Chapter 5
Under a fake sky
Naruto frowned as he studied his friends sleeping face, so relaxed and serene. He could feel her breath against his cheek as she inhaled and exhaled. He was all for her feeling so at peace, but did she really have to fall asleep in his arms like that. He had nodded off himself mind you, so it was half his own fault. When he woke up he was about to move, but a weight leaning against his side stopped him. Naruto had turned his head to see Yugito fast asleep, using the crook of his shoulder as a pillow.
He was about to move, but the slightest movement made her grip him tighter, burrowing her head into his arm. So he chose to remain where he was, his eyes travelling from the smooth ceiling to her peaceful features and back again. He was also having a little trouble, considering the way she was pressing her considerable assets against him. A nice soft swell against his side, coupled with her warm breath against his cheek and the leg hooked around his were very difficult things to try and ignore.
The door at the other end of the room opened with a creek, taking his attention from the sleeping woman to whoever was entering. It was one of the Arrancar, but one he hadn't seen before. The woman was young looking compared to Nel-san.
She wore a white jacket, the sleeves extending well beyond her hands, a dark purple obi sash tied loosely around her waist, baggy white pants partially hidden by knee high white boots. A Zanpakuto was at her hip. Its hilt covered in purple cloth with a white butt and gold engraved guard, sheathed in a simple purple scabbard with familiar gold engravings. The woman was quite beautiful with long flowing dark blue hair, mapping out a rounded face of flawless cream coloured skin and expressive lavender eyes that seemed to lack pupils. Around her neck was a necklace of fangs and teeth which he guessed were the remnants of her Hollow mask.
The woman looked at the two and raised a delicate eyebrow, to which Naruto grinned sheepishly. "She fell asleep like this"
The girl didn't respond, instead she raised her hand, pointing to the door. "Aizen-sama has called you"
"Right," He said in reply, and looked around for something he could use to substitute himself with. Finally he found it, the pillow she was supposed to be using instead of his shoulder. With his free hand he took it, careful enough not to awaken the blonde and slowly edged it between him and her. Her hand grabbed the pillow, and in a quick motion he rolled off the bed, landing in a crouch on the floor.
He looked up at the girl, his smile still in place. She looked at him with a frown, then at Yugito. "Her too"
"Come on, she's had a rough couple of days." He pleaded sheepishly, hand reaching up to scratch the back of his head. "Just let her sleep for now and I'll fill her in later"
The woman let out a breath, before shrugging. "You explain it to Aizen-sama"
"Sure thing," he replied, rising from his place and following his guide out the door. They walked through Nel-sans living quarters and out into the winding corridors of the fortress proper. Naruto frowned as he was led down the corridors. There was something about this woman that he found eerily familiar. It was almost like he had seen those eyes before.
The woman continued on silently for several minutes, not looking to make small talk. After a while he couldn't take it anymore, and decided to make an attempt. "So are you one of Nel-sans Fracción? What's your name?"
"Yes," she replied evenly, "I am one of Nelliel-sama's Fracción, and my name is Rafaela, Rafaela Hasiasol"
He didn't recognize the name, but there was something about this woman that he found familiar. They walked on for a few more moments, he himself deep in thought, and it wasn't until he heard the woman's voice that he was aware that she was gazing at him from the corner of her eyes.
"What's your name? It's rude that I answer you yet you don't answer me." She said in a soft monotone, those familiar lavender eyes gazing at him.
He grinned sheepishly. "Oh, sorry, guess I went off to my own world there for a bit. My name is Uzumaki, Uzumaki Naruto."
Her eyes widened slightly at the name, before returning to normal once again. He noticed, just barely, and wondered if she also recognized him from somewhere. She continued to stare at him, a frown on her features, almost as if she was trying to remember a distant memory. After a while he began to feel a little uncomfortable.
"What?"
"Nothing." she replied, eyes once again watching the hallway ahead. "It's just that I feel that I've met you somewhere before"
"Yeah," He replied, surprisingly her ever so slightly, "I have the same feeling, Rafaela-san. For some reason I feel like I should know you but-" He shrugged, cutting himself off before he finished.
Rafaela looked at him again for a moment, before returning her eyes to the well worn route to their leader's throne room. The rest of the trip was followed in an uncomfortable silence between the two until they reached their destination. Unlike before the throne room was now empty. Only Aizen himself was present, sitting idly on his high backed white throne, hand holding up his head by the chin.
