She did not appear tonight. And it was unusual.
She always appeared at night, always looked for him, and he was always able to sense her here before she could even find him.
But she wasn't here. He couldn't sense her. He growled in irritation, eyes shut. The King was injured, sleeping off the battle with the Arrancar. Had he been in control, the Arrancar would've been shredded meat…
Three minutes…an hour…she still hadn't come. "Princess…the King better not be keeping you from me…" he growled.
That's when he heard her voice, faintly whispering the name she gave him, and the only words that made no sense.
"You'll understand why I did this…"
When the sun rose, Ichigo crashed on the floor. "Ow…falling out of bed," he muttered, rubbing his head. "How lame…"
That's when his eyes widened, noticing that the bandages on his arm were loose, no scar left from the battle. How could it be…? He pressed his palm against his forehead, just above his eye, and shut his eyes. He felt it—a familiar spiritual pressure—"This is…"
"Orihime Inoue's spiritual pressure? Possibly," came a familiar voice. Ichigo turned his head to his window to see Toshiro Hitsugaya with a serious expression on his face. "Come with me, Kurosaki. We have a situation."
Toshiro had taken him to Orihime's place, and he was shocked to see Renji, Yumichika, Ikkaku, Rukia, and Rangiku had gathered in her room, looking as serious as Toshiro.
"What's going on? Where's Orihime?" asked Ichigo. Toshiro looked to Rangiku. "Is the reiha interference gone?" he asked.
"Yes," she answered.
"Open a link," Toshiro ordered.
When the connection went through, Ukitake was on the other end, a grave expression on his face.
"Ukitake?" Toshiro looked hard at the captain of squad 13. "Where's the Head Captain?"
"I felt there was something I had to say myself," Ukitake said.
"And what's that?"
"That I was the last one to see Orihime Inoue as she went through the Senkaimon to return to the world of the living. There was also another girl who was with Orihime-"
"Another?" asked Yumichika.
"Yes. Minako Kazuya."
A shock went through the group, particularly Ichigo and Rukia.
"Judging from your reactions, I take it neither of them arrived there," said Ukitake.
"What do you mean?" Ichigo demanded, his hands curling into fists.
"The guards who went with them came back. According to them, both girls were abducted by an Arrancar and possibly killed," replied Ukitake.
"Captain Ukitake!" Rukia exclaimed.
"I'm sorry to have to say it like this."
"Orihime's not dead. No way!" Ichigo snapped before he drew back the sleeve of his shihakusho to bare his wrist. "Look! My arm was injured in yesterday's battle and it was completely healed this morning and there were traces of her spiritual pressure on me! No one over here could heal it and you want me to believe she's dead?!"
"I see," came another voice and Head Captain Yamamoto appeared on screen. "It is most unfortunate."
"What do you mean?" asked Ichigo.
"If what you say is true, it is safe to say Orihime Inoue is alive, which in turn would imply the other girl is alive as well. At the same time, however, it implies betrayal," Yamamoto said.
"Betrayal?"
"If she had been abducted, she would not have the time to visit you while you slept. The fact that she healed your wounds before disappearing, it means that Orihime went with the Arrancar of her own free will."
"Then what about Minako? What does that mean for her?" Rukia asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
"If she was with Orihime Inoue in the Dangai, and did not return to the world of the living, it implies that she also went with the Arrancar. It means that Minako Kazuya is either a hostage or also a traitor."
The anger within Ichigo did not only belong to him; but the moment the Head Captain spoke those words, he exploded. "Take that back!"
"Stop it," Renji grabbed Ichigo by his shoulder. "You'll make it worse." He looked to the screen. "Sir, I understand what you're saying. As a member of the advance team, I will go to Hueco Mundo to open the eyes of the traitors Orihime Inoue and Minako Kazuya."
"You will not," boomed Yamamoto. "Now that we know the Arrancars are prepared for battle, the entire Hitsugaya advance team will return to defend the Soul Society."
"Are you telling us to abandon Orihime and Minako?" Rukia asked.
"Yes. They are merely two girls and we have the fate of worlds to consider," Yamamoto answered.
"With all due respect, Captain," she said, her face contorting into determination, "I cannot obey that order."
"I thought this might happen. Fortunately I took precautions."
A Senkaimon opened inside Orihime's apartment and Kenpachi and Byakuya stood there.
"Captain Kuchiki," Renji said, stunned.
"You heard the Head Captain," Kenpachi said. "Come with us."
"Do not resist," added Byakuya. "We have been ordered to bring you back by force."
Silence hung in the air for a moment, before Ichigo spoke. "Fine. I won't ask the Soul Society for help. Just tell me how to get to Hueco Mundo. They're my friends. I'll save Orihime and Minako by myself," he said.
