GYEAAAHHH FINISHED! Okay. So happy week before Halloween minna! -demonic laugh of madness- Idk about you, but I'm psyced for trick or treating. And for the record: Yes, I'm still going. Yes I'm too old to do it. No I don't care if you think I'm too old. VALID EXCUSE TO BREAK OUT A COSPLAY, MUHAHAHAHHAHAHAH!

Ahem.

DISCLAIMER: NOPE!

Chapter 15

"NO!"

There's an animalistic wail that echoes through the area, and Orihime feels her legs buckle under her. "Monster! Monster!" The voice screams, and Orihime's vaguely aware that it might be her own. Tesla's hands let go of her, and she collapses onto the ground, her limbs no longer listening to what she says.

"Nii-san, Nii-san..." she whimpers, as she watches the dust die down, except instead of two figures, there are three: one standing, one kneeling, and one stationed between the two. She gasps when the cloud finally settles revealing Ichigo, hollow mask already crumbling from his face, standing with Zangetsu still at the ready. He's breathing heavily, but aside from that, is alright.

"I never though you to be the protective type, Grimmjow." he comments, as if he didn't just protect the feline Arrancar from death.

Grimmjow's shock easily mirrors the complete look of disbelief on Nnoitora's face as he stares at the shinigami who once again saved his life. "DAMNIT KUROSAKI, stay out of this!"
Ichigo's about to respond, when Nel interrupts him.

"Itsygo! You hasta listen to Grimmjow-sama!" she pleads from behind the two, "I don't wants you to get hurts Itsygo! I wathn't lying!"

"Of course you weren't." Ichigo grins at the girl over shoulder. "Don't worry Nel. Since Neko-chan here wants to help out so much, he'll play defense and I'll take the offense. We'll-!"
Nnoitora kicks Ichigo aside, and Grimmjow gets thrown aside, Nel tucked tightly and safely in his chest. Orihime allows herself to grin as Grimmjow rolls out of the fall, and comes up one one knee. At least, until a fountain of blood gushes out from his mouth, and he falls unconscious, his body still wrapped protectively around the little girl.

"Itsygo!"

"No!"

:-:-:-:-:

Orihime cringes as Ichigo's tortured screams rip through the area.
"Kurosaki-kun! Iie! Let me go! Let me go! Damnit Tesla-kun!" she bawls pulling trying desperately to get away from Tesla, who holds her back halfheartedly.

"ITSYGO!" Nel's own scream echoes through the area, followed by an explosion of pink rieatsu that leaves everyone frozen in shock.

There's a tense silence as everyone watches the dust die down, revealing a woman, who looks exactly like Nel, except older, and with a calmer, and almost colder expression on her face. However, she's still wearing the same green cloak-like dress, except it's now torn in two, exposing her midriff, revealing the body like the Amazon warriors Orihime read about in ancient history classes.

"Is, is that really Nel-chan?" Orihime breathes in disbelief. Tesla nods in silent confirmation.
Nel blinks once and looks down at the unconscious Sexta with gentle eyes. "You were being reckless again...weren't you Grimmjow..." she says softly, brushing his matted hair out of his face, and pulling his body half onto her shoulder.

"Keh. So you've returned to that form, have you Neliel." Nnoitora growls. Orihime watches as Neliel vanishes, sonidoing so quickly that she appears several yards away from the Quinto with Grimmjow and Ichigo in her arms in a fraction of a second.

Orihime watches them talk for a moment, when the former Trecera lunges towards Nnoitora, and the second round of fighting begins.

:-:-:-:-:

BOOM

Orihime watches in awe as Nel's pink cero collides with Nnoitora, sending a plume of smoke and sand flying into the air.

Behind her, Tesla's hands fall limply to his sides, and his breathing becomes uneven. "Nnoitora-sama!" He sprints forward, but at the last second, halts as Orihime manages to grab his wrist. "What are you doing…Orihime-sama?" He asks quietly, not turning around to look at her.

