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CHAPTER 20
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Orihime hummed happily as she exited the kitchen, her belly full and her spirits high. She made sure to lock the door just like Ulquiorra had shown her, though he had long since left to attend to whatever business he'd planned that day.
During her short time with him at breakfast, she'd squeezed him for every bit of information about her friends that she could get out of him. Needless to say, he hadn't been too forthcoming, but he had given her snippets of facts, even a few insinuations as to their location, though no particulars. Sometimes he'd just offer a vague 'yes' or 'no' answer to her questions, probably just to keep her placated in the hopes of shutting her up. She hadn't minded, not really. So long as she knew everyone was safe, that's all that mattered.
As Orihime turned from the door, she very nearly jumped right out of her skin when she suddenly came face to face with Wonderweiss. She gasped loudly, thoroughly startled.
"Wonderweiss-san," she breathed, her hand coming up to touch her chest, trying to slow her heartbeat. A small smile tugged at her lips as her nerves began to settle. "You scared me." She laughed tensely.
He merely stared up at her, completely unaffected by her jumpy behavior.
"What are you doing here?" she asked. "Usually you're with Tosen-san during this time of the day, are you not?" Reaching out, she offered up her hand and he readily took it. "He's probably busy now, isn't he? That's alright, you can hang out with me instead. How does that sound?" She smiled down at him as they began walking, secretly glad for his company. "Actually, I'm very happy that you're here. You can help me out with something. There's someplace I need to go, but it would take too long for me to walk on foot. Plus, I'm not exactly sure where it's at." Orihime glanced up to the ceiling, tapping her chin in thought before looking back down to her companion. "Do you know how to get to the fifth tower? I was hoping you could take me-!"
Orihime suddenly shrieked in surprise when, the next thing she knew, Wonderweiss had scooped her up in his arms and took off.
Soon, Las Noches' white walls were nothing but a blur that passed them by.
Kicking her feet in the air to balance herself, Orihime frantically wrapped her arms around Wonderweiss's neck, holding to him tightly. Seconds later, they were standing at the top of a massive structure, staring down at what looked like a large town. Arrancar moved about far below, mingling in the streets and walking between stone white buildings.
Orihime's eyes widened in awe. "I never knew there were places like this in Las Noches," she breathed in amazement. "It's just like the living world!" Her face brightened. It had been so long since she'd seen anything that even remotely resembled 'normal' civilization. Just the sight of it enlivened her, reminding her of home. She wanted to stop and explore, but she didn't get to appreciate the view for long.
Once more, Wonderweiss was on the move. He strolled up to the edge of the roof and, before Orihime could protest, he stepped over without a second thought.
"W-w-wait, Wonderweiss-saaaan!" she shrieked all the way down, gripping him so tightly she would have strangled him were he a lesser being. Her hair flew up over her head and her stomach felt like it floated into her chest, making her feel oddly giddy and excited. As she watched the ground grow closer and closer, anticipation actually began to mix with her fear. Her shriek of panic quickly turned into thrilled laughter as he touched down and took off with seamless effort.
Wonderweiss continued on, carrying her to their destination as they passed several more buildings before shooting out across the sandy plains of Las Noches.
The sun was shining in the dome and the wind was flying through her hair and for the first time in a long time, Orihime felt mirth fill every ounce of her being.
There were a lot more people in the fifth tower than Orihime had originally expected, though they were all women. She made sure to keep Wonderweiss close to her side as she edged further down the halls, trying not to appear too out of place.
She was nervous as she made her way into a large room, particularly due to the scathing glares she was receiving from most of the female Arrancar that were lounging there. The space was surprisingly well decorated, even colorful. The ceiling was high and the floor space expansive, but it was filled to the brim with gorgeous, big breasted women.
They were all very pretty, but it didn't seem to stop them from continuing to sneer at her hatefully.
Regardless of the situation, she knew what she had to do and she had no intention of running away now. After last night, Orihime had made the decision to try to become stronger, no matter what. Everyone around her was fighting and she refused to just stand idly by whilst they sacrificed their sweat and blood to put an end to the war-be they Shinigami, Human, or Arrancar. Being in Las Noches had opened her eyes. She'd made friends with people who were supposed to be 'evil'. She'd seen some horrors, but most of what she saw were people just trying to survive. They weren't supposed to become her friends, in fact she was fairly scared of Hollows when she first arrived, but she'd befriended them anyway.
After her epiphany the night before, she had decided to hold off on delving too much deeper into her budding feelings for Ulquiorra. She didn't want to repeat the same mistakes she'd made back when she used to be in love with Ichigo. With the way things were currently going between them, she was afraid she'd already started down that path; blindly loving him just for the sake of loving. Though she'd never been brave enough to confess to Ichigo, Orihime felt she could eventually tell Ulquiorra, but it just wasn't the right time. Not for her and not for him.
Loving Ichigo had always been torture. It was both taxing and painful. It hurt so much more than it should have, there was literally nothing pleasant about loving him; envy, self-loathing, shyness, and the ever present cloud of insecurity that came with it, always wondering if she wasn't pretty enough or strong enough for him to notice her. That's what loving Ichigo had been like. She couldn't recall a time when she'd ever felt happy when she thought of her love for him. It had always been sadness and depression, and even more wallowing in self-pity. Of course it wasn't his fault, but that didn't make it any less bearable.
She couldn't do that to herself again and, although she did feel that there was a deeper reason behind her love for Ulquiorra, she wasn't going to fall into the same old routine. She needed to know that she was strong enough to love herself before loving another man. After all, how could she love him if she didn't even love herself, if she was always viewing herself as weak and useless?
Last night she had decided it was time for her to grow up and, for once, she wasn't going to just sit around and cry about it and hope for the best. Strength wouldn't just magically appear because she cried for it hard enough. She was going to do something to put an end to the vicious cycle she'd trapped herself in, once and for all. She was tired of hiding behind her friends' backs and allowing them to fight while she lamented over her powerlessness.
She was going to become strong and when she did, then she would tell Ulquiorra how she felt. If she wanted to show him the wonders of the heart, she had to be absolutely certain hers was strong enough to give away. Otherwise, she would be nothing more than a hypocrite and he'd pick up on it like a predator narrowing in on the dying cries of a helpless animal. He'd see through her without fail and he wouldn't hesitate to strike.
She'd once believed it would take a strong woman to love a man like Ulquiorra. She was right, but as of right now, she wasn't strong enough.
Orihime fully intended to change that. Not only for him, but for herself and her friends.
For once in her life, she wasn't doing something solely for a man. She wasn't revolving around her love for Ichigo Kurosaki. His existence was no longer the singular purpose behind her every choice in life. Instead, she was existing for herself and it felt wonderful. During her stay in Las Noches, it had given her time apart from her friends and those things had begun to fade farther and farther away in her mind. Due to that space, it cleared the haze of self-pity and confusion. She felt like maybe she could finally evolve and grow into something better, something more worthy of standing by their sides, rather than at their backs.
Those thoughts were suddenly flushed from Orihime's mind when the voices in the room pulled her attention back to the present. All the women were whispering, hiding behind their hands as they leaned over to giggle in each other's ears. Their hushed, pointed voices played at the boundary of her hearing, only allowing her to catch small scraps of their venomous comments.
"…it's that human child…"
"…that's the one Lord Aizen brought here, isn't it?"
"She may be beautiful, but she seems pathetic to me. Did you know that she actually–…?"
"What's she doing here, anyways?"
"Does she think she actually stands a chance with Master Nnoitra? How arrogant."
"She has a lot of nerve showing up here smelling like that."
"I've heard the Fourth ties her up in his tower and tortures her until she screams her throat raw."