Yamamoto considered him before giving his response. "You will not. We are going to need your help in the coming battle. I cannot allow you to throw your life away. You will stand by and await further orders. That is all." The screen went black as the connection went dead. He felt his friends go through the Senkaimon. "Ichigo," Rukia murmured, "I'm sorry."
The Senkaimon closed and Ichigo was alone in Orihime's apartment. The anger that belonged to him was mixing with the raging fury his Hollow was exuding.
"You better get her back, King…" he growled, his voice cold with rage inside Ichigo's head. "If you don't, I'll make sure to do it myself."
Whatever his Hollow's reasons were for demanding Minako's presence back, Ichigo knew why he was going into Hueco Mundo. His friends needed him and he was going to get them back.
In Hueco Mundo, Minako kept holding onto Orihime's hand, feeling Orihime's own grip tightening as the Arrancars lead them to a spacious room, where a throne sat high above ground. On it, sat a man who peered down at the two girls. "Welcome to our palace, Las Noches," he greeted calmly, as if they were honored guests. His eyes went to Orihime. "Your name is Orihime Inoue, isn't it?" he asked before his eyes slid to Minako. "And who is this…?"
"This girl, Minako Kazuya," Ulquiorra said, "also has a strange ability. However, since she was not the intended target and was with Orihime Inoue, she insisted to come here."
"I see," the man said before he looked back at Orihime. "I'm sorry to rush you, Orihime. Please demonstrate your powers."
Minako felt Orihime trembling before her hand slipped from her grip. "Y-Yes," she replied. Minako could sense great power coming from the man who overlooked them, and it made her feel cold inside.
"There are some here who doubt your worth," he continued before looking at one of the strange figures. "Isn't that right, Luppi?"
"That's right." The one called Luppi was covered in bandages and the look on his face was dark, murderous even. "We were sent to the world of the living just to get one little girl, with a tag-a-long?"
With rage bubbling inside her, Minako felt her power stirring chaotically, darker and more sinister than she ever felt it. She could feel her energy—her very soul—pushing into Luppi, and she wanted to cause him pain. She wanted him to squirm before he could do anything to hurt her or Orihime. Luppi doubled over with a grunt of pain, as though the dark thoughts Minako had in her head were like knives cutting from inside him. When she felt Luppi suffered the stabbing pains enough, she pulled back and Luppi was gasping for breath, glaring at her. "You little bitch. What did you do?"
"How unusual," the man whispered. "Tamashī no Tankyū-Sha. That power should have been long extinct."
Minako exhaled from the bout of using her power for harm. She felt a shaking fury inside her as she looked at the man.
"Now for Orihime to display her worth," he said. "Would you demonstrate your powers by healing Grimmjow's left arm?"
"What?!" Luppi exclaimed. "That's crazy, Aizen-sama! Grimmjow's arm is gone! Director General Tôsen chopped it off!"
Orihime went to the one called Grimmjow—the male with blue hair—and stood to his left. "Soten Kishun," she whispered. "I reject."
The shield Minako witnessed in the Dangai appeared where Grimmjow's arm should have been. Luppi was livid. "What do you think you're doing?! If you're trying to save your life with this show, don't! If it doesn't work, I'll kill you! If your powers are bogus, there's no reason to…" he faltered as Grimmjow's arm appeared, fully restored, "keep…you…alive…"
Grimmjow looked at his restored arm in wonder, flexing the fingers, moving his hand back and forth.
"What the hell did you do?!" Luppi yelled at Orihime and Minako was a breath away from soul-stabbing him again. "This goes beyond healing!"
"Ulquiorra believes it is a form of special or temporal regression," The one called Aizen said.
"Yes," Ulquiorra agreed.
"It is not either," Aizen said. "It is a rejection of phenomena."
"What?" Luppi whispered.
"Her powers limit, deny, and reject all phenomena that affected her subjects. She could make it as though the damage has never happened. Her powers violate divine law," Aizen said before his eyes went to Minako. "As for Kazuya-san, her powers allow her to completely invade another being's soul. She could either be a "voice" or physically manifest to do whatever she will from within. It is a power that was supposed to be long ago extinguished. She will also be useful."
Minako glared at Aizen, a rage she was unaccustomed to rising inside her. She knew it was because of this man that Orihime was brought here with the threat of death on her friends. Ulquiorra, whatever he was, gave her no choice, no matter how strategic it was to make it seem that Orihime had gone on her own to this place.
"Hey girl," Grimmjow addressed Orihime coolly as he hooked his thumb over his shoulder. "Heal one more thing."
Orihime moved behind Grimmjow, using her power to heal the ruined skin on his back, the skin marked with the number six appearing. Luppi looked livid. "What are you doing, Grimmjow?"
