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Chapter 2
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Hueco Mundo was nothing like she had expected it to be, and neither was Las Noches. Simply walking up to the massive structure was enough to awe her. With ceilings that reached on towards forever and halls that seemed to lead nowhere, it was certainly something to behold. The quiet was deafening, making her nervous and edgy while the soft tapping echoes of their footfalls kept her ears strangely alert to any foreign noises around her. It was nothing quite like she had seen before. Even Soul Society held no comparison, where it seemed one would get lost if a single wrong turn was made in the streets. While here, she felt that if she simply stared down the blanched halls for too long she would be left disoriented.
Soul Society retained many of the familiar traits of the human world with its houses and streets and shops. Las Noches, on the other hand, was like something from a dream…
Or a nightmare, she wasn't sure.
It was spellbinding and, had it not been for the circumstance she now found herself in, she would have found the place rather enchanting.
At the moment, however, she felt far from enchanted. It was cold there. Like dry ice, it looked frigid and bleak, but touch it and you would get burned. There was a thick chill that sank deep into her bones, along with a strange bitterness that hung in the air. That dryness only enhanced the coldness, a coldness that had less to do with the temperature and more to do with the unpleasant environment. The place was almost extraterrestrial, it was so surreal that it left her hard pressed for words to describe it, let alone take in the magnitude of the fortress.
Orihime glanced at the back of the pale Arrancar ahead of her. With a distinct sense of unease, she wrapped her arms around herself to ward off the chill and hurried her pace slightly to catch up with him. She could practically feel the stares of the three men behind her, making her even more uncomfortable than she already was considering the blonde youth had yet to leave her side. She was surrounded by the enemy - in their territory, no less - and as much as she wanted to turn around and ask them to kindly look elsewhere but at her person, she knew that would only lead to more conflict.
Most prominent of all amongst those unabashed stares were those of the smaller, short haired boy who seemed to hold a grave dislike for her. Luppi was his name. She could sense that as the other gazes had remained mostly curious and slightly guarded, his had changed from spiteful hatred, to occasional leering, and finally to outright ogling. Just as his gaze had changed over the minutes, so had his dialogue.
"Hn, for as much of a useless waste of air that you are…you actually have one hell of a righteous body," he said smoothly, brushing a lock of hair from his brow.
Orihime made a noise of unease in the back of her throat as she blushed profusely and tried to keep her hands from reaching around to cover herself. She could feel his eyes, just as easily as any physical contact, openly gawking at certain parts of her backside.
"You know…" his words trailed off and Orihime could tell by the tone of his voice that things she'd rather not think about were about to come out of his mouth. "You might not be so worthless, after all. With an ass like that, I'll bet you're one hell of a fuck." Orihime jerked her head around, giving him a vicious and mortified glare over her shoulder. He only smirked back at her. "Get as mad as you want, gorgeous, all I have to do is ask Lord Aizen and you'll be all mine." He licked his lips slowly, taking his time to let his eyes roam back down her body.
Orihime snapped her head back around, unable to look at him a moment longer. She tried to keep her frown in place, but his words were making her nervous and slightly ill.
"Could you possibly get any more disgusting?" Grimmjow remarked dryly from beside him. Looking as if he were in another world, Orihime hadn't been aware he was even paying attention to the younger man's inappropriate banter.
"What was that, Grimmjow?" Luppi replied defensively. "Talking back to a superior? Seems like you have more balls then brains, you unrefined brute."
Grimmjow mumbled something to himself that neither of them could quite make out. The action only resulted in urging Luppi to continue on with his attempt at asserting his dominance through insults and more posturing.
"You actually think Lord Aizen will give her to a creep like you?" Grimmjow nearly scoffed as they continued to move down the seemingly endless hall. He looked away, barely restraining a harsh grimace before placing his hand back into his pocket.
"Big talk from an ex-Espada who's incapable of keeping his own body parts intact," Luppi derided, putting extra stress on Grimmjow's relegated status. "I'm sure women are just flocking to you in droves now that you've been demoted to such a pitiful state, Grimmjow," he jeered arrogantly, keeping his voice relatively calm as his eyes narrowed in on the taller man. "Remember that tonight, when I'm the one tearing up our new pet over there in your old bed," he said with harsh enthusiasm, causing Orihime to flinch as she tried to completely tune out the entire conversation.
Orihime picked up her pace again in an attempt to put some distance between herself and them. She would occasionally glance back in mild trepidation, only to have her eyes quickly return to her feet upon seeing nothing encouraging.
Grimmjow chuckled at the young man's comment, capturing Orihime's attention before she had a chance to remind herself it would be best if she paid them no mind at all. She watched the blue haired man grin. It was a wide smirk that only accentuated the feral qualities of his ruggedly handsome face. "I don't need to force a broad just to have a good time, you little cocksucker. When a bitch sits on my dick…I make sure she likes it." Grimmjow laughed as he looked down on the younger man with an egotistic taunt in his eyes, daring him to try something.