Orihime bites her lip uncertainly. "You…didn't want to hurt me. Or make me watch Nnoitora hurt Kurosaki-kun or Nel-chan did you." Tesla's shoulders hunch forward, and Orihime smiles sadly at the back of the quincuagésimo arrancar's head, "You don't have to do things you don't want to. Not with us. Please Tesla-kun." She says softly, as persuasively as she can.

There's a moment of tense silence, when he finally looks over one shoulder at her. "Arigato Orihime-sama. But I am the sworn Fraccion of Nnoitora Jigura, quinto Espada. I will not abandon my master no matter what. Gomen." He then slowly pulls out of her grip, and dashes off towards the location where Nnoitora fell.

Turning to Ichigo and Grimmjow, Orihime huffs, and touches her hairpins with a look of determination on her face. "Soten Ki-"

"ITSYGOOO!"

Orihime jumps backwards as Nel tackle hugs Ichigo, and soon the sound of cracking bones come from them.

"I'M SO HAPPYY! I'M REALLY, TRULY, HAPPY YOU'RE SAFE ICHIGO!"

"GYAAAAAAAAAA!"

"E-eto! Nel-chan, ano, Neliel-sama, yamero onegai! You're going to kill him! Kurosaki-kun's wounds aren't healed yet!"

Nel squeaks and drops the Ichigo's body, which lands with a dull thump on the ground, his eyes rolling back into his head. "Gomenasai, gomen ne, gomen!" She apologizes quickly, blushing bashfully. Her eyes then fall on Grimmjow, who's still unconscious, but breathing. She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, as she gazes down at him with an unreadable expression on her face…and vomits on his face.

Orihime's mouth drops open in shock. "N-Neliel-sama?!"

The former Trecera grins at the girls shocked and incredulous face. "Don't worry Orihime-chan! It's just my saliva, it has healing properties see?"

"Ew…The fuck…is on...face?" Grimmjow snarls weakly, a hand shakily coming up and whipping the spit off his face.

Nel scowls. "It's good for you, and you know it. So stop whining mister duodecimo." She harumphs.

Grimmjow snorts, and Orihime senses that they just shared an inside joke. "Right. 'cuz I miss getting vomited on…when I get my ass handed to me."

Nel opens her mouth to retort, when Tesla's body comes flying past them and crushes a nearby boulder.

Whirling around, Nel's eyes widen in surprise as Nnoitora rises out of the sand, worse for wear, but still standing. "Who told you to let go of the girl?" He snarls at his fraccion, who's still struggling to rise out of the rubble.

"M-my deepest apoligies."

Nnoitora rolls his eyes, and turns his gaze to Nel's. His mouth widens into his trademark grin, when he sees her stunned face. "What's wrong? 'I tacked my own cero onto the one I absorbed and shoved it down his throat. So why is he still alive?' Your face cays what you're thinking." He saunters closer, the smile not fading from his face at all. "I can't believe I forgot about that. 'Cero Doble', is one of your signature techniques. I should've been more careful. But you're forgetting something as well. How many years do you think has passed since you've vanished from this place?" He jeers. "Don't think that the raw power of the current espada is the same as when you were here Neliel!" His eyes narrow, and once again, he becomes dead serious. "I'll show you that the number on you back no longer has any meaning.

:-:-:-:-:

Orihime watches in horror as Nel's body reverts back into its child form, just before she deals the final blow on the Quinto Espada.

Nnoitora too stares in shock before maniacal laughter erupts from his mouth as her stomps down on her head, crushing her face into the sand. "END OF THE LINE NELIEL!" He cackles madly.

"Nel!" Ichigo shouts, only to get thrown down face first into the sand.

"Give up. Neliel was your last glimmer of hope, and it's all burned out." He growls, grinding the shinigami's face into the sand. "I think I'll keep her as a pet. Along with Princessa over there." He adds, and Orihime shrinks back into Tesla's chest, his own arms wrapping around her protectively. "Tesla. I'm going to trade places with you. This one's done for. Do what you want with him."

