Hi reader!
Thank you so much for reading my story. It means a lot to me.
Here's chapter 4. Enjoy!
It was a sunny, bright day in the western part of the country, Capon. The western part of the country belonged to the Kuchiki family. It was a land with all four seasons, currently it was spring. Cherry blossoms growing all the land which uplifted the spirits of the citizens.
Not only did it uplift the people of the Kuchiki kingdom, but it also uplifted the spirit of a certain Kuchiki Byakuya. Head of the Kuchiki Kingdom and family. Byakuya inherited the kingdom and the family at a young age, right after he lost his parents in the war. He remembered it like yesterday, the night that his grandfather came to pick him up from one of the Kuchiki estate in the southwest part of the kingdom. It was where his parents brought him to take cover during the war. The memory of going back to the main estate in one of his grandfather carriages, seeing dead bodies lying on the road, cities burning down. And then, when he arrived to the main estate, he heard how his parents fought to the end but were killed in the fight.
It didn't take long for the young, mischievous boy to find out he was next in line to not only carry on the Kuchiki name, but also the kingdom. Right away, Byakuya changed from a short-tempered boy (which he secretly still was, only he did not show it that obvious) to a cold and indifferent man. Byakuya was a dignified man that, once he put his mind on something, would not settle for anything less. Because of this attitude, Byakuya was feared by many. His negotiation skills excelling everyone out of the country. This is why he was able to build the Kuchiki kingdom in a wealthy and accessible kingdom. The Kuchiki kingdom was a kingdom where the richest would live, most of them from noble heritage.
And now, the male Kuchiki was ready for the next step, becoming the king of the entire country. It seems like his plans were advancing smoothly. Byakuya was sitting in his office, watching the view of his garden as a loud knock was heard, Renji entering the room. "Captain, Urahara-san is here to speak to you. It seems he wants to share his findings and give an update about his research." Byakuya turned his head away from the window, nodding. "Let him in." Renji bowed before his captain before opening the door once again, letting Urahara Kisuke in.
"Good afternoon Kuchiki-sama." Urahara said in his usual voice with his goofy appearance. "How have you been?" Byakuya stared with his usual cold stare at the man, gesturing him to sit down. "Renji, please bring Rukia in as well. I still have to keep my promise." Urahara wasn't expecting Byakuya to call in his sister. He was aware of the relationship between Ichigo and Rukia, and he could not see how it would be advantageous for them to let her know about their plan. "You really are a man of your word, aren't you Kuchiki-sama?" "I try." Byakuya simply replied, asking the maid to bring them some tea.
Meanwhile, Renji was making his way to Rukia's room, but instead he found her in the kitchen, stuffing her face with her favorite chappy cookies. That were cookies in the form of a bunny, also known as chappy. A very famous cartoon character all over Japon. "Rukia, Oi Rukia." Renji yelled, seeing her sitting with Hachi at the Kitchen table used by mainly cooks to eat their meals. "She had a craving Abarai-san. Oh, please, don't be mad at her." Hachi, the big teddy bear of the kitchen, said. He was one of the main cooks of the household, specializing in confectionary. Rukia gulped down some milk before addressing the male in front of her, cheeks red from rushing her meal. "You don't have to yell so hard, Renji. It's not like you're looking for a runaway teenager." She said in her usual boring tone, her brow lifted. There was a bit of milk left on her upper lip. Renji chuckled at the sight and walked towards Rukia. "It's alright Hachi. I think Captain would be pleased to see her like this with a stuffed face and a milk mustache. So much for being our next ruler. " The petite girl shot Renji a glare before wiping off her mouth. "How rude of you, Renji. So, what do you need me for?" A questioned look on Rukia's face. "Captain summoned you to his study. He wants you to be present in the meeting with Urahara-san."
"Urahara-san?" Both Hachi and Rukia looked at each other. "Yes, it's about…" The redhead trailed off, shaking his head. "It's best to just go and hear it for yourself." Rukia stood up from her chair, dusting off the cookie crumbles from her clothes. "I see. Lead the way."
