Hello readers! Well, as you can probably tell, the romantic pairing for this story is obvious, but don't lose hope! I'll throw plenty of twists into the story for you. I might end up mixing in more than just that pairing. Let me know if you can think of any that would tickle your fancy. I am also debating whether to give this a happy or a sad ending. Let me know what you think. Don't worry, that ending is still a ways away, I just like to plan ahead. Warning again, this is rated M and while this chapter will probably be pretty mild, just language, but it will not stay that way.

I do not own Bleach or anything else, for that matter, and I am making no money off this in any way, form, or fashion. (I wish I did) ^_^

Chapter 4

Interogation

Aizen

I settled myself into my throne and ordered Menoly and Lola to bring my tea. They brought it almost immediately, which was no surprise considering that they had probably been brewing cups ever since I left in anticipation of my return. It was tiring how much they relied on me to tell them what to do.

This new arrival had promise. She had spirit. But that power… I can't believe she managed to knock me back. She was asleep and accomplished that, I have to have her on my side. I need to know her abilities, and how far she can take them. I lounged back, taking a sip of my tea, and preparing to wait out the time it took them to walk to my throne room while strategizing how to get her to show her true power.

Unfortunately, I didn't have as much time as I had hoped.

Grimmjow sonido'd into the room, followed closely by Szayel. I was amazed to see that my Sexta was carrying the girl in his arms. She had her arms wrapped around his neck, and seemed to have fallen asleep again. Well, I thought to myself, at least I know how to make her feel comfortable here, comparatively to before. This was going to be easier than I thought. I had hoped for a challenge, but that could always be arranged…

"Grimmjow, wake her up," I told him. I couldn't help but wonder why he was the only one able to touch her.

Even though he had already proven that he could touch her, the Espada looked nervous. As gently as he could, he moved his arms so that he could stroke her face and ease her awake. I didn't know he was capable of such tenderness, but fear of death can do strange things to people. It wasn't just the fear of death either. Szayel's fraccion members are made to multiply when injured or killed, and there was no reproduction after the death she gave them. They were simply gone.

Soon enough, Grimmjow's cooing paid off. She opened her eyes and looked around, figuring out where she was again. She grinned at Grimmjow and he set her on her feet on the floor. This quiet respect from him disturbed me. I was never able to get that type of humility or calm from him. Though he was never outright rude to me, I could feel the waves of dislike coming from him.

Grimmjow stepped away from her when he saw that she was steady and I turned my attention to the girl. I should say woman. She was absolutely fetching. Her body was amazing to say the least; slender but so curvy. Her hair poured over her in a coffee colored wave, almost seeming to deliberately cover the most private parts of her body. This effect was only heightened by the innocent glow of her cheeks as she blushed under my scrutiny. But, her eyes (god, those eyes…) betrayed her knowledge, deep with a wisdom that could only come by years of hard lessons. However, she did not look old enough to have experienced those teachings yet.

"What is your name?" I asked her.

"Mirella," she said softly.

"How did you get here, Mirella?"

"I honestly have no idea," she said. I looked closely at her and she met my gaze firmly, but there was a hint of need in them. A need for her to know that I knew she was telling the truth.

"Very well, considering you apparently came here in your sleep, I can understand that. How do you seem to know everything about where you are and who we all are? You seem to know our personalities as well. It makes me curious."

She gave a small sigh, "you wouldn't believe me anyways."

"I believe you will find me more open minded than you think," I told her with a small mile, trying to put her back at ease.

"Well, "she said slowly. "I guess I'm from another world or plain of existence or something, because I have read about you in a manga and watched an anime about you. It's a fictional thing that tells the stories about shinigamis and hollows. It follows the wars between them and everything, and Ichigo Kurosaki, and so, since I'm a fan, I knew all about you," she finished in a rush.

I was torn between intrigue and laughter. It was absurd. There were stories about us and no one believed we were real? If this was what it was truly like in the real world, no wonder it was so easy to keep our secrets, no one believed in us anyways. It made me angry. I found the need to rule everything reasserting itself in my mind. I would conquer, I would be supreme…

I was jogged out of my internal rant by a cough from Tousen, I needed to watch myself around him. He had to believe it was all for perfection of justice. While he wouldn't be a hard person to eliminate, he was very effective as the main peacekeeper among the Vasto Lorde residing in Las Noches.

I looked back at the girl. "While I am having a hard time fathoming what you have just told me, I do not detect that you are lying. Tell me, where does this power of your come from?" I asked, trying to conceal some of the child like curiosity welling up inside of me. I couldn't show any sign of weakness even among this small group, looking at the present Espada, noting Nnoitra and his fraccion member had joined. Too much curiosity would show that I didn't at least have knowledge of possibilities.

"I'm sorry, sir, but again I don't completely know. I think I have an idea, but what little I know to support it still won't give me an answer for you." I appreciated the respect she showed me, while still being clear in her want to tell me. I believe she was afraid of me.

That is good; it means that surely she isn't invincible.

"Tell me what you do know, if you please." I didn't fail to notice Gin's eyebrow rise at my politeness. I would rather have her be comfortable and explain than force her to lash out. We don't know the full extent of her power yet, I thought at him. I saw him resume his normal impenetrably happy façade as if he understood.

"Umm," she looked as if she was trying to find the right words, "when I was 13 I had a dream. This.. Voice came to me and said I had to help her save the world and she would always protect me. I agreed and when I woke up just figured it was just a dream. Then it came to me randomly letting me know it was real and there, and my life was miraculously saved multiple times. I guess the 'protection' I was told about. Then I heard it again when I was with my friends. It hurt so bad…."