"Ah, Naruto-kun. Thank you for coming." He greeted in his usual soft tone. He stopped short, looking around before settling his gaze on Rafaela. "I asked for the two of them, Rafaela"
The girl flinched, but before she could speak up Naruto stepped in. "My fault Aizen-san. I asked her to let Yu-chan sleep for a little while longer. I'll fill her in on the details afterwards"
"I see." Aizen replied after a moment's thought. "Then that will do. Rafaela, please leave us"
The Arrancar nodded her head, before turning on her heel and walking out of the throne room at a brisk, yet dignified pace. She cast one last glance at Naruto before she left, but he saw in her eyes that she was slightly relieved to be away from this man's presence.
"So, Aizen-san," Naruto began when Rafaela left through the archway, "What is so important that you would need to call for me so soon after that little incident"
The man smiled, before rising from his throne and walking down the broad stone steps at a leisurely pace. "Yes, Naruto-kun there is a reason why I called for you. As you know there are others out there like you and Yugito-san, others who once held within them monsters who forced them to become enslaved to their own darkness. I would like to gather them together in one place and release them from their enslavement"
Naruto took a few steps to the side as the man came down to his level, his eyes not leaving his face as he continued to speak. "Including you and Yugito-san there are nine such beings, known as Jinchuriki in the living plain. I would like your help in gathering them and convincing them to join my army."
"I have a feeling that they will not be easily convinced." Naruto said. "Your approach with gathering Jinchuriki seems more along the lines of sending hit squads than negotiators"
Aizen raised a brow ever so slightly. "And how should we approach them, Naruto-kun?"
"You are approaching them under the assumption that they are Hollows. That they would see the almighty power of you and your Arrancar and join you because they either fear you, or respect your power." Naruto explained, he himself mimicking Aizen's movements, the two encircling each other. "For most Jinchuriki you need to approach them as you would a human, a scared, traumatised, wronged human. They will act threateningly to anyone but someone who understands them, understands their situation."
"So you are saying I need to send a Jinchuriki to recruit a Jinchuriki?"
"That would be an easier option. Either that or someone who has been in that situation." Naruto replied. "And most of your Arrancar would be taken out of the list immediately"
"How so?"
"Your Arrancar are either bloodthirsty or starving to fight a strong opponent." The blonde explained, most of these assumptions were made during his time travelling with Yugito. At the beginning of their journeying together there were times when she would tense up if he made a sudden movement, or shy away when he moved a little too close into her comfort zone. She had acted like a wounded animal, when in fact under the tough façade she had been nothing more than an abused kitten.
"So you are suggesting that I send you two out into the wilderness alone with no backup." Aizen asked with a raised brow.
"Unless there are Arrancar within your ranks which fit the criteria,"
"There are a couple." the Emperor of Hueco Mundo conceded after a while, turning around and walking up the steps, hands clamped behind his back. Naruto hesitated for a moment, before following the overlord of Las Noches up the marble steps. "Tell me Naruto-kun what do you know about Hollows?"
"Very little," Naruto replied, "Can't really learn much about them when they're trying to kill and eat me."
"Well their behaviour is governed by a certain aspect, one of the ten aspects of death." Aizen explained as he casually climbed the steps to his throne. "Greed, rage, loneliness, nihilism, insanity, each Hollows personality is based around these ten characteristics in one way or another – but out of these ten there is an aspect which makes them understanding, makes them more, if you shall say, human. This aspect is sacrifice."
"Sacrifice?"
"If you were to assemble a team of Arrancar to lead then I would suggest you gather warriors with that aspect." The architect explained as he took his seat by his throne, Naruto came to a halt on the second and first step. "Those whose aspect is sacrifice are not very common because they refuse to eat humans, they instead hunt fellow hollows. They feel emotions including love, hate, joy, sadness and so on far more acutely than the other nine."
"Then do you have a list?"
"For another time," Aizen rebuked lightly, "For now I am going to place both you and Yugito-san under the tutelage of Nelliel, so she can teach you both how to control your Hollow powers and abilities."
"And our Shinigami powers?" Naruto asked, immediately feeling Kazerasshu's voice. It is not necessary, a Shinigami can only learn from his Zanpakuto.