It took a while for the two to reach the study of Kuchiki Byakuya. All eyes were on Kuchiki Rukia upon entering the room, Urahara's eyes lighting up as a grand smile appeared on his face. "Congratulations Kuchiki-san, I heard the news about you becoming the next appointed heir after Kuchiki-sama." Rukia thanked the male and bowed before her brother before taking her place. "News sure does travel fast." Rukia mumbled. "I told him Rukia. I thought it would be good for him to know about your title. In the future, I'm sure you two will meet more often." The petite female nodded as Urahara gave her a little bow.
"Now that you have exchanged pleasantries, let's get to business." Urahara's smile faded as he turned back to the male Kuchiki, handing him a folder. The older Kuchiki opened the folder and was met with a file and a picture of an auburn haired girl, her creamy skin and gray eyes. A gentle smile on her lips. He guessed from her picture that the girl was coming of age and probably not older than twenty years old. Byakuya scanned the file and looked once again very pleased. This went not unnoticed by Urahara, who decided to open his mouth once again. "This is the test subject we chose on. We already carried out the insemination and right now, we are observing her, awaiting the test results to see if it is a pass." Rukia wasn't aware of what they were talking about and felt a bit of an outsider, until she suddenly remembered the promise of her brother. 'If you get what I asked for, I will tell you my plans.' It probably had something to do with Ichigo's semen and what they will use it for.
"She has no family members?" Byakuya replied. "That is correct. Her brother died during battle when you overtook their village. He was her only family, so I've heard. Both were orphans, and that usually means that the parents are deceased." Urahara explained. "Very well. She looks very clean. Do you think her body will be able to withstand everything?" Urahara chuckled at Byakuya's question. He was a genius scientist, and yet here the big Byakuya Kuchiki was still doubting him. "Of course. She's perfectly healthy. Both in mind and in spirit. I couldn't find a better test subject."
"Nii-sama." Rukia interrupted the two, wanting to know what they were talking about. "Could you explain what this is about? I can't quite follow." Byakuya nodded and handed Rukia the file he just read. "I promised I would tell you my plans, so here it is. You know that since that man left, our kingdom hasn't been excelling in combat and strength. I was talking this over with Soifon, Urahara and grandfather, and they all suggested that instead of training strong warriors, it would be better to create them. That is why Urahara-san here is rolling out a pilot to collect DNA and even body fluids of strong warriors and see if he can create warriors powerful enough to join our army forces." Rukia's eyes widened from shock. Who in the world would think of taking people's DNA and use them to create super warriors? Hearing the awful plans her brother had in store made her think of the things he was capable of. She felt a shiver coming up her spine, remembering Ichigo's semen.
"S-So… you're using Ichigo's body fluids to… " She barely managed to let the words come out of her mouth. It just felt so unreal. "Not quite." Urahara-san said, picking up Rukia's shock from what she just heard. "W-What do you mean?" Rukia asked Urahara, now meeting his eyes. "Well, when I collect DNA or body fluids I usually use them for serums or DNA alterations for warriors that already full-grown, or rather mature, but Kurosaki-san's fluids are used for something totally different." This didn't reassure Rukia. If it wasn't used for altering the DNA of the warriors, what was it for then?
Byakuya nodded and continued. "Kurosaki Ichigo's fluids will be used to birth the perfect warrior." The previous was already a shock to the petite girl, but this could just knock her out cold. "W-What…?" "The girl you see in the picture is the maiden we have chosen to carry Kurosaki Ichigo's child. She will birth his child, and then we will use this male child as a weapon against the Kurosaki family. He will become the strongest warrior of the Kuchiki clan, and when he's old enough, we will use him to bring down Kurosaki Ichigo." A flabbergasted, hurt and confused Kuchiki Rukia was sitting in front of her brother, her eyes glued to the picture as she felt as someone had thrown cold water over her. The pit in her stomach growing as she could feel her stomach turning around. The cookies she ate not helping. She stole Ichigo's fluids to help her brother birth a child that would eventually take him down? Rukia was able to do anything for her brother, but this was just above cruel, and she felt as if the person in front of her was becoming a monster. She swallowed before replying, the look in her eyes changing. "How do you know it will be a boy?"
