'll try to be back shortly." Ulquiorra assured the horror stricken teenager. She nodded, fighting conflicting and confusing tears of the current news. He locked the door before entering the throne room. The oval table returned while few of the Espada sat in their chairs. Ulquiorra could sense multiple fluctuating spiritual pressures. The intruders have decided to take matters in their own hands.
"As you know, my Espada, Kurosaki and friends are on our premises. Grimmjow, Noitora, and Aporro have already engaged in battle." Aizen informed, his smile never wavering.
"Where is Kurosaki now, Azien-sama?" Ulquiorra asked fiercely.
"Grimmjow is currently taking care of him. Stark, Halibel, Ulquiorra, you three are to go with Tousen to battle the captains in town." Aizen declared.
"Where will you be, Azien-sama?" Yammy asked.
"That information will be classified. I need all of your reactions to be genuine when the time comes. This unexpected turn will benefit us, Yammy. Trust me." Aizen answered before leaving the room with a devilish smirk embedded on his fatherly face.
"Where's Gin-sama?" Ulquiorra asked as his comrades began to leave.
"He's following other orders." Stark informed, "I overheard Gin talk to Tousen. It was about the 'master plan'."
Ulquiorra's eyes widened, knowing that it had to do with Orihime. He gave the room a double take to make sure that they were finally alone in the moonlighted span of space.
Orihime cried into her pillow. She was terribly confused and upset at herself for even having sudden romantic emotions toward Ulquiorra. And now, her white knight had come for her. What would she do? Just as she was thinking about him, she heard a car run into a wall, but of course it wasn't it car.
Orihime tired to open to the door to see where the source of the sound was coming from, forgetting that Ulquiorra locked the door.
"H-HELLO!" Orihime yelled nervously. She recognized the spiritual pressure, "KUROSAKI-KUN!"
As if on demand, her door blasted off, flying across her room and creating a crater on the other side. Orihime's grey eyes widen as she freely tell out all of her tears. In front of her was Ichigo, but he was alone. Orihime stormed her way to her knight and tightly wrapped her arms around him. Her tears were staining his black robes, but the strawberry man did not care. He lovingly returned to hug.
"Inoue, it's really you." Ichigo purred into her ear.
"Where's everyone else?" Orihime asked, finally letting go of him.
"Taking care of some trash outside. Let's get outta here before some jerks come." Ichigo insisted, "Hold tight."
Ichigo lifted up Orihime with both of his muscular, tired, and bloody arms to hold her bridal style. Orihime noted his harsh red marks.
"What happened to you, Kurosaki-kun?" She asked in a concern voice.
"Just had a little argument with Grimmjow. Don't worry, Inoue. I'm bustin' you outta here."
Orihime felt so secure in his arms as the two red headed teenagers buzzed through the many halls of Las Noches. All of the hallways seemed to blur into one white space from the speed that Ichigo decided to take. Orihime unconsciously peered behind the black robes to look for a certain piercing pair of green eyes, but couldn't find them. Ulquiorra-san, where are you?
Suddenly, the blurs began to become more limpid and soon after that, the halls could be seen again.
"What did we stop?" Orihime whispered into Ichigo's ear.
"Someone is following us." Ichigo responded. His eyes narrowed as he looked around his surroundings. The silence made the air heavy with tension and made it harder to breathe. Ichigo slowly let his grasp of Orihime fall apart until she was on her feet again.
"What should we do?" Orihime whispered. She hands rested upon his broad shoulder as if it was some protection from the unknown lurker.
"Stay behind me and-"
"I'll protect you." A tall and slender figure approached the two teenagers. White gloves covered his lanky hands and his hollow mask captured his jaw loosely. His wavy shoulder- length brown hair hung softly behind his ears.
"Stark-san?" Orihime asked fearfully. Her eyes were wide with fear.
"Hand her over, Kurosaki, and no one gets hurts. Damn, I was in a good nap too." Stark commented, his hand already reaching out.
"Never! I'm not going to lose her again!" Ichigo barked. He pulled Orihime closer to himself. With lighting fast reaction time, Ichigo flash stepped to another hallway. Grasping onto her small fragile hand, Ichigo and Orihime began running until a dark disturbance in the atmosphere hovered beside them. The space directly below Orihime violently ripped open, causing her to slip in the dark abyss.
"INOUE!" Ichigo screeched on the top oh his lungs, his hand still clinging onto her. Her name rang out into the white hall; each echo rang painfully in his ears.
"Kurosaki-kun." Orihime said, panic evident in her voice.
"You didn't want to surrender her voluntarily, so how about I force you, 'Kurosaki-kun'." Stark suggested. He pulled out his zanpakuto, the sound so menacing that it carved shivers on Ichigo's spine.
"I'm still not giving her up! Cut me all you want, you bastard!" Ichigo growled. He pulled out his own sword with his other hand.
"I'm afraid that is unnecessary. Call me lazy, but I don't want to fight you. See you later Orihime-chan." Stark cooed before the sketchy black hole above Orihime closed shut and the only thing left in the room was the substitute shinigami.
"Inoue! NOOO!" Ichigo screamed, realizing that his friend was no longer holding his hand. Stark disappeared into his own warp and left not a single shred of evidence to where he was going.
"Hello Hime-chan!" his voice chirped into the dark room.
The room was so sinisterly dark that Orihime thought she was in a black hole. Only a single minuscule barred window hung on one wall. No room seemed to be in sight and only one figure stood before the young girl, who inspired fear that was consuming her by each shallow breathe.
"G-gi-Gin-san?" Orihime asked the darkness, but before she could mutter another work, Gin drove his arm into her neck. A hole was created, a hole of a hollow.
A/N: Whooo! The plot thickens! Please leave a review on the way out! And Happy Valentine's Day! 3 I feel bad for Orihime now. She lost her heart on Valentine's Day. T_T
