P . A . T . H . W . A . Y
VIII
Crimson Forest
Orihime rose from her futon, not knowing how she had gotten there, the next morning. Although she felt better, her throat was still dry, and there were still some aches and pains that refused to go away. The human girl stretched, her shoulders cracking as she lifted her arms. She tried to run her fingers through her tangled hair, but they quickly became firmly stuck somewhere halfway along her scalp.
"Ugh, I feel gross," she groaned. There was a wheezy laugh from nearby.
"You look gross, girlie," Yayo said as he was laying out her breakfast and clothes. Orihime folded her arms indignantly, glaring at the Arrancar.
"I don't remember having asked you, Mr. Yayo," she said as politely as her rising temper would allow—the insult had been unexpected, even if it were probably true.
"Got yer sharp tongue back I see," he chuckled. He shuffled nearer, and Orihime had the chance to study the bundle of cloth more closely. Instead of her usual school uniform, he held a neatly folded white—something—in his gnarled hands. The fabric looked very similar to Ulquiorra's outfit—she watched closely as the old man unfurled it. The dress was full-length, but obviously made to move around in—it was smooth, and thicker around the top. A female Arrancar's uniform, she realized, complete with black sandals and socks. "Ulquiorra-sama says you should wear this—no complaints."
"I'm not wearing that! I told him yesterday—"
"So I guess you'd rather run 'round Las Noches in your birthday suit, hm?" the old man interrupted. "He told me to tell you he knows what you said—whatever that means. I can't half understand you people no matter how much time I spend 'round you." He dumped the uniform on the end of her bed and summarily left without another word. Orihime stared after the old man inquisitively—he certainly seemed more talkative now, even if his temper was a little bit short.
She picked up the bundle of clothes, and got to her feet stiffly, testing her legs. They were still sore, but not nearly so wobbly—she supposed it was the illness that had made them so unsteady, not her run through the desert. Although, the hours of walking or running through the wastes of Hueco Mundo had certainly not helped.
Where was Ulquiorra anyway? She had expected to see him seated on the sofa, or beside her, waiting for her to wake up.
Then I suppose I have only bought you a little more time.
Orihime looked for him in the vacant doorframe as if he had only just vanished from it, not knowing whether to be elated or apprehensive. The words had been so simple, and yet she found herself repeating them in her head. He wasn't going to inform anyone of her decision—he would keep her secret. She could trust him—he wasn't the same gelid monster she had first seen all those weeks ago—at least, not with her. She hadn't been wrong to think of him as a friend, even if he was loyal to Aizen, and a Hollow. But as she thought more about what he had said, she began to wonder… What would happen to her when that time ran out? What exactly had he meant by 'a little more time'?
She walked clumsily to the bathroom, pondering over the Arrancar's words, but it only made her more frustrated—why couldn't he just explain himself properly?
Orihime walked stiffly back into her little room, the dress she had been given fitted around her body. It was at least comfortable, if not a little thick and heavy, but she felt awkward in it nonetheless—Orihime Inoue was no Arrancar. Even though her warm shower had soothed some of the aches from her muscles, she found she was still a bit sore and tired.
Ulquiorra was reposed languidly on the sofa, waiting for her return. His usually neatly kept surcoat was wrinkled and half-open, exposing his sinuous frame and the upper muscles of his stomach; his hair was unkempt and shaggy. A tiny grin wound its way over her lips—it was the first time she'd seen him looking so relaxed. The Espada looked a little weary—his eyes were closed. But he seemed to perk up when he sensed her presence. As she stepped over the threshold, she saw his gaze travel up her slim form, resting lastly on her face. Despite herself, she felt her cheeks grow hot, and any thought she had given to complaining about her new wardrobe was swiftly washed away.
"Good morning," she said cheerily. "You look like you had a fun night."
Her meal of fruit was still spread out on the little table—grapes and apples. She made her way around to the couch, and quietly sat at a distance from him, her hand reaching for the nearest piece of fruit. He hadn't replied to the remark, so Orihime thought it best not to pursue the subject.
"So… are we going to the oasis today?" she asked, popping a grape into her mouth. "If you're not too tired?" Now that she thought about it, the idea of getting out of this little room for a while seemed wonderful. Besides, she supposed, the fresh air would do her some good—even if she knew she was a little too stiff to train properly.
"You have not completely recovered yet," he pointed out, watching her take a bite out of a particularly large red apple. "And you are to meet with Aizen-sama tomorrow." Orihime swallowed too soon, feeling rough apple scratch her still sore throat. The remark had left her both crestfallen and apprehensive. Her meeting with Aizen, tomorrow already? She was decidedly restless now, and it wouldn't do to stay in this room all day long…
"Can we at least walk around somewhere?" she begged, putting on a winning smile. "What about somewhere new? I'm sure there's lots of neat places we could go…"
"I have told you I am not a gatekeeper, woman."