"Urahara-san made sure that it will be a boy." Urahara nodded, surprised that the younger Kuchiki was able to hide her disgust of their plan. He could already sense it from a mile away. "It's a lot to explain, but through research and alteration we were able to make sure it will be a boy." Rukia once again glanced at the picture of the auburn female. "It's the perfect way to bring them down, little by little." Byakuya commented. "I see. Thank you for telling me Urahara-san, Nii-sama." Byakuya's bright eyes were scanning Rukia's form, sensing that she was hiding something. "Rukia." He said. "I trust that you will keep this information confidential. Only Urahara's team and I and now you are aware of this." Rukia bit her lip, her hands resting in her lap, not able to meet the eyes of her brother. "Of course Nii-sama."
"Tomorrow we will take some tests to make sure she's really pregnant. As soon as we have a confirmation, you will be notified." Byakuya nodded and Urahara left his seat, saying his greetings before leaving the study, Rukia leaving as well.
"Kuchiki-san, how are you coping?" Urahara said softly, touching her elbow to catch her attention. The female turned around, offering him a questioned look. 'What do you mean Urahara-san?" The two were now standing outside Byakuya's study. "Kurosaki Ichigo, I heard you two were pretty close." Rukia's eyes hardened at his question, the nerve this man had to pry in her private matters. "There is nothing between us. Whatever we had been in the past. Right now, I'm focusing to dedicate my life to the Kuchiki Kingdom." The blonde male with his hat and clogs simply nodded and sighed. "I see. Well, I'm sure you'll be a great heir. Keep up the good work, Kuchiki-san." And with that, the male left. As soon as he left the corridor, Rukia could feel the tears burn behind her eyes.
A day had passed after Urahara's meeting with the Kuchiki's, and he couldn't be more amused by the interaction between the two siblings. Urahara was a man who liked to observe people and was able to indicate what they were feeling or thinking. What amused him the most was the way Rukia was masking her feelings in front of her brother. Urahara felt kind of sad for the petite girl, but he also knew that Byakuya Kuchiki wasn't one that dealt with emotions or feelings. That man was cold.
"Urahara-san, it's been two weeks. Yoruichi-san says it's time." Szayelporro was standing in front of Urahara's desk, collecting already the instruments needed for their tests. "I'm coming." Urahara said who know was picking up his book, running through the pages. Szayelporro sighed and took the book out of his hands. "No dreading or delaying the situation Urahara-san, Yoruchi's orders." Urahara began to pout. "Can't I just read one chapter and then go do her tests?" Szayelporro shook his head. "If you don't move now, I'll call Ururu." Kisuke sighed and stood up, taking up his hat. "No need for that. Let's just go." Both men made their way to Orihime's room. In the room, Yoruchi was sitting beside the girl's bed, making some small talk. The girl looked notably better and even exchanged a small smile with Yoruchi, much to Urahara's surprise. However, as soon as she saw the two males enter, Orihime's defenses shot up, her smile fading.
"Inoue-san, we're here to do some tests. Don't worry, we will not touch you. It'll be over before you know it." He offered her a smile, just to be met with a hard stare. "Orihime, it is okay. Kisuke will only draw some blood, and then we just need a sample of your urine." This seemed to calm down the girl as she kept looking at Yoruichi.
The last couple of days, Yoruichi went out of her way to visit Orihime every day. Spending time with her, walking together through the garden. She knew that it would be hard to win the girl's trust, but over the days she noticed that she opened herself up and was able to talk and share a bit about herself. That is when she got to learn that Orihime was quite a weirdo. She had weird stories about aliens, blue men and also food combinations that were out of this world, and not in a good way.
During the tests, Yoruichi kept being at Orihime's side. Szayelporro drew blood from the girl and then handed Orihime a small cup. "It's pee time." he said. "Let's get you to the bathroom, Orihime." Yoruichi took her hand and walked together with Orihime to the bathroom. "I'll wait here." Orihime nodded and entered into the bathroom. She went to the toilet seat and sat down, holding the cup in her hand as she tried to force herself to urinate. She felt quite nervous and couldn't seem to relax. "Just get it over, Orihime." She mumbled while closing her eyes. To her surprise, her mind wandered back to the sunflower field in her village. She could feel the sun shining on her body, a warm sensation over her body. She remembered the smile of the children calling her name. Without her noticing, she started relaxing and managed to get half of her urine into the cup.