"Fuck off, Grimmjow!" Luppi replied irately, clearly flustered by the insinuation.
"Keh, if you're so lacking that you can't even get a whore to fuck you willingly, then you must be a bigger douche than I thought." Grimmjow glowered in disgust before suddenly raising his eyes to Orihime's, catching her off guard unintentionally eavesdropping. There was a strange look in them as he brazenly kept eye contact with her, and it made her blush harder as the implications of what they had been talking about bounced around the confines of her brain before settling in.
Orihime blinked and quickly averted her eyes back down to her shoes, still not watching where she was going.
"Oh!" she gasped as she suddenly ran straight into something solid. With her hands immediately reaching up to brace herself, Orihime looked up. She froze when she realized she had bumped into the back of the quiet Arrancar in front of her. She felt her tongue twist up as she watched him slowly turn his head to observe her from the corner of his eye.
"Oh my goodness…I-I'm very sorry. I hadn't realized you had stopped! I just…I wasn't watching where I was going. I didn't mean to- I'm so sorry! Are you ok?" she asked hurriedly, staring into his eyes that had yet to leave her own. He was silent for a short moment before his emerald green gaze, just as slowly, lowered to where their bodies were still connected. Pressed against his back with her hand grasped onto his arm and the other gently touching his shoulder blade, Orihime realized she was invading his personal space…and neither did he seem happy about it.
"Oh!" she nearly yelped in shock again and hastily removed herself from his person. "S…sorry," she apologized softly with a light blush creeping up her cheeks.
"Luppi, Grimmjow," he said, promptly taking his penetrating eyes off her after she'd taken another small step back. "Go have your wounds tended to in the infirmary. You have half an hour before we report to Lord Aizen," he ordered.
"Wounds?" Luppi echoed. "Don't make me laugh, I'm perfectly fine. As if I would need such treatment," he finished dismissively.
Ulquiorra didn't even take the time to look him over before speaking again. "What you do with your wellbeing is your own business. However, you took a direct attack from a Captain level Shinigami. If you prefer to go before Lord Aizen looking like a mangy derelict, then I suggest you reconsider your decision," he concluded evenly, and Orihime heard Grimmjow sniggering in the background, laughing at the indirect jab.
"I have an even better idea," Luppi replied, eager to change the topic from his poor accomplishments to their new prisoner, someone who was weaker and more vulnerable. "Why don't we let the little wretch heal me if she's so damned powerful?" He made the suggestion with an antagonizing tone, as if he were trying to challenge her in some way. "I've yet to see anything impressive about her, so far. If she's so important to Lord Aizen, then I want to see what we were fighting for!" Orihime tried to stand her ground as his eyes landed on her again, daring her to object to him.
"No," Ulquiorra answered before she even had time to think about it.
"And why not?" he immediately snapped in irritation, his temper seeming to go from one high to another without warning. "You may have been the leader of this mission, Ulquiorra, but you're not the leader of the entire lot of Espada. No matter how Lord Aizen favors you." Luppi added the last words bitterly.
"My standing in Las Noches has nothing to do with it," Ulquiorra answered steadily, his eyes sliding over to examine Orihime with deliberate intimidation. "She belongs to Lord Aizen and he alone. Her powers, her mind, her body, all of it." Orihime swallowed as she listened to him talk, suddenly realizing she was the center of everyone's attention. "Woman," he called and she immediately looked up. "Do you understand this? From here on out, you are nothing but property, and Lord Aizen owns you," he said. "You and all of your abilities are his."
The thought of ever agreeing to such things made her feel like less than dirt. However, deep inside, the only thoughts going through her mind were of her friends. She was worried for them and afraid of what these Espada would do if they went back on their word. What would happen if they came to retrieve her or if they might get attacked before they could even try? If nodding and agreeing to such a horrendous proposition was all she had to do, essentially becoming a slave to the throne, it was a sacrifice she was more than willing to make. Orihime squeezed her arms tighter around herself before giving a shallow nod. "I…y-yes," she agreed reluctantly.
With her admittance, he looked back to the others. "Both of you, go. You're wasting time."
Luppi continued to scowl at him for a brief moment before finally conceding and moving past them. He paused just as he approached Orihime, stopping to intimidate her once more with his scorching lavender eyes. "I'll get my hands on you soon enough…girl," he said quietly before moving on, continuing past them down the hall. Orihime stared after him, feeling too distrustful of the boy to turn her back on him even when he was already out of sight.
"Don't bother worrying about him," Grimmjow drawled from behind her, nearly making her jump upon realizing he was so close. "That creep's as gay as a rainbow." His words trailed off as he sauntered around her and headed off toward the same direction the other man had gone. "Why the hell do you think he tries so hard to make all those perverted jeers, eh? Bastard's about as straight as a circle," he tossed the comment over his shoulder offhandedly, his voice dripping with disdainful sarcasm.