"Not in my world," she said quickly. "Somewhere new here—I've only been to the oasis and around the castle." She left 'the desert' out, feeling that it would probably be a touchy thing to mention—it was for her, at least, though she couldn't quite place why. Ulquiorra relented, closed his eyes briefly.
"Very well."
They had taken a different route from her room—the green-eyed Espada leading. Orihime had brought with her two apples, unsure if Ulquiorra would want the second one. She had decided to offer it to him when she brought it along, but was already feeling rather awkward, since she didn't know if the Espada even liked apples. He hadn't eaten anything since she'd seen him, but of course, Arrancar didn't have a need to eat human food—unless they particularly enjoyed it.
Now I feel really stupid…
They took a well-lit narrow, serpentine corridor, whose walls were gilded, oddly enough, in what looked like silver. The complex baroque-style designs on the ceilings, doors, and fixtures glimmered in the firelight—every three feet, a pair of torches faced one another on the opposing walls. All of the doors were closed, but Orihime could hear hushed voices behind some of them. She stayed close beside Ulquiorra, having learned her lesson the first time she had fallen behind to examine something.
The corridor ended abruptly in a polished onyx archway leading into what looked like a mirrored antechamber. The room must have been ancient—the mirrors were faded and dirty, their once-transparent surfaces rendered opaque with dust and cobwebs. Ulquiorra placed a hand on the cleanest of the mirrors around them, and the smooth surface slid inside the wall, immediately bathing the chamber in sunlight. Orihime cried out in astonishment—the radiance reflected again and again off the mirrors, illuminating the hallway behind them as well. The silver decorations behind them gleamed and sparkled in kaleidoscopic hues.
Orihime followed him outside, into the warm sunlight, her eyes slowly becoming adjusted to the sudden change. After spending the last few days in semi-darkness, her eyes watered slightly with the brilliance of the outside world. She rubbed them and took a long moment to examine her surroundings.
It looked like a crimson forest, except that the trees here were leafless and enormous—they stood like skyscrapers all around them, ending in abruptly flat tops, like red columns supporting the azure sky. The ground around them was flat and dry, cracks in the hot sand emanating where the earth was not shadowed by the giant pillars above.
"Where are we?" she murmured, awestruck. But before she could ask anything else, she felt a sudden vice-like grip around her, and the scene was lost in a blur of color. She opened her eyes again to find that they were standing in the shadow of a crimson pillar; Ulquiorra was behind her with his back against the smooth scarlet surface, his arms wrapped around her. She heard the sound of hushed voices nearby, and gasped loudly in fright. The voices ceased for a moment; Orihime cupped her free hand over her mouth. The fourth Espada was silent, but the human girl could sense how tense he was.
"Did you hear that?" a low, gravelly voice intoned; the sound sent shivers down her spine, and left the hair standing up on the back of her neck. It was clear, yet echoing, as if the one who said it were somehow underwater. But there was no water in Hueco Mundo, Orihime thought…
"Maybe it was just an animal; I don't sense anything," a second, slightly higher voice this time; but the sound was no less harsh and echoing, as if it too came from underwater. The two voices were different, but so similar that Orihime wondered if they belonged to the same person—but why would one person speak in two different voices?
If that even is a person…
"Well you wouldn't would you, Aaroniero?" a slimy, oily voice replied sarcastically; this time it sounded distinctly human. Orihime swallowed hard, hearing padding footsteps come closer. "They aren't here yet, so perhaps we should stop jumping at every last sound we hear, hm? It's getting rather irritating."
"I heard Aizen-sama's put Ulquiorra Schiffer in charge while he leads the invasion force," the higher voice said, chortling. "You going, Nnoitora-san, or staying here?"
"Don't make me laugh," but the oily voice sounded deadly serious. "Of course I'm going, and of course Ulquiorra's going to be in charge—it was partially his plan to start with, wasn't it?" Orihime shifted uncomfortably, but the voice continued. "That's why he's got the easy bit—lying around and taking care of that human, while everyone else has to suffer. Aizen-sama touts him as being intelligent—but I think he's just lazy."
"Heard he had a rough time of it recently, though," the lower gravelly tone remarked.
"Well I suppose that's what happens when you send him along with Grimmjow Jeagerjaques," agreed Nnoitora, "and actually expect to get something done. I think Aizen-sama just sent them together to see if they would go at it—odd, yes? Especially if Ulquiorra's supposed to be held in such high esteem." He chuckled quietly. "It certainly makes one wonder…"
Orihime strained her ears to listen, but their voices were already becoming distant. Ulquiorra's hold on her did not loosen. Instead, he flash-stepped again, farther and farther away from the castle until Orihime had to lean against him to stop herself from being sick. The scarlet columns were sparser here, but much larger and less uniform—some of them tilted at odd angles, while others were jagged and rough at the top, as if some giant beast had knocked them askew and broken them.
She felt his arms loosen around her and slowly walk forward, as if lost in thought. Orihime stared at him for a few seconds before running to catch up.
