A LITTLE LOVE: I'm just going to say that I got a review from a little someone last chapter, and I literally haven't been so motivated! Expect a ton of chapters coming fast, and hopefully good quality. Thank that little someone for my motivation!
Without further ado, shall we be on with the story?
The two jumped out of the portal, as Kisuke had his usual shifty grin. "Welcome back! My oh my… what is this?" he asked as he walked up to them. Kisuke tossed Yoruichi some clothes as he walked over to Orihime.
He looked at the Arrancar for a moment, before turning his eyes to Orihime. "I have to admit… this is quite the surprise…" he said smoothly, as Orihime put Ulquiorra down, and bent down next to him.
Yoruichi walked out from behind the rock, dressed this time and in her human form. "Tell me about it. She practically threw me right through Las Noches' wall with that shockwave."
"Shockwave?" Kisuke asked.
"She used her Shun Shun Rikka, but far more powerfully. It managed to reform the Arrancar, but we don't know if he's still… himself. Or if he has his powers."
Kisuke put his fan in front of his face and delved into his thoughts for a moment.
"She revived him?" he asked simply, and Yoruichi nodded.
Kisuke looked at Orihime, who was too busy gazing at Ulquiorra to notice the spotlight.
"I see." Kisuke said simply, then gave Yoruichi a smile.
"Well! Only time will tell if he's gained his powers. I will gather the others!" he said brightly, turning on his heel.
"Eh?" Orihime asked, looking up at Kisuke.
"Best not to have them run into Ulquiorra alone. That would risk either the Espada's sake, your friend's sake, or both." he said as he climbed out of the training ground.
"I'll be over by the springs, if you need me let me know. I've gotta get rid of these cramps!" Yoruichi said, as Orihime gave a simple 'uh huh' in return.
Orihime couldn't help but continue to take in all his features… she had to be dreaming. After all this time… all these dreams… he's lying right before her.
Though, unconscious.
She grumbled in disappointment and bit her lip. She wanted to see those beautiful lush green eyes, and hear that relaxing tone-
'No! Bad Orihime!' she scolded herself, and shook her head.
She turned her attention back down and smiled. "He looks so peaceful while he's asleep." she mumbled, and carefully traced the tear marks on his face. She leaned down closer to him.
"Please… don't mess this second chance up… Ulquiorra… If not for your sake… then for mine." she whispered quietly.
Nothingness.
Void.
Emptiness.
Happiness.
At least, that's what Ulquiorra had assumed would happen after his defeat. He was finally in what he enjoyed… the void. In a sense, he was at peace.
Minutes turned to hours… hours turned to days… days turned to weeks… weeks turned into months… and months turned into a year.
A year of peace.
Of course, Ulquiorra knew that time was untraceable in his state.
That was, until he heard… something. This snapped him out from his daze, yet he saw nothing. Once again, the silence fell over the void he found himself floating in again.
But then… it came again.
This time… clearer…
"...you finally understood what a heart was…-" then it faded to inaudible muttering. He couldn't identify the voice… he could barely hear anything.
"...I'm not afraid… Ulquiorra…." That… was enough for him. He knew who it was… it was the woman
. "…I understand now… that you just wanted a purpose…" it continued… him only being able to make out parts of it.
Then… it came so clear. "I hope you hear this… and understand that I'll never give up on you… and I'll always hold a place in my heart for you… even if that place will forever remain empty…"
He did the equivalent to turning over on your side away from the alarm clock in the morning, just in the void. He tried to muffle out her voice.
Not now.
Not when he just found peace.
"I will never forget you, Ulquiorra."
Now this… this was clear. And this intrigued him. He stopped trying to muffle it out, and decided to continue to listen. He began to hear her distant sobs…
…for him…
He felt his non-existent body ache and knew… he knew… he couldn't hide any longer.
Oh how much I am going to regret this.
He began to try to focus more, as her sobs became more apparent. He wanted to try to make a swimming motion towards her… but he realized quickly his body wasn't even there.
He began to focus on his mind. He could think, probably not straight, but he could think. That's a start, right? A start is all he needed.
He began to focus all his energy and focus into his mind. Feeling himself.