As lewd as all his remarks were, and besides the fact that she didn't think she'd heard as much foul language in her entire life than she had in the past hour…it did help to ease some of her worries, if only minutely. Though, she had a feeling he hadn't spoken such things for the sake of easing her mind, rather, it seemed it was more of an attempt at gaining an unlikely ally against a common adversary.
"Yammy," Ulquiorra said, gaining the attention of the larger man. "Make sure they're at the meeting in time," he ordered, as sending the man after them was the best way to ensure they did not start any unwanted behaviors around one another that would cause further delay. Without complaint, Yammy nodded and turned to follow after the two men who had just disappeared around a distant corner.
Orihime stared as the last of them slowly blurred into the blinding white halls of Las Noches. A tug on her arm snapped her back to attention. Glancing down, she found the image of violet eyes staring up into hers. Beside her, Wonderweiss lifted his hand from her arm and pointed behind her. Orihime turned to see the pale Arrancar walking away from her, heading in the opposite direction the others had gone. He tugged at her arm again and without thought she followed.
It only seemed as if a short time had passed before they came to a halt at what seemed to be a convergence of ten separate halls merging into one vast, open space where an eleventh hall split forth from the junction, leading down a shorter passage that ended in a large, arched doorway that stretched from floor to ceiling. Orihime gazed in awe at the massive structure, wondering how such an immense pair of doors were ever constructed. They looked like the gates to another dimension, such were their magnitude.
Orihime glanced back to see her escort leaning against the lip of the hall they had just emerged from. His eyes were closed and his hands rested in his pockets once more. He looked as if he were asleep.
Orihime cleared her throat.
"Um…" she started timidly, tapping her nails together nervously. With the constant clicking of her nails echoing loudly off the walls in such a quiet place, she quickly grew tired of it and hastily pulled her hands apart to clasp them behind her back. "Are we just going to wait here?" she asked hesitantly.
He didn't answer.
After several more moments of silence, Orihime cautiously made her way to the other side of the hall to lean against the wall opposite of him, facing him though many feet apart. Releasing a deep sigh, she slowly let herself slide down the ashen wall. With a weariness that crept upon her with frightening suddenness, she wrapped her arms around her legs, bringing them together to rest her forehead upon her knees as she completely gave up on even bothering to converse with the stoic man.
Why did they even want her to begin with? What use could she possibly be to a man like Aizen Sosuke?
Before she could get anywhere with her thoughts, she yelped in shock when a pair of arms wound around her waist and a solid body squeezed and squirmed itself between her knees. Jerking her head upright in shock, Orihime stared in disbelief as the young blonde quickly wormed his way into her space, completely wrapping himself up in her. Before she could even protest, he'd locked his arms behind her back and laid his head upon her chest comfortably.
Her mouth opened, but words seemed to fail her.
"Um…" she began as she looked up to the man standing across from her. "E-excuse me?" she called, trying to grab his attention and, of course, failed. Orihime tilted her head in consideration, wondering if she should just try to remove the boy on her own. Before she could begin to try, she paused when something touched her wrist.
She watched as he lifted her hand and smoothly ran his fingers over the soft lines around the crevices of her knuckles, causing her to blush at not only the awkward position they were in, but his intimate behavior as he familiarized himself with her apparently fascinating hand. When he pressed his palm to hers with a gentle curiosity, something inside of her softened.
With a tender smile, she pressed back, earning a noise of wonderment from the boy. "I'm Orihime Inoue. What's your name?" she asked kindly and waited patiently as it took him some time before he was finally able to stutter out an answer.
"Won…wonder-" he paused to regroup his efforts. "Wonder…weiss," he said quietly, and Orihime could tell it had been quite an endeavor putting each of those syllables together.
She nodded in approval.
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Wonderweiss-san." She smiled again. Running with the moment, she looked up with renewed light in her eyes. "And what's your name?" she inquired of the other man. Orihime almost instantly deflated when he completely and deliberately ignored her without so much as a twitch to acknowledge she'd said anything in the first place. With a faint sigh, she glanced over into the white haziness of the halls with eyes that slowly faded into a blind stare.
Breaking the stare to look down and play distractedly with a tiny pebble on the floor, she twirled the small rock under her finger and wondered why she had bothered trying with formalities when he didn't seem to care to listen. "What am I doing here," she whispered to herself and flicked the pebble away, watching it bounce off in the distance.
After several more moments of silence, Orihime chanced another glance to examine the man standing as still as a statue across from her, pondering over why he was so intent on ignoring her. Perhaps she'd offended him? She wondered if she should apologize to him for how she had spoken to him earlier…she had, after all, called him horrible. No matter that it was true at the time.
Logic dictated no apologies were necessary. He'd lied to her and kidnapped her and tricked her into betraying the people she loved.
Unfortunate as it was, war was war, people did terrible things and nothing was going to change that. Even still, just because someone may have wronged her with one misdeed did not mean it should be returned with another. Besides that fact, good etiquette was so heavily inscribed into her being it just felt so…abnormal not to say anything, let alone to have said something so hurtful in the first place.