The two Hollows' conversation kept echoing in her head—she remembered the conflict between Grimmjow and Ulquiorra that night, and then the offer he had given her the day before. The conflict had taken place in front of Gin Ichimaru—one of Aizen's direct subordinates; surely Aizen would know about what had transpired from the silver-haired shinigami… and then, if Ulquiorra had come to Aizen not long after 'concerning her abilities'…
I think Aizen-sama just sent them together to see if they would go at it…
Was that why he had looked so shabby this morning?
"Ulquiorra," she ventured. "You aren't… in trouble or anything are you?"
He didn't answer.
"Ulquiorra," she repeated, grabbing his wrist. They stopped abruptly, her hand still poised lightly around his arm. His cold green eyes studied the worried expression etched across her features for a long moment before returning to their view of the horizon line.
"It is none of your concern," he said gelidly.
Orihime looked at him sadly; her hand fell softly across his skin, the slim digits curled delicately over the back of his hand.
Realizing what she was doing, she took one of the apples she had brought from her pocket and placed it in his palm. He stared at her quizzically as his fingers closed around it. Her face grew warmer, though she knew it had nothing to do with the sun.
"It's an apple," she explained with a small smile. "I thought I'd bring you one, too." She brought the second apple out of the pocket of her dress, and bit into it, looking at him. He glared at the red fruit as if it had given him a grievous insult, his mouth set in a frown.
"It's really good," Orihime coaxed brightly between mouthfuls of her own snack.
He spent a few more seconds staring at it before taking a tentative bite.
Then he took another.
"Told you," she said happily.
The next few minutes were spent in silence, and while Ulquiorra didn't finish his fruit, Orihime was at least glad she had gotten him to try it. She looked around her determinedly... What else could she get him to do?
I should try to make him laugh, she thought.
But how to do it—she was nearly getting to the point now that she almost didn't believe he could; let alone smile. Maybe she should tell a joke? She vaguely remembered a joke she had heard at school once, although she couldn't exactly remember whether it had been funny or not. Orihime just remembered that most people she knew liked jokes—but then, most people she knew were human…
"Ummmm… so, there was this guy…" she began nervously, trying to bring to memory what she had heard. Ulquiorra looked at her curiously, and her face turned red. And suddenly she remembered how bad she was at telling jokes.
I tried to tell one to Chad, and all he did was stare at me…
"Are you speaking of the orange-haired shinigami?" he asked quietly, turning his gaze ahead once again. He had taken note of the color in her cheeks and her nervous reaction. Orihime stiffened, horrorstruck. It was the first time that either of them had spoken of Ichigo since the night in the desert.
"No, no!" she said loudly, waving her hands. "I was trying—I was just—I wasn't talking about him at all—I was only trying to—to talk with you." Her countenance was burning a deep magenta. It wasn't exactly what she was trying to do—but he didn't need to know the details…
"I see." The Espada closed his eyes for a moment, leaving Orihime to stare miserably at him.
Now I've just made things worse…
"What were you trying to talk with me about?" he continued.
She smiled sheepishly.
Not trying, she thought. Wanting.
Nevertheless, Orihime felt her spirits lift; she looked around wildly in search of a topic, already obviously flustered. They were walking in a white sandy plain, with nothing but odd-looking red pillars sticking out of the ground.
"What are those?" she said, pointing to the nearest scarlet column. "They look like lipstick that hasn't been used yet."
"Those are pillars, woman."
The redhead gawked at him.
Well duh.
"I meant, how did they get there?" she said matter-of-factly. "I know they're pillars."
"I do not know," Ulquiorra said after a short pause. "They were here before Aizen-sama built his castle."
"Oh—Well, there's nothing like them in my world," she remarked.
"So I have seen."
The conversation hit a dead end from there. Orihime was beginning to feel frustrated. All she'd done was bore him with things he already knew, and bring to mind again the incident in the desert—which was probably unsettling for him; it left her feeling slightly upset.
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
"Hey Ulquiorra," she said slyly. He shifted his gaze to her again, vaguely curious at her change in tone.
Orihime stuck out her tongue and wiggled it, pulling at the sides of her mouth for good measure.
Ulquiorra's eyes widened in mild astonishment.
"You should not do that with your face, Orihime; it makes you look foolish."
"That was kinda the…" she said, trailing off.
…point.
The human girl looked away, crestfallen. She had been right - it was an impossible task.
Unless…
Should she tickle him?
She knew herself to be very ticklish… but… Orihime's already red face turned the exact same color as the pillars sticking out of the earth around her.
I don't think I'm brave enough for that…
She sighed, her visage finally resuming its normal hue.
Orihime had taken two more steps before realizing he had stopped. She looked around at him. His slim figure stood out against the red giants behind it. He was even more pallid in the sunlight, the shadows that she had seen normally play about his face vanished in the stark luminescence of Hueco Mundo's midday—the green of his eyes and tearstains positively glowed with emerald brilliance. The steadily blowing wind caught in his ebony hair, and fanned it away from his face. Before she realized it, she found that she was staring…
So is he.
