Hello, everyone. I'm back! I had an absolutely wonderful vacation, and now I finally have access to a computer again :D I'm sure you've all been eagerly awaiting my return every single day for the past two weeks...yeah, I didn't think so...Anyway, I don't know why I chose to update this story first, but the inspiration came easily, I guess. Well, enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.
Her fingers keep trembling as she unties her robe. After a few slips at the considerably loosened but still tied knot, she finally pulls it apart, letting it fall to the ground and exposing her body. After dragging the stool at the other end of the room closer to the bath, she reaches for a towel, draping it over the seat for easy access. Miss Karin had not been lying when she had said the room had everything she would require, for she finds a hair tie by the sink and gladly puts up her now twig-less hair in a bun at the top of her head, also reassuring that her bangs are held back by her favorite hairpins.
She turns off the rushing hot water of the bath she had left on as she had undressed, and then gingerly places one leg into the water. It reaches her knee, and she sighs in pleasure at the sudden warmth. After her long stay in the cold dungeon, the hot temperature of the water is welcome, and she enjoys the goosebumps crawling up her leg. Gingerly placing the opposite extremity in as well, she feels the heat travel up. After a few moments, she seats herself at the edge of the bath, submerging her chest and placing her head against the wall behind her.
All she sees is white, she notes. The ceiling, the walls, the bathtub, the basin – all are a pearl white color, and sparkling clean. She feels rather like she is a prisoner in an asylum. And the observation is certainly not far off from the truth.
She is a prisoner. Despite all the warmth the strange queen has shown her, she cannot bring herself to forget about the ordeal that has led to her current situation. The rough kidnapping, the gagging and restricting of her movements, the clanging of a prison door being shut, the cruel and uncaring eyes of stoic soldiers...All of these memories cause her to jumble her thoughts in her mind, and she wonders whether she is going insane.
For who would have ever thought that the younger sister of the most influential man in Finland could ever end up in such a situation? She certainly had never thought so. With the sheltered life she has lived, she has always thought she would forever remain protected under her brother's watch, living a life of forced happiness and submission, but at least a safe one.
'At least I was never gagged at home,' she thinks bitterly. Although home had not been very desirable, it certainly seems a better alternative than her current location. Although, the hot water is very soothing and comforting, she admits. She slides down more, and closes her eyes. In doing so, she blocks out her view of the unfamiliar bathroom, and it almost feels as if she is in her own home.
She reaches for the body wash lying in the shelf suspended on the wall nearby. After a slight moment of confusion in which she tries to decipher exactly which of the fifty bottles on the shelf are soap, she finally manages to procure a substance that is definitely meant to be used for the cleaning of one's body. She uncaps it and squeezes some out. Immediately, she smell of pears hits her. She breathes it in deeply, enjoying it, although it is very different from her own strawberry scented soap.
She scrubs her body roughly, wanting to wash away all the grime and dirt stuck to her after the previous night. To her disgust, the water in the tub begins to change color as it merges with the dirt. She stands, still soapy, stretches, and then unplugs the drain. When the dirty water has been washed away, she turns on the shower, scrubbing away the last of the soap bubbles clinging to her. Her hair gets wet in the process, but she decides she does not mind too much, as her locks had been dirty too.
She cups her hands together, letting the water pool into her palm, and then vigorously scrubs her face. When she finally turns off the water, she feels refreshed, and actually starts humming a tune as she wraps the towel on the stool around herself and unties her hair, shaking her head and letting it tumble down her back.
But when she steps out of the tub, she finally realizes the dilemma. She has no clean clothes to wear. The only thing within the room that will cover her body is the scanty towel currently wrapped around her and held up tightly by one of her hands, and the dirty and sweat stained robe she had previously worn.
"Now what?" she says in a whimper, and feels tears spring to her eyes. What else is going to go wrong today?
And yet, as if to negate her question, she hears a knock on the door.
"Yoo-hoo!" calls a cheerful voice on the other side of the door. "Miss Orihime, are you coming out, or do we have to break down the door and save you from drowning in a bathtub?"
