Erm, so I apologize for my almost two year long break. I sort of forgot about this story. I also noticed I hadn't posted as many chapters as I thought (I've written a few chapters ahead). So, sorry about that. I've started writing it again, so I'll start posting again. As usual please review even if you're only pointing out a tiny little grammar mistake (because they bug me). :)

Take It All Away

Chapter 5: Assignment

"Ulquiorra-sa- *CRASH*" Ulquiorra looked up from his desk unable to put out of his mind the suspicion that he'd experienced this scene before. "Gah! I'm sorry! I knocked over the vase!"

"I thought it was trash anyway."

"Oh. Well, that's good," Hanako answered, evidently not noticing the espada's blatant insult about the vase that she, herself, had placed in his room. "Aizen-sama wants to see you right away. He's sending us on some sort of mission or something. Isn't that exciting? Maybe we'll-"

"Did he say anything else? Ulquiorra cut her off before she could go off on some imaginative rant.

"No, he didn't elaborate. But, isn't it exciting?" she asked again.

"No," he replied bluntly as he started to walk away.

"Haha well, I guess it's kind of typical of you to say that," she laughed as he exited the room and headed toward Aizen-sama's quarters. A mission? What sort of mission? What could they possibly need to do right now? Things had never been more quiet in Hueco Mundo. With the help of Sonido he reached Aizen-sama's room in a few minutes. "Ah. Ulquiorra, you've arrived sooner than I expected." Ulquiorra bowed before his superior.

"You are sending me on a mission, Aizen-sama?" he queried.

"Mission? Is that what she called it?" Aizen-sama chuckled. "Well, it's not so much of a mission as a test. I want to see how well you two can cooperate on a real assignment. I'm sending you to Kurakara Town to check up on Kurosaki. I'm curious to see how he's handling things." Ulquiorra was puzzled, slightly confused even. He was sending them to the human world, to Kurosaki of all people, with the girl's past experience? If it was just a test, why didn't they go out to the desert and hunt a hollow or something? But Ulquiorra just bowed his head and replied, "Yes, Aizen-sama." He knew exactly what he was doing, and it was not up to Ulquiorra to question it.

"Wait, one more thing, Ulquiorra," Aizen-sama continued, as the fourth espada turned to leave. "You're going to use gigais, so you'll be less recognizable if someone happens to notice you." There were only a handful of people who would be able to see them in their present state, but Ulquiorra guessed who Aizen-sama was referring to. He was still a little taken aback by this however, but again, he bent his head slightly, replying with a, "Yes, Aizen-sama," and retreated back to his own room where the girl was still waiting.

"So, where are we going?" she asked excitedly.

"The human world," he replied matter-of-factly.

"Really?" Now she was even more excited.

"Before you go off on some meaningless rant, we have to go prepare first. Come with me." He motioned for her to follow him. The short trip from the 4th fraccion's quarters to the 8th was only a few minutes, but every second of it was filled with the girl's ceaseless chattering, only broken by a question or two. "So what exactly is a human?"

"You'll see when we get there."

"From what I've heard they're kind of like us only…different. Is that true?"

"You'll see when we get there."

"You're no fun, you know that?" she laughed.

He ignored the statement, instead stating, "We're here."

"Szayel's room? Why?" Ulquiorra knocked on the door.

"Come in," they heard a voice call out from inside. He opened the door to find the pink-haired espada bent over a computer screen analyzing data.

"Where are they?" Ulquiorra asked him. Szayel waved a hand at another doorway.

"Over there," he replied without looking up. Hanako turned to Szayel while Ulquiorra headed toward the room.

"What's he getting?" she asked.

"Gigais," he answered.

"Gigais? What are those?" Szayel finally looked up from the screen.

"They make you look human," he explained, happy to talk to someone who actually cared and listened. "They have their advantages and disadvantages. For one, you're visible to everyone. But, on the other hand, since you look human, you're less noticeable to someone that might possibly be able to see you the way you are now."

"You mean humans can't see us?" Hanako asked curiously. Szayel hesitated, uncertain of what he should answer.

"Well, they're not generally supposed to, but a couple of them can. It's completely normal," he added nonchalantly.

"Oh."

"Hey, everyone. What's this? A party in Szayel's room?" Szayel looked with annoyance at the unwelcome espada who had just walked in.

"Hey, Grimmjow," Hanako greeted him.

"What's up? I heard that you're going on some sort of assignment. Just you and stone-face over there, eh?" Grimmjow smiled, which for him, usually turned out as a smirk.

"Yeah, I can't wait," she replied happily. Grimmjow bent down until he was at her level, and spoke softly.

"Hey, listen. If anyone happens to ask, say he's your boyfriend, ok?"

"Boyfriend?" Hanako asked, puzzled at the term.

"Yeah, and you're on a date." He noticed Hanako's confusion turning into skepticism. "That's what you're supposed to say," he added quickly as he noticed Ulquiorra returning, and straightened up. "Well, here he comes right now. Man, I'm really unwelcome here, aren't I?" Ulquiorra was staring coldly in his direction. Well, colder than usual, anyway. "You could freeze all of Hueco Mundo with that stare. Sheesh, only Hanako here ever appreciates my company. Fine, I know when I'm not wanted." He stalked off toward the doorway muttering under his breath.

"Here." Hanako was surprised as Ulquiorra handed her the gigai.

"I look the same. Just without the mask and hollow hole. So this is what humans look like?" Ulquiorra didn't answer. "Right. I'll see when I get there. Why the coats?" she asked noticing how heavily the gigai was dressed.

"It's cold in the human world right now."

"Oh. So, how do you put this thing on?"

"Just step into it," Szayel answered from where he was still bent over the computer screen.

"Like this?" Hanako stepped into the Gigai. "Oh! This is so cool! How do I get out of it again?" she asked excitedly.

"Uhhhh, you step out of it."

"Like this?" Hanako found the next few seconds quite amusing as she stepped in and out of the gigai.

"Ulquiorra-sama, isn't this-" she stopped as she turned around and noticed the espada wearing his gigai as well. His appearance was much the same as before, but a warmer, although still pale, skin colour had replaced the previous deathly white. His messy-looking black hair crowned his head where the helmet-like mask had been hiding it, and the green streaks down his face that gave him the appearance that he was always crying were gone. He was dressed quite simply. Black pants and boots, and a green coat that matched the colour of his eyes. He stood in a nonchalant stance, like always, with his hands in his coat pocket. A slight pink rose to Hanako's cheeks.

"You look-" Hanako paused.

"Hot?" Grimmjow offered, ducking his head inside the doorway from where he had just exited.

"What?" Hanako exclaimed in surprise. "No! Nononononono!" she answered hurriedly. "You look…you look…different. Good!" she added quickly. "You look good," she stated with finality.

"Of courrrrrse he does," they both glared at the door where Grimmjow's voice could be heard faintly from the hall. Ulquiorra turned to Hanako who was dressed in navy blue pants with a light pink winter coat. He was slightly taken aback, as he had gotten used to her arrancar appearance. Now, standing before him, was the human girl he had known from the very beginning, not long ago.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied, awkwardness replaced by excitement. "So, how do we get there?" she asked.

"Just follow me, and don't stray from the path," he replied as he opened a space out of thin air. They both stepped into the portal and disappeared from Hueco Mundo.