"Ulquiorra always did have a thing for redheads…do you remember that one girl that he…"
"Just because Master Ulquiorra puts up with her doesn't mean Master Nnoitra will be so lenient."
"Well, I heard that she…"
They never seemed to stop, all of the words blending together like a buzz of annoying electricity in her ear until she could hardly tell what any of them were saying.
Orihime swallowed as she approached a group of females. All of them had ridiculously large breasts and overly sexualized outfits that revealed nearly every inch of their flesh. There were a couple that were even completely naked. Their lips were full and their lashes were long and loaded with mascara. Pillows and lounges were spread all throughout the room, the walls draped in loosely hanging fabrics. A sizable pool sat off to the right, fed by a small fountain that trickled softly in the background.
She didn't particularly desire to socialize with them, seeing as she didn't appear to be welcomed there, but she was searching for someone in particular and they seemed like they might know where she could find him. Besides, she'd already gotten terribly lost.
"Um, excuse me," she began politely, albeit a little shyly. She'd already had all the women's undivided attention, but speaking only made it feel worse. Their stares had been focused on her the moment she walked into the lavish room. They'd only stopped the backbiting when they noticed she was actually approaching them. "I'm very sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if you could tell me where I could find Nnoitra-kun?"
One of the women scoffed, a busty blonde.
"Nnoitra-kun?" she repeated, sounding quite disgusted but mostly jealous. "How dare you refer to Master in such a familiar manner, human." She made sure to stress the word to its fullest extent.
"Oh, well…it's just, I was hoping you might-"
"That we might what? Show you to our Master so you can seduce him like you have every other male in Las Noches?" another one, this time a brunette, interjected. "If you haven't noticed, we're all women here. We're not going to fall for your sweet little innocent act."
Orihime's eyes widened at the spiteful remarks, clearly stunned by their vehemence. "That's not what I-"
"Awe, that's not what you meant?" the brunette crooned, finishing the sentence for her. Her tone was sulking as she pushed her bottom lip out in a blatantly mocking pout, one that was meant to belittle Orihime. "Of course that's not what you meant, honey. After all, you're just so chaste and helpless and unassuming, am I right? You'd never do something like that, would you? Seduction is just too far beneath you. No, I'm sure you just tease them until they cave and 'take you by force', is that it?" She continued pouting as she talked, speaking to her as if she were a child.
Orihime gasped and pressed her fingertips to her mouth, both appalled and scandalized.
"Please," the blonde drawled, unimpressed by the girl's reaction. "Nobody's buying that virginal act while you're walking around smelling like that." She lifted her hand, carelessly examining her nails as she spoke.
"S-smell?" Orihime tensed, suddenly afraid she smelt bad. Maybe that's why they didn't like her. Her face flushed in embarrassment, half tempted to lift her arm and sniff her pit. "W-what do you mean?" She was almost too afraid to ask anything more. She had taken a shower that morning, so she really didn't understand.
All the women shared looks amongst themselves before breaking out into fits of giggles. Their laughter made her feel even more ostracized, prompting her to look away and lower her eyes to the floor.
"Come on, Wonderweiss-san," she said as she reached down to grab his hand. "Let's go."
As she started to guide him to the door, one of the women suddenly appeared behind her.
"And just where do you think you're going?" Her light, airy voice had been replaced with something deeper, something more malicious.
"I'm leaving," Orihime answered without even stopping to look at her.
"I don't think so." Her hand shot out and grabbed Orihime's arm, halting her before she could get any further. "What do you say, girls?" She looked back to her pack of fellow women. "How about we have a little fun with her? She is just so pretty, after all. How could we resist?" They all giggled again in delight and got up from their lounges to close in on the young human.
The blonde who had grabbed her pulled her closer, wrapping an arm around her back as she pressed their breasts together and leaned in suggestively.
"You know, you are actually very beautiful for a human." Her hand gently caressed Orihime's cheek, her brightly painted nails softly scraping her skin. "You have such an incredible body…and what a lovely face. Though, it does seem you bruise very easily," she observed aloud as she took in the remaining bruises that had been left on her cheeks from Grimmjow's deadly hands, most of which were already faded. "Such soft, delicate skin. How very breakable. Perhaps all you need is a woman's touch…" She smiled sadistically as the rest of the women surrounded her, staring at her as if they were ready to tear her apart. "Don't worry, deary…we'll be very, very gentle with you." Large, glossy lips were all Orihime could see as the woman's head began to bend down, her mouth just a hairsbreadth away from Orihime's.
"I believe you ladies are overstepping your boundaries," a new voice suddenly stopped every woman in her tracks. Their heads whirled around to the doorway, all of them gaping with wide, frightened eyes as a young, blonde haired man stepped into the room.
"Tesla-san!" Orihime called with great relief.
"M-master Tesla!" the blonde woman breathed out his name in unadulterated fear.
Tesla paced forward before coming to a stop, his lone visible eye glaring unwaveringly into the blue orbs of the female currently holding Orihime trapped in her arms, their breasts still firmly pressed together. Her blue eyes were wide and every muscle in her body tensed up at the sight of him.
"Did you not hear me?" he asked. "You should let her go and find something better to do with your time. Or do you always take it upon yourselves to assault guests of Master Nnoitra?"
"We…we were just going to have a bit of fun with her." She swallowed loudly. Orihime could feel the woman's body trembling against her own. "I swear, that's all. Isn't that right, girls?" The rest of them nodded blindly. "She came in here looking for Master, but she was just so beautiful that we wanted to play with her some."
"Release her," Tesla ordered flatly. "I doubt Lady Inoue enjoys being touched with hands as filthy as yours."
The woman's widened eyes abruptly became even larger.
Orihime wasn't sure if it was the insult or the fact that he'd actually give her, a human, such a respectful title. Perhaps it was both, but the way her hands slowly began to tighten around her told Orihime just how much it angered her.
"Be careful of what you say, Tesla," she spat his name, completely dropping the title. "We may be Master Nnoitra's harem, but don't act like you wouldn't lay face down, ass up the second he'd ask it!"
Tesla's eye narrowed dangerously and the woman quickly pulled Orihime closer, using her as a protective shield.
"We'll give her back…after we've had our turn with her!" she suddenly proclaimed. "After all, Ulquiorra gets to have his fun with her! Why can't we?"
"How pathetic," Tesla said. "You think to compare yourself to an Espada?"
"Shut up!" she hissed, maneuvering Orihime further between them. "Just back off or we'll kill her!" Her proclamation didn't seem to sit well with the other girls in the room. Instead of backing her up, they slowly began taking measured steps away from her. They were smart enough not to be dragged into the situation any more than necessary.
"Oh! Well now, what's this?" a crass, cackling voice drawled from the doorway. "Is pet-sama playing with my girls?" Nnoitra's tall, lanky shadow slunk across the floor, slithering over the threshold to fill the room. His appearance did little to ease the tension in the air, mostly making it worse. "Why didn't anybody invite me?"
Nnoitra's familiar titter sent a cold chill up the spines of everyone in the vicinity as they watched him casually stroll onto the scene, hands tucked in his pockets.
"Master Nnoitra!" several of the girls crooned his name, as if they'd been trained to drop their panties the moment he entered their sight.
"Now, now, girls," he tsked, lifting his hand to shake a finger at them. "Now's not the time. As you can see, we have company." His eye roved over the area and zeroed straight in on Orihime. A wide, deadly smile spread across his features as he took in the woman's arms wrapped securely around her. "However," he began and took a step forward, and then another, his long legs covering the distance between them in no time. Once there, he leaned down to nonchalantly take in the situation, momentarily enjoying the view of seeing their breasts squished together. "I really feel I must ask…"
Suddenly, his eye shifted to the woman, still smiling broadly.