The left side of his head began to ache.
There. There it was.
His hollow mask.
It wasn't exactly what he intended to feel, but it was a good boost. He focused more energy onto it… until he heard the damned quincy's voice.
"Orihime… it's time to go…"
Dammit.
He felt her presence begin to rip away, as he desperately tried to remain focused.
But it was slipping away... And fast.
He felt himself slipping into the void of nothingness again… it wasn't pleasant this time.
He was like a cat desperately trying to get out of a pool they had just fallen into. He tried to use his non-existent hands to claw back up the void.
To get to her.
But it was hopeless. She was leaving.
"I'm… going to at least leave something for him... I don't want him to be alone."
He felt her presence approach him again, and he took his chance.
Without any hesitation, he focused everything he had into his hollow mask that he could barely feel.
A ringing in his ear began to play as the pain caused him to try to scream but couldn't.
He was doing this all for a human woman… how ironic.
He excused his useless pestering thoughts and continued to focus.
Until he felt everything just cut. The weight on the left side of his head disappeared.
"I'll… see you next year, Ulquiorra…"
He felt an immense feeling of despair.
The irony.
His last thoughts, before his mind was shut off.
But now… he heard her.
"Please… don't mess this second chance up… Ulquiorra… If not for your sake… then for mine."
He felt his body.
He felt his senses.
He felt her touch.
Eventually, he strangled his eye-lids open.
Orihime slowly brushed a piece of hair out of near his eyelid as she slowly admired him. Not in a romantic way of course! She was just…
Observing her enemy, yes.
She smiled at her smart reassurance to herself. She wondered, once Ulquiorra did wake up, what would they do? Once they cleared everything up with Sado-kun, Ishida-kun and Kurosaki-kun, they could do so many things. The first thing that came to her mind was ice cream. They had to go out for ice cream! She smiled brightly at the thought of Ulquiorra trying to process how to eat ice cream. She continued to mess with his hair. Maybe he'd get confused by it melting and get frustrated because it got on his kimono or something. She could assume that his favorite type of ice cream would be a fruit or something, maybe strawberry, watermelon, black berry, blueber-
But before she could finish, she screamed as Ulquiorra's eyes shot open as she quietly fiddled with his hair.
"Agh!" she screamed as she shot away.
"Y- You scared me!" she squealed at him, as he stared at her, wide-eyed.
She crawled over to him and plopped down, staring back at him awkwardly.
"Erm… Ulquiorra?" she slowly asked, waving her hand above his head.
He shot up, causing a squeak from Orihime as he observed his surroundings.
"Where am I?" he asked in his usual monotone voice.
Orihime smiled, "Kisuke Urahara's training grounds under his shop." she said softly.
"Urahara?" he asked slowly, and she nodded.
"The creator of the Hōgyoku." he said aloud, noting to himself.
"-swear he's harmless right now. He's unconscious -"
Kisuke stared at the very much awake Ulquiorra staring into his soul.
"...I retract my previous statement." he mumbled as Ichigo, Chad, and Uryu all poked their heads around him.
"Kisuke Urahara. Uryu Ishida. Sado Yasutora… Ichigo Kurosaki." he said emotionlessly as Ichigo and Uryu stared at him in disbelief, and Chad stared at Orihime questioningly, recalling what he had seen earlier at the house.
"Alright… So let me just… like… start this without a punch to Ulquiorra's face…" Kisuke said desperately, as Ichigo and Uryu tried to peek around him getting in front of them.
He put his fan up to his face, hiding a sly smile. "Orihime has brought back Ulquiorra with her Shun Shun Rikka, and now it appears he's awakened. We're figuring out what to do with him right now, so I brought you all here so you wouldn't kill him on sight…"
"W… what?!" Both Ichigo and Uryu yelled in unison, as Chad walked back Kisuke and the two boys. Kisuke continued to explain the details to them, as Sado walked over and crouched down next to Orihime and Ulquiorra, watching the slight fight.
"So let me get this straight… you expect me to just let a hollow, nonetheless an Arrancar, and even more so Ulquiorra Cifer, to waltz around and just tolerate him?!" Ichigo barked at Kisuke, as he raised his fan in front of his face. "Yes…?" he said slowly.