"If you can already communicate with your Zanpakuto then there is little need for someone to teach you." Aizen said, adding to his Zanpakuto's assessment. "You can converse with your spirit can't you?"
"Yes"
"And Yugito-san"
"I am not sure." Naruto replied, before adding. "I will ask her when she wakes up"
"Indeed," Sosuke agreed, "But I will not keep you much longer. You will return to Nelliel's rooms and she will begin training you at her leisure – Rafaela."
Naruto nodded, before turning to see the same dark blue haired Arrancar waiting for him at the bottom of the staircase. He walked down the stairs, seeing her turn on her heel and stalk out of the chamber, himself following in her wake.
The living quarters for Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck, Tres Espada of the Arrancar army weren't anything like he had expected. For one thing they were not a small collection of rooms at all. It was a palace within the fortress of Las Noches, a huge assortment of rooms and training grounds in a domed structure large enough to overshadow most castles and palaces of the living world.
The blonde entered his new sensei's living quarters, following on the heels of her youngest Fracción and stopped as he looked up upon the balcony leading out from the open space living room. There, standing at the edge was his friend. Yugito was stretching her arms over her head, sighing in elation when she heard the groaning of her bones and muscles.
Nauto walked up to the balcony, smirking as she continued to stretch the kinks from her body. She had taken to wearing the uniform of the Arrancar. Along sleeved white v-neck shirt and baggy pants with black trim, white ankle boots and a loose blue obi sash where she kept the sheathed form of her Zanpakuto. Yugito had done her hair up into a long ponytail thanks to a white strip of cloth and as she finished stretching and started shaking herself off the cloth covered ponytail began to swish from side to side almost hypnotically.
"Feeling better?" Naruto asked as he came to stand beside her.
"Much better," Yugito replied, cracking her neck muscles, "Just wanted to test this new body out is all. Wanna come with me?"
"For what?"
She smiled brightly and grabbing his hand launched them both from the balcony. The two flew through the air, performing flawless somersaults before landing on the sands in a crouch. Rising from their positions she led him on until they were a good distance from any visible structures. Naruto easily kept up with his companion, deciding to go along with whatever she had planned.
Finally they came to a stop, both taking deep, calming breaths. Naruto turned to be met with his friends almond eyes. "So what did you want to do?"
"Train with me." She said with a smile, drawing her Zanpakuto in one smooth motion. He raised a brow playfully. "I want to see what I can do with this sword, and I trust only you to not make it the talk of the whole world"
He shook his head in bemusement, before drawing his own sword in one smooth motion. "How much do you know about your sword?"
"I know her name."
"Then by all means,"
"Rise, Izanami." she whispered, causing her sword to transform into the weapon she remembered from her battle in her inner world. Naruto studied the released Zanpakuto for several heartbeats. It was a striking weapon, from the long blue ribbon fluttering from the butt to the same coloured cloth covering the hilt, the black guard to the flawless liquid silver blade.
"Beautiful." He found himself saying, before smiling mischievously. "The swords not bad either."
She blushed slightly at the comment, before pouting playfully. "Go on then, let's see your sword."
"As you wish." he replied before bringing his weapon up, running his fingertips along the flat side of the blade. "Descend, Kazerasshu."
He saw his fellow blondes eyes widen when his swords side increased threefold, from the half long hilt to the guard, curved down to offer protection to the wielders hands. The long, broad blade, serrated on one side and two spikes on the top third of the other side.
"That sword." she whispered. "It's impressive."
"Really?" Naruto grinned, bringing the huge blade up to rest on his shoulder. "A sword's effectiveness depends on the one wielding it."
She raised her sword, pointing it at him with a wicked smile. "I want to learn how to fight like a Shinigami, and I want you to teach me."
"Most of what I do is out of reflex." Naruto replied. "So I can only teach you by going through the motions"
"That's okay." she replied. "I was always one who learned through doing."
"Then I have a feeling we're going to get along just fine." Naruto found himself saying, gripping his sword with both hands and holding it at the ready. "We'll learn together."
Naruto yawned as he walked through the endless hallways, absently wiping the gum out of his eyes with the back of his hand. He had been woken up by his guide, that same strange girl and ordered to follow. Rafaela was quiet today, and any attempts he made at conversation were ignored, so he just silently followed the woman through the white stone corridors.