15 minutes later, both males were gone from her room and Orihime was now sitting on her bed. "Yoruichi-san, could you please tell me why Urahara-san took my blood and such?" Two yellow eyes met Orihime's gray ones, her face always remaining serious. "You'll find out soon enough, Orihime. Once Kisuke has the results in, he will tell you more. For now, just relax and take a nap. I know you haven't slept all night." The auburn haired girl felt as if she was caught, chuckling softly. "Alright. It's not like I can change anything about my fate. I'll just take your advice and take a nap." Yoruchi nodded and made her way to Urahara's lab.
Urahara's laboratory was located in the basement of the facility. He always liked to keep his private and most exciting rooms at the bottom of his buildings. Yoruichi entered the laboratory he was working in, meeting Ururu in the process. "Hi Yoruichi-san." A petite girl around the age of 9 years greeted the woman. Ururu was Urahara's lab assistant and was one of the most gifted children he had ever met. She was small and had dark hair, big eyes and pink cheeks that would never fade. She was very polite but also very strong. Nobody in the lab would ever dare to mess with Ururu, the lab assistant. "Hi Ururu, where's Kisuke?" The little girl pointed to her left side, indicating that the person she was looking for was that direction. "You can find him near the medicine cabinet."
"Thanks Ururu." The dark-skinned female laid her hands on Ururu's shoulder before making her way to the blonde male, seeing him nod in approval. "And? Do you already have a result?" Urahara chuckled at Yoruichi's curiosity. "Seems you and Inoue-san became quite close." He changed the subject as he was ticking away behind his computer. "Well... we just had some small talk. It seems she's aware that she cannot run from this place and is now in the stage of acceptance. She's just making the best of the situation. That's all she can really do." Yoruichi sighed, folding her arms while waiting on Urahara to reveal his findings. "I'm glad to see she's doing better. I felt terrible for causing her that scare."
"Me too Kisuke, me too. But it's not like we have a choice." The female said, it seemed as if she was regretting her involvement in this particular experiment, lost in thoughts for a moment. "Well, the results are out. And... it's positive!" Urahara turned around in his chair, handing Yoruichi the results of the test. "She is in the beginning stages of her pregnancy. Isn't this great news? I'm sure Kuchiki-sama will be thrilled." Yoruichi sighed once more and nodded. "It's great Kisuke. Do you want me to bring her the news or...?" She asked, not sure how she would explain this to the young female.
"No need to worry, Yoruichi. I'll do the honors." He took her hands and gave it a little squeeze. He could tell that Yoruichi wasn't sure on how to handle the situation, afraid to lose the trust of the girl she was started to get close with. "I'm considering having dinner with Inoue-san. Any recommendations Yoruichi?" A twinkle appeared in Yoruichi's eyes. "Actually, yes, I do." And they both left the lab.
"A letter arrived for Kurosaki-sama." Giriko was parading into the palace, making his way to the study of Kurosaki Isshin. He knocked on the door of the big two doors and shoved the envelope under the door, making his leave after doing so. In the room, Kurosaki Isshin was having a gentle conversation with his wife over a cup of tea. It was kind of their thing. Having a good conversation in the afternoon, right before dinner was served. After dinner, the older Kurosaki usually had to attend meetings or had a lot of reading to catch up to. It tired him out, but the quality time he spent with his wife were like energy boosters to him, keeping him up his feet.
Masaki walked towards the door to pick up the envelope. It was a white envelope with a golden embroidering saying 'Kurosaki'. "It looks like an invitation of some sort." Masaki said while inspecting the envelope. "You may open it if you like." Isshin said to his wife, watching his wife with excitement. He knew she liked to open things, so he would let her do the honors. Masaki opened the envelope and pulled out a card with the following words:
Kuchiki Rukia
And the Kuchiki kingdom invites you to Rukia Kuchiki's appointment ceremony. On the first day of summer, Kuchiki Rukia will be appointed as next heir of the Kuchiki family. We hope you will be able to celebrate this good news with us.