"I hate to associate with this moron, but I agree. I don't believe letting him wander, even if he's in a constricted gigai, is a good idea." Uryu said, pushing his glasses up and closing his eyes.
Ichigo shot him a death glare. "I'm not a moron!"
"Yes you are! You barely even think before speaking!"
"Do not!"
"Do too!"
The others all sweatdropped as they watched the two go back and forth, and Ulquiorra sat there confused as hell.
Eventually, he spoke up. "Constricted gigai?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as Kisuke.
Kisuke smiled.
"It'll seal your powers off if you regain them."
"Regain them?" He asked, as he stood up and tried to sonido
Nothing.
Cero?
Nothing.
"I see," he said emotionlessly, putting his hand back down.
"The gigai will also mask your spiritual pressure… just in case…"
"In other words, he's too lazy to deal with the Soul Society about this right now!" Yoruichi yelled as she jumped down from a rock in her human form.
Sado gave a nod of acknowledgement towards the woman, and she returned it.
"That's one way you could word it, Miss Yoruichi." he said with a wide smile from behind his fan as she walked beside him.
"Seems like our guest has awoken from his little nap, eh?" she asked, looking over at Ulquiorra, who had his hands in his pockets and his eyes closed.
"Yep, and it seems… the reunion is going well." he said, and looked over at Uryu and Ichigo arguing.
Ichigo shot Kisuke a dirty look, "Is not! I'm not tolerating that Arrancar!" he snapped at Kisuke, before turning back to Uryu.
"Heh, I don't exactly know what you could expect, Kisuke." she said, crossing her arms.
Orihime poked her fingers together, before looking at Kisuke with questioning eyes. "How can Ichigo-kun see Ulquiorra if he doesn't have spiritual awareness?"
The room fell silent.
"That… is a very good question." Uryu said, pushing up his glasses.
"Shut it, glasses freak!" Ichigo shot at him.
Uryu glared at him, "I was merely stating a simple statement, Ichigo!"
"Well, nobody asked!" he snapped back.
Ulquiorra ignored the two pestering boys and looked at Orihime. "Woman, I request to speak to you."
Orihime looked at him, caught off guard by his sudden request.
A request, not an order.
"Uh… sure." she mumbled and walked over next to him.
He stared at her for a moment, "In private."
Ichigo shot him a death look at hearing that. "No can-do freak! You shouldn't even be near her!" he snapped at him, finally ignoring Uryu.
"Ichigo it's fine, they'll be visible, just out of earshot." Yoruichi said.
"I don't care… he could be saying some terrible things to her…" he grumbled back
"Ichigo…"
"Fine. But if it takes too long, I'm coming over there."
Orihime smiled, as Ulquiorra sighed.
Her and Ulquiorra walked over to a nearby mound of rocks, and leaned against them looking at her.
"What is it, Ulquiorra?" she asked, as she fidgeted with her fingers.
"I have multiple questions, but I will start out simple, as I'm aware it takes time for you to comprehend a situation."
"Hey! That's not true!" she retorted.
Ulquiorra just rolled his eyes slightly.
"Were you performing human grieving rituals at my death spot?"
She froze up, and looked at him nervously.
"Uh… yeah…" she admitted, her arms flopping to her sides.
"Why?"
She had expected him to ask that… many people had already. Ulquiorra himself probably wanted to know the most why she mourned him.
Yet she herself… still not knowing the full answer to that at times.
"I guess… I just didn't want you to be alone…" she started, then looked up into his lush green eyes. "...even in death. I wanted to be there for you. I believed you…" she trailed off, remembering just who she was talking to.
She took a deep breath. "...and I believed you deserved a second chance." she finished finally.
Ulquiorra had a small tint of surprise in his expression for a split second, and quick enough for Orihime to not notice.
"Ludicrous, I was your captor, and your enemy." he stated emotionlessly, closing his eyes.
Orihime felt a bit of anger boil up in her from that, and she wasn't too sure why.
Before she could respond though, he asked another question. "How long have I been dead?"