He didn't ask where he was going, and he didn't ask what was in store for him when he got there. All would be revealed in time. But he did know that he was still in Nelliel's palace, after all her accommodations were pretty large, all of the Espada's were by his guess, and there were more Arrancar living here than he had first estimated. It wasn't just her three Fracción. There was a small force of servants who he guessed lacked the needed power and skill to become combat level Arrancar. As well as this there was another woman who he had seen wandering the corridors on occasion, but hadn't been able to find out much about.
Finally he was lead into a large, mostly barren chamber of white walls and black marble floor. Rafaela raised a hand, gesturing him to stop, before she continued on into the chamber alone. Once she reached the centre of the hallway the Arrancar came down to a knee and bowed her head. Naruto wondered what she was doing, and was about to ask, but something stopped him.
It was spiritual pressure, and it was powerful. In a blur of motion he noticed a silhouette appear in front of Rafaela, a towering shapely form. After a moment he recognised this new Arrancar as the woman he had noticed wandering around the corridors. She was tall and shapely. Her skin a coca colour, with long dishevelled blonde hair, braided into three thin locks. Upon closer inspection Naruto saw that her eyes were a brilliant green, with thin blonde eyelashes.
Her attire was, interesting, to say the least. She wore a white jacket with a high collar, covering the bottom half of her face and cut off mid way around her ample chest, bearing her flat stomach and shapely thighs, a long white skirt covered the lower half of her body, a black sash tied to her waist.
"Harribel-sama," Rafaela acknowledged with a low bow, eyes not leaving the square marble tiles, "I have brought him to you as Nelliel-sama asked."
The woman, Harribel, looked down at Rafaela for a moment, not a hint of emotion in her cool emerald eyes. "Thank you Rafaela. I will take him from here."
"Hai, Harribel-sama." Rafaela stood from her place, turned on her heel and marched out of the chamber, giving Naruto a sideways glance and a nod as she exited.
"So you are the one Aizen-sama has been so interested in." He saw Harribel approach, taking graceful gliding steps towards him. Emerald orbs studying him intently. "I am Tia Harribel."
"Uh…hey, nice to meet you," Naruto greeted back, smiling sheepishly as she walked in a circle around him, sort of reminding him of a predator prowling around an unlucky prey, "So I suppose that means you're my teacher?"
"Teacher" Harribel repeated the word with a nod. Her voice had a slight monotone to it as she finished her circling around the blonde, standing in front of him once again. "I am going to teach both of you through combat."
"Both of us?"
A shadow fell upon him, and the blonde looked up just in time to see Yugito fall from the roof rafters, landing beside him in a crouch and rising gracefully to her feet. His fellow blonde looked bright, well rested and ready for the day. Harribel raised a delicate eyelash, folding her arms underneath her incredible bust. "She has been here for the last half hour."
She turned and walked to the centre of the chamber, and Naruto, although he didn't mean too, found himself gazing at the toned and shapely legs of his instructor. Yugito noticed this, and with a slight cough nudged him gently in the side, when that didn't work she elbowed him. Naruto gasped painfully, hands holding onto his side as he glared at his friend, who shrugged and smiled, an almost teasingly innocent smile.
"I saw that." Both went rigid still at Harribel's words, the Arrancar turned around. "Don't let me catch you eyeing me up again, Naruto-san."
"Hai, sensei," Naruto stuttered, ignoring Yugito as she giggled at his expense.
"Now then," Harribel spoke up as she reached back, drawing her sword from its sheath. It was an interesting work of craftsmanship. The blade was broad, yet with a distinct gap in the centre, leaving only the edges. The guard was a western style cross with a purple, rounded hilt. "I want the two of you to come at me with everything you have, understood?"
Yugito and Naruto looked at each other, before quickly drawing their Zanpakuto and vanishing with a pair of low level booms, reappearing on either side of Harribel and swinging their swords. The Arrancar ducked Naruto's decapitating swing and blocked Yugito's with the blade of her own sword before spinning in a crouch, landing a strong kick to the females midsection and sending her skidding backwards. She then brought her attention to Naruto, sidestepping his thrust and, grabbing his collar sent him flying across the training ground, landing on his feet and skidding to a halt beside his partner.