It is a voice she does not recognize, though it obviously belongs to a woman. A bubbly woman at that. She finds herself trusting it, for it sounds so happy and carefree, and so she carefully steps across the room, not wanting to slip, and unlocks the door. Opening it just a crack, she peers out with one eye and, to her embarrassment, comes face-to-face with someone's cleavage.
"Wh-who are you?" she asks weakly, looking away from the sight and at the floor.
"Matsumoto Rangiku," she introduces herself happily. "I brought you something to wear."
A hand suddenly shoots out, startling Orihime as it shoves open the door. She stumbles back in surprise, her arms flailing, and the towel accidentally slips. With a blush, she scrambles for it, but Matsumoto reaches it first and grabs it away.
"You can't very well wear a towel all day," she says, laughingly. Ignoring the young girl's protests, she drapes it over her shoulder, but then holds out another piece of fabric. "A kimono for you! You can change into this."
On her way out, she also grabs the discarded robe on the floor, and then slams the door shut behind her.
Orihime just stands their in a daze for a moment, clutching the cloth to herself with both hands. What...just happened? It was so sudden and frenzied. All she can really recall is a rather large and bouncing bust and a head of fiery locks much like her own, and nothing much else. She blushes furiously as she realizes a stranger just saw her naked.
'At least it was a woman,' she attempts to calm herself as she hurriedly slips her arms through the very simple kimono, tying the sash around herself like she had her robe, and then rushing out the bathroom door.
.. ღ ..
He yawns widely, stretching as he sits up in bed, and then sighs happily.
His dinner meeting the previous night had gone amazignly well, and he is sure that he is soon to acquire another business partner to expand the branches of his company. Of course, he feels terrible for having missed his dinner with his sister, but with less burdens on his shoulder after his conference yesterday, he is already planning to treat her especially today to a restaurant even more expensive than the one they had planned on originally.
Humming, he heads into the shower, and when he steps out to dress, he is still singing. Dressed in a pressed suit a maid had lain out for him the night before, he heads downstairs to breakfast, fastening the buttons of his cuffs as he walks down the steps. He leaves his door open to allow the cleaning maid easy access to his room.
"What are we having for breakfast today?" he asks one of the workers as he seats himself at the dining table. In response, she happily lays down a full and steaming plate in front of him, and he eyes the scrumptious looking meal in delight. Before he can dig in, however, he notices the absence of someone very important.
"Where is Orihime?" he asks, finding it strange that she has slept in when she usually awakens so early.
"Atsuko-chan is looking into her," a worker answers. "Apparently she went to bed late last night, so we decided not to disturb her and let her sleep in."
He nods in approval, hoping that his little sister has gotten the proper rest she requires. He is going to make sure that today is packed with fun and attention lavished only on her to make up for the previous night – he knows how much she had been looking forward to it. Perhaps he could even convince the cook to let her use the kitchen for today...
"Orihime-sama!"
A horrible screech suddenly echoes around the house, ripping through the silence and startling several of the workers, but none more so than him. He is on his feet in an instant, racing through the halls clumsily, almost tripping over carpets and furniture in his haste. When he makes it to his little sister's room, his heart beating twice as fast in his ears and his stomach clenched in fear, there is a young maid standing in the open doorway, her hands clapped against her cheeks and her face twisted in horror.
"What is it?" he demands, grabbing one of her wrists and turning the startled maid to face him forcibly. "What's wrong?"
"O-Orihime-sama," she chokes out through her sobs. Even taking a few deep gulps of breaths does not calm her, only making her shudder twice as much as more tears stream down her face.
"What about her?" He licks his lips quickly.
"She's...she's gone!" His stomach drops, his legs turn into jelly.
"What do you mean gone?" he asks, peering into her room and taking in the sight. The entire room is spotless, the bed made and looking as if it has not been slept in. The only thing strange is the closet, because the doors of it are hanging ajar.
"I've looked everywhere!" Atsuko cries. "She's nowhere, and none of the other maids have seen her."
The other workers bustle into the hallway, curious about the commotion and watching him intently for an explanation. He turns to them, wide-eyed and fearful.
"Call the police."
.. ღ ..
