AN PLEASE READ AN
Okay Gin is ooc, please remember that and don't write me reviews saying "WTF?". I promise he'll be better soon (if Rangiku wakes up...). Ulquiorra is as well but for a different reason (you'll see soon) also, there's a spoiler for Nel's Zanpakto.
The garden that surrounded Hisana Kuchiki's grave was nothing short of breathtaking. Byakuya would never have allowed anything less. Bellflowers, plum blossoms, sakura trees, they all surrounded anyone who walked along the white-stoned path. Bordering the path on either side was a pair of twin streams that trickled merrily along the way before surrounding the white gazebo that served as Hisana's final resting place. The stone inside, the last real proof that Hisana had lived, was simple. She had forbidden him from carving his name opposite hers, from painting the letters red, from swearing to wait faithfully until he could join her in the afterlife. He had asked her why and she had simply smiled softly and said that she still believed he would one day fall in love. The fact that she knew, that she acknowledged it, that made it so much worse.
He had loved Hisana, as much as he knew how to love another person, but he had loved what she was far more than he had loved who she was. Hisana had been everything he had desperately needed. She was someone who needed him, him above all others. Not like Yoruichi wanted a playmate before easily casting him off, not like his grandfather wanted an heir that would obey him unlike his arrogant son, no Hisana had needed him first as a friend and then as a lover. She had needed him just as much, needed him to get her out of the hell her life had become, needed him to help her find her sister. He wondered sometimes, when he was feeling the most self-deprecating, if they had more time would they have truly fallen in love? If she had not needed him and he had not needed her, would they have been able to have a happy ending to their epic love story.
He supposed it made little difference now. Hisana was dead and gone and he was stuck, as he had been for a long time, in a kind of purgatory. He was not really here, not really there, just sort of existing. He came to the garden every now and then, just to remember, but recently life had become too complicated to allow him the luxury of remembering. In fact, he would not be here at all if he hadn't seen the dart of black. He knew she let him see her, she was very good at remaining invisible when she wished too. He had obliged her unspoken invitation and set down the reports he had brought home to read before making his way through the garden to the gazebo where he knew she would be.
She was dressed in black, her back and shoulders bare save for the cascade of purple hair that fell unbound down her back. Her amber eyes were locked ahead on the monument but he knew that she had heard him come in. Under the cascade of hair he could see the jagged skin where half of her ear had been torn away, leaving it almost comically pointed. He stepped fully into the gazebo and she turned her head, her golden eyes flickering over his body before returning to the monument. He let the silence become thick with unspoken questions, one of her true annoyances. She broke the silence, turning around to face him fully. She looked more exposed than Halibel the first time he had seen her in Mayuri's lab.
"I did not expect to see you here so soon," he said, keeping his voice carefully smooth. She swallowed thickly and looked down. He found himself wondering when she had become the child and he the adult in their relationship, "I did not expect to see you here at all."
"You and me both," she muttered softly, one hand coming up to finger the jagged edge of her ear.
"Would you prefer to go inside?" he offered but she shook her head in gentle refusal, "is there something—"
"One of your elders came to me last night," she interjected, "and one of the Shihon Clan," he felt icy fingers creep up his spine at the realization of what she was about to say, "they said that the Shihon Clan could be returned to its former status," he braced himself inwardly, "if our engagement was re-instated."
"I see," he stated, desperately wishing the ice inside of him would hurry up and make him numb instead of sick, "and did you give a reply?"
"Of course I did!" she cried, her eyes turning indignant, "I refused their offer and they said I simply needed time to think about it!" she crossed her arms angrily and he saw her eyes shine brighter than they had a moment before, "as if I don't know what I want."
"Do you?" he asked.
"What is that supposed to mean?"she snapped.
"You're still here, even though the battle is over. You've heard the rumors as well as I have and now that Urahara has been made the President of the Shinigami Research Institute and Hinamori has been appointed the Captain of the Fifth Division, one can only assume that the rumors about your impending appointment as Head of the Special Forces is true as well."
"I should be head of anything," she muttered darkly, "Soifon—"
"Your protoge has done extrodinarily," he said, "no-one is arguing that, but we should not let loyalties to our friends come before our duty to protect the population of Soul Society," Yoruichi looked down, "we have lost many, those who remain must do what is necessary, regardless of what they want."