Orihime shakes her head frantically, her panic finally spilling over. "No. No, no, no, no! Please! No, don't do it, please Tesla-kun, please!" She begs frantically, shying away from Nnoitora who stalks closer.

Orihime starts to hyperventilate as Nnoitora's hand reaches out towards her, and just as his longs fingers are about to touch her cheek, Orihime feels herself being jerked back, and finds herself several feet away from him, Tesla's arms tugging her close to his body.

Orihime looks up at Tesla whose arm wrapped around her body pulls her tightly into his chest, protecting rather than restraining. Nnoitora stares at him with a look of shock, disbelief and disgust on his face. "What do you think you're doing, Tesla?" He demands in a dangerously low voice. "Get your sorry ass back here, give me the girl, and beat this bastard's fucking brains out, while I make her watch."

Tesla grits his teeth as the Quinto holds a hand out to him, demanding the exchange of the two. "I…I believe that this is out of line…"He says hesitantly, and there's a tense moment where the two men stare each other down. Suddenly, there's an unseen shift, and Orihime feels something topple onto her. Grunting she wriggles away, only to have something thick and wet fall into her face. Reaching up to wipe it out of her eyes, Orihime freezes and stares uncomprehendingly at the red liquid the runs down her face, into her eyes, and standing her hands. Shaking uncontrollably, she turns around to see Tesla's body lying face down, partly over her legs.

"T-Tesla…kun?"

Nnoitora spits in disgust, yanking back his zanpakuto into his hands, "Idiot. I always knew you liked Pet-sama more than what was damn healthy. It's too bad," Nnoitora's tone becomes mocking as he walks over and picks Orihime up by her throat, her eyes still not leaving Tesla's limp body. "maybe if you were man enough, I might've let you keep her as a pet!"

Orihime scratches weakly as Nnoitora's hands as her eyes flick from each of the bodies lying on the field of bloodstained sand. Whimpering, tears begin streaming from her eyes as Nnoitora tightens his grip on her throat. Nii-san. Kurosaki-kun. Neliel-sama. Tesla-kun. Minna. Everyone!

"Stop…don't hurts Orihime-neechan…!" the squeaky, yet determined voice says.

Orihime turns towards the voice along with Nnoitora. "Nel..iel-sama. Run. Now!" She chokes out, kicking at her captor weakly, as the lack of oxygen makes her vision blurry.

"Even better. You can watch you little friend die first!" He grins maniacally, pulling his hand holding his sword back to plunge it into her body.

"Remember what was forgotten, Sabio."

Just before Nnoitora's about to stab down, a new rieatsu washes over them, and Orihime gasps as she recognizes the signature. A feeling of warmth fills her body, and she feels herself relax.

Nnoitora, however, lets out a tortured snarl, dropping both Orihime and his weapon onto the ground unceremoniously. Clutching his head, he sinks to his knees. "Mother…fucker, what do you think you're doing?" He snarls, glaring at the new comer who has stationed himself between him and the child arrancar.

"Stopping you from doing something you'll regret…" he says, brushing his brown and blonde hair out of his eyes.

Orihime coughs weakly, and rubs at the bruises that are forming on her neck. "Jonghyung-kun."

The once silent arrancar gives her a small wave, and Orihime's eyes lock onto the strange blade that wraps around the base of his index finger, and extends to a thin, pointed blade. "And repaying Orihime-sama as well.

"The hell you will!" Nnoitora roars, picking up his zanpakuto from the ground, and swinging it around wildly, "You were never even close to Tesla's level! How do you think you could ever possibly beat me, the fifth espada?!" he cackles gleefully. He abruptly stops when the younger arrancar appears out of thin air in front of him.

"I was never good at combat. But strategy. That's my kind of thing." Jonghyung says in a dangerous, low voice, standing calmly, even as Nnoitora swings his sword down onto him.

"KISAMA!"

"Recuerdo."

Nnoitora freezes just before his blade makes contact with Jonghyung, and the same black wave from before overtakes Orihime's mind as she falls unconscious.

