I know a bit rushed, but it needs to happen this way. Review, please.

Love, Keta.

Chapter 5: Holding Out for a Hero (Frou Frou)

Somewhere after midnight

In my wildest fantasy

Somewhere just beyond my reach

There's someone reaching back for me

Orihime's POV

"Where the hell is Kurosaki?"

"Calm down, captain." Rangiku puts a hand on Toushiro's shoulder, looking half afraid that he'll turn around and bite her.

"Ichigo'll be here soon," I say, looking down at the child-like shinigami.

"Sorry, I'm late!" Ichigo calls, running up to us, "I had to meet Keta at the train station and drop her stuff at my place!"

"Why?" Renji asks.

"She's at Uryu's house so she can meet all of you since his dad asked her to stay and design the new edition."

"Seriously!" I cry. "He's making that thing bigger!"

"Yep. It's supposed to be Keta's apartment for when she's in Karakura. Otherwise she'd sleep on the streets." He shakes his head. "If it weren't for Maybel, she'd be living on the streets now."

"You sound pissed off."

"Of course I do, Rukia! She's more worried about Nagini and Skydamire than herself!"

"Who?"

"Sky's her pet wolf, and Nagini's her fourteen foot long python."

"Four-fourteen feet?" Renji's shaking as he speaks.

"Yeah?" Ichigo chuckles. "You aren't scared of snakes, are you, Renji?"

"No!" he says forcefully, scowling when Ichigo's laughter deepens.

"You are! You're scared of snakes!" He smirks. "Trust me. Nagini won't hurt you. She's extremely docile and well trained. She follows Keta's every command; she won't even eat if Keta doesn't want her to."

"Seriously?" Anyu asks.

"Seriously. She'll even let you carry her, but I suggest against it, considering she's over seventy pounds."

"Damn that's a big snake!" Rangiku.

He shrugs and gives her a dismissive gesture. "We should get going. Keta wants to meet you." While we walk down the road, he reaches up to the part of a black cord visible to me and pulls the necklace free from his shirt, running his finger across the pendent I cannot see.

"What's that?" I ask.

"Huh." He looks down, realizing what he's been doing. "Keta gave it to me. Wanna see?"

"Sure." He undoes the clasp and hands it to me with great care, sepia eyes filled with love. I look down at the obsidian panther set into a forever frozen snarl. Its fierce amber eyes gleam so brightly. "It's beautiful, Ichigo."

"Thanks," he whispers as I hand it back to him. "I wish you could enjoy this day too, Ichimaru…" he mutters so lowly under his breath that I can barely hear him.

'Who's Ichimaru?'

Ichigo closes his eyes and takes off down the street at a dead run to a figure in a long white and black sundress. His mouth is set into wide smile as he hugs the blonde haired girl. "Hello, Keta."

"Hello, Ichigo." The blonde woman draws him deeper into her embrace as we walk up to her. "So you must be Ichigo's… Shiro?"

"Keta!" Ichigo moves out of the way in just enough time to evade the white haired captain. "I can't believe you're here! I missed you so much Mooney!"

"I've missed you as well, Shiro-chan."

We brace ourselves for the explosion that we're sure is to come, but it doesn't. "You never change do you?"

"Oh, I did. I grew."

"Fuck you."

"No, thank you. I'd rather not have to deal with someone almost two feet shorter than me." He growls, and then sighs.

"Byakuya and María miss you too."

"I know. But since they can't come to the world of the living anymore, I can't see them. I've had to make new friends."

"I know. Like Ulquiorra Schiffer." He crosses his arms. "What the hell are you doing with arrancar, Keta? They're dangerous!"

She snarls. "That's not his name, Shiro."

"What?"

"He's Ulquiorra Verion Saiyzar Castiel Murcielago-Morningstar. Not Schiffer. And I'd appreciate if you'd keep your nose out of my business!"

"I'm just looking out for you!" Toushiro cries, almost in tears. "What if he hurts you?"

"He won't!"

"How do you know?"

She turns her head away from him, and us, and something red falls from her right eye. "Because Shiro, Violetta, Mura and I are all he has left."

"What?"

"Muramasa, the zanpactou that tried to take over the Soul Society, Ulquiorra, his, actually our, little sister and I are all siblings. He's my younger brother."

"I don't…"

"Remember the little kid used to be with me all of the time?"

"Yeah."

"That was him. I'm the only thing that keeps my brother grounded. Without me, he doesn't give a damn about anything."

"How often do you see him?" I ask.

She gives me a scrutinous look. "You're Orihime right?"

"Yeah."

"He told me about you. You interest him. And to answer your question, he wanted to see me today, in about fifteen minutes." She looks at the shinigami. "Please tell me you won't try to hurt him. He's my baby brother, and if he dies or gets hurt, you'll make a very, very merciless adversary. Do not tempt me to kill you." Her eyes open wide. "He's here early." Dark, despairing spiritual pressure erupts from above us, making us look up to the rooftop directly at said espada. He pulls out his zanpactou and jumps down between his sister and us. "U'ra! Calm down! They won't hurt us." He lets out an odd chirping sound. "I promise, little bat. Now let's go inside. I'm hungry, and I know you are too." An irritated whining sound. "Ulquiorra Verion!" she shouts, "you sound like a two year old!"