"I know," she let out a frustrated breath, "I know," she looked up, "when I accepted my exile I assumed I would return," she shrugged, her arms wrapping around her waist, "and then fifty years became a hundred and I just, I adapted to the idea of spending the rest of my days in the human world," she closed her eyes, "I never dreamed we'd come back."
"Ah yes," he nodded coldly, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "how is the great Kisuke Urahara enjoying his 'triumphant' return to Soul Society?"
"Don't start," she warned, "he's beating himself up enough without your help."
"As he should," he said, a note of animosity in his voice, "its not as though he didn't create the Hogyoku—"
"He had no way of knowing Aizen would take it—"
"He should have planned for it!" Byakuya cut her off sharply, "instead of running off and then hiding it in the body of my sister!"
"The fact that she was your sister had nothing to do with it!" she cried hotly, "besides I didn't see you running to save her until after someone else had already done it for you."
He looked away sharply and she wondered if it would have been better for her just to hit him. For a moment they were silent, the only sound was that of her labored breathing, he was still a noble, still composed. Her control was long since gone. She knew his lack of action in saving Rukia, in dishonoring his wife's memory, was one of the true sore spots for him, just as his general dislike of Kisuke was for her. It was low blow for her to go there, even lower after the fact that he had quite literally gotten himself impaled to save her. Then again, it was low of him to place all the blame on Kisuke.
"To absolve him completely of blame is the same as saying Kyoka Suigetsu was just Aizen's blade," he said, his voice quiet.
"No-one's absolving Kisuke of anything," she replied, "least of all him," she sighed, "I heard him aruging with Benihime the other day."
"I thought his Zanpakto wasn't speaking to him," he stated, his voice revealing mild suprise.
"Apparently she was worried enough to break the silence," she said.
"Why are you here?" he asked after a moment.
"For the same reason I imagine Orihime has been keeping the company of Ulquiorra," she said with a shrug, "the world could end and you'd still be Little Byakuya." He smiled at the nickname, amused since now he was taller than her.
"Captain Kuchiki! Special Forces Head Shihon!" a man in a black Shinigami uniform raced to them, "Gin Ichimaru has woken up."
The cry had gone out all over Soul Society. Gin Ichimaru had woken up. Despite not being the first informed, Yoruichi and Byakuya were none the less the first on sight. Of course Uhohana had put his room in lockdown, stating that traitor or no, no-one under her care was going to wake up at the point of a Zanpakto. It was no suprise though that the one person she permitted insdie was Momo Hinamori. After all, Aizen had chosen the two of them as much as he had any Espada. He had found them both when they were little more than children and become a hero to one and a father to the other. Hinamori agreed to go in, once more distancing herself from the scared little waif who had followed Aizen so blindly.
Like most young women she had been put off by Gin, hell she had once blamed him for making Aizen do what he had done, but she had never really be afraid of him. Between working for Aizen and being around Matsumoto she had spent far too much time in his company to be truly afraid. Now, looking at him, at what he had become, it was a wonder she had felt anything but pity for him. Gin was a shadow of his former self in more ways than one. His hair was limp and silver, hanging almost to his shoulders and dull with neglect. He seemed sad, sad enough not to smile, sad enough to have his eyes open. Though they had once been the color of polished rubies they were now dull and closer to that of old blood. The hand that had been resting on Tobiume's hilt dropped to her side.
"I don't need your pity," Gin's voice was little more than a rasp thanks to the tube that had been down his throat.
"I don't pity you," Hinamori replied looking hard at the ground and then back at his eyes, "I loved him too, you know," his eyes locked with hers, "even after I had every reason not too, I still did. And I—I had a person too who called me back, who stayed with me when they had every reason not too," she smiled, her eyes watery, "so I don't pity you," she said, "because we have people who love us, who care about us, who show us that the world isn't evil because of one man. That we're not just evil and I—" she stopped, "I've been terribly foolish and I have to go," she turned and hurried to the door, "don't worry, she'll be okay, she just got you back after all," she added before throwing open the door.
"Hinam—oof!" Hitsugaya was knocked solidly back against the wall as Hinamori streaked out of the room and collided with his chest.
"I'm so sorry Shiro," she said, her voice muffled by his robe.
"Stupid bed wetter Momo," he murmured, his voice full of affection as he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her shoulder, "didn't I tell you there was nothing to be sorry about?"