The pillars were really very tall here, she noticed—they looked like some of the skyscrapers in the cities she had once seen on TV.
"Are you well, Orihime?"
"Oh!" she started. "Yes, I'm okay." He was worried about her now, the redhead thought with chagrin. She supposed he should be—she probably looked pretty crazy with all her antics. Her brow furrowed. It hadn't been what she had intended at all…
"I'm sorry, Ulquiorra," she apologized, feeling horrible. "I was just trying to… get you to—you know—" She paused, willing him to use his imagination to fill in the gap, but he only seemed all the more confused.
"…smile…" she continued offhandedly, "and… well—I guess maybe it didn't work out so well—since—" She scratched the back of her head, glancing away. And now she'd gone and said too much; he'd ask her why she would want him to do such a thing. And she would know she couldn't answer; the whole thing would end in another awkward silence. Why did she always have to say too much when it came to these things? And why was she suddenly so self-conscious anyway? He'd probably noticed that, too…
"I guess I'm pretty tired," she remarked by way of excuse. Orihime walked past him in the opposite direction; her eyes were downcast, tracing the lines of the fractures in the dry hard-packed sand. "Maybe we should…" All at once, there was a gust of wind, carrying with it sand and dust. She swayed as it blew in the folds of her long dress, and coughed in the suddenly cloudy air.
"Whoa!" she cried after it subsided, and the air was nearly clear once more. The change had been so abrupt and unnatural that she cast her senses around the area, but found nothing. She turned to the pale Arrancar beside her. "Does stuff like that usually happen around here?"
But Ulquiorra's eyes were trained on something in the distance.
She followed his gaze ahead; where there had once been pillar-scattered wasteland, a gigantic sandstorm blew. The height of it reached just beneath the tops of the scarlet columns. The storm swiftly swallowed up the pillars ahead of them—it was coming closer, fast.
Orihime felt arms around her at once—she was lifted from the ground before she could even get a chance to protest. She looked up at Ulquiorra, whose eyes were still locked on the raging tempest, as if expecting something to jump out of it at any moment.
"Ulquiorra," she called over the sound of sandaled footsteps and howling winds in the distance. "It's okay, you can up me down—I can run just as well as you can—" She glanced at the scarlet earth below them, and then back at the Espada, who wore a perplexed expression. And then a look of dawning comprehension crossed her features—her face grew pale.
He wasn't running on the ground.
"W—aaah!" she yelled incoherently, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Don't put me down! Don't put me down! Don't put me down!" She caught a glimpse of the sandy earth over his shoulder, just as his feet began to lose purchase on the red column.
Orihime gasped, feeling weightless, before both Arrancar and human vanished in a sudden blur…
And then they were moving along another taller pillar, farther up this time. Orihime buried her face in his hair—remembering the dizzying feeling she had gotten in the desert every time he had flash-stepped. It made her feel nauseous. It seemed like an eternity before they made it to the top of the crimson forest. She felt the ground level out beneath her, and lifted her face to look around. The sky all around them was a blinding azure. She peered below them, at the dull yellow ground far beneath. There was no sound save for her quickened breath and the sand tempest grinding away ahead of them. But Ulquiorra still did not release her…
He stepped forwards towards the center of the pillar, just as something large and white erupted from the tempest below. It had the shape of a wolf, save for its feet, which curved viciously to form long scythe-like blades where paws should have been. The creature howled, and the sound was like that of the storm. It leaped easily from column to column, coming nearer all the while. And then there was another beside it, and another farther ahead. She heard scuffling noises at the base of their own pillar—Ulquiorra dashed sideways and leaped, just before yet another wolf-Hollow clambered to the top, stood snarling where they had rested only moments before. Its yellow eyes blazed beneath its canine skull-mask, its white mane flowing wildly in the winds it was creating. As with the Gillian, the beast ignored Ulquiorra, and focused its attention entirely on her. But why wasn't the Espada fighting them as he had then?
Two more creatures leaped on either side of them, both tapping the smooth tops of the pillars they rested on with their scimitar claws. She felt Ulquiorra hold her closer, saw his eyes shifting to each of the trio of creatures around them in turn.
And then a thought struck her…
He's afraid if he lets me go, one of them will get me…
But if he kept this up, the other three wolves would come down on them—and they would be fighting six all at once instead of three at a time. She shifted in his arms, and pulled at his coat. His eyes glanced down at her briefly, before resuming their course between the three animals before them. The air around her was stifling and frigid, despite the heat of the sun above. The longer they stood there, the more she had to concentrate on every breath she took, until it was all she could do to stay conscious.
What was going on?
The three wolves had leaped backwards, farther away from them. There was something odd about the way they moved, as if every miniature step forward cost them dearly. The beasts moved stoically now, their black tongues lolling out of their toothy maws. Every so often, one of them would whimper softly. Orihime's own breath came and went in puffs of mist—it had been so warm up here before. She grabbed weakly at the fabric of his coat, and felt the stifling atmosphere around her lessen as the Espada looked at her.
