Orihime huddled close to the fire, Uryu's arm around her shoulders a much greater comfort than the heat of the flames. In fact, the light of the fire cast dancing shadows on the foliage around them and every time she looked up she thought she saw something moving. So she sat with her eyes fixed on nothing but the flames while they waited for Grimmjow to return with food.
"So you really trust this guy?" Uryu asked. He may have only had the memories of an eleven year old but the boy was sharp and always thinking.
"I don't know, I don't think he'll hurt us."
"But you said he kept you prisoner before."
"He did, but I think we connected..."
"I don't like the sounds of this. Can't we go home by ourselves? Weren't you here before?"
"No, we can't leave ourselves, a hollow has to open the Garganta and no I wasn't here before. I was so sure earlier that we were in the palace, it was almost identical on the inside, but when we left it was more like caves and we came out in this place. I think it must be a separate laboratory or prison or something. Aizen probably took us there so Toshiro couldn't damage the main palace if he got free. And this forest is no where I've been before. Ichigo spoke of it but I was never here myself."
"So there's somewhere else?"
"Yes, a great palace in the desert. I'm sure that's where they're taking Toshiro but I think we're moving in the wrong direction. We have to convince Grimmjow to take us that way."
"No Orihime. Whatever happened to you it hurt you severely. I don't entirely understand these powers you've described to us but you can hardly walk on your own. Grimmjow had to carry you most of the day, I don't think we should be chasing after someone else."
"We can't just abandon him."
"We have to get you home."
The bushes rustled and both stiffened. Uryu took his arm away from Orihime in case he had to use his quincy powers but it was Grimmjow, carrying something large and black and bleeding.
"Dinner."
He tossed the remains of the hollowed next to the fire. Orihime held a hand up to her mouth.
"You can't be serious." Uryu muttered.
"Its all there is to eat around here." Grimmjow said sitting down. It seemed he'd already had his fill.
"We can't eat this!" Orhime said after she finally recovered enough to remove her hand from her face."
"Then you'll starve."
"Grimmjow!"
"What?"
"Its settled then." Uryu spoke quietly and the other two broke out of their bickering to stare at him. "We can't stay here. You have to take us home."
Grimmjow sighed and sat back. He was still undecided on the matter.
"Do you really think you can get your powers back and restore my memory?"
Orihime nodded. "Yes. I do."
"I don't know. If I leave Heuco Mundo–"
Grimmjow froze for a moment then whipped around, hand outstretched, and met the palm of another, just an outline in the shadows. An intense heat built between them and in the growing light the dark figure with those tear stained eye was illuminated orange, making the pale face look even more like a demon.
"Uluqiorra!" Orihime cried as Uryu threw himself on top of her. The explosion threw the humans back a few feet but Grimmjow disappeared completely; only a lingering trail of broken branches was left in his wake. Uluquiorra slowly turned to face the humans.
"Uluqiorra, please remember!" Orihime begged. "Remember Lord Aizen's orders. You aren't supposed to kill us! Grimmjow is your ally!"
But there was absolutely nothing in those eyes. It seemed everything had been wiped away, not just memories but self awareness, consciousness: he was reduced to a hollow– an incredibly powerful one.
"Please..."
"Stay back!" Uryu held his bow before him. It was not as strong as the one Orihime knew, but then, in his mind his powers were still young. He shot an arrow and it slid harmlessly through one of Uluqiorra's wings. The empty arrancar raised his hand again and both humans froze.
"Bastard!" a still steaming Grimmjow flew through the air, wielding his sword and diving at Uluqiorra. In one swift motion, however, the black hand moved from the humans to Grimmjow and before he had a chance to swing his sword there was a hand on his throat and the blade fell to the ground. Black burns and blood ran the length of his left arm and his face and chest were also specked with his blood. Uluqiorra's hand clenched tighter and tighter around Grimmjow's throat until he was on his knees and his eyes were rolling back into his head.
"ULUQIORRA!"
The vacant eyes shifted in her direction and Orihime felt a chill run through her. There was nothing more she could do but stare back into the darkness.
"Screw you." the words hissed out of Grimmjow's mouth, the moment of distraction had been enough for him to form a cero. The blast was nowhere near as big as the one before, but it was enough to get Uluqiorra to release his neck. Orihime grabbed onto Uryu just as Grimmjow hurled into.
"No choice." Orihime heard the sixth espada rasp as opened the Garganta and carried them through the cracks of this world.
"I think, its finally, actually getting closer." Toshiro panted as they walked along. They'd been walking for hours and the palace never seemed to get any closer until now. The walls were looming up even higher, the windows more distinct. They were almost there.
"Need a rest do ya?" Gin smiled at him patronizingly and Toshiro glared back.
"No, I'm fine."
Aizen glanced at him to but said nothing. Toshiro grit his teeth. He did not have his memories, but he knew he was not a child and he hated that they kept looking at him like one.
"What if there's someone inside?" Gin asked, looking to his captain.
"Then we'll get some answers."
"But how d'ya want ta play it? Could be enemies, could be friends. Should we be honest, or play 'er cool."
"Honesty isn't always the best choice, especially when anyone could be a foe. If we do encounter someone, we pretend we know what's happening."
"Gotcha."
"Agreed."
It was another hour before they reached the first set of stone steps rising out of the sea of sand.
"Here goes nothin'." Gin and Aizen marched side by side up the steps and Hitsugaya followed a step behind.