Unohana smiled and gently closed the door, feeling as though Hinamori was finally out of her care. A sharp inhale reminded her that she'd probably need all the strength to heal the poor soul next to her. She turned around and faced him before walking over. Aizen had split him like a fruit, the long scar he would wear forever stretched from below his naval to the base of his throat in a jagged, angry line. Matsumoto's scar would be hidden probably between her breasts. Quietly she walked over to him and began her inspection of his broken form.
"Will she—" he stopped, unable to complete the words.
"Now that you've woken up, I am more optomistic," she said, "but I expect her to recover," she added. He nodded, "there are other survivors who have been brought here for help, the Vizards for one," there was a brief flicker of suprise in his eyes, "and four of the Espada, Halibel, Nel, Ulquiorra and Grimmjow."
"You're curing them," he said. She nodded.
"Any information you have would be greatly appriciated. Aizen seems to have destroyed all his notes—"
"Las Noches," his breathing became labored and he raised a hand, coughing almost violently into it, though he struggled to get the words out. Unohana darted forward and tried to heal his lungs but he waved her off, determined to speak, "black box, behind the third shelf in his study, Ulquiorra knows where."
"Rest," she soothed, hesitating a fraction before placing a hand against the bare, too-warm skin of his back, "your body needs to recover," he shook his head as his lungs struggled to clear themselves. Unable to stand the sight of someone, even him, suffering, Unohana pressed two fingers to his forehead and knocked him unconscious with a quick spell. He sagged fully against her and she felt her heart ache, "oh Gin," she sighed, 'what did he do to you?"
She was shocked at how thin he was, more bones than anything else as if he hadn't been eating or he had been sick for a long time. His face seemed younger without the murderous grin, more like the little boy that had shocked them all with his talent at such a young age. Gently she laid him down against the pillows, propping him up so that if he started coughing again he wouldn't choke before help could come. She grabbed a cloth and wet it, wringing out the exess before carefully wiping his hand and face free of the blood that reminded her of the ruby of his eyes. She opened the door and looked out.
"Vice Captain Kotetsu," she called gently, Isane appearing instantly as she led her into the room, "I need a diagnostic on Gin," she said, "he seems to be coughing up blood."
"Yes, Captain," she said.
"Thank you," Unohana opened the door and stepped outside, "7th Seat Yamada," he was there instantly, "how are the Espada doing?"
"As well as can be expected," he said, "they seem to be nearly fully Shinigami now, though," he paused and frowned, "though their Soul Power is almost non existant for most, it seems to be resetting itself," he explained, "see each of them was chosen for their Spiritual Power and we've seen them fight so it shouldn't be shocking when I tell you that it is my belief that within the week each of them is going to achieve Captain Level Pressure."
"You believe they'll have Bankai?" she asked.
"See that's the thing. Their Zanpakto's are designed to convert their users into their origial, albiet more powerful, Hollow form," he sighed, 'the issue is that since they're going to have no more Hollow Form, we don't know what their Zanpkato's are capable of."
"I see," she said, "it would seem that Ulquiorra Schiffer has information as to the location of Aizen's notes, something we need to ensure the process of reverse Hollowification will not damage the Vizards or Ichigo Kurosaki," she looked at him, "I need you to do all you can to ensure that he is ready as soon as possible."
"Of course, Captain Unohana," he bowed and hurried off down the hallway.
While he had spent most of his time in the company of the female Espada it was hard to miss the presence of the males. Even shrieking in fear Nel was still a good deal quieter than Grimmjow and even though he was quiet Ulquiorra was unsettling enough to make up for his lack of volume. Squaring his shoulder he pushed open the door to probably the strangest sight he had seen in a while. If the Espada became Shinigami then these two would fit right in. Grimmjow was testing how long he could take off his montior and re-attach it to a different part of his body before the alarm even started. One of Orihime's fairies seemed to be assisting him in the game. Ulquiorra was sitting cross-legged on the bed looking at the notes that Urahara had left out, his head cradled in his hands. His left eye had re-appeared as his skin had become a normal tone instead of its chalk white. He too was in the company of a pair of faries who seemed to be bringing him new reading material. Sitting on a cot between the two beds was Orihime, one of her fairies perched on her finger happily chatting away.
"Ahem," he cleared his throat, feeling like he was interuptting something, "Captain Unohana sent me."