Grimmjow is completely smug when they leave the throne room, his smirk prominent on his face and his shoulders squared as he walks. He finds it irritating, especially as he had been slightly hopeful at the idea of the violent and brutish soldier getting punished for his foolishness.
"At least the king still knows what he's doing," the pleased soldier says to his teammates. "We can't be all wishy-washy with all of those humans, or they'll think we're wimps. I've been telling y'all that for months and it's good to know at least one royal agrees."
"Oh, shut up, Grimmjow," Nnoitra finally growls, much to Ulquiorra's pleasure. "So ya got off easy. You still gotta mess around with twerpy little rookies."
"No sweat," Grimmjow answered, grinning his usual maniacal grin. "I heard some brats from my village'll be a part of the new recruits. Shawlong, Edrad, Yylfortdt, Nakeem,and Di Roy – they hero worship me. All I gotta do is sit back and let 'em do all my work."
Starrk makes a very strange noise at the back of his throat that sounds suspiciously like admiration. Ulquiorra, however, masks his disgust underneath his stoic expression. Deliberately weaseling around a direct punishment from the king - it is entirely the type of thing he has always associated with insubordinate trash like Grimmjow. How could Aizen-sama ever have thought they belonged in the same team, all those years ago when their previous king had ruled over the army? He would never disobey a direct order, no matter how much his own personal feelings clashed with it.
"Ulquiorra-san?"
The team halts in their tracks, swerving to find themselves facing a bowing woman clothed in the dress of a maid. When she stands, her eyes travel across each of their faces, trying to pinpoint her target.
"One of you is Ulquiorra-san, yes?" she questions. The green eyed soldier simply steps forward, indicating that he is the one she is looking for. She inclines her head at him. "His Highness Hitsugaya-sama has requested that you meet the queen in guest room number three immediately."
"For what?" he demands to know.
"I am sorry, but I do not know why. Her Highness Karin-sama will answer you. Your presence is requested urgently."
He is not one to grumble, so he strides away wordlessly, back towards the direction of the palace he had just exited. The maid scurries after him, also intending to return to her duties, and tries to stifle her laughter with her hand at the moronic calls of "Oooh! Ulqui's in trouble!" coming from his idiotic team from behind, which he ignores. She shows him to the room, bows deeply, and then rushes away once her task has been completed.
He notes the location. Guest room number three is no doubt the closest room for visitors to the king and queen's own room and, as he remembers the queen's frazzled reaction to the imprisonment of a human, he begins to suspect the reason for his presence. He gives three knocks, waiting for permission from the queen herself to be allowed entry.
"Enter," he hears from inside, and so he obeys.
Closing the door carefully behind him, he takes in the scene. Karin-sama, who is seated neatly on the edge of the bed with her legs crossed and her arms clasped on her knees, nods over at him in gratitude for his quick arrival. He spots an unfamiliar maid standing next to a second door, holding a light pink fabric in her hands. The curvy woman notices his gaze, and beams over at him. He simply turns his attention to the door, where he can hear splashing noises coming from inside. Once again, assessing the impatient and waiting postures of the two females and the absence of one orange haired human, he can only deduce that the prisoner is inside, most likely bathing herself in a bathroom while the others outside wait for her to finish.
"As both of you are aware," Karin-sama speaks up, addressing him and the maid, "we have picked up a new guest as of late. I expect her to have the best treatment, because she is a very important visitor to this palace. She is human."
The maid gasps, clapping a hand to her mouth at the news. He only waits for her to continue, already aware of this information and assuming she is only repeating it for the maid's benefit.
"She has introduced herself as Miss Orihime Inoue," the queen informs them. "I want her secure and happy during her stay while we, the council, discuss on the best course of action to take to ensure her safe return. As this is a delicate matter, at this time, both the king and I are unsure of the length of her visit, which is why certain precautions must be taken."
"Well, of course!" the maid speaks out. Ulquiorra resists the urge to clap his hands over his ears at the grating noise. "The poor thing. What do you need, Karin-sama?"
The queen smiles over at her gratefully.
"Thank you, Rangiku. I am counting on the two of you for the next few months, perhaps longer. Miss Orihime will need security and company during her stay to ensure that she is comfortable and unharmed. Although I would prefer that I could say she has no need for guards, Serra Leoa is not a safe place for humans, especially one who wanders alone."
