Here is the new chapter! Meditation time. Sorry this took so long, i had internet issues ^_^ I wanted to give a special thanks to Veira for the add to favorite authors and stories and comments, Errihu for her helpful comments (I'm proud to say that I am not quite sue yet, but I'll be wary), Ladykatie8190 you are my hero and i thank you for your help and trust, Jon you are a great guy and an awesome friend, thank you for reading this!

I love Bleach but I can only wish I owned it.

Chapter 8

Unknown

Mirella

When I heard Grimmjow exit the room I settled myself cross legged on my bed and prepared myself for meditation. I had done this often before but now I had to contact… something. It was a whole new ballgame in my mind compared to the simple calming and clarifying I did in my old life. Nonetheless I closed my eyes and cupped my hands in my lap, bowing my head muck like in prayer, but more so in concentration.

I pictured myself in an empty void, allowing her to come to me. "Hello," I said softly in my mind, "Where are you?"

"I am here my child." Her voice rang through my head, a thousand tinkling bells peppered with gunshots and screams. I could tell that she was taking it easy, speaking as softly as possible because I didn't have to hold my head to keep it from splitting. Perhaps I was beginning to build up the tolerance after hearing so often compared to before. Before… before what? I'll get there later. Focus!

I looked into the dark around me, hoping to catch a glimpse of the thing in my head but succeeded only in seeing small embers swirl on one side of me as if blown in the wind. "Who are you?"

"I am an ancient being. My name is not important for no one remembers it, nor would they even know its meaning. None will ever know it again. I was made to destroy and rebuild. I am the last one left of my kind."

I nodded toward the tunnel of wind where the embers had settled into a constant swirl, nearly forming a figure, soon followed by talons, or a pair of giant wings. She is forgotten? That must be why I can never be happy, she is part of me and she has lost everything including her own name. What else will I have to lose? I thought to myself. "Why am I here?"

"I have told you, to save the world."

"This isn't my world though! This is what I gave all my happiness for, this why everyone around me eventually abandoned me or died? Everything that I have gone through was to save Hueco Mundo?" I demanded of her. I gave up everything as an ignorant child to save this place? I was beginning to feel angry.

"No. You will not save Hueco Mundo. You will save your world. Everything is connected, whether you choose during your human life to believe it or not. By ending the war here you keep your world safe."

"I see…" I said hesitantly. I can understand that. I would be more skeptical usually, but hell, I was here after all. "Fine, I buy that. But how am I supposed to end a war between the two most powerful forces ever? I don't think they'll agree to sit down and talk it out."

"You will have to eliminate them."

"What?!" I yelled at her with the most anger I could muster toward something I was afraid of. "I am not going to eliminate anybody! I am a pacifist, I don't want to hurt them. What about the worlds? How would they go on? People will still have to go somewhere when they die, but now there is no order? Killing is pointless."

"Sometimes it is necessary for the greater good. Perhaps we can find a way to save some, but I offer no guarantee."She seemed sad to have to tell me this. The voice dropped lower and the constantly swirling embers seemed to fall like tears from the darkness.

"I don't want to kill them. Even Nnoitra. Even the shinigami that are gearing for war. I don't… "

"I am afraid there is something else I must tell you"

More? This wasn't all? Despite the rushing thoughts in my head, I waited for her to continue patiently, noticing the embers on one side run smoothly off my shoulder as if in a gentle caress.

"You must train hard, build you physical and mental strength, because it is the only way you will survive this. Even then, it is not certain you will. You will most likely die."

I was stunned. I felt as if I had just been slapped across the face. I had to die… die…it echoed in my head. This wasn't just some happiness; this was an entire chance to finally be happy period. I shouldn't have been too upset, I had been wondering if I was already dead ever since I had arrived. The lack of a hole excluded me from being the average hollow but what do I really know?

I shut out the havoc in my head long enough to ask another question. "How did I get here, if I'm not dead now? I thought only spirits could be here." I was amazed by the steadiness of my voice. What did I expect though, I did have 21 years of experience at hiding whatever was going on inside.

"You are not dead, but you are separated from your body enough to free your spirit. I need your human spirit to stay connected to in order to complete my mission."

"Why me?" I asked softly, I could hear my voice breaking, my steel resolve turning to butter.

"Because, you are the only one," The voice said sadly. I felt the air swirl around me like a warm summer wind, the embers glowing softly. I felt the press of it like an embrace and I drew some comfort from the gesture.

"I, um, I don't think I can do this anymore today," I stammered weakly.

"Very well. You will meet with Aizen this afternoon and tell him what you know. Rest today and enjoy tomorrow. We will begin training together the day after."

I flopped down loudly on my bed as the void disappeared. I tried to formulate thoughts in my mind but it was all too jumbled. I let out a choked sob as I let everything that I had heard sink into me like poison, eating me from the inside out.

I tried to get up to go to the bathroom, fighting the need to get sick, but collapsed as soon as I took my weight from off the bed. I was dizzy with emotions being stretched to their end and the overwhelming exhaustion. I could feel my heart being ripped apart inside of my chest as every pounding beat came more quickly than the last.

I looked up from the floor, tears flowing noiselessly down my face, when I heard Grimmjow push the door open to check on me after hearing the noise coming from my room. His confused look evaporated into one of worry as he knelt down next to me, trying to steady me.

"What happened?" he asked softly, his gruff tone not concealing his concern.

I looked into the wide sapphire eyes and tried to formulate words but no sooner did I open my mouth than another sob escaped.

He scooped me up onto his arms with the same ease as before and laid me back on my bed. I couldn't help but curl into him during my quick trip to my mattress. I knew that he was a killing machine, an emotionless hollow, but I enjoyed his surprising warmth and comfort. I shut my eyes to the memory of her telling me I had to kill him, kill all of them. I had to change that somehow.

When he stood up, I managed a faint protest. He looked down at me with a small grin and stepped toward the bathroom, exiting quickly with a warm, wet washcloth. He handed it to me and I wiped my tearstained face. He tossed the wash cloth into the bathroom and sat next to me on the edge of the bed. I looked up at him as my eyes began to close.

"Don't worry, I won't go anywhere until you are asleep," he said gently, anticipating my question.

I nodded, curling into a comfortable ball, letting my eyes fall closed. I basked in the welcoming darkness, relieved that for a moment I could enjoy not having to feel…

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Well there is chapter 8, I hope you liked it. I apologize that it is shorter than normal, but I didn't believe I could add more to it without it becoming dull. Also, it couldn't be an incredibly long conversation between the two anyways due to her physical limitations at the time. There is more coming up shortly. I will apologize in advance for the next chapter, it will be short as well, just to cover a short scene. Please, please r&r

~Echo