"She didn't bring food did she?" Grimmjow demanded, he shook his head and the Espada swore angrily, "listen you tell her to bring us food or that woma—"
"Orihime!" she called to him cheerily, the fairy on his shoulder glaring angrily to accent it.
"Or Orhime is going to cook for us and I'm not staying here to eat what she makes, you got it?"
The door opened to reveal Soifon with two black cloaked men in tow and Hanataro was close to losing his patience.
"I need to speak to Ulquiorra!" he burst out almost angrily. The green eyed Espada looked up, clearly suprised to hear his name spoken, "can you walk?" he nodded, "come on," he shrugged and stood up, following him out of the room despite Grimmjow's protests, "I'm 7th Seat Hanataro Yamada," he added, "we've spoken to Gin Ichimaru and he said you know the location of Aizen's study where he kept his notes."
"I do not know what they look like," the former Espada replied.
"We do," he said, "we need you to take us there as soon as your health permits. We'll have a team ready to accompany you to Las Noches."
"And if I refuse?" he asked.
"Then a lot of innocent people are going to die," he snapped angirly.
"And if I accept?" he asked.
"I don't kno—"
"If this mission is sucessful then you will have proven yourself capable of loyalty by choice," Vice Captain Sasakibe, "If the other former Espada do the same we will consider you all candidates for the Shinigami Institute. If you do not wish to become Shinigami you will be stripped of your powers and sent to the human world."
"I will go," he said after a moment, "if the others are included in this team of yours," he said.
"I will speak to the Commander General," he replied, "though I do not forsee it to be a problem," Ulquiorra nodded in response as he turned to Hanataro, "do you have any ideas for how to heal them?" he asked.
"Actually, sir," he said with a smile, "I do."
Break
Nel knew she was going to get in heaps of trouble for what she was about to do, but she was just too bored to care. Besides she had heard that the Vizards were somewhere and there were more of them so maybe they'd play with her. It wasn't that she didn't like Bel-Bel but she could be so boring and so serious. Sometimes she'd look at Nel almost sadly, like she was thinking about how Nel used to be. Nel imagined that she was quite different given how sad Bel-Bel looked but it wasn't like it was her fault she changed. She had attached her monitor to Bel-Bel and waited until the guards were alseep before ducking out. Now she was tiptoeing along the hospital, trying not to make any sort of noise so that they wouldn't hear her.
It wasn't terribly hard, except now her feet were much bigger than they had been before. Also her hair was too long, it kept falling in her eyes. She missed the weight of her mask remnants but she was glad that her hair covered the scars. She already had the one on her face, she didn't want to add to it. She frowned and tiptoed around the corner before stopping and pressing her back to the wall, waiting for the sound to pass.
"Sit down," Rukia demanded, helping Ichigo into a chair before the orange haired man could collapse anymore.
"I can't—its no use!" he doubled over, his fingers digging into his scalp.
"Ichigo you practically dead a few days ago," Rukia sighed, "you shouldn't push yourself this much as it is. I know you don't like depending on people but Orihime's going to be better soon, the fairies are already crossing over and soon she'll be able to help everyone."
"Its not nice to spy on people."
Nel jumped and whipped around, her hands clapping over her mouth to muffle her shriek of suprise. Standing beind her was Renji. He still looked injured but not as bad as he had before. He didn't seem as tall or frightening anymore but she supposed that was more due to her being considerably taller than before. She swallowed thickly and let her hand drop, bracing herself for him to go and get the other Shinigami or throw her back in her room to be bored silly. He approached her until he was standing over her and looked down at her, raising a hand. She flinched away but suddenly found the back of it pressed to her forehead.
"W-what are you doing?" she asked softly
"You don't have a fever," he said removing his hand, "what are you doing out of your room?"
"I'm bored," she pouted, "I'm fully healed," she yanked her robe down to show him the slightly darker skin where her hole had been, "see? And now I'm bored!"
"Okay okay," he said hotly, "pull your robe back up."
"Your cheeks match your hair," she told him.
"I'm not the one standing there with my robe around my waist," he snapped, yanking the garment back into its proper position before going down the hallway. He stopped and turned around, "well?"
"Where are we going?" she asked trotting to keep up with him.
"You said you were bored so we're going to entertain you," he said stopping at the door when she fell behind, "what now?"
"I can't go out there," she said softly looking at the doors, clutching the neck of her robe around her tightly as though for comfort, "its Soul Society."