"Yay!" Rangiku cries, looking excited and giggling. "This'll be so much fun!"
Karin-sama rolls her eyes, although she looks more amused than anything. He can only infer that she and the maid have some sort of close relationship, because no other maid would dare to speak out so easily in the presence of a royal or slur their speech with contractions and slang.
"I know that you will take good care of her, Rangiku," the ruler says, softly. "She will need assistance in this foreign place. Your maid quarters are close by, which is a relief. When you show her around, please make sure she knows where you are staying so she can find you should the need ever arise. This shan't be any different than your attending to Toushiro for so many years of his childhood."
Rangiku bobs her head happily, her smile wide and anticipating. Karin-sama stands, crossing her arms. She turns to him second, eyeing him carefully, assessing his stance and serious face. Perhaps she likes something within him, something disciplined and loyal and determined, because when she finishes her analysis, she seems relieved.
"Ulquiorra, I would prefer that you move closer to Miss Orihime," she orders. "I will have a maid prepare a room for you somewhere close to this one where she will be staying, and another will come to your quarters and bring you to your new room. Please be packed by tomorrow evening." Leaving no time for arguments, though he hardly would have spoken out despite the desire to, she addresses them both again. "There is no need to watch over her every second, as there will be moments when I ensure that she is in the presence of myself or other secure persons, but I would prefer she not be alone for too long. You both understand the values and cultures of Leoans."
The atmosphere turns serious in that moment, all three thinking of the long believed idea that humans are an unneeded hindrance to existence, and the harshness and brutality of many Leoans towards them still.
His thoughts then turn to his task, and he begins to understand the queen's worry. From the short moment he has known her and the even fewer interactions he has had with her, he already realizes that Miss Orihime is a very naive woman, too weak and vulnerable to care for herself. He remembers when Grimmjow had first grabbed her from the bushes, when it had seemed that her wrist might snap so easily from his hold. Images of her beaten and frightened in the jail cell plague his mind next, and he cannot help but wonder the kind of reactions she will have to the hostile environments in Leoan villages. No doubt she will constantly need his protection.
How troublesome.
The sounds of running water and splashes are suddenly gone then, and all three occupants face the bathroom door. Rangiku reaches over and knocks on the wood.
"Yoo-hoo!" she calls – very loudly, in his opinion. "Miss Orihime, are you coming out, or do we have to break down the door and save you from drowning in a bathtub?" At this, she throws him an amused look, as if expecting laughter, but he simply gazes back blankly, only waiting for the answer to come. Looking miffed, Rangiku turns back around just in time for the door to open.
He watches in cool indifference as a single eye peeks out cautiously through a very small crack. It quickly flits down to look at the ground, and he can only assume that she feels embarrassed by the maid's ignorance at the clear view of her bust. How strange. As he recalls, did she not have a rather large chest herself? Feeling shy at such a thing should hardly be plausible. He knows some soldiers such as Grimmjow or Nnoitra have no problem strutting through changing areas without so much as a towel to cover themselves, always pleased with their own bodies, and yet none of the other men ever feel the need to comment or feel discomfort.
This Miss Orihime is no doubt not only physically weak, but mentally as well.
He snaps out of his thoughts as he hears a loud bang, and when he looks up, it is to see Rangiku shoving open the door to allow herself entry, and Miss Orihime stumbling backwards, not a scrap of cloth covering her figure. He takes this instant to rove his eyes over her, always critical.
She is just as he remembers, albeit a bit more cleaner after her washing. He discovers that, yes, his recollection had been correct and she did have a rather large chest. Then he takes note that the rest of her is not blessed with the same bulk and size. Her entire frame is very skinny and lean, giving the impression that she could fall over very easily at the slightest gust of wind. Her face seems small and timid, one of someone vulnerable and easily overtaken – the type of face to attract attackers. And, although there is no excess fat to indicate a previously unhealthy diet, there is also not much muscle covering her to give her strength, either.
He quickly calculates that all this means twice the work for him, as anything as simple as menial tasks could cause her injury.