Shame and guilt gnawed quietly at her conscience.
She was growing anxious with the silence. It was nerve wracking, especially when she had no clue what they wanted from her and the only two people around her were either incapable of speech or unwilling to even speak at all.
"I…" she began, but immediately stopped when an uncomfortable knot formed in her throat. She swallowed hard, trying to rid herself of the tension in her body and glanced up to his face, wondering why he wouldn't acknowledge her. Perhaps she truly had offended him when they were still in the living world. Unless…was he actually asleep? Something told her that was the last thing this man would ever want to do around her, but believing it made her feel a little less snubbed by his nonchalance towards her attempts at conversation.
When she felt Wonderweiss start to drift off to sleep against her chest, her eyes slowly returned to her 'escort'. Trying to be inconspicuous, her curious gaze ran down his face, from the extreme paleness of his skin, to the black of his hair, to the shocking eyes currently hidden beneath thick lashes and even the devilish horn of his mask. There was an…unnatural beauty about him. It was vastly different from the loveliness that one would usually imagine when gazing upon something beautiful. There was something distinctly corpse-like about him that was at once disturbing and striking, something intangible and indefinable. Masculine but finely chiseled.
All of the men she had seen in Las Noches thus far were strange and exotic looking. Even the larger one, Yammy, who was less attractive than the rest, would still stand out as something radical amongst a group of her peers with his unusual features.
Without much reason, her eyes slowly drifted lower across his chest and arms. He was thin and lean, maybe a few pounds lighter than Kurosaki-kun if she had to guess. He was by no means malnourished, but he looked defenseless when compared to some of the beasts she had seen on the battlefield…however, when she looked a bit lower, Orihime noticed a small section just below his jacket where a thin sliver of pale flesh exposed his midriff, revealing taut skin stretched tight over hard, defined muscle. Orihime bit her lip inquisitively, doubting if he was as weak as he looked.
Like a warning signal from her brain, an uncomfortable feeling crawled down her spine just then. Looking up, she realized he was glaring at her with sharp, narrowed eyes. Orihime immediately turned her head away, completely mortified to discover that she had been caught staring at him in such an inappropriate manner. She bit her lip harder as she felt heat creeping up her neck. No doubt she was dreadfully red.
Quickly putting to use diversion tactics, Orihime tried to steer the tone of the atmosphere elsewhere and gave conversation a shot again, hoping for better results now that she had his attention. "I…I'm really sorry about earlier," she said softly, still feeling uneasy around him. "For calling you horrible. I didn't mean it," she admitted slowly and sank into herself as much as she could with Wonderweiss still pressed against her. "I just wanted you to know," she added awkwardly.
When he didn't answer, she smiled bitterly to herself, wondering what it was going to take to get him to talk.
Perhaps she should declare she'd changed her mind again. That had certainly gotten him talking to her back in the living world. Though, it had been nothing nice that he'd said. As cool tempered as he seemed to be, the man had the tongue of a viper and she had no desire to incur its wrath at the moment.
That bitter smile quickly faded as she began thinking less about the man before her and more about her dire situation. "It's funny, isn't it," she thought aloud, looking up to meet his eyes. Shockingly, she could practically see herself in them, reflecting back like a perfect mirror. He remained silent, focused with an unspoken vigilance. Calm and still. "…that someone as supposedly powerful as Aizen Sosuke would want to go out of his way to get his hands on someone like me."
Orihime gave a hushed sigh as her eyes drifted without destination and her fingers ran over the soft blonde hair of the boy nodding off to sleep against her chest. "What do I have that he could ever want?" she pondered quietly, voicing the question more to herself than him. There was no response and she hadn't expected one, either. She knew she was just talking to herself.
She tried to smile again at the thought, but it wasn't quite there.
His eyes observed her, nigh indifferent.
As he continued to stare, she felt warmth rapidly heating her cheeks and fought the blush she knew was already starting to show.
"What is he going to do with me?" she asked after several seconds, trying to keep the distress from her voice. It was a question that held weight to her. It was a desperate plea for reassurance that Aizen wouldn't harm her, kill her, or send her to any unsavory characters that would only seek to torment her mercilessly.
It was an inquiry from a frightened girl into what the future held for her in an alien world.
She met his unblinking gaze evenly, her chocolate eyes peering into his. It seemed like so much time had passed before he looked away toward one of the faces of the ten halls that emptied into the lobby-like room around them.
"Probably nothing…so long as you do as you're told," he finally answered and pushed himself from the wall to walk into the large foyer that led to the oversized doors. A comfort or a warning, she was unsure which she was supposed to take his words as. She welcomed the former, but feared it was the latter. "Come, the others are on their way," he ordered, distracting her from the surprise that he'd actually responded to her at all.
Orihime nudged Wonderweiss's shoulder, urging him to wake up without much success.
"It's Ulquiorra," he said, seemingly without cause.