:-:-:-:-:

"The coldness in my heart, melted suddenly. Feelin' oh so warm, since the first time that we meet. And without me seeing it, you have filled my heart secretly, ohhh." Orihime finds herself staring up at the ceiling, fingers drumming on her chest, as she sings softly to herself. "One day as I walk, heading towards home, noticed I can't stop, thinking about you. That moment I realized, you were in my heart I knew…Maybe you're the one, maybe, hoping so. Thinking you might be. I've been waiting, other part of me. Maybe it is true. All along it's you. The closest to my heart, I'm unaware, but baby I'm in love with you…"

Orihime hear a soft knocking at the door, and she jolts upwards, eyes wide as her caretaker, turned friend, turned maybe something else enters with his usual stoic expression. "U-Ulquiorrra-kun!" She squeaks indignantly, frantically brushing her hand over her hair. "H-how long have you been there?" she asks, blushing in embarrassment, and her cheeks heat up even more, as she savours the sound of his name rolling off her own tongue.

"What do you mean onna."

"Have, did you…how long have you been outside my door?"

"I have just arrived. Did you expect me any earlier?"

"No, it's just…never mind."

:-:-:-:-:

Orihime paces around the room restlessly, pen in her hand, and a piece of paper staring at her mockingly from across the room. Giving it a death glare, she lets out a frustrated scream. "Fine! You win this round." She grumbles grudgingly, snatching the piece of paper up, and steeling herself.

Dear Ulquiorra,

Okay. Honestly, I have no idea what I'm doing. And also honestly, I think you're going to laugh at me. And I know it's only been a short while…oh god, what if we end up like Romeo and Juliet! OAO! NEVERMIND OFF TOPIC! So, I just wanted to record this. Officially. On paper. You know, before something happens:

I, Inoue Orihime love Schiffer Ulquiorra.

Did you read that Ulquiorra? Did you? As Naruto would say, BELIEVE IT! Because that'll never, ever, EVER change! Don't you forget that!

Love, love, and love forever,

Mrs. Inoue-Schiffer Orihime (if you'll have me J )

:-:-:-:-:

"Orihime-sama!"

Orihime's eyes flutter open, revealing a teary eyed Nel and Jonghyung looking down on her, the latter with a sad, but boyish smile on his face. "Neliel-sama. Jonghyung-kun. Wha-?" She slowly sits up and looks around in confusion. The cinquenta-quinto arrancar rubs the back of his head self-consciously as he helps her to stand.

"Eto. Like I said earlier. Combat related stuff ain't my forte. Aaannd that kinda includes fine control. Sorry." His carefree expression turns to a serious one. "But you probably felt recuerdo's effect too…"

Orihime looks away. "Yeah. Kinda." Her eyes light onto the bodies of Ichigo and Grimmjow, and she shrieks, causing Nel to latch onto her midriff in fear, and for Jonghyung to grab his dagger from its sheath. "IDIOT! HEAL THEM ALREADY HIME!" she smacks herself, and runs towards them, her Soten Kisshun already in place. Falling to her knees in front of the shield where Ichigo is lying, still unconscious.

"Ofkuro…"he murmurs restlessly as his bruises slowly begin to fade. "Ofkuro…"

Orihime's eyebrows knit together as a memory of her and Tatsuki talking about Ichigo and his mother surfaces for a moment, but then flits off. "You don't have to worry anymore Kurosaki-kun. The fighting's ove.." Inhaling sharply, Orihime stands up and whirls around, Tsubaki already out of his dormant state and whirling around her head. "Where's Nnoitora?!"

Jonghyung puts an arm on her shoulder and Orihime calms down slightly as he nods in the direction of the still kneeling Espada, who's zanpakuto lies discarded on the ground. "You don't have to worry Orihime-sama. Nnoitora-sama won't attack us. After recuerdo's effect, I doubt he even has the will to fight."

Orihime turns her focus back on healing the two arrancar and shinigami, though she still feels uneasy about the once hostile Espada so close to them. "What do you mean? I don't understand."

