Orginized Moony:BAKA! BAKABAKABAKABAKA! MOONY YOU IDIOT, HOW COULD YOU FORGET TO UPDATE ON TIME?!
Disorginized Moony: but, but, but the FMA volume 22!-cowers in emo corner of room-
Orginized Moony: THAT'S A PATHETIC EXCUSE! HOW DO YOU EXPECT READERS TO APPRECIATE THE STORY IF YOU DON'T EVEN REMEMBER TO UPDATE ON TIME?!
DMoony: GOMENASAII!TT_TT
disclaimer: no.
"ONII-SAN!"
Orihime instinctively summons her Soten Kishun and desperately tries to tame the terror that lies deep in her chest.
"Who are you?" Ichigo demands from behind her, as the sound of foot falls on the sand reaches Orihime's ears. "An Espada? Who are you?! Answer me!"
Orihime risks a glance over her shoulder and her eyes dilate in terror. "N-Nnoi..."
"Nnoi...tora...kisama..." Grimmjow coughs weakly, even as his wounds slowly begin to stitch up.
The quinto Espada stares them down for a tense moment. "What? You're still alive?"
Orihime feels herself being shoved out of the way, and she lands hard on the sand, several meters away. Looking up, she sees Ichigo standing over Grimmjow's wounded body, blocking the strike from Nnoitora's strange hafted weapon.
"What are you doing?" Nnoitora asks as he stares the substitute shinigami down.
"What am I doing?" Ichigo demands, glaring right back up at the Espada, who stands an easy head and a half over him. "Why are you still going after him when he can't move?"
Nnoitora barks a laugh as the two separate. "What's this? I can't even look at you, Grimmjow!" he sneers down at the fallen Sexta "The man that defeated you, is protecting you?! And you..." he turns his gaze onto Orihime who flinches, as the bloodlust turns into something more predatory as his eyes rake over her body. "Damn girl, you really like to stir up shit. First with Emo-spada, then with that old pervert, then with this loser, then with that weakling, and back to that piece of shit? It's about time Aizen-sama put your custody in...capable hands, don't you-"
"URUSAI!"
Nnoitora slowly looks back over to Ichigo, with a cold glint in his eyes. "What's your name, shinigami?" he asks, and Orihime can already feel the killing intent begin to radiate off the Spoo-ahem, Espada.
"Kurosaki Ichigo."
Nnoitora snorts to himself. "Kurosaki, eh? I'll try to remember that...at least, until you're dead!"
Two charge at each other as Orihime crawls back towards Grimmjow, who is still healing. "It's okay, everything is okay!" she whispers to herself, as she channels all the rieatsu that she can into healing Grimmjow as soon as possible, as discreetly as possible. She takes a risk to look up at the two battling, but freezes when she makes eye contact with the lanky Espada.
"Tesla!"
"Yes, sir." Orihime jerks backwards as a hand wraps around her mouth, and throws her to the ground, just as Soten Kishun shatters into thousands of tiny, golden pieces.
Orihime let's out a muffled scream as her back arches in protest. "Tsshah-kfn?!"
"Orihime!"
"Keep your eyes on me."
Straining her neck, Orihime looks over to Ichigo who swiftly dodges under Nnoitora's strike.
"Let her go!" he yells angrily as he dodges the Arrancar's strikes.
Nnoitora sneers as him, "Very funny. Ha! You probably think you could beat me if the girl were free!" he leers at him as he slowly sticks out his tongue mockingly, revealing the number tattooed there. Ichigo's stride falters for a second as he understands what it means. "Do you know what this is? It's my rank." the quinto says in a patronizing tone, "It means I'm a lot stronger than that weakling you were barely able to beat." The lanky Espada's smile widens impossibly as Orihime struggles desperately to free herself. "It means you're finished." Nnoitora says with relish, pointing one long finger at the shinigami. "Sorry, I already forgot your name."
Orihime feels adrenaline rush through her as she rips Tesla's hand off her mouth. "NIGERO, KUROSAKI-KUN!" she screams desperately, and the sudden noise causes Nnoitora to hesitate for a split second. And that second is all that it takes for Ichigo to shunpo out of range.
Nnoitora rounds onto his Fraccion with a snarl. "Shut her up! I don't want any interference, got it?!" he snarls, before returning his attention to Ichigo.
"Gomenasai, Nnoitora-sama." Tesla apologizes, without breaking eye contact with Orihime. He eases back and roughly lifts Orihime to her feet, twisting her around so that her back is against his chest.
Orihime wiggles uncomfortably against his tight grip. Tesla releases one hand, but quickly places his free arm around her torso. "What are you doing?" she asks quietly, as she watches Ichigo and Nnoitora continue to battle it out in the distance.
"Nnoitora-sama has ordered me to prevent you from moving, or assisting the shinigami or Grimmjow." The sandy-blonde hair hides his eyes, and Orihime's heart sinks as she hears the coldness and detachment in it.
