"Hey, girl, wake up."
Orihime struggled to part her heavy lids but a rough jolt helped bring her around. She stared up into the deep blue pools that were Grimmjow's eyes.
"What happened?"
"Don't tell me you've lost your memory now."
"What?" She sat up in his lap but a wave a dizziness overtook her and she slumped back against his chest. "No, I have my memories, I'm just not sure what happened after Uluqiorra attacked us."
"Uluqiorra? You mean that monster?"
Her eyes locked on his for a moment before being dragged away by the continued sensation of spinning the girl felt in her head.
"He wasn't a monster. He was like you. He must have lost almost everything– all his memories– if he was acting like that."
"What do you mean he's like me?"
"Your sword."
Grimmjow slid one hand to his side and gripped the handle.
"Yeah, I was wondering what this was."
"Its because you're an espada. Aizen made the arrancars more powerful with his hogyuku."
"Okay, this seems like a long story and I really need to know the details but we are not in a good place right now. I need you to tell me where is safe because there are all kinds of things that escaped those caves crawling around in this forest now and I don't know who to trust. So tell me girl, where is safe?"
She pursed her lips for a moment in thought then looked up at him.
"The world of the living. But do you remember how to open the gate into the world of the living?"
"Even lesser hollows can move in and out of the two realms."
"Then take us back to the world of the living. I have friends who can help."
"Can they help me get my memories back."
"I don't know but my powers should." She raised her hands up to his temples. He watched her concentrate deeply but then an expression of deep sorrow spread through her features and she dropped her hands, tears already forming in her eyes.
"What is it?" Grimmjow asked staring down at the girl in his arms.
"They're gone."
"Who?"
"My friends...my powers." She began to openly sob now and he remembered the force of the monster Uluqiorra's blast and had no doubt it could have damaged her powers, as strange as they were. She was only human after all. His arms unconsciously tightened around her as she shook with grief but she soon stemmed the flood of tears and collected herself.
"I'm sorry."
"Just tell me why you think your world is more safe? There could be just as many enemies there."
She rubbed her eyes but shook her head.
"No. I have friends there. And at least it would give you time to get your memories restored before you have to confront anyone here. I'll get my powers back, and then I can reverse it."
He was silent, mulling over her proposition. As he thought her eyes roamed beyond her protector-captor's embrace and she spotted Uryu sitting close, silent, intimidated, but always thinking, calculating, strategizing. She looked further for the fourth but there was no one.
"Where is Toshiro?"
"Who?" both men asked.
"Captain Hitsugaya. He was in the room with us. Where is he?"
Neither knew of whom she spoke and she realized they'd left him behind, in the flames, with the monster Uluqiorra, and the greatest demon of all, Aizen.
...
Toshiro woke to a gentle up and down motion of his body. He kept his eyes closed for a moment longer, he felt heavy and exhausted and it took some time to fight his way back into consciousness. When he finally did come back to his senses he found himself up high, hoisted onto the back of the brown haired man treading through an endless silver desert.
"What is this place?"
Aizen stopped at the sound of the boy's voice in his ear and carefully lowered him back to the ground.
"You alright? You were really out."
"I don't know why I was so tired." Toshiro wiped the sleep out of his eyes as Gin settled down next to them and ran his fingers through his sweat slicked hair. He looked into the hazel eyes of the man before him and found a friendliness there that reassured him, unlike the white haired man. Toshiro glanced around and saw the palace in the distance.
"Is that where we're headed?"
"Yes." Aizen settled a little more comfortably in the sand now that he saw the boy was alright. "It's the only place in sight and maybe we'll get some answers."
Toshiro nodded then looked to the other. "Gin, what do you know about us?"
"Nothin' abou' you." he said and Toshiro felt uncomfortable with his narrow eyes on him. "But this man here is my Captain in the Soul Society."
"The Soul Society, that's home, right?"
Gin nodded. "Yup. Captain Aizen and I are soul reapers and I'm guessing you are too by the markings on your uniform. I think yer a captain."
Aizen frowned at this statement.
"But he's so young."
"Yes sir, but I believe it is possible." Aizen nodded. He didn't seem to mind that Gin had put himself in a subordinate position even though he was the only one with memories.
"What exactly is a soul reaper?" Toshiro asked.
Gin smiled. "The keepers of balance, the warriors of the Soul Society, the Gotei Thirteen."
This did little to clarify things for Hitsugaya but he pushed on.
"But we are not in the Soul Society."
"No."
"Then where are we?"
"Well," Gin smiled and Toshiro felt a prick of unease, "that forest we just left was full of dark spiritual pressure and these silver sands are just like the desert of soul reaper legend– I believe we are in Heuco Mundo."
Aizen look unperturbed and seemed to have already had this conversation with Gin but Toshiro was completely lost.
"Where?"
"The place where hollows– lost souls who consume others souls– live when they are not in the world of the living or our world."
Toshiro stiffened a little and cast his gaze around them but saw no threat. Gin chuckled a little but Aizen put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Not to worry little one, we've been keeping our eyes open."
Toshiro sudden felt enraged by his patronizing tones. "I'm not little, I'm–" but he didn't know what else to say because honestly he didn't know who he was. He shook his head in frustration and continued in lower tones. "I'm not a child."
Gin almost said something but Aizen spoke first.
"You can't be, if you are a captain. But then, where is your zampakuto."
"My what?"
Aizen exchanged looks with Gin.
"What?"
"All soul reapers have a zampakuto, it's a manifestation of their soul."
"Gin told you this?"
"No. I remember it. I don't remember anything about who I am but I remember that."
"Then why don't I remember?"
"Maybe because you are separated. Maybe the bond is interrupted."
Hitsugaya concentrated but could feel anything. His frustration only deepened.
"What I don't understand," Gin interjected, "is why we are dressed like this. At first I thought it was a new style of robes but Toshiro's are still the style I recognize."
"And why were we sent here? What purpose?" Aizen added.
"And how do we get back." This last question brought silence. Eventually Aizen rose and the other two took his lead.
"If we were on a mission, then others will come find us when we are overdue correct?"
Gin nodded. "I expect the Head Captain would send another squad for us, in time."
"Then for now, the best solution is to that palace and see what answers are there." Aizen marched forward leading the little group in what they could only hope was some form of safety.
...
"Dammit."
The wind swirled sand into the eyes of the young soul reaper as he paused in his race over the desert sands. His sword hummed in his grip.
"I know Zangetsu."
He frowned though, as his eyes searched the horizon. He'd now lost Orihime and Uryu's spiritual pressure completely. Theirs had been faint but another presence was with them, much stronger and very familiar. Grimmjow. They must have moved too far from him– Grimmjow's spirit was just barely on the edge of his awareness. The only reason he didn't dash in the direction of the Gillion forest where he felt them was because another presence was much, much stronger– Aizen. And with him, Toshiro.
His sword told him that if Grimmjow hadn't harmed his friends by now, there must be a reason and they should be relatively safe. As much as his heart wanted to chase after them, his mind told him that he could not abandon the little captain, or let Aizen succeed in whatever his plans were. He would have to hope the others found Orihime and Uryu. He glanced over his shoulder at the forest one more time before turning back to the massive castle that loomed before him.
"I'm sorry Orihime."
The boy raised one hand to his brow and swept his palm across his face in one fluid motion. His eyes glowed yellow and the red and white mask appeared. In an instant he was gone, his foot prints already erased by the swirling sand.