Hello! Vaerin here (obviously, who else would be typing on my fic ;p). I think you'll all notice that I haven't posted anything other than this today, I'm really sorry about that. This weekend, I'm not writing until I'm all caught up with homework, notes, and I have to study for two exams T^T Please show a bit of sympathy. To make up for not posting the other fics, I'll continue to post this one daily if I find the time =) Thank you, and I hope to get back on track on Monday! =D

Part 15- Nelliel

Ichigo glowers in fury, wrapped in a blanket as he sits Indian style on a bed. His egg, still warm and unharmed, is in his lap and hidden beneath said blanket. Across from him is a busty woman with long sea green hair and large innocent hazel orbs, a grin on his lips as he leans forward expectantly.

"So… You're my little Grimmy's mate," she says in a teasing tone. "I had no idea you were so cute!"

"… You know Grimmjow?" the teen wonders cautiously.

"I do, I raised him. You could say, I'm like his older sister… or mother."

"… He's here?"

"Not yet, hunny," she waves off. "Gin went to go get him. He left you with me because Aizen won't bother me… he's not that stupid."

"Aizen will come for me if he knows where i am. He wants to kill Grimmjow and me for loving each other."

"No he doesn't, he want to use you're abilities for his own personal gain. Even I know that and I've been a deserter since Grimmy turned twelve and Aizen took him from me."

"… How old is Grimmjow anyway?"

"He's twenty in looks, but for some reason we always stop aging once we hit a certain age… it varies between Espada, but Grimmy stopped at twenty. I think it's his feline blood."

"So… how old is he?"

"I really don't know, we always just stick with the age we stop on," she shrugs.

"You mean, he could be… like… fifty something? And I'd never know?"

"Pretty much. All the evolved gargoyles stop aging at a certain age, weren't you told that?"

"No, nobody tells me anything!"

Nell laughs at that, patting his head and ruffling orange locks. Ichigo is still disgruntled about being dropped off with this strange woman, but it helps that she raised Grimmjow and she doesn't work for Aizen. For a brief moment, he wonders what's going on with everyone. Byakuya has been a little off since bringing him back, it seems everyone is about to kill Aizen, and he just feels like there's something more happening. He runs a hand across the smooth surface of his egg, sighing as he feels the telltale trace of a heartbeat against the shell.

"I wish he would've told me you were expecting," Nell sighs. "I would've liked to have been there."

"He wasn't there… I don't think he knew, I know I didn't."

"Seriously? Usually he's really good at picking up that sort of thing."

"We were sort of… busy," Ichigo blushes brightly. "And there were a lot of times we couldn't see each other for weeks."

"You certainly don't look like you were carrying."

"I stayed the same the whole time," the teen shrugs. "I don't know why."

"Hmm… perhaps it's a failsafe ability. You were feeling threatened, right? Well, your body could've used the ability without your notice. It could've masked the fact you were carrying by creating a space within you to keep it."

"… Like a void?"

"Sure. There are a lot of strange abilities out there, I wouldn't be surprised one bit if you had that one. Gin says you're really special, that your egg is a perfect egg and won't crumble before it's hatched. If that's so, you should've acquired special abilities to keep it safe."

Ichigo nods, unease settling within him once more. Something dangerous is nearby, something he's not sure he wants to be around. Nell must've felt this as well, because her hazel eyes have grown sharp and hard.

"Ichigo, you need to stay here," she says quietly. "Grimmjow will be here soon, but you have to stay safe until then. No matter what happens, no matter what you hear… stay hidden."

He nods quickly, Nelliel leaving the hidden room before sliding the wall back in place. She checks that it's unnoticeable, spraying her perfume around the areas Ichigo has been to cover up his own scent, and then moves to step outside. Dropping down from the skies, Aizen lands before her. From the forest, though he can fly himself and prefers to act the Shinigami he's not, is Yamamoto.

"Nelliel," Aizen smiles. "It's been far too long since I've needed your help."

"And it'll be far longer before I give it to you," she scoffs. "You wanted my little headache, so you'll deal with him. That's what I've told you the last ten times you came whining to me about his behavioral problems, and that what I'm gonna tell you every time in the future."

"Ah, yes… Grimmjow does have quite the behavioral problem," he grumbles. "But this time I wish for you to find a missing gargoyle for us."

"Us?"

"Yamamoto and I have decided that locating the teen in question is far more important than fighting over him… for the moment."

"Once he's found, we'll debate who has the right to use his ability," the old man adds. "I for one, feel he'd much rather stay with the Shinigami."

"You two are unbelievable!" the woman growls. "Fighting over who can control a child! Have you all forgotten that fate decides that? Have you all forgotten that nature uses 'the call' to choose who controls one like the teen you're fighting over? Don't think I don't know all your dirty little secrets, I'm all too aware."

The two are silent in the face of her anger, but their eyes are narrowed in their displeasure of her tone. Nelliel never got along with these two for the sole reason that they think they're better than her, she who raised the majority of those born in the second batch of conversions… what a laugh. They'll never be better than she is, and it's time she reminds them of that.

"You'll do well to rethink your priorities, boys," she hisses. "Or you just may make matters worse for you. Your clans won't take things the way they are without a fight, not that you belong in those clans anyway."

"Insolent…"

"Enough! You find this boy on your own, I'm not helping you anymore," she growls out. "Whatever problems you have are yours, not mine. I left the Espada long ago and I don't plan of making alliances with anyone but me and my own."

"The Espada are your own," Aizen says smugly.

"No, Grimmjow is my own," Nell snarls. "He is my family, my child, and no one matters more to me than him. If I find out you cause him harm in any way… I will hunt you down and you'll plead for me to kill by the time it's over."

Grimmjow: Once more, if Vaerin doesn't get caught up on Monday, Shiro and I will personally take care of her.

Vaerin: 8( I don't think I like that idea.

Shiro: I do! My protege needs discipline!

Vaerin: NOOOOOOOOO! D8