Jonghuyng sits down beside her, and Nel hops onto his shoulder to watch Orihime do her work. "Recordo translates into 'to recall' or 'to remember'. What it basically does is can make your most haziest memories about an even or a person come to the forefront of your mind." He explains softly, absently staring at the golden dome in front of him. "In this case, I made Nnoitora remember the feelings he had for Neliel-sama that he buried long ago, when he cast her from Las Noches. And uh, I guess you guys had something similar happen to you huh?" he adds sheepishly on the end.

Orihime sits down and brings her knees up to her chest and sighs. "Yeah. Something like that."

There's a moment of silence, when Nel tugs on Orihime's sleeve. "Orihime-nee?"

"Yeah Neliel-sama?"

"Grimmjow-sama. Does you knows him weally well?"

Orihime opens up her arms and Nel hops into them, giving her a curious look, "Well. For the most part yeah. Why?"

"Nel wemembers travelling with him."

Orihime blinks in confusion and glances at the other arrancar, who only shrugs at the odd statement.

"I see…"

:-:-:-:-:-

Grimmjow gives Ichigo a death glare which the shinigami enthusiastically returns. And Tesla's caught in the middle of the crossfire, sweatdropping nervously.

"Eto, Nii-san." Orihime laughs uneasily, pulling the barely healed Sexta away from Ichigo as far as possible. Translation: an inch.

Grimmjow growls low in his throat. "Bastard."

Ichigo arches an eyebrow as a vein throbs on his forehead. "Moron."

"Freak-show."

"You're one to talk you mutated house-cat."

"Damn piece of fruit."

"Shut up!"

"Make me you red faced, green topped runt!"

"Orihime-sama? Help?"

"SHUT UP YOU DAMN PIG!"

"All of you, QUIET!"

The three newly healed men turn to Orihime who gives them her best death glare. "I just finished healing all of you. No fighting! Got it? Jonghyung here agrees with me don't you…" Orihime turns to the only civil arrancar to find a familiar pale face, framed with icy blue hair. "Anónimo-chan!" Orihime walks towards her with a smile forming on her face. "Where have you been all this time? I've missed you!" She comes to a halt just in front of the two as something on Jonghyun's uniform flashes in the artificial light coming from the ceiling of Las Noches.

Jonghyun's head, which is bowed down, lolls towards the side where Anónimo is standing. "Doushite…Nou-chan?" He asks weakly, as his hollow mask shattering into tiny fragments as a dark vertical line slices downwards from his chest to his feet.

"Orihime move!"

Orihime stumbles backwards, her mouth opening into a silent horrified scream as the boyish arrancar's body falls to her feet, splattering the tips of her boots with blood. "N-No! Y-yuki…Anónimo-chan. W-what are you doing?!" she asks, her voice shaking slightly as terror choruses through her body. Anónimo stares at her with her pale and glassy eyes, shaking her zanpakuto once to remove the blood left by the cinquenta-quinto.

Anónimo reaches out to Orihime, who's frozen in fear and confusion, and somehow looks over her shoulder to the four left standing in shock. "Aizen-sama requests her presence."

"Orihime-sama!"

"Hime!"

"Inoue!"

"Iie!" Orihime spins around and for a split second she sees Grimmjow, Tesla and Ichigo reaching out for her, when a sharp tug rips her backwards, and she feels herself being dumped onto the floor.

"Welcome back. Orihime."

Slowly, Orihime looks up and stares up at Aizen, who's standing at the top of the tall staircase, looking down on her. Flanking him are Tousen and Gin, both whom are facing the opposite direction, as if they're waiting for something. "Aizen…"

"You're breaking my heart, Orihime." The human girl jerks backwards as the ex-taicho appears out of thin air in front of her face, as he caresses her chin. "What happened to my dearest daughter who was so devoted to me?"

Orihime smacks away his hand and steps back, struggling to keep herself from shaking. "Don't touch me." She snaps, crossing her arms over her chest.