It's his spiritual pressure…
It was keeping the Hollows at bay, she realized, but they were persistent if anything. Try as he might to scare them off with what reiatsu he was using, he couldn't quite chase them away without releasing more. But the Espada knew that Orihime couldn't take much more than that from this distance—he was hoping the wolf-Hollows would eventually grow tired of waiting and run off.
"Ulquiorra, you can let me go," she murmured softly. "We can fight them together."
He glanced at her, his eyes unwilling.
"It's okay," she breathed, "you can put me down." She smiled at him, and he sighed resolutely. She felt his spiritual pressure lessen again, and breathed deeply in sweet relief. The sun was hot on her face, and the wind crisp and cool…
As soon as her feet hit the top of the pillar, the wolf nearest to them jumped. Orihime conjured her shield just in time, and felt the beast's weight against it. Her barrier held, both herself and Ulquiorra beneath its warm glow, and before the wolf-Hollow could strike again, Ulquiorra leaped and blasted it with a well-aimed burst of green energy. With an elegant mid-air twist, he landed gracefully on the pillar the creature had vacated.
All at once, the two wolves on either side of them attacked. Orihime watched in awe as Ulquiorra impaled the one on her right with his bare hands. She stopped the one on her left with a simple movement of her orange barricade, just before the Espada dashed in front of it, easily evading its slicing blades. There was another flash of viridian light, and the three immediate beasts were vanquished.
That just leaves three more…
They were hanging back, observing the battle and circling like sharks atop the crimson columns. These three were much larger than their counterparts had been, she realized. While the others had been around her height at the shoulder, these were nearly twice that. Their created wind distorted their lean shapes, each pair of eyes resting not only on Orihime, but on Ulquiorra as well. The human remained stationary, while the Hollow who guarded her leaped about in pursuit of those attacking her. If one distracted the Arrancar, and another the strange fiery barrier surrounding the human, a third could take the prize.
Suddenly, the wolf nearest Ulquiorra leaped, its blades outstretched. It opened its mouth and snarled, gusts of wind issuing from its open maw. Orihime felt it buffet her, staggering under its force. The Espada jumped, intent on impaling the beast, and at that precise moment, the other two wolves ran at Orihime from opposite directions…
The human girl froze for an instant, not knowing what to do. She couldn't defend from both sides… one of them would kill her… she wouldn't get to see her friends again… and Ulquiorra—
…will be sad…
"Ulquiorra!" she cried desperately.
Her shield had barely formed before a sudden impact shattered it completely. She saw the orange shards of it fall in glimmering pieces around her as if in slow motion. The sky above was the purest of cloudless cerulean blues. She heard the sudden clash of blades somewhere around her, and a low, keening howl that grew softer and softer. Suddenly her view flipped, and she was looking at the ground below her, turning from a distant yellow to a vibrant red. The atmosphere around her turned a brilliant green; she closed her eyes, then heard a dull thud as they hit the ground. Ulquiorra had broken her shield, she realized, and whisked her free of danger. The two wolves collided with one another instead just as they leaped free. He must have thrown more green energy as they fell…
Orihime lay without opening her eyes for several seconds, listening to the silence and thinking about what had happened, before realizing she was on top of him—he had fallen on his back. His body was lean and firm beneath hers, and her head still rested on his shoulder—she could feel his hair on her cheek. Despite his actions, his breath was calm and steady. She panicked—he hadn't made any effort to rise.
Orihime carefully moved off of him, sitting beside him. He didn't seem to be injured, she thought anxiously, only asleep—but Hollows didn't sleep, did they?
I've never seen him sleep before…
"Ulquiorra," she said worriedly, sensing his reiatsu—he seemed perfectly all right. Maybe he had only bumped his head—had the Hollows managed to harm him in some way? It had been so close… surely he would wake up soon? Should she try to heal him?
He doesn't have any wounds…
Then she would simply have to wait for him to come to. Orihime forced herself to calm down; it never helped anyone to panic in these situations. She watched him carefully, hoping he would wake soon, knowing they would be stranded up here if he did not…
At least it's warm right now…
She leaned closer.
Her face was pale and cold with fright but quickly grew warmer as her gaze traveled across his features. Her eyes traced the smooth line of his pale jaw, and studied the tousled strands of his dark hair spread in a wreath around his head. His eyes were closed, as if in uninterrupted slumber—he was neither frowning nor smiling; the emerald tearstains etched across his cheeks darkened beneath the curtain of her hair. Smooth red strands of it tickled his whitewashed visage.