Though he is not usually one for sarcasm, terrific.
.. ღ ..
She finds the blush on Miss Orihime's face when she exits wickedly amusing. She had expected this, because when one meets Matsumoto Rangiku for the first time, it always either ends in shock or embarrassment. Miss Orihime looks as if she is suffering from both.
At least she no longer looks like a cowering mouse covered in mud. Actually, once her skin has been cleaned, Karin can see very clearly that she is actually a very pretty woman, with a very eye-catching figure. Of course, she has no need for worry, as she has no doubt that her Toushiro's eyes have never once strayed from her in the presence of another female.
"Feeling better?" she asks, patting the bed to ask her to sit and then taking a seat herself. Orihime does not answer, and she watches with curiosity as the young human eyes her surroundings apprehensively. At first, there is only an expected interest as she takes in the simple decor of the room she will be staying in, followed by a laughable sprinkle of red on her cheeks as she notices Rangiku in the corner, folding the towel and robe she had confiscated. More accurately, she seems confused by her presence at first glance, only realizing who she is by the display of cleavage hanging out of her uniform. Matsumoto, of course, has always been pleased by her identifier.
But then, curiously enough, all movement stops and her breath hitches in her throat, her eyes suddenly fixated on only one thing in the room, though not with interest, but almost...alarm. She follows her gaze, afraid of what she will see, and finds her staring at an uninterested Ulquiorra gazing off in the distance, unaware of their stares.
She carefully calculates Orihime's reaction, taking in the widened eyes and the openly gaping mouth. Her small eyebrows gently furrow and, after a moment, she begings chewing on her lips, obviously trying to control her emotions as her gaze shifts to the folded hands in her lap. She begings playing with her fingers, picking at her fingernails or rubbing her arms as if she is cold. She makes a strange movement with her head, and Karin realizes she is trying to swallow a think lump in her throat slowly, so as not to attract attention to the action.
Perhaps Ulquiorra had not been the best choice after all. But there is no turning back now.
"This is Ulquiorra," she introduces, and Orihime jumps at the sudden noise. The stoic soldier looks over as well at the mention of his name. "He's going to be your...bodyguard, of sorts. You have no need to worry with him here, as he has a reputation for being an excellent worker, and I am confident he will keep you safe."
"Oh, um, nice to meet you...I guess," Orihime stutters, not even making eye contact with him but rather looking at her hands again. Ulquiorra nods sharply once, and then returns to his cool, detached air.
"And you've already met Rangiku," she continues, a smile playing on her lips this time.
"Hi, hi!" the maid bursts out, abandoning her post by the bathroom door to bounce over to them happily.
"Rangiku will be here to take care of anything you might need during you stay -"
"So don't be shy to ask!" Rangiku adds. "Oh, we'll be such great friends. I just know it!"
Orihime chuckles weakly at her rather overbearing personality, but she seems pleased all the same to have such an accepting friend here. Karin grins at their interaction, glad she had made the right choice for a maid, at least.
A knock in the doorway interrupts them then, and they find that Toushiro is standing in the doorway, surveying the scene. Ulquiorra immediately snaps out of his stance and bows deeply in respect. He is the only one. Rangiku ignores him and goes back to attempting to engage Orihime in a conversation, who seems confused by the entrance of such a serious and regal figure. It doesn't take long for her to note Ulquiorra's posture and then gasp.
"You're the king," she breathes, and then begins scrambling furiously to stand and bow. Karin grimaces while Rangiku rolls her eyes.
"Yeah, yeah," she deadpans, waving an airy hand. "Big deal. Stick around for a while and you'll see enough of him for a lifetime."
Orihime gapes in shock at her bold attitude, Ulquiorra glares while still retaining his bow, but Karin simply laughs, used to the maid's careless attitude towards them. Toushiro simply does not react.
"Come on," she addresses Orihime, waving her over. "Let me introduce you. Rangiku, Ulquiorra, you two can go for today, and Ulquiorra, please make sure you are ready for your move tomorrow."
The two leave the room, the soldier acting rigid and respectful, the maid always bouncy and flippant. They make quite a pair heading down the hallway together. Meanwhile, the other two head over to the doorway, where the king awaits them.