She cleared her throat at how blatantly he said it, "Passed away." she corrected quickly and uncomfortably.
No response.
"A year. Today marks one year." she said softly, rubbing her arm.
He opened his eyes and bore into her grey stormy pools for a moment. "Has Aizen-sama been defeated?" He already knew the answer to that.
If Kisuke, Kurosaki, the woman, Uryu and Sado are all alive, it would be obvious.
And he didn't deny it at all. Lord Aizen has most likely been defeated, he just wanted to confirm.
"A- Aizen? Oh. S- Sort of, he's kind of been…" she hesitated, looking at his reaction.
Obviously, he gave none.
She realized it wouldn't be wise to tell the enemy that their leader is in confinement and still alive.
"...defeated. Yes." she mumbled the last part.
"I see." was his only response, as he closed his eyes.
In a way, he was relieved he would not have to deal with fighting the human trash all over again right now, as he did not feel like having to deal with that.
"Have the Espada been terminated?"
She stiffened up at having to tell him that all his… friends is a strong word. Comrades, yes that's it; have been murdered.
She cleared her throat and slowly nodded while Ulquiorra watched her.
Orihime thought he would dismiss her now, but he didn't.
More awkward questions… great.
"Why did you use your Shun Shun Rikka to revive me?"
Orihime stiffened up instantly. She was instantly questioning how he knew that she revived him. How did he know? Did he hear her pleas? Did he hear her commands? Did he… hear her promises?
Had he been listening in that entire time? Had he really heard everything she said to that mound of sand in Hueco Mundo?
Had he been the one to send the hollow mask?
Much to Ulquiorra's surprise, Orihime slapped herself and flicked her forehead. "Stop it, Orihime! You're overthinking again!" she scolded herself as she giggled. Ulquiorra stared at her, slightly wide-eyed.
She turned her attention back to him, and went a deep shade of red.
"Oh… I said that aloud. Sorry." she murmured.
He stared at her, as she awkwardly shuffled a bit.
"You did not answer my question, woman." he ordered strictly, as she shook her head to get back to reality.
"Uh… that's a hard question… uhm…" she awkwardly looked at him, as he stared her down with his usual cold, stoic expression.
Why did he have to make this so hard?
"Answer." he ordered, as Orihime stiffened more at the order.
"Alright! You guys are taking too long! I'm coming over here!" Ichigo announced as he barged into the conversation.
Orihime couldn't help but smile a silent 'Thank you' to Ichigo, as he put his hand on Orihime's shoulder.
Ulquiorra stared daggers at the highlighter.
The Espada turned on his heel and left the two alone, as Ichigo walked in front of Orihime. "Are you alright? What did he say to you?" Ichigo asked frantically.
Orihime couldn't help but blush at the worry from her dear orange haired friend. "No, no, it's O.K! He was just asking me normal questions. Like what happened to Aizen and such and how long he… was passed away…" she mumbled that last part, as her gaze found its way to the ashen man. He leaned against a rock pillar not far, eyes closed, hands deep in pockets.
'I wonder what he's thinking about…'
"Orihime? Are you O.K?" he asked softly and concernedly. Orihime shook her head to wake back up to reality. "Y- Yeah, sorry." she mumbled, as Ichigo let out a sigh.
"Are you sure?" he asked, as Orihime smiled.
"Yes…" she said softly, and softened her face at her friend's concerns.
"Carry it like you're carrying a real body! Well. Technically you are… but that's beside the point!" Kisuke said as Sado carried down a blank gigai, just a grey figure.
"Why is it blank?" Ichigo asked, as him and Orihime walked over to the others.
"It's an adaptable gigai! I decided to make a few a while ago, so this'll nicely match Ulquiorra's appearance… if he needs it that is."
"What do you mean by that?" Ichigo asked skeptically, as Kisuke put his fan in front of his face again.
"Well… it seems that trudging the weight of a proper gigai might prove… consequential to his soul's health due to its weakened state. It appears that he is already visible to basic humans without spiritual awareness. I have simply made this gigai to seal his powers if they were to return." he beamed proudly, as Uryu smirked at Ichigo.