The further they got the more uncomfortable Toshiro became. First, they passed through the gates and were greeted respectfully by a hollow, a very humanoid-like hollow. Then they just kept meeting more and more. They got in deep quick and had no chance to retreat. Everyone called Aizen Lord Aizen and nodded to Gin and stared at Toshiro in wonder. And everywhere was a terrible, dark spiritual pressure.
Finally they came to an empty room and shut the doors tightly.
"What the hell is going on?" Toshiro began. Both men looked to Gin who's face was even paler than Toshiro thought possible.
"Gin, what is it?"
"I don't believe it." The smile was completely gone.
"What?"
"You just told me, it is one of my last memories, you just told me your plan and now..."
Aizen gripped him by the shoulders and made him look into his eyes.
"Captain...my captain...I said yes, of course I said yes, what choice did I have once you told me? And I was supposed to be promoted for it too, to your lieutenant. But now here we are, you are the Lord of the arrancars and we're– we're traitors to the Soul Society."
Aizen let go of Gin and the other took a few steps back as if repulsed by the man before him, the man he seemed to revere just seconds ago.
"I didn't really think it would happen. Why, why did I go along with it?" Gin was shaking his head and Aizen just stared at him. Toshiro was between them, his head swivelling from one to the other. Did this mean he was a traitor too?
"Maybe you're wrong. Maybe it only seems like that." Toshiro spoke but Gin didn't listen. He looked back to Aizen but the man who had seemed much more friendlier and trustworthy than Ichimaru had a blank, cold expression on his face. "I think we should leave, go while we still have our cover."
"No." Aizen stared at him darkly. "No, they called me Lord. I am the ruler of this place and not by accident. If I chose this path than I must have had a reason and if we are traitors, then there is nothing for us outside of this place."
Gin finally collected himself. He swallowed hard and nodded. "I agree Captain. I must have had my reasons for following you down this path."
Toshiro now felt very uncomfortable and he struggled not to take a step backward when both men turned to him.
"What about you?"
"I..." his mind raced. These were the only people he knew and they were soul reapers like him. He had no sword and no where to go, there was only one logical choice for the moment. "It makes sense. We have to stay."
"My Lord!" the door swung open and a man in white with shaded glasses entered and bowed slightly.
"Tossen!" Gin supplied, a little more surprise escaping than he intended.
"While you were gone I got several readings from your location. I take it they were caused by Captain Hitsugaya." Toshiro froze, unsure of what the comment meant.
"Yes." Was all Aizen said.
"There were other readings too. Ichigo Kurosaki and two other soul reapers entered into Heuco Mundo early yesterday and before them was another–" he motioned and an arrancar threw a small figure into the room. It was a woman wearing a white hirori like Toshiro and she had two white braids that stuck out of otherwise shortly cropped hair. Her whole body was a mess of injuries, blood staining most of her robes yet her blue and black face was lined with determination and hatred as it slowly bent to face them.
"Soifon." Gin said in a smoother voice this time, betraying no feelings. The little captain glared up at him.
"Ichimaru you traitor! And, you, the biggest traitor of them all." Her eyes shifted to Aizen and he smiled darkly. Toshiro stood completely still, unsure of what to do but unable to tear his eyes away from the beaten figure on the floor. Even in that much pain her hatred won out. Who were they and what had they done?
"What do you want me to do with her Lord Aizen?" Tossen asked. "I have already questioned her extensively, not that she divulged anything. However, it seems it was only her and a handful of the stealth squad that came through. I took the liberty of dispatching them."
"Very good. You may lock her up."
"Very well sir." He nodded behind him and two arrancar entered and pulled the woman to her feet.
"And what about the other prisoner, sir?"
There was a moment of terrible silence. Aizen followed Tossen's unseeing eyes to where they were aimed, straight at the boy captain. Toshiro's eyes widened.
"Would you like me to take Hitsugaya too?"
Aizen slowly shifted his gaze to the boy and Toshiro knew what was about to happen. With a cool smile he nodded.
"Damn you." Toshiro didn't know his own powers but he knew that warrior blood was in his veins, he would not give up without a fight and as much trouble as he was he felt relief that he was not a traitor. He had already calculated the strength of everyone in the room, and he knew his best bet was the two arrancars.
His brain told him he had to be fast and it seemed his feet were listening because Toshiro suddenly found himself hurling through space much faster than he thought possible. This must be his soul reaper powers, he thought briefly, just before he slammed into the arrncars and the women.
All four went spiralling back through the doors and Soifon wasted no time in grabbing their swords, tossing one to Toshiro and holding the other before her. Tossen slammed into her a full throttle but she managed to parry and block.
"What are you doing Hitsugaya? Get out!" She screamed at the boy who stood momentarily stunned.
He snapped himself back to reality and swung at Tossen's back. But the man was fast and others were coming to back him up. Gin and Aizen seemed to be just watching but Toshiro was sure that wouldn't last long. He held his breath and tried again to move as fast as he could. He managed to get a cut across Tossen's shoulder before grabbing Soifon's wrist and dragging her with him down the hall down which he'd come with Gin and Aizen, freely, as their allies. As soon as she'd collected herself, Soifon took the lead and Hitsugaya felt himself being drug behind her superior speed.
"What's wrong with you Hitsugaya! Keep up."
"I– I'm sorry, I don't know you."
She glanced back at him even as they sped through twisting corridors.
"What do you mean?"
"I lost all my memories. I don't know who I am, I don't know who anyone is."
Of all the things she could have said, her answer was truly not what he expected. "Good. I guess this means I don't have to kill you."
His grip loosened but her own tightened around his wrist and they hurled through space, finally hitting the open, desert air.