"Miss Orihime, this is my husband, Toushiro Hitsugaya," she introduces proudly, using the more western form of giving one's name so as not to cause confusion. "And Toushiro, well, vice versa."
"I-It's an honor to meet you, your Highness," the girl replies, bowing clumsily, unused to the action as she had always been the one bowed to. Karin easily catches her arm and pulls her back up.
"I've already told you that we are not your rulers," she scolds. "There is no need to bow to us. Right, Toushiro?"
The king only stares at Orihime, his eyes cold and calculating, watching her actions with an indifference. When he hears his wife address him, his gaze slowly shifts to her before he nods carefully. Karin rolls her eyes, slapping his arm.
"Do not let that bother you," she assures a flustered Orihime. "He is like that with everyone, but he means well." There is no answer to this from the king, but the flame haired human nods uneasily. "Do you see what you've done, Toush?" she playfully reprimands him. "You've made her uncomfortable."
"...I apologize," he mutters. "That was not my intention." Karin sees the surprised look on her face, probably because of the deepness and smoothness of his voice. She, herself, had always expected him to have a more rough voice to match his scowling face. Of course, she is not complaining – her husband has the most beautiful voice she has ever heard, always managing to give her sensual shivers.
"O-Oh, of course not," Orihime exclaims, waving her hands in front of her quickly. "I'm sorry I came across that way, Sir Toushiro."
Karin raises her eyerows but doesn't say anything.
"Well," he continues, "it was very, ah, nice to meet your acquaintance, Miss Orihime. I hope you...enjoy your stay." He turns to Karin next, and his face softens slightly. "I will see you at dinner?"
She nods happily.
"Uh huh." She stands on the tips of her toes to kiss his cheek lightly, enjoying it immensely and resisting the urge to pull in his lips passionately, because he has not had a chance to shave yet. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Orihime look away, blushing once again. Karin finds it highly amusing how shy the girl can be at times. She remembers that Ulquiorra had mentioned back in the throne room that she had resisted her capture, even when faced against someone as intimidating as Grimmjow and his team. She cannot wait to see that fiery side of the girl, when she adjusts to the thought of her extended stay in the palace.
Toushiro exits, not sparing a second glance towards Orihime, but Karin still waves after him cheerfully.
"Well, that was my wonderful husband," she exclaims, chuckling. "You'll see him again at dinner. Of course, you'll be dining with us."
"Oh." Orihime bites her bottom lip, opening her arms wider and looking down at the plain kimono she is wearing. "Do I need to change into something more -"
"No need," Karin responds, shaking her head. "I have never been one for formalities, so our dinners are never formal affairs. What you are wearing is fine. Although, we might want to do something about the rat's nest on your head."
She laughs at Orihime's embarrassment as she tilts her head and eyes up to get a better look at her tangled and dripping wet hair. And she had met the king this way! Karin grabs her arm, dragging her back over to the bed and forcibly pushing her down to sit. Taking a seat behind her, she reaches over and grabs something from on top of the dresser.
"I had Rangiku bring me a hairbrush," she says. Slowly, she begins running the teeth of it against the girl's unruly hair, careful not to pull too hard and hurt her. "We should fix you up now, before you begin walking around the palace."
"P-Please, Miss Karin," she stutters in return. "You have already done so much for me. There is no need for you to -"
"Nonsense," she cuts off. "I am perfectly capable of this. And you cannot very well walk around like this for the entirety of the day."
Orihime relents, settling down a little more easily and enjoying the soothing strokes of the brush and Karin's surprisingly gentle hands - well, at least that's what Toushiro has always said during their nights together.
"I hope this is not too tiring," she frets aloud. "My hair is rather long."
Karin shakes her head to negate the worry.
"I used to have long hair once," she explains, continuing with the slow strokes of the brush. "My sister made me keep it, always claiming it made me look more...pretty." She can hear the grimace on her face through the disbelieving tone in her own voice, and she assumes that Orihime can too, by her giggle. "I always thought it a nuisance, however. It was a relief when I finally had it shortened. It was very...convenient."