Her heart thrummed in her chest… It occurred to her with a rush of excitement that she was inches away from him, and he was asleep, or unconscious. She noted how peaceful it was here after the battle; the quiet rushing sound of the wind around them only made the atmosphere more serene…
"Ulquiorra?" she murmured, but he did not stir. Orihime gingerly touched his cheek with trembling fingers. The skin felt smooth and soft beneath her hand—the sun had warmed him, and she wondered idly if he would get a tan from being out in it for so long. Her fingers moved, playing with a stray piece of silky raven hair.
I really shouldn't be doing this… he could wake up any second now…
She smoothed his jagged bangs away from his eyes gently, her eyes traveling to the piece of broken mask covering half his head. Orihime rapped on it quietly with her knuckles.
"I would have thought that would have actually protected you a little bit," she mused aloud, giggling.
It was so comfortable here—the sun's rays had heated the tops of the smooth scarlet columns as well. Now that he had chased all of the Hollows away, the scene was a picture of perfect tranquility. She felt the warmth seep into her skin from all around; Orihime leaned nearer, and watched for his eyes to open, but they did not. He was so close now; if she didn't take this chance, who knew when it might come around again?
She might be out of Hueco Mundo that afternoon for all she knew…
His breath was steady and soft…
"Thank you for keeping me safe," she whispered, closing her eyes.
She felt her lips brush his softly—they were still sweet with the taste of apples. It occurred to her that she had never kissed anyone before, not like this—she allowed herself a few more moments before he woke. What would he say if he knew? But for some odd reason she felt the kiss deepen; even when she tried to rise, it followed her until she realized that she wasn't leaning over anymore. A firm hand caressed her cheek softly, and she immediately jerked away from the contact, utterly astonished.
"You are quite welcome, woman," she heard him say.
She gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth.
"Y—you were awake!" she cried, scrambling backwards away from him. "You—you were awake the whole time, and you didn't say anything!" She glared at him accusingly, her mind thrown into a sudden frenzy. There were a million questions she wanted to ask him, but the only words she could think of were the first to fall from her lips. "Why didn't you say something?!"
"I was curious," he stated simply, as if it were something she should already know.
"Y-you're evil!" she yelled, her face burning ruby red. "Why would you trick me like that? If I had known you weren't…" She stopped short, covering her face with her hands and willing herself not to cry. If she had known he wasn't awake, she wouldn't have had the courage to do something so daring—she was never able to do anything while Ichigo was awake, for instance. But it didn't mean that she didn't want to…
He blinked once, as if confused, his deceptively impassive face tilted slightly. The innocuous gesture made her want to slap him.
The human girl scurried up frantically and came to rest near the center of the column top, her heart hammering. She hugged her knees to herself, playing with the ruffled fabric between her fingers and willing herself to calm down. This was Ulquiorra, not Ichigo… And yet even as she thought about the shinigami, she realized that her reaction was simply not the same. Her heart no longer raced when she imagined him, and her face was red, but not because she was thinking of him—it had more to do with the situation at hand. Had she really begun to think of him differently? As perhaps, she pondered in the deepest corner of her mind, only just a friend?—but no… What had she been thinking? And what, she asked herself anxiously, was Ulquiorra thinking? She had allowed herself to assume that all the times he had looked out for her was more than just a means to keep her safe until Aizen was finished with her… but… she had learned that she could trust him, hadn't she? He'd gotten himself in trouble, it seemed, for her.
And it had been a very good kiss…
Stop that!
She looked back at the fourth Espada, who was still seated where she had left him, observing her in return. The Hollows he had saved her from had stirred up a natural sandstorm; it flowed in waves and eddies around the tops of the pillars, shielding the earth below from view. The circular caps of the columns were the only things exposed in the expanse of tempest. They might have been floating in a vast brown sea.
He was just as unreadable as always.
Orihime turned away again and buried her face in her arms. A single thought kept returning to her intermingled with guilt… because despite everything, she hadn't been able to kiss Ichigo that night, and he was still coming to rescue her. They had always been friends, since they were children—they shared many qualities, and yet were different in many ways. There were things about him that she admired, and had tried to find within herself. She had once been jealous of the relationship that Kuchiki-san and Ichigo shared… she had even shared her feelings with Rangiku-san…
Had it really taken her such a short time to forget all of that?
And Ulquiorra was a Hollow—one of Aizen's loyal followers. Aizen, the traitor, who they were all trying to fight against, and who was unforgivably wicked. Ulquiorra had once said that Aizen's ideals were his own. He had kidnapped her on Aizen's orders…
And, she admitted, he had every right to be confused—it was she who had kissed him. The tiniest of smiles pulled at the corners of her mouth.
But he hadn't pulled away…
Maybe he just enjoys kissing people!
But that didn't sound quite right…
She felt rather than heard his footsteps coming closer. He knelt in front of her, but Orihime only buried her face deeper in the pillow of her arms and hugged her knees closer. She was so embarrassed… Maybe if she sat here long enough he would go back to the castle. It was warmer on top of these pillars than in the desert, she thought; she could wait for her friends to arrive from here.