"So do you normally!"

She growls. "You're eating, even if I have to tie you down and get the funnel again."

"I like the funnel. Is the food going to be fresh?"

She sighs, "Yes. Now I have to find some unlucky person to feed you."

"You're going to let him eat someone?" Ikkaku cries.

"No," Ulquiorra says calmly, "I only wish to feed from them."

"They're vampires," Ichigo says nonchalantly.

"How can you be so calm?" Rukia asks.

"I'm polynemic. Vampires are a polynemic's greatest ally. We feed them in exchange for protection, and a less painful way to fix our problem."

"Question: what's a polynemic?" Renji asks.

"Humans, well actually any creature of humanoid genetics, even hollows can be if they were while living, that produce too many red blood cells. After a time the excess will rush to the lungs, and well, you drown in your own blood." We, not Toushiro, Ichigo and Keta, stare at Ulquiorra. "Sadly," he continues, "there aren't very many as the usually die very, very young."

"How can you be so calm saying that?" Yumichika inquires.

Keta answers however. "It's a fact of life. People die. Why become attached to creatures that will fade from existence before you even have a chance to actually live life with them. My brother and I have lived many years, knowing this fact. But..."

They finish together, "we do anyway."

"Come inside!" Ryuken Ishida calls from the doorway, smiling at Keta and Ulquiorra. "Where's Muramasa?" he asks.

"In Hueco Mundo. He's trying to defuse a fight between Grimmy and Ani," Ulquiorra answers as he enters the kitchen and immediately opens the fridge.

"Grab me one," Keta says, setting on a barstool in front of a set of blueprints.

"Kay!" He reappears from the fridge with two packages filled with a red liquid.

"Here." Mr. Ishida hands him a mug and takes the other bag, ripping it open and allowing the contents to pour out. "Want it warm, Keta?"

"Is that supposed to be a rhetorical question, Ryuken?"

"Sorry…" he laughs and opens up the microwave. Ulquiorra follows his lead and sets his inside as well, pressing a couple of buttons to turn it on. When it's done, Uryu's dad brings a mug over to her. "So how much do you have done?"

"Thanks. I have the structure itself and how much of each material we need. The inside I'll have to go looking for still."

"Remake our room," Ulquiorra says just before he takes a drink.

"Nah. You won't be here that often. I know you. Someone has to piss off Nnoria for me, and help Uncle Ginny irritate the others."

"Yeah, yeah. But I miss you and Nagini. Sou-chan misses you too."

"Who's Sou-chan?" I ask, already deciphering that Nnoria is Nnoitora.

"Souske," Ichigo responds as he sits on the counter. "He's Keta's adoptive father."

"Really?" Chad asks, the first time he's spoken since we've met the vampiress.

"Yeah. My Mama and he are mates. She asked him to take care of me, 'cause she couldn't. He takes care of U'ra too. I think it's because he misses Auntie Yukari."

"Who's that?" Yumichika inquires.

"His sister. She's the reason why Hanna and Souske met." Ulquiorra yawns right after he finishes and sets his cup down on the counter. "I'm going to take a nap."

"Not on the floor!"

"I like the floor."

"If you sleep on the couch, I'll take a nap too. Kay?" He nods. "Com'on." They walk into the adjoining room and lay together, his head on her chest and her arms around his waist. Suddenly, their eyes fall closed and they slip into sleep, clinging tightly to each other.

Mr. Ishida motions us out into the garden where Uryu is. "Make yourself at home."

"Hey guys."

"Hi, Uryu!" He smiles at me then looks at his father.

"Keta and Ulquiorra are taking a nap, aren't they, Dad?"

"Yeah. I didn't want your friends to wake them and probably get hurt in the process."

"My back hurt for a whole week after that."

His dad laughs. "Your fault."

"I know."

"What happened?" Ikkaku questions.

"Keta threw me into a wall. She doesn't do waking up well. Probably because she's so used to being woken up in a moment of crisis or to one of the arrancars' pranking her." He turn to look at Ichigo who's making a strange drink over at the outdoor bar. "What the hell is that?"

"A Zombie. Why?"

"Looks gross."

"It's just one part white rum, one part golden rum, one part dark rum, one part apricot brandy, one part pineapple juice, one part papaya juice, ½ part 151-proof rum and a dash of grenadine. Keta introduced it to me the other night and I liked it." He pulls out a another glass and pours some other things inside.

"What're you making now?" Rangiku asks.

"Bloodhound. Keta likes them. Then again, if it has alcohol, she likes it."

Laughter sounds behind us. "Very true, Kurosaki."

I turn around to look at Ulquiorra and Keta, the latter with a giant snake wound around her body. She rolls her eyes. "Very cute boys."

"We know."

She smiles and accepts the drink from her boyfriend before leaning against a tree. "So, guys, please keep this quiet. I have good feelings around you. Don't make me regret having to kill you."

"We'll be good."