Chapter 17: Content

The next morning had been school. Tatsuki had silently gotten up in the early morning to drop by her home before school started so that she could change into her uniform. When Orihime woke, she was alone.

She had gotten ready for school at a leisurely pace, for once waking in time to ready herself as slowly as she pleased. She had showered, than dressed, quickly completing the rest of her morning routine. She had eaten breakfast – an egg covered in sprinkles, bean paste, and cream cheese – in a flurry before heading out of her door.

She was greeted with a sight she had not been expecting to see.

"Woman."

"U-Ulquiorra." She blinked, taking in the image of the man who was now devoid of his mask. He was wearing a normal school uniform, his hands shoved into his pockets per usual, and seemed to be waiting for her. She could still see the tear streaks on his face, but his hollow hole had been covered. She guessed it was still there, though. "What are you doing here?"

"In case you have forgotten, I now live in the space next to your own."

"Oh, um, what I meant was, why are you wearing that uniform?"

"Kisuke Urahara informed me that you would be attending school this morning. I am also attending this school. He has told me that he has finished putting through paperwork and other such bothersome acts."

"He did it all in one night?" She asked in amazement. "Wow…"

"Bear in mind that he is not human, nor was he alone. Yoruichi Shihouin assisted him in his task." He bent down and picked up the bag by his feet, putting his wrist through the strap at the top so that he could place the hand back into his pocket.

"Oh. Okay. Well, we'd better hurry! We don't want to be late."

He reached out with the hand his book bag was hanging on, grabbing her arm, and took a large step forward. He stopped, looking puzzled, before he released her arm and returned his hand to his pocket. "My power level in this ridiculous form is that of human trash."

She giggled. "Well, it looks like we get to walk to school!" She happily skipped in front of him, looking back to make sure he was following her, and then smiled brightly.

"I do not see why you are so excited."

"Because! It's your first day at school!" She did a little twirl, facing him as she walked backwards. She pursed her lips, looking at him in concentration. "What's the story, anyway?"

He was silent for a moment. They walked on; her turning to walk by his side so that she could see where they were going.

"You should not refer to me so familiarly," he intoned after a pause. "I am your enemy, woman, and you would do well to remember that."

"I don't think you are."

"Even so, I am not human. I live by consuming the souls of others."

"I've never seen you do that. You don't even have to anymore, do you?"

He was silent again. Finally, he decided to answer her. "Urahara Kisuke has prepared this gigai with my needs in mind. I will be able to gather energy from consuming human food."

Her face lit up in a brilliant smile. "Yay! You get to eat?! This is so exciting!"

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Why is this?"

"I can cook for you! And you get to try so many new foods!"

"… I fail to see why you are happy about this."

"I just am. Anyway, what's our story?"

"… I am a transfer student."

"That's it?"

"That is as elaborate as the tale needs to be, is it not?"

"Well… I guess that works. But… can't we make it a little more exciting?" Her eyes gleamed with the idea of making up a past for him. Just the idea of spinning any story to explain him was something to be eager for. Actually doing it would be even better!

"I have heard some of the stories you made up during your imprisonment in Los Noches. If this story is as ridiculous as any of those, then we will be found out."

"They're not ridiculous." She pouted. "They're fun!"

"… You babble too much, woman."

Her pout deepened and she threw him a look but she complied nonetheless. They walked in silence, to his preference, for almost five whole minutes before Orihime just couldn't take it anymore.

"Don't you like all the color?"

He looked as if he might want to sigh. "Speak clearly, onna."

"It's so colorful here, in the world of the living. Don't you like it?"

"… My eyes are unaccustomed to the brightness. It is… unwelcome."

"But don't you like the color? That was what I couldn't stand back in Hueco Mundo. It was all so black and white." She stuck out her tongue, as if to rid herself of the bad memory like one would a bad taste. "I think you need a nice color to look at every once in a while to live."

He was silent for a great length of time, so long that she thought he might not answer her. At one point, though, he did answer. "If I did require this color you speak of so fondly, Onna, your hair would have sufficed."

"Really?"

"I say only what I mean."

"So you like my hair?"

"… While in Los Noches I did not despise looking at it on a daily basis."

"You didn't like me at first, did you?"

"I do not like anything. You forget. I feel nothing."

She frowned a little. "I think that you feel, you know."

"Hm."

"After all…" In an act of boldness, she reached out and carefully drew his hand out of his pocket, staring down at it fondly. "You have a heart."

"… I suppose."

She smiled, dropping his hand, just as the school came into sight. "Come on. You're in my class, right?" He nodded his head once. "Well, then I'll introduce you to everyone!"

"If that is what you desire."