"Am I missing something here?" His tone was frighteningly good natured.
"M-master?" the blonde stuttered.
Nnoitra sighed dramatically and shook his head, as if he were exasperated that she was too dumb to understand.
"Since you're too stupid to grasp the question, let me put it in simpler terms; is there a reason you're currently feeling pet-sama up like she's your own personal toy?" He straightened up slightly and began to pace around her, circling the pair all the while never taking his eyes off the two interlocked females in front of him. "Does she belong to you?" The woman shook her head frantically. "Is she your property?" The woman shook her head again, vehemently denying anything he suggested. "You wouldn't have been planning to do anything…untoward to her…now, would you?" He stopped and gave a feigned pout, as if the idea distressed him.
"O-of course not, Master!"
"Well then, would you mind telling me just who gave you permission to touch pet-sama?"
The woman looked confused.
"No one did, Master. But…but the bitch just came in here, acting all superior and even expected us to bring her to you," she explained.
Nnoitra nodded, as if understanding her plight. "Yes, she can be rather annoying." Then, without warning, one of his hands was suddenly around her neck, choking her before she even knew what hit her. Instantly, she let Orihime go, opting instead to claw at the unforgiving hand strangling the life out of her. "Here's the thing…you got to play with pet-sama. And that pisses me off." He jerked her forward, bringing her nose to nose with him. "If I don't get to touch her, nobody does," he said darkly, his smile long gone.
Suddenly, the woman was thrown into the wall, cracking the marble with a large dent. She slid to the floor, not quite unconscious, but not quite alert. When she saw Nnoitra's shadow inching closer, looming over her like death itself, she whimpered and squirmed in terror.
"No, no, no, none of that now," he hushed her with false soothing. Crouched by her side, he brushed her hair out of her face. "Don't worry. I'm not going to kill you, not yet. You're much too good at sucking my dick for that. So, let's do something a little more…creative."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause any trouble," Orihime said as she followed Tesla out of the fifth tower and back into the dome. He'd taken her out of the room as soon as the blonde woman had released her and she went without protest. Wonderweiss had stayed close, never straying too far from her side.
"Your presence is no trouble, Lady Inoue," he replied. "You have done nothing wrong."
"Well, Ulquiorra is always telling me we aren't supposed to trespass into other Espada's towers. I suppose now I understand why."
"That is a rule generally reserved only for Arrancar." He turned his eye to her. His expression was polite, but there was always an underlying air of coldness in him. Still, she couldn't help but blush a little, as some of his features did remind her of Ichigo, though not quite as handsome. "As far as I am aware, you do not fall under this category."
Orihime offered a small smile. "You don't think he's going to kill her…do you?" She cast a nervous glance over her shoulder towards the tower. "That woman, I mean. I'm sure she wouldn't have hurt me. She was probably just trying to scare me off."
Tesla's brows furrowed at her naïveté. That female would have killed her had he not shown up. "I doubt he will harm her much," he explained. "She services him too well for Master Nnoitra to be rid of her so easily."
"Services?" Orihime cocked her head innocently, not understanding.
Veering away from the subject, Tesla shifted gears, unwilling to enlighten the young girl on what type of 'services' those women provided his master. It was quite probable she didn't even grasp the concept of the room she'd just been in, or the purpose for all the women. "I assume there is a reason you came looking for Master Nnoitra?" he asked.
"Oh, yes!" She smiled again, unaffected by the sudden change in topic. Instead, the light returned to her eyes as his question reminded her of the reason she'd gone to the fifth tower in the first place. "I was wondering if I could ask him a favor." At this she blushed slightly. Lifting her hands, she wove her fingers together and rested them under her chin, bowing her head nervously. "You see, I wanted to ask him if…well, if he could train me."
Tesla arched an eyebrow in surprise.
"You see, since he seems to be trying to get stronger for the war, I thought that maybe we could get stronger together."
When she looked up at him from beneath her lashes and offered another shy grin, Tesla felt an unusual amount of heat rising to his own cheeks. Clearing his throat, he turned away to focus back on the path ahead of them.
"Would Master Ulquiorra not be a better option for this? Or perhaps Grimmjow?"
"Well, Ulquiorra is always so busy and he has to take care of me enough as it is," she explained, sounding a bit dejected. "And Grimmjow-kun seems to be avoiding me lately."
"I see." He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, noticing the way she stared dolefully at the ground. "I cannot speak for Master Nnoitra, but I would be more than willing to aid you in your endeavors."
"Really?" Her head jerked up to him, her face bright.
"Of course. Without your kindness I would be dead, Lady Inoue," he said. "I owe you my life. It is the least I can do."
"I was only trying to help. But now that you mention it, I'm glad that you were able to fully recover." She beamed up at him. "I was worried after Yammy took me back to Las Noches that you wouldn't make it. I didn't know how much I'd been able to heal you." Her eyes briefly flittered to his abdomen; the place where he'd been impaled by the arm of an Adjucha. His long coat prevented her from seeing if there were any remaining scars, but she could tell just by looking at him that he appeared in good health. "That was really brave of you, though!" she praised. "The way you jumped in front of that Hollow to protect Nnoitra-kun! It was amazing!"
"I was only doing my duty."
"Yes, but not everyone is lucky enough to have a friend like you." Her smiling eyes gazed up at him, making him feel oddly warm.
"As I said, I exist only for Master Nnoitra's purposes. Had I not done so, I would have failed in my obligation to protect him and remain by his side. My existence would have no further meaning."
Orihime didn't argue with him. Though she didn't believe he was just some object that would have no function were he to leave his 'duties' unfulfilled, she could at least appreciate his devotion.
"Come, I will escort you to the arena." Tesla took her elbow and lifted her into his arms. "It is best we begin your training there."
As he took off, he knew it would probably be better that way, as his Master was distracted with his own business. He did not wish to impede on Nnoitra's own training, nor did he wish for him to become distracted with the war looming so close. On top of this, he personally knew how violent Nnoitra could be and, as ashamed as he was to admit it, he didn't want Orihime exposed to him longer than necessary. He'd had to usher her out of that room as soon as things had turned physical, knowing that she'd likely become upset with the blonde woman's punishment. If she couldn't handle that, she'd never be able to truly accept Nnoitra as anything other than a monster.
If Nnoitra were to train with her, he would hold nothing back. He would likely end up hurting the girl, possibly even killing her if things got too rough and, for some reason, Tesla just couldn't stand to see that happen.
"First, I want to test your strength," Tesla said, standing only a few feet in front of her. "It's important to know what level you're currently on, that way we can advance from there." It would also give him a decent idea of how much she could handle so he would not inadvertently harm her during their session. Humans were extremely delicate and although she was stronger than the average mortal, she was just as breakable.
Orihime nodded, biting her lip nervously as she stared him down. Their lone audience, Wonderweiss, was crouched silently on the sidelines, watching the two of them with curious eyes.
"Now, if you would, Lady Inoue," he began, shifting his stance into a defensive posture. "Come at me with all you've got."
Orihime's eyes widened in shock, stunned to see the seriousness on his face. "Um…okay." She swallowed. "Here I come."
Adjusting her own stance, Orihime took a deep breath and focused her reiatsu, preparing to rush him with all her strength.
Just as her feet moved forward to attack and her hairpins lit up to strike, a loud voice called out from the entrance of the arena, halting her in her tracks.
"Well, what do we have here?" Nnoitra grinned as he sauntered forward, his hands stuffed in his pockets.