Orihime glanced up, unsure as she watched him pause, if only briefly, a few feet ahead of her.
"My name…it's Ulquiorra Cifer," he informed quietly before moving on, an unspoken command for her to follow.
She opened her mouth to say something, a little stunned to realize he'd been listening to her aimless chatter the entire time. Her lips moved without voice, feeling the way his name rolled around on her tongue strangely. Yet as Wonderweiss stirred against her, the motion distracted her from calling out. Looking up to see Ulquiorra moving away from them, the boy got up and followed after him without any hesitation as if he hadn't even been asleep in the first place.
Not wanting to be left behind, Orihime brushed her skirt off and hurried her steps to catch up.
When they arrived at the pair of doors at the end of the eleventh hall, she looked back to see the three men from before approaching them as a loud, heavy creaking noise filled the air around them. Her attention quickly returned to the larger than life doorway before her as it slowly began to open. Soon, a considerably spacious and grandiose throne room was revealed, void of anything but the blinding whiteness that followed her through every twist and turn of the maze-like place.
The three men walked past her, Wonderweiss joining them, as they made their way into the room. Orihime fiddled with the hem of her shirt as she waited beside Ulquiorra, unsure if she should follow them or stay put next to him. Deciding on the latter, she looked past the small group that had just stepped over the threshold to examine the contents of the barren room. She could see little more than pillars and an elevated platform upon which sat a throne.
Orihime's eyes widened as she saw the figure seated upon the upraised seat.
Is that…?
Ulquiorra stood silently as she waited by his side, watching the men lining up in a less than orderly fashion before their leader to give their reports and observations. She felt her fingers trembling when she tried to nervously straighten her sweater and could do no more than blame it on the cold of the place in an attempt to distract herself from the fear welling up inside her stomach. It was several minutes later, minutes that had felt like hours, before Ulquiorra spoke up after Aizen made a nearly indiscernible motion with his hand.
"Come," he said, leading her further into the room before taking a place in line with his comrades. Orihime trailed far behind, unwilling to put herself closer than necessary to the tyrant.
"Ah, welcome," came a smooth, congenial voice, calling her attention to the man reclining in his regal throne. "This is our palace," he said, his face the very picture of debonair etiquette. "…Las Noches." She stood rooted to the spot, staring up at the man who held her fate in the palm of his hand. "Orihime Inoue - that is your name, correct?" he asked.
"Yes," she answered in a small voice, giving a shallow nod of her head.
"Sorry to ask this of you so soon, Orihime," he continued, pinning her with his sharp, brown eyes. Orihime felt every ounce of air suddenly leave her body, her strength draining and her reiatsu acting strangely as he continued to watch her carefully. "But could you…show me your power?"
"Y…yes…" she finally managed to reply. Her mind reeled with the fact that he had somehow caused these extraordinary side effects. Abruptly, they ended as quickly as they had begun the moment she complied. It was like a small warning, just in case she felt inclined to refuse him. Just how dangerous a man could he be to suck the life right from her body with naught but a glance?
"It seems there are some people who would much prefer it if I had not brought you here to Hueco Mundo," he said. "Isn't that so, Luppi?"
"Of course I don't like it," Luppi said, averting his eyes. "Our entire battle has meant nothing. All of it was little more than a diversion so that we could bring this girl here. Frankly, it only makes me disgusted with her."
"I suppose that was my fault, I was surprised to see you beaten so severely." Aizen smiled softly. Luppi's downcast face instantly morphed back into a scowl, frowning at the other man and his passive aggressive jabs at Luppi's less than stellar capability. "Oh, I know what we should do," Aizen said with renewed interest, as if he had just been struck by a delightful epiphany. "Orihime, in order to demonstrate the strength of your abilities, I'd like you to heal Grimmjow's left arm," he finished, sending the room into momentary silence in response to his impractical appeal.
Orihime blinked, able to feel the shock radiating from Grimmjow, who was standing not ten feet behind her. He was stunned at their leader's unexpected and seemingly unfeasible request.
"Impossible! That's crazy, Lord Aizen!" Luppi abruptly yelled. "Grimmjow? It can't be done! Director General Tosen immolated his arm, he turned it to ashes! How is she going to heal something that doesn't exist? The hell is she, a God?"
Orihime was quickly able to tune out his unsavory words, having already grown remarkably accustomed to them in such a short time. Sliding her eyes to the person behind her, she turned and made a cautious approach toward the man she'd been asked to restore. She watched as his eyes followed her like a predator, making her more nervous than she already was.
"Soten Kesshun," she murmured, sending a sparkling display of golden light to shoot outwards from her temple. "I…reject," she concluded the short incantation, holding her hands in deep concentration over the void of space that would soon be his regenerated arm.