But there wouldn't be anyone to defend her against the Hollows …
They sat there for a few minutes; she heard Ulquiorra sigh, but not, she realized, with impatience.
He moved nearer, and Orihime felt his breath near her ear. She shivered involuntarily.
"I can take you to your world tomorrow, if you wish, before you go to meet with Aizen-sama."
Orihime lifted her head slowly, her mouth open in shock. His face was expressionless, his mouth set in a soft line; but his eyes were once again wistful.
Why does he seem so sad now?
Her world? Despite herself, Orihime felt her heart soar; she could visit her friends again! The human girl grinned and jumped forward, and hugged the Espada tightly. Ulquiorra tensed in surprise at the sudden contact.
"Thank you!" she said, her blue-gray eyes glimmering. Then she hurriedly sat back again, as if remembering herself. She cleared her throat, and looked away, her pale cheeks blushing pink again. "I mean, yes please, that would be great."
He sat beside her quietly, looking out over the seemingly limitless sky. The sun had dipped lower on the horizon, staining the sky around it a pale yellow. The sand gleamed golden as the waning light struck it, but Orihime wasn't gazing at the scenery. What if, she questioned, he had actually been trying to gain her trust for another reason?
"I'm sorry about—" she stammered. "I mean, I guess I was just really surprised that you were awake—I don't think you're evil—"
"You apologize too much."
Orihime sighed—it was a cold remark as always, which she translated to mean 'it's all right, don't apologize.' There was simply something in the tone of his voice when he said it—even though the words themselves were icy.
She found herself smiling again… why was she suddenly so giddy?
"That was a close one, huh?" she said, awkwardly. "I guess I'm always getting into trouble, aren't I?" She laughed nervously, although she knew it was the last thing she should be doing at the moment—she just hoped he would say something back.
"You are the only human in Hueco Mundo, Orihime," he said after a moment's pause. "It is only natural that the Hollows here would wish to seek you out." But he was a Hollow too, she thought. He should have been looking at her in the same manner as the wolf-beasts had—the reasoning left her feeling uncomfortable. She turned towards him, concern painting her features.
"Have you ever thought about—you know—since I'm human, and you're…" she trailed off, not wanting to say any more.
"I imagine that I would find you quite distasteful," he replied dispassionately; Orihime smiled in relief, but then took a minute to think about what he had said.
Wait a minute… What?
"'Distasteful'?" she repeated indignantly, glaring at him angrily. "And just what do you mean by that?" But Ulquiorra was looking at her askance, the corners of his mouth curved ever-so-slightly upward in a lazy smirk.
Orihime laughed, feeling the color rise in her cheeks.
She looked around at the sandstorm ocean around them, wondering when it would pass.
"I guess we're going to be here for a while," she remarked.
"It would not take me much effort to return you to the castle." Orihime suppressed a grimace—no more flash-stepping for her today, thank you. It had made her decidedly queasy. And, if they went back, he might have something to do; he'd leave her alone in her room again. She was enjoying herself, she admitted. Who would have believed that Orihime Inoue, kidnapped in Hueco Mundo, would be able to feel so content? And with her kidnapper, no less?
"That's okay," she grinned. "I think I'd rather walk. Besides, the sun feels nice." She stretched languidly, and yawned. "It reminds me of the times I went to the beach with Nii-san." She smiled, remembering days spent in the ocean, and on the shore, building sandcastles before she had grown too old for such things. Ulquiorra blinked once, curiously.
"He died a few years ago," she continued. "But he came back as a Hollow." She watched, as he seemed to puzzle over something in his mind. It was strange how at times he could seem so frightening, and yet at other times so unsure.
"Do you think you were human once, Ulquiorra?" she asked.
There was a long pause, and the Espada closed his eyes.
"I do not remember," he said finally.
"Will you come with me?"
He looked at her quizzically.
"I mean, when I talk to Aizen," she explained. She strongly suspected that he would have come with her anyway, even if she hadn't asked. But somehow, she knew his answer would make her feel more at ease.
"If you wish, woman."
Orihime smiled, lay back against the smooth crimson surface, and looked up at the steadily darkening sky. She wondered why there were no clouds there, but then, why would one find clouds in a desert? Orihime yawned sleepily… It probably didn't ever rain here…
Ichigo Kurosaki leaped along the ice-blue path that would take him and the others to Hueco Mundo. Uryuu Ishida ran ahead, with Chad following behind the shinigami. Velvety darkness pressed around them on all sides, and the farther they ran, the more the temperature began to drop, and the more Ichigo worried for his friend beyond. They were so late already; what if something had happened to her?
Deep inside him, Hichigo stirred.
Question, my foolish friend: How do you know your girlfriend didn't want to go with them, eh? How do you know she ain't a traitor like they say?
In the last few hours the Hollow had taken to pestering him about Orihime's loyalties—his obnoxious voice punctuated with increasingly short arguments. The last had ended in Ichigo getting a headache—because the more they talked, the more he himself began to question, even though he knew it was stupid to do so. She had left a note—why would she leave a note if she didn't want to be found? Why would she sympathize with Aizen's cause? Why would she purposefully work with Hollows?