Harribel took a deep breath, and then fell into a sword fighting stance, legs bent and spread, posture stooped and sword held to the side, pointing straight at them, running the length of her free hand. Her eyes were entirely focused on them and Naruto immediately felt respect for this woman, truly she was a skilled and experienced warrior.
He looked to Yugito, and moved his mouth in muted speech. She caught on quickly, and nodded her head. Naruto smiled, before vanishing in a sonido, reappearing behind Harribel and stabbing out with his sealed blade. Harribel spun around to block his attack with her own sword. Yugito made her move then, rushing up behind their instructor and jumping up high, holding her Zanpakuto over her head.
"Rise, Izanami!"
Yugito swung her sword in mid transformation, watching as a jet of azure flame followed the tip, sending a blade down towards Harribel. Tia saw it coming however, and vanished in her own sonido, leaving Naruto to bear the brunt of the attack. Naruto saw it coming, and used his own speed to get out of dodge, watching as the flames collided with the black tiles in an explosion of shattered and charred marble. Naruto starred at the crater, and levelled a glare at his comrade.
Yugito smiled sheepishly. "Sorry!"
If one asked Naruto about his first impression of Nelliel, he would have told you…well. He wasn't sure what he would tell you. The Arrancar he and Yugito had come to live with would be considered complete polar opposites of each other. It was difficult to describe, and could take a while of explanation to fully comprehend.
To start with there were her three Fracción, whether they were her lieutenants or bodyguards Naruto wasn't sure, but he did know that each of them was strong. The first ones he had been introduced to were Pesche Guatiche and Dondochaka Bilstin, two Arrancar who had been with Nelliel since before she had become a member of the Espada.
Pesche was a tall and lanky Arrancar, characterized by shoulder length blonde hair, pale skin, and light blue eyes. The remnants of his Hollow mask was what looked like a white plate covering the lower half of his face, a line running down the middle. He was a little out there, but he was friendly and outgoing.
Dondochaka was a larger and bulkier Arrancar, taking the form of a heavy set, tall man with short brown hair, tanned skin and dark eyes. The remains of his Hollow mask were a lower jaw along his chin, lined with molar teeth. While Naruto thought of Pesche as a little strange Dondochaka was a level down from his comrade in arms. A mellowed out and relaxed character, but also almost fanatically protective of Nelliel.
Then there was her third Fracción. The girl who had escorted him to Aizen's throne room, and while her two elders were more outgoing, loud and friendly she was more reserved, and level headed. When he thought about it he wondered if Rafaela was a naturally shy person. He had noticed that when around those she knew she was friendly enough, but throw her into a situation with people she didn't know and she was suddenly quiet, shy and lacked any confidence in herself. Rafaela's behaviour only fuelled his suspicions that he knew her from somewhere. The way she acted was practically screaming familiarity to him right down to his bones but for the life of him he couldn't quite place it.
Then there were the other Arrancar. Calling her a Fracción didn't seem to be right, what with her spiritual pressure and power. She was more like an apprentice to the Tres Espada. The woman's name was Tia Harribel, and she was something of an enigma to him.
Of course that enigma paled in comparison to the enigma which was Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck. If one were to ask Naruto what he thought of any Arrancar within the walls of Las Noches he would be able to give a person an honest, and slightly well thought out answer. But ask him about Nel and he would be at a loss. Out of all the Arrancar of Las Noches Nelliel was one of the greatest of enigmas.
A year after he had joined Aizen's army and officially been named a Fracción of Nelliel he had been at a loss. She had been strict with both Yugito and he when it came to their training, yet she didn't have an overbearing or imposing manner about her. Her aura was not like any of the other Espada. While theirs were varying degrees of negative emotions, and varying levels of hostility. Nelliel's aura was one of calm serenity and peace. It made both Vizard relieved to be placed under her command. Even with her seemingly uncaring and cold demeanour both he and Yugito had even noticed the Espada smiling on a couple of occasions when they mastered a tricky combination or new variation of the basic Hollow arts.
He had asked questions about her to her three other Fracción, and had gained a little insight to this walking puzzle. Pesche, while out there and strange was also the man to go to when one wanted the answer to a question. The man was the centre of a gossip grapevine within Las Noches, apparently.
He laughed lightly to Naruto's question. "Nel-sama is not as cold and detached as you think Naruto-kun. She is a person with two faces. One is for the violence of battle, cold and detached. The other of a kind and peace loving individual…as far as Espada go anyway. Give her time, and I'm sure she'll open up to the both of you."