Ichigo scoffed at being called a 'basic human'.
Ulquiorra walked over and inspected the gigai that laid on the ground; inspecting being standing over it, not bending over. Just observing it with his eyes down like a cat to a wounded mouse.
"This will not do." he stated simply, as everyone turned their attention to him.
"Ay, we're not asking for your opinion on the damn baggage here. Just put it on." Ichigo barked at him, as Ulquiorra looked at the tempered male.
"If you humans are anything like I've observed, my appearance will cause questions, and possibly public panic."
Kisuke hummed for a moment, before walking over to the gigai. "I'll put a seal on a light-weight gigai then."
"A light-weight gigai?" Ulquiorra asked, looking up at the shifty shopkeeper.
He smiled from behind his fan, "A light-weight gigai is a temporary solution to a weakened soul. It'll cover up your appearance, but it won't have many consequences that come with a regular gigai. The issue is, it's weaker. It doesn't last long either, a month or so I'd say at max if you treat it with care."
"I am aware of how to take care of my own body." he stated blatantly, as Orihime giggled from the back.
"Well… this gigai will be equivalent to a child's body… you'll see…" he said, as he gestured to Sado to come pick the seal gigai up.
The two made their way up. As the two disappeared upstairs, Ichigo turned his attention to the Arrancar.
"Listen, we're both powerless. Temporary truce?" Ichigo asked, reaching his hand out towards the Espada. Green eyes looked down at his outstretched hand, then slowly met deep brown eyes.
"I will not make a truce with such trash, nor will I make contact with it."
Ichigo's outstretched hand's fingers scrunched up, and his smile became rough and his eye twitched. "I was doing this so I wouldn't beat the shit out of you…" he said through gritted teeth.
"That sounds like a personal issue you must deal with yourself."
Uryu glanced over at the two, as he walked over to Orihime. "Did he just pull a 'that sounds like a you issue.' on Ichigo?" he whispered to Orihime, as she slowly nodded.
"Do you want to die?" Ichigo asked, his face still with the rough aggressive smile, and his eye twitching.
"I could ask the same for yourself, Kurosaki."
Orihime and Uryu sweatdropped as the two went back and forth. Ichigo getting angrier and Ulquiorra looking unphased, just casually throwing rationalized insults back.
"At least they're getting along…" Orihime mumbled, as Uryu watched them fight.
Ichigo was about to throw another insult (that more than likely would hit him back tenfold by Ulquiorra) when Kisuke came back down, with Sado in the back.
A similar gigai from earlier was being carried over Sado's shoulder.
"Here's your new body! Temporarily, that is." Kisuke said, as Sado leaned the grey figure against a few rocks. Ulquiorra walked over and observed it, before looking over at Kisuke.
"This will adapt to my appearance?"
Kisuke gave a nod, and he looked down at the gigai, took in a deep breath, and entered it.
After a few moments, he opened his eyes, and stood up. He had his kimono on, yes… but it felt big. He looked down, and then saw that his sleeves were far bigger, and the kimono was basically hanging off of him.
His eyes narrowed when he stood up.
Orihime let out a squeal and bolted over to him, and bent down. "Oh my god! Kisuke you didn't tell us it'd turn him into an actual child!" she squealed excitedly.
"What do you mean by child" he asked strictly as Orihime looked at him.
Kisuke hid his smirk from behind his fan, as Ulquiorra shot him daggers through his eyes.
"It's only temporary, Ulquiorra. It's the only way to make you physically weaker without… making it look unnatural. We'll put you in a proper gigai once your soul has recovered. It'll only be about a few days up to a week knowing your power." Kisuke handed him a hand mirror.
He instantly noted that his hollow mask was still there, but looking far more innocent and the horn was a stub. His skin was still pale, but not as pale as it usually was. His tear marks were gone as well, but his eyes remained a lush green.
Orihime smiled as she lifted up the oversized sleeves, which Ulquiorra instantly ripped away out of her grip. "Don't." he practically hissed at her, as she smiled wide.
She began to giggle, "Your voice! I can't!" she laughed, as she almost fell over.
Ulquiorra glared at her, he was already trying to ignore that his voice was higher pitched.