She might've left a note so you'd come after her, genius. And I dunno… maybe she she'd be more prone to work with Hollows seeing as how her brother used to be one? Ever thought about that?
Ichigo stifled a sharp-tongued retort; the Hollow was looking into his memories again—he had no right—why was it that whenever the shinigami was anxious, it only brought out the worst in Hichigo?
'Get outta my head,' he thought angrily.
All right, all right—but one thing before I go…
'What?'
Watch out.
Ichigo felt sand hard against his body—he rolled down the side of a dune before coming to rest at the bottom. Uryuu and Chad stared at him from the top just as he managed to lift himself off the ground, and the three of them ran swiftly across the desert sands…
"What if I stayed, then?" she mused aloud. "My friends wouldn't have to come rescue me and put themselves in danger. I could heal people if they got really badly hurt, I guess—and I could stay in the castle with… with you…" She blushed deeply; there she was, saying too much again.
They had walked back just as the sandstorm began to dissipate—the sun had dipped lower on the horizon, and by the time they walked back inside Las Noches, it was nearly dark. Orihime had found herself stealing glances at him at intervals throughout the entire trip. Although Ulquiorra was his usual arctic self, he seemed to have pressing matters on his mind; he was obviously distracted.
The comment brought his attention back to her immediately, and Orihime saw something like hope glimmer in his viridian eyes; but as he read her surprised expression, the orbs closed.
"You should not speak of things if you have no intention of doing them," he said softly. Guilt pulled at her insides—she looked away, her situation coming into focus again. She could almost sense her rescuers coming for her even as they spoke; for the first time since she had come here, she wished they would stay away for a little while longer.
"I'm sorry."
As they neared the entrance to her room, Orihime smelled something warm and sweet. The familiar odor wafted from the portal, and the curious human girl peered inside. The old Arrancar had left what looked like a large basket of blueberry muffins on her table. The sight of them put her in a slightly better mood—she was starving, and she loved muffins.
The redhead started for the couch, but felt a light grasp on her hand. She turned back suddenly; felt his fingers intertwined with hers. It crossed her mind how ghostly he looked—face waxen in the moonlight, his eyes glimmering the deepest of greens. His other hand slowly came to rest beneath her chin, and she tilted her head upward just before their lips met…
And then he was gone—Orihime stood completely frozen in the doorframe, because she sensed another presence far away, yet it was crisp with familiarity…
"My dear Espada," the charming tone of Sosuke Aizen held the attention of all seated before him. "We are under attack." Some among the ten faces around the table exchanged glances, while others simply watched their leader, in awe because he seemed so relaxed even as he said the words. Still more sat back, wondering what threat could possibly be so terrible to warrant such a meeting—and couldn't they all go back to sleep, or whatever it was that any one of them did? One or two didn't react at all.
"But never mind, never mind," Aizen said casually. "Let us have some tea before we discuss such matters."
Beverages were passed along to each Arrancar in turn until there was a halo of steam around the table. Every so often, some of the more daring would take a sip; each pair of eyes now set on a small sphere the shinigami had conjured in the center of the table. Within it lay a desert scene, and in the center a trio of running figures. Already the Espada were gauging the power levels and identities of these three, as well as the time it would take before they arrived, or were any threat to them. They also knew that more were on the way…
Ulquiorra Schiffer looked at the figures running in the desert along with the others, his face impassive, and yet his eyes rested on one far longer than the others—a lean, black-robed shinigami with fiery orange hair. He remembered the threat he supposedly posed to the Arrancar within the castle, the conflict they had had in weeks past, and his master's plans that were now being fulfilled. But most of all, he remembered that the human girl under his care knew that the ryoka was there in the desert, running to rescue her at long last; that she cared very deeply for the shinigami; and that his very presence in Hueco Mundo was not welcome—an unexpected surge of anger rushed through him. But, he also recalled the promise he had made to her…
I don't want any of my friends to die…
The fourth Espada closed his eyes in silent resolution.
Orihime woke abruptly from her morning spent in fitful slumber—having spent the night sensing those within the castle who were caught in a race to find her. She gasped suddenly, feeling as though her heart had been stilled. All of the days she had trained before she had been taken here came back to her now in vivid recollections; all of the laughs she had shared with one of her dearest friends, as well as the jealousy she had once felt; all of the days spent in a long journey to rescue her… The human girl's eyes burned with tears, her mind washed clean of all thoughts save one:
Rukia Kuchiki is dead.
Wow, spur of the moment kiss when they were on top of the forest place of EVIL DOOM... I was definitely like... wow...
Anyway. I hope you enjoy this chappie. :D It's long.
And now the story will miraculously get much more interesting.
Sorry for the lack of updates - I really wasn't feeling too well.
Your reviews are amazing! 3 Thankies!
I don't own Bleach!