.. ღ ..
The bell rang, signifying a customer had entered the shop as the front door slammed open. All of the employees and customers jumped in fright at the sudden commotion before swerving towards the reason. A young girl with raven hair and an irritated scowl on her face, not looking any older than sixteen, stood at the entrance, her hand still holding open the front door as she surveyed the scene.
"Anyone free?" she grumbled.
A sigh of relief went through the group as they realized she had come as a customer. They all went back to their tasks, busying themselves. A tall woman in high heels and a curly do on top of her head rushed towards the front door.
"Welcome," she chirped. The girl surveyed her from under her cap with narrowed eyes."I'm free, so I can take you."
The girl nodded.
"Great," she replied, though her annoyed expression said otherwise. "Name's Karin, and I need a haircut, obviously. Make it quick."
The bubbly woman nodded, forcing down her aggravation. She held up her hand and waved it, indicating the newcomer follow her.
"Come on. My seat's at the back."
The two headed across the room, her humming and the girl silent, her hands in her pocket. When they reached her station, she swirled the chair around, patting it.
"Take a seat," she ordered. "I'll get my things ready."
She headed back to the supply room in the back to get clean equipment, leaving Karin to settle herself in. When she returned, the girl had taken off her red cap and set it at the counter. Her hair was actually long, below her shoulders already but very unruly and uncared for, and it was a very plain style, simply hanging over her ears. Already the hairdresser started imagining all sorts of wonderful new hairdos, with elaborate curls and bangs and layers. She could make the young girl look so pretty.
"Ready?" she asked. Karin did not reply, but just sat there and waited. "Alright then." She awkwardly reached for the plastic cover and threw it over the girl's frame, holding it together with the Velcro sticker on the back. When she finally touched Karin's hair though, she was surprised.
It was so wonderfully soft! She grinned at the feel of it, liking the way it ran through her fingers so easily. It had been a while since she had had a customer who had not completely damaged and roughened up their hair with chemicals. With an excited gleam in her eyes, she reached for a spray bottle of water and a comb.
"Did you have a specific style in mind?" she asked excitedly as she readied the bottle to wet her head.
"Yeah," Karin replied, looking at her seriously through the mirror. "Gimme a buzz cut."
She was taken aback, and actually did a double take.
"What? B-but, your hair is so soft and nice. It would be such a shame to -"
"I said I wanted a buzz cut!" Karin boomed with a deeper scowl, making her jump in shock. "And make it snappy, would you? I have important things to do. I can't just hang around here all day."
"Uh, o-okay."
Dropping the comb and spray bottle on the couch, she slowly reached for her hair again. It was a little flat from the cap, which would make the cutting more difficult, so she wove her fingers through the strands, trying to give it more volume. Then, rather than grab the bottle and comb again as she usually did for female customers, she instead grabbed a razor, plugging it in quickly and turning it on. The buzzing sound cut through the entire store, though nobody paid much mind. After all, this was a barber shop.
The hairdresser gulped, carefully and sadly placing the razor against Karin's forehead and moving the blade back, shaving off a portion. The strands slowly fell off, drifting to the cover over Karin's body and then sliding to the floor. Repeating the action until the entire forehead was cut, she moved onto the sides, which she shaved up just as steadily. Soon, as she trimmed the neck and edges, they found themselves surrounded by piles of black hair no longer resting on Karin's head.
"I'm done," the hairdresser muttered sadly, untying the Velcro cover and allowing Karin to stand. The young girl eyed herself, turning her head side to side to view each angle for any missed portion. When she found none, she grabbed her red cap and slipped it back on. The change was miraculous. Before, though her rough personality came through nicely, the long hair actually made her face seem smaller and petite, like an actual growing woman. And now, her entire frame seemed wider, strongly built, more handsome than beautiful.
"Looks great," Karin complimented with approval. She jammed her fist into the pockets of her shorts and fished out some cash to pay for the cut.
The woman accepted it slowly, still staring at her head with narrowed eyes and puckered lips. Reaching for a broom, she began sweeping up the discarded hair, watching as Karin strutted out, the door ringing once again as it opened to allow her to exit. She could not help but think of the haircut regretfully as a waste of wonderful hair. What kind of girl asked for a buzz cut, anyway? She could tell by her dirty attire that she was a tomboy, but that didn't mean she had to murder her locks.