Masaki read the information out loud, quite surprised with the invitation. "Isshin darling, what is this supposed to mean?" Her husband was now in deep thought, the invitation obviously disturbed him. "It seems like the Kuchiki's are making their next move." He glanced at his wife, hands folded together, resting on his elbows. Masaki knew that when Isshin was in that position, he was thinking back, seeing if he had missed any clues that could have predicted this situation. Masaki walked back to her chair and now leaned on Isshin's desk with her elbows as well, starting at her husband. A few moments passed until she tapped her lips and shot up. "That's it! This is why Ichigo has been acting so distant these past few weeks. It has to do with Rukia-san's appointment."
Isshin watched his wife, suddenly remembering the past few weeks. "How could I not notice this? This explains his mood. Gosh, he's like a broken-hearted teenager. It isn't like me not to notice" He grinned, walking towards his wife, pecking her lightly on the lips. "Thank you Masaki. What would I do without you."? Masaki smiled, but her smile soon faded as she saw her husband walk towards the door. "Isshin... you're not going to tell Ichigo, are you?" Isshin turned around and contemplated his next move. "He probably already knows. I'm just going to make arrangements to send Kuchiki Rukia a congratulatory gift."
"I don't think he knows." Masaki then said as she stood up from her chair. Receiving a questioned look from her husband. "You said that his behavior probably has to do with Rukia's appointment, so how can he not know?" Isshin asked. "I don't know... I just think that he doesn't know. He would throw a bigger fit than this, knowing my son. Probably it would be best to not tell him about this yet. Just to make sure." The older Kurosaki nodded and decided to give in into his wife. She was a good mother and had an excellent mother's intuition. "You have my word." He marched out of the room and made his way to the maid station on the first floor. All maids in the estate resided on the first floor. Isshin loved to visit them from time to time, asking them how they were doing. "Kurosaki-san!" A tall female with light gray, brownish hair met the man in the hallway, bowing before him. "Is there anything I can help you with?" Isshin, his usual bright smile once again, appeared. "Yes Isane. I am looking to send a bouquet of flowers to send to the Kuchiki family." Isane's eyes widened as a nervous smile appeared. "T-The K-Kuchiki f-family you said? That is u-unexpected."
"I know right." Isshin laughed. Everyone in the estate and in the whole kingdom knew about the relationship between the two families. "But there is a time for everything, you know. Relationships can change over time, no matter how unexpected it is." Isane simply stared at the man in front of him. She always thought he was such a rare figure. What king would make small talk with their maids? But it was the one thing she liked about working for the Kurosaki's. They didn't make her feel like she was just a low life help, instead they would often ask her and the other maids how they were doing and showing interest in their personal lives outside the place. It was quite refreshing.
"Could you help me out, Isane?" Isshin asked, pulling the girl back from her thoughts. 'O-Of course sir! We have tons of bouquets ready for the occasion. Just tell me what you would like to send." Isane guided the older male to the main desk of their floor, taking out a notebook and writing down the wishes of her boss. "I am looking for a bouquet with the finest flowers of the Kurosaki kingdom. Flowers that say 'congratulations' and also say something like 'a new beginning'. Do you think you can find something like that?"
"Well, we for new beginnings we have The daffodil. It's a symbol for new beginnings and usually given in the New year." She showed Isshin pictures of the yellow flower. "Hmm, when I think about Kuchiki Rukia I don't think this color will suit her, but the meaning is spot on. Do you have more?" Isane nodded and looked into some of her flower books. "Ah! I got it." Isane hurried to Isshin side and showed him a picture of The calla lily. "What do you think?" Isshin tapped his chin and nodded. "White, subtle and pure. I think this will be perfect. What does it mean?" The female was now scribbling down her superior's wishes. "This flower is associated with youth and purity, but is also used for new beginnings." The older Kurosaki seemed pleased with the flower and nodded. "Let's add this to the bouquet."
"Yes, I wrote it down." Isane said happily, putting away her notebook. "Thank you. I'll trust you with the rest, Isane. It's time for me to head back. Once the flowers are in, let me know. I'll review them before delivery." And with that, Isshin left the first floor and made his way back to his study. While walking back, he passed by the weight room, finding his son training with one of the soldiers. "Looking good, my son. But not good enough!"