Aizen smiles patronizingly at her, "I'm sorry. It seems that I've upset you. But needn't to worry. Just wait for us here until we return from destroying Karakura Town." He says, as a Garatana opens behind him.

Orihimes eyes dilate as the words register in her mind. "Destroy Karakura Town?"

"Correct. We will destroy Karakura Town," He says, turning and walking at a leisurely pace towards the Garatana, "and create the ouken. Anónimo-chan will be fighting alongside your 'Ggio-nii' and the rest of Barragan's fraccion, won't you?"

"Hai. Aizen-sama." She says softly once before sonidoinig away.

Aizen nods thoughtfully. "Kaname. The Tentei Kuura."

The blind general takes something out of his pocket. "Yes sir." He says as he throws the objects into the air. They latch onto his arm, and a strange patter appears on it. "Bakudo number seventy-seven. The Tentei Kuura."

"Can you hear me, intruders?" Aizen asks, but because of the strange echoing effect in his voice, she knows that everyone can hear him. "First, allow me to compliment you for defeating so many Espadas."

N-nani? But, who? Who died?

"And now…we will begin your invasion of the World of the Living. I'll leave Orihime Inoue in the fifth tower. If you want to save her, come and get her. She is no longer of any use to me." Orihime juts her chin out defiantly as he stares down at her, with the same 'holier-than-thou' look that Grimmjow had taught her to hate.

"Her abilities are astonishing. Her rejection of phenomena transcends the powers allowed to himan beings. The high officials recognized the significance of her ability early on. That's is why I took her. Her abduction provoked a crises in the Soul Society, prompting them to withdraw to defend the Soul Society and abandon the World of the Living/ I used her as bait to lure the so called Deputy Soul Reaper and his friends to Hueco Mundo. Now they and the four captains who entered Hueco Mundo to help them have been successfully confined, thanks to her."

Orihime's mouth opens in horror as she realizes exactly why she was here, and exactly why he insisted on her calling him Chichi. A lie. Everything. Every. Single. Thing. Was. A. LIE?!

"The great thing about the Gotei Thirteen is that all thirteen captains possess the powers of a major fighting force. But now three have seceded and four more are trapped in Hueco Mundo. It's safe to say that the Soul Society's strength has been reduced by half. It was simple, really. Now we will destroy Karakura Town, create the Ouken, and bring down the Soul Society. Once that has been accomplished, we can destroy the rest of you at our leisure." He says in the same easy laidback tone he had used previously with Orihime, as he walks through the Garatana and into the Living World.

"It looks like we made it on time." An unfamiliar voice rumbles, and Orihime cringes at the power laced in it.

"In time? Why do you say that?" Aizen scoffs quietly. " I know that isn't the real Karakura Town. But that won't stop us. Starrk…Barragan…Halibel…come."

Before she can think, Orihime shouts at the top of her lungs as several familiar figure appear above her with Aizen. "Nee-sama! Ggio-nii! Lilynette-chan!" None of them respond, and Orihime's heart sinks.

"Be patient. Inoue." Orihime's eyes lock onto Starrk, who scratches the back of his head lazily, without turning around. "Lilynette's been waitin' for you. Your turn to wait for her." He says before the Garatana's mouth closes behind him.

"Until then, I leave Las Noches in your hands…" Aizen's disembodied voice echoes, as Orihime feels a cold chill run down her spine. "…Ulquiorra."

Whipping around to the sound similar to shattering glass, Orihime watches the dark haired Espada stop out of a fracture in the air, his eyes flicking across the length of the room to finally rest on her.

"Yes, sir."

Staring at him, Orihime swallows tensely, and unconsciously takes a step back.

Maybe…

O_o

Whaddya think? Liked it? Hated it? Loved it? I want to know!

ALSO. I haven't mentioned this in a while, but GO READ CATWITHTHEHAT'S COMPANION STORY TO THIS! If you don't already know, it's called 'Doomed to Remember' and is AWESOMENESS INCARNATED! GO I SEND THEE FORTH!

But of course, after you leave a REVIEW...right?

-moony