"Master Nnoitra." Tesla straightened up and offered the Espada a formal bow. The esteem he held for Nnoitra was clear, though there was also a level of casualness to his voice that was respectful, but familiar. "Lady Inoue has requested someone to train with her. I offered my assistance."
"I see," he tittered. "And do Ulquiorra and Lord Aizen know about this? I'm sure their panties would get all knotted up if she were to get injured."
"I do not know, Master," Tesla answered. "She is safe with me. I did not think it mattered."
Nnoitra shrugged. "Eh, you're right. I don't really give a fuck, either," he sighed and lifted one of his hands to wave off the subject dismissively. For a moment, he thought about punishing his subordinate, as he knew that Tesla had plucked her out of that room when his back was turned, all before he could have his fun with her. Though he was a little pissed that Tesla had purposefully removed her from the tower just to keep her away from him, he was in a good mood, so he'd let it slide. He couldn't blame the little fucker for trying to keep her to himself, but he really should have realized it wasn't going to work.
He turned his sights on Orihime and smiled at her wickedly. "So, you wanna get stronger, huh?"
Orihime nodded. "Yes."
"I gotta say, pet-sama, I'm surprised. I always took you for the sniveling, whiny type that just prances around in the background," he chuckled. "You know, the kind no one really gives a shit about or even notices."
Orihime tried not to flinch at his words, hating how much they hurt. Mostly because they were true.
"I'm not like that!" she refuted. "I want to get stronger! And I will!"
Nnoitra's grin spread even further at her little rant. "Then just what, exactly, were you doing in my tower earlier, eh?"
Orihime's blush began to return. "Well, I thought since you were trying to get stronger, too, that maybe I could ask you if-"
"I could fight you?" Nnoitra's eye utterly lit up with dark, delighted excitement, cutting her off before she could even finish. "Why didn't you just say that in the first place!"
Taking her by the arm, he tugged her forward. "First things first, though," he began and then squatted down to grab her skirt. "We gotta get rid of all this extra shit." Fisting his hands in the material, he proceeded to rip it clean from her legs, tearing the fabric until the length of her dress was barely mid-thigh.
"Nnoitra-kun!" Orihime squeaked in protest, trying to bat his hands away. "W-what are you doing?!"
"You can't fight with all this shit tangled around your legs!" He smiled up at her suggestively as he pulled the last strip of material from her skirt. "There, now how's that?" He patted her thigh and stood back up. "Much better, right?"
Nnoitra leaned back and admired her legs without even bothering to hide the perverse glint in his eye.
"I…I guess," Orihime frowned as she looked away from him, holding back a frustrated sigh. Her hands fretted with her skirt almost incessantly, trying to pull it down to no avail. It was as short as her school uniform. Loose threads hung from the torn hem and tickled her thighs, which was quite distracting. The only real coverage she now had for her legs were her stockings and boots.
"Now, that cape…" he trailed off, eyeing said article of clothing as if calculating the best method of approach to remove it.
Orihime whipped her head back around to glare at him, her chin crinkling as she tried to appear as defiant as possible. Though, on her, it just looked more like an adorable pout. "No!" she objected. "I'm not taking any more off!"
Nnoitra gave a feigned sigh. "Alright." He shrugged. "I guess you don't want to train with me, then."
When he started to walk away, Orihime huffed in annoyance and reached up to quickly undo the zipper to her cloak. Grumbling, she jerked it off her shoulders and tugged the sleeves down her arms.
"There!" She threw the long cloak to the floor and stared up at him with a bit more defiance in her eyes.
"See?" Nnoitra grinned again. "That wasn't so hard now, was it?"
Orihime merely raised an expectant eyebrow.
"Fine, fine," he drawled, shoving his hands back into his pockets. "We'll get started."
Nnoitra turned and took a few long strides away from her, stopping once he was a good fifteen feet away.
"Now, you're going to come at me with all you've got, understand, pet-sama?" he instructed as he turned back to face her. His expression was slightly bored, as if he really didn't expect much to come out of this training 'session'. "Once you attack me, you better commit to it fully, got it? I won't stand for you running off to Ulquiorra, bitching and crying the moment I slap you across your pretty little face. If you're doing this, you better fucking do it."
"Is that the best advice you've got…Nnoitra," a strong, feminine voice echoed through the room, once more halting their progress before it could even get started.
At the interruption, Nnoitra's shoulders slumped, his head turning to glare up into the rafters in a classic display of 'why me?'
"Is there a reason you're interfering…Harribel?"
On the platform overhead, Harribel stared down at the scene with her arms crossed. Her three fraccion stood behind her, glowering at Nnoitra with disgust.
"You just can't stay away from me, can you?" He sneered. "Finally decide you wanna fight me?"
"Don't flatter yourself," Apacci scoffed.
"We just happened to be strolling by when we sensed your reiatsu near the girl," Mila Rose said. "Figured we'd stop by just to make sure things weren't getting out of hand."
"Oh, how valiant," Nnoitra mocked. "A little girl's club. What fun."
In a single flash, Harribel disappeared from the platform above and reappeared on the ground, her fraccion quickly following suit.
"If you're going to train her, it's going to be my way," she stated, her tone implying there would be no arguing her decision. "I will oversee everything, or I will take her back to Ulquiorra."
"What are ya? Scared I'm gonna beat her up?" he snickered. "Please, what fun would there be in that? Look at her, she's so weak it's pathetic."
At his claim, Orihime gasped. She felt torn between crying out in heartbreak and opposing the comment. Of course she wasn't as strong as them, but she was trying to change that. She may never measure up to their level, but at least she could make an effort and become powerful enough to defend herself.
Ignoring Nnoitra's presence, Harribel circled Orihime, her every step confident and poised. Her hard eyes scoured the girl's figure, taking in every inch of her being.
"Show me your fighting stance," she abruptly commanded, her voice stern. "Offensive."
A little shaken by the attention, Orihime did as she was instructed and settled into an offense pose Tatsuki had taught her.
"Hold your chin higher," Harribel ordered and Orihime complied. "Square your shoulders and raise your elbows, you're holding your arms much too low." She continued to walk around her, her stone cold eyes not missing a single flaw. "You will attack him first. When you strike, be aware of his size and strength. His reach will be much longer than you will anticipate. Go for his weak spots, use your size to your advantage, and above all else, don't hesitate to strike."
"I…I don't know if I can." Orihime's large eyes stared straight ahead at her target, suddenly feeling very uncertain. This was much more intense than she thought it would be.
"You will do it or you will die." Harribel stood at her side, her arms still crossed beneath her breasts as she stared down at the young human girl. "This is no longer a game. It is a battlefield. He is now a true opponent. Have confidence in yourself or leave."
Her words weren't sugarcoated. They were stern and blunt, but Orihime nodded regardless, wanting to prove Nnoitra wrong. She wanted to show all of them that she wasn't weak.
"Now, attack him!"
Caught up in the moment, Orihime rushed forward, her heart thundering in her ears.
Nnoitra was grinning maniacally as she closed the gap. Pulling his hands out of his pockets, he charged forward. Orihime focused on what Harribel had told her and went for the weak spots. Using the heel of her palm, she made a go for his stomach, but he easily grabbed her wrist and pushed her away.
His fist was coming down at her and, in a panic, Orihime spun swiftly to the left and made another try for his gut, this time using her elbow.
Unperturbed, Nnoitra backhanded her and Orihime went flying several feet back where she collapsed on the floor.
Tears began to well up in her eyes from the defeat and the shame. There was pain, but she could tell he hadn't even used a fraction of his strength on her. Her shoulders shook as she sat upright, fighting off sobs.