"Hey! Are you listening, girl?" Luppi shouted and Orihime flinched, trying to avoid eye contact with him or allow herself to become distracted from the task at hand. "If you're putting on an act in a pathetic attempt to save yourself, just quit while you're ahead!" he continued, badgering her as he lifted his hand to point at her accusingly. "Should I see proof you haven't any power, then there's no reason to keep someone like you…alive." His words slowed until coming to a complete stop, staring in open astonishment as Grimmjow's arm slowly came back, piece by sinewy piece.
"Wha…" Luppi breathed, aghast as the arm finally came together. Grimmjow looked down at her with wide eyes for but a moment, directly into her own brown ones before lifting his restored arm with amazement. Carefully at first, he flexed and tested his fingers. "H-how? This is beyond the point of healing. What sorcery is this? What did you do, girl?!" Luppi said incredulously, his lack of faith in her was painfully obvious as he continued to accuse her of trickery.
"Still don't understand?" Aizen asked with a secretive smirk to the boy who just couldn't seem to grasp the situation. "Ulquiorra thinks it's temporal or spatial regression. Both are interesting theories," he said as his eyes wandered lazily over the pale Espada in question.
"Yes," Ulquiorra answered quietly.
"It can't be. No human could have such advanced power. It's completely impossible," Luppi thought aloud with much bewilderment present in his voice.
"But she does, either way you look at it," Aizen answered his bafflement with calm authority. "This is pure…event rejection," he said, nearly shocking everyone in the room. "It is neither temporal or spatial. It rejects all form of phenomenon. Her power limits, rejects and negates what has happened to an object. She has the power to return things to the state they existed in before events changed them. It exceeds temporal or spatial regression." Orihime held her breath, soaking up all of this new and radical information that she could hardly believe was true. Was this really the answer to her atypical and abnormal powers? "Effortlessly, it overcomes the limits of all established phenomena, it knows no limits," he continued casually, leveling her with an intense stare. "This power violates the realm…of god."
She heard Luppi make a dark sound of contempt towards her and she swallowed nervously, unsure if she should put more space between the two of them. It never hurt to be overly cautious, and there in that foreign land that wasn't even the same dimension as her home, she couldn't afford to make mistakes.
"Hey, princess," Grimmjow suddenly called, catching her attention as he turned his back to her and pointed to a painful looking scar on his lower back. "Come heal one more thing," he demanded and without thinking, she'd called forth her fairies again, spreading them across his waist as she concentrated once more on mending his body, or rather, the inky black number six that had been seared from his flesh. Orihime blinked curiously, easily becoming distracted by the large, peculiar looking hole in his abdomen. How interesting these hollows were…
"Just what are you trying to pull, Grimmjow?" Luppi shifted his stance guardedly from behind them, eyeing the blue haired man with skepticism. Grimmjow glanced at the man over his shoulder, his calm and somewhat unfocused demeanor changing in an instant as his thin lips unexpectedly shot up into the wickedest grin she'd quite possibly ever seen.
Orihime gasped as the man before her disappeared in a blur of white and blue. She hadn't even the chance to turn around before she heard a pained grunt behind her. Her head whirled around, astonished to find the arm she'd just painstakingly reassembled now impaled through the young lavender-eyed boy's abdomen.
"Grimmjow…" He coughed and wheezed as blood spewed forth from his mouth. "You bastard!"
"Your days are done." Grimmjow's animalistic grin was near frightening, his teeth shining with an appalling sharpness as he raised his arm with deliberate slowness. "Goodbye! Mister ex- number six," he said before the bright, red cero shot forth from his hand, obliterating everything in its path, including most of the small Espada's body. A deep, lone chuckle bubbled up from Grimmjow's throat as the mutilated corpse buckled to its knees before collapsing in a limp heap onto the floor to bleed out. The faint chuckling that came from him afterwards quickly grew in volume, louder and louder until it reached a deafening roar that filled the room and echoed off the pillars.
"It's back! My power's back!" he proclaimed loudly as Aizen watched with wickedly serene grace from above. He lowered his hand from his chin to watch the man below him reestablish his position as a ranking member of his army. "The sixth Espada…is Grimmjow again!" he bellowed with a maddening look flaring to life in his eyes. It was a look that frightened Orihime and made her take several steps back as he continued celebrating, revealing a borderline side of himself that she'd never have guessed he possessed. He'd seemed so distant before, but now…
"Grimmjow," Aizen said, gaining the man's full attention after his laughter had died out. The blue haired man smirked maniacally, staring up at his master with that feral and wild glint in his eyes. "It's so nice to see you back to normal." Aizen gave him a lopsided smile, closing his eyes and resting his chin in his palm once more. "I was beginning to worry for you," he said. His velvety voice and smooth, controlled words hinted that he might have predicted such a brutish reaction from his subordinate, even expected it.
Orihime swallowed hard as she began to wonder if she'd just been used, pulled into a scheme as an unknowing accomplice to reestablish the balance of power that had somehow been previously upset between the two Espada.
"Gimme' something to do, boss!" Grimmjow sniggered, lifting his foot and shoving the heel of his boot into the ghastly remains of Luppi. He thrust the disfigured body across the room until it slammed into the base of the podium, far below Aizen's feet. "I'm in the mood to kill something," he gruffly declared in a dangerously hushed voice, licking his lips with an unquenchable hunger burning in his blue eyes.