Isshin ran towards Ichigo, throwing his right fist at him, which the orange head dodged, a grin appearing on Isshin's face as he kicked Ichigo in his stomach. The impact of the kick was quite hard as Ichigo flew to the other side of the room, groaning from his father's kick. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!" Ichigo yelled, standing up from his fall and walking back to his father. "This will make you stronger." Isshin said calmly while the rest of the soldiers were present laughing. Ichigo immediately gave them an angry gaze, enough to make the soldiers stop.
"Don't you have anything useful to do, old man?" Ichigo walked towards the door, taking one of the towels that were on the bench. "I am doing something useful. Teaching my son how to doge my kick is always useful." The younger Kurosaki rolled his eyes, wiping the sweat off his forehead. "Dad, you know Zangetsu was right. All this time while we were fighting, I wasted time. Precious time in which I could've improved my fighting skills, strengthening the defense of the kingdom, not loosing Unohana's trust." A hint of regret could be seen in Ichigo's eyes. "Son, let's take a walk." Isshin said, waving the rest of the soldiers' goodbye.
Father and son were now walking through the halls of the Kurosaki estate. Ichigo walking behind Isshin. "You know, Ichigo, sometimes we need to make wrong decisions to make a better tomorrow. You have always tried to be so prefect. The perfect warrior, the perfect son. But when Rukia-chan came all changed and honestly, it was quite refreshing to see that your focus shifted from protecting the kingdom to protecting that person you love. Of course, that decision had some consequences..." Ichigo sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Dad, your words are not helping..." Isshin laughed. "Excuse me, Ichigo, it's just that whatever happened has already passed. You can only focus on the future, and from what your mother and I are seeing, you are improving yourself. For us, the kingdom."
"You really see that?" Ichigo stopped walking, watching his father move away from him. Isshin noticed this and turned around, nodding. "Yes my son. The way you are reconnecting with Zangetsu, immersing yourself in your training. It is making us proud." Ichigo wasn't used to his father's praise. Usually, his mother would be the one making remarks of praise. With his dad, he was only used to the ruffling, fighting and witty comments. For some reason, on this made Ichigo emotional, which he, of course, didn't show. "Thanks old man."
Isshin nodded and continued his stroll. "But Ichigo, just promise me that while you're getting stronger and improving that you do not forget yourself. Your wants and your needs. You matter too, and I hate to see my son unhappy." Ichigo nodded while following his dad. "I'll try my best. Sometimes it's hard to indicate what is best for both me and the people around me. Being in a relationship already brought damage to us. I don't want to risk anything else." This time in turn Isshin nodded, a smile appearing on his lips. "But it seemed you already made up your mind. You're not going after Rukia?" A frown appeared on Ichigo's face. "Why would I? A person leaving me hanging like that isn't worth my time. I've got better things to do." He returned his father's smile with a smirk of his own. Isshin loved to see his son confident and getting back on his feed. This indeed wasn't the right time to tell him about the appointment. Who knows what it could stir up inside him. "It was nice talking to you, dad."
"Likewise." And with that, Isshin left.
Two gray orbs were filled with tears, the skin surrounding the eyes all red and puffy. Inoue Orihime was sitting with her knees hugged to her chest, her body trembling as she recalled the events of the early evening. Inoue Orihime usually didn't get mad, but right now, she was raging with anger. How dare they do this to her?! How could they take her body and put something inside that she didn't even agree with?! She never had her first kiss, let alone be physically close or have intercourse with someone she loved. Once again, Inoue Orihime felt violated and disgusted with herself. Disgusted with the fact that she wasn't strong enough to defend herself from what took place. Honestly, she felt disappointed with herself. Why couldn't she be strong like Tatsuki? Why did she have to be so weak and helpless?