I can't do it, she thought, rubbing at her eyes to wipe away her tears. I'm not strong enough. I'm too weak. I didn't even get a single hit in before he shook me off like an insect!
That familiar, wallowing pit of despair began to sneak up on her, tempting her to cry out for her friends, for Kurosaki-kun, but as soon as it emerged, Harribel's looming shadow crept over her.
"Again," Harribel's voice was at her back, commanding her to get up.
Orihime's head swiveled back, staring up at the strong, beautiful woman with envious eyes.
If only she was more like her…
"I…I don't know if I'm strong enough." She started hating herself the moment the words left her mouth.
She was always 'not strong enough', always giving up before she'd even tried, always standing by on the sidelines whilst everyone else suffered.
"How can you know you're not strong enough if you've never even tried?" Harribel asked.
"Because, I'm not like you! I don't have a lot of power! How can I fight when everyone else is so much stronger than I am?"
"You're wrong." Orihime's eyes widened at this. "Females Hollows are inherently weaker than males, this is true even amongst your own species."
"But…you're strong."
"I'm strong because I have no choice. There are people that depend on me, and because of that, I am able to fight."
"It's not always about power," Apacci said from where she stood on the sidelines. "It's about resolve."
"If you don't have the resolve, then you have no place on the battlefield," Mila Rose interjected.
"If that's the case, then just accept your lot in life and move on. Stop trying to fit in where you don't belong," Sung-Sun added. "If you have no resolve, then get out of our sight."
"But if you believe there is a warrior spirit inside you…then get up and fight," Harribel finished.
Orihime dropped her head and sniffled quietly, feeling her tears slowly fade away. She absorbed their words, taking them into her heart where she processed their depth and meaning.
They were right.
They all were.
"In a battle, the ones who get in the way are not the ones that lack power…but the ones that lack resolve," she recited, recalling something she had heard Rukia say to her long ago. It was quite ironic, considering the woman she'd always been so jealous of had actually been the only person willing to help her. Chad didn't help her, Ishida didn't help her, and the man she'd loved, Ichigo, didn't help her. When she'd cried about her weakness, Rukia had been the one to offer her hand in support.
If there was ever a time she should have felt more ashamed of her envious spite towards Rukia, now was it.
Slowly, a small, reminiscent smile pulled at her lips. "Kuchiki-san," she whispered in a single, faint laugh. "You were right. You were right all along."
Closing her eyes briefly, Orihime took a deep breath and gathered her courage.
"Alright," she said as she stood back up, feeling resolution fill her body. "I'm ready."
Though Orihime couldn't see it, Harribel's eyes crinkled slightly, her approving smile hidden behind the layers of her mask and collar.
She stood by as Orihime took up her stance, waiting for the cue to attack.
"Remember what I told you," Harribel said. "Now, go!"
This time, Orihime was faster, her energy more focused as she drove forward. Nnoitra met her halfway again, going for the first strike.
Tatsuki had taught Orihime many things about fighting, and she drew on that knowledge now, using it to deflect his arm as he made a grab for her neck. She pivoted on her heel, simultaneously ducking his other arm, and rammed her elbow into his side.
Nnoitra staggered back slightly from the impact, cackling on the while.
"Not bad, pet-sama!" he taunted, laughing sadistically all the while. "But you're going to have to do better than that!"
He suddenly appeared behind her, and before he could strike, Orihime lifted her leg and spun around, aiming for a kick to his chest.
Before she could even realize what was happening, Orihime shrieked in surprise as long fingers wrapped around her ankle and lifted her off the ground. Suddenly, everything was upside down and she was hanging from his hand.
"Nice try, pet-sama!" Giggling hysterically, Nnoitra brought her closer, cocking his head as he stared down at her. "But still not good enough!"
With her world turned topsy turvy, Orihime didn't hear a word he said. Instead, she began blushing profusely, her hands frantically trying to hold her skirt up.
"N-Nnoitra-kun! That's not fair!" She frowned up at him. "Please put me down!"
"Oh, you want down?" He arched a brow, playing innocent. Though, with his nefarious grin, he looked more sinister than anything else.
"Yes!"
"And what are you going to do about it?" he taunted. "Maybe I don't want to put you down…after all, you just look so much better with your skirt thrown over your head."
When he drew her even closer, Orihime's face flushed entirely red. Leaning forward, Nnoitra pressed his cheek against the inside of her thigh.
"Mm, so soft…" he said and Orihime was suddenly mortified by just how close he was.
"N-N-Nnoitra-kun!" she clenched her eyes shut in embarrassment when his tongue slowly slinked out of his mouth. "W-w-w-wait!"
"If Ulquiorra gets to…" He tittered teasingly as his long tongue touched her skin and slowly began creeping up her inner thigh. "Why can't I?" Cool and moist, the long appendage grew ever closer to the juncture between her legs, even as Orihime's hands tried desperately to keep her skirt bunched over herself.
"Y-you can't!" Orihime squeaked out. She tried to press her knees together, but with her current upturned position it was rather difficult.
"You know, you taste awfully delicious, pet-sama," he said as he pulled away, his tongue grazing the fingers she was covering herself with. "Does Ulquiorra ever go down on ya like that?" He licked his lips in an open display of perversion.
"W-what?!"
"Judging from all the little hickeys on your thighs…I bet he does." Nnoitra tilted his head as he lifted her again, bringing her up enough to nearly meet her eyes. "With a pussy that tastes that good, I bet he sucks that clit every night. Am I wrong?"
Orihime's mouth hung open in complete shock, rendered speechless.
"The real question is…" He pulled her even nearer, lowering his voice as if he were about to discuss something that was even lewder than what he'd already said. "Do you return the favor?"
"Nnoitra!" Harribel's stern voice interrupted him, stopping him before he could take that line of conversation any further.
"What?" He glanced over his shoulder. "You can't tell me you haven't thought about it, too! Don't you wanna find out?" He offered her a crooked smile.
"Put her down."
"Come on. I'm just curious. Pet-sama always did strike me as the, 'take but never give' kinda girl. I bet she's a total prude. That or she's just clueless."
"Nnoitra!" Harribel hissed again, but he just ignored her.
"I'm just sayin'. She probably just needs some practice, is all." His lone eye rolled to the corner of its socket to pin Orihime with a vulgar stare. "What do you say, pet-sama? Wanna practice on me? Or, if you're really up for it, maybe something more. If that pussy's as tight as I think it is, it's no wonder Cifer's still fuckin' ya. I bet that shit pops every time he pulls out."
"That is enough!"
"For fuck's sake, just can it already, Harribel. I just licked her leg. It ain't like I shoved my tongue up her cunt." Nnoitra sighed in exasperation and turned to face her fully. "Besides, it's just pet-sama." He held Orihime up for display, as if to show his fellow Espada how little of a threat she was. "She's probably too dense to even realize what I'm talking about. Even if she did, it's not like she's going to do anything about- FUCK!"
Nnoitra let out a pained curse as, without warning, Orihime drove her fist straight into his nose.
Everyone in the room, even Harribel, jolted in surprise.
He instantly released her ankle in favor of holding his bleeding nose, and with a loud yelp, she fell hard on her side, feeling pain shoot through her ribs.
Orihime pressed her hands into the floor, pushing herself up enough to gape at Nnoitra.
"Oh, no! N-Nnoitra-kun! I'm so sorry!" she said with genuine concern as she began to get back on her feet. "I…I didn't mean to do it that hard. It's just…you were saying all those things and-!" She cut herself short when his eye abruptly shifted to her, glaring wrathfully.
"You bitch!"
Orihime flinched back.