"I think that can be arranged." Aizen grinned, angling his head back a fraction as he observed the man below him seething with an enormous amount of pent up aggression. "Ulquiorra," Aizen said, his eyes suddenly on the other man. "Would you be so kind as to escort our guest somewhere more suitable for the time being? I'm afraid I must leave her in your capable hands from here on out."
Orihime watched, unsure if she had even seen correctly, as the pale man actually seemed to hesitate for a split second, his green eyes flickering with the closest thing resembling life that she yet to see in him. Rather, a muted and subdued brand of reluctance. "Yes, my lord." He obeyed unflinchingly and the fleeting moment was gone before she'd barely had a chance to analyze it. Orihime wrapped her arms tighter around herself, unsure of what was happening as she saw the amused look on Aizen's face. Was there something funny about this? she wondered, distrustful of the circumstances.
"This way," Ulquiorra said as he walked by her towards the exit. "I'll show you to your quarters."
"Okay…thank you," she said nervously as she followed.
"Ulquiorra," Aizen called from behind them, prompting the pale man to stop in his tracks.
"Yes, my lord?" Ulquiorra answered, his back defiantly facing his master as he patiently waited for him to finish.
"Do be gentle with her," Aizen said. "…she is very precious to me," he finished darkly, a definite warning hidden in the pleasant tones of his voice.
"Always, my lord," Ulquiorra agreed quietly and without protest as he moved forward once more.
"Hey, princess!" Grimmjow called out again, catching her eye as he stared her down with that same spine tingling look he'd given her before. She stood silently, watching as his feral grin slowly grew and widened. "Don't think I won't pay you back for this," he said harshly, his words causing a tiny crease to form on her brow.
Orihime instantly averted her eyes and gave him a wary nod of her head, unsure of how else she ought to reply to his strange and slightly aggressive way of expressing gratitude. It had sounded more like a threat. Without wasting another second, she turned on her heels to retreat from the room that was beginning to fill with the sickening scent of death. She had barely taken two steps before something wrapped around her legs, nearly causing her to trip. Orihime looked down, surprised to see Wonderweiss at her heel with his arms secured around her thighs and his cheek resting on the swell of her hip, looking up at her as if she were abandoning him.
A sense of guilt kicked in and she reached down, caressing the top of his head in apology. She was about to say something comforting when Aizen interfered, calling out to the boy in a kind voice from his throne.
"Wonderweiss," he said. "Perhaps you should check in with Tosen, yes?"
Orihime was stunned, and a little wounded, when the boy's head perked up instantly and his arms released her, turning from her person as if she hadn't even been there to begin with. He made a noise of excitement, his freckled face lighting up surprisingly fast.
"I'm sure he's been concerned for you." Wonderweiss hurried back to the podium, listening intently as Aizen continued to distract him with little effort.
"Woman," Ulquiorra called from the doorway, waiting for her.
"Yes," she said, not even sparing the room one last glance before making her way out. "I'm coming." Her feet hurried to catch up to him as she listened to the deceptively mild and carefree voice of the defected Shinigami Captain behind her, handing out his commands to an eager Grimmjow. She heard the doors groan mightily, grinding against the stone flooring as they slowly slid shut behind her. They released a quick gush of wind that teased her long locks from behind as they finally closed. She looked up, realizing he was still patiently waiting for her as she came to stand a few feet before her new warden, who was eyeing her closely. Despite the horror show she'd just witnessed, despite being kidnapped and taken as a prisoner of war, despite everything, she looked up and gave him a small, weak smile while tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"I'm ready," she informed shakily, trying not to roll with the horrid things she'd just seen…trying not to break. However, the quiver in her voice and the faint tremble echoing through her whole body easily gave her away.
Ulquiorra continued to gauge her, scrutinizing that smile he could clearly see was far from genuine. Without wasting another moment, he looked away and moved on, wordlessly commanding her to follow.
Orihime crossed over the threshold of the room he had ushered her to. She took her time to examine the sparse décor of the dark space. With a quick scan of the area, she reached up to nervously rub her forearm. There was naught but a lone couch situated on the far left, with a large claret colored area rug to absorb the cold and a small table nestled at the arm of the settee. The walls were white but appeared as more of a dull gray in the meager lighting, all of which was supplied by the moonlight spilling in through a high, arched window built into the wall.
Orihime blinked as her eyes landed on the window, nearly doing a double take. It actually had bars on it…how medieval…
"It's very…lovely," she stated to the man standing in the doorway behind her, taking her time to clear her throat quietly at her complete inability to tell even the smallest of lies.
"You are here to serve Lord Aizen. Unnecessary materials are something you no longer need to concern yourself with."