"And?" he rolled his eyes, "look your with me so you can go out and anyway," he looked over his shoulder and then back at her, "you're going to have to go out there sometime," he offered a hand, "come on."
Nel swallowed thickly, looking from his hand to his face to the door and back again. Slowly she reached forward and took his hand as he pushed open the doors with his free hand. She winced at the bright light before her eyes adjusted. Everything was so, well, vibrant, so different from Las Noches and the desert she had called home for so long. Her eyes were wide and she knew her jaw was on the ground in shock at the sight. She didn't realize she had moved closer to Renji, wrapping both her hands around his arm in a failed attempt at security until she looked up to see his face.
"Your cheeks match your hair again."
"Come on," he grumbled leading her outside, "Sado!" Nel's head flew up in suprise.
Of all the Shinigami she'd seen so far, Sado seemed to be the least hurt or the most recovered. He was also just as tall as she remembered, dwarfing her even once she was taller herself. Still despite her changed apperance he still smiled slightly at her, his lips quirking up even though his hair covered his eyes.
"You got taller, Nel," he said, causing her to turn as red as Renji's hair, "are you allowed to take her out of the Fourth Division."
"As long as I'm with her," he said with a shrug, "after all, Nel hasn't done anything to hurt any of us."
"Where are you two going?" he asked.
"Nel says she's bored," he grinned, "I'm taking her to the 11th Division."
"Are you sure that's—" he frowned slightly, "wise."
"I can fight anyone you bring," Nel snapped, distangling herself from Renji and raising her chin, eliciting that small smile from Sado again, "lets go!" she marched off.
"Uh, Nel?" Renji called after her, "the 11th Division is this way."
"I knew that!" she snapped marching off in the opposite direction. The two men jogged after her as she headed towards the building.
She liked the 11th Division as soon as she got there. Everyone was so, well, loud. They didn't shut up for anything, especially not for her. Renji and Sado led her into what she assumed was a sort of training room. Renji opened the door and stood to the side as a black-robed Shinigami went sailing out of it. Nel's eyes widened as she peered around the door to see a group of Shingami lining three sides of the room, the side with the door was left clear for those who lost to the bald man standing in the center. He had a wooden sword over her shoulders and was glaring at the open doors, as though the fact that the Shinigami had sailed through them instead of slamming against them was upsetting him.
"Hey! Ikkaku!" Renji stepped in.
"Renji, you come to fight?" he demanded, glaring at him.
"Hehe," Renji held up his hands, "still healing," Ikkaku's glare darkened.
"I'll fight you," Nel stepped into the doorway, "I'm bored," she added as way of an explanation, "this could be entertaining."
"Why the hell not?!" Ikkaku tossed her a wooden sword which she caught deftly, "I hope your recovered enough for this gi—" she slammed her sword up and around, smacking him solidly in the shoulder.
"I'm bored!" she pouted, "you're boring me."
"Oh I'll give you something to be interested in," he said blocking her next attack.
Nel grinned as the two of them fought. The other Shinigami who had been in the room had left as it quickly became apparent that the two of them were not going to limit their spar to the floor. Nel knew she was weakened but even in her stongest state she had a feeling that Ikkaku was not someone to be taken lightly. She was quickly not bored. In fact, she was thrilled. The simple action of fighting against someone, no blasts no nothing, was thrilling. Her blood pounding she continued to counter and attack, even though she felt several welts decorating her newly healed arm and the too-tight skin around her hollow hole was aching.
"This is awsome!"
Nel frowned, looking around for the speaking and recieving a solid whack on her shin for it. She resumed the battle, unsettled but unwilling to stop.
"This is sick! Way better than those stupid Espada. I love it here! Now lets kick this guys ass!"
That voice, it was so familiar. Nel kept hitting back, trying to find an opening and listen to the excited voice that only she could hear above the shouting.
"Come on, come on, come on! Let me in!"
Nel gritted her teeth.
"Neliel, Nel you know you want to. Just say it, I wanna fight too! I'm bored!"
"Declare! Gamuza!" she shouted.
The wooden sword she had been holding vanished, replaced with a long double-ended lance. It was different from the one she had used in her release form, longer and more streamlined. The edges glinted with curved blades while the green body of the lance was smooth under her fingers. Her hands instantly wrapped around the hilt of the blade, her feet shifting into a different stance before she realized what she was doing.
She looked around at everyone's shocked faces and, for the first time in her life, felt like a monster.