Two shadows hovered to the side of him, as he turned his gaze up to the now smirking Ichigo with his arms crossed, and Uryu adjusting his glasses. "This is very… interesting." the quincy said, as Ulquiorra's face tightened into a glare at the two.
"Well, you're lucky I'm not so low to beat up a child…" Ichigo said mockingly, as Ulquiorra glared at him. "I may have the appearance of a child, but I am not a child." he stated back, as Ichigo couldn't help but smirk wider at him trying to make his voice sound deep. "Would you rather me beat you up right now then?"
Ulquiorra frowned, as he glared at the two teens.
As he looked at the two, he felt the stub of his horn get rubbed, and he shot his attention back to the woman, who had just retracted her hand, and quickly stood up, acting innocent. "Do not touch me, woman." he growled at her, while trying to keep his monotone voice.
Kisuke tilted his hat up, and walked over. "Well, as much as I should, and would totally love too... I have too many kids in my shop already. Unless you'd like to work for me?" Kisuke asked, the shadow of his hat now covering his features, but one eye out, as he leaned down to Ulquiorra.
Ulquiorra glared at the shopkeeper.
"That's what I thought, who volunteers?" he asked, looking at the teens around. Uryu instantly backed up, as Kisuke looked at Ichigo.
"Oh hell no, you can't make me take care of that… that thing." he said, as he glared at Ulquiorra.
"I'll take him!"
Kisuke, Chad, Yoruichi, Uryu and Ichigo all turned their gazes to the now smiling Orihime, as she held her hands up to her chest.
"Orihime, you can't!" Uryu said, as Orihime gained a wide smile.
"Do you think I'm not a capable mother?" she asked, as she picked up Ulquiorra in a cradle position.
Ichigo snorted, and Uryu went deep crimson. "N- No…" He mumbled, pushing his glasses up.
Ulquiorra tried to push away from the woman, as he tried to get out of her arms. "Put me down, woman!" he snapped at her, as she quickly put him down. Ulquiorra; out of habit, tried to put his hands in his pockets, but realized they were dragging across the ground.
He let out a frustrated sigh, looking down at his outfit.
"I'll grab some of Jinta's extra clothes. After that, you're out of my shop." he said as he turned to exit the training ground.
Ulquiorra turned his attention up to Orihime, as she smiled down at him. "I am not your child, do not treat me as such. Nor am I your friend, or comrade."
Orihime gave him a pouty lip. "B- But Ulquiorra!"
Ulquiorra glared harshly at the woman, before turning to walk back over to the area he was leaning against originally. Much to the little Espada's dismay, he instantly tripped on his own outfit, and face planted.
Perhaps I should've stayed dead.
Ulquiorra shuffled up, and picked up all his kimono jacket and baggy pants, holding them up like a dress, as he walked back to the area.
Ichigo couldn't help but snort as the kimono tails dragged slowly behind him.
Once he reached the area, he noted his stamina was terrible. He collapsed on his backside, and perched himself up with his two small hands through his sleeves, with his legs spread.
He leaned back on the rock, and looked up. He slowly dragged his hand across his now smooth soft hollow mask, all the scars on it gone.
This is going to be unpleasant.
At some point, he had fallen asleep. He woke up leaning against the rock, as the artificial sky blinded him. He opened his eyes to see Kisuke talking to Uryu, and Orihime and Ichigo sitting with each other at a nearby rock.
He listened slightly into what the two orange haired teens were talking about.
"...can't trust him… even if he is restricted, he can still… say things." Kurosaki said, as he observed the woman's reaction.
She frowned at him, and looked down. "I know he can, but I want to do this. He's my responsibility now. You know, with me resurrecting him and all…"
Ulquiorra's eye twitched a bit. 'Responsibility? I told them that I am not a child just because I have the body of one. I am no one's responsibility, nor concern.'
"Orihime…"
Before Ichigo could continue, Kisuke walked over, smiling behind his fan. "Ulquiorra! I see you're awake!"
He looked at the shopkeeper, wasn't that obvious enough?