"Oh, what? You gonna cry now?" he mocked. "Fucking shit, you punch me and you cry? And I'm the crooked one? Fuck me." He wiped his nose with the back of his hand, smearing blood across his upper lip. "I was right when I said you were a whiny little brat. You can't even throw a punch without sobbing about it." His words made her flinch again, causing him to scoff at her reaction. "What's the matter? Can't take a little tongue action?"
Orihime froze.
He was right. Though his nasty comments were difficult to listen to, she couldn't let herself get all bent out of shape and feel violated just because he'd licked her thigh.
There were certainly worse things in life. If she wanted him to stop, she'd just have to show him she wouldn't stand for it anymore.
Hardening her resolve, Orihime narrowed her eyes and shifted back into a fighting stance, her lips pressed into a small, determined frown. She held her position, her body language clear in its statement; I'm ready when you are.
For a moment, Nnoitra's expression dropped as he stared at her. He had not been expecting such a reaction from her. What he had been expecting was more crying and whining like the precious little bitch she was. But seeing her like that, like a real fighter ready to face whatever necessary to win, it did something to him.
He'd always wanted to break her. Her innocence was annoying and her dimwitted guile always grated on his nerves. It was weak and he'd desired nothing more than to beat it out of her.
However, as he saw her as she was now, looking strong and resolute with fire blazing in her eyes…it just made him want to fight her.
He'd only ever seen that look once before; that look of untouchable strength, even in the face of an enemy that could pummel her ass into the ground.
That was the look Nel always gave him.
Excitement razed his body and seared his blood, causing him to shiver hard as a large, maniacal grin exploded on his face.
"Alright, pet-sama," he said as he waved her forward. "We'll do this your way."
Before he could speak another word, she was on him. Nnoitra's eye only briefly widened in shock before he caught himself and snapped back to attention, barely blocking her well aimed kick to his side. However, instead of pulling her foot back, Orihime used the momentum of her attack, as well as the leverage from the arm he'd used to block her, and twisted her body. Her other foot came up off the ground, spinning in another intense kick aimed for his head.
Nnoitra didn't even know what hit him as the back of her leg came around, thrusting the heel of her boot into his cheek. His head snapped to the side, his vision momentarily blinded as a bright, golden light immediately followed.
Quickly reacting, Nnoitra hissed in anger and lashed out, cutting down her Koten Zanshun before it could reach him.
"Bitch!" he cursed as he backhanded her away, instantly stopping any further attacks.
Orihime was back on the ground, panting and rubbing her temple where he'd struck her. He'd hit her a lot harder this time. But even as she sat wounded and defeated on the floor before him, her eyes carefully roved over his figure, searching for any injuries she may have caused. She was still worried about causing him harm. Despite her efforts, she simply could not remove that part of her soul, the part that couldn't stand to cause pain. Even if she ever hurt anyone, it would always be in her nature to also help them. Though, her meager strength hadn't even put a scratch on Nnoitra. She'd never have the raw strength capable of something like that, but she could at least advance in other areas, like her speed and her fairies and even putting her reiatsu into her physical attacks, thus making them stronger than they would normally be.
"Where the hell did you learn to do that?!" Nnoitra clenched his fists as he loomed over her, his eye wild and savage.
Orihime smiled shyly. "My best friend."
"A human friend?!" he nearly shouted in disbelief.
"Looks like she's not as weak as you first thought, Nnoitra," Harribel said, her smirk anything but subtle.
"Fuck off, Harribel!" he snapped over his shoulder, not once taking his eyes off Orihime. "Get up, bitch! Now!" he demanded. "We're doing this again!"
Regardless of his harshness, Orihime couldn't help but smile as she felt happiness blossom inside her. For once, someone wanted to fight her. She'd shown her strength and now they wanted to test that.
So, without delay, Orihime once more got back on her feet and took a deep breath, ready to face the next challenge ahead of her.
"Fuck, I'm so sick of this place," Cirucci said bitterly. She was laying on her stomach atop one of the many pillars spread throughout her domain, loudly complaining about how dull her life had become. Lifting her hand, she ran a small brush down the length of her nail with practiced ease, painting it a dark purple. "It's so depressing. I wish those brats would just show up already so we can go back to Las Noches." Blowing softly on her freshly painted nails, she kicked her legs up behind her, swinging her feet lazily through the air.
"If they show up," Dordoni corrected from where he sat casually on one of the nearby pillars.
"Don't get bitchy with me," she snapped, her pretty features locked in a constantly twisted scowl. "It was Gantenbainne's idea to take up his offer…without consulting us, may I add." Gantenbainne, their third party, was also standing on one of the pillars close by, and she made sure to send him a scathing sideways glare.
"I really don't think he would have given us much of a choice, Cirucci," Gantenbainne replied, his arms crossed as he stared down at her. "We would have likely died had I refused him."
Cirucci rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'd like to see him try."
"He already did, or have you already forgotten, niña?" Dordoni lifted a foot to rest on the edge of the pillar, propping his elbow up on his knee.
"He caught us off guard, Dordoni," she hissed viciously and rose up slightly to level him with a hard glare. "It won't happen again."
"You're failing to understand the danger here, Cirucci," Gantenbainne said. "If we didn't do what he wanted…he would have killed us."
"Then why didn't he?" Cirucci sighed haughtily, annoyed by his insinuations. Her arrogance truly knew no bounds. "He didn't seem all that strong to me." She picked up a purple nail file, holding it in her fingers delicately so as to not mess up her newly painted nails. Using one end of it, she began carefully removing the excess color that had seeped past the outline of her nails. "What was his name again?" she asked.
"His name doesn't matter," Dordoni said. "All we need to worry about is those humans that are supposedly coming."
"It does matter," she barked back, always so spiteful and malicious. "After all, he's just a man, and all men can be persuaded."
"What are you talking about?" Gantenbainne narrowed his eyes at her.
Rolling onto her side, Cirucci ran her hand sensually down the outline of her curvaceous body, hidden under her rather juvenile and ridiculously puerile lolita dress. "If he comes back, I'm sure I can take care of him just fine." She batted her long lashes. The dainty, decorative chain hanging from her mask fell charmingly about her eyes, jingling prettily with each small movement. "He was actually quite attractive. A little pale, but it's nothing I can't work with. Even if we don't get back into the Espada, I wouldn't mind an upgrade to fraccion."
"Más como prostituta," Dordoni remarked offhandedly.
Cirucci merely shrugged nonchalantly. "Whore or not…at least I wouldn't have to be around your pathetic asses anymore."
Gantenbainne shook his head. "It won't work, Cirucci," he said sternly, trying to warn her. "He's not like the others."
"He's a man," she reiterated firmly. "As far as I'm concerned, all males can only think about one thing. They can just as easily be controlled by it, too." She smiled attractively, though on her it just looked vicious.
"Perhaps you should consider reigning in that attitude of yours before you go out and try to seduce your next helpless victim," Dordoni said, watching her carefully from the corner of his eye. "Besides, Gantenbainne is right. It will not work on this one. You will only end up dead."
"And how would you know?" She sneered.
"Because I know what he is capable of. So does Gantenbainne," he explained. "He was the first Espada to join Aizen-dono's army."
"What?!" Cirucci shot upright. "That's not possible. There's no way he would have lasted this long! He would have been replaced by better and stronger fighters just like we were. He would have become obsolete! Besides, I would've remembered seeing him!"