Soft sobs turned into louder ones, the girl crying out her heart as she suddenly heard the door open. It was Youruichi entering the room, a subtle but concerned look on her face. "Orihime, I'm so sorry..." The auburn haired girl wanted to spat something mean and ugly to the woman, but managed to only bring out a loud sob, tears staining her beautiful porcelain face. "I know that my words cannot bring any comfort to you, but I do want you to know I'm here for you." Orihime simply stared down at her knees. The girl couldn't care less about the words of Yoruichi. She was not only held against her own will, but now she had to experience bearing a child she did not even choose. This was far from how she imagined her life to be.
"Also, I'm here to introduce your new personal guard." Youruichi said, keeping distance between herself and the girl. "I know this isn't the best time, but he will take care of your needs. Especially now." Orihime looked up and wiped her tears away. "Now is not the best time... I look like a mess." She managed to utter. "I can understand, but this will only take a moment. He is aware of your current mental state, so please do not worry."
How Orihime managed to sit up and pull herself together was a mystery to herself. She wiped her tears away once again and calmed herself down with a glass of water, which she gulped down in a few seconds. "Let's just get this over with..." She mumbled.
"Come on in!" Youruichi said firmly. The door opened and a very pale, almost gray of color male appeared with piercing green eyes. His hair as dark as the night sky, his body slender as if he were almost underfed. "Orihime, meet Uliquorra, your new guard." Two big eyes widened at the sight of the green-eyed male, the lips of the female parting as a gasp of surprise escaped her. The male before her decided not to respond to her reaction and simply nodded. "Nice to meet you, woman. Let's get along." His voice cold and unfriendly, almost sarcastic.
Youruichi also noticed Orihime's response and made a note in her head about it. "Be nice to her, I'm warning you, Uliquorra." The male lifelessly glanced at Yoruichi, a chuckle escaping him. "I'll be outside if you need me." Orihime didn't react and was still fazed by the male his appearance. "Well, Orihime, I'll leave you to it. I'll stop by somewhere this week. Meanwhile, have a good rest." Orihime nodded, but was already deep in thought. So deep that she did not notice the two leaving her room.
Orihime was shocked, and she wasn't sure if all this shock would be good for her body. First she found out that she is around 2 weeks pregnant, and now she also came face to face with her childhood friend. The male that was in front of her earlier was her long-lost childhood friend. The first person besides her brother she let inside her heart. The friend she thought died because he vanished into thin air. Orihime's world was suddenly turned upside down and with all these developments she didn't know what to think. He acted like he didn't recognize her, and that was the most surprising to her. She knew it had to be him.
A few moments later, Orihime opened her door and walked out, looking around just to be met with Uliquorra's gaze. "You!" She gasped, her finger pointing to the male in front of her. "Y-You're s-supposed to be dead." She said softly, taking account their surroundings. "It seems even the dead can return." Uliquorra said sarcastically, shoving her hand away from him. "That's not funny." Orihime hissed, tears once again forming in her eyes. "I thought I had lost you forever. What are you doing here? In this dump? Why are you working for these people?" Uliquorra seemed not to care about her questions and crossed his arms, adverting his gaze from the beauty in front of him. "Go back to your room, woman. I do not owe you an explanation. You're simply a prisoner, and I am your guard." Orihime didn't take no for an answer and shook her head. "No. I'm not going back until you tell me how you got here."
"Woman, don't make me move you to your room. I'm not afraid to use force." He said coldly, leaning into her, so he could reach her ear. "Your Onii-chan isn't here to save you like old times." Orihime's eyes widened once again, and she swallowed before taking a step back, her eyes now showing anger. His words reminding her of the fact that her brother now is gone and isn't coming back. "How dare you bring my Onii-chan into this!" Without her noticing, in a flash her left hand made contact with his face, the palm of her hand slapping the man across his cheek. She soon retreated into the room, the door slamming behind her.
Gosh, I feel so bad for Orihime. She's struggling so much! This chapter honestly wasn't my favorite to write, but it's needed for story building... I'm sure many of you are dying to see/read Ichigo meeting our pregnant Hime, but please bear with me! I'll have them meet soon because I'm even ready for some IchiHime interaction. ^0^)/. Also, next chapter I'll give a special shoutout to my readers who've been loyal to reading my stories and leaving a review. So, please look forward to that next month as well!
Once again thank you for reading, and I would appreciate it if you leave a review :)
Until next time!