She froze as if remembering something, her eyes welled up with tears and she looked at me, calming herself before continuing. "That was the last thing I remember before waking up here," Her voice still wavering slightly, "in the desert her voice came again, that was when I had my… episode. She said she protected me by whatever means necessary. I can only logically assume that was the explosions you referred to before. Her, not me."

"That explains your unawareness of events." I conceded, but this brought up a new fear. Not fear, I scolded myself, I do not fear anything. Nonetheless I asked her, "Do you know if you have any control over this power of yours?"

"No," she replied, nearly ashamedly. "I did notice that it seems to grow as certain people get close," she motioned toward the Octava, "but I do not know why."

"To be honest, I see this as a risk. I do not know if I should let you live," I stated calmly, trying to read her reaction. Her mouth fell open and her eyes opened wide.

"You… you want to kill me?" she gasped.

"Yes. Nnoitra, kill her."

The lanky Espada grinned wide, "More than happy to Aizen-sama. That bitch needs to know better than to try to make a fool out of me." He stepped forward and her skin immediately began to glow. She nwas more than welcome to make the numbskull come down a bit from his high horse. His was a presence that I would eliminate once I achieved my goal, and be happy about.

I watched as Nnoitra raised his zanpakutou and began to swing down right above her head. My eyes widened as she raised a glowing hand, extending a rope of fire from her palm. She tightened her fist around the rope as it wrapped around the long handle of Nnoitra's huge scythe like blade. She yanked it out of his hands and tossed it across the room. No sooner had Nnoitra realized that he had lost his blade that she shot an inferno from her other hand, pinning him against the far wall. I watched in awe as she changed the intensity of the flame holding Nnoitra. The flame went from orange to blue as she burned through his robes and began blistering the impossibly tough skin of the Espada.

She then focused her gaze to me. I couldn't help but swallow, seeing how easily she took down one of the best fighters in Hueco Mundo. I looked into her eyes and saw that the ring of orange in the middle had expanded to fill her iris completely.

"Stop!" I commanded.

"No." The voice wasn't hers. It echoed on itself as if it came through a canyon but growing in volume instead of shrinking. I could feel the pressure of it building in my head.

No wonder she collapsed if it gives me a headache. "What would it take for you to stop," I said aloud, preferring to keep my fighter alive for a showdown against the Gotei 13.

"You can never hurt her. You are to try to keep her as happy as possible. And you are to not interfere with my job."The voice stated. "I will aid you since I am here but If you or your followers fail to respect my wishes I will withdraw my support from you, if not demolish you."

I couldn't help but smile at her last comment. "Demolish me? I am Aizen Souske, the most powerful man in the universe."

"Yes, you are," she stated seriously, "but only a god stands a chance against me. You are only a man. I helped form the worlds you know, and I am here to save them. Do you agree with my terms or not, sir."

I pondered this for a moment. On one hand, I needed her on my side. On the other hand I couldn't look weak by simply accepting her demands. "I am willing to come to a compromise," I stated evenly.

"I will her your terms, but offer no guarantee of agreement."

It's a start, I thought. What can I amend with, her demands are logical. I formed my response as I began speaking. "I promise you that I will not hurt her, but as for my followers I do not know. For example the one you are slowly burning to death. However, if that happens I would ask you not to pull out of my force but instead allow you to exact a punishment, no matter how harsh, from the one who tried to harm her. As for her happiness, that is in her hands, but I will not deny her even the smallest luxury to help her attain this. I will also never interfere with your plans if you do not interfere with mine."

"You are wiser than I thought, and I agree to your statements. However, just know that when the time comes for me to fulfill the job I was sent here to do, your plans are irrelevant."

I chose to ignore the dangerous tone mixed with the sweet/acidic sound of her voice.

"I am glad we agree, will you allow my Espada to go? He is a valuable fighter to me and I would appreciate it, since I ordered him to attack before our agreement.

She turned back toward the Espada and with a look of pure disgust; she let him drop to the floor like an overused rag. Her knees then began to shake and her eyes returned to normal. The exertion must have worn her body out. I gave a quick look to Grimmjow who stepped forward cautiously to steady her. She gave him a thankful look and allowed herself the lean on his arm for support.

"Before I let you rest, I have two more questions," I told her softly, trying to seem as approachable as possible.

"Yes?" she responded softly, fighting to keep her eyes open.

"Is there a way you can try to contact her?"

"I can try to meditate, she is obviously much more reachable here than in my world. Or she may come to me in my dreams, a before. I will try to reach her and find out more," she told me, her foreknowledge of my wish being outweighed by the obedience in her voice toward me in importance.

"Also, do remember anything that just happened?"

She looked at Nnoitra, her face a mix of disdain and pity and… guilt? "I saw it all, through my eyes, but seemed to be trapped inside my own mind, able to comprehend but not participate, or stop what was happening," she stated honestly.

"Very well, thank you for your co-operation. Grimmjow will be your guardian since you will be residing here with us. He will be available for anything you need." I turned my attention to Grimmjow and told him, "Put her in the room next to yours, I will have a pass through put in between the two rooms immediately. Your life depends on her well being and happiness while here. You may go."

I turned away when Grimmjow nodded his assent. He picked the girl up again, realizing that walking at this point would be fruitless. She leaned her head against his shoulder. I believe she was asleep before he even exited the throne room.

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Here's chapter 4!!! I hope you enjoy it, I am gonna try for a double add on today, but no guarantees. It will be short either way because it will be a cut scene to Nnoitra. I'll get back on track fast though, I promise. I want to thank everyone for reading this. And thank you to errihu for watching my back. ^_^

~Echo