"Huh?" Grimmjow turned to Luppi with a psychotic grin when—
-he thrust his arm through Luppi. "Just this," Grimmjow said. "Bye-bye, Number Six."
With no remorse whatsoever, Grimmjow used a strange power to blow Luppi's upper torso clear to dust before he let out a wild laugh that made Minako reminisce about White. "It's back! My power's back! I am the Sexta!" he roared with glee. "The Sexta Espada: Grimmjow!"
Soon after the display of their skills, Orihime and Minako were put in a simple room. Orihime was kneeling on the floor, looking out the sole window while Minako sat on the only little sofa. Orihime was a necessity; Minako herself was an unforeseen attachment from when they both left the Dangai…
"Then what do you wish to negotiate?" Ulquiorra asked Minako, his unmerciful eyes locked onto her own dark blue orbs.
Minako's heart was beating erratically from fear, but she kept her mask of stone. "You take me, with Orihime."
"Not an option."
"You don't get to counter until I've had my say. I will not let you take Orihime by herself. You either take me with her or I'll just follow Orihime for when you take her to wherever you plan to keep her prisoner."
Ulquiorra's gaze was unreadable, but Minako could sense a shift in his energy. He didn't doubt Minako's words, but was trying to weigh her worth. "…All right. However, you are not to speak unless addressed directly, as you were not the initial target. If you violate that one condition, I will have you killed. Agreed?"
"Minako-chan, just go," Orihime pleaded. "Go back and…and stay safe at home."
Minako shook her head at Orihime, stepping in front of her brazenly, as she addressed Ulquiorra. "I agree to your terms."
Whether Ulquiorra believed Minako or not, he didn't show it. "I will take you to Hueco Mundo first, girl," he said.
"Minako-chan, why…?" Orihime whispered. Minako looked back at her, and her eyes softened at the question in Orihime's eyes. She went close enough to Orihime so Ulquiorra wouldn't hear. "Along with Ichigo, you reached out to me, to be my friend. You were so open and so kind to me, Orihime. I had a feeling something horrible was going to happen after Urahara told me about my powers and that's when I ran into you and Kuchiki-san," she said. "I came along of my own volition, Orihime, and good thing I did. The least I can do to repay the kindness you've shown me is to try and protect you now."
Orihime's eyes filled and Minako saw the guilt shining in them. "You're putting yourself in danger for me and this isn't your fight…"
"So long as that thing there is determined to not give you a choice and keep you prisoner, this is my fight." Minako turned to look back to Ulquiorra. "Say what you need to and let's go. You intend to take me to your jail first, warden."
She walked as though toward Ulquiorra as Ulquiorra walked toward Orihime to say what the condition was for her to be taken. It took only a moment before Ulquiorra was beside Minako. "We will wait for you at the designated area," he told Orihime as he and Minako disappeared into the opening from where Ulquiorra had appeared…
"Minako-chan?" Orihime's voice was soft and Minako looked at her.
"What is it?"
"Do you regret coming here with me? Because of me, you're not home safe."
"I don't regret anything, Orihime." Minako stood up to go kneel beside her. "I told you I'll protect you as long as they hold us in this place. You saw what I already did to one of those monsters before his comrade blew him to pieces."
"I didn't know your powers could do that."
"I didn't either."
"Are you scared?"
"Honestly? I'm terrified. I'm under the condition to speak when spoken to or I lose my head."
Orihime looked sad and she took Minako's hand gently. "I wish I hadn't gotten you involved in this, Minako-chan. I'm so sorry," she whispered. Minako smiled reassuringly and her, squeezing her hand. "The thing is, Orihime, is that you have friends who will come for you. Until they come, I'll be your shield. The moment I see any harm intended for you, I'll put myself on the cross for you. That's the most use I can be for now."
Silence hung between them before Minako spoke again. "When you were training, Orihime, were…were you thinking about protecting Ichigo?" she asked. Orihime's eyes widened. "How did you know?"
"I've always seen how you look at him, Orihime. I don't know how dense that boy could possibly be, to not notice how you'd do anything for him." Minako smiled softly.
"I haven't told him. I haven't really been able to."
"You love him, don't you?"
Orihime's expression softened. "What about you, Minako-chan? Are you in love with Ichigo too?" she whispered.
Minako took in Orihime's question as though it were a grain of salt. "I don't really know Ichigo as well as you, Orihime. I only know his Inner Hollow, White. Ichigo is a stranger to me."
Orihime gave a sad smile, pressing Minako's hand with her free one. The moment she did so, they both felt immense energy in the air. Orihime's eyes went wide. "That's…" she breathed.
Minako's own eyes widened—within the energy was one she knew so well, the one that haunted her for the past nights. She felt Orihime's hold tighten on her hand and she squeezed back in turn.
They were going to be saved. The question was how long would they have to wait?