:-:-:-:-:
Orihime grits her teeth in frustration as she watches Ichigo being easily overpowered by the Quinta. As helpless as always. Exhaling softly she glances at her Shun Shun Rikka.
"Don't even think of fighting me with your abilities. Your power is immense, but the Rikka-the reshitai it's made of-is weak-"
"Does it look like I care Tesla-kun?" Orihime finally snaps, whirling around to face him, ignoring her arm that protests against the movement. "Does it look like I care about our 'power difference'?! And I bet Tsubaki-kun, Shun'o-kun, Hinagiku-san, Ayame-chan, Lily-chan and -san don't care either!" her hair pins flash, and Tesla's grip loosens a fraction in surprise at the burst of killing intent that comes off the usually pacifistic girl.
Tesla inhales sharply, and looks away. "Urusai..." he growls quietly, and Orihime can easily see the indecision that is in his eyes.
"Let me go Tesla-kun. It's not fair, it's not right!" she pleads, and his expression softens for a split instant before a soft noise reaches their ears. Reflexively, Tesla fires a cero from his eye at a pile of rubble, causing it to explode into pieces, and sending a tiny figure flying.
"Nel-chan!" Orihime's eyes widen as she recognizes the little body that rolls to a stop on the sand, hands clutching her head as she shakes in fear. "Nel-chan?"
Orihime then watches Ichigo fly past, landing with a 'thud'.
Nnoitora sneers at Ichigo before looking down at the little Arrancar girl. When he sees her, he pauses in disbelief. "Are you...Nel?"
"Nani?"
Realization dawns on the dark-haired Espada's face. "I knew it. That Estigma!" he drawls, tapping the bridge of his nose,"But you're so...raggedy." he says, after pausing a moment to come up with the right word. "Tell me, is your broken mask tingling?" he asks mockingly, laughing his head off as Nel sobs quietly.
"Leave her alone!"
"What's going on?" Ichigo says with a grunt as he stands. "You, know Nel?"
Nnoitora's malicious smile turns into an unimpressed scowl. "What's this? I was wondering what she was doing here. You must've brought her here, eh?" he stares down at Ichigo disdainfully. "But judging from the look on your face, you don't even know who she is. And as for you..." Nnoitora turns towards Orihime and shakes his head in mock disbelief. "I'm surprised that Neko-chan hasn't spilled his guts out to you. Y'know. Him hogging all your time because you remind him of her."
Orihime's about to shout a protest when a weak grunt sounds from behind them. Orihime turns around to see Grimmjow-whom had been lying quietly up until now-struggling to prop himself up onto his arms, and stand.
"Nii-san!"
Grimmjow coughs weakly,"Urusai...and leave her...out of this."
Nnoitora rolls his eyes and returns his attention to Ichigo. "She's Nel. Nelliel Tu Odelshwank. A former Espada."
Orihime's eyes widen as she makes the connection with the story Halibel had told her about her predecessor.
"She disappeared mysteriously along with her Fraccion several decades ago. Nnoitora and only one other Espada were close to her really, and no one has seen or heard of her since."
"Masaka..." she breathes, staring at the little girl in disbelief.
"That's right. What? Did you think she was a harmless child? Idiots! She tricked you all!"
"T-that's not true. I wasn't an Espada. That's impossible." The little girl says weakly, as Nnoitora walks towards her with contempt easy to see in his eyes.
"Nani?"
Orihime feels panic rises up in her as Nnoitora walks up to her. "Leave her Nnoitora!"
"Are you serious? Don't tell me you've forgotten,"
"I haven't forgotten anythin'. I wath neber an Espada." Nel whimpers fearfully.
The Quinta 'hmps'. "You're still annoying," he growls, lifting his foot up over her head, "but in a new way now. You bore me." he says, stomping down onto her, and Orihime shrinks against Tesla, and squeezes her eyes shut.
Thmp
Orihime peeks through here eyelashes, and her mouth drops open when she sees Nnoitora's leg trapped in the blue haired man's grip, who somehow managed to sonido in front of her just before the Quinta's foot collided with her body.
"Teme...you'll never touch her again." Grimmjow snarls, somehow getting his second wind. His head sags forward, but manages to spit a wad of blood and spit onto Nnoitora's uniform.
"Tesla. Make sure she watches. Every. Single. Second. Got it?" Nnoitora growls. His face contorts cruelly, and he sticks out his tongue again, but this time, a small yellow ball forms and begins charging power.
Tesla's hand cups Orihime's chin and forces her to turn her head and her mouth opens in a silent scream as the
yellow cero discharges point blank right in the sexta's face.
"NO!"
...is it just me or is there a trend forming when I decide to cap off chapters? What do you think? Loved it? Hated it? Tell me via a REVIEW!