Naruto took that to heart, and had since tried to prove himself to his superior, hoping that one day she would trust him and Yugito as well as she does her other Fracción. When he wasn't training with Yugito, or getting his ass handed to him by Harribel he was out in the middle of the desert either training with his Zanpakuto or meditating to try and remember his forgotten past. He had gained various glimpses and incoherent visions, but never enough to jog his memory.
It was on one of these meditation trips that he ran into Nelliel, or rather she found him. He had been in deep meditation for several hours, in the middle of a titanic training battle with his Zanpakuto. Under Kazerasshu's tutelage he had slowly regained all of his Shinigami abilities, from his knowledge of the releases of his sword to his ability in Kido. By the end of the year he had regained most of his fighting knowledge.
It had happened quite suddenly, Kazerasshu was about to fire an advanced offensive Kido spell against him, and he was finishing his incantation for the suitable defensive spell when he was unceremoniously thrown from his inner world. He felt pain in his forehead, forcing him from the trance, and was looking back and forth for the one responsible only to find that it was a pebble.
He looked up to see Nelliel sitting cross-legged in front of him, Zanpakuto placed on the sand in front of her as she starred at him intently, hands cupping her face almost like a couple of crutches. For a brief second Naruto forgot all etiquette. "What was that for!"
"I was sitting here starring at you for the better part of an hour and you wouldn't come out of it." She raised her hand to show him three small pebbles, each sandwiched between a thin and elegant finger. "So I improvised, and look it worked."
Naruto rubbed the spot on his forehead where the rock hit, and pouted at her, expecting to get nothing more than the cold visage, but what was the harm in trying. "Well geez Nel-chan, you could have just nudged me or something without knocking my head off."
She starred at him for a moment, either because she did not expect to hear him say her name with the suffix or because she was not used to such casual speech. Then her façade broke apart, and she began to giggle, holding the back of her hand against her mouth to hide the break in character. Naruto starred at her, dumbstruck. Finally she regained herself but when she removed her hand her lips were curled up in a small smile. "I know. But I wanted to see your reaction."
"You know," Naruto said, startling her ever so slightly, "You should smile more often. It suits you way better than the cold visage."
She looked at him for a moment, before her features softened and a true smile came to her face, serene and beautiful. "Thank you Naruto. Sometimes I wish I could smile more often too."
Silence prevailed for a moment. Then Nelliel stood up from her seating position, lifting her Zanpakuto by its strap in a fluid motion, and stretched the kinks out of her muscles. "Walk with me. It's a nice night and I could use the company."
Naruto rose from his position, and walked to her side, bowing slightly. "It would be an honour and a pleasure, Nel-sama."
She waved her hand dismissively. "Please, just call me Nel. When you're within the palace or alone on a night like this there's no need for ceremony."
"Hai, Nel-chan," He looked up with a sheepish smile, "Will that do?"
"That will do nicely, Naruto-kun." She smiled a little as they walked, then looked down at his clothing. "I see you've finally decided on a select uniform to wear, it suits you."
He looked down at his choice of clothing, considering that his old black robes had been too badly ripped and torn to be of any further use Naruto had gone through several styles, and had only recently decided on this uniform to be the one he would wear.
He was given a white long sleeved shirt with black trim, baggy white pants with an orange sash tied around his waist, and a pair of knee high white boots, also with black trim. Over the whole setup he wore a white overcoat lined with orange, reaching down to his knees with sleeves which reached well past his hands. The only thing that was originally his was his Zanpakuto, sheathed at his hip.
"I kind of went through twenty outfits. After a while Rafaela-chan threw these in my direction and told me to either wear them or go around naked. I chose to wear them." Nelliel looked like she was trying to hold back her laughter, and managed to down tune it to a few giggles, muffled by an elegant hand of course.
"I hear that you and Yugito-san are going through your training well. Harribel has nothing but praise for you."
Naruto looked at her in surprise. Tia Harribel was proud of them? Showering them with praise? The woman had put them through the ringer more times than he cared to count. In fact on their first training session she had beaten both him and Yu-chan to bloody pulps, without releasing her Zanpakuto he may add.