Dordoni only shook his head. "You're wrong," he said. The redheaded man stayed silent, offering nothing to dispute Dordoni's claims. "Back then, things were a lot less organized. There weren't regular meetings like there are nowadays, and even on the occasion we did meet, the Cuatro Espada, Ulquiorra Cifer, was never there. Most of us only heard rumors about him - mostly about his cruel mercilessness in combat and his cold, terrifying eyes that could pierce a man's soul like ice. His tower outside the dome was always empty, his presence never seen but always felt, like the trailing whispers of a ghost. Some of them said he was a demon, and others say he is nothing more than a slave to Aizen-dono's every whim. There were rumors that he was the only one unafraid of Aizen-dono. I was not certain what to believe, though I do not think it possible there is a creature alive that does not fear Aizen Sosuke. No matter the case, when Gantenbainne told me his name, I knew then exactly who he was." Dordoni closed his eyes in thought. "From the sounds of it, his rank has not changed."
"That's bullshit," she waved him off. "If he's supposed to be so dangerous that Gantenbainne accepted his offer without dispute, then how could you have ever been ranked higher than him? You used to be the Tres Espada. You both just sound like pathetic cowards too afraid to fight, if you ask me."
"I do not have your answer, niña." Dordoni turned his head to stare at the doorway. "All I know is the things I have been told." His eyes narrowed as he focused in on the dark shadows lingering in the passage. "This hombre…this Ulquiorra Cifer…is a deadly man." As he said this, the faint outline of a figure began to appear in the hall, prompting him to keep his gaze glued in place. He watched it carefully as it grew closer and more distinguishable. Behind him, he sensed Gantenbainne's reiatsu tense as he, too, picked up on the intruder. "Do not take him lightly, Cirucci…or it will be the death of you."
"Well, well, well," Cirucci drawled, completely disregarding everything her companion had just said. She sat up, crossing her legs as she stared down at the pale figure that stepped calmly into the large chamber. "Speak of the devil…"
"And he shall appear," Dordoni finished. Neither he nor Gantenbainne moved from their posts, remaining on high alert.
"You're early," Gantenbainne announced.
At the words, Ulquiorra's green eyes lifted to appraise the three Privaron Arrancar perched high above him.
"By three days, to be exact," Cirucci expounded, her dark violet gaze raking up and down his form, returning his appraisal. After everything she'd heard, she had to admit she was curious. An Arrancar unafraid of Aizen Sosuke? He was too tempting to ignore. Even if she couldn't reintegrate herself into the ranks of Espada, if she could just become fraccion to such a powerful master, it would be well worth it. She'd be living in luxury, just like she used to.
"If you're here to check up on things, then you're wasting your time." Gantenbainne slowly uncrossed his arms, every part of his body on edge simply from having the man in the same room as him. If he was coming for a report, Gantenbainne fully intended to give it to him. Maybe once he got what he wanted he would just leave. He really didn't want the Espada hanging around their territory, it was too dangerous. "The humans haven't arrived yet. There's been no sign of the boy you mentioned, either, so I don't know what the hell you're doing here. If you got something to say, then say it. Otherwise, get outta our sight."
When the Espada suddenly disappeared from view, every hair on the back of Gantenbainne's neck stood on end. Immediately, he could sense a presence directly behind him, far before the Espada's after image had faded. Just like before, he hadn't even heard the crack of sonido, causing him to wonder if the man had even used it. It had to be impossible. No one was that fast.
Dordoni and Cirucci jumped to their feet, their bodies bristling at the frightening display of speed. They watched the space over his shoulder, their eyes telling him what he already knew; the man was standing right behind him.
Though he didn't like having his back turned on the man, he refused to spin around or jump away in a panic. He wouldn't be intimidated. He also wasn't stupid enough to keep his back to such a dangerous opponent without keeping his guard on maximum alert.
"That's not why I'm here," the smooth voice came to him quietly, lacking any amount of life or excitement.
"Then what do you want?"
"There has been a change of plans."
"What are you talking about?" The Privaron grit his teeth. "We had a deal, man. If you pull out now-!" Gantenbainne had to hold back a gasp when he thought he felt the cold, boney fingers of Ulquiorra's reiatsu wrapping around him. His innards rolled at the ghost-like feeling and he forced the disgusting sensation aside.
"Silence," the Espada said and Gantenbainne wheezed slightly as his airway began to constrict. "You will listen, Privaron." His fists clenched at his sides, trying to remain in control as he continued to feel the increasing demand for air. "The boy has come early, but has arrived too far away from Las Noches to be here within the week." The breaths leaving Gantenbainne began to grow shorter and more erratic, causing his lips to turn a soft blue. "You will wait for him. No matter how long it takes. Do you understand this?"
He didn't reply and suddenly the pressure around his neck amplified three fold. Gantenbainne scowled, reading the threat clearly.
"I dislike repeating myself," Ulquiorra said calmly, not an ounce of anger or impatience in his voice. "You will wait for him and you will kill him."
It was not a question.
"You do not wish to displease Lord Aizen by failing him, do you?"
"I doubt Lord Aizen has anything to do with this!"
A pause.
"You are just now figuring this out?" The Espada's voice, though even, was tainted with mockery. The faint hint of mockery in that dead monotone, small as it was, was far more patronizing than any amount of open ridicule could have ever been.
"Don't insult my intelligence," he spat back, hardly able to find an ounce of air. "I knew from the beginning."
"How very clever of you…"
Gantenbainne had to hold back another snarl of hatred at the dry reply.
"I hope you do not intend to continue testing my patience, Privaron," Ulquiorra said. "I have already explained myself once. Perhaps you have trouble understanding?" As if to stress his words and help him understand, that binding tightness around Gantenbainne grew utterly unbearable. "You will kill the boy. Is that clear enough for you?"
"And if we say no?"
A cold, empty reiatsu slowly began to surround Gantenbainne's entire being, creeping up on him and filling him with the strongest, most petrifying concentration of fear he'd ever known. It stirred something inside him, something dark and primal that wanted to thrash out and fight against it, just to get away from the sickening feeling. Yet, at the same time, his instincts were screaming at him not to move, terrified that if he dared to so much as blink the wrong way it would erase him from existence.
"I'll kill you."
Gantenbainne swallowed.
Apparently, he'd said all he needed to say, for in the next moment the sensation was gone and so was the presence at his back. Gantenbainne inhaled deeply and quickly, nearly falling to his knees from relief as air rushed back into his lungs. He glanced down just in time to see Ulquiorra reappear on the ground, already walking towards the exit, hands in pockets and moving as if he hadn't just nearly killed him.
"Bastard," he bit out, still laboring to catch his breath. Every bit of him was trembling in fear.
He never wanted to see that man again.
Cirucci, however, must have seen something she liked, because the second he set foot back on the tiled ground, she used sonido and appeared in front of him. Leaning back against the wall next to the door, she smiled up at the pale man wickedly as he began to walk by.
He completely ignored her, not even bothering to cast her a paltry glance.
Undeterred, Cirucci pushed away from the wall and strolled up to him, her hands clasped playfully behind her back.
"Your name's Ulquiorra, right?" she asked, forcing him to stop when she stepped directly in front of him and blocked his path. Boldly taking another step forward, she entered his personal space, nearly brushing chests. "Do you mind telling me why you want those humans dead so bad?" She batted her lashes up at him, offering him another vampish smile. Her glossy lips sparkled with the motion, adding a hint of deceptive innocence to her façade. "Not that I really mind." Closer, still. "I'd kill anyone for you."
Lifting a hand, she lightly trailed one perfectly painted nail up the length of his jacket's zipper.