"Well, after I saw that you had dozed off, I decided to take the nap as a good time to make an outfit appropriate for you… and your new size." Kisuke said, as Ulquiorra noticed a mix of black and white clothes under his arm.
He dreaded to see what abomination that he had created, and expected him to wear.
Surprisingly he proceeded to pull out an exact replica of his Arrancar outfit, kimono tails, collar, and everything. Ulquiorra felt a bit relieved he wasn't being forced into a onesie or some revolting child's outfit.
How had he managed to make it so quickly? He didn't know.
And he honestly didn't care.
Kisuke tossed it down on the little Espada,along with the bottom half of the outfit, as it settled over him. He quickly scrambled it off and excused himself behind a further out rock.
Orihime watched him get out of view, and looked over at Ichigo. "I'll be O.K, alright?"
Ichigo frowned, "I know… I'm just worried, alright? After everything he's done… it just doesn't feel right."
Orihime nodded, "I understand, but he deserves a second chance."
The second Ulquiorra walked out from behind the rock, hands in pockets, his bigger kimono getting dragged behind him, he was swooped up by Orihime in a hug. "Oh my god he's so cute!" she squealed, hugging him.
"Woman! You're suffocating me!" he pleaded, but still managed to make the plea emotionless somehow.
She put him down, and picked up his old outfit, rolling it around her arm.
"I'll take that off of you." Kisuke said, as Orihime handed him the outfit.
Ulquiorra stared daggers.
"Don't worry, I'll just clean it and lock it away, I won't mess with it." Kisuke said, as he put the outfit under his arm.
Ulquiorra; much to his pleasure, slid his hands in his pockets and began to walk past the woman. "What will my… supervision circumstances be?" he asked as he stopped towards Kisuke, and he opened his fan with his open arm.
"Of course! You will be going to school with Orihime… say… a mandatory babysitting of a cousin because of a family emergency." he said.
Ulquiorra's eye twitched. 'To school? All day?'
'As if the world already didn't hate me enough.'
"As well as living with her, and mostly being supervised. Orihime, try to bring him everywhere and keep a constant eye on him when possible." Kisuke continued. Orihime put her hands up to her chest and nodded determinedly.
Ichigo shuffled over and raised an eyebrow at Kisuke, "What do you mean… by… everywhere." he grumbled, giving Kisuke a death stare.
"When possible. That supervision excludes showering of course, Ichigo." Uryu said as he walked next to him, and Ichigo glared at him, crimson.
"I wasn't thinking that, Uryu!" He retorted, trying to hide his flusterment.
"Try to make a place for him in your room. Basic things for a kid shouldn't' be worried for, since he may be in a child's body, but this is still Ulquiorra Cifer, an Arrancar." Kisuke interrupted, as Ulquiorra looked up at the shopkeeper.
At least someone saw it how he did.
"Now! Time for you kids to head back!"
Ulquiorra glared at the shopkeeper, as he leaned in towards Ulquiorra with his fan to block their faces.
"No pun intended."
Ulquiorra's frown deepened.
"Whelp! Orihime, come pick up your kid!" he said jokingly.
Orihime and Ulquiorra both glared at Kisuke, as he smirked.
"Alright I'll stop… Ulquiorra go to your knight in shining armor."
If Ulquiorra weren't in a child's body and had his powers inaccessible, he would've pounded Kisuke to a bloody pulp then and there.
Without warning, Ulquiorra's tiny hand was grabbed by Orihime, as he looked up at her.
He ripped his hand away from her, and put it in his pockets. "I am not your child, woman." he hissed.
Orihime smiled. "I know, it's just cute."
And with that, Ulquiorra and Orihime left the training grounds.
Uryu's face dropped and looked over at Kisuke. "Are you sure about this?"
Kisuke's face dropped as well, and he sighed. "I am. I just hope Orihime is."
"What do you mean?" Uryu asked, as he tilted his hat down.
"She was the one who chose to give him a second chance, not me."
Reviews, favorites and follows are thoroughly appreciated!
Yes, tiny Ulquiorra. Don't worry, this is mostly going to be used for the character development, so when the Ulquiorra we all know and love comes back... the Ulquihime can fully get rolling!