"Tia-chan is not very good at showing her feelings." Nelliel explained after a moment. "She has had a rough time here in Hueco Munda. She tends to keep to herself if there are people she doesn't know, and can be very self conscious about her looks. But she likes both you and Yugito-san, says you both have a lot of heart and determination to improve yourselves."
"Harribel-san is self conscious?" Now Naruto had a feeling Nel was messing with him. Why would Tia Harribel be conscious of her appearance? To put it short a woman like Tia Harribel should not be self-conscious about said appearance. Unless there was some scar or blemish under her collar.
"Ask her why she keeps that collar over the bottom half of her face some time." Nelliel replied with a sad smile. "I bet she would refuse to show it to you."
"Is it a scar or something?"
Nelliel shook her head. "It's not so much a scar, and it's not my place to tell you."
Naruto nodded his head. It wasn't Nelliel's place to tell him. That was up to Harribel-san herself, if she ever came to trust him that is. The two passed the time in a companionable silence, enjoying the dry desert air and the ups and downs of the sand dunes.
Three years passed, and Naruto had come to accept his place in the desert fortress of Hueco Mundo. Thanks to advanced training sessions with Nel-chan and Harribel-san he had mastered his Hollow mask to the point where he could call upon it at will, and had almost completely mastered the Shikai elements of his Zanpakuto.
Nelliel had gradually opened up to both him and Yugito as time passed, and had spent increasingly more time with the two Jinchuriki, either through teaching, sparring or simply speaking with them. It wasn't long until both she and Yugito struck up an accord, and the Espada had assigned both him and his fellow blonde to guard her during the Espada meetings.
It was around this time that he noticed his master being continuously harassed and challenged by another Espada, Nnoitra Jiruga. Naruto didn't like the man on sight, and by her glare he guessed his fellow Jinchuriki didn't like him much either. It wasn't the violent streak the man had, for he was used to seeing it in the fortress. It wasn't his vulgar attitude that rubbed the blonde the wrong way either. It was his personal vendetta against Nel-chan, and his complete disrespect to all women in general.
The man seemed to dislike his commander, to the point where he would challenge her at every opportunity. He was soundly beaten every time of course, the 8th Espada didn't stand a chance against the 3rd. But the fact that he came at her time and time again made it impossible to forget about him. In fact he came after her for no reason, there were more powerful Espada for him to challenge, why did he continually challenge his master?
Then he realised the reason, and it made him sick to his stomach to hear it. He challenged Nelliel because she was a woman, a woman who ascended him in rank. That was the only reason. The 8th Espada was a chauvinistic pig, a bully who couldn't stand a woman being higher in rank.
Being around Arrancar like Nel, Harribel and Yugito had shown Naruto that it didn't matter if someone had a penis or not, they were capable just the same. So he tolerated Nnoitra's continuous challenges on Nelliel's superior, mainly because when he asked her if he could destroy the bastard she simply stopped him. But it still angered the blonde every time he saw the man. If Nel-chan wasn't around he would blatantly insult any of her Fracción he came across, mainly Rafaela and Yugito. It drove him crazy.
No one insulted his friends like that.
No one!
Sorry everyone for the lateness of this chapter, and for the lack of updates for the last month for that matter. I had a massive piece of coursework to do for my placement year and kind of had to make that my first priority. Mainly because there were log sheets I should have done from the start which I started three days before the deadline, a three thousand word essay, a model of a building I was working on and a review from my employer. All have been completed and sent in today, which takes a load off my mind, all I have to do now is wait for the results then see about getting a rented house in Belfast, wish me luck .
Then there was the beginning of a major football…or soccer tournament. You all know it as the World Cup from South Africa…now at the beginning I favoured the English because I figured they had a chance, then they drew to the USA, good team mind you, but it was just the goal that got me pissed off. It fell out of Green's hands for god's sake! Anyway now my bet goes to Germany after they smashed Australia 4-0. I still hope England do well though, and if they meet France I want them to win at least 2-1…the frogs cheated against Ireland so it seems only right if another Isles team hands them their asses!
Anywho this chapter is mostly to show you that I am not dead and a bit of character development. It's strange that the first three quarters of this chapter were from a section I abandoned and decided to do over, but I found that both went well together, so I re-commissioned It, lol.
Added Note: Fixed up the chapter, the extra description paragraphs have been removed. Thanks to those of you who told me I described a few things twice.