"I'd do anything you want, actually." She leaned in, pressing her breasts against his firm chest. His eyes stared into hers as her head tilted back to look up at him, remaining utterly unresponsive. "You know, rumor has it you can't keep your hands off that human girl…I don't really blame you, though I can't imagine she'd be any fun." Cirucci smirked. "How 'bout I show you what a real woman is like?" Pushing up onto her toes, her pouty purple lips gently caressed his jaw, trying to entice him further. "It's been so long since I've had the pleasure of being with a man," she sighed, and for a brief moment, her words dripped with honesty.
Reaching down, she wrapped her fingers around his wrist and pulled his hand out of his pocket, guiding it around her waist. She pressed his palm to her hip, urging him to make a move. For a moment she wondered if he even knew what to do with a woman. Even if he didn't, she'd be more than willing to show him.
When she felt his fingers suddenly reply with a soft squeeze, her pleading, wanton eyes immediately turned predatory. She arched her back, shivering lightly as his hand slowly began to drag up her body.
However, feeling the way he touched her, the way his hand moved with unhurried ease over her curves, it sent jolts of very real desire shooting through her nerves. He leaned down slightly, his hand pressing into her upper back to draw her closer. She willingly went, grabbing his arms for support when she began to feel strangely dizzy.
Was he actually getting her hot?
It was difficult to believe, but the way he buried his fingers into her hair at the nape of her neck was driving her wild. The pure power she felt radiating in his body, a body that was thin but, now that she was close enough to feel, clearly very well defined, was the best aphrodisiac she could've hoped for.
His other hand lifted from his pocket and snaked between them, moving up between her breasts and neck. With naught but a few lingering caresses, she was panting in his arms, more than wet and ready. "I would suggest…" His deep, seductive voice was against her ear, pulling her in as his fingers closed around her jaw. "That you never touch me again."
Cirucci's brow quickly furrowed in confusion, but then she felt the once gentle hold he had on her jaw slowly begin to grow stronger, and stronger…and stronger.
Her eyes shot wide as pain erupted through her face, only becoming worse by the second. It was a delayed reaction, but she finally gave a harsh jerk. She attempted to pull away, trying to get free of his grasp, but his fingers were like iron shackles, digging into her cheeks and compressing her bones. Anger was the first thing that flashed in her eyes, hot and searing. Strangled whines, mangled curses and poisonous hisses left her lips, unable to open her mouth and release the scream that was building in the back of her throat. She beat on his chest, clawing and scraping at his impenetrable pale skin as she fought for reprieve.
Something cracked in her face and a shriek of agony bellowed out from behind her closed lips, all traces of anger gone from her gaze. Tears poured down her face as her cheeks began to turn blue and bruised and her eyes bled into a deep red, the blood vessels bursting around her violet orbs. The crimson moisture ran freely over her lashes, highlighting the teardrops staining her cheeks.
His eyes, cold and heartless, merely stared down at her without remorse, watching as she began to sob from the pain. When her teeth started popping out of their sockets, it caused blood to pour out from the corners of her lips, bubbling with each frantic breath. Her nails raked down his wrist, desperate to detach herself from him.
Unable to take anymore, Cirucci reached down in a blind panic, feeling around for the handle of her Zanpakuto. As she pulled it forward, mindlessly swinging her reiatsu towards him, she found the pressure did not abate. Rather it only increased as he twisted her around and she suddenly found her back pressed to his chest, one of his hands on her wrist to hold off her attack whilst the other continued to torture her jaw.
She felt the pad of his thumb pressing into the underside of her wrist and, without hesitation, his cold fingers snapped the small bone. The broken wrist wasn't much, she'd confronted far worse grievances in battle. The pain was there, but it simply did not compare to the anguish afflicting her face. Cirucci nearly fainted when she felt the bones in her head begin to give out, splintering under the cruel, unyielding pressure.
Just before everything shattered, she finally blacked out, falling into the empty bliss of unconsciousness.
When her eyes rolled back into her head and her body went limp, Ulquiorra released her jaw. Her small form hung lifelessly from his grip on her wrist, blood pouring from her mouth and nose. With little more than a passing glance, he dropped her to the floor.
His hands returned to his pockets as she lay before him, sprawled at his feet. Her jaw sat slightly crooked on her face, as if something was out of kilter about it, and her entire countenance appeared to be covered in one giant bruise.
After the Espada had finally left the room, Gantenbainne and Dordoni stared down at their broken female comrade. They hardly considered each other anything close to true companions or friends. Quite frankly, they detested each others' company. They had no intention of putting themselves in danger by helping her out. After all, they'd already warned her.
However, way out there, away from the life they'd known, they were all each other had. They only had themselves for support.
Because of that, both men jumped down from their pillars to gather the girl up.
Friend or not, no one deserved to be left lying, suffering in a pile of their own blood…
One thing Ulquiorra always had was patience. He could wait for an opportunity to present itself. He could wait for others to fall into traps. He could wait for things to come to him…and if they didn't, he knew how to pull them in against their will.
His eyes saw everything, and over centuries' worth of wandering, he knew how to manipulate, lie and destroy. It came as easily as breathing. Not that he had much to lie and manipulate about. Up until then there hadn't been anything worthwhile to achieve. His eyes saw the faults in others, their weaknesses. He could see reality for what it was, and was thus unhindered by their restrictions. He knew when to say 'yes' and 'no' and nothing at all, even when he didn't care.
Humans, Hollows, Shinigami; they were all the same. That was why when humans died, their souls turned into such dark, disgusting creatures should the Shinigami leave their duties unfulfilled. The sickness was already inside them, festering and rotting.
After all, it was from humans that Hollows were born.
There was nothing pure or moral about humans, not particularly, which made it puzzling to consider why it was such a sin in the eyes of the Shinigami to kill one. Corruption was always a constant. Purity lay only in the fact that nothing ever changed, as all things would inevitably end in death. Even some day, he too would face that end. There must always be an end to something, and a beginning. There was nothing to dictate the in between, and nothing to dictate the after.
That was true innocence; the will to kill without malice or emotion, to kill simply because it was in the very fabric of your being, and to accept that it was your nature. Humans attempted to breed that will out of their souls, they railed against it, but it would always be there. Animalistic as it was, it was a basic law of nature. To fight against that was only an ironic mockery.
No one was ever born free of sin. Ulquiorra himself was born of filth, born of a human soul.
The woman was no different.
Her soul was not especially outstanding in his eyes, it did not shine like some diamond in the night sky like Kurosaki's, nor was it bright and radiant like the morning sun like Aizen's. Her soul was small and weak, and crushable under his own…but it was warm.
So achingly, unbearably warm.
Ulquiorra stood at the foot of her bed, watching as her chest rose and fell steadily in time with her breaths. His shadow, long and heavy, fell over her figure, covering her in darkness.
He'd stopped by her room to check up on her once he'd returned, finding her already drifted off into a slumber. She was smart to stay in her own bed. He would've been forced to question her intelligence should she wish to return to his quarters after waking him up like that the night before. He had no particular interest in strangling the woman in his sleep, and had even been a little surprised at his own actions. It seemed that, despite himself, he had begun letting his guard down around her far too much.
His green eyes roved over her delicate features, her face and arms covered in fresh bruises. The sight didn't really surprise him. It seemed she was still intent to do everything in her power to place herself in danger. He'd long since lost any inclination he'd once had to keep her under control. She clearly couldn't be broken by locking her away and darkening her world. Her spirit was much too strong for that.
It's what set her apart. She was not sinless or even perfect. In fact, she was quite naïve, but she was strong when she shouldn't have been. She was alive, sometimes painfully so.
Turning away from the sleeping girl, Ulquiorra strolled out of her room and closed the door behind him.
Ulquiorra was patient.
The boy was growing closer every day.
Once he arrived, he'd put that heart of hers to the test.
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TBC
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