But Karin's face through the shop window was carefully controlled. She did not look bothered in the least, only strangely determined.
.. ღ ..
Only two police officers are sent over to answer to the frenzied call. The two elder gentlemen seem very uninterested in the story, not even jotting down any notes as he explains that he last saw his sister the previous evening, and discovered her bed empty and untouched this morning. The maids stand around the front entrance, waiting to know if they would be asked any questions, but the men pay them no mind.
"Listen, kid," one of them grunts as he finishes. "For all we know, the girl could have just run away."
He grits his teeth in aggravation.
"She wouldn't just run away," he argues. "I know my sister."
"Regardless," the other speaks up, "she hasn't been gone long enough to be classified as a missing person in our directory."
"So you're not going to do anything?" he demands, hotly. Don't these two know who he is? With all of his wealth and influence, this is the best the police department will do for him?
"Nothing we can do," one answers. "If she's still missing by tomorrow, then call the police station again and we'll see if we can spare anyone to take the...case. Though she'll probably come back by tonight at the earliest. The city's tough out there, espeically for runaways -"
"She didn't run away," he insists.
"Umm, actually," someone speaks up timidly from behind. They all turn to see a blushing maid stepping out from the crowd. "I-I saw Orihime-sama running out of the house really late last night when I was heading to bed." They all watch her closely, and she blushes a little more heavily, embarrassed by the attention. "I didn't think it was my place to say anything, but..."
"What?" he asks, perhaps a bit more harshly than he intends as this new information sinks in. His precious little sister, a runaway? The thought has never crosssed his mind, as he does everything in his power to give her anything she wants and keep her happy. In the few times he has seen her this month, she has never seemed troubled.
"Well, she didn't return," the maid explains, cowering slightly under his glare. "I didn't exactly wait for her as it was not my business to keep track of my mistress, but the front door did not open again and, as I was heading to bed, I didn't see her in the gardens from out my window, either."
The two police officers seem amused and even a little smug that their own interpretations of the incident had been correct.
"See? It was all just a misunderstanding. I'm sure your sister'll be back in a jiffy -"
"Although," the maid cuts them off. She pauses, cupping her chin and looking slightly thoughtful, "I did see something rather strange out of my window. Right before I went to bed, so I don't know if this is completely accurate as I was half asleep..." She trails off, biting her lip. He nods over to her, encouraging her to continue, afraid for his sister and wanting every single detail of the previous night. "I saw...well, it could have been from anything, but I don't know what could have made such a sight when this house is so isolated...It looked like a very strange, glowing, green light."
She blushes again after her admittance, perhaps thinking that her observation only sounds silly. But he catches the serious expressions on the faces of the police officers – the two glance over at one another with furrowed eyebrows, their shoulders tense.
"What?" he wants to know, but they ignore him, instead choosing to have a vague conversation with one another.
"It couldn't be – all the way out here?"
"Well, there have been reports, though no one ever found..."
"What would they want with a human girl...?"
"...Hostage?"
It is this last word that makes him nauseous, makes his head spin with all the dangerous possibilities for a timid girl such a Orihime out in the world alone, makes him grab one of the cops roughly by the shoulders.
"What?" he asks again, more rough and urgent.
The man seems uncomfortable, brushing off his hands and exchanging anxious looks with his partner.
"Well, we don't wanna worry you," he begins, rubbing his neck sheepishly, "but, recently, there's only one reason why someone would see a green light in the middle of nowhere..."
I had the most fun writing Orihime and Matsumoto's first meeting ^^ I don't know, it was just easy to picture in my mind and just as hectic as I would imagine a meeting with Matsumoto to be. What did you guys think? And it seems Ulquiorra isn't exactly flattering Orihime in his mind, huh? I can't wait to prove him wrong. But, trust him to be one of the only guys to see her naked and only use that moment to analyze her weaknesses rather than lust after her ^^' I wonder how different it would have been if it had been Grimmjow or Nnoitra instead...