Hollow King- Chapter Twenty Four
Temple of the dog
Tite Kubo owns Bleach.
Gondra sat next to Aiona in a large room. Their new quarters. Grimmjow sat down on the other side of the table with three glasses and a large bottle of sake.
"Why don't you two drink up and tell me your names." Grimmjow strongly suggested as he slid two of the glasses over and put the sake bottle in the middle of the table.
Gondra almost eagerly grabbed the bottle and pored himself a large glass and downed it in one gulp. "Arrancar number 87. Gondra Durden."
"So, you can drink huh?" good to know. Grimmjow said with a grin as Gondra handed the bottle back to him. "What about you, woman?" he asked Aiona.
"give me the damn bottle and then I'll tell you my name." Aiona growled.
Grimmjow's grin only widened as he handed he the bottle. She poured herself a glass and started to take large sips, all while glaring at Grimmjow.
"Whats got you pissed off?" Gondra asked as he grabbed the bottle.
"Arrancar number 69. Aiona Grantz." she growled, after ignoring Gondra's question.
"Grantz huh? You Ilfort's sister?" Grimmjow asked.
"That's right. And I still haven't forgiven you for what you let happen to him." she snapped.
"So, you have two brothers?" Gondra asked.
"Had. Ilfort's dead, all thanks to him!" Aiona shouted as she pointed a finger at Grimmjow. The sixth Espada's grin completely faded.
"I had nothing to do with his death. He was just so damn weak that a shinigami did him in." Grimmjow said without remorse.
"Fuck you then!" Aiona shouted as she stood up and slammed her fist against the table. "Don't get it wrong. I'll still be your Fracción. But, I want to make one thing perfectly clear. I hate the both of you." Aiona growled as she started to exit the main room. "I'll be taking Ilfort's old quarters." she added as the flame headed arrancar slammed a door shut.
Grimmjow and Gondra just sat there for a few moments before breaking out into laughter.
"That's women for ya." Grimmjow laughed. His mask fragment laughing with him.
"Why am I laughing? Is this just another of Tyler's traits? Guess they're mine now..." Gondra thought.
"Tell ya what Gondra. I'll let you pick your own room and do what ever you want. Just do what I say and we'll have no problems." Grimmjow said in all seriousness with a slight grin on his face. There was a slight shine in his cold blue eyes.
"Fine by me. We should have a match some time. I can tell just by lookin' at ya that your itching to fight someone." Gondra replied as he snatched the bottle of sake off the table as Grimmjow was about to reach for it. Without looking back, Gondra began to guzzle the bottle down and walk down the hall to look for the best room. He could clearly hear a feline like growl coming from his new boss.
Aiona leaned against the back of Ilfort's door, listening to Gondra walk by. "Why Doesn't he remember me?" she asked herself as she balled up her fists and bit her lip.
Gondra picked the room that was most secluded. The nameplate on the door read, Shawlong. Gondra yanked the screws out of it and let it clatter to the floor as he entered. The room wasn't bad. It had a much larger bed, a desk, couch, and full bathroom. "Looks like it's my room now." Gondra said with a saw toothed grin.
XXXXX
Later that day, Gondra felt a strong urge to explore the castle, there was something that he needed. With a groan, he got off the couch and threw his coat on. He flipped the black and white hood up to cover part of his face as he left the room. "Hey, Grimmjow? You know how I guy can get some smokes around here?" Gondra asked as he poked his head into the Espada's room.
"Still can't kick a vice from when you were alive huh? How long were you a hollow anyway?" Grimmjow asked as he looked up from his chair. Apparently, he was reading manga.
"About half a year."Gondra lied. "What ya reading?" he asked.
"Bad Shield United. It's so fucking hard to get the later volumes around here. I've read this one three times over. As for the smokes, I'd ask that crazy chick's brother."
"Szayel Aporro?" Gondra asked through his jagged teeth as he tilted his head and narrowed his eyes a little. He wasn't vary fond of the guy.
"Yeah. He's the 8th Espada. His lab's to the east and a ways down." Grimmjow said then started reading again.
"Thanks man." Gondra said with a nod then started to leave.
"Watch out for his traps too." Grimmjow added.
"Traps?"
XXXXX
several corridors, pitfalls, guillotines, tentacle traps, and acid baths later, Gondra arrived at the main door to Grantz's lab. After catching his breath and dusting off his coat, Gondra pushed the door open and came face to mask with a strange looking arrancar. It had the posture of a gargoyle with the upper half of it's head encased in a strange welding goggle type of mask. It's skin was vary tan and it had a crooked jaw with a gaping overbite.
"Do you wish to see Szayel Aporro-Sama?" the thing grunted and cocked its elongated head to the side.
"Thats right." "Must be some weird kind of fracción." Gondra thought as the creature lead him down a hall.
"You the first to get through traps B T W." the thing commented in its own weird way. "Master. One of Grimmjow-Sama's fracción is here to see you." It called out before leaving. A large white chair in front of a computer terminal turned around to reveal the mad man. One of his feet were on the chair, his hands and head were against his knee. He had a slight smile on his face and his eyes were masked by the reflection on his glasses fragment. When he lifted his head, his bronze eyes were visible and his smile widened.
"Forget Kurotsuchi. This guys creepy in a whole new definition. Why do I always gravitate towards mad scientists?" Gondra thought as he lowered his head and blinked.
"Well, hello there Mr. Durden. Your not going to try and hit me again, are you?" Szayel asked. "I was actually hoping we could be friends. You are my dear sister's team mate after all."
"I see word travels fast. You hear that from Aaroniero?" Gondra asked.