She averted her eyes, hating the idea of a life in servitude, only to quickly look back up with a faint smile to hide the sadness. "Of course," she replied resignedly, agreeing without much enthusiasm behind the affirmation. "You're right." She gave him an indifferent sigh, trying greatly to play the whole thing off. Trying to pretend she wasn't a prisoner acting the part of an honored guest could be easy for now.
Ulquiorra turned his head, motioning for something or someone that was outside the room to enter. A brief time later, a young, attractive woman appeared. With soft red hair and a lean build, she carried a silver tray of fabrics and a select few other items neatly laid atop the well polished platter.
"Your life in Las Noches begins now," he droned without effort. "A more suitable bed will be delivered to your room soon enough. For now, you are to be fitted to a new uniform more befitting a ward of the Espada," he said as the woman approached her and set the tray on the end table beside the sofa. Her amber eyes sent the human girl quick and unpleasant glances as she brought a thin strip of measuring tape up to her arm, extending it downwards from her shoulder to her wrist. "You will have food delivered to your room three times daily, with duties and activities planned in between on your agenda," he continued and Orihime only half listened, too distracted by the woman's hands moving over her curves and extremities to absorb every word.
The seamstress's movements were slow and graceful, and Orihime watched as she worked, slightly fascinated. She twitched briefly when the woman pressed against her sides, nearly summoning forth a bubble of laughter at her sensitive and ticklish nature. When she felt the fingers of the woman suddenly start reaching up her skirt to measure her inseam, Orihime blushed madly and forced herself not to move away…only to find herself blushing harder as the red headed woman straightened herself and came to stand behind her. She wrapped the dull yellow tape around her chest, pressing and loosening it again several times against her breasts to get an accurate measurement.
Orihime's face went from blushed to blanched.
Doing such a thing in front of a man…
To be so open and vulnerable like that was off-putting enough. She wanted to turn around for a little privacy, at the very least.
Orihime looked up, fully ready to be met with an unyielding, green eyed gaze watching her squirm uncomfortably in her embarrassing situation, only to be taken aback as she realized he wasn't even looking at her. She stared openly and continued listening to him talk. He was leaning against the doorframe with his hands in his pockets and staring off into the hallway as if he were a thousand miles away.
"Your room will remain unlocked for the remainder of your stay in Las Noches. You are free to roam wherever you please, so long as you do not leave this tower. This is a rule you are to follow at all times, is this clear?"
Orihime blinked, unable to break her stare. When a few seconds passed without reply, his eyes turned from their far off destination and locked onto hers. She nearly looked away, but instead found herself answering him with a question of her own.
"Why?" she asked, truly curious.
He merely went back to his blank stare, examining whatever it was he was so interested in out in the hallway. She suspected it was nothing at all, and that he was merely ignoring her in some type of unspoken snub. "Out of all the Arrancar in Aizen Sosuke's army, there are ten Espada that are the strongest. Throughout Las Noches are ten towers, each of which is a domain selectively chosen and allotted to each of the top Espada as their own private residence, while Lord Aizen resides in the innermost dome, the largest section of the palace. Although trespassing into these towers is expressly forbidden, this does not mean the rules are followed. Your presence in Las Noches will inevitably provoke certain individuals to push these boundaries," he stated evenly, his voice nearly void of inflection. "If you value your life, you will never leave this room."
Orihime's lips formed into a little frown. No doubt he was trying to frighten her into submission. "It doesn't sound like a very happy existence," she said, her eyebrows furrowing and forming a small crinkle between them. "Always having to worry if someone is going to come barging into your house and try to murder you in your sleep…"
Without much hesitation, he merely closed his eyes and answered, "You are in Hueco Mundo now. Your happiness has no meaning here." He pushed himself from the doorframe and spared her one last glance. "Do you have any further questions?" he asked.
Orihime hesitated, put off by his blunt and slightly harsh reply. There was always a place for happiness in her heart, at least that's what she always believed. "No, I can't think of any at the moment," she answered with a small shake of her head.
Without much else to say he began to turn away. "I will return within the hour to be sure you have adjusted well. In the meantime, your meal will be delivered. Your plate will be empty by the time I return, do you understand this?" he asked, the slight hint of an order hidden in his tone.
She nodded.
Without another word, he strode into the hall.
"Um…Ulquiorra-kun?" she called after him. He paused mid-step and looked back at her. "Tha-" Before she could get the words out to thank him for seeing to her needs, he interrupted her without missing a beat.
"It is Ulquiorra and only Ulquiorra. If you refer to me in such a way again, you will not receive food for a week," he said with quiet finality. "Don't make this mistake again." His eyes, large and green, narrowed ever so slightly as his voice softened an octave, sending a shiver up her spine.
Orihime brought her hand up to her chest, clenching it tightly as she stood on the receiving end of that daunting stare. She had merely wanted to thank him, yet she'd only received such a harsh look for the effort. She was unsure of what she had said that could have offended him. Without so much as a sound, she gave a small nod of her head in reply before completely turning away from him.
When she looked back, he was gone.
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TBC
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