"Thats right. He recorded the whole fight and sent it to me."
Gondra could faintly hear music playing from the computer behind the pink haired man. "I recognize that song."
"You do now? I was downloading some music of Aiona. It's some band from the united states called Jack off Jill. I rather like it myself. I can make you a player if you want. So, what brings you down here?"
"Grimmjow said you could provide some cigarettes."
"Is that all? I have many things from the human world, you know. All for my research." the man said as he got up from his chair and walked over to a large white locker. He grabbed a full carton of smokes and handed it to Gondra. "You know, tobacco Isn't the only smokable I have." Szayel said with a grin as he looked back at Gondra through his reflecting glasses.
It took a few seconds for Gondra to catch on. He grinned a sharp smile as he stuffed the cigarettes into his trench coat. "Really." he said in amusement
"That's right. If you'll follow me this way sir." Szayel chimed as he withdrew a locked silver box from the locker and walked across the lab to a chemistry set. After detaching several winding tubes and hoses, he withdrew a strange metal and glass bubbler that looked like something HR Giger made while he was on acid.
"That's one hell of a piece." Gondra commented as he walked up to the good doctor.
"I was about to review some data. Would you like to join me and as they say, toke up?" Szayel asked with a smile.
"Sure. Why the hell not?" Gondra happily agreed.
The two men sat down in large chairs in front of a giant monitor, Szayel placing the paraphernalia on a table between them. He prepped the bong and handed it and a lighter to Gondra. "You can keep that lighter. I have a bunch of them." Szayel stated as he hit a few switches on the terminal, showing a mid air battle between a shinigami and arrancar. Gondra took a hit and looked at the screen. It showed a man that resembled Szayel fighting a tattooed man with blood red hair and a giant skeletal snake as a weapon.
Gondra coughed out the smoke in revelation. He knew that guy. It was when they were all called back to the soul society when they met. "Renji Abarai..." Gondra struggled to remember. "What is this?" he asked.
"The plant or the footage?" Szayel asked as he reached for the bong without taking his eyes off the screen.
"The vid." Gondra said as he pocketed the lighter.
"It's my older brother fighting to the death with a lieutenant level shinigami." Szayel said apathetically.
"Renji was the one that killed Illfort?" Gondra thought. Just then, Gondra felt something furry brush against his hand. He looked down to see a rather large dog with a mask fragment and hole devouring the head of one of Szayel's fraccion. "Uh, doc?"
"Yes?" Szayel asked as he placed the bong back down on the table and paused the video, all while exhaling smoke.
"What the hell is this giant wolf thing doing here? Was that shit I was smoking laced with something?"
"Oh that's just number 11. he comes down here for a snack now and then. A rather interesting creature you know. If you'd like me to tell you about him."
"Okay." Gondra answered as he scratched the dog's back.
"He was once many dog hollows but, they all fed off each other and formed a sentient Gillian and fed off the other menos grandes until it evolved into an adjuchas and coming here. If Baragon is the god of Hueco Mundo, then you could say that number 11 is the god of all dead dogs. Aizen-sama lets him do what he pleases and wander around the halls. He's even good in battles." Szayel explained.
"Interesting." Gondra said. He rather liked dogs.
"I think he likes you. You can take him with you if you like."
"Why are you being so nice to me?" Gondra asked.
"Because I am one of the few that knows of your secret. Mr. shinigami."
Gondra whirled around and looked at the pink haired man. "Who else knows?!" Gondra shouted.
"Just Aizen-sama and his two friends. No need to worry. Aizen-sama sees you as a sort of wild card that could be useful."
"What's more painful than for the soul society to have to fight a former friend?" Szayel stated as he placed his hands behind his back and leaned back.
"That cuts both ways, ya know?" Gondra growled.
"Your memories of them will fade over time. You're one of us now, after all." Szayel stated with a gleam in his eyes.
"There you are! I look all over Las Noches and here you are smoking pot with my brother." a voice shouted out. Gondra turned to see Aiona at the entrance to the lab with her arms folded.
"Oh! Aiona. It's good to see you dear sister. Would you like me to braid your hair?" the girl's older brother chimed.
"Fuck you, Aporro. I'm just here to get Gondra and my MP3 player." Aiona said as he walked across the lab and unplugged the device from one of the computers. She then walked over to the chair where Gondra was sitting and petting the hollow dog. "I see you made a friend." Aiona commented. "Lets go."
"Go where?" Gondra asked.
"Grimmjow's in the mood to spar with you now. We're going back to his chambers."
XXXXX
"What the hell is that thing doing here?!" Grimmjow shouted and pointed to number 11.
"Szayel Aporro said I could have him. You don't like dogs?" Gondra asked.
"It's because he's a cat. Isn't that right, Panther King?" Aiona almost laughed.
"That ain't it! Scarecrow girl!" Grimmjow shouted.
"How about this? If I win the match then he gets to stay."
"That's some big talk. What's in it for me if I win?" Grimmjow asked.
"I'll let you in on a little secret about me." Gondra said with a grin.
Thats it for this chapter. My dog just died the other day so I thought her spirit could live on in my fic. I'm not too sure about how this chapter turned out but, at least the plot thickens a little. Grimmjow reads manga and Szayel's a bit of a stoner lol hope you all liked the chappy enough to review. The manga Grimmjow was reading was a botched work by Tite Kubo himself thats about androids called shields. You can find it in the last volume of zombie powder. Ichigo's school friends made a few references to it in some earlier episodes. Its sort of an inside joke I guess. Thanks for reading.
Sandragon out-